A/N
Zuko: Ok, sum good news and sum bad news.
Good news, she will post chapters regularly,
Bad news, because of school, she will have to type it all up on the weekends and stuff and then post it on, she maybe have too much schoolwork and not be even able to post it!
So, blame school!
Why am I saying the author's note? Because, she's still out with the tranquilizer gun I shot. (grins)
Disclaimer:
Zuko: Ch3rryf1ava does not own Avatar! Thank goodness!
---------------
(1 hour before the ball)
Katara sighed as she came out of the bathroom and looked at the blue dress lying over her bed. Sighing, she slipped out of the robe and slipped on the dress, tying all the loose end together and buttoning it up.
Jumping when she heard a knock, she cautiously opened the door and sighed when she saw Toph.
"So, Sugar-queen ready to go?" Toph asked.
"Wow, Toph, you looked great! Aang's going to love it." Katara smiled.
"Really? Y….you think so?" Toph asked, adjusting the sash around her waist.
"Yup."
"Thanks. So are you ready?"
"Just, give me about…..10 minutes, I'll be down."
"Alright, better be fast, all the "noble" snobs are rushing in." Toph laughed and slipped out the door.
Katara laughing lightly and did her hair. Considering the length of her hair now, she decided to just decorate it with a fake red lily. She put it on the side of her head and fastened it, giving her the finishing touch.
Breathing out, she stepped into her shoes and put on her mother's necklace.
She looked in the mirror and sighed, she didn't look like herself when she was 14, even though a year doesn't change much, the frown she always wore was enough to change anybody's face.
Gracefully, she walked out of the room and strode to the grand room. She immediately saw Toph laughing and dancing with Aang as the two twirled around the dance floor.
Katara smiled at the two innocent lovers and sat down on a chair next to many tables.
The walls were all decorated with red, streamers hanging from the ceilings, adorning the many contents of the room.
Suddenly, the music stopped and everyone turned to look at Iroh.
"Citizens of the earth nation and fire nation, welcome to the grand ball! This ball signifies the night were our Fire Lord, Zuko, will choose a bride, to rule with him the fire nation!"
Cheers.
"Furthermore, let me welcome my nephew, Fire Lord Zuko!"
More cheers.
Many women giggled as they saw Zuko step up to the stage. Katara just stared and noticed that his hair now grew out enough to have his traditional top knot.
"Um, hello, uh……tonight, I will of course as my uncle said, choose a…..um….bride."
More giggles scuttled the room.
"Furthermore, I would like to welcome someone special from the southern water tribe, Miss Kita."
A soldier came up behind her and helped her up. Katara, surprised gasped and stuttered when she went up to the stage.
She gulped as she stared down at the hordes of people.
How did Yue do this daily?
"Miss Kita, is here, to sort out diplomatic things with the fire nation, she is a waterbending master there, also, she is the newly named ambassador, of the water nation." Zuko spoke, Katara, still frozen like a rock.
He motioned for a soldier to take her down the stage again, noticing Katara's immobility.
"Ok, so, let the ball commence! Have a great night!"
Cheers.
The soldier guided her back to her seat. Katara breathing out, reliving of the pressure.
"Excuse me?"
Katara looked up at an earth kingdom nobleman, who was about 16, who looked like someone she met.
"Would you care to dance with me?"
"Sure." Katara got up and took the outstretched hand. He gracefully led them to the dance floor and the music began.
She was in a trance as he led her around the dances, gracefully dipping her down at the end of the song.
He pulled her back up and kissed her hand. Katara blushed lightly.
"So, tell me, are you a master waterbender?" He asked.
"Yes, in a way, I teach all the waterbending in my tribe and occasionally go up north to teach there for a period of time as well."
"How very interesting, you know, you look a lot like the waterbender that traveled with the Avatar."
Katara froze, "How…how do you know about that?"
The man smiled, which made Katara shiver, his smile seemed so familiar.
"I'm sorry, I have to go." Katara rushed away from the eerie man. She sat down on the stone bench near the exit.
"Why are you so out here?"
She gasped as she looked up, hoping it wasn't the man she met earlier.
Giving away a silent sigh, it wasn't, it was Zuko.
"I just needed to…..get away from someone." Katara said, looking down on the stone bench.
"Oh…..I see…..I was just wondering, if you would like to dance?"
Katara looked up at the golden eyes.
"I would be honored…." She took his hand and he led her out to the dance floor.
The song was a medium tempo, tango song. The way their bodies moved with each other's were entrancing. Many glances, some of which weren't pleasant, were thrown onto the two as the music continued.
The song ended, leaving both of them, out of breath. They stared at each other's eyes as a new song played.
"I…I need to go now…..thanks." Katara hastily pulled away and rushed out of the ballroom. Inconveniently, running right into the mysterious man.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"Please, I need to go."
"Come with me, I know a shortcut." He pulled her along.
Unsure if she should, she slowly walked with him.
----------------
Just as, yet another, stuck up noble woman, asked Zuko to dance, he noticed Kita being dragged out by a mysterious guest.
"I'll be right with you." Zuko pushed aside the woman and walked quietly, spying on them.
----------------
"Where are we going?" Katara asked, noticing he's getting her farther and farther away from the party.
"Don't worry, we won't be going far, in fact, we're here."
Katara looked around and it was the most secluded area in the gardens, completely hidden from the party.
She saw him coming closer to her.
"Wait! Who are you? Why'd you bring me here?" Katara yelled, backing up into a stone column.
"Don't you recognize me Katara?"
"Wha….what? How do you….know my name?"
"Oh, it's easy, once I see the way you fear me." The dark figure loomed closer.
"Sta….stay back! Or, I'll scream!" She gasped as he continued advancing on her.
"Oh, no one will hear you, don't worry." The figure was right in front of her and starting tracing circles on her neck.
"Don't touch me!" Katara shouted, turning her head away.
"Why can't I? I know you wanted me to back then, didn't you Katara?"
"Who are you?"
"I'm hurt, you don't even know that I'm your beloved Jet."
"Wh….what? No! Get away!" She was visibly shaking.
"No use hiding all that fear from me Katara, I know you are scared." Jet said, as his fingers now traced circles on her collar bone.
"Je….Jet…..stop….n…now…." Katara was now shaking more than ever.
"I won't…" Jet whispered, and kissed her furiously on the lips.
Katara screamed, only to have it muffled by Jet. He growled as he began sliding off her dress.
She cried as she was defenseless without any daggers, weapons, or water.
"Leave her alone…."
Jet stopped before he could take off the sash around her waist. Katara stopped crying and looked at her savior. It was Zuko.
-----------------
Zuko quietly snuck over to the secluded area and peeked through the bushes. There he saw the mysterious man coming closer to her.
"Wait! Who are you? Why'd you bring me here?" She yelled.
"Don't you recognize me Katara?"
"Wha….what? How do you….know my name?"
"Oh, it's easy, once I see the way you fear me." The dark figure loomed closer.
"Sta….stay back! Or, I'll scream!" She gasped as he continued advancing on her.
"Oh, no one will hear you, don't worry." The figure was right in front of her and starting tracing circles on her neck.
Zuko crept closer, trying to see what he was doing to her neck.
"Don't touch me!" Katara shouted, turning her head away.
"Why can't I? I know you wanted me to back then, didn't you Katara?"
"Who are you?"
"I'm hurt, you don't even know that I'm your beloved Jet."
"Wh….what? No! Get away!" She was visibly shaking.
"No use hiding all that fear from me Katara, I know you are scared." Jet said, as his fingers now traced circles on her collar bone.
"Je….Jet…..stop….n…now…." Katara was now shaking more than ever.
"I won't…" Jet whispered, and kissed her furiously on the lips.
Zuko gasped and knew it was now he had to go. He rushed towards the two and whispered in a deadly tone, "Leave her alone…."
He saw Katara, visibly crying and shaking as Jet turned around.
"Well, if it isn't the Fire Lord himself." Jet said, mockingly.
"You better watch it punk, I could have you ordered for execution for raping a woman, assaulting her, and terrorized her." Zuko glared at Jet.
Katara slumped to the ground, still shaking of the shock.
Zuko grabbed her and helped her up. He helped her away from the boy and walked back, he stopped right when he heard a bird's whistle through the night air. Zuko turned around and saw Jet signaling someone from the bushes.
Gasping, he saw Jet's gang coming out of the shadows and rushed towards them, on Jet's directions.
"Bring back the girl now!" Jet ordered.
The whole gang started after them, Zuko pulled Katara, running as fast as her dress could carry her, she panted, making Zuko struggle to make her catch up.
"I can't go anymore….." Katara panted as she looked back at the horde rushing at them. Zuko thought quickly and pulled her into a shadowy alley-ish like place, built near the exit of the party.
He quickly leaned her against the wall and whispered in her ear, "Just follow what I do, so they won't catch you, ok?"
Katara nodded, tears still rolling down her soft cheeks.
"Promise me."
"I….I do…."
He nodded and he heard the gang rounding the corner, into the alley. "No matter what I do, follow me."
She nodded, shaking.
Zuko saw the gang coming and crushed Katara's lips against his.
A few whistles and growls were heard from Jet's group, as they stood in front of the alley. "Come on guys, better give these lovebirds some space, let's go! Find them!" Jet ran off, his group following him.
Zuko broke apart from her and quietly, went to check if Jet was gone.
Katara, gasping deep, ragged breaths, stared into the wall opposite her. Her breaths turned into sobs as she slumped down to the ground, her shoulders shaking.
Zuko walked up to her and bent down, hugging her tightly, "I'm sorry, I should have protected you better, as my guest….Katara…."
Katara looked up at him and took a shaky breath, "Z…Zuko….." She cried into his chest as he rubbed her back, finally, she confessed her identity to him.
"I'm glad you're back Katara…" Zuko buried his head in the crook of her neck and let a lone tear, roll down from his closed eye.
A/N MUWHHAHAHAH! I'm back! (people throw fruit at me)
HEY!
Zuko: Face it! They like me more! (crowd cheers)
Me: What? But…but….
Zuko: I'm like the main character of the story here!
Me: But….I wrote the story! I get some kind of apperication!
Zuko: Fruit her!
Me: (crowd boos and throws fruit)
Zuko: Oh yeah, and thanks for the hook up with Katara, she is hot!
Me: This is how you thank me? (fruit hits face)
Zuko: Yeah, pretty much! R&R!
Me: Sorry for the lack of Taang in here! Lots in the next chapter! OW!
Zuko: Hey! Focus on me! (turns camera on to himself)
R&R!