Unexpected.
A.N: For those of you that are asking yourself if this going to be a romantic stuff between these guys, I have to tell you that not, it isn't. Sorry guys. Maybe in some point there is going to be some doubts and romance, but for now this it's a fanfic of friendship and adventure. Also I got to tell you that I put this on M for violence and language so, no. It's not going to be sex in this fanfic, or at least I have don't planned to.
Please forgive my grammar and every mistake of language that you can found here. I'm new of this and this it's the first fanfic that I write completely in English. So, any constructive critic, or advice that you can give me for better, I appreciate it. Thanks.
He was dreaming. Again. He saw the green glow of crystals under Ba Sing Se, and the hurt expression in his uncle face for his decisions. He saw the tears of the waterbender " What was her name? " while the Avatar's limp body fall to the ground. And he saw the horrible cruel smirk of Azula.
He thought that nothing could go so bad after that. Oh, what wrong he was.
And the worst of all was that he only noticed it when was on the ship back to the Fire Nation.
He knew the seas and the maps, thanks to that he knew that something was very wrong.
"Azula, what's going on?" No answer. That was definitely wrong. "Tell me Azula, what's going on?! Where the hell are we going?!" He has no seen a map in days but he knew that this wasn't the way to the royal port of the Fire Nation. He has memorized that way to the perfection after he was banished, waiting the day to come back.
"Come brother, walk with me" Okay, now this was strange. He hadn't seen Azula so peaceful and calm in so long and she didn't call him brother since they were child. He thought that after all, he was now in her side, so she had no reason to hate him. One more time he was wrong. Ignoring all he was learning about instinct, he follow her, down in the ship crossing the hallway were the rooms were and down some stairs. His instincts light back to him when they enter in a room that he never has seen before. It was dark and cold and had little leaks of salt water in the walls, what indict that they were in a very low level of the ship.
"Tell me Zuzu" He turn to see her. Her voice still calm and low, but this was a different type of calm, which type that indicating that a storm is for coming. He saw that dangerous way with her ambers eyes seem to glow with can only be fury in the dark of the room " What do you think you're doing here?
"What do you mean? I'm here to go back home to the Fire Nation with you, and see father again." To that point a smile appears on his sister face.
"Oh, poor fool Zuzu. It seems that you still being so innocent and trustful that always. Have not you learned anything of the world in those three years that you went away? Have not you learned anything about me in all this time?" Despite her soft tone, her words make him blood cold as the realization. Definitely he has learned something about Azula in all this time; she always lies.
This can't be happening. He has so close. So close to back home. So close to have his old life back. She can't be lied to him back under that caves. The truth hit him as he remembers the last time he has been with Azula in that same ship. "You know fathers blame uncle for the siege in the North Pole and he considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar. Why he want you back home except for lock you back where you can't embarrass him?"He has remembering her words in his head every single day after that, but in some it getting forgotten for more important things like don't be discovering, escape, hiding and running. Now there were back, make him feel like he has been kicking in the stomach.
"No" The word come out of him like a hurt whisper of treason while his sister's smile grew bigger.
" Yes, Zuzu. Or have do you think that I let you come back home and share the glory of have kill the Avatar and restore your place in the line of succession?" Now the glow in her eyes grow furious and wild with madness while the soft tone disappear of her voice taken for a angry scream " That I would give you the opportunity to take the crown? That it's my glory! That it's my place! And that's my crown! " In that time a couple of guards enter in the room in company of Ty Lee. Knowing what's going to come next he tried to fight the guards out, but his sister's friend was faster, hit him legs and arms in some points blocking his chi and making him fall to his knees, right in front Azula. " No Zuzu, I won't " She continue with that creepy soft tone, while grab his chin in her hand with fury, digging her sharps nails in his skin " I'm going to put you in the most horrible place that I could find, and I'm going to sure that you'll never be able to see the sunlight again. I'll going to torture you so bad that you would wish to be dead "A cruel smile and a caress of her hand in his cheek " …But I'm not going to kill you Zuzu. No, that would be so kind. I'm going to keep you alive, making you wish never been born. "And with that she let him go, while one of the guards hit the back of his head with something hard and letting him unconscious.
Until now – he thought in his nightmare – his sister was compliance her promise very well.
Hawky was finally back this morning, he has been waiting for days now, for an answer of his friend Quiang, the mechanic that have meet back there in the Northern Air Temple. It had seem smart use a messenger hawk for communicate with the man without raising suspicions of the Fire Nation or the gaang, well the gaang knew Hawky, but they think that Sokka has actually use him for something foolish and not for a real mission. It was better that way, he don't want to involve them in that, specially Aang or his sister. Aang has a lot of things in his back right now, enough to make any twelve years old boy going crazy and his sister has too much sentimental and motherly for that. Also, he don't want to his sister get hurt in a mission like that. He has to do it alone, it was his responsibility after all the mess of the day of black sun, and he has to fit it.
He read the secret message with calm while stroked the feathers of his pet. He has been using a fake name, making him pass for a Fire Nation general or something, to keep a low profile in case that Hawky was intervened and the message read for another person. Quiang said that everything was ok and the he was sending his special 'packet' to the accorded location. Good. Now all that he need was an alibi.
Lately his has been making questions to the people using his fake beard and mustaches and making research any time that he was in the nearly city buying food. He asks for the names of the Fire Nation prisons, buying maps of the nearest zone and making a plan in his head. Everything was calculated, clear and planned now.
He was going to the Boiling Rock.
After a few answers useless and without sense that was making him mad, he finally found something. A woman who her husband was guard in there, told him that it was the better prison of the world and that only a very capable guards can make the work of keep in order all those dirty barbarians.
It not was much certainly information, but was enough. He knew that the prison work for criminals and traitors of the Fire Nation, rebels basically of the Earth Kingdom and prisoners of war. Like his dad. Like Suki.
After a look of some maps he found the right one and all that he need was a conveyance.
Now, everything was ready.
That night, he went out of his sleeping bag in the more quiet way that he could be and with light footsteps walk to the little bag that he was packing that morning. One part of him happy for not being there tomorrow when his sister and Toph found herself without meat for breakfast.
Slowly hi take his stuff and let the note with Momo.
Back in the close forest of the Western Air Temple, he found himself trying to raise the damn red thing to the sky. He hadn't noticed how hard was for only one person make a war balloon fly.
Finally, after a lot of whispers swear and a kick to the basket that let his foot aching, he was in the air, ready for start his trip. It was an intelligent idea of Quiang – he thought – makes the changes for make the war balloon able to nonbenders. Very useful now that he has to drive one.
Right there he first thought of the possibility that his plan could be a failure.
What if his dad was not there? What if he were discovered? What if he ends up there like one more prisoner? No. He had to cut himself and those stupid thoughts. Everything was going to be fine. He has to found his dad and his girlfriend and, before even noticed all of them were out of that creepy place.
He looks up right to the full moon, praying Yue that nothing went screw up in the last minute.
Before even notice he saw the island on the distance; an rough big metal box rising up to the night sky, surrounded by what seem a ring of water and another of earth, everything covered with a thick cloud of steam. Now he found himself with another trouble; with the air outside at the same temperature that the air inside the balloon he has to fall right to the boiling water. The panic was growing inside him now.
Taking all the internal value that he didn't remember has, he directs the balloon to the prison, wanting to do this as fast as possible. As fast as he enter in the cloud of steam the reaction was snapshot; the war balloon was falling, and he as well. He tried with all his strength redirect the balloon up, but everything was useless, he could start to feel the heat of the water in low part of the basket while a irrational part of his mind was determined to tell him that the balloon was been on fire soon. Without nothing more that he could do, he let the basket slip in the hot water with the hope of get in the shore. All hope forgotten when he saw the distance and the piece rock in the middle of his way.
Preparing himself for a very forcing landing, he close his eyes and taking all his pertinences he feel his body shot out of the basket, moving his arms so frantic while waiting for the painful smash with the water.
What he didn't expect was slipping up and down again with the cold sensation of ice under his feet.
When he crash in the shore, look to the hot water where one time his balloon were. Eyes very wide in surprise and shock while he saw the melting ice slide in front him.
He has done water–magic.
