(1) Augmentum | Zuko

Chapter Seventy-Two

Rana climbs down from Spectrier at the gates of Arkala, her hands shaking. She thought she could do this, but she doesn't know now that she is here. Staring at these gates. She takes a deep breath and then pushes them open, Spectrier nudges her shoulder softly and she lets out a surprised breath. This is a big step for the horse. Rana holds up her hand and it presses its nose into her palm. It's trying to comfort her. She lets out another breath and pulls her hand back. Rana then walks onward. Lycanroc and Ninetails on her right, Spectrier flanking her with the cart on her right. This is the first time she's felt utterly connected to the pokemon that she has.

"Where are we?" Katara asks she looks around, hugging Pikachu to her chest. The people that live here have stopped to watch them. Staring at them. Staring at Rana who keeps her head down, leading Spectrier onward towards the centre of the town.

"I think I have an idea," Sokka tells Katara as he stares up at a statue of vastaya children as they pass it. Katara looks at it too, her eyes widening when she realises what it is and what it means.

"Rana" She turns to her friend. "What is this place?"

"Arkala" Rana answers. "My home" She touches Spectrier's neck as she looks around. She never thought she'd come back here. Not after what happened. The way she abandoned them to the Fire Nation. She'll be surprised if they help them. Iroh leads the rhinos on with him behind the others. It's been a long time since he was here too. An older woman is waiting for them. Sat on the side of a fountain dressed in a long dark brown and purple gown that is remarkably similar to the vastaya design. Rana cocks her head, watching her. She's older, definitely, but Rana knows her. Her hand slides from Spectrier's neck and falls to her side. "Shakra?" She asks. The older woman smiles at Rana and then inclines her head before Rana is moving, running at her. Her old nanny. The woman that practically raised her. Rana hugs her tightly when Shakra raises to meet her, Rana curls into the woman as tears gather in her eyes. She really thought something bad had happened to her. That Zhao had hurt her or worse. "Nana" She whispers sadly and Shakra closes her eyes, hugging Rana back just as tightly.

"Sokka, are you crying?" Aang asks.

"What?! No!" Sokka argues. "It's my allergies! I'm clearly allergic to the Fire Nation" Katara looks at him amused as he hastily rubs away his tears.

"So it's true" Shakra whispers looking at Rana. "You're...here" Shakra holds Rana's face in her hands to look at her. "Look at you...." Shakra smiles sadly at her before she then looks over Rana, lifting the girl's arm to hum and study her form. She pulls a face and mutters about Rana being too skinny before she softens and looks at the girl's face. "When we heard the rumours that you were seen here....we came to check but...you'd long left but we stayed....just in case" Rana frowns at her.

"Wait...we?" She asks. Shakra nods and steps back, motioning behind her. Cloaked figures are gathered behind her, whispering together, watching the two of them together. One of them crouches to a smaller figure, a child. Words are exchanged between them before the child hurries forward and stands in front of Rana. The child then pulls its hood down to reveal a young girl. But more than that. She's a vastaya. With russet ears on the top of her head. Her black tail coming up to escape the cloak.

"She's..." Sokka starts but doesn't finish the sentence, it doesn't need to be said. It's clear what this means.

"Princess Rana" The girl greets with a huge smile before bowing her hand, holding out her hand, from her palm, a bright red flower blooms. Rana crouches with her and smiles.

"It's beautiful," She tells her warmly, the girl holds it up and then motions to her own ears. Rana lowers her head and the girl places it behind her ear before Rana pulls back and stands, looking at the other cloaked figures. One by one, they all lower their hoods. Ears. More fox-like ears. Rana lets out a breath as she looks around them. There are more of her. More than just one child, who reaches up and takes Rana's hand. She thought she was alone her whole life. The last of her kind.