The first time Bato meets Hahn, Kanna has taken it into her head to visit a childhood friend from the North. Master Pakku is only too glad to go back and Katara with him, but Sokka drags his feet.
In the North, Bato finds a Water Tribe culture like he never knew could exist. It's nothing like the South or the Swamp, and the way people look at him makes his scar itch.
He's never been considered a barbarian by his own people before.
"You're alive?" Sokka blurts out one night at a dinner with the Chief. He promptly gets punched in the chest by a young man about his age.
"Hi, Hahn," Katara says with a soft smile, and Sokka looks at his sister like she's alien.
"Hey, Keitaro," the young man says, sitting down at Chief Arnook's left hand. His throat is burn-scarred, Bato notes, and his entire body language speaks of suppressed anger.
"Katara," Katara corrects, then introduces him and her grandmother. Hahn nods, and the dinner goes on without interruption. Hahn visibly works to get Kanna's name correct all during the meal, and Bato idly wonders what's wrong with the young man. He's seen soft-minded folk before in the Earth Kingdom, though Hahn is not one of those.
He never does get Bato's name right.
***
The second time Bato meets Hahn, Chief Arnook is being laid to rest beneath the waves. Hahn will be anointed chieftain after him.
The man has hair the color of moonlight, and Sokka makes a sound like he's been punched in the gut.
"Bato of the Southern Water Tribe," Hahn says quietly as he clasps Bato's hand. "Welcome to the North."
Bato and Hahn - You are someone else/I am still right here
In the North, Bato finds a Water Tribe culture like he never knew could exist. It's nothing like the South or the Swamp, and the way people look at him makes his scar itch.
He's never been considered a barbarian by his own people before.
"You're alive?" Sokka blurts out one night at a dinner with the Chief. He promptly gets punched in the chest by a young man about his age.
"Hi, Hahn," Katara says with a soft smile, and Sokka looks at his sister like she's alien.
"Hey, Keitaro," the young man says, sitting down at Chief Arnook's left hand. His throat is burn-scarred, Bato notes, and his entire body language speaks of suppressed anger.
"Katara," Katara corrects, then introduces him and her grandmother. Hahn nods, and the dinner goes on without interruption. Hahn visibly works to get Kanna's name correct all during the meal, and Bato idly wonders what's wrong with the young man. He's seen soft-minded folk before in the Earth Kingdom, though Hahn is not one of those.
He never does get Bato's name right.
***
The second time Bato meets Hahn, Chief Arnook is being laid to rest beneath the waves. Hahn will be anointed chieftain after him.
The man has hair the color of moonlight, and Sokka makes a sound like he's been punched in the gut.
"Bato of the Southern Water Tribe," Hahn says quietly as he clasps Bato's hand. "Welcome to the North."