I'll Follow You Home – A Zutara Story.
Meeoko
Summary : Sequel to 'Eventualities Are Inevitable'. After being captured by a group of Fire Nation radicals and uncovering a secret plot to destroy the Avatar Cycle, Zuko and Katara must work together to find a way to stop the Sila Vatra before Sozin's Comet arrives.
Spoilers : Puppet Master, Day Of Black Sun part 1 and 2, Western Air Temple, Fire Bending Masters and Boiling Rock part 1 and 2.
Author's Note : Just a few things that I'd like to clear up from the last chapter.
Anonymous reviewer, Katie pointed out that in Chapter Seven, I wrote that Zuko's scar was on the right side of his face. Though this is technically wrong, as his scar is on the left (my bad), the story was told from Katara's perspective. She was looking directly at him, and to her, the scar would have looked as if it were on the right side. So, sorry if that confused anybody else. It was just a mix up from perspective.
I have to congratulate Seraph Of Darkness, who picked up on the subtle vibes linked to both Fat and Hakoda. Before leaving, Fat had said to Zuko, "An experienced old man has eyes everywhere" and I tried to convey this same philosophy when Hakoda beckoned Zuko over, but without being too obvious. So, well done to Seraph who made the connection and to all of you reviewers who managed to figure out Hakoda's strange behaviour towards Zuko and the reasons why – now you know.
Also, congrats to ChipFest, who noticed that The Black Ice Blade is a slight play on words from the critically acclaimed novel, 'Cavern Of Black Ice' by J.V.Jones. A damn good trilogy - any fantasy readers out there MUST go read it!
And finally, McKenna Marvin asked me exactly what relevance Teo plays in the story and exactly why he came with the gaang to the Fire Nation.
No, he may not be a bender or a fighter, but Teo was chosen to come along with them because of his most defining characteristic – his intelligence.
As we all know, Teo enjoys building and making things, much like his father. So, he has come to the Fire Nation along with the others to begin preparations for the comet. So mostly, he's helping to develop weapons and strategical manoeuvres for when they strike against Ozai.
Sokka and he should make a good team. Mad love for Teo and Sokka!
They had immediately been put to work. Their new employer, Fumio had not given them much information about their duties, but just barked individual positions at them, pointing at each in turn.
"Tall girl – kitchen!"
"Blind kid – upstairs maintenance! Extra sheets and mops are in the cupboard, third door on the left!"
"Angry guy – waiting tables! Now all three of you – get to it!"
They had all tensed and glared intensely at the mans rudeness, but had gotten to work without complaint after putting their bags in their upstairs room.
"Ugh" Changing nasty old bedsheets!" Toph complained. "I jinxed myself!"
Zuko did not say a word, but had just scowled and crossed his arms.
Katara had tried to console Toph before they each split up to begin their work. She guessed that Toph's first assessment of Fumio hadn't been quite as accurate as she'd hoped. She had to constantly keep reminding herself to use their code names, just in case she were to give them all away.
"It's okay, Katsumi. He's probably just put you upstairs to enforce our stories. If someone see's you walking around confidently down here, they'll know that your a you-know-what."
The young girl had simply blown the bangs away from her face irritably and frowned.
"I'm not exactly a helpless little kid, Sugar Queen. I know how to do things by myself and I don't need anyone acting sympathetic around 'the little blind girl'."
Before Katara had been able to reply, Toph had stormed up the stairs to begin her work. Katara's mouth was left hanging open in mid-sentence. She closed it again and sighed.
Why is Toph being so mean? What have I done to make her so angry?
Zuko's arms were still crossed, but his frown had turned into a look of embarrassed dread. He sighed heavily and began walking towards the kitchen.
"Ugh! This is just like Ba Sing Se all over again. I better not have to wear an apron!"
But Zuko's wishes went unanswered. Katara tried not to giggle when she saw him in a long red apron, with the Three Embers Inn insignia on it. His cheeks turned red and he scowled at her. Katara immediately swept the smirk from her face.
"It, uh...it suits you, Lee."
Grabbing a notebook and storming past her into the dark and dingy dining area, Zuko simply grumbled a reply before turning the corner and out of sight.
"This is ridiculous."
Katara hadn't been expecting much when she entered the kitchen, but the filth and clutter inside was almost overwhelming. Everywhere she looked, there were dirty dishes and spilled sauces or spices. The sink was stacked so high with cutlery that it looked like a slanting tower. Katara worried that they would fall out and smash onto the floor.
The room was filled with dark smoke and she found herself rubbing continually at her irritated eyes. Her Gran-o-vision did not take kindly to the clouded air, as they were still bruised and vulnerable and she found it difficult to manoeuvre through the tiny, filthy kitchen. The roof of the kitchen was dirty and dark from the smoke. Katara thought that they looked similar to the same blotches on Master Piando's ceiling.
Great.
She was greeted by the kitchen chef, though not happily. The stout young man couldn't have been much older than Zuko, but he looked as if he were years older. His dark, greasy hair hung loose over his shoulders and he desperately needed a shave. He also wore a red apron, but with a red bandana on his head, declaring him the head of the kitchen. He was covered in some sort of sauce and was slowly stirring a pot of something particularly spicy smelling. There was smoke billowing from the pot, but the chef didn't seem to notice.
The young man did not even introduce himself. Instead, he barked impatiently at Katara and pointed at the seemingly endless tower of dishes stacked in the sink and along every surface.
"You, new girl! You'll be cleaning the dishes. Be quick about it and don't complain! We don't need them to be spotless, just clean enough to put more food back on. Now get to it!"
Katara visibly relaxed her muscles when her sour new boss turned back to stirring the slowly smoking pot. It seemed as if everyone who worked at the Three Embers Inn was cranky, rude and didn't enjoy their jobs.
Me being one of them. She thought as she headed towards the stack of dirty dishes, wondering where on earth she should begin.
Katara had been cleaning dishes for almost two hours. She had no idea why she used to complain about having to do the dishes at the Western Air Temple. At least there, she could use her bending and do it in half the time. But Katara had no idea wether the chef was also aware of their 'situation' and decided it was best not to risk their cover being blown. So, she took up the tedious task of washing every single pot and pan by hand. There were no rags of scrubbing brushes to help her remove the built on filth, so she had to use her fingernails to try to prise away the baked-on food.
It was a grotesque task and made Katara shiver at the thought of all of the disgusting food and germs now living under her fingernails.
Every now and then, Zuko would come into the kitchen to pick up or deliver an order. After almost four hours of work, he seemed to be a bit unsteady on his feet. He kept coughing and rubbing at his eyes. Katara wondered what on earth was taking place in the main dining room to make him act so strangely.
Must be all of the smoke. What is in that pot, anyway? Is it supposed to be doing that?
Whenever Katara managed to take down the mountain of dishes to a more manageable level, Zuko would bring in handfuls more and dump them beside her on the counter. So, she would clean, dry, Zuko would bring her more and the entire disgusting process would begin all over again.
It was a disheartening job, but Katara didn't see how she had any other choice.
It seemed that all Katara knew for the remainder of the morning and afternoon was dirty dishes and how to clean them without being too thorough. She was beginning to get a headache from the lack of oxygen in the air and her eyes itched from the constant ebb of smoke that billowed from the chef's ever-present pot.
Several times, she attempted to strike up conversation with the chef. But to no avail. He would either bark at her to get on with her work or just ignore her completely. No matter what other food the grumpy chef was preparing, there was always an ever-present pot of smoking sauce. It seemed to be incredibly popular and he was continually slopping endless helpings of it onto each dish and then, making more.
I can't take much more of this. My fingers look like sea prunes, I can barely breathe and I feel disgusting.
There was a whistle built into the side of the kitchen, with a long pipe leading up into the ceiling above. Katara had been wondering exactly what it was for, when a large gust of steam blew through it from upstairs and sounded the piercing whistle. Katara jumped and almost dropped one of the filthy dishes she was holding.
"That's it. End of your shift." the chef grumbled, taking the smoking pot away from the fire, which he immediately extinguished with a flick of his finger. "Get your friend. Your food's upstairs."
Thank the spirits!
Katara felt so relieved, that for a moment, she could have run up to the angry chef and hugged him. Placing the dish she was cleaning back into the filthy dishwater, Katara dried her hands and walked out of the door and into the main dining area to get Zuko.
She almost choked to death when she entered the room. There were thick clouds of foul-smelling smoke everywhere and it was almost pitch black inside, lit only by two or three candles on each table. The smell was overpowering as Katara tried to search the room for Zuko.
Of course, this was difficult for her Gran-o-vision and it took her several minutes of aimless wandering before she found him.
The old and scary looking men and women at each table gawped at her as she walked past. Some of the men leered at her and whistled. Katara bit her lip and tried not to shiver with repulsion. Several of the men were smoking from long, slender pipes and blowing rings of smoke up and into the air. She found Zuko collecting glasses near the back of the room. He was beginning to look a little pale and was swaying lightly on his feet.
"Lee?" Katara coughed, placing a hand on his shoulder "Lee, we can stop. Work's over. We can go upstairs now."
His reactions were slow, as he looked at her through clouded eyes. Obviously, the smoke was beginning to get to him.
What's wrong with him? And what's that awful smell?
He nodded dumbly and followed her back into the kitchen to place the dishes onto the counter. They turned at a separate door, trying to remember their way back upstairs. When they found their way back into their room, Toph was sitting on the bed and munching on a rice cake. She was covered from head to toe in filth and soot. Even for the usually grubby Earth Bender, Katara found it difficult to tell where skin began and dirt stopped.
Katara was still horrified to see that there was only the one bed between the three of them. She had no idea how they were going to make a compromise for this one. The room they had been given was cramped and small. Apart from the bed, there was a single dresser that stood next to a seperate door, leading to a washroom.
When Toph felt them come in, her eyes widened.
"Woah! You guys stink! What's that smell? It's gross!"
Her previous apprehension from the past few days seemed to vanish when she noticed that Zuko was acting strangely. Her usually confident voice seemed to waver slightly as she spoke. She was obviously worried, though she tried not to show it.
"Katara? What's wrong with Zuko? Is he okay?"
Katara put her hands in front of her and waved them, trying to bid Toph to stick to their safety rules. It was a moment before she realised that Toph couldn't see her, so she explained instead.
"Katsumi, remember to stick to the plan, okay?"
Toph stuck her bottom lip and, but said nothing else about it. Stepping from behind Katara, Zuko walked over to the bed and slumped down, sprawling himself out on the sheets. He rubbed at his red and puffy eyes, groaning.
"I don't know what's wrong with him." Katara sighed worriedly, looking at Zuko. "He just seems really slow and...not all there."
"He smells weird." Toph replied. "You just smell of smoke, but I don't know what he's covered in. What job was he doing?"
"Waiting tables." Katara answered. "But it was really smokey and disgusting in there."
Zuko clutched at his head and groaned from where he was lying on the bed. Katara looked down on him, feeling confused and a little worried.
"My eyes hurt." he mumbled from underneath his hands.
At least he's talking sense. He could be talking about turtleducks again...
Trying to snap Zuko out of his strange mood, she picked up the two platters of food that had been left for them from atop the dresser. There wasn't much there, but Katara was so hungry, that she would even eat dirt if she had to.
Taking a place on the bed next to Zuko, with Toph on his other side, Katara waited for him to sit up. At the mere sight of food, Zuko seemed to perk up. Raising himself up, with his back resting against the wall, he began to devour the platter of food as if it were his last.
Katara wasn't sure that she'd seen Zuko eat so much in the entire time she had known him. He never seemed to have much of an appetite and usually only managed to nibble at half of his portions.
"Woah, slow down, Sparky." Toph joked, also trying to lighten their worry. "You keep going like that and you're going to end up like your grandpa!"
Between mouthfuls of noodles, Zuko managed a half glance at Toph. His tone sounded slight and wavering, as if he barely understood what she was saying to him and didn't much care either way.
"He's not my grandpa, Monkey Face. He's my uncle. And he is the most honourable man I have ever known."
Katara saw Toph frown a little. Zuko didn't seem to realise that Toph hadn't questioned his uncles honour. She shrugged warily and took a tentative bite from her ricecake.
They ate in silence. Zuko finished much faster than they did. He picked at every single grain of rice left on the platter and scooped up the remaining slops of sauce with his finger. He even went as far as to likc the plate clean!
And he said that bending my sweat was disgusting. Talk about bad table manners...
Katara wondered what had caused him to act so strangely. There was nothing particularly off with him. He didn't seem ill. He still functioned properly - just much slower. It most definitely was not the alert and confident Zuko that Katara knew so well.
She tried to think of the cause. Perhaps he was nervous about heir mission or just tired from their long day? Had he hit his head? Was he angry about something?
Whatever the cause, Katara desperately hoped that Zuko would recover from his strange attitude soon. They had to begin their surveillance of the Sila Vatra's base soon. And sunset was approaching fast.
It had taken almost an hour for Zuko's strange mood to abate. Most of the time, he had remained silent, only ever speaking when spoken to – and even then, his replies were short and a little strange.
"You think they serve cactus juice here or something?" Toph had asked Katara before they had set off to begin their observations.
Luckily, Zuko was either too introverted to hear them, or just didn't know exactly what they had meant when they recalled the last time they had encountered the effects of 'Cactus Juice'. Although Katara had been a little worried about Zuko, she was also rather relieved that she and Toph had been able to share a conversation without any hostile remarks. It was as if they had both bonded over their worry for Zuko. Though they weren't being particaularly friendly to each other, they were able to tolerate it. It was short-lived, however. By the time they set out for their vantage point to begin their observations, and the strange mood Zuko was in began to fade, Toph was just as distant and hostile as before.
"Hey, Princess." she had said, as they made 'camp' to begin their night of spying. "Down in front, I can't see the place."
"Oh, sorry, Toph. I didn't-"
Katara only then realised that the Earth Bender was mocking her, as she meant to move over. She scowled, but was also glad that Toph wasn't able to see her.
"Haha, Toph. Very funny." she replied sarcastically, her tone dry.
Toph had just beamed at her with a smug attitude. Katara felt her eyebrow twitch in annoyance.
This is starting to get out of hand. Maybe I should talk to her...
The Sila Vatra's main base of operation was, luckily, directly below the wall of the volcano circling the city. As they made their way across the Eastern District, Toph had insisted on holding Zuko's hand. She said it was to keep up her 'helpless blind girl' story. But Katara couldn't help but feel annoyed. She knew that Toph had a bit of a crush on Zuko, but unfortunately, there wasn't a whole lot Katara could do about it.
They had crept around the perimeter of the Sila Vatra base as inconspicuously as they could, before realising that Piando had been correct – there didn't seem to be anyone or anything inside. So, they had decided to play the waiting game.
They had snuck into a side alley and climbed upwards as far as they could up the steep, winding trails of the volcano wall. When they could go no further, Toph (as silently and slowly as she could) had used her Earth Bending to create a small ledge that jutted out from the wall. It was here that they had made their 'camp' and began their close watch over the large, black building below. The ledge was tiny. It had to be, just in case they were spotted. There was just about enough room to fit all of them on there without any risk of accidentally pushing each other off.
They hadn't been able to reach particularly high up the volcano wall. For the first twenty minutes of the climb, they had used a koala-sheep herders trail to get as high as possible. But the trail only took them so far, and they hadn't wanted to risk using any more Earth Bending whilst in plain sight of the capital. They were only about a hundred and fifty feet up, which brought them to just below the half-way point of the Sila Vatra's building. Katara had worried that they would be spotted, but the dim light had certainly helped their cover. But it hadn't helped Katara's poor night vision.
Black building. Slowly blackening sky. Black rock. Great idea, Sokka. Lets just temporarily blind ourselves so that we don't get any trouble. Then when the real trouble comes, we'll have no chance!
Katara chewed on her stick of ginger tentatively. They had all been sitting in silence for almost two hours. The sky was now dark and the moon was partially covered by several menacing clouds. But she was still thankful for the thousands of tiny street lights below, which gave her something to concentrate on.
"Can you feel anything yet, Toph?" Zuko asked.
Both girls darted their heads around to look at him. It had been hours since he had spoken, but his head finally seemed to have cleared. His eyes (or what Katara could make of them in the darkness) seemed clouded over. She suspected that they were red raw, as he continually rubbed at them.
"Nope. 'Fraid not, Sparky." Toph replied. Her tone seemed a little happier for hearing him speak again. "All that's come even close in the past hour was some old guy and a cabbage merchant. Glad to see you're feeling better though. You were acting weird."
Zuko rubbed at the back of his neck, as he always did in an awkward or embarrassing situation.
"Uh, yeah. Sorry about that."
"What was wrong with you, Zuko?" Katara asked, desperately glad that he was feeling alright. "You were acting so strangely."
He did not meet her gaze, but instead stared down over the edge of the earth ledge. Many of the street lanterns were being extinguished and it was difficult to tell where everything was. Katara suspected that Zuko was having a similar problem with his red, itchy eyes.
"It was nothing. Just a headache."
Katara wasn't convinced.
"I can tell you're lying..." Toph chided. "It's the truth or nothin'."
Zuko shifted uncomfortably on the ledge, dangling his feet. For a horrifying minute, Katara thought that he was considering wether or not to jump off.
"It's nothing to worry about." he stated, blankly. "I just didn't feel too good, that's all."
Katara looked behind her at her usually confident friend, whose blind eyes were staring directly ahead. A small frown crinkled her brow, underneath the long bangs that covered her eyes,
"Well, you're kinda telling the truth...but there's still something you're not telling us, Sparky."
Zuko crossed his arms over and drew his legs up to his chest defensively. Huffily, he rested his chin on his arms. He was frowning.
"Look, can we just drop it, okay? It's not important and it doesn't matter anyway!"
For a minute there, he sounded like the old Zuko...
Katara tried to change the subject. She knew perfectly well that they still had a long wait ahead of them and she certainly didn't want it to be spent in awkward and boring silence.
"So...how about that Fumio guy? Complete jerk, right? I mean, what's his problem?"
But she was greeted by silence. Zuko slapped his forehead and grumbled. Toph just played with the dirt, drawing wobbly circles in it with her finger. Trying not to lose faith, Katara tried again.
"Does anybody miss Momo? I know I do."
Again, there was silence. Toph coughed. Zuko began to massage his temples with one hand.
Fine.
Katara stuck her bottom lip out and assumed a position similar to Zuko's.
"It's going to be a long night, isn't it?" she asked rhetorically.
Nobody looked at each other as they replied.
"Yup."
"Yeah."
Okay, so maybe this wasn't the best idea. We're all tried and cranky. Two of us are practically blind and one actually is blind. We're stuck on a cramped earth ledge halfway up a volcano with nothing to do and I really need to go to the bathroom.
Katara's boredom had begun taking over. Another hour had passed in silence and still, there had been no activity inside or outside the Sila Vatra's black and empty base. It seemed that Sokka's plan to keep them paired together hadn't been very well thought. Toph and Zuko were stubborn, hard-headed and quick to anger, whilst Katara was too sensitive and impatient.
All in all, it hadn't been the best decision.
Remembering something that she had promised earlier that day, Katara attempted one last time to bring them all out of their grumpy slump.
"Zuko? You still want to hear that story"
He turned his head away from the large block tower in front of him to face her. He had been sat in the same position for hours and Katara wondered exactly how his limbs hadn't fallen asleep.
"What story?"
"The story behind The Black Ice Blade." Katara answered, pointing at the hilt of the knife, hanging from Zuko's belt. "You wanted to know about it, right? And it's something to talk about until the Sila Vatra show up."
"Okay."
He shrugged, as if he didn't care. But even with her terrible Gran-o-vision Katara could see the interest gleaming in his eyes. He definitely wanted to know.
"What about you, Toph?" Katara asked, craning her neck behind her to ask the Earth Bender. "You want to hear some Water Tribe folklore?"
Toph also shrugged her shoulders as she fingered a pebble between thumb and forefinger.
"Sure. Not like there's anything else to do."
Smiling to herself, Katara positioned her body so that she was facing both Top and Zuko, but still had a good view of the Sila Vatra building (or at least, as good a view as her Gran-o-vision would allow). She cleared her throat readily. She had always prided herself in her story telling abilities.
Here we go then.
"Many years ago, just after the beginning of the war, when the Air Nomad's had been wiped out by Sozin's Comet, the world was in disarray. Many people panicked. Others did nothing in their ignorance, convinced that they would never fall prey to the Fire Nation.
My great-grandfather, Takutta, was one of these people."
Though she hated to admit her grandfather's folly, Katara knew that it was relevant to the story.
"Takutta lived in the Northern Water Tribe, but had come to the South Pole to trade his wares as a blacksmith and to visit his kin. With him, he brought his beautiful wife, Nori. They stayed for many weeks, but did not heed the tales of the Fire Nation's cruelty. They didn't worry or prepare. They thought that they were safe behind their icy walls."
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Zuko flinch.
"But one day, the Fire Nation came. There was a raid. Despite their numbers, my tribe was quickly overpowered and slowly, the great ice city began to fall to ruin.
Takutta and his wife Nori had taken refuge at the Southern side of the city, for neither of them were benders or warriors. There was a small alcove behind the city walls and for two days, it provided them protection and shelter. But when the city finally fell and the clans dispersed, there was nothing else that they could do.
The Fire Nation launched one final attack and a great shattering blow tore the city apart.
The cave split open and collapsed, leaving my great-grandfather on a single floating raft of ice. My great-grandmother, Nori screamed and pleaded as the final survivors from the raid tried to carry her away to safety and away from her husband. But there was nothing anyone could do as my great-grandfather floated away out to sea.
Before the remaining Water Tribe warriors carried Nori away into the intricate tunnels built underneath the city to escape, Takutta managed to yell to her. Before he floated out of sight, the Water Tribesmen heard him cry out; 'I'll follow you home, Nori. I'll follow you home'."
Although it saddened Katara to repeat the story, she was pleased to see that she had both Zuko and Toph's full attention. Both were now staring intently at her, with their bodies alert and stiff. So, still she continued her tale.
"For days, Takutta drifted out into the ocean on the raft of ice. He grew tired and hungry, unable to hunt without his spear and unable to drink the potent water from the sea. Stricken from hunger and grief, he fell into a deep slumber.
If it weren't for the warmer air currents away from the mainland, it was likely that he would have died from hypothermia. But one day, a great shuddering woke him. He had drifted back to the mainland and caught up against a glacier. My great-grandfather didn't know where he was or how far away from the city. But he made his way slowly back towards the city and to his love, living off melted ice and burying himself in snow to keep out the cold.
He used the stars to navigate himself back to the Southern Water Tribe city, but when he got there, he found nothing. Everyone he had ever known or loved in the Southern Tribe had either been captured, killed or had escaped."
She tried to keep her voice under control as the last line escaped her lips. She knew full well the pain and suffering that her great-grandfather must have had to endure. She too had seen the horrifying results of war.
"He wept for three days, swallowed entirely by his grief. He cursed the Gods for bringing such shame upon him and cursing himself for being so blind. But he regained his courage and stole through the now empty city, looking for food.
When the dusk ended and the moon hung in the sky, my grandfather found his way into the palace. But, he found something that he had not expected. An enormous crack in the ice, spreading from one end of the palace to the other, where the Fire Nation had launched its final killing blow. They had split the palace in half."
Zuko squirmed in place and avoided looking at her. Katara felt a little guilt for putting so much emphasis on the Fire Nation, but he knew all too well the full extent of the Fire Nation's cruelty.
"Late into the night, as my grandfather was organising his final provisions to leave the city, the sky lit up above him. He could see an infinite light, with a sparkling tail. It hurtled towards the centre of the palace, faster and faster. When it drove into the ice, the entire structure shook and cracked. But Takutta was unharmed and he ran to see what had caused such colossal damage.
He reached the centre of the abandoned palace, where the dark crack ran. He could see that the blazing object in the sky had hurtled into the crack. Much of the ice was melting from the heat and the edges of the palace walls were black with soot. When he looked into the great chasm, he could see something at the very bottom, glistening and sparkling.
His curiosity overcame his fear, and he began to make the descent down and into the crack. It was a long and treacherous climb, but when he reached the bottom, my grandfather saw something that no other eyes had seen before."
Katara paused dramatically. She tried not to smile, seeing that even Toph seemed to be longing to hear the rest of the story.
"What my grandfather saw was Black Ice. It sparkled and gleamed at the bottom of the chasm, a great circle embedded into the rest of the normal blue ice. He saw that the object that had shaken the palace so roughly was in fact a meteorite. It was lodged into the depths of the ice – too far for Takutta to reach, but in its path, it had left a brilliant trail of the most blackened, glistening ice.
For almost an entire day and night, my grandfather worked at the ice, picking away at the surrounding, desperate to dislodge the Black Ice. When finally he did, he found that it was the most intriguing thing he had ever seen. It was exactly like ice in almost every way, but Takutta found that the ice was as warm as skin and no matter how hard he tried, he could not break it."
Katara took a breath and swallowed. It was a little eerie, seeing her friends staring at her so fully and intently.
"So, he climbed back up through the chasm to the palace. When he emerged, he saw that it was a full moon. Suddenly, Takutta was filled with an almighty determination. He claimed that he had seen the God's in the stars and that they had given him a message. He would return to the Northern Water Tribe. He would travel to the other side of the world. And he would find my great-grandmother.
He worked for four long days, using any remaining blacksmiths equipment he could find. The Black Ice would not break, but it would shape. When finally, my great-grandfather held up his work to the God's in offering, he claimed that he would fulfil his promise, or die trying.
With a small circular necklace made from the Black Ice and his new-found inspiration, Takutta walked away from the Southern Water Tribe city and began the long journey home. Before he did, he carved that message into the blade, so that he never forgot his promise. To the God's. To himself. And to Nori."
Zuko unsheathed the blade and tilted it, so that the moonlight lit up the carvings in the ice. They looked as fresh and new as if they had been carved the day before.
"I'll follow you home" he quoted, fingering at the letters on the blade.
Toph fidgeted in her spot, unable to control her impatience. All of her hostility towards Katara the past few days seemed to disappear in her eagerness.
"Come on, Katara! What happened? Did he get home alright? Did he find Nori?"
Katara couldn't help but feel a little smug. Finally, someone wanted to listen to her. Someone wanted to talk. But she couldn't leave her friend in the dark much longer, so she gave in torturing the Earth Bender with her silence.
I'm too nice for my own good.
"Takutta travelled the world, searching for Nori and trying to find his way back home. Many people were kind to him and many were not. Many times, he was attacked by Fire Nation soldiers. But he forgot his old, cowardly ways and held onto the promise he had made to himself and to my grandmother.
The knife was his only possession and he depended on it as if he were holding the universe in his hands. It took him almost two years to find his way back home to the Northern Water Tribe. It was untouched by the Fire Nation and just as he remembered it.
Many cried when they saw him return. Many thought he was a spirit. But he was welcomed back as a true hero and his story told across the globe."
And rightfully so...
"When he finally found Nori, she wept in his arms, cursing him for ever leaving her, but never once letting go of him. On the third day after his return, he presented my grandmother with a betrothal necklace carved from the Black Ice. She accepted and they were married. Soon, my grandfather was born and they both lived long and fruitful lives. But my great-grandfather never forgot his promise and kept the Black Ice Blade with him always.
When he died, it was passed down from generation to generation. Many people tried to steal it or claim it as their own. They all wanted the blade that had saved one single man from complete and total destruction."
For a minute, nobody spoke. Toph's mouth was open and Zuko looked down at the blade, wondering at it. His fingers never left the surface.
"Wow, Katara." Toph whispered in awe. It was the first time Toph had called her by name in quite a while. "That's amazing."
Only then did Katara allow herself to grin. She was proud of her heritage and was glad that her friends appreciated the struggle her great-grandfather had to endure.
"What happened to Nori's necklace?" Zuko asked. "Shouldn't you have inherited it, instead of your mother's necklace?"
Katara sighed. She had often wondered that herself, many a time.
"If only I knew. Nobody seems to know what happened to Nori's necklace. It seemed to just...disappear."
I bet that it was beautiful...
Zuko's eyes met hers in the darkness and a little chill went up her spine. There was something inside his gaze that she hadn't seen before. Something she couldn't quite understand.
"Katara. Do you think that-"
"Guys! Keep it down." Toph hissed in a whisper. She pointed down from their ledge, into the street, where a figure clad in black walked up to the Sila Vatra's building and rapped on the door. "We've got company."
Author's Note : Well, there you have it! The tale of the Black Ice Blade. This chapter almost damn near killed me, so I hope you enjoyed it.
Sorry I've taken so long to update. I have no amazing, legitimate reasons for doing so. I just got a little lazy and real-life stuff kept getting in the way. I feel a bit guilty now for keeping you all in the dark for so long. So, I made this chapter longer than any other ones that I've written so far. 6000 words doesn't sound like a lot, but when you're writing a story, it really is.
I will officially give a cookie to anyone who can guess why Zuko was acting so weird. Sounds like a pretty nasty place to work, really. Glad I'm not old enough to work in a pub lol.