Opposites Attract (Zuko x Reader)

🔥 queen mountain ❄️

The mountain was even bigger than I'd thought.

Yuna had gotten tired, so now she was riding on my back, positioned rather awkwardly due to the knapsack I was also carrying. I wanted nothing more than to fall on my face in the dirt, but I had to keep going. I couldn't risk Hama freeing herself and coming after me.

So I forced myself forward, step after step. It was close to dawn when we finally reached the top. Yuna had woken, and I put her down, although she was still drowsy.

"Come on," I said, looking down the cave. "Your mom's in there."

"It-it looks scary. I don't wanna go in there."

"I know, Yuna. But I can't leave you out here alone. You're safer coming with me."

"Okay..."

I had matches in my knapsack, but nothing to set alight. The moonlight soon faded as we entered the cave, but after a couple turns, I saw the dim glimmer of torches.

"Look, Yuna. We're almost there."

We turned a final corner and were met with the pitiful sight of about a dozen villagers, all chained by their wrists to the rock.

"Yuna!" A woman shouted. I recognized her from the vegetable stand.

"I'm here to free you," I said. "I know who locked you up here.

I didn't have anything strong enough to break chain, but one of Hama's other techniques came in handy. I drew some water out of the mountain itself, probably having seeped in from the last rainfall. Using the water as a saw, I painstakingly cut through every manacle. It wasn't fast, and with every passing minute, my anxiety grew. Had Hama gotten loose yet? What if she showed up?

Thankfully, she didn't, and eventually all the prisoners were freed. Yuna had a tearful reunion with her mother.

"You said you know who imprisoned us here?"one of the men asked.

"Yes. It was Hama, the innkeeper. She learned a skill called Bloodbending, where she controls the blood in your body and can use it to make you move unwillingly. She tried doing it to me too, but I escaped."

A little fuzzy on the details, but I didn't think these people needed to know I've been living with and learning from the witch who'd imprisoned them.

"Come on," I said. "The exit's this way."

In no time, we were out of the cave. The former prisoners squinted in the bright sunlight.

Finally, they were free.

🔥❄️🔥❄️

I'm not ashamed to say I felt absolutely no remorse when Hama was hauled off. She had it coming.

"Are you staying here, Suzume?" Yuna asked. "You could help us out with our vegetable garden."

"Sorry Yuna, but I've got to get back to my own home," I said, patting her head. "It's been a long time. I miss my family."

One of the old men I'd released from Hama's cave was a fisherman, but he said he was too old for seafaring anymore, so I was able to broker a deal for his old fishing boat. The next day, with many well-wishes from the villagers, I sailed south.

🔥❄️🔥❄️

A few days later, a violent storm raged over the sea. I tied down the sail and secured the rest of the ropes before ducking into the helm as lighting streaked down from the sky towards the unsettled water. I tried to keep going straight, but the waves and wind were relentless. The boat was tossed and turned like a pan of stir-fry.

After an hour or two, the storm died down, leaving the little fishing dinghy badly damaged and leaking water. I needed to find somewhere to dock, or I'd go down with this ship.

Luckily, the storm seemed to have blown me towards land. I docked at a pier, which also held large merchant ships and even some Fire Nation vessels.

"Caught in that storm, eh?" An old man asked as I walked off the boat.

"Yeah," I said, examining the hull. "Do you think it can be fixed?"

"I wouldn't bet on it," he said. "That boat looks ancient. I'm surprised it stayed together this long."

Fabulous. I'd have to find yet another way home.

I walked into town. It seemed to be a trading pier, with lots of shops, including some merchant ships functioning as stores. I used a bit of my money to stock up on more food, plus a flask for water. I also definitely needed a bath.

After a small lunch of dried meat and fruit, I set off to see if there was a secluded area of the shore where I could wash myself. I followed a river into the forest, hearing the sound of waterfall in the distance.

The river emptied into a small lake, which the waterfall splashed down into. It looked pristine.

But before I could take another step, I was splashed in the face.

"Who's there?" A voice shouted.

Hold on... I knew that voice.

I emerged from the trees, hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Chill out, it's me."

Katara dropped the orb of water she held in her hand. The bald kid, Aang, stood next to her. And Sokka... I didn't see him. But I did see the giant flying bison stomping around in the water behind them.

"Y/n!" Katara exclaimed, running over and crushing me in a hug. "You're okay!"

"Of course I'm okay," I said, patting her on the back. "I'm very resilient."

"How... what are you doing here?" Katara asked.

"My boat drifted to the pier after a storm," I said. "What are you doing here?"

Katara huffed. "I'm trying to teach Aang waterbending, but... I think he's doing pretty well for himself."

"That's good," I said. "He's gotta master all four elements, right?"

"Yeah," Aang said. "It's... exciting."

"Where's Sokka?" I asked. "Did you lose him?"

Katara laughed. "No, he's grooming Appa back there or something."

"Your giant bison is named Appa?"

"Yep!" Aang said proudly.

Katara pulled me towards where all their stuff was situated on the banks of the lake. "How'd you get here? You escaped from Zuko's ship? How's your ankle?"

"Whoa, a lot of questions," I laughed. "But I'll answer them, right after I clean all this ancient-fishing-boat-gunk off me."

Sokka's head popped up from underwater.

"I go under for ten seconds and suddenly Y/n appears? What is happening around here?"