I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of its characters.
Shady Memories
The Collapse of a Fake Mind
"How could he believe it was me?" Iroh asked. The hurt in his voice filled the air of the tunnel.
The blind bender widened the tunnel with stomping on the ground before speaking to him. "He was brainwashed. That can be very confusing… don't blame yourself, it's not worth it."
"Azula went too far this time!"
Toph narrowed her eyes. "Way too far."
The old man looked at the girl with concern. "How is the young avatar?"
This time she didn't turn to him as she spoke. "He's over the worst…" Her usually strong voice seemed distant and his eye caught sight of a single tear on her cheek before she whipped it away.
"I am sorry."
"You definitely don't need to apologize." She said then shrugged. "Well, your nephew could… but still it's Azula's fault." She darkened her face. "Just hers." She said then slammed her fists to the stone wall and the tunnel became longer then any time before.
As she finished they walked in silence for a while before he looked backwards then at her again. "Are they coming now?"
She stopped for a while and closed her eyes. "No… they've just sat down and…" She suddenly stopped both walking and speaking then raised her eyebrows with surprise. She turned back her head. "Wow…" Nice Sugar Queen…
"What is it? Are they attacked?" He asked quickly but when the girl made a smirk he relaxed.
"No, they're all right." She turned back and started walking again. "More than alright..." She said and made a wave for Iroh to follow her again. "And they're coming now."
As the two slowly followed them she could finally collapse the tunnel's end from under the palace. In the meantime they got closer and closer to their destination. Toph didn't say but she was glad it's gonna be over soon. Keeping this tunnel with bending and collapsing it without disturbing the surface was like holding a giant sinking library…
She stomped again and finally they could feel the breeze of fresh air. That and something else… She licked her lips as she smelled food.
"Come on, you'll get better if you eat this!" Sokka's voice and the growl of the avatar's bison filled the area. "You see? Even Appa agrees with me! Just open your mouth and try it!"
The young avatar sat leaning to a rock as he shook his head. "I'm a monk. I don't eat meat!"
Sokka groaned. "You're an injured monk… that counts as an exception!" When Toph stepped out of the tunnel he turned his head towards her while he was still kneeling next to Aang with a bowl in his hands. "Toph, tell him to let the other three benders inside him eat!" He brought the chopsticks closer to his face but Aang just turned away. The water tribe boy clenched his teeth. "Damn! If I was your father you'd be quite in trouble right now!"
"Avatar Aang…" Sounded Iroh's voice and he made a nod towards them as he came into view.
Aang made a smile. "General Iroh…" He grabbed his staff and stood up with shifting his weight on it.
The old man frowned sadly. The fact that the young boy had to use his staff to walk… Azula's hit was critical without a doubt.
"Where's Katara?" Sokka asked as he peeked in the tunnel behind them. He looked back at Aang. "You said they're coming together…"
Toph made a slight smile. Aang already knew how to read from the earth's vibrations if he focused hard… and that meant he must have known why Katara's behind and not alone.
"Well, you know Sokka she's coming but not… quite on her own." The avatar rubbed his neck but as he did so more weight fell on his back and his face winced.
The earth rumbled as the blind girl bended two stone pillars under his arms and shoulders while she looked at him with narrow eyes. "And what do you think you're doing? Katara told you to rest." She stomped again this time creating a full stone chair under him. "So as I did Twinkle Toes."
The avatar made a pout but when she stomped again angrily it slowly changed to a smirk.
When the last two figures stepped out of the tunnel the only one who looked there made a yell. Sokka grabbed his boomerang and launched it immediately at the banished prince then started to run towards him.
Zuko leaned away easily and took his stance as the boy ran towards him.
"Sokka, don't!" Katara yelled but it didn't stop the angered warrior.
As he heard the whizzing sound Zuko leaned away again from the returning boomerang and slightly raised his eyebrows wondering how he knew it was coming back...
When Sokka was only a few meters away from him Katara opened her waterskin and Toph raised one of her feet but to their surprise the water tribe boy was finally stopped by a huge white-furred leg.
The avatar's sky bison stepped in front of Zuko and groaned at Sokka whose mouth stayed open. "Appa what are you doing?! He's the bad guy!"
"No, he's not!" Snapped Katara and started with a rant what happened and why Zuko was there.
"What did just happen?" Asked Aang. He and Toph both 'glared' with surprise while Iroh made a smile next to them then looked at his nephew. "Have you ever wondered how your bison broke free from under Lake Laogai…?"
The avatar raised his eyebrows. "Did he…?"
Though he first wanted to capture it… Iroh made a slight smile then nodded while he watched his nephew with the others.
Zuko only glared at the huge bison as it turned its head towards him then slowly raised a hand to its nose. Appa sniffed at him then lowered its head a bit so he could stroke it. He smiled lightly. "Appa right?" The bison groaned as a yes and he hesitantly gave a pat on its head slightly surprising that it let him do so. "Good boy…"
Sokka murmured under his breath as he stumbled back to where he left the bowl of food while Katara followed him remaining silent. She stopped next to Iroh and looked back at the prince as the old man's face was filled with a mix of sadness, happiness and regret at the same time.
"You know…" He started when Appa nuzzled its head to Zuko making him fell on his rear, but instead of a dark look he started laughing. "I haven't seen him like this for a very long time."
Katara made a sad smile. "So he would be like this if his past had been easier."
The retired general made one last sigh before turning to her. "You will make him remember, right?"
She didn't say anything as her eyes remained on the smiling Zuko. She only made a nod.
"Sorry." Toph said as she bended cuffs around the sitting Zuko's wrists.
He moved his hands uncomfortably with a pout. "Are you sure this is necessary?"
"Absolutely…" Sokka made a nod. "Last time this made our friend attack Aang."
The avatar made a sad frown as he remembered what happened with Jet. They didn't want it to happen again.
Katara stayed with Iroh in their camp as Zuko didn't want him to be around… If he didn't react to the 'brainwashed-zombie-activating-sentence' it would be up to her to bring his memories back.
"So…" The water tribe boy started. "Can you move?"
Zuko sighed and shifted in his stone-chair thing. His shoulders and fingers moved a bit but his lower arms and legs were held in place. "I guess no."
"Great…" Said Sokka then a smile spread across his face. "Now who wants to flick him in the nose?"
Zuko's face darkened and steam started to come out of his nostrils.
"Sokka!" Aang frowned at him while Toph giggled to herself.
"Come on… admit you'd like it!" The water boy spoke again.
"If you do that…" The blind bandit said after her chuckles died out. "I'll let him go and see how he flicks you in the nose with his fist."
This time the prince made a smirk. Just do it… make my day.
"Party-poopers…" Sokka murmured and crossed his arms then turned to Zuko, now seriously. "Zuko, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai!" He said quickly with his boomerang in his hand.
Zuko blinked. "I don't feel the urge to do anything… Are you sure this works at all?"
Aang frowned and limped where Sokka was. "You're saying it wrong… and left out the title." He leaned eye-leveled with his setting form and said on a monotone tone. "Prince Zuko, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."
Zuko looked at his left hand, then the right then back at them as he shook his head. Nothing.
Sokka rubbed his chin. "Perhaps if it works for Azula it must be a girl's voice."
"Or perhaps the name's wrong…" Aang popped in. "Azula used to call him…"
He didn't have time to finish when Toph stepped in front of the prince with a wide grin. "Zuzu, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai!"
"Don't call me that!" He snapped and frowned angrily but it only made her giggle again.
"So it doesn't work…" Toph said finally and removed the cuffs from him.
"I guess they forgot to mention this to Azula." Aang spoke.
Or… Sokka knitted his eyebrows as Katara approached them. Perhaps she changed it…
"Did something happen?" Asked Katara.
"No. It's your turn." Aang said and he started to walk back to the camp with Sokka's help.
Toph stood in her place with a forming smirk on her face and slowly turned her head from Katara to Zuko then back.
The older girl raised an eyebrow. "Toph, would you mind…?" She started and meant that the blind girl could have given them privacy.
The blind earthbending master's grin spread across her face. "Not at all. He's all yours…" She turned on her heel and gave a punch to the waterbender's arm before she left. "Nice catch Sugar Queen."
Katara's face turned red as she watched how Toph disappeared then slowly turned back to the prince with a light laugh. "I have no idea what she's talking about." She turned her attention on her red skirt as she sat down instead of Zuko who only smiled but remained silent.
She cleared her throat as she turned to him again. "So…" She brought some water to her hands. "I've only done this once but I'll tell you how it went, all right?"
He made a nod and listened to her. "The key of remembering was a painful but very important memory last time." She made a frown. "Though your real memories are beyond our reach I think that fake one could work with your uncle."
He frowned at the thought as he looked in her eyes again. "Are you sure it won't cause even more trouble?"
"I don't think so…" She said then slowly lifted her hands towards him. "The only question is what will happen to those memories you've gained after this fake one was created…"
"Wait." Zuko raised an eyebrow. "So I might forget everything that just happened?"
Katara lowered her hands. "You might." She said then lifted them again. "But what are those compared to your whole life?"
"Perhaps nothing…" He said slowly but caught her wrists as they got close to his face and the water left them. "Perhaps everything."
As she looked at him with wide eyes a sudden headache struck him as he heard his own voice from the back of his head. "I'll save you from the pirates."
He let go of her hands and put his own to his head.
She frowned and leaned closer to him to put a hand on his arm. "It must be done… the memories are haunting you. Please, let me…"
"All right." He said as he slowly removed his hands. "But first let me tell you what's on my mind." He peeked away as he continued. "What I think…" When he looked back at her there was a light blush on his cheeks. "About you."
Her eyes rounded slightly as his eyes locked with hers again. "Because if I don't say it now, maybe I can never tell it…" He paused for a moment as he brought his thought together. "I know I don't remember what happened between us and that no one can get know of someone twice, but I know the circumstances were not like this before and… I just wanted you to know…" His hand slowly touched hers on the ground but she didn't want to look away from his golden glance. "That you are the most kind and the most beautiful girl I've ever seen Katara…" he said and her cheeks went red as he slowly leaned closer. "And I can only be grateful for how things turned out because I'm here now… with you."
He lifted his other hand to her blushing face and they closed their eyes to lean in for a kiss.
But before their lips could connect her eyes opened. I can't do this… She frowned sadly as she put her fingers to his lips to stop him. He wouldn't want to do it if he remembered…
When he opened his eyes she could see hurt in them. "I am sorry…" She made an apologetic look as she continued. "But I can't let you do something that you'd regret later."
He frowned and turned his head away. "And who said I'd regret it…?" He murmured.
She made a smile as he sulked to himself then quickly pulled him closer holding the back of his neck as she put her forehead to his. "I promise if you remember and still want to, I won't stop you." She whispered and widened her smile as his face turned to a crimson colour. "All right?" She let go of his neck.
"R-right…" He said looking away.
Her smile stayed on her lips as she brought her hands to the side of his head. "Try to focus on that memory."
He closed his eyes as the water started to glow.
He saw Iroh's angered face. This time he could see that the old man's mouth moved… but he couldn't hear his voice. Then his hands burst out with flames and he didn't see his uncle's face anymore… and the fire marred into his flesh.
He cried out and broke away from her hands as he tried to cover his face. He was gasping for air when she reached out for him. "Zuko calm down! It's not real!"
He still held his scarred eye as he hissed through gritted teeth. "It freaking felt real!" His voice was shaking and when she looked at him she could see his right eye shed tears.
Katara bit her lower lip but couldn't stop her own tears silently crossing her cheeks…
As his breathing slowly returned to normal and opened his eyes he saw her tears as he sat up. "Katara…"
He couldn't finish as she shook her head then hugged him tightly. "I am sorry…" She repeated this single sentence clenching his shirt.
As the girl cried on his chest hugging him he found himself hugging her back. "I'm fine now…" He stroked her hair as she calmed down. "It's not your fault…"
After a while she made one last sniff as she pulled away and dried her eyes. "Perhaps we should wait instead. I don't want you to…"
"No." He said and frowned determinedly. "I want to try it again." She looked at him with round eyes and shook her head but he caught her hand to stop her. "I've seen something I couldn't realize before." He squeezed her hand. "You said you'd wanted to help… then do it. Be strong for me."
Her lips trembled lightly but she nodded and bended the water.
He closed his eyes again. He concentrated on Iroh's face with the hardest frown he ever made and finally he heard his voice from the distance. "…I'll unleash it to you tenfold, Zhao! Let it go!" Then flames invaded his vision again and the pain came. This time he clenched his teeth and fists but let Katara's healing ease his pain without jerking away. He groaned and took deep breaths as he opened his eyes. He made a painful laugh when he looked up at her again. "He was not talking to me…" She raised an eyebrow. "Uncle… he was talking to Zhao. It's really fake!" He looked upwards and made a relieved smile as a great weight seemed to left him.
"Do you…" She slowly squeezed his hand. "Do you remember something else?"
The smile faded from his face as he turned back to her and sadly shook his head.
Katara furrowed her eyebrows. "Maybe we should try another memory… this one is too painful…"
"Not as painful as the real one was." Their eyes widened and they jumped up as the voice of Princess Azula reached them. She stood far from them at the edge of the trees and watched them with narrow eyes before looking straight in the waterbender's eyes. "You should have heard him scream then…"
Katara shivered and her stomach clenched from the tone of her voice. Azula hated Zuko and from now on she didn't even try to hide it.
He clenched his fists as he looked at her. "Azula, you're sick." He said narrowing his eyes. "I can only pity you…"
The princess' eyebrows snapped together when she peeked at him from the corner of her eyes. Then she slowly brushed her - since their last encounter – damaged hair locking her eyes with Katara. "I just hate to loose." She said then turned her full attention towards her brother. "And you…" Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "You stubborn fool! After I've promised you everything… after I've redeemed you, you still turned against me! Just to run away with these pitiful peasants and uncle…"
Katara slowly brought her hand to her waterskin when the princess made an evil smile. She decided that Azula only tried to gain time… the fact that Toph hadn't appear yet meant that the others must have been under attack. Last time she almost win against her, and now Zuko is on her side… nothing could happen.
"But this time…" Azula's said coldly to him. "I'll make sure that the memory of you killing them will haunt you forever!" Katara opened the waterskin but Azula only smiled more as it caught her attention and she locked her golden eyes with her brother's. "Prince Zuko, the Fire Lord has invited you to New Ozai."
Zuko's pupils widened. "And I gladly accept his invitation." He said on a monotone tone.
"Wha…?" Katara whirled around to face him and her water circled her like a shield against his fire. But she didn't expect what happened next: instead of flaming his fists up he simply reached through the water and hit her in the arms the way Ty Lee did.
The water splashed to the ground. Her eyes rounded as she stumbled backwards… away from him. "Zuko, don't!"
He easily caught one of her wrists and when she looked up at him his eyes were distant even when his sister spoke again. "Kill the waterbender!"
As his other hand reached for her neck she tried to squirm away but only ended up pinned to a tree. When her feet slowly left the ground and only her tiptoes were in contact she cried out. "You're stronger than this!" Her hands clenched around his wrist that held her. "Fight against it!"
Azula let out an evil chuckle. "It's no use!" She smirked. "Only his grip is strong around your neck! He is weak…"
His eyebrows shook a bit as she spoke and Katara saw a slight change on his expressionless face but just as quick as it came it disappeared. Panic overran her when her toes left the ground. "Zuko…" She choked out and brought her hand from his wrist slowly to the left side of his face. "Please… remember!"
Suddenly another face flashed in his closed-out mind. A face that was alike Azula's and his own.
"Zuko my love, remember this…" His mother's eyes bore into his. "No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are!"
His eyes cleared and he dropped her immediately. He fell on his knees holding his head as his memories flooded him mind…
Your cousin, Lu Ten did not survive the battle… No one knows where she is. Oh, and last night, grandpa passed away… Let me in!... Rise and fight Prince Zuko! - I'm not fighting you… Banished… Until you bring back the avatar… About this age…? Master of all four elements?… Go, jump in the river! … You've lied to me! - Like I've never done that before… Zuko, I can help… It was your face…
The walls of the crystal catacombs seemed to close around him as he turned back to his uncle who got free from the green crystals grasp and waited. "I won't chase the avatar anymore…" Iroh's face lit up for a moment but slowly changed into an understanding frown as he went on. "But I won't join him either. Just as you said…" The prince looked up at his uncle. "I'll follow my own path."
The prison cell… Azula… the Dai Lee…He made one last growl as his mind reached the brainwash then the world completely darkened around him.
Katara fell to the ground gasping for air. She watched as his face winced while he held his head… then watched with wide eyes when Azula came closer.
The princess glared at her brother with pure hatred. "I can't believe you're unable to be used even now…" She hissed as one of her hands burst out in blue flames. "This time, there is no mercy." She lifted her arm up to hit the defenseless prince but she was pushed hard in the ribs.
Katara's blue eyes reflected all her might as she stood straight between the two siblings. "Leave him alone!"
Azula's frown slowly turned to a smirk. "You're right… first I should send those to the spirit world who he got attached to." With that she stood in her stance.
The waterbender's face turned stern. She had nothing in stock for a situation like this. Her bending gone… her allies far… but she couldn't let her win. She couldn't let Azula get to Aang… Her eyes wandered to the prince when he fell to the ground. She couldn't let her kill Zuko. She needed to gain time…
"Wait!" She lifted a hand towards Azula. The princess stopped her movement as she looked at her but didn't say anything. "Can I at least have… a last wish?"
Azula relaxed in her stance. "Peasants usually don't have a choice…" She made a smile. "But just to show you how generous I am… go on."
Katara frowned at the title but didn't let her words get to her. "Let the others go."
The princess made a laugh. "That should be their dying wish, peasant…" She narrowed her eyes. "I won't throw away an occasion like this just because you're asking me to…"
"Then…" She peeked at the lying prince. "Then at least let Zuko go…"
"Well, well…" Azula's lips curled into a smile. "Zuzu got this close to you?" She lifted her fingers. "Then it's truly going to hurt him to see you down…" When her arms started to move Katara yelled.
"Why are you doing this?!" The princess stopped in her stance. "I know why you're chasing us but why do you hate him this much? He's your brother! Doesn't it mean anything?"
"No…" Azula started. "It means everything." She said coldly then made her lightning move and didn't stop when the waterbender tried to keep her talking. When she finished her move Katara closed her eyes.
Before the lightning flew from her hand the earth shook underneath her and it charged towards the sky. Then the ground suddenly whirled around her covering her from toe to neck and she couldn't even breathe properly let alone move.
"Toph!" Katara snapped her head to the side as relief came over her.
The blind bandit stood at the edge of the forest with one of her arms lifted while the other hung unusually from her shoulder. She scowled at the almost buried princess with her sightless gaze and slowly started to close her palm into a fist… as she did so the earth slowly moved upwards from her neck.
Katara's eyes rounded at this and she looked back at her friend. "Toph…" Now she could see that a dagger pointed out of her loose arm and she was trembling in her stance.
Then a shadow descended upon them as the ten-ton bison landed next to them. "Toph, don't!" Yelled Aang as he airbended himself in front of her but he winced lightly as he got used to his staff again.
"I told you to stay there." Said the girl but didn't let her stance go.
"Toph, you can't do this…"
Her face darkened as she turned her head towards him. "Just give me one reason why I shouldn't." She said bringing her fingers closer – covering Azula's mouth. "She almost killed you, she almost killed Katara, she wanted to kill her own brother! Why shouldn't I just stop her right here, right now?!" She shouted and wanted to clench her fist but he caught her hand and her fingers only grasped his.
"Because you're not like her." Her lips tightly trembled as she loosened her grip on his hand. "You wouldn't kill a human being."
She didn't know if her tears started to fall before or after he hugged her… it didn't matter. He was right. Azula was human even if in a very twisted way. "I'm sorry Aang…" She hugged him back with her good arm and she slowly whispered. "Thank you…"
The avatar made a light smile. "It's Ok…" He slowly pulled away from her as she whipped her eyes. "It is time to go."
The avatar's bison flew across the sky bringing the small group far away from Ba Sing Sei to safety…
"I can't believe you can't heal in such a situation…" Murmured Sokka into Appa's saddle while he was laying on his stomach unmoving. He got the worse side of Ty Lee.
"Don't you complain Snoozeles…" Said Toph with narrow eyes while Katara bandaged her wound. Mai's dagger cut deep in her arm… it even needed to be snitched together.
"I was speaking in your name too…" Said the first as his sister slowly frowned.
"There is just one thing I don't understand…" Katara said when she lowered her hands from Toph's finished bandage. "How didn't you feel them coming, Toph?"
The blind girl's eyes rounded for a moment and she quickly brought her gaze away while her cheeks turned to a light pink colour. "I… was distracted." She said.
In the meantime the avatar lowered his head as he sat on Appa's neck and peeked towards them as he spoke. "She was sitting on Appa with me…"
The waterbender raised her eyebrows but slowly put together Aang's directly looking away and Toph's light blush.
Sokka grinned into the saddle. "You should have seen them… they were so cute!"
"We were only talking!" Toph kicked Sokka's leg with a frown but he still didn't feel a thing so he continued to grin to himself.
That was the time when a painful moan sounded from the saddle's back where the Dragon of the West leaned above his nephew but this time looking back to them. "He's waking up."
"… up."
"Z…ko?"
He heard voices as his consciousness slowly returned.
"…s he okay?"
"Shh… don't be so loud!"
"Look who's talking…" Sounded a distant answer.
His eyelids were heavy as never before. When he slowly opened his eyes his vision was filled with faces but particularly stayed on one. "Uncle…?"
The old man made a hopeful smile. "Zuko, do you remember…?"
"Of getting here?" He asked as he sat up and looked around rubbing his forehead. "No…" As he saw the ground over the saddle he quickly brought his gaze back. Gods, we're high… When Iroh and Katara looked at each other the prince looked at the avatar who slowly shifted in his place unsure what will happen next… "You okay?"
Aang straightened his back a bit surprised. "Yeah…" He made a shrug. "Mostly."
"We… brought you on Appa after you've passed out." Katara said and she looked at him – in his opinion – strangely. He could have sworn there was more than worry on her face…
His eyes caught sight of her new hair and her red dress. And the fact that she looked good in it… Something inside him moved but he didn't even let himself make a smile when he turned to his uncle. "Passed out?"
Iroh made a frown. "Zuko, Azula's brainwashed you…"
"That part I remember…" He popped in.
"…that was three days ago." The old man finished.
"What…?" The prince raised an eyebrow. "And what happened since then?"
Katara's heart sunk. As she heard him her face turned sad that was recognized by Iroh but not his nephew. She slowly turned away from them.
The old man watched as the waterbender stood up and went to sit on the bison's neck before her turned back to his nephew. "They have returned…"
Katara watched the sky as a single tear fell from her eye. I should have let him kiss me… She sniffed once as a hand fell on her shoulder. When she peeked back she saw Toph's light frown and she slowly turned back towards the moon. "I'm all right, Toph." She said to her but mostly to herself.
The blind girl turned her gaze away but left her hand where it was. "You're lying…"
A/N: I hope you liked it... now only the epilogue is left. If you left me reviews I would be flattered:)
Hehe... and who has seen the Naruto series? I put in a slight Toph - Gaara mix... I love them both! They are so cool! ;D