Disclaimer: Hate to burst your bubble, but i don't own avatar.
The thought on everyone's mind the next morning after Katara showed them the scroll was 'How in the world did Azula find us?' No one accused Zuko of anything, because they knew if they said a word about it, Aang would jump to his defense. Zuko wasn't really paying attention to the world around him anyway.
His mind was what Azula had put in the letter. "How does Azula do it?'
Katara had come to the fire that morning with that accursed scroll. She hadn't given any details on how she came to get it. Only that it was in her room. When Sokka read it to their little rag tag group, the happy atmosphere had been lost instantly.
"…I have Uncle in my custody Zuko, if you want ensure his safety and freedom; you will turn your self over to me. Meet me in three weeks Zuko. Alone. I am in the town of Ayn Li. Next time you run off like that Zuko, remember, what you do could affect mother…"
She was threatening Uncle and his mother. More than that, she knew where his mother was. This was too much. Maybe he was cursed by the spirits, like one of his father's ministers had told him once. Either way he had to come up with a way to find his mother and save Uncle.
Question was; how?
"I don't like this." Said Sokka, after looking over the letter again. "How'd she find us? We've been here for more than three weeks!"
"I'm not sure. Could she have followed you, Zuko?" Haru asked from Zuko's left. Zuko wasn't entirely sure how Aang and everybody had met him, but clearly they had known him for awhile.
"No, I made sure I wasn't being followed. You guys left very quickly and it took me awhile before I could even find something to track you with." He said. As far as he knew Azula had been patching up the last of her wounds when he left.
"What about Iroh, we can't leave him with Lighting bug. We need him before we go back to get Ozai." Piped Toph. She spat out the last word as if it was a curse.
"…"
"…What?!"
"Toph's right, we can't leave Iroh there. We need someone with expertise to help us." Katara pointed out. This was the only thing she had said since telling them about the damn scroll.
"Zuko what's in the town of Ayn Li?" asked Sokka. "It's a military port with a town, if I remember correctly" replied Zuko trying to remember what he had heard in the meetings. "What do you mean military?" asked Aang, frowning.
"It's a town that relies on making things for our military to make a living. There is a fortress there commanded by one Lord Hu, he lives in a small palace there. The town also has a reputation for thieves and pirates."
"Just our luck… but how do we go about saving Iroh?"
This threw Zuko off completely. He knew Toph was willing to save Uncle, but the entire group? He was a traitor to both sides in one way or another, why should they want to help him save Iroh? He didn't deserve their help and the way Katara was acting, she would more likely to kill him than help him save his Uncle.
"Zuko what is a recognizable monument or place in Ayn Li? Asked Sokka. "There is a Fire temple just outside the town, close to the mountains. It would take a good week to get there from here I think, maybe two." Replied Zuko frowning. 'What in the world could Sokka be thinking?' Sokka stood there for an unbearably long time, before he finally spoke again.
"I think we should split up. Azula told only Zuko to come, but she expects all or some of us to accompany him. If we split up, one group can get Iroh, while the rest distracts Azula, we can make more definite plans once we reach Ayn Li." He finished. Sokka waited, this was only a simple out line of his plan, but it could work. Haru was the first to voices his opinion.
"It's a good plan, but we need to be sure how we can all travel there. Appa will be difficult to hide." Aang was next. "Plus there are more of us now, how can we keep from being noticed once we get there?"
"Disguises. We'll leave in two days. That will give us time to get everything ready…" He paused to think, what he was going to say next might get him killed…
"Aang, you go with Zuko. I'll go with Haru, The Duke and Pipesqueak, we'll take Appa, and Katara you go with Toph." He braced himself for the attack of shouting.
As expected Katara got up and walked to Sokka. "What are you thinking? We can't trust Zuko with Aang. He is not to be trusted!" She hissed. 'Well at lest she's not shouting'
"Calm down Zuko and Aang are capable of handling that comes their way." Said Sokka. "If Aang trusts Zuko then so do I."
"I don't care if you think you can trust him! I don't want him with near Aang! Why should we trust Him? Other than teaching Aang fire bending he has done nothing of great note to help us" She spat. "Besides how are they going to explain themselves if anybody asks them?" she shouted.
"It's easier to explain two boys going enlisting in the navy, Katara, than a small boy and young girl running around with out supervision." Replied Zuko quietly, before Sokka could. She whipped around and glared at him.
Sokka had to admit that he hadn't even thought of that one and noted to remember to thank Zuko later. "Katara calm down, Zuko and I will be fine. Will you please drop it" said Aang with conviction.
Katara looked to each of her friends trying to see if anyone would help her, but none would. They were sick of it all, of her rantings. It had to end. Zuko watched as the blue eyes, glaring at him with defiance, dimmed in defeat.
Katara stalked away leaving the others to figure out the plan. 'He's a liar, a traitor… why can't they see that?' The hate she had for Zuko at times scared her. 'If I'm so mad right now, why do I feel like crying?'
Author's note
A thousand pardons O wondrous reader for not updating sooner. Yes I am crazy. yes my chapters aren't very long. I don't like it either.sorry if it seems a little rushed. reviews appreciated. Do not hesitate.
