The Waterbending Scroll
"This is just not going to work! Roku said that I needed to learn all the elements by the end of summer! All because of some…some…stupid comet!" she watched Aang hit his fist against the saddle of Appa.
Katara patted the back of the Avatar, trying her best to comfort him. "Aang, we will figure this all out. There hasn't been anything that stopped us, yet, right?"
Aang's voice was small, weak, "right…"
The Waterbender looked away, sad about being unable to help her friend when he needed her. Or could she? "I think I may have an idea! What if I tried to teach the basics in Waterbending?" she watched the changes on Aang's face occur. "I mean, I only know the bare minimum, but it's better than nothing at all, don't you think?" she smiled widely.
"You would really help me, Katara?" he asked energetically, jumping up and down in his spot on the saddle.
She smiled warmly, "Of course, Aang. I'll show you everything I know." she rubbed his head for good luck and turned to Sokka, who had hold of the reins. "Sokka, can you land at the first body of water you see. Please?"
He looked back at his sister, "Well, since you asked so nicely…" he grinned and lowered Appa to the ground and landed.
Katara and Aang clambered out of Appa's saddle and walked to the small stream. "Alright, Aang, do as I do. Okay?" Katara firmly planted her feet into the ground. Aang nodded and followed suit.
"Good. Now move your arms like this." Katara changed her limbs to a different position. "Now, move them this way and that way." she explained, gliding her arms through the air. "Now, back and forth." she demonstrated her movements. "Now, left and right." Katara slid her arms around like water. "Great, you're getting a hold of it quickly, Aang." A little too quickly, she thought. "Okay, let's try something else. This one I taught myself." she pulled her arms close to her body and thrust them outward. Creating a small wave. Though no one could exactly call it a wave. It was more like a splash.
The bald monk began to laugh excitably and tried the same movements. The only difference between his wave and her splash was exactly that. He seemed to have mastered the small technique in a snap. "Katara, this is so much fun. I think I'm really getting a hold of it."
The Waterbender fumed, "Great. You're a natural." she said nastily, sarcasm dripping from her every word.
And yet again, the Avatar was oblivious to her anger. He continued to bend the water, "Watch, Katara!" he raised his hands high above his head and brought them down low, resulting in a massive wall of water to come crashing down. It washed away the supplies lying on the shore.
Sokka's shriek pierced their ears, "That was all the food, sleeping bags and clothes we had! What are we going to do now?" he ran up beside the two benders. "Look at what you're stupid magic did!"
Katara turned to her brother, "IT'S NOT MAGIC! IT'S BENDING!" she huffed angrily then tried to regain her composure, "Sorry, I guess we'll just have to go to the next town and get more stuff." she stomped her way back to Appa and climbed in the saddle.
§¨©ª
"Uh…Nephew, it seems I have a problem. It is apparent that I have lost my White Lotus piece to my Pai Sho game. I cannot continue our journey until I have, Zuko. We must go back to the last town and see if they have an extra piece."
"Are you kidding me, Uncle? We have to go! The Avatar is already way ahead of us. We need to catch up!" Zuko was exasperated with his uncle. They needed to leave and find the Avatar. Quickly.
"No, Prince Zuko, I must go! We must go! Turn the ship around!" Iroh stomped to the captain's quarters to inform the captain of their new destination.
Zuko yelled out a frustrated growl, venting with smoke through his nose and mouth, Zuko angrily allowed him.
Iroh calmly turned around to Zuko, "It's so good to have an understanding nephew,"
Zuko's smoke engulfed the bridge as he walked across the ship's deck, following his uncle to make sure he didn't send them all the way back to the Southern Water Tribe.
§¨©ª
"Guys, look at this neat thing I bought!" Aang exclaimed as he put a white bison whistle to his mouth and blew it.
Katara and Sokka looked around waiting for some incredible to happen. Nothing did, "Uh, that's real nice, Aang. Sokka, after all the food we bought, do you know how much money we have left from King Bumi?"
The Watertribesman looked to his sister, "Aang has the money remember?"
Katara looked to the bald monk, "Well, Aang, how much do we have?"
The Avatar scoured through his side pouch and smiled. Pulling his hand out he opened it to reveal three copper pieces. Aang laughed nervously at the lack of money. "I guess the bison whistle cost more than I thought it did." he smiled crookedly and put his arm behind his head in embarrassment.
Sokka threw his arms up in anger, "Great! This is just great! Now we don't have anymore money! How are we going to survive! This is your fault, monk! You spent all of our money on some useless piece of wood!" he walked up to Aang, getting in his face, screaming and yelling.
Aang shrank back from the yelling Watertribesman, "Sokka, I'm sorry."
From where Katara stood, it didn't look like Sokka was going to let up, "Hey, Sokka, leave him alone. Alright, it was jut an accident. Remember, he's only a child." she pulled her brother off the young monk.
Sokka looked abashed, "You're right, Katara." his eyes couldn't seem to stay in one place. "Sorry, Aang." the Avatar nodded his acceptance. "Guys, look! This ship looks good. Let's see what they have there!"
Katara's eyes followed in the direction of Sokka's pointing finger. A large ship was docked at the harbor. Outside was a man trying to attract his business. "COME ONE COME ALL! GET AN EYEFULL OF OUR NEW ITEMS! THEY WILL DAZZLE YOUR MIND!" Not having to be told twice, Sokka took off running toward the barker.
The Waterbender looked to Aang, "What do you think, Aang?"
He nodded rapidly, "Yeah, let's go see what they have." he started to run after Sokka, but Katara grabbed him by the back of his tunic, "Hold on, there, Aang. Maybe I should take the rest of that money?"
Aang looked down at his hand, still grasped around the three copper pieces, "Yeah, you're probably right, Katara." she smiled and he dropped the coins into her open hand. He turned away and followed her brother. "Oh, how impolite." she said to herself with just a hint of anger in her voice. But she walked after them.
They entered the ship to see items beyond any of their comprehension. Things that shone as bright as the moon. Things that were as fluid as the ocean. Things from all over the world. From all four nations.
"This place is…wow… just wow. Look at all these things. Where do you think they get all this stuff?" Katara ran her hand over tea sets, jewelry, and many other items. Reveling in the cool touch of the treasures.
"High risk tradin'." Katara whipped her head around searching for the source of the unknown voice.
Her blue eyes met the golden brown eyes of a pirate captain. He stank of stale alcohol and filth. His teeth were rotting in his mouth, they possessed a yellow tint with dark spots in random places. His hair was a mass of gray. On his shoulder sat a reptile bird. He was truly a disturbing sight to see.
She smiled as politely as she could, "Oh, how interesting…" she moved away from the pirate captain slowly. Pulling her mind away from the creeper, she focused her attention on the treasures in front of her. Scrolls. She picked one up and unrolled it.
Katara's eyes widened slightly at her discovery. It was a scroll for Waterbending. A beginners training scroll. "Aang, Sokka, come here, look what I found."
The boys came over to her, peering over her shoulder Aang asked, "What is it?"
Katara snickered, "Can't you tell? It's a training scroll for Waterbenders. See look," she pointed to the drawings. Explaining what each person in a stance meant. "I wonder how much it is."
The Waterbender walked to the pirate, "Excuse me, sir, how much is this?"
The captain snatched the scroll from her hands, "Not for sale, it's on reserve for a very wealthy client in the Earth kingdom."
"Oh…" Katara's disappoint seeped through her pores.
"Though, if ye could make a better offer. I might be obliged to take ye up on that." the captain rubbed his two fingers together in a greedy manner. "Two hundred gold pieces, too be exact."
Katara held up her finger, "could you excuse me for a second?" he nodded and Katara turned toward her comrades, "Well, we don't have that kind of money. Damn."
Aang laughed, "Don't worry, Katara, I'll handle this. Pirates love to haggle." he made his way to the front of the group and slammed one copper piece on the table before him. "How about just one copper piece instead?"
The pirate looked at him as though he were certifiably insane, "I think not, ye bald one. Nice try though."
"You drive a hard bargain, pirate. Alright, fine then, two copper pieces." Aang raised his eyebrows.
The captain seemed to become enraged, "Get ye asses out of my store." the reptile bird on his shoulder squawked its irritation. Aang laughed nervously and the three travelers ran from the store.
Once they were safely away from them, Katara let out a giggle, "Stupid pirates, they didn't even notice they I took the scroll." she pulled it from her tunic and held it up proudly with a smug grin on her face.
Sokka looked at his sister, shocked, "Katara! You stole that! What if they come after us?"
She looked down, ashamed, "I hadn't thought of that. But they won't even notice it's gone. They're too stupid to realize it's gone."
"Do you not see how much danger you could put us in with that little stunt, Katara?" Sokka was fuming at his sister for her stupidity, "You know, this whole time, I thought I was the stupid one between us." he walked away from her.
"Oh, come on, Sokka. It's not that bad. Really, it's not." Katara tried like hell to get her brother to come back to her, but he never did.
Not until he heard screams and shouts coming from the opposite side of the Earth Kingdom village. He hid behind a nearby storage room and poked his head out. The pirates were running toward them with sharp swords, "Dammit, Katara. I told you this would end badly. Now we have pirates after us, along with the Fire Nation. Come on, we have to get out of here." he grabbed hold of Katara's hand who took Aang's hand and the three children ran into a forest with a small stream nearby.
Katara had become breathless, "Sokka. Sokka, I think that we lost them. Let's camp here for the night. Okay?"
"No, not okay. They're after us because of you. How is this at all okay?" her brother's temper was really coming out today.
"Sokka, I know you're mad, but let's just keep the scroll. Both Aang and I could learn from this. Please, we need this." Katara all but pouted to get her brother to soften up.
It worked, "Fine, Katara. Fine."
Katara squealed and threw her arms around her brother, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she backed away and looked at Aang, "So, Aang, are you ready to try and learn some real Waterbending skills?" he nodded eagerly. She smiled, "Let's go then."
§¨©ª
"Uncle, can we please hurry up and find your damn Pai Sho piece? We need to get back on the water." unfortunately, he thought to himself.
"Zuko, my nephew, I'm trying. But it seems that none of the merchants in this town are in possession of the White Lotus tile. But on the other hand we have many more instruments for music night on the ship." Zuko watched three of his men carrying huge loads of nonsensical things.
"Uncle, we need to leave now. We must find that bald, blue arrowed, monk!" Zuko tried to push his uncle toward the ship.
"A bald, blue arrowed, monk, huh? Now, that sounds like the same kid we be lookin' fer." the exiled prince turned around to see a pirate staring at him with a grin on his face, "'im and his two friends stole something from me that is very valuable. Why are ye lookin' fer 'im?"
Zuko's eyes narrowed, "Why I am in search for him is none of your business. But I think we can help each other out here."
The captain smiled and nodded viciously.
§¨©ª
Hours later and Katara was throwing the scroll down in anger and disappointment. "I don't understand why I can't get this Water Whip technique to work, but you can!" she crossed her arms and sat herself on a rock.
Aang rested his hand atop her shoulder. "It's nothing, really, Katara. It's probably because I'm already an Airbender so I have experience with bending. I'm sure you'll get it soon."
This only fueled her jealousy, "You know, maybe you are right, Aang. I'm done using the scroll, you can use it from now on. It's yours." with nothing else to say to him, she left him standing alone with darkness quickly falling.
With the scroll in hand, Aang hung his head. Why was she getting angry at him for being who he was? It wasn't his fault he was the Avatar born to be master of all four elements. Oh and of course to save the world. His pain for her anger got the best of him and he left the scroll on the same rock Katara sat on, knowing full well that she would want to use it again.
§¨©ª
Night had fallen over the campsite and Katara felt it was safe to run to the stream. She had hoped she remembered the stances that would help her learn the Water Whip. She listened for any sounds that would tell her that she was being followed, but all she heard was her feet in the gravel. Kicking up rocks. She pushed herself harder, she had to get to the stream soon.
Katara reached the water's shore and sat down to regain her breath, but she jumped back up when something poked her. She looked down to see the Waterbending scroll. Aang left here? Why would he be so irresponsible? Another thought hit her. He didn't leave it on accident, he left it on purpose. Knowing full well that she would come back for it.
She smiled to herself, figures the Avatar would know that about her. Katara let out a huff of air. "Time to get to work." she unrolled the scroll and practiced.
Several minutes passed before she felt like giving up again. "Come on, Katara. You are the only Waterbender in the entire Southern Water Tribe. You can do this. Just one more time." she brought her arms in and out for the final time and created an elongated shape of water and snapped it successfully. "Yes! I did it!" she jumped up and down in joy, laughing.
"Yes, you did do it, water peasant, but will it be enough to stop the big, bad, Fire Prince?" the jeer came to her ears in a tone so cruel and yet pleasant that it could only belong to one person. The exiled prince.
She turned to face him so fast, her braid whipped her back. "What do you want?" Katara decided to play it brave and dangerous, "Not like it matters anyway, I could take you."
The Exiled laughed with such malice it sent shivers up her spine, maybe she was playing it stupid. He was after all a fire prince, he'd been taught his whole life to control his element. Whereas, Katara could barely do a Water Whip.
"Oh, little one, I don't think you could. Get her." he smiled and Katara's stomach twisted. He was much more attractive up close. A specimen of man that had her biting her lip and wanting to do things she didn't even know she knew.
Katara's thoughts were continuing to spiral when a pirate that was with Zuko came out from the shadows and roughly grabbed her. He threw her over his shoulders like she was nothing. "Let me go you vile beast!"
Again, Zuko laughed, "Don't worry, we will put you down soon enough." he proceeded to walk deeper into the forest that surrounded them. "You can set her down here." he dropped the Waterbender to the ground. She hit with a thud and a groan. Without realizing it she tried to run, but Zuko grabbed her by her wrist. That one touch sent her body into hyper drive. She had never felt anything like it before. A tingling sensation worked its way up her arm, shoulder, past her breasts and into her stomach where it warmed her entirely.
He pulled her against his chest and growled, "I'll take care of the rest. You should go retrieve your crew."
Katara watched the pirate run back to the body of water to get the rest of his clan. She turned her attention away from the retreating pirate to the Exiled. He had pulled rope from his belt without her being aware of any of it. "Now, be a good little water peasant and don't move." he sneered the words as he roughly pushed her against the tree.
Zuko couldn't believe his luck, of all people to be out in the middle of the night, the Waterbender was. He felt her back hit the tree harder than he anticipated, but she never said anything. Didn't show it her eyes or features. He pressed himself against her to tie the rope around her, but was distracted when her small breasts brushed against his chest. He didn't understand what happened to him in that moment. He'd been with other women before. Emotionally and sexually, but just this one touch affected more than he thought was possible.
Once she was tied securely to the tree Zuko pulled out the one thing that would ultimately get her to talk. The woman's necklace. "So, Waterbender, tell me, where's the avatar? I know that you and that oaf with the boomerang are traveling with him and know where he would be hiding out at. The fucking coward."
Katara grew angry, "First, my name is Katara! Second, the oaf's name is Sokka. And he's my brother. So watch your mouth. Third, Aang is not a coward. If anything you're the coward. Hunting down the only hope for our world's saving. The only hope from our demise against the likes of your father! I will never say anything that will give away Aang's position." she turned her head away from Zuko, although she wanted nothing more than to stare into his scared, golden eyes for hours.
The Exiled snickered, "I wouldn't be so sure about that Katara," he spat her name out as though it left a bad taste in his mouth. Like the thought of anyone else beside himself was worthy of a name. He began walking around her, circling her like a predator does with its prey.
"Hah, I'm quite certain that I won't ever say anyth-" Katara's vow was cut short. In front of her eyes, Zuko dangled the one thing she cherished above all else. Her mother's necklace. "Give that to me, you filthy pig!" she began to struggle against her bonds.
Zuko clicked his tongues, "Tsk, tsk, Ms. Katara, and here I thought you were more levelheaded than that. Just a dirty mouth, such a feisty attitude. It's kind of sexy." he continued to wave the necklace in her face.
Katara released a rage filled scream, "Give it to me!"
The Fire Prince snuck up real close to her ear and whispering, sent chills all across her back, "No."
"Prince Zuko, we want the scroll before we go to find the bald one." the prince turned to find the captain of the pirates standing before a crew of more pirates.
Zuko stood straight, "You either bring the boy to me now or I destroy your precious scroll. Understand?" Zuko's voice took on a new pitch. Much angrier than it had been before when he was talking to her.
The captain nodded stiffly and left. Trying to regain his composure, Zuko turned back to…Katara. Such a beautiful name for the blue eyed goddess. "Are you sure you don't want to say anything?"
She spat in his face, with all the hate she'd felt toward him at that instant. "Fuck off, Prince Zuko."
§¨©ª
Sokka had begun rustling in his sleep. Unable to stop moving. The feeling that wrongness was amiss them was overwhelming. He shot up in his sleeping bag, incapable of dealing with the uncomfortable feeling.
He rubbed his head, warding away an oncoming headache. "Hey, Aang, Katara, are you guys awake?" he threw a rock at Aang's sleeping bag and poked Katara's.
Aang bolted up, "What? What? Who did it? Who's there?" he had his staff in hand and was swinging it wildly, like a madman.
All Sokka could do was laugh at the hilarity of the Avatar, "Aang, calm down, I just wanted to see if you were awake and okay. Something feels off about tonight. Katara?" he poked the sleeping bag of his sister's again. Nothing moved, "Katara?" he stood up and pulled the sleeping bag. His sister was missing. "Aang, where's Katara?"
The Avatar stood from his sleeping bag as well, searching for the Waterbender he had grown quite fond of over the past days. "Ah, ye children, ye lookin' fer the girl?" Sokka and Aang turned abruptly and saw the pirates. The captain laughed something wicked, "Ye are coming with us now. There's a certain prince that's on the search fer ye heads."
The boys looked to each other for advice on the situation. Neither knew what to do. They were captured by the pirates they had tried so hard to avoid.
§¨©ª
Sokka and Aang were being pushed forward. They still hadn't seen where Katara was, not until they looked ahead of them and saw her tied to a tree surrounded by Firebenders. Aang looked to Sokka, unsure of what to do.
But Sokka, always thinking, had an idea that would get them all out of here, "So, Zuko wants us, is that right? And you're going to trade us for what? A scroll? Do you know who this kid is? Do you know how much this kid is worth to the Fire Nation?"
The captain looked the Water Tribe boy, "Tell me, child."
Sokka grinned, "This kid is the Avatar."
The pirates turned to Zuko, "The Avatar? You're right, child. He is worth more than a piece of paper. Prince Zuko, we want ten thousands gold pieces for the boy."
The Firebender looked outrage, "We had a deal, pirate."
The pirate smiled, "Deal has been broken. Money or no money?"
"No money." The pirates screamed and a battle broke out.
The boys ran amongst the fight to find Katara and free her. "Katara, what's going on here?" Sokka asked as he untied his sister and they took cover behind the trees. His eyes searched for a way to escape, instead his eyes found the scroll. He was going to regret this, but he grabbed it and slid it into his own tunic.
Fire flew around them in all directions. Screams and shouts sounded from both the pirates and the Firebenders. It was Aang who found a way to escape, "Let's take the pirates' ship!"
"That's brilliant, Aang! Come on, Sokka, let's get out of here." the trio jumped from their hiding spot and crept their way to the pirates' boat. But there was no way of getting it out of the port without making noise. "Aang, you can do it. Just Waterbend it out of the port."
The Avatar looked over to her, "No, Katara, we can do it. We can Waterbend it out of its port. Together."
She nodded and began to bend the way she taught herself. Together her and Aang moved the ship away from the dock. And further into the ocean. "We did it, Aang!" The Airbender grinned
"That's all fine and dandy, guys, and I'm happy for you, truly I am, but we do need to get out of here. Now." the three children hopped into the ship and sailed away, seemingly free.
§¨©ª
Zuko couldn't help but release a laugh that suggested irony. "Pirates, I do believe that is your ship that is sailing off."
They looked and true to claim, their ship was sailing away. In anger they took their leave and boarded Prince Zuko's smaller ship. They gave chase to the Avatar and his companions. Zuko became angry once again.
Once the pirates had gotten close enough they took station on their rightful ship. "Damn, guys, looks like we're not making it out of here without a fight." Sokka exclaimed, pulling out his sword.
The other two shifted into bending stance, "We can do this, Katara." a fight on the deck broke out. Water flew up around them, causing massive waves. Aang bent air in all directions stopping the ship as much as he could.
But that was beside the point, "Hey, Aang, Katara, we have another problem. It seems to me we are coming on a waterfall. And fast." they both turned around to see if it were true. And true it was. "Can you guys can use Waterbending to stop it?"
Aang shook his head, "I don't think so, Sokka." he was right of course, the front end their ship was falling over the waterfall. Aang did the only thing he thought of, he blew his bison whistle. Nothing happened.
"Aang, didn't we already tell you that the thing is useful!" Sokka yelled angrily as the rest of the ship fell over the waterfall. It felt as though their stomachs had reached their throats and had planned on staying there.
Katara let out a fierce yell. Thinking this was the end, she regretted what happened with Zuko. She really wanted to know what all the strange feelings meant and why she was feeling them. The water was getting closer to their free falling bodies. Just as she felt the cool breeze from the ocean she landed in something hard with an oof.
"What happened?" she asked, confused.
"APPA!" she heard Aang's yell and realized that they were sitting in Appa's saddle.
"Katara, before I forget, I'm sure you're going to want this." Sokka pulled out the Waterbending scroll and handed it to his sister. She smiled broadly and hugged her brother.
"Thank you, Sokka!" She laughed with joy and the boys joined her. They were victorious.
§¨©ª
"Zuko, you are not going to believe what I just found in my sleeve!" Iroh grinned widely as he pulled the White Lotus tile that had caused this whole mess.
Though, Zuko couldn't really say he was particularly angry with him, if he hadn't made them come back. He wouldn't have had that amazing experiment with the Waterbender, erm, Katara. But still, just to ensure that Iroh wouldn't think funny of his no anger attitude, he grabbed the tile from his uncle's hand and threw it into the ocean.
"No, Uncle, you HAD it up your sleeve the whole time. Now it's in the ocean where it will be staying. Get on the ship. We're leaving." Zuko stomped to his newly paid for ship with Iroh moping behind him.