A/N. I know, It is Aang again, but I didn't really see how I could make a 4000 long chapter about Katara walking around in the Catacombs. But don't worry… Tomorrow is going to be the last chapter, from Katara's POV.
I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
The outer wall was on the horizon, and Aang felt fear around his heart. Having picked up Sokka, they had found Toph a day away from the city. Now, the next morning, they were finally arriving at the city…
"Tell me again. You saw a vision of Katara in chains, no?" Sokka asked for the millionth time…
"Yes." Aang said through gritted teeth. He had heard this question so many times the last twenty-four hours, that it began to irritate him.
"But why? Could it have been a spirit messing with you? One on the side of the Fire Nation, that doesn't want you to get to the full potential of an Avatar?"
The water tribe boy had already asked this. Several times.
"No. I'm sure of what happened. She is in danger." The airbender kept his eyes on the wall. He didn't want to talk. He wanted to find her, to find Katara.
"Meathead, leave the guy alone. He is eating himself up. Leave him." Toph interjected. She had explained to them how Master Wu and the guy from Earth Rumble had captured her, and how she had invented metalbending on the spot. If Aang wasn't this preoccupied with Katara's fate, he would be excited for the blind girl.
But his heart didn't permit it. It only let one feeling in. Fear.
"She's my sister!" Sokka objected, but not very strongly.
"Pathik made me open up this cosmic energy around us to access the Avatar State, and I had to let go of the one thing that holds me to the world! It showed me images of Katara in chains, somewhere in Ba Sing Se!" Aang answered the protest.
"The one thing that… Wait what?" Realization doomed on the tanned face, and the icy blue eyes went wide.
"Yay, Meathead has finally understood what was happening. Yay." Toph said sarcastically, holding her arms up in the air.
They passed the Outer Wall, and now, fields were racing underneath them.
"So, Aang… Katara binds you to the world?" Sokka's voice came hesitantly. The airbender groaned. This was not the moment for this kind of talk. And certainly not with him.
"Can we discuss… that… later?" He sighed, turning to the water tribe boy. In his eyes, Aang saw fear and desperation. If there was something that Sokka was afraid of, was his little sister getting hurt. And Aang could only share the feeling, maybe for other reasons. But they both cared deeply for her.
"You like her, don't you? That was why you wanted to talk to my dad… You asked him if you could… Spirits…"
"Sokka. I will talk about all this after. As I promised. But now, we need to save her." Aang really didn't want to talk about this.
"Wait, you went to talk to their dad? What did he say?" Toph asked, genuinely interested. The airbender groaned. Not now, not this. But yeah… As if he ever got something he wanted.
"No. He told me no." Aang sighed. He didn't care about what Hakoda said, but to say it out loud, it still hurt.
"But… why?" Sokka spoke suddenly. The airbender had thought the water tribe boy would be angry with him, or at least, would tease him. But there was only compassion in his voice.
"He doesn't know me. My job is too dangerous. I'm weird with my tattoos and half tunic! Who cares! It was no!" Aang answered, still keeping his gaze on the horizon, where, in the distance, the wall of the Lower Ring became visible.
"Oh… I'm sorry for you. I would have loved to see you try to flirt with Katara." Sokka smiled cautiously. Aang didn't say anything to that. It was not his place alone to tell him that they were long past that point. But it was not the appropriate time. At it was certainly not a good time to talk about the stone in his pocket…
Silence settled between them, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. Passing the walls, first of the Lower ring, then the Middle, and finally, the Upper Ring, the airbender saw the Palace. At least all seemed quiet. But he knew it wasn't. The fear in his heart was too great, too much. It was not possible to feel like this over a mistake. Katara was in danger. He knew it.
Landing Appa in the courtyard, he didn't even wait for the others. Jumping down, he began to run towards the throne room. The Earth King had to know something! This time, the guards didn't try to stop him. Good. If they had tried, he would have blown them to the Lower Ring. Nothing was important now. Only her.
Coming to a ragged halt in front of the throne, Aang saw a very confused Kuei sit there, with his pet bear next to him, looking over some scrolls.
"Avatar Aang? What are you doing here?" The man stood up, concern in his eyes.
"Where is Katara?" He didn't hello, or take the time to bow down, as etiquette would have asked of him. No. Nothing was important now. Behind him, he heard Toph and Sokka join him, both grunting and out of breath from having tried to follow him.
"Katara? She's fine. Several days ago, she had an appoitnement with the Council of Five, and then, she joined the Kysohi Warriors. They have given me a scroll from her, with the plans of the Invasion." The king waved at the scroll he had been reading before they had arrived.
"See Aang, nothing to worry about!" Sokka tried to sound casual, but the airbender heard the hesitation, "They are probably at the apartment or our house…"
"Yeah… maybe you are right." It didn't feel alright. His vision had been so realistic… It was real, it had to be.
"Trust me Avatar, if there was any danger, Bosco would sniff it out. He has the instincts of a cat-fox." Kuei smiled, scratching the bear behind his ear.
Aang wasn't going to trust the instincts of that pampered bear! Turning around, he didn't even bow to the king, and began to run to the apartment they had been given. Katara had said she would stay in the Palace, and if she met up with Suki, maybe go back to the house in the Upper Ring.
Opening the doors, the first thing Aang saw the door of the waterbender's room standing wide open. Quickly moving to it, he observed the room, silent and empty? There was only his chest, standing in a corner. Picking it up, he walked back to the door where Sokka and Toph stood, still panting.
"Spirits, Aang, calm down. I'm sure there is nothing! If someone was in danger, the guards or the king would know." The water tribe boy said, but the airbender heard the strange tone. Yeah, Sokka was trying to convince himself!
"No! Let's go to the house, I know there is something wrong!" Aang wanted to run away again but was quickly grabbed by Toph.
"Calm down Twinkletoes. We all worry about her, but you, running around, that doesn't help her. We are going to the house, together." The blind girls spoke, gently. It surprised the airbender each time.
"I know… I just… I can't…"
"I know Aang." Toph answered, and Sokka didn't say anything just look sympathetically at him. Walking slowly next to the others, they made their way out of the Palace, and into the streets.
Making him walk with the others was a bad idea. It left him time to think… What would he do if something had really happened to Katara? Spirits… he didn't want to imagine it. If she was dead, Aang knew perfectly what would happen. He would raise this city and everyone standing in his way against the person who had done that. And that wouldn't be the Avatar State. That would only be his wrath. If she had been hurt… Well, airbenders had always been pacifists. But if it meant taking revenge on the one who had done that? Oh, then he would.
"Aang." A firm hand gripped around his arm, and the airbender looked up. Oh, they were here. He had not even looked up, just too consumed by his thoughts.
The part that Toph had blown up was being repaired, but the wall was still open… No one could live here, even just to visit. Of course, she wasn't going to be here… As they entered, Aang heard a loud chittering, and Momo came flying to him. A sense of relief flowed through him. If his lemur was here, then Katara had to be here! She had to be!
But the rooms were quiet and abandoned. Aang stepped inside the room that he and Katara had secretly shared. Where was she… There was no way he could find her in this city. Finding Appa had been next to impossible… But finding a woman, in a city of six million? That was just not doable.
"Hey, Aang! Why does it look like your room has not been touched?" Sokka suddenly called from the other side of the corridor.
Shit.
"I don't own anything! And I was taught to make my bed in the mornings!" The airbender quickly answered. Sokka knew he liked Katara now. But that didn't mean he had to know about the fact he had been spending several nights in her arms here…
Rather rapidly, Aang, moved back to the living room, where Toph stood, grinning.
"Nice save Twinkles."
"Please don't say anything about that!" He pleaded. They had enough problems as it was.
Sokka joined them, just shaking his head. The airbender saw the look of fear in the older boy's eyes. This was really not good… None of their living quarters showed signs of occupations, and no one seemed to know where Katara was… This was not good…
"There is someone at the door!" the blind girl suddenly announced with a grin on her face.
Katara, please let it be her, and Suki. Let my fears just be some weird vision that I had in the Avatar State… Please Spirits. I'll do anything.
A soft knock could be heard on the wooden door… Katara wouldn't knock. It wasn't her… But… Who was it then?
Toph moved towards the door, opening it. Aang turned around, and saw the last person he had been expected. Prince Iroh of the Fire Nation.
If he was here, so was Zuko! And wherever he was… trouble would follow! Of course! They had captured Katara, and were now trying to make him give himself up in exchange for her. They had tried it once before, and it had worked. So why not now?
"Where is she?" He immediately stepped towards the old man. Pushing Toph away, he pointed his staff in the wrinkled face. The man looked… prosperous. How? Just several weeks ago, he had been an unwashed, badly trimmed man on the run, on the run from his own brother! And now, he looked like any wealthy man from the Upper Ring. Spirits that man was a genius.
"Please, Avatar… I need your help." Iroh bowed his head politely, before going down on his knees, "I know you have no reason to help me… But I implore you. Help me."
"How do you know him?" Sokka screeched.
"Oh, I met him in the woods, knocked him down. Then he gave me some tea and some very good advice." Toph explained. Well… If she trusted the prince… Aang trusted Toph, and that was enough. And the man seemed really distressed.
"May I come in?" Iroh asked, still on his knees. The airbender nodded, and the old man stood up. Aang was surprised by the fact that he didn't groan, or held a hand to his back. Any man of his age would feel back pain…
As the door closed behind him, the old man turned, and looked at him. Not at Toph, not at Sokka. At him. With such intensity that Aang had to take a step back. He had always thought that Iroh was a rather silly old man. He had not believed the stories about The Dragon of the West, the scourge of the Earth Kingdom. But the fool was gone, and in its place stood a man who had seen battle, commanded it, fought in it. In front of them stood the real Iroh. And the foolish one was completely gone.
"Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se." Even his voice sounded different. There was no gentle tone in it, only pure iron.
"She must have Katara!" Of course! Of course! It had to be like that! Katara wouldn't have gone down without a fight, and she more than a match against Zuko! Only Azula, with that chi blocking girl, would be capable of capturing the waterbender!
"She has captured my nephew just a few hours ago." Iroh spoke, and for the first time that day, Aang saw the look in those ember eyes soften.
"Then we will work together to fight Azula. And save Katara… and Zuko." He didn't care. He would work with Fire Lord Ozai, Azulon and even Sozin if it meant saving Katara.
Sokka took a few steps, to stand between Aang and the prince.
"You lost me at Zuko. We are really going to help him?"
"I know how you must feel about my nephew! But believe me when I tell you there is good inside him!" Iroh grabbed both of Sokka forearms. Aang was actually surprised. He didn't know if Iroh knew, but in the Water tribe, such a gesture was meant as a sign of respect and loyalty. It was meant to be given to people that they trusted.
Sokka's eyes had also widened, and he quickly took a step back, making the man release him.
"Why don't you come back when it's outside him too?"
Whoa, wait a minute!
"Sokka! Katara is in trouble, and the whole of Ba Sing Se is if Azula is here in the city!" Aang quickly interjected. That made the hard look in the ice blue eyes soften considerably.
The water tribe warrior just nodded.
"I brought someone along who might be able to help us." Iroh spoke, smiling. But not a nice smile. This was an I will burn this city to the ground before anyone hurts Zuko smile. Walking past him, Aang felt a heat radiating from the man.
Iroh opened the door, and gestured to a dark corner of their terrace. In the shadow sat a man, bound and gagged. In a very distinct uniform… Dai Li! Spirits, had Iroh… captured a Dai Li agent? Toph stood net to the old man, and bent two slabs out of the ground, effectively pushing the man in the dark green uniform up, in a standing position.
Iroh pulled the gag out of the man's mouth. And for some reason, the agent looked terrified. Well, it was quite imaginable. In front of him stood three of the four people who had dismantled their organization, and the Dragon of the West. In his place, Aang would be pissing his pants too.
"Azula and Long Feng are working together! They are plotting a coup against the king!" The man spoke quickly, and, glancing at Toph, he saw her nod. He didn't lie.
"And my sister? Where are they keeping Katara?" Sokka pointed a knife to the man's face. And for once, Aang didn't stop him.
"I-In the Crystal Catacombs, deep beneath the Palace!"
That was all they needed to know. Relief flooded through Aang's veins. She was alive! It was not in vain. He had not come back, and sacrificed the Avatar State, for nothing!
They didn't even need to talk to each other, the whole group just turned and ran towards the courtyard of the Earth King's Palace. Behind him, he heard the loud crashing of Appa, following them on foot.
"What do you know! There is a whole city underneath this thing!" Toph exclaimed, stopping and stomping her foot down. A part of the courtyard crashed down, and a tunnel appeared.
"We… we should split up." Sokka said suddenly, and sounded pained, "I hate to say it… But against Azula and Dai Li, I won't be much use. So, I'll take Toph and warn the Earth King concerning the coup. And… Iroh and Aang should go look for an angry jerk. And for my sister."
At the last part, Sokka looked at Aang. The water tribe boy fixed him.
"Take Appa and Momo with you." Aang spoke softly to Toph, who turned and walked several yards away. And gestured to Iroh to come with her, for a moment.
When they were out of earshot, Aang turned back to Sokka, who held up a hand. Before speaking.
"Aang, please… bring her back. I couldn't live without her. She… She is everything to me. Katara… she may be annoying sometimes, overbearing… But she is my little sister. " The older boy spoke softly to him.
"Sokka, listen to me. You know I went to your dad… I asked if I could court her, and he said no. But that doesn't change the fact that… that I love her. With everything I have, or am. I am completely lost, Katara is everything to me. I will save her, and I don't care about the cost." Aan answered, grabbing the older boy's forearm in his hand.
"I know you won't stop. That is why I asked you to go with Iroh. You would do anything for her. Even make stupid flower necklaces." Sokka grinned through unshed tears.
"Hey, my flower necklace was perfect!" Aang chuckled.
"Yeah, yeah. Go on, save her. And I will talk to my dad. Even if it was only to see you fail utterly." Sokka gently jabbed his elbow in the airbender's ribs.
Yeah… about that.
Not now. Not a good moment.
Sokka nodded, then joined Toph, grabbing her arm and moving to the Palace, followed by Momo and Appa.
"So… you named your bison friend?" Iroh's voice sounded from behind him.
Wait what?
Turning in utter surprise, Aang realized… Iroh had not spoken in the common language of the Earth Kingdom, or the dialect of the Fire Nation… He had spoken to him… in the Air Nomad's language.
"You can speak my language?" Aang asked, downright shocked. How did a Fire Nation prince… Know his language?
"Yes, I do. But I suppose I have a horrible accent. Not very easy to learn if there is no counterpart who speaks it perfectly. So, I apologize for my barbarous tongue." Iroh bowed, and Aang was shocked all anew. The man bowed in the traditional Air Nomad style…
Who was this guy?
"And I also apologize… profusely, for the crimes of my grandfather. I am so, so sorry for what happened to your people." Iroh spoke, still bowing.
"You… You don't need to apologize. That was not of your doing." Aang was shaken to his core. Only Katara had taken the time to learn his language… And now, he was having a conversation with someone… in the language of his youth.
"We need to go." Iroh spoke, standing up. Aang just nodded, still dumbfounded. Making their way inside the tunnel, the firebender lit a small fire in his hand, and Aang removed blocks in their path. From time to time, walking in silence, the airbender glanced at Iroh, and remarked how the fire in his hand wasn't… well, fiery.
The fire in the old man's hand was bright orange, with touches of red, yellow and blue in it. It looked… alive.
"How do you do that?" Aang suddenly asked. He didn't know why he asked it, but he did. In his own language.
"What?" Iroh spoke softly, then apparently followed his gaze and chuckled, "Oh, yes… Well, that is a tale for another time."
"Toph said you give good advice… and tea!" This man spoke his language, and actually sounded and looked… wise. He didn't seem to destroy everything. He rather… respected other people… so, maybe, he would be capable of helping?
"The key to both is proper aging." Iroh chuckled, "what is on your mind?"
"Well… I met up with this Guru, who was supposed to help me master the Avatar State. But to do it, I had to let go of someone I… love." Aang sighed. It was so weird to talk to his enemies about this… Then again, he didn't want to have enemies. And Iroh certainly didn't act like one at the moment.
"Perfection and power are overrated. I think you are very wise to choose happiness and love." The man smiled, and the fire in his hand flared up a bit, a bright orange.
The airbender sighed in relief. Finally… Someone agreed.
"What happens if we can't beat Azula, and save everyone? Without the Avatar State… What if I'm not powerful enough?"
"I don't know the answer to that. Sometimes, life is like this dark tunnel… You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but… if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place."
At that, Aang bent a part of the tunnel away, and light greeted them. Greenish lights from crystals.
The Catacombs!
I'm coming Katara. I promise you.
Answers :
Chinmay : Yeah, next chapter will be the last, and I will take a break for a few days, and publish the first chapter of the Flowers of Summer after that! For book 3, you'll have to see! It will be cool!
Jjsmith103: And… dive. Yeah, here it comes. Aang would never choose anything abover her, some may say he is a simp, but I find it utterly good from him! Thanks for the review!