A/N. Hey ! Happy new Year everyone! This chapter will conclude the first part of this story! Now, they will get to travelling again!
It kind of goes in all directions, this chapter. But I needed to conclude it, because I didn't have any other ideas for the Water Tribe, Hakoda and so on. And now, I can weave the story into the story of Book 3!
I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
At dusk, they made their way back to the ship. Katara walked behind her brother and Toph, who were apparently arguing about something to do with the little monkey statue they had seen. The blind girl was insisting that it felt like the animals around Gaoling, while Sokka was quite sure it was a representation of one of the hog-monkeys north of Omashu…
Katara didn't care about it. She was thinking about Aang, and how the young airbender was insisting on being stubborn… How could he not see that hiding his identity was the best option for everyone, and most of all… for himself? The world thought him dead, and that was good… At least, now he would be safe as long as he didn't reveal himself. That was the only thing that was important to her… That, at least until the invasion, Aang would be safe…
The waterbender thought about how all her dreams had gone to shit the moment Aang woke up. She knew that her dreams had been a bit… optimistic? But she had at least hoped that the airbender would have been his normal, cheery self… That would have been nice after these weeks of anger, fear and incertitude…
"Hey, Sugar Queen! Tell your brother he is an idiot and doesn't know what he is blabbering about!" Toph shouted over her shoulder, and Katara nodded, having only half heard her.
"Yeah… yeah, he is."
Sokka looked at her, and Katara could see the icy blue eyes filled with concern. Her brother slowed down a bit when they arrived at the gangplank of their ship. Toph didn't stop, walking up to the deck.
"You know that Aang will come around, don't you? He is just… Adjusting to this new reality…" He spoke gently to her.
"Yeah… I know. But that doesn't make it easier… I thought… I thought my problems would be fixed when he woke up… But it has just become even more complicated…" She sighed. They stood still, at the base of the plank. Katara saw, over her brother's shoulder, how Bato was standing at the railing of the gangplank, waiting for them.
"Can I help?" Sokka asked, putting a hand on her arm.
As much as she wanted help from her brother in getting Aang back to his normal self, Katara knew that if she asked for it, she would have to tell Sokka about much more than just Aang and I have been dancing around each other. Because, for him to truly help, he would have to know about… everything… And Katara didn't want to give up that secret. Not yet. And it was not only hers to tell. Toph had probably guessed what had been happening because of their conversations but had chosen not to press the matter.
And her father had guessed it all on his own, as much as she hated that.
But to tell Sokka about it, without Aang's consent, that would be wrong. So no… She couldn't ask for his help… At least, not in this.
"No, it is alright… We'll manage, I think…" She answered softly.
"Well, if there is anything, let me know. He is as important to me as you are, you know that. So, I don't want to see any of you suffer because of the other." Her brother spoke, releasing her arm and walking up the plank.
Katara followed him, but was stopped by Bato, who took her arm and pulled her aside, to stand next to him at the railing.
"Hey, I wanted to tell you… Aang has been asking questions to the men. I believe… That with what we told him, he may have figured out that he has been acting… unpleasant." He explained.
Oh… Oh no. The men didn't know about her and Aang… They may have had their gossip and doubts, but they didn't know Aang… What if they told him about the… episode… while taking the ship? Or the restless nights and days? No… Katara didn't want the airbender to know about that…
"What have they told him?" The waterbender asked, dreading to hear the answer. And she saw in Bato's eyes that she wouldn't like the words coming out of his mouth.
"Well, personally, I just told him about how the tribe had voted to protect him. But after he had gone back to his room, I asked around… Kranook and Alqaok told him things that I suspect you rather would want him to know. But Gilak and the others have been nothing but kind, refraining from telling the somewhat… darker details. Sorry…" Bato sighed.
Shit, shit and shit.
How dared they! Those were not their secrets or tales to tell! Bato had been nice, but the others! How dared they! No one should have told him all those things! Least of all people who had never met him! She had not wanted him to learn of all… that. Or at least… Katara had wanted to talk about it herself, in her own time.
Without acknowledging Bato, she turned and walked off. If Aang knew… Well, that was that… She would have to face him. At least, now, he couldn't be such an idiot… surely?
She opened the door to the corridor leading to the bedrooms and walked up the stairs. It was not so terrible, was it? What would the tribesmen have told him? That she had cared for him? That she had been the one to heal him? Gilak and the others would have told him that, without nosing around in their affairs.
Kranook, however, would have told Aang that she had been… A bit unhinged? A bit too protective? Yeah, the old man would definitely have told him those things, with a lecture to boot. And Alqaok… Well, Katara knew perfectly well that the warrior would have told Aang plenty of things, because he was a real gossip.
Opening the door to her… no, Aang's… room, she was surprised to see he was not there… But… He had not been on the deck… And Appa had not been lowing softly, as he always did when Aang was petting him… So… Where was he?
Walking inside the room, Katara saw that the chest was open… She had closed it, no? So Aang would have had to look through it. Crouching in front of it, she searched through it. Nothing was missing… Except that pouch. She still didn't know what was in it, but apparently, the airbender had not liked her putting it there.
Standing up, she turned around, looking at the bed. It looked… Well, as if no one had slept in it. Too neatly made… And Aang's staff wasn't in the corner. That would have been normal, because she had seen him use it to lean on that morning… But… It didn't feel right.
And suddenly, it fell into place.
Aang was gone.
Katara turned to run towards the deck, to Sokka and Toph. To Appa.
Find Aang. We need to. I need to.
Opening the door, she was met with Alqaok, standing there.
"Oh… Katara! How are you?" The young man smiled, but the waterbender ignored him, to run past him, down the stairs and up to the deck. She needed to be sure… To be sure that Aang was here, and not, as she feared… Gone.
The first face she saw when she emerged on the red light-soaked deck, with the setting sun making her eyes squint, was her father.
"Dad. Have you seen Aang?" She asked him, without looking at him.
"Well… The last time I saw him… was here, on the deck." Her father answered…. Hesitantly.
Wait. Why was he lying? She knew that look all too well. Each time her father had done something stupid, he had looked like that, when explaining it to her mother.
"What did you do?"
Katara saw the defeated look, and she heard the sigh.
"I… I may have done something very stupid." He sat down on, with his back to the railing.
Oh no…
"What did you do?" She asked, while standing in front him her father, with her hands, balled into fists, against her hips. Sokka had once told her that that was her angry posture, and she had to admit… She always did that when the anger was boiling up.
"I… I thought that the airbender could use a stern talking to. And I may have made things worse. I made the men tell him what happened, and then… I think I left him alone at a moment I shouldn't have." He sighed, looking her in the eye.
Katara pursed her lips.
"Do you mean to tell me… That at the moment he felt guilty about treating his friends like he did… You left him alone. You left a guilty feeling Aang alone."
That was really bad. At such moments, Aang would always choose the most reckless path, the one he thought would make them safe. But the one that was stupid and unsafe
"Yeah…"
She didn't even know where it came from. The weeks of him meddling in her own business. The years of neglect. The fact that he had chased off the one person she needed at the moment.
But she kicked him. Hard. And again. And again. She slapped his head, his shoulders. It felt good. It felt great. To finally release that anger on him, the anger she had felt the moment she had laid eyes on him again after six long years.
And Katara observed how her father didn't react, only underwent it. She had hit him at least six times before she felt calmer. Stepping away from him, Katara saw how her father stood up, not even giving a hint of physical pain. But his eyes, those showed an emotional pain she recognized all too well.
Regret.
"I am so sorry Katara… I tried to make him understand. I heard you and Sokka talking about how he acted… I saw how much it hurt you… I just wanted to help. But I understand that I may not have been the perfect person for that task…" Her father sighed, leaning on the railing.
Katara resisted the urge to kick him again.
"You don't know him. He has already lost too much. And to ask him to hide the only thing remaining of his culture, it kills him. To make the world think he is dead, that hurts him. Because he feels like he has failed the world. And he knows the Water Tribes will suffer because of him if he hides. He knows. Aang is not made to be an all-powerful being, to be loosed upon defenceless cities, as you all wish! He has feelings and acts accordingly! You are going to help me find him!" She tried to keep the volume o her voice down, but from the corner of her eye, she saw that the noise was attracting attention.
In the form of an annoyed earthbender.
"Spirits, what is all this screaming?" The blind girl asked as she walked up.
"My dad has been talking to Aang." Katara seethed. She could hear the venom in her voice, and she didn't care.
"Oh shit. What has happened?" Toph groaned.
"Aang isn't in the room. Can you look over the ship?" Katara asked, knowing the blind girl would be able to locate Aang in a heartbeat.
Toph planted her foot down and cocked her head to the right. If it wasn't so serious, Katara would have laughed at the expression of pure concentration on the girl's face.
"Mmm… Nope. He is not on the ship." Toph grunted.
Bad news. Very, very bad. Katara turned to her father.
"What did you discuss. Do. Not. Leave. Anything. Out." She managed to say through gritted teeth.
"I told him he was being an idiot, and that he was only pushing people away. We walked the deck, talking to the warriors, and after that, he… He kind of made it clear he wouldn't be with us to recruit the warriors. I asked him to wait for you before taking a decision, because I knew you would talk him out of it." Her dad explained, still looking reticent.
"I don't care, he left! Someone must have seen in which way he went! Where he went! Anything!" Katara screamed. This was bad, so very bad. Aang still had his wounds, he could not hope to fly, or Spirits forbid, fight, in his state!
And where could he go? They were deep in Fire Nation occupied territory, with the Mo Ce Sea at their west, and the river leading to the Western Lake to their East. To the north lay the Fire Nation colonies of Yu Dao and Hu Xin. And to the south were the open canyons and plains of the Omashu territory… Could it be possible Aang was flying to the mountainous city to free his friend?
No… That, he would have told them. No, Aang was probably doing something reckless…
Redeem myself.
The words echoed in her head. He was feeling guilty about abandoning the world to the cruelty of Ozai…
Ozai.
Oh. Oh no. Not that. Everything but that…
"Who stood on guard at the back of the ship?" She asked suddenly, turning to her father. If Aang had wanted to go west, to the Fire Nation, he would never have taken off from the deck. He may be acting like an idiot, but he wasn't one. No, if he wanted to go west, he would have swum to the nearest place he could take off without being seen. And that meant, the little rocky outcrops in the sea south of them.
"Alqaok I believe." Her father answered, walking to the back of the ship. As much as Katara was angry with him, she tried to stay calm. It was not important. The important thing now was finding Aang before he was seen or captured.
She had seen the young warrior in the ship, but surely it had been to get something? As much as she hated the chauvinistic man, the waterbender knew he would never abandon his post without good reason.
As they arrived, she was relieved to see that the warrior had come back to his guard duty, standing there, looking at the water beneath them.
"Have you seen the Avatar?" Her father asked Alqaok when they were in earshot.
"No!" he answered, but Toph, who had come with them, just laughed.
"Need to get better at lying. He has seen him." The blind girl spoke and Katara's anger flared up again. Why would he lie about seeing Aang? There was only one reason someone would do that. He was hiding something.
"Tell me. Now." The waterbender muttered in a low voice.
"The Avatar just came her to look at the ocean. I walked away, and that was that. Not seen him since." The warrior explained, leaning lazily on his spear.
Katara turned to Toph, who nodded. So, he wasn't lying. But he may be leaving some important bits out of the story.
"Twinkletoes is quite a chatty fellow. He must have talked to you." The blind girl stepped forward. Katara was more than happy to let her do this. Interrogating someone was kind of Toph's thing.
"Nope, just said hello, looked at the ocean, and I went to piss." Alqaok smiled, but not at Toph. He smiled towards Katara. And she had seen that kind of smile. On the North Pole, with some of the waterbenders in Pakku's class…
Oh Tu and La. Not another of the knuckleheads…
"No use lying to me. Can tell if you do." Toph sighed, as if the fact that people still tried irritated her. The young man's eyes went wide when he realized his mistake.
"I… The Avatar and I just talked about… about man thing…"
Katara rolled her eyes. As much as she was irritated with Aang at this moment, she knew one thing for certain. The airbender didn't discuss those kinds of things with Sokka, his best friend. So, if he didn't do that with his friends, why would he discuss it with Alqaok?
"Curiously, you are not lying. But we know Twinkles. So, how angry was he with you at the end?" Toph said, and Katara also stepped forward, standing beside the earthbender. The young warrior in front of them was looking at them, his eyes going from Toph to her, clearly thinking of a way out of all of this.
"Alright, alright, no need to act all tough! The Avatar was here, at the stern! I had overheard him and the chief talking about-"
"About things that were not your business." Her father interrupted.
"Kind of is Chief. Bato told us last year that we shouldn't ask. And as soon as the first outsider comes, you just say yes. Of course, he is the Avatar, but still, would have liked to know it was an option." Alqaok was clearly irritated.
Katara heard this and knew immediately what the warrior was talking about. Last year, she had been sixteen. The traditional age in the Water Tribe to be courted. And all the men of her tribe were here. So of course, they would have begun to ask her father permission.
But what was this about Bato saying they couldn't? She considered it an old and horrible tradition and custom, but still, it was one that was normally respected in the Water Tribes.
As soon as the first outsider comes, you just say yes.
Wait.
Her father… had said yes? As he had promised?
"What is this about?" She turned to her dad.
"I promised you, didn't I? I know… I know I did some stupid things that I can't deny. But at least… I could give you that." Her father murmured, looking at her with a soft gaze in his eyes.
Well… It didn't make everything alright. But at least, her father had kept his word. And… That meant… That she and Aang could… Well, she would have, even without her father's consent. But still…
"Thanks…" She murmured back, but Toph turned to the warrior who had been listening to the conversation.
"So, eavesdropping on something private. Not going to talk about the weirdness of that particular pass time. But did Aang say something that would give us a clue about is whereabouts?" the girl asked, cracking her knuckles. Katara smiled. Let Toph do this, it could only be interesting.
"Yes! He said something about Reku's Island… Or was it Roka?" Alqoak said, timidly.
"Roku. Roku's Island. The easternmost island of the Fire Nation." Katara said, fear gripping her heart. How could Aang hope to fly over the Mo Ce Sea in his condition? That would be suicide…
"Yes, that place!"
"Thanks." Toph said, while placing a hand on the railing. The iron bars of the railing flew loose and wrapped around Alqaok.
"Your warriors can release him. In a day or two." The blind girl spoke to Katara's father, before leaving them, running away. The waterbender also ran, towards the sleeping quarters. She knew perfectly well what was going to happen. She, Toph and Sokka would go on Appa and try to find Aang. The ship would be too slow, and the bison would fly as fast as possible, for his master.
Katara heard the steps behind her, and knew her father was following her. She didn't care, she had to get her belongings. As she entered the room where she spent two weeks alone with Aang, she grabbed a bag in the corner and began to put things inside. The books, the few clothes she had, such as the cloak, and the few things like soap she had begun to keep in the room as well.
"Katara I…" Her father began, but he didn't finish his sentence. She ignored it, stepping towards the Air Noma chest and closing it. Now… She had still one thing to take. Walking to the bed, Katara raise the mattress just high enough to grab the book she had hidden there. Not looking at her father, she kept the front of the book against her stomach while walking back to her bag and quickly putting it inside.
"I… I would like to apologize." Her father said. Katara didn't look at him. She couldn't.
"I know I've been stupid, and interfered way too often these last few weeks… But… It has been good to see you. You and Sokka. Because… Even if you don't want anything to do with me… I love you."
That. That was the first time he had actually said something that she wanted to hear.
"Didn't seem like it when you left us for six years." The words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop herself. She could feel his eyes on her back. But Katara didn't turn. She couldn't face that.
"I… I made mistakes. As I said before, I made mistakes, as do we all… But that doesn't make it right. And I can't make it right with words, I know… That's why I tried to help Aang… But that backfired."
"Backfired? Yeah, you could say that. He is acting all noble and idiotic. He probably thinks he needs to save the world alone… Because of this. That everything is his responsibility." Yeah. That was not only Aang she was talking about. And they both knew it.
"I can understand the feeling… But I also understand that it is not the case. No one can do everything alone… Or should." Her father sighed. For once, he was making sense.
"Then why did you try?" This was probably the last time she would see him before the invasion. So, why not ask?
"Because I was rash and stupid? At least, that is what Bato has been saying these last few years… But please believe me when I say… You and Sokka are my world… Everything I care about. I don't know what the future will bring… But I'm afraid for you both. That is why I've been meddling… I'm sorry. You are old enough to make your own decisions. But that has not been easy to accept. To accept that you have both grown up… Without me being there." Katara felt a hand on her shoulder.
Was that so difficult to say Dad?
The waterbender turned around, looking in her father's eyes. She saw the unshed tears in them.
"Aang taught me something you might want to hear. That not everything can be planned… That sometimes, it is better to enjoy what you have then regret what you could have had… So… Even if all this goes to shit in the next few months… let's just enjoy what we have. You can give me that, at least."
"How?"
"We are going to look for Aang. And we are going to meet up again for the invasion… But let me live my life as I see fit." She spoke, putting her arms around her father. Katara realized that this was the first time since… what, two weeks? No, more… That she had hugged the man she had missed so much. But who had done such stupid things.
"Yeah… Sokka said something similar. I'm sorry… About everything. I won't interfere again. You are right." Her father pulled her in a short hug, but one that felt more meaningful than his words could ever make her feel.
He released her, walking over to the door.
"I will give Sokka some money and a map, I believe you will need them. I'll come to say goodbye on the deck." He said, while walking off.
Katara pulled the bag on her shoulder, and grabbed the chest, putting it under her arm. She took one last look around the room that had become a prison, and then a place she had longed to be these last two days… Good riddance. Now, she could close this dark chapter behind her. Or at least… Close the door until she needed to face the emotional scars she had got along the way.
She walked to the deck of the moving ship. The warriors had probably got them out to sea so that Appa could take off without being seen. As Katara came to the deck, she saw every tribesman standing there, around Appa, who had been released from the cargo hold, and was now roaming freely on the deck. The bison was stretching his legs, clearly happy to be out.
"So, Aang has got himself in trouble, and we need to help him?" Her brother grinned, "Spirits, finally something normal!"
"Please don't be an ass. We need to get going." Katara answered, shaking her head.
"Even my sister is bossing me around again, instead of mopping around!" Sokka quickly danced out of her reach, and walked to their father, who emerged from the inside with a heavy bag and some scrolls.
Toph also emerged, with Pipsqueak and the Duke behind her. The blind girl turned to her.
"Please tell me we are going somewhere nice. Roku's Island sounds like a tropical paradise! Why would it be named after an Avatar otherwise?"
"Sorry… A lava invested rock. With a destroyed temple on it." Katara padded Toph's shoulder, who just grinned.
"Sounds like a cool place! Spirits, let's get going!" The girl nearly jumped on Appa.
And then, there was her father, with her brother in tow.
"So… Keep me updated if you can. We are going to that swamp first. Figured it might help to have some waterbenders to make to ship go faster. Then, I'll go to the Northern Air Temple. You can send messages there to reach me." Her father explained.
"Alright Dad! See you in two months!" Sokka quickly hugged their father and then bolted off. Probably not to look too… emotional… in front of the warriors. Idiot.
"And… Well, I will miss you." Her father said softly.
"Yeah… I'm going to miss you too." And she meant it. It was good to try and put the past behind her.
"And make sure to say to Aang that I didn't mean to make him hate me."
Wait… That was the first time her father had called the airbender by his name. Without being corrected at least once.
"He doesn't hate you. He does not do that… hate, I mean." She spoke quietly.
"Good. We could all learn something from him in that case… Take care Sweetie." Her father whispered. And Katara smiled, hearing the pet name her parents had used for her… She had not heard it since… since forever.
"I will. Take care of yourself. And of all the others." She quickly hugged him, and ran to Appa.
Now was the time. Now they could finally get back to travelling and adventured. Maybe… If they could convince Aang to hide his identity… Maybe even live a normal life… For two months. That was all she was asking of the Spirits. Two months of just Sokka, Toph… And Aang and her. Lots of Aang and Katara.
Answers :
TheQuietReader23 : Indeed, that was exactly what I tried to do with Hakoda. That is interactions would be "forced". Because he was trying so hard to be a good father, he kind of screwed himself her. And indeed Alqaok is an idiot!
Gabriela N. Gonzalez : Nope, of course he was not going to stay lol! We need to get them to the Fire Nation, don't we?
Bay45220 : He got a Toph treatment, also acceptable?
Rak : Yeah, but I don't think he seems to understand what his friends has gone through. That will be something of the next chapter!
Chinmay : Yeah, I didn't like Aang in that episode. Maybe that was why his chapter seemed a bit off… I can't write a good chapter if I don't feel like the character, but I am happy to hear you enjoyed it! And here I am !