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Borealis: A Zutara Story	By : jaded_priceless Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 33555 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, any historical figures or events, or easily recognizable persons, places or things. I make no profit from this work of fanfiction

Chapter List
- 173
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- 175
Chapter 171
Zuko frowned in confusion. Katara had often said that. Even when she was screaming crying and yelling those three words had never had that much weight or vehemence. She pushed past him and walked around the table towards the exit ignoring all the gasps, pointing, laughter and money changing hands around her. As soon as she was outdoors she leaned against the building, wrapped her arms around herself and took a deep breath.
The soldiers holding Jin looked at each other, silently agreeing to let her go. They weren’t ready for the drama to end. They had been certain things between the Prince and Waterbender were going to be louder and more physical.
Zuko stared at the spot where Katara had stood then turned his head to follow the path she’d taken out of the restaurant. It took seeing Zhao 2 handing Zhao 1 a coin and tilting his head toward the door to realize that he should follow her. He stepped around the table as Jin rose to her feet.
“Katara, wait.”
“Lee” Jin said stepping forward and reaching for him.
Zuko knocked her hand away completely unaware of the action as he stepped around her in his haste to get to the door, “Katara, Katara wait.”
Jin heard none of the raucous cheers and cries of defeat as the money changed hands around her. All she heard was Lee, the boy she’d thought about, dreamed of, prayed for, and yearned for the past six months, calling for another girl as he ran past her.

“Katara, wait. I’m sorry.”
Katara pushed away from the building when she heard Zuko calling her and began walking down the sidewalk. She was halfway to the hotel when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, lifted her off her feet and pulled her backwards.
Zuko murmured “Katara I’m sorry” as he crushed her to his chest, “I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have said that but I had to.”
Katara turned to face him, “No Zuko, you didn’t have to.”
“What should I have done then?” He snarled quietly enough for only her to hear. He raised his arm pointing to where the barracks the Dai Li had erected were steadily being reinforced and expanded. “You see that. You can’t pretend like you don’t know what that means. Ba Sing Se has fallen Katara, but Omashu has been reclaimed by the Earth Kingdom.”
“The king busted himself out and evicted the provisional governor and soldiers by himself on the Day of Black Sun. Even before that Omashu cost more money to maintain than it brought in because you evacuated all the citizens. My father doesn’t want that to happen to Ba Sing Se. Colonial cities need people to tax and goods to import and export if they are to turn a profit for the homeland.”
“For decades this area has been no man’s land. There is nothing here worth fighting over so the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom soldiers mainly patrol around each other. That is going to change Katara. The people are slowly slipping out of the Ba Sing Se and taking refuge in cities not under Fire Nation control. The Upper Ring is almost empty and the population of the Middle and Lower Rings is steadily declining. You can’t levy taxes, buy, or sell goods in a city no one lives in. My father has given explicit orders that Ba Sing will not be the next Omashu.”
“The officer Chu-hua executed has been taking bribes from the snakeheads to allow them to smuggle refugees through the territory under his command. Those people who attacked us yesterday were a band of deserters from the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom army who’ve realized they can make more money and get more women by combining efforts. Jin was lucky Katara. She and her mother actually had something of monetary value to give them.”
“In the past 20 years there have been less than 10 skirmishes in this area. Do you know what most of them were over? Water. The only thing worth risking your life for in this miserable place was the resources needed to survive. Now people will be risking their lives to protect the land route to Ba Sing Se. The outpost where the soldiers Chu-hua commandeered will be here; in that very building. There is another unit in route to join them. Once the colony is established here smaller outposts will be built at each lake you created.”
Zuko’s voice was strained as he angrily asked, “Do you know how a colony is started?”
He didn’t wait for Katara to respond before he began speaking, “First the soldiers come. Once the area is fairly secure the royal family promises land and resources to anyone willing to relocate to the Earth Kingdom. You’ve been in my country. You’ve seen the poor among them. The first settlers will be mainly be men looking to provide a better life for their families or younger sons that won’t get much after their older brothers inherit.
“The whores will come next and lastly the wives but until then you already know what will happen. Most of the men who live here will be killed protecting their wives, daughters, and sisters from the soldiers. In the next year there will be a population explosion unless it is offset by the number of suicides and infanticides. Do you want that to happen to her, to her mother, her aunt, her cousin?”
“I’ve seen it Katara. Uncle Iroh made sure I saw what was going on even if I didn’t understand at the time. The men who aren’t killed usually end up becoming alcoholics or drug addicts to escape what they see as their failure as men to protect their families. After the Fire Whiskey stops working there is something stronger that we call Scorched Earth as it usually symbolizes Fire Nation victory. I was 14 the first time someone offered me a prostitute. It was a man selling his own daughter for one cup. From there it’s opium and undiluted cactus juice.”
“I know you hate what I do to you and don’t believe it is for your own protection but it is. You have no idea how a life of constant killing warps the mind. I’ve heard stories of soldiers collecting body parts of the people they’ve killed as trophies. There are men who make Lord Asami seem like a complete gentleman. Did you know a master Firebender can shoot fire from every appendage without burning himself? The current record for turning an act of rape into one of necrophilia is 35 thrusts. Do you remember the man I burned when he insisted on placing you in the stockade?”
Katara nodded weakly as she covered her mouth with her hands attempting to hold in the bile. They’d seen burned out corpses in the Earth Kingdom. There was nothing left of the lower bodies but the faces were always intact. She’d always assumed their legs had been set on fire as a means of torture and they’d literally been burned up. Sokka had studied them attempting to determine what type of weapon was used to leave their facial features completely intact. He’d theorized it was a type of attempt to make human jerky. She never imagined the truth was so gruesome.
“He’s the second runner-up. The man who reported the corruption will be in command of this post until someone arrives from the Fire Nation to take over. He’ll most likely be executed when the time comes but until then he will have free run of the city. He’s not interested in setting a speed record; his preferences lie in the opposite direction. He likes to draw out the torture for as long as possible before he climaxes inside his victims burned out corpse.
“I can’t stop them Katara. As much as I want to I can’t not right now; not yet. I couldn’t let them do that to her, just like I couldn’t let them do that to you,” Zuko fretfully explained.
“Couldn’t let who do what, Maru-chan?” Chu-hua asked approaching from the side and ruffling his hair before letting her fingers travel behind his ear, down his scalpline and across the front of his neck.
She repeated the gesture on Katara asking, “Are you causing trouble again little one?”
The teens flinched inadvertently huddling closer as the older woman smiled brightly at them, “I’m glad to see you two are finally learning there is a proper place for children. Being around insolent little brats is very distressing but spending time with good little children who respect adults is very rewarding.”
Chu-hua kissed each of them on the forehead, “I know what your mother taught you Maru-chan as those were the same ideals taught to our parents by Grandmother and Grandfather. I haven’t met your parents, little Waterbender, but I am sure your upbringing was far better than the one given to Azula. You understand the importance of family and are doing everything you can to protect your brother. You are doing that aren’t you? Everything you can to protect your brother?”
Chu-hua gazed coldly at Zuko, “Is she making you smile?”
He nodded tentatively.
“Then show me. Show me little Ursa’s joyous expression.”
Zuko’s lips turned upwards and Chu-hua sighed, “If that is the best you can do then clearly she is not making you happy.”
“No she is, it’s just we were…” Zuko stopped. He didn’t want to tell Chu-hua they were fighting.
“No need struggling to think of a suitable lie Zuko. I will not tease you any longer. I was on my way to the jail to check on our prisoners. Apparently there is some complaint regarding their meals. Picky eaters are troublesome. If a child is unwilling to eat what is set before them it is difficult to be certain they are getting the proper nutrition.”
“Don’t please,” Katara said shrinking back against Zuko as Chu-hua once again mentioned poisoning Sokka. “Please Admiral Chu-Hua, my brother, don’t hurt him.”
“Silly girl, whatever gave you the idea I wanted to hurt your brother? You’ve been behaving yourself haven’t you?” Chu-hua laughed as both teens nodded, “You two silly geese make me miss my own addled ducklings.”
She walked away shaking her head and laughing at them. She muttered “Children” as one of the ship’s engineers an older woman walked past her.
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Borealis: A Zutara Story