Chapter Eleven: Bandit
Azula and Katara walk through a fishing village feeling defeated. They are dirty from traveling and almost entirely out of the supplies they took from the caravan. Starving, tired, bitter. It surrounds them like a suffocating shadow.
They have no leads on the flying boar or the third dragon mother.
Suddenly, Azula huffs and stops walking. Katara rolls her eyes as she turns to face her.
Azula crosses her arms and says sharply, "I'm afraid I've never been a peasant and therefore am not used to this quality of life that seems so fine and reasonable to you. I'm sure these beggars look like the Caldera elite to someone who was born in an igloo but I would prefer if we could find legitimate supplies for our walk to wherever that flying boar girl is."
"I'd like that too, but we don't have any money."
"Well, I'd shake down one of these ruffians but I doubt they own anything of value to take."
"We need work," says Katara bluntly.
Azula's eyes widen in disgust. "We need what?"
"Work. You know, honest assistance to others in exchange for money. I can see why you've never heard of it, being a little sheltered princess. I doubt you've ever had to lift a finger to feed yourself in your life."
Azula clenches her fists. But finally she exhales and unclenches them.
It is a quite desperate hour, she decides.
"Fine. We can ask around at the shops."
[X]
After walking for almost an hour, Azula complains, "We should be building an army, not wandering around asking about flying boars and scavenging for food."
"I have an idea for that. I think after we find the third dragon mother we should go to the North Pole. They have soldiers, proper weapons, talented benders, ships…"
"The Water Tribe will not take kindly to my presence."
"Azula, every single place we've been since that shipwreck hasn't taken kindly to your presence."
"I am loath to admit that you have a point."
Katara turns to yet another traveling merchant shop on a moderately sized ship.
"This shop looks neat. Let's ask if they need any jobs done."
They stride inside, wobbling slightly with the motion of the water under the boat. Inside, they find a treasure trove of rare items and sketchy characters selling them.
Pirates. It does not take much to figure that out.
The girls part ways, drawn to different trinkets than the other. They forget about their mission to find work, entranced.
Katara freezes when she sees a waterbending scroll about healing, the ability she lacks most.
"Ah," says one of the pirates, approaching her, "I see you eyeing one of our most prized pieces."
"Yes. It's beautiful." Katara hesitates. "How did you manage to get it?"
"It took five of our best men to kill the waterbender for it. He was a talented man."
Katara's eyes flash. Mizu stirs in her bag.
Kimiko alerts Azula subtly and the Fire Princess rushes to Katara, grabbing her by the arm.
"We're late for work. Come on," urges Azula.
Katara briefly struggles against her. Azula releases her when she realizes the attention she attracts. She shoots Katara a warning glance and starts to walk to the door.
Eventually, Katara swallows her anger and follows, but not before sliding the scroll into her shirt when the pirate is distracted by a far wealthier customer.
She runs.
"Did you cause a disturbance?" demands Azula.
Katara huffs and glares. "No."
Azula begins to breathe a sigh of relief before tensing up again when she sees what Katara is trying to conceal.
"Did you steal that?" hisses Azula.
"No! Yes. But don't lecture me; I've seen you kill people in cold blood."
"And now I'm going to have to kill many more people in cold blood to protect you and our dragons."
"I can't give it back."
"I agree."
"You agree?"
"Yes. It'll only spark repercussions if you reveal you stole from them. We need to get out of this town before they realize what you've done."
Katara tucks the scroll in close to Mizu in her bag and they hasten to escape the town.
[X]
Katara sneaks out in the night. She and Azula set up their meager camp on the river banks, shrouded by forest as protection. Katara takes the scroll and gently kisses Mizu on the forehead before leaving her behind to sleep snuggled with Kimiko and the Gold Dragon.
She walks a ways up the river before standing at the water and finding solitude and peace beneath the moonlight.
Slowly, and with careful breaths, she unrolls the scroll and begins practicing motions without water. Soon, she hopes she will add it in, and it will glow for once as she always hoped when she tried to heal animals her brother hunted.
She closes her eyes as she begins with the water, brushing it back and forth to start, and then attempting to make progress with the guidance of the scroll.
Katara is entirely rapt and focused.
Then a rough, foul smelling hand clamps over her mouth and strong arms yank her back.
Katara screams into the hand before biting down as hard as she can and pivoting to face eight pirates brandishing weapons. She calls the water from the river to her and begins to valiantly fight.
She is halfway through defeating them when suddenly a punch hits her from the smoky side. Her arm goes numb and the water it held falls with a splash. She spins but her other arm is hit, and then her gut.
Katara falls to the ground. Paralyzed.
She cries out for Azula and the dragons as the pirates begin to advance on her with lecherous eyes. But someone holds up a hand to stop them and strides forward.
Prince Zuko. He is accompanied, unsurprisingly, by Mai and Ty Lee.
He picks up the scroll and hands it to one of the pirates.
"Get out. My father's empire will compensate you for your services. Leave us."
A few begin to argue, but as he lights his palms with red flame, they all slowly disappear into the forest, walking back towards the village.
Katara stares up at the trio as Mai grabs her and drags her to a large nearby tree. She slides blades from her sleeves and pins Katara by the clothes.
Zuko advances on her and reaches his hands to her throat. She flinches, but all he does is tear off her necklace and hold it up to the moonlight to examine it.
Katara bares her teeth. "Give that back. Now."
"Why?" Zuko's eyes gleam. "Is it important?"
"It's all I have left of my mother and my family. Give it back or the moment I'm loose I will put your sister to shame in how I destroy you."
He examines the necklace. "You can have this and your life if you tell me where the dragons are. I don't even want to kill you. I'm not like my sister; I hate hurting people. You could go back to the Water Tribe, live a normal life. You're not of any interest to my father, but the dragons and my sister are."
"I would sooner die than reveal them. But they're coming for you. Azula will notice I'm gone and my dragon Mizu can sense when I'm in danger. They will do to you what they did to Zhao. Mark my words."
Zuko snorts and says, "That's exactly what we want."
Ty Lee pipes up, "Except the dying part."
"Right. They'll come for you and they'll be captured. They aren't a match for my father's power. Zhao was a pig, nothing more. I am a prince."
"No you aren't. You're a pretender. There are no princes left in this world. And soon there will be no emperors. It is the age of the Dragon Queens. And Azula is more powerful than you. I am more powerful than you. You'll fall with your father."
"So righteous and proud. You clearly think too highly of yourself and my sister. It's over, Katara. Give them up and I will let you go. Keep silent and you'll be taken with them."
"I don't believe you. I see it in your eyes. You just want me to betray her for your own satisfaction. Your selfishness will be your demise."
"And your overconfidence will be yours."
Katara opens her mouth to fight further but Azula bursts through the trees.
"Where are the dragons?" Katara demands as Ty Lee and Mai snap into fighting action.
"I hid them!"
"We need them!"
Azula lights her palms. "No, no we don't."
She launches into battle with Mai and Ty Lee, her former best friend and girlfriend. They hold back slightly. It is not too noticeable, but Azula has watched them in combat enough to know better. Azula, however, fights with all she has.
She tosses Mai back and scars her shoulder with a lick of flame. Mai collapses. Azula lights a bolt of lightning and Ty Lee freezes her mid-attempted-punch.
Azula slowly lowers her hand.
Zuko grabs Mai and lifts her onto his shoulders.
Azula takes her chance, ignoring Ty Lee. She kicks her brother to the ground. He barely pries Vomit rises in Katara's face as she hears his screams.
Ty Lee punches Azula in the arm, ending the disgusting display of power.
"We have to get him medical attention!" cries out Mai, showing emotion for the first time Katara has ever seen. "It's not worth it. We'll find the dragons later."
"No," murmurs Zuko. "Take them on."
Mai ignores him, helping him to his feet. Katara's lips part in disgust as she sees the blood pouring from his deeply burned face.
Azula runs to Katara in the distraction as Mai and Ty Lee bicker.
She pulls the knives out with her good arm.
They run into the night, racing nimbly as Ty Lee pursues them and Mai tries to find Zuko help.
Katara spins as Ty Lee approaches, doing a flip forward to land a punch.
She raises the mud and water from the rainfall entrenched in the ground and splashes Ty Lee, freezing her in place in cuffs of ice.
She grabs Azula and they run until they reach the hiding place of the dragons, and then keep running until dawn.
[X]
The next evening, after a long, exhausted trek through tangled woods in order to lose Zuko's potential trail on them, Katara and Azula sit at their small campfire having a meager dinner and watching their three dragons play with each other. Despite being so capable in battle, together they seem more like kittens learning to hunt.
Katara finishes yet another sentence about her pain at losing her mother's necklace and Azula suddenly snaps, throwing the last of her food into the fire in a fit of rage.
Katara's hands fly up to shield her face as the flames spurt.
Azula snaps, "You had a mother who loved you. You're lucky, so shut up about your necklace."
"Didn't you have one too?" asks Katara, cocking her head to the side.
"No. My own mother thought I was a monster." Azula swallows and tries to fix what she just let slip from her lips. So she shrugs and adds, "She was right, of course, but it still hurt."
Katara furrows her brow.
"What happened to her?"
"She opposed my father starting a Civil War. She left one night without saying goodbye."
"I'm sorry. Where do you think she is?"
"I like to think she's dead. It makes things easier."
"Easier than what?"
"Just easier. Leave it at that."
"It must be hard with your father being such a terrible person."
"He wasn't always. At least not to me. He was a good father to me until I became so powerful that he could only see me as a weapon, just like everyone else."
Katara pauses and stares at Azula for a moment with new eyes.
"You're proving all of them wrong. You're not a weapon. You're a person and I've never seen you even consider letting someone else use you or make your decisions for you."
"I don't need a passionate speech. I know that already. It's why I left my father and ran into you."
Katara laughs and smiles. "And she's back."
"What is that supposed to mean?" huffs Azula bitterly.
"We were having a heartfelt moment."
"No, we absolutely were not. I just wanted you to stop talking about that stupid necklace."
"Why do you have to make everything so difficult?" snaps Katara.
"Making your life harder satisfies me on a level nothing else could," Azula purrs, and Katara huffs. Azula sits down beside her. "Come on, admit it, sometimes you think I'm alright."
"Maybe occasionally. When you're not being the most despicable person I've ever met."
"Hm. Well, that's a start." Azula smirks.
Katara laughs.
[X]
As they lie down in a makeshift shelter, Katara turns to Azula.
"Do you think we'll hear from Roku again?" she whispers, toying with her weathered blanket.
"Maybe. Maybe not. Does it matter? He gave us our mission."
"I just want another vision. Another… something with meaning. I'm afraid."
"Why are you afraid?"
"I'm afraid we might be… we might be alone in this."
"We are not. The spirits, the dragons, Roku. Even if it weren't for them, Sozin's Comet is coming, and we have to stop my father and cousin."
"The visions made me believe we can do it. But what if we're overconfident?"
"Why is it so important to you to know if we can do it or not?"
Katara sighs. "I just want to know this crusade is based on something real. That it isn't just something in my head or in my heart."
Azula examines her for a moment. "People don't talk that way, you know?"
"I know. But they think that way."
They lie there in silence for a few moments.
Their gazes drift to each other's lips for a brief, embarrassing moment before they hastily roll over and try to sleep.
[X]
Azula wakes to Katara screaming and Mizu flapping her wings frantically. Kimiko and the Golden Dragon quickly follow suit.
"What is it?" shouts Azula. "What happened?"
She rubs her eyes and sees that Katara is struggling to stay on her feet and her leg is gushing blood. In one hand she holds a writhing spider-snake that Mizu insistently snaps at despite Katara trying to shoo her away.
"It bit me!"
"Well, put it down before it bites you again!"
Katara throws it and Mizu catches it in her jaws, quickly tearing it to shreds.
The waterbender sits down and Azula runs to kneel beside her and examine the bite.
It is already turning purple and the veins bulge and bleed. The marks around the bites are so swollen that Katara's leg is starting to look like more of a lump of flesh than a limb.
"Oh fuck, fuck, fuck," mutters Azula as Katara looks down at herself and shrieks. "Okay, I'll pack up camp and then we'll find help."
"Where?" asks Katara, eyes wide.
"Somewhere! Just give me a moment!" Azula hastens to pick up as Mizu nuzzles against Katara's wound and whimpers.
Once hastily packed, Azula grabs Katara and supports her as they rush through the woods with the dragons flying beside them.
They hurry, but Katara is fading fast.
"I think I see the netherworld. I'm losing it. This is my end. Oh spirits, it's so dark."
"Shut up. People who are dying don't whine so much about how they're dying!"
"Really?" gasps out Katara as she stumbles and Azula steadies her.
"I don't know! The people I've seen die usually die faster than you!"
"How reassuring!"
Katara blacks out before she can keep arguing.
[X]
She comes to in a cozy Earth Kingdom home lying on a healing table. She blinks twice to focus her eyes and then looks up to see Azula and a beautiful girl about their age hovering near her.
She opens her mouth to speak but stops when Mizu begins gently licking her face in delight.
"You showed her the dragons?" croaks Katara.
"I was too busy dragging you through the forest to hide them."
The girl interjects, "There have been a lot of rumors ever since that mine was liberated and that caravan was raided. People are all talking about two girls with dragons trying to rid the world of the Fire Nation oppression. I didn't believe them until I saw you. I'm Song."
"I'm Azula. This is Katara."
"Thank you for saving me. If I had anything to give you in return, I would," says Katara. "I guess we should go."
"The sun is starting to set," says the girl. "You and your…" She examines Katara and Azula for a moment. "Significant other-"
Azula scoffs. "Significant annoyance, actually."
"We're not together," says Katara flatly.
"Oh." Song shoots a soft smile at Katara that strikes Azula in the chest like an angry bolt of lightning. "Well, you're welcome to stay the night here. It's not safe to travel in the dark in this region."
Azula and Katara stare at each other for a moment before subtly nodding.
Katara says, "Thank you so much for your hospitality."
"You two are the freedom fighters and the hope we all needed here. Of course I'll lend you a room and a meal. It's the least I can do."
Song walks over and starts changing Katara's bandage.
[X]
After dinner, as Azula retires to bed with the dragons, Katara walks out to sit on the porch with Song. They sit softly, admiring the moon and stars.
"Does a flying boar mean anything to you?" abruptly asks Katara.
"A flying boar?" Song pauses to think. "They're popular symbols on shops and restaurants in Gaoling. I go there for healing supplies sometimes. Why? Is this a riddle or something?"
Katara blushes. "Oh, no. I was just curious."
"Thank you for all you've done," says Song. "The rumors about you two have brought something we haven't had in a long time. Hope."
Katara breathes in slowly through slightly parted lips. She gazes into Song's glistening eyes, at a loss for words.
Finally she says, "That's all I want to hear. I want to bring hope to the hopeless. Ozai reigns based on fear, and hope is the only thing stronger than fear."
"I never knew that until what I've seen in the past two weeks. Things are changing. I can feel it and see it." Song smiles.
She leans in slowly. Katara does not pull aways as Song kisses her on the lips.
Katara closes her eyes and begins to kiss her back before her breath catches her in her throat.
"I can't," Katara whispers, pulling away. "I'm sorry."
She rises and vanishes into the bedroom with her dragons and companion.
[X]
Just before dawn, Azula rouses Katara from a deep sleep.
Katara grumbles and forces her eyes open. Azula nods at her and Katara slips to her feet. She kisses Mizu on the forehead before helping her into her bag. Azula conceals the other two dragons before walking out of the room. Katara follows her.
They walk outside, assuming no one else is awake.
Azula grabs the reins of one of the two ostrich horses.
"What are you doing?" hisses Katara.
"Borrowing a ride. We need it more than them."
"Azula, these people helped us."
"They can help us a little more then." Azula mounts one.
Katara hesitates, her hand hovering by the ostrich horse. She does not think she can do this, but then she feels Mizu stir against her hip. She takes a deep breath and takes the ostrich horse to follow Azula.
Song watches from her window in silence as they ride away.
[X]
When Azula and Katara at last reach Gaoling, the first thing they see is a large wanted poster nailed to the gates. It is there for all to see, showing the plague of their city and the neighboring towns.
The Blind Bandit.
Her crimes are all against the Fire Nation and the reward for her capture is substantial.
"I think we have our first lead," says Azula.
"I do too."
"Let's not draw attention to ourselves."
"Yeah."
They walk for some time, holding the reins of the ostrich horses and taking care to keep the dragons hidden from sight.
Azula squeezes her eyes shut and sighs when she sees something she knows will set Katara off and reveal their presence. Why does this have to happen to her?
A slave auction. Beaten people bound in chains, so many of them that Katara feels ill. The wealthy make their bids as Katara slowly becomes angrier and angrier.
"This is abhorrent," whispers Katara. "We have to do something."
Azula rolls her eyes. "Slap a bandage on that bleeding heart. We're here to find the dragon mother, and we can't do that if we expose ourselves."
But Katara moves into action without saying a word. She lifts Mizu from her bag and tears the water from her canteen. Azula rolls her eyes and then shoots a bolt of lightning into the head of the auctioneer. He falls dead as Katara begins to throw daggers of ice.
The crowd screams and panics. Guards flood in and begin to fight with the girls.
Azula battles them as Katara runs to the slaves and frees them, guiding them to the gates and prying them open to help them escape, pleading for them to run as far as they can.
As Katara finally starts running back to help with the fight that now consumes more than just one city block, a guard hits Azula in the gut with the butt of his weapon. She stumbles back, fingers sparking. He moves to hit her with a blade before the ground erupts beneath them in a powerful earthquake.
Azula squints through the dust and sees an earthbender fighting with vast and remarkable power and talent. The three girls battle and battle until they make a clear path through the rising dust. Katara grabs Azula by the wrist as the earthbender disappears and the few remaining guards begin to pursue them.
"Remember when I said let's not draw attention to ourselves?" gasps out Azula as Katara tugs on her for the third time.
"Shut up and run!"
[X]
Azula finds herself in a vile place, albeit safe from the eyes and weapons of the city.
"The sewer. Such a great idea. What an wonderful new smell you've discovered."
"I think this is where that girl went! You know, the Blind Bandit! The one we're searching for!"
"You think that was the Blind Bandit? You think that was a good idea? You're just looking for justification for what you did."
"I won't apologize for freeing slaves." Katara crosses her arms.
They stand in the dim light at a stalemate for a few moments.
Then a gruff but youthful voice barks out, "You're brave. Idiots, but brave."
Both girls jump in reaction to the voice as the girl they have been searching for emerges from the shadows of the sewer.
"Who are you?" demands Azula.
"Toph Beifong, also known as the Blind Bandit. I already was planning a strike on the slave auction. Sucks you guys stole my thunder." Toph stands before them in the dim greenish light. Blind Bandit is an apt title; her eyes are milky and glossed over.
"How do you fight that well if you can't see?" asks Azula.
"Okay, rude. But fine, I'll tell you. I've been blind since I was born, but I've never had a problem seeing. I see with earthbending. I feel the vibrations and they give me a general image of what's around me," says Toph. "Now how about you tell me who you are? I'm guessing the girls everybody is talking about so much."
"I'm Katara, and this is Azula. Our dragons are Mizu and Kimiko. And this one…" Katara reaches into Azula's bag and removes the Golden Dragon. "I think is yours to name."
The Golden Dragon flies hastily to Toph. She jumps when the talons rest on her shoulder. The dragon brushes against her and then licks her face. Toph is as deeply moved as she has ever been as she feels an awakening in her.
Something dormant waking up inside of her and starting to consume her. It burns like fire, engulfs her like water, and is as strong and proud as the earth.
Toph takes a sharp breath and then pushes the dragon away.
It cries out in distress, but despite the tug in her stomach, Toph ignores it.
"What do you guys want with me?"
"Avatar Roku and the spirits themselves gave us a mission. We carry the strength of the souls that are gone because of the wars. Join us, and we will be unstoppable. We have to restore balance."
"None of that sounds like my problem," says Toph. "Why should I even help you?"
Katara replies with a faint frown, "Because it's the right thing to do."
"Do I seem like the kind of person who cares about the right thing to do? I'm not interested. Get out of the city and enjoy your suicide mission. I'm staying here."
"I've seen your earthbending. You're powerful. Haven't you ever wanted to do something more? To do something important with the strength you have?"
"Nope."
"We'll find another dragon mother."
"Azula!"
"Come on, Katara. I think we've overstayed our welcome."
[X]
As they escape the city through the sewers, Katara complains.
"We could've convinced her."
"No. Only her destiny will convince her. Trust me. She'll change her mind."
"Then we should've stayed."
"No. It would only make her more reluctant. Let's set up camp."
Katara begrudgingly agrees.
[X]
In the middle of the night, Azula and Katara both jolt awake at the sound of loud footsteps.
They emerge from their shelter and see Toph Beifong.
She looks different. Dazed. Entranced. Not anything like the stone cold warrior they met earlier.
"Changed your mind?" asks Azula coldly. Katara shoots her a glare.
"No. I just want the dragon."
"Why?"
"It's hard to explain. I just… I was meant to have her. I can't get her out of my head no matter what I punch. Hand her over and nobody has to get hurt."
"No chance," snarls Azula. "If you want her, you come with us."
Toph heaves a sigh and then slides out of fighting stance.
"I can't. I'm not going to fight a stupid war for you. I won't."
"You aren't fighting for us. You're fighting with us. We were a great team at that slave auction. We can stay a great team."
"Let me touch the dragon again, and I'll make up my mind."
Azula and Katara do not even have to touch the Golden Dragon for her to fly to Toph.
Toph feels every inch of the dragon at a glacial pace and then closes her eyes.
"What's your point in this fight? What do you want from it? What do you really want from me?"
"We've been honest from the start. We hope to bring both of those empires down."
"You hope?" demands the brusque blind girl.
Katara simply replies, "Rebellions are built on hope."
Toph strokes the Golden Dragon softly.
She purses her lips and then looks down.
She is ready to accept her destiny.