Chapter 25: Bitter Tears

"Just about there," Katsu brightly said.

"Oh, joy" was her flat response.

Katsu's keen gray eyes swung to his traveling partner. At first her face appeared to show no emotion but after spending three days with Metog he could tell otherwise. "You're not still angry are you?"

She glared at him in response.

"I'll take that as a yes." Katsu sighed audibly. Metog had been pissed off when he had told her of the purpose of their journey and although she had eventually agreed, she had only just been showing her dislike now as they grew nearer to their destination.

At the smell of smoke Meg stopped and crouched low to the ground. Katsu halted his progression as well in response.

"What is it?" he asked honestly unsure.

"Smoke, can't you smell it?" she answered in a low whisper. Her eyes scanned the trees and her ears were sharp as she sensed the world around her.

Some may have laughed at their newest resident for her peculiar actions, but the sight of her in high guard was more like a tight clamp around Katsu's heart. 'Oh there is so much I don't understand about your world,' he thought. 'I can only hope you will one day be able to trust as we can.' Only now understanding that words would work as well as actions would; Katsu turned his back on his new friend and marched straight forward with little care of what lay ahead. He didn't look back to see Meg's wide eyes.

"Well good morning young Master Katsu, welcome." Guru Pathik greeted. He knew very few of the islands' residents, but he was familiar with all the council members.

"Good morning to you. I have brought you a new student that may interest you."

The two men turned their eyes to the tree line where Meg stood arms folded. She had followed Katsu albeit soundlessly.

"Ah yes, welcome." Pathik greeted again. "So, you were the reason the alarm went out a few weeks back hum?" he deduced.

Meg eyed the old man. His skin was weathered and dark which made his white beard stand out in great contrast. He wore a full bright yellow robe against the cool air, but as warm as the smile he offered Meg didn't immediately trust him.

"Yes, I was the cause. My boat crashed here; name's Meg."

Katsu could tell that something was off in Metog but couldn't place it. "Meg, this is Guru Pathik. He is an Air Bender who teaches primarily on different forms of energy and life… he can teach you how to bend," he said at last.

"Air Bender hun…"

"Yes, although I do not bend" he added as a trivial note.

"WHAT? You mean you don't bend at all?"

"No, not at all" he echoed.

"Then why in the hell do I have too?"

"Well, that is to say I can bend but choose not to."

She looked at him with unbelief. "And why is that?"

Pathik didn't mind the hostility directed towards him. He simply worked to deescalate the situation by merely answering the questions directed at him. "It has never been my priority to master Air Bending and now that I live here, if I want to remain this far away from the shelter within the mountain I am never to bend again."

"I can't believe that."

"Choose to believe or choose not to believe. I can bend air but I choose not break my vow."

"Fine, is that why you don't have an arm band like everyone else?" she asked untrusting.

"My apologies my friends. Please come inside."

The threesome entered the small cottage. Meg noted the active chimney and naturally calmed some. There were times when her senses prevailed over rational thought.

"Here we go," Pathik said as he picked up a strip of cloth and handed it to Meg. "This is my arm band, but I have little use for it. Not many people seek me out."

"White with a gold trim, you're not from here?" she asked surprising.

"No, no, I'm much too old to have been born here. I am from the Southern Air Temple back in the days before the world fell into chaos. It is quite a sad history but the spirits who watch over us as well as the natural desire of the world to have balance within itself has led us here safely."

"Well not everyone can be so fortunate," she commented blankly.

It was an awkward introduction but soon the Guru went to work in teaching his newest pupil to focus not so much on the element around them but rather the energy within themselves. Usually his students were children from parents with different bending abilities. If the child wasn't naturally quick to identify their element Pathik would help them. However they felt no need to divulge that information to Meg. She admitted that she was an orphan of sorts so they focused on inner strength first. After three days of teaching and a few exercises it was finally time for Pathik to identify Meg's element.

It was the morning of the fourth day when Meg left the hut and stretched out in the morning sun.

"Are you ready for the day?" Katsu asked.

"Yup, where are we going?"

"Not far. There is a stream not far from here. That's where your next exercise will be," Katsu informed.

"Alright then, let's go."

He could tell she didn't believe any of their efforts would help her. She had explained why it wouldn't during their three day journey. Apparently she was moved from person to person, group to group while growing up. The group of people who she ended up staying with the longest were rebel fighters who took almost anyone in despite their age and trained them to fight. She had been forced to train to bend earth at a very young age but despite all of their tactics she could never do it and had always felt their resentment towards her for failing them. So she had learned to fight like the other non benders and was always determined to out match them all. She ended up becoming the best of them all. Not even the Earth Benders she spared with nor the Fire Benders she fought against could beat her but the pain of falling short and not being good enough from the men who raised her never left her heart.

'Well at least she's putting in a full effort with this,' Katsu thought as he led the way.

Guru Pathik was already there and waiting patiently when they approached him.

"Well this is a beautiful spot, what now?" Meg's complement was short lived as her mindset immediately went to the task at hand.

The area around them was lush and green. The stream that ran through the trees had been altered into a pool in front of the path before trickling on downward. In the center of the rippling water sat a large flat round stone with two small stepping stones to reach it. Pathik was standing in the center just finishing his task of lighting some candles.

"Now we shall put your training to use," Pathik gestured to where he stood. "You will sit here, but first I ask that you leave your boots and weapons behind you so that you may better feel the energy around you."

Meg wanted to make a face at the thought but remained professional and complied. Pathik returned to the earth and in his own excitement watched as his pupil crossed the stepping stones with ease. Katsu stood back as to not interrupt.

Meg sat down cross legged in the center of the circle. The stone was cold beneath her feet but the sun was shining through the trees providing its own warmth. Meg noted her surroundings one more time. The tree line was dense and quiet. The brook was babbling along and before her were four candles and several loose stones piled in-between them.

"Now I want you to close your eyes," Pathik instructed in his thick accented voice. "Take a deep breath and let it out. Release the tension in your body and relax. You will begin to feel you heart beat within you. Feel the flow through your body. Forget all that is around you and focus on the cosmic energy that circulates within yourself."

Meg listened intently to every word. She had done this the day before so the initial process was familiar to her which helped her mind focus but a new command was about to be added.

"Now once you feel the flow of energy within, raise a hand out in front of you and hold your palm cupped upwards towards the sky."

Slowly she began to raise her right hand and held it steady.

"Begin to change that flow within and direct it towards your hand. Let the power flow back and forth until you can keep it in your hand. Let that energy radiate through your hand as if to let it escape into your palm. Focus solely on your hand."

The two men watched on in silence as Meg worked to control the power within her. Katsu watched the loose little rocks around her waiting for signs of movement, however Guru Pathik noticed her element shift first. The four flames of the candles began to increase and lean towards her outstretched hand. Katsu's eyes went wide in realization just as the fire was pulled up into her hand creating a small ball of fire. There she sat with the flames flickering in her hand, her face was one of inner peace and Katsu though she looked beautiful. Then it hit him… she would not respond well to her element.

Pathik looked to Katsu and indicated for him to remain silent as he took a step towards the water's edge.

"Good, keep that up. Life is full of wonders beyond our imaginations. Now, Miss Meg, when you feel you are ready I want you to open your eyes, but remember to stay calm. I do not want you to move and I don't want you to lose sight of the flow of energy within you."

Meg nodded and kept her eyes shut for a moment longer. Then she slowly opened her eyes. Of anything she could have imagined what she didn't expect was to find a ball of fire in her hands. Upon instinct she jumped back and the flame went out. She stood up sharply but said not a word. She stared down at the ground in deep thought. To Katsu her face was a twisted mask of confusion and pain. She knew what she had seen.

"So, I'm a Fire Bender," she nearly spat. She looked up at the two men with watery eyes but she would not cry. "No wonder I could never Earth Bend!" Then realization of her origins hit her, "oh, I see. I'm a Fire Nation Colony orphan. Now it all makes sense." Her balled up fists quivered to release her pent up anger but she had nothing there to expend it.

"Metog…"

"No Katsu! Just please will the two of you just… just leave me alone." Meg then crossed the water, grabbed her boots and sword, and disappeared into the trees off the path.

Katsu had to let her go but a growing desire to comfort her was beginning to grow. Every pain she had he felt as well yet he knew there would be so much more of her he would never understand. She came from a place he had never been and could never go.

Guru Pathik moved into the circle to meditate so Katsu turned to leave down the path to head back to the hut. He had to busy himself with something so he left to prepare for the next meal in hopes that Metog would have returned by then.

It was late in the evening when Meg returned. Katsu was sitting in front of a small camp fire outside Pathik's front door. He had waited there patiently all day for her return. Her walk was slow and for once she didn't make eye contact with her friend.

"Welcome back," he offered.

"I'll get over this eventually, don't worry about me," she said to answer his unasked question. "I'm just beat." She then looked up.

Katsu was met with sad eyes but her demeanor was more of a challenge to see if he'd question her further. Instead he stood, "I am too. I think I'll turn in as well." Katsu then turned and walked back into the hut for the night. The house had only two rooms, a living room and a bedroom. Katsu slept on a cot in Pathik's room while Meg slept in the larger open room. Katsu had wanted to talk to Metog about her new found bending abilities as well as how it was affecting her but opted to leave it for morning. Little did he know that that night would reveal the answers he sought.

Drip...drip…

…drip…

'Hun, where am I?'

…drip…

'It's so dark I can't see anything'

…drip…

Meg awoke slowly and tried to find her bearings. She could feel the cold stone against her back. She was sitting in a shallow pool of water. It was pitch black, nothing could be made out. She had only her sense of hearing and touch to figure out where she was. Water was dripping from up above and falling into the pool she sat in. The water was icy cold and with every hit its sound echoed against the stone walls. It sounded like she was in a small space. Lifting her arms up from around her knees she felt the walls around her.

'Circular,' she noted in attempts to remain calm. 'So I'm in a stone hole,' she deduced. Feeling around the bottom reveled a small hole for the water to drain out although it appeared to be plugged at the moment. 'What is this place?' she asked herself. 'It seems so familiar but I can't remember.' The thin cotton shirt and slacks offered little comfort or warmth and added to the mystery, 'where did I get these closes anyways?'

Suddenly large amounts of water began to dump down on her and from the sudden assault she stood and screamed for it to stop; that someone was down there! The drain below then opened up to prevent flooding which was little comfort as gallons upon gallons of water assaulted her from above. Then a hatch was opened high above her blinding her with light. She tried to make out a person but all she could see were bright spots through the water. Something was then tossed inside and cracked her on the head. It wasn't heavy and just as she moved to look up once more the hatch shut leaving her in total darkness once more. The water soon stopped as well leave her disoriented and choking from the water she accidently breathed in. Sinking back down in her puddle she found the object that had been thrown to her, 'food?' she finally identified and that's when she realized it.

"I'm in an Earth Kingdom's Fire Bender's Prison! No wait you don't understand," she called out. "Please get me out of here! I'm not really one of them! I'm NOT!"

"Metog wake up," Katsu coaxed as he rubbed the sleep from his own eyes. "You're dreaming wake up."

Meg then sat up violently and seeing a shadowy figure she instantly punched him in the face, swung herself around and kicked the figure square in the chest sending her victim across the room while breaking a chair in his path. Never once did she actually hear the painful yells from her would be attacker.

"Meg," he choked while desperately trying to breath again, "It's me Katsu!" he gasped. "You're safe."

Meg was white as a sheet and her eyes were wide showing clear evidence of complete fear. Her mind was in a fog and after blinking several times she was finally able to depict where she was. "So I'm not in prison," she whispered to herself. "Damit," she said more to herself. On seemingly weak and unsteady legs Meg stood and made her way over to the man she figured was Katsu in the dark room. "Sorry," was all she said as she helped him up but couldn't mask the strain in her voice or the trembling of her hands in his.

On his feet again, Katsu watched as Meg walked out the door but this time he was going to follow her regardless of the number of times he would pay for it with bruises.

Pathik stepped out of the shadows of his room and stood by the broken chair now that the room was empty. "My, my, one so young yet so full of pain and anger… she believes she can trust no one. Her spirit is torn from who she was and who she can be now..." Pathik could have made his presence known earlier but in this case he knew his wisdom was not needed to mend her broken spirit. No, the way Katsu had followed her had told him enough… Katsu would be able to handle it just fine.

Meg didn't go far this time. Katsu watch as she plopped down beside the dying embers of the fire pit out front. He could see that she was still trembling in the moon light. His heart was still thundering in his bruised chest from the assault but what kept it beating fast was fear. He wasn't thinking about himself, however seeing someone who was so strong both physically and mentally just break down like he was seeing tonight gave him an overall weariness of a danger far greater than he could imagine. By simply being with Metog he was in turn absorbing the emotions she emanated but unlike the warrior before him, he had no memories to explain the feelings that she showed.

Removing the sword from her side, Meg placed the weapon in her lap and after one seemingly fond stroke along the sheath she flung the sword as far away from where she sat as possible as if it were poison to her. Katsu couldn't take the distance between them any longer and moved towards her to kneel at her side. It was the first time she seemed so small and vulnerable; she was crying.

"It will be all right," he soothed, "its okay to cry… no one will hold it against you."

He hoped it was the right thing to say and as a result she took his words to heart and began to tremble more and wept bitterly into her hands. Katsu bravely put an arm around her and she sank into him willing. She quaked with harsh shutters and seemingly cried a river against Katsu's chest.

Never before in her entire life had she felt so betrayed and so lost.

Hey Readers! Thanks for past reviews and sorry for the previous short chapter but I was gearing up for this chapter and I look forward to what you think of it ;) I imagine that I'll only be having one or two more chapters with our good friends Katsu and Meg being the center of the story... we shall see, then its off to the time of Aang's awakening! Oooh good times! :D