ZUTARA WEEK 2011, Day 6: LEGENDARY
New Acquisitions
DISCLAIMER: Avatar: the Last Airbender belongs to Bryke, but Zutara Week belongs to all Zutarians.
NOTE: A prompt I worked on at the last minute because I was out of good ideas. Again, this is a Zutara story told from other people's perspective. I tend to fall back into this pattern when I'm desperate. But I hope you enjoy this piece nevertheless.
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Sharp eyes peered around carefully. When he was satisfied that he had not been followed, the industrious Knowledge Seeker made his way to the secret portal between the mortal and spirit world. He entered with a quick leap and soon found himself within the grand, musty halls of Wan Shi Tong's great library.
Keeping the bundle of scrolls secure between his teeth, the small fox trotted cheerfully to one of the rooms in the ancient structure, passing by dozens of towering shelves filled with tomes on all topics imaginable. When he reached the door he wanted, the fox knocked a few times with his paw.
"Come in," said a voice from inside the room and immediately the doors were opened and the fox entered merrily, going straight to the man in the middle of the room.
Professor Zei, formerly Head of Antrhopology at Ba Sing Se University, sat with a desk piled high with countless scrolls and manuscripts of all kinds. Though he was swamped with more work than he had ever had to deal with in his lifetime, he looked content and even ecstatic. He was doing what he loved the most and he no longer had to worry about mortal trifles like eating and drinking. He had had to make adjustments to living in the Spirit World but he regretted nothing since he had the chance to live his dream.
One of the jobs the great spirit Wan Shi Tong had assigned to the professor was to encode and catalogue all the new information being brought by the Knowledge Seekers from the mortal world. The ancient library may have been withdrawn into the Spirit World but its collections had to be constantly updated.
The newly-arrived Knowledge Seeker laid his cargo on the table, right in front of the librarian. Zei adjusted his spectacles and looked at the scrolls eagerly.
"News from the outside world," he cried excitedly, "wonderful, wonderful, I shall get to work at once!"
The small fox gave a short nod before leaving the librarian to his work. Zei unrolled each scroll immediately and began to read, devouring every word and picture with great fervor.
"So the Avatar succeeded in ending the war at last," he commented with a grin, "I'm so lucky to have met the Avatar, even just briefly."
He continued to read the scrolls and already began categorizing them. Some would definitely have to go the History section, others to Military Strategy, and some new volumes would have to be added to the sections on Waterbending, Airbending, Earthbending, and Firebending. Zei was fascinated by the new technique of "metalbending" created by the great Toph Bei Fong as well as the grand Agni Kai between the children of Fire Lord Ozai. The library's section on the Fire Nation, which was previously destroyed by then Lieutenant Zhao, was being painstakingly restored. Wan Shi Tong would not tolerate incompleteness in his knowledge or in that held by his precious library. Any news reports about the state of the Fire Nation were always immediately added to the growing collection of knowledge.
After reading through the other scrolls, Zei's attention was caught by a particular account – a report on the upcoming nuptials between Fire Lord Zuko and Katara of the Water Tribe and all the events leading up to that momentous occasion.
"This is very intriguing, indeed," Professor Zei said excitedly, "an alliance of this nature has not been seen for more than a hundred years and with royalty too! My, my, this is a wonderful development."
The report was also made more interesting by the fact that Professor Zei had made the acquaintance of the bride-to-be albeit for a short time. He was anxious to learn more about how such a relationship came to be between the Avatar's former enemy and his closest friend.
Zei knew that both Zuko and Katara were talented and formidable benders and that they were both fiercely determined to do what they thought was right. And considering their history, full of contradictions and conflicts, Zei was very eager to learn more.
"This combination is what all great stories are made of," thought he with a smile, "I'm sure that their story will be much remembered, its popularity rivaling even the Avatar's own exploits."
Zei was regaled with wondrous stories of the initial (and understandable) animosity between the two involving pirates, a bounty hunter, and a fateful duel at the North Pole. He smiled knowingly as he read about the usual arguments that had erupted between the two when Zuko first joined the Avatar. And his heart warmed as he read about the eventual reconciliation and deepening of their relationship.
The report was a compilation of various accounts and testimonies, formal and informal, taken from friends, family, and acquaintances of the couple as well as clippings from respected periodicals of the Four Nations. Some parts even included interviews with the two benders in question. Clearly their relationship was almost as well-documented as the Avatar's life defeating the Phoenix King. Everyone was interested in how they came together.
Some excerpts from the report read:
"Having sustained a grave injury from the Agni Kai with his sister, Prince Zuko was the biggest casualty of the last battle against (his father) the Phoenix King. Fortunately, Katara was there to nurse him back to health, and the two grew closer than ever from this experience. It became clear to others that her determination not to leave his side during his confinement was no longer just a sign of her gratitude for his saving her life…"
" 'I had known that they were in love with each other way before they even found out about it themselves,' claimed Toph Bei Fong, acclaimed earthbending master and close friend of the couple, 'I tried my best to nudge them both in the right direction, to convince them to admit their feelings to each other. But it took a while because they were both so stubborn…'"
"'I never dreamed that we'd have a firebender in the family,' commented Hakoda, Chief of the Southern Water Tribe and father of the bride, 'but after getting to know Zuko better and seeing all his great qualities, I accepted him right away…'"
"In spite of great personal risk, this reporter was able to gain an audience with former Fire Lord Ozai in his high security prison in a remote area of the Fire Nation. But after a very tense and nerve-wracking interview, the writer attests that the father of the groom has no comment to make on his son's upcoming wedding, at least none that would be acceptable for publishing or exposure to polite society…"
"Some critics questioned the new Fire Lord's breaking of age-old traditions by marrying someone not from the Fire Nation. To this, Fire Lord Zuko merely replied that 'these are different times and they call for different traditions.' He also added that if he was forced to give up the throne just so he could marry Katara, he would do so gladly…"
"When asked about the moment she realized that she loved Zuko, Katara answered thusly:
'I can't pin point the exact moment or day that I realized that I loved him. I guess I never really noticed it as it happened. Every day I would just see a new side to him, learn more about him, grow in respect and esteem for him…I was in the middle of loving him before I even realized that I had begun.'"
These and more were compiled in the scroll which had extended to such a great length that it covered nearly the whole floor of Professor Zei's office. Aside from the long texts, the scroll was also filled with paintings and sketches of Zuko, Katara, and their friends – smiling faces showing the happiness that pervaded the air now that the war was finally over.
After several hours of reading and re-reading his favorite parts, Professor Zei wiped a tear from his eye and sighed thoughtfully. It had been a long time since he had last been emotionally involved in a story.
"I wish them every joy in the world," he whispered earnestly, hoping that his good wishes would transcend the barriers between worlds and reach the happy couple.
"They had endured so much and overcome so many trials," he thought, "and they deserve to be happy together."
Taking a deep breath, the librarian dusted himself off and began to arrange the new scrolls, taking extra care not to damage the story of Zuko and Katara. The librarian held the scroll gently and looked upon it with a certain reverence. He even considered opening a new sub-section in the 'Epics' collection just for this couple so moved was he by their story.
"This is an excellent addition to our collection of knowledge," he thought cheerfully, "and I will make sure that somehow, the story of Zuko and Katara will be known by all in the generations to come. This is a love like no other in the history of the world. It is truly legendary."