(Zutara) Let Me Pretend; Your Soul is Winter Fire

The Earth King

Appa makes short work of Long Feng. It's a prime example of who the lowly humans splashing about in pools and hurling rocks at each other learned to bend the elements from in the first place. Katara feels like one of those children as she sits, huddled alone off to the side on Appa's back. Lake Laogai drifts below them, flat and lifeless. She doesn't like to think of water that way. She doesn't like thinking about the lifeless boy beneath.

She knows she needs to pull herself together when Toph's hand lands, solid and awkward, between her shoulder blades. She must make a sorry sight if even the blind earthbender took notice. She wipes the tears gathering in her eyes and turns her back to the lake.

It works for all of three seconds before Aang is touching Appa down on a small inlet. Water surrounds them, a place Katara should feel safe and comforted. She doesn't. Failure and anxiety have always made a home in her, buried deep where they can live safe and happy without anyone noticing. Now they're trying to claw their way out.

You failed to save Jet.

You will fail to find Zuko.

"I missed you more than you'll ever know, buddy," Aang is sobbing happily into Appa's fur. The sky bison croons while Momo chitters around the reunion.

All Katara feels is dread.

Thank the spirits someone else shares her sense of urgency. But if Sokka knew why, he'd abandon the day of black sun plan altogether and spend the next month telling her in excruciating detail why she's crazy.

Too late on that one, buddy. She's just as lost as he is.

"Look, we escaped from the Dai Li. We got Appa back. I'm telling you we should go to the Earth King now and tell him our plan." Sokka pumps the air with his fist towards Ba Sing Se. "We're on a roll."

"One good hour after weeks of trouble isn't much of a roll." Because she always has to be the voice of reason. If only he knew how desperately she wanted to get back into the city.

"That's the whole point of momentum, seaweed for brains," Sokka says, launching into big brother mode before she can bring a tidal wave down on him. "We build on it. If we want to invade the Fire Nation when the eclipse happens, we'll need the Earth King's support. I'm just spit-balling here but destabilising a corrupt government that undermines his authority sounds like a good way to get it. But by all means, waste time telling me your ideas."

She does flick water into his face then.

It's a testament to their predicament that Toph only snorts at his squawk before she shakes her head. "What makes you think we'll get it? I don't know if you've noticed, but things don't usually go that smoothly for our little gang."

Sokka wipes the water from his eyes. "I know, but I've got a good feeling about this. This time will be different."

Katara's tempted to hit him again. She folds her arms instead. "Sokka, Long Feng is in control of the city. His conspiracy with the Dai Li is too powerful."

"So we should, what, pack up and leave?"

"No!" Katara answers too quickly. She ignores the looks she gets from Aang, Sokka and Toph. She can't think of an excuse, a good way of suggesting they swing by the Lower Ring for a certain disgraced prince and his uncle. She can't and hangs her head. "Not yet, but maybe leaving Ba Sing Se behind us isn't such a bad option."

She couldn't make them stay just for her when it's this dangerous. She can't even imagine asking them to stay for Zuko.

"I'm with Sweetness," Toph pipes up with an emphatic swing of her arms. "I've seen enough of Ba Sing Se, and I can't even see."