Chapter 12: Recollection
"By the Spirits, NO!"
Katara cried, breaking from the captain's surprised hands. She had swung down with her fist and connected into unguarded regions. Needless to say, Duram had no reason at the moment to hold the girl in place.
Katara rushed to Marron's side. He lay on his right side, smoke seeping off of his body. As she knelt beside him, she could see the electricity crackling through his body, not seeming capable to be done with him and let it be.
The tear streaked girl tried to pull on his shoulder when her hand was shocked. She couldn't touch him. The lightning stayed in his body. He slowly elevated to one elbow and looked at her.
"You're…ok?..." he said fighting the pain.
"Yes, I'm fine." Katara sniffed; more than relieved her friend was alive.
Marron nodded then coughed as the pain forced him into a curled position. Katara wanted to help, but the lightning crackling across his body only seemed to strengthen.
Suddenly, Katara's vision seemed to blur or defocus. As she tried to get her eyes to refocus, she saw Marron in a new light. His whole body was lightly lined with a light blue. It was holding the lightning from actually touching his skin. She then saw his eyes. A second set of ghost like eyes seemed to float just off of were his eyes actually were.
As Katara tried to focus her eyes to the image, she could see chains. They didn't appear to be real, but they held what now appeared to be blue flames from leaving his body. A lock, hung near Marron's chest. It was cracked. The lightning seemed to be trying to crack the lock. A notion came to Katara for no reason. She drew the last possible drops of water from her borrowed water-skin and began the healing process in her hand.
She tried to touch the lock, and to her surprise, the water could. Focusing all of her strength, Katara fueled her healing onto the lock. In that moment, the second pair of eyes, turned towards her. The flames almost seemed to smile.
The lock was fueled and shattered. The ghostly blue flame exploded and washed across Katara. She felt nothing, but Marron was in pain. He cried out and drove his hands to the ground trying to numb the pain. Katara was at a loss. She only wanted to help.
Without warning, a powerful arm grabbed the back of her over shirt and forcibly pulled her to her feet. Duram, with dagger in hand, held Katara close.
"Kill her!" came Azula's vicious scream. Damn that boy for stealing her prize!
Duram smiled and his arm came back for the strike. Katara's eyes widened. As Duram's blade came down, it stopped. He made a gruesome coughing noise and released Katara. The young girl stumbled back and stared in amazement.
There Marron stood, with his hand around Duram's throat.
Katara's eyes hurt and refocused, the chains were gone; nothing looked any different except for the lightning still crackling.
"You should not have come here. You should not have tried to harm her. Your life is forfeit." Marron's tone was alien. Hollow and cold.
As the struggling captain was about to stab the youth, all the lightning that had surged along Marron's slender build exited into the more suitable host.
Duram's cry became an agonizing gurgle as his body was wracked with Azula's unintentional fury. Katara covered her mouth and stepped back, suddenly feeling faint. The captain foamed at the mouth, the lightning coursing through his body. Marron released him and he fell to the ground; Duram was dead.
Katara watched her friend. It was like the time he fixed her spirit energy, he was a different person…
Azula screamed in fury, that boy had just killed her captain!
"How dare you, you, you worthless bastard!" she screamed. Lightning coursed through her arms and flew at the warrior.
Marron was facing Katara at the moment. She stared at him. This definitely was not Marron. His eyes were gold. Glowing gold. His pupils were also slits, like those of a hedgehog cat or an armadillo tiger. His face was expressionless, but it seemed as if something below the surface wished to speak.
Katara's eyes widened as a fierce glow began to strengthen from behind her friend. Marron whipped around and threw his hand up. As the lightning collided with his arm, Katara's vision suddenly blurred again. She saw the lightning turn into blue flame and shatter more chains that appeared in her blurred vision. The flame traveled across his arm.
She quickly shook her head, her vision was normal. Marron looked no more different once again.
The lightning traveled through his arm and into the ground, where the sudden production of heat made the grass below Marron's feet flare up. As the flame ignited, Marron leaped and sped at the furious princess. He tore across the field on all fours, over fallen soldiers, and towards the being that was the source of his anger.
Azula stepped back in surprise and fear. What was this boy?
Marron rushed. He jumped into the air and turned a full rotation. The heel of his right boot swung out towards Azula's head. Out of reflex, Azula's arms elevated to guard. Her right arm guard was shattered on impact. As his kick finished, Azula's own arms came back to strike her. The force from the blow knocked her to the ground with an incredible sense of finality.
The battle was over.
Mai and Ty-Lee rushed from their fights at the fall of their friend. Mai was missing half of her robes and Ty-Lee was bruised, with torn clothing. Hakou and Takashi came to stand on either side of Marron. Hakou possessed many scratches and several stars protruded from his body. Takashi was also bruised. He bled from the nose and seemed to have trouble controlling his left arm.
Azula was raised with her friends' help.
"This day," she snarled, "You will mark this day as the first day to your destruction. I have five navy ships within a four day voyage to this island. You will be destroyed along with this island."
"You are a fool to return to this place Azula. Don't make that mistake." Marron spoke hollowly.
Azula sneered and ordered the retreat. Soldiers aided others in the half-speed retreat. Surprisingly, the only one who seemed to have perished in the fight was Duram. The Fire Nation disappeared over the hill. The sounds of the grunts and clanking armor soon vanished as well.
Marron's eyes returned to their ocean blue. He smiled and then collapsed.
His friends caught him and lowered him to the grasses. Katara ran over to inspect her fallen friend. Toph and Sokka sat nearby taking the time to relax and cool off. Takashi cracked half the bones in his body and lay down to try to stop the bleeding in his nose. Hakou aided Katara in positioning Marron, then provided her with the water she needed to heal.
As Katara looked down on the warrior who had helped her so much, she didn't know how to feel. He was such a mystery. He changed personalities, into something cold and unforgiving. She almost hated him. He kept so much to himself. He had killed someone. He tried to be her friend, and then became a machine that will kill without remorse. Katara looked at his face, in partial peace. Her memories of his promises to tell her everything came to her, and the hug. That was genuine. She had to believe that.
The young waterbender slowly set to work, almost grudgingly, healing the major external injuries. Hakou watched a moment and then pulled out three stars that had driven themselves into his chest. He picked off a few others then thought a moment. Reaching behind himself, he pulled out a friendly little star that had buried itself in his posterior. Takashi smiled at his friend as he spit out some blood that had collected in his mouth from a cut gum. He rubbed his arm and flexed it, trying to get the feeling back.
Sokka leaned forward on his sword, trying to catch his breath. This had been an exhausting few days. Toph lay in the grass next to her friend breathing heavily. That would have been a difficult fight even at full strength.
"Four days…" Hakou said slowly, catching everyone's attention.
Takashi looked at his friend; "Perhaps we should leave?"
"No…"
Everyone's attention converted to Marron as his eyes slowly opened to the near-noon sky. Katara couldn't help but smile as her friends eyes' were their normal shade.
Hakou's eyebrows raised; "But-
"No, it won't matter. If we leave, the Fire Nation will just attack this peaceful village and take over the island. But, if we stay…"
"…we can defend it!" Takashi said smiling.
Marron continued: "It's our fault they're here anyway."
"No, it's our fault" Katara said looking at the ground.
"No," Hakou said, accepting the idea. "We're friends. It's our fault as well."
"Besides," Takashi cut in, "They have a beef with us now, after today, anyway!"
Sokka's head perked up; "Mmmm, beef…"
A few more moments of rest, and the group slowly trudged towards the village. As they neared the gates of the villages' small fence, they were greeted by Aang and a small host of villagers. The mayor greeted them. He was an elderly man, with a worried look in his eyes. He graciously invited them to his house.
His home was on a hill, overlooking the town. He had quaint but lavished furniture and décor. He offered the group tea and bade them into his meeting room.
Once everyone was sitting at a large wooden table, the mayor began.
"I simply don't know where to start. We are glad that the Avatar is here. But at the same time, we wish you hadn't come. We have been a peaceful village. We have stayed out of the war so far, but now the Fire Nation threatens our shores."
"With full respect, sir, the Fire Nation would have found your island soon enough. There is an armada unit four days off, they would have found you." Hakou spoke honestly.
"That is what worries me," The mayor began, "Our island is not just a home for us, it is the resting place of something of great power."
The whole group stared on, awaiting explanation.
The mayor smiled and shook his head.
"Centuries ago, there existed three forms of magic before bending. The most common, the Mystic Arts, also known as Arcane magic. This magic was available to anyone with a little talent and understanding of the forces one controlled. Then there was the Divine magic. Magic that was drawn from a particular spirit of power. Any with enough personal strength and devotion to a spirit's whim could obtain its powers. Finally, the rarest, were the Psions; people who could manipulate energy with there mind. Many could see into the future and read peoples minds. But the most famous among them were those who could control elemental energies. Feared and unknown, the Psion were hated for their 'unnatural' gifts.
Well, soon enough, a war erupted. Divine versus the Arcane, with the Psion trapped in between. Divine armies saw them as Arcanists, because they manipulated energy. The Arcane saw the Psion as Divinists, because they drew on their powers naturally. Many Psion took sides. But, as a whole, the Psion chose to stop the war. They began amassing and created a leadership. They trained and militarized. Becoming a force that was soon becoming a player behind the scenes.
Now, you must realize that many weapons were created in this war. There were- "
"Is that what resides here?" Aang interrupted.
"Yes, my boy. A Psion crystal. As far as any of our ancient mystics could tell, this crystal possesses powers, but was not refined by the Psions before the end of the war. This was over a thousand years ago, but they were certain."
"And you…" Marron was saying before he stopped. His vision focused to something outside the window behind the Mayor. His eyes narrowed and his arm flew.
A knife shot through the open air and crashed through the window, barely missing a black bird.
Hakou recognized the bird; a Humeech. It was a small black bird that could understand human speech, and replay it perfectly. Effectively recording anything it wanted.
Hakou burst from the room and towards the outdoors with Takashi and Marron at his heels. The bird flew overhead. Needles whistled through the air. But the bird was simply too high up.
Marron came forward and watched a moment.
"Takashi?"
"Oh yeah!" The earthbender exclaimed. Slamming his foot into the ground, a rock levitated from the mother earth. Rushing his hands forward, they slammed into the stone and sent it hurtling through the air. It missed the bird by inches.
Three more stones were thrown in similar manner to similar effects.
"Ah, crap!" Hakou said slapping a palm to his forehead.
"What's wrong? What was that all about?" the mayor protested.
"That bird," explained Marron "Can duplicate human speech perfectly. It can remember entire conversations and repeat it back, even with our voices."
"I don't understand," the mayor looked to the older warriors.
"It had a Fire Nation insignia." Hakou said watching the skies. "It had been sent to try and obtain info on our departure or of our defensive plans."
"Oh dear."
"And Azula will be very interested to hear that you have an ancient artifact of power sealed up in the volcano!"
The small group looked at Marron. He stared back. Unsure of what he had said.
"What?"
"I never said where the object was put for protection," The mayor said slowly. "Or the fact that the mountain was a volcano. It has been dormant for nearly five-thousand years."
The group watched him a moment. Marron realized he had erred.
"Well, come on, I was just saying! I didn't realize… Most islands are made from volcanoes anyway, right? And when you need to hide something valuable, why not a mountain? Omashu was built out of a mountain for that very reason!"
The mayor nodded and smiled, inviting them all back to his home to discuss defensive measures. The group was content with his answer. But not Katara. Marron could see the process of thought tugging at her eyebrows. She was also the one to turn away from him last as the group retreated to the mayor's home.
This was going to take some explaining to get her to be comfortable around him. He sighed and followed the group back.
The next few hours were spent formulating defense and evacuation strategies. They planned the four days into preparation. Takashi and Toph were to bend a stone wall in strategic places around the town. Hakou and Katara were to help set up water towers to put out fires quickly. Marron was put in charge of training the able men and women of the village in basic defense and fighting tactics. Aang was simply asked to oversee everything and try and recuperate as much as possible.
As the group split away, they were offered rooms for the night. Hakou even booked a private bath for them to use. Times for their individual baths were handed out. The group split off, taking the time to relax and enjoy the town. Hakou and Takashi went to the tea house to catch up. Aang, after his bath, went to his room to sleep. Toph and Sokka went to the shops near the pavilion to browse.
Katara walked through the streets observing the people work quickly to prepare for the impending battle. She was searching for Marron. He had promised to tell her everything she wanted to know. Now she couldn't find him, and no one knew where he had gotten to. She sighed as she looked at the setting sun. It was almost her appointed time for the bath. Slowly walking back, she hoped she could talk to him before the night was over.
As Katara gave the clerk her time card, she was directed to the small locker room. There, Katara quietly still in the midst of thought, began to undress. She slipped off her moccasins and her tough over shirt. Removing her silk shirt and her pants, Katara then quickly de-braid and untangled her hair. Looking in a mirror a moment, she sighed and quickly removed her undergarments. Taking a towel, she wrapped it around herself and grabbed a second one. Walking out of the other side of the locker, she came to the small spring. It was fed by warm water, and was kept warm by heating the rocks from underneath.
Katara shivered as she walked into the enclosed space. Ice hung everywhere. On the fence the words "Little touch of home" were frosted into the side of it. Katara groaned. Hakou had been here last. And he knew she was after him. She went to work melting the ice and drawing away the frost. Katara tried her best to warm the water, but lacked the teaching or even the necessary power to do so.
The water was cool, but she gingerly stepped in, slowly lowering herself into the cold liquid. She made a promise to give Hakou a good smack when she saw him again. So Katara sat letting the rocks and flowing water ever so slowly begin to warm the main body back up. Not daring to start to bathe until the water was even slightly warm, Katara began to think.
She wanted to learn everything about Marron. Where he came from, who his friends were, how could he do what he did. She sulked. Katara wanted to find her friend, to see if she could really call him a friend.
"He confuses me. He never has given me a reason to not trust him. But Marron has pushed that limit to its breaking point. I don't know what to think. He gives me a promise, and then vanishes. He can fight incredibly. He knew where that crystal thing was. …and what was up with all of what I saw? I can't even begin to think that through.
Katara splashed the water. She came to the conclusion it had become warm enough to go about her tasks. She slipped the towel off a bit and splashed the water into her face.
"I don't even know what to think anymore. I just want to know…
"You know…
Katara's eyes widened;
"…you talk to yourself when you're under stress, don't you?"
Katara let out a small shriek and grabbed the towel, covering herself as much as possible. Jumping farther back into the man-made spring, her eyes lay upon the speaker. The young boy stood with a towel around his waist and one hung around his neck. His dark hair hung lazily, but the dark contrasted to reveal his eyes; those deep ocean blue eyes.
Katara let out a minor sigh of relief, only to still be caught in an incredible awkward predicament. She pulled the towel closer and dropped her gaze to see if the water was reflecting enough light to cover other parts of her. Marron crossed his arms and gave her his infamous half-grin with a cocked eyebrow.
"You like the water that much?"
"What do you mean?" Katara fell over the question, trying to keep her sudden heart rate to stay at a safe level.
"It's half-an-hour since your time is up. Did you think you were the last person?"
"What?" she had been in the water for well over an hour! "I'm so sorry!"
Katara started to come near the small 'shore' when Marron held up his hand.
"It's alright, don't worry about it. I heard that Hakou had left you something from home, so I could only guess."
Katara couldn't help but smile a little. She was thinking so much, she forgot to actually bathe because the water hadn't been warm enough.
"So," Marron said breaking the silence, "You wanted to know something?" He asked sitting. He scratched his head a moment to prepare for the questions.
Katara sheepishly nodded. She found a stone to sit on in the water and faced her friend. This was it. Now she could learn the answer to every question that haunted her mind. She thought a moment, trying to put them in order. She liked this. She was in control now. Katara was about to finally understand.
But when she looked at him, her confidence faded. She suddenly wasn't sure if she could ask him any questions, she sort of felt like she was prying. Katara sat a moment and thought. She had to ask him something, now was the time.
"Umm, ok. Who are you?" Katara asked hesitantly.
"What do you mean? You know who I am."
"Do I?" Katara almost felt like shouting.
Marron thought a moment. She was right. He always asked her to trust him, but gave her no real reason to continue that trust. Marron sat a moment in thought; he knew he would have had to explain this. He might as well do that know.
"My name- my real name; is Takato."
Katara relaxed as she realized this was a painful thought to provoke to him. Marron stared at the floor as he thought were to continue. He looked back up at the girl.
"Takato…huh, I haven't heard that name uttered in years." He spoke quietly
Katara watched him. She now knew patience was going to be a key factor.
"What's wrong? Why haven't you told me this?" the young bender couldn't help but ask. "What would your name hold that you would retreat from it?"
Marron sat in silence for a moment. He knew he had to be delicate with the subject at hand. He could make or break their friendship with the very next sentence.
"I was born Takato. I was born in the Fire Nation."
Katara's eyes widened, her mouth dropped open. The Fire Nation?
"You were just born there, right? Your village had been taken over?"
"No Katara, I am Fire Nation, born on Full Moon Island in the Northern Fire Nation. I was born an orphan in the Fire Temple of the Island, raised by the sages."
Katara felt appalled. She had the strangest sensation to run away and attack at the same time. She stared at him, she felt like she had been lied to, had been betrayed by the very boy who saved her life. But as Katara stared at Marron, she felt strange. He sat staring at the floor. His hair covered his eyes. It was then she realized the hate and sadness Marron had spoken with. She was about to say something when he spoke first.
"So now how do you feel?"
"I-I don't know,"
"Exactly!" his tone growing angry, "How would anyone feel? To know that the person that had saved their life and become a friend was of the Fire Nation?!"
"That's not what I said!"
"But that's what you were thinking."
Katara settled back. The truth had hit her hard. Marron fully understood the hatred and fear that the Fire Nation inspired. Katara now could see the pain Marron had lived through. Why he didn't ever say.
"But you aren't one of them." Katara said coming forward in the water. She tried to speak as comfortably as she could at the moment. "You may have been born of the Fire Nation, but you aren't tied to them. You're free."
"You don't understand what it means to be free from them."
"You don't belong to them, you aren't under their command."
"You don't have to be on the military to be a part of them…"
"What do you mean? What could make you so tied to the Fire Nation?"
Marron stared hard at Katara. He stood then slipped into the water looking away. It was hard for him she knew. Slowly coming forward, she sat in front of him. One hand holding her towel across her chest, the other lay on her friends shoulder.
"It's ok. You don't have to answer right away. But please, I need to know."
Katara turned away and bent the water to bring a small container of soap from a rock she sat it upon earlier. Mixing the contents with a little water, she washed her arms and her neck. She began mumbling to herself.
Marron couldn't help but smile. She talked to herself under stress. Katara began trying to get her hand to lather her back, but was having minor difficulties.
Katara felt two hands on her shoulders and gave a small noise as she was pulled back. She tried to stand but was pulled down by a stern word from the boy. Marron took some of the mixture and began to lather her back. Katara's cheeks flushed as she bit her lower lip. This wasn't a bandage changing. His hands gliding across her back was soft, gentle, inviting. She felt his fingers apply pressure on her shoulders.
Katara couldn't help but relax. She tried to snap out of it as Marron massaged her shoulders by reminding herself how awkward this was. The both of them were in only towels and in bath water. She signed as his hands released a knot in her shoulder. His hands were skilled and warm.
"I really shouldn't be asking you these questions" she said at length.
"Why?" Marrons tone had returned to its calm and content voice.
"Its history you would rather bury. I shouldn't pry."
"Normally I would agree, but I had promised you. And at the moment, you should know now, circumstances being as they are."
"Know what exactly?"
"You helped me today Katara. It was painful, but much faster and much less painful then the way it was already working."
Katara raised an eyebrow as she waited for him to actually say what he was talking about. She felt Marron's massaging come to an end. The young water bender watched as Marrons right hand came out in front of her with his palm up. Katara watched his hand a moment; she could hear him control his breathing from behind her.
Katara's eyes began to get larger as she heard small hissing sounds begin to come from Marron's palm. Heat wavered from his hand until a soft glow that had grown became physical and a small flame was born in the palm of her trusted friend.
