hey guys, I know Im like the worst writer in the world! I dump on story and then start a new one... Horrible! but I couldn't resist! Have fun, please leave a comment!
I don't own Avatar, but Kai is all mine!
She sat across from the old man, trying to read his next moves, but he was cleverly ignoring her gaze knowing he would give away his move if he did move.
"Be careful old man..." She smirked, running a hand through her black hair. "Your whole reputation can be riding on this move."
The old general took a sip of his tea, and smiled at his young friend. "Maybe I am just bluffing?"
"You are incapable of bluffing, Iroh." Kai Lou laughed.
Iroh joined her laughter, then made his move, knowing he was going to lose either way. Kai grinned from ear to ear, but suddenly there was a bright light that caught her eye. Standing in front of her was Zuko, the banished prince with his scar to identify him with. He was looking through a telescope, but then put it down.
"Finally." The banished prince turned and addressed Iroh, his gold eyes fierce. "Uncle, do you realize what this means?" He walked over towards Kai and Iroh, a smile playing on his lips.
"I won't get to finish my game?"
Kai laughed. "Iroh you were going to lose anyway!"
Zuko gave the girl a look and returned to talk with his Uncle. "It means my search - it's about to come to an end."
Iroh groans as Kai continued to play out her move, not really contributing in their conversation.
"That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!" The prince insisted, excited of the possibility being the avatar.
"Or it's just the celestial lights. We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko." Iroh started to put away the Pai Sho game with the help of Kai, then poured himself a cup of jasmine tea with Zuko's back to him. "I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?"
"I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar." He exploded with angry, the pointed towards the light. "Helmsman, head a course for the light!"
"Kai..." The old tea lover sighed, stroking his white beard. "Maybe you should talk to him?"
The girl rolled her bright gold eyes, always having the chore of talking to Zuko. She stood, straightening her Fire Nation formal clothes and walked towards the scarred prince.
"Zuko?"
"Isn't it tiring to always be the peacemaker?" He didn't look at her.
The young girl shrugged, brushing a loose hair into place. "It doesn't bother me... I used to have to do this for all my siblings."
He finally looked at her, suprised. "You have siblings?"
"I'm the oldest of seven." Kai smiled sadly, remembering when the youngest was born. "My mother died giving birth to my youngest sibling... I was six." She looked down at her hands, fiddling with a black bracelet in her hands.
"I forgot you had a family..." The banished prince said, ashamed. "I only really remember you teaching Azula fire bending."
"And she was the worst!" She laughed, remembering all the frustration the Fire Nation Princess had when Kai was teaching her. "Always trying to learn bending by force."
He laughed. "Honestly?"
Kai joined him. "I would always trip when she didn't have a strong enough stance!"
They clenched their stomachs in laughter, but soon after the moment died, and they were silent. The two Firebenders smile at one another.
Kai placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Don't get your hopes up, Zuko... I won't see you disappointed."
He nodded, and looked towards the sky once more.
Before heading to her room, she stopped in front of Iroh with a small smile. "He's fine," And she went to her room, only two rooms away from the Prince's rooms.
There in her room, she started to mediate. Feeling the fire within her, going back into her past.
Kai was taken from her family, despite what Zuko's father told him. Kai's father; Souh, was a travelling firebender, always trying to find a new type of style. A style that he would be proud to teach his children. He was about to give up hope, until he come upon the Sun warriors. He begged them to teach him their ways, and that's when he met her mother; Lei. She taught him all she knew with the idea that he would use them for good, they fell in love and got married. Then had Kai, they had started teaching her ever since she could walk.
It was when Lei died that Kai started to really practice her bending style, and mastered it in four years. But, that was when the Fire Lord took her...
Her father's good friend; Ping, took her to a fire bending match in the Capital. That's when Ozia witnessed her power, defeating the best of Firebending Masters. Ozia took her when she was resting in her tent, and only left a simple note of explanation and that her family should be proud.
And that was the last time Kai saw her family.
The sound of knocking shook her from her state. "Kai?"
"Yes, Iroh?" She stood, looking at the old man.
"I was just saying," He smiled. "Goodnight!"
The girl smiled. "Goodnight."
Iroh closed the door and let the girl be. With a sigh, Kai undressed and into her sleeping garments. Then finally fell against her bed and went to sleep.
Kai woke up to shooting and sounds of fire, she groaned and got up. The girl picked up her hair brushed and combed through her ratty hair, then took half of it and made it into a bun, still leaving thick waves down her back. Finally, she put on her formal robes and went to the deck.
Zuko was training with Iroh studying him very closely. Two unlucky soldiers were his training puppets.
"Again!" Iroh ordered.
I walked toward Iroh and sat down, studying Zuko's form. "Good morning, Iroh."
"Good morning, Kai." He smiled. "Had a good night sleep?"
The prince blasts fire from his hands at the guards, but misses. Then the guards attack him with blasts of fire from their fists, but Zuko easily dodges them.
Not looking away from the Prince, "I slept well, and you?"
Zuko back flips over the guards to lands behind them. The prince giving a defiant yell, while Iroh sighed and got up, ignoring my question.
"No! Power in firebending comes from the breath. Not the muscles." Iroh flexes his muscles. "The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire." The prince's Uncle demonstrates how it was suppose to look like. "Get it right this time!"
"Enough!" Zuko stormed to Iroh, angry in his eyes. "I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready! Kai, tell him!"
The girl looked away and towards the ocean. "I have no comment."
The old man shook his head. "No, you are impatient. You have yet to master your basics." Now he said with more force. "Drill it again!"
"Grrrr... huh!" Zuko blasts one of the poor soldiers backwards with his fire. "The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last airbender. 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 firebending to defeat him. You WILL teach me the advanced set!"
Iroh closed his eyes with a sigh, then look back at Zuko."Very well. But first I must finish my roast duck."
Kai laughed at Zuko disgusted face. "Let the man be, Zuko."
The prince looked towards his friend. "Will show me some moves?"
Kai looked towards Iroh, he nodded silently and the girl got up. She took a stance, despite her robes' protests.
"This was one of the first real moves my father taught me." She drew in her arms, letting the power build. "And I think it the most beautiful..."
Kai left her back foot spin, and she shot out her arms, letting her wrists touch each other. The fire make a large spiral, leading up.
"Whoa..." Zuko's eyes were wide with amazement.
The girl smiled, loving the prince's reaction. then she wiped her right hand around her head, with the other out and ready for it, so when her right hand came down it slapped against the left, causing the fire to disperse.
"You have full control of your bending," He noticed. "Just like Uncle..."
Kai nodded. "It took a lot of time and sweat, someday you will get there." She turned and sat down, as she watched Zuko trying to do the move. but noticed that Iroh was giving her a strange smile. "What?"
"It seems Prince Zuko takes your opinions to heart!" The old general grinned ear to ear.
The girl turned deep red. "You're imagining things!"
The two fell silent and just watched Zuko until Iroh cleared his throat. "I think that is enough for today... Maybe we should have some dinner!"
The prince stopped and agreed, the three walked to the dining room. But before they entered, Zuko had grabbed Kai's wrist and stopped. "Thanks for showing me that move, Kai."
"It wasn't a problem," She smiled. "Now, let's eat!"
After dinner, Zuko went to look for the Avatar even more and Iroh went to bed... but, Kai stayed. She stared at the Fire Nation symbol on the wall. She hated that what the symbol now represented. It has caused so much pain and misery, that it hurt to even look at it. With a sigh, she stood and went to her rooms. She took hold of her long forgotten flute and started to play a beautiful melody that her mother once played to her when she had trouble sleeping.
The song consisted with high notes that would flow into such an unforgettable song. But right at the most difficult part, a knock came from her door.
"Yes?" She answered the door.
"Prince Zuko has requested you on deck, miss." A soldier informed.
Kai sighed and nodded, letting him guide her, though she knew the way and could probably get there with her eyes closed. When she arrived, Zuko was smiling with fierceness.
"I found him!" He walked towards her. "I found him, Kai!"
The girl was taken aback. "You did?"
He nodded, his chest puffing out a little with pride. "This means I will be able to go home!"
"Yes, yes..." She sighed, looking at the open sea. "That's great, Zuko."
Zuko frowned, and then ordered for his men to star heading for the village, "Kai, go change for battle!"
The girl nodded and went back to her quarters, where she laid out some combat pants and a loose tunic. When dressed in those, she placed a armor over her tunic, one that would cover her shoulders and stomach, then walked out to join Zuko and Iroh on deck.
He wore traditional fire nation combat wear with helmet and everything. "Break through the ice!"
Kai looked out and saw a small village. "Zuko! There are people down there!"
"I know," The prince didn't look at her. The fire nation ship broke through the ice, "Let get down below."
Kai followed him and waited for the exit to open. It opened and they marched out, Kai and Zuko leading the group.
The prince looked around for the Avatar."Where are you hiding him?" Suddenly, he reaches into a group and brings out an elderly woman. "He'd be about this age? Master of all elements?"
No responses to the Prince's words, with frustration Zuko shoots out a blast of flame.
"Zuko!" She scolded, dispersing the fire before it touched the cowering villagers. "You could have hurt them!"
The scarred prince gave a sympathetic look to Kai, but went back to the villagers. "I know you're hiding him!"
Behind Zuko,a boy about Kai's and Zuko's age gets up with a cry, with his face leaving only smears of what looked like make up. He retrieves his boomerang and charges the banished prince with another cry. Zuko turns to him in annoyance, and dodges the boy's charges and flips him over his head. Zuko fires a blast of flame at his attacker, but he quickly rolls out of the way, throwing his boomerang at Zuko as he does. Caught by surprise, Zuko barely avoids the boomerang. He turns to look back in anger at the watertribe boy over the near miss.
"Zuko, don't they're just-" Kai started.
Suddenly a little boy throws him a spear and yells. "Show no fear!"
The older boy catches the spear and charges Zuko, but the prince expertly breaks of the spear with his wrist guards. After the head of the spear has been shorn off, Zuko grabs the spear and hits the end on the forehead of the warrior several times, then breaks it in half and drops the pieces on the ground.
"Oh," The fire nation girl crossed her arms. "That was real mature."
"Are you really going to do this now?!" He yelled at Kai, then walked to the knocked over boy, Zuko standing sternly over him.
Suddenly, there was a swooshing sound and the warrior's boomerang came back, slamming into the banished prince's helmet, making it shift on his head. A laugh came out of Kai, and Zuko sent her a dirty look. Furious that he was embarrassed in front of Kai, the prince spat fire out of his hands as he hovers menacingly over the warrior.
But before he could do anything, a young boy came storming in on a penguin, flying right under Zuko, sweeping his legs out from under him, causing him to fall flat on his face and his helmet landing on his behind. Now, Kai was laughing hard as she helped Zuko stand.
"Stop laughing!" The prince growled.
She smiled. "I'm sorry, but it was truly hilarious, Zuko. You would be laughing if it was someone else in your place."
He growled taking a firebending stance, but the bald kid was ready with his staff. Zuko, Kai and all his soldiers surrounded the child. They begin to close in, but the boy blew the men and Kai on either side of him backwards with blasts of air.
"Kai!" He shouted, but the boy blasted him, luckily he holds his ground, shielding his face from the wind.
"Looking for me?" The young boy shouted.
Zuko looking incredulously at the boy. "You're the airbender? You're the Avatar?"
Kai slowly got up, "No way..."
The two benders circled one another.
"I've spent years preparing for this encounter." Zuko said angrily. "Training. Meditating. You're just a child!"
The boy stops and raised an eyebrow at the prince. "Well, you're just a teenager."
Zuko fires blast after blast, and the Avatar cries out fear playing onto his face, but he easily dissipates each blast as it strikes by twirling his staff in front of him like a helicopter blade. The dissipation doesn't block the fire from reaching the villagers, though, and they cry out. Suddenly, the boy stops and looks at Zuko with a determined look.
"If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?"
Slowly, Zuko straighten from his stance, taking a moment to answer him with a brief nod and the guards surrounded the avatar. The prince came towards Kai and smiled. "Did that please you?"
The young master rolled her eyes. "You're learning well to stop fighting when needed."
"No, Aang! Don't do this!" A girl with bright blue eyes rushed forward, but stop by a smile from Aang.
"Don't worry, Katara, it'll be okay." he smiled sadly, the guards shoved him roughly. "Take care of Appa for me until I get back."
"Head a course to the Fire Nation." Zuko placed an arm around Kai's shoulders, leading her into the fire Nation ship. "I'm going home."
They board the ship and the bowsprit rises back up. Aang looks back hopefully at his friend as the ship closes. His smile drops as he sees his friend's eye start to water, but then the bowsprit closes, then we set off back to the fire nation.
"Kai?" Zuko looked down at her, taking back his arm.
The girl smiled up at him, making him blush. "Yes?"
"Nevermind," Zuko looked away.
Aang was amused as the two teenagers interacted, not expecting a good side from this Fire Nation prince. It was obvious to the Avatar that Zuko liked Kai, but she clearly didn't see it. As they reached the deck, the prince took the Avatar's staff.
"This staff will make an excellent gift for my father. I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers, being raised by monks. Take the Avatar to the prison hold. And," Zuko shoved the staff in Iroh's arms. "Take this to my quarters." And he walked towards his room.
Iroh looks at the staff, then at Kai, then at the soldier behind him. "Hey, can you take this to his room for me?"
The guard takes the staff, and the old and young master walk towards their room. But Kai went to her friend's quarters.
"Uncle?" Zuko asked not even looking.
"No, just me." Kai laughed.
The prince turned in a whirlwind, his face flushed. "Kai!"
The young master laughed and patted his shoulder. "Don't act so surprised."
"I just didn't expect you-"
"I know, that's why I came." A smiled played on her full pink lips. "there is something on your mind, Zuko... Why don't you tell me your fears." He looked away, not really wanting to talk about it. The girl sighed and took off her armor, then looked towards Zuko. "You know, when I was a kid; the very first time my father took me swimming? I was so nervous and I wanted to show my father that I could do anything,"
The banished prince was suprised by her story. "How did you get over it?"
"I almost drowned," She laughed. "And then he told me; 'It is alright to make mistakes, little one, that is how we learn'."
"And what does this have to do with me?"
She smiled, and cupped his cheek, but before she could answer him...
"Shhh... Someone's coming!" He pulled her behind the door, pressing her body against him.
The door creaked open, and a voice called out. "My staff!"
It was Aang and he had escaped. The boy enters the room, and Zuko closing the door behind him.
"Looks like I underestimated you," He growled, pushing Kai's body behind him.
After a brief pause, Zuko and Kai begin blasting fire at Aang, who barely dodges. He is terrified and he gasps and pants to catch his breath. After dodging a few more shots, Aang rolls underneath Zuko to get behind him, then blasted a shot of Air at Kai causing her to hit against the wall. She fell to the ground.
"Kai!" Zuko shouted, then he tried to fire blast Aang, but was unable to.
The prince continued to blast balls of fire, but the Avatar dissipated each fireball with a small air ball he forms with his hands. Kai,getting up from where she was, shot a blast at the child, but Aang created an air ball and rode around the room, then finally out the door. All the time getting licked by the gouts of flame Zuko unleashes at him. The Avatar terminates the airball and grabs a tapestry off the wall and wraps Zuko up in it as he passes, making him struggle against it. Now, Aang is able to grab his staff. Soon, the prince was free from the tapestry with kai at his side.
"You take the-" She didn't finish her sentence.
The avatar airbended Zuko's mattress causing them to be slammed against the wall and then fall against the mattress, then slamming them against the ceiling.
With a groan, Zuko looked at his friend. "Kai?"
Her eyes fluttered open, "I'm good... Let's go."
They run out of the room. "Let's separate!" Zuko ordered.
Kai nodded and started for the deck, she ran with all her might and when she got there, she saw Zuko in the sky; jumping after Aang.
"Zuko!" She screamed, then created a fire whip and struck the airbender's glider causing Zuko to fall. Then, Kai rushed towards the falling body of Zuko and caught him ungracefully, using her body to cushion his fall. "You okay?" Zuko's body ending on top of her's.
"Are you?" He asked, looking down at Kai.
The girl shrugged. "Could be better, but I think it's time to fight!"
Zuko stood and shot a blast of fire at the Avatar, making him fall into the icy ocean. From above there was a girl's scream as the boy fell.
"Let's retrieve him!" The prince ordered.
Kai started to go and get a boat, but then the whole boat shook. "Ah!"
"Kai!" Zuko balanced her by placing an arm around her waist.
Then, Aang came aboard the ship with his marks and eyes glowing white, he swung his arms and a wave of water pushed some of the men off the boat. With a gasp, Zuko pushed Kai to the ground of the boat so she wouldn't be pushed off the boat.
Kai's head hit against the floor, knocking her unconscious.
Kai woke up a few hours later, with Iroh next to her bed, drinking some tea. The girl shifted and Iroh smiled.
"It seems you have awakened!"
Kai rubbed her head, her skull pounding. "Apparently... So, the Avatar escaped?"
The old man nodded, "Zuko is very upset, even more upset that we have to stop for repairs."
The young master groaned and threw off her blankets, despite Iroh's protests, and started walking towards the prince's room. Kai opened the door to find Zuko meditating.
"Zuko?"
The lightened candles flared high in surprise. "Kai! Your awake!"
She nodded and sat down next to him. "Just woke up, your Uncle tells me that you're upset."
"I can't believe he got away," Zuko growled. "Just a child!"
"We learn from our mistakes, Prince Zuko." Kai smiled at him. "That's how my story related to you..."
The banished prince gave me a look. "You knew this would happen?"
Kai shook her head, leaning her head against Zuko's shoulder. "I just know that no one ever succeedes their first try."
Without Kai's knowing, Zuko was blushing bright red from the contact. Then he stiffened, knowing what he was about to say was going to upset Kai. "We stop at Zhao's dock..."
The girl's eyes flew open with anger. "What?! Zuko, you know how much I despise that man!"
"I know, but we have no choice," The boy tried to calm the girl down.
"Well," Kai grumbled. "Might as well get some new clothes while we dock." She got up, with the intention to change out of her combat clothes. "I just came to make sure you will be okay."
And she left.
Iroh wasn't in her room when she got back, with a sigh she got out a golden formal ropes. But first she went to wash her hair and comb it, then pinned it up in a large bun and finally a decorative flower. Kai enjoyed looking nice, especially gaining nice comments from a certain prince. Finally dressed the girl, goes off the ship, where Zuko and his uncle were already waiting, along with...
"Captain Zhao..." The girl tried to contain her distaste. "I'm not suprised you found us so quickly."
The Captain smiled grossly at the girl, loving the view she provided. "Well, isn't Councilmen Kai Lou, beautiful as ever."
Kai gracefully walked down to the ground, Zhao capturing her hand and then kissing it. The girl took back her hand, disgusted by his action. "Your words of flattery does nothing but bring me dread, Captain Zhao."
"It's Commander now, Councilmen." He smirked.
Kai grimaced, taking her place next to Zuko. "That's wonderful,"
He nodded. "I just invited Prince Zuko and Iroh to tell me the details of such damages, I hope you will join us?"
"Sorry, but we have to go!" Zuko grabbed Kai's arm and started to walk away, but Iroh caught him.
"Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao your respect." Iroh turned to the Commander. "We would be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's my favorite."
With a groan, the prince followed, dragging Kai along with him.
As they walked Zhao talked about how he was promoted, trying to impress Kai. But she wasn't even paying attention to him. She was watching the scenery change from a calm dock village, to the fire Nation's army tents.
"Zuko..." She clenched to his arm. "Have I told you how much I hate military camps?"
"Yes,"
She glared at the red tents, hoping for Zhao to hear her words. "Filled with rules and clones of soldiers that have no manners..."
The Commander did hear her words, and it took all of his control to contain his anger and not burn her to a crisp. "That's your opinion, Kai... I actually like the order of things."
"And that's why I decided to go with Zuko," Kai smiled evilly. "And not to stay in the capital. I get to do as I please."
Zhao gritted his teeth and kept walking.
The group came to the Commander's tent a few minutes later, and the two teenagers took their seats next to each other. Zhao was explaining his plan to take over the Earth kingdom.
"And by year's end, the Earth Kingdom capital will be under our rule." He said proudly.
from behind the Commander, you could see Iroh inspecting a bunch of weapons as Zhao turned to the two teenagers. "The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war."
"If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool." Zuko's fist clenched together.
Kai, of course couldn't agree more, but she held her tongue. Not wanting Zhao to repeat her word to the Fire Lord.
The commander comes and sits next to Zuko, with an evil smirk. "Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue." he paused for a second. "So, how is your search for the Avatar going?"
In front of the three, Iroh tips over the stand of weapons he has been examining in the background. The commotion brings the conversation to a halt and the old man cringes at the mess he has just made. Iroh turned from embarrassment. "My fault entirely."
The retired general walked over sheepishly, the two teenagers watching as he walked off.
"We haven't found him yet." he informed Zhao.
the commander laughed sickly, taunting the prince. "Did you really expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago, along with the rest of the airbenders."
The banished looks away guiltily, but looked up as Kai placed a hand over his.
"Unless you found some evidence that the Avatar is alive." Zhao studied the prince, trying to catch a reaction from him.
"No. Nothing." Zuko was still not looking at him.
Stood from his chair and in front of the two teenagers. "Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war. If you have an ounce," He leans closer to Zuko, taunting him. "Of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you've found."
The girl rose with a slam of her hand. "Commander Zhao, watch your-"
"I haven't found anything. It's like you said." Zuko cut off Kai, with glaring eyes. "The Avatar probably died a long time ago. Come on, Uncle, we're going."
The prince gets up, grabbing Kai's hand trying to leave, but was stopped by the guards spear. In a rush, another guard ran to Zhao to give him a report. "Commander Zhao, we interrogated the crew as you instructed. They confirmed Prince Zuko had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape."
"Now, remind me..." Zhao walks behind Zuko and Kai. " ... how exactly was your ship damaged?"
With a sigh of defeat, Zuko looks down. The guards led the three travellers to the seats as Zhao paces in front of them, while a pair of guards stood behind them. "So, a twelve-year-old boy bested you and your firebenders? You're more pathetic than I thought."
"You weren't there, Zhao," The girl scolded. "You couldn't have handle him-"
"I underestimated him once, but it will not happen again." Zuko cut off the girl again.
Zhao studied the boy and girl for a minute, then smirked. "No, it will not, because you won't have a second chance."
Alarmed by his words, the banished prince looks at the older man. "Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I..."
Zhao turns on him angrily, flames erupting from his hand as he sweeps it in an arc from left to right. "And you failed! Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a teenager's hands. He's mine now."
The banished prince launches himself at Zhao in frustration and anger, but is quickly restrained by the two guards standing behind his chair
"Keep them here." The commander said to the guards and leaves.
Zuko in a further act of frustration kicks over a small table that had been sitting near Iroh. It breaks into pieces, as the old man watches the scene calmly and his friend takes a slow sip of tea from her cup.
"More tea please?" He holds up his tea cup.
Kai smiled at the guards. "Yes, please!"
"How could you be drinking tea?" Zuko gave a look at Kai.
"It's better than burning a certain Commander to burning ashes, Prince Zuko." She smiled sweetly.
The prince rolled his eyes. "I don't know why you hate him so much, Kai."
The girl looked at Zuko with a raised eyebrow. "And you don't hate him? I have my reasons, and you have yours."
"You're impossible."
"I love you too, Zuko." She smiled, causing him to turn deep red.
As the guard poured the girl more tea, Zhao opens the flaps and enters the tent. Two guards standing ready inside the entrance draw their spears back. "My search party is ready. Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to your ship and you'll be free to go."
"Why? Are you worried I'm going to try and stop you?" Zuko glared at the man.
Zhao laughs tauntly. "You? Stop me? Impossible."
The prince stood defiantly, about to attacked him but was stopped by Kai's clenching hand. "Don't underestimate me, Zhao! I will capture the Avatar before you."
"Prince Zuko, that's enough!" Iroh stood.
"You can't compete with me. I have hundreds of warships under my command, and you... you're just a banished prince. No home. No allies. Your own father doesn't even want you." He growled into Zuko's face.
The prince clenched his teeth. "You're wrong. Once I deliver the Avatar to my father he will welcome me home with honor and restore my rightful place on the throne!"
"If your father really wanted you home, he'd have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar, but in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation!" He smiled, knowing he was touching a nerve.
"That's not true." Zuko shook his head sadly, as Kai sent the commander a death glare.
Zhao took a step closer, completing his argument with one comment. "You have the scar to prove it."
The prince yells, launching himself at the commander and glared at him. "Maybe you'd like one to match!"
"Is that a challenge?" Commander Zhao raised an eyebrow.
Zuko nodded. "An agni kai. At sunset."
"Very well." He laughed. "It's a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle and girlfriend will do." And he walked out.
Without a look to Zuko, Kai stormed out of the tent. "Zhao!" The commander kept walking. With a growl, the young master sent a whip of fire just five inches from Zhao's face. He stops.
"What is it, Councilmen?" He smiled.
The girl walked gracefully to the commander, and glared. "Know this... If Zuko dies? I won't hesitate to kill you."
And she walked off as she saw Zuko and Iroh heading to get ready for the match.
"What did you say to him?" Zuko asked.
The firebender smiled. "Nothing of your concern."
Zuko kneeled in formal Agni Kai wear, with Iroh and Kai next to him.
"Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko. They are your greatest weapons." The old general advised.
"Don't lose yourself, Zuko." Kai placed a hand on his shoulder. "Keep your cool."
Zuko stood, throwing off the rope. "I refuse to let him win."
Atop the gate a gong sounds. Both men face each other and assume firebending stances. Prince Zuko fires the first shot which passes harmlessly to Zhao's left. He fires again; but passes harmlessly like the other one. The prince fires several more, the last of which Zhao blocks, satisfaction evident on his face. Frustrated and losing control of his breath, Zuko moves towards his opponent, unleashing more fire from both his hands and feet. Zhao dodges or blocks them all, then crouches forward and shoots flame at a point on the ground close in front of him.
"Basics, Zuko! Break his root!" Iroh yelled.
Zhao fires many volleys of flame, alternating between his fists. The banished prince blocks each, but is slowly forced back. On the last volley the commander uses both hands, knocking Zuko over and sending him skidding backwards in the dirt. Zhao takes a flying jump at him and lands as Zuko tries to get up, but he isn't fast enough. Commander Zhao fires right at him, and Zuko rolls out of the way just in time, and as he is getting up he sweeps Zhao's feet out from under him.
Zuko lands on his feet, a slight smile appears. The prince is advancing towards Zhao, using his feet to produce small waves of flame that rush toward his opponent, the commander is caught off balance and wobbles slowly backward. A silent smile played on Kai's lips, proud of Zuko.
"Do it!" Zhao said from the ground.
Zuko releases a blast that scorches the spot next to the commander's head. The prince stands erect, dropping his fighting stance. Kai came running towards him with a grin, then hugged him.
"That's it? Your father raised a coward." The commander growled.
The banished prince looked down at Zhao and glared, still hugging Kai. "Next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back."
"Zuko! You were magnificent!" the girl beamed.
Zuko turns his back and begins to walk away with his arm around the girl's waist. Zhao gets up and, with a howl of anger, unleashes a whip of flame at Zuko. The two turned in surprise, but couldn't do anything as the flame got close, almost hitting Kai. But, the retired general quickly jumps in front of the couple, extinguishing the flame. With a growl, Zuko stormed towards Zhao.
Iroh placed an arm over Zuko's chest."No, Prince Zuko. Do not taint your victory." The old man turns to face Zhao, a look of condescension on his face. "So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat." Iroh shakes his head at the commander. " in exile my nephew is more honorable than you. Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious."
Kai nodded, "Thank you."
The three turn and walk out, Kai grabbing Zuko's hand. "You were amazing, Zuko."
The prince blushed, the looked at his Uncle. "Did you really mean that, Uncle?"
"Of course. I told you ginseng tea is my favorite!" Iroh smiled slyly.
Zuko smiled as the girl laughed.
"And what about you?" He asked.
The young master blushed. "I-I've always thought of you as honorable."
Now they both blushed and Iroh laughed at their faces.
SOOOO? How do you like it? I promise I will post some new chapters, please review!
