Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Broken ❯ Chapter 2: Worry ( Chapter 2 )

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Broken

Chapter 2: Worry

Katara tried to remember anything else, but all she got was a massive headache.

Giving up on her search for memories, she turned to her surroundings. Nothing about the thick metal room seemed familiar or even comforting. She was clothed in white bandages; was she wounded?

Voices warned her of someone's approach. She pulled the blanket tighter, unsure of what to expect.

The door burst open, revealing a boy with a scar on his left eye. He wore armor and was donned in bright red clothes, and stress lines etched across his face. A stout man followed, wearing a similar uniform. The boy stopped short as he saw her.

The man spoke first. “You are awake. Good.”

The boy seemed to be in a state of shock.

“The healer is digging up some clothes. We might have some girls' clothes stored away somewhere.”

Katara slowly found her voice. “Wh-where am I?”

This snapped the boy back. He gave the man a sharp glance

“You are on our ship,” the man answered, ignoring the boy.

So she was in the middle of the ocean with no memory. Great.

The boy turned to the man. “What is she doing here?”

She was suddenly struck with the thought to jump out of the ship and run-er, swim.

“I told you,” the man answered, “We pulled her up this morning.”

Were there windows on a ship? She wondered if she'd ever been on one.

“You!” the boy shouted. Was he addressing her?

“Perhaps you should learn the girl's name,” the man suggested, receiving a glare from the boy.

“Um,” she spoke up, “I'm… Katara…” She was withering under the boy's gaze. He said nothing.

And there was that overwhelming urge to run again.

“Give her food and clothes,” the boy growled, “I need to alert the crew.”

As to what, he did not say, but Katara had a small feeling of impending doom.

The man watched the boy leave before turning back to her with a smile. “Forgive my nephew. We are not ones to entertain.”

It was like some joke she was supposed to know. “I'm… I don't suppose we know each other?” She felt stupid just saying it.

The man looked surprised. “I would think we'd be more memorable hosts.”

“Well, I can't seem to remember much right now…”

How far could she get before sharks got her?

(Unknown Island)

“She's not here, she's not on the other side, she's not anywhere!”

Aang looked ready to cry. Sokka looked bored. Appa looked tired, and Momo looked hungry.

So, a normal day.

“What if she drowned/!” The sudden realization seemed to shatter the poor boy.

“No,” Sokka said, “We're not gonna think that. Katara's probably unconscious on one of these islands.” `They're everywhere.'

Of course, they had noticed the small islands dotting the area around them. The problem was, they could find no villages to tell them where they were.

“What if she's dead?” Aang whimpered, his eyes swelling with tears.

“She's not.”

`She's not.'

He had a whole lot of convincing to do.

(Prince Zuko's Ship)

Katara sat self-consciously in the clothes she'd been given. Iroh, as the man had named himself, seemed to be a collector of sorts and had and old dress lying around. The skirt was slit up to mid-thigh with leggings that kept her warm. The shirt was baggy and had a body-hugging bodice underneath. It was all in a ruby red and burnt orange.

The boy, whom she'd learned was Prince Zuko, had waved a hand at her, telling Iroh he could tell her whatever she wanted. Iroh had not looked happy about the prospect, so she took to asking questions.

“Um…Where are we headed?”

“To the North. We are following your companions.”

“I have companions?”

She saw him cringe. “Er, yes… two boys.”

“Why are you following them?”

“They have something many people want.”

She leaned back on the metal bed. “So if you're following a prince, why do you only have one ship?”

“That is something you will have to ask Prince Zuko.”

She'd honestly rather jump of the ship in a hurricane than ask the teen anything.

“Will I be returned to my friends when you find them?”

There was this look on his face that she couldn't quite read, but it made her feel uneasy.

“I suppose. It all depends on what Prince Zuko wants to do.”

Impending doom was a popular feeling that day.

Author Time:

Okay, so I have no idea whether Aang or Sokka know that Zuko is exiled. They never seemed to question him having only one ship. Which springs the question: when that one guy (that I can't remember his name at the moment) caught Zuko, why is the prince the only traitor? I mean, Iroh followed him around and so did his crew. Anyway, just me thinking strangely.

Impending doom is a small tribute to Counter Culture, which sadly met its demise recently.

I'm pretty sure they're headed North, because that's where the water bender is. If I'm wrong…

…

Reviews:

DudettRin101- I know, I'm awesome.

Spleef- I haven't been reading anybody else's (besides Outsane's.) I'm just too lazy.

Outsane- Neither can I.

Jess-chan of the Nya Nya Neko- My friends' nickname for me is either Jimmy or Gothic Egg. I like both. Well, he really didn't do anything (yet.) But we shall see.

animeobsessed3191- I can see either. But I adore opposites hooking up (and what's more opposite than water and fire.)