Thank you to all who cleared up the American grammar. I had a spare Sunday, no work meant I had no plans so I thought hell, I'll write another chapter. Don't expect this update rate to continue though. I'm going to keep my writings to the weekend's because I'm doing exams at college right now. So revision is controlling my life xD Maybe one or two chapters a week. Ohh and happy birthday to one of my reviews for Wednesday. Not going to get a chapter out then, so thought I would say it now ^_^

Chapter 3: The First fight

Katara's mind was away from the world. Behind her, walking towards the staging of the tournament walked Sokka and Toph. She was of two minds at the moment. One thought track stemmed down on how she was going to open the tournament. Every year she was the one to give the opening speech. She never thought that the small idea that bloomed in her mind as far as six years back could have grown in to what it was today. What started as a joke to Sokka had become one of the most anticipated competitions of the post war. Each nation brought their best fighters and pitted them against each other. For the winner, the knowledge that he was one of the best fighters the four nations had to offer. For the losers, the determination to come back next year and prevail.

Another part of her mind though, was on a totally different track. A track that was far more female dominant. Dark flowing robes. Shining mysterious eyes. A powerful fire bending talent. A caring nature. And a cheek that could rival the most persistent eagle-caller. She was shocked when her first whip did not crack his shield. The shock increased ten fold as he caught the second one and destroyed it as easy as picking up a pin. At that point she had thought that it was to be a fight to the death for the child. But he had handed her over and walked back. There was no danger to her, but Katara knew when she was in front of a powerful man. And he had radiated confidence. His very stance was laid back but held within it little hints that told Katara that if she had tried to attack, he would have been on her in less then seconds. She would have to keep an eye on him, and see what he was like in the tournament before making judgement. Plus, there was no denying it, Katara was attracted to the stranger. There was nothing wrong with a tall, dark, powerful man shrouded by shadows.

Her musing was broken as Sokka shouted her name, his mouth moving but no words reaching her ears.

"Sorry Sokka, my mind was in other places" she said, laughing at his thin lined lips. He was getting annoyed at Toph, she always did have ways to wind him up.

"Toph keeps saying that she's going to win this time, and I keep saying that I've beaten her three years in a row and that she doesn't stand a chance. So, we want to know what you think!" he shouted, shooting Toph a look that clearly stated that he knew his sister would back him up.

"Well, you're pretty evenly matched. Could go either way." Katara said, trying to keep the piece.

"Traitor!"

"Sokka come on, we both know you win on luck"

"Traitor!"

"Sokka, the first time…"

"Traitor!"

"Sokka…"

"Traitor!"

"Forget it!" Katara threw up her arms, laughing at her brother antics. He smiled, gripping Toph in a one armed hug. The two had become close since they had returned from the war. At first it was just the odd flirt. But as time had gone on, they had developed a bond. One for all and all for one. It did help that the odd drunken night had led to finding the two in compromising positions. The two of them curled up on a single mount, giggling about how Momo could well have been an angle descended from the one true god came to mind. They still denied it to this day.

"So what's got your mind in a tussle Katara?" Asked Toph, a grin on her face. Katara often thought that she had developed a way to read minds, it was a scary thought.

"Just the opening speech, you know I get a bit off when I have to talk to a group of people" She replied. It was part of the truth right?

"You're not telling us something…" Katara dammed Toph for saying that out loud.

"Well I was wondering who would win…"

"That…Katara, was an outright lie, you've won 5 times in a row." Toph said with a smirk, tapping her foot on the icy ground.

"Well, I'm just worried about that small kid I found, she could have been badly hurt"

"Katara…we can do this all day."

She hated Toph's Ability to tell a lie from truth. In every day life it was fine. But by dammed Katara couldn't date a guy for more then a day without Toph getting everything out of her.

"Fine, I meet this guy" Katara started, not really wanting to tell them. Sokka's mouth dropped open and he looked ready to start shouting before Toph cut across him.

"You start berating her on meeting a guy and you're going to wake up with ice so far up where the sun doesn't shine you'll be drinking water for weeks" She gave him a glare, which consequently shut him up instantly. Her voice changed instantly to one of girlish wonder. "So…this guy?"

Katara went on to explain him to the both of them. Toph was nodding her head, most likely thinking of meeting this man to see for herself. Sokka was shaking his head, obviously worrying for her innocence or something equally stupid. When she started to describe his eyes though, she stopped.

"They were stormy gray, kind of like…"

All three of them came to a still. They were still five minutes away from the staging. The chatter of men could be heard. Shouts of accomplishments and training. The three though were silent. The same thought running through their heads. Aang had become a subject that they simply didn't breach. At first they had mourned his loss. But as time went on they simply accepted that he had left. Any time he was mentioned, any one of them felt loss. And so they simply stopped talking of him. Saying his name wasn't needed. They all knew he was on each of their minds.

Katara though. She had taken it the hardest. For a year she had searched for him. Never giving up. In the first three years she would see him in the corner of her eye all the time. Sitting with Momo, cleaning his staff, barding tales. When she faced him though, he was gone. A whisper on her mind. It felt like she was losing him again and again every time. So in the end. She stopped the searches. She stopped looking through the corner of her eye. She moved on. But still, there was a hope he would come back one day. She had moved her life on, but not her dreams, her hopes. There was little she could do about that.

"So was he hot?" asked Toph, breaking the ice as she always did.

"Who?" Asked Katara, her mind still on Aang.

"The man in black!"

Katara Blushed. And the three friends shared a well needed laugh.

Aang's nap had done wonders. Tracking across the artic snow drifts was not an easy travel on foot. But a hot bath and a sleep had brought back his will to move and get on with the day. He had arrived at the city centre a few minutes ago and stationed himself a few meters away from the stage. The men and women around him shared their tales of fights won and lost. Some were more believable then others. One man was trying to claim that he had bested a dragon-lion with his bare hands. Aang snorted. That was something he would pay to see. There was hundreds in the crowd. Most Aang guessed to be family or friends of the fighters.

A clear division could be seen between the three nations. The fire benders had taken up to the left side of the city centre, all stood in a tight nit. At the centre of the group stood a man that he had thought he may never see again. He was garbed in royalty. A crown reflecting the moons light from his head. Zuko really hadn't changed in the seven years gone past. His scar was a little faded, but that was it. Zuko looked his way, no doubt sensing someone looking at his, their eyes meet for a second before Aang looked away. It would not do to be seen by one of the men he so wanted to defeat. His anger at the man for stealing Katara from him all those years ago had left. In it's place sat a simmering envy, a deep set pang of deceit that he could not displace. Zuko would get what was coming to him.

The earth benders were spread around towards the centre of open ground, walking about and conversing kindly with who they came across in turn. The water benders mingled to the right. Every now and then, a bender from one of the three would point towards him. He was not standing with one of the three nations, and thus, he was an unknown. That seemed to scare benders this day and age.

A cheer was sounded from within the crowd. And in turn this became a chorus of excitement as the stage was taken up by three people that Aang had not seen for far to long. Toph stood the smallest of the three. Her green garbs had been replaced it seemed by a winters coat. Weighted armbands adjoined her wrists. Her eyes as blank and white as ever. She has saved Aang's life more then once. And for that he would be grateful to her forever. To her left stood Sokka. He had grown taller since last. He had grown into a man. His dress sense though, had not changed at all. A long sword hung strapped to his back, and , much to Aang amusement , his boomerang to his side. And that left the girl he had come this far to see. Katara. She was a lot smaller then he remembered. But of course over the years Aang had grown in height. Her eyes were still the most striking feature. Blue orbs was the best way to describe them. She wore the typical winter wear of a water tribe woman trimmed with blue. Two flasks hung at her sides no doubt filled with water she could use at a seconds notice. She raised her hand for silence, and the crowd followed.

"Ladys and gentlemen, I would like to welcome you to the beginning of this years bending tournament." She shouted. Her voice was shaking slightly. Aang remembered that she was never one to talk to crowds. The crowd gave a mighty cheer at this, pumping fists into the air and hollering to the winds. Katara raised her hand for silence one again.

"The rules of the challenges have changed slightly since last year. Before, you had to simply knock your opponent from the staging to claim victory, this has been dubbed to easy. From now on the ruling for a win will take claim from the fire benders Agni-Kai. The fight will not stop before your opponent either gives up or is forced into a killing blow situation."

The fire benders gave a great cheer, while the others mumbled about unfairness. It seemed that everyone thought that this gave the fire nation a distinct advantage which, Aang thought, it did. For a third time Katara rose her hand for silence.

"To show the new rulings in action, and as is tradition for the opening fight, I would ask my two friends to please take the stage, on the count of three, you begin" Katara shouted. Water benders took positions around the stage, bending rock and stone from crates onto and around the stage. It was only fair for the earth benders fighting.

Toph and Sokka walked towards each other until they were face to face. Shaking hands, they started away in the other direction, making their way to the ends of the stage. The stage was a good thirty paces across and twenty paces wide. As soon as they had reached their respective ends, Katara counted down from three. The two of them didn't need a prompt.

Sokka unhinged his sword and brought it across his body. A second later and he would have been slammed by a projectile rock. Instead of taking his head off, it deflected to the right and away from his body. Side stepping to the left to dodge another projectile he started to sprit forward. Toph in turn ran to meet him in the centre of the stage. Cold steel descended towards her unprotected arm of which Toph simply rose to block. A gong like vibration rang through the crowed. Aang smiled at the tactic. She had used the earthen element to manipulate her skin into being as hard as diamond. It was something that Aang could only hold for a few seconds, and it seemed that Toph felt the same, as she quickly sent spikes of earth from the floor shooting towards Sokka's underside.

He jumped backwards, zigzagging across the stage to miss the spikes while he tried to find an opening to attack. Toph was not biding her time. A stone the size of Sokka's fist flew true towards his head. His sword was enough to split it in two, missing him by inches each, but that was the loss of concentration that Toph needed. A spike shot from the ground and caught Sokka in his calf. Hamstringed, Sokka had lost any speed that he once had. Another stone, this time the size of a thumb, hurtled into his unprotected knee, knocking his entire leg from under his body and placing his face on an impact course for the ground. Of which it reached. Violently. He twitched once. Twice. Then started to stand , using his good knee and hands to try and get up. Toph did not wait. Earthen shackles wrapped around his hands and feet. Unable to move, Toph made her way to him slowly, before bending over his body, and placing her hand onto the back of his neck.

Silence. Then the crowd, shocked into a stupor from the fighting they had just witnessed, burst into a great cheer that rang across the city walls. Katara was announcing Toph the winner as water benders tended to Sokka's wounds. Toph released him from the shackles and the two smiled to each other, embracing in a hug. The fight had taken no more then two minutes, a new record for anyone that was keeping track.

"And that" Katara shouted over the crowd, "is how the fights work. Now, the first round of the fighting will take place right away. Winners of the first round will move onto the second round which will take place in two days. From there we will break the fights in tests of talent, pitting them against two or even three on one odds. The semi finals will take place after this, where in the three winners of the talent challenge will face Sokka or Toph. From there, any winners will have the right to challenge me. With that said, let us continue with the first round!"

Aang liked the way the tournament was set out. It looked at both duelling and talent. A brawler that could over power one man would not win against three. Having Sokka and Toph as a test before Katara was a good idea. It weeded out the winners that had won through luck and chance.

Looking to the stage, Katara had in her hands a small box, the same box he realised as the young woman taking submissions for the tournament.

"If you're name is called. Step up to the centre of the stage and be ready to shake hands. Once this is done, walk to the end of your side and wait for the call of three." Katara was firm with her words, leave no place for misunderstanding.

The first name out of the box was, as Aang would class it, still a boy, one of the youngest fire benders by the look of it in any case. He could not have been older then eighteen. His name was called as Lu Shi, be that his real name or not Aang did not know. The fire nation gave a great cheer, shouting out encouragement as he made his way to the stage. As Katara was drawing the second name, she stopped and looked confused. Turning the paper around, Aang laughed at the likelihood of him being picked first. She wouldn't find a name on that paper.

Jumping onto the stage, he looked at Katara. She seemed shocked that he had appeared out of no where.

"I told you once. I don't like giving my name freely. " Aang winked at her, then turned to meet the young man. Taking his hand, he gave a firm shake, pleased that the boy was not intimidated. Stepping towards the back end of his side, he wondered if Katara was still looking shocked. He couldn't help but let out a laugh. Her mouth was almost comically hanging open. Reaching the back of the stage he faced the boy. He was in a typical fire based attack stance. Legs apart, hands outstretched. His left leg was not straight, which was something that he would need to fix in the future. Maybe Aang would mention it to him at the end of the fight. The count of three sounded and the boy was quick to send a small stream of fire directly at Aang's body.

Aang couldn't help but laugh. An attack he could have seen a mile away. A side step to the right left the flame useless as the boy replaced his stance and shot several projectile fireballs evenly spaced . A clever idea as it meant that Aang could not dodge, but he was being underestimated. Catching a single ball of flame in his hand he twisted his entire body round before releasing the same fire ball back at the boy. The boy's eyes glinted with shock, before he dived away. As he came back up to standing Aang left him no time to react. The moment he went to floor to dodge Aang sprinted forwards. The boy was greeted with Aang's face inches from his own. Aang had done this for one reason, to cause panic. The boy, desperate to gain ground encased his hand in flame and wildly swung for Aang's side. Aang stepped into the boys defences bringing his hand up into a vertical stand. The flame on the boy's arms connected with skin and for a moment his eyes shined with what he much of thought was a painful blow. Aang did not even flinch. An inch thick shield of flame covered his arm, cancelling out the boy's attack. The flame was so strong that the boy flinched back. He was not quick enough. Aang's other hand curved round from the side. The boy ducked in desperation, but in doing so left his other side completely defenceless. Aang's knee was driving in the boy's side instantly, connecting with his kidney and driving all thought of fight out of him.

The boy leaned over, his hands cradling where the kick had impacted. He had forgotten he was in a fight because of the pain he was in. A mistake, Aang reflected on, he was guilty of making while he was still training. Taking a step back to bring his staff out, Aang knocked the boy's feet from under him. He landed hard, a whimper escaping from his mouth. Why they let him take part in this was beyond Aang. Placing his staff under his chin, he waited for Katara to call the match.

After a few seconds he looked over. Katara was in a stupor, as was a lot of the crowd. . Mutterings crossed the audience. The fight had taken a little under thirty seconds from start to finish. With no announcement coming in due time, Aang looked towards Katara and bowed. It was mocking, but more. It was a challenge. With that, he winked, and jumped off the stage, walking through a parting crowd towards his inn. He really, really needed a good bed.

Katara was silent. She was shocked. The second the stranger had walked onto the stage she could feel his confidence. Katara had fought with very few people that had complete confidence with themselves. But this man did. The boys first attack had been nothing more then a tester to see how fast the stranger was. The side step was all but expected. The next attack was meant to unbalance. It was a typical fire bending tactic. The stranger had then done something she had never seen before. A fire bender took a typical water defensive stance and moved the fire round his body to send it back. She had seen water benders do this hundreds of times, but a fire bender going through lengths to replicate it, was unheard.

That was when the fight had become even stranger. His speed was amazing. She had never once seen a fire bender step into an opponents defence though. They would break a defence and then attack, not step into one. Katara remembered her shock at seeing the defensive stance the stranger took inside the young mans own defence. It was an earth stance. What more, it was the defensive stance that Toph had used not moments ago to block Sokka's sword. Was it possible that he had replicated the same exact defensive move in minutes?

As the boy ducked Katara was ready to call the match. She knew, she just knew that this stranger was experienced enough to take advantage. He did, sending a powerful blow to the kidney. As the young man doubled over, she was shocked yet again to see the stranger slide a weapon from the massive sheaf across his back. Katara had thought that perhaps it was a think edged buster sword or perhaps a thin edged Katana, but instead what was drawn was a bo staff. The staff was not a typical weapon of any nation. Air benders used them once, but now only true masters of arms drove themselves to master them. They were to fragile and blunt to be used by anyone but the masters of their chosen art.

The fight, she reflected lasted less then a minute, how long exactly she was not sure. What she was sure of though, was that the stranger was holding back. He had not used a single fire bending technique apart from a single defensive measure that was defined an earthen defence anyway! He was holding back. A lot. As the stranger finished, he had looked at her and bowed. It was a formal invitation. For what she did not know. But she took it as a challenge. Then, out of place, he had winked at her. Katara, dammed her female senses to hell, had blushed. She could not help it. There was something about him that simply intrigued her. Taking the box and drawing two more names, she started the second fight of the night, her mind still focused on the stranger.

Stranger…

She picked up the blank bit of paper that held but a single line and placed pen to paper.

Stranger.

It seemed a fitting name more then any.

And that's that ^^ As always, any review is welcome, and constructive criticism is more then welcome. Next chapter is called Stranger, and you get to see a bit of Aang Katara interaction.

Till then, cheers. Alex.