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Crime In The Nations
Katara's Journal
Entry 1: Dawn of Realization
Author's Note: Hey everyone! It's me. I know I have been MIA for a while. I've been sick. Anyways, most of you may have noticed that I deleted the Republic City High School story. I lost inspiration and honestly, I wanted to start a new story. This is another Modern AU but instead of drama and romance, it will be violence and mystery. Hope you guys enjoy it! There will be lemons and bad language in this story. Fantasy violence will also be included. So trigger warning, if you are a sensitive viewer, I suggest you don't read this story. I will be updating every Wednesday and Sunday. Those are my expected days. If you guys can please review, it will mean a lot to me. It helps me know what to change and what to write next. Suggestions are highly appreciated as well. Put your seat belts on, ladies and gentlemen… and enjoy the ride!
-kataangforeverrr21
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender nor any of its character. I do own the OC's though.
Long ago, a beautiful city thrived in the South Pole. It was made up of ice and snow, but it was a warm community. Everyone knew everyone. There were elected chieftains, a council, generals, an army, men, women, children, elders, water-benders, healers, criminals, fishermen, fabricators, police officers, warriors, and families. It was the Southern Water tribe.
It was a normal and happy day. Nothing out of the ordinary was supposed to happen. A day I barely remember. It's all a blur to me now. My brother and I were having a snowball fight with some of our Inuk friends. Black ash started pouring out of the sky, which was unusual since we lived far from any volcanoes or civilization, as a matter of fact. Sokka, my brother, took the kids and I to a hiding spot where we would be safe. My brother, being a warrior in training, ran to go see what was going on. I, being a disobedient daughter, hear screaming from my family's home, so I run there as fast as my small legs can take me. I didn't get there in time. I found my mother dead, in the middle of our family room where she would normally braid my hair. I called my dad and we put her body away for safekeeping.
After that day, the entire South Pole was evacuated. Most went into hiding, into small villages scattered across the Pole. Others packed their things and set off in a ship, to the United Republic Of Nations. That's what my family and I did.
TODAY...
My father was elected to be the head chieftain before we had to leave. We were planning on staying but the death of my mom overwhelmed my dad. He made a final decision and decided to continue our journey elsewhere. That meant him getting a full-time job in the new city. I had to grow up fast in order to take care of my family. With Gran-Gran's help, we stayed afloat in our finances and in society. However, I've always gotten this gut feeling in my stomach that my mother's death wasn't an accident. I don't know how to explain it but it's as if a connection to my mom is keeping me from moving on without knowing the full story.
So this is what this journal will be about.
Enough with the backstory, let's head on to the real story. My name is Katara Ayek. I am a 23 year old college drop out. I live with my brother in a small apartment in the suburbs. I am a waterbending master and a social reject. I work in a small coffee shop. That's actually where I am right now. I'm on my lunch break currently and this place is literal hell. I am a hard worker but customers are so mean sometimes.
"That's it! Lunch break is over, Katara. Get back over here!" Iroh, my manager yelled, as he went into the kitchen.
"I'm coming!" I sigh to myself. Just a few more hours to go, thankfully.
I put my apron back on and get to work. 2 hours later, I am about to start wiping tables, a tall man walks up behind me and says, "Excuse me ma'am."
I internally yell in frustration and turn around to meet eyes with someone I did not expect. It was a tall, young, lean man with the most gorgeous stormy gray eyes. He had shaggy loose brown hair with forgein light blue arrows going from his arm to his hand… I think. I couldn't see much because his clothing covered most of his body. I stood there absolutely amazed until I snapped out of it and cleared my throat. I noticed he was observing just as I was observing him. My face starts to heat up so fast that I thought my head would literally catch on fire. I clear my throat and speak up finally, "Yes? Um, what did you need?"
He blushed too, probably in embarrassment, and said, "Oh, sorry. I don't see anyone working at the cashier but I would like to order something…"
"Oh yea! That's my job but I was busy cleaning the tables… or I was about to, not that it's important information that you need see- uh know-" I stuttered so bad. I walk behind the counter, "Anyways, how may I take your order?"
He smiles, "What do you recommend?"
"Uh- I guess the mocha latte is really good." I am bewildered as to why he asked me.
"Oh great! Can I have one of those then and a chai matcha tea?"
"Sure! Coming right up." I say as I begin to prepare the coffees but not before I remember to ask the most important question in the coffee industry, "Who are these for?"
"Aang."
"Okay, perfect." I write down the name as I think deep and hard about that name. It's so unique but it has a nice ring. Doesn't sound like a familiar name though. He must be from another nation.
I finish preparing the coffees and call out his name so that he can pick them up, "For Aang?"
He walks up to the front and pays. He then grabs the coffees and hands one of them over to me. I look up completely befuddled, "Oh those are for you, sir…"
"Yeah, I know that but um- I bought this one for you actually…" He says while blushing. Ugh, only the spirits know how adorable and cute he looked right in that very moment.
"Oh… thank you!" I smile and blush at the same time. I don't know where the next words came from but I add, "Would you like to sit? My shift is over."
He smiles and nods. I put away my apron, collect my purse, and head over to the table to meet with Aang.
"So, your name is Katara?" He asks.
"How did you know?" I stupidly ask.
He sips on his tea and points out, "It said so on your name tag."
"Oh."
He chuckles, "Yeah. So, tell me about yourself?"
"Well… I'm from the Southern Water Tribe. I'm a water bender. And I work at a coffee shop. That's literally all!" We laugh.
"Ok but, I'm sure there is more to you."
"Probably, I just can't remember at the moment."
"That's probably it." He chuckles.
"So, what about you, handsome mysterious man?" I say in a flirtatious manner.
"Well, I'm an… earthbender. I'm a vegetarian. I work as a philanthropist. I like to play guitar and I like to… drink tea with pretty girls." He says in a playful tone.
"So, I'm not the first huh?"
"Nope."
We laugh and joke around for the rest of the afternoon learning more about each other. We sadly get interrupted when he gets a call.
"Hello? No… I have not checked that- I will do it later, I'm busy right now. Oh? Ok, I'll be there soon." He says over the phone.
"Look, I'm so sorry but I have to go. I have work things to deal with now." He says with a sigh.
I internally groan. I wanted to keep talking with him. Instead of seeming impatient, I calmly say, "It's ok. Can I have your number so that we can maybe continue this another day?" I surprised myself with the amount of bravery I let on.
He smiles widely, "Yes of course." He writes his name down on a napkin along with a phone number. "Call me whenever you want! It was nice meeting you, Katara."
Wow, I love the way he said my name… wait, why am I thinking this? We just met. Before going into panic mode, I shake my thoughts away, "It was nice meeting you too. Thank you for the coffee, by the way." We both get up. "Goodbye, Aang." He starts to leave but not before giving me a warm smile.
What is going on with me? My stomach has literal butterflies and my heart won't stop racing. I take 3… actually no, I take 8 deep breaths to calm myself down. Nothing seems to work. That is, until my brother called. I groan aloud way too loudly. I look around me hoping no one noticed. I proceed to answer my ringing phone, "Sokka. What now?"
"Where are you?!" He yells over the phone.
"I'm on my way home." I say to him as I get into my car.
"Ok, come soon! Suki is coming over and she is expecting food!"
"I don't know how that's my problem."
"There is no food!"
"Sokka…" I sigh. "Boy, just cook."
"But my cooking is the worst and you know it! Please just be a real woman and come home so that you can cook something up!"
That's it! "Sokka, why you little sexist bitch! If you are going to be like that, cook her your disgusting food and see how fast she dumps your ass. Or better yet, I will text her and tell her about your little comment. Then we will see what a real woman is when she beats your sorry ass with you ending up on the floor crying for HER merc-" I yell at him over the phone while trying to drive in a straight line.
"Okay okay! I'm so sorry. Please just help a brother out. I'm literally begging you."
"Fine. I'm 2 minutes away!"
"Thank you so much, best sister in the world! I love-"
I hung up on him. He can be extremely annoying sometimes. After arriving home and cooking dinner for my brother and his girlfriend, I called my best friend to come over. She makes it in less than 10 minutes. We get some snacks and head over to my room to watch a movie. I decided to tell her about the guy I met at the coffee shop.
"Damn Sugar Queen. So, was he cute?!" She says while playing Call Of Duty on my playstation that she bought me last Christmas. Honestly, I think she bought that playstation mainly for her when she comes over because I barely use it.
"You wouldn't believe it but he is extremely hot!" I fangirl over him as I remember his muscular face. I've never been so hooked over a man so this is new to me.
"Is he tall?!" Toph, my best friend, interrogates.
"Very." I answer with hearts in my eyes.
"Is he a bender?" She continues to ask.
"Yes… he is actually an earthbender."
"Wow, I love this guy already, If you don't ask him out, I will." She jokes around not so jokingly.
"Girl no! I just met him. If I do that then I will come on too strong and there will go my chances at love."
"Ok, at least text him! Did he give you his number?" She asks while killing another player as she continues to play Call Of Duty.
"Yes."
"Ok, then don't be a pussy and text him!" She exclaims.
I groan in embarrassment, "Fine! What should I say?"
She pauses for a second while slapping her forehead, "I don't know! You are the talented writer… not me!"
I roll my eyes at her and at myself. I take out my phone, unplug the charger, and type in his number into my contacts.
Hey! It's me, Katara. The girl from the coffee shop.
I press send hesitantly and whimper to myself. What if he thinks I'm desperate? What if I'm being weird? What if I'm-
My phone rings and I check it to see Aang has already responded.
Aang: The pretty Katara?
Me: No, the alien one.
Aang: Haha, hi Katara.
Me: So are you done with your work thing?
Aang: Eh… kinda. But I'd much rather be texting you :)
I giggle a bit too loudly. Wait, me? Giggling? I think I am an alien. Toph must have heard that unfamiliar sound considering the fact that she pauses her game and turns her head back at me.
"What did you do with Katara?!" She laughs and I join her.
Me: Aww how sweet. Little Aang wants to talk to me? Whaaat
Aang: Little?! I'm taller than you…
Me: Thank the spirits that you are, by the way ;)
Aang: Wow ok. Anyways, what are you doing
Me: I'm currently texting you and trying to make sure my friend kills only in the game and not in real life lol. You?
Aang: Sounds like you are having more fun than I am. I'm supposed to be taking care of that work thing but it's too boring.
Me: Aang the Philanthropist is bored of his job? Disgraceful
Aang: You are so funny ha ha.
Him and I continue to joke around with each other. I've always been rather serious so this newfound sense of humor seems different. He makes me smile and laugh. And I literally only met him hours ago.
A week later…
Aang and I have become closer with each passing minute we spend together. We met at the coffee shop again twice. I even visited his workplace once the other day. Today, we are at the library. He needed some help learning about the Fire Nation culture for one of his new projects and I volunteered to help him. I'm good at research, anyway. Also, if it means more time with him, then I will gladly do whatever it takes.
We research for hours. He seems to know a lot so subconsciously, I ask him a question I never planned on asking, "How much do you know about the Southern Water Tribe?"
Immediately, the aura in the room darkened and so did his features. "Oh… why do you want to know?"
Plan failed. I wanted to ask him without getting him into the details but it seems like he won't tell me unless I tell him. Hesitantly, I answered his question, "Remember how I told you yesterday about my mother's death… Well, I saw her body. She was burnt to death. Even though it was marked an accident, I don't think it was an accident."
He looks at me with worry in his eyes, "So, what are you saying?"
"I think my mother was murdered." He looks down, as if he knows something. "You know something… what is it?"
Aang looks into my eyes and seems as if he is about to speak but instead he says, "I can't tell you."
"Why not?" I ask.
"I don't know exactly what happened to your mother. But after months of research, I know a lot of things about the South Pole." He says as he grabs a journal out of his notebook. "Do you really want to know?"
"Yes! Aang, please tell me. I need to know what happened to my mom… please." I practically beg.
He hesitates for a few seconds and then surrenders, "Okay. When I did my research about the Water Tribe, I came across dark information. The day your mother died… was planned out. You were right, she was murdered." My eyes fill with tears but I motion for him to continue. "This is where everything gets bad."
"Long ago, before you were even born, the water tribe was raided. All of the water benders were captured and taken away to concentration camps. They were in search of the Avatar's reincarnation. They couldn't find the Avatar, so they stopped looking. But eventually, someone was paid off and they found out that there was one last remaining waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe." He stops his story and looks at me.
Realization dawns upon my face.
"Me."
"Yes, you. I don't know how or why your mother was killed but all I know is that they were searching for you. That's also why the South Pole was evacuated. Without a Chief elected, the people didn't know how to react. So they scattered across the world, seeking safety." He finished explaining.
"My mother was killed… but she wasn't a bender. My mother was killed... because they were looking for me. How am I still alive then?" I take out my journal and write it down. I look up at Aang with watery eyes. He holds my hand softly. All of the missing pieces click in my head.
"She told them that she was the last water bender."