Thanks to CACrest and GreyNoise for proofreading!
Chapter 37: A New Name
"I … hate … this … place," came a growl, Zuko looking up at the top of a cavern, frowning at the light shining down. The opening was barely out of reach … by about 5 yards. How was he supposed to get up there with a dragon egg? He supposed he should count himself lucky they found an exit at all. Thankfully, his time in the Avatar state (or Miss Bell as Aang called the past life even with a threat to limb and body), had knocked some cave walls in during the battle revealing an extra passageway.
Aang, stalling next to him, looked up and smiled slightly at the light above their heads. "See, a little positivity will take you anywhere. Even an exit."
Sighing, shifting the egg awkwardly to his hip, Zuko grumbled, "And how am I supposed to get up there Aang?"
Zuko immediately regretted his words.
"Air-bend, of course. I'll go up first with the egg so we don't smash it, and then I'll come back down and teach you a kata. Your form might have been sloppy when you tried to knock me in the lake, but it was a valiant first try," said Aang as he reached out to take the egg from Zuko.
Zuko was too flabbergasted to stop the young bender or even disagree as the air-bender took the egg. How had Aang even remembered that? He was hoping that in his mushroom induced haze the air-bender would have forgotten, but luck was never on Zuko's side.
Before the banished prince could even open his mouth and disagree, though, Aang had already given his staff to the fire-bender and was in a kata pose. It was a bit awkward given the egg, but Zuko watched as the air-bender merely spun all the way up to the mouth of the cavern. Aang made it look easy even with the egg's awkward mass. It also didn't look so far up now. If there had been a wall to scale, he might have been able to run up on his own.
Deflating when the air-bender poked his head over the cavern's edge, he already could tell that Aang was ecstatic at the prospect of an air-bending lesson. A part of Zuko knew he had to start sooner or later, that he couldn't reject a part of his soul forever, but a part of him still couldn't accept it. It was a hard truth to swallow even with the spirits, dragon eggs, and flying bison in his daily life.
It was like his life belonged to someone else. Perhaps, he should just keep the name, Lee. It almost seemed fitting.
Floating down like a leaf in autumn, Aang chirped, "Ready? I'm sure you remember the basics with Yugato. So, do you want to try the kata I just did or merely a wind lift with the staff? It's technically not big enough for someone of your height and weight, but we'll never know until you try."
Zuko eyed the staff in his hand. Was it childish of him to actually want to try using it? Appa was terrifying, there was no doubt, but just seeing how light and free Aang was when he soared around with the thing, Zuko couldn't help but be a little envious. If he was still a child, he would have demanded to try it long ago.
Swallowing his pride, something that was painfully becoming far too easy for him, Zuko murmured, "How do you open the staff?"
Aang was overjoyed to show him, the tool clicking open in Zuko's hands with a little guidance from the younger boy. Aang was actually floating with excitement at this point. He even pointed out all the main parts of the staff. He also told Zuko how the staffs were handcrafted by the monks.
It was a delicate instrument, light, and seemingly hollow at some points.
Zuko would be the first to admit he wasn't as good as his sister when it came to his studies, but he was entranced with the device, especially when Aang added, "Master Yugato probably would have made you your first one. I think he even brought material for it. We'll have to check. In fact, most Masters make their student's first staffs and then when you became a Master or more proficient, you would make your own. Mind you, most are little kids when they get their first staff and are not very good with pointy things so Yugato probably would have asked you to help make your first one."
Feeling the smooth wood under his thumb, Zuko couldn't help but ask, "So, was this a gift or did you make it?"
Aang gave the staff a thoughtful look and stated, "I made it. Most of the Masters were surprised when I made this one without assistance. The first one was eaten by a seal-shark so I made this one before anyone could get mad. Honestly, it was almost easy. It was like I had made one before."
There was a moment of silence as if Aang was thinking about something, and then he seemed to come out of it, bouncing on his heels.
"So this one is easy. First, watch me do this kata. It's a simple one where you gather your breath and concentrate on your legs, then you release. It's just a simple extension to a jump where the wind catches under the glider's wings and carries you up farther," said Aang.
The boy then gathered a breath, bent his knees slightly, and releasing his breath at the same time while springing forward. Even without the glider Aang almost made it to the mouth of the cavern. The youth then glided down simply as if it was the easiest thing in the world.
Zuko frowned. He was sure he was going to mess it up. He was probably going to smack right into the cave wall or something equally irritating, but the sooner he did this, the sooner he could leave.
Sighing, he nodded and practiced the kata a few times in action alone. He then gathered his breath, feeling a nervous excitement that wasn't driven by anger or battle like his fire-bending was. He gathered his chi and, listening to the whisper in his mind that was practically telling him to fly and never come down, Zuko sprung forward releasing his breath … and a very loud fart.
Aang, who at first looked dumbfounded, was on the ground a moment later, laughing so hard he was almost crying. Zuko, who had been propelled slightly by the flatulence, nearly tripped and fell on his face. He had had to wave the staff around like an idiot just to keep his footing. Only once he was sure he had reclaimed his balance did Zuko turn his ire on the hysterical air-bender.
"You knew that was going to happen, didn't you?! I'm tired, dirty, hungry and sick of caves! I'm not in the mood for fake kata pranks," barked Zuko, the fire-bender struggling not to start the staff in his hands on fire.
Aang, still laughing so hard he could barely breathe, tried to gather himself while Zuko simmered. When the air-bender finally pulled himself together to at least breathe, though his struggle not to laugh was still notable, he added, "Y-you concentrated all your chi into your butt, didn't you? Instead of your knees?"
The air-bender then fell over again, laughing some more.
It took about five minutes for Aang to calm down enough to be able to stand and at least direct his increasingly agitated student. Though the young bender's giggling every few minutes only served to enrage Zuko further, it also filled the Avatar with determination. At this point, he was bound and determined to learn this kata if only to get out of this hole and away from Aang.
"Okay," said Aang as he choked down another chuckle. "You ready? Getting frustrated won't help. Remember, air is movement. So, if you want, I can create an air-ball to help lift you up after this time if you don't get it. Just because you're the Avatar, doesn't mean you get everything the first time."
Zuko glared. He rarely got anything the first time. He had to work twice as hard as most people. He was determined at this point, though, especially since he had almost succeeded twice already. The third time was a charm … though Azula would have already gotten this and probably conquered the world. Really, what was with him? He was the Avatar. He had learned this all before apparently, yet here he was floundering over a simple kata. Most wouldn't even consider him very good at fire-bending. Yet, he could just look at something funny, and he would fall into the spirit realm. Was that normal? Were some Avatars better with conversing with spirits than bending? He was almost disappointed he didn't have someone like Yugato or maybe Pakku to ask.
Pushing his thoughts back, telling himself this wasn't the time, Zuko tried to concentrate on the feeling of freedom, movement, and the crisp taste of a breeze over the ocean. Then, he breathed in deeply, grasping that cool collected feeling in his throat and lungs before releasing.
He was suddenly floating upwards, a breeze gathering under the glider's little, orange wings and taking him, up, up, up.
It felt so wonderful to be free, to glide like this … and then he was promptly reminded that his name was Zuko, a banished prince. His feet promptly hit the ground, and he couldn't help but frown at the stone below his feet. He wanted to hate the ground for existing at that moment, for not allowing him to fall forever. Yet, a quick breeze behind him reminded Zuko that he had better things to do than mope about the fate life had dealt him.
It looked like they were now on the other side of the island, if the rocky cliff-face they were near and the ocean's roar were any indication.
"Wow," said Aang as he floated up next to Zuko. "That was great. I thought you would have floated a lot longer, though. Now, let's grab the egg and get back to … the … beach."
Zuko, who quickly following the air-bender's gaze, nearly dropped the staff in his hand as he turned his head, cursing the damaged sight in his left eye once again. He hadn't even seen them there. They were not much more than shadows and light in that eye. But there they were, two pirates, just standing there upon the stones like mocking statues, the golden egg between them.
It was the cook and the pirate wench. She had a wicked smile on her face … Zuko's stomach couldn't help but plummet. She didn't suspect that he was the Avatar, did she? Just how much had they seen?
"Well, well, what do we have here?" the water-bending pirate, Peri, sang. "Two little birdies lost from the nest. Oh me, oh my, Cooky, what soup would they make best?"
Cooky, who had bent over to pick up the golden egg, was now running his fingers curiously over the surface. He merely shrugged his shoulder at her quip and waved his fingers in a way that must have meant something to the female pirate. She merely continued to smile, nodding as she sang once more, "Yes, yes. I agree. We must boil off the feathers before we cook the meat!"
The woman's playful grin became something akin to sinister. There was now a thirst for battle in her eyes as she started to gather water around her form. Zuko, admittedly, found the expression somewhat unsettling to see on a water-bender's face, especially a female one. The only female water-benders he had ever interacted with were healers. Most were well meaning, their smiles soft and kind even when he was difficult. This woman … it felt like she had something to prove, a rage to quell in her heart.
And it seemed like Aang and he was going to have to deal with the blunt of it.
Still praying that the woman had thought it was Aang's air-bending and not his, Zuko handed the staff to his current teacher. He then fell into a fire-bending kata, immediately whispering, "Get the egg, Aang. I'll deal with her."
The water-bender, eight watery arms now gathered around her like a squid-octopus, merely grinned at the fire-bender's challenge. She then struck out, a water whip snapping in Zuko's direction. Not willing to dodge, he met her water attack with a flaming fist, hot steam sizzling into the air. Not waiting for the female to strike again, Zuko was rising into another kata. He quickly jumped into the air, throwing a fireball from his foot. He landed on his left foot and gracefully spun around, using the momentum to throw a curving arc of fire in her direction. The woman lifted her arms up into her chest just in time to take the attack, the eight arms suddenly curling up around her like a night bloom closing for the day.
Steam exploded everywhere, causing a mist to cover the battlefield.
Aang, meanwhile, was making his way behind the cook, the steam now serving as a type of cover for him. He wasn't much of a sneaker, but he really didn't want to get caught in a net again. So sneaking it was! He always wanted to pretend to be a ninja. Luckily, it seemed the scruffy cook was content merely standing there with the egg at his side as he watched what he could of the battle before him. Aang had no idea why the man put down the egg to begin with, but he wasn't going to question his good luck. So, tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth as he crouched behind the pirate, Aang ever-so-painfully-slowly reached for the egg. He hoped to get a good grip and then make a run for it. Yet, the moment his fingers were about to touch the golden surface, a ladle was slapping against his fingers.
"Youch!" cried the air-bender as he whirled back waving his hand, a red welt already appearing where the cook had struck him. "That hurt. Did you have to hit me so hard?"
The cook, raising a brow at the young air-bender, seemed to say, 'Yes, I had to.' Then, not even waiting a moment more for the air-bender to gather himself, the cook had pulled out a matching, long-stemmed ladle. He was now handling the two ladles more like matching blades instead of spoons. Aang barely had time to yip in surprise and bound into the air over the man's head before two heavy spoons swung where the air-bender had just been kneeling. The cook, eyes going wide, looked up just in time to have Aang step on his face instead of the top of his head as he landed. Something even cracked underneath the air-bender's heel.
"Sorry!" cried Aang as he bound off the older man's face, the pirate nearly falling over from the sudden impact to his face.
Landing a short distance away, closer to the egg, Aang cringed as he watched the man cover his face with one hand, blood now dripping between his fingers. The older man immediately glared at Aang in an accusing manner.
Aang, pulling his staff close to his chest and reeling back as if he had just been shouted at, choked, "It was an accident. I barely jumped off the ground in time to avoid you! And you … you hit my hand. See, it's going to bruise."
The cook gave the air-bender a dead-panned look as if stating a broken nose didn't compare to a mere bruise. Then, a small cracking noise filling the area as he reset his nose. Cooky then stood up straight, blood pooling down onto his shirt. His glare said he was not impressed. Aang, offering a guilty smile, merely backed up until he was right next to the egg.
"Well, it looks like you have that to take care of. Can't have your shirt staining. So I will just be taking this-"
The air-bender barely moved to the left fast enough to ignore a butcher knife being thrown at him, the blade embedding itself into the ground.
Taking a moment to watch the butcher-knife jiggle from where it was embedded, Aang turned to the pirate and choked, "You-you tried to stab me?!"
Cooky shrugged, basically saying, 'Yeah, what of it? I am a pirate.'
The man didn't waste another moment before he was running back towards the young bender. This time Aang put on a face of determination and snapped open his glider. He then swung forward sending a powerful gust of wind and dust at the charging cook. The man barely had time to bring up his two arms to protect his already abused face. The gust hit him so hard though that he actually slid a few feet back, even more dust thrown up into the air with his unyielding stance. Yet, just as Aang was reaching for the egg again, another knife was thrown.
Aang, screaming in surprise, quickly dived out of the way with a collection of rustling robes. He escaped to be stabbed another day, but the fighting duo behind him was not so lucky.
A scream echoed over the expanse. Both Aang and Cooky stalled long enough to cringe, hoping it wasn't their battle partner.
"Eagh! Bloody afterlife! You stabbed me!" finally came a barking yell as the female pirate's water whip collapsed around her, the woman fell onto one knee as she grasped at her other leg's thigh. She was wincing and swearing as she eyed the knife protruding out of her higher calf. Zuko, a few feet from her, actually blushed as she continued to curse in a way that would make even Jee blush. He had never heard a woman speak like that.
… Unless they were Azula. Zuko was sure Azula could curse like that. He sometimes wondered if she was really a girl and not something akin to half saber-toothed-shark, half platypus-bear or something.
"La and Tui! Cooky! Watch where you are aiming! How am I supposed to fight with a bloody knife in me!" barked the woman, only to suddenly realize her error as she turned her gaze to a slightly battered looking fire-bender. A blush of embarrassment crossed her face. She had basically just told him that she couldn't defend herself, hadn't she?
Zuko knew that even if they defeated these two, they had an entire crew of pirates that could still overwhelm them. He couldn't wait for the water-bender to recover. So he ran forward, barely dodging under a loose water whip the woman threw at him at the last second. Yet, just as he got near her for a quick close range attack, the woman ripped the knife out of her leg and slashed it at him.
Ignoring the attack by his barely existing facial hair, Zuko fell to the ground, rolling at the last moment to ignore another downward stab.
Quickly falling into a crouch, Zuko glared at the bullheaded female. She didn't fight with honor, trying to stab him like that. She was a pirate, he supposed, but either way, he didn't have time for this. They needed to get off this island.
Deciding a little brute force was in order, Zuko suddenly found himself on his feet and throwing flames repeatedly at his crippled opponent. They both knew she wasn't going to last much longer under the barrage, but she was of a stubborn sort. Or perhaps smart … just because Zuko was planning on sparing her, didn't mean any other fire-bender would.
He swallowed the bitter pill for what it was, his throat clenching. He really didn't have time to deal with this, especially with Aang screaming over there like a little girl. He didn't care if Aang was apparently a Master air-bender, he was also a pacifist. And honestly, he didn't like the looks of that Cooky fellow. Mind you, he was a pirate, but there was this item know as a brush at the very least. At least the water-bender seemed to brush her hair.
Plus ... Aang was still this sheltered, awkward kid and Zuko kind of felt responsible for him.
Dragging in a breath of air, feeling the heat of fire mix with the freedom of the wind in his gut, Zuko struck out. He kicked a fireball so large and hot that for a moment it almost looked blue. Peri barely had time to pull ice around her form when suddenly she knocked back into the forest in an explosion of fire and ice. A dry scream echoed over the expanse.
Coming out of his kick, watching the ground smoke only for a moment as he waited to see if she was getting up from the underbrush, Zuko turned his attention to Aang.
The young monk, surprisingly, was doing really well. He was air-bending in a battle though it seemed more a defensive art.
Aang, dodging another knife being thrown at him, barely brought his staff up in time to have two metal ladles slam against the hand crafted tool. Aang, much smaller than his opponent, nearly collapsed under the sudden strength of the pirate. He could even hear his staff cracking. The air-bender cringed at the thought. Was this pirate intentionally trying to break his staff? He kept getting in close and smacking it with his metal ladles. It was just then that a terrible thought occurred to the young bender: Yes, he was purposely trying to break his staff. After all, it was a tool used to enhance his bending skills, and it could also help him easily escape. He would be easier to capture without it.
Eyes going wide at the realization, now knowing he couldn't have his staff damaged, the young air-bender dragged in a breath and exhaled like a hurricane. The wind smacked his opponent away, sending the man tumbling like a heavy tumbleweed. The pirate was quick to recover, though, only rolling two or three times before he was suddenly to his feet and running back to his opponent. This time he actually looked angry.
Aang, unable to float away in time, readied his staff for another impacted. Yet, this time, when the spoons hit wood, they were accompanied by fire.
The cook was a fire-bender.
"Ghhha!" cried Aang as the flames licked the flesh on his hands. Needing to get away, he quickly used the tail of his staff to blow his opponent away again. Hopping away a second later, Aang took a quick moment to look at his hands and staff.
The staff had taken most of the attack and was now smoking, but he still got burned. The palms of his hands had been open in order to brace his staff and to protect his fingers during the attack. Small red welts were already starting to form. Aang cringed and grasped his staff awkwardly, wincing at the action. He then sprung into the air, ready to bat the cook away with hurricane force … only to meet a fireball midair. Eyes going wide, instincts battling his in-progress kata, Aang decided to swing with the fireball. The tail of his staff opened and seemingly scooped up the midair fire attack. Then with a spin a disk thrower would be proud of, he came back around and batted the fireball back at its owner.
Cooky didn't even have time to dodge, the fireball slamming into him … and pushing him right off a nearby cliff face.
Immediately landing, the air-bender stood there a moment, going ashen. He immediately looked over to Zuko for answers as the older boy jogged over to him. He then glanced at his slightly charred staff, then at his red hands again, and finally back at the cliff. He repeated this action twice before he gulped and asked the banished prince, "Y-you don't think I killed him, do you?"
Zuko, frowning, found he couldn't lie to the younger boy, "… Probably."
"Probably?!" squawked Aang, his voice breaking. "B-but I'm a monk. I'm not supposed to kill anyone. Could he … not be dead?"
Staring at the cliff's edge, Zuko tried to find the best way to tell the young boy that it was okay. The cook had probably been a nameless half-breed or a traitor anyway, but at least he now fully understood the pirate captain's words from the other night: I'm always looking for a good bender to add to my ranks. They already had a fire-bender on board from the look of it. Whoever Cooky had been, Zuko didn't really care, because there was only one thing they both needed to know right now. "Aang … He was a pirate."
Going even paler, Aang rushed to the edge of the cliff, his mind overcome with guilt. He quickly poked his head over the edge of the cliff, the boy calling down, "Hey … are you dead? Sorry about knocking you off a cliff! … Um, hello?"
Zuko, now next to the panicking air-bender, peered over the edge. Pebbles were falling over the cliff face from his movement alone. It wasn't safe over here, especially with that far fall right into the ocean's spray, pointy rocks included. There was no body … at least not yet. Things like that had a habit of washing up on shore.
"What do you mean? Are you dead? If he's dead, he won't be able to answer Aang. We should grab the egg and go," grumbled Zuko, his pity limited for a blood-thirsty pirate.
"Besides," Zuko added, remembering the scar on the man's neck. "I'm pretty sure he was mute."
Aang, looking even more ashen, poked his head further over the cliff, calling out, "Sorry … again! I forgot you couldn't talk! Just wave your arms or something instead."
Zuko covered his eyes, unable to witness the absurdity. Sighing, feeling ten years older than he was, Zuko was about to sternly tell Aang that no one could survive a fall like that and that they should just leave, but then Aang perked up.
"Oh, hey. He's alive!" The boy then cupped his mouth and called down again as the half-drowned pirate pulled himself up onto a large rock. "Hey, Mr. Pirate! You don't have to say anything, just wave your hands!"
The pirate did something else entirely.
Aang sat back on his knees and immediately frowned, "Well, that wasn't a very nice hand gesture."
Zuko, peeking down, immediately went red in the face, his princely arrogance simmering to the surface. The cook sure knew his rude hand gestures. And how dare he insult a Fire Nation prince!
Leaning over the edge, smoke flowing from his spare fist, Zuko yelled, "Did you just insult my bloodline and my bending?! How dare you! I am a prin- I mean, a better fire-bender than you! You should show some respect! We might have even thrown a rope down or something, but now you can crawl up on your own!"
The next thing Aang knew, Zuko was pulling the air-bender away from the edge just as a fireball was thrown up at them, the heat ruffling their clothes as it went by.
Standing there a moment, rage now bubbling in his stomach, Zuko tried to control his temper as he murmured, "Come on, let's go get the egg and then look at your hands. We also really need to get back to the beach and away from … whatever this is." Stupidity was probably the right word for it.
Nodding, Aang cradled his hands as he walked to the egg. Zuko, hanging back, took a moment to look down the cliff again. He took a second to glare at the other fire-bender before he promptly threw a fireball of his own down. He tried not to smirk too much as he walked away. He hoped the jerk fell back into the ocean.
...
Zuko knelt next to Aang by the fresh water a few minutes later. He knew that they should be rushing to the beach and waking Appa, but they needed fresh water … and to treat Aang's burns.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch," whined Aang as they ran water over the forming welt. "We're going to have to pop those, aren't we?"
Nodding, Zuko ran cool water over the red skin again. Looking at it, he decided they could be worse, much worse. He knew personally.
"It could be worse," the elder boy voiced aloud, his next words a whisper, "I wish … I had paid attention to the water-bender healers, though. Maybe I could do more, but at least I can do something. My uncle, after I got this burn wound, would change the bandages for me ... especially in the beginning."
Zuko swallowed at the thought and tried to ignore the obvious staring on Aang's part. "The pain was … terrible, but he would pull the heat out of the wound. It made it bearable."
Frowning, Aang nodded, stating, "Do you know how?"
Shrugging, the older boy murmured softly, "I had it done so many times … I could never forget. Now, hold your hands out. It might even reduce swelling."
Cringing slightly, Aang put his hands out as he tried to speak in a chipper tone, "Well, at least one good thing came out of this. You can now learn how to fly Appa."
Almost dropping the monk's hand, halfway done with the first palm, Zuko almost whined, "W-what?! B-but I can't fly."
Laughing, loving the look of dread on the Avatar's face, the air-bender smiled broadly, "Well, it's not going to be me now, is it?"
Sighing, nodding and hating himself for it, Zuko growled, "Well, don't blame me if we both die."
Aang could only laugh, smiling softly. For a moment, they both just sat in silence, the small brook babbling at them. Then, staring at the older boy in a curious manner, Aang asked a question that had been on his mind from time to time, "Lee … who is Zuko?"
Almost dropping the young bender's hands, Zuko's eyes went wide. He hadn't said too much earlier, had he? Had Aang caught on, knowing he wanted to say: prince? Was that enough of a clue for him to figure out he was that Prince Zuko?
Swallowing, his words strained, Zuko slowly asked, "Where did you hear that name?"
Shrugging, Aang admitted, "When we were in the between realm, you said your name was Zuko. It was like you were reminding yourself. I was meaning to ask earlier, but things haven't exactly been lax. I kept forgetting."
Looking away, resisting the urge to bite his lower lip like he used to as a child, Zuko took a deep breath. Aang was his friend, right? He probably wouldn't even care if he was a prince. A banished prince.
Zuko closed his eyes at the thought. No, he didn't want to admit that. He didn't want to admit he was a banished prince and that he was a disgrace. Well, the least he could do for the boy that was starting to grow on him like a little brother was to tell him a partial truth. At least a small part of it. Right?
Looking at the small hand now cupped in his as he pulled the heat from the red wound, Zuko dwelt on his next words carefully. Should he say something? Everything? Nothing at all?
Finally deciding, he admitted, "My name … is Zuko. I lied to the water-benders. I was afraid of what would happen if I told the truth."
Aang, sitting there, didn't even twitch. Not even when Momo went screeching past their heads, trying to catch a bug. Zuko almost sighed in relief. Aang must not know of Prince Zuko. Then again, the name Zuko did become slightly popular after his birth. Many families probably borrowed the name hoping it would bring their son's honor. He doubted anyone would ever want to use his name again though once they found out he was the Avatar. He even defiled the name of his grandfather. Part of him didn't even want his own name anymore. It seemed so heavy with too many burdens. Being a banished and disgraced prince was bad enough, but to be the Avatar as well?
Glancing at the streaming water before them, Zuko couldn't help but admit, "But I wish my name was Lee. It would be nice to be someone else. I could escape the burdens of that name and the dishonor it carries on my soul like far too many heavy stones. I could be no one. In fact, with a name like Lee, I could be anyone. I could be someone new."
Perhaps then he could be free like so many birds.
The next words choked him, but he said it aloud nonetheless, "Perhaps as Lee, I wouldn't mind being the Avatar as much."
Zuko, now done with his confession, dropped his hands into his lap, staring at the callouses that had formed from his practice with the dao swords. He knew it was cowardly to want to run away, but he felt that was all he could do nowadays. All he could do was run from his fate, his name, the memories of his mother and his lack of skills. He knew he could never escape any of them, not really, but at least he could get away from his name. It wasn't like he would ever be able to rule anyway. Honestly, he wasn't sure when it had happened, but he had started to hate his name.
Aang, looking at his own hands, nodded and rolled his digits towards himself. He accepted this. "Well, I like Zuko, but Lee's fine with me as well. If that's who you want to be, I am happy to meet him. He seems like a great guy so far, but I hope one day I get to meet Zuko as well."
Zuko was actually stunned into silence at Aang's words. He didn't know why, but those words felt like one of the kindest things anyone had ever said to him. Perhaps that was something a real friend would say. A friend would forgive his lies and accept him for whatever he wanted to be. And, as sad as it was to admit, Aang was one of the first real friends he had had in a long time. His fate was a heavy one, but at least he now felt someone would help him carry the weight of the title Avatar and never judge him for any of his mistakes along the way.
...
The rest of the trip through the woods was uneventful, yet Zuko's mind was clouded with so many thoughts. What would Uncle think of him for wanting to be Lee? Would he be angry? Would he be sad? Would he accept it with just a nod and give himself some kind of ludicrous name like Mushi?
He didn't know why, but those thoughts really didn't bother him too much. For, like Aang, he was sure Iroh would accept it with nothing but a sad smile. That was how Iroh was. He wanted Zuko to grow, to be something more.
Unlike his father, Iroh wanted him to be kind.
Zuko swallowed the thought of his father and shrugged it aside. They were almost there. He didn't have time for such recollections. He had to be prepared to fight if someone had gotten to their camp before them. Luckily, it seemed that no one was there.
Signaling for Aang and the egg to come out, the air-bender floated out of the trees and down to the camp, the egg on his back like a backpack. Zuko had tied his blue parka into knots and it had turned out quite successful. It really was a great idea … even if Aang did look a bit ridiculous. Either way, Zuko was free of the weight if a fight occurred.
Standing on the beach, listening to the wave's crash against the sand, Zuko almost couldn't believe there were pirates here. It was quiet and as peaceful as when they first came to the island. Usually, his luck was so rotten his ride would have been on fire by now and there would have been a small army to greet him. It seemed that luck was on his side or, more likely, it was probably Aang's luck.
Pointing to Appa, glad the great beast had fallen asleep with his saddle on, Zuko barked, "Hurry up and wake up Appa. I'll hurry and get us packed. I don't want to tempt fate."
Aang merely nodded and hopped over to the bison, the air-bender snuggling under a large furry chin as he laughed, "Up and at 'em big buddy! Lee says we are tempting fate!"
Appa answered with a great yawn, drool dribbling all the way down onto Aang's head as he lazily stood. Zuko's eye twitched at the sight alone as he nearly dropped the bag of fruit he was tying shut. He hadn't found a whole bunch of food the other day, but he was sure it was enough to get to the mainland now that he had an idea of where they were.
Securing the bag of food and water skins in the saddle bag, the small group was quickly on their way … except Aang stalled him before he could sit in the saddle. The young air-bender kindly reminded him, "Come, get on Appa's head. I'll tell you how to fly."
Oh yeah. He had forgotten.
Ugh.
He should have thrown another fireball down at that sleazy pirate. Just in spite. Being in the saddle was concerning enough for the fire-bender, but now he had to steer to his own death? Wonderful.
Yet, despite his reservations, Zuko stiffly crept up from the saddle and to a spot on Appa's head. Appa merely yawned at his new driver's weight, Zuko freezing like a stone because he thought the great beast was going to shake him off. Only after a minute of complete stillness and Aang looking at him funny did the Avatar pick up the reins.
"Okay, Appa's super easy to deal with. He goes with the flow. Don't you boy?" said Aang as he patted the fluffy white fur.
Appa merely yawned again.
"Alright," continued Aang as he tried not to wince because of his hands. He seemed to keep forgetting they were injured even with them wrapped. "It's pretty simple. He reacts to the movement of the reins. If you pull back, it means up and to let the reins go slack, means to go down. That way of you drop the reins, he'll automatically land. As for directions, pull on the rein you want him to turn his head in and he will fly in that direction."
Zuko nodded, finding the instructions to be oddly reminiscent to a rhino's training or an ostrich-horse. Nodding, he admitted, "Seems easy enough."
"Great! Now let me tell you how to do a loopy-loop!" Aang then went into a quick rant of pulling the two reins simultaneously and tugging and pulling in opposite directions. In the end, Zuko just had to sigh and grumble they didn't have time for this nonsense and to just get on with it.
Aang wasn't put out. Instead, he smiled and gave a thumbs-up as he sat back down in the saddle, leaving Zuko feeling exposed. His next words meant there was no going back, "Alright, time to go up. All you need to say is … yip, yip."
Appa immediately answered with a bellow, the large beast surging forward on his many legs. Zuko, in reaction, pulled the reins back causing Appa to roar again and run even faster in order to get into the air as quickly as possible. Zuko, a half scream on his lips, almost closed his eyes … until he saw something with sails come into the beach, floating from its cover behind the cliffs that surround their small bay.
It was the pirate ship and even he could see the net-catapults from here. They had been waiting for them, all this time. There wasn't even enough distance now to turn around, and he didn't understand the commands well enough to tell Appa to dodge. He could practically see the smirk on the captain's face, especially when the captain yelled, "Fire!"
Zuko could hear the swishing of knives all the way across the small bay as ropes were cut, a huge net being released like a swinging vortex. Everything seemed to move in slow motion after that, Zuko's mind slamming into tactics and maneuvers worthy of his education as a prince. Too bad he didn't know if he would be able to pull them off. Appa was a new breed of steed. If he messed this up at minimal Appa might slam into the neighboring rock face and they would escape the net. He didn't know what kind of impacts the large beast could take, though. Could Appa take a beating like a rhino could? He would presume so, but sky-bison were also a creature of the sky. Where their bones delicate? It was better than not dodging, right? Or should he stay the course and take the nets full force. Would he be quick enough to cut the ropes off before Appa was pulled down by the attached anchors? Then again, if he cut them, what if the net kept dragging Appa down? Would they fall into the ocean? What if Appa were to drown? They would be trapped on the island with the pirates if they didn't drown as well.
Yet, just when Zuko made up his mind to take on the cliff side, something exploded from the water below. It was like a geyser, water splashing all over the surprised teenager causing him to jerk on the reins again. Appa suddenly steered right instead of left and into the direction of the net.
There was no impact, though, no reminder of gravity and its weight.
Instead, there was a jarring noise, like rope hitting bamboo.
Quickly wiping the water out of his eyes, Zuko didn't know if he should be thankful or horrified … for the bone-dragon had returned. Little ice crystals were falling off its body and into the warm ocean water as it took over the scene. Somehow, in the light, it seemed even more horrifying as it loomed over the small bay. Yet, it wasn't looking at Zuko with its dead glare. Its sights were on the pirate ship that had just hit it with a net.
There was a moment of silence, water dripping off the creature of bone like a waterfall. For a moment, it seemed a sentry awoken, trying to decide its next course of action. Then, his bottom jaw now reattached, the bone dragon snapped open its maw and released a roar. It was an airy noise, like a broken flute, but still terrifying as it seemed to vibrate Zuko's very bones with its pitch. It then struck out at the pirate's ship in a collection of splintered wood and great teeth, cries and screams coming from the crew on deck.
Zuko, unknowingly, was still flying upward, watching in horrified fascination. He only snapped out of it when Aang yelled down a thank you to the bone dragon. It seemed the spirit was making sure they weren't going to be followed and that Zuko could uphold his promise to hatch the egg. And he would … if he had any idea how to hatch a dragon egg.
"Hey, Lee," said Aang, voicing Zuko's own thoughts. "Just how are we supposed to hatch this thing anyway?"
Sighing, trying to not look down and imagine plummeting to his death, Zuko admitted, "I have no idea. None, whatsoever."
XXX
Paw07: Hey loves. The pirate arc is over … well mostly. We may see them again, but for the most part, it's over. There should be a doodle up of Cooky and Peri later. As for the battle-themed chapter, I blame DBZ for that. Got caught up in a few fanfics from over there and it's still latched onto my brain slightly. Next chapter will probably be Katara and Sokka. I kind of stalled mid arc for that one. Also, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone in case I don't get another chapter out before then.
(Revisions December 2016): Grammarly really wanted me to change all benders to blenders. I laughed so hard.