Before you get started there are a few things you should know. First, Iroh is Zuko's father, not Ozai. Aang and Toph are Iroh's parents. Katara and Sokka aren't siblings, and Kya isn't dead. There is no 'Fire Nation Conquer the World' type of war going on, but Huns are invading the Fire Nation, calling Aang the Fire Lord to action. I think that's it, so enjoy 'Katara,' the Avatar version of 'Mulan.' And I disclaim.
Katara
Katara slowly opened her eyes to the bright Fire Nation sun. She stretched her sleepy muscles and stifled a yawn. "What a beautiful day," she sighed. "Too bad I have to waste it at the matchmaker's." Realization hit Katara like a ton of bricks. "The matchmaker!" she cried. "I'm late!"
Quickly she sprang from her bed and put on some fresh clothes. "La curse me! I've still got to feed the stupid chicken-hogs." She ran out of her family's home to the grain shed and grabbed a bag, ripping it open. Katara ran throwing handfuls of the feed as she headed to the shrine. 'Hurry up! Hurry up!' she thought to herself as the chicken-hogs picked up what she threw to them. "Dear La, I can't be late!"
The grunts and squawks of the chicken-hogs interrupted Hakoda's prayers. "Morning, dad!" Katara smiled.
He frowned slightly. She was still here? Wasn't she supposed to be at the matchmaker's? 'Oh, La,' he thought. "Katara dear, what are you still doing here? You're supposed to be in town preparing to meet the matchmaker."
She giggled nervously. "Well," she began, "I am, but I-I kind of overslept. Funny right?"
"Not in the slightest Katara. Now, off you go," he said, standing with the help of his cane. With an endearing look to his only daughter, he wished her luck. Smiling in thanks, she ran out of the shrine, off to meet her female family members to get ready. Hakoda sighed. "I'm going to… pray some more."
OoOoOoOoOo
"Where is that girl?" Katara's mother, Kya asked.
"Knowing my niece, she overslept," retorted Yue. The doors opened with a loud bang as Katara burst through them.
"Young lady, you are late!" her angry mother cried, grabbing her by the wrist and dragging toward her waiting bath. "You know how important today is. How could you be late?"
"I overslept," Katara answered sleepily.
Yue looked to her sister with a smirk. "Told you."
"Not helping," Kya said bluntly.
Her sister shrugged and took Katara's wrist. Ushering her behind a privacy curtain, her aunt quickly stripped her of her clothes and pushed her into the tub. "Ahh! This water's freezing!"
Kya smiled slyly. "Had you been here on time, it would've been warm."
"Yeah, and if you marry a nice Firebender he could warm that up for you," Yue added with a wink.
Blushing, Katara slid further into the water. "Aunt Yue, stop it!" The older woman smiled at her beautiful niece, praying to La that Katara would bring the family honor by striking a good match from Aunt Wu, the matchmaker. She bent some of the water from the bath onto Katara's hair, next applying fragrant shampoos.
"You know," Katara said, "I could have done that myself."
Her mother answered, "Yes, but it's tradition that only the women of your family get you ready, not you. And that includes bathing yourself. It's our honor and duty." Katara sighed as her mother and aunt finished washing her.
Next, she was sent to her older cousin, Ming, to be dressed. "What to pick, what to pick," she muttered, analyzing Katara and her features. Suddenly, Ming's eyes lit up. "I know just what you should wear!" She sprang to the large wardrobe and pulled heaps of blue silk of various shades from the racks and shelves. "This will look great on you!"
"Okay…" Katara said doubtfully.
"I knew you'd love it!" Her exuberant cousin cried joyfully, setting to work wrapping, swathing, and tying various blue silks around Katara's petite frame. When she was done, she stepped back to see her younger cousin in the dress. "Oh, Katara, you're so beautiful! And that dress reminds me so much of the Water Tribes," she sighed nostalgically.
"Thanks, Ming. That really means a lot to me," Katara said, pulling her cousin into a tight hug. "One day Gran-Gran will be well enough to visit home again, I promise."
"I pray that it's soon," she said, letting go of Katara. Cheering up, she added, "And hopefully my husband can stand the cold. He'd be shivering in his parka!" The two cousins shared a good laugh, picturing Jen Shu, Ming's husband and an accomplished military man, in the artic climate of the South Pole. "Now dear cousin, we need to get you to Aunt Song. She'll match your make-up perfectly with that dress of yours!"
After make-up was painstakingly applied to her face and hair pulled into a beautiful top-knot, she looked like a porcelain doll. With her top-knot, blue dress, and flawless make-up she prepared herself to fall in line with the other girls.
"Wait one moment, dear." Katara turned to her Gran-Gran. "I've got something for you," she said, presenting a blue pendant bearing the Water Tribe symbol. "By wearing this pendant showing your loyalty to her lands, La will give you her favor and help you to bring our family honor and glory." Gran-Gran smiled proudly, a few tears leaking from her wise blue eyes. Kissing her granddaughter's cheek, she wished Katara luck one last time.
"Thank you, Gran-Gran. I won't let you down." With that, she quickly walked out the door, ready to meet Aunt Wu.
Kya, Yue, Gran-Gran, Ming and Song watched Katara leave, pride shining in their equally blue eyes. "She's on her way," Kya whispered.
"She'll make a great bride," Song said wistfully.
Gran-Gran smiled. "Her children will be as beautiful and proud as she is."
"Hopefully they'll be as masterful at bending as she." Ming beamed happily, thinking of Katara's future children running around freezing each other to walls as they had done as kids.
"Well," Yue added, "I just hope her husband is drop-dead gorgeous!"
"Yue!" The women laughed at her silliness, hopeful for Katara's future and ability to honor the family.
OoOoOoOoOo
The women of Katara's family stood anxiously outside the matchmaker's place. 'Please, dear La don't let her mess up! Dear La, please don't let her mess up!" Kya thought worriedly. 'Please don't let-'
"AAAAHHHHH!" a loud scream was her from inside.
"Oh, that can't be good…" Yue muttered.
Suddenly Aunt Wu burst out the doors, make-up running down her face, and…bum afire? "Oh, no!" Ming whimpered.
Katara rushed out soon after the matchmaker looking alarmed and flustered. 'Water! I need water!' her head screamed. She looked about frantically until her eyes fell upon a drinking trough for horses. Bending all of the water from it, she brought it down upon the screaming Aunt Wu, putting out the fire enveloping her lower half.
Sopping wet, the vicious matchmaker turned on Katara. "You are a disgrace! You may look like a bride, but you will never bring your family honor!" The townspeople gasped and began whispering amongst themselves about Katara and the matchmaker's verbal thrashing.
Katara ran past her family, trying to avoid as many people as she could. She was so angry with herself. 'How did that stupid cricket even get in the tea?' she asked herself. How could she face her family? How could she ever face her father? He'd put so much faith in her. She was the only one her father had to carry on the family honor, and she'd failed him. Failed him miserably, not to mention. As she approached her house, she saw her mother and father talking on the porch. She hid behind a wall, watching. Her heart broke when her father's expression went from joyful, to hopelessly disappointed. "Why can't I show any one who I really am without breaking their hearts?" she asked aloud.
She walked in shame to the shrine in La on her family's property. Entering with a hanging head, she sat in front of a statue of the beautiful goddess. La had long, straight, flowing hair and large eyes full of wisdom. Her full lips were curved in a soft smile full of love. Her curves were accentuated perfectly by her fitted parka.
"I bet you've never had a problem with being accepted," she said to the statue. "You're perfect. That's why every Water Tribe woman tries to model herself after you. I've tried, La, I really have, but I just can't do it. I've failed."
In the reflective stone behind La's statue, Katara stared at her reflection and began to sing to herself.
Look at me.
I will never pass for a perfect bride
Or a perfect daughter.
Can it be
I'm not meant to play this part?
Now I see
That if I were truly to be myself
I would break my family's heart.
Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
Why I my reflection someone
I don't know?
Somehow I cannot hide
Who I am, though I've tried.
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
She wiped away the make-up on her face. Then, Katara cried the tears she'd been holding back for so long in front of the statue of her goddess, La.
Well, there's chapter one. I hope you enjoyed it because it took me forever to write. Be nice to me, please. Thank you!
-Chelsea