Sarah: Well, we got past that…. Sokka and I are so in love and- O GOD O MY GOD! SOKKA, YOU HAVE A ZIT!
Sokka: NNNNNOOOOOO!
Dani: Uh…I think they have zit cream at like, Walmart or something.
Tweek: It must be from all that candy we ate at the movies… O.o WOAH! THAT THING IS A ZIT? IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING I'D FIND ON MY GRAMDMA'S FOOT!
Sarah: I'll get the blowtorch!
Sokka: I'll go hide under a rock…
Chapter 9: Memories Bitter Sweet Part 1
Tadashi was thrown into the dungeon of the ship. The tumbled to the ground and groaned in pain. It was way too early in the morning for this.
Zuko opened the dungeon's large steel door.
"Where is the Avatar?" He asked in a sincere voice.
Tadashi looked up. She wasn't about to let Aang and the others down, especially Sokka. For some reason, even though they had only just met, Tadashi had grown fond of him. He seemed a little shy though. What was wrong with him anyway? Oh, well, she could figure it out later, right now, she needed to make sure Zuko wouldn't find out where Aang was.
"I don't know." She lied, making sure her voice wouldn't shake or crack. She said it in a voice as sincere as Zuko's was.
"I don't see why you'd want to protect him anyway." Zuko said, lowering his eyes on the girl.
Tadashi said nothing for a moment.
"Why do you want him? I understand that by the decoration and metalwork of the ship you are from the Fire Nation." Tadashi finally said. She was not going to be interrogated so easily.
"True." Zuko replied, walking down the stairs of the dungeon. He stood and looked down on Tadashi, who was still on her knees on the floor, her wrists bounded with chains.
"Is it for a reward?" Tadashi asked.
"In a way, yes."
"Is it for money?"
"No."
"Then what is it for?"
"My honor."
A long, uncomfortable silence filled the room…
"Who are you?"
Zuko slowed his breathing.
"My name is Prince Zuko. I'm the heir to the Fire nation's throne…or at least I was."
"What do you mean?"
"I need the Avatar to…bring to my father."
"The Fire Lord?"
"Yes."
"But that's evil!"
Zuko shot fire into the air. "SILENCE!" He roared.
Tadashi jumped back, terrified.
Zuko breathed deeply.
"What did I say?" Tadashi asked. She realized of coarse that was extremely stupid to ask, but showed no sign of weakness in her voice.
"Please understand," Zuko said, still a little angry, "It's not that easy. I just want my father to accept me."
'You know honor isn't everything." Tadashi commented.
Zuko looked down on her sadly. "Then what could be greater than honor? I had everything I ever wanted until I made one false mistake…and I ruined it all…"
Tadashi got up off the floor and walked over to him… "Please tell me what happened…" She coaxed. Her voice became full of warm, beautiful sympathy.
Zuko scowled. "Why would you care anyway?" He asked.
Tadashi's expression was sad. Her dark green eyes shined like beautiful emeralds, reflected by the red glow of the engine's ember glow. "I think that you could use someone to talk to. You always look so angry.
Zuko looked at her. She smiled in a sweet way he couldn't ignore.
"It was a day I'd never forget. I spoke out of turn…and had to pay the price. I was sentenced to Agni Kai, and I wouldn't fight. My father... he said I had to fight for my honor. I was sent way…
"What about the scar?"
"I got it as a memento."
"I'm sorry, Zuko."
Zuko's scowl returned. "Don't feel sorry. Just tell me where is, and I won't hurt you."
Tadashi returned the scowl with own.
"I'm not telling you where he is. He's the only chance of me returning home!"
"Where do you come from?" Zuko asked.
"Why would you care anyway?" Tadashi mocked.
"Because I'm interested, that's why." Zuko snapped, ignoring the mocking.
Tadashi sighed. "I came from an island off the coast of the Fire Nation."
"Did you like it there?"
Tadashi thought she was about to cry. Heck yes she liked it. The island was always lush and green. Food was plentiful. She remembered standing on the shore with her sister, watching beautiful dolphins shoot out of the deep blue ocean waters. She remembered climbing the tall trees and picking the succulent fruits that grew on their branches. They tasted like heaven. She remembered walking on the beaches under a golden sunset that made her heart feel so full it was going to explode. The salty wind was the one reminder of home. Then she remembered fire dancing upon the treetops. People were dying, homes were being destroyed. The cool air that had grown to be so comforting and familiar to her became full of a strong scent of spilled blood. She grabbed a handful of seeds and pushed the boat into the red waters, and rowed away with her sister from their beautiful paradise. For days they wandered aimlessly in ocean, facing storms, starvation, and the vultures that hovered over them, waiting for them to perish. But they never did, and Tadashi would never forgive the Fire Nation for taking away her home, for turning her in into the one thing she knew she would always be: a refugee.
She sobbed, but her tears were full of anger instead of sadness. She needed to cry, so badly. Her turned around.
"The Fire nation destroyed it. My parent died. My sister and I suffered. And all you can ask is 'did you like it there?' I loved it there. It was my home!"
She breathed hard, and eventually forced fire to spew in a smoky stream out of her nose. Her bindings were ate away by the fire. He turned around and attacked Zuko by creating an arc of fire around her. Zuko jumped back.
"I'm sorry, but what can I do about it?' Zuko yelled.
"You can leave the Avatar alone!" Tadashi yelled. Her eyes glowed in a red light. She surrounded her whole body in fire, so consumed by rage she was almost mindless. All the years of hardship and suffering she went through were about to pay off. She would get her revenge on the Fire nation...by killing its only heir…
Zuko backed away.
"Tadashi…DON'T MAKE ME FIGHT YOU! I KNOW YOU'RE ANGRY NOW, AND I CAN IMAGINE HOW YOU MUST FEEL, BUT YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO LOST A FAMILY, BUT I WON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE! I WON'T BRING YOUR PARENTS BACK, OR YOUR HOME!"
Tadashi stopped. The flames around her died. She wanted so badly to prove him wrong, but there was nothing she could say. He was right. She wasn't any different than the other refugees that had homes destroyed and loved ones lost. She collapsed on the floor and sobbed.
"Sokka…" She gasped through her sobs
Zuko looked down at her. The Water Tribe Boy? What about him? He left Tadashi in the dungeon that night.
Sarah: I almost cried writing this…
Sokka: HOW CAN YOU BE EMOTIONAL AT A TIME LIKE THIS? I HAVE A FREAKIN' ZIT ON MY FACE THE SIZE OF A VOTE FOR PEDRO BUTTON!
Sarah: You saw that one?
Sokka: Yeah. It was pretty funny.
Sarah: Aw…Sokka, I don't care how big that zit is, I still love you… (kisses his face all over.)
(Zit disappears)
Sokka: Wow that was random.
Tweek: Well, not really.
Dani: Random or not I still don't like you.
Sokka: Why?
Dani: I don't know! You're ponytail is…like weird.
Sokka: No it's not, is it?
Sarah: HECK NO!
Sokka: I rest my case.
Sarah: Okay, if I don't end this chapter soon, my hands are gonna blister, so you two stop arguing!
Tweek: I want another gumball…