The new chapter is up! Enjoy(:
"Wow... you look... great," Zuko smirked, adding, "You know you didn't have to do all this for me."
"I did not do all this for you!" Katara huffed, walking into the Jasmine Dragon, "Who knows, maybe I did this for someone else!"
"Oh..." Zuko ran a hand through his hair, brushing off the weird sinking feeling that had just occurred in the pit of his stomach, but intelligently let Katara steer the conversation after that. As the server brought about their tea, he told them the owner would be out to see them in a minute.
"Wait- what?! Uhm, can that happen some-"
"ZUKO!" bellowed a jolly old man walking out of the kitchen, "My nephew! It's been too long!"
"You came over for dinner just last week Uncle," muttered Zuko through gritted teeth.
"And a week too long," chuckled Iroh, patting his round belly, "And who's your lovely lady friend?" He inquired, turning to a surprised Katara.
"Katara this is my uncle, Iroh. Uncle this is my friend, Katara."
"A pretty name for a pretty lady," Iroh smiled-
A resounding slap to a forehead rang through the tea shop.
- - -
"Aww, he was so nice Zuko!!" Katara chimed, "We even got free tea!"
"Glad you two got along..."
"Why didn't you tell me he was the owner? And I can't believe you know to play the sungi horn!!"
"Just drop the sungi horn okay?!" Zuko replied, irritated, "It's fine, let's just go... oh hey! I've wanted to show you something!"
Katara struggled to keep up with Zuko's long strides through the twisting, winding streets of Canal Reeds. He knows a lot more about this place than I do, Katara realized, and my dad's governor! As they rounded the last corner, Katara gasped at the magnificent beauty of the house standing before her. Antique and grand it was, with a beautiful white porch wrapped around the front and large double doors leading inside. The yard in front was well kept and trimmed, with trees all over, adding a stunning reddish orange glow everywhere, thanks to the autumn season.
"My family used to live here..." Zuko stated, brushing his fingers over the iron gate entrance, "Before... before my mom left. After that... I don't know. Everything started falling apart."
Katara walked over and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, unsure of what to say or do. Looking back and forth between Zuko and the house, Katara grinned.
"Wanna go in?"
"Can't... someone else lives here now..."
"We'll just go in, have a look around, we're not committing a crime or anything..."
- - -
"I can't believe you talked me into this!!" Zuko growled, pulling himself up and over the gate, all the while being stealthy.
"Shh! If they hear us, we're dead!"
"You're dead if you think-" Zuko turned at looked over at an oddly quiet Katara. Usually the two would've started bickering by then...
"I can't believe you grew up here... if must have been horrible to lose this. To lose her..."
"It was- is.... come here." Zuko took Katara's hand and looped around to the back of the mansion. A beautiful garden stretched from corner to corner, a fountain on one side, with a full collection of wild flowers and exotic plants, orange and red leaves sprinkled all around, all was peaceful, quiet. In the middle sat a serene pond, in it a family of turtle ducks.
"I see they kept my mom's garden the way she left it," Zuko walked over and sat down next to the pond, his back resting against a tall tree, "Right down to the turtle ducks we used to feed together..."
Katara sat down next to him, her head on his shoulder, his hand over hers, "Why would they, it's beautiful."
The pink and orange sky above them cast sparkling colors on the pond, reminding Zuko of his childhood, full of days spent all day under the sun, of cool grass tickling his feet, of feeding the newly born turtle ducks, of being tricked into pushing blushing girls into fountains...
"See that room? That was mine..."
"Great view..."
"Yeah, really great. And that there? Well..."
In those few moments, everything was as it should be, troubles forgotten, frustrating and annoying (and slightly diabolical) siblings forgotten. The fact that the two teens had trespassed on another's property, was also woefully forgotten...
"Daddy! Daddy! There are strangers on our lawn!!"
Zuko and Katara bolted to their feet, grabbed each others hands and set at a run, speeding up as shouts of an angry daddy and heavy footsteps ran after them.
"What're-" Katara yelped as she was yanked away from the fence, down the other unexplored side of the house, " you doing?! We have to get over the gate!"
Zuko gritted his teeth as he saw the man advancing on them, and looked around- a smirk forming on his lips as he spot a ladder on the side of the building, and helped Katara up it, following soon after her. As they reached the top, he swiftly dislodged the ladder off the top of the house, buying them some time.
"It would've been to close back there," he explained while trying to catch his breath, "the gate was too far, and he was too close."
Both winced as they heard angry shouts from below even their heavy breathing couldn't block out.
"So what now?!"
Both looked about frantically, finding no solutions. Desperately, Katara resorted to the last option she had in mind- she picked up two long stilts and handed one to Zuko, watching his eyes widen with realization.
"You go first," Katara stated, chewing on her lip.
"You sure this'll work? The gates are pretty far..."
"Let's hope."
"And I thought I didn't think things through," Zuko breathed, walking back far enough to leave some room between the edge of the mansion and the stilt.
"Wish me-"
"YOU KIDS ARE IN FOR IT," roared a big, muscular man, shaking his fist in the air and struggling to pull himself over the edge.
Both teens took one look at each other and ran forward, using the force of the stilts to leap off the roof- with a brief flash of blurred colors and yells whipping around with the stinging wind and hearts threatening to beat their way out of their chests, it ended as fast as it began.
Well, almost. An anguished cry- which oddly sounded like a man lamenting some sort of vegetable- from within the gates reminded the two they were still alive,
"Urmphzukoowerearfuu?"
"Unnhhh!!"
"Urmpunhhzuu??"
"Kataaunhh!!"
Zuko let out a long groan and managed to pull himself out of the leafy green and wooden mess. He looked around, a smile playing at his lips as he caught sight of Katara pulling herself out of the mess- green leafs poking out of her hair, judging by the look on her face though, he looked no better.
Katara half groaned, half laughed, "Never... again. Never."
"Agreed. Looks like we ruined this man's sales for tomorrow though..." He chuckled, playfully throwing a jumble of green at her.
"Huh?" She laughed, throwing a leaf or two back at him.
Zuko pulled a half ruined leafy head out of the wooden massacre, displaying it to a baffled Katara, and cocked his head to the side dryly stating, "He sells cabbages."
So, I've lately realized that I probably don't have many readers. It's the sort of thing even a fanfiction author wouldn't want to accept or realize, but that's they way it is. Whether it's the way I write, or just the story line that hasn't gotten me many readers/ reviewers, I don't know- but I want to extend my thanks to those who are reading, and to the couple that have reviewed thus far, I really appreciate it and it's encouraged me a lot. Anyway, thanks for reading, and please review, it's like cyber chocolate! (: --Anza/ a blinding summer light