I told you :D I hope you like and I will try to get the next chapter up as quick as possible…I promise.
Katara pulled her head back up to stare at the old woman and her two friends. She still felt ready to hurl but her stomach had nothing to bring up. I guess I should be thankful.
"Oh my God, Sugar Queen." Toph snickered. Haru just frowned at her.
"I think you might want to remove the blue jewelry." The lady pointed to her necklace and then to the slender bracelet.
"No." Katara said as she held her stomach. "They stay. I rather face ridicule than remove them."
"Well I guess it shouldn't matter for the bracelet but that necklace is one of the most used 'Katara' things." The old woman frowned.
"If it's an issue, then I will remove it." Katara stated. "But not before."
"Where do we go to hitch a ride to the Fire Nation?" Haru asked the woman.
"There's a booth near the edge of the city. They have boats that go from chameleon bay all the way to the fire nation." The woman pointed to her right.
The three of them nodded to her as Toph dropped a few coins on the counter for the woman, who quickly snatched them up.
"So are you going with us?" Toph asked Haru.
"No, I've got a few things to do here." Haru smiled at her. "I usually stay at an inn in the lower ring when I'm here, in case you want to stay instead."
"It was good to see you again, but we can't stay." Katara smiled at him. She stopped to give him a hug. Haru hugged her tightly before she pulled away.
"Maybe we will see each other again." Haru smiled. He waved to Toph and headed on out.
"Well I will see him soon enough." Toph shrugged. "My parents have him check up on me occassionaly."
"I still can't believe your parents just let you live in Omashu." Katara said.
"Well for me to marry the Avatar would bring untold honor to the Bei Fong name." Toph smirked. "So they like for me to hang around. Though mom does like to preach about honor whenever she visits."
"She probably thinks you are having sex." Katara giggled.
"Why does everyone think that?" Toph frowned. "Do they seriously think that I can't stand up for my honor?"
"It's not a question of you standing up to him, more of whether you would want to." Katara smiled. Her smile vanished as she watched a scantily clad woman dressed in blue being led away by earth soldiers.
"At least I'm not a hooker." Toph grinned as she felt Katara's heart face with fury. A few people stopped to watch the woman. Her clothes were raggedy, dirt and blood covered. Her loose braid had hair coming out in chunks.. A huge blue choker that covered her entire neck was smudged with mud and a redsubstance that could have been blood. As soon as the woman passed other people began to look to Katara, each pointing to her mother's necklace.
"I think you may have an issue." Toph frowned.
"Oh, shut up." Katara undid the necklace and quickly stuffed it into her pocket.
"What about Zuko's bracelet?" Toph smirked as they walked up to the booth.
"They weren't looking at that." Katara pursed her lips. "But I won't have my mother's necklace talked about like that." She sighed.
"If you get arrested for being a hooker, I get to tell Sokka, K?" Toph laughed.
"Like I could tell him." Katara muttered. She stepped up to the man in the booth. "When's your next ship to the Fire Nation?"
"Next week." The man said in a scratchy voice.
"What?" Katara gaped. "I have to get to the Fire Nation now!"
"Sorry the only thing I have is next week." He sniffled and rubbed his nose.
"Any cargo ships I can send a package?" Katara tried.
"There's one leavin just before dawn tomorrow, but it's for cargo only." He narrowed his eyes at the two girls.
"Two tickets for The Fire Nation." Toph threw a few coins up on the counter.
"Toph, we can just jump ship." Katara whispered.
"Are those ships, metal or wooden?" Toph asked the man sweetly.
"Wooden, made here in the Earth Kingdom." The man put the coins under the counter.
"Which means i won't be able to see a thing." Toph smiled at Katara as she grabbed the tickets the man was handing her. "Wait what was that?"
"What was what?" Katara asked as Toph ran a few blocks toward the center of the city.
"I thought I felt…." Toph sighed. "Nothing Sugar Queen." Katara looked around to see many people in the square. There weren't too many people in the square. There were two children playing jacks over near a cart. Three young girls were giggling at two young men that were sitting on huge wooden crates talking with their family. A huge awning came over them where she could scarcely see both of them. She looked past them to see a young boy throwing a tantrum.
"There's nothing here." Katara frowned.
It was a few hours before Toph could find where Haru had gone. They found him outside a wooden shack-like three story building. Katara grimaced at the place wondering when it would topple over.
"What are you guys doing back?" Haru looked at Katara hopefully.
"Ship doesn't leave for a week." Toph frowned at the building. "Does it have to be wooden?"
"Well if you're stuck here for a while," Haru grinned. "Then maybe you guys would be interested in going to this party tonight."
Katara, Toph, and Haru arrived at the rickety abandoned house right after dark. Katara cringed as she watched the house sway side to side as the shadows from inside moved wildly. Loud horns and drums could be heard, shaking the surrounding empty houses.
"Wow, that's a lot of vibrations." Toph's eyes widened. "I can see everyone inside!"
"Is it safe?" Katara asked.
"Who cares?" Toph grabbed both their arms and dragged them in.
"I can actually see in this house." She yelled over the sound. Katara smiled at a few people as she enetered. She had let her hair down for the event. Toph had donned a green skirt and a light green halter top. She had her hair pulled back into a long ponytail as usual, her bangs in her face.
"Want to dance?" Haru yelled over the music.
Katara tried to yell but it was lost in the noise. She nodded instead. She closed her eyes and began to move her hips with the music. She breathed in the salty sweaty air and moved to the beat that echoed throughout the entire house. Her hands began to twirl, moving above her head as her feet moved her about in circles.
She felt arms around her; hands settling on her hips. Unwanted hands. She frowned as she remembered Aang holding her the same way. Her eyes opened slightly as if in a haze. Zuko never tried to hold me when we danced. He always just let me be. He always let me do my own thing. He loved to just watch me be me. She opened her eyes all the way to see the many dancing people. Many men were turning her way looking past her in jealousy. She followed their eyes. Turning, she could see Haru holding her to him.
What am I doing? Katara looked back to the crowd. The green colors seem to swirl around her.
"What are you doing?" Katara giggled as she straddled Zuko. "The sun's not out yet."
"Just stop for a second." Zuko smiled. He traced the outline of her jaw. "I just want to remember this."
"What? A woman actually wanting to straddle you?" Katara giggled.
"Yeah." Zuko smiled as he pulled her to him. He gently kissed her lips. She pulled back away and he smiled at her beautiful form. His hands gently held her hips as she began to move again. She smiled down at him as she held his hands to her hips.
The colors seemed to still be swirling as she seemed to be staring down at herself. Dancing amongst a crowd of strangers, men staring at her. Foreign hands holding onto her hips.
Haru stopped her mid-twirl, his hands holding onto hers. She looked down at their feet, her mind still floating with images of Zuko. The beat seemed to be resonating with her heartbeat. She looked up at the world around her as lips touched hers. For a moment she couldn't move as shock overwhelmed her. She blinked for a moment then pulled away staring at him.
Haru stared back, his mouth still slightly open from where he had been kissing her. He tilted his head in question.
"I'm sorry." She shook her head, wide eyed; her voice inaudible over the noise. "I just can't" she backed away. She quickly got lost in the crowd. She began fighting through the people, trying to find any exit from the loud house. Men whistled and made comments as she passed. She finally found a door leading to the outside.
It was like a huge breath of fresh air. She felt tears threatening to fall as she breathed in the cool night air. She took a deep breath that came out as shudders as she held herself. What am I doing? She looked around and noted it wasn't the way she had entered. There were more houses on this side and dark alleys. She sniffed back a runny nose as she tried to regualte her breathing.
"Hey there sweetie." A raspy voice came from behind her. Katara whirled around in waterbending stance to see an older man walking toward her with drit and grime all over him. She held her stance as the stench drifted over her making her grimace.
"Hows about we go over into that alley over there." The man smiled exposing several yellowing teeth.
"OH MY GOD! I AM NOT A HOOKER! GET IT THROUGH YOUR STUPID HEADS! I AM NOT A FUCKING HOOKER!" Katara screamed through gritted teeth and closed eyes. Her hands became tight fists as she wanted nothing better than to punch the man.
"That's good." The man grabbed Katara by the wrists. "Because I wasn't planning on paying."
Okay I have work tomorrow. What a freakin shock. I have the next two (maybe even more) chapters planned out. It just needs to be written and edited. God I'm feeling old at the age of 21. I think it has something to do with the munchkin that has taken over my life. (my 6 month old is teething which equals absolutely no sitting to write for more than 10 minutes.) ARGHHHHHHHHHH!