How stupid was I not to do this in the first chapter?! Well, here goes now.
I am here to fulfill many pairings needs, opposites included, (etc. Zutara and Kataang), and just have fun writing. You'll see many of your favorite characters getting their asses kicked, or kicking someone else's. Some pairings might not be openly stated, but implied. Have fun reading the second chapter!
Disclaimer: Laughs too hard to say it. Me, own Avatar? Please!
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The young boy dragged his feet along, his eyes almost completely closed with sleepiness, his head hanging down in defeat. The boy looked up at his captors, revealing large gray eyes that were clouded, unwilling or unable to feel any emotions. A blue arrow was covering much of his bald head, and the usual smile that was on his face was gone. His gaze dropped back down to his feet and shivered, feeling the wind rasp against his bare legs and arms, but refusing to say anything about it.
The young man walked forward purposefully, something that hadn't happened in a while. His gold eyes flashed, and his short dark hair was ruffled by the air that swept over him. His pale face was distorted by a burn on the left side, partially sealing his left eye shut. The smile that was missing from the younger boy's lips was definitely playing around his, just slightly.
Beside him walked a shorter man with a gray beard and hair. He was not smiling in any way, and looked rather troubled. His hands were clasped around his rather large belly, and his eyes kept darting to the side, searching the trees for something that was not there. He sighed and looked over to the taller man, keeping up the stride, but not saying anything. His nephew didn't get the hint.
The wind raised its voice in an attempt to be heard over the three's separate thoughts. Zuko snapped irritably, "Airbender, stop that." He kept walking, oblivious to his surroundings.
"Zuko," said the old man. "That is not the Avatar. He barely has enough strength to walk, let alone to airbend. That is the wind. We must find shelter, for I can sense a strong storm coming on." He stopped, giving the Avatar a chance to rest. The boy leaned against a nearby tree, panting as silently as he could. He wouldn't show weakness in front of these men.
"No Uncle!" Zuko's voice started to rise, a very bad sign. His temper was always just below the surface, even though he finally had what he wanted, the Avatar. "We have to get to the Fire Nation, so I can get my honor back!"
Iroh sighed wearily. He already knew this talk, and it was going the wrong way. His nephew did not know when to stop, and it was always on his shoulders to make sure that he didn't overdo himself. "No," he said firmly. "We're going to find shelter now. If we don't, we will be soaked to the bone tomorrow. And in his condition," he gestured to the Avatar. Aang thought he saw a spark of kindness in the man's eyes, but he didn't get a chance to check because the man turned away. "I don't think we should risk it."
Zuko resisted the temptation to blow steam out of his nose. He took and deep breath, grit his teeth and said in a very forced calm voice. "Okay, let's find a cave or something." And he began walking again, Iroh following and Aang close behind.
Aang stared at the ground, his thoughts wandering around everything that had happened to him in the past week. His captive days were pretty much a blur, nothing sticking out that he felt a powerful enough emotion to remember. All he knew was that he woke up with a horrible headache and Zuko leaning over him. Since then his sadness turned into anger, which in turn dissolved into nothing. He now didn't care what they did to him. All he wanted was to be with his friends, and he was losing hope for even that. It hurt him too much to think about his old companions, but his mind wouldn't let him be, determined to torture him.
Aang had long since stopped to expect tears from his eyes when he thought about freedom. There was no more sniffling when Toph's grinning face loomed into his mind. Tripping over roots because he couldn't see was no longer a problem since Katara bending didn't haunt him the way it used to. Actual tears were not to come when Sokka stuffing his face floated across his consciousness. He had no more tears left to cry.
And now, worse scenes crossed his mind while he was traveling, never getting a rest or talking, or even eating much. Toph hitting the ground and him unable to save her. Sokka being knocked over while he was busy somewhere else. Katara being thrown against a tree and left in pain. He was the Avatar, and yet… and yet he found he couldn't do it. Hope was a foreign word, small print on the contract of his miserable life.
Aang stopped, staring up at the sky where clouds were gathering. Pain contorted his face, and he would have raised his arms up if they had not been bound behind his back. The two firebenders didn't notice, and kept walking.
Kill me! He shrieked silently to the storm clouds. Strike me down now! Hit me with everything you've got, I can take it! Put me out of my misery! Kill me now…! Aang glared at the heavens, which were mocking him. Raindrops drizzled onto his face, and a faint boom of thunder was heard.
Iroh heard a silent prayer for mercy, and turned around to find the Avatar on his knees, hunched over like the child he was. The master firebender walked back and helped Aang onto his feet. No word of thanks escaped Aang's mouth and he just trudged on, passing Zuko who had just stood watching. One look at the Avatar's eyes told Zuko all he needed to know.
'He feels it,' thought Zuko, almost satisfactorily, 'He feels that pain. That gripping, ripping, tearing pain that overcomes your whole body and drives you to the point of suicide. He feels it now and he'll have to deal with it the way I had to,' the banished fire prince watched his uncle and the Avatar walking before him. After a while he started out and caught up with them easily, finally feeling the raindrops pounding on his skin.
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Aang sat with his back to a tree trunk, looking away from the food that had been placed next to him. The trio was sitting under a dense clump of trees that sheltered them from the worst of the storm. Lightning crackled, but Aang wasn't worried. He hadn't been worrying about anything lately. He felt like a black hole, sucking in everything, but not actually feeling it have an impact on him in any way.
He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, meditating as best he could. The Avatar could hear Zuko and Iroh talking quietly, although about what he didn't know or care. The rain splattered, thunder rattled the trees, lightning flashed across the sky. Trees shivered, taking the brunt of the falling water, the ground gurgled happily as it sucked up the refreshing moisture.
In… out… in… out… Aang told himself, breathing deeply. No more thoughts, no more memories. He would have to escape. But every attempt had been futile so far. Hope was there, but had no impression.
Zuko looked over to where Aang was and felt a twinge of guilt as he took in the look on the Avatar's face. It was the deepest sorrow he had ever seen, although he had felt something similar when he was banished…
Zuko shook his head. His thoughts had been wandered to that day more and more often. It had happened, and he could not change that now. But oh, how he wished he could! How he could have kept his mouth shut that day in the war chamber, and maybe said something to Uncle Iroh later.
He flipped his mind back to the present with great effort and listened to what his uncle was saying. "… we cannot just go marching off in a storm like this. We will make it to the Fire Nation. Do not exhaust yourself, Prince Zuko."
"I need to get the Avatar there as soon as possible! That means no meaningless breaks!" Zuko raged quietly, feeling his body heating up. Steam was rising around him, as he was evaporating the rain that got through the canopy of leaves above them.
"This break is not meaningless. It is as you are with firebending! Patience will get you much farther than carelessness. And that is what you are showing now. Listen to your master, Zuko. Do not make a mistake you will regret."
His uncle's voice held a delicate warning, and Zuko glared heavily at him as he drank his tea lovingly, savoring the strong flavor. The exiled prince made a noise as if he was going to say something, but Iroh glanced at him over the rim of his teacup and it trailed away quickly.
Zuko laid out his sleeping bag and lay down on it, biting the inside of his cheek. His honor, his throne, his pride were all going to be restored. All he had to do was bring the Avatar to his father and then…
The prince turned over, facing away from the other two. His imagination always stopped there, not allowing him to go further than arriving at his former home. A voice in a back of his head at this point always popped up and said something scathing, something Zuko desperately did not want to believe was true. And although Iroh didn't say anything, Zuko knew his uncle agreed with the voice.
Iroh refilled his cup, eyes traveling from Aang to Zuko and back again. The two had so much in common, whether they knew it or not. They both knew what intense pain was, and were stronger for it. They both had will, determination and some stubbornness running through their veins. The two boys resorted to the same measures when hope was at its lowest.
Then again, there were the extreme differences. The Avatar had friends that he would do anything for. He accepted help and gave it. He let himself cry, and be afraid, and love. He knew when and how to be kind. Zuko needed to do everything for himself. He had no one to give help to, he didn't know what he wanted or needed to do in life. He was confused immensely. He had never had any experience being kind, not needing it because of his royal blood.
Iroh felt like what they were doing was wrong, but a large part of him was still a loyal Fire Nation citizen, and he wouldn't betray his country, or his nephew, by doing what logic told him to.
But seeing Aang, so beaten, so defeated was painful in itself. The young boy was barely thirteen. He needed support in life, people to help him when he was down. And right now, he wasn't getting that. His pain was other's pleasure. Being chased all over the world by many people, those that wanted to capture him, and those that wanted to adore him would try his patience, draw him instinctively closer to those that he had. A second family, since the monks that had taken care of him had all died so long ago. But now that that new family was torn from him for longer than probably ever before, he would be so vulnerable that even his friends wouldn't believe it. No, perhaps only Iroh saw that. Zuko knew Aang's pain, and saw it, but only Iroh understood it.
In… out… in… out… in… Aang held his breath in and opened his eyes. Zuko was lying down, and the old man was drinking his infuriating tea. He did that every day, as many times as possible.
Aang picked up the bowl of food that had been prepared and started to down it, not tasting it. If he wasn't going to be killed today, he might as well stay alive through the night so his friends could save him. His friends…
Not only was Appa stolen and lost, but Momo had been left behind as well. Momo hadn't come back from his outing, and Aang was afraid that he had gotten lost searching for Appa, for his little lemur missed the giant flying bison as well. But the four knew they had to move out and warn as many people as possible about the eclipse, since they couldn't get to the king of Ba Sing Se. Aang had reluctantly left, hoping against hope that Momo would follow them. No such luck, and the children would have to make it on their own.
He had no one left. No one. Captured by Zuko and his insane uncle, left without Appa or Momo, and no friends. His life had truly reached an all time low. He wondered for a moment why Lady Luck and Dame Fortune hated him.
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Author Notes:
Woot! Author notes!
Any questions, comments, confusions, concerns, suggestions and polite criticism. In other words, please review! I'd like to hear what you think of the chapter since I'm not going to tell you how to interpret my writing. That's up to you! Use that brain that many of you think you don't have!
I take requests, such as, more badass Toph! Or, more action! Just let me know, I'd be happy to try and fit it in somewhere.
Oh, one more thing. Don't make fun of my Aang OC-ness, he's really despressed, and he feels like there's… nothing left to live for. Besides, I'm working on it.
Now, go off and encourage me to write!