ZenBenders - 2014

Nakko

[Katara's PoV]

My mouth was dry. That was the first thing I noticed. Everything around me was bone dry. I needed water. I needed my element. And I needed to find out where I was.

I opened my eyes slowly, and blinked rapidly before they adjusted to the light. Or rather, lights. Many lanterns hung from the ceiling of the room we were in.

...We? I gasped out loud when I heard someone cough behind me. I couldn't move because my ankles and hands were bound tightly with rope. I twisted and turned, trying to see Zuko. I cried out involuntarily when pressure was applied to my swollen ankle.

"Katara?" He asked, his voice raspy and sleep deprived.

"Zuko? Are you alright?" I asked.

I heard the sound of him shuffling and I was eventually able to see one of his arms. We both twisted as best as we could, so we could properly face each other. I noticed his face was pale, with large bags under his eyes, and his dark hair was matted to his forehead. Every now and again, he would wince slightly as though he were in pain.

"Yes. What about you? Are you okay?"

"I think I twisted my ankle, but I'm fine. I'll heal it when I get some water." He nodded, before the menacing voice that captured us cut in.

"Oh, a healer! Fascinating."

I craned my already painful neck, trying to find the source of the voice. I felt someone behind me, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. A second later, my wrists were untied. Before I could blink, both my ankles and Zuko were untied, and the only clue I had that a person did this, was the faint whooshing of cloth.

"Reveal yourself!" Zuko shouted, standing up. He extended his hand for me to stand as well, because I was having trouble rising to my feet. It was embarrassing to have such an obvious weakness exposed to an enemy. Especially an enemy as seemingly strong as this one.

Could this person be part of the Phoenix?! I thought, full of panic. A melodious voice chuckled.

"No, Waterbender. We are not part of that disgusting Phoenix group." I began to grow frustrated.

"What do you want from us?!" I shouted, frustrated that he or she seemed to know my thoughts.

A young woman appeared in front of us. Her outfit looked vaguely of the water tribe, but her tunic was black with a white trim, and her pants and shoes were black as well. Her dark hair was styled in a long braid, with a white ribbon tying it off.

One look into her deep blue eyes, and she seemed full of innocence. Her personality however, was quite the opposite so far.

"I-or rather, we-want you to become Zenbenders."

Zuko and I exchanged puzzled glances and moved closer to each other.

"Zenbenders?" he questioned. The girl smiled.

"My name is Nakko and I am a Zenbender. My primary element is Water, and my inherited element is Fire, of course."

I stared blankly at the girl. She couldn't be saying what I think she was saying, could she?

"You aren't saying you can bend both water and fire, are you?"

Instead of answering directly, she grinned and called out several names. In an instant, several people-about our age-entered the room, all dressed in black and white. A young man stepped forward. He was tall, muscular, and had rough features, with stubble dotting his chin. Nakko introduced him with a flourish of her hand.