Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The two wolf helmeted guardsmen stiffened as the dark figure approached them closer and closer. In the low, dim lighted hallway, the blue and white colored mask of The Blue Spirit was terrifying to look upon. The eerie permanent snarl etched upon it made it all the more frightful. The bounty hunter’s posture and form spoke of confidence in his ability, and power; the strength to face any challenge at any time, anywhere.

They eyed the gold and brown handles of his dual swords on his back anxiously as he drew closer. A knife attached to his waist along with shuriken strapped across his chest made them shuffle their feet nervously. Their was a shine to his steel pauldron on his right shoulder, and that of his left bracer, as they glinted in the torchlight of the hall.

They knew that the masked hunter had been summoned so the two men stepped to the side, leaving the blue entrance into the royal throne room wide open. Without a word, the black clothed man stepped by them with barely a sound to his footfall.

The grips on their shields and spears loosened slightly as he disappeared into the room.

The Royal Palace of the Southern Water Tribe was impressive overall from an architectural standpoint. The use of waterbending to make a massive building nearly on the same scale as the one in the Fire Nation that has since been made into a museum. Despite the freezing cold and blue chill given by the ice pillars and walls, furs, cloth, and wool were perfectly placed to give a more lived in and homey feel. Metal locked doors and window frames however still dotted the whole palace to insure a sense of security.

The throne room however boasted three seats upon a raised, central dais, the middle one being more elaborate and larger than the other two. A scene of an orca opening its mouth as it lunged forward engulfing the throne, while bursting out of the waves, covered the wall behind the platform.

It is upon these seats that The Blue Spirit was met by the sight of the three leading members of the Southern Water Tribe.

The man on the right had a long white beard, with a balding head. But his eyes were sharp and smugly confident behind the ocean blue shade to them. He wore thick fur robes and a rich tunic of a waterbending master.

The lady on the left was equally old, with a face full of wrinkles and tired eyes that have definitely seen so much in her years. In comparison to the other two, she was short and small in stature but no less observant.

And finally perched upon the blue and white throne with the orca behind his back, was the chieftain, Chief Hakoda. A thick frame of wavy brown hair covered his head with a well trimmed beard to fully encircle his face. Much like many men of the southern tribe, Hakoda sported a top knot at the back of his head, however it was loose and messy in comparison to what was worn in much of the Fire Nation. The obvious definition in his arms, and the broad expanse of his chest and shoulders spoke that this man was a warrior, a fighter of sorts. 

The kind of a leader that Zuko liked more often than not. It means they aren’t sniveling cowards who are ready to sacrifice others for themselves. When one is a warrior, it normally meant to him that they aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty.

Walking forward with a practiced stride of balance and stealth, he came to a stop; a respectable distance from the dais, and knelt to them with his masked head bowed slightly. The woman on the left of him snorted slightly in amusement.

The chief spoke deeply, a catch in his voice. “So you’re the bounty hunter I’ve called for, The Blue Spirit…I’ve heard much about you.”

Zuko held his tongue behind the demon mask as Hakoda waited to see if he would respond back. He continued on having decided that the hunter wasn’t one for talking.

“Rest assured that what I’ve heard of you are mostly positive things, good things. How you’re a firebending master, a skilled swordsman, a ghost in the night that has only ever failed one mission in his entire life as a hunter.” The chief gave a small smile as his steely blue eyes attempted to gaze past the mask to see the man behind it.

“I’ve also heard about how you refuse to kill, unless needed. That you never take jobs that deal with assassination or murder.”

Zuko remained silent as the three water tribe leaders evaluated him from where he knelt.

“I have a task of the utmost importance, one that I’m hoping that you will undertake and complete to the letter. 

“My daughter, Katara, has disappeared. She hasn’t been seen in over half a year and has sent only a single letter stating her refusal to come home. I had arranged a marriage between her and a northern noble by the name of Hahn, and just a week later she was gone. This was over two years ago.”

Zuko wrinkled his brow in thought behind his mask as he contemplated the issue. To him at least, it seemed that the chief’s daughter did not wish to be given away in marriage just yet; and as a result had fled to escape her circumstances. A small part of him felt bad for her.

He ignored this feeling.

“All I’ve found is that she had disappeared somewhere in the Earth Kingdom, the letter having been sent from Gaoling, but it has been months since it was sent.” The wearied chieftain stared at him out of the corner of his eye; as he rested his head on his right hand propped up on the arm of his throne.

“She is to be captured and brought home alive. You are not to seriously or permanently hurt or torture her in anyway, even though I understand that you aren’t known for any such methods.”

Zuko nodded his understanding and acceptance of the terms listed.

The old man on the right now jumped in. “If I may warn, Katara is a master waterbender. A skilled healer. A determined fighter. She was by far my greatest, and most skilled student I’ve ever trained, so be careful, for yourself and for her. When she sets her mind to something she is hard to convince otherwise. She fights with all she’s got to do what is right or to get what she wants.” Zuko gave a curt nod of his head to show he understood him perfectly.

Hakoda nodded in agreement as he turned his attention back to Zuko. "Master Pakku is correct. I'm proud to say that my daughter is one of the best waterbenders to ever live. Albeit this makes it harder for her to be brought home where she belongs."

Leaning forward, Hakoda gave him a hard look which left Zuko an unbearable feeling of wanting to fidget in discomfort.

“Know this Blue Spirit, if you kill or maim my daughter in any way, then your death will be excruciating. And I will see personally to your punishment. Are we clear?

Another nod.

Smiling happily, Hakoda leaned back exhaling deeply. “Now my mother, Katara’s grandmother, Kanna, will help you with whatever it is you wish to know about my daughter to help you understand your target.” He gestured to the lady to his right, to Zuko’s left, who frowned with a brow raised at her son. “Now, I wish to hear your acceptance of my terms and of your mission. So Blue Spirit, will you take up this mission, and bring my daughter home?”

For the first time since landing in the south pole, Zuko spoke, his voice raspy and baritone from behind the mask.

“I understand your conditions, and I accept this mission. I will see to it that your daughter is returned safely to you by the time of the summer solstice.”

With an upturn to the corner of his mouth, Hakoda nodded his satisfaction as the bounty hunter stood from his spot. Another reason he was happy was that it was known that this hunter never broke his word or promises to clients. He delivered in one way or another, his one failure being not that he had broken his oath; but rather his target was the unfortunate death in an accident long before he had arrived to capture him.

He could already feel his daughter in his arms, safe and sound, back at home again.

Katara hummed to herself as she walked up the dirt and stoned path to the cottage she's been staying at for the last three weeks.

Life on the run was hard, but she couldn't help but feel more happy and free than ever before. Two years of seeing and traveling the world has filled her with a sense of euphoria and wonder that wasn't dampened by the threat of being found by her father's hunters and trackers. She's been to the Fire Nation, throughout the colonies, to Omashu, Gaoling, the Eastern and Northern Air Temples. The world was so much larger and grand than anything she could've thought of in her years in the Southern Water Tribe. The dreams and excitement of her seven year old self was now fully manifested with each day she walked free of her arranged betrothal to that scumbag Hahn, and the suffocating, yet loving attention of her father.

Currently she was staying at the home of a very kind, sweet old woman named Naomi. They weren't far from the city of Ba Sing Se, but it was far enough out of the way in a semi-isolated state from the rest of the world.

Her days now consisted mostly of fishing, taking care of simple chores around the cottage like grooming her cat or watering her garden, and just taking care of the ailing woman from the cold she has. At first Naomi insisted that she wasn't bound to take her time of day to help her, but Katara insisted, having taken a liking to the elderly lady. She reminded her much of her mother, if she was older that is.

Today was the day she went to the market in the nearby town of Xian Hu, looking for simple groceries and medicines to take back with her. These very items she now carried in a plain bag in her hands. She couldn't help but smile softly as she had gotten several good deals and costed her easily ten silver pieces less than normal. The economy wasn't doing so well since the Earth Kingdom had split in two.

As she trudged past a grove of trees and bushes to her right, she couldn't help but feel the hairs on her neck stand up. Goosebumps ran across her body.

She couldn't see much past the tree line around her, but she had a gut feeling that something was off. Something, or perhaps someone...was watching her.

Katara had run into enough mercenaries and hunters to know when someone was tailing her, or lying to her, and targeting her. The sense of unease that would soon burst into a panic of desperation and the rush of energy as she defended herself. This same sense had returned again, and she knew despite how much she wished it wasn't so, that she had been found again.

She walked on without showing anything on her face and stride. No sense to alerting whoever it was that was stalking her.

Katara smiled uneasily as she heard Naomi's kind voice call out to her as she entered the house. "Katara sweetie, is that you dear?"

Setting down the bag onto the kitchen counter, Katara called back with a crack in her voice. "Yes it is. I came back with the groceries and your medication."

"Ahh thank you dear. Just wait a moment, I'll put up this painting and then join you to make lunch for us." Katara smiled sadly as she peered out of the cracks in the blinds of the window in the kitchen. Her crystal blue eyes darting side to side, hoping to see what she knew stalked her.

"No need Ms. Naomi. I can make it myself, just rest in bed and I'll bring it over to you."

"Ahh, you're too sweet Katara. Taking care of an old woman like me like that. But if you insist I'll leave you to it."

Pulling a plate out of a drawer next to her, Katara yelled back. "Its fine. Just worry about yourself, it is no hassle to me."

As she finished making a quick sandwich with sliced apple slices next to it, Katara couldn't help but feel that sense of urgent unease return sharply the moment she turned her back to walk down the hall. The feeling never left even as she was out of sight of the window.

The next morning she grabbed her water skin, and the knife she now carries and left the cottage. A quick sweep of the woods around the house revealed broken branches, disturbed foliage, and matted patches of grass, and a few pieces of fire flakes much to her amused curiosity. Sighing to herself, Katara returned to the wooden and thatch cottage to say her sorry goodbye.

By the next morning after, as the sun had only begun to peek above the distant horizon, she was gone. 

Her tracker gone soon after.

Chapter Text

Zuko groaned as he kept his posture as still as possible, from where he sat perched on the rooftop like one of the city's pigmy pumas.

After about a couple days worth of talking to Kanna on the personality, quirks, and abilities of Katara, he had left for the Earth Kingdom aboard a trade ship sailing out, bound for Chin Village. After that he made his way to Gaoling where he investigated all the aviaries in the town, and talked with all of their managers. After finding the correct one, he found enough clues that the water tribe girl who sent the letter had made her way east along the coast; and after that it was simply a matter of retracing all of her pit stops and activities. A restaurant where she paid for the dinner of a poor couple. An old fisherman who was thankful to her for using her bending to bring fish in closer for him to snatch. An orphan boy who had suffered a broken leg and was unable to afford a healer, but taken pity upon by a waterbending healer.

The more people he spoke to, the more people who relayed their story with the runaway girl, Zuko felt himself growing more and more impressed. This girl, much like himself he felt, had a strong sense of noble honor and duty. A sense of selflessness and courage. He found himself thinking that she was probably a kindred spirit to himself.

At some point he felt that he had lost her trail. That he may have overshot her position and would have to double back. But as he made his way through the Xian Hu marketplace, he was pleasantly surprised. There she was smiling at some vendor, exchanging goods and money with bright, kind eyes. Despite the green and brown of her Earth Kingdom clothing, which he couldn't help but notice were form fitting, there was no doubt as to her ethnic origins. The tan, mocha skin. The ocean, blue eyes.

Zuko felt his hands twitch as he turned and made his way to a corner, half hiding himself against a post as he kept her in his line of sight. Her father and family had made it clear that they thought of her as beautiful, but he had just dismissed it all as the normal stuff a family would say of a loved one.

But he was wrong, she was absolutely gorgeous.

After watching her meander about for an hour, he followed her to a lone cottage near a small river. Not knowing what to expect he decided to campout nearby and keep watch for a good opportunity to sweep in. He woke up the day after that evening to find himself thinking that something was amiss. Having seen enough of what was going on for the last couple days, he had taken off the mask and knocked on the door to be met by a kind, old woman.

After a on the spot explanation that he was her friend and was looking for her, she gave him a smile and told him that she had left that morning very early, and that he had just miss her.

He was soon off afterwards.

Now he found himself in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se. Sitting atop a tiled rooftop from across the street of an orphanage that had bright lights spilling out of its doorway and windows. The womanly shape of his target being highlighted with the torchlight. She seemed to have been helping the owner of the orphanage with taking care of the children in anyway she could.

Her grandmother was not wrong at all. She was a sweet, and noble person, with the overwhelming need to help people whenever she could.

He wouldn't have found her if it wasn't for a loud disturbance down the street from where he was watching people pass by. Upon investigation he found his target arguing bitterly at some baker, her anger flaring hotly.

Her grandmother wasn't wrong about that temper either. She burned like a firebender.

Regardless, he was thankful to the spirits for intervening as to show him his quarry. He was forced to hitch a ride on the ferry after her's have already left the docks, and had worried that he would lose her once he had arrived in the walled city. She had gone ahead and exposed herself without meaning too probably, but it was all the better for him.

Not wanting to ruin a pleasant and peaceful day for the children and the workers of the orphanage, and thinking that Katara had earned it; Zuko simply let them be. His lean form melding into the darkness around him from the rooftops as his eyes tracked the waterbender. After another hour of waiting, he finally cracked his shoulders in happiness as she left the orphanage. And from there he just followed Katara to her new home, to what looked to be a poor looking apartment. It wasn't far from the orphanage thankfully, otherwise it be more hard to track her movements.

He couldn't help but admire her backside and hips however as she disappeared through her doorway, her long, luscious, brown hair swaying behind her.

He berated himself angrily afterwards for even doing such a thing. It was dishonorable. Doesn't mean he didn't feel a little hint of pleasant satisfaction at the memory however.

Katara groaned as she flopped onto a chair by her table in the small kitchen that was merged with the living room. It was a long day.

After leaving Naomi with the goods she had bought, she had hightailed it out of there as fast and as far as she could. The feeling of eyes on her never leaving her for too long, even as she attempted to get aboard a ferry to make her way into Ba Sing Se. The crowded, busy streets and alleys of the lower ring should be good enough to throw whoever it is off of her trail. She had lost two other hunters in the last year in a similar fashion, once in Omashu, and the other one in the Caldera. Ba Sing Se with it having an immense population clustered in a tight space would be more than perfect for her needs.

But she woke up one morning, having felt that something was off. And it only took a second for her to know that whoever was hunting her had made it to the city with her. 

But that didn't mean she could be found easily.

So she found work at a local bakery, but after an argument with the pigheaded manager and conceited co-workers she had left, and found a far more pleasant job at a nearby orphanage. Despite the war being over for over a decade now, there were still a great deal of orphans leftover, and a city of this size was bound to have many unwanted children somewhere amongst it. And so there she worked happily.

It has been about a week since she started working at the orphanage, and she already has fallen in love with four year Ami and five year Yoshi. The kids loved her, and she adored them. It warmed her heart every night when she went home to know she was brightening the days for these forgotten kids, even with the exhaustion and messes she had to clean up.

Despite the joy she found in her new job, she couldn't help but sleep only a few hours a night. The reason as to why she's in the city to begin with never leaving her mind. She was hunted. She was being tracked by someone without a doubt. It pained her to know that she may have to move on and leave the kids behind, no matter how much they may care for or admire her. She should be used to this way of living, but in truth she wasn't. 

She just wanted to live without the domineering mindset and demands of her father and Pakku. But it seems that was too much to ask for.

Rubbing her eyes, she froze when she heard a creak from outside. It came from behind her door.

Moving as quietly as possible, eyes wide open and not breaking line of sight with the wooden door with only two locks on it; Katara edged herself over to a counter where her waterskin laid upon completely full. Letting out an exhalation of relief as she pulled it over her head and having it rest in the side of her back, she crept forward carefully. Soon she was a foot away from the door, and she stopped herself, turning her head to get a better position to listen to whatever was on the other side of the door.

Nothing. Or so she could tell at least...

Another moment of silent listening.

Nothing again.

She waited, and listened.

Off in the distance she could hear a couple arguing with each other loudly, but muffled by the distance and the door. She sighed in relief as she raised her head up, brows and shoulders relaxing.

She was turning around, smiling nervously to herself that she probably just heard the wind or a stray rat or something; when the window next to her burst inwards, glass flying everywhere. Holding her arms across her face, she lowered them slightly as she peered at what has now rolled onto her floor.

Slowly standing upright, in a combative posture, stood a demon. Or rather a man wearing a blue and white demon mask. Katara's eyes widened in shock, anger, and fear. Wrapped in a tight, form fitting, black stealth suit with swords attached to his back, this was without a doubt the shadow that has been following her these last few weeks. Taking a step back, Katara uncorked her waterskin in preparation for the fight she knew was coming.

"So it is you who has been stalking me. I take it my father, and Pakku were the ones who had hired you?"

The demon nodded in confirmation to her question. One gloved hand reached up to his sword hilts. Her anger rose as she heard the man speak from behind the mask, slightly muffled. "Yes, and they want you home. Now we can do this the easy way...

He pulled the swords out in a twirl, separating them into each hand; the silver of the steel glinting in the moonlight pouring through the shattered window. "Or the hard way."

With a growl of defiance, Katara pulled the water out from its holder and formed a ring around herself, crystal blue eyes yelling a challenge. "Come and try. I'm not going back. I will not be forced into a life that I don't want nor need. You can go back and tell my father if he wishes for me to marry that prick, he'll come and get me himself."

Expecting him to immediately rush her, her rage filled eyes narrowed in confusion as she noticed the slight drop in his arms at her words. His face unreadable however behind the mask. "Then forgive me. I gave my word to them that I'll bring you back home, safe and sound."

And with that he lunged forward with a kick, red flames flying out towards her. On instinct, Katara threw up some water to block it, causing steam to fill the room. Panic began to overcome her defiance as she realized that she has now lost sight of him. Without hesitation, she threw out a hand, and a jet of water powered past her and smashed open her wooden door, and in the opening she has created, she bolted for her escape.

She was halfway down the steps that lead up to her door, when she heard movement behind her, as her pursuer has left the apartment as well. With a cry of half fear and half anger she jumped backwards as she shot her hands out, sending a torrent of water at the masked man. Her attack missed as the man leapt from the railing on the stairs to the side as the water shot past him, he came to a roll on the street beside her.

The demon then ran forward, swords held out to his sides as his footsteps pounded across the dirt and gravel street. Katara sent volley after volley of ice shards and missiles at the man, but he blocked or parried every single one sent his way. Desperate she looked around for anything to be of help to her. Eyeing a nearby barrel, feeling the liquid within she snarled viciously at the masked man. "Is that the best you got? I thought my father would send someone better than the last several he had hired."

Growling, the man ran forward with a punch holding his dao blade, a jet of fire lunging at her with angry intent. Swinging her arms about her, Katara smirked in satisfaction as the liquid in the barrel rushed out breaking the top and swooping in, destroying his blast of flames. The man stepped back uncertainly, stunned at the extra ammunition at her disposal.  Smiling with a glint in her eyes Katara then jumped forward, hoping to take back ground and throw him off guard as the water surged past her as a wave.

Flipping to the side, the demon masked man let out a grunt as he turned to face the waterbender, caution visible in his posture, swords held ready. Without a sound, he then kicked out followed by several more flips and twirls as shot after shot of red flames lit up the dark street. Without breaking a sweat, Katara swung the water about in front of her as a mobile shield, turning each shot of fire into a hiss of steam. Smiling confidently, Katara's eyes widened in nervous caution as she realized that the man had disappeared from where he had stood, during the steam she has made.

Taking a step back, she eyed the street around her. Each nook and cranny, each shadow and corner, could hide the hunter, and she wasn't willing to give him the element of surprise. Letting out a breath, she closed her eyes, reaching out with her mind. At first she didn't feel anything, but as a couple more seconds passed, she felt the bundle of liquid, or rather the blood of the masked man, behind her on the roof of the shoe store. Grinning to herself, she purposely moved with her back closer and closer to that building which he had hidden himself upon, and waited.

Jumping from the shadows, the demon leapt downwards towards his target, ready to subdue her. However he didn't realize he had fallen into a trap as Katara swung herself around, a wicked smile on her face as water flowed forth from her hands. Smirking in satisfaction, Katara eyed the demon masked man she had frozen to the wall in front of her, eyeing the knife and blades around his belt, and the military grade boots on his feet. Stepping forward, noticing the steam of the ice as the man raised his temperature to melt it off of him, Katara spoke softly, yet clearly.

"I'm only going to tell you once, so listen closely. Leave me alone. I'm not going back. Not with you. Not with anyone. Not on anyone's terms but my own. I don't know who you are, or what you think you are, but I'm more powerful than you could possibly imagine. It is best for your sake to drop this bounty and go on your merry way."

With a flick of her hair, Katara ran off, pulling water on the ground around her, back into her waterskin. Soon enough, she was gone from sight as the ice continued to melt faster and faster as the man encased by it groaned in tiredness.

Grinning softly to himself, Zuko couldn't help but feel a blush on his cheeks.

He was in danger alright, but not in the way he would've thought.

Chapter Text

Sorry yall. I'll make it pretty blunt.

So my personal and work life has been pretty hectic, that and my interest in reading has overcome my desire for writing. That is in short why I haven't got back to this fic.

Please feel free to make your own off of this, I don't care about copy cats or anything like that. I don't really deserve to have any say on that due to my lack of attention and focus on it.

My apologies yall.

This is the official notice of abandonment.