Korra rubbed her eyes with a fist and looked around at her surroundings. She had no idea where she was and Azula wasn't next to her. She was in a completely unfamiliar place! She saw an old man snoring loudly and two people sleeping next to her. She didn't know what had happened or where she was, but she wasn't scared. She was the Avatar! The most powerful person in the whole entire world. She puffed her chest out and took an earthbending stance.
Before she could do anything though, the snoring old man had woken and gently picked her up, as not to hurt her.
"Put me down so I can hurt you old man!!!" Korra screamed in displeasure. She hated being picked up.
"Calm down girl. No one's hurting anyone today." Iroh tried and failed to reassure her. Korra was screaming and kicking everywhere.
Hearing the commotion, Zuko and Katara shot up, but tripped over one another and fell down. Iroh instinctively tried to help them, but accidentally loosened his grip on Korra and she managed to jump out of his arms. Zuko and Katara stood up rubbing their heads and blushing in embarrassment.
Korra took another stance and, to show them who they were messing with, bent a big rock and smashed it next to them. Next, she got water from the nearby stream and drenched them with it. They were all looking at her wide-eyed. She smiled. Now, for the finishing touch. She got in front of them and fire-kicked. The one with the huge scar ducked and brought the other two with him as well.
"I'm the Avatar, and you got to deal with it!" Korra said victoriously.
But before she could gloat more, all of them started laughing. She pouted. Why weren't they running away or kneeling in front of her. The girl in front of her bent all the water from their drenched clothes and placed it back in the stream.
Korra looked at her, confused. She was a waterbender too? Just as she was going to ask, the old man and Scar boy, (She decided to call him that until she found out his real name because of the huge scar on his face.) pushed spurts of fire out of their palms to make a fire, and she realized that she was surrounded by benders!
"Wait, you're benders?" Korra asked them.
"Yes. I'm Katara and I am a waterbender from the Southern Tribe." Katara smiled at the little girl.
"Cool! So am I! Maybe you could teach me something. There aren't many waterbending masters for me to learn from in the Fire Nation." For some reason the Katara girl was alarmed and confused.
"Wait. You were born in the Southern Water Tribe? That's impossible."
Korra leaned her head to the side. "No it's not. Azula told me I was born there. Oooh. Did she want me to meet you so you could teach me? That makes so much sense. I'm sorry for trying to attack you earlier."
Katara nodded along. It was easier if Korra trusted them and thought that Zuko, her, and Iroh were on the same team as the only person she trusted, Azula.
But Katara didn't know what to say about her being born in the Southern water Tribe. On one hand, she was incredibly happy that she wasn't the only waterbender in the south anymore, but on the other hand, she felt even more hatred for Azula. How could she take Korra away from her family? Korra was probably the only thing that had gifted the tribe with hope after Aang had died.
It was poetic in a way though. Aang had been found in the Southern Water Tribe, and Zuko had captured Aang for the first time there. Now the reincarnation of Aang was born into the Southern Water Tribe, and Zuko's sister was the one to capture the Avatar this time. If Aang was the Avatar that had changed Zuko for the better, would Korra be the Avatar to change Azula for the better?
Azula screamed and threw everything breakable at the window of the room. Her eyes blazed with fury as she looked at the burning bedroom. She had awoken in Korra's room, but she was nowhere to be found. She knew that Zuko and his traveling companions had probably taken her and she was angry. More than that, she was hurt. She was sad and weak. And she hated feeling that way.
Before she knew what was happening, her knees gave way and she fell on the floor screaming and crying. The smell of the smoke and the heat behind her was getting unbearable but she didn't move from the spot. Guards rushed towards her and put out the fire as quickly as they could. Azula stood up and glared at all of them.
"Find the Avatar. She has been taken by my treacherous family."
They bowed to her and left. Azula's eyes burned with tears again.
What was wrong with her?
She quickly wiped the tears away and went into her room. As she closed the door, she felt a presence in the room. A presence she knew too well, one that had been haunting her since her childhood.
"Hello Mother. Come to gloat again?"
Katara was being as patient as she could, but she was starting to get a little annoyed. Korra was powerful, yes, but she was too stubborn and always thought that she was right. She would never listen to her correction and keep trying to do it her own way.
"No. You have to do it like this." Katara took some water from the stream and formed a dense ball with it. She kept the ball flowing with one hand while using the other to siphon water from inside the ball to hollow it. "It's all about the flow. Water is supposed to be ever-flowing and changing. Water is adaptable and we can control it to become anything we want it to be, so long as we still have control over ourselves."
"Ok. I got it." Korra took some more water and created a dense ball. Then, as she was trying to bend water out of the ball, it fell down on both of them. Katara sighed and bent water out of her clothes for the millionth time that day.
"This is impossible!!" Korra huffed, frustrated.
"It's not impossible. It's just hard to focus on two things when you're learning for the first time. Here, I'll show you some simpler moves." Katara offered.
"No! I'll get this." Korra wasn't going to give up until she got this. She could be so stubborn at times. Katara closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, and wordlessly nodded. Korra flashed her a triumphant smile and Katara just laughed. Korra turned back to the stream and took a deep breath. Katara sat down in the grass so that Korra was still in her sights, but far enough that she didn't have to hear the splashing of water every few seconds.
Zuko sat down next to her and smiled at her as the sun slowly set. The sky was turning brilliant shades of orange and red. He could already see the stars and moon creeping up. It was the perfect time of day. Katara thought so too. They didn't have to say anything. They just sat in comfortable silence. Silence that wrapped around her like a blanket and filled her heart. Seeing the small figure of Korra trying to waterbend calmed and amused both of them.
The Avatar was back. We were going to teach her the 4 elements just as we taught her predecessor. All was right in the world. Katara allowed herself to ease up and rested her head on Zuko's shoulder. He tensed up for a second but relaxed into her touch and put his arm around her. He pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head.
A shiver ran through Katara's body at his soft and chaste kiss and she pressed herself closer to Zuko. He didn't object and allowed himself to lower his walls he usually put up against everyone. That moment was perfect. Zuko and Katara didn't realize that Iroh was smiling tenderly at their intimate moment. He was happy for them. They deserved a bit of love in their lives after everything that had happened to them in their young lives.
Korra squealed in excitement, breaking the silence but somehow, not the peacefulness. She ran to Katara and Zuko and announced that she had finally perfected the move. She seemed so genuinely happy that Katara and Zuko couldn't help being giddy with her. Korra waited patiently as Katara untangled herself from Zuko and stood up in front of her.
Korra dragged Katara to the stream and showed her the move. Katara kneeled down to Korra's height and hugged her. Korra was really surprised but hugged her back. When they broke apart, Korra was crying. She never had that sort of love from a mother figure. Azula never rewarded her with the level of intimacy Katara had. Katara took her into her arms and comforted her until she fell asleep.
"She is really good with kids." Zuko looked up at the voice that had spoken and nodded.
"She really is."
Iroh smiled at Zuko's wistful expression and sat down next to him.
"I can tell that she cares for you."
"What?" Zuko asked sharply. He stood up and paced around. His voice was unbelieving but hopeful as well.
Iroh smiled. "I can tell you care for her as well."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Zuko stopped pacing and looked sad. "And besides, even if I did, we could never be together. She hates the Fire Nation, and if we do beat Azula, I would have to be Fire Lord. We could never have a future." At the last sentence, he fell back on the grass with a thud and looked at his Uncle. "And I wouldn't be able to let go if I fell in love with her."
Iroh looked at him.
"I think we both know you already have." With those final words, Iroh left Zuko alone to contemplate and sort out his feelings for Katara.