Chapter Twelve: Katara's Revenge
Makki |~|
Last night was probably the best sleep I had had in a long time. I slept in a large circle with the rest of my friends and family, and enjoyed the silence within the temple.
Our family is finally reunited... I really feel at peace.
I tossed and turned a slight bit when I began to wake up. I tried to get comfortable in a different position so I could fall asleep again, but I, and everyone else, was suddenly jolted awake when a large explosion erupted near the temple's water fountain. We all stood up and watched as a fleet of Fire Nation airships surrounded us. Aang lept up and ran with Appa towards us before slamming the doors around us shut. From the outside, the airships blasted a mirage of bombs at the doors
"Watch out!"
Zuko lept towards Katara and tackled her to the ground before a pile of rocks falling from the ceiling took her place.
"What're you doing?" I heard Katara exclaim from behind the debris.
"Keeping rocks from crushing you," Zuko stated.
"Okay, I'm not crushed. You can get off me now," Katara told him harshly before running back to the group.
"Are you okay?" I asked Katara as she ran up to me.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Katara said before sending a small glare towards Zuko.
"Come on," Toph pointed towards the large tunnel that she and Haru made. "We can get out through here!"
Everyone ran in the tunnel all at once but stopped and turned around once a large groan filled the air. At the entrance of the tunnel, Aang fought to get Appa to follow him.
"...What're you doing?" Aang asked after looking past Appa.
I followed Aang's look to see that Zuko was standing by the doors, ready to leave.
"Go ahead, I'll hold them off..." Zuko told us before running towards the airships.
"Zuko, no!" Aang called.
Aang was about to run after him, but Sokka, Katara, and I all stopped him and began to help pull Appa into the tunnel.
"Come on, we've got to get out of here," Sokka told Aang.
As we all pulled on Appa's reins, I couldn't help but watch as Zuko lept over the shattering doors and ran to the edge of the temple.
...How are you supposed to hold off an entire air fleet by yourself? You can be really stupid sometimes.
"Ugh! I can't get him to go in there!" Aang strained as we continued to pull Appa towards the tunnel. "Appa hates tunnels."
"Aang, there's no way we can fly out of here," said Katara.
"Well, if we can't get Appa to cooperate, then flying is our only option," I explained.
"We have to find a way," Aang said as we all let go of Appa's reins.
"We need to split up," Sokka decided before running up to Dad. "Take the tunnel and get to the stolen airship."
We're splitting up... Again?!
"...No!" Katara exclaimed. "The Fire Nation can't separate our family again."
Katara stomped her way over to Dad, with me following behind her.
"It'll be okay," Dad placed his hands on Katara's shoulder. "It's not forever."
"...It's our only choice, Katara," I told her.
Katara quickly gave Dad a hug before running back to Aang. I also embraced Dad just after her.
"Goodbye, Dad," I whispered.
"Stay safe," he whispered back.
We released each other and I followed Katara back to Aang and Appa. Behind me, Sokka came running up with his girlfriend, who I learned was named Suki, and helped get us all onto Appa's saddle.
"I can clear that away and we can fly out through there," Toph announced as she placed her hand on a wall before making her way up to us.
"Um, there's an awful lot of fire in that general direction," said Suki.
"We'll get through. Let's go," Aang said as he took Appa's reins.
Quickly, Toph broke down the wall and Appa flew through the debris. Using some of the wall as a shield, we flew past the leading airship and turned around once we knew we were clear. Looking behind us, we all watched as Zuko came rising up on an airship, getting ready to face his sister, Azula, who was leading the fleet. Zuko jumped from his own airship towards Azula's. Azula tried fire bending at him, but he easily dodged and fired his own blast. Once Zuko landed on Azula's airship, the two began their own intense battle.
"Look out!"
All of our attentions were now taken by the soldiers atop the airships as they shot streams of fire at us. Katara and I both stood up and used our water bending to extinguish the airborne blasts. When one airship blocked our path, Katara and I sat back down as Aang steered Appa upwards to avoid the ships. Now in the clear, we turned back to Zuko and Azula's fight, where the two had suddenly come together to create a large explosion. Both fire benders were blown back from the blast and came hurtling off the ship and towards the ground.
Zuko..!
Aang quickly yanked on Appa's reins to have him turn around and fly under Zuko. As we closed in on his descending form, I stood up and outstretched my arm. When he made it to us, I tightly gripped his arm and pulled him onto the saddle. When he was safe with us, we all turned to watch Azula as she continued to fall.
"She's... not gonna make it," Zuko mumbled.
Suddenly, Azula blasted fire from her feet to propel herself towards the rock wall of the temple. When she made it, she gripped the edge and slowly came to a stop.
"Of course she did."
We all glared at her shrinking figure as we flew to a safe place.
Goodbye, Western Air Temple...
[~][~][~]
Before the sun was set, we made it all the way back to where we met up with everyone for the invasion. The place with all of the koala sheep. We quickly set up camp and even started making dinner. Once it was done, the moon was up and our fire was burning brightly. We all sat around the warm fire, eating dinner, and talking cheerfully, despite today's earlier events.
"Wow, camping... it really seems like old times again, doesn't it?" Aang smiled.
"If you really want it to feel like old times, I could, uh, chase you around a while and try to capture you," Zuko joked.
Everyone, except for me and Katara, laughed at him.
"Ha ha," Katara glared.
I simply kept my eyes down with a neutral expression painting my face.
I'm starting to believe that Zuko is truly good, mainly because of all the things that he's done since he's been here, but it's still hard for me to see him the way I used to...
"...To Zuko," Sokka raised his cup. "Who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out, today he'd be our hero."
The same as before, everyone except me and Katara raised their cups.
"Here, here!"
"...I'm touched," Zuko smiled. "I don't deserve this."
"Yeah, no kidding," Katara glared before standing up and walking away.
"What's with her?" Sokka asked.
"I wish I knew," Zuko said before standing up and following Katara.
"What's with him?"
[~][~][~]
The night went by quickly, and in the morning, something strange happened. Katara and Zuko marched up to me, Sokka, and Aang as we stood together by Appa.
"I need to borrow Appa," said Katara.
"Why? Is it your turn to take a little field trip with Zuko?" Aang teased.
"Yes, it is."
Shocked by her seriousness, we all looked at her with wide eyes.
"Oh... what's going on?" Aang asked.
"We're going to find the man who took my mother from me," Katara explained.
What..?
"Sokka told me the story of what happened," Zuko began. "I know who did it, and I know how to find him."
"Um, and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?" Aang asked hesitantly.
"...I knew you wouldn't understand," Katara scoffed before turning around.
"Wait, stop, I do understand," said Aang. "You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do you think I felt about the sand benders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people?"
"She needs this, Aang," said Zuko. "This is about getting closure and justice."
I'm sorry, how does this involve you?
"I don't think so," Aang frowned. "I think it's about getting revenge."
"Fine! Maybe it is. Maybe that's what I need," said Katara. "Maybe that's what he deserves."
"Katara, you sound like Jet," Aang told her.
Wait... 'Jet'? The same Jet that I met..?
"It's not the same," Katara shot. "Jet attacked the innocent. This man, he's a monster."
"Katara, she was our mother, too," Sokka said as he motioned towards me. "But, I think Aang might be right."
"I agree with him, too," I nodded.
"Then you didn't love her the way I did," Katara glared.
"Katara..!" Sokka and I said together.
"...The Monks used to say that revenge is like a two-headed rat viper," Aang began. "While you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself."
"That's cute, but this isn't Air Temple preschool," said Zuko. "It's the real world."
"I really think you should stop talking," I glared at him.
"Now that I know he's out there... now that I know we can find him... I feel like I have no choice," Katara explained.
"Katara, you do have a choice. Forgiveness," said Aang.
"That's the same as doing nothing," Zuko shot.
"No, it's not," Aang shook his head. "It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive."
"It's not just hard, it's impossible," Katara frowned before walking away.
"...I'll try and talk to her later today," I said to the boys. "Maybe I can change her mind or at least cool her down a bit."
Aang and Sokka both nodded in understanding before we all split up to continue on with our day.
[~][~][~]
Just before it was time to make dinner, I met up with Katara as she sat by herself at the edge of the cliff that hung over the beach.
"Katara–"
"If you're going to lecture me, I don't want to hear it," she snapped.
"...Whether I'm going to lecture you or not, you're going to listen," I told her.
Katara glared at me from over her shoulder as I walked up and sat beside her.
"Look, one way or another, I'm going to find the man that killed our mother," Katara explained as she stared at the setting sun. "I can't sit and do nothing while he's still out there..."
"Katara, you can," I said. "And I think you should. Getting revenge will only make it hurt worse. For the rest of your life, you will remember when you confronted him and you will remember what you did. Now, I'm not asking you to forgive him because I agree with you that it may be impossible to do so, but I truly think that it's for the best that–"
"I said that I didn't want to hear a lecture..!" Katara exclaimed as she stood up. "Everything you're saying... I can't believe that you can just let something like this go! He took our mother, Makki! I mean, don't you feel anything?"
I kept eye contact with Katara as I stood up in front of her.
"Of course I do," I said softly. "I feel anger, the same as you, every time I think about what happened to Mom. I was there, Katara. I was there with her when that man came into our tent and confronted our mother. She protected us, Katara. And I think the last thing she'd want you to do is to get revenge."
Katara clenched her eyes shut as tears threatened to escape from them, before suddenly glaring at me.
"You don't know that! You don't what she'd want because she's gone!"
Katara clenched her hands into fists as she stomped away. I sighed before taking my previous seat on the cliff's edge and lying back onto the grass.
"I heard yelling. How did it go?" Sokka asked as he walked up to me.
"As well as you'd think," I said. "She's still going to confront whoever took Mom, so..."
"Right..." Sokka sighed, knowing exactly what I meant.
[~][~][~]
That night, a couple of hours after dinner, Sokka, Aang, and I all sat behind a rock as we waited to see if Katara and Zuko would continue on with their plan to hunt for the man that took our mother from us. It was no surprise to us when the two snuck over to Appa, both dressed completely in black.
As I thought... both of them are too stubborn for their own good.
"So you were just gonna take Appa anyway?" Aang asked as the three of us made our way up to them.
"Yes."
"It's okay, because I forgive you," said Aang. "...That give you any ideas?"
"Don't try to stop us," Katara shot.
"I wasn't planning to," Aang frowned. "This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man..."
Katara gave Aang a hard nod before climbing onto Appa.
"But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out, and then let it go. Forgive him."
"...Okay, we'll be sure to do that, Guru Goody-Goody," Zuko mocked.
"Hey!" I exclaimed. "Think if we tried to get revenge on you. Think if we didn't forgive you, how bad it would've been for all of us. You're not in any position talk."
Zuko looked slightly taken aback at my outburst.
"Look, I just–"
"I know what you're thinking," I interrupted. "And I just want to let you know, I partly blame this on you. So my sister better come back okay or it'll be your head."
Zuko was stunned for a moment before giving me a soft nod, "I'm on it."
"Good."
Zuko then mounted Appa and the two set off on their journey.
"You know, you're pretty wise for a kid," Sokka told Aang.
"Thanks, Sokka."
"Usually, it's annoying, but right now I'm just impressed."
"I appreciate that."
"So, can I borrow Momo for a week?"
"Why do you need Momo?" Aang asked.
Sokka shrugs as a response.
[~][~][~]
That night, I was up thinking about what could happen to Katara and Zuko. And what Katara was going to do to that man. As I worried about them, my mind trailed to the memory of the day that the raid happened.
Mom and I were in our family's tent together. I was helping our mother with the chores while Katara and Sokka were playing outside. Everything was normal until eruptions sounded outside of our tent. In fear and shock, I rushed over to Mom and gripped onto the front of her jacket while she wrapped her arms around me. I heard the flap of our tent open and watched as a man dressed as a Fire Nation soldier entered our tent and walked up to us.
"I'm looking for the Southern Water Tribe's last water bender," he glared down at us.
I felt my body tremble as I thought about him taking away me and Katara since we were the only water benders of our tribe.
"Mom..." I whimpered.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Mom replied, somehow with a steady voice.
"I know you're lying..!" the man exclaimed.
"Mom!" Katara shouted as she rushed into the tent but stopped once she saw the soldier.
"Just let them go," Mom said, referring to me and Katara. "And I'll give you the information you want."
"You heard your mother... get out of here!" the man ordered the two of us.
My mom softly pushed on my arms to try and get me to let go. I looked up at her and she weakly smiled down at me. I knew that she was trying to make me feel reassured, but it just didn't work. But understanding what she was trying to say, I let go of her jacket and rushed over to Katara.
"Mom, I'm scared..." Katara whimpered.
"Go find your Dad, girls," Mom ordered. "I'll handle this."
I quickly grabbed a hold of Katara's hand and led the way out of the tent. Together, we ran as fast as we could and found our Dad battling a pair of Fire Nation soldiers.
"Dad, Dad! There's a man in our house!"
"Dad, help! Mom's in trouble!"
The two of us exclaimed as we ran up to our Dad.
"Kya!" Dad yelled before leading the way back to our house.
It seemed like such a short time, but when we got back, both of them were gone.
I felt my eyes sting from tears. Remembering is so hard, but I could never forget what happened.
[~][~][~]
The following day, Zuko returned by himself. He explained to us that Katara stopped herself from taking revenge on the man and said that she wanted to be alone, so he took her somewhere where she wouldn't be bothered. All of us went to mount Appa, but Zuko stopped us to explain that the place he took her was his family's old beach house and that it was safe to stay there until Aang was ready to face the Fire Lord.
Together we agreed to move our camp there, so we packed up everything before flying to where Katara was. When we made it to the beach, we saw Katara sitting at the edge of a dock, staring down at the water. When Appa landed, Aang and Zuko rushed over to Katara while Sokka and I stayed behind. We watched as Aang and Zuko spoke to her. Katara soon stood up and faced the two before embracing Zuko in a hug. Once they released, Katara made her way over to us.
"...I'm proud, Katara," I smiled at her. "Of all the things you could've done, you chose to do the hardest of them all. And you're better for it."
"I'm not sure about that, but... I'm glad that I did what I did," she explained.
The two of us shared a hug before Katara walked up to Sokka. The two conversed, and while they did, Zuko made his way up to me.
"...Can we talk?" he asked abruptly.
I looked harshly up at him as he sincerely looked down at me.
"We have talked," I told him. "We spent about a whole year talking. I think we've talked enough."
I went to walk away, but Zuko grabbed my arm to stop me.
"You know what I mean," he said. "There– There's a lot of things I want to say to you and I'm sure you have some things to say to me. I just... I really want to talk..."
...I want to talk too, but–
"I'm not ready to talk to you... yet," I explained. "Just give me some time. Okay?"
Zuko slowly released his hold on my arm.
"Okay."