Fall of the White Lotus [Zutara/Taang]

4 | Bubbles

Music: Star Sky, Two Steps From Hell

                    Water dripped from wet, slippery stones in a desolate, rocky landscape littered with hot springs and geysers which spread a thick, all-encompassing mist to cover the surrounding area. Here and there a knotty bush reached its spiny branches towards a sun that would never show itself. The hissing geysers drowned out all other sound. Occasionally, a small breeze blew away some of the dense fog to reveal the silhouette of a young woman standing motionlessly next to one of the hot springs. Her moist hair was plastered to her face in strings, and a dark blue cloak moved slightly around her slender body with each breeze.

She stared into the churning hot spring at her feet, a wistful look in her cool blue eyes. A deep fatigue was written on her face, which looked ashen in the sombre daylight. Then, as she slowly closed her eyes, a lonely tear rolled down her cheek. She still didn't move. The tear fell into the hot spring, mixing with the bubbles in the boiling water.

Eventually, she knelt down and gingerly touched the hot water, only to draw back with a sharp hiss. As if released by the sudden pain, she finally broke down. She started to sob quietly, face buried in her hands and shoulders shaking with the force of her emotions.

Three years.

It had been three years since the Avatar had defeated the previous Fire Lord and had established a new peace in the world. Team Avatar, as Sokka still insisted on calling them, fell apart as each of them had gone their separate ways to start rebuilding a world that had been shattered by a hundred years of war.

Her father and brother had helped restoring the Southern Water Tribe capital to its former glory, and Hakoda, once the chieftain of a backwater fishing village, had become Chief of the entire Southern Water Tribe.

Suki had gone back to Kyoshi Island to lead the Kyoshi Warriors, taking Ty Lee with her. When the right time came, she would hand over leadership of the Kyoshi Warriors and travel to the South Pole as the bride of the Crown Prince. Until then, Sokka was separated from his love, which he had accepted with admirable understanding.

Toph had decided to stay with Iroh in Ba Sing Se and had taken on the task of breaching the city's inner walls, while Zuko had reluctantly assumed title and tasks from his father.

Katara on the other hand-

She had been deeply sad to see her brother and father leave for the Southern Water Tribe when she did not. It broke her heart to not be there to help her little earthbending sister, growing up in Ba Sing Se. And what she wouldn't give to just sit and talk to him, who now resided in the Fire Nation Capital but had once teamed up with her to guide and protect their little group as they awaited the arrival of Sozin's Comet.

She had not been able to follow Sokka to the South Pole, keep in touch with Toph in the Earth Kingdom, or talk to Zuko in the Fire Nation. The travels never ended.

After Katara had accepted Aang's love for her, they had taken off to destinations unknown. During the three years that had followed, Katara had changed from the warm, energetic girl she had been to the downcast young woman now kneeling next to the hot spring. Despite the dejectedness weighing down on her nowadays, with the passing of time she had become only more beautiful. Her hair had grown to reach her waist, and her subtle curves had become more pronounced in her blue traveling clothes. Her features had matured, accenting her high cheekbones and delicate jawline, bringing out her ocean blue eyes.

Officially, the purpose of their journeys was to enable as many people as possible to meet with the Avatar, but in reality they seemed to be running away from any kind of responsibility, seeking freedom and adventure instead. At first, Katara couldn't blame Aang, not after all he had gone through in less than a year's time. But three years later, all that remained was a feeling of exhaustion and desperation beyond her years, which of course, Aang failed to notice.