Into the Fire Nation

AN: Blek! I have a Communications Application FINAL on 12/15 and a Communications Application TEKS TEST on 12/14! But I already studied enough, so I'm typing up my story, which may only be posted Thursday! Oh well. Also, I wanted to start giving thanks to my first reviewers for each chapter. For this last one, our winner is Wordbender03. Congratulations, Wordbender03! You receive my recognition and credit for posting the first review of chapter fifteen!

PoisonIvy is my friend Josh from the chat room and I told him to read this story so he would see this. If you're out there, Joshie, tell me! Bri here! (I go by Bri on the chat room.). Dang. I thought I might see him. Meet him. WHATEVER! Anyone know if he's out there? blank chairs in the audience answer—no, obviously Dang it!

Also, WordBender03, I need your email because you have disabled the private message thingy, and I don't know how else to reply! Please tell me!

And this is a long author's note because I bothered CelloSolo2007 when I put them in the actual story part.

Takes a deep breath I would also like to thank all my reviewers for my latest chapter, and sorry it took a bit for this to be posted. I can only type oh so fast, as many of you know from my little emails. I try to reply to everyone, even those without an account. For example, amberhawk, I just wanted to say: Pudding is indeed evil, and a disgrace. But I am not so sure about the American Republic of France. Sugar rocks!

I personally love this chapter, and I bet you all will too! AHEM—freedomfightersrule—AHEM!

And now I have but one more thing to say! Enjoy the chapter!

Katara sat up wearily, and said, "Where am I?" and she rubbed her head, looking around.

Oh great, she thought, I'm captured again. She was in another cell alike to the one Zuko had put her in near the beginning, but she doubted whether Zuko would put her into a cell now.

She stood up, wobbled, and fell back down again. Oh great. I know I'm on another ship that's not Zuko's. But who's could it be?

Her question was answered almost immediately as Admiral Zhao stalked in.

He smirked, walking over to her cell, and pulling up a chair.

Between the bars, he said, "How long do you suspect it'll take that spoiled Prince to come? One, or two days?"

Katara glared at him, shutting her mouth, and trying not to think about how similar this was to the time Zuko had done this same type of questioning. Maybe the Fire Nation raised them this way or something!

Yet she doubted whether Zhao would turn out to be as nice to her as Zuko finally was.

"If the Prince DOES come, it'll be the perfect proof that he's not doing what he's supposed to do—chasing the Avatar. So I'll deliver him to the Fire Lord along with the airbending monk that will also be coming shortly to save you also." He smiled at her hatefully again, and relaxed back into the chair.

Katara sputtered out, "W-What? WHY IS EVERYONE USING ME AS BAIT!"

Admiral Zhao looked at her questioningly, and asked, "Who else used you as bait?"

Katara realized where he was going with this, and she shut up instantly.

She saw him piecing things together in his head, and suddenly he shot up and left the room with a gasp.

Katara raised her eyebrow, and settled back uneasily into the dirty cell, wondering where on the planet Sokka, Aang, Haru, and Zuko were.

Zuko had shouted to the guards endlessly about how to head full speed toward the Fire Nation capitol, and now he was meditating, preparing to be seen in his father's eyes as honorable and great once again. He could not wait to be reunited for good with his throne, honor, country, and father.

…

"Sir, we are nearing the Fire Nation capitol." A guard said.

"FINALLY!" Zuko muttered, yet loudly, for the journey had been a long one, where it had taken close to a week to enter the Fire Nation—this boat was fast, speeding across the ocean waters—and when they had entered, they had been momentarily topped and questioned. Once they had gotten out of that, they had to travel about two more long days until they got where they were right now.

"For the first time in a LONG time, Zuko smiled, genuinely happy that he was back for good in the nation he loved.

…

Katara was sitting lazily in her cell, waiting for who—knows—what, and had quit trying to escape. Maybe by the time Zuko is the ruler of the world, I can be free, Katara thought, knowing all to well that that might take a while.

At that moment, Admiral Zhao walked back in, for I will not dwell on unimportant moments, and he pulled up his chair again, looking more relaxed, as if he had just saved his own life.

She wasn't starving at the moment, for Zhao had so kindly ordered for an ENTIRE daily meal—stale bread and a small amount of fish—to be sent to her! But now she was lonely, angry, and bored.

"What do you want?" she asked rudely, trying not to be JUST rude enough to break his small amount of patience, and get herself knocked out again, for firebenders usually have an anger problem.

The Admiral just shook his head, leering at her, and finally said, "How could Zuko possibly be interested in you? Or vice versa?"

Katara, annoyed, just said, "I don't know." For she wished not to say much at all, as the people that would pay would be her, Sokka, Aang, and Zuko—even her own family, if she dared give away as much as who Koko was. And if she told him that Zuko had the Avatar, Zhao would be on his tail in a second—if he wasn't already. So there was no point even saying anything at this point, except to defy him incessantly.

The ship docked, lowering it's massive plank onto Fire Nation shores outside the palace lands.

Zuko armored himself—just incase, and to look good—and walked side by side with his uncle, having the guards drag out the still unconscious Aang—shackled and hurt—after them.

The Avatar—or Aang, as Katara called him—was bruised and cut, and looked very weak indeed. Zuko looked at him for a second, then shook his head and walked forward.

Holding his head high, Zuko walked straight toward the palace, while commoners stopped to stare.

Zuko strutted straight past them, and the guards of the palace, and across the long red, gold, and black hallway—straight up to the throne, where he bowed before it.

In a deep voice, the Fire Lord stated, "Have you brought the Avatar, Prince Zuko?"

"Yes father, I have." Zuko answered in a bit of a strained voice, gulping at what was to come—what he was to do. He motioned for the guards to bring forth the Avatar.

Ozai nodded, saying, "Bring him to the dungeons. How are you, my son and brother?"

"I am quite good, and I would be delighted to have some ginseng tea!" Iroh stated, bowing slightly also.

"That can be arranged." Ozai said, "but before I meet you in the room down the hallway to your right—second door—I would like to have a talk with my son." And he motioned for Zuko to come with him.

"Okay." Iroh said, hurrying to the nearby room.

Ozai stepped off his chair, leading Zuko into the hallway on the left, and asked him, "You are soon becoming of age to rule. And you shall rule the Fire Nation, eventually the world. Are you ready?"

Zuko put his head down, and lifting it back up, said, "I am. And I am sorry."

Zuko's left arm bended behind his back to pull out the knife he had placed there, and just as Ozai—to his right—had said, "For what, Prince Zuko?", he had, in one smooth motion, brought the knife and a deadly flame straight and hard into his father's strong back.

Ozai's eyes widened, and he fell over. In seconds, the Fire Lord was dead.

AN: Oh, yeah! That was an awesome chapter! Personally, I had a GREAT time writing it and I hope you had an enjoyable time reading it! Will Zuko step up and claim the throne? What will happen to Katara, Aang, Haru, and Sokka? Next time on…Bait or Mate! Read and reply, pretty please! Next chapter is coming out on Friday, for the millions of people that beg to know when I will post again!