Dying To Survive
Chapter 8 – Egos
"Conflict brings out the best and worst of us."
..::-::..
The rain was whispering softly, never stopping once while the small flames flickered in the cave. Jet held Laia's stare and then shifted in place as he leaned forward and let his hands fall into his lap. She suddenly felt the heat overwhelm her as his forceful eyes buried into her soul. Out of all the times she had seen Jet, Laia never saw his gaze as serious as it was now.
"Are you okay?" he asked her.
Laia let out a deep breath and nodded quickly. "I'm fine. I'm just worried about them," she said and looked at Zuko and Katara. Jet did the same and then stared back at her. The worry was genuine and shining on her forlorn face. He curled his fingers and then took his courage and said his thoughts in the open.
"I'm not sure what would have happened if you hadn't been there… and did whatever you did…" he said quietly. Laia turned to face him, her jaw skewed slightly. His mouth was tight and she wasn't sure what he meant by his comment. He could have been admitting that she was stronger than she seemed, or he could have been admitting his weakness. Laia cleared her throat and then looked into the fire.
"I just did what I had to do. We were all attacked and I just acted on instinct. It's the only way to survive out here," she said.
"Still, what you did… I've never seen something like that before."
There was a pause as Jet sighed and looked down at the ground, closing his eyes momentarily before looking back at her. In that second, the memories of his feelings fleeted before him, and strengthened as he realized what a powerful person Laia had become. But there was nothing there anymore; the place in his heart had been emptied because of her rejection. Now he understood that she was just a friend.
"You're lucky you can bend, and that you can do it so well. I've got my swords but… I wouldn't have made it in time. Someone else might have gotten hurt," Jet said and then narrowed his gaze. Laia felt the tension rise in her chest and she suddenly felt a jab in her heart. Jet raised his eyebrow and stood up slowly. "What's wrong?" he asked patiently.
Laia gripped her throat gently and then relaxed, letting her hand fall to her side as Jet loomed over her. She looked up and shook her head. "Nothing's wrong." He stared at her for another moment and then walked past the fire as Laia glanced at Zuko. His forehead was wet and he barred his teeth in pain as he winced with his eyes closed. It seemed like he was having a nightmare, so Laia got up and wiped his forehead of the sweat. Her hair fell into her face and then she turned around as she heard a deep sigh. Jet was bending over Katara, tending to her as well. He reached for her hair hesitantly, not knowing whether he should stroke it or not. In the end, he made up his mind and Laia watched him tenderly gaze at her while his fingers brushed the loose strands of hair aside. A knot formed in her throat and she swallowed hard to get rid of it. Jet didn't seem to care about her as much as before. He really wasn't interested in her anymore, and that was beginning to drive her up a wall. Laia clutched onto Zuko's clothes without realizing and then she let go when he stirred. She stood up and Jet looked at her. Suddenly, they both turned towards the entrance of the cave as the little boy began playing his flute again.
After a few long notes vibrated through the air and the dissipating rain, he scratched his head and sighed.
"Those two can rest here. No one knows about this place except me. Are you two ready to get some food?" he asked vibrantly. Laia and Jet stared at each other and shrugged their shoulders.
"Okay… I've gotten a bit hungry actually," Laia said. She stepped outside of the cave and Jet followed, but not before one last look at the sleeping pair near the fire. He looked down and then treaded out of the foliage covered cave. The rain wasn't falling as much as before and Jet looked at the boy who skipped through the forest, jumping over puddles and turning quickly before Jet could notice.
"Hey, you! Where are we going exactly?" Jet yelled after him.
The boy smiled and then waved. "The river of course! Where else would we get food?" Jet sighed and ran with Laia to catch up to him.
Inside of the cave, the fire was growing weaker. The soft silence floated above Zuko as he slowly opened his eyes. He groaned as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. Zuko looked around bewildered, not knowing where he was. Then he saw the body lying across from the fire and his eyes widened. He got up and staggered over to her; she was so still and peaceful that it haunted him. Zuko's breath was heavy and it weighed his body down, making him arch his back as his shaking hands reached for Katara's cheek. He looked around to make sure no one was there and then his fingertips brushed against her warm skin. She sighed and Zuko withdrew his arm right away, afraid she would wake up. Her lips spread apart and Katara rolled over so that she was sprawled against the ground. He narrowed his gaze and closed his eyes as his racing heart calmed down. Zuko watched again and finally realized that his arm wasn't hurting anymore. Quickly, he lifted his sleeve and saw just a faint mark where the arrow had hit him. Zuko clenched his fists remembering how close Katara was to getting hit. All that mattered now though was that she was safe.
"Looks like you're feeling better Zuko," a little boy said. Zuko kneeled in front of Katara and spread his arms in a ready stance to attack him. Although he was just a little boy, Zuko saw the glistening knife around his neck and knew that he could be his enemy.
"Who are you? What do you want with us?" Zuko asked fiercely. Katara stirred behind him and Zuko glanced back and snarled. He would protect her even from this unknown stranger. Suddenly, the boy laughed and pointed his flute at Zuko's chest. Zuko leaned back in surprise.
"You don't have nice manners for an adult, do you?" he said slyly. Two more people came in through the entrance and into the dim light. Zuko narrowed his eyes and then sat back down as he saw Laia and Jet come in and put down a pile of fish. Laia raised her eyebrow and folded her arms.
"Zuko, you seem a bit worried… don't tell me this little guy is the cause of that!" she said happily and ruffled the flute player's hair. Zuko looked to the side with no amusement in his eyes. Jet narrowed his eyes as he sat down and stared at the close proximity between Zuko and Katara. It seemed like Katara hadn't moved much since they had left, but Zuko had definitely moved closer towards her for some reason unknown to him.
"Is one of you going to tell me what happened?" Zuko asked and stared at both Jet and Laia. Jet sighed and flicked his thumb in the direction of the boy leaning against the vines and crooked branches.
"This guy helped us find this cave once we escaped. Katara took us down the river and we got you in here so she could heal you. She fainted from exhaustion because of that, so you should be thankful she saved your life," Jet said flatly.
"What do you mean?" Zuko asked. Laia shifted and looked at Zuko painfully, remembering the past few hours all in a few seconds.
"The arrow was poisoned," she told him. Zuko widened his eyes and turned towards Katara quickly. He scooted closer to her and watched her beautiful sleep overtaking her. Jet growled so quietly that no one heard except for him.
"You shouldn't be so close to her. Let her sleep," Jet demanded softly. Zuko ignored him and touched Katara's closed hand. She immediately began to waken from her sleep and she turned around to face Zuko without knowing it. He wasn't sure what to do now that she was waking up, but before he could react, her eyes flashed open and to his surprise, she smiled softly. Her fingers intertwined with his and she sighed, closing her eyes again. Zuko helped her sit up and then he let go of her.
"Are you okay?" he whispered to her. They were so close to each other that Katara could feel the heat radiating off of his face. She wanted to desperately reach for him but it didn't matter because her body wouldn't move. Zuko's eyes reached for her soul but she resisted even though she wanted nothing more than to collapse into his arms. Her smile vanished as she saw their audience on the other side of the fire. She moved away and looked away from him.
"I'm fine. Is your arm better now?" she asked.
"Yes… thank you for healing it…" Zuko said, somewhat confused by her abrupt leave. Jet looked intently into Katara's face and she got up to sit next to him. While she stood up, Katara took another look at Zuko and sneered at him.
"I wouldn't have had to heal it if you didn't run into me. I don't need you to protect me," Katara said stiffly. Zuko's eyes broadened and then he stared at her coldly.
"Just so you know, I wasn't protecting you. I accidentally tripped," Zuko stated as Katara looked away. Laia watched Zuko's face harden and she sighed. She knew he was lying and he was horrible at it. Within this tense atmosphere, an eruption of song boomed over their heads as the boy played a sorrowful tune. He finished quickly and looked at Zuko tauntingly. Zuko clenched his fists and buried them in his sleeves. "Who are you? Do you have a name? And can you stop playing that flute? It's unnecessary."
The boy sighed cheerfully and then waved his hands in the air.
"Okay then! I will tell you about my mystery! I promised Laia I'd tell her my name once all of you were awake so I'll start now!" He pushed himself off of the wall and stood firmly, looking at each puzzled face slowly. "My name… is Hyoku. I have lived for ten and one years, but secretly it's more than that. I go no where without my flute and I'm very powerful."
Zuko snorted and placed his hands on his knees while he leaned forward. "So what kind of bender are you?" Hyoku raised his eyebrow and walked over to Zuko who was still sitting. Hyoku's height daunted over him then, and he put a hand on his hip.
"I'm not a bender. I'm a musician… a very powerful one…" he said in a dark voice. Laia stared at him in awe and clapped her hands to her mouth. Katara forgot about everything that had happened and listened eagerly. Jet, much like Zuko, wasn't falling for the little child's performance. Laia pulled on Hyoku's dirty arm and pointed at the flute eagerly.
"What happens when you play?" she asked curiously.
Hyoku's face lit up with a smile and he nodded as he lifted the wood to his lips.
"I can control the storm," he said quietly. Zuko was about to retort when a swift raging onslaught of notes caught the air and mesmerized it. No sooner than when he finished, a loud crack shattered the forest above them and the leaves fell from the roof of the cave as the air shook with thunder. Rain came pounding through the trees and onto the ground outside. Hyoku let his flute fall to his side and he smirked as he saw Katara cowering in Jet's embrace. Zuko eyed them instantly and his face grew warm. She slowly withdrew and looked into Jet's eyes as she automatically regretted her reaction to the storm's surprise. There was hope in Jet's eyes but she quickly put it out as she glared at him. He chuckled and they both knew that just because she hugged him, it didn't mean she felt a certain way. Laia was whimpering and holding onto Hyoku's ankles tightly. Zuko dragged her away and she shrieked as another distant grumble of thunder echoed in the sky.
"You're amazing! Hyoku… are you a spirit? I can't believe I've finally met one! Oh!" She dramatically flung her arms in front of her and bowed her head all the way down to the ground. Zuko pulled her back sharply and glared at her.
"Will you stop acting so childish? He can't control the weather! It was just a coincidence!" he barked. Laia flashed him an angry glare and she poked him sharply in the ribs with her fist. Zuko winced and she laughed.
"Well I control your actions, partner, so don't mess with me!" she said teasingly and then grabbed his arm, twisting it playfully. Zuko suddenly yelled in pain and she let go at once, her face draining of its color within a moment. He clutched onto his arm and rocked forward as Katara hesitantly walked up to him. She knelt by his side as Zuko wrapped his clothing around the bleeding hole. Zuko saw that it was Katara by him and not Laia and for a second, he was motionless but then he moved away and hunched his back.
"I don't need your help," he told Katara. She shut her eyes slightly and then pulled on his arm forcefully. He tried pulling it back but she wouldn't let go. A trail of water slipped into the cave as it suspended in midair. Her fingers trapped it and then grazed over the almost closed hole. Zuko watched in shock as she treated him with little effort. The bleeding stopped and Laia sighed thankfully. Katara let go of his arm and looked straight into his eyes.
"Don't be so stubborn next time," she said. "I can heal it better than you can." They locked stares and after a few seconds, Katara started to feel dizzy. She remembered what was happening to her and she quickly looked away, breathing heavily, not wanting anything to do with death just yet. Katara took one deep breath and stared into the fire, averting everyone's gaze. "It doesn't matter who Hyoku is, but he helped us and I'm grateful. But what's more important is finding out who our enemy is," Katara concluded and then looked at Laia. Her firebending friend nodded grimly and Jet scratched his chin in deep thought. All was silent when Zuko interrupted everyone's thoughts and sighed.
"It was a Yuu Yan archer from the Fire Nation. I'm sure," he said. Katara looked at him and then at Laia whose eyes widened in recognition.
"You're sure Zuko? But why would they attack us?" she asked.
"Like you said before, they probably don't want us to travel together," Jet responded. Laia looked at him and nodded slowly.
"But what's their reason for that?" Katara said. "The war is over now. Unless... someone who was for the war is still upset about it… I helped the Avatar master waterbending and I helped…defeat the Fire Lord…" she said this slowly, making sure not to look at Zuko when she said it. He glanced at Katara as she continued speaking. "I'm sure now… someone wants me dead."
The words struck a blow at everyone and Katara looked up at Hyoku who was listening quietly. His tale of being a storm bender had been suppressed as grown up matters were discussed. She stood up and walked over to him.
"Do you know anything about this? It seems like you've lived in this forest for a long time," she said.
"I come and go, but yeah… I pretty much live here. It's my home. But I don't know anything about that guy who attacked you," Hyoku said. Katara sighed and turned back to face Laia who was also standing now.
"Katara, I don't know why someone would want to kill you. I know it doesn't seem like it, but the Fire Nation got rid of the rebellions after the Fire Lord was killed. The Yuu Yan archers started to serve the nation's needs, not their own, and their leader was taken care of as well. So that can't be the reason. No one in the Fire Nation really knows it was you anyways," she said and put a hand on her shoulder. Katara smiled gently at her new friend. Zuko bent his head so that his hair covered his eyes. He was deep in thought and then he realized that there could possibly be someone out there who wanted to kill Katara. He stood up and shook his head.
"She's right. My uncle makes sure that nothing goes wrong," he said. Jet stood up, feeling a bit left out. Just as he was going to make a remark on the situation, Hyoku set something into the fire so that it burned more. The fish were roasting and everyone stopped thinking and sat back down. Drops of rain constantly showered through the forest and they ate their dinner in silence and deep thought. Almost an hour had gone by and the darkness outside was starting to feel consuming. Katara shivered as a breeze blew into the cave and left her empty inside. Her life wasn't getting any better as the moments went on. Jet tapped her on the shoulder and rested his hand there.
"Katara? You know that I won't let anything happen to you, so don't think about it, okay?" he asked with a warm smile. She suddenly felt the strain inside of her release and she cried into his chest as she let him embrace her. He stroked her hair as they stood near the cave's entrance, away from everyone else. Jet whispered into her ear and the tears suddenly stopped. "I know you don't want to say what's really making you so tired, but I remember what you said and I'm here if you need any kind of help." Katara stepped away from him and wiped her face so that it was dry. She nodded and then went back inside the cave. Jet sighed as he watched her disappear into the shadows, but then his eyes widened. Laia stretched her arm out and yawned as her fingers touched Zuko's cheeks. He swept her hand away swiftly and turned away from her. She did the same and the space between them near the fire broadened. Jet clenched his teeth as he saw how close the two of them were sleeping. But his view was distorted and the space between Laia and Zuko was a lot bigger than he thought. Jet saw Hyoku curl up close to Katara and he sighed, looking out into the drifting rain that seemed to never stop. There was only a haze left and the forest was hidden in the night's dark empire.
..::-::..
The stars sparkled vividly near the temple as Taiko opened the window. To his surprise, a hawk was perched on the railing outside and he had a message attached to his back. Taiko grabbed the message quickly and read it in the dimming fire light. His eyes widened and then he stormed away to find Mayuri. He slammed open a door and found Mayuri in front of a mirror brushing her hair. She gasped when his rage flew through the room and he thrust the paper into her hands.
"Read that!" he demanded.
Her eyes scanned the words and then she gasped again, followed by an angry scowl.
"How could someone be ruining our plans? I thought no one knew what we were doing!" she exclaimed. Taiko held his breath and then exhaled as he took the scroll back.
"Perhaps those two have a past that isn't dealt with, and now… someone wants to clear things up," Taiko said with a smirk. "I will check to see if the assassination attempt on the waterbender went through. Seeing as it was the Yuu Yan who was after them, I highly doubt that they were anything but successful… but… still, I hope for our sake they were not."
Mayuri nodded grimly and closed her eyes as she and her husband joined hands. They searched through the forest for any signs of power and when they felt it, their inner eye saw the four travelers sleeping peacefully in a cave. There was a little boy as well, but it wasn't of importance and they immediately came back to their own bodies. Mayuri opened her eyes and squeezed her husband's hands with joy flashing in her eyes.
"They are not harmed!" she said jubilantly. Taiko sighed and smiled as well.
"It seems like luck is on our side."
..::-::..
The next morning, Jet was eager to get out of the forest as quickly as possible, unlike Katara, who saw no need in rushing. Zuko and Laia agreed with Jet and Katara mumbled to herself as she gave in. The two coupled pairs looked at their own respective maps outside where the sun was streaming through the leaves and tree trunks. A light orange glow surrounded them and Katara peered over the map curiously.
"It looks like we need to go a bit north and follow a path out of the Ionen Forest," Katara said.
Laia nodded and looked up from her map. "And then we need to follow the lines on the map across the Earth Kingdom until we find the City of Yukaki." Hyoku's eyes lit up and he remained silent as they discussed their further plans. He twitched slightly and then played a few notes on his flute to calm him down. Zuko eyed him suspiciously and pointed a finger at the little kid.
"Are you trying to get another storm here so we don't leave?" he asked accusingly.
Hyoku smiled broadly and shook his head. "Nope. It's just a tune for traveling. It doesn't have anything to do with the weather."
"Oh," Zuko said plainly and blinked a few times as Hyoku marched around them and pointed north with his flute sticking out.
"So I hear you guys are going to the City of Yukaki! I just happen to know my way around here and I've been there a few times. If you want… I can take you there!" he said enthusiastically. Jet eyed him as well and folded his arms.
"Why should we trust you? You've been helpful, but still… I'm not so sure you're as innocent as you seem," Jet said.
Laia put her hands on Hyoku's shoulders and glared at Jet. "Hyoku has been more helpful than you have, so I wouldn't say that if I were you. I trust him with my life, and he wouldn't deceive us, right Hyoku?"
He nodded rapidly and smiled. Jet winced; her comment had stung him and he held onto the tilts of his swords more tightly than before. Katara put a hand on his shoulder and smiled brightly.
"Trust him Jet. Hyoku will help us out of the forest and then we'll be able to see where we are," she said kindly. Jet sighed and smiled. Laia suddenly felt the steam rising from the misty grass and she swiftly ran up to Katara and pulled on her arm while laughing. Hyoku caught up to them as they started to travel through the forest.
"Come on Katara! Let's explore the rest of this place!" Katara laughed hesitantly at Laia's new found interest in nature. Zuko and Jet nodded to each other as they ran to catch up with the girls. Hyoku led the way and pointed out random facts about the forest.
"See over here, this is the tallest tree. I know because I've been all the way up to the top!" Katara and Laia glanced at each other and then laughed as they each in turn ruffled Hyoku's hair. He squirmed out of their reach and then scowled angrily. "Don't treat me like a little kid! I don't like it when people touch me all the time…" he said distantly. Laia and Katara stopped laughing. They shrugged and continued on as the light grew brighter around them. After about an hour of walking through the entanglements and mossy earth, the trees began to decrease in number and to the girl's delight, they had made it out of the forest.
Laia ran out into the open grass and Katara followed her. Hyoku began to play his flute again as Jet and Zuko came out of the forest last, pushing away the branches that had been swung in their faces. They each winced as the bright sunlight from the east bloomed in their faces. But once their eyes adjusted to the light, they dropped their hands to their sides and stared in awe. The radiance of the sun matched with the women who were smiling and laughing in the open field. Laia's eyes sparkled just like the sun, her yellow orbs infected with happiness. Katara's hair glistened and her smile was the biggest and prettiest it had been for the whole trip. Zuko and Jet coughed slightly and suddenly ran forward. Hyoku was being cuddled again, much to his disapproval.
"You really did it Hyoku! We're out of that creepy forest!" Laia exclaimed. Her eyes suddenly opened as she felt Zuko dragging her away from the happy group. Jet did the same with Katara, leaving Hyoku behind to run after them.
"Jet! Let me go!" he looked at her and did as she wanted. Laia screamed at Zuko and they all stopped in their place. Katara and Laia looked at one another and then glared at the men.
"What was all that about?" Laia asked.
Zuko looked around and then glanced at Jet.
"It looked like… the ground was going to…"
"swallow you up!" Jet finished. Zuko looked at him with wide eyes and Jet shrugged his shoulders. "What?" Hyoku caught up to them and sighed.
"I didn't know you needed my help so much! You'd all be lost if it wasn't for me!" he laughed along with Laia. The two of them started to run off towards a line of bushes and more foliage that was growing in the plains. Behind the four, the trees rose threateningly above them and stretched for miles to each side. Zuko looked into the distance and realized quickly that the ground after the bushes wasn't level. He quickly shot after Hyoku and Laia and ran in front of them before they skipped through the branches.
"Stop! You can't…" Zuko lost his footing and fell backwards. His body disappeared behind the bushes and Laia cried out. Jet and Katara ran to them and Hyoku's eyes widened.
"I forgot… I forgot that there is a tiny gorge!" he said frantically. The rocks shifted and rolled onto each other. Katara's heart raced and she slowly walked to the edge of the bushes to peer over the ledge.
"Zuko?" she yelled. Laia joined in and they called for him a few times before they saw his head pop up. His face was scratched with dirt and he smiled. Katara's eyes widened as relief swept through her body. He pulled himself up and Laia immediately hugged him. Jet's face swelled with anger, but he didn't say anything, leaving himself clueless about the feelings deep inside of him.
"I'm so glad you're safe Zuko!" she cried out. He pushed her away as soon as he saw Katara staring. But then an idea formed in his mind. Zuko took Laia's hand and she gaped as he started to move towards the edge again. "Zuko! What are you doing? Stop! We're going to fall!" She resisted him but he smiled and pulled her arm.
"Laia, I'll help you across. It's not that deep," Zuko said.
Katara narrowed her gaze and fumed. It wasn't fair that Zuko was smiling because of Laia. The whirlwind swept through her chest and then disappeared when she felt Jet's hand in hers. They moved towards the ledge and he looked down to see that it wasn't deep at all.
"Jet?"
"I'm going to help you across. Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."
Hyoku stared at the two pairs and almost broke down into laughter. He smirked and watched them struggle to keep not even the smallest rock from getting in the women's way. The rocky dirt spread across the ground only a few feet, but they were crossing at a snail's pace and Katara was starting to get irritated. Zuko kept looking over at Jet and Katara, whereas Jet stared at Laia who held onto Zuko for dear life. She seemed genuinely afraid of falling, just those few feet. At one point, both Jet and Zuko stared at each other and then looked away sharply. When they finally got to the other side, Katara rushed out of Jet's arms and pointed at him furiously.
"I could have crossed that by myself!" she yelled at Jet. Laia saw her reaction and was filled with a strange elation. She turned to Zuko and nodded in agreement.
"I agree with Katara! There was no need for you to do that!" She closed her eyes and marched away to join with Katara. Zuko and Jet glanced at each other and then ran after them.
"Wait, watch out for that step right there!" Jet said to Katara.
"You might trip on that rock. Be careful," Zuko told Laia. Both women turned around and yelled in frustration at them.
"Stop it already! You two are unbearable!" Katara said along with Laia. They turned and opened their eyes in surprise as they saw Hyoku sitting on a large boulder up ahead.
"When did you get there?" Zuko asked.
"It wasn't that hard. The two of you were more focused on each other than getting across," Hyoku pointed out. Katara and Laia laughed as Jet and Zuko shifted uneasily, being caught in their own plan. Laia looped her arm around Katara's arm and looked at both Jet and Zuko assertively.
"If you two try to protect us again, we'll run away with the maps and the food rations! So don't try anything funny!" She turned around and headed forward on the hills with Katara. Hyoku led the way and Zuko sighed deeply while putting a hand to his head.
"What's wrong with me?" he asked himself.
Jet heard him and laughed. "I'm asking myself the same question. I didn't realize those two were such good friends. Did you?"
"No, I didn't," Zuko said. "They seem to be against us at the moment." Jet nodded and watched the two women conversing in the distance.
"Jet can be so annoying at times!" Katara said.
"Finally! Someone knows what I mean!" Laia exclaimed.
"I mean, he's just so overprotective of me! I can take care of myself… but then again, he reminds me of my older brother," Katara said. Laia's face lit up as she mentioned the correlation and her heart jumped in a fit of joy. Feeding on the atmosphere, Laia smiled brightly and questioned her further.
"Wow! You've got a brother?"
"His name is Sokka and he lives in the Southern Water Tribe, where I'm from. I heard not long ago that he was getting engaged to my friend Suki from Kyoshi Island."
"That's great news! Are you going to go see the wedding?" Laia asked.
"I would, but he actually hasn't asked her yet. But it's inevitable. He's liked her since before the war ended," Katara said cheerfully. In that moment, she had brought on the memories unwillingly and Laia added to her sudden misery.
"I'd do anything to get away from Zuko now! He's turned into an older brother too! Maybe he could get married like Sokka and then he'd stop worrying about me then!"
Katara stopped walking. Laia turned to see her stunned face and she looked at Katara curiously. The waterbender thought about Laia's latest comment as it sped through her body. Laia thought Zuko was an older brother. It meant that she didn't like him, but Katara had thought otherwise. Besides, it didn't matter because Zuko liked Laia. Katara could tell by the way he was always helping her. She shook her head at the thought and smiled.
"That would be good for you I guess. But for now Zuko is your partner, and Jet is mine." Laia winced slightly at the forcefulness of Katara's voice, like she was rubbing in a stain that kept growing. Each time the idea of Jet and Katara being partners was mentioned, Laia's stomach tied into knots and she didn't know why. Suddenly Hyoku pulled on Katara's arm as they walked up a steep hill. They made it to the top and Katara's jaw dropped. In the very far distance, there was a jagged outline of a city. Her heart shattered. If they kept walking, it wouldn't be too long before they reached the next stop on their journey. Her impending task was coming closer but she shut it out of her mind. Suddenly, she heard Laia's small voice behind her.
"I envy her so much. She even has a real brother somewhere."
Katara turned around but Laia picked her head up and smiled widely. "Are we getting closer to Yukaki?" Katara nodded in affirmation and then looked past Laia to see Zuko and Jet lagging behind. She squinted and then sighed, turning towards her future.
..::-::..
After hours of walking through the rolling hills that bred through the landscape, the group finally made their way into the City of Yukaki. A tall dark brown arch stood in the entrance but no one was around. A few shabby homes dotted the barren streets as they walked through it. Laia sighed sadly and put her hands on her hips.
"This place isn't as exciting as I thought it would be!" she commented.
Jet laughed shortly and pointed up ahead. "Maybe that's where you'll find some excitement." They all looked down the street and their faces burst with joy. The town's market was located in the core and people in every style of kimono, in every color, were walking about with bags of food. Hyoku ran forward with Jet and Laia, leaving Katara alone with Zuko. Even though the noise from the market was static and overpowering, to Katara, it felt like no one was there. She sensed everything in a clearer form, and her eyes began to water. The sun was in her eyes and she felt the heat getting to her. Zuko saw her hand floating up to her forehead and he debated with himself quickly. His eyes darted to a shop nearby and he found the perfect thing. Katara didn't notice as Zuko left her side. He came back and put a triangular hat on her head. She leaned back in surprise and then looked at Zuko who averted her gaze and pretended to be interested in everything around him. Katara put her hand on her hip and frowned.
"Did you just buy this for me?" she asked. Zuko turned towards her and shrugged.
"You must be mistaking me for someone else. I was over there just now and I didn't buy anything let alone a hat." He walked ahead to find the rest of the group. As he did, Zuko heard a frustrated growl and he smiled to himself. Katara took the hat off right away but regretted doing so the moment she felt the heat again. She sighed and put the hat back, the shade relieving her of distress.
Jet and Laia were browsing through a small cook's outside shop. Exotic foods were everywhere and Jet was eager to try some. He handed the cook some coins and picked the swirling blob of pink on a flat piece of bread. Tiny black dots were sprinkled all over it and he stuffed it into his mouth quickly. Jet chewed as Laia took a simpler looking desert and ate it herself. After a few moments, Laia swallowed and looked at Jet curiously. He kept chewing but never swallowed. In the shadows, the cook was restraining himself and smiling widely.
"He doesn't even know what he's gotten himself into!" the cook whispered to himself.
Katara and Zuko caught up to them and Jet waved a pleasant hello. They both portrayed the same confused expression and Katara asked Laia, "What is he doing?"
"Oh, he chose some random foreign food and he can't swallow," Laia said. Beads of sweat were running down Jet's face and Katara began to worry. She looked around for some water as Jet's eyes dilated in distress. He fanned his mouth and began to choke.
"Jet! Hold on, I'll get you some water!" Katara said quickly. Laia sighed and slapped Jet on the back forcefully. He swallowed the large portion of food and took a deep breath of air. Jet leaned his arm against a wall and sighed before standing upright again. He looked at Laia and smiled brightly.
"Thanks for doing that! I guess… I didn't know those were spices," he said jokingly. Laia saw his glowing expression and she immediately found herself overflowing with joy. She smiled back but the moment Laia realized what she was doing, she frowned and growled at him.
"See! I'm not the only one who makes mistakes!" she yelled in his face. Jet leaned back astonished, and he sighed.
"You… you are right. I'm sorry for before… with the berries and everything. It happens to all of us and I was wrong in the way I treated you. Can we call it a truce?" he asked and extended her hand. Laia's jaw dropped, not expecting this type of response from him. She hesitantly outstretched her hand and Katara nudged her from the back so that their hands finally met. He shook it gently and smiled.
"That settles that then. Hey Katara! Where do you want to go next?" Jet said and walked away from a stupefied Laia. As he passed her, Laia's eyes grew and she looked after him sadly. Zuko raised his eyebrow and shook his head as he dragged the still person from her roots in the ground. Hyoku remained silent and followed without anyone telling him to. He stood among them, trying to remain hidden from view. Every time they turned a corner, he looked around to make sure no one was going to see him. His flute remained tucked in his belt and his hand reached for it every five seconds to make sure no one had stolen it. They all turned a corner and Katara stopped abruptly, making Jet bump into her and causing a chain reaction. Hyoku walked into Zuko and craned his neck to see what Katara was pointing at.
"Look over there! Doesn't it look like our temple?" she asked the group.
Jet squinted and nodded. "That definitely looks just like it. What do you think?" he asked Laia.
"Me? Well if we weren't in Yukaki, I'd say it was definitely the temple."
"We should go see if it's another temple. I think there are five of them if I remember correctly," Zuko commented. Katara looked at him from the front of the line and sighed. She didn't know what to think of him anymore. Before he had saved her, she thought he was evil, and maybe he still was, but if so, he was hiding it really well.
"Okay, let's go then," Katara said, but before she could take another step, Hyoku was in front of her with his arms wide apart. His eyes bulged and he seemed frantic.
"No! We can't go there!" he cried out.
"What? Why not? We need somewhere to stay tonight. The temple is the most logical place," Katara explained.
"But we just can't! It's not what you think it is…"
"It's the temple right?" Hyoku nodded slowly and Katara took his hand. "Good. If it's the temple, we're going to go see it, and if you have a problem with that, it means you did something wrong and you're not telling us what it is."
"I didn't do anything wrong!" he exclaimed.
"We'll see about that," Laia commented as she took his other hand. His head bowed forward in shame as the five of them walked through the streets and up to the temple's marble steps. This temple wasn't as large as the other one, but it still held the elegance in its walls and mahogany roofs. Zuko came up to the doors with Jet and knocked three times. The door swung open slowly and then a startled shriek came from both sides of the entrance.
"Zuko! You finally made it!" Oraka exclaimed excitedly. His eyes bulged as she rushed to greet him with a hug. Zuko pushed her away as she wiped her eyes from the happiness that shed in her tears. Everyone was gaping, even Hyoku. Katara walked up to her and squinted as she put a hand on her hip.
"What are you doing here?" she asked suspiciously. "And how did you get here before us?"
"Oh my, well that must be a bit surprising to you all! Come inside! Come!" she said as she waved them all inside. Hyoku hid behind Jet's tall frame and the doors closed with a thud. Oraka was the same as always, beaming with radiance and an unorthodox youthful expression for her age. The small yard of grass inside was on both sides of a roofed hall that led to the inside of the temple. As they walked through it, Oraka explained their stunned silence.
"Everyone at the second temple was dismissed so I decided to come here, to the Fifth Temple of Sanoroi, to visit my brother Nako. He's a lot older than I am and he's taking a nap now so I took his job as the gatekeeper for now. I got here before you kids because I've traveled to Yukaki before and I know all the fast shortcuts!"
"You knew shortcuts through the Ionen Forest and you didn't tell us?" Laia asked in disbelief.
Oraka chuckled and put a hand on the back of her head. "You must all be hungry! You should go to the Gathering Hall. It's almost the same layout as the other temple, just smaller!" Zuko rushed ahead of the group, afraid that Oraka was going to grab him aside again and give him some unnecessary advice. He happened to be right in that assumption; he missed her snatching fingers by an inch and he left her behind to smile as she saw them all disappear. They got to the Gathering Hall easily and ate the food that wasn't any better than in the other temple. When they were done, they decided to go find the main courtyard and rest there because the weather was getting better. Katara had tied her new hat around her neck and it rested against her back. As they walked through the halls looking for the grassy area, an eerie silence filled the atmosphere, as if an invisible storm was about to burst.
"Is it just me, or does this place feel a bit… odd?" Katara asked.
Zuko looked around suspiciously and Laia hummed pensively to herself.
"Now that you mention it, we haven't seen anyone here yet!"
"You're right Laia. Maybe everyone's in class?" Jet asked.
Hyoku shifted uneasily as his eyes darted behind them all. The adults were looking in the wrong direction. Hyoku knew exactly what the feeling was and little did they know what was going to happen next. Zuko and Jet's sense of awareness suddenly increased and they looked down the hall Hyoku was guarding. The men's eyes widened as out of nowhere a door burst open and a stampede of little children came running towards them. Katara and Laia spun around in surprise as they heard the stomping and laughter entwine into one large explosion of noise. Zuko and Jet jumped to opposite sides of the hall as the children passed by. Katara and Laia held onto each other while laughing joyously. The group of thirty children passed quickly and then their clothes settled down and stopped fluttering from the breeze. Katara looked at the open door and saw one little girl with pigtails and a stuffed animal; she ran quickly down the hall, trying to catch up with the rest of her friends. When she passed by Katara, she tripped and landed on her hands. Her doll fell out of her hands and the girl started to cry. Katara knelt down and picked her up gently.
"Hey now, don't cry so much…shhh… it's okay. Your doll is right here. See? She's all right," Katara said and wiped her tears quickly. The little girl looked into Katara's warm face and she giggled slightly. Katara hugged the girl and then she waved as she ran on into the temple. Zuko looked at Katara with a smile on his face. His eyes relaxed and he stepped a little closer towards her.
"That was crazy! It was like an attack of little monsters! They would have run us over if we hadn't gotten out of the way!" Jet exclaimed. Laia rolled her eyes and hit him on the head.
"Don't be stupid Jet. They're just little kids! You're three times as tall as them!" Jet winced and rubbed the top of his head. She glared at him and then sighed. "Hyoku, do you know where the courtyard is?" Laia asked. He nodded slowly and started to lead them forward in the direction where the children ran. Katara thought to herself as they walked and then shared her question with the rest of the group.
"Wasn't that a bit… strange? I never remember our temple having children inside."
"No, there weren't any children," Laia said. "Maybe this is a different type of temple?"
"Yeah, one that houses dangerous little creatures that…" Laia glared at Jet and then he finished with a smirk. "…that are the most harmless little people out there." Laia turned her frown into a soft smile and Jet suddenly felt his heart jump, though he wasn't sure why. He followed her and after a few turns inside of the halls, they made it to the courtyard. Hyoku ran into the shade of a short tree and hid himself under it. A few children were wandering on the other side, playing a game as they ran around in circles. Laia spread her arms out and twirled around until she fell to the ground laughing. Jet smiled and sat down near her. Zuko and Katara sat down near Hyoku and the travelers looked up at the sky and the passing white clouds.
"It's almost like the storm was only in the forest. It's not even wet here," Katara noted as she ran her fingers through the blades of grass. Zuko nodded and sighed.
"That's possible."
Katara shifted and laid down on the grass. She closed her eyes and let the warmth on her skin take her away into a land that would let her live without decisions, a place where she could be with her friends and have no worries. Even though the war ended, another one had started in her own mind and the voices calling out to her were giving her a headache. Suddenly, she heard Hyoku scream in protest and she sat up right away.
"No! Give that back to me!" he yelled. Katara gasped as a sensei loomed over them with Hyoku's flute in his hand. The sensei was bald and had a long white beard. He tucked the flute into his belt as Hyoku began to sob.
"This is not appropriate behavior Hyoku. A student of this temple is not to play with such trivial things, and this will not do either. You need to look like a proper student," the sensei said strictly and pulled the yellow headband out of Hyoku's hair. His hair fell to the sides and the dirt on his face mixed with his tears as the sensei walked away. "Oh, and I have told Oraka to give you a proper bath later today." Zuko winced as the memory stung his mind from when Oraka had tried to clean him up. Jet and Laia walked over to their group and sat down by Hyoku who was distraught. Katara put a hand on his shoulder as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.
"How come you never told us you were a student here?" she asked softly.
He looked up at her and scowled. "I hate it here. No one cares about me and most of the time, a sensei will find me with my flute and take it away! It's the only thing I have and he took it away! That's why I ran away! There's no reason for me to be here," he said and then sighed as his anger was swept away. Laia's eyes started to water and she shook her head as she put her hand on his arm as well.
"Why are you here Hyoku? Who made you be a student if you don't want to be one?" she asked but couldn't get an answer because all of a sudden, the ground shook and Zuko yelled in alarm. Katara and Jet spun around and gasped to see Zuko engulfed in a mound of earth. He struggled to escape, but Zuko was stuck in the earth that reached up to his shoulders. Startled by a sudden presence, Laia gasped and bumped into Jet as another boy, about the same age as Hyoku, appeared by her side. His hair was matted and spread out to the sides as a bun held some of it together at the top. An angry scowl revealed his crooked teeth as he pointed furiously at Zuko. The firebender opened his eyes and they broadened even more. He had seen the boy before, and the memory flashed through his mind instantly. Hyoku sprung up and ran to his friend excitedly.
"Lee! What are you doing to Zuko?" he asked. Lee curled his fists and yelled in anger.
"He's a murderer! I hate him and I'll kill him for what he did!" Lee yelled. Zuko's eyes narrowed and he stopped trying to free himself. He connected with the boy's scarred eyes as Lee's chest rose and fell quickly. Katara's jaw dropped as she stood up.
"Zuko's not a murderer!" Laia exclaimed in his defense. Lee turned towards her and saw the yellow eyes looking at him with disrespect. He squinted and put his hands on his hips as he leaned forward.
"He is too! He killed my parents! The Fire Nation killed my parents and he's Fire Nation!" Lee explained enraged.
Jet saw Lee's intention before he acted and Jet restrained Lee by holding back his arms.
"Let me go! I said I'd kill him!"
"Lee, Zuko didn't kill your parents. The Fire Nation took my parents away from me, but Zuko didn't do it, so I can't be mad at him, and neither can you," Jet said.
"That's right Lee! Please let Zuko go," Laia begged.
Lee saw that no one was going to listen to him so he pushed Jet off of him and brought the earth away from Zuko's body. He stumbled forward and in that instant, Lee grabbed Hyoku's knife from his neck and darted forward towards Zuko. At the last moment, Zuko caught Lee by the wrist and the blade glinted in the sunlight. Lee struggled but Zuko caught him by the other wrist as well and soon Lee dropped the knife to the ground. Zuko unexpectedly brought the boy closer and held him tightly as he tried to push away from Zuko.
"I'm sorry Lee. I didn't know that happened. I'm really sorry," he said. Lee struggled but after a few minutes, gave up and let his anger explode into tears as he grabbed onto Zuko tightly.
"I couldn't save my mother. My father never came back. I was sent here… I don't have a reason to live…" he said quietly. Katara stared in wonder as she saw the hidden side of Zuko exposed for the first time. No one there knew how they knew each other, but Zuko was acting like an older brother. Inside of her heart, Katara desperately yearned to join the embrace and help the kid named Lee.
"I couldn't save my mother either Lee. But she always told me never to give up without a fight. There's a reason you lived… I got to see you again. Please don't hate me… I'm not Fire Nation anymore," he said softly. Laia crossed her eyes as they stood up and Lee cracked a small smile.
"Will you teach me again like you did before with the swords?" he asked. Jet narrowed his gaze and put his hands up in the air to halt everything.
"Okay, hold it. What's going on? How do you know each other? Why is he here in this temple? Why are there only children here?" Jet asked, completely confused. Katara heard his questions and nodded in agreement. Hyoku picked up his knife and tied it back around his neck. He sighed and looked away.
"This temple is an orphanage."
Not another word was said. The knowledge swept through each person like a silent attack had taken place and much causality had happened. Katara's eyes watered and she sniffed as she hugged Lee tightly.
"I'm sorry Lee," she said. He pushed her away gently and smiled.
"I guess it's okay… I just got really scared and angry when I saw Zuko again. He came by my village once and helped me, but I didn't know that he was from the Fire Nation. I hated him after that… but I don't anymore," he smiled and held onto Zuko's hand. Zuko genuinely smiled and knocked his fist into Lee's shoulder playfully. "He's like my big brother! He's really cool!" Laia squealed happily and jumped up in place.
"That is such a sweet story! Zuko, I didn't know you could be so sensitive!" she said. Zuko immediately glowered at her and she laughed timidly. Laia squatted by Lee and smiled brightly.
"It looks like you can earthbend! How about it then? Do you want to spar with me?" she asked. His eyes lit up and he smiled widely as they ran off to find an open space. Jet sighed deeply and trudged across the courtyard to find a place to watch them. Again, it was just Katara alone with Zuko. Hyoku had walked away and sat in the corner by a hall. He sat with his knees buried up to his nose and Zuko couldn't help but notice the sadness in his downcast eyes. Hyoku might have been joking about his powerful flute, but it was something special to him and it was taken away. Deep in thought, Zuko was startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and his eyes widened.
"Katara…" He looked down at his shoulder and she withdrew her hand timidly. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders while averting his gaze.
"That was really nice of you to do. You seem really close to Lee."
"Yes, he reminds me of myself a lot," Zuko said. "It was nice of you to help that little girl too," he added.
Katara raised an eyebrow and then widened her eyes as she realized what he meant.
"Oh! You mean the one with the doll? Well it was nothing really. I'm surprised you noticed," she said.
Zuko scrunched his face and then shrugged to make it seem natural.
"You were right there so I saw. She seemed to be much better after you helped her though…"
"Yes, same with you and Lee…" she said.
The distant laughs and rumblings of ground shook them slightly and Katara grabbed onto Zuko's arm for support. He looked down at her and his heart beat accelerated. She let go as Zuko began to walk away.
"I have to go do something…" he said and she waved at his disappearing back. Katara slapped her head and growled at herself in frustration. She couldn't be trying to mend things with Zuko. It was awkward enough, but she couldn't really help it. The more she saw of him, the less evil he seemed. Katara looked over to the spar and sighed. She walked away to find her room.
A few hours had passed since the battle. Everyone had found their temporary rooms and the sun was setting. Jet found himself on the second floor and he rested his hands on the railing above the courtyard. He stared at the sky and smiled at its simple beauty. Laia walked down the hall and let her jaw drop when she saw him. First, she turned and tried going the other way, but before she knew what she was doing, she turned back around and walked up to him.
"Hey Jet."
"Oh, hi Laia," he replied.
"What are you doing?" she asked slowly.
"I'm just watching the sunset. It reminds me of your battle today. You did well against Lee," he said somewhat sadly. Laia noticed this change in attitude and rested her hands on the railing as well.
"You seem kind of down about that though."
He turned to face her and raised his eyebrow. "It's that obvious?" he asked. She nodded and he laughed while running his hand through his hair, sighing. "I don't know anymore. I'm trying to control my feelings but it's just not working." Laia stood back and immediately yelled.
"I knew it! You're still trying to get me to like you!" Jet folded his arms and squinted. He poked her shoulder and she leaned back a bit.
"Why do you think it's you? Well it's not. A few days ago I told Katara I liked her…" he said. Laia let her jaw drop and all at once she felt ashamed, flustered and embarrassed. Her hopes were cut apart but she found her voice and spoke.
"And? What did she say?" Laia asked in a weak voice.
"She said… she didn't feel the same way. I'm trying to get over it, but it's not working out like I thought it would. It's hard to do, just like before," he said as he gazed at her. She stood still in shock as he put a hand on her shoulder and then walked away. Laia shivered and held her arms close to her. He had just implied that he had cared about her more than she thought he had. Laia thought he was playing with her, but now she knew the truth, even though he hadn't said it out loud. She turned around quickly, but he was gone. Laia bit her lip and looked at the dimming sky. Fireflies were beginning to dance in the air down below in the courtyard and she was about to look away when she saw a reflection in the air. Her mouth dropped open when she saw Jet swinging his swords, pretending to fight an imaginary opponent. It was either that or he was getting rid of his emotions through force. Laia ran down the stairs and ran breathless into the courtyard. She heard the swords thud against the ground and she had to squint to see where they were. Laia's feet pressed into the ground and then she felt the blades beneath her feet. She picked them up tenderly and looked around to see a deserted courtyard.
Katara had been walking around the temple all day thinking. So many things had happened to her and it was nice to have a quiet temple to think things through. Although she hadn't seen Zuko for that amount of time, she still thought about him. The darkness was consuming her will power and she leaned against a pillar to steady herself. She needed light, some kind of hope to keep going, otherwise, she would collapse inwardly and end up depressed like the bums on the streets at night. She was better than that, but still, she was sure it would never happen to her. Suddenly, she heard a door open and her head twisted to see who it was. Zuko came out quickly and looked around. Katara raised an eyebrow as she realized he wasn't supposed to be there. She was about to run up to him, when she saw a shining rod in his hand. At that moment she knew what he was doing and her heart swelled. He was returning Hyoku's flute and she couldn't have been happier. Maybe if she could find a way to reverse Taiko's spell, she could be more open with Zuko.
Just as she thought this, Laia came running through the hall. Zuko stopped her and Katara couldn't hear what they were saying but she watched anyways.
"Laia, what are you doing with Jet's swords?" Zuko asked as he pointed to her side. She put her hand on the hilts and smiled.
"Oh, I found them in the courtyard and I was going to return them to him…" Laia said quietly. She looked away and Zuko saw the familiar sorrow fill her eyes. He put a hand on her shoulder and she looked at him with wet eyes.
"You've been different since we ran into Jet…"
"Zuko… It's not fair! I don't know what's wrong with me. I shouldn't like him, I should hate him… but… that's the farthest thing from my mind right now. The worst part is that whatever he felt for me… it's gone now," she said and collapsed into his arms crying. Katara's eyes widened as Zuko patted her back and comforted her. Her heart hammered against her chest and a small blast of air made her shiver and fall to her knees. She looked away and crawled out of view where she finally let her weariness catch up to her. Katara began to sob quietly as she buried her face in her hands.
"Maybe you should talk to him," Zuko suggested. Laia stepped away and wiped her face with her sleeve.
"I already did. He clearly still likes Katara." Zuko stiffened when he heard this and he clenched his fists. He looked away and breathed deeply.
"Then you should do something so that he doesn't. You should make him like you again." Zuko gave her half of an encouraging smile and then left. Laia gaped at him as he vanished from her view. It seemed like he was telling her to help herself but he also sounded like he said it to benefit himself. She shrugged and shook her head of the thoughts.
"I need to get some rest," she said and started wandering down the halls. The dim light and silence caught her head in a serenity that never existed for her before. When she entered the hall with her room in it, she pushed open the door and walked inside without even calling some light to aid her. Without thinking, she took the swords and placed them on a table near the bed. She climbed into the bed and pulled the covers over her as she yawned. Sleep overtook her frail body within seconds and she remembered nothing more.
A/N: bleh X( I thought this chapter would have turned out better... but maybe that's me... maybe you like it... (do you??) I think it went by kinda quick, tell me if it did because then I'll know what to improve on in the next chapter...
I feel like I'm being so mean to Katara and Zuko... but... it's just that... things take time... trust me... I've got a great way to keep this interesting... just keep reading and you'll see what it is... but I'm not giving any hints ;P I just hope you still like it... eh, I don't know why I'm being so negative... maybe it's the weather... it's really outta whack! Snow/Rain/Sleet and it's kinda warm outside! O.o I know, very strange.
All right then, I'm off for now! Hopefully you liked it and will comment!! Anything is very appreciated!
-Monika-