AN: Another update, if you can believe!

On This Side of Oblivion

Chapter Four

In Plain Sight

Katara flicked her braid over her shoulder and paused to wipe the sweat from her brow. She readjusted the hilt of the dagger in her hand, firmly wrapping her fingers around it to ensure she had a solid hold.

Suki smiled across from her, a challenging arch to her brow. "Giving up?"

Katara returned the grin before springing into action. She launched forward, aiming for Suki's right. Suki easily dodged her before crouching down low and swiping a leg at Katara's ankles. Katara laughed and jumped gingerly, narrowly avoiding a tumble to the floor. As Suki sprang back up to her feet, Katara maneuvered behind her, twisting her body in a way that only years of dancing and waterbending allowed her to do with ease.

The tip of her dagger pointed to the spot between Suki's shoulder blades, and Suki's shoulders dropped with mock disappointment.

"You've gotten too good," she bemoaned, turning around as Katara dropped her arm with a victorious smile.

They continued this way for another hour before they both finally called it quits. Even though training was brutal, it kept Katara in shape, both physically and mentally. That, and Sokka had always insisted she learn to rely on more than just her bending, especially when attempting to infiltrate spaces where it would be more harmful than helpful.

Katara grabbed a canteen, fighting the instinct to guzzle as much water as she could. Her body felt sore and the clothes sticking to her skin did nothing to alleviate her discomfort. The old warehouse that Jet had bought under the guise of storing shipments had been converted into a basic gym but did little to offer any other comforts.

"How's Sokka?" Katara finally asked, casting Suki a sidelong glance. "Tell me he got some sleep at least."

Suki gave a snort. "It only took another hour after he came home before he could finally be talked into going to bed." She paused, biting her lip and considering her next words. "He's worried, y'know? I think last night rattled him. He's worried about you, of course, but I think it's also the fact that he feels responsible. Plus, it definitely makes it harder to trust people."

Katara frowned but it wasn't a wholly unexpected response. Sokka had always taken it upon himself to protect Katara, ever since the Southern Raiders had dismantled their whole tribe. But at some point, he needed to understand that Katara was an adult. He would always look out for her, true, but she was also more than capable of taking care of herself.

"You know I don't blame him right? And he should know that too."

Suki gave a small smile. "Of course I know that. And I think Sokka does too, but he just needs time." She sighed, blowing up some errant strands of hair. "Until he figures out where he went wrong though, I suspect it'll take him a bit longer to reach that conclusion."

"Jet's already going to look into it. Any informants of Sokka's are on the radar until their names can be cleared. And even then, I'm guessing he'lll want to create some distance until we can know for sure."

"Speaking of…" Suki trailed off in a deceptively casual tone. "I hear you're going to meet up with that stranger." She waited expectantly for Katara to fill her in.

"You heard correctly from that blabbermouth, Sokka, I presume?" Katara rolled her eyes at Suki's sheepish smile. "Well, there's nothing to worry about, not anymore at least, after I talked Jet down from coming with. I can't believe how reckless he can be sometimes," she griped.

Suki's gaze softened. "I'm sure he doesn't see it that way. He does care for you, after all."

Katara's cheeks flushed but she busied herself with untying her braid and combing her fingers through her hair. She knew he cared, but feelings of resentment still lingered, tainting any sort of illusion she had about what they were. It was easy in the moments she was with him to believe that he did care more deeply for her, that maybe they might both even be in love, but then daylight always revealed the stark reality of who they both were and what they had chosen to commit to first and foremost.

"Still," Katara brushed off. "He needs to put our mission first." It killed Katara to say it, but she felt like if she could voice it aloud, it would sting less when his actions inevitably proved her right. "If we lose his status and his allies, where would that leave us? It's already hard enough to get out of Republic City as is." Especially when she was a Water Tribe girl. Her comings and goings would certainly be more heavily scrutinized than most.

Suki gave a shrug, deciding not to argue with Katara. "Fine, fine. You're right, as usual," she laughed. "But I already told Jet, I'm going with you and Sokka tonight."

Katara rolled her eyes. "How did I guess?"

Zuko paced back and forth in his room, debating how tonight would play out - if it would play out at all.

He didn't know why, but he had a strong feeling that the Water Tribe girl would show up. She had acted disinterested, suspicious. But he also knew that he had intrigued her, shown her something unexpected. If he was right, which he felt that he was, he believed the rebellion was always on the lookout for potential allies. Especially when the Fire Nation kept Republic City officials close.

Zuko couldn't help but let his thoughts drift, wondering with a staccato kind of hope that if he played his cards right, he could actually regain his honor, show the Fire Lord he wasn't some worthless heir. But then he wanted to kick himself for even daring to hope. For daring to care.

Besides, a part of him wanted to do this for himself. He wanted to prove he was capable of being a critical player. No one so far had even bothered to look much into the Water Tribe girl; most people just accepted she was an oddity in that she had top billing status at the Jade Lotus and nothing more.

But like a shirshu stuck on a scent, Zuko couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to her than meets the eye. And after trailing her to the docks last night and witnessing her waterbend, he knew he was right. How she fit into all this still remained to be seen, but Zuko vowed he would figure it out.

A knock sounded at the door, and Zuko frowned mid-pacing.

"Who is it?" He gruffly called, not bothering to open the door.

"Me, dumbass," Kai's voice drifted in.

Zuko rolled his eyes and strode over to the door, opening it just wide enough to show his face, but not enough to grant an invitation.

"What?" He growled.

Kai arched a brow in amusement. "So grouchy, princeling."

Zuko felt his temper flaring. Perhaps he had to rethink considering Kai the least offensive of the current circle he was stuck with.

"Out with it or leave."

Kai held his hands up, palms facing outward in contrived innocence. "Alright, alright. We were heading back to the Jade Lotus tonight, and I so graciously thought to extend the offer to you."

Zuko glowered.

"But I see that offer is unappreciated," Kai sighed dramatically. "Look, princeling, I'm trying to throw you a bone here. Tonight would be a good night to unwind, relax…build some much-needed camaraderie."

"A night to unwind? Is that what the Fire Lord is requesting you all to do?"

Kai smirked. "Being his lap dog won't get you in his good graces so you can drop the pretense."

Zuko's nostrils flared and before he could reconsider the ramifications of his actions, he widened the gap of the door and sent a burst of flames from his fist.

Kai, having known he would trigger Zuko, easily angled his body back to the left, allowing the short burst of flames to fly just past his chest and singe the wall behind him. He let out a low whistle. "The hotel manager won't be happy about that. And I'd really hate the Fire Lord to stop funding our excursions."

Zuko didn't deign to give a response.

"We're leaving in half an hour. The offer still stands, and I'll be gracious enough to forget that little outburst." Kai gave a mock salute before sauntering off, hands in his pockets as though he hadn't nearly had his head blown off.

Zuko slammed the door, faintly hearing Kai's laugh ricochet along the hallway.

Despite his apprehension around focusing on anything other than the clandestine meeting tonight with the Water Tribe girl, Zuko decided with great irritation that perhaps Kai's words had some merit. He didn't necessarily want to be part of this crew and certainly didn't care for their acceptance of him, but he also knew he couldn't completely isolate himself either. He needed to play along and not draw too much unwanted attention, and nobody trusted someone with a lone wolf mentality.

He hadn't bothered telling anyone about what he had done last night. Even though Kai had seen him slink off, presumably on a lead for Jet, Zuko had told him afterwards it had been a dead end. And he wasn't exactly lying per say…it was more that the lead went somewhere off the path he had initially expected.

And well, deep down Zuko didn't want to share this with the other members. One, because he wasn't one hundred percent confident this would go anywhere, and the last thing he needed was more ridicule, and two, if it did go somewhere, he didn't trust anyone else to not mess this up.

That, and claiming credit for a solid lead, perhaps even a key point to overtaking the rebellion and stopping them in their tracks, would be a helpful boon for Zuko's reputation.

Then maybe he could finally be done with his assignment in Republic City and return home.

He fucking hated it here, but until the Fire Lord beckoned them back to the Fire Nation, he'd just have to cope.

Tonight, they were seated much closer to the stage (compliments of the owner, they had been told), and the booze was already freely flowing. The group of young men he was with were already halfway to being drunk, loudly toasting and making jokes. Zuko gripped his untouched glass tumbler, unable to let loose. He still had to keep his wits about him if he was to meet with the Water Tribe girl later tonight.

Zuko scanned the crowd, seeing some familiar faces of Republic City officials close to his father's circle as well as some other Fire Nation members, mostly decorated army officials. But he didn't see Jet, and his brow furrowed with irritation. It would've been helpful to catch sight of him again, study him more closely, but it seemed he wasn't around. Not that any of his team members were concerned, given that they'd deemed this a night out.

Same as the night before, the lively music suddenly came to a halt and the lights dimmed, signaling the pending arrival of the Cerulean Lily. Zuko found himself keeping his eyes more riveted to the stage this time, now that he knew he was seeing more than just a famed dancer.

As she walked onto the stage in a fringed dress of silvery blue hues, Zuko couldn't help but see how luminous her eyes looked. It was a startling kind of blue, one that was so common for Water Tribe members but exceedingly rare in Republic City given the sheer lack of their people.

If he separated the fact that she was a potentially huge target, Zuko could almost see the appeal of getting to know someone like her, Water Tribe or not. His father had all but pushed for the eradication of them, and while he had never spoken against him, Zuko hadn't seen the point to it either. Besides, surely it was better to attract people to your side with honey rather than vinegar, wasn't it?

But then the act was over, and Zuko found the trance she had held the whole club in dissipate. He shook his head with annoyance at having allowed himself to be lulled in by her charms and stood up before making his way over to the bar. He needed a minute to himself and more than that, he needed to make his exit soon. Kai and the other men hardly noticed that he had dismissed himself from the table.

As he nursed another glass of gin, he felt the unmistakable sensation of having a pair of eyes on him. He turned to his right, ready to let out a scathing remark, when he stopped short.

It was the Cerulean Lily herself, eyes wide with apprehension at the ferocious look on his face. "I didn't mean to startle you."

When Zuko didn't reply, she only moved closer to him and flagged down the bartender. "I'll have what he's having," she smiled.

Zuko's eyes narrowed. What was she playing at?

When her drink was set in front of her, Zuko watched with intense scrutiny as she picked up the glass and took a delicate sip, appearing entirely unbothered by his glower. She closed her eyes as she let out a soft 'ah' before setting the glass down.

"I just wanted to express thanks for you coming to watch my performance," she finally stated. "It's not often a Fire Nation prince wanders into this establishment, so forgive me for being a bit giddy." She said this softly, with a quiet smile gracing her lips, almost as if she knew he didn't want to be acknowledged formally. And Zuko found it damn near impossible to not relax even just a fraction of an inch.

He knew who she was, and yet here, in this getup, he found it hard to reconcile her with the waterbender he saw last night. The dress hugged her figure and the neckline plunged just enough, teasingly inviting anyone to stare in anticipation for more. Her hair was also free to fall down her back in a cascade of loose waves, and under the soft lighting of the club lights, looked tempting enough to touch. The white lily tucked behind her ear into her hair also provided a subtle, feminine appeal.

Zuko shook his head, as if doing so could dispel these intrusive, unwanted thoughts.

He then noticed she was looking at him expectantly, her large blue eyes deceptively innocent.

A smile then curved his lips.

Two could play at this game, and he found himself feeling open to toying with her a bit.

Besides, he thought, if things progressed and he was able to infiltrate the rebellion organization, it would be so much more fun when she discovered how naïve she had been.

"Flattery doesn't suit you," he drawled, returning his attention to his drink. He could see out of the corner of his eye that a frown marred her features. She had clearly expected a different response.

"It's not flattery, just a statement," she replied primly, having recovered from her irritation long enough to take another sip of her drink as she sat next to him. It appeared his prickly disposition had done nothing to dissuade her. Zuko couldn't tell if that thought bothered or excited him.

"Well, either way, it won't get you anywhere. Haven't you heard?" He cocked a brow at her. "I'm the disgraced son of the Fire Lord. So if you're looking to climb the social ladder, I suggest you look elsewhere."

He could see her bristle, but then she turned to look at him fully, a coy smile twisting her lips. "I'm running out of rungs to climb anyway," she teased. She then set her drink down and gazed at him with a studious expression. "Did he do that to you?"

Zuko recoiled, as though she had slapped him with those six simple words. Never before had someone so directly asked or called attention to the scar marring the left side of his face, nor directly call out his father as the one who did it, even though everyone knew and just had the decency to ignore it. He found his ire increasing, angered that someone would so deliberately ask about his scar, dig into his past. But as he willed himself to calm down, he registered the look on the Water Tribe girl's face, startled to find there was no duplicity there. She actually seemed genuinely concerned - almost bothered by the idea of his father meting out a punishment like that.

"It's not your business," he finally gave a terse reply, deciding he was done with wherever this conversation was going.

"You're right," she agreed, "but I think it's horrible all the same what he did. No one deserves that."

She said it so simply, like it was fact, like he had told her everything she needed to know in that one sentence.

And maybe in her world - in most peoples' worlds - it was.

But not for him.

The scar was a reminder of what he had lost and what he should be working to gain. He didn't need pity, least of all from this waterbender.

"What is it you want? Money? Attention? Sex?" He sneered, deciding that if she couldn't take a hint, he'd have to scare her off instead.

The Cerulean Lily scoffed and shook her head.

"I don't need any of that nor do you have to be so crass. I only wanted to thank you for coming by." She moved to get out of her seat, straightening her dress. "The next time you come by, maybe you'll have a better attitude. Cheers!" She gave a flippant wave before vanishing into the crowd.

Zuko stared after her, watching the way she seamlessly glided through the patrons, smiling and shaking hands with those that stopped her, never once looking irked to be interrupted. The strangest thing of all, he thought, was the way it all seemed so natural to her. She looked as if she actually enjoyed this role and mingling with others, that it wasn't simply an act.

And she seemed so unabashedly confident he would come back to this club of his own volition. Of his own need to see her perform.

His distrust of her only intensified. Of course she was at ease here. What an easy way to glean whatever information a rebel member could want. Zuko himself had seen the way liquor loosened lips and money bought whatever one could ask for. Add in the attention of a pretty dancer and it was like taking candy from a baby.

Zuko grabbed his drink and tossed it back before slamming the glass on the table, loud enough to make the bartender and patrons near him jump. He tossed some bills on the bar and stalked off.

He had a waterbender to catch.

Katara held her cloak tighter to her body, tugging the hood up. A light wind pushed through the quiet alleyways, making her shiver even more. The season was slowly changing, and though she had once upon a time found comfort in the icy tundras of her former home, Katara realized with sinking despair that her body no longer tolerated the chill as easily as it once had.

She also cursed this demon-masked man for wanting to meet so late, not that meeting in broad daylight didn't have its own disadvantages.

She absently patted the side of her head, ensuring no strands of hair were loose, all of it having been carefully pulled into a low, neat bun at the nape of her neck. She could feel the paint against her face and neck, and its weight reassured her that she was hidden in plain sight. No one would look at her and mistake her for the Cerulean Lily. At least, not if they didn't know to look.

Katara soon arrived at the turtle duck pond in Republic City Park and marveled at how different the normally cheerful and colorful park looked at night. Katara could hardly see anyone, but she took comfort in knowing that Suki and Sokka were positioned nearby, having arrived a half hour earlier to scout the area.

She took in a deep breath and nearly startled when she heard cat-like footsteps approach.

She whirled around and saw the demon-masked man standing several paces away. Enough distance to not be threatening, but close enough to still make her heart race. She found herself once again suppressing a shudder at the way she could feel his eyes upon her through the empty sockets of the mask.

"So you did come," his voice was deathly quiet with an edge of humor, as if taunting her for thinking that she would ever really do otherwise.

"I thought about what you said." Katara was grateful her voice was even, low and steady. "If you're truly against Republic City and the way it currently conducts itself…then perhaps we could be allies." She let her words hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "But it's not that simple. You have to prove you actually mean what you say."

"Of course," the masked man responded, as if he had expected as such.

Katara frowned at how readily he accepted the terms thus far, but then again, maybe he really was looking for any way to dismantle the current Republic City.

But then she remembered that she, Jet, Sokka and Suki had rehearsed this. He wouldn't just be given a simple mission, one that revealed more information about who they were rather than him. He'd have to stay on a probationary period, prove to them that he was actually sincere about working together. Because things were progressing well overall, and now wasn't the time to mess it all up.

So for now, he would be given a few low level assignments, things that helped the cause of the rebellion, but didn't necessarily sustain it or propel it forward.

"There's a rumor of an auto parts factory in the Green Meadows district that's using illegal labor. We've been following up on it recently and have enough evidence to believe said rumors are true. So, we need to get in there and shut it down, seeing as Republic City officials have their own incentives to keep it up and running."

"Shut it down?" He echoed.

Katara smiled without warmth. "Permanently."

The man scoffed. "Should be simple enough."

Katara quirked a brow. "You think that's simple? You know what," she shook her head quickly, "nevermind. If you're up to the task, then I won't complain."

"When do I start?"

"Two nights from now. And you won't be alone. I'll be joining you, along with my fellow associates." She then called over her shoulder, "Come out, guys."

The man finally seemed to tense, for once having been caught off guard as the figures of Sokka and Suki came into view. They were dressed from head to toe in dark colors, swathes of fabric obscuring their forms so as to remain better hidden, nearly impossible to distinguish in the dark. The only thing that may have been a giveaway were Sokka's blue eyes, similar to Katara's in intensity. But then, all that would reveal was his Water Tribe status and nothing more.

"You were supposed to be alone," he murmured, once the surprise appearance of the other two had faded.

It was Katara's turn to scoff. "Did you really think I'd come alone? Besides, you never told me not to bring others." No need to dwell on the fact that she had nearly considered it…

The man inclined his head in assent. Fair enough, he seemed to be saying.

"You'll wait for the details on the assignment. Someone will leave you a message tomorrow at the harbor, over by the last pier at sundown, the only one that's been cordoned off. It's long been out of use, so no one should be snooping around there. Any questions?"

"I think you've covered it."

Katara studied him a moment longer, almost willing herself to see past the mask and into this stranger's eyes. She didn't trust him, not for a second, but she couldn't deny she was curious to see where this led.

"Good."

She then slowly backed away, keeping her eyes trained on him in case he made any sudden movements. But he simply turned around and gave a half-hearted two-finger wave, as he stalked in the opposite direction, fading into the copse of trees nearby before he vanished altogether.

Suki and Sokka approached Katara, their unease mirroring her own.

"He's fucking weird," Sokka finally announced.

Later that night, Katara laid in her bed, gazing up at the ceiling, idly tracing with her eyes the old stains left from prior water damage. This apartment had certainly seen better days, but Katara's morbid thought of never really knowing when her time on earth would end left her feeling unmotivated to find a better place.

She groaned, turning to her side. She had hoped sleep would find her quickly given how long this day had been, but despite her body feeling worn out, her mind whirred. Katara was further dismayed to discover what her thoughts kept drifting back to.

She couldn't get the scathing look of the disgraced Fire Nation son out of her head. He was all sharp edges, flint waiting to ignite. And yet she found herself drawn to him. The way his eyes glowed in the soft lighting of the club, the confident arrogance that roiled off of him. How she hadn't noticed him the night before was a mystery.

Katara swallowed and felt like she needed a sound slap to the face.

She had bigger things to worry about.

But then, Zuko was one of those things to worry about.

How could Jet expect her to get close to him? She had barely said anything to Zuko, and he had been ready to jump her.

Katara rolled onto her stomach, as if the action alone could make her mind shut off and put the worries to rest.

She had to get some sleep, because the next few days would prove to be eventful.

For better or worse.

AN: As always, thank you for reading!