Enjoy! Check the Author's Notes on the bottom for a couple of things.

Also, REVIEW! They fuel me with the ambition to write. If I don't get a couple of reviews, it may be a while till the next chapter... Unless - you guys don't want another chapter.

That I Should Rise
Chapter Two

Zuko was starting to question Katara's sanity. He definitely understood her desire to help people, especially those oppressed by the Fire Nation. But this was definitely one of her more hair-brained schemes - He was almost ready to tell her that they really couldn't do this. While Katara may be stubborn and opinionated, he knew she would follow him without a doubt. Just like he would follow her with no second thoughts.
He loved her for that. But as for now, he was sure she'd gone off the deep end.
The Blue Spirit adjusted the mask on his face. The night air was hot and the blue demon masked itched against his face. It was another one of those moments where he wished he wasn't wearing the mask.
He and Katara had agreed on to raid on of the Fire Nation police barracks - they would take their food and then give it to the needy. He considered this a better (much better) alternative to what Katara had initially proposed, which was to strike the Fire Lord directly. She was sympathetic with the rebels that were hiding the Earth Kingdom, but Zuko quickly shut the idea down.
So, in the hot summer night, the Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady made their way through the Fire Nation town's streets. The bag strapped to Zuko's back was light. By the end of the night it would be full of food to give to the starved. Up ahead, he could see Katara make her way through the alley scouting ahead. Her dress billowed as she walked quickly, but quietly. A cat meowed in the distance, but the duo payed no attention to the noise. They were quickly approaching the barracks.
They reached the end of the alley. Across the quiet street was the barracks; it's inhabitants asleep. Not a single light was lit. Standing next to the Painted Lady, the Blue Spirit glanced at her and nodded, his mask ever unchanging. They walked across the street standing tall. If anyone were to see them, they might not know what to do. At least, that's what the two benders hoped.
Opening the front door with practiced silence, Zuko and Katara made their way through the front hall quietly. Knowing the general layout of Fire Nation barracks, Zuko lead the way through the building to the kitchen and pantry. They found the kitchen quickly and Katara quickly opened a sack cloth that she had produced from the folds of her dress and she started grabbing the food that was in her reach and putting it in the sack. Zuko went in search of the meat freezer. Usually, Firebenders would cook their meat quickly after killing it. But in case of surplus, there was always the freezer, which always would keep the meat fresh.
Zuko quickly found the freezer and grabbed multiple cases of meat. He then walked back to Katara, who had filled the bag almost full. As quickly as they entered, they left. Katara led the way this time. Although the kitchen was in the far back of the building, they made their through the hallways astonishingly fast.
The job seemed to being moving without a hitch. That was until one of the sleeping guards stepped out into the hallway, in need of the bathroom. The Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady froze. While they had gone over the details of their heist with care, one of the guards waking up is something they did not think would likely happen.
They were wrong.
The guard, in his Fire Nation issued pajamas, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and started walking in their direction. He then saw the two intruders and froze as well. Zuko's hand went straight to the sword on his side.
"Hey!" he blurted out, still groggy. But then his mind processed what was going on, and he realized that the two people were not friends. Before the guards could say another word, Katara and Zuko plowed him over and ran down the rest of the hallway. They could hear the fallen guard yelling for his sleeping comrades to wake up.
"Drop it!" Zuko said quickly behind his mask and Katara understood him immediately. They dropped their bags of stolen food and ran across the street into the alleyway. They could still hear the shouting coming from the barracks and Zuko realized that it would not be long before they were followed.

It was also at this moment that Zuko had the thought to tell Katara the ever so famous line "I told you so". But one wide-eyed look from Katara told him that now was not the time. They continued running.

It wasn't long until the sound of running and voices was hearbehind them. Turning a corner, Zuko and Katara made their way through the streets. Theyou weren't far from the Golden Dragon, maybe they could hide there. If Katara knew the owner, maybe she could help.

They stopped running for a moment to catch their breath. They pressed themselves against the wall, hiding in the shadows. Zuko's mask was sweaty and starting to slip off. "Katara," Zulieve said quickly, "Do you think that your friend at the tea shop will help?"

Before Katara could answer him, they had to start running again. Katara was ahead of him, but she looked back at him and quickly said "Yes".

They changed their direction slightly and made their way to the Golden Dragon.

Their pursuers still behind them by a distance, the two vigilantes saw the building where the Golden Dragon was. They circled around to the back and Katara knocked on the door furiously.

The door was opened by a woman in her mid-twenties, maybe a little older than Katara. She possessed the general Fire Nation features but she had intense green eyes. "What do you want?"She said briskly.

"Sola, it's me, Katara." Katara removed her hat and veil. Recognition appeared on the shop owner's face. "Can we come in? It's rather urgent."

Sola glanced at Zuko, who was standing behind Katara. Her eyes scanned over him, and he could tell she was skeptical at what she saw. He didn't blame her - He was sweaty, breathing hard and wearing a blue demon mask. But Sola surprised him when she turned back to Katara and said "Of course."

The two followed Sola into the small room. In it was a matress against a wall and small table was next to it. On the other side of the room was the means of a small cooking area, complete with a fire place.

After locking the door behind the, Sola directed her guests to two chairs.. "Now," she said as she closed the curtains. "You want to tell me what's going on, or do I have to figure it out for myself?"

Katara glanced at Zuko. Her face was silently asking for his consent to tell Sola. Zuko didn't take the mask off, but he nodded his head. If Katara trusted Sola, then, by association, he would have to as well.

Katara took a breath. "We were being chased by Fire Nation soldiers," she said in a quiet voice. Her blue eyes were staring at Sola. "And we can't exactly be found by them." Zuko restrained himself from smacking his forehead with his hand.

"Katara, I'm known around here by the people for being a part of the original rebels. It's not safe here. And don't think that I'm stupid. What's going on?"

"Not in the way that you think - We're helping people..."

Sola looked hard at Katara and Zuko. "You're the Painted Lady," she realized. She then turned to Zuko, "And you have to be the Blue Spirit."

Zuko sighed. He untied the strings that held his mask together and removed it. "You got that right." He looked up. "I'm Zuko." If Sola reacted when she saw his scar, he didn't see it. Most people, when first meeting him, would stare and then assure him that they never were staring in the first place.

"Why are you doing this?" Sola turned back to Katara.

"People need our help. You've seen firsthand what the Fire Nation has done," the waterbender replied. "What we're doing in no more drastic than what the rebels are doing." Sola raised an eyebrow. Outside, Zuko could hear the soldiers voices. They sounded close. Moving quickly, Zuko blew out the candle on the table. Pulling Katara off of her chair, he dragged her under the table. But Katara tripped on her skirt landed hard on the floor, bringing her chair down with her with a loud crash. Silently cursing, Zuko dragged Katara the rest of the way. Sola seemed to catch what Zuko was doing and she put the chairs back in their spots, blocking the two under the table from view.

"You okay?" He whispered when they were under the table.

"Yeah," Katara said. She stop speaking right when a loud knock sounded. With moonlight filtering in above the curtains, Zuko saw Sola glance at him and Katara under the table. Slowly, she yawned and then walked to the door . "Who is it?" she said through the closed door.

A rough voice was heard out from outside. "His Majesty's infantry. Open up!"

Sola unlocked and opened the door and the moonlight spilled in."Can I help you, sir? She asked, sounding afraid and groggy at the same time.

"We're looking for two criminals and we believe that they have passed through on your street. They are dressed up in costumes, have you seen them?" The soldier that was speaking was demanding, Zuko could hear it in his voice.

Sola gapsed. "Criminals! No, sir. I was just asleep a moment ago. What did they do?"

"Did you see them?" The soldier repeated.

"No, sir."

With the light coming through the door, Zuko could see the soldier and his abstract armor. Well, at least the lower half of him - the table blocked some of his view. He saw the soldier move Sola to the side and he took a step into the room. Zuko's hand curled around his sword and his body tensed up. He would attack the soldier if he came in any farther into the room. But Zuko didn't need to attack, as quickly as the solider entered the room, he left.

"If you see or hear anything about these prisoners, you will report it to the barracks immediately," Zuko heard him say.

Sola closed the door. "They're gone," she said.

Zuko and Katara soon left after the soldiers had knocked on Sola's door. At the house where Katara was staying, they parted ways, too exhausted to say more than "Good bye".

As soon as Zuko reached his room at the inn, he removed his mask and shirt, stashing them under his bed and collapsed onto the mattress, instantly falling asleep.

"WAKE UP!" Zuko was shaken awake. He opened his eyes and saw a frantic Katara hovering over him. She was breathing heavily as if she had ran all the way to the inn. "Wake up!" she repeated.

Zuko blinked. "What's going on?" He said sleepily.

"They found us, Zuko," she said. "They coming for us right now."

A.N.~ DUN DUN DUN... Reviews would be awesome guys. I'm really excited about this. It's kind of inspired by a line from a song and the movie Lady Hawke. I probably should have mentioned it in the first chapter, but I was just too excited then. :)