A/N. Had some problems with writing, then several things happened at once, and I really hadn't the time to write, but I'm back!
I don't own Avatar the Last airbender !
They had spent two days on Roku's Island. Two days of wandering the barren rock, because Sokka had thought it was a good hiding spot from the metal attacker. And indeed, they had not seen the man during those days. But the downside was zero privacy. Her brother had been unwavering about staying together in case their attacker kidnapped one of them. Well, that was all very well… But Katara had hated the fact that bathing had not been possible. She had thought to ask Toph to bend a small wall in front of the water but had not done so when some ships passed in the distance… Spirits, that could have been embarrassing.
That had also meant that there had been no private talks with Aang… That was also a problem for her. Their planned night had been very rudely interrupted by the metal man. And they had not yet told the others… because it was just not the right timing! Irritation had settled between her friends during their two days' stay on the island. When Aang had woken up from the Spirit World, there had been sweet discussions about friendships… But hunger, dirtiness and the hot sun hadn't helped.
The supplies that Piandao had given them, they had abandoned them while fleeing from their attacker… And the Fire Nations summer that Aang had warned them about was settling in full force. Katara was not used to these kinds of temperatures, and neither was Sokka… So, that didn't help.
After two days, they had decided to go to the nearest island with people on it, because their situation was untenable. They had eaten the last of the little rice they had, and the fish that Sokka had caught was not suitable for Aang.
So… They had gone to the town nearest to them. Actually, Aang knew it, and he had begun to explain about North Chung-Ling. Apparently, it was under the influence of a clan, the Keohso's. The airbender had told them several stories about Kuruk and Kyoshi, who had been known to visit the city.
When they had arrived and found a hidden plateau in the hills, Katara had gone to the shepherd they had seen while flying towards their camp. She had asked him about the island, saying that she was a visitor from the outer islands. And what he had told her… Well, it didn't sound good. The city on the northern side, Chung-Ling, had changed quite a bit. The city, an hour-long walk away from them, was now Fire Fountain City, and a large industrial centre for the war effort. It produced all the chemicals used for the tanks and the bombs the army used.
Well, wasn't that peachy.
First town they found, and it was the place that was surely crawling with guards.
Returning to the others with this information, it had only been around noon, so they decided to visit the town. Katara let Sokka and Toph lead the way, and hung back a bit with Aang, just out of earshot.
"Finally… Maybe some peace!" She muttered, thinking that now that they were back at a place with enough people around them, they would maybe be some laxer about safety.
"Let's hope so… I really need a bath." Aang groaned next to her, closing his eyes, probably thinking about cool water around him in this blazing sun… And he wasn't wrong… As much as she loved him, the fact that they had not had enough privacy to bathe had really begun to take its toll. He stank. As she did probably.
"Yeah, me too!" She exclaimed, making sure not to speak loud enough to attract the attention of the others.
"Well… Maybe… If Sokka's is going to be a little bit more lenient… We could do that…" The way he drew out that sentence made Katara think he was saying less than he actually wanted to.
"We?" She asked, feeling a little rush of blood go towards her cheeks, but at the same time, the fire in her stomach flared up that idea.
"Well, you know… if… if we can… And if there is a suitable place…" Aang stuttered his way through the sentence, with red cheeks and a shy smile.
"Come on lovebirds! You can excite each other later!" Toph shouted from the front, turning around and grinning in their direction.
No! no! Katara was done! The blind girl didn't stop teasing her and Aang, and it was enough!
"Oh shut up!" The waterbender spoke harshly. She had just had enough of Toph Bei Fong! Even if the girl sometimes did something nice, that didn't give her the right to tease them. What, tease? No, this was bordering plain bullying! Toph would surely go on to blackmail her if she knew what they had been doing exactly!
"Alright, stop it!" Sokka voice stopped Toph from answering, and Katara felt the airbender's hand around her own, gently caressing her palm with his thumb. Inhaling softly, and exhaling, Katara counted to ten, just as her Gran Gran had taught her when dealing with Sokka's… sexist episode, when he was around sixteen.
They passed the gates of the city, and Katara couldn't help but forget her anger directed towards Toph, and instead, felt immediate concern. Too many guards! Too many soldiers and ruffians! This place was not safe, at all! They should just buy whatever they needed, grab Appa and fly away as soon as possible!
The weirdest thing was the large statue on one of the squares. Katara couldn't see what it was, for the sun stood just behind it, but she could discern the form of a human, and there was fire coming out of the hands and mouth. Well, that looked just so peaceful. Really calming.
"Well, at least we know why the city changed its name." Sokka chuckled, in a kind of stressed way, clearly as uncomfortable as Katara was,looking at the statue.
"Maybe we should check it out? It is at the middle… and I remember that the shops were there the last time I visited…" Aang spoke up, also looking to the statue with wide eyes.
"A century ago, you mean. Yeah… I think your information may be a bit outdated Twinkletoes." Toph spoke, and Katara gritted her teeth. At least Aang had been here before! He tried to explain the places they visited! What did Toph do? Complain! A lot!
As they walked the streets towards the central plaza, Katara stayed close to the others. It was really not safe here…
As they arrived on the square, Katara looked up at the statue, now more visible. And… well. That man seemed rather full of himself. Who, in the spirit's name, had thought that making this thing was a good idea? The man was standing, legs wide, with a bare chest and it seemed he was… screaming at the sky? Well, if this was art in the Fire Nation…
"Ozai." Aang sighed, also looking at the statue.
Ah… Yes. Now that she knew where to look, she saw the same nose as the scarred prince and that princess. Shaking her head at the propaganda that was clear to see, Katara turned around, looking for the shops. Searching her pockets, she finally found the bag of coins. It was the last of the money that her father had given them. It had lasted a month, but now, she didn't know exactly what to do. It was enough for some supplies, but it wouldn't last the week.
Well… maybe they could get jobs? That was an idea. But she didn't like the idea of spending too much time with Fire Nationals. Not that they were actually that bad… But they only had to make one mistake, and they would be recognized… And that would be catastrophic!
They bought the little they could, and otherwise, Katara hoped that in there would be enough game in the hills to hunt. It would have to do… Making there way back from the town with their supplies, Katara followed the conversation Aang and her brother were having.
"But Piandao said you had to learn from each culture, and use it, didn't he?" The airbender asked enthusiastically, all the while balancing a bag of vegetables in his arms.
"Yeah, you have to use every advantage you can… So, learning other techniques from other cultures can be beneficial, mostly when you fight someone who only knows his own fighting style…" Sokka answered. Katara's ears perched up at that. That sounded a lot like… well, the Avatar. Master of the elements.
"Well, what if we combine bending styles in that case?" Aang nearly jumped up and down, "I could use waterbending and earthbending to create things! And maybe airbending and fir-" the airbender stopped himself, looking ashamed. But she knew what he had wanted to say. Use airbending to amplify firebending, for fire couldn't exist without air.
That was actually… a great idea!
"You mean, train to use those at the same time?" Her brother said, at the moment that Appa and Momo came into view. The animals had hidden from the sun underneath a rocky outcrop in the hills, and Katara put the bag of fruit she had been carrying as far away from them as possible. She looked at the lemur, who eyed the bag with interest. Squinting her eyes, she tried to make clear that no, not only for you.
"Yeah! Imagine, with one hand, waterbending, with the other, earth! I saw Roku do that in the spirit world! I thought it looked… well, interesting!" Aang continued, while summoning a small pebble to his left hand. He also extended his hand towards the small river next to their campsite, but Katara could see the frown, as he looked at the water, repeating the gesture he had tried to perform. And again. The waterbender stepped forward.
"Maybe we should begin with training them at the same time?" She suggested. Aang had, as he always had the tendency to do, tried to do something incredibly difficult, and failed to do so. Of course, that was normal, but Aang would be discouraged by the fact he didn't do it at the first try, and would abandon the idea sometimes. And this could help! Really help! So Katara didn't want him to give up!
"You mean, train with Twinkletoes, you and me? At the same time?" Toph scuffed, with a smile on her face.
"Yes!" Even if Katara didn't want to give up her only chance at some privacy with Aang… She would do so gladly if that meant for him to have a greater chance at surviving!
"As long as that is the only thing you want us three to do, I'm fine with it!" The blind girl laughed, while picking a pear from the bag Katara had put down.
Argh! Little bi…
No. Don't give in to anger.
Katara quickly looked at Aang and Sokka, who were standing next to each other, close to Appa. She could see her brother hesitate between laughing at Toph's joke and gagging at the notion of them doing something… Well… Bad news brother dear…
Aang, however, with a beat red face, and a hand rubbing his neck, was sputtering.
"W-what do you mean Toph? I don't get it!" Well… That was clearly a lie. Even Katara could sense that, without earthbending. Oh Spirits…
Toph grin only widened. Aang had told the waterbender that it had been the blind girl who had given him the book… So, she knew. She knew that he was perfectly aware of what they were discussing…. Spirits, shit.
"Oh really… That is good to know…" Came the cryptic answer from the small earthbender, still grinning. That was not a good sign. Not at all. Luckily for Katara, Sokka had apparently lost all interest in this conversation, and had already turned his back to them, rummaging through the bags.
"Let's just get ready for a training session!" Katara quickly stopped any other kind of conversation. If this went too far… Oh spirits, that could make her life miserable. So, so, so very miserable!
The airbender turned around, and pulled off his vest and shirt, looking around them while doing so, probably to make sure that there were no other people watching. As he was doing that, she walked to the riverside, to have a constant source of water at hand. This would be a very impromptu training, with really a plan or a goal, but maybe… Maybe it would be better to present him a situation that he didn't know, or had time to plan his countermoves? Maybe it would force him to think on the spot. Something that Aang didn't like to do, as Katara knew…
"Don't forget what we have been practicing Twinkles!" Toph shouted, and Katara could hear the airbender laugh, while he pulled the headband from his forehead. What…
He bound it back, in front of his eyes! So… That was what Toph had been teaching him! Her senses, and how she used them to see! Katara had been wondering about it actually, because the daily training had become rather secretive, and she had not had to heal Aang that much after a sparring session with Toph. That was a good thing to teach him! He could maybe sense danger before their enemies would hit him now. That was… good!
Katara tried to be thankful to the earthbender, who had surely begun to teach him this out of care. Not that Toph would ever admit that, but still!
"Alright! I'm ready!" Aang yelled, turning towards them. Toph had gone to stand a stone throw away from her.
Katara saw how the airbender, blinded by the blindfold, stomped down his right foot on the ground, and waited. It looked so akin to Toph when she concentrated on one particular thing that the waterbender tried not to laugh. Keeping her water around her arms, she waited to see what was going to happen. Suddenly, Aang moved as quickly as he could, surely aided by his own airbending, and the place where he had stood just a second ago erupted in a rock pillar, who would surely have thrown him high in the air if he hadn't moved. Katara watched, with open mouth, as she saw how Aang moved around.
Even without sight, he was able to see the dangers coming, and used his airbending remove himself from the situation. That was great! Toph had always wanted to train without the others watching, so Katara had not really known Aang's earthbending progress. But seeing this…. It was a relief!
Well, enough! Now it was her turn to do something! Sending a tendril of water towards the airbender, Katara tried to whip it around one of his arms, to throw him off balance. It didn't work, because, even without seeing it, he had apparently also picked up how to see the movements. For he knew what she had been trying to do, and send the water back. Catching it with ease, the waterbender watched as Aang pulled a rock out of the ground, threw it towards Toph.
"Good job Twinkletoes! Visualize, then attack!" the earthbender shouted, as she hit the rock back towards Aang. And he just… dug himself into the earth.
Katara saw the rock fly in full swing towards her, and didn't manage to get out of its trajectory, and felt it hit her stomach with force. Tears of pain came to her eyes, and she bend down, grabbing her stomach with both arms. The water hit the ground next to her.
"Maybe you should take your own advice Toph!" She managed to shout back as soon as the pain subsided.
"Just a little rock! Can't handle some dirt, Madame Fussy Britches?"
Pardon?! What? Toph should apologize! Katara just had enough! Of course she could handle a rock! But hitting a friend with one should not be acceptable! Katara lifted her arms, and felt the water behind her rise. She threw it towards the blind girl and smiled.
"Oh no… sorry! Did I splash you, Mud Slug?" Katara couldn't help it. Toph had been getting on her nerves for several days now, and it felt good to finally stop pretending everything was alright.
What happened after that… Well, Katara wasn't proud of it. But Toph had asked for it! The blind girl attack her first! In a matter of seconds, Katara found herself trying to push Toph back, standing ankle-deep in mud.
Spirits, that girl was strong! But she wasn't going to let this go! Toph had crossed a line, and she needed to be taught that wasn't okay! If not by words… Well, maybe slapping some sense into her would work.
"Hungry for a mud pie?" Toph grunted, and Katara saw how the blind girl kicked a foot upwards, mud flying towards her. She had just time to close her eyes before it hit her face. Releasing Toph's hands, Katara wiped the mud from her face.
"Guess you are not used to getting something on your face. Shame for Twinkletoes." Toph chuckled, and those words were just loud enough for Katara to hear.
"I'll give you a mud pie, my dear." The waterbender muttered through gritted teeth, while bending a large quantity of the mud in Toph's face.
The girl didn't let this one go, and bent a pillar under Katara. The waterbender managed to stay upright, but the mud shifted under her feet the moment she hit the ground, and Katara felt herself fall against the small cliffs behind her. Toph was coming towards her, and she prepared to freeze the mud around the blind girl, so that she couldn't see a thing, but before that was even possible, she heard a call.
"Uh… Girls? I thought we were supposed to be training me?" Aang stopped them, and his voice sounded uncertain, as if he wasn't too sure if he should interrupt.
"Indeed, we had enough training for one day." Katara spoke up. She was going to be the bigger person, and let this one slide. It was enough, Toph was surely going to calm down a bit, before coming to apologize in the middle of the night, so that Sokka or Aang didn't know. As she always did.
Walking away, the waterbender turned her back to the others. She was just going to read a bit, maybe take up the scroll with Air Nomad language again? She had kind of neglected that the last few weeks.
"While Katara cleans up, let's go have some fun!" She heard a call behind her. Nope. Not going to fall for it. She was not going back to say something about that insult. That would only confirm that what Toph thought of her. No fun.
What did hurt, however, were the cheers from her brother and Aang. That hurt. Her brother had always said she was acting older than she was, and most of the time, it was the airbender who instigated fun things… But still, Katara could be fun to be around! No one had ever died from spending time with her!
As she heard the others walk away, she didn't turn around to look at them. No. Not giving them that satisfaction.
Sitting down next to Appa, the bison blew a soft current of air towards her. He at least didn't act up at the slightest inconvenience! Of course, Katara could understand that the hot sun, the inactivity, and all their other problems could create tension! But they should be working together to avoid these things!
Softly patting one of the bison's paws, Katara huffed. Aang had joined Toph in their excursion for fun. Well, if he was also acting like that, she wouldn't join him in an excursion of fun. Even if they could slip away tonight. Not happening. He should know better! And even if he didn't… Well, he should have come to see her, to ask if everything was alright… Wasn't that what they had promised, all those days ago close to Piandao's castle?
Well, no matter. She was not going to apologize, and she had enough. She would sooner break than bow down to Toph's insults, teasing and general behaviour.
Answers :
First of all, I wanted to thank all the reviewers! You really give me motivation to write as often as possible !
Rak : Yeah, Roku was always cool, and I always loved that episode! I also loved Zuko's parts in it, but I don't write in his POV, so I didn't include it. However, I may have written a chapter in his POV to summarize what was happening in the Fire Nation at this time, but I'm not sure if I'm going to publish it.
Gabriela N. Gonzalez : Thank you very much! Yeah, I considered ending it with the friendship part, but with Aang's whole candle business representing hope, I thought this could be interesting!