Avatar: Reborn in Ice and Blood

Chapter 116 116

Afterwards, Jeong is grateful to see their pile of work diminished, they are happily walking away with Aang-dried leaflets – and careful mentions of Appa on them have also put him in a better mood.

"We'll pick up Sokka and then look at the steam engine, if that's alright with you," Katio says, "I've some things I want to talk to Professor Guiyong about."

But before they go to their next stop, they get lunch from the university mess hall. It's positively bustling with activity and smells. Katara can see Toph already refusing to go in further, even being hungry. "Maybe we could eat outside? I saw some people do that."

Katio looks at them and shrugs. "Alright. You don't have allergies, as far as I remember, and everyone except Aang is good with meat, yes?"

He and Sokka go inside to get them food.

Nobody dares approach them while he's gone. Kaito did explain that manners demanded there be someone to introduce them, or you had sufficient rank to ignore that. so only a professor could reasonably approach them. There seem to be none around at present, so they relax by the fountain, under curious, but subtle stares.

Toph still grumbles about it. Aang seems content to just sit with them for the time being. Katara relaxes a little. The printing press thing felt a little forbidden, so she's still a little tense at being found out, but it doesn't seem like anyone is coming after them.

...

TOPH

Professor Guiyong is the kind of man who shifts around as he holds a conversation, seemingly wanting to pace, but holding himself in place forcefully, to varying degrees of success. It's different to Aang's light feet and restlessness.

The professor is squat, portly, excitable. He has workers whom he directs with a demanding, but not commanding air.

He also seems to simultaneously revere Kaito and envy him. He seeks his opinion and knowledge, but accepts it with some perturbance. Their conversation flies mostly over Toph's head, well into technical terms and pointing at things she won't bother to guess at.

Sokka seems to follow them well, with enthusiasm, even. Aang has gone on to talk with one of the workers who seems friendly enough and Katara simply listens attentively.

Toph is about to move away from the conversation when it becomes interesting.

"This looks like a larger project. I've met some newly arrived construction workers down in the lower ring, in the school. Some of them are learning to draw and understand technical blueprints. You could come to meet them."

And then Professor Guiyong goes on to agree, but with some hesitance, to coming down to the lower ring, unless he wants to meet them here where he would have to write them guest passes for interviews…

So he'll visit the school in three days, to hold interviews.

Toph doesn't doubt that those workers will be connected somehow to the plans Kaito has to overthrow the social order of the city. She's very curious to see how that will turn out.

...

KAITO

Aang, Sokka and I are back at the guest residence, preparing food for when Katara and Toph return from the bathhouse. We've already had ours and finished. Admired and compared new scars, taught Aang about growing pubic hair and what it means because he was curious about ours, and recovered from that ordeal.

It was nice. I realise I haven't taken much time to relax lately.

"Aang," I begin, wondering if this is too blunt, but figuring it best to get on with it, "What do you know about spirits and the spirit world?"

"Hmm," he thinks, then replies brightly, "Not a lot. Why?"

Very helpful. "I had an encounter with one in the storm that carried my ship into Chamaeleon Bay where I met Hakoda."

"You did? What was it like?"

"It was very strange. I first thought I was imagining it, but there was a man with me. He looked kind of watertribe-like. And for some reason, I knew it was La, the spirit of the ocean, who was helping me guide the ship where we wanted to go."

"Wow. That's really cool!"

"Yes. Very. He left quite soon, though and we never exchanged words. So I wanted to know if you knew how it is possible that I knew who it was – or even how it's possible that… Yue became the moon. It just. Well, I don't understand it and I would like to."

"No clue!" Aang is, I remind myself, eleven. Don't be short with him. He doesn't know how important this is.

"Do you think you could ask someone? You have spiritual powers and such."

"Hmm. Well, the only place I can access the spirit world right now are ones where spirits live."

"Sokka told me about the Crystal Cave stories. Do you think it would be worth it to check them for a spiritual presence?"

"Yeah. I kinda wanted to go anyway, they sound cool!"

"Well, then let's go in a couple days. We have plans tomorrow with the school and at the teahouse I'd like to introduce you to Haruto."

"Sounds good!"

...

Katara likes Ba Sing Se, if only for the hot baths. It really is the most amazing feeling, to be submerged in hot water. Toph looks to be enjoying it also. It was a good suggestion from Haruto. He was surprisingly kind for someone so surly.

She sighs. She hopes his, Sokka's and Kaito's scheming will amount to all they want it to. They are trying to lighten Aang's burden. But their means… she knows that wars are fought with people dying on every side. Caused by others. Killing… Katara knows in her heart, in her gut that it is wrong. And yet it seems necessary to even see and end to the war. Killing for peace. What a paradox. How utterly wrong it is.

'What's wrong for you is right for them,' Gran-Gran had said when Katara had failed to understand why the Fire Nation would even start a war. 'Nobody ever starts a war thinking their reasons are wrong.'

Of course not. But still… there had to be something that could tell people what was really right. It used to be the Avatar and it could be again one day. But does might really make it right? Does his power really make him the best choice for this? And if not him, who? Could anyone be?

'The weak are meat, the strong eat,' the refugee begging in the streets yesterday said. 'You only share because you have an abundance. Not all do.'

Kaito joined them then, coming from the weapons shop he'd wanted to show Sokka. 'Spreading wisdom, eh, Chouji?' of course he knew the man's name, and turning to look at Katara briefly, he said, 'Only listen to the bits you understand. The rest is meant to sound wise, but don't let him fool you, he's a gambler and a charlatan by night.'

'Now, now, Kaito. No need to scare away potential customers.'

Katara felt a little floored as she watched the weak elderly man disappear as that wicked grin spread on his scraggly face. 'Don't feel bad, lass. The kindness is appreciated.'

So many facets, so many faces. Kaito probably only knew all that because he gambles himself. Katara is grateful for the time to think about everything that happened since their arrival to the city. The drill and the bloodbath they'd watched from on top of the wall. Ju Di's tour and its contrast with the reality. Meeting Kaito again, the bakery, the school and the university – all within a few days. And before, the library, the desert and the ever-present worry for Appa…

Katara's exhausted. She sighs again and concentrates on the feeling of the hot water. So good…

The Earthking won't meet them for a month. Is there a way to get to him sooner? Aang is the Avatar, after all-

No. now is her relaxing time, she will focus on the here and now instead of making plans! She breathes deep and slow. Relaxing.

… Maybe at an official event?

Damn it!

"Relax, Katara," Toph says.

"I am relaxed!"

"Sure you are."

She huffs.

"Busybody."

"What did you call me?"

"You heard me."

"Why, I ought to bend the water cold for that!"

Toph laughs and… Katara joins in. This is nice.