ZUTARA WEEK 2011, Day 5: AWKWARD
Initiation Rites
DISCLAIMER: Avatar: the Last Airbender belongs to Bryke, but Zutara Week belongs to all Zutarians.
NOTE: Again with another broad prompt that has unlimited potential. I also noticed that most of my Zutara stories (whether past and current Zutara Week entries or longer stories) always have the element of awkwardness. Nevertheless, I tried to be creative and this was what I came up with. (I tried a different characterization of Ursa here.) I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it.
EDIT: I was ready to post this yesterday but this site would not let me log in. It was very frustrating. I was able to post this on time on my deviantArt account but it still annoys me that this entry will look like it's late when it wasn't
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"Relax," Katara reassured her nervous fiancé, "she's going to love you, I'm sure of it."
"I really hope so," Zuko said anxiously, "I don't think I made a very good first impression."
He was certain that the old lady would remember their very first meeting, when he had stormed into their village and demanded that they surrender the Avatar. Such an event was hardly the ideal memory of a future grandson-in-law but unfortunately for Zuko, that was probably the only memory Kanna had of him. Again, all his past mistakes seemed to be catching up with him at the most crucial moments of his life. Perhaps he didn't deserve the happiness that he was now enjoying and it was only fair that all this good fortune be taken away from him as soon as possible.
"Don't worry about that," Katara replied with a smile, interrupting his morbid train of thought, "I've smoothened things out with her and she's more than ready to put all that unpleasantness behind us."
"That's good to know," Zuko replied, though he still fidgeted as Katara called out to her grandmother.
The newly engaged couple was in the process of introducing the other to their respective families. And since Katara had more family to speak of, they decided to initiate Zuko into the Water Tribe first. After all, there was really no point in asking for Azula's opinion of Katara. Even in her right mind, she wouldn't have approved anyway. And Zuko was long past the point that he needed to seek his father's approval for the choices he made in his life.
It had not been a big issue with Aang and Sokka, since they had approved of the relationship from the very beginning. Iroh had given the two his blessing most eagerly (and he continuously hinted to both of them that he wanted grand-nephews and nieces as soon as possible). Hakoda was likewise very supportive as he had seen the merits of Zuko during the escape from the Boiling Rock.
So all that was left was to let Zuko meet Gran-gran. But Katara was confident that he would pass whatever test with flying colors.
Zuko saw with relief that the old lady who approached him looked cheerful enough. Katara was glowing with excitement and successfully concealed her trepidation. She knew that if Zuko saw that she was even the slightest bit worried, he would panic and lose his nerve.
"So you must be Zuko," Gran-gran Kanna said with a smile, "I've heard so many good things about you."
"And I about you, Lady Kanna," Zuko replied respectfully.
"No need for formalities here, you're part of the family now," Gran-gran said encouragingly, taking Zuko's arm and leading him into a small hut.
Zuko glanced at Katara and she gave him a thumbs-up signal. It seemed like everything was off to a good start.
Unfortunately, the ensuing interview proved to be one of the most difficult of Zuko's life. They had only just entered the hut when the trouble started. Zuko and Katara were seated beside each other while Kanna faced them.
"I don't have anything against firebenders in general," Kanna explained calmly, "except if they've personally threatened any member of my family."
Zuko gulped turned to his companion but Katara avoided his gaze.
"And I suppose I wouldn't want my Katara to have anything to do with those responsible for starting the war, like the Fire Lord's family, for instance," Kanna continued nonchalantly, "who did you say your father was again?"
"Katara," Zuko asked his fiancée, his eyebrow raised, "when you said you had smoothened things out with her…"
"Well," Katara replied sheepishly, "I may have left a few things out."
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But Zuko was not the only one who had had to undergo such a stressful ordeal. Just a week later, Katara had to endure an uncomfortable (though not as awkward) interview with Zuko's long lost mother, Ursa.
With the help of Katara, Aang, Sokka, and Toph, Zuko had successfully located his mother in a remote area of the Earth Kingdom where she had spent her banishment. Their reunion was one of the most moving events Katara had ever witnessed and she was determined to make a good impression on her future mother-in-law who seemed the source of all Zuko's kindness and compassion.
And their heart-to-heart conversation had started pleasantly enough. Ursa was proud of her son and very much approved of the girl he had chosen to marry. The more the old Fire Lady learned about Katara's kind and generous nature, the more she grew fond of her.
The two women soon found that they had much in common and they soon started sharing stories about their families to one another. Katara thought that Ursa deserved to know the truth about her complicated relationship with the latter's son so Katara was determined to be as open and honest as possible with Ursa.
"You're like the daughter I never had," Ursa told Katara warmly.
As flattered as she was by the lady's compliment, Katara could not help but feel a bit ill at ease.
"Don't look so nervous, my dear," Ursa reassured her, "and don't think that I've forgotten about my Azula. But she spent too much time around her father and I fear that's what made her so twisted in the end. Don't get me wrong, I love her dearly, but I so wish that I could have been around to guide her better. Zuko never needed my guidance. I always knew he would turn out well, and he hasn't disappointed me at all.
Ursa smiled warmly at the waterbender and Katara returned the gesture gladly.
"But you can't blame me if I wish that Azula was more like you," Ursa continued with a sigh, "I feel very sorry for my poor girl, she's grown up to be so resentful, sowing so much anger in her heart that it has dragged her into the shadows."
"She's far from perfect, I know, but so am I," Katara asserted, "I've had a lot of lapses in judgment too, and I've been bitter and resentful, unjustly at times."
"We all have our lapses, dear," Ursa reassured her, "I know that better than anyone."
"But I think you should know," Katara confessed nervously, "that I didn't always treat Zuko the way he deserved. I was angry at him at first and I refused to trust him or to believe that he had really changed."
"I understand you perfectly," Ursa replied, "of course, you considered him your enemy. He is the Fire Lord's son, after all, and he was chasing you and the Avatar around the world. It was only natural that you didn't trust him immediately."
Katara looked at the lady in surprise.
"You were angry and suspicious of him, that's perfectly natural, considering what he had done to you in the past," Ursa continued, "I love him dearly but I do not make any excuses for his behavior."
"Thank you for being so understanding," Katara said earnestly.
"Of course, Katara," Ursa said with an encouraging smile, taking Katara's hand in hers gently.
Katara sighed in relief at such a favorable reception of her confession. She felt more at ease with Ursa now that she had cleared the air.
"Besides," Ursa said with a laugh, "it wasn't as if you did him any serious harm. It's not like you threatened to kill him like his father and sister always did."
Katara stiffened and her eyes grew wide. Ursa had stopped laughing and was now looking at her curiously.
"What's wrong, Katara?" she asked in concern, "Are you all right?"
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Katara mustered as much courage as she could to utter the next words.
"Lady Ursa," the waterbender said gravely, "there's something I need to tell you."
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As it turned out, Kanna had known the truth all along and was merely testing both Zuko and her granddaughter as well. The old lady saw how much the prince had changed and improved since their last encounter and seeing how much he loved Katara was more than enough to earn her approval.
Likewise, Ursa did not take offense at Katara's confession of her fateful threat of "ending Zuko's destiny." In fact, the lady had found her future daughter-in-law's discomfort slightly amusing and solid proof that Katara had truly changed her mind about Zuko and now loved him dearly. There was no question in Ursa's mind about Katara's love for her son.
After the interview with Gran-gran, Zuko and Katara walked arm in arm in a deserted area of the South Pole. They were both recovering from the awkwardness they had just endured.
"That…went well, I think," Katara said with a nervous laugh.
Zuko gave her a skeptical look and she playfully squeezed his arm.
"Come on," she teased, "you have to admit, it couldn't have been a lot worse."
Zuko thought about this for a moment before nodding.
"You're right," he conceded gravely, "but not much worse."
They looked at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter.