To Help the Enemy
A/N- This takes place after The Waterbending Scroll, but before Bato of the Watertribe, and actually creates an alternative so that the rest of the first season doesn't take place. I actually got the idea for this story after reading the fourth chapter of appa-appa-away's Zutara story.
"Run!" Katara shouted out to Aang and Sokka. The three were currently involved in a battle with Zuko. Although it was the three of them against just Zuko, Zuko seemed to be winning. Katara was pinned up against a tree by Zuko's elbow while the firebender shot fire at Sokka and Aang.
"Surrender Avatar and I won't hurt her!" Zuko shouted.
"Don't listen to him Aang!" Katara shouted. "Run, I'll be fine!"
Aang looked at Katara to Zuko, tears forming in his eyes. Making up his mind, Aang started to step forward, but Sokka stopped him.
"Aang, listen to her."
"Shut your mouth you water tribe fool!" Zuko barked, grabbing a hold of Katara's wrists and pinning them behind her back. "Either way, I'll catch you! Even if you run now, you can't resist trying to rescue your peasant friend!"
"Just go!" Katara yelled. "I'll be fine!"
After what seemed like hours, Aang and Sokka turned and fled. Katara could hear Zuko growl as he whirled her around and forcing her to go on.
"Walk…" he ordered. "And don't say a word!"
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After about an hour, Katara could see the dock where Zuko's ship was; the railing lowered and Zuko forced Katara to the deck. Once at the deck, Zuko was greeted by his Uncle and some officers. The officers grabbed onto Katara.
"Well Zuko…" his Uncle spoke. "I was expecting the Avatar, not a girlfriend." He finished, putting a large grin on his face. At first, Katara was disgusted, but soon couldn't help but snicker as Zuko blushed.
"She's not a girlfriend!" Zuko bellowed. "She's a waterbending peasant and my prisoner!"
"Your orders, sir?" one of the crew members asked.
"Take her to the prison hold and tie her up." Zuko spoke. "I'm going to interrogate her. If things go to plan, it won't be needed. However, if things don't go to plan and the Avatar doesn't come, whatever information I can get out of her could be useful."
"Yes sir!"
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Katara was taken down below the deck and into a dark room. The crewmember that was holding Katara pulled up a chair and Katara was forced down. Her arms were then pulled behind the chair and bound with a rough cord. The other crewmember turned around and crammed a cloth into Katara's mouth, gagging her.
"There…" the officer grinned in a twisted manner. "This way you can sit nice and quietly until Prince Zuko comes for you." Katara struggled as the guards walked out the door. Seconds later, Zuko appeared.
"Ugh…" Zuko sighed. "This is a little over the top." He spoke to no one in particular as he pulled the cloth out of her mouth. "Why are my guard's always sick people into holding women against their will? If they were my sister's guards, they would be the best of the best."
Zuko sighed as he started to circle around his captive.
"I'll make this simple with you peasant." He spoke softly as he pulled out the necklace. "Tell me any weakness that the Avatar has, and you'll be rewarded." He placed the necklace around her neck.
"Go jump in a river!" she spat.
"Listen, I'm trying to be reasonable." Zuko tried to sound compassionate.
"Drop the act scar boy!" Katara retorted. "You are not a reasonable or good person, you're a terrible person! I mean look at you! You're trying to capture the world's last chance at peace! And for what, your stupid honor! Man, it's people like you that make this world a bad place! Man, would I be glad to have seen you get that scar!"
Katara's necklace clattered to the ground. Katara looked at Zuko to see his face full of shock. His shock soon turned to anger.
"Learn your place you peasant!" Zuko looked as if he was going to strike her, but he soon turned away and stalked out the door. Seconds later, the smiling face of Uncle Iroh appeared at the door holding a tray of tea.
"Oh…" Iroh frowned. "Zuko should learn to treat a lady better." He set the tray down and walked behind her, untying her ropes, he then handed her a cup of tea.
"Do you like tea?" Iroh asked.
"It's fine." Katara mumbled as Iroh pulled up another chair.
"Well Miss…"
"Katara."
"Miss Katara, I was just on my way down here with this pot of tea when I heard you say something quite disturbing." Iroh sipped his tea. "You would have liked to see him scarred?"
"I bet he deserved it." Katara growled.
"Actually, no." Iroh said. "I have never seen anything as cruel as what happened to my nephew. If you should no, I was there, and Zuko did not deserve it. Zuko's father did that to him."
Katara suddenly gasped, almost dropping her cup.
"Yes, that's right." Iroh continued. "Actually the story behind that scar tells Zuko's story of why he wants to capture your friend. You see, I let Zuko into a war meeting. The war general was a cruel, yet successful battle strategist. He wanted to send untrained troops on a suicide mission. Zuko thought it was wrong to send people who were willing to fight for their country into a death trap. Zuko's father became outraged, and called Zuko's outburst a complete act of disrespect. He demanded that to settle the matter, Zuko must fight in an Agni Kai."
"What's that?" Katara asked, interested.
"A firebender's duel." Iroh explained. "Zuko looked upon the old general and declared that he was not afraid, but he wasn't going to face the general. He was going to face his father. Zuko couldn't find it in himself to duel his father, and he begged for mercy. Well, Ozai is not the merciful type, not even to his own family. Ozai burned Zuko's face and then banished him, telling him the only way he could ever return home was if he captured the Avatar. Do you think he deserved it now?"
"No." Katara sighed, lowering his head in shame. "And I actually understand why he's doing this. All he wants is to know that his father loves him."
"There is where you would be correct." Iroh spoke.
"Well, I won't let him have Aang, but it would be wrong to just leave Zuko with no place to stay, no family…" Katara trailed off.
"Zuko will always have me, no matter what happens." Iroh smiled as he stood up. He suddenly noticed the necklace.
"If I remember correctly, your mother gave this to you." Iroh picked the necklace and handed it to Katara.
"Yeah, it's the only thing I have left of her. How did Zuko get it?"
"He found it at an abandoned prison."
"Wait, what about Zuko's mother?" Katara suddenly asked. "How could she allow Ozai to do that?"
"She wouldn't." Iroh told her. "His mother actually mysteriously vanished one night, shortly after the death of my son. There are many rumors; the most popular seems to be that Ozai killed her."
"Is that what you think happened?"
"No. My father died that same night. I think she killed him for whatever reason and then fled the Fire Nation."
"Why would she do that?"
"Once again, many rumors; my guess is that Ozai wanted the throne, and was willing to kill Zuko for it. I guess that maybe she killed him so that he could just take the throne without spilling Zuko's blood."
Suddenly, there was a loud crash on the ship and Katara could hear Appa's roars. Iroh smiled.
"By all means, go." Iroh gestured. "In all honesty, I don't share my brother's hopes for conquest. I think that maybe it is best that this war comes to an end. I just allow this for my nephew's sake."
"Thank you, for everything." Katara smiled before running out.
&
By the time Katara got to the deck, she saw Zuko blasting fire at the bison, setting some of its fur on fire. Katara quickly jumped into action, bending water to put out the fire, but also knock Zuko unconscious. Katara was about to get up on Appa, but stopped when she saw Zuko's unmoving figure. On one hand, she couldn't let him capture Aang, but he was also just a teenage boy who had spoken out for people's lives. He deserved a place he could call home and people that could care about him.
"Katara, what are you waiting for?" Sokka asked. "Get on!" Katara turned, grabbed Zuko and rushed up Appa's tail as Appa took off.
"Aw, I see!" Sokka smiled. "We're taking him prisoner."
Back on the ship's deck, Lt. Jee stared up in horror as Iroh appeared.
"They've taken Prince Zuko captive!" he explained, while two officers behind him gave each other a high five.
"Maybe not." Iroh told him. "They won't hurt him. We'll stop at the docks and wait an hour or so. After all, destiny is a funny thing." Iroh smiled slightly as Jee turned to another officer.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He asked.
&
Zuko groaned as he came back to the world of reality. He tried to move, but found that he was propped against a tree, his hands bound behind it.
"Oh, you're awake." A voice made Zuko's head snap up to see Katara.
"What is the meaning of this?" Zuko demanded. "Release me!"
"Listen Zuko," she explained. "I just want to talk. Listen, your Uncle told me about your scar, and I just wanted to say that I was sorry."
"You capture me just to tell me that you're sorry for a stupid remark?" Zuko asked, dumbfounded.
"You didn't let me finish." Katara spoke. "What you did for them was really noble, and you were cruelly punished. Listen Zuko, if your father did that to you, I don't think that he'll ever truly love you."
"You're out of your peasant mind!" Zuko retorted.
"Listen, Zuko…" Katara continued. "Also, Ozai doesn't deserve a son like you. What I'm trying to say is that I know you just want a place to call home and people to call family, and I can offer you that."
"Oh really?" Zuko rolled his eyes.
"Yes, Aang needs a firebending teacher."
"Are you serious?" Zuko laughed. "I want to capture the Avatar, not teach him how to play with fire!"
Katara sighed and went around to the back off the tree, freezing some water into an icicle. "I'm going to let you go now. It's your choice." The ropes binding Zuko fell away and he stood up. "But I will never let you capture Aang…"
Zuko turned and ran…
&
Zuko found his ship waiting at the docks. He walked up the railing to see his Uncle.
"You see!" Iroh smiled. "I told you they wouldn't hurt him!" Zuko just growled.
"You told her!"
"So?" Iroh shrugged. "Is that a bad thing?"
"Yes!" Zuko roared. "That peasant tried to get me to join them! Teach the Avatar firebending?! Is she high on cactus juice?! Did she eat a rotten papaya?!"
Zuko turned and started to storm to his room, but Iroh grabbed onto his shoulder.
"Zuko, listen to me!" he begged. "Your life in the Fire Nation was troubled. Your father doesn't love you, and I'm sorry to say he probably never will. Do you really want to go back to that life? You deserve better than that my nephew! Is it the honor that you want, or just a place to call home? It may not be royalty, but who knows, you may be happy with them. Do you really want to chase the Avatar for the rest of your life?"
Zuko's eyes widened and he turned to face his Uncle.
&
The gang's campfire crackled as Katara returned to her brother and Aang.
"Zuko escaped." She told them.
Suddenly, they heard a twig snap as Zuko and Iroh exited from the bushes.
"Oh yeah, Katara." Sokka pulled out his boomerang. "He really got away."
"Did you think about my offer?" Katara said bluntly.
"Offer?" Aang asked.
"Yep." Katara smiled. "You need a firebending teacher, and Zuko has just the screwed up past to help. So?"
"I guess I'll teach him…" Zuko mumbled, from behind him Iroh gave Katara a thumbs up.
"Sweet!" Aang jumped into the sky. "When do we start?"
"Whenever…" Zuko mumbled.
"Well, welcome to the team!" Aang smiled. "Have a seat!"
Zuko hesitated, but stepped forward when his Uncle gave him a shove. Zuko sat down, the only one having a real objection was Sokka.
"Do you know any firebending at all, Avatar?" Zuko asked.
"Nope." Aang replied. "And call me Aang."
"I'll call you whatever I damn well please." Zuko snapped.
Iroh sat next to Sokka, who was still staring in disbelief.
"Don't worry." Iroh told him. "You'll get used to Zuko."
&
News spread fast in the Fire Nation. Within the hour, Princess Azula bowed besides her father, Fire Lord Ozai.
"Iroh and Zuko are traitors." He rasped. "I have a task for you…"
The End