Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Duty Versus Love ❯ Betrayed ( Chapter 40 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Light-Eco-Sage 
Avatar is owned by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, not me!
Non Anime: Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Fantasy / Martial Arts / Romance / Supernatural / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.02.2013 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.7K | Visits: 555 | Status: Work In Progress
Avatar is owned by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, not me!
Non Anime: Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Hentai / Fantasy / Martial Arts / Romance / Supernatural / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.02.2013 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.7K | Visits: 555 | Status: Work In Progress
LES: So… here it is! Time to throw all the shit that’s been hanging around the entire story into the fan and create the mess I’ve been building up to this entire time! Woot! Well… actually, it’s nothing to celebrate. *waves Kataang flag feebly*
Chapter XL: Betrayed
It was a beautiful day at the Southern Air Temple, a perfect day to just be lazy. In fact, there was to be no Airbending lessons from Aang today. The only people at the training arena were Anil and Tenzin. Tenzin had improved in his Airbending in the last few days.
Overall, Anil was really pleased with his sibling’s abilities, but best of all was Sho’s abilities. Anil had yesterday witnessed him perform the final move set for the thirty-fifth level of Airbending correctly, and was planning on meeting with his father that afternoon to recommend that Sho be prepared to receive his tattoos. All that was left was for Sho to be taught how to teach Airbending, and Aang and Anil would no longer be the sole teachers.
“Very good, Ten.” Anil said proudly as he watched Tenzin perform a move that he had previously struggled with a great deal. “I think you’re ready to move onto the next set.”
Tenzin turned to smile at his older brother and then froze, staring at something just over Anil’s shoulder. Anil blinked in confusion and then turned to face what had caught Tenzin’s attention. He gasped at the sight and then sprang into action.
A strange woman was staggering towards them from across the training field, her head and shoulders bowed with great suffering. She had the look of one who had traveled for weeks on-foot to reach the Air Temple. Her clothes were filled with holes and filthy, her hair was a mess and she had a wild look about her, and she clutched a cloth-covered bundle to her breast tightly like it was the most important thing in the world to her.
She gazed over at Anil and Tenzin with dull, lifeless eyes. “Help me… Avatar…” She gasped, before falling to her knees. Anil and Tenzin both rushed over and caught her before she collapsed on the ground.
“Who is this?” Tenzin asked, confused, for he had never seen someone like this before.
Anil shook his head in confusion. He could tell from her look that she was Fire Nation, and what remained of her clothes were fine enough to suggest that she was once Fire Nation nobility, but he was sure that he had never seen this woman before.
“She said ‘Avatar’.” Tenzin continued. “Do you think she’s come to see Dad?”
“It’s possible.” Anil said. They had people showing up to the Temple like this every once in a while, begging for aid. It was just that they rarely saw someone in such distress upon their arrival. “She’s in no condition to meet Dad right now. We’ll wait until she wakes up.”
“What do you think she’s holding?” Tenzin asked, leaning forward and pulling aside the cloth that covered her bundle, and then he pulled back with a gasp. “It’s a little kid!”
Anil looked over to confirm what Tenzin said. It was, indeed, a small child, perhaps no older than three or four years old. He did not look nearly as distressed as the woman did, and he was sound asleep against her breast.
Anil nodded and took charge of the situation. “Tenzin, you grab the child. I’ll carry the woman. Let’s take them inside.” Tenzin nodded and pried the child out of the woman’s arms, and Anil picked the woman up, carrying her bridal style. “Follow me.” Anil said, as they carried the woman and child inside the Temple.
~~~~~~~~~~
It took a few hours for the woman to regain consciousness. She sat up suddenly, clutching at her breast where the child no longer was. “My baby!” She gasped.
“Calm down.” A soothing voice said. The woman glanced around and saw that another woman, a Water Tribe woman that had to be Lady Katara, was in the room with her. “Your baby is fine. He’s still asleep, right over there.” She pointed towards a little cradle that she had set up in the room. “It’s you we’ve been worried about. You’re in awfully bad shape.”
The woman blushed as Katara spoke, but Katara could not imagine why. “Please, I must speak with Avatar Aang.”
“We know.” Katara said. “My eldest son, Anil, has gone to get his father just before you woke up. I was able to sense that you were waking up. They should be here in a few minutes.”
The woman nodded. “Thank you. Can I… have my baby, please?” She asked.
“Of course.” Katara said, walking over to the cradle and carefully lifting the child from the crib with the gentleness of an experienced mother and handing the still-sleeping child to his mother.
Katara went back to checking the woman over with her healing powers, but she stopped when the door to the room opened up and her husband and son stepped into the room.
“I heard that we have a refugee…” Aang began, and then trailed off when he caught sight of the woman and her child. He could not understand what was going on with him. At the sight of these two refugees, something inside his mind suddenly broke and he remembered something that he had tried so hard to make himself forget.
He remembered this woman: Mitsuko, a woman that he had met over six years ago in the Fire Nation. They had become fast friends and he visited her every chance he had when he was in the Fire Nation. However, over the course of their friendship, he had found himself developing shameful feelings of passion and lust for her. He had held himself back until she had confessed to him that she felt the same way. He remembered… Aang felt sickened. He remembered sneaking around behind his wife’s back for several, passionate trysts with Mitsuko, which ultimately led to her pregnancy. Mitsuko, knowing the forbidden nature of what they had done, opted to end their relationship and raise Aang’s child alone. Aang had reluctantly agreed to the plan, under the circumstances that they never contact each other, lest Katara find out what they had done. He remembered being so hurt at losing the woman he loved and his unborn child that he had forced himself to put it out of his mind, never to think about it again because it was simply too painful.
All those feelings came rushing back at once. But there was something else… he was sickened… repulsed with himself.
No… these memories can’t be real! Aang shouted mentally at himself. But the memories were so vivid! He could hear every gasp from her lips, see every drop of sweat on her brow, and feel every time she dug her fingernails into his back as they made love. He could hear her whisper how much she loved him, and himself replying that he could be with her if… if he were not all ready married.
While Aang was struggling with the memories that were building up inside him, the woman got out of bed and flung herself at him, pressed against his body, crying onto his shoulder. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I know that I promised you that we would keep what happened between us a secret, but I can no longer.”
Anil jumped forward and pulled the woman off his father. “What’s going on here?” He demanded.
“I lied to my parents.” The woman said, ignoring Anil’s question as she continued to stare at Aang. “I told them that the child belonged to the man that I got betrothed to after we parted ways, but they found out.”
“Aang, what’s going on?” Katara asked, confused by the woman’s ramblings.
“Katara, I…” Aang gasped, horrified at the words of confession that almost came out of him.
“Please, Aang, I need you to afford me the same rights as the women who were a part of the plan, even though I’m not.” Mitsuko pleaded. “My parents found that that this child is yours, and they have disowned me. I need you to take your child.” She held her baby out to Aang imploringly.
A painful silence filled the room. For a while, no one spoke, until Anil stepped forward, his face full of anger. “You lie!” He accused.
“Why would I lie about this?!?” Mitsuko screamed at him. “You don’t think I’d much rather go on pretending that this child is my betrothed’s son? This child is equal parts love and shame!”
With all the screaming, the child finally woke up with a cry, and Katara gasped in shock. The child clearly had gray eyes. Gray was one of the rarest eye colors in the world since the Air Nomads had been destroyed, the odds of the woman’s story being a lie were extremely low.
Katara felt as if someone had stabbed her in the heart, and she staggered as if from a physical blow. “Mom!” Anil gasped, steadying her. “Do you… honestly believe this?”
“I don’t know what to believe.” Katara gasped, glancing at her husband. “Aang…” She did not say it, but her eyes were begging. ‘Please tell me that this is not true.’
Aang hesitated before he began to respond. “… Katara…”
Katara stood up, away from her son, as she found strength in her legs again. “Enough. Your hesitation says it all.” She turned and headed out the door, followed closely by Aang. Mitsuko attempted to follow them, but Anil stopped her forcefully.
“You stay right there!” He growled dangerously. “I’ll deal with you later.” He didn’t spare her another glance as he turned to follow his parents.
Katara stormed down the hallway to their bedroom, with Aang following her, calling out to her imploringly. “Katara… Katara… Katara, please…” Katara stepped into the room, and Aang managed to get in before she slammed the door. “Katara, please, listen to me!” He begged.
“I don’t want to hear any more from you!” Katara yelled, going to the closet and beginning to gather some things. “You can’t even deny what she says!”
“There’s something wrong!” Aang yelled.
“Yes, there is something wrong!” Katara rounded on him, rage in her eyes. “You see, seventeen years ago, this woman’s husband goes through with a shameful ‘repopulation’ plan. It was his duty! He assured his wife that she would be the only one he ever loved. And his wife… his stupid, blind wife was foolish enough to believe him!”
“Katara, no, it wasn’t like that!”
“But, oh no, it’s gets even worse than that!” Katara continued to rant. “A few years later, this two-timing husband promised his fool of a wife that he was finished with the repopulation plan! He vowed to dedicate himself only to his wife and the children they all ready had. But that was just a lie too, and that dumb wife… she just kept swallowing them!” With every sentence she threw some more clothes into a travel bag and with the final word, she cinched it shut.
“Katara, what are you doing?” Aang asked desperately as she walked out of the room.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” Katara asked rhetorically. “This stupid wife is finally doing something smart for the first time in her whole sham of marriage.”
“Katara, please, just think about…” Aang’s pleading grew more and more desperate as she made her way down through the Temple, attracting the attention of the other children.
“I don’t need to think about it!” Katara yelled.
“Wait, Mom!” Anil gasped, following them. He sounded almost as desperate as Aang did. “There has to be some explanation…”
“What explanation? What could possibly explain this?” Katara yelled. “Anil, get your bison!”
“Mom!” Anil gasped.
“Katara, no!” Aang screamed out, rushing forward and grabbing onto her arm.
Quicker than anyone could react, Katara pulled her arm from Aang’s grip, turned around, and slapped him hard across the face. The blow sent Aang reeling, not from physical pain, but emotional pain instead.
The entire Temple, and all the watching children fell silent, staring in shock at the sight. They had never seen their parents get so angry as to strike each other.
Katara’s rage-filled voice broke the silence. “Don’t touch me! You have no right to touch me!”
“I… I’m your husband.” Aang said desperately.
“You are not my husband.” Katara said coldly. “I renounce my marriage to you. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m taking my children with me! It’s not like you won’t have children of your own to keep you company.”
“Mom…” Anil began.
“Tenzin, Kya, Neela… get your things together. We’re leaving in five minutes. Anil…” She looked to her eldest son.
Anil hesitated, glancing between her mother and father. “No.” He said finally. “I’m not staying with you, Mother.”
“Anil…”
“No! I have come of age, and I am old enough to decide for myself where I’m going to go!” Anil said. “You can’t ask me to chose between my parents, because I’m not going to. I’ll take you on my Bison to wherever you want to go, but after that, I’m coming back to the Southern Air Temple, and then moving to one of the other Temples. I’ll visit both of you, but I’m not pushing one or the other out of my life.”
“Get your bison.” Katara said simply. “I can’t be here any longer.”
“Katara, please… I… I love you.” Aang said desperately.
“If you ever did love me, Aang, it’s been a long time since you’ve felt it.” Katara said coldly, waiting for her children to get their things together while Aang continued to beg her to stay, all of his words ignored.
Ten minutes later, Anil’s bison took the sky, carrying Katara, Tenzin, Kya, and little Neela away from the Air Temple.
Aang stood rooted to the same spot where Katara had told him that they were no longer married, shaking with repressed pain and anguish. He felt as if his heart had been ripped right out of his chest. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t think. The only thing that mattered to him at all was that Katara, the love of his life, was gone forever.
Aang fell to his knees and smashed his fists into the ground, causing a violent earthquake to erupt. His eyes and tattoos lit up, fueled by the pain and hurt that he was feeling, and he screamed, releasing all the pain and anguish of a thousand lifetimes at once.
LES: I’ve lost count of the number of reviews that I’ve gotten saying “Katara should feel more resentment towards the plan”. How’s that for resentment? See? The shit has really hit the fan now!
Chapter XL: Betrayed
It was a beautiful day at the Southern Air Temple, a perfect day to just be lazy. In fact, there was to be no Airbending lessons from Aang today. The only people at the training arena were Anil and Tenzin. Tenzin had improved in his Airbending in the last few days.
Overall, Anil was really pleased with his sibling’s abilities, but best of all was Sho’s abilities. Anil had yesterday witnessed him perform the final move set for the thirty-fifth level of Airbending correctly, and was planning on meeting with his father that afternoon to recommend that Sho be prepared to receive his tattoos. All that was left was for Sho to be taught how to teach Airbending, and Aang and Anil would no longer be the sole teachers.
“Very good, Ten.” Anil said proudly as he watched Tenzin perform a move that he had previously struggled with a great deal. “I think you’re ready to move onto the next set.”
Tenzin turned to smile at his older brother and then froze, staring at something just over Anil’s shoulder. Anil blinked in confusion and then turned to face what had caught Tenzin’s attention. He gasped at the sight and then sprang into action.
A strange woman was staggering towards them from across the training field, her head and shoulders bowed with great suffering. She had the look of one who had traveled for weeks on-foot to reach the Air Temple. Her clothes were filled with holes and filthy, her hair was a mess and she had a wild look about her, and she clutched a cloth-covered bundle to her breast tightly like it was the most important thing in the world to her.
She gazed over at Anil and Tenzin with dull, lifeless eyes. “Help me… Avatar…” She gasped, before falling to her knees. Anil and Tenzin both rushed over and caught her before she collapsed on the ground.
“Who is this?” Tenzin asked, confused, for he had never seen someone like this before.
Anil shook his head in confusion. He could tell from her look that she was Fire Nation, and what remained of her clothes were fine enough to suggest that she was once Fire Nation nobility, but he was sure that he had never seen this woman before.
“She said ‘Avatar’.” Tenzin continued. “Do you think she’s come to see Dad?”
“It’s possible.” Anil said. They had people showing up to the Temple like this every once in a while, begging for aid. It was just that they rarely saw someone in such distress upon their arrival. “She’s in no condition to meet Dad right now. We’ll wait until she wakes up.”
“What do you think she’s holding?” Tenzin asked, leaning forward and pulling aside the cloth that covered her bundle, and then he pulled back with a gasp. “It’s a little kid!”
Anil looked over to confirm what Tenzin said. It was, indeed, a small child, perhaps no older than three or four years old. He did not look nearly as distressed as the woman did, and he was sound asleep against her breast.
Anil nodded and took charge of the situation. “Tenzin, you grab the child. I’ll carry the woman. Let’s take them inside.” Tenzin nodded and pried the child out of the woman’s arms, and Anil picked the woman up, carrying her bridal style. “Follow me.” Anil said, as they carried the woman and child inside the Temple.
~~~~~~~~~~
It took a few hours for the woman to regain consciousness. She sat up suddenly, clutching at her breast where the child no longer was. “My baby!” She gasped.
“Calm down.” A soothing voice said. The woman glanced around and saw that another woman, a Water Tribe woman that had to be Lady Katara, was in the room with her. “Your baby is fine. He’s still asleep, right over there.” She pointed towards a little cradle that she had set up in the room. “It’s you we’ve been worried about. You’re in awfully bad shape.”
The woman blushed as Katara spoke, but Katara could not imagine why. “Please, I must speak with Avatar Aang.”
“We know.” Katara said. “My eldest son, Anil, has gone to get his father just before you woke up. I was able to sense that you were waking up. They should be here in a few minutes.”
The woman nodded. “Thank you. Can I… have my baby, please?” She asked.
“Of course.” Katara said, walking over to the cradle and carefully lifting the child from the crib with the gentleness of an experienced mother and handing the still-sleeping child to his mother.
Katara went back to checking the woman over with her healing powers, but she stopped when the door to the room opened up and her husband and son stepped into the room.
“I heard that we have a refugee…” Aang began, and then trailed off when he caught sight of the woman and her child. He could not understand what was going on with him. At the sight of these two refugees, something inside his mind suddenly broke and he remembered something that he had tried so hard to make himself forget.
He remembered this woman: Mitsuko, a woman that he had met over six years ago in the Fire Nation. They had become fast friends and he visited her every chance he had when he was in the Fire Nation. However, over the course of their friendship, he had found himself developing shameful feelings of passion and lust for her. He had held himself back until she had confessed to him that she felt the same way. He remembered… Aang felt sickened. He remembered sneaking around behind his wife’s back for several, passionate trysts with Mitsuko, which ultimately led to her pregnancy. Mitsuko, knowing the forbidden nature of what they had done, opted to end their relationship and raise Aang’s child alone. Aang had reluctantly agreed to the plan, under the circumstances that they never contact each other, lest Katara find out what they had done. He remembered being so hurt at losing the woman he loved and his unborn child that he had forced himself to put it out of his mind, never to think about it again because it was simply too painful.
All those feelings came rushing back at once. But there was something else… he was sickened… repulsed with himself.
No… these memories can’t be real! Aang shouted mentally at himself. But the memories were so vivid! He could hear every gasp from her lips, see every drop of sweat on her brow, and feel every time she dug her fingernails into his back as they made love. He could hear her whisper how much she loved him, and himself replying that he could be with her if… if he were not all ready married.
While Aang was struggling with the memories that were building up inside him, the woman got out of bed and flung herself at him, pressed against his body, crying onto his shoulder. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I know that I promised you that we would keep what happened between us a secret, but I can no longer.”
Anil jumped forward and pulled the woman off his father. “What’s going on here?” He demanded.
“I lied to my parents.” The woman said, ignoring Anil’s question as she continued to stare at Aang. “I told them that the child belonged to the man that I got betrothed to after we parted ways, but they found out.”
“Aang, what’s going on?” Katara asked, confused by the woman’s ramblings.
“Katara, I…” Aang gasped, horrified at the words of confession that almost came out of him.
“Please, Aang, I need you to afford me the same rights as the women who were a part of the plan, even though I’m not.” Mitsuko pleaded. “My parents found that that this child is yours, and they have disowned me. I need you to take your child.” She held her baby out to Aang imploringly.
A painful silence filled the room. For a while, no one spoke, until Anil stepped forward, his face full of anger. “You lie!” He accused.
“Why would I lie about this?!?” Mitsuko screamed at him. “You don’t think I’d much rather go on pretending that this child is my betrothed’s son? This child is equal parts love and shame!”
With all the screaming, the child finally woke up with a cry, and Katara gasped in shock. The child clearly had gray eyes. Gray was one of the rarest eye colors in the world since the Air Nomads had been destroyed, the odds of the woman’s story being a lie were extremely low.
Katara felt as if someone had stabbed her in the heart, and she staggered as if from a physical blow. “Mom!” Anil gasped, steadying her. “Do you… honestly believe this?”
“I don’t know what to believe.” Katara gasped, glancing at her husband. “Aang…” She did not say it, but her eyes were begging. ‘Please tell me that this is not true.’
Aang hesitated before he began to respond. “… Katara…”
Katara stood up, away from her son, as she found strength in her legs again. “Enough. Your hesitation says it all.” She turned and headed out the door, followed closely by Aang. Mitsuko attempted to follow them, but Anil stopped her forcefully.
“You stay right there!” He growled dangerously. “I’ll deal with you later.” He didn’t spare her another glance as he turned to follow his parents.
Katara stormed down the hallway to their bedroom, with Aang following her, calling out to her imploringly. “Katara… Katara… Katara, please…” Katara stepped into the room, and Aang managed to get in before she slammed the door. “Katara, please, listen to me!” He begged.
“I don’t want to hear any more from you!” Katara yelled, going to the closet and beginning to gather some things. “You can’t even deny what she says!”
“There’s something wrong!” Aang yelled.
“Yes, there is something wrong!” Katara rounded on him, rage in her eyes. “You see, seventeen years ago, this woman’s husband goes through with a shameful ‘repopulation’ plan. It was his duty! He assured his wife that she would be the only one he ever loved. And his wife… his stupid, blind wife was foolish enough to believe him!”
“Katara, no, it wasn’t like that!”
“But, oh no, it’s gets even worse than that!” Katara continued to rant. “A few years later, this two-timing husband promised his fool of a wife that he was finished with the repopulation plan! He vowed to dedicate himself only to his wife and the children they all ready had. But that was just a lie too, and that dumb wife… she just kept swallowing them!” With every sentence she threw some more clothes into a travel bag and with the final word, she cinched it shut.
“Katara, what are you doing?” Aang asked desperately as she walked out of the room.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” Katara asked rhetorically. “This stupid wife is finally doing something smart for the first time in her whole sham of marriage.”
“Katara, please, just think about…” Aang’s pleading grew more and more desperate as she made her way down through the Temple, attracting the attention of the other children.
“I don’t need to think about it!” Katara yelled.
“Wait, Mom!” Anil gasped, following them. He sounded almost as desperate as Aang did. “There has to be some explanation…”
“What explanation? What could possibly explain this?” Katara yelled. “Anil, get your bison!”
“Mom!” Anil gasped.
“Katara, no!” Aang screamed out, rushing forward and grabbing onto her arm.
Quicker than anyone could react, Katara pulled her arm from Aang’s grip, turned around, and slapped him hard across the face. The blow sent Aang reeling, not from physical pain, but emotional pain instead.
The entire Temple, and all the watching children fell silent, staring in shock at the sight. They had never seen their parents get so angry as to strike each other.
Katara’s rage-filled voice broke the silence. “Don’t touch me! You have no right to touch me!”
“I… I’m your husband.” Aang said desperately.
“You are not my husband.” Katara said coldly. “I renounce my marriage to you. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m taking my children with me! It’s not like you won’t have children of your own to keep you company.”
“Mom…” Anil began.
“Tenzin, Kya, Neela… get your things together. We’re leaving in five minutes. Anil…” She looked to her eldest son.
Anil hesitated, glancing between her mother and father. “No.” He said finally. “I’m not staying with you, Mother.”
“Anil…”
“No! I have come of age, and I am old enough to decide for myself where I’m going to go!” Anil said. “You can’t ask me to chose between my parents, because I’m not going to. I’ll take you on my Bison to wherever you want to go, but after that, I’m coming back to the Southern Air Temple, and then moving to one of the other Temples. I’ll visit both of you, but I’m not pushing one or the other out of my life.”
“Get your bison.” Katara said simply. “I can’t be here any longer.”
“Katara, please… I… I love you.” Aang said desperately.
“If you ever did love me, Aang, it’s been a long time since you’ve felt it.” Katara said coldly, waiting for her children to get their things together while Aang continued to beg her to stay, all of his words ignored.
Ten minutes later, Anil’s bison took the sky, carrying Katara, Tenzin, Kya, and little Neela away from the Air Temple.
Aang stood rooted to the same spot where Katara had told him that they were no longer married, shaking with repressed pain and anguish. He felt as if his heart had been ripped right out of his chest. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t think. The only thing that mattered to him at all was that Katara, the love of his life, was gone forever.
Aang fell to his knees and smashed his fists into the ground, causing a violent earthquake to erupt. His eyes and tattoos lit up, fueled by the pain and hurt that he was feeling, and he screamed, releasing all the pain and anguish of a thousand lifetimes at once.
LES: I’ve lost count of the number of reviews that I’ve gotten saying “Katara should feel more resentment towards the plan”. How’s that for resentment? See? The shit has really hit the fan now!