Ch 8: Love in The Western Air Temple
I know, I know, I'm a motherfucker who can't decide himself, you don't need to tell me what I already know, haha. Ok… You may ask "But Ugnas, why did you decide to return to this shit you call a story?" Well my good and respectful friend, there are two reasons. The first is the good one, the one that I say to you that I'm doing because I really was stupid in stopping it and that I truly loved writing it, also because it's not the same thing in doing a sequel without the prequel actually finished. The second one, the motherfucker's one… it's because I saw that, even now, this is my most endorsed story… the Times of Peace aren't going that well as this one. So… "Ugnas, you're going to stop the Times of Piece?" No, I'm simply taking a little break on it, I'm gonna first finish this one, which won't take that long as I first imagined… Oh, and also, I won't post as often as I once did, I have my own project now, and I have to give it a little of my little free time, so I'm sorry for that too… Anyway… You're here for the chapter not for this crap so… I hope you like it :))
Part 1: Dragons
Life… Such a wonderful thing, what were we without it? Well, probably nothing… Actually I don't know if there's an easy definition for this so wonderful and beautiful thing. But anyway, my point is… life is such an amazing thing that you can find it even in the least expected places… what's the most unexpected place to find life? Probably fire, no? I mean, if I could give ONE definition to it, probably would be "The killer element." And, in a way, it's true. There are millions, maybe billions, of cases where the fire took the life to something. Although, contrasting to that psychopath personality of it, fire can also be a life bringer… I mean, who doesn't just love to arrive home after a long day of work in winter and sit down by the fireplace and read my PERFECT and WONDERFUL stories… it's biologically impossible. Now imagine that you don't have that pleasure, imagine that you can't heat yourself not even in the coldest of nights, how would you feel? So yeah, fire is a life and death bringer. Unfortunately Katara don't think like that at all. For her Fire's meaning is death, period, not more, not less. And actually it can be understandable, it took her everything she once had. Her father, her home, almost took the love of her life… her mother. So yeah, it's pretty obvious that Katara doesn't like fire that much, and another thing she hates is firebenders… Not all of course, but the one who betrayed her and took her actual boyfriend's life… yeah, she has quite a grudge against that man. And actually, as a person who really loves Zuko, can't guilt her. Zuko had made too much shit to her life, is quite understandable that she hates him with all her being… Unfortunately for our favorite waterbending she doesn't have the luck of being away from that man for he was now part of Team Avatar… and I know what you're thinking "Well, she can just be away from him." She could, but would she actually want that? No… not when he was near Aang at least. The possibilities of him turn crazy and attack the young Avatar again were too high for her like… so she decided to assist every single training they both would have. This chapter begins in a training like that. Aang and Zuko were doing some breathing exercises while the waterbender was simply watching them carefully, principally Zuko… although gotta admit, sometimes she indeed passed some time gazing upon the boyfriend's naked torso (rule number one for firebending training: it has to be always in naked torso). But that's not important actually, what's important it's Zuko's arms and legs… if he does ONE strange movement towards Aang or her, she would be ready to cut his head off if needed. And Zuko knew it, Katara had made sure that he knew it. Last night, before she or him could go to bed, Katara made sure to give Zuko the worst threat he would get in this life and the next. Actually, that's exactly why, the boys were still only doing breath exercises, Aang had mastered them a few minutes back (He's an airbender by the spirits). But the fear of having his head cut off by the waterbender if he even starts the littlest fire he could muster, had certainly held him back. But the training has to continue… Both him and Aang were already bored by it. So he looked at Katara's eyes, and she actually surprised him, because she wasn't looking at him, but looking at Aang, with a little string of saliva falling from her mouth. Although it didn't last long, for she felt the golden eyes on her and returned her attention to him, and when she noticed the shameful position she was, she quickly cleaned her mouth and looked to the air, blushing. Zuko shook his head and turned to Aang who was still doing his drills. "So Aang, I think you're ready… I know you're nervous." he said with the best reasuring-ish voice he could muster. "But remember this, firebending on itself is not a thing to be feared. The evil is not in it and yes in the ones who use it."
"Okay, okay" he sighed heavily, clearly nervous. "not something to be feared… I'm ready."
"You have to respect it thou, or it'll chew you up and spit you like an angry komodo rhino!" He warned lifting his voice ever so slightly. Aang seemed a little reluctant, but he nodded "Good, now show me what you got… any amount of fire you have." The Avatar takes a deep breath just like he was thought and punches the air as Jeong Jeong once have taught him, although instead of a gust of fire, a gust of smoke surged.
"Don't know about you, but I think I would need a demonstration." In that moment Zuko looked at Katara, she had her eyes semi-closed and her right hand was on the cork of her waterskin, ready to do anything for her loved one.
Zuko gulped in dry and returned his eyes to the last airbender. "Um… Yes, I think that would be a - a great idea." Now whispering. "But I don't know if SHE agrees." Aang looked at Katara, who quickly gave him a fake smile and waved at him with the right hand, there making him sigh.
"Katara, could you come here?"
She nodded and walked at him, placing herself behind him so that she could see Zuko's face, and he could see hers. "Yes, My Love?"
"Zuko here wants to teach me some firebending. "He explained, sometimes turning his head to the spoken teacher, on those moments Katara's face would turn from the sweetest face she could muster to a 'I kill you, you motherfucker.'. "So what I'm asking is… can he bend fire without the risk of receiving a punch… to teach me."
"Oh, he'll get more than a punch alright." "Of course, My Love. If it makes you happy."
"It would, very much. Thank you, My Angel." Aang grabbed her hand and kissed it in thanks, and she returned to her post, but not before giving a deadly glare to the firebender when Aang wasn't looking. And this one even had the bonus of a 'cutting your neck' sign.
Zuko gulped again and tried to move to another subject, just to prepare mentally for the upcoming move. "So um… what's up with you and the pet names?"
"Any problem with it?" Katara, who managed to hear asked. Zuko could see her left eye flicker a little.
"Oh- um- no, of course not- it's just because me and Mai never actually got one, I was just curious."
Katara was about to respond, cold and hard as expected, although Aang was faster. "Mai? You mean the knife girl? Is she your girlfriend?"
"Well she was alright. I had to break up with her to be here."
"Oh… I'm sorry Zuko." Aang said, feeling the guilt of separating them.
"Don't be, you have to save the world, and I have to help you… Mai will understand, she has to."
"I'm sure she will." Saying this Aang looked at the silent Katara, she had her arms folded and her eyes were again almost closed, as if she was trying to see beyond Zuko's body, to understand his true intentions. "Um - Katara."
"Yes?" She said looking at Aang the faster she could.
"Do you have anything to tell to Zuko… maybe an 'I'm sorry for your loss.'? or something." This last part he had it whispered, although he wasn't exactly sure if Zuko had heard it or not.
Katara opened her mouth to talk and even rose a finger but, in the end she just turned her back to the boys and went to sit on the bench. "Nope, nothing. Nothing to say. Nothing at all!"
When she finally got out of hearing range Aang turned to Zuko. "Don't worry about her, she'll come over."
Zuko simply shrugged. "I'm not worried, she wants to protect you from me. But without reasons she won't attack me… the secret is to not give her reasons to attack me."
"Okay, true enough I guess… Let us continue?"
"Yes, that would be good. Neutral pose." He said, returning to his teaching voice. One that was slightly rougher and louder than the normal. Aang did what was commanded and entered in knight stance. "Ok, I know Jeong Jeong already taught you the basis, but I'll tell you them again just in case." Aang nodded while his master continued. " You may be asking why we've been making breathing and drill exercises for the last hour. You know, firebending is about power lust and passion on what you're doing, although it is as much or even more about patience and self control. Without those you risk hurting yourself badly." Aang for a moment eyed his girlfriend who was doing the same to him. She, hearing everything the scarred monarch said, was actually afraid that Aang would feel bad with himself, so when she saw his eyes on hers she smiled and showed him her hands. The ultimate proof that what he had done to her a few months back had flown away with the waters of the river. He nodded and took a deep breath before returning his eyes to his new master and friend who actually never stopped talking. "So remember, if you want to be on the best side of firebending, never take your power from blind rage and fury and yes from the passion you're feeling."
"Yes," He interrupted. "I once firebendent with rage… not a good thing."
"Wait, you firebendent before?" The Avatar nodded. "When?!"
Aang looked again to Katara who shook her head. "I - I told you. When Jeong Jeong taught me I bent the fire and hut Katara." He said returning his head.
Zuko looked once again at Katara for a second. "Yes, I know. But as far as you told me that wasn't angry firebending, more like the passion one. That means that you must bend fire besides that one time. What happened?"
"Um… I'm sorry Zuko, but it's kinda personal."
"Since when firebending is personal?"
"This one is, that's all you're gettin'. I'm sorry."
"O-Kay… Then let us make new non-personal firebending memories, shall we?" Aang walks a few steps back while Zuko takes a deep breath with closed eyes. Then, in a sharp move, punched the air… although what he was expecting never happened. Instead of a big gust of fire, capable of burning a man alive if needed what Zuko threw was barely enough to cook a beef. Katara actually applauded mentally for Zuko having such caution with her boyfriend. Although he had a more physical way of showing his admiration. "What?" Zuko asked, more to himself while his apprentice clapped his hands. "This is the worst firebending I ever saw!"
"I don't know Zuko, I thought it was nice…" Zuko, ignoring completely The Avatar, attacked more and more in the air, but sadly nothing changed.
"Why is this happening!?"
"Maybe's the altitude." Aang presented, honestly getting bored by the demonstration.
"Yeah, could be." Zuko said throwing some other punches, unable to admit his own fault. "Okay Zuko," He talked to himself. "remember what he said, just breath and - Hi-ya!" Nope, nothing. "Damn!"
"I don't know Zuko, this one felt hot."
"Don't patronize me!" He shouted getting close to him… too close for Katara's like. "You know exactly how it's supposed to look like!"
"Sorry, Sifu Hotman."
"And stop…" Zuko said going with his hands to Aang's face to be stop midway and cringe them with rage. "calling me that!" Just then, Sokka walked at them with an apple in hands.
"Hey there Jerkbenders!. "He said, a feminine laughter could be heard. "Mind if I stay here watching you two jerks jerkbending?"
His response was Zuko who swirled to face him and pointed to a random direction. "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"
"Okay, get it easy, geez." he said calmly, his hands between both faces. "I was just kidding around." Saying this he turned around and walked away. "Heh, jerkbending I'm a genius".
"So… um…" Aang came to his teacher.
"WHAT!?"
"Can I go or…"
Zuko in response took a deep breath and sighed. "Yes… the train is done… you can…"
"Thanks…" Aang said with a giant childish smile before running away. Soon enough Katara also passed with a smirk in her face.
…
Some hours passed, it was night, the group was in their time of dinner when Zuko appeared to talk, the first time he was seen today after The Avatar's train actually. He walked at the group, who was chatting happily about the best foods of each nation, and with a tired sigh. "People, I'd like your attention for a moment."
Everyone quieted down and Aang spoke in their name. "Ya have it Zuko."
"Well, I have bad news… I - I lost my stuff." He said shamefully. Which, curiosity made everyone look at Toph with a really specific look of theirs.
"What?" She asked feeling all the eyes on her. "Don't look at me… Not me, this time."
"Not that… My - My firebending, I'm speaking about my firebending… Is -Is gone." Everyone stood in silence for a moment, some of them, actually grieving the poor firebender… although it wasn't for long for Katara felt no pity for Zuko. Instead, she felt pure disgust, disgust that she had to hide with a laugh.
"Hahaha, good one." She laughed earning the glare of the scarred man. "I'm sorry, but I have to laugh hahaha, the irony and timing is just haha perfect."
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"What I mean is that would be perfect for us if you're firebending ran out a long time ago. And now, that you're 'helping'" She made sure she air-quoted this part." us your firebending just goes away, poof."
"It didn't go away, it's just… weaker somehow" He said, downing his head.
"Oh, I don't know, maybe you're just not as good as you think you are." Katara attacked once again eating some more.
"Ouch." This time Toph.
"No, one's firebending does not simply get weaker as the time passes. Actually is the opposite." The firebender with a hand on his chin. "Although I bet is because I changed sides."
Katara just laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Good one Zuko, really. What, you're now gonna say that we're not worthy of your most powerful firebending?... That's ridiculous."
"Not exactly, Katara." Her boyfriend presented. "Zuko and Jeong Jeong, taught me that the firebending's power comes both from the rage and passion. Clearly Zuko has been feeding his power with the rage he feels… Now he simply has no anger enough to fuel it."
"So..." Sokka started, getting himself up and walking at Zuko with his sword in hands. "all we have to do is to anger Zuko. Don't know 'bout you guys but I say it's gonna be easy." Saying this he started to hit Zuko with his sword's hilt, making his most annoying laughter possible.
"Cut it out dammit!" Zuko shouted a few seconds later making the Water Tribe warrior step away and sit next to Haru again. "Look." He continued after a deep breath. "Even if you're right, even if it's because of that. I don't want to rely on my rage to do what I love the most. When I said that firebending with your rage could fuck up you really good, I wasn't joking."
"So…" Toph started again after a long silence. "Ya'll need to learn a new source to draw your sparks. I recommend the original one."
"What that even means?" Sokka asked joking. "He'll have to jump into a volcano?"
"No. What he needs to do, is to go back to whatever the original source of firebending is."
"What's it?" The Duke asked.
"I don't know, I'm not firebender. Although for earthbending, the original benders were the badgermoles. I had the luck to learn from them."
"You're joking." Haru said with awe making the younger girl chuckle.
"Nope, dead serious. When I was little, I ran away from home and… I met them. They're blind just like me, so they understood me better than anyone else. Even without a single word, I was able to learn earthbending, the original one… Soon enough I started to use to more than a simple martial art to protect me, I started to use it as an extension of my senses, it's my eyes. For the badgermoles earthbending isn't just a way of fighting, of protecting them and their families. It's the way they interact with the world." After she told this leaving practically everyone with the jaw on the ground, silence reigned for a moment before Teo letting his mind out.
"Toph that's - that's amazing." She nodded with a smile that soon enough turned to smirk.
"Yeah, it is… So you better respect me you mothafuckas for I, I am the fuckin' chosen one by the badgermoles themselves!" Everyone laughed (but Zuko (of course.).) and Aang was next to talk.
"Yeah, I learned from the monks, but the original airbenders were the sky bison. They used the air so that they could fly around and sometimes fight among each other, isn't it buddy?" He turned to Appa, who was quietly eating his hay. "Maybe you can give me a lesson someday, huh?"
"Well, if we're telling who is the original ones, then the original waterbender was the moon." Katara, staring at it for a moment. "The first waterbenders learned with her how to push and pull the tides."
"Well that doesn't help at all." Zuko grunted. "The original firebenders were the dragons, and they are extinct." That was the point that everyone of the Team Avatar looked at Aang afraid. Everyone knew what happened with the dragons, another proof of the ruthlessness of the Fire Nation. Katara immediately placed a hand on his leg, although he ignored it.
"What?" he asked confused. "W-what do you mean? Roku's animal guide was one, and I remember going to search their caves with Kuzon. What do you mean their extinct."
He was to answer but Katara was faster. "Aang, one hundred years passed… something's change with the time."
"Yes, I know." He continued, his anger rising slightly. "My people are fucking dead, I know better than anyone here what you're talking about. But my people are dead because the Fire Nation killed them. What's the excuse for the dragons?"
"What do you think?" She responded glaring at Zuko. Who lowered his head, Aang got up and walked at him.
"Care to explain, Zuko?"
He sighed and looked directly to Aang's stormy eyes. "After the… attack… at the Air Nomads. The powerful and rich monarchs and nobles decided that, to prove valor, their children would have to kill one dragon. If they refused, the family would be seen as cowards. If they succeed the child would turn man or woman and would get a very respected title. My un… my father killed the last one." He said lying on this last part, actually Ozai never killed a dragon, Iroh did. But the respect and love for that man incapacitated Zuko for telling the cruel truth.
"Oh… that's wonderful." Aang said as sarcastic as he could be. "That's just fucking AWESOME! I'm mean not just the Fire Nation fucked up another thing about this world but also took my only possibility of learning firebending!"
"Not exactly." Zuko said looking at the fire. "Thousand of years ago there was this civilization. The Sun Warriors, they were the ones who learned with the dragons and used their art."
"'Was'?"
Zuko nodded. "They died off thousands of years ago. But they're main city is not far from here, maybe a few hours of flight. It's kinda of a blind shot, but maybe we could learn something by searching around there, no?"
"It's better than we had five seconds ago." He said. "Ready yourself, tomorrow dawn, we're parting." Zuko nodded and got to his room and soon after went to his with Katara following. He immediately fell to the bed, his back facing Katara's side. She sat on the bed first before asking.
"You want to talk about it?" He shook his head, and she smirked. "Too bad, cuz we're talking anyway." This made him chuckle so she used that to her advantage. "See? You're better already. Get up, talk to me." He sighed and sat up next to her, his mouth was clearly trying to hold his smile from the chuckle. "So…?"
"So what? It's you who want to talk not me."
"Okay then… how do you feel?" She asked, with her smile fading away.
"How do you think? How do you think I'm feeling, Katara?! How do you think I'm feeling in knowing that those motherfuck…" He stopped himself before he could do it but not without looking to the opposite way. That only made his head be pulled softly by Katara's hand.
"Aang, you know you can say whatever you want around me. Split it out."
He shook his head and pushed her hand away. "No… I can't… just because Ozai did shit, it doesn't mean everyone of the Fire Nation it's the same. There are good people there that don't deserve this." No one talked for the next few moments before he looked at her. "So, happy? Can I sleep now?"
"No. You're not feeling better, so I'm not letting you sleep." She said crossing her arms making him do the same. Another moment of pure silence appeared and Katara placed a soft hand on his shoulder. "Please Aang talk to me, I want to know what's happening."
"Hell Katara, you know what's happening!"
"Yes, I indeed know. But I want for you to tell me anyway."
"Why!?" He asked getting up and facing her.
"Because it's going to help you."
"The hell it will! But you want to hear it!? Ok then! I'll tell you! I feel I failed again! I feel that one more thing is lost because I was a coward! I feel that if I never ran away from my people, because I was afraid of losing Gyatso, this would NEVER happen! I feel like a loser! A FUCKING FAILURE!" He shouted, tears starting to run down his cheeks. "I feel like… like…" Katara came to him and hugged him, and he hugged her back. "I feel like a selfish fucker who doesn't deserve anything. I feel like I don't deserve… you…" Aang cried softly against her hair and she just held him there, letting his tears fall all they wanted. When they stopped Katara looked in his eyes, cleaned some rogue tears with her thumb and smiled.
"Now, you can go to sleep." She joked making smile and laugh.
"Thank you, My Angel." Aang thanked kissing her forehead softly.
"I'm here for you Aang." The waterbender reassured. "Don't you ever forget that. And when you feel you don't deserve me, remember Solum, as hard as it can be. The proof that you love me and that you deserve me above anyone else, it's on his face." His smile faded into a serious frown before he could nod. With this she kissed him softly on the lips and they both went to bed, falling asleep like any other time.
…
Some time passed, the sun has risen once more and Appa was ready to carry his best friend again. Speaking of which, Aang and Zuko were the only ones up, they were putting some food and a change of clothes when their expectations were broken. Katara got out of her and Aang's room with a little bag on the back, she went to Aang kissed his cheek and, without saying a word, sat on Appa. Aang and Zuko stayed there looking at her for a moment before looking at themselves. After a second Aang came at Katara confused. "Um… Katara? What are you doing?"
"What do you think?" She said with a giant smile, as if it was the most obvious thing on Earth. "I'm going with you."
"Um… I'm sorry Katara, but… that's a no, you're not coming."
"What? Of course I am." She stated still smiling.
"No My Angel, you're not."
"Aang. I'm coming." Her voice was serious and her smile faded away but he just stood there looking at her in the same way. It gave her the message. "I'm not letting you go alone with him!" She yelled getting up and pointing at Zuko who looked at her for a second before rolling his eyes and continuing his work.
"Yes you are, Katara. I want to be alone with him."
"Aang!" She called in her stern motherly way that usually, got things done. Not such luck this time.
He grabbed her hands and smiled the best he could at her. "Katara, I'm really thankful you're thinking in me in that way but we have to this alone. Please dear, for me." She still seamed reluctant so he tried to kiss her, although she was faster to get up. She walked at Zuko, grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to the middle of the platform they were.
"TOPH!" Nothing "TOPH, DAMMIT COME HERE! I NEED YOU!" A moment later they saw a tired Toph getting out of her room rubbing her eyes, her hair was, of course, all messed up.
She walked slowly at Katara, yawed and punched her in the arm. "That's for waking me the reason is… what's up?"
"You're gonna be a lie detector now. Stay there." She said leaving Zuko to rub her arm.
"What?"
"Just stay there, okay?" Toph just yawned again while Katara pulled Zuko's collar for his head to be closer to her... Too close, so she pushed him away a little in disgust. "Zuko!?"
He sighed. "What?"
"Do you want to hurt Aang in any way?"
"This is stupid."
"Just fucking respond me dammit!"
He sighed again. "No." This made Katara look at the blind girl who was already poking her nose.
"Nope, he's telling the truth."
"Very well." Katara said returning her attention to Zuko's eyes. "There is any ambush waiting for Aang in the other side?"
"No." The waterbender once more looked to her friend.
"Truth." She yawned.
"Okay, Is this really the only way of returning your firebending?" Katara asked again.
"Yes." Katara looked once more at Toph but Zuko spoke before she could give her verdict… much to his own unhappiness. "Look, we don't have all day can't we…"
"YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP, OR I'LL FUCKING BEND A FUCKING ICICLE UP YOUR FUCKING ASS!" Katara showed making him give a step back. "Toph!" When she didn't respond, Katara looked at her. "Toph?!" Toph had her eyes and mouth wide open, although a small smile was noticeable. "Toph!"
"Oh, yes, of course, sorry. No, he's not lying." Katara thought for some seconds before asking.
"It wasn't Azula who had that thing of lying without you feeling it?" Toph nodded. "Well that's the answer, he's lying, but you can't sense that."
"Nope." She shook her head. "Not possible, since it happened I promised myself I would test my lying spotting powers with everyone new I know. Zuko was my first test."
"True we did that yes…"
"Did I told you could talk?!"
"No…" He responded, actually scared.
"Anyway. "This time Toph "He's not lying, in my view, Aang is safe with him." Katara thought for a second before feeling hands on her shoulder, she turned around and saw her boyfriend with a smile who hugged her.
"Thank you My Angel… But don't worry okay? He's not gonna hurt me." She hugged him back.
"Okay Aang, I'll let you go alone… but if you don't come again I'm gonna kill you… after killing him." Aang chuckled and blinked at her before giving her a peck and turning his back. Although before he could climb on Appa Katara called him. "Aang." She turned around, and she caught his face to kiss him deeply for a few seconds. When the need of air was bigger she told him. "I was serious, okay?" There making him smile and nod. When she released his face, Aang finally climbed on Appa's head. On it, he blew a final kiss to Katara before saying his typical cue. Katara was the only one who waited until Appa couldn't be seen anymore. "Return safe, My Love."
(A.N "Yup I know, I know, this is actually the first time I'm doing parts, what a strange thing ins't it? Well anyway, I hope you liked my not so big return and don't hate for not this giant stop I made. If you do… well I think I deserved it… Thanks all of you, for everything and more and, with nothing else to say, I wish you a good night… or whatever time is around there aaaand… LONG LIVE THE KATAANGERS!")
