Zutara - Their Spark

Chapter One - Katara

Katara took pleasure in the rhythmic pain from her pounding feet as she raced toward the capital building. Inside, the king of Ba Sing Se would be protected by the Kyoshi warriors, including Suki- her brother's girlfriend. The rolled up parchment in Katara's hand held the details of the attack on the Fire Nation that would take place on the Day of the Black Sun. It needed the stamp of the King before the Dai Ly and the military could start organizing. For once, everything seemed to be going smoothly and as planned. The Earth Kingdom was going to aid Aang in the attack that would end the Hundred Year War; Sokka was visiting Dad for the first time in almost two years; Toph was reconciling with her family. Katara slowed her pace and let a smile spread across her face.

Things were going to be okay. She let herself believe it and MoMo purred on her shoulder. Even the lemur was feeling the optimism of the recent events.

"Think we can stop for some tea, MoMo?" Katara changed her course and headed for a tea shop with a overhead sign that read 'The Jasmine Dragon'.

A hostess was positioned near the front door, and asked if Katara would be sitting down. The aroma of the shop was sweet and calming, the scents of tea mixing pleasantly in the air. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, letting the incense wash over her. For a second, Aang crossed her mind and she hoped he was getting through controlling his Avatar state alright. When she opened her eyes again, a terrible sight awaited her.

"Uncle, we need three more green and one jasmine," Zuko called to his uncle in the kitchen and balanced a tray in one of his hands.  His red blotchy scar was prominent on the left side of his face. It spread drastically from the inside of his eye to his ear. This scar wasn't what caught Katara's attention though, she had seen it before. More times than she could care for. It was his smile that she found herself staring at. It was small but obvious on his mangled face. His hair covered his head instead of pulled up in a tight intimidating ponytail.

"I'm brewing the tea as fast as I can." General Iroh called back, followed by joyous laughter. Katara was just about to turn and run when Zuko's eyes caught her own. With a start, he froze, shocked. His smile fell and his apron jolted with the sudden stop.

Even from across the busy shop she could hear the Prince of the Fire Nation speak.

"Katara." He felt her name sneak past his lips as he studied her. Terror mixed with anger pooled from her and she was only still for a second before bolting down the steps of the shop and away from him. He couldn't have expected anything else from her, but he did have to force away his disappointment. He stepped into the kitchen with his uncle and spoke to him urgently and quietly.

"That Southern Water Tribe girl that travels with the Avatar was here." Zuko searched for something in Iroh's face but his uncle was indifferent.

"And?" Was all Iroh responded with.

"And, she ran off, obviously scared. She's going to go tell someone who we really are!" Zuko's voice ran up an octave. Iroh was motionless for a second. Even though his uncle was unwilling to take things into his own hands, Zuko was not.

"I'm going to find her and explain to her that she has nothing to be worried about. Do you have enough help to cover the customers?" Zuko asked before leaving.

"The Jasmine Dragon will be fine, Prince Zuko. Be nice to her." Iroh warned before going back to his tea. Zuko nodded and tossed his apron over a counter before chasing after Katara.

Katara shoved open the large doors that led to the King's throne room. She quickly saw that the king wasn't present, but the Kyoshi warriors knelt quietly in front of his throne. "Suki! Thank goodness you're here. I have terrible news. The Fire Nation has infiltrated the Earth Kingdom! I saw Prince Zuko and his uncle. We must notify the king-"

"Wait!" Suddenly, Zuko burst through the doors behind her and three Dai Ly guards followed after him. His frantic pace didn't slow until he was a few feet from Katara. "I mean no harm to the Earth Kingdom." When Zuko had seen Katara run straight into the palace, he knew his only chance of redemption and peace was to demonstrate kindness and his newly changed perspective. Zuko watched Katara's face for any emotion, but he didn't get much of a chance at observation before one of the Kyoshi warriors rose.

"Oh, is that true." Both Zuko and her took a step back at the realization that the three warriors weren't warriors at all. Azula smiled deviously back at her brother and Ty Lee danced toward Katara. Zuko knew Ty Lee only held one special talent, and that was to immobilize her opponents. Zuko was ready to send out a burst of fire at Ty Lee but before the fire even left his hand, Mai had stuck him with several knives, sending him backward and pinned on a column. Katara wasn't fast enough and barely got a drop of water from her pouch before Ty Lee was on her. Her body was dead weight and slammed harshly into the floor, with her water pouch open, the liquid quickly dashed over the floor around her. As she fell she heard Zuko growl. Katara lay completely still and before Zuko noticed, Ty Lee was jabbing him and his arms lost feeling which soon became his torso, legs and neck. The knives under his arms were the only things holding him up.

"I think it's a perfect time for a family reunion, huh ZuZu?" Azula sauntered over to him, he strained his eyes up to look at her. "I'll send for Uncle and then it'll truly be perfect."

"Don't even think about it." Zuko struggled to get the words out. His eyes rolled as his strength weakened, he couldn't keep his eyes up anymore. They fell on Katara's who was watching their interaction from the floor. Her arm twisted awkwardly behind her while the other laid out beside her, drenched in the pool of water.

"Lock them up and we'll resume in the morning. Long Fe has some work to do before we continue." Azula ordered as she walked away, leaving her friends to do the dirty work.

"Mai, you take Zuko, I'll handle this feisty thing." Ty Lee smirked as she flipped over to Katara, lifting her easily. Mai struggled with Zuko's weight but managed to drag him along.

"I bet you wish Ty Lee hadn't taken away my power to hold myself up." Zuko snapped at Mai.

"Shut it." She huffed, and let his head smack into the corner of a wall as they turned.