So, I originally started this story awhile ago and then things happened, causing the story to stop. But since I have extra time now and the motivation, I'll be going back through it and updating everything to be current. Thank you for your patience!
"Is this all of them? Seems the pickings are getting a little sparse, Kaito."
"W-well, we've kidnapped so many girls already that the people have become suspicious; they're locking their young daughters up at night! If we start breaking down doors, the Earth kingdom will send the entire army to find us!"
A loud bang resonated through the room, silencing the nervous voice. It was quiet for a tense moment, the air almost palpable. A strained sigh broke the tension.
"We'll have to do with what we have then. I suppose our most recent catch we got will make up for the lack of women. She definitely put up a strong fight,"
"Y-yes, she took out most of the men before the Yuyan Archers managed to subdue her." A low whistle was let out as footsteps padded across the floor, the loose dirt shifting as they moved. "She lives up to her title, definitely a priceless item being a Master Waterbender. Should fetch a high price, Zanui."
The man named Zanui merely let out a low chuckle. He walked towards a slumped woman against the wall, conjuring flames to illuminate the area. A blindfold was secured snugly around their head, blocking their surroundings, while their wrists were bound above their head by heavy metal chains attached to the wall. More chains were secured around their ankles, preventing any easy escape and limiting movement. Hay made a makeshift, albeit uncomfortable cushion against the hard rock floor where the person currently sat. The outfit she was wearing had been covered up with a plain sleeveless burlap dress, the color matching the dirt covered floors, and tied around the waist with thick coarse rope. Their hairstyle had been altered as well; the rich brown locks that were tied in an elaborate traditional style now flowed in waves down her back, kept in place with a loose piece of ribbon at the base of her neck.
Crouching down, Zanui grasped the woman by a large handful of hair and jerked up to turn her face towards him. "She'll indeed fetch a good price, such an exquisite beauty from such a savage and primitive tribe. Dark skin, crystal clear blue eyes with such a fire in them. Strong body as well; perhaps, I may keep her to myself," He moved his thumb towards her mouth, pressing down on her bottom lip. Teeth suddenly clamped down on the appendage, causing the man to curse in surprise and jerk his hand backwards.
"I'll defeat you all before you have the chance to make any profit off of me," The woman growled lowly, spitting towards the man and lunging forward, the chains clanking loudly as they were pulled taut. "You won't get away with this!" Zanui examined his finger briefly before flicking it, blood splattering against the dirty hay. With a deep sigh, his hand shot forward and latched around the woman's throat, lifting her into the air easily. A strangled gasp escaped before the fingers tightened around her neck, completely blocking her windpipe.
"Such a strong will, eh? Well, we'll break that soon enough, so I suggest you behave!" With flick of his wrist, he forcefully flung her back against the wall, a pained wheeze pushed from her lungs. The chains rattled loudly as she collapsed against the floor, coughing and gasping as much needed air filled her lungs.
"Z-Zanui, w-we shouldn't leave any m-marks on her, it would depreciate her value amongst the buyers…" Kaito stuttered as he looked back at the girl, averting his eyes from the towering man walking past him. Heat suddenly exploded near his hand and he screamed in horror as the entirety of his hand burst into flames, the smell of burnt flesh filling the air. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind deeply burnt skin that oozed blood.
"I suggest next time you hold your tongue unless you want that burned as well," Zanui snarled, his lip curling upwards.
He didn't have time to waste with this idiot, he had a whole shipload of women to sell off to private sellers in the Fire Nation. It had taken weeks, even months, to achieve such a large stock of beautiful women. His men had scoured even the most remote parts of the Earth Kingdom in search of inventory. Of course, the families had tried to fight back against the kidnappers, and very few had succeeded, until a fire 'accidentally' burned them to death. There was no remorse, of course. Zanui was a businessman and ultimately, in order to get what he needed, drastic measures had to be taken to get it.
Controlling the flame on his hand, the man began making his way down the dark and abandoned mine shaft, taking specially marked pathways that led to the main prisoner hold a little deeper within the abandoned mine. Any man he passed abruptly stopped what they were doing to clasp their hands and bow, fearful of their powerful leader as he walked by. It had only taken one crew member to screw up to prove how ruthless Zanui was; the man was carrying supplies that were stacked way too high, and as he turned a corner, ran straight into the gang's leader. As soon as he looked up from his spot on the ground to see who he had hit, the blood rushed from his face, and he began slamming his head into the ground, begging for forgiveness. With a snap of his fingers, Zanui set the man ablaze, forcing every other man to watch as the man writhed in agony before ultimately curling up and dying a painful death.
Zanui smiled as the memory came to mind. After that day, no crew member dared to disrespect him or his direct commands. The feeling of power could sometimes be overwhelming, the firebender admitted, though seeing the fear in people's faces is what he lived for, what he craved so deeply. The pathway suddenly widened as he entered a large cavern carved within the center of the mine. Decades ago, the mines had been abandoned due to multiple casualties as parts of the paths had collapsed, scaring the miners away. Now, it held all 49 of his female prisoners, some taken as far away as the Western Earth Kingdom, an isolated part of the country some thought perished long ago during the 100 Years War. Though the War ended barely two years ago, thanks to the Avatar. The smile slipped from his face and settled as a scowl at the thought of how the young Avatar had single-handedly ended the war by just removing Fire Lord Ozai's, or rather, he called himself the Phoenix King, bending permanently. Since then, the Avatar had collaborated with Fire Lord Zuko to restore balance to the four nations and begin a new state known as the Republic where everyone could live in harmony, no matter their nationality.
"Boss Zanui, we've secured all of the women for transport. It'll take us about a day or so to load them up and get enough supplies to last us the trip back to the Fire Nation. Then it should take about two weeks, weather permitting. We've scheduled a stop just a few days from the drop off location to refuel and restock on supplies." A large, burly man turned and bowed at Zanui as he spoke, a clipboard in his hand. Behind him men scurried about, hurrying to finish preparations for the long trip. Zanui nodded and waved the man away to finish his work. Standing in the center of the room, he slowly eyed his prizes, sweeping over their faces and bodies, calculating a price for each head. As the numbers added up, the grin on his face grew with the total price. Of course, he couldn't calculate for the waterbender, but she was sure to fetch a price worth at least the value of 10 normal women. He would live well after this auction, to say the least.
Throwing his arms wide, he began to laugh; gradually the other men caught on and joined in, the room suddenly roaring with malicious laughter. "Men! After this auction, we'll be living like Kings! No more squalling in alleys, no more searching through rubbish bins! Forget those flimsy hay beds on the cold, hard ground! Once we sell off these assets, we will rule the black market of the Earth Kingdom!"
As the men cheered and celebrated, Zanui had already devised a plan for the fate of his 'special' possession. He would make her his own, no matter how ruthless the manner he used to do it. Since the Avatar had taken everything away from him, he'd just have to tear away the most important thing from him.
*4 Days Earlier*
Appa grunted as he veered to the right, preparing to land in a spot he knew all too well in the city of Ba Sing Se. Team Avatar had reunited for an incredibly special occasion happening at the Jasmine Dragon tea shop. Though they had separated to move on with their own lives and pursue their dreams, they soon found themselves reunited once more. Toph had been out creating a metalbending school after Ozai had been defeated and things had calmed down for a while and currently had a small cluster of students she was commanding over. Rather, "Lily-livers" is what she preferred to call them. Sokka had left to meet up with his father and learn more of the Southern Water Tribe battle tactics and to help out with the village back home. Meanwhile, Katara and Aang continued to travel across the nations, heeding to peoples calls of help from every direction while also meeting frequently with Fire Lord Zuko and Earth King Kuei to help establish and build a new nation called the Republic. While Aang took care of the major meetings with Zuko, Katara had become the unofficial ambassador of the Air Nation and met with smaller nations and councils to fill in for Aang's absence.
While Toph had chosen to earthbend her way to the city, Sokka had eagerly joined Aang and Katara as they flew past his rendezvous point, just a day's worth of travel from Ba Sing Se. Though he quickly realized he would have to put up with Aang and Katara's sickening affection for one another, even going so far as to say it gave him the 'oogies'.
"It's been a while since we've been to the city, I'm sure it's changed a lot." Katara commented as Appa landed, gratefully taking Aang's hand as he airbended them gently to the ground.
Just two years ago, the young, goofy kid Katara and Sokka had found in the iceberg had gone from being a 12-year-old Avatar-in-training, to a full-fledged Avatar, master of all four elements. Of course, in the span of 2 years, all of them had grown in more than one way. Aang and Katara had finally gotten together and had been nearly inseparable since that night in Ba Sing Se after Zuko had been appointed Fire Lord. Aang had even grown taller, now slightly taller than Sokka and with a more adult frame to match.
Sokka had become the main strategical planner for the Southern Water Tribe army, constantly departing from the team to help rebuild cities and towns that had been affected by the war. Toph, of course, had her metalbending school and was busy training her students the art of metalbending. Though, after hearing some stories, they weren't as good as she had hoped.
"Thank the Spirit's we're here! I can't handle any more of your oogies!" Sokka grumbled as he slid from Appa's saddle, landing painfully on his rear. Aang offered him a hand up and pulled him to his feet.
"Oh, come on, it's no different when you're with Suki!" Katara shot back as she helped unload the rest of the supplies. With a quick movement, Aang lowered the heavy bison saddle to the ground, Appa shaking his fur out in relief.
"I'm your older brother, I'm allowed to do stuff like that! Besides, I have to keep you two in line! I'm watching you, Aang!" Sokka motioned with two fingers from his eyes to Aang, his eyes wide and eyebrows raised nearly to his hairline for emphasis.
"Relax, Sokka, I will stay respectful of Katara's boundaries and would never force her to do anything she didn't clarify. Monks honor," The Avatar closed one fist and placed his open palm facing sideways on top before bowing slightly, honoring his traditions and teachings. Katara just rolled her eyes at her brother before grabbing Aang and kissing him hard, just to annoy her brother.
"KATARA! Seriously, you guys give me serious OOGIES!" He screamed before storming off, throwing his hands in the air. Both Katara and Aang snickered, wrapping their arms around each other lovingly.
"He does know we've been dating for two years, right?"
"It'd be interesting to see how long he can keep this up, but knowing him, it will take probably half of his life to get over it." The couple giggled again before sharing a much softer kiss. The moment was short lived though when the ground began to shake, gradually at first until both benders jerked apart, the ground beginning to split beneath them. With a loud boom, the rock burst open, debris raining down over them.
"Aang, what's going on?!" Katara cough as she tried to fan away the cloud of dust blocking her vision.
"It seems an old friend decided to pop up," The dust was dissipated as a strong blast of air forced it away, revealing a rounded pedestal with a smirking earthbender standing proudly on top.
"You're the old one, Twinkletoes, last I checked I wasn't 115 years old."
The two friends embraced, not having seen each other for months. Katara grabbed Toph afterwards, nearly squeezing the life out of the prestigious bender.
"Easy, Sugar Queen, or you'll squish me to death." Toph groaned as she tried to push the waterbender back. The two girls quickly began to talk about their experiences over the past few months, sharing stories, or in Toph's case, complaining about her students.
"I'll catch up to you guys in a few minutes, I'm just going to get Appa settled for the night." Aang called out, waving them off while he airbended the large saddle towards the designated barn specially designed for the massive bison. Appa grunted as he followed his companion, searching for hay to devour. Once he was settled and munching on a large pile, Aang giving him a goodnight scratch, the Avatar headed towards the Jasmine Dragon. They had all been sent invitations to Iroh's birthday celebration, something they were unable to attend last year due to unrest throughout the state.
Aang walked through the massive jade green doors to the tea house, the strong aroma of tea giving him a sense of peace and comfort. The room was filled to the brim with people, all talking excitedly and enjoying steaming cups of tea.
"Avatar Aang! Glad you could make it!" Iroh's booming voice called from the center of the room, drawing everyone's attention to the Avatar. "Come in, come in! I have the perfect tea for you to try!" The old man quickly met Aang halfway across the room, a steaming cup of tea in his hands. Bowing, the airbender graciously accepted the cup before bringing it to his lips. The aroma alone smelled intoxicating, yet when the tea met his tongue, it was like a completely different brew. A subtle hint of green tea with mixes of honey, jasmine, and … lemon?
"This is amazing, Iroh! I've never had such an amazing tea! You've really outdone yourself with this." Iroh blushed at the compliment before belting out a hearty laugh, patting Aang on the shoulder.
"You sure know how to make an old man blush! Why don't you go join your friends, I'll brew some more tea for you to taste. Zuko should be arriving soon." While he bustled back to the kitchen, Aang spotted the rest of his friends sitting at a large table near the corner. Making his way over to them, despite being stopped by most people on the way anxious to meet the Avatar, he took a seat next to Katara, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Toph was just explaining how she was training her students. It sounds grueling," His girlfriend filled him in quickly.
The group soon fell into complete comfort, laughing and enjoying one another like old times. Zuko arrived a little later, looking tired but seeing his friends seemed to wipe it from his face. He and Aang chatted for a while, avoiding work sensitive information, and were planning the next meeting when the cake was brought out shortly after. Everyone wished Iroh luck for the next year with health and prosperity, singing a traditional celebration song and clanking their teacups.
The party began to wind down as most people left for the evening, leaving just Team Avatar, Zuko and Iroh to reminisce about the past. It had been just a few hours since they arrived, but it felt like they had been there for barely minutes.
"How have things been going with being Fire Lord, Zuko? Have any colonies been giving you trouble?" Aang asked his friend. It had been more than a few months since he had been to the Fire Nation, what with being called to all over the Earth Kingdom and various parts of the Northern and Southern Water Tribes.
Zuko dragged a hand down his face, the exhaustion clear. "There have been some small uprisings, but nothing we couldn't handle. For the most part, everything has been smoothing itself out with very few issues." Aang nodded in agreement. He had gotten various updates from Zuko, but he hadn't heard anything for the past few months since he and Katara had visited the Southern Air Temple for a few weeks to try and rebuild it.
"Ah, that reminds me, Aang," Iroh cut in, his joyous expression replaced with a serious one. "I have heard rumors that young women have been kidnapped from all over the Earth Kingdom, even rumors some here in Ba Sing Se could be targets." Everyone fell quiet at the news. Women being kidnapped? Why hadn't the Earth King written a letter to the Avatar? Unease settled in the pit of Aang's stomach.
"Uncle, when did all of this start? I haven't heard anything about it." If possible, the stress lines on Zuko's face deepened, causing the young man to appear years older.
"Rumor is, it's been going on for a few weeks, if not longer. The only reason it has become largely known is due to a few of the parents of the kidnapped girls surviving the raids. Though shortly afterwards, there was always a freak accident involving fire, but it is highly unlikely to be just accidental fires."
"There's no way that's an accident; those men were silencing any witnesses of their kidnapping." Toph ground out from her spot, unseeing eyes narrowing in disgust as she crossed her arms and propped her feet up on a makeshift pedestal.
"Iroh, have there been any recent kidnappings around this area? Maybe we can try to find some information from the townspeople." Katara offered, a fire burning in her piercing blue eyes. Kidnapping people was disgusting to begin with, but burning their families because they had tried to defend their child? It burned a rage throughout her body, fingers itching to water whip those thugs across the face. Aang felt the rage radiating off of his girlfriend and felt his own swell. He rested a hand against her back, letting her know he felt the same way.
"Hmm, I have not heard anything specific, but maybe you should ask the Earth King, I'm sure he would have some information for you." The old man thoughtfully stroked his beard, "But for now, I think it's time for us to get some rest. You have all traveled far and must be tired. I have some spare rooms readied so you may use them for the evening."
Everyone murmured agreements before saying their good nights. Katara and Toph would share a room while Aang, Sokka, and Zuko shared another. Though they had all gone to their rooms and settled into bed, two minds raced from the information they received tonight. Sokka and Toph had passed out the second they hit the beds, Zuko quickly following suit, but Katara and Aang were wide awake. Tomorrow they would head to the Palace and speak with King Kuei in hopes of solving this mystery. They only wished they had heard of the news sooner… before any more lives were lost.
Early in the morning, Aang and Katara sat silently over their tea and breakfast, the air thick. Even Iroh was slightly quieter, though his face showed no emotional change as he bustled around and joyously served his customers. Zuko, Toph, and Sokka had yet to awake so it just left the young couple to replay the previous night's conversation over and over in their minds.
"If this has been going on for a while, why wasn't there any word on about it at the Council meetings? Surely someone would've noticed something," Katara sighed over her tea, piercing blue eyes reflecting back at her from the murky liquid. Her appetite was gone but she knew Aang would try to get her to have something so tea was the easier option.
"It's possible that whoever is doing this really did make sure to leave no traces behind them. We won't know until we get to the Palace and ask King Kuei directly if he knows anything. Zuko may have some information back in the Fire Nation, hopefully there'll be something there he can send us." Aang suggested with a bit of hope, watching Katara with careful eyes. He knew how much it pained her, and it pained him just as much. Innocent young women being captured and stolen from their homes; their families being burned alive in attempts to save their children. The Avatar felt helpless to save them. How was he supposed to be the peacekeeper of the world if he didn't even know who was behind the heinous crimes and how to stop them?
"Maybe King Kuei would have some more information as well, or even the Dai Lee could know something but getting information out of them is like trying to remove a porcupine-skunks quills." Katara let out a small laugh at the image of Sokka having been rummaging through the bushes in search of food and coming face-to-face with the rear end of an angry porcupine-skunk. It had taken weeks for the smell to die down and even longer before the rest of the group had let him near the campsite at night.
"Hey, it wasn't my fault that thing was in my way in search of food!" Sokka grumbled as he dropped into the chair next to Aang, his hair sticking up in every direction. Aang poured him a cup of steaming tea before handing it to the disheveled man, receiving a grumble of thanks.
"Somehow you always manage to get yourself into trouble and then either Aang or Toph have to bend you out of holes or I have to put a fire out because you got too close to the campfire." Katara snickered as her brother suddenly stuck his tongue out, fanning the burned appendage.
"Glad to see you three have such energy in the morning."
"Zuko, good morning. Tea?" Katara offered the Fire Lord as he took a seat next to her. He gratefully took the steaming cup, his expression relaxed. Sleep and a good cup of tea did the Fire Lord a favor, the ruler looking noticeably calmer and more at peace.
"I enjoyed reuniting with you all again, but unfortunately, royal duties await me back in the Fire Nation. Aang," Said man turned away from Sokka to face his friend. "I'll look into any attacks that have occurred within the Fire Nation or surrounding areas. A messenger hawk will send word if I find anything."
"Thank you, Zuko, I really appreciate your help with this. I know you're busy with running an entire nation by yourself, but I don't want you to stress yourself out too much. I'm sure King Kuei will know something about what's going on."
Zuko gave a tired smile before finishing his tea. Iroh spotted his nephew and made his way over, tucking his empty tray beneath his arm.
"Zuko, you look much better this morning. How are you feeling? I know being Fire Lord is a very demanding job, which is why you should always drink more tea! Extremely healthy for you, nephew, and invigorating."
"There's only so much tea I can handle, Uncle," Zuko replied with a small smile. "That was the best night of sleep I've gotten in weeks."
"See? More tea is always the answer! Maybe if you drank more, you wouldn't be so stressed out." Iroh chided lightly, patting his nephew on the shoulder.
"Tea is very good for relaxation, Zuko, you should try to drink more of it." Aang threw in before finishing off his cup.
They chatted lightly while eating, Toph joining them and throwing in the occasional burp for good measure. Zuko finished his meal, sighing as he stood up, and announced he needed to leave to return to the Fire Nation to begin looking into the kidnapping issue and other official business. Iroh escorted him out after doing the usual goodbye formalities, leaving Team Avatar with some free time.
"I think some meditation will do me some good, I'll be outback in the garden." Aang decided as he helped clear the dishes, Katara joining in as well.
"I wanna go explore the shops, I've been needing to a find a new belt." Sokka yawned widely. "You goin', Toph?"
"You even gotta ask? I wanna see how many rigged street games I can win!" Toph grinned widely, punching Sokka hard enough in the shoulder to send him to the floor.
"I'll see if Iroh needs any help around the shop. I know it must be hard for him to keep up with everything by himself." Katara hummed as she carried the dishes behind the counter.
"You are a kind-hearted young woman, Katara, I can see why Aang is so fond of you." Iroh reentered the shop, smiling warmly at the waterbender. "I would love the help if you have the time."
"Of course! You've been so generous to us, Iroh, it's the least I can do."
"We're gonna head out, sis, we'll be back in a few hours!" Sokka waved to them as he and Toph departed.
"I'll be out back if you need me, sweetie." Aang kissed Katara's temple before heading down a side hallway.
"Let's get to work, shall we?"
Aang inhaled deeply before slowing releasing the breath, his mind clearing. He sat perfectly still on a large rock in the small garden behind Iroh's tea shop, taking in the tranquility of the early morning. The news of the missing girls had shaken everyone to the core, a crime rarely heard of, yet it hit the Avatar the hardest. He was the peacekeeper between nations and the barrier between the Spirit World and this one. But he had been too busy trying to resurrect the world as a safer place, that he had neglected helping the people within that world. Conflict swirled within his mind, cracking his concentration and with a sigh, he fell backwards onto the pure white sand swirled around the garden rocks and trees. The sun had just begun to peak over the city, the cool desert night giving way to another torturous summer.
Spring had come and gone with a blur, as had a lot of the past few years, and Aang couldn't help but reminisce about the days back at the Southern Air Temple. He could smell the honeysuckle and jasmine bushes as they began to bloom, the fruit trees with their flowers wilting as fruit grew from the remains. He could hear the other children running around and playing air ball or flying around on their gliders. A tiny Appa popped into his memories and he couldn't help but smile. Appa had always been there for him, through thick and thin. He felt guilty for the sky bison; he had been frozen with him for 100 years, missing out on adventures with fellow sky bison and a lot of his life.
A slight tremor in the ground caused the Avatar to crack an eye open, feeling the sensation pulse through his body, entering through his palm against the ground. Although he was sprawled out on sand, it was easy figuring out who it was, knowing those footsteps anywhere.
"You can come over, Katara, I'm done meditating," Aang spoke before closing his eye once more, feeling the sun finally reaching his face. He heard the sand shifting beneath her feet before she stopped. The sand around him moved slightly as she sat down, something clinking as she settled.
"I figured you were done, what with you sprawled out like a pig-chicken," Katara teased. Sifting through the basket she had brought out with her, the waterbender pulled a plate full of fresh fruit and set it next to her boyfriend before indulging in her own plate. Aang pushed himself up into a sitting position, his stomach growling loudly. "I knew I should come prepared, there's some steamed tofu and bean sprouts if you're still hungry." After Aang had stuffed some fruit into his mouth, he leaned over and kissed Katara on the cheek, his face looking like a chipmunk-squirrel.
"Thank you, Katara. I needed some food,"
As he kept stuffing the delicacies in his mouth, he noticed his partner looked a little worse for wear. Her hair wasn't braided but it was hanging loose with it tied back at the base of her neck. The two strands of hair that normally framed her face, her hair-loopies, were braided and merged with the loose hair at the tie. Dark bags were under her eyes and she looked exhausted. Of course, Aang wasn't looking so bright and perky either. His mind had raced all night about the missing girls. Meditating hadn't helped much, and he debated going into the Spirit World to talk with his predecessors, but it was unlikely they would have an answer for him, or at least, the answer he was looking for.
"I take it you didn't sleep well either?" Katara spoke softly, snapping his attention back to her face.
"I couldn't stop thinking about those girls, about how their families were destroyed just for defending their own child," Aang replied sorrowfully, his heart aching for the families struggling. "Maybe we should consult with King Kuei, he might have an idea of what's going on."
"It's possible, but I wouldn't get your hopes up too high, I get the feeling he won't have as much information as we'd like, Aang. I've been thinking of ideas all night, but some of them are…"
"Dangerous?" Aang finished for her, already not liking where this conversation was going. Although Sokka was the go-to plan guy, something as big as this just wasn't possible to rush head on into a large, ruthless gang so any ideas were a gamble at this point. It could take weeks to plan out their patterns, habits, locations, if there were any connections to certain cities or areas…
"I have one idea… but you aren't going to like it…" Aang tensed up at her words, a sinking feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. "It's really risky, even with our previous battle experiences. I haven't gone over it with Sokka, but I already know what he's going to say. And I know what you'll say as well," Katara looked at him from the corner of her eye, judging his reaction. Trying to calm his mind down, Aang released a heavy breath before closing his eyes, bracing for the idea.
"I'm ready to hear it, Katara. But if a better, safer, plan can be made, I would prefer to go with that." Opening his eyes, he turned and looked into her sharp blue ones, giving a small nod for her to continue. Katara grasped his hand, squeezing firmly on it before continuing.
"Well, we know they're going after young women, probably the more beautiful the better, so… what if we set a trap up for them? Using me as a bait to lure them out into the open and then –"
"Katara, that's way too dangerous! What if something goes wrong, what if I can't protect you? I'm afraid if something happens, I may lose control and go into the Avatar State." Katara watched as he became flustered, vehemently shooting down her plan.
She knew it was dangerous, even for powerful benders such as themselves, but what other option was there to rescue the kidnapped women? This mission was going to be dangerous no matter how they looked at it. If it came down to it, she would surrender herself for the sake of the other women. If there were people who needed her, she would never turn her back on them, no matter the situation.
"Aang, it's just an idea. I'm sure Sokka can come up with something safer than that. I knew it was a dangerous idea, which is why I hesitated to tell you. I knew you wouldn't react well to it." She placed a hand against his cheek. "We have to rescue those women, Aang, they're in danger and who knows where they've been taken. We can discuss it later with Sokka and Toph, alright? But for now, I think we should get ready and head to see King Kuei."
"You're right, Katara, I'm sorry for getting upset about it. I just… don't want to see you get injured, I wouldn't be able to handle it if you got hurt because I couldn't save you." Aang took her face in his hands before bringing his lips to hers. They released after a few minutes, staring into each other's eyes. Katara's face softened and a small smile graced her lips.
"Why don't we finish up breakfast and head inside?" Aang nodded in agreement and soon they had both finished their meals, satisfied with the food. Katara had packed everything back up neatly and stood up before she saw the mischievous glint in Aang's eye. Knowing that look, she readied herself in a battle stance, a sly grin gracing her lips.
"Last one inside is a hog-monkey?" Sand rained down as the two took off, laughing as blasts of air and water soared through the air.
King Kuei groaned as he slid down his throne, the back of his eyes pulsing painfully. Bosco, his bear best friend, grunted at the king, nudging his hand. Kuei scratched the bear absentmindedly, mind preoccupied on the meeting going on in front of him. Well, meeting was a strong word… it was more like an all-out shouting match between children at who's plan of action was better. It had been going on for the past twenty minutes and frankly, the king was growing weary of it.
A representative from the Fire Nation had arrived early in the morning for a scheduled meeting with the Earth Kingdom, entering the room while King Kuei's top generals were laying out multiple options for rebuilding the nation and preserving the colonies neatly over the long conference tables. But as soon as the Fire Nation representative spotted a plan that would disrupt his people's colonies, the shouting began. The meeting hadn't been anything other than disruptive and the king was beginning to get a headache. With a dark thought, the king momentarily considered sending Bosco after them, but he quickly dismissed that idea. Bosco was a truly kind and loving bear who would never harm a human. Maybe the Dai Li? That would be last resort, of course, if things got violent.
The large doors creaked open, briefly halting the two bickering generals. A messenger quickly walked to the center of the room before bowing, the tiny hat on his head nearly falling from his head.
"My king, the Avatar has requested an audience with you at your soonest convenience. Shall I escort him in?" King Kuei could barely contain his excitement. Finally! He got a break from the arguing!
"Of course, of course! Fire Nation General Fu Tauon, General Tien Min, if we may continue this after a short break? I'm afraid I must attend to other business at the moment." Both men looked at each other, more like scowled, but bowed respectfully before continuing their arguments, albeit more quietly, as they shuffled from the room. Kuei reminded himself to chastise both men later.
The messenger quickly bowed before hurrying from the room to usher the guests in. King Kuei watched with gleaming eyes as the Avatar entered the room alongside with Katara. Standing with his arms wide, the king beamed down at the two.
"Avatar Aang and Katara of the Southern Water Tribe! Welcome back to the Earth Kingdom! How have things been for you these past few months?"
Aang bowed respectfully to the king, beaming back just as much.
"Things have been well, your highness, thank you. I hear you've been working with the Fire Nation over disputed territories."
"Ah, well, unfortunately plans have become a bit side-tracked at the moment, but they'll get back on track soon! But enough about that, what can I help you with, Avatar?"
The two shared a look before Katara stepped forward, her hands clutched against her chest as she hesitantly approached.
"Your highness, there have been rumors about women all over the Earth Kingdom being kidnapped. We were wondering if you had possibly heard anything about the disappearances?" The grin on the kings face suddenly dropped, his face becoming serious. The atmosphere became heavier in the blink of an eye. The king let out a heavy breath as he sat back on his throne and hunched over, his hands crossing beneath his chin.
"I have heard rumors of such a despicable thing happening within my kingdom. It greatly pains me to see my people losing their children so violently. Some of my men have even heard stories about families who have succeeded in preventing their daughters' kidnapping, but by daylight they were found to have been burned to death within their homes." The king briefly closed his eyes, brow furrowing as if deep in thought. "I have tried to send a small platoon to hunt down those monsters, but barely one third of my men returned, the others having been killed or captured by those thugs."
"Your highness, would it be possible to see the reports your men made? We'd like to get as much information on them as possible in order to figure out where they'll strike next and intercept them before they kidnap anymore women." Aang asked.
"Ah, the reports? They should be somewhere in the records hall. I'll have one of my men bring out every file regarding that case. We've been monitoring the situation for a few weeks now, just after it started to become a more pronounced issue. Even after investigating and trying to plan their movements, we just can't seem to figure them out. Why would they need these women? What are they doing with them? According to one of my Dai Li, the leader of the group, a man named Zanui? He seems to be an enormously powerful, ruthless firebender. But there's something off about him,"
"Something off?" Aang inquired, curious about this powerful bender. King Kuei nodded solemnly.
"My agents tell me he seems to possess some sort of…hypnosis, I suppose. They watched as he easily lured the women to him, though I'm afraid I don't have much more information on him apart from that. Possibly there is something in the library about his past, but it could take days to find his name, if there is anything related to him within the room. You and your friends are more than welcome to search any and all documents I have regarding the matter. If needed," King Kuei added, "I can arrange some rooms for you if you have nowhere to stay on your trip."
"That's very generous of you, King Kuei, we would like to accept your offer for rooms. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask." Aang placed his palm against his first and bowed. King Kuei let out a small laugh.
"There is no need to be so formal, Aang, we are all good friends here. But if the need arises, I shall be requesting your assistance. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have two children to attend to. Good day, Avatar."
Once the two groups had gone their separate ways, Aang and Katara began to search for clues in a large meeting room they were guided to. There were large shelves of books and files stacked nearly 20 feet tall in neat rows throughout the room. On the far side, a fireplace was crackling gently while providing warmth to the large stone room. After nearly an hour or so, a servant interrupted them to announce Sokka and Toph had arrived, bowing and shuffling out of the way to allow them to enter.
Neatly lined along one table was a small stack of papers and a thin book. Katara carefully picked up some of the papers, holding them up to see them a little better. On the first one was a crude drawing of what she supposed was the leader of the group. Though, he looked more like the terrible drawing Sokka did of Zuko.
"Hey, Sokka, this looks like your drawing of Zuko from two years ago! See? He even has the spiky hair!"
Katara showed Aang and the two burst out laughing as Sokka marched over and snatched the paper, complaining that his drawing looked better than that child's scribbles. Toph sensed her way to a chair before plopping down in it heavily and kicked her feet up onto the table. It was going to be a long day of information studying, so she made herself comfortable and began picking the crud out from in between her toes.
Sorry for the long delay, I really should have updated things faster. But I'm going back through and carefully combing through for mistakes and making the chapters longer now. Thanks for the continued support!