Chapter Eight

The waves washed away

what once was my memory.

A deep ocean lost.

"There they are," Sokka whispered to Suki.

In the distance, a yellow bar of light from the doorway cut into the dark street. People were filing in silently, flashing their scrolls to the guard. Sokka's eyes narrowed, trying to find something out of the ordinary, but so far it looked like a normal party.

In the dead of night.

But still.

He squeezed her hand and they moved forward, their feet crunching on the dirt. Though his heart was pounding, his face showed no signs of nervousness. As the others did before them, they showed the guard their scroll and were admitted with no trouble. He let out a breath mentally, but still kept up his focus. His eyes darted around suspiciously, seeing only people drinking tea and conversing around him. What was all the secrecy for if it was just a normal tea party? Had they really stumbled upon a secret society of tea drinkers?

His brain was close to exploding when he noticed an immaculately groomed man standing at the back of the room, waiting in silence for silence. The din of the crowd gradually lessened into nothing as the attention was diverted to the man.

Okay, this was kind of weird, Sokka thought to himself.

"I welcome new friends," the man began, "This hushed gathering tonight, Away from the rest."

Sokka tilted his head, recognizing his speech pattern, but not quite knowing it. It was on the tip of his tongue, he knew that he was quite good at it. What was it?

So familiar, yet so agonizing.

"He's talking in haikus!" Suki whispered, nudging him.

He frowned, he knew that!

Why was he talking in haikus? Was this a secret society of tea drinking poetry lovers? If so, then these people really needed to get new hobbies, because gathering in the middle of the night just to do this was really not Sokka's idea of fun.

"Masters of nature,

Arrogant fools do make wars,

The dam stops rivers," The man continued.

Masters of nature…the benders?

A malevolent smile spread across the man's handsome features,

"Yet the river overflows,

Breaking the dam completely,

The barrier gone."

He bowed and retreated behind a curtained door. There was a light round of clapping and then people stood up to leave. Sokka sat there, trying to decipher what the man had said.

The benders make wars…dams stopping rivers. But the river overflows and breaks the dam. The river was nature, taking back its natural course. The benders were masters of nature…so a rebellion against the masters?

But that made no sense, why would anyone want to revolt against benders? It wasn't as if they were a unified collected body that had decided anything.

"Sokka?" Suki looked at him worriedly. He didn't get a chance to answer as a second man appeared from behind the curtain,

"Silently she waits,

Standing strong through time with pride,

But still forgotten."

Okay, that was even more confusing than the other guy. Spirits, he hated poetry.

They returned to their camp site and explained what had happened to Toph. The small earthbender frowned in concentration, trying to decipher the last haiku.

"Silently she waits…but still forgotten…" she murmured.

Sokka threw his hands into the air, "It's a clue to the next meeting, I know it, but I just can't figure it out! It's so vague, it can be anything!"

"Well, if she stands through time, she must have been there for a while," Suki tried to help.

He moaned in agony, his brain hurting so much that he wanted to rip it out. Leaning his forehead against a tree trunk he glared at the ground. Stupid poetry.

"Hey, maybe we should sleep on it and look around town tomorrow," Toph suggested as Sokka began to dig a hole in the ground with his bare hands in despair.

"He bit me again!"

Katara rolled her eyes, "She bit you because you're holding out on her. Give her the carrots Zuko."

He sighed, producing the last of the carrots from his pocket. He had hoped to hold them ransom so that Shifty might listen to him better, but apparently the ostrich horse didn't believe in negotiating with the enemy.

"Nephew, you have never been good with animals have you?" Iroh raised his brow.

The general had met them at the Fire Nation harbor where their had ship docked. He was wearing simple robes of an everyday citizen, albeit the cloth was of a finer quality, but they hung on his frame quite handsomely now that the extra weight around his stomach was gone. He had offered to take them to a restaurant that he had recently discovered that had the most exquisite saber-tooth tiger moose dish they would ever taste. Katara winced a little, remembering the adorable baby animal they had found when Sokka had caught himself in the earth.

"Hey look, it's the water girl!" a familiar drawling voice called out to her, "Did you ever save the world like you guys were planning to?"

Turning around she saw Chong's band of flower laden hippies waving at her. She grinned, remembering how much they had infuriated her brother.

"Are they friends of yours?" Zuko looked at them with suspicion, especially the one in the pink robes.

She nodded, "We met them at the Cave of Two Lovers."

"Well obviously we saved the world if we're all standing here," he snorted. She smacked him and walked towards them, Lily engulfing her in an embrace and Chong plucking at his pipa experimentally, opening his mouth to begin a song,

"The avatar and the water girl,

And some other people that I didn't meet,

Saved the world so now I can sing

More songs," the pipa went on with the melody, while his band danced in the background. Zuko's good eye began twitching while Iroh clapped to the beat in delight.

"And now she with some guy,

with a scar that looks like it hurt,

When he got it—"

Katara was laughing, but stopped when she noticed Zuko's ire out of the corner of her eyes, "Um, Chong, I think you better stop."

"Right water girl, that song was too cliché. Everyone is singing about you now," he agreed, bobbing his head.

Well that was news to her. For some reason it bothered her that people were singing songs about her. She did not want to be some exalted hero of the ages or anything.

"So what brings you to the Fire Nation?" she asked.

Chong made a sweeping motion with his arms, strumming his guitar and striking a pose, "We go wherever the winds take us, and when it whispers in our ears the advice of sages, we listen and follow."

"That…and we've always wanted to try fire flakes," Moku added, chewing on some.

Iroh laughed heartily and Katara giggled as well. Zuko remained blanked faced as the humor of the situation flew over his head entirely. Looking at Zuko, Katara remembered that they had never been properly introduced,

"Oh, right. Zuko this is Chong, Moku, Lily…and err,"

"Jasmine," the woman replied with a serene smile, swaying to some unheard music.

"Jasmine. Everyone, this is Fire Lord Zuko and General Iroh," the water bender smiled.

Iroh bowed respectfully, "It is an honor to make your acquaintances."

Suddenly Moku froze, scrutinizing Zuko and rubbing his chin, "Isn't the Fire Lord some kinda evil guy who wanted to take over the world?"

Zuko turned red, "That's not—"

"He's a different Fire Lord, we overthrew the last one and saved the Four Nations, remember?" Katara butted in, preventing him from yelling at them. She shot him a look that told him to cool it. He scowled and fixed his gaze on the ground. She rolled her eyes, he could be so childish sometimes.

Nodding slowly, Lily drawled out, "Oh riiiight…"

The hippies were nice enough people, they just didn't have tact sometimes. They wer just drifting through their own clouds. Katara forced a smile at the awkward situation.

Irritation was radiating off of Zuko in waves so Katara decided that a quick escape was necessary. She was about to excuse themselves when she noticed Moku wearing a necklace with the same demon insignia that was on the arm band.

"Moku, why are you wearing that necklace?"

He picked it up and held it out, as if seeing it for the first time himself, "This? I think I found it before we entered the city."

Zuko leaned in, his interest piqued, "Where exactly did you find it?"

The other man shrugged, "I don't know. Somewhere in the forest."

Great, well that narrowed it down to a greater part of the surrounding mountains, Katara thought sarcastically.

"Although," he plucked a few strings of his pipa, "I think that I was at someone's house. Not anyone's house though, it was the house of a statue. Crazy I know. What was I doing breaking into someone's house? Well the statue didn't seem to mind."

Zuko whispered to Katara, "Is he talking about a shrine?"

"Thank you Moku, I hope we meet again soon," she said, ignoring the Fire Lord and bowing to the hippie.

Her mind began to race with the possibilities as they walked away from the group. At least they had something to search through instead of blindly trying to figure this out. They would still have to speak with Ozai, he was their main suspect at this point. Azula was probably the main perpetrator, but seeing as she had escaped and there was no way of contacting her, Ozai would have to do.

"I'm sorry, General, but we're going to have to take a rain check on your offer," Katara said apologetically.

He waved her away, "Don't be, it seems that you have found something more important than a delicious dinner, as hard as that is to find."

Zuko fell into step beside her, "There are is one shrine, but it's long been since abandoned."

"Perfect for rebels to gather in secret, don't you think?"

He nodded in agreement, "I think we should speak to my father first though and then search the shrine. We'll send a hawk to Sokka if we find anything."

They walked past the hustle and bustle of a normal marketplace, people rushing past and yelling at each other. Once or twice, they were almost run over by a speeding cart full of goods, the driver yelling over his shoulder that they should watch where they were going. However, unlike the last time that Katara had been in the Fire Nation, there seemed to be an increase in beggars. People dressed in rags, holding their children close to them and asking for coins. Though she did not have much, she could not refuse when someone held out his or her hand out to her, their gaunt faces pleading for charity. Zuko finally said something after she had given her last bronze piece to a woman whose dirty hair hung in chunks around her face.

"You shouldn't do that. It only makes things worse," he said with disapproval.

She frowned at him, "What's wrong with giving to those who need it?"

"Katara, look around you," he gestured, "You can't save everyone. You can only hope that they learn to stand up on their own."

Outraged, she snapped at him, "I'm not going to ignore people who need me!"

"Are you really saving them?" he argued, "You're just prolonging their situation. They're going to be here tomorrow, and the day after that. It's never going to change."

"Well, maybe they just need some help before they can go on!"

"Or maybe you're not thinking about the long term!"

"You're their Fire Lord, shouldn't you be doing more about this?!"

"I am doing something! I'm creating jobs which does more for their dignity than giving them handouts!"

They had stopped, staring each other down in a deadlock. People jostled past them, too engrossed in their own worlds to pay them any attention. Iroh looked from Katara to Zuko and then to Katara again. He sighed and decided to intervene between the two,

"Now now, I think what Zuko means to say Master Katara, is that he is helping them in the best way he knows how. I am not saying that what you are doing is wrong either, those people will surely by a good meal and restore their strength to live another day and that is important as well."

The Fire Lord and the water bender scowled at each other one last time before turning sharply away from each other. The three continued to walk through the crowd in tense silence. Katara fumed internally, what was wrong with helping people who asked for it? She was in the right here, those people were clearly in need and Zuko just wanted to ignore them! He may have changed, but he was still the spoiled prince underneath who did not know the true plights of the people. She slanted a glance towards him, his face was stony, his lips pressed into a tight line. From the side, she could not see his scar and only his perfect profile was visible. Her blood pulsed and she looked away. What a fool.

"So, Master Katara," Iroh said breaking the quiet, "How is the Avatar?"

Her attention turned to his kindly face and she felt her ire ebb slightly. The general had proven on many occasions his wisdom and intelligence, despite his jovial demeanor. His role in the taking back of Ba Sing Se, the stories told about the old Masters' power, still brought tingles up her spine.

"He sent a hawk, telling me that he's doing his own investigations in Ba Sing Se," she replied, thinking to the last night on the ship when the captain had knocked on their door to tell them a message had arrived. She felt her blood pulse again as memories of the dance flooded back to her. The heat of their bodies melting together in a whirl of movement, their faces so close that she thought they would kiss.

She froze. Had they really been that close?

"I see, it is wise of you to spread yourselves to find the enemy. Especially one as elusive as this one," Iroh nodded. He had heard of the Bao Fu in his youth, but very vaguely at first and then nothing at all. He had written it off as a flash in the pan movement, one that had gained some following and then disappeared. Even in his time, they had been a mystery.

"That wasn't really the plan, but it ended up that way, Uncle," Zuko said, looking straight ahead.

"Is there anything that I can do to help?" the old man asked.

"Maybe you should contact your society," Katara suggested, "This is turning out to be bigger than we thought, and we're going to need more eyes out there."

"Of course," Iroh agreed, "Have you considered the Kyoshi as well?"

Katara felt like smacking herself, the Kyoshi, of course! How could they have forgotten about them? Suki was their former leader after all.

"We'll make a stop," the Fire Lord replied, then his expression darkened, "Is there any word about…"

Shaking his head, the general glanced at his nephew, "No, I'm afraid not. She is biding her time."

Zuko scowled. So Azula was not making any waves at the moment, however, he would not give her the benefit of the doubt and forget about her. His insane sister would surely show up again soon. When she did, he would be ready with an army to take her down.

It was cold here, she thought numbly.

Where was she?

Uncurling herself from a ball, the Fire Nation princess looked cautiously around her. It was dark in every direction, stretching for miles. First she felt confusion over her surroundings and then anger surged through her. Her traitorous brother must have drugged her somehow and induced this hallucination. It must have been, or else she would not be able to see her hands, it would be illogical to be in such darkness, but be able to see herself.

She would rip his eyes from his sockets and make a meal of them, she seethed.

Curling into a ball again, she waited for the monsters from her dreams to attack her. The sad face of her mother, her brother's pitying one as he watched her struggle against her chains, and the moment when Tai Lee had betrayed her played before her eyes again and again.

No one.

There was no one.

She had always learned that fear was the only guarantor in forcing people to follow her. Then this fact of life crumbled before her eyes. What had she done wrong? Had she been too lenient? Or did fools just not know fear?

The lack of control disconcerted her. She felt her free fall into madness, she could feel it.

Life as she knew it, the Fire Nation, her subordinates, nothing was as she had understood it to be. Even her father had become a powerless shell of what he once was.

Shuddering, she thought to the limp body being dragged past her cell. Zuko had informed her that it was their father and she had hissed in shock. For the first time, it was she who felt fear, fear of the Avatar's power. She could feel its presence pressing down on her, limiting her actions, but at the same time she could feel defiance boiling within her.

Ah, so this was what the others had felt, she thought in grim humor.

Cold.

It was so cold.

"There's nothing here!" Sokka exclaimed, ready to tear his hair out.

The group slumped in the shadow of a statue that stood in the middle of town. They had spent the entire day searching for something that might fit the clue that they had been given, but to no avail. It was so vague and general that it could apply to anything. As the sun set on the exhausted trio, they were on the verge of giving up. After all, there was no guarantee that this was in any connection to the Bao Fu so all this effort might be for nothing.

"Ugh, I can't believe I'm saying this, but my feet hurt!" Toph complained, squatting.

"Sokka, are you sure that these people have something to do with the Bao Fu? Because it looks to me like they were just poetry lovers," Suki added wearily.

He shook his head, "Well this is the only clue we have to go on right now. So unless if we find something new, I'd like to see more solving and less complaining!"

They all sighed and hung their heads. Nobody could come up with anything. For a moment, they were silent, resting their tired legs and contemplating what to do. Then Toph stiffened,

"You guys, there's something going on below here."

"What?" Sokka turned to her.

She stood up, using what little stature she had to make her point, "I mean that there's some underground crap that I can feel going on. I just didn't notice before because there was so much interference from the crowds."

It was true, the bustling town square had dwindled to a few lingering couples and elderly. The sun was quickly setting and no one really wanted to stay in the dark.

Toph began to feel the base of the statue, knocking on it every now and then. Her pearly eyes widened when she hit the right spot, "There' s door here."

"Of course!" Sokka smacked his forehead, "She stands through time, I have no idea who she is, AND she's SILENT. What kind of woman besides a statue is silent anyway?"

The two girls smacked him without even thinking about it. Sokka pouted and flailed about in confusion. What was wrong with girls?!

"Who is this woman anyway?" Suki looked up at the stone image's face as it sadly stared back at her. It was of an average woman, she was no beauty and was unadorned except for a flower tucked behind her ear. Her dress was that of a commoner, unaffiliated with any nation. There was no way to identify her except for the carved characters that read "Jade".

"Um, does it matter?" Sokka rubbed the sore spot on his arm, "Toph, can you open the door?"

The earth bender stomped her foot and twisted it, but only a small portion of the door slid open. She chewed her lip in frustration and concentrated to make it move more. When it would not budge, she threw her hands into the air,

"There's something stuck, I can't open it!"

"What?!" Sokka yelled, kicking the base of the statue, "You're an earth bender, you should be able to do this!"

When his foot connected with a small pattern on the stone, the door immediately opened completely, to everyone's shock. They all stared at it for a moment, looking into a stairway that had appeared to lead into the darkness.

"Um…" he said, peering into the revealed doorway, unsure of what to make of this, "You stay out here in case something comes along."

"Yea whatever," she replied, spitting on the ground, irritated that she, a master of earth, could not open the door. He nodded to Suki who followed him down, placing her hand lightly on the cold wall to steady herself. They remained on alert as they carefully descended, stepping cautiously in case of any traps.

Katara could feel the tension radiating off of Zuko in the darkness. Their confrontation with the Fire Lord had been fruitless, though that was almost to be expected considering the man had an agenda against everyone. The fallen man taunted them with jibes and mocking replies to their questions, but Katara could clearly see that he did not have anything left to hide and the only thing to keep himself from admitting his state of weakness was his pride. Finally, Zuko's patience broke, he slammed himself against the bars, gritting his teeth and glaring at his father,

"Tell me the truth! What is the Bao Fu!?"

"I would tell you, but you've already used up your question with your mother. Don't be greedy Zuko, you don't want to end up like me," Ozai sneered, sitting cross legged on the far end of the cell. His gritty hair hung in chunks around him, but otherwise he looked much like he had the day he had been dragged in. Katara had only looked at him for a moment and then left. She was grateful for Aang's safety and did not have any other reason besides to confirm for herself that he was the man who had caused them all so much pain.

"You never told me where Mother was either," Zuko snarled.

"I told you boy, she is safe. Safe," a slow grin spread on his malicious face. At this Zuko slammed the bars with his fist and turned from his father angrily. Katara put a consoling hand to his shoulder, ready to follow him back out when Ozai suddenly said,

"You should have killed me when you had the chance."

They both turned sharply, their attention focused on the man.

"What are you talking about?" Katara narrowed her eyes, speaking to him directly for the first time, "You should count yourself lucky that Aang spared you."

At this Ozai let out a chilling and derisive laugh that grated on Katara's ears, "Spare me? Why he was the one that was spared, that foolish, naïve child. Oh, but he'll learn. He is the Avatar after all."

She gave him a confused look to which he laughed again, he then came close to the bars so their faces were inches apart, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely little girl. Even the Avatar is not immune."

In a flash, Ozai was thrown back to the wall in a surge of water. Katara's shoulders heaved in fury, her mind denying the former Fire Lord's words. Aang was the chosen of the Spirits, he could never become as twisted as Ozai.

Though he had the wind knocked out of him, the man recovered and began to spew words, "I was only the beginning! He will be the end! And you will help him, because you think—" The ice around his ribs tightened, making them crack sickeningly. Zuko's face was impassive, but he reached out to grab her wrist. She looked at him, eyes widened in both fear and anger. He shook his head and after a tense moment, she twisted her lips and relaxed.

"Call for a doctor," Zuko ordered.

Katara stood there, gaze glued to the floor. There was no way Aang could become evil, even in the search of good. He may be all powerful, but it was not his nature to misuse that. That was one thing their journeys had shown her, his compassion for everything including that despicable man rotting in the cell. She wanted to spit. Even when they had all agreed that death would be the best and only option for Ozai, Aang had found a way.

But was it too much, even for an Avatar?

No.

She shook her head, how could she think that? She trusted Aang with all her heart. He would always be that beautiful child she found in the iceberg.

"Ready to go?" Zuko asked softly.

Slowly she dragged her eyes to him, watching him watching her. The gold touch of the torch flickered upon his scar. And what of this man? Certainly he was no boy, for he had changed before her very eyes. Everyone in her life, except for him, had such a clear, static position, but he was like the flame, constantly changing and never the same.

"Yes," she answered, shooting one last dirty look at the pitiful figure huddled on the darkened floor.

"Uncle, I don't know what to do," Zuko groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

The older man looked upon his nephew sympathetically. For such a young man, he had gone through so much, yet it brought Iroh joy that Zuko had emerged triumphant and strong. He had done much of this on his own, but he did not realize this and was constantly cautious of stepping out of his norm.

Iroh thought carefully, sipping his tea slowly before answering, "Tai Lee has sent word that Mai is with the Kyoshi."

Zuko's head snapped up, "What?! Why didn't you tell me this sooner?!"

"We had more important matters to attend to, I didn't want you worked up about Mai while talking to your father," he answered simply. Zuko was a complicated young man, but he tended to have a one track mind. Only one show at a time while everything else simmered back stage.

"Uncle," Zuko pleaded, "Tell me what to do."

Iroh raised his brow, inhaled and said, "No."

"No?"

"Zuko, you have become a fine man on your own," he patted his nephew's back, "It is time to trust your own decisions."

"But my decisions usually end in disaster!" Zuko's eye began to twitch.

"No, you're instincts end in disaster," Iroh calmly explained, "Your decisions are what brought you here."

Zuko's face was incredulous, he stared at his Uncle's face. Iroh shifted uncomfortably, "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, it was just the first time you gave me advice that made sense. No flying dragons or moons?"

Iroh let out a hearty laugh that rang warmly throughout the room. He set down the cup and stroked his beard for a moment, contemplating on his next action. The weight of a gift for Zuko lay heavy in his pocket. It was of great value to him for Ursa had given it to him the last time they had seen each other many years ago. Though he was reluctant to part with it, it felt right that Zuko should have it instead.

"Zuko, this was your mother's," he said, "I want you to have it."

With that, he placed an ornate gold key into the young man's hand and folded his fingers over it. He explained,

"It is called the 'Key of Heaven,' I am not sure what it opens. Perhaps it does not open anything, that would be like your mother to do that." He chuckled.

The Fire Lord looked at the key strangely, examining the lotus flower engraved at the handle of the key. His heart clenched as he remembered the dream he had of his mother leaving. Had that been her saying good bye? It had been so long ago that he could not convince himself that it was an actual memory or a figment of his desperate desire for her to have at least said good bye.

He turned his attention back to the man he considered more of a father than his own. Bowing in gratitude he said, "Thank you Uncle. I will treasure it."

Katara appeared in the doorway, hair wet and dressed in a silk red robe, "Wow, you guys have some nice baths here."

"The best in the world," Iroh boasted, "The water is pumped from a nearby hot spring and has healing properties."

She seemed interested, "Really? You pump the water from a distance? How does that work?"

Iroh fell into an explanation of using steam to power an engine that does the work of a hundred men. Katara listened in fascination, squirreling away this knowledge so that she could tell Sokka of it one day, who was always interested in new technologies. Water Benders did not have to fill baths by hand, but in the days when she had been inexperienced in the art it had been quite the chore.

"Oh, by the way Fire Lord," Iroh remembered, "I have already contacted the Lotus and we should hear from them soon."

Zuko nodded, "And we will be heading to Kyoshi to ask for their help."

"Would you like me to prepare an airship?"

"No, that's too bulky and I don't want to pull more people away from their jobs," he sighed, "Perhaps an air balloon would be better."

"Very well."

Zuko turned to Katara as she kneeled on the floor next to him. The opening of the robe shifted for an instant and he looked away, his polite upbringing acting before he could think. His face slightly red he said to her,

"Mai will be there, so be prepared."

She was confused, "Why is Mai on Kyoshi Island?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Tai Lee is there as well, so maybe she sought out her friend."

"Are you going to be okay?" Katara watched the muscle in his jaw tick in tension.

"I'll be fine."

Ugh. Okay. No more, this is as far as I could push myself. I'm sorry. I've spent the last few weeks just TRYING to make it longer and it only makes me less inspired. At this point, I have no will to keep writing this. This chapter I mean. And I guess this story kind of too.