Please R&R! I really enjoy reading everyone's viewpoint of the story!
.oOo.
"What do you mean you made a mistake?" the Avatar clenched his fists.
The spirit swirled around, "I mean what I said. I made a mistake. Simple."
"No! It is not simple! Do you realize what you've done? You threw two unsuspecting people into a different universe without checking to see if they were actually the right people!"
"There is no need to be so upset, young Avatar. I only sent one person who wasn't supposed to go."
Aang crossed his arms, "And who was that?"
"I don't remember her name but she was obviously from a water tribe. You were supposed to go in her place but I have trouble seeing the difference between human's with the same eye color."
"SHE HAS HAIR!"
"Oh. I suppose that fact eluded me."
The Avatar groaned then sighed, "You still haven't answered my question. Why did you take them?"
"As I told you before I sent them to a world called Gaia. It is inside this world that my life force resides as well as the life force of all the spirits, and the humans there are destroying it and the planet along with. I have sent the young Fire Lord and the water girl there to destroy the main source of our discomfort. The people call her Jenova. She is a dark spirit; a destroyer of worlds."
"That's why you wanted to send me. Because I'm the bridge between the physical and spiritual realms."
"Precisely."
"Well," Aang started, "why can't you go ahead and send me there now?"
"Patience. I will send you as well as the two others in your company as soon as I have enough strength. I was going to send you all anyway."
"How long will that take?"
The spirit swirled around again, "A few days I guess."
"Days? I can't wait that long! They could be in danger!" 'She could be in danger.'
"Well, you're going to have to be patient. We spirits are not rushed by anyone."
.oOo.
"I don't know how we could ever thank you!" the leader of the group said as he shook his head, "These times have been increasingly unstable. It is good to know that good people still exist in Midgar. Please tell us your names."
The fire lord nodded, "I am Zuko and this is my friend Katara."
The people broke into smiles and the man continued, "Is there anything we can help you with? It's the least we can do."
The firebender took too long to reply so Katara did for him, "Somewhere to spend the night would be welcome."
"Excellent!" he replied, "Follow us." and they all began to walk away.
Katara turned to Areith, "Thank you for today."
She smiled wide, "You're welcome! Come back and visit if you ever get the chance!"
"I will." Katara nodded before following Zuko after the crowd.
The few people leading them were very friendly and put the two strangers at ease fairly quickly. They walked for quite a time, down alleys, through passages, but not a moment was boring. Katara quietly laughed to herself at the thought that Sokka would be dying right now if he knew we didn't have a map. She then sighed at the newfound realization that she didn't know where he was or if she'd ever see him or her friends again.
But this revelation was halted as they entered a stone hall, all of which was dedicated to a sort of primitive hospital. Katara halted as she gazed on all the different wounds and afflictions of the people surrounding her, "What happened here?"
The leader of the group stopped with a sigh, "These are people who found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Fights, explosions, caused by those damned AVALANCHE terrorists. It's a wonder anyone survives in the lower sectors of the city."
"That's terrible." she whispered as she saw Zuko walk up to her. He spoke in a hushed voice, "I know that look when I see it, but we can't help these people. It's too risky."
"Why?" she furiously whispered back, "They need help!"
"Have you even been a little observant?" Zuko walked her further away from prying ears, "No one here has used even the slightest bending. If they're not used to seeing it then it will draw unwanted attention to ourselves. We don't know who is out there."
She sighed and he continued, "Look, I promise we will help them. Just give me time to figure out this place before then... alright?"
Nodding her head, she reluctantly agreed and they joined the group once more.
The journey this time was overshadowed and very short. They were led to another stone building where many cots were laid out for people to sleep in the coming hours.
The man led them over to two unclaimed cots and smiled, "I'm afraid this is all we can offer as this is our home as well."
Zuko smiled, "Thank you. You are too kind." He had been in rougher situations; Katara as well.
He nodded and the people left them alone.
The two benders sat in silence for a while. Zuko thought back to Reno's offer. 'What better way to keep an eye on them than to work among them?' he thought. 'Of course this could be a way for them to keep an eye on me.' Sighing he ran a hand through his hair, "The man I told you about gave me a job offer."
"Oh?" Katara looked up from her lap, "What kind of job?"
"I don't know. He just said to go to the huge building over there," he gestured to the gigantic tower that stood black against the sunset, "and tell them Reno sent me. He called it the Shinra building. It sounds like a good enough offer..."
"But?" Katara probed.
He sighed, "But I hardly trust him. He had this look in his eye. Like he was a trained killer and manipulator. No, I wouldn't get a job off of his word."
"Well, suspicious people or not, we need to get our bearings on this place or we'll never be able to search for the others."
Zuko nodded, "You're right. I'll go in the morning to scout out everything while you stay here." she opened her mouth to protest but he quickly cut her off, "Do you want Aang and Sokka to string me up by my toes?"
She looked down, "...No."
"Then stay here where it's... relatively safe. You can come out with me once I've figured some of this place out."
"May I have permission to visit Aerith?" she sarcastically droned.
"I think-"
She raised an eyebrow, "I'm going whether or not you say I can."
He smiled at her grumpiness, "Alright. Now get some rest." he glanced at the darkened sky, "It's going to be a long night."
She nodded and lay down and closed her eyes quickly finding that her mind wouldn't let her sleep. And after so much tossing and turning she finally gave up on trying to fall asleep. Sitting up in bed she looked to her right where Zuko was fast asleep then up to look through one of the few sky lights that lined the building's roof and saw the tiny stars peaking out of the midnight sky.
A pained groan suddenly came to her ears and she immediately remembered the injured in the next building over.
"Mommy, that's daddy! He needs help!" a tiny voice came to her ears. The mother shushed her child saying it was alright, but Katara knew the moans of a dying man when she heard them.
She clenched her fists as she thought about what Zuko had said. Then making up her mind, she quickly got up and rushed towards the hospital. She entered the building and was nearly shooed out again by a nurse.
"Wait. I can help! I can heal him." The nurse stopped in her tracks at her words, "You can Cure him?"
The waterbender smiled and nodded, "Yes." then quickly thought, 'Zuko's gonna kill me.' quickly followed by a smirk, 'I'd like to see him try.'
The nurse broke out in a wide smile then took her by the arm and practically dragged her over to a patient who was clearly in much pain.
She patted his shoulder, "It's going to be alright. She is going to Cure you." Turning to Katara the nurse asked what she needed and the healer was quick to answer, "Water, and remove his bandages."
The nurse seemed a little confused at first but quickly got to it. The other nurses attending the patient, removed the several poultices from the man as Katara surveyed the damage.
There were several burns along his left arm and leg and a deep cut along his thigh that was severely infected.
They brought her a bowl and an already wet rag and she took the bowl of water leaving the nurse awkwardly holding the rag. Katara set the bowl down on the floor and took a deep breath before reaching down to the water and pulling it up into the air.
The nurses around gasped as Katara wrapped it around the man's leg wound and began molding the muscle back together. The water begin to glow a bright blue as she moved her hands along the injury and she began to slowly take out the infection as she closed the wound. She cast away the dirty water and drew some more that another nurse had brought her. Quickly the man's slash was no more than a faint line and she moved on to the less serious injuries. Katara moved the water all around his left side and the burns callused over and faded.
Finally done, she smiled and withdrew casting away the water, "Good as new."
The nurses as well as the man thanked her profusely and when she asked if there were any other patients that needed help the nurses were eager to show her.
Katara healed everyone she could that night before the nurses forced her to get rest. The next morning there was a great many people in the hospital crying and hugging their loved ones, and even over one night and a morning, Katara became known to more people than she would have ever imagined.
That morning Zuko woke up to a crowd around Katara. He rushed up thinking trouble but found out they were thanking her.
He mmediately pulled her aside, "Katara what did you do?"
She took her arm out of his grasp, "I helped people like a Healer is supposed to do."
"Do you even realize what you've just done? We are in a foreign land with a culture that we know nothing about and you just drew attention to us! We could be in serious danger right now!"
She narrowed his eyes at him, "Well, technically, I'm the only one who stuck their neck out. At least they think your normal! If you're so worried about getting arrested or worse why don't you just leave me and go survive on your own? Because I'm not going to just stand by and watch people suffer!"
He ran a hand down his face, "You know I won't do that, Katara." he sighed, "Listen. Just give me the morning to scout everything out. I suppose there's no reason to hide your waterbending now that you're healing people. Just... don't do anything crazy like freeze someone's head off. Alright?"
Katara rolled her eyes, "Fine." and Zuko began to walk away but she stopped him. "Zuko." He turned to face her and she continued, "Sorry about going behind your back. I... just couldn't..."
He laid a hand on her shoulder, "I know. You're the kindest and most trusting person I know. All I'm asking is that you be vigilant."
She nodded and they parted ways, with Katara staying to help those in need and Zuko out to survey the area.
.oOo.
"Whelp, we've got a job to do. If we can find the dang target to begin with." Sighing, the former redheaded Turk adjusted his gray shirt and combed back through his new black hair, "Tseng's breathin' down my neck so much he had me up this morning at five going down these streets. I swear I've been up every alley, looked behind every trash can, and snooped in everyone's business that anybody could possibly snoop in!"
Rude grunted and his friend continued, "If we don't find anythin' within the next hour I'm callin' it quits and getting lunch. You with me?"
Reno halted a moment at Rude's silence then waved him off, "I'll take that as a yes. Come on."
They began walking down the streets in the known area of the sighted Jenova when Reno overheard a small group of people talking amongst themselves. He nudged Rude's arm with the back of his hand and jerked his head in their direction. Together they walked over and listened in on their conversation, close but they couldn't quite get close enough that they heard the whole scoop.
"...has blue eyes... glowed like the firsts." one man said.
The Turks' eyes widened a fraction. 'Could this be who they were looking for?' Reno thought.
The other nodded, "Yeah. ...way... uses Materia isn't like... I've ever seen! It's not... magic... it's as if... controlling the very essence."
Reno strode up to them, "Where might I find this healer?
The two jumped slightly but the first one jerked his thumb over his shoulder, down the alley behind, "Down at the old volunteer hospital. Mind if I ask why?"
The Turk flashed him a smirk, "To be healed of course." and Rude followed after him as he sauntered down the alley.
A soft snort came from Rude as he continued to follow his friend to the hospital. A moment later he heard Reno curse under his breath, "The frickin' hospital? Dang selective search."
A few minutes later they arrived at the said volunteer hospital and the two Turks immediately noted a crowd was around a peculiarly dressed woman. She was clothed from head to foot in blue and white. Her hands were bound up like a fighter's and half her long, wavy brown hair was tied up into a bun. She was tan and her sleeveless dress revealed that she had plenty of muscle to go along with her fists.
Reno's eyes widened when she turned around and her icy blue gaze drifted over them.
"Well," his mouth turned up into a smirk, "I do believe we just found ourselves the target."