I want to thank Kimjuni2, Kelev, and guyw1tn0nam3 for reviewing last chapter. Apparently, some people felt Katara wasn't emotional enough. While I do believe that has merit, I also want to stress that Katara is also very strong emotionally, to the point where she can be very stressed without showing a bit of emotion. The best case is probably when everyone was stranded in the desert, as you'll see in this chapter.
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.
Katara's POV
"The general's gone crazy! He's trying to pull Aang into the Avatar State!" Sokka exclaimed as I rushed down the staircase into the courtyard of this Earth Kingdom military base. After leaving the North Pole, we were back in the Earth Kingdom, hoping to work on Aang's next element, earth. Our original target was Omashu, which was a semi-autonomous region ruled by Aang's old friend Bumi. He was a very powerful earth bender, despite being over a hundred years old. I admitted that the first time I was there, I didn't have a fun experience, as I was nearly turned into human rock candy. Hopefully this time, with Bumi recognizing us, it would be more successful.
But right now, there were bigger issues, as the general of this military base apparently heard of our battle at the North Pole, where Aang singlehandedly defeated an entire Fire Nation armada by entering the Avatar State. I wasn't too keen with the idea, as it was only right that Aang mastered all the elements as quickly as possible first. In fact, Aang himself told me he had some nightmares regarding his destructiveness in the Avatar State, so was it right that General Fong pushed him that hard? Whatever the case, I told everyone I would boycott any effort to trigger the Avatar State, opting to stay in my room until the escort to Omashu was ready. The sooner I left this eccentric general, the better.
Yet when the general spoke of wanting Aang in the Avatar State, he wasn't kidding. An all-out battle was going on at the courtyard, where large and round earthen pieces were hurled at Aang from every which direction while Fong and several other foot soldiers attacked with more earth bending. Sokka and I glanced at each other and we knew exactly what to do. Given that Aang, in his regular fighting style, would avoid and dodge as much as possible, our mission was to distract the earth benders for as long as possible, at least until Aang could find a way out safely. Opening the sash strapped to my hip, I unleashed the water whips and smacked every soldier I could reach.
Before long, dust and soot clouded my vision, while sounds of rocks scratching the ground echoed through my ears as I searched for Aang. I couldn't even tell where Sokka was, the last I saw him being when he knocked out a solider with his boomerang, leaving him with an Ostrich Horse. That guy couldn't handle animals on a regular day, and now he had to learn on the fly? Let's hope he didn't turn into road kill!
But suddenly, I felt really claustrophobic, as several of those large round pieces were erected and surrounded me. Each one had an earth bender controlling it, and I had a sinking feeling that they were about to use it on me. In the midst of my eyes tilting back and forth, I could see Aang now at the top of the same staircase I raced down earlier, looking on nervously as the general called to him. "Maybe you can avoid me, but she can't!" He sneered, stomping hard on the ground. Water bender sandwich, anyone?
I wasn't about to let him off the hook, not with him threatening me or Aang like this. During my stay here, General Fong used some rather underhanded tactics to make Aang agree with him. Taking Aang to the infirmary ward several times, he insisted that his troops didn't need to take such injuries, and that every death was Aang's fault. That ended up making Aang feel all guilty about arriving a hundred years late, and forced him to agree to the general's crazy scheme. In my opinion, if anyone got hurt, it was Fong and Fong alone that must bear the blame. Feeling my water, I lashed out at the stocky man.
But the bare-footed general was ready for me, as he raised pieces of earth to catch my water. With the dirt soaking up the fluid, my whip became nothing more than wet soil as it crumpled to the ground. Turning his sights to me, I could feel Fong's eyes bore into my heart as he squeezed a fist tight. In one move, I felt my legs being cut out from under me, my body taking a huge dive into the sand. Frantically looking around, I realized that I was now buried up to my knees in rock-solid earth. "I can't move," I grunted, struggling to free myself. Whatever I was trapped in barely kept my legs intact, and it was starting to provide an excruciating pain from knee-down.
"Don't hurt her!" I heard Aang yell as he blasted the general with air. But Fong was undeterred, blocking the shot with a slab of rock. At the same time Aang's attacked was pushed aside, Sokka tried to ride up in the Ostrich Horse. I was surprised that it hadn't thrown him off yet, but wasn't surprised that his efforts were all for naught as Fong squeezed the earth beneath the animal and sent Sokka hurtling into the pile of earthen pieces. Aang, being the powerful bender he was, already had trouble with Fong. So for Sokka, a non-bender, to attack like that, I was surprised he didn't end up like me.
And curse my crazy thoughts, as Fong had to turn back to me and pushed me deeper into the dirt. "Aang, I'm sinking!" I hollered, now up to my ribs in dirt. The earth around me was suffocating, squeezing my lungs as I gulped air as hard and quickly as I could. Being from the water tribes, I was a good swimmer, but never in anything as thick as this. Now, with every move of Fong, I was going deeper and deeper.
Aang pleaded with the general, begging him not to do this. But did that delusional man listen? Not a chance, as now only my head was above the ground. With Aang on his knees and close to tears, I could only gasp as Fong squeezed his hand one more time, sinking me completely into the sand. Even though I was safe, merely encased by the now soft material, I knew I wouldn't last for long. It was pitch black down here, with very little room to manoeuvre. Even if I didn't suffocate, I might die of thirst or hunger should that madman not let me out. Oh, why did things have to end up like this?
Suddenly, a series of rumbles above ground got my attention, the trembling so violent that my bones shook even from down here. Before I could even wonder what was going on, I was violently jerked out from the ground, my body landing with a plop onto the sand. As I lifted my head, the most fearsome sight precipitated before me. There was Aang, arrows and eyes glowing while riding a huge air tornado, destroying everything in sight as the Avatar State took full effect. While that nutcase Fong cackled like a maniac, I was extremely concerned for Aang. Knowing the damage he did when his Avatar State fused him with the Ocean Spirit La, there was no telling if anyone of us could survive, as long as his rampage continued here. If only I could just reach him and reassured him the same way I did back when he found out Gyatso died, maybe it would be fine.
After a few minutes, the mess finally ended, with Aang on his knees again. His eyes weakly tilted around, surveying the destruction he caused. Buildings were levelled, the round pieces were thrown and imbedded into the walls, and the ground was demolished as Aang sat on the ground, head between his knees. Not even worrying about Fong, I hurried to my friend, who could only mutter, "I'm sorry, Katara. I hope you never have to see me like that ever again." With that, he collapsed into my arms.
I could only hold him, giving him whatever comfort I could as I pondered the scene. Obviously, the Avatar State was very powerful, and there was nothing one could do to stop it. Given how scared Aang was of his destructive powers, I almost felt this was a curse placed upon the Avatar, or more specifically, Aang. Until we found a way to keep the Avatar State in check, the only thing I could do was support Aang, giving him an outlet for his frustration and trying to understand his needs as much as possible. Even as we travelled together for the last few months, I didn't feel I understood Aang completely yet, so hopefully our journey in the Earth Kingdom would give us more chances to bond.
For now, we had to go to Omashu. Fong, who was out of his mind, still wanted Aang to train in the Avatar State so he could control its power. Sokka took care of that problem by riding up and knocking the lunatic out. As we boarded Appa, we could only hope the future journey would be smoother than what we just saw.
Katara's POV
"What did I just do?" Aang screamed into the air before collapsing onto the ground next to Appa. Our group was in a mess, to put it simply, with none of us getting any sleep for the last night. We managed to find an earth bending teacher for Aang, a blind girl of noble descent named Toph, who took this chance as a way to leave her very restrictive parents. While I was initially happy that Aang got to work on this new skill, and that I could finally get some help by having a girl in the group, things turned sour.
"I know, we're all trying to get used to each other," I added, my gut filled with guilt and remorse. Originally, there were a few minor disagreements, as Toph didn't really bond with us. She often camped away from our group, only joining us for meals and rarely, if ever, helped set up camp. I didn't see it as too much to worry about, given that Toph was probably used to having servants at her home do everything for her. But when she blamed Appa for causing the Fire Nation to chase us, Aang snapped.
"What are we going to do with the tank full of dangerous ladies chasing us?" Sokka asked. Just like Aang and me, he had dark rings around his eyes, and could barely lift his head. For the past night, there was a large machine that pursued us wherever we went. Every time we stopped to rest, three Fire Nation girls appeared and attacked us relentlessly. I was especially frightened by the acrobatic one, who somehow did things in her attacks that stripped me of my bending. It was a scary thought, to say the least, and one that I wished I never had to go through again.
But first, we had to provide a distraction, as Toph's point about Appa's shedding was valid. With the fur leaving a visible trail, we slipped Appa, who was suffering as much fatigue as we were, into a nearby river and scrubbed him clean. Unfortunately, Miss I'm-Too-Good-to-Contribute ended up ditching us after her argument with Aang, so the three of us had to handle the task by ourselves. Oh well, we managed to get by in the past with three people, so what made that spoiled brat think we couldn't do it again?
With Appa now cleaned, Aang suggested that we left the saddle for now, and flew off for somewhere safe, so that we could regroup. As for Aang himself, he would take the excess fur we collected from the wash and used it to create a fake trail, just to lead that tank off course. Sokka and I boarded Appa while Aang took off in his glider, all the while I thought about how Aang really handled the situation well. It was only a few months ago that he was nothing but a goofy, fun-loving, animal-riding kid who didn't really care for the Avatar duties. But today, seeing him calmly come up with such a plan in the face of such danger all by himself, I couldn't help but be proud of him. While I was still reluctant to let him face those girls alone, I could only wish him the best.
As Appa took to the skies, I kept replaying the scene from my last argument with Toph. Apparently, my insistence that everyone split the tasks evenly didn't impress her, as she refused to lift a finger in aiding us. While I understood her family's situation, with her parents dominating her so much that she couldn't even walk without people guarding her, it wasn't a legitimate reason for her to isolate herself from us. The second she left her parents and joined our group, she was part of our team, and that meant playing by our rules. She couldn't just bring her mountain-sized sense of entitlement and applied it to us, expecting us to do everything for her. So to have her split from us like that, maybe this was the time Toph ought to take to straighten out her priorities.
But at the same time, I also reflected upon my own actions, and realized that I was far from innocent either. Perhaps I was a bit too aggressive in my attitude to Toph, with a tendency to boss her around rather than engaged her and made it easier for her to adapt to the new lifestyle. Even when Toph refused to participate, opting to make every one of my attempts to reach out to her backfire, I should have been more patient and kept my cool rather than go off on her. Perhaps, when we find her again, I could give her an apology. But for now, getting to safety was the most important thing.
"Oh no, Katara!" Sokka yelled from the back, snapping me to attention. To my total shock, two of the girls that pursued us last night appeared below, both riding on large lizards that slowly gained ground on Appa, making me wonder how they could find us despite the fake trail. Looking ahead, I saw a river in front of us, and figured that as long as we could cross it, there was no way they could chase us.
Sokka and I urged Appa on, even though the Sky Bison threatened to fall asleep several times during its flight. Below us, the trees got larger and larger, with the canopies just grazing Appa's fur. Meanwhile, one of the girls, the one with dark hair and stoic expression, hurled a series of sharp projectiles at us. With Appa too tired to dodge, all I could do was continue manipulating the altitude, hoping the blades would sail above us. With tree branches snapping below, I could only hold my breath as we braced for impact.
Appa crashed into the water, jolting my entire body as we were soaked through and through. As he bounced and skidded on the river, Sokka and I barely held on to each other, trying not to fall off as Appa slammed onto land. I couldn't imagine the pain Appa went through, flying with fatigue followed by a crash. But whatever the case, we were safe for now, as the two lizards and their riders stared on from the other side.
Just as we thought we were home-free, another disaster struck. In the most amazing display of animal talents, the two lizards perched high on their rear legs and sprinted across the surface of the water, bringing the two riders straight at us! Even as I did water bending on the river, it was of no use, as the acrobat confronted me and tried to jab at various parts of my body. Knowing what she did to me last time, I had to go on the defensive, leaving me very little room and time to get into a rhythm. Knowing that water bending relied heavily on steady flow and balance, I definitely had a disadvantage.
Luckily, Sokka and I still managed to fight as a team for the time being, with him fending off the acrobat while the knife thrower targeted me. Sensing the danger, I raced near the water, hoping to access the liquid. But before it even lifted off, I found my hands pinned against a tree, two sharp blades piercing through my clothing and trapping me. I looked on as the stoic girl crossed her arms, staring with an unimpressed face while Sokka limped towards me, a victim of the acrobat's paralyzing attacks. With both of us disabled, it wouldn't be long before we were hauled to the Fire Nation as prisoners.
Yet to our relief, it was the most unlikely source that came to our rescue. Appa, with one whip of his tail, created a huge wind blast that sent the two girls flying. I had no idea how he could still have energy to do that, but it only made me appreciate Aang's Sky Bison even more. If Toph was around, I would use that as evidence to show how Appa did help us out. As Aang said, Appa carried all our weight, and it wasn't right that she downplayed his achievements. Now, with the threat officially being washed downstream, I could work on getting free from the blades and lifting Sokka's limp body onto Appa. "It'll wear off after a while," I told Sokka as he inched towards the Sky Bison, "but for now, we have to find Aang. It wouldn't be surprising if they send their leader after him."
We flew in the opposite direction from which we were headed, going back to our original route before turning in the direction Aang flew earlier. I could see a small town, most likely deserted due to a lack of people around, way in the distance. Sokka, who was just behind me, managed to get his hands moving again, in which I told him to rub and massage his arms and legs, hoping to return some circulation to his limbs. "I'm not sure how well it works, but at least with the blood around, you probably won't stay paralyzed for that long," I suggested. For now, I could only hope Aang was hanging on tight.
By the time we landed into the ghost town, there was sheer pandemonium. Houses were lit on fire, with what seemed to be a three-way chase between Aang, Zuko, and that Fire Nation team leader. I had no idea how Zuko managed to track us here, nor did I know where Toph was and whether she was safe at the moment. But for me, the main priority was to protect Aang. Just as Zuko was blasted out of a building, I steered Appa into a nearby open area, dismounting quickly and racing into the fray. Aang was now trapped in another abandoned building, with that girl closing in real quick.
I unleashed a water whip, yanking on the fire bender's wrist just in time to distract her. Sending another whip, I freed Aang from the rubble before racing away, knowing my close range with the fire bender meant I would be in for a fistful of flames. As I crossed an alley's opening, Sokka jumped in a fought back against the girl, making it now a three-on-one fight. We circled her, our eyes never lifting away even as our eyelids threatened to clamp shut. From the way she stared us down, to her every footstep, I could tell she was a formidable fighter, and wouldn't make things easy for us.
Air blasts, water jets, and boomerangs all sailed into the air, aiming straight for the fire bender all at once. Even though we now put her on the defensive, it was evident that the fight wasn't over. We did manage to get some help when Toph returned, shifting the ground beneath the fire bender's feet and making her lose balance. I could feel my mood improving with Toph's presence, realizing that perhaps she didn't mean to ditch us after all. But reconciliation had to take a back seat, as the Fire Nation team leader hurled more blue flame at us. It would take all our skills just to fight her off.
We managed to trap her into a corner, courtesy of Iroh, who came out of nowhere and blocked the only escape path. Personally, I had no idea where he had been either since the North Pole incident, but at least I knew he wasn't against us, given how he helped us heal the Moon Spirit. "Enemies and traitors, all working together," the fire bender hissed, "a princess surrenders with honour." With that, she raised her hands, opting not to fight. I never expected her to be the Fire Nation princess, which also meant she was most likely Zuko's sister. Somehow, I had an uneasy feeling about this, as she didn't seem like the type to give in. What trap did she have planned for us next?
In an instant, I heard Iroh scream in pain, blue fire emitting straight from his chest. Zuko's uncle took a surprise attack from the Fire Nation princess, and flopped to the dusty ground. I could feel my anger taking over as the kind old man was rendered unconscious. Doing that to someone of your nationality was bad enough, but to attack your own uncle was unacceptable to me. Apparently, everyone else agreed, as they all unleashed their bending on her at the same time as me. If that act didn't deserve the punishment of a lifetime, then nothing else would.
A huge explosion occurred afterwards, but only shock followed when the dust settled. The Fire Nation princess somehow disappeared, despite all that bending power sent her way! As we looked around, I could hear Zuko's anguished cries from behind us. It was clear that he was devastated with the attack on his uncle, who I believed was very close to him. As he knelt before Iroh's lifeless body, suddenly all my past grudges against him seemed irrelevant. Zuko seemed almost human as he berated us. "Get away from us," he shouted, even as I offered to help, "leave!" He finished with a fire fist.
For me, that was my sign to go, as there was no point in trying to convince Zuko in that emotional state. As we boarded Appa again, this experience gave me some new insight into things. While I was too used to being the one in charge, I realized that method didn't always work. With Toph and Zuko, two people who seemed to come from different backgrounds, their needs and priorities were quite different from mine. The only way things would work was if I tried to be a bit more sensitive, and used a different technique rather than barged my way in all the time. Hopefully, when we got to recuperate, I could approach Toph again and reached out more. But for now, it was best we found a safe place to rest, and not do anything crazy for the next few days.
Aang's POV
"You do realize that's the problem, don't you?" Katara gently probed me, all the while we circled that blob of water around. Most of the time, whenever Katara trained me on water bending, I looked forward to the experience. What better way than to spend a spring day in the water with the most amazing person in the world?
But today, it was entirely different, as I was water bending for a different reason. It was the first day I started on earth bending with Toph, and at first I really wanted to learn the new element. What would be cooler than causing an avalanche with the stomp of a foot, or surrounding myself with rocks and dirt in an earthen whirlpool? But instead of all those stunts, Toph got me on the most basic techniques, such as moving a boulder or juggling rocks while balanced on two rock perches. While it wasn't any fun, I found myself getting used to it anyway, to the point where Toph went for something harder.
"If you face this issue, instead of avoiding it…" Katara began. That statement alone brought back all the painful memories of the previous incident. Toph insisted that I learned how to stop a rock now, reminding me time and time again to face the boulder head-on rather than using a different angle or solution. She upped the ante by taking off my waistband and wrapping it around my eyes, as to let me better feel the vibrations of the boulder rolling down. Before I could even get the butterflies out of my stomach, Toph shoved that massive thing down, threatening to squish me like a bug.
"I know! I get it, alright?" I cut in, stopping Katara before she could say more. The experience ended with me doing what my instincts told me and avoided the boulder. But the second I landed, I knew I was dead meat. Not only did I fail my mission, I had to get chewed out by Toph, who wished the boulder ran me over rather than seeing a "jelly-boned wimp" like me. Her words still rang in my ears, and reminded me just how badly I struggled in this Avatar business. Somehow, even though I knew what to do, I couldn't bring myself to do it. "I don't know why I can't, but I can't." I ended, slamming my hands into the water and letting the blob we spun around earlier crash.
"Aang, if fire and water are opposites, then what's the opposite of air?" Katara asked. Somehow, hearing her speak always made my mind settled. It was like she was the one person I could turn to whenever I had problems. Why couldn't she be my teacher for all the elements, and not just water? "You're working with your natural opposite, but you'll figure it out, I know you will." She insisted, urging me not to give up.
When she said that, it was like Toph's words were blown away by an air blast. I didn't know how Katara did it, but she always managed to get to the point while making me feel as comfortable as possible. It was the same back in the North Pole, when she convinced me to face the Fire Nation armada during the siege. Even though I wasn't ready and had serious doubts, it was Katara who suggested contacting the Spirit World, where in turn I got the advice for getting to the Moon and Ocean Spirits. Perhaps, with Katara's encouragement, I could handle Toph's aggressive style.
I barely had time to react as Katara hurled a sharp reed blade at me, forcing me to shoot up a jet of water and carved that thing into two. Even though my mind was on how comforting Katara was, I never forgot Katara's best trait: being observant and using all her skills to her advantage in a time of crisis. If a straight blade was what she used, then carving it in half and letting the two pieces sail by me was my best defence. As the two halves fell to the wayside, Katara congratulated me on having the reflexes of a water bender. "Thanks, Katara," I replied, my mood brightening again, "Sifu Katara."
For the rest of the day, I avoided Toph and focused on meditating. I still wasn't too sold on Katara wanting me to face Toph head-on yet. If there was a way to avoid dealing with her, why not go for that first? But even with me staying pacifist, Toph wasn't backing down, going to every length to push my buttons. As if taking my bag of nuts wasn't enough, she used my staff as a nutcracker, all the while calling me names and referring to my submissiveness. Still, the monks taught me to have patience, and let each and every conflict work itself out. Sooner or later, Toph would ease up, right?
But things weren't going our way, as Katara reported Sokka being missing. It was almost sundown, and there was no sign of him. With Toph too busy trying to get on my nerves, Katara and I split up to look for Sokka. This was another advantage of having someone as observant as Katara, because with her around, we always knew what was missing, and what we had to do to fix that. She was caring, but also decisive, and would stay on path once her mind was made up. Maybe I should be more like her, especially when dealing with Toph. At least Toph couldn't get at Katara like she did to me.
I finally found Sokka comically trapped in some type of hole in the ground. It was too narrow to free him out completely, but just wide enough to lodge him there. While he went on about wanting me to find him meat, I tried to air bend him out of there. As my air rushed into the hole, it only gave Sokka spiky hair like Zuko's, rather then dislodge him. "I know you're new at it, but I could use a little earth bending here. How about it?" Sokka asked just as his instruments fell back down after that air rush.
But just the mention of earth bending brought back all those painful memories, especially the putdowns from Toph. Of all the times and places I had to use earth bending, why now? Why couldn't it be some other time and place where it didn't involve the life of my friend? And why couldn't it be some other time and place where Toph wasn't in our group? Seriously, I had no idea where Toph was, but I didn't dare to go ask her for help now. If I told her I couldn't earth bend Sokka out, think of all the new insults she would have for me. I wasn't sure if I could take this kind of rejection again.
Suddenly, a huge sabre-tooth moose lion appeared from the bushes. Apparently, its cub was wandering around Sokka during his "imprisonment" here, and it thought my friend was a threat to its baby. Growling and stomping the ground, it charged at us, putting Sokka's trapped body in great danger. Even as I did everything to lure it away from Sokka, it wasn't about to budge. "Please don't leave me again," Sokka pleaded.
Suddenly, Katara's words came back to me: if you face the issue, instead of avoiding it. Perhaps that was what I was doing wrong the whole time. What I saw as pacifism and avoiding conflict was ultimately putting me in a shell. By not dealing with my problems the whole time, I merely let them accumulate to the point where I had no way of dealing with them piling on me. Just like how I was trapped in an iceberg, I was now trapped inside my own mind. Sooner or later, there would be a problem so large that I must take action, whether I preferred it or not. There was one such case here, with the mother moose-lion rampaging dangerously close to Sokka. And right now, I couldn't stand by and watched it trample my friend to death. Jelly-boned wimp or not, it was time I took action. Getting into a stance, I faced the beast head-on.
Just when the timing was right, I unleashed the biggest air blast I could summon, sending the moose-lion back into the bushes. With the animal sensing that we weren't to be reckoned with, it eventually left us alone, taking its cub somewhere else. As I exhaled in relief, I realized a strange clapping from the back. "I'm just enjoying the show," the usual snotty tone from Toph echoed from the rocks. I was totally shocked at her attitude. She was there the whole time, watching us get chased by that thing, and didn't even lift a finger? Why didn't she help Sokka get out of that hole?
Before I could continue ranting, Toph claimed it didn't occur to her, shrugging off my complaints like they were nothing. As she tossed another nut onto the ground, ready to crack it with my staff, I felt enough was enough. Before the staff hit the ground, I stormed up to her and snatched it away. "I want my staff back!" I snapped, glaring at her. I didn't care that she was a great earth bender, but if she did this one more time, she was going to get way more than just hot air being tossed at her.
Then, to my surprise, Toph ordered me to earth bend on the spot. "You just stood your ground against a crazy beast," she pointed out, "and even more impressive, you stood your ground against me. You've got the stuff, so do it!"
As Toph brought another boulder up to me, Katara's words echoed in my mind again. Maybe it was only by standing my ground and refusing to budge that I could find my way in the world. I was truly grateful by how she supported me, from the day we first met all the way to today. Looking at the boulder, I recalled how the first time I did this, all I did was blast myself backwards with air. Now, with Katara's encouragement and my newfound confidence, I was ready to send this rock flying. Lifting one foot, I shot my hand forward and punched the boulder as hard as I could.
To my surprise, it was the rock that moved. Sailing a short distance away, it slammed into the ground before breaking apart. I was so thrilled that it worked, and was so happy to finally get this monkey off my shoulders. As Toph pulled Sokka out the hole with her earth bending, I could only think of all the exciting things I would tell Katara. But most of all, I would thank Katara for her inspiring words. Had she not gotten through to me, staying patient while giving me all the hints possible, I wouldn't have started my journey into earth bending. Katara, in the future, no matter what element I was bending, I would always remember your advice.
Katara's POV
"We have to get out of here!" I shouted, looking around at the Buzzard Wasps now surrounding us. Spending several days in this large desert wasn't exactly my vision of taking a vacation or searching for clues to end the war. But when we entered a small town on the edge of this desert, we bumped into a professor from Ba Sing Se who happened to be searching for a hidden library containing information from across the world. With a chance that information from there could be used against the Fire Nation, we decided to search for it, in hopes that it could help us end the war.
But it was there that disaster struck. Not only were we pursued by the large owl spirit, Wan Shi Tong, who owned and guarded the library, we also lost Appa in the process. Wan Shi Tong didn't appreciate us using his knowledge for destruction, and chased us mercilessly. While the professor chose to stay in the library, we had to make an escape as the spirit sank the library into the sand. While Toph stayed outside trying to use her bending to keep it afloat, sand benders, a nomadic tribe living around the desert, came in and snatched Appa from us. Now, without our Sky Bison, we were forced to navigate out of the desert on foot, amidst searing days and freezing nights.
"Momo!" Aang cried as a Buzzard Wasp zoomed in and snatched our lemur from off the ground. To no one's surprise, Aang was extremely devastated by the loss of his close friend, to the point where he lashed out at everyone around him, even when our main priority ought to be getting out of here alive. We barely made it through the night riding on a deserted sand sailer as powered by Toph and Aang bending their respective elements when we stumbled upon this Buzzard Wasp nest. With Momo being taken as possible prey, it only stirred up Aang even more. "I'm not losing anyone else out here," he grimaced, leaping into the air with his glider.
I could only look on, shocked at this different version of Aang. The only other time I saw him this angry was during the Avatar State incident. When Fong held me hostage, Aang went on a savage fury, destroying everything in his path. When he saw his destructiveness, Aang showed instant remorse and promised me he would never show that side of him again. But now, it seemed like he wasn't just engulfed by his anger, he was running full-speed with it. This type of attitude wasn't about to make things easier for him, given how his emotional state would make it practically impossible to focus on any bending. With that in mind, I made it my mission to put Aang in a better mood.
But first, we had to navigate out of this nest, as the creatures weren't about to stop attacking. Guiding Toph, who had trouble seeing through shifty sand, and Sokka, who was stoned off his face with cactus juice, I negotiated the tight rocky path, concentrating hard on keeping everyone alive. There were still flyers snapping at us, and without any water on me, I was pretty much incapacitated. The only thing I could rely on was Toph's earth bending, as directed by me. Controlling her through her shoulders, I shouted out directions to Toph every time a Buzzard wasp got near, timing each shot perfectly as we blasted the creatures one by one. Before long, we were well on our way.
But before we reached the bottom, a huge explosion halted us straight in our tracks. I was completely blindsided by that, only holding onto Toph and Sokka to ensure they didn't get blown away, but also for balance. I didn't know where Aang was at the moment, and the last thing we needed was someone attacking right now. Earlier, I heard Aang very bitterly hoping that sand benders would show up so that he could teach them a lesson for stealing Appa. While I was angry at Appa being taken, I wasn't too keen on blaming just any individual without proof. In the middle of the desert, there was no way to tell who did what at which given time. And given Toph had trouble seeing through the sand that only made things harder. Was there a way Aang could work this out?
And speak of the devil, there they were, the very sand benders I was thinking about earlier. They glared at us through covered faces, veils and bandaged clothing wrapping most of their bodies, save for their eyes. "What are you doing in our land with a sand bender's sailer?" an older man, one who I assumed was the tribal chief, demanded. From the looks of it, things didn't look good, as I got a feeling they were accusing us of stealing. Boy, how the tables turned on us this time!
Just then, Aang landed right before us, the same hunched and clenched position he had since exiting the library reappearing. Even with his face away from me, I could tell what he was thinking. He probably wanted to beat down the sand benders on the spot, which would only put us in more danger. Realizing the precarious situation, I tried to diffuse the tension. "We found the sailer abandoned in the desert," I explained, stepping up just beside Aang. I didn't want Aang to get hostile too quickly, so I positioned to his side just so I could grab him should he attack. "We're traveling with the Avatar. Our bison was stolen, and we have to get to Ba Sing Se."
Just then, a younger man challenged us. "You dare accuse our people of theft when you ride in on a stolen sand sailer?" he snarled, trying to pick a fight. My hands fidgeted while tilting my eyes between the sand benders and Aang. Things were not looking good, and I could imagine what the ensuing battle would look like in seconds. Didn't any of these people have enough brains to know when to hold their tongues?
Oops, too late, as Toph somehow recognized that young man's voice and told me it was the same one that spoke when Appa was captured. "You said to put a muzzle on him," Toph continued, pointing an accusing finger in the sand bender's direction. With those words alone, I knew I pretty much lost whatever little control I had of the issue.
"You muzzled Appa?" Aang demanded, his tone a cocktail of anger, pain, shock, and sadness. Before long, everybody dove for cover as Aang's arrows and eyes glowed ominously, the same sight that appeared when Gyatso died and when I was captured by Fong reappearing. Aang was now hovering a few feet off the ground, sand blasting all the people around him along the way. Amidst the cries of panic and screams of fear, I knew exactly what to do. Any concerns of personal safety were erased completely as I only had Aang's emotional state in mind. Nobody ought to live through facing those who took away a loved one, especially during these trying situations. I lost my own mother to the Fire Nation, so how did they think I would feel every time I see a fire bender?
Wind and sand ripped at my clothing, threatening to blow me away as I made my approach. I shielded my eyes as I stared at the levitating individual, now tightening his body more than ever. So far, nobody had been able to calm Aang down, but knowing our survival depended on it, I had to try. A flurry of thoughts went through my mind, starting with when I first met Aang, recalling the happy-go-lucky kid that he used to be. This whole journey changed him so much, and hopefully, with this incident, it didn't change him for the worse. Taking a deep breath, I reached up and grabbed his arm.
Aang whipped his head around, those glowing eyes looking like they could pierce through my soul. Nonetheless, I soldiered on, pulling him back down from the spinning sphere. Ignoring the aching in my arm as I fought the sheer power of the Avatar State, I managed to place him back down to earth and did the only thing I could: I took him into my arms and held him there. I wasn't sure how much good this would do, but I had to give him all the comfort I could, letting him know that there was someone who cared.
Soon enough, the Avatar State subsided, leaving me back in the unbearably hot desert with only Aang standing on wobbly legs beside me. I lifted my eyelids open and saw tears streaming down his face, my friend probably too overcome by sadness to move, let alone speak. There wasn't much more I could do, except for trying to find a way to keep us moving on. There were too many issues to deal with right now, and the best thing we could do was to get to Ba Sing Se before it was too late. Besides, the sand bender that Toph caught earlier claimed he sold Appa to a merchant, and that Appa was probably in Ba Sing Se now. Hopefully, when we arrived, we could take some time to take a look.
Not another word was spoken as the sand benders offered to get us out of the desert. With Aang fatigued physically and emotionally, it almost felt like I was dragging his limp body onto the sand sailers. But in this episode, I saw how much more I had to do for Aang to make sure he could end this war. Even though he was the Avatar, he was still human, and losing a loved one was definitely traumatizing for him. From here on out, I had to be even more considerate of Aang's conditions, guiding him along the way while giving him enough options so that he would still feel comfortable. The end of the war was still a long ways away, and Ba Sing Se was only the first step of the way. But if we could at least spend some time searching out Appa, and maybe get an audience with the Earth King, then at least we still have a fighting chance.
Katara's POV
"You know, it's okay to miss Appa," I began, slightly stuttering as I approached Aang, who stood in solitude over a cliff at the Serpent's Pass. After the desert incident, we were on our way to Ba Sing Se. Originally, we wanted to take a ferry at Full Moon Bay, as recommended by a family of refugees. It was there that we ran into Suki, who offered to fast-track us. But when the family's passports were stolen, Aang offered to guide them to the Earth Kingdom capital through this narrow strip of land. I had doubts at first, as guiding a pregnant woman through this narrow path surrounded by Fire Nation patrol ships was dangerous. But right now, it seemed like nothing could stop Aang.
And speaking of Aang, I was seriously having problems with his attitude right now. I didn't know what affected him, but ever since he lost Appa, he was completely withdrawn, isolating himself from us and not willing to talk to us about anything. Even as Toph, Suki, Sokka, and the family prepared to sleep, Aang wandered off, staring at the moon rather than intermingling. "In the desert, all you cared about was finding Appa," I continued, trying to read into this new Aang, "and now it's like you don't care at all."
"You saw what I did out there. I was so angry about Appa that I couldn't control myself," Aang responded, still facing the water instead of me. There was absolutely no emotion in his tone, which was almost scary considering how emotional of a person Aang tended to be. Whether happy or sad, angry or excited, Aang wore his emotions on his sleeves, but now he was nothing but a big blank. I knew he was devastated by his own destructiveness in the Fong incident, and having it repeated just recently despite trying hard not to show it was certainly unfortunate. But at this rate, Aang would be swallowed up by his own emotionless state before he could even reach Ba Sing Se.
Taking a deep breath, I tried my best to pry through him. I knew Aang was seen as a source of hope for many, so maybe by discussing hope with him, I could get him to open up. "I know sometimes it hurts more to hope, and it hurts more to care, but you have to promise me you won't stop caring," I insisted. Deep down, I knew Aang was a caring person. Maybe by showing Aang I cared, he would be willing to do the same.
Even as I opened my arms, offering to give him a hug, Aang refused to budge. All I got from him was a curt bow and thanks for my concern before my friend wandered back to camp. Well, at least it got him back into the group, right? Either way, I wasn't about to give up on Aang. There was too much to lose if he kept going this way, starting with his sanity. Not only would Aang grow cold and distant, he might even separate from us entirely. How would the world react if he stopped helping others? What's more, how would I cope with the one I cared about most ignoring me entirely?
To my dismay, Aang's mood didn't change even with daybreak. We didn't say a word to each other as we continued navigating the path, almost like he was avoiding me at all costs. The only time I had any contact with him was during a section of the pass where the land went underwater, and I asked him to help me bend away the water on top of the path, creating an air bubble for us to stay dry and breathe. As the fish swam around us outside the bubble, I kept thinking back to Aang, wondering what I could do to make him open up. If that big shadow outside weren't waving around, maybe I wouldn't so distracted, and could concentrate on clearing the path ahead.
Suddenly, said shadow burst through the water, sending us reeling and popping or air bubble. Toph did a quick stomp and sent our rock piece above level, otherwise we would suffocate or drown. That gave me the chance to see our intruder, and it wasn't a pretty sight. "I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass," Sokka stated through chattering teeth. Indeed, sticking its elongated head out of the water before us was a large scaly green creature with red eyes and rows of sharp teeth. Great, not only was it distracting us, it was eager to chomp us down for lunch!
Then, to everyone's surprise, Aang sent a couple of air blasts at the creature, pushing it back as he ordered me to get everyone across. It stunned me to say the least when Aang took off on his glider, going right after the Serpent. Last time we saw a large aquatic sea monster, the Unagi of Kyoshi Island, Aang was intent on riding it rather than fighting it. Did losing Appa change Aang so much that he was losing his fun side? Just as I created an ice bridge to let everyone cross, I jumped into the water to help Aang, hoping that this colder and less friendly version of him wasn't about to stay for the long term.
Using a piece of ice as a board, I skidded along the water surface, coming straight up to the Serpent, who was now chasing a gliding Aang. Figuring the Serpent wasn't used to colder climates, I tried freezing a portion of its body, hoping it would delay its attacks for a while, giving my friends enough time to finish crossing. Gritting my teeth, I put all my strength into manipulating the water, hoping it would at least stick.
But it was all for naught, as the Serpent not only broke free, but now targeted me specifically. I could only surf around, trying to avoid the thrashing beast while hoping to get another chance at it. I could barely see or feel anything other than the splash of cold water onto my skin, with only the sounds of the hissing monster and crashes of waves filling my eardrums. From the corner of my eye, I could see the ice bridge I created being shattered by the Serpent's tail. I wasn't sure if everyone crossed, but even if they didn't, I couldn't really do anything at the moment. I really hoped everyone made it through alive, otherwise I shuddered to see Aang's reaction. He was insistent that no more lives should be lost. With this new harsher version, anything could happen should someone die.
Suddenly, the Serpent seemed to be stuck, spinning around in a gigantic whirlpool coming out of nowhere. I surfed in closer, and realized it was Aang creating the vortex, running in a circular path while stirring the water with his staff. I slipped in to help make the formation stronger, hoping to sink the Serpent in one shot. As I spun around with the raging water, I could see Aang's demeanour: his face was stoic, his posture was stiff, and there was absolutely no doubt that he meant business. It almost felt like Aang took issue with the Serpent's aggressiveness to our group, and was out to even the score.
Eventually, the Serpent defeated itself. In its attempt to break free of the vortex, it carried too much momentum and slammed into the mountainous path, knocking itself unconscious. With the path now cleared, Aang and I propelled ourselves back to the group, which, thankfully, was still intact. I sighed out in relief, both at the safety of our team, but also at Aang's efforts. We didn't need any more losses, especially with what trauma my friend had to experience. Now, with nothing but Ba Sing Se ahead of us, maybe we could finally put an end to all the misery back in the desert.
"Oh no, the baby's coming!" Ying, the pregnant wife, called out. It was a flurry of activity from then on, as I had to direct yet another attempt to deal with a life. I didn't even have my mind on Aang, who I hadn't gotten a chance to talk to yet. I was hoping to see if he was still feeling okay, but all that had to wait as I prepared to deliver a baby.
With Toph bending an earth tent, Aang and Sokka fetching water and towels, I had Suki go into the tent with me to deal with Ying. I delivered babies before, both with seals and humans, so I should know what to expect. As I got Ying into a steady breathing rhythm, I gave her instructions along the way. "Get ready to push: one, two, three!"
Before long, the tent was filled with the baby's cries. The tyke was picked up by Suki, who offered to check up on its condition while I tended to Ying. "It's a girl, by the way," Suki called as I dried Ying's sweaty forehead. This was probably one of the most unique trips I had taken so far, with so many possible tragedies, only to be followed by something this fortunate. In the case where many lives might have ended, not only did everyone survive, but one more life began. It was truly a sight to marvel at.
I gave everyone a chance to see the new baby while I got cleaned up as well. I was in doubt most of this time, wondering if Aang would ever get better, but somehow the birth rejuvenated me. It showed me that sometimes, every dip as its rise, and no matter how down we might be, there was always reason to be up again. Maybe this was not just a lesson for Aang, but for me, as well as everyone else. There was no meaning in loitering in one or two sad events; we must always look forward, and faced challenges that threatened to block us. The sense of fulfillment and accomplishment only grew with each new goal being met, and would make us all better people along the way.
Just then, Aang approached me, asking if we could talk. I was in the tent earlier when he saw the baby, and still recalled his comment of how the birth gave him hope. Ying decided at the time to name the baby Hope, and on my way out I could see tears leaking from Aang's eyes. Now, with him taking the initiative, maybe we could sort this out. "I thought I was trying to be strong, but really I was just running away from my feelings," Aang described, his tone still tentative. I could tell he was still pained to face his problems, but now, with this incident, it was evident he was trying to change his ways. "Seeing this family together, so full of happiness and love, it reminds me of the way I feel about Appa," he explained, "and how I feel about you." As he finished that sentence, his head tilted up, letting me see him smile for the first time in days.
Both of us had tears streaming as we pulled each other into a hug, letting all our feelings show as we enjoyed the embrace. I was very proud of the way Aang handled himself, and how he truly showed he still cared. It had been a trying few days for us all, and hopefully, with this event, things were getting better. We still had to get into the city, and had to get plans to find both Appa and the Earth King. But for now, I was satisfied with regaining my friend and just enjoying being in his company again.
Toph's POV
"The Fancy Lady Day Spa? Sounds like my kind of place," I muttered, trying to save myself from the embarrassment of coming to a place like this. Despite being the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se was one dull place. Other than fighting a Fire Nation drill trying to penetrate the walls when we first entered, there was absolutely nothing to do here. Now I was stuck with Sugar Queen going off on a girl's day out, which sounded kind of intriguing, until I found out what she was up to.
"Are you ready for some serious pampering?" Katara insisted, dragging me into the building. Usually, I would try to push off, keeping as much distance between her and me as possible. But somehow, I stayed around, thinking maybe hanging out with Katara wasn't so bad after all. Besides, we didn't exactly get off to a good start when we first met, and the desert situation only made things worse for our group dynamics. So perhaps spending some time with Katara might ease some of that tension.
I kept silent as Katara and I were led to a change room, thinking about what sort of pampering she referred to. As the only daughter of a nobleman, pampering was probably the only thing I saw every day, to the point where I was genuinely sick of it. Moreover, my parents' definition of pampering sounded more like being in jail, and that was the very reason why I had to get out of there quickly. That being said, it had been a while since I got massaged, so as long as the attendants didn't touch my feet, I was in.
As I dressed up in only a robe while being guided into a larger room, I really gave my relation to Katara some thought. Normally, anyone who tried to nose their way that deeply into other people's businesses would get a flat-out refusal from me. I was strong and independent, and didn't need Mother Hen over there to tell me what to do. But for some reason, that was all Katara seemed to know, as she always had to tell us to do this or fix that. Why couldn't she just let things be and let us have a bit of fun?
Uh oh, spoke too soon! I barley got a second to think about what I could do to make Katara chill out, other than sitting with her here, when a set of hands gripped my ankles. "Uh, can you not do that, please?" I pleaded, feeling my feet locked into their death grip, "I mean, I'd really appreciate it if you be gentle there…"
Yeow! No such gentleness there, as intense pain resonated from my toes up to my head. Was this a massage parlour, or a torture chamber? Sugar Queen, if this was your way of getting even with me for all the times I snapped at you, then I say well played. If I survived this, I'd make sure to pay you back. I struggled to free myself, as now two sets of hands clamped onto my shoulder, making it really hard to move. With mind numbing pain taking over my body, if only I could get one foot on the ground…
A-ha! One stomp of the foot, and the air was clear. So I might have done some collateral damage, and the ladies working on me might have suffered some cuts and bruises, but everything was okay, right? Well, I didn't hear anything around me, as a strange silence suddenly fell upon the room. I felt awfully alone, almost like I was locked in my room again, until a hand gently wrapped around my wrist. Even without vision, I knew the soft touch belonged to Katara. "Um, perhaps we should move on to something else?" she suggested, slowly pulling me out of my seat.
As she led me from the room, I kind of figured what just happened. It must have been pure humiliation for us, with everyone probably gawking and wondering what a fool like me was doing here. I guessed I didn't do myself any favours, now did I? Even with my stubbornness, sometimes I did find myself asking why I did this at all. Even though I knew sometimes my reactions were unnecessary, I found it difficult to say no to holding my tongue or my bending. Even though Sugar Queen was overly motherly all the time, there was one trait I liked about her, and that was her ability to adapt on the fly. Who would have thought about delivering a baby in an earthen tent?
As we went to the next room, I found something much more suitable to my tastes: a mud bath. We stripped off our robes and hoped onto the mud tubs, getting covered by the gooey stuff while drinks were served to us. "At least someone here speaks my language," I commented. I didn't know what Katara was doing right now, but life was great in the mud. Using my bending, I made the mud jiggle and spin from my face, with the only reaction being from the attendants, who screamed and ran in fear.
Surprisingly, I heard laughter from beside me. Apparently, there was more to our Sugar Queen than just being a mother all the time. Not only did she actually have a sense of humour, but it even matched mine somewhat. So maybe it was possible to get along with her, despite disagreeing with her ways of handling people?
We had a quick steam bath, in which both Katara and I did some bending. I sent rocks into the fire while Katara controlled the water, making the heat just right for the both of us. With a little make-up here and there, I would say the day was rewarding, even though I had no idea what I looked like with make-up on. But still, I was refreshed from the trip, and figured that perhaps it was worth it to hang out with Katara. Being with her wasn't so bad, as she showed me there was a non-bossy side to her. Even though I still felt it was kind of girly for me to enter a day spa, I enjoyed it nonetheless, mainly due to Katara being there to guide me through things. If only we could take this same approach to our everyday lives, maybe we could finally really get along.
"Great make-up, for a clown," a very nasty voice sneered from beside me, catching my attention completely. I slowed my steps, trying to feel for the people going past me. Judging by the footsteps and the tone of the voice, I figured it was a group of girls, most likely from noble families, just walking past us in the opposite direction. I wasn't too please with the comment, given I had never seen make-up, let alone applied it before. Besides, how pretty did these girls think they were strutting around like that?
Naturally, Katara told me to ignore them, placing a hand on my shoulder and trying to lead me away. Normally, I didn't back down from a fight, but right now I wasn't really in the mood to battle them. That comment not only made fun of my appearance, but also my condition. Given that I was blind, I couldn't see what I looked like, and how the make-up was applied, so how could they start throwing insults like that? "It's like that time you put a sweater on your poodle monkey," another person added, throwing one more putdown my way. Seriously, this was really grating on my nerves.
You know what, guys? You could forget about me holding my tongue, as I was an earth bender, and I would not back down from this. Chuckling sarcastically, I approached their position right in the middle of the bridge. There was a river underneath, meaning they were in perfect position. "You know what else is a good one?" I sneered.
Taking a deep breath, I stomped the ground hard, punching out a hole right under their feet. Before anyone could even react, three splashes echoed from below me, telling me my aim was perfect. I could feel Sugar Queen rushing up to the hole, sticking her head through and chortling at the three now most likely soaking wet imbeciles. "Now that was funny," Katara commented, followed by the sounds of a huge wave washing them downstream. Well, I guessed Katara agreed with me that those three morons ought to be sent down river, straight into the gutter where they belonged with the trash.
As we marched off, I truly felt grateful for Katara's efforts. No one had ever truly stood up for me like that, even during my Earth Rumble battles. All my life, I was either fighting independently or deemed too weak to be a foe. Even though appearances weren't something I could manage, given my blindness, I still appreciated what Katara did. "I don't care what I look like, and I'm not looking for anyone's approval. I know who I am," I told Katara, trying to hold back the tears.
And was it ever ironic that I suddenly found Katara's motherly side ever so comforting, as she complimented me on my strength. "You're so strong, confident, and self-assured. And I know it doesn't matter, but you're really pretty," she responded. Heh, who would have thought the Blind Bandit was a pretty girl?
I kind of let the tears flow for a moment, trying to sort out the emotional wreck that I was right now. As I thought back at my time with the group, from the moment I joined the team to being here in Ba Sing Se, Katara was the one who was strong as a rock. She led us through the desert when we lost Appa, she led us through the Serpent's Pass with Ying's pregnancy, and she battled the Fire Nation drill while the military force at Ba Sing Se wimped out. Even though I still couldn't quite bring myself to accept her bossy and authoritative side yet, maybe having that around wasn't a bad thing. "I'd return the compliment, but I have no idea what you look like," I stated, wiping my tears dry, "thank you, Katara." I concluded with a punch to her shoulder. Hey, if Katara showed love by giving compliments, then I showed it with a sock to her arm. Who said we weren't a big happy family right now?
Katara's POV
"Why did they throw you in here?" I demanded at the seated figure. What turned out to be a safe haven for Earth Kingdom citizens was actually a dangerous powder keg as Ba Sing Se was run pretty much entirely by its secret police, the Dai Li. When our group infiltrated the palace to inform the Earth King of the Fire Nation's threat, we found out that the head of the Dai Li, Long Feng, was the one actually in charge, and he created a city that not only was uninformed, but completely unaware of the war.
Luckily, a visit to the outer walls of Ba Sing Se, where the defeated Fire Nation drill still stood, finally convinced the Earth King of the conspiracy, leading to Long Feng's arrest and the approval of Earth Kingdom troops to be used to invade the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun. We also found out that Long Feng kept from us letters from important individuals, such as a guru offering to teach Aang how to master the Avatar State, and my father who was providing back-up to the Earth Kingdom with his fleet stationed at Chameleon Bay. I volunteered to stay behind to plan the invasion with the generals, and I got the shock of a lifetime when I saw Zuko and his uncle serving tea in the city. Knowing their appearance here, this could only mean trouble.
"Oh wait, let me guess. It's a trap, so that when Aang shows up to help me, you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches," I snapped. I got back to the palace to inform the Kyoshi Warriors, who happened to arrive the day Aang, Sokka, and Toph took off for their respective locations. But who I thought were Suki and her friends turned out to be Azula and her minions in disguise. The acrobat, Ty Lee, paralyzed me again, and threw me in this underground chamber. I was wondering how I could get out until I got company in the form of the seated figure I was chewing out right now.
"You're a terrible person, you know that? Always following us, hunting the Avatar, trying to capture the world's last hope for peace," I continued ranting, letting all the pent-up steam in the open. Said seated person was none other than Zuko, who somehow got tossed down here by the Dai Li. As if getting outsmarted by his sister wasn't enough, now I have to deal with this disgusting human being? Given how badly he wanted his honour back, it wouldn't surprise me if he joined them in getting trapped down here on purpose, so that he could get Aang for himself and claimed all the glory.
"But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war, and violence, and hatred is in your blood," I spat, letting him hear it from me. Just Zuko's presence here was enough to make me recall all the nasty things he did. He attempted multiple captures of Aang, including in situations where our lives were placed in direct danger. And even though he didn't do it, he indirectly led to the death of Yue, who gave her life to the Moon Spirit that was killed by one of his nation's troops. If there was someone more despicable than Zuko, I hadn't met them. "You have no idea what this war has put me through, me personally. The Fire Nation took my mother away from me." I was all-out pouring it out now, tears and sweat combining and draining down as I recalled the most painful experience of them all, the death of my mother at the hands of the Fire Nation. How dared Zuko claim I had no idea what it was like for him?
But then, Zuko said the most shocking thing ever. Turning around to face me, he told me it was one thing him and I had in common. By now, I was on the ground, bent over and shedding my fair share of tears. It was one of the most tragic incidents ever, and I would never forget how much pain I was in after I learned Mom was gone forever, even though it had been years after the incident. But to hear Zuko claimed that he too lost a loved one due to the war, now that was a surprise. Was he telling the truth, or perhaps he did this to butter me up for slaughter again? Wiping my tears away, I decided to turn around and take a listen. "How was what happened to you a tragedy?" I asked.
Suddenly, the fact that Zuko was my enemy seemed irrelevant as I was absorbed into his tale. Zuko described how his mother was one person he always looked up to, and he bonded the best with her. He told me how his father supposedly was given orders to kill him, but his mother took action instead. He never told me what the action was, other than that his grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon ended up dead. Zuko's father Ozai then took the throne, with his mother Ursa completely disappeared. "The next few years were just horrible, with my father and Azula picking on me every chance they got," he explained, "it ended with a fire duel between my father and me, where he burned my face, and I was banished from the Fire Nation. The only way I could return was if I caught the Avatar."
It was a complete reversal, as I went from steaming mad to sympathetic. I wasn't aware of the fact that Zuko had such a history within his own family, and Aang wasn't just a saviour for the world, but a burden to Zuko. For Azula and Ozai to put Zuko through all this, that was just horrible. And given that Zuko had Iroh to turn to as a mentor, it wasn't overly different than my current situation, where I turned to Gran Gran for support whenever I needed it. When all was said and done, it made me realize just how narrow-minded I was in thinking Zuko was bad all the time. "For so long now, whenever I imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face," I murmured.
We got back to our feet, now better informed of each other's situations. "I used to think this scar marked me," Zuko continued, rubbing the burned tissue around his left eye, "the mark of a banished prince cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I realized that I am free to determine my destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark." The sadness Zuko showed when he talked about that scar, and the hesitance in his tone when he talked about being free, I couldn't help but wholeheartedly agree with him. If we could free Zuko from this situation, maybe he could return to the Fire Nation and showed its people there was no need to fight this war at all.
My hand had a mind of its own as it grabbed onto a small vial hanging from my neck. It contained water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole, which was given to me by Pakku after we saved the Northern Water Tribe from the siege. I didn't know why I was doing this, but something told me I had to use it on Zuko as a way to permanently remove that scar. "I've been saving this for something important," I explained, slowly approaching Zuko. I was still unsure of my reasoning for this, but it almost felt like I went too far to stop. Zuko and I were face-to-face now, so close that I could examine the damaged tissue firsthand.
Hesitantly, I pressed a hand on the scar. The rough, almost sandy texture truly surprised me, both in its composition and in how close-up I was to it. Even yesterday, had anyone told me I would be here with Zuko, touching his face and using spiritual water on him, I would have told them they were nuts. But now, after hearing his story, I couldn't think of anything but helping him out. There was so much more he could have done with his life, so many other choices he could have made. But he was never given that chance due to the Agni Kai, which led to the scarring and banishment. If I removed it, then not only would he no longer be reminded of that terrible event, but I would also free him from his mission to hunt Aang. Maybe, just maybe, Aang would no longer be subject to harassment from Zuko, and the two could even join forces in ending the war.
A huge rumble shook the entire chamber, interrupting me before I could take the water out of the vial. I turned to the source of the sound, which was now covered with dust and smoke. I really wasn't in the mood to deal with the Dai Li again, so if they were to come down to harass me, they would be in for a fight. But by the time it cleared up, there was no need for a fight at all. "Aang!" I called, recognizing the bald head with the blue arrow making its way over. Along with my friend was another figure that I contacted with before, one that was significant to Zuko: General Iroh.
My natural instincts took over as Aang and I pulled into a hug, all the while Iroh tended to Zuko. There was a bit of initial bickering between Aang and Zuko, with Zuko clearly unimpressed with Aang's presence while Aang sarcastically responded that he actually was trying to save Zuko. Before things got worse, Iroh told Aang and me to leave first while he spoke with Zuko. As Aang and I exited via a nearby passage, I turned back to look at Zuko one last time, my eyes never leaving that scar. Obviously, my main priority was to get out with Aang safely, but if I ever had a chance to see Zuko again, and there was Spirit Oasis water left, I would definitely use that on him. He went through too much to continue suffering, and it was only right that our group helped him. Hopefully, if I got a chance to discuss this with Aang, Aang would accept this proposition.
I barely noticed the features of this next room, which seemed larger than that cubbyhole they shoved me in earlier, before a sizzle echoed through the air. Aang pushed me out of the way, lifting a block of earth to block it before the rocky pieces shattered and sent him flying backwards. I looked up in time to see Azula, still in her Earth Kingdom disguise, marching cruelly up to us. Knowing her power in bending and other fighting skills, I knew this match would be tough for us both.
Looking around, I used the water flowing in the nearby sewer as my weapon, whipping up as much of it as possible and sending it straight at Azula. But to my horror, not only did she disperse my water, she vaporized it, turning my water into nothing but hot steam. With the water vapour surrounding me, I couldn't notice until the last second Azula jumping through the fog, both hands shooting blue flame at us. Even with both Aang and I using the water as a shield, the heat was still overwhelming, almost like Azula wanted to cook us alive. By the time it ended, she was right between Aang and me, both hands pointing at us and staring at us viciously. I quickly assessed our chances, as we all had difficulty taking out Azula in the deserted town. But with every element but fire available here, perhaps Aang and I still stood a chance against her.
Oops, spoke too soon, as another large fireball thundered down between us. Zuko soon appeared into my vision, and tilted his eyes between Azula and Aang. I didn't know what Iroh said to him in the previous chamber, nor did I have any idea where Iroh was now. But for me, I really hoped Zuko would make the right choice to help Aang. He told me how he was ashamed of always being branded as the banished prince, and now that he was in Ba Sing Se, he wanted to be free. If he didn't want to be haunted by that scar for the rest of his life, then he better help us get out. You would make the right choice, right?
And my intuition seemed to fare worse than Sokka's, as Zuko now turned his fists at Aang and blasted away. I was in total shock at why he would do such a thing. Didn't I already got through to him to convince him to change? After all the tragedies he went through, including the supposed death of his mother, he still didn't see why he had to leave Azula's side and joined ours? I even offered to heal his scar, giving him a new chance to ally with Aang, and even then that wasn't good enough? Whatever the case, there wasn't any chance for me to confront that traitor now, with Azula getting one-on-one time with me. If I ever got a chance at Zuko, I would drown him for sure!
I managed to coat myself with water and went straight in against Azula. It was like my brain was no longer in control, as I was only intent on seeing the Fire Nation princess get defeated. Feeling my anger in every move, I constricted the water whips around the right arm and left leg of Azula, twisting her around in an awkward pose. For a while, I could see Azula struggle to move, her dynamic punches and kicks couldn't get off the ground as I bound her in place. Personally, I didn't know how long they could last, given how crafty Azula could be. But for Aang's sake, I had to hold on.
Just as the tension reached its breaking point, I was sent hurling back, my water splashing down and evaporating. My back seared in pain as I looked up to see none other than that quisling Zuko lumbering up to me. There was no mistaking the look on his face, as his mission was pretty much bending to kill. Picking up whatever water remaining around me, I covered my arms with them and lashed out at Zuko, taking my anger out on him. "I thought you had changed," I hissed, striking at his direction mercilessly.
But Zuko was ready for my attacks, as his fire whips blocked my every shot. "I have changed," he responded, his voice emotionless but also arrogant. It almost felt like he was taunting me with his decision to side with Azula. Well Zuko, you wanted change, then you would get it, because I've changed too. From now on, we were sworn enemies, and if Aang got hurt then there would be no way that I would ever forgive you for this.
I didn't know how long the sparring went, nor how Aang was doing at the moment. My arms were getting fatigued, and there was very little energy left in my body. Still, I had to hold on, for both Aang and the world. I couldn't let Ba Sing Se fall, not when they were pretty much the last hope for the world against the Fire Nation. Zuko, with this move, pretty sealed his fate, as there was no way he could turn back. In what I thought could be a noble move to let him be the hero with Aang, he chose to go back to his violent and bloodthirsty family, opting to go under Azula's control rather than be his own man. Perhaps he had a stake in this after all, as by defeating us right now, he would look good in front of his father and reclaimed his place in his nation. Yeah right, if his father didn't get mad at him for something else and burned the other side of his face first!
That mean thought was the instant of missing concentration needed for Zuko to tap out a weak point in my rhythm, and I was punished with a violent push into the back. My spine nearly shattered as I collapsed to the ground, pain numbing my whole body. I couldn't see clearly, but I could hear another figure march up to Zuko, holding a set of blue flames. Around me, plops of feet landing on the earth echoed, most likely due to the Dai Li finally arriving here. I could barely peel myself off the ground, with most of my bones clacking inside. With dark robed figures surrounding me, I could only play defence for now, creating an octopus with the nearby water and hoped to fend them off.
Another furious round of battle ensued, with only my adrenaline pushing me on as the Dai Li swung their rocks at me. Even though I was always the hopeful one, I could feel that hope slipping as the sheer quantity of Dai Li agents just overwhelmed me. Just when I neared the point of collapse, a huge pillar of light blasted from behind me, making this dim chamber brighter than the desert sun. I turned around and saw my friend floating in the middle of that column, his arrows and eyes brighter than ever. I was in total awe, but also so proud of him, as Aang seemed to have finally mastered the Avatar State. Now with this power, maybe not only could he defeat the Fire Lord, Aang could truly let go of his fear of harming others, and truly accept his identity as the Avatar.
And the second that thought passed, a bolt of lightning sliced through Aang, courtesy of Azula. A mix of emotions blasted through my mind, ranging from sadness, shock, anger, pain, and even disappointment. Losing the Avatar State's powers was one thing, but with a shot like that, Aang could very well lose his life. Creating a huge wave, I surfed my way over to my friend, not even caring for the Dai Li or the Fire Nation royal siblings. Right now, they were all the lowest of the low, as taking a precious human life was absolutely despicable. Add to the fact that they took the Avatar's life, it was totally unacceptable to me. Picking up Aang's lifeless body, I let the tears shed as I examined him. Other than the burned smell from his skin, there were no vital signs.
Luckily, one Fire Nation member was kind enough to let us out. No, it sure wasn't the two villainous siblings, but their uncle Iroh, who somehow made his way here. "You've got to get out of here. I'll hold them off as long as I can!" He yelled to me. Well, I guessed there was one good person in this nation of thugs, but I doubted he could last for long. Even if he were the greatest fire bender alive, there was no way the Dai Li would let him off the hook. Nodding to Iroh in gratitude, I created a jet of water to launch Aang and me out of here. I could only hope Iroh made it out alive after this.
Not a word was spoken as I dragged Aang to Appa, who was waiting outside. Sokka and Toph managed to get out alive, successfully protecting the Earth King (and surprisingly, his pet bear Bosco). "We have to get out of here, now," I stated, my voice barely above a mutter. With the Dai Li still below us, who knew how long it would be before they shot up from underground and captured us again?
Well, so much for using the Spirit Oasis water on Zuko. I told him that I would only use this for something important, and here was an important case now. With Aang barely alive, I had to do what it took to heal him. Pouring all the content out that vial, I spun it around on my palm before pressing it straight into Aang's back. The flesh was burned to a crisp, courtesy of Azula's lightning bolt. Aang let out a couple of groans as I pressed it in, by that was enough to lift my spirits. My friend, I knew, was going to live, and hopefully, if he recovered soon, he could fight another day.
As we flew away from the Earth Kingdom, I could only wonder what would happen to the world in the next few months. The comet was arriving soon, and there was truly no more areas not affected by the Fire Nation. The chances for us to fight back were still available, but with Aang the way he was, it was getting slimmer day by day. But for some reason, there was still hope left in me. We survived all sorts of hardships just to get us this far, so there was no way it should end now. Even with Aang's injury, I still felt he could bounce back and win the war. As for Zuko, he made himself lower than trash today with his betrayal, and he better hoped Aang spared him if we ever invaded.
But for now, I was just happy to have kept my head, and that my friend was still alive. I had no idea what would happen next, but as long as Aang was with me, I was content. Maybe, just maybe, there was still a way to bring peace to the world.
That's it for Katara's Part 2. Hopefully this addresses some of the emotional issues we talked about earlier. Thanks for reading.