Chapter 23 Getting rid of Fear

Katara looked at Zuko. She couldn't help but smile. He thought he loved her. She snorted slightly. "You think?"

"No." Zuko said pulled the water bender into his arms. "I know I love you." He then kissed her.

Katara smiled into the kiss. It wasn't like the other ones that he had given her before. This one was full of love and that's how she knew that he loved her. She pulled away from him and cuddled up to the fire bender prince.

"I love you too my prince." Zuko sighed and tightened his embrace around the girl. He looked around and noticed that the scene was changing.

When the mixture of colors changed they were back in the forest. Zuko still had his gash on his stomach but it wasn't bleeding as badly. And the wound from that darkness sword was completely gone. He suddenly had a reason to fight Shadow. Even if he didn't survive the fight he knew Katara wouldn't have to deal with 'Fear' any more.

"You're alive!" Shadow exclaimed. "How could you survive every attack that is thrown at you?"

Sokka ran over to his sister. And helped her sit up. "I'm fine Sokka." She said answering his unvoiced question. She stood up and staggered to regain her balance. "I need to help Zuko."

Zuko turned and looked at Katara offered his hand out. The two felt some sort of power that wasn't there before. He knew that he wouldn't be able to defeat the myth on his own. He would need the other half of the myth as well. The half, which he just remembered.

Flashback

"Mommy, tell me a story." A young Zuko asked crawling into his mother's lap.

The boy was just barely turning four. He still wasn't used to having a twin sister so he tried to get away from the girl as much as possible.

His mother thought for a while then came up with an idea. "Let me tell you something that your grandfather told me. It's a myth meaning it's not real. It's been passed down from Fire Lord to Fire Lord." She tapped the boy on his nose and began to tell the story.

"Long ago during Avatar Kaki's reign there was a monster. She would use people's fears against them and lure them into a trap. Then shortly after the person was lured into the trap they would die because their fear would over come them." Mea explained.

"How did Avatar Kaki stop her? And what did she look like?" Zuko squeaked.

"She looked different to everyone. Some said she was a blonde other said that she was a royal family member." Mea smiled as Zuko hopped off her lap. "And Avatar Kaki only stopped her because the Avatar at the time had something important to accomplish."

"What was that?"

"Man you're full of so many questions today. Just listen to the rest of the story." Mea walked over to a desk. "She finally had lured in an Avatar. Though the Avatar at the time had a plan to stop it."

"I don't get it mommy." Zuko said interrupting her. "How did Avatar Kaki stop her?"

"Using the power of water and fire." She replied. "'Fear' is supposed to only destroy royal family members of the Fire Nation. And only ones who will really make a difference in this world."

"How do you know if you're chosen?"

"You will be affected by three things: death of a loved one, banishment from your home, and the girl that you love most will be affected by 'Fear's' power." Mea finished explaining.

"I wanna know something else?"

"Yeah."

"Uncle Iroh told me 'Fear' comes every three hundred years. Shouldn't it come this year?" Zuko paused before voicing his other question. "And what about the fire/water monster?"

"Don't worry about it Zuko. You none of this is going to happen to you." Mea sighed. "But yes it should come this year. Can I tell you how a normal person can win against 'Fear'?"

"Please mom."

"Well for starters you need both a fire bender and water bender. Then they must realize that they share a special bond. After that bond is realize they must admit their love to each other." Mea patted the boy on the head. "That's how you get the water/fire monster. But don't worry about it. Now go off and train."

"Yes mommy."

End Flashback

Zuko smiled as Katara took his hand. He was definitely the chosen one. And Katara was the girl that was going to help him defeat 'Fear' once and for all. All they had to do was put aside the fact one was royalty and the other was just a peasant and everything would be all right.

Zuko pulled out a fireball and turned it into a flame whip. He then had it launch straight at Shadow. Shadow blocked the attack easily but when she put down her shield she found Zuko right in front of her. He smirked before launching an attack with his foot.

Katara had ran up right behind 'Fear' as she was tumbling backwards. There was an attack that she hadn't mastered quite yet but she thought about giving it a try. She pulled out two water balls from the river nearby and turning them into a double water whip. She used them both to hit Shadow towards the river itself.

Shadow fell into the river and stood up quickly glaring at the two teens. So they had found out the only way to defeat the myth was to work together. That was fine with her. They only stood in the way after all. She finally got tired of playing games with them. Calling forth her power she darkened the whole area. No light could ever penetrate it and this is when she would make her kill.

Zuko grabbed Katara and held her close. He knew it was her due to the fact of her hair hit him in the face while she was swung towards him. "Stay quiet." He whispered in her ear. "Launch your attack in the direction of a scream."

Soon enough there was a scream and both teens launched their attacks towards it. Katara had a water whip for her attack while Zuko over powered his attack causing it to go into a phoenix shape. Both attacks then combined into one and could be seen in the dark. It could be seen hitting the myth and the darkness shortly vanished after that.

"Where is she?" Sokka asked looking around.

"Gone." Zuko answered him. Zuko then fell to the ground. He had lost a lot of blood in that match. His vision became blurry and he saw Katara standing over him in a worrying sort of way.

Sokka and Aang ran over to the prince and helped him stand up. He was still trying to keep conscious but it was taking more energy than he thought. "Katara," He said, as the girl got closer. "You owe me five more children." Then he passed out.

K15: -squeaks- I've gotten 200 reviews! I'd like to thank everyone. -gives you all talking Iroh action figures with 12 different sayings and 15 different ways of nagging Zuko to create little nieces and nephews- My summer goal has been reached... actually my goal has been reached peirod. Anyway. So 'Fear' is defeated right? Anyway Zuko's not dead he still has to marry Katara. A sequel should be written shortly but the story isn't over. In fact we need to see a little more Zutara action. So yeah. Look for an updation in like the next week and/or month. Later. K15