Dying To Survive
Chapter 3
"It's the little things that matter the most."
..::-::..
His blood had become frozen, or so it felt like it. Zuko sat shivering inside of the room, using his fire breath every few minutes to keep himself alive. Every second of the test was eating the blood in his body away slowly. It didn't make sense if the Master was trying to kill him; Zuko was introduced to most of the students and it would be odd if he simply vanished. His eyes were growing tired and he couldn't keep them open.
"No… I have to stay awake… I can't…" his voice trailed off as his body leaned forward. Suddenly, he caught himself right before he landed on his head and his arms stung from the impact. Zuko automatically stood up, dodging a whizzing noise that flew by his ear. He squinted and then shot a fire blast in the direction of the flying object. The light reflecting on the object flashed an image of a metallic fly with rather large wings. Zuko stepped forward as another fly zoomed by his head. He winced as the wing almost scratched his cheek. Collecting his anger into his attack, Zuko pushed his arms out and spun around so that his fire exploded throughout the entire room. As the light subsided, he gathered his breath and listened for the buzzing wings. They were gone.
"Bravo young master. You have passed the test," said Taiko with a smirk. Zuko whirled around to face the master and was about to yell furiously, when he realized that the test wasn't exactly over. He had to remain calm after such a strenuous time of isolation.
"Thank you," he said bowing. "I believe I may be accepted now?"
"Yes, you have shown great endurance of the mind and body. You have what it takes to study with us at the Second Temple of Sanoroi. Come, I believe you would like to rest in your room," Taiko said, waiting for Zuko to follow him up the stairs. He blinked a few times and then nodded, following his new master. They walked out of the staircase and into the open air. Zuko breathed deeply and then sighed. The moon was already up in the sky and the stars scattered through the sky like fish in a pond.
"Good night Master," said Zuko calmly. Taiko shortly nodded his head and went in the opposite direction. It seemed that there were only a few hours left before sunrise. Zuko walked into his room and fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.
..::-::..
Katara sat up in her bed, yawning and stretching her limbs. There was a slight chill in the air as the clouds started to roll in towards the city. She got dressed and headed out for breakfast. Once she got there, she saw Jet sitting at one of the long tables, smirking.
"You're late today Katara. Had a bad dream or something?" he asked teasingly. Katara rolled her eyes and sighed, seeing that she would have porridge again. As soon as she sat down next to him, Jet stood up.
"Where are you going?" she asked curiously.
Jet laughed and started to walk away. "It's not my fault you were late. Enjoy breakfast alone for once. I want to make sure I get in on the zazen class before you this time." Katara growled to herself and then sighed, eating her porridge morosely. A few minutes later, she had finished her meal and then started to walk out of the Gathering Hall. She was the last student to leave and as she passed through the doors, she lifted her face and met his gaze. Zuko stood in front of her, his skin drained of its color, his eyes round and his mouth dry and hanging.
"Zuko! What's wrong with you?" asked Katara with stunned awe.
"Huh?" He lifted his head to see that it was the water bender girl. A short breath of air entered his mouth quickly and then he stumbled forward, his arms hanging limply at his sides. Katara bit her lip as she caught him by the shoulders. Zuko moaned and then she helped him walk towards a table. He rested his head on his outstretched arm and she grew panicked. The dull tone reminded her that she was late for class, yet she couldn't leave Zuko by himself in his present condition. Unexpectedly, Oraka appeared in the entrance and scuttled over towards them.
"Heh, the boy looks as if he died and came back to life!" she stated as a deep chuckle bellowed out of her. Katara's mouth dropped open and she stared at the old woman with repressed elation.
"Um, are you here to stay with him? I have to get to class and…"
"Oh no! I'm just here to give him some medicine and… to tell you that you're excused from classes for the first half of the day!" exclaimed Oraka enthusiastically. She spun around and was about to dart out of the hall when Katara caught her arm.
Her face was tight and pushed in towards her nose. "What do you mean? How come I have to do that?" she asked with disbelief.
"The first student that was near him would get the duty, sorry it had to be you miss…"
"Katara," she said with her arms folded across her chest.
"Miss Katara! Yes, so it is your job to show him around and tell him about all of the classes. I'll tell the Masters then that you're off for a bit! See you around!" Oraka shouted as she disappeared behind the frame of the hall. Katara grunted and turned around towards Zuko nervously. Her lips parted and her eyes grew round as she saw Zuko's ruffled head of hair and pale face. She rushed towards him and sat down. Pulling him back, she held him by the shoulders as his eyes kept closing and opening slowly.
"What? Is it over?" he mumbled to himself. Katara sighed and looked at the bottle of water on the table. She opened the cap and then faced Zuko whose head was still swinging freely from his neck. Hesitantly, Katara touched his cheek and pushed his face up. His weight was too much and his upper body suddenly fell forward. Katara gasped and pushed him upright again, a faint blush blooming on her cheeks. At once she flicked the water into his hanging mouth and then closed it with her fingers so that he would swallow. She let go and his head fell towards the table once more.
"This is very strange… why is Zuko like this?" A sudden realization occurred as Katara remembered that she hadn't seen him since the time he left to take his test. "What did they do to you?" she asked quietly. Katara sighed, looking at his back and hair once more. For some odd reason, she was feeling less stressed by his presence, it was almost welcoming. She shook her head and threw the thought away.
"Stop it Katara! Stop thinking that!"
"What do you need to stop thinking about?" Zuko asked pleasantly. Katara jumped back as she turned to face him. He was sitting up straight and color had returned to his face. His eyes sparkled with new energy and his previous ailments seemed to have vanished all together.
"What? Oh, well… nothing! I was just talking to myself…" she stammered. He took a deep breath and then stood up. Katara cocked her eyebrow and stood up as well. "Where do you think you're going?" she asked the prince calmly.
"Well… I guess I came here to eat but…"
"So sit down. I'll get you something," stated Katara as she walked away. A couple of minutes later, Zuko saw her coming back with a bowl of food. She set it down in front of him and handed him a spoon. "Eat up. We have a lot of work to do today," said Katara with a deep sigh.
Zuko looked at her with a questioning stare and asked, "What do you mean… we?"
She met his gaze with the corner of her eye and then looked straight ahead. "Unfortunately, I was told to show you around the temple. It's strange how we just happened to be here at the time the gate keeper came looking for you… how come she's always with you anyways?" Zuko looked down at his porridge and shrugged.
"I don't know. It's almost like she's following my every move sometimes," he commented carelessly. Katara suddenly laughed as Zuko took a bite of the porridge. The spoon fell into the bowl as he winced. He glared at Katara and clenched his fists.
"It's not funny! This isn't food! What did you give me?" he asked loudly. Katara saw the servant's uncomfortable stares and put a finger to her lips, quieting Zuko.
"Don't be so loud! You'll offend the cook!"
"Does it look like I care about the cook? I can't eat this!" he exclaimed, pushing away the bowl.
Katara shrugged and stood up. "Fine, suit yourself. This is the only kind of breakfast you're going to get here, so either starve or get used to it." She glanced back at Zuko, who had calmed down and started to eat the porridge once again. He chewed it bitterly and she smiled. "It won't be as bad once you've eaten it a few times." Katara walked around to a window and stared outside, into the open sky. A few white clouds were passing by and she smiled to herself, remembering how she used to fly in the sky on Appa.
"What are you thinking about?" Zuko asked unexpectedly. She whirled around and saw him standing right in front of her.
"You're asking me that again? What's it to you anyways? Don't scare me like that next time! Always showing up without a noise…" she mumbled to herself as she walked away. "Come on, follow me. I'll show you around." Zuko's lips twisted into a small smile as he caught up to her. They walked out of the hall and started walking down the foyer. Katara would walk ahead a few steps quickly, and then Zuko would catch up to her. She suppressed her irritation and then gave up. They walked onward, side by side.
"This is the first floor," Katara stated. Zuko looked around and nodded.
"I knew that."
Katara spun towards him and smashed her forehead inward. "Well if you know everything, why don't you show me around?" she asked coldly. Zuko cocked a brow and folded his arms.
"I won't speak anymore. Is that fine with you?" he asked, looking away. Katara sighed, letting her hand drop from her head.
"Sorry… well, this is the first floor and it's where some of our rooms are located. The other doors lead to the lesson circles and that's where we learn how to create something out of nothing," Katara concluded while stopping in front of a pair of familiar white doors.
"This is where I had my first zazen lesson," Zuko commented.
"These white doors signify the level associated to each class. White is the highest level, then it's black, and finally silver. What I don't understand though is how you were able to get into a white level class on your first day," she said curiously, turning around.
Their gazes met each other while Zuko shrugged. "I don't know, they just put me there," he said. Katara eyed him suspiciously while starting to walk forwards once more.
"It seems like you're really good friends with the Masters… too good actually. Did you trick them or something? The Masters are wise and they have guided the temple for a long time! How could you do such an awful deed?" Katara asked, flinging her arms in the air towards him. Zuko narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw, finally showing some kind of emotion.
"Why do you always think the worst of me? Can't I just be a normal person for once? I don't know why they decided to give me this kind of treatment… but last night was far from royal…" he finished, his words disappearing into the wind. Katara's gaze softened as she took the words in. She didn't know the answer to his question herself. Since she could remember, her opinion of Zuko was always that he was a horrible, evil person, and it seemed like even the war's end couldn't stop change that.
Katara stepped towards him and clasped her hands in front of her, bowing her head slightly. "I'm sorry. I'll try to stay calm from now on," said Katara quietly, averting his gaze. Zuko sighed as she looked up at him. She sure had quite a temper for being born a water bender. Zuko could tell she was angry about something. His eyes widened as she continued to talk. "What about last night?" she asked timidly. Zuko stepped away from her and looked to the side, not saying a word. Katara rubbed her arm tediously and let the howling wind cut in between them. She shivered and closed her eyes as their robes battered against the forceful air.
"Are you cold?" Zuko asked, facing her. She held his thoughtful gaze and then looked away, embarrassed.
"Maybe we should go talk inside somewhere…" Katara said, her voice trailing off. Her face lit up and she began to walk to their left.
"Where are we going?" asked Zuko curiously.
"There's an open room I just remembered about down this hall. Students can go in and out when they have time, but this one is towards the back of the temple, so no one really uses it."
He followed her inside and his jaw dropped. Katara stood in front of him, holding her palm out and closing her eyes. A light lit up in the room starting from the tips of her fingers and it bounced into every corner. Without so much as a flame, the room was lit up with a dim sapphire glow.
..::-::..
Mayuri entered the library and scanned the aisles of books for Taiko. She smiled with relief as she walked towards him with a book in her hands. He looked up from his work, his eyes dropping low but they lit up when he saw Mayuri's beauty radiating from her face.
"Darling, what did you find?" he asked warmly.
She put the book down and flipped through the pages excitedly. "It's a book about previous prophecies! Perhaps it will be of some help," she said, deep in thought.
"It is entirely possible… however, I have been thinking about something we cannot find in books. I cannot strike from my mind the feeling I received when our traveler exited from the dungeon."
Mayuri looked up curiously and leaned forward, whispering to her husband. "He came by himself though. The prophecy said something about two travelers. I think they need to come in a pair." Taiko turned away and thought for a moment.
"I have a doubt that it is Zuko we seek, however he did come unpredictably. We should keep every option we have available to decipher the prophecy," concluded Taiko.
"What about danger? Do the words bring good fortune?" asked Mayuri hopefully.
Taiko grumbled to himself and looked at her broodingly. "I am not certain, but it seems that some ill will befall a pair… the spirits spoke of two travelers and two doomed… at this point, it isn't clear whether or not they speak of the same two people. That is my concern," he said grimly.
His wife clenched her jaw and flipped through the pages in the book. Each page sliced through the air as the words darted through her mind. "What about the King and Queen? Didn't they mention those two people as well? Maybe they speak of us!" Mayuri exclaimed with wonder. Taiko scratched his chin and mused over her theory.
"It makes logical sense, as we are the Masters of this temple. Titles as King and Queen would suit us well, would it not Mayuri?" he asked teasingly. She blushed awkwardly and batted his hand away with her own.
"Oh, don't speak so foolishly! We don't have that kind of power over people. Being a Master of this temple simply means we remain hidden so the students maintain their loyalty to our ways…" she wasn't able to finish her statement. Taiko's eyes flashed and a wide grin appeared on his face as he took her hands in his.
"That's it! We will become King and Queen! How long have we sat around doing nothing? Our powers have already reached a limit yet… there's a way we can grow more powerful!"
Mayuri's eyes suddenly glazed over and a shining smirk overwhelmed her pure face. "I want to be more powerful… I wonder how it would… feel…" she said dreamily. Taiko stood up and she rushed to his side eagerly.
"Books will not help us with this task. I was weary at first, but I believe we have gotten closer to the prophecy's true meaning. The spirits are warning us darling. Two travelers will come and rise against our way of life, this temple, and its students. We shall become the King and Queen that shatter their evil resolve! It will all happen in due time," he finished and kissed his wife passionately.
She stepped away and laughed brightly. "This is so exciting! I haven't felt this wonderful in years! Life has been so dull… we're finally in for a change!" Taiko beamed greedily as the two walked out of the library, leaving the books open and untouched.
..::-::..
Katara turned toward Zuko and beckoned him into the room. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Nothing strange is going to happen to you."
He pointed at her darkly and muttered, "It already has. What did you just, do?" Katara's mouth opened and then she scratched the back of her head, laughing shortly.
"Oh, sorry, I guess I should have warned you. It's something I learned to do within the first week here. Do you want me to show you?" she asked kindly.
Zuko's head was spinning. There was nothing in his life he had wanted to do more than to train, but this seemed too unworldly. It was impossible to produce light out of nothing, yet she had managed it. Putting his hand to his head, Zuko walked forward and then sighed.
"Okay, I want to know."
"Hmm… well basically, you have to clear your mind of everything. Close your eyes," she commanded softly.
Zuko stepped back suddenly, remembering what happened the last time someone had told him to close his eyes, that someone being a girl just like Katara.
"Are you going to do something to me?" he asked awkwardly.
Katara laughed slightly and cocked her brow. "No, I'm not. What would give you that idea?" He shook his head and sighed, closing his eyes.
"Nothing, just tell me what I need to do."
She made sure he was calm and let the silence overwhelm him for a moment. "Clear your mind of everything and then think of your flow of energy passing through your body and mind. Got it?" Zuko nodded shortly and Katara smiled. "Good. Try to see what it looks like in your mind. Is there a color or stream?" she asked hopefully.
"No, it's all black," he responded with irritation. Katara put her fingers over her mouth to hide her smile, but she didn't need to; his eyes were closed. A thought occurred to her and she pointed her palm towards the center of the room, recalling the light she had created.
"What about now? Remember to keep your mind open."
Her soothing voice calmed him somehow. His heartbeat slowed down and he felt her voice ring inside of his bones. Zuko's nostrils flared and his chest rose as he took a deep breath. His jaw dropped suddenly and his face seemed more alert. "I can see it… it's a red ribbon…" Zuko replied, his voice full of awe.
"Take your palm and raise it. Now spread your fingers and imagine the ribbon extending itself into every corner of the room, shedding its light so that you can see. All right, open your eyes."
He followed her instructions and let his arm drop to his side. "The room… where did the red glow come from?" he asked surprised. Zuko turned towards Katara and saw her warm smile in the soft light.
"You made it Zuko, don't be so shocked. If you were accepted into the temple, then I'm sure you can do this and more," Katara responded optimistically. He watched her braid dance around her back as she walked over to the puffy mats on the floor. A small flicker hooked his heart and Zuko stood back as he blushed. He shook his head and sat down across from her, his head buzzing with questions.
'How did I do that?" Zuko asked quietly.
"It's simple really. I'm not surprised that you got it on your first try. The first thing I learned when I came here was that we each have a special form of energy that allows us to bend. No one really knows about it though, except us," she finished, smiling slightly. He scratched his head and sighed, trying not to think too hard about it.
"How come I can do it though? I never had any special abilities," Zuko remarked. Katara turned towards him and tightened her jaw.
"You ask too many questions! How should I know why? You have that ability because you do, that's all there is to it. Now you just have to go to classes and learn how to use it."
There was a taunting silence while the two didn't say anything towards each other. In the dim ruby glow, whenever Katara looked at Zuko, his face seemed to be splashed with blood and she couldn't help but look away, the fear that ached in her body was coming back. She knew it was only light, but she couldn't help but feel endangered. Zuko saw her discomfort and finally spoke.
"Are you okay?"
"Oh yeah! I'm just fine! It's just… I've never seen a red glow before and it's… well it's very red…" Katara's voice trailed off and she looked away, her eyes round and sinking into her memories. Zuko's heart tugged in his chest and the words in his throat wanted to explode out into the air, so that he could comfort her in some way, tell her his reasons for everything he had done.
"Can you teach me something else then?" Zuko asked hesitantly. Katara looked up at him and then winced, seeing a vicious man with howling gold eyes instead of the ordinary Zuko she had helped recover that morning.
"I'm sorry… can we go back outside? I need some fresh air," she said while standing up. "Recall the light first though." Katara's legs lunged forward and she left Zuko standing there, not knowing what to do. Zuko growled with frustration as he looked around for a way to get rid of the light.
"How am I supposed to do this? She didn't tell me anything!" he yelled. Suddenly, a voice swept into the room and he dropped his jaw in shock.
"Pull the light back into you, for it is a part of you that you can control at will," it whispered. Panicked, he started to run towards the door, but then he stopped and recollected himself.
"No, I'm not going to run. I can do this."
He took a deep breath and then concentrated on the energy around him, imagining with his mind that he was pulling it back in. Zuko's arm became parallel to the ground and within a matter of seconds, the room was completely dark again except for the light streaming in from the open door. Once outside, he saw Katara with a couple of other people he recognized from before.
"Oh! Zuko! There you are!" said Laia as she bounced towards him. Her short hair swayed slightly as she grabbed onto his arm while laughing to herself. Zuko looked away awkwardly as she pulled on him. "Katara said that it was okay if we stole you away until lunch time! Sensei needed to talk with her so we'll show you around some more, won't we?" Laia looked at her friend and he patted Zuko on the back.
"Sorry we had to get you away from Katara. I bet you're a little dissapointed we interrupted whatever the two of you were doing!" The man chuckled but stopped short when Laia hit him on the head angrily.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean? I thought I told you a million times…" Zuko stopped paying attention to the quarrelsome people in front of him. Just ahead, he spotted Katara walking away, her head hanging a little. He walked towards her and then stopped, knowing that she wanted to be alone. His head spun as the sky was mixing into a dull gray sheet of clouds.
"What happened?" he asked himself quietly. They had been getting along well until they sat down and she had looked at him. He frowned as her figure disappeared. Zuko's eyes suddenly bulged as the man Laia was with bumped into him.
"Hey, don't look so down! I know you'll miss Katara but you'll still have loads of fun with us!" he said cheerfully.
"Yeah! Come on Zuko! We'll show you the second floor! It has all of the fun classes!" Laia replied, dragging him down the hall. Zuko repelled his arm and the three of them started walking. The man standing next to him sighed as he stretched his arms.
"What an awful day it…"
"I'm not going to miss her…" Zuko said quietly.
"Sure… whatever you say buddy," he replied sarcastically. Zuko looked away and followed them up the staircase, alone in his thoughts.
..::-::..
As promised, Katara found her way to the sensei's headquarters on the third level. She had never been given such an honorable call for a visit before and the vagueness of the message irritated her thoughts. Katara turned into a room with white oak doors and crept inside slowly. She outstretched her hand and let her light flow into it.
"Ah, welcome young water bender," said a sensei, sitting on the floor in the middle of the room. He was aged and his hair was thinning. A grey beard flowed down from his chin to his chest. Katara bowed deeply and then straightened her back.
"I am honored to be here. May I ask why it is you sent for me, sensei?"
"Please, sit down. As you may know, or may not, I am the second ranked sensei of this temple. There is one above me and then there are the Masters themselves. I am here to teach only the most talented students who I have watched progress over their stay. You, Katara, I have chosen to learn a skill that you might one day need."
She sat still, her heart hammering in her chest, wondering what he could be talking about.
"The war has ended, but there is something that many do not realize. There are forces beyond us that are still trying to spread evil in the world. Those forces are unknown to us and need to be stopped if ever encountered. That is why you are going to learn a form of bending that is so discreetly practiced, no one knows it exists."
"What kind of bending is it?" Katara asked timidly.
"As with all of the forms you have been taught here, you will now learn how to separate chi from itself, thus creating a division between forms of matter. However, this form is more complex as it requires you to expel an enemy's chi outside of their body."
Her hands rose to her mouth and she suppressed an audible gasp. The sensei closed his eyes and clasped his hands together.
"You will be learning how to exterminate the enemy without even lifting a finger. Katara, only a few have mastered this skill, but with your background I'm sure it will not be so difficult for you…"
"But how can I even think of doing that to someone? I'd never want to kill the enemy, just hurt them enough so they surrender!" she exclaimed loudly. A haunting chill passed through her bones and she shuddered as the wind swept around her. The sensei's eyes burst open and his voice boomed throughout the room.
"You will be taught, or you will face extermination yourself. Do you want evil to prevail? Are you going to sit by and watch the world crumble before your very eyes? I ask you once again Katara, what are you willing to do?"
Tears reached the surface of her eyes and they glazed over, but not one tear was shed. She looked at him with determination and then bowed her head.
"I will learn, sensei. I won't let evil destroy the world."
..::-::..
The dull tone resounded and Jet stumbled out of the class, quickly running through the halls, looking from door to door for any sign of her. He hadn't seen Katara since breakfast in the Gathering Hall and he was worried.
"Maybe she went to get some food," he mused to himself. Jet ran the other way, hoping to see Katara near the courtyard.
On the other side of the lunch line, Zuko stood with the chatting pair from before, also thinking about Katara. He wasn't really worried about her though, just curious to know her whereabouts.
"What are you thinking about Zuko?" Laia asked, interrupting his thoughts.
"Huh? Oh, nothing," he replied blandly. She eyed him and then laughed pulling him further down the line.
"The food for lunch is a lot better than in the morning, so I'm sure you'll like it!"
"Yeah, it should be better then," he responded without a care. Suddenly, Zuko glanced over towards the entrance and saw a long braid swinging back and forth. His eyes widened and then the excitement of the moment passed; Katara was walking over to Jet. For a second, Zuko's jealousy clenched his fists but then he let it go. Those two were friends, and Katara had only spent time with him before because she was ordered to.
"Katara! Where have you been?" Jet asked with a forceful voice.
She scratched her neck and then looked up at the sky. The round circle of the halls towering above blurred her vision as she tried to remember. Katara looked back at him and shrugged, not being able to recall anything. "I don't know actually. One minute I was with Zuko and then the next..." Jet's right eyebrow rose in resentful curiosity.
"Oh? You were with Zuko?"
"Yeah, the gate keeper told me I had to help him learn about the temple…" she said distantly, trying to recall the memory of what had happened after that and before talking to Jet. He sighed and then nodded, realizing that there wasn't anything going on between the two of them.
"All right then, let's go get some food! I'm starving!" he exclaimed. They walked over to the line and Katara saw Zuko talking with Laia from before. Her gaze grew hotter as they passed each other. That girl was flirting way too much with a stranger like Zuko. She knew nothing about him and yet she was flinging herself at him, literally. As they reached the end of the line, Jet noted her anger.
"What's wrong?" Jet asked.
"Nothing's wrong, I just don't like that girl over there. She's being so obnoxious!" Katara said furiously.
Jet glanced down the line and saw the girl with the short hair talking loudly with Zuko. He smirked and then looked back at Katara's scowling face. "You mean the one that's talking with Zuko? I think there's nothing wrong with that. Why are you so angry? They're just talking Katara, why would that bother you?"
Her mouth dropped as did her folded arms and then she closed her lips tightly, letting the suspicion flow out of her like an opened river. She sighed as they moved forward.
"I just don't like her, okay? I never did."
"Suit yourself. Would you look at that? They're better friends than I thought! They're eating over there by that long tree, see?"
Katara looked where he was pointing and saw Laia sitting with Zuko on the ground. The nerve of that girl was simply unwavering and Katara had enough of it. Jet ordered the small bowl of dumplings and sighed.
"We have to share this. There wasn't enough for two of us," he said somewhat sadly. Katara turned her attention to Jet finally and laughed at his pouting face. She grabbed his arm and they walked over to a low table in the middle of the courtyard with other students. Zuko surveyed Katara's appearance with Jet and he grumbled softly to himself. He never knew what they were constantly laughing about, but it seemed like she was much happier being with Jet than she would ever be if she was near his horrid face.
"And then I thought, why not try and drop it from the roof? So we ran up the tower and dropped the pies onto the people passing by underneath! It was hilarious! You should have seen their faces Zuko!" Laia laughed loudly to herself as his gaze wandered through the courtyard. She slowly realized he wasn't paying attention and then she growled angrily. "Zuko? Zuko! I'm talking to you!"
"Huh? Oh, sorry. What were you saying?" he asked while sighing. Laia clenched her fists and stood up immediately. Zuko's face opened in shock as she picked up her food.
"You know, I thought you were cute before, but you're just a jerk! You don't even listen to me when I'm speaking! I've never met anyone as rude as you before!" With that said, she marched away, leaving giggling on lookers to stare after her and then towards an embarrassed Zuko.
Farther away, Katara and Jet were taking turns eating from their bowl of food. A howling breeze blew by and Jet slid down towards Katara so that he could shield her. Katara smiled at him and took the last bite.
"You want to go to my next class with me? I was thinking of going to one of the basic levels," Jet said while stretching.
She nodded as they stood up and smiled. "Okay. I was hoping to do something a bit less challenging." Jet narrowed his gaze and then looked away, ashamed. Katara quickly realized her mistake and put her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, it's just that sometimes I forget that you can't bend. We've been here so long together that it's like you're the same level as me."
Turning towards her, his grin widened and then he bowed his head. "I accept your apology. Katara, I know you're more powerful than I will ever be, but I think that maybe one day I'll be able to get into a white level class. I just have to keep training." She beamed at him as they left the courtyard. Zuko watched them leave, walking as closely as possible beside one another. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The growing taunt in his flickering heartbeat was confusing him more and more as each second passed. Suddenly, the tone signaled that classes were going to start and Zuko stood up hurriedly, following a group of students. All he knew was that he needed to get to a class, it didn't matter which one it was. Katara and Jet had disappeared from his view. He hurried through a pair of black doors and no sooner had he entered did he see them both again. Their backs were turned away from him and he groaned slightly. The bell sang through the empty halls like a mourning song and there was no turning back. He'd have to face them sooner or later.
The room was lit brightly, a bunch of students in black robes swaying about it, trying to find a seat. Zuko found one towards the room's entrance and leaned against the wall sighing, letting his frustrations out like the sweeping wind. The sensei stood in the middle, his long hair hanging down his head, nothing holding it back. He smiled widely, a broom in his hand. The class settled down and a few whispers were silenced while the sensei spoke.
"Good afternoon class! Today is a special day because we are going to cleanse the mind of its impurities!"
"Ha, and you need a broom to do that?" croaked a man in the back, his friends laughing at his remark. The sensei raised his eye and then suddenly threw the broom at the man who had made the joke. He caught it right before it hit his chest and then he stood up awkwardly.
"If you're so smart, I'm guessing you know what to do then?" the sensei asked knowingly. The man laughed hesitantly and then looked at the broom, finally deciding to sweep the floor in front of him. A few snickers rounded the room and then sensei clapped slowly.
"Bravo. You have shown us step one of the cleansing ritual. You may throw that back this way if you will." The man shrugged and did as he was told. Using only one hand, the sensei grabbed the flying broom and everyone stared in shock. He brought the bristles towards the ground and then pointed towards the sides of the room. "Everyone may take a broom and then stand wherever you choose."
Katara brought over two brooms, one for her and the other for Jet. He tipped his head slightly in a thank you and she smiled, her eyes glowing. She hadn't done this in a while and she was glad they had chosen this class for the afternoon.
"All right, for those of you who are new to this, listen carefully. Take the broom and start sweeping the floor as our fellow student demonstrated. Good, now as you continue this motion, hold onto the broom tightly and close your eyes. Look for the inner part of you that holds your river of chi."
The room was filled with soft scraping brushes sliding against the floor and occasionally a broom would hit another, but other than that, it seemed as if they had fallen into an ocean's waves. Zuko realized what the sensei meant because of what Katara had taught him. He quickly found the ribbon like before and smiled at his accomplishment. On the other side of the room, Jet sighed, and Katara bit her lip, knowing that this wasn't something that Jet could do.
"I'm sorry," she whispered to him.
"It's okay Katara. Don't worry about it."
Everyone kept continuing the motion until the sensei's words filled the room once more.
"Now that everyone has found their own ribbon, spiral it down the broom and onto the floor. Let the ribbon become brushed by your broom as if you were sweeping away the dirt and grime held on it. Once you have done that, put your broom down gently, keeping close watch on your ribbon. And now, take your hands and let them flow through the air, folding this part of ourselves into a compact little lake, as I like to call it!"
He laughed quietly at his own joke, no one else finding it remotely entertaining. Katara sighed, having done this numerous times before. Suddenly, she jerked her eyes open as she felt a tug on her ribbon. Her gaze followed the ribbon as it swept across the room. She hadn't known it was extended out so far. This time, she began to recoil it and she told Jet she'd be back shortly. In and out of the maze of students she darted, and Katara stopped, finally seeing the problem. Someone's ribbon was tangled with her own. She looked up and then gasped, losing her concentration. Zuko was standing in front of her, obviously for the same reason.
"You?" they both asked simultaneously. They each narrowed their gaze and folded their arms as the sensei was making his rounds and happened to come near them. The anger was bursting in the air between them and their bodies were as alert as an owl before hunting its prey. Just one word and there would be an explosion.
"My, oh my! It looks like there's a bit of an entanglement between the two of you, if I do say so myself!" the sensei commented heartily.
"Entanglement? It's more like a giant ball of seaweed!" Katara bellowed. Zuko's chest burst out in an unbelievable reproach. She eyed him and raised her eyebrow.
"It looks more like an old ball of tumbleweed!" Zuko remarked, trying to sound more dominant than her.
"Oh! You think so? Sensei, what does it look like to you? Seaweed or tumbleweed?" she asked forcefully. He backed away slightly, waving his hands in front of his chest, a tear of sweat dripping down his forehead. Katara folded her arms more tightly. She didn't know how her ribbon got tied into Zuko's. It was something she had never expected.
"My, this is very interesting isn't it? I'm not sure what it looks like really, but I do know there is a reason this happened."
Suddenly, the whole class was silent and focusing onto the pair in the middle of the room. Everyone stood away in a circle, Jet looking at Katara with a grin on his face. Zuko calmed down slightly; at least this meant there was a way to fix the situation. In all of her times doing this, Katara had never had this kind of a problem before, so she listened obediently.
"This is a great lesson for all of you, so pay close attention! It is said that while cleansing your river of chi in the same room as another with similar inner conflicts, they will become entwined. This is what happened here. The only way to resolve this is for the two of you to simply discuss each other's problems. Go ahead, say what's on your mind!"
Katara turned towards Zuko with immediate shock. Likewise, he was stunned and didn't know what to do. She rubbed her arm awkwardly and then sighed.
"This is so pointless."
"I don't know what he's talking about," Zuko commented.
"Right. I don't have any problems. Do you?" asked Katara expectantly.
"No, I don't."
They looked down at the floor and squinted to see if their chi was still in a fuzzy ball. Katara bent down and picked it up with her hands. Zuko pulled on his fiery strand and Katara lunged forward on her face. The crowd of students whispered and some laughed. She picked herself up and then stood up to face Zuko who didn't know how to react.
"What was that for?" she asked demandingly.
"I didn't do anything. I just wanted to pull my ribbon back."
"Oh, so you clearly didn't see that it was still tangled and that I was holding onto it?"
Zuko shrugged and looked down at the floor. "Sorry. Your ribbon was in my way."
Katara took a deep breath and then put her hands on her hips. "Actually, I think you need to talk it over with Mr. Condescending and try to get your ribbon away from mine."
Zuko raised a brow and squinted at her. "Condescending? That's what you think of my chi?"
"Yes, yes I do! Is there a problem with how I interpret your ribbon? I think that it gets in the way too much, like a set of sparks," she concluded, proud of herself and her comment.
"At least my ribbon is stronger than yours. Your ribbon is weak and gentle. We should probably just cut it out of mine," said Zuko with a deep and powerful voice.
"What? I'm not weak! I can figure this out myself! I don't need you or anyone else to tell me what to do!"
She yelled and stomped her feet as the blood rushed through her body and into her fists. A sudden blue flare lit up around her and the students all ducked as its wind burst out of her hands and hit the walls of stacked brooms. Her ribbon suddenly came undone and was flying around her wildly, like a funnel of water encircling her frame. Katara breathed slowly and closed her eyes, willing her chi back inside of her mind. Zuko stared at her incredulously and watched in shock as his own ribbon vanished into thin air like a popping flame. He felt it reform inside of his body and then he curled his fingers as Jet ran towards a swaying Katara.
"Are you okay?" Jet asked as he caught her by the shoulders. She smiled slightly and then sighed.
"I'm fine. It's okay," she said.
"No, it is not okay! Look what you've done to my class!" the sensei squealed in horror.
Katara stood up and gazed around her. All of the students were heading out of the class, bitterly talking amongst themselves. Mats were plastered everywhere, and the brooms had flown out of their original places. Some were frayed at the edges, some were broken in half. Katara bit her lip and hung her head low.
"I'm so sorry sensei. This won't happen again, I promise," she said quietly.
"I'll make sure it won't. As punishment for using white level technique in a class with mostly black level students, and for destroying the classroom itself, you will stay and clean this room so that it is back to its original state. Understood?"
"Yes sensei," Katara said, sulking. The teacher walked over to Zuko and patted him on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry you had to bear that. No wonder her chi was wound up with yours… I think she has some inner conflicts she needs to deal with," he whispered into his ear. Katara eyed the teacher and Zuko, who stood motionlessly, listening to every word she wished she could hear. Jet sighed and patted Katara on the back.
"Nice work Katara. I think you really scared him off. You should have seen his face! It's too bad that you have to clean the room up though. So I'll see you at dinner then?" he asked optimistically.
"No you will not. Added to her punishment, I will not permit her to eat dinner tonight. She needs to learn patience and proper behavior. This was simply an outrage! I would think that a white level student would have more manners! Hmph!" and with that, the teacher walked out of the room. Jet followed suit and then Katara was left alone with Zuko. He didn't say anything and an eerie moment of silence passed between them. Katara bent her head and sniffed shortly as the spreading dust reached her eyes. As he was walking out of the room, Zuko thought he heard a muffled cry, but it could have just been his imagination.
..::-::..
The Gathering Hall was packed to its edges in students that night. It seemed like everyone was there, except for Katara. Jet quickly found a seat towards the end of the room and sat down facing the wall. Similarly, Zuko was able to find a spot where no one else was sitting. He had managed to get through the rest of the day without seeing that annoying Laia girl who he had bumped into earlier. With this thought, he sat down in the shadowed prison where the small table was isolated.
"What are you doing here?" a deep voice asked. Zuko recognized it quickly enough and turned his head to the left, peering into the dim light to make out Jet's face. He squinted and then glanced the other way.
"I don't need a reason to sit here, do I?"
"No, you don't, but it's rather interesting that we chose the same place to eat, isn't it?" Jet asked while fiddling with his noodles. Zuko remained silent and gulped down his soup quickly, wiping away the edges of his mouth with his sleeve. "It's hard to believe that we were almost like brothers once," Jet commented pensively. Zuko spat out what was in his mouth and turned towards him in complete anger.
"What? You and I were never brothers," he retorted with a flash of fire in his palms. Jet raised his eyebrow curiously and then sighed as the flames flickered away. A few people turned their heads from the closest table, and then looked away quickly while Zuko calmed down. He sat down and bent his head over the cold rice.
"I said almost brothers. Back then, you seemed like a normal person, but I was wrong. But it was a long time ago, and I've been trying to forget the past lately, so I'll try to forget what you've done before." Jet stood up and began to walk away from the table. Zuko's hands were still clenched and his back was arched over the table as if readying himself for attack. Every inch of his body was anxiously awaiting the signal to pounce on the guy who brought up the painful memories of Zuko's past. "We made a good team, you and I, but there's a difference between us, because unlike you, I would never hurt Katara."
Zuko immediately let go of his clenched anger as he pulled back, stunned. His eyes widened and words couldn't form in his throat. He looked at Jet's disappearing figure and then took a deep breath, looking back at his food. Jet's comment tugged at his mind, pulling him into a swirling cloud of confusion. Zuko didn't understand what Jet meant; he hadn't hurt Katara, if anything, she was the one who had won most of their duels. Suddenly, Zuko stood up and took his tray in his tight grip. He looked around carefully before slipping into the shadows.
After shuffling through the brooms for an hour or two, Katara finished cleaning the room she had wrecked. She wiped her forehead and went through the door, closing it behind her with a heavy thud. A dull drifting mist hovered across the clouds in the sky and she stood near the railing for a moment, looking down into the courtyard below her. A few students were walking towards their respective rooms as the lights down below were extinguishing. Without a choice, Katara walked down the spiraling staircase and found herself on the first floor. Distant cricket chirps echoed in the soft breeze as she made her way to her room quietly and alone. A chill darted up her spine as Katara turned right and away from the open area of the temple. She found her room and took shelter in its warmth. However, as soon as she walked a few steps forward, a knock on the door halted her steps. Curiously, she ran towards the door and opened it wide. Expecting someone to be there, she smiled but the projected greeting turned into a puzzled mark that painted her scowl.
"Who's playing tricks on me now? Is it you Gin? Or maybe it's Hinto?" Katara called out into the empty hall. There was no response and she looked around, straining to see if she could spot any movement. However there was none, so she walked back into the shining light of her room. Just as she was about to step inside, Katara noticed the tray on the floor. Her eyes widened and her stomach immediately growled. With a quick glance in both directions, Katara made sure no one was watching. She took the tray inside and closed the door to her room. Outside in the hall, Zuko stood waiting behind a pillar. As soon as he heard the door shut, a small smile appeared on his lips. He quickly darted away, letting his bangs cover his piercing golden eyes.
Inside her room, Katara stared at the meal with awe. Someone from her class must have sympathized with her and brought some food back to her room. As she chewed on the cold noodles and rice, her mouth watered and even though it wasn't the most delicious meal she had ever eaten, it tasted like a feast to her hallow stomach. She was done in a few minutes and was about to put away the tray when she spotted a piece of folded paper under one of the plates. Her fingers unfolded it gradually and then her eyes widened.
'I'm sorry,' was all the note said. Katara stared at the bit of torn paper incredulously while she ran the sentence through her head hundreds of times in a row. It could have been Jet, but then again, there was no need for secrecy between the two of them. Suddenly, her lips parted and she gasped as she realized who it had been.
"Zuko…" she whispered as a slight tinge colored her face. Katara smiled as her heart began to feel warmer. There was no one else who would have needed to apologize to her and who would have left the meal secretly. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a wall broke down, leaving a tiny hole for her desired trust to build in its place.
..::-::..
A quick knock signaled urgency as Mayuri always knew it to be. She quickly put on her crimson night robe and her slippers as she walked up to answer the door. Her head twisted around to make sure Taiko had not awoken. A loud snore emitted from his chest and she smiled, turning back around, her hair flying away from her head like a spinning skirt. Her feet shuffled through their house on the uppermost level and she opened the door slowly to let in only a stream of light.
"Who comes at this late hour?" she asked in a forceful whisper.
"It is Rafik, my Master," the sensei said in a low voice. Mayuri opened the door fully and let the man inside. She closed it lightly and then motioned him towards a room to the side where there was a low wooden table and puffy green pillows next to it. They sat down and Mayuri closed her eyes, touching the leaves of a tall bamboo plant near the sliding doorway. A soft light emerald glow grew in the room and then she sat down across from the sensei.
"What significant news do you bring me?" she asked after yawning slightly.
Rafik fidgeted and then looked up at Mayuri bravely. "Master, there was an incident in one of my lessons earlier today. One of the female students had used white technique in a clearly dominant black population."
"I don't see the importance of this," she commented, thoroughly unexcited.
"Please hear me out. Yes, it seems like an ordinary misfortune for the girl to behave so, but as I stood next to her, the power seemed to be growing almost infinitely and I was worried that my students would become harmed. I am not sure if she has found a way into the Art of Knowing yet, but her power was dangerous to say the least," he concluded grimly.
Mayuri's sleepy eyes suddenly became fully alert as she remembered the overwhelming tiredness she had felt earlier that day. She had felt it the day before as well.
"Do you know who the woman is?" she asked desperately.
"I'm not sure. I've seen her around many times but haven't interacted with her in a learning environment too often. Yet, the man she was having difficulties with I have also not seen that much of. I suppose he is new around here. I didn't sense a great amount of chi from him while this happened, but just as she started yelling in frustration, I thought I sensed his level grow with hers. However, I could be mistaken."
Mayuri looked down at her hands quickly and then curled her fingers tightly. Her powers were fluctuating, she could feel it, and it had been happening constantly after the reading. She lunged forward suddenly and then slammed her hands on the table, startling the man.
"Tell me what she looks like!" Mayuri demanded.
Rafik swallowed hard and then stammered. "She… she's got darker skin… and… and a long braid of dark brown hair!"
Mayuri sat back, stunned. "So it's her… that pest. She was near me when I felt it last time and if what you're saying is true…" Mayuri stood up suddenly and turned around, her robe draping around her shoulders loosely. Rafik chuckled, slightly embarrassed and then bowed his head.
"What action would you like me to take Master?" he asked steadily.
She waved him away as she slid the door open. "You have done the right thing by informing me of this woman. Go to sleep and forget it ever happened."
He dropped his jaw in shock and was about to protest but she disappeared from his view and a door next to him opened, leading him to a staircase down to the front entrance. Rafik sighed and then walked away from her presence. Mayuri pushed the wall back into place and then let her hand slide away from the cold stone. She griped her robe and then looked towards the flickering dim light of her bedroom where her husband slept peacefully.
"I won't let her take away my power. I don't know who she is and why I haven't known about her until now, but I swear to you Taiko, we will win this fight no matter what."
A/N: (wipes forehead) Phew! That was a long one! It a lot of hours to do haha… anyways, some things to clear up:
Mayuri originally was an earthbender, but learned to manipulate fire as well… while Taiko is a waterbender who learned to manipulate air…
Students don't have a tight schedule, it's not a normal school… as long as they are doing something to benefit their learning, it's considered ok for them to do.
The robes are just like what they usually wear just black :P
Hmm… can't think of much more right now, except that the "Art of Knowing" will be described more in the next chapter :P So then, what'd ya think?? What do you like/not like about this chapter or the fic in general? Reviews/comments/feedback are like candy after dinner :D Thanks so much for reading!!
Have an awesome day!!
-Monika-