Author's Notes: So I'm finally uploading the revamped chapters and the newest chapter in the series. Sorry for the years it took for me to do so. As I explained in "Dragon's Taking Flight," I've been going through some hard times. Things are slowly getting better though, so that counts for something at least. I'm so close to no longer being on the cusp of homelessness, which is great!
Anywho, without further adieu, I give you the new and improved first chapter.
Don't these people sleep. 4:19 in the a.m, and the warehouse across the way was suddenly abuzz with activity. Men dressed in leather hefted plastic wrapped boxes from the back of nondescript white vans. Spotlights illuminated the way, aimed low to not draw the wrong kind of attention all the while.
Too little, too late. Another flash of light went unnoticed from high above, beyond the beams of artificial light. Then came another to highlight leather encased hands. They held up a cell phone to catch the scene below, zoomed in to catch as many faces on the grainy screen as possible. Silently the holder cursed the blurriness of some of the stills. The phone was top of the line, but it would never compete with a camera. Unfortunately, cameras were bulky and required too many more steps in transferring images to other devices. The cell phone would have to do.
"That's the last shipment!" A thug shouted over the light patter of the rain. The lapels of his jacket were lifted high to act as a shield, providing a perfect contrast for another photo.
"Good! Make sure all of it actually makes it to the supplier this time." The other man turned to strike the now empty van hard against its side, revealing a familiar emblem on the back of his jacket. Rough Rhinos. Several more stills were taken.
"You got it boss!" The man ran back to the gaping maw of the once abandoned warehouse. The garage door was then pulled down just as the van peeled away. The roar of many engines soon drowned out all other sound, even the drizzle that kicked up into a downpour.
Perfect. That's my cue. A lone figure stood from the shadows, combat boots balanced precariously over a protruding beam. The treads gripped against the rusted iron despite the beads of water pooling in the dips and dents. His balance would not be disturbed. The phone was slipped into the breast pocket of a leather jacket before it was sealed away beneath a zipper. Thick riding leather hid the rest of his body from view, protecting him from the elements and the biting discomfort of his surroundings- A blessing no longer necessary.
One step had him dropping from the bones of a rising construction site. Turning mid fall, gloved hands reached out to catch what would later become a window sill. His vice-like grip held him aloft with ease, allowing for the treads of his boots to catch the exposed brick of the wall. A quick scan over his shoulder revealed no movement from the warehouse, bolstering the young man's confidence in his current pace. It took one powerful swing of his body to kick start a wall run to the next window sill.
Now next to the warehouse, he kicked off the wall- twisting so that his feet would find purchase of rougher red bricks. His legs then propelled him upwards until he was able to hoist himself up onto the roof. There was no one there to greet him, making the entire endeavor a cake walk. He'd long since learned that a boring run was a good one. Creeping into buildings was one thing, doing so while trying to avoid a spray of bullets was another. He hated guns.
The stairwell leading into the building was secured behind a fire-retardant padlock. Fortunately the weather had worn the metal away, leaving it weak to the simplest of strikes. After a quick listen through the door, he knew that it was safe to stomp the heel of his boot against it. The latch popped after the first hit.
He was inside without any further sound, flying down the stairwell and ducking under fully functional security cameras. Another turn had him diving into the shadows to avoid detection, just as the hallway opened up to a well lit catwalk. An armed Rhino paced the length of it, a lit cigarette hanging loosely from his lips while he adjusted the strap of his automatic rifle.
Idiot. What was the point of standing guard if all he was going to do was play with his toy? Even if the man could be avoided, it was the principle of the thing. Once the man's back was turned, the lone figure blitzed him from the shadows. A quick series of strikes rendered the man unconscious and locked his limbs in place to keep him from falling over. He propped the man up against one of the support beams just the same.
He plucked the cigarette from the man's lips, and the pack from his breast pocket as an added measure. Nicotine withdrawal took the forefront of his actions, prompting the young man to tear off the filter. The blue demon's mask was lifted from his face just enough so that what remained of the cigarette could be pinched between his teeth. Much better, he'd smoked his last cig a few hours ago waiting for these fuckers.
The warm tobacco filled his lungs to soothe his nerves and put an extra spring in his step. There was no attempt made to lie to himself about his addiction, it was his one of many vices. Ducking into another shadow, he took several more puffs before dropping what remained over the railing. A forlorn sigh escaped his lips as he watched it descend onto the pyramid of boxes. It vanished into one of the few opened ones around the middle where several paper wrapped candies were hidden away. It wasn't much longer until the plume of smoke grew. Now to sit back and enjoy the fun.
How long until they realize that their drugs are on fire? He had to wonder, pulling another cigarette from the pilfered pack. Rather than pull the mask upwards, it was pushed sideways so that the ruined half of his face was exposed. Biting into the filter, he cupped one hand in front of the end while an open flame ignited over his thumb. They weren't the brand that he liked, but they'll do in a pinch.
A vibration in his pocket drew his attention from the panicked cries of the drug dealers below, giving the saboteur reason to pull out his phone to see who would be awake enough to text him this early in the morning.
Plane lands at 6 am. Want to pick me up so we can spend some time together?
So Mai wants a quick roll in the rough before the school rush starts? * As long as she didn't try to con him into some shopping spree or other- not that he was entirely against the idea; Two months without sex on tap sucked!
"I don't think I can do this…"
"Not this again," an elderly woman sighed as she eyed the cars along the road on which she drove. "You'll be fine, Katara. You've dreamed about going to this school since you were a little girl. You're just nervous," she smiled as she made a turn into the driveway of their new home.
"But Gran-gran," Katara continued as she twisted one of her curls ruthlessly around her fingers, "what if I can't keep up with the other students? What if nobody likes, or even wants me? What if-"
"Geez, Katara," Sokka exclaimed, twisting in his front passenger seat to glare at his sister halfheartedly. "Enough already; There isn't a person alive that can hate you. Besides, if you couldn't keep up then you wouldn't have been accepted." That is unless she wanted to go around advertising her pedigree, which is something the siblings were strongly against.
A life without political burdens was what they strove for at their father's behest. How else would either of them learn whether what they received was earned through merit or given as a handout? Katara worked her butt off to earn the right to go to this school like everyone else, and he'd be damned before she started doubting herself now. They didn't fly half across the world for Katara to get cold feet. Sokka stuffed his mouth with the last of their fire flakes.
"But what if-"
"You'll be fine," both sets of voices interrupted her.
Kanna smiled with a roll of her eyes, placing her car in park and pulling the keys from the ignition. She reached behind her to give Katara's hand a quick pat, loosening the finger's vicious twist of her hair as she did so. "You'll be fine, so put it from your mind." The beloved crone gave Katara's hand another squeeze. "Hurry and help your brother unload the car while I talk to the movers. Once the car's unpacked then we'll go pick up your uniforms."
"Alright," Katara nodded, grabbing the box next to her and following her brother's retreating form to the door. Katara waited patiently as Sokka fiddled with their new house keys, her eyes scanning her surroundings nervously.
There was nothing overly interesting about the neighborhood in which they would now be residing. The houses weren't the nicest, but considering the fact that they were in a lower income neighborhood that was to be expected. It was 'two steps from the ghetto,' as her brother put it teasingly. No one would think to look for a couple of blue bloods there, which was the point. Rather than accept some penthouse apartment or posh mansion by the beach, it was insisted that there was no place better to hide than here. Not that Yudi family needed the glitz and glamour that came with the title of Chieftain. Truth be told, this was actually preferred- even if the houses could all afford a new paint job.
Katara could do without the overall color scheme; the houses were murky shades of whites, grays, and beige. She was almost positive that at night the neighborhood would be a scary place to be, but it was still better than the alternative. Despite the grand architecture of the mansion and the patrolling security back home in the Southern Water Tribes, she had a guaranteed target on her back wherever she went. Everyone knew her face, her family. There were those that even tried to hurt her for no other reason than her name. Places like that, with money and fame, came with the eyes of the world watching your every move. This was decidedly safer.
A sleek red convertible sped passed her new home before pulling into the driveway two houses down to her left. It was the only house with a garage, which was probably for the best when one considered that that car was worth more than many of the houses. Two people stumbled out of the vehicle before coming together in a passionate embrace. Their lips and hands were all over each other as they tripped and fumbled their way to the door. Once the door was open the woman went inside and the man looked over in Katara's direction.
As if trying to decide something, he turned to the door and then faced her again. The internal debate lasted for a moment longer before he turned from her completely and entered the house. Getting laid won out in the end, when held up against...whatever it was he was debating within himself.
"See something?" Sokka questioned. He had opened the door several moments ago and was now watching his sister and the guy stare at each other with some trepidation. He shot the man's retreating form a threatening look before ushering his baby sister inside. "Weirdo," he muttered as he did so.
Katara ignored the statement in favor of making her way into the house, already plotting all the ways she could turn it into a happy home with her grandmother. The wall to her right offered infinite possibilities. Maybe they could put a mural, hang a tapestry or fur from home, or even put up the family crest surrounded by all their family photos... Another moment of thought had Katara nixing the family crest idea. What if they had company?
Though retired from the political game, her Gran-gran still loved to entertain guests in the pursuit of making friends. The more friends you had in your neighborhood, the less likely you were going to find yourself vandalized or taken advantage of. Katara and Sokka had argued that this only really worked in politics, but their grandmother had yet to be proven wrong. It still rubbed Sokka raw, but Katara took extensive notes whenever Gran-gran imparted her lessons onto them.
Speaking of, Katara balanced her box on the kitchen's peninsula to her left so she could pull her phone from her pocket. Her dad was in some meeting or other, but he wanted a text message to let him know they made it safe and sound. Even from half a globe away and neck deep in backstabbing politicians, he took his job as their father seriously. As such, Katara made sure to send pictures of the open floor plan that combined the dining and living rooms together. Another picture was to show how the peninsula separated the dinning half of the room from the kitchen.
Once she finished, Katara pinched her phone between her breast and the strap of her tank top. She grabbed the box again and continued down the hall a few steps to her left. Of the three bedrooms of the home, two were joined by a bathroom to her left, while the door to the master bedroom stood alone across from it. Directly ahead of her was the linen closet. More walls space for non-incriminating family photos and art from home. There was even room enough to place a small shrine to their late mother, and an altar to Tui, La, and Yue- as well as the other spirits that honored their homeland.
Neither she nor Sokka were overly religious, but their grandmother was. It would be good for her to have a place to practice her faith since there weren't that many Water Temples in the Fire Nation. More than most places due their nations' extremely close ties, but it wasn't like they could just take a walk in any direction before they found one ten minutes later.
I should probably check online to see where the nearest temple is, Katara thought while she turned into the first room to her left.
She blanched at the sight: It was much too small for her liking, and she knew her bed would monopolize on the little bit of space available. It was going to take a lot of ingenuity to get her desk, dresser, and wardrobe to all fit. Katara shot the sliding glass door a hesitant glance, glad to have direct access to the small back yard while nervous at the same time. Anyone could just peek into the room. Six feet of fence was not deterrent enough for a nosy neighbor, especially since she refused to sleep with the blinds closed. The other room was no different, but the sliding door for that room faced directly into the sliding door for the living room.
Nosy neighbors. Never hear the end of her brother's complaints about her walking around her room in the buff. Nosy neighbors. Sokka complaining… Katara toed the door to the bathroom so she could check the other room, just in case. One glance was all she needed to about-face and march back into the first room. She'll take the nosy neighbors over a shoe box.
"I've found my room," Katara declared as she deposited her box into a corner. She then returned to the family room to find Sokka and two of the movers struggling to get a well worn couch through the door.
"Which room did you leave me with?" Sokka grunted as he and the movers finally managed to wedge the last leg of it passed the doorway. They narrowly avoided scuffing the wall in their bid to lift the piece of furniture over the peninsula, not wanting to damage it in any way. A wall could be repainted for twenty bucks, if that- A counter top, not so much.
"The small one, what else?" Katara grinned before exiting the house to get the luggage from the car. She peeked over her shoulder, noticing that the house a few doors down had its front door wide open. Surely that guy wasn't in such a hurry that he'd leave his door open. Katara didn't even want to think about the car being left out of the garage with the top still down. Katara fought back the urge to go over and close both.
Instead, she yanked at the large purple suitcase from the trunk. It wouldn't budge, no matter how hard she pulled. Katara stopped to glare at the luggage, all the while cursing her brother for wedging it in. "I told him not to pack everything so tightly…" With her luck, Sokka was still balancing the massive piece of furniture and wouldn't be able to reveal his convoluted way to make everything pop out. Now she was going to have to pry it out with a stick or something. A string of curses in her mother tongue slithered passed her lips as she searched for a viable tool.
There he was again. Standing in his driveway, looking to be in the middle of a heated discussion on the phone. His shirt had been discarded and the fly of his pants was open for all the world to see. Katara blushed when she realized the direction her eyes were traveling. It took all the strength she had to rip her eyes away to resume her task of yanking out her bags with a vengeance.
Bracing her foot against the back bumper of the car, Katara grasped the handle of her belongings with both hands and pulled. The leather handle snapped from the exertion. Katara would have been sent flying if it wasn't for something catching her—something solid and deliciously warm. A squeak escaped Katara's lips when a powerful arm snaked around her waist to hold her a few inches from the ground.
She looked over her shoulder to discover that her rescuer was the guy she had been staring at only moments before. The dark chocolate fringe of his tresses obscured the hard lines of his jaw and high cheekbones, concealing half his face. He was maybe a year or two older than her, but beyond the warm honey of his eyes peeking through she could discern nothing more of his features.
Katara found her feet placed back onto the ground next to him before he took over the task without so much as a word. She watched as he grasped the ends of the suitcase, leaning forward to gain a better purchase before pulling. His muscles strained from the effort, but he managed to shimmy the bag out with little difficulty.
"Thank you," Katara sighed, grateful for the help, and the eye candy said help offered.
"No problem," he replied nonchalantly, working the rest of the items from the trunk as he did so.
"Zuko," a voice called, drawing the attention of both teens to the young man's house. The woman he had been….with….leaned against the door jamb of the front door. Her long black hair hung loose to frame her aristocratic features. A man's robe draped loosely from her shoulders. The black fabric hid most of her body from view. At the same time, it revealed that there wasn't much underneath. She made sure that one of her impossibly long legs peeked from the part in the robe up to her thigh.
A wave of heat flared from this 'Zuko's body, making Katara wonder if he was a firebender before he left her to her work. Just like…
"Thank you," Katara called again, only to have him wave her off in a flippant fashion. Katara knew she should be miffed by his reaction, but remained grateful to his aid and kept quiet since she had work to do. Grasping the bag that gave her so much trouble, she set to finally returning to the house.
It was several minutes and just as many trips later before Katara found herself seated in the front seat of her grandmother's beat up satomobile- bought outright from a used car dealership upon their landing that morning. She was waiting for her Gran-gran to finish giving Sokka instructions for the placement of the furniture so that they could go pick up her new school uniform. That was the only drawback Katara saw in the whole ordeal with her new school.
She had plenty of clothes despite her bid to play a normal person, but that didn't mean she liked to waste her allowance on expensive garments. The school uniforms were a bit on the pricey side, and could only be bought at a few locations. It smacked of elitism, which irked her since there was no difference between that school's uniform and that of a public school beyond the school's emblem. She was taught to be frugal from the cradle and to only 'splurge' when necessary...or on a designer bathing suit that she absolutely had to have.
Mini-tirade aside, Katara considered herself lucky that the issue with the uniform was the only one she had to worry about. Roku's Academy of the Arts and Sciences was one of the best schools in the world with the best magnet program anyone could go to the world over- even better than the schools over in Republic City. If a college or company saw that school on an application, they were all but guaranteed acceptance with scholarships galore. For an aspiring doctor, it was an opportunity Katara wouldn't dream of turning up her nose at.
Katara sighed into her daydreams of graduation and making it all the way to the University of Ba Sing Se. Doctor Yǔdī had such a nice ring to it. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice her grandmother get into the car until the engine had already started to purr.
"Sorry for the wait, my Sapphire. I had to talk your brother out of the master bedroom," Kanna beamed. She always loved matching wits with her grandson; she couldn't resist engaging him in the debate.
Katara laughed at this, knowing her brother would probably talk her into several more rounds until long after the move was complete. "He wouldn't be Sokka if he didn't at least try."
"Isn't that the truth," Kanna agreed with a girlish giggle. Her grandson was relentless when he wanted something. Sneaky too- a trait he inherited from her side of the family.
"Are you sure about this?"
"More than sure, grandfather," came a groan.
"But Zuko, the Southern Water Tribes have been our closest allies for years! You should be there when the formal declaration of their visit. If not for the banquet, then at least for a private dinner. You used to love playing with those kids."
Stopping mid crunch, Zuko couldn't help but send a glare at his laptop where his grandfather tried to implore him with puppy dog eyes. Such an expression was unbecoming of a Fire Lord, but it was a well known fact that Iroh the Younger did things his own way. Currently, that way was trying to cater to a friendship that was close to half a decade dead. "Grandfather, I haven't seen them since I was ten, that hardly counts for anything now."
Iroh gave his fists a shake as his pout only grew at Zuko's constant rebuttal. "You would have seen them plenty more if you would have just agreed to go with me and your mother on our last goodwill visit. Come now, what example are you setting for your sister? She's never even seen the Southern Water Tribes because she thinks it's a waste of time."
"How is that my fault? You know how she is." Azula thought everything was a waste of time. She was on meds for that. Zuko relaxed his back so that he would hang limply from the bar over the door to his second bedroom. Converted to a gym for nights when he had absolutely nothing to do and energy to burn.
A beam of light slipped through the blinds of his window to cast shadows across his wall. His new neighbors had returned. Checking the time on the corner of his laptop, he realized that it was extremely late for two women to be traveling alone. Caldera wasn't a safe place anymore. With a shake of his head, Zuko forced the thought from his mind before curling his body upwards again.
"See something interesting?" Iroh questioned, a light dancing in the corner of his eye.
"No, gramps." If Zuko paid any attention, he would have known to ask questions and feel concern. Such eyes only came with lengthy plots that had him dancing on invisible strings. As it was, Zuko kept his focus on the window.
A new rush of energy had him curling upwards and holding so he could watch the new girl and her grandmother make their way inside. From this distance he could only see that they were happy and carried what looked to be takeout. More bags revealed a trip to a familiar tailor shop. A new student at the academy?
"Anyway, I won't hold you for much longer," Iroh smirked. "I just ask that you consider it. The formal dinner won't be until the anniversary of my grandfather's coronation. You have plenty of time to think it over and pick out suitable gifts. Besides, you're mother has been planning this fete for months. Please? Who knows, maybe you'll rekindle some old friendships. At the very least it would make your mother and I very happy."
That was a low blow, and his grandfather Iroh knew it. Zuko was a self-aware momma's boy and couldn't deny her anything. "I'll think about it." The promise felt like bile on his tongue. "But only this once: I hate the political game." Chances were that the years had the High Chief's family polluted by the pomp and glamour that came with the titles of "Prince and Princess of the South."*
"I know," Iroh conceded that point. Sorrow painted his face as he drank in the sight of his beloved grandson. Politics scarred him as surely as his vicious father had, but where Zuko's father was long dead, politics would forever dog his footsteps.
All it would take was a successful assassination attempt on himself or his only daughter Ursula*. Azula was not fit for rule, so the crown would descend onto Zuko II's head. Iroh would hold on for as long as he could, but at the rate Zuko was going with his reckless and dangerous behavior, Iroh would never have great grandchildren to throw the crown at. It was a pity political marriages were now frowned upon in the Fire Nation. Now, if his plan worked, maybe this endeavor with the Southern Water Tribes might bare some fruit...
Katara stared at the imposing iron gates that stood before her, open in invitation. This was it; the day was finally here. It was the first day of the school year, and her first year of high school.
I think I'm going to be sick, Katara gulped. The butterflies had only increased during the weekend. With each passing hour they multiplied to fill her with mounting dread. She knew it: she couldn't do this. Katara just wasn't ready. I'll start tomorrow, Katara decided. Before she could turn around, a white furry…something decided to land on her shoulder. Big emerald eyes stared into her aquamarine ones to bring about a shriek from both parties. Katara made an attempt to swat the creature away, but it hunkered down against her neck and clung to her collar.
"Momo!" A young girl's voice called out, stilling the creature attempting to make a home of her hair. "Leave her alone." The owner of the voice- and most likely the animal, revealed herself from a cluster of familiar looking sophomores that looked to share the same face. Twins? Quadruplets? There were more of them!? Dear, sweet Yue! Their poor mother! Katara couldn't help but think as the gaggle of seven identical faces passed by to reveal a girl much too young looking to be at a high school.
One look at the girl's uniform assured Katara that the girl was indeed a student. Her pale, almost gray green eyes stared sightlessly ahead of her and her black hair was twisted into an elaborate coil held back by a gold headband. "I said leave her alone, Momo," the girl commanded again with her hands on her hips. She was clearly not in the mood for his antics this early in the morning.
The lemur in question, for that's what the creature was, finally detangled itself from Katara's hair before flying away to the girl in question. It settled onto her shoulder happily, chattering away in her ear while stroking her long fringe to tuck it behind her ears. It gave an annoyed huff when the girl shook her head to bring her hair back to the front of her eyes. The process repeated itself a few times over before 'Momo' gave up and just curled around her neck.
"That's better," the girl smiled before flicking a nut in the animal's direction, only to grin when he caught it and started munching by her ear. "Sorry about that. Momo can be a nosy pain in the butt."
"That's alright, he just startled me," Katara admitted, eyeing the girl curiously. Was she really blind? The upward tilt of her jaw and the shade of her eyes lead Katara to believe as much, but she walked perfectly fine without the aid of a cane.
"You gonna stare, or are we gonna go in?" the girl turned her head to spit in the general direction of the road, much to Katara's mortification. She then grabbed Katara's hand so she could pull her through the gates. "Don't want to be late on our first day, do you?"
Katara shook her head in the negative as she allowed herself to be dragged onto the courtyard. She noted that there were quite a few students milling about in either their uniforms or gym clothes. Another turn and the two girls were in the ladies' locker room.
To the far wall several grand portraits hung of history's most powerful and influential women- idols for the young students to aspire to. The late Fire Lady Izumi. Scientists. Heroes of war and peace. The Avatars Korra, and Kyoshi. Upholders of the law like the women of the Bei Fong Family. Largest of all was the painting of the Lady Katara, savior of the late Fire Lord Zuko and waterbending instructor of the last two known Avatars. Already some of Katara's classmates pointed at the portrait while giving Katara a double take, giving her reason enough to duck her head.
"Hurry up and change," the girl ordered haughtily, finding it weird that Katara would rather look around in space. It went ignored as she counted the rows of lockers with her free hand before turning down the fifth one to her right. She then restarted her count until she found the one assigned to her. The location of her classes and lockers had been drilled into her from the day she'd been accepted at the school, and Momo had already been taught what to look for and the combination for her lock also. She placed her bags onto the bench nearest them and unzipped her duffel bag, satisfied when she heard Momo's successful chirp for getting her locker open.
This snapped Katara out of her reverie before she did the same, following after the girl until she found her own locker a few spaces away. It took her a few tries to get the darn thing open, but once she did she began the process of changing. As she did so, she stored a couple of sets of clothes onto the shelves for just in case, as well as a few toiletries. One could never be prepared given the fact that she was a waterbender. The last outfit pulled out was a form fitted tank top and black yoga pants; the waist of the pants matching the teal of her top perfectly. She dressed in a matter of seconds, all the while keeping her eyes on her companion who seemed to struggle with her clothing.
"Do you need a hand?" Katara found herself asking, noticing that the girl's shirt had been turned inside out.
"Why; because I'm blind," the girl snapped, her frustration making itself known. She didn't intend to be mean, but she had a feeling that she was being sabotaged out of spite. Her mother insisted on her being home schooled after all.
"No, I just figured you'd need help since the tags were removed," Katara offered in her defense. The two waited in silence before the girl handed over her yellow tee. "My name's Katara," she introduced herself while fixing the shirt. She then took the liberty of pulling it over the girl's head so that she could finish dressing herself.
"Toph," she offered, smoothing the shirt down before pulling on her shorts. She then held her hand out towards Katara, whom shook it happily.
"Nice to meet you," Katara beamed before the two hurried back out onto the courtyard.
Katara scanned over the present student body, eyes searching for any sign as to where she was supposed to go. It came in the form of a dark skinned elderly man. His shoulder length white hair was swept back into a queue, giving his Water Tribe features more severe angles to augment his sneer. Opal eyes swept over the many faces of the bending half of the student body before he pulled a megaphone up to his lips.
"Everyone shut up."
It was shock that compelled the younger students to obey, while the older students fell silent before his sentence even finished. All eyes focused on him. "All first year firebenders follow professor Chan to the far side of the courtyard."
The professor in question raised a foghorn into the air and let the noise pierce through the air. This allowed for the young firebenders to locate and follow him away from the other students. They made up a little less than half the younger student body present.
"All non-firebenders go to the fenced off area to my left and wait for further instruction." The man then handed the megaphone off to another of the professors before following the handful of twenty or so first year students into the fenced off area where a hand full of older students milled around, shooting the breeze.
Katara and Toph stayed close together as both made their way away from the other students. Momo circled overhead, searching for everything and nothing at the same time since his mistress didn't need him for the moment.
"Now to further divide you; waterbenders, you stay here with me. Airbenders, continue to the end of the courtyard. Earthbenders, go to the pavement free zone closer to the gates."
Katara watched as Toph and roughly half of the remaining students make their way to the back of the schoolyard. Momo circled above her a few more times before following after Toph. She then looked to see that her group was the smallest. Including a Senior and sophomore student, there was only one other waterbender. All of them were girls.
Of the Airbenders, there were seven total. Three of them were her distant "cousins", which was not as happy a thought as one would think. From the looks of things, they were all illegitimate. Well….one of them had an olive complexion, so he might actually be a recognized cousin. He wore the tattoos. Katara couldn't tell from this distance, and she refused to go announcing herself to the world as the "Princess of the Southern Water Tribes." That would defeat the purpose of leading a normal life until it was time for the scheduled formal reveal.
Besides, what did she care if her philandering great-great grand uncle betrayed his marriage to her great-great grand aunt a few times over and begot a few bastards?
It was the other reason she and Sokka kept their identity a secret. There was little love for him on their side of the family in light of the many illegitimate offspring that kept popping up over the years, slandering the name of Katara's ancestral aunt. She could only imagine how much worse it was for the legitimate children. Just thinking about it set Katara's blood to boil, so she prayed that they didn't recognize her since it seemed every airbender related to the Avatar by blood wanted to be friends with their rich and famous cousins. The illegitimate ones all wanted to date her or her brother so they could recreate the 'perfect marriage' between Aang and Katara. She always wanted to hit someone whenever they tried that line on her.
Last time, she did. The month long groundation was sooo worth it!
"Alright, seeing as half of you are first years, I'm going to assume that you know nothing about manipulating your element." The man smirked with an air of contempt. "I am Pakku. I will be teaching you the art of waterbending, but whether or not any of you will prove to be competent in my lessons will be entirely up to you. To my right is Katara, if you have any questions- ask her." Pakku referenced the senior standing directly beside him.
In spite of their Sifu's abrasive introduction, she managed a bright smile and wave. Her long, pin straight ebony hair was pulled back into a severe ponytail to expose her tropical heritage. Large almond shaped eyes were framed by impossibly long lashes. Her full figure and supple curves belied the body of a dancer, garbed in little more than a halter top bikini and tennis skirt. The very definition of approachable, she exuded the warmth of a summer breeze across pristine white beaches and colorful shells.
Were it not for her soothing aura, Katara would be unable to help but bristle at the comment- having had proper instruction since she was four in both the Northern and Southern styles of waterbending. She had also received tutoring in the foggy swamp style AND the styles from the tropic waterbenders*. So she didn't have any real world practice due to her father being overprotective. That didn't mean she was disconnected from her element. Bending was like breathing. She was sure at least half of that was true for the other girls as well.
Looking at the redhead that introduced herself as Nya La, Katara wasn't as so sure. Fair of complexion, the slight young woman looked nervous. Vibrant auburn curls were twisted into a topknot, but several flyaways curled around her neck and face. The constellation of freckles across her nose were lost beneath the sickly pale of her features. Like the younger Katara, she wore a black tank top and gym shorts- not wanting to test the dress code so soon in her school career. Deep cobalt eyes were downcast to focus on her water shoes, remaining there even when it was the next girl's turn to introduce herself.
Ty Lin on the other hand... how did one describe Ty Lin? Despite being one of seven matching faces, she stood out in a crowd and demanded the attention of appreciating eyes. Her jaw-length bob of chestnut brown hair was held back in pigtails. The ends of which were bleached blonde by many hours beneath the sun. Her designer pink bathing suit peeked from beneath her white tank top and matching short shorts, leaving very little of her curves hidden from view. Being a sophomore, she didn't seem all that disturbed by their Sifu. Instead, she turned her shining dravite eyes to the younger Katara and smiled brightly.
Pakku scanned the young, exotic women that stood before him. His sharp eye was already picking out the weakest from the strongest benders of the bunch, but none of them stood out to him. He hoped that once water was presented to them his immediate assumption about them would be proven wrong, but that's like wishing for a volcano to freeze over.
"You there," Pakku pointed, singling Katara out with a gesture of his finger. She'd been giving him the stink eye and was in desperate need of being kicked down a notch. Silver danced in the outer edge of her aquamarine orbs, belying a warrior's spirit. Something about those eyes reminded him of someone… he just couldn't quite place it. "Go to the shed and get me a large jar of water. It's by the locker room."
"Yes, Sifu," Katara bowed- as was polite, before jogging out of the enclosed area. She kept close to the wall as she slowly made her way to where she remembered the locker room to be. Once she was out of Pakku's sights, she slowed to observe the training exercises being performed by the firebending upperclassmen. Their movements were beautiful and precise as they executed each drill with a practiced ease.
The next thing Katara knew was that she had crashed into something and was now flat on her rear. Ow… She didn't think there were any columns, or walls on the way to the shed.
"Watch where you're going!" A masculine voice growled at her from the direction of the "wall" she crashed into.
Katara scrambled onto her feet as her lips stumbled through an instinctual apology. "I'm sorry, I was-"
"-Not paying attention? I figured," the voice finished for her.
Katara's gaze snapped up to meet the owner of the voice. "Hey, you're that guy from a few days ago," Katara gasped, surprised that she even remembered him given the layer of fringe that hid half his face. 'Zuko' if her memory recalled. It seemed every other firebender in the Fire Nation was named after the great Fire Lord. Even if his girlfriend didn't call his name, it was as good a guess as any.
"What of it?" Zuko questioned, shifting enough to reveal warm honey eyes softening, whereas his voice did not. Katara caught a glimpse of something marring his sun kissed complexion- the edges of which following the contours of his high cheekbones and severe narrowing of his eye.
A birthmark? Katara lost herself for the briefest of moments as a chord of familiarity strum at her heartstrings. Part of her wanted to brush Zuko's hair aside so she could witness the severity of the mark. The other part of her found that she did not like the low growl of his voice. "There's no need to be rude!" Katara countered. "I said sorry." It's not like she hurt him; he barely budged an inch while her tailbone was letting her know just how much the ground hurt.
"Whatever, just be more careful," he growled.
"Noted," Katara hissed, reminding herself that she did crash into him. Even so, he didn't have to be such a jerk about it. It was all she could do to fight the urge to freeze the water to the bow of his lips. It would serve him right! The nice thought carried her over to the shed not long after. She gave the doors a violent shove before entering. It was quite large- large enough to fit a few people , Katara thought as she struggled to locate the jar Sifu Pakku was talking about. Following the familiar and soothing call of her element Katara pinpointed its location, only to groan with disdain.
Cursing her luck, Katara made her way over to it. It barely reached her hip, but was twice as wide as she was. This is a test, isn't it? Katara braced herself for failure, but squared her shoulders with determination regardless. Squatting down, she wrapped her arms around the middle, just below where the curve of its girth was its widest and lifted with her knees. It was heavy, but she managed. She thanked the little bit of luck she did have that the thing was only half full, making it a little easier to retrace her steps out of the shed and back onto the courtyard.
When she passed the water fountain, she knew she was half way there. A wonderful thing since the jar was starting to slip from her grasp. It would be bad form to drop it, but pride kept her from putting it down to adjust her hold on it. Sifu Pakku could probably see her now, and she didn't want him to have the satisfaction in being right in his assumption of her and the other girls. Maybe then he'd feel assured that he had students worthy of his time- something he probably gave up on now that the majority of the waterbender population had graduated out. Something she read about that on the school's website.
"Watch out!" The blazing heat of a nearing flame warmed her skin, jarring her out of her silent reverie.
Without thinking, Katara dropped the jar she held so she could bend the water to form a shield. It barely had time enough to solidify before the stray fireball was upon her. The force of the blow slammed the shield hard against her shoulder, shattering upon impact to throw Katara onto her back. It was instinct that had Katara tucking her knees to her chest so she could roll with her momentum, kicking out at the last moment so that she found herself upright against the fence. Her fingers curled around the links to herself from falling forward onto her knees.
What just happened? Katara thought finally, the tunneling of her vision broadening to filter in the rest of her surroundings. She took several deep, calming breaths even as the rush of adrenaline continued its course through her limbs. Another sweeping survey revealed no further attacks, but no one immediately jumped out as being guilty of the assault either.
"Are you alright?" The question came with a warm, calloused hand on her tenderized shoulder.
She flinched, but did not remove herself from the kind touch when she turned to face the speaker. "Zuko?" She wasn't expecting him to be the one to rush to her aid.
Zuko stepped in front of Katara completely, searching for burns or any other possible injury beyond the reddening of her shoulder and bicep. Framed by the longest lashes he'd ever seen, her eyes glowed to a near liquid silver hue, shocking Zuko still with their radiance. He knew those eyes. He didn't know how, but he did. Finally looking at her for more than a glance, Zuko had to force his eyes to rip from the hypnotic quality of their rarity, only to drop to the upward quirk of Katara's full lips.
Licking his lips, Zuko slid his hands down Katara's arms until they found her wrists where he found her pulse racing a mile a minute. A face like hers was dangerous. He needed to put some space between them. Half the campus would be a good start. The grip around her left wrist fell away completely to grab the undamaged jar before he took her right hand. He damn near dragged her the rest of the way to her section of the yard. "I told you to be more careful," he managed, his voice dipping lower than intended. Zuko ignored that in favor of shoving her through the gate. The jar was then placed behind her before he slammed the gate closed.
Zuko was already retreating before the thought to respond even crossed her mind. "I wouldn't have to be if you were taught how to aim!" She growled at him, wishing he was closer so she could give him a quality piece of her mind. Who gave him the right to hold her hand like that anyway? She turned in time to see the overly excited and concerned faces of her fellow non-firebenders and their masters.
"Are you alright, Katara?" Toph inquired, her hands coming up to her face and neck to check for herself. Her brows furrowed as she blindly patted down to her shoulders.
"I'm fine," Katara assured her, grabbing both of Toph's hands so she could give them a little squeeze. "I'm just a little shaken. No harm done," though her shoulder had a few choice words to the contrary. A presence behind her gave Katara reason enough to turn in time to see one of the firebending instructors approaching the gate. "Are you alright, miss?"
"She's alright, Jeong-jeong, though I suggest having your student join the freshman and go through the basics again," Pakku answered in her stead. Though his words were snide, there was an understanding that passed between the two older men. There was no offense between them, only a mutual concern. Both understood how close they came to a tragic accident.
"That is not the only thing I'll do," Jeong-jeong promised. "I'm glad to see you are unhurt, miss. Though I must say; you have amazing reflexes."
"Quite amazing indeed," Pakku agreed before shooing the students back to their places.
Katara flushed at the compliment, grateful to the years she spent as a child in gymnastics. She couldn't wait to tell Sokka- if she decided to tell him. He always said that there was 'no real life use for tumbling around like a raccoon-dillo with rabies.' This'll teach him!
"What the hell were you thinking?!"
"What do you mean? It was an accident," a young firebending girl cooed, batting her lashes in a rather fetching manner.
"Accident my ass!" Zuko was beyond livid over what had happened. He, like everyone else, knew that the 'stray fireball' was no accident. There were no accidents where Ty La was concerned. "You deliberately tried to hurt her, why?" Zuko dared her to lie to him. Given his mood, he was looking for any reason to exact retribution against her. He couldn't even begin to explain why, only that something about this Katara- above all others- had him on edge. He knew those eyes.
If Zuko wasn't such a gentleman, Ty La would have felt concern for her well being. Something about that girl set him off in a big way. Interesting: maybe he's finally getting bored with Mai. "It looked like fun," she said finally with a flick of her long black braid. A tawdry smile stretched across her face as her pleasure spiked. She loved it when Zuko's face mottled with his rage. It contrasted with the vicious scar across his face, now revealed by the rough raking of his nails over his scalp to make him look savage—like he could rip out a man's heart and feed it to him.
Zuko bit back a foul expletive, knowing that the eyes of his peers were on him- waiting for him to snap. Smoke slithered passed his lips while heat seared into his knuckles. He could not afford to give into it, not now after all these years. No, with the fete fast approaching, Zuko knew he had to be on his very best behavior. His life as Zuko Lee was coming to an end, and he refused to return to the world as his father's son.
"Ty La, a word. The rest of you continue your drills, the girl is more than fine." It pleased him to see that most of the students wore expressions of relief. If only all of his students were so caring. Part of him even missed the old days where bending instructors could deny students when faced with a potential danger to society. Ty La was one of a handful of students that he'd like to have institutionalized on the spot instead of waiting until she slipped. When she did, there was going to be a fatality, or several.
"What can I do for you, Sifu Jeong-jeong?" she inquired, unable to wipe the smile from her face.
"Have you any remorse for what you could have done?" he found himself asking, already knowing the answer. For the briefest of moments, he shared the mottled expression of barely contained fury with Zuko. He did a better job of containing himself, but only barely. His palm found the Junior's shoulder before sending him back to Sifu Jee. He would take it from there, and as such there was no need for the prefect to get his hands dirty with disciplining this...
"It was an accident."
Brat. He was going to say brat. "An almost fatal accident. You could have seriously hurt that girl. Report to the first years, it is obvious that you are not ready to progress in your training yet," Jeong-jeong decided, knowing no other way to punish the girl without taking extreme measures. If that waterbender was who he thought she was, then he would need to play things carefully for the sake of avoiding an international incident. Agni, give me patience. If he asked for strength, he knew he'd use it.
"What!?" Ty La couldn't believe this. That girl was just a lowly waterbender; their kind was a dime a dozen in the Fire Nation- hardly worth protecting. "You're punishing me for that floozy?!"
"Don't you dare take that tone with me! I am your Sifu, and your superior. What you have done is inexcusable, but since you claim it was an accident, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. You should consider yourself lucky that demoting you is all I'm doing, so don't make me change my mind!" Jeong-jeong's bellow came with a point of his finger in the direction of the bumbling freshmen.
Ty La just stood there in shock before her expression morphed to an expression of pure and absolute rage as her eyes found Katara's waterbending form. What's so special about her anyway? She's just some fish out of water.*
Time seemed to fly since the incident, and Katara found herself pouting at the sound of the bell. She was really getting into her bending and enjoyed the pace Sifu Pakku worked them in, in his pursuit to determine their skill level. Katara would almost go so far as to say that he was impressed with his class- not enough to eat his words, but enough that he gave a satisfied nod at the end of the day.
"Miss Yǔdī, may I have a word with you after you change," Pakku requested, his face giving little hint as to why he called out to her.
Dripping wet from a failed water whip by Nya La, Katara cocked her head to the side in thought. What could he possibly want with her? Did he want to talk to her about what happened or something? She was fine now. Regardless, Katara canted her head in understanding before taking two backwards steps and turning completely. A wave of her arm pulled the water from her body so it could be returned to the mostly empty jar as she went, deciding to wait for Toph closer to the earthbenders half of the yard.
Whoa! What happened there? Katara blinked a couple of times to make sure she was seeing things correctly. The courtyard ahead of her was nothing but rubble. It looked like a battle had taken place, with barely conscious students strewn about and struggling to regain their footing.
"Toph!" Katara called. Worry for her new friend had her running over to the chaos that made up the earthbending training grounds. "Toph!"
"I'm over here!" Toph's voice answered, laced liberally with such smugness that Katara relaxed without question. Only someone in prime health and having the time of their life would be able to sound like that.
Katara circled around a protruding rock to discover the smaller girl perched comfortably on a large slab of earth next to an interesting old man in a fit of hysterics with a very familiar face. Their cackling sounded high over the collective groans of exhaustion from the other students.
"Hey, Sweetness!" Toph greeted with a wave, dislodging Momo from her shoulder as she did so.
The lemur chittered angrily at Toph's exuberance, circling above Katara's head until he was certain that she wouldn't swat at him again. His landing came with a flop, but his claws managed to find purchase of the Katara's top without nicking her skin. Much better. Nuzzling Katara's cheek in thanks, he started the meticulous task of grooming both himself and Katara's soaked hair.
Toph hopped of the rock to land next to Katara with a little 'whoop' of delight. The earth rumbled upon contact with her feet, cushioning her landing while robbing Katara of her balance. Had Katara not been so agile, she probably would have had an intimate meeting with the mud forming around her feet. Toph grabbed her hand anyway, offering a kind gesture just in case. "That was an awesome warm-up!"
"And that was the best class I've had in ages," her Sifu cheered, clapping and drawing the attention of the other students, even some of the other benders. "Consider yourself promoted to the next stage of your earthbending instruction, my little Badger-Mole."
"Thanks, Uncle Bolin!"* Toph's smile could have rivaled the sun, and near blinded Katara from the fact that next to the earthbender was her distant cousin Bumi. Crap! What was he doing here with the earthbenders?! A quick glance towards the airbenders revealed that they were under the supervision of a blond student aid- one of the illegitimates by the looks of him.
It wasn't like he didn't know she'd be there, but Bumi wasn't the most subtle of people in his old age. His whisper voice was a yell across the room, and Katara wanted to enjoy her few months of anonymity for as long as she could. Thinking fast, Katara turned sharply so that her face was obscured by Momo. "Congratulations," Katara lilted, using a higher dulcet as if to lose herself in her awe. She didn't wait to see if her ruse worked. She took Toph's hand from her shoulder and started for the locker room with a brisk pace. "I'm so happy for you! Can't be late for class though!"
"We've got loads of time left," Toph squeaked, sensing her nervousness through their prolonged contact.
"Not if we want to get clean," Katara threw back over her shoulder. Shoving passed a few other girls, Katara gave a little cheer to see a clear path between her and the showers.
Toph just blew the fringe from her eyes and accepted it as Katara's way. Waterbenders did always find excuses to get wet from what she'd heard- maybe Katara was no different? Toph would accept any reason to shove people, so no complaint escaped her lips. The sound of one of the curtains being tugged open signaled the release of Katara's hand from her wrist. Good. Toph liked the girl, but it was too soon to go sharing showers. A wet rag was all the earthbender needed anyway.
"Ah, Miss Yǔdī," Pakku greeted once he saw Katara trot towards him in her uniform. "I'm glad you saw fit to come." The usual sneer was toned down. His stride was sure as he approached her, a strange light shining behind his opal orbs. He didn't even wait for her to respond before he gripped Katara's chin to force her eyes to look directly into his own. Now he understood why she felt familiar.
There were very few waterbenders that carried the recessive gene for silver in their eyes. The hereditary trait only showed itself in two bloodlines, and last he checked only one of them had a waterbender in the youngest generation. Then there was the form she used, and the liquid flow of her flawless posture.
Dammit, Katara cursed to herself when recognition bloomed within her waterbending instructor. I can't go one day without someone recognizing me! She was so looking forward to making this man eat his words with her merit, not her title. A defeated sigh escaped Katara's lips. Here it comes…
"Princess Katara, it does me a great honor to make your acquaintance." Pakku released Katara's chin to offer her a shallow bow. "You look so much like your ancestral aunt, it is uncanny."
"So I've been told." It was why she liked to keep her head down when she walked in public. Back home, she couldn't go anywhere without someone recognizing her. Here, Katara had nurtured the delusion that she could walk with her head held high like a normal girl up until it came time for a formal reveal of her visit, but no such luck. The world wasn't large enough to lose herself in a crowd no matter how hard her father tried to shelter his children.
"Don't go thinking you'll be getting any special treatment," Pakku smirked. "As far as I'm concerned, you're entitled to the same quality education and treatment as everyone else."
No kinder words had ever been spoken. "Thank you, Sifu!"
"Don't go thanking me yet; I will not tolerate you being lazy because of her legend." Pakku gave her the sternest expression he could muster in the face of such an eager student. "You have quite the potential, Miss Yǔdī, and I won't let such skill go untapped simply because you share blood with history. You will come to me for extra lessons after school. I will not take it easy on you. I will push you until you break, and push harder until you reach that potential and exceed it." In time she would come to hate him. He would work her to the bone until she despised the air he breathed, only then would he know he was doing a good job. He finally had a student capable of reminding the world of the strength water.
For now, Katara was elated. "Thank you so much!" She could barely contain herself, and caught the older man in a brief hug. Finally! Someone was going to take her seriously. No more training with kid gloves. "I won't let you down." Pulling back, she managed another smile and bounced on her feet.
Coughing to clear his throat, Pakku tried to play off Katara's broach of his personal space. His daughter would have a field day with this if she found out. "Yes, well, run along to your class. If I hear word of bad behavior or tardiness, there will be Koh to pay."
"Right," Katara bowed deeply, lower than one of her rank should ever go, before turning on her heel to run towards the main school building. A wave was thrown over her shoulder as she went, making her oblivious to the occasional skip in her step.
"Someone's happy," a smooth male voice spoke as she turned down a corner into the building.
Katara skidded to a halt, embarrassed for being caught during her childish display. She turned to see a truly handsome young man, maybe a few years older than she, with sun kissed skin and a head full of barely tamed shaggy brown hair. A lollipop stick hung loosely from his lips that were pulled into a half grin. His uniform was deliciously tousled, as if they were just thrown on in a rush. However, it was his eyes that captivated her- eyes that promised good and wicked fun.
"Um, hi," Katara greeted finally before scanning the hall for anyone else. "Are you waiting for someone?"
"Not really, just felt like chillin' for a bit," he answered with a smirk. His eyes roved over her form before deciding with a nod that he liked what he saw. "Can I help you with anything?" He asked with a mischievous air.
"Actually, yes." The one minute warning kicked Katara into high gear, replaying Sifu Pakku's warning in her mind as she pulled out her schedule. "Do you know where room 219 is?" The last thing she needed was to have her record tarnished on the first day.
That took him way back. "Ah, Madam* Macmu-Ling's class," he scanned the rest of Katara's schedule to memorize it. "I'll show you the way." The young man was quick to grab Katara's hand before leading her down the hall at a brisk pace. "The name's Jet, by the way."
"Katara Yǔdī; nice to meet you." The introduction had flown from her lips before Katara could think better of it. He'd read her schedule; Jet knew what her name was already.
"Another Katara, huh?" The school had four of them now.* "Mind if I call you Kat?"
That would certainly keep her from getting confused with the other Katara. She shrugged, since she didn't really mind the nickname. "I don't see anything wrong with it," she decided finally as she was lead down another hall. They came to a door moments later, catching the tail end of the stragglers into class. "Thank you."
"Anytime, Kat," Jet winked before walking away, this time at a more leisurely pace.
Katara watched him go for a moment longer before entering the classroom, just in the nick of time.
"Katara, over here," a familiar voice called.
"Hey, Toph!"
Side Notes:
*1 - The school rush is the weekend before school starts when everyone scrambles to get their last minute supplies bought, homework finished, and uniforms prepared.
*2 - Even though the whole of the Southern Pole is still run by a Confederate Chiefdom, where the rulers are all elected, Sokka's decedents from his first marriage have remained in power due to their family wide devotion to the people. Every member has been strong in their rule, and as such the rest of the world calls their family the Princes and Princesses of the Southern Water Tribes. Sokka IV, who goes by his middle name Hakoda, is the current High Chief and has ushered in the prosperity that seem to bless his bloodline when in power. He and Fire Lord Iroh are in constant correspondence due to their close political and family ties, and as such it was agreed that his children be allowed to stay in the Fire Nation anonymously for the duration of Katara's education.
Both are secretly hoping that the friendship between their children will flourish. It's partly to further their political friendship between nations, but mostly because their families had been friends for close to a hundred years without fail, and have stood united in the face of anyone out to endanger the world peace.
3* - In Avatar: Requiem there is a small region of islands south of the Earth Kingdom between the Southern and Eastern air temples. In this fic, that region became part of the Southern Water Tribes a little bit after Korra, and the culture that was there originally (before the 100 year war) was nurtured back into a flourishing society before the waterbending styles could be completely lost like it had been in the Southern Water Tribes.
Fun Fact: Katara's style adapted and grew while she was relegated to housewife in the Southern Water Tribes, and as such she created and taught the styles and forms she created until it became the official bending style of the South. It's a mix between Kalari Payat (Learned from the Kyoshi Warriors), Budokon (yoga based martial art), and Brazilian Jiujitsu (Similar Zuko's personal style of Capoeira.
Another fun fact: Both Ancestral Zuko and Ancestral Katara perfected their own personal styles together, which is why the royal family's martial art/bending style pairs so well with the Southern Water Tribe's since they share move sets.
4* - Fish out of water is a derogatory slur used against waterbenders. It's the equivalent of being called a tramp or a similar insult. On the flipside, calling a female waterbender a mermaid is basically calling her sexy, entrancing, or the like. It can be used derogatorily, but for the most part it's viewed like a compliment….up until it becomes a tired pickup line.
5* - Yes, that is Korra's Bolin- he is now a crazy old man working part time as a bending instructor at the Academy so he and his wife Opal can stay close to their beloved granddaughter Toph.
6* - Mrs. Macmu-Ling is often called Madam because she's the cheer leading coach after school. Due to a few of the members being legendary for their promiscuity, the entire cheer leading squad had been equated to a brothel, and Macmu-Ling their madam- much to their collective chagrin. The three young ladies and one young man practically whored themselves out to whomever was willing to spend the most on them. Though they had graduated two years prior, the Cheer leading Squad have yet to get rid of the name even with their self imposed "No boyfriends during season" rule.
7* - In this school year alone, there are four Kataras, Five Zukos, three Aangs, three Korras, two Sukis, one Sokka, and five Tophs. These parents believed that by naming their children after such heroes in history, then their children would in turn grow into their names and be great themselves. It's how Zuko, and Katara are able to go around school for a long time before people recognize them as royalty.
Katara and her family (father included) use her late mother's maiden name whenever they don't want to be recognized. More on this in story, as time progresses.
Author's Notes: Needless to say, this was a MAJOR revamp. I think it's for the better, but please feel free to let me know. I can just as easily change it back... I think... Yes. Yes I can. Still have the original chapter in my drive. Be sure to review and tell me what you think.