Hey, thanks for the reviews my friends! In response to Aang's disturbing text dump, all I can say is wait for it.
I wanted to give a special shout-out to Ashley Barbosa. You are such a supportive reviewer, and not just to me. I noticed that you regularly review most of the ATLA fanfiction, and that your words are always so kind. I can tell you are just a delightful person. Thanks!
CH 7 | Life is a Carnival Ride
"Alright, ya'll. Bottoms up for Katara. Officially, welcome to the gang!" They clinked their shot glasses together (all except for Toph, who "accidentally" clinked it into Sokka's face.) and headed down the hill towards the bay. The sun was setting, illuminating vibrant pink and creamy clouds over the dark, icy sea and Katara once again found herself in awe of the sheer size of the city. Back home they had streetlights too, but only on the single thoroughfare that formed the "Main Street." Most houses were still snow insulated (most other building materials simply can't stand up to the constant moisture and cold) and oil lamps were still the most practical form of lighting. Contrastingly, many of the streets leading down to the Bayside carnival sported twinkling lights for pure decoration as opposed to practicability. It was wonderous to behold.
That said, there were enough precautions taken by the group for Katara to recognize exactly what Sokka meant when he told her "Things are very different in Yu Dao". For starters, the carnival as a public event required adherence to the Fire Nation dress code—no "colonized" colors. As such, the group found themselves sporting red and black and browns. This included Aang sporting his black beanie from earlier to hide his most prominent arrow tattoo, and Katara needing to borrow a red shirt from Toph, which proved to be hilariously challenging.
"Do I have red clothes?" Toph wondered.
Toph being shorter and more petite than Katara, the borrowed camisole stopped above her navel, so Katara decided to pair it with a pair of high-rise jeans and black wedge-sandals. She also helped Toph fashion a prototypical Fire Nation topknot.
"It's a TOPH-knot! Geddit!?" Sokka joked to a silent room.
"No one encourage him." Aang said seriously.
The square was bustling, and the gang fell into a line for entry. Aang and Katara's conversation flowed like water, with barely space between where one finished a sentence and the other responded.
"—which is why my thesis focuses more on the habitat restoration than it does the breeding programs—" Aang was explaining his grad work in wildlife conservation "—and that plays out with your funding goals anyways, because you can partner with the breeding program at the Southern Air Temple." Katara finished for him. "Exactly!"
"Your sister sure is laying on the sugar…" Toph crowed into Sokka's ear. "Are you making a face at me?" she added after a moment of Sokka's silence where he deadpanned at her dryly. "Because…. really?"
"What about you—I'm assuming you're partnering in the water bender healer program for Vet Med?" Aang asked, discovering the first bump in the conversation. "No. I don't do that anymore. Non-bending laparoscopy only." Katara said in a tone that warned not to ask why. "Oh." Was all Aang could really remark in reply.
After taking a circuit around the carnival grounds, the gang settled on a group meal of hot breads—a large pan of thin-layered phillo stuffed full of spicy potato and peppers. The conversation turned to the impending quarter. "I'm actually just filling out the last of my core, then I'm home free" Sokka bragged. "All the more reason to secure an internship this year" Katara chided gently. At that Sokka answered a buzzing text notice.
"Okay. Guys. I have a…friend…showing up. Aang-DAMMIT—sit down." Sokka pointed an imperious finger towards the airbender who was already hopping on the balls of his feet and arranging his face into a mischievous grin.
"She's skittish. Do NOT say anything about recognizing her, even if you do! Please do this for me." Toph leaned back in her chair, seeming to share Aang's devilish glee. "I don't know Sokka…that seems like a lot of work. I'm very good with faces."
Katara was already assuming a hands-on-hips lecture-bending stance. "Who is it Sokka?"
Sokka shoved his hands deep in his pockets and looked up to the sky. "She's…sort of…. a professor."
"SOKKA."
"You DOG."
"GUYS" Sokka interrupted loudly as Suki approached. "This is my friend—" "Suyin!" Suki blurted out. Sokka wanted to facepalm when he took note of Suki's attire. A baseball cap, dark sunglasses and a full-length black trench coat. "Suyin…" Sokka said in undertone, "this is the gang—Aang, Toph, and my sister Katara"
Once the group resumed their prowl, Sokka leaned over into her ear. "Really, Suyin? You look like a noir detective." "I just panicked okay." She whispered feverishly.
Aang and Katara floated shoulder to shoulder, still chatting animatedly until Aang noticed an open dance floor. "Silent Disco!" he rejoiced and grabbed Katara's hand. "A wha-?" she asked. "Silent Disco!" Aang said pointing at everyone dancing, though no music accounted for everyone's shared beat. "You take a pair of headphones" he explained while grabbing them both a pair, "and then you can both hear the same music!"
[If you would like to hear what Aang and Katara hear while dancing, play "Slow Hands" by Niall Horan and "Shallow" by Lady Gaga.]
Sokka, "Suyin", and Toph chose to lean against the wall on the outskirts of the dance floor. "So…Suyin what year are you? What do you study, and how did you and Sokka meet?" Toph began wickedly. Sokka gave her a death glare that he forgot she couldn't see.
Aang kept Katara in peals of laughter as they danced. First it was because of his comically wide smile, but then because she realized that there wasn't a dance move he could seem to execute that wasn't a century old. He performed the Charleston and it seemed in earnest, not in jest. Likewise, Aang drank in how spirit-like Katara became while swinging about, allowing her hair to twirl around her shoulders in a chocolate halo. Seeing her squeeze her joy-laden eyes shut as she laughed and allowed him to spin her again stirred butterflies straight through his stomach and into his soul. She was beautiful, and kind, and funny. He knew that he would do anything in the world to keep that smile on her face. It had been a very long time since he felt like this—like maybe there was some hope for peace in his life, for love and even for redemption.
The music slowed and they came together, still giggling. Aang led her in a steady two-step, swirling on the spot with a formality completely at odds with their demeanor and nearness. Katara, who had already abandoned her normally guarded affections back when she was bottle-feeding Momo, leaned in so that she could lock his eyes completely.
I like you she mouthed.
I like you too! He mouthed back with feigned drama, as though the admission was a surprise. They laughed harder and leaned in for a hug, then a kiss…
Their lips never met. Katara felt herself shoved with a hard finger to the chest and when she opened her eyes, she was face-to-face with a fiery woman her age. She was speaking to her in what was clearly an angry and threatening tone, though Katara had no idea what was said on account of the headphones. With shining auburn hair, golden eyes, and pouty lips, the woman would be pretty were it not for the meanness of her gaze and the deep creases of her well-practiced frown.
Katara made to remove her headphones still a bit confused as both Sokka and Toph made to stand in between the woman and her on the dance floor. Aang too had positioned himself in front of her in a sort of surrender pose. "—lucky I don't snuff her out right here on this dance floor." Was the last piece Katara was able to catch. "Let's go talk" Aang said, and allowed himself to be ushered away, the woman's clawed fingertips fastened securely on his upper arm.
Katara didn't need to ask what had happened. The dissolving bottom of her stomach already told her the story. Instead, she asked Sokka "who is that?"
Sokka bored holes into the back of Aang;s head.
"That" he said, "is Azula."