Something Pure
Chapter One: Reunion?
Author: Kaires
Author's Note: This is my first attempt at an Avatar fan fiction. Reviews will be very much appreciated. Please note that this is AU-ish, meaning that it doesn't exactly follow the main storyline, but some things from the series will be mentioned. To erase some confusion, Zuko still has his rad ponytail, and it's before the whole Blue Spirit, thing.
Author's Note II: Another thing I should probably put in before you start reading, there are going to be a lot of flashbacks in this chapter, and they will be unmarked. They will probably last until around chapter three or five, and then I will get on with the second half of the plot.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, any of the characters, or settings.
Fire and water.
Two elements completely opposite, but when merged together….
They create something pure.
A light laughter filled the cold artic air, making the smaller children giggle along, seeing that since she laughed, they were supposed to follow her example. But really, they had no idea why they were laughing. The girl they were playing with would often be found staring off into the horizon, and then suddenly let out a titter, finding something about whatever she was staring at funny.
Once she would hear the giggles emitting from the children, she would quickly snap out of her reverie, and just smile, assuring them with that simple action that no, she was not insane. But of course, there was always someone there having something else to say.
"Katara," came an exasperated voice from behind, "you really need to find a new hobby. People are going to think you're going insane."
Katara simply smiled up at her brother, and said "Well, then let them think."
No one really knows what the waterbender would think about whenever she laid her eyes onto the horizon. Was it her future? Her past?
Whatever it was… nobody knew that it would impact the world so greatly.
6 Months Ago
"Are you sure, Aang? Are you really sure you have to leave?"
The younger boy nodded, sadness evident in his eyes. Katara sniffed and pulled Aang into an embrace.
The boy was like family to her, so it was understandable that his sudden decision to leave would break her heart.
Aang had mastered all four elements, and defeated the Fire Nation. But he wasn't alone.
Beside him during his battle, was none other than Katara, Sokka, and two other surprising persons.
General Iroh and Prince Zuko.
The Avatar and his group were hesitant at first, not completely trusting the newcomers. But what else would you expect? Honestly.
"Don't worry, Katara. I'll be back to visit."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Katara stepped away, wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her coat, then Sokka seized the opportunity to bid farewell to the young boy.
"Katara, I'm going to go fishing. Want to come?" Sokka, Katara's over-enthusiastic brother, asked.
Translation: Katara, I still can't catch a fish. Help me or you'll starve tonight.
The waterbender laughed at that thought that drifted through her mind before laughing then standing up, following her brother to the small boat. By bending the water, Katara moved the boat away from the shore until the siblings were far enough into the water.
The boat floated along, nothing eventful was happening, and Sokka was rambling about how he would eat the fish that they were about to catch. It always reminded Katara about the day they found Aang. Sokka could "already smell it cooking". She wondered if Sokka remembered. She was pretty sure he remembered what happened afterwards, since he got sneezed upon by Appa and got his butt kicked by Zuko.
The thought of the fire prince (who, in fact, is now the Fire Lord) always made Katara's mind go blank, though she didn't really understand why.
"Hey, Katara"
No answer.
"Katara..."
Silence.
"KATARA!"
The girl's mind finally came back, and she snapped her head around, asking her brother what was wrong. He merely pointed ahead, and what she saw made her eyes widen.
No, it wasn't an iceberg with a 12 year-old boy inside. It was something (physically) larger… and made not of ice, but steel.
A Fire Nation ship.
The group (Katara, Aang, Sokka, Appa, Toph, and Momo) huddled around a lit campfire, discussing how Aang needed to learn fire bending, before he was ready to go against the fire nation.
"But how is Aang supposed to learn firebending when the only firebenders we know are evil?" Sokka inquired, while Katara handed him something to prepare for dinner.
Aang shrugged.
"Maybe we can ask one of them to join our side."
"Yeah. Right. Let's just go up to Zuko and say 'hey, Zuko, we know you really want to capture Aang, but how about giving up your mission to help us defeat the nation that you will soon rule over?'" Toph said. The rest of the group sighed, after realizing how ludicrous the idea sounded.
Sokka shook the coconut-looking fruit Katara had handed him, trying to figure out how to open the strange food. Katara shook her head, as she awaited her brother to finish preparing (or attempting to) supper. After several long minutes, Katara grew frustrated and grabbed the fruit from Sokka, who protested in response and tried to grab it back. But of course, nothing good came out of that, and the fruit ended up bouncing against the tree Katara was sitting against, it's contents spilling all over her. Clenching her fists, she sent a death glare over to Sokka, who merely smiled and scratched the back of his head uneasily.
Aang, on the other hand, was watching the little charade, and before there could be any chance of bloodshed, he immediately volunteered to go retrieve more of the fruit. Katara nodded, and stood up, brushing off her skirt.
"While Aang is getting some more of that fruit, I'm going to see if I can get some fish. Sokka, you and Toph stay here and watch over the campsite."
"Why can't I come-"
Katara send a dark glance, and without saying anything, send the message that he would only mess things up. Sokka whimpered.
"Oh… ok."
Sighing, Katara trekked off towards the river, bringing the water canteen along with her.
-x-
The moon was nearly full that night, giving Katara more courage since she knew that the moon would make her stronger.
Bending the water, she found a fish, but before she could properly catch it, she heard rustling in the bushes.
She bended the water to form her traditional water whip, and awaited whatever it was that was hidden behind the plants.
"What's a fire nation ship doing here in the South Pole?" Sokka asked, only to find that his question was being ignored.
The waterbender was definitely curious to why there was indeed a fire nation ship in the area, but at the same time she was elated about the idea that it was a possibility that an old friend would visit. After all, it had been six months since they parted.
"Let's... let's go back." Katara said. Sokka nodded, also curious about the ship.
When they go to the shore, the Fire Nation ship had already arrived, and there were some soldiers leaving the ship. A crowd of people surrounded the boat, asking each other what the ship was doing in the South Pole.
The voices silenced when a loud voice echoed through the air.
"I present to you, Fire Lord Zuko." One of the soldiers announced. A familiar scarred face walked out of the ship, and looked around unconsciously. He felt a bit uncomfortable with the loud announcement, but didn't let it show on his face.
Sokka could feel his sister tense up next to him, and Katara let out a breath.
Zuko.
A blur of red and black flashed in the moonlight, and Katara froze.
"See, Zuko? I knew that if we kept going west, we would find a river." One of the figures said.
"It was your fault in the first place we lost our map and got lost in the forest!" The other one growled.
Katara didn't really pay attention to what they were saying though, but as soon as she saw the two Fire Nation traitors, she edged away, hoping she wouldn't be noticed.
But she was.
Katara inhaled sharply as she was suddenly pinned against a tree, golden orbs glaring at her. A low chuckle was heard, and the grasp on her forearms tightened.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" The waterbender bit her lip and looked to the side, not wanted to see the expression that was held on Zuko's face, and not wanting to show the tinge of pink on her cheeks.
Once again she just had to be the damsel in distress.
"I'll let you go as soon as you tell me one thing: Tell me where the Avatar is."
"Zuko..." His uncle muttered in the background, disapproving of his actions. Katara bit into her lip harder, still refusing to look into his eyes.
"I don't know where Aang is." She said, trying to hold in a whimper as she felt her arms grow hot.
"Yes, you do."
"No, I don't."
It wasn't a total lie. She really didn't know where he was. But she did know what he was doing.
"Zuko," General Iroh interceded, "Just let the girl go. She wouldn't tell you her friend's whereabouts either way. And… I am getting hungry…"
Katara made a mental note to thank Iroh if she ever had the chance.
Zuko huffed, and reluctantly let go. Katara took this opportunity to bend the water, forming a wave and freezing Zuko to a nearby tree, much like what she did to Jet. Zuko growled, while his uncle couldn't help but chuckle at his nephew's position. Katara after she did that, ran back deep into the forest to warn the others. And from behind she could hear the muffled voice of Zuko yelling at his uncle to stop laughing.
'How stupid was that?' She screamed in her head. She should've just left, but because her –whateveryouwanttocallit-pride, she had risked the chance of returning to the camp without the firebenders chasing after her and finding the location of the campsite.
In the distance she saw light, and let out a breath of relief as she saw familiar faces come into view.
"Hey, guys!" Katara stopped, placing her hands on her knees and panting heavily.
"Katara, what's wrong?" Aang asked.
"Yeah, and where's the food?" Sokka inquired. Toph grunted and threw a rock at Sokka's head, causing him to fall over.
"There's no time for food! Zuko and his uncle aren't too far away. I came across them when I went to the river!"
"Are you hurt?" Aang asked, immediately standing up. Katara shook her head.
"I'm fine, now let's go."
The group quickly packed their things and climbed onto Appa, soaring into the sky in hopes of getting further away from the firebenders.
As Zuko stared into the night sky, he saw the flying bison and frowned, knowing that if he had just chased after the girl, the Avatar could be in his possession.
"Next time, I will retrieve the Avatar."
Author's Note III: So how was that? Bad? Good? Blah? Please tell me what you think and what I can do to make it a better story (by reviewing :D)
