Zuko
My heart is pounding as I force myself to walk to their group. I've risked everything to do this, I've betrayed my nation, forfeited my position as a prince, all to train the Avatar in Firebending and defeat my father. As I approach them, I look to see who all is there. I see Sokka, the blind Earthbending girl who's name I don't know, the Avatar, and Katara. I pet the Bison's side before I step out around him, trying to think of what to say. Katara hates me, more than the rest of them and for good reason. She'll never want me near her, and the others will listen. They're never going to trust me. And I deserve it. But I have to try.
"Hello, Zuko here." I say as I step out from behind the Bison. Inwardly, I cringe. What a great way to start this. They all immediately take a fighting stance, like I figured I try to talk fast to make sure they know I'm not about to attack. "Hey, I heard you guys flying around down there so I thought I'd just wait for you here." The bison takes a step forward and growls in my ear, but then licks me. It's sticky and wet, but the last thing I want to do is hurt the bison in front of the Avatar. Then I'm actually glad he did, when I see it makes Aang drop his fighting stance. "I know you must be surprised to see me."
"Not really, since you've followed us all over the world." Sokka says. This is not going how I'd hoped, but at least they don't look ready to attack anymore.
"Right, well, uh, anyway…" I try to start "What I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed." I say with a little more confidence. "And I, uh, I'm good now. And well, I think I should join your group. Oh! And I can teach Firebending. To you." I tell the Avatar. Why didn't I lead with that? They all look shocked, and after a second I look at Katara. There's more anger in her eyes than the rest.
"You wanna What now?!" They Earthbender asks. More like accuses.
"You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you?" Katara yells, confirming what I feared. "I mean how stupid do you think we are!"
"Yeah! All you've ever done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang!"
"I've done some good things!" I say, desperate for them to hear me out. "I mean, I could have stolen your Bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free! That's something!" The Bison licks me again, which I hope helps my case.
"Appa does seem to like him." The Earthbender says.
"He probably just covered himself in Honey so that Appa would lick him. I'm not buying it!" Sokka says. He and the Earthbending girl look at me distrustfully and confused, like they're trying to decide what to do. Katara on the other hand just looks fierce. Angry. No compassion or hint of trust as I've seen her look at the others, as she looked at me in the crystal catacombs in Old Ba Sing Se. Just hatred. And I know I deserve it.
"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me. I know I've made some mistakes in the past."
"Like when you attacked our village!" Sokka yells.
"Or when you stole my mother's necklace to track us down and capture us!" Katara shouts.
"Look, I admit I've done some awful things. I was wrong to try and capture you. And I'm sorry I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should have sent that Fire Nation Assassin after you." I regret the words as soon as they're out of my mouth when anger and shock come back across their faces. Why did I say that? They didn't know that! "I'm going to try to stop-"
"Wait, you sent Combustion Man after us?" Sokka exclaims, bringing out his boomerang again.
"Well, that's not his name, but-"
"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to insult your friend."
"He's not my friend!" I yell, getting frustrated. The blind girl points to me.
"That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried ot blow us all up!" I wince, letting go of my rising anger. Finally I look to the Avatar. I look to Aang. "Why aren't you saying anything. You once said you thought we could be friends." I remind him, thinking back to the night I rescued him as the Blue Spirit. "You Know I have good in me. He silent for a moment, which almost gives me hope. But then he speaks.
"There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us." Any hope building inside me crumbles and turners to despair, No, they have to. I gave up everything for this. And if nothing else could hurt worse, Katara is the next one to speak.
"You need to get out of here. Now!" She warns. I can't give up. I have to keep trying.
"I'm trying to explain I'm not that person anymore!" I say and take a step towards them. Sokka raises his boomerang.
"Either you leave or we attack." He tells me with an edge to his voice. And I believe him. But I can't just leave.
"If you won't accept me as a friend, maybe you'll take me as a prisoner." I say and get on my knees before them.
"No! We Won't!" Katara yells, then I get hit with a blast of water so hard it knocks me back and takes the wind out of me. "Get out of here! And don't come back! And if we ever see you again…Well, We'd better not see you again!" I know she means it. I get up, defeated, and walk away, wondering what I'm going to do now.
Zuko
"So, here you go, home sweet home." Sokka says as he shows me to my room. "I guess, you know, for now. Unpack…Lunch soon. Umm….Welcome Aboard?" I turn to give him a slight smile as he leaves. I overhear him talking to Aang, saying this is really weird, and he's right. But even if I don't have their full trust, they trust me enough to let me be here. I'll build on that. I can fulfill my destiny.
As I unpack, I come across a painting of my uncle. I remember years ago when we came here looking for the Avatar, for Aang. I remember how I said I would spend the rest of my life searching for him, to capture him and restore my honor. How stupid and stubborn I was. I wish I had listened to Uncle Iroh sooner. But I made the right choice now, and if I ever see him again I hope he's proud of me for that.
I hear someone come to the door, and I turn to see Katara. I start to smile as I get up, until I see the stern look on her face. It's venomous. My smile falls off my face, and she speaks up, poison dripping in her words.
"You might have everyone else here buying your transformation but you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past." She walks right up to me, and I remember back in Ba Sing Se looking at her chocolate locks, blue eyes, and tan skin and realizing for the first time how truly beautiful she was. She still is, but I wish she was still wearing that gaze of compassion instead of the look of hatred she gives me now. "So let me tell you something right now." She looks at me closer and if possible harsher, making my stomach lurch with anxiety. "You make one step backwards, one slip up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure destiny ends right then and there. Permanently."
She leaves no room for doubt, no room for me to question if she's serious or not. And I can't blame her. I remember her telling me about her mother, and how it was my nation that killed her. I remember betraying her personally. She hates me, and I deserve every bit of her distrust. But I'll prove her wrong. I have to.