Never Forget Final Chapter Three
The hot sun was bearing down on Zuko's sunburned neck. He had been traveling for hours. The ostrich horse he was riding grunted with each step. He was tired, thirsty, and horribly upset. His mind was racing and his hear ached. He was thinking about everything that had ever happened to him. He remembered his childhood, the daydream bright and vivid, almost real. He thought about Iroh, and how he had left him alone. He though about Aang. Oh, how he felt so calm when he imagined the young boy's chiseled, soft face, his bright, cheery eyes, his upbeat attitude. But what did he care? Aang hated him, for all he knew. After all of the hardship and strife he had put Aang and his friends through, after all the terrible things he had done in his life, how could anyone ever love a wretch like him? He was a wreck. He was lost.
Zuko stopped at a small town, riding down the only, dusty road. He stopped at a small store where a man was sitting at the counter. It was an empty place. He looked around as he tied up the animal, eyeing a small group of soldiers relaxing opposite him. He turned to the man behind the counter, placing a few coins in front of him.
"Can I get a bag of feed and something hot to eat?" Zuko asked, giving the man his money.
"There's not enough here for a hot meal. I can get you two bags of feed."
Zuko sighed and nodded. He looked down at his feet, shaking his head. As the man went into the back room to fetch the feed, Zuko saw a small boy creeping up behind the booth with an egg in his hand. Zuko ignore him. The boy stood and tossed the egg across the road, then ducked back. The egg landed on one of the soldiers. They all looked angrily at Zuko as they walked to confront him.
"Hey, stranger, you throwin' eggs at us?" The apparent leader asked.
"No." Zuko replied, coldly.
"Well, did you see who did?" The man asked again, his voice angry.
"No." Zuko continued.
"Is that your favorite word?" One of the soldiers asked. "No?"
"Well, the egg had to come from somewhere." The leader inquired.
"Maybe a chicken flew over." Zuko scoffed. One of the soldiers began to chuckle, but was silenced when the leader punched him. The man at the store then appeared with the bags of feed. As Zuko was about to grab them, the leader swiped them off the counter.
"The army thanks you for your donation." He said, carrying away the bags. Zuko clenched his fists, but was too tired to get into a fight. As the soldiers walked away, the small boy reappeared from behind the booth.
Zuko sat at the table nervously eating his food. He tried to be modest, but he was incredibly hungry. He said nothing to the kind family that had invited him in, glad that they were not questioning him about his whereabouts and to where he was headed. When they had finished eating, Zuko helped the wife clear the table. He carried some of the dishes to the sink, and began to wash them.
"Oh, Lee, please, you don't have to." The wife said kindly, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"It's the least I could do to thank you." He said softly. The wife smiled and went about cleaning up the rest of the meal. The father and son went into the other room and sat in front of the fire. For some reason, Zuko felt happy inside. He felt wanted. He didn't know why. Perhaps being in a family setting was warming his heart after years of frigid solitude and shame. After he had finished the dishes and the table was cleared, the wife showed him to the barn where he was to sleep. She laid a blanket and pillow down on a soft pile of hay.
"I know it's not much, but we only have two beds in the house." She said, fixing the bed.
"It's fine. Thank you." Zuko said with a soft smile. "It's better than what I've been sleeping on."
"About that Lee, I have to ask you: Why are you out here on your own traveling? You seem a little young to be fending for yourself out here."
"Well," Zuko sighed, "I'm actually trying to find someone. I've been searching for quite some time." He looked away.
"Oh, I see. Is it someone you love?" She asked.
"Yes." Zuko said, looking down at the ground.
"And this person, does he love you, too?" She smiled softly when she said this.
Zuko looked up, blushing. "How did you know it was a he?" He asked.
"My son is just like you. I know what to look for, being a mother." She said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter, anyway." Zuko started. "I care about him so much, but he hates me. I've tried to tell him, but every time I try to, he won't listen, or his friends get in the way." Zuko sighed heavily, exhaling slowly. "I don't even know if this is the same boy that fell in love with me so long ago. I've been trying so hard to find him, and I don't know if I ever will..."
"If you really care about this person, then you should go after him. Don't give up. Tell him how you feel. If he loves you, it will be known. And if not, then you simply move on. Love is hard, but it is in no short supply." She smiled at the young man, who had tears in his eyes.
"Thank you, so much. I don't know how I could ever thank you or your family enough." Zuko smiled and sat down on his makeshift bed.
"Well, I should let you go to sleep now. I'll see you in the morning for breakfast."
Zuko smiled and laid down. The wife left the barn and shut over the doors. Zuko was at peace, even if only for a moment, and he drifted off into a deep sleep.
Aang sat in the abandoned town. He was dead tired, barely able to keep his eyes open. He closed his eyes slowly, trying to stay awake.
"Aang!" He heard Zuko's voice yell in the distance.
"Zuko?" Aang looked around. The wind blew softly through the town, shaking the shutters and broken doors. "Oh, Zuko, what do you want from me?" He shouted. "If only I knew what you wanted to tell me." He said softly, placing his hands in his lap. Suddenly, he saw a small figure in the distance. It grew in size until he could make out who it was. It was that strange girl who had been following his friends all day!
"All right." He said, standing up. "You've caught up with me. Now who are you and what do you want?"
"You mean you don't see the family resemblance?" She asked. "Here." She covered her left eye. "I must capture the Avatar to regain my honor." She said in a deep voice. It was Zuko's sister. "It's okay, you can laugh, it's funny." Aang took a defensive stance. "Do you really want to fight me?" She asked.
"Yes, I really do." Zuko said, jumping off his ostrich horse and removing his hat.
"Zuko." Aang gasped.
Iroh lay on the ground, his body quivering with convulsions, his breathing shallow and hoarse. Zuko lay over him, crying.
"Zuko, let me help." Katara said, pulling out her pouch of water.
"Just leave us alone." Zuko said, crying.
"Zuko, I can help!" She cried.
"LEAVE!" Zuko yelled, throwing out a burst of fire.
"Zuko…" Aang whispered. The group turned and left. He looked back at Zuko, tears in his eyes. Zuko looked up to see Aang. Zuko reached out a hand, and then pulled it back, as if in pain, and bent over to tend his wounded uncle. Aang could see Zuko's bloodshot eyes and tense face. He could see his back heaving with sobs as he tried to help his uncle as best as he could. Aang felt himself beginning to cry, but fought to hold back the tears. He had never seen Zuko so hurt before. It hurt him so much, as well. When they got back to where they had left Appa, Aang sat down on his tail and buried his face in his hands. He began to cry. The tears flowed down his face.
"Aang? Aang are you okay?" Katara asked, placing an arm around him.
"I've never seen Zuko like that. He seemed so helpless and lost. I feel lost. Oh, why must this happen to me?" Aang cried.
"Aang, I don't understand." Katara said softly.
"I don't either. Katara, I just need to be alone right now." He said, shrugging off her arm and climbing into the saddle. As the others quickly went to bed, he laid awake, crying softly. What were all of these emotions he was feeling over Zuko? Guilt? Loss? Love?
"What's wrong with me?" He whispered to himself. He laid down, his body giving up in the wake of pure exhaustion, and was soon asleep, but his turbulent mind rumbled on all night.