Dreaming Mermaid
While Katara was gone, the palace was in an absolute uproar. Guards had been dispatched into search parties. Only the Kyoshi stayed behind, because they were missing their leader.
Queen Kya was probably the most dysfunctional. She would swim back and forth in her throne room, worrying for Katara's safety. Sokka and Match were doing their best to keep her calm, while assessing the situation themselves.
When Katara did return, the palace was in a greater commotion than before. Many servants who worked on decorating and taking down decorations gave her evil glances. The Kyoshi guards that were still there wanted to give her an earful on safety, but were bothered with the task of recalling search parties.
By now Katara's group had split up, aside from Lan. Toph had gone off to her house to face criticism from her parents. Suki was forced to go off with the other Kyoshi Warriors to help with recalling search parties. This left Katara and Lan alone to face Queen Kya.
The Queen's anger had quelled into slight annoyance now. She was willing to reason with Katara, but was still agitated with her behavior.
She managed to keep her part of the lecture civil, but there was the problem with Sokka. He was absolutely furious with Katara and was not ready to let the situation lie down.
Right now Kya was doing her best to keep control as she lectured Katara in her throne room.
"Katara, what are we supposed to do about this? You were consistently reminded-"
"Yet you still didn't show, turning all that preparation into a waste of time!" Sokka stuck his head forward and cut his mother off.
Kya let Sokka finish, and quickly thought of something to say. She didn't want Katara to get any wrong ideas to how she was reacting to this predicament.
"You need to be a tad more responsible with these situations Katara. You're a kind hearted person who means well, but-"
"But you lack drive, or thought of what consequences come afterwards! If you had even an inkling of consideration for what I go through to make these things then maybe you'd see how horrible this is!"
Sokka went on like this for a while, leaving no time for Kya or Katara to speak.
Kya was pressing the palm of her hand to her face in annoyance. Sokka did mean well with his rants, but sometimes he went too far. She only hoped Katara wasn't taking it the wrong way.
Katara wanted to be reasonable and talk to her mother as well, but was unable to. Sokka's lengthy speech kept her from even uttering one word without receiving his chagrin.
Lan wasn't taking this all too well either. Sokka wasn't even giving poor Katara a chance to defend herself. So, without thinking, he swam up to Sokka to hand him an earful.
"Now listen here you! Katara's been through a lot and she doesn't need this rag on her mind!"
"And what excuse do you have to give for her, dart-face?"
"Oh, very cute," muttered Lan holding his nose. "I'd like to see you try wandering the surface with no stars in the sky, and then we'd see how fast you'd make it back to the palace!"
That caught Kya's attention all too quickly.
"The surface?"
Lan put his hands to his mouth when he realized the mistake he had made. He looked to Katara and blushed nervously while she simply frowned.
"Katara! You went up to the surface again?"
"Well, nothing happened mother."
"That does not change the fact that something could have happened! What if you were spotted by humans? Spirits know what would happen if you were caught by those barbarians!"
"Mother, have faith in me! I am eighteen years old! I'm not a child anymore!"
"And I realize that Katara, but you are still blind to the dangers out there. Humans and merfolk were never meant to interact with one another. If they see you, they will not simply say hello and be on their way. They will chase you down with their spears and kill you!"
"But mother, we don't even interact with them in the first place. Maybe if we just gave them a chance then-"
"Katara please! I've seen what these humans do to sea creatures. They do not deserve a chance. Now, I want you to swear to me that you shall never go to the surface again.
Katara stuttered a bit before lowering her head with a sigh. "Yes mother..."
Katara swam out of the throne room quickly. This left no room for Kya to smooth her words and give Katara more reason to understand.
Kya fell to her coral throne with a groan. She then noted that Lan was attempting to slink out of the throne room.
"Lan, come here."
Lan halted mid-slink and gave a nervous smile to Kya. He then swam forwards to her throne.
"Yes, your majesty?"
"Lan, I am very disappointed with how you have been handling Katara. You were employed to quell her recklessness to a minimum."
Then Match stepped in, feeling that he needed to hand some discipline too.
"Though you have kept her safe from harm, her inappropriate behavior continues."
"Well, your majesty, you know how teenagers are... they're... always moving... and complicated." Lan twiddled with his fingers as he spoke, grasping for any excuses he could find.
"Precisely why I have come to the conclusion that this task is too much for you. Now don't fret Lan, you're not being replaced. Your combat skills are too valuable to give up. So, Match and I have decided that you need a partner."
"Partner!"
Sokka had a grin as sharp as a knife when he heard this. "Ha, now that's something we need! Maybe now we can have some order around here!"
"He shall be someone who is ready to lay the hand of discipline down."
"Wonderful!"
"He's someone who can be relied on all times."
"Now that's my kind of guy!"
"He shall be always there to keep Katara out of trouble."
Sokka seemed ready to burst into boisterous applause as he smiled venomously to Lan. "Yes, yes, yes! This is the sign of change coming my way! Let's see this fella clean up your act!"
"That is why I have appointed you Sokka."
"You hear that buddy, they've appointed... me?" Sokka's joy quickly fell to shock when he realized this. He chuckled at first, before falling into masses of gibberish.
Lan was as equally shocked. He and Sokka did not get along well, so this partnership was less than ideal for him.
"Your Majesty! Surely you jest!"
"Yes mother! You can't partner me with this blunt swordfish, I have other commitments!"
"Oh, now that's just mean," muttered Lan, holding his nose.
"Come now you two," said Kya. "With Sokka's discipline, and Lan's fighting skills, taking care of Katara shall be a simple task. Once time has passed, and she has settled down, then you can split off."
Sokka and Lan wanted to argue more, but knew that such would be in vain. They bowed to Kya and quietly left the throne room, passing grim glances to one another.
Once they were gone, Kya let out a winded sigh and slumped on her throne. The pressures of being a queen were straining enough, but being a mother alongside it was nearly unbearable.
Kya frowned as she looked around her. "I don't know what I am doing wrong Match. Everyday it seems Katara is slowly slipping away from me."
Match turned his head to her and gave a quaint smile. "I think you did an adequate job, your majesty. You presented a strong argument, and showed Katara that you were doing this for her."
Kya turned a dull glance to him. "Do you think she sees it like that?"
Match's face fell to an unsure frown as he scratched the back of his neck. "Well... I can't exactly say whether or not she does your majesty. As my brother says, teenagers are very complicated and fickle to what you tell them. Right now is a very crucial time for Katara's relationship with you, and your actions will reflect on that. I know, I have a daughter myself."
Kya raised an eyebrow to him. "A daughter? You never spoke of her beforehand."
"There was no need to, your majesty. My relation with my daughter may be at an end anyways. She's been missing for many years, and I am concerned that she has met a less than favorable fate."
Kya stared at Match with a solemn gaze, longing to share any empathy of sorts. "I... I'm sorry for your loss Match."
Match looked to her silently. A aura of sadness pervaded through his black glasses. "Don't be... I'm the one who drove her off."
After that, Kya was left silent. The impact of Match's words had left her shuddering. She could only hope though, that her situation would not come to that.
ooo
Lan and Sokka were swimming through the palace halls. The hallway was open, with windows leading to the outside for all to swim in and out.
Both of them held their heads down in disgust and their mouths silent.
Lan then stopped to groan. "How do I get myself into these situations?"
"That's what I should be saying! I am the court composer and next in the line to the throne! I should be discussing politics and composing music, not tagging along after a headstrong teen and her gaggle of friends just because someone doesn't know how to handle his job!"
Lan shoved Sokka aside in defiance. "Now listen here, you impudent punk! I was doing my job just fine!"
Sokka rolled his eyes in exaggeration of Lan's words. "Oh yes, that's why you didn't miss the concert. Oh wait! You did miss it, because you don't even know how to handle one girl!"
"What makes you think we didn't miss it intentionally? Anything you compose would probably be as bad your attitude."
Sokka now pressed his forehead to Lan's. "My music is the work of art and I won't let you trash it!"
"Hard to trash what is already trash! Why don't you try something more around your league, like fighting? Oh wait, you suck at that too!"
"I'll have you know that I know how to fight! Suki's been showing me how to use a sword, and I've already mastered skills with a boomerang!"
"Let me see what you have then, fry!"
Before either could square off though, Sokka had his attention grabbed by three figures outside. He moved closer to the window to catch glimpse of them.
It was Katara, Toph, and Suki. In Katara's hands was a small red bag which she held closely to her chest.
They turned their heads around to make sure no one was watching. Sokka hid from their sight as they did this. Then, when the girls thought the coast was clear, they swam away.
Sokka raised his eyebrow and scratched his chin. "Hmm, Where are they going? The festival's the other way."
Before Sokka could make chase though, Lan swam in front of him like a wall. "Stop! Where they're going is none of your business!"
"And what are you going to do to stop me from following them?"
"Well I have just the thing for that. First, look to the right, then the left. Back to the right and then the left. Now look up, then down. Up once more; is that your mother behind you?"
"What?" Sokka turned to see nothing behind him.
When Sokka turned, he saw Lan swimming off to the distance. It mattered little though. Sokka was a merman so it was his fins versus Lan's legs. In this case he could out-swim Lan any day, but he chose to stay a short distance behind. Wherever his sister was going it didn't seem good. So he started his espionage trip following Lan, until he eventually caught up with the others.
Sokka trailed Katara's group for the next hour. It was simple for him to keep up with them at first, but then they made a sharp turn and it all went downhill from there. The road they were taking was convoluted and laden with overgrown plants. This didn't stop him though.
Sokka knew something fishy was going on, and he wanted find out what it was. If it was good enough information then perhaps his mother would let him off the job. Of course, by the time the group had left the underwater jungle, Sokka was just covered with bristles, thorns, and vines. Despite this shambled state of character, he managed to keep up with Katara all the way, -barring the few situations where he almost got lost.-
Sokka examined his area, but was unable to tell where he was at his point of view. From what he could tell though, he was inside a ravine of sorts, wedged between two large cliffs. Behind him was the jungle, camouflaging the entrance to this place. In front of him he could see that Katara and her friends were heading over to a cave of sorts. Sokka wanted to go up to inspect the surrounding area, but halted in fear that he would be spotted or that he would lose the Katara in the process, so he decided to just watch.
Actually, Sokka wasn't that far from the palace. He and the group had only traveled a few 10 miles at most. The area wasn't too well hidden aside from the twin cliffs and the jungle, as it was very high altitude, almost stretching to the surface.
What made Katara choose this area was because it was not a popular gathering site for anyone. This was off most patrol maps as well so there was little chance of discovery. Of course, she and the others often kept their eyes open at any time in case someone was tracking them.
Sokka watched from afar as he saw his sister move up to the cave. There was a large boulder blocking the entrance, something that would have been impossible for anyone to lift underwater. Katara was a waterbender though, and such a task wasn't difficult for her. She proceeded to move her body in a slim groove and let the currents of water flow through her. The currents she controlled moved upwards, into a small hole on the top of the cave. It made its way down until it hit the entrance from the other side, allowing for the cavern door to be opened by simple force. Toph was the one who would hold the boulder up while everyone slithered into the dark cavern.
When everyone was inside, Toph let the boulder slide back to its original position. Sokka took this chance and rushed in after the group. He was not fast enough though, as the entrance quickly shut. He wasn't ready to give up at this point though; he had a job to do and he was ready to take as many measures. -There was also the fact that he had never gone this far outside the palace without guard supervision so he was nervous of getting lost, and the drama build up would be enormous.-
Sokka quickly took to inspecting every side of this mysterious cavern. He circled side to side, from top to bottom. From what he could gather, the cave was a vertical rise. He noted that there was a small hole on the roof of the cavern but dared not to poke his head in, in thinking that he would be spotted.
Upon a second inspection, Sokka noticed a hole in the side of the cave hiding behind moss. It was barely big enough for Sokka to fit in, but he was willing to take the plunge. He backed up a bit and set his sight for the hole. Then, with gusto, he charged. He slid in before sharply stopping when his head and the front of his hands were on the other side.
This was possibly, the most embarrassing position for any prince to be in. Of course, no prince in recorded history had ever had to squeeze through a tiny hole to expose their sister like a criminal mastermind. The idea of being the first to do this slightly flattered Sokka until he realized that getting oneself stuck in a hole like bloated sea lion was not something people would applaud for.
What was he even doing there? Sokka could have just discovered the cave and tried to swim back to his mother. He supposed it was because of a growing sense of duty in him; he was going to be king after all, it made sense for him to take care of the situation himself. Still, when thinking over the situation, this wasn't that smart of a decision. Sokka would have smacked his head if he hadn't of done so this morning. Sokka was inside the cave though, and that comforted him with a sign of progress, now he just had to get himself out of this situation.
The cave was bigger than he had expected, which explained the quick trip he made through the wall. Inside were unnatural shelves dotted with strange objects. Some were round, some were twisted, others had strange faces; it was all too confusing for him. That's when Sokka thought; perhaps these objects were all human made. That would mean that his sister was smuggling human objects behind their mother's back, and by the sheer numbers he saw, it has been going on for a while.
Sokka could hear faint voices coming from below him. Using all the power in his trapped arms, Sokka stretched his head out to get a glance of what was going on below. He managed to get the majority of his head over the side of the current shelf he was on. He could see his sister on the bottom floor surrounded by her friends. She was solemnly looking at a strange human object she was holding in her while her friends fiddled with some of the other human things in the grotto.
Suki took notice and swam up to her. "Katara are you alright?"
"Hmm? Oh, yea Suki I'm fine. Just thinking about what my mother said." Lan and Toph stopped what they were doing and looked at Katara with subtle frowns. Katara usually came to this place whenever she wanted to deposit her new treasures, but this was also her secret place to reconcile with herself when her mother got into an argument with her.
It wasn't that Katara hated her mother, it's just that she felt that her mother never gave her a chance to explain herself. They were both so separate in how they expressed their feelings to one another. This separation could be laid as a fault on both of them. Katara never expressed much to her mother after she became a teenager, often finding herself moving further and further away. Her mother could also be faulted as finding very little time to spare herself to Katara. At this point it was very difficult for them to interact.
"Maybe my mother is right, maybe there is something the matter with me. I just can't see how a world that makes such lovely things could be bad." Katara looked to the rest of the pieces in her collection of human objects and couldn't help but feel a sensation rise in her throat. Soon, it evolved into a song...
Look at this stuff,
Isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?
Wouldn't you think I'm the girl?
The girl who has everything?
Look at this trove,
Treasures untold,
How many wonders can one cavern hold?
Looking around here you think,
Sure,
she's got everything!
Katara then floated over to many hanging objects of different sorts. Some were necklaces, some rope, others watches, all of them were so fascinating to her. Each piece had its own special place in her heart despite its true usage being less than what she fantasized.
I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty
I've got whozits and whatzits galore
You want thingamabobs?
I've got twenty!
But who cares?
No big deal.
I want more!
Katara then looked towards the ceiling in a longing gaze before looking down on the seafloor. Then her attention turned to a small music box that had two human figures on the top of it dancing. The small tune that played as she spun it was simple but beautiful. She then looked to Lan's feet and smiled. She then took Toph's hand and started to dance.
I wanna be where the people are.
I wanna see,
wanna see them dancin'
Walking around on those - what do you call 'em?
Oh - feet!
Flippin' your fins, you don't get too far
Legs are required for jumping, dancing
Strolling along down a -
what's that word again?
Street!
As Katara continuously swam around the grotto, Sokka was watching from behind the objects. He was enjoying Katara's singing voice. It was always something to listen to its soft melody rise and fall. He almost drowned in the beauty of the music, questioning whether he should tell his mother about this place or not. Sokka then snapped himself back into reality. There was no place for a compassionate king! He had to stay true to duties ahead of him, and Katara was breaking those duties.
Up where they walk, up where they run
Up where they stay all day in the sun
Wanderin' free!
Wish I could be
Part of that world!
Katara looked up to the ceiling once more and sighed before falling to the ground below. She smothered herself in the cold ocean sand below her, longing for the warmth of the beaches above. Then Katara thought of her mother, and couldn't help but sigh.
What would I give if I could live out of these waters?
What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand?
Bet'cha on land they understand
That life's not just following orders
Proper living I'd give for freeing
My lasting joy!
Katara swam high up the grotto and looked through many books. The words had faded long ago but the pictures there interested Katara. That's when Katara looked up to the small hole on the top of the grotto and stretched her hands through it. The hole was too small for her to squeeze through; and like the barrier of her life, she was repelled back down, down to the waters below as she sang her last verse.
I'm ready to know what the people know!
Ask 'em my questions and get some answers
What's a fire and why does it - what's the word?
Burn?
When's it my turn?
Wouldn't I love, love to explore that world up above?
Out of the sea,
Wish I could be,
Part of that world!
As Katara finished her song, Sokka couldn't help but feel that he heard enough. This was already enough evidence for him to expose her. He pulled as hard as his constricted arms could and slowly made some progress as he loosened himself.
"That's it, I've heard enough of this!"
Sokka's grunts left everyone in shock and surprise. They recognized his voice anywhere, but they couldn't tell where he was. The entrance was still firmly sealed and, they couldn't see any silhouette on the roof.
Sokka did manage to free himself, but once he was he just shot out of his hole and was sent flying. He shot straight onto Lan's face, smacking his eye into Lan's block nose. They both cringed in pain as they held their respective parts. Katara, Suki, and Toph were all left in surprise.
"My eye! Watch where you point that thing you lunatic, it's a weapon!"
Lan looked to Sokka and scowled. "My nose! You shouldn't smack into people like that when you want to make an entrance! This thing is fragile!"
Katara was busy thinking of an excuse to make as the two argued on.
Sokka then turned to Katara and exclaimed, "As for you! What do you have to say for this stuff?"
Katara had only one excuse come to mind. "We- uh just found this place lying around."
Sokka lowered his brow in annoyance. "Ho-ho, I see. You expect me to believe that you found this entire stockpile of human junk all nicely place on all these shelves? That sounds reasonable."
"Really?" Sokka lowered his brow again.
"Of course it does. Like hell that is! Do you know what mother would think if she found out that you've been holding up this stuff?"
"Oh please Sokka don't tell mother, she'd never understand!" Katara held up her hands, attempting to plea with him. Her sorrowful gaze almost had Sokka thinking otherwise, but he smacked himself back into reality.
"Sorry Katara, but I've got to do what I've got to do and that's that!" He held his head up high and crossed his hands in a pout.
"I say we tie him up and leave him for the sea buzzards." Toph snickered before being smacked by Suki. Sokka then realized something that he overlooked: he was in Katara's power. There was no other way out of this grotto, and bugger if he was going to go through that hole again. He needed to use his powers of deception to craft his own way out of this situation.
"Well now Katara, maybe we can handle this with a little reasoning. Perhaps we can talk this over -" Before Sokka could continue his sentence, the grotto became dark. Everyone turned up to see a great shadow looming overhead. Slowly it blocked the incoming moonlight, leaving the entire grotto in a shade of darkness.
Katara was amazed by the sheer visage of such a hulk. It was too far to be a shark, and too blurry to be a whale. It must've been something on the surface, and Katara was willing to find out what it was. With speed, she swam to the entrance of her grotto. Using her Waterbending she pushed the immense boulder out of the way and made a dash for the surface. All she could hear as she swam away were the sounds of Sokka calling for her.
"Katara! Where are you going? Come back here Katara!" His words soon became lost to her as she swam upwards to whatever that object was...
ooo
Looks like the situation's really starting to get heated up folks!
Stay tuned next Friday for the release of Chapter 5:
Wrath of the Waves