Alright! Well that was a very emotion-filled chapter! Anyhoo, it'll get a little better in this chapter
{BURNING WATER}
I stared at my reflection in the water once more before heading back to camp. Katara and Toph were all sitting around the fire. Sokka was snooping around the food, and was the first to look up as I approached.
"Hikari?" he asked, his jaw slack in shock.
The rest of the gang looked up then, in awe for just a moment.
"Why is your hair black?" Toph asked bluntly.
I laughed, "I figured that I was pretty recognizable, so it was time to find a disguise. You like?" The silky black wig fell in slight waves to my waist. I looked like any other Fire Nation citizen now.
They all smiled in approval. I glanced around, suddenly noticing that there was someone missing.
"Where's Aang?" I asked.
Katara shrugged, "We haven't seen him since this morning."
"You don't look worried." I stated.
"Well he was pretty well disguised, and I'm sure Twinkletoes isn't stupid enough to bend." Toph said, before spitting on a nearby rock.
I raised an eyebrow and then looked at Sokka, hoping he had something useful to add. He looked up at me from the pot, his cheeks bulging with food. Right, well that's great…
"I'll go looking for him." I offered, and started into town.
{BURNING WATER}
Now that I think about it, Aang's new clothes looked a lot like the school uniform from this province. I sighed in agitation, making my way to the school. It made me a little nervous to be back here, but as the Fire Nation's most prized weapon, I had been given an extensive tour of the entire nation. I remembered how strict the headmaster was at the school, and how he played favorites.
Inside, I talked to a woman who escorted me to the headmaster's office. He looked startled for a moment, taking in my appearance as if he recognized me. I fidgeted for a moment then stopped as he seemed to decide that I only looked similar.
"How may I help you ma'am?" He asked.
"My younger brother attends this school. My mother had asked me to come and retrieve him for her because she has no one to attend the animals while my father is gone." I lied. I hoped it was convincing enough for him.
"Really? What is his name?" He inquired.
I gulped, racking my brain for a random name. "Lee." was the first thing that popped into my head. I hoped Aang would respond. The headmaster lead me to the class rooms and the asked how old he was, "13." I answered.
It was a short walk to the right room. He slid open the door and asked for Lee. I stretched over his shoulder to glare at Aang. He immediately leaped from his seat and rushed out the door.
"Thank you headmaster. I apologize for having to take him today." I smiled, and he smiled back.
"Quite alright, Miss. Pass the message on to your mother to have a nice day." And with that he left us.
"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" I snapped at him.
He shrugged, "They brought me here, but I'm having fun! These kids here don't know how to have fun, so I want to stay and help them."
I sighed. "We can't afford for you to take this risk."
"Please, Hikari?" He begged.
"Alright, but be careful. And get home quickly tonight. No one knew where you went, and we were worried." I fudged that a little, since no one back in camp seemed to care much that he had randomly disappeared.
"Thanks Hikari." He smiled, and slipped back into the classroom.
I took the back way out, unnoticed.
{BURNING WATER}
I marveled at the fact that I could walk around the Fire Nation without being noticed on the spot. No one paid any attention to me as I bought food, got some new sandals, and relaxed in a green common area. But in the end it wasn't satisfying not being myself.
I stopped to look at my reflection in the water before heading back to camp. A single curl was sticking out from under the wig. It contrasted starkly with it. I ripped it off my head.
"Hikari?" I heard someone call.
I whipped around, my heart beating hard in my chest. It was only Katara. She sat next to me by the water.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"I can't take wearing this wig anymore. It makes me, well, not me." I sighed.
Katara patted my shoulder.
"I'm going to burn it." I said.
Katara only smiled. "Don't. You'll need it."
"But I'm not myself with it!" I argued.
"Exactly. If you are yourself, then everyone would recognize you like a black sheep."
I nodded. Katara was right.
"We all have to be who we aren't so that we can stay here for the invasion. The more concealed we are the safer we are. We can't get caught, and we all have to make sacrifices to win this war."