Destiny Diverted
Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. The Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The movies result from the vision of Peter Jackson. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.
NOTE: Here it is, my crazy Zutara/LOTR crossover posted on a very special day (at least for me). I'm using Peter Jackson's movies as references for this. Don't get me wrong, I read the books and loved them. But the events there are more complicated and I can never aspire to write as well as J.R.R. Tolkien. So I'm using the movies, just The Two Towers and The Return of the King.
Just some notes for chronology. This starts from "The Guru" in Book 2 of Avatar, and somewhere in the middle of The Two Towers, when Aragorn and the others are in Helm's Deep waiting to be attacked and when Gandalf goes off to find help.
Hope you like this crazy, funny, whimsical little crossover!
PROLOGUE
Business was booming at the Jasmine Dragon on its grand opening day in the bustling Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se. The place was abuzz with the seemingly endless flow of customers from all over the world and all the employees had their hands full trying to accommodate all the orders.
Among those attracted to the newest tea house in town were two visitors of the Avatar's company, and they were both eager to take a well-deserved break from their mission of saving the world.
"What do you say, Momo?" Katara asked her furry companion, "a cup of tea before we get back to the king?"
But as Katara and Momo waited to be seated, they were distracted by the arrival of a mysterious stranger. No longer glancing inside the tea house, the waterbender and lemur were suddenly fascinated by what seemed to be a regular old man who was also entering the establishment.
Although an elderly man, he walked tall and straight, not hampered by any rheumatism or infirmity, and he had an aura of power and wisdom about him which was not tangible but hard to ignore. He had long white hair and a beard and carried with him a long staff that looked like more than just a walking stick. And even if he wore a heavy cloak around him, and looked like he had been traveling for many days, he still seemed strong.
He seemed to sense that they were staring at him and so he turned to glance at Katara and Momo. The two looked away in embarrassment at being caught, so they missed the enigmatic twinkle that came to his eye when he looked at them. A great thought seemed to occur to him at that moment, an opportunity not to be missed.
In spite of his mystique, Katara did not think that he was dangerous. She decided to be friendly and approached him, apologizing for being so rude.
He smiled affably at them and laughed heartily, immediately putting Katara at ease with him.
"It is of no consequence," he reassured her, "I was wondering what you found interesting in a weary old traveler such as myself."
"We've been traveling too," she replied, "I'm from the South Pole and Momo here came all the way from the Southern Air Temple."
"Indeed?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.
"If you don't mind my asking, sir," she asked, "where do you come from? We've never seen anyone like you in all our travels, and we've been quite around the world lately."
"Oh, you have not journeyed quite as far as I have, I'm afraid," the old man replied, "I come from a very, very distant land, indeed."
Before Katara could clarify this statement, a waiter came by to lead them to their tables. The stranger was given very polite treatment since he seemed to be an acquaintance of the owner. The old man invited Katara and Momo to join him at the table, hopefully to continue their conversation.
Still fascinated by the stranger and feeling at ease in his company, Katara decided to accept this offer. She was also eager to learn more about this mysterious old man, who seemed like a friend of the Jasmine Dragon's proprietor.
They were led to their table and were told that the owner would soon come to meet them. In the meantime, his nephew would come to serve them.
Katara and Momo settled down and introduced themselves to their new companion. He, in turn, gave his name.
"I have been called by many names," he began mysteriously, "but the one I am most fond of is Gandalf."
"Gandalf," Katara repeated, trying the name on her tongue.
He smiled at her.
"A strange name," he told her, "for a stranger from a distant land."
"Good day and welcome to the Jasmine Dragon," a voice chimed in, "my uncle sent me here to…"
The young man fell silent as soon as he laid eyes on Gandalf's companion. Katara likewise stiffened with shock and recognition. Gandalf observed this exchange most carefully, and seemed to understand a great deal.
"What are you doing here?" Katara was the first to speak although Zuko undoubtedly was about to ask the same question.
Recollecting himself, the young firebender immediately bent his head and pleaded with her not to make a scene.
"Please," he whispered, "uncle and I are starting a new life here. Please don't blow our cover, we aren't chasing the Avatar anymore."
"How can I believe that?" Katara asked with a frown, "after all you've done, how can I trust you?"
Zuko had no answer to this. But Katara realized something and looked towards Gandalf.
"You say you know his uncle," she muttered angrily, "you must be from the Fire Nation too. You are an enemy."
"I am not from the Fire Nation," Gandalf replied calmly, "and I have merely stopped here to rest before I continue my journey."
"He's right," another person spoke and they all looked up to see Iroh approaching them, "he is but an old friend of mine."
Katara looked from one to the other, not knowing how to react.
"I know what you must think of us, Ms. Waterbender," Iroh told her quickly, "but my nephew is telling the truth and we really mean you no harm. For you see, both of us have been branded as traitors of the Fire Nation, and so we too are in hiding."
Katara stared hard at him for a moment, and Gandalf continued to observe them carefully.
"I fear this is not the right venue for such a discussion," Iroh told them, "let us all transfer to one of the private function rooms."
Gandalf stood quietly and Zuko made to follow. Iroh pleaded with Katara to follow. She glared skeptically, and yet her instincts were telling her to follow.
"Do you think we should trust them?" she whispered to the lemur on her shoulder.
Momo chirped encouragingly in her ear, and she decided to trust the creature's instincts.
They entered a small, private function room, away from the rest of the crowd in the tea house. There, Iroh and Zuko proceeded to try and convince Katara of their situation and the change that had come over Zuko since they had last crossed paths.
Katara remained skeptical of the whole story although she seemed to consider all their words carefully. Gandalf sat on one side, sipping a cup of tea, listening and watching all that transpired.
"And please do not blame my old friend Gandalf for anything," Iroh pleaded, "he is not from our world, and he no doubt has some important mission to accomplish here. We are simply acquainted because of a certain… association we both belong to."
At this, Gandalf brought out a small item that he had hidden in his cloak, a Pai Sho tile.
"The white lotus!" Zuko cried in recognition.
Iroh and Gandalf nodded while Katara remained puzzled.
"But it has been many years since I have last seen him," Iroh explained, "in fact, our last meeting was long before either of you were even born."
"I believe it is time I introduced myself more properly," the old man said, after this.
"I am Gandalf the Grey, and I have come here from the world of Middle-Earth," he began, "which is currently in great turmoil, embroiled in a war far more sinister that which you have here."
They all listened intently to this account.
"But there is no time to go into detail, I must hurry," Gandalf spoke then, with a sudden urgency, "a portal was opened from Middle-Earth to your world, and this portal shall soon reappear. I have been journeying for many days, in search of help for my friends who need all the defenses they can get, for they are soon to be attacked by a force larger than any yet assembled, a force that might destroy them all if they stand alone.
And powers greater than mine have sent me here, instructing me to find two great warriors, who are destined to fight together, to come to the aid of my friends back home. Only two am I allowed to bring back with me to join the battle, and only two may leave and return to this world safely."
They all listened in astonishment to all his words, and amazing though the story seemed, they believed him. He spoke with an authority that could not be doubted or questioned.
Iroh looked at Gandalf knowingly, a silent communication occurring between them.
"I know now who the two warriors are," Gandalf announced gravely, looking from Zuko to Katara, "and so we must make haste back to Middle-Earth to help my friends save their world."
The two chosen ones gaped and stared incredulously at him, although he was clearly serious about the whole matter.
"That's impossible," Katara cried out as Zuko pondered on the mission silently, "I have to stay here, to help in the invasion plans, to support Aang."
"And so you shall," Gandalf explained, "but a greater power has summoned you and Zuko to help another world be saved from utter destruction. Your work here is admirable, but you have been called to a place where you are more needed."
"But.." Katara continued to protest.
"I understand your concern," Gandalf assured her, "but everything here is already in order, and the Avatar is on his way to fulfilling his destiny. And I assure you, that you shall be here again to support him when that crucial moment comes. But for now, there are people, strangers they may be, but people who desperately need you. Are you going to turn your back to them?"
The last statement banished hesitation from Katara's mind. The only slight doubt that remained was knowing that she would have to fight side by side – with Zuko.
Gandalf turned to the pensive young firebender and addressed him.
"You've recently realized that you make your own destiny," the old man said, "and this is a chance for you to mark a path of your own, to use your powers to help others instead of just yourself. This is also your opportunity to prove how much you have grown and changed from all your struggles. I implore you to take it."
"How do you know so much about me?" Zuko asked carefully and suspiciously.
"It is a long story," Iroh replied, "one we have no time for."
But Zuko already seemed half convinced to go.
For at that moment a great light appeared before them, a portal into another world. Gandalf nodded to Iroh.
"We must make haste," the old man urged them, "the portal shall close soon."
"Don't worry about me, Zuko," Iroh re-assured his nephew, "I'll manage here on my own. This is a journey you both need to take, even if you don't understand it all yet. I don't even understand it all but I trust that Gandalf knows what he is doing."
The older firebender turned to Katara. Momo had moved from her shoulder to Iroh's, showing how much the lemur trusted the other man.
"And don't worry about your brother and friends," Iroh told her, "I will make sure to explain to them as best as I can. And you will be back to help save our world before you know it."
Katara and Zuko looked uncertainly at Iroh and then at each other and then at Gandalf.
But as confused as they both felt, something inside was telling them that they had no choice. Everything was happening so fast and yet a nameless force was pushing them forward.
"Come," Gandalf called, "and place your hands on my staff. I shall tell you more once we arrive in Middle-Earth. For now, we must make haste."
The walking stick seemed to take a life of its own, glowing with a powerful bright light. Iroh and Momo waved at them encouragingly.
"I thank you for your hospitality, old friend," Gandalf told Iroh as he, Zuko, and Katara were engulfed in the light, "and I assure you that these two shall return safely at the appointed time."