Previously…
Zuko heaved their new pack full of food and supplies into the basket, irritatedly shoving the red fabric from the balloon out of his way. They'd discussed possible locations where Appa could have went. Assuming the sky-bison had a full saddle, he could have only made it so far.
"If Aang is there," Zuko had said earlier. "He'd want to go somewhere familiar yet secluded."
Katara agreed with that.
The banished prince thought back to his early days hunting the air bender, long before the siblings had discovered him in the South Pole.
"The Western Air Temple is pretty close," he mused. "It's due north of here."
"Within Appa's range?"
"Definitely."
"That settles it. We'll go there."
The afternoon sun radiated down on the red hot air balloon. The expanded fabric did little to shield the balloon's passengers from the burning light.
In this sweltering heat, she found herself thankful for the Azula's choice of breezy fabric.
Wiping sweat off her brow, she leaned back against the basket's wall, readjusting herself on the small box she'd brought to use as a seat.
She had spent the first leg of their journey in silence, mentally dancing around the questions she had for Zuko.
If she was still exhausted from the previous day, then she assumed he was too. Best to give both of them a much needed break.
A few more minutes passed and Katara caved. She couldn't sit in silence and watch the same shade of blue breeze by any longer.
Katara had stopped trying to decide long ago if she was seeing heat waves or clouds forming in the distance.
She wanted answers.
"So, what did you mean the other day?" Katara started, frowning. "About the knife?"
Zuko pushed away his hair, the constant breeze directing the overgrown bits into his face.
He considered his words, squinting out across the open sky.
"The Yuyan's blowdarts are usually coated in mercury." He explained carefully. "Your father's rapid reaction to it makes me think that the metalworkers knifes were clean."
So, she thought, because I didn't drop into a drug-induced haze, they were probably clean…
"But, I couldn't heal myself for a few days," she audibly thought.
Zuko shrugged.
Her brow furrowed. That hadn't answered no where near as many of her questions as she'd hoped. Katara's fingers rubbed her arm where the cut had been, some weeks prior. The skin was smooth, healed over nicely.
She'd forgotten about it, honestly.
The scab had lasted a tad longer than some previous injuries, and the lack of healing ability had been weird but there was a lot about her bending that she'd admit she didn't know.
Katara had taught herself, after all.
Pakku and Yagoda showed her many things, but the 'technicalities' behind her bending always mystified her.
The 'how' anyone could bend was a mystery to most, she assumed.
Growing up as the only water bender in the tribe made learning difficult and she often wondered how far her skills could have progressed without Aang taking her all over the world.
"Is he going to be okay?" She asked, quietly.
Zuko regarded her for a moment, silent.
Katara didn't like the look he had on his face.
It was deadly serious.
"Tell me," she prodded. "Please."
Zuko swallowed thickly, glancing away.
"Let's hope that Sokka made it to him in time."
"And if he didn't? What if he got captured before Sokka could?"
Zuko could feel her sharp blue gaze on his face, waiting for the answer.
"Then pray the prison warden is merciful."
Her breath caught and her panic bubbled back up.
Breathe, Katara. Breathe. She thought, darting her attention to small details around the balloon.
The hexagonal shape of the bolts. The droning noise of the propeller spinning behind them.
The ocean's scent on the breeze, even this far up in the air.
There were probably better ways to deliver that information, Zuko thought dryly.
His mental timer went off in his head and he turned to stoke the fire, keeping their altitude.
Katara took grasp of the next curious thought that appeared in her head, eager for a subject change.
"Did you ever get your bending back?" She asked.
He stiffened slightly at the remark, as if he'd forgotten too.
"Not really," he sighed, eyeing the embers inside the furnace. "I haven't had time to worry about it."
This was a lie, of course, though he had been able to distract his mind from the subject by worrying about other things.
Or, other people.
"Well, maybe we can figure something out when we meet up with Aang and the others." She suggested.
Her mood diminished once more at the mention of the others, her brain callously reminding her again that she hadn't a clue who actually had made it out of the invasion.
Or, who survived.
"Yeah."
Zuko slid the panel to the furnace shut a little harder than he probably needed.
"We'll find him," she reassured.
He thought he was an expert at hiding his emotions, though Katara read him like an open book.
"I don't even know where to begin looking," Zuko rasped, leaning his weight back against the basket's side.
"What about the white lotus tile?" She asked. "That's a start, right?"
"It would be a start if the old man had bothered to tell me anything useful."
Katara chewed her bottom lip.
"I'm sure he has, in his own way," she mumbled, mostly to herself.
He was silent, pondering all of the instances that the tile had came up, desperately trying to make sense of it.
"What all do you know about it?"
Zuko shrugged.
"I know it's a boring game old men play while they drink tea," he replied dryly, scowling slightly. Iroh had spent so much time playing the game - both on the ship and in nearly every port they stepped foot into.
She huffed, chuckling slightly, "No, Zuko, I mean what do you know about the white lotus tile?"
The youth chewed the side of his lip.
"Well, it seems to have some sort of significance…" he started, feeling as if he was stating the obvious. "He's played the tiles a certain way and said some things before, but I don't know what it's alluding to."
"What's he said?"
Another breath rushed out between his parted lips. He scrubbed his face with his hands.
"A lot of things…" memories flashed before his mind's eye. "That many people think that the tile is insignificant, but it's essential for the 'unusual' strategy…um, that it opens wide to those who know her secrets…"
His eyebrow shot up, disappearing into his fringe.
"Someone once called him a Grand Master! I thought at the time he meant at Pai Sho…but…" he looked back to Katara. "Maybe he was talking about whatever it stands for. It would explain all the white lotus insignias around Piandao's!"
Katara leaned forward, cradling her head in her hands, elbows pressing into her thighs.
She nodded slowly. "Could be. Didn't you say a white lotus tile got you guys into the Fire Nation after Ba Sing Se?"
Zuko nodded in agreement, still obviously deep in thought.
"So if he's a 'Grand Master', and the white lotus tile signifies the group or whatever," she waved her hand in the air. "Then maybe these white lotus people are against the war? It seems like they would be if that man would be willing to help two total strangers wanted by the Fire Nation…"
"Yeah, but that still doesn't give me any indication as to where he is."
Katara sighed, propping her head back on her hands again.
Things were supposed to get simpler after she reunited with her friends, not more complicated…
"How much longer?" Katara wondered aloud, the question not particularly being directed to Zuko.
"I don't know," he rasped anyway.
~0~
Hours crept by and Katara dug through their provisions, stomach grumbling.
"Want some?" She asked, gesturing to their bag of jerky.
Zuko wordlessly stuck out his hand.
She tossed him two strips and fished out two for herself, chomping down onto the salted meat.
Katara turned her gaze back to their surroundings, stretching her arms up above her.
The meat stuck out of her lips comically like a cigar.
"Look!" She exclaimed, mouth still full. "Land!"
Gripping the edge of the basket, she leaned towards the northern horizon.
A mirage had fooled her into thinking they were getting close twice now, but this time she was sure as to what she was seeing.
Lush deep green speckled the horizon, the Western Earth Kingdom's mountainous islands growing closer.
The cluster of islands that lay north of the Fire Nation were uninhabited for the most part, the terrain comprised of so many steep hills and cliffsides it made it difficult to get around.
Unless you were an air bender of course - or an earth bender - though most earth benders migrated to the mainland years ago.
As the southern border of the island grew closer, Zuko felt the strange sense of familiarity tug at his mind.
He'd been here before, years ago.
The Western Air Temple was the closest ruins to the Fire Nation. It was a no-brainer to the freshly banished prince to make it his first stop. His passion to find the Avatar burned as fervidly as the burn on his face.
Young Zuko spent the first week of his banishment healing, his uncle kindly transporting him as he made arrangements for a ship. The old war general had called in many favors to get the old cruiser in working condition. Zuko had been so determined to find the supposedly ancient Avatar, he spent that week pouring over every form of text he could, gathering knowledge.
The determination reached a peak the moment Iroh deemed their ship was ready and manned to sail off.
His stubbornness led them to the mountainous terrain not many days after, commanding Lieutenant Jee, the ship's captain, to drop anchor despite the lack of proper harbor.
"I thought that most Air Temples were up high, in the air," Katara mused.
Zuko brought himself away from his trip down memory lane, shooting a glance back at his friend.
"Not this one."
Another fifteen minutes passed before they'd reached the eastern most island's cliffside-shore. The mountains were less severe on this particular strip, the rolling hills lined with tall, leafy trees, much like Shu Jing. As they floated over the first section of forest, a mesa loomed ahead.
"It's so…dusty," Katara commented. "Are we getting close? Have you been here before?"
He shut his eyes, bowing his head.
"A long time ago," he said, the forest passing by rapidly below. "It was the first place I checked…you know, after…"
Zuko's profile hid the smooth side of his skin, the marred scar overtaking her perspective.
"I see."
The tanned ground darkened with the shadow of their balloon as they drifted over it.
Zuko bided their time, counting down the seconds until he dimmed the fire.
Three…two…one…
He released the heat, the balloon beginning its slow descent into the canyon.
"Where are-?"
Katara had just gotten the words out of her mouth when the massive cliff walls gave way to reveal the beautiful temple.
It lay beneath the edge of the cliff, almost completely untouched.
Was this what they looked like, a hundred years ago? She wondered.
Great pagodas jutted down from the earthen ceiling, each in near pristine condition. The only notable sign of age appeared to be tufts of stray vegetation and moss, presumably from water making it's way down the great stalactite-like structures.
The skill it would have taken to build the pagodas alone…yet the awe-inspiring architecture overtook the entirety of the Western Air Temple.
A massive wrap-around platform lay just beneath them, connecting various other wonders.
Ancient statues nestled beneath enormous arches drew Katara's eye, the massive monks carved with baffling detail.
"Do you see them?" She asked, gaze flitting over to a square fountain further down the way. The water ran off the edge, disappearing into the foggy depths below.
"Actually-"
A blur of red and yellow whizzed by their balloon. Zuko cursed, startling.
"Oh!" The voice almost got lost on the wind. "Hey guys!"
"Aang?" She called, frowning.
"Aang, come down, we have to talk about the —"
The wind pulled away the remainder of the sentence.
Sokka?
Aang, indeed the culprit, glided back beside them, grinning ear to ear.
"You found us!"
A roar sounded from behind them and Appa approached, Sokka and Toph on his back.
"Katara!"
Her eyes widened at the sight of her brother and her heart soared.
Thank spirits, he's alive!
Katara beamed.
Everyone landed on the ground beside the fountain, the siblings quickly disembarking and nearly tackling one another in a massive hug.
Sokka pulled back, staring into his sister's face.
"Sokka," the girl said nervously. "Where's Dad?"
~0~
"YOU LEFT HIM?" She cried, voice raising significantly. "You left all of them?"
She turned her accusatory stare on Aang.
"Please explain to me how you could have left all those people-" back to Sokka. "Our people behind."
"Katara," Aang started sheepishly. "They were going to destroy the—"
"I don't care what they were going to destroy!" She snapped, eyes blazing. "They trusted you to keep them safe, you don't abandon them! And what about Dad, Sokka? How could you leave him there, in the condition he was in?"
Sokka's lips set in a tight line, staring at his sister.
"He wasn't poisoned, Katara," he stated. "He took the antidote."
"Still!" She insisted, hands flinging themselves up into the air. "I can't believe either of you!"
The water bender met Aang's puppy dog eyes with malice. "You of all people should know you can't run from your problems!"
Aang's face fell.
"Hey," Toph butted in. "That was uncalled for. The best plan was to get Aang and as many of us out as we could and you know it."
Zuko touched Katara's arm, much like she'd done for him when he faced his own sibling.
The warmth registered, but like him, the touch did little to stifle the fire raging in her.
Katara's eyes flicked to the young earth bender, but didn't address her further, dismissing her comment.
This was between her and Sokka — and Aang.
"Spirits, Sokka!" She said. "I get it, you guys had to get out, but to leave Dad? Bato? What about Haru's dad? Teo's? Pipsqueak?" Another person dawned on her and she widened her eyes. "Suki? They all —"
"They all knew the risk they were taking," Sokka cut in, voice now as cold as hers. "They knew what could happen, and they still did it."
"Haru," Katara turned her gaze to the bearded young man. "Please tell Sokka and Aang that it was awful of them to abandon everyone we care about!"
His green eyes flicked to Zuko, standing beside her.
"Sorry, Katara," Haru said gently. "We knew what we were signing up for."
Her mouth dropped open and eyes widened incredulously.
"I can't believe —" she shook her head, sucking her teeth. "I, I need a minute. Or ten."
Katara stomped off, disappearing through the doorway leading into the mountain.
The group was awkwardly silent.
"I'll give her a few to cool off, then go talk to her," Zuko rasped, turning to follow her.
Spirits knew this temple was larger than it's cardinal counterparts.
They didn't need Katara angry and lost.
After Zuko's figure vanished into the dark hallway, Aang sighed heavily.
"I hoped she'd not be that mad."
"I told you she would be," Sokka retorted. "This is Katara we're talking about here."
Haru glanced at the Duke and the others awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
"You're not wrong Snoozles. Aang, just give Katara time to cool off," Toph mumbled, waving dismissively. "She'll be fine."
"Maybe I should go after her, too," Aang mused, studying the now empty doorway.
"Are you nuts?" Toph asked. "She'll bite your head off again if you go after her now."
"Toph's right," Sokka agreed. "Let Zuko face her wrath, if he hasn't faced it already. Give Katara some space."
Aang frowned, knowing Toph was right.
He briefly wondered when Zuko of all people became the one that comforted her.
~0~
"I can't believe them!" Katara growled, pacing back and forth.
Her features had been set in an unhappy scowl since the news that they left her father.
Zuko had followed after her, a silent shadow. Her words were as much a verbalized thought as they were directed at him.
He'd never seen her so… angry.
She'd somehow figured out how to make it to the statues she'd seen on their arrival.
Katara almost wished she would have picked another location to go and cool down.
The massive stone figures made her feel even smaller, more insignificant. It would be a lie if she said the thought hadn't crossed her mind to blast them into oblivion.
She didn't, of course, but she definitely was that enraged.
"I mean, they should have found another way! Leaving all of them to just…just surrender, or be killed?"
Not long after the words left her lips, she turned to face Zuko for the first time since her outburst.
"They wouldn't kill them, would they?" Her face paled.
Hands in his pockets, he was leaning against a statue's leg, watching her.
"No."
"And they'd be thrown in a prison?"
"Probably. But it's better than being dead."
"Is it?"
He raised his brow at her.
"Sorry," she apologized, huffing a sigh. "It's just…"
Her features twisted into a grimace and she rubbed her temples.
"I just got him back, only to lose him all over again," Katara took a shaky breath, emotion threatening to climb out of her chest. "It feels like every time I turn around, something bad is happening and I hate it. I need to keep it together, but how am I supposed to when all this is happening?"
Zuko's lips pressed together in a line.
Part of him wanted to go to her, hug her and tell her everything was going to be okay — even if it was a lie.
Another part of him wanted to walk away, ice himself and his emotions.
He found he couldn't - there was something about seeing her so genuinely upset that made him upset.
It unnerved him.
So, he quietly went to her, standing beside her stiff body.
What would uncle say in a situation like this? He wondered, wracking his brain.
Katara sniffled loudly, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. She heard him walk up to her, though she still was gathering the nerve to look at him. Her eyes burned, face tense, doing all she could to withhold the tears.
She hated crying.
Stealing a glance into his face, she broke, a tear escaping.
It only took one glimpse into her watery blue eyes. Next thing he knew, he was grabbing onto her arm and gently tugging her towards him.
Nervousness blossomed at the closeness, heart thundering in his chest. He wouldn't let his own awkwardness stop himself from comforting her.
Despite whatever feelings they may have felt, she was his friend - easily one of his best friends. And even though he was not confident he knew what true friendship was like, he knew that being there for her would be the best thing a friend could do.
"And…they left me, Zuko," her breath came out choppy, hot against his shoulder. "Why would they leave me behind?"
The voice that left her sounded so young, so unlike the strong-willed Katara he'd spent the last month with.
Taking a slow breath in through her nose, she pushed it out of her mouth, a feeble attempt to calm down.
"My uncle once said," he started, clearing his throat. The motion did little to remove the huskiness from his voice. "Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end, but if you keep moving…you will come to a better place."
Katara sniffled against him, fidgeting slightly.
It was true.
She turned to stare out across the open chasm, his arm still around her shoulder, hers resting on his waist.
"You know he and Sokka did what they thought best, right?" He asked, referring to their departure. "Probably at your father's command?"
She hummed dryly. "Doesn't mean it was the best, though."
"Would you rather all of them be imprisoned?" He countered. "Including Aang?"
She didn't reply, eyes trained on the vast nothingness that lay ahead, deep in the canyon.
Katara wondered where her father was, wondered what he was currently looking at right now. She prayed it was more then a filthy jail cell wall like Iroh's cell had been.
"No," she managed.
Katara agreed with Zuko's reasoning — Sokka and assumedly her father's reasoning, too — but that didn't make her any less angry.
Though, the anger was no longer directed at them — it was directed to the Fire Nation, the people who opposed everything they were fighting for.
"Your father asked me to keep you safe," Zuko said, catching her gaze with his. "Sokka must have known we both would find a way to get out of there."
Katara searched his face.
"I wouldn't leave you there, Katara." He rasped quietly.
Katara hadn't thought of the fact that they left him behind, too.
Though, she wasn't sure if the fact even registered with him. He had such a hard time believing that he could be part of their group.
Zuko's face, set in seriousness, was similar to the one he sported earlier that day. This look, however, had something bubbling beneath the surface.
Something she'd seen seconds before Appa had flown overhead, days prior.
A feeling akin to fear blossomed.
"We've got to get Aang ready before the comet," she murmured, turning back to the drop off beside them. "I won't leave him or any of my friends in there any longer then that."
"Everything…will be okay," he said, the words feeling awkward leaving his mouth.
Frowning, she glanced up at him.
Had he really said what she thought he said?
"Will it?"
He blinked rapidly, a slight red hue covering his cheeks.
Had that not been the right thing to say?
"I don't know," Zuko admitted, scratching his head sheepishly.
The movement had removed his arms from her, so Katara sighed, stepping back out of his space.
"I better go talk to everyone, figure out what the plan is."
The sudden movement made him wary that now she was upset with him as well.
She wasn't, he decided, shooting him a 'wish me luck' smile and waiting for him before she headed back.
~0~
"Katara's back," Toph commented, seconds before the two benders entered the room. It'd taken a few wrong turns to figure out how to get back to the platform with the fountain, but they'd eventually made it.
"Hey," Aang called nervously at Katara and Zuko's approach.
Toph, Aang and Sokka were all leaning on a small wall that backed up against the fountain.
"Hi," Katara bit out, arms crossing.
Sokka sized her up, having grown skilled at recognizing the many expressions that were Katara.
He quickly determined it had downsized substantially, much to his relief.
"Have you guys came up with a plan for the comet?"
"Kind of," Sokka revealed. "So…you do realize that Dad told us to get out of there, right? That there was nothing any of us could do?"
Katara stiffened.
"Doesn't mean it changes anything."
"Yeah, but Katara, it's Dad we're talking about here." Sokka countered. "He knows that Aang is the only person capable of defeating Ozai and restoring peace."
Zuko shifted from beside his sister.
"No offense, Zuko, but your dad has got to go."
The banished prince shrugged. "I know. I agree with you all. That's why I'm here."
Sokka's eyebrow quirked at the agreement, but didn't say anything else to him.
"Aang can't do that if he's killed or locked in some prison somewhere."
Katara crossed her arms. "I'm really supposed to believe that Dad told you to leave without me?"
"He told me Zuko agreed he would keep you safe. And for some reason, I believed him."
Zuko met the Water Tribesman's blue eyes and held the gaze. "Thank you, for that."
The elder man dipped his head.
That had been the second time he'd earned a serious thank you from the Water Tribesman. He hoped that it would be a step in the right direction.
So, Zuko had been right, Katara mused. Dad had known that Zuko would have kept them both safe. And safe meant that they would get out of there before they got captured, too.
"Alright," Toph piped up. "Are you two done arguing about the 'could of and should of's?"
Katara chewed her lip.
"Yeah."
Sokka threw his hands up and made a noise.
The group was silent for a while, no one really knowing how to transfer into their more pressing issue without awkwardness.
Aang was the first to pipe up.
"Alright then!" He hopped to his feet and interlaced his fingers, pushing out in front of him. "First order of business! Fire bending training!"
He half expected Katara to open her mouth and point out his weakened bending.
She didn't.
Zuko stepped closer to the younger boy.
"Alright. Let's go. Got somewhere we can train?"
He could do this, he thought. Surely the loss of his bending was an eclipse related fluke, right? Besides, he'd summoned enough fire to keep the hot air balloon going for miles.
~0~
Aang grinned, leading the way out towards the edge of the platform.
Once they reached the massive open space, Aang scratched the back of his neck, eyeing Zuko uncertainly.
"Nervous?" Zuko asked.
Aang's brows jutted up in the middle, a pensive look overtaking him. He shrugged a little.
"Fire bending isn't something to fear. It's how you use it that matters." Zuko explained, crossing his arms. "You must respect it and it will respect you."
Yeah, he thought, smirking. That sounded good.
Aang rose himself to attention, staring wide eyed at his newfound instructor.
"Now, show me what you already know," he commanded, stepping back. "Any amount of fire you can make."
Aang took a deep breath and shifted into one of the stances he recalled from his time training with Master Jeong Jeong. Pivoting and thrusting his palm to the left, a pitiful poof of smoke shot out of his palm.
Zuko cocked his good eyebrow skeptically.
A nervous chuckle erupted from the boy and he turned to Zuko.
"Yeah. Perhaps I need a demonstration."
The fire bender swallowed the lump that had formed at the request.
He was as close to a master fire bender as he'd been his entire life. His moves were powerful, forms accurate.
So what if he had trouble bending bending the few times he'd tried over the past few days?
Few times? His mind echoed skeptically. More then a few.
Okay, he'd admit, it had been more then igniting the campfire and the stove that had given him serious trouble.
He'd gone out onto the Akagi's deck and practiced his katas for nearly two hours after they departed from the Black Cliffs. The only thing he could produce was tiny plumes of fire, hardly more then what Aang had.
A firework could shoot out more sparks.
"Zuko?" Aang asked uncertainly.
Zuko threw himself into an easy stance, grunting with effort.
The tiny plume shot out of his fist and he went limp, faltering at the measly display.
What was going on with him?
"What is going on?" He growled, ignoring Aang's surprised squeak.
Grunting again, Zuko moved through a variety of kicks and punches, failing to push out the blasts he'd grown used to generating.
He cursed, turning away from his new pupil in shame.
"Maybe it's the altitude," Aang offered sweetly and Zuko groaned, dropping his face into his hands.
"What's wrong jerk-bender?" Sokka called, having walked over to the duo. "Having trouble jerk-bending?"
He laughed at his own joke, tugging the lapels of his shirt.
I take everything back about gaining his respect, Zuko thought.
Zuko scowled at the Water Tribesman, wishing he had his bending so he could singe off his eyebrows.
"Shut up," Zuko grumbled, crossing his arms.
"Hey, Aang." Sokka said, "If you two are done messing around, we're all about to play a game of hide and seek! You want to join?"
He smirked, knowing his next point would probably sway the easygoing air bender.
"Katara is going to be the seeker!"
This had Aang hopping up off the pillar with an excited look.
"Hide and seek?" Zuko asked skeptically. "Aren't you a little old to be playing hide and seek?"
Sokka grinned wolfishly. "What, you got more smoke to make?"
Zuko stalked towards Sokka, seething with annoyance.
"Easy, Sokka," Katara called having heard her brother's barbed comment.
The three boys turned around abruptly.
"Sorry, Zuko," she said for her brother, rolling her eyes. "He's a pain."
Katara had changed back into her Water Tribe blues, thankful for the wrapped tunic and dark leggings.
"Who said I was going to be the seeker?" Katara countered, eyebrow cocking up.
~0~
How the boys convinced her to be the seeker was beyond her.
Katara had spent what felt like forever aimlessly wandering the Western Air Temple, slowly finding all of her friends.
Zuko had been the hardest to find, the Blue Spirit's agility coming in handy at a time like this.
After discovering Zuko up on a pillar - how'd he gotten up there, she hadn't a clue - the duo started to head back to the platform with a fountain.
"We have a problem."
He'd been walking behind her a few paces, hardly making a single noise. The silence wasn't necessarily what tipped Katara off to something not being quite right with him — it was more how he'd given away his location atop the pillar. Katara had seen first hand how still he could be if he wanted, having stayed nearly catatonic as the Blue Spirit.
She slowed her stride, hoping he would get the silent message and walk alongside her.
He did, though didn't seem to elaborate on what the problem was — not that Katara didn't already have an inkling of what he was referencing.
"Your bending?" She inquired quietly, glancing sidelong at his expression.
His lips and face scrunched downwards at the mention and he nodded once.
"Yeah," he grumbled. "I really have lost my stuff I guess."
"You managed the hot air balloon fine."
"That's different."
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"It doesn't require much effort."
"Do you want to talk about it?" Katara tugged him to a stop, ironically right outside the hall that held the massive Pai Sho board.
Zuko raked his hands through his hair and let lose another long breath.
"Not really," he admitted, meeting her gaze.
"But you need to?" She finished, gauging his expression carefully.
Katara went silent, pretending to take interest in the massive Pai Sho board in the room.
"Probably," Zuko eventually grunted.
His friend's lips quirked up reassuringly, waiting.
"I feel like it's because I changed sides," he said slowly.
"Maybe," Katara admitted. "But you've said you got deathly ill when you were trying to decide if you wanted to free Appa and not pursue us, in Ba Sing Se?"
She only got a nod in response and she hummed. Katara thought about Jeong Jeong's teachings. While she had not been around for all of them, she had lingered by the stream near his home, practicing her own bending.
"Jeong Jeong said that fire is much different than the other elements. It burns and lives even without a bender to wield it," she thought aloud. "That the power comes from the breath."
Zuko scowled.
He breathed! He was alive, wasn't he?
"Maybe…" she went on. "Maybe we should talk to Aang and the others about it. See if they have any insight."
As much as the idea sent a frustrated sort of embarrassment through him…he'd grown desperate to get his fire back.
~0~
Much to his annoyance — and simultaneous relief — Aang had an idea about the issue right off the bat.
"Maybe your bending came from rage before," Aang mused. "And you don't have as much as you used to…I mean, I've seen you smile! I don't think I ever saw you smile before."
Katara's eyes widened.
He had a point!
"Sounds like we just need to make Zuko angry!" Sokka piped up, smirking. "That should be easy enough."
He grinned maniacally, prancing over to the fire bender.
The prince crossed his arms, scowling at the suggestion.
Sokka danced around Zuko with that same devilish grin, poking and prodding his body with the hilt of his sword.
After the fourth poke, Zuko snapped, hand shooting out to grasp onto the sheathed blade. With a yank, he ripped it out of Sokka's hands and threw it away.
"Okay! Cut it out!"
Sokka flinched, sulking like a punished child.
He had no issue bouncing back.
"See! Easy!" He moseyed over to retrieve the sword. "Thank you, Zuko. You proved my point!"
Zuko growled in frustration, bowing his head. His fingertips massaged the bridge of his nose.
How did Katara handle these… kids?
"I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore," he stated. "There's got to be another way."
Toph turned his direction, her hazy eyes meeting his.
"You'll just have to learn how to draw it from another source."
Zuko narrowed his eyes.
"I recommend the original source," Toph continued, bending herself a massive chair and plopping down into it.
"A volcano?" Sokka exclaimed. "He's gonna jump into a volcano?"
When he noticed the glare his sister was throwing his way, his voice pitched nervously.
"What?" He asked. "The Fire Nation is on like one really big volcano!"
"No," Toph said, not even bothering to glance Sokka's way. "I'd suggest the original source. Like I learned from badgermoles! And while it was different because I'm blind too…they were the original earth benders!"
"That doesn't help me," Zuko murmured glumly. "There's no more original fire benders around. They're extinct."
"Extinct?" Katara questioned. "What's the original source, Zuko?"
"Dragons." He turned to stare coldly at her.
"Huh?" Aang frowned in confusion. "What do you mean, extinct? They were around when I was a kid and Roku had one!"
"Well, they're not around anymore," He rasped dryly.
He turned away from the fire they stood around.
"Maybe there's another way," he mused, thinking to the temples he'd discovered in his travels. "The first people to learn from the dragons were the sun warriors."
His optimistic pupil approached him.
"Sun warriors?" Aang repeated.
He'd not heard of them — and he was old!
Zuko nodded. "They died out thousands of years ago, but their civilization is still somewhat intact. I came across the entrance a year or two ago. Uncle told me to leave the ruins alone, that they were worthless."
"Maybe we can learn something anyways if we go check it out!" Aang offered, ever the optimist.
"It's worth a shot," Katara agreed.
She smiled. Zuko needed some good news, especially after the prison being empty.
"You really think standing where they stood a thousand years ago is going to what, give you some spiritual juju?" Sokka squinted at Aang skeptically.
"We have to try something," Zuko turned to face the group. "Either I find a new way to fire bend, or Aang gets a new teacher."
"That settles it!" Aang punched his palm. "We'll leave first thing tomorrow!"