"I raise my head slowly to look at the person talking to me.
A bald kid with blue tattoos in the shape of arrows on his arms and head stands in front of me. He looks around 12 years of age. And the thing he was still poking my head with is a long wo...
Pulling two streams of water from the seawater surrounding the island we're on, I slash my arms across the air swiftly. The water obediently follows my movement, coming down on Zuko in a huge X shape. Getting a huge mouthful of seawater, he coughs and splutters, but manages to roll away and closer to Aang.
"Oh no you don't!" I grit my teeth when he tugs on Aang's clothes, then whack his hand with a water-whip. Thank you for this trick, Katara, I thought silently. Zuko retreats in pain, but immediately comes back on the offence.
Sending fiery hot balls my way, he advances on Aang again, but fails when I push him away with a huge wave. He stumbles back, almost falling off the edge of the island, his dark clothes drenched and heavy.
I stare at my arms, amazed that tonight, of all nights, my waterbending has grown to such strength.
"Aargh!" Zuko growls and runs toward me as I'm returning to Aang's side, kicking fire at me. The flares brush dangerously close to my face, and time stops for a moment. The fire passes in slow-motion across my eyes. My face throbs from the heat. But it passes eventually and time resumes it's steady pace, leaving behind the smell of burnt hair. A few short pieces of crispy black hair falls gently to the grass. I stop in disbelief. Myhair!
Now I'm mad.
"No. One. Burns. My. Hair!" I yell while throwing spikes of ice at Zuko who's advancing on me, trying to get pass me to Aang. He manages to melt the ice in time. In rage, I summon all my strength, recalling the moment I flooded the prison cell in one try, almost five days ago. The peacefulness I usually find while waterbending is overtaken by rage. My vision turns red. With a powerful push, I direct the strong blast of water at Zuko, which carries him off the island. Then I pull my arms back to me, so the water turns to ice. A look of pure shock crosses Zuko's face when he realises he's trapped.
Cursing furiously, he starts blasting parts of the huge ice block away. I eye him warily, refreshing the ice every time it's melted off.
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My first bending battle, and I've won, for now. But I don't feel victorious at all. Instead, I feel tired and sick of myself, because I am a non-violent person. At least, I used to be. I've never tried to hurt anyone on purpose. Or at least I used to not. I look sadly on as Zuko glares at me, struggling his way out of the ice while calling me names, his voice punctuated with the sounds of the battle going on outside. Why are we fighting?
"Why?" I ask suddenly. Zuko has stopped struggling for a moment to catch his breath. "Why...are you so angry? Why are you so– so obsessed with the Avatar?"
Zuko glares at me. "And why do you care?"
"Because I want to help you."
"Says the bastard who landed me in prison after making a truce with me."
"I'm sorry, okay? How many times do I have to say it? I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm sorry for putting you in jail," I fume, wondering if he's really mad at me for this. Can't he see that my hands were tied? Oh wait, he's Zuko. The angry prince. Of course he can't. In an undertone, I add, "Even though you escaped in less than ten hours later."
