Okay, this is a story about a girl who joins with a Prince to capture the Avatar, but during this journey sparks will fly between the two. Zuko/Oc. I don't exactly care for flames, but please don't go over board with the flames. I hope everyone enjoys and reviews, because I really could use suggestions, advice, or ideas. This is also one of my first stories so give me some credit will ya. Now that we have that out of the way, please tell me what you think.
Disclaimer: This is just the first chapter, later chapters will be alot better. Nope I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, but I do own Tani so please don't steal her. Zhao will be alive in my story so, he won't die. Maybe at the end of the story Zhao will die, but I don't think I will do that.
Don't forget to review. Reviews let me write more.
Chapter One: New Job
A tall misty cotton wood tree stood bare in the middle of a path. Light seeped threw its fragile elegant leaves while it swayed with the winds tempo.Pools of water surrounded parts of the tree, and a large rock was fixed in the middle of one of the water pools. On the rock was a girl no older than sixteen. Her long black hair rustled in twin tails as she looked down at the water. She dipped her nimble fingers in the pool as it made a rippling sequence.
"Deepest lengths of the shortest tales." said the girl as she wrote her poetry in a scroll. She put the scroll back on the rock, and looked up at the tree that was hanging over her. That was her tree, the tree she carved her name in. Her name was Tani.
Tani got up from her cross legged position, and stretched her legs. Dust, and dirt was covered all over her brown pants as she walked out onto the rich green and away from her peace place. She quickly wiped off the dirt, and stuck her poet scrolls in her knapsack. The day started to heat up, and sweat dripped down the sides of Tani's face and into her mouth. She spat out the stale sweat, and sat down on a rock. As she took a break she looked at her fingers which smelled like iron, and leaves. She hated the nature smell, but soon she would be near water and she could wash off the scent.
Tani got back up, and walked past the smell of rotting oaks and mushrooms. Knowing where she was Tani walked threw marshes, and nasty mosquitoes that nipped at her ears and exposed body.
"I really could use a horse of some sort right now." said Tani as she picked up her hundred pound boots out of the mud. Struggling, and pushing threw dense debris Tani finally entered a small village. Tani was traveling every where to find a poet or writing job, but as you could see Tani wasn't doing so hot. Almost every business place already had a writer working for them, and in a small town like the one Tani was in her luck was not so great.
"Sorry I already have one working for me have you checked BaSingSe?" said the same people over and over as Tani asked for a job. She stuck her hands in her pocket one last time to feel only two bronze coins left. After she spent that she would die and be forgotten. Tani grunted angerly and kicked the ground, she had one more business owner to go to, and if he said no she was done for. As Tani walked up to the big wooden panel framed door she knocked silently. The door knob twisted, and an old man in his sixties opened the door. Tani breathed in and exhaled a few times.
"Do you have a writing or poetry job for me? I am a very good worker." said Tani hoping for a good answer. She looked up at the man whose face turned grim.
"I am sorry young lady. I am already filled with workers. Maybe you could try BeSingSe, I hear they have the best writers there." said the man. Tani breathed out angerly, of course it always comes to BeSingSe. Why couldn't it ever be the answer she wanted to hear. Tani looked up at the man and thanked him for his time. Tani walked off of the patio, and started to walk back into the streets when she heard the door open wide.
"Miss! I almost forgot. There is a ship off the coast not to far from hear. They came by earlier today looking for a messanger writer. Or a writer instructor." said the man who ran after Tani. Tani's eyes lit up with the ring of victory. "But I wouldn't keep your hopes up yet. The ship is a Fire Navy ship. I wouldn't exactly tell you what to do, but you best be careful if you want to take that job." Tani was willing to do anything if it meant money. She didn't take much liking towards the fire nation, but if it meant getting paid for something that she loved than maybe it couldn't be half bad.
"Thank you very much. You have been very helpful." said Tani as she waved good bye to the man. The man waved back and walked back up his patio and into his house.
Tani walked across the coast for about two hours, there was no sign of any ship. Did they already leave? Thought Tani as she walked on top of the steaming sand. They couldn't have she thought over and over again. "Back to the ship! The Avatar isn't here!" yelled a voice, with other yells and footsteps added to the sound.
"Ship?Where?" whispered Tani as she started to run towards all the commotion. Then she heard a loud crank. Come on faster faster faster! Thought Tani as she tried her best to run through narrow high cut bushes. Finally she ran out and tripped over a tree branch, and onto a soldier. Darnit thought Tani as she pushed up her body. The soldier you could tell was furious even tho he had a mask over his face. He grunted as he got up, and flamed his fists which took attention to the both of them and stopped a line.
"Lieutinent! What is the hold up!" yelled a young voice.
"A women Prince Zuko." said the soldier.Tani heard that name some where, but where. A boy with a scar came crashing through the line. The teen stood about four inches away from her face.
"What are you doing!" yelled the Prince.
"I heard that you needed a writer instructor, or writer messanger." mumbled Tani. The Prince blew smoke out of his mouth, and smirked.
"We do not need a women's help." said the Prince. "Now leave and return to your knitting, little girl." Tani was shocked by his comment, and wanted to stick some what so called knitting needles up his behind, but that was only a fantasy.
"I am no more of a girl than you are." sassed Tani who smiled at her insult. The Prince's eyes went crimson, and his palms blazed with fire.
"You will regret your tongue!" roared Zuko. Tani actually did start to feel foolish, and wished she never even came on this little shenanigan, but it was already to late for second thoughts and apologies. This teen had temper issues he needed to sort out with someone. Zuko stuck his fist high in the air ready to strike Tani, but his hand was stopped forty degrees above her head by a hand.
"Prince Zuko, have you learned nothing. You are not to touch a lady." said an old man who grasped onto the Prince's arm. "My dear I am sorry for my nephews out break. What is your name?"
"My name is Tani, and I was wondering if I could have the writing job, but I guess that won't be happening."
"Why that wouldn't be a problem, right Prince Zuko."
"Uncle, I already said no. A women can't be on board." yelled Zuko. The prince started to have his temper again, and Tani was in the middle of it, how lucky she was.
"Prince Zuko if you could reconsider, we haven't even had one person apply for the job. I think she would be a mighty fine worker, and to apply for a job on a fire nation ship gives her fine courage, and excellency." A long pause was held, and nobody said a word. Tani was bored with all the silence and would rather die.
"Okay well I guess that's a no, so good by and thank you for your time." said Tani as she was about to turn around, and walk towards the little village where she would shrivel up and die.
"No stay." said the Prince. Tani turned around, and knew that he was going to say something. She hoped soon because her legs where starting to turn into jello, and it became very difficult for her to stand. "You get the job, but if you mess up even the slightest word you are out!"Tani's eyes opened wide, and she was just about to scream with joy but Zuko stopped her excitement in time.
"I wouldn't get so worked up. You get the same treatment as the crew. You get a room and food, but nothing else. Do I make myself clear!" said Zuko. Tani nodded as Zuko made a sign to go back to the ship. She actually was so happy, that she didn't even ask what it paid, but at least she knew she wouldn't starve to death.
Tani finally entered the ship, and the first thing she noticed was the smell. Bo, dried blood, and smoke was scented every where. She covered her nose as she walked in, and looked at the other soldiers. They didn't even seem to notice the smell, but when they looked at her they could see she hated it. They laughed a bit, and went to their posts.
"Ah Miss Tani isn't it. Prince Zuko informed me to give you a room." said the old man she had seen earlier. "I am Retired General Iroh, or in other words Prince Zuko's uncle."
"Hello" said Tani not sure what else to say.
"Well follow me, and I will show you to your chamber" said Iroh.
Tani walked for about seven minutes until she and Iroh stopped in front of a door. He opened the door, and Tani walked in.The room was dimly lit, and smoke and dust filled the room. Spider webs intertwined around corners and wardrobes, and the mattress seemed old and damp from who knows what, but that didn't matter at the moment. At least she had a room.
"Now that I have showed you your room, Zuko would like to speak with you." said Iroh who led her to the room next to her. There in the middle of the room sat Zuko. He was in deep concentration, and candles dimmed and brightened with each breath he took. "Prince Zuko Tani is here." said Iroh. Zuko breathed one last breath before he got up. His knees cracked as his body walked towards Tani.
"Uncle you may leave." said Zuko. The retired general bowed, and walked away from the room. Zuko closed the door, and looked at her. "As I said before you will be treated as the crew. I will go over basic rules. Since you are not working with equipment don't touch it. No foolishness is aloud, and keep your tongue quiet. You will be served four meals a day, and that is it, no extras"
"Okay got it." said Tani thinking about the extra meal. Oh wait Tani knew what that extra meal was, it was a break meal or a snack tea thing which was better than nothin.
"And one more thing, since you are working with the fire nation you are required to wear a fire nation's uniform." said Zuko as he went to his wardrobe. "We do not have any extra new clothes that fit you, but you will wear my old army garments." Tani was not going to wear his clothing. He wore it, and his skin touched it which was even nastier.
"Do I really have to?" said Tani as she picked up the heavy armor with her hands. Zuko glared at her, and tossed more clothes at her. "That must mean a yes." she said while trying to hold onto all the clothing.
"Now leave you are dismissed. You have a free day today, but tomorrow you will be on duty I would use this time to look around the ship and get organized." said Zuko.
Tani bowed, and walked out of the room with heavy loads of laundry in her arms. How much she wanted to toss it to the side, but she just kept on holding it until she got into her room. She slammed the door behind her, and threw the clothes on the mattress. They bounced up, and she sat down.
"Now I just got to stick this on some how." she said as she picked up the uniform. It obviously wasn't made for a women since the chest armor was to flat, and the bottom just felt weird to her, but hopefully she would get used to it. She pulled it up, and it didn't exactly feel half bad, the only thing was the chest metal, but that was the only problem. Tani stuck the rest of the laundry in the wardrobe, and walked out of the room.
"Okay, now I guess I should figure out where everything is on this blasted ship." said Tani as she kept on pulling and pushing her new uniform to make herself comfortable.
The first place Tani stopped was the kitchen. A large metal room that smelled of cabbage, and potatoes filled the air. Bundles of potato sacks with dirt covered all over the rough brown bags were piled in the corners, as long round barrels of tea hid under the cabinets. The kitchen had a rack of chopsticks in the corner, and on the chopsticks where red and black dragons with the insignia of the fire nation carved deeply into the ivory. The room was made of excellence, and the inspection Tani gave it was incredible.
Tani then left, and looked at the other brilliant rooms. Some where completely black with red trimmings on the side. Others where long and narrow, and had dresses from women which probably where the crew's wives outfits. Tani looked deeper into the rooms with the dresses. They were beautiful. The kimono's where made of fine silk with dragons laced around the skirts. Paintings where placed around the rooms, and glasses with crushed hearts with placed everywhere.
"Aw they miss their sweat hearts." said Tani while feeling touched at the fact that these buff nasty men had emotions of their own, but she soon left the room, and went into the galley where the helmsman was. He was steering the ship with a large wooden circle thing. Oh how much Tani wanted to just steer the circle for a moment, but that would be unwise. She would probably kill everybody by ramming the ship into some rock.
"Ah Miss Tani I see your out of your room. I swear I have seen those clothes before?" said a voice. Tani turned around to see Iroh. He was happy, and his cheeks where rosy.
"Oh these clothes are Zuko's." said Tani still trying to get used to the armor.
"I knew I saw them some where. Well do you like your stay so far?"
"Yes, its very chaotic but I like it."
"Wait until you taste the food. It is delicious, we have the best cook." he laughed. Tani grinned, she loved food she could eat a whole buffet if she wanted to. Tani finally got bored with talking to an old man who thought himself as thirty so she told her good byes and left the large room.
After about two hours of exploring the sun started to set. Tani didn't admit it, but she was terrified of the dark. She ran back to her room, and jumped on the bed. Her armor clothes could now come off, and she could stick on Zuko's old robe. She stuck it on, and the arm lengths where a few inches longer than her arms, but it was alot better and more comfy than that chest piece. As she had the armor on, she scratched her collar and put her head on the bed pillow.
"Great now I have to work tomorrow." whispered Tani as her thoughts and dreams drowned deep into her mind.
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