Book: Air
Ch.27 The Light of Spring
"Hey Katara watch this." Mayra said as she played by a mud puddle. She was covered in mud from the waist down. She had a look of concentration as she kept her hands steadily around her tiny little body. Then with one motion she bended some of the mud off her clothes. "See, I can bend the mud."
Katara was sitting under a tree watching Mayra silently. Katara giggled at her, "That's great, do you think you can get yourself completely clean."
"Why would I do that now, I'm still having fun." Mayra cheered and then fell back into the mud a splash. Katara shook her head with a smile.
Mayra was enjoying the warm front that came in that afternoon all too well. The smell of spring was blossoming in the air. The snow was in its last stages of melting, which coated the earth in muck. The coldness of winter would only come in from a sky breeze. Katara sighed warmly taking in the tepid air to warm herself from the cold winter.
"Mayra we better get moving if we want to make it to your grandfather before the platypus bears come out of their hibernation." Katara said as she struggled to stand up. With the arrival of spring, Katara's child has been leaping for joy. It would kick around in rejoice when Katara breathed in the spring scent of fresh grass and flowers. It was eager to poke out of Katara and dance in the sun. It was like the baby was humbly dancing to the beat of the earth's rebirthing. Every time her baby would do the "spring fever dance", Katara would gently rub her expand tummy and say "Wait just for 4 months and then you can come out." She would say with a giggle.
Katara and Mayra had been traveling alone together for 3 days now towards the City of Ba Sing Sai. When they departed from the citizens of The City of Ashes, they had given them enough supplies to last for a week's journey. However Mayra would often carry the pack since she didn't want Katara to.
"Alright, lets go!" Mayra stood up, every inch of her was covered in a brownish layer of muck. She tried to bend it out but only half of it came off. She repeated the bending motion over again but without much success.
Katara came over and bended the rest out, Mayra stood amazed, "You can bend mud too." Mayra grabbed for their pack and heaved it upon her back.
Katara took her hand and they started walking down the muddy path to Ba Sing Sai, "Well mud is water and earth together. So if you can do it, then so can I."
"So if mud is water and earth together, what would happen if I mixed earth with fire?"
"You get lava."
"Cool, when we get to a volcano, can I try to bend the lava?"
Katara stared nervously, "Why don't you master plain old earth bending first before you go to that extreme."
Mayra skipped along Katara's side as she splashed in every puddle that she came across. "So if earth and water make mud, and earth and fire make lava, what about earth and air?"
"Maybe dust."
"Ah, that's not a fun bending form. What can you do with dust? What about you, if water and earth make mud, what about water and fire?"
"That's stream."
"Oh, what about water and air?"
Katara stopped in her tracks. Water and air. Bending forms were not playing in Katara's head when she heard those words. Rather she thought of herself and Aang. She thought about Aang and herself bending together, enjoying the thrilling movements of each other when controlling with their element. The feeling of be captivated by the awing movements of airbending began to filter in her stomach, and Aang's thrilling smile was passing by in her mind.
Mayra tugged on Katara's arm, "What would you get with water and air?"
Katara looked down at Mayra and then looked up at the bright shady blue sky, "Clouds."
Mayra tilted her head up, "So all the shapes of animals and symbols you see in the sky are done by airbenders and waterbenders together."
Katara stared in awe at the clouds, she never thought of the clouds containing a fairytale like that, "No, they say that spirits form the clouds. Perhaps there are spirit airbenders and waterbenders up there forming those clouds."
"Kind of like airbending and waterbending harmony. Can you show me?" Mayra asked excitedly.
Katara continued walking, "In order to do that we need altitude. And I can't fly."
"Maybe you can get the Avatar to help you up there and then you can show me."
Katara's smile dropped and she didn't look Mayra. Mayra frowned and decided not to continue the subject.
"Do you think that your baby will be an airbender?"
Katara didn't answer.
"He or she could bend the clouds into many shapes. Or maybe it could be a waterbender. What do you want it to be?"
Again Katara didn't answer, she continued walking on the muddy path and didn't look done at Mayra.
Mayra didn't' understand Katara's rejection of the subject, "Are you afraid?"
Katara looked down at Mayra this time, why would she ask such a question, "What do you mean?"
"Are you scared to be carrying the responsibility the Avatar's child?"
"No." Katara quickly answer without thinking.
"I don't think so. Every time I ask you about your baby, you don't answer me or you don't want to talk about it. Is it because you're scared?"
Katara became silent again, she was lost in thought. Maybe she was scared.
Mayra tightened her hand around Katara's, "But don't worry, I want to help you. If you are scared, I'll hold your hand through it. Once I was scared of the dark, and me and my brother got lost in the market place after sunset. I was terrified of the dark streets and the scary night noises. But my brother, he took my hand and he told me, 'Mayra stop crying, its only gonna get worse if you cry.' And he walked with me all the way home. He was very brave. And when we got home, I wasn't scared of the dark anymore. I must be scary to protect a child that is so important to the world alone. But I'll be here for you."
Mayra stopped and pointed to something up ahead, "Look I see something. Is that animal cage for giants?"
Katara snapped out of her pondering over Mayra's calming words and looked up. It was not an animal cage, it was a wall. The Great Wall of Ba Sing Sai. They made it. Katara smiled and quickened their pace over there.
"So you have never been to Ba Sing Sai before?" Katara asked as they were approaching the main entrance to the wall.
"Nope, but it must be a very big city to be placed behind that big wall? How will we ever find my grandfather?"
"Don't worry. I have friends inside who will help us."
Katara and Mayra walked hand in hand to the main entrance. Several people coming into the city were stationed outside of the entrance. Earth Kingdom soldiers were checking the peoples' bags, looking at their papers and inspecting them. This was the security for entering the city. Katara waited patiently in line, she kept her shawl tight around her head so it would hide her face from any familiar faces. No one can know she is here. Mayra kept hold of Katara's hand while playing with small stones in her other hand.
A head soldier, who was keeping watch of the place, kept staring at Katara and Mayra. He looked stern and expecting disaster, eyes were fixed on Katara's suspicious looking appearance. Mayra noticed the soldier and stopped playing with the stones. She tugged on Katara's arm, "Why are you hiding your face?" She whispered.
"I'll explain later. Right now I want you to behave yourself, don't attach attention okay." Katara asked sweetly as the silhouettes danced on her face.
Katara was next in line to the attendant who was checking people's papers. Katara reached into her dress and pulled out a slip of paper that was given to her by the citizens of the City of Ashes. This attendant was only accepting passports, he looked carelessly at the flimsy piece of paper.
"So according to this, you are relatives of Pi Long Isingou, a former siege at the City of Ashes. And he requests that you come to live with him. Do you have passports?"
Katara pulled out only one passport, it was Mayra's. Katara never carried her passport since most people knew her face. But she should not show her face here in front of so many people. Katara handed Mayra's passport to the attendant.
"Mayra Guansa, age 7, granddaughter of Pi Long Isingou. It also says here that your mother is a native born citizen in the Earth Kingdom, but your father isn't." He looked Mayra questionable and then he looked at Katara. He couldn't see her face every well. "Well what about your passport? No passport, no entry."
"Can you get me the Earth King." Katara asked without lifting her head.
The attendant looked at her in disbelief, "If you don't have a passport you can enter the city."
"I am a friend of the Earth King. I have been through much struggle and request a safe place to stay. He knows me, can he see me to confirm my identity."
"Lady listen, we get bribes like that all the time here. If you have a passport hand it over. If you don't have one, you can't enter."
Mayra gripped Katara's hand harder, "Mister please, she must come with me."
"Why is she your mommy?"
Katara answered, "No. I am her guardian, I'm bringing her to her grandfather. I need to get inside to bring her safely to her grandfather personally."
"We have people to do that for you. They will take special care of her. Where as you have to leave."
"Please mister, she is going to have a baby. She needs a place to stay." Mayra said, Katara tightened her grip on Mayra's hand to silence her.
The attendant glanced down at Katara's swollen stomach, "So you are this child's guardian, but you are expecting a child of your own. And you claim that the Earth King knows you. That rubbish. No passport, no entry! We will take the child to her grandfather, you must go back to where you came! Security!!"
Immediately guards grabbed for Katara's arms, they pulled Mayra away from her. Mayra kicked and squealed to break free. The guards were taking her to the great doors leading into the city, while the guards were taking Katara out of the entrance. Katara tried to break free and talk her way out it. But how could she enter without revealing who she is? However it didn't seem like she had a choice.
Katara grabbed the mud that was outside and launched it at the guards' faces. They let go to clear the mud from their eyes. Katara ran from their grip and headed for Mayra. Mayra stomped on the guard's foot, who yelled in pain and let go. She ran up to Katara and embraced her. "I won't them take you away." Mayra wined into Katara's shoulder.
Guards yelled and launched themselves at Katara. They grabbed her vigorously and slapped her around for Katara to stop moving. Mayra tried to stop them by launching small rocks at them, but it did little effort. Her strength wasn't great enough to save Katara from these men.
Katara begged for them to stop, the guards' slaps were turned into punches. Katara's womb began to prickle in pain and then it thrived into sere agony. Katara had to stop them. She had her arms around her stomach to protect her child, but she couldn't keep this up. She had to do something.
With a deep breath, Katara clasped the moisture in the air and it began to form into spheres of water around her. The guards noticed and backed away, Katara shot the water at the men. The force of the water knocked them off their feet. Once Katara succeed in terrifying the guards out of their wits, Katara collapsed to her knees, and the pain increased.
Mayra ran up to Katara. Her eyes were wet.
Katara lifted her head to tell Mayra not to be frightened, but her pain brought her back down. Katara fell entirely on the floor, holding her womb in agony. "Please someone get help!" Mayra cried.
"I'll be fine," Katara tried to say.
The angry guards got up to their feet and approached Katara. Mayra jumped to her feet and got in a fighting stance. The guards giggled and continued to advance.
"Stop this at once!" shouted a new voice to the scene.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, it was voice that was coming from outside the entrance. Katara struggled to turn her head to see, she recognized that voice. But she was so limited to her movements she couldn't see to confirm her memory. But she knew who it was.
Bare footsteps entered the city's entry station. The guards slowly backed away from Katara and Mayra. Mayra faced the stranger with a fighting stance. Katara pulled on Mayra's arm, "No Mayra, she's a friend of mine. Its okay."
Mayra put down her fists and stared oddly at the stranger. The stranger got down on her knees and faced Katara.
"Now what's a Sugar Queen like you getting into trouble for." Said her familiar voice that now faced Katara. Katara smiled. Her old and dear friend Toph faced her returning the smile.
"Toph," Katara mumbled.
The guards crowded around them, "Lady Toph, you know this woman?"
"Of course I do. You got a problem with that." Toph helped Katara up. Katara struggled to get back on her legs, Toph did her best to help her. Mayra assisted. Katara had pain circulating throughout every part of her body as she tried to walk with Toph. She gasped in pain with every step.
Toph walked Katara to the entrance of the city. She was studying Katara intensely, she was different. She was heavier. But she tried to focus on where they were going rather than Katara's condition and her strange presence of coming here with a small strange kid. Toph waited until they were in the train station to start talking to Katara again.
"You alright?"
Katara took in some deep breathes hoping it would ease the pain, "Yeah, thanks for the save." Toph sat Katara on a bench. Mayra ran to Katara's side to comfort her.
Toph stood in front, her blind eyes stared out in her own little world, but her feet were gazing upon them both. "Why did those guys beat you up? Did you blind them or something cause they didn't seem to know who you were? Knowing you, you would have taken them out within an instant."
"I couldn't."
"You sure you're okay, you seem different, as in weaker."
Mayra rubbed Katara's stomach, "Do you think your baby's okay?"
"Baby, what baby?! What's with the kid? Katara?!!"
Katara rested her hand on the mound on her stomach, "It's a long story. One that should be spoken in private. Before I travel any further with you, is Aang here?"
"No, but even if he was here, he'd be all over you. He's been worry sick about you. He has literally lost his mind trying to look for you."
"Then its good he's not here."
"What?! Katara, maybe you didn't hear me, but he really wants to find you. He has lost it, and only you can bring that boy back to his senses. He's going to be even more desperate to find you once he knows you're carrying a child, that makes you more vulnerable."
"Please Toph, can you just give me a second to calm down!" Katara took several more deep shaky breathes. Combat fighting was becoming extremely painful and dangerous as the baby was growing bigger. She had never experienced pain this intense before with the child, or left a small fight leaving her terribly weak.
Mayra turned her head to Toph, "Something is not right with Katara. She's never been in this much pain before."
Toph scrunched her face, "And who are you?"
Katara gritted her teeth, "Toph, please save you questions for later. Get me to a quiet place where I can rest."
"Screw that, you need to be taken to doctor."
"No! No one can know I'm here." Katara argued through her agony.
Mayra took Katara's hand, "But Katara, you are in so much pain, you need help."
"No, I require just rest."
The floor began to vibrate as the stone train came screaming down the tracks, the doors were being opened and people were filing in.
Toph clenched her fists, "Listen you need help, your heart rate is increasing, and I don't like the looks of your condition." Toph grabbed Katara's arm and thrashed it over her shoulder, she helped Katara aboard the crowded train.
Kind people offered their seats for them once taking a glance at Katara's painful expression and her tense grip around her womb.
Toph, seated close by her, spoke softly to Katara, "I'll take you to an expert who knows how to keep secrets. He'll help you." And throughout the rest of the train ride, they were silent except for Katara's laborious breathing and moaning.
