What If? (Zutara)

Chapter 5: Crystal Catacombs

I am srry the chapter got a bit veryyyy long, so I cut it in half bcs of a dear friend of mine who doesn't exactly like reading long stuff. lol   :)

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"Why did they throw you in here?" Katara fumed, as she paced around behind Zuko. Ever since they had thrown him in he had gone to a corner and had sat down facing the wall, with his back to her. It just made her get more mad as he was ignoring her.

Well, trying to atleast. Why couldn't she just leave him alone? It was already bad enough that they had put him with her, alone. She paused, to which he thought, 'Oh thank the spirits, thought she would never stop'. But of course he spoke too soon, or more like thought too soon.

"Oh wait, let me guess, it's a trap," she continued to pace as she spoke, "So that when Aang shows up to help me, you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches." 

She made her hands claw-like to emphasise on the last word. He turned his head slightly towards her and looked away again. 'Why couldn't he just say something, anything, even argue with me?' Katara thought. It shocked her that he was just silently accepting her accusations.

 This was not the same arrogant Prince that she first met, she realizes. But no, he can't be good, he isn't good, is he? 'Snap out of it Katara, you can't have feelings for him' she thought to herself.

Feelings? Where did that come from?

 'Ugh I have to keep talking or I am definitely going to go crazy, he smells so damn good even from afar. Like Jasmine tea, and the warm breeze- What?! No! This can't be happening, I can't fall for him. Now where was I.'

"You're a terrible person, you know that?" she told him, even though deep down she knew it wasn't true. "Always following us, hunting the Avatar, trying to capture the world's last hope for peace, but what do you care," she said her anger finally getting the better of her, blocking out anything else she felt, "You're the Fire Lord's son, spreading war, violence, and hatred is in your blood."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Zuko finally spoke up. He couldn't bare the fact that she was comparing him to his father. If it were anyone else, he most probably would have had most probably attacked them and- Hold on a minute, why hadn't he attacked her? 

Katara had probably been thinking the same because she had a look of surprise, if it was because he spoke or because he hadn't done anything to her at the mention of his father, he didn't know.  Soon enough the surprise was replaced with anger at his denial.

"I don't?!" she paused as she shook with anger and frustration, as if she were restraining herself from lunging at him, though he would have preferred she did, because he deserved it, "How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through, me personally!"

  She sat down and curled into a ball, her back facing his back as she touched her necklace and tears ran down her cheeks. "The Fire Nation took my mother away from me." 
She sobbed as her whole body shook.

How he wanted to take her into his arms, hold her, and console her. But he knew it wasn't his place. Instead he looked behind him and said, "I am sorry." then turned around completely, "That's something we have in common."

Katara stopped sobbing, as she ran his last words through her head. That's something we have in common. 'What? but that meant-' She turned to look at him while wiping her tears away, as she saw him in a new light.

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"Well what do you know." Toph said as she used her earthbending to find the caves, "There is an ancient city down there, but it's deep." She stopped speaking and earthbended a hole leading down from where she was standing.

"We should split up." Sokka said after a moment of thought, "Aang, you go with Iroh to look for Katara and the Angry Jerk, no offence." He said the last two words to Iroh, who replied, "None taken."

"And I'll go with Toph to warn the Earth King about Azula's he coup," he said, thoughtfully stroking his chin as Momo flew to his shoulder.

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The walls surrounding them rumbled as Aang earthbent pushing the earth forward as they advanced, with a flame in Iroh's hand. As they walked the cleared path to stop in front of the earth again, Aang earthbent, again. He would have to do this till they reached Zuko and Katara, he decided to confide in Iroh since he remembered Toph saying that Iroh had given her advice, which in her words were very good advice. 

"So," he started as he rubbed the back of his head as they walked, "Toph said you gave pretty good advice, and great tea."

Iroh smiled and replied, "The key to both is proper aging, what's on your mind?"

They stopped for moment as Aang earthbent again. "Well, I met with this Guru who was supposed to help me master the Avatar State, and control this great power, but to do it, I had to let go of someone I loved," He paused looking down as he stopped walking, "And I couldn't do it."

"Perfection and power are overrated, I think you're very wise to choose happiness and love."

Aang earthbent again, "What happens if we can't save everyone or beat Azula? Without the Avatar State, what if I am not powerful enough?"

"I don't know the answer, sometimes life is like this dark tunnel, you can't always see light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving," They stopped as Aang earthbent again, this time there was light as they looked around at the huge cavern of glowing crystals, and a small waterfall that dropped into a huge pool, Iroh estinguished his flame and smiled, "You will come to a better place." 

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Sokka and Toph climbed the stairs to the palace, as Momo chittered while he flew leisurely after them. Sokka spoke up as they reached the top of the stairs.

"There's General How." He said as he put out his arm in front of Toph and suddenly grabbed her shoulder and yanked her along as he saw something.

It was General How, who was walking past but he was not alone. There were a few Dai Li Agents hiding atop the huge pillars, and were hidden from view from the General, but not Sokka since he was standing at a different angle. They were safe for now since the Dai Li hadn't noticed them, yet.  

Two of the Dai Li jumped down from either side of General How and earthbended chains around his arms. The chains were made out of stone and the General struggled to escape. Another Agent jumped down in front of the restrained General.

"Urgh! What's going on here?!" The General asked as he struggled against his bonds.

"You're under House-arrest." 

Sokka turned around to Toph after having witnessed the way the Dai Li had restrained and bound the General. "The coup is happening right now! We gotta warn the Earth King." 
He grabbed her arm and raced to the Earth King, as the coup continued. They would have to free the generals later on, right now they all had to accomplish their respective goals and re-unite.

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Hello Dear Readers,

 I would really appreciate it if u guys would comment on the story. Because then I would be able to reflect on my work and make changes if necessary.

Thank you, Bug out.