Back with another chapter! This one is kind of long because it's building up for some exciting things in the near future. To those of you who are upset that Zuko and Katara were separated once again, worry not! Their next meeting will be for good ;)
First, a quick word of gratitude to some of the kind peoples who reviewed the last chapter:
demiXxfanXxsinceXx4EVERXX: Thank you! Yeah, I thought Zuko needed a couple more trials and tribulations before he's truly ready to go along with Katara, though his longing for home and desire to restore his honor might not be quite so easy to shake ;) I love Toph's character so much and I feel like she and Zuko have such an interesting friendship, so I hope I do it justice! Thanks for the support!
FictionallyFun: Thanks! I'm happy to provide material for bedtime reading! I've been in much the same situation - summer nights kind of suck without AC!
~j~: Aww, thank you so much! I always have a difficult time writing fight scenes but perhaps I'm starting to get a little better with practice :) I'm also the same about writing styles and I'm glad you are enjoying mine! This fanfiction has largely been me trying to get back into writing and finding my voice again after a long hiatus, so I really appreciate the kind words!
tundraa1: Thank youu! I has an update for you now! :p
rach12901: That's exactly what I was going for! Fear not, they will be reunited again ;) I also love the friendship between Zuko and Toph - they are so similar but simultaneously so different. They're both members of the nobility, but take that legacy in completely different ways. Toph is a dominant thinker while Zuko is a (turbulent) feeler and the interaction between the two types is just so interesting. I hope I am able to do it justice and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
I love you guys.
This chapter was inspired by the song 'Black Water' by 'Of Monsters and Men' from their 2015 album 'Beneath The Skin'.
Please feel free to review [read: pleasepleaseplease review]! Hope you enjoy! :)
Chapter 20: Black Water
…
The strange silence
Surrounding me
Grows closer
Feels colder
…
Swallowed by a vicious vengeful sea
Darker days are raining over me
In the deepest depths I lost myself
I see myself through someone else
…
Nestled between the tallest peaks of the Xi Shan mountains, an eroding mountain range that descended into the sea on its western edge, General Fong's Fortress was a sprawling military complex the size of a small city. Tall pale stone walls circled the facility which, to most, was only accessible by four treacherous paths, raised high above the ground by earthbenders centuries ago. Katara stared down in awe at the structure, but the anticipation and excitement she had felt before with regards to arriving at Fong's Base was lost in a sea of worry.
She had cried silently to herself after leaving the forest – after leaving Zuko in the hands of Zhao. Turning from her friends to hide her tears, Katara had quietly sobbed herself to sleep in the saddle. Her dreams had been eerie and fleeting; wispy images that appeared through the fog of her mind and disappeared just as quickly.
Her conscience was heavy with regret and it manifested in her slumber as she felt Zuko slipping away. Something had changed between them in the forest, back at that lake; she could feel it. It was as if a tether had formed between them, tying their fates together within the knotted mess of destiny. And now, it seemed that she could feel their distance growing, lengthening the thread that linked them.
As Appa began his descent into the military base, soldiers along the walls raised horns while others poured out into the courtyard, forming organized lines around the perimeter of the central enclosure. The soldiers were dressed in shades of green, brown, and gray – the earthy tones that represented their Kingdom – wearing stony expressions, devoid of emotion. Katara, Aang, Sokka, and Suki exchanged uncomfortable glances between themselves at the austerity, while Huan scanned the ranks, presumably searching for familiar faces.
"State your name and purpose!" A disembodied command resonated off the walls around them as Appa landed amidst the lines of Earth Kingdom troops. At the foot of the building that rose from the middle of the central square, soldiers parted as a tall man approached.
Aang jumped down from Appa and the soldiers around them dropped into fighting stances with a collective grunt. The man held up his hand to steady the troops, allowing Aang to talk.
"I'm the Avatar. My name is Aang. I have come from Omashu with my friends," He waved back to Appa's saddle, "To speak with General Fong about the war."
The man gave a brusque nod, "I am Colonel Peng. Word of your return has traveled throughout the Earth Kingdom, Avatar Aang. It is very fortunate that you thought to come here following the fall of Omashu. General Fong will see you now. Follow me."
With that, the man turned and briskly walked back towards the building from which he emerged.
Sokka slid down from Appa's saddle, patted the sky bison's snout, and addressed one of the soldiers that approached to tend to the beast. "He's a gentle giant, this guy. Only eats fruit and vegetables," Sokka divulged, turning to follow Aang and the General.
Katara and Suki exchanged another nervous glance before falling in behind Sokka and Huan.
…
The night was dark and silent, but for the churning sea below him. His feet moved under him, drawing him to the edge as the fetters around his wrists and ankles rattled. The swirling black water was calling to him; a haunting summons that whispered to the despair dwelling in the shadows of his mind.
"You're not worthy of the crown," The bass in his father's voice echoed in the stillness. "You're a disgrace and an embarrassment."
Zuko turned, expecting to see his father standing over him, but met Zhao's gaze instead.
"Traitor," The Commander snarled at him as he pushed Zuko forwards.
He tried to scream as he went tumbling over the precipice, but no sound escaped his lips. His body hit the surface and a sharp pain shot through his head, vibrating down to his limbs. Struggling against his chains, he kicked and spat, trying to keep his head above the water, but an unseen force was dragging him downwards.
"Zuko!"
Looking up from below the waves, he saw Katara through the churning surface, her hand reaching down towards him, fingers splayed. Behind her stood his uncle, his brow furrowed with worry.
"Come with me!" Her shout was muted by the black water that engulfed him.
"Katara-" He choked out.
"Take my hand! Come with me, Zuko! Please!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she pleaded.
"I'm sorry, my son." A familiar voice, thick with emotion, echoed in his mind."I wish I could have been better."
Mother? He thrashed around, scanning the shadowy depths that surrounded him, but saw nothing in the blackness.
"No matter what happens from here on, Zuko... you must never forget who you are."
The darkness was swallowing him, dragging him into the depths, but the sound of his mother's voice had calmed him. He was almost ready to accept his fate when Katara's hand crashed through the surface above. "I won't let you go!"
Fighting against the weight of the water, he reached up for Katara's hand, suddenly desperate to grasp onto this last sliver of hope. Their fingertips brushed, but it wasn't enough.
His body screamed for air as the cold water rushed into his lungs. Zuko's heart was hammering in his ears. He couldn't breathe. Katara and his uncle faded into the darkness as the water devoured him.
"I'm sorry..." His mother's voice came again, more distant this time. Dismay and remorse overwhelmed his being. He should have gone with Katara. She was his only hope. As he drowned in the cold watery abyss, he could only regret his decisions as his energy ebbed with the current.
His eyes shot open as he heaved for air, choking on the oxygen that filled his lungs. His heart was still pounding in his chest while his body trembled at the vividness of his dream. It had all seemed so real – his fear, the tears in Katara's eyes. With another couple shaky breaths, he calmed his rapidly beating heart. It was just a dream, he reminded himself, staring at the ceiling of his iron cell aboard his ship.
"If I couldn't hear your heartbeat, I'd have thought you were dead." A voice interrupted his thoughts.
"He's alive?" Another female voice asked.
"He's alive," The blind girl confirmed.
"Then there's no justice in the world," The other spat.
"Shinko here claims that you burned down her village."
Zuko pushed himself up to his elbows and looked into the cell diagonally across from his. A Kyoshi Warrior was pressed against the bars, glowering at him from the shadows. "He did." Her dark green eyes narrowed at him, accusingly. "He showed up at Kyoshi Island in this very ship and burned down our village. We weren't even involved in the war."
He scowled back at the warrior, not wanting to talk to any of his fellow prisoners.
"In this ship?" The blind girl asked.
"Yeah, I'd recognize it anywhere." The Kyoshi snorted, crossing her arms as a smug expression replaced her glower. "Ironic, if you ask me. This used to be his ship."
"It's still my ship," Zuko seethed at the warrior's apparent satisfaction with his situation.
"Why did you burn down her village?"
He ignored her question, turning away from the door to his cell. Zuko was in no mood to converse with the Kyoshi Warrior or the child from Gao Ling.
"Ok, great talk."
"Don't even bother," The Kyoshi added, scornfully. "Whatever terrible fate he has coming for him, he deserves it."
…
The Colonel led them up through the stone tower that overlooked the military facility. On each level, the staircase opened to a vast room or hallway of doors. The first and second level housed mess halls, while the third, fourth, and fifth held the officer's barracks. The sixth level held a spacious room covered in Earth Kingdom tapestries and a central stone table that had been carved into a map of the Four Nations. The seventh and uppermost level was an immense hall with high ceilings, lined on either side by large stone pillars. At the opposite end of the room, a bearded man stood behind a desk on a raised platform, regarding them.
His appearance differed from the other soldiers; he wore a long green cape over his shoulders, the spaulders of his armor resembled skulls clamping down on his biceps, and his dark brown hair was not covered by a helmet, but rather woven through a bronze ornament atop his head.
"General Fong," The Colonel addressed his superior, stepping to the side to introduce them. "Avatar Aang and his companions."
"Avatar Aang," The General repeated, bowing. "It is very fortunate that you have come here. I have heard a great many things about you since the news of your return."
"General Fong," Aang nodded respectfully. "Thank you for agreeing to see me. These are my friends Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Huan," He introduced them. "I came to speak to you about the resistance."
"What about the resistance?"
"When we were in Omashu, we met with resistance forces. They told us that there are small factions all around the Earth Kingdom. They want to help fight off the Fire Nation, but they need your help."
General Fong rubbed his chin, turning to pace behind his desk. "And what is it that I can help them with?"
"They want to coordinate with the army. If you can share plans and information with them, they can organize and aid your efforts on the ground. They want to form a true militia."
"I see," The General breathed. "There are risks to sharing military movements and classified information, as I'm sure you can understand."
"Of course," Aang nodded.
"I will think on this before giving you my answer. In the meantime, I also have a proposition for you, Avatar Aang." Fong turned back to the airbender. "How much do you know about the Avatar State?"
"The Avatar State?"
"Yes."
"I… I don't know."
With a terse nod, the General turned to the windows behind his desk. "Some of the Earth Kingdom advisors in Ba Sing Se have resumed researching the Avatar State since word of your return reached them. There are extensive records of the past Avatars – particularly Avatar Roku, your past life."
"But… what is the Avatar State?"
"The Avatar State is a powerful ability that only the Avatar can invoke. Supposedly, it grants the Avatar with increased strength by channeling the energy of past lives. If what the researchers have said is true, the Avatar can connect with past lives and bend all of the elements with devastating power beyond the individual's ability."
"Bend all of the elements…" Aang repeated, at a loss for words. "Beyond the individual's ability?"
"Like you did at the South Pole," Sokka added. "You hadn't even learned waterbending yet."
Katara remembered the moment her brother was referring to when they had gone to save Aang from Zuko that first time. Aang had emerged from the sea in a towering funnel of water, his eyes and tattoos glowing white. "That was the Avatar State?" She asked.
"I think so," Sokka nodded.
"Ah, this is wonderful news!" General Fong interjected, turning back to them. "You have already entered the Avatar State, then?"
"I don't remember it at all…" The airbender frowned.
"It was pretty sweet," Sokka declared, "You came out of the water and your eyes were glowing, then you took out all those Fire Nation soldiers with a single stream of water." Her brother reenacted the fight with sound effects, whooshing water and screams of 'Agh!' from the Fire Nation soldiers.
"Aang," The General addressed him, "You are almost ready to face the Fire Lord."
"What?!" Aang stumbled back in shock, "No I'm not!"
"Aang still has to learn all four elements!" Katara stepped forwards.
"Why? If the research is to be believed, with the kind of power he possesses, he could defeat the Fire Lord now!" General Fong slammed his fist down onto the desk, before turning to a map of the Four Nations draped behind him. "With you leading our forces as the ultimate weapon, we could cut a swath right through to the heart of the Fire Nation." His fingers traced the path across the sea.
"But, sir," Sokka cut in, "Aang has only entered the Avatar State once, as far as we know."
"And I don't even know how to get in or out of the Avatar State," The airbender stammered. "Much less what to do once I'm there…" He averted his gaze to the floor.
"I'll help you figure out how to get into the Avatar State, and then you'll face your destiny." General Fong turned back to them, his hands clasped behind his back. "The Earth Kingdom has been researching this for decades. When we believed the Avatar had disappeared, people lost all hope. But now that you have returned, we can put an end to this war swiftly."
"I do want to put an end to the war," Aang reasoned, "But I'm not sure if this is how I am supposed to do it."
The General frowned. "Aang, this is an opportunity to bypass the need to learn all of the elements, which could take years. Why would you not take it?"
"He does have a point," Sokka mumbled.
"No," Katara asserted, "We already have a plan. Aang is pursuing his destiny his way by learning all four elements. It's the path of the Avatar."
Aang looked helplessly between Katara and the General.
"I-… I don't know," Aang crinkled his brow.
The General raised a hand to stop him. "Just think about it. We will have plenty of time to talk. However, I imagine you and your friends are tired from your travels. Please, make yourselves comfortable. I will have my men prepare a room for you in the officer's barracks. We can discuss further tomorrow morning, both about the Avatar State and the resistance."
"About the resistance," Huan spoke up behind them. "The remaining resistance forces from Omashu were supposed to meet us here. Have you heard anything?"
"We have not received any resistance troops, only what is left of our own forces returning from Omashu. We sustained heavy losses. Hundreds of injured soldiers returned from the Southern Earth Kingdom." His hands tightened into fists. "But many more were not so fortunate."
Huan let out a heavy sigh, nodding in resignation.
"Katara is a waterbender," Aang piped up, "She has healing abilities. Maybe she could help?"
Katara looked over to her friend, who shrugged at her, before returning her gaze to General Fong. "I could try…" She shifted her stance under the General's scrutiny. "I'm still learning."
"Very well," General Fong agreed. "I will show you to the infirmary tomorrow. Our nurses and doctors are being overwhelmed by the sheer number of injuries. Any help would be greatly appreciated."
Aang offered her a smile and she tried to return it; something about this General irked her, but she pushed the trepidation from her mind in favor of resolve. If she could do something to help the war efforts, to heal those injured fighting for freedom, she would do her best.
Colonel Peng led them down to two rooms on the fifth level – one for her and Suki, and the other for the boys. Once they had dumped their belongings in their respective beds, Katara and Suki crossed the hall to the other room. Sokka was sharpening his hunting knife, Huan was studying their map, and Aang was sitting on his bed petting Momo's head.
Katara sat down next to him and smiled as Momo chittered, climbing up her clothes to perch on her shoulder.
"Are you really thinking about doing this?" She asked Aang, reaching into a bag to retrieve a piece of fruit for the winged lemur.
"I guess so," Aang sighed, resting his head in his hands. "It's worth a shot, right? Who knows, it might not even work."
"No harm in trying," Sokka commented. "It could save us a whole lot of time."
Katara frowned at her brother before turning back to her friend. "But do you think you're ready?" She remembered the conversations she'd had with Aang about defeating the Fire Lord; she had promised him he still had time to figure things out. But this General seemed intent on forcing his hand.
"Not really…" He gave her a sidelong glance.
"At the end of the day, it's your choice to make, Aang." She put a hand on the airbender's shoulder as Momo leapt from his perch on her to devour the moon peach she offered him.
"I'll at least hear the General out," Aang decided.
"So," Suki remarked, sitting down next to Sokka. "Are we still planning to make a trip back to Kyoshi?"
"We should," Sokka put down his knife to wrap an arm around her. "We still need to find out what happened to the Kyoshi Warriors. I'll go with you if you want to set off in the morning. Aang, would you mind if we borrowed Appa?"
"Of course not," He smiled. "It would be a lot quicker if you took Appa and it seems like we're going to be here for a while. I hope you find them."
"I'm going to stay and wait for word from the resistance," Huan mumbled over the map.
Katara wanted to go, if only for the lingering hope that she might be able to somehow save Zuko. But she had promised to help at the infirmary and, after hearing General Fong's plans for Aang, she didn't feel comfortable leaving him alone with the ambitious man. Aang was a kind soul who would never want to hurt anything – not even the Fire Lord, if it could be helped – but in the Avatar State, wielding all that power, he was someone else entirely. The notion was troublesome. They knew so little about the Avatar State and the thought of leaving Aang at a time like this worried her.
As much as her heart longed to help Zuko, she had promised her Gran Gran, Huu, Aang, the world, and herself that she would protect the Avatar as he followed his path to end the war. Not to mention, they still had lots of waterbending to work on.
"So, it's decided then," Sokka announced. "Suki and I will set off for Kyoshi with Appa in the morning, and you guys will figure out this stuff about the Avatar State and the resistance."
"We shouldn't be gone for too long," Suki added. "Maybe two weeks at most?"
Katara bit her lip as she quelled the disappointment swelling in her at the thought of not being able to save Zuko from his fate.
"Sounds like a plan," Aang nodded.
"I'm hungry." Her brother's stomach grumbled, agreeing. "Do you think they'll have some food down in the mess hall for us?"
"Let's go find out!" The airbender jumped up and in one swift motion, leapt towards the door.
When they returned to their rooms after a filling meal, Katara flopped down onto her bed. She had tried to be pleasant at dinner with her friends – they were finally safe from Commander Zhao and could go on with their mission – but thoughts of Zuko still weighed down on her conscience.
Suki sat down on her own bed across from her, eyeing Katara out of the corner of her eye. "I'm surprised you don't want to come with Sokka and I," She said finally.
A drawn-out sigh escaped Katara's lips, as she rolled onto her back. "I do."
"Why don't you, then? I thought you'd want to try save the angry prince."
She turned her head abruptly to look at her friend, suddenly flustered. "I- I do… but I can't. I promised to heal those soldiers and… I'm worried about Aang. If you… if you somehow see him or his ship out there… will you try to help him? For me?"
Suki bit her lip, but nodded, "If we do happen to come across him, I'll do what I can."
"What about Sokka?"
"Your brother can be a meat-head sometimes," Suki joked. "But I have my ways of convincing him to do things."
Katara tried not to gag at the insinuation in her friend's tone, instead breaking into laughter. "Gross! But… thank you."
"Speaking of the angry prince… what happened back there in the woods?" Suki questioned, giving her that same knowing look.
Heat rose to Katara's cheeks as she scrambled for something to say. "He just came to warn us about Commander Zhao-"
"Yes, yes, I know all that," Suki waved her hand dismissively. "I mean what happened between you two."
Katara averted her gaze to the ground, as she mumbled, "We… um, kissed."
Suki was on her feet and sitting on the end of Katara's bed before she could blink. "What! Katara! Really?"
Her cheeks were burning now as she turned away to hide her face. "Yes."
"And? How was it? Was that your first kiss?" Suki gushed.
"Wha- you're not going to tell me off?" Katara lifted herself up on her elbows.
"No," Suki scoffed. "I mean, he's still not my friend or anything, but he did help us get away in time. Maybe he's not as bad as I thought. Plus, I could practically feel the tension between you two every time he was around. I knew it would happen eventually."
Katara was speechless, gaping at her friend with wide eyes – she had expected Suki to warn her, to worry about whatever feelings Katara harbored for the Fire Nation prince. She had not expected her friend to heckle her about the details like a typical teenage girl. But, despite the war going on around them and their responsibilities to the world, they still were teenage girls; prone to overwhelming hormones and mischievous whims, crowded by their emotions, excited about discovering the world and their place in it as they grew into who they would become.
A giddy delirium washed over her at the realization – she wanted to talk about it with Suki, to revel in the feeling of being just another teenager with a crush. For just a moment, she wanted to forget about all the troubles of the world and discuss the more conventional events of her life – despite the fact that whatever was going on between her and the Fire Nation prince was far from normalcy.
"So?" Suki raised an eyebrow, smirking at Katara. "Give me all the details."
"Well," Katara started, pushing herself up to a sitting position, "It was my first kiss. And… I actually kissed him…"
…
Zuko sat with his back against the cold iron wall of his cell, listening to the ship groan. He had no notion of time; how long he had slept, whether it was day or night. There were no windows in the hold, only sconces that burned low, lining the metal hallway between the cells, casting the prisoners within in shadow. The blind girl in the cell across from his hadn't said much since their last conversation – if one could even call it that – and seemed to be more interested in staring blindly into the darkness. The Kyoshi Warrior had also maintained the deafening silence, though, whenever he dared to lift his gaze and look through the bars that trapped him in this cage, he caught her glaring at him as if she could will him to keel over with her contempt alone.
He wondered where they were going. Had Commander Zhao set course back to the Fire Nation to return him to his father in chains – To try him as a traitor to his country? Or were they heading to another Naval base? Surely, Zhao didn't intend to return to the Fire Nation with the Kyoshi Warriors and all the children from Gao Ling. Though he couldn't be sure, he guessed that there were at least forty prisoners aboard the ship. What was the Commander planning to do with them all?
His thoughts were interrupted by a loud metallic squeal that echoed though the hold. Shuffling followed, along with the rumbling of a cart and clattering of metal trays on the floor. Zuko continued listening as the sound of footfalls approached. Two guards came to the end of the hallway, placing a metal tray in front of the bars of the blind girl's cell. They turned to look at him, empty handed, before exchanging a nervous glance between themselves.
"Prince Zuko," One of them murmured. Zuko squinted into the light from the sconces at the men and recognized them as two members of his crew. The taller of the two was a middle-aged man named Takuma, a member of Zuko's crew from the earliest days of his banishment. The other was a man that had joined his crew after the first two years, a soldier who had resided in the colonies and secretly married an Earth Kingdom woman – a crime punishable by exile from the Fire Nation – though, Zuko could not recall his name.
"I'm sorry," Takuma said in a low tone, shifting his gaze down the hallway to make sure no one was listening. "We're under strict orders from Commander Zhao not to feed you or give you water."
The shorter man frowned and, with a sigh, placed a cup of water outside the cell, not meeting Zuko's eyes.
Zuko just stared at them, in some combination of shock and doubt. Was this small gesture one to suggest that they still recognized him as their prince? Would they still support his claim on the ship? Bowing their heads, they turned to walk away.
"Takuma." Zuko's voice was hoarse from lack of water. The guard turned back to face him, apparently surprised that he knew his name. "Where's Zhao taking me?"
The two exchanged another glance, before Takuma replied, "Right now, we're heading to a prison rig off the coast of the southern colonies to drop off the other prisoners. They'll be held there until further notice. Then, we're setting course for the Fire Nation."
Zuko's heart dropped. Zhao was sticking to his word. He was going to bring him back home to his father as a traitor to the crown. The Fire Nation didn't take treason lightly. The penalty was death. He tried not to picture the wicked glint in his father's eye as his suspicions were confirmed – that his son was a disgrace to their great nation. He wondered momentarily whether his father would feel any remorse at his own son facing execution.
"I'm sorry," Takuma mumbled again, meeting his gaze one last time before walking away with his head bowed.
When they were out of sight, Zuko scrambled to grab the cup of water they had left him. He hadn't realized how thirsty he was until he had tried to speak again, his parched lips sticking to his teeth. Zuko gulped down the water, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his chest. Zhao was trying to starve him and deprive him of water to weaken his resolve. When he was done, he threw down the metal cup and growled as it bounced off the ground with a clang. He was already weak; even that simple motion exhausted him. In this state, he probably couldn't even firebend much as diminished as his chi was.
A sickening feeling nestled in the pit of his stomach. He had to escape somehow. Perhaps he could convince Takuma to give him some food. Then he could at least firebend. Maybe he could try escape when they came to take him back to the capital. Zuko frowned. His options were limited and rather far-fetched.
His fists clenched as he listened to the door of the prison hold closing once more. This was hopeless.
He turned to retreat back into the shadows of his cell when something rolled into his foot. An apple. Confused, Zuko lifted his gaze. The blind girl crouched in front of the bars to her cell.
"This situation is already bad enough," She breathed, "I don't need to watch you slowly starve to death on top of it all."
Caught off guard by the gesture, Zuko said the only thing that came to his mind. "But you're blind."
"Really?" She snorted in response, "I nearly forgot. I can see through vibrations in the ground, smartass."
The little girl confused him. She was no older than thirteen, perhaps, and was supposedly a child of the Gao Ling nobility. But her mannerisms and language suggested otherwise; she was brash, acerbic, and quick to the point, hardly the genteel young lady that a noble upbringing fostered. Her strange propensity for picking at her feet also confounded him. And yet, here she was, the only one offering him food.
"What are you doing down here anyways?" She asked. "Shinko says you're Fire Nation. And this is your ship?"
Scowling at her probing, Zuko grumbled, "I'm the prince of the Fire Nation."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Commander Zhao stole my ship. And now he wants to try me as a traitor."
"I feel like you left out a lot of important details there, but whatever. Since this is your ship, can you get us out?"
"No."
"Worth a try," the girl murmured, shrugging.
Zuko looked down at the apple and back up to her as she stuffed a rice ball into her mouth.
"What's your name?"
"Toph," She responded around the rice she was chewing.
After a pause Zuko asked, "You were kidnapped from Gao Ling?"
"You could say that." The girl named Toph replied. "My parents were sending me away. I was taken by Fire Nation soldiers at the docks. And of course, I couldn't do anything to defend myself on a wooden ship."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm an earthbender." She continued eating the rice ball, not paying him any mind.
Zuko picked up the apple and examined it, frowning. "Well… thanks… for the apple." He muttered, despite himself.
Toph dismissed his gratitude with a wave of her hand. "Don't get too used to it, Princey."
…
Katara woke up and rolled over in her bed to find that the room was empty; Suki and Sokka had apparently left at dawn with Appa to head back to Kyoshi Island. She tried not to dwell on the missed opportunity as she got up and got dressed. It was likely to be a long day of healing and she steeled herself for the realities of war; hundreds of injured soldiers that needed saving.
After a short quiet breakfast with Aang and Huan, Colonel Peng came to collect them from the mess hall. Huan mumbled something about the resistance and slunk off, leaving her and Aang with the Colonel.
"General Fong will meet us at the infirmary," The Colonel said over his shoulder as she and Aang hurried to keep up with his brisk pace. "He believes that seeing the Avatar will help boost morale in the soldiers recovering from injuries."
"I'll do whatever I can," the airbender responded.
The infirmary was a single-story building with an orange roof, situated near the perimeter of the fortress. As they climbed the steps to the entrance, the nauseating scent of death and decay hung thick in the air. Katara's breath caught in her throat when they walked through the threshold. Nothing could have prepared her for this.
Rows of cots filled the spacious room, each containing a bedridden Earth Kingdom soldier with some degree of severe injury; there were burns, crushed or missing limbs, sword wounds, and internal bleeding. A chorus of groans and whimpers filled her ears as she watched doctors with clipboards assess patients and nurses cart around linens, gauze, and bowls of water.
General Fong stood near the entrance awaiting them. "Good morning. I trust that your accommodations were to your satisfaction?" He raised an eyebrow at them.
"Yes, absolutely," Aang responded shakily, tearing his gaze from the injured soldiers. However, Katara could not look away.
The General led them through the rows of cots, as if he was giving them a tour of the realities of wartime.
"Every day the Fire Nation takes lives," He began with a glance over his shoulder at Aang. "These soldiers are the lucky ones. They came back."
Katara watched in dismay as a soldier nearby woke up screaming in pain. A nurse rushed over to the man's bedside, a woman perhaps only a few years older than herself in a blood-stained apron with long black hair twisted into a tight bun at the nape of her neck. She pulled back the bed sheets that covered him and winced at the sight of gangrene engulfing the man's foot, ankle and half of his shin.
"Doctor Chen," The nurse called out, "We have another case of severe gangrenous necrosis! We'll need to amputate." She tried to calm the screaming soldier, gently pushing him back down to the cot and placing a moist towelette over his forehead.
One of the doctors nearby set down his clipboard and rushed over, urging some other staff members to follow. Two men grabbed a stretcher and held it alongside the soldier's cot as they rolled him onto it.
Katara's stomach contracted and nausea clawed at her throat as she forced down bile at the thought of amputation. Her chest felt heavy and her whole body ached, as if she was able to feel just the tiniest hint of the collective pain in the room. She swallowed thickly, steeling herself once more as she reminded herself of her purpose; she was here to help and she needed to get it together if she was going to offer any respite to these soldiers.
"People are dying, Aang." The General continued. "And you might have the power to stop it now."
Katara and Aang were shocked into silence. They were both well aware of the war going on around them, tearing the Earth Kingdom apart, but neither of them had seen the front lines, nor witnessed first-hand the extent of the violence – the very real, agonizing human suffering that resulted from the conflict.
Daring a sidelong glance at her friend, she noted that Aang did not seem to be dealing with the situation any better than she; the airbender's face was a pallid shade of green and his hand was clasped over his mouth and nose, his brow deeply furrowed. She suddenly felt sorry for him, considering his tendency to sicken at even the sight and scent of meat, the ghastly scene unfolding around them was sure to traumatize him.
General Fong led them to the bedside of a soldier, a Captain based on the insignia stitched onto the tattered remains of his green tunic. A searing burn covered his shoulder and spread down his bicep where charred skin parted to reveal muscle underneath. The bedridden man forced a weak smile at the sight of the General.
"Avatar Aang, Katara, this is Captain Cheng," He introduced them.
Aang bowed with a strained expression, clearly attempting not to lose his breakfast.
Katara eyed the burn wound uneasily. Unbidden memories of her mother's burned flesh drifted before her vision and she bit her lip, forcing the images back into the recesses of her mind. This Captain had narrowly escaped her mother's fate, as long as the wound remained clean and didn't fester.
The General then turned to the bedridden Captain, placing a hand over his. "How are you?"
"Been better," The Captain muttered through gritted teeth.
"Katara here is a waterbender with healing abilities. She has offered to try heal some of our injured men. Would you be willing to let her heal your shoulder?"
His gaze shifted to Katara before nodding and closing his eyes. "Go for it."
"Um, I'll need some water," Katara stammered, scanning the room for a nurse.
The General called over one of the infirmary staff with a bowl of water and Katara wasted no time in coaxing the liquid to coat her hands and reaching for the Captain's shoulder.
"It might feel a little strange at first," She warned as her trembling hands began to glow a pale shade of blue. Upon contact, she could hear his pulse and feel the blood flowing through his veins as she lured the water into the wound.
General Fong and Aang watched intently as the flesh began to knit itself back together under her ministrations, eyes widening at the rate of healing that she was capable of.
"I've never seen anything like it," The General murmured as she eventually moved her hands away to reveal mottled scar tissue where the burnt flesh once was. Others had gathered around the bedside to watch as well – the nurse from earlier and two doctors.
Katara returned the water, darkened with blood and char, back to the bowl. The blackened water swirled within the confines of its vessel and she marveled at how she had been able to remove the damage that fire had caused, absorbing the pain with her own element. Reaching up, she wiped the sheen of perspiration from her forehead with the back of her hand; Healing was tiring work that required intense concentration and substantial control.
"That's amazing," The Captain examined his shoulder. "The pain has almost entirely disappeared. Thank you, Katara."
Her lips curled up in a solemn smile at the Captain's appreciation. "Be careful with it for the next couple days," She advised. "There might still be some soreness and internal scarring of the muscle. The damage was pretty deep."
"That is truly remarkable," One of the doctors commented, stepping forwards to examine her work. "Will you be joining us in the infirmary?"
"I would be happy to continue working in the infirmary while we're here," Katara turned to Aang whose greenish hue seemed to have subsided somewhat. She smiled again. It felt good to help. The notion that she could save others from a terrible fate surged through her veins, giving her a sense of purpose. She wouldn't forsake these soldiers. And, for the first time that day, she was happy that she had stayed at Fong's Fortress with Aang.
"Aang," The General interjected, turning to the airbender. "I considered your proposal regarding the resistance. If you will agree to try control the Avatar State, I would certainly be willing to coordinate with resistance forces. Together, we can overthrow the tyrannical regime of the Fire Lord, rid the Earth Kingdom of the Fire Nation occupation, and finally put an end to the death and destruction that this war has caused for the last hundred years. What do you say?"
Aang looked down to the ground then scanned the ward before shifting his gaze to Katara once more. Pursing his lips, he nodded, "I'll try to control the Avatar State. It's a deal."
What do you guys think of the first couple interactions between Zuko and Toph?
How about Katara and Aang's experiences at General Fong's Fortress? I really wanted to expand on the infirmary and kind of throw them into the harsh reality of the war, because they have managed to avoid the brunt of it thus far. Plus, a great opportunity for Katara to practice healing and we all know she can't resist helping people.
Please let me know what you think!
...
With love,
A Storm