Well. This is Not as it seems. My FemZuko Story paired with Jet! LETS SEE WHA IROH HAS TA SAY!
Authour: AllWolfXFox
Not as it seems
Chapter 9
"I can't believe it! We allow him o-or her! Whatever! To come along and he just walks off!" Katara yelled. Watching the fire bender walk off into the woods.
"Well sweetness, ya knida were being hard on her." Toph said bluntly.
"Why do you keep taking his side?! You don't even know what he has done!" Katara shouted back at Toph. Toph seemed unfazed at Katara's attitude.
"First off Sweetness, It's she not he. Second of all. If she was really bad then why did Sparky realise Appa down in Ba-Sing-Sa? On top of that, Aang needs a fire bender teacher! Uncle Iroh can't do it, because he is in no condition! So that leaves Sparky! But you just had to make it harder for all of us by making Sparky promise not to use fire bending!" Toph stomping her foot at the last sentence.
Katara looked at a loss for words. Toph was logically right. Zuko was the only one that can fire bend at the moment. That made Katara feel stupid.
"I know that my niece is... Harsh and... Hot tempered, but she does mean well." Iroh said.
"If she did then why go through all the trouble to capture Aang?" Sokka asked.
Iroh seemed to be thinking how to answer that. "You know that Zuko does not want anything to do with her farther. Lest just say that... Ozai is... Far worse than anyone wants to be let on." Iroh struggled out.
"How?" Jet asked.
Iroh looked at Jet. "Ozai... Is a horrible man. I not sure if I should say though-"
"Uncle Iroh," Toph cut in. "It's alright. We won't say anything." Toph reassured.
Iroh thought over. "You may want to sit down." Iroh said.
With Zuko
She went deep into the woods as far as she could go, and away from the vibrations, sounds, of the Gang. She didn't want to be near them. That water peasant was getting on her nerves and staying there longer could only make her temper worse and act out rash.
She huffed along into the forest till she heard a snap. Freezing, she did not turn. She felt the earth move slightly as the vibrations tapped a few feet behind her. Zuko stood still. Focusing on the earth behind her where the intruder was. With swift movements. Zuko slid her foot to the side and stomped.
"Ahhh!" A boy screamed out. The earth has made a tall pillar so that the boy was sitting on top. While being too high to get down. Zuko turned and saw a boy, around eight or nine years old. He was small and scrawny looking. He wore gray-brown tatted cloths with shorts. He had brown like skin and black hair. His eyes were odd, one blue and one brown. The boy looked at Zuko in fear and attempted bravery.
"What do you want?" Zuko asked.
"I-I ain't goner tell ya nothing!" The boy screeched.
Stubborn.
"I let you down, and then you can run off." Zuko said and brought her hand in a down motion bringing the pillar back into the earth. The boy sat on the ground and looked at the person in awe.
"That's awesome!" The boy yelled jumping up. Zuko scoffed and walked on. "H-hay! Wait!" The kid ran up and stopped in front of Zuko. "Wait! Please!"
"What do you want?" Zuko snapped. The boy trembled slightly at Zuko but regained his composure.
"I want to learn earth bending!" The kid yelled.
"Zuko... Always tried to impress her farther, but Zuko could not learn it because under the harsh treatment and fear of fire itself." Iroh explained.
"What harsh treatment?" Jet asked.
"Zuko was training non-stop. Trying her hardest every day and night. However, in vain, she would either move water or earth as if fire didn't respond to her at all. Ozai never knew of this, but knew that her daughter couldn't bend fire, and Ozai was never a patient man. He only trained her hard as if she was boy instead of a lady. However, Zuko's rage bloomed when she was seven. She still could not grab the basics of firebending to show the fire lord. At the time her farther was impressed with Azula, five years old, and managed to pull off the basics and more while Zuko failed."
"Sparky couldn't do firebending?" Toph asked shocked.
"And what made Zuko mad when she was seven?" Sokka asked.
"Zuko had always been scared of fire, because the way it was demonstrated her. Harsh. Brutal. And powerful. Zuko, was scared that fire would only be used so cruelly. Act on instinct and show no mercy. That was the rule she was taught. Zuko... When she was young. Was kind and strong in her own way. Just like her mother... Zuko told me through a letter. That Ozai had killed Ursa, Zuko's mother, right in front of her, burning Ursa alive, because Ursa had sacrificed herself for Zuko and that her father had told her that she was a distressful and weak after attempting the fire basic ritual."
Aang looked shocked, angry, sad and guilty all together.
Our dad would never... Katara thought.
Jet gripped his hands into fits. "How can he be so heartless!?" Jet yelled.
Iroh nodded. "I agree. No child should have to see that. It only increased Zuko's fear to fire bend. The years went on and I was in the war when Ursa died, and the time when Zuko turned twelve. During that time, Zuko had been hurt in many ways I cannot say." Iroh shook his head in anger.
"Ever since Ursa had died, Zuko had a stronger hate towards Ozai. She would do anything to get close, but these times were tough. One day when Zuko was thirteen she was allowed to enter war meetings. I had asked her to keep quiet no matter what."
"Why?" Aang asked almost afraid of the answer.
"Because if you spoke out of turn, the consequences would be dear. To my knowledge, one general had stated that he would sacrifice a new squad of soldiers. Good people, that didn't deserve to die. However, Zuko saw the wrong in this and spoke against it. Ozai was outraged by Zuko's outburst and was made to do an Agni Kai. A form of fighting art won, by defeating the opponent or by death."
"Then Zuko lost to the general guy, right?" Katara asked with curiousness and pity.
"Not quiet. Zuko was ready to fight that day. However, to add the amount of loathness she had, Zuko realised you insult the plans of the general, you insult the Fire Lord."
"No..." Aang asked.
Iroh nodded gravely. "Yes Avatar. She had to fight against her farther. She lost not only her honour and her pride, but left a mark on her for her failure."
Toph trembled at that, Sokka gulped, Jet cursed, Aang sniffed and shivered and Katara stared at Iroh in utter disbelief with sadness and guilt.
"That bastard..." Jet growled.
"What the hell!? Leave me alone!" Zuko yelled stomping back to camp, which was a good ten minutes away. What was not, was the brat that was still following her.
"Please! I can move some stuff, but you're really, really good!" The kid yelled jumping to catch up.
Zuko rubbed her temples and stopped. "Look kid-"
"The names Jip!" The kid stated.
"Jip, I can't train you. I'm not that good, and I've got more things to worry about than some little kid." Zuko remarked coldly.
"But-but-" Jip protested.
"Sorry. Go back to where ever..." Zuko pushed past.
"But! I-I have no family!" Zuko stopped in her tracks. Jip took this as his time to speak. "My mother was the only one I knew and she died a few months ago an-and I've been running since then. So please..." Zuko felt a tight grip just below her waist. Zuko turned to see Jip holding on desperately to Zuko like a life line. Jip was shaking and crying in Zuko's trousers. Zuko's heart crushed at the sight, but didn't show it. A life time of pretending to be a boy with all being tough and cruel, doesn't crush up that easily. However, Zuko couldn't deny that sort of motherly instincts in herself when she did.
"P-please... I-I'm alone a-and." The kid cried. "I-I don't k-know who t-to turn to." Jip buried his face deeper into Zuko's cloths. Zuko's tough guy act was braking every second. Even underneath she still held a girl sort, she wasn't that cruel. Zuko touched Jip's wrist gently and brought herself down to the same eye level as Jip. Jip sniffled and rubbed his eyes. Zuko gave a sad smile and wiped Jip's tears making him look at her.
"I won't teach you..." Jip's eyes cast down. "But." Jip's whipped his head up. "I know someone who might if you're really good." Zuko gave a small smile. Jip smiled widely like he was the luckiest kid in the world. He screeched and hugged Zuko around the neck.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Jip chanted. Zuko crouched there shocked but returned the hug gently. Zuko realised Jip and stood.
"Come on Jip." Zuko indicated with her head.
Jip nodded and followed. "Umm sir? What's your name?" Jip asked hesitantly.
Zuko faulted right on the spot. Sir?... Why me?
"So... Zuko was banished for three years. The only way to get close to Ozai again was to capture the Avatar. And I suppose you know the rest." Iroh finished sadly.
The Gang was... Shocked, empty, different. They all in a way, had heard something different about Zuko.
"I'm... Sorry." Katara finally spoke.
Iroh smiled sadly at the water bender. "It is no one's fault but mine. If I had been able to help Zuko from the beginning. Zuko may have been able to avoid that fate years ago."
"So... What now? Are you gonna stay?" Toph asked hopefully.
Iroh closed his eyes in a thinking mode. He sighed heavily. "No."
"What? But-but I need-" Aang protested.
"I said I'm not staying. However, Zuko will be."
"But you heard her. She'll only go with whatever you decide as long it isn't training Aang." Sokka reminded.
Iroh nodded. "Yes, but I must get Zuko to realise that she is destined to do this. The abilities like the Avatar, but not spiritual, is a wonderful gift. That's why I ask of you. Zuko has lived such a life like an adult, that she doesn't know what is like to be a child. That's my one true mistake." Iroh said.
Katara looked at the man. She felt absolute sadness for the fire bender. Maybe it was pity? After been told what had happened Katara could only think of... How? How could she of made it this far? How did she feel? How can she feel? That cruel life of hers. Only lead on into sadness. Katara was pulled between her hate for Zuko and her guilt for adding to Zuko's pain, but she won't forgive her! She couldn't.
"We will help her as one of our own." Toph said strongly.
"Then it's settled." Iroh said getting up. Jet held Iroh up with support. "I think I best get going before my niece arrives." Iroh said gravely.
"Wait! You're not gonna say good bye?" Sokka asked. Iroh went over and grabbed some supplies into a bag and turned to him.
"Knowing my niece. She will follow me." Iroh said and bowed. "Take care of her." He turned and walked off into the other side of the forest, out of site. A few minutes silence went by and finally Sokka said.
"Soooo. How are we going to tell Zuko that her Uncle left?" Sokka asked with a nervous smile.
"WHAT!?" A voice yelled. Everyone's heads turned to see a pissed Zuko. Then out of know where a boy popped out from behind her.
"Hi! I'm Jip! I'm here with Zuko to learn Earth bending!" Jip smiled.
To be continued...
Words: 2,003
NOTE: 1) Betaing done by NephthysPhoenix
2) REVIEW PLEASE!
