Chapter Text
The warmth of the Ningeok household settled comfortably over the kitchen, wrapping the room in the familiar scents of simmering broth and freshly prepared food. Steam drifted lazily from the pot on the stove while Yue Ningeok stood beside it, tasting the soup from a small dish. She studied the flavor for a brief moment before giving a small, satisfied nod to herself.
Perfect, she thought, setting the dish aside.
The peaceful morning lasted only a heartbeat longer.
The blue noren hanging in the doorway was suddenly thrown aside as hurried footsteps thundered through the house.
"Yue!"
Yue looked up in surprise. Her adopted father stood in the entrance, breathing hard, his eyes wide with urgency. He had become her father after an incurable disease took the lives of both her mother and father. A postcard trembled in his tightly clenched hand, the edges bent from how firmly he'd been gripping it.
"Uh-huh? Dad, what is it?"
Hakoda didn't answer, and before she could say anything else, he was already racing back into the hallway, disappearing almost as quickly as he'd appeared. His sandals slapped loudly against the wooden floor as he hurried toward the first bedroom. A neat blue nameplate fixed to the sliding door read SOKKA.
He yanked the door open.
"Hey, Sokka!"
Inside, Sokka couldn't have looked less concerned. He lounged on his back, arms raised as he thumbed through a pin-up magazine packed with attractive women. One knee was propped up while the other leg remained stretched out, looking completely absorbed in his reading until his father came to interrupt.
"Dad? What the hell? Get out!"
Hakoda sighed impatiently but didn't stop to explain himself nor chastise his son. He slid the door shut and hurried farther down the hall before throwing open the next room.
"Katara?"
Silence answered him.
The room was empty. Morning light spilled through the window, illuminating the neatly kept bedroom. A bright red desk chair sat tucked beneath the desk, completely still, while the rest of the room looked untouched. There wasn't a sign of its owner.
Hakoda's shoulders drooped.
Several blocks away, Katara Ningeok was running.
Her feet pounded rhythmically against the pavement as she sprinted through the quiet neighborhood with effortless determination. Her breathing remained steady despite her pace, each inhale matching the cadence of her footsteps. A gentle breeze swept strands of brown hair away from her face while beads of sweat shimmered across her dark skin beneath the warm afternoon sun.
Back at the dojo, Hakoda lingered in the doorway of Katara's empty room, staring inside for another moment before reluctantly sliding the door closed.
Sokka wandered into the hallway behind him, his magazine now safely hidden under his bed.
"I guess she's not here right now." He peered past his father into the empty room. "I think she went out to train."
Hakoda looked down at the postcard in his hands. His throat bobbed as he swallowed nervously. Where is that girl when you need her?
Meanwhile, Katara continued her daily training without slowing. She rounded the final corner and sprinted beneath the familiar gate of the Ningeok Dojo, finally easing to a stop in the courtyard.
She headed inside long enough to change. Her lilac training clothes landed carelessly across the bed before she slipped into a clean white gi. She tugged the jacket into place and wrapped the thick black belt firmly around her waist, tightening it with a practiced pull until it sat perfectly..
Moments later, she stepped back outside. A stack of gray cinder blocks waited in the middle of the dirt courtyard. Katara planted her feet shoulder-width apart and drew in a slow breath. Her eyes remained fixed on the blocks in front of her as she drew back one fist.
Her punch exploded forward. The impact cracked through the courtyard like a gunshot. The cinder blocks shattered beneath her fist, fragments bursting in every direction as a cloud of pale dust billowed into the air. Chunks of broken concrete scattered across the ground, one piece rolling lazily through the dirt before finally coming to a stop near her feet.
Katara straightened, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. A satisfied smile spread across her face.
Sokka wandered into the courtyard, coming to a stop beneath the engawa. He leaned lazily against one of the wooden pillars, crossing his arms as he surveyed the pile of shattered cinder blocks scattered across the dirt. A knowing smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"You're at this again? You're never going to find a man that will like you if you keep acting like this."
Katara turned sharply to face him, irritation flashing across her features almost instantly.
"Ask me if I care!" She threw her arms out in exasperation before raising her voice. "How many times do I have to keep telling you that it doesn't matter because I hate men!"
Sokka's expression didn't change. He simply sighed, stretching his arms over his head as though the conversation had already grown tiresome.
"Hmm. Well then, I guess what I was about to tell you wasn't relevant."
Katara froze. What?
"...What?"
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
A distant roll of thunder rumbled across the sky. The warm morning breeze vanished, replaced by a cool gust that stirred the trees surrounding the dojo. Overhead, dark clouds crept across the sun, swallowing the light until the courtyard fell beneath their shadow.
Katara's annoyance gave way to curiosity. She crossed her arms, mirroring her brother's posture.
"What are you talking about?"
The storm broke before long. Rain drummed steadily against the tiled rooftops, spilling from the eaves in shimmering curtains before splashing into the stone pond nestled within the dojo's garden. Concentric ripples spread across the water as the steady downpour filled the quiet estate with its gentle rhythm.
Inside, the Ningeok family sat gathered around the low table in the main room. The scent of green tea mingled with the earthy aroma of rain-soaked wood, but the atmosphere was anything but peaceful.
Hakoda rested opposite his three kids, the postcard still carefully in his hands. He remained remarkably calm despite the shocking news he had just delivered.
Katara stared at him, utterly dumbfounded.
"Wait, a fiancé?"
"Mmm." Hakoda nodded. "He's the young son of a good friend of mine. And his name's Zuko Todoroki. I believe it will secure the future of our dojo if one of you two were to take his hand in marriage and inherit it when I pass."
The room fell silent.
Then Katara slammed both palms onto the table. "No, what? Dissolve it! Do you even hear yourself? I'm not going along with this."
Yue smiled apologetically at their father. "She does have a point, Dad. We haven't even met him yet."
A broad grin spread across Hakoda's face. "Don't worry. You will soon enough."
Elsewhere, the streets buzzed with the usual afternoon crowds, despite the rain. Shoppers wandered between storefronts, conversations drifted through the air, and bicycles rolled lazily along the road. It was an ordinary day in the shopping district.
Then came the sound of frantic footsteps.
Heads turned. People stepped aside almost instinctively as a red-clad martial artist burst into view, sprinting straight down the middle of the street. Long red hair, tied into a braid, streamed behind the young fighter with every stride. A jagged scar marked the left side of her face—puckered, discolored skin that stretched from near her temple down to her cheekbone, pulling slightly at the corner of her eye.
And behind her came something no one expected to see in the middle of a Japanese shopping district.
A giant panda.
The enormous animal barreled after her with surprising speed, a large green backpack bouncing against its back as it charged through the crowd. People scrambled out of the way, shouting and pointing, but the panda's focus remained fixed on its target.
The martial artist glanced over one shoulder before springing effortlessly into the air. They twisted backward in a clean, graceful flip, landing lightly as though gravity barely applied to them.
"Back off! You big, weird, stupid, giant asshole!"
One swift kick caught the panda squarely beneath the chin. The enormous animal sailed backward before crashing into the pavement hard enough to rattle the street beneath it.
Gasps spread through the crowd as people hurried to put more distance between themselves and the bizarre fight.
The panda shook itself, climbed back onto all fours, and glared at its opponent with renewed fury. The red-haired martial artist had already vaulted onto the roof of a nearby building, standing balanced along the edge with effortless confidence.
"Bring it."
The panda crouched low before charging again. The martial artist met the attack head-on. The street erupted into chaos as fists and paws blurred together faster than most of the crowd could follow. The panda swung with enough force to crack the pavement if it connected, but each blow met nothing but empty air. The red-clad fighter slipped effortlessly out of reach, dancing around the lumbering animal before vaulting onto a nearby stop sign. Balanced atop the narrow pole, she looked down at the frustrated panda with a grin that only seemed to make it angrier.
Jumping off the sign, the fighter shot forward, driving his full weight into the panda's chest. The impact sent the enormous animal skidding backward across the street until it crashed into the front of a nearby shop, rattling the windows.
The fighter landed lightly on both feet, arms spread with unmistakable confidence. "Well? Not so bad for a girl, am I right?"
A low growl rumbled from deep within the panda's chest as it climbed back to its feet. Around them, people shrank farther away, unsure whether to run or simply keep watching the unbelievable spectacle unfolding in front of them.
The girl merely lifted a finger. "Ha! Already getting back on your feet? Try not to hurt yourself."
The panda lunged again.The fight became a whirlwind of movement as they traded blows through the middle of the street. The panda's sheer size gave every swing tremendous power, but the girl's speed more than made up for it. She caught one of its arms, pivoted smoothly on her heel, and hurled the massive animal over her shoulder before it could regain its balance.
"Oh, I guess we're moving on. I never wanted to do this! I'm not here so you can marry me off. That's not up to you!"
The panda charged once more. The girl planted her feet, seized the giant animal by both arms, and, somehow, threw it clean over her shoulder. The panda crashed onto the pavement with a heavy thud.
For a moment, it lay perfectly still.
Dusting off her hands, the girl reached for the green backpack resting nearby and slung it over one shoulder. Strands of red hair clung to her forehead due to the rain. "All right, I'm going back to China now. Have a nice rest of your life, you miserable old man."
She took only a few steps before a metallic clang rang out behind her. The panda had already recovered. Without warning, it snatched a long metal pole from the front of a nearby shop and thrust it forward. The hook caught the straps of the girl's backpack, stopping her in her tracks before she could react.
"What—". The panda yanked hard. She stumbled backward, and in one fluid motion the enormous animal scooped her up, pinning both of her arms against her sides as though she weighed nothing at all. Then he drove his forehead into hers, knocking her unconscious. Her shoulders sagged. Her eyes drifted shut, and her body went completely limp, hanging over the panda's shoulder in exhausted surrender.
The crowd watched in stunned silence.
"Why the fuck is there a fucking panda grabbing some girl.", said a random man.
"Should we do something?", murmured another.
The panda puffed out its chest and let out a roar that echoed down the street, meant to chase the onlookers away. As if on cue, the croud began to part. What a weird day.
Rain continued to fall over the Ningeok estate, filling the garden with the steady sound of water striking stone. Inside, Hakoda was explaining the circumstances behind the Todoroki family's arrival.
"The Todorokis recently went on a trip to perfect their martial arts. Seems like they're stopping here on their way back from China."
"Wow. China, huh?" Sokka mused, leaning back on her hands.
"So what? That doesn't mean he's any good at it, though.", said Katara.
Sokka glanced sideways at his younger sister, a mischievous smile creeping across his face. "What's he like?"
"And how old is he? I don't want a younger man," Yue added, her tone calm but curious.
"Oh, come on, tell us what Zuko is like.", urged Sokka
Hakoda burst into laughter. "Don't know."
The room fell silent. Three pairs of eyes stared at him.
"You don't?" Yue asked.
"Nope."
"Nothing at all?"
"I've never even met the young man."
"Really?"
"Really."
Three skeptical stares settled on Hakoda. He only offered an awkward smile in return.
Before anyone could press him further, an angry shout suddenly echoed from beyond the front gate, muffled by the steady rain but impossible to miss.
"Let me go!"
The siblings looked toward the entrance almost in unison.
"Huh?"
Another yell followed immediately, louder this time.
"Get your ugly hands off me, you butt face! I told you I'm not going along with this, and that's final!"
A loud crash rang through the front yard. Something hissed. A cat shrieked somewhere outside, followed by another heavy thud that rattled the wooden floor beneath them.
The three children exchanged bewildered glances. Whatever was happening beyond the gate, it was rapidly making its way toward the house.
A moment later, the front door slid open.
Every pair of eyes turned toward the entrance. A massive panda stepped inside. Water dripped from its thick black-and-white fur, leaving dark footprints across the polished wooden floor. Slung over one broad shoulder was the red-clad martial artist from the street, still struggling despite obvious exhaustion. The girl's long red hair was a tangled mess now, the braid half-undone, and the scar on the left side of her face was stark against her pale, flushed skin.
"Look, you're scaring everybody, so just put me down!"
The panda paid no attention.
Sokka blinked once. "...Why the panda?"
Yue's gaze shifted uncertainly between the enormous animal and her father. "So are these two supposed to be your friends?"
"Nuh-uh."
Sokka frowned. "Well if he's not your friend, then what is a panda doing here?"
No one had an answer.
The panda lumbered farther into the room before finally lowering its passenger onto the floor. The young martial artist landed on slightly unsteady feet and brushed the wrinkles from the red Chinese tunic. A jagged scar marked the left side of her face, the skin puckered and discolored, almost covering the entire of her profile.
Hakoda leaned forward. His eyes searched the stranger's face, uncertainty slowly giving way to recognition.
"Wait. Are you..."
The martial artist hesitated for only a moment before answering. "Zuko Todoroki."
Hakoda froze. Then his entire expression lit up.
"Oh, wow. Really? So you are.", said Sokka who then leaned around his father's shoulder for a better look. A sly grin spread across his face almost immediately. "You're quite the looker, huh!"
"Oh! I'm so happy to see you!" Hakoda surged forward before anyone could stop him, wrapping Zuko in a crushing embrace that nearly lifted her off her feet. Zuko stiffened instantly, her eyes going wide.
"I gotta tell you, I've been counting down the days to this moment for so many years. Oh, gosh, probably since the second I heard that Iroh had a son, but... uh... what?"
The words caught in Hakoda's throat. His smile faltered. Slowly, he loosened his grip and leaned back, his eyes traveling over Zuko from head to toe. A bead of sweat slid down his temple as realization began to sink in. "...What?"
Sokka stepped closer, curiosity getting the better of him. “Wait a minute”. He circled Zuko with narrowed eyes before stopping directly in front of him. Without the slightest hesitation, he reached out and poked his chest. Zuko flinched, the scarred side of her face turning away instinctively.
"Um, please stop that."
Sokka withdrew his hand, sounding more puzzled than surprised.
"This looks like a girl to me."
Silence fell over the room.
Hakoda's face drained of color. The shock hit him all at once. A single tear welled in the corner of his eye before he crumpled dramatically onto the floor, utterly defeated.
Not long afterward, the atmosphere inside the Ningeok home had taken a decidedly gloomier turn. Hakoda lay beneath a futon with a damp towel draped across his forehead, staring blankly at the ceiling as though his spirit had left his body entirely. The giant panda sat quietly nearby, almost looking apologetic, while the rest of the family gathered around him.
"I guess Dad must be really disappointed by this," Yue said softly, clasping her hands together.
Sokka folded his arms with a scoff. "God, don't start talking too loudly Yue, or else Dad might realize that now he can get me engaged."
"Well, with a pretty girl like Zuko, I don't think that you should have a lot of complaints," Yue teased him, a sly smile tugging at her lips.
"She might be pretty and all, but I'm not interested. Besides, this is all Dad's fault. Dad! You really should have double-checked."
As if those words alone had revived him, Hakoda suddenly shot upright beneath the futon. "Why would I when he already said he had a son?!"
Sokka threw both hands toward Zuko. "So why is this son sitting in our house with a massive rack?!"
A deep blush spread across Zuko's face. She folded her arms tightly across her chest and leaned back slightly. "Okay. I got it, now can we not mention my chest anymore?"
Across the room, Katara had remained unusually quiet, watching the exchange unfold with thoughtful curiosity. Her gaze kept drifting to the red-haired stranger—to the jagged scar that marked her face, to the way she held herself with a guarded tension that reminded her of herself when she was met with an awkward situation.
So after a moment of consideration, she turned toward the girl.
"Hey."
Zuko's amber eyes met hers, cautious but curious. "Hmm?"
"Wanna go check out the dojo? I'm Katara. I'd love to be your friend.", she said as she gave the red haired girl a warm smile.
Zuko blinked, caught slightly off guard by the unexpected invitation. "...Sure."
A few moments later, the two of them stepped into the dojo together. The spacious training hall was empty, its polished wooden floor gleaming beneath the overhead lights. The familiar scent of old timber lingered in the still air, and the only sound was the soft creak of the floorboards beneath their feet.
Katara slid the doors shut behind them before turning back to her guest.
"I'm really sorry about that. My dad's kinda an idiot and he should have checked whenever you were a boy or a girl before saying that you should marry any of us. Also, feel free to correct me, but did I hear you practice kenpo?"
"Yeah, kind of."
"So, you wanna have a match with me?" Katara asked, a spark of excitement flashing in her eyes. "Just a little practice round."
Zuko hesitated. Her face seemed to tighten as she frowned thoughtfully.
"Hmm.", he said, unsure. Katara laughed softly, hoping to put her at ease. "It'll be just for fun, so don't get too worried."
"Really?" She nodded before stepping into the center of the dojo. Her expression sharpened as she lowered herself into a respectful bow. "Let's both try our best."
Zuko returned the gesture before padding barefoot onto the polished floor. She settled into a relaxed stance, her arms hanging loosely at her sides.
Katara frowned. What the...She looked at Zuko over again. It looks like she's just leaving herself wide open to attack. Hmm. Without another warning, Katara lunged.
Her fist shot straight toward Zuko's face—
—and stopped short.
Not because Zuko had blocked it, but because she'd already moved.
Katara spun on her heel, chaining one strike into the next. Punches, kicks, elbows—each attack flowed seamlessly into another, yet every one met nothing but empty air.
Zuko drifted around them as though she already knew exactly where they would land. She slipped beneath a punch, vaulted over a kick, and twisted effortlessly through the narrowest openings, her movements so light they almost seemed effortless. Katara drove forward with another strike.
"See?" Zuko flipped cleanly over her shoulder and landed behind her. Katara whipped around. "What are you doing? Try and hit me back!" Zuko only smiled. She stayed exactly where she was, calmly watching as Katara rushed in again.
Another barrage followed. Another miss. No matter how quickly Katara attacked, Zuko seemed to disappear in a heartbeat before every blow connected.
I can't hit her. Katara's breathing grew heavier. Sweat rolled down the side of her face as frustration slowly crept in. Guess I can't hold back.
With a sharp stomp that shook the floor beneath her feet, Katara gathered every ounce of strength she had into a single punch. The strike tore through empty space. Zuko had already flipped over it. Katara's fist continued forward with unstoppable force, crashing straight through the wooden wall of the dojo in an explosion of splintered timber.
Zuko landed lightly behind her. Smiling to herself, she reached out and gently tapped Katara on the back of the head.
Katara froze. Did she just—
Zuko couldn't hold it in anymore. She burst into bright, carefree laughter, completely unfazed by the gaping hole now decorating one side of the dojo. For a second, Katara simply stared. Then, despite herself, the corners of her mouth lifted as she began to laugh as well. The frustration she'd been carrying dissolved almost as quickly as it had appeared.
She let out a quiet sigh. "You're pretty good at this. Just like I heard. It seems you did make the most of the trip to improve your martial arts. Little frustrating for me." She paused, her smile softening. "But I am relieved that you're a girl at least."
Zuko blinked. "Huh?"
Katara smiled sheepishly. "Because... I would've absolutely hated losing to a guy."
Zuko's smile twitched. A tiny bead of sweat appeared at her temple.
Outside, Sokka lounged on the engawa, lazily enjoying some chips while the afternoon settled back into its usual calm. Halfway through a bite, something caught his eye. He glanced through the open shoji into the main room.
Hakoda was no longer alone. Seated across from him was an older, receding hairline-owner martial artist dressed in a well-worn gi. The two men clung to one another's hands across the table, sobbing so dramatically that tears streamed down both of their faces in endless rivers.
Sokka stared at the scene for a long moment, then he wandered into the kitchen, where Yue stood rinsing vegetables beneath running water.
"Yue, who's that old guy?"
"I don't know. He turned up out of nowhere all of a sudden," Yue replied, as calm as ever.
"Hmm." Sokka took another chip from the bag and ate it, his curiosity only growing.
Yue dried her hands on a towel before stepping out into the hallway. Raising her voice just enough to carry across the courtyard, she called toward the dojo.
"Hey, Zuko."
A pause. "Yes?"
"Why don't you go and have a bath?"
"Oh, no. I'm fine. Thank you."
"Don't be silly. You must be sweaty from all that exercising. You also got wet in the rain too. Go and have a warm bath."
Zuko hesitated. "...Uh, okay."
The bathroom was already filled with steam by the time she stepped inside. The tub was filled with steaming hot water. Zuko undressed first before lowering herself completely beneath the surface. When she emerged moments later, the red-haired girl was gone. In her place stood a black-haired man, his long hair tied back in a single braid. A long sigh escaped his lips.
"What do I do now?" The words barely rose above a mutter, swallowed almost immediately by the soft hiss of the steam lingering throughout the room.
Elsewhere, still wearing her white gi, Katara wandered through the wooden corridors of the dojo with noticeably less energy than before. Her pink ribbon held her dark hair neatly behind her head, but her shoulders sagged ever so slightly as she replayed the sparring match in her mind. She's incredible...
Lost in her thoughts, someone rounded the corner. Brother and sister nearly walked straight into one another. Sokka sidestepped at the last second. “Excuse me. Ugh. You are disgusting and all sweaty 'cause you were training again”. His eyes drifted from Katara's face to the damp patches spreading across her gi. "You're completely drenched."
Katara folded her arms with an annoyed huff. "Oh, shut it."
"Go take a bath before you kill us all with your smell."
"I said shut it, Sokka!"
She continued down the hallway, straight to the bathroom. I can't believe him. Does he have to be so rude all the time, my god, what's his problem?
With a displeased grimace, Katara entered the bathroom's changing room and began to undress.
Meanwhile, inside the tub, another figure rested quietly beneath the surface of the steaming water. They're gonna find out sooner or later. Probably. I should just come clean and deal with it. He stared at the surface of the water. “I'll just leave like this.”
Taking a slow breath, Zuko gripped the edge of the tub and began to rise. He climbed out of the bath, warm water streaming from his hair and shoulders as he reached for the towel. Just as his fingers brushed the fabric—
The sliding door flew open.
Standing in the doorway was Katara, a towel wrapped securely around her body. For one long, suspended moment, neither of them moved.
Katara stared.
A complete stranger stood only a few feet away.
A teenage boy.
Short black hair, gathered into a wet braid, still dripping from the bath. A jagged scar marked the left side of his face—the same scar, in the exact same place.
"...Hmm?" The tiny sound escaped Zuko before he could stop it.
Katara's mind went completely blank. No. No way. That can't be—
Zuko's face flushed crimson almost instantly. His entire body stiffened as an awkward, painfully strained smile spread across his face. A bead of sweat slid down his temple, tracing past the scarred skin. The scar seemed to stand out even more against his sudden blush. "...Uh..."
Before he could utter another word, a piercing scream exploded through the bathhouse.
Katara stumbled backward so quickly she nearly tripped over the raised threshold. She snatched up her clothes with shaking hands, pulled them on in record time, and burst out of the changing room without looking back.
Her horrified shrieks echoed through every hallway of the Ningeok estate.
In the kitchen, Yue nearly dropped the utensils she was holding. "Katara?"
In the living room, Sokka glanced up from where he had been relaxing on the tatami, looking more curious than alarmed as Katara came tearing through the room.
Without slowing down, Katara shot straight past her, vaulted onto the engawa, and sprinted into the garden. Her heart pounded in her ears, her mind still reeling from what she'd just seen. That scar. The red hair was gone, but the scar was exactly the same. Was that…
Her eyes landed immediately on the large stone lantern nestled among the shrubs. She marched toward it without hesitation.
With a determined grunt, she dug her hands beneath the heavy stone base and lifted. Muscles tensed. The lantern shifted. Then, inch by inch, it rose off the ground until she had hoisted the enormous weight onto one shoulder.
"I'll just take this in there and dump it on his head..." she growled through clenched teeth. "...and let him sink to the bottom of the drain!"
Sokka stepped onto the porch just in time to witness the spectacle. He blinked once.
"...Sorry, what do you think you're doing with that, Katara?"
"There's a pervert in there! In the tub!"
Yue joined her a moment later, carrying a tray with several bottles of beer as though nothing particularly unusual was happening.
"Why didn't you beat him up with your bare hands?" Sokka asked.
Katara's face burned even brighter. "I was too scared to think of that, okay?!" Not that I could've beaten him anyway, she thought bitterly, remembering their sparring match. He's way too fast.
Yue tilted her head. "That's so strange. I thought Zuko was the one using the bath right now."
Before anyone could answer, a hesitant voice drifted from the veranda.
"So, uh..."
All three siblings turned at once.
"Huh?"
Standing awkwardly at the edge of the hallway was the same young man Katara had seen in the bath. He wore a red Chinese-style shirt fastened with gold frog buttons over a pair of dark trousers. His long black hair hung neatly down his back in a braid, and his cheeks were still noticeably pink. The scar on his face was unmistakable, pale against his flushed skin.
He scratched the back of his head, unable to meet their eyes. Looking thoroughly embarrassed, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
Katara stared at him. She threw the lantern somewhere, as confusion began to overtake her anger. "You're, uh... Who are you?"
The young man lowered his head awkwardly. One hand drifted to the back of his neck as an embarrassed smile crept onto his face.
"Hey... I'm Zuko Todoroki. Hey, there. I'm really sorry."
Katara blinked. Then blinked again. The pieces slowly began falling into place. "...Huh?"
Later that afternoon everyone gathered once again in the main tatami room. Hakoda sat at the head of the table while their guests settled opposite his family.
Clearing his throat, he gestured toward the older man beside Zuko. "So, let me introduce you again. This man is my oldest and dearest friend."
An elderly man received them, with long gray hair framed the back of his head, while a long thick beard followed down to his neck. Deep wrinkles lined his face, giving him a grandfatherly appearance. "My name is Iroh Todoroki." He rested a hand proudly on Zuko's shoulder. "This is my son."
Zuko kept his eyes fixed firmly on the tabletop. His black hair—now dry and neatly braided—hung over his shoulder. "I'm Zuko."
Across from him, Katara hadn't looked away once. She knelt perfectly still, but the glare she directed at him was enough to make the room noticeably colder. The nerve of him, she thought, her fingers tightening against her knees. Walking around like nothing happened. Like I didn't just—
Zuko finally risked looking up. The instant their eyes met, he visibly regretted it. He swallowed hard, his face seeming to pale as his cheeks flushed. Sokka finally broke the uncomfortable silence. "All right. What's even going on here?"
Yue tilted her head, still trying to make sense of everything. "You're really the girl we were introduced to earlier?"
Iroh closed his eyes thoughtfully. He raised a finger as if preparing to deliver a lengthy explanation. "I know this is very confusing. But I... Well, I haven't been quite sure where to start. Regardless—"
Before anyone could react, Iroh lunged across the table, grabbed Zuko, and shoved him with surprising force. The boy flew backward. He sailed across the veranda and disappeared into the garden pond.
Every head turned toward the garden. The surface of the pond churned violently. Then, without warning, a plume of steam burst into the air.
The water exploded upward. Standing knee-deep in the pond was no longer the black-haired boy. Instead, the red-haired martial artist from earlier spluttered as water streamed from the end of her braid. The scar on her face was still there, just as prominent, pale against her flushed skin. She wiped her face with one sleeve before glaring toward the veranda. "What the hell are you doing?!"
Everyone could only stare. No one spoke for several seconds.
Then Sokka finally found his voice. "...He turned into a girl."
From the edge of the veranda, Iroh pushed himself upright. Tears continued to stream freely down his cheeks as he looked toward his child.
"He's my son, but no matter how many times I look at him, he's a bizarre enigma."
A vein bulged on Zuko's forehead. "Why you..."
Before anyone could react, she launched herself across the porch. Her foot slammed squarely into Iroh's chest. The older man sailed backward and fell inside the pond. Zuko landed lightly on the veranda, folded her arms, and glared at the churning water below. "You have no room to talk! The only one that's a weirdo here is you!"
The pond bubbled violently. A moment later, something enormous burst through the surface. A giant panda stood knee-deep in the water, its soaked white gi clinging to its broad frame. Its furry arms folded across its chest as it glared back at Zuko with an identical expression of irritation.
Yue watched the exchange with her usual gentle composure before turning to her father. "With all due respect, I think your friends are a little strange."
Hakoda could only stare. A nervous bead of sweat slid down his cheek.
"Admittedly, I don't know much about what's going on here either." His gaze drifted from the red-haired girl to the panda. "But if I were to take a guess... the true culprit behind this seems to be a dark, ancient Chinese discipline."
Back inside the main room, Iroh—once again in human form and now wearing a clean robe—sat solemnly at the table across from the Ningeok family.
"It's a long story, but I'll do what I can." He paused for dramatic effect. "It all started about two weeks ago."
Sokka calmly took another sip of tea. "So, not that long ago."
Iroh ignored the comment entirely. Closing his eyes, he settled into the familiar cadence of someone about to tell an old legend.
Two weeks earlier...
Morning mist drifted across a vast valley hidden among the mountains of Qinghai. Scattered across the landscape were countless spring-fed pools, each no larger than a room. Rising from the center of every spring stood a single slender bamboo pole, their reflections wavering quietly across the still water.
A local guide dressed in a green uniform swept an arm toward the unusual landscape. "You two must be pretty eccentric." He glanced over his shoulder at the pair of travelers behind him.
Zuko and Iroh stood beneath the weight of enormous hiking packs, both dressed adequately for martial arts training.
"No one uses this place anymore. It's way too dangerous to try training here."
Iroh caressed his beard and smiled confidently. "Are you ready for this, Zuko?"
Zuko grinned back without a hint of hesitation. "Yeah. Looks like a piece of cake to me."
The guide's expression grew noticeably more serious. He raised one finger toward the nearest spring. "There are over a hundred springs that have formed here. And at the center of each one of these is a tragic legend waiting to be told." His finger settled on the pool directly beside them. "For example, this spring has a story dating back a thousand years ago—"
"Come on, Zuko!"
Before the guide could finish his warning, Zuko launched himself into the air.
"Yeah!"
Zuko sprang after him without a second thought. The guide's eyes widened. "Excuse me. What are you doing?!"
Both martial artists landed effortlessly atop separate bamboo poles, balancing on the narrow tips as though they were standing on solid ground.
A grin spread across Iroh's face as he lowered himself into a fighting stance. "I'm not holding back!" His fingers curled into claw-like shapes.
Across from him, Zuko answered with an equally confident smirk. "Bring it on, old man!"
Down below, the guide waved both arms frantically. "Please come down! It would be awful if either of you were to fall!"
Neither of them listened.
With matching battle cries, father and son launched themselves from their poles. They collided in midair. Fists, elbows, knees, and feet blurred together in a rapid exchange of strikes. Every attack met an equally precise block or counter before either of them landed, sending them rebounding from one bamboo pole to the next. The slender poles bent beneath their weight, only to spring upright again as they leaped away.
Zuko ducked beneath a punch and caught Iroh's leg, twisting his father off balance. Iroh recovered instantly, swinging a heavy fist that forced Zuko backward.
For several more exchanges, neither managed to gain the advantage. Then Zuko saw it. An opening.
He spun through the air, driving one foot straight into Iroh's chest.
"Ha! Got you!" Iroh's eyes widened. His body dropped away from the bamboo pole. He fell straight toward one of the dark, mist-covered springs below.
Ripples spread across the water. Zuko landed lightly atop another bamboo pole, folding his arms with a satisfied grin as he looked down. "What do you think about that, old man? Had enough yet?" The water answered first. Small bubbles rose quietly to the surface. Then more. The entire spring began to churn.
Zuko's smile faded. "...Huh?"
The surface suddenly exploded. A towering wall of water burst skyward. Something enormous emerged from the center of the spring. It landed atop the bamboo pole opposite Zuko with surprising ease.
A giant panda.
Water streamed from its soaked fur as it fixed Zuko with an unmistakably furious glare.
Zuko stared. His face went completely pale. "W-Wait, what?!" He nearly lost his balance scrambling backward along the pole. "The hell... A panda?!"
The guide sprinted to the edge of the spring, pointing emphatically toward the dripping animal. "That one's known as Spring of Drowned Panda! A tragic legend where a panda drowned there two thousand years ago! Ever since, whoever falls into it takes the form of a panda! It is a cursed spring!"
Zuko's expression stiffened. "...You've gotta be kidding me."
Before he could say anything else, a large shadow swept overhead. Iroh came hurtling toward him.
"Hang on a sec!" A massive paw grabbed hold of Zuko before he could react. The panda bounded effortlessly from one bamboo pole to another, carrying his son high above the cursed springs. "Come on! How is this the first time I'm hearing about this, huh?!"
Iroh answered by throwing a punch. The blow connected cleanly. Zuko spun through the air. For one brief moment, he hung weightless above another spring. Then gravity won. The water swallowed him whole.
The guide's eyes flew open. He rushed toward the edge of the pool, arms flailing. "You've fallen into the Spring of Drowned Girl!" He clasped his hands together solemnly. "That legend's even more sad." His voice became strangely theatrical. "They say 1,500 years ago, a young girl fell into that spring and drowned." He produced a white handkerchief and dabbed dramatically at the tears gathering beneath his glasses. "So that spring has its own curse too."
The surface of the spring remained still. Only a pair of tiny bubbles drifted lazily upward. The guide pointed toward the water. "Everyone that falls in there gets turned into a young girl!"
The spring exploded. Water burst high into the air as someone shot up from beneath the surface, coughing. The guide lowered his hand.
Standing waist-deep in the spring was no longer the black-haired boy from moments earlier. Instead, a petite girl with bright red hair gathered into a side braid blinked in confusion. She looked down at herself. Her hands instinctively tugged at the loose white martial arts uniform clinging to her body. Then she froze. Slowly, almost cautiously, she glanced down once more.
Realization hit all at once. A brightly colored backdrop flashed behind her as her eyes went wide. She released a piercing scream that echoed across the entire valley.
Standing beside the panda, the guide pointed matter-of-factly toward the horrified girl. "Yep. That's the girl I said you'd turn into."
The screaming continued. Iroh slowly lifted both paws to cover his ears, his expression settling somewhere between resignation and mild annoyance.
Hakoda sat at the head of the low table with his arms folded, his brow deeply furrowed as he tried to process everything he had just heard. Across from him sat Iroh while Zuko remained seated with his back to his father.
"You went to the legendary training ground, Jusenkyo?" Hakoda's expression darkened. "The truth of the horror surrounding the springs was a mystery."
Iroh let out a weary sigh.
"So you're telling me you knew it was dangerous?" Zuko spun around so quickly the table rattled. He grabbed Iroh by the front of his robe and yanked him forward. The scar on his face seemed to tighten with his scowl.
"What kind of father are you?!" His voice echoed through the room. "Why are you obsessed with dragging me to all these ridiculous places?"
Brother and sisters watched in silence. Yue looked genuinely concerned. Sokka simply observed, as though waiting to see how much worse things could get. Katara stared at the pair with complete disbelief.
"Wait, no!" Before Zuko could continue, Iroh calmly seized his son's leg. With one effortless motion, he swung him around and tossed him straight through the open doorway.
Zuko disappeared across the veranda and fell once again in the pond. A column of water shot up from where he fell.
Iroh rose to his feet and walked to the edge of the engawa, peering down at the rippling water below. "Cool off if you're gonna be that stubborn." He said. "A true warrior should be prepared to throw their life away for the sake of their training. Was that not our agreement?"
The pond rippled once. Then a soaked red-haired girl climbed out of the water, wringing out one sleeve of her drenched uniform. Water droplets traced paths down her scarred cheek. "Throwing away my life is one thing..." She reached for a nearby bucket filled with steaming hot water. Without hesitation, she dumped it over her head.
Steam billowed around her. When it cleared, the red-haired girl was gone. Zuko stood there once again in his male form, water dripping from the end of his long black braid. "...But now you've made me throw away my manhood!"
He marched toward Iroh with clenched fists. "Dumbass!"
Zuko grabbed Iroh by the collar and threw him into the pond. As he came out, Zuko was ready to tackle him but Iroh raised one paw and repeatedly batted Zuko away each time he tried to charge forward, keeping him just out of reach despite Zuko's increasingly frustrated attempts to land a punch.
"Please stop. There's no need to fight," Yue said gently.
Hakoda let out a heavy sigh. "What a tragedy."
Once the scuffle finally settled down, the panda sighed. Reaching behind his back, Iroh produced a small leather-bound booklet and dropped it onto the tatami. The cover was decorated with mountains and several Chinese characters.
Sokka picked it up, leaning closer as Yue read the title aloud. "'National Catalog of Training Grounds in China'?"
Sokka tilted the booklet slightly, examining the unfamiliar writing. "Is this a guide map that's in Chinese?"
Yue looked over at the slumped panda with a sympathetic smile. "Mr Iroh... You don't even know how to read Chinese, do you?"
The large bear nodded, tiny tears beginning to gather in the corners of his eyes.
Silence lingered for a beat.
"Ahh... so that's how you ended up there", said Yue.
Hakoda stepped forward carrying a steaming brass kettle. Without a word, he tipped it over Iroh's head. Scalding water poured over the panda's fur. Steam billowed through the room.
Moments later, Iroh was sitting there once again in human form. "Huh." Hakoda studied him thoughtfully. "Pouring hot water changes you back”. Iroh forced an awkward smile. "Yeah. But that kettle didn't need to be that hot."
Hakoda nodded to himself as though conducting a scientific experiment. He turned toward Zuko. "Cold water turns him into a girl, and hot water turns him into a boy!"
To demonstrate, he casually flicked a splash of the remaining hot water toward Zuko. Zuko sprang backward. "That's boiling hot!"
"Well, it's a relief to know that this problem is an easy one to solve." Ignoring Zuko's protest entirely, Hakoda proudly motioned toward his daughters.
"Yue's the oldest. She's 19."
"Katara's the youngest. She's 16."
Hakoda rested a hand on Zuko's shoulder and gently guided him forward. "Take a look and pick whichever girl you fancy. She'll be your fiancée."
Yue and Sokka exchanged knowing glances.
"Definitely Katara," Sokka said without hesitation.
"Huh?" Katara blinked.
"Yeah, perfect," Yue agreed, smiling as she placed a reassuring hand on her younger sister's shoulder.
Katara shot to her feet. "So what exactly is it that makes me so perfect, huh?"
Sokka's grin widened. "Because you're such a little man-hater."
Yue smiled sweetly. "But lucky for you, he's already half girl anyway."
"I'm not marrying that pervert!"
Zuko's eyebrow twitched. His face seemed to darken with his scowl. In two quick steps he closed the distance between them until they were practically nose to nose.
"Hey! Who do you think you are calling me a pervert?"
Katara refused to back down. Her eyes blazed with indignation, and she jabbed a finger toward his chest. "Don't act like you didn't see me naked."
"Come on! I was the one who got in the bathtub first." Zuko jabbed a thumb toward his own chest, the scar on his face darkening with his scowl. "You both know that there's a big difference when you're not a girl!", Katara added.
The two continued glaring at one another, neither willing to give an inch. Behind them, Hakoda and Iroh exchanged amused looks.
"They're already getting along so well," Hakoda laughed.
Both teenagers whirled around at exactly the same time.
"Uh, no, we most definitely are not!"
A heavy silence followed. Katara turned away first, folding her arms tightly across her chest.
"Whatever. I'm over this."
"I'm outta here." Zuko spun on his heel and headed for the doorway.
"Zuko, where are you going?" Iroh's voice stopped him before he could leave.
Zuko came to an abrupt stop. His expression hardened. "I'm going back to China. I might as well try and find a way to get back to normal. I don't need a fiancée right now." He glanced back over his shoulder, his gaze settling on Katara. "And as for you?"
"Hmm." Katara looked away with an irritated grunt.
"I want it stated for the record that you saw me naked too."
Katara immediately turned back toward him. "What?"
"And besides..." Zuko casually clasped his hands behind his head. "I'm pretty used to seeing my own body." His smug grin only widened. "So seeing another woman naked isn't really that noteworthy to me anymore."
A vein pulsed on Katara's forehead.
Zuko, intentionally provoking her, continued. "And, you know..." He looked her up and down. "I'm pretty sure I've got better proportions than you."
Silence.
That son of a— Katara's face twitched. The room froze. Then, with a furious yell, she planted both hands beneath the heavy wooden dining table and flipped the entire thing into the air. The massive table crashed over Zuko before he could react.
He disappeared beneath it, driven face-first into the floor with a deafening impact. Tea sloshed across the tatami. Snacks scattered in every direction.
Iroh stared at the wreckage, sweat running down his face. "Yep." He nodded to himself. "Zuko was asking for that."
Night settled quietly over Nerima. The sky deepened into a rich navy blue, scattered with countless stars, while the distant howl of a lonely dog drifted through the cool evening air.
Inside the guest room, Zuko lay face-down on a futon. A damp green washcloth rested over the enormous lump on the back of his head. He groaned miserably.
"Oh, good. You're waking up." Yue knelt beside him with a bowl of cool water, carefully adjusting the cloth against the swelling. Behind her, Sokka sat cross-legged beside the travel packs, watching the scene unfold.
Zuko slowly pushed himself upright. "Ouch."
"Are you okay?" Yue asked softly.
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry." Her expression became apologetic. "Please try not to think poorly of Katara. You know, she's gentle by nature, but sometimes she can be a real out-of-control thug."
Sokka glanced sideways at his older sister. "You're really not helping her case, Yue."
Elsewhere in the house, the bath steamed quietly. Hot water poured steadily into the yellow bathtub. Katara gripped the rim of a plastic washbasin so tightly her fingers trembled. Her soaked dark brown hair clung to her shoulders as she glared at the wall, still fuming.
"How dare that jerk think he can make a fool of me!"
Zuko's smug face resurfaced in her imagination. Against a gaudy purple-and-black backdrop, an imaginary female Zuko spun dramatically before pointing at herself with an infuriating grin.
"I've got better proportions than you!"
The words echoed over and over inside Katara's head. Her eye twitched violently. Who does he think he is? First the bath, then that comment—
Back in the real bathhouse, her gaze slowly drifted toward the neatly lined bottles of shampoo and conditioner. She let out a dangerous growl.
"What is it with men?"
Snatching up a green bottle of shampoo, she squeezed it with enough force to nearly crush the plastic. A huge glob of shampoo splattered into her palm.
"He makes me so angry!"
Outside the bathroom, footsteps softly padded down the wooden hallway. Zuko, back in his male form, walked down the stairs holding a white towel. He rubbed the back of his neck, his face sour. The scar on his cheek seemed to ache along with his head.
"Man, my head still really hurts." He sighed, staring blankly ahead. "I don't get it. What is it with women?"
A memory of Katara's sweet, welcoming smile from earlier that day flashed through his mind. "I'd love to be your friend."
Zuko scoffed, pulling open the door to the changing room just outside the bath. "Yeah, well, so much for that. Huh. She changed her tune real quick the second she found out I was a man." He aggressively ripped off his red tunic and tossed it into the laundry basket.
Still grumbling to himself, he grabbed a towel and put it over his shoulder, then headed toward the sliding shōji that separated the changing room from the bath, reaching for the handle just as Katara, finished with her shower, slid it open from the opposite side to leave.
The door glided aside.
They both froze.
Zuko stood rooted to the spot, completely shirtless. Katara, meanwhile, had stepped out of the bath with nothing but a small pink washcloth hastily clutched against herself. Neither of them had expected anyone to be on the other side.
For one agonizing second, neither moved.
"Ah...umm…" Zuko stammered, his face turning bright red. Katara's face flushed crimson, her eyes widening to points of pure homicidal fury.
"You absolute... PERVERT!!!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the entire dojo.
Without thinking, she grabbed the nearest wooden bucket and hurled its icy contents straight at him.
The freezing water splashed over Zuko from head to toe, turning him into the red haired girl once more. She stood completely frozen, the white towel still hanging limply over one shoulder. She stared back at Katara in mortified silence.
The two girls now stood only inches apart, their eyes locked in absolute shock.
For a long, agonizing second, the only sound in the room was the steady dripping of water.
"Oh," Zuko stammered, her voice cracking slightly. "Um, hi?"
The innocent greeting did nothing to break the tension. Katara's face contorted, her teeth grinding together so hard her jaw trembled. The sheer embarrassment transformed instantly into murderous rage, the blood rushing to her face as a prominent anger vein throbbed on her temple.
"What do you think you're doing in here?!" Katara hissed out through her bared teeth.
Before Zuko could even attempt to explain, Katara wound back her arm, her hand slicing through the air with terrifying speed.
The impact was thunderous. The force of the slap sent Zuko hurtling across the room before she crashed headfirst into the opposite wall.
Back in the Ningeok family's dining room, an awkward silence settled over the table. The lively atmosphere from earlier had vanished, replaced by a tension so thick it was almost tangible.
Katara sat with her back turned to everyone else, arms folded tightly across her chest, her posture stiff with stubborn indignation. She refused to look at anyone, her cheeks still faintly flushed as she stared determinedly at the opposite wall.
Across from her, Sokka rested his chin lazily against one hand, absentmindedly swirling the remaining juice in his glass. A knowing smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he silently enjoyed watching the chaos unfold.
A short distance away, Zuko—finally back in his male form—sat cross-legged on the tatami with an utterly miserable expression. One cheek bore the unmistakable crimson imprint of Katara's hand, already beginning to swell. Beside him, Iroh sat as calm as ever, fiddling absentmindedly with a small object as though nothing unusual had happened.
"She'd be a real cute, energetic fiancée for you," Iroh said casually.
Zuko's head snapped toward his father, his eyes widening in disbelief. "She's not cute."
Sokka referred to Katara, lifting his glass, barely hiding his amusement. "What's the problem? You said it was fine when you were both girls”. Across the room, Katara immediately spun around, glaring at them. "That was before!"
Zuko huffed loudly and turned away again, folding his arms across his chest. "Hmph."
Not to be outdone, Katara whipped around in the opposite direction and hugged her arms even tighter. She muttered under her breath, refusing to give him another glance.
Zuko's eye twitched. Slowly, he turned back toward her, his face reddening with fresh irritation. His teeth clenched together, and a familiar anger vein pulsed on his forehead as an indignant growl escaped his throat.
The childish standoff escalated into complete absurdity. Then Zuko's voice exploded through the silence, loud enough to echo across the entire compound.
"Who would ever think she's cute?!"