Chapter 11

Book 2: Earth: Chapter 1

I was sleeping in the inn that saved us from the freezing water when I woke up to a very bad feeling. I got up and walked over to the opposite building where I could see Zuko and Iroh. When I entered the doorway, what I saw made my skin crawl.

"Princess Azula." I greeted, making it an almost hiss.

"Avatar Naomei." She greeted back in a much calmer and colder manner than mine.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko demanded.

"In my country, we exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions." Azula answered him.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Well in this case I don't think you deserve a 'pleasant' hello."

"Oh, be quiet. You know you can't win a fight against me." "Neither can you."

She stood up from the chair she was sitting in and walked over to us, obviously ignoring me.

"I've come to deliver a message from home; father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of plans to over throw him. Treacherous plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust. Father regrets your banishment, he wants you home."

We all sat quiet for a moment.

"Did you hear me? You should be happy, excited, grateful! I just gave you great news."

"I'm sure your brother simply needs a moment-"

"Don't interrupt, Uncle!"

She looked at Zuko.

"I still haven't heard my thank you. I'm not a messenger, I didn't have to come all this way!"

"Father regrets?" Zuko repeated. "He wants me back?"

"I can see you need time to take this in. I come back to call on you tomorrow."

Then she left.

That night, Zuko was in a buzz. He was super happy that he was able to go home. But I wasn't too sure, and neither was Iroh.

"I have never known my brother to regret anything." Iroh pointed out.

"Didn't you listen to Azula?" Zuko asked. "Father's finally realized how important family is to him. He cares about me."

"We care about you!" Iroh said. "And if Ozai wants you back, well, it might not be for the reasons you think."

"You don't know how my father feels about me. You don't know anything!"

"Zuko, I only meant that in our family, things aren't always as they seem."

Zuko turned on him.

"I think you're exactly as you seem. You're a lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who's always been jealous of his brother!"

I slapped and glared at the ex-prince.

"How could you?! He's your uncle! He's been with you for every step of the way! Where was your father? In his safe throne room where he never gave a crap about you! And me? I didn't have to go with you, but I did. And it wasn't just because of you finding my brother. I wanted to help you get your throne back, I even suggested to be used as your ticket home! And what do we both get? You being a whining brat! You need to apologize to Iroh, and until you do I'm not talking to you anymore! Good-night!"

I stormed out of the room, leaving a surprised prince and a troubled uncle.

That morning, I slipped out and went to Azula's ship. When the guards saw me, they got into battle stances. I did as well but there was a shout.

"Stand down. I want to hear what she wants."

Azula came down to greet me and I got right to the point.

"I know what your plan is. And I came here to give myself up. Tell your father that Zuko had just captured the Avatar when you had arrived. Tell your father that I had been helping villagers and were killing Fire Nation Soldiers when your brother caught me. Let Zuko return home for real. Don't harm him in any way. Please."

Azula frowned.

"I never liked you. So how about I helped Zuko capture you after you betrayed the Fire Nation instead."

"Deal."

We shook hands and I let the guards take me to a cell down below the deck. It was about an hour later when I saw the rest of the guards head above ground.

"Finally."

I broke out of the cell and got to the deck. Zuko blinked at my sudden appearance.

"Naomei? What are you doing here?"

"Deal breaking." I answered as I brought down a guard.

Then I ran behind Azula and tapped her shoulder. She spun around and I punched her in the face.

"That was for scarring me."

I did a leg sweep.

"That was for lying to me."

And then I threw a fireball at her.

"And this was for lying to Zuko!"

The ball just went past her and only singed her hair a little bit. She just glared and stood up. That's when Zuko started to attack her. It got to the point where she used lightning and she was about to deliver the death blow when I gripped her hand and pointed to the ocean where the bolt flowed out of me and towards it's new course.

Then I gripped her whole arm and flung her off the ship. I spotted Zuko and Iroh running on the dock and jumped down to join them. When we were down by the river, Zuko took out a knife and cut off his ponytail and handed it Iroh, who did the same. He then handed it to me and I cut my hair so it was very short in the back and long in the front.

Then we thew the remains into the river where they followed the current to the ocean.

"We need to leave." I told Zuko.

He nodded.

"Yeah."