The Seeing Bowl, Chapter Three: The Barracks and the Bowl
The Seeing Bowl
Rated T
Pairings: Katara/Zuko, Sokka/Suki, some Sokka/Yue
Summary: Katara's life as Yue's lady-in-waiting is disrupted when her father returns from the Fire Nation with a strange bowl that predicts the future and a prisoner who enlightens her about the world outside the Northern Water Tribe.
Zuko didn't think of the bunk he slept in as his. The cold and the increasingly decrepit state of his clothes had forced him to accept Water Tribe clothing, but it certainly wasn't his clothing. It had probably belonged to someone who had died fighting against his father's army. Those stupid Water Tribe peasants. They should have just surrendered rather than draw out the war.
He punched out in front of himself in a firebending motion without expelling any flames. He looked to either side, almost daring someone to wake up and witness his actions, but they just kept on sleeping. He had noticed that many of them had put daggers under their pillows the night after he arrived, and most of them kept up the practice.
A small flame formed in his palm, but he snuffed it out a moment later. He was tempted to venture another escape attempt, but he knew that it wouldn't work, at least not without some planning. During his first two weeks in the Water Tribe barracks, he'd had three escape attempts. At the time, he hadn't tried too hard, since his main objective had been to test the defenses of the Water Tribe, and he didn't want them knowing how strong he was.
On his first attempt, he hadn't made it past the practice yard, and on his second attempt he barely made it out of the barracks. On his third and most successful attempt, he had taken a more passive approach and tried to take advantage of the Water Tribe's trusting nature. He made his move in broad daylight, when Sergeant Bokta was demonstrating several ineffective methods of taking down a firebender. He'd walked casually out of the barracks compound with his hood up and waved at the guards. They'd assumed he was one of them.
Outside of the barracks, the security had been nonexistent. When he'd snuck by the big igloo, they called a palace, he had passed close to the Water Tribe Princess. He was almost certain she had spotted him, but for some reason she'd barely batted an eye. In fact, he swore that she had smiled at him.
He hadn't been caught until he reached the docks and that was partially because he had hesitated when he found that the only oceangoing vessels in the harbor were Earth Kingdom ships, and he didn't want to encounter that tall Earth Kingdom official again. He preferred to take his chances with the Water Tribe barbarians.
Since that attempt he'd noticed two or three warriors doing a poor job of spying on him whenever he was outside of the sleeping quarters. He was also forced to wear bright red armbands on both forearms, on top of his clothing, marking him as the Fire Nation prince.
Zuko had since decided that seeing as he was stuck on this iceberg for a while, he had to become familiar with it. When he escaped, he should be able to offer some valuable information to his father about this place that had somehow managed to resist the Fire Nation for nearly a hundred years.
It wasn't going well. He'd been here over two months so far and had yet to see any evidence of the Northern Water Tribe's supposed adaptability and durability. Sure, they had plenty of warriors, but practicing menial chores such as hunting and fishing were as time consuming as learning proper combat - and they were doing a mediocre job of that at best. He was certain that he could beat all of the boys his own age, most of the older ones, and some of the adults as well, without even having to use firebending. It didn't make him too confident though. The last time he had seen Azula, she just turned twelve, and she had been able to make child's play of all but the most skilled warriors. By now, her firebending was probably not far off from their father and Uncle Iroh's skills.
He scowled. She was back home, training every day with the best teachers in the world, and he was a prisoner, stuck in the North Pole. He wished that their fates had been reversed, but that would never have happened. She was too cunning to get captured when they were attacked, and if she had been caught, she probably would have assassinated the ruling family and escaped back home in the time he'd been here.
Jealously boiled inside of him. He had to find a way to practice firebending, real firebending. He formed a small flame in either palm but closed his hand on it a moment later.
When he'd first come here, he needed close to twelve hours of sleep a day, the limited hours of sunlight leaving him exhausted. Luckily, it seemed as though the days had gotten longer since he'd first arrived in the North Pole. He would have more time to explore, and maybe he could find an area where he could practice firebending in secret.
Outside the barracks, the gong rang for lunch. Zuko slid out of the bunk and made his way towards the barracks dining hall. It had snowed all of yesterday, but sometime in the night a warm wind rolled in over the northern mountains, raising the temperature above freezing for several hours. When Zuko had finally woken up, he had been excited at the familiar sensation of real warmth - until he had stepped outside and slipped on a thick sheet of black ice. He earned a large welt on the back of his head as well as a loud round of laughter and snide remarks from a group of warriors. Afterwards he had been too furious and sore attempt his usual morning exercises.
The Water Tribe barbarians would surely do something unpleasant if they caught him practicing anything that vaguely resembled martial arts, but they could hardly do anything more than glare if he just did hot-squats and stretches, or ran the perimeter of the training yard.
Zuko ate alone, just as he always did. The food tasted unpleasantly fishy, except for the porridge, which was just bland. When he was done, he went out to the training yard. He shouldn't have slept so late. He was letting this place defeat him. He wondered if it was the tough terrain and climate, not the people, that had kept the Fire Nation at bay.
Half way through a set of push-ups, a wad of snow and ice whacked him on the back of his head, shattering on impact. Zuko sprung to his feet, facing the attackers in one smooth motion, ready to firebend. It took all his control not too lunge at them.
Three boys stood there, two laughing and one, somewhat younger, grinning nervously at his fellows.
"Nice one, Nomoak," said shorter of the laughing boys. The younger boy grinned wider. The tallest of the group leaned down and scooped up a handful of the relatively soft packed snow at their feet, shaped it into a rough ball and lobbed at Zuko.
Zuko sidestepped and glared at the group. Then, keeping a rare level head, he stomped off toward the barracks. But when another mixture of snow and ice whacked his skull, he immediately whipped around and charged towards the Water Tribe boys. His wrist twitched, but he managed to withhold the urge to firebend them into the spirit world. For a moment they looked genuinely afraid. Then his foot skidded on a patch of ice.
Falling forwards, he barely managed to get his hands in front of himself before his face met the ice. He rolled back onto his heels in a low crouch. Again, wild laughter erupted from the boys. Instead of rushing at them again, Zuko turned around and headed towards the barracks with a twinge of despair.
The day the Earth Kingdom delegation was due to leave, Chief Arnook bade a formal farewell to Grand Secretariat Long Feng at the docks. As the two of them walked from the gondola platform to Long Feng's ship, they spoke.
"This has been a remarkable experience, Chief Arnook. I have been fortunate to learn so much about your culture, and I must say that I am impressed," said the Secretariat.
The Chief nodded. His eyes followed Long Feng's and together they observed the calm ocean. "I'm glad to have been able to share our ways with one so appreciative of them."
"I was particularly impressed with your Spirit Oasis," continued Long Feng. " It was an honor to be allowed to view such a sacred place. It is almost as though one could feel the presence of the Moon and Ocean Spirits."
Arnook smiled and nodded. "I know what you mean."
"It is remarkable, really," said Long Feng. "You can nearly believe they touch the world in that place."
Arnook smile broadened. "Tui and La's presences are felt strongly in the Oasis."
"There are rumors in the Earth Kingdom of similar sanctuaries." Long Feng paused, but when Arnook didn't respond, he spoke again. "I have recently been inclined to believe that rumors of spiritual presence hold credibility," Long Feng suggested. "A... friend, informed me of an owl spirit who holds a library in the middle of the Si Wong desert. Fascinating, isn't it?"
"Very."
There was a brief flicker of annoyance across the Grand Secretariat's face. He let the silence hang for a few moments before continuing. "It leads me to wonder if the Spirit Oasis does have a real connection to the waterbending spirits."
Arnook's expression was unreadable. "I see that you are knowledgeable of the spirit world," he commented.
"Purely academic."
"Of course." Their eyes locked in a stalemate and finally, Arnook turned so his back was to the ocean. He scanned the platform before finally focusing on Long Feng. "Well, from an academic perspective, I would assure you that Tui and La are more present in the Oasis than anywhere else in the world." Arnook nodded, then continued. "Without their presence, my daughter would not be with us today."
Long Feng's expression was stony apart from a slowly raised eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yes," said Arnook. "Her white hair is a symbol of that favor."
A small smile formed on Long Feng's face. "Well, the Princess is a remarkable young lady in many ways," he said. "I have no doubt that when the time comes there will be a great deal of competition for her hand. Perhaps you will even receive suits from outside your Tribe."
"Perhaps," said the Chief.
"In any case," said Long Feng, "I am sure she will honor the spirits' blessing."
Katara's life in the palace had quickly gone back to normal following the return of the fleet and Yue freeing the Fire Nation prince. There was some tension between Yue and Chief Arnook, but with the Chief so busy meeting with Lady Lokoa, Katara's father, and the Earth Kingdom Grand Secretariat, it had rarely been expressed. No one had mentioned that Zuko had been healed, and it made Katara wonder if anyone even noticed.
Katara had already read the scroll about Oma and Shu twice. She'd heard of the story of the first earthbenders in her history lessons, but the version her father had brought her was less historic and filled with much more romance and action. Originally, she'd placed the imitation seeing bowl on display on the top of her wardrobe chest, but after waking up several time to find it staring at her, she'd relegated it to the bottom of the chest. It remained there until the day Yue asked her about it.
"Sokka mentioned your father brought you a Southern Water Tribe antique," Yue said one day, about a month after the fleet returned.
Katara shrugged. "Gran-Gran doesn't think it's real."
"May I see it?" asked Yue.
"Sure," said Katara, and a wicked grin formed on face, "but first you have to tell me what you were doing with my brother."
Yue raised her chin and managed to put on her best princess face all the way from the sewing room to Katara's quarters, but she was wasn't able to hide the slight blush that crept onto her face. Once inside, Katara pulled the bowl out from beneath layers of furs and thick fabrics and held it up for Yue.
"It's very beautiful," said Yue as she reached out to touch it tentatively. When Katara looked questioningly at her, she elaborated. "If you look at pictures of the very old totem-poles, the ones made of thick logs, they look like this. This one isn't as well made as those, but it has the same style, and sense of history." She ran her fingers along the carving of the catlike face. "You shouldn't hide it."
Katara huffed and sank into the furs on the floor, the princess joining her a moment later. She slumped over and picked at the pelts absentmindedly. "I feel like it's always staring at me."
Yue raised a delicate brow, smiling, but sobered quickly when Katara continued to look bothered. "Still, it's part of your culture, isn't it?" asked Yue gently as she shuffled towards her friend.
"It's just a replica," said Katara.
"What's it a replica of?" asked Yue as she pulled her face into the bowl to examine it closer.
"It's something called a seeing bowl," said Katara. "Gran-Gran said that's some kind of waterbending tool. I didn't really ask her about it though." She unintentionally pulled out a thick ball of fur when she pulled too hard on the rug. She brought the mess in front of her face with a scowl before throwing it away.
Yue giggled. "Well," she said brightly, "maybe you should try it."
Katara frowned. She opened her mouth to say she didn't have the first idea how to use a seeing bowl, or even what one was for, but something about the carvings caught her eye. She'd never noticed it before, but she was sure that the lines etched into the bowl seemed to echo the chi channels in Yugoda's dummy.
"I guess it couldn't hurt," said Katara.
She opened the waterskin she carried with her on lesson days and poured enough to fill the bowl half way. She felt the grooves of the wood between her fingers and slowly, maneuvered the water along them. It took a moment to notice that it felt similar to when she healed someone. It wasn't like a practice dummy, it was like living person. There was chi in the bowl, following her bending, and, unlike when she did healing work, she could feel it whispering to her and drawing her in.
Her sight blurred and patches spotted her vision until her surroundings turned into a formless muddle. She inhaled sharply, feeling as though she had come into sync with the water.
Her vision returned, but it was still blurred and tinted green, as though she were looking through a stained glass window. She found herself surrounded by a mossy, overgrown forest, covered in a dense fog, but she had an undimmed view of a strange looking animal, only a few paces in front of her. She instantly recognized it as the living equivalent of the animal whose face was carved into her bowl. It was standing on spindly brown bird's legs. The large black eyes, which resembled an owlfalcon's, were set at either end of the wide face. Despite their uniformity, Katara was sure it was staring straight at her. The short prickly fur, which covered the face and pointed ears, was white, aside from grey circles around the eyes. A protruding beak that appeared as though it were carved of old ivory gestured to the side, motioning to her.
The image faded slowly, and it was replaced with another.
Katara saw a girl, about half a head taller than herself, running through a dense, decaying pine forest with a green shoulder bag bumping against her back. Her ragged brown hair barely made it past her ears and she had a short blade tucked into her belt.
She could hear the sounds of heavy breathing, feet running across the overgrown forest floor, and the low hum of a river flowing nearby.
An arrow whistled past the girl, but she kept running to the river.
Katara's vision followed her.
The girl then turned to face her attackers, and Katara's eyes widened in shock when she saw that the girl had her own face. Her features were more mature and less rounded, she had dark circles beneath her eyes, and her skin was paler than she'd ever seen it, but Katara couldn't deny she was looking at herself.
The vision of her older self bent her knees low before she swung her arms forward, following through with her whole body. The river moved with her, and raised into a towering wave. The movements were inelegant, and the wave rippled as though it could topple any moment, but it was still waterbending. Not healing, but the practical combat that girls were forbidden to study. The wave rolled in a fury, aimed at shadowy figures and when the water calmed, the older version of herself was gone.
The corners of her vision darkened before closing in quickly, swallowing her in darkness. Reality bled back into her consciousness.
"Katara?" said Yue. "Are you alright?"
Exhaustion made her sway, but after a moment she was able to right herself, and pull away from the bowl. She was back in her quarters, and Yue looked was seated beside her, looking concerned.
"I saw... I'm not sure what I saw," said Katara. "I-I think it was me, but it wasn't exactly. I was older, and I was bending." She said the last part with awe. Unable to contain her excitement, she beamed and rocked back and forth like a child. She picked up the empty bowl, which had spilled its contents onto the furs. "Yue, I don't think this is a replica."