Book One: The Avatar's Guardian (Water)
Chapter Five: Omashu and Prisons
Xena had fought firebenders and won. She'd completed her waterbending training beneath an abusive teacher and she'd survived near-fatal wounds. By Agni, she'd even faced an enraged dragon trying to kill her friends. Xena was more than just a warrior, she was a survivor. No one who knew of her past or had seen her fight, would dare call her weak. It was for this reason that she found herself frustrated and irritated with Katara.
Ever since they'd left Kyoshi Island, the other Water Tribe girl had taken to treating Xena like she was made of glass. Every morning, Katara would ask how Xena had slept and would ask how she was at least five times per day. She was at least smart enough to ask Xena for details about her nightmare on Kyoshi Island. All Xena wanted to do was forget that it had happened, but Katara's obvious concern only made her frustration grow. To avoid taking it out on her friends, Xena withdrew from them and busied herself with other things. Her avoidance only seemed to make Katara more concerned, creating an endless cycle.
"Oh, wow!"
Aang's sudden exclamation drew Xena from her thoughts and she looked up at him. "What is it, Aang?"
"Isn't that the Lover's Tree, Xena?" Aang asked, pointing towards a massive cherry blossom tree sitting at the peak of a small mountain.
Xena's eyes widened in shock. "It is! I didn't think it was possible for that tree to get any bigger."
"It's beautiful," Katara gasped in breathless awe. "What kind of tree is that?"
"Oh, yeah. I guess they wouldn't have cherry blossom trees in the South Pole," Aang said in realization and directed Appa down to land beneath the drooping branches of the blooming tree.
A breeze made the branches sway and bright pink petals drifted down around them. Xena caught one and carefully held it up with a soft smile.
"This isn't just any cherry blossom though. The Lover's Tree is one of the largest shidarezakura* trees in the world and it's always in bloom." Xena slid out of the saddle and pressed her hand against the tree trunk. "Legend says that the tree was keep blooming as long as the people of Omashu have hope and love in their hearts."
"Xena, your girly side is showing," Sokka said, unimpressed by the tree.
"It's not her girly side, Sokka. It's her romantic side," Aang corrected as he plucked a flower and held it out to Katara's hair with a goofy smile and a slight blush.
"You're the one that thinks it's romantic, Aang. I just really like myths and legends."
"Hey, can we stop by Omashu since we're so close?" The bald monk asked suddenly, eyes shining at the possibility.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Xena started, but quickly gave into the young boy's pleading expression. "But I suppose a few hours wouldn't hurt-"
"Whoo!" The boy cheered, jumping into the air.
"-As long as you wear a disguise."
The boy's excitement fizzled out for a few seconds before coming back. "I guess that's fair. This will be great, we can visit all our old spots and-"
Xena cut Aang off again. "I won't be going with you guys. I always got in trouble whenever I went with you and I'm still technically banned from the last time."
"Banned?" Katara questioned.
"I don't believe it. You, of all people, managed to get banned from a city?" Sokka questioned in disbelief.
"It's a long story."
"Which occurred a hundred years ago. I doubt they'll even recognize you especially if you were to wear a disguise too," Aang said with a pleading smile.
"Sorry, Aang. But I'd rather just hang out here with Appa."
"Okay," The boy said with slumped shoulders.
He didn't remain disappointed for long though, excitement overtaking him again at the prospect of showing the Water Tribe siblings around the grand city. With the help of Sokka, some rope, and donated fur from Appa, they made Aang a wig and a mustache. Aang completed the disguise with some believable acting, hunching over and leaning on his staff.
"Now let's get skipping, young whippersnappers. The big city awaits," He says in an old man voice.
"Remember, Aang. You're just visiting for a few hours."
"Just a few hours. I promise."
Once the three other teens and Momo had left, Xena turned to look at Appa. The giant creature blinked one of his big brown eyes at her and rumbled softly when she petted the fur over his nose.
"What do you think, Appa? Do we have time to catch up on some lost sleep before they come back."
In response, the sky bison yawned and slumped to the ground with a heavy thump.
"Yeah, that's plenty of time," Xena answered her own question, laying down beside the bison beneath the shade of the weeping cherry.
She blew a petal of her palm and watched as the breeze caught it and sent it dancing through the air. This place was so beautiful and relaxing. It reminded her of her days in the Fire Nation with Drake.
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Brow furrowed, Xena rubbed at her itchy nose, brushing away the pink petal that had disturbed her sleep. For a minute, she was disoriented, wondering why Drake let her fall asleep in the garden as she stared up at the pink blossoms, tinted orange by the setting sun. A rumbling sound behind her reminded her of Appa's presence. Following that realization, she also realized that she was not in the Drake's garden, but instead lying under the Lover's Tree.
She jumped to her feet and looked around for Aang and the siblings. Not finding them, it was easy to come to the conclusion that they were not back yet, despite how late it had gotten. Sighing, she climbed into Appa's saddle to retrieve Smoke and Frost.
"So much for a few hours," She voiced to a drowsy Appa before jumping back down. "Hopefully, I'll be back soon with the others in tow. If not, I give you permission to completely destroy the city. Sound good, buddy?"
Appa groaned and covered his face with one of his paws.
"Sounds good," She answered her own question and set off for the city.
It was a ten-minute hike down from the Lover's Tree and Xena quickly sped up her pace when she saw the great stone doors, beginning to slide shut. She slid through with a few seconds to spare, doors closing into a seamless wall of rock behind her.
"Cutting it a bit close there, aren't you, Miss?" One of the guards questioned.
"My apologies, sir," She said politely and set off in the direction her bond with Aang was pulling her.
"Wait a minute!" A different guard called out behind her. "Is your name Xena per chance?"
"Xenia," She corrects sharply. "Only my friends are allowed to call me Xena."
The two guards exchanged glances before dropping into bending stances. "Miss Xenia, I'm afraid you're under arrest."
She let out an exasperated sigh. "For what?"
"Uh? Why is she under arrest, Daisuke?"
"Because the King ordered her arrest, that's why?"
"That doesn't seem fair. I mean, she hasn't really done anything wrong has she."
"I'm sure the King has his reasons. Now stop questioning orders and help me arrest this- Hey! Stop!"
While the two guards had been bickering, Xena had slipped away. Hearing the guards shout, she burst into a full out run. There was only one reason someone would want to arrest her right now and that would be because Aang must have been captured. A stone slab suddenly rose up in front of her, catching her foot and sending her sprawling. Before she could push herself up, her hands were yanked behind her back and restrained with stone.
Well, this was just perfect. Saving Aang and the siblings would have to wait until she saved herself.
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"Genomite is made of rock candy. Delicious!"
Xena had a few choice words as to where the King of Omashu could stick that genomite as she was pushed into the throne room by a massive earthbender.
"Oh, yes. I suppose I should return your Guardian to you as well," The King added.
He had visited her after the guards had thrown her into a fairly large and well decorated bedroom that they called a dungeon. The King's display made him seem quite crazy, but his eyes had held a knowing intelligent glint in them as he explained her situation. She would be released as soon as the Avatar had finished the three dangerous tasks that King set before him. Xena's threat of bodily harm and murder fell on deaf ears when he had left.
"Xena!" Aang said in surprise at the sight of her.
"What took you so long?" Sokka demanded. "We were waiting for you to come rescue us all day."
"You were only meant to visit for a few hours," Xena retorted as she rubbed at her wrists after they released from her restraints. "I came to get you only to be arrested as soon as I stepped past the city gate."
"My apologies for that, Xena, but I couldn't have you ruining my plans for Aang."
The female warrior let out a derisive snort. "You never could do anything in a normal way, could you, Bumi?"
While sitting in that bedroom - she refused to call it a dungeon - she had plenty of time to think. When Aang had started the trials, she had used their bond to watch through his eyes. She had only ever known one person who would make the most random and misleading tasks into a challenging test. The guards had come to collect her shortly after the King had asked his final question of Aang. On the walk to the throne room, she finally realized Bumi's real identity only a few seconds before Aang, whose joy at the realization had lifted her own mood through their bond.
Aang's old friend laughed with a snort. "Where's the fun in being normal?"
Xena sighed and suddenly smiled. "Despite the fact you had me thrown in jail, it is really good to see you again, Bumi."
"So, this crazy old king, is really your old friend, Bumi?" Katara questioned, brushing small rock crystals from her clothes.
"Who are you calling old?" Bumi demanded and the waterbender took a nervous step closer to her brother. "Okay, I'm old."
"Perhaps in body, but never in spirit," Xena told him and the King smiled the same goofy smile he'd always had as a kid.
"What I want to know," Sokka started. "Is why you did all of this instead of just telling Aang who you were?"
"It's fun messing with people! But, believe it or not, I do have a good reason.," The King said seriously while tucking his hands into his wide sleeves. "Aang, a difficult task awaits you. In the hundred years you've been gone, the world has gone through some drastic changes as you have no doubt already become aware of. It is the duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world by ending this century-long war and you have much to learn. Just like today, Xena will not always be around to protect you or to fight your battles, so you must master all four elements if you are to confront the Fire Lord and win. When the come times to defeat him, I hope you will think like a mad genius! You will need the help of your friends on this long journey ahead of you and it appears you are in good hands." Momo suddenly jumped onto Bumi's shoulder. "You'll need Momo's help as well."
"Thank you for your wisdom and advice, Bumi," Aang bowed then jumped forward to hug the elderly earthbender. "But before we leave, I have a challenge for you. One ride for old time's sake?"
The King snorted a laugh. "Of course, Aang. I would love to. But first I believe I should return your friend's weapons. Daisuke, fetch Xena's Fire and Ice as well those other things we took."
"Smoke and Frost," Xena corrected with a sigh.
"Right away, sir."
''While Daisuke does that, I must ask you a serious question, Xena."
Bumi was never one to ask her serious questions. Hoping that her surprise didn't show on her face or in her voice, Xena replied nervously, "What is it?"
"Don't I get a hug from you as well?"
Her shoulders relaxed and she smiled. "Of course, Bumi."
Bumi's form was slender, but Xena could still feel the packed muscle that was hidden beneath the King's baggy robes. His breath was warm against her ear as he whispered to her quietly. He released her when the earthbender soldier came back and was quick to rush out of the room with Aang while leaving Xena and the siblings to reclaim their stuff.
"You okay, Xena? You look a bit troubled."
"Just thinking, I'll be fine."
She tightened the straps of her swords more than she intended while trying to rein in her emotions. No matter how successful she was at wiping her emotions from her face, she was unable to wipe the King's words from her mind.
"They're stronger than you think they are, especially Aang. Tell them your past, Xena. They'll understand. I promise."
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It was so tempting to finally tell Aang and the siblings about her past. Bumi's words echoed in her thoughts ever since they left Omashu. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to tell them. However, her fear of their judgment would not let the words pass her lips. She feared that they would never look at her the same way again. That they would see as someone who was weak and in need of pity. More importantly, she feared placing the weight of her past on their shoulders.
Even if she could find the courage to tell them, she didn't think she'd be able to find the words to explain the anxiety thoughts of her childhood brought her. How could she explain to them that she stayed up late into the night, terrified of falling asleep because of the nightmares she might have? How hearing certain phrases or discussing certain topics could fill her with a sense of inadequacy, making her feel that she wasn't good enough to be Aang's Guardian or that she was even deserving of love? And how, how could she possibly explain to them that she hated her own ability to waterbend because it reminded her of the man that had taught her to bend. And that she hated to firebend because it reminded her of the fact that her father refused to believe that she was actually his daughter.
She couldn't, Xena reasoned. The best thing she could do was try and forget so that she could focus all her attention on making sure Aang was safe.
"You're doing it again."
Xena was pulled from her thoughts by Sokka's comment. "Doing what?"
"Brooding."
"I don't brood," She denied, brow furrowing.
"Actually, Xena," Aang said hesitatingly.
"You kind of do," Katara finished for him.
Did she really? She knew that she had a tendency to get absorbed in her thought. And when she did she tended to zone out, but-
"Dear Tui, I do."
Katara fell back to walk beside Xena, looking at her with a serious expression. "You know you can always talk to us if something's bothering you."
"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you." She forced a smile, surprised to find that she wasn't as frustrated by Katara's concern as she had been in the past.
Xena suddenly ruffled her bangs a bit so they covered her silver crescent moon. "Aang, do you still have that straw hat we picked up in the last town."
"Yeah, why?" He asked as the came to a stop.
"I want you to wear it," She answered. "The frequency with which Zuko has found us since we left Omashu makes me think that it is probably in our best interest to hide your airbending tattoos. They make you stand out too much."
"And your tattoos don't?" Sokka asked, gesturing towards the blue symbols inked into her skin.
"My tattoos are Water Tribe in origin. Rare to see, yes, but I doubt as rare as the tattoos of a race that only has one surviving member." Aang winced at her words. "Not to mention the fact that I can't hide my tattoos quite as easily as Aang can," She answered, gesturing towards the monk whose arrow tattoo was completely hidden under the straw hat. "Seeing as how they're on my face."
"But you had them concealed when we first met you," Katara pointed out.
"That's because they were covered up with a makeup that I don't currently have." Xena sighed quietly. "Look, I'm not saying that it's a foolproof plan, but it at least reduces the chance that Zuko will be able to track us."
"I must admit, I do like the idea of reducing our run ins with that jerkbender," Sokka mused, stroking his chin as he thought. "Hey, here's an idea. Xena, you could stay in the forest with Appa while Aang wears his hat. That way there won't be anyone around to see you with your tattoos."
"The last time I stayed with Appa, you three ended up the prisoners of a Mad Earth King," Xena pointed out. "So, no. I won't be staying with Appa.'
"Hmm, how about-"
"No more ideas," She cut him off. "Let's just go into town, get some food that isn't nuts, and leave."
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Xena's fingers itch to close around the hilts of her swords as they peruse the merchant stalls. To an observant eye, it is quite easy to see the oppressive fog that hangs over the town. The marketplace is almost empty with several stalls closed, not surprising considering the time of the day. However, the shoppers that are there wander between the stalls or hold any extraneous conversations with the merchant. The merchants watch over their wares with a grim focus as if watching for thieves. As she watches Katara return a heavily bruised apple to a fruit stand with an apologetic smile to the tired looking merchant, Xena finds it hard to believe that anyone would want to steal any of the poor quality goods being offered.
"Hey," Aang says in a low voice to her and points towards something behind Xena. "Isn't that the boy that ran away from us earlier?"
She turns her head to see the young earthbender they had ran into earlier. The incident Aang was talking about happened shortly after Sokka had returned from foraging with only a handful of nuts and rocks. They had seen the boy bending in a dried out riverbed and Katara's initial thought had been to go and introduce herself. She had barely gotten out a greeting before the boy had fled.
"Yeah."
"Let's go talk to him," Katara said, having heard their hushed conversation and lead her brother and Aang into the shop that they boy disappeared into.
Xena hung back and instead approached the apple merchant. "Can I ask you something?"
"No, I don't have anything fresher. What you see is what you get?" The merchant snapped.
"That's not what I wanted to ask."
"I'm not going to answer any questions unless you buy something."
Her jaw clenched at the merchant's foul attitude. Irritated, she reached into her boot to withdraw the small pouch of money she'd stored there. She slapped a coin onto the stall, leaving it trapped beneath her hand as she leaned forward menacingly.
"Oh, you going to try and intimidate me now. Don't bother, I've faced men with a far angrier bark than you.
"Look, all I want to know is why everyone in this spirit-forsaken town seems on edge," She said between gritted teeth, so tempted to show that her "bark" was nothing compared to her bite.
"Why would any town be on edge?" The man replied and nodded his head to the side where a group of red-armored soldiers are exiting a shop. "Fire Nation."
Her muscles tensed as she watched the Fire Nation soldiers knock on the door to the store her friends had entered. Xena straightened her back and exhaled quietly as she forced the tension from her body. Her inner fire expanded as her vision takes on the blue and red tints of her heat sensing ability.
"Thank you," She told the merchant, her tone calm as she walked away.
On the stall, she left one of the few golden coins she had along with a small carving of catdeer. Due to her heat vision, she doesn't need to look behind her to see the way he slowly picks up the coin and carving. He glances around to see if anyone else had seen before sliding the coin into his belt. Once he'd stashed the coin, he stared at her back in confusion. Xena paid him no more attention after that as she enters the shop behind the soldiers.
"The tax just doubled. Wouldn't want an accident, would we?" One of the soldiers was telling the shopkeeper, before creating a small flame in his hand. "Fire is sometimes so difficult to control."
Xena reached her hand out and twisted her wrist as she closed her hand, putting the flame out easily. "Not for a skilled firebender it's not." The soldiers turned to look at her in surprise as she continued to talking. "Which, you must not be, if you're worried about controlling such a small flame. In which case, I must question your intelligence in the matter of creating a flame in a wooden shop, while knowing that an unskilled firebender such as you might not be able to control it."
Despite her calm facade, she was still rather irritated with the difficulty she had prying information from the merchant. It put her in a rather antagonistic mood and the soldiers just happened to be who she choose to take it out on. She knew as soon as she first started speaking that it probably wasn't the wisest decisions she had ever made. There was no going back now, she might as well go ahead and finish digging her grave by channeling the most antagonistic person she knew.
"You dare insult me, little girl" The soldier she'd insulted snapped angrily. "Do you know who I am?"
"A bully," She answered. "With an overinflated ego. You know with as big as your ego is, I really must wonder if you're trying to compensate for your poor firebending control or for. . . something else."
One of the soldiers chuckled quietly but fell silent at the glare the higher ranking soldier gave ugly purple color his face had turned in his angry made Xena's crude insults worth it.
"You… you," The captain sputtered.
"What about me?"
"Bitch!"
Xena saw the way Aang's eyes widened in surprise at the swear. He had not often heard cuss words as Xena and everyone else around him had always been careful to censor themselves. His surprise was quickly replaced with worry as the captain grabbed Xena by the collar of her shirt and cocked his arm back. He needn't have worried.
"What's going on here?" A stern voice demanded from behind Xena.
"Captain, I was just collecting the taxes and then this girl here insulted me."
"Are you so weak minded that a few insults would reduce you to violence," The captain said. "Let her go."
"But, sir-"
"Now, Lieutenant." Face twisted in an angry snarl, the firebender released her. "And now go take a walk until you've calmed."
He shoulder checked Xena on his way out, boots impacting heavily on the wood. The female warrior rocked with the motion, face free from emotion. She turned to face the captain, noting the vicious claw marks that ran across his face.
"It's not usually wise to insult a man twice your size," He remarked.
She crossed her arms over her chest. "Thank you for your assistance - as unnecessary as it was."
"Unnecessary," He repeated, raising an eyebrow. Instead of pursuing the topic, he turned to the shopkeeper. "Do you have the money to pay your taxes?"
"Yes, right here," The woman said and quickly handed over a box filled with a handful of coins.
"You may keep the coppers," He said, placing the mentioned coins into her hand before gesturing the other soldiers out. He paused before leaving himself and locked his stern gaze on Xena. "Try to stay out of trouble, Ylva."
The captain missed the surprise that appeared on the young wolf warrior's face as he left the shop.
"What the hell was that, Xena?" Sokka demanded. "That soldier almost knocked your lights out."
"It would take far more than a punch to knock me out," She replied absentmindedly, now frowning as she stared after the Fire Nation captain.
"That still doesn't explain why you'd thought it would be a good idea to insult the guy."
"That wasn't like you at all," Katara added.
Aang adjusted his hat nervously as he spoke, "You sounded like Temari."
Xena shrugged. "That was kind of the point. Figured if he attacked me first, no one could really blame me for defending myself when I kicked his ass. Also . . . I may have been taking out some frustration from dealing with a very unhelpful merchant." She cleared her throat and turned her attention to the shopkeeper. "How long have the Fire Nation been here, anyway?"
"Five years. We're a coal mining town. Fire Lord Ozai uses the coal to fuel his ships," The shopkeeper answers.
"They're thugs; they steal from us and everyone here is to much of a coward to do anything about it," The earthbender boy says and then looks at Xena as he adds. "Unlike you. You're probably the bravest girl I've ever met. I wish I could be as brave, then I could fight back and-"
"Quiet, Haru," The shopkeeper, obviously his mother, snaps. "Don't talk like that."
"Why not?" Katara asked. "Haru's an earthbender. He can help."
"Earthbending is forbidden," His mother explains. "It's caused nothing but misery for this village. He must never use his abilities.
"How can you say that?" Katara demands. "Haru was born with a gift. Asking him not to earthbend is like asking me not to waterbend. It's a part of who we are."
Xena's wince went unnoticed as Haru's mother replied. "You don't understand."
"I understand that Haru can help you fight back. What more can the Fire Nation do that it hasn't already done."
"They could take Haru away. Just like they took his father."
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"They took him! They took Haru away!"
Xena jerked into a sitting position as Katara's sudden shout interrupted her morning meditation.
"What? Huh?" Sokka questioned, still half asleep.
"What do you mean Haru was taken?" Xena asked as the two boys rubbed the sleep from their eyes.
"The old man turned him into the Fire Nation," She answered and Xena uttered a curse and ran a hand through her bangs.
"Slow down, Katara. When did this happen?" Sokka asks, sliding out of his sleeping bag and putting a hand on his sister's shoulder.
"Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight," Katara answered before adding, "It's all my fault; I forced him into earthbending. We have to help him."
"No, we don't," Xena said bluntly, turning to pack up the few items they had scattered through the barn they'd spent the night in. "We need to move on, the longer we're here for the more likely we'll be caught as the Fire Nation."
"We have to help him," Katara repeated. "Haru and his mother were nice enough to let us stay in their barn and then I had to go and repay them by getting Haru arrested. We have to go rescue him."
"Look as Aang's Guardian it's my job to protect him and the best way to do that is to keep him as far away from the Fire Nation as possible.
"I think Katara's right," Aang interjected into the conversation before the two girls can really begin to argue.
She lost the fight as soon as Aang took Katara's side. The young Avatar could never resist helping those in need. Frustrated, but unwilling to continue a futile argument especially when she had only just patched things up with Aang., Xena gives in. "As long as it is known that I object to this."
"How are we going to find Haru? It's too late to track him," Sokka said, ever the realist.
"We won't have to track him if the Fire Nation takes me right to Haru."
"Why would the do that?" Aang asked curiously.
"Because they're going to arrest me for earthbending."
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"This is a terrible idea," Xena stated as she helped Sokka roll a boulder over the grate of a ventilation shaft.
"You've said that five times already," The Water Tribe boy replied.
"Probably because it's a phenomenally bad idea."
"Relax, Xena. It'll be fine," Katara assured.
"I thought it was a crazy idea too, but I'm starting to think this might actually work," Sokka says and pats the boulder. "There are ventilation shafts throughout the mine. If Aang bends an air current from that vent to this one, the boulder should levitate and tada, you got your fake earthbending."
"And once the soldiers see, they'll arrest me and take me to wherever Haru is while you guys follow us," Katara finished explaining the plan. "It's a brilliant idea."
"It's a terrible idea," Xena repeated. "And I'm not talking about the plan to get you arrested, I'm talking about what happens after. There's no guarantee that the soldiers will take you to the same prison where they're keeping Haru and even if they do, we might not be able to rescue either of you."
"We still have to try," Katara replied.
Sokka interrupted them, pointing up the road. "Here they come! Get into places!"
Xena gave Katara one more lingering glance before the two stepped onto the road. The Guardian rolled her shoulders back, portraying confidence she didn't really feel. As soon as the Fire Nation soldiers were in full view, she walked into Katara on purpose, faking a collision between them.
"Hey, watch it!" The words came out with less venom then she tried to put in them. "I'm walking here."
"No you watch it," Katara replied with a light shove.
Xena's gaze flicks briefly to the soldiers, realizing that if she sticks to the agreed upon script that this plan will fail. She inhales deeply to brace herself for what she's about to do. "Is that the best you can do. I bet your Gran Gran could shove harder than that."
"Don't bring my Gran Gran into this," Katara replied with only a slight hesitation before shoving Xena again harder than before.
The shove while more forceful than the first wouldn't normally be enough to move Xena, so she allows herself to stagger backward as if it was. Her ankle rolls beneath her as her intentional stagger leads her to accidently step on a rock that shifts beneath her. And just like that Katara's acting stops.
"Xena, I'm sorry I didn't mean to are you okay?" She asks, reaching out a worried hand.
Xena slaps her hand away as she regains her balance. "Will you quit it. I'm not made of glass."
"I never said you were," the other girl replied with a hurt expression.
"No, but you act like it." This wasn't what Xena had intended, but she has lost complete control of the situation. "Honestly, Katara can't you go one spirit damn day without trying to mother me?"
Katara's face twists in anger. "Well, I'm sorry if you don't appreciate my 'mothering', but maybe I wouldn't have to if you would just talk to me."
"I talk to you all the time."
"That's not what I mean and you know it. I'm worried about you, Xena."
"Don't be. I can take care of myself."
"Why won't you let me help you?!"
Xena couldn't help the scathing laugh or the harsh words that followed. "See that's the problem with you. You're always trying to help people and yet you haven't seemed to realize yet that some people don't want or need your help."
"Yeah, well maybe some people are just too pigheaded and distrustful to even realize or admit when they need help. Despite what you seem to think Xena, you can't actually do everything on your own."
"Yeah well, despite what you think, you can't actually help every single person that you meet," Xena replied and stepped closer to Katara until she was looming over the other girl in a show of intimidation. "Especially when that person is me. You'll just end up hurt if you do. How's that saying go, 'if you play with fire, you're going to get burned"
"I'm not scared of you."
"Oh, yeah." Xena's eyes flickered silver for a second. "And why's that?"
"Because I know you won't hurt me. No matter how angry you are."
"Really?" The female warrior asked and then reached up to shove Katara.
The shove was way more powerful than Katara's earlier shoves had been and she staggered back in surprise, eyes widening in surprise.
"Guys, what are you doing?" Sokka demanded in a harsh whisper from his and Aang's hiding spot.
The boy's concerned whisper drains some of the anger out of her. An almost acidic taste fills her mouth as she realizes what they are doing. If it weren't for the watching group of soldiers, she would apologize to Katara and try to patch things up. Instead, she has no choice but to see this through to the end. And so with a heavy heart, she pushes Katara again.
"Stop," the waterbender says weakly.
Another push.
"Stop, Xena."
And another.
"Stop it!"
"Make me," The words burn her mouth far more than her cheek when Katara slaps her. "Pathetic."
"Guys?" Sokka's whisper is a bit louder this time and Katara is actually able to hear him as well.
"I might not be able to best you in physical strength," Katara starts a bit weakly, voice growing stronger as she falls back into acting. "But I can beat you earthbending style."
For a moment after Katara strikes her stance, nothing happens. Aang like Sokka had become completely distracted by the very real argument the two of them had just had. Sokka recovered from his shock far faster and elbowed the monk in the side so he would airbend the rock into the air. And just like that, it's over and Katara is arrested by the soldiers.
Xena feigns amusement at the arrest as if glad to see the girl dragged off with a smirk. It's only when the soldiers are completely at of sight that she lets the smirk fall and allows her shoulders to slump in exhaustion.
"Xena?" Aang asked quietly, stepping forward onto the road beside her.
"Don't," She warns. "Let's just go find out where they're taking her, so we can get this over with."
As she walks away from them, she finds herself haunted by the hurt in Katara's eyes when she was dragged away.
lxxxXXXxxxl
Tense silence fills the air between the two Water Tribe warriors as they wait for Aang to return with Katara. Xena stared at the oil rig as she viscous whittled down a small piece of wood into nothing more than a toothpick with her knife. Suddenly she drops the knife into Appa's saddle, startling a sleeping Momo awake.
"Just spit it out."
Sokka could deny wanting to say anything, but once he sees the exhausted expression on Xena's face, he chooses not to.
"You made my sister cry, Xena, and I find that I have a problem with that. See, Katara's not really the kind of person that cries easily, so when she does cry, I feel that as her big brother I have a responsibility to punch in the face of whoever caused her to. However, I'm not so dumb as to think that I could take you in a fair fight."
Sokka pulled his club from his back and pointed at Xena with it. "That being said, if you ever lay another unkind hand on my sister again, I will find someway to cut it off."
"Sounds reasonable," She replied emotionlessly and then softened her voice in worry. "Do you think she'll forgive me?"
"She's Katara," Sokka replied with an eye roll as he returned his weapon to its place. "Of course she'll forgive you."
Some tension seeped from Xena's shoulders. A few minutes later she pointed out Aang and Katara as the two snuck across the rig back to them. Haru was not with them and Xena let out a quiet sigh as she realized that they would be staying even longer.
lxxxXXXxxxl
Xena fidgeted and shot glances at Katara as they waited for sunrise and for Aang to deliver the coal that they need to inspire the earthbenders to fight. Sokka and Momo had went with Aang to act as lookouts, leaving the two girls alone. It's the perfect time to talk about what had happened, but she finds it difficult to strike up a conversation.
Finally, she can't take it anymore and she blurts a shaky, "I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I'm sorry for earlier. I shouldn't have pushed you."
"It's okay," Katara replied without turning to Xena. "It was necessary."
"No, it wasn't. I should've just stuck to the plan instead of going off script like that."
Katara shifted uncomfortably beside her then turned to face the older girl. "Do you really feel like I'm mothering you?"
"You mother all of us," Xena replied. "It's not necessarily a bad thing, it shows that you care about us. It's just that ever since Kyoshi, you've been practically walking on eggshells around me."
"I-"
"I get it, you know. It must have scared you to see me like that."
"I've never seen you like that before," Katara agreed.
"And I never wanted you to." Xena sighed and brushed her bangs back, revealing the crescent moon on her brow. "When I first started training to protect Aang, my teacher told me I had to be strong, that there was no room for weakness. I suppose there's irony in the fact that he's the cause of all my weaknesses."
"Xena?"
"Anyways," She quickly moved on before Katara could ask questions she didn't want to answer. "Because of that I try not to show anyone my weaknesses and that night on Kyoshi, you saw one of my greatest weaknesses. I try to forget, but every time you ask if I'm okay or if I slept well it just reminds me of the fact that I'm not half as strong as I try to act."
She straightened her back as her inner fire flared brighter in response to the slowly rising sun.
"You aren't giving yourself enough credit," Katara replied, watching the sunrise as well. "You're one of the strongest and bravest people I know."
"You wouldn't say that if you knew my past. You'd pity me even more than you already do and I don't think I'd be able to stand that."
"I think that's a decision that's up to me to decide and without knowing your past I can't say if I would pity you or not."
"Maybe someday I'll tell you, but not yet. I'm not willing to take the chance."
"Then I won't push you for answers." Katara hesitated before adding. "However, I do have a question and you don't have to answer if you don't want to. Why . . . why do you hate waterbending so much."
Xena hesitated to answer, a phantom pain in her back and an ache in her heart. "All I can tell you right now is that fire is not the only element that can cause pain. Every single element can be used to hurt, whether that be cutting, breaking bones, burning, or even drowning and asphyxiation. With the ability to bend comes the responsibility of understanding the harm it can inflict on another."
The sleeping earthbenders began to stir awake and slowly began to take notice of Katara's fierce armed companion.
"You told Haru's mother that bending was what made you who you are," Xena continued, aware of the way Katara seemed to hang on her every word. "You weren't entirely accurate. Bending is a part of who you are, but it's how you use it that makes you who you are. Try to remember that."
Katara isn't given time to respond as a guard spots them and shouts for backup. Xena drew her swords, the rasp of steel and the familiar weight comforting, as she took a stance in front of the younger girl.
"Katara, stop!" An old earthbender insists, stepping forward. "You can't win this fight."
Xena shifts her weight as the Fire Nation prison guards part for their warden. The man's wispy beard and thin face reminded her of a bearded snake-rat.
"Listen to him, children. You're one mistake away from dying where you stand," He tells them.
Sokka joins the two girls, meaning that Aang is in place. A few seconds later, coal shoots up out of a vent on a blast of wind, blowing off the vent cover and scattering coal onto the deck. Aang coughs as he lands on the deck as well, trying to brush away black coal dust. Katara scoops up a chunk of coal and turns to face the earthbenders.
"Here's your chance, earthbenders. "Take it! Your fate is in your own hands! Don't let the Fire Nation take away your right to bend."
Haru starts to step forward but is stopped by the older earthbender who had spoken to Katara before. The warden laughs.
"Foolish girl! You thought a few inspirational words and some coal would change these people? Look at these blank hopeless faces. Their hope was broken long ago. Oh? But you still believe in them. How sweet. They're a waste of your energy, little girl. You've failed," With those final words, the warden turns to walk away.
"You know, Katara," Xena started quietly, spinning her swords. "For someone who's vowed not to bend, I've sure been doing it an awful lot."
She kicked a chunk of coal, lighting it on fire and sending it flying straight into the chest of the guard standing to the warden's left. The coal exploded on contact with the guard's armor, sending him staggering back with a surprised shout. At almost the exact same time, another unlit piece of coal struck the warden in the back of his head. Xena nods her head to Haru, who twirls coal above his hand as he moves to stand beside her.
The warden snarls and punches a fireball at the earthbender and dualbender. Xena shifts to break the flame apart, but before she can a wall of coal rises in front of them to block it.
"Show no mercy!" The Warden yells.
"For the Earth Kingdom!" The older earthbender who had raised the coal wall shouted, pushing the now burning wall of coal towards the warden and soldiers.
Xena joined the attacking earthbenders alongside Aang and the Water Tribe siblings, heat vision active and swords dancing through the air. Armed with coal, the earthbenders are more than a match for the firebenders, not only utilizing their own element, but also turning the Fire Nation soldiers' element against them whenever the coal gets set alight. The warden begs for mercy before the earthbenders throw him and the rest of his soldiers overboard on a wave of coal.
lxxxXXXxxxl
Xena dragged an oiled cloth down the blade of one of her swords, watching from the corner of her eye as Haru pulled Katara aside to speak with her. Sokka took a seat on a barrel beside her.
"So. . ."
"So?"
"You and Katara worked things out."
"We came to an agreement," She shrugged and then turned to look at him. "I'm sorry by the way."
"For what?" Sokka asked in confusion and Xena paused in her sword care.
"For being so difficult. I'm . . . not good at connecting with people and I keep a lot of secrets."
Sokka scratched his chin before responding. "They aren't our secrets to know and you're actually not all that difficult."
"Please, I'm stubborner than an earthbender and colder than an icicle."
"Well, you got the stubbornness part right."
She bowed her head at his ready agreement, torn between amusement and regret. He suddenly laughed.
"I guess it wasn't such a terrible idea after all."
It was a good way to lighten the mood and she couldn't help the slight upturn of her lips or the quiet chuckle that escaped her.
"See look at that smile. There's no way you're cold," Sokka said, surprising Xena.
"Of course she's not cold," Aang said, catching the tail end of Sokka's statement. "She can use firebending to adjust her body temperature."
Sokka and Xena exchanged brief glances and laughed as Aang stared at them in bemusement.
"What? What did I say?"
*A shidarezakura tree - also known as a weeping cherry -is a type of cherry blossom tree.
This chapter is long overdue and I have no excuse for how long it took to get this written. I'm not quite happy with the very ending of this chapter, but I wanted to get this to you guys as soon as possible. Hope you enjoy. Please drop a review.
Side Note: It's surprisingly difficult to avoid writing lies even white lies when writing Xena's dialogue.