All Katara could feel now was white-hot bursts of pain. It was as if someone was shoving a poker into her body. She prayed to whichever deity that was out there that her demise would be quick instead of continuously drawn out like her torture had been. She didn't know how long she had been here, but it was long enough to make her loose sense of hope. She was hallucinating and Definitely a little high off of pain medicine that Ty Lee had given to her. Ty Lee was the only one that Katara didn't want to kill. The bubbly acrobat had the decency to stitch up her cheek and get her pain medicine to help her cope with her injuries.
Katara's wounds had stopped bleeding ages ago and scabbed over. She yearned for a shower and for some kind of relief from being chained up.
Katara's head slowly fell foreword as she let out a quiet cry of frustration and pain. " I want to get out of here" she mumbled to herself. She could be loud and scream and kick, but what was the use? She counted days, but lost track after a week. She knew that her team had to be looking for her, yet deep down she wondered if they would ever come.
Katara bit down on her lip roughly, letting out a soft hiss of frustration as a dribble of crimson blood trailed down her chin and dripped onto the tile. Her eyes glazed over in fear and realization. She was alone, she had to rely on her own skills to get her the hell out of here because no one would come. Her team was the best of the best, and if they didn't find her by now then they wouldn't be able to find her at all.
Azula sat down at the breakfast table with her ankles crossed. She was waiting for her father as she sipped on her tea nervously. usually she wasn't one to get so nervous, but Ozai was horrifying, and well, an awful parent.
Ozai was a cruel man, once he had not been so cruel, but jealousy and ambition drove him to lead the violence ring that he was the patriarch of now.
" Azula, do you have any updates for me?" He purred, stepping into the room and draping his red velvet jacket over the lush chair.
Azula looked into Ozai's eyes, then nodded once. " I think that I can get through to the.. peasant. She can tell us more about Zuko, and maybe she can be beneficial to us"
" How so, daughter?" Ozai snarled.
" She's breaking. It's been weeks though. I know that there's people looking for her.." She began telling Ozai about her elaborate plan in hopes that he would agree to let her do things this way.
" I have one thing to say, Azula" Ozai said cooly.
Azula flinched. Usually when he said that he would shoot her down.
" Of course, father. What is it?"
Ozai inhaled deeply, then gently stroked his beard. " I will let you do whatever you want with the girl, whatever your plan is, implement it."
" Thank-"
Ozai held his hand up to stop her.
" No, I said LISTEN." He nearly snarled as he slammed his open palm against the table. " do what you want, do not kill her yet. I don't want her dead for a reason, got it?"
" Of course father." She nodded, then stood up from her seat. It was best to get out of his sight when he was in a mood.
" I have a preposition for you, Katara" Azula said softly, crossing her arms over her chest.
Katara lifted her head up. " what is it?" She asked softly, not wanting to speak to firmly out of fear that her voice would break and she would completely lose it.
" I want you to join me. Join US." She motioned to Mai and then towards Ty Lee who was playing with her braid.
" why would you want that?"
" because you know the bureau better than anybody. You're a powerful asset and you can be an ally instead of a tortured prisoner."
Katara thought for a moment. Unfortunately, her odds weren't very good with being a prisoner. As an ally to them, at least she could collect information on whatever this organization was, as well as a means of seeing her friends again.
Azula quirked her brow. " so, what do you say? Do you want to do this?"
" Do what exactly?"
" Are you that dumb?" Mai snorted.
Katara gritted her teeth. " no, I meant what do you want with me and what is my intended purpose if I become your ally?"
" Oh, I think you already know the answer to that.." Azula purred softly, smirking." And I dont think it's something I need to say outl oud. You know what I want."
" What do I get out of it?"
" freedom. A family"
" I already have a family"
" Not like this. Plus I have a little bit of intel about something special to your heart"
" What?"
Azula held up a manilla envelope. " this look like something that tickles your fancy?"
Katara stared at the envelope in confusion until her eyes scanned over the words 'Kya Emiuk"
" That.."
" Your mother, right? How did she die?"
" I don't know." Katara admitted
" Well, I do. And you can know too if you join us"
Katara contemplated once more. Could she really betray everything she worked for in order to get the truth about what happened to her mother? How could she ever justify doing these evil deeds?
Then again, maybe she would never see them again. Zuko told her that Azula always lies, so maybe that just meant that no one would come for her, they were already dead.
On the other hand. Maybe they weren't.
Katara couldn't let herself continue to be tortured any longer. She swallowed her saliva and looked at Azula.
" So?"
" So, I'm in. I will join you."
" I knew that you would pick the best option, Katara." Azula grinned. " Ty Lee, unchain her and be careful. " she ordered.
Ty Lee slowly let down the chains, then walked forward to catch her.
Katara collapsed into her arms slightly, heavily favoring her good leg.
" Lets get you patched up more, okay?"
" No."
"No?"
" Shower first. Then patch up. Then we talk about this. I want to know what I'm doing, why I'm doing it and I want that file. I refuse to do anything else without knowing the contents that lay in that file"
" You think you can negotiate?" Mai scoffs.
" yeah. I do, because I am your connection to the bureau, and I'm a trained agent so now that I know things what makes you think that I won't do anything against you?"
" You won't."
" maybe. Maybe not," she shrugged. " I have no reason to trust any of you just like you have no reason to trust me."
" Stop it" Azula rolled her eyes " look, I dont really get your power play dynamic or whatever, just shut the hell up. Katara isn't stupid enough to betray us and you're not stupid enough to provoke someone who you just tortured for weeks. She's loose now, and you will be civil with each other."
Mai bared her teeth at Katara, but stayed silent.
Katara's lip curled and her
Fingers twitched involuntarily. Katara itched to wrap her fingers around Mai's perfect, dainty little neck and choke her until she was purple and blue.
" yeah. You're right. I'll be civil." Katara nodded. " as long as Mai is too."
Mai nodded in agreement.
Ty Lee motioned Katara upstairs and shoved a pair of cotton black and red clothes into her arms.
" what?"
" this is for you. Our.. uh"
" you guys have matching uniforms?" Katara deadpanned
" well, yeah. I guess? aren't you an agent?"
" Yeah, but we don't wear matching gear other than our vests since were a special unit"
Ty Lee sighs. " so it isn't really that different, the outfit is comfy, you can move in it."
" god I really do feel like I'm living in a prison" Katara grumbles.
" you're not. You're free.. you just can't.. leave."
" so, prison, but slightly better?"
" exactly!"
" whatever. Just.. show me to the showers." She snorted, limping heavily after Ty Lee.
Ty Lee opened a door and motioned once more. " here. Take your time."
Katara scanned the area for anything she could use as a weapon, then frowned
" dont."
" how do you know what I was thinking?"
Ty Lee sighed. " I just do. I was in your position once. There's no windows. Nothing that you can use. Even if you tried, the guards would be alerted by it first thing. Just take your shower and get changed. There's a nurse that will look after your injuries."
" there's a nurse?"
" well yeah, do you think we're barbarians?"
" honestly? Yes."
Ty Lee shakes her head once more and closed the door behind her to let Katara have her privacy.
Katara turned the water on as hot as it would go, then stood still for a moment before tearing her old clothes off of her body in frustration. She should've been better. She felt as if she was tearing away the last part of her old life. In a way, she was, but the clothes couldn't be salvaged. She started in the mirror at herself in anger and self-loathing.
" come on, Katara. Get it together. You can't go back. Not now." She hissed, then touched her cheek. It would scar. Katara felt the rage boil inside her again. How DARE Mai maim her face and use her like she was a practice dummy. Agni, she really hated her.
Katara's hand trailed down her collarbone and then down her breasts and to her stomach. She had lost quite a bit of weight and her body was battered and bruised. She pushed on one of the purple bruises on her thigh and let out a shaky laugh. She was utterly broken.
Katara decided to finally step into the water and refused to give anyone the satisfaction of hearing her in pain. She quickly sat down and brought her good leg to her chest, placing her forehead on her kneecap.
" fuck. Fuck fuck fuck!" She murmured. " I'm so sorry, I hope you can all forgive me." She begged silently for her team, even though she knew they wouldn't hear her. She watched the grime and dried blood go down the drain as well as her last attempts to keep herself sane. She was tired of this and she wanted to play the game with Azula. It was time for someone to knock that smug bitch off of her pedestal.
Katara quickly washed her body and her hair, then turned the faucet off. She got out of the shower, then stood in front of the mirror again. She felt as if she would never be clean of this blood-thirst desire that bubbled up inside her. She quickly changed in the clothes Ty Le left for her and finger-brushed her hair before tying it in a messy braid.
" you can do this." She whispered to herself. The colors looked strange on her, but not wrong. It was a contrast from her usual blues or whites, but it wasn't unwelcome.
Katara walked out of the bathroom only to be greeted by a woman with a smile
" hello, Katara is it?"
Katara felt like she should run, but she didn't. She nodded instead
" excellent. I'm the Nurse. My name is Song and I'll be taking care of you. Step into THIE room with me please."
Katara rolled her shoulders back and stepped in with Song.
" just sit on the bed. I'll take a look at your injuries and then make sure you get some food and rest. You look a little skinny."
Katara huffed. She had never heard anyone describe her as 'skinny' before. She was proud of her curves and toned body, but now she didn't have that anymore. She sat on the bed and responded to Song with one worded answers instead of an in detail story. She was certain Song already knew how she got the injuries.
" your leg is broken, but I'll give you a brace to help you walk on it. Keep as little weight on it as possible. It seems as if Ty Lee already stitched you up where you need to be. Not perfect, but it's good enough to hold." She mused. " your bruises are purpling and fading. How do you feel?"
" tired. Hungry."
" i'm almost done. I promise. I'm prescribing you some pain meds"
" no."
" are you sure?"
" I'm fine. "
" you aren't, but you can deny care. I can't make you."
" good. Cause I said no." She pulled away from Song. " just go. I'm tired. "
" alright. I'll update Azula on your condition and I'll have someone send up food. It won't be very fatty though.. you'll make yourself ill if you gorge yourself."
Katara would've been offended if she really cared. " sure. Okay"
Song gave her a sad smile and left her alone.
Katara curled up on her good side, and stared at the wall until she was greeted by the door opening.
Ty Lee walked in with a tray of broth and some crackers.
" Hi!" She greeted.
Katara didn't reply.
" listen. I know you hate it here. It grows on you."
Katara glared.
" it's broth and some crackers.. and water. Don't drink it too fast"
" what are you, my mother?"
" I just-"
" dont!" She snapped, snatching the tray from Ty Lee. She greedily began to eat, but remembered her training and slowed down.
" are you watching the show?"
" sorry!" Ty Lee squeaked and scampered away.
Mai had come to retrieve her after her meal, despite Katara's body protesting for her to fall into a month long rest.
" Come on. Azula wants to see you"
" Could she not come get me?"
" No"
" So you're just her pet" Katara hummed.
" I said come on" Mai threatens, placing her knife at the small of Katara's grits her teeth as she walked in front of Mai.
" Dont slow down" she warned
Katara felt her eyes water with fruition. She had to do it.
She turned to the side, then grabbed onto Mai's knife arm, slamming her against the wall. She then grabbed onto her thumb and her wrist bone and shattered it with one quick motion, sighing in relief as soon as the knife clattered to the floor.
Her fingers got that urge again. They were alone. She could do it. She knew she had the chance and it was now or never. Katara reached up, placing her hands on either side of Mai's neck before jerking it quickly. Mai's body fell with a thud and Katara let out a soft laugh as she stepped over Mai's body.
" Well well well. Congratulations Katara. It seems as if I was right and you'll be a fantastic asset indeed." Azula clapped, giving her a small smirk.
Katara looked at Azula. " fantastic. I'm glad I am of use to you."
" We have much to talk about then"
" Fuck you!"
" shush. You'll like this. It's about your mother"
That shut Katara up quickly.