Published as two separate chapters on July 30, 2011 and August 5, 2011 respectively.
Revised, combined, and expanded on July 4, 2017.

"Kindred Spirits"


Die, you vain but sweet desires!
Die, you living, burning fires!
I am like a prince of France, —
Like a prince whose noble sires
Have been robbed of heritage;
I am phantom derelict,
Drifting on a flaming sea.
~ Fenton Johnson, "The Mulatto's Song"


Katara's thoughts were a little troubled, remembering the events of the previous day. Aang had appeared, and she knew he had considered coming to save her. Why had she shaken her head when she saw Aang?

Katara told herself it was because that simply made the most sense. They would have been outnumbered against Zuko's crew; and neither side was really in a condition to fight, after weathering the storm. It was logical. So why did it bother her?

It wasn't like she wanted to stay on Zuko's ship. She was a prisoner! She missed Sokka and Aang and Appa; that was undeniable. But she didn't feel quite as angry about her situation as she had been at first. Maybe she was simply getting used to being a prisoner; or maybe she didn't blame Zuko so much, after learning about the reason behind his quest for the Avatar. Hearing that story made her think about the prince differently. And that unnerved her a little.

When Iroh invited Katara to another game of Pai Sho, she accepted, glad for a distraction from her thoughts. At the top level of the tower, Zuko and Lieutenant Jee pored over a map while Iroh and Katara played the game.

Katara noticed a subtle change in the behavior of Zuko and Jee. They were both a bit more patient and respectful toward each other. Katara thought that learning about Zuko's history must have softened Jee's attitude toward the exiled prince. And they both seemed more cooperative after their teamwork the night before.

"We haven't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm," Jee said. "But, if we continue heading northeast—"

He stopped midsentence. At that moment the sunlight was blocked by the shadow of a hulking object. Zuko went over the window and saw another Fire Navy ship passing them to starboard, going in the opposite direction.

"What do they want?" Zuko murmured.

"Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho," Iroh said hopefully. He moved a tile, and then he paused, looking startled. "Katara!"

She blinked at him. "What?"

But Iroh wasn't talking to her. He looked over at Zuko. "We can't let Zhao know she's here!"

Zuko and Katara exchanged worried, uncertain glances. After a moment Zuko came over to the Pai Sho table, grabbed Katara's arm and forced her to stand. "Hey!"

"Come on." Zuko pulled Katara over to a small closet, opened the door and pushed her inside. "Stay here until I tell you it's okay to come out," he hissed. There was a metallic clang as Zuko shut the door, followed by a click as he locked it securely.

Katara sat down on the cold metal to wait. A few minutes later she heard heavy footsteps. She peered through the crack between the door and the wall, trying to watch the scene that was unfolding. Another soldier had taken her place at the Pai Sho table—one player would have looked strange. A man Katara did not recognize held up a scroll, a wanted poster depicting Aang.

"The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance." The herald lowered the scroll. "All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao.

"Zhao has been promoted?" Iroh said, looking up from the Pai Sho table. "Well, good for him!" he said cheerfully.

Zuko crossed his arms, and for a moment he looked like the moody teenager he really was. "I have nothing to report to Zhao," Zuko said sullenly. "Now get off my ship and let us pass."

"Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area," the herald stated.

"OFF MY SHIP!" Zuko yelled angrily, pointing at the door. Finally the herald left. Zuko waited until Zhao's ship had pulled away before letting Katara out of the closet. Katara looked at Zuko with a mixture of gratitude and uncertainty.

"That was close," Iroh commented gravely, dropping his casual pretense.

"I don't want to talk about it," Zuko said shortly, heading for the door.

"Thank you."

Zuko turned around in surprise, not sure if he had heard correctly. Katara looked back at him steadily. She knew he was taking a risk, lying to Zhao to keep her safe.

"Don't thank me yet," he said coolly. "I just don't want the Avatar to turn himself over to Zhao instead of me." With that he left the room. With Zhao limiting their mobility, there was no longer any point in discussing the next move.

"General Iroh? Why did you tell us that story last night?"

"I thought the crew should be more sympathetic toward my nephew."

"And me? You think I should be, too? Or maybe," she said shrewdly, "you want me to feel bad for him so it'll be harder to remember that he's the enemy."

"There is nothing wrong with recognizing someone as human."

"True. But Aang is human too, and Zuko is determined to ignore that fact."

Zuko spent the next hour or so doing intense firebending training. He saw Katara and Iroh come onto the top deck, but Zuko ignored them both.

The girl was starting to make him uneasy. He did not understand what had prompted her apology the night before. And then, the Avatar had passed up the opportunity to rescue her. What was up with that?

He saw that I haven't hurt her, Zuko realized. He saw her walking freely around the ship. That just may have ruined the entire situation. The Avatar wouldn't readily turn himself in if he knew that Katara was not in imminent danger. But he would still want her to be free, wouldn't he?

The hostage situation was becoming far too confusing. It was becoming dangerous as well. If Zhao found out that Zuko had withheld information regarding the Avatar, what would the consequences be for him? He had already cut it close when he returned to the Fire Nation a week ago. All Zhao needed was an excuse to arrest Zuko … and then Zhao wouldn't have to compete with anyone to capture the Avatar.

Frustrated and angry, Zuko released several fiery punches into the air.

"Are you okay?" Katara asked tentatively.

Iroh spoke up. "It's been an hour, and you haven't given the crew a single order."

Zuko's shoulders sagged as he looked out to sea. "I don't care what they do."

"Don't give up hope yet. You can still capture the Avatar before Zhao."

Zuko turned and looked at Iroh with an expression of desperation and fear that Katara had never seen in him before. "How Uncle? With Zhao's resources, it's only a matter of time before he captures the Avatar!" Zuko turned and looked out at the horizon. When he spoke, more to himself than to Iroh, his voice was flat and hopeless. "My honor, my throne, my country. I'm about to lose them all."

Katara felt a wave of sympathy seeing Zuko despair. After listening to Iroh's retelling of Zuko's past, she was starting to understand how he saw his situation. If he didn't capture Aang—what then? He had no home, no friends or relatives or allies to fall back on. Katara wanted to offer him some encouragement, but she couldn't motivate him to capture her best friend.

It was Iroh who spoke. "Don't talk like that, Zuko. You can't let yourself think that way, set up for despair. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength."

The corners of Katara's mouth twitched. "You sound like my mother," she told Iroh. Zuko glanced at her as she continued, "My mom was the one who always encouraged me with my bending. Many people in my tribe thought that the Avatar Cycle had been broken, that he'd never been reborn into the Air Nomads; but my mom told me not to lose hope. And I didn't."

Zuko looked out at the horizon again. "My mother told me I'm someone who keeps trying even though it's hard." He might have been talking to himself. Then he looked at Katara. "Thank you."

His response surprised her, but it also pleased her. Looking out at the horizon, something unspoken passed between them; even Iroh sensed it. There was still a lingering animosity—they could not simply ignore the fact that they were on opposing sides in this war. But now there was also a mutual respect and a strange, indefinable understanding between them. They had both lost their mothers and been forced to grow up quickly; they both struggled to keep hope even when things were at their worst. When the Avatar returned, they both chose a path based on the role they wanted him to play.

They both drew hope from the Avatar, but in such different ways that that very similarity was the driving force to keep them apart.


Aang wondered if this was how Katara was feeling lately—dejected, helpless, hopeless. Probably to a lesser degree, Aang decided. She wasn't shackled and immobilized, since her bending prowess was much less than Aang's. Her hope lay with Sokka and Aang—the brother who would rescue her, and the friend who would end the war. But Aang had no one who he could hope would rescue him. Katara was imprisoned, Sokka was sick, and they had no idea where he was anyway. He was all alone, and both of his friends were suffering alone because of his failure to help them …

His thoughts were interrupted when the door opened, and Zhao walked in, his hands clasped behind his back.

"So this is the great Avatar," Zhao drawled, circling Aang. "Master of all the elements. I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years, but your little game of hide and seek is over."

"I've never hidden from you!" Aang insisted. "Untie me and I'll fight you right now!"

Zhao pretended to consider. "Uhh, no." Then he changed the subject. "Tell me, how does it feel to be the only airbender left?" He brought his face up to Aang's. "Do you miss your people?"

Aang's defiant expression disappeared. He bowed his head, feeling a wave of guilt and homesickness wash over him. The storm had brought back painful memories; but then he had decided he was done dwelling on the past. Still, he would never forget where he came from, the people he had left behind, the civilization that had died because of him.

"Oh, don't worry; you won't be killed like they were." Aang looked up again in anger. Zhao continued, "See, if you die you'll just be reborn and the Fire Nation will have to begin its search all over again. So, I'll keep you alive … but just barely." Zhao turned to leave, still smirking.

Aang decided to voice something that he'd been turning over in his head since the Yu Yan captured him. "Can I ask you a question?"

Zhao turned back and looked at his prisoner, but then shrugged. "I can't stop you; but I won't necessarily answer it."

"You wouldn't happen to know where my friend is, would you?"

Zhao blinked at the Avatar. "Sorry?"

"My friend Katara—the waterbending girl? Prince Zuko captured her."

The admiral looked slightly surprised. "Did he? I wasn't aware he had a hostage."

"So you don't know where she is?"

"No."

Aang guessed from Zhao's reaction that the admiral was telling the truth. Aang hung his head, disappointed.

The gears were turning in Zhao's mind as he left the Avatar's cell. So Zuko had lied to his messenger: he had possessed information regarding the Avatar—an actual, valuable hostage—and had withheld it from Zhao. But then, Zhao reasoned, it didn't matter now. He had the Avatar in custody; what difference would it make if Zuko had the waterbender prisoner?

No difference at all.


Zuko disappeared from the ship that night.

Iroh didn't seem all that worried; he reasoned that Zuko must have gone to the mainland for some reason or other. "Maybe he just didn't want to put up with music night," he said, winking at Katara. She grinned; she knew Zuko probably wasn't as a big fan of music as his uncle. Even the crew enjoyed music night, seeing it as a break from their work on the ship—and a time when Zuko was out of their hair.

Katara could hear the music on the main deck when she went to her room. She was about to get into bed when she spotted something blue standing out from the red pillow. She crossed the room and gasped.

It was her mother's necklace.

Katara had almost forgotten that Zuko still had her necklace. She hadn't bothered to ask for it back, because she'd figured that he would simply refuse. And then suddenly, out of the blue, he had returned it to her.

Why?

Well, he knew now that Katara had lost her mother, which explained why the necklace was so important to her. But he'd known that since the first day she was on the ship, and he hadn't returned the necklace until now, three days later. (Or was it four? She counted four days she had been on the ship.)

Maybe it was a kind of peace offering. Maybe this was his way of apologizing for insulting her integrity, and thanking her for her help during the storm.

Or maybe he simply didn't think the necklace was of any value to him, since Katara had refused it as a bribe. But even if that was so, he didn't need to return it to her.

Maybe he was just being kind? The thought made Katara realize, with a jolt, what she was feeling: she was touched that Zuko had returned her necklace.

It was so strange, these past few days; Katara found herself feeling so many emotions that she'd never thought would be directed at Prince Zuko. She felt sympathy for him, now that she knew his story. She felt grateful to him for saving her from the pirates and keeping her a secret from Zhao. In fact, she was starting to like him as a person.

Katara shook her head. She couldn't afford to become attached to Zuko or even Iroh. That would make her reluctant to leave, and might make her hesitate while fighting Zuko in the future.

True, now Katara respected them and better understood them, but they were still her enemies. That was why she was here in the first place: she was a hostage, bait to set a trap for Aang.

If Zuko did care about her at all, he cared more about capturing the Avatar.

Caring about Zuko would be like playing with fire. Fire was nice to look at, and beneficial for warmth and cooking, but getting too close would only cause harm.


In the back of his mind, Zuko wondered how Katara would react if she knew what he was doing. She might be thrilled if she knew he was rescuing her friend from Zhao, but she would be furious when she understood that he meant to take the Avatar prisoner himself. Still, she would most likely be glad to see him when Zuko brought him. Maybe he could even convince her to take up Zuko's offer of passage to the North … but that might backfire, if it gave them time to escape together.

He came so close, actually managing to get the Avatar out of the fortress, almost to the cover of the forest—and then, out of nowhere, a blow hit him head-on, and the world went dark.

When he woke, the first thing Zuko became aware of was his headache. It was hard to think of anything else for a minute. When he blinked his eyes, he saw a mass of green and gold high above him.

He turned his head to test whether he could move it—he could, but it was extremely painful—and saw the Avatar sitting on a large tree root.

That was when everything came back to him: breaking into Zhao's fortress, rescuing the Avatar, almost getting away … then he'd been knocked out … and the Avatar had brought him here? Why would he make the effort to bring him, when he could escape so much more easily on his own? Why would he even bother rescuing an enemy? Did he plan to take Zuko prisoner, or demand Katara's release?

Before Zuko could verbalize any of these confused thoughts, Aang spoke, introducing what seemed to be a random topic of conversation. "You know what the worst part of being born over a hundred years ago is? I miss all the friends I used to hang out with. Before the War started, I used to always visit my friend Kuzon." Aang smiled reminiscently. "The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I ever had," he said, looking sideways at Zuko, "and he was from the Fire Nation, just like you. If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?" He looked at Zuko with a hopeful half-smile.

Zuko stared at him. Was the Avatar serious? Was he really that naïve and idealistic?

But then again, maybe the idea was not entirely absurd. This past night, when they faced a common enemy, they had made a pretty good team.

Zuko felt inexplicably angry. He yelled something unintelligible and shot a blast of fire at the Avatar.

Aang jumped into the air to avoid the fireball and landed on a high tree branch. He looked down at Zuko, all nostalgia and mutuality gone. They were enemies, and nothing else.

"What have you done with Katara?" Aang demanded.

"I haven't done a thing with her!" Zuko shouted back. He punched upward, sending another fireball at Aang, who swiftly deflected it by slicing the air in front of him.

"Where is she?" Aang shouted angrily.

Zuko got out of his stance and gestured to the west. "You can see her again, if you come with me."

Aang shook his head. "She'll never forgive me, if I turn myself in, even for her."

Zuko held up his hands, frustrated by both of them. "Then we're at an impasse. If you don't give yourself up, I won't free her."

Aang clenched his teeth. "It's not an impasse. This isn't over," he vowed. Then he turned and leapt from one tree to another, disappearing from Zuko's sight. Zuko didn't bother to give chase; the Avatar was too quick, and had the advantage of using airbending to propel himself.

But Aang didn't go far. Once he was out of sight, he backtracked and found Zuko again, but he stayed out of sight, hiding high in the trees. In this way, almost imitating Zuko's own stealth as the Blue Spirit, he followed Zuko to the small cutter, and observed its journey back to bay where the metal ship was anchored.

It was the first time the sight of Fire Nation naval vessels caused Aang to feel positive emotions. He felt immensely satisfied: he now knew where to find Katara. But he could not attempt a rescue alone; he would need Sokka's help. And right now Sokka needed his help. They both had to get their strength back before they could rescue Katara.

Aang went back to the bog and found the frogs that the Herbalist had told him to get. It was ironic, he thought—at first he hadn't found what he was looking for, but then he had found something he wasn't looking for: Katara.

Finally Aang was able to get back to the cave, exhausted, but with the thing he had intended to get. He stuck the frog in Sokka's mouth, and then flopped back onto Appa's furry leg.

"Aang, how was your trip?" Sokka asked, talking around the frog. "Did you make any new friends?"

Aang looked up wistfully at the ceiling of the ruins. "No, I don't think I did."


In the cutter, Zuko changed into his usual armor and hid his disguise. He passed Iroh on the main deck, playing the Tsungi horn he'd bought the day Zuko captured Katara. "Where have you been, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked. "You missed music night. Lieutenant Jee sang a stirring love song."

Zuko ignored the question and headed for the door. "I'm going to bed. No disturbances."

Iroh looked mildly concerned, but he shrugged and continued the song he had been playing, a mournful, mysterious tune.

Zuko hid his disguise and went to bed, but he couldn't fall asleep, despite his exhaustion. The Avatar's words echoed in his head. Do you think we could have been friends? Zuko hadn't even bothered to attempt an answer; he had acted impulsively—as usual—and simply attacked the Avatar.

Lost in thought, Zuko stared at his wall hanging with the Fire Nation insignia. The Avatar's question made Zuko think of Katara. Before he could stop himself, he wondered: if he and Katara did not have the Avatar between them—if they were not fighting on opposite sides in the war—could they have been friends? Or maybe … more than friends?

Surprisingly, the thought that would have disgusted him a few days ago was not entirely unwelcome, nor quite as ludicrous as he would have thought.

Iroh often pointed out pretty girls living in the port towns they visited. He had been rather obvious about hinting that Zuko could settle down somewhere in the Earth Kingdom.

He did not seem to realize that such a relationship, in such as way of life, was completely foreign to Zuko. If he reclaimed his position as the Fire Lord's heir apparent, he would have to marry a Fire Nation noblewoman, probably picked out by his father or the Fire Sages.

For the first time in months, Zuko thought of Mai, a childhood friend—Azula's, if not his own. She was about his age, and from a prominent family. She was the first girl he had ever remotely liked, mainly because she was not as mean as Azula or as annoying as Ty Lee. She was calm. He remembered his mother encouraging him to be nice to Azula's playmates, and especially to Mai. They had not been formally betrothed, but the idea of them someday marrying had occurred to, if not been discussed by, quite a few people in their families. Her father, Ukano, was an important official and would gladly welcome a union with the royal family.

Zuko had not been able to say goodbye to Mai, and they had never exchanged letters. It seemed pointless to think about things that would only matter if his immediate mission succeeded.

Zuko turned on his side, trying to shake these wistful thoughts. Neither the Avatar's hypothetical nor his own mattered, he decided. He could not dwell on how things might have been. All that mattered was how things were now. The airbender and waterbender were his enemies, and that was all they could ever be.