The knock on the cabin door startled Song just as she was folding her sleepwear. She shouldn't have been so nervous, she knew as much, and yet she couldn't help but dread that at some point, a guard or a sailor or just anyone would show up to let her know that this cabin wasn't meant for her, and that she had been taking advantage of Azula's hospitality when she had no right to do so.
She had feared that might happen ever since the first time they'd brought her on the ship, and then she had expected it to happen again on the second time. This was only the third, their destination wouldn't be Ba Sing Se for once… and she still was so unused to the luxuries, feeling so unfit for the life of a royal, that she still assumed she would be kicked out of the room at any given moment.
But it only was Rui Shi at the other side of the door, and he greeted her with a warm smile that only faded from her face once she sighed in relief.
"Anything wrong?" he asked, entering the room once Song had stepped out of the way to let him in.
"N-no, no, just…"
"Oh. Still at that, are you?" Rui Shi smirked, an unusual expression to glimpse on his handsome face "Is it really that hard to believe you're an honored guest, at this point in time?"
"Well, yeah, to some extent" said Song, biting her lip "I'm not used to all this… pampering, I guess? It's so luxurious. I never thought I'd live like this, not even temporarily…"
"But you don't hate it, do you?" Rui Shi asked, raising an eyebrow and reaching to clasp her hands. Song shook her head, a blush over her cheeks.
"No, I don't. It just feels excessive" she said, smiling "I don't know that I deserve this kind of treatment…"
"If you didn't deserve this kind, it'd be because you deserve better" Rui Shi declared, proudly.
"You always say those things" Song laughed, letting Rui Shi envelop her in a gentle hug. He smiled, patting her back.
"I say them because they're true" he said "I trust you slept well?"
"Even if you couldn't join me, yeah" Song sighed, pressing her face into his chest "Will you have to go work again now?"
"I won't, in fact" Rui Shi said "I traded my shifts with Renkai last night. I can spend the whole day with you this way"
"You can?" Song asked, surprised. She pulled away to look at him in amazement, and Rui Shi smiled proudly "That's… oh, that's wonderful!"
"I thought, unless you wished to do anything else, that we might enjoy exploring Whaletail Island together" he said, with a shrug "I've never been here before, so I can't quite show you around… but we can still see the sights, if you wish"
"We're really free to do that?" Song asked, her eyes aglow.
"I requested permission from the Princess, and she conceded it" Rui Shi declared, before adding "I asked Fei Li as well, though that hardly counts for anything…"
"Then she'll allow it? That's… ah, this sounds wonderful, Rui Shi" said Song, beaming "I'll have to thank Azula when I…"
"Azula?" Rui Shi repeated, blinking blankly. Song froze, the familiarity with which she had just referred to the Princess had slipped past her lips before she knew what she was saying.
"That was…! W-well, I…! It's not like it's a crime to call her by her name, is it?" Song blushed violently now, abashed as she inched away from Rui Shi's amused gaze.
"It's not, I just had no idea you two were such close friends now" he teased her "All the more reason why she gives you the fanciest room on the Barge, second to her own, of course"
"That's not… ugh, Rui Shi" Song pouted, as he laughed and guided her to the door.
"At any rate, we should get going" he said, grinning "We do have all day to explore Whaletail Island, but we'll see more of it if we start earlier, right?"
"Right…" said Song, with a small smile. Her fingers tightened around his hand and she allowed him to guide her out of her obnoxiously luxurious room, leaving behind the fancy silk drapes and ornate furniture that seemed to judge her for as long as she was in it.
Song wasn't supposed to be too busy through this trip, at least not until the next day: she was expected to be at the ready to heal Sokka, should any harm befall him after his big fight against the Mist. As it was, Song doubted she'd have anything to do at all, for she couldn't quite imagine Sokka's sister would want to hurt him. Nonetheless, she had joined the trip gladly, pleased for the opportunity to travel in the Barge rather than staying cooped up at home waiting for everyone's return.
Several off-duty guards were on deck, as was Sokka. The gladiator studied the town in the island nervously, tapping a foot with uncertainty, his back turned towards them. Despite Rui Shi had wanted to slip away with Song without being noticed, a voice called to him just before he could lead her to the ship's ramp.
"Must be nice, eh? Going on a date with your girlfriend while the rest of us are stuck watching the ship!" Fei Li pouted, glaring at the former captain with undisguised envy. Rui Shi smiled and shrugged.
"If you didn't want me to go, you could've just said no" Rui Shi stated, as Song bit her lip. Most eyes had turned towards them after Fei Li's voice had cut through the general silence, including Sokka's.
"I could've, I guess, but I had no reason to, I suppose, so… ugh, I just want a few leisure days to show my own girlfriend around town" he grumbled. Rui Shi raised an eyebrow.
"For starters, you need to find one, don't you?" he asked. Fei Li jumped and scowled at him.
"W-well, that's neither here nor there, n-none of your business! Now go before I change my mind about letting you go and…!"
"Ah, well, if you do, I'll just let the Princess know that you're trying to overrule her orders…" Rui Shi smirked. Fei Li froze, eyes wide.
"I-I wasn't…! I didn't…! Ah, get going already!" Fei Li groaned, storming off to the prow and leaving Rui Shi to snicker with malice.
Despite his triumph against Fei Li, Rui Shi wouldn't be able to climb off the ship with Song as quickly as he had hoped to: Sokka approached them once Fei Li had left, and Song answered his smile with a welcoming one of her own.
"You guys are taking off to see the town, then?" Sokka asked, his grin souring, despite he held it in his face all the same "Must be fun…"
"It's bound to be, yes" said Rui Shi, raising his eyebrows "Something the matter?"
"N-no, no, nothing, not at all…" he mumbled, his foot tapping a little faster now. Song smiled.
"You just can't help but wonder if your sister is there somewhere, huh?" she asked. Sokka flinched: her guess had been spot-on, naturally.
"I guess it's just that obvious, but I…! I don't know. Suddenly it's all feeling so real, too real, and I'm starting to think I just want to run away, for some reason" Sokka said, blinking blankly "Of course, I won't, but… you know"
"You'd better not. Else coming all this way would've been a waste of time and resources" Rui Shi said, matter-of-factly, and Sokka sighed.
"That's the one reason why I won't, yeah" he said.
"I think you just need to get your mind off your fight" Song suggested "If anything… it's possible sightseeing might be good for you too, you know?"
"Oh?" Sokka said, raising his eyebrows "Well… I admit, I kind of want to see the town, though I can't say that'll help me get my mind off anything, but…"
"If you come with us we can keep you distracted, I'm sure" Song said, giving Rui Shi pause.
"Woah… with us?" Rui Shi repeated, glancing at her meaningfully "Song, t-the idea was for it to be you and me, not… well, you, me and Sokka?"
"I know" said Song, tapping her chin with a finger "Truth be told, I doubt we'd be much use at distracting Sokka, so…"
"So?" said Rui Shi, and Song turned to her housemate.
"So you should go fetch the Princess and see if she wants to come along too!" she suggested.
Sokka's eyes brightened immediately at the suggestion, and he nodded promptly. Rui Shi's jaw had dropped, though, and he regarded his girlfriend in sheer horror.
"Song?!" he exclaimed, but Sokka ignored him altogether:
"Now we're talking! That's going to work, for sure!" he declared, beaming "Alright, then, you guys wait here while I go get her!"
"N-no, but…!" Rui Shi groaned, as Sokka dashed off to the Barge's tower.
Naturally, the Imperial Guard gave Song a begrudging leer, and she only shrugged innocently under it.
"Why? Why would you…? Just, why?" he asked, rubbing his forehead with his fingertips.
"Well, they're our friends, and besides, if it's the two of them, and the two of us… it'll feel more like a double-date and they won't be bothering us remotely as much as they'll bother each other" said Song, shrugging "You know what they're like"
"Yeah, I do know, which is exactly why bringing them along for what I considered a date feels… like a serious waste" Rui Shi groaned, shaking his head "If they drive me crazy, I'll hold you personally responsible"
"Oooh, now that does sound like a serious crime I'd be committing" Song teased him, chuckling "I wonder just what the penance might be"
"You'll find out quickly enough, considering that spending an entire day hearing those two bicker is about as terrible a punishment as anything could be" Rui Shi growled, glaring at the tower to find Sokka was already dragging Azula out of it, yanking her by the wrist. Going by how she seemed to try to wrestle off his hold, she wasn't all that willing to go along with this wild endeavor.
"For crying out loud…!" Azula huffed, as Sokka finally let go of her, once he reached Rui Shi and Song "What did you drag me all this way for?!"
"We're going sightseeing! All four of us!" Sokka declared, proudly. Azula's eyebrow twitched.
"Oh. And you couldn't have just said that from the start, now, could you?" she asked.
"Well, no. Had I told you it was something as silly and fun as sightseeing, you would've said you were too busy going over your papers for the umpteenth time in the last weeks" Sokka teased her "For my strategy to pay off, it was vital for you to be removed from the vicinity of those wretched boring documents that seem to consume you so, Princess"
"Those boring documents are supposed to guarantee that I can't torture you when you piss me off, so it's actually advantageous for you that I pore over them as often as I do" Azula said, with a sarcastic smile. Sokka grinned guiltily at those words.
"Ah, but come on, you can look at them all you want later! We should check out Whaletail Island! It's your first time here, isn't it?"
"It is, but that's hardly a big deal" Azula sighed, rolling her eyes.
"If you hadn't wanted to spend time checking out whatever Whaletail Island has to offer, you would've scheduled the trip so we wouldn't have any days off" Sokka smirked "Yet we arrived one day before the fight! That must mean, surely, that you always intended to spend the first day exploring the town"
"What that means, actually, is that I wanted to avoid being tardy by arriving within a safe margin before your big fight, something we've failed to do enough times as it is, and that I'd like to avoid doing in the future" Azula snapped, shaking her head "For crying out loud, you'd think after all these years you'd know I hate being unpunctual…"
"I know you do, just as I know you love visiting new places with me" Sokka smirked "Just like when we went to Ba Sing Se for the first time, or when we checked out Fire Fountain City thoroughly because we arrived a whole day before the Scavenger Hunt, just like this time…"
"There was a purpose to studying Fire Fountain City beforehand, there's no such purpose in doing it this time" Azula huffed, shaking her head "And what little I saw of Ba Sing Se before your fight, I saw without you, remember?"
"Fire Fountain City, huh? That's one place I haven't been to" Song said. Sokka waved a hand in her direction.
"Not worth visiting, it has this ridiculous statue of the Fire Lord and every time I see it, I just want to tear it down all over a-…"
"At any rate…" Azula said, quite loudly, as to interrupt Sokka from making potentially dangerous and treasonous claims while many of her guards were nearby "I apologize to you both, Rui Shi, Song. Had I known he was trying to sabotage your date I wouldn't have let him drag me here as though I had to be shepherded places like a wooly-pig or so"
"He didn't sabotage anything" Song laughed "I suggested we could all go together, but if you'd rather not come along…"
"Hey, now" Sokka said, stepping forward and looking at Azula intently "That's not right"
"What's not…?" she said, surprised by the sudden seriousness of his voice.
"Wooly-pigs are kind of ugly" he said, frowning "If you're to be compared to any kind of sheep-related animal, it ought to be something cuter, like… a koala-sheep! Much better!"
Rui Shi and Song stared at Sokka in disbelief as he grinned proudly upon his declaration. Azula, though, showed him one of her most dangerous smiles before raising her hand… and a burst of blue fire burned in it within moments.
"Oh, look at that, I have a fireball in my hand! Care to guess who's the unlucky soul I plan to throw it at?" she said, eyes widening menacingly as Sokka laughed and ran to hide behind Rui Shi.
Rui Shi gave Song a meaningful look, despair shining through his eyes despite the healer beside him happened to be laughing softly.
"This. This is what you've burdened us with for today. I hope you're happy" he said, and Song shrugged.
"I can't deny it, they're a lot of fun when they're being silly"
"Which is about all the time, admittedly" Rui Shi said, shaking his head.
Song laughed before pulling Rui Shi towards the ship's ramp. Sokka scrambled there first, though, running away from the threat of Azula's fire blasts. There was no genuine threat to be had, it went without saying; Song's certainties had been proven correct after all: if anyone could get Sokka's mind off his worries and everything he feared about tomorrow, it would be his Princess.
Their constant bickering and arguing decreased as they progressed through the docks, taking notice of the many humble shops of wooden make, which contrasted with the far more opulent and recent buildings of solid rock and plaster walls. The most recurrent kind of buildings appeared to be taverns, for there were at least four within the port's area. Once they entered the main streets of the island, the sights became far more diverse and interesting than they'd been at the bay, with restaurants, bathhouses, marketplaces, and stores of all kinds.
Around the same time, the southern port of the island seemed rather placid and uneventful, as opposed to the northern one. Zuko had dressed up in Fire Nation garb for the first time in ages and tied up his long hair in a half-knot: he stood on his ship's deck, waiting for Kino to be ready before setting out on their quest for jobs and money. He bit his lip, thumbing the contents of his pocket: he had made certain to bring the few coins he had left from his initial trip with Suki. It wasn't a lot of money, but he hoped it would serve at least to buy a hat and gloves to conceal Aang's identity.
"Alright, alright!" Kino finally exclaimed, stumbling out of the cabin in a black-and-yellow sleeveless tunic, spreading his arms before Zuko "I'm ready! How do I look?"
Zuko only raised an eyebrow as Kino awaited his answer eagerly. Aang and Katara, both sitting by the ship's railing, seemed just as puzzled by the question and Kino's enthusiasm as Zuko was.
"You look like… you" Zuko determined, and Kino pouted "What difference does it make how you look in your case, Kino? You're the only one who won't stand out in the least"
"Well, yeah, that's the thing, I actually thought I should make an impression… otherwise, who'd want to hire me?" Kino pouted.
"If we just help with crates and whatnot, I doubt anyone will care if your hair's perfectly tamed or not" Zuko said, smiling weakly as Kino twitched upon noticing his curls were growing unruly, despite his best attempts to placate them.
"Why, you…" he growled at his hair, reaching to flatten his bangs as Aang and Katara stood up.
"We'll wait here, then, as we agreed" said Aang "I know this won't be easy, so good luck, you two. Try not to drive each other crazy"
"Zuko doesn't drive me crazy" Kino declared, beaming. Zuko's eyebrow twitched.
"I wish I could say the same about you" he grumbled, and Kino gasped, indignant.
"Try to find good jobs, too. Something worth the pay" Katara said. Zuko shrugged.
"We'll do our best. As long as Kino stops worrying about his appearance, that is" he said, grabbing the man by the shoulder and dragging him to the pier "Come on, then"
"Alright, alright, let's go!" Kino exclaimed, waving at the friends he was leaving behind on the ship.
The pair climbed onto the wooden dock and trailed across the port. In broad daylight it was apparent that the port wasn't too active; if anything, only the occasional fisherman seemed to dock in the available piers. The thought gave Zuko pause, as he wondered if, in case it was impossible to find actual jobs, they ought to find nets and haul as many fish as they could out here…
"You don't want to work on a fishing boat, or do you?" Kino said, noticing Zuko's attention was on the many small boats "I thought you liked hunting and not fishing, Zu-…"
"Hold that thought right now" Zuko said, sternly leveling Kino with a harsh glare that guaranteed he'd fall silent immediately "Stop calling me by my actual name"
"Uh… what do you want me to call you, then?" Kino asked. Zuko shrugged as he glanced about himself.
"Lee? Anything works, as long as we give people less reason to suspect that I'm… well, me"
"Huh… well, then, Prince Lee…!"
Zuko's dead-pan glare prompted Kino to laugh as he waved a hand dismissively.
"I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding…"
"Enough nonsense. Focus, alright? I'm pretty sure that guy's in charge here" Zuko said, pointing at a tall, bald man he'd seen talking to a few sailors before. Kino eyed the man with interest.
"Is he, now…?" as Zuko sped his way towards the man.
The man in question raised his eyebrows upon being approached by the strange two men. They appeared thin and unkempt, despite their best efforts to clean up, so it was easy enough to guess what they'd ask from him…
"There are no available jobs in this port right now"
The words froze Zuko cold just before he could speak, and Kino whimpered slightly behind him, wondering if they'd be shut down this quickly everywhere they went.
"W-well, are you sure?" Zuko asked, tentatively "We won't ask for much pay, if you have any jobs to…"
"I said we have none. That's how it is" said the man, raising his eyebrows "If you want a job, head up to the other port in town. That one's bustling right now, you'll find something to do in no time"
"You're sure? Or are you just trying to get rid of us?" Kino asked. Zuko flinched and glared at him.
"I'm pretty sure, yeah, doesn't mean I don't want to get rid of you" said the man, with a dry smile. Kino smiled uneasily.
"Well… thanks, I guess" said Zuko, slightly relieved that Kino's indiscreet words hadn't sat ill with the port's caretaker "Do you know of any other place where we might be able to find jobs for the day?"
"Not really. Might be you could wash dishes at some restaurant in town, but I wouldn't know for sure, myself…" said the man, shrugging as he eyed the nearest fishing boat.
"Really, now?" Kino said, biting his lip "C'mon, I'm sure you can come up with a better idea for two dashing, handsome young men like us…?"
The man's dismissive attitude finally faded away, but only because he was profoundly amused by Kino's latest words. He eyed them up and down before laughing quite loudly.
"Well, then, if that's how it is, I'm guessing you ought to go ask if there's openings at the brothel! It's three streets down…!"
"N-no! Absolutely not, that's not what…! Kino!" Zuko exclaimed, blushing wildly, though Kino's own cheeks were redder yet.
"I'm pretty sure they take on both male and female entertainers there: you ought to go right on ahead and ask for jobs there, handsome ones" the man continued to laugh, as Zuko grunted under his breath and grabbed his friend by the neck of his shirt.
"Never mind! Thanks for your help, but we're leaving now!" Zuko said, pulling Kino behind him, who, for once, had decided that maybe he should stop talking.
The intensity of the man's booming laughter decreased with every step they took. The two Fire Nation men made their way to the streets that led out of the port, in direction opposite to the brothel the man had suggested.
"You're seriously wrong in the head, Kino, I mean it" Zuko growled, only letting go of his friend once they couldn't hear the laughing man anymore. Kino pouted.
"I didn't really think he'd suggest something like that, I'm sorry…" he mumbled.
"Well, this ought to show you to stop saying that kind of thing" Zuko snapped "None of us is going to end up in a brothel, of all places"
"I agree, I agree, Hakoda would kill us if we did" Kino admitted, with a sad smile "Alright, then…! Uh, we're already leaving the port?"
"Well, yeah. What else can we do?" Zuko said "If that guy doesn't have any jobs for us, we should look for them elsewhere"
"Huh, but… weren't we going to check on a wanted posters' board first?" Kino suggested. His words gave Zuko pause "I mean, this guy probably spends all day in his docks working with his fishermen, but… maybe other people would've seen you on wanted posters if there were any, right?"
"Right" Zuko sighed, nodding "Fine, then. Let's check out your old regiment's headquarters, then"
Kino guided Zuko carefully, choosing less crowded streets on his way to the military compound in the island. It wasn't a large building, unlike the ones Zuko remembered at the Capital: even the metal settlement from the South Pole seemed larger and more imposing than the one Kino had brought them to.
"Okay… wait here, behind this house" Kino told Zuko, as they lurked in a small alley. He took a deep breath and frowned with determination "I'll be back shortly"
"Try to be careful, alright?" Zuko said "I know you claim these people never noticed you, but maybe they realized you were missing just when they got here…"
"I know, I know. There could be a wanted poster for me too, what'd you know?" said Kino, with an awkward grin "I'll be back, then. Be careful too and don't let anyone notice you!"
Zuko sighed and nodded as Kino made his way to the building as casually as possible. There was an announcements board attached to the simple wall that enclosed the military structure, and even from a distance Kino could identify the unequivocal wanted posters, with the Fire Lord's red seal and those stylish depictions of the criminals right next to the text that specified who they were, and what crimes they'd committed…
He bit his lip as they finally came into full view: with a quick glance, he confirmed none of the criminals depicted had a scar like Zuko's. That relieved Kino right away, but he read through the content of each poster just to be sure…
"Hey"
Kino flinched.
That voice… he'd heard it before. He'd heard it for years, giving out orders to the men in the settlement. That voice belonged to the man who had yelled at the younger soldiers to stop talking about his affair with the Lieutenant's wife…
He turned his head to the left, confirming with his eyes what his ears had already surmised: his old captain stood beside him, arms crossed, staring at him intently.
"C-ca-…" Kino blurted out, terrified. Oh, Zuko would kill him for his carelessness. He'd definitely…
"You're in my way"
Kino froze. He gazed around himself with uncertainty, for it wasn't quite a narrow street, nowhere near as narrow as the alley Zuko was waiting at… admittedly, he had kept unnecessary distance from the announcement board, but couldn't the captain simply go in front or around him?
Despite being completely aware of this, despite his train of thought was quite logical, Kino's answer was the one it ever had been:
"Y-yes, sir…"
With that, he took two steps back, clearing the way for his former commanding officer. And the pretentious captain walked, head high, inside his building, without recognizing one of the very few deserters from the Fire Nation army despite he had been right in front of him.
All things considered, though, there wasn't much chance he'd recognize Kino at all. The former soldier read the final poster on the board, smiling awkwardly upon reading his name on it… and upon seeing the picture that accompanied the text was completely different from his actual appearance. Brown, straight hair rather than black curls, with a large nose where Kino's was small, a strong chin where Kino's was slim… even one of the ideograms for his name had been miswritten.
"Heh. Heh. I know I'm not as big a deal as Jeong Jeong, but still…" Kino pouted, walking away after shooting an envious glare at the Deserter's perfect poster.
Zuko had witnessed the strange encounter between Kino and the captain from afar, and although he'd been worried at first, he was perplexed when Kino returned, wide-eyed and with a dry grin.
"N-no wanted posters for you, Prin-… I mean, Lee" he confirmed. Zuko raised his eyebrow.
"Great, but what happened with that soldier?" Zuko asked "Did he recognize you, or…?"
"Nope. Not like he could, anyhow" said Kino, with a dry grin "Turns out, uh… there's a poster for me, actually"
"WHAT?!"
"It's nothing to worry about, though" Kino said quickly, hoping to appease Zuko's blend of panic and outrage "They… got everything wrong, actually"
"They… how? What?" Zuko said, even more confused now.
"Well, goes to show my story about them not noticing me was spot-on, eh?" said Kino, shrugging "They think I'm some strong-jawed, big-nosed, brown-haired dude, and that my name's spelled with the ideograms for joy and field when it's tree rather than joy, and… uh, basically, I'm not me, officially! Well, that is, if that makes any sense…?"
Zuko's eyebrow twitched, as Kino shrugged carelessly.
"I didn't even expect them to realize I was gone at all, so… I should be grateful they noticed?" he said, with a weak grin.
"A-and the guy didn't recognize you? Not even a little?" Zuko asked. Kino shook his head promptly.
"He was just annoyed because I was standing in his way, like he couldn't possibly just go around me and…" Kino rambled, eyes narrow with irritation. If he thought about it, that was just the captain being himself, wasn't it? He always treated him just like that, after all… "You know what? It's cold and it sucks in the South for so many reasons, but it's way better than being a nobody over here, you know?"
"It sounds like it" said Zuko, grimacing "Well, then… I guess we should get going. There are other places we ought to check out for jobs, right?"
"Right! The other port, and the restaurants"
"And not the brothel" Zuko declared. Kino smiled uneasily.
"Nope. Not the brothel" he agreed, nodding promptly.
Whaletail Island's town was larger than Zuko remembered it. It wasn't quite as big as the Fire Nation Capital, but at morning hours it was crowded and noisy, with people going about their business without giving others much attention, which the exiled prince could only be grateful for. The town was humble, with small buildings rather than those of opulent grandeur that were often found in the Fire Nation mainland. The gravel streets seemed so casual compared with the solid rock ones in the Fire Nation's major settlements, and often it seemed stray animals and wild plants would pop up unexpectedly, adding colors and beauty to the Fire Nation colony.
"Alright, then, where to first?" Kino said, glancing at Zuko "I suggest we go to the port last, since it's at the other end of the island, so for now…"
Zuko's eyes had drifted towards the restaurants, longingly. Kino stopped talking upon realizing Zuko wasn't listening, and it wasn't until a moment after he fell silent that Zuko noticed he had his friend's insidious stare on him.
"I-I'm fine, I… what are you looking at me like that for?"
"You were on a daze, I figured I'd make you uncomfortable to snap you out of it" Kino said, earnestly. Zuko's eyebrow twitched and he had to hold back the urge to slap the back of Kino's head "I was just asking where we should go first, but you were looking at the shops here like they mean the world to you, or so…"
"I was just remembering that… well, the last time I came here, I brought Suki to a restaurant" he smiled "We had a nice time together, and… well, we were supposed to go to Kyoshi Island after that. Things have turned out very differently since then"
"Probably for the better, though!" Kino exclaimed, grinning "I mean, yeah, life down south is tough, but you've made good friends there, right?"
"Right…" said Zuko, as Kino smiled, ecstatic to hear Zuko agree with him "Like Aang. And Hakoda. And Yuro, and Kattan, and…"
"And?" Kino said, blinking eagerly at him. Zuko opened his mouth, looking at Kino from the corner of his eyes.
"And Kanna. She's a very nice old lady. Yep, that's everyone" he said, with a proud grin. Kino whimpered.
"Why must you torture me so? Why can't you acknowledge that we're frie-…?!"
Zuko was chuckling, though he stopped laughing when he noticed Kino's attention had been drawn away by something else, to the point where he had trailed off in the middle of his complaint.
They had been hiking up a small hill inside the island, one that would lead them to the center of the colony. Now, from the top of the hill, they could see what waited below…
The biggest building in the entire island so far, and thus, the first one to claim anyone's attention, was shaped as an oval, and even at a distance it was possible to see the open stands and the archways that decorated its exterior. Zuko frowned: he had never seen the town's Arena before. No doubt that was what Kino had been staring at.
"I think Suki said once that it was called… the Southern Coliseum, or so" Zuko mumbled. Kino swallowed and nodded.
"Yeah, I… I was there, once" he told Zuko "I asked about Sokka, because Katara and Aang wanted to know if he was alive, so I had to gather information about the Blue Wolf for them…"
"Huh" said Zuko, breathing deeply as he eyed the Coliseum with uncertainty "You don't think we could find some sort of job there, do you?"
"Oh? Well… I don't know. Maybe!" Kino exclaimed, beaming "Why not, huh?"
"Well, it's just a suggestion, I guess" said Zuko, biting his lip "I remember the Grand Royal Dome had a pretty big staff… might be they don't offer daily jobs, though"
"Doesn't hurt to ask, does it?" Kino suggested, shrugging "Let's go check it out!"
Despite his usual apprehension regarding the Gladiator Business arose, as it ever did, Zuko found himself genuinely considering the idea of working at this Arena, if just briefly. It wouldn't be fun, he knew… but the Grand Royal Dome was known for being a successful venture in terms of money. If the Southern Coliseum was anything like it, they might just pay good wages to anyone who wanted to work for them, if just by cleaning sand and picking up discarded weapons in the fighting pit…
The Coliseum wasn't at the center of the island, but it might as well have been. It had multiple entrances, which solved the issue that the Grand Royal Dome often had with its single vestibule, difficult to navigate if any popular gladiators had a fight that day. If there were exits nearly everywhere, people would be free to come and go with further ease.
The downside was, of course, that Kino had forgotten where the staff's counters were at: the two men had to walk around the Coliseum almost in its entirety before they found the counter they were looking for, to Kino's mild amusement and Zuko's chagrin.
"Aha! There it is! I told you it'd be right there!" said Kino, beaming as he pointed the counter out to Zuko "And… oh! It's the same girl who was here when I asked about Sokka, too! Do you think it's fate?!"
"Don't you think she just works there?" Zuko asked, grimacing in distaste "Curses, Kino, do you just have crushes on every available woman you meet?"
"W-well, no! I don't have a crush on Katara!" Kino declared, proudly. Zuko snorted.
"Only because she was too violent ever since you first met her, otherwise you would've been asking to sire her children…" he said, making his way to the counter. Kino gasped, aghast.
"How DARE you make such an outrageous claim!" he said, following Zuko closely "I… I would never! I have never! I…!"
"Good day to you both. Seems like you're quite the lively pair" said the young woman behind the counter, offering them a welcoming smile "Are you hoping to sign up as a new pair of sponsor and gladiator, by any chance?"
"W-wha-…? Woah, us?" Kino asked, blinking blankly.
"Well, sponsoring him would probably be a huge disappointment, but thanks for the suggestion all the same" Zuko said. Kino pouted.
"Maybe I'm the one who ought to sponsor you!" he said, though his eyes gleamed with the possibilities right away "But, say, if I did want to sponsor him, what exactly would we have to do…?"
"You'd have to fill in a few forms and wait until the end of the month for the Grand Royal Dome to confirm you were accepted into the ranking. You'd only be free to participate in any fighting after you receive official clearance for it" the young woman said without losing a beat, still grinning as professionally as possible, unconcerned upon seeing Kino's enthusiasm had crashed and burned immediately.
"Heh. So much for quick cash…" he mumbled. Zuko sighed as the young woman, courteous as she had been, eyed Kino warily now.
"Quick cash? What are you talking about?" she said.
"Well, we just… wanted to ask if there's any job openings here, actually" Zuko finally said. The woman raised her eyebrows.
"Job openings? Well, gee… I don't know, but what kind of job are you looking for?"
"Temporary ones? Just for a day or two?" Kino said, with a hopeful grin. The awkward grimace on the girl's face answered his question all on its own.
"I'm afraid not" she said. Zuko gritted his teeth "I guess you guys are desperate, but we generally only hire people on the long-term, and by 'we' I mean the chairman of the Southern Coliseum and his board. I have nothing to do with it, not really…"
"Heh. I guess we're out of luck, then" Kino pouted. The girl eyed them sympathetically.
"I'm sure there are other places you can go to. Like the docks, for instance…?"
"We were at the southern one already. No luck" Zuko said.
"Well, the northern one is all the rage right now" said the girl, shrugging "For the obvious reasons, I suppose…"
"Obvious?" Kino repeated. She blinked at his question, studying him with uncertainty.
"You guys don't go out much, do you?"
"U-uh, not really, no" Zuko said, grimacing. If the girl had assumed they were from Whaletail Island, it'd spare them from having to come up with a cover story about how they got here, at least…
"Then you seriously haven't heard about tomorrow's fight?" she asked, raising her eyebrows "Are you for real?"
"We are, very much so" said Kino, grinning awkwardly "What's going on tomorrow?"
"The unofficial top non-bender of the League will visit us for the first time" said the girl, smiling again "It's going to be a fight to remember…"
"Oh? The unofficial top non-bender?" Kino repeated, hands on his waist.
"Yes! The Blue Wolf!" exclaimed the girl, beaming "He's up against the Mist, she's one of Whaletail Island's very best… uh, are you both okay?"
Their jaws had dropped, and their eyes had widened, all of it in such perfect synch the girl would've believed it was rehearsed if their reactions hadn't been as honest as they were. She blinked blankly, waiting for them to answer her question until Kino whimpered, as he often did.
"D-d-d-did you just say… the Blue…? The Blue Wolf?!" he exclaimed, grabbing the counter suddenly. The girl leaned away, wary now.
"I did, but…! What, are you fans of his, or something? If so, how come didn't you guys know he was coming?"
"W-we're… we're not from around here" Zuko finally admitted, swallowing hard "We've only just traveled here from Kyoshi Island"
"Oh. Huh, I guess that makes some sense" the girl said, though she eyed them warily nonetheless: their reactions upon hearing the Blue Wolf's name had been too unusual to be explained so easily.
"But just… wait just a moment now" Zuko said, with a disbelieving smile "You said unofficial best non-bender of the… of the League? That means he's not exactly the best non-bender yet, right?"
"Well, only on paper" said the girl, shrugging "He defeated the top non-bender around a month-and-a-half ago, if our information is correct. Everyone's been talking about it, really: most times the top gladiators of each discipline are pretty stable, so that the Mad Alchemist would fall against the Blue Wolf… he must be that extraordinary, huh?"
"I… suppose" Zuko said, barely able to give the girl's words any credit.
"I look forward to watching him fight" the girl admitted, smiling proudly "Won't hurt one bit that people say he's very handsome, but he's got to be such an amazing fighter too! I've already asked a friend to cover for me at the counter tomorrow just so I can watch him"
"Oh. Hadn't you asked someone else already, we could've done it for you, hehe…" said Kino, with a sad smile. The girl grinned sympathetically too before Zuko cleared his throat.
"Well, at any rate, if this is how it is, clearly there's no work for us to do here, right?" Zuko said, with a dry grin "Therefore…!"
"Oh, you should try the northern port!" the girl exclaimed, as Zuko started to drag Kino away "I hear the Princess already arrived, so…!"
Zuko froze, but he smiled and nodded at the girl as courteously as he could before dragging Kino away. The former soldier waved goodbye at the woman: Zuko pulled him away so brusquely that she was out of sight quickly.
"Woah, Zuko… you didn't even let me say goodbye!" Kino complained, and Zuko scoffed.
"Didn't you hear what she just said?!"
"That the Princess already arri-…? Oh. Oh, damn"
"My… my sister. She's in this blasted island. Shit, Kino, shit!" Zuko exclaimed. Kino flinched as he failed to keep up with Zuko's brisk pace: he yanked his hand out of his hold instead, forcing Zuko to slow down.
"Okay, it's bad, I get it…!" Kino started, as he stopped and rubbed his hand where Zuko had held onto it brusquely "Come to think of it, no, I actually don't. I mean, why is it so…?"
"Sokka, Kino! Sokka is in the same island as…!" Zuko said, exasperated, on the brink of a panic attack. He turned towards Kino, his eyes glaring daggers at his companion "If Katara finds out he's here, Kino, can you imagine what she might do?!"
"U-uh… she'd try to meet up with him?" said Kino "That's what the whole rescue mission thing was about… right?"
"Meet with him, sure" said Zuko, with a skeptical smile "My sister has brought Sokka closer to his tribe than he has been in ages. How likely is it for Katara to decide that our mission for food and better resources to improve our tribe's condition is secondary to… t-to kidnapping Sokka, if that's what it takes to drag him home?"
Kino raised a hand, as though to defend Katara… but he lowered it soon enough, realization dawning in his eyes.
"W-well, I guess that's not beyond her, huh? I mean, she's never been subtle about how she wants to save Sokka and whatnot…"
"And if she does that, if she tries to get Sokka away from my sister, when he's become the apparent best non-bending fighter in the League, just what do you think will happen?" Zuko asked, crossing his arms over his chest "Ah, yeah, we'll have an Imperial Barge following us across the ocean and to the South Pole, and all the happy freedom the Tribe has rejoiced in, without the Fire Nation causing trouble for a couple of years, will be over just like that, while in the middle of the worst case of famine and blizzards in the last decade or so, from my understanding!"
Zuko's chest was heaving by the time he finished his rant. Kino blinked blankly, at a loss for words. He swallowed hard as he pondered his friend's reasoning, though he shook his head just when Zuko finally seemed to be calming down.
"T-then… b-but don't you think it'd be great if we could see Sokka?" he asked "I mean, if we tell Katara not to do anything stupid…"
"Right, because Katara always listens to reason, especially when it comes to her brother" Zuko huffed.
"Alright, fine then! Maybe we don't tell Katara, but we tell Aang!"
"If we tell Aang we might as well tell Katara! He'd never keep that kind of secret to himself!" Zuko exclaimed. Kino groaned and shook his head.
"I just… I really think things would be better if we could see first-hand how he's doing" Kino pouted "And, hey, wouldn't you like to see your sister?"
"Why would I want to see my sister?" Zuko said, looking at Kino in disbelief "I mean, sure, things weren't so bad the last time we saw each other, but that doesn't mean I'm going to jeopardize this entire mission just for a chance to say hi to someone who has plenty of stuff to deal with as it is, and who probably forgot she has a brother altogether"
"That's just cruel" Kino pouted, before sighing and shaking his head "And what do we do if we find work at the northern port?"
"Ugh, they're docked there, Kino!" Zuko huffed "If Katara caught sight of either Sokka or Azula, it'd be a disaster!"
"But Zuko…!"
"Look, we came here for one thing, and that's what matters, alright?" Zuko said, frowning "My family is in the South Pole, waiting for me to come home with enough food for us to get by, and I'm not going to risk this chance to do so just because of a gladiator fight. Am I clear?"
"C-crystal clear… I guess" Kino sighed, lowering his gaze. Zuko huffed and shook his head.
"We're checking out those restaurants. Now"
"Fine…" Kino pouted, dragging his feet as he followed the banished Prince.
Convincing Kino to keep his mouth shut would take time, Zuko knew as much. The fight would happen tomorrow, and perhaps Azula would leave right after it was done… once that was over, Kino could blab all he wanted. Though, granted, Katara would be a nightmare if she knew Zuko had kept her from knowing her that her brother was in town… but he would put up with her rage and resentment if need be. His family was his priority, and he'd do whatever it took to keep them safe, alive and well-fed. Sokka was already all those things, as far as he knew… however badly Katara might have wanted to see her brother, his situation was far from urgent. The South Pole was facing a dire crisis, and solving it ought to be what mattered most. It wasn't as though Zuko knew Sokka too well, but he had no doubt Sokka would rather his people were prioritized over himself.
Unbeknownst to them, Sokka was currently at the opposite end of the island, hiking through a natural trail that nowadays served as a sightseeing area for the island's visitors. The whole town could be seen from above throughout the trail, the small red tile roofs mixed with wooden buildings, autumn trees coloring the town in a magnificent spectacle of gold, orange and red. Despite they'd traveled far and wide, and the Fire Nation was not exempt of its own colorful beauty, Sokka found himself marveled at the blooming nature in Whaletail Island.
"It's beautiful, eh?" he said, smiling with amazement as he gazed at the city "Though… the more I look around, the more I wonder if there's any remnants of Air Nomad stuff somewhere in the island"
"There might be, but I suppose you'd have to look hard for any of it" Azula replied "As is Fire Nation tradition, we tear everything down and build stuff atop it, as to pretend nothing existed before us…"
Sokka grimaced, though he knew well enough that Azula no longer spoke of such practices with pride. The tone of her voice was dark, and her head was bowed slightly as she walked next to him.
"Heh, and yet you seem to fail to bury history completely most times. Things always come up sooner or later" Sokka said, smiling weakly "I'm sure there has to be something around here somewhere, like… that rock, maybe?"
Azula raised her eyebrows as Sokka made his way to a strange, vertical stone next to the mountainside. It was cylindrical, tall enough to reach his waist, and from afar it already appeared to sport carvings, but it wasn't until Sokka reached it that he could confirm as much: he smiled in disbelief and glanced at Azula over his shoulder.
"Well, what do you know! Look at this, Azula!"
She raised her eyebrows as she approached him as requested. She identified a few carvings on the stone: most of them were unknown, yet there was a symbol of air amongst them. Azula snorted and glanced at Sokka, whose eyes were wide, accompanied by a proud smile.
"A huge island, and you found an Air Nomad relic of old times within moments" Azula remarked "Either you're very lucky or you planned this ahead somehow for my benefit"
"How could I have planned it? It's the first time I've been here" Sokka chuckled, gazing about himself.
Rui Shi and Song had left them behind a while ago: it seemed that the best way for their double date to proceed was as though they were on independent dates instead, at least for the most part. As the trail wasn't very crowded, and the other pair was also far away, Azula no longer felt the need to be as aggressive towards Sokka as she'd been earlier on the Barge.
"This trail feels old, somehow" Sokka said "It's not like I have any real understanding of spiritual stuff or anything, but… the streets down there are gravel, they were fashioned by Fire Nation builders and whatnot. This, though… it's all blended fully with nature, much more than the town down there. I figured, well… if there were any Air Nomad traces to be found, they'd be here, right?"
"And it appears you were right" Azula nodded, smiling "Smart idea to only bring it up just now to surprise me, then"
"Heh, got to impress my Princess if I have a chance" Sokka smirked "Though I bet there are other traces of them here or there. Just, not as much as there would be in the Temples, but you know…"
"It's not much, admittedly… but it's better than nothing" Azula sighed "At least it feels like the land hasn't forgotten about them, even if it's been over a hundred years since an Air Nomad walked these trails, right?"
"Yeah… if only we could find those survivors we theorized about ages ago, those hundred years would end pretty quickly" Sokka smiled sadly "All the same, though… Whaletail Island looks like a nice place, huh? It's pretty, even if I suppose it must have been amazing back in the day too…"
"At least it's not full of huge factories and pollution" Azula said, with a dry grin "Better than some of the Fire Nation's own islands, huh?"
"Sadly so" Sokka said, glancing at Azula "You ought to cheer up, though, Princess. You're starting to make real changes in the world, we both know it. You'll blow everyone's minds soon enough, fixing all the crap your father has been messing up for all these years…"
"That's a tall order" Azula admitted, and the corner of her mouth twitched. Sokka laughed quietly "And you know it just as well as I do"
"Well, you're extraordinary, goes without saying" he whispered, leaning close to her to kiss her brow softly. Azula tensed up "So you'll succeed at it without even trying"
"I wish" she said, blushing "You… probably shouldn't do that. Even if we're generally alone right now, it's…"
"Risky, I know, I know…" Sokka sighed dramatically, though he reached out for her hand regardless. Despite her previous warning, Azula couldn't hold back from tightening her grip around his own "We ought to get going again, Rui Shi and Song will abandon us for good at this rate…"
"We can meet up again at the Barge, it's not like we'll really lose them…" Azula said, keeping up with Sokka as he walked with her.
They progressed through the trail, rising higher in the mountains, until the entire town could be seen from a vantage point. Sokka's hand trembled slightly as he took in the scenery, and Azula understood why right away: the largest building was in sight, even if it was at the other end of the island's town.
She tensed up as well, gazing at her gladiator. He swallowed hard and shook his head rapidly, forcing himself to focus on their sightseeing trip instead.
"You okay?" Azula asked. Sokka shrugged.
"I suppose, for my standards, I am?" he said "I guess I'm just anxious. But that makes enough sense, doesn't it? I have no way of knowing what might happen tomorrow, so…"
"You should be fine" Azula reassured him, squeezing his hand gently "I know it's hard to picture a good outcome, but… don't be too hard on yourself, okay? Whatever you do tomorrow, you can consider yourself, well, preemptively forgiven by me, whatever it might be"
"Ah? So, if I were to beat the Mist instead of losing against her, you'd forgive me for it?" Sokka asked her, teasingly. Azula shrugged.
"I'd have no choice, now, would I?" she retorted. Sokka laughed and shook his head.
They carried on forward, catching only glimpses of Rui Shi and Song once in a while, whenever the road took sharp turns that enabled them to see far ahead. Other than a few people who walked in the opposite direction across the trail, they hadn't found a lot of sightseers like themselves so far. The lonely mountain path allowed them to enjoy the silence whenever there was nothing to say, keeping each other company while their minds wandered.
And as much as Azula's mind often returned to her reservations and fears about what might happen on the next day, her constant thoughts about Sokka's sister eventually led her to an unexpected realization. She frowned before slowing down and gazing across the island; Sokka slowed too upon noticing the change in her demeanor.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"Not quite wrong, but… have you realized that you expect to reunite with your sister here, and it's actually my brother's last known location?" Azula mused. Sokka raised his eyebrows.
"Oh… heh. You don't think he's still here, do you?" Sokka asked. Azula shrugged.
"Doubtful. His crewmen allegedly turned the island upside down looking for him" she said "I can't imagine he'd want to stay here for long, anyhow. Why would he settle down in a Fire Nation colony, of all places?"
"Who knows" Sokka shrugged "Your brother's always been a weird guy, I wouldn't expect all his decisions to make sense"
"Well, you're not wrong to think as much" Azula smiled.
"Where would you expect him to be, though, if not here?" Sokka asked "Would be funny if both our siblings were here, somewhere, if you think about it…"
"Ah, brilliant, maybe Zuko's sponsoring your sister" Azula suggested, with a sarcastic smile. Sokka snorted and laughed out loud, shaking his head at Azula's absurd idea. She joined his laughter before long.
"If that were the case, I sure as hell shouldn't lose, huh?" he said, smirking "Else you'll never stop giving me grief over making you lose against your brother, huh?"
"As a matter of fact… yeah, I think I wouldn't get over it, ever" Azula declared, hoping to sound menacing. Sokka laughed, letting go of her hand only to make a defensive gesture "You're not going to embarrass me by ruining my lifelong winning streak against my brother, now, will you…?"
"Oh, come on, it's probably not him!" Sokka exclaimed, laughing and speeding up as though to avoid Azula's playful wrath.
"With our luck, it's going to be him for sure and you're going to make a fool out of me abroad, yes you will!" Azula bellowed, chasing Sokka recklessly through the dirt road. He couldn't seem to stop laughing as he fled from her for the second time that day.
They only stopped upon reaching a resting site, furnished with a small restaurant that served the tourists on the trail. Rui Shi and Song had stopped there, and albeit Rui Shi had urged Song to let the other pair continue chasing each other foolishly, Song had insisted on calling them so they could all share lunch together.
As far as a last day of normalcy went, it had been quite a smooth one, in Azula's opinion. There was a hint of trepidation permeating the air, as though it was the final chance for free, simple happiness, before something chaotic took place… and for once, they knew exactly what that chaotic thing would be. Both Azula and Sokka were determined to cherish those last hours of simplicity before their upcoming fight, knowing that this impending encounter with the Mist might change a lot in their future… or it might change nothing, and that as well would prove devastating, even if, perhaps, easier to handle.
The looming threat to their momentary peace seemed to make the day slip past them so much faster than it ever should have. Lunch was rather enjoyable, and the two couples continued to travel on foot across the island afterwards, seeing all the wonderous sights, especially basking in a beautiful sunset once the skies began shifting from cyan to orange, pink and purple.
Rui Shi and Song had taken to watching as the sun set in the boundary between the ocean and sky in the horizon, and Sokka smiled, wanting to do the same with Azula… yet his Princess's gaze was drawn away, in another direction.
"Azula?" he called her softly, angling his body towards hers.
Her eyes were set on the south, and his heart clenched upon noticing that. The southern port was within view right now, but the Princess's eyes weren't taking in the shabbier docks of the island or the humble boats and ships tied to the piers, and Sokka knew it.
"You know…" the Princess whispered, her voice weak "You just have to say the word. I don't mind taking you there, no matter if it'd mean the journey back to the Fire Nation would be delayed…"
"I can't do that to you" Sokka said, turning his back on the sunset's spectacle to make his way to Azula "I appreciate the offer, but I can't…"
"You can, though. Sokka…" Azula said, heart clenched as she spoke "I can do this. For you, I… I can do anything. The Enforcers can wait"
"Maybe they can, but maybe I don't want them to" Sokka said, reaching out to stroke her hair gently. Her eyes were as good as pleading now "You have something important to do. This is already a crazy whim of mine, one I'm not even certain of, even on the eve of the fight, so… don't worry anymore, Azula. I'll be fine if it's not her, and I'll also be fine if I don't go back to the Water Tribe just yet"
Azula sighed but nodded in submission. Sokka cupped her cheek now, gently, his body too close to hers. They surely shouldn't be doing this in public, Azula knew as much… but again, she couldn't pull away. The threat of losing him tomorrow ever lingered, no matter how many times he reassured her that he would stay by her side.
"If you change your mind… just let me know" Azula whispered, as his lips softly grazed her brow.
"I'll be okay" he said, stroking her cheek with his knuckles "No matter what the outcome is. I know it's hard to believe… but I promise I won't be more trouble than I already have been"
"Huh, that's definitely hard to believe" Azula smiled, shaking her head "Fine, then. Fine. It's your choice, after all"
"It is. And I've already told you plenty of times that I choose you" Sokka declared, smiling proudly. Azula's heart tightened, and she huffed in frustration.
"Well, now you really ought to shut up. Stop making me feel things I can't act on right now, you wretched gladiator…" she grumbled, pushing past him unceremoniously and prompting Sokka to chuckle.
"Alright, alright, as you wish" he smiled "We should talk about something else entirely! What's Xin Long up to right now, eh?"
"Oh, lounging around the Palace grounds, making servants humor his every demand" Azula smiled, shaking her head "Bringing him with us could've spared us such a long trek through the island, since we could've just flown over it…"
"But he was being a spoiled grump and refused to come along" Sokka finished. Azula shrugged.
"I can forgive him for it, I have been abusing his flights lately" she smiled "He can sit out some of our trips once in a while, if just so he can have other people stroking his ego"
Sokka chuckled and shook his head, asking more questions about the dragon. Azula answered more enthusiastically than before, amused by retelling Xin Long's adventures to her gladiator. Together they walked behind Rui Shi and Song, hands grazing each other often, their shared laughs serving as temporary balms for their troubled hearts.
The closeness between two lovers was definitely something to behold, Aang thought, as he watched the two couples in the distance shrink out of sight at the top of the mountain. Bored as he was, he'd spent most his day watching people, both the ones in the docks and the ones who were traveling over the mountains in Whaletail Island. There hadn't been too many people in either place, but the last ones he'd seen up in the mountain had been quite moving, even if he didn't understand their circumstances in the least. All the same, it was ever sweet to witness love, in the Avatar's opinion. How he wished he could experience it himself too…
"Everything okay?"
Katara's voice snapped Aang out of his thoughts immediately. He smiled as she climbed out of the cabin, stretching and rubbing the back of her neck with her hand. She had been taking a short nap while Aang kept watch, though so far it appeared no one was paying them much, if any, attention. Katara's eyes and skin tone, unusual as they were, had yet to draw any questioning leers towards them or their ship.
"Well, yeah. Though those two aren't back yet" said Aang, with a shrug. Katara huffed.
"How long can it take?" she asked "Is the town that big?"
"I wouldn't know" Aang admitted, glancing over the edge of the ship at the island once again "Whaletail Island looks nothing like it used to. This was… well, a sanctuary"
Katara froze, eyeing Aang with concern. He smiled sadly and shrugged, taking his seat on deck and glancing into the darkening sky.
"So… this is a bittersweet experience for you, I imagine" Katara said, approaching to sit down beside him too. Aang sighed.
"I don't know why I didn't think about it before" he whispered "Sometimes, I… I forget that we're a hundred years in the future. Or, well, that some of my mind is still a hundred years in the past. Everyone I used to know, everything I used to believe about the world, all of it has changed… and yet every time I see something different, it hurts in places I didn't know were inside me. It's always a sad reminder of… of everything that's been lost"
Katara reached out to clasp his hand in hers, offering what little comfort she could. The gesture startled Aang, but he didn't pull away. If anything, he blushed and seemed shyer than usual now.
"B-but still, even if it hurts… there's beauty to change sometimes, too" Aang said, trying not to look at Katara. He was sure he was blushing, and he didn't look forward to addressing that…
"Is there?" Katara sighed "Before meeting you, all changes in my life were… well, they seemed terrible. My mother's death, my father's fruitless attempt to help in the war, my brother's disappearance… it all just devastated me"
"I know" Aang whispered, stroking her fingers gently with his thumb "I doubt there's any beauty to be found in those things"
"Just like there's none to be found in all you've lost" Katara whispered.
"And yet… we found each other" Aang said, smiling gently. Katara's breath hitched "Have you thought about it? Back in the day, before all waterbenders were taken from your tribe… one of them could have found me, thawed me out, and then… I would've returned years before you even existed. And what if you hadn't found me at all? I'd still be frozen with Appa, and…"
"And nothing would be any better" Katara said, her grip around his hand tightening. Aang smiled.
"Yeah, it wouldn't be any better for me either" he said "I… I'm really glad it was you, Katara. I'm always glad that you were the one who found me"
She was the one blushing now as he smiled in that boyish, sweet way in which only Aang could grin. Her heart skipped a beat or several, she could hardly tell anymore. Sometimes she thought her feelings were merely attraction, perhaps an inevitable fascination with the role Aang had to play in saving the world, and with all his outlandish experiences from before his stay in the Water Tribe…
But truthfully, she lost herself in him most of all in those moments when she forgot all about him being the Avatar, about his extraordinary bending skills and adventures. It was when she saw his true self, a young man who was a paragon of strength in countless ways, no matter how broken he might be. A man whose light had brought back all the hope she had discarded long ago.
It was hard to help that her heart would ache as she gazed at him. She didn't want to put those feelings into words, let alone did she think she'd confess them anytime soon… but her mind only seemed to interpret the strong feelings inside her chest as love, nothing more and nothing less.
"Well, I…" said Katara, hesitating to convey any of her thoughts, but Aang's warm gaze convinced her to speak "I'm glad too, of course I am. If anything, I wish I could've gotten you out of there sooner…"
"Well, that could've been nice too" said Aang, chuckling "Imagine if you'd gotten me out before your brother was taken. Maybe… maybe I could've made sure he wasn't taken at all"
"Maybe" said Katara, with a sad smile "There are a lot of maybes about it, huh?"
"Yeah" Aang grinned too, relaxing with his head against the ship's railing "Say… it's odd for us to be alone like this lately. I mean, even when we're talking about the plans to find Sokka, there's usually someone else around too. We haven't been alone like this in, uh…"
"A while" Katara finished. Aang chuckled "At least since you built your igloo, I guess. Things have been hectic ever since we started getting so many newcomers in the Tribe, I suppose"
"They've made the place livelier, at least" said Aang "And you love Mari, so you can't be all that annoyed about Zuko anymore because he's her dad, right?"
"Oh, don't test me" Katara said, teasingly. Aang laughed "Alright, fine, he's more bearable lately. But it's really just Mari's doing, that can't be denied. She's adorable, don't you think?"
"Yeah. Kids are so much fun" Aang grinned, gazing up at the sky "Makes you wonder about what our own kids will be like, doesn't it?"
Katara blinked a few times, staying silent as she registered his words. Suddenly, it seemed to dawn on Aang that his phrase could have more interpretations than he had originally intended… namely, one more interpretation that he found little issue with, but would Katara feel the same way?
"W-wait, I-I mean…! Ours, as in, you and me as… as individuals!" he exclaimed, breaking off their hands' contact as he inched away, flustered and nervous.
Katara only blinked again, though by the time his clarification sank in, she actually looked disappointed.
"Oh? So… you mean, our kids as in, my kids and your kids, separate entities, because…" she said, with a dry grin.
"B-because, you know, I'm not saying you and I would…! Or, I mean, it's not that it'd be a terrible idea, but…!"
"But you don't like it anyhow. Got it" Katara determined, bluntly. Aang's eyes widened.
"No, no, I didn't mean…!"
"Woah, you guys sure sound like you're having fun! Here I thought you'd be bored to death without me!"
Kino's interruption was welcome, for once. After enjoying Aang's company so much for most the day, Katara suddenly wished she could be on the other side of the island instead. She schooled her expression as much as she could, though, turning to look at Kino as she pushed herself up to her feet. He was carrying a bag with him, while Zuko had a smaller one in his hands. There was something apprehensive and uneasy about them right now, but Katara couldn't care less for whatever they were so worried about.
"You guys took forever" she said, unable to hide she wasn't in the best of moods now "Was it that hard to find anywhere to work at?"
"You could say that" Zuko said, shaking his head "As it is, only one restaurant wanted some help with washing dishes, apparently. Everywhere else seemed full-up, or so they said, so… one of us can do that tomorrow, the rest of us should try our luck at the northern port, to see if we can get quick jobs there for the time being"
"Huh. Mind if I take the restaurant job?" Katara asked, bluntly. Zuko nearly did a doubletake at her request.
Up until now, he had been wondering just how to convince Katara that washing dishes would be the perfect job for her. He was sure she'd insist on staying with Aang, on working at the port, near water, proving that she was every bit as tough as any guy who could spend all day carrying crates back and forth between ships and docks and warehouses…
That she would appear so ready and eager to head to the restaurant was strange… yet it was a big relief too. Convincing Aang to keep his mouth shut about Azula's Barge and Sokka's presence in Whaletail Island shouldn't be that hard, if he even realized it was Azula's ship to begin with.
"Well… yeah, you can do that" Zuko said, nodding "The shift they need help with ends at three, so you should probably just come back to the ship and wait for us here"
"Fine" Katara said. Her quick agreement only weirded Zuko out further, and Kino as well.
"Y-you okay?" Kino asked "Are you sick, Katara?"
"Sick? And why would I be sick?" Katara asked, eyebrow twitching.
"Because you're agreeing with Zuko a lot these days? I mean, that's… not normal" said Kino, rubbing his chin with uncertainty.
"Well, it's hardly my fault that Zuko is making sense lately!" Katara exclaimed, huffing "So yeah, I'm agreeing with him because it sounds like a decent enough plan! That's all!"
"O-okay, then…" Kino said, swallowing hard.
Aang sighed and lowered his head, knowing Katara's irritation had to be his fault. How could he be such a fool? Telling the girl he liked that he didn't want to have children with her… if he had hoped to have a shot with Katara someday, he certainly had ruined all his chances after this.
"Uh, well, be that as it may…" Zuko sighed "I had a few coins left from my last trip. I've used most of them now, bought us some food for tonight and tomorrow, and…"
With that, he handed over his small package to Aang. The Avatar's eyes widened, surprised by the apparent gift, and he snorted upon opening it:
"You found gloves! Fingerless gloves, and a headband too" he said, beaming up at Zuko.
"Looks like they match, even" Zuko teased him "You should wear that tomorrow, that way no one should ever guess who you are"
"Great thinking, Sifu Hotman" Aang declared, slipping the gloves into his hands to confirm they covered his arrows perfectly. Zuko's eyebrow twitched at the makeshift title Aang kept bringing up whenever he had a chance to.
"Don't call me that tomorrow, please…" Zuko hissed. Aang chuckled and nodded.
They ate dinner together, talking about what they'd do on the next day. The anticipation about their mission was quite thrilling, and yet it seemed everyone was holding back somehow, each of them apprehensive for their own reasons. For, had Aang and Katara been their usual selves, wouldn't they have asked more details about what Kino and Zuko had seen in the island today?
Kino found their silence, and their lack of curiosity, slightly distressing. The knowledge that Sokka was somewhere at the other end of the town kept tormenting him, and he couldn't appear to stop thinking about it, probably because Zuko had been so adamant about not telling Katara. Deep down, Kino knew it was wrong to keep this to themselves, for she'd never forgive them… but telling her could be much worse, he knew that too. His nervousness only increased upon seeing Katara act so cold and aloof for most the night, for maybe hearing good news would cheer her up…
And yet Zuko's frequent glares silenced him every time. It was more trouble than they could afford. They weren't here for sightseeing. This was a serious, life-or-death mission for the Tribe, and they couldn't afford to fail it, not even if it meant Katara would have to endure at least a few more months without seeing her brother directly.
He knew all those truths, of course he did. But as he laid down in his sleeping bag later that night, Kino couldn't help but think about how nice it would be if the estranged siblings were to reunite before the Princess's Barge could set sail back to the Fire Nation…