literature

Chapter One

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Katara looked around Ba Sing Se, enjoying the breeze that toyed with her long brown curls, bringing the scent of jasmine and other sweet things along with it. It had been three years since the war ended and she was glad for it; the world had changed so much since her boyfriend, Avatar Aang, had defeated the Fire Lord, Ozai, allowing their friend Zuko to take his rightful place on the throne. Peace had been fought for in one year when they began their journey, making friends and enemies, learning trust, and finding love. There were a few rebellions, but nothing serious and over the years, they had diminished to almost nothing.

The eighteen year old woman looked around again and felt a chill. Unlike it was normally, the city was empty; she was the only one walking on the streets. Where was everyone? Where were Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Zuko? This bareness was starting to frighten the Master Waterbender and she was about to walk back home when she noticed a woman standing in front of her, her back to Katara. She was puzzled yet slightly relieved that she was not the only one out, but there was something familiar about the woman. She had long white ringlets, wore a dress so light blue it was almost white like ice, and there was a faint glow around her. A spirit? Was it Yue? No; the air around the woman was cold like the winter and she seemed to be powerful even though Katara didn't know why.

As she approached the figure, she turned, staring into Katara's olive face. Katara gasped, stumbling back from shock and fear. That was impossible, that couldn't happen; yet she was looking at her own face, yet it was not hers either. The face of the copy was beautiful but pale like snow, her hair white, but the eyes were the same and so were the features; she even looked to be around eighteen yet had an ethereal look about her that made her ageless. Katara was looking at a pale version of herself.

The Other-Katara smiled at her in a chilling way. "It is coming," she whispered; her voice was the same yet cold and soft, nothing like Katara's either. "The curse will take you, and you will not be able to resist." Then her hands filled with something white and crystalline; snow and ice. The next thing Katara knew, the other her had encased the city with ice, making the young Waterbender cover her eyes by the brightness, and the woman disappeared. When Katara looked, she was horrified to see her friends, all frozen and lifeless, on the ground, along with the citizens. Who really caught her eyes though was Aang; his gray eyes, usually bright and alive, were dull and he wasn't breathing. Tears cascading down her face, she ran to him and held his body as she sobbed.


Katara woke with a start, bolting upright in bed in their house on the Upper Ring, feeling as if she were freezing from her nightmare. This was the fifth time she's had it and still couldn't understand it. Why was there a pale version of herself and how could she have had the power to freeze a whole city and its living occupants? What was happening to her? All Katara knew was that it meant danger, but she wasn't sure of the kind it would be. What had the other woman said? It was something about a curse overtaking Katara and not being to resist. What kind of curse?

Right as the Waterbender was about to calm down enough and get out of bed to make some tea, a pair of familiar arms came around her waist and held her close. She looked behind her to see Aang's familiar eyes and arrow and more of her fear melted as he held her, watching her face in concern. It was then she realized how the room was just starting to lighten; dawn was approaching. He had either felt her and woke up or he was rising early again; either way, she was glad he was there.

Over the years, Aang had filled out where he was no longer scrawny but not buff either; lithe, she would say. His training in the elements had helped shape him, both in body and mind, turning him from the goofy twelve year old she had found to the attractive sixteen year old he was now. The Airbender had changed, but their love had grown over the time they had known each other. She had traveled with him even though he tried to persuade her to return home, at least for a while; but she was adamant. Katara didn't want to be anywhere without him; Aang had helped shape her into what she was. If it hadn't been for him, she and Sokka would never have been able to leave the Southern Water Tribe, to grow and learn of the outside world. He had made their lives better.

The Airbender pushed some hair from her forehead, eyes still on her face. "Are you okay, Katara? You feel slightly warm." His voice had deepened too, low but not too low; it was like a melody to her.

Katara snuggled into his bare chest, slightly blushing when their skin touched. She was only in bindings and he wore only pants because it was warm inside the house since summer had started ending. In a week is the celebration for the end of the war, a type of festival to acknowledge the peaceful world. Katara was excited about it, but something, a shadow of foreboding, covered her, as if a warning was saying to be careful, that something was about to change.

She sighed. "I'm fine, Aang; I just didn't sleep very well." She looked at him. "Why are you up so early?" She didn't want to tell him about her nightmare; she didn't want him to worry about it, not when he was busy with everything else. As the Avatar, he was obligated to present himself to the media and meetings for trade, colony regroup, and other official businesses of recreating the world. It was a huge weight, but he shouldered the responsibility with maturity, only complaining to her when things got too stressful for him to bear alone.

Aang shrugged, playing with a curl, even though she could tell he wasn't finished about questioning her. Ever since the first nightmare a couple weeks earlier, he had been trying to pry information by doing what he did, being compassionate and understanding. The Airbender didn't interrogate her though, which made her grateful since she was reluctant to put her problems on him. "I'm an early riser." He gazed at her and squeezed her stomach. "But I felt you move and became worried. I wanted to make sure you were alright." The truth of his feelings was in his clear gaze, confirming what he was saying. Katara couldn't have asked for a better boyfriend.

She closed her eyes, settling into his embrace. "I'm okay, really. I just have a lot on my mind right now, that's all." When he didn't answer, Katara looked up at him and touched his cheek, which he pressed into without thought. "I'm fine, Aang. Don't worry about me; I'm a big girl." She decided to make a little joke to ease the tension. "Besides, I wasn't your Waterbending teacher for nothing; I have to know how to fight."

Aang chuckled, some of the worry leaving his eyes. "That you do." He kissed her forehead affectionately before he backed away with a smile. "Come on; since we're both up, we might as well get the day started." Katara smiled in return and they both dressed before leaving the room to have breakfast. They were the only ones in the house; Toph had gone back home to continue her Earthbending school while Sokka and Suki had gone back to their homes. Zuko and Mai were leading the Fire Nation; they had married the previous year and had a daughter named Alora. The baby was three months old but already she was moving around. They didn't know if she was Firebender or not; it was too soon to tell. Katara wondered if one day, she and Aang would have kids of their own, if they ever got married.

She studied him from across the table, feeling herself blush. She couldn't help but think of how great of a father he would be; he was fun, caring, and strong enough to handle anything. Katara wouldn't want to marry anyone else or have kids with someone she wasn't familiar with; she and Aang had been through so much together that it strange to think of a life without him by her side. The Waterbender prayed it would never have to come to that.

As if he heard her thoughts, Aang's eyes moved to her, away from his noodles, and smiled at her with a sparkle in his eyes that made the blush deepen on her skin. Her breath caught at the look Aang gave her as if he knew what she was thinking about and was showing some kind of approval. Was she that obvious? As they continued to look at each other, the air heated, becoming charged. She wanted so desperately to ask him what he was thinking about when he stood up and walked over to her, sitting down, eyes never leaving hers for even a split second. Her breathing sped up from the proximity and her lips starting tingling when he looked at them, his eyes going dark.

When he looked back up, the desire in his gaze made Katara feel warm, and then he started tenderly kissing her, his warm hands cupping her face. Katara wrapped her arms around his waist, glad she ate fruit instead of meat this morning. Being a vegetarian, Aang didn't approve of eating something from a dead animal and the more time she spent with him made her more like him in that department. As she kissed back, she thought her body was going to melt right on the spot; her hands moved of their own accord to his chest and felt his arms go around her back, practically crushing her against his hard body.

Neither had any idea on how it had happened; they were on the ground, food forgotten, and Aang was kissing her neck, gently biting, probably leaving a mark or two in the process. They had gone this far before, but something felt different to Katara; she could feel her body warm up again, feeling the same desire she saw in his eyes when Aang had looked at her. Maybe they would go to the next step in their relationship; Aang certainly seemed ready for it. However, something stopped in her; they were still too young to make love and besides, she wanted to be married first. Even though she wanted every piece of him, it was too soon. They had to wait.

When she felt his hand go for the sash of her kimono, Katara grabbed it while pushing him away, albeit reluctantly because she loved the feeling of his lips on her skin, and goose bumps rose when cool air hit her warm skin. He looked at her in slight confusion as they fought for breath. She breathed, "Aang, we can't; it's too soon."

The Airbender swallowed, looking slightly disappointed but respected Katara's wishes as he got off of her after a gentle kiss, helping her back up. She snuggled into him, feeling his arms come around her and bury his nose in her hair. He didn't say anything; just held her and she wondered if she had offended Aang in some way. Katara looked up at her Airbender and saw that his eyes were closed as if in sleep, yet there was tension in his jaw, causing her to rub it slowly to ease it. "Are you angry?" she murmured.

His jaw unclenched as she continued her small treatment and sighed. "No, Katara; I could never be mad at you." His orbs opened, resembling storm clouds. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have tried to go in…that area. I just love you so much I feel like I can't control myself sometimes. I hope I didn't scare you." His sincerity melted her heart, making her love him even more, if that were possible.

The Waterbender smiled slightly at his thoughtfulness; Aang really was something special. "You didn't, Aang. To be honest, I wanted to do it too."

Aang looked surprised and slightly hopeful. "Did you really?" he asked, hugging her closer again as he stared into her big blues.

Katara smiled a little. "Yeah," she said quietly. The smile disappeared as she added, "But still, we have to wait. Can you do that for me?"

He kissed her forehead. "I will," he murmured against her skin before pulling back slightly. "I'll wait until you're ready; I won't push you into it." To show her appreciation, she lightly kissed him, feeling themselves fit as they hugged after a few seconds of kissing. Katara really didn't know how she could have lived without Aang in her life; she would rather die than not be with him. Then her nightmare came to mind and she had to suppress a shiver of fear; it was only a dream, it didn't mean anything. If that was the case, then why couldn't Katara shake off the fear and foreboding creeping down her spine?


"ALL RIGHT, YOU LILY LIVERS!" Toph shouted to her students of Earthbending Academy. "NEXT FORM NOW!" As the students rushed to get into a line, the Earthbending Master felt their hearts and stances, walking among them to get a feel of their forms, correcting them in a much quieter voice. She might be hardcore, but even she wouldn't want to embarrass her students…at least, not overly much. When she was satisfied that everyone was in shape, she took a stance in the front on a stage made of earth. Today they were learning defense and had the kids in pairs, lined up and ready. "Alright, kiddies, I want every to follow my lead. Quin here will assist me." Quin was an Earthbender about two years older than Toph, but he didn't treat her like a defenseless blind girl like her parents did. Even though she talks to them occasionally, they still see her as a child, not the war hero she was.

Quin, on the other hand, treated her like one, yet he was also sweet and funny; not to mention a kick butt Earthbender. Even though she could not see, Toph learned about what he looked like and tried to make a mental picture; green eyes, black hair that was shoulder length, and muscular but not buff. She thought he sounded attractive, but she wasn't going to admit that. That would make her sound like a female, even though she was. Besides, she didn't have time to date or anything; she had a school to run. It was on an island a few miles away from Gaoling and someone had to Earthbend a bridge to get there. The island was uninhabited and had enough room to do as they should.

After the two of them demonstrated what the students should do, they left the kids to their own devices; Toph wasn't worried about them skipping out. The last time anyone did that had been… unpleasant. It made the students think twice about sneaking off. Ah, the joys of being a hardcore teacher. The two Earthbenders entered the lounge where they could relax. A few others were there, extra teachers and students taking a break, but there was a secluded spot near the back and they went over there, grabbing a couple apples on the way.

Even though Toph loved doing what she did, a part of her missed the adventures she and her friends use to have: traveling around the world, making friends, kicking bad guy butt. Since the war ended with Aang taking Ozai's Firebending away permanently, things had dulled down; the occasional uprising never lasted for more than a week, which was boring most of the time. She remembered one time going to the meeting a couple years ago about trading and thought she would have died of boredom had it not been for the fact that assassins had tried to kill them instead. They had dressed like the noblemen but she knew something had been off even before they attacked them. Oh, that day was fun!

Toph chuckled a little, feeling nostalgic, and Quin noticed. "Got something you want to share, Toph?" His deep voice made her come back to reality and the female Earthbender took a bite of her red apple.

She wiped the juice the dribbled down her chin and swallowed before replying. "Just thinking about the past; of how things had changed over the years since Twinkle Toes took out the Loser Lord. I kind of miss being out there, making the world better and showing how I can help. Besides, it was about time I showed off. I was tired of being seen as the helpless little girl my parents see."

He laughed and warmth coursed through her at the sound. 'Get a gripBei Fong!' she scolded herself. Still, the strange warmth stayed with as he said, "I know the feeling; when I was a kid I had an accident involving a huge rock landing on my thigh, breaking bone. I was about twelve or thirteen at the time, and mother was extremely frantic. My father is unknown; he only got my mother pregnant with me and then left right after he found out." The bitterness in his voice made Toph realize how he loathed this unknown man and she didn't blame him; if her dad had done that to her mom, she would hate him too.

She remembered his story of how he had come here, back when he had healed enough to bend again. Quin had trained until he was master at an academy near Yu Dao. When the Harmony Restoration Movement had failed, they Fire Nation colonies had grown, adding more people from the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes. It was a way of making peace amongst themselves. That was where he had lived before coming to Gaoling. His mother was a sweet lady; Lira was smart too. She wasn't an Earthbender, but she sure had the toughness of one. She had met Toph the day Quin had come to the tryouts for teachers to watch him perform, even if she was a little fussy about him. Still, she never stopped him from achieving his goals, which made her special. Don't get her wrong; Toph loved her parents, but they were so overbearing most of the time it made her want to rip out her hair in exasperation.

After taking a deep breath he continued, bringing her back to the present again. "Anyway, I used to be picked on by the older kids because of how scrawny I had looked and they had challenged me to an Earthbending match, which I accepted. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground with broken bones. I got rushed to a healer and fixed up, though I still walk with a slight limp."

Toph knew what he meant; she had noticed it the first time they had met at the beginning of the school being opened to the public. It had made her reluctant to give him a chance as a trainer, but she had had to remind herself that some people with a weakness can turn out to be the strongest of them all. She was blind, yet she saw everything around her because of the vibrations she could feel. When Quin had shown what he could do, the Blind bandit let him in, impressed with his skill. His leg was a little messed up, but his hearing was impeccable. She smiled. "And now you're here, training with the best Earthbender in the world. You should be proud." She felt his heart pick up speed and wondered about that. Was he embarrassed about getting praise? No; he was happy about that, but what made his heart beat frantically? Toph mentally shrugged it off for now; it was time to go back to training. She stood and threw her apple core t the trash, not missing it and felt Quin do the same. "Now, Quin, let's get back to those lili-I mean students, and see how they're holding up."

He laughed as they left the room. "I still don't get why you call them that; it's a little mean."

She grinned at him and placed her arm through his. Both of their hearts went crazy at the contact. "Eh, it's a teacher thing," she said, thinking how fun it would be to test the kids on certain points. However, something felt off, as if a stranger had been here, but that was impossible. The school was protected by some of the best Earthbenders she knew. She had the feeling though that something was about to change, and that it would not be good.

Like I said, this is the first chapter  to my new story. I hoped it looks good and that everyone likes this. There will be a folder for this story called Frozen Heart, so feel free to look it up again if you have the urge to reread. Thanks and comments are appreciated.

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avataradam's avatar
The start of yet another adventure.Woohooooo!