Dying To Survive
Chapter 10 – Fakes
"Boldness is a mask for fear, however great. " John Dryden
..::-::..
An array of dazzling stars shined in the moonlit sky. Two distant clouds passed by as the wind blew by softly. The warmth ran up Laia's spine as her hair drifted to the side before it landed back to her face. She was standing near the back of the ship, watching the water ripple away as the metal drifted forward. It cut into the serene lake's surface as she began to remember her past unwillingly. The night was taunting her like it always did, but at that moment, she felt more alone than she ever had before. Her fingers clutched onto the railing and she was about to let go when she turned and saw a dark figure. She screamed slightly as it came toward her, but then her face relaxed as she saw Jet's shocked grin.
"It's only me. You don't have to wake everyone up," Jet said. Laia gave him a small smile as she clutched her heart. She turned away, not wanting to see him right then. Laia gazed at the dim lake silently as Jet came next to her and sighed.
"I wish you wouldn't have done that," Laia said quietly. He twisted his head to the right and saw that she wasn't smiling.
"Do you want me to leave? I'm sorry that I thought you wanted some company," Jet said bitterly as he was about to walk away. Laia pulled on his arm instantly and held him back.
"Please don't go," she begged with her round shining eyes. Jet dropped his jaw and then nodded.
"All right. I'll stay…" there was a pause as they both returned to their original positions facing the lake. "The moon is bright tonight, so are the stars. It makes everything so clear."
Laia bit her lip and shrugged as another soft breeze blew by. "I think it's painfully beautiful," Laia said. Jet raised his eyebrow as she looked up at him. He stood back surprised; tiny streams of tears spilled down the sides of her face as she tried to smile.
"Laia… why are you crying?" he asked sincerely. Her fake smile broke with a sob and then she laughed amidst it all.
"I've never told anyone before… but I wasn't always as happy as I seem to be now," she said. "There was a night just like this one, and I remember it so perfectly. I was seven years old and I had started learning all about firebending. It was all so exciting, and I was getting a lot of attention from my family's friends. They came all the time because I was the only one in our small village that had made a flame appear."
Jet took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. "I don't understand what's wrong with that…" he said slowly. Laia wiped her tears and pouted her lips while she slammed her hand on the railing.
"Of course you don't. No one else did either. They didn't see the jealousy and hatred my mother had for me. They didn't see the bruises I had, and they didn't know how guilty I felt when my father…" The tears streamed down her face again and Laia broke down. She couldn't tell him the horrible things her father had done to her, the things that had made her feel so ashamed for so long. Jet's eyes opened up to her misery and without thinking, he stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around Laia's small body. She accepted the embrace at first, but then stopped crying and pulled away.
"Laia, I'm sorry… I didn't know…" he said.
"Of course you didn't. No one ever asks about that kind of stuff. They always thought I was so cheerful and dumb, but that's only because I wanted them to think nothing was wrong. I never trusted men after that night… I was older, and I couldn't take it anymore. I ran away… I ran into the open night with the stars that shined their bright hurtful light on me. It was so beautiful, but it was spoiled with the memories I could never erase."
Laia finished strongly and wiped the remainder of her damp face. She looked at the water and then back at Jet with a sudden distrust. Jet might have been putting up a facade just like her father; she had to be careful to not fall for his generous and warm demeanor.
"Laia… not all men are like that. What you're father did isn't right and I'd go and teach him a thing or two if I could. I'm being honest. No lies. I'm sorry," he said. Her eyes let the tension fade away and she sighed as she stepped closer to him. His arm rested against hers as she leaned on him for support.
"I want to believe you…" she said quietly.
"You can." Jet looked down at her and saw the firelight glimmer in her eyes. He smiled softly as he put his arm around her shoulder. His gaze fell to the water again as the hum of the engine remained constantly buzzing in their already lightened hearts. "My parents were killed by the Fire Nation when I was young. I hadn't found friends until I met a few others who had the same fate accompany them. We grew up together and formed the Freedom Fighters. I was so angry with the Fire Nation. I hated everyone who was linked to the place I thought bred evil beings. One day, we were going to wipe out a Fire Nation town. It was during the year before the war ended. I thought it was the right thing to do. I wanted revenge, but it wasn't right at all," Jet said musingly. Laia looked up at him with admiration and thought about her past situation and guilt. It still hung over her head but with Jet next to her, she felt like the stream of clouded water had cleared up and she could see fluency inside of it.
"Why are you telling me this?" she asked suddenly.
He turned towards her and let his arm fall to his side. "I wanted you to know that our feelings of anger aren't always the best way to leave things. I know what your parents did was unacceptable, but you should try to forgive them in your heart and move on. You won't be truly happy any other way," he said as they smiled at each other. Jet's lips moved faster than his brain could stop him though, and the thing he said next made Laia step back in repulsion. "If it wasn't for Katara, I wouldn't have ever known that. I would still hate the Fire Nation and all of its people. She really helped me see things clearly."
Laia slapped him with all of her strength as the ache in her heart swelled. The tears brewed fresh in her eyes and the ferocity of her clenched scowl made Jet step away from her. He held his burning cheek and his eyes widened dramatically.
"I just opened up to you because I thought you cared! I didn't even tell Zuko. How dare you mention her? She's all you're ever going to care about, but Katara doesn't feel the same way as you! Jet, when are you going to wake up?" she yelled. His face exploded with incredulous shock.
"Are you kidding me? I wasn't thinking about her! I was trying to make you feel better!" he retorted.
"Well you sure did a great job of that! You helped me realize that all men are the same. You will always do whatever is best for you! Can't you see how much you're lying to yourself? I can tell… I can tell how you were thinking about her, it was all in your eyes," she said and then pushed past him as she darted away. Jet called out after her, but she had disappeared from his sight and into the night's shadows. He looked back at the water and cursed at himself for being such an idiot.
..::-::..
As the morning sunlight spread through the air, it warmed Katara's head and her fingers curled. A rumble emitted from her throat as she coughed herself awake. She stopped and looked around. Last night, Katara had run away from Zuko and had hidden herself in the lower decks. She found some hay and fell asleep, trying to forget the terrible feeling of pain inside of her heart. Yawning, Katara stretched and sat up while little pieces of straw floated down to the floor. The opening from the deck radiated with the morning light and she got up to find her companions.
The deck was filled with excitement. Tourists were huddled as close as possible to the front of the ship. Katara shifted her weight so that she stood properly, wincing at the bright light of the day and the enormous size of the mountain terrain in front of her. Lake Nuchai was brimming with golden sparkles as the ship cruised closer to the dock. A small tourist seeing village lined the edge of the shore. From where she stood, it seemed like they would dock in just a few minutes. Katara looked away from the rocky slopes and rich leafy trees that sprang up from the ground everywhere. She couldn't bear to think of the truth; they had made it to the Kuusu Mountains at last.
Among the people of all ages, a shout slipped into Katara's ears and she turned back.
"Katara! Over here!" Jet yelled. She smiled and walked up to him, but with a few more steps, she passed him and his smile faded into a questioning frown. Katara stopped in front of the two little boys as they jumped up to greet her.
"Hyoku, Lee, I hope you didn't cause any trouble on the ship last night! You wandered out of my sight!" Katara said with a small laugh. She was trying to do anything to keep herself from thinking about the ominous task ahead of her. Jet folded his arms and narrowed his eyes as he watched Katara's back. Her arms made exaggerated arm movements as she spoke with the two kids, and Jet's gut twisted inside. Laia's verbal attack had caused him to rethink his situation, but he didn't want to let go of the tiny shred of hope inside of his heart. Katara's dismissal of him at that moment made him think otherwise, and it was only when he sighed dramatically that she noticed he was there.
"Oh! Jet! I didn't see you over there," she said.
"Maybe you should see a doctor and check your eyesight then. Have you seen Zuko or Laia around?" he asked her. Katara raised her eyebrow at his bitter tone, but shrugged and then looked away shamefully.
"I haven't seen…"
"Hey, Katara! We've been looking everywhere for you this morning!" Laia said with a large smile as she walked up to them with Zuko. Katara's eyes widened as Zuko looked at her with buried concern. She took a deep breath and then stretched her arms.
"I just woke up. Actually, I'm starving," she said as her stomach growled. Zuko's face lifted as he pulled something out of his bag. A small piece of cloth covered the object in his hands as he handed it to her. Katara's mouth hung open in shock as he looked at her hopefully.
"We already ate. I didn't see you… so I thought you might want something," he said. Katara's heart swelled again and she let herself smile happily. Zuko saw the cheer on her face and was relieved to see she was all right. The previous night had left him with unanswered questions, but it was her warm smile that made his doubts go away. Jet looked from one to the other as Katara opened the parcel and took a bite. She swallowed and beamed happily.
"Thank you Zuko," she said quietly. Laia saw how their presence by one another had made them grow with pleasure. She knew it all along, but when she looked at Jet, she saw his confusion and jealousy in his vicious eyes. This caused her to glance away. She wanted to forget the night before and hopefully move on with her life.
"All aboard, we have landed at the base of the Kuusu Mountains. Please enjoy your stay. We will head back to the mainland in the mid-afternoon," a deep voice said as it beckoned the travelers to head forward.
"All right! We're finally here! Come on Hyoku, let's go!" Lee said energetically. The four adults looked down at the children with surprise. They had momentarily forgotten about their presence and when the voice was heard, it startled Katara.
"I'm coming!" Hyoku said as he waved back to Katara. He ran ahead, but then stopped and turned around. The little boy with the flute ran up to Zuko and hugged him. "Thanks," he said with a large smile and then went away to catch up with his friend. Zuko stood stupefied and he eyed everyone with a slight tinge on his cheeks.
"What was that for?" Jet asked him.
Zuko shrugged and then cocked his head to the side. "I don't know…uh, we should be going too."
The four of them grabbed their belongings from their boarding rooms and headed off to the line of people streaming down from the ship. Cheer and laughter rose through the travelers as they dispersed into the small town. Shops of all sorts lined the flat roads. One in particular caught the group's attention. There was a small red and golden banner hanging across two bamboo sticks. It was an odd gate for a shop, but they entered and saw a young woman sitting behind a table. Strangely, her hair was all white and it swooped down into her lap. It was tied back with an orange ribbon that matched her kimono perfectly. She squinted and smiled, revealing rotted teeth. Jet winced and shook his head, noting to himself how, unfortunately, youth hadn't accomplished much for the young woman.
"Four travelers at my door. How splendid," she said and then laughed. Laia raised an eyebrow and then sighed.
"What are you selling?" Zuko asked.
"Young man, I only sell that which is most precious. Life. I sell life," she said in a hushed voice.
"Okay…" Jet said warily. They began to leave through the thin gate as she yelled back at them.
"Beware the Kuusu Mountains, for strange evil lurks behind every corner," she said. Their eyes widened and they all turned around instantly, but when they looked back, she was gone. Katara licked her lips nervously and then grabbed Jet's wrist, pulling him away from the strange booth.
"Let's go. We can't keep distracting ourselves from the missions we need to accomplish. That woman was just crazy," she said with a laugh. Jet looked at her hand and when she let go quickly, he saw her looking anywhere but at himself. Then, he realized that she was glancing in Zuko's direction. The firebender wasn't aware of it though, as he observed the people around them cautiously. Jet pursed his lips together and sighed.
"Okay, if we're done here, then I suggest we find a way into the mountains," Jet said. Laia looked at him and nodded slowly. She saw a couple of officials down the road and sped up towards them.
"Do you know where we can find an old woman and man in the mountains?" she asked cheerfully. The two officers looked at her with raised eyebrows and then folded their arms.
"Only fools go into the mountains. Anyone who has gone in hasn't come back out. Sure, there's a myth that a pair of old loonies live in the trees somewhere, but they've never shown themselves."
"It's true. But if you really want to know, there's a path that was always there to lead any travelers into the forests. It's just a little north and you'll find it behind the shops," the other said. Laia smiled with a hesitant chuckle and ran back to the group. She knew that she had made up the old man who needed help, but she had never realized that her story could actually be real. When Laia caught her breath, she told everyone the information she had learned.
"I don't care if they said that. They were probably just trying to scare you," Jet said as he rolled his eyes. Laia narrowed her eyes momentarily but then raised her arms in the air and led them away.
"Off we go then!" she beamed happily. She started humming a song as she marched down the street. Zuko and Katara followed in silence as they all simultaneously left the shops and tourists behind them.
Behind one of most northern shops, two boys played near the lulling water. It lapped onto the ground calmly as Hyoku played his flute with sadness. The notes drifted along with the wind and he sighed as the flute came down into his lap. Lee looked up from his squatted position and he stopped looking for the special herbs.
"What's wrong Hyoku?" Lee asked.
"They didn't care," Hyoku said softly. Lee put his hand on Hyoku's shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile.
"Well I believe you. I know that you have a great gift and that you're special because of that!"
Hyoku shifted and let the hand fall off of his shoulder. "I wanted to tell them about the mountains though. They're going to get into trouble."
"Look at it this way. If you sense that something happened to them, you can just play a song or something and help them out, right?" Lee asked hopefully. Hyoku shrugged and started drawing in the ground with the end of his flute.
"I guess."
Lee smiled and went back to looking for the herbs. Hyoku narrowed his eyes and sighed as he looked from the vast distance of water to the rising doom his new friends were going to face.
..::-::..
It hadn't been too difficult to find the path the officers had spoken of. Rocks were stacked on top of each other so that the entrance stood out like an entrance to a garden. The pine trees rose elegantly on each side as the flat gravel cut deep into the mountainous terrain. It wasn't a forest yet, but they had been walking for a couple of hours in the growing heat and the trees were multiplying in number. Slopes of solid rock tore through the ground and encased them into the path as it grew wider and grassier. The sun above was shining brilliantly, not letting the passing clouds shield its power. Laia grumbled to herself and wiped the sweat off of her forehead. Ever since they had entered the domain of the mountains, each person had felt an uneasiness breeding within the corners of their vision. Nothing peculiar had happened though, and they spoke nothing of their doubts as a result. Few words had been spoken as Jet took the lead with Katara by his side.
It was when Jet glanced and saw a bush of berries that he couldn't resist a smile. Since he was ahead of Laia, Jet walked a few more steps and then rested against a tree for a moment. He watched Laia closely as she neared the berries, but to his surprise, she sulked by, noting the bush and then looking away. Zuko and Laia passed him by without another word and Katara looked at Jet with exhausted annoyance.
"Can we please keep going? I want to get this over with soon. It seems like Zuko and Laia don't want to be traveling with us," Katara said quietly to Jet. Even though Zuko and Laia were a few feet away, Laia had heard Katara's words and she halted abruptly. The anger had wielded a new force of fury inside of her clenched fists and she looked straight without looking at anything in particular. Zuko saw the narrow glance and put a hand on her shoulder.
"What's wrong Laia? You're not as happy as you used to be," he stated. Laia pushed his arm away and glared at him.
"So you just noticed now did you? Don't you remember anything I told you about before? I can't take it! Those two are driving me insane!" she yelled and then turned towards Jet and Katara. The small slope of the path caused Laia to seem like an angry God looking down upon her servants with displease. Jet caught her anger as she swiftly let her eyes back down and display the powerful hurt that rested inside of her. "It's your fault," she whispered and then suddenly, Laia ran into the mountain side, straying away from the clear path in between the growing number of trees.
"Laia! Wait!" Jet called out. He pushed himself off of the tree and sprang into the pile of rocks that distinguished the grassy plains from the ground. Katara gaped and Zuko stood frozen with shocked puzzlement. They relaxed and the soft breeze ruffled their kimonos as Zuko and Katara looked at each other, alone for the first time since the night before.
"Uh, maybe we should…" Katara said awkwardly.
"Follow them?" he asked and finished her question. She nodded and Katara climbed up the pile of rubble. Her eyes widened as she felt Zuko's hands push her up by the waist. A deep crimson blush spread across her face, but once she got to the level ground, she shook her head and turned around calmly. Zuko grabbed her outstretched hand and Katara pulled him up with a groan. He collapsed onto the soft ground, and then stood up. They nodded at each other and scanned through the trees for any signs of their friends.
"I don't see them, do you?" she asked.
"No. Let's keep moving. Maybe they'll come back this way," Zuko said. Katara nodded and they walked forward among the rocks and the bright green foliage of the trees. They winced as branches reached out towards them, almost as if they were intentionally trying to block their way. Zuko pushed the branches out of the way for Katara and she smiled softly with a hidden embarrassment. Being so close to Zuko only made the thoughts crammed in the back of her head seem even more dominant. She couldn't suppress them any longer and they reached the surface of her internal worries. After a few silent minutes, Zuko cleared his throat and looked at her from the side.
"I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. It won't happen again," he said with his eyes round and his mouth pinched in. Katara looked at him with surprise and shook her hands.
"No, it's not that… it's… well… it wasn't you, it was me. I wasn't feeling well and I had to go," she said. "I'm the one that should apologize for leaving you so quickly."
Zuko smiled and shrugged. "It's okay. Are you feeling better now?" he asked. Katara didn't want to answer truthfully, so she beamed and nodded.
"Yes, I'm feeling much better now, but… you didn't have to apologize, it doesn't matter…" she said suddenly in a dark tone. Zuko raised his eyebrows as he stepped on a low branch.
"Why?"
"After I find Jet and you find Laia, won't we be going in different directions? Our path together as a group ends here in the mountains, right?" she asked. He narrowed his eyes and looked at her for a few moments. Zuko couldn't tell if she was bitter about the experience or whether she was acting out lines from a play. His feet moved quicker and he looked around hurriedly, his hair following his movements.
"Fine. Let's go find our partners. I want this mission to be over with," he said coldly. Katara bit her lip and sighed as she followed him through the denser trees. Behind them, the signs of the lake were disappearing and the town with its tourists had shriveled up into the happy dream Katara had thought was real. Instead of the sunlight being crisp and bright, the glowing of the day inside of the mountains was dim and the shadows beneath the diminutive places of nature leaked out onto the ground around them.
Much farther ahead of Zuko and Katara, another pair of travelers darted among the trees. They each ran at full speed as the rocky slopes slanted even more. Laia let the tears on her face spill away into the air as she glanced back at Jet who kept coming after her.
"Laia! Please stop! I need to talk to you!" he yelled amidst short breaths. She looked forward again and shook her head.
"No! Stay away from me! I don't want to see you ever again!" she yelled. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she realized she had a power that he didn't. Her arms circled in the air behind her as an invisible shield of fire appeared. The heat swelled through her veins and she felt its ferocity come alive in her body. Jet stopped abruptly and steadied himself so that he didn't trip. Laia had vanished from his view entirely. He blinked a few times and looked around while panting.
"Laia? Laia!" he screamed. The birds fluttered up into the sky and he growled with frustration. She let the beads of sweat fall down her face as she turned and ran further into the mountains and away from her original path. The more she ran, the more the light around her grew darker. It was still bright, but it wasn't innocent like a field of flowers. It was more like a vast creeping light of doom that surrounded a graveyard on a beautiful sunny day, but she kept going nonetheless. She had to get away from Jet; Laia didn't want to hear false excuses that would only lead her to more heartache. Through the pounding footsteps of her aching muscles, she stomped out the burden inside of her. After she could run no longer, Laia stopped and fell against the trunk of a thick coiling tree. Her chest heaved and she gasped for the stingy air.
"I got away… I think" she said to herself when she finally calmed down. Her blurry vision went away with a few blinks and she sat there looking at her dirty hands. It wasn't her fault that she had fallen for him. Jet made it happen. He cared so much about Katara, and it was that kind and warm nature that made Laia hit her head on the wall as she crashed into it, reaching for him. All she ever wanted was that kind of affection without the fear of being used. Laia bit her lower lip as it began to tremble. "No, I'm not going to give in like this! You're a strong woman Laia! Don't let that man…" Her entire body stiffened as a sharp wind blew by her legs. The whistle in her ears grew loud and then faint as she looked around wildly. No one was there. She closed her eyes and swallowed as Laia reminded herself to be calm. Then, out of nowhere, a pair of heavy hands gripped her knees and she shrieked but it was muffled as one of the hands clasped over her mouth.
She stared in disbelief as Jet knelt down in front of her. He narrowed his eyes and then smiled with a haunting chill that made her shiver.
"When I let go, don't scream," he said. She nodded and she felt relief sweeping through her legs as the numbness died. His fingers brushed her lips and she winced. Jet kept his hand on her knee and then he suddenly laughed.
"I always knew you'd come around. You'd eventually fall for me, and this proves it," he said with a thick voice. Laia's eyes and mouth opened wide. She pushed him forcefully and Jet fell with his back against the floor. Laia's heart ran ahead of her as her tired muscles once again were compelled to save her life. Jet sat up and growled as her red figure vanished into the undergrowth. A trail of blood slid down his right cheek from the point where her nails had cut him. His eyes glowed darkly and then he slithered into the shadows.
Somewhere nearby, Jet stumbled through the forest with growing intense worry. The air around him wasn't right and he could sense that the place was a little too quiet. Nothing seemed to grow with verve; it was all shrouded in an intense darkness that he couldn't understand. When they had looked up from the shore of the lake, he could see the vivid greenery that surrounded the landscape. Now that he was in it, and that Laia was missing, he felt more guarded than before. He was about to give up when he saw her swaying as she walked towards him.
Laia's face was long and drawn out, as were her eyes. She lifted it up and when she saw Jet, a smirk flashed across her face. The sleeves and edges of her kimono danced in the wind as she ran at him. Jet's face widened and he stepped back in shock. He walked closer to the trees and winced when she jumped onto him. Laia's fingers trickled down his chin as she giggled darkly.
"I'm here now. I'm yours, but if you go back to that stupid Katara, then I will kill her," she said as her face pulled into his slowly. Jet shook his head as she pushed his arms into the trees with more power than he thought she had.
"You're threatening me?" he asked in awe.
"Of course not. There's a clear choice and it's for you to be with me," she said. Jet looked into her eyes and knew instantly something wasn't right. Just like the nature around him, her bright yellow eyes were darker than they should have been. They lacked her sparkling glow and at that moment he threw her off of him. He growled in frustration and ran away from her, deeper into the forest. Jet didn't know where he was going, but he had to get away from Laia. His previous desire to help her had vanished, and in its place grew significant worry for Katara. If she had threatened to kill her, Jet had to find her first so that she'd be safe.
..::-::..
The croaking of the forest around Zuko and Katara had sent chills down her spine. They had been walking for an unaccountable amount of time as the dry air spilled into her thirsty mouth. Zuko occasionally looked back at her when a deep sigh flowed into his ears, but he kept his composure strong. For too long, he had let her guide his actions, his feelings like a toddler obeying his mother without hesitation. He had feelings as well, and if she wanted to play with them, he would make her suffer as well. The stillness ate at Katara's heart more than the hunger inside of her stomach. She took out the morsel of food that Zuko had given her that morning and she sighed as she took another bite. Its hard core made her cringed as she bit into it. Just as Zuko's outside actions towards her had stiffened, the change in his original intentions by giving her some food had made it not as delicious. She held back the anguish as she bitterly ate her food. Zuko turned around and looked at her. Katara had fallen a few steps behind and he muttered to himself.
"Why does she always get on my nerves?" he asked himself. Katara didn't pay attention and didn't see Zuko coming toward her. Her gaze fell to the floor and it was when Zuko came near her that he realized something was wrong. Her fingers held onto the food weakly. They barely held it in her grasp and it was about to fall to the ground. Her focus was so locked and concentrated on her thoughts that Zuko couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Whatever it was that she was holding back was taking more of a toll on her than he had known about. The twigs crunched underneath his weight as he knelt down next to her and clasped his hands with hers, holding the bread in place. Katara gasped and looked at him with shock.
"Zuko…"
"The food was about to fall," he said and then smiled warmly. The heat in Katara's face doubled as she looked down at her hands. His fingers held them in place delicately and Katara felt the breeze knock her forward slightly. The cloth folded over the food and Katara hid it back in her bag. She looked up at Zuko and he sighed.
"It's so confusing. I don't know if we should keep looking or if we should go back," he said.
"Maybe they're already looking for us," Katara added. Zuko nodded as they passed a wall of solid rock on their left. Up above, the ground continued to grow and the trees soared up into the sky with their outstretched branches. Katara followed Zuko into a clear plain. The soft green grass grew without worries and its thickness in the area gave it a warm feeling. Katara stepped lightly onto it and she stopped next to Zuko. He looked around and narrowed his eyes.
"Do you feel that?" he asked. Katara looked around as well and then knew what he meant. A dark aura had spread into the field and the grass had shied down into the ground. She felt a lump form at her throat as the wind swept by forcefully. Zuko's eyes widened as Katara grabbed onto his arm.
"I feel it… I'm scared Zuko," she said as her eyes darted around them wildly. He clenched his fists and then Katara let go. Zuko stepped around her slowly, guarding her as he observed the area around them. Katara felt the pressure begin to build in her hands and feet. It started to fill her body up as if someone was filling a glass with prickling cold water. Her eyes widened as she felt the hammer strike inside of her head. She yelled out and fell to the ground. Zuko turned swiftly and let his previous thoughts of strong composure vanish. He knelt down next to her and put his arm around her shoulder as she winced and cried out in pain.
"What's happening to you?" he asked in awe. She clutched her stomach and growled as she pushed up and away from Zuko. The trees spun in her vision and she desperately wanted to free herself of the pain, but she couldn't. Someone was holding her back and when she looked, she saw Zuko's horrified face rising with worry. He narrowed his gaze as she tried to pull herself away again.
"Zuko, let me go!" she barked.
"I won't let you run away this time," he said through clenched teeth. Katara felt her knees tremble and she fell to the ground next to him. His fingers grasped her wrist and she decided she had no other choice. Katara's arm swung through the air and her fingers formed a fist as it collided with his chin. He moaned and stumbled back with surprise, but Katara took the opportunity to escape. Taiko was reminding her of her own mission. She had to go within Zuko's world and find the thing that gave him life. It was time for her to dispose of Zuko and the evil that bred inside him. But Katara knew how wrong Taiko was now. Whatever she did, Zuko was always there to help her. His truly evil side would have never done that. There was nothing to gain from it and with deep regret, she stood up and wobbled out of the clearing. Being close to Zuko only worsened her pain. If she escaped, there would be nothing wrong with her.
"Is that all you've got? Is that the thanks I get for trying to help?" Zuko yelled at her back. He stood up and fixed his chin as she turned around. His anger bottled up and exploded as a wave of fire shot out at her. Katara ducked and when the light disappeared, Zuko's hands fell open to his sides. She was crying and her eyes were calling out for help.
"I'm sorry… it just hurts so much… I can't bear it…" she said. Katara was about to turn around when her eyes widened. The pain subsided slightly as the unexpected fear and confusion formed inside of her mind. She shook her head and stepped back with her eyes guiding her away from the illusion she was seeing. "No, it's not possible," she barely made out. The winds picked up again and Zuko narrowed his eyes. She wasn't looking at him, but rather behind him. He turned slowly and when Zuko saw the person in front of him, he stepped back as well. His head turned from side to side, but no matter what he did, he saw her. A duplicate Katara stood in front of Zuko, walking ever closer to him. The real Katara gasped as Zuko stood frozen to his spot. The fake Katara smiled seductively as she ran her fingers down his arm. Her eyes pierced into Zuko's soul and Katara immediately knew with a horrible hollow feeling in her gut what was happening. Somehow, there she was, standing in front of Zuko, trying to kill him. The real Katara shook her head forcefully to get rid of the pain pounding in its back. She yelled and ran towards the pair with unwavering resolve.
"Zuko! Get away from her!"
Katara pulled on Zuko's arm as the fake hissed in frustration. She stepped back and Zuko's head spun around with confusion. His mouth was gaping and his eyes were wide and cloudy. Katara shook him desperately as he was coming back to his real state of consciousness. The fake stood to the side with folded arms and laughed cruelly.
"You can't do anything about it. He's a goner," the icy voice declared. Katara clenched her teeth and shook her head as Zuko snapped back to life and looked down at the real Katara and then at the one standing a few feet away. His eyes narrowed and he looked at Katara with confusion.
"What's going on?" he asked suspiciously. Katara swallowed hard as she pulled him back. He wanted to see if the other Katara was real or not, but she knew that the illusion had real powers, it had her powers specifically.
"That's right, come to me Zuko," the replica said. Katara bit back her frightened heartbeat and she screamed out loud in frustration. In that moment, she ran up to Zuko and flung her arms around him. She buried her head in his chest and held onto him tightly. Zuko looked away from the dark seductive eyes of the replica and he looked down at Katara in shock. The wind blew around them and swept her hair around lightly. He put his hand on her head and embraced her back.
"Don't look at her Zuko! Whatever you do, don't look at her! Look at me!" She picked her head up and Zuko gazed into her frantic eyes with close intimacy. Katara was pleading with him, for what reason he didn't know, but it seemed to be urgent that he follow her directions. "I'm the real one. She isn't," Katara whispered. Zuko held her gaze for one more moment until he felt the icy fingers on the back of his neck. He let go of Katara and pushed all of his fire into the air around him. A startled cry of pain shot up through the air and Zuko looked back to find Katara crouching on the ground while the other laid sprawled out and shaking in convulsions. He helped Katara stand up and then he squeezed her hand.
"Come on! We've got to get away from here!" he said quickly. Katara nodded and they left the scene swiftly, leaving only their footprints behind in the thick grass. The wind blew at their backs and carried them away from the mysterious darkness that had engulfed them.
..::-::..
Hours had passed, or so it seemed like it. Jet's head was pounding from the heat and the unbearable thoughts that were confusing him with each step he took. What he didn't understand is why Laia had suddenly become so aggressive. It was unlike her, especially after what she told him the night before. The trees were starting to become denser and he couldn't take it anymore. Jet sighed and slumped down to the ground. His hair was damp from sweat and he opened up his tunic slightly to let the cool breeze rush against his skin. He pulled up his sleeves and then looked around him. The scattered pebbles in the grass were varied in size and shape. He picked one up and threw it against the tree across from him. It hit the bark and landed near the roots.
Laia gasped quickly when she heard the loud thud. Her heart began to race, and after several hours she thought she was beginning to hallucinate. She heard little sounds all the time and thought it was the jerk coming back for her. Her fingers tensed as she stepped through the forest slowly. The branches and leaves left her no view of the ground below and she had to push through the foliage to go further. Her hesitant nature was only because of the worry that she'd be attacked from behind. Laia kept darting around to see where the noises were coming from. She heard it again, and this time she knew it was in front of her. Her eyes narrowed and tried to make out what was in front of her. It didn't help though, because suddenly she tripped.
Laia screamed and Jet's eyes widened as she fell through the layers of branches above his head. She sprawled across his legs and when she picked her head up she looked at Jet and cried out frantically. Seeing her there again, after so much time trying to avoid her, Jet backed away with fear just as much as Laia did. The initial shock forced them apart, but when they realized how afraid of each other they were, something didn't seem to fit.
"Get away from me!" Laia said forcefully as she backed into the tree across from him. Jet opened his mouth and stared at her in disbelief.
"You're the one that needs to leave! I don't want you anywhere near me!" he said. Laia calmed down slightly and looked at him with curiosity. The Jet she had encountered had been so cruel and selfish. The greed leaked out of his eyes as he tried to grab her, but this Jet wasn't anything like that. The person in front of her seemed as normal as possible, and his eyes didn't display any signs of dark thoughts. What he was doing, was the complete opposite of what had happened before.
Jet sat there thinking along the same lines. Laia wasn't coming onto him; she wasn't forcing him to be with her at all. The more they looked at each other, the more puzzled they became. Laia had threatened him before, but now she was yelling at him to go away. Nothing made sense anymore. The branches swayed in the breeze and a leaf fell onto Laia's head. She blinked and picked it off before looking back at Jet furiously.
"Don't lie to me! You tried to seduce me back there! You wanted to take advantage of me!" she yelled as she pointed her finger at him accusingly. Laia stood up and decided that the best thing was to run away like before. It had saved her some time away from the jerk and she had thought she was returning back to Zuko. Jet stood up and followed after her, making sure that he didn't lose her this time. She had accused him of something he hadn't done. He needed an explanation; this time, they would get things said and out in the open.
Laia screeched as she felt the branches whip her back. She fell forward but a firm hand caught her wrist and pulled her up. Her eyes became round and she whimpered in terror, not knowing what Jet was going to do to her. They had found a larger opening where the trees weren't as close together as before. Jet's eyes zoomed into hers and he let go of her forcefully.
"I didn't do anything like that. You're the one that told me you'd kill Katara if I didn't stay with you!" Jet yelled. Laia's eyes became filled with incredulous shock as she put her hands on her hips.
"I did no such thing! Don't lie to me! Why do men always lie?" she asked helplessly.
"Laia! Stop saying that! I'm telling you the truth! The only time I saw you in the forest after you disappeared was when you attacked me and threatened me!" he said. She shook her head and put her hand on her chest where her heart would be inside. His voice growled with frustration as he looked at her distrustfully.
"Jet, I never did that. I would never kill Katara, I'm not that kind of person. I can't believe you thought of me that way," she said weakly. Jet's anger faded as Laia stumbled forward. She put a hand to her forehead and held it there momentarily before letting it drop to her side. Laia had no recollection of saying that to Jet, yet underneath it all, there might have been a feeling of extreme jealousy. Katara had all of Jet's attention after all, but nothing would drive Laia to kill her. Yet somehow, Jet was so sure of himself that it had happened. She shook her head and let the strands of hair dance around her face until they settled down. Jet took a step forward and eyed her curiously.
"And what do you mean I… seduced you? I never would do that, especially after what you told me yesterday," he said quietly. Laia's eyes widened as she looked into his eyes close up. They were normal, they weren't vicious, nor cruel. They were just as she always saw him and it finally clicked inside of her head.
"No, you didn't do it. Someone else who looked exactly like you did it," she stated with a renewed spirit. It made perfect sense, although she had no idea how to explain it. Jet shook his head with bewilderment and put his hands up in front of him and then to the side.
"How can there be another person who looks like me? There's only one Jet!" he said.
Laia smiled and sighed. "Jet, if there's another me running around, don't you think it's possible that there's another you too? We've agreed that I never said I'd kill Katara. Who else could have done it then besides another person that looked like me?" she stated logically. Jet scratched his chin as he thought about it. Up above him, the sun was beginning to shift to the west and the clouds sped by quicker than usual. When he looked back, there was something wrong with the way the sunlight was hitting the leaves and making the shadows.
"You could be right Laia. It's the only explanation, that is, if you're not lying," he said as he narrowed his gaze. She pursed her lips and was about to whack him on the head when Jet realized that it was the real Laia he was talking with and he backed off.
"Do you want to rephrase that?" she asked him.
"Okay, it is the only explanation we've got. But I still don't get it." Laia sighed with frustration and glanced at him.
"Well I don't have a clue either so I guess we should just try to get out of here. Katara must be worried about you anyways…" she said quietly. Jet held her gaze and for the first time saw how much pain she was keeping inside. It bred within her shining yellow stare and he felt his heart wrench at her pain. He was about to tell her why he had run after her in the first place but he didn't get the chance to.
"Laia… the reason why I came after you is because…"
The wind picked up and Laia's jaw fell open. Her eyes bulged out and she clutched her arms feverishly. Her breathing increased and she shook her head as the familiar chill filled her body. Laia heaved and then her knees buckled as she fell to the ground. Jet's eyes opened wide and he rushed to her side. He picked her up in his arms and looked into her emotionless face. She stared at nothing and seemed petrified, her body paralyzed in fear. Her lips were cracked and she barely made out the words to warn him.
"He's… coming…" she said distantly and then closed her eyes. There was no more strength left in her body. She had done so much to get away and now she was powerless; her muscles couldn't move any longer.
"Laia! Wake up!" Jet yelled at her frantically. He winced as the wind sliced at his face and then he looked up in shock. An exact replica stood before him with an evil smirk on his face.
"Nice to see you buddy. Looks like you got to her before I could," it said. Jet laid her down easily and then jumped at the man, getting his swords out from his side. The replica smirked even more and pulled out a long stick from behind him. Its end was pointed and sharp but Jet pushed it both ways as they began their duel. The fake Jet swung at his opponent with all of his force and he missed Jet's face with a few inches to spare. Behind him, he could hear Laia's distant groans of pain as she was waking up. A new light of anger forced him to cut through the air with more defiance.
"What did you do to her?" Jet asked wildly. A cold laugh haunted the air and a few leaves fell as Jet was pushed up against a tree. He grunted and held his swords in front of him as the replica talked back to him.
"The babe didn't want to have some fun with me. That got me really ticked off. I'm here to just repay her for the gift she gave me," it said. Jet noticed the line of dried up blood on the man's cheek and he narrowed his eyes. Jet pushed the man off and they darted at each other once again. The stick was swung right at him, and Jet quickly crossed his swords as the sharp point came inches from his chin. Laia moaned again and he heard her calling his name. Jet yelled out and broke his opponent's weapon in half. Whoever it was saw that he was to be defeated and began to drift away, but Jet wasn't going to let him escape. His swords danced through the air as he jumped and spun around to the front. He let his anger go into the first swing and the replica fell to the ground, its eyes rolling to the back of his head.
Jet breathed heavily and then fell onto the ground with his knees hitting it hard. The jab went through his legs and he let the swords drop from his hands. Laia grunted as she pulled herself up into a sitting position. She saw the two Jet's nearby and crawled over to the conscious one quickly. Jet looked at her and grinned.
"I got him. You don't have to worry," he said. Laia's lips trembled and she lunged herself at him. He chuckled softly as her arms gripped onto his kimono tightly.
"You could have died! That guy was pure evil! Don't ever do that again Jet!" she said and then smacked his chest lightly. He held onto her tenderly and then ran his fingers through her short hair.
"The reason why I ran after you is because I want things to be different. I don't want Katara anymore… I want to try thinking about someone else," he said. She let go of him slightly and looked up into his warm face. There wasn't anything forceful about it and she knew that deep down, he would never hurt her. She smiled softly and kissed his cheek as she collapsed into his arms. Jet laughed to himself and picked her up. As he passed by the replica, he stepped on him and kicked his side to make sure that he wasn't going to be bothering them again.
..::-::..
Katara and Zuko had been wandering for a while after they had escaped the replica of the waterbender. They slowed down from their jog and Katara leaned on a tree, catching her breath. Zuko did the same and gasped as he choked on the air around them. Katara looked up and winced. The pain she had felt before was gone for the moment and her head was free to think clearly.
"What's wrong?" she asked him.
He coughed up some dust and looked at her bewildered. "Maybe we shouldn't have come here."
"What about the missions though?" Katara asked.
Zuko narrowed his eyes and began to wonder what it was exactly that Taiko needed him to do. There might have never been an Orb of Chi to begin with. Then again, it could be that the evil forces that wanted the Orb of Chi were already within the area and trying to stop them from advancing any closer. Zuko shook his head and sighed.
"We should have just stayed at the path. Somehow, there are evil forces going against us here. Look what happened. That other person looked exactly like you… and when I looked at her, I felt this strange sensation, like I wasn't here at all. Did it happen to you?" he asked her. Katara shrugged and then decided to follow his assumptions.
"I felt it first when I saw her. That's why I knew you shouldn't look at her," she said. Zuko suddenly smiled and eyed her.
"Thanks for saving me. You had a great way of doing it," he said teasingly. Katara raised her eyebrow and laughed. She never knew Zuko had a humorous side to him. Her cheeks grew warmer but she wasn't ashamed. Somehow, she knew he'd help her through the mess they were in. But she didn't want to think about it at that moment.
"What are we going to do now?" Katara asked.
"We've gotten really far away from Jet and Laia. I don't know how we'll find them now. We could be anywhere in the mountains. The best thing to do is follow our steps and try to find the path again," Zuko said. Katara nodded and they set off back through the trees. Zuko let her go first and after a few moments, a question sprang up to Katara's mind.
"Hey Zuko, so could you tell which one was the real me? Zuko?" she turned around and gasped as she saw no one around. A steep wind attacked her back and the last thing she saw before she closed her eyes was a dark light crawling around the ground. She stood up and then saw Zuko standing before her again.
"There you are… why did you hide from me?" she asked. He walked up to her quickly and she gasped as he placed his hands on her shoulders. His dark eyes bore into her gaze and he smirked cruelly. "I didn't hide from you. That man you've been traveling with is my replica. The real Zuko is now before you," he said smoothly. Katara gasped as he held her firmly in place so that even though she struggled, she couldn't move. Her eyes widened as he moved closer and place his mouth next to her ear.
"What do you mean?" she whispered frantically.
"It means that I've lured you here. I need power and your body has plenty of it," he whispered. She heard his laugh and Katara moaned in pain as his nails dug into her shoulder blades. Her muscles wouldn't move, she was powerless and she couldn't defend herself. It was Zuko in front of her at that moment, but his eyes weren't real. She could tell from the way she had seen her other self before that it wasn't the real Zuko. As much as Katara tried though, nothing worked and she remained rooted in place. Suddenly, the force pushed her away and Katara saw another Zuko release a whip of fire at the evil creation. Katara stepped back and watched in awe as the two of them blasted one wave of fire after another. The fight went on for a few minutes as the pair pushed each other back and forth.
"Who are you? What is your purpose?" one of them barked. Katara heard the determination in the voice and knew at once that it was the real Zuko, but they moved so quickly that she lost sight of who had said it. All at once, they repelled against each other and the prince of evil laughed.
"You know exactly what my purpose is," he said thickly. Zuko yelled out and pushed all of his anger into the air. The blast of fire became invisible and the replica widened its eyes as the heat soared above his head and then shot through his body. The man fell to the floor and Katara ran up to Zuko who was panting. He wiped the sweat off of his face and she pulled him away from the scene. They ran endlessly through the endless maze as the darkness faded away again and the sun came back through the trees. After they were sure they had escaped far enough, they stopped and regained their breath.
"Are you okay?" Zuko asked Katara.
She nodded and took a deep breath.
"Now I'm sure we shouldn't be here," she commented. Zuko walked up to her and looked at her with narrow eyes. His tone was serious as the slight breeze ruffled his hair. She stared at him with warm feelings in her heart growing like the trees around them. They were light and full of energy that made her feel so alive.
"Did you think for a moment that was the real me?" he asked her. Katara's eyes widened and then she smiled.
"Not at all. You already told me long ago at the temple that you didn't care about power like that," she said. He smiled with relief but then he suddenly opened his eyes and glanced to the right. Katara looked to her left and gasped. Among the leafy branches and rocky slopes, two figures were coming their way slowly, and they couldn't tell who it was. Katara stood closer to Zuko and they nodded, each getting ready to fight with all of their power.
A/N: wow... that was a fun, exciting, complicated chapter huh!?! I'm so glad I reached the word limit! I was afraid I wouldn't (be prepared... in the future it will be a little shorter, but a little better ) I'm really glad I started writing this chapter earlier this week! because that meant I got it up on a Saturday Night! Finally! I've been trying so hard to get it up sooner for you guys! I do it all for you!
Now, I'm sure you have a lot of questions, particularly the same ones as the characters of this fic but don't worry... they will be all answered in the next chapter... which I must say, is going to be jawdropping! yes it is... why? because something HUGE is going to happen... hehe but I'm not going to say another word at all!!
I guess I'm going to have like a "? of the chapter" I'll give you guys each time I post one up (I've been doing that for a while now) so this time my question is: Do you think the title of the fic suits it? (even if you don't understand right now what it means) and do you like the chapter titles and quotes? Are they helpful? that's what I'd like to know this time along with... favorite parts of course! All right then, I appreciate any support I get, so don't hesitate to comment! Thanks so much for reading and have a great day!
-Monika- :D