So far this story has no pairing… not planning on one either. Not sure where it's going to go… probably will have to depend on good constructive reviews to see where it ends up. No pressure whatsoever to all you would be reviewers ( Grins)
Legal disclaimer thingie… I do not Own Avatar: the Last Airbender nor any of it's characters… Does the story below reflect any thoughts or get any ringing endorsements from the show's creators? …I believe the world will never know…
Warnings: Right now all this story contains is some language, it will contain violence in latter chapters. God only knows what else in future chapters as well... I'm capable of almost anything... So I'm just starting it at M rating. I know it'll probably have to go there sooner or latter.
BTW… does anyone remember/know the name of the Earthbender Captain that captured Iroh in Winter Solstice (1)? I've looked everywhere… but I can't find it. And I can't remember if he was even called anything other than Captain… Yep, you guessed it you smart people you!
So, on with the story!THROB, throb. THROB, throb. THROB, throb.
Prince Zuko winced at the pain pulsating at the base of his skull, slowly ebbing him from the blissful slumber of unconsciousness. Within seconds, his mind became awake enough to feel all his upper body muscles being stretched to their human limits. With all his pain receptors shocking his mind into full alertness Prince Zuko bit down hard on the inside of his mouth… needing the self educed pain to focus his thoughts. 'What the fuck is going on!' raced though his mind as he fought to get a hold on the pain.
Grinding his teeth while sucking in the stale air the word 'shit' drifted thru the back of his mind as he realized he was someone's captive. But how? Thinking was proving most difficult though the pain. If it was Commander Zhao, Zuko vowed was going to pay dearly once he figured out how to get out of this situation.
Testing the restraints was a bad idea… Prince Zuko was now biting his lip so hard blood was beginning to trickle, but he never noticed. The only thing he felt was his skull as it threatened to split open. He just wanted to remember what happened!
He kept his eyes tight shut, knowing the light would only increase the pain tenfold. He's been abused before, Prince Zuko knew how to deal with pain.
insert sounds of booted footsteps on hard packed earth
'Shit I'm not alone. Where the fuck am I?' He had just barley made out the sounds through the throbbing spasms still increasing in his head.
After several seconds of concentration and meditation to get the pain under control, Prince Zuko finally noticed the lack of constant motion associated with large sea vessels. Which was only a small comfort, Zuko hated the sea. But that didn't mean Zhao wasn't still behind this. 'What does the fucking bastard want now…' the list was so long. 'But wait… where is the asshole?'
This wasn't like Zhao, not being in the room when he awoke. Zhao would have been in his face gloating as soon as the Prince had stirred… No. As much as it baffled him, this wasn't Commander Zhao.
Zuko unconsciously grunted as he started to probe his mind for any thoughts he could muster up about what had happened… There was chasing the Avatar. But he had been doing that for so many months now… all the encounters just melted together between skull splitting throbs.
Sweating palms, no drenched, No … flooded? Flexing his fingers Zuko just discovered they were incased in some sort of steel or metal. Zuko's brow furrowed, 'What the fuck…' The Avatar and his declared friends couldn't have caught him and be able to keep him imprisoned like this… could they?
Prince Zuko's patience was wearing out. He wanted to know who had him, it could be anyone in the fucking world. Fire… Earth… Water… random nobodies… 'It better not be some random nobody…' he said sourly to himself.
It wasn't helping that he couldn't remember what had happened, and trying to think it out though the pounding in his skull was futile. Prince Zuko had had enough. He put on his coldest most hate filled facial expression and slowly opened his eyes.
Thankfully the room was sparkly lit, but it was still enough to send lighting white flashes of pain into his already sore head. Colors were hard to distinguish at first, but after a moment the white pain flashes started to subside enough for him to make out the Earth Nation uniform of the man sitting calmly in front of him. Prince Zuko's lips parted in his ever famous smirk as he contemplated at being a captive of the Earth Nation. 'Well… this will be interesting.' The earth nation was more diverse, therefore less predictable than the members of the fire nation.
(The Earthbender Captain who had briefly captured Uncle Iroh? … for now he shall be known as Captain Wren…)
Wren looked up from his bookkeeping, silently taking in their captive. Prince Zuko was on his knees, suspended upright by his arms in the center of the circular cell. It was the largest torture cell that they had in Ba Sing Se, equipped with every instrument a skilled information extractor could ever need… and them some. Thick chains weighing twelve pounds per foot of length were strung from opposite sides of the cell up through numerous wrenches and pulleys to the center point of the twenty-three foot ceiling, dropping down to the specially made device encasing the young Firebenders hands. Said device was basically iron mittens attached together by a bar, four inches thick and twelve inches long. The whole device weighed nearly forty pounds, and was quite effective in deterring Firebenders from using their abilities… unless they really wanted to burn their hands off.
The Earth Nations records were terribly inadequate concerning non combative information about the Fire Nation. Surprisingly there was no good record of the Prince's birth. Records knew that he was banished two years ago, but guessed at the age of fifteen or sixteen. In theory making him seventeen or eighteen. 'Still not old enough to be a man.' Wren's mind wondered freely. 'What kind of father banished their only son? Especially when they were still just a child?'
Once again, Captain Wren took in the physical details of the Prince. Though he didn't need to, he had them memorized. The first feature anyone noticed was that scar. It was the nastiest fire induced scare he had ever seen. It covered the entire left eye area, almost a fourth of the Prince's face. It was repulsive, yet fascinating at the same time. Wren wasn't sure he wanted to know how the Prince had come by it. '…Did his own father do that to him?...' Wren shook the repulsive thought from his mind.
Once you got over the scare you could take in the rest of the Prince's physique. He wasn't so tall, and much thinner than what Wren remembered from the brief encounter he had with him months before. With only a pair of short red silk pants on, the Prince's small frame was accentuated. But Wren was not going to underestimate him, under the skin was the visible fitness of a well trained warrior. And bitterly, he remembered how easily the boy and his Uncle had defeated him and his men.
It genuinely haunted Wren that the Prince had the same physique as his thirteen year old son... 'Good Lord, please don't let him be as young as he looks…' And for the hundredth time, that sickening feeling pooled at the pit of the Captains gut as he once again thought of having to beat and torture a kid… Little comfort came from the thinking and belief that a Firebender would have no remorse in torturing an Earthbender child… why should he in the reverse situation?
Because he wasn't a Firebender… he was an Earthbender. An honorable Earthbender who was also a loving and caring father.
Warmed by the images of his loving family, he almost chuckled at the thought of his mother, the total over the top extra mothering mother, and sweet wife strapping the Prince down at the kitchen table. Stuffing him endlessly with tons of good homemade cooking to put some meat on those bones.
The mental image lasted for only a brief second, and Wren sighed as he lifted his reading glasses up a bit to rub the bridge of his nose. Only if it were different times, different situations… damn war.
The Captain came out of his musings as soon as the Prince's breathing changed from slow and shallow to short and forced, the air now being taken in by the Prince's teeth gritted in obvious pain. Secretly fearing the upcoming events, Captain Wren flipped his log ahead to the page dedicated for his notes during the questioning phase. Noticing his actions the two guards behind him slowly came to attention and went to their posts. They lit the signals in the hall announcing that the captive was coming to alertness during the process. Wren continued to sit calmly at his desk while the two men took their positions at each chain. Soon the Prince would awaken. But for the moment all Wren could do was watch the emotions play across the Prince's face as he slowly woke and figured out his situation.
'Wait… did just he just mutter Zhao? As in the Fire Nation's big Commander Zhao? The kid couldn't possibly believe… Shit… I'll be able to sleep much better tonight if he's really eighteen…'
A new cold feeling settled into the pit of his stomach as he watched the Prince's face settle into one of pure loathing. And the Smirk was completely unexpected. 'What the hell is going though the Prince's mind?'
End of Caught Chapter 1: Captured. Did anyone enjoy it? Hate it? Long enough for you people?
As always constructive fames are appreciated!