Chapter 9: Different Blood, Same Sin
Little Falcon: Sorry for the long wait guys. There are a lot of distractions that keep my muse from looking my way. Thankfully, now she's graced me with her presence. I won't keep blabbering any longer. Enjoy this chapter, read and review like always.
Standard Disclaimer: I only own the idea that's all. If I did own this series I'll be the happiest person on earth!
"Why don't you guys stay here for the night? We can exchange information regarding our common enemy?" The Freedom Fighters' leader, Jet, led the way into the woods.
"Hey that sounds like a great idea, Appa needs a rest too," the air bender grinned then assisted Toph off the large saddle. That act confused the other freedom fighters. Smellerbee, the shortest one, elbowed the water tribe warrior beside him.
"I thought the avatar had dibs on the water bender?" she whispered but the others were waiting for his answer.
"Oh…" Sokka caressed his nape as he looked for the appropriate words. "Boy, am I hungry! What's for dinner?" Such was the only pathetic way, he could think of to get away.
"I can hear you, you know," Toph appeared behind them. Her translucent eyes reflected their surprised faces.
"We… we didn't…" they stammered for an apology.
They've murdered an entire village just so they can use the chief's mansion for temporary accommodation. Her stomach turned wildly as the blood bender was the first to follow Jet through the forest.
Peep Squeak, despite his large frame, stepped out of her way as if she's the size of a platypus-bear. Each of the Freedom Fighters refused to meet her eyes as she passed their way.
"What was that about?" The Kiyoshi warrior's brow arched as they too followed her lead.
"She's different now isn't she?" Smellerbee jerked her head towards the distant blood bender. "When we saw her months ago, we approached her carelessly. We were too late to notice the difference between who was in front of us than who we met before. Maybe she found us threatening because upon contact, she attacked us without hesitation. There wasn't even a glint of recognition in her eyes when she struck us down," the four of them bowed their head in shame. "Jet barely defeated her. That was when we knew that she's no longer Katara…what happened to her?"
Everyone looked away. "I wish I knew…" Aang said under his breath as they pressed on.
The towering network of intricate tree houses served as both home and base for the freedom fighters, just like before. While the humongous sky bison stayed on the ground, the others chatted merrily about the good old days.
His amber eyes scanned each tree house around but didn't find the person he was looking for. His wandering gaze stopped at a particular shadow sitting at a distant branch, away from all the noise or any distraction. He didn't know how but he just knew that that particular silhouette belongs to only one person.
Her sapphire eyes stared blankly forward as the gentle night breeze blew passed her hair. The night calls of animals on the ground and at the trees filled the silence as she remained stoic and unmoving on her seat. "What do you want, Fire Lord?" She exhaled as she became aware of his presence hovering behind her.
"The others are looking for you," an obvious lie of course. Zuko stepped out of the shadows and sat by her side. "Beautiful moon tonight," not being a man of words, he struggled engaging in small talks.
"Go away," she spat before she hugged her knees.
He remained on his spot, not looking at her directly but at the crescent moon above. The need to reach out and touch her was overwhelming but he knew that Katara, being as she is now, would just crawl further into darkness. The best thing to do is wait… and let her know in no small details that he is there for her, no matter what.
"An entire village…" he heard her muffled words as she spoke with her head buried in her arms. "I… I murdered an entire village,"
"No, you didn't!" Zuko growled as he rose from his seat. "Those blood bending bastards did it. You have absolutely nothing to do with it. What made you say that?"
"Because it was me who taught them blood bending," her voice was low as if she lost all will to even talk. Seeing the horrified look in the young fire lord's face, the blood bender gave a weak smile. "So… do you still think I have absolutely nothing to do with it?"
His blood froze instantly upon hearing her dark revelation. Everything makes perfect sense now: why Katara forced her memories to be erased, why she's determined to catch the infamous blood benders… and why she chose to live a different life. That small amount of information stunned him completely, leaving him unable to move even when Katara began to walk away.
Jumping from the treetops and to the forest floor, the blood bender slowly lifted her eyes towards the place she fell from. What am I doing? I just gave unnecessary information. It's for his own good! Maybe that'll keep him away from me from now on!
The dry leaves crunched with every step she took and it posed no problem to her but when she heard another set of footsteps behind her, the hair on the back of her neck stood. Wheeling around, she immediately saw a shadow bearing twin hooked swords lunging at her. Having nothing to defend with, Katara did her best to evade the parry of attacks. This pattern of offense… it belongs to…
Receiving heavy kick, the blood bender fell into a clearing. That was when her assumptions were proven, "Jet, what the hell are you doing?" she snarled as she jumped back to her feet. Her attacker merely smirked as he played with the catnip in between his teeth before delivering another wave of relentless attack.
Running out of energy to run around and also patience to tolerate his tantrums, she dashed towards him, kicked one of his swords out of his hands, slid in between his legs, climbed on his shoulder, caught the sword in midair and finally revved the deadly hooked blade around his neck. "I said… stop it," her tone was icy cold as her sapphire eyes gave a lethal glint.
"JET! What the hell are you doing, Azrael?" Smellerbee and the other Freedom fighters were already racing towards them from the other side of the clearing. Aang and the gang were at their tail.
When the blood bender back flipped and landed elegantly on the ground, Jet smirked. "Glad to have you back, Katara," his voice was gentle as his eyes softened after meeting her surprised gaze.
"How did you…"
"If you're still Azrael, I would've been dead by now. Plus, she's not fond of talking during battles; trust me, I know," he began to walk towards his crew but stopped after taking a few steps. "Don't worry I won't tell them anything. Besides, if they're really you're friends… they should know the difference," he put his hands at the back of his head casually as if he was only taking a stroll and not engaging in deadly sparring sessions.
"What happened?" one of his subordinates asked in concern while throwing a glare at the water tribe girl.
"I just wanted see if I can win the second time around," their leader waved his hand casually, no harm done. With that he led them away; his attention was taken for a moment when he saw the pent up rage in the young fire lord's eyes as they passed him.
"What was that about?" The air bender ran to her side as did the others.
If they're really your friends… they should know the difference. Jet's words cut deep. It was even more painful than the blows she received. Looking around, she noticed the way she looked at her their worry was clouded with tangible apprehension. "It's nothing. I'm fine,"
For the rest of the night, everyone retired except for Katara who kept looking at the moon. Her ethereal beauty under the moonlight was marred with a pained expression as she hugged herself tightly.
His fists clenched at his sides as he felt so helpless watching her go through all the torture alone. He wanted to help… to be there for her… but she wouldn't let him. In the end, the only thing he can do was watch her from a distance and pray that somehow she'll be okay.
"Pathetic, isn't it?" the voice from the shadows didn't surprise him as he knew immediately the moment he arrived.
"What is?" Zuko kept his amber eyes on the blood bender even as the shadow stepped into the light.
"Being the greatest fire bender in the land… and yet, you can't do anything for the woman you love," Jet leaned on a tree trunk as he followed the fire lord's line of vision.
"What makes you think…"
"The way you look at her… it's the same way I look at her and there was also that murderous intent you radiated when you saw me fight with her," he spat out the catnip and approached him. "I can't do anything for her… but you can… you're the only one who can protect her from herself… that's a feat even the avatar himself can't do. Do it well," he gripped his shirt as he gave his threat then he let him go with an encouraging tap on his shoulder.
Zuko glanced back at the Freedom Fighter's leader before he looked back at her. Protect her… from herself… but… how?
Their journey to the South Pole was like the usual ones they had: Sokka would throw his unintentional jokes, Suki would laugh her heart out and Toph would give a sarcastic remark and then they would guffaw all together. All the while, Katara was just contented sitting on a corner while listening to their nonsense. On the other hand, Zuko was satisfied that the water bender has somehow lightened up.
"Whoa! What happened here?" Aang reigned in Appa as they immediately caught sight of a dark patch of earth in the middle of a snow mountain. Upon closer inspection, they realized that it was an entire village burned to ashes… not one patch of land uncharred.
Everyone spread out to find anything that gives a clue about anything. This village was wide, almost as prosperous as Sokka and Katara's tribe… but they were all ashes now… with not even a body to bury.
Each step on the damned place made it harder for her to breath… everything started to swirl. She felt so sick that she just ran out of the place and into a nearby cave just so she can remember how to breath. She wheezed air inside her lungs as she tripped on something along the way. Guilt suffocated her to such an extent that she could no longer feel the difference between inhaling and exhaling.
"My. my what a sight," a familiar wicked tone resounded throughout the cave. Her strength failed her to get up on her feet but she still looked around. "Azrael has a conscience. I never knew," her childish tone made Katara grit her teeth in agitation.
"You're going to pay for this, Azula!" It looked comical that a girl who can barely crawl was delivering such harsh threat.
"Oh please, I know about you and your little blood bending trick. That's why I'm reduced to using such methods," from everywhere, her form appeared, reflecting on the cave's glassy walls.
The blood bender clenched her fists as she felt no one nearby… no one's blood to bend.
"I came to offer you a proposition… you can't refuse,"
Her pupils dilated upon hearing the former princess' words.
Little Falcon: read and review, alright?