Chapter 4

Zuko and Iroh got up earlier than they usually do the next day. Hotaru heard noise from the outside of her room. She got out of bed and ran to the top deck. She looked out to the side of the deck and saw Zuko and Iroh along with some of the men from the crew head out through a destroyed forest. Everything was practically gone. The blood in Hotaru's veins began to rise.

"I can't stand them! I hate them, I hate them, I hate them!" screamed Hotaru.

The anger in her eyes was slightly starting to show. She of course wasn't able to see it but for a slight second they began to change into the eyes of something else and then they went back to normal. She unfortunately fainted.

A little while later…

Hotaru began to open her eyes and found Iroh standing next to her bed.

"I'm glad to see that you're awake, Miss Hotaru," said Iroh. "Not to be nosy but why did we find you on the floor of the top deck?"

"Um, I think I fainted or something like that. I don't really know what happened," said Hotaru who seriously was a bit confused herself.

"Well be on your guard. We left earlier this morning to a village. The chief said he knew where the avatar was heading."

"Well why should I be on my guard?" asked Hotaru.

"Because the avatar is in Fire Nation territory," said Iroh with a stern voice.

"What!" yelled Hotaru. "We can't go into the Fire Nation! This is crazy! Isn't Zuko banished? He'll be punished if he returns! Why do we have to follow him there?"

"Zuko will go through anything just to get what he wants. The avatar is his only ticket home," replied Iroh. "Although I must agree with Hotaru that this is crazy!" thought Iroh.

Hotaru's POV

As I looked at Uncle Iroh's face, he seemed so serious. I have never seen Iroh's face look like that before. Usually he is always smiling or laughing. He always has a good attitude but I don't think I've ever seen him look serious before. He kind of reminds me of Zuko. He's always looking serious.

End of Hotaru's POV…

Iroh is now talking to Zuko…

"Sailing into Fire Nation waters…of all the foolish things you have done in your 16 years, Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish," said Iroh.

"I have no choice, Uncle," said Zuko

"Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you!" said Iroh who was now getting angry. "What if you're caught?"

"I'm chasing the avatar. My father will understand why I'm returning home."

"You give him too much credit. My brother is not the understanding type."

While Iroh and Zuko were talking, Hotaru was listening to them from behind.

Hotaru's POV

Iroh is right. Zuko does give his father too much credit. Hasn't he ever seen how cruel he has been to the world? I mean I don't know why but Zuko was even banished by Ozai. Why does he want to impress this man so much? Is he that determined to catch the avatar that he is blind to see what has been going on right in front of his eyes?

"THERE THEY ARE! Helmsman, full steam ahead!" yelled Zuko.

I turned to the sky to see a huge bison flying in the air! I had never seen anything like it! Zuko and the other men began to bring a catapult to the deck and started shooting huge fiery projectile into the air at the bison. I noticed a boy with an arrow on his head, jump off the bison and blow the fireball away! "He must be the avatar!" I thought to myself. While Zuko and the crew were busy shooting at the avatar, I looked out to the sea and what I saw began to make me shiver.

"Um, Zuko! We have a bit of a huge problem!" I pointed out to the sea to show Zuko and his eyes widened.

"A BLOCKADE!" yelled Zuko.

A double line of Fire Navy ships stretched across the horizon.

"Technically we are still in Earth Kingdom waters," said Iroh. "Turn back now and they cannot arrest you."

Zuko kept staring at the bison flying in the sky.

"He's not turning around," said Zuko.

"Please Prince Zuko; if the Fire Nation captures you, there is nothing I can do. Do not follow the avatar," pleaded Iroh.

"I'm sorry Uncle. Run the blockade!" yelled Zuko to the helmsman.

Large fireballs came from the Fire Navy ships and shot into the ocean. The waves caused by the fireballs began to shake the ship. All of a sudden, the engine master runs to Zuko.

"Prince Zuko, the engines are damaged! We need to stop and make repairs!" yelled the engine master.

"Do not stop this ship!" yelled Zuko.

"What the hell are you trying to do, get us killed? Let's just go now!" yelled Hotaru.

Zuko didn't pay any attention to me when I was yelling. The avatar had gotten past the blockade. All of a sudden, the other Fire Navy ships began to stop and let our ship pass. Zuko looked to one of the ships and stared at a man with huge sideburns. I know I had seen him before but I didn't want to think about it. When things began to settle down we all went below deck.

"Who was that man?" I asked still a little curious.

"That was Commander Zhao," said Prince Zuko.

I remember him was all I could think to myself. He was one of the men who took my parents away from me! The blood under my skin began to boil and the same feeling I had felt right before I fainted on the top deck began to return. Only this time, I didn't faint. I was just slightly dizzy for a few seconds.

"Miss Hotaru, are you alright?" asked Iroh.

"Yeah I'm fine."

Zuko was wondering why Zhao had let him pass.

"What's he up to, Uncle? Why didn't Commander Zhao arrest me?" asked Zuko.

"Because he wants to follow you. He knows you'll lead him to the prize you're both after…the avatar."

"If Zhao wants to follow our trail of smoke then that's exactly what I'll let him do."

Zuko and a few other men got a smaller vessel ready at the back of the ship.

"Uncle, keep heading north. Zhao will follow the smoke trail while I use it as a cover," said Zuko.

When Hotaru learned of what Zuko was going to do, she became worried. She didn't like it when he went to do things on his own. When Zuko wasn't looking, Hotaru hopped on the smaller vessel. The ship took off and went towards a small crescent shaped island.

When the ship landed, Zuko hopped off and went towards a huge temple. Hotaru leaped out after Zuko had already left. They stopped for a moment and stared at the temple. (Ok quick note, Zuko does not know that Hotaru is on the island. He ran ahead.)

Hotaru froze and the temple seemed to make her remember the huge shrine where she used to live.

Quick flashback…

A small girl is running through a large hall. A priestess is seen praying in a small room. The young girl runs in with a smile on her face. "Mommy!"

End of flashback…

Hotaru put a black cloak on to cover herself and ran for the temple. When she reached the top of the temple, she saw that Zuko had captured the avatar.

"The avatar is coming with me!" yelled Zuko.

I ran to hide behind one of the pillars that were holding the temple's ceiling up so no one would see me. I noticed two Water Tribe teens and an old sage were holding the other sages off. The avatar kicked Zuko down the stairs and ran for the room where Avatar Roku's statue was. The doors sealed themselves shut. A light seemed to shine through the doors right before it closed. Zuko and the other sages tried to open the door.

"Why isn't it working? It's sealed shut!" asked Zuko.

"It must have been the light. Avatar Roku doesn't want us inside," said one of the sages.

"Why did you help the avatar?" asked Zuko.

"Because it was once the sages' duty," said the sage who helped the avatar who was on his knees to Zuko with his hands tied behind his back. "It is still our duty.'

During their little conversation, I felt rough hands grab mine and pull them behind my back. I turned around to see a guard had caught me. Many more guards came up, grabbed Zuko and the Water Tribe teen's hands, and put them behind their backs.

"What a moving and heartfelt performance. I certain that the Fire Lord will understand when you explain why you betrayed him."

We all turn around to see Zhao clapping his hands.

"And Prince Zuko, it was a noble effort. But your little smoke screen didn't work. Two traitors in one day, the Fire Lord will be pleased."

When the guard pulled me out into the open, he pulled my hood off.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!" yelled Zuko.

"Ah so you know this girl eh?" said Zhao.

He walked up to me and began to examine my face and circle around me like a vulture. I spat in his face and he slapped mine in return.

"Why you little bi…" Zhao cut off the sentence he was about to finish and looked into Hotaru's eyes. Once again, they changed for a split second as she looked at his face with pure anger and disgust. Her eyes showed that something was there and it was just dying to come out.

"Hmmm, just tie her up with the prince. We'll wait for the avatar to come out."

When the doors finally opened it was not the young airbender that had gone in, but Avatar Roku himself! He used his firebending to blast Zhao and the other soldiers away and the blast melted our chains away! We were able to escape. Zuko and I began to make a run for the ship. When we got there, Zuko picked up his spyglass and looked at the flying bison. It flew off through the clouds. After Zuko put the spy glass down he turned towards me.

"What the hell do you think you were doing there!" yelled Zuko.

"Well you never said I couldn't go."

"I don't care! I don't need your help or anyone else's help either!"

"Yeah but you know some people worry about you!"she said yelling at him. He really did haveher worried.

"You mean you, you were worried about me?" asked Zuko. "Why would you worry about me anyway?"

"Because that's what friends do! We worry because we care!"she said now crying.

Zuko had never seen her cry before. He began to feel bad and blushed. He knew he had seen something like this before. Something about a girl crying.

Quick flashback…

Zuko is nine and sees his sister Azula walking away from a girl on the ground. Azula was laughing and the girl was crying. Zuko felt sympathy for the girl and stuck is hand out to help her up and…

End flashback.

Hotaru and Zuko didn't talk the whole way back. She went strait off to her room and didn't come out for the rest of the night. The words she had said earlier still rang in Zuko's head. "Because that's what friends do! We worry because we care!"

"We're friends?" thought Zuko. "I have a friend."

Authors Note

Ok I need some reviews people!