"It's a rock."
Zuko stared down at the object in his hand, then looked up into Katara's skeptical eyes.
"It doesn't feel like a rock," Zuko pondered, clutching the object in his hand. It was hard, sure, but it didn't have the gradient texture of stone.
"That doesn't mean it can make us travel through time! Azula's crazy anyway, did you really believe her?"
He remembered the trip he'd made the other day, to her cell. She was surprisingly quiet. No threats, no sweet sarcasm. Nothing. Except for the rock-like object she'd slid towards him.
"It can make you travel into the future." she had said blankly. Zuko had scowled.
"You're crazy," he'd said to her. But despite himself, he'd taken the rock, and he'd brought it to Iroh. Iroh was always right about this spirit voodoo stuff. Surely he would know.
"Yeah I know she is, but Iroh said it did have a lot of spiritual energy...what's the harm in trying anyway?" he bored his eye's into the waterbender's, his eyebrows raised in hope.
Looking over the object again, she sighed, smirking a bit.
"Yeah I guess you're right. So how does it, uh, work exactly."
He stared blankly. He honestly had no idea.
"Uh, well, I guess we just focus our energy into it?" he smiled sheepishly when she rolled her eyes, but she consented, clutching the rock with him.
He let out a long breath, sliding his eyes shut. He focused on his inner fire, Katara's soft breathing, the whistle of the wind around him. The wind however, seemed to be growing stronger, stinging his face slightly. He could feel it tugging at his tunic, pulling bits of his hair free from his topknot.
And then, it stopped.
He hadn't opened his eyes, too nervous to do so. But when he heard Katara's gasp, he peeked.
As soon as the scenery hit him, he widened his eyes, choking on a breath.
All around them where tall, monstrous buildings, taller than he'd ever seen. His brow arched, amazed at the architectural feat looming over him. It was impossible, it seemed.
But then again, this was the future. Right?
"Watch out!"
Zuko snapped out of his daze as he felt his betrothed grasp at his sleeve, tugging him to the side of the rode that they were apparently standing on.
He heard a beep and a screech. A door slammed.
He looked over now, spotting a seemingly fuming girl stalking towards them. He stared at her, her water tribe garb much different than anything he'd seen. Her hair fell into two ponytails at the side of her face, with the rest pulled back behind her.
It wasn't until she was within arms reach that he noticed her dark scowl.
"What's your problem? You can't just stand in the middle of the road!" she hollered, waving her arms dramatically. Zuko was struck silent, and he had a feeling Katara was too.
More doors slammed, more feet rushing to them.
"Korra it's okay!" a light male voice called, "it's not a big deal!"
The girl, apparently, named Korra, just narrowed her eyes further.
Soon, she was surrounded by three other people. A girl with flowing black hair, a boy with a narrow build and a red scarf tied around him, and a boy clad in green, broad shoulders contrasting from his goofy grin.
He opened his mouth to offer a lackluster explanation, but he closed it when he heard Katara speak.
"Who are you?" the waterbender asked, crossing her arms. Her voice was hard, but didn't contain malice. Not really, anyway.
The girl with the ponytails raised her eyebrows, smirking.
"I'm the Avatar."
Zuko blinked. Katara put her hand over her mouth. The Avatar? So Aang was…
How far in the future were they?
"Who was the Avatar before you?" Zuko asked, his eyes narrowing slightly, a bit of panic building inside of him.
The girl, who was now apparently the Avatar, twisted her face up in confusing. The black haired girl raised her eyebrows. The two boys looked at each other, the one in green shrugging his shoulders.
"Avatar Aang…" Korra answered, cocking her head, "Why? Isn't it common knowledge by now?"
Zuko parted his lips as he felt Katara tensing beside him, but the broad shouldered guy suddenly turned to him, pointing at the top of Zuko's head with an open mouth and widened eyes.
"Wait wait wait wait, is he the...Fire Prince? What's he doing all the way out here?!"
Zuko scoffed slightly at his old title, and the boy with the red scarf ran a hand through his raven hair.
"No, Bolin. Fire Lord Zuko only has a daughter, remember?"
Zuko couldn't help it. His jaw slacked, hanging open freely. This was too much, way too much. A new Avatar, buildings that touched the sky, taller than he'd ever dreamed could be possible. And now he had a daughter?
Scarf Boy then turned to them, narrowing his eyes.
"Who are you guys, anyway? You uh, don't look like you're from around here." he asked as he eyed their clothing.
Zuko stiffened, but Katara was able to speak.
"I'm Katara, daughter of Chief Hakoda and Kya. And this is...uh…"
"Zuko," the Fire Lord said, shocking himself with the confidence in his voice, "Son of...Ozai and Fire Lady Ursa."
Now, it was their turn to gape.
"No...No that's not possible!" Korra's voice was almost a whisper as she said this, shaking her head slightly, "You're not...But Katara is, she's old! Really old! And Zuko, he's-"
"His scar! Look at his scar!" Bolin shouted, pointing again, "It has to be him!"
"But how?" the other girl, dressed in a red suit of sorts, asked as her eyebrows furrowing.
"We...uh…"
"We have my lunatic sister and my crazy old uncle to thank for that," he muttered, as he began to explain their situation.
To his surprise, the four of them believed their story, as crazy as it was. Though, he mused as he chuckled inwardly, if Korra was the Avatar and the three of them traveled with her, then they must have some crazy stories of their own.
"We were actually heading to get some dinner, you guys wanna join us?" Korra asked hopefully with Bolin nodding his head eagerly behind her.
"We'd love to!" Katara said, her smile sliding into a smirk.
"So tell me, who's the mother of Fire Lord Izumi?"