Wow, yesterday was a really weird day. I woke up and was perfectly fine, so I decided to read and review for a story until I had to get ready for school. Then all of a sudden I caught the flu. Not only did I catch it, but I put it in a headlock and held it hostage! I was actually kinda glad, I was like, "Yay, I can just type my story and review stuff all day!" But it just layed me flat. I wrote a paragraph of this, then I got so dizzy that I went into my room to lay down. I barely laid down on my bed before I passed out. I was out for around two hours. It was awesome. Then I was just in a sort of haze for the rest of the day. This morning I was alright except for being a bit nauseous and I have a horrid headache. I went to my college class anyways because if I missed it again I would have died, but came home and typed this up while high school was rolling. I also made myself some yummy homemade mushroom soup.
Elenea Galad: I know, it just paints a touching picture doesn't it?
Zukoscute2: Yeah, death has a major impact. Sorry to hear about the one's you've lost.
Khazia: I think the reason I tossed my cookies is because of just the weight of the situation. Sorry abut any confusion. And if you insist, I won't eat you. (grumble, I'll just have to eat my soup instead)
Titan09: I'm sorry, should've mentioned that Taz was dead. My parents didn't even know that I got an account here until about three weeks after I started posting my stuff. And about Firebenders burning themselves, I figure there's a downside to all bending if the bender doesn't manage to keep control. For example, Earthbenders could accidentally crush themselves, Waterbenders could accidently drown themselves or freeze themselves or whatever, and Airbenders could accidentally suffocate themselves. I just think about stuff too much. I don't speak too much french. La vie este l'enfer is pretty much the only complete sentence I can say without really thinking about it. I took french for two years, but the teacher was taking on kids at a much higher level and expected me and a few others to catch up and start speaking on a third or fourth level. Plus the homework was murder and the class was pulling my GPA into the dirt, so I quit. I hope my morbidity didn't turn you off from the story!
O-dragon: Hah! Zuka. I'm not the best of proofreaders as you can obviously tell since you've read to this point. I get confused as well. I know I'm talking about myself, but I sometimes don't know whether to call the character I or She because the story is written in third-person. So I guess you can call me whatever you want...so long as it's PG-13. And Iroh really doesn't have much of a part left, he'll make an appearance in a later chapter, but until then you'll just have to wait. BWUAHAHAHAHA! I'm evil.
Evangline Angel: Aw, thanx for all of your kind praises. The rest of the story is just kinda the "winding down and coming to an end" stuff, I know how you like the action stuff, so I'm sorry if you don't like it.
Sesshomaru's woman: You show that Jorge Bandera! Your name is Lupe? That's awesome! I wish I had blue streaks in my hair, my friend, Chanta, once put purple streaks in her hair. She almost got kicked out of school for it but her mom put up a major fight about it. It was kinda funny because after a while her hair started looking like that peanut butter and jelling that comes in the same jar. Ew. I like fish, and stuff like oysters and shrimp, but it has to be cooked. Sushi is not on my list of likes. You're preppy story made me laugh. I wear pink all the time! Of course my pink shirts have things on them like the fat, dumb kid off of Simpsons doing aerobics with "Drop it like it's hot!" written on the front That threat rocked my sox! Myseminary teacher told us one that he had memorized in about fifteen different languages. It was something like, "May the fleas of a hundred thousand camels infest your backside!"
Plutobaby494: This chaper will begin answering your question. In fact it will totally answer your question.
Once again, SeethingXshadows, your shoutout is at the bottom! You're just special.
Three days were taken from their journey in respect to Zula. They stopped at a small island village where the cremation ceremony for her body took place. After the three days of mourning, they continued their journey and reached the city of Pen Qua within two days. Katie stepped out onto the deck and watched Zuko as he stood alone, staring off at the sea.
"We're only about ten miles away from the place we first met." Zuko said quietly when Katie came to stand next to him.
"We are? Wow, we've come a long ways haven't we?" She said thinking back to how she had first woken up in Zuko's arms.
"Yes, we have."
"Are you okay?" Katie asked, reaching a hand up and rubbing his shoulder gently. He sighed and nodded.
"What fate is going to meet Zula's soul?" Zuko asked. Katie had often talked to him about her beliefs, she hadn't quite convinced him to become a Christian, but he still found comfort in some of her words.
"Don't worry. She'll be alright." Katie said. Zuko nodded. She sounded sure, and so that was enough for him.
The delegates at Pen Qua met Zuko respectfully at the dock. News had already reached them of the circumstances of the journey and so his tardiness was pardoned. Katie was taken to the royal suite to await his return. Two maids came to the room to unpack Katie's things for her, but they were quite surprised when this queen began helping them and even struck up a friendly conversation. Katie loved Zuko, but sometimes she needed someone else to talk to. After an hour, the maids excused themselves to finish various other chores and Katie occupied herself by writing a letter to Iroh. She doubted whether or not she would actually send it. Mostly this was a way for her to unload whatever was on her mind. She would write a letter to someone she knew with every little detail of her life that was bothering her. She usually just threw the letters away later. So even though this one started out with the intention of her uncle reading it, she began writing things that she wouldn't actually tell him. Like how sick she was of being royalty and she knew that Zuko felt the same way. When the letter was finished she put it in the drawer of her vanity. Katie stood up and changed out of her stuffy dress into pants and a shirt. She wanted more than anything to go run a few laps around the grounds. It was a habit she had gotten into lately, but she doubted Zuko would approve. So she decided to walk instead. Rado trailed behind her. When she got outside he clambored up her clothes until he was perched on her shoulder. His beady little eyes surveyed the bushes around them for any sign of something to eat.
"My lady! It is so nice to see you once more!" Katie turned at the sound of the voice. It was Anomen. Katie had become pretty good friends with the young man since their meeting at the fire noble ball. She wanted to hug him, but it wasn't appropriate so she just held out a hand for him to kiss.
"It's good to see you as well!" she said.
"And what is this?" Anomen asked reaching up and scratching Rado's head.
"This is my new Kokishin. His name is Rado." Katie said, entwining her fingers in Rado's large tail.
"My brother had one once. They are incredible animals." Anomen said. "Would you mind if I accompany you my lady?"
"By all means, go ahead." Katie said and the two began walking. Anomen told her of his new position as chancellor. He seemed quite pleased with himself. He now had a wife and two children, but admitted to her in all confidentiality that he had waited to get married for Katara. But all hope for her failed when she married Aang. Katie told Anomen of the adventures of the past week. There was a respectful silence between them when she told him of Zula's death.
"She died by fire, so her soul is cleansed of evil." Anomen said quietly as though trying to ease Katie's mind. Katie merely nodded and they walked back into the main building. After they entered a servant bustled over them.
"Please excuse me sir and lady. Chancellor, your presence is required in the council chambers." The servant said with a bob.
"It was wonderful being able to talk to you once more my lady." Anomen said, turning to Katie. He took her hand and gave it another kiss before leaving.
"Yeah, ditto." He gave her a weird look but bowed anyway and left. After walking around in half a daze for another half an hour, Katie flagged down a servant to show her where the council chambers were. She was taken there and she sat on a small bench outside the oak doors, waiting for Zuko to come out. The guards stationed around the door didn't look too pleased to be in her presence. It meant they had to stand at constant attention. "How are ya?" Katie asked after a few minutes of heavy silence. One of the guards practically jumped at the sound of her voice.
"Um…all right. My lady." He said uncertainly.
"That's good." She said with a nod then turned to the other, "How 'bout you bud? Life treatin' you all right?"
"Fine my lady." There was another long silence.
"What are your guys names?"
"Lasrach." Said one who looked like a cross between earth and firenation.
"Sabaid." Said the other who looked full earth kingdom.
"I'm Katie." She said giving a little wave. They both gave her a little bow of the head and silence reigned. Just as she was about to open her mouth to try and spark conversation once more there was a short knock from the other side of the door. Lasrach and Sabaid acted immediately, they pulled the doors open and bowed as the high standing men left the room in groups of two or three. Zuko came out almost completely last. He was talking to an extremely old man dressed in purple. But he gave the man a hearty pound on the back when he saw Katie and separated to walk over to her.
"Let's walk." Zuko said once he reached her. Rado jumped from Katie's shoulders to Zuko's. As they walked out to the grounds Katie kept glancing sideways at Zuko. He seemed different all of a sudden. Maybe it was just because he was smiling slightly. His face was much softer then it had been since Zula's death.
"I'm guessing the meeting went well?" Katie asked. Zuko smiled and took her hand.
"Very well. In two years time all of the remaining damage left from the war will be rectified. The last transactions of gold have been made, and the alliances between the nations is even stronger than before the war." Zuko said proudly.
"That's wonderful."
"Yes, this trip has been very important. But I haven't yet accomplished all I wanted to. This has hardly been the romantic getaway I envisioned." Zuko said, reaching up and petting Rado's head.
"We still have three weeks." Katie said with a shrug. Zuko stopped walking beside her with a sigh. The happiness was suddenly gone from his face.
"We shouldn't just have three weeks to be together…"
"Zee, don't get started on that again. We are going to be fine." Katie said, wrapping an arm around his waist. "I promise." She said as an afterthought. Zuko sighed again and ran a hand through her short hair.
"I wonder what there is to do around here." He said.
"I dunno." Katie said with a shrug. She glanced over Zuko's shoulder for inspiration and spotted Anomen talking animatedly to an older man a hundred yards away. "But I know how we could find out." She grabbed Zuko's hand and led the way across the hall.
"My, two meetings in one day, my lady. You're spoiling me with your gracious presence."
"You're a sly little weasel, ain'tcha?" Katie said with a smile. Anomen merely laughed a genuine laugh. "I wanted to ask what there is to do around here." Katie said with a shrug.
"Well, there's a fantastic little waterfall in the canyon." Anomen said after thinking for a few seconds. "It's said that the water there springs from the very heart of the earth. That's just earth kingdom superstitions, but it's still a very lovely place to visit." Katie turned to Zuko excitedly.
"That sounds perfect." Zuko said, smiling down at her face.
Katie absolutely refused taking rhinos up to the waterfall. She wanted to rough it without any of the stress that came with having to care for the large beasts. And so, early in the morning after the council meeting, they packed a few things into a pair of makeshift backpacks and started trekking. They soon found that it was absolutely impossible to leave Rado behind. He scampered through the underbrush ahead of them, constantly turning back to make sure they were still following him. Occasionally he would fall back and climb up onto one of their shoulders until he saw something that caught his attention. It was nearing sunset when they finally reached the stream that ran off from the waterfall. They followed it and soon they found it. It was breathtaking. It wasn't particularly large, in fact it was quite wimpy as far as waterfalls go. But something about it seemed captivating and eternal. There was a pool at the base that was probably only four feet deep at it's deepest point. The entire waterfall and pool were almost completely surrounded by steep sandstone walls.
"You're it!" Katie yelled, slapping Zuko's arm. She dropped her pack and stripped off her disgusting, sweaty clothes as she ran towards the pool. Zuko laughed and followed suit. Together they dove into the ice cold water and splashed each other without a care in the world.
Katie was in a very large white room. It was so large that no matter what direction she looked she could see no walls and she could see no ceiling. Katie turned slowly in a circle, trying to figure out where she was, but she really wasn't that concerned. Then she noticed a mirror. It just seemed to pop out of thin air. Katie walked over to the mirror and stared at her pale complexion. She lifted a hand to touch the scar on her cheek, but her reflection didn't lift it's hand.
"Hey, you aren't doing your job!" Katie said to the independent reflection. The reflection just smiled at Katie and stepped a little to the side so that Katie could see what was behind her. It was piles and piles of gold and jewels. The fortune itself didn't really phase Katie, but the fact that she had seen this before did. This looked exactly like the inside of Zuko's private vault. "You aren't supposed to be in there!" Katie said angrily. The reflection just smiled and reached through her side of the mirror to grab Katie's hand. Then the reflection pulled Katie through. Katie ran over to the piles of treasure and glanced around to make sure none of it had been stolen then she turned angrily to the reflection. But the reflection had changed. Standing before Katie was a woman in a red dress. It was Zerita. "What's going on?" Katie asked suspiciously. But her attention was drawn to her original side of the mirror. All alone, sitting in the vast white space was a little white teddy bear. It had a red nose and crème colored paws. It was Katie's favorite toy from her childhood. She had carried him everywhere with her when she was young. Katie immediately ran to scoop up her teddy, but Zerita stopped her.
"I want you to take this with you." A voice said in Katie's head even though Zerita's mouth did not move. Zerita took Katie's hand and placed a dark red jewel inside it.
"Why?" Katie asked, clutching the jewel to her chest.
"It's very dear to me and I know you'll take care of it." Zerita said, again without moving her lips.
"Are you sure?" Katie asked and glanced down at the precious stone.
"Of course. That's why I made sure you got it in the first place. Now you should go." Zerita said. Katie gave her a small hug and stepped through the mirror. She reached her teddy bear and hugged it tightly.
Katie woke up and stretched luxuriously. Zuko shifted a little next to her and she became very aware of a warm weight resting on her feet. Katie glanced under her blankets and saw Rado curled up around her ankles. She almost wanted to begin laughing. Life was so perfect at this moment. She looked up at the waterfall. They had camped at the edge of the pool and the sound of the rushing water was so comforting. It was barely light out, there was only a light haze in the east. Katie didn't want to disturb Zuko so early in the morning, so she untangled herself from him as carefully as she could and slipped into the water. Her skin chilled almost immediately and the air was knocked out of her chest. Katie let in a little gasp and leaned backwards to dip her scalp in the water. She scrubbed her hair until the dirt sticking from the ground washed away. She paddled over and just sat under the waterfall, allowing it to wash all the stresses and worries of life away. She didn't even notice that Zuko had also woken up until he drifted up to her.
"Do you feel that?" He asked, raising an arm from the water and waving it through the air.
"Hm?" Katie asked. She lifted her arm and did the same. It took her a while before she understood what he was talking about. The air felt different. She couldn't place how, but it felt different. "That's weird." Katie said with a shrug. They swam back to the shore and got dressed. Zuko wandered off to…water a tree…when he came back he held something in his hand.
"Look at what I found." Zuko said holding the object out to her. It glinted silver in the early morning glow. Katie took it from him and nearly had a heart attack as she stared at the object. It was a crumpled beer can.
"Where did you find this?" Katie asked. Zuko frowned and jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. Katie walked in the direction he had pointed and looked out of their sheltered campsite. There was forest all around them, but they weren't the trees Katie had seen the day before, the trees around her now were towering pines and gleaming white quakies. Along the stream that ran off from the waterfall was a worn dirt path. In the distance Katie could see a series of small, log bridges that crossed the stream. When she looked back, even the waterfall was different. Realization dawned on her, she knew this place. She knew it very well. It was the grotto. "Zuko." She said weakly. "We're in Utah."
"What?" He asked incredulously. But Katie didn'tanswer him. She turned and began running. She needed to know for sure. Zuko barely had the presence of mind to grab his pack before he started running after her. Rado sat up from his cozy nest in the folds of a blanket and also scampered after his mistress. Katie ran and ran. Her side felt as though it was going to burst but she couldn't stop. She was pumped full of adrenaline, plus the trail was downhill. The trail stretched on for two miles. It took herfifteen minutes before the trees started to thin. She turned a corner and quite suddenly the dirt trail turned to gravel. Right in front of her was a metal fence and on the other side was the black pavement of the canyon road. Katie's knees collapsed from beneath her. She was onlytwenty miles away from her house. Rado jumped up and landed on her shoulders. He sniffed the air curiously and within a few minutes Zuko caught up as well.
"What is this place?" Zuko asked quietly, looking apprehensively at the hard black road.
"This is my world. This is where I came from." Katie said. She picked up a piece of gravel, then tossed it aside. Zuko walked over to the metal fence and ran a hand over it. Then he walked out to the road and tested its hard, black surface.
"How did we get here?" He asked, but Katie didn't have the chance to answer. From above them there was a soft, low growl which grew steadily closer. Katie was back on her feet immediately. She ran out to the side of the road and began waving her arms in the air as the bright, glowing yellow eyes of some sort of hell creature turned a corner and began prowling towards them. Zuko ran forward and pulled Katie away from the road, he lit a flame in the palm of his hand, preparing himself to protect her from whatever demon this was.
"Put it away!" Katie said. She placed a hand over his, stifling the flame and walked once more to the side of the road. She resumed waving her hands and Zuko watched in fascination as the creature sidled up to where Katie was standing. Inside the thing was a very large man.
"Well hello miss Debbie. Is everything all right?" The man called out the window. Katie's eyes nearly popped out of her head.
"Murlin! Oh my gosh it is so good to see you!" Katie practically yelled. She reached into the window and grabbed his hand. He had hardly changed at all. She was surprised that he remembered her, but then again he had been kicked in the head by a horse several years before she had met him causinga few screws to loosen. Just the fact that he always called her by her mother's name was proof of this.
"You look like you're in some kind of trouble. Can I help you?" the old man asked. Katie nearly broke down and started crying right then and there. She forced herself to get under control.
"Could you give us a lift down the canyon? My brother lives just at the base." At least she hoped he did. Where was her family now?
"Of course I can. Go ahead an hop in back." He said, motioning to the bed of his pickup. The actual front of his truck was filled with sleeping bags and supplies.
"Thank you so much!" Katie said. She squeezed his hand then turned to Zuko. He was still standing a short ways off, watching the truck closely. "Zuko! Come on. Murlin's giving us a ride! Rado, here boy!" Katie placed her foot on the back tire and hoisted herself over the edge. Zuko walked carefully to the side of the truck and climbed inside. Rado crouched down and with a mighty leap flew into the back with them. Katie rapped her knuckles against the window to let Murlin know they were all in and the truck began puttering down the canyon road. Katie practically leaned out of the bed of the pickup as they picked up speed. The road was windy and there was a sheer drop on the right side. After a few minutes, Zuko couldn't take the anxiety of watching her anymore. He grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her back into the middle next to him.
"Katie, what is this thing?" Zuko asked quietly. He closed his eyes and gripped her hand tightly.
"It's a truck. A sort of machine that you ride in." Katie said, still keeping a watch off to the side for the first sight of civilization. After a few minutes she turned to Zuko and saw how lost and afraid he looked. She pulled her hand free and wrapped it around his shoulders. "Don't worry. We're gonna figure this all out."
Ten minutes later they exited the canyon and turned towards the city. Katie poked her head into Murlin's window to give him directions to Tony's house. It took her a while to remember which one had been his, all the houses on the street looked alike. She finally recognized the gray, stone house and knocked on the window to signal Murlin to stop. Katie didn't even wait for the truck to stop rolling. She jumped out over the side and ran up the sidewalk. She leapt onto the porch and it took all her self control to not just rip the front door open. She pushed the doorbell and stood waiting with bated breath. It tookan eternalminute before the doorknob twisted and the door opened. Standing right in front of Katie was her brother. She let out a strangled sob and wrapped her arms around his neck before he had a chance to even look at her.
"Um…" he said, patting her back awkwardly.
"Tony, it's me!" Katie said, pulling back so he could see her face.
"Yes, I can see that." He said cautiously.
"TEE-DEE!" Katie looked over Tony's shoulder and saw his daughter, Brinn come running from a hallway, her blonde hair bouncing like crazy.
"BRINNY!" Katie knelt down and caught the two-year-old girl in her arms. She held her tightly and only after a few more seconds did she realize what was wrong with this picture. Brinn should be nine-years-old by now.
"Katie, are you alright?" Tony asked, watching her closely. She was wearing the strangest clothes he had ever seen and she was so pale. He glanced behind her at the man walking up his sidewalk with a scarred face and a strange animal perched on his shoulder. "And who are you?"
"Tony," Katie stood up, still holding her niece. She held out a hand to Zuko and he took it, keeping a wary eye on Tony. "This is my husband."
Hee hee. Quite a shocker for 'ole Ton' ain't it? What's gonna happen next? Just gonna have to wait and see. Another thing, I've become greedy for reviews! Let's see if we can get to 400!
SeethingxShadows:
22- I kinda figured you would know a little about mormons being from South California. But you go East and we're often confused with the Amish. Even the Amish think we're Amish. As for Iroh, he just has a sort of "Spidey Sense" for these things.
23- The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra isa spoof on B horror flicks from the fifties. They've got everything: a mutant, two aliens, a good scientist, a bad scientist, a woman made from four different forest animals, a ranger named Brad and a skeleton bent on world domination. A lot of people think it's really dumb, but I think it's hilarious. Wow! She is just like Edna! That's funny. I can't think of any girls that could make me go Lesbian. Not that I have anything against them, but I can't figure out what makes a girl turn Lesbian. I can understand why guys turn gay because guys are just so hot! Hm, that's just me. Yum! Cookie! Lady Godiva really was a Lady that lived a few hundred years ago. And she really is one of my ancestors. Apparently I havea lot of royalty in my bloodline from my dad's side of the family, we also have a viking that drowned to death in a vat of beer. Anyways, lady Godiva was protesting something her husband was doing so she did this by riding a horse stark nekkid through the village. Nobody was allowed to look at her, but one guy named Tom did, and that's where we got the term "Peeping Tom"
24- YES! You are the first one who mentioned the grinch line! I was wondering if everyone out there had experienced a really sad childhood or something! You rock.
25- Gah! Sorry! I'm just really not an anime fan!
26- Our drapes were old and nasty. Plus, as I mentioned, they gave me a small. So I'm in the bathroom trying to put this skody thing on but I couldn't reach behind my own back because it would just undo itself. I mean, the entire thing was held together with velcro! My picture actually didn't turn out half bad. They took three of me, but only sent me the stoner one in the mail. The pic on my I.D. card ain't half bad. It makes me wish I had bought them./
27- Hugh Jackman is always hot!
28- Hah! I had a brain picture of all the fans riding a bick down a hill, simultaneously rasing their hands and going "whoo!" then they all crashed into a heap. My mind is weird.
29- You teach kindergarteners? That's cool! I personally couldn't do it. I would go insane. I could probably do it if I was older, but I spend so much time around my neices and nephews that it's a relief to get away from children.
30- Chinese. There ain't much point in teaching them to read a language they'll never see or use...unless I was training them to be a secret army of super spies (shifty eyes). Alas, why does the new episode have to be so far away?
31- I think the show is going to delve into both the Kataang and Zutara relationships. Like a big 'ole love triangle thinger of doomyness!
Remember to review! Just think! You could be a part of the historical moment when I reach 400 reviews! You could tell your grandchildren about it!