DYING TO SURVIVE
Chapter 22- The Bloody Celebration
"Nothing can erase the power of true love and destiny, no matter if you decide against it."
..::-::..
The scent of fresh dew drifted softly into Katara's room as rays of light shifted through the curtains. The doors to the balcony were slightly ajar and when the boards outside snapped, Katara stirred from her deep sleep. Her head weighed heavily on her pillow as the rasping of the day became more apparent. Suddenly, a pair of shouts pulled her shoulders into the bed as if she had been hit by an explosion.
"I'm just going to go wake her up. No use in crying about it!" Zhen called out. The doors to the balcony slid open and the sun blurred his outline. Katara squinted and groaned as her head started spinning inside. She sheltered herself from the light's intensity, but that wasn't her only problem.
"Get out of there! Are you insane?" Zuko replied. The shuffle of hurried footsteps concentrated Katara's attention as she blinked, the light not as bright any more. Zhen was right next to her bed and he had his head bent so low that his smooth chestnut hair swept by Katara's bed sheets.
"Rise and shine beautiful!" he called out. Katara gaped at him and her head leaned back as suddenly Zhen's body disappeared into the shining aura of the morning once again. Zuko's angry growl was close by and Katara turned her head to the left to see if they were still there.
"I said, get out!" Zuko commanded darkly. Katara's vision had finally adjusted, and when she saw Zuko's fist curling into Zhen's collar, she sat up and reached out to them.
"Zuko, stop it! The both of you, stop fighting!" Katara exclaimed. The two men turned to face her as Zuko let go of Zhen's clothes. Zuko was wearing a light robe exposing his chest while his hair split down the middle and was sleek as water. Katara opened her mouth but just stared at him while Zhen leaned on the bed's edge.
"All I wanted to do was greet you this fine morning. Then, this crazy one started arguing with me, telling me that I couldn't go wake you up. What do you think? Am I allowed to do that, Katara?" Zhen asked.
She rubbed her eyes and yawned, grabbing a hold of the blankets around her while she rested.
"I suppose. Zuko, why would you have a problem with that anyways? It's not like he was going to do anything wrong," Katara said and smiled at Zhen who leaned on one foot with triumph. "I appreciate it, Zhen. Is Laia up already?"
Zuko narrowed his eyes and looked at the balcony while she got out of bed and came to stand near them, fixing herself up as she did.
"I believe so, but you know, Zuko's been so irritable lately. Actually… it started around the same time you came!" Zhen laughed after whispering to Katara. Her face became still as Zuko seized his friend's wrist and pulled him out of the room.
"That's enough. We're leaving," Zuko said. The doors to the balcony shut close with a loud bang. The light dimmed and Katara bit her lip, thinking he had heard what Zhen told her. Katara rolled her shoulders back and paused momentarily, replaying the events of the previous night in her head. She breathed deeply and threw aside the memory of what she felt when she was so close to Zuko. So far, her secret had not been exposed, and she promised to keep it that way as she started to freshen up for the day.
It was an hour later that Katara left her room in search of Laia. She had changed into a slimming silk red kimono with wide sleeves. Her hair was washed and she felt extremely refreshed after the gentleness of her sleep. Not only that, but she had escaped penalty for having a little fun the night before. She wove in and out of the halls as if she was weaving a blanket, yet finally when she passed by a bulky statue of a previous Fire Lord did she hear the familiar burst of excitement from her friend. Katara looked down the steps of the palace to where the gardens were. When she saw Katara, Laia's arms flew away from her body, a few scattered flames erupting from her palms. Katara ran down the steps and Laia hugged her fiercely as the bright day smothered them in cozy warmth.
"You're okay!" she exclaimed.
Katara suddenly cocked her head and shrugged. "What do you mean? Of course I'm fine."
Laia pulled on Katara's arm and whispered, "I know it was you last night!" Katara's eyes widened as Laia smirked. She giggled and nudged her friend while Katara looked about, averting Laia's gaze.
"That was brilliant! And you sparked so much controversy! I have to admit, I was a bit jealous of you. The spotlight just wouldn't come off of the slyest, most spirited, genius waterbender in the world!" Laia exclaimed jubilantly. Katara wasn't amused and proceeded down towards the rocky gardens while Laia stopped babbling and caught up to her. Laia was wearing almost the same outfit, except that she had slits down her sleeves, exposing her pale skin.
"How did you know?" Katara suddenly asked.
Laia sighed happily and winked. "How could I not? I felt my friend's presence as soon as you walked into the room! It was like the whole room bowed at your entrance!" Katara knew that Laia was over exaggerating, but it still felt nice to be appreciated so much. As they stepped onto the wooden path that led deeper still between the thin trees and bushes of flowers, Katara smiled and took a deep breath.
"Promise you won't tell?"
Laia's jaw dropped as she dramatically reared back. "Why would I do such a thing? You know I'd never tell on you to Prince of Grumpiness!" The two friends laughed thoroughly. It was a while though before Katara thought about where they were going.
"Laia? Why are we in the gardens? Aren't we supposed to go eat breakfast?" she asked. Katara thought about the last dining experience and shuddered.
"Oh! Actually, I thought it'd be fun to have tea and some biscuits in the gardens! I already had someone set it up for us," Laia responded. Katara ducked under a tree's extended branch and skipped over a few round stones as they made their way to a small open field. A low table was off to the side with a tea set already on top of it. Four violet pillows were seated all around it and as Katara sat down to the table, she smiled, seeing Laia's glowing face already warming up the tea with her firebending.
"Are we expecting company?" Katara asked and pointed at the other pillows. Laia shook her head and handed her a cup of tea. Then, out of nowhere, the sunlight dimmed considerably and a dark shadow passed over Katara's head. A forceful gust of wind swept by and her hair blew in front of her face before settling back again with the sunlight blistering once more. A loud grumble echoed in the air as both Laia and Katara turned to the field in dismayed shock. Katara's hand trembled and she almost dropped her tea cup as she felt the wind brush strands of white fur against her cheek. Her heart leapt in her chest and she stood up quickly as a large air bison landed. Laia ran after Katara as she shrieked with joy.
Up from the saddle, a tall man in an orange and cream colored nomad robes jumped down with a woman in his arms. Her straight black hair swayed in the gentle breeze and her golden tassels bounced from her headband as the Avatar let her down. Katara ran up to them and threw her hands out with her heart smiling just as wide.
"Seems like you're excited to see us," Toph commented as Katara embraced the two of them fiercely. Katara's eyes watered and as she stood back, she wiped them with the back of her hand.
"Aang… Toph… I can't believe you're here!" she exclaimed. Suddenly her smile turned into a frown and she gasped. "Wait, did something happen? Are you here to prevent another war from starting? Aang, did something happen in the Water Tribe?" she asked rapidly. His blue arrows gleamed in the sun and he put a hand on her shoulder, looking her directly in the eye.
"Katara, nothing happened!" he stated with a short laugh. There was a slight cough from behind her and Katara turned to see Laia, thoroughly annoyed with her eyebrows bent upward.
"I think they're here because of Globe Week. I assume that you know these people?" she asked. Katara smiled warmly and dragged Laia by the wrist so that four of them were standing together in a square.
"Guys, this is Laia. I met her a while back in the Earth Kingdom and now I'm visiting her here. Laia, this is Toph, the toughest earthbender on the planet, and this is Aang, the Avatar."
Laia's frustration eased right away at the introduction and she clasped Aang's hands together while she squealed.
"I never thought I'd get to meet the Avatar in my lifetime! I just want to say it's an honor to meet you!" she exclaimed. Aang rubbed the back of his bald head and chuckled.
"Well, it's very nice to meet you too, Laia. And you're right! We're here for Globe Week," Aang stated enthusiastically. Toph suddenly snorted and he cocked his head as Aang looked at her.
"Yeah, we're here… a day late. Twinkletoes wanted to stop by Kyoshi Island for some Unagi riding as a part of the vacation. I'm assuming you know what happened then," Toph said. Katara giggled, remembering the reception Aang had first received on the supportive island. After Toph started to explain the story to Laia, Katara looked at Toph more closely and realized that she had developed a more feminine physique, sporting a v-line kimono top that fit snug with her figure. The yellow sleeves flapped in the wind against her green attire and her face was as smooth as cotton. Aang on the other hand, had grown some hairs on his chin and was almost as tall as Sokka. She smiled as Aang argued with Toph about the version of their travels as they all sat down to enjoy the tea.
"And so we missed the start of Globe Week, as I mentioned before," Toph concluded. Katara took a sip of her tea and sighed while in the company of her dearest friends. She was being blessed with so much kindness that she forgot about the man who hated her the most. As Laia began to retell the story of Katara's encounter the night before, she came to a halt.
"And then there was this one waterbender who…" Laia's excited expression froze as Aang leaned forward, curious and intent on finding out the end of the story. Toph raised her eyebrow and flipped her hair behind her shoulder.
"And so?" she asked. Katara shook Laia's arm and frowned.
"What's wrong, Laia?" Suddenly Katara realized that Laia was looking off into the distance. Katara turned her head towards Appa and saw that about thirty feet next to them, a man in shining armor stood next to the bison, petting his fur gently. Katara's heart somersaulted as Zuko turned his head in their direction, his hair was up in a ponytail and his golden eyes were even brighter than the sun itself. He stared directly at her for a moment and then stepped towards them, looking at Aang, smiling generously. Aang stood up as he realized this too and Toph laughed, knowing that Zuko had been there all along. Laia's expression melted and she let out a deep breath while Katara winked at her.
"Avatar Aang, we waited for your arrival yesterday. The start of the festivities wasn't the same without you," Zuko said and bowed. Aang laughed and punched his arm as if he wasn't in the presence of a prince, but instead, a longtime friend.
"What's up with the formality, Zuko?" The prince showed a rare smile and Katara looked away shyly, not wanting anyone to catch her off guard. The two men made their way over to the table as Toph greeted the prince casually as well. Katara stood awkwardly next to Laia while she cleaned up the crumbs and put the plates together. Zuko looked around and put his hands behind his back.
"Don't you want to go inside and meet Iroh?" he asked suddenly. Aang's eyes widened and he grabbed Toph's hand as a smile formed on his face.
"I almost forgot! Come on, Toph!" Aang yelled.
Katara watched the two of them fly away above the gardens with Aang's glider, Toph holding on desperately to his abdomen while they glided through the air. The breeze sighed and Zuko looked back at the two women. His face scrunched and he coughed quickly before looking to the side at Appa.
"Laia, can you excuse us for a second?" Zuko asked curtly. Laia wriggled her nose and pouted while eyeing the two of them.
"I don't know what it is that you have to tell Katara that you can't say in front of me, but fine, I'll go." Her disappointment died though when she ran up to Appa and started to fuss with his thick coat of white fur. Katara tried to remain calm while under the scrutinizing glare of the prince as he neared her. She fiddled with her kimono sleeves while Zuko stood next to her silently. Even though Laia wasn't far away, the silence that encompassed the area made Katara's skin tighten.
Zuko opened his mouth a few times but closed it, not knowing what to say. This behavior was puzzling to Katara, and suddenly she felt like he had figured out what happened the night before. She waited nervously until Zuko took a deep breath and let it all out.
"I'm sorry about last night," he said.
Katara turned to face him and blinked quizzically. "What about it?"
"I should've let you come to the ball… it wasn't… I just think I should have let you go, that's all," he said. Katara bit her lip and looked away as to hide her panicking, widened eyes.
"It's all right. I, uh… I stayed in my room and heard the music from the balcony…" she said with a slight laugh. Katara twisted her head and grinned, putting on an act like everything was okay. But deep down, she wished he would continue his apology and let go of the past. Yet when she saw his expression wither, his eyes pointing regretfully at the ground, her eyebrows raised and her heartbeat struck inside her chest harder than before. There was only one dull pang as Zuko suddenly looked at her and scowled.
"Well, now you can do anything you want!" he almost screamed in her face. Katara stepped back and Appa moaned as Laia jumped on his back. Zuko and Katara turned toward each other while the distracting echo of Laia's laugh sliced through them.
"Zuko, what do you mean? Aren't I supposed to stay in the palace?" she asked, shock pulsating in her muscles.
The Prince put a hand to his head and winced as if in pain. Katara reached out to him but recoiled her hand as he glared at her before walking away.
"Don't do anything you regret. Go with Laia to the celebrations in town." Katara narrowed her eyes as a few short hairs swept across her forehead. Zuko took a deep breath and sighed angrily. "You passed the test. Just… don't do anything stupid."
With that, he turned away swiftly and headed towards the palace. Katara opened her mouth and reached out to him but no words escaped her throat. Zuko stopped abruptly, twisted his shoulders forcefully, and then headed back, almost as if something had suddenly pulled him in the opposite direction. Katara scrunched her face in confusion as her guts curled in disgust. The barrier between them hadn't fallen the least bit. Even though he had apologized, Zuko was still angry with her, but why he was letting her go to the celebrations, Katara had no idea. She expected to still be put under house arrest for the entirety of the vacation. Suddenly, she heard a shriek and turned in horror to see Laia falling from Appa's saddle. The large bison quickly caught her with his tail and Laia laughed joyously as Katara ran up to her.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Laia nodded and grinned. "Of course!" She pulled on Katara's arm and whispered tauntingly. "What was all of that about?"
Katara avoided eye contact and pet Appa before they left him to graze about.
"He told me… that I was allowed to go into town with you today, but it was almost as if he was angry at himself for letting me have some fun," Katara said disheartened. Laia put her hand on Katara's shoulder and sighed happily.
"Well it doesn't matter why Zuko did it. All that we have to focus on now is enjoying ourselves! There's a huge festival in the turf today. I'm sure there will be all sorts of people around!" Laia said with a pump of her fist. Katara smiled a little more and hugged her friend before they ran back to the palace.
As the sun drifted through the sky slowly, it past noon and Katara found herself in town with Jet and Laia. The firebender lead the way and pointed excitedly at every banner, a mixture of red, yellow, green and blue waving about in the open air above them. Katara had heard that Aang and Toph were doing something with the Fire Lord, so they couldn't accompany them into town. Jet stopped near a small booth where jewelry was being sold and Katara smirked as she poked him on the back.
"Are you trying to pick something out for a lady?" she asked slyly. He ruffled his hair and shrugged.
"Uh, sure. I was going to get something for Laia, but I don't know what she likes. You're a girl, Katara. Pick something!" he said. Katara eyed him and smiled, looking down at the heaps of beads and chains that were spread about. Jet peered down, still looking discretely for something specific, but Katara didn't notice since she was searching on her own. Suddenly she spotted a bracelet with rubies and thin wooden slits in between them. She picked it up and it glimmered as if it were a blaze with flames. Katara smiled widely and shoved it in Jet's face.
"This is it. You're getting her this one," Katara said decisively. She dropped it into the cupped palms of his hands and his eyes glowed at the sight of the gift.
"It's… perfect!" Jet cried out. The vender leaned forward with his arm outstretched as far as possible and Jet suddenly sighed as he dropped a pile of coins into the man's hand.
"You would think that perhaps you had to pay first, boy," he said snootily as his hand clenched onto the money and shoved it in his pocket. Jet raised his eyebrow and bowed his head back as Katara narrowed her gaze, noticing the vender's unusual harshness, but she shrugged and turned away. Katara waved over to Laia to get her attention, and as Laia dashed towards them, in and around the crowds, Jet tried desperately to hide the gift, yet Laia made it to him before he could put it somewhere out of sight.
"Did you find something interesting?" she asked. Jet clenched his fists and hunched his shoulders, looking around eagerly. Katara sighed and furrowed her eyebrows, nudging Jet in the side as Laia watched.
"As a matter of fact, we did! Actually, I think Jet wants to give you something," Katara mentioned. Laia looked at Jet with curiosity shining in her eyes. Jet sighed and smiled as he handed the bracelet over to her. Laia brought her hands to her face as she squealed in delight. Her breath heaved as she cradled the gift in her hand, examining each smooth edge grinding against the shards of refined wood. Her eyes glimmered like the rubies in her hands, and when she slipped it on, Laia rubbed her eye and grabbed Jet's arm, pulling him closer into her. She smirked and laughed into his eyes.
"I love it," she whispered into his ears. Her lips brushed slightly against his jaw and when Laia pulled away from the embrace, Jet stood straight like a baby bamboo stalk. He scratched his chin and laughed as he took Laia's hand in his. Katara's heart filled with warmth watching the two bask in their easy going casualness with each other. She walked behind them, perfectly comfortable herself, until the two of them started to whisper jokes to one another. Each time that happened, Laia skipped a few steps ahead and all of a sudden, Katara found the distance between them much like the gap etched in her heart. The cold wind snapped her blurred mind into attention as Katara stopped and frowned, no warmth spreading through her tortured body. Zuko's face drifted through her thoughts as Katara held herself in her arms to no avail. She sighed and looked up from the ground, still lost in the street of people wandering around.
Suddenly, Katara heard a crash in the alleyway to her left. She turned her head, her feet jumping to the side. The shadows down the gloomy path seemed all together unearthly, as if to venture into it would be like stepping through an invisible wall and into another realm. Katara stepped closer into the deserted, garbage filled alleyway and squinted, hoping to see if there was a stray animal that had caused the ruckus. Yet the large shadowy figure that darted out from a corner was nothing like an animal. Katara's heart inclined her to run into the darkness, into the risk of losing herself within the shadows.
As soon as Katara got to the dead end, she glanced right and saw the figure lurking about still further down. Her eyes focused, Katara jumped over a muddy puddle and dashed further, not knowing why she needed to find out who the person was, but nonetheless, chasing him or her. The figure noticed and turned again. Katara panted, following in the lurking stench of the alleyway. She didn't stop to think why there was even such an infested place within Sozin's Turf; Katara spotted the lurker yet again, but this time, halted, surprised to see at least twenty men laying around the next alleyway. The hooded figure stooped low next to one of them and then looked at another, touching the top of his head quickly before running away at the sight of Katara's pursuit. The waterbender tightened her jaw and ran to the men near the lighted expanse which met up with the street once more. She knelt down and peered over his face.
"Sir, are you all right?" she asked. The man's eyes were closed, and Katara's stomach lurched, thinking the worst. She peered over to the other one, and saw that he too seemed asleep. Suddenly there was a rupture of coughs behind her where the other men sat around among the garbage. Katara heard a moan and her limbs began to tremble. The horrid thought of murder crawled through her insides as if she was going to commit the atrocious act herself, but Katara reminded herself that she couldn't be sure the men were actually dead. All of a sudden, the man nearest her grabbed Katara's arm and pulled her down. His eyes were bloodshot and his skin was cracked, a few moles sprouting on his chubby face. Katara recoiled, his breath even worse smelling than that of a skunk.
"What do you want, woman? Are you here to give me a drink?" the bum asked. Katara pulled her arm out of his grip as the tunnel of bums started to waken from their seemingly cold slumber.
"Yeah, is that what you're here for missy?" another asked. Katara turned around in circles as she shook her head regretfully.
"No. I got lost and I found this place," she replied. The disgruntled moans were accompanied by trash being flung in Katara's direction.
"Get out of here then! We don't need you stealing our air," one screamed. Katara shielded herself and looked quickly to the street where the sunlight glowed hauntingly. From the darkness of the maze she fell into, Katara's heart shivered and her muscles contracted as she ran towards the beacon of sanity. Random objects hit and slid down her back as she passed by each man. Suddenly, just before she reached the festive street, the last man stuck out his foot malevolently and Katara tripped, falling with her hands outstretched into the moist dirt. She coughed and groaned at the sharp impact. The men all jeered and her head swam with the cruel laughter of the brutally cold realm.
When Katara looked up into the street, her jaw dropped and her gut fell even lower. The emptiness expanded in her mind as the lean and elegant knife-thrower walked by, looking into the alley, piercing Katara's eyes. Mai raised her eyebrow and curled her lip with disgust as she held her nose. Katara watched her footsteps fade out of sight and she exhaled, letting out the gasp of surprise. When Katara started to stand up, her eyes opened again and this time, the prince himself looked into the alley. Katara's face froze and her heart pounded the hem of her kimono into the ground as she stood up. Zuko stopped and looked at the source of the ripping sound and Katara glanced down swiftly at the edge of her clothes. She noticed that through her trek into the unknown, her outfit had become spotted with dirt and that the skin on her arms and hands was layered with grime. Zuko flinched as she stepped into the light, leaving behind the haunting chill of the men she had encountered. Zuko didn't move, all too caught up in her sudden appearance. Katara cracked a smile and laughed hesitantly.
"I guess this seems very strange," she started.
Zuko took a whiff of her and his eyes bulged. Suddenly, Katara turned her head and saw Aang pop up beside them with Toph.
"Katara, is that you?" she asked. Aang sniffed the air and eyed Katara suspiciously.
"Sorry, but you smell like rotten sea prunes," he commented. Katara rubbed her arm and averted their glances. She had utterly forgotten about the person she had been chasing.
"I saw a stray animal and followed it into the alley. I didn't think I'd fall," she said. Katara looked at the three of them and saw that Zuko was looking her up and down curiously. She shifted uneasily before speaking again. "So what are you all doing? Aren't you supposed to be up at the palace?" Katara asked.
Aang pointed his thumb at Zuko and grinned. "Zuko's giving us a tour of the Turf! And later, we're going to the Globe Week Ceremony. It's tonight, right?"
Zuko nodded and Toph sighed while crossing her arms. "I don't see why it's such a big deal. Fireworks aren't all that great anyways," she said. Aang looked at her and smiled. He slid his arm around Toph's shoulder and fanned out his other in a circle.
"Don't get yourself so down, Toph! How about we go for a glider ride later?" Aang hinted. Toph pushed him aside and threw her arms out.
"Do you really think that after all the time we spend on Appa, I would want to fly even more? Sorry, but I think I'd rather stick my feet into the ground and stay as still as a statue for once," she said crossly. Zuko smirked at Aang's defeated expression. Suddenly, he patted the Avatar's shoulder and whispered into his ear, which to that, his face lit up. Katara watched as Zuko leaned back to observe.
"Well if you don't want to fly, how about… we go look for some caves this fine evening? I um… I'm sure that there's a hidden hideout built just for your enjoyment!" Aang stiffly recited. Katara muffled a laugh and Aang winked at her before Toph rubbed her chin in thought.
"I guess that could work… but I get to do all the earthbending, got it?" she asked.
Aang sighed and shrugged. "That's too bad, I thought we could do it together, you know, like partners," he motioned. A small smile rose on her lips, but she quickly hid it as Toph playfully punched Aang on the shoulder.
"Fine."
Katara smiled, knowing that the two of them had been through a lot together. Aang had grown up to be someone the world could count on, but sometimes Katara worried about him since she wasn't there to look after him like before. Seeing Toph and Aang interact like a quarreling couple made her heart less prone to the static of stress. She looked up at Zuko, with a smile still floating on her face, and surprisingly, Zuko's eyes caught her while he too smiled. The moment was so odd that they didn't stop and they gazed at each other, nothing from the past circling around them. Yet suddenly, a harsh cry came from afar and Zuko flinched at the sound of his name. The smile faded quickly and Katara's eyes rose and fell remorsefully. Mai waved over from the crowd and Zuko snapped around to walk forward, saying nothing as he left. Toph grabbed Aang and they said goodbye, leaving Katara and her dreadful stench behind them.
She stumbled into the crowd again, now fully regretting her mistake of venturing into the alley to find the mysterious stranger. Katara looked like a beggar and not a guest of the royal family. Disgusted with herself, she walked closer to the edges of the buildings, their roofs painted bright red, and the sun glazing their outline of power into her mind. She knew that times had changed and that blood wouldn't be spilled because of the Fire Nation anymore, but the past always had a way of coming alive again.
Each market sold a different good. Each person held a variable amount of purchases, yet Katara saw Jet and Laia no where. Katara carefully examined each man and woman, yet none carried the liveliness of Laia nor the calm intensity of Jet. She sighed and suddenly saw a familiar looking woman near a store selling armor and weapons of the past. She wore her hair in two low tails with a bun at the top. Its sleekness glowed in the sun and when she turned around, Raeya spotted Katara at once and walked over to her.
"You poor thing, did you fall in the mud?" she asked. Katara, relieved that the Xiong Princess was showing her some compassion, nodded and sighed. "I've been trying to find my friends, Jet and Laia, but I can't find them anywhere."
Raeya backed away one step, distancing her precious flowing garments from the obscurity of Katara's.
"I suggest you find them quickly. I'm sure people don't like walking next to swine," Raeya commented. Katara's temples flared and she remembered that the princess was somewhat snotty from the earlier encounter she had with the opposing clans of Sozin's Turf, the Xiongs and the Yin Yans.
"Well, I'm sorry, but that's what I'm trying to do. I need to get back to the palace and change clothes," Katara responded. Raeya dropped her mouth in disgust and shook her head.
"There's no way you're getting back into the palace looking like a beggar, even if you know someone who lives there. You know what? I know exactly where they'd be! Just run along a bit further down this street and turn to the left when you see a large brown banner. Then, turn into the dusty green house that sits within a large lot of grass. You can't miss it!" Raeya exclaimed. Before Katara could ask her why she needed to go there, Raeya was gone and buried within the crowd. Knowing of no other option available to her, she followed the princess's orders and just like she explained, there was a square house covered in vines.
Katara looked up at the roof and saw brown banners flowing down from it. There was no fence and the vacant expanse of the yard before it called out to anyone, welcoming strangers to the oak door. Katara knocked and leaned back as the door swung open immediately. A burst of conversation swept through the air and attacked Katara as a teenage girl greeted her. The girl reached up to Katara's shoulders and she leaned against the door with an ease of superior rank. Her brown hair flared out in curls and her waist was exposed as her red top drooped off her shoulder loosely.
"Imi's the name and bubble tea's my game. Welcome to the one and only Bubble Shack of Sozin's Turf. Please come on in and join us," Imi said. Katara blinked and stared at the crowd of people jammed into the small area of the house. She looked from the girl and then to the back of the room where someone was causing a scene. Katara entered and Imi cocked her eye and shrugged as she walked back into the crowd. There was another shout and she spotted Jet flailing his arms around.
"Let me do it! I'm sure it'll be fine!" Laia shrieked. Katara squinted as the crowd parted before her and suddenly, she saw the couple clearly. Jet gripped Laia's arm firmly as she tried to push him away while holding a wooden cup with creamy liquid in it. Laia gasped when she saw Katara, and Jet's attention was distracted enough so that Laia's arm went free. She smirked and heated up her bubble tea quickly. The flames came to life and then died as Jet's mouth opened and he tried to stop her.
The liquid exploded and flew up into the air. Katara squirmed as it plopped onto her head. She hunched her shoulders and growled at Laia who was occupied with making sure her bracelet wasn't a victim of the unexpected blast. Katara wiped away her face and looked at Jet who glanced at Laia disapprovingly as well. Everyone quieted down at once and the eerie silence finally brought Laia to the attention of the icy snowman standing in front of her.
"Oh! Katara, you need to change, just look at you!" she said incredulously. "And look at your hair! You've got to take a bath too… maybe Imi can help," Laia said, suddenly distracted and looking around for the owner of the shack. Jet shook his head and grabbed Laia by the shoulder.
"Didn't I tell you not to heat up the bubble tea?" Jet asked. Laia frowned and shook him off.
"I was just curious. You can't blame me for trying!"
"All right, but you could at least apologize to Katara," he said. Laia looked at her friend and bit her lip.
"I'm sorry… I just get so distracted sometimes, you know?" she told Katara mutely. She smiled then, and shrugged off her steam with a laugh.
"It's all right, I just need to take a quick bath and I'll be as good as new," Katara said.
The silence continued and suddenly there was a loud slam of the door. They turned around to see the shack completely empty; mats and tables were scattered everywhere and Imi, the hot headed owner was blowing off her head as she neared them.
"Look what you've done! All of my customers! Gone! And you," she said, pointing at Katara, "I knew you were going to cause trouble! Now my parents won't even find out that I was running a business! This ruins all of my plans," she said. Katara stared at her oddly and snorted.
"You want to get in trouble?"
Imi sniffed and sighed. "Yes. If they come home and see that the place is a mess, I'll get sent to my family outside of Sozin's Turf. I hate it here. I was planning on earning some money and then leaving to get a taste of real life. The bubble tea shack is all a scam anyways," she said.
Jet raised his eyebrow and stepped forward. "What do you mean?"
Imi smirked and put her hands on her hips. "It's not real bubble tea. I just took some lard from the cockercows and mixed it with real tea. No one knew the difference!"
Jet's eyes twitched and he began to clean his tongue on the sleeves of his clothes while Laia smiled giddily.
"Brilliant idea, Imi!" she responded. Katara chuckled and poked a finger in her hair while the fake bubble tea dripped onto the floor.
"Imi! How about if I can take a bath in place of us wrecking your house?" she asked. Laia and Jet both stared at Katara astonishingly as Imi grinned joyously.
"Upstairs, to the left and down the hall!" she said, shaking hands with Katara. She zoomed up the stairs quickly and found the door already open. The bath awaited her, and Katara smirked, rolling her eyes before cleaning up herself.
It was a half an hour later that Katara came down, her clothes fresh and her hair sleek with no hint of lard in them. Jet groaned when he saw her appear finally, and he stood up, ready to leave. Laia laughed and pointed behind her as Katara stepped next to them. She looked around and stepped back, astonished at the catastrophic disaster that lay before her. All of the furniture was either broken in half or had tiny feathers coming out of it, while in the kitchen, plates lay shattered and glasses splintered over the floor. Imi bounced up from behind Katara with a pack over her shoulder and she saluted the three adults before smiling brightly.
"I couldn't have done it by myself! Thanks so much for all the help. It was a pleasure doing business with ya," Imi said and then nodded. Katara laughed warmly and winked while Jet just shook his head and Laia beamed merrily.
"You guys ruined the house faster than I thought you could," Katara commented. Jet shrugged and smirked with his keen eyes.
"It's not as hard as it seems, especially if you know a few shortcuts…" Laia suddenly blushed and stood irregularly quiet for a few seconds before Imi tugged on Katara's arm and she whispered in her ear.
"He started chasing that girl around after he touched her or something. I don't know why, but she started beating him to a pulp with one of the chair's legs. You should have seen it!" Katara eyed the two and laughed while Laia turned redder than a fire lily.
"It's not funny!" she exclaimed. Jet chuckled and she turned on him, stomping out of the house. Jet rolled his eyes and Katara, along with Imi, followed her out into the yard.
Imi closed the door but then considered leaving it open to taunt her parents even more. Katara sighed suddenly and put a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Are you sure you just want to leave them like this? They're your family. They love you," Katara said quietly. "When you leave, you'll realize how important people really are to you."
Imi raised her eye and laughed.
"You don't have to worry so much, stranger. My family is as mellow as they come. I'd even be surprised if they were angry about the little surprise inside, but when I come back, I'm sure they won't even have a clue I'm gone," Imi said. Katara opened her mouth to say more, but stopped and looked into the distance where the crowds of people were hidden behind the landscape of houses. The sun was setting by now and her shadow greeted her with its elongated presence. Jet was talking with Laia and Imi was waving goodbye. Katara shook herself and ran to catch up to them. Katara wished the feisty girl a safe trip, and as she watched her go, a sly smile formed on Katara's lips as the image of a similar earthbender appeared before her. The sight vanished and Katara turned her attention to her friends. She sighed with frustration and grabbed Jet's wrist.
"It's no use. She's not going to forgive you," Katara said. His eyes wide, Jet let Katara drag him away from the firebender, who at the moment, had flames circling around her fists.
"Katara, let go of me! I have to apologize!" he screamed. Katara stopped and looked Jet in the eye, to which he leaned back, jolted.
"If you want her to forgive you, you shouldn't have considered it in the first place. She's a citizen of the Fire Nation at birth. Don't you know that these people have a mind of their own? Saying sorry isn't enough," she spoke fiercely. Katara let go of Jet's arm and looked away with her face strangled in confusion. She walked over to Laia and smiled gently.
"Come on, let's go explore some more," Katara said. Laia's temper chilled and she sighed, nodding enthusiastically. As she passed by Jet, she turned her head away and he straddled behind them with his head downcast, thinking over Katara's words.
When they had traveled back into the heart of the Turf where the celebrations were taking place, the three of them were halted unexpectedly in a crowded square by shrieks filling the air. A rumble erupted from the earth and with an intensity that sent Laia falling back into Jet's arms, Zhen glided past them with his arms outstretched, cruising on a rising ball of earth. He laughed as the thrill of soaring above the numerous heads thrived in his blood. Katara regained her stance as the earth settled again, and looked over to where he had landed. An older woman smacked the side of his face as her grandchild started crying. Laia looked up at Jet and looked to the side where his arms held her. Suddenly, she felt the chill of his whisper in her ear and Laia closed her eyes, letting herself drown in his presence.
"I know what I did was uncalled for. Will you forgive me for wanting to see you fume?" Jet asked.
Laia's eyes shot open and she leaned back into his chest with a small smile on her face.
"You should know that firebenders as skilled as me can burn you to a crisp if you cross the line," Laia responded.
Jet laughed and squeezed her gently before letting go. "I know."
The buzzing excitement that surrounded the crowd droned out their conversation, and Katara didn't hear a single word. Zhen had escaped the fury of the woman and he tumbled into the open square where a row of four chairs were assembled. In them, four men sat and four women dressed in exotic costumes swirled around them like birds drifting gracefully through the sky. They synchronized their footwork and bowed to the men as a drum hit the final note. The crowd cheered as the men took a small object from their respective woman and brought it to their faces. Katara leaned closer, trying to figure out what was going on.
"Laia, do you mind explaining to me what they're doing?" Katara asked, practically screaming over the cheers. When no answer came, she twisted around and squinted. "Laia?"
Jet was holding her up on his shoulder as she clapped her hands so avidly that they turned the color of raw meat. Yet when Zhen started whispering to the nearest man in the seat, and the two of them nodded in agreement, Laia's cheerful expression withered into scorn. Jet brought her down carefully and Laia crossed her arms as she began to turn away. Katara put a hand on her shoulder and bent her head lower.
"What is this?"
"It's a festive dance for four that happens during Globe Week to celebrate the unification of every person in harmony, or something like that," Laia answered quickly. Katara smiled cautiously as Laia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Come on, let's go somewhere else," she said. Katara looked back at the square as the crowd's cheers subsided. The stage was being cleared and Zhen put on a complex wreath made of twigs, leaves and tiny white flowers. Suddenly, he spotted someone in the crowd and dragged two unwilling participants to the stage. Katara's eyes widened as she saw Zuko's red robe twirl in the wind behind him, along with Mai, lifeless as ever. Laia sighed and waited for Katara's answer.
"Yes, let's get out of here," Katara said quickly. Her arms started to constrict as a sudden fear enveloped her body and mind. Zhen had said something and Zuko smiled genuinely in return. To Katara, it shouldn't have been of any significance, but the reoccurring shame she felt and the haunting wish that she could share that happiness would not let go of her leg. When she tried to move, she couldn't and when Laia pulled on her, Katara tripped into Jet's hold. The crowd parted as a few members stepped aside, creating an open circle for everyone to view them. A cry shot out from the square where their friends were gathering, and in almost a few seconds of Katara standing up again, Zhen was right by her side, taking a hold of her arm.
"How about you join us in this wonderful celebration of unity and harmony? You too Laia!" He grabbed her arm faster than Laia could open her mouth and with a second glance, Zhen glanced at Jet and shrugged. "You can come too. We need one more guy." Without so much as a chance to answer him, the two women were whisked away to the arena where Mai, and now Toph, were dressing themselves in scarves. Each had the same wreath of nature's offspring settled on their heads, and as Laia and Katara stepped in the arena, they began to spruce their costumes as well. Women handed them their respective scarves, blue for Katara and yellow for Laia. Mai picked at her bright red scarves and rolled her eyes while Toph crumpled her green ones in her fists. The men, Zhen, Jet, Zuko and now Aang, were being assembled into the row of royal chairs. They each had a wooden spear in their hands and as they sat down, Katara could feel a pair of eyes watching her back as she fiddled with the scratchy wreath on her head. She turned and looked straight into Zuko's curious gaze for a few seconds before looking at Laia desperately. The crowd was growing restless in the wait and Katara whispered to Laia quickly.
"What are we supposed to do?" she asked.
Laia glared at Zhen, who sat radiantly in his corner chair. "Just follow my lead. I swear, next time I see him, I'm going to teach him a lesson he'll never forget." Katara blinked and looked from Zhen to Laia.
"I don't understand why you hate him so much. He's not all that bad," she said. Laia's eyes widened and she glanced at Katara wickedly.
"Please don't tell me you've fallen under his spell!"
Katara shook her head and sighed. "No, that's not it at all," Katara responded. Toph yawned as the group of women who were setting up their costumes suddenly dragged each in front of one of the men. Against Katara's will, she was summoned before the prince and as she stood before Zuko, lost within her past and present, he stared up at her so intensely that she thought he was crushing her from the inside out with his eyes. Needing to escape the overwhelming pull, Katara looked down the row and saw that ironically, Laia had been paired with Zhen. Jet continuously glanced at the pair while Mai stood in front of him, eyeing Zuko. To her right, Aang scrunched his face and Toph smiled slightly as a silent joke passed between them. Katara sighed and a chill spiraled up her spine as the crowd chimed to the beat of the drum, its pounding escalating with her heartbeat.
Zuko's eyes became glued to her face; the prince wasn't hesitant in letting the waterbender know that he still bore a grudge against her. With the sweat beginning to dot her forehead, Katara swallowed hard and closed her eyes, taking the time to breathe and meditate within the rising tension. When she opened them, she saw that the other women were walking towards the men with their heads bowed. Each drumbeat marked one footstep, and with the heaviness bearing down on her, Katara slowly made her way towards Zuko, her head lowered, the blue scarves draped against her bent body. The signal stopped and Katara raised her head slightly, not daring to look Zuko in the eyes when she was this close to him. The scarves gently nudged Zuko's knees and Katara inhaled sharply, letting go of her guilt for a moment.
"Zuko, I don't know what to do!" she whispered fiercely. A short chuckle came from Zuko's throat and she lifted her head up, gasping. Zuko smirked and placed his cupped hands in front of her face. He lifted one and from underneath his fingers emerged a tiny chipmunk. Katara's eyes bulged along with her dropping jaw and as soon as the fury animal jumped onto her head, it hid in the wreath of twigs and Katara stumbled back. Katara looked down towards Laia and saw that she had accepted a chipmunk as well, but instead of being shocked, Laia was bitterly glaring at Zhen. Mai shifted uncomfortably while Toph sighed, not bothered one bit by the companionship of the fury friend. A stiff cry alerted the dancers and the drums began to beat again, this time, faster than before. Katara watched Laia from a distance and mimicked her every move.
They scuffled back in a line, and they darted from side to side, jumping as if over thick wooden logs. Katara spun in place and the scarves stretched away from her neck, almost as if attracted by something else. Yet when she stopped, they fell back into place and she took a deep breath, almost twenty feet away from the man in the chair. Suddenly, the same women from before popped up beside the performers and handed them a pair of white and gold fans. Katara smiled brightly, knowing exactly what to do since she had been taught by a Kyoshi Warrior herself. Mai took the fans and let her arms drop to her sides as she began to walk back. Laia gripped the fans tightly while Toph poked her fingers through them as she waved her arms around. Delicately, Katara brought the fans to her face and spread them out slowly while she spun and darted forward towards Zuko. The closer she got, the more Katara couldn't resist. After just a few seconds, she was standing right in front of Zuko again with one fan closed and the other twisting above her head. Katara began to circle around Zuko while he sat in his chair, holding the wooden spear in his hand tightly.
His eyes traveled to each side while Katara's kimono flirted behind her.
"Have you done this before? I thought you said you didn't know what to do," Zuko stated. Katara continued to switch sides and she lowered her head slightly each time she passed in front of him.
"No, I'm just following what Laia does," she responded. It was only then that Katara truly glanced over to see what Laia was doing. Instead of circling around Zhen, she was jumping back and forth in front of him, pointing the closed the fans at him with so much hatred that they began to shine brightly, almost as if they concealed fire within them. Mai did the same, only much less harshly, and Toph copied the others, her feet stomping into the ground with each beat. Katara stopped and blushed wildly, but before Katara could run away, he gripped her wrist and she stared at him, her body pulsing as uncontrollably as the beating drums.
"The legend says that if a princess wishes to claim her prince, she must dance to the beat of his heart, circle around him, and tell him the one secret she wants him to know," Zuko said. He let go of her and as they stared at each other, a rush of anxiety built up in her throat. Her fans fluttered open in her loose grip, and Katara stepped to Zuko's side, slowly making her way around him while she thought quickly. Was he telling her the truth, or had he made that up? Either way, as Katara heard the string instruments overpower the fading notes of the drum, the plucked melody swayed her heart. Katara stepped to Zuko's left and began to speak her secret.
"If there is one secret I wished to tell…"
Katara took one step and raised her arms. The fans fell gracefully and she spun on her toes before lowering her head to Zuko's eyes.
"… if there was one thing I wish I could take back…"
She fluttered the fans before her eyes and as the inches disappeared between their faces, Katara lowered one fan and blocked the setting sunlight with the other as it shielded both her and Zuko's faces from the crowd's view.
"… I would take back all the pain and heartache I caused you, and instead…" Katara closed her eyes and opened them to see Zuko's face softening tenderly. "Instead… I would give you all the happiness you deserve."
Katara's fingers trembled as Zuko grasped her hand and breathed in unison with her. The distant cooing of the audience didn't faze Katara in the slightest bit, and when Zuko's head leaned into hers, she closed her eyes and smiled, her heart guilt free. In the magic of the moment, he had let her speak her deepest thoughts and because of that, he had freed her from the past. With his forehead resting against hers, Zuko took a deep breath and pulled away as the fury of the instruments rose. Katara's mouth opened as she realized it was time to join the others again. She looked over at Laia quickly and saw that Zhen was taunting her somehow. Mai and Jet didn't even look at each other, and it was then that Katara realized Mai was glaring at her. The realization then hit Katara as if she had fallen into an icy waterfall; Mai had a past with Zuko, but even more than that, she had the present with him. In the months Katara was gone, Zuko had been free of the past and had most likely spent his time with his newly instated secretary. A sharp cry erupted from the musicians once more, and the four women scattered, weaving in and out of short line. When Mai passed by Katara, she stuck her foot out swiftly, so that no one could see. Katara tripped but caught herself and spun on one foot as the fans flew out of her hands and into the crowd. Cheers erupted at the new rendition of the dance, and Laia, finally free of Zhen's gaze, saw what Katara did and followed suit. Toph shook her hands violently before the fans came off and Mai glared even deeper at the waterbender.
Her elegance unmatched, Katara thought of using the scarves and pulled them off of her neck and pretended to waterbend. Her arms wove out and to the side automatically; Katara didn't think that Zuko could have remembered what happened the night before. The crowd was cheering for the performers rhythmically, and it was then that the men started to pound their spears into the ground. The thud resonated deep within Katara's stirred soul, and as she darted toward Zuko, her smile rooted itself onto her face so that it didn't disappear. Yet as she walked over to him, her scarves glided against the gentle breeze and she wrapped them around Zuko's neck without thinking. Suddenly, the chipmunk popped out of Katara's wreath and dropped into her bare hands. Zuko, still distracted, took the chipmunk from her, just as the three other men did. Katara watched, stunned, when all four of them kissed the animal on the nose. Zuko quickly dropped the animal, completing the strange ritual, and looked back up at Katara with his eyes wide and his mouth quivering slightly.
"It was… you… you were there last night… with me," he said quietly, the revelation becoming more alive as the drumbeats thudded against his body. Katara's smile faded and she looked away, ashamed. From afar, she could hear Laia yelling.
"I'm not kissing that back! You can keep it!" and she thrust the chipmunk into Zhen's hands. Mai stood with her arms crossed and Jet snarled as his chipmunk scurried away. He gripped his chair tightly and eyed Zhen closely. Even though the others had refused to kiss the chipmunk back, for whatever reason it was needed to happen, Toph did so without any hesitation and the crowd cheered. Katara looked back at Zuko, the two of them in their own world, each replaying their meeting the previous night. Katara fell to her knees and the wreath finally slid off of her head. She gripped Zuko's knees and bit her lip, trying to figure out what to say. Suddenly, Katara felt his thumb brush her cheek and his fingers lifted her head so that he could pierce her blue eyes with his.
"You tricked me… I thought you had stayed in your room, but you…" his eyes broadened and Katara's lips parted as she gripped his arm tightly.
"I just wanted to see everyone… I wanted to be myself without having to worry about anything that had happened before," Katara said quietly.
"And then… you… and I…" Zuko's brows furrowed as his fingers fell away from Katara's face and skimmed against the sweaty skin of her arm. She breathed deeply and sighed at his touch. Katara didn't know what he was thinking at the moment, but her heart yearned to hear the words of forgiveness it had craved for so long. She took his hand off of her arm and lowered her head.
"I'm sorry, Zuko," she said softly.
Katara looked at his fingers as they interlaced with hers and the air froze in her lungs when he replied.
"No… it's…"
Zuko's fingers jolted and piercing shrieks echoed through the air. Zuko's legs nudged Katara to the side as she propped herself on the ground, letting go of Zuko's hand. Her scarves skated down her arms as they feel from Zuko's neck and she pulled back her hair, men from all sides roared in anger. Katara glanced up to look at Zuko, but when she did, the weight of the world detonated and buried her. Her mouth unhinged and she shook her head as slowly as possible, her arms reaching for him. Three arrows stuck out of Zuko's chest and the trails of dark blood glistened as the sun finally hid behind the mountains and the lights of the turf took command. Zuko's eyes drooped and widened as he gasped for air. Katara finally reached up to him and held his face in her stained hands. He gripped onto her for balance and looked directly into her eyes while he spoke.
"It's… okay."
A tear slid down Katara's face as she closed her eyes shut. Struggling, Zuko took a hold of the three arrows and lit them on fire. Katara stood back and watched as the splinters of wood cracked and vanished. When there was nothing left, Katara immediately swept her hands through the air and gathered as much water as she could. With her teeth clenched, she held Zuko in place while his head rolled and he fell unconscious.
The crowd was growing restless watching Katara trying to heal the prince. The attack had come out of nowhere and everyone was panicking. The musicians had stopped to stare and the performance of celebration had come to an unexpected end. Katara gritted her teeth as she pulled out the three arrowheads from Zuko's chest with her bloody water. Mai was now standing next to Katara's side, anxiously looking down at the prince with her eyes wide. Zuko groaned and Katara held his head as Aang came to Katara's side. She looked at him, her face pale and her eyes streaked with red lines.
"You've done enough, Katara. I'll take him back to the palace," Aang said, his eyes furrowed and his voice serious. Toph thrust her hands into the air and the earth rose as she stomped onto it. Zhen appeared and carefully laid him out on the rock. Laia and Jet came to Katara's side and she gripped her friend's hands tightly as she watched the Avatar strap Zuko to his glider. Its blue wings folded out and as Aang dragged the glider and Zuko from the raised block of earth, Katara came to Aang's side and smiled half-heartedly. The Avatar, no longer an innocent child, gripped her arm and nodded.
"I can tell he means a lot to you, Katara." Tears streamed down her face and Aang wiped them away gently as he let go of her. "He's my friend, and so are you. I wouldn't let either of you stay hurt for long," Aang said and smiled. Katara's heart lifted slightly with the oncoming wind and she kissed Aang on the cheek before he turned away from her. He gripped the glider and hit the ground with foot as if he was hammering a nail into it. The earth hit back and sent him flying up into the air with the fallen prince, soaring into the darkness of the coming night and the uncertainties that followed.
Mai suddenly grabbed Katara back by the shoulders and twirled her around. She felt the cold metal against her neck, and Katara's eyes bulged as the knife pressured her throat.
"Who do you think you are? First you try to claim him for your own, and then you get him off of his guard so that he focuses on you instead of the enemy?" Mai bellowed. Katara's eyes narrowed and she pushed the furious woman away from her. The rage grew in Mai's eyes as Zhen came up to her and gripped her arm.
"You don't have the right to attack her. Don't you realize she was the one who was healing him?" he asked. Laia stood next to Katara as the horrified crowd started to scuttle away. The sight of the bloodstained chair in the row of four chilled Katara's bones and as the dark blue sky started to emerge, an agonized cry burst from the distance. Toph quickly ran forward and shouted at the remaining group.
"There's a horde of people coming! It's an ambush!" she yelled above the shocked screams. Havoc suddenly ensued as shadows darted in and around the civilians. Katara looked to Laia for guidance, but all she saw were bright orange flames erupting from her wreath. Laia had set it on fire and threw it on the ground as Zhen kicked a patch of earth over it. He looked at her tenderly, almost as if to ask her something, but Jet pulled out his swords and ran in between them. The distraction was enough to set them all in different directions. Suddenly, a sharp whizzing noise shot past Katara's face and she turned to the right as Mai's hand shot out with a pointed razor. The weapons collided and the shard that had been cast fell to the ground. Mai glared at Katara while people ran back and forth around the matted arena. The chairs and spears were kicked aside as a fleet of people in shining red armor appeared. Katara raised her eyebrow as Raeya appeared next to Mai's side.
"It's about time you showed up," Mai said bitterly. "Where were you guys?"
Raeya wiped away a strand of loose hair and rolled her eyes. "There was another outburst from the enemy a little ways off. We came as soon as we heard what happened." With that, the Xiong Princess glanced over at Katara and pursed her lips. The chatting had to end when the three diverted an arrow just barely. Katara ran into the fight with her arms flinging back, gathering water along the way. She saw an array of flames erupt and spotted Laia at once. Jet stood by her side and it was then that Katara noticed the shadows they fought against. They were actually people, familiar looking mangled warriors she had met before. This time, red markings were painted on their faces that portrayed their ferociousness in the firebender's light. Katara quickly whipped three out of her way as both men and women lost their weapons. The glinting spears and arrows leapt into the air and clattered onto the ground as Katara ran to protect a lost child. She guided the little girl to her mother as she raised her arm in a shield. When Katara turned around, she winced and cried out as a knife slit her cheek. It scratched her, and went no deeper, but the sting that arose pulled Katara back. As she stumbled back into a wall, a pair of arms grabbed her and held her close. She looked up and gasped.
"Akizo? How…"
"We don't have time to talk. It was getting dark and I heard rumors in the palace of an ambush. I wanted to warn you and the others, but I was too late," he said. Katara's jaw dropped. Amongst the grunts and clashes of battle, Akizo had appeared, his long black ponytail vanishing into the darkness of the night. She gripped his hand and let go as she regained her ground. She ran in to the battle once more and cast her frozen water spears into the shoulders of the newfound enemy. She didn't know why the Yin Yan Warriors were considered enemies, since they were from the Fire Nation as well, but if the arrows that injured Zuko came from them, they were her enemies as well.
The fight dragged on, but as soon as the reinforcements from the Xiong Clan of firebenders came, the battle waned and the warriors retreated into the stained streets. Katara heaved and wiped away the blood trickling down her face as the moonlight glanced upon her. She gathered a few drops of water from the air and slid her fingers over the scratch. She winced but sighed as Laia trotted over to her with Jet at her side.
"It's over," Katara said. Laia nodded and Jet looked off to the side suspiciously, catching Katara's attention. She turned and gasped when she saw Zhen and Akizo walking over to them with a woman caught in the middle. Katara squinted and saw that the woman was the same from a couple of days before; Eisa, the Yin Yan Warrior who was the leader of the women's unit, stood still, watching Katara darkly.
"We managed to catch her before she got away," Akizo said quietly. Eisa's mangled hair glimmered in the moonlight as Katara realized that the sticky clumps were dried blood. Laia glanced from the captured traitor to Zhen, who stood with his hair no longer sleek, but frizzed from the heat of battle. His smile was gone, and for once, Laia didn't feel the urge to slap him. Instead, she gazed at him with the deepest curiosity she had ever known. Before anyone else could say a word, Raeya walked up to them and smiled victoriously, her black hair fallen out of her perfect style, now swaying against her scratched cheeks.
"Well done, men!" Raeya walked over to Eisa and bent her head so that they were eyelevel. Raeya suddenly gripped Eisa's face and shook it violently before letting go. Eisa said nothing and Raeya sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "Take her to the Core!" she commanded to the three members of the Xiong standing behind her. As they turned her over, Eisa threw her body into Akizo's and walked away with her hands tied behind her back. Akizo stood up again after swaying, and looked at Zhen who took a deep breath and sighed.
The stillness of the night resounded in the hollow wind as Raeya left the group to do what they pleased. Mai was long gone but Toph suddenly trudged up to Katara's side, her clothes torn everywhere, dirt encased in her fingers. She brushed away her long hair and after the silence continued, sighed and turned away again.
"Aren't you coming? I don't know about you guys, but I want to know how prince-face is doing," Toph said. Katara closed her eyes and took a step; Toph was right. She did want to know how Zuko was doing, but a part of her feared finding out.
..::-::..
Everyone had made it back to the palace after a long silent walk home. The hours passed, and the healers came and went from Zuko's room. Katara had washed herself and eaten, despite refusing any food, but it was already past midnight and she still hadn't seen Aang come out. The others had grown wary and decided to go to sleep and await the news in the morning. Katara, though, still stood outside Zuko's room, dressed in her golden night robe, awaiting an answer to her prayers.
The heavy oak door suddenly creaked open, and Katara came forward from her place against the wall. Her anticipation was met as Aang finally came out. Surprisingly, Iroh followed him and shut the door quietly. As it clicked, Katara rushed over to them and took a deep breath.
"How is he?" she asked.
Aang put a hand on her arm and Iroh smiled, nodding. "He's a strong man. He'll be fine in the morning as long as he rests."
"Yeah, you did most of the healing right when it happened, so there wasn't that much to do," Aang replied with a broad smile. Katara exhaled all of her worries and brushed her arm hesitantly, knowing she still had to wait till morning to see Zuko, to make sure he was okay with her own eyes. Then a thought struck her.
"Wait, if there wasn't much to do, why did you two just come out? It's been hours!" she said. Aang and Iroh gave each other quick, repressed frowns, and then smiled as if nothing was wrong. Leaving her without an answer, the two walked away from the room and down towards the grand staircase.
"Goodnight, Katara! See you in the morning!" Aang exclaimed. Katara clenched her teeth but sighed, feeling the urge to sleep finally overcome her. Her limbs dragged her slowly into her room, and when she closed the door, the darkness of the night cast a silvery light in her room. She yawned and stepped closer to her bed, already feeling the soft fabric beneath her fingertips. Suddenly, just as she was about to fall onto her bed, she felt a presence sneak up behind her.
Katara darted to the side as a dark figure leapt past her and onto Katara's bed. Now fully awake again, Katara dashed to the corner as her pursuer switched sides and ran after her. Katara's head turned and her eyes squinted, trying to see the outline of the room. The light faintly came through the lattice doors to the balcony and in the midst of running from the predator, she bumped into a table unexpectedly. The vase on top of it rocked and crashed onto the floor, stirring her heart as well as another's.
From the other room, Zuko's eyes flashed open as he heard the grunts of struggle and pursuit from behind his walls.
Katara felt the grasp of her enemy on her arm and she groaned as with her free hand, she punched the man in the gut. Needing to see more clearly, Katara rushed to the doors and slammed them open, letting the fierce night wind slide against her skin. She turned around and gasped as the shadow appeared to her as none other than a Yin Yan Warrior. His face was cloaked and his body was covered in a tattered brown outfit, but his eyes were as gold as firelight. Stunned, Katara tripped backwards and stumbled into the balcony's edge. The man rushed up to her and held out a sharp glinting blade. Katara's heart leapt to her throat as she felt the vast emptiness behind her, the ground three stories below.
"You should have died a long time ago," the man said thickly. She narrowed her eyes but just as the man raised his arm, the doors to Katara's right slid open and Zuko appeared, his robe open slightly to reveal the bandages around his chest. His eyes widened as he saw Katara leaning ever more closely over the edge as the warrior held her hostage. In a sudden move, the warrior acted and jumped over the balcony's edge, grabbing Katara along with him.
Zuko's legs darted forward faster than the speeding arrows that had hit him before. Katara's face vanished over the edge and her cry penetrated Zuko's ears as he ran into the railing. He leaned over it and reached his arm out. Her body was falling, her face was tantalized in fear and all he could do was breathe and yell.
"Katara!" Zuko's scream reverberated through the sticky air. Katara's hair fluttered upward as her body fell faster against the wind. When she saw Zuko's figure appear from behind the balcony, she reached up and called out to him desperately. Her eyes watered and she closed them, her voice gone, her mind shutting down from the excess pressure. Suddenly, her body halted and rocked in place before it swung into the side of the palace. Katara was hanging from her still outstretched arm, and as she opened her eyes and looked up, her eyes widened in awe.
A pair of glittering blue and red ribbons was tied to her wrist. They shimmered, glowing mystically, and stretched as high as she could see. With a small jolt, Katara's body began to rise and slowly, Zuko's face came back into view. As soon as she was only a few feet away, she saw that he was tied to the ribbons as well, and was pulling her towards him by gripping onto them. Katara reached out her other hand and when she felt Zuko's strong clutch pull her up over the railing, her heart dropped inside of her and she curled herself up in Zuko's arms. She breathed deeply into his chest as his arms cradled her close to him. Katara's hands traveled along Zuko's bandages and she stood back, taking a deep breath. The glowing ribbons faded in between them, and once they were gone, Zuko looked at Katara with his eyes scorned, yet his face bore the deep lines of his heart's truest worries.
"Zuko, did you see what just happened?" she asked quietly. He nodded and looked up at the crescent moon. Katara took a step closer to him again, and whispered. "You saved me."
He looked back at Katara and narrowed his eyes.
"The ribbons…" he said slowly.
Katara raised her eyes and smiled faintly. "They came back… Zuko… do you know what that means?" she asked optimistically. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath before Katara reached up to run her fingers through his hair. "Our bond isn't broken anymore. I don't know how, but we fixed it," she said. Zuko opened his eyes and suddenly threw her hand away from his face. Katara's mouth opened and she glared at him.
"I don't want it."
"But you said everything was okay! Right before you were…" Katara didn't finish her statement, because it was then that Zuko's glare softened. "Zuko, you saved me." Katara suddenly said hotly. "Don't you dare tell me now that you would love to see me rot or die!" Zuko closed his eyes and rubbed his chest as he inhaled sharply. Katara's eyes rose and she came over to his side to help, but Zuko just looked at her sadly and walked into his room, closing the door behind him. Katara's mouth froze where it was, open and gawking. She shivered and stood there, unwillingly to let go of the man she had come to care for so much. Zuko wouldn't give her a straight answer; she knew she didn't deserve one. But as she lifted her hand to open the door anyways, Katara simply held it there, letting her shadow reflect onto the other side.
Zuko stood against the door, watching Katara move slowly. His eyes gazed upon the shadow of her hand, and as she lifted it, he too lifted his and placed it against the door in the same spot. His head leaned against the wood as the chill from outside slowly swept through the sheer material.
Katara didn't move. Zuko held his place. The two of them stood there, entranced, their hearts beating to the same drum, to the unanswered questions of their futures. None knew what their renewed bond really meant, that there was something greater to achieve with it. But as they stood there, so desperately wanting to be in the other's presence, the bloody reality began to slowly seep into their minds. Zuko stepped away from the door, held his chest and narrowed his eyes before turning away from Katara's solid, yearning silhouette.
A/N: I must sincerely apologize- this chapter has taken me over two months to get done and that's just... not right in any sense!! I've been swamped with things to do... but I could put it off no longer... that being said:
OMFG! Xiong pwns Yin Yan? where did they even COME from out of nowhere like that? and WHY do they want Zuko (and apparently Katara) dead:wow: and YAY for really weird tradition (liked the chipmunk? XD) and YAY for the bond
PLLLEEAAASSEEE comment... if you want me to keep going... leave something more than just "OMG! YAY! I LOVED IT! SO WORTH IT!" ... TT I know that... but WHAT did you like so much? ;P
? of the Ch who do you find more interesting? Raeya or Eisa?
-Monika-