Zutara: A Second Chance

Reminicing in the Sky

     "Mother! Hurry up please!" Tenzin shouted.
     "Relax Tenzin. We still have time." Said Kya.
"We still need to make it to the Earth Kingdom, to pick up Lin, Su, and Toph, then make it to the bunker before tomorrow afternoon." Tenzin said. He turned away from Kya. "Mother?!"
"Oh I'm coming." Katara said. She had run back inside her home to grab a picture of her children. She forgot to pack it, and only remembered it as she was already on Oogi.
Cheif Tonroq and Kya were waiting on Oogi's back. Tenzin jumped down to help his mother get on the sky bison. Once everyone was settled, they set off to the Earth Kingdom.
"You should get some rest, mother. We're sorry for bothering you this early. But we need you safe." Kya said.
"Oh, nonsense. It's already 7 in the morning. We'll be sure to arrive at the swamp later this evening. The tricky part will be convincing Toph to come with us." Katara said jokingly.
"So I've been told." Tenzin muttered. "I wonder what kind of trouble Lin and Suyin might be in right now with their mother."
"This reminds me of all the fun we used to have in my day. I remember my first ride on Appa." Katara said, as she took a deep breath, breathing in the cold morning air.
"The day your life changed forever." Kya said. She was very familiar of the story.
"The day your life changed forever?" Tonroq asked. Letting his curiosity sink in, to strike a conversation.
"Oh yes. That was the day I met my husband. You all know how I found him in the iceberg. And how that was a mere accident. But did you know, the Avatar's first words to me were, 'would you go penguin sledding with me?' " Katara mused.
"Well, I heard the young Avatar was playful. He was twelve. Minus the one hundred years frozen in an iceberg." Tonroq replied.
"That day was also the day I first met Firelord Zuko. He was only a prince back then. He attacked my village and threatened my grandmother." Katara said, now invested in telling a story to pass time. "But eventually we all got along very well."
"Maybe too well?" Kya teased.
"Kya, you know I loved your father." Katara said.
"I don't doubt it, Mother. But Toph and Uncle told us stories about you and Zuko in your teenage years." Kya said, smiling.
"Well, they're not wrong." Katara said. "When you're young, you develop feelings for all kinds of guys."
Kya chuckled. "I know how that feels."
"There was Haru, who I've only known for a couple of days. I went to prison to save him. And there was Jet. He was a bad boy. He had a tree fort." Katara said. Kya was surprised her mother was talking about this. "I got butterflies here and there with Zuko around. I was confused. I couldn't decide between him and Aang. But Jet betraying me, gave me an idea of what it would be like to date guys of the 'bad boy' type. And Zuko betrayed me a few times before. Once I got over the butterflies, I ultimately chose Aang. And I'm glad I did. I'm happy with how my life played out. I had three wonderful kids."
"Butterflies, eh? What did Zuko do to give you butterflies, Mom?" Kya asked. Very curious of the past relationship between the retired firelord, and her own mother.
"There were plenty. On the books, there was the time of the great Agni Kai between Zuko and Azula. And—"
"The Agni Kai gave you butterflies?" Said Kya.
"Well of course not exactly. We nearly died. But the moments we shared were nice to think of after it happened. Anyway, there was another time when he helped me seek closure from my mother's killer. And the time he saved me from a bunch of falling rocks. And when we watched a play about ourselves, and our characters were goofing around, if you know what I mean." Katara said. She felt great reminiscing what it felt like to be a teenager. How it feels to have a crush. "And when he was training Aang, him all sweaty and shirtless."
"Egh, Mother, we don't want to hear about your crazy, teenage fantasies." Tenzin shouted back to them from Oogi's neck. He apparently heard everything.
Katara smiled and shook her head. Turning back to Kya, she said, "But one of my favourites was when he took me to see the fireflies."
"So how do you feel now? You're going to see him tomorrow." Kya teased her mother once again.
"My feelings are long gone." Katara said.
"Oh really? Then why are you blushing?" Kya is enjoying teasing her mother.
"No I'm not, Kya. Please, I'm eigthy-five! Stop joking around." Katara said, smiling at her daughter. "Now sit tight. We've got a long journey ahead of us."

—————

     "Mom? Mom, wake up." Katara heard Kya say. She sat up, and took a look around, trying to make sense of her surroundings.
     "We're just outside the swamp. The Beifongs are waiting for us over there." Kya explained.
     The sky bison landed, and Tenzin got off to help the others onto Oogi's back.
     "Took you long enough." Lin said. "Mom, come on, get on the bison."
     "Ugh. A sky bison. Getting sentimental already, are we?" Toph said, earthbending herself up. Suyin followed quickly after her.
     "Come on. Quickly now, we get a move on." Tenzin said, stepping closer to Lin to help her get on the bison's back. But just as he stretched his arms out, Lin earthbended herself up as well.
     "I don't need your help, baldy."
     Tenzin frowned. Then turned, and went to get on Oogi himself.
     "Hold on everyone. Come on, Oogi. Yip yip."
     And with that, the bison went soaring through the sky.
     "Well, hello Toph. Nice to see you again." Katara greeted.
     "Yeah, yeah. Nice. It's been years, I know. But lets's do our catching up at this bunker alright?" Toph greeted back.
     "She's just grumpy we removed her from the swamp. Don't worry." Suyin said, in effort to make it clear to Katara why Toph greeted her like that.
     "Oh, not to worry. I'm used to Toph speaking like this. I expected nothing more." Katara replied. "That's okay. We'll have plenty of time to talk when we're there."
     "We should rest. We'll be flying all night." Cheif Tonroq suggested.