Hello hello! I feel quite good about this chapter. I hope you all read it and like it enough to review. Alright then, to those of you new to my stories, I often fill my authors notes withevents frommy life. I do this because I like to and because then I'm not just a name to all y'all and also because I think they're fun to read. You have been forewarned!
So, last Sunday I'm at my church, right? Right. And we were talking about how we don't have a pianist for our little Sunday school group. The leaders then decide to give different people different weeks to play. Well, just so you know, my mother is one of the leaders and she volunteered me to play this Sunday. Is there a problem with this you may ask? Yes, there is a problem. What problem is that you ask? Just the small fact that I CAN'T PLAY THE PIANO! I revealed this obvious fact to my mother. She just laughed, patted my head and told me not to worry because I had an entire week to learn. Ain't that just the greatest? So, between college, highschool and work I've had an hour and a half every night to try and figure out top hand before I collapse and die on my bed. It was only through sheer willpower that I got myself to type this up tonight with the leering thought of a nine hour workday tomorrow, so please show your gratitude with a review. Thank you very much. And remember, I LOVE YOUR GUTS!
I tried to follow your advice and make this chapter a little longer, Evangline, don't worry, they'll get longer as I progress. Enjoy!
He walked through the winding corridors with his head held high and his back straight. His hands were folded respectfully in his sleeves and from the corner of his eye he watched as crowds of people parted before him and watched him pass. The Dragon of the West continued on, down passageways that led him deeper and deeper into the belly of the Opera House. He knew that he was being watched, he knew that he was always watched, but the watcher only made his presence known when the Dragon was alone in the dark.
"I thought I told you to leave." The shadows muttered around him.
"And I thought I told you that I'm not leaving until your debt to me is fulfilled." Said the Dragon.
"And I know I told you that you that that debt is the only thing keeping me from killing you where you stand. I'll have you know that my patience with you is wearing thin." The voice was moving, but there was no sound of footsteps. The Dragon felt a slight chill at the thought of the creature stalking him, but it was gone in an instant and his expression never faltered.
"Zuko, it is my duty to watch over you. And I must say that there have been many times that I was tempted to leave you to rot with the fate you're bringing upon yourself. Hypnotizing women is one thing as long as you don't bring them harm, but the death of that young man…" The Dragon shook his head sadly, "I thought you were more than that."
"You know nothing. And if you ever interfere it will be your neck that stretches." And with this last hiss floating in the stale air, the owner of the voice left, unseen.
Aang was more or less depressed for the next few weeks. Every moment of his existence was spent thinking about Katara and trying to figure out why she had laughed at him. Sure, it had been several years since he last saw her, but the fact that they had spent an entire summer together should have left something of an impression on her. His free time was spent at the Opera house, hunting for her if only to catch a glimpse before she disappeared once more. The times he did see her he would follow her, but she was one of the most loved people in the opera house and every burly crewmember was her body guard. Aang often found himself snapped out of the trance we went in when in Katara's presence by a number of musty smelling gentlemen with arms as thick as tree trunks. Even worse than his regular roughing from those scoundrels were the gaggle of ballet girls that followed him. The noise these girls made was like a signal to warn Katara of his presence and incite further wrath from her bodyguards. Once he even stayed all night on the steps of the Opera house in his desperation to see her. He knew she had a small apartment in the city, but apparently she didn't use it because she never emerged. Thinking that he had perhaps missed her, Aang went inside the Opera house and sought out her dressing room. There was a light beneath the door and when he pressed his ear to it he could hear the muffled sounds of Katara speaking to a man. With his heart thoroughly mashed into pulp, Aang crawled back to his brother's house.
"GAH! OH GOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Aang screamed as he walked passed the library on his way to his bedroom.
"AANG! I THOUGHT YOU WERE OUT!" Sokka screamed back, trying to hide a blush and the ballet tights he was wearing.
"I WAS! AND NOW I SINCERELY THINK I SHOULD GO BACK! DAMN, I THINK I'VE GONE BLIND!" Aang said turning his head and trying to rub the sight of 'Sokka' from his eyes. Suki began laughing hysterically from the couch.
"I was just teaching Sokka a few dance steps. He only wore that to amuse me." She said breathlessly in Sokka's defense. Aang opened his watering eyes to look at her, but his gaze drifted back over to his brother. Aang gagged and hurried up to his room.
"Thank you very much, Suki. Now we won't be able to look each other in the face for a month." Sokka said angrily, wrapping a towel firmly around his waist.
"It was my pleasure." She said with a smile. Sokka sat next to her on the couch and ran his fingers through his dark hair with a sigh.
"I am worried about him though. I can barely get him to eat anything and he spends the entire day out of the house. When he comes back he looks as though he's been pummeled with a brick. I wish he would tell me what is going on. I hope he hasn't gotten himself into gambling." Sokka said, exhaustion evident in his voice. Suki curled up at his side and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"No, it's not a gambling problem, he stays at the Opera. But he does get pummeled quite often. He needs to learn to leave Katara alone." She said.
"He spends his time at the Opera House?" Sokka asked.
"Yes. He's practically Katara's shadow. I don't know why though. Sure she's pretty enough and she did sing beautifully as Zula's stand-in that one time, but ever since then she sounds exactly the same as she always has. She's a complete loony if you ask me." Suki tilted her head and kissed Sokka's ear.
"Hmm. This can't be a healthy habit for him. But I can't just forbid him to go back, he's too stubborn."
"Don't worry about him. Let him live this out. And if you'd like I'll tell the men to try to hurt him less."
"Thanks. That's really comforting." Sokka said, rolling his eyes. Suki laughed and shoved him back on his feet, ripping the towel off on the way.
"Now run through the routine again!"
"Get your feet off my desk!" Ozai growled, shoving the offending appendages as he spoke. Zhao sat upright and shot him a glare before continuing his paperwork. It was clear who the dominant male was. Ozai oversaw everything and even lended his expertise in rehearsals and such. Zhao on the other had didn't have an artistic bone in his body. Therefore, being a jellyfish, he was left with all the grunge work. There was a light rap on the door and the days mail was shoved beneath. Ozai shifted through it, tossing each envelope towards Zhao, but midway through he froze.
"Well, look here. Another letter from our friend." Ozai said, waving an envelope addressed to them in red ink.
"Damn it, can't those two senile old fools understand that they aren't leading us on at all?" Zhao asked, taking the letter and opening it with a swift jab of a knife. He pulled out the fine paper and read over it aloud.
My dear masters, you are absolutely stupid.
The last day of the month was last week. I have stressed my patience in your favor as this is all very new to you. However, one must have his salary if he is expected to run this Opera House successfully. I have even been tempted to double my salary as my work has doubled trying to clear up your blundering messes. But I find my heart too soft to put you through this. Merely give me my salary and this transgression on your part will be forgiven. I remain your obedient servant,
OG
Zhao snorted and tossed the letter into the fireplace.
"Their little joke was amusing at first, but if they keep it up for much longer we may have to call the police on them." Zhao said, returning to a large ledger he was scribbling figures into. Ozai only grunted in acknowledgment and fiddled with his watch. There was another light knock on the door and when no papers slid beneath Ozai called out permission to enter. It was their secretary whom they hadn't bothered to learn the name of.
"My lords, I'm very sorry for the intrusion but the studgroom says it's urgent that he speak to you." The secretary said with a bow.
"Studgroom? Why would we have a studgroom?" Ozai asked, wrinkling his nose in distaste.
"Why, to manage the Rhinos of course." The secretary said with a bow.
"What Rhinos? We have Rhinos?" Ozai turned to Zhao for confirmation, but he merely shrugged in return.
"Of course. We need Rhinos trained on the stage for performances." The secretary said as though this were obvious.
"Very well, send him in." Ozai said with an irritable wave. The secretary bowed and hurried out. Soon afterwards his presence was replaced by that of a skinny man dressed entirely in green with a long, gray goatee.
"It's about time you let me in!" He said in annoyance, ignoring the formal hand offered to him. Ozai and Zhao exchanged glances, then turned back to their guest.
"Please let us know how we can help you sir." Zhao said in all matter of oily flattery.
"Our prized rhino has been stolen! That's how you can help me! Get him back!"
"We're very sorry, but we weren't even aware until recently that we even had Rhinos…"
"What are you, stupid?"
"What was your name again? Ozai asked fiercely.
"Lachanel."
"Well, Lachanel, there isn't really anything we can do about a stolen Rhino, and the relief of how much we would have to pay to keep it fed is welcome. Now please, go away, your face brings me pain." Ozai said, fluttering his fingers. Lachanel looked at him in astonishment and stormed away in a huff.
Katara sat before her vanity and glared at the large bruise forming on her ankle from Zula's most recent malice. It was true that the hearts of the crew were for her, but the hearts of the audience were for Zula and Katara had received more than a brunt from her 'attempt at overthrowing' the princess of the Opera. Since the new managers didn't feel ready to be thrown into a conflict between divas, they avoided Zula at all costs. Since Katara was receiving no punishment from them, she had decided to inflict it herself; brutally and as often as possible. The result was Katara often finding herself shoved towards sharp/protruding objects and once she nearly fell down a flight of stairs. Katara gave a sigh and pulled off her silk slippers, letting out another, more blissful sigh as the cool air washed over her aching feet.
"You are beautiful." A voice stated softly. Katara smiled and turned her head, trying to pinpoint the direction of the voice.
"Thank you, but you're lying." She looked back at her reflection. Her hair was a mess. She pulled a brush from her drawer and made the best attempt she could at taming it.
"I would never lie to you."
"How can I believe you when you won't even let me see your face?" Katara snapped and immediately covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that!" There was silence. Katara sighed and began brushing her hair once more.
"You're right." Katara jumped at the sudden return of the voice.
"Huh?"
"It's time I showed myself to you." Katara stood up and walked around the room.
"Where are you?" She asked nervously.
"Over here." The voice was no longer an echo. It very clearly came from the south wall of her dressing room. But all that stood there was a length of mirror standing from floor, nearly to the ceiling. Katara stepped forward and gently touched the glass.
"Where are you?" She asked again.
"Follow my voice." Came a gentle whisper. A feeling came over Katara of being in half a doze. She took a step back without registering why. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and before her eyes her reflection jumped backwards. She stepped towards her reflection, half conscious of the constant whispering of the voice. Then, suddenly, there was another reflection, and another. She was surrounded by millions of herself. She became vaguely confused by this but walked on. There was a light grating noise and she was plunged into semi-darkness. The only light came from torch set in a bracket ten feet up. Katara gasped, snapping out of her trance and whirled around. There was nothing behind her but a blank wall. She pounded on it and yelled for help when something clamped over her mouth. She let out a muffled scream and whirled around. Three inches from her was the face of a demon. It's hard blue and gray skin shimmered in the faint torchlight. Katara glanced downwards and saw that there was no body attached to the head. But then, what was holding her mouth? She lifted her hand and tried scrabbling at the obstruction which turned out to be a hand covered in black. When she pushed towards the blue demon spirit she came in contact with a very sturdy body. It was all just clothed in black. Katara finally managed to let fly a ferocious kick which was enough to loosen the demon's grip.
"Who are you?" She demanded.
"Katara, it's me." Said that sweet gentle voice. Katara released a choked sob.
"What are you?" She asked fearfully.
"Ssh, don't worry, sweet child. This is only a mask." He said, grabbing her hand and bringing it up to feel the cold metal of the mask.
"Why did you scare me like that?" She demanded and moved her hand to the edge of the mask in preparation to pull it off. But he took her hand in his and pulled it away from his face.
"I will answer your questions the best I can, but not here." He said, pulling her deeper into the darkness.
"Where are we going?" She asked. The tunnel was long and dark, there had only been the one torch and it was left behind. Ahead she could see the faint glow of more torches and this brought her some comfort. Her companion didn't answer her for some time, not until they reached the light where waiting patiently for them was the giant Rhino, Appa.
"We're going to my house." The masked man said quietly, climbing on top of the rhino and reaching down for Katara's hand. Katara hesitated and glanced back at the tunnel. Then she placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her up so that she was settled in front of him. The man muttered his command and the beast began shuffling forward. The daze that Katara had felt earlier washed over her once more and her frazzled nerves calmed. She leaned back against the strong chest and suddenly didn't care about where she was going.
Okay, so it wasn't that much longer than the other chapters. I hope you liked reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! And I realized that half my characters are insane. What can I say, insanity is fun! LET'S ALL BE INSANE! I'm going to start my own club now. Please remember to review! I stayed up until 11:04 to get this written just for you! Hey! That rhymed!