Disclaimer - I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Young Justice. This was written for the Red Belt rank of Write to Rank 2021 where I needed to write a crossover 2,850 to 3,000 words of the action genre. Pretty much what I have been doing but with a longer word count.
Forged in Fire: Burned
Katara felt she could never forgive the Hinokoku, the nation of fire.
The Hinokoku, after all, waged war against the Mizuzoku, the tribes of the water, and other groups which—in all honesty, Katara didn't know the reasons behind why the Hinokoku attacked using fire with such ferocity, but she did remember watching her mother fall at the hands of a Hinokoku soldier, her eyes wide with fear.
She never wanted to feel fear again, but she did want to instill fear into the hearts of the Hinokoku.
Everything started the day Prince Zuko came to their village, inquiring into the whereabouts of the Avatar, a mythological figure among those of the four nations that they believed would bring peace and stability, yet in Katara's mind the prince didn't seek the Avatar for those reasons. More importantly, she stood there doing nothing while her brother fought Zuko – Sokka ended up flipped on his butt when she used her water abilities on the young fire user.
"Run."
Katara's mind didn't register who said those words. Instead, her mind registered the fact she and Sokka left their village, but memories of her mother dying resurfaced. Kya died saying she was the water user of their tribe, not Katara.
"It was that dumb Fire Bender who told us to run," Sokka eventually relayed.
"Run, or I'll kill you."
They ran into Prince Zuko quite a few times after that, their movements a push and pull and their hatred for each other always evident in Katara's mind.
She would never forgive the Hinokoku.
"Can't you wait until I can infiltrate the warehouse with you Katara? We still don't know what the Hinokoku is wanting to transfer to these Cadamas labs beyond the fact they found it in Mizuzoku waters"
"It's Painted Lady over the coms," Katara chided as she peered out from behind a large storage container. A couple of Hinoko soldiers patrolled close by; one wrong move and they'd catch her. "Or do you admit that your codename is lame, Boomerang Man?"
Sokka at first said nothing—he thought his codename cool. "Just be careful, alright?"
"Aren't I always?" Katara asked.
"Not when Prince Zuko shows up. Or that Blue Spirit guy"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you get even more worked up when either one of them is involved."
"Whatever?" Katara puffed a lock of hair out of her painted face, before stepping out of the shadows now that the patrol passed. She walked slow and methodically, letting the mist roll in to cover her tracks better. Her blue eyes drifted towards a window from which she might enter the warehouse; someone working at the Hinokoku owned warehouse left boxes stacked making a nice stairway for the Painted Lady. Quickly, she went into a run and jumped up each box while her mind wondered if she should cut back on the costume so she might move easier, yet brushed this aside.
Her fingers reached up, prying open the window. The metal pressed into her fingers while her nails scraped slightly against the wall outside. Once open, Katara slipped in onto a wooden platform above the rest of the warehouse and moved towards the rather large object in the middle of the warehouse. When she got close enough, her eyes widened in shock at the sight.
Katara saw a large block of ice which she estimated as being the size of the small village she and Sokka left behind so that her grandmother and everyone else might live. The ice glowed from the power emanated from within, but the power emanated from what looked like a small boy with arrows on his head and hands. Somewhere in the back of her mind, the urge to break the block of ice cropped up.
Someone tapped her shoulder.
She nearly jumped out of her skin, her hand placed over her heart.
"What's going on?" Sokka asked from the other side, which meant she made a noise.
"It's just the Blue Spirit and..."
"Oh god! If you're not crushing on the Blue Spirit, you're getting into it with Prince Zuko!"
"I do not have a crush on the Blue Spirit!" Katara muttered. For a brief second she thought for once she heard some kind of verbal sound from the Blue Spirit but pushed it aside. Her finger pointed at the other person, the person who tapped her on the shoulder like the Blue Spirit normally did. "Who are you?"
A finger suddenly touched her lips. Her eyes focused on the boy—for he didn't look much older than her—as he shook his head. He placed a finger on his lips. He then glanced down and Katara's eyes followed. At that moment she realized there were Hinokoku in the warehouse, but not your normal Hinokoku soldiers.
The boy who was just as silent as the Blue Spirit looked over at his companion and tilted his head in a certain direction. Katara watched the Blue Spirit take off in that direction—the right side of the warehouse. She only looked back when Robin cleared his throat. The way he tilted his head, she knew he wanted her to go along the left side of the platforms before he took off in a third direction—up. "Seriously? Another silent type?"
Instead of heading in the direction Robin indicated, Katara dropped down onto the ground. Slowly, she moved behind the boxes, her hand poised so she might use the water in her pouch.
"Ah—why do we need to guard this place again?" said the girl dressed in pink harem pants and matching top.
"Something to do with this company providing us with a weapon based on the sample we have here. Azula already told us that." A girl in black twirled a weapon.
"Yes, Ty Lee. As Mai said, I already told you that." Azula stood looking at the giant iceberg, her back to Katara, yet the young water user recognized the traditional Hinokoku armor. "By the way. We have a guest."
A surge of blue flames erupted as the girl spun around kicking a large fireball in Katara's direction. She dodged behind another crate just as the one she hid behind splintered into multiple pieces. She heard Ty Lee ask, "Your brother?" while Mai said, "Zuko."
Princess Azula let out a laugh. "Oh, it's not Zuzu but another rat."
Katara felt heat rushing towards her backside and dodged another wave of flames before starting into a run. Mentally, she cursed the fact she'd adopted the traditional Hinokoku dress associated with the Painted Lady, for while the persona from myth brought fear into the hearts of Hinokuku when she pulled off the act, Katara disliked not being able to move more quickly in situations like the one she found herself in.
The water user lifted her hand, pulling her water out of her pouch so she might deflect the blast of blue fire. Her ears decerned the sound of her water quickly sizzling out from the heat of the flames and her eyes widened upon seeing her level of water decreased far more drastically than any other matchup with a Hinokoku fire user. Her arm lifted in an attempt to guard against the next blast coming her way yet she still found herself flung backward through the warehouse wall.
At that moment Katara felt herself falling and her eyes widened. Her arms remained braced and unable to bring the water from the ocean below her up to slow her fall yet in the same moments she felt someone grab onto the arm while Azula screamed at someone to hold still. Her injured arm fell to her side while she looked up the length of the other at the Blue Spirit. He started lifting her back up into the warehouse.
Her toes touched the edge and she felt the muscles of his arms and back. A hot blush spread across her cheeks—so maybe she was crushing on the Blue Spirit, yet she also thought she was saved as she listened to his steady breathing.
"Change of plans," someone whose voice she didn't' recognize yelled which made the Blue Spirit tense up. Someone crashed into them and they were falling, three of them and her mouth opened. They landed on some kind of flying vehicle. "Batman ordered us to retreat."
Katara sat up as the hatch closed while Blue Spirit let out a groan. She looked at his companion—a boy—as he grinned at her, far from pleased that the mission went south, though that was, in fact, her fault. Her arm also hurt. Sucking in her breath, Katara brought what was left of her water out to soothe the burns. Sokka would have her hide when she got back, she knew, but then the water glowed.
"Cool. You're able to heal yourself," the boy muttered. She looked up. "By the way. I'm Robin."
"I'm Aang."
Katara looked down at the small boy with arrows on his head. "He looks familiar for some reason."
"Do you want to play?"
"Um, we're here for missions, kid." Sokka stood with his arms crossed, though Katara wasn't sure if anybody could take his neon blue and yellow Luchadora like costume which was baggy on him seriously yet wished he'd taken her up on the offer of making a new superhero outfit when she made her second one.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Boomerang Man!" Sokka pointed to his chest.
"Cool!"
"More like lame!" said the boy in yellow spandex with Flash's symbol on his chest. He pointed his finger at his chest. "Kid Flash by the way."
"It's not lame!"
"And Batman's not letting the team go on missions yet," Robin chimed in, grinning.
"Does that mean we can go outside and play?" Aang asked.
"Exploring Happy Harbor sounds like fun!" Kid Flash smirked.
Which at the time didn't seem like a bad idea.
"This was a bad idea," Katara muttered to herself as she looked out from behind a box.
Aang didn't understand why he couldn't use his powers in public, so Aqualad insisted he, Sokka, and Superboy go back to Mt. Justice with Aang while she, Kid Flash, and Robin went into Happy Harbor to purchase snacks. "You know, you're rather pretty."
"Sorry KF, but she's taken," Robin joked. Katara glanced over at him, her mouth pushing together. She stared, flinched then realized seeing Robin in his civies albeit with sunglasses was unsettling.
"What do you mean I'm taken?"
"See. She's free."
"Blue Spirit..." Robin muttered. He stopped walking and looked away from them.
"I do not have a crush on the Blue Spirt!" Katara snapped. Except, she did.
"No. Blue Spirit is here, which means..."
"Hinokoku soldiers are here."
"Hiku what?" Kid Flash—or Wally—asked. Robin suddenly darted off in the direction Katara suspected he saw Blue Spirit's head. "Hey! Shouldn't we be getting help?"
"No time! A friend might be in trouble," Robin muttered.
Katara frowned as she didn't like his change in mood. Quickly, she made up her mind and followed after him. She heard Kid Flash sigh before he said, "Wait up."
Not that they needed to wait for Kid Flash as he sped up to them. They arrived at the warehouse similar to the one she'd seen the giant block of ice. Her eyes blinked. "That's why I remember him. They said Superboy was a clone of Superman, so is Aang a clone of..." Katara shook her head. "I don't like being in civies doing this, but at least I am wearing a hoodie to cover my face. This time I'll coordinate with Robin, so..."
Kid Flash didn't coordinate. Instead of watching for Robin's finger signals, he darted out, running around the warehouse as if looking for something. Katara facepalmed. "Is he kidding me?"
"Well, that's KF for you." Robin laughed like he usually did.
"He's worse than Sokka," Katara muttered.
Robin motioned for her to move forward and they moved towards one of the windows. Unlike before, there were no boxes for getting in. Robin pulled out his grappling hook and shot it off. Katara instead created stairs using her water, for she improved since the first time they met. When they arrived at the window, she manipulated the ice back into the water and followed Robin into the warehouse.
Katara looked down from above expecting normal Hinokoku soldiers there. Her eyes widened upon seeing Princess Azula and her two friends. "Oh, not again."
"Let's dropdown."
"Hold on!" Katara protested. She remembered what happened the last time when she dropped down.
"I know, but..." Robin's mouth pressed in a thin line. He pointed down at a yellow streak. "KF's already moving."
Katara sighed and dropped down. She brought out her water as she knew she'd improved. Ty Lee dated forward and she froze the floor. She heard Robin choke from beside her as if he thought she'd made some kind of mistake. The ice did nothing to slow Ty Lee's movement, but a yellow streak did slip on the ice. Kid Flash slid into one of the boxes. Robin let out a sigh and darted forward into the smoke he tossed out. "See to KF, why don't you."
Katara switched directions and ran over to KF. The red-haired young man lay on the ground. "Are you hurt? I can heal you."
"I..." A blast of fire came hurtling out of nowhere. She felt Kid Flash scoop her up into her arms and dart away. Only, he slipped on her ice again and they skidded across the ground. Kid Flash muttered. "I've got fast regeneration because of my abilities, so worry about yourself."
"Robin said..."
"Could you possibly remove the ice so I can run freely?"
Katara sighed, flicking her wrist so the ice defrosted back into the water. Kid Flash dated off and Katara turned in time to see blades flying out of nowhere at her. She moved her hand so she might deflect the blades but instead heard the clanging of metal. A dark figure stood in front of her while his dual broadswords stood poised to deflect more weapons. "Blue Spirit."
She saw him glance back. Her mouth pushed together. "I can take care of myself you know!"
He turned a bit further right as a fireball flew out of nowhere. The flames hit him in the back of his head, sizzling against the cloth made for withstanding flames. In those moments Blue Spirit lurched towards her. Katara's hands reached out the moment she realized he'd fallen unconscious. Her hands latched onto his shoulders as the mask came off. Katara's eyes widened as she recognized the boy behind the mask. "Prince Zuko."
"Oh. It's Zuzu behind the mask," Azula chuckled. "Now I've got an excuse to kill that useless older brother of mine, don't I?"
Katara pulled Zuko behind the box at that moment. She looked out from behind the box and muttered to herself as Zuko lay unconscious. "This was a bad idea."
Azula sent a wave of flames towards her and she ducked back behind the box she might use her body to cover Zuko's. Her eyes closed shut, expecting hot waves of flames yet none came. Her eyes opened.
"You were taking too long sis, so..." Katara looked up at Sokka who stood by Aqualad. His eyes widened as he looked down at Zuko. His mouth hung open.
"How? Azula's flames."
"I'll take care of her flames," Aqualad said. "You're not the only one who can manipulate water."
"Katara..." Sokka stood there.
"What do you think you're doing?" Katara snapped.
"Me? That's..."
"The Blue Spirit."
"Impossible. I mean..."
"Oh. It looks like his secret identity is out," Robin piped up. "What a bummer. PL, can you heal him up so we can take him back with us?"
"I..."
"He's Hinokoku," Sokka said as Katara remembered Zuko telling her to run when they first met.
"Did he mean to run or I'll kill you, or did he mean run because I don't want to kill you or anyone else?" Without hesitation, Katara lifted her hands, letting them glow a bright blue. "Go help the others BM."
"It's Boomerang Man!" Sokka protested before he dived into the fray. All around her Katara heard the cacophony of fighting, fighting she wanted to participate in as she preferred doing that over healing, yet she was also the only one who could heal.
A groan escaped from Zuko's mouth and he sat up. He looked at her with those golden eyes but said nothing. "It's almost as if he thinks the mast is still on." Katara took a deep breath. "Zuko?"
"How..." He seemed puzzled.
"You're not wearing your mask."
"That..." His head tilted. His eyes focused on the place Azula was. "Does she..."
"Yes."
Zuko let out a sigh. A hand ran through his hair which was now shaggy compared to his original hair cut and then he stood up. "I guess I have no choice then." He stepped forward. "Azula."
"Oh. You're awake Zuzu," Azula smirked. "This other water bender is almost out of water."
"I'm your opponent," Zuko stated firmly while his hands clenched.
"As if you could..."
From above Katara heard the sound of the roof cracking and dove towards Zuko to knock him out of the way of debris. Red Tornado came in. "What are you doing?"
Azula let out a curse as she and her friends took off. "Next time, Zuzu."
Zuko sat there while Katara was nearby. Robin walked over, holding out his hand. "I guess you're a part of the team too now."
"Say what!" Sokka snapped. "I don't want him anywhere near my sister!"
"Yup. Zuko joining the team might not be a good idea either," Katara thought to herself.
