Chapter 1.
Katara balanced the basket of fruit on one hip and the basket of veggetables on the other, her hands gripping the sides of the baskets. The sun beat down on her back as she re-traced her steps back to the air temple. A trickle of sweat seeped down off of her brow, and onto her cheek. She shook her head from side to side, in an effort to shake the sweat off, but the sweat only slid further down her face. I hate heavy baskets. She thought to herself. From now on, I do the shopping, and Sokka can help carry the baskets. Katara approached the air temple that hung up-side down on it's junctures. She headed for a small room that she stored the food in. There were 10 large pots in a corner of the dim-lit room with different kinds of food inside of then. She sorted the fruit into different pots, and then sealed it tight with the lid. There was one pot that had water in it, and she pulled the lid to open it. She peered at her reflection in the water. She looked exhausted. Her hair was damp from all the sweat, and her face was red from the heat. "Gosh, I'm a mess," She murmured. She lifted her hands to her face and bent the sweat out of her hair and clothes. Where is everybody? She thought as she bent the strip of sweat out the circular window. She heard a splashing sound, and Toph's screams following.
"WHO DID THAT?" Toph cried. "WHO JUST SPLASHED ME WITH SWEAT?"
Katara covered her mouth as a big grinned covered her face. "Oh no!" She peered out the window at a horrified Toph. Toph's head lifted up toward where Katara stood above her, her face had a look of pure disgust, as drips of sweat slid off of her green clothes and hair, forming a small puddle underneath her.
"Katara? Was that you?" She asked, her brow arched upward in an irritated fashion.
Katara giggled. "I didn't mean to! I wasn't looking," She said. "Hang on, I'll bend it off you," Katara said as she turned around and walked out of the room. She ran down the narrow steps that lead to where Toph was soaking wet.
"This is gross!" She complained. "Get this off me, RIGHT NOW, Katara!" Toph stomped her foot. "Your sweat stinks!"
Katara lifted her hands in the air and pulled the sweat off of Toph. She then poured it over the edge of the balcony, making sure it landed on some bushes far below.
"Hey, Katara!" Aang said, jumping down from the balcony above her, his clothes puffing out from underneath him as he landed on the ledge. "I saw what just happened! I almost fell off the balcony laughing!" He exclaimed, a grin playing on his face as he balanced on the edge of the air temple ledge. "You looked so mad, Toph!"
Toph's face turned red as she turned to face Aang. "You thought that was funny, Twinkletoes? Because I think mabye you should take some more time practicing your Earthbending. How's 20 Earth rumbles, 50 boulder excersizes, and 30 push-ups sound?" Toph folded her arms across her chest with a satisfied look on her face.
Aang winced, as he jumped off the balcony. "That sounds like alot of work...I think I'll pass! By the way, Katara, you shouldn't splash Toph with sweat anymore...Not nice," He said with a sheepish smile.
Toph smiled. "That's better, that's better," She walked away, nudging Katara as she walked past.
Katara rolled her eyes. "She's such a drama queen sometimes," She said. "It was an accident! Anyway, where's the others?" She put her hands on her hips.
Aang shrugged. "I'll go look for them," And he jumped up onto the balcony and onto the next, without another word.
"He'd better," She sighed, as she headed for the washroom to fix her matted hair. She then heard the sound of a sword being drawn, and the shout of Sokka's alarmed voice.
"What are you doing here?" Sokka cried from the balcony below her, his voice reverberating against the aged stone walls.
"I'm here to join you," A familiar voice rang through the air. "I'm on your side now."
Katara's heart pounded in her chest. Zuko. She pulled some water out of water pouch and carefully rounded it into a ball, as she ran down the stairs.
Zuko's head turned as he stared at Katara, alarm written all over his face. "I'm not here for a fight," He said, his expression full of uneasiness.
Katara rolled her eyes. "You aren't, are you? Do you expect us to just drop our weapons and let you take us down just like that? I'm not stupid, Zuko," She bent her water into ice-daggers, and noticed that his hair had grown longer since she'd last seen him. He wasn't carrying any weapons, but she knew he could still firebend at all of them.
Toph and Aang came running in, alarm and excitement written in their expressions. Toph took a steady stance and bent some rock from a clif nearby into a boulder-ball, ready to roll at Zuko, who warily backed away a few steps.
Aang pointed his staff at Zuko, and said with a clear voice, "What do you want, Zuko?"
Zuko looked around at their weapons. "I'm here to join you...I mean, I want to help you, I want to help the avatar," He explained. "I've changed."
Katara laughed. "Really? You expect us to trust you after all you've done? You really think that after what you did under Ba Sing Se would get you into actually joining our group?" Katara looked up and saw Haru, Teo, and the Duke staring down with wide eyes, as they watched the drama below.
Aang looked from Katara to Zuko. "You want to join us? Why?" He lowered his staff. "You have nothing here."
Zuko looked down at the ground. "I know I've hurt you guys, and I know that I probably look like a fool coming here, but, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here because I know that you need to learn Firebending, and I can help teach you. I've realized that it's me destiny to help you defeat my father, and to bring peace and balance to this world," Zuko looked Aang in the eye.
Aang looked at Katara. A firebending teacher! Someone who could teach Aang to firebend! But how could they trust him after everything he had done? Zuko had hunted them down several beyond several times, causing alot of trouble and distraught for the whole group.
Toph's eyes grew wide. "You guys, he's not lying." Her expression grew from worried to surprised as she lowered her earth-ball to the ground.
Katara stiffened her stance, still pointed her ice-daggers at Zuko. "So? He could turn on us. It's not like he hasn't hurt us many times before."
Zuko looked at Aang. "What about the time I let your Bison go? I could've kidnapped him, or worse, but I didn't. I let him go!" His face pleadingly stared Aang down.
Katara shook her head. "But does that change the time when you stole my necklace to track us down? Or when you-"
"Look! I know I've done some pretty bad things, and I'm sorry!" Zuko paused. "If you won't take me as a friend, then take me as a prisoner." Zuko bent down and put his arms together, ready to be bound.
Katara shot some water at Zuko, soaking him from head to toe. "We don't want you here! So leave! And if we ever see you here again...Well, we better not see you again!" She yelled.
Zuko stood. "Fine. But I'm truly sorry for all that I've done. If that means anything," He then walked away, with slow steps, his gaze slanted toward the ground.
"I can't believe he actually thought we would let him join our group!" Katara said, bending her water into her pocket. "Not for a minute would I even think about letting him into our group after everything he's done!"
Toph's expression changed from shock to anger. "You don't realize what just happened, do you? Aang badly needs someone to teach him firebending, and one walks up on a silver platter, and you won't think about it?" She pointed a finger at Katara. "You guys need to seriously re-think your strategy!"
"He can't be trusted!" Katara argued. "You wouldn't know, because you haven't been in our group for long enough, but let me tell you, it's too late for him. He's done far too much damage!"
Toph stomped her foot and turned to leave. "You know what? I'm beginning to wonder who's really the blind one around here," She left the area, her arms folded across her chest.
"She has a point, Katara," Sokka said, and Aang nodded.
Katara heaved a heavy sigh. "She does? Well, I happen to have a well-founded point, too!" She walked away. Anger spilled inside her as she sat down next to a bucket of water and grabbed a stick of soap to do laundry. "I can't believe them! Actually even considering to let him join. He's probably spying for Ozai or something like that. It just kills me to think of him joining our group!" She rubbed the soap onto one of Sokka's blue pants and scrubbed until white bubbles appeared on the fabric.
Toph stepped out into the forest. The cold dirt hit her feet as she walked toward where she could feel Zuko was camping out. If Katara wouldn't listen to Zuko, then she decided she would go talk to him herself. He hadn't been lying in the first place, so why would he lie to her now? She wondered if he would still be awake, because the night sky was already filled with stars, and the others had fallen asleap, leaving Toph to search for Zuko without any interuptions.
"Who's there?" Zuko's tinted voice rang out through the forest. He shot several fire-balls that landed in the spot that Toph stood on, bringing her to fall to the ground in pain.
Toph scrame. "It's me!" She bent a block of earth toward Zuko's chest, and he fell backwards. Toph's feet stung with a burning sensation, such as being boiled in a hot couldron. She closed her eyes in pain. "You burnt my feet! You burnt my feet!" She began crawling away, feeling the earth with her hands, her eyes shut tight in pain.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Please come back! I didn't know it was you!" Zuko cried, running after her, but being stopped by the chunks of stick-shaped dirt chucking up in his direction.
Toph didn't turn around, and she didn't reply to his cries. She had to get back to the air temple, so Katara could heal her feet. And she knew exactly what Katara would think when she saw her.
Katara stirred the pot of vegetables. Steam hit her face as she bent some hot water into the pot, making it a small stew. She opened up her sack of essentials, which she called it, and grabbed several bowls from it. "Lunch!" She called, gathering forks and spoons.
Sokka came running from the distance and sat down quikly next to Katara. "Smells great, Katara!" He rubbed his hands together next to the hot pot, warming his hands.
Aang walked out of the air-temple washroom with Teo and sat down. "Where's Toph?" He asked.
Katara shrugged. "I haven't seen her since last night...when, you know, when Zuko tried to weezle his way into our group," She said as she poured soup into bowls and handed them out. Suddenly, Haru came stumbling into eyes-sight with Toph wrapped gently in his arms.
Katara's jaw dropped as she ran toward them. "What happened?" She noticed that Toph's feet were a crusty red shade, and they looked painful.
"I got burnt," Toph said between gritted teeth.
"Oh no! What happened?" Katara asked as she quickly pulled some water from her pouch and soothed it onto the bottom of Toph's feet.
Toph sighed. "I already told you. I got burnt,"
"I meant how," Katara exchanged an annoyed glance with Sokka who silently laughed to himself.
"Well...I kind of went to see Zuko last night and-"
"What? You went to see Zuko last night and he burnt you?" Katara's voice filled with anger and rage. "I can't believe it! What a brat!" Katara furrowed her brows in fury.
Sokka supressed another laugh, covering his mouth with his hand. He then helped postion Toph on the edge of the water fountain as she settled her feet inside the cold water. "But he didn't do it on purpose," She explained.
Katara shook her head. "But he still shot fire at you, am I right?" She soothed some water around Toph's feet, using a back and forth motion.
Toph nodded her head slowly. "Yes. He did."
Katara shook her head. "I told you we shouldn't trust him! Toph's feet are burnt now!" She looked at Aang, who had a thoughtful look on his face. "Toph, you're not aloud to go near him, ever again. He's just too dangerous."
Toph sighed, but didn't say anything, instead, she leaned into the water and rubbed her feet, squirming as she touched the rough red spots.
Katara finished serving the stew and handed everyone a bowl. The hot stew slid down her throat as she looked at her group. Haru leaned his back against the fountain, saying something to Teo, who then nodded in agreement. They both stood up, and invited the Duke to join them."We're going to try to decifer those markings on that wall. They might be some sort of ancient air-scooter contraption. Could come in handy," Teo explained as the three ran up the stairs.
Aang looked Katara in the eyes, which made her nervous. She looked down at her bowl, and asked, "Is the stew ok?"
Sokka nodded with a mouthful of potatoe chunks. "Delicous!" He said swallowing, brown juice sliding down his chin. Katara always made sure that she tried to make Aang vegeterean meals, since he prerferred not to eat meat, as much as Sokka complained.
"You know, Toph was right. We should consider letting Zuko train me. There's no other firebender who can teach me right now!" Aang said quickly.
Katara shook her head. "Are you serious? After what he just did to Toph?" She took another bight of the hot stew, chewing the potatoes and carrots, mushing them around in her mouth. She still couldn't believe that Zuko had done that. And she didn't want to believe that it was an accident, either.
"I'm right here, you guys. You can stop talking about me like I'm not," Toph said. "And it was an accident. He didn't mean to! I surprised him, really. He had no idea I was there."
Suddenly, a big boom emerged from the distance, and broke a pillar nearby, shattering the stone into thousands of pieces.
They all sprung to their feet, horror and terror filled their eyes as they saw Combustion Man standing at the cliff, anger and rage beaming back at them. Their recent combat with him hadn't been so pleasant, with the way he could blow things up with his mind. Plus, Katara had never liked the odd eye tattoo that sat in the middle of his forehead.
"Combustion Man is here!" Sokka pointed at him.
"Get behind that stone!" Aang called, as he pointed to a big wall that separated the upper half of the air temple from the lower. "He's got an advantage being up there! None of us can reach him!"
Katara quickly helped Toph up from the fountain with Sokka and carried her to safety as another crash hit the air temple. She then heard Zuko's voice. Her heart pounded. Bad timing, Zuko.
"I cancel it! All of it! I don't want you hunting the Avatar any more!" Zuko stood on the ledge next to Combustion Man as he pleaded with him, his fists clenched. Combustion Man shook his head. Zuko's expression gave way to a distraught look. "I'll pay you double if you don't hunt him!"
Katara's ear's burned at what she was hearing, and she tightened her grip on Toph's arm.
"Ow Katara! Stop squeezing so hard!" Toph exclaimed.
"He sent Combustion man after us?" Sokka's jaw dropped quickly as he stared at Zuko, who was still pleading with Combustion Man.
Katara couldn't believe her ears. "You've got to be kidding me!" She said, as she turned to see what happened next, the smell of smoke filling her nostrils.
Zuko shot a blast of fire at Combustion man, which burnt his arm, enthralling Combustion man into a rage of anger. Combustion man sucked in his nose, closed his eyes, and a spark shot right where Zuko was standing. Zuko disapeared over the ledge, and for a small moment, Katara hoped she would see him climb back up. But he didn't.
Sokka gasped. "Now what?"
Katara could feel a lump forming in her throat. Zuko, the guy who always almost won the battles, the guy who always fought with rage, the guy who just fought to save their lives, just failed. He's probably dead! Katara thought. Sokka was right. What now? What would they do as Combustion man blew up the air temple? And where was Haru and the others? Had Combustion Man already gotten to them? Her mind raced to find a way around the Air Temple without getting hit by Combustion man.
Aang ran out to the clearing, trying to distract Combustion man, but nearly got himself blown up. He ran back to where Katara, Sokka, and Toph sat huddled behind the wall. "I can't reach him from up there!" Aang said breathlessly. "There's got to be a way to-"
Another spark ignited, just barely hitting Aang. The spark crashed into a nearby pillar, shattering it into crumbled pieces. Katara watched in horror as it crumbled to the ground. That could've been Aang. She swallowed.
Sokka's eyes widened as he pulled his boomerang out of his pocket. "I just need a clear shot," He said as he looked from the boomerang and back to the spot that Combustion man just shot at. "Don't fail me this time, Boomerang!" He threw it with all his might, and, as everyone held their breath, it landed right on Combustion Man's tattoo'd eye.
Combustion Man stumbled backwards, but he didn't look hurt. He sucked in his nose and closed his eyes, ready to strike, a look of victory written on his face.
Boomerang returned to Sokka and he cought it. "Boomerang!" He whined. "You failed me-"
A loud explosion filled the air. Katara heald tight to Toph's arm as she waited for them all to explode. But they didn't, rather, Combustion man and the ledge he was standing on blew up.
Sokka hugged his boomerang. "You did it, Boomerang! You destroyed Combustion man!"
"What just happend?" Toph asked.
"Combustion Man just blew himself up!" Sokka exclaimed.
"I thought you guys were dead for sure!" A voice said. Haru was pushing Teo and the Duke walked beside them. "We saw the whole thing from the distance!"
Teo's eyebrow raised. "Now that was what I call an explosion!" He exclaimed, excitement ringing from his voice.
The Duke laughed. "He actually thought he won!"
Katara turned to Toph. "How are your feet?" She asked, helping her into a standing position.
Toph smiled. "Much better, thank you, Katara. Oh, by the way, someone's coming," She said. And before Katara could ask who, Zuko came walking into view.