Chapter 9
Aang rushed out of the room, Katara following behind. They chased the guards towards the war room. They had barely left their floor when they met a royal guard lying unconscious on the floor. She ran to the guard as her instincts took over. She checked to make sure the guard was still unconscious and not dead or something... Satisfied with his stable condition, she looked at Aang and nodded.
They both ran, catching up with the growing number of guards heading towards the war room. How many people were attacking the general? What was this? An invasion? Did the war come to them while they were debating the avatar’s fate? How could they reach this high in the tower without alerting anyone?
Another two guards were sprawled on the floor in various states of pain. Katara stayed behind, attending their wounds to the best of her abilities. Both guards had prides beaten more than bodies. Those moans were more to convince someone who wasn’t her. Who was attacking? She had never seen an enemy this careful not to do a real damage. The guards were incapacitated with minimum harm. Well...maybe not minimum but it could have been worse. Someone was pulling punches. Was this a coup? Why now? Did it have something to do with them?
It always did.
“What’s going on?” she asked the next guard she met who looked like he had a few ribs bruised. At the worst.
“The Blue Spirit,” the guard mumbled as if himself unsure that’s what it was.
“The Blue Spirit?” she asked. “The Blue Spirit attacked you?”
The guard nodded. “The wanted poster of him looks a bit different, but it’s definitely him.”
“Why? Why is he attacking?”
“Do you think I had the time to chat with him, Miss?”
“I’m not asking for his reasoning. What did the general do?”
The guard paled a bit at that as if she’d voiced his thoughts aloud. He shut his mouth and wouldn’t talk to her anymore. On her way, she stopped a few more times to make sure no one was in a serious condition and asking the same questions. No one really knew why and how but The Blue Spirit was here and attacking General Fong. Closer she was to the war room, harder it became to move quickly. She carefully tread through the limbs of fallen guards towards the double doors. The last place she saw Aang.
She had seen the same doors open a few times before but each time they were in a perfect condition. This time, one of the doors hung from its hinges like someone kicked it. The other actually had a mark of the said kick. The first time Katara came to the war room she’d been amazed by its sheer size and vastness. And back then she was already shocked by the throne room even though the general insisted it wasn’t a throne room.
She hadn’t visited at this hour before. It was a shame. The opposite wall to her was made entirely of glass. It looked down the mountain slopes to the sea. The sun hung low in the sky as if it just rose from the water. The waves washed up against the shoreline, bursting with colors of the morning. She was distracted by the view, unable to tear her eyes away. Her problem was swiftly solved: a blur of movement in her field of vision and another royal guard fell.
The light in her eyes made it hard to focus on the person moving about the room rendering the general’s guards useless while dodging the avatar’s attacks. A body flew across the room and landed on the large table that had the most impressive realistic map of the land she had ever seen. She almost cried out in horror as a few towers and palaces crashed under the weight of the body.
She marched towards the attacker, water snaked around her forearm and ready to be commanded. A new surge of guards ran past her as Aang’s attacks became aggressive. The shadow spun away to dodge an air-ball spinning towards him, nearing to where Katara stood as if it was his plan all along. As if he had known where she stood all along. Indeed it was a blue masked person. Not necessarily The Blue Spirit. She'd seen many wanted posters and all of them had the same image and this wasn’t it. Was someone mimicking The Blue Spirit? Why?
As the person came closer her jaw hit the floor and she couldn’t pick it up. It couldn’t be. Yet, that figure was familiar to her. He wore a guard’s coat but the shoes were ones she had seen on Zuko. A guard blocked her view from the form moving towards her. She got on her tiptoes watching him over the guard’s shoulder. The Blue Spirit lifted his feet in the air and kicked him in the face. The guard fell with a slight twitch. Katara leaned in to poke the burned hole on The Blue Spirit’s pants but he lowered his leg too quickly. A certain prince wore the exact same pants. Not to say, black hair sticking out every which way was a dead giveaway.
The Blue Spirit lifted his mask high enough to show a rueful smile when he was in her personal space, bent down and kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear. “Do me one last favor?”
Favor? What favor?
He was already moving past her. She swiveled around, the questions on her lips. Everything happened fast but at the same time, it happened in a slow motion. From the corner of her eyes she saw Aang charge towards them, she turned around in time to see Zuko dive from the window. Her feet moved on their own accord. She was there before everyone else.
Zuko had landed safely on the rooftop and was running towards the edge. He glanced at her before jumping clear off the edge. What was he doing? Was he insane? He wouldn’t survive the jump! She landed on the rooftop the next second letting the water whip follow him. Not caring if someone mistook it for what it truly was. She was helping the enemy escape rather than trying to capture him.
She felt his weight as her water whip turned into octopus arms wrapped around him. She managed to cut the velocity in half and cushion his fall but the impact still rippled through both of them. Katara cried out in pain. The water whip snapped back, whooshing into the water skin. The weight of it told her, not even half of it returned.
She closed her eyes for a second, catching her breath. The second was long enough for Aang to fly through the window. He hovered in the air, looking her over to make sure she was alright before he descended. She must have looked alright, then. Katara forced herself to take a deep calming breath. She had very little water to make a jump like Zuko did. It was a miracle she’d stretched herself so thin in the first place.
Aang never fights to kill and Zuko promised, she repeated in her head like a mantra.
Her only option was to go back into the room and take the stairwell. Freezing water into a slop, she ran up the ice with outstretched arms to keep her balance and jumped through the window without a pause. Returning the slope to its original state and back to the water skin, she looked around.
Everyone was still recovering in the room. Including the general. Katara had never seen the man look dazed enough to gape at her, clutching his nightcap to his head. He was bound to recover. Something in his eyes told her she didn’t want to be around when that happened. The man gave her the creeps. Before the guards stopped groaning or new sets of troops arrived, Katara looked around the room searching for more water. She saw a door to another room left slightly ajar.
It looked like a bedroom. She rushed into the room and sighed in relief as the bathroom came to her view. She guided a few gallons worth of water out of the sleeping chamber. The general was talking to someone, he looked recovered. Katara didn’t give him time for anything. She ran for the window, a whip of water circled one of the pillars close to the window and froze solid. Katara used the remaining water to wrap around herself and jump from the rooftop as the water unraveled from around her like a coil and stretched until only a thin belt of water remained around her waist and tips of her feet touched the ground.
Her eyes sought the two figures wreaking havoc in the center of the outpost. It wasn’t that bad… considering. Zuko was running and jumping on the rooftops and Aang chased him. She watched them for a few seconds unable to decide what to do. How could she break this apart? How could she break this apart without anyone getting hurt?
They were both mesmerizing the way they moved and fought. Aang didn’t shy away from using airbending. Zuko escaped everything thrown at him with agility, never once slipping and using firebending. Neither had the upper hand, but neither was trying to kill the other. Yet. Katara decided, for the safety of everyone, to knock both of them off the rooftop and freeze them for a few minutes. At least it would give her time to think of a better plan.
“I’m sorry, Mighty Katara,” the general spoke from behind. Her attention focused on the boys she hadn’t heard his arrival. She turned around and, ironically, faced a wall of guards. “But you’ll be fine, I promise.”
Two guards rushed to her. Katara danced out of their reach and ran towards the center, putting distance between her and the guards. Planting her feet on the ground she faced them. Only the two guards stood where she had left them, smirking. The ground beneath her feet rumbled before it surged upwards and circled both her wrist like shackles. All around her feet the ground rose up, climbing her body. She screamed, thrashing against her prison. Her hands were curled into fists and covered with send. The more she trashed the harder it pressed into her.
“Katara,” Aang screamed and abandoned chasing Zuko to come for her aid.
Her hands were covered, but Katara wasn’t giving up that easily. She closed her eyes and focused. Water gave life to everything. There had to be a tickle of water somewhere, even in this ground. Come on! She searched and came up with nothing. It was just sand. All she felt was a world full of dirty, dried sand. How could there not be even a trickle of water? The clasp on her water skin remained closed no matter how much she begged it to answer.
The ground climbed higher...higher...higher...the constriction in her chest expanded taking hold of every part of her. She whizzed with each breath she took. The loud yelling and grunting didn’t make focusing any easier. Then the ground was up to her neck. She breathed as if through a straw. Did the general call this ‘you’ll be fine’?
Her surroundings brightened so much she could see under closed eyelids. Her eyes shot open. Aang was in the avatar state. She struggled to scream his name but no sound came before the ground covered her from head to toe. Katara gasped for air, desperately clinging to her consciousness. The fear of being buried alive seized her insides and she had no fight left as the darkness took over.
She wasn’t sure how long it lasted. How long was she buried alive? How long was she out? Was this the afterlife? Breathing hurt but at least she could pull as much air as she wanted. Her eyes flattered a few times before staying open. She stared into the golden eyes of The Blue Spirit.
“Katara?” The Blue Spirit spoke her name in Prince Zuko’s voice. “Are you alright?”
A sound like a house collapsing shook the air. Katara sat up with his help. Aang was still in the avatar state, destroying everything in his wake. She wanted to yell at the prince for whatever possessed him to attack the general but she had no time. There were some things she couldn’t fix. Her plans were those things.
“I need to get...I need to,” Katara whispered with a hoarse voice. She cleared her throat a few times before she could speak. “I need to get Aang out of the avatar state and you need to run.”
“Katara…”
“Please. You need to run. You won’t get a better chance. Please go.” She took his hand and squeezed.
Another house fell as the avatar fought the general. They didn’t have time. She stood up with the prince’s help but let his hand go the moment she was steady on her feet.
“Are you alright?” he asked again.
She nodded. “I’ll be fine. Now, go.”
She didn’t wait for him to move, she sprinted to Aang. Scratch that. Wobbled to Aang until her joints and muscles remembered how to function. Yelling his name, she wrapped her arms around Aang’s legs. Katara whispered his name until she felt Aang relax and return to himself. She hugged him until both of his feet were on the ground and his tattoos no longer glowed.
Over his head she could see Zuko standing on the wall that protected the outpost from the outside wall. The sun was behind his back, shrouding him in shadows. He truly looked like a spirit. A dark spirit. Regardless, she didn’t wish to part ways with him. He stood unmoving as if he didn’t wish it either. But the guards had taken a notice. She inclined her head, urging him to run. He gave her a slight nod before diving from the wall to the otherside...diving from a tall building twice in a row. It took all her power to stop the scream bubbling in her throat from escaping. Could he survive that fall? Would he jump if he wasn’t sure he could land safely? Had he gone completely insane down there? Was he wishing for the early end?
He was going to get an early end and then some once Katara got a hold of him. Would she get a hold of him? She took a shaky breath and shoved the thought to the darkest parts of her brain.
Do me one last favor.
Katara turned to Aang, steading him on his feet. She could hear Sokka’s sleepy voice in the distance. Although, the general was the loudest. He was celebrating his success. She looked around, taking in the damage. She wasn’t sure what was there to celebrate. Aang was going to hate seeing this.
She took the whistle from him and called Appa.
“Men,” the general boomed. “Prepare for the journey to the Fire Nation! We have the avat--”
Thump.
The general fell on the ground. Sokka stood over his unconscious body. He glared at a nearby guard. “You are looking at me like you want some thumping. I don’t mind. I have a lot of catching up to do.”
The guard shook his head, lifting both hands in the air.
“Great! Then go get our begs. Katara, we are leaving right?”
She nodded, smiling at him. “Help me get Aang on Appa.”
The guard returned in a short while with all their stuff. Someone from the kitchen brought them two bags full of food supplies, more than enough for their trip to Omashu. With not much else to say, they left the outpost. They were flying away from the fortress when Katara looked back at the sport Zuko jumped from. A small laugh rose in her throat. There was a flag hanging over the wall. The flag didn’t reach all the way and the jump was still high but he would be able to land safely. He wasn’t a rookie. He was a survivor. He would be fine.
Do me one last favor.
The thought she hadn’t apparently shoved back enough creeped out. Until now she hadn’t really considered this as a goodbye. She hadn’t looked at it as a pessimist. She realized until that very moment she believed he would follow her. He would be right behind them. She didn’t think he needed a reason to do so. Tears pricked her eyes. It didn’t matter what she thought, did it? He needed a reason and viewing things from his point of view he didn’t have any. He was free. Why would he come back? Why would he risk imprisonment? She hadn’t made him any promises she would help him. And help him with what?
Do me one last favor.
The hope that she would see him in a matter of hours, maybe days, starved to death as hours and days turned into weeks. There was no sign of him or The Blue Spirit. Not that they stopped any place she could get an update on happenings. The little she heard from passersby here and there, told her nothing. No one knew anything about the prince or The Blue Spirit. As if both had vanished.
Even though all hope was gone, she couldn’t stop herself from looking back. Wherever they stopped and everything was ready for the night, she headed towards the tallest point she could reach and watched the road until it was covered in darkness. Once they entered Omashu it became impossible to continue. She wasn’t particularly fond of sewers. One time was one too many already. And the Fire Nation weren’t so fond of her that she could use the front gate. Or as clueless as they looked.
The only other option was to head to the upper side of the city where the elite resided. She couldn’t take that much risk. If she got caught, they would have another person to rescue. Aang was already determined nothing would stand between him and his earthbending teacher. So, Katara abandoned watching the road and relied on the newspaper. Every day there was no news about the prince or his second persona or his uncle she counted as a good day.
When they staged their grand escape from the city was the first evening Katara made her way to the top of the mountain that sheltered them. She sat on the grass, her feet dangling over the edge. She watched the infinite space in front of her. She couldn’t even see the road or distinguish anything really. It didn’t matter whether she saw him walking towards her or not, at this point waiting was familiar and she sought the familiar things.
Katara’s attempt to achieve calm wasn’t going well. She pulled on the tall grass shoot next to her thigh, then tugged another and another. Her movements fueled by the pent-up frustration. Where was he? Was he alive? He promised undying servitude!
“You’re bold, of course you don’t care! She’ll pluck my hair like that grass,” she heard Sokka’s not-at-all-contained whisper.
Katara looked at her hand and then at the growing pile of grass next to her. She sighed. Looking up at Sokka, she said, “What are you doing here?”
“We came to talk to you,” Aang said, before sitting down next to the pile of grass.
Sokka sat on the other side of her.
“I don’t want to be lectured,” Katara said, getting up.
Sokka’s hand shot out and stopped her. “We aren’t here to lecture you. We just want to talk to you.”
Taking a deep calming breath she sat back. They needed to talk. It had been weeks they needed to talk but she hadn’t found a way to break her silence. It wasn’t like they didn’t talk at all, they did. Even joked around. It was just not the usual. Something was missing. This conversation was missing. And she couldn’t put it off. She was somewhat prepared for it. Of course, Katara didn’t expect it to start on a good note. If they weren’t here to lecture her but just talk, then her plan may still work.
Sokka leaned over the edge to look down and scrambled back with a scream. “Yeesh!”
Aang laughed with her as her brother petted himself down to check for injuries.
“You travel on Appa almost every day. You can’t still be scared of heights,” she said to him.
“Appa will never let me down. This rock owes me no allegiance.” Once he concluded he was alright, he settled away from the edge. He spoke without accusation in his voice, “You didn’t tell us everything, Katara.”
She fell back on the grass and observed the luminous night sky. Some time ago, when she couldn’t remember, somewhere she couldn’t remember, she had read a sentence that stuck with her for reasons she couldn’t explain; no matter where in the world we are, we always look up at the same sky and see the same moon. The thought filled the bit of emptiness she’d started to feel after their father left. She carried it with her, knowing no matter the distance they were looking at the same place and seeing the same thing. Did the prince like to stargaze at night?
She had lots of time on her hand to think of stupid lines and thoughts she shouldn’t have. She fought and then gave up on lecturing herself. That’s when her brilliant idea was born. The only idea that wasn’t eliminated by logic. Before she could tell them her ideas, she had to tell them missing pieces she didn’t say. Starting with the identity of The Blue Spirit.
“What?!” Sokka was on his feet. “Did you help him escape? Why did he attack the general? When did he become the Blue Spirit?”
“If I remember correctly, you knocked the general out. Seems it doesn’t take a lot.”
“Katara,” said Aang.
She sighed. “Because of me. I think.”
She told them everything this time. Well… there were itty, bitty, tiny, minor details they didn’t need to know, but everything else she told them.
“Do you think he will be back?” asked Aang.
“He owes me undying servitude,” she answered, her chin jolting out defiantly. “And he agreed to repay it.”
“He did?” asked Sokka.
“He will be Aang’s firebending teacher,” she said with confidence and flawlessness of a well practiced phrase. Which she had practiced so many times words tumbled out of her mouth voluntarily. That was her brilliant plant. All those nights staring into the approaching darkness she spent thinking up a reason to give to Zuko to stay. Nothing withstood logic. Not until she was thinking about Bumi and how one day Aang would need a firebending teacher. That was right after she gave up on lecturing herself to give up searching for the reasons.
He had said he could never repay her but to Katara this seemed like a fair exchange. His agreement was secondary to Aang and Sokka; she had a feeling even if he didn’t want to, she could coarse him based on recent developments in their relationship. She was putting lots of faith in that feeling. Especially, when she no longer expected him to come back. Why were her plans never working out? What was she missing?
“He agreed,” Aang repeated her words like nothing in this world made sense. “My firebending teacher.”
She nodded, if not for how many times she had rehearsed this conversation she would fail because of lack of belief in her own words. “You need a firebending teacher and he is the best. Plus he knows more about the Fire Nation than anyone we could find.”
Sokka snorted. “And we all know he is such a kind-hearted selfless guy.”
Katara had heard Sokka’s comebacks in her head so many times, she was sure there was nothing he could say she hadn’t already thought. Which was how she stayed calm and kept her voice level, “Aang, do you remember when I told you it wasn’t me who wanted to save him?”
Aang nodded.
“I think this is the reason. I think he is meant to be your teacher. I’m not asking you to accept it. I’m not saying to trust him. I’m asking you to trust my judgment as I’m trusting your judgment with King Bumi and give him a chance. If he doesn’t earn it, we’ll drop him in the desert.”
“You can’t sweet talk me with a murder, Katara,” said Sokka. “And why is no one asking about my opinion? Doesn’t my vote count? I’m more outraged than Aang!”
“And where is he?” Aang asked without looking her way.
Do me one last favor.
“You don’t yet need a firebending teacher. We first worry about the imprisoned teacher we need.”
Spoken confidently by the most unconfident person in all the nations.