Oh I'm so excited. We got my Mama horse bred a few months back but haven't been able to tell if she's pregnant yet. But she's been really moody, so moody in fact thatKai and the Nag have actually been afraid of her so I'm pretty sure there's a baby kickin' around in there. YAY! Hmm, I've managed to avoid going to work this week, but with gas prices springing out the Yin Yang I don't think I can put it off for much longer. Grrrrrrr.
Katara183: I will definitely advertise your story! And I'm really sorry to hear about your aunt Connie. Now, about clowns. I think they are the epitomy of evil. Just kidding, I don't mind them too much unless their name is Ronald McDonald. I know that he's brainwashing the masses and can prove it if only I could get a hold of a voice analyzer.
Plutobaby494: Nope, he's not. The obsessive freak.
Lovergal1227: We shall see just who helps the avatar.
Zukoscute2: Gaaaah! I'm sorry! This is me getting my lazy butt in gear so you can read this chapter.
O-dragon: Line dancing is a big thing here. I went to a dance a while back and there wasn't even country music playing, but we all just fell into synch and it was a blast. Feel free to advertise my story! I lurv publicity. And I'm glad you're checking out my other story. It's been dead for a while. I actually had no idea that Kai really meant 'little dragon'. It's just my horse's name (Actually it's Kakaia, after the greek goddess of strife, but I call her Kai).
Athenera: (rocking back and forth in the fetal position in a dark corner while crying) I'll update! I promise! Just don't hurt me anymore! Just kidding. Glad you likey.
xXFishbonesssXx: Yay! I love seeing new names on my review page. You like me! You really like me! I'll try to make you proud.
Kay everyone. Don't forget to check out and review Katara183's story; Waterbender in the Earth kingdom. C'est tres manufique.
Now, I hope you like this chapter. I've been writing off and on all day so I'm not all to certain that it all fits together.
Zuko saw the blood drain from Katie's face and whipped around to see what had given her such a fright. Gradually the soldiers ceased dancing and all turned to stare at Admiral Zhao.
"I must say that this has to be just about the most amusing thing I've ever seen." He sneered. "And such professional conduct." Zuko pulled the silly hat off his head, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks.
"You didn't have permission to board my ship Admiral." Zhao had been gazing at Katie, his expression unreadable.
"On the contrary young prince. This vessel is growing dangerously close to the Firenation border. I merely wanted to make sure that you knew of this so you aren't accidentally arrested."
"Yes. I know where we are and what direction we are going Zhao. Now get off my ship before I escort you by force."
"I'm afraid I can't allow you to pass Zuko. That is, unless you give me evidence that you have the right to enter Firenation waters." Zuko froze. He thought hard of some story to tell the man, but the only reasonable explanation was the truth.
"I have captured the avatar and am bringing him to my father." He said lifting his chin regally into the air.
"That is wonderful, prince Zuko. But, of course, I will need to see physical proof that the avatar is in your possession before I can allow you to pass." Zhao said in a voice of pure silk. Zuko clenched his jaw.
"Very well. You will come without any of your soldiers, but I will bring five of mine." Zuko motioned to the five nearest soldiers. Before he left he turned to Katie. "Stay with my uncle. Do not leave his side under any circumstances." Katie nodded and Zuko left the room with Zhao at his side.
Aang and Katara had frozen when the rhythmic sounds of stomping suddenly stopped. They ducked into a shadow and strained their ears for any sound of movement.
"I think we're still okay." Katara said, shoving herself away from the wall. They crept along the passageway more quietly than before. Pausing every few feet. Each hallway seemed to stretch in front of them and in their minds it felt as though it took them an hour just to span the distance of one hallway. They both froze once more when they heard the sounds of voices that grew steadily nearer. They twisted their heads trying to decipher with way they were coming from, but the voices echoed and reverberated off the steel panels making this feat impossible.
"I can see that you still have that slave girl prince Zuko. I wonder why?"
"I've grown fond of her." Zuko said with a shrug. "I've set her free and she is a guest on my ship."
"A guest? Really Zuko, you shouldn't fool yourself. Do you really think that a lovely young girl would purposely stay with you when you are as deformed as you are?" Zhao scoffed. Something inside him snapped and Zuko whipped around, grabbing Zhao's neck and pinning him to the wall. Zuko drew back a fist to punch the man when he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. He paused, turning his head to try and find what he had seen, but the hall was dimly lit with flickering lamps. There was a small dark alcove halfway down the hall that Zuko knew of. The movement had come from near there. Zuko let go of Zhao and began creeping towards the alcove. When he got within three feet of it a blur of yellow and orange jumped out in front of him and a gust of wind picked him up off his feet throwing him backwards into his soldiers and Zhao.
"SOUND THE ALARM! THE AVATAR IS ESCAPING!" The prince yelled as he scrambled to his feet. He set off down the hallway at a run, he could hear Zhao's footsteps right behind him. They came to a place where another hallway branched out. Zhao took the smaller hallway while Zuko continued down the main one. Zuko turned a corner and caught a glimpse of blue fabric whip around the next corner in the distance. Grinning at himself the prince pumped his arms and legs harder.
Aang could see stairs ahead of them leading upwards. That was a really good thing. He took the steps three at a time and threw the door open. He had only taken a few more steps when something plowed him into a wall. His head hit with a dull crack and the lights went out. Katara shrieked when she saw Aang drop like a rock. Zuko stood over the avatar trying to catch his breath. He made a move towards Katara, but paused. In the distance the harsh tones of Zhao's voice could be heard. Zuko swallowed heavily, then bent down to pick up the unconscious avatar.
"Come on." He muttered to Katara and continued in the direction of the main deck. Katara froze for a second, but she couldn't leave Aang alone with the prince. Zuko took several secret passageways throughout the ship to avoid the others and after a half an hour they could see starlight from the hatch above them. Zuko wordlessly put Aang down and stepped out on deck. The place was crawling with soldiers and they all snapped to attention when they saw Zuko.
"What do you think you're doing up here? The avatar is loose down below. Go help in the search NOW!" The men scurried to do his bidding. When he was sure that they were all out of sight he returned to Aang and Katara. He picked Aang up once more and stepped back onto the deck. There was a low groan from the starboard bow.
"Appa!" Katara cried happily as the giant bison lifted itself to hover next to the ship. Sokka leapt from the saddle and took a defensive stance at the sight of Aang in Zuko's arms. Zuko wordlessly handed Aang over to Sokka.
"Now get out of here. Quickly!" Zuko hissed and disappeared back down below. Sokka exchanged glances with Katara, but obediently they both climbed into the saddle and soared away.
Zuko pretended to continue searching well into the early hours of dawn. But of course, the avatar could not be found.
"Admiral. The avatar is obviously no longer on my ship. Now I'm asking you respectfully to remove your men so I can try and find his trail." Zuko said rubbing his aching eyes. Zhao twisted around and glared at the prince. His eyes were bloodshot and some of his hair had come undone and was now flying wildly around him.
"I know you had something to do with his escape prince Zuko. I will see you executed if it's the last thing I do." Zhao turned and called his men back. Within an hour they had all returned to their ship and shoved off.
"Did you find them?" Katie asked anxiously when Zuko returned to the mess hall.
"They're long gone by now." Zuko said with a sigh. "Come on. We all need some sleep." He wrapped an arm around Katie and half led, half leaned on her for support the entire distance to their room. The room itself looked as though it had been ransacked. Every possible place the avatar could have hidden had been searched and researched. Zuko collapsed on his mattress but Katie felt as though she couldn't hold still for more than three seconds at a time. So she began restoring order to the mess.
"I let them go." Zuko murmured.
"Sorry, what'd you say?" Katie asked as she folded one of his shirts.
"I let the avatar go. I had him in my grasp and I just couldn't do it. I just couldn't put him back in that cell and watch what my father has in store for him." Zuko sat up and rubbed his hands over his face. "How can I be so weak? I don't deserve to have my honor restored, nor my crown. I can't even find the strength to hold on to a twelve year old boy."
"Zuko, you are not weak. Letting the avatar go is the most honorable thing I've ever seen you do. I don't know what you've been told throughout your life, but honor is not something that can just be taken away." Katie said sitting down next to him and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Zuko just snorted at her. "Zuko, do you enjoy this war?"
"What?"
"Do you enjoy war? Do you like the violence and the pain and the bloodshed?"
"Of course not! I'm not sick."
"Well men like Zhao…and your father. They do like all of that. They're so pumped full of pride and greed that they'll do whatever it takes to get what they want. If anybody has no honor, it's them."
"My father is the lord of a great and powerful nation. A nation that has been bringing order to the world for the past three generations…" Zuko began indignantly, pulling away from her touch.
"That doesn't make him a good man Zuko. And from what I've seen of this world, the Firenation has been bringing the exact opposite of order. It's bringing destruction and fear and unnecessary death."
"You don't know what you're talking about." Zuko said angrily, lying down and rolling onto his side so that his back was to her.
"Just think about what I've said Zuko." She said with a sigh and sank down onto her own bed.
Katie slept for about five hours. When she woke up there was no sign of Zuko anywhere in the room. Katie grabbed the stress balls the doctor had given her and rolled them around in her hand. At first the muscles of her bicep protested and seized up, but gradually the muscles loosened and Katie got up to finish cleaning the room. There was still no sign of Zuko an hour later. Katie walked down the hall and checked the mess hall, but it was deserted. So was Iroh's room and the training deck. Katie walked up to the helm room and found Zuko and Iroh there. Iroh greeted her with a smile, but Zuko didn't acknowledge her existence at all.
"How are you holding up after such a long night?" Iroh asked moving a tile across the Pi Sho board and watching the affect it had on his opponent.
"I'm alright." She walked up beside Zuko and just stood next to him but he continued to ignore her. She stepped a little closer, but still he pretended she wasn't there. Finally she stood in front of him so there was only a couple of inches distance between them.
"WHAT!" he cried completely annoyed.
"Can I talk to you for a second? Outside?"
"I'm busy right now. Whatever it is will have to wait." Zuko said coldly and resumed staring out at the horizon. Katie made a little grunting noise and grabbed the front of his armor, pulling him after her out of the room.
"Two pieces says he comes back smiling." Iroh said slapping the money on the table. The lieutenant slapped the same amount down next to it.
"You're on." He said with a grin and several others joined in on the bet as well.
"Look Zuko. I'm really sorry if what I said early offended you. But you have to understand that I come from a different side of the spectrum and have a different view on these things." Katie said once they were outside. Zuko leaned against the railing and heaved a sigh, glaring at the water.
"I'm not mad at you because I don't agree with you. I'm mad because you're right. And I really don't want you to be right about my father."
"Zuko. That man isn't you father. Sure he may be the one responsible for your birth, but a father is someone who cares about you and your safety. Who loves you. You're uncle is what a good father is."
"You just don't understand. My father is what I've always been told that I should aspire to be. I've been striving to be exactly like him. And after reading about him before my mother's death I had forgotten what kind of man he is now. I tried shoving the war and my scar and my memories of him aside for that man written in my mother's diary." Zuko said turning around and half-sitting on the railing.
"Zuko. You're father has changed since those days. He may have been someone to look up to before, but now he's so consumed with grief and rage that it's really not an option anymore. You shouldn't strive to be like him because you can be so much better. You can bring peace to the world and have the humility to say that the Firenation has been wrong and help the other nations rebuild. You could be loved and respected instead of hated and feared like he is. You're just so much a better person than your father. Zhao can see that and that's got him scared that the cushy life he has swimming in blood could end with you taking the throne." She wrapped her arms around his neck and reluctantly he put his around her waist pulling her closer.
"You know, my life was a lot less complex before you showed up." He murmured. She smiled and kissed him.
"Oh! She kissed him! That's five for me!" The helmsman said grabbing his money from the table then joining the others at pressing their noses against the widow to watch the proceedings.
"Thanks Katie." Zuko muttered. He hugged her for a second and briefly thought he heard cheers on the wind but ignored it. They pulled away from the railing and walked back into the helm room. Zuko smiled around at everyone they all groaned. His uncle, however, let out a triumphant whoop and collected a pile of money from the table.
That Iroh's a gamblin' man! Please review