Just a quick AN for first time readers, this first chapter starts out with "The Waterbending Scroll", but this is the ONLY chapter that sticks to the episodes. All the other chapters do not follow the episodes. Please bear with me during this first chapter. :) I promise, it will get better (if you are into the kind of story I'm writing :) ). The chapters are rather short, but I'm working on it ;)
So without further adieu, I present, my very first fanfiction:

Chapter 1

The Waterbending Scroll

Katara's heart thudded as she stepped back from the bushes. The pirates! She never should have stolen that scroll! She would be at the Northern Water Tribe within a few weeks, surely she could have waited that long to learn waterbending! There was no need for her to try and teach herself!

Slowly, eyes never leaving the bushes through which she had seen the men, she crept back to the sandy area where she left the scroll. She wanted it only so that there would be no trace of her presence (or at least, that's what she told herself). Something rustled in the bushes nearby, causing Katara to quickly turn and run...head first into a bloody pirate. She danced away from his grabbing hands and sprinted away from him, only to bump into someone else.

He grabbed her wrists and held her close before she could even register his face. As his face came into focus, her heart dropped into her stomach, which then hugged it tight. She looked at his eyes, filled to the brim with the flames of hate. His left eye seemed to have overflowed and the flames had burned away the flesh surrounding it. Katara's pulse quickened and her blood turned to ice. She could not have landed into the arms of anyone she feared more. Prince Zuko.

"I'll save you from the pirates." He said in such a way that it sounded more like a threat than a promise. His vice grip on her thin wrists was anything but reassuring.

Katara winced as the rough bark of the tree dug into her back. The ropes chaffed at her already sore wrists. She felt humiliated! She was a waterbender! Sure, she was still roughly a beginner, but she had been captured with such ease that it was shameful! She tugged at the ropes more, hoping to loosen them, at least the tiniest bit.

"Tell me where he is and I won't you or your brother." Katara looked up as the prince threatened her. She knew he had no idea where her brother was. It would take more than some macho words to loosen her tongue.

"Go jump in a river!" She retorted, putting as much hate into the words as she could. The prince's face changed from one of anger to one of charm (or at least an attempt to appear charming, it was hard when you were mostly bald).

"Try to understand," He pleaded as Katara turned her face away from him, "I need to capture him to restore something I've lost," the Prince circled Katara, prowling. She continued to face away from him, looking bored, "My honor."

Katara felt his hot breath as he loomed in closer, too close for comfort. His skin was barley an inch away from hers. She felt her heartbeat begin to race and her palms began to sweat. She still had a fear of firebenders, it was almost too much for her to be so very close to one.

"Perhaps in exchange, I can restore something you've lost." The prince murmured into Katara's ear, causing the hair on the nape of her neck to stand up. Katara's eyes widened in shock as the prince brought his hands close to her neck. Between his two hands, there was a very familiar necklace. How DARE he touch that necklace!

"My mother's necklace!" She cried out in a mixture of shock and anger. The prince smirked, he knew he had her full attention now. Carelessly, he dangled the jewelery in front of her before walking slowly and victoriously away. Rage filled Katara.

"How did you get that?" She demanded.

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you're wondering," The prince jested. Katara shamefully looked towards the ground for a moment before putting her full glare back onto the prince, "Tell me where he is."

"No!" Katara replied. It pained her to see her mother's memento at the hands of a firebender, but her loyalty to Aang and her brother was stronger than her love for a necklace. The captain of the pirates grew tired of the Prince's silly games and stepped forward.

"Enough of this necklace garbage," he growled, "You promised us the scroll!"

The prince, who knew it would eventually come to this, glared at the captain. Slowly, he pulled something out from behind his back. The scroll. The captain smiled, happy that he would be getting his pay so that he and his crew could be on his way. The smile faded quickly as he watched the prince place his free hand under the scroll and create flames that seemed to lick at the scroll.

"I wonder how much this is worth," The prince said in an innocent voice. Katara looked at him, He's even worse than the pirates!

"No!" The pirates shouted, stepping towards the prince. The prince smirked.

"Apparently a lot. Now you help me find what I want, you'll get this back, and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here." The captain glared at the prince, his hands were tied.

"Fine." He spat as he turned around and directed his crew towards the woods. They disappeared into the dark forest with mumbles of "brat", "should teach him his place", and "he would make an excellent pirate."

Sokka yawned and stretched out. Blinking slowly, he sat up and looked around in a daze. His eyes sharpened as he noticed something missing, his sister. Darn it! It was that stupid scroll, he knew he should have never let her keep it! She was obsessed with that thing. Grunting, he quickly got up and threw all of his and Katara's belongings onto Appa. Once the camp was packed up, he shook Aang awake.

"Huh?" The airbender said as he rubbed sleep away from his eyes.

"It's Katara! She took the scroll! It's only a matter of time before she gets us all into big trouble!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Oh." Was all Aang said as he began to snuggle back into his sleeping bag. Sokka gently kicked the brat.

"C'mon, Aang, we have to go get her. We need to leave before the pirates find us." The air nomad jumped up at the mention of pirates and quickly threw his belongings onto Appa. Before Sokka even realized the boy was up, Aang was seated on top of Appa's big head.

"Hurry up, Sokka! What are you waiting for?" Aang called. Sokka sighed and slapped his forehead with such force that it left a giant red mark.

"Careful, Sokka, we don't want anyone to think you'rethe avatar!" Aang laughed as Sokka, grumbling something about "stupid hippies" climbed onto Appa. Aang gave his signature "Yip-yip!" As Appa launched the two up into the air. Unbeknown to them, a pirate happened to see them depart. He ran as fast as he could to his captain to report the news.

"WHAT?" The prince yelled, flames bursting from his palms as the captain reported Aang and Sokka's departure. The prince's plan had backfired, he never expected the Avatar to leave without his little friend.

Katara was awash with emotions. She was glad that Aang and her brother were out of harms reach, but she felt betrayed. She would never leave Aang with the enemies like that. And her own brother! He had abandoned her to the hands of the Prince of the Fire Nation! The very nation that had killed their mother! How could he?

Katara's throat closed up and she felt the need to sob out her betrayal and devastation. She was at the mercy of a firebender! As much as she wanted to give in and cry until her body shriveled up and she was no more, she knew she had to stay strong. She could not cry in front of the prince. She swallowed back her feelings and let the facade of victory fall over her. She had won. Aang was safe. The prince had lost.

Katara raised her head and stood as straight as she could, which was rather difficult, considering she was still tied to the blasted tree. She watched as the captain of the pirates looked at the prince expectantly.

"I believe you have something of ours..."he prompted. The prince whipped around to glare at him, anger contorting his face. Steam quiet literally blew out of his nose.

"Ah," he said, smoothing his face, "Yes, the scroll. Well, seeing as how you did not bring me what I wanted, our deal is void." With simple grace, the prince threw the scroll into the air. When the scroll reached its peak, the prince hurled a fireball at it. By the time the scroll reached the earth, it was in the form of ashes. The captain of the pirates slowly drew out his sword.

"You'll regret breaking a deal with us, boy." He growled. The prince laughed at the pirates, deepening their rage.

"I am Zuko, prince of the Fire Nation! Do you honestly think a group of rugged pirates can scare me?" The prince shouted at the pirates. He knew he had the advantage, every member of his crew (including himself and his uncle) was a firebender. The prince had noticed that the pirates were all non-benders. With a flick of his hand, the few members of his crew he had brought ashore smoothly slid into firebending stances, ready to attack. The pirates might be great swordsmen, but a piece of metal wouldn't protect them from flames.

Knowing he was on the loosing side, the captain of the pirates took a step back. He glared at the prince, shamed and humiliated. He was loosing to a child! The captain made a swift gesture at his crew and they began to retreat back to their ship. The prince smiled, victoriously.

Before climbing aboard his ship, the captain glanced between the prince and Katara, who was still tied to the tree. Without warning, the captain's arm shot out, releasing a throwing star towards Katara.

Katara's eyes widened as she watched the star come closer to her tree. At the last second, she squeezed her eyes closed, preparing herself for the impact.

THUMP!

Katara opened her eyes, surprised at the lack of pain. She quickly patted herself down, searching for an entry wound.

Her eyes widened again as she realized that she had just patted herself down...She quickly brought up her now free arms. There was still rope attached to her wrists, but the rope had been cut in half by the throwing star!

Determined not to waste a second more, Katara sprinted into the forest. Prince Zuko's curses echoed into the darkness.