ZenBenders - 2014

The Decision

[Katara's PoV]

"Benders able to bend both fire and water?! No way," Toph said, crossing her arms. Zuko and I finished telling the story just as the bright sun was chased away by the cool moon. I sighed. Aang's eyebrows were furrowed in blatant frustration.

"And airbending. Did you forget the part about airbending? How is that even possible?"

"It is, Aang. He airbended me straight into the air. I think she's telling the truth."

Mai shifted uncomfortably next to Ty Lee, who was gazing at her with concern. Suki cleared her throat, and Sokka gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"If these Zenbender people are who they say they are, if they really have no bad intentions, why didn't they do anything when we were fighting Fire Lord Ozai?"

Zuko and I exchanged glances.

"I don't know, but what I do know is that they could... potentially help us get rid of Ozai's Phoenix," Zuko answered. Aang's gaze bolted to Zuko.

"There's no way we can trust them. It took me a long time to figure out Earthbending and I'm the Avatar. There's no way someone can train themselves to bend another element."

"Aang... I know how you feel, really I do--"

"No you don't, Katara. You don't know how I feel," Aang shot back, staring at the ground. I ignored the pang in my heart and continued.

"I think Zuko's right. They might not be... completely trustworthy at the moment, but if we have a chance to take down Ozai's Phoenix, we should take it."

"Okay, but what about if these Zenbender people decide to turn on us? Then we'll be left fighting both groups at once," Sokka commented.

"It's better than sitting around waiting for something to happen. If they do turn against us, well we've got the Avatar on our side. I mean, c'mon, we can handle anything they throw at us. Plus I can do this," Toph said, bending a giant pillar of rock out of the ground, punching out as the rocks flew outwards. They formed a circle around the camp. Toph grinned.

"See?"

"Well said, bender of earth and metal," a chilling voice said. Nakko's voice drifted icily on the wind and the group stood at once, trying to find the source. Nakko emerged from the shadows, flanked by Rukin and another Zenbender.

"What are you doing here?!" I shouted, prepared to freeze all of them on the spot. Nakko rolled her eyes.

"I gave you--both of you--time to make a decision, and I'll have your answer now."

"You gave us until tomorrow to make a decision," Zuko retorted. Nakko tilted her head to the side, resting a finger on her chin.

"Oh, did I? Well that's too bad. I'll have your answer now. Join us, the peace seeking, balance keeping Zenbenders, or turn against us and suffer the wrath of the full force of our organization." As she said that, more shadows emerged from the trees.

Aang's eyes moved from mine to Nakko's to the Zenbenders behind her and back to me. His eyes were pleading with me to make a decision. I stepped forward and hoped I was making the right one.

"We'll join you."

"WHAT?!" Sokka exploded.

"Katara you can't be serious..." Aang trailed off. I crossed my arms over my chest as Nakko's smirk grew.

"Well what did you want to do, Aang? Fight all of them at once?!" He shared an equally frustrated look at me, then turned his gaze on the ground.

"I mean, I probably could've taken 'em but--" Toph started.

"If it makes you feel any better, I would've said the same thing," Zuko said.

"How would that make me feel better?"

"Oh great, just what we need, more benders," Mai muttered.

Nakko ignored us.

"I knew you'd make the right decision, waterbender--"

"Stop calling me that."

"And in return, the Zenbenders will help eradicate Ozai's Phoenix. Truth is, that nasty group was giving us trouble a while back. Torched our ground." Aang stepped forward, gripping his staff nervously.

"Well I am sorry about that, but why do you want to recruit us so badly? Why did you go out of your way to kidnap Katara and Zuko just to get us to join?" Nakko's eyes shined.

"It's simple. Wherever the Avatar goes, the people will follow."

We were left in silence for a minute before she whistled, and the shadows of the other Zenbenders disappeared into the forest, and only Rukin and the other girl remained. She looked vaguely Fire Nation, with her golden eyes and dark hair, but her nose and gait suggested Earth Kingdom.

"You've already met Rukin, and this here is Jin-Li. They're going to stay with you until tomorrow to make sure you don't even think about leaving." She turned toward me, eyes flickering between Zuko and msyelf.

"See you soon, Zenbenders."

*****

"Aw jeez, Mommy!" Ursa exclaimed.

"That sounds awful," Kya agreed. Toph crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hey, I thought we said we were going to be in this part of the story!" I shrugged.

"We'll get there, don't rush me."

"I'll show you rushed." Aang placed a hand on his wife's shoulder reassuringly, and Toph rolled her unseeing eyes, but leaned into his touch anyway.

Sokka leaned in, to whisper to Suki.

"Has Toph always been able to roll her eyes like that?" Suki shrugged.

"You know I never really noticed..." Toph turned her head and glared right at Sokka, and he flinched.

"Hey Fish Head, I may not be able to see with these things but I can move them." She demonstrated by moving her eyes in all sorts of different directions that made the twins giggle. Tenzin blushed.

Katara turned to me.

"Hey sweetie, we should get Uncle Iroh in here to help us tell the story, you know, to get his perspective." Knowing exactly what we would hear from Iroh's perspective, I stood abruptly, my cheeks heating up.

"No! Absolutely not." Ebarrassed, I sat back down while Sokka and Toph snickered at me. Katara shot me a puzzled look.

"Why not?"

"Well... because, um--"

"Because he's afraid I'll embarrass him," Iroh's voice boomed from the doorway. I groaned and sank back lower in my chair. For some reason, whenever Uncle Iroh was around, I'd lose my composure and suddenly I wasn't the Fire Lord anymore. I was reduced to an easily embarrassed teenager.

Katara smirked evilly at me.

"Where--why--how did you even know--?" I stuttered. Aang grinned sheepishly.

"Toph and I kinda ran into him on the way over here." Iroh shot us his famous grin and settled down into the center arm chair.

"Well, since he's here, I guess we'll get to hear his side of the story," Katara said.

"Yay!" Kya and Ursa cheered in unison. Tenzin smiled shyly and the three of them settled down in front of Iroh.

Embarrassed as I was, I smiled to see our two daughters so eager to listen to the story. It made me happy, considering I never thought my life would end up this way.