Shattered
Chapter Fifteen
The next morning it was indeed raining. When Zuko emerged from his bedroom, Anko was already up. Her tall frame was leaned against the open doorway, dark eyes watching the rain pour down. He too stared sourly at the dismal morning. "You know, my Uncle can do that too. How come old people always seem to know when a storm is coming?"
Anko's lips twitched upward, she cocked her head slightly at the firebender. "We ache in places that you don't even know exist yet," she answered dryly. "Now, if you're done being cheeky to your elders, you'll have to excuse me." She moved away from the door and entered the kitchen. "Breakfast is on the table. You'll have to make due with what's there because it seems someone got burned rice stuck to the bottom of both my good pots." Anko gave the teen a pointed look. "By the way, the best way to get rice off the bottom of a pot is to soak it in water, not attack it with firebending."
Embarrassed, Zuko turned his back to the woman. How was he supposed to know all this domestic crap? He snagged some fruit off the table while Anko muttered to herself in the kitchen. "Ah well, sun or rain, I suppose I was fooling myself, thinking I'd get any work done today with that bison to attend to." Her voice seemed oddly distant. Zuko turned back to the kitchen. Anko was gone. Curious, he moved around the counter, spotting for the first time a trap door in the floor of the kitchen. A strong herbal scent wafted up from the opening.
"Anko?" he called.
"Down here," she responded.
He climbed down the wooden steps into a packed root cellar. Bemused, Zuko glanced around. The small dug out area was packed from top to bottom. Various dried plants hung from the wooden support beams, barrels lined the walls and shelves were crammed full of jars and bottles. A hurricane lantern lit the area. There wasn't enough room to move around so the teen sat down on the bottom step, taking it all in.
Anko, stooped down so her head wouldn't hit the ceiling, handed him a bundle of dried herbs and a small sack. "Here," she said absently while concentrating on a jar lined wall. "Now where did Grandma hide that tincture?" As the farmer rummaged, Zuko slowly looked around. There was a tantalizing familiar scent, hidden within all the other fragrances. It teased him, tickling his nose before disappearing, then reemerging again. He couldn't quite place what it was, or where it was coming from. Placing Anko's items carefully on the step, he rose and tried to locate the origin of the smell. Following his nose, he finally found it; a package of something on a nearby shelf. He buried his face in it; for some reason it reminded him of his Uncle.
"Anko? What is this?"
"Hm?" the woman took a quick glance at the package. "Ginseng," she answered, "It's supposed to give people more energy. My Grandfather swore by it, but I don't really care for the taste." Anko went back to her jars with a sigh. "My Grandmother was a remarkable herbalist. I just wish someone had taught her how to write." She pulled another jar from the shelf, sniffed the contents and quickly put it back. "Definitely not it, she murmured.
Zuko closed his eyes. Ginseng… of course, his Uncle's favorite tea. How could he forget that smell? Holding the package up to his nose again, he took another slow, deep breath in, savoring the memories it brought. His Uncle. The kind, patient face, that mischievous smile, the sharp amber eyes that so often sparkled with humor… Zuko had never known how much he would miss the old man. Even more than my own Father, he realized with guilt. Exhaling sharply, he took a step back, accidentally bumping hard into a shelf. Something behind him came crashing down. Eyes snapping open, he witnessed a multitude of black and white stones go rolling across the floor.
"Found Grandpa's Go stones, have you?" Not missing a beat, Anko put another jar back on its shelf as Zuko bent down to pick up the pieces.
"Your Grandfather played Go?"
"OH yes; Go, Shoji, Mah Jong… you name it, he played it." Anko smiled softly. She made a shooing motion with a hand, sending the escapee stones by her feet back towards the firebender. "Even when we used to raise livestock, the winter months got long, dull and boring. Grandpa passed the time by playing games. After Father left, I was his main opponent," Anko grinned, "He didn't ever go easy on me either."
Zuko continued to gather the stones as Anko turned back to her wall. For some reason he had a hard time imagining the always busy framer sitting down to play a game. Or being a kid. He placed the black stones in their container and the white stones in another. Taking a final scan of the floor to make sure he didn't miss any pieces, he spotted something different. He pulled the round tile out from between two crates and held it in his hand, cleaning off the dust with his thumb to reveal a painted on design. "Isn't this… a Pai Gow tile?" he asked slowly.
"Hm?" Anko looked at the piece he held up. "So it is; the orchid tile. I wonder how it got there." She turned and sniffed yet another jar. "Pai Gow was Grandfather's favorite game. He was really good at it." Anko grinned; she had finally found the tincture she wanted. She turned back to the boy, but he was suddenly gone. The earthbender cocked her head and frowned a little. Then she grimaced as she spotted the orchid tile abandoned on the bottom step. Shaking her head ruefully, she gathered up the supplied she needed and went up the stairs.
The Fire Nation Prince was sitting slumped at the kitchen table, his gaze distant, and his expression morose. Anko sighed. She had planned on giving him the day off, so to speak, as she tended to the bison. Taking one look at his face, she knew that leaving the boy to his own devices was no longer an option. Curse my rotten luck! Now what should I do with him? I can't very well ask him to help me in the barn. Putting him in with the Watertribers is just asking for trouble. But I can't leave him alone for too long either. Anko scowled at the rain. She knew what had to be done.
"Well, I'm off to the barn," she announced with false cheerfulness. "While I'm gone, see if you can't scrub those pots clean. Then clean the ash out of the stove and fireplace." Zuko didn't show any reaction to her words. "I shouldn't be gone long. When I get back we'll plant those yams."
That got his attention. He stirred slightly. "It's raining," the Fire Nation Prince stated darkly.
"Why so it is," Anko put a touch of sarcastic steel into her voice. "Don't tell me I've discovered a secret firebender weakness! Let me guess; you guys melt in the rain. Gee, this war will be over in no time now."
Zuko stared at her sullenly, his expression making a subtle shift from depressed to annoyed. Anko smiled internally. Good, that ought to hold him until I get back. Then I'll work the melancholy out of him.
Anko sighed as she went out into the pouring rain. She didn't really want to work in the rain either, but it certainly wouldn't be the first time. Are you laughing at me Grandpa? After all, I'm using the same tactics on the boy that you used on me. She shook her head. Damn Ozai, banishing his own son. I'd like to banish him, straight to the spirit world!
Anko neared the barn, noticing Max standing outside in the paddock. "What's wrong Max? Don't tell me that big, shaggy hairball has you spooked." The mule shook his head hard, sending water flying out of his mane. With a slight smile, Anko raked her own wet bangs out of her eyes and entered the building.
Things in the barn were pretty much as she had left them. The Water Tribe girl was awake, mending a shirt by the light of a hurricane lantern. Her brother was apparently still asleep, as was the white behemoth in the center of the barn. Anko slammed the human sized door behind her loud enough to make the boy jump in his sleeping bag. The bison, however, didn't even twitch.
The girl put down her mending and relieved Anko of some of her load. "Appa hasn't woke up at all. Do you think he'll be alright?"
The boy rose out of his sleeping bag, scratching his head as he yawned. "Please tell me you're going to take the maggots out now."
"I don't know and No," Anko answered both their questions in order. She knelt down at the bison's head and put a hand on his nose. The fever was still there and his breathing was still labored. She had been afraid of this; that the infection from the wound might have tainted the bison's blood.
Katara stood beside her with a bundle of herbs and the jar in her hands. "What is this?" she asked.
Anko took the jar from her. "A mixture of cat's claw, samambaia and tayuya; or in other words, a blood purifier. The question is how to correctly judge the dosage," Anko looked at the unconscious Appa's giant mouth, "And then how to deliver it."
"Why won't he wake up?" Sokka asked suspiciously.
The farmer looked at the Water Tribe teen with a frown. Her patience with mouthy teenagers was starting to wear thin. "Let's see… I don't know, maybe it has something to do with that big hole in his side. Or the fact that he was flying around with an infected wound for twenty days. What do you think, boy?"
Katara interjected, "What Sokka means is, how come Appa was able to move around yesterday but not today? Um, I mean, we knew he was hurt, and needed help but he just seemed to go down hill so suddenly. And now he won't even wake up…"
Anko snorted, "All that means is that you're both unobservant." She measured out a portion of the tincture. Seeing the crestfallen look on Katara's face, she softened her tone. "Animals naturally hide their symptoms when they feel sick; that way they don't become part of the food chain. My guess is that he hid how bad he really felt for a while, at least until it became too much for him. To be honest, I'm surprised that you made it to Yopoko at all. He must really like you two, to keep carting you around while suffering so much."
Katara stared at their large fluffy friend. "It was Aang. He did it to help find Aang. And we couldn't even manage that."
Anko cocked a brow at the blue-eyed girl. She let the subject drop. "So who's ready to help deliver his medicine?" she asked in a more cheerful tone. They both stared at her.
"He's still asleep!" Sokka pointed out with exasperation.
"Not for long," Anko replied with a grin. She handed the dose of herbal medicine to the boy. "When he opens his mouth, throw the liquid in as far as you can." She turned to Katara and took the bundle of dried herbs from her. Then she opened the lantern and stuck one end of the bundle into the small flame. It lit, then smoldered, thick smoke rising from the end. Anko waved it in front of the bison's nose. "Get ready," she told Sokka.
He positioned himself in near Appa's mouth. The large bison snorted, then stirred. His large eyes blinked open. Then he yawned. ":Ew," Sokka exclaimed as Appa's horrible morning breath wafted through the air. He quickly tossed the liquid in the bison's open mouth, then just as quickly moved away. Not quite quick enough, however, to avoid the spray as the sputtering bison suddenly sneezed.
Katara went to the bison and gave him a hug around the neck, murmuring soothing words as he swallowed the rest of the medicine down. Anko smiled. The scene was touching, even to someone as cynical as her.
Sokka wiped bison snot off his face. "Great. He's awake. Now can we take the maggots out?"
The woman sighed. "For the last time, No. Those maggots have a job to do and they're not coming out until it's done. Trust me; he doesn't even know that they are there."
Sokka looked doubtfully at the bison. "OooKaay."
Anko instructed Katara to bring Appa some water. She didn't expect him to stay awake for long and she didn't want the fever to dehydrate him. She had Sokka fetch some hay from the loft. "Don't let him eat anything but hay today. And here," she handed a different bundle of dried plants to the siblings, "pick off the flowers and mix it up with the hay that he eats."
Anko gave the bison's make shift bandage a good inspection before turning to leave. She accidentally kicked the edge of Sokka's sleeping bag as she walked, revealing a familiar looking sack. "What's this?"
"Oh, sorry. I found that stacked over there." The boy pointed towards a neat row of stacked bags. "It made a pretty good pillow."
Anko eyed the bag, and then grinned. "Of course, whitewash! It's perfect for a day like today. Much better than yams. You're a genius, boy."
Sokka looked at his sister, who shrugged. They both watched as the farmer shouldered the bag, then grabbed two buckets and some brushes. After telling the Water Tribe siblings that she would be back to check on Appa later, the earthbender cheerfully headed back to her house.
"Told you see was nuts," Sokka muttered.
Entering the house, Anko was pleased to discover the Fire Nation Prince cleaning out the fireplace. She had half expected him to still be sulking in his chair. "I brought a present," she announced.
"Is it a rain hat?" Zuko asked sourly.
"No, it's better than a rain hat; it's something to keep you out of the rain entirely." That attracted the boy's attention. He turned to look at her curiously as she poured some of the white powder from the bag into the buckets. Dripping her way across the floor, Anko went into the kitchen to pump water on top of the powder. "We're going to white wash these walls," she told the teen. She noticed her two rice pots were now clean and dry. She smiled, "And maybe later I'll show you how to cook rice without burning it." She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her wet hair.
Still feeling down, Zuko just shrugged. "Whatever," he muttered.
Anko sighed. She knew the firebender was struggling with his depression again, but besides keeping him busy, she wasn't sure how to help. After living alone for the past several years, the farmer was used to working in silence. Remembering the tactics her Grandfather had used on her, however, she decided to fill the silence, lest it continue to weigh down the boy's spirits.
"Too bad my Grandma's not here. That woman could really cook." When Zuko remained silent, she continued on. "Of course, she'd probably take a wooden spoon to my backside for letting the house go like I have."
Zuko looked at her. Anko was tall and muscular. He had a hard time imagining any one taking a wooden spoon to her backside. "So what happened to your Grandmother?" he asked slowly.
Anko smiled at him, glad he was showing an interest in something other than his own problems. "She died peacefully of old age when I was ten. You see, Grandma was something of a cradle robber. She had a good twelve years on Grandfather and it finally caught up to her. You'd never know it while she was alive though." Anko shook her head ruefully. "I remember one time…"
She spent the day white washing walls while telling Zuko outrageous stories of her misadventures as a youth. In the end, the teen seemed to recover from his blues, laughing at some of her tales as they worked the rainy day away. Anko thought it was a good sign that he was able to perk up like that. Unfortunately, the worst was yet to come.