Author's Notes: I have been working on this plot on and off forever. Originally I planned this to be a multiple chapter comic but I never got around to it. So now I am just going to make it a fan fiction. I warn you that the story will be crossed over with nearly anything and everything. So I will say this only once I own absolutely nothing. While this is listed under Zuko and Katara it will have other people being the main characters from time to time. It's just this story line (or should it be lines?) affect them the most.
This story takes place near the ending of the Crossroads of Destiny episode. I'm not going to re-cap the whole episode. While having a basic idea of what happened in it is a bonus, this story is not about that. (Come to think about it, when that episode was first aired is about the time I came up with this hair brain idea.)
Also, while I have many "worlds' that I have already planned I wouldn't mind taking a stab at some show, book, comic book, anime, manga, or movie that you think I should do let me know.
Enjoy and on with the show.
As Aang looked around the vast crystal cavern he knew that without the power of the Avatar state neither him nor Katara would be able to make it out safely. This pained the young monk because he knew that to unlock the final chakra he would have to give up the one thing he wanted most in the world, Katara. While Aang glanced at the waterbender he realized that if he didn't give her up neither of them would live past this day. With a heavy heart and more wisdom then what his twelve waken years could possess Aang mentally said goodbye to his dream and built a protective tent out of the crystals. The catacomb echoed the young airbender's apology and the green crystals of the earthen tent glowed unnaturally. The Avatar had reached the illusive Avatar state willingly and was soon shattering the confines of the once protective tent. What no one realized that the Fire Nation Princess was waiting for the monk to emerge she wasn't about to let one little monk ruin her plans, Avatar or not. With a well-practiced ease the younger royal sibling shot lightning from her fingertips and hitting the monk square in the back. What Azula didn't account for was something out of the ordinary to happen. As lightning pulsated through the Avatar's small body the world started to shake and the world seamed to suck into itself like some sort of black hole and nothing would ever be the same ever again.
Chapter One: Sleeping Beauty
When Sokka woke up the first thing he noticed was that he was in a dress, not that he was no longer in the Earth King's Castle, not that he was about two inches tall, nor the fact that he was not alone, no he noticed that he was in a dress only seconded that he had wings. Very girly blue wings with glittery sparkles all over them. "What in the Four Nations is going on!" the Water Tribe boy shrieked.
"Can in Snoozles!" Toph barked as she rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to ease the headache that was forming. Whatever just happened was wreaking havoc on her four senses. "Awch, my head."
"Uh Toph," the warrior turned blue fairy's eyes bulged.
"Yeah?" the earthbender mumbled, clearly not paying attention to the latest episode of 'What's Sokka freaking out about this time'.
"You're flying." Sokka blurted out while pointing at the similarly dressed earthbender. "Not like Appa or Aang flying either. Wings!"
Toph paused and turned her head in Sokka's general location "You're not lying." she said in shock. "How am I still able so sense vibrations?" the little earthbender uncharacteristically panicked.
"I don't know!" the blue clad male let out a girly shriek.
"Well you better get to knowing and knowing quick Snoozles or I am going to do something that I know you're not going to like and it won't be pretty. Got it?" the blind girl got right up into his face, poking his chest with each and every single syllable.
Whatever retort Sokka was about to say was cut off by bubbling giggles and said giggler talking about how they all match.
"Oh-Keey…Who let the circus in?" Toph growled as she prepared to strike not liking the fact that she was snuck up on especially because she was already a bit freaked out by the floating, wings, fluffy dress, and what not.
"That would kinda be my fault." a familiar voice interrupted.
"Twinkle Toes?" Toph moved her head around trying to pin point where the avatar was. Where ever the monk was he was confusing Toph's senses.
"Aang, where are you? I can't see you anywhere." Sokka asked.
"That's funny I've never been able to see him and that's never been an issue for me." Toph mumbled.
Taking that moment Aang or what was left of Aang showed himself. His face had become rounder with both his eyes and mouth becoming bigger. While no one could see his body he had toddler like hands floating in the air with his head.
"What in the Spirit World happened to you?" the boomerang master's voice shook as he pointed at his finger at the floating head of his decapitated friend. "And what's going on here?"
"It's a bit of a long story." Aang nervously chuckled as a giant sweet drop appeared on the side of his head. "Weeeell, as I was entering the Avatar State Azula kinda well." he paused to try break the news easier but couldn't figure out a way too. "She shot lightning and hit me in the back while I was in the Avatar State." the young avatar blurted the last bit as fast as he could.
"WHAT?" both Sokka and Toph yelled in disbelief causing the floating head to flinch.
"A-and now everyone is sort of stuck this weird land of stories while I get to be a living drawn head. All Roku and the other Avatars were able tell me is that for the world to go back as it was we got to go through the stories of another time; whatever that means." Aang explained the best that he could totally ignoring the tiny glasses and white bushy that appeared on him.
"What kind of stories?" Ty Lee piped up for the first time since her giggling spree. "Like the old dragon tales my Nanna used to tell or like the plays that Ember Island puts on? Oh I hope it's like those. The Ember Island plays are my favorite. Especially Love Amongst the Dragons. That one is my most favorite of all. With the star crossed lovers and the poofy dresses." the pink fairy sighed dreamily.
"Ty Lee right?" the Avatar asked as he shook off the glasses and mustache. To which Ty Lee gave an encouraging nod. "I guess you can think of it as a play sorta, but I don't know if everyone knows that they are playing a part of a story."
"What do you mean Twinkle Toes?" Toph asked.
"Well I haven't been able to contact Katara at all and Azula looks like some scary witch but she was able to…. see me." the Avatar explained. "All I know is that you three need to give some kind of magical gifts to a baby princess and make sure she stays alive after her fifteenth birthday. You three are her fairy godmothers."
"Hold on a second Aang, I can't be a Godmother. I'm you know a GUY!" Sokka stressed. "A manly guy who likes meat and other manly things."
"And a very pretty one too." Ty Lee beamed.
"Why thank you, do you really think so?" Sokka asked. "Personally, I thought the sparkles are a bit much and don't get me started on the pointy hat."
"Be that as it may Sokka I didn't make the rules. All I know is that the princess and the prince must get married at the end. How they do it I have no idea." Aang sighed as his head faded away.
"Well that is about as helpful as using a fishhook to get another out of your thumb." the blue fairy grumbled.
"Why would you use a fish hook to get a fish hook out of your thumb?" Ty Lee asked generally confused at the logic.
"That's not important." Sokka blushed as he brushed off the question. "What's important is that we get through this story and get out of here." he rubbed his chin "I just have one question though."
"What's that, Cutie?" Ty Lee flirted.
Sokka turned to the other two fairies and asked "Does this dress make me look fat?"
"No, not at all." sarcasm dripped from the blind girl's voice.
"Really? Because I thought the fluffy skirt would do nothing for my figure." Sokka's ears perked up causing Toph to smack her palm to her forehead in exasperation. Sokka just made it way too easy.
As the three fairies continued to test their new ability of flight and changing their size trumpets sounded through the palace that they were in announcing the neighboring King Iroh and Prince Zuko. The names caused the three to stop in their tracks and two of the three plaster their faces to the gleaming glass. Entering the massive throne room was a jovial Iroh and a little boy with a pink scar covering his left eye.
"Oh my goodness, it's a cute and tiny Zuko!" Ty Lee squeeed in glee "I just want to pick him up and put him in my pocket!"
"You know, I think that Bouncy over here may give Katara a run for her money on who is more cheerfully annoying." Toph shook her head.
Sokka being the self-proclaimed leader that he was not to nicely told both girls to quiet so he can hear what's going on. He didn't need to be quiet through moments after little Zuko was lifted so he could see into the cradle the crier was announcing for the three good fairies to join the court. The boomerang master told them to follow his lead and the three floated down to the crib. Toph was the first to be able to sense the baby and gave a halfhearted smile at the babe, Ty Lee gushed on how cute the baby was, but Sokka froze when he looked down into the crib. The Water Tribe member remembered the moment when he first was allowed to see his new baby sister all those years ago and now lying before him was the same baby.
"Katara?" Sokka whispered causing the baby to open her bright blue eyes and smile.
"That is her Royal Highness, Princess Katara, Godmother Sokka." King Pakku raised his eyebrow at the young warrior giving the boy turned fairy a warning. "You need to bestow your gifts on the Princess and stand aside for the next person."
"Ohhh I want to go first. Can I go first Cutie pu-leaaaaze?" the pink fairy bounced from one foot to another.
"Knock yourself out, Bouncy." Toph shook her head which caused the fire nation girl's high pitch squealing to hit new levels.
Turing to the Water tribe baby Ty Lee gave a small giggle as she pulled out her wand. "Cute and squishy Princess," she cooed at the babe. "My gift will be the gift of being the most prettiest non-fairy out there." The fairy waved her wand and as the fairy dust circled the infant the throne room hummed with a song depicting how beautiful the princess would become.
"Freaky." Toph muttered before shoving Ty Lee aside so she could give Katara what she would later call a badassery gift of awesome. "Alright Baby Sweetness," Toph coughed. "I'm giving you the power of being the most ass-kicking waterbending prodigy out there. All other benders with the exception of yours truly would be shocked and awed by your liquid awesomeness." The earthbender shook her wand over the baby's head and the same voices started to sing about how powerful the princess would be.
Next Sokka stepped up to his baby sister who was now a baby and was about to give her the gift of being the best cook when a large blue flame erupted in the room causing all the torches to die.
"Well, well, well what have we here?" a deadly voice from the shadows rang out through the massive hall.
"Azula." Sokka growled as the Fire Nation Princess appeared by the cradle wishing that he had his boomerang so he could wipe that smirk off of the witch's face.
"Oh look, the misfits and the loud mouth peasants are here." The Fire Princess teased as she glanced around doing a slight double take at her brother hiding behind her good for nothing uncle and the water tribe baby in the cradle. "Oh how perfect." She laughed.
"Azula if you are not here to celebrate the birth of Princess Katara then you need to go." King Pakku warned the witch.
"Don't get your loincloth in a bunch dummy; I have a gift to give the brat, I mean Princess." Azula slammed her staff into the ground. "Listen all of you and listen well. The pain in the side will for sure be beautiful and indeed a powerful bender. Loved by all who know her but," She paused for effect "Before the end of her fifteenth birthday the wench will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die!" She laughed as she disappeared "Serves the witch right for cutting my hair."
"Not my Katara." Kanna rushed to the babe.
"I still have my gift to give Gran-gran." Sokka gave his grandmother a small smile before pushing his sleeves up. "Now let me think. I don't think I can break Azula's spell so here goes nothing." He cleared his throat. "Little Katara if by some reason you do fall prey to that bit—"
The sound of the king clearing his throat made Sokka pause and reword the last bit.
"To that evil witch's spell." The water tribe boy looked up to see if the grumpy waterbender was going to correct him again. "Instead of death you will sleep until…" pausing again because he hadn't thought of the next part yet.
"You are kissed by your true love." Ty Lee piped in.
"You are kissed by your true love." Sokka repeated "Thanks Ty Lee… Wait, WHAT?" Sokka shrieked realizing what he just said. "No, no, no I didn't mean that." He tried to stop the spell but it was too late the magical singing already started. "Crap."
After Sokka's gift the King ordered that all spinning wheels in the kingdom would be brought forth to the court yard before the sun sets by penalty of death. He swore that before the moon rose that all of those evil contraptions would be shattered and burnt.
As the bonfire blazed outside the three fairies chatted amongst themselves. "What's the big deal Snoozles? So Sugar Queen has to be kissed, so what?" Toph asked nonchalantly.
"The big deal is that she is my baby sister and nobody is going to kiss her. I don't care if it is her true love or Avatar Kuruk." Sokka screeched.
"Ya, ya Sweetness could use a good kiss if you ask me." Toph mumbled loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Okay well we need to figure out a way to protect Sugar Queen until she is back to her normal age. Anyone got any ideas?"
"Oo oo, we can move into the nursery and watch her day and night." Ty Lee raised her hand.
"No I am sure Pakku would kick me out the first chance he got." Sokka complained. "He never did like me."
"You got any better ideas Snoozles, because it's not like we can raise her ourselves." Toph sighed.
"Wait, that's it!" the blue fairy exclaimed.
"What, raise her ourselves?" Ty Lee was dumbfounded.
"Precisely." Sokka smiled at the brilliant idea.
"Uh Sokka, I hate to break it to you but I'm blind and neither one of us know how to take care of a baby." Toph pointed out.
"I do, it's not that hard." Ty Lee interjected. "I got five sisters back home. Taking care of one baby will be easier than doing touching my toes to my head ."
"See Toph it will work." Sokka turned to the earthbender.
"Okay, who's going to tell King Cranky that we are taking his kid?" Toph blew her bangs out of her face.
"Not it!" Toph and Ty Lee chorused.
The blue fairy sighed and mumbled "Crap."
After much arguing, begging, and cursing the three fairies were finally able to convince the old coot to let them raise Katara and promise to bring her back the evening of her fifteenth birthday. As time passed and Katara grew the fairies started to believe that they have won. Sokka began to quit being so completely over the top over-protective of her, Toph only half-heartedly monitored the movements of the waterbender, and Ty Lee well, Ty Lee continued to play house with her newfound friends. Katara had no idea that she was a princess or that this world was not her own. She grew up happy and care free which warmed the hearts of her three guardians. So much that on the final day that the girl was in their care they wanted to do something truly special for her and sent Katara out to pick Sokka's favorite white dragon berries while the fairies could talk in private.
The waterbender hummed a tune as she wandered through the forest making her way to her favorite spot; a small freshwater pond that she enjoyed practicing her waterbending in. She carefully sat down her basket and removed her slippers before carefully wadding into the crisp water. Katara sang as she danced with her element. Whenever she was in the water she felt at piece, little did she know that she wasn't alone. Prince Zuko and his mount were having a bit of a fight on which it was to get back to the castle and the creature decided it the firebender needed to cool off and make his own way back to the castle. He had just tossed his cloak onto a rock when he first heard the waterbender's melody. He peered around the trunk of a tree to see who was there and what he saw made his heart stop. She had to be the most beautiful creature that he had ever seen. There in the middle of the pond was a girl dancing with the water. He had seen waterbending countless times thanks to King Pakku and his drunken showing off but he had never seen anyone as graceful with the element as he was witnessing now.
The three fairies waited until Toph announced that Katara had made it to her favorite puddle of water before calling for Aang. While they did know that fifteen years had already past they were a bit on edge on the fact that it only took a couple of weeks to get there and they had memories of Katara growing.
"Can did Roku or the other Avatars come up with an idea why Katara doesn't remember our world?" Sokka asked. He wasn't sure how he felt about his sister's altered memory.
"Nothing that I could understand." Aang admitted with a sigh. "They said it was because the Spirit World decided are putting key individual's destiny back into their proper place, whatever that means."
"Oh that helps."
"I know, Toph." The floating head sighed. "Look tonight's the night that you need to take Katara back to Pakku just make sure that nothing happens to her. I have been spying on Azula, she's been getting a little too into the role of being an evil witch."
"Fitting." Toph scoffed.
"I have a feeling that she is going to try something. So be careful." Aang warned.
"Hello." The prince placed his hand onto the waterbender's shoulder causing her to gasp before running. "Please don't run." He said in a soft calming voice. "I've never seen anyone do waterbending quite the way you do."
"I taught myself." The maiden mumbled, her eyes fixated to the ground.
"Really?" amazement laced the prince's voice. "You must be very powerful with your element."
"Thank you." She said softly.
"You know I'm a bender myself and I have been training since I could remember. I couldn't imagine trying to figure out how to do it myself."
"You're a bender?" her head shot up. She had never met another bender besides Godmother Toph before but she didn't count though.
Smiling Prince Zuko replied in the affirmative and ignited a small flame in his palm.
"How beautiful." She whispered as she stepped closer to the stranger.
"Someone is near Katara." Toph gasped causing the other two fairies to startle before running out of the cottage that they've called home since they got to this weird world.
To be continued…
Yes, I know it is evil for me to leave off there but I wanted to leave off at a place that I can cover the rest in the next chapter before bringing in the next world.