Hey Guys! So i'm back with chapter 3! This chapter is mainly Zuko and Katara bonding !
This chapter is dedicated to my first 4 reviewers: Arianne Darcy , xxjewxx, , Untilthemoonrises , naterkins .
Thank you guys for the support!
I do not own Avatar : The Last Airbender
Normal POV-
"You can't catch me, Zuzu!" the now 7 year old Katara yelled out. Her giggles reached the air as she ran against the wind, her silken dress whipping at her legs and her long brown tresses flying about.
It was a warm spring day at the Fire Nation Capitol. The birds were singing their lullabies and a calm breeze settled among the land.
Katara and Zuko were sitting by the pond, feeding the turtleducks, when she decided to splash water at his face.
Apparently, he didn't like it.
"We'll see about that, squirt!" the Fire Prince yelled back, face dripping with water. No one embarrasses the Fire Nation Prince and gets away with it! He thought. And he also hated his nickname !
Zuko loved days like these, where there was no school , harsh weather or etiquette lessons. Just him and Katara, having fun.
He hadn't had a best friend before. The only people that were around him was Azula and her possie, Ty Lee and Mai, but he didn't really count them as friends.
But now, he had her.
Zuko, having the advantage of longer legs, caught up to Katara in no time and tackled her on to the soft grass. "Now you'll pay!" Zuko straddled Katara and began tickling her.
"Z-z-z-zuko-o-o-o! St-stop!" Katara pleaded in between laughs.
"Not until you say sorry!" Zuko grinned.
"F-f-fine! I'm s-s-sorry Z-zuko!" Katara managed, by now, she was laughing so hard, she was starting to feel sick.
Zuko plomped (AN: I love that word!) next to Katara and smirked triumphantly. " I win."
Katara stuck her tongue out at Zuko and sat up. " No fair! You are taller than me!"
"And I'll always be, squirt."
"Hmmmm, I know what I can beat you in! A staring contest!" Katara announced.
"Bring it on!" Zuko challenged.
Sitting on the bench next to the turtle duck pond was Ursa and Iroh. They had been observing the pair and was clearly amused.
"They get along just fine, Ursa, I've never seen Zuko so happy."
"Yes, Iroh, I have been noticing that. They never leave each other's side. It's like they were meant for each other!"
Iroh sipped his tea and smiled, " I wonder what the future holds for the both of them."
Ursa nods, smiling as well, " Oh my, the kids are going to be late for school! Katara! Zuko! Time to get ready for school!"
" Yes! I win!" Katara yelled, jumping to her feet, helping Zuko up as well.
"Well, there was a bug in my eye!"
"Yeah yeah! Come on, mum says we have to get ready for school! And as the loser, you have to piggyback me back to my room," Katara grinned mischeviously.
"Fine." Zuko squatted down and Katara hopped on his back.
"You have such soft hair, Zuzu!" Katara teased. Zuko just grumbled.
The pair walked past Iroh and Ursa and said in unison, "Bye Mum and Uncle!"
As the pair left, Iroh and Ursa shook their heads and grinned.
"Like two peas in a pod."
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Zuko and Katara sat in the carriage, facing one another.
"School's so boring! All we learn is history and etiquette! I want to learn more waterbending and travel the world! What do you think?"
"I have to agree, school is boring! But if I am going to be ruler one day, I have to learn these things. I also want to travel though. As for your waterbending, I think we have some waterbending scrolls somewhere in the Palace. Look for it after school?"
"Really? That'll be great!" Katara flashed a smile.
Zuko couldn't help but think that Katara was a really pretty girl. He loved her blue eyes the most. They were a calm, serence blue and he was enticed by it.
"We're here Zuko!" Katara took Zuko's hand in hers.
Zuko was smacked out of his thoughts and blushed instantly.
They jumped out of the carriage and walked into the Royal Fire Nation Academy. Many students were out in the courtyard and garden, some practicing firebending, some mingling with friends.
When Katara first enrolled in the school, the students weren't friendly to her, probably because she's the enemy. She wasn't one of them. She was a foreigner. They still aren't friendly to her, but she didn't care, she had Zuko.
Considering Katara and Zuko were 2 years apart, they had their classes separately but they would always meet up near the pond of the garden during lunch breaks.
Katara parted with Zuko and went to her History class. She didn't really pay attention to the classes because they always raved on how the Fire Nation was brilliant.
She wasn't particularly happy with the Fire Nation and she hated them for the war and taking her family away from her, but she couldn't hate Zuko. Zuko was different. He made her feel safe.
But...was he happy about the war? She would ask him later.
Then, the History teacher brought the subject of the Avatar up. At that point, Katara listened up.
"The last Avatar that we know of, was Avatar Aang, an airbender. He was the age of 13 when he tried to defeat Fire Lord Sozun, but as you all know, he failed and was burnt alive."
Burnt alive like her Mum.
"That year, Sozun used the comet to start the war to show that that Fire Nation should be ruler of the world. And so, the next Avatar should be in the Water Tribes. However, the Avatar has not shown up in a 100 years, therefore we think the Avatar Cycle has been broken."
That's not what Katara thought. She still had hope. She somehow knew the Avatar is still alive.
The lesson ended and soon enough, it was time for lunch. Katara headed towards the school pond and waited for Zuko.
She heard footsteps and looked up.
"Well well wll , if it isn't the water peasant. Where's your prince now huh? " 2 boys approached her. Chan and Xi. The famously known bullies of the school.
"Get away from me," Katara said, backing away in process.
"Make us." Chan held Katara down on the ground while Xi lit his palm up and inched it towards her hand.
She instantly felt the burning sensation and tried to scream but Chan's hand was clamped on her mouth.
Suddenly, she felt the weight of Chan off her body. Then, scuffling. She opened her eyes and saw Zuko punching both boys square in the face.
"How dare you touch her, you filthy scum bags!"
Chan and Xi both had black eyes and bleeding noses and they began to plead, " Please my prince, we beg your forgiveness!"
"Get out of my sight," Zuko said menacingly.
As Chan and Xi scrambled off, Zuko ran to Katara's side and laid her head on his lap. "Katara, are you hurt?"
Katara didn't know but she was crying, tears staining her cheeks. She look down and saw her hand had a small red patch.
"They burnt me and it hurts," Katara whimpered.
"We have to get it in water to soothe it. Come on."
Zuko led Katara to the pond and slowly soaked her hand in the water. Katara braced herself for the pain but she felt nothing .
She saw her hand beginning to glow a faint blue colour and after a few seconds, it stopped, leaving the hand as good as new.
"Woah , what just happened?" Katara questioned.
Zuko, looking as baffled as Katara, said, "I read about this once. Only a few waterbenders have the ability to heal themselves. You have a gift Katara."
Zuko reached his hand up and wiped the tears from her face and Katara smiled.
She reached her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I'm glad you came for me, Zuko. Thank you."
Zuko returned the hug, " No one will ever hurt you again, Katara. You are safe with me."
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For the annual Fire Nation school holidays, the Royal family, excluding Ozai, who was attending war meetings, decided to hold their vacation on Ember Island.
"Did we have to bring them?" Katara whispered, pointing to Mai and Ty Lee.
"Don't worry, Tara, we'll just have fun on our own," Zuko grinned.
Katara didn't like Azula and her friends. Azula was mean and cruel to her and always called her peasant but whenever Ursa was around, Azula tried to act kind to her, which was disgusting.
Mai was always brooding and she always shot Katara a death glare whenever she was with Zuko. Mai also had shurikens tucked under her sleeve, which made her even more scary.
Ty Lee, well, she was always so bubbly. It's a wonder how she could be best friends with Azula and Mai. Katara actually took a liking to Ty Lee. Ty Lee would do handstands and cartwheels and Katara would be amazed.
"Zuko, Katara, you can go off now, but come back before dark because we are going to see the Ember Island Players," Ursa announced.
As the pair walked off, Zuko groaned. "What's wrong?" Katara asked.
"It's just that the Ember Island Players are the worst!"
"Oh they couldn't be that bad."
"You'll see tonight Tara. I'll race you to the beach!"
Zuko led Katara to a secluded beach that he used to go alone for some peace and quiet. The beach had wonderful gold sand and pristine blue waters.
They lay on sand next to each other, panting.
"Katara , I have to tell you something." Zuko and Katara sat up, faces inches from each other.
He took a deep breath and looked into her ocean blue eyes..
"My father told me that I'm betrothed to Mai."
Katara couldn't believe this. Zuko was hers and she was Zuko's. No one could tear that apart.
"If you get married to her, we won't have time together anymore! You'll probably be busy making babies with Mai."
"What? No! I never want to get married to Mai! I only want to be with you Tara, you're my bestfriend!"
"We'll always be together Zuko," Katara smiled and held his hand.
The rest of the afternoon, they had a sandcastle competition, in which Katara won after her's was left standing when a suspicious wave wiped Zuko's out, they swam out into the ocean and they even practiced their bending.
Katara always felt this strange connection when Zuko firebended, the same feeling when Jee firebended, as if she could bend it, but she just thought it might be because she loved the ferocity of firebending, dangerous but full of life.
"So what do you want to do before we head back?" Katara asked.
"I know the perfect place, but you have to close your eyes and I'll lead you," Zuko said calmly.
"But Zuko –"
"Trust me."
Katara shut her eyes and felt Zuko tugging her hand. She wondered what this surprise was. She fought the urge to peek as she didn't want Zuko's surprise to fail.
The journey was about a 10 minute walk as they stopped.
Zuko came behind Katara and put his warm hands over her eyes. "Now walk forward." Katara did as she was told.
"Now open your eyes, Tara."
Katara opened her eyes and gasped at the scenery. She stood on a cliff that overlooked the vast ocean and Ember Island. Right before her, the sun was setting. The orange blending into the night.
"Just in time for the sunset," Katara whispered.
Zuko stood beside her and grinned. "No one ever comes up here. I found this place myself. And I thought I would share it with someone special."
Katara turned and smiled, " Thanks Zuko."
They stood there in a peaceful silence, watching the sunset. And soon enough, night was taking over.
"Let's head back, Tara."
As they were walking, Katara decided to ask Zuko a question.
"Zuko, what do you think about the war?"
Zuko thought for a minute before answering, " To tell you the truth, I think it's pointless. Everyone is suffering because of it, even the Fire Nation."
Katara smiled, " I agree with you. I was taken away from my home because of it. But I got to meet you," Zuko grinned at this.
"When I become Fire Lord , Katara, I will stop this war. I'm not like my father, cruel and selfish. I want peace in the world just like many others."
" Well then, Prince Zuko, you'll make a great Fire Lord."
The pair walked back to the vacation house ,side by side.
Hand in hand.
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Okay so here's a little shot scene for you guys ~
Katara: " That play was...THE WORST! "
Zuko: "I told you so Tara!"
Katara: "I mean i loved the plot about the blue spirit and the painted lady but the actor's were just bad!"
Zuko: "I know they stink. Come on, i'll give you a piggyback ride to the house."
Katara: " *Yawns* Thanks Zuko!"
Hahaaha so how was this chapter? As i said, the chapters will get longer as the story progresses.
So please review :D It gives me motivation!
Thanks for reading!