Hello people! It has been SOO long since I've written a fan fiction. Seriously, like a year and a half. I'm really not sure that I remember how, so bare with me. I'm in my eleventh grade year of high school at a boarding school for smart people (yay, smart people!), so I don't have a lot of spare time to write, but I'm going to devote as much time as possible to this story. I have changed my pen name from TeeJayVortex to Avalon Storme for the simple reason that Avalon Storme is my real life pen name too.

A few things before I begin . . . this is my first Avatar fanfic. I've written about thirteen other fanfics, all of them either Jimmy Neutron or Hey Arnold. So, you may have already read some of my works. What I'd like to say is—I've written a novel and am working on my second, so I'm hoping that my writing skills have improved considerably since my last fanfic. So, tell me if they have or haven't.

Just because I've never written an Avatar fanfic doesn't mean I'm not a HUGE fan because I am. I've been watching the show since the beginning so I think I have a pretty good grasp on the characters', well character. I'm also a Katara/Zuko fan, but if you don't feel that way, don't let it stop you from reading this. And, the last thing I should say is that I'm a huge Zuko fan, so this story may be a little biased. Okay, here goes. . .

Prince of Fire

Chapter One: Absence of Pain

Zuko watched. His sister stood in front of the large crowd, reviling in the glory that had befallen her. Azula enjoyed the power, he could tell. Perhaps a little too much. He was all for honor and redemption, but she was taking it too far.

A small part of him, or maybe a larger part than he was willing to admit, knew that it should have been him up there. He was supposed to be the one everyone looked up to for leadership. He was their prince.

Zuko dug his fingers into his palm, trying his best not to let his anger show. But, despite his best efforts, he could feel the heat of fire prickling the tips of his fingers, singeing his palm. But, it didn't hurt so badly. Not anymore. He'd learned to ignore pain, all pain, physical or not. It was just easier that way. People didn't question your motives when your driving force wasn't based upon how much you'd been hurt.

And, he had been hurt; he could admit to himself that much. He'd been hurt a lot. His banishment had hurt the most, in the beginning. It was all he could think about. That was when he'd learned that feeling pain made a person weak. It made you more susceptible to be hurt again and again. For that reason, he'd tried to stop feeling. And, for that reason he had hunted the Avatar.

He hadn't let his emotions get in the way of that, either. He had lived with one frame of mind for so long- get the Avatar. Those three words, like a chant or mantra had embedded themselves into his mind, until it was all he could think about. He didn't have time to worry about the pain anymore. He had something to keep him busy.

Now, Zuko didn't know what to do with himself. His one motivation was thought to be dead by most of the world. A part of him hoped that wasn't true. No, that wasn't right, was it? He should have been happy that the Avatar was dead.

But something large and ugly, a memory, had clawed its way to the forefront of Zuko's mind. Katara's healing water from the Spirit Oasis. She had been about to use it on his own scar. And, he thought if the water could heal that, it could heal anything.

If Katara had been so willing to use it on him-Zuko-her enemy, there was no doubt in his mind that she would use it on the Avatar.

Zuko didn't allow his mind to rest on Katara or anything to do with her for too long. He didn't know her all that well and associated her directly with his enemy. But, that act of kindness in the cave had surprised him. No one had ever tried to help him like that. It was a new concept.

Zuko was pulled from his thoughts by Azula's cruel voice, echoing down upon the heads of her followers.

"My brother, who was until very recently exiled, has redeemed himself. Perhaps he would like to tell you in detail how he slew the Avatar."

Her words were mockingly cold. Zuko glanced at the crowd, wondering what they were expecting. Some hero's story about how he'd destroyed the Avatar in one clout? How could he tell them something that hadn't really occurred?

Zuko took his place next to his sister and spoke the words she'd told him to. It was his only choice. He couldn't let everyone know, especially his father, that none of it was true.

He fought back the anger still, forcing it down deeper into the pit of his stomach, a hard knot of fury that almost set him off balance. Then, he regained his composure; spoke in a cool, clear voice the fabricated details.

Still, he felt no pain.

Yes, I know that chapter was extremely short and nothing really happened, but that was purposeful. I just wanted a sort of introduction chapter to the interworkings of my mind and how the rest of the story is going to play out. There IS a story and it will be starting very soon.

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