CHAPTER RATING: T (Language)

A/N: If you skipped last chapter, it's fine, there's a short recall to the those events in this one.

Chapter 10: Clouded Intentions

A soft hand wiping against his bloodied chin brought him back to life. It moved away, replaced by the sound of flowing water, and a cool sensation across his chest. Aang opened his eyes to see Katara, her hair down, dressed in red.

He didn't speak, but watched her pull the water dyed with his blood into the air, releasing it, and letting it disappear. She turned to him, the sapphire in her eyes glowing.

"You can smell the iron." He smiled. "Messy."

She crouched over and wrapped her arms around him.

"H-Hey, Katara." He enjoyed her embrace as long as he could until she pulled away.

"What happened?" Zuko asked. Aang shook his head.

"I had a vision." He looked at Katara. "A nightmare."

"What did you see?" Zuko pressed on.

"It doesn't matter what I saw." Aang said in a tone that seemed more hostile than he had intended. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way." He pleaded. "All I know is that I needed to deal with that before I could move on." Katara looked towards Zuko, who confirmed his theory with a nod.

"Did you learn anything?" Katara locked their fingers together, awaiting his answer.

"I did..." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. his tattoos began to glow.

"You mastered the Avatar State?!" Her voice jumped. Zuko's eyes widened. "How did you do it?" He closed his eyes, and the glow began to fade.

"I had to…" He took a deep breath, and loosened his hand. "Let go." Katara's hand fell onto the red fabric; her heart stopped when she heard his words.

"So..." Zuko interrupted. "If you're feeling better, meet me outside, we need to start training again." He turned and began walking.

"Katara-" she hushed him.

'Look, Aang." She pointed to his bare chest; the scar began to fade before their eyes, and then it disappeared. She smiled, and hugged him again.

"Katara..." His voice was strong. Almost commanding. She saw him straighten his posture. "I don't give a damn about what Guru Pathik said about cosmic energy!" He brought his hands together and closed the entrance to the cavern. "None of that matters to me as much as you do." He embraced her. "Anything. I will do anything to protect you."

She smiled, brought her lips to his and moved back.

"You've already told me this." she whispered.

...

They bowed to one another before stepping back and creating some distance.

"Okay. Remember, you're only sparring." Katara reminded them. "Only firebending, no lethal attacks, and no striking a downed opponent."

"Alright."

"Got it."

"Just in case," she motioned to a bowl filled with water. "I'll be ready to help you if any accidents happen."

They nodded.

"Go!" She called.

Zuko's stance was wide, and loose. His right arm held above his head, facing the Avatar; his left, held lower, and fully extended.

Aang's stance was tighter; arms out, right palm, in front of his left. His feet, rooted into the ground, he faced his opponent, his body facing inward, his feet facing outward towards his left.

Zuko struck first, in a quick motion, he pushed his right fist forward. A fireball flew towards Aang. With his rooted position, Aang swung his left foot out, planting it into the ground, and pivoted on the point.

The fire heated his back as it passed by, but he saw his opportunity, and let loose his own fireball with his left hand. Zuko sidestepped his attack before firing another.

Aang ducked again, he faced Zuko to see him sweep his leg, summoning a wave of flame that covered the ground. Aang pushed himself up, letting his strong footing propel him into the air, where he dodged the attack while twisting. He caught himself and crouched, one leg extended, the other pulled in close while supporting himself with one hand. He recovered his stance, and charged forward, sliding across the stone floor, he channeled fire into his feet.

Zuko dodged his attempt by leaping into the air. But when he landed, he began to panic. He felt Aang's palm on his back. Memories of when he first captured the Avatar flooded into his mind again.

When Aang placed his hand on Zuko's back, Zuko could not turn to face him. And sure enough, try as he might, he could not bring himself to turn around.

Aang leapt up, and pushed Zuko forward, using him as a springboard, he turned in a moonsault, and landed on his feet.

But in his mind he saw an image flash before him.

Ozai.

Ozai's evil grin.

Looming as a specter against the visage of his son. In a flash, he saw Katara, her empty eyes haunting his mind. He shook his head, and brought his hand to his temples.

"Aang?" Katara's voice echoed in his ears.

Aang! Her desperate call entered his consciousness. Aang! Help!

He stood and straightened his stance.

"Avatar?" Zuko loosened his own stance. "What's wrong?"

Avatar. Ozai's voice roared through his mind.

Zuko looked towards Katara, eyes wide, uncertain of what was about to happen. A gust shot his way. A force pushed him back, and he collided with the stone wall. The air rushed out of his lungs, and he fell face first onto the floor.

Aang's tattoos and eyes began to glow. He held open a hand, and held all for elements forming a spike around his fist. With the speed of a breath, he rushed to Zuko, and stood over him.

"Aang! Stop!" Katara screamed. Aang pulled his fist back; Zuko saw the rage in his expression. Katara wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him down onto the ground.

The spike in his hand disappeared. The glow in his eyes and tattoos disappeared. His expression softened, and he bowed to Zuko.

"I'm…I'm sorry."

"What happened? Zuko coughed and sat up against the wall.

"I…I don't know. I didn't mean to do any of that, Zuko. I don't know what came over me." He stood and took hold of his staff. "Enough training…I-I need to go." He leapt off the cliff, and fell into the clouds below.

"Are you alright?" Katara asked Zuko.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He replied. "I just…I didn't know he was capable of that kind of…violence." He took a breath. "There's something wrong."

"I'll go talk to him." Katara assured. "I'll find out what's wrong." She stood and turned towards Appa. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine." Katara climbed up onto Appa's back.

"Yip! Yip!" She shouted to the roar of the massive beast, who took off into the mist.

…

The fog was blinding. Katara couldn't see three feet in front of her eyes. She only felt the wind rushing against her face, and the cushion of the leather saddle she sat on.

"Appa, do you know where he is?" She asked, unsure of whether it was a relevant question to a relevant being.

What am I saying? It's not like Appa can understand-

Appa roared, and to Katara's surprise, he turned downward, and took off at an even greater speed. She took hold of the side of his saddle, feeling as if the wind would pick her up as he descended.

Appa's abrupt stop pushed her into the saddle, gravity bore down on her in a brief moment. In front of her, she saw him sitting on a ledge; he wasn't sitting in meditation, but only in what she assumed to be uncertainty.

"Aang?" Her voice reached him again.

"H-Hey…Katara." Appa leveled with the ledge, and Katara stepped off and took a seat beside him.

"What happened back there?" She placed a hand on his back. He felt a warmth rush over him, a comfort.

"I…I don't know." He mumbled. "It was…my vision." She moved closer to him, and rested her arm across his shoulders.

"What did you see, Aang?"

"I saw…" He brought his gaze to Katara, before looking away. He rested his head in his hands. "I can't…I don't want to remember." His cracking voice managed to squeak out from behind his restrained tears. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Aang, I know you're scared." She pulled him closer. "We all are. But we can make it through this. Don't doubt yourself. I know you can do this. I believe in you." He felt his spirit lift, just a bit.

"Do you trust me?" he looked up. "Do you trust me…to protect you?"

"I trust you more than anyone else." She hugged him in an embrace that he returned.

"Thanks, Katara. I promise you that I won't let you down."

"Let's get back. I hear Sokka has something special for us to eat tonight."

...

They returned only minutes after Katara had found him. Most of the group had gathered around the fire, while Aang walked over to where Appa and Momo were. His gait was somber, slow, and almost fearful.

"Appa." He set a hand on the bison's tattooed arrow. Appa roared low at his friend's call. "Something is going to happen to me." He whispered. "I just know it." He looked into the bison's eyes, and saw them glistening with only what he could assume to be tears.

"You and Momo need to leave. Now." Appa roared in a protest. Momo looked at Aang with a raised eyebrow.

"Where should you go?" He called to Momo and accepted the lemur onto his shoulder. "Go to Feixing." Momo's confusion seemed to increase in his eyes.

"I know." Aang laughed. "But I'm sure, Appa." He hugged the bison. "I know you'll know where the other airbenders are. We're all connected with each other. Wait for me. I'll be there." His hugged tightened around his friend. Tears streaming down his eyes, he gave the command.

"Yip. Yip."

...

Later that night…

His eyes stared a hole into the stone base of the temple.

What the hell is happening to me? He thought to himself. How could I let myself lose control? How could I-

Footsteps interrupted his train of thought. A dark crimson fabric broke the grey of the stone floor. His eyes followed the blood-stained robe.

"Leave." He met her eyes.

"I heard that you had some trouble today with your firebending." Azula's sultry voice even masked poisonous insults. She strode with confidence. One foot in front of the other, he watched the fabric drag across the ground. The slack from the dress pushed against her body, teasing him with the impression of her curves, before falling back again.

He diverted his eyes away. Her steps grew louder until they became silent when she sat down next to him. His eyes followed her dress, taking in her entire figure.

"Do you like it?" She whispered. "I picked it out myself."

"What are you doing here?" his tone was low. She leaned back on her elbows.

And he thought he was going to lose his mind. Despite how much he loved Katara, the dress that Azula wore was…

He turned towards the wall, and leaned his forehead against it with his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry." She giggled. "I don't mean to be such a tease."

Yeah, right. He thought to himself.

"What do you want?" His voice struck the wall.

"I can help you, as I have done, with your firebending, Avatar."

"I've already got a firebending teacher. Please. Leave."

"The vision that you had." He felt her hand on his shoulder, and turned as she urged him. "You can't let that control you." She took hold of his chin with two fingers, and turned him to face her.

He pulled away.

"I don't even know who you are." He shook his head. "I don't get how you act." His voice was trembling. "You show hatred to Sokka. But on that beach, you showed me a softer side of yourself. And then in that bath, you mocked me. You mocked me for something that you…" His voice trailed off as he recalled the memory. "…Something that you tricked me into doing."

"I apologize." He felt sincerity in her voice. But now, he wasn't sure what to make of her. "I guess, you can't take away everything that made me who I was. Even if I don't have my firebending anymore." Azula pleaded. "Forgive me for how I speak. There's a confidence that runs in our family. Ozai talks down to everyone he comes across. And even Big Brother Zuzu has his own share of cockiness in his tone."

Zuzu…? He chuckled at her words.

"I knew you still had some sort of life in you." He felt a sense of joy in her tone. "I helped you realize the fire in your heart before." She brought his gaze to her again. "Allow me to help you control it."

He nodded.

"What happened to you and Zuzu." Through his laughter, he saw a smile upon her lips. "Okay…Okay…Enough laughing." She herself had to stop chuckling. "I know what your problem is." She cleared her throat. "Your outburst, was because you let your anger, and fear control you. The anger and fear from your vision."

"How would you know this?"

"Anger and fear were the elements that fueled the fire that once burned in me." She breathed out. "If you let the flames burn uncontrollably, they will destroy everyone you hold dear."

"So what can I use to fuel me besides anger and fear?"

"You need something else to drive you."

"And what would that be?"

"What else is there? What else can possibly drive you to gain what you want most?"

...

"LOVE!" Sokka shouted. "I LOVE YOU GAIS!" The bottle in his hand fell with a clink to the ground.

"What are you doing…?" Zuko stared at the empty bottle. "Are you old enough to drink...?"

Sokka's giggles broke through his question.

"We'll…never…know...It's our little secret!" He cried.

"Okay! I think it's time to go to bed!" Suki carried the drowsy man with her shoulders. "I'll make sure he doesn't vomit in his sleep. Good night!" Suki waved and followed the torches towards the room that they shared.

"I've got no one to take to bed!" Toph shouted with half a dozen bottles scattered around her. "Just kidding!" She staggered to her feet, and glared at the two who still sat at the fire. A grin stretched across her lips.

"What?" Zuko asked.

"Don't stay together for too long now, you two. SOME PEOPLE may not like it!" She began to howl with laughter. Zuko and Katara glared at one another.

"What are you talking about Toph?"

"I mean…Come on, ZUTARA?!" She hollered. "How stupid does that sound?!" She recovered her stance, and swayed towards her own room.

"Zutara? What do you think she means by that?" Katara asked.

"I don't know. Sounds stupid to me."

"Wait…Did you hear that?"

A silence hovered as they listened.

"No, I don't-"

A spherical object rolled by the campfire.

...

"What are you saying?"

"If there's one more thing, besides anger and fear that can drive you…What do you think that is?" She brought her hand to his cheek.

A small click interrupted their thoughts, followed by an explosion. Smoke began to invade the room. Aang grabbed his staff, and struck the floor. The air pushed away the fog, and in front of him, he saw a man dressed in all black, with glowing red eyes.

He was holding Katara, her mouth gagged, and pure fear in her eyes.

Aang froze, defiant reluctance in his expression. A force pushed him forward, he turned to see Azula's smile, and felt five strikes upon his body. Two at his left arm, one behind his neck, and two at his right arm.

He lost control, and fell with a thud onto the cold stone floor. There were two things he heard before he lost consciousness again.

He heard Katara's muffled cries for him.

He heard Azula's command: "Take him away."

PUBLISHED ON: 8/14/2014

A/N:

Meta references are fun.

Until next time.

Thanks for reading!