Zuko wandered about the palace, hoping to find a place where there was some peace and quiet. He saw Katara practicing her waterbending in a garden. Her watched her for a while, admiring her graceful movements. Her brow was creased in a frown as she tried to turn the water into snow instead of ice. She bended the water into a huge ball, the water spun in her hands. She threw it up, and the water changed into snow, showering the garden with a thin layer of snow.
Zuko watched her as she bended all the water back into the pond. She stood up in one fluid motion, she brushed her hair away from her face. He noticed that she was very pretty, her dark skin highlighting her blue eyes. Her dark hair fell in waves behind her back. She turned around and saw him. "Zuko, where have you been? I was looking for you." Katara smiled and grabbed him by the hand and dragged him to a training field not too far away from the garden.
She took a fighting stance. Zuko stared at her blankly. "Spar with me, I wanna see how good you are." Zuko also took a fighting stance. Katara initiated the fight with a water whip aimed at his head. He blocked it and aimed a fireball at her. She raised a water barrier to block the fireball. Quickly, she attacked him again and again, but her blows never reached him. He was as good as her, maybe better, but she had a feeling that he wasn't doing his best, that he was amused at her efforts.
Water swirled around Katara as she got ready for an attack on him. The water encased her, as she bended it. Inside the ball of water, Katara's brow creased with concentration. The water swirled around even faster. Katara opened her eyes and pushed the water. The water became a wave that crashed over Zuko.
Zuko's golden eyes widen as he saw the wave crash over him. The water left him dripping wet. Katara's smile was triumphant. She started to laugh when she saw him. He looked ridiculous with water dripping from his hair and clothes. She also noticed how his clothes clung to him, revealing a very well muscled body. She bended the water off him, giggling as she did so.
Zuko glared at her. He ran his hand through his hair, smoothing it back. Katara smiled. "I finally gotcha!" Zuko smirked. "How about a rematch? Or would you rather something less physical?" "No, and I'm going to have you sopping wet at the end of this match." Katara took up a stance and they began to spar again.
Katara's hair came out of its braid, but she didn't notice. She was lost in the battle. As she evaded fireball after fireball, she tried to hit him rather unsuccessfully. Zuko blocked all her attacks easily. He sent a flurry of blows at her, she dodged them, but nearly getting hit in the process.
They spent the next half hour sparring. At the end of the sparring session, both of them were sweating, Katara more than Zuko. "Okay, I'll let you win." Zuko rubbed the sweat away and left the training field. Katara ran up to him. "Wait up!" Zuko paused for a moment and started running. "Hey!" Katara bended some water from her water skin and froze his feet. Zuko melted the ice and continued running. He slowed a little and let her catch up with him.
"So, do you want to go and see Ba Sing Se? The grand tour?" Katara looked at him. He gave her a non-committable jerk of the head. "Come on. Loosen up a little. You've been here for 24 hours and you're acting like this place sucks big time." Her eyes narrowed into slits. "You don't like it here do you?" He looked at her. "Katara, I just had an exhausting sparring match with you, and I'm not really up to a tour or Ba Sing Se, since it will involve a lot of walking and I'm really tired."
He continue walking towards his room. "Fine, but come o my room, you can get wash there." He raised an eyebrow. "I have to go and do some work for my father, so don't worry about me peeking." Katara led him to her room and she ran up the hallway to her father's study.
Hakoda was looking at the paperwork on his table when Katara burst into his study. "Are you going to introduce Zuko to the Earth King???" "I suppose so, but I'm not yet sure when, since he's at Lake Laogai with Aang." Hakoda seemed hesitant about the matter. Katara looked at him with an exasperated expression on her face. "Dad, he deserves to know that Zuko is here."
"I've already sent him a message."
"That isn't enough. You have to introduce them."
"He's at Lake Laogai, and he won't be back until next week."
"Dad! He may know, but the Earth King should meet him and decide whether to let him stay or not. I know that you don't want him here."
"I will introduce them when the Earth King gets back. It's only for a few days." Hakoda's curt tone made it clear that he would not pursue the discussion.
Katara left the study, but not without a parting shot. "You're prejudiced against him, and you've been like that ever since mom died. No matter how decent they are, you're prejudiced against the Fire Nation Citizens." She stormed out of the study before Hakoda could say anything. Hakoda closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.
Katara went into her room and saw Zuko coming out, fully dressed. Zuko saw something that told him that she wasn't in a very good mood. Zuko put his hand under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Being unhappy will not make your situation any better."His amber eyes bored into her blue ones.
"Come, let us go and see Ba Sing Se and all the wonders it contains." He took her hand and led her to the palace entrance. Just outside, Katara saw her father run down the steps. The imperial carriage was there, and Katara concluded that the Earth King had returned.
Hakoda ran to the carriage to greet the Earth King. The Earth King saw Zuko standing at the edge of the palace entrance. "Who's he, Hakoda? I expect you to introduce me to the stranger." The Earth King looked at Hakoda with a mild curiosity. Sighing, Hakoda beckoned. Zuko moved towards him very quickly, in fact, a little to quickly to Katara.
"Zuko, this is the Earth King. Your highness, Zuko, son of Ozai, banished from the Fire Nation." The Earth King rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Katara came up to him. "You highness, is there a possibility that he might be moved to a better room? His room is like one of the servant's rooms." Hakoda scowled at Katara. The Earth King looked at Hakoda.
"I had expected better treatment to him. Apparently you thought that he shouldn't stay here. In that case, he can stay at an inn at you expense, Hakoda."
"I will have his belongings moved to a better room." Hakoda replied between clenched teeth. "Good. Let us have a feast tonight, shall we?" the Earth King walked towards the palace with Hakoda trailing behind him, looking none too happy. Katara smiled smugly.
"Now, the grand tour of Ba Sing Se, upper tiers, lower tiers and all. And there's also a zoo between the inner wall and outer wall." Katara rubbed her chin, then grabbed Zuko's hand and took him to the upper tiers. Zuko looked at the carefully manicured gardens, the luxurious houses. He knew that people from the lower tiers envied them. And he couldn't blame them.
Katara took him over all of Ba Sing Se, even to the lower tiers where she helped some people. At the end of the day, she smiled at him. "All in all, that was a good day's work." She went into the palace to look for her father while Zuko wandered about a little longer before going back into the palace.
Here's a stupid question: why am i writing this??? no one reads, no one eviews, no one does anything. mebbe xcept for MelancholyMuse519. and i forgot, check out my LJ and profile for more on the story.
Ewagan...