A/N: ok, im SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO so so sorry that i couldn't update this for like two weeks. my power went out and i didn't have access to computer, i was also finishing a CRAP LOAD of school work. i also had to help cook thanksgiving dinner with my om. i know this is late but HAPPY TURKEY DAY FOLKS :)
"Because" he replied "We're going to begin training Katara."
"What?" Katara and I chorused in confusion. "Ho-"
"I've studied the ways of water bending Katara. I've studied all four types bending and learned what I was able to." He said as we began to understand where he was going with this.
"Also, I happen to know a master Water bender that I will hopefully get to teach you when we are in the North Pole." He said again.
Katara PoV
I just stared at Uncle as if he were going crazy. He can teach me to water bend….. I finally get to learn how to water bend. After so many years of not having any control of it I can master it….
"'Tara, is something wrong?" Zuko asked me.
"No, I'm just thinking….." I said slowly still in a daze.
"About learning to water bend after all these years?" he asked quietly probably knowing what the answer to that was.
~An hour Later~
"Uncle I can't do it!" I exclaimed.
"Katara just be patient. Your stance isn't right. Just a little wider and you'll have the correct stance." Uncle said once again. He can be so annoying sometimes. I wonder how Zuko put up with him for fire bending.
"What's with all the racket?" Sokka said as he came up to the upper deck in a grouchy mood.
"Uncle's teaching me how to waterbend," I said as if it were obvious.
"Why do you always refer to Iroh to Uncle for?" Sokka said annoyed.
"Because," "That's what he wants me to call him and that's what I've always called him when I lived in the palace." I said a little snottily.
"Oh," he said in surprise. Looks like my own brother didn't know as much about me as he thought.
"'Tara should we keep practicing?" Zuko asked as Sokka went to the railing and started to watch our practice. Uncle was correcting me when my stance wasn't correct.
"Sure," I replied and Sokka looked at us like we were crazy.
"Katara, what do you mean practice? You can't fight," Sokka said causing my blood to boil with anger.
"What do you mean I can't fight Sokka?" I mustered in the calmest voice I could manage.
"I know how to defend myself better than you can, and it's not in means of bending either." I said with a smug satisfaction.
"How then?" he asked bewildered.
"Dao swords," I said as smugly.
"You have got to be lying. There is No way you have mastered the study of Dao swords." He said with disbelief in his voice and his eyes widened in shock.
"Zuko," I said as I stared at him "Do you still have them?"
"Yea," he said as he looked into my eyes silently asking what I was thinking. He was the only one who knew I could use them. He taught me after his lessons with Master Piando. Not even Uncle Iroh knew.
"Princess Katara, when did you learn to become a master under Master Piando?" Uncle asked with confusion in his voice.
"I'll show you. Zuko, come on," I said as I pulled him through the halls to our rooms leaving Uncle and Sokka to themselves on the upperdeck.
"You still have them right?" I asked hoping he didn't get rid of my favorite weapon.
"No, I kept them hidden. Not Even uncle knew I had them. I kept up with them and oiled them for you after I would practice with my Dao's."
"Thank You Zu…." I said as I trailed off.
"'Tara, you know I kept all of our things from when we were younger right?"
"You did?" I said as my eyes widen in shock. Crap, he might have found my diary that Auntie Ursa kept for me.
"Please don't say you found my diary." I said truly scared that he did.
"I found it, but….." he paused with pain in his voice. "Mother told me to keep it secret. Do you still want it? I never touched it or opened it."
"Yea. Thank you Zuko," I paused for a moment "For everything."
"I kept all of our things in a trunk over here," he said as he grabbed my arm and showed me to a large trunk in the closet behind some of his old armor.
"Here's your diary and Dao Swords 'Tara." He said sadly, probably remembering the good times we had when we were younger.
"It's been years since you've practiced, are you sure you want to show off?"
"I'm sure Zu," "Sokka keeps thinking I'm still a defenseless little girl when mom died and I need him to know that I can defend myself." I replied
"Ok. 'Tara" he said not satisfied with my response but didn't question me any further.
"Sokka, you ready to be bested by your little sister?" I taunted him.
"Who said you're gonna beat me little sister?"
Iroh PoV
Oh dear Agni! What are those children up to? Katara can't know how to sword fight, we never trained her. If she is as well as she says she is, she and Zuko are going to get a lecture from me.
"Sokka, you should just stop so you don't be beaten by Katara!" Zuko tried to tell Sokka.
"No, I wanna see how well she can fight." He yelled back as he grunted deflecting a block that she made on his midsection.
"If you lose, don't blame me. She was taught by one of the best."
"And who exactly would that be?" the young water tribe boy shot back snottily.
"Me." Zuko replied back as Katara blocked another one of Sokka's shots.
Sokka PoV
Him? He couldn't be a master swordsman. Katara shouldn't even know how to wield a sword. Turns out she's as good as she claims she is.
I tried to ignore Zuko and try to focus on the fight between me and Katara. Damn, she's good.
"Sokka give up," Katara said in a monotone voice. She swiped another part of my shirt and I finally decided to drop my sword.
"Fine 'Tara, you win!" I said forfeiting.
Zuko PoV
"Wow, you've gotten better than I remember Katara? Did you practice or something?" I asked curiously.
"Actually, I never had the chance to practice. I was always out doing chores or doing errands for Gran." She replied back.
"Wow,"
"You up to a spar?" I asked cheekily.
"Sure, just don't let your defense down as often. That was your weakness when we were younger." She told me. Dammit, I forgot that she always used that weakness to beat me when we sparred.
She took the first swing as always. She nearly hit my arm but I flipped back at the right moment, then I did a swept my feet under hers causing her to fall down.
"Now who's the winning?" I said in a husky voice as I straddled her.
Katara PoV
Oh my god….. His voice…. Gods, I wished he would kiss me already. I didn't care that Sokka was watching us. Hell, I don't even care if the entire crew saw us. We stared in each other's eyes mesmerized, and slowly inched closer. Our lips crashed down on each other and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around my waist and we kept kissing till we ran out of breath. Almost everyone on deck watched it happen.
"Zuko" I whispered. "Everyone's watching. Including Sokka and Uncle"
His eyed widened momentarily. "Crap….. Uncle is going to tease me forever." He mumbled.
"So, I'm that bad of a kisser?"
"Gods no! Never in a million lifetimes." He paused for a moment. "You were my first kiss, and I, it was….. It was undeniably great," he said while smiling at me.
"Well considering that we are each other's first, I liked it." "A lot." I said we still stood there in an embrace, smiling at him.
"Di-, Did I just see THAT?" Sokka screamed outraged.
"Uhmm," I said shrinking back against the wall.
"It's w- well," Zuko stuttered.
(katara's thoughts r in italics)
Awwwww….. He looks so cute when he blushes. Oh look, zu-zu just stuttered.
"YES, YES YOU DID!" Sokka yelled. "You Kissed MY BABY SISTER!"
"Sokka!" I yelled at him.
"Stop, please for me. I WANTED him to kiss me" I said fearing how he would react.
"Wai- what?" he said in shock. "But, bu-, bu-, but, but WHY?" he asked really confused and disturbed.
"becauseilikehimyoudumbass" I mumbled to where he couldn't hear me, but Zuko did. His eyes widened in shock.
Zuko PoV
She likes me? How long has she liked me? Did she ever like me when we were younger?
"You WHAT?" Sokka screamed.
"Yes, Sokka. You can't choose who I want to be with so, just but out of it. I've known him as long as I've known you, so you can't deny me that. You didn't go through as much things as I did. I learned WaterTribe AND Firenation dialect, I raised to act like a Fire Noble when I was in the Fire Nation, I was taught as a Fire Nation Princess or Prince would be taught. I know everything about the Fire Palace, and the Capital City. I learned how to defend myself. So why can't you, for this one time, let me choose something for myself." She said ranting on and on about her life in the Fire Palace when she would live there.
Sokka PoV
"Katara, can I talk to you privately?" "Please." I asked as nicely as I could. I'm still outraged that she would do that to me.
"Sokka, what do you want?" Katara asked as we were back in my room.
"Tell me about your other half of life. Your life in the Fire Nation." I asked quietly, almost emotionlessly.
"Fine" she said defeated.
"Where to begin…." She trailed off.
"Do you remember what I said in Gran's hut in the village?"
"Yea." I replied back
"That wasn't nearly the whole story of us." She paused for a moment probably trying to think of how to describe her other of her life. The life that none of us knew about. "Every summer, Dad and I would go to the Fire Nation. Nobody knew Auntie Ursa was half Watertribe. She was also an unknown princess as well. Her mother was the Northern Water Tribes Princess. When she was younger she had already fell in love with Ursa's father. He didn't know that she was the water Tribe princess. They had Ursa, but they moved down to the Southern Water Tribe because she chose to be with a Fire Nation Noble. They never looked into her family history, considering she's Avatar Roku's granddaughter. Azulon, who was the one to choose Ursa as Ozai's wife; she was smart, calm and she was the only one able to calm down Ozai. Ursa, was also dad's best friend as a child. When her mother died, her dad took her back to the Fire Nation. He taught her the ways of the Water Tribe, along with the ways of the Fire Nation. Nobody ever suspected anything. When Zuko and I were born, Dad and Ursa made an arrangement that we would visit each other for half of the year to a third of the year. Zuko and I became best friends. Ursa had tutored Zuko, and was our mentor. She taught him Water Tribe dialect and the Old Water Tribe dialect that they Water Royal family used too. She taught him the ancient Fire Nation as well as the one that they use now." Katara explained.
"When she would teach Zuko, I would be there too. She taught me how to act like a Fire Nation Noble and Princess. I also learned the old Ways of the two Nations as well. She also raised me as the Water Princess, which I rightfully am. Yes, Sokka, that means you're the Water Tribe Prince. Now be quiet so I can continue." She said before I could even open my mouth to ask anything.
"I was given self-defense classes alongside Zuko and his little sister, Azula. We were taught by the best. I learned knife wielding, how to shoot a bow-and-arrow, chi-clocking skills to all types of benders, and how to handle hook swords." She concluded. I gaped at her in shock. Wow, she must be pretty mad at me for dissing her like that. Wait, but how can she know how to handle Dao swords so well.
"'Tara, you never mentioned how you trained in Dao Swords. Who taught you?" I asked curiously.
"Zuko trained me. He didn't want father and Ursa to know. They didn't want me to learn how to master the art of the Sword. I begged Zuko after he finished his lessons with Master Piando. He finally gave in after I took his Dao swords and started to train with them as if they were the hook swords. When I was in the Fire Nation, Dad and I had to be kept secret. We were kept in a part of the palace that nobody dared to look in. I was also taught how to cook Fire Nation style as well as Water Tribe. Me and Zuko, we've been best friends like Dad and Ursa were. Ursa, also told me one night, while she thought I was asleep, that if anything were to happen to her, that she would be in the Northern Water Tribe. That's part of the reason that Zuko and I want to head there so quickly. Also, technically, when you dis Zuko, you're disrespecting the Water Tribe Royal Family, which we happen to be a part of."
"Wow," I said shocked.
"I'm sorry that I didn't believe you before Katara. And also, I'll let you give a try with Zuko. Just don't kiss in front of me or anything. Please 'Tara." I said giving in.
"Sokka, Thank you," She said while hugging me. "Also, that's not Zuko and I's whole story. Me and Zuko, we have been deemed Worthy of Swords masters, chi-blocking, and in Stealth. Lu-ten taught us both, and he showed us all of the secret passages in the Palace."
"Sokka, can I tell you one thing though?" Katara asked quietly looking down toward her feet all of a sudden.
"Sure sis." I replied not knowing what she was going to tell me.
"Sokka, how would you react if Zuko and I liked each other?" she asked quietly.
I sat there for a couple of minutes in shock now knowing how to respond to that. Love? How could she be in love with him? I guess I'll have to put up with him as a brother-in-law eventually.
"'Tara," I said quietly. She started to sob a little. I embraced her and rubber her back just like mom used to do when we were little. "I'm not mad, and" I paused hating that I'm saying this. "I'm fine with it." I said as I looked back at her shocked face.
"You-, you're not mad?" she asked shocked.
"No" I sighed. "I was a little shocked at the question you asked me, yes, but I'm not mad. If you and Dad trust him as much as you claim you do, I guess I can try to be civil with him."
"Oh, Sokka, Thank You!" she said as she hugged me.
"Woah sis! Your crushing me," I said while laughing.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you Sokka!" she said squishing me again in another tight hug.
"'Tara, are you in here?" I heard Zuko ask her.
"Yea… " she said smiling.
"Did you and Sokka make up or something?" Zuko asked.
"Yea," she said smiling. "I told him about my other life that I left in the Fire Nation. I told him what we did as kids, and what WE trained in" Katara said putting emphasize on the word we.
"How did he react to that?" he said snorting.
"Pretty good," Katara said.
"Oh, so that means you di-" Zuko tried to say as he was cut off by Katara.
"No!" she said as she covered his mouth with her hand, "Don't tell him about that" "Please?" She said as if he knew a huge secret that she didn't want him to tell me.
"Fine, but can I tell him about this?" He said as he whispered in her ear. Her face flushed bright red at this.
"NO!" she practically screamed. "No, NO, and NO" she said making a swiping motion with her hands.
"Fine" he said then he stares at me and starts to tell what she didn't want him to tell.
"Ok, so one time when we were extremely little, 'Tara decided that she didn't want anyone to help her with her cloths and she decided to run butt naked across the training grounds where Lu Ten was training at." Zuko said as he held his sides trying to hold back is laughter.
"Zuko? Why did you do that? Zuko I can not believe you told him. Why did you do that for?" Katara screamed.
"Tara, I wanted to tell him something funny about our childhood. He is your brother after all. Your own brother would not even know about half of your life. As you said earlier you were taught as a tribal princess fire and water." Zuko replied in Old Water Tribe Dialect.
"I'm sorry for lashing out on you, i just didn't want you to tell him about my embarrassing childhood memories in the palace." Katara said quietly.
"It's Ok," he said as he hugged her.
Katara PoV
"Oh, ok" Sokka replied. Sometimes I wonder how he so idiotic I thought as I frowned.
"'Tara, what's wrong?" Zuko asked me. Sometimes I wish he couldn't read me like a book. Sokka looked at me with the same look in his eyes questioning me.
"Nothing." I replied "Just thinkin"
"Oh, ok" "Do you wanna go eat lunch 'Tara" Zuko asked.
"Sure, what are they cooking?"
"Turns out Ching's cooking spicy chicken," Zuko said grinning knowing that Fire Nation spicy Chicken was my most favorite food.
"Come on!" I said as I dragged his arm down to the mess hall. All of the soldiers we passed look at us like something was wrong. "Zuko," I whispered. "Why are all the soldiers looking at us like something's wrong with us?"
"It's that," he took a deep breath in and sighed "That they've never seen a smile on my face, let alone laugh freely, openly. They've always seen me as a spoiled and cold prince." He said as I felt like rushing toward him and hugging him, but I controlled myself. Gosh, I wish things didn't happen as they did.
"Oh," I said in shock. "Well, I believe that their opinions about you are going to change pretty soon" I exclaimed.
"And why is that?"
"Because, they can finally see your true self when you're around me," I replied as we walked down the halls to the mess hall.
"Oh," he replied back.
"So…" I started to say.
"'Tara can we go somewhere and talk?" He asked me looking at his feet. He seems really nervous for some reason.
"Sure," I replied as he pulled me through the halls that I'm starting to remember now. He took me to the upper deck that none of the crew members would go to. The same place me and Zuko would hide from Ursa and Father from when we played Hide and Seek on the ship.
"'Tara," he started.
"Zuko, about the kiss," I paused trying to think of what to say. "Sokka," "He said that we can be a couple. Zuko, I've always liked you." I said all in one breathe as I looked at the shock on his face.
"You have?" he asked in complete shock. "'Tara, I have always wanted to tell you that I liked you, but I thought that you were dead. I thought that for a very long time."
"Well, but I'm here now aren't I?" I said
"Yea" he said a bit sadly "But, I'm thankful your still here."
"Come on!" I said as I dragged him through the halls to the dining hall.
After a few minutes of running through hallways I remembered the way back and it was all coming back to me. I found the dining hall and Aang and Sokka were already there.
"Hey guys," I said while panting trying to catch my breath.
"Hey," Sokka said while scarfing down his food without looking at me.
"Hey Katara," Aang said while staring at me. "Where were you this morning?" he asked.
"Uhm…" I stuttered. "I was with Zuko" I said quickly.
"Oh" he said dejectedly.
"I was also showing Sokka how I can defend myself too." I said. Aang just looked at me as if I were crazy while I looked as Sokka with a smug look on my face. In your face big brother. I thought as I snickered to myself.
"What do you mean how you defend yourself?" Aang said confused "You not a master bender yet." Sometimes I wish the boy would listen to Sokka's warnings. Especially the one he was giving him now.
"Zuko do you mind telling them for me" I asked not wanting to tell our story for the umpteenth time today.
"Ok" he said curtly. Aang and Sokka just looked at the two of us like we were crazy. "What?" I asked exasperated.
"Ok, so what 'Tara wanted me to tell you Aang, is that she is a Master Knife Wielder, A Master Archer that's good as the Yu Yan archers, a Master Chi-Blocker, a Dao Swords master, a Hook Swords Master, a Master swordswoman, and a Master Fire Bender." Zuko explained to him. Sokka and Aang's eyes widened in shock at the end. I guess I never told them I was a double bender, as Lady Ursa is.
A/N: HAAAA CLIFYYYYYYY. i HAD to end it there it was like the perfect cliffy in my mind. ok, so i'm going to try to update TCoL sometime this week and update this soon too. Leave comments.
btw, should Sokka be with Yue or Suki? leave comments.
~PCR~