Disclaimer: I don't own A:TLA.
A Zutara one-shot about Katara's thoughts the eve of the battle with the Fire Nation.
Tomorrow
By Kawaiilyn
Katara gazed upon the moon once again as the Fire Nation ship approached the city, the salty sea air filling her with memories of the Southern Water Tribe. The sun would be greeting the world soon. The birds would wake soon, singing their cheerful songs in celebration of yet another day. The world would reveal its ever-changing colors, illuminating the glistening dew-drops in the trees and the earth's moist browned soil. Humans would arouse to yet another day of precious life to fulfill whatever duties they needed to. The sun would soon warm all it touched. All it saw. All it affected…including the Fire Nation soldiers.
For now, she savored the moon's presence like a treasured lesson, doing her best to remember its key points for future needs. It kept her cool and relaxed. Calm and meditative. Strong and…powerful? At the most, it kept her precious minutes away from the oncoming day. The day where everything in her world would change. The day where the world itself would expect change.
The men were all sound asleep. Aang was calmly dreaming away his troubles and duties. Why should he worry about them now? He'd have all day tomorrow to take care of them.
Sokka was undoubtedly snoring away his worries…and hunger. He'd have plenty of time to take revenge against the Fire Nation for their countless atrocities tomorrow.
Appa was probably either eating, or sleeping. The latter held more of a possibility to it. He had been flying all day yesterday helping Aang and the other benders train.
Momo…who knows what he did in the after hours.
Looking back up into the sky as it was slowly invaded by the sun's dawning light, she noticed the bright "star" not too far away from the moon's current position. It sparkled and twinkled with all its might, making sure that all who saw it would remember its existence. It was still too far away to make any significant increase in the Firebenders' abilities; however, it was getting too close for comfort. Speaking of Firebenders…
"Aren't you cold?" Asked a familiar voice behind her. "You shouldn't be out here in this weather…what if you catch a cold? How will you be able to fight with your germs flying all about, spraying everyone who comes in contact with you?"
Katara smiled.
The owner of the voice came closer, pondering his own words. "On second thought, maybe you should stay out here. You'll have an excellent advantage over the Fire Nation soldiers."
Katara laughed out loud. He was always able to put a smile on her face.
"Thank you Iroh," she said with a smile as she turned to meet the retired general's form.
"Anything to impress such a lovely and blossoming lady, and a bender no less," said Iroh with a slight bow and suggestive smile.
Katara blushed a bit. She didn't consider herself that "lovely". Before she was able to spew out her protests, Iroh interrupted her.
"Tomorrow is going to be quite the day, isn't it?"
Katara's mood immediately fell. She didn't want to be reminded so soon of what the day would bring. If anything, she had wanted to avoid it as much as possible. Iroh noted her mood change. He decided to change the subject.
"You remind me of my nephew on the eve of his ceremony. It was a ceremony to mark his entry into manhood. He didn't know how to prepare for it, or what to expect. He spent the night prior to it gazing at the sky, wondering what would change."
"What happened?" asked Katara. "What'd he have to do?" Iroh turned his face away, hiding the fast-spreading smirk from her view.
"Oh…nothing out of the ordinary," said Iroh, lying for all his worth. Due to his nephew's blossoming relationship with the Waterbender, he didn't want to…jeopardize it by telling Katara exactly what happened the moment—or should he say, the night—the prince of the Fire Nation became a man.
Not noting Iroh's discomfort, she returned to the original topic.
"It's a strange feeling, knowing tomorrow is going to bring about events that have the power to change the world. Anything could happen, and no matter what I do, I feel as though I'm not prepared for some of those changes."
Iroh looked down at the still girl as she continued to gaze at the moon. He spoke softly. "Every day should feel like that. Changes are always happening, whether you notice them or not."
Katara looked at the old man. Behind his comical and laid-back demeanor, hid years of wisdom and life-learned lessons. She should probably accept his words. But still…
"I know it's not until tomorrow," said Iroh as he pulled something out of his sleeve pocket, "but I feel that you will find more meaning from it now." He handed her a tiny box. She gave him a puzzled look as she accepted the box, noting the smooth papery feel of its protective walls.
"I think I will go and get some rest. An old man like me finds that he needs his sleep more often as the years go by. I shall see you tomorrow my dear." He walked back the way he came.
Her tanned hands slowly opened the box, her mind pondering at its contents. When its unknown core was exposed, she gasped at what was inside. It was a rare, blue, panda lily. Pulling the delicate flower out of the box, she marveled at its weightlessness and graceful design. It was said that whenever you encountered a blue panda lily, you would be granted one wish. It wasnormally given as gifts to royal families and nobles when that one special day arrived. But wait. How could Iroh have known? No one else knew except Sokka and Aang.
She focused her attention to the flowerthat was now opening its delicate petals inside her hand. The moonlight gave it a sheer, glistening glow to it as each petal slowly and carefully stretched itself to its furthermost limits. She smiled down at it. Such was the way of the panda lily. Grace and versatility, beautiful and suprising.
She contemplated what she should wish for. She hadn't really given much thought to these sorts of things. Still, it was nice having even the slightest bit of favor on your side. She closed her eyes and focused on her wish. On her dream. On her vision of the world she had only heard stories about. A world her grandmother had told her stories about when she was young and impressionable. A world with simple and pure life. A world…with peace.
She opened her eyes and let the flower fall from her hands. She followed its slow and fluttery journey down into the sea as the last bits of nightfall gave way to the early lights of the new morning. The contrast in the black-blueness of the sea, the purple-pinkness of the horizon, and the blue and white shimmering glow of the panda lily as it continued floating in circles, slowly making its decent into a peaceful abyss of liquid, was astounding. As its base finally touched the crashing waves of the laboring sea, the first ray of sunlight broke out from the horizon. It tinted the sky with a new pink stain to join the others.
"Tomorrow is here," said Katara softly. Now, we will go and fight the Fire Lord and his armies. We finally get the chance to end the war. Everything we've been training for, traveling for, preparing for, hangs on the outcome of today's events.
"Yes it is," responded a sleepy but grouchy voice from behind. She smiled at this new voice. "I thought Firebenders rose with sun? What are you doing up so early water peasant?" the owner of the voice asked, with no hint of a hurtful tone, as he joined her at the railing, annoyance etched on his face as he looked at the peeping rays of sunlight.
"Thinking about what will happen today," replied Katara softly. The wind began to pick up, as if the sun's arrival ordered them to prepare the landscape for its arrival. It brought with it the salty scents of the sea and early-morning world. "I'm sure you've done the same thing."
He didn't reply. His body was being overtaken with the worry and anxiety that derived from the upcoming battle. His face hid his feelings well with its stand-offish demeanor. Katara knew better. She decided to comfort him, help take his mind off the approaching war with his own nation.
"You shouldn't worry about—" he cut her off.
"What did my uncle give you?" he asked, in what seemed to be an indifferent way.
"Huh?" Katara asked, clearly confused, her mind raced back to possible explanations to this random question. Iroh's earlier actions filled in the gap. "Oh…he gave me a blue Panda lily."
Her companion was startled, if not surprised.
"A real Panda lily? Those are reserved for royalty! Where did he get one?" Harvested once every 20 years, in ever-changing locations, they're difficult to find.
"I'm not sure, but I did make my wish," she replied softly.
The prince looked at her, his expression changing entirely into something more fitting to his handsome features, despite the rare cases he has actually worn it.
"What did you wish for?" he asked, his mind racing ahead towards a path Katara hadn't thoroughly considered.
"For peace of course." She replied. "We could use the luck. If not us, then you could use it." His features fell. This wasn't what he was expecting.
"Oh," was his simple reply. Of course she'd think of peace. Of course she'd think of others' well-beings before her own.
Katara sensed his change of demeanor. Interpreting his thoughts, she smiled.
"My mom would never forgive me if she found out that I wasted a perfectly good wish on myself. Especially today, of all days." She clasped the smooth and cooling stone of her mother's necklace, reminiscing in her existence yet again.
The furrowed brow and pursed lips were her only response. Her explanation had helped, but…not enough.
"Don't worry," she said softly, pulling his face towards her with her smooth and browned hand. "I'm not too worried about us," she said as she lightly kissed the once-worried prince. His warm and firm lips fitting perfectly with her soft and supple ones, moving in time with one another. She broke it when he started getting into it. Now wasn't the time…the crew was waking.
His eyes remained locked on hers, carelessly forgetting about the troubles the day would bring, or the problems that would arise. His eyes were only aware of one thing's existence…
"Prince Zuko! The helmsman has requested your presence!" yelled a guard from behind them. Zuko's eyes changed within an instant, suddenly aware of the reality of the present. He whispered into her ear a soft, "Happy Birthday" before rushing off to meet with the helmsman. The day began for him, and with it came the price that was to be paid for the world's freedom, the Fire Nation's defeat, and an exiled prince's honor.
Katara turned her attention to the unaffected ocean, and the same old morning. They, at least, wouldn't change…ever.
The sun's topmost point was now visible. The day was officially here. The men on the ship began to run and rush about, barking orders and preparing weapons. The clanging sounds of metal upon metal, boots trodding against long endless corridors, and voices speaking a bit more high-pitched than usual—probably due to their nervousness—were all heard behind her.
Amidst her swirling thoughts of the war and her friends and…Zuko, she had once again forgotten it was her 15th birthday, despite Iroh's attempts of reminding her about it earlier. Well at least…she had already made her wish.
A/N: Many thanks and kisses to wilderness writer for beta-ing this for me. (I had to add some stuff/change it so that it met the community requirements.)
Please review. Tell me if you like it. Tell me if you hate it. Something.