Avatar: Rites of Passage

by Canada Cowboy

Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

24. Katara, Part 3

Kimjuni2, guyw1tn0nam3 and Kelev were my reviewers from last chapter. Really happy that things are still working out, even though there were some disagreements between their interpretations of the events and mine. Just to be clear, I don't like overkill, so sometimes, even when the same theme appeared in several scenes, I will only mention it once or twice. Katara is way too complicated a character for me to only talk about one of her traits, so I want to vary her story a bit more. I hope this clears things up, and allows you guys to pay more attention to the different themes I'm discussing rather than asking why I didn't do more or did too much of one aspect.

Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

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Katara's POV

"I'm not going out if I can't wear my arrow proudly!" Aang snapped, whipping his head away from Sokka. I never imagined hearing Aang's emotional side being such a relief, as a few weeks ago I couldn't hear Aang at all. During the coup at Ba Sing Se, Aang tried to enter the Avatar State to take on Azula, Zuko, and the Dai Li, only to have Azula shoot him with lightning, rendering him unconscious. Luckily, I had the Spirit Oasis water with me, and I was able to use it on Aang. I didn't really know what I was doing, other than dumping it all onto his wound and hoping it would work. I guessed miracles did happen, right?

But it was a really different Aang that appeared before us, his cheerfulness replaced with a cold, bitter, and cynical tone. Sokka guided us back to Dad, who was stationed in Chameleon Bay during the coup. While the Earth King went off journeying on his own, Dad's crew captured a Fire Nation ship, using it as our disguise as we went into enemy territory. Sokka was trying to be practical by having Aang pretend to be dead until the solar eclipse, giving us the element of surprise when we attacked, but Aang flat-out refused to wear the headband. Right now, I had to diffuse this awkward situation before it got worse.

"You guys go ahead without us," I suggested, shooing Sokka and Toph out of the room. Even a simple trip into town to buy food was becoming explosive, so it was best I calmed Aang down before an all-out brawl occurred. As the twosome left the room, I sat down next to Aang, who flipped onto the bed and turned his head away from everyone. Layers of bandages wrapped around his chest and abdomen, an indication of how serious the burns from Azula were. Not only that, weeks of being stuck in a coma made him unable to shave his head, covering his arrow with a layer of dark brown. Sitting next to him, I tried to gauge him, hoping he still wanted to talk.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to reason with Aang. "I think I understand why being a secret bothers you so much," I began, trying to sympathize with him the best I could, "you don't want people to think you failed." Countless times, Aang was reminded of how he supposedly shirked his duties for a century. While he was in that iceberg, thousands, if not millions, had died in this painful war. Now, for him to go through this again, it must be torture for Aang.

"You're right, I don't. But the problem is, I did fail!" Aang ranted, a nasty and unnatural scowl etched onto his face. "I was there, but I lost, and now the Earth Kingdom had fallen for good. And I hate the invasion plan too. I don't want you or anyone else risking their lives to fix my mistakes!" Aang further accentuated that by grabbing the Fire Nation flag hanging on his bed and ripping it off entirely. It almost shocked me how angry he suddenly became, almost like he was back in the Avatar State incidents again. Surely he wasn't blaming it all on himself, was he? We were all available to help him, so why wouldn't he let us in?

By the time Aang settled down a bit, I was pretty much speechless. "I've always known that I would have to face the Fire Lord," he stated gravely, "but now I know I have to do it alone. Katara, please, just go." Even though he wasn't dismissive, the posture he now had told me everything. "I need to redeem myself," he added, "I need my honour back." With him being an emotional wreck, even reaching out to him was a difficult task. With the dim lighting still cast onto my friend, I left the room, feeling my words inadvertently made things worse.

My mind was a mess as I returned to the upper deck of the ship, wondering what Aang thinking was when he told us to get out of his problem. I had known Aang for almost half a year now, and never had I seen him this isolated before. I understood that he took it upon himself to rectify this mistake, but it wasn't entirely his fault. We had a string of unfortunate incidents that cumulated into this result, with Azula staging a coup, Zuko's betrayal of Iroh, and even the Earth King falling into manipulation by Long Feng. There was absolutely no need to carry this burden alone, so why was Aang so insistent in trying to fix something we're to do together?

I waited until Sokka and Toph returned with food before going back to Aang. I hoped with something hot inside his belly, Aang would at least not be so fatigued and hungry, and was willing to touch base on a few issues again. While Sokka made a good plan by using a ragtag team of our allies from around the Earth Kingdom, we still had to work out some details on how Aang would attack the palace and the Fire Lord. We were going to discuss them earlier, but then the Fire Nation naval patrol attacked, causing us to go on the defensive while keeping Aang hidden. Had it not been the Serpent from the Serpent's Pass appearing, we might have never gotten away from the assailants. As I carried to food to Aang's room, I could only hope he had enough energy to still eat. He was in no condition to do any fighting, that's for sure.

"I brought you some food," I stated as I marched in, half-expecting Aang to still be on the bed. But to my horror, there was no sound. In fact, there was no one in that room. Aang disappeared without a trace, and from what I saw, took his staff with him. My deepest fears were confirmed as I replayed his earlier words: he wanted to face the Fire Lord alone, and left without us. Dropping all the food I held earlier, I immediately turned and raced for the upper deck.

I found Dad standing there with Bato, inspecting the ship's current condition. Upon seeing me, Bato excused himself, leaving my father alone with me. "Aang, he just took his glider and disappeared," I informed Dad, tears already spilling out my eyes, "he has this ridiculous notion that he has to save the world alone." Right now, I was left all alone again, with the one I loved and cared about the most deserting me. It reminded me of what happened two and a half years ago, when all the men left my tribe. It was a sense of helplessness that I would never forget, the thought of me having no true parent leaving me sad, bitter, and resentful.

Dad tried to assure me that Aang was merely trying to be brave, but that was nothing more than an excuse, and an unacceptable one to say the least. "It's not brave, it's selfish, and stupid!" I ranted at Dad, letting my anger all out in one go, "we could be helping him, and I know the world needs him, but doesn't he know how much that we need him too? How can he just leave us behind?" I finished with my chest heaving up and down, the ocean breezes now howling past me in a surprisingly cold temperature for a supposedly warm summer night.

Dad king of figured out what I was leading him into: not only was Aang's departure similar to his departure, the way I felt about Aang leaving was identical to the way I felt about him leaving. "How could you leave us Dad?" I demanded, "I know we had Gran Gran, and she loved us, but we were just so lost without you." I felt myself collapsing into Dad, too weak to do anymore. "I know that you had to go, so why do I still feel this way? I'm so sad, angry, and hurt." I couldn't do anymore but sob as I felt Dad's arms wrap around me.

Dad's response to me was the most touching thing I had heard in years, as he told me he never intended to abandon us at all. "I love you more than anything. You and your brother are my entire world," he replied, his voice subdued and emotional as well, "I thought about you every day I was gone. And every night, when I went to sleep, I would lie awake missing you so much that it would ache." It might be a simple few lines, but at least it showed that the one I loved and cared for truly did love and cared back. Now if only Aang could see the same thing.

But Dad's words did offer me one thing: there was still a chance to compromise. While I did believe that Aang bolted all because he couldn't think it through, I felt it wasn't beyond repair. If we reached him in time, before he hurt himself more, we could still convince him to stay. Thanking my father for his support, I ran downstairs to the living quarters and summoned Toph and Sokka. I was still quite nervous and shocked, but at least I wasn't an emotional wreck. "Aang disappeared," I informed Toph and Sokka, "he claimed he wanted to save the world alone and didn't want us to tag along. We have to find him before he gets hurt."

The three of us immediately set out on Appa, hoping to locate Aang in this vast ocean. The storms arrived just as we took off, almost like nature itself wanted to hinder our search. I didn't know what Aang got himself into, but I truly hoped he would turn out alright. I didn't know Fire Nation geography well, given that the only place we spent any significant amount of time at was Roku's temple. And given the harsh weather, it would be more difficult for us to navigate. Aang, no matter what, please don't get hurt. I had no more spirit water or any other supernatural healing substances. If we lost you again, I really didn't know what I would do.

Suddenly, the moon shined in a strange fashion, followed by an unnatural wave pushing away from us. "Look at that," I pointed out, pulling at Sokka's shirt. I knew the Avatar was the connection between our world and the Spirit World, and Yue was now the Moon Spirit. With the moon's strange glow and sudden increase in waves in a direction contrary to the winds, I knew Aang must be involved in this. "Let's go closer that way," I suggested, pulling on Appa's reins.

It was morning by the time we arrived at the closest island, which coincidentally happened to be Roku's home island. We scanned the shores and saw exactly what we sought: a robed figure with several bandages across his body lying peacefully near the water. A sense of relief washed over me, like the waves washing over Aang right now, as we landed Appa and rushed to my friend. When Aang awoke, showing us that he was unhurt, I couldn't help but put him in the biggest hug I could ever muster. Aang, don't ever leave me like that again.

We then decided on the spot that us four, along with Appa and Momo, would travel away from the invasion team for a while. It was best that we laid low in the Fire Nation, so that we wouldn't bring unnecessary attention to ourselves. Aang, sacrificing his own traditions for the sake of the invasion, chose to accept Sokka's advice and donned the headband. But in an even bigger gesture, he abandoned his glider. "It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive," he stated, climbing up the hill and slamming his staff into the molten lava.

As Aang boarded Appa again, I realized what a big move this was for him. I didn't know what spiritual advice, if any, he got from his journey away from us, but I was glad it all worked out for him. As I mentioned to him before, the best way to deal with a problem was to face it rather than avoided it. It was better for Aang to accept defeat for now, and challenged the Fire Lord later on, during the eclipse. No matter what happened, I would be there to support him all the way. We were friends that cared for one another, and nothing in the world could change that.

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Katara's POV

Music filled the cave that was our temporary home as Fire Nation students slowly filed in, most of them wearing very hesitant faces. Shortly after our group left the ship, we landed deeper into the Fire Nation. To better disguise ourselves, we ended up ditching many of our old clothing, and I had to put away my mother's water necklace. Even though I didn't throw it away, merely keeping it in my back pocket for storage, I still felt awkward not wearing it, given how much it meant to me. But for the sake of our survival, sentimental items had to wait.

But the most surprising twist had to be with Aang, who swiped a Fire Nation school uniform and was mistaken by the authorities to be a student skipping classes. While Sokka and I originally had doubts about him intermingling with the enemy, Aang insisted that we allowed him to stay, as he was having fun for once and wanted to give the Fire Nation students a taste of freedom. Both Sokka and I realized that any of those kids could have gone to the authorities had they found out about our identities. But for some reason, Toph found it intriguing, claiming that we didn't exactly have a record on openness either. "If Twinkle Toes wanted to change the world, maybe it was right to start with the young," she pointed out.

And that was where we found ourselves, seated to the side while Aang addressed his so-called classmates, who seemed to be in total confusion regarding what they were supposed to do in a dance party. "Dancing isn't something you think about," I heard Aang describe to the Fire Nation kids, "it's a form of self-expression that no one can ever take away from you." For a while, it almost felt like Aang was inspiring the kids to break free. It reminded me of how nervous I was when Aang first offered to learn water bending with me, and how long it took before I broke free of all my obstacles just to get to where I was today. Whatever the case, Aang had a way with people around him, and hopefully it got through to these students.

Aang then demonstrated some classic dances for the kids, prancing around did a few somersaults. I thought it looked awkward at first, but soon found it quite interesting. I never saw these dances before. Any worries about the safety of our group soon dissipated as I was entirely absorbed by Aang's dances, watching his every move. "Who knew Twinkle Toes could dance?" Toph, who sat beside me, commented. And for once, I couldn't help but agree with her.

I filled cups of water for myself and Toph, just enjoying the scene as Aang approached each student, hoping they would join in. Finally, a girl about Aang's size took up the offer, slowly getting to the dance floor with Aang. I didn't know what was going on, but suddenly I felt like I ought to do something. I had known Aang for longer, and probably knew him better than this girl, so why didn't he approach me instead? He knew where I was, right? "They look pretty good together," Sokka remarked, still wearing his fake beard. Well, if that's what he liked, then go ahead. But I knew if Aang was dancing with me, we would certainly steal the show.

Before long, the students started getting in the act, dancing en mass as Aang directed everyone to go free style. It was truly amazing, as what we expected to be a bunch of deprived little fire monsters turned out to be more similar to us than imagined. Just like us, they longed for some relaxation and entertainment, and definitely strived to be free. If this plan ever worked out, and the next generation of Fire Nation citizens ever become cooperative with the world, perhaps this incident would be the initiating point for them.

Suddenly, Aang approached me with an extended hand, catching me off guard. While I was moping about him not choosing me earlier, now for some reason I didn't want to dance. Was I too afraid of being embarrassed? I couldn't be falling for Aang, could I? "I don't know, Aang," I stuttered, trying not to make eye contact with him, "these shoes aren't really right for dancing, and I'm not sure that I know how to..." I fidgeted non-stop, twirling my hair while feeling really hot under the collar. Oh, why did I have to choke up now?

But Aang was a wall of confidence, asking me to take his hand as he led me to the dance floor. Luckily, no eyes turned to my direction yet, or I couldn't possibly imagine how bad I would look should I slip up. Leaning his head to my ear, Aang whispered, "Just think of our dance as a variation of our bending styles. If we kept the elements out, it would be the same."

Taking a bow, we faced each other and lifted one hand, slowly circling each other as I tried to catch the rhythm of the music. I was still trembling all over, too nervous to even look around. Right now, it felt like Aang was the one to comfort and guide me, which was ironic since that was the role I pledged to serve to Aang when our journey first started. Maybe it was a sign of how he grew, I guessed. The one who required help was now the one offering back. If this all worked out in the end, then I would be really proud of Aang, again.

Before long, I felt several people near us stop dancing, their eyes completely glued to us as we continued our sequence. "Don't worry about them," Aang soothed, "it's just you and me right now." Well, I guessed it was like our water bending lessons, right? Mostly it was just him and me in the water, practicing our old techniques and thinking up of new ones. As I imagined us circling each other in the water, I could feel the tremors on my body ease up.

Just like our water bending, which involved circular motion, we added more complicated moves into our routine. Grabbing hands, we pulled to opposite directions, letting our momentum carry us as I ducked under a high leg kick from Aang. Our bodies spun together as we sailed through the air, twisting through the crowd like the time Aang and I were bending a cloud while on Appa. Somersaults followed flips as we flew unafraid, the world stopping for a moment just to let us finish our dance. As I spun for the last time, I grabbed Aang's hand again, landing perfectly onto his arm as I stared up at my friend. We were both exhausted, but we both had a great time. For the first time since the coup at Ba Sing Se, I had no worries on my mind.

Oops, spoke too soon, as suddenly an imposing man came to the mouth of the cave along with several uniformed Fire Nation individuals. I recognized the tall, grey-haired man as the headmaster of the school Aang attended earlier, and he was surely peeved about this unexpected dance party. Realizing the authorities were with him, we immediately raced out the back. "Aang placed Aapa out in the back, right? It should give us a quick escape," Sokka stated, reaching the Sky Bison first. Whatever the case, that was just way too close for comfort.

We waited a few more minutes before Aang arrived, hopping on Appa before taking off. He told me the students offered him an escape route by having everyone wear their belts on their heads like a headband, the way Aang wore it currently to cover his tattoo. As we entered the night sky, Toph made another comment that I felt was truly right, "I think you really did help those kids. You taught them to be free." Hopefully those students could take that lesson with them as we ended the war, making it so that they could inspire others to be free as well.

"Well, that was some dance party, Aang," I commented, expressing my gratitude to him with a peck on the cheek. I didn't know if Aang realized it, but the past few weeks had been really hard on all of us. But for a while, I felt things were like the way they were when we first left the Southern Water Tribe. Maybe if we wanted to change the world, we had to change first. For me to see this experience firsthand, it really enriched me. And for Aang to take the lead this time, letting those kids see what the world was truly like, it was something I would never forget.

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Katara's POV

"I can't be around you right now!" Toph screamed, storming off into the distance. Our undercover journey in the Fire Nation took an unexpected turn, with serious infighting within our group taking centre stage. No, it wasn't Aang going Avatar State on everyone, nor was it Sokka getting us lost (and then getting high on some weird substance). Rather, it was Miss I'm-Too-Good-to-Contribute-Positively again. Just when I had to put everything for our camp together for our group, Toph went into the nearby town and started a bunch of scams to so-called boost our finances. I admitted that as foreigners, Fire Nation currency wasn't exactly plentiful for us. But with our identities on the line, shouldn't we keep as low a profile as possible?

Apparently, that spoiled brat didn't think so, as she convinced Sokka and Aang to go along with her schemes. The two boys were, to no one's surprise, so incredibly immature and stupid that they thought it was fun, and kept going and going until they made themselves a bunch of wanted criminals. Well, more specifically, Toph, as I found this wanted poster of her in her bag. Sure, I went through her stuff, and it got her all steaming mad, but when you're going into town day after day, each time exiting with enough goods to fill a mansion, wouldn't people around get suspicious at you? I was surprised she didn't get caught sooner!

"Well, I can't be around you!" I retorted, storming off in the opposite direction. I didn't know if it was because they didn't know how to respond, or if they just didn't have the guts to do it, but neither Sokka nor Aang did the right thing and spoke up against Toph. I had never seen such yellow-bellied cowards in my life. Why was I always surrounded by idiots? I sat down at a boulder near the edge and stared into the sunset, wondering when the madness would end.

As time slowly passed, I thought about the nastiness between Toph and me. I thought we worked something out in Ba Sing Se, when I tried to be positive around Toph, making her feel more welcome in our group. For a while, things were okay, as we could at least work together to serve greater goals (such as getting Aang and the Earth King out of Ba Sing Se during the coup). But lately, she really tested my patience, to the point where she openly refused my every request to her. It wasn't her defiance and rebelliousness that bothered me, but the nasty names she called. What in the world made her think she could compare me to her own mother? I was way better than that repressive woman who wouldn't even let Toph step out of her own house. Besides, I didn't act motherly all the time. What's wrong with telling people to serve the group better?

A failed attempt by Sokka to solve things just pushed things over the edge. My idiot brother apparently thought it was real funny to send me an apology letter with Toph's forged signature. Toph was blind, so how could she write? Feeling the need to just get away from this group of morons, I climbed down the cliff and into the water below. Perhaps a cool bath could get my mind off this matter, and back onto the important task of managing our team.

The water never felt so good as I submerged myself in the liquid, enjoying the rays of the setting sun reflect off its surface. Since the dance at the cave, we did a lot during our venture in the Fire Nation. I proposed an idea to turn back a state-run factory that was destroying a river, getting help from my group in the process. Sokka was accepted by a swordsman named Piandao, adding swordsmanship to his trade. And Aang returned to the Spirit World to reunite with Roku, learning significant things about his predecessor that could be used in our battle. Through it all, our group dynamics were solid, our team members more cooperative than ever before. But with Toph's recklessly irresponsible scams, it threatened to tear us apart again. Was it really that hard to keep things as one? Why was it that someone had to do something against our overall safety?

Suddenly, a pair of voices sliced into my mind. "She's always got to be right about everything, and she's bossy and involved and in your business." Sokka stated, followed by a curt response from Toph asking how anyone could deal with it, or more specifically, me. Oh, so publicly calling me out and humiliating me wasn't enough, now you had to get in Sokka's face and blow more steam on me? If I wasn't naked right now, I bend a couple of icicles upward right now, and pin you straight through the bedrock. I'd like to see you trash-talk me then!

Then, Sokka told her an unexpected story, one relating to our shared pasts. "When our mom died, that was the hardest time in my life. Our family was a mess," he explained, going back several years into our childhood, "But Katara, she had so much strength. She stepped up and took on so much responsibility. She helped fill the void that was left by our mom." Oh great. Didn't Toph say she resented mothers? So wouldn't saying that just lead her to get angrier at me, and wanted to find more ways to humiliate me?

The surprises continued, as Toph mellowed down and conceded she never thought of mothers (and my actions) that way. ""I never told anyone this before, but honestly, I'm not sure if I can remember what my mother looked like," Sokka continued, "It really seems like my whole life, Katara has been the one looking out for me. She's always been the one that's there. And now, when I try to remember my mom, Katara is always the first one I think of." Wow, I never would have imagined Sokka saying that about me. Back then, he was the one barking orders at kids and harping at girls to do his chores for him, all because he was the big, tough male warrior defending our people. Well, at least he was grateful about it, unlike the one he's talking to now.

Then, in the biggest shock of them all, Toph gave a monologue that could beat any sad story I had ever heard. "The truth is, sometimes Katara does act motherly, but that's not always a bad thing. She's compassionate and kind, and she cares about me. You know, the real me. That's more than my own mother," she described. While I couldn't see anything from down here, I could tell Toph was most likely holding back tears, if they hadn't fallen already. So deep down inside, Toph did appreciate my actions, and had wanted to be more positive with me. So where did things go wrong? Why couldn't Toph show this side even though it was there?

But then, I thought about my own actions, and I realized the very reason. Perhaps I was a bit overbearing, and I being direct and to-the-point came across as blunt and bossy. Toph had a rough childhood, given the very inconsiderate people she had for parents, and it was only natural that she wasn't very trusting. It didn't excuse her actions, and I hoped she would sit down with me and sorted them out, but at least I knew what I could do to change for the better. Dragging myself out of the water, I heard enough. But before we left this region, perhaps I could do one thing to start a better relationship. Wonder if Toph was in for the biggest scam of her life?

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Toph's POV

"See, this is exactly why I'm against these scams!" Katara's persistent ranting really grated on my nerves as we sat in this wooden cell. I never really expected Katara to offer to run a scam with me, so I was shocked when she suggested one that could gain a larger sum of money than anything I had done before. Originally, I wasn't going to do any more scams: Sokka's words really got through to me, as I wanted to apologize to Katara for the nasty way I treated her. She wasn't really being a mother or a spoilsport by asking us to stop, but merely trying to care for us. I couldn't hold a grudge against her for that, right?

But Sugar Queen made the biggest surprise ever when she insisted that I pretended to be captured, letting Katara collect the large sum of money posed as a reward. My scams really got the town talking, to the point where the authorities posted wanted poster demanding my arrest. While I was in jail, Katara expected me to bend the metal in order to break free, in which we would then flee the area as quickly as possible. Everything went according to plan, except the cage I was currently sitting in was wooden. Great, how was I supposed to bend now?

"But this was your idea," I pointed out. As we sat here stewing, I finally figured out that this was actually a trap. When Katara told me that a mind bending fire bender, one that we had encountered a while back, captured her and threw her in here, I realized that he was using us as bait to lure Aang here. Suddenly, everything Katara warned me about these scams came true, as our idea of having fun truly went too far. Why did I have to be so stubborn and didn't heed her warnings earlier? Had we not gone ahead with this, maybe we'd all live to see another day. Now, with Aang walking straight into that weird guy's trap, who knew what would happen to him?

"I wanted to show you that I'm not so motherly," Katara explained, her tone going quite glum. She was all worked up earlier, in her stressed out tone after I first told her of my discovery that this was a trap. "I wanted to show you that I can have fun too."

I felt so bad after hearing that line, as all my cruel words somehow got thrown right back in my own face. Earlier, I called Katara overly motherly, bossy, killjoy, you named it. I wasn't too happy that she went through my stuff just to find the wanted poster, but now that I was stuck here, I almost felt guilty for not listening to her. Sokka's words helped too, as at least they showed me that even the Blind Bandit needed love and support every now in then. While years in the fighting arena made me tougher physically, they did nothing for me emotionally. I was still the subdued little girl guarded over by her overbearing parents at home, to the point where I had no friends or outside contact. I thought I was free by joining Aang's group, and that Katara was just trying to mimic my mother by telling me to help set up camp or do chores or whatever. Boy, was I mad when she told me we couldn't do any more scams. She's a regular kid like the rest of us, and that meant we shouldn't have to listen to her, right?

According to Sokka, that was a big mistake, as Katara apparently was a pillar of strength in the Southern Water Tribe. She was rock solid, and served the provider role for those still living there while all the adults went off to war. So when I called her out, not only had I insulted her personality, but I also downplayed all her achievements in that tribe, as Katara wore her caretaker role like a badge of honour. Compared to the way I performed, even in Earth Rumble, my achievements were nothing compared to her. Seriously, why did I have to take it that far? I did try to get along with her before in Ba Sing Se, so why couldn't I do it here?

"Katara, you are fun. If nothing else, at least you're fun to argue with," I described, thinking back to that girl's day out in Ba Sing Se. As we exited the massage parlour, I recalled being belittled by several girls, and it was Katara who first told me she was proud of how well I handled myself, and how self-confident I really was. Perhaps today was a good time to return the favour, and I had to tell Katara why I was proud of her. "I try not to think about it, but when I left my parents, I probably really hurt them." Katara truly became my guardian since I joined their group, and one that I preferred over my real parents any day.

But still, Katara's actions only made me feel that perhaps I was also at fault, as I tuned myself out to anyone I felt sounded like them. If only I wasn't that quick to judge, and learned to bite my tongue more often, maybe none of this had to happen. Even when Katara could have been harsher to me, she opted not to, trying to keep our group together despite all the hardships. I would never forget what happened in the desert, when sand benders stole Appa and we had to get through on foot. While everyone had downtrodden spirits and feeling tortured due to hunger and thirst, Katara was the only one who still had her sanity intact, and urged us through even thought we thought about giving up. How could anyone claim Katara didn't have what it took to survive? As the dark thoughts brooded over me, I felt increasingly ashamed of myself.

I felt a set of arms wrap around me just as my tears spilled over, the droplets streaking down my cheeks. For some reason, ever since I started letting my internal feelings out, I felt myself getting more emotional, but also more comfortable. I guessed for the longest time, I had to use the Blind Bandit as a way to toughen myself up, and pushed the real me aside. Now, as I realized by being around this group, it was okay to let my feelings show. Emotional display wasn't an act of weakness; rather, it was a sense of confidence, showing the world who I was and how I truly felt. I mean, Katara usually wore her emotions on her sleeves, but by no means was she a weak person. Perhaps it was time for the Blind Bandit to be more like her.

But we were jolted out of the hug when several rumbles echoed from above, indicating that the Combustion Man caught Sokka and Aang, leading to the huge battle outside. I raced to the front of the cage, trying to tear the wood apart with brute force. Well, I guessed I found out that even though wood and rock were different, wood could be just as stubborn as rocks, as the material didn't move an inch. "We need bendables!" I shouted, my heart racing in fear. With no water nearby and my space rock bracelet left at camp, we were out of options.

Suddenly, a series of thumps jarred me. I felt my way around the wood, and realized Katara was running on the spot. "Um, Katara, are you okay?" I asked, not quite sure what she had in mind, "What are you doing?" We were trapped in a wooden cell, with an angry psycho outside hurting our friends. Going for a jog wasn't exactly what I had in mind to save them.

"I'm making my own water," Katara simply stated. I pressed my hand to the ground and felt Katara getting into a bending stance. That was when it hit me, as Katara was using her own perspiration as water to cut down this cage with her bending and letting us out.

I stood up, standing behind Katara as I felt her arms and body swing back and forth. Never in my entire life had I thought of something like that. "Katara, you're a genius! A sweaty, stinky genius!" I exclaimed as her sweat swished against the wood. If there was another thing I ought to learn from Katara, it was her observational skills and ability to think and adapt on the fly. Inside her head was one of the most powerful and resourceful weapons we had on our team: her brain. With her around, anything could be a useful weapon. As I anxiously waited for the final move, Katara took a couple more slices, before completely hacking the door down.

By the time we faced the Combustion Man, Katara and I fought as a team, with her sending water (and freezing it into ice every now and then) while I sent boulders. Never in our minds did we quarrel over who had better techniques or skills as we had a common goal in mind: getting Aang and Sokka out of here as quickly as possible. Earlier, when Katara and I trained Aang together, we soon turned our elements on each other, trying to best the other in a match between water and earth. Now, I realized that elements could work together, and served the greater purpose even better. And for that, I had Katara to thank, again.

We finally managed to get out of that town alive, and back into camp where we had the security blanket known as Appa, who could fly us out of here in a hurry if need be. Aang and Sokka were already packing their bags, ready to make a quick escape in the morning. While I did some packing of my own, I actually have another priority in mind. Pulling out a sheet of paper, I approached Katara. "I want to send a letter to my parents," I requested, telling her we would use the hawk Sokka bought with some of the money we scammed as the messenger. It was thanks to Katara that I could let go of my bitterness towards my parents, so it was only right that I offered to reconcile with them once my journey with Aang was over.

Katara was willing to oblige, letting me dictate the letter to her. As I poured out my thoughts for her, I realized that by taking time to listen to Katara, I truly allowed myself to be free. What I thought was freedom was nothing but a fake, as I was merely still living inside that shell I created from my Blind Bandit days. Now, I was truly ready to experience the world, and contributed to Aang in every possible way. Katara, I became a better person because of you, and I hoped you keep inspiring people to improve themselves, no matter what the situation was.

---

Katara's POV

The hooting of the wild cat owl echoed through the night as I stood in the middle of this forest, feeling surprisingly cold in what was supposed to be a warm summer night. It didn't help that my Fire Nation attire involved exposing my whole midriff, so I felt the chills up and down my abdomen right now. Added to the suspense was the shadowed figure standing before me, with all the lights of the full moon shining on us. It really gave me shivers, not just as a result of the temperature. Seriously, why did I agree to come out here in the first place?

"What I'm about to show you, I discovered in that wretched Fire Nation prison," the figure explained. Said individual was Hama, an innkeeper who was from the Southern Water Tribe, but was supposedly captured in the multiple Fire Nation raids on my home tribe, even before Sokka and I were born. Despite being jailed here for years, Hama somehow escaped and became a master water bender. I immediately felt a kinship to her when she told me about her history, feeling that for the first time ever, I had someone I could bond with over my bending.

But right now, I didn't feel as comfortable. Somehow, when she demonstrated her style of bending to me, it seemed kind of sinister. She basically sucked water out of living things like grass and flowers, leaving what used to be a colourful field withered and dry. Now, in the middle of this forest, with supposed kidnappings of people by some spirit, it was only scaring me more. While Hama thought it was safe with two master water benders drawing their full potential from a full moon, the potential danger around still shocked me to the point of near-paralysis.

My fear soon shifted from whatever spirit that was supposed to be out there to Hama, who described her experience in Fire Nation prisons. She told me how the guards bound each water bender's hands when meals were delivered, as to not allow them to use the water against the prison staff. "Each month, I felt the full moon enriching me with its energy. There had to be something I could do to escape," Hama continued, her tone getting more bitter and cynical. She revealed how she found any life form contained some water, and tested her new technique on rats that scurried around the prison. "I call it blood bending. Controlling the fluids in another body, enforcing your own will over theirs..."

Suddenly, I figured it out! It wasn't a spirit or monster that kidnapped the villagers, it was Hama! Every full moon, she went into the village and pulled people out, imprisoning them on this mountain. No wonder Toph felt people underneath the hills a few days back, claiming they were suffering and crying for help. All those puppets we found in a closet in her inn, they weren't just her collection; rather, they were representations of all the people she kidnapped! "They threw me in prison to rot, along with my brothers and sisters. They deserve the same," Hama spat, confirming my fears, "you must carry on my work!"

Mustering all my strength, I stood tall and refused her offer. Not only was blood bending a scary thought, exerting one's will over another was totally unethical. I would not resort to harming innocent civilians, Fire Nation or otherwise, just to win this war. The reason why we wanted to end this war was to let everyone be free, having a free will to do whatever they pleased as long as they didn't harm anyone. To use blood bending, in any given circumstance, would be undeniably immoral. "I won't use blood bending and I won't let you terrorize this town!"

But it wasn't me doing the talking, as I felt my body twist up in ways I could never twist before. My muscles clenched and unclenched, tensed up and relaxed, all against my will as I was sent hurtling one way after another. I could barely see what was going on, but I knew Hama was behind this. I didn't know how to explain this, but I truly realized how powerful blood bending was. To be nothing but a puppet being thrown around like a hurricane just whipped through was very frightening, and the worst part was that I was at the mercy of someone who had none. With the full moon around, I wasn't sure how I could stop her from controlling me.

Wait, the full moon gave me an idea! While Hama was a blood bender, it didn't mean her skill exceeded mine. With water all around me, it was possible for me to pull out of this situation and brought her to justice. Just as Hama brought me to me knees, it pressed my hands against the grass, which was filled with moisture. Whipping up a large amount of water, I hurled it at Hama, breaking her concentration and allowing me to regain my motion. "Your technique is useless on me," I taunted her, exchanging a volley of water bombs in the process.

But to my horror, Hama turned to a set of weapons that I never expected. Turning to Sokka and Aang, who just arrived and tried to convince Hama to surrender, the old woman used her technique on them, twisting their bodies the way she twisted mine earlier. Now my brother and my friend shot towards me while under the influence of Hama. Great, how was I supposed to get out of this mess without harming them? Aang, Sokka, forgive me if I injure you too much.

I managed to dodge their bodies just in time, landing after a flip and using my momentum to send more water at Hama. But all the water in the world couldn't do me any good as Sokka now drew his sword and chopped at me. "Stop it, arms! Stop it!" Sokka screamed as he bounced around the woods while brandishing his sword like a maniac. Had it not been the seriousness of the situation, I might have found Sokka quite comical, almost like he was entertaining us with another one of his weird skits. If only reality and my thoughts coincided that well.

And just as Sokka breezed past me, Aang had to come up, flailing his arms like he had been stung by insects. Taking a huge amount of water from within a tree, I hurled it at Aang, freezing him against the trunk. "I'm sorry, Aang," I stuttered. Well, I did discover him inside an iceberg, right? So maybe freezing him in place wasn't something he was new to. I then turned my sights to Sokka, using the same water and freezing his sword arm in place. With both guys glued to trees, now it was time to return my focus on this horrible witch.

But Hama produced the nastiest trick possible, unlocking the ice locks from Aang and Sokka and rebalancing them. "Don't let your friends hurt you," she sneered, "and don't let them hurt each other!" With that, she sent them straight for each other. My heart nearly skipped a beat as Sokka's sword aimed right at Aang's chest, ready to run him through. No more of this, I decided. There was no way I would let Hama harm them ever again.

Pointing at Aang and Sokka, I squeezed my hands, feeling the fluids inside their bodies as I straightened them out. I felt sick to my stomach as I felt my water bending reaching their insides, but I realized it must be done in order to stop Hama. Once my two friends were safe, I aimed at Hama, using blood bending to subdue her completely. It was just then that Toph rushed up with the villagers, the same people I assumed were captured by this witch earlier. I wished every set of eyes aimed somewhere other than at me, as I didn't deserve the attention of learning such a sinister art. Blood bending should never be used, whether I truly learned and accepted it or not. Please, just leave me alone, I thought to myself.

As the authorities slapped handcuffs onto Hama, it was like she wanted to taunt me one last time as she turned around to stare at me. I would never forget the look in her eyes and that horrible grin as she congratulated me on becoming a blood bender. Cracks snaked through the wall that was my face as I broke down, too overwhelmed by the terrible deed I committed. Even as Aang and Sokka comforted me, telling me I did the right thing by using blood bending to free them and insisted I shouldn't worry about what Hama thought, I knew the tainted legacy had been passed on. I could only hope I would never use this technique, even inadvertently. Should anyone, Fire Nation or otherwise, be hurt by blood bending, I doubted I could forgive myself.

---

Katara's POV

Our group broke back for the submarines as we prepared for the final leg of our journey to the Fire Nation shores. Aang was having a serious case of nightmares and insomnia days before our invasion, to the point where he was hallucinating and having emotional breakdowns. It took us all a lot of effort, but finally things settled down when we, as a group, encouraged him and showed our full confidence in him. Now, with our spirits refreshed and our battle team ready, the Fire Nation would be in for a real surprise during the eclipse.

And what a team it was, as various people we met throughout our journey came back to help us. From Haru, the earth bender who inspired others to take back his town, to Teo and his inventor father, who helped Sokka design our equipment, to former members of the Earth Rumble tournament where we first met Toph, it felt like everyone wanted to be a part of history today. But in the end, nobody forgot the main person: Aang, the Avatar who regained his skill and would regain his honour. Given all the challenges he went through, I was so proud of him.

"I've seen you grow up so much. You're not that goofy little kid I found in the iceberg anymore," I found this the perfect moment to tell Aang about how I truly felt about him. There was no one around, and it might very well be the last time I spoke to him before the defining moment in his life. "I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm really proud of you."

Just then, Aang asked a very strange question. "What if I don't come back?" I noticed the sudden change in his expression and tone. Seconds earlier, he was blushing, almost too shy to admit his growth. I guessed I embarrassed him by reminding him his so-called immature days when he wanted to sled on penguins and ride on sea serpents. Now, he was all gloomy, and almost sad. Was he still having doubts about his chances of winning?

But before I got a chance to reassure him, Aang did something I never expected. He grabbed me by the arm and leaned forward, getting right into my face and pressing his lips onto mine. I absolutely couldn't react as Aang held tight, not moving from me at all. I was usually pretty good at knowing what people thought about, but never in my life did I envision this. We were in the middle of a war, the greatest battle ever between the Fire Nation and our allies, and Aang chose this time to show his true feelings? I really didn't know how to react.

But at the same time, it was almost like I wanted him to kiss me and show me how much he cared for me. By the time he released me and flew off, I could only stand there, rubbing my face and wondering what really happened. Surely I felt something back for Aang, right? After all that we went through, I had to be lying if I felt Aang didn't become a part of my life.

Still, the confusion lingered in my head as we continued our journey. I was all by myself on Appa, who submerged with the subs as I created an air bubble around the water surrounding our heads. It gave me a perfect opportunity to think about how Aang and I truly related to one another. Aang was the Avatar, but he was also human. Even though he was the guardian of the world, he also had feelings like normal people do. Love, especially in a romantic nature, wasn't out of the question. But given that Aang and I had little to no experience in romance, his kiss really stunned me. Maybe he was afraid that he would never make it back, and wanted to show me what he felt at the last moment. But whatever the case, I really didn't want to think about that right now. I had no intention of hurting Aang, but I didn't know if I was ready for something like that at the moment. Maybe, when all this was over, we could revisit the issue once more.

My thoughts on Aang were completely shattered by explosions as we landed on the shore, the Fire Nation sending their entire arsenal at us. There were almost too many troops and tanks and other dangerous goods around, to the point where I wasn't even sure where to aim my water. I had no idea where everyone else was at the moment, so I could only try to hold my own while keeping an eye out for others. Scanning around, I slowly opened my sashes.

Yet I was suddenly stopped by Sokka and Dad, who charged up to me and pointed at the battle towers located on either side of the cliffs. Claiming we had to get rid of them somehow, they wanted to launch an aerial assault on Appa. Taking control of the reins, we took to the hills, slashing and cutting down each one with ease. By the time there were only two left, I had Appa land on the ground right between them. "You two take out that battlement," Dad instructed us, pointing to the one on the right while he headed left, "I got this one. Watch each other's backs."

Sokka and I managed to invade the battlement with ease, his black space sword cutting down the front defenders while my reach with water bending eliminated any threats in the back. But by the time we finished taking out their weapons, we saw a grim sight. A huge explosion rocked the battlement Dad entered, with him still inside. My stomach sank like a stone as Dad staggered out, holding his right side before collapsing onto the ground. Lifting him onto Appa, we got him onto safer ground, finding an isolated corner where I could analyze his wounds. Although I could only speculate, I doubted that he could continue this battle.

As I tended to Dad's side wound, Sokka offered to lead the invasion. I nearly dropped all my healing water on Dad, staring incredulously at Sokka. Was he crazy? He had no experience in handling troops, and now he expected to win a battle, let alone the most important one the world had ever seen? I was about to oppose him, but his words made me change my mind. "The eclipse is about to start and we need to be up that volcano by the time it does," he insisted.

Somehow, this serious Sokka showed me a similar picture as Aang. Not only had he grown and matured, he was ready to take on his responsibilities. Maybe, just like Aang, Sokka prided in living life with a bit of craziness, but if this was what led us to success, then I was all for it. Letting him board Appa, I watched Sokka fly off, only wishing he would return safely, like Aang. Meanwhile, I had to look after my injured father, who was in so much pain that he could barely move. "Well, time for me to get to work," I muttered, taking another layer of water and pressing it onto his wounds. Seriously, did Dad take after Sokka's clumsy side in that tower?

By the time Dad was good enough to walk, the battle group already advanced past the final gates. There was nothing but volcano ahead of us, where the Fire Nation palace was located. Just as we regrouped with Sokka, who reported that everything was going smoothly, something unexpected happened. "Is that Aang?" I asked, pointing at a glider in the sky.

To our surprise, my friend returned from the volcano, claiming that there was no one in the capital city. "The entire palace city was abandoned," he reported. That was when our worst fears were confirmed: the Fire Nation found out about our invasion, and evacuated everyone. Upon hearing that, I felt more nauseated than ever, my stomach churning uncontrollably.

But whatever the case, the mission must go on, even though the Fire Lord wasn't in his palace. Figuring that the Fire Lord would still be nearby, probably hiding in an underground bunker just so he could monitor and direct his troops, Aang took Sokka and Toph with him on Appa to seek out that hiding spot. Meanwhile, Bato took control of the invasion team and ran up the hill, hoping to at least secure the capital city before the eclipse ended.

Hoisting Dad back up again, we slowly trudged up the mountain, still wondering what went wrong. Personally, I had some idea how the Fire Nation found out about our plans, and it had to do with the time I was kidnapped in Ba Sing Se. The Kyoshi Warriors, or at least who we thought were Suki and friends, were actually impersonators, none other than Princess Azula and her lackeys. When we talked with the Earth King about our invasion plans on the eclipse, they must have heard it all and relayed it back to the capital. I was really mad at myself for not seeing through their disguises, and now all our friends were about to pay the price.

The eclipse soon took place, whereby we placed sunglasses over our eyes. We had the upper hand as we entered the capital, with our invasion team defeating the relatively small defence force in the city. The place was a ghost town, with its inhabitants seemingly vanished into thin air. Even with the area secured, our team was still confused about what should happen next. "Shouldn't something have happened by now?" Bato asked us. I took a glance at the sky, and saw that the sun had already been totally covered. If Aang couldn't find the Fire Lord by now, then we pretty much lost all our chances.

Then, judgment time came, as the moon slowly moved away from the sun, letting the sunlight beam its way onto us. This was probably one of the only times when I didn't wish the sun came out, as it meant the Fire Nation could launch its counteroffensive while we were all loitering around the capital city. As I lifted up my shades, I saw a sight that truly sent shivers up my spine. In the foreground, that familiar armoured bison flew in with its occupants. A series of gigantic airships, filled with fire benders and other explosives, took off behind Appa, hovering ominously above us. If that didn't make you feel powerless, then I didn't know what would.

Sokka confirmed the worst by telling us that Azula knew about our plans and was ready for us. Hoping to make a quick escape, we urged everyone to get back to the beaches as quickly as possible. Knowing the airships would come for us, Aang and I tried to slow them down in any way possible. With Aang on his glider and me on Appa, we attacked the gargantuan metallic crafts. Seeing how they were built, I doubted even Sokka's space sword could cut through them.

A deluge of fire greeted us as we snaked through their formation. While we took out a couple of war balloons, the air force's power was overwhelming. There was a wall of fire before them, making it impossible for us to penetrate. "Let's join the others," Aang called, suggesting that we made a retreat. It felt like our supposed day of victory was turning into a day of defeat.

The Fire Nation air force greeted our return to the ground with a series of bombs, with everyone in our invasion team getting hit. Even the flexible tanks took quite a beating as the explosives rocked the entire hillside. Luckily, we landed near Toph, who created a rock shield large enough to cover us all (Appa included). But judging from how the rocks were shattering above us, causing Toph to strain just to bend extra pillars for support, I could tell the Fire Nation had quite an arsenal. They weren't just bombing randomly, but bombing to kill.

Then, as suddenly as the bombing started, it stopped, with the airships gliding past us. As we came out from the rocks, we stared right ahead, seeing exactly what their next target was: our submarines. The Fire Nation was intent on destroying our last resource, making it impossible to escape. Somehow, the Fire Nation pulled a perfect reversal on us, even destroying our only means to escape. Sokka suggested that we stood our ground and fought them off, but even I knew it would be a crazy idea. Even with Aang on our side, it would be impossible to beat down all the fire benders. With the eclipse over, they would show us no mercy.

Just then, Dad made the biggest sacrifice of them all, by opting to stay behind with the other adults as prisoners while the younger fighters left on Appa. As if on cue, I felt my original frustration with Aang and Dad return once more. "We can't leave you behind. We won't leave anyone behind!" I ranted. Sokka and I just got reunited with Dad after years of separation. Now we had to lose him again? I didn't know if I was ready to accept history repeating itself here.

But seeing the bombs blow our subs to smithereens, I realized there was no choice. With a heavy heart, I gathered all the other younger fighters and let them board Appa. Teo, Haru, and The Duke were among them, all saying farewells to their family and friends. Sokka and I were with Dad, exchanging final words before we left. "We lost today, but we've never been this close," Dad explained, "we tasted victory, and that counts for something."

Sokka and I both hugged our father, knowing full well the torturous conditions he would be subject to when the Fire Nation got its hands on him. As we boarded Appa, I had one other person in mind, moving myself to the front of the saddle, where Aang currently sat. You didn't need any clues to tell that he was sad, guilty, downtrodden, and broken beyond belief. He told me he didn't want to fail the world again, and that he wanted no more people to suffer in the hands of the Fire Nation. But now, with another failure before him, he couldn't help but feel that the blood of all these people would be on his hands again. Even when our group tried to console him, telling him there would be another chance, I knew he wouldn't forget this easily.

With tears still streaking down his face, Aang got up to address the crowd. "Thank you all for being so brave and so strong. I'm going to make this up to you," he announced. Now, with yet another defeat, and the Fire Nation potentially getting stronger by holding back our biggest attack thus far, the mission was only about to get harder along the way.

As the faces of our friends and allies grew smaller and more distant, I could see my role in the group cemented even further. Not only must we support Aang physically and emotionally, now it was likely that we had to literally protect him from danger. With the Fire Nation most likely on the hunt for us soon, we would not escape their clutches too easily. And although we tried to circumvent it just to save time, Aang still had to learn fire bending, an element that he wasn't too keen on approaching, given his history with fire. Whatever the case, I had to take on this role again, hopefully getting Aang back into the spirit of saving the world once more.

---

Katara's POV

Pure adrenaline kept me awake and piloting Appa as Zuko and I flew towards Whaletail Island, where the Southern Raiders were on patrol. Even though I knew my body was fatigued, I kept urging myself onward, almost like an invisible force was keeping me upright even as night changed into day. But then again, with what I was about to get myself into, I had plenty of strength, probably more than I could ever use in my entire life.

"You should get some rest. We'll be there in a few hours," Zuko called from the back of the saddle. We ran into him in the Western Air Temple, where our group hid after the botched invasion. I still hadn't forgotten the countless horrible things he did to us, and had serious reservations about him joining us. But after taking out the Combustion Man, who also pursued us to the temple, Aang chose to accept him into our group. I personally felt Aang was making the dumbest choice ever by leaving himself defenceless to our greatest foe, but when everyone else agreed with Aang, I had no choice but to accept, welcoming this despicable traitor into our team.

Even then, I made sure he knew I would not let him off the hook. Even if he so much looked at anyone the wrong way, I warned him he would get the punishment of a lifetime. He might be enjoying fire bending lessons with Aang, or helping Sokka break Dad and Suki out of prison, but I wasn't ready to trust him. The fact that he betrayed us (and nearly took Aang's life) in Ba Sing Se, along with his knowledge of the Southern Raiders, the group that killed my mother, made me keep him at arm's length. In fact, Zuko's presence here only made me think back to the day when Mom was killed, an event that I thought I had long gotten over from. I had no idea why it bubbled up again, but somehow it did, and knowing the one responsible for her death was still out there, it made me feel angrier than ever.

We soon switched spots, letting Zuko take the reins while I rested in the back. Somehow, every time I closed my eyes, I had visions of the day Mom died. The black soot falling from the sky, the strange Fire Nation invader in my house, and finally the burnt smell of Mom's decaying body after that invader killed her off. It was a thought that I never imagined resurfacing again, as it was so uncommon that even Sokka realized something was wrong. Before Zuko offered to take me on this journey, Aang and Sokka did everything they could to dissuade me, even going so far as to compare me to Jet. I wasn't like that, was I? Jet killed innocent people, while I was going after a known murderer. They should have never compared me to that good-for-nothing, who kept trying to start a new Freedom Fighters group even though we caught him red-handed.

Suddenly, a telescope landed into my lap, cutting my concentration shor tas Zuko pointed out the Sea Raven flags before us. My frustration built up as that flag waved tauntingly in the wind at me. I felt an urge to just destroy that patrol ship on the spot as Appa submerged beneath the water, giving me the full arsenal of my element. Creating a whip, I sent it at a crew member, grabbing him from the deck and tossing him into the cold water. This was followed by a huge tsunami that rocked the boat, sending more people into the sea. But as I did this, part of my mind urged my body (albeit helplessly) to stop, telling me this senseless fighting wasn't right. It was almost like my brain and my hands were disconnected, and created a very confusing situation. Why was finding closure to my mother's death so hard?

The crazy situation continued with Zuko and me blasting through the ship, going straight to the control room, where the ship captain was probably located. Zuko told me that the captain was most likely the killer, and now I had to come face to face with him. My mind was still flustered between what I ought to do when I see him, but I had no time for that now. I was placed into this position by the Fire Nation, who left me no choice but to seek retribution. Taking a deep breath, I sent the water forward, blasting the metal door off its hinges.

We were immediately greeted by a set of fire balls, all of which Zuko blocked with ease. "You don't remember her?" Zuko demanded, tilting his head at me while shooting at the captain, "you will soon, trust me." It was nerve-racking to say the least, but the fact that the captain still fought on only drove my anger higher. If he was trying to convince me he knew nothing of my mother's death, then he better not expect he could leave this ship with his body intact.

As if my body broke entirely free from my brain, I felt myself reaching for the fluids inside the captain's body, blood bending him into improbable shapes as he lay helpless on the ground, writhing in pain. Even with my fear of blood bending when Hama first used it on me, with my every moral and principle telling me not to commit such a sinister act, I couldn't help myself doing this. As the captain was immobilized, I pulled the fluids in his body higher, making it so that his head faced mine. "You look her in the eye and you tell me you don't remember what you did," Zuko yelled from beside the captain, hovering around him to ensure he couldn't escape. Might as well get one last look at this despicable human being before I finished him off.

But to my horror, I realized we grabbed the wrong person. I felt reason seep back into my head as I released the captain, marching sadly out of the control room. Even as Zuko continued ranting, I thought about just how out of control I was. To get justice was one thing, but to resort to an act so immoral that I was ashamed to get my hands on, I could only wonder what happened during my attack on this soldier. Was I letting my emotions and frustrations run roughshod over my sanity, or had I clearly intended to do this as an act of justice for my late mother?

But my anger soon returned when Zuko coerced a name out of the captain, who told us the one responsible for that raid was named Yon Rha. He retired four years ago, and was now living with his mother at a nearby Fire Nation village. Without another word, we headed back to Appa, taking us to that village. I was not intent on making another mistake that would waste any more time on these miserable individuals. I came with a mission, and I intended to finish it.

We soon found the village on a nearby island, which seemed to be smaller and more peaceful than most Fire Nation towns I traveled through. A steady downpour soon appeared as we keyed in on one house, where a man with messy grey hair stepped out after being chewed out by his mother. Even though we hid from his side, merely following him from a distance and watched him trudge into town, I was certain that it was the monster. Even though he was older, slower, and probably weaker, I could remember his figure, but especially that particular look in his eyes that seemed so menacing even years after the event. As he finished buying his groceries and went on his way back home on that lonely country road, it was time to attack.

The fool whipped around, lighting a bush on fire, thinking we were behind it. But really, we had a trap for him as he soon marched right into a rope. Sprawling into the mud and spilling his groceries, Zuko disabled him with a couple of fire punches, threatening him to not use any fire bending as I came forth. The sad, pathetic creature pleaded for his life, asking us to take his money or food, but left him alone. How wrong he was to ask for that, because what I was after was his life. "Do you know who I am?" I spat, glaring at the murderer, "You better remember me like your life depends on it! Why don't you take a closer look?"

The quivering of his lips and wavering of his eyes didn't deter me as he recalled the details. Yon Rha told us that he was after the last water bender in the Southern Water Tribe, and tried forcing information out of my mother, who was the chief's wife. After getting a promise from Yon Rha that the Southern Raiders left the tribe after she revealed the identity of the last water bender, she pointed herself out as that individual. While she thought the most they would do was take her prisoner, the reality was that Yon Rha was out to kill. "She lied to you. She was protecting the last water bender," I retorted, feeling every muscle tense up. Just as a bolt of lightning cracked in the distance, I revealed the truth to him, "the last water bender, was me!"

It was as if everything came spontaneously as I whipped up a huge water dome, encasing all three of us inside. The rain outside merely added to my arsenal as I focused in on the man who took my mother away, the man responsible for all my pain, and the man that must be punished. I was doing this for not just myself, but also for Sokka and Dad, who suffered the same pain I did, and for everyone else who had a loved one die at the hands of the Fire Nation military. With one swift move, I froze the water into sharp ice daggers and hurled it at Yon Rha.

But somehow, right before it hit the target, I froze up, causing the sharp pieces to hover in mid-air, mere inches away from Yon Rha's shaking body. I didn't know what came over me, but somehow I couldn't follow through. Maybe it was my sanity returning, or maybe it was the thought of me blood bending earlier to achieve my goal that terrified me, but whatever the case, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. As the ice returned to water and splashed at Yon Rha, I could only turn away, hoping to erase my memory of this man forever.

Yon Rha immediately begged for his life, claiming his act was senseless and horrible, and insisted that I went a life for a life and took his mother's life in exchange. Hearing his blubbering only made me angrier, but for some reason I didn't fight anymore. Perhaps inside my head, I had already gotten over the initial shock that was when I first approached him, as now I only saw a useless old man lucky enough to gracefully retire from the navy and living a relatively peaceful life. "There's just nothing inside you," I pointed out, my thirst for blood completely dissipated, "you're pathetic, sad, and empty. But as much as I hate you, I just can't do it." Seeing him in this state, killing him would probably benefit him rather than make him suffer.

Not a word was said as Zuko and I returned to Appa, ignoring Yon Rha and his sobbing in the middle of that road. Zuko decided to take me to a place where I could have some peace and quiet, at Ember Island where his family used to own some property. Zuko also suggested that he brought our other team members here, as a way to hide from the Fire Nation should Azula or any other military member come after us. As I sat at the pier, dangling my leg over the wood and gently kicked at the water below, I thought about my actions, or lack thereof. There was no doubt in my mind that I truly hated Yon Rha, and I was fairly certain that Sokka and Dad would too, if they heard about this story. I doubted any of us could forgive him for what he did, but yet even when I wanted to take out all my anger on him, I just couldn't do it. It was hard to explain, as I felt so weak when I backed out, but also very strong in the sense that I didn't have to resort to it.

At the same time, I suddenly found it much easier to accept Zuko, even though I had been against his presence in our group from the first day. Zuko never tried convincing me to stop my actions, but he also didn't encourage them either. Maybe he wanted me to find my own way to deal with it, and indirectly showing me what I had to do to grow up. Yet this hands-off method of forcing me to mature actually paid off, as I could finally put this event behind me. Now, even if someone mentioned Yon Rha to me, I couldn't find it in my heart to stay angry. Zuko allowed me to come to terms with my past, and ultimately made me more accepting of him.

By the time Zuko brought everyone to Ember Island, I was truly refreshed physically and mentally. "I could never forgive Yon Rha," I stated to Aang and Zuko as they approached me, "but I am ready to forgive you." With that, I gave Zuko a hug, thanking him for this experience. Perhaps, with my mind now strong enough to handle even the darkest of my demons, I was truly ready to take the last steps in helping Aang end the war.

---

Zuko's POV

"Zuko, don't worry. We can take Azula." The calm voice of Katara tried to comfort me as we flew across the now orange landscape. Sozin's comet was finally making its closest pass to our world, and I could feel my fire bending enhance because of it. Our judgment day couldn't get any weirder, as Aang somehow disappeared the day before he was supposed to fight my father. Luckily, we managed to find my uncle Iroh, who I hadn't located since he escaped from prison, outside Ba Sing Se. My moment of truth came when I reconciled with him, and now I had to face another moment of truth when Uncle sent Katara and me to the Fire Nation capital to take on Azula while my father used an airship fleet to raze the Earth Kingdom all the way to Ba Sing Se.

"I'm not worried about her. I'm worried about Aang," I responded, hanging tightly onto Appa's reins. I was truly happy that Katara was able to release her past, no longer holding a grudge against the Fire Nation. But Katara's personal history wasn't the biggest concern right now. With Aang still missing and the comet bearing down on us, time was running out. "What if he doesn't have the guts to take out my father? What if he loses?" Even before his disappearance, Aang had doubts about killing my father, claiming that the monks taught him all life was sacred. While I applauded his notion of sticking by his tradition and giving everyone an equal chance to life, I had to remind him that going by the book wasn't going to cut it in a war. Besides, with the terrible acts that my father committed, why should we give him another chance?

But Katara remained firm in her faith in Aang. "Aang won't lose," she insisted, "he's going to come back. He has to." Even though I didn't know Katara too well, I knew she was close with Aang, to the point where she was willing to risk her life to protect him. I still recalled how she threatened me when I first joined the group, saying she would end me should I harm anyone, especially Aang. I admired how Katara encouraged and looked out for Aang, and Aang reciprocated such feelings as he grew. If he told me he would abandon fire bending all because he didn't want to hurt Katara again, wasn't that a big enough statement about their bond?

And as we continued flying, I thought about the countless times I fought Katara in the past. Each time, I didn't show her any respect, seeing her as a weak peasant from the slummy Southern Water Tribe. But as time went on, I saw how creative and resourceful she was, taking advantage of just about everything around her. Uncle was right when he said water benders were great at adapting to their environment. Katara not only survived the onslaughts from both the Fire Nation and the Dai Li at the Earth Kingdom, but advanced herself to the level of a water bending master. With her abilities, maybe I ought to listen to Uncle and learned some skills from her. If I ascended the throne, then it was only imperative that I opened my mind, yes?

Soon enough, the capital city came into view, returning my focus on the battle. I knew it would be dangerous to take on Azula alone, and that was why I requested Katara came along. I had the privilege of going to the Sun Warriors, a group long thought to be extinct, with Aang to learn the essence of fire bending from the original source, the dragons. I also believed my uncle Iroh killed the last two dragons to gain his title "Dragon of the West" but in reality, he spared the two and kept them a secret, making it so that the Sun Warriors could still live in secrecy. Now, with my drive for fire returning (and my skills stronger than ever) and Katara's mastery of water, I doubted Azula could even stand a chance against us. Aang paired up pretty well when fighting alongside Katara against Azula and me in Ba Sing Se, so now it was my turn to pair with Katara.

And not a moment too soon, as Azula was about to have the Fire Lord headpiece placed onto her head. I nearly hissed at her appearance, realizing people like her made fire benders so hated across the world. Katara was justified being suspicious about me, how I used to associate with her. But while Katara changed her view of fire benders, Azula did nothing but belittle the world and thumbed her nose at those around her. Now she wanted to be Fire Lord? Not a chance!

Hoping down from Appa, I interrupted the Fire Sages. "You're not going to become Fire Lord today," I spat, marching straight up to Azula, "I am."I was joined by Katara, who promised us all that Azula would be going down today. Well, at least someone matched me for both skill and spirit. Maybe Azula should do the smart thing and surrendered, before we beat her to a pulp!

Or maybe not, as Azula waved off the Fire Sages and lifted the royal robe off her body. Somehow, I felt something unusual about her, almost like she lost the usual swagger. Maybe it was because of her unruly hair or her difficulty maintaining her usually calm but condescending attitude, but whatever the case, she was for sure not her usual self. So when she challenged me to an Agni Kai, I was more than willing to oblige.

Naturally, Katara's instincts kicked in and tried to stop me. I imagined plenty of cases where she did exactly that before I arrived at Aang's group. Both Toph and Sokka told me how Katara nagged them into stopping crazy acts, and how in hindsight they appreciated it. Thanks for reminding me how dangerous it was, Katara, but I wanted to do this alone. "I can't explain it, but she's slipping," I described my observations to Katara, "this way, no one else has to get hurt." How did the usually observant Katara miss out on Azula ready to crack any second?

As we prepared to spar, I could see Katara on the sidelines, watching on nervously. It was a difficult task for Katara to forgive me, but being strong enough to let things go, it was truly remarkable. I admitted that perhaps things weren't as smooth as possible between us, mainly due to my own blind pursuit of Aang. But if Katara could find it in her heart to forgive, then maybe all was not lost. Hopefully, if we got out of this one alive, I could ask Katara to advice me on how to seek forgiveness from Mai, who was probably still stuck at the Boiling Rock as of now.

Before long, my vision was filled with orange and blue flames as Azula and I blasted each other. Immense heat resonated across the courtyard, suffocating my breath as everything became consumed by fire. Being around someone like Katara meant I could pick up bits and pieces of her style, and that included being strong under pressure. Despite her emotions tending to fly through the roof, Katara was really good at bottling them if it meant taking one for the team. It was different from Azula, who bottled her emotions to fake strength. Remembering a little bit of each type of bending, I fought on with all the skills I knew throughout my life.

And soon enough, I could tell Azula was tiring. Her kicks were flails of pure frustration rather than superb skill. I merely countered her every attack with ease, even as she jet-blasted herself towards me. As she sent a wall of blue flame at me, I shot my version at her. I even added in a water bender trick Katara used before, parting another wall of fire from Azula like parting waves. You're not the only one who could perform a separation like that, Katara.

A twisting double fire bomb and a few rounds of fiery leg whips later, Azula was pretty much down for the count. "No lightning today? Afraid I'll redirect it?" I taunted my sister. At this rate, Katara didn't even need to take action, given how quickly I dispatched of Azula. Sorry my friend, but it seemed like you were destined to remain on the sidelines for this one.

But soon enough, I found that to be the biggest mistake of my life, as Katara was meant to enter the battlefield, as a victim. Watching Azula's eyes, she tiled straight at Katara and aimed her lightning at the water bender. "No!" I shouted, leaping into the air. Katara did too much, not just for me, but for everyone in the group, to meet such an untimely end. Besides, if Aang came back and found Katara shot dead while I stood watching, I doubted he would forgive me. With one finger pointed at the lightning, I absorbed as much of the shot as I could.

But my curled up position in the air only kept the electricity within me, not releasing it the other way, like my uncle taught me. Even as I lifted my other arm to shoot the lightning into the sky, an eerie paralysis came over me as I couldn't move a muscle. Soon, an overwhelming pain hit as my body dropped to the ground. I could only convulse helplessly, the electricity hissing uncontrollably as I landed chest-down. It seemed like Katara was really in for it now.

I couldn't see or hear too much, the pain numbing my body and mind to the point where I couldn't even flop over or crawl away. Even though I was disabled, the smell of electric burns blasted up my nostrils as Azula's distinctive cackling filled the air. "Zuzu, you don't look so good," she taunted from a distance. I couldn't tell where she was or what she was doing, but the only thing I hoped for was that Katara had gotten out of the way. Even with how resourceful Katara was, it might not be enough against my megalomaniac sister.

Then, the hectic blasts of fire and lightning came to a halt. I didn't know if it was because my body deteriorated to such a state that now I lost my hearing or if Azula defeated Katara, but there was only a strange silence. My worst fears resurfaced in my mind, wondering if Katara was burned to a crisp by now. She was so upset when she recalled how her own mother was killed by Yon Rha, but now it seemed like she suffered a similar fate. Katara, tell me you're still alive!

A huge sense of relief came over me as a set of hands flipped me onto my back, pressing some cold liquid onto the wound now streaking across my chest. Uncle Iroh told me that the lightning was supposed to travel through the centre of my body, meaning my heart. I really lucked out, given I was still alive even as the lightning wasn't redirected properly. As the water slowly pulled my wounds together, I lifted my head up and whispered, "Thank you, Katara."

But Katara would have none of that, as she replied, "I think I'm the one who should be thanking you." I heard absolutely no animosity in that tone, almost like she truly saw me as part of her group now. And believe it or not, I actually felt someone out there, other than my uncle, who showed that much care for me when I was hurt. I could tell why the group loved Katara so much, and I realized how lucky Aang was if he chose her as a soul mate.

But for now, there were other matters to attend to, such as dealing with my sister, who somehow got chained down by Katara. Katara's observational skills never ceased to amaze me as she used water from the palace sewage system and a set of chains from nearby pillars to keep Azula down. Whatever the case, we didn't need to be Katara to see Azula's current state. With fire belching from her mouth and dramatic sobs hissing through her breath, she truly lost all her sanity. Hopefully I could still make the rest of her days comfortable, however that might be defined in her mind. Until then, the road to reconciliation with the world began today.

---

Katara's POV

"Zuko, stop moving," I tilted my head from the chess match between Suki and Mai to the direction of Sokka's shrill voice. It was our first reunion after the war officially ended. Zuko and I met up with Aang afterwards, who told us that he used an old technique called energy bending to strip Ozai of his bending powers. With Ozai in prison and Azula institutionalized, Zuko was crowned Fire Lord and offered reconciliation with the world. His first act was to set up a meeting with the now-repatriated Earth King to discuss a potential bilateral relationship. With Iroh reopening his tea shop in Ba Sing Se, we thought it was the perfect place to have our gathering.

And Sokka had to show off his new-found taste for the arts, as learned from Master Piandao, who I heard helped Iroh liberate Ba Sing Se. I personally thought it was very thoughtful of Sokka to doing this painting to remember our good times together, that was until I saw what he did. "Why did you give me Momo's ears?" I demanded, cocking an eyebrow at the picture.

Before long, everyone took shots at the picture, with Zuko claiming his hair was too spiky. Mai, who reconciled with Zuko before the coronation, criticized Sokka for making her looking too much like a man. Suki resented Sokka making her look like she was fire bending from her fans, and Iroh declared he was not as overweight as Sokka portrayed. "I think you all look perfect," Toph called from behind, resulting in a chorus of laughs.

But to my surprise, one person never said a single thing. In fact, looking around now, I couldn't see Aang anywhere at all. The past few days allowed me to think about my relationship with Aang, with many people giving me hints that guided me closer to a conclusion. With Mai and Zuko now a loving couple, and Suki and Sokka beginning their romance, perhaps it was only right that I dealt with Aang. I was very shocked when Aang kissed me during the Day of Black Sun, to the point where I refused another kiss right before the battle. But seeing how much Aang truly loved and cared for me, I realized maybe I did feel the same way about him. Stepping away from the laughing crowd, I slipped out of the tea shop, turning past Appa and into a courtyard.

There was my friend, the Avatar himself, admiring the beautiful sunset. The world was at peace thanks to him, and no words could describe how proud I was of him. Not a word was spoken as I came up beside him, glancing at his serene smile and gentle eyes. I gently pulled him into a hug, in which he returned, as I witnessed his rise into the hero he was today. Despite the many times I cared for him, I never really realized he also did the same for me. Feelings bloomed between when I released him from the ice and now, and maybe we ought to show each other.

We let go of each other as I decided to let go of my fears and insecurities. I still recalled Aang's first piece of advice to me regarding bending: let go of fear. I guessed the same could be said of love, as I planted my lips onto his. There was no hesitation on either party's part as we relished every second, knowing that if we continued to grow, we would be in for a long and happy life together. Aang still had duties to the world, but now I knew I would always be a part of his journeys. As we basked in the setting sun, there was only one thing that crossed my mind:

My name is Katara. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.

---

And there we have it, Katara's rites of passage ending. I have two more characters to go before this story ends, but each character will have not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 parts each. Want to know what I have in mind for them? Stay tuned to find out!