The Commitment
Zuko looked at Katara and became angered by the words she had just spoken.
"This is why they didn't want you to know about their plan!" Zuko said as he folded his arms across his chest. "They knew you would try to stop them from going."
"No Zuko!" Katara said holding up her hands in an attempt to stop him from becoming angrier. She still had a lightened look in her face and became even more humored by Zuko's slight rampage. "When I say they aren't going what I mean is that they can't go."
Zuko looked at Katara confused again.
"What do you mean they can't go? You never said people weren't allowed to go with you to the other world."
"I thought that was understood." Katara said meekly as she gathered her hands in front of her. "Actually, when I heard Sokka talk about it I thought it was just one of his stupid "big brother to the rescue" dreams. Roku told me that this was a journey that I needed to take. Last time I checked that pronoun wasn't plural."
"Katara that's not solid proof that you have to go alone." Zuko started.
"'This is a quest that must be made in order for you to fulfill your destiny. Be brave, be strong and you will be guided to become who you should have been all along.' Those were Roku's exact words. You see Zuko; this is my journey, no one else's."
"Katara…"
"Besides, Zuko," Katara began. "I don't want to put them in danger. We don't know what is happening in the other world. I know it should be a little similar to this world, but I don't know how much. Aang can't go because in that world he is already…um…gone. What if some of the others are…" Katara gave a slight shiver. "I don't want to risk losing anyone who will still have a life if they stay here."
Zuko stared at Katara as he understood what she was saying. He knew that she was right and that he had lost all grounds to argue. While he stared at her he smiled and began to chuckle. Katara looked at him in shock.
"What's so funny?" She said still looking surprised.
"Well," Zuko said with a smile. "At first you were upset about going alone but now you seem to be at peace with it. Your mood swings are just a little too complicated for me."
Katara's surprised face changed to anger in a split second. "Mood swings!" she said in a growling voice.
"My point exactly." Zuko said as he gestured toward Katara.
Katara continued to glower at Zuko until she stood back and folded her arms with a smirk.
"I'm not the only one who's changed Zuko. Good thing too because if you were still the old you this conversation would have ended in blood." Katara said as she began to laugh.
Zuko put on a half smile as he looked out the window.
"Yeah, Mai says I've changed too, but not for the better." Zuko said.
Katara stopped laughing and looked at Zuko. "Not for the better? How could she say that what you have become is worse than who you were?"
Zuko looked at the ground and blushed.
"She says I'm…boring."
Katara stared at Zuko with an empathetic look on her face. "Mai said you're boring?" Katara continued to stare at him before quickly covering her mouth with her hands. Her whole body began to shake as she tried to suppress her laughter. Zuko looked at her confused until finally Katara could not longer hold it in and began to laugh loudly.
"Mai…thinks…you're…boring." Katara managed between outbursts. She was now doubled over with her arms tucked into her stomach. She continued to laugh for about two minutes while Zuko looked at her like she had lost her mind. Finally her laughter slowed and she straightened up. She had tears in her eyes that she was now wiping away.
"I'm sorry," She said as she tried to stabilize her breathing. "It's just that I can't believe you feel so bad because Mai called you boring. Mai, of all people. Mai who sighs everyday and hates anything that is remotely fun. Come on Zuko, you can't possibly be telling me that that got to you. A little while ago you told me that you had lost interest in Mai, now you look like a sad puppy because she called you boring."
Katara started to laugh again while Zuko smiled at her.
"I guess you're right. It's just that even though I don't feel as strongly as I use to about her I still want to try and make our relationship work. Her telling me that I'm boring doesn't really help my motivation."
Katara had stopped laughing while Zuko spoke. She just smiled as she walked over to him and put her arm around his waist.
"Listen," She started off very low and sweet. "Mai is not use to the changes that you have made with your life. I'm sure this is what is wrong with you as well. Both of you just have to try to come to some type of compromise so that this change will be easier. Besides, if it wasn't for you I would have gone crazy by now with all my 'mood swings'. I need someone to talk to once in a while so that I can realize that things are not as bad as they seem in my head. You are that person for me. Now you just need to find a way to make him work for Mai as well."
Katara gave Zuko as friendly smile as she let him go and walked over to the book shelf again.
"Thanks Katara," Zuko said softly. "You're my go to person as well. By the way, you need to be looking in the mirror when you say some of this stuff."
"True." Katara said. Then suddenly she jumped to her feet. "I have an idea. Mai doesn't know that you're here yet. I can put together a party as repayment for everyone helping me. You can hide when they come back and surprise her later."
"I said look in a mirror meaning you and Aang, not have a party to surprise Mai so you can wear a new outfit." Zuko said sarcastically.
"Oh, very funny. When I have the party I can get some quality time with Aang. I can make all his favorite food and we can play his favorite games; it will be fun!"
Zuko looked at Katara knowing she had gone into full party planner mode.
"I don't know Katara…"
"Okay, we only have a little time left. I will start cooking, I'm going to need you to boil some water, and then you finish cleaning. We have to hurry so that everything is done before they return." Katara was obviously not listening to Zuko. He surrender and they committed to setting up the party.