Disclaimer:I don't own Avatar
I like this chapter, it's cool...and no flamers, but leave any comments you might possibly have. I just updated, like, twice in one day. And I do check my stats, there should be a lot more reviews in that inbox.
"Where are you going, little girl?"
"I was looking for mommy." Katara looked around. A man was there, a man with gold eyes and a red mark that dashed across his face like fire. Katara sniffled.
"She isn't here, she's gone." The houses were all burning, flames leaping and licking the sky in an intoxicated dance. Women and men were running, and children screamed and cried. Katara felt like screaming and crying, also.
"Where did she go?" asked the little girl. The man laughed cruelly.
"She isn't here, she's gone," he whispered, and he was walking away. Katara ran after him.
"Where did she go, where did she go?" she wailed, running as fast as her short legs could take her. He was fast, and even though he walked, Katara had already lost sight of him.
"Look at me, Katara, look at me!" cried a little boy, younger than she, but his face was burdened with the memories of a thousand, million years. He was young, but he was so old. He, too, was running away.
"Wait, come back, don't leave me!" cried Katara, chasing him. He was gone, like the man and like her mother, and she was left in darkness. She sobbed, but no one heard.
Katara gasped and shot awake. A trembling hand reached up to touch her cheek, and she found that it was wet with tears. Her forehead was soaked with sweat, but she was so cold. Shivering, Katara looked outside. The sun was barely visible along the horizon; it couldn't be past five. Yawning, Katara looked around and remembered that a bathroom had been mentioned.
Her feet touched the cold, cold ground of the hallway, and Katara jumped a little. Feeling skittish, she danced quickly to the bathroom. The tile was even colder. Sucking in her breath, Katara turned the water on.
While she waited for the tub to fill, Katara stipped off her red dress. She stood in only her underclothes. Making sure the door was locked, she searched for a towel.
Katara noticed the steam rising from the water. Curious, she touched it, and yanked her hand out with a yelp. The water was...hot! It wasn't scalding; but she was surprised. She had never taken a hot bath in her entire life. This would prove to be interesting.
Wearing only a towel now, she pulled it off and dipped a foot into the deep water. Stepping in and sitting, she sighed as she slid towards the bottom, water up to her ears. Katara decided right then that she liked hot baths.
Zuko stepped down the cold, rocky stairs, the heavy wooden doors dragging shut behind him. He was left in almost complete darkness, but his night vision was exceptionally good, and he knew his way around every nook of this palace. He remembered when he and Azula were young, he was only nine and she seven, and they would race around the castle like madmen, each trying not to be found, but to find the other first. Zuko shook his head; that was a long time ago.
He knew which cell the Avatar was in. He could see the blue arrows illuminated in the dark. Fortunately, the boy couldn't see him. Zuko walked silently, almost like a cat.
"Avatar," he murmured, and Aang looked up and around, surprised. Zuko almost laughed. Holding out a gloved hand, he lit a small flame. Aang's eyes flickered to him, and his expression turned angry.
"My friends...what have you done with them?" he demanded. Zuko chuckled malevolently.
"Three years...three years, you avoided capture.It's all over now. Here you are, locked in a cell, and here am I, holding the key. But all you can think about is your worthless friends." He reached up and stroked the lemur that sat contentedly on his shoulder. Aang's eyes darted to the animal.
"Momo! Leave Momo alone!" demanded the boy, his attention returned to the prince...no, Lord. Momo looked up, his ears alert. He trilled a greeting to the boy, but didn't leave Zuko's shoulder.
"Even your pet prefers me," purred Zuko, running his hand along the thick, soft fur. The lemur purred.
"What have you done with Sokka and Toph?" yelled the boy again. Zuko frowned. Fool, he thought he had the upper hand. Zuko walked forward until he was right outside the bars.
"You...you think you're in control, you think that you can yell, and I'll listen. Well, you're wrong. I'm in control, and you'll listen to me, unless you want your friends dead...or worse," added Zuko visciously. His words were harsh, but had the right effect. Aang paled visibly.
"Don't...don't hurt them..." he whispered, his eyes large and pleading. Zuko felt a pang of guilt, but he needed this to work in his favor.
"If I hear one word about you resisting or attempting escape...it doesn't matter how big a tantrum you throw in your Avatar state, it won't bring them back," he hissed, and Aang nodded slowly. Zuko could almost see the tears...but he didn't want to. Cursing himself for his weakness, he clenched his fist and killed the light. All Aang could see was the molten gold that was the Fire Lord's eyes.
Katara was dressed once again in her Fire Nation clothes, a Fire Nation citizen. She looked at the giant palace, in the city of Gi-chen Ka, current capital of the Fire Nation. Women wandered the streets, merrily shopping for clothes or food. Children pestered their mothers for toys and candy and men...men were scarce. Katara knew why. The war had torn apart many families here, too.
Katara found a newspaper stand, and purchased a newspaper for a bronze. Opening it, she tried to find a job section that involved the palace. Finding nothing, she sighed. Looking up, she saw a group of young women, about her age, giggling and laughing together. They were all stunningly beautiful, but it wasn't a posse. Katara stared at them.
"Stuck-up little witches, aren't they," commented a girl next to her. Katara gasped and pretended not to know what she was talking about.
"What? Who?" she asked casually, burying her nose in the newspaper. It was pulled down, and she met the light brown eyes of a young woman. Her lips were curved in a graceful smile, and her eyes sparkled with a mischevious light.
"You know who I'm talking about; the palace whores," said the girl, raising her well-shaped eyebrows. Katara gasped.
"The palace..." she started, but couldn't finish. The girl laughed.
"I'm Kijia," she said happily, "and yes, the palace whores."
Katara gaped at her.
"They...they..." she stuttered, blushing dark red. Kijia laughed again.
"Well, I guess not technically. They just dance and do rituals and stuff...but they're all whores," she said, shrugging. Katara didn't seem to be able to close her mouth.
"Yeah, I want to be one, too," sighed her new friend, watching the girls walk away. Katara swallowed.
"I'm Ara," Katara said, offering a small smile. "And why don't you apply to be a dancer? You're pretty enough!"
Kijia stared at her.
"Are you nuts? I'm not near pretty enough to be one of them...I may just apply to be a maid or something, that's a pretty good job," said Kijia, and she looked Katara over.
"Ara...you're pretty enough to be a dancer," she said, and Katara just chuckled. Then, the full meaning of it hit her.
"...like, and work in the palace?" she asked, her attention fully on her new ally. Kijia nodded solomnly.
"Actually, you don't even have to work...just dance whenever you're called, and wander around the palace when you're free," said Kijia, and Katara almost laughed out loud. It was perfect!
"How do you apply?" she asked quickly, but Kijia frowned.
"What, are you some kind of rebel, or assasin?" she asked, eyebrows raised again. Katara gasped, but her friend smiled. "Only joking...I think you just go in and talk to this one guy in charge of the employees."
"Thanks," said Katara, turning away to get Yutz. A slender, flower-white hand stopped her.
"Wait, you're serious? Wow, well, if you get in, put in a good word for me," said Kijia, smiling genuinely. Katara almost smiled back, but Sokka's face flashed in her mind.
"I'll...I'll see what I can do," she gasped, turning away again, and almost running back to the inn. Lifting a hand to her eyes, she wiped the tears away. There was no time for mourning. Emotions must not get in the way of her mission.
One by one, each of the Avatar's friends were paid a little visit from the Fire Lord, and each was threatened with the deaths of the others. Of couse, there would be no bloody, screaming murders...but fear gave him the upper hand. He tickled the cheek of the little lemur. 'Momo,' the Avatar had called him.
"Momo," murmured Zuko softly, watching as the creature lifted his small, clever head and chirp in recognition.
"I bet you'd like a nut," he said, picking up a candied almond from an intricately designed glass bowl. The lemur took it and ate it contentedly. Zuko almost smiled.
"Fire Lord Zuko," a loud, assertive voice echoed through the large room. Zuko looked up to see his sister. She was smiling proudly.
"What is it, Azula?" he snapped, and she deflated. Looking small and humble again, she tried to regain her composure. Ever since her firebending had been taken away, she was careful to be on Zuko's good side. Burning to death at her brother's hands wasn't her idea of fun.
"Zut Mekka is under seige," she said, watching her brother's face. He relaxed and smiled warmly.
"I think I should host a celebration party," he said, and Azula glanced up. "A nice party for my beloved sister."
His words were empty, and they both knew it. Zuko watched his sister's fac carefully, but she only smiled sweetly.
"You spoil me, brother," she said softly, bowing and turning to leave. Zuko turned to a random guard.
"Set the preperations. All of Gi-chen Ka will celebrate tonight."
Katara entered the large, lavishly decorated palace front hall. A little in awe, she looked around for someone to talk to. Four guards stood at the entrance. She walked casually over to them.
"...so...where do I go to get a job?" she asked, and one of them laughed.
"Depends on what kind of job you're looking for, girl," said the man, and Katara frowned.
"I want to be a dancer," she said firmly, and the men looked at each other.
"Well, if you mean a palace dancer, you'll have to see Madam Ulia," said another guard. Katara nodded. "she's busy today, you'll have to make an appointment." Katara ground her teeth. She needed to get in there now! Who knew what terrible things Zuko was doing to her friends?
Suddenly, the doors were flung open so violently that the guards had to leap out of the way to avoid being knocked over. One of them wasn't as quick and got a heavy push in his armored back. 'Speak of the devil,' thought Katara, gasping. She quickly reached up and yanked her braid out, letting her wavy hair curl to the middle of her back. While he was still distracted, she tied it into a quick bun. Looking away, she hoped desperately that he didn't recognize her. The Fire Nation dress, cleaner skin, and different hairstyle might help.
He looked up and stopped. Casting a curious glance over to his guards, he looked back at her.
"Who are you?" he demanded bluntly, and she tried to appear shy and humble.
"A-Ara," she stuttered, the appearance of a awed teenage girl. He blinked.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone a little gentler. Katara nearly laughed out loud; success.
"I was actually looking for a job...my Lord...as a dancer," she said, peeking at him from under her lashes. It was a little trick she had used in the Water Tribe to pick up guys before they had all left for the war. It was like magic. Zuko seemed to be entranced.
"Well, you can go in right now to talk to Madam Ulia, she's the dance instructor," he said, and Katara pretended she didn't already know that.
"Oh, thank you," she said happily, grinning wickedly. He seemed to take it as a sincere smile.
"...but sir, Madam Ulia is busy today, she said..." one of the guards cut her off. Zuko's soft, amber gaze quickly turned icy as he turned to see the guard.
"I think she can squeeze Ara an hour of her time," he said coldly, and the guard flinched visibly. Katara smiled again. The guards opened the door, and Katara made sure to brush Zuko's shoulder ever so gently as she passed. He stiffened, and she snickered in her head. Step one on how to dominate a palace; get the most powerful man possible on your side.
Ooh, isn't Katara cunning...so, I hope you liked this chapter, it's important...and cute...but it only gets better from here, Katara's plan is in motion.