Title: Midsummer Madness
Author: Burning_Ice
Rating: I give this fic a 10/10.
Summary: Katara learns that there are both advantages and drawbacks to being a female water bending master, and pays back a favor to an old friend.
...
…
Disclaimer: It seems a bit silly, I mean, come on, like I've bought the rights to Avatar over the Christmas break with my bonus or something . . . I don't claim it, I don't own it. It belongs to Nick and Bryke, freakin anti-zutara geniuses.
..
..
..
..
Chapter 28: The Pyre
…
…
Ty Lee sat cross legged on the floor of her room, her hands holding up her chin. Across from her, propped up on her desk, was one of Aang's extra staffs. It was official. Aang had confirmed it. She was an air bender.
It was strangely elating and incredibly terrifying all at the same time. She remembered watching jealously as Azula and Zuko went off to bending practice when she was little. It had seemed so unfair. Now to suddenly be told she COULD in fact bend, albeit a different element, was like a dream come true, and she was still a bit in shock.
Air is better than fire anyways! She thought, No burn scars, flying, I'm not shaving my hair or getting tattoos though, Aang can let that dream die . . .
They had spent a good hour before dawn practicing together until Ty Lee started to get the hang of doing it consciously. Then Aang had sat her down and talked about winds for longer than Ty Lee had thought it was possible. Apparently there were pockets, and turbulence, and low pressure, and headwinds, and tailwinds, and drafts, and hot air rose, and cool air sunk, and clouds were white and wet . . . Ty Lee was pretty sure she had dosed off with her eyes open somewhere along the way.
Finally, Aang had insisted that she take one of his backup staffs. He said he wanted her to 'get the feel of it'. Ty Lee had a feeling that that meant she was supposed to tinker with it a bit, maybe try to fly. After all, she had been doing it without a glider for years. Rotating her weight onto one hip, she reached out a toe and poked the stick. It overbalanced and clattered to the floor.
Shrugging, Ty Lee scooped it up and examined it. It was supposed to have some sort of slammy-catch that made the sails spring out, but after ten minutes of searching, she found no such apparatus.
Sitting down with a thump, then blowing her bangs out of her face with a frustrated snort, she tried to remember how Aang used to open the stupid stick. Usually he would tap the bottom against the ground.
Easy enough.
-tap-
Nothing.
-tap- -tap-
Nothing.
-TAP- -TAP- -TAP-
Still nothing.
Ty Lee chewed on her lip. If a twelve year old monk could handle a staff better than her, there were definitely problems.
In a moment of insight, Ty Lee flipped the staff over and then tapped the other end against the ground smartly. The blue sails sprung out, nearly taking her fingers with them.
Painful Success!
She hollered and dropped the damned thing again, jamming the abused digits into her mouth and smoldered. Looking on the bright side, at least she had gotten the snappy-thing and the catchy-thing to unlock and release the wing-things for flying-making.
Picking the whole contraption up, she padded out to the balcony.
Ok, now where did Aang hold on again?
...
...
...
Katara sighed to herself as the Ostrich Horse plodded along. She had the distinct impression that Ursa didn't like her. It was totally unfair! She had done nothing but date her son, was that so bad? Apparently.
"So how did you and Zuko meet?"
It was the first thing Ursa had asked her during their ride together, and surprisingly, the older woman's voice held only curiosity.
"He kind of . . . attacked my village and umm . . . took my grandmother hostage." Katara admitted, "Then he chased us from the south pole to the north pole."
"Mmm." If Ursa was disappointed in her son's behavior, she didn't show it, "Sounds exciting."
"I guess,"
"Would you marry my son?"
"What?" Katara looked up, alarmed, "I don't know who I am going to marry!"
"No, not 'are you', I mean, would you, if he proposed, would you say yes?"
Katara looked away and shrugged
"I want you to have something." Ursa must have seen something in her response that Katara had not meant her to because she fished in her pocket and pulled out a small pouch, "My mother gave this to me, and I would like my eldest granddaughter to have them. Give them to her when she is old enough. It will bring her luck." The last part was distinctly an order. Katara was to give them to the girl in question whether or not she happened to be her mother. Katara didn't like the way Ursa was talking. Like she was putting all her affairs in order and planned to vanish again.
"Why not give them to Azula?" Katara asked, taking the pouch and opening it to reveal a string of pearls and things that looked like they could have been scales. The whole mass was so covered with dried algae and old barnacles that it was impossible to tell the age or value. Whatever they were, they had no business being on the surface world, they looked completely foreign, as though they belonged at the bottom of the ocean.
The older woman sighed and shifted back to watch the road, ignoring Katara's question. "You know, if you do marry him, and don't join the order, they may kill you if they see you as a threat to their plans. Kill you and put someone else on the throne."
"They're already trying to." Katara said, holding the tattered jewelry up to the light. Between the plant life, it shimmered translucent in the morning light, and Katara got the distinct impression that it was nothing of the four nations.
"How do you know so much about them?" Katara asked coyly.
Ursa laughed, a dry, hollow laugh, "You may be naive, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, but you're not stupid." Ursa turned and glanced over her shoulder, "Don't get too excited though, I have yet to decide whether that is a good or a bad thing." When Katara said nothing in response, the older woman continued, "I'm a member."
"What were you supposed to do as Fire Lady?" Katara couldn't resist.
"That's rather bold of you to ask." When the water bender showed no signs of backing down, Ursa continued, "You will never speak of this or write of this or communicate any of this to any other living or dead person. This information will exist only in your mind. Understood?"
"Yes." Katara felt the command, and her stomach sank. Zuko had a right to know, but perhaps Ursa wanted to tell him herself.
"My orders changed over the years, at first, they were to put Ozai on the throne. The Sirens thought at the time he was preferable over Iroh because he was stupid, Iroh was not, he was smart and ruthless, a bad combination, better stupid and ruthless, stupid men are easy to control. They thought I could manipulate him easily, and basically pull the strings behind him and effectively rule the nation. I was to end the war if I could. Then, after the death of Iroh's son, I was told to suspend action. We wanted to see if the experience would change him. There were rumblings that the loss of the thing he loved most had altered his perception of what was important."
Ursa paused, looking around, they had entered a patch of thick vegetation, and their mount shifted under them uncomfortably.
"Obviously, I was under strict orders from the Sirens to produce heirs. Unfortunately, Azulon, he and Ozai got into a fight, and he, the crazy old bat, ordered Ozai to kill Zuko, he wanted him to understand the pain of losing a son. Iroh always was his favorite. I had orders to keep myself in Ozai's bed and suspend him from the throne, but I also had orders to protect my son. I made a judgment call, I protected my son. I was punished for my mistake, that's what they call it anyways, a mistake, but I would do it again."
"Was Iroh really that bad when he was younger?"
"My opinion is biased, I was quite smitten with him as a young woman. I didn't see him as cruel, I saw him as confident."
"Really?" Katara tried to picture Iroh and Ursa as younger and in love. She remembered the glances Ursa would cast the man, Ozai had noticed and remembered them all and it fed his hatred and rage.
"He was already married at the time anyways, and very much in love, he even spurned the royal harem, it was a one sided crush, it always had been." Ursa closed her mouth and looked away, giving the distinct impression that she was not going to talk of the matter further.
"So, why not go and see Zuko?" Katara hazarded, "He really wants to see you."
A long pause.
"Fire Lady Ursa?"
Another pause.
"Punishment for my mistake, I cannot seek him out." The woman finally admitted, "I am too ashamed anyway. He always thought of me as a saint, the goodness to Ozai's cruelty. In reality, I am more of a monster than he is."
"Nobody is more of a monster than Ozai." Katara spat, then remembered, he WAS her husband, "I mean . . . he . . . umm . . ."
"Don't bother. I understand what you meant."
They lapsed into silence again, watching the woods inch past. The sun dappled through the branches and hit the ground in a very attractive way, and it would have been a pleasant ride had Ursa not been craning her head this way and that, anxiously.
"What's the problem?" Katara finally asked.
"We're being followed."
Katara now turned and glanced anxiously at the foliage and fingered the dagger strapped to her leg. Mentally, she cursed Aang for abandoning her, but she had the feeling that cold though she was, Ursa would not let anything happen to her son's girlfriend.
It didn't take long, they had just rounded a blind curve in the small wagon road and came face to face with two mercenary types. Ursa reigned the ostrich horse around the way they had come and kicked, but a third stepped out behind them and grabbed the bridle.
"Well now, what are two unarmed women doing heading into a place like this?" The largest and stupidest, therefore apparently the leader chuckled.
"Who says we're unarmed?!" Katara never really had to try to sound menacing, it came naturally, "Get out of our way or we'll take you down."
"Yea? You and what army?"
"Let me handle this." Ursa told her, in such a similar way that her own mother had the day she died that Katara found herself nodding numbly.
Swinging her leg over the Ostrich Horse's head, the woman slid down, giving the leader a dazzling smile. Even with her hair mussed and her cloths dirty, even at that age, the expert smile still worked, and the man's lips twitched in a nasty reply. With the ease of long practice, Ursa stepped forward flirtatiously.
"Everyone stay where you are." she crooned. It was gentle, but still an order broadcast to the entire group, and even the ostrich horse stilled.
"Ursa . . . ?" Katara called uneasily as she felt her own ambition to move depleting.
"Now, gentlemen," Ursa patted the closest one on the cheek, her seductive expression turning pitiless, "I of course use that name loosely. Now Gentlemen, that's no way to talk to a pair of ladies. Your tongues are a privilege, cut them out."
It was an order.
The trio each reached for their knives or swords, and Katara screwed her eyes shut, nausea hitting her like a ton of bricks. She knew Ursa was ruthless in protecting people, but this was above and beyond necessary. This was torture.
"Ursa! Stop it! They don't deserve that!" she smelled blood, but refused to open her eyes. "Ursa!" she yelled again, catching the woman's attention.
"Stomach turns so quickly at the sight of blood? Some Fire Nation Noble you'll be . . .Very well, you want me to make it quick then?" Ursa sounded almost disappointed, "Thank the young lady for her kindness, boys."
Katara heard the horrible noise of tongueless mouths trying to form words while blood still oozed from them.
"Stop breathing."
Nothing happened at first, nothing audible, but after the first minute, the men started struggling and gurgling, she could hear their bloodied mouths opening and closing grotesquely in an attempt to inhale. She heard fabric tearing and feet shuffling, and someone collapsed.
"Ursa! Let them go!!"
"No no, Don't claw at your necks." Ursa reprimanded, from somewhere nearby, "Take it like men."
"Please, stop it! Just let them go!" Katara begged, she had witnessed war and death, but this was just sadistic. Ursa could have just as easily ordered them to leave them and not come back. The woman wanted to toy with them, like a cat.
"They would not afford you the same luxury." Ursa's voice was directed at her, the choking was growing weaker, "They would be only happy to rob you, rape you, then leave you for dead."
"We're better than them!!"
Ursa was silent for what seemed like a lifetime, thinking about what Katara had said. After everything, the girl thought that she, a regular black widow, was morally better than a pack of cut throats. Ursa knew she was far worse, but the simple gesture of thinking the best of her made the muscles in her chest tighten with unfamiliar emotion. Gratitude, embarrassment, pity, anger, perhaps all four at once, the aristocrat was not sure. What she was sure of, was that she could return the favor, she could give Katara the benefit of the doubt as well.
For now.
The Fire Lady stomped her foot, issuing a string of commands, "Breath. Get up. Stay where you are. Drop your weapons. Run until you collapse."
Only when the sounds of crashing underbrush faded out did Katara dare open her eyes. Ursa stood a few feet away examining her nails. The ground around them was torn up and several places were black with blood.
"Let me up?" Katara choked.
"Oh, apologies, I forgot you were bound too. Move as you like."
She practically threw herself from the saddle, managing to crawl to the side of the road before throwing up violently. How could anyone be so nonchalant about killing in cold blood? Ursa had finally lived up to the title of 'Azula's mother'. As she gagged on her own bile, she felt the woman pulling her hair back out of her face.
"Are you well? I would have thought that the Avatar's Water bending Sifu would handle death a bit better." In a disarmingly motherly fashion, Ursa rubbed Katara's back and crooned softly.
"You just . . . kill people? Just . . . like that?" Blue eyes met topaz accusingly.
"My weapons aren't a water whip or a broadsword, but they are just as lethal. Anyways, you are important to my son, and therefore, important to me. I won't let anyone hurt you." Ursa shrugged it off.
Katara opened up one of her water skins and pressed it to her lips. She swished around a mouthful of water and then spat it out, taking a few deep breaths. What Ursa did was eerily similar to blood bending, but the older woman seemed to show no remorse about pressing her will onto another person.
"It doesn't make you feel bad?" Katara asked, "Forcing people to do things they don't want to?"
"I do what I do to protect those that I love. If killing one person saves another, I won't hesitate." Ursa explained, "Perhaps you will understand when you're a mother yourself. We're wasting time though, are you feeling well enough to ride?"
Katara nodded.
...
...
...
If it hadn't been for her shirshu, June would have missed the young Avatar completely as they barreled down the path, intent on making it to the palace in record time. Nyla however had skidded to a stop so suddenly that June slid halfway down her neck before having the presence of mind to clamp her knees down and stop herself before she cleared the mammal's nose. With a small screech, the Shirshu stuck her snout right into the small boy, as though checking to make sure he wasn't the Fire Lord.
"Woah, easy girl." June wiggled back into the saddle, "Hey Avatar, what are you doing way the hell out here."
He turned around, and it was suddenly clear what he had been doing. He had been crying.
"Er, I wish I could stay and chat, but I'm kind of in a hurry." June forged on, remembering what had happened the last time she had tried to comfort Ursa.
"She dumped me!" it was accompanied by a long sniffle.
"Who, What now?"
"Katara, she is dating Zuko now!" Aang wiped his cheek on a grubby sleeve.
"Is she?" June feigned surprise, "And you're surprised? I did totally call it like, a year ago. Back when he had his ponytail, remember? Ha, Iroh owes me two gold."
Aang glared at her, his grey eyes brimming with fresh tears.
"I mean, I'm sorry to hear that, umm, why are you out here? Were you traveling with her?"
"Yea, well, I was, I guess I'm supposed to be looking out for her." Aang dried his eyes again and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, "But I lost her, I should go find her."
"I don't think you need to worry too much, after all, she is a Master Bender." June reigned Nyla away, "Plus, she has gone on ahead. I ran into her earlier."
"Did she? Where did she go?! Why would she go alone? It's not safe!!"
"Relax, She isn't a delicate flower, She can handle herself." June found herself becoming annoyed with the lack of faith the boy had in his ex girlfriend. No wonder the poor girl dumped him for hot-head. Well, it probably didn't hurt that the scarred prince was also drop dead handsome, if she had been ten years younger, she might have asked for a different form of payment, other than his uncle's weight in gold.
"No, not tonight! Can you take me to her?" Aang tapped his glider against the rock, unfurling it's sails.
"'Not tonight'? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Katara . . . promise you won't tell anyone? Ok. Katara loses her bending during the new moon. She doesn't like to advertise it though . . . you know."
"Are you fucking kidding me?!?!" June hissed at him, grabbing the front of his shirt and lifting him off the rock to dangle in front of her. That explained the lack of faith.
"Umm, no?" Aang struggled, dropping his glider and grabbing her wrist with both hands. He pressed his feet against Nyla's flank and managed to squirm out of her grasp. Although he fell the eight feet to the ground, he landed lightly on his toes instead of hard on his butt like most people would have.
"FUCK!!" June swore, "FUCK!! Right now Fire Lady Ursa is with Katara, and they both headed off to round up Azula and Mai!! Ursa has NO IDEA Katara doesn't have her bending!! She is leading them both into a DEATHTRAP!!"
Aang paled. He remembered full well how much Azula wanted Katara and Ursa dead. He could see it on her face as she batted him around like a cat would a mouse in her bed.
"I've got to go find her!!" Aang grabbed for his staff again.
"Oh no Prince Charming, You've done enough. You use that glider of yours to go get Zuko and that death squad of an entourage you both have. I bet, you can make better time on your glider than I can on Nyla."
"I'm the Avatar, I can protect her by myself!!" Aang insisted.
June crossed her arms, why of all times did he choose to be disobedient?! "As far as I heard, you had some close combat with Azula recently, and you lost. Leave the fighting to us, you're not ready to run with the big girls yet. It will take Nyla and me hours to climb the foothills, you can just zoom over them, and you'll spend hours looking by air, Nyla can take me right to them."
"No! Katara needs my help!! She wouldn't turn her back on me if I was in danger!!" With that, the Avatar leapt into the air spiraling out of sight in a matter of seconds.
"What the hell?" June swore, watching the figure vanish among the clouds, too surprised to move, then cupped her hands to her mouth and yelled, "HEEY!! YOU STUPIC GIT! YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!!"
The Avatar must not have heard, because he kept steady on his course.
"Who in the four nations does that?!" June demanded of Nyla crossly, "Typical man. Runs off looking for someone without even asking directions. Whatever, we've wasted enough time here, come on girl, double time. We gotta reach the castle."
...
...
Azula opened her eyes slowly, the light streaming into the room was painfully bright. How long had she been out? Hours? Days? Months? It hardly mattered.
"You should take better care of yourself, miss."
The young princess turned, and for a minute, she thought that she was looking at her mother. Unfortunately, the vision was gone when she blinked, and the woman in front of her was none other than the portly inkeeper's wife.
Azula tried to sit up, but found she couldn't. Her body was strapped to the bed by several yards of rope. Panic rose in her again, and she started to struggle, inhaling deeply to set the whole bed on fire.
"Release me at once!! You're kidnapping me!!"
"Sorry, young miss, lemi' let you up," The woman began fussing with the knots and a moment later, the bindings came loose, "We ain't kidnapping, we thought it was for the best, you know, you was scratchin' at yourself for most of the night, finally we clipped your nails and tied them down. Least you got a decent night sleep."
"Fine, I'm fine, where is Mai!? She left me, didn't she!! I knew she would."
"Your girlfriend?" The woman scratched her chin where a few stubborn whiskers sprouted, "She is at the healers hut, she went last night to get stitched up. Don't you remember? You gave her quite a set of gashes. I wouldn't be surprised if she did leave you, they weren't no accident."
"I remember." Azula wrinkled her face at the memory, they had no right tying her down, no right to force her, she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She just couldn't seem to tie her own hair or fasten her own cloths, but that was beside the point. Turning, with all the haughtiness of a rogue princess, she flounced out the door, heading to her own room.
The bedroom, however, proved to be too quiet. It wasn't long before the walls began to whisper and creak, and she began jumping at shadows. Azula took to pacing, back and forth and back and forth, from the window to the mantle and back again, her mind whirling as it so often did when she was left to her thoughts.
Finally, she concluded that Mai was sulking somewhere about the scratches and wasn't going to come back for a while. Azula had no idea why the girl was so attached to her face anyways, it wasn't that comely. At least, Azula didn't think so.
Something whispered behind her and she whirled around, throwing a punch. It never landed, of course, there was nothing there. Turning on her heel with as much poise as she could muster, the Princess fled the room and the tavern, retreating out into the squalled streets and making for the bluff she had stood on the previous night. It was her favorite spot because from there she had a good view of everyone coming up the path towards the village, and Mai would know to look for her there once she dragged herself out of the infirmary.
...
...
...
...
"Oww!! OWW!! Eeek! Look out!!"
It was all the young Fire Lord heard before a huge, vaguely bird shaped thing dive bombed through the open window into his meeting room, kicking up all the papers he had carefully laid out on his table. Grabbing for the fluttering white sheets, he heard, rather than saw the contortionist thump down on top of the table.
"TY LEE!!" Zuko pinched his nose, "What are you doing?!"
"Funny story, really, apparently gliders and boomerangs are a lot more alike than I initially thought." Ty Lee rubbed her bottom where she landed on it, "For example, if you jump into the wind-"
"I get it," Zuko grumped, "And how many times have you jumped off my palace?"
"Umm, that was my maiden voyage." Ty Lee beamed, "I thought it went well, I didn't break my ankle. I only tried from the second floor though, I would be terrified to-"
"Well, why don't we save the rest of your experiments for when Aang get's back." The Fire Lord suggested. When had his palace gone from a court to a three ring circus?!
"Fine fine, I'll just get out of your way," scooting on her bum to the edge of the table, (and to Zuko's annoyance, crinkling all the paper as she went,) Ty Lee jumped to her feet. Sheepishly, she went after her glider and with a bit of wrestling, managed to get it to retract it's sails. Her shoulders hunched, she slunk back out to the balcony and prepared to hurdle the railing
"Hey Zuko," Ty Lee shaded her eyes, "Check out this hot girl in the garden!"
"The what?" Zuko gathered his documents and tapped them on the table, trying to reorder things.
"The garden, there is a totally hot girl on a giant eyeless mole riding in. Yum!" Ty Lee put her chin on her elbows and her elbows on the railing, grinning a Cheshire grin and enjoying the view.
"A Mole?" Zuko dropped the papers, they no longer mattered. He ran to the balcony and followed Ty Lee's gaze.
"How come you came for the mole and not the hot girl?" Ty Lee teased, then saw his expression, "Hey, what's the matter? She someone you know?"
If she was expecting an answer, she was sorely disappointed. Zuko turned and practically ran from the room.
"HEY!!" Ty Lee took off after him, this felt important, his aura was practically blinding, it was so intense. She caught up to him as he entered the throne room where petitioners were normally seen. The woman and her pet had already been shown in, and she was walking up to meet the Fire Lord.
"June?! What are you doing here?"
"Zuko! You have to come quickly!!" Her mount was wheezing, sweat dripping down it's flank, even June looked exhausted, "It's your girlfriend, Katara is in trouble!!"
"She is what?! What happened?!"
"Basically, she found us. Apparently she and the shrimp with the arrow were riding that bison of theirs, then he said she told him about your little love triangle and he split. Afterwards she ran into me and Ursa, and Ursa took her off to look for your sister." June put her hands on her hips, "and apparently, word of mouth is, this girlie has no bending to protect herself with."
"Wait, Wait, Ursa? Katara found Ursa? What about Azula? Guards!!" Zuko barked, he was already pulling off his decorative shoulder plates, "I want my fastest airship to be ready to leave in five minutes!!"
"But your Majesty, the engine will melt and could crash the whole thing if it isn't properly heated-"
"FIVE MINUTES!!"
The man and woman scrambled out the door, tripping over each other to follow the orders.
"So they know where Azula is?" Ty Lee asked the bounty hunter.
"Later Ty Lee!!" Zuko barked as he tucked his undershirt into his pants, "Katara needs backup."
"Yea, we did."
Ty Lee looked relieved and terrified, but managed a smile, "That's good news, she needs to go back to the hospital. She isn't well."
"Tell Sokka, Suki, and Toph that June and I are going after her."
"Oh no!" Ty Lee protested, pointing the staff at the fire lord's nose, "She is my friend! They both are! I'm coming too!"
"The fastest Airships can only hold one or two people." Zuko protested.
"Rubbish!" Ty Lee crossed her arms, "Me and June together probably weigh less than you do, Mr Muscles!"
"It's true." June agreed, but then shook her head, "I guess Nyla isn't up for another cross country dash so soon." She patted her friend, and the shirshu gave a weak gurgle and then put it's head back on the stone floor.
"Your Majesty?" The guard was tentative, "The balloon is ready, but the engineer strongly cautions you against-"
"FINE!! You can come with us Ty Lee," Zuko barked, "But we're leaving NOW!!"
...
...
...
...
One hour before sunset, the moon rose. Of course, there was no hint of it, it was a new moon and therefore invisible against the reddening sky, but it rose nonetheless, and Katara felt her bending drain. Now that she understood what was happening, she could practically feel her aura lose density, and her chi block up. She touched her water skins longingly, though, now they were little more than decoration.
"Here we are." Ursa told her, not bothering to turn around, "You see it? It's that wretched cluster of buildings squatting like a bullfrog on that bluff over there."
Katara shielded her eyes, It was hard to miss, "So, now maybe you'll tell me why we're here?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to collect my daughter."
"Azula's here?" Katara's blood felt frozen in her veins. She wanted to slide off the rump of the Ostrich horse and run for the thief riddled forest, it just seemed safer. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that Ursa had the situation well under control. If she could order a group of men to suffocate themselves, then she could order her daughter to come quietly. No need to have a panic attack.
"So, should we ask around? Where do we start?"
"Where do you think? The physicians."
They rode the rest of the way in silence, and Katara stared out over the ocean longingly. The Ostrich Horse picked it's way delicately through the rocks and along the brim of the cliff where the path was dangerously close to collapsing into the ocean. It was strange that anyone had thought to build the path right along the top of the steep overhang, but pirates were weird like that.
"Get off." The order was accompanied by a sharp yank on the reigns that made the ostrich horse whuffle in protest at the unnecessary abuse.
"What's the matter?" Katara asked as she slid down, her feet hitting the ground hard and jarring her up to her teeth.
"No need to visit the physicians . . . she's found us." Ursa slid down after her, then gave the Ostrich Horse a hard smack on the rump so it bolted.
Azula stood not fifty feet away, silhouetted against the sunset. She was pale, her clothing hung from her in tatters, and her hair was tangled and wild. Most unsettling of all were the hollows in her cheeks and the dark circles under her eyes, she looked like a corpse, an angry one.
"I thought you would show up sooner or later." The rogue princess stepped forward confidently, though she walked as though her knees didn't work quite right, "Spill enough blood and the scavengers will come crawling. Oh look, and you brought a friend! I have been wanting a rematch."
"Azula, stop this nonsense at once, you're coming back to the asylum with me." Ursa told her.
"Or what? You'll kill me?" Azula laughed, "I hate you! You think I'm a monster!! You never loved me as much as HIM!!"
Ursa shook her head sadly, "No, Azula, I loved you both very much."
The princess growled, her fingers clenched, "Oh I love you too, mother, I love you to DEATH!!"
With that she pivoted on her foot and kicked sending a fan of blue fire at the two women forcing them to dodge out of the way. Ursa landed hard, but managed to scramble up and out of the way of the next fireball. It was painfully clear, however, that the older woman had forgotten most of the combat training that she had received at the Fire Academy when she was younger.
Katara scrambled to her feet and drew her dagger, "Ursa! Make her stop!!"
"She can't!!" Azula grinned victoriously, "It doesn't work on people with siren blood, right mother?"
"Katara, do something!!" Ursa turned to her, "You've bested her before, during the comet no less, do it again!!"
Swearing inwardly, Katara rose to her feet, casting around for a good idea. She wished she had borrowed a pair of Suki's fans, they couldn't stab or slash, but they could dispel flames. Stepping in between the princess and her mother, Katara dropped into the hand to hand stance Suki had taught her.
"What, no ice avalanche today?" Azula sneered, one of her hands clasping her upper arm.
"I don't need it to take you down." The false confidence was unconvincing at best.
"Foolish girl!" Ursa hissed from behind her, "What are you playing at?!"
Katara turned and glared, whispering back "I can't bend during the new moon!!"
Ursa paled, then jumped forward and shoved her, throwing them both to the ground as another surge of lightening blew by, singeing their cloths. Katara jumped up, she had had enough, bending or no, Azula was half starved and off her rocker, and she needed to be taken down as soon as possible. After all the searching, she wasn't going to just hand Ursa over to her.
"So," Azula was saying conversationally between blasts, "I was thinking that after I cook both of you, I should drag you back to the palace and force feed you to his highness himself, seems a fitting end, don't you think? I bet you'll taste delicious."
Side stepping the princess's blasts of both fire and lightening, and losing a few inches off the hem of her travel robe in the process, Katara managed to close the distance between the two of them. The wild and vague movements suddenly condensed into an intense and deadly dance. The water tribeswoman desperately blocked and dodged, knocking the princess's arms away from her with her own and waiting for an opening to stab.
The problem was, the princess never gave her a chance, and Katara found herself perpetually on the defensive. There was no end to the barrage of attacks, every second meant she had to re-aim the Princess's blasts away from her, and the air practically crackled with electricity. On top of that, the other girl was muscling her closer and closer to the cliff face, probably gearing up to knock her off of the edge. It wouldn't be long. Although her face showed only rage, Katara could see her opponent's knees shaking, and her movements were becoming sloppy. The girl was exhausted and overexerting herself, adrenaline could only last so long, soon enough, her body would give out underneath her. Katara just had to hold out and keep from being roasted until then.
Both of them hesitated when they heard a horrible, ear shattering crash followed by the groaning of metal on metal. Instinctively, Katara turned her head to see what the ruckus was, and halfway through the motion she regretted it. Azula took advantage of her opponent's distraction and grabbed her for her. Katara screamed and in a last ditch defense, collapsed backwards, but Azula just followed, landing on top of her, her grip on her opponent's arms tightening.
The sudden voltage in her system was unbearably painful, and Katara barely managed to get her tongue out of the way of her teeth before she lost most of the control of her muscles. It was like when Hama blood bent her, though at least blood bending was not painful unless you were being contorted, this was excruciating. Her muscles tensed and released and she lost most of her control over them, her fingers spasmed and she dropped her weapon. At least Azula's nails were clipped, otherwise they would be touching her bone right about then.
"Mother?!!"
"How nice of you to join the party, Zuzu. No! NO!! Stay back or I'll kill your little courtesan here! She can't take much more in the way of voltage." Azula straddled her victim and grinned at her brother, then, to taunt him, leaned over and licked her cheek.
"Stop it!!" Somewhere in her pain addled haze, Katara heard Zuko's voice. She rolled her eyes, and in the corner of her vision she saw the smoking remains of a small, crash landed Fire Nation Airship. Zuko, Ty Lee, and June stood at the opposite end of the clearing, all of them fingering their weapons, but unsure how to proceed.
"S-s-stop-p h-er-r!!" Katara coughed out past clenched teeth, Azula was trapped between Ursa and Zuko, she had nowhere to go, "D-ddon-t-t wor-rry a-a-bout-t m-me!!"
"Shut up peasant!" the Princess snarled and the pain intensified as she upped the charge.
It was no longer possible to resist the pain, Katara arched her back and screamed loudly, writhing in agony. Her whole body bowed in reaction to the torture, actually lifting Azula up off the ground with it as she fought against the pain. She tried to move, to scratch at her captor, but her arms just twitched and then thrashed uselessly against the ground.
"Just sit tight Katara!!" Ty Lee yelled, "We're going to get you out of there!!"
"Enough 'zula, let her go, it's me you really want." Ursa walked towards her daughter, her hands out in showing she had no weapons, a determined look on her face, "Let Katara go."
Azula looked back and forth, weighing her options.
"Why don't you pick Zuzu?" She said finally, tossing her hair over her shoulder to look at him, flattening herself against the water bender's wriggling body as though the girl was a couch. "Who should I kill first? Your mother or your lover?"
"You'll let them both go if you know what's good for you!!" Tongues of flame licked from his mouth as he yelled, and his muscles coiled, ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation.
"Fine then!" The princess turned back and grinned ferally at her mother, "Fire Ladies first." Letting go of Katara, she pounced, bounding across the grass, covering the space between them.
Katara stared up at the sky, dazed, her muscles feeling like jelly after being so thoroughly electrified. Someone was helping her up to her feet, and she rolled her head to her side, spotting Ty Lee. The Acrobat wrapped one of Katara's arms over her shoulders and pulled her to her feet, and once she was standing, things began to clear, and she found her balance again. Zuko and June were galloping up the hill towards them, Ty Lee must have launched herself up to Katara once Azula had let her go.
Azula easily reached her mother and moved to throw a punch, Ursa, however, sidestepped, then threw her arms around her daughter in a tight hug. It was the kind of embrace that, although was not crushing, would not be easy to wriggle out of either. For a second, Azula froze in astonishment, as though she had no idea how to react. Casually, Ursa turned them, shielding her daughter with her own body.
"I'm so sorry, sweetie," Ursa whispered, smoothing her daughter's hair, "I love you."
"'Tara, are you okay?" Zuko skidded to a stop next to her and Ty Lee, and although he seemed genuinely concerned for her wellbeing, his eyes were almost glued to his mother.
"Hey!" June grabbed his arm, "Can't you do something?!"
"They're too close together, and my mom is in the way, I don't have a clear shot," Zuko seemed frantic, "Ty Lee, can you get in there and disable her?"
"I'm on it." The girl cautiously untangled herself from Katara and jumped, rocketing herself across the plateau, still carrying the glider Aang had given her.
"NO!! I HATE YOU!" Azula suddenly seemed to recover from her initial shock, and began thrashing violently in her mother's arms, "NO!! LET GO!! LET ME GO!!!" As she struggled, the princess screamed, her hands clutched and tore at the back of Ursa's robes, then finally, in desperation, ignited them.
Everything seemed to happen at once. The cloth caught like paper, and suddenly both women were a huge, living, burning effigy. The sudden heat wave knocked Ty Lee out of the air mid somersault, and she landed hard on her back, the wind knocked out of her. The glider crashed down as well, narrowly missing hitting her on the head in what could have been a very painful accident. Azula started shrieking and struggling, as Ursa held her tighter, refusing to let go, and the Princess's cloths caught as well.
Zuko screamed.
Both he and June took off for his mother, but before he had gotten two feet, Katara grabbed him and tripped him to the ground, almost certain that he would throw himself on the funeral pyre as well. He had the sort of mad desperation on his face that made it clear he was capable of anything, particularly something rash.
"Get up, Acrobat!" She heard June scold.
"GET THE FUCK OFF ME KATARA!! MOM!! MOM!! MOMMY!!" His mouth blasted with flame as he yelled, and in a sizzle, and a burst of one of the worst stenches she had ever smelt, half her hair went up in smoke. Underneath her, Zuko struggled, his screams turning to anguished cries as he watched his mother burn. His cheeks were soon streaked with tears, and then smeared with dirt as he thrashed about. She did her best to restrain him, but he outweighed her, and without her bending she was no match.
Even through the screams, Katara could still make out a tune, Ursa was singing to her daughter, some sort of strange lullaby. "Sleep, child, Sleep now quietly . . . Be calm and still . . . The mist may rise, The hawk may cry . . . As shadows haunt my lullaby . . . But they won't be here in the morning, I will . . ."
"Please Lady Ursa!! Let her go!! Drop and roll!!" Ty Lee and June had made it to Ursa and Azula, and the acrobat was dodging about, jabbing here and there, but the only thing she seemed to be succeeding at was burning her hands horribly.
"What the fuck are you playing at, woman!?" June finally pulled out her whip and latched it around Azula's neck and hauled, trying to separate them. The whip, however soon snapped as the fire ate through it, and it released it's victim. Ursa simply held her tighter, cradling her daughter's head in her chest as they burned. The flames had eaten through most of the fabric by then, and had started on the women's skin, and Azula's screams intensified, Katara could see her clawing at her mother's back through a veil of blue heat.
The rocks in front of Zuko were pretty much fried by then, each breath he exhaled creating a fresh burst of fire. Just when Katara thought that she was going to lose her grip on the Fire Lord, another pair of hands grabbed him, forcing his shoulders down flat into the ground. Katara looked up into a pair of dull amber eyes, surprised beyond belief to see Mai beside her, helping her.
"Stop it Zuko!" She told him lightly in her indifferent monotone, "You're breathing fire everywhere, you'll burn us all."
Taking advantage of the charity, Katara readjusted her grip, pressing her knee into her boyfriend's scarred chest, silently apologizing for taking advantage of his weakness. She knew she was betraying his trust, by trying to save his skin.
In a last ditch effort, Azula pressed hard into her mother, hugging her hard and pushing them both forward and off the cliffs edge, knocking them both into the frothing waves hundreds of feet below. Ty Lee and June ran after them, skidding to a stop at the edge.
"AZULA!!" Ty Lee cupped her free hand to her mouth, "Do you see them?"
"No." June squinted, "They couldn't have sank that fast, could they?"
"Wish me luck."
"Luck?" As June watched, the brunette stepped back and opened the sails of her glider, then with a few jogging steps, the girl flung herself off the ledge as well, hooking her feet up and into the staff and gliding unsteadily down. Her calls floated up across the clearing and out over the water as she looked for her fallen friend.
Zuko was beside himself with grief. He had stopped struggling to get up soon after Mai's intervention, seemingly resigning himself to being held down. His whole body shuddered with sobs as he pressed his face into the ground, and his breathing came in ragged gasps. When he looked up, his face was stuck with dirt and scratches he had amassed while struggling, his cheeks were streaked, his face was flushed, and his nose was dripping freely.
Mai curled her lip up in silent distaste, "I'll go see how Ty Lee is doing."
When she was out of the immediate area, Katara pulled the hysterical man into her lap, and he buried his face into the fabric of her dress. His sobs soon turned to coughs, then gags, and Katara began to worry he would work himself into such a frenzy he would pass out. Finally, after what seemed like the longest hour of her life, he went limp against her. No tears, no gasps, he just stared out across the water, his gold eyes vacant. Katara offered comfort the way she was most accustomed to with Aang, she took him into her arms and cradled him gently, rocking him back and forth.
This brought on fresh tears, but no sobs evolved from them, and the Fire Lord curled his fingers in the fabric of her tunic, clutching it tightly. She had never seen him so vulnerable before, and it scared her, he must have been in shock. Usually he reacted to a situation by becoming angry, and Katara worried that that would be next.
She watched as Ty Lee crash landed back onto the cliff top, or more accurately, half on the cliff top. June had to reach down and haul her the rest of the way up. This feat was accomplished with only one hand and minimal grunting.
"I looked all over the shore and in the shallows!" Ty Lee explained, "It's like, It's like they vanished!!"
...
...
...
...
Hey guys, so sorry for the long hiatus. I have been either drunk, hung over, sleeping, working, sewing a mandatory cosplay costume, or sick for the last long while. Yay me! Anyways, you don't want to hear about my mucus levels or alcohol intake, you want to hear about the story. Hmm, story news . . .
...
...
I'm not sure how I feel about this, I feel like Zuko might be ooc, I have no idea how he would react to this sort of situation. But I rewrote it several times, and I liked this way the best, for what it's worth, so I decided to run with it.
::flashes artistic license:: Don't Panic, I'm a writer.
...
...
Midsummer is on DA now, I have started posting with thumbnails so you can check out a little author illustration for each chapter. You'll get to see how I imagine Kisa, Yeo, and one more Secret OC that has not been introduced formally into the story yet. (I know right? So few chapters left and I am throwing more OCs into the mix?! I must be mad!)
So that might be worth your while to check out, if . . . you know . . . you like looking at things.
...
...
Umm, what else . . . nothing else . . .
...
...
Thank you for all the support, reviews, fanart, and drabbles (and the bugging to update, it helps because it makes me feel ashamed of my slowness) I am still surprised at how popular this story is!
...
...
So . . . . review! You know you want to.