DISCLAIMER: I do not own, nor have any rights to, the content, characters, or story of Avatar: the Last Airbender. The story depicted herein is a re-imagining of the story, and has no ties to the owners, writers and creators of the show.
Zuko remembered the South Pole.
Almost 3 years after his banishment, he had circled the globe at least once, visited every air temple, and had made port at most of the large cities along the coast lines to interrogate commoners. His uncle, jovial as always, treated every stop as if he were a tourist, and left port each time with more souvenirs and local delicacies.
Knowing that the Southern Water Tribe was little more than poorly built tents and a barely functioning society, he instead decided to circle the polar region, looking for signs of activity outside the small village. He had begun to believe that the Air Avatar had died of old age. Since the next in the cycle would be a water Avatar, the southern tribe would be the best place to look. He would only visit the village if he had to, if there was a sign. Until then, he was content to wait and watch.
That is, until a massive beam of blinding white light had shot into the sky. Having seen the southern Spirit Lights too much over the past couple weeks, he knew that this light was different.
That same light, blinding and bright and beautiful, permeated the large cavern beneath Ba Sing Se. Zuko had known that the Avatar caused it, but until today, he had no idea how.
Zuko watched as the Avatar ascended, his eyes and tattoos glowing with a matching brightness. The boy's small, adolescent body was pulsing with power, so much so that even Zuko feared to approach him.
He turned to look at Katara, who was equally mesmerized. The glow reflected off her blue eyes, and she seemed captivated by the spectacle.
He heard a soft thump from his left, and turned to see that Azula had jumped down from her perch to the cavern floor. He then watched as she began twisting and writhing, pulling energy from the air around her. Having seen this move before, Zuko knew what was coming.
"NO!" he shouted, and shot a burst of fire towards her, hoping to disrupt her plans. But it was too late.
Azula completed her movements, and shot a bolt of brilliant blue lightning at Aang. She then flipped backwards, narrowly avoiding Zuko's fire. She laughed, the same taunting laugh that he had heard throughout his childhood, and met his eyes with a smirk of success on her face.
Hatred, unlike anything Zuko had felt towards his little sister before, coursed through him How dare she try to kill the Avatar? How dare she take Zuko's victory away from him, again?
Rage flowed through his veins as Zuko engaged Azula in battle. His anger fueled his firebending, and the aggressive punches, kicks and strikes brought forth massive waves of fire. His sister dodged and deflected, then took the offensive and roundhoused a wave of fire towards him.
Zuko dipped low, and used his momentum to bend a fire blast at her feet. There was a distant roaring in his ears, and Zuko felt more alive than he had in years.
Hunting the Avatar had been an obsession. A means to an end, which he fought for almost 3 years. But putting Azula in her place? That was a duty.
Azula continued to dodge and strike, avoid and counterattack, as their battle waged on. Zuko had no thought in his mind for the Avatar, who was surely dead or dying. Having finally chosen his side, finally chosen a path to tread, the way forward was clear: defeat Azula, defeat his father, and help bring balance to the world.
Zuko felt a breeze ruffle his hair as a blast of blue fire narrowly missed him. Zuko was about to attack back when a brilliant red flame struck the ground near Azula. Both of them turned to see their uncle, freed from his crystal prison, standing to the left of Azula, his stance one of attack.
Azula, knowing she was outnumbered, signaled to the Dai Li, who until now had allowed the princess the space to fight her own battle. Within moments, both Zuko and Iroh were fighting groups of agents, which were coming on from all sides.
"Go!" Uncle yelled, blasting a Dai Li agent into the wall nearby, where he fell to the ground and lay still.
"Uncle-" Zuko tried, then jumped as the earthbenders tried to throw him off balance with a seismic shift.
""You've got to get out of here!" Uncle shouted, spinning and coalescing a wave of fire that rolled over several agents. "I'll hold them off as long as I can!"
Zuko looked around for Azula, but she had disappeared when the Dai Li had stepped forward. Shaking with anger, he turned towards where the Avatar had been, and found Katara cradling his limp body on the ground. Her hair, having fallen from it's up do, was tangled and wet, plastered to her face and shoulders, while her clothes showed tears and scorch marks.
Zuko raced towards them, his heart pounding. No, he thought, his eyes on Katara's tear filled face. Not now. Not after everything that's happened.
"We've got to go," Zuko panted as he neared them.
Katara nodded, then looked back down at the boy. She took a deep breath, then stood. With one arm around Aang, holding him upright, she walked over to the waterfall that had dominated Zuko's vision of the room before. Zuko followed, and scooped Aang's body out from Katara's grasp. The boy - the body - was still warm, and Zuko could feel the heat from the scorch mark on the boy's back.
Katara glanced at him in acknowledgement, then stepped into the shallow pool at the base of the waterfall, with Zuko following closely behind. Mist from the waterfall settled on his short hair and
"Put your arm around me," Katara said quietly. Zuko glanced at her sharply, then repositioned Aang against his side to free up an arm. After a short hesitation, he wrapped it firmly around Katara's shoulder.
Katara grasped his waist firmly, and Zuko felt her body distort and curl as she summoned the water that was around their feet. It wrapped around them securely, twining around their legs and hips. With a powerful thrust, Katara whipped her arm upwards, and the water around their feet began lifting them up the edge of the waterfall.
Zuko looked back at the cavern floor that was receding below him. Uncle was surrounded by dozens of Dai Li, blocking their attacks with swift and decisive movements that would put Azula's to shame. The Dragon of the West was alive and well, and Zuko was once again in awe of his uncle's amazing abilities.
Almost as if hearing his thoughts, Uncle turned and looked up at the trio. He met Zuko's eyes, and nodded to him in respect. Then, with a deep breath, he closed his eyes and stopped his attack. The Dai Li instantly encased him in crystals, and moved forward to detain him.
Zuko knew that Uncle had fought to help them escape. He owed him a thousand times over, for all that he had done for him throughout his banishment, and his whole life. Uncle had always guided him with a strong yet gentle hand, and had helped him become the man he was today. The man who helped the Avatar escape.
I will come back for you, Uncle.
Zuko's view was blocked as they passed through the ceiling of the cavern. He took in a breath, thinking that they would have to swim, but Katara flicked her wrist and the water swirled away from their faces, wrapping around them like a cocoon. The pale green light emanating from the crystals slowly faded beneath their feet, and then they were in complete darkness.
Zuko could only hear the sound of rushing water, his pounding heartbeat, and the gentle breathing of Katara beside him. Her slight form continued to move next to him, swirling the water around them. He looked up, hoping to get a glimpse at their exit, and got a splash of water in his face.
He sputtered, clenching his arms in frustration that he couldn't wipe the water out of his eyes.
"Sorry," a soft voice said next to him, and the water moved off his face and back into the eddies around them. He grunted slightly, and then continued to wait for their exit.
After a short time, light began to diffuse the tunnel they were in. Suddenly, they broke through the surface, and Zuko stumbled onto the neatly cut grass in front of him. He looked around, and recognition made him blink several times, sure that he was mistaken.
They had emerged from the waterfall into the courtyard he had passed just that day, when he and his Uncle had been summoned to the palace. To his left, the towering walls of the Royal Palace loomed over him, casting a shadow from the brightness of the moon. To his right, an elegant fountain rose into the air, carved with dancing badgermoles and miniscule Earthbenders. The pool at the bottom showed no signs that it drained into the massive caverns below them.
"We have to get to Appa," Katara said, and he turned to see her bending the water out of her clothes and hair and back into the pool. It took him a moment to register what she had said, as he hadn't realized that she had allowed herself to be drenched during their climb, while keeping him and the Avatar completely dry.
She looked over to him, and he nodded, climbing to his feet. The boy was still cradled in his arms, having made no movement on their journey, and Katara cast a worried glance at his limp form before turning and running towards the main entryway. Zuko tightened his grip around the Avatar, and followed after.
As they approached the main gate, Katara suddenly veered to the side and hid behind a hedge that was carved into the shape of a bear. Zuko, sighing at the distastefulness of it all, crouched beside her.
"Dai Li," she whispered once he was beside her. Zuko peered around the hedge to see 5 agents standing guard at the entryway, still as the stone they bent. He cursed, then crouched back down.
"Do you know another way around?" he asked quietly. Zuko then realized - he had no idea what the Avatar and his friends had been doing. Ever since they had clashed with Azula on the edge of the desert, he had paid them no mind. His only goal had been making a better life for him and Uncle, one where they weren't at the center of the war.
He had to admit, it had been a relief to focus on himself for a change. Getting out of his war uniform had felt like a weight coming off his chest, and working with his Uncle to better their life had left him feeling different. Changed.
"There's another exit," Katara said, pulling Zuko from his thoughts. "It's on the Eastern Wall, near the main staircase. But this is the side entrance, so I bet there's more agents at the other gate."
She looked away, eyes unfocused, and Zuko knew that she was mentally walking her way around the Palace, trying to find a way out. Although Zuko didn't know the layout here, he began mentally picturing his home - the Caldera in the Fire Nation, and the Palace that was held within. The high walls, battlements, and expansive gardens were very similar to the Earth Kingdom, so other similarities must exist...
If I were a King, Zuko thought to himself, ignoring the homesickness, what would I want my guests to see? Suddenly, he had an idea.
"Is there a staff entrance?" Zuko asked out loud.
Katara turned to look him in the eye, shocked.
"Of course!" she exclaimed, then hunkered down and dashed back towards the fountain. Zuko followed, slinging Aang over his shoulder to keep his arms free for defense. Katara turned before reaching the fountain, and followed a low, long hedge that lined a stone path. She paused at the end of the hedge, peeked around, then dashed across, aiming for the shade of a willow tree.
From there, they continued on through the expansive palace grounds, stopping every so often to look around and listen for pursuit. The nearly full moon was bright above them, and lit their surroundings with it's hazy silver glow. At one point, they were almost seen by an entourage of courtesans, who were making their way towards a nearby pagoda. Their boisterous talk and laughter echoed through the night air, and it was obvious that they had been drinking.
Once they had passed, Katara sighed and continued forward. Zuko was curious as to her frustration, as courtesans were known to be rowdy - that was why they were allowed to entertain the king. Nevertheless, he kept his confusion to himself, and followed.
Suddenly, as they were dashing across an open area of grass, the air was split by a low growl. Having chased the Avatar as long as he had, Zuko was unsurprised to see the bison set down near them. He hefted the Avatar up and began walking towards the bison, eager to get out of the Earth Palace. However, his path was blocked by the Water Tribe boy - Sokka - who jumped down and thrust his boomerang into Zuko's face.
"What is he doing here?" Sokka scowled, examining Zuko from head to toe. "What did you do to Aang?"
"Sokka, it's ok," Katara spoke up, then stepped between her brother and Zuko. "Zuko helped us escape. Azula captured him, and he helped us get free, and get away. He's on our side."
"But what about Aang?" Sokka interjected, still blocking Zuko's way.
"Azula." Zuko said, causing both siblings to look his way. "She shot him with lightning."
Sokka's eyes widened, and he stepped forward to look down at Aang, who was still limp in Zuko's arms. He gulped, then whispered, "Is - is he…?"
"Not if I can help it," Katara said, putting a gentle hand on Sokka's shoulder. She then turned back towards the bison, and ran up its tail towards its back. Sokka cast one more look at Zuko, then followed. Taking the boy's silence for acceptance, Zuko followed.
As he gingerly climbed the beast's tail, trying not to jostle the Avatar, a strange sight met his eyes. Katara was digging through a pack, muttering under her breath, while her brother had resumed his place at the bison's head. Sitting on Zuko's left, acting completely unperturbed by Zuko's appearance, was that earthbender girl that he had seen with the group in the desert. And directly across from Zuko was...a bear. A fully grown, massive brown bear. Wearing a hat.
Zuko had heard enough about the Earth King to know that the bear was his, which meant that the diminutive man at it's side must be the Earth King himself. Looking at him, in his finery and gold, Zuko saw nothing of the proud, strong ruler that a nation should have. The man was small, weak, and completely normal. A weak man for a weak nation, Zuko thought. He continued towards the bison's head, where the Water Tribe boy had called the beast to take off.
It jostled below him, causing him to fall to his knees as they all rose into the night sky.
"Found it!" Katara exclaimed.
She held a small blue vial in her hands. As Zuko set Aang down before her, she uncorked the vial and bent water from it. In the bright moonlight, Zuko saw the water begin to spin in a tight circle, then watched as it's clear surface turned to a glowing blue light. Zuko had long heard of the healing abilities that the waterbenders had, but doubted that such a small amount could repair this much damage.
Katara reached for Aang, and Zuko helped to hoist the boy until he was laying face down against Katara's shoulder. Then, she slowly bent the water into the gaping wound that spanned the width of the Avatar's back, cutting across his tattoos and stretching his skin tight. It sank slowly into the heart of the damage, leaving only light droplets that streamed down his back.
Zuko waited with bated breath, sure that it hadn't worked, when suddenly Aang's tattoos glowed brightly, briefly, before settling back to their natural color.
Katara let out a breath of relief as the Avatar stirred. He groaned quietly, and Katara smiled and held him tighter.
Zuko looked on, the weight on his chest lightening. There was still a long road to Aang's recovery, then an entire war to fight and end. But for now, as the bison flew over the outer wall of Ba Sing Se, he was comfortable with the knowledge that the Avatar was alive.
The Earth Kingdom...has fallen.
Hello, my lovelies. I apologize for not updating in so long - lot's to do towards the end of the year! With that being said, here's a New Year's treat for everyone, and a solemn promise that I won't leave you all hanging! More chapters to come soon!
-Potato