Don't own ATLA. Now this is a little, actually a lot different from my usual work. I'm actually kinda nervous about it. Now, for now it's a one shot, it's up to you guys if I make it longer, or if I should just leave it.
Zuko sighed as he walked through the western air temple, tiredness clawing at him. But he couldn't sleep. Every time he saw a shadow move he felt chills run down his spine but he wasn't sure why. And it didn't help that nobody would leave him alone.
Toph was bent on getting her revenge and he had several bruises to prove it. Sokka seemed to mope in silence muttering nonsense. All Sokka could make out was Suki, kyoshi, father, invasion, and fail. Aang was a complete bundle of energy that did more harm than good with his goofing off.
Haru was just weird with his mustache. Teo was bent on exploring every aspect of the temple and receiving several injuries and crashes, a couple of which had involved running into Zuko. The Duke was just a kid and more of a nuisance than a help.
Then there was Katara, the worst of them all. She tailed the prince from sun up to sun down, ignoring the fact that he had bruises from head to toe. Off to the side Zuko though he saw movements. With practiced movements he turned around, grabbing a wrist that had been reaching out to grab him.
He halted in surprise as Katara's outraged face "What do you think your doing?" she asked angrily. Zuko growled as he let go of her hands, studying the darkness, the chills only increasing. Something bad was going to happen, he just didn't know what.
Behind him Katara growled "Well?" she demanded. Zuko turned to her, a hand on his lips to indicate she needed to be quiet.
Katara's eyes narrowed dangerously "Oh no, you are going to answer right this second…" she halted as something buzzed through the air. Zuko let out a cry as he stumbled into her. Katara looked at his pained face in confusion, not understanding the cause.
Another buzz sounded that drew even more confusion "Look out" Zuko grunted, pushing her to the ground. Katara's eyes widened in surprise as an arrow embedded itself where her and Zuko had been standing one second ago.
Swiftly Zuko staggered to his feet and Katara saw an arrow embedded in his right shoulder. She looked on in confusion as Zuko studied the surroundings carefully, swaying slightly on his feet. A man then swiftly jumped down from above, tackling Zuko to the ground.
Zuko yelped as the arrow broke off, leaving the head stuck in his shoulder. He ignored it best he could as he struggled to gain ground again the man. His then paled as the man grabbed a dagger, thrusting at the young princes heart.
Zuko let out a gasp as he grabbed the dagger with his right hand, keeping it braced from coming near him. However inch by inch the man gained ground until the dagger was pressing up against Zuko's flesh. The man the let out a hiss of surprise as water crashed into him, tossing him off of Zuko.
Zuko let out a ragged sigh of relief, looking at the unsure water bender who froze the man to a tree "Who are you? What do you want?" she asked, her voice shaky.
The man struggled against the ice "I'm saving you from that traitor" the man hissed.
Katara shot a glace at Zuko "What do you mean?" she asked.
The man glared at Zuko "Didn't you know why he was sneaking out?" Katara shook her head
"He was going to tell his sister your whereabouts so she can attack" he said angrily.
Zuko's eyes widened "I was doing no such thing!" he said angrily.
He then turned a begging glance at a fuming Katara "Please Katara you have to believe me" he begged.
Katara glared at him "I warned you" she hissed. Zuko stepped back fearfully as she launched a water whip at him, ignoring the smirking man who melted himself from the ice. Swiftly Zuko dodged another attack as Katara tried to wrap the water around his waist.
He then caught sight of the man sneaking up on the and quickly he launched a fire blast that the man quickly avoided, rage implanted on his face. Without warning Katara ran forward for another attack that Zuko barely managed to avoid.
He paled when he saw the pillar behind him slice into several pieces, this girl meant business. The only bad thing is he was left open for an attack by the man who swung a sword across, cutting Zuko across the cheek as he struggled to dodge.
Without warning a pillar of earth shot the man away while a blast of air shot Katara into a pillar, rock cuffs keeping her arms to the pillar. The man hissed angrily at Zuko who was smiling at Toph, Aang, and Sokka who seemed to come to his aid.
Suddenly he felt a dagger against his neck and mentally he chided himself for not paying attention. He could feel the mans breath on his neck as he leaned forward "The girl will never trust you now. And since I can't quite kill you here I'll do the next best thing" he whispered.
Zuko shivered as the pressure vanished from his neck. Relief filled him up for a moment as he hoped the man was gone. Suddenly he felt the biting sting of a dagger right where Ty lee always blocked bending chi. Weakly he tried to conquer a fire to get the man but couldn't, the injury blocked it.
He felt himself sag to his knees as the man looked at the others darkly, especially Katara "This is what happens to those who oppose Ozai. You can try, but you won't win" he said, backing up against the edge of a cliff.
Toph ran forward but was to late as he jumped off the cliff to his death. Swiftly chaos was thrown around as Toph ran to Zuko who struggled to stay on his knees. Calmly she laid him on the ground "Steady, just rest and you'll be fine" she said calmly.
Aang went around gathering wood to build a fire using his air bender speed to go quicker. Sokka however approached his confused sister, anger clear on his face "Why did you help him attack Zuko!?" he shouted.
Katara looked at the cliff in confusion "I was following him because he was walking around but that man attacked. I asked what he was doing but he said he was saving us. That Zuko was going to tell his sister where we were" she explained quickly.
She then wince as the rock cuffs were tightened by Toph who shot her the most ferocious glare "And you just believed him!? You believed a stranger you've never seen before that Zuko was going to betray us? Are you psychotic!? He could have been killed because of you!?" she shouted.
Aang turned to look from the now lighted fire "Why can't you accept that he's changed? You're the only one who hasn't" he said quietly.
Katara looked away angrily "Because he betrayed us once, who's to say he won't do it again?" she asked angrily.
Zuko groaned as he struggled to sit up, a desperate look on his face "So you believe a total stranger? Why is it so hard to believe? I've already gone with Aang to the Sun Warriors. If I was against him wouldn't I have led him into a trap?
And you wouldn't have known because you would have had no clue how long it would take! And I risked my life to try to get rid of the assassin, imagine if that vine wasn't there what could have happened? And just now that arrow would have hit both me and you but I got us out of the way! I could have just ducked and let it hit only you but no!" he said angrily.
Aang shot him a concerned look "Arrow?" he asked. Zuko winced in pain as he pointed to where the second arrow was still in the ground.
He then winced again "And there is a second one stuck in my shoulder, after that he resorted to daggers" he said in a strained voice.
Katara glared at him "Answer this, if he was trying to protect us then what was that man doing?" she asked sharply.
Zuko rolled his eyes "Oh I don't know, maybe he was an assassin hired by Ozai to kill me" he said sarcastically.
Katara glared darkly at him "How dare you imply I helped an assassin" she hissed.
Zuko laughed darkly, holding his side in pain "To late because you did" he told her.
Katara looked at Toph "Release me now" she hissed.
Toph glared at her "What is wrong with you? Your not the sugar queen I know. More like the killing queen or death queen" she said, her tone cold. Katara gaped at her as Toph carefully undid the earth shackles, allowing Katara to fall to her knees in shock as those words sunk in.
The others ignored her however to go to Zuko's side. Toph carefully tried to help him to his feet but he shook his head, stumbling a bit but keeping himself up as he limped to his room, pain coursing through his body.
Quickly everyone dispersed, leaving Katara by the small fire as a single tear came down her cheek.
Briefly she looked into the flames and thought she could see her mothers face looking at her in disapproval…
So what do you think? Continue or leave?