My ability to stay on task has been diminishing. At last, I finally finished.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender
For some reason, Katara was sad. She was sad, and angry, and a little hurt, and she didn't know why. She didn't feel like talking as they traveled, and Suki didn't seem to mind. Seeing the boy and the other forest children-as she had no other name for them-had made her sad, even though they had tried to kill her. Part of her was sad, because she had seen what happened during war.
But then, she thought that those who opposed the Water Tribe's reconstruction of the war did not deserve to be in it. They would only spread evil and malice again and there would only be peace and happiness after summer's end.
She wasn't sad anymore.
Katara wondered what her mother and father were doing. They would be back at the South Pole and she had no doubt that they were missing their children. She wondered if they knew Sokka was a traitor. She wondered if they were sad about that. Well, Mom wouldn't be. Kya didn't exactly agree with the war, because she was a healer, but she didn't argue with the idea that peace would come soon.
Dad was probably overseeing the training of warriors, because even though he was the chief of the Southern Water Tribe, he was a soldier as well. Mom, Katara thought, was doing what she did best. Healing. Kya had some combat skills, but not very many and Katara didn't think she was very good at them. She was probably working with the student healers, because they would need those.
It wasn't that Katara didn't love her mother, because it was quite the opposite really. She loved her mother, but she found it hard to connect with her. Maybe it was because Kya was a healer, while Katara could never find the patience for it. Katara couldn't remember if it had always been this way, because she a feeling that it hadn't.
But she couldn't remember.
Katara remembered some things from her childhood very clearly, like sitting in her mother's lap or playing with Sokka. She remembered when she became a master waterbender, last year, and how proud she had been. Then, some things she could barely remember at all. Like her lessons with Hama when she was a young girl, or when she first realized she hated Yue. Or, a better phrase would be very strongly dislike.
Maybe it had always been that way with Yue. She swept in, pulling Katara's family away when she had her own, and flashing her innocent smile that disguised her venomous fangs. Katara remembered a time where she had liked Yue, but it had been very brief. They became master waterbenders together and Katara had been so happy that she had even hugged Yue, because she had been caught up in her pride and excitement and she had just wanted to share it with someone.
That had been a long time ago. She knew better now. She knew that she could never share anything with Yue, especially not the Water Tribe's plans. Yue and Sokka, and the Avatar were traitors. Katara looked over at Suki and she knew that she could trust the Kyoshi Warrior. Which was kind of sad, she thought, that she could trust a stranger more than she could trust her own brother. They shared the same blood and he still betrayed her.
Katara flexed her fingers. She could trust the army of soldiers behind her-there were waterbenders and earthbenders who would die for her-and she could trust Suki. She could trust her father and her mother, and the rest of her family back home, and she could trust Hama.
She knew she could trust Hama.
For a moment, her thoughts traveled back to the people that had attacked them in the forest. They had been young, like her, and one of them had even been a child. She remembered the bronze skinned boy with the hook swords, and she wondered if he was okay. Before, she had never put much into whether or not she had hurt someone-she was aware of it, but she had never truly wondered.
Katara decided she didn't like seeing people hurt, even if she had hurt them.
Beneath her, the cheetah falcon leaped over a branch that had fallen in their path. Katara looked at the trees as they passed through the forest-they were in true Earth Kingdom territory, they couldn't be seen very much-and she saw animals looking up at the passing beasts.
Predator, predator, watch out. Their eyes seemed to say and part of Katara wondered if they were talking about her. Look out, a predator's coming through. She caught sight of a red furred weasel rabbit, its head lifted and watching them pass by with its dark eyes.
"Sometimes I wonder if animals think and feel like people." Katara said to Suki, who turned to face her. "Do they wage war against each other, too? Do they believe in perfect harmony and peace, and equality?" The young waterbending princess shrugged softly, "What lengths would they go to ensure it? To ensure that there is peace in their world?"
How far would she go, to ensure peace and harmony?
As far as she needed to, Katara decided. She would win the war and become Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, and she would do everything in her power to make sure the world was peaceful and balanced, and if the Avatar couldn't see the real balance, then she would get rid of him. Yue had probably corrupted him all the way through, anyway.
"I think you're putting too much thought in a bunch of animals, Katara." Suki said and Katara heard the amused lilt in her voice. "I think most animals only think about where their home is and what they're going to find to eat." She laughed softly, "That would be cool, though, to see a dog diplomat."
Katara looked at Suki and she didn't necessarily find it very funny, but she shrugged. The cheetah falcon's muscles rippled as it slowed to catch its breath. There was no threat in sight, and they had enough time to let the beast regain its energy to maintain the hard pace. They were going west and the terrain seemed to be wild and untamed as they left the roads and paths. Not many people traveled this way, Katara thought, which was good. She was certain that no forest rebels would jump out and attack them this time.
"Maybe," Katara said and smiled softly, "Maybe once there is peace and the war is won, we can set up a council of animals just for you, Suki." She laughed and for a brief moment, Suki looked at her. Then she laughed as well, because Katara felt lighthearted and gentle today, and calm. Katara wondered what it was like to float on a cloud. If there had been airbenders left, she would have asked one. But there weren't, except for the Avatar, but Katara was sure he didn't count.
Yue noted that Ty Lee was quieter. She was still the bubbly, pink girl that Yue had grown to know and even like a little, but her excitement was more subdued. Aang had accidently burned her hair when he tried firebending and she had claimed to have forgiven him, but Yue sometimes thought she saw an angry shadow flicker across Ty Lee's eyes, before it was replaced with a wide smile.
As they flew, Yue looked up at the sky and she saw that it was gray. The clouds-thick and soft looking-and Yue felt dampness on her skin. Rain would come soon, she thought, and they would have to stop. But they were so close to Taku and if they flew fast enough, they would make it.
Beside her sat Sokka, snoring softly with his head half leaning on Yue's shoulder. His mouth was agape and Yue contemplated dropping something into it, but she thought better of it. She was still a little mad at Sokka, but he deserved the rest just like everyone else. Across from her was Toph, her eyes open and trained on Yue, but the Northern Water Tribe princess was aware that the girl couldn't really see her. She knew she was there, though, and she smiled a little. Or really, it was a smirk.
Toph and Azula both had cunning smirks and smiles, and Yue wondered how she had ended up with the both of them. The Universe, as Sokka would say if he had been awake, did some pretty wacky things. There was so much she didn't understand; Yue thought, and sometimes she wondered if she really wanted to know.
"It's going to rain, soon." Yue said softly, to break the silence that had fallen over them. Aang looked back at her and Toph lifted her head. "I hope we can reach Taku before it starts raining too heavily." She clasped her hands together, her right thumb pressed into the palm of her left with her fingers laced around each other.
"Can't we make a shield with waterbending?" Aang asked her and part of Yue was proud that the young Avatar remembered his waterbending training, even though it had been so long ago, when they had still been in the South Pole. It had been before the pivotal events in Ba Sing Se, when everything had changed.
Yue looked over at Azula's dragon, Sanjiv. The young firebender and her Fire Nation companions were riding just being Appa. Mai's eyes were darting up at the sky warily, her brows disappearing under the heavy, glossy black hair of her bangs. "I don't think it could reach all of us, and I don't think Azula's dragon would like getting wet."
As if to prove her point, the blue scaled dragon blew out a breath of white smoke. Azula looked up at Yue and smirked, her golden eyes gleaming. She urged Sanjiv higher and the dragon flapped his great wings, rising above the flying bison.
"I don't think Azula wants our help." Yue said and she couldn't help but smile back at the Fire Nation teenagers. After traveling so far with them, she had decided that she knew them well enough to call them her friends, or at least her companions. "Besides, I don't think we have enough water for that."
The young Air Nomad boy nodded. "I don't think Ty Lee's really forgiven me." He said and lowered his gaze, looking off to the side. "I said I was sorry. It was an accident, Yue, it really was! I would never want to hurt Ty Lee, or any of my friends." His voice grew softer, "You guys are all I have."
Yue paused and lifted her head, looking at Aang. Aang was the last of the Air Nomads, his people had been eradicated and he was the sole survivor. There was no one else in the world who could wholly understand his pain and burden, not even Yue. His friends-his family-were really the only ones he could relate to. "I know," She said. "She's forgiven you, trust me."
"Well," Toph said and lifted her head, the corners of her small mouth turned upward in the beginnings of a brazen smile. "She's forgiven you, but I don't think Bubbles likes you at the moment." She touched her thick black bun, piled high on top of her head. "Which is totally understandable."
The Northern Water Tribe princess couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You're not helping, Toph." She said and shook her head. Aang looked at the blind earthbender and Yue could see a small, awkward, half-embarrassed smile spreading across his lips.
Toph shrugged. "Sorry, I'm not good with this sympathy thing. It's a bit…beyond me." She chuckled and Yue couldn't help but smile at the young girl. The waterbending princess knew the earthbender couldn't see her grin, but Toph seemed to sense the lighthearted air, and she laughed.
Even Aang laughed a little and Yue was glad that they were able to enjoy each other's company. Just beyond Aang's shoulder, Yue could see something growing along the skyline. The Northern Water Tribe princess leaned forward onto her knees, squinting to see further. Then she smiled.
There, rapidly approaching as they flew was the outline of the city. It was the outline of Taku. They were almost there, and in a few moments they would be. They would be in Taku and Sokka could deliver his message, then they could fly to the Western Air Temple. After that, they would get to Garsai.
Then what would they do? What would come after they reached Garsai and Azula and her friends got where they needed to be? Aang would still have to master earthbending and firebending, and then they would have to stop the Water Tribes.
And what came after that?
Yue thought about it for a moment and pressed her teeth together. After Aang became a real Avatar and ended the war, what would become of the world? What would happen after all that? Yue cleared her throat. Peace, she decided. Peace would come afterwards, because that how things went. First there was war, and then there was peace. When everyone was tired and didn't want to fight anymore, there would be peace. After it all, there would be peace.
"Sokka!" Yue said and shook the Southern Water Tribe prince's shoulder. "Wake up, Sokka, we're almost there." She smiled lightly as the boy opened one blue eye and promptly closed it again, still gripped by sleep. "We're almost in Taku." She took his arm and shook it, "Come on, Sokka, you have to wake up."
Finally, his eyes snapped open and for a moment, he glared at her before rubbing his hands across his eyes. He was tired, Yue noticed, and she almost felt bad for him. But her skin was starting to prickle with excitement because they would be in Taku, and there would be so much to see. So much to learn. "You say that as if it's a good thing," Sokka said and cleared his throat, "Gimme five more minutes."
Yue shook her head and smiled coyly. "But in Taku," She said, "There'll be meat. All the food you can eat and you won't have to sleep on the grass." Well, she wasn't sure about that, but she decided it had to be true. Sokka had been given a message to deliver to Taku, so they had to be waiting for a prince. Then again, Sokka's title-and hers-probably didn't count in the Earth Kingdom.
Sokka grinned at her. "Stop tempting me." He said and Yue laughed. "Meat and a real bed…I would shave my head for that." He sat up and raised his arms above his head, yawning. "I guess that smile means you've forgiven me?"
The Northern Water Tribe princess was suddenly aware of her grin. Her anger at him had been slipping away and she tried to grasp at it again, to pull it back so she could stay mad at him for leaving her, but it slid through her fingers and Yue looked away. "I suppose," She said. She couldn't stay angry at him and she hated that she couldn't, because she had every reason to be angry at him.
But he was her best friend and that was reason enough to forgive him.
"Oh, good." Toph said and Yue looked towards the blind earthbender. "All that negativity was messing with me." She smiled at their general direction and Sokka snorted. Yue shook her head and smiled, because it was a way to express herself even though she knew Toph couldn't see it. "Glad you finally made up and all that."
Aang swiveled around to fully face them. "I am, too." He said and grinned broadly. "I hate seeing people fight," The young Air Nomad looked at his friends. "So no hard feelings when we get into Taku." Yue wasn't quite sure if it was a question or a comment, but Aang made no move to seek a reply.
"No hard feelings." Sokka said and Yue nodded. "Unless I make another incredibly stupid decision, but I think Toph'll set me straight. Right, Toph?" He turned to the young earthbender, who grinned widely. The Southern Water Tribe prince looked up at Sanjiv, the dragon, and his lips became a flat line. "I still can't believe they're not psycho killers. Well, except for Azula, I'm not sure about her."
A blast of cerulean colored flame blazed by Appa's side and Azula glared down at the blue eyed boy, her eyes narrowed. Her lips were pursed in an angry line, falling halfway between a smirk and a frown. Sokka yelped and looked up at the Fire Nation girl. "I was kidding!" He cried and Azula glared at him, clearly saying that she wasn't amused.
Sokka turned to look at Yue, gesturing subtly upward at the dragon above their heads. "She has a nice sense of humor, doesn't she?" He said and rolled his eyes. "She's a bundle of joy. Like Katar-" The name froze on his tongue and rolled off, smashing into the ground below with an awkward, painful silence. "Ah, never mind."
Katara was not a bundle of joy and Yue would have told him so, if he hadn't caught himself at the last moment. She would have pointed out that his little sister was evil, manipulative, and sneaky. She always had been and Yue thought that she always would be, unless she was stopped.
Appa began to move back towards the earth, his nose pointed towards the beginnings of the city that grew ever closer. Yue could see the prominent shape of buildings pressed against the sky. Some, she thought, seemed to almost pierce the clouds with their sharp spires and curves. There was a pagoda that was painted red and she wondered if Taku had some Fire Nation influence.
Would they be safe here?
The flying bison slammed his huge tail down and stretched out his stout legs as he grasped the rising earth with his numerous toes. Behind them, Sanjiv landed much more gracefully, his sinewy body curling and coiling as he lowered his wings. Azula slid off of the dragon's back, followed by Mai and Zuko, and finally Ty Lee.
They were on the outskirts of the city, just out of the sight from the buildings, Yue noticed as she scrambled from Appa's saddle. She lifted her hand to help Toph, but the blind girl either didn't sense her hand or ignored her as she slid down Appa's tail. She tried not to be offended, but part of her was hurt. Toph was independent, Yue told herself, and she didn't need anyone's help.
"Are we going to take Appa and Sanjiv into the city?" Aang asked and patted the bison's nose. Azula looked at the young Air Nomad and then back at her pet dragon. Yue thought she seemed to be debating it in her head, weighing the options. If it was a setup, they would be able to escape quickly.
Finally, the golden eyed girl shook her head. "No," She said at last, "We're leaving them here." There was a type of finality in her words, the kind that said her decision overruled everyone else's. She turned her gaze to Sokka and Yue thought she saw the Water Tribe boy flinch. "You, messenger boy, why don't you lead the way? This is, after all, your duty."
She was toying with him. Yue looked at Azula, who was smirking slightly, and then at Sokka who seemed to be boiling under the surface. Azula seemed to enjoy making people squirm. She was good at it, too. Then, Sokka cleared his throat and smirked. "Of course," He said, "You honestly thought I was going to let you lead? What if you tripped over a rock?"
Toph let out an indignant snort at that and Aang sniggered, but then Azula turned her sharp stare onto the twelve year olds. "How considerate of you," Azula said and smiled, but to Yue it looked more like she was baring her teeth. "What a gentleman; I didn't know they taught chivalry in the Water Tribes."
Yue was offended at that and she opened her mouth to speak, but then Sokka had moved away from Azula. Their verbal spar had ended, but Yue had a feeling that it would pick up again sooner or later. The Southern Water Tribe prince grabbed his boomerang and shoved the message that he had been given deeper into his pocket, moving in front of Azula.
"I never would have expected Sokka to butt heads with Azula like that." Aang said to Yue as he fell in beside her. "Then again, I don't know Sokka as well as you do." He shrugged and looked up at her. Really, Yue thought, she wasn't sure she knew Sokka as well as she had originally thought, even though she had grown up with him.
As they entered the city of Taku-which was made of red and green-Yue thought that maybe she could get to know him again. They were friends-at least she thought so-and she had a feeling that Aang would say something like, "Letting go is the key to moving on" or something else along those lines. Maybe they could be best friends again.
Maybe.
Katara wanted to grimace when she saw the saber tooth mouse moving jerkily across the ground, squeaking and shrieking in protest as it moved involuntarily over the dirt. Her cheetah falcon watched it closely, as if debating whether it would be a good idea to eat such a creature.
Hama's fingers loosen from their crooked position and she lowered them. The saber tooth mouse dart away into the grass and another one of the cheetah falcons chase after it, causing a soldier to run after the beast. Katara looked at Hama and then at Suki, who looked an interesting shade of green.
Hama could bend blood. She could bend the blood in animals and people. During the full moon, she could take control of the blood in living things and bend it like water. Like liquid. And sometimes when she felt strong enough, she could bend small animals without the full moon.
Part of Katara was scared by such a thing, but she was intrigued by it, too. Hama called it bloodbending. She called it bloodbending and she tried to teach it to Katara, but she wasn't sure she wanted to learn such a thing. To take control of a person's blood-inside them-and move it like water was simply…it didn't seem right. It seemed wrong.
Katara didn't need to take hold of someone's body to control them. She could do it with words if she had to, but Hama said it wasn't enough. That if she was to be chief-a good chief-she would have to back up what she said. She would have to subdue her own enemies, so vile people like Yue wouldn't try to challenge her. A good chief, Hama had said, was a strong chief.
That was true. Her father, Katara thought, was one of the strongest men she knew. He was a good leader and he would lead them to victory. Then, she would become his successor and she would make the Water Tribes even greater than they already were.
"Do we keep heading west?" Suki asked and Katara lifted her head. The auburn haired Kyoshi Warrior had moved towards their cheetah falcon. She patted the beast on its broad head and looked back at the Southern Water Tribe princess. To Katara, it seemed that the older girl made sure not to look in Hama's direction, as if she was afraid the elderly woman would take control of her blood, too.
Katara nodded and looked up at the sky. There was rain coming, weighing down the clouds and painting them gray, but they could travel a little longer. "People travel this way often," She said, "So there must be a village or town nearby. We can only hope that Sokka is hiding there."
They could only hope.
If they found Sokka, they might find Yue and the Avatar. Then they could spear two seals at once. Katara wondered what Yue would do when they finally caught up to her. She would probably bear her teeth and show the whole world how evil she was, then. Katara would stop her and then she would pave the way to peace and harmony for the whole world, and Yue would be known as the monster she really was.
Suki nodded and Katara turned to smile at Hama. The elderly waterbender ducked her head and tucked her small hands into her sleeves. She approved of Katara's decision and that made the Southern Water Tribe princess beam. "I'm proud of you, Katara; you've grown up into a strong young woman."
"With your help and guidance." Katara said, even though Hama had disappeared when she was still a child. Hama had gone away and left her, even though she had promised to tell her all of her waterbending secrets. Perhaps, Katara thought that was why she returned now. Maybe bloodbending had been one of her secrets and she had waited until Katara was older, until she knew more about the world, to tell her about it.
Bloodbending was a dark thing, Katara decided, with an alluring pull to it and it seemed wrong, she wanted to know more about it. Part of her wanted to know how Hama came to learn such a technique, but then part of her wanted to know nothing about it.
Suki cleared her throat and pulled the cheetah falcon forward by its chest harness. Katara wondered how the Kyoshi Warrior felt after the forest guerillas attacked them, she hadn't commented on it and her facial expressions gave nothing away. Her war fans still hung at her waist, though, clattering softly when she moved. She looked at Katara and smiled lightly.
For a moment, Katara was reminded of Yue's soft, malicious smile but she shook her head. Suki wasn't Yue. Suki was her friend, her confidant, and a warrior; she wouldn't betray her or the Water Tribes, not when they were so close to winning. Suki wasn't a venomous, treasonous liar, not like Yue. Katara knew she could trust Suki, better than she trusted her own brother.
Which was kind of sad, when she thought about, so she pushed it out of her mind. She had better things to think about, like winning the war and ushering the era of peace into the world. Yue wasn't going to do anything except distract her, Katara decided, and the sooner she was out of the way, the sooner they could get things done.
"Let's keep moving," Katara said as Hama moved away from her, smiling at the young Southern Water Tribe princess. She smiled back before gripping the side of the cheetah falcon's harness, hauling herself up on the beast's broad back. The faster they found Sokka, the more chance they had to salvaging the Water Tribes' plan before he told the whole world about the eclipse.
It was sad when your own brother couldn't be trusted, Katara thought, but it was just the way things were.
Taku reminded Azula of the Fire Nation, even though it looked nothing like her homeland. There were no beautifully paved streets or buildings that detailed how glorious the Fire Nation was, but there was an abundance of red and black, with splashes of gold and green. There was a hill in the center of the city and on top of it; Azula could see buildings made of stone. One, she decided from where she stood, looked like a temple.
The stone roads under her feet were damp and dark, and the air was cool. Rain was coming-even Azula couldn't feel it. Yue, the waterbending girl, had claimed that when the air felt damp and heavy, rain would come. A soft splash of water landed on Azula's hand and she looked up at the sky.
The clouds swirled high above her head, gray and thick, and they were darkening. In front of Azula was Sokka, moving along the street. He walked stiffly, but Azula could see the hesitation in his gait. He didn't know what he was doing or where he was going, or who he was looking for, and his hand was poised over the letter in his pocket.
"So, Prince Sokka," Azula said and the blue eyed boy looked over his shoulder at her. "Have you considered that maybe the recipients of your message are on the top of the hill," She pointed upward at the hill, where the cluster of buildings loomed over the rest of the sprawling city. "Just a thought." And she smirked.
Sokka looked flustered and out of the corner of her eye, Azula thought she saw Yue's shoulders droop. "And what if they're not? We would waste precious energy just because you're trying to bicker." Azula spun around at the sound of Mai's voice and she saw the dark haired girl staring at her, her yellow eyes hard as she peered out from underneath her bangs.
"I'm with Mai." Zuko said and beside him, Yue nodded. "We need to get that message to whoever needs it and then get to the naval base," So we can tell our own people. Azula caught those words, even though they didn't roll off of his tongue. She read it in his eyes and she was sure her gaze mirrored his. The Fire Nation would not fall to the Water Tribes, Azula was certain of that. She would not allow the Water Tribes to attack the Fire Nation.
Her gaze slithered over to Yue, who was looking at her as if she was reading her thoughts. Azula wondered if Yue was as really as weak as she made it seem like she was, but then she decided she wasn't. There was more to Yue than what was seen on the surface, but Azula was fairly certain that Yue wasn't a malicious tyrant, despite being a Water Tribe princess. She had seen Yue when she was vulnerable. Yue wasn't like the other waterbenders.
The child Avatar, Aang, looked up at the hill. "Well, why don't we climb it anyway? There isn't much down here except for a few shops." He was right. The buildings surrounding the hill were ether houses or shops, signs hanging from their doors. There were no structures that looked like government buildings, at least not here. "And we would be able to see a lot more."
Azula had a feeling that the boy just wanted to be closer to the air, closer to his element. For a brief, fleeting moment, she wondered what it was like to not be able to control her element if she wished. Yue and Toph needed water or earth to bend and the Air Nomad boy could bend wherever there was air-not to mention he was the Avatar. But Azula was a firebender and firebenders could produce fire from their own energy on a whim.
"To the top of the hill it is, then!" Ty Lee said gleefully. "Who wants to race?" She asked and Azula rolled her eyes. The pink clad acrobat looked at her companions one by one, her gray eyes gleaming. Mai tucked her hands in her sleeves and to Ty Lee, which was answer enough.
"I'll race." Aang said and Azula could see tension slide over Ty Lee's face for a moment. The Avatar had burned her hair during a lame attempt at firebending and Azula knew Ty Lee well enough that she could tell when the acrobat was unsure of something.
But then, she smiled. "Alright!" She said and the airbending boy grinned back. They were similar, Azula thought, in appearance and in attitude. The young Avatar looked towards Yue as if in approval, but the white haired princess only lifted her shoulders in a tiny shrug.
The acrobat and Avatar shot off, then, and the airbender's feet threw up dust. Azula narrowed her eyes as Ty Lee trailed after Aang, her strides softer than his quick movements. "Well," She said and pursed her lips, "I think we've established the fact that the Avatar and Ty Lee might be long lost relatives." She laughed drily at that and Zuko snorted.
Yue turned towards Azula, her blue eyes glittering. "Maybe they are," She said softly and eight eyes-the blind earthbender kept her head down-turned onto her. "Look, I know the Air Nomads were all supposedly killed by the Water Tribes, but there might have been survivors. There might have been a few who got away. We never know."
Sokka cleared his throat. "Come on," He said, "Let's go after Ty Lee and Aang." He made a step towards the hill, pressing his teeth together. Azula could see his jaw clench and she wondered if he felt any remorse for what his people had done. But the war had driven the nations to advance faster in industry than they ever had before, and there were plenty of Fire Nation inventions that probably wouldn't have existed if the push for the war effort hadn't been so strong.
Both Yue and Sokka were members of the Water Tribe royal family, but they had abdicated. They had left their wealth and family for travel the world for their own reasons-Yue to teach the Avatar and Sokka to deliver his message. Azula wasn't sure if that made them weak fools or not.
There were steps carved into the hill, rising up to the circle of buildings at the top. Azula could see Ty Lee and Aang nearing the top, their footsteps matched. Just in front of her was the earthbending girl, Toph, who had pulled her shoes off and was running up the steps with bare feet.
Azula was still disgusted by the girl's habits and she wrinkled her nose as she reached the top of the hill. She turned, then, and looked back down at the city beneath them. This, Azula thought, was what it really meant to be above everything. She could see the rest of Taku and the beginnings of a forest from where she stood and she outstretched her hands. This was a place of power, a place of authority.
From this point, Azula felt as though the world was hers. It was, in a way.
"I didn't think anyone could run as fast as an airbender!" Aang said to Ty Lee and his gray eyes glittered. "You almost beat me." Azula felt as though she was looking a younger, male Ty Lee. The young Avatar turned to Yue, who stood beside the Fire Nation princess. "I think this is the main circle of the city."
"It's called an acropolis." Toph spoke up and as if she could feel everyone's gazes on her, the tips of her ears turned red. "What? I had to learn about this stuff, y'know. Earth Kingdom nobility ring a bell to anyone?" She smirked, "A bunch of old cities were built like this."
Azula shifted her head in a slight nod and looked about the circle of buildings. They stood tall and silent against the skyline and she breathed when she took in the sight. Something flickered in the corners of her vision and the young firebender summoned a ball of blue fire in her hand, whipping around to face the person-a young girl-as they approached.
She couldn't have been more than eleven years old and her black hair was done up in two thick braids, strands falling free around her head. Azula let the fire die from her fingertips as the young girl moved towards them, moving clumsily in a kimono that looked too big for her. She opened her mouth, revealing a gap between her two front teeth, and smiled before tilting forward in a bow. "You must be Prince Sokka."
The Water Tribe boy looked around frantically for a moment before realizing that the little girl was talking to him. "Yeah," He said, "That's me. But…who are you and how do you know me?" He asked and took a tiny step backwards.
"I'm Meng! I'm a helper and the masters said you would come." The girl, Meng, smiled. "They said that you were bringing a message and a plan and that I would take you to them." She looked up at Sokka with something like admiration in her gaze. Azula decided she was a strange child.
Meng, the young girl, dipped in a bow again and led them towards a pagoda shaped building. It was shorter than the other structures on the "acropolis", but it seemed regal. Proud, almost. The young girl looked over her shoulder with every other step, flashing her gap-toothed grin every so often. "Are you an airbender?" She asked Aang, gesturing to his arrows, "I thought they were all dead."
Whoever taught this Meng girl obviously didn't teach her the art of tact, Azula thought and she saw the young Avatar wrinkle his nose. But the child couldn't have been born into nobility, so Azula figured she had no idea what diplomacy was. "I'm an airbender." And the Avatar, the Fire Nation princess wanted to add. "And yeah…I guess I am."
Their guide stopped in front of the buildings door, made of a heavy looking wood. There was the symbol of yin and yang in the center, surrounded by the markings of a lotus flower. Azula narrowed her eyes, she had never seen or heard of such a symbol and she suspected the girl had led them into an ambush. Fire flickered at her fingertips, but then Yue rested her hand on her shoulder.
Don't, Yue's eyes seemed to say and Azula paused, not yet. Azula watched as Meng rapped once, then twice on the door. She leaned back on her heels, smiling softly almost to herself. The door groaned and then swung open, revealing a woman who seemed rather…well-rounded, to put it simply. There were streaks of gray in her dark hair and an ornament had been placed in her bun.
"Ah, there you are," The woman said and stepped back before leaning forward in a bow. "Prince Sokka," Her green gaze fell over his entourage, her eyes brightening. "Princess Yue. It is an honor to finally meet you both. And you, young Avatar."
Azula looked at Yue, who had paled. "I've never seen that woman in my life," The Water Tribe princess whispered. "There's no way she could know me. Or Aang." The firebender slid her eyes over towards Sokka, who looked just as uncomfortable and confused. "Who is she?"
The woman smiled kindly, "Don't be afraid. I'm no enemy of yours. My name is Aunt Wu." She said and gestured for them to come inside, "We've been waiting a long time for you all." Azula stared hard at the woman before stepping over the threshold.
The room was spacious and made of darkly painted wood, with red and gold dragons dancing over the walls. They had lotus flowers for eyes and yin yang symbols for wings. Surrounding each of the painted dragons were the symbols of the four nations. Azula pressed her lips together and looked over her shoulder at the woman named Aunt Wu. Was this some type of evil doing?
There were men standing against the wall. Azula turned her glare onto them. One was dressed in dark red, his white hair straying from a hastily assembled topknot. The tallest of the men was tan skinned, with dark hair cropped short and a dark beard, while the last man looked ancient.
"Prince Sokka," The tan skinned man said and Azula thought he looked Water Tribe, for he had blue eyes and features that Azula decided were common among the waterbenders. "Princess Yue." He smiled and Azula looked over at the waterbending princess. Yue looked as though she was struggling to keep up with so much going on around her, perhaps she was.
The Water Tribe prince cleared his throat and held out the letter. "Okay, how do you people know me? And who are you?" He asked and opened the letter, "I just know that I have to give this letter to you guys, I guess, because there's an eclipse coming and you're trying to stop the Water Tribes. That's all I know. That's all I want to know."
Aunt Wu shook her head, "If we are to stop the Water Tribes in their tracks, we not only need this letter, but we need you. All of you. It's written in the clouds that you are to help bring peace to the world." She looked towards Aang, "And you, young Avatar, are to lead the way.
"These people are mad." Mai whispered and rolled her eyes. Aang seemed to shrink into his clothes and Azula couldn't help but agree with Mai. These people were mad, who talked in circles and spoke of messages written in clouds about peace.
Azula didn't really care about peace, she just cared that the waterbenders lost.
"I am Kinto," Said the Water Tribe man, "Of the Northern Water Tribe." Yue's eyes brightened at that and Azula guessed that the princess heralded from the North Pole. "To my left is former Admiral Jeong Jeong of the Fire Nation." He said and Azula perked up.
A firebender. From the Fire Nation. She didn't remember ever seeing the man at any war meetings and she wondered why he was so far away from the Fire Nation. Azula looked at the white haired man, exchanging a glance with Zuko, Mai, and Ty Lee. What was a firebender-a former soldier-doing in the Earth Kingdom with members from the Water Tribes?
The elderly man stepped forward, then, and his walk was strong. He had wild, glittering green eyes and when he grinned, Azula saw that he was missing several teeth. "And of course," He said, "Me." Azula thought that that didn't give away very much. "It's nice seeing you again, Aang."
"…Again?" Aang repeated and stepped forward to get a better look at the old man. "I feel like I know you," He said, "But I can't remember where or when. I know you; I really do, but how?" Yue bit her bottom lip.
Azula saw Zuko pinch the bridge of his nose and she wondered if it really would have been a better idea to head straight to Garsai.
Yue wasn't exactly sure how to feel. Not scared, she wasn't afraid of these people, but she was confused. So confused because everything came at her so fast and she had no idea who these people were. They knew her, though. They knew her and Sokka, and Aang but how? Aunt Wu had said she read the clouds, so Yue figured she was a fortuneteller or seer of some sorts.
The people have given them their names, but other than that, Yue knew nothing about them. The old Earth Kingdom man, who said his name was Bumi, claimed to have known Aang, but Yue wondered if the ancient man was just half-mad. He looked at least a hundred years old and Aang was only twelve. Well, she though, he was technically a hundred and twelve years old, but the century he spent in an iceberg didn't count.
"In a matter of months, a solar eclipse will take away the power of firebenders for just a few minutes. But on this day, the Water Tribes have decided that they will invade the Fire Nation archipelago." Yue turned her attention to the Water Tribesman, Kinto as he spoke. "It's up to you to warn the Fire Lord and his armies, and to gain their alliance with the Earth Kingdom and the Earth King, Bumi."
The words nearly slipped through Yue's mind, but then she grasped onto them. That old man, bent over with age, was the leader of the Earth Kingdom? He led the remainder of the once huge country? She snorted a little at that. It was no wonder; she couldn't help but think that the Earth Kingdom was almost defeated.
"He's the Earth King?" Zuko asked, voicing Yue's thoughts and the old man, Bumi, turned his emerald green gaze onto the firebending boy. The Fire Nation teenager shrunk back in surprise and beside him, Azula narrowed her eyes. Yue watched them both with interest, because it was their country the Water Tribes planned on invading. When the eclipse came, they would lose their bending.
"I like to think I'm a good one!" Bumi said and gave a snorting laugh. Yue thought that his laughter was rather manic and she raised her eyebrows. So, he was the Earth Kingdom. He was also stark mad. Yue decided that it was fairly easy to learn a lot about a person by simply watching them. "Would you make a good leader, since you are so critical?"
Yue remembered a time when she was little and Katara had watched her play with Sokka. Perhaps, she thought, Katara had figured that out a long time ago and had been watching Yue for years. She wondered how much Katara knew about her. Perhaps the dark haired girl was tearing up the Earth Kingdom now, scouring the land in search of Sokka.
Zuko cleared his throat and Azula looked up at the old Earth King. "I suppose a weak leader can always recognize a good one." She said and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Yue winced at that and Bumi laughed again. "Why don't you tell us, Your Highness."
"A foolish man will destroy his spirit by digging a hole of lies." Yue heard Jeong Jeong say and his amber gaze had focused on Azula and Zuko. The Northern Water Tribe princess had no idea what the Fire Nation man meant by that, but when she looked at the two firebenders, it was very clear that they did.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Toph asked and Yue saw Zuko swallow harshly. He looked at Ty Lee and Mai, who in turn looked at Yue. "Okay, I can't see what's going on, so what is all this supposed to mean?" The blind earthbender said and clenched her fists.
Azula looked at Yue, her golden eyes dark. "Zuko and I," The firebender said and smirked, "Are elite firebenders. By that, I mean we're royalty." She stood and Yue's eyes widened. "He's Prince Zuko and I'm Princess Azula. There," She said, "I told the truth." Her stare flickered back over to Jeong Jeong. "There, my spirit is saved."
She's royalty. She's a member of the Fire Nation royal family-the very family that my family is at war with. And I just found out. Yue cleared her throat and pressed her lips into a firm line, moving towards the door. She could feel Azula's eyes on her back and she wondered if she was still smirking. She probably was, because she had hid her true identity for so long.
It was raining outside. It came down quietly, calmly and Yue stood just out of the way of it, catching the smell that always came with rain. It calm, renewing smell and she breathed it in, stretching out her hand to catch a few drop of the rain in the cup of her hand.
"You were going to find out eventually." Azula said from behind her. "For you waterbenders to be so bent on taking over the world, you obviously struggle with putting things together." She cleared her throat and came around Yue's other side, staring at the rain.
"What else have you been lying to us about?" Yue said and she was hurt. She had started to trust Azula and Zuko, and Ty Lee, and Mai, even started to consider them her friends. Especially Azula. "Mai and Ty Lee are noblemen, and that other man in Ba Sing Se was your eldest brother, wasn't he?"
Azula shook her head. "My cousin. The son of the Fire Lord." She turned towards Yue, "I don't understand why you are so hurt about it. I'm still your friend…aren't I?" She said this quietly, almost plaintively. "Aren't I?"
Yue cleared her throat. "I thought you were supposed to trust your friends." She replied and then turned back towards Azula. "You could have told me, Azula. So…the Fire Lord is your uncle. The chief of the Northern Water Tribe is my dad." She smiled softly, "Are you still heading to Garsai?"
The Fire Nation princess nodded. "There are soldiers in Garsai that could help fight back the Water Tribes." She laughed softly, "Is this treason you're committing, Yue? Are you going against your own family and country to aid Fire Nation? Treason, I say, punishable by banishment."
That struck a nerve. Yue was reminded of Katara and she frowned. She was exiled from her own family and she had no doubt that Katara had made sure she was one of the most hated people in the Water Tribes, along with Aang. But she looked at Azula, seeing that the younger girl had tried to make a joke, and forced a smile on her face.
Azula was not convinced, however, and she looked at the rain. "Don't fake it," She said and sniffed, "Don't force a smile, I can tell when you're lying. I'm going back inside to make sure Zuko doesn't make a fool of himself. He's rather good at that."
Yue smiled lightly and slid down into a sitting position, making sure to stay out of the rain. She put her chin in her hands, watching and listening to the water splashing against the stone of the acropolis. Below, the city of Taku was hiding from the rain and the cool wind that came with it.
But Yue sat just out of it, the cool spray occasionally splashing onto her face. She tried to piece the things she learned with the things she knew, trying to answer the thousands of questions she had. Sometime during her meditation, the rain slowed into a drizzle and the door of the building opened.
Sokka stepped out and smiled at Yue's expectant look. "Next stop, Western Air Temple!" He said and Aang emerged by him. "That crazy lady, Aunt Wu, said someone was looking for Aang." He shrugged, "I don't really believe that, but hey. Besides, we were going anyway."
The Northern Water Tribe princess smiled at Aang. Behind him were Toph and Ty Lee, followed by Azula. The princess of the Fire Nation. There was Zuko-the prince- and they walked close together. When Yue thought about it, it was very apparent that Azula had royal upraising. It was in the way she talked, the way she walked, the way she looked down on others…
Did Yue do that?
It was hard to believe that Yue had overlooked the signs for such a long time. It was almost funny, when she thought about it. "So, Western Air Temple, here we come."
"I think I remember Bumi, now." Aang said quietly as he moved to her side, his gray gaze distant. They began the descent from the acropolis, back down towards the quiet, stone city of Taku. "I think I remember where I knew him from."
"From where?" Yue asked, genuinely curious. Where had Aang learned of the eccentric, ancient Earth King? Maybe, she thought, they had met in a past life. Maybe in a past reincarnation.
Aang looked up at the sky. "Back when the Air Nomads were still around, we used to travel the world. Bumi didn't live here; he lived in a city called Omashu. A hundred years ago, in the life I used to live, King Bumi was one of my best friends." He shrugged, "But that was a long time ago."
They were going to the Western Air Temple, to a place of Aang's past, but Yue decided he was right. That was a long time ago. This was now.
Next time, Western Air Temple!