AN: ok guys I got ONE review...YES at least I got one! A big shoutout to Princess MeiMei! THANK YOU! As of right now you are my biggest fan...soo congrats! lol omg this aint right...I've got like 64 hits to my story...NO ONE REVIEWS and hardly anybody makes it to ch. 2...is ch. 1 THAT BAD! lol Oh well...I'm really not writing this for the benefit of anyone who reads this...I'm doin it for myself...to help increase my writing skills...but it would be a little nice to get some feedback here people! lol but its a funny story, I had the hardest time getting the chapter up. First my the power cuts off while I'm writing...meaning I had to start ALL OVER...then my fanfic account says I don't have a story! I was totally POed people! so PLEASE REVIEW for my sake (especially on this ch.) well here ya go chapter 3 of The Doom of Innocence! R&R ENJOY!
The Doom of Innocence
Ch.3 Bitter First Impressions
It was late afternoon when they arrived back at the ship. The sky was illuminated with an orange tint, as the sun slowly dove beyond the horizon. Zuko, who at the time, was still carrying the unconscious girl, and Iroh, slowly boarded the docked ship, where Lt. Jee was there waiting to greet them.
"Prince Zuko, General Iroh, we were beginning to…" Lt. Jee trailed off when he saw the very agitated Zuko and the burden he was carrying.
"No need to worry, Lt. Jee, we can take care of ourselves," Zuko said with a condescending sneer.
"I'm sure," he replied with a hint of sarcasm.
"Lt. Jee," Iroh said, intervening before an argument broke out. "Will you please alert the doctor that he is needed, for as you can see, this woman has severe injuries that need to be tended to right away. And please have someone prepare a room for her."
"Right away, General Iroh," Lt. Jee replied with a curtnod, and with one last glare at Zuko he walked off.
Iroh looked at the impatient Zuko, "That was unnecessary Prince Zuko, butit can wait. What's important now is that our lovely young friend here gets to the infirmary," Iroh said with a friendly grin, hoping his nephew would cool his temper.
"Whatever," Zuko said trying desperately to keep his temper in check. As he stalked off to the infirmary, his mind was racing. Why? Why did she save us...what were her motives? Why would father hire her to wipe out that many rebels on her own? Zuko thought. Although the answer was very obvious, she was a magnificent fighter both in bending and close range combat with skills any bender or normal fighter would envy. Yet the thought struck him as odd.
When the doctor was able to get around to checking her, he was shocked at the condition the girl was in; bruises and scratches dotted both of her arms, while a large gash that extended from the tip of her shoulder and ended at her elbow, on her left arm was covered in dry blood.
"What….what happened," the doctor asked Iroh who had been sitting at her side since Zuko had brought her to the infirmary.
"An ambush, a group of rebel teens surrounded and attacked Zuko and I, then she showed up and saved us both; however as she was battling their leader she lost her focus, giving him the opportunity to beat her into this state, that's when Zuko intervened, and now here we are." Iroh said examining the limp form, worry glinted in his golden eyes.
"Well then, I guess I'd better get started then," he said eyeing the blood covered gash with the utmost seriousness.
"Take care of her doctor," Iroh said calmly as he walked out of the room.
"Don't worry General Iroh; she's in good hands."
About an hour or so later the doctor emerged from ht infirmary and went off to find Iroh. He finally found Iroh in the Helm playing a game of Pi Sho with some of the crew, while Prince Zuko was calmly talking to the captain about the directions the Avatar had taken, and of his possible whereabouts in the surrounding area.
"General Iroh," the doctor said calmly. The whole room fell silent as all eyes fell upon him.
"Yes doctor, how is our young friend?" Iroh asked with some concern.
"Well," the doctor started, feeling awkward from their staring. "I've stitched up her left arm, but it will leave a nasty scar. She was very lucky this time, the gash on her left arm cut extremely deep and nearly cut through a main artery in her arm. She bruised a couple of ribs, but other than that she is just bruised and battered, no major harm done." he finished, with a small smile.
"Good,good, is she awake yet?" Iroh questioned, relieved that she would be okay.
"No, not yet, but it should not be long now, would you like to see her,"
"Yes, yes of course," Iroh replied quickly, forgetting all about his game. "Come on Prince Zuko, lets go see her," Iroh exclaimed cheerfully, slowly dragging the now agitated Fire Prince out the door.
"No uncle, I don't want to see –" Zuko tried to protest but was cutoff.
"Nonsense, she isprobablydying to see her savior!" Iroh smirked slyly.
They walked on in silence until they reached the infirmary. Iroh slowly approached her bedside with the doctor; Zuko hung back reluctantly by the door, waiting for the perfect opportunity to slip out. After a couple of minutes with no indication of her coming around, Zuko started to become impatient.
"Well," he demanded, frustrated at his uncle for all the nonsense he was putting him through.
"Shhh……she's waking up!" Iroh exclaimed excitedly. Slowly, very slowly her eyes unlided to reveal glazed over, hazy amber pools, which somehow reflected the light comingfrom the room. She slowly moved her head, examining every detail and every person in the small room in the infirmary; then her eyes cleared as she came to a sense of realization, and then, she locked eyes with Zuko. She jolted upright, eyes wide with shock and fright.
A jolt of pain, like liquid fire, seared through her arm. She moaned, clutching her arm gently, fearing to see the damage Jet had done to her arm. She groaned when she saw the long, yet slender, stitched up gash on her left arm. She glanced around the room again after sensing tension and stares in the room being directed at her.
"Where…where am I," she asked, agitated at the sympathetic looks she was getting form Iroh and the doctor, Zuko just stood there staring.
"Why hello there, I'm Iroh and this is my nephew Zuko," Iroh said smiling his goofy grin.
"Yes, I know who you are, but, where am I," she asked firmly, knowing that if he kept this up she would lose her cool.
"Your –" Iroh tried to reply but was cutoff.
"On my ship," Zuko said his voice like searing ice.
"Yes and how are you feeling now," the doctor quickly intervened before she could snap back at Zuko.
"I'm fine, never been better," she replied pulling herself up and glaring at Zuko.
"Well to obtain the wounds you received, you must have had some amazing battle." he said smiling. Just as she was about to reply Iroh jumped in.
"Oh yes, it was magnificent; close range combat, excellent Firebending, you should have seen…." Iroh trailed off and looked down at her. "I do not believe we know your name. It would make an old man very happy to know the name of the women who –"
"Meisha, just call me Meisha," she replied quickly cutting Iroh off.
"Well Meisha," the doctor said, "You're in stable condition, so you should be able to leave the infirmary now."
"Good," she replied pushing herself out of the uncomfortable bed.
"Well Miss Meisha, we have a room already prepared for you," Iroh smiled and looked back at Zuko firmly. "Zuko please escort Miss Meisha to her room." Zuko sighed; there would be no arguing with his uncle on this.
As she made a step towards the door, she stumbled, still weak from all the blood she had lost,while her bruised ribs sent a jolt of pain throughout her body. Iroh quickly grabbed her and tried to steady her; she shook him off asthe doctor hurried over to her.
"Maybe you should stay here tonight," he said trying to usher her back to that horrible bed.
"I'm fine," she said pushing away from the doctor.
"But ma'am you really should – "
"I'm FINE!" she exclaimed, fire flying from her fists. The doctor quickly quieted his protest. She slowly made her way to where Zuko was waiting, and silently followed.
Tensions were high as Zuko led Meisha down one hall after another; she was a ticking time bomb for disaster and just saying one wrong word could easily ignite her temper.
"So..." Zuko said breaking the icy silence. "Did my father really commission you to wipe out that rebel group," he asked his eyes fixed on the door some distance away that he knew would be her room.
"Humph, do you really think Ozai would need to commission anybody for a task as simple as that." Meisha replied calmly.
"So what are you saying?" Zuko was starting to get agitated.
"Well to put it in terms that even you would understand; I lied." She smirked, knowing that, that would infuriate him. And it did.
"Then why were you out there?" he was really angry now.
"Like I said, I count it a joy to aid the Fire Nation in any way possible. I do itall of my own fee will."
He fell silent. He didn't trust her….not at all.
"Well then, why did you save my uncle?" he asked knowing she wouldn't tell him.
"As I stated before, the reasons for my intervention are classified; however, I could not allow a member of the royal family, no matter how disgracefull they may be, to be assonated without so much as a fight or in the worst possible case, sacrificing myself." She stated calmly, knowing very well what his next question would be. She knew he didn't trust her. She grinned inwardly and thought. But that's all going to change.
"Why is it so important that you can't tell us?" he asked trying to keep his temper in check.
"Because it's classified; any idea what the word means?" she said smirking.
"That's not what I asked!" he retorted, his fists starting to glow.
"Oh dear, little Zuko's getting mad," she said in a little girl's voice.
"What are you hiding from us?" he demanded, his fists now quite hot.
"Nothing, nothing at all," she said in an innocent, carefree voice.
"Tell me now or I'll –" he said blocking her path, his eyes flashed dangerously.
"You'll what? Throw me overboard? Or prehapsyou'll burn poor helpless little me into a crisp," she said tauntingly, causing several sparks of lightning to fly around him and then soothingly said, "Get a grip, I'm not hiding anything. Why would I? It's like, my sworn duty to protect the royal family, why should I have something to hide?" she looked up at him, her eyes twinkling in the dark.
Zuko sighed and opened a door. "Here's where you'll stay," he said calmly, eyes still flashing. Her musical voice had amazingly soothed his nerves, but he was still skeptical of her.
"Thank you," she replied walking into the room, calmly closing the door, leaving him alone in the dark hall.
So much for a good first impression, rather bitter actually. She thought lying down on the bed made for her; her body ached all over and it felt good to relax for the first time in weeks. I need to control my temper...hmph it's nothing compared to his though. Hmm yes, nothing quiet like his at all. She rolled over and quickly fell into the peace of sleep.
AN: Ok guys there it is...this is by far the best chapter...if I do say so myself...so please review...it took me forever to get this up. So give me some feedback! Well your reviews are much appreciated (although I only got one). Well I got to get to work on what ch. 4 is gonna be about cuz...I haven't the faintest idea myself! oh well! Catcha later! SEE YA! REVIEW