Fandom One Shots

Avatar: The Last Airbender #1

Respect the Dead

A little story based off of S3 The Southern Raiders - When Katara goes to get avenge her mother.

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As soon as Zuko had mentioned her mother's killer, Katara was on board. Barely five minutes later they were beside Appa demanding to borrow him.

Sokka glanced up at his sister. The scarily determined look on her face worried him. Her eyes were fierce and firey, her expression grim. And, seeing as Zuko was stood behind her, he had a sneaking suspicion that it was something to do with the two's conversation last night.

"Why? Is it your turn to take a little field trip with Zuko?" Aang joked, as he finished feeding Appa.

"Yes," Katara answered sternly, "it is."

"Oh." Aang turned around, his face wrought with confusion. Katara's harsh tone caught him off guard. "What's going on?"

"We're going to find the man who took my mother from me," she explained, darkness seeping into her words.

"Sokka told me the story of what happened," Zuko elaborated.

Sokka dropped the necklace he was holding and stood up. Why would they need Appa? He wondered. Unless...

"I know who did it-"

There we go.

"-and I know how to find him."

Sokka's breath hitched, he'd suspected as much but the confirmation made it all too real. Zuko was going to win Katara's trust by giving her the man who'd slaughtered their mother. He couldn't decide how to react. Should he be going with them? Convincing them to stop? Cheering Katara on?

"And what exactly do you think this will acomplish?" Aang questioned.

Katara scoffed. "I knew you wouldn't understand." She turned and began to walk away.

Sokka frowned. Didn't they, of all people, understand? Kya was his mother too. And Aang had lost nearly everyone he used to know.

"No, wait, I do understand," Aang called after her. Katara stopped. "You're feeling unbearable pain and rage. How do you think I felt about the sand benders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people?"

Zuko was getting fed of Aang trying to stall them. "She needs this Aang," he inturrupted. "This is about getting closure. And justice."

"I don't think so. I think it's about getting revenge," he corrected.

"Fine," Katara snapped. "Maybe it is. Maybe that's what I need. Maybe that's what he deserves."

Sokka's eyes narrowed. His sister was beginning to sound like-

"Katara, you sound like Jet," Aang frowned.

"That's not the same!" She turned back to them. "Jet attacked the innocent. This man, he's a monster!"

Hearing Jet from his sister's voice hurt Sokka deeply. "Katara," he chided. "She was my mother too." He sighed. "But I think Aang might be right." He gestured to the young boy beside him.