Hi everyone! Oh my god, I have been waiting for forever to finally write and publish this chapter! It's part of the reason why I rushed things in the last chapter... This was definitely one of my favourite chapters to write, and I hope you will like it just as much as I do!
We're going to find out what happened to Kilara, and how Zuko interacts with the gaang after having joined them. :D
It's been a long journey to finally come to this point! I think it's been over a year now since I've published the first chapter, and I know I have written awfully detailed chapters with a slow pace, so thanks to all of you who are sticking with me and are still reading this!
I do not own Avatar The Last Airbender, nor its characters. The only characters I own are my OCs.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Changes and Memories
Kilara
It had been mere minutes that I was sitting in here, but it already felt like too long.
My head rested against a grey stone wall, and the only light I had came from outside the door. There was a little window with bars in the door, probably for air, as there didn't seem to be any other way to air this prison. Or dungeon, if I was being honest.
My head was hurting from the fall, as well as my shoulder. I had tried to roll, so that I wouldn't fall in an uncomfortable angle, but through not being able to stand on my right leg and since my arms were bound around my torso, I had simply fallen painfully to the ground. The two guards who had shoved me to the ground had snorted, one of them saying "Can't believe this hideous cripple can do much." The other one had hummed affirmatively.
The stench in here was horrible. I immediately deducted the smell of urine, stool, sweat, and vomit. There was a fouler stench in here, too, as if something was rotting away, or a huge pile of gone food was lying somewhere, and my hope to somehow make it out of here unscathed vanished quickly. However, I already knew I was to be brought before the Fire Lord. Maybe I could escape during the transport. I didn't think they would send many guards for the transport, and I could easily use bloodbending to overwhelm them. On the other hand, I didn't know if I could really escape. I couldn't walk for spirit's sake!
How could I flee, if I couldn't run?
The rope around me didn't make me worry much. I didn't need my arms for bloodbending, and I could simply make one of the guards free me, if the need arose. That plan had worked. The Fire Nation didn't know that I could defeat the guards without my arms. I was already thinking about the ocean, since we were clearly going to cross the sea, but I also didn't know if I could even bend myself over water. Since there was just no muscle anymore in my right calf, I couldn't balance, I couldn't stand.
My last hope would be Zuko. If I didn't manage to escape and was brought before the Fire Lord, I could only hope that Zuko would be there, too, and that he would miraculously want to save my life. But after the way I had had to treat him, I didn't think he would be very happy to see me.
Closing my eyes, I tried to listen for any noises from the outside, and not to think about how greatly I had fucked everything up.
Zuko
I was nervous. Shit, I was nervous like magma!
Chewing on my lower lip, I kept rubbing my hands on my pants, trying to keep them from sweating. What if my hands would be so sweaty that I won't be able to hold one of the bowls the waterbender girl was giving out, and then the hot stew would land on the Avatar, and I would have accidentally burnt him, and then everyone would think I wasn't sincere, and that I had betrayed them?! And what if they had special rules or rituals for dinner?
Pressing my eyes shortly together, I let out a quick breath, and before I could chicken out, left the safety of the corridor and made my way towards the open area, where the fire was burning.
I could count seven children and almost stopped dead in my tracks. Seven? They had never been seven before. Always three. Well, at first. The tiny earthbender with the huge hair had only appeared after the North Pole, when I hadn't been able to chase them anymore. And earlier today, they had also only been four!
The Avatar's head snapped back and he smiled tentatively. "Zuko! Come sit down!" He skidded to the side, his legs crossed.
I would sit between him and the Water Tribe boy. They probably thought this was the safest place for me, and I wondered if either they were complete idiots, or if the Water Tribe boy had become better at fighting since I first saw him.
I nodded at the Avatar, remembering to smile, and the corners of my mouth tugged up.
His smiled seemed to grow wider, before he turned towards the Water Tribe girl in front of him, who handed him a bowl full of stew. In that moment I remembered something I had read about the airbenders, while I had been preparing to set out to search for him.
"Aren't…" I swallowed, as suddenly all of their eyes were trained on me. "Aren't you vegetarian?"
The kid's eyes widened. "Yeah! I am. How do you know?"
I frowned. But there was meat in the stew. "I've read that airbenders were vegetarians, because they deemed all life to be sacred," I quickly explained, as I could feel the glare of the waterbender, as she bent some stew into another bowl.
I would have been the next in the circle, but she swiftly began at the other end with the… er, boy with the moustache? He didn't look older than me, but he already had a moustache?
There had been no hair whatsoever growing on my chin yet…
"That is correct, Zuko," the airbender said, nodding, as if I had answered the question of a teacher.
"Really? You never told us!" the annoying voice of the water guy on my other side sounded behind me.
The Avatar leaned forward to look at him. "No, it's true."
"Ah! That explains why you didn't want to leave Zuko out in the ice with the blizzard, right?" water guy probed, and my head snapped back to him at hearing my name.
My eyes widened as the realisation dawned on me. Oh, shit. He had saved my life. Fucking saved my life!
The Avatar seemed to think hard on that, before he half nodded, half shrugged. "Probably. But I also thought it was the right thing to do, you know."
I didn't know what to say. Honestly, I was completely thunderstruck for a moment. This was hellishly awkward! I wanted to say "Thank you." I wanted to say "I'm sorry I didn't do anything when my sister tried to kill you, you're not so bad", but I could never say that, right?
Before I could open my mouth to say anything, the waterbender beat me to it.
"What?" she spat. "You're not going to thank him?" He icy blue eyes glared at me with a lot of contempt.
I cringed uncomfortably. "I intended to do so," I replied calmly. "I was just first in a bit of a shock. I mean, who in their right mind saves the guy who kidnapped you?"
Her glare became more prominent, as the Avatar looked at me with an almost offended look. I didn't get why, until I realised I had practically called him insane.
Water guy and earth girl, however, totally cracked up. They had both very cackling, very dirty laughs. While the girl had a laugh coming from deep in her stomach, his laughter was more of a throaty laugh.
"Oh man, you are so right!" Water boy laughed, and a hand suddenly landed on my shoulder, heavily, as if he had meant to hit me, but it didn't hurt.
I frowned at him.
"Well, maybe my Avatar powers knew Zuko had to stay alive, or I wouldn't have a firebender teacher now!" The Avatar said pointedly, almost pouting, as he crossed his arms, glaring slightly at me, water boy, and earth girl.
Earth girl only laughed harder at this, and the other three boys all looked a bit uncomfortable. I felt so, too.
"Um, well…" I rubbed the back of my neck, shortly glancing at the waterbender giving a bowl to water guy, knowing she would have to give me mine next. Maybe I should watch her closely, so as to make sure she wouldn't poison it. "I was meaning to ask why you eat this if you're vegetarian."
The Avatar shortly glanced down at his bowl. "Oh, er…"
"I separate Aang's portion every time, before I add the meat!" the waterbender suddenly growled, all but handing me another bowl, as I had trouble reaching for it, so forcefully did she shove it into my lap.
She spilled some of the content, but I took deep, calming breaths. She was right. She had a right to be mad at me. Honestly, the others were a bit mad for even accepting me here, as I could easily try to murder them in their sleep, but I was happy to show them I wouldn't do that. I was happy and grateful for the chance I had been given, and I would not halt for anything on my way to prove them I had deserved this chance. To prove it to myself.
"I know Aang well enough to know he doesn't eat any meat, or who do you think has been cooking here all this time?" she hissed further, now bending some stew in a bowl for herself.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to presume…" I started, but didn't know if I wanted to finish that sentence. "I was simply confused, as it looked to me like he was eating meat." I lifted my shoulders slightly.
"Don't worry, Zuko. I have never eaten any meat," the Avatar said, as he slurped the stew from his spoon.
"I didn't worry," I said a bit too forcefully. "Like I said, I was just confused!"
"Alright, alright, we got it!" water boy said in his annoyingly high pitched voice and padded my shoulder!
He freaking padded my shoulder!
I tensed, my eyes widening, as I stared at the stew in my lap.
One could get comfortable through being padded on the shoulder, not noticing that the next pad would be with a knife. I had learned that, when I had been seven years old. A teacher had amicably praised me, and then suddenly one of the training daggers had been bored into my skin at the shoulder blade. He had told me never to let my guard down.
I tried to breathe calmly, to prepare myself for defence, without letting them know that I knew what was happening. Oh dragons, what had I even been thinking they would just accept me like this? Of course, they would be the ones going to murder me in my sleep!
"So, Zuko," water boy said, his hand leaving my shoulder completely, before I heard a slurping sound from him.
Slowly, I looked back at him, seeing him indulging in the stew. Maybe the padding had just been a threat, and not the beginning of my slow death.
Cautiously, I skidded a bit backwards, so that I would be able to have a good look at all of them. The little boy with the helmet and the boy in the wheelchair seemed terribly nervous. They probably didn't like dining in my presence. Not that I could blame them. The boy with the moustache was glaring at me, just like the waterbender. She sat next to him, leaned on one arm in his direction. The earthbending girl had a smirk plastered on her face, as she only seemed to enjoy her stew.
The Avatar had a curious, but friendly look on his face, and the water boy looked calculating.
In this moment, the Avatar reminded me a little of Ty Lee with the big, grey eyes and friendly expression. A corner of my mouth tugged.
"Tell us about yourself," the water boy drawled on.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "What do you mean?"
"Well, we've accepted you into the group, but we hardly know anything about you…" He trailed off, as if it were obvious where this was going, his eyebrows raised at me in an asking way, as he leaned further towards me.
I tried to lean back as inconspicuously as possible. "We met almost a year ago," I held against him.
"So you mean to say we only have to know about you that you were evilly chasing us, then stopped, then kind of did it again, and now completely turned on your people and country to help us? Oh, and that you always shout like a madman when you're bending!" he counted off his fingers, looking highly pleased with himself. The calculating glint in his eyes was still there, but he also seemed to enjoy riling me up.
My whole body had tensed, and my hands were already cramping, as I held on to the stew bowl. "Okay, fine," I snarled. "What do you want to know?"
"What's your favourite animal?" the Avatar almost jumped at the prospect of asking something.
I felt myself pale a little, as I was reminded of a similar conversation I once had had. It was a nice memory, and although the memory of Kilara wasn't an altogether happy one, thinking about our first evening in Ba Sing Se very much was. It almost made me smile.
"I, uh…" When I was a kid, I had always said 'Dragon!', but Azula had always just laughed at me, called me a dumdum, because dragons were extinct. Your favourite animal couldn't be an extinct animal, she had said. So I had then said 'Dragon moose!'. "Well, I suppose… dragons?" My voice sounded very hesitant, and it sounded like a question.
The waterbender and the boy with the moustache snorted at my answer, while earth girl grinned wildly at me. "It's always good to hold a deep respect for the animal that taught the humans how to bend an element." She smirked, almost to herself, and one corner of my mouth lifted, as I nodded at her.
"Dragons are cool!" the Avatar said.
"Aang, we don't want to know what his favourite animals are, but if we can trust him!" water boy scolded, and the Avatar, whose name was probably Aan, or Ehng (I had never before heard that name, so I wasn't sure if I was hearing it correctly), turned his nose up.
"Well, I think liking dragons makes him very trustworthy!"
"Thanks?"
"Why on earth would that make him trustworthy? They are giant, firebreathing reptiles! With fangs!" Water boy began gesticulating with his hands.
"Well, Roku had a dragon!" the airbender huffed.
"But you told us, so had Sozin!" water boy objected, and I flinched at hearing the names of my two great-grandparents.
"Well, Zuko, do you prefer blue or red dragons?" the Avatar asked with a pointed, but hopeful look.
I became more and more confused with this conversation. Where did all their thoughts come from?
I felt sweat breaking out on my forehead. I didn't know what to do! Oh, this was even harder than I had thought! These people were completely different than me. How would I ever understand them! It seemed like their brains in themselves seemed to be made of a different matter.
My gaze darted around them, looking at the green and blue clad people, apart from the Avatar who wore orange and yellow with… grey pants and black boots? This looked an awful lot like Fire Nation fashion…
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "Er, I think the safer answer would be blue, but the honest answer is red," I murmured.
"Ha!" the Avatar called out in triumph, throwing one fist into the air. "You see, Roku's dragon was red, Sozin's was blue. Well, teal, I suppose," he added like an afterthought.
I narrowed my eyes at him. How did he know that? Was this some Avatar knowledge he had just been born with? Or had he broken into the dragon catacombs or some other Fire Sages' Temple, too?
Water boy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that makes him trustworthy," he drawled sarcastically, and although they were talking about me, and water boy obviously didn't trust me, it was easier to work with that than the… whatever the Avatar was doing.
I snorted in amusement.
Water boy sighed deeply, before touching his head, as if he would get a headache. I began to think he was probably the leader of the group. He seemed to be the smartest and most level headed person here. I had always thought it was up to the Avatar to make all the decisions, but he acted a bit odd right now.
"Well, Zuko, you grew up with the Fire Lord as your dad," earth girl suddenly chimed in. "The most evil man alive. How was that like?"
I tried to make out why she wanted to know, and if she even did want to know. The hostile and frightened party of the evening probably didn't even want to know, or wouldn't believe me anyways, but as I turned around to look at the Avatar and water boy, I understood that it would maybe help them to come to trust me.
"He wasn't always the most evil man alive," I started, but was interrupted by an unbelievable, humourless laughter from the waterbender. I glared shortly at her, but chose to mostly ignore her. "My grandfather was worse, when he was still alive." I scratched at the side of my head. "But my father got worse, too, with age. He's pretty evil right now. And… now I know that growing up like this was awful. As a kid, you just wanna play, but you can't. There are so many rules, and when you're not good enough,…" My eyes drifted to the tiny boy with the helmet, and I snapped my mouth shut, before I said too much. I swallowed, before clearing my throat. "Well, it was strict and cold. Punishments were severe, and family didn't always mean what it's supposed to mean. We were taught the Fire Nation was the greatest nation on Earth, and that the war simply helped to share our greatness with the rest of the world. So I grew up thinking I was superior to almost everyone around me," I explained further. "Whilst at the same time, everyone above me looked down on me." Except for Uncle and Lu Ten, though.
Water boy frowned. "But wouldn't the people above you be your own family?"
I raised an eyebrow. "You remember the fight against my sister at this abandoned village?"
He nodded solemnly.
"Yeah, well, the way she treated Uncle is considered normal in my family," I said bitterly.
I would have never said that before, but now I knew my grandfather had wanted me killed. My father would have killed me, and instead killed my grandfather, his own father, because Mother somehow managed to change his mind. Azula had tried to kill me in early spring on her ship. The only family members who hadn't tried to kill me were Mother, Uncle, and Lu Ten.
After what I said, there was a huge silence.
"Well, that was a mood killer," earth girl said, eyebrows disappearing behind her fringe.
I shrugged. "You asked."
"I didn't think you would retell it so… depressively," she defended herself lightly, almost sounding nonchalantly.
As no one said something, I took the time to finally eat something of my stew. It was already cold, and I quickly warmed the bowl a bit with firebending, before digging in. My stomach was a nervous knot, but the warm broth felt good and soothing.
Swallowing, I slowly looked up to the waterbender girl. She was still glaring at me. I tried to smile. "Thanks for the stew. It's delicious."
Instead of saying 'You're welcome', she snorted, looked at the ground and grumbled something unintelligibly. I understood "palace" and "spoiled".
It was pretty difficult for me to remain calm now. Okay, well, I've eaten better at the palace, but only at gatherings or some events. Otherwise, there had only been chi-enhancing food, fire-growing food, protein-building food, all the shit to make me a strong, powerful firebender, since it was clear that I could never become that on my own accord.
And yes, I had been surrounded by luxury, but I very well could appreciate a simple stew! I knew how to appreciate the small and simple things in life, and she had no right to imply I couldn't! She didn't even know me!
"Yeah, Katara. Thanks," the Avatar added, and she smiled shortly at him, although it didn't seem real.
All of the others began murmuring thanks, too.
"So, er…" I began. "You're name is Kata… ra?"
She looked up at me, her eyes not narrow anymore, but instead she looked disgusted now. But she nodded. "Yes. Ka-ta-ra."
I tried not to feel insulted at the way she pronounced it, as if I were some seven-year-old kid not able to understand her, so I simply nodded, pulling my lips into a smile.
"And yours?" I turned towards the Avatar. "Is it Aan?"
"Aang, actually," he laughed.
"Okay. Aang."
Before I could ask anyone else, they all just threw their names into the round, and I couldn't understand one thing.
"Urgh! Make it one by one!" the water… Katara scolded.
"The name's Sokka."
That seemed easily enough to pronounce.
"Toph." That was hardly difficult.
"I'm Teo," the boy in the wheelchair said, almost shyly, and he didn't even look at me.
The tiny boy with the helmet simply stared at me, not saying anything at all.
"This is Duke," the boy with the moustache said, gesturing at the younger one, who suddenly bristled, turned around and threw his arms up.
"How often do I have to say it? It's THE Duke!" he shouted.
I raised an eyebrow. Yeah, just like Smellerbee and Longshot had been real names. Or Kilara's La. Why did normal Earth Kingdom people like to give themselves new names all the time?
"And I'm Haru," the moustache boy said, his look levelled.
I nodded, trying to look thankful and not overly annoyed. I just hoped I would be able to remember all their names.
"So, Zuko, do you have a favourite colour?" Aang asked with large eyes and raised eyebrows.
"Why are you asking him that?" Katara asked with small eyes.
I bit my teeth together. She really started annoying me.
"It's red, obviously," she went on, gesturing at me.
I looked down on myself, seeing my red and gold clothes. Did that mean her favourite colour was blue? I was just wearing this, because there simply weren't any other clothes one could get in the Fire Nation.
"It's green, actually," I said. "Or turquoise."
"Really?" Aang asked, looking interested.
I shrugged.
"Why green?" Sokka asked, his voice sounding suspicious.
I took an annoyed breath and looked at him. "Why not?"
"Well, it's an Earth Kingdom colour," Sokka went on, his hand gesticulating at the three boys I still didn't know about why on Earth they were here.
"It's the colour of grass and leaves, and they grow in the Fire Nation, too. It can be my favourite colour without me wearing it," I snapped at him, turning my upper body in his direction.
"I was just saying." With a nonchalant expression, he raised his hands and leaned a bit back.
"Now, Zuko. Would you please enlighten us as to why you changed from chasing us around the world to suddenly wanting to help us and defeat your own nation?" Katara asked in a clipping way. "Cause I can honestly still not understand how we even agreed on giving you a chance. You were nothing but horrible to us, after all." Her voice seemed just as hostile as earlier.
"Katara!" Aang shouted, seemingly shocked.
I cleared my throat. "No, it's fine. It's just normal you want to know that." Pressing my lips together, I turned to look at all of them one after one.
Aang looked hopeful, his eyes so strangely big. He reminded me a lot of Ty Lee, and all the others looked very sceptical. Except for Toph, who was smirking again.
The nervous knots in my stomach became stronger, as I was taking a deep breath. Telling them about my reasons was a lot. It felt like talking about my feelings, or my thoughts, and I've always received stupid answers from people. Azula had always laughed at me, Mai hadn't seemed interested, Ty Lee had been a bit too optimistic, Kilara had accepted them as a part of me, and therefore hadn't wanted to do anything with me anymore, and Uncle had instead tried to press his ideas on me.
But when I thought about it, Ty Lee had seemed too optimistic to me back then, but still, here I was, having challenged my father, betrayed my nation, and left everything that I knew, because of my morals. Maybe I should have listened to her earlier.
And I also knew Kilara had tried to focus on the good side of my thoughts and feelings, the very ones which had led me to this moment. And now that I was on the good side, my struggles were maybe easier to understand.
Now I regretted betraying Uncle in Ba Sing Se even more. I could have spared him the weeks in prison, and we could have been on this side all this time. If it was destined that I would end up on this side, why couldn't I have chosen it earlier? Kilara probably wouldn't hate me. Sure, I wouldn't have got together with Mai, but Uncle was more important than her.
"Er, well, like I said, I was raised thinking the Fire Nation was the best nation in the world. I looked down on all the other nations, and I wanted to become a war hero like my cousin. But that's easy for a child to think. Well, honestly, there have been many times, many instances, when I noticed how… evil my father is, but he's still my father. I didn't want to think that about him. He more or less ordered me to catch you," I turned my gaze to Aang, who was listening attentively. I had no intention of telling them about the exact circumstances of my banishment. "And as his son, of course I wanted to be the one to present you to him, and not let anyone get in my way. Like Zhao, for example. It would have been incredibly shameful and humiliating. But… after the Siege of the North my father needed someone to blame for our failure, and blamed my uncle and me. We were declared traitors and then lived as refugees in the Earth Kingdom after that. That was… a humble experience."
"Well, when you have to catch your food and dress all alone, that's of course incredibly difficult for a prince," Katara scoffed, rolling her eyes.
I frowned at her, but before I could reply something, Toph opened her mouth.
"He's right. Growing up being all pampered, surrounded by servants all the time… You just don't have to learn these things, Katara. I only learned how to hunt through earthbending, because I always knew I would run away one day."
"You can do that?" the guy with the moustache asked.
Toph nodded absentmindedly, before waving a hand in his direction, her gaze returning to me. "Yeah, hush now. I want to keep listening."
"You were brought up in a place with servants?" I asked incredulously. I didn't want to sound offending, but the girl had dirt in her face, on her hands, and on her feet. Which were bare and still red from me burning them.
"No getting out of the spotlight for you. Please continue," she answered with a grin.
I twisted my mouth in annoyance, but complied. "Alright. Well, I basically learned that everything I've been taught in the palace isn't true. We are not superior, Earth Kingdom people aren't barbaric, and the war is not glorious. It's horrendous, and it's only hurting and killing innocent people. Earth Kingdom, Water Tribe people, and even Fire Nation people. My people die in this war, too, and although they think they died for a noble cause, they only died for lies, and no noble cause could bring their relatives and friends enough solace for their senseless deaths." I took a deep breath, feeling uncomfortable at mentioning this, but I wouldn't feel well at leaving it out. "Not to mention what my great-grandfather did to the Air Nomads." I turned around to look at Aang. "I grew up believing you had an army that posed a threat to the whole world, and that's why we attacked you. But this was a lie, and there couldn't ever be a good reason for genocide. It is unforgiveable, but it was still my family starting all this. After… Ba Sing Se, I went back home, and I realised how wrong everything was." I shook my head. "I don't want to become like them. Like Zhao or my father. And I also feel responsible for my family's wrongdoings to this world. What I said earlier is true. I want to help you to restore balance to the world. I wish that one day the Fire Nation can be the noble nation it once was, and that people stop hating and fearing us," I ended my little speech.
Aang gave me a little smile, which almost seemed sad. "I'm sure this time will come back. Now that we have you on our side."
Kilara
One meal consisting of old rice porridge and dirty water. I had been forced to kneel and slobber at my food like a dog, since I couldn't move my arms.
My stomach was hurting, clenching with hunger. I had no idea how much time had passed, but the guards in front of my cell had changed three times already, so I assumed it was already more than a day.
Metal footsteps sounded outside, as they changed shifts again. A plate of food was shoved into my cell through the hatch in the door, as the new guards positioned themselves in front of my cell.
I slowly and cautiously stood, sliding up the wall, and then limped over to the door, holding myself upright on the wall with my left shoulder.
I kicked at the door with my injured leg, which was strange, since I could only use the muscles in my thigh, and looked through the small window. "Do you know what happened to the rest of the Earth Kingdom rebellion?" I rasped. I had just drank some water and healed a bit of my vocal folds, but I didn't get more out, and it hurt again. But I had been too desperate to know. I had been in here for over a day, and I felt like I couldn't survive any longer without knowing what had happened to my brother!
Normally, I needed my hands to heal, but while drinking the water, I had discovered the chi path between my hands in my throat within me. Leading my chi, while swallowing tiny gulps of water had actually helped. I felt like I had discovered a new bending secret.
"Killed and imprisoned," an arrogant voice sounded, and I knew he was smiling.
Although my body felt rigid with shock, I couldn't help myself. What an asshole, I thought. Really? You imprison killed people? Isn't that a little over the top?, I thought. Oh, what would I give for telepathic skills right now! But I couldn't even force another word out of my throat, since it bobbed with pain.
A deep, raspy voice from the other side hissed at her colleague "Don't tell her anything."
I blinked in surprise, as I noticed the speaker was a woman. Female guards? Although I theoretically knew women in the Fire Nation were treated equally to men, it was still strange to see it with my own eyes.
When I had been in the Fire Nation last winter, I hadn't seen any guards at all, but had simply noticed how much more frank the women were. They had said what they had thought, their laughs hadn't been hidden, and they hadn't given a shit to what others would think of them.
"Shut up," the man growled, and then huffed. "Are you even sure that's a girl in there? Looks like a scarecrow to me."
"I'd like to see you survive those injuries, and then lead a rebellion, and not being able to wash yourself in a prison," the woman scoffed.
The man hummed, almost thoughtfully. "I think I would look pretty cool with her scars. Scary, even."
I rolled my eyes.
There was a flash of movement before the window and a smack, as if skin had met skin.
"Don't say that, stupid," the woman hissed.
Twisting my mouth, I leaned my forehead on the door, trying to sort through my thoughts.
I didn't get any information from these idiots! Well, how could I, if I couldn't speak? I couldn't lure them, I couldn't coax them, and I couldn't even convince them! All of my weapons were gone! I felt completely helpless. Using bloodbending was still my last resort, and I didn't think bloodbending them would make them tell me anything.
The woman sighed deeply. "Listen, girl. We barely know anything about this whole ordeal. We are prison guards and stay in the prison. We didn't even know there was a rebellion, until you were brought here. The others aren't here. Probably in less safe prisons."
Turning around to lean my back against the door, I stared off into the darkness of my new four walls. There was a possibility for Nanuk and Denzai to be alive. As long as it was possible…
"Leaders have a worth. I wouldn't be surprised, if I found out all the others were brought into cells just to be killed. Don't pretend you're concerned about them, crow. It was all their own choice, after all," the man almost spat tauntingly, before snickering to himself.
My lip started to tremble from his harsh words. My hands curled to fists, as I tried not to give myself over to crying. I wouldn't cry in front of them.
But he was right. It had been our choice. We had been so full of ideas, excitement, and hope, we hadn't seen this possibility for our future path.
And if I was honest with myself, I knew it wouldn't have happened like this, if we just hadn't attacked so early. They couldn't let their precious Black Sunday pass, and look what it's done to us! If we had directly done everything according to my plan, then there would be no blood clinging to my hands now. My brother and best friend would still be safe.
But anger wouldn't get me anywhere. As much as I was angry at the former members of the military of the Earth Kingdom, I was just as angry at myself. For not stopping them from their stupid plan, which would have never worked. Plans which aren't planned thoroughly enough, where not every loose end is tied up and everyone's loyalty checked thrice, do not work.
And that's why we had been betrayed. There had been so many of us, and we couldn't supervise all of them. Someone had talked.
Maybe it had been Takiro to help Joo Dee. But he'd said he had met her before she became a Joo Dee. So my guess was actually that he had joined the rebellion to free her. To get back her old self.
Either way, someone had turned traitor, and they were probably being comfortable right now. Not caring about all the suffering they had caused.
I still had a bad conscience about all of it. If I hadn't started anything…
Sliding down the door, I sat and bent my legs, putting my head on my knees. But maybe my sacrifice had done something. Maybe showing them what I could do hadn't made everything become worse. The guard said they didn't know anything. They could very well just hear propaganda, and they probably hadn't been told everything so as not to cause distress at the prison.
oOo
Two Days Ago, Black Sunday
"It was her!" A loud, shrill voice sounded through the room, and I searched for the source.
Behind the Dai Li agents, out of the circle they had drawn around us, stood Meixiang.
She walked up to Joo Dee and then very clearly pointed at me. "The girl with the scars and short hair on the ostrich horse. She was the one planning everything! She made them follow her, and she alone is responsible for all their actions!"
Joo Dee's lips curled in an ugly way, as she regarded me.
I held myself still, and tried to look afraid and angry with Meixiang. But I simply felt utterly grateful to her.
"That… thing made all of you follow her? How very preposterous," Joo Dee laughed. "That person can't even hold herself on two legs!" She turned towards Meixiang with a scowl. "Don't lie at me, you filthy lower ring scum!"
Meixiang's eyes widened with fear, as she desperately sought my gaze. "But I'm telling you the truth!"
"Don't make me laugh!" Joo Dee snapped. "Does that girl look powerful to you? That's a child, and a crippled one, too. She's worthless, just like you!"
If I could speak, I would shout "Worthless? Who are you calling worthless?" and then shock her to her core with my bending. But instead I simply contorted my face to an angry expression, as I bared my teeth in anger. Then I reached out with my mind, feeling Joo Dee's water in her body, feeling the blood.
I smirked, as I tightened my hold, making her slump down. She fell to her knees, her upper body straight, and her eyes were huge, as she stared at the ceiling.
I tried not to look at all the others, as I did what I had promised my mother never to do. I showed bloodbending to the public. I showed that I was a bloodbender. But it was necessary. If I could pull off a big enough show, maybe the Fire Nation would believe all of the rebellion had been under my control. Wishing that the Fire Nation would let everyone go was probably too much, but it might certainly milden their punishment. If they're smart enough not to object me, that is.
Joo Dee was fighting for air, clutching at her throat, as I widened her carotid just so much that it pressed on her windpipe, then I thrust an arm forward towards Meixiang. I had to make a good show. I had to look believable, crazy, manic even. So I extinguished my hands, tensing my arm muscles and curling my fingers. I didn't need to make those moves with bloodbending since quite a few years anymore, but it looked scarier to people who didn't know what I was doing. Meixiang's body went rigid, twisting unnaturally, and I laughed soundlessly like an evil sociopath. I made the blood around her mouth move, and I hoped she would get the sign.
"I control them," she said in a forced voice. She jerked her head back, gasping for air, before suddenly she stood straight, her eyes looking at nothing in particular. "I can control everyone here! They are all under my control, and I order their moves!" While she talked, I moved my hands a bit more in her direction, making it look like I was laying these words into her mouth. Next, I was making a Dai Li agent to Joo Dee's right fall down, after pulling a little at his brain.
I breathed deeply. Bloodbending was scary. Being in people's bodies was scary, and at the same time it made me feel so damn powerful.
Again, I started laughing, before I made every one of our rebellion group bow down. I didn't want them to see any more of my acted manic side. I didn't want them to try and help me, or stop me, as I was doing all of this only for them.
"Seize her!" A Dai Li agent shouted.
"Get her arms under control!" another one screamed.
It was almost funny seeing them falling out of their routine movements, seeing them attack individually, not as a unit. They were probably too shaken by what I was doing. Not that I could blame them.
I held the rebels down, trying not to pay attention to Nanuk's body, who tried to get out of my grasp with everything he had, but only hurt himself. Shortly, I allowed myself to lessen my grip on him, and instead made the water in his body move in a reassuring, comforting way. He gasped.
I incapacitated five more Dai Li agents, but I couldn't keep hold of the rebels, and defeat a lot more of the agents. Besides, I wanted the Fire Nation to think they knew my limit. There was no way we could still win this. Deep sea, I didn't even think the rebels still wanted to fight with me, after what I'd shown them. So I simply tried to do the best I could. I helped them.
Behind me, I felt a Dai Li agent make a rock hand coming my way. I couldn't feel the rock, but it was still weird knowing I would be knocked out at any moment, knowing it would come, and hurt, and probably cause damage to my brain, and hopefully I would wake up soon again, and the rock wasn't thrown with enough force to kill me.
I had already released Joo Dee, who was now crying: "NO! Keep her alive, you twats!" Her voice faded, as well as the people from my vision, when I got hit in the back of my head. Everything faded. I felt myself slumping forward, as I thought that if I ever would make it out of this, I hoped Nanuk wouldn't be too cross at me.
oOo
Three Days Ago, One Day Before Black Sunday
Meixiang,
I wrote this to you, because I can't speak. Obviously, but also because I trust you to do everything you can to keep your brother and sister-in-law out of this.
I am asking you to do a small thing for me, in case everything fails. From the prison records that Takiro managed to get, I have observed that the Fire Nation always separates the leaders from the followers. The leaders are deemed the most dangerous and get the worst treatment.
If something goes wrong, they will ask who our leader is. Say it's me.
I'm not being arrogant, I know I'm not a leader, and I wouldn't know if we actually have a leader, but if it wasn't for me, all of this wouldn't happen. Cuiling wanted to stay out of it to protect you and Liang, and I dragged her into all this. If I wouldn't have appeared on your doorstep, if I wouldn't have entered The Armadillo Lion, none of this would have happened. You're right. A lot of this is my fault. But I never wanted it to turn into this. My plan was to wait, observe and learn about our enemy. I wouldn't have wanted to rush things like this, but here we are now.
If you want to save your family and the majority of the rebellion, because I really think all of this is doomed, then say I am the leader. Say I am responsible, and I made you all do that. I forced you. I know I may not look like a lot, and I'm not socially powerful enough to do something like this, but if someone will ask how on Earth I could make so many people do something, I will provide proof. When you see the proof, mimic it, and then say as if you were me: "I control them. I can control everyone here! They are all under my control, and I order their moves!" It sounds weird, but please! Please memorise this. It will make sense, I promise. Although I sincerely hope, it won't have to come to this.
If something goes wrong, I will behave oddly tomorrow. If our plan fails, please do what I just told you. With a little luck, it will save many of us.
And please tell my brother I love him, and that he couldn't have stopped me. He should live a happy life. Please do that, too.
Take care tomorrow,
Liwei
Zuko
During dinner, I had to answer a few more questions. I wasn't comfortable with all of them, as this group didn't seem to have a respect for privacy or sense for sensitivity.
What they seemed to be really curious about, though, was how I could possibly have a sense of good in the world, whereas the rest of my family was so super evil. I didn't want to talk about Mother or Uncle, so I merely frowned and said 'That's complicated'. After that phrase didn't work any longer, I resulted to 'That's a long story'. I guess they got the hint later, as the questions then returned to "What's your favourite food?", "Did you grow up without dancing, too?", "What's your favourite bending move and can you teach it to me?".
"You haven't even started on firebending yet," I responded in a snapping way, pinching the bridge of my nose. This was so exhausting. Replying to all these questions, trying to keep being nice and not to snap at younger children.
Why couldn't they leave me alone?
I grit my teeth and flexed my hands, staring at my lap, as I tried not to show them my bad mood.
"Okay guys, I think we've pumped Zuko enough," Toph said then, and I felt eternally grateful towards her. She smirked at me in a knowing way.
Aang pouted (he actually pouted! He was the Avatar! Why the magma did he pout?) for a few seconds, before sighing deeply. "Okaaaayyy…"
Conversation turned towards earthbending, as Toph criticised Aang's style, which made Aang scowl at her. Haru interjected at some time that he would love to practise with the two of them, and then they tried to make a plan for tomorrow's bending lessons, when Sokka piped up that he made all the plans, and that there was no lesson planning without him.
Leaning back, having a full stomach, having survived the interview, and the urge to shout at everyone, I let a small smile dance on my lips. Okay, I might have had trouble in the beginning with being accepted into the group, but it had worked out in the end. Honestly, when had a plan of mine ever reached its goal? It felt like every plan I've had in my entire life just ended in dead ends, or left me being defeated and with empty hands. But not now. I've made a change, and maybe my whole life would suddenly turn around, maybe I would have some luck for the first time!
As I watched Katara going round the fireplace, gathering everyone's bowls and moving them over to the fountain, I found myself uncharacteristically confident and ready to test my theory. Maybe it would also not be so hard to make her trust me. She was the most reluctant to trust me of the close group around Aang, and after what she had said earlier in my room, I felt like I knew what her motivation was.
There had been a connection between us in Ba Sing Se. We had comforted each other, and I had briefly thought that she wasn't as different from me as I had always thought. She had seemed like she genuinely cared, and for some moment I had let myself hope she could really heal me. But I had been stupid, and chosen more intoxication from the royal court than finally choosing healing. Although I thought that she had already used the water from the spirit oasis by now.
No one got up to help Katara, so I thought I could do it. Surely, she wouldn't mind a little help.
I got up and walked over to her. She curiously lifted her head to look at me when she seemed to notice someone standing behind her, but her features quickly turned into a scowl, as she noticed it was me.
"What do you want?" she hissed.
I shouldn't have been surprised by the venom in her voice. She had made it clear enough that she didn't trust me and didn't like me, but I was still taken by surprise.
Suddenly, my confidence shattered. Yeah, as if now somehow magically everything in my life was going to be easy! How could I have thought?
"I… erm… Well, I saw you getting ready to wash the dishes, and erm… No one else is here, so I thought I could offer you… my help?" Yay, Zuko! That's exactly how you're not being awkward!
For a moment she looked at me with wide, incredible eyes, before they quickly narrowed again. "No, thanks!" Briskly, she turned around, bending the water almost violently against the bowls.
"You need any dish soap?" I asked, leaning over her shoulder.
She flinched, turned around and rose to her feet, now standing directly in front of me. "I said I don't need your help! Leave me alone!"
I felt my jaw tighten, and my hands curled to fists. Breathe, Zuko, breathe. You want these people to like you. Be kind and don't shout! "Fine," I said through clenched teeth, before taking a deep, calming breath. Oh man, that really helped. My anger was gone. I raised one eyebrow and self-consciously scratched my head. "Alright, but, erm… if you need help sometime, tell me."
Not wanting to risk anything more, I turned around and walked back to the others. Teo was telling them a story, or something that once happened to him (I didn't really listen), but everyone had happy expressions on their faces and laughed at the right moments.
Campfires with Azula and her friends had never been like this.
"Hey, Zuko, I'm tired," Toph interrupted Teo loudly so that everyone could hear.
I blinked at her, then raised my eyebrows. "And…?"
"Well, bring me to bed!" she demanded in a whiny voice.
My eyes widened, as I started feeling panic rushing through me. Oh no. This was not what I had signed up for! I was going to be an ally and firebending teacher, not a babysitter! But then again, how old were these kids? Even Aang still looked very young, although even I could see he had grown more mature since I had met him – imprisoned him.
I suspected I was one of the oldest, but maybe Haru was older, so did that mean it was our duty to take care of the younger ones?
"Er… do you guys… usually care for the younger ones in your group?" I asked cautiously.
Sokka immediately barked a laugh, as Toph shouted as indignant "What?" It was very high pitched and almost destroyed my auditory sense.
Aang chuckled into his hand.
The Duke wasn't so excited at the thought of someone caring for him, as he stared at me in a way that I think was supposed to be menacing. But really, he just looked like a sulking kid.
"You," Toph stuck an accusing finger in my direction, "have to carry me, because you burnt my feet, pyromaniac!"
I flinched hardly. Yeah, I had forgotten that I had to carry her… "I'm not a pyromaniac!" I shouted back.
She rolled her eyed. "Obviously." She then stretched her arms out in the air, as if she was a little child that wanted to be picked up. "Now, hurry up, pyromaniac," she said in a calmer tone.
I frowned, as I noticed that she didn't really mean what she called me, but then why call me it at all? Scowling, I got up and walked around the campfire. As she still sat there like a toddler, I couldn't help but smirk. "You know, when I was two," I began as I bent down to pick her up, "I also always wanted to be picked up." I already held her tight and secure in my arms, as she tried to hit me.
She settled to sticking her tongue out at me and scowling instead.
I smirked. "You have a room here somewhere?"
"Yeah. It's down the left corridor, second door. This way, I'm furthest away from all of you morons," she said sulkily, nestling more into my arms, but deepening her pout.
She was really, really tiny, and I wondered how much younger than Aang she was. And how fucked up the world was to drag children as young as her into war.
My gaze darted over her eyes. "Were you born blind?"
"Yes."
I let out a deep breath. Well, at least, this one didn't carry any visible damage from the Fire Nation. I was positive that Teo, however, wasn't born without the ability to walk.
When I entered her room, I saw that there was no blanket on her bed. Not even a mattress! It was just a stone pallet.
"Should I get you a blanket?" I asked, already mentally going through my stuff.
"No."
"But…"
"I like sleeping on stone, okay?"
I raised my eyebrows at the pouty little girl in my arms, but obliged, sitting her down on the "bed".
"Do you need something else? A glass of water maybe?"
"Urgh!" she groaned, before bending some sort of stone pillow under her head and turning around, showing me her backside. "You're worse than Katara," she mumbled. "And I also don't need a lullaby or good night story, Dad!" she scoffed.
I glared at her. "I'm not… I'm not like Katara, I'm just trying to make sure you're comfortable!"
"And that's exactly what Katara does! She's trying to be everyone's mum, and I don't need a wannabe dad, too!" She said it with a "So, there" tone.
"Okay, well, I feel bad for burning your feet. So I'm not allowed to make sure you're fine?"
Toph groaned loudly again. "Just be my ostrich-horse, but don't ask me how I am. And besides, you're new. You don't know Katara, so you don't know if you are like her or not. Apropos being new," she added in a lighter voice, suddenly pointing her finger at me. "You will need to wait to choose a holiday! It's my turn next," she all but growled.
With crossed arms, I stared at her back, my eyes still slightly narrowed, but in a way more resigned kind of way. I didn't know what to say to that, but I felt like I had to say something, or she would win this argument. Why couldn't she see my point? She was extremely small and young, and how was it so bad to want to make sure someone was okay? I thought that was what the good guys were supposed to do.
"Don't try so hard, Zuko. You've only got to convince Katara. I know your wish to help us is genuine." Her voice was quieter and softer, and her words took all the tension from my shoulders.
Yes, maybe I was just trying too hard.
"Okay," I sighed. "Good night."
"Good night."
Leaving her room, I closed the door, before making my way back to the campfire. During my small argument with Toph, Teo, Haru, and the Duke had all left, and now it was down to Aang, Sokka, and Katara who all sat closely together, talking in hushed voices.
I didn't want to eavesdrop, so I made my steps extra loud and cleared my throat.
"Aang? Can I talk to you for a sec?"
Katara glared at me. "Well, actually we were…"
"Sure, Zuko!" Aang jumped gracefully to his feet, and I thought he had to use his bending in order to jump like that.
"Aang, we were just…," Katara started again, now sounding worried.
"It'll be okay, Katara," Aang reassured her, before walking towards me.
I didn't feel great, thinking Aang had to reassure his friends everything was going to be okay, when he was going to talk to me. Hopefully, they would all soon notice that I was no threat.
Aang stopped in front of me, leaning forward in an expecting manner. "Soooo?"
"We'll start your firebending lessons tomorrow morning. Be up at sunrise and out here. We'll practise until lunch, then we will resume what we've done before lunch."
Aang's face fell. "Sunrise? But we're in the northern hemisphere, and it's summer! Have you any idea how early that is?!" he whined.
I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow. "Since you once had friends from the Fire Nation, I guess you know exactly that I can pretty well imagine how early that is."
A sheepish smile spread on his lips. "Oh yeah. You wake up then every day, right?"
I nodded. "It's the best time to start firebending practise, and the best way to make a firebender out of you." I cocked my head to the side, studying him. "I doubt you'd ever become a typical firebender, but maybe like my Uncle. Those are the better ones, anyway."
"OH! I like your uncle. He's nice. Is he doing well?" Aang asked innocently.
My brow twitched. It wasn't Aang's fault that I had no idea how Uncle was, since I had missed him by a few minutes at the prison.
"Probably. He can take care of himself," I said elusively, looking off at a pillar that I had kicked against once.
oOo
Three Years Ago
"There is nothing!" I yelled, storming out of the hundredth corridor I had searched. And really, I had been quiet in there, stealthy. If someone was hiding in the Air Temple, they were really good, or maybe I was still too loud.
But I had reined in my frustration for almost two weeks, searching that stupid rock construction, and I had never been loud. Never made a sound.
So I felt like I had earned the right to do it now.
"The whole shit temple is empty!" My arms gesticulated in a frustrated manner. "No one left anything! There aren't even bodies or skeletons! Father always said there were bodies and skeletons!"
Uncle chuckled. "Well, I have to say, my brother always presented his journeys as far more exciting as they actually were."
"This is not funny, Uncle!" I snapped. "Nothing found means no trace of airbenders, no trace of airbenders means no Avatar!" With the last words, I violently kicked at a stone pillar next to me, but only hurt my own foot. I snarled at the stupid pillar.
"Now, now, Nephew. This is only one temple. There are still three others left," Uncle made a dramatic hand gesture to show me the size of the world. "We can find him there, and if he's not there, we will search the most remote locations on Earth, just as you said." He got up from his place opposite his tea pot and walked over to me. "Let's just move on to the Northern Temple. One step at a time, Prince Zuko. A true leader must know how to be patient, and I have no doubt that you were always meant to become a great leader one day."
I felt my anger melt away at his words, and I looked over at him, a smile almost tugging at my lips. "You really think so, Uncle?"
"Of course, Nephew. After all, you're already taller than me!" He laughed at his own stupid joke, but I couldn't find it in me to remain mad, so I instead rolled my eyes, but moved towards the exit of the temple. Now it was time to search the Northern Air Temple.
oOo
I bit down on my lower lip, thinking about how Uncle had always known how to make me feel better.
"Zuko?" Aang asked, still staring at me with raised eyebrows.
I blinked at him, then narrowed my eyes. "Sunrise. Here! Not a second later, or I'll get you myself!" I barked, before turning around and walking towards my room.
"Uuurrrggghhh!" I could hear Aang groan loudly, as he walked back to his friends. "I have to get up at sunrise!" he cried out.
"See, I'm right. Zuko's still evil," Katara said smugly, but there was a tone in her voice that made it obvious even to me that this was a joke.
Sokka chuckled, and then probably turned towards Aang. "My thoughts are with you, Aang."
"Thanks, Sokka," Aang sighed sadly.
I bit down on my lower lip, as I tried not to smile at their conversation, but only hearing it was enough nice. It felt so… warm and friendly.
Grimacing at my thoughts, I quickly walked on to my room.
Let me know what you think! I love reading your thoughts and comments!:)
Yay, we finally had Aang, Katara, and Sokka! Wuuuhooooo! Well, we had Toph, too, but she appeared already in chapter two. Writing the gaang is always the most difficult thing to do, and I really try to keep them in character. How did I do?
Showing the gaang having their first dinner with Zuko was a very important thing for me to do. I never understood how easily Zuko was accepted into their group, and The Western Air Temple was such an awkward episode. Sure, Toph says he isn't lying, but they don't know him, and he's Azula's brother, and Toph couldn't say if Azula was lying, so there is no guarantee to Zuko's sincerity. I wanted to clear things a bit for all of them, also because I can't imagine meddling Katara and curious Sokka not wanting to know the exact details about why Zuko wants to change sides. Trying to get to know him better at the first evening seems very logical and normal to me, instead of just interacting with him whenever necessary, but never really getting to know him until the field trips. The dinner should still be a bit awkward, but also show how the balance of the group changes and how everyone has their own way of trying to accept Zuko. How did you imagine Zuko's first dinner with the gaang?
So, I hope the flashbacks of Kira's were making sense. The guards in front of her cell are not good, or important ones, as the Dai Li was rather afraid of her powers, but they didn't tell anyone as to not to cause a panic. Kira's powers seem interesting to Joo Dee or the Fire Nation, that's why Kira is still alive. You'll have to wait to find out what happened to the rebellion in a later chapter. So, Kira had a bad feeling about Black Sunday, and she was right (of course), but had a back-up plan. A chaotic, not precise back-up plan, but she just didn't have enough time for planning. Meixiang turned out to be an accomplice of Kira's, no traitor, and whoever the traitor really is... Who knows? There were hundreds of people being part of this movement, and one of them was probably too afraid, or liked the Fire Nation too much, since they seemed more honest than the Earth Kingdom government to them. You can just pick something. I won't ever give you a name or show the person who betrayed them, if it was only one, that is. That's the thing about this rushed rebellion. They didn't have time to check everyone's loyalties thrice, just like Kira thought. I know, having someone close to the protagonist betray them is always more dramatic, but I thought that didn't fit well in here. Meixiang didn't want to be part of the rebellion, but she also knew she couldn't betray them, as her brother and sister-in-law would then get into trouble for housing meetings of the rebellion and be convinced members of it. That's why I didn't make her be the traitor, although this was my intention at first. In my mind, it was always some elderly, terrified person, who is a downright asshole. Like that old man who is saved by Haru, and then gets his life saver imprisoned. Imagine someone with that personality as out traitor here. What do you guys think of this?
I am part of those people who are convinced that firebenders rise with the sun. They feel the sun's energy when it peeks over the horizon, and are unable to fall asleep again. I always thought it wasn't really a canon thought, as there are a lot of ways to interpret Zuko's: "You rise with the moon. And I rise with the sun." It could also only refer to how their bending powers strengthen. But I like the idea of waterbenders feeling more alive under the full moon or at night, and firebenders during the day. Besides, being an early riser fits Zuko's personality in my opinion. He's such a driven person, who struggles to relax and to do nothing at all that I think he can't wait to get up in the morning to just finally do something. Zuko has a lot of energy, and only manages to sleep, because the sun takes his energy with it. That's how I see him. In our world, he would be a complete workaholic, who does way too much for his family, never thinks about himself, and barely gets any sleep. Good candidate for a burn-out. Hm, maybe I'll add that later, when he'll be Fire Lord and overworks.
And Aang isn't exciting about getting up so early, because he's not excited about learning firebending. Aang's afraid of it and reluctant to try. He has blocked that ability of himself and has yet to unlock it by meeting the dragons. Also, in The Boiling Rock, Aang wants to go back to sleep after having read Sokka's and Zuko's message explaining they had left to go fishing. Zuko wrote that Aang should do twenty sets of fire fists and ten hot squats every time a badger frog croaks, and Aang scowls when he hears a badger frog croak and knows he cannot go back to sleep. And it's already mid morning then! So I think that Aang is normally not a morning person, if there is no reson for him to be excited over something.
Maybe light spoilers to the plot:
Zuko's impression of Sokka is weird, I know. Sokka can be a goofball, but he's also a leader, and definitely the person Zuko can understand the easiest of the group. Except for weird names, noises, or enacting things. And Zuko will get to see those sides of Sokka, too, don't you worry. I want Sokka to make the same thing at Zuko after the Boiling Rock episode that he did at Aang after the fight against the Fire Lord. Like: "Oh, Zuko, that was brilliant! You were all like huwaho, and woosh, and baddah, and then you jumped like woooooooaaaaaaaam, and your sister was more like ehhhh, ehhhh, wehhhh..." while wildly flinging his arms, and that's when Zuko will notice that Sokka is a little nuts.
But I will not retell all the following episodes, only write about parts happening between them or during them, which weren't in the series, and that I had come up with, just like I have done until now with two tiny exceptions. I will definitely include some comics from Avatar The Lost Adventures, like the Sword Bending Fight, and Sokka's nonbender club. I would just love writing about Zuko's thoughts during these short comics. It will be something fun, while we have Kira in a more depressing environment. I don't know if I will let Aang tell Zuko all about the first time he and Kuzon had seen a dragon, as I found that comic, apart from Zuko growing frustarted, not that thrilling. And I also always imagined Kuzon to look different. I thought about some normal Fire Nation kid with pale skin and black hair, as Zuko was the only Fire Nation kid I had seen at the time Aang told him about Kuzon. Later, Kuzon was like a younger version of Wan with a rounder face in my head. But in the comics? More like Hawaiian Neville Longbottom from The Philosopher's Stone with Ron Weasley's personality. BUT appearances aren't important, it was just that my imagination provided me with a different image. I might also include something of the greatest earthbenders brawl, as Zuko and Katara acted like responsible parents again, and Zuko had this overdramatic heroism about himself that I found just too funny!
Answers to reviews:
To uchihaNaruto247: Thanks so much for your review!:D That was my thought, too. Nothing else but spirit water can fix it. The only problem is that Kira doesn't know about spirit water, and that she would never want to go to the Northern Water Tribe, as her mother had told her how horrible it was to live there. Plus, her family had outcast her mother, because she had shown them she had learned how to use waterbending for combat. So what to do for Kira? But no worries, I have a plan. Good, then the betrayal worked. Did you expect things to go wrong on the Day of Black Sun for Kira, too? Yeah, those deaths will weigh heavily on Kira, only in the future, though, as now she closes off these memories, her brain suppressing them in order not to make her fall into despair. She needs to stay strong, her mind sharp and focused if she wants to survive. That's why she focuses more on her anger right now than on any other emotion. Oh, there is a hell lot of drama for Kira in the future. The rest that comes is mostly psychological, and well, the physical sufferings of being imprisoned. All of it is mostly about being imprisoned and knowing that if she can't escape, Fire Lord Ozai will kill her. I was thinking about sending Kira to Boiling Rock, actually, since it would make sense. Suki is the leader of a group of warriors and was captured in the Earth Kingdom, but still transported to Boiling Rock. So I think it would make sense to do the same for Kira. But that would mean Zuko and her would meet, and there is no way he would leave without her, but that would be against canon, and so against my own rule for this fic. I'm thinking of transporting Kira to Boiling Rock, letting her meet Suki again, but be transported to the capital for her trial before Zuko and Sokka arrive. And then Suki could tell Sokka and Zuko about Kira, and Zuko would know who she's talking about, and this way, he would know what happened to her, wondering if Ozai will kill her or not. What do yout think about this? I'm still not sure if I will do it like that. And what did you think about the gaang moments?:) Thanks for your constant support!