Major changes happening in these chapters, as I actually HATED the scripting in the show so much that it put me off Avatar for five years, so this is going to be a 'how I would have liked to see it' version, Cutting out most of the jerk face Zuko, and replacing him with the character developed up to this point in the series Zuko, and adding in a actual journey for Toph! (though not in the way she expected) enjoy!
Aang was getting better, and seemed to have everything down, but Zuko found himself getting more and more frustrated by his relaxed attitude, he had asked him before how he intended to fight against his father, but now it seemed like they didn't even care, during a session Katara had suggested they had a break and it just seemed to make him snap "We don't have time for watermelon smoothies! The Comet is almost here and Aang is no where near ready!" The entire group just looked at him like he was crazy and he threw his hands up in frustration, what was with them? if this continued the fire nation armies would wipe out the earth kingdom and there would be hardly anything left to save.
"Zuko, you need to relax…" He whirled on Katara as she said this, but before the scream could leave his lips he paused and stood back, relax… right… his brow was furrowed but he made the effort to draw in a deep breath and let it out his nose, after doing this a few times he was cal enough to look at her again, she had that smile she got on her face when she knew she had won, and it made him smile without realising it "Look… I just don't get how you all can be so relaxed, the comet will be here any day now" Once more they all looked at each other and then back to him… and Aang was the one to speak "Well… about that…"
Aang began to explain how they had all decided that they would wait till the comet passed by, stating that he was simply was not ready yet, but when Zuko shared what he had heard about the plans his Father had made, it became clear that they would have to step up their game, it felt odd to him how Sokka just seemed to be excited about it, and it was even stranger when the group hug started, but Appa thankfully broke the awkwardness for him, but it was clear that Zuko would have to show Aang the final step of the training, redirecting lightening, it was during the training as Aang began to state how, it would not be 'over over', that Zuko realised how unprepared the boy really was, He looked at his features as Katara explained how she had no more spirit water, and then how he reacted to having to take Ozai's life… He walked away from them both then, knowing full well that his words had not reached Aang, it was frustrating to think that in all the time he had been training Aang, he was so in the dark to the Avatar's intentions, perhaps before it might have made him angry, but now… it just depressed him, so instead of returning inside, he made his way to the beach so he could think alone for a while.
He was sitting out on the beach for an hour or two perhaps when Toph came out to give him an encouraging punch in the arm, he tried to smile at her, but realised that he didn't need to pretend, as she wouldn't see it anyway "Don't get down about it Sparky, you saw the play, we are always in hopeless situations but manage to scrape through, this time will be no different, besides! I'll be there! So this is in the bag!" This actually did get a smile from him and he gave a soft chuckle, though that was not the only reason he was feeling bothered right now, but he knew better than to pour out his feelings to her, it might end with an affectionate beating again, so instead he just said "Glad your on our side then" She agreed to that and then stood up stating. "While sitting on sand that muffles my vision and being this close to water is sooo appealing, I have to go in and plan new ways to torture Aang into becoming a master earth bender in 3 days" That brought another smile to his face, but then he was alone again, he was absently aware of the sun lowering and before he knew it the smells of dinner were drifting his way
And that was when Katara came out to him "Zuko… I know you must be angry at us…" He turned to look at her and shook his head a bit "No… I wasn't… I mean… I was your enemy for so long, so I guess it is natural that you wouldn't share your plans with me…" Katara's eyes widened slightly as the reason for him isolating himself became apparent and he turned from her so she wouldn't see the pain that flashed through his eyes "I guess… after spending time with you all… I just forgot…" His voice couldn't hide it though, and he lowered his head slightly to his knees, it was after a moments silence that he felt a hand placed to his back softly "Zuko… it… we decided this before you even came into the group… I think the reason we didn't say anything, is because we forgot ourselves that you haven't always been part of it"
He looked to her for a moment, and then put his head back down to his knees, causing his voice to be a bit lower "I can't help but think I made a mistake though… I should have killed my father when I had the chance… Aang… Aang isn't ready… it's nothing to do with power… it's…" He looked up to find Katara a bit closer than he expected, she had leant in close to hear him, but as he looked up there noses were almost bumping, and words failed him, a heat flooded over his features and he felt his heart begin to hammer, but a noise from behind them cause them both to jump apart.
Aang was standing with two plates in his hands, and his eyes a bit wider than he would have thought possible, and Zuko stood up quickly "Aang this… it's not"
Aang moved up to him as he had stood and pushed the plate of food at him, effectively silencing the firebender, and then he handed the other plate to Katara "It's… it's okay Zuko…" It was Katara that spoke next, and he could hear the hurt in her voice "Aang, really…we were just" Aang whirled on her and snapped "I SAID IT WAS FINE!" He watched as Aang stormed away and then looked at Katara "I'm… I'm sorry Katara… this is" Katara was shaking her head as he began speaking and then looked up to him "No… you have nothing to apologise for Zuko, come on, lets go inside."
The next morning they found themselves in a training routine with Sokka, and Zuko found himself mildly impressed with how quickly Sokka came up with his plan, but he was even more impressed with how Toph was actually managing to hold them all back as 'Melon Lord!' perhaps she was right about them being okay with her on their side, but as Aang swooped in to give the final blow, he faltered, just as he had expected to happen. The words 'this just isn't me' hit home as Zuko remember how he felt when he faced his father, and a twinge of guilt settled in him as he realised what he was asking Aang to do. The atmosphere after that was a solemn one, and even as Katara came down with what she thought was a picture of him, it just seemed to make things worse.
Aang began to almost defend Ozai but then agreed with them about him begin a terrible person, but that he just did not want to take his life, though the remarks about glue bending just made him wonder as to just what went through Aangs mind sometimes, and he could not help but pretend to play along for a moment to see if the kid was joking, but the look of hope that passed through the Avatars features when he made the suggestion of showing Ozai his childhood pictures was enough to make Zuko realise that he was actually serious, After a comment from Sokka, Zuko then watched as Aang finally exploded at them and he knew, he knew without a doubt that they would not be able to help him with it, their way of thinking was too different, so as Katara moved to follow him, Zuko placed a hand on her shoulder to halt her. "Let him go Katara, he needs time to get through this by himself"
Katara turned to look at him then and nodded her head before taking a seat again, the group was silent as they finished up dinner, but it was as he was helping to clear away the dishes with her that she spoke "I want to help him Zuko… but… I think if he has something to… something to look forward too, after this is all done…" it took a moment for him to understand what she was trying to say, but when he did he felt an uncomfortable pain in his chest, he turned to look at her, but she was just looking down a dish "Katara… I said I would support you… no matter what you chose… but…" She looked up to him, and he knew what she was asking him, she was asking him not to make it any harder than it already was, and so he sighed and lowered his head "Well… at least, try to think it over for tonight… you can tell him in the morning…" He walked away from her then and just went to his room, he knew this was for the best, he really did, but it just didn't sit well with him.
Perhaps that was why he was so reluctant to get up the next day, but he knew that they had to get packing, they would have to move out tomorrow, so laying in bed doing nothing would not help anything, yet even as he rolled to the side in effort to get up, he just did not feel motivated, in fact it was only after he heard a thumping on his door that he made any effort to get out of bed at all "Okay I'm up, I'm up…" Sokka had opened the door and was looking at him with wide eyes "He's not here either!" Sokka took off down the hall and Zuko got out of the bed in a state of confusion, Suki was the next person he seen and he reached out to grab her by the arm as she was running by "What's going on?" The girl looked at him and frowned "Aang is missing"
It turned out that Katara had gone to find him that morning, but he was no where to be seen, Katara was very quiet as they talked about splitting up to search for him, and when Toph clung to Zuko's arm, she looked at her and him for a moment before muttering "Actually… I was kind of hoping to talk to…" Zuko looked away and then down to Toph "No… we can talk later Katara, besides, I owe Toph for helping me out at the play" Zuko didn't have seen the hurt that flashed past Katara's features, and just strode off in search of the airbender with Toph in tow, though they had only gotten around the corner when he groaned and thumped his head against a wall "I am such an idiot!"
Toph moved over to stand beside him but didn't question his behaviour as he explained it without her needing to ask "Here I am saying I would support her, and now that she made a choice, I am making it hard on her! Ugh!" Toph frowned and simply said "Are we talking about Katara?" Zuko turned to look at the short girl as though he had only just remembered he was not alone and he groaned slightly… "Sorry Toph, I don't think I will be much fun…" The earhtbender just punched him and began walking forward a bit "Hey, better I listen to your problems first, then in return, I will talk about me, deal?" Zuko smiled a bit and nodded at her, he moved to catch up and said softly "Perhaps though I should focus on trying to find Aang…" But Toph just smirked "Don't worry Sparky, My feet see twice as much as your eyes, so if he is here, I will find him, now spill"
And spill he did, he told Toph about his feelings and how Katara was planning to go with Aang out of duty, this got the reaction of Toph first calling her an idiot and then calling him and idiot for not stopping her, and to this he stopped and looked at her "But she's right! Last night…" Last night… Aang had seen them, and he was angry… and now… now he was gone, his eyes widened as he thought on that, and Toph just let out an irritated grunt "Look Sparky, this is not the first time Aang ran out on us, I hate to say this, but I don't trust him with this job, I mean from the start he knew that facing Ozai would mean having to kill him, but instead of facing up to that, he has constantly been running away from it, it was the same with teaching him earthbending, he got through it somehow but this… this is different… it goes against everything he is, so in the end, I think it will be up to Aang to defeat your dad… but you to punish him."
Zuko frowned and sat to a step, Toph joined him and leant back a bit "So don't go blaming yourself for him running away… yeah, maybe he is mad that Katara likes you, and maybe it had something to do with him leaving, but that has nothing to do with you right? You didn't decide to like Katara just to make him mad, and Katara should not have to give up on happiness just to have Aang do the right thing… at the end of it all, this is Aang's own doing, and if he is ever to redeem himself with us, he will have to turn up to the battle… whether we find him or not, but let me tell you, I will definitely be having words with him when we do find him!"
"You're not the only one" Both Zuko and Toph turned to look at Katara who was standing at the top of the steps, Zuko was the first to look away, and that seemed to prompt Katara into speaking "Zuko… Toph is right… Aang has run away again, no matter how I feel about… well… I…" Zuko stood and shook his head slightly and tuned to face her "Katara, we don't really know what happened to Aang… I mean, Sokka is right about it being strange that he left Appa and the glider, so… lets try and believe in him for now… but first, we have to find him." – "Yeah about that…" Sokka was walking towards them, and Suki was not far behind "we have searched pretty much all of the Island, and the closest thing to Aang we found was the actress from the play… We don't have time for this!" The groups looked at him expectantly, and he furrowed his brow a bit "Why are you all looking at me?" Katara was the one to answer, though the words were not something he wanted to acknowledge, he frowned as he thought about it, in truth they were right… but how was he meant to find someone when they had no idea where to… he paused and looked at the group, of course! "Jun!" He grinned triumphantly and started back to the beach house, the others following in a confused state.
He didn't bother explaining to them as he loaded a few of Aang's things onto Appa, and ordered Sokka to go wash after he somehow came to the conclusion that Appa had eaten momo, and as they flew to the earth kingdom, he just told them to trust him, he had a plan.
And that is another chapter done. I am going to be posting only two more after this, so we are nearly at the end of the journey guys!
Goodmorningflower: Thanks as always for the support, I have to say though, this was more taking out chunks of the story and replacing them, rather then filling in the gaps, the last episode really did annoy me that much ^^;