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Borealis: A Zutara Story	By : jaded_priceless Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > AU/AR - Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality Views: 34026 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Avatar: The Legend of Korra, any historical figures or events, or easily recognizable persons, places or things. I make no profit from this work of fanfiction

Chapter List
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CHAPTER 309

Zuko and Katara slept in the next morning. The sun was high in the sky when they emerged from their room. Zuko bypassed the general kitchens and went to the one in the family sector. Eun Lee was the Associate Director of Fairy Land and head of medical research so there was no chance she'd been in the kitchen in what was considered the Fire Nation work week; however the food she'd begun in preparation for tonight's meal would be. So would Byeol and the older girls, friendly generous kitchen minions who were eager to share the things they were learning to make.

"It's not right!" Eun Su whined as she showed her older sister the omelet she'd made. "It's flat but yours and Moms are fluffy."

"Mine aren't fluffy either," Ty Lee pouted as she poked the one she'd made.

Zuko grabbed a plate and a pair of chopsticks before tilting his cousins' hands so their imperfect creations slid onto it. He passed a portion of each to Katara then dug in, "Who cares if they're flat, they taste fine."

Katara took a bite and blinked slowly, "Are these supposed to have this much flour and no what's that seasoning called? And the other is exactly opposite."

Byeol took a bit of each then advised, "Mix your batters together and they'll be perfect. Zuko can eat that while you two help each other start on another set."

Katara didn't have to worry about rudeness as Zuko dumped the contents of her plate onto his and the eight year old presented her with four imperfectly formed rice balls, "I made these, Elder Sister."

Katara lifted one, a took nervous a bite then honestly replied "These are yummy."

She nodded, "I've been on riceball duty for three years. I can make them in every flavor. Mama says the shape will improve as my hands get bigger."

"I'm sure they will," Katara agreed.

Zuko took one and muttered around a mouthful of food, "Hey these are good. They're almost as good as yours Katara."

All of the girls but Ty Lee turned to the Waterbender, "Can you cook?"

Katara nodded.

The ten year old who hated to cook just as much as Azula slyly asked, "Will you cook us something?"

Katara scanned the kitchen and was instantly reminded of home. All of the signs of a young girl learning to cook from her elders were present. Small oddly shaped vegetables set next to a bowl of thick peels waiting to be reprocessed by more experienced hands. A bowl with several egg whites and a single broken yolk sat nearby, next to it was a bowl of four cracked eggs and multiple shards of eggshells. She smiled fondly at the "white" bowl containing flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and a few other white grainy kitchen items she couldn't name. If this kitchen was like the one at her home it would be gradually worked into batters and breads until it was gone. After her perusal she announced, "I can make something."

She sampled the contents of the white bowl, careful to wash the spoon after every taste and scooped what she thought would be useful into a larger bowl. She added a few spices then moved to the vegetables. She selected a few of the larger peels, smaller vegetables, onions, peppers, garlic, celery and carrots which she chopped into small uniform pieces. "Where is the meat?"

All of the girls groaned but the ten year old spoke, "Mom's on a meat free kick"

"Again," Byeol huffed.

"What no meat?" Zuko yelped.

"I swear, you and Sokka," Katara muttered before instructing Zuko, "Go get some ham, sausage or bacon ends from Fan."

Zuko ran out of the room and was back before Katara could finish showing them the icky but effective way of using their fingers instead of halved eggshells to separate whites and yolks. He came back with a bowl of three types of meat, "I didn't know which one you wanted so I got all three."

Katara washed her hands and took the bowl, "You probably asked for all three."

"What's wrong with that? It's not like I'm not going to eat it?" he pouted defensively.

"We can't have any?" the six year said crawling from her spot beneath the table and onto Zuko's lap.

Zuko scowled as he leaned back, inadvertently aiding her attempt and growled, "You are potty trained aren't you?"

She laughed, "You're silly Cousin Zuko, I only wet the bed some nights but Daddy says that's cause I sleep really well because I'm so busy during the day."

"Yeah, you are busy. You're supposed to be with Seon, Aki, Hikko, and the twins and like a good little baby," Byeol said crossing her arms.

"They're babies, I'm not a baby. I can cook," she pouted sticking her lip out and presenting Zuko with her creation. It was a riceball whose perfect shape and fuzziness led him to believe it been rolled out on the floor. "Wanna try it?"

"You can't give people food like that!" Zuko shrieked.

"You're supposed to clean it off first," he said taking it from her brushing it off and popping it on his mouth.

He was rewarded with multiple cries of "Cousin Zuko!", "Eww that is so gross!", and "That's nasty Cousin Zuko!"

"No it was actually pretty good," He patted his little cousin on the head, "Hey Munchkin, you got any more of those?"

She scrambled out of his lap and dove back under the table. She squealed with delight as he pulled her and her bowl of ingredients out. "First rule of cooking, don't put food on the floor if you can help it. If can have to, brush it off first so your guest feel special."

"Why would you cook on the floor?" Byeol asked

"Or eat food of it? Bleh?" Eun Su questioned.

Zuko face was more serious than they'd ever seen when he looked up at them, "Because you're hungry. There were times Uncle and I went days without food. It was worse for him, there were times he didn't eat so I could. He maintained his honor and obtained food for us legally but I thought his actions were demeaning so I stole. I took things from hard working people because I was a spoiled entitled brat who didn't understand the concept of doing such basic things for myself."

"If I hadn't gone through that I wouldn't understand that being the recipient of Tamako’s very first rice ball is precious gift that I will always appreciate."

Byeol quietened as she contemplated the change in her cousin's attitude and words but her Eun Su charged full steam ahead, "Katara he ate off the floor."

The Waterbender nodded, "I've also eaten off the floor. Where I grew up food was too precious to waste, if it fell, we cleaned it off and ate it."

"Really?"

"Really," Katara replied as scooped the meat she'd just browned out of the grease they made and added the vegetables, "But we were really careful to try not to let it fall on the floor."

Zuko stuck his tongue out at his skeptical cousins and was rewarded by another riceball from their younger sister.

Once the vegetables were partially cooked, Katara added the meat back into the pot and set about scrambling the ruined egg whites with ones from the bowl whose shells she'd removed then whisked them into the white bowl and seasoning mixture. She then poured them over the meat, vegetables. She stirred it and placed it in the oven to bake. She stirred it once the eggs began to set and rise to redistribute the meat and vegetables. A short time later Katara removed the cast iron pot and turned it upside down on a platter. Its thick and fluffy contents slid smoothly out.

"It looks like a cake," Byeol marveled.

Katara nodded, "We had Antarctic hens so eggs were fairly plentiful but things like flour and vegetables were brought by Earth Kingdom traders. We had to use them carefully and this was one way to be sure everyone had some. It will be cool enough to slice in a moment."

The mixture was filling and delicious; more filling than the girls anticipated. There was more than half left once Zuko had finished. Byeol poked Eun Su, "Go get the others. They're going to want something to eat too."

"Yeah and we have to get rid of this meat before Mom sees it," the eight year old added as she also poked her older sister.

Eun Su poked them both back and made a face at them before running away to get their siblings and cousin, "Slow pokes."

A thundering of feet both large and small announced their success. Eiji appeared holding the slower moving twins while Aki carried toddler on his back and Seon flanked his sides.

"I heard there was m-e-a-t." he spelled not wanting the four year olds and two year old learning how to talk to tell their mother he was assisting the children in cheating on her latest nutritional improvement.

"Gee guys just run off and leave me with the baby," Eun Su grumbled as the infant pulled her hair.

Her father kissed her forehead and took him out of her arms, "He just does it to show he loves you just like I do. I love all of you. Especially whichever one of you thought to get meat!"

"Dad is that you or the carnivore talking?" Byeol giggled.

Her father laughed, "Both!"

"Meat, meat, I love meat, meat is something good to eat," Eiji sang happily to his youngest son as he dabbed the baby's mouth with finger he'd just poked into his food.

Katara giggled and dished out the food. The newcomers including the two little girls and toddler ate just as greedily as Zuko had. Katara was glad she listened to the seven year old and set aside some for Sokka, twins, and Mu.

She was pulling a second vegetarian dish out of the stove when the War Minister appeared. He looked at the guilty faces mixed combined with the smell of smoked meats and asked humbly, "Can an old man have some too?"

The seven year old passed towel covered plate to him, "I saved this for you."

He picked up her and the dish, "Thank you Honey Bun. Nice to know someone still thinks of poor old grandpa."

He took a bite and hummed in appreciation, "Oh you girls have gotten good. I'm going to have to take one of you home with me since your Grandma and Granny can't cook. Which one of you wants to come live with Grandpa?"

To Katara's surprise they all shook their heads. The eight year old waved at her. Katara set down the dish she'd made for Aang and the girl loudly whispered. "Grandpa lives by himself. Granny Tsubaki won't move to the capital and Grandma Bong Cha believes she's earned her freedom. His house smells like stinky old man and feet."

"You little smart aleck," Qin said reaching out to tweak her nose. "I'd take offense if you weren't so darn cute and didn't speak the truth."

Zuko placed his hand on Katara's back and whispered "Let's go take lunch to the Avatar and your brother."

Aang was in his cell trying to convince the guards to let him go out and play again. His eyes brightened when he saw the prince, "Zuko they won't let me go out and play. Did you and Katara come to get me? Sokka's already outside. He was with the two big twins that tried to get me out."

"No, we brought food," Zuko said gruffly.

"It's not jook is it? They woman who brought my breakfast said jook is a nutritious and delicious way to feed growing children," Aang grumbled.
Zuko shuddered, "That had to have been Eun Lee. She's the only person who believes Uncle Iroh's garbage."

"No Aang, it's something I made," Katara said handing him the sliced frittata.

"Thank you," Aang said exuberantly, "I missed eating your food."

Katara smiled, "I hope you enjoy it Aang."

"Hey Katara," Aang called out. He wanted to ask her about what he heard last night but paused. If he did then other people would know someone had gotten him out of his cell and he didn't want to get his new friends in trouble. "Um will you bring me dinner too?"

"I don't know Aang I'll try," she said looking at Zuko.

"I'll make sure you get something other than jook," Zuko rasped as he wrapped his arm around Katara and led her away from the cells.

"Zuko can we go outside?" Katara asked.

"Where do you think I'm taking you?" he replied gruffly.
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Borealis: A Zutara Story