Chapter 1: Discovery

Katara and her brother, Sokka, shivered at the bus stop.

"I-I can't b-believe it's this c-cold!" Katara chattered. "It's o-only Octoberrrrrrrr!"

A guy drove by in his car and honked at Katara. Sokka spluttered in indignation while Katara blushed.

"How dare he!" Sokka ranted. "Why if he were standing here I would pound him! I would do this! And this! And that! Oh, and this too!" Sokka jabbed and punched at an imaginary foe.

Katara laughed. "Remind me to not introduce my boyfriend to you 'til we're engaged."

The bus pulled up a few minutes later and Katara rushed up the steps. She sat down on a seat with a heater and sighed. Warmth rushed into her body almost painfully.

"Oh, man! You stole the good seat!" grumbled Sokka as he sat down in front of her.

"First come, first served," she grinned.

A twenty-minute ride brought them to their school. The bus emptied and its occupants joined the crowd. Katara bid her brother good-bye and shove him towards his locker.

Katara's locker was right next to the seventh grade boys' lockers. Luckily, her neighbor had left early in the year. Katara didn't really think about the significance of a boy standing at the locker next to hers. She opened her locker and began flipping aside books. She needed science.

"Hey!" a Caucasian face with grey eyes popped up in front of her.

"Whah!" Katara dropped her books.

"Ow!" the boy grimaced as the books landed on his feet.

"I'm so sorry!" Katara apologized as she knelt and gathered her books. "You just scared me."

"Sorry."

Katara studied him and couldn't place him. "Are you new?"

"Yeah, I just transferred here. I'm Aang."

The guy had messy golden brown hair that barely grazed his shoulder. He wore a long sleeved orange shirt with slightly baggy blue jeans.

"Katara," she said as she closed her locker. "Nice ta meet ya.

"I gotta get to class. See ya."

Aang stood rooted to the ground. Katara…her name was Katara. She was hot and nice. Man, was he lucky! He could get to know her better being her neighbor. He ran a hand through his hair. Wow, what a smile.

"Good morning, students," Ms. Huang greeted the class. Sokka reluctantly let go of Suki's hand and took his seat. Man, it always happened like this. He is just about to ask Suki to go steady and Ms. Huang calls the class to order.

"Talk to you later," he mouthed to Suki. She nodded.

"I'd like to introduce a new student," Ms. Huang announced. "I hope you all make him feel welcome."

Same speech as always.

"You can come in now," she called to the door.

A tall guy stepped through the door. Sokka scanned him, wondering if the guy would try to take Suki. He had black hair cropped close to his head and heated golden eyes. He was good-looking, Sokka thought. To a girl he seemed almost like a knight in shining armor. Except for the fact that the guy was dressed mostly in black. And that lovely scowl. Or was that his normal expression?

Sokka's gaze was grabbed by a flame-like tattoo on the guy's lower arm. As Sokka gazed at it, it looked less like a tattoo and more like a scar or birthmark.

"Hey. I'm Zuko," the guy spoke as if this was an unfairly cruel burden. Zuko caught Sokka's stare and followed it. Zuko reestablished eye contact and said, "Birthmark."

Ms. Huang then tried to locate an open seat for Zuko.

"There's an open seat behind Suki," she announced, pointing to it.

Zuko silently nodded and sat down.

"Suki," Suki said as she turned around. "Nice to meet ya." She extended her hand.

"Wish I could say the same," he replied and ignored the hand.

Sokka burned with anger. Who did this arrogant jerk think he was? The prince of the world? How dare he treat his Suki-poo like that?! (Not that she was his or a Suki-poo…)

Fortunately, the bell rang just then. Sokka stalked over to Zuko.

"Okay, let's get one thing clear, buddy," Sokka purposely laced the last word with sarcasm. "Suki is mine. Kapish? Mine, my girlfriend. You don't touch."

"Like I would want to," Zuko said coolly, standing up.

Sokka was left standing with his mouth open.

Katara opened her locker door.

"Hey!" a voice chirped from behind her locker door.

"Oh! Hi, Aang!" she smiled. His voice brightened her mood. Somehow, he was like a glass of cold water or a breath of wind. "What's got you in such a good mood?"

"Oh, nothin'," Aang replied.

Katara laughed. "Oh, so you're the bluebird of happiness, come to brighten my day?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"Say, you wanna sit with me at lunch, seeing as you're new?" Katara asked as she closed her locker door.

"Sure!" Aang agreed.

Zuko had been watching the girl and the boy. He hadn't been able to see her clearly because of her locker. When she finally closed it, he drank her in. Light brown skin, dark brown hair, blue eyes, and a nice body. She reminded him of someone. He stared at her. She was pretty. Definitely not ugly. Whom did she look like? Then it hit him. That guy who was so possessive with that girl, Suki. It made Zuko feel kind of sick to his stomach. What was their relationship?

He looked at the boy with the girl. Seemed normal enough. He would keep and eye on the kid though.

Aang was overjoyed that Katara had invited him to sit with her. Score!

He waited 'til Katara left to go to class. He froze when he saw Zuko staring at him. Aang began to tremble. Zuko had followed him even here.

"Aang, over here!" Katara waved her hand wildly in the air.

"I can't believe you asked him to sit with us," Toph said.

"He's really nice, you'll see," Katara told her blind friend.

"Yeah, my eyes will suddenly work," Toph said sarcastically.

"Hey, Katara! Who's your friend?" Aang asked as he set his tray down.

"My name is Toph, Twinkletoes," the nameless friend interjected.

"Hey, who's the new kid?" Sokka asked as he and Suki joined the group.

"Aang, this is my brother, Sokka. Sokka, Aang," Katara explained. "Suki, Aang. Aang, Suki."

"Great, now that we all know each other, let's eat," Toph suggested.

Zuko looked at the group. Hmm, why was that kid in the orange shirt familiar? Then, he saw it. The sky blue arrow peaked out of the kid's sleeve. It was he!

"Hey, you!" a guy with close black hair stood. "Aang!"

Aang froze. Katara and her friends turned. Sokka grimaced.

"Man, it's that guy, Zuko," Suki exclaimed. "He was so rude this morning!"

"Air bender!" Zuko advanced. "I'm taking you in!"

"What is he talking about?" Katara asked.

"He thinks I'm the Avatar," Aang explained quickly. "I'm not! The Avatar died! He's off one. The fire Avatar died, and then the air Avatar died as soon as we recognized him!"

"How long was that?" Katara asked.

"Back before I was born. About fourteen years ago."

Katara couldn't let Aang get hurt for something he didn't do.

"Leave him alone!" she cried, standing. She blocked Aang. She could feel people staring. Oh, how she wished she could bend. That lovely, rare ability. She was of the Water nation. Maybe she knew the Avatar.

Zuko broke into a run. Oh man, he's so scary. I wish I could bend. Twin steams of flames sprung from Zuko's hands.

"AAAAAAAAAAHH!" Stupid! You should have let Toph defend Aang! Katara flung her hands up to shield her face. A shield of water dissipated the fire to steam.

"What the—" Sokka began.

"Katara?" Aang gaped.

"Wh-What was that?" Katara whispered in shock.

"Y-You bent the water," Suki answered.

Zuko attacked and Katara felt the heat on her back.

"NOOOO!" She bent the fire around her. After she completed the slingshot, Zuko was faced with his own element. He barely dodged.

What was that? I bent water and fire. Wait—Does that mean…

Katara ran from the lunchroom. The realization of whom she was rushed in.

I am the Avatar. I am the one who masters all four elements.

Katara stopped at a water fountain. She was a bender. She was a freak. And Zuko wanted her dead.