One Sky, One Destiny

Summary:

K+—romance/action/adventure—multi-chaptered

Sequel to “Scars of the Past”. About one year after the defeat of the Fire Lord. Everyone is still working to recover from the Hundred Year War. The companions have split up, at least one of them going to each of the four nations to do their part in helping restore their world. Suki is back on Kyoshi Island, helping to repair it after all the damage it’s had; Sokka is in the South Pole, helping rebuild it and make it stronger (and trying to learn Waterbending on top of that!); Aang is in the Northern Air Temple teaching Airbending to Teo and some of the others, so that he will not truly be the last of the Airbenders; Toph is with him, though she’s not very happy in a place where she can’t do much Earthbending. As for Katara, she is in the Fire Nation at Zuko’s request. No Fire Lord has yet been set up and Iroh is acting as temporary Steward and caretaker until one can step forth to take the throne. Will Zuko decide to claim his rightful place? Oh, and one more thing. Katara’s sixteen now. That means she’s of marrying age… Zuko/Katara, Aang/Toph, Sokka/Suki

Disclaimer:

I do not own “Avatar: The Last Airbender” or anything pertaining to it. The following story is based off of characters and concepts from Nickelodeon’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender”. All sections of italicized text are either dreams, flashbacks, or thoughts. Some flashbacks, spoken/reworded flashbacks, and quotes were directly described and quoted from episodes of “Avatar: The Last Airbender”. The phrase “One Sky, One Destiny” was borrowed from the video game “Kingdom Hearts”.

Water…

Earth…

Fire…

Air…

Long ago the Four Nations lived together in harmony. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, Master of All Four Elements, could stop them. But when the world needed him most…he vanished.

A hundred years passed and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar, an Airbender named Aang. He has helped us to bring the Hundred Year War to an end and now we have divided ourselves to journey among the Four Nations, to rebuild our world.

Chapter One

The Aftermath

Katara sighed and stretched tiredly, preparing to face another day. She was in the Fire Nation at Zuko’s request, and had been since the War ended. It had been little over a year ago that what would come to be known as the Final Battle had taken place in the Fire Lord’s throne room. It had ended the Hundred Year War and set in motion a chain of events that would change the world.

A year. Had it been that long? Yes. The very stars in the sky that wheeled above her head told her it was so. Her own sixteenth birthday had passed little more than a week ago, a reminder that while they labored to restore their world, time marched on, and still the aftermath of the War was everywhere.

So much had happened in that time, but it all seemed like only yesterday. Since Ozai’s fall, no new Fire Lord had been set up, but Uncle Iroh was acting as temporary Steward and caretaker until one could step forth to take the throne. With the passing of Zuko’s eighteenth birthday, he had become eligible to take the crown, but he had not yet claimed the position, and Katara thought it for the best. Now wasn’t the best time for a new ruler to come forth. Everything was in such a fragile state. But the time would soon come when a Fire Lord would have to be set up and it would all be left in Zuko’s hands.

Those thoughts seemed to be weighing heavy on the young man’s mind of late, and Katara and Iroh were beginning to worry about him. He was so quiet lately, more so than usual. Really, that was one of the things Katara like about him most; he was a strong, quiet sort, and that was comforting, knowing that there need be no words between them. But now he seemed…distracted, like something was hard-pressed on his thoughts.

She would watch some evenings when the day was through and the sun was disappearing behind the horizon as Zuko stood on the outer walls of the city, as was his habit of the night. His amber eyes looked far away, beyond the Fire Nation, beyond this world it seemed.

“Zuko?”

“Hey, Katara,” he said quietly.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, standing beside him.

“Nothing,” he replied.

“I hate it when you lie,” she said softly.

“I’m not lying,” he said defensively. “Not really. I mean…Ah, Katara I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“I think I do,” the Waterbender said slowly. “I think you’re just tired.”

“Katara…”

“Come on, Zuko,” she said. “You’ve been working non-stop, you need to take a break.”

“But there’s still so much to do…” he protested.

“Let someone else take care of it for once,” the Waterbender said. “I’m serious! Tomorrow, do me a favor and don’t do anything. What is it your uncle always says? A man needs his rest. Take some advice from him.”

Zuko sighed and looked at her.

“You’re not going to give up any time soon, are you?” he asked.

“I’m not moving from this spot until you agree to get some rest,” Katara said determinedly.

“All right,” he sighed after a long moment. “But on one condition.”

“And what’s that?” she asked.

“That you’ll come with me,” he said, “and let me show you the city. You’ve been here over a year, but I don’t think in all that time, that you’ve actually had a while to yourself to see the whole place. Deal?”

“Deal,” she replied, smiling. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Good night,” he said, stooping and kissing her brow.