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Description
Toph stared down at the crystal pendant in her palm. Well, "blindly" stared, anyway. She could feel it there. The cold, hard stone that caused her so much heart-break and made her cry and swear until her eyes and throat were dry. The cold, hard stone that was probably as beauitiful as it was secretive. Well, the note was more secretive than anything. What was she going to do with it? She could feel the thin piece of parchment and the slightly raised curves of ink handwriting, but nothing else. Toph wished that for one moment she could see, so she could read the small letter that Katara left on the shore. Toph bit her lip and closed the pendant, twirling it around her index finger. Katara was no coward, so she wouldn't leave… but she wasn't weak either, so she couldn't lose a battle. But Toph could pretty much guarantee that Katara (or her captor) left this intentionally on the shore those few days ago.

So here was the question everyone was pretty much asking themselves for the past few weeks: Why? Why would someone kidnap Katara? Toph laughed when the impulsive thought of the kidnapper being a certain grudge-holding merchant of cabbage. And then the other question. Why would she leave? The majority of the Southern Water Tribe thought that she left on her own accord, but none of them could admit that to Aang. "Aang…" Toph thought wistfully. "What would happen to Aang after all of this would be sorted out?" she thought, opening and closing the crystal locket.

"Agni! What's happening to me?!" she whined, turning her head up to the sun. Aang was all she could think about. Toph sighed, stuffing the necklace in her pocket. Where did this feeling come from? Surely it's from something evil and unnatural! Whenever she saw or, "heard" him, her cheeks would flush bright pink and her usually strong, sure limbs would turn to sludge. She would trip over her own feet and her words would tremble like nervous leaves.

She first started feeling like this after the invasion. After asking herself that question several times, Toph came to the conclusion that she loved him because he was everything she wasn't. Also, she knew that she had influenced the powerful bender that he became. When she saw him standing on that slab of stone in the pale glow of the comet, Toph's eyes glazed over and her heart fluttered like a hummingbird.

He was so different from that silly kid that came skipping to her fighting-ring politely requesting an Earth bending teacher. Especially over the years, she had noticed him become stronger and more persistent. But she also saw Katara become more distant. Toph already knew that Sugar Queen had the hots for Firelord Sparky... She always knew. It was always a matter of time before she went running after him. Toph blinked then jumped up. "That's it!!" she yelled, her mouth slack in awe.

"Why didn't I think of that earlier?!" she muttered, regaining composure and sitting back down on the shore. "It was so obvious! That's probably what's on the note!" she concluded. Toph stood back up and paced on the sand. She couldn't keep the note to herself… not forever. And the fact that she had already kept it to herself for the past few days was selfish. Toph sighed; no good would come of this. The fact that she kept it for so long was definitely going to come back and bite her in the ass. She ran her pale fingers through her long black hair and walked over to the ice hut Suki was in. "Suki will know what to do." Toph mumbled. "Plus, she can actually read."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Katara rummaged through the drawers in her small room. "They should be in the left dresser! I should have some about your size!" Ursa yelled from the foot of the stairs. Katara sighed and plopped down on the wooden floor. "This is hopeless, Ursa! I think we need to go shopping!" Katara yelled back, gathering up her skirts and walking out of the room to the stairs.

"Alright, I'll send you out! I have to stay and look over the shop. I'll just get some money…" she trailed off and Katara heard her fading footsteps. Katara scrambled down the stairs and put a kind hand on Ursa's shoulder. "No… Ursa, please. Its fine, I've taken enough of your kindness as it is." She laughed and dug into her shoulder bag.

"I have some money here. I'll get you something decent from the shop. What would you like? A tunic? I can get you some scarves too." She said, counting the change in her hand. Ursa waved her hand dismissively. "No, it's quite alright. I have plenty of old things here. Besides, I've kept you here as my slave long enough. Go have fun! The Finale Carnival is tomorrow night and you need to get prepped up." She said, scooting her out the door.

"Oh no! I can't possibly leave you here to fend off the customers by yourself!" Katara exclaimed. She was surprised by how successful this shop was. Every day they had nearly 30 customers! Katara wondered what these people were doing to their instruments to get them in such poor shape. Ursa smiled. "Please, I ran this shop before you showed up as a blessing on my doorstep." She mused, wrapping a scarlet cloak around Katara. "Now, I do not want you back any time before noon." She said, poking a pale finger on Katara's nose. She laughed and walked out the door. "Thank you, Ursa. I don't deserve your kindness." Katara said, bowing.

Ursa grimaced. "You say that every day. Just go have fun! Buy some gorgeous clothes and go to a spa. You need it." She smiled, causing her wrinkled face to light up. Katara smiled and turned around walking on the gravel walkway to the street. She really didn't deserve such hospitality from this woman. In the few days she'd been working for her, they'd formed a special bond. Unable to stop herself, Katara once launched into the story of how her mother was taken away from her. She left out the location and the fact that it was a Fire Nation raid, but Ursa didn't seem to notice. Then Ursa told a story about how she lost her family. As guarded and oblique as it was, Katara couldn't help feeling sorry for her.

"I had two children. A boy and a girl. My husband was a very powerful man with expectations to hold up to." She said, her eyes clouding. "Then one day, he found out something about my past, and I found out something about his. He knew I knew, and said that the only way to keep him from harming my children was if I left forever and never came back. Karma is a terrible thing, my dear. Mistakes you make in the past will haunt you forever." She said, looking at the floor as tears swam in her eyes. Katara wanted to cry herself. What kind of man would blackmail his wife and threaten to harm their kids if she didn't cooperate? What made it worse was that last sentence "Mistakes you make in the past will haunt you forever."

Katara sighed at the memory and shivered. That last phrase made her mind switch automatically to her situation with Aang. She walked along the lane through the town. The warm breeze stirred with the tangy scent of fresh fruit and flowers caressed her skin and hair. She sighed contently and strode passed the busy produce stands. "Hi Sue Lin, how are you today?" "Greetings, Sue Lin, would you like to buy some fish? I just got a new shipment this morning." Fellow merchants greeted, waving kindly. Katara smiled but it didn't meet her eyes. This was bad. This was really bad. She was getting too much attention.

Eventually, someone would notice her familiar face and report to Aang. Or worse, Zuko… Katara reached the clothing shop and stepped through the front arch. She ran into a group of giggling girls in elaborate red dresses. "Hey watch it!" one of them screeched. "Sorry, I just wasn't watching where I was going." Katara muttered. The last thing she wanted was to piss off some rich, fire-bending girls.

The screeching one sucked on her bottom lip and lifted a perfectly manicured finger under Katara's chin. The light shined on Katara's face and she felt her pupils shrink in surprise. "Well, well, well, Agni must've been listening to our conversation after all." She said, turning to her friends. They bobbed their heads and giggled in agreement. "What do you mean?" Katara asked skeptically.

The girl must've just remembered that Katara was there because her eyes widened at her voice and she flicked away her hand. "We were just talking about how we need a new dancer for our team. But there are certain qualities we are looking for. You seem the right height.. and you're pretty enough." She said, putting her hands on her hips while looking her up and down. Katara nodded like she knew exactly what she was talking about. "I am Yin Sei; this is Ping, Hah Shi, Lu Tin, and Wen. " she said, gesturing to herself and her "team." "We are the Firelily dancers for Yahn's Carnival." She said proudly, flourishing the long sleeves of her crimson kimono.

Katara bit her lip to keep from laughing. These ridiculous girls reminded her of the girls she and Toph met on their way home from the spa in Ba Sing Se. "We are holding tryouts later this afternoon by the southern strip. Look for a large yellow and red tent with a large blue dragon stationed out front." She said, flicking her cohorts forward. "But don't get too excited, you probably won't make it." The pack leader smiled sweetly and strutted away with her pups twitching close behind. Katara really didn't know what to say… or think, for that matter. She already had a job, and she didn't really like the "team" that much. On the other hand, she had gotten plenty of compliments from her friends in the Southern Water Tribe during parties when she would dance. Plus, there was that one secret-dance-party in the cave in the Fire Nation all those years ago. She loved to dance because it felt like waterbending to her own beat. Katara sighed. What the heck? Ursa said "have fun" and who knows? This might be fun! Maybe…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Zuko downed the martini in his hand while he leaned against the table of the bar. The alcohol burned down his throat and he coughed, trying to soothe the sudden scorch. He was having a party with his friends and some military and political figures of the Fire Nation for The Anniversary of when Aang defeated Ozai during the comet. The celebration lasts a full week however, and there's a huge carnival on the last day. He heard a familiar, hearty laugh in the center of the room and spotted Iroh howling to a joke one of the generals told him. Zuko laughed himself and set the empty glass on the counter, waving his index finger in the air for another round. He felt a firm hand on his shoulder and turned his head around in surprise. "Nariko!" he said happily, giving him a playful punch on the shoulder.

The lieutenant laughed and pulled up a chair at the table. "Hey there, Zuko." He smiled. "So when do I get to meet her?" Zuko asked, remembering how Nariko said he'd bring his fiancé to the party. "Oh, Sayuli? She's right here!" he said, waving someone forward. Zuko's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. A pale, raven haired woman was standing in front of him, her purple eyes twinkling. When she spotted him, however, her eyes flashed with warning. "Ju-" he was about to say her full name when her eyes slitted in hostility. "Nice to meet you, Sayuli. I offer my congratulations." He recovered. "What was she doing here?!" Zuko thought furiously. The last time he'd seen June was in the Earth Kingdom with her strange pet, fighting off a bunch of burly guys in a bar.

All of her tattoos were gone! Same with the black lipstick. Zuko was about to burst out laughing. She was wearing a long, pink kimono and her hair was tied up in a braided bun with porcelain cherry-blossoms dangling from a gold headdress. Nariko put his arm around her waist and pulled her close, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. She blushed and looked to the floor. Zuko was beside himself! Where the outspoken, hostile, bounty-huntress used to be, was a delicate, kind, blushing bride-to-be! "How about some dinner, eh Zuko?"Nariko asked, gesturing him forward. "So we can all get to know each other." He said. "I would love to hear how you two met." Zuko said slyly, flashing a grin in June's direction.

June glared at him under her long eyelashes and pink eyeshadow glitter. They walked over to a bamboo booth with embroidered cushions. Nariko and June sat on one side and Zuko sat on the other. "So, where are you from, Sayuli?" Zuko asked casually, while glancing at the menu. "I'm from Ember Island, just like most of you, I guess." She replied, flipping through the menu. "I met her on patrol here. We just bumped into each other! Isn't that great?" Nariko said enthusiastically. "How convenient!" Zuko said with that much enthusiasm, stealing glances at June to see if she'll give anything away. She didn't of course, avoiding her eyes by looking all-too-closely at the menu.

"She's a very firm believer of a democratic government, aren't you Sayuli?" Nariko said teasingly. "Oh, really?" Zuko laughed. June looked up from the menu, a dark fire in her eyes. "Yes, really. I think that one person having so much power will weaken us, instead of uniting us in a central government. We need more than one person in charge, to keep things balanced and in order. The crime rates in the Fire Nation are through the roof, and the civil wars are blazing throughout rural townships and cities alike. I guess that's what happens when your too ignorant to expect that everything won't go all according to plan just because your friends with the Avatar." She said slyly, her eyes glinting with arrogance.

Zuko, being charged with anger from her outburst, leaned forward and tilted his head. "Now you'd know all about crime rates, wouldn't you "Sayuli"?" he smiled, putting emphasis on her fake name, while taking a swig of his martini. Nariko's eyes were widened in surprise and he opened his mouth to say something but June stood up abruptly, causing the table to creak. "I'm tired, darling. I need to go to bed. I'll see you back at the house." She said, kissing him reassuringly and walking out of the room. Nariko laughed nervously. "Huh, I wonder what's gotten into her…" he mumbled. Zuko fumed and stood up. "I'll see you later, Nariko. I have to go check on something in the palace." He said quickly, turning on his heel and running after June. Nariko's mouth was open in complete surprise. "What's gotten into him?"

Description
Toph stared down at the crystal pendant in her palm. Well, "blindly" stared, anyway. She could feel it there. The cold, hard stone that caused her so much heart-break and made her cry and swear until her eyes and throat were dry. The cold, hard stone that was probably as beauitiful as it was secretive. Well, the note was more secretive than anything. What was she going to do with it? She could feel the thin piece of parchment and the slightly raised curves of ink handwriting, but nothing else. Toph wished that for one moment she could see, so she could read the small letter that Katara left on the shore. Toph bit her lip and closed the pendant, twirling it around her index finger. Katara was no coward, so she wouldn't leave… but she wasn't weak either, so she couldn't lose a battle. But Toph could pretty much guarantee that Katara (or her captor) left this intentionally on the shore those few days ago.

So here was the question everyone was pretty much asking themselves for the past few weeks: Why? Why would someone kidnap Katara? Toph laughed when the impulsive thought of the kidnapper being a certain grudge-holding merchant of cabbage. And then the other question. Why would she leave? The majority of the Southern Water Tribe thought that she left on her own accord, but none of them could admit that to Aang. "Aang…" Toph thought wistfully. "What would happen to Aang after all of this would be sorted out?" she thought, opening and closing the crystal locket.

"Agni! What's happening to me?!" she whined, turning her head up to the sun. Aang was all she could think about. Toph sighed, stuffing the necklace in her pocket. Where did this feeling come from? Surely it's from something evil and unnatural! Whenever she saw or, "heard" him, her cheeks would flush bright pink and her usually strong, sure limbs would turn to sludge. She would trip over her own feet and her words would tremble like nervous leaves.

She first started feeling like this after the invasion. After asking herself that question several times, Toph came to the conclusion that she loved him because he was everything she wasn't. Also, she knew that she had influenced the powerful bender that he became. When she saw him standing on that slab of stone in the pale glow of the comet, Toph's eyes glazed over and her heart fluttered like a hummingbird.

He was so different from that silly kid that came skipping to her fighting-ring politely requesting an Earth bending teacher. Especially over the years, she had noticed him become stronger and more persistent. But she also saw Katara become more distant. Toph already knew that Sugar Queen had the hots for Firelord Sparky... She always knew. It was always a matter of time before she went running after him. Toph blinked then jumped up. "That's it!!" she yelled, her mouth slack in awe.

"Why didn't I think of that earlier?!" she muttered, regaining composure and sitting back down on the shore. "It was so obvious! That's probably what's on the note!" she concluded. Toph stood back up and paced on the sand. She couldn't keep the note to herself… not forever. And the fact that she had already kept it to herself for the past few days was selfish. Toph sighed; no good would come of this. The fact that she kept it for so long was definitely going to come back and bite her in the ass. She ran her pale fingers through her long black hair and walked over to the ice hut Suki was in. "Suki will know what to do." Toph mumbled. "Plus, she can actually read."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Katara rummaged through the drawers in her small room. "They should be in the left dresser! I should have some about your size!" Ursa yelled from the foot of the stairs. Katara sighed and plopped down on the wooden floor. "This is hopeless, Ursa! I think we need to go shopping!" Katara yelled back, gathering up her skirts and walking out of the room to the stairs.

"Alright, I'll send you out! I have to stay and look over the shop. I'll just get some money…" she trailed off and Katara heard her fading footsteps. Katara scrambled down the stairs and put a kind hand on Ursa's shoulder. "No… Ursa, please. Its fine, I've taken enough of your kindness as it is." She laughed and dug into her shoulder bag.

"I have some money here. I'll get you something decent from the shop. What would you like? A tunic? I can get you some scarves too." She said, counting the change in her hand. Ursa waved her hand dismissively. "No, it's quite alright. I have plenty of old things here. Besides, I've kept you here as my slave long enough. Go have fun! The Finale Carnival is tomorrow night and you need to get prepped up." She said, scooting her out the door.

"Oh no! I can't possibly leave you here to fend off the customers by yourself!" Katara exclaimed. She was surprised by how successful this shop was. Every day they had nearly 30 customers! Katara wondered what these people were doing to their instruments to get them in such poor shape. Ursa smiled. "Please, I ran this shop before you showed up as a blessing on my doorstep." She mused, wrapping a scarlet cloak around Katara. "Now, I do not want you back any time before noon." She said, poking a pale finger on Katara's nose. She laughed and walked out the door. "Thank you, Ursa. I don't deserve your kindness." Katara said, bowing.

Ursa grimaced. "You say that every day. Just go have fun! Buy some gorgeous clothes and go to a spa. You need it." She smiled, causing her wrinkled face to light up. Katara smiled and turned around walking on the gravel walkway to the street. She really didn't deserve such hospitality from this woman. In the few days she'd been working for her, they'd formed a special bond. Unable to stop herself, Katara once launched into the story of how her mother was taken away from her. She left out the location and the fact that it was a Fire Nation raid, but Ursa didn't seem to notice. Then Ursa told a story about how she lost her family. As guarded and oblique as it was, Katara couldn't help feeling sorry for her.

"I had two children. A boy and a girl. My husband was a very powerful man with expectations to hold up to." She said, her eyes clouding. "Then one day, he found out something about my past, and I found out something about his. He knew I knew, and said that the only way to keep him from harming my children was if I left forever and never came back. Karma is a terrible thing, my dear. Mistakes you make in the past will haunt you forever." She said, looking at the floor as tears swam in her eyes. Katara wanted to cry herself. What kind of man would blackmail his wife and threaten to harm their kids if she didn't cooperate? What made it worse was that last sentence "Mistakes you make in the past will haunt you forever."

Katara sighed at the memory and shivered. That last phrase made her mind switch automatically to her situation with Aang. She walked along the lane through the town. The warm breeze stirred with the tangy scent of fresh fruit and flowers caressed her skin and hair. She sighed contently and strode passed the busy produce stands. "Hi Sue Lin, how are you today?" "Greetings, Sue Lin, would you like to buy some fish? I just got a new shipment this morning." Fellow merchants greeted, waving kindly. Katara smiled but it didn't meet her eyes. This was bad. This was really bad. She was getting too much attention.

Eventually, someone would notice her familiar face and report to Aang. Or worse, Zuko… Katara reached the clothing shop and stepped through the front arch. She ran into a group of giggling girls in elaborate red dresses. "Hey watch it!" one of them screeched. "Sorry, I just wasn't watching where I was going." Katara muttered. The last thing she wanted was to piss off some rich, fire-bending girls.

The screeching one sucked on her bottom lip and lifted a perfectly manicured finger under Katara's chin. The light shined on Katara's face and she felt her pupils shrink in surprise. "Well, well, well, Agni must've been listening to our conversation after all." She said, turning to her friends. They bobbed their heads and giggled in agreement. "What do you mean?" Katara asked skeptically.

The girl must've just remembered that Katara was there because her eyes widened at her voice and she flicked away her hand. "We were just talking about how we need a new dancer for our team. But there are certain qualities we are looking for. You seem the right height.. and you're pretty enough." She said, putting her hands on her hips while looking her up and down. Katara nodded like she knew exactly what she was talking about. "I am Yin Sei; this is Ping, Hah Shi, Lu Tin, and Wen. " she said, gesturing to herself and her "team." "We are the Firelily dancers for Yahn's Carnival." She said proudly, flourishing the long sleeves of her crimson kimono.

Katara bit her lip to keep from laughing. These ridiculous girls reminded her of the girls she and Toph met on their way home from the spa in Ba Sing Se. "We are holding tryouts later this afternoon by the southern strip. Look for a large yellow and red tent with a large blue dragon stationed out front." She said, flicking her cohorts forward. "But don't get too excited, you probably won't make it." The pack leader smiled sweetly and strutted away with her pups twitching close behind. Katara really didn't know what to say… or think, for that matter. She already had a job, and she didn't really like the "team" that much. On the other hand, she had gotten plenty of compliments from her friends in the Southern Water Tribe during parties when she would dance. Plus, there was that one secret-dance-party in the cave in the Fire Nation all those years ago. She loved to dance because it felt like waterbending to her own beat. Katara sighed. What the heck? Ursa said "have fun" and who knows? This might be fun! Maybe…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Zuko downed the martini in his hand while he leaned against the table of the bar. The alcohol burned down his throat and he coughed, trying to soothe the sudden scorch. He was having a party with his friends and some military and political figures of the Fire Nation for The Anniversary of when Aang defeated Ozai during the comet. The celebration lasts a full week however, and there's a huge carnival on the last day. He heard a familiar, hearty laugh in the center of the room and spotted Iroh howling to a joke one of the generals told him. Zuko laughed himself and set the empty glass on the counter, waving his index finger in the air for another round. He felt a firm hand on his shoulder and turned his head around in surprise. "Nariko!" he said happily, giving him a playful punch on the shoulder.

The lieutenant laughed and pulled up a chair at the table. "Hey there, Zuko." He smiled. "So when do I get to meet her?" Zuko asked, remembering how Nariko said he'd bring his fiancé to the party. "Oh, Sayuli? She's right here!" he said, waving someone forward. Zuko's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. A pale, raven haired woman was standing in front of him, her purple eyes twinkling. When she spotted him, however, her eyes flashed with warning. "Ju-" he was about to say her full name when her eyes slitted in hostility. "Nice to meet you, Sayuli. I offer my congratulations." He recovered. "What was she doing here?!" Zuko thought furiously. The last time he'd seen June was in the Earth Kingdom with her strange pet, fighting off a bunch of burly guys in a bar.

All of her tattoos were gone! Same with the black lipstick. Zuko was about to burst out laughing. She was wearing a long, pink kimono and her hair was tied up in a braided bun with porcelain cherry-blossoms dangling from a gold headdress. Nariko put his arm around her waist and pulled her close, planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. She blushed and looked to the floor. Zuko was beside himself! Where the outspoken, hostile, bounty-huntress used to be, was a delicate, kind, blushing bride-to-be! "How about some dinner, eh Zuko?"Nariko asked, gesturing him forward. "So we can all get to know each other." He said. "I would love to hear how you two met." Zuko said slyly, flashing a grin in June's direction.

June glared at him under her long eyelashes and pink eyeshadow glitter. They walked over to a bamboo booth with embroidered cushions. Nariko and June sat on one side and Zuko sat on the other. "So, where are you from, Sayuli?" Zuko asked casually, while glancing at the menu. "I'm from Ember Island, just like most of you, I guess." She replied, flipping through the menu. "I met her on patrol here. We just bumped into each other! Isn't that great?" Nariko said enthusiastically. "How convenient!" Zuko said with that much enthusiasm, stealing glances at June to see if she'll give anything away. She didn't of course, avoiding her eyes by looking all-too-closely at the menu.

"She's a very firm believer of a democratic government, aren't you Sayuli?" Nariko said teasingly. "Oh, really?" Zuko laughed. June looked up from the menu, a dark fire in her eyes. "Yes, really. I think that one person having so much power will weaken us, instead of uniting us in a central government. We need more than one person in charge, to keep things balanced and in order. The crime rates in the Fire Nation are through the roof, and the civil wars are blazing throughout rural townships and cities alike. I guess that's what happens when your too ignorant to expect that everything won't go all according to plan just because your friends with the Avatar." She said slyly, her eyes glinting with arrogance.

Zuko, being charged with anger from her outburst, leaned forward and tilted his head. "Now you'd know all about crime rates, wouldn't you "Sayuli"?" he smiled, putting emphasis on her fake name, while taking a swig of his martini. Nariko's eyes were widened in surprise and he opened his mouth to say something but June stood up abruptly, causing the table to creak. "I'm tired, darling. I need to go to bed. I'll see you back at the house." She said, kissing him reassuringly and walking out of the room. Nariko laughed nervously. "Huh, I wonder what's gotten into her…" he mumbled. Zuko fumed and stood up. "I'll see you later, Nariko. I have to go check on something in the palace." He said quickly, turning on his heel and running after June. Nariko's mouth was open in complete surprise. "What's gotten into him?"