Ah, the last bit of part three. As I promised snowyleopard, I'll get some chapters out just for you. Well, you do seem to be my best reviewer and assure me that my stories go well. Anyway, last bit of part three for the sake of repetition, enjoy.
XIII. Katara's legs had rested enough to resume pacing again. Zuko stood and watched her. "Would you stop? You're making me dizzy!"
Katara halted briefly. "I'm sorry. I'm just…"
"Scared?" Katara's silence told him he'd guessed correctly. "It's ok to be scared."
"I don't want to be afraid. I fear my fear more than what makes me afraid… if that makes sense."
Zuko nodded. "We'll get out of here. You just have to be patient."
"Ok." They had gotten closer than they'd thought. A loud rumble and crash erupted into the cavern. Katara spun around. Aang and Iroh emerged from the dust. "Aang!" Katara ran and embraced him. Aang's eyes were glued to Zuko. He didn't like the way Zuko was looking at Katara. He glared. Zuko glared back.
"We have to get out of here," Aang insisted.
"You go," Iroh told him. "We'll catch up." He turned to Zuko. "Well?"
"I-" Zuko began, but he was interrupted.
Azula and two Dai Lee agents joined them. Iroh was swiftly imprisoned in the haunting green crystals.
"Let him go," Zuko demanded.
"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko, Prince Zuko. You're a lot of things, but you're no traitor. Are you, Zuko?"
"Let him go!"
"Zuko, I've planned every moment of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history. I need you, Zuko. The only way we win is together. Join me and you can redeem yourself. It's not too late for you."
"Don't listen to her, Zuko. The kind of redemption she offers is not for you!" Iroh shouted.
"Why don't you let him decide?" Azula shot at him. "Zuko, by the end of the day you can have everything you have ever wanted. You would be a hero. You would have your honor. You would have father's love."
"Please, Zuko," Iroh begged. "Look inside yourself and see what you truly want."
"You are free to decide," Azula said. She walked away after Aang and Katara. The Dai Lee left and closed the earth door behind them.
"Zuko, what will you do?" Iroh asked softly.
Zuko sighed. "Azula always lies. I don't trust her. She's crazy and she needs to go down."
"So how do we go about this?"
"We can't beat her. She has the Dai Lee in her pocket."
"So you can't cross her," Iroh concluded.
"I'll have to play along for both our safety."
"What about Aang and Katara?"
"I don't want to hurt Katara. I promised I wouldn't let Azula hurt her."
"You can go in and discreetly keep Azula from getting in too many hits. When they're almost defeated, I'll hold you off while they escape and then you can capture me."
"Then when it's safe, we'll escape. When the time is right."
Iroh nodded and Zuko began to cut him free of the crystals. "It'll work."
"It'll break Katara's heart," Zuko said sadly. "I wish I could tell her."
"If she truly loves you, which I believe she does, she'll understand later."
"Thank you, Uncle. For everything. You are more like a father than mine ever was."
XIV. The hiss of lightning told Aang and Katara that Azula had come. They blocked her blast with water from the nearby canals that ran throughout Old Ba Sing Se. Her blue fire was coming. Aang and Katara blocked it with a wave. Azula was engulfed in a cloud of thick steam. Aang and Katara watched. Katara's water was ready. They tensed. Azula burst thought the steam and landed between them. An apprehensive silence ensued, waiting for the first move. The steam cleared. They stood in their tense triangle, waiting.
Orange fire broke the stillness. Zuko had come. Hope rose in Katara's chest. Zuko looked at each of the three. His gaze landed on Aang. In that split second as his muscles tensed, they knew. Zuko was not fighting with them. Azula smiled. Katara's heart broke.
Everything I thought I knew
Changed the day that I met you
All my rides and fake tattoos
I thought we were so damn cool
Katara had no time to grieve. She had to fight. She moved to anger quickly. Zuko was attacking Aang. Katara's anger found its outlet in Azula. If Azula was confused by why the waterbender had hardened, she did not reveal it. More likely, she knew exactly why.
I'd get right back on the airplane
The Greyhound bus
The subway train
If I thought it'd ease the pain
Katara's waterwhips slashed viciously at Azula. Sharp enough to catch and sever her bangs as she narrowly dodged the ferocious onslaught of Katara's fury. Azula was shocked by the waterbender's skill.
I'm not someone you ignore
Give us what we came here for
Pick my heart up off the floor
Give us what we came here for
Zuko didn't want to hurt Katara. He didn't want to do this, but it was the only way. Zuko pushed the Avatar away with his fire. He kept his eye on Katara and Azula. Katara was doing fine. She was amazing. If only I could tell you, he thought as he knocked Aang back into the crystals.
Nothing less and nothing more
Just give me what I came here for
Katara caught Azula's arm in a large water tube as she tried to put forth another blast. Azula spun trying to free herself for the aquatic grasp, but Katara caught her leg as well. Azula rose into the air, but well-timed fireblasts from Zuko severed the connection. Azula fell with a satisfying, but unfortunately safe, thunk. Both she and Aang were rising to their feet. Katara and Zuko's gazes locked. Azula took off after Aang. Katara felt a rage boil up inside her.
Every time I look at you
I forget what I'm supposed to do
Waterwhips and firewhips clashed menacingly.
"I thought you changed!" Katara shouted.
"I have," Zuko answered. I'll tell you later. I don't want to hurt you. This is the only way.
I can turn around and walk away
And break my heart
But who's to say
You'll notice anyway
Aang was knocked away by Azula. Azula rounded on Zuko and Katara. It was time for her to finish this.
I'm not someone you ignore
Give us what we came here for
Pick my heart up off the floor
Give us what we came here for
Azula and Zuko's combined fireblasts overpowered Katara's watershield. She fell back and her hair cam undone.
Nothing less and nothing more
Give me what I came here for
Nothing less and nothing more
Give me what I came here for
Azula and Zuko were distracted by a loud rumble of earth. Aang was riding and enormous earth wave back to the fight. Katara struggled to her feet, her body fighting every inch of the way.
One step in and one step out
One thing's clear beyond a doubt
Aang pitched forward without warning and the Dai Lee came from everywhere. Zuko and Azula left for Aang and a small cluster of Dai Lee circled Katara. She pulled the water around her into long tentacles. Aang gazed at the overwhelming forces around him. His eyes rested on Katara. There were too many of them. He knew what he had to do. He sat down and locked himself in a glowing dome of green crystals. It burst open at the top and he began to rise.
I had happiness and now I'm just
About to watch IT BURN
Aang fell. Azula had struck him with lightning. Her fingers trailed the tell-tale smoke. "NO!" Katara called every bit of water to her in a massive wave. She rode it to Aang, catching his as he fell. Tears stained her eyes.
I'd get right back on the airplane
The Greyhound bus
The subway train
If I thought it'd ease the pain
If I thought it'd ease the pain
Zuko and Azula stood still. They looked ready to attack. Katara turned her gaze to Zuko. Her eyes spoke volumes. She looked defeated, jaded.
I'm not someone you ignore
Give us what we came here for
Pick my heart up off the floor
Give us what we came here for
I'm not someone you ignore
Give us what we came here for
Pick my heart up off the floor
Give us what we came here for
You lied, Katara thought. You lied, Zuko, you lied. Fire blocked Azula from continuing her attack. Iroh stood between them. "You have to get out of here! I'll hold them off as long as I can!" Katara carried Aang to the waterfall as Iroh defended their escape.
Nothing less and nothing more
Give me what I came here for
Nothing less and nothing more
Give me what I came here for
Nothing less and nothing more
Give me what I came here for
Katara escaped. Sokka, Toph, and the Earth King found them above ground and they fled on Appa. Tears streaked Katara's eyes as she pulled out her oasis water. She used it to try and heal the wound on Aang's back. It seeped in, but nothing happened. No. The arrows tattooed all over him began to glow and he breathed in. They fled Ba Sing Se, not knowing where to go. Katara cried. Zuko had not hurt her physically, but he had stabbed her in the heart.
XV. "It has taken one hundred years, but we have finally conquered Ba Sing Se," Azula declared.
Her words made him want to vomit but Zuko fought down the urge to empty his stomach. He had a role to play. "I betrayed Uncle," he said, adding a tone of uncertainty for good measure.
"You didn't betray him. He betrayed you. You will be welcomed home as a war hero," Azula lied.
"But I don't have the Avatar. What if father doesn't restore my honor?" Zuko insisted.
"He doesn't need to. Today you restored your own honor."
Azula always lies, he told himself. "Thank you, Azula. I'm going to retire for the evening. It's been a long day."
"Of course. Pick any room you want."
"Good night, sister."
"Good night, Zuko."
Zuko left. He picked the firs room he came to. He locked the door and went out to the balcony. He stared up at the stars and the moonless sky. It had gone too far. The Avatar could be dead. Everything felt so dark. It brought to mind another song his mother used to sing. He breathed deeply and began to sing the words that echoed in his memories:
Such a lonely day
And it's mine
The most loneliest day of my life
He thought of Katara. The look in her eyes.
Such a lonely day
Should be banned
It's a day that I can't stand
The look of betrayal had struck deep into his core.
The most loneliest day of my life
The most loneliest day of my life
If he could take it all away, he would.
Such a lonely day
Shouldn't exist
It's a day that I'll never miss
He prayed she could forgive him and understand why. He prayed that the Avatar lived.
Such a lonely
And it's mine
The most loneliest day of my life
She had to believe him. He didn't know what he might do if she didn't. He loved her. Loved her. Love. Her.
And if you go
I wanna go with you
And if you die
I wanna die with you
Take your hand and walk away
If he could have said. If she could have known. If she could read minds. It tore him apart to hurt her like that. He had broken her heart.
The most loneliest day of my life
The most loneliest day of my life
The most loneliest day of my life
He could only hope, only pray, that she would let him heal her broken heart and let him love her again. That she would love him again.
Such a lonely day
And it's mine
It's a day I'm glad I survived
Zuko allowed one word to escape his lips before returning to the indoors. "Katara."
Aiie. According to my friend who reads this before you all (sorry, she has access to my notebooks). If you weren't sure the bolded stuff was song lyrics in this chapter. The first song being, "What We Came Here For" by Damone and the second being "Lonely Day" by System of A Down. Two excellent bands, of course, all the music I use is excellent and I highly recommend it. Other than that, stay tuned for the next chapter, in which I delve into season 3, my way. Oh and check out Zuko the Magician. I've finally got around to putting up the chapter I've had written for about a week. I know I'm a lazy ass. Anyway, please do review for my smiles are excellent when review induced. :D only bigger than that! \(O O)/
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