Kat: Heeeey! It's sooooo good to be back! Summer was crazy, school IS crazy, and life never slows down. Actually I finished this chapter AGES ago, like a day or two after my last post, but unfortunately I never got a chance to upload it. So...yeah. Thanksgiving Break now & finally got A MOMENT to show it to you! So here it is! (Finally!) Hope y'all enjoy the continuation of Katalana's journey in Republic City! :D

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What are you doing?! I wanted to scream at myself. This isn't right! You're engaged! But...are you still engaged? Or is this the person I'm engaged to? If it is, then...this can't be wrong... Can it?

Except...at that moment...it was hard to tell...and almost as hard to care. The kiss I shared with whomever was with me...it was too incredible to stop. Plus I had to admit something to myself. I honestly do like Jaalam. Sure, I haven't known him as long as I did Matokka, but if Matokka is truly gone, then...shouldn't I have another chance?

Both my thoughts and the kiss were interrupted by tumultuous bellows, but they weren't the same firework cracklings that we heard earlier. Instead, they were deep, throaty, mechanical roars. Jaalam and I seperated just in time to see half a dozen motorcycles speed down the street, crashing through kiosks and spreading chaos. They were getting close.

"Get down!" Jaalam shouted over the growling motors.

We had just a fraction of a second to clamber out of the way before they clawed their way nearer. Jaalam dove to the side while I was shoved into a grimy alleyway, losing my footing and landing in a grimey puddle with a disgusting splat.

Better dirty than dead, I thought morbidly.

Not wanting to miss the action, I scrambled to my knees and peeked around the edge of the building. From my hiding spot I watched the hoodlums leap from their bikes and begin attacking innocent bystanders. People scattered, fleeing in all directions. There was so much chaos it was hard to get a good look at the attackers, but from what I could tell they were all dressed alike. They were covered head-to-toe in rather ominous-looking suits – for both physcial and identity protection, I surmised. They were dark, but between the dimness of the alleyway and the streaks of colorful party clothes racing by, it was hard to tell if the suits were a smokey gray, simply black, or a strange olive green hue. The suits were layered, all a thick, elastic-like material with accents in a scarlet red cloth that stood out on their arms and around their waists and necks. Heavy duty socks were pulled up to their knees, but again the trickery of the light camoflauged exactly where their shoes ended and their socks began. Their faces were covered in masks not unlike the material of which the suits were made: dark, thick, stretchy, only the masks were cut to conform to their heads, with holes left for the eyes and mouth. But their eyes were not visible either. Whatever color eyes they had, no one could tell, for over the masks they wore curious goggles with golden rims and lenses bright green in color, and they glowed.

I gasped and stumbled backwards when two men fell at my feet, taken down by the crooks. Upon closer inspection, they appeared to still be coherant and I breathed a deep sigh of relief. But their troubles weren't over. They explained that after they were hit their limbs were useless. Knowing I couldn't just leave them there, I silently got to my feet and carefully pulled them further down the alley, out of the way of the struggle. It was a difficult and tiring job, as they were at least a head taller than me and over twice my weight, so while I put extra effort towards easing their pain, it felt more like I was half-carrying, half-dragging the men through the stinking muck. They smiled weakly in thanks before nodding for me to go help the others.

Of course I didn't want to leave them so vulnerable, but they insisted, and deep down I knew they were right. There were plenty of people out on the streets that were at a much higher risk. Urgently I crept back toward the edge of the building and peeked around its crooked corner.

The felons lunged at innocent people, who were still running around like mad trying to escape, only to be blocked by more of those strange, masked men. I noticed that some of them had strange weapons, and that others didn't. Those that did swung long bola cords with weights on both ends. The men without weapons seemed almost as dangerous – if not more so – than those with them. They flipped and jumped and charged at the people, aiming their attacks swiftly and with unimaginable precision. After a minute or two more of observation I noticed that their punches were typically applied with their fingers and knuckles, particularly along the backs of their victims' legs and the sides of their arms. Some even went up the spine and some went for that pressure point on the neck. Everywhere there was panic. People dropped like Bumble-Flies.

Benders took charge in order to fight off the criminals, hosing them down or throwing them off balance or shooting fireballs to keep them at bay. During the confusion Jaalam had disappeared, but I tried to ignore that as I charged forward to join the skirmish. One man came at me, his green goggles glowing menacingly. He whipped out two weapons that I hadn't seen any of the others using. They were long, metal rods, and after a quick flip of a switch, they sizzled and lit up. Brilliant blue electricity crackled throughout the stick – a Kali stick, as I'd read they were called. But reading about them was very much different to seeing them in reality. The attacker swung one arm and the Kali stick buzzed as it sliced the air a mere hair's length away from my face. While his arm was out and exposed, I reached up and caught it, and with one swift swipe, I knocked his weapon to the ground several feet away. Before he could grab for it I twisted his arm over his head and behind his back. His face seized up in pain before I released and kicked him to the ground. Seeing his comrade down, another crook rushed toward me, fists prepared to fly. I threw my hands out, palms down, causing the earth beneath him to tremble. My goal was to knock him off of his feet, but he used one foot to push off the stump, flip over it, and land safely away. His trick only aggravated me more, of course, so I thrust my right arm up and to the left to create a thick slab of concrete. The earth shot up and slammed into his chest, forcing his back up against the stone wall. As he reeled from the impact, I took that opportunity to bend the stones of the wall into thick cuffs around his chest and limbs to keep him from escaping. When I spun around to rejoin the fray it shocked me to see that the streets were finally starting to clear. Most citizens fled, but any and all of those who remained were still sentient, but laid wounded or paralyzed in the streets. Some masked men had fallen, but those who were still conscious were picking up the limp bodies of benders they had taken down and were loading them into the back of a large truck. Quickly I trapped the other fallen fiends to ensure their later arrest, but there were too many others for me to fight off alone. Only having one choice remaining, I turned and ran.

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"Lieutenant!" the apprentice roared back at the hideout. He stormed down the dark halls toward the holding cells, his voice echoing loudly down the corridor. He felt ready to beat him to a pulp. Unfortunately for him there were two flaws in actually going through with his plan: one, the lieutenant was stronger than him and had two very powerful weapons. And two, Lieutenant was second in command only to Amon, who would surely do something far worse than his mentor.

The lieutenant had just unloaded the last of the benders into a cell, kicking them if they didn't walk fast enough. He turned his attention to the boy, who was breathing heavily and had a death glare locked on him. The lieutenant just rolled his eyes at his pent up fury that was rather uncalled for, in his opinion.

"What on earth did you think you were doing back there?" he demanded, throwing one hand out and the other pointed at his mentor's chest as if it was an arrow aimed for his heart.

Completely unbothered by his rage, Lieutenant simply pulled off his gloves, one finger at a time. "Apprentice, if you wanna pick a fight with me you should really make it clear what you want to fight about."

"At the festival," the boy explained as sweat dripped from his hairline. "You and the others full-on attacked the people at that festival. I was there at that very moment, doing what you instructed me to do! I almost had her, and then you-you-you just barge in there! You ruined everything!"

"Hmph," he snorted, not particularly concerned with the accusation. "You sure 'bout that?"

Apprentice opened his mouth to reply, then snapped it shut, perplexed by the question.

"Did you see her after the attack? She wasn't captured, that much I can guarantee."

The underlying sneer in his leader's tone messed with his temper, but he remained silent.

"Find her. If you had done that before marching in here to pick a fight with me, you would know if the attack drove her away from you or if it brought her closer to you."

Anger surged through the apprentice's veins. His gloves squeaked as his fingers curled into tight fists. It was unclear whether he was more outraged at the lieutenant for dive-bombing on his plans or for his own lack of understanding of whatever Lieutenant was getting at. "What?"

Rolling his eyes in boredom, his mentor continued. "Since you're obviously not getting this, let me spell it out for you." He paused, taking a moment to pull off his goggles with a satisfying snap, then he clapped the gloves and goggles into his free hand. "The girl's intrested, something goes wrong, and either she runs away never to be seen again or she turns to the people she trusts most and bing-bang-boom, you're in."

This revelation made him more confused and suspicious than ever. "And just how do you know all of this?"

The lieutenant rolled his eyes for the millionth time. "I'm surprised you didn't know. I thought you were smarter than you're proving yourself to be."

"That was a pretty big risk you just took, there," he growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Lieutenant shrugged. "What's done is done. But now you see that I did my part: providing the tragedy. Now it's your turn. You want in? Then go find her already! Let's just see if this girl is as strong as she thinks she is..."

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After escaping the skirmish I tore off down the abandoned streets as fast and as far as my body was physically capable. My breath came in short and shallow gasps, my heart raced – and not in a good way – and my whole body shook uncontrolably. Sweat poured down my neck and back – mixing uncomfortably with that slime I collected in the alley – and my hair clung in wet clumps against my face. When I was sure I could run no more, I dared to slow to a walk. The street was dark, deserted, and clouds covered the moon. My lungs burned fiercely and tears stung my eyes. I hugged my middle tightly, trying to piece together what just happened.

"Katalana!" someone shouted.

I stopped upon hearing my name. Who could possibly be out here at this time of night? I wondered. Standing frozen under a street light, my earthbending picked up footsteps rushing towards me. Recognizing the voice and gait I called out to him. "Jaalam?"

Sure enough Jaalam emerged from the shadows and jogged over to me, very out of breath. "I'm so glad you're alright!" He embraced me tightly before remembering we both needed to breathe.

As he stepped back I took his hands and squeezed them reassuringly. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" His eyes were damp from running in the crisp late night air, making them sparkle blue-black in the unnatural glow of the street lamp.

"Yes, just a little winded," I answered, exhaling heavily, then inhaling just as so. "Are you okay? I couldn't find you in all the- Oh, I just got you all wet." I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly, glancing down at my dress all tattered and soiled from that night's action. "I was shoved into an alleyway and, well, this was the result."

Jaalam chuckled softly. "Yeah, I'm okay. Nothin' here that can't be washed."

Sighing, he slid his palm across my cheek comfortingly and I placed my hand over his. It was sweet, but as he did that, a confusing thought came to mind. "How did you find me?"

"When all that trouble erupted everyone scattered. Once things settled down I backtracked to where the festival was and tried to find you. When I couldn't, I figured you'd have gone home. I was just headed that way to make sure you were safe."

I smiled gratefully. "I wouldn't have left you behind. There were just so many of them...I was going to head back when I thought they'd gone. But, there's still one thing that bothers me – well, there are multiple things actually, but there's one main question I want answered: who were those guys?"

Jaalam grimaced as if he had a bitter taste in his mouth. "Equalists, also known as Desensitizers and Dominators. They are extremists, radicals that support Amon and his Anti-bending cause. They tend to work more as his henchman than his political supporters."

"Amon?" I asked. That name sounded familiar. "You mean that creepy guy with the mask?"

"Yeah, that's him. He and his cronies use a type of punching technique on people's pressure points, numbing their limbs so that they can't bend – at least temporarily."

My eyes widened as his information sunk in. "So that must be why so many of those benders at the festival were helpless against them."

"Right," he nodded gravely.

"Sounds like they learned a thing or two about Ty Lee," I observed.

He nodded. "Maybe."

"That's scary."

"I agree."

A sudden gust of wind slipped past us and I couldn't help but shudder.

"Let me walk you home."

I said nothing. And I didn't resist him when he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and led me to the docs. There we parted ways. "I promise I'll come see you tomorrow."

"Alright. Goodnight." Quickly I stood up on my toes and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before I disappeared aboard the ferry.

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"So? Any progress?"

"Yes sir."

"Care to elaborate?"

"I've got her wrapped around my finger."

"Does she suspect?"

"Not a clue," he chuckled darkly, satisfied with himself. "Let me tell you, she is so intelligent, yet incredibly ignorant! She knew nothing about us or this revolution until I told her, and she never even questioned me about how I acquired the information. It's just a matter of time before the plan can take full effect."

"Don't get cocky. That's for Amon to decide. You've been given a huge opportunity and you have a responsibility to do your job right. Don't blow it!"

"Lieutenant, I've got this under control."

"Famous last words," he scoffed. "Stop treating this like a joke. And it's high time you started respecting your superiors!"

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It was long after midnight by the time I arrived at the Air Temple for the evening. When I shuffled into our room, Korra was standing between the beds, and from her dour expression and ticking time bomb of a mouth, I could tell she was far more than ready to blow up at me. "Where were you?" she demanded. "You missed practice! You never miss practice! Never! We waited for you for over an hour!"

After such a long night, I wasn't really in the mood for talking. My mind was numb with everything that had occurred that day. "I was out."

Korra scowled. "You weren't just 'out.' I could feel every one of your emotions – which you had a lot of tonight, by the way. Where were you?"

"I was out with Jaalam. He took me to a little festival downtown."

"Waaaiiit," she drawled. Her anger dissapated like a breath of air. "You were out with Jaalam? On a date?!" Her tone suddenly rose an octave.

Sigh, here comes the 'girly' Korra – or as girly as Korra can get.

With a slightly exaggerated yawn, I tried to evade her questioning. "Well...not exactly. We hadn't intended for it to be one..."

"But...?" she pressed. She plopped down on my bed, laid her elbows on her knees and her chin in her palms, expecting me to dig deep and divulge the grueling details of my evening.

"It was."

Bracing myself for the ensuing girlish squeal, I cringed, but I supposed that Girly Korra was better than Angry Korra, so I tried to relax.

"Katalana! I'm so happy for you! Tell me everything that happened!"

"It was...nice. Really, I had amazing time." I sighed in wonder, temporarily forgetting about the Equalists. "It was a festival celebrating Yue's sacrifice. They had decorations and art and performers and food. They set off these bright, colorful explosions too. I think Jaalam called them...fireworks? I don't remember exactly, but it was absolutely...amazing..." I trailed off, dropping my last word like gravity dragged it right out of my mouth.

Korra saw me frown. "What?"

"During the fireworks Desensitizers attacked."

"Desensitizers?"

I nodded. "They're also called Dominators. They work for Amon – the leader of the Equalists. He was the masked guy on the poster we saw behind that protestor you harassed on our first day in town."

"I did not 'harass' him," she countered defensively. As if she were a pouting child, she straightened her spine, crossed her arms, and jutted out her chin. "I was debating with him."

"I still think you harassed him, but that's beside the point. I saw what those men can do. They captured dozens of people, and injured or terrified dozens more. As both your sister and a concerned citizen of the United Republic, I am telling you that these guys have to be stopped."

She nodded firmly. "I believe you. It's late now so we'll have to talk to Tenzin about it in the morning." She added mentally, "Man, you get to have all the fun."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, slightly offended.

"Never mind. Continue."

"Alright." I shoved my feelings aside and changed the subject. "So how was training?"

"Even worse than last time. I think it's because you weren't there."

"You're blaming me?"

Her expression shifted into one of guilty thought. "Yes and no."

"Meaning...?"

"Yes, because you should have been there. Our bending is stronger when we're together. And not only that, but you always give me moral support, or a little sarcasm to rile me up and become determined to get it right. Plus, you're crazed emotions got me all out of whack." She threw her hands up and shook them around in exaggerated waves to illustrate her point. When she finished, she let them drop heaviliy back into her lap. "But I say no because you're my twin; you're not me. You're not the airbender; you don't need to be at every practice – or any practice really. You have the right to live your own life. To go have some fun."

I snorted in a thankful sort of way. "In that case, I am sorry – and thank you. I'll be at your next lesson, and hopefully every lesson after that."

"It's fine – and you're welcome." Her smile faded into a gaping yawn, causing me to catch one as well.

"Yeah, me too," I agreed to her silent sign that we were both exhausted. "We'll talk more tomorrow."

I didn't have to tell her twice. She scooted off the edge of my bed and immediately plopped down on hers without even bothering to change clothes. Within minutes there was snoring coming from across the room. Meanwhile, I walked over to the dresser and took down my hair. To keep it tame I picked up the brush, then I changed my mind and set it back down. Gingerly I pulled down the collar of my dress, revealing my betrothal necklace. I twisted my lips to the side.

It's been over a year, I told myself sternly. It's time to let go and move on.

Even as I thought that, I knew I didn't fully want to. But finally, I decided to agree with Korra, my parents, Makita, and my own right mind.

It's time.

Carefully I untied the necklace, then held it in my hand for what felt like ages. When my tears began to blur the stone into a puddle of blue, I brought it up to my lips and kissed it softly, then placed it gently on the smooth wooden dresser.

You will always be in my heart.

A single, lonely tear traced down my cheek as I whispered softly, finally, "Goodbye, Matokka."

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"Hey, Katalana," Korra said the next morning as she joined me at the breakfast table.

"Morning, Korra," I greeted her between bites of my biscuit. I was reading the morning paper when one section caught my eye. It read, "Fourteen Dominators were arrested with the help of an unknown heroine who witnesses assume has had former training in combat. Spectators on site reported seeing a pretty young lady in Water Tribe garb quickly and skillfully take down two crooks before capturing the rest of the fallen with earthen cuffs around their wrists, ankles, and chest before she fled the scene. She had not been seen since. Who is this mysterious beauty and where has she gone?"

I read this aloud to Korra. We both had to admit it was pretty cheesy, but Korra – only half kidding – had to make a sarcastic remark. "Oh sure, when you help, you get a congratulations from the city and an article in the paper, but when I help, I get arrested and then confined to this fun-crushing island!"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please, you're the Avatar. You'll get plenty more thanks in one day than I will in a lifetime." She smirked at my comment, then leaned across the table and snatched the paper from my hands. "Sure, go right ahead!" I teased, waving her on. "I was done anyway. What are you looking for?"

"The sports section."

"Are you still on that Pro-Bending kick? You know Tenzin doesn't want you paying any attention to that."

"What he doesn't know won't kill him." She waved away my warning as she deeply engrossed herself with the written match. Her eyes sped back and forth down the sheets, fascinated by the complexity of the game. But of course, who of all people walked up behind her at that moment but the master airbender himself. My sudden alarm alerted Korra, who, knowing she was caught, looked up sheepishly. "Hey...Tenzin."

Tenzin's face was as expressionless as usual, and he simply held out his hand. Unwillingly, Korra rolled up the paper and slapped it into his palm. As soon as he walked off, a mischievous smile crept across Korra's face. "That's alright, I stashed another one in our room earlier. I've already read it twice."

"You're obsessed."

"Maybe a little."

"A little?"

"Okay, a lot."

Laughing, I changed the subject. "I'll catch up with you later, okay? Jaalam promised he'd stop by again today."

Korra raised her eyebrows and smiled in a you've-got-to-tell-me-all-about-it-later kind of way. I rolled my eyes before I pushed myself away from the table and headed for the front door.

And to the surprise of us both, I opened the door as soon as Jaalam had lifted his fist to knock. His eyes were round, his eyebrows raised, when I stood suddenly before him. We both laughed. "Perfect timing," he joked.

"Very funny. Come on in." Quickly I stepped aside for him to enter.

"So, I begin with that famous question," he said after I led him to the living room and sat us down on the couch. "How are you?"

"Better. You?"

"Alright. I'm just glad you're doing well, considering what happened."

"Thanks. I'm glad you're okay too. Oh!" I exclaimed suddenly and excitedly. "Did you see this morning's paper?"

"Yeah," he said, perhaps a little too forcefully.

Well that's odd, I thought. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"I'll admit, whoever that girl is, she has some incredible skills."

"Yeah..."

Okay, so he doesn't know. No big deal. He'll figure it out soon enough, right?

"I was thinking about going downtown again today, just to get a better feel for how things work around here. Would you like to come?"

Jaalam raised a curious brow at me. I could see the gears turning in his head but what they were turning about was a mystery to me. "Are you sure you want to? I mean, after last night..."

"Oh, it'll take more than one botched date to keep me out of town."

"Do I hear an implied question in that statement?"

"I don't know. What do you think?" I asked coyly.

"Ah, now I knew there was a reason I liked you!"

My cheeks began to tingle as they turned a rosy hue. Feeling silly, I avoided looking away from him but I also avoided look directly at him. "You never answered my original question."

"So you admit it, then?"

"I have said nothing. Assume what you will but don't you dare put words in my mouth. Now, an answer...?"

"Alright, alright. Honestly I would love to go with you, but unfortunately for us I have to work today. The shop is in town, though." He perked up as an idea hit him. "Hey, why don't you come with me? Let me show you around? I still haven't given you that grand tour I promised on your first day here."

"I can't believe you even remembered offering."

"It's hard to forget something I offer only to those I want to impress."

I grinned. "Well in that case, sure. That'd be nice."

A short ferry ride and a long walk later, we were back in town. The area he took me to seemed vaguely familiar – and rightly so. It was where I had met Jaalam after all. We passed by familiar, everyday shops and familiar, everyday people. None too flashy and none too shabby either. Jaalam led me down the thick cobblestone path before stopping me in front of one of the smaller shops along the strip. He held his hands out as if to tell me to stay, then he raised them over his head and proclaimed, "Here we are! Work, sweet work!"

"You work at a...pottery studio?" I asked, stepping into the quaint little shop. My excitement grew as I took a look around. The walls were a grayish-brown color, but that only set off the brilliant colors of the merchandise. Brightly painted plates, bowls, and vases lined the walls and shelves. Each one was individually hand crafted. All original. No two exactly alike – even matching sets were strangely unique.

"Yeah, it's a great place," Jaalam continued. "I enjoy working with my hands. It's a long and quiet process, but it's all worth it in the end."

The deep purple glaze of an ice cream bowl felt smooth and glossy under my fingertips. I had to admit that they weren't the most skillfully crafted pieces ever, as most of them had odd lumps or dips or an uneven glaze, but there was a certain quality to them that made them feel more homey. "You made these? They're amazing!"

Jaalam sat down at one of the potter's stools and set his hands on his thighs to admire his own work. "Sure did. I'm no master craftsman, but it's a fun job and the money is good. Even so, it gets pretty quiet a lot of the time, and lonely. There's me and the boss, Mr. Koto, and he lingers around some, but he's a busy guy and has to run a lot of errands and such. And I have another co-worker, Jep, but he hasn't shown up here for weeks, maybe months. The boss and I keep hoping he'll pop in one of these days, but it's not likely he will. So for the most part it's just me and the clay."

"Hmm," I hummed, nodding in sympathy, coming over to stand beside him. It didn't occur to me at the time he had said a phrase not unlike one Matokka expressed way back when. "Mr. Koto hasn't thought of hiring someone else?"

"Can't hire a new until he fires the old," he answered simply. Then he cocked a brow at me teasingly. "But..." he continued, stretching out his vowel. He grinned as the idea sprung into his head. "I'm sure that can be arranged..." He childishly poked me in the side.

I swatted his hand away playfully. "Stop that!" It took me a moment to let his suggestion sink in. To emphasize my refusal I waved both my hands rigorously. "Oh, no. No no, no, no, no, no. I couldn't." Even as I declined I smiled as if I liked the idea.

Noticing my obviously pleased reaction, he totally ignored my recurring refusal. "Oh come on. This place isn't very big, but it gets a pretty decent crowd in here at times. I could definitely use an extra hand or two."

"I don't know..." I began thoughtfully. "I've never thought about getting a job. There's never been any need for me to."

Jaalam hummed in what I assumed was understanding, then he raised his eyebrows as he waited for a true answer. "So...? Would you at least consider it?"

Heaving a submissive sigh, I answered, "Me, yes. I think it sounds fun. It could certainly expand my working knowledge of the big city. My only concern is Tenzin; I might have to work with him to get him to let me work here."

"Great!" he said. With how giddy his reaction was, it was almost as if I gave him a definite yes. "Do you want me to show you the ropes?"

I shrugged. "Sure."

"Cool. First, I'll show you the storage room. Non-employees aren't technically allowed in here, but since you are a potential employee, I think Mr. Koto would make an exception."

"Are you sure you even have the ability to hire me? Wouldn't that be Mr. Koto's job?"

He shrugged. "Technically, probably yes, but he hasn't exactly named anyone as assistant manager, and since Jep never shows, I don't think there's any other qualified candidate."

Seeing no flaw in his logic, I followed him behind the counter. He dug around in his pocket, pulled out a key, and inserted it into the lock. He turned it to the left, pulled it out, and opened the door. Inside was a rather cramped storeroom with barely enough room for two people to squeeze down the isle – forcing me to line up behind Jaalam. Shelves lined the sides walls and there was a hanging cabinet in back. To the left were large rectangular blocks of plastic-wrapped clay and tin cans that held various carving tools. To the right were paints, brushes, sponges, and glass jars for water. The cabinets along the side walls were unlocked, but Jaalam explained that each employee had one for their personal belongings while in the shop. The cabinet along the back wall was locked, and when I asked about it, he said that Mr. Koto had specifically ordered him not to touch it. At the end and to the right was a door to the kiln room. Opposite the door was a bin filled to the brim with broken ceramic pieces in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Jaalam said that was recycled material for mosaics and other special projects. Anyway, Jaalam picked up one slab of clay and set it down on the counter. He unwrapped the plastic and used a wire with two wooden handles to cut off two good-sized chunks. He then wrapped them both in paper towels before acquiring a few other tools and carrying them to the pedestals in the studio. Quickly, he went back to lock the door, then sat down at one of the stools and motioned for me to sit at the one beside him. After unwrapping one of the slabs of clay and setting it on my tray, he showed me how to prepare it. He stood up, picked up the clay, then slammed it down on the table. It landed with a loud sound, somewhere between a thump and a smack.

I jumped, startled.

Smiling, he explained, "You have to pound the clay before you start working with it or else little air bubbles inside of it will cause the dish to crack or even explode when it's put in the kiln."

I settled back in my seat and raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Good to know!"

"Now I'll show you how to work the table itself. There's a small pedal under the desk that you can pump with your foot. That will make the table spin so you can actually make the...whatever it is you want to make." He went through the whole process step by step, demonstrating as he talked. When he was done, he had a crudely sculpted pot. It was short and wide with a skinny lip. It was simple and undecorated, and it was gorgeous.

All I could manage to say was "Wow."

"Now you try."

"Me? But-but I don't even-"

"What's the harm? The whole point of this was to show you how to do it yourself. Why not have a little practice run?"

"Um...okay..." I said uncertainly as I rose from my seat. Once standing, I lifted the clay and pounded the block until it was pliable, then repeatedly pumped my foot to turn the table. It was slow going, but eventually I got the hang of it. Simultaniously pumping the pedal and working with my hands took some practice. My hands smoothed out the thick, slimy mud, carefully shaping the vase. I shrunk the bottom down some and kept it wider in the mid to upper portion, then sharply curved it in, then back out for a wide, almost flower-like lip. Sculpting was fun, I decided, and even moreso because there was one thing about this that I restrained myself from using: earthbending. This was not the product of my power. This was all me.

Jaalam watched me intently. Every now and then he would make odd little hums to try to get me to pay attention to something without actually saying anything. He didn't have to that often, though. For the most part he was pretty quiet. When I finished, he just sat back in awe.

"Wow...just...wow. That is probably the best first-time-job I've ever seen. Probably the best I've ever seen – no matter what the skill level!"

I turned my head aside as if to stare at some of his finished work along the wall, secretly hiding a blush that crept over my cheeks. "Thanks. I've always had a thing for earth."

"You're telling me!" he exclaimed. "Are you sure you've never done this before?"

Giggling, I gave him an only somewhat-convincing yes.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" I promised, a little more forcefully, but not angrily.

Jaalam only shook his head in disbelief. Somehow he didn't seem to be able to fathom the talent he saw in me. His eyes scanned me over, head to toe, then he shifted his gaze to my vase, then back at me.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

He let out an amused breath through his nose. "You're amazing!"

That wasn't a very persuasive answer. "Why do I get the feeling that you're not just talking about my handiwork?"

"'Cause I'm not," he replied softly. Suddenly I picked up his soft but quickening heartbeat through the vibrations in the floor. The stools on which we sat were close enough that he could lean over and kiss me – and that was just what he did. It was slow and sweet and thrilling all at the same time. It wasn't as if I had been kissed many times before, but it seemed to me that he was pretty good at it.

When we parted, we both sat back and smiled. I sighed, regretting my next move. "Thank you, Jaalam, for the lesson. I really enjoyed it."

He smiled at my appreciation but quickly gave in to curiosity and concern. "Why does it sound like you're saying goodbye?"

"'Cause I am," I laughed, impersonating him. "For now, anyway. Korra's got practice soon and I don't want to miss again, so I'd better go."

"Must you?" he asked in an overly dramatic pleading voice.

I rolled my eyes playfully. "You are such a dork. And unfortunately for us, yes."

"Alright, I won't hold you back. But don't forget to talk to Tenzin when you see him, okay?"

"I won't forget."

He reached up and tucked some loose hairs behind my ear. In doing so his fingers left behind a wet streak fo clay, but I decided to ignore it. "You're beautiful, you know that?"

That blush crept up on me again. "I'd sure like to believe it, but I find it a tad vain to think on my own appearance too much," I teased. Before I left I glanced around the room again. My work station was pretty tidy, but it was still fairly muddy. "I'll help you clean up first."

"Don't worry about it. It's not a big deal."

"You sure? It wouldn't take very-"

"Nah, you have somewhere to be. I'll take care of it."

"Well...if you insist. See you later, okay?"

"Sure thing. Bye!"

I so desperately wanted to stay, but I forced myself to walk out to door, but not without looking back to say goodbye.

A clock tower chimed a few blocks down. Eleven thirty. I actually had more time than I thought, but I'd already said goodbye so it would have been awkward to go back inside.

Oh well, I can still explore a little by myself.

Curious, I retraced my steps from the night before until I reached the location of the festival. People of all nations were gathered in the streets: stacking chairs, sweeping up confetti, and tearing down the last of the streamers. I strolled down the cobblestone path, avoiding the workers, passing the fountain, the tea shop, and the place where the stage had been. It was there that I stumbled upon the same spot where Jaalam kissed me, and where the Equalists attacked. The memory of them stormed through my mind: the dark disguises, the glowing green goggles, the particular paralyzing punches. I shook my head to clear it, dispelling the nightmare, when something caught my eye. Glancing down, I noticed a thin, greenish stem and several trampled, withered petals threatening to fall if ever touched. Gingerly picking up the flower, I realized that it was mine. It was the lavender rose that Jaalam had given me. I twirled it between my fingers. I sniffed; there was still a lingering sweetness about it. Tucking it into my sleeve, I continued on my way.

Someone gasped loudly a ways to my left. "The Avatar!"

Confused, I looked around for Korra. It was only when an older woman toddled over to me that I realized that she was the owner of the voice – and that she was referring to me. "Oh, I'm not-"

Before I could finish my sentence, a chorus of other voices chimed in, and a few others gathered around me, awestruck. For a moment I wondered how they knew what the Avatar looked like, although there was that introduction that Korra gave on her first day in town. Some of them must have been there. Then I reasoned that they hadn't noticed me at the festival because they were too absorbed in their own activities to pay much attention, or fleeing for their lives. Either way.

"Avatar, Avatar!" they called. "Would you mind talking with us a while?"

"Well, uh... I suppose I have a little time. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have," I answered, sounding more certain than I felt.

"What's your name?" someone asked.

Katalana, I wanted to say, but Katara's words rang in my ears. "...Always be on your guard... Choose carefully who you are seen by... You're faces are recognizable, and that is a dangerous blessing. Be safe..." The warning echoed over and over in my mind. These were innocent people. Surely it was alright if I told them my real name? It couldn't really be that dangerous...could it?

The middle-aged woman who asked for my name gazed at me patiently. I realized I'd just been standing there, staring blankly at her. She repeated her question to make sure I was awake.

"Oh, sorry. My name is Korra."

Better safe than sorry.

"Korra," she mused. "What a lovely name. How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"That seems pretty young to take on the Avatar's responsibilities."

"I'm young, but capable. Besides, Aang was only twelve when he entered and won the 100 Year War."

The woman nodded thoughtfully while a man standing to her right piped up roughly. "Actually Aang was 112 at the time."

Oh great, the infamous debate, I thought to myself. Trying to keep my voice level I decided to take a sweeter approach. "Technically, yes, he was 112, but both physically and mentally he was still just a kid."

An older woman further back in the crowd craned her neck to try to see me better, then shuffled forward when the group made a tight pathway for her. She came close and waved her hand for me to lean down. Obediantly I did so. "What do you plan to do about the, uh...current situation?"

"The...current situation?" I asked. "You mean the Equalist attacks?"

She nodded gravely.

"Well, I do plan to deal with this as peacefully as possible. I am still young and in training, but if a time ever comes when I will need to take...stronger measures to ensure the safety of you all, then I will do whatever I can to help."

My answer must have pleased her because her eyes sparkled. "Thank you. We are so glad that you have come here and we thank you for everything you have done for us already. Our minds can now be at ease knowing there is someone protecting us against this threat."

Others around us murmured in agreement.

"I am honored."

That woman and many other curious passers by approached and asked their questions, and I tried to answer all of them as Korra would, without damaging her still unstable reputation, and with as much certainty as I could muster.

Again, it seemed as if hours passed, and apparently they had. Everyone jumped when the clock tower chimed in the distance. One... I waited for two, three and so on until it reached twelve, but they never came. How can it be one already? Quickly I apologized to the people and politely excused myself, saying that I had some important business to attend to. With little explanation beyond that, I took off running in the direction of Air Temple Island. Upon reaching the docs, I didn't even bother waiting for the ferry. Still running, I held my arms out in front of me and repeatedly raised my upturned palms to shoulder height and sped over the bay on rock platforms I brought up from the sea floor.

Tenzin looked up, startled, when I burst into the Western Courtyard. "Katalana, you're early."

"Early?" I asked breathlessly. I had to lean over and lay my hands on my knees to catch my breath.

"Yes," he answered. "Korra hasn't even arrived yet."

While panting I explained, "Sorry... I didn't want...to miss...another...practice."

Tenzin looked at me with a certain tenderness that I had only seen him show to his children. "You know...it isn't necessary for you to attend these lessons."

Slowly, I pulled myself up straight again, but my breaths were still heavy. "Am I a bother?"

"No, no. Not at all!" Tenzin said quickly. "I rather enjoy your company. It's just that if you had somewhere you would rather be, you are free to go."

"Oh." His allowance of that caught me off guard.

That was nice of him. Very nice. Why would he allow me that freedom? Korra has training, but even during her free time she is forbidden to leave the island.

"Thank you, I am certain that I may take up on that offer some time, but for now, I would like to be here to support Korra and help her train in any way I can."

If she ever shows up, I added inwardly.

"That is very kind of you. It is not often that two siblings are so close."

I smiled politely. "But your family is pretty close, isn't it? You and your siblings? Your children?"

Tenzin's face fell a bit, as if I'd touched something he would rather not discuss.

"Was that too personal? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

"No, no," Tenzin stopped me. "Bumi, Kya, and I were fairly close as children, but while we still care for one another, there is now a certain level of distance. We all have our differences that sometimes make family gatherings...interesting. But I am glad that my own children seem to have the opposite type of relationship. True, they are all very different, and they have their squabbles from time to time, but I can see them remaining close even into adulthood."

Again I smiled, warmly, for I had seen first-hand what he was talking about. His kids were much like he described them to be. "That's really sweet. At first glance, Korra and I may not seem very much alike, but we have much more in common than even we realize at times. It's nice to have someone you can count on no matter what. That's why I've been so adamant about attending Korra's sessions with you. True, I do enjoy learning the techniques myself, but I want to make sure that I will always be there for Korra – whether she's having a good day, or one of those days where she wants to rip everyone to shreds. Now I doubt there would be much I could do in a situation like that, but sometimes it just helps to have a friend there to lift you up or calm you down."

"That's very loyal of you."

"I like to think it is. But going back to your offer, that reminded me of something. I wanted to ask if-"

"Sorry I'm late!" Korra called as she skidded to a halt in front of us. In doing so she almost lost her balance and toppled over but she quickly regained her composure.

"Korra!" Tenzin announced, his calm-and-collected self flying away unexpectedly. Korra tensed, waiting for the ensuing lecture on being late. But as soon as his temper flared, it subsided peacefully. "You're right on time."

"Oh great," Korra thought to me, sounding overly sarcastic. "My few hours of torment begin early."

"Hey, Tenzin just wants to help – and I do too. I came all the way from downtown to be here now, trying to avoid being late, but instead I turned up early."

Korra huffed an irritated sigh, blowing some loose hairs out of her eyes. "So, Tenzin, what will you have us do today?"

Through earthbending I felt Tenzin stiffen ever so slightly. Choosing his words carefully, he said, "I thought we'd try something a little less...trying, today." He motioned to a circle carved into the stone patio. Its berth was about as long as a Sato-mobile, maybe longer. Though it didn't seem to be anything extraordinary, it was elegant in its own simple way. "This is a Ba-Gua Circle. It is a very simple tool that I am sure you will learn to use quickly, and that you will use quite often."

Korra crossed her arms over her chest and put all of her weight on one leg. "Great. So now he's got me back to square zero."

I rolled my eyes.

Why did she have to be so sulky about everything?

"You realize that you just said 'square zero,' right?"

She ignored me.

Then Tenzin called to Meelo, who was hovering on his glider a few yards away. The little airbender swooped down, flicked the rod to fold it shut, set it down, and bounced over to his father. Knowing what he wanted, Meelo stood on the line that formed the ring. He started walking around its circumference spinning on his toes, holding his hands out defensively all the while until Tenzin commanded, "Change!" Immediately the boy switched directions, never skipping a beat. Next, Korra and I joined him. I caught on rather quickly, stumbling only once, before I found my rhythm. Korra, on the other hand, was unstable. She tripped once, lost her footing twice, but she finally got the hang of it...sort of. I danced around the figure with ease, almost floating over the swirled impressions. A mellow tune drifted through my mind as we walked, carrying me on a breeze. Tenzin only stood and nodded, stroking his beard thoughtfully as he paced beside us.

Once Korra showed some improvement, I decided that a tease would lighten the mood a bit. "Getting dizzy yet?"

She completely ignored my joke and asked dryly, "We're walking in circles. How long do you really think Tenzin's going to make us do this?"

"Not long. Maybe...ten, twenty minutes tops," I said, shrugging.

Apparently it lasted a little longer than I'd expected. It was almost an hour and a half before Tenzin stopped us, but that was only because a messenger had been sent to summon him to a council meeting. I didn't want to imagine how long we would have been there if he hadn't been called away.

Back in our room, Korra collapsed on the bed, her hair splaying out in all directions. She pressed her palms over her eyes in frustration, her elbows sticking awkwardly up in the air. "Am I really so bad at airbending that he has to take me back to the tool used before the beginner tool?"

"Well..."

"That was a rhetorical question – plus I can feel your uneasiness so I know what your answer is anyway."

"Sorry."

"Whatever." She flipped onto her side so that her back was to me.

Thinking I should try to cheer her up, a random converstaion starter popped out of my mouth. "So...what did you do today?"

She shrugged indifferently, then sat up and faced me as her sudden excitement grew. "I read the paper again. Pro-Bending is so fascinating! And we're living only a short boat ride away! Why do you think Tenzin won't let me go to the arena? I'm responsible, right?" She paused. "Actually, uh, don't answer that last part."

"He just wants you to focus on your training," I said, hoping to keep her positive.

"But even trainees need a break every once in a while," she countered.

"You do have breaks. You have more free time here than you did at home."

"Yeah, but I have absolutely nothing to do! You're gone half the time so I all I have to do is sit around and think about how bad I am at airbending. Either that or do something with the kids – and I'm sure you can imagine how much fun that is. Face it, Tenzin is trying to bore me to death!"

"He's trying to make sure you're not distracted."

"He's trying to keep an eye on me." Her tone was sarcastic, but it was a dark kind of sarcasm laced with spite. Curious, I looked to her, and even in the dimming light I could see the envy burning in her eyes. It surprised me that I hadn't seen this in her before. I could often tell what anyone was feeling, both through earthbending and intuition, but with Korra...we had something special. With Korra I could usually see what she saw, think what she thought, feel what she felt.

How could I not have felt this? I wondered.

She was mad. Mad at Tenzin, yes, but more than that, she was jealous. Jealous of me. Jealous that I was better at airbending techniques than her. Jealous that I could leave freely while she was cooped up on the island. Jealous that I'd made a friend – and a boyfriend at that. She was bored, irritated, lonely. I couldn't believe that I hadn't felt it sooner. I had to hear it to understand it.

Have I really been that bad at listening to her? Have I really been taking Tenzin's side so much that I forgot to try to see things from Korra's point of view? Am I really that oblivious?

I sat down on the bed next to her, resting my hand on her knee apologetically. "I'm sorry, I really am. I had no idea. This whole time I thought I was trying to do the right thing and keep you focused through all of this, but really all I've been doing is trying to keep the peace between you and Tenzin. It's not my place to do that. I know you can handle things on your own. It's just...you're my sister. I feel like I need to protect those closest to me – even when there's no need to."

Korra just stared blankly down at her lap. She said nothing.

"Listen...if it bothers you that much, then...I won't go out again."

Her eyes widened as she turned her head to face me. "You would be willing to do that for me?"

But immediately she shook her head, banishing her selfish thoughts. "No, don't do that... That wouldn't be fair to you or to Jaalam. Besides, who else would go see a match for me?" She laughed, then hugged me. "But thank you."

I hugged her back. "You're family. I'd do anything for you."

"Thanks." She leaned back on her hands and thought for a minute. Then, ecstatic, she leaned toward me and in a hushed whisper she suggested, "Hey, why don't we go see a match tonight?"

"What?!" I exclaimed, my voice shill even in a tone hushed like hers.

"Why don't we go to a Pro-Bending match?" she repeated, her eyes dancing in the candlelight. "We'll sneak out! No one will ever know."

All I could do was drop my jaw and gape at her. "You're crazy! We'd get caught!"

"If you won't go, then at least cover for me. You just said you'd do anything for family."

"I won't lie to Tenzin if and when he finds out. Look, I'll go to a match tomorrow, then come back and tell you all about it. It may not be the perfect system, but I don't want to go behind Tenzin's back and I don't want you to either. And another thing! I don't appreciate you twisting my words. You know what I meant."

"Sorry," she apologized quickly. "But think about it! Wouldn't it be the greatest night of our lives? It'd be fun, rebellious, and you might not even be considered a little goodie-two-shoes anymore!"

"No one has called me that," I said, slightly offended.

"Okay, well they were all thinking it."

"Thanks," I drawled, irritated, as I crossed my arms. "Insulting me will definitely change my mind."

"Oh come on, don't tell me you didn't know."

I shot her a look.

She held up her hands in surrender. "Again, sorry. But I'm leaving a half hour after everyone is asleep. Don't come if you don't want to, but don't try to hold me back."

"Fine." I said, rolling my sheets up to my chin. Then I bent over, blew out our only candle, and gently closed my eyes as the room plunged into darkness.

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"How is your progress, Apprentice? Has everything gone according to plan?"

"Yes sir, Amon."

"Good." The dark figure tapped his fingers together menacingly.

"Sir, if I may be allowed to speak...?"

The Equalist leader's back was still turned toward the boy, but even in the dim light he could see his head nodding slowly.

"I believe I have convinced her, sir, but, I must say I am confused. For what purpose am I doing this?"

He chuckled deeply. "You are a bright young man. You will fare well in the field..." He turned slowly and walked even slower toward the apprentice. "But you are clueless. You have not figured it out yet?"

The apprentice said nothing, moved not in the slightest except for the sudden pounding fear in his heart.

Amon shook his head, paced a bit, and raised his hand as two gloved fingers pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked up again, raised a finger and waved it slightly, as if conducting, or teaching. "All in good time. All in good time."

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Kat: SO SORRY for the long wait on that. Honestly I have no clue when my next chapter will be ready. It's Thanksgiving Break but this was the only chance I was going to get to write. I wanted to post today b/c I have now been on Fanfiction for over a year! Oh man, so much has changed... But that's beside the point.

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Hope you enjoyed this chapter, but I've got a lil explaining to do about the whole "Desensitizers/Dominators" thing. As a writer, I don't like repeating words over and over again. "Equalists" don't always fit b/c that could mean any degree of support for the anti-bending revolution from "Eh, better off without 'em but I'm not gonna do much about it," to "EQUALIZE THEM ALL LET'S KILL THEM NOW." So...yeah, you see my problem there. But I also didn't want to use "Chi-Blocker" at all b/c I am a Christian & I don't really believe in the whole Chi/internal life force thing. I thought that "Desensitizers" and "Dominators" fit fairly well considering that their attacks numb the nerves in their victims, or "desensitize" them, and they themselves are taking control of the situation, or "dominating," by temporarily disabling them. So props for imagination?

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ATLA & TLOK do not belong to me. Some characters and dialogue however, are mine!

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Don't forget your CQC's!