Heyya there folks!
I'm back, with more story for ya. Please enjoy!
Okay, I really hadn't planned on doing a really heavy past explanation for Katsuo and Kaido but… well, I just couldn't let it lie… so, since I'm doing flashbacks later too, I might as well.
Chapter 9: Floatin' Along, Singin' a Song, Side By Side…
Reichi was dozing. Honta rolled his eyes at the inefficient guard and kicked his chair, the man grumbling a bit but not waking up.
"Reichi, you idiot, wake up before--" Honta started and then jumped when a hand settled on their shoulders.
"No need gentlemen, we're home." came a voice and Honta peeked over his shoulder at the spy standing there, smiling at them.
Honta wasn't really the type to diss on another working guy like him, but The Boss never really liked him. In fact, Boss Kaido was almost always going on about something that Katsuo did, usually with a scowl. As such… Well…
Katsuo freaked him right the hell out…
"Y-yes sir." Honta said, doing a quick bow then going to report to the bridge for the landing. Katsuo sighed and wandered on down the hallway.
Sheesh, if his brother kept putting the fear of god into his men Katsuo'd never make any friends.
Then Katsuo laughed and thought it would probably wouldn't be too easy even if Kaido wasn't continually slandering him.
--
Zuko yawned as he walked. The ship might have been graced with most of the comforts of palace living but really, the bedding could be better. In fact, he didn't sleep most of the night due to sinking a couple inches in the center of the bed.
He spotted Keiichi and was about to stop and turn around, intent on heading the opposite direction, but his advisor spotted him and strode towards him, his eyes strangely seriously.
"Fire Lord Zuko." the man bowed a little and Zuko frowned.
"There a reason for the formality Keiichi?" he asked and Keiichi nodded.
"As your advisor, I feel the need to advise you, not just in your regal duties but in life as well, after all, you are still quite young and--" Keiichi rambled and little and Zuko sighed.
"Your point Keiichi?" he interjected and Keiichi stood tall and leveled a look at Zuko.
"I'm not sure I approve of your closeness with that… spy, Katsuo." he stated and Zuko frowned at him.
It didn't surprise him, he wasn't approving of their closeness sometimes…
"And? Is that all?" he asked and Keiichi sighed, looking weary and a little drained being so serious. Zuko frowned, like the man wasn't already a bundle of nerves, he didn't need him telling him how to live on top of putting up with him.
"it doesn't seem like a good idea to get too close to him, he's… a complicated man." Keiichi answered and Zuko narrowed his eyes at him.
"What do you know about him Keiichi?" he asked and his advisor averted his eyes a little.
"just what I've observed, he carries himself… it's a troubling thing, he seems much more fragile than he appears at first glance. He has the air of someone who was victimized for a long time." he answered and while Zuko knew the man knew more than he was saying, he was more curious about what he'd actually said.
"Victimized?" he asked and the man nodded, looking contemplative.
"Physically abused. Perhaps even raped." Keiichi answered and Zuko scoffed. He couldn't help but do it. That was probably the most insane and idiotic thing he'd ever heard in his life, Katsuo? That cocky, self-centered, pushy spy? Raped? Really?
"that's absurd." he stated, and Keiichi met his eyes.
"Sir, I hate to inform you, but nothing is absurd, not here. In the fire nation, absurd things have been happening long before you were born." he stated with a sort of sobriety that made Zuko for a second doubt and fear.
"Does this have anything to do with my father?" he asked, voice a little lower than he would have liked and Keiichi frowned.
"Perhaps. But then, I believe Zhao had… exotic tastes. And he did have the ambition to deal in the training of a spy." Keiichi answered with a sense of timidity that wasn't uncommon in the man but put Zuko on edge. It had gone from impossibility to unconfirmed certainty with just a few words.
Zuko didn't feel well.
"go." he ordered, hand gripping the railing in the hallway tightly.
"Yes sir." Keiichi nodded and Zuko looked up at him, glaring his best.
"Go now." he declared and the man looked a bit like he had a mixture of pity and fear in his eyes.
"I understand. I apologize for my bluntness." Keiichi bowed and walked briskly away from him, turning the corner and disappearing. Zuko kneaded at his eyes, not even wanting to think about Zhao touching Katsuo.
It just made him feel sick.
--
Katsuo didn't like the idea of coming home; it'd always made him feel like he'd been sent away, even though he'd left on his own this time.
This time.
Katsuo was standing in a more shadowed area of the bridge, not quite hiding but not really being bothered either. He watched the city getting closer as they lowered for landing and his stomach felt a bit like it was bottoming out.
It brought back memories.
--
His mother's hand was cold. It was usually cold so it didn't bother him but he held tight to the hand in his opposite, which was quite warm.
"Which one?" his mother asked the man before them, which Katsuo was pretty sure was his father though he couldn't be positive, his mother asked that question to a lot of people, usually regarding work.
"Did you test them?" the man asked and she rolled her eyes as if such a question was ridiculous.
"Yes, of course I did, they're still young, they're at about the same level." she declared and the man's bushy eyebrow rose.
"About?" he grunted and she waved it off as if unimportant but his gaze made her relent.
"Katsuo runs faster, Kaido can throw farther." she declared and Katsuo clung a little tighter to his brother's hand. Kaido had hunched up a little in an effort to look unworthy. Neither one of them really wanted to go with this strange man and even at their age they could figure out that much.
"And bending?" the man asked and the mother released Katsuo's hand, crossing her arms.
"it's too early to tell." she stated and the man growled.
"Damn it woman, if it can't bend it's useless! You know nonbenders can't be anything more than--" he ranted at her and she pointed a finger straight in his chest as Katsuo moved closer to his brother. Kaido squeezed his hand assuringly.
"I'm not a moron Zhen, I know that, a nonbender isn't exactly what I want myself." their mother stated and the man, Zhen, who Katsuo just knew was their father by now, gestured vaguely at them.
"so which one would you rather have?" he asked her and she looked down at them, eyes dark and contemplative, not a hint of maternal love in her eyes, regarding them more as product than children. She sighed.
"It doesn't particularly matter, they're too close to the exact same merchandise. Kaido was born first, by our agreement he should be yours but I couldn't care less if you decided to take Katsuo instead." she stated and the older general grunted a little in contemplation.
Katsuo held back the whimper that invoked. It was painful to hear that. His mother didn't want him? Didn't want his brother? How could she say something like that?
"I'll take Kaido, he seems a little better poised under pressure. You can take the other one Noh." Zhen stated and Noh flicked her hair over one shoulder and nodded.
"fine." she stated and grabbed Katsuo's hand again, just as cold, just as dismissive. The general looked down at Kaido and beckoned him forwards but he still clung tightly to Katsuo's hand.
Zhen scowled and reached down, taking the boy's hand.
"Come child, we have work to do." he stated, and Kaido looked once to Katsuo who smiled at his brother, then let his hand go.
As they walked in opposite directions Noh laughed.
"I bet mine will be fully realized by the time he's 14." she called out, not even looking back at the man who'd fathered her children and the child she was leaving with him. As far as she was concerned, the boy wasn't her problem anymore.
"Then I'm betting mine on 12." Zhen declared and Noh smiled down at Katsuo.
"deal." she smiled, the same way a wolf smiles, and Katsuo squeezed her hand. It was still cold."indeed." came a soft voice behind them and Zhen looked down at Kaido, stony faced and trying not to cry. Zhen smiled.
"I'm sure you'll do well." he stated and Kaido looked up at him with bleary eyes then wiped them and nodded weakly.
Katsuo wouldn't see him for years after that.
--
"This is Her Ladyship, that or My Lady is how you will address her, you will protect her and the young prince from harm, yes?" Noh ordered, hand firm of Katsuo's arm, keeping him bowed to the noble.
"Yes mother." he answered and she released him. Katsuo stood a little and she turned her back to him.
"Good. I'll leave you to it then." she stated and disappeared in a flash. Katsuo turned back to the woman sitting before him, looking at him curiously.
"what's your name?" she asked and Katsuo clasped his hands in front of him, standing straight.
"Katsuo." he answered and she nodded.
"How old are you Katsuo?" she asked, voice low and a little worried as she gently rocked the bundle in her arms.
"Almost 5." Katsuo answered and she frowned at him.
"You're a child." she stated and he nodded, looking at his feet.
"yes." he answered, though he knew it wasn't a question. She looked at him with a strange mixture of pity and regret.
"How many people have you killed Katsuo?" she asked softly and he looked back up to her.
"two." he answered and she shook her head.
"Come here." she stated and he stepped forwards, kneeling at her side.
"Yes My Lady?" he asked and she leaned towards him, giving him a good view of the bundle in her arms.
He was red-faced but his expression was serene and Katsuo wondered a moment if he'd looked like that when he was so little.
And Zuko was just so little…
"this is Zuko, he's to be in your care, if anything happens I'll hold you responsible." she stated, lovingly smiling at the baby. Katsuo felt uneasy. How was he supposed to protect something so fragile looking? So small?
"I understand Your Ladyship." he answered and Zuko's mother smiled at him.
"okay Katsuo, you're dismissed, do whatever it is you do." she smiled and Katsuo bowed to her, giving one final look to the baby, then turning and going to guard outside the door.
--
Katsuo walked quietly and nearly invisible behind Her Ladyship, Lady of the Fire Nation, and watched her robes swish against the floor.
"Katsuo, what do you think of him?" she asked, and Katsuo frowned as she stopped, looking back at him.
"What?" Katsuo asked, voice still low and somewhat raw for not talking very much the last few months.
"My son, what do you think of him?" she asked, arms cradling the toddler. Katsuo swallowed and looked down at him, scratching a little at the mask over his nose. He still wasn't quite used to it yet.
"I think he looks like you. A bit." Katsuo said softly and the Lady smiled at him, setting a hand on his head.
"I wonder if you look like your mother, hmm?" she said with a smile and he shuddered a little. It was weird, being touched, but she was the one he was protecting, according to mother, that was rule one, your master knows best, or something like that.
Or was that rule four?
Crap.
Katsuo took a step back and bowed.
"They are still expecting Her Ladyship in the throne room." he stated and she sighed a little, holding her child to her, and turning again.
"I don't like that you're my protector you know." she stated, walking just a little faster than she had been before. Katsuo didn't struggle to keep up; he was used to his mother's long strides.
"I'm perfectly capable My Lady." Katsuo stated, not knowing exactly how to assure her of his ability to protect her. He liked her, why would he let her get hurt?
"I know. That's what I don't like about it. A child should be a child, not a killer." she stated, glancing back at him. Katsuo looked down at his feet and nodded a little.
"If you say so My Lady." he answered.
--
Katsuo gasped for breath, holding his stomach where he'd been hit, the wind knocked from him.
"Tense your abdominal muscles when you see a blow coming, I could have killed you twice while you were laying there recovering." Noh ordered and Katsuo panted in a breath, pushing himself to his knees.
"Y-yes mother." he stated and she tapped her foot.
"Stand. Defend yourself." she ordered and Katsuo shakily stood, lifting his arms in a defensive position in front of him. His mother frowned at him then flew a kick out to his side, Katsuo going down again. "Your form is pathetic, you have no defense. Do it properly or every time I hit you you'll fall."
"Yes mother." Katsuo swallowed hard and pulled himself to his feet again.
"Defend yourself!" Noh nearly yelled at him and another punch flew at his head.
--
Katsuo scowled and held himself completely still. It was really, really hard to try and follow Zuko everywhere, I mean, really, that kid got around. Not to mention the kid felt the absolute need to snoop and pry and go places that were way too dangerous.
Katsuo didn't have to look after Azula, she kept to a set and rigid schedule all the time, which reminded him of his mother but he didn't hold that against her. He did however have to hound Zuko nearly constantly to keep the boy from getting his scrawny butt killed.
Right now he was carefully blocking a pit trap from opening by wedging himself between the lever mechanism and the wall.
He was definitely going to have a bruise after this one…
Katsuo grit his teeth as Zuko wandered on down the hall then released the held breath out of his chest and collapsed onto the floor. He pushed himself to his feet then walked towards the corner Zuko had gone around then paused at voices coming towards him.
"Fantastic son, your archery skills are really improving."
"I've practiced as much as possible without hurting my swordsmanship." the second voice Katsuo frowned at. It was similar to his, just a tad deeper, and when he looked around the corner he saw them.
Father and son, brother and general.
Katsuo watched them, amiable in the fading day, looking like they were going home from some time-wasting fun.
Katsuo felt abruptly sick.
"I'll see you in the mess hall?" the general asked and Kaido nodded to him.
"Yes father." he answered.
"Good." Zhen stated and saluted his son, and he turned, walking down the hallway. The boy relaxed his posture just the lightest bit and Katsuo swallowed.
I have to say something.
"Kaido?" he said softly and the boy spun, hand going to the sword at his hip. Katsuo stepped out of the shadows, feeling awkward, And Kaido frowned.
"Do I know you?" he asked and Katsuo hesitated a second.
"um, yeah, it's me. Katsuo I mean." Katsuo stated and Kaido's eyes widened. He opened his mouth as if to say something then looked away.
"What… um, what are you doing here?" the boy asked and Katsuo swallowed thickly.
"I was following the prince, my mistress told me to keep an eye out for him." he answered and Kaido's nose wrinkled a little.
"You doing… spy work?" he asked, the distaste obvious in his tone.
"Mostly body guarding, I'm not being intrusive." he amended quickly. This was the first time he'd seen his brother in three years, he wasn't about to make him hate him.
"Where is he?" Kaido asked abruptly and Katsuo frowned.
"He went towards the Hall of Paintings." he stated and Kaido's eyes narrowed.
"Are you sure?" he asked and Katsuo's brow furrowed.
"Yes, I saw him head that direction. He goes there sometimes." he answered and Kaido sighed irritably.
"But are you sure?" he demanded and Katsuo frowned. Now he wasn't, actually, there were three different halls from the one he'd seen Zuko go down, by now he could be all the way in the library.
"Ah… I… he could be--" Katsuo stammered and his brother sighed, crossing his arms irritably.
"If you're doing a job you should be doing it to the best of your abilities. Not standing around here wasting time." Kaido said and the words burned.
Admittedly Katsuo expected him to be different, after all, they were both older, they weren't kids, and he hadn't seen him in a long time.
He just hadn't expected Kaido to hate him. Not at all.
"We don't have to hate each other just because mother and father--" Katsuo started and the young soldier scoffed.
"This has nothing to do with them, your work ethic is horrible, either do a good job or you might as well be dead." Kaido stated and Katsuo just couldn't take it anymore.
Like he didn't already get enough verbal abuse from his mother? From the other masters? From Fire Lord Azulon?
"Oh? And what about you? Aren't you supposed to be training so that one day you can become something? Well guess what? I already am something, I'm already way ahead of you." Katsuo spat venomously at his brother, keeping his frame polished as he was taught. "while you idle away your life to be a general someday, I'm already a member of the secret army, I only have two years left before I can go on out of country missions."
Katsuo watched the anger swarm his brother's face and chuckled.
"I've been in three real combat battles, I've killed four people." Katsuo met his brother's furious gaze. "How many people have you killed Mr. Big Shot Soldier?"
"You're a twisted, disgusting spy, what would you understand about rules and order?" Kaido hissed at him and Katsuo shook a little.
"You wouldn't believe what I know about rules." Katsuo glared back.
"Katsuo!" his name was yelled and Katsuo felt cold through and through at the glare he knew was settled on him. He turned quickly and bowed.
"m-mother!" he stated and she drug him to his feet glaring down at him.
"What are you doing here? Where's the Lady?" she glared and Katsuo lowered his eyes.
"In her rooms, she sent me to guard the prince." he answered and she narrowed her eyes piercingly at him.
"and where's he?" she demanded and Katsuo pointed to the hallway.
"The Hall of Paintings." he answered and Kaido scoffed.
"He thinks." he stated and Noh quickly looked to the boy, glaring at him as well.
"And who are you?" he asked and Katsuo winced. That had to hurt, in fact, it hurt him. Kaido's shoulders remained squared and he acted as if it didn't even faze him.
"Nobody, I'm leaving." he stated and turned, casting one final glare at Katsuo, and then moving on down the hall after his father. Katsuo watched him a second then winced when his mother gripped a handful of his hair.
"Hey, pay attention, get back to work!" she demanded and shoved him down the hallway. Katsuo looked back at her once then ran down the hallway to find Zuko.
He found him in the Hall of Paintings, and felt thoroughly pleased with himself.
Though he did regret the fight he'd had with Kaido. They were brothers, it just didn't seem right.
--
Watching Her Ladyship leave had been one of the most horrible moments in Katsuo's life. He knew the things she'd had to do to protect her son and he would have done them for her in a second.
The fact he'd been locked in a closet for that entire night for the most part had prevented that.
He would admit it, though he thought himself past the age for tears by then, he cried, and cried and cried.
Mostly because now his simple existence had been disrupted, what twisted happiness he'd managed to get had been ripped away and though it was selfish, he had wanted her to stay, for him, not Zuko.
Katsuo got out of the closet eventually, released by his mother, absolutely furious at him for failing his mistress, but he wasn't really listening to her.
It was more like mourning than anything he'd ever done before.
After his mother just couldn't stand being around him anymore he walked off towards her rooms, the little section of palace that was wholly hers, and he silently opened the door only to hear loud sobbing beyond.
He slipped in and watched as Zuko cried, feeling strangely kindred in spirit with him and for once wishing that he could speak to the boy, offer him some solace, but his own pain and weakness would only have made it worse.
It was in that moment he started to love Zuko, or at least Katsuo figured he'd attribute the long standing unrequited feelings he held towards the boy to that moment, but in truth, he had probably loved the boy far, far longer.
--
"Katsuo!" Zuko yelled and Katsuo turned to him, frowning.
"I'm sorry, what?" he asked and Zuko sighed in exasperation.
"You've been standing here, eyes glazed, staring out the window for two hours since we touched down." he stated, crossing his arms.
"Sorry, I was thinking about something." Katsuo frowned a little, looking out the window then back at Zuko. "Sorry to worry you."
"Are you okay?" Zuko frowned right back and Katsuo quirked an eyebrow.
"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine." he answered and Zuko touched his cheek.
"You're crying." he stated and Katsuo backed up a little, chuckling weakly and wiping his eyes.
"Pssh, no. My eyes watered up for some reason. Really weird, must be the heat or something." Katsuo stated and then looked back at Zuko. "Are you coming?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm coming." Zuko answered, watching Katsuo walk ahead of him, a slump to his shoulders and a quickness to his steps. What if what Keiichi had said was true? What would that mean?
Katsuo merely scowled ahead of him and remembered why he hated remembering.
End chapter.
This was just a very small peek at Katsuo's past, I'll go into Kaido's a little more later as well, but I'm focusing on Katsuo for now. Katsuo's the one I was working with for this chapter. Also, if anyone noticed that I didn't use Zuko's mom's name, that'd be because I don't know it.
I pride myself on knowing a LOT of names, especially Teyo, the inventor's son's name, as it's only said one time in the entire series; I think that's pretty impressive. However, I have watched, rewatched, and hunted through Wikipedia, her name is just NOT there. You would think that they would have said it ONCE in the series wouldn't you?!
Augh.
And yep, that's just part of the whole 'life story' arc I've started doing… due to the graphic nature of future chapters… I'm gonna just warn you in advance and up the rating since I don't feel like doing anything more.
