K15: Hi ya guys. Every thing's going great.
Zuko: Don't mind her she's on drugs.
Sokka: Kayko on drugs? She doesn't even take aspirin.
Me: You guys, would you stop talking so I can get my AN done?
Zuko/Sokka: Sorry.
Me: You better be. Okay guys. So Zuko's passed two of the tests that I've given him. He's got about three more before another fight with Fear, aka Katrina. I'm hoping to have another scene with Iroh this chapter. It's also been a hard week for me this week. A band concert the 15th so, I'm working for that. I'm hoping to finish the chapter tonight maybe tomorrow. That way I'm on time with an updation. Well Later. K15
Disclaimer: Why would I own Avatar? If I did you'd see all my stupid ideas on T.V.
Chapter 7 Talking about love
Zuko walked back to camp and shook his head as Sokka crawled out of the tent. He was all sweaty and out of breathe. "Do I really want to know what you and the moon spirit were doing?" He asked.
Sokka blushed slightly. "Is it that obvious I was with Yue?" He answered with another question.
Zuko pointed up to the night sky, there were only stars out. He smirked as he folded his arms. "You took away the moon. You're probably going to give up the first child to replace her."
Sokka's face paled. "Children?"
Zuko let out a short laugh. "Yeah, did you expect that when you took Yue, that there wouldn't be offspring involved? And since you took her from the destiny she was well destined for, the spirit's will require you're first…" He paused to think of something. "… Daughter." He finally said.
"Are you serious?"
"I don't know how the spirits worked. But that fish is now gone. Not that I blame you. After all, I would take a spirit for my wife, if I wasn't obsessed with your sister." Zuko smirked. "Speaking of my water bender, have you seen her?"
Sokka shook his head. "After you guys had that argument she stormed off towards the lake. She's probably practicing her water magic." Sokka shrugged.
Yue poked her head out of the tent. She was currently dressed in Sokka's parka. "Prince Zuko, it's great to see you again."
Zuko bowed. "Princess Yue, I'm glad to see your health is well. You wouldn't happen to know where Katara is do you?"
"Yes, I do. She was talking to Aang, but then she stormed off." Came the reply.
Zuko nodded. "Any sense of direction she went off in?"
"She was at the lake Zuko. But why are you worried about a pathetic water tribe member?" Aang asked jumping down from the tree. "My sister is much stronger than Katara any day."
"Why are you forcing your sister down my throat, Avatar?" Zuko snapped. "Can't you see I do not like her?"
Aang smirked. "Why can't you see that Katara doesn't like you?" He walked around the fire prince. "After all, you're probably using her to get heirs."
"I would never use Katara." Zuko snarled. "She means the world to me!"
"By the way she treated you, I could swear that she didn't want you." Aang chuckled. "After all, I got the privilege to be her first."
Zuko shoved the Avatar against a tree. "Don't lie Avatar!" He barked. "It's not good to lie about her. Katara isn't a whore, she won't be passed around like a toy."
"Oh but it's true, she rode me like there was no tomorrow!" Aang smirked.
Sokka looked at the Avatar with a hatred that he never felt before. "My sister is smarter than that Aang. She would not give herself up to anyone because she's depressed." Sokka glared at the prince. "Though I'm not sure for Zuko. But I've already given my permission for her. Not you, Aang you don't have my blessing!"
Yue shook her head. Katara told me herself she didn't feel anything for the Avatar. Even though that fortuneteller had told her a strong bender, Aang wasn't it. It was a just a silly schoolgirl crush that she had. Yue thought.
Zuko hit Aang across the face. "That's the lowest thing you've done yet Avatar. Katara is not a prize to be talked about."
"You're jealous Zuko. Jealous it was me and not you." Aang continued to tread on thin ice that was melting quicker than he realized.
"I don't' believe it Avatar." Zuko said walking away from him.
"Believe it, she said that Zhao was next. You were last on her list." Aang smirked again.
Zuko spun around on his heel and launched fire at the Avatar. "Don't toy with me Avatar, I say Zhao die with my own eyes!" He roared. "I'm not one to mess with when I'm angry. So you stay away from me. I'm going to find everything out for myself!" He stormed off.
Sokka watched the angry prince storm off. "Aang stay away from Katara, she's my little sister and I have to protect her. I don't trust Zuko, but I know he'd do anything for Katara's sake." Sokka turned to the young air bender. "Please just don't do it."
"I don't have to listen to you." Aang snapped.
"Aang, stay away from my sister. I don't care if you're my best friend and have Katara's interests at heart. It's not what she wants! I can see it in her eyes!" Sokka pulled Yue closer to him. "Now get out of my sight!"
Aang nodded before leaving. He was going to have Katara in his arms and was going to get Zuko out of the way. Even if it took him all summer to do it.
"Yue, I need to know something. Is Katara really going around…" Sokka began to ask.
Yue shook her head. "No Sokka, she isn't. It's not like her. She's still in love with Prince Zuko, just she's hiding her true feelings because of an outside force." She explained.
Sokka nodded. "I guess we should fix dinner, because I'm sure Katara, Zuko, Aang, Momo, Suki, and Haru are going to return hungry."
Yue laughed. "I guess your right Sokka."
With Katara
Katara splashed the water and looked away. She had been crying since she had talked with Zhao. She cared about Zuko, but didn't want to put him in any danger. After all, she cared for him that much.
"Katara?" Zuko asked pushing his way through the bushes. "Are you all right? I feel that there's something that's drifting. Our love, it's not the same."
Katara wiped away her tears and turned to meet the fire prince's face. "No, there's nothing going on between us."
Things ran through her memory. Every kiss he gave her, every hug, everything he ever did to her. She suddenly got home sick and suddenly found herself missing the old times while training Aang for water bending.
"You miss it don't you?" Zuko asked placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Everything, but most of all I miss the contract we had with the Fire Nation. That's why we stayed out of the war for so long. It was broken as soon as the raid hit." Katara explained.
"You had a contract with the Fire Nation?" Zuko asked he knew that she wasn't going to look him in the eyes.
"My brother and I were engaged with the Fire Siblings. Me I was engaged to you, and Sokka, well he was engaged to Zula I believe." Katara explained. "You and your sister came out for a visit to make sure that you wanted to get married."
"That's when Zhao killed both your mother and mine." Zuko said the haunting image of Zhao burning his mother's skin until it reached her bone,
"My father called off the engagement right away." Katara finished. "But most of all I missed when we would fight. If you never kidnapped me, none of this would have happened. I wouldn't have fallen for you and if I did my brother would have talked me out of it."
Zuko looked over her shoulder at the fire. "There's a proverb that my uncle told me while I was growing up."
"What was that?"
"It was shortly after my Aunt Kira died." Zuko started. "He said, 'there are many fish in the sea, and you can keep trying to catch one, but when one swims willingly into your net you better take that one. There may be not another chance for that fish'."
"My mother used to say there are many peach blossoms on a tree and not all of them bloom at the same time, and when one was picked that hadn't bloomed it would open up and be the most beautiful one there." Katara turned around and looked at Zuko.
"I can't fail this love test. You're my one true love." Zuko said raising her chin to make her look at him.
"I'm not a prize, I'm not your prize for your love test." Katara pulled herself out of Zuko's grip. "All you care about is yourself and this stupid ritual!"
"Katara, that's not true and you know it." Zuko barked. "So stop lying to your self and others. Because it's starting to get old!"
Katara threw her arms around Zuko and just clung to him. "Zuko, I'm sorry. I can't see you any more. You're just not the person I love any more."
Zuko pushed Katara out to arms length. "Your eyes tell me differently. I can tell that you're madly in love with me."
With Iroh
Iroh walked the halls of the ship. He just had the best time of his old life. Though, he felt like was betraying his wife by not staying loyal to her.
"She dead Iroh." He told himself. "She would want you to move on."
Yes but to a young person? That rape right there General.
"No it isn't. She wanted it; she's twenty-six anyway. There's not much of an age difference." He felt odd talking to himself like that.
Yeah a good twenty years, that's still rape.
"It's only rape if the person your with doesn't want it." He told himself.
Iroh continued to walk down the hall. He hadn't seen his nephew or niece for days. He was starting to get lonely. That and he was starting to get worried about what was going on with Zuko's ritual. After all, his brother failed that test. (K15: Not Zuko's brother, but Iroh's brother, Ozai.)
"Prince Zuko, where every you are, I hope you're okay." Iroh sighed leaning on the railing of the deck.
Lieutenant Jee walked out to see the old man talking to himself. "General Iroh, are you alright sir?" Were the first words out of his mouth. "I'm sure Prince Zuko is fine."
"I'm sure he is too Lieutenant, it's just he took the fire bender's ritual. I'm sure that he's fail something by now." Iroh turned to the lieutenant. "Did I ever tell you that my nephew is the Chosen One?"
"So his test is going to be harder than anyone else's." Jee said confirming that he knew that Zuko was the chosen one. "And his love portion?"
"The hardest one of them all." Iroh replied. "My niece is the only one, other than that water tribe girl, who will be able to help him."
"Sir, is that Nyla or Zula?"
"Nyla, his twin. When Mei, Zuko's mother, had them she said it was her proudest moment yet. She knew these twins would prove something that no one would be able to." Iroh explained. "I remember her wanting them to stay out of Zhao's clutches, she felt that he was a bad influence for them."
"And Nyla is in his grasp isn't she?" Jee asked.
"Yes, and if there is something that Zuko knew, is his sister is part of him." Iroh said looking back out towards the sea. "I just hope she's doing everything in her power to rescue him."
"I'm sure she is."
With Katrina
She had a plan. It was perfect, that boy was so gullible and so in love with the water tribe girl, he'd fall for anything. Even if it put his own life in danger, and from losing the last battle with the prince she knew his biggest fear was losing Katara.
Zhao paced the camp back and forth. He was waiting for Zula to return from her trip to the market. He needed that stupid princess here, other wise he couldn't do anything without her.
"What are we waiting for Admiral?" Katrina demanded to know.
"Huh? We're waiting for the princess. Lord Ozai insisted that I did nothing without the permission of the Princess of the Fire Nation." Zhao explained.
"Of course makes so much sense." She walked away from the admiral. She couldn't put up with him any more.
Once she was out of the camp, Katrina looked around for something, or more like someone. "MEI!" She yelled.
"Yes my master." Mei said jumping down from the trees.
"How is the prince? Is he falling in love with you yet?" Katrina asked.
"No, not yet. I'm getting closer though." Came her reply. "Any day I can convince him to leave that water bender."
"Good, my father is going to be happy." Katrina said looking over her shoulder. "I've got work to do, so when you get the chance get that boy to you. I want you to report to me soon."
"I will do Shadow." She said before jumping back into the trees.
Katrina smirked and headed back into the campsite. She was almost ready to do her part of the ritual. She just needed some time to prepare. Then Zuko would surely lose his life.
K15: Okay guys. I feel like this next part is important to the story. You must know what happened since both Kianna and Kozu failed, okay they didn't fail. Oh just read this next part. After all, I want you guys to see how different the future in since Zuko failed the love section of the ritual. And it's probably the only time you'll see them until the fourth section of the story. –shrug-
With Kozu and Kianna (So sometime in the future like in sixteen years old)
Kozu walked the palace looking for Kane. He needed to find that boy. After all, it was his only way of communicating with Zhao. He needed to tell the private that he failed his part of getting his father to forget about the water bender.
"Prince Kozu, the Fire Lord wishes to see you." A servant said bowing. "He's waiting for you in the throne room. May I ask what happened to your face?"
"Training accident." Came the reply.
The young prince's face was now scarred much like his father's. And it was his entire fault too, if he didn't want to do Zhao's duty and break his parents up and get rid of his parents and sister so bad, then maybe he still would have still had a bad life.
"I'll be leaving sir."
"You do that." Kozu spun around on his heel and walked over to the throne room. His father was going to yell at him. He jus knew it.
"Fire Lord Zuko you called me?" Kozu asked shutting the door behind him.
Zuko lowered the flames down and walked to the boy. "Yes I did my son. I've heard that you've been traveled to the past."
"Kianna did it to!" Kozu blurted out suddenly. "I don't see why I should get punished because of something she did too."
"Now who said I was going to punish you?" Zuko demanded.
"Sorry Father." The prince bowed his head.
"You nearly ruined what was going on between the Fire and Water Nations." Zuko barked. "I don't want you to do any more training with Zhao."
"But Kia's allowed to see Tang? I think that's unfair!" Kozu growled.
"Kianna has already been talk to." Zuko said.
"That stupid half peasant doesn't know anything." Kozu hissed.
"Don't talk about your sister that way!" Zuko snapped.
"Why so you can worship that stupid girl even more? I can talk about her and my stupid mother any way I want!" Kozu yelled.
Zuko pulled back his arm and hit his own son across the face knocking him down to the ground. "You will not talk about Katara that way! Especially in my presences!" Zuko yelled.
"I can now see why Kero left! You probably treated him the same way you did me and Kia!" Kozu wiped blood away from his mouth. "I'm not afraid of you. I came this close from defeating you back in the past!"
"And you have the scar to show that you failed." Zuko snarled. "You're just a failure."
"Zuko that's enough!" Katara yelled walking into the throne room. "I want you to leave our son alone."
"How do I even know if that's our son? He could be the Avatar's child!" Zuko snarled looking away from the Fire Lady. "After all, you couldn't keep your hands off the boy."
"You know nothing about mine and Aang's relationship!" Katara screeched. "You're just like your father! A cold heartless bastard!"
"Don't talk to me that way wench!" Zuko hit Katara across the face. His face softened when he realized what he did. "Oh my gosh, Katara I'm so sorry."
Katara rubbed her cheek where he hit her. "I should have listened to my brother all those years ago. I should have stayed in the South Pole. I knew you wouldn't be better than your father." Tears began to swell in her eyes. "I thought you loved me."
"Katara, I do." Zuko was pleading now. "I love you with all my heart."
"Then, start showing it damn it! You're royalty, you should treat me better than this." Katara yelled. "You've only been treating me like a concubine! It's been the same way for years!"
Zuko pulled Katara into his arms and looked at his son. "Your uncle is training Kianna, I suggest you go do some training too."
"Yes Fire Lord." Kozu said bowing before heading out a different door than he came.
"Can you ever forgive me Katara?" Zuko asked.
"No, I don't think I can this time. Because you only cared about yourself and what was going on in the Nation I can't stay with you any more. I'm taking Kianna, that way she can grow up and master water bending. Maybe Master Pakku is still alive. He can teach her water bending. If not I'm sure I can."
"Katara, you can't leave me." Zuko pleaded. "I still need you."
"Yeah for a toy!" Katara pushed herself out of his arms. "That's all you've used me as since you proved your love for me about sixteen years ago!"
Zuko turned away from Katara. "If you leave me, it will not stop me from declaring war again. And this time I will kill that fish! I'm stronger than my uncle, and you're just a stepping stone."
"Do it. I dare you to." Katara growled. "Sokka and I will be ready with the greatest warriors that the Water Tribes have to offer. And I will personally kick your ass."
Zuko walked back towards the throne. "Get out of my sight wench." He sat down on the throne and raised the firewall back. "I don't want to see you again."
"The feelings mutual." Katara hissed walking out of the room.
Zuko heard the door slam and looked at the notebook besides his throne. He looked through pictures and began to cry. He had messed everything up by worrying about passing the ritual rather than letting things come naturally.
"It's all my fault." Zuko said throwing the book over the firewall. "I'm such a failure, like my father told me."
With Katara (K15: Okay guys this is back in the past. Sorry if I confused you)
"I don't love you any more Zuko!" Katara yelled. "I don't care what the hell happens to you, I don't care if you capture Aang, restore your honor end this war and get married to some whore and create tons of heirs! But I will not be that girl!"
Zuko grasped Katara by the shoulders and pulled her closer to him. "You want to know something. I'm doing this for you! This ritual is supposed to bring your family honor. You're the only thing I care about!" Zuko exclaimed. "If you don't care for me any more then I have no reason to continue on with this ritual any more.
"Can't you see how much I care for you? That I would die for you?" Zuko finally let go of Katara and turned to the side. "I guess not. You don't see what I'm doing this ritual for. My father was right. I was going to follow in his footsteps."
Katara looked at the prince and stormed off towards the camp. She was sick of seeing his pathetic face. She didn't want any more to do with him. After all, he was a fake and was only in the trip for himself. Dinner was going to be an awkward moment. Maybe she would be able to get through it, without talking to Zuko.
Later that night
Katara sat down next to Yue; it was great to have the princess back with her. She looked at Nyla who had informed the group that she was the Red Spirit and she was trying to help them do whatever it took to defeat the Fire Lord.
"It's great to have some girls to travel with." Katara said looking at Suki, Nyla, and Yue. "After all, guys aren't as much fun to talk to."
Suki looked at Haru and offered him a smile. "I'm just glad that Sokka met such a nice girl." Suki laughed slightly. "I was starting to get worried that he'd never find a girl."
Yue blushed slightly. "Well, our love is immortal." Those were the only things she could say without giving away too much of their previous activities. "I couldn't stay the moon spirit without my one true love."
Nyla glanced at Katara and tipped the girl slightly to the left. "Come on Katara, you've got to have some sort of romantic story." She said looking over at her twin brother. "You tamed the beast in Zuko, after all."
Katara looked over at Zuko and shook her head. "No I've got nothing." She replied. "I just wish things would go back to normal, when he was chasing us."
Suki placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay to miss him Kat." She said. "But obsessing over him and hiding it from yourself and your friends is not healthy."
"Neither is liking Haru." Yue giggled as Haru started to show off his earth bending to Aang.
Katara let out a long sigh. "Why do boys have to be so stubborn?"
"Because, it's part of them. They probably have to read How to be a Guy every night before going to bed." Nyla said. "And the answer to your question is probably found on page sixty two, section four, paragraph thirty two, subsection 'b'."
"Yeah, it's right next to the part where they activate their hormones every time they see a pretty girl." Suki laughed.
Katara let out another long sigh. "I feel like I'm in a horrible nightmare that I can't wake up from." She looked down at her food wishing that Zuko were on a ship somewhere and not across from her.
With the Guys
"Can you believe her? She blew me off sixty times!" Aang let out a scream in frustration. "I swear she doesn't get the hint that I like her."
Zuko looked at the last air bender. "Maybe if you didn't force yourself onto her." Zuko said. "Just let her do whatever for once."
"Maybe you should take your own advice Zuko." Sokka said sitting down next to the prince. "After all, Katara's old enough to take care of herself."
"I know, but I feel like I should be there with her. I think it's love, but every time she turns away from me I think that I just have stupid crush on her." Zuko said looking down at his notebook.
Haru put his hand Zuko's shoulder. "You shouldn't be worried about what the water bender thinks. I thought forever that Katara liked me, but she was never going to return to me, so I had to move on. I traveled to Kyoshi and found Suki."
"Yeah Suki's one great girl." Sokka said. "I know from experience that she's a great warrior too."
Aang sat on a tree branch. "Why do girls have to play hard to get?"
"It's simple, they don't want boys to know that they like 'em." Zuko replied. "Having a twin sister does that to you, you can almost know everything about a girl."
"Just having a sister does that to you Zuko." Sokka said. "I know almost everything about girls, the way they think, what they do when they play dolls and house. It's not pleasant. They're more mature than us."
"Doesn't surprise me." Haru answered.
"I heard from the monks that girls have a two year maturity level than we guys do." Aang said hanging upside down from the branch.
"Yeah I think my uncle told me that one too." Zuko said taking his ink and began to sketch Katara. "I can't understand why she can't see how much I love her."
"They say love's blind. And you can see nothing else." Sokka answered. "There might be a bigger force interfering."
"So how was Yue?" Zuko asked not really paying attention to anything but his sketch. "You two could be heard for miles."
Sokka blushed slightly. "It's not really something to brag about."
Haru smirked. "Awww little Sokka's growing up." He teased. "Next thing we'll now is he'll have grandkids by the time he reaches thirty."
"I better not!" Sokka said. "I'm not even ready for children yet!"
"You should have done anything yet!" Aang said. "I mean the monks never did."
Zuko smirked. "Doesn't surprise me. Where were the girls located, if you lived with all boys?" Zuko took some more ink on the end of his quill. "You need two to create a child."
Sokka hit Zuko on the head. "Would you shut up Princey?" Sokka demanded. "How many times have you been in bed with a girl?"
"None, every time my father would try to teach me what a Fire Lord does to pleasure himself I'd go find my cousin." Zuko looked at the warrior. "After Yan died, I went to train with Uncle. I never really received that lesson. I was too smart for my father."
"So, a prince does learn that lesson." Haru said. "That always was my biggest question."
"Drop it." Zuko snarled. "I don't want to talk about what kind of lessons a prince has to go through. Half of them are useless anyway."
Sokka looked over the prince's shoulder. "You draw?"
"Yeah, my favorite subject is landscapes, it wasn't until I found out that I was the Chosen One, then I found out I could draw humans." Zuko replied looking up at Katara. "It's a princely lesson I had to do, and the only one I liked. And I begged my father to continued."
Aang nodded and glanced over at the girls. "Sometimes I wonder if girls have their own language."
"They do, why do you think they travel in groups." Zuko said looking at the Avatar. "I should bring to the Fire Nation, it would be great for you to try to get a date for one of the royalty dances. It's almost impossible to get a date with all the giggling and stuff."
Aang smiled. "Hey Zuko, I'm sorry for trying to hook you up with my sister."
"That's not a problem Aang. I'm used to the whole forced dating thing." Zuko said finishing his picture. "What do you guys think?"
Sokka was the first to answer. "You've got everything perfect about her. Even her smile." Sokka complimented.
"I like it!" Aang exclaimed.
"The very likeness of Katara." Came Haru's answer.
"Good because I like it to." Zuko let out a long sigh. "Maybe one of these days, I can get her to smile like that." Zuko said more to himself than the other boys.
K15: Okay guys. This is the fastest I've ever gotten a chapter out since school started up again. Don't expect these too often. I've got a band concert tonight so I really wanted to get it out before hand. So don't forget to review. I live off reviews. Not flames, they scare me. –Shrug- so, until next updation. Later. K15