Reincarnation…

by PhantomChajo

~~(-)~~

….Another sickening heave and he was thrown once more, slamming down on rolling pots, his head cracking against one of the bench seats. The young prince knew no more as he was smashed forcefully into darkness.

From darkness he was reborn into the light. He lived the life he was given from start to end to his best capabilities, never deviating from the path before him. Not all his lives were good or long, but neither were they so terrible that he wanted nothing to do with the cycle of reincarnation any longer. Only a few lives stood out amongst the rest, either for the trials he faced and won through a sheer stubbornness that was uniquely his, or because the spirits found it so amusing they were still re-watching that life play out again and again or because of whom he crossed paths with, without even knowing.

~~(-)~~

He caught the Avatar! Oh wait, no that was Sokka….

Southern Air Temple….

He had been born there in the Southern Air Temple. He had survived countless turnings of light and dark, had grown older and stronger. He avoided the hunter and survived where the rest of his brothers and sisters had been foolish and made their webs where the hunters could find them and devour them. He knew the best location to make his web, where the winds would not rip it asunder but blow prey into it instead. He feasted on a regular basis, even during the cold dark times. He also knew to avoid the females whenever possible for they had issues with males. The type of issues where once they mate, the males tended to become dinner for the female afterwards.

This was one of the times he knew he would feast. The vibrations that traveled into his web proclaimed this. His web was strung out, finely woven and hard to see unless the prey looked in just the right direction and just the right height, but then it would be too late. With four of his eight legs resting delicately against different points on the web he waited patiently.

He was rewards with his wait and suddenly his web began to shake, tugged in several directions at once. Whatever he had caught, it was huge! Quickly scurrying out of his hiding spot, ready to pounce and bite, then wrap his prey in silk. What he landed on wasn't anything he knew of. Hills and valleys, smooth surfaces which offered little to latch onto as he scrambled across whatever it was. So confused was he, he never noticed what smacked into his body.

"EEEEeeeekk!" A high pitched girly-man scream.

Pain! Oh the pain! Something hit him sending him flying a distance, to slam into the rock which anchored his web then swing outward again, hanging from the stand of silk which attached him to his web.

"What is that!?" Katara asked, pointed to the creature Sokka had just swatted off his face.

"Huh?" Aang turned to look at what Katara was pointing at. "Oh, it's just a harmless…."

The hunter pounced, grabbing him tightly, taking advantage of the fact three of his legs no longer worked. The end was there for him, but he still struggled till the very end.

Crunch!

"...eeewwww…. Momo!"

The flying lemur just looked at his new human friend as he contentedly ate his snack.

~~(-)~~

Too stubborn to lay down and die…..

When he was born, his mother declared him a fine, strong son. One to be proud of for she knew he came from a line known for their strength and the will to never give up if they had a duty to complete. For they were of the people of the land and carried their partners where ever was needed and for whatever was needed.

As he grew, he was shown to many potential partners, but they considered him too ill tempered for most. He only got along with a handful of other equally strong and stubborn people. They became a herd together. They trained together and ate together. When they slept, there was always one or two who would watch out for the herd during their sleep and never the same ones twice in a row.

His herd was finally partnered with riders that respected his herd and in turn they respected their riders. Out of all the riders, there was only one who earned his complete loyalty. And in return, that rider gave him loyalty back.

He was smarter than average like the rest of his herd. So when the herd trained with their riders, tricks were learned after only a few times. Unlike some of the older people of the land, his herd was willing to try anything at least once.

After a season of plenty followed by a season of heat, it was time. Each member of the herd was decked out, with saddles for their riders and not-hide to protect their heads. sides and flanks during their time of dominating. During this time, their riders stood with them, ensuring the others did no harm (If you asked one of the others though it was the other way around!). When it was all done, the herd was lead to a heat/fire smelling not-cave, that traveled over deep waters.

When the herd arrived, they were given time to get use to the new lands then they and their riders were unleashed to dominate the land.

For five long and hard years, the mounted elite firebenders and their units did bloody battle as they conquered mile by mile of the Earth Kingdom. Many members of the Earth Kingdom armies fell beneath the clawed feet and deadly flames of the mounted unit.

It was during a bloody, fierce battle that he and his herd finally succumb to their end. The battle raged from dawn till late afternoon, when the Fire Nation Army finally won, but with heavy casualties. He knew his rider was no more sometime during the time when the bright light was high in the sky, but he continued on. He and his herd would charge into thick gatherings of earth-others, trampling many under their clawed feet, but each time one of the herd would go down. Some would get back up and continue on fighting till the earth-others trapped them and tore them asunder like ravenous not-people of the land.

He was the only one left of his herd when he made it back to where their riders had made flimsy enclosures to sleep in. He knew where to go when the others helped his rider feed and water him. Once there, he stands waiting, breath heaving and blood dribbling from his mouth, he can't see out of his left eye anymore. His sides and flanks were covered in dirty and blood, splinters pierced him places and he limped on three legs. His tail was broken along with his nose horn.

The others know he will never take another rider. They also know he won't live a good, pain free life anymore, even if they do heal him up. They give him herbs in his feed and water that makes the pain go away as well as making him sleepy. The others makes his death mercifully quick.

In the end, he fulfilled his duty. He didn't give up and he brought his rider home.

~~(-)~~

In the garden of silence.

Every creature that called the garden home knew it was best to stay silent when the human came through. All except the youngest creature, new to the ways of the garden. Golden brown feathers, and a hard dark green shell marked this creature as a once beloved inhabitant of the pond in the center of the garden.

He was curious as to why the silence and would often try to explore but his mother would quickly chase him back to the lonely nest. It was lonely for he had no siblings left alive and when ever he tried to explore, his mother would drive him back to the nest.

One day, the human had come into the garden silently and stayed there to get away from the noisy specters which followed her everywhere but the garden.

It was on that day that the young creature had escaped from his mother's watchful eyes. He explored the pond, from shore to shore and all around the center. Nothing of interest there. So he took his exploring to the land and found a nice little spot below a tree. Being tired from his adventure, he settled down to nap.

The smell of smoke and the heat of fire woke the young creature. It was trapped, a wall of flames kept him from reaching the water. He called and called and called, yet his mother never came. She did not even answer his distressed cries.

The human giggled madly as she controlled the fire, making it hotter, making the wall higher and shrinking the circle. She found the creatures cries pleasing to the ears for a little while. Playing cruelly with the creature, letting the flames die down and opening a wall. As soon as the creature attempted to flee, she raised the flames and increasing the heat. "Mother doesn't love you," the human said in a sing-song voice before her gaze turned inward. "Mother doesn't love you. If she did, she'd be here to take you away from me. She'd tell me I'm a monster."

The cries from the creature had stopped finally.

"Mother doesn't love you…." the human said once more before snuffing out the flames. She got up and left the garden to its silence once more. In her wake was a ring of scorched earth with only ashes and a burned out shell.

The mother appeared only after the silence had resumed for some time. She made her way cautiously across the water to where her child once was. Nothing was left of her baby, but perhaps that was for the best. Now she could leave the silent garden and find a better place to start a new family. A place untouched by the mad human who made the silence scream.

~~(-)~~

A pampered prince of all he surveys…

He was born to a queen. One of five children born to the queen. He was the only son, the rest were daughters. All the the queen's children were beautiful, he was no exception. The eldest two daughters were of sable and flames respectively. The youngest two, a pale golden cream and white.

He was the only one that had all the colors of his siblings making him unique. A white face, with a flame colored patch over his left eye and cheek, dark sable across the top of his head and down to stop between his shoulders. The flame color picked up again, across his body and partially down his front and rear legs. White of his face continued down his throat and part way down his chest, making the markings look like an open vest almost. His front and back paws were also white. Like his sisters though, his fur was of medium length, thick around his head like a mane, shorter on his body only to puff out again for his tail. And unlike his sisters, whose eyes were greens and blues, his was a bright golden yellow.

Men and women, upper merchant class to nobility came to look at him, offering much just to have him when he was weaned from his mother. He and his sisters were much admired for both their looks and their pedigreed background. In the end, the young prince went home with a young woman named Kiyi as a gift for her daughter.

Both he and the little girl grew up together, both inseparable, thick as thieves when getting into trouble. He wanted for nothing and she giving him everything. From fresh fish to eat, to sweet cream to drink. He had free roam of the house. Lord and Prince of all he surveyed.

When Kiyi's little girl grew up and got married, he was not left behind like many childhood pets. Instead, he was given a place of honor at the wedding, then lovingly taken to his new home where once more became the lord of all within.

When he finally passed away, it was at the ripe old age of 34 years, 5 months and 14 days. He had seen in his lifetime the end of a war and the beginning of peace, he'd seen his companion grow up, marry and have children of her own. He went quietly in his sleep, curled upon the silken cushion to the side of the fireplace.

The next morning, it was the woman's little girl who found him. Her mother consoled her daughter as best as any parent could at the loss of a beloved pet. "Hush Ilah, hush. He was old and tired. It was time for Lord Agni to call his son home again." She rocked the girl gently, "Don't worry sweetheart, one day you get to see him again."

~~(-)~~

Reunion with family…..

He was comfortable, though the space he occupied was getting a little cramped now that he thought about it. And lately something kept squeezing him, shoving him in a direction he didn't really want to go.

Over time, the pressure increased till he had little choice. After what felt forever he was suddenly out and he did not like it one iota. It was too cold. It was too bright. Pain blossomed across his body as something was roughly rubbed all over him, jostling back and forth. And sound, oh Agni the sound! Much too loud, too close, too far away, muffled yet clear. None of it could he understand.

"Well?" came an aged yet concise voice.

"A healthy looking boy, my lord," replied a second voice.

"Would you honor us with naming him, my lord?" asked a third voice.

All this time, he had his eyes closed against the bright light, but things had dimmed down some. Plus he was curious as to what he'd been reborn as this time.

"Hmmph… give him here," spoke the first voice again.

He was moved about, repositioned, warm and cradled for the moment. Something hard was traced down his face a few times.

"Open your eyes boy so that you may look upon the face of your lord as I name you," commanded the first voice.

Whatever it was touching his face would not go away, so he gave in and opened his eyes for the first time. Everything was blurry and still brighter than he liked.

"Golden eyes…. and yes.. the spark is there, brighter than any other child this family has produced in a long time," the first voice murmured as the speaker passed the newborn back to his parents. "I know what he shall be called."

"Thank you my lord!" said the third voice.

Finally, the child was settled back in his mother's arms. His mouth latched onto a nipple as he sucked his first meal after having been born.

"Zuko… his name shall be Zuko."

"Thank you grandmother," replied a tired sounding voice. "May I present Zuko, son of Ozai and Ilah. Your first born great-grandson Fire Lord Azula."

An aged, cackling laugh rolled through the room. "Hello Zuzu. Lets see how big of a dum dum you are this time around." She had been waiting a long time for her dear idiotic brother to come back.

Zuko stopped suckling at his mother's breast, head turning, body squirming as if in a tantrum as he let out an angry, frustrated howl. It was official, the universe hated him.

Ozai, Azula's eldest grandson exchanged puzzled yet knowing looks with his young wife, Ilah. It was an acknowledged, open secret that Fire Lord Azula was not the sanest of people at the best of times and her talking to their newborn son as if he was someone she knew or had known, just proved it.

~~(-)~~

Or... The Jokes on you!

"That's NOT Funny Lu Ten!" Zuko yelled indignantly before shoving his laughing cousin over, then crossed his arms over his chest as he turned away with a huff.

Lu Ten, on the other hand thought it was beyond funny. He lay on his side, one arm wrapped around his middle as he continued to laugh, hand slapping the ground under him. "Oh.. oh but.. it was!.. you should have seen.. your face cousin!" He pushed himself upright, leaning once more against the tree trunk. Still giggling, he wiped the tears from his eyes. "Come on Zuko, even you have got to see how funny that was," he nudged his cousin in the back.

Zuko just kept right on pouting, ignoring his cousin for the moment. "It was not funny," he muttered once more.

Lu Ten grinned as he stood up then attacked! Sweeping his cousin up into the air, he spun them around a few times before putting him down. Soon enough laughter, young and old, high and low, rang out in the garden as the pair of cousins wrestled and rough housed until both lay panting in the sun dappled shade of the tree.

Movement, a few moments of shadow and murmuring he couldn't understand filtered across Zuko's mind as he lay there drowsily enjoying the respite. It felt good to be a child again with no duties required of him.

"Hey cousin, got some good news…."

"Hmm?"

"You won't be going through the reincarnation cycle so your down to three choices."

Zuko muttered a lazy acknowledgement as he closed his eyes and napped.

~~(-)~~

A/N: If you haven't figured out what exactly Zuko was reincarnated as, here's the list: 1 - Spidermantis, 2 - Komodo Rhino, 3 - Turtle duck, 4 - a cat, 5 - human.