Chapter Eight: New Beginnings

Several days pass and Kaya falls into the routine of being part of the Avatar's family. At first it felt strange, but she got used to it quickly.

The boys reaction to the news went better than Aang and Katara had expected. They welcomed Kaya into the family with enthusiasm. It was so natural too. It was almost like they had seen her as a sister all along.

Kaya wakes up in the morning and stretches. Outside the birds are chirping and the sun is shining. The weather is starting to get cooler and the leaves are just beginning to change. Fall has arrived.

Kaya goes into the kitchen in a good mood. She sits down at the table and sighs happily.

"Good morning, Kaya," Katara says as she walks in from the porch. Kaya smiles.

"Good morning, Kat-" Katara looks at Kaya. Kaya laughs. "Sorry... Good morning, Mom."

"I thought you'd be used to it by now!" Katara teases. Kaya shrugs.

"After not having someone to call 'Mom' your whole life it's kind of an adjustment," Kaya points out. Katara gives Kaya some breakfast and sits down with her at the table.

"I thought we'd go shopping today," Katara says. Kaya looks at her and knits her eyebrows.

"Shopping?" she asks. "What for?"

"Well, I figured since you're living here now we could get you some clothes, and some things of your own. That way, I don't know, you won't have to wear the clothes you got from Sitka," Katara explains. Kaya looks down at the dress she's wearing, then at Katara. She smiles.

"I'd like that," she says. Katara smiles back.

"Okay, finish your breakfast and we'll get ready to go!" Kaya finishes eating and they prepare to go into the city.

"Where are you girls going?" Aang asks as he walks in with Tenzin and Bumi.

"Shopping!" Kaya beams. Aang smiles and the boys make faces.

"I thought we could get Kaya some clothes and some things for her room," Katara explains.

"That's a great idea!" Aang says. He gives Katara some money. "Be careful," he says as they start to walk out the door. Kaya steps outside.

"Kaya! Aren't you forgetting something?" Katara asks. Kaya freezes in the doorway and checks herself.

"What?" she shrugs. Katara raises her eyebrow and crosses her arms.

"Your promise..." Katara reminds her. Kaya's face lights up in remembrance and she runs inside. She comes back with her waterpouch.

"Sorry," she apoligizes as she puts it over her shoulder. Katara laughs and shakes her head.

"Come on," she says and they walk down towards the dock. They wait for the ferry and when it comes they get on. While they ride towards the city harbor a cool breeze blows into their faces. Kaya smiles. She feels like her whole life has been erased and she can start all over again. It's like the change of season has brought an oppurtunity for a new beginning.

They get to the harbor and get off the ferry. Of course, when they get off people recognize Katara and flock to see if Aang is nearby. When they see that he isn't around they are dissapointed, then they notice Kaya.

"Who are you?" someone asks. Kaya looks down. She still isn't used to all the attention. Katara smiles.

"This is Kaya...Our daughter," the crowd erupts into a frenzy.

"Daughter?!" they call out. "You have a daughter?!" Katara tries explaining the recent adoption to them, but it's almost impossible due to all of the excitement. Word spreads through the crowd and they go crazy. Kaya went from being unknown to an instant celebrity in just a matter of minutes.

Katara and Kaya push their way through the crowd and find a buggy. They get in and sigh.

"That's going to take some getting used to," Kaya states. Katara laughs and tells the driver where to take them. They go through the city streets and Kaya looks at everything they pass. She sees people from all the different nations in one place, and she wonders how people so different can all live in the same city. They pass the small watertribe restaurant they went to a few nights ago and Kaya sees the writing on the building. She realizes that some people just can't.

The buggy drops Kaya and Katara off at a street in a place people call "Watertribe Town". They go into a store and they are greeted with enthusiasm. Kaya and Katara look through and find all kinds of different outfits for Kaya. They walk out with a big bag of new clothes. They summon a buggy and get in. They head towards the middle of town to find a place to have lunch.

They are dropped off and they find a restaurant. Down the street there is a little shop that sells kitchen supplies.

"Kaya, you go on in and get us a table. I just want to look around there for a minute. I won't be long," Katara tells her.

"Okay," Kaya calls after Katara as she walks down the street. Kaya watches as Katara goes into the shop. When she is inside Kaya goes into the restaurant.

Kaya looks around and sees that the restaurant is full of Fire Nation people. Kaya waits in line patiently. She notices people whispering and looking her. She assumes that word has spread quickly around the city about her adoption. It makes her uncomfortable, but she ignores the stares.

"I need a table for two, please," Kaya says when she reaches the front of the line. The woman stares at her with wide eyes.

"What are you doing here?" she asks.

"My mom and I came to eat. She wants me to get a table for us," Kaya explains. The woman points at the door. Kaya looks at it, then back at the woman in confusion.

"I'm sorry, I don't-"

"What?!" Kaya hears a man shout. The crowd splits and a man comes stomping towards Kaya from the kitchen. He looks furious.

"Who let her in here?!" the man shouts to the people around him. They all shrug. The man's face turns red with rage. Kaya is afraid.

"Get out of my restaurant!" he orders her. Kaya is shocked.

"You want me to leave? Why?" she asks.

"This is a Watertribe free company!" he shouts. Kaya is offended. She's tired of people persecuting her because she's Watertribe.

"You can't just make me leave because I'm Watertribe!" Kaya shouts. "That's not fair!"

"I can't tolerate you people in my restaurant! Get out! Now!"

"No!" Kaya answers defiantly. The vein on the man's forehead gets bigger.

"Now!" he shouts. Kaya can see a crowd forming outside the restaurant because they hear the noise. People inside the restaurant murmer.

"No." Kaya crosses her arms. The man clenches his fists.

"Fine! If you won't leave by yourself we'll force you out!" He summons for two men from the kitchen. They grab Kaya's arms and pull her out of the restaurant. She struggles against them, but she isn't strong enough. They throw her into the dirt road. Kaya grunts when she hits the ground.

"And stay out you filthy Snow Savage!" the man shouts. The people around Kaya laugh. The man smiles triumphantly and goes inside.

"That's okay! Your food didn't look that good anyways!" Kaya shouts after him. Some people break away from the crowd surrounding her, while others stay and taunt Kaya. She stands and turns to walk down the street.

Kaya makes her way through the crowd of people as they nudge her and call her names. She does her best to ignore them, but finds it difficult not to take their comments personally. The crowd follows her down the street. Kaya clenches her fists and turns on them.

"Don't you people have anything better to do?!" she yells. The crowd laughs and Kaya turns back around. The crowd taunts her and Kaya starts to run towards the store that Katara is in.

"Where are you goin', Fur Head?" a man shouts. Kaya hears something sail through the air and she is hit sqaure on the back of the head by what feels like a fairly large rock. She falls to the ground and the crowd bursts into laughter. Bystanders on the street stop and look.

Kaya lifts her head and blinks a few times. Her ears are ringing and her vision is out of focus. There is a throbbing pain on the back of her head. She reaches her hand up and holds her head.

"Ow!" Kaya says as she winces. She turns to the people and looks at them in disbelief.

"Come on, Fur Head! It's just like a snowball fight!" the man who bended the rock at her shouts. "A Snow Savage like you should be used to it!" The crowd laughs and tears well up in Kaya's eyes.

"I'm not a savage!" Kaya shouts. The people taunt her, some pick up small rocks. Kaya flinches and holds her arms up for protection. Her ears are still ringing.

"Stop!" someone shouts as the people throw the rocks. A shadow casts over Kaya and the rocks never come. Kaya opens her eyes to see Katara sweeping the rocks away using a waterwhip. The people are shocked to see her.

"What's wrong with you people?!" Katara shouts. "So what if she's Watertribe?! She's just a girl! Not to mention my daughter!" The people murmer amongst each other in surprise.

"How could you do this?" Katara asks them. "Why does the fact that someone's Watertribe make them different?!" The people are silent. Katara sighs and turns to Kaya. The crowd separates and moves away.

"What did you do?" Katara asks.

"I...I just went into the restaurant and they kicked me out because I was Watertribe. Then those people started making fun of me. One even hit me in the head with a rock," Kaya explains as she rubs the back of her head. Katara's expression turns dark.

"Let's go home," she says. Katara helps Kaya up onto her feet. Kaya stumbles a little because of dizziness, but she regains her balance quickly. They get in a buggy and ride towards the harbor. They ride the ferry to the island and go into the house.

"Kaya, you need to go lay down," Katara orders.

"But-"

"Just go lay down, Kaya," Katara orders sternly. Kaya nods and goes to her room. Katara sighs. Aang comes in from outside.

"Back already?" he asks in surprise. Katara sits down at the kitchen table and bites her lip. Aang knits his eyebrows.

"You okay?" he asks. "Where's Kaya?" Aang looks around just to be sure he didn't miss her. Katara sighs.

"She's laying down in her room," Katara tells him.

"Why? Is she sick or something?"

"No...she's not sick." Katara pauses and Aang waits.

"So, what's wrong?" he asks.

"Aang, we have a problem. The people in the city...they're putting the people of the Water Nation down. They're treating us like...like savages," Katara confesses.

"Katara, there's always going to be people who think they're better than-"

"They hurt Kaya!" Katara says to cut Aang off. Aang looks at her in shock.

"She went to get a table for us at a restaurant and the owner threw her out because she's Watertribe. Then the people outside made fun of her. One even hit her in the head with a rock. That's why she's laying down...those people could've given her a concussion!" Katara explains. Aang looks down and shakes his head. Katara gets a towel wet with cold water and gets a cup of tea. She takes them to Kaya and Aang follows her.

"Drink this and keep this on your head. It should help you feel better," Katara tells her. Kaya takes them gratefully.

"How do you feel?" Aang asks. Kaya makes a face.

"Like my head's about to split open...other than that just great," she answers sarcastically. Aang is overcome with guilt. For some reason he feels like it's his fault.

"I'm sorry this happened," he says. There is a long pause.

"Why do they hate me?" Kaya asks suddenly.

"No one hates you, Kaya," Katara assures her.

"Sure they do! They threw a rock at me!" Kaya points out. "I just don't understand...why does the fact that I'm Watertribe make them hate me?" Aang and Katara don't answer. They can't answer because they don't know. Kaya huffs, lays her head back, and closes her eyes.

"We aren't any different..." Kaya mumbles. Kaya sighs and Aang and Katara leave the room.

"Something needs to be done," Katara tells Aang. Aang sighs.

"I know," he answers. Katara goes into the living room and Aang goes outside to find a quiet place to meditate.

After meditating for a few hours Aang comes to a conclusion. If nothing is done about this the issue could spread like wildfire and it would mean bad things not only for the people of the Water Nation, but for the world. Aang goes into the house and finds the boys running around the kitchen while Katara is making dinner.

"Hey!" Katara says with a smile as he walks in. Aang nods and looks at the boys.

"Why don't you guys go play outside? I need to talk to your mother for a minute," he tells them. The boys run loudly towards the door.

"Shh! Your sister is resting!" Katara reminds them. They get a little bit quieter and the door closes. Aang looks at Katara.

"How's Kaya?" he asks.

"She's fine. She's asleep now," Katara answers. Aang sighs.

"I've been thinking...about the problem..." he says. Katara stops what she's doing and turns to listen.

"I thought that just talking to the people could help them change. Maybe you and Sokka could talk to them about how the Water Nation isn't bad or something. I'm sure you guys could change their minds. I just don't see what else we can do," Aang states. Katara nods and looks at Aang.

"Whatever you think is best. I'm all for it," she says with a smile. Aang smiles back.

"Okay, I'll organize an assembly." Aang starts getting everything together for his first audience with the people of the city.

At dinner they all sit in silence for a moment. Kaya silently looks down at her bowl and pushes the food around with her chopsticks. Her headache isn't making her very hungry.

"Kaya, you need to eat," Katara orders. Kaya nods slowly and puts some food in her mouth. Aang clears his throat.

"Well, I'm supposed to talk to the people of the city about the, uh, issue tomorrow afternoon," he announces.

"What issue?" Bumi asks. Tenzin nods and looks at Aang. Even Kaya, who isn't catching on, looks at Aang in confusion. Aang thinks of the right way to explain to his young sons.

"You see, some people in the city don't think that Watertribe people are...good. So, they're being mean to them," Aang explains. Kaya huffs and looks down.

"That's an understatement," she mumbles. Katara gives Kaya a look and Kaya shrugs.

"I was just wondering if you guys wanted to come and be there too," Aang asks.

"We'll be there to support you," Katara says. Aang smiles and the kids nod. Aang spends the rest of dinner answering the boys' questions. After they finish Kaya goes to lay down again.

She gets to her room and lays on her side. She thinks about tomorrow's speech to the people. She wonders if they'll listen.

The knot on the back of Kaya's head throbs and she hopes Aang speech works. Of course, if anyone can convince the people it's the Avatar. She knows that if the problem gets any worse it could mean bad things for her people. On that note, Kaya sighs, closes her eyes and drifts off into dreams about cruel crowds chasing her down the streets of the city.