Rebel: This was another rebel Zuko idea I had. The summary is that Zuko has been a rebel for a while, ran into Jet and kicked his butt (I want to write that story later), and now Zuko is head of the Avatar's army (and Jet's tree fortress!). This was written just after chapter 20 so again, I'm sorry about being behind in the story. I also had Azula come in. Oh, and did I mention Zuko and Katara are unofficially together? Enjoy!
Selene
Zuko stood at the hidden port. It sat within a cliff whose entrance was only visible at low tide, and the waters were erratic so only a few (all of whom were rebels) knew when low tide was. His men had long since accepted him for who he was, and as far as the fire Nation knew, Zuko was dead. Zuko and his best men had come to meet these newest allies: pirates. After his last encounter with pirates, Zuko was none too pleased, but his men had insisted that this particular group of rogues would help the Avatar's cause.
Zuko snapped back to attention as a ship appeared on the horizon. At first it was merely a speck, but with each new crashing wave it became clearer. Soon black sails darker than the night became visible. Waving above it was a jolly roger with blood-red skull and crossbones, the mark of the infamous Dark Myst. Zuko shivered in spite of himself. He remembered the tales. The Dark Myst would appear by moonlight, a shadow on the waves, and then attacked fire nation ships without warning. You never knew who was next. The ship's crew would slip aboard before you even noticed there was a ship alongside yours, and by the time you did it was too late. The next day the ship would be found at the bottom of the sea, and the crew would be found hogtied at the nearest harbor, so terrified, they had to be discharged from the army for mental instability. Legends say the Dark Myst's crew was a band of demons.
As the ship docked, Zuko took up a stance that was casual, but still let him reach his swords if necessary. Nowadays he always carried them. He had to be prepared for anything. Zuko certainly wasn't prepared for what came down the gangplank.
First came the motley crew, and then came the huge, muscular man who moved through the crew collecting hidden weapons. Then came the captain: a young woman of 15, who looked to be of Fire Nation descent, except for the strange white wisp of hair that fell into her face. She wore a blade at her side that she rested her hand on. Suddenly, this strange girl leapt off the side of the gangplank, and before Zuko could react he found himself staring into golden eyes that swam like water and blazed like fire. Then the captain gave him an unnerving grin.
"Captain Selene of the Pirate Ship Dark Myst at your service." She said with a little bow. Zuko snapped out of his reverie.
"I am the blue Spirit, leader of the avatar's rebel army. If you offer aid, then we gladly accept." Zuko said.
"Of course, but let us speak of such things later. My men are hungry…"
"And tired of being cooped up on this floating barrel!" One of Selene's men added. A few men chuckled, but stopped when Selene gave them a look that made them feel like children being scolded for doing something rude.
"In return for your hospitality, we offer new weapons designed by the Fire Nation. They're prototypes so it'll be next to impossible for the Fire Nation to build new ones." Selene said.
"Thank you. You're welcome to stay as long as need be." Zuko replied.
"Can we trust that our ship will be safe here?" Selene asked, looking fondly at the ship, lingering on the mast where names were carved around the base, on the cannon with gold trim, and on the gray wolf figurehead with topaz eyes.
"Don't worry; the high ceiling will leave your ship room when the tide comes in." Zuko said, watching her.
"Thanks." Selene said and pecked Zuko on the cheek as she passed. Her men chuckled as they followed, one man patting Zuko's back in sympathy.
"That's what you get for making a vixen like her your ally. I pity you, mate." The sailor said and walked off.
Katara ran to greet Zuko as he came up on the pulley system. Zuko and his rebels had taken over Jet's tree base, and had expanded it. Selene's men had headed for the mess hall, and Selene had gone to inspect the rooms.
"How was it?" Katara asked as she helped Zuko off the zip cord.
"Their captain's a girl!" Zuko said.
"What's wrong with that?" Katara said, insulted.
"I just wasn't expecting it was all." Zuko said.
"Well, the point is that they'll help us." Katara replied.
"Yeah." Zuko agreed, unsure.
Later that night a feast was held. Torches left no corner unlit and lanterns hung from the branches above. So many people lived in the forest that over half the forest's trees had secret lifts and homes. Because so many people lived there, a banquet required the use of three connected trees and the clearing beneath them.
The smells of roasting meat drifted up from the fire pits below as people moved along the levels to socialize. Unlike Jet who had been aloof during celebrations, Zuko mingled, giving his attention to every problem or bit of news, no matter how insignificant. As he did so, Selene came up to him.
"So, Blue Spirit, the dancing's begun below. Would you care to join me?"
"Maybe later." Zuko replied.
"Suit yourself." Selene said and walked by, brushing Zuko's shoulder as she passed. Blushing, Zuko watched as Selene disappeared over the side of the platform railing on a one person lift. She leapt from the lift as she neared the ground, flashing silken legs beneath her billowing white skirt, and leaving several men on the ground slack-jawed. She then jumped into the dance, grinning mischievously. Zuko shook his head. He wasn't sure what he'd gotten himself into. Aang needed all the help he could get, but Selene seemed like more of a danger to Zuko's men than the Fire Nation. Zuko shrugged and dropped down on a zip cord to join the festivities.
As he reached the ground, he noticed that the music had changed. Zuko looked over to see that Selene's men had taken up playing music, and everyone was sitting outside of the light of the fire, mesmerized by the single dancer in the center of the clearing. Selene was dancing around the bonfire, taunting the flames of the fire with the hem of her skirt as she spun. As the song ended, Selene walked over and grabbed Zuko. She pulled him into the dance as other couples joined in. She taught Zuko the steps and they were soon dancing, lost in a sea of bodies. Zuko found himself unable to focus on anything but Selene's intoxicating molten gold eyes.
Katara watched from above as Zuko danced with this new woman. As Selene came closer to Zuko, Katara's grip on the handrail tightened until she felt splinters. The dance ended and Selene thanked Zuko in her own special way. By kissing him full on the mouth. Katara turned her back on the two. She had to get away, had to think.
Katara wandered through the woods, half enraged, half in tears. How could Zuko do this? How could he show her so much and then take it all away at the sight of the first Fire Nation girl he meets?
In her grief, Katara didn't notice the person behind her until it was too late. She felt something hard come down on her head, and as she swam between pain and darkness, Katara heard a laugh, feminine and dark. Then she lost consciousness.
It was not until late into the night when the dances finally ended and Zuko went to his room. He shut his door and listened to the silence. That silence was shattered as a hawk cried at the window. Zuko took the message in its beak, dodging as it nipped at him and flew off. He began to read, using the moon for lighting. An unseen figure read along with him on the other side of the window.
Dear Zuko,
I have your girlfriend. If you want the little wench back alive, you will bring me the Avatar. I'll be waiting for you at the nearby Fire Nation outpost.
Azula
The letter crushed in Zuko's hand. He pulled out a map and his ninja outfit from a chest at the foot of his bed. He then went to the kitchen for some provisions. When Zuko returned the map and suit were missing.
The Blue Spirit crouched on a house corner in the shadows. The Blue Spirit then leapt with cat-like reflexes to a balcony of the Fire Nation outpost's prisoner tower. A soldier walked by, oblivious to the window that was open or the ninja hidden in the rafters directly above him.
Katara woke up stiff and chained to the wall. Confused and disoriented, Katara shouted, "Where am I?"
"Pipe down in there." replied the gruff voice of a guard. Katara realized just where she was as she looked around at the bare metal walls. Katara sighed and let her head drop as hopelessness overtook her. She lifted her head again as scraping and the sound of something heavy hitting the ground reached her ears. The Blue Spirit's face appeared in the door's barred window, and the door swung open. As Spirit unlocked the cuffs, Katara cried.
"I knew you'd come, Zuko!" She said, smiling through tears.
"So did I." came a sneering voice.
The Blue Spirit spun to face Azula.
"I'm not Zuko." replied the muffled voice from behind the mask.
"Well, whoever you are, your life is now forfeit." Azula said. Guards began filing in behind her. "What do you say to that, Brother?"
In reply, Azula got a huge blast of fire in the face, taking her out along with the men behind her. With the entrance temporarily clear, the Blue Spirit grabbed Katara's hand and ran. As they passed through hallway after hallway, Spirit passed Katara a flask of water.
"Listen up." Spirit said, "Here's the plan."
Katara listened as she ran. At the exit she stopped. "If you're not Zuko, then who are you?"
"You'll find out soon enough." The ninja said. "Ready?" Katara shook her head. "Good." Replied the Blue Spirit, and they ran out into the courtyard.
The alarm sounded as the two tried to run, and soon they were trapped in a circle of soldiers and spears. Azula came up from behind and Zuko turned to face her, back to back with Katara.
"Remove your mask, dear brother, and I'll let you live." Azula said. "Remove it so all may know of your betrayal!"
"I'm not your brother." Spirit replied blandly.
"Then prove it!" Azula hissed with pleasure. The Blue Spirit reached up and pulled off the mask and hood.
"It's that demon pirate Selene!" cried one soldier in terror. All the men took a step back in fear. They all knew the tales, and several of them had relatives who had fallen victim to the Dark Myst's pirating. Selene gave Azula a smile so filled with darkness that even in the firelight it would've made the devil quake in his boots.
Without missing a beat, Selene coolly remarked, "Lovely party, but we must be going." Selene's smile died. "Now!" with that Selene sent a shot of fire at Katara, and was met by a solid wall of water. The explosion of steam and vented heat forced the soldiers back. When the air cleared, Katara, Selene…and all the soldiers' belts were missing!
The next day Zuko worried over Katara until he was sure she was alright. He then went to the alliance meeting. Selene and her crew pledged to help the Avatar in any way they could if it meant the end of the war and Firelord Ozai. Later that day they resupplied and prepared to sail.
"This is for you." Selene said, handing Zuko a veiled cage. He lifted the veil and a raven cawed back at him. "When you need us again, give him a message, and he'll find us. Oh, and watch out. He bites." Selene added. Zuko pulled his finger out of the cage just in time. He nodded in thanks.
Selene walked over to Katara who was out of earshot of everyone else. "I thought you ought to know that Zuko would've gone after you himself if I hadn't taken his stuff. He cares deeply about you. Never forget that."
Katara nodded and smiled. "I know, but you can't blame me for being suspicious."
"And you should be." Selene said as she turned and started walking back to her ship. She looked back at Katara as she did so. "Who's to say I didn't try to take him, and who's to say I won't try again next time I visit?" Selene jumped aboard the Dark Myst and waved as they sailed into the distance.
"So do you mind telling me what that was about?" Zuko asked as Katara came up next to him.
"Just girl stuff." Katara said. She reached up and kissed him, then walked off. Zuko shrugged and followed.
Rebel: So, what did you think? Yes, I did write this directly after chapter 20, but yes, Azula's in it. My pal DJ had been telling me about Zuko's sister for weeks, and Zhao was dead so I needed a new villain. Anyways, I'd love to hear what you thought. Please review!
