Ugh finally! Sorry about the month long wait folks :( i really did intend to update alot sooner, but do to my files getting erased twice and being a pain, its took me forever to rewrite and get this one chapter up. Luckily, i also managed to write most of my last chapter during that time so I will be able to update either before or on Halloween.
Also sorry to anyone whos been trying to contact me, but like I said, fanfiction has been giving me problems so ive been unable to log in. I'll respond to you guys when I can :)
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Chapter 21: Transformations
As Jet fell to his doom, Katara held firmly onto Zuko as he dangled over the edge of the balcony. Zuko tried pulling himself up but the pain in his side was so unbearable, it was making him black out. Seeing him lose consciousness, Katara used all of her remaining strength to lift Zuko over the railing and onto the balcony.
Both fell onto the hard stone, soaked from the falling rain and totally exhausted. Katara rushed to Zuko who was barely conscious and carefully flipped him onto his back. She tried desperately to revive him and then noticed the knife that was still stuck in his side.
Just then, Sokka, Suki and Iroh rushed onto the balcony and gasped in horror when they saw Zuko laying unconscious on the ground and covered in blood.
"Master!" Suki and Sokka cried out.
"Zuko!" Iroh cried rushing to his nephews side. "Are you alright? What happened?"
The servants then watched as Katara removed a long bloody knife from Zuko's side and used the rain water around her to heal his stab wound.
However despite closing it up, Zuko's body began to convulse as he let out a cry of pain.
Trying to keep him still, Katara looked over his wound and saw that it had turned a nasty shade of green and purple. His breathing also got harder and as she felt his pulse, she could tell he was getting weaker by the minute.
"Something's wrong!" Katara said in a panicked tone. "He's getting worse!"
"But you stopped the bleeding." Sokka asked looking down at his master. "Why isn't he getting better?"
Iroh then noticed a gleam out of the corner of his eye and spotted the knife Katara pulled out of Zuko along with its oddly shaped handle. Hoping towards it, Iroh saw a button on its side and pressed it. The handle then popped off and out fell a small vial of green liquid.
"This is the why." Iroh said gesturing toward the knife. "Come look." Sokka and Suki rushed over to Iroh and gasped when they saw the small vial.
Katara stayed with Zuko, but looked over. "What is it?"
"Oh no." Suki gasped. "That's-"
"SpiderSnake venom." Iroh said grimly. "A deadly poison hunters use to take down large animals. It kills in a matter of minutes…and there's no cure."
"So Zuko's…" Sokka said, unable to finish his sentence.
Katara's eye widened in fear as Zuko's breathing shallowed. Looking over his beaten and bloodied form, Katara felt a tear go down her cheek as she knelt down and gently lifted him into her arms. From the side, Sokka, Suki and Iroh watched with sad heavy hearts as Katara cradled their dying master.
"Zuko?" Katara asked tenderly putting a hand on his face.
At first Zuko didn't respond but then let out a weary groan as he turned to look at her.
"Katara…you…came back?"
"Of course I came back. I couldn't let them…oh this is all my fault!" Katara said holding him close. "If only I had gotten here sooner."
"Don't blame yourself..." Zuko put a shaky hand on her shoulder as he hugged her back. "Maybe…maybe it's better this way-"
"No! Don't talk like that." Katara said sternly. "You're going to be alright. We're together now, everything is going to be fine."
Zuko could tell she was lying and reached up to stroke her cheek with his claw. "At least I get to see you one last time."
"Zuko..." Katara said, unable to stop her tears.
We are home. We are where we shall be foreverTrust in me for you know I won't run awayFrom today, this is all that I needAnd all that I need to say
Don't you know how you've changed me?Strange how I finally seeI found home...You're my homeStay with me
As Katara smiled down at him, she noticed something strange with Zuko's arm, which was no longer covered by his charred sleeve. Not only was it bright red…but it was also covered in smooth reptilian like scales.
"Zuko…what's wrong with your arms…and your legs…and your body." She said suddenly noticing the scaly redness on all of his exposed skin. At first she thought it was the poison, but then she spotted his tail which laid out on the ground and curved behind his back.
Realizing he couldn't keep his secret any longer, Zuko began reaching toward his face.
"Don't move, you'll make the pain worse." Katara said putting his hand back down.
Zuko then looked up at her, "Katara…take off my mask."
"What?" Katara asked.
"Please…I want to see you just once…with my own eyes…" he said softly.
Obeying his wish, Katara leaned down and undid the back of Zuko's Spirit mask before lifting it off his face.
Katara's eyes widened in surprised as she saw that not only did Zuko's face have the same scaly redness as the rest of his body, but he also had long pointed ears, sharp fangs, curved horns and a smushed in snout. In whole, he looked a lot like the dragon creatures one would see in a fairy tale book.
As Zuko looked up at her expecting the worse, Katara noticed his eyes which were a bright gold. The one on the left was covered by what appeared to be a burn scar. Although they showed pain and sadness, they still gleamed and sparkled like the sun and Katara felt her heart melt.
"I…was going to tell you...but I was afraid if you saw me like this..." Zuko wheezed before letting out a rough cough.
Katara gently shushed him and ran her fingers over his smooth scales. "You don't have to explain anything to me."
Zuko smiled as he ran his claws through her hair. "You look beautiful…"
Katara smiled back as a tear slid down her cheek. "So do you."
Zuko smiled serenely before letting out a loud painful gasp. Turning sickly pale, Zuko closed his eyes as he fell back onto Katara's lap. His hand slid from Katara's face and fell limply to ground. With one final breath, he became still.
Katara's eyes widened in shock and she shook her head in disbelief. "No! NO! ZUKO!" she then tried shaking him but he remained limp. "Zuko please! Wake up!"
"Katara." Sokka said sadly putting a candlestick on her arm. "He's gone…"
"ZUKO!!!" Katara screamed into the rainy night as she held his limp body in her arms.
Sokka then watched helplessly as Katara cried loudly onto Zuko's chest. From behind, Iroh began tearing up and turned away as Suki knelt down to comfort him.
Heavy tears fell from Katara's eye's as she looked down at Zuko. "Please…please don't leave me. You can't…" Gingerly, she lifted his head up and held him close.
"I love you."
Looking at his scaly red face, Katara leaned down and pressed her lips against his, kissing him gently.
From behind them, the last and final rose petal fell from the stem. Sokka, Suki and Iroh watched sadly as the rose finished wilting and then stared teary eyed back at Katara and Zuko.
As Katara cried over Zuko, a small break in the clouds formed revealing the setting moon.
Suddenly a light wind began to blow down and magically lifted up the bell jar, sweeping all the fallen rose petals into the air. The petals then swirled around Zuko's discarded Spirit mask, lifting it up to the sky and toward the moon where Princess Yue stood.
The Spirit mask fell gently into her open palms while the rose petals swirled slowly around her. Looking down at the mask and at the fallen prince below, Yue thought back to the spell she had cast long ago.
'If you can learn to love another, and earn their love in return by the time the last petal falls…the spell will be broken..'
Closing her eyes and concentrating, the mask floated into the air, turned a bright gold and burst into a hundred pieces. Mixing with the rain, the golden sparks began to rain down upon the castle.
As Katara continued to weep, she saw a flash of light out of the corner of her eye. Then another. Then another. Sitting up, she watched as sparks of light began raining down upon her and Zuko, growing brighter and brighter with each drop.
Suddenly, rose petals appeared and began swirling around Zuko's body causing him to levitate off the ground. Katara moved back and watched in amazement as Zuko's body floated upright into the air. Sokka, Suki and Iroh too watched in awe at the strange event that was happening and held onto each other in anticipation.
The gold sparks then started covering Zuko's body and slowly, he began to change before everyone's eyes. His claws shrunk down ordinary sized finger nails, his red scales became soft pale flesh and his tail completely disappeared. As the last spark touched his face, Zuko's eyes opened and he threw back his head as he let out a gasp for air. In one big final burst of light, his body shined brightly, causing everyone below to shield their eyes.
As the light faded, Katara watched in amazement as Zuko floated gently back to the ground. He managed to land on his feet but stumbled forward and onto his knees. Katara motioned to help him but backed off as he began moving on his own. She watch as he got shakily to his feet and put a hand on his head. Opening is eyes, he looked in amazement at his hand which no longer had claws. He then looked at his other hand, then at his legs and felt his face which was no longer had horns or was red and scaly.
Zuko smiled and started to chuckle as he realized that not only was he alive, but he was human again as well. The spell had been broken!
He then turned to Katara, who looked very confused and somewhat frightened. "Katara!" he exclaimed taking a step towards her. "Katara it's okay…it's me."
Looking him over, Katara cautiously walked forward. She could hardly tell if she was looking at the same person and hesitantly reached up to brush aside Zuko's messy black hair. As she got a better look at his face, she noticed his brilliant golden eyes and the scar that covered the left one. Remembering them from before, she smiled now knowing for sure who he was.
"It is you!" she then hugged him tightly. "Oh Zuko, I thought I lost you..."
"You almost did...but never again." Zuko said holding her in his arms. "You saved me Katara...in more ways then one. I want us never to be apart again." Zuko then stood back and grasped Katara's hands as he got on his knees. "Katara, will you marry me?"
Katara's eyes lit up joyously "Yes! Yes Zuko yes!" Zuko smiled and picked her up in his arms, spinning her around in the air as she laughed merrily.
As he set her back down, they both looked deeply into each others eyes.
"I love you Katara." Zuko said brushing her hair back behind her ear.
"And I love you." Katara said gently stroking his cheek.
Smiling back at each other, Zuko and Katara leaned in slowly, wrapped their arms around one another and shared their first real kiss.
As soon as their lips touched, the ground around them began to glow and the sparks of light reappeared. Spinning quickly around them, the sparks shot off into the sky and exploded in brilliant burst of light. A shower of gold then rained down and began covering everything around them.
Suddenly the entire castle began to change before their eyes, transforming from dark and dreary to light and vibrant. Stone turned to marble, Gargoyles turned to Angels and the clouds parted to reveal the first morning rays of the sun.
As Zuko and Katara looked around in awe, they heard a pop and turned to see an elderly man with a grey beard looking bewilderdly back at them and then at his hands.
"Uncle?" Zuko asked walking toward the man.
"Zuko look!" Iroh exclaimed happily. "Hands! I have HANDS!!"
Smiling, Zuko ran up to his uncle and hugged the jolly old man. Just then there was another pop and suddenly a tall young woman in a green dress and make-up appeared.
"Suki!" Zuko exclaimed.
"I...I don't believe it!" she said looking down at herself. "I'm human again!!" Suki exclaimed excitedly before hugging Zuko, Iroh and Katara.
There was then one final pop and standing beside the balcony was a tall young man wearing a blue outfit and pony tail. He blinked twice and looked down at his arms and hands before touching his face. "Oh my gosh...I'm...I'm gorgeous again! THIS THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!" he shouted before running toward Zuko and giving him a big hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!"
"Sokka...too tight..." Zuko groaned under the bone crushing hug.
"Oops sorry." Sokka said releasing him.
"Iroh! Hey Iroh!" shouted a voice. Everyone turned to look at the door and watched as Aang and Momo entered onto the balcony.
As soon as the sparks of light touched him, Momo swirled around and with a small pop, turned into a small white pointy-eared lemur.
Aang too transformed and with one final pop, turned from a small teacup into a bright eyed young boy. Surprised, he felt his face and the top of his smooth bald head before looking down at his orange shirt and his hands.
"Hands?....Hands!! Look everyone, I have hands!" Aang yelled excitedly.
"That makes two of us!" Iroh said holding his up as well. He then spread his arms wide as Aang ran into them and hugged Iroh tightly.
"It's a miracle!" Iroh proclaimed as he spun Aang around. "The spell is now broken and we are all free!"
As they watched Iroh and Aang laugh and dance around together, Suki elbowed Sokka in the ribs.
"Ow! What was that for?" Sokka asked rubbing his side.
"Don't you think now's the time to tell her?" Suki whispered pointing to Katara.
Getting the hint, Sokka nodded and began moving toward her. "Katara can I talk to you?"
"Yes Sokka?" As Katara looked back at him, Sokka suddenly got nervous and began fidgeting.
"Umm…I uh..." Sokka stuttered before taking a deep breath. "There's something I gotta tell you-"
"Katara!"
Everyone turned around and were surprised to see Hakoda enter the chambers. Recognizing his dad, Sokka quickly hid behind Suki as Hakoda approached them.
"There you are!" Hakoda said to Katara in a relived tone. "Thank goodness your okay. Something really strange is happening around here. All the servants are changing into people and-"
He then stopped when he saw Katara holding Zuko's hand. "Um, what's going on here?" He asked looking at Iroh, Aang and the others as they smiled and waved back at him. "Who are those people?"
Katara smiled and pulled Zuko forward. "Dad...you remember Zuko don't you?"
"Zuko?" Noticing the young man's familiar dark grey outfit, Hakoda's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, you mean he's the..." Katara nodded.
"It's a pleasure to meet you again Mr. Hakoda." Zuko said bowing respectively to him. "I know our first meeting wasn't under the best of circumstances, but I want to let you know that I'm a changed man now. And I'd like to apologize for all the trouble I have caused you."
Although skeptical, Hakoda knew he couldn't hold a grudge. "Well...I guess apology accepted then. After all, you did take care of my daughter."
"That I did sir." Zuko said affectionately holding her hand. "In fact, I would like to take care of her permanently."
"Permanently?" Hakoda asked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"I love Katara sir. And with your blessing, I'd like to marry her." Zuko then put an arm around her waist. "I know she'd make the perfect princess."
"Marry her? Princess? Wait, are you saying...you're a prince?" Zuko nodded.
"Oh my..." Hakoda suddenly felt light headed and sat down wearily rubbed his head, unable to take so much excitement and strangeness in one day.
"Are you alright dad?" Katara asked kneeling beside him.
"I don't know anymore..." Hakoda said shaking his head. "First talking pieces of furniture start turning into people, and now my daughter wants to marry a man who was a demon and now is a prince...I don't know how much more I can take..."
"So I guess now would be a bad time for me to speak right?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Hakoda turned his head toward the servants as he saw Sokka step out from behind Suki. His eye's widening in shock, Hakoda stood up and approached Sokka, looked him over in disbelief. "I don't believe it...Sokka? Is that you?"
"Yeah..." Sokka said nervously rubbing his head. "Hey dad..."
"DAD??" Everyone said at once.
"Sokka did...did you just call him dad?" Katara asked quickly standing up.
"Yeah I did..." As his dad stared at him, Sokka started to feel uncomfortable and tried breaking the ice. "Listen, I know you must have a lot of mixed feelings about seeing me right now. But before you say anything, I just want to chance to explain that-"
He was then cut off as Hakoda grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug.
"Sokka...my son." Hakoda said tears forming in his eyes.
"You're...you're not angry with me?" Sokka asked in surprise. "After all those horrible things I said when I left?"
"We were both wrong in what we said all those years ago. But that's all behind us now." Looking at his full grown son, Hakoda felt an immense joy overtake him. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you right now."
Sokka smiled at him. "I think I do dad." He then noticed Katara who was still looking at him in shock. "You okay Katara?"
Flabbergasted by the revelation, Katara shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'm just a little confused…you mean all this time, you were really-?"
"Yeah. I wish I could've told you sooner, but I had actually forgotten myself." Sokka said bashfully. "But I remember now and I know you remember too Katara...somewhere deep down you know it's me. Think back to when we were little...think back to our mom..." he then reached into his pocket and took out her necklace she had dropped in the hall.
As Katara looked at the blue necklace and thought of her mother, images of a young boy playing in the backyard with her appeared, along with him tying her necklace around her neck.
Then to confirm it, Sokka put the necklace into Katara's hand. "Here…I know mom would want you to have it."
Remembering those words, Katara gasped and covered her mouth in surprise. "I...I don't believe it! It is you!" Katara then hugged Sokka. "I missed you big brother."
"I missed you too sis." Sokka said hugging her back. He then opened his arm to Hakoda and together they shared a sweet family hug.
From the side, Zuko, Suki, Iroh and Aang watched happily as the family was finally reunited.
"Aww, I like happy endings." Iroh said.
"Me too." Aang said as Momo chirped on his shoulder in agreement.
"Looks like you have another in-law to win over Master." Suki whispered to Zuko.
"At least this one you can order to like you." Aang said with a smirk.
"Aang, really." Zuko grinned.
From up in the sky, the ghostly form of Yue appeared and smiled down at the group, satisfied with how everything had turned out. Then with a gust of wind, she disappeared into the morning sky.
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