What If? (Zutara)

Chapter 9: The Fight Underneath Ba Sing Se

Katara was utterly perplexed. What had she done? She had only meant to heal the prince's scar not have a full blown make out session with him! She looked towards Aang running ahead of her and her heart softened. Her friends had come back for her. Well not all of them but they would get there.

Katara sped up, meeting Aang step for step, "We have to find Sokka and Toph."

Aang nodded with a determined look as they sprinted across the glittering caverns. Only to turn around all of a sudden and bring up a wall of rock, which was soon blasted away by blue fire. Azula.

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Zuko looked at the gaping hole in the cave, through which Azula had just departed. He was torn. His honour and his father's love was all he had ever wanted. He was tired of always having been in Azula's shadow.

He turned to look at Iroh, who met his stare with a pleading look. Zuko turned away ashamed, he had only just started to familiarize himself with the thought of creating a new life with his Uncle. He closed his eyes as he blew out air from his nose. Why was making a choice so difficult?

Then again it was unlike his sister, who had been striving to belittle every breath he took, to spontaneously offer him honour for taking her side in this fight against the Avatar. He couldn't fully trust her. After all, Azula always lies. Zuko opened his eyes as his resolve set in. He knew what he had to do.

"I am sorry Uncle," he said, before sprinting through the opening.

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Katara ran to the channel of water running in the cave and summoned a wave, spinning with it as she launched it at the Fire princess. Azula just met the wave with a wall of blue fire, dismissing the water into a huge cloud of steam, which she then used as cover to surprise the other two with two fire balls. Aang and Katara waterbent to block the intended attack as Azula landed on a ledge above.

Aang slammed his foot into the ground as he brought his hands in front of him and pulled causing the ledge to fall apart. Azula gasped as she leapt down, holding her hands out to either side, her back towards the gushing water fall.

Aang and Katara took a step towards Azula when an orange flame was blasted in between the three, announcing another's arrival. They glanced in the direction from where the flame had been shot, only to reveal Zuko as he walked out of the dark and put his hands up, ready for the fight.

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Aang looked down at Zuko from the crystal he had landed on. What a horrible turn of events. He could not process that this was the same prince that had once helped them corner the princess.

Zuko shot a massive ball of fire at Aang throwing him off balance. Seeing his chance Zuko created twin flames on his hands, which then extended into fire whips as he began to twirl them around. Aang's eyes grew wide. It was a waterbending move.

Aang fell to the floor using his fall as a way to launch Zuko into the air, who flew back crashing into the green crystals.

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Katara put her fury into fighting Azula. She covered the princess' arm and leg in water not allowing her movement. Just as she went to finish the fight, fire ripped through, causing her to lose her hold on Azula.

It was Zuko.

Azula smirked as she turned her attention to the recovering Avatar, who rose from the crater he had formed. Allowing Zuko to take her place in the fight against Katara.