It had been nearly three weeks since Katara was taken, no sign of Zanui or the other girls in any part of the Earth Kingdom outside of Ba Sing Se. Aang and Toph had gone back to the square to investigate, only to find a massive intricate tunnel system leading out of the city. It would take days, if not longer, to search the entirety of the passageways, time they didn't have. Long Feng was sentenced to life in prison for his crimes, locked away in a secure jail made completely of metal. Some of his double agents had requested an audience with the King, renouncing their ties with to their imprisoned leader. Toph had personally witnessed their testimonies in order to determine their truthfulness, only two out of the dozen falsifying their claims. Sokka had been hard at work with Zuko and King Kuei's generals in mapping out and searching possible escape routes, rarely leaving the War Room.
Tensions had become even higher as a small handful of other women had been kidnapped far from Ba Sing Se, near the Northwestern edge of Earth Kingdom territory, West of The Abbey and not too far from Crescent Island.
"There's no doubt about it, I'm sure they're bringing the women into Fire Nation territory. They're travelling West and hitting places somewhat close to the ocean for faster getaways." Sokka explained as he traced his finger around the closest Fire Nation territories, the map heavily marked with path trajectories. "If they wanted to keep things discrete, they would avoid going near the Palace at all costs, knowing how heavy the security is in the area and the higher population. The closest pieces of land would be Crescent Island, but considering how open it is, they would probably only stop there as a rest point before moving on."
"The same could be said of Ember Island, seeing as it's restricted just to myself and whomever is with me," Zuko added in, Sokka jotting it down on a separate piece of parchment. "Next is Fire Foundation City, which could be a possible stop considering all of the seedy business that happens there. Depending on what type of ships they have, they could blend right in as traders or merchants."
"Do you have your men checking every ship that enters the port?"
"Yes, every single one is being stopped and inspected thoroughly, nothing has been found yet apart from a few illegal items traders were trying to sell." Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "The Black Cliffs are just West of the city—"
"Black Cliffs…that's where we prepared before the battle with Ozai, it's got great coverage for ships and is uninhabited! Zuko, how fast can you send men there to investigate the area?" Sokka slammed his hands down on the map, tired eyes now wide and alert.
"It would normally take a day or so to amass a small platoon, but it can be done in as little as half a day if I send a messenger hawk to my generals stationed at the Great Gates of Azulon."
"No, wait! Gather any available troops you have here today, we'll go there ourselves. Aang's probably been scouring the islands closest to Earth Kingdom land first, but he can't take them all on himself and save the women." Sokka's excitement died down and he let out a heavy sigh.
Aang had been leaving for days at a time in search of Zanui, often coming back only to let Appa rest before taking off with his glider or sending the bison back by himself, feverishly continuing the search. He hadn't been seen for nearly a week and a half now, no amount of lookouts able to find a trace of him. Letters had even been sent to Omashu with King Bumi denying seeing him within the city. Sokka could understand why he was doing it, though they all felt the same way, but it was because of his strong love for Katara and the overwhelming guilt of not being able to protect her before she was taken. It was technically all part of the plan, to let her become bait, but becoming injured during the process wasn't. The few times he had seen his friend, he looked just as bad as when he was suffering from those nightmares about battling Ozai.
Toph had returned to her school for short periods of time to continue training her students, but during the night she would travel and scope out any potential caverns for signs of the captured women and Zanui. So far, nothing had come back, continuing the stressful and frantic search. Once, in the middle of the night, she had heard a faint rumbling in the distance and rushed outside to feel an unnatural wind passing by overhead. With her fingers on either side of her mouth, she let out a sharp whistle, hearing a groan in response as Appa responded to her call. When the giant Sky Bison had landed, Toph couldn't sense Aang on top of him, a frown adorning her face as her hopes withered. She gave him some food and let him rest at the school and by dawn he was gone again, heading in the direction of Ba Sing Se.
As Zuko began conversing with King Kuei and his advisors, Sokka stepped away to get some fresh air. Sleepless nights had left him frazzled with anxiety and stress, his ragged appearance worrying everyone. He couldn't rest, couldn't stop, while his sister was out there somewhere in the world, kidnapped by a maniac firebender. The summer air smacked him in the face as servants opened the courtyard for him, bowing deeply. Sokka paid no attention to them as he wandered into the garden, the sun sitting high above him. With a grunt, he sat down heavily on the stone bench nestled in the center, a large fountain burbling quietly behind. The exhaustion hit him hard and he dropped his head into his palms, hunching over tiredly. Tears trickled from his eyes, the dam he tried to hold back so desperately finally bursting open. He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there, the warmth of the sun now hitting mid back, when a voice startled him.
"Sokka?"
He quickly jerked his head up, swiping at his face with the backs of his hands to see Suki standing there in her Kyoshi warrior gear, expression worried.
"We got your letter, Sokka, I'm so sorry to hear about Katara. Have you heard anything about her location?" Suki crouched down in front of him, gently taking his hands in her own.
"There's nothing. We don't think they're in the Earth Kingdom territory anymore. Aang has been constantly leaving to search for Katara and we haven't heard from him in over a week." Sokka's gaze dropped to the dirt beneath his feet. "Zanui hasn't left a single trace everywhere we've looked, Suki."
"We're here now to help. I've seen how strong Katara is, Sokka, I know she can hold her own until we find her and the others. Everyone has been looking for you inside, are you ready to go back?"
"Yeah, I'm ready now." Sokka cupped her face and kissed her softly. "Thank you, Suki."
"Let's go bring them home."
Aang crouched atop the jagged hill, peering down through the darkness at the bay of Black Cliffs, staff clenched tightly in his hand. He had soared over the entirety of the surrounding islands, searching for any ships sailing through the waters. So far, there had only been a few Fire Nation ships patrolling the area and one or two small ships which he had swooped lower to check. It was an elderly Earth Kingdom couple on the first one he checked, having heard of the kidnappings but knowing nothing more than that. The other one had been just a small fishing vessel, the man returning to Fire Foundation City for the evening. Exhaustion had finally forced him to land and rest, though he could only sleep for a few hours at a time. Appa had been hidden away nearby while Aang scouted ahead, keeping his visibility low while he searched.
With a heavy sigh, he stood and stretched, feeling his spine pop into place. There had been nothing for hours, the moon in the waning phase of its cycle as it slowly rose in the night sky. It made it harder to see at night, but it was also a disadvantage to ships navigating the darkness, their lights a bright beacon to others. Slowly making his way back to Appa, Aang kicked a large rock out of frustration, grimacing as it exploded into pebbles. There had been no sightings of any unusual ships in the area between the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom, meaning Zanui was either really good at navigating the waters or had learned to blend in seamlessly with others. Either way, it brought endless frustrations to the Air Nomad.
As he reached the cavern he made for Appa, something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Blinking to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, Aang stopped and turned, squinting down at the bay to his right.
It was small, especially from his current position, but it appeared to be a light of sorts slowly floating above the water as it moved towards the bay. Another one slowly flickered to life, a third one following suit. Soon, there was a small grouping of lights filling the bay and Aang felt all exhaustion slip away as every sense became hyperaware. Appa grunted quietly behind him, slowly moving up behind his friend and butting him with his head.
"Appa, stay hidden and don't let them see you." Aang whispered to his bison, keeping his eyes glued to the lights as he rested his hand on his head.
Appa huffed in response before shuffling his way back to his makeshift shelter. Staff in hand, Aang began to quietly make his way closer, airbending to cushion the higher cliff drops. There were about five ships, all disguised as old and dilapidated Fire Nation merchant vessels, that had docked in the bay. Men began filing off of them, large bags of supplies thrown over their shoulders as someone barked commands from aboard.
"Hurry up and get everything unloaded for the night, these ships need to be scattered to hide our tracks! Earthbenders, I want those caverns caved out now! We only have a few hours to get everything ready for the reveal and nobody rests until it's done!"
Aang narrowed his eyes. So, that's how they were getting rid of evidence, by separating their transportation to conceal their tracks. What did he mean by a revealing? As more men disembarked, there was a loud cry from the ship closest to him followed by the sounds of panicked struggling.
"What's going on over there?" The man who was barking commands demanded as he stomped over to the ship. "Shut them up!"
"I'm trying, this one tried to be smart by taking punishment for one of the other girls!" A man grunted as he backed out of the cabin, yanking on a chain. "I knew it was a bad idea to keep let her in with the others. Don't blame me for this."
"I'll blame whoever the hell I want! Shut her up now!"
The man yanked hard on the chain, sending a young woman crashing onto the deck of the ship with a grunt. Aang froze as she lifted her face, scowling at the man above her as the blindfold slipped from her eyes.
"Katara…"
"She didn't do anything wrong! If you're going to take it out on someone, do it to someone who can fight back!" Katara snarled as she thrashed about, trying to loosen the restraints on her hands.
"Stop…struggling…you're only making this harder on yourself!" The man holding the chain grunted as he made to pick her up, receiving a kick to the stomach. He fell to his knees, doubled over as he wheezed.
"Catch her before she breaks free! She's a waterbender!" A loud whistle echoed in the area as men began racing down the dock, rushing to secure her.
Katara made it to her knees, blowing the hair from her face as she looked around for the side of the ship. With a quick roll backwards, she swooped her chained hands under her feet and held her palms out in front of her. Pushing herself up, she hobbled her way to the edge, chains clinking loudly as they scraped against the wooden deck. With a quick fluid movement of her arms, Katara surged a large wave of water onto the deck, knocking them all back onto the gangway. Water encased her hands and she blew on them, ice building up on the chains. One of the men ran at her with a sword above his head, ready to swing down. As the blade swung down, Katara swung her arms up, the chain connecting with the blade and shattering it to pieces. With her arms free, she quickly bended him overboard, his screams silenced as he hit the water. As she got to work on breaking the chain connecting her feet, the man in front of her regained his breath, slowly moving towards her while unsheathing a knife.
"Don't make this harder on yourself, everything will go smoother for everyone if you just calm down," He said lowly, piercing blue eyes darting up to his. "You're outnumbered right now, just please come quietly—"
"What is going on here?"
Katara jerked her head up, watching as Zanui boarded the ship with his face contorted in anger, fists aflame. Quickly bending water, she hurled it at him, clenching her jaw as he turned it into steam with the flick of a wrist. Not one to give up so easily, she attacked again and again, even attempting to freeze his feet to the deck. His flames were too hot, evaporating the water before it could fully solidify. She couldn't overpower him alone, so she readied the one move she had sworn never to use again.
"You've left me no choice," Katara growled, focusing on the water in his body. "Release the girls now, Zanui, or I'll—"
"You'll what? Bloodbend me? That may buy you a few minutes, but you certainly can't bloodbend all of my men here." Zanui threw his arms out wide, showing his small army of men armed with boulders and flames. "You fail to realize, Katara, that you are completely surrounded. Did you seem to forget about the Yuyan Archers? I never go anywhere without them."
An arrow sliced a little too close to her cheek, strands of her hair floating to the ground. Katara clenched her jaw, glowering dangerously at the smirking man before her.
"Come quietly and the other girls won't have to suffer for your little outburst. Failure to comply…" With a quick hand motion, two men rushed into the cabin, the screams of the women echoing loudly. The men emerged with two in tow, tossing them carelessly onto the floor before conjuring fire blades from their palms. "Will result in an unfortunate accident to these two."
"You wouldn't…"
"Oh, I would, seeing as they're nothing more than hostages to be used for such situations. I already have the amount of girls I need for the auction, these are just some stragglers I found on the way out of the Earth Kingdom." Zanui raised his hand, the men shifting the blades closer to the whimpering girls.
"Don't hurt them!"
"Comply and they'll be fine," Zanui smiled as she lowered her defensive stance. "Actually, on the other hand, I think you need to be made an example of. Do it."
"No!"
Time seemed to slow as Katara whirled around with wide eyes, the firebenders swinging their arms down towards the women, the two screaming in fear. As she began bending water towards them, Zanui raised his hand at her turned back, a mass of fire building in his palm as he grinned manically at her. Aang couldn't stay silent anymore as he rushed out from behind the tents, about to send a large slice of air towards Zanui with his staff when the man Katara attacked stepped in between them, grabbing Katara's outstretched arm and Zanui's wrist.
"Enough, Zanui, you're wasting your time by attacking her. The clients will be here in a few hours and the only thing you're doing is wasting time and energy by fighting a Master waterbender." Zanui extinguished the flames with a sneer, glaring at the waterbender before turning on his heel and walking down the gangway, barking orders.
"Oruk, that was pretty stupid of you," One of the firebenders let out a heavy breath, smoke emitting from his palm as he stood back up. "If you hadn't stepped in, we would've had to…you know, because he was here. Come on, Gulin, let's get the rest of them unloaded before he goes nuts on us too."
"Come on, ladies, let's move it!" Gulin barked as he yanked the two up from the ground. "We have to get you all dolled up before our guests arrive. Move it!"
"Why would you stop it?" Katara asked quietly, tensed up but not pulling her arm away from him. "Why do you care what happens?"
"Believe it or not, we're not here by free will. Most of us here, Zanui has taken something or someone we care and love about." Oruk released her arm, leaning back to stretch, wincing as he pulled his abdomen muscles.
"He's blackmailing you?" Katara turned to him in disbelief, rubbing where he had gripped her.
"Almost all of us, yeah. To be fair, we didn't start out as the brightest bunch of thugs, but he kept promising us exorbitant riches, and since most of us were broke, we took the bait. If anyone tries to leave…"
"What a horrible man."
"Agreed. I don't want to hurt any of the women here, but if I disobey, he could kill my daughter." Katara looked at him in shock. "She was taken months ago, and I've only stayed with hopes of finding her through the black market. This isn't a place you want to be."
"I'm sorry to hear about your daughter, maybe I can help you look for her."
"I appreciate it, Miss Katara, but if Zanui were to get wind of your offer, he'd send Kaito back for you."
"Secure that waterbender before she washes away more of my men!" A booming voice startled them both.
"Sorry, gotta do what they say. Good luck, I hope you make it out of here."
"I plan to one way or another." Katara held out her arms, wrists together so Oruk could tie her back up.
Aang quickly retreated back into the shadows as Katara and the other girls were paraded off towards the newly built caverns, the boats almost immediately beginning to disperse. A voice to his left startled him as a young man carried some bags to the inlet wall where he hid, cursing under his breath.
"'Go put the laundry behind the tents, that's the only thing you're good for.' Bah, stupid old men think they can boss me around, I'll show them I'm tough! Maybe I'll tear up their clothes and then they'll see I'm ready to handle the big-league stuff." The man angrily tossed the bags of clothing against the wall before kicking them. "At least it's not dirty laundry, they smell like skunk fish when they haven't showered for a week."
An idea struck Aang and he carefully snuck up on the grumbling man, lifting his hand. As he turned, Aang smacked a hand over his mouth, sticking the end of his staff into his back as he pulled him behind some crates.
"You're going to stay quiet, okay? I just need to borrow some clothes. I'll know if you alert everyone, so be good and thanks!" Aang tightly tied a piece of cloth over his mouth, encasing his legs with earth and pinning his hands behind his back with some found rope. The man just mumbled quietly, trembling on the ground.
Aang quickly threw some oversized clothing on over his Air Nomad robes, wrapping a torn scarf around his head and finishing the look with an oversized straw hat. He hid his staff within the wall, a protective layer of earth keeping it safe. With a quick glance around, he drifted into the crowd of Zanui's men headed for the caverns, trying to blend in. As they marched into the caverns, the men began laughing amongst themselves, some betting on the first women to be bought.
"I'll betcha it's the ones from that Renjishu Village! There were some serious babes in that competition!" One man snickered.
"Nah, it'll be that Water Tribe girl for sure! Where did Zanui pick her up again?" Another scoffed at the others answer.
"Ba Sing Se, something about her being a waterbender or something. Wasn't she the one who attacked Oruk?"
"Yeah, yeah, that's the one! I like my girls feisty and she would do well in my—"
Aang glowered at the man before slightly kicking his heel into the earth, a small rock tripping him and sending him face first into the dirt. A few others toppled onto him, taken off guard by the sudden fall.
"Hey, who did that? Bunch of arseholes is what ya are!" He shouted as his friend pulled him up by the arm.
"Your age is getting to you, old man! Watch where you're going next time and you won't kiss the dirt!" Someone a few bodies back shouted, the crowd already shifting to move around them.
"Don't let it get to ya, kid, they're nothing more than old perverts." A hand landed on Aang's shoulder and he looked up to see middle aged man giving him a small smile. "We don't encourage that kind of behavior from anyone. What's your name?"
"Kuzon,"
"I'm Lohe, good to meet you. New to the gang? You don't have a lot of dirt on ya yet."
"Ah, yeah, I just joined recently." Aang lied smoothly, hoping the man wouldn't look too closely at his face. He subconsciously pulled the sleeves down a little more over his hands.
"I would say it gets easier, but it never does. Not a very honest job, but Zanui at least pays some." They moved deeper into the caverns, the temperature dropping every few feet.
"But why kidnap those women? Their families are probably worried sick about them." Kuzon furrowed his brows as the man oddly laughed.
"You must not have seen how the world really works, kid. A lot of times these women are runaways from rich families, and they pretend to hide in poorer villages if their parents are in debt, to avoid becoming compensation for debts. Eventually the family either pays of the debt and has someone forcefully bring their child back or…"
"Or what?" He swallowed hard when Lohe made slid a finger across his throat. Aang had a sinking feeling this guy really didn't know what was actually going on.
"Move it along! Earthbenders, get that stage ready! Firebenders, get that lighting in position! Anyone else, get some rest in the rooms down to the left. When the bell rings, go to your assigned area and await your client."
"Since you're new, I doubt you'll have a contract with a client, so just stick with me kid." Lohe steered him by his shoulders away towards the rooms.
"Is there, uh, a bathroom nearby maybe?" Kuzon asked nervously, the grip on his shoulders like an iron vice.
"Oh, yeah, it's actually down that hallway there, near where the women are kept. Don't try to peek, there's a few guards stationed over there." Lohe released his grip and pointed in the opposite direction. "Just meet me back in the rooms when yer done."
"T-thanks!"
Aang quickly navigated his way through the crowd of dirty, sweaty men as he head towards the bathroom. Being lanky had its advantages as he narrowly dodged a few loose elbows, keeping a hand firmly on his hat. Once free from the horde, he quickly looked for an isolated area to bend, finding an empty and somewhat dark corner. With a stamp of his foot, the seismic vibrations showed just two guards standing further down the hallway, strong ones by the feel of it. A fight would cause the whole operation to collapse and Katara could possibly be used as a hostage. Slowly making his way down the narrowed tunnel, Aang soon came across the two burly looking guards standing outside of a blank wall.
"Uh, excuse me, is the bathroom somewhere near here?" Kuzon asked politely, hoping they would buy his 'I'm new and very lost' performance.
"Down the small corridor, door on the right." One guard jerked his thumb behind him, not even bothering to look at him.
"Thanks!"
Once he was out of sight, Aang quickly entered the makeshift bathroom, pinching his nose in disgust. There was only a few men in there, but it was obvious others had been using it well before his arrival. Navigating his way through to the farthest corner, once he was out of sight of the others, he quickly erected an earth wall, blocking him and effectively making his own stall that appeared on the outside to already be a part of the wall. Another seismic check revealed the grouping of women just beyond the wall, though Katara didn't seem to be with them.
"We have to get out of here! I don't want to be sold to some old Fire Nation geezer!" One girl cried softly, others murmuring their agreements.
"They burned down my home when my father and brother fought back, I don't know if they're even still alive." Another chimed in sadly, the others soothing her.
"Does anyone know what happened to that Water Tribe girl? She saved me and my sister on the boat earlier and I want to see if she's alright." Aang instantly focused on her voice, pressing his hands against the wall as he listened.
"I think Oruk took her deeper into the caverns, away from us after that incident. I hope she's alright, I heard Kaito has been beating her since Zanui kidnapped her from Ba Sing Se."
Aang clenched his jaw, trying to control his anger. Kidnapping Katara was one thing but beating her was the last straw for the Avatar. A quick movement shifted the wall aside, the girls going quiet in fear. With a hand over his eyes just in case they were in the process of changing, he sealed the wall behind him.
"I'm so sorry to intrude, ladies, but I'm looking for Katara, the Water Tribe girl. I'm not here to cause harm, I'm the Avatar." With his free hand, he quickly lifted his hat and scarf to reveal his arrow, the girls gasping in surprise.
"Everyone is dressed, Avatar, there is no need to conceal your eyes."
Aang slowly dropped his hand, mentally sighing in relief that he hadn't walked in on them unclothed. The women had changed into simple white dresses, the burlap bags he saw them in earlier thrown in a pile on the floor. While they were still slightly covered in dirt, they appeared to be more presentable than during their journey. A few large mirrors lined the wall with a handful of wash buckets beneath them, and flames barely lit the room, but nothing else adorned the small prison cell.
"Katara has been moved deeper within the caverns, I'm afraid. Zanui said she was too much of a risk to be with us again and moved her." A brown-haired girl moved forward, having the most courage to speak up. "She may be putting on a brave face, but I think she was really injured the last time Kaito tried to punish her."
"I promise to free all of you, I won't leave anyone behind. Are any of you injured?"
"No, a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing severe. Please, go to Katara before Zanui himself decides on her punishment for earlier. We can handle ourselves for now." Aang nodded, making to move when a thought occurred to him.
"Are any of you earthbenders?" About a third of them meekly raised their hands. "Firebenders?" Another third or so.
"What do you have in mind, Avatar Aang?" The brown-haired girl asked, curious as Aang suddenly smiled.
"We're going to having a little jailbreak, Avatar style. Here's what we'll need to do."
The two guards standing outside of the women's holding cell began chatting idly, bored out of their minds as they awaited further orders.
"Have you seen that kid come back out yet? He's been in there for awhile now."
"Nah, seen a few others come out, but nothing more than that. Think he's okay, Hotah?"
"I'm gonna go check, keep an eye on things, Rilen." Hotah lazily walked down the hallway, hands shoved deep in his pockets.
The kid seemed pretty new and if he wasn't used to eating what they did, it could tear a person up for weeks. Hoping that wasn't the case, Hotah peeked around the corner only to find the bathroom empty.
"Kid, you in here? The clients are gonna be here soon, so ya gotta…"
Hotah stopped suddenly, his hands flying to his face as a horrendous smell smacked him in the face, causing him to gag. He began to cough as it got worse, the earthbender backing away to leave the area and get fresh air. A rumbling beneath his feet caused his balance to falter and he tripped over his other foot, crashing into the ground. As he looked up, horror took over the disgusted expression as the liquid from within the waste holes began spraying out like a fountain, coating the entire room in the putrid substance. Not wasting any time, Hotah scrambled for the door only to be hit with a massive blast of the foul air, sending him tumbling into the hallway.
"Hotah! Is everything—" Rilen gagged and pinched his nose shut, backing away quickly.
"Evacuate the area! I think it's all backed up!" Hotah coughed as he made it to his feet, sprinting past his friend and towards the main entrance.
"R-right!"
Aang made sure the area was cleared before clearing out the bathroom, the stench blasting down the hallway and after the two guards to ensure they were as far away as possible. With a smirk, Aang quickly motioned for the girls to follow him, pressing his finger against his lip.
"Earthbenders, I'll need you to seal off the hallway with a few layers of earth to make sure they don't come back. Firebenders, can you provide light while I dig us a tunnel?" The girls quickly did as they were told, sealing off the hallway and producing flames. "Now let's get out of here!"
Katara hissed as she tossed off her burlap sack of a dress, the coarse rope around her waist following suit. With care she stripped her sticky and dirty tribal dress off, gently picking it up and folding it next to her. There was a single mirror and water bucket placed in front of her, the small room barren of other items apart from the few torches on the walls. Oruk had handed her a pile of clothing to wear, the dress resembling a formal Water Tribe dress, though the material wasn't quite thick enough for the harsh winters. She didn't want to know how or where they got it.
Kneeling in front of the mirror, Katara nearly did a doubletake. Bruises lined her arms, black and purple, from above her wrists to just below her shoulders. Kaito had certainly done a number on her as she continued examining her beaten body. Her stomach seemed the worst, all of the bruising black and green with a particularly nasty cut going from her right hip and over her belly button, stopping just below her ribs. The angry red skin around it told her it was well on its way to becoming infected. With delicate movements, she bended water in her palm, the liquid glowing bright as she placed it against the wound with a grunt of pain. It would only be a quick fix until she had more energy to put into it, the bare minimum healing already wearing her out. With a ragged breath she released the water back into the bowl, touching the skin carefully. The cut was already becoming shallower, the angry red skin turning a light red. There was still the risk of an infection, but it was less likely to kill her now.
Her shoulder throbbed painfully, and she shifted to look at it in the mirror. A nasty scar was forming where the arrow had pierced, the once smooth skin now a heavy pink, the entry wound a slim line barely to the left of her shoulder blade. It would need extensive healing sessions to ensure a proper full range of her arm, but Katara figured she could get it almost back to normal. With a sigh, she grabbed the blue dress, holding it up with a look of disgust as she noticed it had a rather lowcut neckline and high thigh slits. Her leggings would cover enough for the bottom, despite them being torn up, but there wasn't much she could do about the top. Glancing over at her torn and dirtied apparel, Katara grimaced as she reached for the top. It pained her to tear up something important to her culture, but desperate times called for desperate measures as she held up the fabric. She caught her reflection in the mirror again and without thinking, slammed a frozen ball of water into it, shattering it to pieces. Careful not to cut herself, Katara made quick work of the fabric with the sharp glass, turning it into a crop top of sorts.
Satisfied with the results, she slipped on her makeshift top before putting on the formal wear and leggings. It was a bit snug, but at least it covered her more modestly. With a quick finger combing of her hair, she redid her loops and let her waves hang loose. Just then, a section of the wall disappeared into the ground, a figure holding a flaming hand stepping into the room.
"Let's go, you're the first one up on the auction. Could've at least cleaned yourself up more, you look like a—"
"Finish that sentence and there'll be an icicle lodged in your throat." Katara threatened as she held up said icicle.
"Uh, forget I said anything," The man put his other hand up, eyeing her warily. "Let's go, Zanui is already angry with you and is taking it out on the others."
"Lead the way."
B
"That should be the island there!" Sokka yelled as he leaned over the edge of the airship, squinting as he strained to see the land.
"Are those…private ships?" Zuko asked as he looked down at the approaching bay filled with various sized ships. "They look like Fire Nation ships, but what are they doing here?"
"Most likely separate transports for the girls," Suki added in, breaking from her warrior meeting and joining the two on the side of the ship. "My girls are ready to disembark whenever you two are. We'll find Katara, I have a feeling she's here."
A loud roar startled the group, and everyone slid into a defensive position, weapons and bending at the ready. Another roar followed and Toph, who was busy trying not to blow chunks everywhere, wobbled upright, shoving her way in between the three.
"That's Appa, I'd know that sound anywhere. He must be somewhere on the island, which means…" Toph clasped her hands over her mouth, Suki quickly ushering her to the other side of the ship.
"Aang's here. We're in the right place. Lower the airships, we're moving out!" Zuko ordered to his men, the firebenders moving with vigor as they began tossing ropes down overboard.
"Wait for us, Aang, Katara, we're coming to get you." Sokka felt the anticipation growing as the ships lowered behind the peak of the cliffs, obscuring them from sight.
As soon as they had landed, Toph crawled over the side of the ship and star fished on the ground, kissing it in sweet relief as the others disembarked. Zuko directed his men while Sokka and Suki inched closer to the edge, peering down at the bay below. Men were moving around, guiding a group of people who had disembarked from the ships. It was hard to tell who they were, but it seemed they all wore the same type of robe, masks concealing their faces. Once they had all entered the caverns entrance, it sealed up, the two guards closing it behind them.
"This is definitely a black-market operation. Toph, can you feel where Aang and Katara are down there?" Sokka asked quietly, turning to look at Toph as she made it to her feet.
"Give me a minute here, still trying not to blow chunks." Toph grumbled as she took a deep breath in and then released.
She could sense the people moving through the massive cavern system, the two guards moving away from the sealed entrance, more people scattered throughout. There was sudden vibration towards the far-right side of the cave, a mass movement of earth before it stilled. Toph focused harder, her mind clearing as she zeroed in on that area. It looked like a bunch of people, all gathered in one area, but moving quickly towards the front wall of the caverns, bypassing the already sealed entrance. Other bodies were quickly leaving the area, running away from something.
"I think the women are being moved this way," Toph felt the vibrations moving steadily through the ground. "Aang is with them! He's moving them out of the cave, but we need to clear the area of any benders. I don't sense Katara, but if Aang is here, that means she is too. I'm going to make a tunnel that connects to the outer edge of the island. Zuko, get your men in position over there, they'll need protection. Sokka, Suki, we're going to take out any stragglers and block off any exits so no one else gets in."
Zuko's men looked at him expectantly, eyes darting between Toph and himself. "Well, do what she says! I'm not going to argue with her."
"There's someone below us, pinned to the ground. I'll be right back." Toph suddenly leapt off the cliff, arms swinging above her head.
"Toph, what are you doing?!" Sokka yelled quietly, peering into the darkness.
Less than a minute later, she appeared with a captive in hand. With a careless flick of her wrist, she sent him rolling across the ground. In her right hand was Aang's staff and she used it to poke at her prisoner.
"You're gonna talk or I'll crack your skull open with this staff." Toph threatened with a smile, smacking the staff against her palm. She only got a muffled response.
"Toph, he has a gag over his mouth." Suki quickly moved to untie it, the young man gasping for fresh air. "Don't try to call out for help."
"H-he said if I told anyone, he'd know! I won't say a word, promise!" He blubbered against the ground.
"The Avatar is with us, so just spill what you know." Sokka crouched over him.
"He took some clothing and disguised himself! Oh man, I won't be able to join the gang now! My life is ruined!"
"Tell me everything you know about Zanui and his gang." Zuko stood over him, arms crossed as he looked down at the man.
"L-Lord Zuko! F-forgive me, my Lord! I'm a disgrace to the Fire Nation!" The man wailed, Suki quickly tying the cloth back over his mouth.
"That worked well. Here," Toph tossed the staff at Sokka before cracking her fingers and knuckles. "I'm gonna go build that tunnel, make sure that area down there is cleared out."
"Let's go, Suki."
"Right."
They had blindfolded her again, something that was really starting to irritate the waterbender as she was guided by a hand on her shoulder. Chains bound her wrists together behind her back, her ankles free of the heavy metal. She could hear a low murmuring of voices as she was forced to a sudden stop, the sound of a metal door closing and locking behind her. Katara kept her head high, ignoring the anxiety building in her chest. The chains on her wrist pulled and she jerked back instinctively. They were pulled harder this time, sending her stumbling back into metal bars.
"You should've just played nice and maybe I would've kept you as my pet." Zanui whispered in her ear, taking a deep whiff of her hair, his lips too close for comfort. "Maybe you can still change that—"
Katara jerked her head back hard, colliding with his nose. He let out a string of curses and grabbed her hair, slamming her head into the bars. Warmth slowly slipped down her neck.
"You need to learn some manners!" Zanui snarled.
"You need to learn not to mess with me!" Katara spat back, a bout of dizziness slowly blanketing over her.
"Zanui, it's time—what happened to your face?" One of his followers asked, looking between the caged girl and his angry boss. "Uh, forget I asked."
"Get me a damn towel and make sure she's chained to the cage!" Zanui hissed, pulling his fingers away from his possibly broken appendage. "You'll regret the day you angered me."
Katara straightened herself back up, feeling a lighter tug on the chains this time. There was a bit of slack to them as she waited until it was quiet around her before experimenting with a tug. Pushing herself back against the bars, she rubbed at the blindfold with the metal, trying to push the fabric up. A hand gently touched her shoulder and she froze.
"It's just me, don't worry. I'm going to loosen your chains and blindfold." Oruk spoke hurriedly, the weight on her hands becoming loose. "There's water on either side of the stage, use it to take Zanui down when he isn't looking. It won't last long, but it's enough for you to escape. The other women escaped just a few minutes ago and no one has noticed yet."
"Where did they go?" Katara whispered as he worked on her blindfold.
"I think a kid named Kuzon is the one who freed them? One of my buddies said he hadn't come back after he gave him instructions to the bathrooms and there was a massive cloud of gas or something evacuating the area."
"Aa—Kuzon?" He had found them!
"Gotta go, stay safe." Oruk patted her on the shoulder before disappearing.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Lords and Ladies, may I welcome you with open arms to bi-annual market trade! We have a fine selection for you tonight, but first, a treat to whet your appetites! A rare beauty from the Southern Water Tribe, dark luscious locks and piercing blue eyes! Truly a sight to behold!" Zanui's voice boomed, causing Katara to wince in pain. "Allow me to introduce you to her now!"
Katara could hear a large crowd gasp excitedly, the room quickly filling with bids. While everyone oohed and tittered excitedly, she slowly began shifting the blindfold off with miniscule movements. Zanui had his back to her, pointing out the highest bidders as they popped up. With a quick slip of her wrists, she felt the water nearby and forced it to freeze before hurling it at the distracted firebender. It slammed into him and sent him flying into the now terrified crowd.
"Wait, is that—"
"It is! What is she doing here?"
"Oh my goodness!"
People cried out in surprise as Katara yanked her blindfold off, gathering more water in her hands. With a fast movement, she used the water to slice her cage apart, the metal falling loudly into a pile. Footsteps behind her had her swiftly turning around, water whip easily knocking them down. Without a second glance back at the crowd, Katara ran as fast as she could, jumping over the groaning guards and sprinting down the corridor. Shouts from behind caused her to panic as her water supply began dwindling. She could feel warmth trickling down her neck again and she stumbled into the wall for support.
"Find her! She's mine!" Zanui's roaring voice reached her ears, a searing heat beginning to rush down the tunnel.
With a grunt, she pushed herself forward, her wounds slowing her down. She couldn't fight him off this time, the head wound making it hard to even see straight. But Katara kept going, following the flame lanterns lining the walls and praying they led to outside. Her fears grew as she reached a dead-end, fingers digging at the cold rock blocking her escape. The area was quickly heating up, Zanui hot on her trail with a fury that nearly rivaled Ozai. Suddenly he appeared, staring her down like a predator to prey, slowly stalking towards her with his hands aflame.
"You wench, you've messed with me for the last time! I'll make sure you never walk again!" Zanui screamed as he launched a massive fireball at the cornered Katara.
Katara flung her arms up, the meager water she had encasing her arms quickly evaporating from the sheer heat. The flames were so bright, the light was burning through her closed eyelids. This was it, she was going to die by the hands of maniac pyrotechnic. Tears slipped from her eyes as she wished she could see her friends one more time.
The wall behind her abruptly opened up, the waterbender barely having time to register what was happening as a strong blast of air deflected the flames aimed for her. Just as quickly as it had opened, the earth closed once more, plunging her into darkness as she was swallowed. Zanui screamed angrily through the wall, the sounds of flames hitting the rock. He screamed for earthbenders to break it down.
"That was a close one," A voice nearby startled Katara, the familiarity making her eyes well up.
"Aang?" Katara squinted as a flame illuminated the area, revealing Aang, Sokka, Zuko and Toph.
"Thank the Spirits we found you!" Aang quickly enveloped her in a hug, his voice shaky as he placed a hand against the back of her neck.
"Sokka had a hunch Zanui would come here given the discrete bay. Turns out he was right." Zuko stood just a little ways away, holding their light source up. "I've got my troops surrounding the entire area, the women are safe and so are you."
"Are you hurt, Katara?" Sokka quickly pushed past Zuko and Toph, crushing Katara against his chest, Aang moving out of the way just in time.
"Ow, Sokka, too hard." Katara wheezed, pain flaring up in her abdomen. "I'll be alright, but you're crushing me!"
"Sorry, sorry," Sokka took a step back, grabbing her face and examining every inch. "Whatever he did to you, we'll return tenfold. He can't escape us now."
"Katara, you're bleeding!" Aang suddenly exclaimed, showing his blooded palm to her.
"Ah, that just happened," Katara found herself leaning heavily against her brother, his arm wrapping around her waist to support her as exhaustion crashed over her. "It's just a small cut."
"Guys, we've got company coming. You need to go now." Toph alerted as she pointed to the exit. "We'll hold them off as long as I can, so go!"
Aang quickly supported Katara's free side and with Sokka's help, they began moving her out of the tunnel. Zuko stayed back with Toph, readying his stance. Aang produced a small flame in his left hand, sharing an alarmed look with Sokka as Katara's feet began to drag.
"Katara? What's wrong?" Sokka looked at her paling face, beads of sweat forming. "Aang, she's not looking so good."
"We're not too much further from the exit. Here, I'll carry her on my back."
They stopped, Sokka supporting her while Aang quickly crouched down. Carefully, Katara was nestled onto his back, the heat of her body concerning the airbender. "She's picked up a fever."
The two quickly made their way out of the tunnel, hearing the sounds of elements clashing violently behind them. Ignoring the gasps of the now liberated women, Sokka and Aang made their way over to the makeshift infirmary set up in front of the airships. Suki was directing her fellow warriors when she saw them moving towards her, the relieved smile quickly turning into a horrified expression.
"Suki, she's got a head wound and picked up a fever. I can't tell where else she's injured," Sokka quickly explained as she ushered them into a tent, shouting for Zuko's men to gather medical supplies.
"We'll get her taken care of, Sokka, don't worry. Aang, please set her down on the bed." Aang, with the help of Sokka, gently set the now unconscious Katara on the large bed. "I'm going to have to ask you two to leave, I'll need to undress her and check for more wounds. I'll update you as soon as I can."
"I'm going back in there to confront Zanui, are you coming, Sokka?" Aang nodded before turning to his friend, the hard nod confirmation.
"Be careful, you two."
Zanui's movements became more and more sloppy as his anger became unstoppable, Zuko matching his every move with fluidity and expertise. Toph had gone to secure anyone else from leaving the caverns, Fire Nation troops rushing in to help as well. Zanui panted hard as he glared at Zuko with disgust, spitting into the dirt.
"You're a coward, Fire Lord, always hiding in your palace and never seeing the nitty gritty of the world. You may claim to be working with the Avatar to bring peace to every Nation, yet you still fail to see what really happens in the lower ranks of the city."
"I have no shame in admitting that." Zuko slammed his foot into Zanui's chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. "After everything that's happened with the Hundred Year War, the world is ready for change, even if it's not perfect. Aang and I have high hopes for the future generations."
"You think things will change? There will always be crime, always be kidnappings, always be low-life's who do whatever they can to earn some coin." Zanui wheezed as he rolled onto his back, Zuko standing above him with fists at the ready. "What you're doing right now, you may think, is the end of all of this. But I'm merely a small coy in a large pond, there are plenty of bigger and stronger fish than me."
"We'll crumble the entire organization one step at a time if we have to, but for now, you're coming with me to the pay for your crimes and serve as a warning to the rest of the pond."
Zanui lazily held his wrists up, awaiting for his hands to be cuffed together so he could be hauled away like the filthy criminal he was. Zuko nodded his head as two of his soldiers yanked the firebender up by the arms and forced his hands behind his back, tightening metal cuffs onto his wrists. It seemed a little odd for him to give up so easily, something about his sudden nonchalant attitude not settling well with the Fire Lord. He would ask Toph, as soon as he saw her, to secure him with her meteorite band.
"Lord Zuko, everyone's been secured, even the clients." His General informed him as more troops began filing into the tunnel, hands secured behind their backs. "As far as we know, no one managed to escape thanks to Toph Beifong."
"Excellent work, General, let's get them transported back to the Capitol and begin interrogations. I want some of the men to investigate the ships docked in the bay, they may give an idea as to where the rest of the gang is. I'll stay here with the Avatar and discuss with him what we should do with Zanui. I plan to be back within a few days with the Kyoshi warriors."
"Of course, Lord Zuko. Men let's get these prisoners loaded up and ready to ship out! Third platoon, go check out those boats in the bay, report back with any paperwork and information you find."
"Sir!"
Zuko fell in line with the guards dragging Zanui out of the tunnel, keeping a close eye on him. He wasn't making a sound, just dully staring ahead like he could care less. Aang would most likely take his bending away, leaving the man harmless, though after everything that had happened, Zanui deserved to rot in a prison cell for the remainder of his life. He could tell Katara was in a bad state as Aang and Sokka hurried her out, the glistening blood on Aang's hands indicating it was more than a small cut. Suki would take care of her and her warriors would make sure the other women were tended to as well. It had been hard for him to sleep these past three weeks, his nerves restless as he and the others attempted to find where Zanui had taken the women and Katara. What angered him the most was the fact that all of this was happening in his Nation right under his nose. He would immediately launch an investigation into it to ensure it wouldn't happen again.
"What's got you so down, Zanui? Miserable now that you're caught and going to spend the rest of your life in prison?" Toph immediately rounded on him as they exited the caverns, the earthbender wasting no time in grabbing him by the front of his tunic. "If I find out you laid a single hand on Katara, I will personally tear your limbs off. One. By. One."
"Such a scary woman you are, Toph Beifong," Zanui sarcastically rolled his eyes at her, knowing she couldn't see it. "How would you know it was even me? Maybe I told someone else to do it for me. I could say I laid a hand on her, but how good is your lie detection ability? I've been lying and cheating my way through life since I was a small child, it's practically second nature."
"Why you—!"
"Toph, can you secure him with your meteorite bracelet? I don't want him escaping anytime soon." Zuko cut her off, grabbing her by the wrist. "We can discuss punishments later."
"Sure, I'll even make little spikes on the inside so with every move it stabs him and torments him." Toph sneered in Zanui's direction before removing her bracelet, forming it with both hands. "Just try to escape these, there's no one else in the world who can metalbend."
"I should be honored then, to have such a fine piece of work on my body."
"Shut up already before I knock your head off." Toph latched the cuffs above the other ones, grinning when he slightly winced.
"I want him out of my sight. Make sure there are multiple guards around the perimeter, I want maximum security on him. I'll be in there soon enough to interrogate him." Zuko ordered, the men saluting before dragging him off once more.
"And here the fun was just beginning," Zanui sighed dramatically as they dragged him away. "Ah, Avatar Aang, how nice to see you again. We'll have a lovely chat in just a short while."
"Zuko, did you—oh, you…already got him?" Aang stopped and stared as they dragged the firebender away, Zanui grinning at him as he went by.
"He willingly gave up for some reason. I've got maximum security on him and Toph locked her meteorite bracelet onto him. He shouldn't be going anywhere." Zuko sighed heavily.
"Why would he willingly give himself up? That doesn't make any sense." Sokka muttered aloud what they were all thinking.
"I'm going to go have a chat with him, I want some answers." Aang looked between his two friends. "You're both more than welcome to go with."
"We're both going, Aang. I can't forgive that monster for what he did to my sister." Aang nodded, hand clenched tightly around his staff.
"Let's go then."
Katara groaned as she slowly opened her eyes, head throbbing painfully. She wasn't sure where she was at, but judging by the red décor everywhere, it was Fire Nation property. Slowly pushing herself up, hissing as her stomach wound pulled at her skin, she began to examine herself. She was in a simple pair of long, loose pants and a loose tank top. It was earthbender clothing, she thought as she pulled at the fabric. She knew it couldn't be Toph's seeing as the girl was shorter than her, so it had to be someone else's, but she wasn't sure whose. Bandages were wrapped all around her forearm and bicep, the binding tied tightly at the top. Both arms were done the same as well as her legs. Reaching up to find the source of the pressure on her head, she discovered another bandage fitting snugly around her skull. A slightly unpleasant smell reached her nose and she crinkled it, experimentally sniffing the medical material on her fingers. It seemed to be some kind of ointment, one she couldn't recognize easily. Lifting her shirt, she noticed her stomach wound had been tightly wrapped as well, hints of pink seeping through the gauze.
The door handle turned slowly and Katara froze, her instincts telling her to fight in the unfamiliar territory. But there was no water nearby, nothing for her to bend. A sharp object on the table across the room her caught her attention and she quickly made to move towards it when her legs gave out, sending her sprawling to the floor with a grunt of pain. The door quickly swung open.
"Katara, what are you doing out of bed!" Suki exclaimed as she rushed to help her up, careful of the bandages. "If you need something, I can grab it for you. I only stepped out for a minute to get more healing balm."
"Suki? What are you doing here? Where am I?" Katara asked, confused as to why the Kyoshi warrior was with her.
"It's okay, we're back at the Palace in the Fire Nation. You were too wounded to take back to the Earth Kingdom, so Zuko immediately brought us all back here. How are you feeling?"
"Very sore," The waterbender admitted as she was helped back onto the bed. "How bad were the injuries? I never got to fully heal them."
"Your stomach and back were the worst, you may have a large scar going from your hip to just below your ribs, a smaller one on the back of your right shoulder and another across your spine, but you should be fine. Your shoulder wound had gotten infected as did the gashes on your front and back. We've got you cleaned up, so you'll just need plenty of rest for now." Katara nodded slowly.
"What about Zanui? What happened to him?"
"Well," Suki said quietly, lightly placing her palms on Katara's hands. "Zuko, Aang, and Sokka went and talked with him, though it didn't really get anywhere."
"Aang took his bending, didn't he?" Suki shook her head.
"Not yet. He deemed him a threat to humanity but wanted to talk with you before removing his bending. Zuko has him imprisoned underground with tight security. I've never seen Aang and Sokka so worked up, I'm not sure they've slept very much either. Aang has been visiting daily just to sit with you. I know he feels guilty for everything that's happened."
"It was my fault, I pushed to become a target even though Aang wasn't comfortable with it. I should have listened to him." Katara whispered, the guilt clawing deeply at her chest.
"Katara, even though things didn't go as smoothly as planned, those girls were saved from a life of forced marriage and imprisonment thanks to your courage. Most of them have been reunited with their families and are home safe. You were incredibly brave to sacrifice yourself like that."
Katara reached her arms up and pulled the Kyoshi Warrior into a hug as tears slid down her face. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now, you have some very anxious visitors waiting to see you. Are you up for it?"
"I'd hate to keep them waiting any longer. Sokka will probably try to break the door down." Katara scrubbed her tears away, though she knew there would be more shed.
"Toph actually reinforced it with steel so it makes it harder for anyone to break in. I'd be impressed if he could do it." Suki smiled and released the girl before standing. "I think Aang is meeting with Zuko right now, so I'll find Sokka and send him in."
"Thank you, Suki, for taking care of me." Suki smiled.
"Anytime. Don't push yourself too hard while I'm gone. I'll check on you in a few hours."
Katara sighed tiredly as the door quietly shut. Even though she had just woken up, exhaustion dragged at her, the temptation to lie down and sleep again nearly succumbing, but she knew everyone would want to see her. Suki never did mention how long she was out, but seeing as they were in the Palace, it was probably more than a few days. Feeling her stiff joints beginning to hurt, Katara carefully stretched, wincing as her sore muscles began to warm up. Once she had stretched what she could, she doubled up her pillows before laying back against them, glad to be in a sitting position.
It wasn't long before the door burst open, Suki scolding Sokka as he ran into the room, promptly falling to his knees and throwing himself over Katara's legs.
"I'm so sorry, Katara, I let you risk your life and you even got injured because of it. I'm the worst brother ever," Sokka wailed against her.
"Sokka, it's alright, we never could have known what was going to happen." Katara lightly ran her fingers through his hair, something her mother used to do to calm him down. "I'll heal."
"I'll make it up to you, anything you want!"
"How about loosening your grip, it kind of hurts." Katara let out a deep breath once he released her.
"Sorry. How are you feeling?"
"Sore, but I should be fine. There will be some scarring, but—"
"Did he touch you?" Sokka asked her suddenly, causing her to look strangely at her brother.
"He—"
"Yes or no, Katara, I need to know so Zuko can press more charges."
"No. It was mainly one of his other men who…took his frustrations out on me. He hit me anywhere that wouldn't be visible." Sokka looked like he was about to strangle someone, his jaw clenched tightly.
"His name, what is it?"
"Don't, Sokka, it's not worth it—"
"Katara." She pursed her lips, looking at him silently. "He had no right to do any of this to you, he needs to be punished to the full extent of the law. I can guarantee you Aang will ask the same thing, as will Zuko. They need to be brought to justice."
"Can we…not talk about this right now?" Katara sighed tiredly, resting her face against her palms. "We can all discuss it later, but I just…"
"Alright, later then." Sokka agreed quietly.
"I need some fresh air, care to go?" He nodded, carefully offering his arm for support.
It was mostly quiet in the Palace, guards nodding to them as they slowly passed by. Sitting around moping wasn't going to help anything and Katara felt stuffy in the room. The sun was already beginning to go down, turning a reddish hue as it began to descend over the city. They had reached the courtyard balcony, the waterbender reaching out for the railing for support. No words were exchanged as the sky changed colors, creating a beautiful mural of the city below them. Everything seemed peaceful again as Katara took in a deep breath. The last three weeks almost seemed like a nightmare, the bruises and wounds there to constantly remind her it wasn't. All that mattered to her was that the women were safe and Zanui was behind bars. It all seemed too easy, over just like that. She watched as a turtle-duck family splashed around the courtyard pond.
"You know," Sokka started softly, catching her attention. "I was terrified when I heard Zanui injured you. I wasn't there afterwards, but Toph said Aang had lost control and went into the Avatar State. I don't think any of us slept the first week. Aang kept taking off with Appa, and sometimes without, to search outside of Ba Sing Se. We couldn't find any lead of Zanui or where he had gone. You may be my annoying younger sister, but I'm glad you're still here, even if you look like mostly like a mummy."
"That's the sweetest thing you've ever said," Katara sniffled as she hugged him tightly, the weight on her chest lifting slightly.
"Quit hogging her, Sokka, the rest of us want a turn."
They broke apart to see Toph standing there with her hands on her hips, a smile tugging at her lips. Katara met her halfway, hugging the earthbender tightly.
"Good to see you again, Sugar Queen, you scared the platypus-bear crap out of all of us." Toph held her wrists lightly as they parted.
"I'm sorry, things didn't exactly go as planned." Katara smiled. "Promise, it won't happen again."
"Toph, is Aang still meeting with Zuko right now?" Sokka stood beside his sister.
"Looks like it's over now, Twinkletoes is making his way this way with Zuko. Suki probably told them you were awake. You've been out for over a week now."
Katara frowned at that. She watched Sokka try to discretely tell her to cut it out, forgetting once again that she was blind. "That long already? No wonder my joints were hurting so much."
"Sokka, whatever you're doing right now, I really can't see it." Toph deadpanned, pointing at her unseeing eyes. "I can feel you moving, but I literally have no idea what you're doing."
"Ah, sorry, I forget sometimes." Sokka laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head.
"You seem to forget more than sometimes," Toph retorted, earning a snicker from Katara.
"It's a special habit of his, unfortunately."
They all turned around, save for Toph who just turned her head, to see Aang, Zuko and Suki walking towards them. Katara couldn't stop the tears from flowing as she and Aang embraced, relief overwhelming them both.
"It's good to see you up and moving, Katara, how are you feeling?" Zuko asked as she opened her arms for him as well.
"Sore, but I'll be alright. It feels like ages since we've been together like this." She hastily swiped at the tears, more just replacing what was lost.
"The Gaang is back together now!" Sokka declared. "This calls for a group hug!"
Katara became surrounded with arms, the warmth and love breaking down the hardened wall she had built. Sobs racked her chest as she cried, covering her face with her hands. Everything that she had held back for the past three weeks, every thought and emotion that she shoved down to put on her brave face was now flooding out. The fear, anger, hopelessness, despair, horror.
"Welcome back, Katara." Aang whispered lovingly in her ear, lightly pressing his lips against her head.
With a watery smile, she choked out the words.
"I'm home."
Yay! Finally got this chapter done, though I redid it so many times. They may have rescued Katara and the women, but that doesn't mean this battle is over just yet. Delays may be longer since I'm getting chickens soon and that takes up a lot of spare time to build stuff.