Home stretch guys! Sozin's Comet is here! Props to anyone who spots the Dr. Who reference in here (and there was a Hamilton reference last chapter but I cut it out...Yes I'm a geek and I'm proud of it)
Problem with Kataang #346 - Can we talk about the cultural tolerance? How is it that no one talks about Aang's complete disregard for Katara's culture? Mainly the diet, the significance of furs as clothing and a neccessity, the warrior history that is crucial to the growth and identity of every young person in the southern tribe... All of this Aang has either stuck his nose up at or they go against his own convictions as an air monk. So did Katara just disregard this and leave her people and culture behind when she married Aang? Not bashing Kataang, just bringing up a legitimate argument. K rant over, but I'd love to hear your thoughts.
The comet was approaching. It was only days away now and Zuko started to become more and more stressed. He and Katara still made meals and cleaned up together, but their conversations had become strained ever since their argument the week before.
Katara purposely steered clear of talking about Aang or the war. As for Aang, Zuko's teaching became a bit more intense as he knuckled down a bit on the boy. It was crunch time, not to mention Zuko wasn't too pleased with the whole incident at the theater. That morning, after an especially hard training session, Katara took Zuko aside.
"You're going really hard right now. Don't you think you ought to ease up a bit?" Katara asked. Zuko just stared at her blankly.
"No" he said simply. Katara frowned. OK. There was no arguing with that. She sat down with the others after breakfast to make some drinks and watch the next training session. Everyone had started to pick up the lounge life over the weeks at the island, and they were enjoying the relaxation.
Everyone except Zuko. He was barking orders at Aang and didn't slow down the pace at all. Katara slapped on a smile and held up the drinks she had made for both Zuko and Aang.
"Who wants a nice cool glass of watermelon juice?" She called.
"Oh, me! Me!" Aang called in excitement. He turned to run to the porch but Zuko caught him by the collar.
"Hey!" Zuko growled, his glare turning from Aang up to Katara. She was not making this easy. It was infuriating. "Your lessons not over yet! Get back here!"
"Come on, Zuko. Just take a break. What's the big deal?" Sokka asked. The boy was leaned back on the steps next to Suki looking quite relaxed. Zuko had been outvoted and his eyebrow turned down into a scowl. Sozin's comet was right around the corner, but sure. It's a great time to relax.
"Fine" he relented. He released Aang and watched as the boy eagerly ran up to accept his treat. "If you want to lounge around like a bunch of snail sloths all day, then go ahead!" He added angrily. He turned and started walking towards the beach. He had a spot on the cliff where he meditated and he needed to go there now and cool off.
He was doing his breathing exercises and his temper finally started to cool down. That's when he heard the shouts and laughter and splashing. He opened his eyes and looked down at the beach. They were playing. All of them, even Katara. What was wrong with these kids? They needed a wake up call.
"Check out my Appa sand sculpture!" Aang called to Toph. Appa groaned and turned away from his sand likeness. They had decided it was safe enough to take Appa out for the morning. The bison needed to stretch. Toph grinned, able to pick out the large form in the sand. She had continued to practice her sandbending and had grown quite proficient. She was about to show Aang how proficient.
"Not bad, Baldy" Toph said, using a nickname she knew Aang despised. "But I've been working on my sandbending" she reminded him as she cracked her knuckles in preparation "You're gonna love this." She snapped her fingers instantly sculpting a wide setup of the inner ring of Ba Sing Se. Aang audibly gasped, ignoring the insulting nickname. He knew how hard Toph had worked on her sandbending. This was a work of art.
"Wow! You even made a little Earth King and Bosco!" he said, taking a closer look.
"Try and top that, Sokka" Toph challenged.
Zuko stood to his feet and narrowed his eyes. Toph and Aang were laughing together next to Sokka who had just constructed something in the sand. Zuko took aim and let a fire ball fly with one punch. Aang and Toph shielded their faces from the explosion of sand and Sokka yelped in protest. Zuko jumped down off the cliff and landed on the wet sand. He glared at Aang and the boy quickly scampered away to hide behind the sculpture of Appa.
"What are you doing?" Aang called, poking his head out from behind the tower of sand.
"Teaching you a lesson" Zuko yelled back. He sent another line of fire towards the Appa sand sculpture then tore after the retreating Aang. Aang ran up to the house dodging fire blasts as he ran. He periodically looked over his shoulder in a mixture of panic and confusion. What was Zuko so angry about? Whatever it was, Zuko seemed to be running on pure adrenaline as he scaled up the nearby rock face and pursued Aang to the roof of the beach house.
Aang turned as he waited for Zuko to pop his head up on the roof. He assumed a stance and narrowed his eyes.
"Get a grip before I blast you off this roof!" Aang yelled at Zuko when he caught up.
"Go ahead and do it!" Zuko challenged. He sent another volley of blasts Aang's way and Aang jumped and spun to the other side of the roof, sliding down and pulling himself through a nearby window, just barely missed getting burned. The room was empty as no one was using it as a bedroom, and Aang slid behind an old dresser and waited.
It wasn't long before Zuko crashed through the roof? Spirits, this guy didn't have any chill.
Aang waited a moment before blasting the whole dresser towards Zuko. Zuko demolished the old wood with one punch.
Ok, that didn't work.
His hiding place gone, Aang slid out into the hallway and ran, hoping to make it to the stairs. There was a crackle behind him and soon the entire hallway was engulfed in flames. Aang air bended a bare spot to stand in and turned to face Zuko, his patience reached and his anger finally boiling over. Zuko's temper could've hurt either of them and now he was purposely trying to burn down the house? This didn't feel like a lesson. This felt like a tantrum.
"Enough!" Aang bellowed. He sent a spiral of air forward, blowing Zuko straight down the hall and hard enough to send him through the wall and crashing into the bushes outside. Still ticked, but worried that he might have hurt his friend, Aang ran through the hallway to the remains of the balcony at the end of the hall. He calmed down as he saw Zuko getting up slowly just as the others had come up from the beach.
Katara had heard the commotion and hardly believed it when Sokka told her Zuko was attacking Aang. She ran up the hill, already on the defensive with a scolding forming in her head for the hot-headed fire bender. First he was unnecessarily hard on Aang in training and now he was literally attacking him? Someone came shooting out of the house and into the nearby trees. She broke into a run, concern and anger bubbling to the top.
When she saw Zuko getting up and saw Aang standing on the second floor...through an opening in the wall...ok, that would need to be addressed later...her concern was alleviated leaving only anger.
"What's wrong with you?" Katara exploded at him as Aang jumped down from the porch. Zuko's burning gold eyes met hers. His face was still twisted in a scowl as he got up. "You could have hurt Aang!"
That's all you care about Zuko thought bitterly.
"What's wrong with me?" he yelled. "What's wrong with all of you? How can you sit around having beach parties when Sozin's comet is only three days away?"
The tension and anger in the air dissolved with a pop and the whole group grew silent. Katara's lecture stuck in her throat and her eyes widened. Things had been so tense and she had avoided talking about Aang with Zuko...No one had told him about the change of plans.
"Why are you all looking at me like I'm crazy?" Zuko asked. Aang spoke up first.
"About Sozin's Comet... I was actually gonna wait to fight the Fire Lord until after it came" he admitted, the puzzles fitting into place. Every one else had relaxed since the decision last week to hold off on the attack on the Fire Lord. Aang had just assumed Katara had told Zuko about it. Zuko looked like his brain quite working for a moment.
"...After?" Zuko asked as a pit descended into his stomach.
"I'm not ready" Aang said honestly "I need more time to master firebending."
"And frankly" Toph added "You're earthbending could still use some work too." Aang cringed slightly under the blunt honesty. Leave it to Toph.
"So" Zuko said, his eyes returning to Katara "You all knew Aang was going to wait?" When did this conversation happen? Why didn't she tell me?
"Honestly, if Aang tries to fight the Fire Lord now, he's going to lose" Sokka looked over at Aang. "No offense" he added.
"The whole point of fighting the Fire Lord before the Comet was to stop the Fire Nation from winning the War, but they pretty much won the War when they took Ba Sing Se. Things can't get any worse" Katara explained. Once Zuko understood the reasoning maybe he would calm down.
"You're wrong" Zuko said, turning away from her. "It's about to get worse than you can even imagine."
"What...do you mean?" Katara asked, not liking his foreboding tone.
"The day before the eclipse, my father asked me to attend an important war meeting. It was what I dreamed about for so many years. My father had finally accepted me back" Zuko began. The group sucked in a breath, suddenly hanging on every word. "It was...surreal. I was literally sitting at his right hand" Zuko said, turning again and looking at Katara. She knew more about his history than anyone. She knew the significance of that moment for him.
"It was there that my father proposed a plan to eliminate any hope the Earth Kingdom had to rebel against the Fire Nation. He's going to use the comet to wipe the Earth Kingdom from the map. Turn it to ash. The Fire Nation never wanted to better the world, like they told us. They want to make the world Fire Nation. And they don't care how many people they kill in the process" he sat down as the gravity of his words soaked in. "They've built a Fire Nation air fleet and they're going to lift off at an air strip on an island just outside the earth kingdom. From there they will burn the world."
Everyone was silent. Even Toph looked visibly shaken.
"I wanted to speak out against this horrifying plan, but I'm ashamed to say I didn't" Zuko admitted looking at the ground. If only they knew what had happened the last time he spoke out. "My whole life, I struggled to gain my father's love and acceptance, but once I had it, I realized I'd lost myself getting there. I'd forgotten who I was" he finished.
The pit in Katara's stomach had grown into a canyon. She slid to her knees and put her head in her hand. The world was about to burn and they had acted like they didn't care. No wonder Zuko was so angry.
"I can't believe this" she murmured.
"I always knew the Fire Lord was a bad guy, but his plan is just pure evil" Sokka said.
"What am I gonna do?" Aang asked, the desperation clear in his voice. That softened Zuko. He knew that tone. He knew that fear. He stood up and looked at Aang.
"I know you're scared, and I know you're not ready to save the world," he told the young avatar. All of that was true. As if any one of them could be ready to save the world. The idea was crazy all on it's own. But it was their reality. "but if you don't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save anymore" he finished. Aang needed honesty. Not coddling, not protecting. He needed someone who was honest about the dangers but would stand with him through it all the same. Zuko could be that person.
"Why didn't you tell me about your dad's crazy plan sooner?" Aang burst out.
"I didn't think I had to. I assumed you were still going to fight him before the comet. No one told me you decided to wait" he looked at Katara while he said it. She flushed guiltily.
"This is bad" Aang croaked out. He sat down, head in his hands. The relief he had felt for the past week was completely gone. He felt like there was a boar elephant sitting on his chest. "This is really really bad."
Katara looked around at her little family. They were splintering. Zuko's words had cut through to everyone's deepest fears. This world wasn't fair. How could a 12 year old save the world alone?
Unless he didn't do it alone. Spirits, they were a group stacked with powerful benders of every element and skilled warriors who could concoct successful strategies and attacks.
"Aang, you don't have to do this alone" Katara said finally, coming up behind him. The others gathered around her as an air of excitement replaced the fear.
"Yeah, if we all fight the Fire Lord together, we got a shot at taking him down!" Toph declared excitedly.
"All right!" Sokka exclaimed "Team avatar is back!" He started pointing at them all dramatically. "Air! Water! Earth! Fire!" He snatched two large leaves off the ground and shoved one in Suki's hands. "Fan and sword!" he finished triumphantly. Aang took a deep breath.
"Fighting the Fire Lord is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done together" he said. Katara let herself smile. Aang was going to accept the help. He had grown so much. Just weeks ago he wouldn't even considered the offer. "But I wouldn't want to do it any other way" he finished with a smile.
No more nightmares. No more guessing. Katara stepped forward and the group closed around Aang in a group hug. She looked over at the frowning prince who stood a few feet away awkwardly. That wouldn't do.
"Get over here, Zuko. Being part of the group also means being part of group hugs" she told him. Zuko approached slowly and Suki and Toph opened their arms to include him in the circle. This was exactly how it should be.
A second later Appa decided to join in the hug, knocking them all to the ground with a grunt. They all burst into giggles.
Yes. Katara thought Exactly how it should be.
"So...what should I do right now?" Aang asked, suddenly unsure. Zuko stood and offered a hand to pull Aang up.
"If we're all about to face my father, then there's one last technique you have to master. Follow me" he led Aang around the house and back to the courtyard. Sokka and Suki headed down to the beach to pick up their towels and clean up from the little beach party. Toph followed them, intending to make sure the beach looked normal again after all their shenanigans.
"Can I come?" Katara suddenly blurted out to Zuko. He turned and looked at her strangely. She fidgeted with her hair while he paused, suddenly nervous.
"Sure" Zuko said shortly. Katara sighed. They would need to talk later. There was a lot of air that needed to be cleared. She headed up to her room to change then entered the courtyard and sat down beneath the canopy of the porch next to Momo. Zuko was showing Aang how to redirect lightning.
"My uncle invented this technique himself by studying waterbenders" Zuko was saying. Katara picked up her head. The bit of information just made her want to meet Iroh more.
"So, have you ever redirected lightning before?" Aang asked. Katara knew the answer to this. It was one of the stories Zuko had told her after their mission together.
"Once, against my father"
"What did it feel like?"
"Exhilarating..." Zuko replied. He paused, eyes closed as he briefly relived the memory. Aang grinned. Sounded fun. "but terrifying." Aang's smile disappeared. Ok, so less fun. "You feel so powerful holding that much energy in your body, but you know if you make the wrong move, it's over" Zuko finished.
"Well not over, over. I mean there's always Katara and a little Spirit Water action" Aang said, turning to Katara. "Am I right?"
"Actually, I used it all up after Azula shot you" Katara said.
"Oh" Aang said dejectedly. Zuko shook his head. This whole year Aang had been one very lucky-unlucky kid.
"You'll have to take the Fire Lord's life before he takes yours" Zuko said pointedly. It wasn't the first time he had brought up the topic to Aang, and he didn't miss how Aang's face immediately drooped. His eyes dropped to the ground as his toes traced the tiles in the courtyard.
"Yeah. I'll just do that" Aang said. Zuko frowned, noticing the lack of conviction and purpose in Aang's tone.
"Right. Well make sure you do" he told Aang before walking out of the courtyard and back into the house. Katara watched him go and alternated between looking at his retreating back and Aang's downfallen face. She felt the urge to talk to both boys and she stood up. Aang looked up at her, fear and uncertainty written all over his face.
"Katara" Aang said softly "I know we're all hoping for the best, but this could go very badly."
"We have to hope that destiny is on our side, Aang" Katara said.
"There's something I really want to know before we leave here, just in case we don't make it..." Aang said, pushing towards the topic he wanted to get to. He took a few steps closer to Katara and she immediately flashed back to the night at the theater. All the sudden, she very much did not want to talk to Aang. She waited for her caring instincts to kick in and let him talk, but the feeling never came.
"We can't kill ourselves with 'what ifs,' Aang. If we did that then we wouldn't be able to live our lives. You got to believe that..." she trailed off, the irony of her own words hitting her square in the forehead. She was so thick! She was Mrs. Thick thickity-thickface from thick town thickania! She needed to take her own advice.
"Well, uh, maybe Sokka can help you. He can answer questions really good...too" Katara said suddenly. She took a few steps backwards before turning and all but running inside. "I'm going to grab some lunch!" she called over her shoulder, leaving a very confused looking Aang standing in the courtyard. There was something she needed to do before they were possibly burnt into oblivion in the next few days. She glanced from room to room, looking for one angsty fire bender. She finally found him meditating on his mother's balcony. She couldn't play with 'what ifs' anymore. She didn't have the time. Sorry needed to be said now.
Zuko heard the footsteps and he scowled. All he wanted was a moment of peace in the middle of the day. The heavy footsteps were distinctly water tribe.
"Sokka, I swear, if you..."
"Zuko" It was Katara's voice. He turned to her in surprise. She stood in the doorway, suddenly feeling very uncertain of why she was there and what she wanted to say. "I'm sorry." It was the first thing that popped into her head.
"For what?" Zuko asked skeptically.
"For not telling you that we wanted to wait. It was an important decision. You should have been included" Katara said quickly. Zuko nodded his head and turned away, assuming his position again.
"Mmk, apology accepted" Zuko said "Thank you for telling me..."
"And" Katara interrupted, moving to sit beside him "For...being so stubborn. You're right. I do need to be honest. To myself and to Aang" she added. Zuko looked at her, his face unreadable. "I'll tell him" she said softly "In three days. After the comet, I promise I'll tell him. I know it'll probably hurt him, but I can't stop living my life based on that chance. I hope you're right, and that he's stronger than I think" she said.
Zuko breathed out a breath he felt like he had been holding in for too long. He still felt a tinge of irritation from her, but the apology felt nice. If she could have only been upfront from the start.
"You drive me crazy, Katara" he said with a chuckle. Katara finally started to relax. "You're stubborn and too selfless for your own good. Sometimes I just want to shake some sense into you!" he admitted. It felt good to get it off his chest.
"All true" Katara agreed. She really didn't have any grounds to argue with him.
Zuko nodded and Katara sighed and leaned up against him.
"There's so much at stake, and not just for Aang. If we lose this week...it means you-we have to be fugitives forever" Katara continued, her eyes filled with fear of the unknown.
"I'm aware" Zuko said softly.
"Maybe...maybe we could be fugitives together? Sounds like anyone who's not Fire Nation will be in the same boat as all of us. We could find my dad, we could go back home. There's hardly anything left in the South and the Fire Nation shouldn't care. You could hide there with us" Katara said, starting to speak faster. Zuko grabbed her hand and she suddenly stopped talking.
"Quit acting like we've already lost. We haven't" he said, bringing her back to reality. "Focus on these next three days. We can figure out our destinies after that." He made it sound so simple.
"Ok" Katara agreed. "Well, I want to make the most of these three days. We'll need supplies and we need to start traveling towards the Fire Nation air strip. Sokka and Suki usually go to town for the supplies as their 'date night.'" She took a shaky breath, knowing the implication of her next sentence. "So...will you come with me to the town to get supplies?" Zuko blinked, hoping he didn't misunderstand her.
"To get supplies" he repeated. Katara nodded. "Just us. Without Aang...or anybody?"
"Without Aang or anybody" Katara replied. "If we might die in the next few days, then I at least want to have a first date with you."
Agni, she actually said it.
"Our little spirit adventure doesn't count?" he asked, standing up. Katara blushed.
"Nope. Doesn't count" she repeated. She still didn't know how to express the feelings in her heart, but she could start with this. It was simple, and she might never get another chance. They might not admit anything to each other. The next three days could come and pass however they would, but she could at least have this. Zuko didn't look like he had any objection and a small smile edged at the corner of his lips. They headed downstairs together and Katara stopped in the sitting room to grab a pouch and the money bag. Her and Zuko were just heading out the door when they ran into Sokka. He came out of his room all dressed in his armor, complete with his Polar wolf coyote helmet.
"Where are you two going?" Sokka asked.
"Town, for supplies" Zuko replied. "For the trip. We should leave tomorrow morning." Sokka shook his head.
"We'll have to do that later or skip it. We need to train" he said. Zuko frowned. Worst. Timing. Ever. Sokka had done a complete 180 since the beach party that morning. "Come on, I've already got it all set up. Katara...you...uh, might want to change into something that protects your stomach." Katara looked down at her bare midriff and hugged her middle.
"Fine" she muttered.
A half hour later Zuko and Katara walked towards the deserted cliffside on the far side of the island. There was hardly an vegetation and no houses for miles. The cliff side with the cave was just a little ways up the beach. Katara was wearing her water tribe clothes and her hair was tied back in its traditional loops. It felt good to be back in her colors again (though not that she minded the red).
"Gather around, Team Avatar" Sokka ordered as they approached. He plopped a melon with a scowling face carved into it onto the top of a makeshift scare crow. "In order to take out the Fire Lord - or in this case, the Melon Lord" he gestured to the scarecrow "our timing has to be perfect." He knelt down and started to draw a diagram on the ground. The group seemed completely invested, and Sokka beamed. His dad would be proud if he was here. "First, Suki and I will draw his fire. Then, Katara and Zuko charge in with some liquidy hot offense, and while the Melon Lord is distracted, Aang swoops in... and bam!" Sokka crossed out the target on his strategy plan in the dirt. "He delivers the final blow."
Aang didn't look too thrilled with this assignment. Katara caught Zuko's eye and she smothered a grin. They had been sparring together for weeks now. They would make quite the combo on an actual battle field. In spite of the dread of the next few days, Katara felt herself get excited.
"Uh, what about me?" Toph asked.
"For now, you're the Melon Lord's forces" Sokka replied.
"So I get to chuck flaming rocks at all of you?" Toph said, sounding way too pleased with the idea.
"Whatever makes the training feel more realistic" Sokka replied.
Sokka, you idiot, don't encourage her Zuko thought ruefully.
"Sweetness" Toph said. This challenge sounded like it might actually be a, well...challenge. If Zuko knew anything about Toph, it was that she would not hold back. At all. They were in for it, but maybe that meant this training could actually be useful.
Toph cackled at the top of the hill while the others took their places. Katara stood behind Zuko, her body tensed for action. They had drenched several large boulders in flammable tar and oil from a collection of things they had found in the stable. Pots of burning fire were lined up for Toph's use. This was either genius or foolhardy, Zuko had thought as he lit each bowl, but then again, most of the things the Gaang did were that.
They waited for Sokka's signal, and when they spotted it they sprang into action. Toph started launching flaming boulders their way, one just barely missed Sokka. Zuko concentrated on his footing and kept his ears alert for the sound of Katara behind him. There was a rumble as stone soldiers sprang up in front of them from the ground. Zuko and Katara didn't hesitate. Back to back, they lashed out at the stones that surrounded them, making short work of the challenge.
"Now, Aang!" Sokka shouted as they neared the top of the hill. Aang jumped through the air while Toph was distracted. She was irritated with how quickly Katara and Zuko had destroyed her forces, but she paused when she heard the soft footsteps behind her. Aang landed in front of the menacing scarecrow, his staff just hovering over the scowling green head.
"What are you waiting for? Take him out!" Zuko called, frustration eating him alive. He suspected this would happen. Aang turned green whenever Zuko brought up killing the enemy.
"I can't" Aang admitted, stepping away. Toph stilled her attacks as Sokka walked up the hill to point an accusing finger in Aang's face. Zuko sighed. At least someone else could try and talk some sense into the kid.
"What's wrong with you? If this was the real deal, you'd be shot full of lightning right now" Sokka asked, visibly annoyed.
Accurate Zuko thought.
"I'm sorry, but it just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself" Aang said quietly. Sokka frowned and pulled out his space sword, slashing the melon lord across the top of the head. The broken half fell down and Momo ran up to lick the insides.
"There. That's how it's done" Sokka proclaimed. Aang winced. He looked around at the faces of his friends and didn't see any sympathy or understanding in any of their eyes. He stayed still, staring at the cut up water melon while the others cleaned up the rocks and put out the fire.
"Ok, so Zuko and I are going to go get supplies for our trip" Katara announced as they finished cleaning up. She glanced up the hill where Aang was still standing. She didn't understand why he was so hesitant. In the Water Tribe, it was highly honorable to be know as a victor and brave warrior. There was always understanding found for those fighting for the right thing. She always thought it was noble. How could Aang think any less? The Air Nomad ways were hard for her to wrap her head around.
"Don't worry about it" Sokka said, taking Suki's hand. "We only need a few things. Suki and I can do it and that way you and my main man can go ahead and make supper."
"But we..." Zuko began. Suki gave him a sympathetic smile and shrugged.
"Sorry" she said simply. Katara scowled. She couldn't help it. They had three days left. Three. Days. It just wasn't fair.
"Come on, Zuko. I guess we've got dish duty...again" she muttered. She gave one more glance at Aang at the top of the hill. He would have to come down eventually. Back at the house, Zuko and Katara fell into their comfortable routine. The house was empty except for them and Toph who was picking her toes in the living room. Aang still hadn't returned.
"Sorry about our plans" Katara ventured to say as she scraped some vegetables into a pot. Zuko shrugged. He was mixing up a dressing for their salad and was taking extra care to measure out the seasonings like Katara had showed him.
"Eh, it's fine. Knowing us, something horrible would've probably happened" Zuko said. Katara raised an eye brow. He was so sweet but sometimes he was so...dorky. She secretly loved it.
"Right. Our first date is destined to be a disaster" she said. Zuko snapped his head up.
"Not what I meant!" he backtracked. Katara laughed and playfully nudged him.
"I know" she said. Zuko was silent for a minute.
"World without war. What would you do right now if the war didn't exist?" he asked. They had played the game together several times since that night atop the lighthouse. Sometimes they were serious, and sometimes they said the first ridiculous thing that popped into their head. Katara had had enough of serious that day.
"Hmm, right now? I would drop dinner instantly and get on the next ship headed to the main land. There's a little tea shop on one of the Fire Nation islands and I would travel all night to get there and drink a cup on the restaurant rooftop while Momo terrorizes all the fish in the tanks in the dining area" she said elaborately. Zuko tried to keep back his laugh but he couldn't help it.
"Uncle is going to love you" he said finally. Katara's face broke out into a huge grin.
"You think?" she asked excitedly. She sounded so sincere and so elated at the idea. It made Zuko's heart soar. He was curious about something, though.
"Why the Fire Nation? There's tea shops everywhere" he asked. Katara looked thoughtful for a minute and turned away from her veggies on the stove.
"Well, this particular tea shop was...different. I could just imagine star gazing on the rooftop while thousands of those little candles were lit up everywhere. It was beautiful. The Fire Nation is so full of color and light. I always imagined it was a horrible place as a child, where all the monsters that hid under the bed went to live. I thought the people would be horrible and proud and cruel...but I was wrong. The Fire Nation is beautiful, and it's people are just as much victims of this war as others...just in a different way. I think...I think I learned that from Yon Rha..." Katara said. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't know if that makes sense..."
"It does. It really does" Zuko said. Her words were honest and true, and they gave him hope. If this passionate beautiful person who traveled the world could see the good in his people, then maybe the rest of the world could to. Maybe all hope was not lost.
"Your turn. The war is over. What would you do right now?" Katara asked. Zuko's brow wrinkled as he thought. Suddenly his nose twitched as a charred smell filled the air.
"Katara the vegetables!"
Katara turned to the stove and pulled the pot off the burner and onto the stove. The water had all boiled out and the vegetables sizzled and smoked. The bottom of the pan was turned a blackened color.
"If the war was over, I would go to the nearest town and order supper" Zuko said. Katara flashed her eyes at him indignantly.
"Not funny. Supper is not ruined. I just need new vegetables and a new pan" she said. Zuko laughed at her puckered face and reached for the supplies bag.
"I'll cut up some more. I think there's some new pans up in the attic" he told her. Katara gave one last look at her charred pot before running from the room. She would have to hurry if dinner was going to be on time. It didn't take long for her to find the stairs to the attic. She crawled up the tiny dusty steps into the tiny storage area. The setting light streamed through a small window at the far end. Katara instantly spotted the crate filled with old cookware. She quickly selected the pot she needed and was about to leave when a small stack of scrolls caught her eye.
She unrolled one and her eyes widened. It was a picture of a laughing baby boy with stuck up black hair and dimples on top of his baby rolls. Katara recognized that big smile. This had to be Zuko. This was an opportunity she could not pass up. She rolled up the painting and stuck it under arm before heading downstairs. She left the painting in the sitting room next to Toph and headed back to the kitchen.
"Mission successful" she said, holding up the pan. It didn't take long for the rest of dinner to get finished up. Katara and Zuko brought it out to the porch and everyone gathered together. Aang had just returned with Appa and he was settling the bison back in the stable. He quietly walked up and accepted his plate silently. He sat down on the porch with his back turned to the others.
He was either sore, or deep in thought. Katara decided not to dwell on it. She waited until everyone was eating before running inside and coming back with the painting.
"I have a surprise for everyone!" she announced excitedly.
"I knew it! You did have a secret thing with Haru!" Toph responded, sounding thrilled with her deduction. There was a moment of silence while everyone looked at each other awkwardly.
"Um, no" Katara said. Toph frowned. She could tell that Katara was telling the truth.
Well, it would have been interesting news...
"I was looking for cooking pots in the attic, and I found this!" Katara said, unrolling the scroll. "Look at baby Zuko! Isn't he cute!" The group giggled. Zuko frowned and Katara sighed. He didn't need to be so moody about it.
"Oh lighten up, I'm just teasing" she told him.
"That's not me" Zuko said "That's my father."
You could only hear the humming crickets in the bushes as everyone drew gravely quiet. The baby in the picture suddenly seemed a lot less cute and Katara rolled up the painting quickly.
"But he looks so sweet and innocent" Suki said regretfully.
"Well, that sweet little kid grew up to be a monster, and the worst father in the history of fathers" Zuko said darkly.
"But he's still a human being" Aang cut in, speaking up for the first time. Zuko bristled. This was not an argument he was expecting.
"You're going to defend him?" Zuko spat out.
"No, I agree with you" Aang said standing up and turning to face the group. "Fire Lord Ozai is a horrible person, and the world would probably be better off without him, but there's got to be another way."
"Like what?" Zuko asked skeptically.
"I don't know" Aang said. He suddenly brightened up. "Maybe we can make some big pots of glue, and then I can use gluebending to stick his arms and legs together so he can't bend anymore!"
"Yeah, then you can show him his baby pictures, and all those happy memories will make him good again!" Zuko said sarcastically. Aang grinned.
"You really think that would work?" he asked. Zuko frowned. Agni, this kid was naive.
"No!" Zuko said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Sokka and Suki muffled their laughter in the background and Aang lowered his head and sighed in defeat.
"This goes against everything I learned from the monks. I can't just go around wiping out people I don't like" Aang said pacing back and forth. Zuko frowned. Aang definitely didn't get the full picture here. It had nothing to do with whether or not Aang liked the Fire Lord. The fact was, there was a man who was responsible for the death of thousands. He had the potential to kill many more thousands. The math was simple, really.
"Sure you can. You're the Avatar. If it's in the name of keeping balance, I'm pretty sure the universe will forgive you" Sokka said, brushing it off. Aang turned around. His eyes blazed and his forehead wrinkled into knots.
"This isn't a joke, Sokka! None of you understand the position I'm in!" he burst out.
"Aang, we do understand. It's just..." Katara began, hoping to calm him down. Aang wasn't having any of it.
"Just what Katara? What?" Katara snapped. Zuko bristled.
"We're trying to help!" Katara threw back.
"Then, when you figure out a way for me to beat the Fire Lord without taking his life, I'd love to hear it!" Aang yelled. He stormed off the porch and into the house, leaving his supper sitting on his plate on the floor.
"Aang! Don't walk away from this!" Katara began. She took a few steps forward, her temper hot and ready to talk some sense into his bald head. Suddenly, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder that she knew to be Zuko's.
"Let him go" Zuko said softly. "He needs to sort it out by himself." Katara looked up at him as he watched Aang go into the house. She relaxed as Zuko kept on a hand on her shoulder. He was right. If she talked to Aang now she would only make it worse.
"Ok" she finally said softly. Zuko gently led her back to her supper and they sat down together. Sokka watched the interaction with an open mouth.
"Zuko" he whispered. "Did you just tell Katara what to do...and did she just listen? What is this witchcraft?" Suki just smiled and Toph smirked to herself knowingly. Katara shrugged. Zuko was right. And she didn't want to deal with a hot-tempered Aang right now anyway.