AVATAR
The Young Lady Of Legends
She was a shy, self-centered and overall lazy dreamer from our world, transported to the world of Avatar where she's the stuff of some sort of legend. She also can't continue being lazy, not if a certain agitated prince gets his way. ZukoXOcc
CHAPTER TWELVE
Red Bear
O~O~O~O
Suddenly, I could taste a whole lot of salty water in my mouth, and I instinctively drew my head back sharply, just as a stream of water came up from Zuko's mouth, following the movement of my head. It disconnected with his body and disappeared and, as soon as it did, Zuko's hazel eyes snapped open, and he began gasping in breaths of air.
It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.
He was alive.
O~O~O~O
Emma's P.O.V:
I was lounging on the deck of the ship, enjoying the sunshine after the storm and watching Yang Chong hop around on the deck and try to fly.
"Think sky!" I called to him. He turned to look at me. "Picture yourself soaring above the clouds, think air!"
He cocked his head to one side, and then coughed.
He spat out about ten very small fireballs.
I was impressed. "Or…think fire!"
He ruffled up his slowly developing feathers, and looked proud.
I fanned myself with my golden fan, and thought: He'll be a Firebender, maybe even more powerful than a human one! Go Phoenix-y!
Just then, a large shadow fell over us, and we both looked up to see a much larger Fire Nation Naval ship. Yang Chong scurried up to me as I got quickly to my feat, and he disappeared into the safety of the front of my robes. "Prince Zuko!" I called loudly, my feet seemingly glued to the deck.
Zuko and Jee came quickly up onto the deck, as they'd been going over the map together. They were followed by Iroh.
The four of us watched as a group of unfamiliar soldiers boarded our ship.
I glanced nervously at Zuko. Though he'd been reasonably nicer to everyone since the storm (though I'd warned everyone not to tell him how I'd saved him) he was still going to be angry at this next scenario.
I watched Zuko's face carefully throughout the confrontation and, sure enough, his hazel eyes were furious. Zhao was now an Admiral? All information regarding the Avatar was to be passed onto him?
Zuko had to tell the men twice to get off his ship, and seemed to be more angry than anything, but later on I heard him telling his Uncle his doubts, that he may end up losing everything after all.
My heart went out for him. I hated seeing him so upset. I wanted to say something to put his mind at ease, but what?
Sorry you're so upset? Sorry Zhao got promoted, and you didn't? Sorry your Father's such a jerk and probably hates you?
I didn't want to say something…I wanted to do something…
Wait…maybe there was something I could do…
During the storm, I'd had more control over my Waterbending. It wasn't perfect, but it was getting better, and my fighting skills were improving as well. The other day, I'd actually managed to defeat five crew members at once.
What if…what if I helped Zuko free Aang when Zhao captured him?
What if I just got in the way?
There was only one way for me to find out…and I was going to go anyway!
O~O~O~O
I moved through the forest, unsure of where I was or even who I was. I could hear so many things, but I couldn't really see anything…
I could hear a voice, though, as soft and almost as melodic as my own. It was calling to me and, as I ran forward, I saw a huge dark shape waiting for me. I stopped quickly. It was a bear.
It didn't seem dangerous, though and, as I watched, it seemed to take the shape of a woman. I wasn't sure if I knew who she was, but I did know that she wanted me to help Zuko…
"Please…help him…"
"I will." I promised her.
Water seemed to cascade all around me, and was dyed scarlet…
O~O~O~O
My eyes snapped open, and I found myself really standing in a forest, by a small stream.
"Oh no! How did I get here? !" I cried softly. "Did I…did I sleep walk?" I'd heard of such a thing before, but this was ridiculous…
One minute I'd been resting in my room on Zuko's ship, and then I'd had that strange dream, and now…
I looked down at myself, and realized that I was wearing a white robe top and white pants. White bandages were wrapped around my arms and legs, and I wore a pair of white shoes that strapped up around my ankle. I could feel more bandages on my chest, and realized that I probably resembled a boy at the moment, which may or may not have been a good thing.
I realized that I was wearing a mask, and I quickly took it off and looked at it. It was red, and seemed to be a bear's face.
"Ursa…" I whispered.
I replaced my mask, and checked in my robes for my fan. It was there. I also had a water-skin filled with some sort of liquid at my hip. I would need that.
Whatever had happened, whoever had helped me, if it really had been her…then I was outfitted perfectly to help Prince Zuko carry out his plan…
O~O~O~O
Aang's P.O.V:
The frogs I had gathered to help Katara and Sokka were getting away, but the stranger dressed all in black and wearing a blue mask would not let me get them!
"You don't understand!" I protested, but he just dragged me out of the room, without saying a word. He had dual Dao swords, and I could tell straight away that he was a seasoned warrior. Why was he helping me, though, whoever he was…?
As we were running down the hallway, past the unconscious guards, I thought I caught a glimpse of white to my left, but couldn't be sure…
O~O~O~O
Emma's P.O.V:
I watched as the arrow headed towards Zuko. I had been fairly good, mostly staying out of the way, and only knocking out a few guards by sneaking up behind them, so that they wouldn't attack Zuko and Aang. But, now, I leapt out of my hiding place and got between Aang and Zuko, using my fan to block the arrow.
A dozen or so more arrows came flying towards us, and I couldn't block all of them with my fan, so I went to plan B. I focused my chi on the liquid in the water-skin, and it came flying out, not blue but red. It looked like blood mixed with water, which may have been why it was glowing.
Or, maybe that was the illumination from the blue fire Zuko was now bending, and the two elements arced around each other, and rendered the Fire Nation soldiers helpless.
Just then, Zuko went rigid – an arrow had hit him, in the shoulder. He went down, and Aang grabbed him instinctively. A little bit of Zuko's mask slipped down, revealing his scar to Aang, who gasped. The Avatar looked at me, just as I swung back around to face Zhao and, with deadly accuracy, threw my fan at him just as he was about to give the signal to fire another round of arrows.
It flew through the air with remarkable speed and power, and hit the Admiral directly in the forehead.
At this time, Aang grabbed Zuko and made a dust cloud using his Airbending.
O~O~O~O
Aang's P.O.V:
I didn't know what to make of the situation. For weeks now, Prince Zuko had been chasing after me, attempting to capture me and stop me from saving the world. He was the Fire Lord's son, and a powerful Firebender too. He was my enemy, like everyone in the Fire Nation…apparently. I was confused. So much had changed in the last one hundred years…I couldn't believe that the Fire Nation was the enemy! I mean, of course I could believe it, I'd seen what they'd been doing with my own eyes…but still…
"Do you think we could've been friends, if we'd known each other before this war started?" I asked Zuko quietly, shocked even by my own words. But…he'd just saved my life, hadn't he?
Speaking of which…
The second masked stranger suddenly jumped down from a tree nearby, landing between me and Zuko. He'd finally found us, since we'd become separated after I'd used the dust cloud as cover to escape.
The way he was standing between Zuko and me, it was very protective. I understood that this person must care for Zuko a lot, even though that idea seemed quite strange to me at this time.
Still, they'd worked together to free me. Who was I to question their relationship?
I just nodded, before hopping away through the trees. I had to find more frogs to cure Katara and Sokka's illness…
O~O~O~O
Emma's P.O.V:
"Emma, stop." Zuko said sharply, when we were almost back to the ship.
I stopped walking and turned around, looking at him. "What is it? Is your shoulder hurting?"
"Why didn't you tell me you were a Waterbender?"
"Because I didn't know, okay? ! I didn't know I was one until just recently, and I didn't know how to tell you! And, some thanks for saving your life – again!"
Zuko stepped up to me. "Don't ever do that again! You could have been killed!" He told me.
I realized that his eyes were slightly bright…was he really that upset?
He looked at me for a moment, before kissing me.
I was startled, unable to quite believe what was happening. There had been a strange electric shock that jolted through me as soon as the Prince's lips had touched mine, similar to the shock from the night of the storm, when I'd done CPR on him. I had never kissed anyone before, so I had no idea what to do.
Zuko stopped kissing me after five seconds exactly, and stepped back, seemingly shocked himself by what he'd just done.
Oh my God, I CAN'T BELIEVE he just DID that to me! I was startled, my fingers touching my lips in wonder. I couldn't look at him, I was just too embarrassed.
"Back to the ship?" Zuko said faintly.
I nodded. "Lead the way, Prince Zuko."
We walked the rest of the way in a confused silence…
O~O~O~O
When we got back to the ship, it was the evening of that day. I'd had no idea I'd walked so far in my sleep.
Uncle Iroh greeted us with some not-so-great-news. "Admiral Zhao visited us this morning," He told us, whilst sipping on some tea. "He wanted to know where you two were last night."
Zuko and I exchanged a glance.
"I told him that you two went on a romantic vacation." Uncle Iroh continued, and Zuko groaned. I blushed.
"I'm going to bed." Zuko said tiredly, walking towards the door leading down below deck, as Yang Chong half hopped, half fluttered across the deck towards me, and I wordlessly picked him up.
"So…where did you two go, last night?" Uncle Iroh wanted to know.
I gulped. "Umm…nowhere much…" I thought I should tell him a little bit, though. "We just had to go somewhere, in order to…do something important…"
"And, did you get it done?" Iroh wanted to know.
I nodded. "Yes, but…but…we were on our way back here and…" I knew that I was blushing. I touched my fingers to my lips again, remembering the kiss. "S-something…happened…"
Uncle Iroh's eyes widened. "Did…did you two kiss?"
I gasped. He actually said it out loud! "Aww, now come on, Uncle Iroh, you didn't have to say it out…a girl can get embarrassed, you know!" I laughed self-consciously, and pretended to punch his shoulder. "But, um, yeah…we…did…"
Uncle Iroh chuckled. He looked thrilled…
O~O~O~O
Zhao's P.O.V:
I looked at the golden fan in my hand, thinking about the events of last night. Finally, I was only able to draw one conclusion.
Emma had been there. And…Zuko had been with her. My eyes glittered in the fire-light. The Fire Lord's own son was a traitor…and Emma…it was as the legends had said…
