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A/N: Okay, before I continue, may I post a HUGE FLIPPING BIG SPOILER WARNING! DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN CAVE OF TWO LOVERS! (That means YOU, LimaBean xP)
Right. Now that is over—there are spoilers here, so don't read it unless you've seen the episode—all I can say is Ooomaaaaaasshuuuuuuu! Buuuuuumiiii! Nooooooo! (And don't flip out at me if you just read that and got spoiled, because I TOLD you there were spoilers). So, in honor of our beloved Omashu and Bumi (sniff), the last piece of Pro-Zutara Week is this one-shot. Boo-yah!
…And I think I may have another new ship: Oma/Shu to the MAX!
Disclaimer: Bryan and Mike are the geniuses, not me. xP
Endless
Their love would never be hindered.
With their new (albeit stolen) mount, Zuko and Iroh had been able to travel much faster than by foot. They had traversed the Earth Kingdom, following the coast, continuing to flee southward. The uncle and nephew hadn't really planned on any particular destination, but in his mind, Zuko had traced the footsteps of the Avatar, hearing gossipers in random markets on the way south. He'd learned the Avatar was going to Omashu; and he'd vowed to go there, for he'd still had some inkling of hope in him that he would be accepted back home.
Now that he and his uncle were so close to the immense city, Zuko was wondering what he would do once he was in Omashu. But first, he had other things to worry about: there were mountains to cross, tall and foreboding, staring at him cruelly. They seemed to hold some unknown secret within them, and even looking upon them sent curiosity pounding into Zuko's veins. He wanted to know what was concealed within them.
There was a great and terrible secret within those mountains, just waiting to be found out.
Katara crept quietly through the streets of the burned city. She'd lost Sokka and Aang a while ago when they had nearly been assaulted by Fire Nation soldiers. Now she was trying to just get out of this terrible place, and maybe then she'd meet up with her two companions outside the city.
Her eyes flicked in all directions; and when she saw that the coast was clear, she sprinted through a large, abandoned plaza with half-standing shops on its edges. She turned a corner, looking behind her to see if anyone was following her—and ran headfirst into a giant fluffy something.
Frightened greatly, her eyes settled on the gray and brown fur, and something clicked into place. When she saw the arrow along the immense tail, she let out a small laugh.
"Appa!"
Zuko frowned. "Uncle, don't be ridiculous—Omashu is right through them; I'm sure there's a pass."
Iroh lowered his head and placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Zuko, you can't still think that bringing the Avatar to the Fire Lord will gain you back your throne."
Zuko shrugged off the comforting hand, indifferent. He had become increasingly colder since stealing the ostrich, and it worried Iroh immensely. Zuko was not himself, and Iroh wished he knew why, if only Zuko would become once again the honorable young man he had been—
"Uncle," snapped Zuko, mounting the ostrich, "I'm going over these mountains whether you come or not."
"Don't be so foolish, Nephew! You cannot hope—"
And this time, Iroh could see Zuko's eyes, and they were filled with nothing but sorrow. "Exactly, Uncle." Then Zuko tossed the rest of the remaining supplies to the ground and told the ostrich something quietly. The mount and its rider sped off into the distance, chasing a reality that never was.
She curled up in the warm fur of the monstrous, six-legged bison, deciding that she would spend the night here, for she hadn't slept in quite a while. Appa and Katara had waited until dusk before departing from the still-smoking Omashu, and Appa had landed in a valley in the nearby mountains that would be safe from the Fire Nation.
Katara couldn't sleep, though. Aang and Sokka might still be in Omashu, or worse, in the Fire Nation's grasp—she turned to Appa for comfort.
"Appa?" she asked quietly. "I think we should go back and look for Aang and Sokka."
Appa's intelligent eyes showed lamentation within them; and Katara understood that she could do nothing to help Aang and Sokka.
"Well, we'll spend tonight here. But I'm going back to Omashu in the morning to find them."
Appa's gaze had pity in it now, and the animal knew that Katara's hopes were already dashed.
At long last, however, the ostrich bent down to the ground and refused to move. Zuko growled in frustration and dismounted the ostrich, taking it by the rein. He traveled by foot now, and though the ostrich walked slowly, it came with him, showing a loyalty that Zuko had previously not noticed.
The ostrich made a noise that sounded rather condescending. Or maybe it was just that Zuko was imagining things.
"Be quiet," he told the animal, suddenly wishing that Iroh had come with him. The ostrich snorted in indignation, and its eyes told him that he should not be so stupid as he'd been. Zuko averted his gaze from the ostrich for quite a while after that.
She saw a shadow followed by a more immense shadow—and, not taking any chances, dashed off towards the valley that Appa was sleeping in.
His eyes widened, and he dismounted the ostrich, lighting a small fire in his palm to see rightly. There was the Avatar's bison and there, standing in front of him, was the Water peasant.
He and she stared at each other wordlessly, noting in surprise and awe how each had changed.
But one day, Shu never came.
Neither Zuko nor Katara had slept; both had been scared of each other at first, and then fascinated. Katara had been the first to speak, commenting something about his pointy hat. After that, the ice was broken, the fire of curiosity lit, and they spoke.
The two stayed in the valley for a few days (there were supply bags on Appa's saddle), for Katara had decided on waiting in the mountains (Appa had finally convinced her to stay). As for Zuko—well, his desire to capture the Avatar had been quenched. A bit. In the back of Zuko's mind, he knew that if the Waterbender and the bison were here, then the Avatar would soon be here as well, and that thought made him a little calmer.
On the forth morning, the dawn broke joyously into the heavens, and the Sun and the Moon hung in the great blue sky. And just for that time in the early morn, the two were equal, and there was nothing but absolute peace.
But as the Moon set, the Sun rose, spreading its fiery rays over the land.
And when Katara awoke, Zuko was gone.
Katara peered from Appa's saddle, trying to see if anyone was there in Omashu, if Aang was there or Sokka or even Zuko. Because she was alone once again and she needed another human to just be with. Being with someone was better than being alone, no matter what the circumstances.
She and Appa barged through the gates of Omashu, and she was unrelenting as she knocked out soldier after soldier with her bending. Knowing she had nothing to lose, she held an icicle to the neck of a soldier and asked him where were they holding their prisoners, and who their prisoners were—but there was only one, the fugitive ex-Prince of the Fire Nation, the soldier told her, and that today was a joyous day for the Fire Nation because of it. Uncaring, she slammed the soldier over the head with the icicle and sprinted as fast as she could—she had to rescue him, she needed someone.
Much later, as the two escaped from the burned city, Katara remembered the legend of the two lovers that the city was named after. The tribute to Oma and Shu's love was burned to the ground. Did that mean that love was not forever, that there really was no such thing as the power of love?
Something compelled her to turn her head; and she saw Zuko running alongside her, and she knew inexplicably that a bond had been formed between her and Zuko; and she understood: mortals may die and lands may change, but the power of love works in mysterious ways—it is all-powerful, it is endless.
Their love would never be hindered.
