I hope those of you who read my last chapter enjoyed it, I do have to say that there was more reads than I thought I would get. Against my better judgement, I decided to keep toph out of this story but will include her in future branch offs of this story. Here is the new chapter guys!
Chapter 2:
As the sun crept over the horizon, Aang woke troubled. He remembered that he kept tossing and turning throughout the night; consequently he felt terrible. I need to meditate and clear my mind. With that lingering thought, he wrote a quick note to Katara telling her that he needed to meditate a little bit and that he would likely be back before lunch. He knew that she would likely fuss over his stupidity, especially since she had begun to take over the motherly role all over again. Just when he had thought it was over, he had to go and die. This consequently put Katara into over drive when it came to his well-being. Though he didn't necessarily mind someone caring about him, he wanted to have a little freedom to do what he wanted to.
After walking for about 30 minutes, he came upon a hill with a gorgeous view of the village in the distance. Aang placed himself into a comfortable lotus position and began to clear his mind. He listened to the trees around him rustle with the light breeze, the warmth of the still rising early morning sun, the coolness of the grass beneath him. As minutes turned into hours, Aang decided that it was about time to get back to his friends. As he get up, he heard a twig behind him crack, it immediately put Aang on the alert. With a sense of foreboding, he raised his hand, prepared to defend himself.
Mid Chapter A/N: Just thought I'd say really quickly that I am being a little creative and changing a few aspects of this episode. I am keeping some aspects the same but others will change. Sorry if Katara seems like she is flip flopping between trusting Hama and being weary of her. I am doing this on purpose. So in saying all this, back to the story!
As Katara woke, she found that she had slept in much later than she had previously wanted to. By the looks of it, it was probably far past 10 in the morning. She frowned at this, dressing and brushing her hair out. Once she felt that she was presentable to the outside world, she walked down the stairs to find Sokka stuffing his mouth with an assortment of Fire Nation foods.
Just before she was about to scold her brother for eating so much, Hama walked in shaking her head at him.
"I'm really sorry Hama" said Katara.
"It's ok child, my son was just like him when he was his age. He will grow out of it just like my son did… Hopefully…"
"Doubted" Katara said while she rolled her eyes.
Sokka just huff and continued eating.
"So have you seen Kuzon this morning" Katara asked as you looked around the large open first floor of the inn.
"I have not Katara, perhaps he is still in the barn?" said Hama smoothly.
"Good idea, I'll check" replied Katara.
At this she simply told her brother that she would be back in a little while. As she walked down the main path of the village, she noticed that people seemed very sad and to themselves. She noticed many would stare at her as if she was a foreign entity. Under their stares, she was just looking forward to seeing Aang.
As she walked, her mind began to wonder to a person who she found had invaded her thoughts more and more as of late. She began to feel a warmness grow in her face and it unbalanced her. Why is this happening, he's just a friend, but the small voice in her head told her he was much more. He is so younger than me though, he's the Avatar for spirit's sake! She tried to shake these thoughts from her head, but the more she tried, the harder it was to actually find some peace about. You know how you felt when he died, a part of you died as well. He's more than a friend to you and you know it.
Frustrated at herself for letting her mind drift back to him again, with a defeated sigh she said in a whisper: "After the war…."
She reached the barn door, pushing it open, she noticed that the center of her thoughts was nowhere to be found. She started to panic as she walked further in until she noticed the note. Reading it aloud: "Out meditating, please don't be mad Katara. I will be back by lunch" She frowned at this. I am soooo gonna give him an ear full when he gets back….
She walked back to the inn, seeing that her brother had finished his meal. She spoke to him saying that Kuzon went out to get some fresh air and will be back later.
At this, Hama spoke up from the Kitchen. "Sorry Katara, but Kuzon won't be back till like tomorrow or the next day. I sent him out when he get back to the town over to pick up some groceries for me. I would have normally just asked one of the delivery boys to get it for me, but people have been disappearing more and more. He said it wasn't a big deal, he also said it was the least he could do for giving you room and board for a while.
"So Kuzon….." said Sokka.
Katara just sighed, resigned by the fact that Aang was just like this. Though Katara was not happy about Aang being alone, especially with the threat of an angry spirit, but she also did not like the fact that he did not at least bring the subject up to her.
"Katara, would you mind watching the inn for me, I have to do a few errands around down. I should be back in a few hours at the most."
Katara looked up at Hama, nodding her head in understanding: "No problem".
Hama left soon after.
When Sokka was sure that Hama was long gone, he got up and began looking through her things. Katara raised an eye brow while asking "what are you doing?"
"I want some answers, something doesn't seem right and I am gonna get to the bottom of it. You can't tell me you aren't at all curious about Hama…. She has been so vauge about everything… I just don't trust her…"
"Sokka, she has no REASON to trust us, I mean come on… She found us late at night in the woods, it's a wonder she opened her in to us, fed us, and trusted me to look after her in. Give her a break Sokka and leave her things alone."
"You can sit there Katara, but I'm snooping"
Katara flopped down on the coach and just watched Sokka rummage for a while. About 30 minutes in and Sokka had not found anything out of the ordinary, just Fire Nation trinkets and handmade ornaments and pictures. Sokka was beginning to think that there was nothing bad about Hama until he decided to look in the attic.
"Hey Katara, are you coming with me, or do I have to look through all this stuff up here by myself?"
Not wanting to chance Hama finding Sokka looking through her things, she decided to humor her brother by making the search go quicker. As time went on and they had both searched through almost everything in the attic, Katara concluded that there probably wasn't anything out of the ordinary about Hama but Sokka, being the persistent one, just could not give up.
There was only one chest left that was unopened by Katara and Sokka. It looked old and unopened in what appeared to be years. As Sokka opened the large chest, it only had a small box in it that unlocked by a key.
Sokka began to pry at the box, ignoring his sister's constant worrying over Hama likely getting back to the inn soon. Sokka began to get frustrated, unwilling to waste any further time with the box, he took out a small knife and pried it open. Unintentionally, the contents spilled out of the container onto the wood floor beneath them.
Both Katara's and Sokka's eyes grew wide at what the both saw.
"You know, it's rude to rummage through peoples things without permission…" said Hama with a sigh.
What lay on the floor was a simple comb, made out of a whale bone. Both Katara and Sokka knew that this type of bone was native to the Southern Water Tribe.
"How did you get this?" said a now confused Katara.
"Did you steal it?" blatantly stated Sokka.
At this accusation, Hama simply stated that she would explain all when they got back downstairs. When everyone was downstairs and situation, she began: "To answer your question, no, I did not steal it"
"Then how did you get it?" huffed Sokka.
"It was mine as a child; you see very long ago I was taken away from my home… The Southern Water Tribe."
Both children gasped.
"Before I continue, I know both of you are form there as well."
Sokka just gaped: "How did you know?"
"You are in the Fire Nation, you might want to change your names to something less… tribal…."
Both Katara and Sokka nodded.
"You're a water bender, aren't you Katara?"
Katara nodded and looked down, "I'm the last of our tribe".
Hama frowned: "You're not the last young one, when I was not much older than you, the Fire Nation began to raid our village, and we were strong and proud, defending our tribe with each attack. But soon, our numbers as water benders were dwindling until I was the last. When the fire nation came again, they took me captive and brought me back here. They imprisoned me for years; eventually I escaped and resigned to stay in exile in the fire nation. It has not been the best existence, but at least I am alive."
When Hama was finished with her story, she looked down. "I was so resentful towards the Fire Nation, for years I wanted nothing more to fight back. Now I am old, but I see much of myself in you young water bender. With your permission, I would like to teach you some of my advanced bending forms so that you might be better equipped to end this war."
At this, Katara nodded rather quickly: "yes please! We can start now!"
Alright, before dinner, we can go out to the fields, I will teach you some useful skills.
Hama left the two siblings in the living area while she went up to her bedroom to gather some supplies and to change.
When Hama was out of ear shot, Sokka get close to Katara and said only said two words with a serious face: "Be careful"
Katara just rolled her eyes and brushed it off.
When Hama walked back into the living room, the both waved goodbye to Sokka and went out to the fields, far from the town.
"This first art I learned right after I escaped prison, it allows you to pull water out of living things around you, even out of thin air. It can be useful in sticky situations, especially if you have no large source of water around you. But be warned, if the climate is dry, it will not produce the results you may want."
After Hama thought that Katara seemed to understand this, she decided to show Katara. Hama took her water bending stance and in one fluid motion, she removed all of the water from the beautiful flowers surrounding them, forming it into a sharp water current, she sliced a large rock in half.
Though the move was ingenious and amazing, seeing all of the dead flowers around her made Katara immensely saddened.
Hama simply waved her hand, saying that the flowers were unimportant in comparison to surviving an encounter with an enemy.
After a few hours of training, both Katara and Hama were getting fatigued. They decided to return home, make dinner, and go to bed. That night, Katara laid awake, to burdened by her thoughts to be able to rest. I wonder if Aang is ok. I hope we leave this place soon.
Seeing this, Sokka pulled her from her thoughts, what's the matter Katara?
"I just want to leave this place soon…."
"I thought you would love to learn from a Southern water bender?"
"I am excited, I just get this eerie feeling about Hama, like she isn't telling us everything…"
"I told you that from the beginning Katara!" but we have to wait a few days before Aang gets back anyway…
Katara knew her brother was right… for once. Instead of continuing this discussion, she rolled over in her bed and said good night to Sokka.
Well, I hope you guys liked it guys! I'll have the next chapter up by tomorrow night if you guys are interested so please read and review!
