The sky had turned blood orange and the air was hot, alive and buzzing. Sweat beaded Zoe's brow, the heated wind created by Appa's speeding flight did nothing to reduce her temperature.
She glanced at Zuko. The heat didn't seem to be affecting him at all. Huan scratched about agitatedly in her lap and she looked down at the little creature. She was trying to find a comfortable spot to sleep. Zoe sighed; she knew where Huan liked to sleep best. "Oh, OK." She muttered in defeat, rolling her eyes. Both Katara and Zuko looked at her oddly.
She lifted Huan out of her lap and carefully placed the small animal in her favourite position…down her top.
"Uuh…" stuttered Zuko awkwardly, "what exactly-"
"She cannot sleep anywhere else." snapped Zoe defensively, "It's not my fault if I have a rabbit-hen with strange sleeping habits."
Katara shrugged, but for some reasons Zuko blushed and quickly looked away from her chest where Huan was now hidden.
"How long until we arrive?" asked Zoe as she peered over the top of Appa's head. By the looks of the foliage they were in Fire Nation territory.
"Just under an hour." said Zuko, his voice returning to full-on serious mode.
He looked away from the two of them, biting his lip. His eyes darted about the sky in search of something, but nothing.
"Zuko, don't worry." Said Katara suddenly, noticing Zuko's distress. "We can take Azula."
"I'm not worried about her." said Zuko, and Zoe placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm worried about Aang. What if he doesn't have the guts to take out my Father?" he paused, almost considering to keep his mouth shut, but then, "What if he loses?"
"Aang won't lose." said Katara immediately, "he's gonna come back." She turned away and Zoe wasn't sure if she was talking to them or herself now. "He has to."
Everyone looked back out to the twisting, fiery sky and allowed their thoughts to consume them. And the flight wore on.
"We're here." said Zuko suddenly. Below them lay the Fire Nation capitol. The royal palace would be in the centre. Quickly Zoe drew a cloud camouflage around Appa, leaving a small gap for them to see through to navigate.
They began to descend down upon the palace when, "There she is!" cried Zoe, "What are they-"
"She's about to be crowned." said Zuko, his eyes widening. He flicked the reins, speeding Appa on and the bison roared while Zoe gave up on the cloud; they would know soon enough that they were here to stop them anyway.
Appa landed and Zuko stood up. The Fire Sages were staring at them open mouthed. But, Azula she looked…creepy, cracking, slipping…
"Sorry." said Zuko, his voice strong and carrying far. "But, you're not going to become Fire Lord today." He jumped from Appa lithely, "I am."
Azula burst out into a maniacal peel of laughter and a shiver went down Zoe's spine. Both she and Katara jumped off Appa to land next to Zuko. "You're hilarious!" she cackled.
"And you're going down." snarled Katara. Zoe looked at both of her friends, their determined, set faces, their strong words. Zoe glared back to Azula and tried to think of something sharp and witty to say…but, she was speechless. The sight of Zuko's sister right now had wiped her mind clear of words.
Azula's eyes flicked from Katara over to Zoe and then her head snapped back to Zuko, a malicious glint in her eye. "Wait. You want to be Fire Lord? Fine. Let's settle this." She said smoothly, "Just you and me, brother. The showdown that was always meant to be! Agni Kai!"
Zoe clenched her jaw; did she really think they were that stupid?
But then, "You're on!" snarled Zuko.
Zoe swung round to Zuko her eyes wide and blood pounding her ears. "Are you crazy?" she demanded in a soft hiss.
"What are you doing?" hissed Katara, "She's playing you. She knows she can't take us all so she is trying to separate us!"
"I know." Replied Zuko, his eyes glued to his younger sister. "But, I can take her this time."
Katara blinked, then said, "But even you admitted to your Uncle that you would need help facing Azula!"
"There's something off about her." Said Zuko, obviously set on this duel. "I can't explain it, but she's slipping." He looked to both Katara and Zoe. "And this way, no one else has to get hurt."
Zoe pinched the bridge of her nose. "You could get hurt." She hissed.
Zuko lifted a hand and looked like he was going to place it on her cheek, but then suddenly dropped it, his eyes flicking to his sister. He couldn't show too much attachment…Azula would use it.
"Trust me." He whispered instead and Zoe couldn't deny him. Katara led her away to the end of the Agni Kai arena as the two royal siblings prepared for their battle.
"I'm sorry it has to end this way, brother!" snarled Azula fiendishly.
"No you're not." said Zuko, his face unreadable, his tone emotionless. Yet somehow, the sentence caused a wave of sadness to wash over Zoe and her heart throbbed painfully.
And the battle commenced.
The heat blazed and scorched through the air. Zuko's fire was ten times more magnificent then usual. His bending was beautiful, graceful and so, so powerful.
But, Azula's fire, white hot and blue was beast like, crazed. Each blast a snarl issued from a terrorized monster. Her fire clawed at Zuko, exploded in all its deadly power, but could not even knock him down.
Her breathing became heavy and laboured, her eyes wide and malicious and…scared? No, no way. Zoe must have been seeing things in the hazy, heat filled air.
Zuko was in control, he was winning this fight. His next move took even Zoe by surprise when he dropped to the ground and twirled around on his hands, his legs spinning out and creating lasso like rings of fire to whip through the air.
Azula could not avoid this unique move and she was tossed in to the air, losing control of her path and smashed to the ground hard. Her thud echoed through the entire arena as did her cry of pain.
"No lightening today?" cried Zuko and Zoe's heart seemed to stop in her chest. What was he doing? "What's the matter? Afraid I'll redirect it?"
Zoe stood watching in horror as Zuko taunted his sister, practically begged her to shoot the crackling, blue whip of lightening that would surely mean his death.
"Oh I'll show you lightening!" growled Azula, her face mutinous, fiendish and her hands curled into her firebending stance in an almost animalistic way. Why was he doing this? He was winning! Why did he need to risk it? Zoe ran forward unthinkingly, not even meaning to maker her legs move. She had to be closer just in case…
"Zoe, no!" cried Katara running after her and grabbing her arm, "stay back!"
The shout echoed around the courtyard, mixing with the deadly, crackling sounds of lightening being produced from Azula's fingertips. The cry caused Zuko to forget his concentration. He turned, his eyes wide. All he heard was Katara's voice screaming Zoe's name. Was something wrong with Zoe? Had a fire sage taken her? Were they being attacked?
The momentary loss of attention was enough for Azula. She thrust her hand forward, but not before her eyes shifted to a weaker prey, one with no chance of redirecting her bolt…her finger adjusted slightly on its angle and the white, deadly bolt of electricity was catapulting towards the frightened airbender.
Zuko heard the sound before he saw it. He turned back in horror after seeing that Zoe was fine, but would not be for much longer. Without a second thought, before his mind even had a chance to consider, he leapt in front of the speeding bolt. His only word process in his mind was that she needed him.
But then, in the split second before the lightening could course through his body he was thrown aside, knocked from the air, wind carrying him out of harms way and his head knocked the stone edge of the fountain with a blood-chilling crunch. The last thing he saw was a whip of blonde hair and a blinding white flash and everything went black.
A/N =O cliffhanger...now, don't start assuming! I know you're about to! It might not be what you think is going to happen. ;) I know this is short, but it's part one of two :D The second part is written...so...review, quick, quick! I'll post it!
I've never done a cliffhanger before. It's...kind of fun 8D