Katrina woke to the sound of the subway just souring above her head, she woke to that sound every morning at exactly 6:00 sharp. She had brought an alarm clock but it never rang as loud as the subway, the subway was her early morning wake-up call.
She got up and yawned, another day of school. She wished more than anything for school to just finish. What was the point of it. Going up to year twelve, years ago you could quit at sixteen. Her most hated subject was math, everything in the subject was hard, she couldn't do back-tracking if her life depended on it. Her second most hated subject was science. Yes discovering new things and seeing the Extradanary was great and all but what about elements. She could not go further than Sulpha before her brain feels like it could turn to glue. She got up and went to the showers. The hot water only lasted four minutes but at least it un-knotted the muscles in her arms and shoulders. She dried her deep maroon coloured hair, which was originally raven but she thought maroon looked better, and braided it into one long plait. She dressed in her casual Roy jeans and Kitty T-shirt and went down to eat. Her favourite food for breakfast was usually muesli and yogurt. She chugged down her pear juice and ran to the trams stop. It was usually an hour to and from school. 'god' she thought as she sat down next to the window in the sub 'please may something cool happen'.
Far in the kingdom of the fire Nation Prince Zuko packs ready for his long journey to find the Avatar, packing his possessions took time because he had so many. He walked outside the palace to the ship which would be his home for god knows how long. He turned and whispered a last goodbye to his father, home and people. He was afraid, but mostly exited. His chance to prove he was more than a mere young kid. "Uncle!" he called out. And old man came running, his gray hair tied into a small bob on top of his head, "Yes, Zuko?" he panted, "Set Sail, we start in the East!" ordered Zuko. 'Avatar, your days are numbered!'
Katrina third class started at 10:25 on the dot. It was music, she was particularly talented with the flute. Once it came to her lips it sang as if performing to the whole universe. "Kat?" her teacher asked, "Yes?" "I just wanted to ask, there is a performance night a week from today. Four of the best jujdes will be there and the winner will get the chance to play with the youth orchestra! Do you want me to sign you up?" suddenly Kats eyes lit up a grin spread onto her face, "Yes, Oh yes that would be…wonderful!" her teacher smiled and nodded, and they continued the lesson.
That afternoon Kat ran to the tram stop and danced inside. She felt like souring threw the sky, and dancing on clouds and stars. She finaly had the chance to do something worthwhile with her life. Nothing could spoil mood.
Zuko scanned the sea far and wide searching, Searching. They were searching the South now, the east had nothing to direct them to the Avatar. The Avatar was only a young boy of twelve, he was an Air-bender and the last of them. If the Avatar learned all the four elements before they found him, the fire Nation would be doomed. The fate of the fire nation rested in his hands. He felt proud of this responsibility. He went to bed early so as to meditate before he slept, so he would not be so troubled in his sleep.
Kat feel asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. She was dreaming of a strange world, she saw a young boy, around twelve. On his forehead was a large blue tattoo of a arrow. Suddenly it lit up in a bright glow. Then the environment changed and she was suddenly standing on a large, metal ship. Instead of water, there was fire surrounding the ship. She saw another boy, a lot different from the first, he looked fourteen or fifteen. On his left eye was a large scar. It looked like a burn. "What's your name?" she called out, her voice sounded as if she was miles distant. The boy didn't answer, he just stood there. All so suddenly a wave of fire swept her up and she was falling, falling through the dark.
Zuko dreamed he saw a girl on his ship, her bright Maroon coloured hair resembled the tense fire around the ship. He thought he heard her speak. 'What's your name?' he thought he heard her say 'Zuko!' he tried to call out but as he did so a huge wave of fire swept her up and she was gone. Zuko then woke up, cold sweat dripping down his forehead. Who was that girl, he thought her beautiful and longed to see her again!
The next day Kat went straight to English, she was late because her Jap teacher had let her out late, thank god her English teacher hadn't arrived yet. She sat down just as the class quietened for their teacher. She had not thought much about the night before, she thought it was just a dream, 'simply a dream' she had told herself the night before. At her music lesson she was strangely disturbed, her notes came out squeaky and did not sing as they usually did. Her teacher looked at her with concern in her eyes, when she asked if anything was wrong, Kat just replied that she hadn't slept well the night before, her teacher was not convinced but she let it pass. When Kat got home she bathed and the water was calling to her, begging her to let it sooth her. She sighed deeply as she slowly sank down into the warm water, as if to dissolve herself in it…!
Zuko found his uncle playing a game with one of the guards onboard. "Uncle, I want to talk to you!" his uncle turned around to face him, with a grin on his face. "What is it that you want to talk about nephew?" he asked, "Its about…well its something that I don't want to talk about around my crew, can I talk to you alone? He hissed under his breath. Uncle shrugged his shoulders and walked with him to a quite room away from curious ears. "What is it? it better be important seeing as you pulled me out of a game I was miraculously winning!" Zuko then exclaimed what had happened the previous night. "Hmmmmmm…!" said his uncle "I think it might have been the prophecy that was made years ago for one of the fire nations princes, it is unfortunate that it has landed on you!" "What type of prophecy?" Zuko wandered out loud. "I'll tell you that when she gets here!" Zuko's eyes widened "You mean she's coming HERE?" he yelled. "Ha, not so loud, I thought you wanted this to be privet, Yes she's coming here, its probably going to turn into a fairytale!" Zuko felt his cheeks flush. "Don't worry!"his uncle informed him "It wont be something that I cant help you with!"
Kat felt her head go heavy as she brushed the last of the pasta out of her teeth. She walked to her bedroom and picked up a book, she had an indulge for Shakespeare. Her favourite play was Romeo + Juliet. When her clocked ticked 9:30 she put down her book and waited for sleep to come. It came fast. She dreamt she was back on the ship. This time she walked around it. She went under deck to investigate, if this dream was going to be gone soon she was going to get the best out of it. Under deck she walked up to a door with a large fire mark down it. She opened the door to find herself standing in a bedroom and there on the bed was the boy she had dreamed the night before.
Zuko opened his eyes to see the same girl standing in his bedroom. 'Who are you?' his voice sounded so distant. "'who are you?" she replied to the question with the same question. 'Zuko!' he said pointing at himself. 'Kat!' she replied back pointing to herself. 'what do you want?' he asked, 'that's a good question which I don't know the answer to!' he then noticed she was disappearing into the air. 'Wait!' he called but it was to late she was gone. He groaned and fell back on his pillow.
Kat felt herself fading, the sensation was making her feel sick. She woke to find herself back in her room, her window still showed the darkness outside. She huffed once and went back to a dreamless sleep.
As soon as Zuko woke up he ran to his uncle's room. He banged on the door "Uncle, Uncle I have to speak with you" a tiered uncle opened the door. "What do you want, its 2 AM for crying out loud, this better be good" he said letting his nephew in. Zuko sat in the chair next to the bed, "Uncle, she came back, she was standing in my room", "Well what did she say?" his uncle asked, "She said…she asked who I was, and we told each other our names. Then I asked her why she came onto my ship in my dreams, she said she didn't know and then…!" he paused, "and then what?" his uncle urged, "And then she disappeared!" he finished. "WHAT! Why didn't you grab her, you would be transported into her time and then you could find out what the hell is going on!" Zuko's eye's widened "Uncle are you mad, I cant do that, can i?" he asked, "Of course you could, if she comes back into your dreams follow her, grab her wrist or arm or something and follow her!"
Kat felt horrible that day, she felt like her inside's could burst, she felt sick to her core. She told her mum that she wasn't well, and her mum called the school to confirm that she wasn't going. Kats mum left to work and Kat was left alone to relax and de-brief. She went back to reading her book. After 1:00 she lay her head down to sleep. She found herself yet again on the ship from her previous dreams. The same boy was staring out too the sea. 'Excuse me!' she said, he turned around surprised. 'what are you doing here?' he asked, 'I fell asleep and, well found myself here.' He started walking towards her, as if taking her appearance in. Kat felt herself fading, the boy noticed this, he flung himself towards her and grabbed her wrist, 'Hay?' she said but just as she did she felt her pillow under her head once more and was lying on the couch back in her own world!
Zuko could feel a presence behind him, he turned, surprised, to see Kat, she was staring at him, 'what are you doing here!' his voice sounded so distant, the same as in his dreams, then he realised he had fallen asleep. 'I fell asleep and found myself here!' she replied. He started to walk towards her, just as he did so she started fading, remembering what his uncle had said, he flung himself towards her and grabbed her wrist so as to follow her, as he did so he saw sudden colours, Red, Purple, Blue, Yellow, Gold, all these colours and others formed circles and spirals in front of his eyes. Then the spinning came to a sudden stop, all he could see was darkness, the only light was the bright full moon in the sky.
Kat felt better the next day, she had planned to see a movie by herself, Angels Help The Children, so as to give herself a break. She dressed in her favourite colours, green and black. She ran to the sub stop and waited for the sub. As she waited she unravelled the day before. Some odd thought suddenly came to her, it sounded stupid to her but it was her first answer, what If something was going to happen! Then the sub arrived and she got on. Placing those thoughts out of her mind for the time being.
Zuko woke to find himself in the oddest clothing he had ever seen, he was wearing dark navy pants, slightly baggy, and a red shirt with a V-neck collar. He was lying in a sort of smelly environment, he could see left out garbage lying all around him. he was in a dead-end allay. He walked outside the allay to see motor controlled veacles? That were going extremely fast. 'Were am I?' he thought he walked out onto the road taking the look of the place in. then he heard someone calling to him, 'Watch out!' he was knocked out of the way of one of the crazy looking viecles which, had he not have moved, would have collided with him. He looked at the person ontop of him, she looked familiar.
Kat had been about to walk into the movie theateres, but then several strange things happened. First she saw a young man who was about to be hit by a Volvo car, second she found herself running towards him, knocking him out of the way and yelling 'Watch out!', thirdly she found herself lying ontop of exactly the same boy she had seen in her dreams. "What the hell…do you want to get yourself…what are you doing here?" questions pouring out of her mouth. "I don't know!" was the only reply she got.
Zuko walked with Kat back to her house, he sat on the couch while she cancelled her movie ticket. He took in his surroundings, a square box (TV) in the corner, a fireplace on the far wall, a coffee table, and a piano. Kat came in then, he noticed from the way she was looking at him, that she was not used to dealing with things like this. "Do you know why you're here?" she asked, her voice was no longer distant, it was clear and he noticed the slight Irish accent in it. He shook his head, he watched as she flipped her hair, he was not used to hair out like that, back in the fire nation woman wore their hair in tight, painful looking, buns. He could see the dark, raven coloured, roots at the scalp of her hair. He was memorised by how it looked, it reminded him of fire.
Kat was fascinated by his scar and appearance. "So you don't know anything about this?" he then spoke, his voice soft yet strong, "My uncle, back at home said, he said that its some type of prophecy, that your meant to come to my world, or something. He told me that in dreams, if you can touch the person you see in your dream, just as they start to fade, you can be transported to their time. That's why I grabbed your wrist!" Kats eyes widened, "Just were are you from exactly?" she asked, "The fire Nation!" he replied. "The what?" Kat asked, "The fire nation!". "Where is that? I'm asking do you live in, like, Japan, or China or Africa, Where do YOU live?" he looked at her as if she was mental, "I live in the fire nation, what place is this, is this the Water nation, The Earth Nation or the Air Nation?" he asked, "None of those, We…I live here, in Australia." She was getting irritated, "we are in the 21st Century!"
That made Zuko's eyes widen, "No! it can't be," he said if voice softer now, but anger clear in it. "It is 'Be' it is very much." Zuko knew then he was very far away from home, his uncle said he would help him but how could he if he died years ago? "I'm stuck here!" he moaned, "what do you mean your stuck here, you cant stay here, you wouldn't know the difference between a TV and a radio. You wouldn't know teen hood here let alone Cable!" That made his head cock to one side, "Cable?" She sighed irritated "Cable, TV, a program were you can watch endless good shows!" Zuko could not understand one thing that was going on.
Kat went to the fridge at lunch to grab a sandwich, she made one for herself and one for Zuko. He looked at it with strange glances, "What on earth is that?" he murmured, "A sandwich is a small meal were you put some contents inbetween two slices of bread, jeeesh you have so much to learn!" just then the phone rang, he sudden sound made them both jump! "Hallo!" said Kat as she answered the phone "What, Oh…um…ok!...Bye!" she hang up, turning to Zuko "I have to go and bring home my puppy, at my dad's!" she said, "You can come if you want, my Aunt Jean will be picking me up in about two minutes!" Kat could tell from his nerves eyes that he didn't like the idea of being without her in this new place. He just nodded, "Good, I thing Aunty Jean will like you!"
Aunty Jean turned out to be a ancient looking woman with silver hair, emerald eyes and dinted cheeks. She waited outside of her Dark-Aqua coloured jeep. When she saw Kat, she smiled, but when she saw Zuko she looked at Kat puzzled. "Aunt, this is Zuko, a new friend of mine, he will be coming with us to collect Jami." Aunt Jean just shrugged and got into the car followed by Kat and Zuko. Aunt Jean put on a CD, it sounded like the Medieval type you would hear in Camelot of Robin Hood movies. "Aunt Jean is addicted to really old music, she always has been!" Kat whispered to Zuko. The car trip felt very unfamiliar to Zuko, the speed made him feel queasy. The car finally stoped at a old, creamy coloured house. The paint slowly had been peeling off over the years. Kat jumper out, bounding to the door, she reached under an old pot-plant to grab the key. She opened the door before turning and beckoning for Zuko to come in. inside the smell of burnt toast hung in the air. Kat ran upstairs and returned seconds later with a small, cocker spaniel. She picked up her pup and they left. Outside Kat bolted, a young, Zuko's age, waited outside. Zuko saw Kats face darken, "What do you want JP?"