Zutara week 2011 History

History

"Aw come on Korra can't we take a break?" The young Earthbender asked his female friend. "No Bolin, we have to get there before nightfall." She argued back. "Korra's right Bolin. We can't stop now. You can rest when we get there." Bolin's brother Mako said. "You're just agreeing with her because you love her!" Bolin said teasingly, Mako blushed and said "No! She's just right most of the time!" "Most of the time?! If you would just listen to me in the first place I'd be right all the time!" Korra said angrily. All three stopped and started to argue with each other, not seeing an old woman walk over and sit down nearby.

The woman laughed to herself at the arguing teenagers. "Just like we used to be, right Momo?" A white and brown bat-like creature with large ears flew down and landed on her shoulder, wrapping its tail around her neck.  She had long gray hair tied in a braid, with a fire nation style knot on top of her head. On either side of her face, her hair looped down to meet the braid. She had ocean blue eyes and tan skin, wrinkled with age.
Korra was the first to notice the elderly woman. "What are you laughing at lady? Who are you anyway?" The woman smiled and chuckled, the choker around her neck moving back and forth. "You are from the southern water tribe, I have no doubt of that. " Korra crossed her arms over her chest. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you are headstrong and stubborn" "Hehe sounds just about right Korra." Bolin interrupted. The woman looked at him sharply and he shut up instantly. "But also caring and generous. Those are common traits of waterbenders as a whole, especially those from the south." Korra shrugged "So? That doesn't explain why you were laughing at us."
The woman smiled "I was laughing because you reminded me of another young girl from the Southern water tribe. Tell me Korra, have you heard of Avatar Aang?" Korra and her friends were obviously intrigued now, for they all sat down across from the mysterious old woman.
She adjusted the skirt of her dress and looked at the three teenagers.

"My Grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days. A time of peace. When the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop the ruthless Firebenders. 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.

Aang was a great Airbender, especially for being so young. But he could not bend any of the other elements. So my brother Sokka and I decided to help him on his quest to defeat the evil Fire Lord Ozai. As we traveled, we learned more about the Avatars of the Past and about Aang himself.

We went to the North Pole and the Northern Water Tribe. There Aang could learn to waterbend. We quickly found that the Waterbending Master of the North was a harsh and strict man.  Aang had trouble learning from him because of his unforgiving methods, he did manage to learn enough though.

We headed to the Earth Kingdom next.  Aang had a friend who lived in Omashu who was an Earthbender. Sadly it turned out that Aang's friend had gone insane it the hundred years since they had seen each other. We went to Ba Sing Se instead. On the way we met a young blind girl named Toph. Since she was blind, she used Earthbending to 'see'. This made her one of the most powerful Earthbenders you'd ever meet.

After much convincing she agreed to train Aang. But our lives were not as simple as they sound. Aang only had till the end of the summer to Master three of the four elements. Before Sozin's Comet came and gave the Firebenders unimaginable power. Along with that we were constantly running from the Fire Nations forces.

Once we finally arrived in Ba Sing Se, we discovered that it had been taken over by the Fire Nation. Aang went to face Princess Azula, the Fire Lords daughter and our main foe. I followed him and it was a good thing I did. He would have never survived against Azula and her brother The Prince Zuko.

Zuko had been after Aang for a while, ever since we found him really. For some reason though it seemed like Zuko and I always ended up fighting each other. This time was no different. While I fought Zuko, Aang fought Azula. In the end he was fatally wounded and if Zuko's kind uncle Iroh hadn't come then we both would have died.

I healed Aang using Special water from the Northern Water Tribe, but even so he didn't wake up for months. When he finally did, things had gotten bad in the world. There were only a few months left till the comet and Aang still had to Master Firebending.

Our only choice was to sneak into the Fire Nation and hopefully find someone willing to teach him. For a long time there was no one, but during that time we learned new things about the Fire lord, the Comet, the history of the Fire Nation, all sorts of information.  
When the day of a Solar Eclipse came we planned on attacking the Fire Nation in hopes of ending the war when they were helpless. Our attack failed and only I, Aang, Toph, my brother and a few others were able to escape. We headed to the Southern Air Temple to find shelter from the fire nation.

Soon enough HE showed up. Zuko had followed us after realizing that his sister was evil and that he was on the wrong side. He offered to teach Aang to Firebend since he was the only one and we were running out of time. Aang accepted with very little reservation, as did my brother and Toph. I did not trust Zuko; he had betrayed me when we were trapped together in Ba Sing Se. Before that he had kidnapped me more than a few times."

The Woman looked away, smiling to her and whispered 'I'll save you from the Pirates.' The teenagers looked at each other in confusion until the woman looked up. "Where was I? Oh yes, Zuko.

We stayed at the temple for a few weeks until Azula found us. Luckily we managed to escape, but only because Zuko attacked his sister and distracted her long enough for us to go. We flew towards the place where we were supposed to meet the others before the invasion on the day of the comet.

Zuko and my brother had gone to the Fire nation's main prison and freed all of our captured warriors a couple weeks prior. Aang had also gone with Zuko to the home of the Ancient Sun Warriors to learn Firebending from the original source, the Dragons. It was now my turn to take a life altering journey with Zuko.

When I was a child our village was raided by the Fire nation, in the attack my mother was killed.  Zuko promised to help me get revenge. We came back after a few days and then our group traveled to Ember Island to prepare for the final battle.

When the day of the Comet arrived we planned on splitting into three groups. Aang had disappeared a few days before and we all hoped he would be there to confront the Fire Lord. My brother, Toph, and our friend Suki were going to try and take out the Fire Nations airships. Zuko and I were to head to the Royal Palace and fight Azula.  

She challenged him to an Agni Kai. A Firebending duel to the death. He accepted and I couldn't do anything to help him. He would have won too, if Azula hadn't cheated and tried to attack me. Zuko sacrificed himself and jumped in front of her lightning.

He was gravely injured but Azula was still attacking us. I fought her and managed to subdue her. I healed Zuko and we saw a massive flash of blue and red light in the sky many miles away. Aang had succeeded in his task, instead of killing Ozai; he took away his bending using an ancient technique.

Zuko became Fire Lord and the war ended. Many years later, I had a child with Aang but then we realized that we did not in fact love each other. I divorced him and remained single for many years, an Ambassador for my tribe.

Zuko and I became very close since I was often in the Fire nation. One day he asked me to marry him, I agreed. We had many children together and reigned as Fire Lord and Lady for many, many years.

So you see children, even if at first someone seems to be one way they rarely truly are. Remember that as you travel on your journey, you may find allies in the most unlikely of places."

Korra was about to say something when they heard someone. "There she is! Get her!" One of the village guards said, running over with a few others. Korra and her friends got up instantly and got into their fighting stances. "What seems to be the problem officer?" Korra asked. "This woman broke out of the asylum three days ago. She claims that her son is the Fire lord. She's crazy."

The woman simply smiled and stood up slowly. The guards surrounded her and she let them lead her away.

"So none of that story was true?" Bolin asked. "How could it be? They said she was insane." Mako said. Korra watched the guards walk away and smiled "I don't think she's as crazy as they say." The old woman smiled and out of nowhere whips of water appeared in her hands.

She spun and twirled around, taking the water with her. Suddenly she didn't seem so old anymore. The teens watched in awe as a lone 84 year old woman took out 6 fully armed guards with the skill and poweress of a master waterbender. She turned to look at the Avatar and her friends, winking and smiling before walking away.