A: TLA (c) Bryke

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, I only own the plot.

A/N: Happy new year everyone! It was my birthday on New Years Eve and I spent it with my best friend! She's amazing! Thanks for staying with me all the way! The great finale is coming up soon, oooh. Yep, that's right! It doesn't end after Ozai!

The Opposing Elements

Chapter 10 – A Wise Mop Once Told Me

He wasn't entirely sure what to do, he couldn't think. But when he felt a body emerging from the ocean, he held his breath. He wanted to believe it was Katara; he wanted to know she was safe. Pale hands gripped at the edge of ice, his breath escaped him and he collapsed to his knees, he couldn't believe she had lost... He should have helped her! He glared at his father, watching as icy eyes looked into his own, but the man collapsed after a smug smirk had graced his lips. He was half on the ice and Zuko was debating whether to pull him back on, or toe him off the edge and back into the icy depths; instead of either, he just left him there.

His heart had escalated into his throat, he continued to stare at the man lying on the ice, he had been pushed to the point of unconsciousness to defeat Katara, and she had had additional power, so why... Before he even realized, Zuko was palming his eyes, trying to stop the water that escaped. What was he supposed to tell Toph and Aang? They had been shipped off to Omashu to aid in the war...

'Katara should've stayed in power. She should have never tried to help me, I shouldn't have escaped, I shouldn't have left that prison cell, because at least then she wouldn't have followed me. I'm such a fool!' He let his body flop to the side, curling into a loose ball in the snow. His tears were brief and in a small amount, but his lip quivered slightly. Why. Why. WHY! He tightened his shell, wishing for the pain to end; why was he hurting so much? They should've never crossed the border between their nations. They were natural born enemies, so why had he agreed to stand by her side? He closed his eyes, only to re-open them again, her smiling face...

A grunt broke him out of his depressing reverie; he swiftly stood up; taking long strides to grab the firebender out of the water by the collar of his tunic. His eyebrows plummeted in anger; he released one of his hands and forcefully punched Ozai across the jaw. Despite the aggressive punch, Zuko didn't feel better. "WHY!" He screamed in the man's face, Ozai didn't even flinch, he just chuckled; it was a dark and an unwanted sound; so Zuko punched him across the jaw again.

Ozai's cutting eyes just stared into Zuko's, "you honestly didn't think that she could win against me. Katara was weak; she let her emotions manipulate her,"

"Don't say her name!" The shout surprised Ozai and a brief flicker of fear appeared on his face; he covered it with a scowl of indifference. Zuko looked away, unable to face him when his tears began welling up again.

"Even you're weak. Crying for your enemy," Zuko forced back the lump in his throat, facing Ozai once more.

"I hate you," with that, he released Ozai, dropping him back onto the ice. He turned his back on Ozai with his head down. He began trudging back towards the village; back towards failure.

She growled, punching her fists against the solid walls of her 'prison'. "Let me out!" The mop of brown hair just continued playing with the rock in his palm, shaping it into all sorts of shapes; he was ignoring her! She heated her palms discreetly, desperately trying to get back to the South Pole. Funnily enough, despite her prison being rock, it was completely transparent; it freaked her out slightly.

The rock wouldn't even melt underneath her fingers! Not that she expected it to... With a huff, she cropped to her bum and crossed her arms over her chest, a scowl planted on her face. Zuko probably thought she was dead now! "Look, whoever you are," she hadn't managed to get a look at his face yet, "but thanks for saving me. If you're kind enough, I need to be let go so I can go back to the South Pole for my friend-"

"You can't." She bared her teeth, but in a confusing way. Why was this prison so confusing? Shouldn't it have been soundproof?

"What?" The Mop shook his head; then he turned to face her. Darker-than-brown eyes greeted her; green strips of colour highlighted his high cheekbones, his hair cupped his face. If she was to rate him out of his looks, he'd be standing with the Gods.

"You're not ready for what's waiting for you." Then he turned back to ignoring her. She frowned and uncrossed her arms, her brain trying to calculate his words.

She exhaled slowly, "what's waiting for me?" He let out a deep chuckle.

"Blood, Katara."

He held his mother closely, letting her cry into his shoulder. She clutched at his robes with desperation, he had to squeeze his eyes shut otherwise he would've joined her. "Mom, please stop." Ursa choked, hearing the strained voice of Zuko.

"I'm sorry." Ursa pulled away and began scrubbing at her eyes, turning around to distract her self with pulling the furs straight on her bed. She faced Zuko; only she found him gone.

"Are you going to let me out?" Katara's eyebrow twitched as the boy continued to ignore him. "Look, I know you can hear me! Stop being such a wise bastard and explain!" The sentence came out as a snarl, but it got Mop's attention.

"Katara, how do you feel about killing?" She froze, her gaze immediately switched to the dirt ground beneath her feet.

"I-I-I... I've never killed anyone before." She seemed to rasp out another word that he couldn't quite grasp.

"Care to repeat that?"

"I haven't killed anyone directly!" Tears were welling in her eyes, so she turned her face away. "I've severely injured someone, and when they went to get healed; they died in the process." Mop's expression turned to one of sympathy, a gently smirk flirting on his face a moment later.

"As long as it was justified, then you're fine."

"How can you say that so nonchalantly!?" He glared at her; it was a heavy look that didn't look playful or boyish any more.

"Because, Katara, when you're forced in to a situation where you have but one choice, you learn the true hard-ships of justified killing." Katara shut her mouth; only for it to open a second later.

"Who was it?" He looked at her with a surprised look on her face, her eyes held the sympathy he had shown her.

"It was my brother." She gasped, her hand coming across her mouth to gold it in; it wasn't one of those over-dramatic gasps, just a barely audible sound. He released her out of her box, letting her take in fresh air from the trees surrounding her.

"I-"

"Don't try to say anything. Anyway, if you've killed someone – be it indirectly or in person – you need to be able to stomach the guilt and burden. You need to be ready to carry the burden."

"I really don't understand. Why are you saying such things? Am I to kill someone or something?"

"'Or something?'" He looked at her, scanning her from top to bottom as if he was trying to figure her out. "You're the Firenation princess, you are supposed to want the best for your country, and what is that?"

"Equality,"

"And...?"

"Freedom." He smirked at her.

"So you're not as stupid as I originally thought." She glared at him.

"I really need to get back to my friend now," she began walking down the muddy path of the forest, only to be blocked by a thick wall of rock. "I haven't got time to play with you! My friend thinks I'm dead!" She twirled and brought her hands up, "let me leave or face the consequences," her hands flickered into white flames, she show-cased them; they were covered in threats.

He scowled, "go ahead and try it," so she did. She brought her arms out and gave out a war cry. Immediately, she dashed for him, her eyes mentally melting him where he stood. He brought a wall of rock into her path, and without missing a beat, she ran up, front-flipping and landing back on her feet. The rock-wall slammed into the ground once again. "Not bad Princess," she growled. She threw multiple flames at him, he counter-attacked with columns of rock being hurdled at her. She hissed as one pushed into the edge of her ribs, making her cough out blood. Something cracked, but she carried on. "Oh wait, you betrayed your nation to run after your peasant lover! Talk about forbidden romance!" Mop dramatically swooned, managing to dodge furious flame licking fireballs by inches. "He must've been good, or you two must've been so in love to do such a thing! Which brings me back to something, you're only fourteen!" His taunts and remarks were making her furious! Smoke visibly streamed out of her nostrils.

Without a second thought, her speed increased and she managed to dodge the powerful, breath-taking rock-columns out of the way. She watched as Mop's eyes widened in surprise, she smirked, then she blew flame at him, expecting it to burn his face, she was too engrossed in her victory to notice the three rock-balls pelting towards her. One hit her in her right shoulder, the other knocked her ankle from under her, and the final one narrowly missed her head.

She groaned and rolled over, her anger raging to dangerous levels as Mop appeared before her, a stern expression on his face. "That's your problem Katara," he sighed, "your power; it's fuelled by your emotions. You can't win like this." After finishing his speech, he turned and began walking away, hands in his pockets. She pulled herself up, clutching at her ribs. She glanced at his green-clad back, metal shells embraced his shoulders and an orange sash was emphasizing his waist. She looked into each detail carefully; into him. His boots were scuffed, his bare arms were shadowed in green lines; two on each wrist; two on each bicep...

"Wait," he stopped, looking over his shoulder at her. "Teach me." He rolled his eyes.

"Come on, lets get your ribs looked at," he held out his bronzed hand; palm upwards. It looked trustworthy, and it looked worthwhile.

"Okay." She took his hand albeit reluctantly, and he led the way on a slab of rock.

"Dead?" Hakoda threw a menacing glare at the newly promoted Admiral, Hakoda's eyes were slits; anger was raging inside him. "How can she be dead?" The kneeling man looked up.

"I killed her myself, Firelord Hakoda."

"I take your word for it, Admiral Ozai."

"Katara's gone." Sokka looked up from his scroll; his mouth hanging open as he saw Zuko – Zuko, who lived over a thousand miles away – was standing before him. Then the news cracked through his skull.

"What do you mean gone?" Sokka arose from his seat, his golden eyes glared into sorrowful blue.

"She's dead, Sokka." Sokka stepped back, walking into the table behind him; he grasped on to the splintered edges of the cheap wood. Toph grasped his forearm, only for it to be slapped away. He brought a palm up to his one eye, covering it and staring at the floor.

"I've failed..." He leaned into the table.

Zuko looked to the side, "no Sokka, I did. I failed her. I said I'd protect her, I didn't." Aang suddenly came bursting in, his sightless eyes wide.

"Firenation soldiers have infiltrated the border! Omashu's falling!" That was the last words spoken before they were forced into a fight with dozens of soldiers.

Before Zuko had a bag forced over his head, he let out final words, "I failed you, Katara. And now, I've failed the world."

"It's not much," Mop gestured to his little hut; it consisted of a bed – with frayed covers – and a large couch that looked surprisingly comfy. An open fireplace stood; black and heatless with logs ready to be burned. She turned to face Mop; he was shrugging his metal shells off, his sash being removed and hung on a hook straight after.

"So, what's your name?" He looked at her with a dumb-founded look, "you haven't told me it yet, and you somehow know mine, so I'd feel more comfortable if we were on the same level." His eyebrows waggled suggestively then, she felt a blush creep up her neck, but she forced it back down, determined to not let him win this round, too.

"Please, I was going easy on you!" She closed her eyes, refusing to look at him. She could practically feel his smirk around her. She growled. "You're such an oxymoron,"

"Well, I do live around trees." Her eyes shot open in a deep glare, immediately, she gasped as her foot caught on a root of a tree, she yelped and readied herself for the fall; only to be caught in a soft half-embrace. She glanced up through her lashed at Mop, his soul-eating eyes were wide and surprised, his arms were locked underneath her shoulders and with a little tug, and he had her standing up again. He coughed, releasing her. He quickly turned and carried on walking. "Don't make tree jokes; they already hate you for being a wielder of fire." He threw a smirk back at her.

She threw a little ball of flame at the fireplace; it ignited almost instantaneously.

"Call me Jet,"

"Jet." She tested it on her tongue, and then she shrugged. "Jet, what are you going to teach me?" The innocent question surprised Jet, when he looked at her, he truly saw that she was still fourteen, despite her power and anger and rage.

"I'm taking away the reason you fight," she went to interrupt, but he held a finger up; silencing her, "because I'm going to make you see your true reason." She nodded, sitting down on the couch.

She turned to look at him, "so, what's my reason?" He flicked her in the forehead.

"I said you, not me. Get up; I'm going to teach you some earth bending moves."

"Why?"

"Because you can outdo your enemy if you know more than just your natural element." Rolling her eyes, she pulled her hair into a high pony-tail, walking out of the hut on his tail. He even left his armour, huh.

"Again!" She ground her knuckles into the dirt, her feet were slipping on the mud and her boots were screaming in torture. She should've never met him. He was a masochist. She had a rope wrapped around her waist; it was biting into her bare skin. She was currently in her under-wrappings; the rope was attached to a rock that was bigger than her. He was forcing her to move it.

"When you said earth bending moves, I assumed you meant throwing the rock columns like earlier, perhaps I could do that?"

"You're too optimistic."

Another five hours of rock pulling was gruelling; so when she turned in at dusk, she felt relieved.

"Fifty more!" She growled, pushing her body to the ground and lifting it up again. She had been doing press-ups for the last three hours none-stop! She had to have done at least 400. She growled into the dirt as her arms gave under the constant strain. She hated Jet.

Day after day, Jet had put her through constant tasks that were so pointless; she thought she was going to go mad. He kept repeating the same words "once you understand, you'll move on," hell, she didn't even know what she was supposed to understand!

Katara awoke as she heard a knocking on the door; it wouldn't stop, either. Jet was out and she was having trouble with getting enough sleep as it was! With that, she stood and walked over to the door; pulling it open. A little boy stood there, a scroll in his hands. "Is Jet in?" He didn't seem fazed that she was currently in his house, she shook her head. "Okay, hand this to him, please?" She nodded, taking the scroll and shutting the door as the boy sprinted off. She set it down on the couch. She groaned as she realized she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep now.

She walked over to Jet's closet, pulling out one of his brown long-sleeved shirt; she threw it over her head and pulled her crimson pants on. She wrapped the orange sash around her waist and slid her knife into it. She opened the door and walked into the cold-night air, it bit into her skin, so she warmed herself up.

After finding a decent spot, she began the training she had been dong by herself for the last couple of days. She remembered Jet's form of when he had threw the columns at her. She pushed her right foot forward, her toe pointing straight ahead; she brought her left hand up, clenching it quickly. Columns of fire suddenly ignited around her; she inwardly rewarded herself, finally! She turned her fist vertically, the columns following the movement, then she kicked her left foot forward; her right hand – palm flat and facing the air – out; it sent the columns flying into nothing. She did a minor happy dance.

This time, she remembered Toph's form; the one where she had created a slice of air that could cut through anything because it was so fine. She dragged her feet back together, holding her hands parallel but not bending her wrists, she exhaled slowly. She summoned her fire and it coated her hands, and with a quick exhale, she dragged her hands apart, crating a blade of fire that hurdled towards a tree. She watched in satisfaction as is sliced through it without even burning it.

Her element flickered out as she remembered Zuko's form; how he had kept a constant wave of water barraging towards a soldier. She ignited her power again, spreading her arms wide; she pushed her right foot forward and turned it horizontally. She brought her right hand scooping under her arm up first, a strip of fire following her movements, then her left hand. Soon enough, she had constant waves of embers flowing into nothing.

"You're ready," she gasped, turning to face Jet. He had a small smile on his face, "we better hurry to the Capital if you want to stop your friends and brother being caught in a slaughter." Her eyes widened. He held up the scroll. She ran over to it, ripping it out of his hands.

'Hey Jet, I don't have time for formalities, but I, Aang, Sokka and Zuko have been captured by Hakoda. The bastard had infiltrated Omashu and brought it to its knees. We found out that Katara's dead and that Ozai is back with the Firelord. He's been bragging about the fact that he killed Katara for a while now. I feel like our hope has been lost, now. I genuinely thought we'd have a shot at bringing the Capital down with her on our side. Now, we're waiting for our execution date. I need you to stay out of this fight, please. We've already had three rounds of torturing from Hakoda because he has a suspicion about Katara's death; he's saying we're hiding her. Anyway, I'll see you in the afterlife, old friend.'

"They think I'm dead."

"See why I made you stay here? Now we have two elements of surprise."

"Two?"

"Never mind." The coy grin Jet showed her made her feel like he was hiding something big. But with her friends on the road to their death, she didn't particularly care.

"Lets do this."

This was really exciting to write, for some bizarre reason... T.T Anyway, review please! Tell me what you think?

Until next time.

BlackTorment