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Lost Roads	By : Vortex Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality > Het- Male/Female Views: 10520 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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When you see just what I see
Then tenderly watch it change
And just let it be
Conjure One – “Endless Dream”

Two weeks after the downfall of Ba Sing Se

It had been as Azula had hoped… and feared. The Avatar and the rest of his ragtag group had arrived to rescue the waterbender, Katara. Her uncle had also been among those involved in the rescue, which had been a benefit in disguise for Azula – it was far easier to have real evidence of treason than to have to create evidence of it. Zuko had done exactly as she had predicted – turning against the Avatar and against Katara when the moment was right, forcing them to battle two targets. Seeing Aang enter the Avatar State had brought a momentary sense of worry to her, but Azula had practiced long enough with the lightning to know exactly where and when to use it. And, though it satisfied her to see Aang’s smoking body fall from such lofty heights, the fact that he had been rescued in the end, along with Katara, had left Azula somewhat less than pleased.

Still, she mused as they set sail on board the Fire Nation destroyer for their home, things could have been far worse. Her foresight in dealing with the waterbender using the Dai Li would undoubtedly pay handsome dividends in the end. Although Azula would have no way to know precisely where their little “sleeper” was, the conditioning she had undergone would prove to be the Avatar’s downfall – if he lived. If he had died… well, so much the better. Sooner or later the Fire Nation would turn its attention to the miniscule Water Tribes of the north and south which remained the only realistic opposition to their rule over all. Perhaps Katara would be useful. Eventually she would resurface and Azula would know fairly quickly when and where.

Her musings were interrupted by the sounds of a bootsteps ringing on the steel deck moving towards her. From the sounds of the footfalls it was not Mai – her steps were slow and shuffling – or Ty Lee – her steps were barely noticeable whatsoever. No, these sounded like the footsteps of her brother. Azula did not bother to turn as the steps came closer, instead lifting her hand in greeting. “Hello, Zuzu. I would’ve thought you would be below getting some sleep after the exciting time we’ve been through.”

“I couldn’t sleep.” Zuko’s mind had been turning in circles since they had completed the last formalities, handing over command of the city to an extremely surprised Fire Lord General whose armies had been outside the primary walls of Ba Sing Se. It had taken them almost two weeks to prepare for this day when they would return to their own homeland and be hailed as victors and heroes. Yet through that whole time, Zuko had the nagging sense that it had been too easy.

He had always imagined that the final fight with the Avatar would be a long, drawn-out affair. They would spend hours battling each other, with Zuko eventually gaining the upper hand. Finally, the last fatal blow would be struck and Zuko would watch as the shock of defeat etched itself across the face of his adversary before he died and his spirit moved on to be reborn elsewhere. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected his sister to assist him – or, for that matter, to strike the final blow with her lightning. Now, looking back on it, it all seemed so surreal to him.

Azula had to bite back a sarcastic reply to his explanation. It was difficult for her, but she knew that if she was patient and continued to act like the concerned sister who had turned over a new leaf, it would be far easier for her plans in the long run. “You should try to get some sleep, Zuzu. We have a long trip ahead. I’m sure if you asked Mai she could keep you company while you tried to sleep.”

There was just a touch of bitterness in her voice. That her dark, depressing friend had become interested in Zuko had caught even Azula off guard – she knew they had been friends when they were younger, but she had never expected to see the dark, brooding woman actually smiling in public… or kissing her brother. It would take some time to get used to. Azula’s lack of interest in men and the decided lack of any romantic bone in her body were sufficient to keep her guessing as to what love was and how it worked. That one of her best friends had started to show signs of being in love, especially with her brother, was plenty to keep Azula uncomfortable.

A smirk crossed Zuko’s face, and the thought of Mai laying in bed with him momentarily eliminated all trace of doubt in his mind about the apprehension he felt towards the Avatar. Mai had been a welcome surprise to Zuko, who had found himself without the father-like figure of his uncle for the first time in three years. Yet Mai had filled the void nicely, providing an ear for him, a dark sense of humor that he could appreciate, and a female body that helped distract him from his worries when they were together.

“I suppose I could do that,” he said, punctuating it with a yawn. He wondered if Mai was even asleep. No matter – if she was, he was sure she wouldn’t terribly mind a slight distraction. He was one of very few men who had discovered that Mai did sleep with her weapons – and had lived to tell the tale. But there were moments when he was alone that his thoughts drifted to another woman entirely – the mysterious (and, he had to admit, pretty) waterbender who he had run into on several occasions now. He never spoke of her to Mai but there were times in the night that he would see her in his dreams, the pair of eyes that were bluer than the sky looking into his own. Not even Mai’s charms had been able to completely erase the tanned features fully from his mind.

He started to turn to go, but decided it may be best to allay some fears. “Azula, what do you intend to do about the waterbender and the rest of her group? Even though the Avatar is dead, they may still do damage. And there is that eclipse which is only a couple months away…”

Oh, that. Azula had almost forgotten about the eclipse which the royal astronomers had been warning of for some time. It made sense that would be the best time for any sort of uprising. If she had been the one handling it, she would gather her forces and then strike hard on the day of the eclipse, using momentum to carry her forces straight to the doors of the Fire Lord when the eclipse struck. Then, with the firebenders unable to use their abilities, it would be easy to kill the Fire Lord and finish the war in one easy swoop. She hated to give up one of her prized secrets – a pawn in play under her overt control – but she didn’t want her brother to get antsy on her. If she was going to control him she needed him to keep out of matters such as that.

“I guess I can let you in on one of my secrets, brother, as long as you swear to tell no one.” Her gaze went from playful to serious and he nodded agreement. Turning away from him to stare out at the dark waters, the smile began to return to the corners of her mouth. “When we caught that waterbender, I took the liberty of letting the Dai Li ‘work on’ her for a day. I figured that she might escape our clutches no matter how seriously we guarded her, so I had the Dai Li turn her into a walking time bomb. All I have to do is say a particular phrase to her and she will do our bidding as willingly and loyally as if she were one of our own soldiers.”

This revelation floored Zuko. That his sister could be this devious both surprised and worried him for he did not know the extent to which her influence could be exerted. At the same time it excited him on a number of levels. The thought of one of their enemies becoming an unwitting ally had a certain beauty to it, and the prospect that he would see Katara again was enough to make his head spin. Then another thought crossed his mind. “What happens when you say this phrase?”

Azula grinned. Maybe deviousness did run in the family after all. She was beginning to think she was the only one with a devious side. “Well, I can’t give away everything just yet, Zuzu, but let’s say that I could order her to kiss you and she would do so without hesitation.” His interest in this had her interested now and she decided to throw out a feeler. “For that matter, the phrase can be said by other members of the Royal Family, not just me.”

Now Zuko’s breath stopped in his chest for a heartbeat. “So you’re saying that I could control her too – not just you?”

“Exactly. If I know father, with the Earth Nation out of the way, he will want to finish off the Water Tribes next. It would be far easier if we have someone who we can plant in the tribes and bring them down from the inside, just like the girls and I did to the Earth Nation.” It was hard not to sound like gloating in this situation, which was why Azula let herself sound like it. She needed to crow over her victories every now and again.

Her brother, though, was still soaking it all in. If he could control Katara, that meant he would definitely see a lot more of her. And if she was trained to follow any command… he could see now how being devious could be fun. There was also the possibility that the Avatar was still alive – if that turned out to be the case, then if he encountered them again he would have a secret weapon up his sleeve. And wouldn’t that be a crushing blow to the rest of the Avatar’s ragtag group, knowing that he had been brought down by the betrayal of a friend?

“I will share the details with you tomorrow, Zuzu – it’s late enough as it is. But don’t share this with anyone else – it’s a family secret.”

Zuko was smart enough to know that much. While he was excited over the idea it was best to keep it quiet – after all, secret weapons were called “secret” for a reason. He nodded, turning on his heel and deciding to see if Mai was still awake. “Of course. We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Good night, Azula.”

She turned as he walked away. His reaction to the news had been interesting, and she wondered offhandedly if perhaps there was something more at work behind his words. Her brother had never been one for guile or cunning – his idea of “honor” had always prevented him from doing much more than skulking in the shadows from time to time. No, guile and deviousness had always been her hallmarks, and if her brother was starting to show an interest in these things it might prove difficult for her future plans. After all, she had her own ambitions to think about in all this – the carefully planned and crafted maneuvering that would eventually net her what she desired most: the throne of the Fire Lord. She wasn’t about to let her brother bungle into things.

Katara opened her eyes. She was standing on ground that was blackened and scorched. There was no sign of any living plant life around her – no sign of the water that she loved so dearly. Fire Nation troops stood around her and the rest of their group, surrounding them, cutting them off. Standing beside her, Sokka looked around at the enemy that outnumbered them a good ten to one. “Well, I didn’t think things could get any worse, but they sure did.”

“You got that right,” the young voice of Toph said from behind them, watching their backs. The earthbender was standing at the ready, her senses alive through the ground they stood on, watching and waiting for any sign of an attack.

Why hadn’t they attacked yet? Katara was asking herself the question even as her hand drifted down to the water skin in it’s usual location around her waist. To her surprise, it was gone. “Um, guys? Where did my water skin go?”

“You had it earlier. Did you set it down somewhere?” Sokka asked, trying to hide the tremor of fear that now resonated in his voice.

Something was wrong with this picture. Katara never went anywhere without her water skin – it was essential to her survival as a waterbender – as essential as Sokka’s boomerang or sword. Here in this volcanic environment it was difficult to find water anywhere, meaning that her job was about to get a whole lot harder. Concentrating, she focused on the water around her, sensing it, and lifted her hands to call it to her…

…and almost fell over when flames flew from her outstretched hands, directly into two Fire Nation soldiers, who had not moved. Katara lowered her arms in disbelief, looking at her hands. That couldn’t be right… she could sense the water around her, could feel it in the ground and in small pools on the volcanic rock. But if she could sense it and feel it, why had she shot fire from her hands like a firebender?

Again, she raised a hand, trying to focus and gather the water in it. Flames rose from her fingertips, coalescing into a bright fireball that hovered above her palm. “Guys?” She started to ask, only to stop as she realized that Sokka was staring at her – or, rather, her clothing.

Looking down, Katara gasped in shock as she realized she was dressed like a Fire Nation soldier all of a sudden. “What’s going on?” She asked, but her brother had already turned to face her, sword and boomerang in hand.

“I don’t know who you are, but you’re going to die like the rest of your comrades,” her brother said with a calm voice that sent chills down her spine.

Toph turned her way as well, arms at the ready for her rockbending. “I’m sorry, Katara, but you’re not my friend anymore.” She raised her arms as Sokka raised his weapons, ready to unleash the full fury of them down upon Katara. She could see the sun glinting off of the blades, feel the rumble of earth beneath her feet.

A shadow crossed her face and she realized with a start that Aang was circling overhead. Maybe she could convince him that she was really Katara. She raised a hand and was about to yell out for him when she saw a wave of water angling down on her from the Avatar’s gliding form.

Screaming out his name, she threw her hands over her head, mind trying to make sense of it. As all of it, water, steel, and rock moved towards her in a concerted attack, her only thought was that this was not real – it had to be a dream.

As the first droplets of water descended on her, Katara came awake on the deck of the ship, the wave that had drenched her already retreating from the boat. It was night and she had no idea when she had fallen asleep here. The events of the past week had been very trying for her as she spent long hours over Aang’s body, using every trick and technique she had learned to heal his wounds.

It was no surprise that she was exhausted – there were times when she fell asleep during meals from working on Aang, trying to heal the damage that had been done to him. Her father had pulled her aside the second day, worried over how much time she was spending with her healing, worried as any father would be for his daughter. Katara’s feelings for her father were still disorganized, brought on by the fact that she felt he had abandoned her and her brother to go off and fight this war she had become caught up in. It was no surprise that she had snapped at him, the exhaustion catching up with her and muddling her already-confused mind.

Then there were the dreams. As if spending long hours toiling in the hopes of keeping the Avatar back to life was not enough, her own restful peaceful sleep had been interrupted by these strange nightmares. She had never had dreams about her bending in this manner before. Every night the dreams were similar in nature – her waterbending abilities were gone, replaced by firebending. Every night she watched her friends turn against her. And every night ended with Aang trying to kill her with waterbending.

“Hey, you alright?” She turned slowly at Sokka’s voice from beside her. He knelt down on the deck, offering her a steaming mug of tea. Concern was written all over his inspection as he inspected his sister’s face carefully. “Your clothes are a bit wet.”

She accepted the mug with a nod. “Thanks. Yeah, I think I’m okay. Just dozed off while taking a break from being down below.”

“How’s Aang doing?”

A shake of her head answered his question. “As far as I know his wounds are healing slowly. The healing sessions I’m doing are helping somewhat, but there’s no sign of him waking up anytime soon. And…” she paused, “He’s growing hair.”

“Whoa. You mean Aang wasn’t born bald? Who would’ve thought?” Sokka’s voice was tinged with his usual sarcastic wit. It was enough to make her smile, even for a second, and he smiled in response. “You holding up alright, sis? I know it’s been a rough week and all.” It was rare for Sokka to show concern for his sister but he still loved her and she was still family. The time they had spent so far with Aang on his quest had certainly brought them closer together. Being forced to place trust in another had a way of doing that.

“I think so,” she replied, taking a long swallow of the warm tea and feeling it warm her insides. The warmth took away some of the chill of her wet clothes. “Has it only been two weeks? It seems more like a month to me.”

“Me too. Hard to believe we left the village only a few months ago.” It was hard for Sokka to get close to his sister anymore – though they loved each other very much there were times when he knew she would not open up to him because he was a man. She had started seeming to confide in Toph a bit more, which was funny because the earthbender didn’t seem the type to be anyone’s confidant, let alone Katara. Sokka knew that there was something bothering his sister – she had not spoken once of her imprisonment inside the old city, and he was sure that Zuko had said plenty to her before they had arrived.

Katara studied the deck of the boat as it lurched over another wave, causing the tea left in her mug to shift and tilt wildly for a second. “I wonder how Gram-grams is doing. And the kids. Sometimes I miss them.”

“I’m sure they’re just fine,” her brother smiled his typical, goofy, know-it-all smile. “I mean, after all, I trained them to protect the village. With my training there’s no way anyone is going to get into the village.” His words were filled with bravado and false modesty, but underneath them Katara knew he was as homesick at heart sometimes as she was.

She was silent for a moment, lost in her thoughts of the village, and did not see Sokka’s face soften into concern. She could hear it in his voice, which was so quiet that it was almost drowned out amidst the roaring of the waves. “Sis, are you sure you’re okay? Ever since we rescued you and Aang you haven’t been yourself.”

It was the first time this had come to the surface since she had been rescued, and it jolted Katara upright. The mug of tea in her hands slipped to the deck, contents spilling onto the planks as she leveled her gaze on her brother. How did she confide to Sokka what she had gone through – being imprisoned by Azula, chained up and then left in the Crystal City, facing down Zuko, fighting for her life and the Avatar’s life – what could she tell him? Then there was the period that she couldn’t remember, no matter how hard she tried. It was as if an entire day had been erased from her mind, leaving a hole in her memory. No, she was not ready to talk about it yet. Not even with her brother, who she had confided many of her secrets in, could she talk about this just yet. Only when she had a chance to come to terms with it on her own – when she wasn’t running herself ragged to heal Aang – would she be able to talk to others about it.

“I’ll be fine, Sokka, I promise,” she said, reaching out to squeeze his hand reassuringly. Slowly, she brought herself up to standing, scooping the cup up with her and handing it to him. “Thank you for the tea, even if I spilled some of it.”

Sokka accepted the cup slowly, watching her. It had been tough without a mother, and later without a grandmother. In a sense, he had done both duties at times for her – taking care of her when she was hurt, protecting her, and guarding her with his life. It pained him to see her go through things like this, and the news that she had been captured and held by Azula had left him almost sick with anger and fear. Seeing her again had brought a sense of relief, but there was still her imprisonment – moments when he hadn’t been there for her. Even though he knew that she was a waterbender and could take care of herself it still pained him to think of what she might have endured at the hands of the Bitch Princess and her lackeys during that time.

He wanted to press the matter further, but felt it unwise. He could not make her talk about her encounters any sooner than she wanted. The only thing he could do was be there for her when she decided to do so. Sooner or later she would come around and he would be ready for it.

“Well, it’s not like I made the tea, so don’t worry about it,” he replied, adopting his previous tone once more for her benefit. He was rewarded with a smile from her which, despite the somewhat sad look in her eyes, reassured him enough. “But if you spill my tea, we might have a problem. I mean, I put tender loving care into the tea when I make it!”

Now she giggled at his silliness. Good old Sokka – even when he was worried he could still act like a fool. It was a touchstone to the life that she had once had and hoped to return to once everything was all finished. With any luck they would defeat the Sun Lord within a couple months and she and Sokka could return to the Southern Water Tribe… or go northwards to see their brethren who were undoubtedly repairing the damage done during the Fire Nation’s attack.

“Thank you, Sokka, I’ll remember that.” She stretched and sighed. The nap had not made the weariness from her hard work go away. If anything, it had only made her feel more tired. But she knew that she had a job to do, and she enjoyed Aang’s company even if he was a bit young and had a lot to learn. His innocence in the world was a refreshing change for her, one that she found herself coming back to time and again. Spending time healing Aang also gave her a chance to be away from her father and let her feelings settle on the whole matter settle.

He knew where she was going when she stood up. She would return to Aang’s bed, gather her water about her, and begin working again to heal his wounds. This she would do until she was exhausted, at which point she would either collapse on the bed or straggle back to her bed to sleep.

“Hey sis, I know what you’re doing is important, but why don’t you get to bed and get a good night’s sleep. You’ll feel much better in the morning and you’ll be more effective with your healing. Besides, sooner or later we’re going to need to finish planning, and I want you there with us.”

Katara opened her mouth to protest but thought better. Sokka had a point, and she had been at this for over two weeks. Dreams or not, she needed to get rested up. They would be at their destination before too much longer and there wouldn’t be a moment to waste.

“Alright, Sokka, you win. I’ll get some sleep.” Waving a hand to him, she turned and headed belowdecks, her mind on thoughts of Aang, firebending, and memories of imprisonment.
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Lost Roads