Avatar Katara

The Puppetmaster

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It was only later that night that Zuko realized he hadn't told the woman his name.

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"Wakey wakey." Sokka started as the woman leaned over him. "Time to go shopping."

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"I'm suspicious," Rina whispered to Sokka. "Have you noticed that she hasn't even told us her name?"

Sokka nodded.

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A merchant smiled and waved goodbye as the woman shifted her bag.

"That Mr. Yao seems to have a thing for you," Katara whispered. "Maybe we should go back and see if he'll give us some free komodo sausages."

The woman gasped. "You think I would use my feminine charms to take advantage of that poor man? You and I are going to get along swimmingly."

---

"Come on? Can't we get anymore ash bananas?"

The other soldier scowled. "Lieutenant Huan can't raid another village. It's the full moon tonight. He doesn't want to lose anymore men to the woods."

"Who's Lieutenant Huan?" Rina whispered.

"A cruel man," the woman whispered back. "He made a fortune robbing villages across the island, and bribes his way out of any trouble. But don't worry. The Avatar brings good fortune. I'm sure that justice will reach him soon."

Rina accepted that answer. Ugh. She was so sick to death of soldiers abusing their own people, like this Lieutenant Huan, and the soldiers back at Jang Hui, and Gow.

Wait.

How did she know Katara was the Avatar?

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"Why don't you take all these back to the inn?" the woman asked. "I have a few more errands to run."

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"That woman seems a little strange," Sokka said. "Like she's hiding something."

Zuko nodded. "How did she know my name?"

"That's ridiculous," Katara said. "She's a nice woman who took us in and gave us a place to stay. And our faces are on wanted posters everywhere. From what it sounds like, she has no love for the bully soldiers. She probably just doesn't want to say she's helping us out loud."

"But what did she mean by that comment 'mysterious children?'" Sokka asked.

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe because she found five strange kids, camping in the woods at night?"

"I'm going to take a look around." Sokka got up, Rina, Zuko and Toph following him.

"Sokka! What are you doing? You can't just snoop around someone's house!"

"It'll be fine."

---

"She could be home any minute," Rina said.

Katara nodded nervously. "You're going to get us all in trouble. Plus, this is just plain rude."

"I'm not finished yet." Sokka grunted as he tried to open a cabinet. "Come on..." The cabinet popped open and several puppets on strings fell out.

Zuko put the puppets back into the cabinet. "Ok, that's pretty creepy."

Katara closed the cabinet. "So she's got a hobby. There's nothing weird about that. Sokka, you've looked enough. She'll be back soon."