Dying To Survive
Chapter 9- Balance of Trust
"The only way to make a man trustworthy is to trust him." Henry L. Stimson
..::-::..
A sharp cry cut through the still air and Zuko woke up with his mouth open wide. He brushed away the drool on his chin and pulled the covers back quickly. The shriek sounded like it was Laia. Zuko ran into the door and it flung open, swinging slightly as he jumped out of the room. Up ahead of him, Katara was jogging towards the sound; it had woken her up as well. Both of them breathed heavily as the tapestries on the walls rustled as the breeze passed by. Zuko's eyes widened as did Katara's. They stopped in front of the door and nodded as the noise stopped. Katara pushed her palm against the door and it croaked as she opened it.
"Get away from me jerk!" Laia yelled.
A pillow went flying through the air and Zuko ducked out of its way as they stepped into the room. Laia gasped as she saw who had appeared. Katara stopped when the man in the bed turned around to face her. Jet's face exploded into a burst of red, almost as if it was bleeding with blood. He shook his hands in the air and looked from woman to woman not knowing what to say. Katara blinked a few more times, as did Zuko, who quite frankly thought his eyes weren't working properly yet.
"No! This can't be happening! Zuko… Katara… I can explain…" Laia begged as she stood up from the bed. Both Laia and Jet were in the same clothes as the day before, but by the way they were acting, it seemed like something morally wrong had taken place. Katara's eyes relaxed and her fingers loosened. She put a hand on her stomach and burst out laughing. Zuko turned towards her and became infected with her joy at the sight; his lips curved up into a smile. Jet finally calmed down and scowled at them.
"This isn't funny Katara! Stop it! Why are you all in my room anyways?" he said and then shot a narrow glance at Laia. She fumed and waved her arms in the air frantically making huge gestures.
"Don't give me that look! This is my room! What are you doing in it?" she bellowed. Jet stood up and walked over to face her so that she had to look up at him. He pointed at his bed sharply without taking his humiliated gaze off of her.
"That is my bed. This is my room. You came in here and you're the one yelling at me! All I wanted was a nice peaceful night of sleep, but you just had to ruin it, didn't you?" he said quietly, but with so much force that Laia backed away a bit.
"No… that's not possible! I remember… last night… I was talking with Zuko and then I wanted to go to bed, so I came to my room and did just that…" Laia looked around and at Zuko who nodded and sighed.
"She's right. I talked to her and then she went back to her room," he said. Katara looked up at Zuko's face and surprisingly saw the indifference in his eyes. He wasn't enraged, he wasn't the least bit furious that Laia was found in Jet's room, more specifically his bed. Zuko yawned and scratched his head as he was about to turn towards the door. Katara's heart lifted as she realized what his actions meant. She smiled radiantly and waved to Jet cheerfully as she followed Zuko out of the room.
"We'll leave you two alone… to… settle your… differences," Katara said with a laugh as she shut the door. Jet let out a frustrated groan as he fell back onto his bed. He covered his face with his hands and then sat back up to face her.
"See what you've done? Now they think we… oh forget it! Laia, why did you come into my room?" he asked desperately. Laia looked around, her heart beating fast. She didn't know what was wrong and what was right anymore. Similarly to Jet, she let out her frustration and sat down next to him on the edge of the bed.
"Jet, please don't think of me like this. I'm just as confused as you are. All I can remember is that I was going back to my room and I had your… oh!" she exclaimed and turned towards him with a bright smile. "I know what must have happened! I was really sleepy and I probably decided to give your swords back! I was so tired that I must have thought I was already in my room!"
Jet stared at her as she pointed to the table next to the bed. There was nothing there. Laia panicked and jumped up. She ran to the table and then let out a sigh of relief. Jet watched her as she picked the swords up from the floor.
"See! That's why I came here. I saw you leave your swords in the courtyard last night. I thought maybe I should give them back to you," she said. Jet stood up and walked over to her. She stared at him with her mouth open as his fierce eyes observed the swords in his hands. The metal glistened and then he threw them on the bed.
"I don't want them anymore," he said.
"What do you mean Jet? They're your swords! It's like saying I don't need my fire anymore!" She picked them up and handed them to him again, but he shoved them out of her hands. Jet walked over to another table where he had left his things; he started rummaging through his pack silently and then he turned around to face Laia.
"I appreciate what you did, but I wish you had left them there. I'm really sick of being the least valuable person around here. Don't tell the others, but I'm not going on with you. You don't need me so I think I'll just go somewhere else," Jet said. Laia's eyes grew and in an instant she grabbed one of the swords and whacked it on Jet's head lightly. Jet cringed and cried out. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, bewildered.
"I'm knocking some sense into you! You are coming with us, you are valuable and you're never going to talk like that again! So what if you thought for a second that you couldn't do anything? You've got swords and we don't. Sometimes they are more useful than bending is! Take these swords, go out there, and start practicing! I'm tired of seeing you mope around and be sorry for yourself!" Laia screeched. Jet stood back, entranced by her sudden ferocity. Initially, he had been shocked by Katara's entrance and angered because Laia was there and because Katara had laughed about it. She even implied that Laia and Jet made a good couple. At first, he abhorred the idea, but seeing how supportive she was being, Jet smiled and sighed.
"I guess you're right," he said.
"Of course I'm right! What are you waiting around for? Get to work!" she said. Jet shook his head while his smile lit up his eyes. Laia was stunned for a moment as she realized she had made him smile like that. He started to gather his things and then he gripped the swords in his hands and swung them in the air in front of her. Laia moved back to defend herself but he stopped and walked up close to her. He bent his head down so they were at eye level. Her heart started to beat fast as he smirked.
"Thanks for the pep talk Laia, but next time, how about you don't get in bed with me first? Knocking on someone's door is the most polite way of saying you want to talk with me," he said as he started to walk out of the room. Laia crossed her eyes and arms as she frowned.
"Well I'm sorry I ruined such a perfect night of sleep for you! It was just a mistake!" she yelled. At the door, he turned and shrugged his shoulders.
"It wasn't too bad actually. I can't remember a thing though," he said with a wink and then dodged another flying pillow as he darted out the door. Laia hissed angrily at him but then a smile appeared on her face as she ran out after him. She stopped in the hall though, her growling stomach telling her she had to do something else first.
..::-::..
"Did you see the looks on their faces? I think we came in at a bad time," Katara said lightly. Zuko looked at her sideways and nodded.
"I figured something like that would have happened. Maybe I should have walked her to her room," he said pensively.
They had stepped out of Jet's room and started walking down the sunny halls. A warm summer breeze was coming from the courtyard up ahead and Katara inhaled deeply. It was the start of a much better day than the one before. She had confirmed that her belief about Zuko and Laia was wrong. What was even better was that maybe Laia would end up with Jet. Katara wasn't sure, but it would have been the perfect resolution. It would have been, expect for the fact that she still had to find a way to escape her present imprisonment from the Masters. She frowned and sighed.
"Maybe… you should have…" she said. Zuko suddenly realized what he was saying and took it back.
"No, it wouldn't have mattered. She'd probably end up going to his room anyway," Zuko said quickly. Katara looked at him and laughed softly. Her eyes became squinted and he couldn't help but smile as well. Suddenly, they came to an intersection of halls and Zuko thought that the Gathering Hall was to the left. He picked up his hand and then let it drop as he stepped in that direction.
"I'm going to go this way…" he said. Katara's face fell and she nodded.
"Oh, okay… I'm going right…" she said and watched his figure disappear. Katara sighed and didn't look back when she went to find her breakfast.
..::-::...
Zuko grumbled to himself as he kept turning down the halls without success. An hour had passed and he still hadn't found the Gathering Hall. His back was arched and his arms hung down to the ground as he dragged his body forward.
"Didn't Oraka say that the layout was almost the same as the other temple?" he asked himself out loud. Suddenly, he stopped and the electric air straightened his body. His eyes darted to the side where a staircase had opened from the wall. Tiny rocks fell from the roof above him and he decided without thinking that he would see where the stairs led. He took the first footstep hesitantly, but then he ran up quickly. The light grew brighter and then it blinded him as he stepped into the open. He shivered as the warm breeze attacked him and made Zuko fall to his knees. After a few more moments, his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight and then he looked up. The room didn't have a roof. Its four walls were bare and rough, a wave of crimson rust rippled through its middle. The city's distant noise mumbled deep within his ears but his heart twisted inside his chest as he stood up. Katara stood at the opposite end, a door disappearing behind her. Her blue kimono matched the sky above and she squinted as she walked up to him.
"How did you get here?" he asked.
"I don't know. I was just coming back from the Gathering Hall when a staircase opened up. I was curious so I came up here. What about you?" she asked suspiciously. "Were you waiting here for me?"
"No. The same thing happened to me," he replied.
"Oh, I see. Well… this is strange… do you think that someone did this purposefully?"
Zuko shrugged and they both looked around. The walls were twice as tall as them and they couldn't see the city around them, although they could feel its vitality in the breeze that swept into the room. It was a square room, wide enough for an entire class of toddlers to fit in. A few more silent moments passed and Zuko became irritated with his inability to talk to her. Whatever he thought of seemed wrong to say and finally the words stumbled clumsily out of his mouth.
"We're stuck here then?" he asked.
Katara turned to him and saw his goofy smile. It didn't suit him; he was forcing it and she suddenly felt a burning flame erupt in her soul. He shouldn't have to be so distant around her, but he was. It was almost as if it was unbearable to be with her alone. She threw her hands up in the air and stepped closer to him.
"Yes, we are! Is that so horrible? That you're stuck here with me? You didn't have to point out the obvious," she said and stood back with hurt in her eyes. Zuko's jaw dropped slightly and he was about to reach for her shoulder when a blast of wind cut in between them. After it passed, Zuko and Katara let their arms drop to their sides. They gaped as a frail old man walked up to them. He was a bit taller than Hyoku and Lee, but his smiling face hid his age well and it almost seemed like he was a child.
"Bravo! You've finally made it!" he said cheerfully. Zuko narrowed his eyes and Katara put her hands on her hips.
"Where did you come from? Was it you that brought us here?" she asked.
"Why indeed!" he beamed.
"Then could you kindly let us go?" Zuko asked with a bitter tone. Katara looked at him and scowled. The man laughed brightly and clutched his stomach. His thick eyebrows rose as he brought the two of them closer together.
"This is exactly why none of us is leaving! We need to settle this little squabble of yours right now!" Katara edged away and pointed at him accusingly.
"Okay, this is starting to become creepy. Who are you, and what do you want with us?" she asked.
The man sighed and put his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a grey kimono with black trimmings around the edges and sides. Zuko folded his arms and waited along with Katara for his expected answer.
"I suppose I should tell you youngsters then," he took on a more serious tone and continued, "you see, my name is Domei. I've watched the two of you from the moment you've walked into my temple. I could sense something was wrong in the air and I decided to see what it was. It turned out to be the two of you. My aura has been a lot gloomier since yesterday, and I don't like it when that happens." He narrowed his eyes and cleared his throat. Zuko's arms fell to his sides and Katara stepped back.
"So you're… the Master of this temple?" she asked in a small worried voice. Domei turned to face her and smiled broadly.
"That is correct. And it is my duty as the Master to help anyone in trouble. That is why I've brought you two here. Come closer, we don't have much time to waste." Katara shook her head but Domei sighed and dragged her closer. Zuko was less hesitant and he stepped into the middle of the room, facing Katara with uneasiness. "See, that wasn't so hard! Now… bring your hands together… don't worry, he won't bite," Domei said to Katara with a smirk that showed all of his wrinkles. He let go off their hands as Katara and Zuko intertwined their fingers with a perfect fit like a mold of clay. Their hands stuck together but Katara avoided Zuko's gaze, afraid she couldn't control herself and that she would get lost in his face. She remembered that feeling of being inside the deer's body, trying to find its source of chi. Katara shivered and looked at the Master.
"Now what?" Zuko asked impatiently.
"What element are you the child of?" Domei asked. Zuko felt his arms weighing down and he wanted to let go of Katara's hands but she was clutching them tightly and averting his gaze. He sighed and looked at the Master as well.
"Fire," Zuko said. Domei turned to Katara and she nodded. "Water," she responded. Domei clapped his hands together and smiled.
"Ah! Polar opposites… this should be interesting! No wonder the two of you are having trouble communicating…" Katara stammered and shook her head, her braid flailing from side to side.
"We're not like that! Just because we might not talk a lot doesn't mean…"
"Then why don't you look him in the face?" Domei said quietly. Katara's jaw dropped and her eyes glanced at Zuko who looked somewhat hurt. She sighed and looked down at their hands. A sudden shock crawled through her arms and into Zuko's hands. He felt it too and pulled on her hands slightly. Their eyes met and they listened for a moment to the whistling wind. Domei smiled knowingly and then pulled out a small leather pouch.
"All right… it is time. This is what needs to happen. You need to bend water into his hands and then he must control it. You will freeze it and he must concentrate on keeping it from melting," he said to Katara. She let go of Zuko's hands and then reached for the pouch of water. The snake swirled through the air to her fingers and she sighed with relief as she touched her element. It cooled her skin and all at once, she felt calm. Katara looked at Zuko as he cupped his hands. The water fell in a straight line as it piled into Zuko's hands; she froze it so that the edges spilling over halted in mid air.
"Concentrate. Don't let your anger heat it up. Think of how stable it is in this form," Domei instructed. Katara watched Zuko's eyes focus in on the slab of ice in his hands. His eyebrows furrowed against each other as he brought his hands closer to his body. She was amazed that he would try so hard. Minutes passed and the clouds in the sky sailed to other parts of the world, only leaving behind their shadows. Domei's eyes began to blink rapidly and then he caught himself before he fell asleep.
"That's good enough! Katara, you may recall the water back to you," he said. She nodded and Zuko looked up to see her call forth the water back into the pouch. "Now comes the harder part. You were able to master the heat within you, but can she do the same?" Katara squinted as Domei took Zuko's broadswords from his side and put them in Zuko's hands. "You, come here and put your hands on the blades." Katara gawked and shook her head.
"Me?" she asked.
"Yes, you." Katara bit her lip and walked up to Zuko. She held his gaze before she looked at the shiny blades of metal. Her fingers grazed the dull edges on the back hesitantly and then she clasped them. She let out a deep sigh and glanced at Domei for further instruction. "Put all of your heat into the swords," he said to Zuko as Katara wailed and recoiled her hands.
"Are you trying to burn me?" she asked the old man.
"You won't feel a thing if you can cool off the metal by yourself," he said to her warmly. Katara looked him over and compared him to Taiko. It seemed like he genuinely wanted to help, and that he wasn't just trying to torture her. She didn't know if he knew Taiko and Mayuri's plan, but it didn't seem like he knew anyone else outside of his own temple. The sun shined on his white hair and his smile beamed more brightly as Katara put her hands back on the swords. She looked at Zuko intently and took a deep breath.
"I'm going to try… I'm ready," she said and Zuko nodded. He closed his eyes, gathering the heat within him and it swirled from his heart into his fingers, and finally the swords. Katara's eyes shot open as she felt the first spark of heat underneath her fingers. She winced as it grew, trying to figure out what she was supposed to do.
"Use the source of chi in your body to let the natural coolness of water flow into your palms. Grasp the heat and cool it down," Domei instructed. Katara's fingers were turning red, but as soon as he said that, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She searched within herself for the core of water flowing inside. Once she saw the river, she pushed it into her arms and with a sigh of relief; the pressure in her hands disappeared slowly. She opened her eyes and looked at Zuko with a smile. The sweat on her forehead gathered and trickled down the side of her face, but all Katara felt was the overwhelming coolness in herself. Her triumphant grin spread to Zuko's eyes as he shared the joy with her. After a few more minutes, Katara let go and Zuko touched his swords with his finger.
"It's not even warm," he commented.
"She did a fine job then! Congratulations to both of you! You've passed the first step. Now, hold hands again…"
"Why? What's the point of that?" she asked.
"All right, you two don't need to hold hands. I just thought it would help, but if not… then just hold your own hands. Sit down, and meditate… while looking at each other. You must not look away or else it won't work."
Zuko shrugged and sat down without hesitation. Katara on the other hand, began to worry. She sat down after a glare from Domei and then she sighed. They sat four feet apart and Katara finally looked at Zuko in the eyes. The breeze swept his hair across his forehead as it did the same with Katara's hair. Gently, her hands fell into her lap as the silence lulled her senses and Zuko's gaze calmed her down. His eyes were telling her something she always wanted to hear, but feared was only in her imagination. His eyes spoke soft words in her mind. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, but Katara pushed the words to the back of her mind as she concentrated on her breathing and keeping her mind clear. Then, amidst the peacefulness, Domei's soft voice interrupted their serenity.
"Katara, what is it about Zuko that troubles you?" he said. Entranced in her meditative state, Katara didn't realize that he had used their names; she didn't even turn to face him. Holding Zuko's gaze, she answered the question truthfully, as if someone was forcing her to spill the words out of her heart.
"I'm worried that he will turn evil like his father," she said quietly. Zuko's eyes widened as he came out of his meditation slightly. His eyebrows raised and his voice reached out to her.
"I'm not evil Katara. I was afraid you would think that," he replied. His answer caused Katara to snap out of it and she gasped as Zuko touched her hand tenderly in his. He smiled softly and looked at her with truth shining in his gaze. "Please don't think that of me anymore. I don't want to take over the world… I just want to figure out who I am and why I'm supposed to be here." Katara stood up with Zuko and she nodded as she let go of his hand.
"You promise?" she asked.
"Yes, I promise you I won't become evil," he said. Katara laughed as the last bit of tension inside of her vanished. Zuko smiled genuinely, and this time, she felt the sincerity of his gaze make her heart swell with joy. Her worries had been dealt with. She could look at Zuko and be assured that she could trust him.
"I was skeptical at first, but that really helped sensei… sensei?" Katara said as she looked around the room. Zuko did the same but saw no one there except for himself and Katara. A door had been left open and the staircase Katara had come out of was waiting for them.
"I guess he didn't have time to stay and say goodbye," Zuko said.
"He could have at least waited for a thank you," she said. He shrugged his shoulders and as they were leaving the room, Katara heard Zuko's stomach growl. He looked down and then smiled shyly at her. Katara laughed as Zuko put a hand on the back of his head.
"I couldn't find the Gathering Hall," he said.
"It took me a while, but I found it. Come on, I'll show you were it is," she said, and the two of them left, walking down the staircase talking about how strange it was that the Master had chosen them and not Jet and Laia. Some things never had an explanation though.
..::-::..
It was sometime before lunch, and Laia hadn't seen Zuko or Katara anywhere. She still wanted to apologize for the scene they had witnessed that morning. A few little children ran around her in a circle and then darted off to a nearby tree. Laia laughed as she stumbled forward onto a rock and sat down. The courtyard was her favorite place back in the second temple and in this one too. The fifth temple was special though because it had a more youthful and cheerful atmosphere about it. In the distance, she heard the slashing of swords in the air and on the bark of a tree. Her head turned around and she smiled as she saw Jet panting as he swung his swords around. At first she wasn't sure if she should believe it, but seeing how hard he was practicing now, Laia knew how much of an influence she was on him. Laia propped herself with her arms leaning back and she watched him as the sunlight danced around his face. She sighed happily and then fell back as a little girl pulled on her arm.
"Oh! Hi there! That's a pretty flower," Laia said as she sat back up. The girl giggled and pulled on Laia's short black hair so that she could whisper something to Laia.
"That boy over there is cute!" she said excitedly.
"Which one?" Laia said as she looked over to the playful group on her right.
"No! Not those boys! That one," she said and pointed at Jet. Laia's eyes grew and she couldn't help but laugh cheerfully. At first the girl felt disappointed and pouted at the big girl's mockery of her feelings, but then Laia patted her shoulder and whispered back into her ear.
"I think he's cute too!" Laia said. The girl giggled again and handed Laia the flower.
"Could you give this to him? I'm too shy to do it…" the girl said. Laia gaped as the girl stuck the flower in her hand. She blinked and then whimpered as the little girl pouted more and her eyes became round. "Please do it for me, please?" Laia finally clasped the flower and stood up with determination.
"Don't worry! I'll get it to him for you!" she said with enthusiasm. The little girl cheered and then ran away to hide behind a tree. Laia straightened out her kimono and walked up to Jet while taking long, quick strides. Jet saw her in his peripheral vision and stopped swinging his swords. He caught his breath and then inhaled deeply before he put his swords away. Laia came up to him with her hands behind her back and with a hesitant smile on her face.
"Hey Laia. What's going on? Did you find Zuko and Katara yet?" he asked while he wiped his forehead.
"No, haven't seen them. Uh, Jet?" she asked. He raised his eyebrow, ready to receive a question from her. Jet stepped back as she produced a large flower from behind her back. Its full yellow petals bounced lightly as he took it from her hand.
"Laia… I'm flattered and all, but why are you giving me this? First the incident this morning, now…" he stopped in the middle of his sentence as she whacked him on the head.
"It's not like that! How many times do I have to tell you? I'm just a messenger," she said.
"A messenger?" he asked with confusion.
"That little girl behind the tree over there wanted me to give that flower to you. She thinks you're… cute," Laia said with one final breath. Jet smirked and sniffed the flower. He sighed and walked away from Laia. She watched him walk all the way up to the little girl who jumped into a crooked pose, as if she was a poorly sculpted piece of art. She thought that maybe if she seemed to be life-less, he wouldn't say anything to her. Jet peered around the tree and smiled broadly as he heard her squeal. He knelt down beside her and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Did you give me this flower?" he asked warmly. She shifted her head slightly and then he chuckled. He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it quickly. The little girl put her arm down as she stared at him in awe. Her face was layered in crimson blush.
"Thank you very much. I really like it!" he said and then stood up and ruffled her hair. Laia watched, astonished by his behavior. He came back to Laia, sniffing the flower the whole way. His exaggeration stemmed her anger and she snatched the flower from him. Not only did she have Katara to go against, but the little brat was winning Jet's affections more than she was. Jet reached for it, but she threw the flower into the breeze and it flew in the direction of a group of children in the corner of the courtyard.
"Give it back," Jet said. Laia smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
"Looks like you'll have to go get it yourself."
He rolled his eyes and went after the flower. Jet didn't know why he was doing it, but it was rare to see Laia jealous of a little girl. He found it amusing and so he jogged into the corner where the flower had fallen to the ground. Laia ran after him and stopped next to him as he picked the flower up.
"Why do you care so much about a flower?" she asked.
"Maybe to you, flowers don't mean much, but if that girl gave it to me because she really wanted me to have it, then I would keep it no matter what. Other people have feelings too, and I don't want her to think I don't care at all about hers," he said somewhat softly towards the end. Laia let her jaw drop as she stared into his eyes. She couldn't tell whether he was talking about the little girl, or himself. Laia bit her lip and was about to release her regret, the thoughts that circled in her head ever since she saw him again, but right then, a whizzing noise zoomed through the air and Jet dropped the flower as a ball hit the back of his head. He stumbled forward and Laia caught him before he fell all the way to the ground. Jet looked up at her and she shook her head, not knowing what had happened. They stood up straight and Jet saw a small blue ball on the ground near his feet. Up ahead, a chubby little boy waddled over and picked the ball up hesitantly.
"So-so-sorry!" he said and then ran away. Laia followed him and both she and Jet saw that the group of children was surrounded by a brick wall on opposite sides. This small open room was in the corner of the courtyard where no one paid too much attention. As Laia and Jet approached, everyone quieted down and formed two small groups. Laia looked around and smiled.
"What are you guys doing?" she asked.
It was silent but then a little girl spoke up.
"We're playing Shuite-ball!" she exclaimed. Jet folded his arms and then placed his weight on his right leg.
"Can we join?" he asked. Laia eyed him but he smiled and took her by the hand. "It looks like I got hit so I'm in. I don't want you on my team though, so you go there," he said and shoved Laia to the other group of children. They all began to laugh quietly as Laia rubbed her back and glared at him. She picked up a ball on the ground and tossed it into the air a few times with a smirk.
"Okay, fine. How do we play this game?" she asked. The children seemed to feel more comfortable and they departed from their safety groups, forming three lines on each side. The chubby boy poked her and she looked down at him.
"We each take turns throwing the balls at the other team! But we have to throw it at the wall so it bounces into the other team's backs! They can't look back to see if the ball is coming or not. If the ball comes back, you can take it and try to hit the person but then if they do get hit, they get added to our team!"
Jet smirked as he picked up a red ball on his side. He tossed it up in the air and yelled over to Laia.
"This one's coming for you Laia!" he exclaimed. She readied her stance as the little children around her began to pick up the balls and throw them at the other side. Because they weren't as strong, the balls didn't get far, and they rolled over to the other side. Jet slammed the ball through the air and it passed by Laia's face, only inches away. She gasped and was about to look around when Jet called over to her. "You can't look back!" She winced and clenched her fists. The hairs on her back stood up straight as she heard the ball hit the wall and echo as it came back for her. The children watched in awe as Laia dodged the ball. She stepped to the right as her sleeve skidded over the surface of the ball. It bounced back to Jet and he raised his eyebrow. "I'm surprised you missed it! But I won't go easy on you anymore," he said slyly.
"The real game hasn't started yet!" Laia exclaimed, thrusting the ball towards Jet. He ducked and moved to his left. The ball came whizzing by at an unexpected speed but he got a hold of himself and quickly changed tactics. He ran to the other side of the field and threw one ball after another at Laia. Her eyes widened and then she knelt down to the floor. The balls bounced over her and she smirked when she picked her head up. She rolled over and caught some balls. Her fingers curled into a fist and she closed one eye, aiming at Jet's feet. In an instant, she pushed all of her force into the ball and it rolled across the ground rapidly. Jet jumped up so that he wouldn't get hit and then threw a ball with all of his might at the wall behind Laia. She stood up and watched as her ball hit the edge of the wall and came up at an angle. Jet stood with a smirk on his face, ready to see his ball rebound to hit Laia. Both of them were too focused on their own victory when at the same time, they each got hit in the back and fell down. The children burst out laughing and crying in joy.
"It's a tie!" one exclaimed.
"No! He got hit first!" a girl responded.
"No way! She fell down first!" a boy said. Jet looked up at Laia who was also trying to get up. She smiled brightly at him and he shot her a big grin back. Jet stood up and walked over to Laia, extending her his hand. She took it and laughed.
"That was really fun! But it seemed like you knew what you were doing…" she said.
"Yeah, I used to play Shuite-ball when I was younger. The Freedom Fighters and I played it all the time. You played well, for a beginner," he said and winked. Laia let go of his hand and scratched her head.
"What are the Freedom Fighters?" she asked, but her question wasn't answered because another round had begun and they were in the middle of the crossfire. They ran out of the small space in between the two walls and back into the open courtyard. Laia saw the flower on the ground and she picked it up gently, handing it to Jet. She smiled and winked.
"Don't forget your gift! I wouldn't want her to feel bad either," she said. Jet's mouth dropped open as her eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Her smile was delicate, as if she was trying to hold onto a memory that wasn't whole. He blinked a few times and then nodded.
"Yeah… thanks for reminding me," he said.
"I wonder where Katara and Zuko are! It's time for lunch and they still haven't shown up!" Laia said as she sighed. Jet shrugged and together they walked away to go look for them. Jet kept looking at Laia who was smiling without end. Whatever came out of her mouth, it was always something positive about the day and he couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. Spending so much time with her was making him think a lot, but he would always end up thinking about Katara either way. He knew it wasn't fair to Laia, but that's why he wasn't saying anything.
"Oh! Look at that! I've never seen a squirrelbird before! It's up in that tree over there," Laia said as she tugged on Jet's sleeve. He craned his neck and put his hand above his eyes to block the sunlight. She looked up at him and smiled. Laia almost wished that Zuko and Katara would never find them. Spending so much time with Jet was the best wish she could have asked for.
"I see it. I don't think I've ever seen one so skinny though. It looks starved," Jet commented. Laia smiled as an idea hit her head. She jammed her hand in her bag and found a small piece of bread. She ran up to the tree and tried to catch the squirrelbird's attention by jumping up and down. Jet folded his arms and laughed as Laia grew frustrated and started screaming at the animal to come down and eat a proper meal. His eyes closed half way and he suddenly saw Katara holding the squirrelbird in her hands. He blinked again and saw that it wasn't Katara but Laia instead. He hit himself on the side of his head and sighed while Laia laughed joyously in the background.
..::-::..
Zuko finished his soup quickly and then put the bowl down on the table. Katara smiled and ate her meal as well. The Gathering Hall was bustling with little kids and the noise was overwhelming. Several women kept watching over the children and kept them from breaking the plates on the tables. Katara put her hands over her ears and signaled to Zuko that she wanted to leave. He nodded and put his fingers in his ears as they left. The door swung open and they stepped out into the hall. Katara sighed happily as the door closed and the terrorizing ache in her ears subsided. She walked towards the courtyard she had seen on the way there and Zuko followed automatically.
"Where do you think Jet and Laia are?" Zuko asked.
"They probably were too embarrassed to show themselves. Most likely they are hiding in their rooms," she said and laughed. "I just don't understand how she could have made such a huge mistake though. I think I'd know if there was someone else in the bed," she said.
Zuko raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. "And how would you know? Have you experienced that before?" he asked. Katara stammered and shook her head while chuckling.
"N-no… I haven't! Well, wouldn't you know if someone was there?" she asked. He shrugged his shoulders as they walked into the warm sunlight.
"I wouldn't know. I think it depends on how big the person is and how heavy of a sleeper someone is," he stated. Katara sighed and waved her hand.
"Oh, it's okay, let's just talk about something else…"
"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you two! Why would you hide yourselves from little old me?" Oraka exclaimed radiantly. Zuko moaned and rolled his eyes as Katara narrowed her gaze.
"Why do you always seem to go wherever we go?" she asked.
"What? No pleasant hello? That's such a shame, and here I thought that my brother would approve but…" Oraka didn't finish her sentence because the man behind her stepped next to her side and bowed his head. Zuko picked his bent body up and his eyes opened wider.
"Hello, my name is Nako. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said politely with a slight smile. Katara marveled at the difference between the two siblings. Oraka's grey hair wasn't as noticeable as Nako's and his hairline was receded half way on his head. His hair was let down loosely with a bun on top. His chin held a wide beard but no mustache crossed under his nose. As he smiled, Nako displayed his old rotting teeth, but nevertheless, he was a man of class, as his perfectly straight posture displayed.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well. My name is Katara," she said.
"My name is Zuko," the firebender said. Nako opened his mouth and sighed.
"Ahh, yes, I've heard a lot about you," Nako said.
"You have?"
"Oraka tends to be a little excited about the younger generation. She still thinks that she's twenty years old sometimes," he said with a wink and jabbed his sister playfully in the side. She laughed and put an arm around her big brother.
"Nako always cheers me up when I'm down! I haven't seen him in so long, that's why I came here, remember? So did you two take a tour of the temple? Do you like it here?" she asked as she leaned forward. Zuko smiled hesitantly and backed away from Oraka, finding shelter behind Katara.
"Actually, we got lost and ended up in a small room up on the third floor, I think… then the Master of this temple… Domei was it? Well he came and gave Zuko and me a special session about balancing our powers," Katara said. Zuko stepped away and looked at Katara with a sideways glance that showed his uplifted smile. Katara smiled at him and then looked back at Oraka and Nako.
"You've met Master Domei? Well I'll tell you, you are two of the many privileged people to have met him in your lifetime," Nako said. "He was the founder of this temple. It was a tragic story though."
Katara gasped and leaned forward slightly.
"Please tell us!" she begged.
"Very well. Domei had been learning about the various forms of bending. It was a long time ago, back when the times of hope were slim and the Avatar had disappeared. He had grown up not knowing hope, but then one day, he met his future wife. She was beautiful and kind, always helping anyone who seemed lost. Domei was one of those people. He used bending for the wrong reasons and then she set him straight. They fell in love and married. Domei came across the ruined First Temple of Sanoroi and he decided with his wife that they would rebuild it. Thus it became the Fifth Temple of Sanoroi, however soon after it was built, his wife became with child and unfortunately, died a sudden death when her pregnancy failed. Domei was horrified but her last words were a promise between her and Domei. He promised to help any child who didn't have a parent and to treat them as his own. Ever since then, this temple has raised children without a home."
Nako finished his story as Katara wiped away the tears on her face.
"That's so sad… I would have never thought that was what his life was like," she said. Zuko blinked his eyes a few times and put a hand on Katara's shoulder to comfort her. She nodded and smiled at him in thanks.
"Don't worry about old Domei! He's gotten through that troublesome part of his life! Now he's happy and healthy!" Oraka exclaimed. "Oh! And look who's here to join us!" Zuko and Katara turned around and saw Laia running towards them. Jet was farther behind, coming to greet them at his own pace.
"Katara! I was worried you might have gone on without me and left me alone with Jet!" she said jokingly. Katara laughed and winked at her friend.
"That would definitely be something to worry about," she said.
"What would be?" Jet asked when he came up to join the group.
"Oh nothing," Laia said with a laugh. Jet looked at Zuko but he just shrugged. Nako sighed and bowed his head.
"It's been pleasant talking with you folks, but I think I'm going to take my afternoon nap now," Nako said as he yawned. Katara shook her head, not knowing how the two of them could be related. Oraka waved to him as he left and then she turned back to her friends.
"So, how are your missions going?" she asked.
"The missions!" Laia exclaimed. "I completely forgot about them! This temple was such a fun place to be!" Jet glanced at her and smiled as they shared a silent moment to themselves. Katara saw this and covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing. She calmed down and then cleared her throat.
"I think we should actually get our things and go. We've been here too long and we might not want to leave if we stay longer," she said. Zuko nodded.
"I agree with Katara. We still have a long way to go," he said. Laia suddenly remembered someone they were forgetting.
"What about Hyoku… and what about Lee?" she asked.
Jet shrugged and put his hands on his head.
"They aren't coming. The temple is their home Laia. Just because you really liked him, doesn't mean he can be our guide everywhere," Jet said. She sighed as they all started to wander back to their rooms.
"I guess you're right. Hyoku was so much fun though! And he was a storm bender! He could control…"
"No he can't Laia. He's a kid, and kids make up lies," Jet said. She frowned and turned down the hall without saying anything. "Great, now she's mad at me! I was just pointing out the obvious, wasn't I?" Jet asked Zuko and Katara. She shrugged and went to find her room.
"We'll meet you guys at the front in half an hour," she said as she was leaving.
"Half an hour? What do you need to do that will take so long?" Jet yelled after her. He grumbled and Zuko sighed.
"They're women. Don't you know they take a long time with everything?" Zuko asked. Jet narrowed his eyes and went into his room.
"Well they shouldn't. It's not like they can take as long as they want to and get away with it…"
Apparently they did, because when Jet and Zuko came to the door, Laia and Katara were already waiting for them. The boys waited more than half an hour and they couldn't complain unless they wanted to suffer a beating from Laia.
"You're late," Katara said with a smirk. Zuko lifted his shoulders and strapped his bag across his back.
"We got lost on the way here," he said.
"Okay, well since you two are finally here, we can start moving! Who has the map?" Laia asked. Katara pulled hers out and looked over it with everyone else huddled around her. She narrowed her gaze with annoyance as Jet pointed to the map, which pushed her into Laia.
"That's where we are now! We're in the City of Yukaki, right there!" he exclaimed.
"Jet! Get off of me!" she pushed him away and sighed as she looked back at the map. Jet rubbed his cheek and then looked away embarrassed. Katara mumbled to herself and then nodded.
"Okay, I know where we have to go. There's this huge lake in between Yukaki and the Kuusu Mountains. I think we need to find the lake and see if there are any ferries that will take us across," Katara said. Zuko was looking around feverishly as Katara put her map away.
"What's wrong Zuko?" she asked.
"Can we leave now? I don't want to see Oraka again," he whispered.
Laia laughed and Katara smiled. "Why's that?" she asked him. Zuko looked at her and widened his eyes.
"She creeps me out a little," he said as he shivered.
"I don't know how she does that Zuko. I really like her! I think we should stay and… ah!" Laia cried out as he pushed her out the door. Jet and Katara followed as the doors quickly closed behind them. Inside the temple, Oraka locked the doors and sighed happily. She turned around and giggled as she gave Domei a high five.
"Thanks for doing me that favor Domei!" she said happily. The master smiled and sighed as they turned away from the entrance.
"It was a bit hard at first, but the girl soon warmed up to him. I hope they do well from here on out!" he said.
"I second that!" exclaimed Oraka as they disappeared into the temple.
Outside, the four travelers stepped out into the busy street. They walked down the marble steps and looked around before consulting the map again. Zuko looked to his left and mentioned to the group that there was visible water at the end of the street. Laia and Jet squinted but couldn't see anything. Then it came down to Katara and she closed her eyes, scanning the distance for sources of water. She found a large lake tingling within her senses and she opened her eyes, confirming Zuko's prediction. He smiled at her and they began traveling down through Yukaki. It took them a lot longer than they expected. Laia stopped and stared at every store she saw. The little toys captivated her attention so much that Jet and Zuko had to keep dragging her away from the booths. Katara led the way through the crowds of people as Zuko kept close at her back. Because of this, Jet and Laia were left alone to quarrel more than ever. The littlest things set them off. Even a crack in the road had started a massive fight.
"I'm telling you! Nothing will happen if I step on the crack or not! See?" Jet said as he stepped on it purposefully. Laia gasped and shook her head in disapproval.
"You've just given yourself three years shorter to live," she said in a serious tone. Jet moaned in frustration. She would never be persuaded; her superstitions would always hold fast to her no matter what. It went on like this for two hours. The city was larger than they expected and once they saw the water in the distance, they started to hurry up. Sadly, when they reached the outskirts of the town, they saw the poorer districts where women had many children near them. The roofs of their houses were broken and covered with thick blankets. The doors were shattered and had gaping holes. The clothes they wore were covered in dirt and the children were frail and malnourished. Katara bit her lip as she saw a woman on crutches. She took her pouch of water and healed her leg as best as she could. The woman thanked her and then they ran towards a group of people near the water. Once they came to the docks, all of their eyes widened and they stared in awe.
The lake stretched out for miles. The water shined with brilliance that seemed unearthly. More magnificent though were the mountains that cut into the blue sky. The distant green forests seemed to blend together to form one solid layer of foliage. People were trying to get on board a large ship that was bound for the other side of the lake. Near the docks, green tangled vines sprang up and the moss covered the land that the fences kept guarded. They all stared in disbelief and then Zuko spoke up.
"What is this place?" he asked.
"It's Lake Nuchai," Laia said in astonishment. "It's beautiful!" She squealed and the moment of reflective silence was over. Jet sighed and pushed his way through the crowd as the rest of them followed.
"Excuse me, pardon us, coming through!" he said as he shoved some people out of the way. Many protested and grunted but Jet didn't care. He wanted to get on the ship quickly. Katara followed him closely and they made it to the front amid angry shouts from behind. Zuko came up to them along with Laia and the person managing everyone looked up to see the four travelers standing there, catching their breaths.
"You four want to cross Lake Nuchai?" he asked.
"Yes please!" Laia beamed. "We want to see the Kuusu Mountains!"
"Okay, looks like there's room. You can come on, but first deposit the money in the box. Next!"
They were moved away and Katara scoffed. "He was a bit short with us. Where's that box he was talking about?" They found it and walked up the ramp after depositing the payment for the trip. When the four of them got up to the deck, they marveled at the luxury of the ship. Cleaning crews were mopping the floors and families were already trying to make out the landscape ahead. After they found their rooms on the first floor, they took a tour of the ship. In an hour, they met each other on the deck again, but while they were walking towards the edge of the ship, Zuko stopped because someone had bumped into him.
"I'm sorry. I didn't see you there… Hyoku?" he asked incredulously.
The boy looked up at Zuko and everyone around him. Lee popped up next to him with a wide goofy smile. Katara and Laia's smiles broadened. Oraka had held true to her words and had given Hyoku a bath. His clothes were cleaned and he was cuter than before. They had to restrain themselves from hugging him and squealing excitedly.
Laia did that anyways though. "Hyoku! What are you doing here? Are you coming with us on our journey?" she asked.
He shook his head and pointed his thumb to the mountains and his friend.
"Me and Lee are going on a mission by ourselves! We were told to go to the base of the mountains to get some special herbs and bring them back to the temple!" he said. Zuko smiled as he noticed that the flute was at Hyoku's side again. The boy seemed to be in much brighter spirits and Lee clung to Zuko's arm trying to get his attention.
"You promised me that you'd teach me how to fight with the swords!" he said. Zuko looked down and smiled.
"All right. Let's go do it now," Zuko said. He left with Lee and walked over to an empty space where he withdrew his swords and began teaching the earth bender. Jet huffed and decided to join them. After a while, Zuko and Jet started a friendly spar for old time's sake. Katara rolled her eyes and turned back to Hyoku. She too noticed the flute by his side and smiled widely.
"So it looks like you got your flute back," she said.
"I don't know how I did. I woke up this morning and found it next to my bed," Hyoku pulled on Katara's sleeve and she bent down so he could whisper into her ear. "I think a spirit returned it to me!" She stood back up straight and smiled warmly.
"That's possible," she said. "but I think the spirit's name was Zuko." Laia gasped and stared at Zuko who was fighting with Jet. A crowd had gathered and was cheering them on.
"I never knew Zuko was a spirit! That is so awesome!" she squealed. Katara's lips lifted into half a smile as her eyebrows rose.
"Seriously? You believed me? Laia… it was just a joke," Katara said with a slight laugh. Laia blushed and scratched her head.
"But I thought Zuko didn't like me," Hyoku said.
Katara smiled and winked. "He might not think you were saying the truth, but he knows that the flute means a lot to you, so he wanted to help you out."
Hyoku looked from Zuko to Katara and then sighed.
"But I wasn't lying," he said quietly as a loud cheer erupted from the group. Katara and Laia both turned to see who had won and Hyoku was forgotten as he always was. He shrugged his shoulders and went to find Lee. The crowd parted and let Katara in with Laia. They gasped as they saw both Zuko and Jet sprawled on the floor, panting. Katara went over to Jet and Laia helped Zuko sit up.
"It was a draw?" Katara asked. Jet nodded and smiled sheepishly as his eyes blinked continuously.
"Hey Katara, can I have some water?" he asked. She rolled her eyes and splashed some on his face angrily. Katara stood up and left Jet alone.
"That's what you get for fighting so hard that you almost faint!" she said and then walked over to Zuko. Laia helped him stand up and he smiled.
"It's not his fault. I fought with my all too. We almost got injured but we couldn't keep going on. Lee stopped us. Where is he?" Zuko asked as the crowd parted. The two boys were no where to be found. Katara assumed they had run off somewhere but it didn't matter because they'd eventually see them again somewhere. Katara cooled Zuko off with some water and then Laia turned around as Jet walked up to them.
"So you get mad at me, but you're not mad at Zuko?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and folded arms. Katara laughed slightly and waved a hand at him.
"Sorry about that. I was just worried that you'd pass out," she said. The group continued talking amongst themselves as they took another tour of the ship. It had already set sail in the mid afternoon and the water skidded against the sides with forceful clashes of foaming waves. Katara had wandered away from the group and wound up on the other side where she could see the mountains becoming larger in her view, although they were still far away from their destination. She sighed to herself as the thoughts that she had suppressed in the back of her mind were beginning to resurface. Katara leaned on the ship's cold metal rail and let her arm dangle across the edge. She could almost feel the spray of water on her face.
"Hey Katara," Zuko said as he joined her. Katara stood up straight and opened her eyes wide.
"Oh! Hi Zuko."
"What are you doing?" he asked casually.
"I'm watching the sun set. The sun sets in the west and makes the water shine with a wonderful glow. I've always liked that the most, watching the colors in the sky reflect in the water," she said warmly. He smiled at her and watched the passing water with her. They stood for a few moments together in a harmonious silence. The passengers were already in their rooms for the most part and there was no one to bother them. A load of cargo hid them from a general view and Zuko took it as the perfect opportunity to do something he never was able to do. He moved his hand to the right and put his fingers on top of her hand. She looked up and stared into his eyes. Zuko smiled warmly and the light glowed around his face as he looked at her.
"I like sun sets too," he said. Katara felt her heart hammering against her chest as the breeze ruffled her hair and kimono. Suddenly she felt her heartbeat collide against another and she fell forward as she gripped onto Zuko's hand. Her vision became blurred as if a dirty bucket of water had washed down her face. Her head spun and Zuko held onto her with panic.
"Katara! Are you okay?" he asked frantically. She pushed herself away from him and shook her head, trying to get rid of the pain. Katara felt the tears sweep down her cheeks as she pulled her hand away from him forcefully and ran away. Zuko started to chase after her, but he heard her voice echo in his head.
"Don't worry! I'm fine!" she called out. Katara hid behind the cargo boxes and took deep breaths as the feeling passed. She wiped her eyes and walked away, leaving Zuko alone to watch the sun's rays spread across his long shadowy face.
A/N: I tried my hardest to write as much as possible yesterday and so that's why this is up way earlier than usually! I have to admit though... not much happened in this chapter... the action is going to get more intense next chapter! I've been thinking about it a lot, so it should be good! and there was actually something that was left out at the end of this chapter... why? because I reached my word limit but it will start off the next chapter...I bet you're all wondering what's going on with Hyoku, I promise to explain it in the next chapter - and as always, I have to prop T-E-D for making a fanart of Oraka! deviantart .com /deviation/49701439/
Thanks a ton for everyone who is reading and reviewing the chapters! It means the world to me and this fic is here because of you guys! thanks again:D
-Monika-