HOPE YOU ENJOY AND STICK AROUND TO SEE WHERE I TAKE THE GAANG IN A RETELLING OF SEASON 3...
THESE ARE NOT MY CHARACTERS OR WORLD.
"Why did they throw you in here? Oh wait. Let me guess. It's a trap. So when Aang shows up to rescue me, you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches." Zuko turned to look at me for a moment, but turned away without responding. "You're a terrible person, you know that? Always following us, hunting the Avatar, trying to capture the world's last hope for peace! But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood." Zuko looked at me again, but he was more irritated.
"You don't know what you're talking about." I was angry now.
"I don't?! How dare you!" I shouted. "You have no idea what this war has put me through. Me personally." I turned away from him and crouched down. "The Fire Nation took my mother away from me." I put my hand on my necklace as I began to cry. Hearing Zuko step closer behind me only made me sob harded.
"I'm sorry. That's something we have in common." I turned around to face Zuko, and wiped my tears. Zuko was looking at me sympathetically and I was genuinely surprised. He offered me his hand and helped me to my feet.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you before." I offered shamefully.
"It doesn't matter." He said nonchalantly, only making me feel more guilty.
"It's just that for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face."
"My face." He turned away from me and brought a hand up to the scar on his eye. "I see." Regretting how I spoke, I tried to explain myself.
"No, no, that's not what I meant-"
"It's ok. I used to think this scar marked me. The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark." I sighed and looked at the floor. He made me feel sorry for him despite everything he did to my friends and I. Wanting to comfort him I reached out for his shoulder, but then dropped my arm. Suddenly I got an idea.
"Maybe you could be free of it." He turned to me and I could see his eyes light up with hope for a second.
"What?"
"I have healing abilities." Zuko's hopeful look disappeared.
"It's a scar. It can't be healed." I reached under my shirt and pulled out a small vial of water.
"This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties, so I have be saving it for something important. I got closer to Zuko and placed a hand on his scar. He froze for a second but then I seen him relax into my touch. "I don't know if it would work, but-" He kissed me.
Zuko just kissed me.
I pulled away in shock. "I'm sorry, I just-" He began to spit out a jumbled apology. At first I didn't know what to do, but then I decided I liked it. I stood on my toes and returned the kiss. Zuko immediately stopped talking and looked down at me shyly.
For a moment they didn't move, but then slowly lips locked, arms intertwined, and clothes were shed. The was no one else in the world. No wars to be fought or sides to be on. They were both selfish, Katara uncharacteristically so, and enjoyed each other's company.
She admitted she had only shared a kiss with Jet once and Zuko reassured her it was fine. It made him even more nervous but he hid it well. A new protective instinct helped him take the lead.
They lay together looking at the dazzling cage they've been left in sharing stories from their travels. Occasionally they would show up in each others timelines and they felt awkward before continuing. A secret was forged between both of them, and if life continued outside the catacombs no one could know about it.
Slowly however, they let the world come back to them, they walked around close to one another scanning for any sign of a way out. After realizing they truly were stuck Zuko sat himself on top of a rather large crystal and watched as Katara grew increasingly frustrated with 'how hard rocks are'.
I threw my arms up in a huff and sat on the ground. When I heard Zuko coughing I turned around and immediately started to laugh. I accidentally hurled an entire spring of water at him. As soon as he noticed me laughing Zuko's irritation melted into a smile, until he was chuckling a little as well.
For a while after we just talked about our previous encounters and he told me a lot about his Uncle. He clearly loved the man dearly and held him at a high regard. As we put our clothes back on he spoke again. "I can't believe you were willing to use that water on me."
"I will, I still am."
"No." He shook his head. "You can't waste it on me."
"I trust you." He looked stunned. "I really do."
"You-" All of a sudden the wall of the cave exploded.
"Katara!" I heard Aang call my name but could see through the dust. Hurriedly, I straightened out my clothes and called back. Aang stared at Zuko and I, clearly confused by how close we are. I ran up to him and we embraced him in a warm hug. When I let go, Aang and Zuko start glaring at each other.
"Aang, I knew you would come." Zuko looked at me with an upset expression. Then he looked at his Uncle, who so far had not said anything.
"Uncle, I don't understand. What are you doing with the Avatar!" He pointed at Aang aggressively.
"Saving you, that's what." Aang responds, annoyed that he wasn't grateful. Zuko snarled at Aang and tried to lunge at him. Iroh grabed him, preventing him from causing a fight.
"Zuko, it's time we talked."The man then turned back to Aang. "Go help your other friends. We'll catch up with you." Aang clasped his hands and bowed respectfully to Iroh before running back through the hole in the cave. I felt stuck, I knew I should've followed him but I didn't move. I awkwardly watched Zuko's Uncle begin to lecture him. "You are not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been. And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good!"
Zuko shut his eyes and tried to absorb his uncle's words. Before he could say anything, we were startled by a violent quake. A trail of crystals shot out of the ground until they reached Iroh, trapping him. Zuko readied himself for an attack. Azula and two Dai Li agents slid down from the tunnel they just created. Azula looked at Zuko mockingly.
"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko, Prince Zuko-you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?" She sneered.
"Release him immediately!" He shouted, fists clenched. I couldn't tell if Azula didn't see me or didn't care to acknowledge me standing behind her brother.
"It's not too late for you Zuko. You can still redeem yourself." Iroh called for his nephew's attention.
"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you." He begged.
"Why don't you let him decide, Uncle?" Azula looked over at the old man coldly, and then turned her attention back over to her brother. "I need you Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day. This glorious day in Fire Nation history. And the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have your father's love. You will have everything you want." She kept getting closer and closer to him. I finally spoke up, quite enough for only Zuko to hear me.
"Zuko, I am begging you, look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want." Zuko looked at me and then back at Iroh, clearly unsure of whom to listen to. He shut his eyes and dropped his head.
"You are free to choose." Azula said enticingly as she waved the Dai Li agents away and ran up the tunnel Aang had left through.
"I have to find Aang before she does." I ran not far behind her. When we made it to another open cavern I instantly spotted Aang speaking with my brother near a canal full of water. As I ran towards them I spotted Toph sullenly sitting beside them.
"Go get the Earth King." Aang ordered. Toph got up and lead Sokka away through a new tunnel she began making. I called Aang's name and he turned to me. He gave me a strange look of fear that made me stop in my tracks.
Aang quickly directed the water in between us into a stream that flew right past my head. I turned around just in time to hear the steam created by water hitting fire.
Blue fire. Aang quickly came over and used earthbending to create a wall of stone to protect us. Azula's fire hit the wall with great force, and knocked Aang back. I ran around the smoldering wall and bent the water in the channel. Then I charged at Azula and brought the water crashing down on her. She deflected the attack with a short blast of fire, but I kept my momentum and spun the water around her, smashing it into the floor and creating a large wave.
Azula stomped the ground and flung her hands out, making a wall of fire that evaporates the wave coming at her. The huge cloud of steam that made hid Azula from view. Aang and I looked left and right, preparing for a sneak attack.
A moment later, Azula jumped out of the steam from one of the larger crystals high above. She attacked with two blue fireballs that we extinguished by bending the water into a shield. Azula landed on a piece of rock jutting out from one of the large columns. Aang shoot his fists forward and brought his palms down. He sent a shockwave through the ground and into the column, destroying it. Azula gasped and dropped down between Aang and I, pointing her fingers at both of us. Azula looks back and forth nervously, waiting for our next move.
Suddenly, a blast of red fire landed between Aang and Azula. They shield themselves from it and turned towards the direction it came from.
Zuko.
He stepped closer to them, poised in his firebending stance. I watched him look at Azula, who gazes back at him harshly. Then he looked at Aang with an annoyed scowl, that Aang easily returned. Finally Zuko looked at me, and he let his glare slip for a second, like he almost regretted what he was about to do before he done it.
Then it was chaos.
Aang gasps just before Zuko punched forward, and shot a fireball at him. He reacted just in time and protected himself by airbending a spiral of wind around his body. He jumped back to gain distance as the flame is dispersed.
Azula smiled at Zuko's decision and then turned to me. She waved her arm in an arc and thew a jet of fire at me with an underhand toss. I bent the water from my water skin and extinguished the fire. Meanwhile, Zuko was still furiously sending fireballs at Aang with a series of punches.
Aang quickly ran around in a circle at high speed to create a whirlwind that blocked the attacks. After he built up some momentum, Aang came to a halt and threw his chest out, sending out a gust of air in the shape of his body. Zuko gasps just as the gust hits him, blowing him back several feet and knocking him to the ground.
Then Aang leapt forward and attempted to attack Zuko with a blast of wind, but Zuko rolled out of the way and countered with a blast of fire to Aang's legs. He jumped high into the air and lands on a column of earth. Zuko sprung to his feet and shot more fireballs in his direction, but Aang hopped out of the way and landed on the tip of a large, pointy crystal sticking out of the stone wall high above.
Zuko lowered his stance and coiled his body, gathering energy, and launched a blast of fire at him. Aang lifted his arms, and moved the crystals below him so they rose up to and block the attack. The fire blast was too strong and exploded on contact, shattering the crystals. Aang was blown back. Zuko pulled back his still flaming fist and brought both down to his side, creating two large, thick flames.
He waved his arms and turned the flames into long, searing whips of fire. Aang recovers and readied himself for the new attack, crouching on top of a cluster of crystals. Zuko swug both whips at Aang, who jumped away as the fire whips sliced through the crystals. Aang landed at the top of a cliff, but had no time to catch his breath because Zuko immediately followed up the attack. Aang jumped over the burning whips and onto a nearby column. Zuko slung the fire around and continued his relentless strikes.
Meanwhile, Azula landed feet first on the floor, with a puddle of my water beneath her. We ran towards each other. I stopped and bent the puddle, lifting it up with one arm and thrusting it at Azula with the other. She tried to side step my attack,but the water passed just inches by her face and cut a few hairs from her bangs. She gave me an agitated growl.
Zuko was still spinning his fire whips over his head. Aang was clinging to a stalactite, weakly defending himself from the flames. He jumped away to another hanging rock as the fire whips cut through the one he was just on. Aang pushed off the stalactite with his legs and kicked another one, causing it to break off and fall. He turned himself right side up and slams his fists down into the falling rock, causing it to plunge downward. The massive stone hit the floor, kicking up dust and creating a crater. Zuko was blown back by the shock wave and he slumped to the floor.
I was across the channel of water still fighting his deranged sister. I bent a puddle on the ground, lobbed it at Azula, and it knocked her to her knees again. As she started to get back to her feet I pulled the water all around my body to create two long tentacleswhere my arms were and lifted them high into the air. Azula leaned forward and thrust out her fists. She released a blast of fire, but I quickly extinguished them with one of the water tentacles I was controlling.
Swirling the water around with my hand, I was able to hit Azula again. She tried to counter with a straight kick, but the blue flame extinguished when I wrapped a tendral around her leg. I rose my arms and Azula lifted into the air, shouting in fright.
Just when I thought I finally had her, a large arc of red fire sliced through the water tentacle. I lost my grip on Azula and she landed on her feet. She smiled at her brother before turing her attention to Aang He was still dizzied by his last attack, but before I could stop her Zuko threw two lances of fire at me. I extinguished them with the tentacles of water I had regained control of.
"I thought you had changed!" I shouted at him in absolute outrage as we both sent our elements after each other.
"I have changed." I could tell he wasn't even trying to lie to me, he was just being delusional. He actually believed his sister and I felt bad.
"Zuko, you-" He sent a massive fireball to the ground right in front of me and it sent me flying. I propped myself up onto my elbows and tried to focus my blurry vision. I looked up as the ringing in my ears faded and realized Zuko was looking down at me with a mix of guilt and concern. I made a frantic swiping motion with my arm, and a weak puddle of water splashed onto him.
"I'm sorry, I ju-"
"Zuko!" we both turned our head to the old man's shouting. Iroh was making his way threw a couple Dai Li Agents to get to us. By the time he actually got over to where we were, I had got up and ran to Aang. We began fighting alongside each other, taking out at least a dozen earthbenders, but they just kept coming.
"There's too many." Aang looked like he was about to panic before a look of realization crossed his features. "I'm sorry Katara." Before I could ask what he was apologizing for, he sat down and encased himself in a dome made of crystals. Moments later I could see a familiar glow beginning to radiate from inside. I ran backwards towards to Dai Li and then looked at me with mutual confusion. Then the dome Aang was in shattered and knocked every one of them off their feet.
I turned my head briefly to see Iroh and Zuko both fighting Azula. Then Aang began to rise from the ground. His eyes were bright blue and the crystals and water around him started to spin in his direction.
"No!" I heard Iroh shout. Just as I turned to see what he meant, I watched Azula extend her arm and point two fingers at Aang. Neither of them could stop Azula in time, because in her desperation she sent a single bolt of lighting towards the Avatar. I turned to face Aang absolutely horrified.
When the lightning hit him,, Aang began writhing in pain before he started to crash down to ground. I immediately began to cry as time seemed to slow. Then instinctively, I created a large wave under myself and it wipe out everyone around me. Zuko, the remaining Di Li, and Azula all got washed off their feet as I used the wave to propel myself towards Aang. I caught him and then let myself fall to my knees holding him.
Azula got to her feet and began advancing towards us. Iroh cuts her off with a massive wall of fire.
"You've got to get out of here! I'll hold them off as long as I can!" He sent a few more attacks to his niece but then suddenly a ring of crystals encased everything except his head.
"Nephew, she cannot give you what you want. Save the Avatar, and you will save the world."
"Oh, hush Uncle."
"No!" I shouted as Zuko took a step towards us. "You're not coming."
"Katara, I didn't mean to-" He started to apologize again but his sister stopped him with a harmless fireball she sent whizzing past his good eye.
"Uncle betrayed you dum dum." Azula said carelessly. "Zuko, when you return home, father will welcome you as a war hero." Then she turned on me again. Without Iroh, there was no one left to stop her and I knew I had to get Aang out of there.
I started to swirl the water underneath me, to send me up to the surface threw the opening that Aang inadvertently blasted right about where we were. I wasn't fast enough and she yanked on my ankle before I could make it out of her reach.
Before she could drag me all the way back down I heard her scream. "You idiot, you could've had everything again!" She shouted at Zuko. When she turned to face him I could see a giant burn on her armor.
"I'll hold her off. Go!" Zuko yelled at me. I didn't wait long enough to see if he was telling the truth.
When we got to the surface, Sokka helped me lays Aang down on Appa's shoulders. I took out the oasis water, and removed the top of the container. Then I bent the small amount of water out of it and held it over my palm. It began to spin in a small circle until it was glowing. The others watch as I lifted Aang and places the water over the wound on his back. It lowers into the open skin and I watched the glow spread through Aang's body. I held him close and began to cry again.
For an instant, Aang's arrow glowed, and a second later he groaned. I gasps and smiles joyfully, turning Aang around to look at him. He smiled as he looks back at me. I pulled him to me and held him close, grateful that he is was alive.
We all turned to the hole in the ground when we heard Zuko yelling."So help me, do not take one more step Zuko or I will end you." Zuko froze and put his hands up. Sokka looked conflicted.
"We have to move, this is going to be our only chance to escape the city, and we can't stay here." I looked at my brother, not bothering to mask the devastation I was feeling. Zuko came closer. I held out one hand trying to look menacing, but he he didn't stop until he was right next to Appa. He spoke a lot quieter.
"You should take one of my sister's ship so they don't notice you leaving." I instantly stood up and hurled frozen ice spikes toward him. Zuko melted all but one before it could make contact with his skin. Grabbing his arm and biting back a cry, he muttered. "Please, I want to help you." Seeing blood on his sleeve made me feel pride and guilt. "I want to make m Uncle proud, not my father."
"He wouldn't have ended up like this in the first place if it wasn't for you!" I lashed out again with a water whip that would also probably leave a mark. Toph placed a hand on my shoulder.
"He's telling the truth, we have to take this chance." The feeling of sadness quickly evaporated into anger once more.
"Fine." Sokka nodded and picked Aang up with much less effort than I had. "One wrong move and I'll drown you standing up." Zuko didn't respond to me, he just helped the group get Aang securely on Appa and lead them to the fire nation ships.
When we got to the dock he told the crew that this shipped was to be emptied to make room for prisoners and surprisingly they listened. As soon as everyone was on the ship and Appa was hidden Zuko gave Sokka the okay to guide the ship out to sea as fast as he could. Buy the time the crew realized what was happening all the could do was send fire toward the unaffected metal vessel.
THANK YOU FOR READING AND PLEASE LET MY KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE CHANGES XOXO
