Chapter 11
Katara, having never been to the Fire Nation before, didn't know where to go and where not to go, and so she trusted Rafai to lead her. Of course, he did, but both he and Katara could tell that this was not the best place for Katara to be at the time.
Although they didn't actually eavesdrop, the two of them did hear a lot of talk about the war, and this upset Katara more than anything, because she ultimately blamed the war for her misfortune. Had it been times of peace, she would not be sought after for her powers, and none of the attacks and raids on their village and Katara's family would have ever happened either.
"We need to get you to blend in better, Katara," he whispered, "I heard your name back there."
Katara's eyes flipped open. "You're kidding, right?" she exclaimed, as Rafai led them around the corner and into an alleyway
"Would I lie about something that I know you hate that much," Rafai asked, "Katara, I might be pretty laid-back, but you're important to me. I seriously did hear the name Katara Altina back there."
"Katara Altina," Katara muttered, "Rafai, wait a second—was there a suffix attached to the name?
After all, this would make a lot of difference, as if it was Katara Altina I they were talking about; then Katara might get a lead about where her mother is. If it was Katara Altina II, then it probably didn't mean anything good, and Katara would relocate.
"It was your name," Rafai replied, "and that man has a bounty hunter who is notoriously skilled at what he does. I think he might be sending that man after you, Katara. We need to get you to blend in."
"How do I do that?" Katara asked, and, to her surprise, it was not Rafai that answered, but rather, a woman behind them.
She was an earthbender by the looks of her, and she looked well-built. She looked strong enough to break Katara's arms with her bare hands, yet her face, though tough in appearance, seemed nicer.
"We blend you in the same way the Avatar did over a thousand years ago," the woman replied, "make you look more Fire Nation-y."
"I do look Fire Nation-y," Katara replied, "I'm even a firebender."
"but those clothes are more for a guy rather than a girl," the woman replied, "and besides, people will know who you are, because that's one of a few things that they use to recognize you."
Katara paused, and then turned to glare at this woman.
"Who are you," she snapped, "and how do you know who I am?"
"Call me Zak," the woman replied, "I'm not going to explain everything, but I'm in hiding as well. I've been looking for you."
"Why," Katara asked, "what's so special about me? Don't tell me you're one of those war supporters."
"If I was," Zak laughed, "I wouldn't be coming up and talking to you; I would have just punched you hard enough to knock you out."
Katara looked back at the woman skeptically.
"What do you want then?" she asked,
"Come with me," Zak said, "if you're going to be on your own for a while, you should at least have a place to live, am I right?"
Katara didn't reply. She didn't exactly trust this woman just yet, probably because they had only met a few minutes pervious, and Katara hated people on a general basis. Rafai though, thought differently.
"Katara," he whispered, "I think we should trust her. She does have a point about not wanting to use you. She looks strong enough to rip you in half. I think she would have used force if she wanted to take you. How many people actually stop to talk to you?"
Katara sighed. "I've had people call me an 'it' before," she remarked, "they acted like I wasn't even capable of normal activities. When I tried explaining my case to them, they just got surprised that I was even able to talk. I hate people. I hate people so much!"
"Katara, calm down," Rafai warned, "just relax. You're not like that. We both know it. You can talk, and you talk perfectly well."
"I know," Katara replied, "and why can't people see that? I'm only human."
"Because people are ignorant and prejudiced," Zak interjected, "Katara, I understand your troubles. People don't think I'm human either."
"You're one of her kind?" Rafai exclaimed, and at once, after seeing Katara's face, he knew that this had been a very bad thing to say. Katara got up and started storming off. She hated when people called Chi-Dominant Benders "her kind", like they were a different species. Rafai, in his ignorance, did not know this until now.
"Katara," he exclaimed, but Katara was already storming off.
"We need to get to her," Zak warned, "if she's off on her own, she's going to get taken by The Order, thus making our acts pointless."
"Why did she get so upset over that though?" Rafai asked as they began trying to find out where Katara had run off to. It was times like this that Rafai wished Katara wasn't in as good of shape as she was.
"chi-dominant benders do not like to be seen as "different" people," Zak replied, "other than they're powers, they're only human. It's basically a similar prejudice to what The Order has against the avatar."
"Who is the avatar anyways?" Rafai asked,
"I know her," Zak replied, and then lowered her voice so that only he could hear her. "I am her."
Rafai said nothing for a while.
"So that's why you know so much about the prejudice people have against other people that are more powerful than them?" he asked,
"Aye," Zak replied, "and you believe me, claiming to be the avatar is not something I'd lie about."
"Oh," Rafai remarked, "I just took your word for it anyways."
"Either way," Zak responded, "power is a terrible thing. Those who do not have it lust after it, and those who have it understand how terrible too much of it can be. That poor girl probably knows it better than I do. Her power's going to kill her..."
"That's terrible," Rafai replied, "is there anything that can be done to save her?"
Zak didn't tell him this, but Rafai's naiveté was showing. He generally trusted people with what they said unless it sounded too far-out.
"I'm not sure," Zak replied, "I'd personally say that she needs to learn control of her chi flow, in which case I would send her to the Northern Water Tribe. Regardless, I'm not in charge of what she wants to do, so I'm not going to tell her. You can suggest it if you want."
"I want to find her first," Rafai remarked, and therefore the two of them continued their search until they found her. All they had to do was walk a little ways out of town, and they found her in one of her usual places of "being-aloneness". She was crying.
"That disgusts me," Rafai remarked before they reached her—she was not aware of their presence; "I might not be the wisest person in the world, but how can people not see chi benders as human? She has her own emotions just like the rest of us."
"I know that," Zak replied, "either way, I'm not the best at comforting people, and Tenoko did tip me that you were her boyfriend, so..."
Rafai went pink, and then wondered how Zak knew Tenoko.
"Let's just say we've known each other a while," Zak replied, "but either way, you need to take it from here."
"Katara," he asked, slowly moving towards her. Katara was still crying, and didn't make any sign that she had hard him.
"Katara," he said again, "sorry about what I said. I didn't know you didn't like it. I just said the wrong words."
"What would you know," she snapped indignantly, "you and Zak are normal people. You don't want to be anywhere near one of those freak benders. They're not people, they're just menaces."
"w-what;" Rafai exclaimed, "When did I say—I never said that, Katara. What are you talking about?"
"You're not "my kind"," Katara replied, "I'm not important—I'm just lesser than the rest of you normal people."
"Katara, don't do this," Rafai said firmly, "look, I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't know it offended you so much. I didn't mean it to offend. I just forgot what the term was called and so my mind brought up what it thought would be the next best alternative."
"Sorry," Katara replied, still sniffling slightly, "it's just—I hate when people say that. It makes me feel so out of place—like I don't even belong in this world."
"Katara, just calm down, alright;" Rafai pleaded, "you have friends, and they're not about to abandon you in your time of need. That's what I'm here for, Katara. That's what Zak is here for."
This was where Zak stepped forward.
"You're a special kid, Katara," she said, "that's why I of all people am willing to help you. I usually don't do that with people."
"It's just..." Katara stammered, "I miss my family. My dad told me that when I got older he was going to take me here—show me all of the things that make the Fire Nation sound like paradise. He told me all sorts of stories—things that made a little girl fantasize and eagerly await the day when she would be old enough to go..."
"I'm sorry," Rafai remarked, "I wish there was some thing that I could do to help you there; but I'm only human—just like you."
Now this was a morale booster for young Katara.
"You," she said to him, slowly turning to face him, "are one of very few people who will actually call me that."
However, Rafai was slightly confused.
"Call you what," he asked curiously.
"Human," Katara replied bluntly. "Like I said; the prejudice that is held against me is rampant. I hate it so much."
"I know," Rafai remarked, "it must be hard. Tell me though, Katara. What do you like? What sort of things do you enjoy?"
"I enjoy serenity," Katara replied, "peace and quiet—places where there are no other people. I like being alone, particularly in colder climates. I don't like the heat very much, because I get hot too easily."
"Well, then I think we're in the wrong place," Rafai chuckled, "The Fire Nation is generally a pretty sizzling place in the summer time."
"Oh," Katara remarked, "alright then."
She paused. "Either way, I need to find a way to blend in, right?"
"Right you are," Zak replied, stepping forward, "let's go."
Katara looked at Rafai, who nodded, indicating that he trusted Zak. Katara wasn't too easy about suddenly trusting her, but she did trust Rafai, and therefore if Rafai trusted her, then Katara would too—for now at least.
Zak led them to a decent-sized house in an everyday residential area of the city. It wasn't a glamorous mansion, but it certainly wasn't a run-down shack either. It was a middle-upper class home, and was obviously big enough for the three of them.
Zak disappeared and came back, carrying red clothes in her arms.
"These are yours," she remarked, "try them on. I guarantee that you won't be found."
Katara was looking at the clothing that Zak had just tossed her. It was a complete outfit [for any of Katara's old things would be out of place with it], and of course, it was red. It looked comfortable to Katara, but she didn't like that her midriff would be showing.
"What is this?" she asked, also curious to know why it was supposedly so "foolproof". Katara was not known for believing things without questioning them first. This was no exception.
"You've heard of the 100-year war, right?" Zak asked her,
"Aye," Katara replied, "parts of it. I'm not much of a reader if you know what I mean, seeing as I can't."
"The avatar's girlfriend wore something similar," Zak replied, "in fact; I think the only real difference is that this one is strapless. Moreover, she was a waterbender. If a girl from the Water Tribes could blend in with the blue eyes and the dark skin, you could pull the stunt off with no effort, kid. She had your name, even."
Katara took all of this in without a word. Shrugging, she decided to take her chances, and so came out a few minutes later in her "disguise".
"Now what?" she asked curiously;
"Now," Zak replied, "you get some rest. You look tired."
And so she did. As she drifted off to sleep, various things were flowing through her mind. Maybe Rafai was right; maybe Zak could in fact be trusted. At this point, she had put herself yet again in the hands of fate and figured that she'd let it decide what happened from there.