Katara went into her room and grabbed her stuff; she was sweaty and sticky from training. She took a quick shower; she changed in to her uniform and pulled her hair up into a pony tail. She walked into the armor room and found a women's armor,
"Yea right, you really don't have an armor my size" Katara mocked.
She put it on and strapped tight, it actually wasn't that heavy compared to a man's armor.
She looked a lot different. She was done trying to be nice; she only got stomped on, by some crew members and Prince Zuko.
Her hair was getting long, so he grabbed a dagger and cut it so it ended at her mid back. Her bangs were hanging down by her cheeks. She loved her new appearance. It made her look self confident; it also made her look stronger.
She walked out to deck and saw that the sun was rising; she also saw a storm coming.
Everyone was sleeping in there chambers. Katara felt the waves crashing on the ship. Seeing Zuko not on deck she ran towards his room. She was hitting the door with her fist… "Zuko we have a major problem!"
"Ugh...if it has to do with your nails or anything related to feminine stuff go away! Let me rest!"
"God Prince Zuko, get your lazy ass up before we are all engulfed into a huge storm. Now get up!"
Zuko jumped off his bed grabbing his robe and opened the door.
"What did you say?"
"A huge storm is coming from the Southern side if we don't hurry and change course the ship will be caught in the middle of the storm."
"Jia Li get this and hit a couple of the soldier's room door and hurry!"
"How many doors do you want me to hit?"
"When a few soldiers get out, give it to someone and tell them to do the job"
Katara hit the hallway walls instead, and the crew got up much faster. She gave the metal pole to the first person she saw, telling them their job, she ran towards the deck. After a couple of minutes the ship was starting to change course. But the ship wasn't going as fast as was needed.
"Prince Zuko, if this ship doesn't go fast enough we will be in a serious problem!"
"Jia Li, if you tell me what to do again I will lock you up in your room, you're getting me annoyed."
"You know what; deal with this your self I'm out to do my job."
Katara went inside to the ships main engine, she started help the men.
"Jia Li, it very nice that you're trying to help but shouldn't you be up there on deck, doing something not so hard?"
"Look, I came as a soldier and will do what ever is need of me! I'm leaving on deck to check on where the storm is located, not because you told me to…Sexist son of a bitch!" Katara muttered under her breath unheard.
Katara walked towards the deck, she was then slammed against the hallway wall with much force.
"Oh no…please no!"
Katara ran towards the deck and saw that her belief and nightmare had become true.
They were in the storm!
"Oh my, Lay Ji Li you must go inside, it's too dangerous!" Iroh said from behind her grabbing her arm.
"NO, General Iroh you are the one that need to go inside. I'll be fine, water is my element, remember?"
"Yes but…" Iroh was cut off.
"Iroh I'm going to stay!"
"As you wish…" Iroh said defeated.
Katara ran towards the edge and saw from a distance a huge wave forming and getting bigger coming there way. Katara quickly raised her hands and pushed it back as much as she could. She was able to push many back and tried her best, but then the rain came with strong wind, with greater force. She managed to protect the ship, but felt that she was getting weaker, because when she pushed a wave down up came more and more. The men were having trouble managing to not go under; all of a sudden everything was calm.
Katara looked up and saw a hole in the clouds; in this hole everything was calm.
"It's not over…." Zuko said from behind her.
"Damn it, Prince Zuko you need to get you and your men out of the deck, I don't want any of them to gets hurt."
'What? Since when do you care for the fire nation, your going to kill the Prince! Do it now! Push him off the side, then you can leave them and tada you're a hero! Come Katara just do it!'
'I can't, have your seen how he is loved by his uncle, Iroh already lost a son, and I don't want to give him more grief! Even though I despise fire nation with all my heart, the old man deserves happiness.'
'God you are so weak just stab him in the heart and throw him over board. This is your chance'
"Prince Zuko I said now! Get out of here!"
"Jia Li, have you, lost your mind? This is a very terrible storm; if my men aren't here then this ship will go under! I will not do as you say!"
"Zuko, I think you should trust Jia Li." Iroh said walking behind him, he heard their argument.
"Men go inside to your chambers, NOW!" Katara yelled. They just looked at her like if she was crazy and like telling her she wasn't in charge.
"Do as she says." Zuko said not looking away from her. "You better no sink my ship!"
"Go the winds are picking up!" Katara said as she saw Zuko go inside.
"Ok let's see if this works…" The rain came again with the same force as before; soon waves were crashing on to the ship.
"Ok Jia Li this is it!" Katara said her fake name just incase anyone was around.
Katara lifted her hands straight in front of her, she closed her eyes, and concentrated on the storm, she opened her eyes and she performed a move she had learned from a very powerful water bender.
Zuko hadn't left he was standing on the door way of the ship watching her, just in case, he saw her stand there and was going to yell at her but saw then perform a move, that seemed useless to him, but then he saw the clouds move apart the winds settled slowly and the hard rain turned to just a sprinkle.
Katara felt weak and then everything was a blur, she was close to the edge and then….
The crew felt that the ship had stopped rock violently and walked towards the deck when they arrived they saw Prince Zuko running towards the other side of the ship…
Katara fell off the side of the ship she fell hard and with her armor began to sink to the bottom.
Zuko saw her and ran after taking his armor off. He took his shirt off and dove into the water after her.
He opened his eyes and saw her sinking down….unconscious...
'For the love of God, could this get any worse?'
In that instant Katara cracked open her eyes, she felt she couldn't breathe and felt her element around her.
'Oh great, now she's going to panic and inhale water, just beautiful!'
Katara felt the armor and began to yank it off, she managed to pull most of it up, but the breast plate was caught on her shirt. 'Damn it get off… fuck I'm going to have to pull my shirt off!' Katara pulled her shirt off revealing her under garment. She started to swim up but the felt that she started to lose air. She start to see a blur again and the last thing she felt was a firm arm grab her.
Zuko grabbed her and reached the surface were his crew saw him and cheered, they threw him a rope and he caught it… pulling him up with the girl and all. He reached the deck and placed Katara down.
"Men go back to your jobs…Now!" Prince yelled noticing them not moving.
He looked down at her and saw she had taken her shirt off; she had no armor and was unconscious again.
"Great…." He carried her again and took her to her room.
He kicked a mat on the ground and placed her there, not wanting to wet her bed.
She coughed and water came spilling from her mouth, she opened her eyes and for her disappointment she saw her prey.
She coughed some more before saying… "What happened, all I remember is performing a very powerful move, sinking to the bottom of the ocean, and being grabbed?"
"Well, I don't know what you did, but it worked, and you're an idiot! How could you be so stupid and go near the edge if you knew it was a powerful move? If it weren't for me, you would be dead!"
"Thank you for saving my life..." Katara then changed her attitude and tone. "Well excuse me for saving your sorry ass and the whole ship! Excuse me for doing what was in my hands to get out of the storm! Now get out I need to change!" Katara said noticing she didn't have her shirt on and her white under garment was soaking wet!
Zuko walked out the room slamming the door. Katara changed and walked towards the closet, she had found two sets of armor for women in the armor room. So she had taken both, She put it on and went on deck, as she did many gave her confusing stares, as if questioning her of what she had done to get them out of the dangerous storm.
She saw servants sweeping out the water and decided to help. She water bended all the water away drying the metal floor.
"Thank you Lady Jia Li." Katara never knew why they called her that is she was just like every other soldier who was on board, excluding Iroh and Zuko of course. She didn't see how Iroh could such a polite man and still be related to a spoiled arrogant bastard of a Prince; it was one of those questions that roamed through her head unanswered. But her thought were interrupted when she heard footsteps coming towards her.
"Who ever you are… what do you need?"
"Nothing, just wanted to ask what happened during the storm?" Iroh said walking next to her.
"Oh, sorry, but I learned this powerful move, that can control the weather if you are a master. I didn't want to see any being killed, because then I would be filled with guilty. So I performed the move, but I didn't realize that this move was going to take all my energy away. Bur I'm glad that it all worked out. Now if you wouldn't mind I have to go back to my jobs."
"I don't mind…" Katara bowed and left. She had to help in the lower deck, she had to help move crates and do inventory. Which she totally despised the part of doing inventory, She went to a crate and found a trunk inside, she opened it and found pictures, she saw Zuko's baby pictures, they were beautiful paintings that looked as if at any moment they were going to come alive, she looked through them and a certain picture caught her attention, it was of a beautiful woman, she looked like Zuko a lot, she figured that she might be his mom, she put everything away and closed the crate. She walked to the captain and handed him the inventory sheet.
'Finally, finished with my work…. time for some peace and quiet.'
Katara walked around for awhile she heard noise of voices and sounds of the ship. She had planned on how to kill him, but something didn't feel right. She had the courage to go to his bedroom, but every time she was there she just kept on walking, she couldn't do it. She shrugged the thought off when she reached the deck. She walked across the deck to the point of the ship. (A/N you know on titanic where the couple stands and she lifts her arms like a bird…yea)
She looked out to sea and felt peace come over her. She looked up to the sky and saw the flying bison, 'shit…I have to get out of sight before they see me on a FIRE NATION SHIP! The first thing they are going to want to do is 'save' me from these people.'
Katara ran from the point of the ship to the door way.
"Hey Aang look a fire nation ship, hey that looks a lot like Katara….nah, couldn't be!"
"Sokka, do you think Katara is safe?"
"Twinkle toes stop worrying she's fine."
"Toph how are you so sure?" Sokka and Aang both said in harmony.
"Ok, I'll tell you guys a secret Katara made me swear I'd never say. Unless she gave me permission…." She was cut off.
"Get to the point!" Sokka said.
"I was getting there! Anyways like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted! Katara is fine and I'm sure of it because she's a master water bender! OK now stop worrying damn!" Toph slouched again and crossed her arms. She was tried of their worrying. It got annoying after awhile.
Katara saw the bison leave and decided that she would stay the rest of the night in her room; she didn't feel that peace she once had anymore.
She walked towards her room and closed the door behind her locking it. After she took off her armor, she set it aside. She flopped on her bed, then took off her ring and looked at it; she hadn't seen Haru in what seemed an eternity. She wonder what he was doing, she even wondered if he still loved her, she thought about their wedding, if she actually loved him that much she would actually go through the whole thing. She thought of her family and in her thoughts she fell to sleep.
"Ummm…..General Iroh, sir, dinner is ready."
"Would you go sound the bell, so everyone can come and eat? I'm getting to old to go up there." Iroh grinned and walked towards the dinning room.
The servant sounded the bell and the crew left the positions to go eat.
Everyone sat on the really long table, the crew wasn't that big so almost everyone fit, and if not there were extra chairs and tables.
Prince Zuko came and sat across his uncle and began to eat.
"Prince Zuko have you seen Jia Li?"
"No uncle and I could careless about her."
"Zuko would you be a gentlemen and go tell her that dinner is served."
"Uncle make the servants do it, does it look like I want to go to talk to the water witch?"
"Nephew, you know I have always had patients with you so I'll go do it, obviously you're still an immature teenage boy. I'll be right back." Iroh said knowing that his nephew would most certainly change his mind.
"Uncle, I'll go do it, stay here and eat your dinner." When Zuko left the room Iroh had a grin on his face. 'Works every time works every time.'
Zuko walked up the stairs to through hallways, 'til finally he was standing out side of 'Jia Li's' bedroom.
He knocked and he got no answer, he tried opening the door but it was lock.
'Damn it! Why did I decide to come?' he got tired of waiting and knocked again but harder and louder.
"Coming, coming" Katara said groggily.
Katara opened the door whipping her eyes trying to wake up.
"What do you need?" Katara asked.
"My uncle wanted me to come tell you that dinner is served."
"Oh, ok well thanks for telling me, I fell to sleep."
They began to walk but Katara stayed behind him like every soldier on the ship would.
"Don't worry I finished doing my job and fell to sleep." Katara said and through the whole way neither of them talked.
They entered the diner and everyone looked there way for a second then back to their business.
Zuko sat in his seat and Katara sat across from him. Not talking she ate peacefully and left the diner. She walked towards the deck, when she arrived she walked to her favorite spot and sat down. She closed her eyes and started to meditate her way.
She had over heard the captain say that they had stopped the ship and anchored it. She stood up walked to the edge and lifted her hands in the air.
Zuko finished eating and walked towards the deck, he felt like training. As he came near deck he could see 'Jia Li' getting up and walking closer to the edge she lifted her hands up like a bird.
'What the hell is she doing?' Zuko though
She looked down and saw the waves crashing on the ship. She smiled and leaned towards thin air.
'What is she crazy?' Zuko look confused.
'Why do you care so much?' 'I'm not caring, who said I'm caring, because I was just coming to train, now shut up.' 'Yea, and I'm king of the jungle in my own body, I believe someone's hormones are kicking in' his mind teased.
'Yeah what ever, get out of my head and stop bugging.'
Katara dived into the water as she went under the water started to glow a very bright light, the shimmered blues, greens, and purples. The light was so bright and strong that it shot right through the surface up into the air disappearing as fast as it had come.
Zuko ran towards the edge catching a glimpse of the light. Took off his armor and his shirt in an instant and dove into the water, with out think of what his mind had just accused him of.
Katara opened her eye's looking at her body, 'yes, yes, it worked; finally I'm my old self again, yes!' Katara thought happily. She had kept quiet on her secret, no one knowing, not even her family.
It was harder to become her original form then becoming human. To become a mermaid she had to go through meditation or she had to concentrate really hard. Other wise she couldn't do it.
As Zuko's body came into contact with the water, he started to have goose bumps because of the temperature. He opened his eyes and couldn't see a damn thing, the light was still there but it was dimming very quickly. He only got a glimpse of 'Jia LI' but her image had kind of changed; she had deep purple eyes instead of a light purple more deep blue kind. He got to the surface and looked around trying to find where 'Jia Li' had gone.
"Jia Li? Are you out here? Hello?"
"What's the matter Prince? Worried much? Did you worry that I had gone crazy and decided to jump off? Or did you just happen to be walking around and saw me jump off. Because I believe you were spying." Katara said coming up splashing him in the face.
"Why did you jump off, especially at this time of day? Oh and what about that light where did it come from?"
"Well the reason I jumped off was because I felt like it, and I have no idea where that light came from." Katara said lying through her teeth.
'Damn it Katara you could have been caught you stupid ass!' Katara yelled at her self.
She went under again changing into her normal form. Not wanting to be caught by Zuko. She water bended Zuko and herself up onto the deck.
"I'm going to bed. See you in the morning." Katara said walking towards her room.