Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Avatar or Its Characters
The duo made a stop when they came upon a deserted prison rig. Zuko decided they would momentarily make a stop at the place to have a look. They arrived at the cafeteria when Druk literally dragged the prince across the hall after he caught a whiff of food. With no one around to stop them, the duo simply helped themselves and ate without reserve.
After their warm meal, the young man decided to explore the place once more as he wondered why the prison rig was abandoned. Zuko halted his movement when he heard unfamiliar voices coming just ahead him.
"Dude, we really shouldn't be here..." A fire nation soldier who kept looking around unceasingly as he whined at his colleague who was next to him, carrying a lantern on his hand. "Oh, will you just quit it? There's no one here after the incident. Even the warden wasn't brave enough to come back here after his shameful defeat." The lantern holder grumbled.
"Look, will just relax for a second? We come here, grab the valuables and we're out. Simple as that. After all, we did get it–" The lantern holder said it smugly as he pulled out a bag of coins and shook it. Creating a chinking sound which echoed the hallway. But little did they know that their conversations were overheard by a third person who was hiding on the ceiling.
The young man exhaled softly as his transformation's complete. He has donned a blood reddened menacing skull mask with ten white stripes across three spots on the left side of his mask. (Inverse Kurosaki Ichigo's Hollow Mask) A gift he got from the Sun Warriors. In a single breath, he boy swiftly launched himself towards them and slammed the lantern holder's head into the ground. The fierce impact immediately sent the victim lying flat on the floor motionlessly Before the last soldier could even react Zuko's right hand caught his throat and drove him against the wall.
"H-Hieeeeh! R-R-R-Red Demon! P-please spare me! I did nothing wrong!" The Fire Nation soldier shrieked when his eyes met with the piercing amber eyes. The horned demon tightened his fingers around the soldier's neck and held the soldier up above the ground. "What happened here?" He interrogated the man.
"T-there was a prison break, O' Great Spirit...Few days ago, a Water Tribe girl started a riot. The prisoners attacked us...and they escaped towards that direction. Please, I'm just here to salvage what remains-Gaagh..." Satisfied with the soldier's answer, the Red Demon proceeded to knock him out by nailing his fist into the soldier's right rib cage. The soldier's face contorted in grimace of pain before he bent over and flumped onto the ground. He left them lying on the floor as he took their loot from them.
Once he reached the prisoners' quarter, Zuko could tell a fight definitely occurred as the charred floor and lumps of coal were all over the place. But something caught his eyes. The young firebender took a few steps and bent down as he picked up a water tribe pendant. "Maybe this belongs to the Water Tribe girl...What did Gran Gran say her name was again? Kitana...no, Katara?" He murmured as he telepathically called for Druk.
It was night-time when Zuko and Druk arrived on a merchant's pier. The two of them however, landed in the forest near a stream to avoid anyone from spotting them. As the duo were quenching their thirst by drinking water from the river, "Shoot!" the two of them shot their heads up simultaneously when they heard a feminine voice. Both Zuko and Druk silently reached the end of the cascade and peeked at the occurrence beneath them.
"Come on, water! Work with me here!" They saw a girl was yelling frustratingly at the calm stream. "Okay. Come on, Katara." She lifted both her hands into the air, drawing the water up and out of the river. "Shift your weight through the stance-Ugh!" As she motioned her hands to the left, she seemed to lose her control over the water because it plopped onto the ground and sprayed on the hem of her robe.
'A waterbender...She must be Katara! That means the Avatar is close!' Zuko's eyes widened in realisation. But his anticipation was cut short when Druk let out a small snarl. He frowned his brow when he knew why Druk was reacting like that. A ship was docked not too far from the girl, the people who were alighting from the boat were armed. Knowing something awful was about to happen, the young man hurriedly equipped himself with his mask, and broadsword as he zipped down the terrain.
Katara paused on her practice when she narrowly heard the snapping sound of a broken twig. She warily reached her hand out for the shrubs and gently brushed it aside so that she could peek through it. She gasped in horror when she recognised the boat that was anchored at a shouting distance. 'Pirates!' She thought. Katara's first instinct was telling her to run. But when she turned around, she instantly ran into a brawny man who grabbed her by her wrists.
"Ugh! Let me go!" Anger and fear rose within her. Lucky for the waterbender, the man's grip wasn't firm enough to stop her from bending. In her outburst, Katara managed to summon a flow of water, twisted it at splashed it right in the man's face.
The impact of water forced the man to release her as he stumbled back a little. Katara saw this as her chance. She grabbed the scroll and fled. "She's went that way! Quick, go after her!" The young lady heard the man yelling, but she didn't bother turning around. Katara knew couldn't run back to the camp as it would lead them straight to her brother, Sokka and her friend, the Avatar, Aang.
'I need to lead them as far away as possible...' She thought as she never stopped running. Shortly afterwards, Katara got tired of running. She decided to crouch behind some the bushes, with her hands over her lips. Desperately trying to cover her heavy panting. Everything around her became so quiet that she could hear her heart throbbing insanely.
"Find anything?" Katara shuddered when she heard the pirate captain's voice. "No, boss. There's no one here." She peeped through the bushes and held her breath when she realised their positions weren't distant from hers. "Hey, try checking that side." Katara gulped anxiously when she saw the captain pointing towards her direction with his sword.
'I-I need to move–!?' Katara tried standing up but failed when her legs decided to give up at the worst possible time. She began to panic as she has zero idea on what she could do, and her mind was further clouded when the thoughts of what the pirates might do to her ran through her head.
Before she knew it, a figure stealthily appeared behind Katara and pressed a hand against her mouth. She freaked when it happened. Turning her head a little to see her assailant, the young waterbender nearly shrieked when she saw the hand belonged to a horned man in a frightening mask. The only things that prevented her from doing so were his warm hand on her mouth and his index finger at his lips. Katara nodded her head weakly as he steadily let go. "Hold on tight and don't make a sound." He whispered.
Without waiting for her reply. The stranger wrapped his arm around her waist and briskly leaped onto a nearby tree behind them. He settled themselves on the tree by firmly planting his fingers into the trunk. Fearing that she might slip Katara carefully tightened her embrace around his shoulder. Feeling slightly safer under his warm embrace.
The two of then secretly watched as one of the crew members reached their previous spot and scouted the surrounding. "Nothing here, captain." The crew member said. "Dammit! Forget it, I've wasted enough time here! We're leaving! Girl! If you're hearing this, you better watch your back! Cus the next time I see you, you're a dead meat!" The captain roared as they retreated.
The stranger maintained his posture for a couple of minutes to make certain that the pirates were truly gone. "Umm...I think they left?" Katara shuddered when his slit golden eyes met with her oceanic blue eyes. With a nod, he dropped them back to the ground and finally released her from his grasp.
Katara then noticed the horns were steadily retreating into his skull. Now that she has a better look at her saviour, she noticed he's only a head taller than her. A teenage boy...or demon with shaggy hair, donned in a long, black vest like garment with red trimmed with matching belt. Underneath the vest, he wore a dark grey-coloured long sleeve top with similar red borders and paired with dark puffy pants that were tucked into his boots. With a broadsword hanged at his right waist.
"T-thank you...I umm...I need should go back now." Katara said it sheepishly and was about to leave when the he stopped her by carefully taking her hand. "I-I don't really have much money." Thinking that he was asking for a reward, Katara uneasily brought out two pieces of copper coin to show him the proof. But to her surprise, he shook his head and gave her a wrapped pelt.
Confused by his action, Katara took the pelt and untied it. Her eyebrows rose as she realised what it was.
To my little moon,
How are you, dear? I hope you and your brother are safe and well. I miss you two greatly. We are doing just fine over here. If you're reading this, it means that Prince Zuko has successfully found you all. Knowing your brother's obstinate behaviour, I think it will be difficult for him to listen without me personally standing in front of him. So, I am addressing this to you, Katara. Please do not blame him for his nation's wrongdoings. He's a sweet, honest boy. During his short stay, he helped us even when there was no reason for him to do so. I hope you will come to accept and trust him because I do.
Love,
Gran Gran.
"...You're the Prince of the Fire Nation? You're the Son of Fire Lord Ozai?" Katara queried as she glared at Zuko with a grimace of disgust. The young man winced underneath his mask when he noticed the change in her tone and the way she looks at him.
"Umm...former prince. I am banished from the Fire Nation." The young man meekly spoke up just as he removed his mask. Katara quivered when she saw the burnt mark on the left side of his face. '...Who could have done that?' She thought to herself.
"I'm looking for the Avatar. Your grandmother told me that you and your brother left to rescue him from the Fire Nation." Zuki explained. "Why would the banished Prince of Fire Nation be looking for the Avatar?" She asked as she planted her hand on her hip. "To help him end this senseless war." He said it firmly.
As Katara was observing him with doubt, she noticed and recognised the blue choker that was tied around his left wrist. "My mother's necklace! Where did you get that?" She pointed at it. "Oh, so it is yours. I found it when I explored an abandoned prison rig." Zuko unbind the pendant and returned it to her without any second thoughts. "I thought I lost it for good..." Katara let out a sigh of relief as she caressed the pendant that was on her neck. All her uneasiness was soothed by the simple piece of jewellery.
Judging from the way she has reacted, Zuko noted that the pendant meant a lot to her. The young waterbender then remembered the existence of the boy standing in front of her and what her Gran Gran had said. He's a sweet, honest boy. Katara also remembered how he saved her from the pirates, and now this...
"T-thank you...for returning this to me..." She said it bashfully as she inclined her head a little. "It's alright. I just found it by chance when I was there." Zuko admitted.
"Umm...if you wish to meet Aang...I could introduce you to him...tomorrow. If that's okay with you?" The waterbender suggested. "That would be nice. Thank you." Zuko expressed his appreciation with a nod. "So...I'll see you tomorrow? Next to the cascade?" He nodded again as he withdrew himself into the darkness. Leaving her all alone in the forest. "Could've escorted me back..." Katara grumbled in a pout as she walked back to the campsite. Little did she know that Zuko was watching her safely returning back to her camp from another tree before he finally went back to Druk.
"Remind me again why you brought us here again?" Sokka asked begrudgingly when her sister woke both him and the Avatar up enthusiastically and hauled them to the river side. "You'll see. Zuko? You there?" Sokka and Aang raised an eyebrow when the young waterbender called out to a name they never heard of.
The boys were surprised when they saw someone was standing at the edge of the high terrain. They watched as the young man dropped and landed before Katara.
"Good morning." Katara greeted him with a small smile. "Morning. You kept your promise, thank you." Zuko spoke as a corner of his lips stretched a little.
"Katara, get back here! He could be dangerous!" Sokka immediately brought out his club and got into an amatuer battle stance. "It's alright, Sokka." Katara merely brushes off her brother's warning. Grabbing the banish prince by his wrist, Katara dragged him towards the boys. "Zuko, this is Aang and my brother, Sokka. Aang, Sokka, this is Zuko." She introduced them to one another.
"How could you trust someone like him so easily? He's the Prince of the Fire Nation!"
"I didn't. Besides, he saved my life."
"He's using you to get to Aang! And what were you thinking sneaking away last night and practice your stupid water whip? I thought you were done?"
"Fine, I lied! But big deal?"
"Big deal? You nearly got caught by the pirates if it wasn't for him!"
"That's exactly my point! He saved me and he got mother's necklace back!"
"To get to Aang!"
"But you saw the letter! Gran Gran trusts him! So I am willing to give him a chance!"
"He could've forged it himself!"
"Those are Gran Gran's handwriting!"
"He could've forced her to write it!"
"Argh! You are unbelievable! No wonder Gran Gran wrote it to me instead of you!"
As soon as Zuko explained who he was and what his aim was to the group, Sokka was straight up against him for joining them. This led to a disagreement between him and Katara. Ignoring the water tribe sibling's argument, Aang slid next to his new friend and greeted him beamingly. "I'm Aang. Katara said you're a prince from the Fire Nation? I had a friend who's from Fire Nation a 100 years ago. His name's Kuzon. So umm, please to meet you, Zuko." He grinned widely ans brought his hand out to offer the banished prince a handshake. "An exiled prince. It is nice to meet you, Avatar Aang." With a small smirk on his face, Zuko grasped the airbender's hand and gave him a firm shake.
"Hey! Get back here, Katara! I'm not done yet!"
"Well, I am!"
By ending their argument, Katara left Sokka behind and joined Zuko and Aang. "So, I see that you two are officially acquainted." She said it with a smile. "Yes...though I still find it difficult to believe that the Avatar's a 12 years old kid." The young boy admitted dryly. "Technically, I'm 112 years old." The airbender chirpily remarked.
"Think for a second, you guys. He found Katara's necklace on the prison rig that was in the sea It's clear that he must've been travelling with someone. How else would he be able to cross the seas?" Katara had a difficult expression when Sokka put it that way. She turned to look at Zuko in hope that he would defend himself.
"Actually, your older brother is right. I didn't travel alone." Zuko said it as the water tribe boy immediately went "Aha!". As the young man ignored Sokka's smugness, Zuko called out to his companion. The trio jumped when they saw the appearance of crimson dragon om the cascade. The winged beast immediately jumped down from above and landed beside Zuko. Creating a short tremor that got the trio to fall on their bottoms. "Guys, I want you to meet Druk. Druk, this is Aang, Katara, and...that's Sokka."
"W-what the hell is that!" Sokka cried as he pointed at Druk. "That's a dragon! Cool! I haven't seen one for so long! Kuzon and I met one before, but it was a green dragon! Avatar Roku had a dragon as well!" Aang sprang from his spot and ran towards Druk. Gazzing at the majestic creature with his eyes glittering with stars of interest. "I've never seen one this up close before!" the young Avatar shrieked in exhilaration.
Druk lowered his head slightly and huffed and the little monk. Aang laughed as he felt a soft puff of warm air hit his face. The dragon turned his attention to the next person who approached him, the young waterbender. Druk motioned his head towards Katara as his nose twitched a few times. The young waterbender decided to stand still as she has no idea what she should do. She took a glance at Zuko who was observing with his arms crossed over his chest, seemed to be telling her that "It's fine." with his faint smile. What Druk did next however surprised everyone. Even the young firebender himself. The crimson dragon mildly licked Katara on her cheek. "Katara!" Sokka being an overprotective brother, ran up to his baby sister with his club on his hand. Druk growled softly at the boy when pointed the club at him.
"Sokka, stop." Katara told her brother disapprovingly as she lowered his hand down. "...That's a surprise. He likes you." Zuko said in an awe as he calmed his dragon down by patting his head. "What do you mean? He likes Aang too, right?" Katara tilted her head to the side innocently after she whipped the saliva off her face. "Yes, but he trusts you. I've never seen Druk trusting someone this quickly before. It took me weeks just to gain his trust." The water tribe girl made an "Oh." face when she heard that. She giggled a little when Druk nuzzled her cheek. That day, Katara and Aang gained two new friends.
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