Balance | Old Version

Chapter 111

Elua's POV.

That night, Aang, Sokka, and I find Zuko and Katara putting their bags onto Appa. Clearly, they weren't going to listen to reason with this situation.
"So you were just going to take Appa anyway?" Aang asks in annoyance as we walk over to them.
"Yes," Katara says simply, not turning around to face us.
"It's okay, because I forgive you," Aang says calmly. "That give you any ideas?" He asks her hopefully.
"Don't try to stop us," Katara says harshly.
"We won't. You need to face this man," Aang tells her.
"But, when you do, please don't choose revenge," I tell her. "Let your anger out, then let it go, and forgive him," I say softly to her.

"Okay, we'll be sure to do that guru-goody-goody," Zuko says sarcastically as he hops onto Appa.
"Thanks for understanding," Katara says as she hops onto Appa as well and he begins to move forward.
"Wait," I sigh. Katara stops Appa and they look at me in confusion. "I'm going with you," I tell them as I start to walk over to them, but Sokka grabs my hand and stops me from walking any further.
"Elua, no," Sokka says with a look of worry.
"I have to make sure she comes out of this okay," I whisper to him. "I'll see you when we get back," I tell him as I lean up and kiss his cheek before hopping onto Appa.

"Yip yip."

Later.

We had been up all night and the sun was just beginning to rise into the sky. We had gotten to a Fire Navy communication tower shortly after we had left the others, where we found out that the Southern Raiders were stationed near Whale Tail Island.
"You should get some rest," Zuko tells Katara as he sits up from where he was laying. "We'll be there in a few hours. You'll need all your strength," He states as Katara holds onto the reins and doesn't look behind her.
"Now, don't you worry about my strength. I have plenty," Katara says as she keeps her eyes on the horizon. "I'm not the helpless little girl I was when they came," She states, beginning to tell Zuko what had happened the day her mother was killed.
"Your Mother was a brave woman," Zuko says as Katara finishes her story.
"I know," Katara says sadly as she places her hand on her necklace.

After a while, Zuko and I finally convince Katara to rest for a while. I look over to Katara as she lays on Appa's saddle, I couldn't help but worry that she would make the wrong decision when she faced the man she hated so much.
"There," Zuko suddenly says as he looks through a telescope. Katara quickly sits up and Zuko toses the telescope to her. "See those Sea Raven flags?" He asks as he points to the flags on the ship in front of us. "It's The Southern Raiders," He states as we near the ship.
"Let's do this," Katara says with a look of determination. She and I bend a bubble around Appa's head as he goes under the water. Katara bends a huge wave at the ship, sending some of the crew overboard and giving Appa a place to land. We run through a metal doorway and down the halls until we come across another metal door, this one a little bit bigger and obviously where the captain was.

"This is it, Katara. Are you ready to face him?" I ask her anxiously. Katara doesn't answer, but she takes water out of her waterskin and knocks the door down. We walk inside to be met with fire blasts, Zuko and I block them before they hit Katara. We see a man standing in front of us, he goes to send another blast at us, but his body suddenly goes stiff. I frown in confusion and turn around, only to see that Katara is bloodbending him.
"What? What's happening to me?" The man asks in a panic as he now has no control of his body.
"Think back. Think back to your last raid on the Southern Water Tribe," Zuko tells him glaring.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Please, I don't know!" The man shouts in fear.
"Don't lie! You look her in the eye and you tell me you don't remember what you did," Zuko tells him angrily as Katara makes him look at her.

 She glares at him with hatred, but her glare falls and her expression turns to one of shock.
"It's not him," Katara says softly as she lets go of him and he falls to the ground. "He's not the man," She says, almost with a look of shame.
"What?! What do you mean he's not?" Zuko asks. "He's a leader of The Southern Raiders! He has to be the guy!" He states. Katara looks at him and shakes her head before turning around and walking away. Zuko turns to the man, grabs him, and throws him against the wall.
"Zuko," I say warningly. He looks over to me, he sighs as he lets him go and the man falls back to the floor. "If you're not the man we are looking for, then tell me who is," I tell the man calmly as I kneel in front of him.
"You must be looking for Yon Rha. He retired 4 years ago," The man says, obviously afraid and confused. I nod as I stand up and turn around as Zuko and I follow after Katara.

The Next Morning.

We had tracked down Yon Rha, he was living in a small village in the Fire Nation and we had been following him as he walked down the path leading to wherever he lived. 
"Hello? Is someone there?" Yon Rha asks as he turns around, but he shakes his head and turns back around.
"That was him. That was the monster," Katara says with a look of hatred in her eyes. As we continue following Yon Rha, it begins to pour down rain.
"Nobody sneaks up on me without being burned!" Yon Rha shouts as he drops his basket and sends a blast of fire at a bush, burning it. He stares at the bush for a moment, then picks up his stuff and starts to walk again. I swiftly send a blast of air at him and he falls to the ground.

"We weren't behind the bush," Zuko tells him as we stand over him.  "And I wouldn't try firebending again," He tells him with a scowl on his face.
"Whoever you are, take my money. Take whatever you want, I'll cooperate," Yon Rha says in fear.
"We don't want your money," I tell him as we step aside and Katara walks in front of him.
"Do you know who I am?" Katara asks him angrily.
"No, I'm not sure," He says in fear.
"Oh, you better remember me like your life depends on it!" Katara shouts at him.

"Why don't you take a closer look," She says as she stares him in the eye. He frowns in confusion, but his expression turns to one of shock.
"Yes, yes. I remember you now," Yon Rha says. "You're the little Water Tribe girl. Your mother was the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe," He states.
"She lied to you. She was protecting the last waterbender," Katara tells him angrily.
"What? Who?" He asks shocked.
"ME!" Katara yells as she bends the rain into a bubble around us. She holds the water in the air for a moment, then creates spikes of ice out of it and sending it at Yon Rha. 

For a moment, I think she's actually going to do it. But right before it hits him, she stops and lets the spikes fall back into water.
"I did a bad thing. I know I did and you deserve revenge," Yon Rha says in fear. "So, why don't you take my Mother? That would be fair," He says, seeming to be hoping his mother would die.
"I always wonder what kind of person could do such a thing. But, now that I see you, I think I understand," Katara says as she takes a few steps forward. "There's just nothing inside you. Nothing at all. You're pathetic and sad and empty," She states.
"Please spare me," He begs as he bows his head.
"But, as much as I hate you...I just can't do it," Katara says as she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before she turns around, and continues down the path in front of us.

Later.

I look over to Katara as she hits on the edge of an old dock. I sigh as I walk down the dock and sit down beside her.
"I know it was hard, but I'm really proud of you for not going through with it," I tell her as I put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. She looks over to me and gives me a small grateful smile. I look up and see Appa fly down and land on the beach behind us. Aang jumps off Appa and runs down the dock, a worried look on his face.
"Katara! Are you okay?" Aang asks her in concern.
"I'm doing fine," Katara states.
"Zuko told me what you did. Or...what you didn't do, I guess," Aang says. "I'm proud of you," He says with a smile.

"I wanted to do it. I wanted to take out all my anger at him but, I couldn't," Katara states. "I don't know if it's because I'm too weak to do it or if it's because I'm strong enough not to," She says.
"You did the right thing," Aang tells her. "Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing," He states as she stands up and turns to him.
"But, I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him," Katara states. She looks over to Zuko and gives him a small smile. "But, I am ready to forgive you," She tells Zuko as she walks over to him and brings him into a hug, Zuko seems surprised, but he hugs her back. She lets him go and we begin to walk over to Sokka, who stands beside Appa.

"Are you okay?" Sokka asks Katara in worry, she gives him a small smile and nods as she begins to climb onto Appa.
"Oh, and Sokka?" Katara says as she looks over her shoulder. "I'm sorry what I said about you not loving mom. I know you did," She states. Sokka smiles as she turns back around and lays down on Appa. Sokka turns around and sees me standing behind him, he smiles and quickly brings me into a hug.
"Are you alright?" He asks me as I wrap my arms around him too.
"Yes, I'm okay," I tell him happily as we let go of each other.
"Are you sure?" He asks worriedly.
"Yes, Sokka," I say, giggling at his protectiveness.
"Promise?" He asks me and I smile at him.

"Pinky promise."