The Avatars? – Chapter 4 – An Old Friend
Disclaimer – I wish I owned Avatar, but I don't. In your face Nickolodeon, now you can't sue me, muahahahaha!
Flame stood on the peak and chatted with Ang, the kid he hadn't seen in a hundred years, talk about catching up. His two friends, Katara and Saka stood very near, as though that would protect him should Flame attack. Then he realized why they were worried he would attack. His hut on the mountaintop had weapons laying everywhere. He needed Ang to know that he was someone he already knew before Zuko got to his hut, but he preferred waiting for Ang to realize it on his own by his manner.
"So, how did you find the Avatar floating in a stinkin' iceberg with a flying bison on the South Pole?" he asked casually.
"We lived there, we were out fishing," Saka said catiously.
"Fishing! What fish in its right mind would live on the poles? You might as well try to catch a wild tiger and train it to fly like that bison outside while you're at it," Flame said, now laughing hysterically.
"Wait a second, you've already said that before, haven't you?" Ang asked, amazed. Flame knew it had just clicked.
"I have. To someone you probably know," Flame said teasingly. His let the glow in his eyes free. There was no way Ang could doubt who he was now.
"Kozon! Wait a minute, that was a hundred years ago, how are you here?"
"How are you here?" he asked, knowing that it would throw him off.
"I, I don't know. Do you?" he stuttered. He was getting into something that would probably lead into something very sad for him. It would bring back memories of Giatso, of his friends. Flame, or actually Kozon, didn't think Ang could take it.
"Okay, you better start explaining and quickly or you'll find this boomerang in your chest!" Saka yelled. This was getting frustrating for him and he had no other threat to make him stop using riddles besides the boomerang.
A small point of fire whizzed right by Saka's head, an inch to the right and it would have killed him. "Put it away. Just because you're a guy doesn't mean you should act tough," Flame said calmly. He hadn't even looked away from his old friend, "Now, what do you mean a hundred years? I think I've only been here about a year and after you disappeared I found this place," he said, knowing full well that it had been a hundred years and why he still had his youth, "I stayed here in solitude except for the occasional traveler. Today is my three hundred sixty-fifth day I've been here," everyone now realized he was lying through his teeth. Technically on this island what he said was true, but anywhere else it was the biggest lie he'd ever told.
"Kozon, it's been a hundred years. Please cut the riddles for once in your life. I really want to know how you're alive. This is great, don't spoil by lies and riddles," Ang said, almost as calmly and emotionlessly as Flame himself.
"First of all, my name is Flame now. I'm a major enemy of the Fire Nation now and so my real name is no longer safe. Second, this island is a pocket in time or something. Aging slows here. I admit, I've lived as long as you technically have in real time, but we both had methods so that we were technically very young. The difference is, I was around and active during that time, so I know everything about the situation everywhere. A hundred years will do that. All the travelers tell me news of the outside world so I'm quite aware of everything. Third, it's wonderful to see and your new friends. I'm ecstatic that you're all right and even happier that you're here. Fourth, I want to travel with so I can get back into the world to fight the Fire Nation," Flame concluded this last sentence with a small prick of fire shot at a standard Fire Nation flag. This gesture had obviously been done many times alone, for there were many, many scorch marks on the same flag.
"Kozon…"
"Flame!"
"…Sorry, Flame, whatever, if that's what you want you got it. Is that all right with you guys," Ang said excitedly.
"Yeah, that would be great because then you have someone to teach you Firebending and we've got someone else to help fight the Fire Lord!" Katara said, eager to have someone new to hang out with on their journey.
"No way, how can we trust this guy! He almost took my head off with Firebending!" Saka said, angered at the thought of it.
"Hey! I did not almost take your head off! I missed on purpose and you were in no danger! Not to mention, you did threaten to bury that boomerang in my chest! I'm insulted that you think I wanted to kill you there," Flame said, cooling off as he finished the last sentence.
"Fine! You can come!" Saka screamed in response, more pissed but ever, and then turned to Ang and Katara, "But I warn you, we can't trust him! He's a Firebender! Just because he says he's Ang's old friend doesn't mean we can trust him!" Having said this, he stormed out. Seconds later, he flew back in with his clothes mostly on fire. Katara had already put him out before Saka himself burned. "Zuko…," he said, and fainted.
Zuko walked in.
"Hello, Avatar Ang," he said calmly, and bowed.
"Wait a minute, this isn't what I expected, I knew Zuko was coming, but bowing before he captures and most likely torures you to the brink of death, that is odd!" Flame said, for once genuinely surprised. He had planned this since he saw them coming one way and Zuko from the other, but he really didn't think Zuko would be so corteous.
"I don't intend to capture anyone, wait a minute, are you Kozon, the legendary rebel? I see old wanted posters with your name and you look like you did on those posters! How are still so young, and alive for that matter? Those posters were dated one hundred years ago, give or take a year," Zuko said, almost as shocked as Flame was to see Zuko bow to someone. He knew Zuko wasn't someone to bow or show any respect unless he thought that person was above him. His surprise lasted only seconds.
"I already explained most of it to Ang, so I'll only tell you point one of four, the first one. My name is Flame now because I'm still subject to arrest even though I'm thought to be dead," Flame said, almost as calmly as he had when he almost killed Saka a few minutes ago, "Now then, with the formalities out of the way, since we all know each other, if you don't want to capture our friend here," he indicated Ang, "what do you want?"
"It's none of your business unless you've decided to travel with him along with these two," Zuko indicated Katara and the still steaming, still unconscious Saka, "so I'm going to talk directly to Ang, not you," Zuko said rudely, obviously displeased that a wanted criminal had the nerve to demand what he was doing here, and turned to Ang, bowing again.