Crazy In Love Chapter 6: Target
It took a few weeks to get to Ba Sing Se, but they passed by calm and without incident.
Well, as without incident as one can possibly be with Sokka, at least. He was a trouble magnet, and that went without saying.
Throughout the trip, Aang and the Water Tribe siblings had become very close. The young Airbender proved to be an excellent companion and friend, while Katara took on a motherly role; making sure they were all safe, together, had enough to eat, and were comfortable. Sokka, meanwhile, was the comic relief, for lack of a better word; and his trouble-attracting personality earned him a few lectures from his sister. It was quite amusing, really.
Appa and Momo seemed to like having more people around too. The gigantic flying bison loved the attention Sokka lavished on him due to his fascination with rare objects (of course, animals included). He also loved how Katara would pet him and save him bits of food as a treat. Momo, on the other hand, loved the Water siblings for slightly different reasons. For one thing, he loved taunting the boy whenever possible. It was so easy to get him worked up! Then, when the boy would finally explode, he would immediately glide over to Katara, who, after seeing his big, watery innocent-looking green eyes, would immediately shield him from Sokka's fury and scold him for losing his cool towards such a small little creature before turning around and marching away from her dumbfounded brother.
She never saw the little bat-lemur stick his tongue out at the fuming Sokka over her shoulder.
What had become part of the routine for them now included Aang sharing his life as an Air Nomad with the siblings in exchange for the siblings to share with him the life of a Water Tribesman. Even more routinely became the conversations between Katara and Aang, who would talk about their Bending every night before settling in to sleep. Sokka was happy to just listen to them, learning about Airbending and more about Waterbending. As a history nut, seeing two of the rarest types of Benders congregated in one place and talking about their gifts was a precious opportunity he was only too happy to take.
Aside from having made a new friend and their Bender talk, the highlight of the trip for Katara was seeing the world. Never having been anywhere aside from her homeland in the South Pole, Katara relished seeing the world shift below her; the waters becoming lighter blues and aquas, the islands becoming creams and browns like none she had seen before mix in perfect harmony, and finally, the best of all were the centerpieces – the vegetation. Rich greens of all tones and brightness started sprouting up everywhere, and the further inland they travelled, the more there were. On top of that, as they became more emerged in the Earth Kingdom, much to Katara's delight, flowers began blossoming everywhere.
It was quite a cultural awakening, as well as a shock, for the young Waterbender. All those colors! She loved how some flowers were a single, simple solid color while others were an array of the rainbow, she loved how each flower was so uniquely different in shape and size from all the others. How could she have ever lived without knowing – without seeing such natural beauty?
Mind you, the tundra was an exquisite beauty by itself; by its hostile, calm, ever-changing beauty of blues and whites. It was, you could say, a simple but very elegant beauty; whereas the Earth Kingdom was wild and energetic. Two kinds of wonder. Two kinds of life. Two kinds of beauty. But one breath-taking effect.
Aang was all too happy to tell Katara the names of the plant and wildlife he knew, and any interesting properties that came with them. Katara greedily absorbed the information, never growing tired of it or ceasing to ask questions to learn more. Although this wasn't Sokka's thing (really, he was a history/ military warfare kind of guy, not a botanist), he couldn't deny the infectious fascination of this new world that his sister had. As much as preferred his history and military warfare, he wasn't one to turn down any chances to learn anything new, especially when it's the very first time he sees something completely new and foreign.
Much to the sibling's fascination, they not only saw the arrangement or wildlife, but they also were able to witness it. When they were resting by a marsh in a mountain, hidden from sight from any angle thanks to the thick foliage, Aang pointed to a thin plant with a thick head which looked like it was a blossom split in the middles with serrated edges. He had called it a "Venus Fly Trap." He explain that it was one of the few species of plants in the world that, unlike other plants who fed themselves through absorbing water, nutrients and sunlight through their leaves and roots, actually received most of its nourishment by eating insects, such as the pesky flies that buzzed around.
Obviously, a carnivorous plant intrigued the siblings, and they crouched around the plant in anticipation, willing to wait however long necessary to see the plant in action.
Momo, who was annoyed at being up-staged by a plant, went hunting for some insects to feed the plant. He glided over to the siblings, his tiny fists filled with squirming insects of all sizes and types, and dropped a single fly into the open mouth of the plant, which abruptly snapped shut around the little black bug, engulfing it and hiding it out of sight.
The siblings stared in awe as the plant's head twitched as the fly struggled, but the mouth remained firmly shut until there was no more movement.
"That's it?" Sokka asked after a few more minutes of silence.
"Seems so," said Katara. "How long before it needs to eat again?"
"Depends on the type of plant and the size of the meal," answered Aang, who was leaning comfortably against Appa, who was snoring. "Usually it won't need to eat for a few more days – about a week or so; maybe more."
"How exactly does a pant 'eat'?" Sokka asked, walking back towards the small campsite they had set up, closely followed by Katara who was cuddling a very content Momo.
"Well, it's not all that different from us. The 'mouth,' as you saw, traps the insects. Then when they're trapped there, the plant releases some chemicals with enzymes in them that break down the insects into components the plant can absorb."
"You mean the insects are dissolved while they're still alive?" Katara asked in horror. Aang nodded solemnly.
"Unfortunately, yes. Not a nice way to go; I know."
"Ah yes, the life of a bug – how hard it is in this wide, wicked world!" Sokka sighed dramatically. "To only have a purpose – to annoy until the world is ready to kill us!"
Aang's lips twitched at the corners, but he didn't say anything while Katara just rolled her eyes at him.
"Just eat your wild hog-crab."
The remainder of the trip continued like this, which suited everyone just fine as they were quite content with the arrangement. However, none of them, least of all Katara though she'd never show or admit it, could quite forget the reason for the trip and why they never stayed in one place for long. The possible danger that hung over their heads, mainly on Katara's, plagued their minds, no matter how well they managed to push it to the backs of their minds. It was an ever-present stress.
That is why when they finally reached their destination, all three were quite relieved, unknowingly feeling like they could breathe a little better and stand a little taller without the added burden on their shoulders.
When Aang spotted Ba Sing Se from afar, he had called the siblings from a small quarrel they were in (something about Sokka being too childish and Katara being too stubborn) to point it out to them. They almost trampled over the poor Airbender to get a view of the enormous city. They were ecstatic, even though the city was just a spec in the distance.
"How much longer until we get there?" Sokka asked Aang, eagerly.
"Oh, at the pace we're going I'd say about a day and a half. Maybe less if the winds blow in our favour."
"That's great!"
"I agree," Katara smiled widely. "I can't wait to see Dad again!"
"I know, it feels like ages since we last saw him!"
Aang chuckled good-naturedly. "You guys are really excited, huh?"
"Of course!" the eldest of the two siblings answered, beaming at him.
"Well, if you guys want, we could take a quick rest now and then Appa can fly at full speed until we get there. That way we'll be landing at around sunset."
"Really? Oh, Aang, you're the best!" Katara gave the young boy the biggest moose-bear hug she could before dashing excitedly back towards the end of Appa's saddle where they were seated to get ready for landing, completely oblivious that she'd let Aang with a face as red as a tomato. Sokka grinned.
"Never been hugged by a girl, huh?" he asked.
"Actually, I have," Aang protested, doing his best to try to cool down his heated face. "I just wasn't expecting that."
"Sure, sure. But you might want to rethink your, ah, blushing" – he snickered– "for my sister. You've seen how violent she is. Are you sure you want that as – OW!" Sokka toppled over, rubbing the side of his head sulkily as he glared in Katara's direction, who was whistling a happy tune while looking up at the clouds innocently. The elder Water sibling turned towards Aang, who was trying his hardest to not laugh, and mouthed "you see what I mean?"
True to his word, Aang manoeuvred Appa down to a small clearing he spotted so they could rest. The plan was that they would rest for a couple hours so they could use the facilities, eat, and nap before taking off again. The journey hadn't been arduous, but they all needed rest from the stress of being constantly on the move, and at such needed to regain their strength if they were to arrive with enough energy to find and greet Chief Hakoda without toppling over from exhaustion. And not only them, but Appa, too, since he was the one carrying them and doing the actual non-stop flying. Even as big as the flying bison was, he needed to rest from the continuous effort.
The clearing was small, but large enough for Appa to land with his passengers easily and for them all to spread out and rest around a small campfire. Aang, ever the gentleman and good host, hopped off the bison's back first and offered Katara his hand to help her down. He didn't bother to offer the same courtesy to Sokka since he knew the elder brother preferred to make his own way down by himself.
Once on the ground, Sokka set out to find some firewood while Aang removed the reigns from Appa and petted him, and Katara prepared a light snack for them. Momo just watched her hands work from her shoulder.
Once they ate the roots and wild cow-goose jerky they'd saved from an earlier hunt, they all spread picked a spot and laid down for a nap; smiles spread pleasantly on their faces at the thought of finally arriving at their destination while Appa and Momo went off to find some food for themselves.
~X~
It's so dark.
Why?
What was that? It sounded like Gran-Gran sharpening her knifes to carve the tiger-seal Sokka hunts to celebrate my birthday every year.
But where is she? Where is Sokka?
Oh, there she is. Hi, Gran-Gran. I'm fine, and you? Do you need help? How many times must I say it, Gran-Gran – just because I'm the birthday girl doesn't mean I can't do anything! Ha, you're right. Sokka's just a knucklehead. I'll take care of him, don't worry. We've always taken care of each other.
Start the fire? Sure, Gran-Gran. Do you know where Sokka is? Cleaning his boomerang? That's strange, he takes such good care of it usually. Wait, what do you mean he used it to hunt? That's a first. No, Gran-Gran, I'm sure I'm fine. Are you alright? You know Sokka cares too much for his boomerang to actually use it.
Wait, do you smell that? That – it's like… a heavy smell. Like a dark spice, burning…
For the last time, Gran-Gran, I'm fine. Your fire's ready.
What else do you need help with? Stop giving me that look, I'm as fit as a fiddle. I don't feel wrong. But are you sure you can't smell that? It's getting quite strong. Maybe it's you who has a cold. That would explain why I can smell it and you can't. Ow! Why'd you hit me? I wasn't being disrespectful! It was just a theory based on observation.
Um, Gran-Gran, can I open the window? That smell is starting to sting my eyes… and my throat… it feels so dry… No, Gran-Gran, I'm not coughing because I'm sick; it's the smell! Why can't you smell it? Gran-Gran, something's wrong… My chest… feels heavy…Gran-Gran, I can't breathe! What's going on? Get out –? What do you… help me…
What's that smell and what is it doing to me? Can't breathe… Gran…help…!
"Get up, girl! You're in danger!"
Katara's eyes snapped open, her body lurching forward as she hacked and coughed violently. She covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve, her eyes squinting through the stinging sensation. It was so dark… where was the sun?
"Good, you're up. Now hurry! Wake your friends – you must leave immediately!"
Katara tried to focus on what the stranger, who had shaken her awake, was saying. Leave? Why? That's when she noticed the dark fog that had settled over her and her companions. She instinctively knew that whoever had waken her was speaking the truth, and that that fog was the source of her breathing difficulties.
She knew she was breathing, she was making a conscious effort to do it, but every time she inhaled it felt like instead of air being sucked into her body it was being sucked out of her. And the more she breathed, the dizzier she got.
She rolled away from her blanket and fell flat on her belly, coughing loudly, her eyes watering. Her mind, cleared from the disorientation of sleep, caught tiny flashes of intense orange and yellow in the black cloud, and raced to try to figure out what was going on.
Black fog… burning…embers…hot…
Her eyes snapped open again despite the stinging of doing so, and she glanced behind her, she felt a strong source of heat. Golden flames peeked through the foliage; creeping closer before receding back, only to do it again.
Fire!
"Aang!" she desperately called, between coughs. "Sokka! Wake up! There's a fire! WAKE UP!"
She scurried over to them, kneeling beside her brother and violently shaking him. "Sokka! Wake up! We have to get out of here!" She vaguely heard the stranger try to arouse Aang just a few feet away from her. "Sokka!"
"Mm…Katara?" He let out a series of coughs. "Katara… I can't breathe…"
"We have to leave, Sokka! There's a fire!"
"Fire…?" Her brother's eyes, a mirror of her own, snapped open as he jumped up, covering his lower face with his sleeve as he looked around him bewilderedly. "How? Who?"
"It doesn't matter who or how it happened, right now we have to go!" Katara grabbed her brother's hand and pulled him towards Appa, who was growling and stamping his numerous hooves in warning, Momo screeching as he hid between the luggage.
Aang was already mounted on him, reaching down to pull Katara up, Sokka giving her a boost with her hands. Just as Sokka was hastily climbing on, a rumbling was heard, followed by a crash as more golden embers became airborne.
"Aang! Get us out of here!" Sokka screamed.
Aang didn't need to be told twice, as he immediately snapped Appa's reigns with his signature call of "yip-yip!" to signal Appa that they should take off right away. Their bodies jerked backwards as the bison took off as fast as he could, and Katara felt a soft silky texture glide across her neck before disappearing behind her. Her hand flew towards her throat and her eyes widened in horror as she looked behind her to see what it was.
"My necklace! My mother's memento!" she gasped. "It's gone!"
"We'll come back for it after this blows over!" yelled Sokka over the deafening noise of the now powerful blaze. "We must leave!"
"No! I can't leave it behind!"
"Katara!" Aang called out to her over his shoulder. "We'll come back for it, I promise, but we can't stay here any longer!"
"But –!"
"Don't be foolish, Katara! You'll die in that blaze!"
"Then what about the stranger, huh?" she snapped back. "He saved us!"
"What stranger?" her brother growled. "I didn't see anyone!"
"Well, I did, and he saved our lives! We can't leave him!"
"Katara, he left before us. I'm sure he's safe!" Aang said. "right now, we just need to get to Ba Sing Se as fast as we can and find your father and the elders. We must report this."
The Water Sibling's eyes widened. "Do you think this fire...You think we were targeted?" Sokka asked unsurely, grasping his sister's hand tightly. Aang nodded once, sharply; his face set in unhappy seriousness.
"I don't want to frighten you, but I don't want to lie to you either. Did you notice anything odd about that fire?"
The siblings pondered this for a bit before shaking their heads.
"Well, first of all, the area we were in was near a water source, so all the vegetation was alive," Aang explained in a strained voice. "It was full of water, which means it's terrible for a fire since it can't burn. Second of all, the fire was right behind the bushes where Katara was sleeping. Third of all, it was moving way too fast for a natural forest fire, especially since there was no wind to fan it."
"What are you saying, Aang?" Katara asked through a tremulous voice, her heart gripped with both fear for what the young boy was about to reveal and sorrow for losing the only thing her mother treasured and the only thing that connected her to her. Sokka held her close, not knowing what else to do, and she held him tightly.
Aang was silent for a moment before he answered. Finally, he said, "I'm saying it means three things. It means that that fire was deliberately set; that means that you were targeted. And therefore, that must mean that whoever you saw on that island was the fire culprit who's been setting all those fires."
She gasped, and she heard her brother snarl menacingly at the air. Her blood was pounding in her ears, adrenaline and smoke rattling her mind.
Suddenly, she felt herself collapse, her muscles incapable of holding her up any more. If it wasn't for Sokka who was holding on to her, she would've hit herself nastily against the flying bison's saddle. But she really couldn't bring herself to care about that at the moment.
Someone thought she had identified the arsonist. Someone was after her.
Someone wanted to kill her… with fire.
"Aang, can we go any faster? I'm losing her!" Sokka yelled at Aang, who yelled something back, but she wasn't listening. She wasn't listening. "Katara, you're going to be alright, you hear me? We're going to Dad, now, and he'll keep you safe. I'll keep you safe. Nothing's gonna happen to you, do you understand?" She nodded feebly, the world losing it's shape around her.
And then she knew no more.