Since Aang was training with Katara and Toph, I took the time to get some things from town using my own money. It took most of the morning and just as I was about to head back, I noticed Toph, Sokka and Aang at one of those gambling stands which were all a total scam. I blinked, staring at them for a second before moving off with a shrug. "Meh, they can take care of themselves." I returned to find Katara on her own, though she perked up when she saw me coming.
"Oh good you're back. Do I have mud on my anywhere?" She asked me as she turned around and I spotted some on the back of her skirt so I water bended some water onto her skirt, swishing it around before pulling the mud and the water off leaving her completely clean.
"You're good."
"Thanks, Toph and I got a little carried away during training."
"Really? Sounds like fun, I'm glad you two are enjoying yourselves." I said as I started to unpack some of the things I'd bought. "Appa! Momo! Bath time! Come on, I bought the soap you like. Don't complain Momo, I think you have fleas so you are definitely having a bath." I caught him before he could escape as Appa followed me over to the water as Katara continued with a tone of annoyance.
"Well, I wouldn't say we were having fun, exactly. Toph hit me with mud when she was aiming at Aang then wouldn't apologise for it so I splashed her back, then it just progressed from there. She can be so childish sometimes, it's infuriating!" Katara started to pace as I water bended Appa and Momo with plenty of water to soak them through before starting to work soap into Appa's fur whilst Momo played around. "I mean, she's a great earth bender and all but she never takes things seriously, and she never listens to me when I ask her to do something."
"Well, Toph is just twelve years old and this is the first time she's ever been in a situation where she can do whatever she wants without rules, restrictions and her parents breathing down her neck." I reasoned as I worked the soapy suds into Appa's fur as he growled happily, enjoying the feeling of being pampered. "Toph is just getting it all out of her system, and I'm sure she didn't mean to make you muddy on purpose. You know, mud can actually be very good for the skin since it's rich in nutrients."
"That doesn't make it okay. She can't act so immature all the time, eventually she's going to have to grow up." Sighing deeply, I paused in my work in order to look around at Katara.
"Katara, you and Toph are very different people. You had to step up and help take care of your family from a very young age. You're strong, responsible and very mature, you're a naturally very caring person and these are some of your best qualities, but try to think about things from Toph's point of view. She's never had freedom like you and I've had. Her parents wanted to keep her sheltered, tucked away for her entire life because they thought she was weak, whilst we know she's not. Let her do what she wants, and if she does something that puts her in trouble, we'll be there to help her out and then she'll learn from the mistake. Trust me."
"Well…maybe…but I'm still mad she threw mud at me!" Laughing lightly, I couldn't help but give Katara a look.
"I thought you were supposed to be the mature one of the bunch." Blushing slightly, Katara turned and stomped away, annoyed that I'd caught her out. Appa groaned so I hummed in agreement. "I know buddy. They all act like a bunch of kids sometimes. Looks like you and me are the only real sensible ones around Appa." Momo chittered at me insistently, jumping onto my shoulder whilst soaking wet and with bubbles on his ears. "You know very well you're one of the most immature ones here Momo, I know it's you who keeps on stealing my cookie stash." Guilty, Momo's ears flopped as he jumped back down and submerged himself in the water to hide.
Halfway through washing Appa, the others all returned with piles of things in their arms, including plenty of food which seemed to have come out of nowhere. "Where did you guys get the money to buy all this stuff?"
"Toph got us money. She scammed one of those guys in town who moves the shells around all sneaky-like." Aang explained with enthusiasm, grinning as Sokka continued as I let the soap settle in Appa's fur so I worked on Momo, sitting in the water with him on my lap to wash him clean and comb through his fur whilst it was wet to get rid of any unwanted bugs and critters I found before rinsing and water bending him dry. The moment he was done he leaped for freedom, flying away to investigate the new few parcels the guys had bought.
"She used earth bending to win the game. Classic!"
"Ah, so she cheated." Clearly not impressed, Katara folded her arms in disapproval.
"Hey, I only cheated because he was cheating. I cheated a cheater. What's wrong with that?" Toph argued logically, not caring about how the money was won so long as she ended up with the money. Personally, I saw nothing wrong with letting a scammer get a taste of his own medicine every once in a while.
"I'm just saying, this isn't something we should make a habit of doing."
"Why? Because it's fun, and you hate fun?" Working Katara up, I looked over to see Katara grabbing a freshly washed Momo and putting him on her head to wear like a hat.
"I don't hate fun." Momo just looked confused as Katara pointed at him with an awkward grin. "See? Fun." Rolling my eyes with an inward laugh, I began to rinse Appa off from all the soap and used the massive broom brush to smooth out his coat and rub his belly when he rolled over, cooing at him and giving him the five star treatment before water bending him dry as Aang gave an Avatar promise to Katara that they wouldn't make a habit of doing these scams.
"They're reckless and dangerous. Kayo! What do you think about all this? You agree with me right?" Katara turned to me for help as I bent the water out of my clothes to step out of the stream perfectly dry.
"Well, it's easy money and we need it, so I got no problems with it." I admitted as I dusted myself off. "It saves me having to save up coins dancing in the street for people, which gets exhausting sometimes when I have to do it every day, and this money is probably the money those cheaters scammed off other people, so what's the harm?" Katara's jaw dropped as Toph punched the air with a hoot. "Just promise me you three that you won't let yourselves get noticed too much. Don't draw attention and most importantly of all, don't get caught." I emphasised the last point with a grin. "You're only a loser if you get caught."
"Alright! Looks like you're outvoted Katara, four to one!" Toph celebrated, high fiving Sokka cheerfully.
"I mean it Toph!" I called to her as she started stomping around. "Usually when you set up a scam you circulate then skip town after a few days to avoid getting noticed. Don't stick to the same area and don't make it obvious what you're doing!" Much good my warnings did, since the kids just went wild the next day, and the day after that. They continued to get more money from their scams which only became more elaborate and obvious that they were cheating. They talked about them openly, and by the second or third day, I was totally on Katara's side.
"Guys, I think these scams have gone far enough. If you keep doing them, something bad is gonna happen." Katara warned them as she stood with her hands on her hips whilst I was making lunch for us all.
"Could you for once stop being such a sourpuss and just lighten up?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. You think I should be more like you? Like some wild child?" Katara and Toph started to argue between each other, the boys wisely keeping out of it as I groaned and looked at Appa who growled back in agreement. Toph was getting out of control, but it's not like we could ground her or send her to her room.
"Yeah, maybe. Maybe then, you'd see how great we have it. I mean, look at us. We're traveling around the world, making easy money, having fun, with no parents to tell us what to do." Catching on quickly to the root of the problem for Toph, Katara pulled at it like an elbow leech when it probably would have been best to just leave it alone.
"Ah, I see. You're acting like this because of your parents." Toph immediately shut down and went into denial over it all, though it was clear that Katara was right. "They were controlling over you, so you ran away, and now you act like your parents don't exist. You act like you hate them, but you don't. You just feel guilty."
"I do hate them!"
"I don't think so. I think you miss them. But you just don't want to deal with that, so instead, you act like this crazy person." Leaping to her feet to shout, Toph pointed with anger as Katara remained firmly rooted to the spot, unmoving in her position on the matter.
"Look. I ran away to help Aang!"
"You know what? It doesn't matter. These scams put us all at risk, and we don't need that. We've already got some third-eyed freak after us." At that moment, Sokka rather unhelpfully spoke up and interrupted the quarrel.
"Speaking of that third-eyed freak, I think I've come up with a name for him. What do you think of 'Sparky-Sparky Boom Man'?!" Sometimes I wondered about Sokka. Did he even hear himself sometimes? "Just think about it." Shaking it off, Katara turned back to Toph.
"We have enough money. You need to stop this!"
"I'll stop when I want to stop, and not when you tell me! Kayo! Tell her! Katara's hounding me and being a total wimp. Get her off my back!" For a kid who was angry at her parents and didn't want any authority figure around…why the heck did they all come crying to me all the time? This was so exhausting, I'm too young to be a mother and after spending time with these kids, I think I might not ever have any of my own.
"Toph, Katara's right. Now listen, I told you that these scams were fine so long as you were smart and careful about it, but you've allowed it to spiral out of control. Tricking bad guys are fine, but that thing you pulled with the merchant pretending to be hit by his carriage?" My eyes flashed and narrowed, and although Toph couldn't see my face, should could hear in my voice just how angry I was. "That was an absolutely disgusting prank and I am very unhappy about it. There is no honour in taking advantage of ordinary people. Those kind of scams stop. Immediately. No arguments about it. Aang! Sokka!" They both immediately stood to attention, looking slightly afraid as for once, I took the lead. "You two should know better. Aang, you're the Avatar, what would people say and think if they knew you scammed and tricked people like this? Sokka. You're the oldest one here. Be more responsible. Have I made myself clear?"
"Yes ma'am!"
"Good." Switching tunes just like that, I smiled at them. "Because if you don't rein it in, I'm not going to feed you. Ever. Again."
"What?! No way! But you make the best sticky dumplings I've ever tasted! And you make so many vegetarian things for me! I never knew vegetables could taste so good!" Aang wailed before promising he'd stop from now on as I twirled my spoon through my fingers and gave Katara a wink as she smiled at me gratefully.
"Well then, you know what to do. You guys can carry on having fun, just don't let me catch you causing any more trouble making money." Annoyed that I hadn't taken her side, Toph stormed off to be alone for a while so I left her to it. She'll come around, eventually she'll be hungry and want food and today I was making one of her favourites so she'd be back.
"Speaking of money, I'm off to spend some. See you guys later!" Sokka quickly bolted with a bag of cash so I clicked my tongue with a shake of my head.
"Honestly you guys. Seventeen is too young to be a mother to four kids. I hate being all crotchety and mad so don't make me yell at you again." I said to them all before they dispersed, allowing me to finish cooking in peace though Appa nudged me with a soft growl of understanding so I rubbed his fresh smelling face. "At least you don't cause me any worry Appa, you beautiful fluffy beauty." Licking my face affectionately I giggled then rubbed his face some more before announcing that food was ready. I served up to everyone, bringing food over to Toph and leaving it for her to eat whenever she felt like it, which didn't take long since she could smell it was her favourite.
I put some aside for Sokka and kept it warm in the pot until he got back, though he returned with a Fire Nation messenger bird on his shoulder and went directly over to Toph to talk about something. I couldn't hear what it was, so I just didn't pay attention, instead scolding Momo for rolling around in the dirt and getting himself muddy. "I made you all nice and clean just a short while ago and now look at you. Momo, sometimes I think you do these things just to hurt my feelings." I pretended to be upset, sniffing and wiping an imaginary tear from my eyes which immediately brought Momo flying up to my shoulder and licking my cheek to say his was sorry. "Ha! Got you!"
Spending the next half an hour chasing him in order to at least dust him off as well as keeping him from fighting Sokka's bird Hawky after Momo had spotted him and instantly started squabbling, I rather had fun messing around until I collapsed onto my bedroll to take a nap, exhausted. I woke up later in the afternoon, getting up and looking around at the sky to judge the time. I'd better get some food rustled up for dinner. Since the guys bought a lot of meat, maybe I'll barbeque it with a nice glaze with some side dishes. Ugh. My life has literally become nothing but cooking, washing clothes and babysitting.
"Well, look who decided to join us. Where have you two been? Off scamming again?" Katara demanded as Toph and Sokka came back with their arms full of money again. Just ignore it Kayo, we'll be leaving in a day or so anyway.
"Yes, we were."
"And I suppose you don't think what you're doing is dangerous at all?"
"No, I don't." Toph continued to respond curtly as Katara hassled her, clearly knowing something until finally she thrust out a piece of paper at Toph's face.
"Well then, what's this?"
"I don't know! I mean, seriously, what's with you people I'm blind!" Waving her hands in exasperation as Katara held out the paper at her, Katara then pulled it back with an irritated expression.
"It's a wanted poster of you. 'The Runaway'. Is that what you're called now? Are you proud of this?" Demanding to know where Katara got the poster, Katara attempted to dodge the question. "It doesn't matter where I got it. The fact is..."
"You went through my stuff! You had no right." My ears couldn't help but naturally pick up on the conversation. I mean, they were talking loud enough, it was pretty impossible not to hear it.
"Your stuff was messy, and I was just straightening up and I happened to stumble across it."
"That's a lie! You're lying, Katara."
"Fine! It's a lie. But you've been so out of control lately, I knew something was up. I knew you were hiding something, and you were." Knocking the poster out of Kaatara's hand with a rather accurate swing, Toph started to walk away in anger as Katara bristled indignantly. "Don't you walk away from me while I'm talking to you!"
"Oh, really mom? Or what are you going to do? Send me to my room?"
"I wish I could."
"Well, you can't. Because you're not my mom, and you're not their mom." By this point Aang had come to hide behind me, Sokka too like I was their last line of defence, and when Toph pointed at them behind me they squeaked and hid behind my shoulders as much as they could. Katara denied that she had ever said that she was their mother, their voices still raised and shouting at one another despite this being a small campsite. "No, but you certainly act like it. You think it's your job to boss everyone around, but it's not. You're just a regular kid like the rest of us, so stop acting like you can tell me what to do. I can do whatever I want!"
"I don't act that way." Looking around desperately for a second opinion, she honed in on her brother. "Sokka, do I act motherly?"
"Hey, I'm staying out of this one." Choosing the neutral ground, Sokka held up his hands to signal he wasn't going to take part before he hid behind me again for safety. These boys…I don't even know what to say about all this.
"What do you think, Aang? Do I act like a mom?"
"Well, I…" Unable to deny that Katara sometimes acted very motherly towards everyone, Aang awkwardly rubbed at his eye which only made Katara snap at him.
"Stop rubbing your eye and speak clearly when you talk!"
"Yes, ma'am." I looked at Aang over my shoulder with an arch of my eyebrow.
"Isn't the Avatar supposed to maintain peace and balance between all things? Want to have a try right now?"
"No thanks, girl fights are way out of the Avatar's league." He answered immediately which made me laugh as Toph and Katara yelled at each other that they couldn't stand being around the other before walking separate ways.
"Just let them cool off. They'll resolve things in the end, they just need to learn how to get on the same wavelength, you know? Once they figure each other out, everything will be fine." I told them calmly as I brushed more glaze over the meat I was cooking before scowling. "So you can stop behind me now. I'm not a shield." Chastened, the boys both left me to cook, talking together. I think they tried to resolve things between Katara and Toph themselves with Hawky, but ran into a few bumps so in the end, Sokka went to talk to Toph himself.
Once the food was prepped and cooking by itself I left it in order to go stretch a little, walking a bit from camp to forage for some things that I might be able to use for the food when Katara walked up to me in a very subdued manner. She was holding her arm against her and looking down meekly, as if something had happened to make her suddenly change her entire manner. "Katara?"
"Can we talk? I heard Toph and Sokka say some things, and…I just really need to talk with someone." Realising that she needed a friend, especially a female friend, I sat down on the grassy bank then patted the ground beside me to invite her to relax with me. "Thanks."
"It's okay, it's been a tense couple of days for us all. Tell me what's on your mind. What did you hear?"
"Well, Sokka and Toph were talking, I heard them say that even though I'm bossy and a little controlling, they didn't exactly mind it all that much. Not the bossy and controlling part, but something they said really got to me. I never knew this before, but Sokka said that he can't really remember our mother's face. That whenever he tried to think of her, he could only picture me because I'd taken up so much of the responsibilities after she was killed." Katara said, practically on the verge of tears as I started to pick flowers and make them into a crown as I listened.
"That must be hard for you both. I know how much I love my mother, and it's hard enough being separated from her right now and not knowing where she is in the world." I said, empathising with how Katara must be feeling. "It's painful, and I miss her a lot, I don't even know if she's actually alive or if she made it through the storm that separated us, but I can't even begin to imagine what it must have felt like for you two losing your mother when you were both still so young."
"It felt like it was impossible to just make it through a single day without her. Every time I opened my eyes I expected her to be there but then had to remember that she was gone." Katara sniffed, rubbing her eyes. "I had to keep on going, there was no one else to do it. Sokka was hopeless at chores, and Gran-Gran was already too old to be raising two kids all by herself and doing all the work. I guess it did make me a little motherly, but I can't help it sometimes. I'm used to taking care of people, but then Toph said that me being motherly wasn't entirely a bad thing." Katara told me, making me look at her to signal I was still listening. "She said that she knows that I care about her, and that's why I act the way I do, and it was more than even how much her own mom cares about her." I exhaled softly.
"Toph has talked to me a lot more about her parents than with any of you guys. I guess being the oldest girl here, that makes me seem wiser and more experienced, more approachable." I paused for a moment. "Ugh! Aang was right, I really am the wise old woman of the group." Katara giggled at that, smiling slightly as I continued to weave flowers into a crown. "Anyway, Toph's parents didn't seem to ever see her as a little girl, more like a precious doll that had to be put on a shelf and never touched to keep safe from breaking. It drove her crazy being suffocated like that, so you being maternal and fussy with her is probably something she's not used to, because when it comes from you, it genuinely comes from the heart."
"I guess I've been a little too harsh on her, huh?"
"Maybe, but you haven't exactly been wrong either. Listen Katara, we're all different here and not one of us is the same. Aang is optimistic and likes to see the best in people whilst his head is up in the clouds having fun all the time, Toph likes to run wild and free whilst she's also as stubborn and hard headed as a rock, Sokka is…special, I'm laid back and easy going, the go with the flow kind who likes to eat, nap, drink tea and have an easy life, whilst you are compassionate and want to help people in need, but you can also be a little too cautious and quick tempered when faced with immaturity which to kids, is just having fun and playing. Everybody has good and bad points about them, and that's not something you can blame them for."
"You're right. I should apologise to Toph somehow. What should I do?" Having finished my crown, I lifted it up then put it on Katara's head as she smiled, touched by the gift as I then flicked her lightly on the forehead.
"Toph won't want an apology, by now she's probably already come around. I think you should try to level with her, help her see that you do understand her and you're not trying to restrain her by being cautious." I said before grinning. "You should pull a scam with her. Just the one, and make it the last. That way, you'll both leave on a high note and you can think of it as bonding time."
"Pull a scam? I don't know, I might mess it up."
"Don't worry. You'll do fine. I think there's a rebel in you somewhere Katara, you just need to let her out of the cage you've been keeping her in." Getting up and brushing myself off from grass and petals, I held out my hand to help Katara to her feet. "You are only fourteen, you know. It's okay to act like a kid as well sometimes. I don't mind being the responsible one around here, I'll keep you kids from wrecking too much havoc." Giggling lightly, Katara gave me a hug to express her thanks for talking with her.
"I always feel better after talking to you."
"Hey, I'm just sorry I didn't have tea ready to offer. Advice always goes down better with tea. At least, that's what Uncle Iroh always said." My face fell instantly and Katara looked up to see my sad expression.
"You must miss him. You mention him from time to time, and he always sounds like a good person."
"He is. One of the best I know. I can't help but feel guilty that I left him behind back in Ba Sing Se. I should've…I should've tried to fight them off, helped him escape with us. Maybe then he could be here teaching Aang how to fire bend, then he'd be learning all four elements already." Placing her hand on my arm, Katara spoke firmly but softly.
"You mustn't blame yourself for what happened. I heard him telling you to go, he wanted you to be safe and escape, which meant he cared more about your freedom than his. Don't worry, when the time is right, we'll help you find him and free him wherever he is. I promise." Looking at Katara for a moment, I then laughed lightly.
"And now you're the one comforting me. What a pair we are. Come on, I think Sokka will probably cry if I let the meat burn. You go plan your scam with Toph, and make it the best of them all."
"Right!" Invigorated and full of energy, Katara strode back to camp as I followed after her a little more slowly, feeling that dull ache in my chest come back as I started thinking about Iroh and Zuko. I wonder where they were right now and what they were doing. I guess I don't need to be worried about Zuko, he's probably living it up in his palace with all the servants, fancy clothes and food he could ever want. He was never meant for the poor life, I remember all the times he complained about sleeping in the dirt. Still, it built character, though I guess it wasn't enough in the end. I just hope that he was content with his decision and had no regrets, otherwise, knowing him, he'd probably be torturing himself right now over it all, and I couldn't bring myself to want him to suffer like that. Not even after everything that happened.
Even now, I still wanted him to have everything he ever dreamed. To be happy. I just hope it was worth it.
