not from around here | Zuko X OC

| chapter sixty five |

Katara marched across the island, a frown etched onto her face and so much power in her walk anyone who didn't know her would crumble beneath her gaze. Zuko trailed behind her with a sack slung over his shoulder, keeping his distance.

"I need to borrow Appa." Katara demanded, stopping to talk to Aang. Sokka, who was sat on the floor with his back to a rock as he made a flower crown, looked up at his sister and Zuko.

"Why? Is it your turn to take a little field trip with Zuko." Aang chuckled, turning back to Appa.

"Yes." Katara stated simply, raising one of her eyebrows as Zuko hovered behind her shoulder. "It is."

"Oh. What's going on?" Aang asked, sensing the seriousness in Katara's tone and turning back to face her, his arm falling from Appa's chin to his side.

"We're going to find the man who took my mother from me." Katara stated. At this, Sokka started to stand, abandoning his flower chain on the ground next to where he had been sitting.

"Sokka told me the story of what happened, I know who did it and I know how to find him." Zuko told them, still a little tired from staying up all night.

"Um, and what exactly do you think this will accomplish?" Aang asked, clearly opposing of the idea.

"Tsk, I knew you wouldn't understand." Katara scoffed, turning from him and starting to walk away.

"Wait, stop! I do understand. You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do you think I felt when the sandbenders took Appa?" Aang pointed out, waving his hands at his sides as Sokka watched from behind him. "How do you think I felt about the fire nation when I found out what happened to my people?"

"She needs this Aang. This is about getting closure and justice." Zuko chimed in.

"I don't think so." Aang disagreed. "I think it's about getting revenge." He finished softly.

"Fine. Maybe it is. Maybe that's what I need." Katara snapped angrily, the frown on her face deepening as she stood with her back to everyone. "Maybe that's what he deserves."

"Katara. You sound like Jet." Aang said to her.

Zuko frowned slightly, realising that the gaang must have come across that stupid low life as well as him, Saki and Iroh did.

"It's not the same." Katara snapped, finally turning around to face them. "Jet attacked the innocent. This man, he's a monster."

"Katara, she was my mother too." Sokka interjected. "But I think Aang may be right." He told her, stepping forwards and gesturing to Aang.

"Then you didn't love her the way I did!" Katara snapped at her brother in a fit of rage.

"Katara..." Sokka said, his voice faltering as a hurt expression appeared on his face.
Katata turned away and stared at the ground again.

"The monks used to say that revenge is like a two headed rat viper. While you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself." Aang told them, specificity Katara.

"That's cute, but this isn't airtemple preschool." Zuko snapped. "It's the real world."

"Now that I know that he's out there, know that I could find him. I feel like I have no choice." Katara said, looking up again as Zuko glanced at her.

"Katara. You do have a choice. Forgiveness." Aang told her, stepping forwards.

"That's the same as doing nothing." Zuko snapped.

"No it's not. It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive." Aang told them.

"It's not just hard, it's impossible." Katara snapped before turning and walking away.