The Trouble with Fire

Ch1: Found

Zuko X OC

disclaimer: I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender. I own my OC

Fang ran her fingers through her hair slowly, trying to relieve her aching head. It had been another day where Zuko had decided to pick a fight with the other crew members. He seemed to be wanting to fight all the time now. She could only hope that they found the avatar soon but it seemed more and more with each passing day that this was a fools errand.

Just something that his father had put him on... knowing full well that he would never find it. Their relationship had been strained since he was young.. if only his father was willing to put the past behind him and welcome his son back home. Fang closed her fiery red-orange eyes and let her hair droop down in front of her face. If Zuko kept going like this she didn't know how much more she could take.

She loved her husband but his angry personality was definitely putting a strain on their relationship. They had married just a month before Zuko was banished. A loud knock on her door startled her. She quickly got up, wrapping her red robe back around her. "Yes?", she said, as she stood next to it.

"Come up on deck, I think we found him.", Zuko's voice came from the other side. Fang quickly opened the door and stared at him. "You serious?", she asked, looking very surprised. She could see the hope in her husbands eyes as he nodded. "Come to the upper deck, don't make me wait long.", he ordered, starting to walk away.

Fang raised her eyebrow, "You're not thinking of docking here are you? It's freezing outside, my prince. What about the crewman?", she protested. "I don't care about the crewman! The avatar is the most important thing to me.", Zuko said, turning to walk up to the top deck. Fang frowned a little at his words. There was not doubt that the avatar had replaced her as the most important thing in his life.

She wanted to find the avatar just as much as he did. Not to help the fire nation control the world but to get Zuko's and her relationship back together. It was like the avatar was driving this intense anger out of him. She quickly put her hair back into bun and fastened it with a fire nation symbol-ed pin.

She slipped a warmer red and orange coat on top of her already existing robe. She knew they had to be somewhere in water nation territory, it was bound to be very cold and she was sure the water nation would fight back. She walked out of her room and pulled the door to her cabin closed behind her. Zuko slowly walked up to her and pointed to the sky. "Look.", he said as she gazed up at the sky. A bright white light was shining, perfectly vertical straight to the heavens. Fang turned to him and shook her head.

"It could be, I suppose.", she said quietly trying to keep a realistic thought in Zuko's head. "Uncle!", Zuko yelled, turning to look behind Fang. "Do you know what this means?", he asked. "It means that I won't be able to finish my game?", Iroh asked, still looking at his Pai Sho board.

Fang giggled a little at what Iroh said but covered her mouth with her hand to not upset Zuko. She had always adored Iroh and only wished that she could have his knowledge when she became his age. His respect for all the elements, not just the fire, was something she had always admired. He had the same view as her, there is no one great element.

They are all good in their own way... and when they work in harmony, it's truly something amazing. She could see the piping hot steam rising from his tea cup on the side of his pai sho table. A nice warm cup of tea sounded delicious. She only wished she could sit beside Zuko, have a warm cup of tea, and talk like they used to when they were young.

She missed those days more then ever as well as Zuko's mother. She had become very fond of Ursa as well. Ursa had been the one that suggested they marry in the first place. At the time the two were both very young and Zuko never wanted to leave his mothers side. However, on the day that Ursa disappeared Zuko's whole world seemed to fall apart.

It was as if the light in the world had faded and nothing would ever bring it back. She too had been saddened by the disappearance of her mother-in-law. Shortly after Fang had discovered that it had been to protect Zuko from his father. Fang frowned at the thought of Ozai.

He was a tyrannical ruler who didn't care about sacrificing his own blood for the goal of world domination. She hated the man, he had taken the boy she loved away from her. Zuko was no longer the same boy that she had fallen in love with as a child.

The day Zuko had been banished was almost a relief.. it was like a new beginning in a way. Though Zuko had been brandished with a new scar across his eye and an even bigger scar to his ego, she had looked forward to traveling the world with Zuko.

Because Iroh was a general, he had married both of them atop the terrace of the Fire Lord's palace.. It had been a wonderful time in Fang's life however, once Zuko was banished, she always felt that finding the avatar was top priority.. and she was second. "It means my search is coming to an end.", Zuko answered.

Iroh sighed deeply and placed another Pai Sho tile onto his board. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source! It has to be him!", Zuko yelled, pointing to the vertical beam in the sky. "Or it's just a celestial light. We've been down this road before. Prince Zuko, I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?", Iroh said, holding the tea pot up in his hands.

"I don't' need any calming tea! I need to capture the avatar! Helmsmen, head a course for the light!". Zuko yelled up above them. Fang gave an apologetic look to Iroh and shrugged her shoulders. There was nothing they could do. When Zuko had made up his mind, it was over and it was best not to fight it.

Fang wrapped her coat around her tighter, strong gusts of wind were starting to pick up. She didn't want to admit it but she had a feeling that Iroh would be right once again. The great dragon of the west was usually always right. It would take them the whole night to get there.

The sun was setting and the sky was becoming a dark shade of blue. Zuko had taken off his armor and wrapped himself in a thin red and gold robe. "My prince?", Fang said, laying a gentle hand on his arm. Zuko turned his head slightly in her direction. "You should rest.", Fang whispered, giving him a worried look. Iroh yawned loudly behind them.

"I'm going to bed. You should listen to Fang, a man needs his rest.", Iroh said, stretching his arms above his head. Fang squeezed Zuko's arm. "Please?", Fang asked, she was generally concerned for him. He had not been sleeping well since he was banished. He hardly slept at all, she always went to bed sooner then him and when she woke up, he had been up for hours. It wasn't healthy.

"Prince Zuko. You need some sleep. Even if you are right... and the avatar is alive, you won't find him. Your father... your grandfather.. and great grandfather all tried and failed.", Iroh said, crossing his arms. Fang stayed silent and frowned deeply. "Because their honor didn't hinge on the avatars capture. Mine does. This cowards hundred years in hiding are over.", Zuko said, still determined.

He didn't take his eyes off of the beam in the sky. Fang sighed and looked at Iroh who just shrugged and started walking slowly to his cabin. "I am going to have a cup of tea and then rest.", Fang said, still holding onto Zuko's arm. Zuko turned his head toward her slightly and nodded. "Goodnight.", he said, one of his rough hands came up to grab her chin, turning her head up to look at him better.

He placed a kiss on her lips and then walked past her to the tip of the ship. Even though Prince Zuko personality had turned mean and angry all the time, there was still the rare moments when he reverted back to his affectionate way.

Fang turned and walked back into her cabin. She set a pot of tea on the table and held her palm out toward, she breathed in and out slowly and then shot a small fire burst toward the tea pot. Steam immediately started rising from the pot, a nice cup of tea would help her calm her nerves for the events tomorrow.

She sat in front of the tea pot and drank it slowly, letting the warmth of the tea sooth her nerves. She placed the cup next to the tea pot when she was done and slid off her thick robe and climbed into the bed that had been provided for her. Curtains covered around the edges of her bed. She drew them and bathed her self in the darkness, falling asleep quickly.

Fang slowly stood up from the bed and stretched. She had slept well and felt a little bit better about the events that were about to take place today. On one side she hoped that it was the avatar and on the other she hoped it wasn't.

She liked traveling the world, if they found the avatar she would have to go back to the fire nation. What would Ozai do with the avatar once he had him? She didn't want to even think about Ozai imprisoning a hundred year old man to rot in the dungeons. She wrapped herself in her thick coat again and walked out of her cabin.

She could hear Zuko yelling something on the upper deckagain. What could he possibly be angry about now? As she walked up the stairs she saw two guards standing in front of Zuko and Iroh sitting on a nearby bench. They must have been training again to prepare with their fight with the avatar.

If the avatar was truly alive he would have many years of experience over Zuko, not to mention three extra elements. She couldn't help but feel scared about the idea of her husband fighting someone much more powerful. What if he was killed? No. She didn't want to think about it. She wouldn't think about.

She slowly approached Iroh, who greeted her with a smile. "Good morning, Fang. How did you rest?", he said, in that always gentle voice of his. "Very well, thank you.", she said. Zuko turned to look at her and then glared at one of the guards that was standing by against the wall. "Don't just stand there, get her a wooden stool!", he yelled.

Fang turned to the guard. "Please? If you would be so kind.", she said, trying to not make the guard mad. He didn't say anything and disappeared into the lower decks to find her a seat. "Again.", Iroh said, watching Zuko.

Zuko leaped into the air and shot a bolt of fire at both of them, barely dodging the guards fire bolts. Iroh sighed and stood up. "No. Power and fire bending comes from the breath, not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire.", Iroh said, extending his arm out and sending a blast of fire toward Zuko.

The guard came behind Fang and placed the wooden stool by her. "Thank you.", she whispered to him. She turned her attention back to Iroh who was still scolding Zuko. "Get it right this time.", he said, folding his hands back into his leaves. Fang frowned a little, she could see the anger in Zuko's shoulders, he was tense. "Enough. I've been drilling this sequence all morning. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready.", Zuko said, his hands clenched into fists.

Iroh shook his head. "No, you are impatient. You have yet to master your basics. Drill it again!", he yelled, sitting back down in his stool. She could see the anger in Zuko's face. He was so angry that he turned and sent a strong fireball toward an unprepared guard.

The guard barely had enough time to block the fireball and was sent flying backward. Fang frowned hard and turned back to Zuko was standing over his uncle. "The sages tell us that the avatar is the last air bender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the four elements. I'll need more than basic fire bending to defeat him. You will teach me the advanced set!", Zuko yelled.

Fang turned away and tried to focus her gaze on the skyline and icebergs. "Very well... but first I must finished my roast duck.", Iroh said, finally giving into his nephew. Fang tried not to let out another giggle when she turned and saw Zuko's disgusted face as Iroh eagerly ate away at his roast duck.

Fang's attention was brought to the sky when she saw a flare go up in the sky. Zuko quickly took out a spy glass and looked to where it had come from. "I see him. The last air bender. Quite agile for his old age.", Zuko said. Fang couldn't believe that they had actually found the avatar. She really had not believed that he was still alive. Zuko turned quickly to both Fang and Iroh, his face was determined and proud.

"I found the avatar."

End of Ch.1