A Dance As Old As Time Chapter 1, an avatar: last airbender fanfic

A dance as old as time

Fire and Water

Total opposites

Yet completely harmonious

Fire destroys

Water heals

Perfect compliments

Forever and all time.

Katara hummed as she slowly bent the water around her. Eyes closed, she became her element, slow and graceful. She formed the water into figures, first Aang, then Sokka, and finally Toph.

Right before she dropped the water back into the stream, she heard bushes rustling. It wasn't the soft sounds of a squirrel or fox moving through the underbrush. It was strong, like a person or some form of a bear.

Holding the water before her she slowly crept towards the woods, carefully and quietly. She had walked for a few minutes before she let her guard down. It was probably just a young platypus-bear. Katara turned around, letting the water sink into the ground. She stopped, and then turned again.

Where did I come from? She wondered starting to panic. It's ok Katara, just look for something familiar. She wandered forward and soon found herself in a clearing. But this was not familiar territory and the figure sitting in the middle of it was not a friend.

He had heard her walk in. The fire in his hand had grown sharply with her movement. His breathing quickened and became erratic. Zuko did not glance up but he knew who it was. It was the Water Tribe Peasant that followed the Avatar. He noticed how she tried to quietly slip back into the shadows. Pathetic he thought as the bushes rustled as she brushed by them. Just pathetic. Stupid water peasant. She obviously had very little skill in stealth judging by the trail she left, as clear as day.

He knew she had power. If the sun had not rose at that moment, the girl would have beaten him at the North Pole. But if he admitted that she was as powerful as him, that would be making them equals. It would be raising her to his level. But you are equals. You are just a banished prince with nowhere to go. The flame in his hands jumped at the thought.

Just then, his uncle came back from the woods carrying a bundle of firewood. Iroh looked at his nephew and the large fire hovering over his hands.

"Is something troubling you Zuko?"

"No, nothing at all."

"Now I know that is not true. Look at the size of that flame" Zuko glanced down at the rather large fire spreading between his calloused palms. "Come, let's have a cup of tea"

"I don't want any tea uncle" Zuko said as he stood up from his stiff position on the ground.

With that he stalked off into the direction that Katara went. He knew where the Avatar's campsite was but he did not take advantage of this knowledge. He had stopped chasing them after Azula hurt his uncle. Zuko's fists clenched at the thought of her name.

He heard the water from the stream and followed the sound. Then he saw her. The water seemed to listen to her as she bent it around her. I see she found her way back okay. With that he sat down, and watched. His fire was so different. He let loose fire from his emotions. He was just a host to the flame. She controlled the water. She was the master of her element. She was his opposite in every way.

She was flawless, her bending perfect. His skin was marred by a scar reaching across his face, his element mocked him as he trained. How could he be drawn to her? How could he watch her, not with disgust, but with amazement?

Her movement entranced him. Every move was deliberate and smooth. It was if she was dancing with the water in a perfectly choreographed performance. She eventually stopped practicing and began just toying with the water. Her element danced around her in a playful game. He almost laughed when she formed the water into the shape of a flame. The water flame mimicked a real fire as she shot drops of water into the air like the sparks of a campfire. The girl looked up at the sky and sighed. The sun was directly overhead.

Slowly, she placed the water back into the stream. When she turned to walk back to her camp, the banished prince could stand it no longer. He had to touch her. Zuko stalked out of the shadows and grasped her arm. "So I hear the Avatar needs a firebending teacher…"