Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, or it's characters, or the spiffeh lemurs that are in it.
After Katara taught me most of the waterbending moves she knew we went back to camp, both partially soaked and dripping. Waterbending isn't the easiest thing to do. Aang and Sokka looked up at us and tried not to fall over laughing.
Anyone who looked at us would think that a ball of water grew legs and attacked us. My shirt was sticking to me and my hair had come out of it's bun. Katara wasn't much better. Her clothes were dripping and her hair hand come halfway out of it's braid. Sokka opened his mouth to say something; probably some smart comment.
Before he could say anything I cut it "Don't." I glared at him and he shut his mouth. Katara gaped at me.
She leaned over and whispered, "Sokka never listens like that. I think he likes you."
I giggled and whispered back, "I think you're right."
She giggled and we both wrinkled our noses in disapproval. Aang smiled a very wide smile and used his airbending to dry us off. After I pulled Molly out of the river (she LOVES water. No lie.) and dried her off Katara and I started to cook something to eat.
We had just started eating when a boat pulled up on the beach not far from where we were. Luckily we were hidden from view. I suddenly had a BRILLIANT idea. Of course, all of my ideas are brilliant.
"You guys leave. I'll be fine. In two nights at midnight, if you can, meet me on the deck of the ship and then I'll leave with you. I want to have some fun right now!" Before anyone could reject my plan I grabbed Molly and ran from the clearing.
I heard Katara whisper "Be careful." As I left. It killed me the way she said it. It was like she was losing her best friend. Of course, I am the first girl she has been around in who knows how long.
When I was sure they had enough time to pack up and leave I jumped out of the bush, causing Zuko (who had just exited his ship) to scream. "You scream like a girl. Did you know that?"
"I do not!" He insisted. I rolled my eyes. "Who are you? Where is the Avatar?"
"He left a while ago. Asshole is what he is. I tried to leave with him. I have no where to go. He said I looked like I was from the fire nation so he didn't trust me. Does this look like fire nation attire?" I gestured towards my outfit. Great idea. Einstein. I cursed at myself. Now Zuko was checking me out. "Take a picture. It'll last longer." He finally stopped staring.
"Are you sure he left?" He asked, still blushing slightly.
"Yeah. He left about five minutes before you got here. His little bitchy friends made him leave, they thought I was annoying as hell." I said. I really hope they were out of hearing range.
"I see…" He said. I tensed. Jerk. "So, why were you trying to go with him anyway?"
"Well, I have no where to go. Don't know how I got here. I need some place to stay." I paused, looking at his expression-free face. "Well, I guess I'll be going now."
"Wait!" YES! It worked! I am a genius. I turned around, trying to keep a confused expression on my face. "I guess you could leave with us. And we could drop you at the next port, I guess. If you wanted, that is." When he said dropping me at the next port his expression was almost pleading. Asking me to come and stay. Great, Just what I needed. Another guy running on hormones.
My face lit up and I all but bounded onto the ship. Everyone, all the crew members that is, were staring at me. Just another one of my lucky days. A boat filled with guys. An old guy with gray hair walked up to me and Zuko. "Hello, Zuko. Who is your…friend?" At least one of the guys seemed nice.
"I am Shelby. I'm going to be staying on the ship for a while. You are?" I cut off Zuko and put on a really big Aang-like smile. Hopefully the 'I-have-no-idea-who-you-are' act would work.
"I am General, retired General, Iroh. Prince Zuko's Uncle." He explained.
I smirked and turned to face Zuko, who was on my right. "Prince Zuko?" It's so fun to play dumb.
He sighed. "Yes, Prince Zuko. I am prince of the Fire Nation."
"Well, I must be off!" Iroh said. Wow, is he peppy. He leaned over to whisper to Zuko. "I like this one. GRANDCHILDREN!" He walked off with a smile on his face. I took a step away from Zuko.
He looked at me. It was funny to see his face as red as it was. "Please excuse my uncle. He is tea-high…like always." I giggled and he walked off. Probably to tell the captain where to go. Witch I found funny seeing as how he had no idea which way the Avatar was going.
At least I was free to walk about the ship as I pleased. I walked below deck to find some guard to mess with. Maybe I still had that fake spider in my pocket.
MEANWHILE!
Aang, Katara, and Sokka loaded Appa and flew into the sky, trying to follow the Fire Nation ship without being seen. At least it was heading in the right direction. Sokka was pacing back and forth around Appa.
"She's crazy! Why did we let her go? We should have stopped her? What if she gets killed? What if she can't get on the ship? What if they kill her? What if the plan doesn't work? What if-?"
"SOKKA!" Katara screamed. Momo lowered his ears. "SHUT-UP! She'll be fine! I taught her all the waterbending moves I knew and she told me she knew how to fight. She'll be fine!."
Sokka sighed and sat down in Appa's saddle. "But what if-?"
"No but's! She'll be fine."
Aang sighed in relief. Sokka hadn't shut up since Appa was off the ground. Katara sat by Aang, on Appa's head. She sighed and looked back at Sokka. He was staring at the clouds that were hiding them from view.
"I think he likes her." Aang stated.
"I think you're right." Katara nodded.
"I think Momo's lonely now." Aang stroked Momo's ears.
"Molly and Shelby will be back soon. I know they will be.
BACK AT ZUKO'S AWESOME SHIP!
The one thing Zuko hadn't noticed was the cat in my arms. So when Molly jumped up onto the table in front of him, he screamed and fell back in his chair. I doubled over laughing. By the time my laughing fit was over I was sitting on the floor, my back against the wall and holding my sides.
He glared at me. "What is that?"
"That is my kitten. Her name is Molly. I think she likes you." Zuko was still on the floor. Molly was standing on his chest, staring down at him.
He almost screamed when she moved. I called her over to me so he could get up. "You better keep it away from me. I don't like it at all." He left the room and walked down the hall.
I yelled after him. "SHE'S A GIRL NOT AN IT AND SHE HAS A NAME!" this was going to be fun. Molly ran off somewhere on the ship. Either to annoy Zuko or find a mouse. My suspicions were answered when three seconds later Molly runs by the door, chasing a mouse. I think it came from under Zuko's bed.
I thought back to my conversation with Aang and Katara earlier, when I fell from the sky. I gasped when I realized something. I whispered quietly to myself. "She didn't say 'Great, now Aang will never like me. Now that she is here.' out loud."
I ran off to find Zuko. When I found him I started at him like I had done to Katara. Where is the Avatar? I couldn't help myself. "Damn this is cool!" I think I scared him. And his uncle. Iroh dropped his cup of tea and Zuko turned towards me and got into a fighting stance.
"Don't so that!" he yelled at me. I smirked.
Then I remembered what I had just been doing. I stared at him again. She's is a freak. "I am not!" his eyes went wide and he stared at me. "Whoa. I did it again."
"What did you do again?" Iroh asked, pouring a new cup of tea.
"I-I read Zuko's mind." They stared at me. "This rocks! Let me do it again!"
"NO!" Zuko just about screamed. His uncle smiled.
"Let us see what Miss Shelby can do." I smirked.
"Now stay still so I can read your mind." I stared at Zuko. "You know, you should really control your thought when you know I am reading your mind. I REALLY didn't need to know about your ducky underwear." Iroh laughed, very hard I might add. I doubled over seeing his face.
"I DID NOT THINK ABOUT MY UNDERWEAR! I don't even have any with ducks." Zuko yelled. When a guard passed he gave him an odd look.
"I-I'm just kidding. But do you really think I'm annoying?" I said when I could finally breathe again. Laughing is hard work.
He growled and lunged at me. I squealed and ran down the maze of hallways with Zuko hot on my trail. This would be a very fun two days. I'll have quite a few stories to tell Katara.
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Wow. This is the longest chapter I have EVER written and I've written a lot of stories. I'll have the next chapter up soon!
The Next Avatar- I will add some AxK action in later in the story. This story isn't centered on that pairing but there will be some.
