The painted lady and the blue spirit

The invasion

'Katara, there's an eclipse today and people are going to invade the capital. We have to get out of here.' I urged. But she just shook her head.

'Im staying and I'm gonna do everything in my power to stop them.' She insisted. 'What will you do?'

I thought for a moment. 'I'm going to finally face my father.' 

She hugged me. 'Please stay safe.' When she hugged me, it felt like it was only us two. Like nothing mattered but us. 'Don't worry. I promise I'll come back. I'll do it for you. Only for you.' She slowly pulled away, looked into my eyes, leaned forward and kissed me softly. I closed my eyes and kissed her back. It didn't last too long. I felt her lips no longer touch mine.

I opened my eyes to see that she vanished. In the distance, I heard explosions and yelling. That can only mean one thing.

The invasion has started.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

I ran toward the sounds of metal clanking, rocks crashing into the defense towers, explosions, and men shouting. I slowly walked in the middle of the fighting with my trail of fog behind me. Everyone stopped and stared.

'Who is that?'

'It's the painted lady!'

'She's the one who healed my sick wife!'

'Whos side is she on?'

'Men, prepare in case of attack.'

I spun my arms around, turning the humid air into water and froze a water tribe warrior. Everyone saw this and continued fighting, knowing I was on the fire nations side.

A warrior ran up to me unarmed but I froze his feet in water anyways. 'Katara?' I recognized that voice from anywhere. My eyes filled with tears.

'Dad?'

'Katara! Yes it's me your father! I can't believe how much you've grown.'

'Dad. Tell them to fall back. Your no match for us.' 

'What did they do to you? Can't you see the fire nation is the enemy?' A younger boy ran over to try and break the ice on my dads feet.

'Sokka? Then what are you doing? You're invading our home!' I yelled.

'Katara, if you traveled the world with us, you would've seen the damage the fire nation has done to the world. Come with us. Please.' My older brother begged.

'You guys left me. I expected you to come after me! I waited for you to rescue me and apologize for letting the fire nation take me! But you didn't!' Tears were streaming down my eyes now.  'The reason I didn't try coming back was because I didn't want to come home knowing my own family left me behind.' I kneeled on the floor with my face in my hands, crying, hoping that I was making the right choice.

'Katara, we're so sorry but please, please come back.' My father now said. But it was disoriented. I blinked and opened my eyes to see my father and brother waving at me. I looked around the see I was surrounded by snow.

I felt someone hug me and looked up to see my mother next to me. 'Come home, katara.' 

'Mom?'

'Yes, katara. Now go to your father and brother.' 

'What about you?'

'Go find your dad, sweetie. I'll handle this. I'll be fine.'  She repeated those words. The words I've been hearing for years now. I closed my eyes and opened them to see myself at the invasion again. The sounds of fighting were back. My dad and brother still in front of me. 'Katara? Are you okay?'

I shot up. They both jumped. 'Go back to the southern water tribe if you know what's good for you.' Behind me, fire nation soldiers on komodo rhinos lined up, waiting for me to attack.

'Katara. Please don't do this.' My father pleaded.

'Then you don't give me a choice.' I bent a huge bubble of water from the ocean and threw it on them.

I suddenly heard someone say, 'An eclipse! Fall back! Everyone to secondary defense position!' And the fire nation soldiers ran. I quickly bent a wave to make my way up the volcano and made a huge ice wall to block the path. 

Hopefully, zuko was having a better time than me.

^^^^^^^^^

'So shes alive?'

'Perhaps. Now I realize banishment is far too merciful a penalty for treason.' My father said. He stood up and shot lightning at me. Remember what uncle told me. I extended my arms and caught the lightning. There was energy all over my body. It felt...exhilarating. I pointed my fingers at me dad and the lightning flew to him and exploded under his feet. He flew back and all the way to the wall. I ran outside.

When I was in the courtyard, I saw a war balloon. I grabbed it quickly and started it. The balloon floated up. I saw the battle field. Scorch marks everywhere, rocks and damaged defense towers. I needed to find katara. Once I found her, I landed the balloon.

'Katara! Come on! We have to get out of here!' I shouted.

'Zuko! Your okay!' She said as she jumped onto the balloon.

'You see that?' I asked as I pointed to the retreating bison.

'Yeah. What about it?' She asked.

'Well, we need to follow it. I have a change of heart. We're gonna ask to join them. And restore honor to the world.'