AN: See guys? I told you I'd update as soon as I got 20 reviews on 'Best As A Team,' which is finally heating up. I'm true to my word.
Ya'll thank blondevil, who gave me the 20th review.
Chapter 14: The Interrogation
There was little that the islanders could do as the Fire Nation ship crept up on them. The warriors filed out into the streets with the village elders. They waited with bated breath as an entire regiment filled their harbor. A man with the marks of an Admiral walked over to them. The village elder walked over to him, his full height barely reaching the Admiral's shoulder.
"We are a peaceful village, what do you want here? Supplies? Take them. Leave us in peace."
"No, we don't want supplies. We want that traitorous prince." The Admiral caught the elder by the throat, lifting him a good foot off the ground.
"Look now, old man, I know he's here, and what good will it do you to hide him?" The elder could barely breathe but he got his words out.
"Zuko is an honorable man, no matter what your people say, and he has done much for us. May I be damned if I help you."
The Admiral's eyes flashed with fury and the man would've been dead in an instant if not for that soft voice.
"Now, Admiral, is that any way to act? You and my father have such strange ways of interrogation."
A beautiful teenage girl walked down the ramp of the ship and joined the Admiral as he lowered the man to his feet. The elder straightened up and regarded this new adversary curiously. She looked formidable in the blood red armor of the Fire Nation, and her eyes were cunning, but she smiled and her voice was sweet. She circled around the elder like a wolf.
"Now, I'm sure you don't want to betray Zuko, but my brother wouldn't think twice about betraying you if the two of you traded places. I mean, he is a fire-bender. Think about it."
The elder straightened up.
"Your brother helped us to rebuild our homes and killed the monster terrorizing us. We will never betray him."
She stopped in front of him. "Perhaps you should rethink things."
"Never."
She brought her hand up and hit him with enough force to knock him into the building to her right.
"Now, will one of you tell me where my brother is?"
One of the warriors stepped forward, her fans drawn.
"Zuko isn't here. He left with the Avatar about an hour ago when we first saw the smoke from your ship. Every second that passes he gets further away."
The girl fire-bender hissed in anger, smoke spilling from her mouth as she strode forward and grabbed the warrior's arm, twisting it behind her back and forcing her to her knees. The warrior screamed.
"My arm! Oh my arm! Please don't!"
"From this position I could very easily break your arm, so you're going to answer a few questions."
"I won't tell you anything!" Zula, for this was in fact the Princess of the Fire Nation, twisted the girl's arm harder, causing her to scream and the warrior began to cry.
"My questions are really simple. Let's try the first one. What's your name?"
"S…Su…Su…Suki!"
"See? That wasn't that hard." Zula let up on her grip half a centimeter.
"Now. How old are you?"
"Sixteen!"
"Pretty easy, huh? One more question. Where's my brother and the Avatar headed?"
"I won't.." Zula jerked the girl's arm up hard, and she screamed, tears now freely flowing down her face. One of the girls gasped and another whispered.
"Be strong Suki." Zula sent a fireball at the girl, who yelped back.
"I'm s-s-so-sorry A-a-ang. The A-a-ava-a-tar said s-s-something a-about the N-northern water t-temple. T-to talk w-with one of h-his p-past lives."
Zula released the girl, who fell whimpering to the earth. She turned around and smiled at the Admiral.
"See, Zhao? Not that hard." Zhao smirked and nodded in approval. He motioned and they headed back to the ship. Zula turned back as the ramp began to raise up.
"In return for your information, I'll save your precious island…for last."
One of the elders let out a pitiful wail, and fell down beside the hurting warrior.
The ship pulled away, and as it exited the harbor, the warrior named Suki turned and watched it leave, smirking. A small boy with blue arrows on his head slipped out of one of the nearby huts, and smiled at her.
"Good bluff, Suki."
"It was Zuko's idea."
ummm...when's Septemeber 23rd again?...nm...I'm starting school on Thursday, so bear with me now.