Chapter 13 Growth in the Storm
The sun was setting over the eastern coast of the through a line of large thunderstorms which was coming ashore, head of the storm line of lighter rain in front of the main thunderstorm. Katara, Toph and Sokka had to run back from the market with the new cloths and supplies as the light rain started to come down before quickly turning into a heavy downpour of rain. The three of them ran into the main house to find the rest of them sitting around a table.
"We are back." yelled Sokka as he placed the multiple large bags on an even larger table in the dining room as the entire house rocked under the force of a nearby lightning bolt.
"It is pouring out there." said Katara as she water bend some water out of her cloths but it still remained soaked.
"It is the rainy season down here." explained Zuko as he sat at the table, the rain running off the gutters outside. "There is normally an afternoon shower everyday but other than that the day is good."
"How long do they normally last?" asked Aang "I really need to get back to training."
"Sometimes a few minutes sometimes a few hours." said Zuko as the rain came down at an even faster rate.
"Judging from the darkness of the clouds it is going to be a while." explained Sakura as she looked at the almost pure black stormy sky that seamed that filled the sky. Every once in a while a large lightning bolt filled the sky with light.
"Looks like you will be spending the rest of day in mediation." said Fugaku as he large out in rain by a large puddle of mud which had been the inner courtyard. Suddenly he jumped out into the mud.
"What are you doing?" asked Toph
"Waiting for worms to come up, the fresher they are the better they taste." explained Fugaku as a worm came out of the ground, instantly Fugaku was on the worm, eating it like a kid with a fresh backed cookie.
"Well that is kind of gross." admitted Suki as the others nodded their heads in agreement. She was focused on that for a moment before she noticed a brightly colored red clothing sticking out of a bag. "Is that mine?"
"Yes, we have a bag for each of you." said Katara as she handed the bag to Suki, before giving one to Naruto and Sakura.
"Thanks." said Sakura as Naruto, Sakura and Suki when their separate ways to their rooms. Because of dangerous and Naruto and Sakura's pushing the girls were staying in a large room together while the boys where doing the same in another room. There were plenty of bedrooms however as Naruto and Sakura put it if they did spread out into multiple rooms it would be easier for Sasuke to kill them one at a time. Together they have some protection in numbers.
"This looks nice." said Suki as she slipped off her old rags and put on the fresh clean fire nation cloths. "I mean I don't really like wearing all this red but it is nice to have a change of clothes."
"What is this made out of?" asked Sakura as she looked at her own cloths feeling the cloth in between the her fingers.
"Fire Nation Silk almost every piece of detent cloths is made out of silk." explained Katara as she remembered what some old lady at the market had told her about the silk "Something about how it soft but can breathe in the summer heat."
"This feels like grass country silk." said Sakura
"Grass Country?" asked Suki
"It is a nation which is beside ours; they are have the best silk in our world." said Sakura as she took of her top and got changed into her own cloths.
"This is a nice top, good job Katara." said Suki as watched she placed her top on. It showed more of her mid section then normal but she knew Sokka would like it at least.
Miles away Sasuke was sitting in meditation in one of the corners of the room. The room he was using was the command center of the base, all around the fire nation commanders were rushing about as they pushed forward their plans for the invasion of the Northern Water Tribe Capital. Teams were working overtime to meet Princess Azula's order s that they launch at sunrise.
"What is he doing?" asked a commander as he looked at Sasuke sitting with his legs crossed and his eyes closed, his snake sword laying across his lap.
"He is preparing for war." answered Azula command center "How close are we leaving for the Northern Water Tribe Capital?"
"We are on schedule for launch." said the fire nation supply officer "We may be able to launch a little ahead of plan maybe an hour or so.
"Good." said Azula as she looked toward Sasuke. "Do you have a plan to take down the Northern Water Tribe?"
"Yes." said Sasuke as he remembered the intelligence information that the Fire Nation had gathered, over the past few hours he had listened to the fire nation generals talk over their plan and what was facing them. From that information he formatted the best plan he could. He knew he wasn't Shikamaru but he knew how to get the job done. "The Northern Water Tribe Capital is guarded on the sides by huge ice sheets that would stop your army from breaking though in large enough numbers. If Naruto is there he will use his shadow clones to cause trouble for your soldiers, so the best plan is the simplest attack them head on."
"Shadow Clones?" asked a general
"It's a ninja technique." answered another Sasuke as he appeared beside the general "It allows a person to make a perfect copy of themselves and use them in combat. Naruto is found of the style."
"How would one extra solider help?" asked the general
"Naruto's known record is over one thousand." added Sasuke as his clone disappeared. "That means you have to go right up the middle, if you spread out Naruto will just use his clones to overrun you, if you attack in mass I can better cover you from Naruto."
"What about the female ninja, Sakura?" asked Azula
"She is a medical ninja her job is to heal and while she can fight her first role is as a healer." Explained Sasuke
"Yes, but the Northern Water Tribe front is guarded by three large walls that will take time to punch though." said Azula as Sasuke moved to stand beside her, a lot closer then was needed since the map covered the entire table. This fact went unnoticed by the two of them but not the few guards that where around.
"You are thinking based on your methods of war." said Sasuke as he stopped and looked down into Azula's golden eyes with his dark eyes. There was maybe four inches between the two height wise and even less when it came to space between their faces at the moment. "You can also stop acting like you don't know that."
"I was testing you." Said Azula with a smile as she unconscious moved closer to Sasuke's face, they were so close they could feel each other's breaths on their faces. The general's eyes widened wondering if they should leave or if they should just like they don't see what is happening. Sasuke smiled as he leaned forward as he put this face into Azula's ear.
"If it was anyone beside you I would kill them." whispered Sasuke in a somewhat evil way; however it brought a rare smile to Azula's face as she whispered her own warning into Sasuke's ear.
"And if anyone beside you got this close to me I would kill them." said Azula back as Sasuke grinned.
"Lucky me." said Sasuke as he pulled back "As to the three walls just leave them to me and do what I say before they fall."
"How are you going to bring down the walls?" asked the general as Sasuke grinned before turning and heading toward the door.
"You will know when we get there." said Sasuke "Until then I will be on the airship."
"Understood." said Azula as she just stood there trying not to make it obvious that she was watching Sasuke as he walked away. As her mind went places that no princess should ever talk about a loud sound filled the air as a nearby commander dropped some paper caused her to snap back into reality.
"What are you looking at get back to work." ordered Azula as she stormed into her room to be alone with her thoughts.
Naruto walked though the hallway from the room he shared with the other men, when he entered he already noticed that Katara was placing some food on the table as the thunder stormed picked up in intestinally, the wind was so fast it caused the entire house to move a little bit.
"How do you like your cloths Naruto?" asked Katara as Naruto looked down at his clothes.
"They seem a lot like my normal stuff only made out of silk." said Naruto as he looked at his black pants that went down to his unconformable shoes. His shirt was just a simple red shirt with a back fire nation symbol on his right chest. "Also I wish it was orange?"
"Orange is better known as the color of the air nomads just like blue is known for water and green or brown is earth." explained Katara "They didn't have anything orange your size."
"It's alright." added Naruto as he sat down at the table
"You didn't put on the vest?" asked Katara knowing that a black and red vest went along with the cloths.
"No, I don't really think that is important right now." said Naruto as he sat down, instantly he tried to take off the shoes that almost went up to his knees. "I just hate these shoes."
"They are normal shoes for the fire nation." answered Zuko "However they are not the most conformable."
"That is why sandals are best." said Katara with a smile.
"Then why don't I wear sandals?" asked Naruto
"It isn't normal for fire nation men to wear them and we don't need any more attention then we already have." answered Zuko as Naruto heard the sound of footsteps coming toward. He turned his head to see Suki and Sakura heading toward them. Naruto's eyes past over Suki as his eyes rested on Sakura. Instantly his eyes ran up and down her body, praying to God that Sakura didn't noticed what he was doing.
She was dressed in a top that almost matched Ino's normal purple one; however hers was dark deep red blood red. Naruto couldn't help but notice the tone stomach she had from the years of training with Tsunade. Above her stomach was her chest which had grown out to somewhere between Hinata's and Ino's. Finally she had on a short red skirt, and her ninja pouch was clearly visible on her leg. Instead of her normal boats she had on silver leg guards with sandals on.
"So how do you like it?" asked Katara
"Sort of reminds me of something Ino would were." said Sakura as she tried to give Naruto a view without having him know she was giving him a view.
"Ino?" asked Katara as she raised her eyebrow.
"My best friend back home, however her top isn't open in the back." said Sakura as she turned around to show that apart from a band around her neck and another around her back just below the breast line her entire back was bare. Naruto tried not to make it known he was checking her out but it was hard.
"I almost forgot." said Katara as she pulled out a small golden brooch with a fire nation symbol on it. "It is tradition for men and woman to have a small hair bun."
"Where does it come from?" asked Sakura as she pulled her hair back.
"No one really knows it just something everyone does." explained Zuko "Legend says it was because the first fire lord had his hair like that but that is just a legend."
"So let's eat." said Sokka as he finally turned his mind away from looking at his girlfriend to the meal that was being placed on the table. About half way through the meal Toph walked into the room.
"Look what I found." said Toph as she held up a large ornate container for all of them to see "If my feet are not lying to me this is wine."
"Put that away." snapped Zuko as he jumped to his feet and pulled the bottle away from Toph.
"Hay, it isn't like we have parent's around." said Toph as Zuko took the bottle and carried it away.
"What is wrong with him?" asked Aang "I better go ask him?"
"No, you need your strength to keep training." growled Katara as she went after Zuko, her blood boiling form how he had treated Toph.
Onboard the main fire nation airship Sasuke Uchiha lied down on the bed, in a few hours the airship would leave for the invasion of an entire nation. As such he knew he had to get some rest but sleep alluded him. His mind was racing with thoughts that he couldn't help but think of the young woman on the other side of the steal wall. For once all his ninja training wasn't helping him, she was a just over a year and a half who was probably only a few yards away in the other private bedroom on the ship. She was the first person he had met that he didn't want to kill or get away from at the first possible moment, he actually like being next to her.
"Damn it." growled Sasuke as he sat up in bed and rested his back against the wall as he tried to clear his head. What he didn't know that right on the other side of the wall Azula was in the same position wondering how someone could get past all her emotional defensive. She actually didn't want him to fight in case he would get hurt and this from a young woman who had killed dozens of time without a care.
"What in spirits name is wrong with me." said Azula as she ran her hands through her long hair as passed up and down her own room. Her dinner sat in the corner untouched her mind was racing to fast to even think about food.
In the darkened hallways of the Fire Lord's summer home Katara moved though the flashes from the thunderstorm outside lighting her way. Near the end of the hall she entered a small room maybe five feet by five feet unlike almost every room there was no window. She scanned the room with her blue eyes only to see Zuko placing the container a small table at the far end of the room. Above the table was a small banner with the fire nation symbol on it. She watched as Zuko turned and light up two small red candles on either side of the container. Then he knelt down and bowed his head before standing back up.
"There you go." said Zuko as he turned to leave only to spot Katara standing there in the doorway.
"What are you up too?" asked Katara as she crossed her arms.
"It isn't your concern." explained Zuko as he tried to push past her only to have her stand in his way.
"Yes, it is because I don't trust you." snapped Katara as she glared at Zuko, the two of them did battle with each other with their eyes as a small amount of water formed around Katara's hand as a small amount of fire formed around Zuko. Zuko closed his eyes for a moment before letting the fire go.
"If you must know, that isn't wine." said Zuko as he looked at the vessel "That is dragon oil."
"Dragon Oil?" asked Katara
"It is a special mix that is put into all royal funeral urns." said Zuko as Katara's eyes widened "When my mom disappeared my father used that in a fake funeral for her. Then shipped it out somewhere away from him. The urn has my father's family crest on it and it also has my mother's family. My father probably sent it here after the funeral."
"So that urn is your mom?" asked a stunned Katara
"No I am sure it isn't." stated Zuko "The funeral was for show the casket they burned was empty. They put the ash from it and combined it with dragon's oil and placed it the urn."
"Then why do you care about it?" asked Katara
"The same reason why you care about the necklace from your mother." explained Zuko as Katara touched the water tribe necklace which she had in her pocket. "It's a contention to my mother and for all I know she is dead in some unmarked grave."
"So this is sort of like her grave?" asked Katara as she lowered her head, as she thought what she would do if she found someone messing with her mother's resting place "That is why you didn't want Toph to mess with it."
"Yes." Said Zuko as the two of them started walking back toward the dining room. On their way back they passed a small flower garden dominated by a single tree in the center. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck a large tree just outside the thin walls. The force of the blast caused both of them to fall away from the strike; this caused a very strange moment. Katara found herself on top of Zuko with her hands on either side of him and her body laying on top of the rest. Her hands had caught her stopping her from totally falling on Zuko's face but their faces was within inches of each other. So close that each one could feel the other's breath, Katara's hair had draped down forming a kind of shield around their faces.. For a moment both of them just lied their wide eyed as if they were too afraid to move.
"Are you alright?" asked Zuko
"Are you?" asked Katara neither one of them moving; the sound of approaching footsteps caused Katara to roll of just as Sokka came around the corner.
"Are you too alright?" asked Sokka
"Ya, the floor broke my fall." lied Katara to her brother as she prayed to the spirits that he didn't come closer and notice the blush on either one of their faces. Aang jumped to her side helping her up.
"Are you alright?" asked Aang
"I am fine Aang." said Katara "Just scared me nothing more."
"I should have gone with you." said Aang
"Aang you can't protect me from everything." said Katara
"It was a stray lightning bolt nothing more." answered Naruto as he appeared "Kind of lucky that it hit the other side of the tree or else you both would have been hurt."
"That is good." said Sokka "Now can we get back to supper?"
As they headed back to the dining room Katara and Zuko tried not to think of the accident that mother nature had caused but soon it was the only thing on their minds maybe a night of sleep would clear their heads.
Well I hope you liked this chapter. I have some news I am taking a short vacation from writing because I am busy with putting in a new deck for my parents and other items. Sorry you will probably have to wait about two weeks for the next update. Sorry but I hope you can forgive me since I update a lot faster than most writers. Thanks Wilkins75