As usual I don't own Avatar.
This came to me as I was watching "The Crossroads of Destiny" I just thought "Hmm, what if she really did use the spirit water on Zuko?"
So with out further ado here it is!
As usual please read and Review!
The Scar
"Maybe you can be free of it," said Katara to the Banished Prince.
"It's a scar, It can't be healed," replied Zuko.
"This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole," she said, "It has special properties so I've been saving it for something special; I don't know if it would work but…" she left the sentence unfinished and placed her hand on the discoloration that marred the prince's face.
A/N: this is the point where Aang and Iroh burst through the wall. So for the sake of the story lest pretend they got delayed by a Badgermole crossing or something, work with me here people.
As she unstopped the ornate vial of spirit water, a part of her thought No, I should save this for the people who are actually my friends. But another part of her thought but if I do this I might make a friend… Her decision made, she bent the water onto her hand and placed it over Zuko's eye. She closed her eyes and concentrated and began to work her healing magic.
The glowing water sank into Zuko's skin and she felt it sink through several layers of skin until it reached the base of the scar tissue; she then released all the healing energy it contained and it healed him from the inside out. After the glow had faded Katara took her hand off his face; Zuko reached up and felt the spot that had disfigured him for nearly three years now, and his eyes bulged in shock at what he felt. He rushed up to the nearest crystal pillar and looked at his reflection in one of its facets.
"Spirits," he said almost speechless, "There's almost nothing left of it! Just a faint outline, not even any discoloration!" he whirled around, "I don't know how I can ever thank you…" he said to the Water Tribe girl, a tear of joy sliding down his cheek. Katara was about to reply when one wall of the crystal cave blew inwards revealing Aang and Iroh.
"Aang!" cried Katara running over to Aang and hugging him. The smile on the boy's face soon turned into a look of confusion as he saw the cave's other occupant. "I knew you'd come," said Katara, still hugging Aang.
"Uncle, don't understand," said Zuko "What are you doing with the Avatar?"
"Uh, do I know you?" asked Aang.
Zuko made a frustrated face and covered the eye that used to have the scar.
"Oh! Were saving you that's what we're doing." Said Aang realizing it was Zuko.
Zuko made a move but Iroh restrained him, "Zuko it's time we talked," he told Aang and Katara to go and help their friends and they took their leave. As she left the cave Katara looked worriedly back at Zuko then followed Aang up the Tunnel.
"So," said Aang, "What happened to Zuko's scar? Did you heal it?"
"Yeah, I used the spirit water," she said holding u the empty vial, "I was going to save it for an emergency but something told me that now was the time to use it."
"Well I trust your judgment but I hope that it doesn't come back to hurt us."
They emerged into the main cavern and started running for the other entrance Aang had made coming in.
"We've got to find Sokka and Toph!" Katara shouted as they sprinted. Suddenly a blast of blue fire zoomed across the cavern towards them; Aang quickly threw up a rock shield and blocked it. They both turned and saw Azula; her two extended fingers still smoking. Without hesitation Katara launched a wall of water at the Fire princess who promptly blasted the wave into steam. Aang charged through the steam and blasted Azula across the cavern with an air blast; the princess landed on a rock pillar which Aang proceeded to bend out from under her.
As Katara was about to rejoin the battle, 5 Dai Li agents dropped from the ceiling and surrounded her; the water bender quickly assessed the situation and swiftly assumed the Octopus defensive form. Noticing Aang glancing at her worriedly, even as he fought Azula, she did her best to reassure him; "I'll be fine! You just concentrate on taking out the wannabe dictator!" she yelled and proceeded to prove her point by picking up an Agent with a water tendril and throwing him against the wall. Five minutes later Katara had taken care of the Agents and was running to join Aang who was still locked in combat with the princess. As Aang and Azula stood, each breathing hard Katara appeared on the opposite side of Azula, forcing the Princess to divide her attention between the two of them.
"Give up," Katara said, "You're out numbered and out matched,"
"Oh, I think not," Azula said with an evil grin.
Katara glanced over to where the princess was staring and saw that Zuko had entered the room. She saw Zuko's eyes glance back and forth between Azula and the Avatar as if he was trying to make up his mind about something; then his eyes lingered on her and she held his gaze. He looked back at Azula with determination in his eyes. With a yell the banished prince unleashed a blast of fire; Aang flinched but soon realized that it was not aimed at him, it was aimed at Azula. Azula dodged the blast cursing their names; she used twin fire blasts to boost herself over their heads and immediately ran for the exit. The trio gave chase but suddenly 15 Dai Li agents appeared from nowhere and blocked their passage. Katara and Zuko glanced at each other.
"We'll handle these clowns!" Zuko said to Aang, "You stop my sister from getting away!"
Aang leapt over the heads of the Agents and landed in front of Azula cutting off her escape; behind him the Fire bender and the Water bender began to carve twin swaths through the ranks of Agents.
Aang's fight with Azula raged across the cavern; neither party willing to give ground. After twenty minutes of fierce fighting; the two stood across from one another; each bearing wounds inflicted by the other. It was clear, though, that Aang was winning this battle.
"No!" screamed Azula, "I will not lose!"
The enraged princess began to conjure lightning to attack Aang with and the Air bender saw his opening: in her exhaustion, Azula had left her right side wide open. Seizing the opportunity Aang caused a rock pillar to shoot out of the ground on that side, sending Azula flying across the cavern; she landed on the ground, clearly unconscious. Satisfied that his opponent was defeated Aang turned just in time to see Zuko and Katara take down the last two Agents. Katara, seeing the condition that Aang was in, ran over and began to heal his wounds; but before she could finish Iroh sprinted from the cave where Zuko and Katara had been held prisoner.
"They're right behind me!" he yelled looking panicked.
The wall behind him exploded outward and the rest of the Dai Li agents poured out of the hole in hot pursuit of the retired general.
"We have to get out of here!" said Iroh skidding to a stop in front of the three.
"No." said Zuko, "We've come this far, If we retreat now Azula will take Ba Sing Se; and all that we have done will have been for nothing."
"We can't defeat them all…" Katara said gathering water in preparation for the mass of Agents making their way across the cavern.
"I can," said Aang.
"How?" asked everyone in unison.
"The Avatar state, but I'm going to need a few minutes; can you buy me some time?"
The three benders nodded and formed a line in front of Aang and met the onrushing horde head on. Aang watched as Katara tossed Agents aside like they were rag dolls. He realized that she didn't need him to protect her; she could take care of herself. Another realization dawned on him: he could let her go. Instantly he felt his seventh Chakra open. He smiled and concentrated and was quickly in the Avatar state.
He stepped up to Katara and put a hand on her shoulder, "We'll take it from here," he said with the voices of every Avatar before him. As his three allies retreated behind him he unleashed a wave of elemental energy at the remaining Agents; this sent all of them flying across the cavern and knocked most of them unconscious. Still in the Avatar state he turned and began to walk back towards his friends. He was completely unaware as one Agent who was still conscious slammed his hand into the ground. Aang did, however, feel the resulting rock spike strike him in the back and felt it punch through his skin until it hit bone. He felt his connection to the cosmic energy wink out and he fell to the ground bleeding profusely.
"No!" Katara screamed as the glow faded and she saw her best friend drop to the ground. Zuko ran and took out the Agent as Iroh and Katara rushed to Aang's side. Tears streaming down her face Katara attempted to heal him, but due to her state of exhaustion was unable to do so. "He's losing too much blood!" she said, "What are we going to do?"
"I can save him" said Iroh, but you're not going to like it…"
"Do what you have to," Katara said.
"This might prevent him from going onto the Avatar state," said Iroh.
"I don't care!" cried Katara, "I don't care if he never bends again; I love him! We have to save him!"
Iroh nodded and generated a small flame from his index finger and began to pass it over the wound which was still gushing blood. Aang twitched at this but stayed unconscious.
"What are you doing?" asked Katara.
"I'm sealing the wound so he doesn't lose any more blood. We can get him some real medical attention later."
Just as Iroh finished Zuko ran up, "We need to leave now, the Agents are waking up!"
Katara nodded and they all ran to the waterfall and the water bender bent them all to the surface. They located Appa and found Toph, Sokka and the Earth King already waiting. As the group beat a hasty retreat through the skies of Ba Sing Se, Sokka glanced back sadly at the palace.
"All that," he said sadly shaking his head, "All that for nothing. We lost."
"No," said Iroh, "It was not a total loss. We showed the people of the Earth Kingdom that the Fire Nation can be beaten. That will give them hope,"
"So what do we do now?" asked Katara, still clutching Aang's unconscious and blood splattered form.
"First," said the old man, "We get the Avatar to a doctor. Then we wait, and we will strike when the time is right."
Katara thought about the old man's words and vowed to be ready when the time came. She was sure that with two powerful fire benders now on their team that they would prevail the next time they challenged Azula. She looked at the boy in her arms and vowed to never let something like this happen again; If anyone ever hurts Aang like this again, she thought, I will kill them. I will not let another of my loved ones die.
Sokka took the reins and steered the bison towards Chameleon bay, and their salvation.
Well, that's it! As usual tell me how the story was! I will try to get back to you if it's a signed review. And thanks to those of you who submit any anonymous reviews!
Until next time!