'Ello folks!
Disclaimer: No ownership for Pete's Sake…
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Chapter Four: Little Book
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They had dragged Kita to the Earth Kingdom to be surrounded by guards as she was carried into Park's home. "We will go send for the others." Park said to them before ordering some female guards to change Kita's clothing. "The worst thing you can do to a firebender is give them loose clothing." Park said with a smirk and looked at the still unconscious Kita. She now wore a very loose, light green dress that had very large sleeves that would hang down to the ground if she stood and a dark green sash was tied around her waist.
Zuko nodded, agreeing with that. "Are you going to wake her up?" Sokka asked, eyeing Kita. She hadn't been given a pillow or anything of comfort except for the peasant outfit. Her armor and weapons had been confiscated and stored in a heavily guarded warehouse.
"We are not going to kill her or let her die if that's what you're worried about. We'll hold her as ransom and order the Fire Nation to pull their troops away from our city completely. That's one possibility. We're still thinking of others."
"We should at least force some water into her," Sokka suggested, "she looks pretty dehydrated." He was right; Kita's lips were cracked and bleeding.
Park nodded and turned to a guard. "Force some water into her." The guard nodded. "Anything else we should do?"
"I think you should wake her up." Sokka said, "So we can get answers from her. She's too weak to fight," he said before Park could protest.
Again, Park nodded. "We will wake her once Avatar Aang, Mistress of Water and Earth Demon are here." He bowed, "I will go and find a plant that will awaken Avatar Kita." He walked off.
Sokka sighed half angrily, half just for the sake of sighing. Zuko did the same. The guards remained silent and stood around Kita. They were still as statues; a set of guards faced inwards to watch Kita and another set of guards faced outwards, making them back-to-back. There was one guard kneeling by Kita and she was currently squeezing water into her mouth.
Zuko leaned against the wall, wishing he had a book. There has to be something to do around this city. Teaching pathetic peasants firebending is stupid. They can hardly do anything. Zuko was recently assigned teaching firebending for he had nothing better to do. Sokka had been told to teach others how to fake bending for anybody who was not a bender. It's better than having him teach them martial arts, he thought with some amusement, referring to Sokka. Zuko's mind began drift to the history books when the sound of a heavy door opening interrupted those thoughts.
"Sokka, what's going on?" Katara asked as he walked in.
"They found Kita," Sokka answered, "Where is Park?"
"Right here." Park stepped in and was carrying two plants: The vividly colored truth plant stood out compared to the dull green plant. The guards parted as Park stepped up he handed the plants to a guard before removing a small flower from the dull colored plant. He knelt down and opened her mouth and then placed the small flower in it. He shut her jaw.
As soon as Kita's jaw was shut, she bolted up and her face and body language showed that she was struggling to not swallow yet wanting to swallow at the same time. After a minute or so of that, Kita had forced it down and started to cough a deep and coarse cough. "What…the—"
Park took this chance to shove an orange seed down her throat. This only increased Kita's gagging. "Are you Avatar Kita?" Was the first question.
"Aye—!" Kita coughed.
"Are you strong enough to answer any other questions?"
"I'm not sure." Kita replied, still coughing. "What the heck did you do?"
"Revived you. Lord Zuko and Faker found you unconscious earlier this morning." Park replied.
"Ah. Give them me thanks." The coughing finally ended, "Can I have something to drink before I keel over?" Kita asked. Her voice was very dry and raspy.
"Fine," Park snapped his fingers to let a guard know he could get her water. "Do you remember who attacked you?"
"Aye…" Kita blinked, feeling a little dizzy.
"Who or what?"
"An Earth Demon." She had answered in the same rushed fashion as Katara had done a week ago.
Park's eyebrows rose. "And Earth Demon? Here?"
"Aye," Kita nodded but stopped considering that it made her dizzier.
"Here, Park," the guard returned with a glass of water. Park handed it to Kita, who drained the glass in a matter of seconds.
"The Earth Demon," Park began, "Did he say anything? Why was he here?"
"I can't remember much of what he said except for his annoying laugh, if that counts. I was looking for him. They kidnapped Master Akeo." Kita answered. Accursed truth seeds. She thought angrily.
Park's eyebrows rose. "Master Akeo? The one who was supposed to teach you earthbending?"
"Aye," Kita sounded a little annoyed.
"Why did he kidnap Master Akeo? How?"
"He's an Earth Demon. Probably searching for recruits or trying to get me killed." Kita blinked, "I'm starting to feel really dizzy—"
"I just have one more question." Park said, "Are you going to try to run away?"
"Aye."
Park stood up, "Take her somewhere to rest but first give her something to eat. Also, get a doctor and be sure to it she is followed where ever she goes."
The guards nodded and carried the half-conscious Kita away. "So why were we needed?" Aang asked after a moment.
"To merely show you the Avatar of our time," answered Park. "You may talk to her if you want to but she seems too weak for now." He bowed, "you're dismissed of your duties for today."
They bowed in return and watched Park leave. "This is great…" Sokka sighed sarcastically.
"What do you think's gonna happen?" Aang asked, "Do you think the Earth Demons want to kill her so they can get an earthbender as the Avatar?" Aang was referring to the next element in the cycle; earth.
"Maybe," Katara shrugged, "Well, we don't have anything to do now. Park just said we have the day off. We've already explored most of the city."
"We don't have to take the day off." Haru said with a shrug.
"I guess…we really don't have anything better to do." Sokka said, agreeing.
"You guys go do that; I'm going to research Earth Demons." Zuko turned on his heel and headed for the outside.
"That sounds like a good idea! I'll come too!" Aang followed Zuko out.
Zuko was about to protest but Katara beat him to it. "I think Zuko can do it on his own," she said.
"I guess…but I wanna learn more about the Earth Demons. You should too, Haru." He chirped, "It might help you learn more about your history and all."
Haru shrugged again. "I guess." ((He's so decisive, eh?))
"Then I guess we could all go." Aang said happily.
Zuko was not happy about this arrangement. The only thing keeping him from saying "On second thought, I'll go meditate instead of hanging with you losers" was knowledge on a powerful enemy. Heading for the town library, Zuko noticed that they were actually being left alone for once. He was grateful for that. They reached the library to see only a few people sitting in the dusty corners.
"Excuse me," Katara said to a man behind the desk, "Could you please tell us where we can find books on Earth Demons?"
"Yes, right this way Mistress of Water," the man walked out from the desk, limping slightly, and led them to a shelf right by a window. "We have few books on Earth Demons. Is it a story you're searching for?"
"More like information."
He nodded and looked up to the top of the shelf. He was a tall man, so getting the book was easy. It was a thin book. "Here you are, Mistress of Water. I hope this is what you were looking for." He bowed and limped off.
"I'll take it; you guys go look up other things." Zuko held his hand out, waiting for Katara to hand him the book.
"Oh, c'mon, Zuko." Aang folded his arms, "You're stuck with us. At least try to pretend you're getting along with us. Please?" Aang didn't bother with the puppy-eyes because he knew Zuko would never fall for it and it would probably have the opposite affect Aang desiered.
Zuko reluctantly agreed and followed them to a table to sit and read the book. Katara opened the book as Aang and Haru sat next to her. Sokka and Zuko were left to read over her shoulder. "Wow…this book is old," Aang commented. It seemed older than the little room Kita had shown them a week ago. "I wonder if they'll mention you, Haru."
"Maybe," he, once again, shrugged. "If it's that old. I guess we start with the introduction?"
"It's just talking about the guy who wrote this and why he wrote it." Sokka said, "Turn the page."
Katara rolled her eyes and turned the page. Table of contents. The first chapter spoke of where and how Earth Demons lived, the second was about how to become one and symptoms of an Earth Demon. "We'll probably want to borrow the book…" Aang suggested as they began to read the first chapter.
After many hours of reading, the group had only made it to the second chapter considering the reading speed of the others and occasional need of the bathroom. "I am sorry," the librarian said bowing, "But you must leave now. The library is closing."
"Oh, that's okay." Katara stood up, nearly hitting Sokka in the face. "May we borrow the book?"
"Of course. Have a good evening." He said, bowing again as they left.
"We'll have to read together again?" Zuko groaned, "Why not somebody reads and just take notes? That way we don't have to read a bunch of useless information on what Earth Demons like to wear."
"All right," Aang nodded in agreement, "Who wants to read and take the notes?"
"I will. I did become one of those things." Haru said, raising his hand a little.
"All right," Katara said nodding, "I guess we should go check on Kita. Maybe she's feeling better?"
"Who knows?" Sokka shrugged, more worried about the fact that there was an Earth Demon running around the area. "She's as good as dead considering that it mentioned Earth Demons never give up."
"You guys can go visit her, then. I'm not that interested." Sokka said, waving his hand.
"Suit yourself. I'll race you guys!" Aang began to run towards the town center aka Park's house. ((Even if it isn't in the center of the town…))
"Hey! No fair!" Katara laughed and chased after Aang. Haru joined the race laughing, leaving Sokka and Zuko alone.
"If you're going to try to start a nice conversation, don't count on it." Zuko snapped at Sokka and quickened his pace.
"Since when has anything nice involved you?" Sokka snapped back, keeping his regular walking pace. "Stupid bastard…I still can't believe I died saving him. Ungrateful…" he continued to mutter more insults until he realized he arrived at Park's residence. I guess I will go see if Kita's alive…Sokka thought as he slid the door open and stepped in. "Excuse me," Sokka headed towards a guard, "Could you please tell me where Avatar Kita is?"
"I am sorry; your other friends had come by just a few minutes ago and asked the same question. She is still asleep." The guard bowed, "Although, Park is requesting for you and your friends to join him at dinner."
"Oh, uh…okay. When?" The only time Park had requested them to join him at dinner was the first night they came and it was to welcome them to what was left of the Earth Kingdom.
"Once the sun sets," he answered.
"All right. Thanks." Sokka bowed. He had plenty more hours for that. He guessed the others might have run off to eat lunch instead. Amazingly he wasn't hungry but that might have had something to do with what he read on the Earth Demons. I wonder if they still have their appetite…the warrior wondered as he walked out of the building and into the city. Deciding to use his time for something meaningful, he headed to the small shrine that the waterbenders of the city had set up. He knew that Yue was watching over him and would probably hear any prayer he said but he felt closer to her in the shrine.
Katara, Aang and Haru were not at a shrine. They were currently heading out of the city to practice some bending. Katara was going to continue Aang's waterbending lessons and Haru was going to read the book and take notes for the others. "What do you think Park wants?" Aang asked as they walked past a very small firebending class. There were only eight people. Half of them were little kids and the other half were teenagers that looked rather annoyed; they preferred Zuko as their teacher.
"I don't know," Haru said, shifting the paper into the hand that also held the book. "It must be important if he's doing this all of a sudden. It probably has to do with Kita."
"I guess," Aang also shrugged, "Hey, Katara, can you teach me that awesome thing you said you did to Zuko? When you trapped him in that huge ice ball?"
"Maybe later, Aang. You still need to master turning things in to ice while it isn't moving before you can do that." She said with a smirk.
"Aww…" Aang looked at Momo, who was currently resting on his shoulder. "I'm ready, right Momo?"
The lemur merely blinked before jumping onto Katara's shoulder. "See? Even Momo agrees with me."
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Rather pale and sickened from what he had recently recorded; Haru decided he'd only eat if he caught a concerned expression from any of his friends. "Hey, Haru, are you all right?" Aang asked as they headed for Park's meeting.
"What? Oh, yah, I'm fine."
"I don't know you look a little pale." Aang pressed.
"I'm fine. Really." He added just a tad of force in his voice.
"Haru, did it have anything to do with the Earth Demon book?" Katara asked, folding her arms.
"No," he shifted the notes a little, "I think I'm just tired."
"Okay…" Aang and Katara didn't believe him but did not press any further.
"Let's talk about something fun," Aang said after a moment of awkward silence. "We could try to invent a new sport."
"Maybe," Katara shrugged. "I just wonder what we're going to do. If we leave the city, except for that lake but it's guarded pretty well, we're at risk of getting captured by the Fire nation." Her mind wasn't exactly set on sports.
"Then why'd they let Zuko and Sokka out?" Haru asked, lurching forward to catch an ink bottle that slipped out of his grip.
"Probably cuz of their history and it was really foggy." Aang said. "Hey, Katara, do you think you could bend fog? Isn't that water like the clouds?"
"I've thought about it. When we ride Appa again I'll give it a try."
They walked past the guards into their current home. "I'll go put this stuff in my room. I'll catch up with you guys in a few minutes." Haru said to Katara and Aang before heading to his room. As soon as he reached his room, Haru shuddered, recalling some things from the book.
In the book, they had been portrayed as very nasty creatures. He seemed to be one of the few Earth Demons accepted into society. Although, this was after his teeth were covered with molten silver. The process sounded painful but an Earth Demon's teeth were unbreakable so it was possible. Painful, but possible. That's what Haru was constantly saying to himself from the second he read it. I hope I don't become an Earth Demon…random urges to kill. I can't believe I had become one. Well, new time, new life and future. He carefully set the ink bottle down on a small table. Being raised in a village of earthbenders, Haru had learned to never place anything valuable next to something that could spill, so he placed the book and notes on his bed. "I don't think I'll be able to eat even if Katara does look at me." Haru muttered before exiting his room.
He walked down the hall to meet up with Park but wound up crashing right into Zuko. "Oh, sorry."
Zuko looked over his shoulder to see what crashed into him. "Just watch where you're going, peasant."
"Nice to see you too…" Haru muttered sarcastically and then bit his tongue so he wouldn't mention that a peasant, Sokka to specific, had died saving his life.
Zuko and Haru continued on to the dining room, ignoring each other completely. "Hi, Haru, hi Zuko." Aang waved cheerfully as the two entered the room. Haru waved back and Zuko walked on as if Aang wasn't there.
"Where's Park?" Haru asked, taking a seat next to Sokka.
"Don't know," he shrugged, "Probably trying to see if he can interrogate Kita. She's still asleep last I checked. They're thinking she's been poisoned because she's showing signs of some sort of poison—"
"She's not poisoned." Park said, stepping in. "My apologies for being late." He said bowing. "Anyway, no not poisoned, merely exhausted. The guards said that she has been muttering in her sleep but they weren't able to catch most of it.
"Now, I called you here for a reason. I want you five to help me plan an attack on the Fire Nation troops surrounding the area." He put his hand up as a notion for silence before anybody could object, "I know you are inexperienced at the moment but now is a time to give them a try. Any suggestion is welcome. We are planning on showing them Kita at dawn but that is only if you do not have any suggestions. Do you have any?"
The group exchanged glances, even with Zuko.
They shook their heads. They knew they wouldn't kill the Avatar and revealing that they had met up with Kita earlier did not seem wise.
"All right." Park said with a nod, "Showing her to the Fire Nation at dawn it is."
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End of Chapter Four
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Kinda short. Ah well. R&R n.n