A/N: I have a lot of projects going on in school right now, so if you demand that I update, or beg an update- ultimately it may just be out of my control. As I stated before the plan is one update a week (if I can keep pace with everything else) most likely on a Saturday.
The possible fate of this story:
It takes a long time to write something with a plot (even longer when the plot constantly 'thickens' and changes.)
If I lose interest, or feel that no one wants to read it I will put it on a hiatus.
Fortunately, I don't have any plans to do something like that right now.
Even I'm entertained by writing this- half the time Azula confuses me as much as she does you! Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I'm talking too much, on with the chapter that was really hard to come up with.
Drip, Drip, Drip…
Mai continued to stand stoic, the five agents nearby, at Lake Laogai.
Drip, Drip, Drip…
The incessant movement of dampness from the cave-like walls was relentlessly pounding in Mai's ears. There was nothing she could do other than stand at the ready waiting for Azula's desired results to commence, after knowing Azula for so many years Mai still was not entirely sure of Azula-or her plans. Mai had however, realized that Azula had always had control.
Drip, Drip, Drip…
Mai looked around the underground, earthbent, stronghold musing on how dismal it was-But mostly dull. For a brief instance she wonders how anything could survive in such a cold, dark place.
Drip, Drip, Drip…
It is after another round of weary sounding splashes of water on the cavern floor, Mai glanced a a nearby murky, pool of water and saw her reflection.
Drip, Drip, Drip…
Mai blinked three times, turned away, and continued to wait for her part in the plan Azula set in motion. She doesn't know what the plan is –or her part, for that matter. Mai only knows that a great deal of grief has only just begun.
Drip, Drip, Drip…
Mai's impassive expression and boredom remain the same as she slowly forgets everything-as she has been forgetting- save her loyalty to Azula. She twirls a kunai knife dancing across and in-between her fingertips.
Drip, Drip, Drip…100 years.
TyLee never enjoyed playing the fool. It was a rhythm she fell into ages ago-even back in the cart wheeling days- Azula had control; why should now be any different? All the streets here appeared the same. TyLee, flanked by two Dai Li agents, continued her long run across the lower ring. They had always followed Azula's games, Azula's plans, Azula's rules; TyLee is aware that she could have been another person if circumstance had thrown her elsewhere.
Another turn is made, stealthily, through an alleyway. TyLee at this point decides she no longer wants "company"; she waves the Dai Li off. The two agents were informed of their role in this short mission, the two agents break away from TyLee, headed down another poor street.
TyLee takes a break and wonders briefly why Azula didn't send Mai on this errand, she would have been far better suited- but it doesn't last long. She begins again in another direction, and continues the game that truly began 100 years ago…
In life strange things often occur, but whether it was bad luck, chance, or fate that controls moment the red curtain hanging in the doorway is pulled back to reveal a well built boy dressed in black-no one can be sure.
"Shiroi, can I use the-" he doesn't finish the sentence, and immediately forgets everything else, as Katara looses her grip on the teacup and it shatters upon impact with the hard dirt floor.
Zuko!?
Water peasant.
Hot-funny-eyed-human? I'll have to work on a better name. Momo hides in a flower pot.
"Zuko?!" For the second time that night Katara takes a shaky stance, drawing water from tea pot.
"Water peasant. Having trouble are we?" He doesn't fail to notice her left foot, and easily exploited weak point. He ignites his hands and prepares himself.
Each one waits for the other to slip up, or move, first. They've entered their own world, nothing else exists anymore- adrenaline, the elements of fire and water, just the two of them-nothing more.
Momo raised his head from the flower pot he took refuge in. They're going to kill each other; wait Splashy-water-human let him move first. Come on it is better if Hot-funny-eye-human goes first.
Shiroi, off to the side continued to drink his tea, knowing Iroh for so many years while in the Order he picked up on a few "habits". The old earthbender decided it far better to let the two work it out…he'd interfere when the time was right-or if his house caught fire, or became flooded-either way. Neutral Jing- until the point of interference.
Katara, worn down from the past day and a half or so, moved first- a simple shifting of her weight from her left foot to her right- Zuko didn't miss the opportunity, sending a jet of flame towards her. Katara retaliated with her water whip, Zuko blockrd, Katara blocked; neither can land a decent hit despite what they try. However, they have managed to reek havoc on poor old Shiroi's home, after several minutes of destruction Zuko and Katara find themselves locked by rock against opposite walls of the old earth bender's home. Katara is not pleased, nor is Zuko. The difference between the two? Zuko simmered in silence while Katara lashed out in words.
"What do you think you're doing?! Let me down from the wall, I'm not done with him yet!" Katara turns toward Zuko,
"You arrogant jerk, good for nothing son of fire! You"-
Katara is interrupted by an elderly woman, Shiroi's wife, Hasu, just returned home to find her house in disarray…
"I can't leave you alone for more than an hour Shiroi can I? I thought we'd agreed no more involvement in lover's spats; it makes more work for myself." Hasu's eyes surveyed her scorched, still wet home. Eventually, her eyes land on each of the teens- Zuko looked ready to explode, he still remained silent. Hasu thought it a wonder that steam wasn't coming out of Iroh's nephew's ears- the way the boy looked. Katara looked in a similar state to Zuko, only her face- far more red…and Katara couldn't hold her own personal explosion back any longer.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! THIS ISN'T A LOVERS SPAT!"
Shiroi flinched, Hasu still stood strong, Zuko's unscarred eye began to twitch, Momo-
Ow, Splashy-Water- Human…my adorable, sensitive ears… andMomo retreated deeper within the confines of the flower pot, covering his ears. Katara wasn't yet finished,
"IF HE AN I WERE THE LAST TWO PEOPLE ON THE PLANET THE HUMAN RACE WOULD DIE!!!"
Hasu flinched, along with her husband at this remark. Zuko had always been prideful, an a remark like that one, even if made in defense (A/N:on Katara's part.) could wear pride significantly down. Hasu and Shiroi turned to face Zuko, still pinned to the wall, still silent.
"… Let me down from the wall Shiroi, I have to free my uncle. I know where he is now- at Laogai." Zuko's voice was unnervingly calm; the voice of someone equipped to stalk and kill before his presence is known. Katara tenses, but for the first time does not speak, Zuko continues explaining the minimal things he heard while "escaping" the Earth Palace, the Dai Li agent he bought rounds of drinks to derive his uncles location.
"…"
For a short time the world around them stopped, suddenly footfalls were heard outside, quiet ones, distant for now, yet rapidly approaching, only heard due to the tensioned silence, it was the Dai Li and everything began again.
Hasu spoke first, urgently, so quietly one had to strain-even in the small house- to hear her. "Let them down from the wall Shiroi. They have to hide, and stay hidden if Iroh ever stands a chance of freedom." There are things happening now far beyond our interference. Those agents could only be after one of the, perhaps both of them, they never come down here.
Shiroi released his hold of earth that pinned the young benders to the wall, and changes into a new earth stance. He stomps his left foot on the dirt floor of his home, and slides his right foot across the floor to the right. Shiroi's actions reveal a lower level to the small dwelling, a type of make-shift, root cellar, only accessible through earthbending.
Shiroi spoke; " You may both hide down there. We'll try to slow them down. But for the sake of us all promise that you will not kill each other" He pleads. Zuko doesn't trust Katara not to kill him, based on history, and the feeling is mutual. Katara and Zuko both remain in defensive stances, eyes locked. Neither one of them makes a move for the "root cellar", nor do they promise not to commit the murder of one another while in hiding.
"…"
"…"
It is Hasu who presents reason, for at the very least, a temporary truce.
"It will take more than one bender to free General Iroh…"
"…"
"…"
Hasu silently prays that her words have done something. Momo peaks his head out of the flower pot, amazed, as Water and Fire comply simply by descending the make-shift steps to the earthbent root cellar-and both disappeared from sight.
Shiroi looked to Hasu, she gave a slight nod of approval. Shiroi gave a final earthbending display to close the open floor.
"Full of animosity, those two…" Shiroi gets cut off, as Hasu continued
"Be that as it may in this world of ours, this chaotic world something has to break under the pressures of war, and hatred falls before love…"
"Dear wife, they are anything else a (platypusbear, a rabbaroo) , save in love."
Hasu glanced to where the hole in floor had been moments ago, and making a quick decision mentioned an old Earth Kingdom cliché; "Love is brightest in the dark." With her closing remark she fled the small house, hoping to lead the Dai Li pursuers away from the two young benders, leaving Shiroi to defend them- and the house should something happen. Before Hasu was completely out of earshot she thought she heard her husband say something that he often said during their youths.
"Girls are crazy!"
From her seated position on the ground( as far from Princy-Betrayal-Pants as the small space would allow, all of two to three feet. )Katara surveyed the small, damp, chilly room many times over. A concealed vent to the outside for air and a meager source of light, flower pots, dried herbs, Zu-, A concealed vent to the outside for air…
It was on the instance of Katara's fifth or six g'round that a small calamity could be heard above the two hiding enemies; the crashing of a flower pot, and a body hitting the ground -thump. Voices drifted through the vent to the "root cellar". Katara can see the exchange from her close proximity to the vent, not the exact forms, but shadows. Katara began to tremble from fear or adrenaline, it was impossible to determine which.
"We know of your acquaintance with the Old Tea Man and his boy. They worked at a tea shop in the lower ring for quite some time, he'd pass through here." The agents voice was cold, concise with accusation.
"…" Shiroi says nothing from his place on the dirt floor.
" I will ask one more time…" he stated as he wrapped a "rocked glove hand" around Shiroi's neck. "Where is the boy?"
Katara's mind began to race, in turn she trembled even more.
I'm out of water, I'm miles away from my friends, Shiroi is going to die, I really could easily die, I-
"Stop shaking Waterpeasant." And I'm in here with him. Zuko's voice would have been impossible to hear, except for the closed space the two were in.
Trembling is one thing, but if she doesn't stop she could very easily knock something over-and then everything would be for not.
Katara does not stop, it seemed the only thing Zuko accomplished in his command was an increase in the magnitude of Katara's "episode."
Katara can hear Shiroi's struggled grasping for air, and the repetition of the phrase "tell me."
She does not stop shaking. Zuko's tension is mounting due to her constant tremors.
She will not stop.
I can't stop. Katara's teeth rattled, she clenched them.
She has to stop. I have to make her stop.
There are circumstances in life that require acts of self-preservation.
Katara can see the shadow of Shiroi's body quiver, held up off the ground.
Enough. She'll start sobbing and I won't be able to free uncle.
There are circumstances in life that require acts of self-preservation.
From his knelling posture, Zuko pulled the annoying, trembling, girl toward him. One hand around her waist the other pressing her head into his chest. Zuko bent his head, slightly, towards Katara's "free ear", to reduce the volume of his voice even more while whispering;
"Stop panicking. They don't know we're here. You're safe. Stop panicking. (Please. he thought.)"
Katara's trembling lessens. Katara can no longer hear the voices drifting through the vent, nor could she see Shiroi's suffering shadow. All she is able to see is the inside of the are that pins her to Zuko's chest, and all she can hear is Zuko's heartbeat.
Stop panicking, he's the one with a heartbeat that could make an army go deaf.
That was all it was. An action to preserve life, which life between the two of them the action was for, or even why it commenced Zuko couldn't be sure.
"You're safe."
A/N: Finally, sorry it took so long. Happy New Year. R'R.