Okay, so I do not own Avatar and blah blah blah. So whatever, I do not own Avatar. But hey, that doesn't mean I can't write a kick $$ fanfiction, right? Right? Of course I'm right. Mwa ha ha ha!
So now I'm moved into the Avatar section of I am so stoked! (hangs up Zuko posters about her rented apartment in Avatar section of the site)
So yeah, I do kind of view every section as a sort of apartment complex with many writers struggling to finish their work and move on to another story. I've been to a few sections. Yu Yu Hakusho, Yu Gi Oh... and I Fruits Basket, which I need to get rid of because people started flaming me because they didn't think I did it to their standards... so I won't do it at all. Nyah! Take that reasoning! Mwa ha ha ha!
(does a jig)
Okay, that was utter randomness. I'm just a bit worked up over getting this project started. I've been wanting to start this for some time now, and I'm finally starting it! Yay!
So anyway, I know the prologue was a bit interesting, for lack of a better word. Some of you may feel slightly confused and others may think they've got the entire story figured out just from that little sequence in the prologue. Don't go getting all arrogant, because I'm not even sure if the entire thing will relate to the story. Maybe you can guess a few things from it, but don't go thinking the entire thing is in there because it isn't. I got the idea when I saw the opening video for Kingdom Hearts. I absolutely love that game and thought my little prologue would be a sort of dedication to the game. If you haven't played the games, get your butts out there and play them. You'll be hooked in like... five minutes. It is a very interesting game. No, it isn't baby-ish just because it has the disney characters in it. If you think that is baby-ish, what are you doing reading an Avatar fanfiction? Dweeb! Anyway, if you ever get confused just e-mail me and I'll see if I can work in some explaining details into the story. Anyway, we're on to the first chapter! Hurray! Hurrah! Let's go!
CHILD OF SKY
Chapter 1
A young man paced the floor of his room as his uncle sat watching him in amusement. The young man's head was shaved except for a small patch of long, dark brown hair tied back high atop his head in a ponytail queue. His face was oval, with only the slightest hint of the boyish innocence that had been more obvious in his childhood. His eyes were narrow and gold, the skin around his left eye melted into a scar that ran past his left ear which had also been melted into a heap of cartilage and flesh.
"Prince Zuko, you shouldn't stress yourself so much. Come, let us have some tea." His uncle attempted in persuasion.
"How can you think about tea at a time like this, Uncle? We're so close to tracking down the Avatar and all you can do is think about tea?" The young man named Zuko snarled.
A knock on the chamber door drew their attention away from the blossoming argument to whomever stood outside the door.
"What is it?" Zuko snapped.
A soldier stepped inside the room and bowed briefly to both the young man and his uncle before he spoke, "Sir, we have recovered someone we believe you should see."
"Who is it? The Avatar?" Prince Zuko demanded urgently.
The soldier shook his head regretfully, "N-no sir, it is a young woman we found floating in the ocean unconscious. But the soldiers patrolling the deck said they saw her fall from the sky as if she were cast down from the heavens." he reported.
"A woman falling from the sky? Sounds interesting, Prince Zuko. Perhaps we should take a look?" His uncle said leisurely, stepping through the door and heading up to the deck.
"Ugh, very well." Zuko growled before hurrying in persuit of his uncle.
The young woman felt her body being hoisted up by an unknown force out of the watery horizon that had so warmingly greeted her. Her drowsy, clear, crystal blue eyes watched as the ocean's surface slowly sank away from her, reflecting a dark silhouette off it's filmy surface. A faint humming sound gradually rose in her ears into distant shouts and orders from men as she was lifted and tossed into a wet heap upon the boat's main deck like a newly caught fish.
"This is the girl the men were speaking about?" A young masculine voice inquired.
"Yes sir. I saw her fall from the sky with my own eyes." An older masculine voice reported.
The young, silver-haired girl slowly rose to her hands and knees with what little strength she could conjure as the sound of approaching footsteps drew closer. Her long, wet silver hair heavy with sea water fell about her shoulders and clung to her face, dripping upon the iron deck of the ship.
She gazed up through the wet strands about her face in exhausted curiousity to the blurry approaching figures that slowed to a stop, looming over her. After moments, her eyes focused on the two beings until she could make out their features. One was an old man who appeared to be in his mid forties at least.
His hair was graying and tied into a sort of topknot while the rest was allowed to hang about his neck. His eyes were pleasant with the wrinkles that indicated he smiled often. There was no mustache on the man's face, but a neatly trimmed beard protruded from his chin and the corners of his jaw near his earlobes.
His entire being held an easy-going disposition while a small glint of mischief remained in his eyes. The second being startled her to a shallow gasp so faint she doubted they had heard it. For this being was a young man who appeared to be about her age, possibly older. Yet a horrible burn had nearly welded his left eye closed and melted his left ear into a mess of flesh and cartilage.
His eyes were golden and looked down on her as if in fierce scorn which had given her an unnerving chill. He lowered himself into a squat for a closer look at the strange girl from the sky.
"Perhaps she is an Earth Kingdom spy, sir?" A being dressed in red and black armor suggested, his face concealed behind a horned helm with a mask like a skull's face.
The young, scarred man took a lock of her hair into his palm to examine, "No, take a closer look. Her hair and eyes are nothing like any woman I've seen from Earth Kingdom. Their women normally have dark hair and eyes just like their men. Even her clothes are haggardous and worn, not even fit for someone of any nation."
The young woman watched him in bafflement, "Earth... Kingdom... ?" she said softly.
The young man's unharmed eye travelled from the lock of hair in his palm to the young girl's face without the slightest tilt of his head, releasing the silver lock from his palm.
"What is your name?" He asked suddenly.
The young woman blinked in bewilderment as she considered it, yet the only thing close to remembering was the image of someone's lips mouthing a word. But as soon as the image was there, it was gone once more unable to be recovered.
"My... I-I... I don't know." She responded regretfully in a soft voice, "Where... am I... ?"
The old man moved closer, standing beside the crouching young man as he spoke, "She doesn't even know her own name."
The young man stood, turning to the old man as they spoke in hushed tones. The young girl propped herself upon her knees where she watched them in interest.
"Uncle we can't keep this woman here. She could become a burden to us in our persuit of the Avatar!" Zuko whispered in a fury.
"Prince Zuko, the young lady has gone astray with no memory of her own name and possibly her origin. What harm could there be to keep her aboard until she has recovered her lost memories?" His uncle argued good-naturedly.
"Uncle Iroh, what if she truly is a spy or an assassin sent by the Earth Kingdom? Or possible Commander Zhao!" Zuko retorted.
"Don't worry, Prince Zuko. Commander Zhao needs you alive so you can lead him to the Avatar. The Earth Kingdom has no need to kill or spy or an exiled prince, and I am a retired general who no longer poses a threat to the Earth Kingdom any longer." Airo explained calmly.
Zuko stood silently as he came to realize his uncle spoke the truth. The Water Tribe wasn't the type of army to deploy a spy within a ship full of Fire Nation soldiers, especially when the two most valuable lives on board were of no real consequence to either opposing nation due to their banishment from the Fire Nation territories.
"Fine, but once her memory is completely restored we're getting rid of her." Zuko snapped, turning from his uncle.
"Then I suppose there is no harm stopping at the next town and finding the girl some decent attire?" His uncle asked keenly.
Zuko shook in anger before storming off, "Do what you like!"
As he passed two soldiers he gestured to them with an order, "Find a room for the girl."
Both soldiers suddenly stood erect at the command before approaching the weary young woman who gave no resistance as they half-carried half-escorted her to a spare room.
Hours later, Zuko stood searching the skies with his arms at his sides while his uncle sat upon the railing of the bow, watching his nephew in interest.
"The girl doesn't have a name." His uncle said finally.
"It doesn't matter. She'll be off this ship eventually." Prince Zuko replied patiently, not taking his eyes off the sky.
"This is true, but for how long will she stay? And until she does leave what are we to call her? Without her name, we can only call her by 'girl' or 'woman.' Very uninteresting names." Iroh pointed out keenly, stroking his beard.
Zuko lowered his head as he considered his uncle's words. He turned slightly to look at his uncle, "Akemi." He replied finally, "Call her Akemi."
"Prince Zuko, sir! We have spotted the Avatar!" A soldier shouted, pointing to the sky toward the back of the boat.
"What!" Zuko demanded, twirling about to gaze skyward where he soon spotted the Avatar's white and brown flying bison.
The young woman had slept inside a room with unadorned walls atop a freshly made cot where she had suddenly awoken to the sound of urgent shouts and hurried footsteps through the corridors outside her room. With a yawn, he arose from the cot to open the door just as two soldiers ran past frantically. Curiously, she followed them to the main deck where she found both the old and young man from before with their heads tilted skyward. As she approached she gazed up to see a white and brown beast against the clear blue sky.
"What is that?" She inquired, staring in fascination.
"It's the Avatar's flying bison." The scarred young man beside her responded calmly.
"Ava... tar. So he's important?" she asked, turning her attention to the young man.
He did not move nor look at her in return as he spoke, "He is. The Avatar is said to be strong enough to end this war and with him I can have something I lost restored to me."
"Prince Zuko, we just checked our coordinates. The Avatar is currently headed for a port in Earth Kingdom." A soldier reported as he approached.
"Good. Prepare to dock." The young man the soldier had referred to as Zuko ordered.
As he quickly walked off, the young woman stared in awe. A Prince? If she remembered anything, it was how important princes and princesses were. They were supposed to be respected by all around them, but then why was no one bowing to this young man of noble blood?
"We'll be docking soon, be sure to be ready." The old man said as he approached.
His voice had eased her from her thoughts, "Excuse me, is it true the scarred man is a prince?"
The old man turned, his eyebrows raised in interest as he stared back at her.
Suddenly she felt foolish for having asked, but the old man merely stroked his beard thoughtfully before responding, "It is true my nephew, Prince Zuko is the heir to the throne of the Fire Lord."
"Then why is he out here?" She blurted.
"Prince Zuko was told he could not return to the Fire Nation until he came back with the Avatar." The old man explained.
"General Iroh, Prince Zuko would like you to help prepare to dock." A soldier called, disrupting their conversation.
"Hey, you ready to go?" The man named Iroh asked.
"I guess so." She responded, her eyes reflecting the confusion she felt.
They had rode off the boat on giant bird taller than a person, the girl had been put on the back of one while clinging to a soldier, who steered the animal. She whimpered nervously as she stared at the ground so far below her feet as she rode side-saddle.
"Quite the experience, isn't it Akemi?" The old man asked good-naturedly with a smile as he urged his bird between Prince Zuko's and the soldier's.
"The sooner this is over the better!" She cried in response, tightening her grip around the soldier's waist in fear.
Iroh let out a hearty laugh.
"Wait... who is Akemi?" she asked suddenly, slightly loosening her grip on the soldier's waist.
"It's your name. Prince Zuko decided that is what we would call you." The old man said casually.
"Akemi... " she pronounced softly as she considered it before smiling, "It's a cute name, I love it!"
A.N.: Okay, so that's the end of Chapter 1. Hurray! On to chapter 2! Let's see how fast I can get that one done. Do you dare me to be like Speed Racer? If any of you have some really good ideas, I'm all ears. For all of you who read this, please leave a review. I'd really like to hear your opinions... just be gentle. I've been working very hard, what with school about to end and such. I can't wait until I'll be able to devote all my time to work, fanfictions, manga and Avatar. It'll be a great summer. Oh yeah... and a bit of summer school and Driver's Ed. That'll be a bother, but at least I'll be able to balance all that AND this story. Though I might end up going on vacation sometime this summer, too. I'll let you all know when that will occur. Anyway, Zuko-nummy-ness is in here and I know a lot of his fangirls are all like "OMG, he is so much better looking before he had his head shaved and before he got the scar." Sorry all you girls that say that, but I like Zuko-sama the way he is. Before and after the scar. He is a great guy, even with the scar. If you agree with me, give me a HELL YEAH!
Oh, and just to let you girls know, if you have a curiousity to know what Akemi looks like, I have a friend I met on Deviant Art who says she'll try working on a couple pictures I asked her to do. I'm not sure if she'll do them, but if she does I'll be sure to have them posted on a site and give you all the link. She is a really cute girl, though I'm kind of considering her getting her hair cut in a fight. It's things like that which gives me the reason to beg all my fans and readers to PLEASE GIVE ME IDEAS, NO MATTER HOW STUPID YOU MIGHT THINK THEY ARE. THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY WORK! You see, I'm afraid I might make this story go too fast and I really want to avoid that. So please, please, please PLEASE give me ideas.
I could really use them. Fellow writers, fans and readers unite! I desperately need your guidance. If you want me to read your stories, I'd be happy to read them. Just tell me the name of the story, and I'll read it for you and give you my opinion.
Keep supporting Avatar: The Last Airbender-Child of Sky and Akemi. Thanks!