Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Chapter Eight: Zuzu And Azula
Two uneventful days had passed. The group, Zuko, Katara, Toph, and Sokka, decided not to move too far from the temple. Unless they needed to. Nothing great had happened really. Sokka was spending a lot of time with Toph, leaving Katara with Zuko, which honestly, she didn't mind.
Zuko and Katara were sitting by a lake they found, which was a relief, now they really didn't need to move too far, they had the perfect water supply. Katara was in her underclothes practicing her bending. Zuko sat at the shore, not wanting to show too much interest. He didn't want to get too attracted to her.
"Zuko! Come in, the water's perfect!" Katara yelled across the lake.
"I'm Ok. Really." He still didn't look at her.
"You sure?"
"Ye-" She had a huge wave of water hit him. "Hey!"
"Well, your already wet. You might as well."
"You do need payback." He smirked.
"You're starting to sound like Toph." Katara laughed, not even realizing he was already shirtless and had jumped in the water.
He splashed her, but it was nothing compared to what she could do, she was a waterbender.
"See, it isn't so bad." She said after the splash fight ended. She ducked herself into the water so it was at her neck, he was doing the same. She looked at him again, only this time noticing his muscles, and before she knew it, her face was bright pink.
"It wouldn't be bad for me no matter what, I can increase my body heat. If I wanted to, I could turn this pond into a hot spring."
"And this whole time I was swimming in freezing water." She said while laughing.
"You're the one who said how great it was." He smiled. The same smile he gave Aang in the temple. Katara felt better knowing the smile was directed toward her this time.
"How cute. Zuzu has a girlfriend." Zuko's expression immediately hardened.
"Azula…"
Toph and Sokka sat a little less than a mile away from where Zuko and Katara were. They had been taking a lot of walks together lately, just talking about everything. Then they heard it, a scream.
"Katara!" They both ran in the direction it came from.
"Zuzu, honestly, you left Mai for some water peasant. Tisk, tisk. You know father would never approve."
"Shut up, Azula."
"How much does she mean to you, Zuzu?" Azula shot blue lightening at Katara, she screamed.
Is this how I'm going to die? The attack was too sudden and unexpected for her to use waterbending. Zuko jumped in front of her and reached his arm towards the lightening. The lightening passed through his body and he redirected it towards the air.
Shit! I could've hit her! What was I thinking? As the lightening went off, Zuko slightly winced in pain. The blue flame went through his ribs, which hadn't completely recovered yet. But he decided not to give Azula the pleasure of seeing him in pain.
"This has nothing to do with her, Azula. Leave her out. Father wants me."
"Oh, Zuzu, I didn't realize she was so precious to you." She held a smug look. She didn't look afraid or nervous. She covered up her true feeling of jealousy and amazement as well. How did he redirect it?
"Katara, get away from here! Find the others and leave!" Zuko glanced over his shoulder.
She was about to argue with him, but looked into his eyes. He had a look of determination and hope. He'd been waiting to fight Azula one-on-one for a while now. She could tell. She nodded and ran to look for the others. She would be back once she found them, though. She wasn't about to let his pride kill him.
"How sweet, sacrificing yourself. Well…either way you'd die, just the other way, she'd go first. You have smartened up some, though, Zuzu. You split up from the Avatar knowing it was you two father wanted." She grinned and shot the blue flame at him. The fight continued.
Katara ran for what seemed like forever, even though it was only ten minutes, before she bumped into Sokka, literally.
"Katara! I thought that jerk did something to you! I'm never leaving you alone with him again!" Sokka yelled as he wrapped his arms around his sister.
"Sokka, there's no time! Zuko didn't attack me, Azula did."
"How could I have missed that giant machine?"
"I think she's alone, but come on! Zuko's fighting her!"
"Wait, so Azula attacked you and you lived?" Sokka asked, now really confused.
"Zuko saved me, he redirected her lightening. Come on!" she ran in the opposite direction, towards Zuko and Azula.
"Hurry up, Snoozles, Sparky is Aang's last hope." They ran after Katara.
Zuko shot as much fire as he could at Azula, which was more than she expected, but she just avoided the moves. She thought of what her father said to her.
"Bring me your brother and the Avatar, alive. Do as you will with the others, but I do not want those two dead!"
"Yes, father."
All I need to do is let you tire yourself out. She grinned, but out of nowhere came blue lightening, just inches from her left ear. She didn't strike it, and Zuko wasn't capable of it yet…right? He didn't shoot it because he looked over his shoulder to see where it came from.
"Azula, leave now if you know what's best for you." Azula stood in amazement, Zuko looked just as shocked, but he managed to let one word escape his mouth.
"Uncle…"
Katara, Toph, and Sokka finally got to Zuko and Azula, but they weren't fighting, they were looking in the direction opposite from them. Both stunned.
"Well, I would continue to fight, but it appears I've been outdone. Zuko, watch out. You can't get too far from me now. Next time I won't make the mistake of traveling alone." She walked off. If she hadn't been so confident in finding and capturing Zuko alone, Ty Lee and Mai would be there to back her up. I won't make the same mistake twice. Next time, I'll have plenty of backup.
Zuko fell to his knees, the pain in his ribs hadn't gotten to him until now. Katara ran to Zuko and hugged him, she then remembered she was in her undergarments and hugging the Fire Nation prince! She blushed and backed away. His eyes still focused on his uncle. He slowly got up and walked over to his uncle. They stared for about five minutes before Zuko wrapped his arms around Iroh.
"Uncle, I'm so sorry…" Zuko couldn't finish what he was saying, he felt his tears approaching and refused to cry in front of them.
"I forgive you, my nephew. Let's find a safer place to talk." Zuko nodded and followed Iroh, Katara, Sokka, and Toph followed.
Azula reached where she told Mai and Ty Lee to wait.
"Did you find them?" Mai asked, too quickly for Azula's liking.
"No, but I think I have an idea where they might be. We'll go tomorrow." Azula said, glaring at Mai.
I can't afford for you to tell them again, Mai. I would punish you now, but I need you. Seeing Zuzu suffering should be enough punishment, anyway.
"OK! I can't wait to see that cutie!" Ty Lee said with a big grin on her face.
I didn't care for the chapter, but I'm excited to have Iroh back! He's the bomb! Review! XD
