Question: Why was Zuko stalking around as the Blue Spirit? Answer: read this chapter to find out! (I'm writing this as though the North Pole battle has already happened. I'm gonna assume that Zuko is still presumed dead by the army and is still stowing away on Zhao's ship. I hate Nickelodeon for making us wait so long for the season finale. At least we get a whole hour of Avatar though!)
Chapter 5
Zuko kept awake holding the sleeping waterbender in his arms. He could smell the sea in her hair as he breathed. It was nice to have her warm weight against him. He started to think about how this had all begun. He remembered forcing his ship into Katara's village, her stupid brother trying to defend the tiny burg. He remembered Katara staring at him with wide frightened eyes. Back then he would have killed her without a second thought. She showed up several more times as he chased the Avatar. Most notably when she stole the water scroll and when the fire nation invaded the Northern Water Tribe. She was always there ready to defend what she loved and to help the Avatar save the world. He admitted to himself, after the North Pole incident that he admired her courage and underlying his admiration there were feelings he had not felt before.
Katara sighed and started mumbling in her sleep. Zuko stiffened slightly until she settled down again. Only a few days ago he had left the ship in disguise as the Blue Spirit to see where Zhao was going with his personal guard and a small group of elite firebenders. If Zhao had found the Avatar Zuko had to stop him.
Zhao had indeed found the Avatar and the soldiers had run away from the camp to chase after the Avatar and his two companions. Zuko took the time to wound Zhao's campaign by releasing all of his rhinos and lighting the fuses to all of the blasting jelly containers in the camp. He then followed the path of the hunt hoping to catch up to the little airbender and provide some assistance without being seen. After all the Avatar knew who he was and for right now Zuko wanted to stay dead to the eyes of the world.
He had arrived to the clearing just as the blasting jelly blew up in the camp. He watched as the Avatar used the distraction to help his friends escape. Zuko smirked in glee as Admiral Zhao was smacked with the boy's air staff. The Avatar and his friends ran with the soldiers following them. Zuko then noted the elite firebenders jump into the canopy and follow after them. Zuko took to the trees as well and silently followed the elites sure that they would lead him to the avatar. Maybe his chance had arrived for him to catch the annoying airbender and return home to take back his birthright.
After following the elite soldiers for a while something felt wrong, he could no longer hear the laughing voice of the Avatar but the bickering of the two siblings. Why were they following these two? Zhao was going to use them as bait of course idiot. Zuko mentally reprimanded himself. These two were much easier to capture than the Avatar, the boy was useless in battle and they had the girl away from her element. They were as good as captured. Zuko gritted his teeth he wouldn't let Zhao win so easily.
So here he was lying next to the beautiful waterbender. In the morning he would take her to Kimori at that point he would leave, he couldn't risk her knowing who he was. He rubbed his nose into the back of her head but gods he never wanted this to end. Zuko felt the tears coming to his eyes and he fought them back. He only remembered being this happy when he was in the arms of his mother. He shook his head to stop the bad thoughts from coming to his head the ones always associated with his mother's death. No, he did not want to think about that now.
The sun began to peak through the spaces in boards of the old shack. Zuko frowned they would have to get moving in the next few hours to get Katara back to the Avatar and her brother. He sighed and lay there a moment longer taking in Katara's smell, warmth, and the feel of her soft skin. He would never forget these feelings.
Aang awoke in the bed provided by the old woman he and Sokka were staying with. The sun was above the horizon and Aang could hear his stomach growl. The old woman was an excellent cook, he and Sokka had stuffed themselves during dinner and fell asleep with happy stomachs. Aang went over to Sokka's bed and nudged him. " Hey Sokka."
" What Aang?" Sokka dug himself deeper into the covers.
" Don't you want breakfast?" Sokka rolled over expecting Aang to be holding a heaping pile of bacon and fried eggs but quickly frowned when Aang had nothing not even piece of dried meat to offer him. " Now that you're awake we can eat and start looking for Katara."
" Aang, I'm sure it would take her a little longer to get here on foot. She'll be here by tonight."
Aang pouted. " Are you positive you saw her get away? I mean what if she was captured? We would have been wasting all this time while she is in trouble! Sokka!" Aang grabbed his arm and shook it. " Lets go now!"
Sokka grumbled. " Fine, but we eat first."
" Not to worry kids!" The old lady came into the room with a basket in hand. " You should go look for your friend and when you find her please come back to see me." She handed Aang the basket. " Plenty to eat for you and your friend." She smiled and bowed to them. " I wish you the best of luck."
" Lets go." They quickly mounted Appa and took off in search for Katara.
Okay, not much fluff this chapter (please don't kill me!). I felt that I should explain some stuff before I write the last chapter. I hope you guys are happy with it. I'm working on another story to put up pretty soon, just tweaking the grammar and such. The next chapter may take a little longer to put up (I'm in college… and I have finals… and I'm gonna die from the stress) but I'll get it up in a timely manner. Luv U all Ciao!