Alright, this is the second chapter of Painted Faces. I'm glad the first chapter was liked and I thank Zutara luver for telling me that its not Twee but Tui. Now, on with the chapter!
Katara felt a strange form moving through the mist near her and Ursa. "What's happening?" she asked, hoping that Ursa would answer. But Ursa was gone. "Ursa?" Katara called.
"Now you must help yourself. I will be here for you." Ursa's voice echoed over the water.
The mist moved around her, vibrating. "Ha, ha, ha! So this is who Ursa choose as her successor. Well, girl, if you can pass the test then you can become her. Well, let us begin." a voice called out. The mist hummed and a dark form moved through it. "Answer truthfully because I can tell, when someone lies. Why do you wish to become the Painted Lady?"
Katara thought about it. "I want to help people. I want to protect those who are close and who are strangers."
"Good answer. If you had to make a choice between helping Aang and healing your brother, who was dying, who would you choose?"
Katara's heart throbbed. That would be too hard of a choice. "I'm sorry but I couldn't make a choice. Both of them are too precious and it would be to hard."
"Hmmm. Last question. I am always moving, never stopped, there is no end to me. I have a mouth, I cannot talk, and I always run but will never walk. What am I?"
Katara blanched a bit. She hadn't been expecting that. Katara thought long and hard. It couldn't be an animal because even the strongest animal needed to rest at one point. Fish too. Katara looked around at the newly cleaned river and it hit her. "You are a river spirit!" she yelled.
The mist froze and then seemed to inplode around her. It cleared to show a figure standing in the rising sun. It was a dark greenish blue dragon stood there, its only mar being a scar over its left eye. "Do you know how long it has been since I have been called correctly? Even I do not know. You are very wise, young, no, you are not young. Katara, you are powerful. The markings will appear when you need them, and if you need us, just call my name."
Katara saw that they, meaning Ursa and the dragon, were fading out. "Wait! What is your name?"
"You shall know when the time is right." its answer was just a dying whisper on the wind.
Katara whispered thank you and turned to walk back to camp when it started. Pain spread through her body and her voice caught in her throat. A strangled scream that caught Momo's attention escaped her throat as she fainted backwards. A pair of arms made it just in time to catch her.
"Katara! Are you alright?!" the frantic voice of Sokka broke through the blackness before Katara completely surrendered to it.
Zuko sat at the edge of the familiar pond, looking out at the young turtle ducks that swum around. The mama was probably one of the babies from when he had done this six years ago.
"Zuzu, zuzu, zuzu. You need to get your mind focused on what's important." Azula's voice rang out next to him.
Zuko let his eyes drift towards her in a bored fashion. "And that would be..?"
"Taking over the rest of the kingdoms. And of course, you should be hanging out with your girlfriend." Azula drawled the last word. She pointed back at Mai, who was standing in the shadows.
Zuko sighed in his head. There was no getting out of this, even if he didn't really like her that way anymore. He walked over to her and pecked her cheek with a kiss. "Would you like to get something to eat?" he asked quietly.
Mai nodded and both of them headed to the kitchen. Zuko got a normal Fire Nation soup that had been made earlier and Mai got the same. Zuko was handed some wine and Mai had water. "What were you speaking to Azula with?" Zuko asked while calming taking a sip of his wine.
"We were wondering if the Avatar is truly dead. You did kill him, correct?" Mai asked.
"Of course!" Zuko's mind was getting a bit fuzzy and he felt warm. His head spun slightly. "Ugg. I'm sorry Mai, but I'm not feeling so well. I am just going to go lay down for a bit." Zuko stood and made it half way out the door when he fell to the ground. His head smacked with a sickening sound.
"Zuzu. You should know better than to lie to me." Azula's voice rang out before he knew no more.
Katara wished that the pain would go away. Her head felt like it was splitting in half. She must have moaned because the next thing she knew, someone was rubbing circles on her back. Her eyes opened and she saw Sokka hovering over her. There was clouds moving over her. "So-kka?" she mumbled.
"Don't try to talk. You passed out." Sokka said. "Katara why did you scream? Do you remember?"
"I met…..the Painted Lady Spirit. She said that…..I was destined to be………the next Painted Lady." Katara managed to get out.
Sokka sighed. "Katara, that was probably just a dream. There is no real Painted Lady." he groaned in his mind. The way that Katara was probably going to start talking in would probably sound like him on Cactus Juice.
"No, Sokka. And……I have proof." Katara realized when she realized why her back had just started to burn a bit. "Sokka, loosen my robe. And don't protest." she ordered.
Sokka did as Katara said and he gasped. On her back was a marking. It looked like a figure bending over another small child or something. "This can't be real. The Painted Lady was only a legend."
"No Sokka. It can be and she is." Katara whispered before falling back into sleep.
Sokka blinked and hurriedly redid her robe. He glared at Aang who turned around quickly. Sokka glowered at the back of his head while pulling a blanket over Katara's fire nation clothed form.
Iroh sighed in his head as he frantically made a scramble for the food that the guard purposely dropped sloppily. As the guard closed the door, Iroh straightened himself and calmly ate what was left on the tray. He was sick of having to pretend and work out his escape plan.
"Uncle Iroh." a sarcastic voice drawled. Iroh already knew that it was Azula without turning. She was the only one who could put false kindness, pity, and sarcasm into only a few words. "I thought that you would like to know this. Zuzu is going on a trip so he won't be coming back here for another one of his 'visits'."
Iroh staid silent until she left. Tonight. He needed out of here tonight.
At around midnight, there was a changing in the guards. One man always came to make sure he was there, being very parinoid. Iroh hid in the shadows near the door. The man came inside and immediately starting freaking. That was when Iroh came up from behind and hit the back of his neck. Iroh took the man's keys and locked him inside before running for his life.
"You have disgrace us by this lie. This time, you will not be allowed to live."
