((A/N: Okay, I'm lame because I copied posts from a roleplay I was in. Shush. They're edited and such. To give more or less detail. Or just for the heck of it. x3
So: I credit (neopets usernames) noelliebellie17 for playing Katara and Toph; gooberry45 for playing Zuko and Ty Lee; darkestsoul125 for playing her made-up, Hotah, and creating the character of Kuen who is to be introduced later; and myself, for playing Sun, my made-up (whose name is pronounced 'Soon'. Therefore, it's still oriental. So her name isn't the English 'Sun'. Had to clear that up), and for later playing Azula.
All text after chapter one is my own words, not copied from a roleplay, unless otherwise stated.))
Was it morning already? Katara groaned, stretched, and finally rolled out of 'bed'--a makeshift sleeping bag thrown in the middle of a small beige tent). She had forgotten how terrible it felt to sleep on the ground. Opening her eyes and climbing to her feet, Katara saw Toph sitting on a block of rock Katara could have sworn hadn't been there last night brushing her hair.
"Morning, Sugar Queen!" Toph grinned impishly down at Katara from her perch.
Katara grimaced. "Morning," she grumbled, watching Toph French braid her hair with nimble fingers. Katara was not a morning person. And how she had been elected to room with Toph was beyond her. Wandering over to her bag, Katara got her hair brush and began to brush her own hair. She wished there was a mirror in their tent. She could only imagine what she looked like. After pulling her hair half up and away from her face, Katara and Toph got dressed. While Toph opted for a comfortable green kimono, Katara donned the same white two piece outfit she had worn while teaching Aang water bending. She anticipated that they would be training again today. They needed to be ready to fight Azula when the time came. The two headed outside. Multiple beige tents were assembled around the remains of last night's fire, and Toph and Katara sat down around it. "Should we wake them up?" Katara wondered aloud.
"Leave it to me," Toph promised, and spikes of rock shot up from the ground, heaving the tents high into the air. They fell back to the ground one by one.
Katara grimaced, yet again. "I was thinking of a something a little gentler."
Toph snorted. "Well, they're awake, aren't they?"
Katara couldn't argue with that.
As a rock hit his head, the shaggy-haired boy sat straight up. "Toph!" he yelled,blinking the sleep from his amber eyes. He stood shakily, and stumbled out of the tent. Standing in the sun, his red robe was apparent. Suddenly, a more spunky girl slid to stand beside him. "Morning Zuko," she said happily. How can you be happy at a time like this?" he mumbled, turning to study his surroundings. He caught sight of Katara, and a glimmer of affection shone in his eyes. He turned back to Ty Lee to hide it, and met the girl's grin with steady eyes."You know, you will have to tell her sooner or later," Ty Lee told Zuko matter-of-factly. "I know. I am waiting for the right time," he replied shortly. "Well, you better do it soon. "Ty Lee told him, and walked off to visit with Toph and Katara. Watching Ty Lee go, Zuko had a feeling he wouldn't have to tell Katara his feelings. Ty Lee was taking care of that.
"Morning, Ty Lee!" Katara said, smiling ruefully. "Sorry about the rocks. Toph got a little carried away." Toph grinned. "We were just going to start looking around for some breakfast. I thought we might go down to the river and fish, since picking berries doesn't seem to be such a good idea." Katara grimaced, remembering last night's fiasco. Toph silently agreed. Though the purple spots had been cool, she had no desire to relive the stomach pains.
"It's okay. It was a clever idea." Ty Lee replied, grinning at Toph. Turning back to Katara,she replied, "Yes. I don't want to eat any more of those berries. Fish seems like a better idea. And what more could you ask for than a fire-bender like Zuko to cook them for us." A smile played at her lips, yet she showed no signs of laughing.
Katara listened to Ty Lee with a somewhat bemused expression. "I'm sure Zuko will cook them for us." She agreed hesitantly. Then curiosity got the better of her. "Where is Zu?" Katara asked, looking around, and spotted him off in the distance. She waved.
"Gwah!" A shriek came from one of the tents as rocks came flying beneath the people inside. Hair completely frizzed out from bed-head, and eyes just as wild, Sun poked her head outside of the tent. "Well thanks a bunch, Toph," she yelled, sarcasm dripping from her words. Clambering out of the tent, Sun was already dressed due to the fact that she'd been up for an hour or so. She had just been too lazy to get out of the tent. Sighing softly, Sun glanced around, deep green gaze finally resting on Zuko. Her plan had been initiated the night before, and had already begun to work, due to Katara's good timing in looking her direction. She smirked slightly, and the smirk turned into an admiring smile. She didn't actually like Zuko; she was just pretending. Picking up on a bit of conversation between Katara and Toph, Sun looked over at them. Since Toph was blind, she wouldn't see the tiny glare that the teen directed at Katara, which quickly transformed into a large smile. "So, what's the plan for today?"
Zuko waved back,a small smile playing at his lips. Ty Lee's eyes Sun for a moment, then turned to Katara. "Shall we go now?"she asked. Zuko sneaked a look at Sun, then turned away. He wasn't sure what she was thinking, yet he liked her a bit.
"You're welcome!" Toph said cheerily, laughing at Sun. Katara frowned slightly, catching Sun glaring at her. She glared back. What was this girl's problem, anyway? And why was Aang letting her stay with them? As far as Katara was concerned, she could just get lost. "Well, I was going to practice some more waterbending with Aang. And tonight.." Katara glanced up at the sky with worried eyes. "I'm going to teach him blood bending." She winced at the words, running a hand through her hair nervously. Luckily - or perhaps unluckily - she was distracted by the adoring smile Sun offered Zuko. Katara scowled. "Yes." She agreed. "Let's go." She started off at a brisk pace towards the river. Sun was really starting to get on her nerves.
Nodding, Ty Lee followed Katara. Zuko watched them leave, and followed them.
Looking away from the small group, Sun smiled at herself. Haha, how easy it is to mess with Katara's head, she thought. The smile disappeared from her face as she looked back at everyone, and Sun hurried along. Walking a few steps behind Katara, the earthbender put a worried look on her face. "Hey," she started, voice low and sad. "Um..." How should she phrase this? Sun paused, both for effect and to decide what she'd say, then continued. "I don't know what else to say, so... do you like him or something?" This came out as a whisper, so Zuko wouldn't be able to hear, and Sun figured Katara would be able to figure out who she was talking about. Perfect.
Katara glanced backwards, startled, as Sun began to speak to her. "Huh?" Was her first reaction, but she soon figured out what the other girl was talking about. "Oh." Katara blushed slightly. Wonderful. Sun had just tapped into and asked about the very thing she was confused the most about. "I - well, I'm - uh. I'm Aang's girlfriend." She paused. "At least I think I am. Well - uh, anyway, um. Zuko and I..." She trailed off, at a loss for words. "Why, do you like him or something?" The words came out more fierce than Katara had meant. She blushed bright red. "Er, sorry." She apologized, glancing down, completely embarrassed, bewildered, and confused.
Sun stopped as Katara fumbled with her words. She wanted to laugh, but that would blow her cover, so she just smiled sheepishly. "Um... okay." As the waterbender asked if Sun liked Zuko, her eyes grew wide. "What?! Um..." She stopped talking, and hurried down to the river. Her plan was working like a charm.
Katara blinked as Sun increased her pace, leaving her in the dust. Did Sun like Zuko? Katara hurried down after her, a strange feeling bubbling in her stomach. She reluctantly identified it as jealousy. Why was she jealous? She didn't even like Zuko like that. Did she? And what about Aang? They had been going through problems, sure, but that didn't mean she should just run off with some firebender. No matter how handsome or charming said firebender might be. Katara grimaced. Eugh. She had to stop thinking like that. But all of this presented another question: what did Zuko think of her? Katara arrived at the river, shot Sun a furtive glance, and then looked back to the gentle movements of the water. It seemed like all of last night's worries had been once again thrown in her face by some stupid girl she didn't even know. Katara massaged her temple. This promised to be an awful day.
Glancing at Katara, she noticed that the waterbender seemed to be upset. Putting a bittersweet expression on her face, Sun sighed, green eyes becoming slightly clouded over. It was interesting how easily she could play with her own emotions, and those of others; it was practically a form of bending. At this, she let out a little giggle. Blinking in surprise at herself, Sun looked up at Zuko. Perfect disguise, if Katara hadn't seen her before she'd looked at the boy. Otherwise, it was good.
Katara hadn't been paying any attention to Sun. She was staring out at the river. But when the other girl giggled, she looked up with a startled expression to see her gazing at Zuko. You have got to be kidding me! Katara scowled deeply. "Well!" She said, the annoyance evident in her face. Katara had never been good with hiding emotions. "I think we better start fishing, don't you, Sun?"
He had been listening to the two girls arguing for a while now, his silence allowing him to listen almost unnoticed. But now, he felt like jumping into the action. Watching another little "healing" fish wiggle around in the water, with a slow movement of his arms, he lifted up the water around it,forming a little orb for it to still be able to swim around.
Still moving his arms slowly, he approached the group.
"Someone's a bit quick to anger," He said to Katara, boredom in his blue eyes, he didn't seem to be looking straight at her
"Might want to control your emotions a bit more, especially if you're going to be doing some fishing. You might lose control."
"Oh," the earthbender murmured, pretending she'd been caught in something she hadn't meant for anyone to see. "Yes, I suppose so." She twisted her face a little bit, and looked over at Katara, as if trying to apologize. Coughing once, feigning embarrassment, Sun stared back at the river. She wasn't a waterbender, so Hotah and Katara would have to do most – if not all – of the work.
"I am not angry!" Katara said angrily. Realizing the irony, she shook her head. Katara inhaled, taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "I'm fine." She said, her voice controlled, though residual testiness remained in it. She took bending stance, moving her arms carefully. A crowd of fish, trapped in the large bowl of water Katara had created, were lifted from the water She let her arms drop, and the fish did also, falling on the ground and flapping about for a few moments before becoming still. "Breakfast is served." She said dryly, glancing to Sun as she spoke in an apologetic manner. Katara was too confused to respond.
Still holding his own fish in it's little bowl, Hotah grinned as she snapped back. "Doesn't sound too convincing," He murmured loud enough for her to hear and looking off into the water. Shaking a bit of hair from over his eyes, he idly added a bit more water to his fish bowl with one hand. Taunting this girl was very amusing. Her fuse was much too short. He'd have to remember that for later.
Katara grimaced at Hotah's words, trying to control her expression with little success. "We're going to need to cook these fish." She said evenly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She bended the river half heartedly, creating odd shapes. "And after breakfast, I should probably start practicing with Aang," She mused to herself. Maybe waterbending would help her to escape from her problems.