A/N- 00;;;; Aiee, I didn't know people were actually waiting that badly! I'm sorry again, and I'm trying my best to get longer chapters, but I'm a bit out of practice!
To Lady of Fire and Darkness, who has apparently waited a long time for me to get my ass back at the computer. I will try to make the chapters either longer, or update faster.
CHAPTER 18: Raknar Lilies
Yawning, Katara sat up, lazily throwing her feet over the edge of her bed.
"Good morning, Tsuyosa." She said, stretching. Blinking, she stopped when there was no response.
"I guess she already went down to breakfast." She concluded and began to get dressed.
Down in the dining hall, the pressure was immense. Everybody but Sokka looked as if they were going to explode at the drop of a fork. Even Aang seemed tense.
"G'Mornin', Kathara!" Sokka greeted with a mouthful of food. "Wheths Thuyotha?"
"I thought she would be down here…" Zuko and Aang looked up slightly.
"I'm sure she's just out in the woods or something. Tsuyosa never really like cities that much. Preferred villages, less property damage with all those trees." Chikara said simply. A sharp screeching of wood on tile alerted them to Zuko's leaving.
"Zuko?" the firebender didn't even turn to glare, and just left.
"Zuko wait up!" Aang called and ran after him.
"Ah, Aang?" Katara asked, left staring at the large doors now left open to the outside.
"Sit down and eat, Katara, they won't be back for a while."
"Stop following me."
"I'm just as worried about Tsuyosa."
"Who said anything about Tsuyosa?" Zuko yelled, turning to face Aang.
"You left just as Chikara said Tsuyosa was in the forest, and that's where you're heading now." Aang stated, flinching just barely under the firebenders glare.
"Who says I'm going to the forest!" Zuko said defensively. Aang crossed his arms in a know-it-all fashion that looked very awkward on him.
"We just passed the last store and we're standing at the forest's edge right now." The prince was quiet, then turned and walked into the line of trees.
"I'm not looking for that stupid dragon." He stated.
"Of course." Aang smiled, following.
Damn it Damn it Damn it Damn it all to the seven layers of HELL!
Zuko thought violently. He had been walking though the forest for almost two hours and had just then lost the Avatar. Stupid idiot kid couldn't tell he just wanted to be alone. Finally, though, he had been able to run and jump fast enough that the airbender lost track.
Now, alone at last, he could find what he was looking for: a Raknar lily.
That's right; he was looking for a flower.
Now you see why he wanted to be alone.
The Raknar lily was not a normal flower, though. It was one of the rarest and grew mostly around Ba-Sen-Se, making it even rarer to firebenders. He had always wanted to see a real one ever since his sister showed him one in a book.
Damn it.
"But father!"
"Silence! Do you dare to doubt my judgment, prince Zuko?" the Fire Lord asked, glaring at his son. Zuko lowered his head.
"N-no." he answered.
Zula isn't fit to be an heir. She is untrustworthy! She is no ruler; she shall turn on the Fire Nation as soon as something goes wrong! She lusts only for power!
Zuko gave an inaudible sigh as he bowed and left. It was Zula's lust for power that probable let his father chose her for Zuruis replacement. She was just like him, though she didn't try to hide her evil intentions. Zuko was just lucky that she was the second heir and he was the first, meaning all he had to do was stay alive and the Fire Nation would be fine.
"What the-!"
Zuko just barely ducked as a fireball flew over him. Turning, he heard a small female's voice curse and the sound of footsteps running away.
Staying alive might prove to be difficult, though. That's the third attempt this week!
Sighing, he walked back to his room, making sure to lock the door before flopping back on the bed. He remembered the times when Shinsetsu would come and talk with him after Zurui tortured him like Zula does now. He missed Shinsetsu.
Rolling onto his side, he spotted a book he had begun reading. His uncle had brought it, and it listed all of the native animals and plants around the Earth Kingdom. Zula had burned most of the pages when he had showed it to her, including the one that explained the rarest flower in all the world; the Raknar lily. Luckily, he had read about where to find it and what it looked like, but their were certain things he was interested in, like how much one would go for in the Fire Nation.
Zuko splashed his face in what seemed to be the main stream that ran thought the forest, quickly drying his face with his sleeve. He, like most firebenders, despised water, but it did help him wake up. And after a few restless nights, that was a good thing.
"It's getting late." He thought aloud.
"I search within my self, and still don't see..." Zuko turned at the voice, and jumped when he saw Tsuyosa walking along the riverbed, a bouquet of Raknar lilies in her hands.
"Oh, Hey, Zuko!" she greeted, waving. As she got closer, his eyes widened. She was covered in cuts and bruises, and he swore she was limping slightly.
"What the hell happened! Where were you!" he yelled. Tsuyosa merely waved the question aside and shoved the bundle in his face.
"Look'it! Raknar lilies! Can you believe it? I found a whole field of 'em!" annoyed, Zuko hit the flowers away and glared.
"Yes they're very pretty but that doesn't answer my question!" Tsuyosa pouted slightly.
"Well, we're prissy today, aren't we? That's what happens when you over think thi-"
"ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!" the dragon flinched.
"Jeez, jeez, alright already! I was out training! Got a problem with that?"
"Couldn't you have warned us? I thought something happened!" they both went quiet as Zuko realized what he a said.
Damn it.
"Aww! That's so sweet!" Tsuyosa said, hugging the prince, who immediately pushed away from the deranged dragon.
"Shut up! I wasn't worried! It was your stupid dragon friend and the Avatar! I couldn't care less what happened!" he yelled defiantly! Tsuyosa smiled and released the prince.
"I know, don't worry." Zuko glared.
"C'mon, I'm hungry! I hope Chikara left some Platapusbear!" the goddess exclaimed as she and Zuko began walking back.
"They probably finished breakfast long ago."
"Then we'll be just in time for lunch!"
"That's in half an hour."
"….Do you always have to be a sourpuss?"
"I guess it just comes to me."
Meanwhile…. Back with Aang…..
"Zuko! Zuko, come on! I'm Hungry!"
A/N- Crap, this didn't turn out as long as I'd hoped, but if you could forgive me, please R&R!