Fire that helps Chapter 3
sorry, but at the end of the other chapter it was supposed to say loud boom, sorry if i confused anyone. i wouldn't know, im confused all the time.
Katara felt herself thrown to the side of the ship. She hit her head on the wall as everything started to swirl. She felt herself thrown out of the ship and into the water. She could see feel, touch smell and taste, and she was conscious, but her limbs wouldn't obey her. She couldn't move. She was sinking. Then she felt something around her waist. She tried to see whom but she couldn't move her head either. She spotted an island not to far from shore when who ever had grabbed her brought her up for air. She gasped and looked at the island. It looked pretty small. She spotted Mia, swimming for the island. Whatever or whoever had her began to move again, toward the island this time. She still couldn't move. Soon they came to shore, and Katara could see whom it was who had saved her. Zuko. She stared dumbfounded for a moment. Zuko? Why would he save me? That thought kept running through her head over and over, she had no answer. He was panting as he collapsed behind the trunk of a tree, near Mia who looked at her.
"Katara, get over here before they see us!" Mia whispered hastily at her. Katara stood up and went over there.
"Huh?" Katara asked.
" This is the only land for miles around, this is the first place that they will look. We need to stay hidden." Mia told her. "Let's move." Mia spotted her sword a little to her right and went to grab them. There were lots of weapons in that area so she started to select some of them.
" I don't know, Zuko doesn't look like he can." Katara said.
" I can move perfectly fine." Zuko snapped and stood up. He didn't look harmed. Mia closed her eyes and tilted her head up. She snapped her head back and looked at them.
" There is caves, covering the side of the mountain. We should be able to find one that is really well hidden if we move that way. There is a forest that looks really dense that covers the entrance to several of the caves."
"Mia, incase you haven't noticed, its dark out and in dense forest, the light from the fire might set it on fire."
" Who said we will use fire to see? Zuko put Katara in front of you and grad my shoulders. I can lead the way I don't need light."
"Fine" Zuko grumbled. He grabbed Katara's shoulders and steered her toward Mia, who wasn't facing them. He let go of her shoulders and grabbed Mia's shoulders, leaving Katara trapped between to two. Mia began to move. They must of walked for an hour, listening to Mia say when to lift a foot, when to turn or duck. Finally Mia led them to a small cave. Once inside Mia lit her hand. Zuko reached behind him and grabbed some branches and leaves, set them on fire and placed them far enough back in the cave so that you couldn't see the light from the front of the cave. Katara felt left out, both of the people she was with were fire benders and she was a water bender, the complete opposite of a fire bender. She sighed and bent some of the water away from the area where they were. Zuko leaned on the side of the cave. She sighed as he let his knees buckle under his own weight. He fell asleep. Mia looked at him and sighed.
"Alright, spill." She said to Katara. Katara spun around and looked at her.
" Huh?"
" Well, about you and Zuko. You obviously like him, and I think he likes you too."
"What are you talking about?" Katara asked her, blushing. " I don't like Zuko."
"Don't lie to me."
"Fine."
"Fine what?"
" I like him okay? Will you shut up now and back off."
" Sorry. God you're lucky. Did you see him without a shirt? Whoa, it's like is it hot in here all of a sudden?"
"Well if he's so hot, then why don't you like him?"
" Cause he's like a brother to me. I'm sorry, but I can think of some one like a brother without a shirt but with pants on, just not without the pants. Anyway, wouldn't it be weird, kissing some one like your brother? That image is way to disturbing in my mind."
" Oh."
" I'm tired. I'm putting the fire out, so that we can sleep undiscovered."
" Sure."
" Ya know, when he's awake, he's a pain in the ass, but when he's asleep, he is so nice to have near." Mia said, Katara sighed and slid down the side of the cave, about 6 yards from Zuko and 4 yards from Mia. Then Mia put the light out. Katara closed her eyes.
Zuko opened his eyes and looked down. He had rolled over during the night. It was dawn, and just enough light passed through the bushes and trees in front of the cave to see. He had draped his arm over the water girl… Katara, she had said her name was. He lifted his arm and stood up. Looking around, he saw that the fire was still going strong, and moving with every breath that Mia took, and off in the distance, smoke. He sighed and kicked her with his toe. She opened her eyes and glared at him. " Bastard." She mumbled as she sat up.
"We need to go out and find food. I think that there is a small village over that way." He pointed toward the direction where most of the smoke was coming from. " Its too far inland for Azula and her troops." Mia nodded.
"Katara, wake up." Mia looked over at her friend and said. "Katara, WAKE UP!" Mia repeated, much louder. Katara sat up in a start.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"We need to go into the small village up there and buy some supplies." Mia told her, Katara looked at Zuko and he nodded. The three stood up and climbed out of the cave. They walked to town in silence. About halfway there, Mia noticed that she and Katara were still dressed in those stupid uniforms. So Mia grabbed her swords and headed off toward the side. "Wait here." She ordered. She disappeared into and alley. About five minutes later she returned, with a Katara's dress and a black skirt and top. " We need to change, these dresses are to recognizable." Katara didn't bother asking where she had gotten them from. She was just glad to have her clothes back. Zuko turned around So that they could change. The girls quickly slipped into their outfits. "Okay, we're done." She said. Zuko turned around.
"Lets go." He said and started walking. The girls nodded and followed. They came into town; the market was bustling with activity. People were hurrying from place to place, getting what they needed and moving. Katara couldn't figure out why they were moving. Then she saw them. Earth nation soldiers. They walked the streets like they owned them. People moved quickly. Then, one man, near where they were standing, didn't move.
"You, why didn't you move?" the biggest solider yelled at him The man stared him strait in the eye.
"Because you are my equal, not any better than me. You are here to protect me, and these people, not scare them within an inch of their lives." The man said. The soldier's eyes narrowed.
" Ya know what my punishment is for a mouth like that?" the solider asked.
"There shouldn't be one, I have done nothing wrong." The man insisted.
" Ass whopping." The solider snapped and drew up his giant hammer. The next thing Katara knew, Mia was in front of the solider. The man had taken a step back. The solider had his giant hammer high in the air, ready to bring down.
"Step aside honey."
" No you bastard. I think you should fight someone more, capable of kicking your sorry ass. After all, killing you would make one less arrogant bastard in the world."
"Oh shit." Zuko groaned.
" Honey, I don't want to hurt your little pretty face." The man took another step back. " And anyway, I need to teach this one respect." He reached down and pushed her aside. On his part, this was a big mistake.
"Don't' touch me." Mia yelped as she sprung into action. She slide her leg under him and tripped him 'Wow, she must be really strong, that solider looks kind of big.' Katara thought silently to herself. He instincts told her to jump in and help. She took a step forward, but Zuko grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.
"What are you doing?" Katara asked, gazing up at him
"Watch." Was all he said? The man had angered.
" Fine missy, you want to play with the big kids?" he snapped after he realized that she had tripped him. The man ran off. The solider tried to swing at her, but she pulled out her own broad swords and swatted him back. She swung the sword just in time to backfire the movement of the hammer. The hammer swung back and hit the solider in the stomach. He yelled. " Blue 42." Another solider came up behind her and blind folded her. The crowd that had gathered gaped. Katara turned,
"We have to help her now! He's going to kill her." Katara said, in a worried voice.
" Didn't she tell you about those 8 years?" Zuko reminded her. She remembered and smiled.
" Not so tough now, are ya?" the solider snapped. Another one held Mia in place. She snickered.
"Yes." She flipped the solider that was holding her over her head and into the other solider. " Actually, I'm tougher."
The man angered, and came at her from behind, at an angle impossible to see, even if she could. She quickly spun around and grabbed the soldier's wrists, forcing him to drop the hammer on his own toe. He shrieked as she pushed him backward into a trudge of water. She stood in front of him. "So, accept you're defeat? Or do I have to do it again?" She snapped. The solider glared and stood up. He left without responding.
" Mia!" a voice came. It wasn't Zuko or Katara. " You're under arrest you, stupid lousy firebender!" She froze. The person broke through the crowd.
" Firebender?"
"Let's get her"
" Yeah! That would be one less stupid firebender." Mia backed up against the wall as the people surrounded her. She didn't take her blindfold off. She suddenly froze with fear. Zuko tensed, Katara could feel it in the grip he had on her shoulder.
" We have to save her." Zuko announced. Katara nodded. She and Zuko pushed through the crowd until they were close to the front. Katara sent a blast or water through the crowd. Zuko ran up to Mia and grabbed her wrists. She was freaked. He dragged her through he crowd and into the forest as fast as her could. Katara ran through the crowd after them and caught them quick. The tree of them slipped into the cave and ducked as the villagers and soldiers ran by, cursing and scowling about how they didn't see it before, how the three of them were wanted. Zuko dropped Mia and collapsed onto the ground near the fire. Mia just sat there for about ten minutes. Katara sat down next where Zuko was laying. He sat up and pulled his shirt off and lay back down.
" Thanks." Mia stammered out.
" Its okay." Katara couldn't believe her ears. Zuko was apologizing? That was new.
"Umm, Mia? Could you take off that blindfold? It's kind of creeping me out." Katara asked Mia. Mia nodded and pulled the blindfold off. She squeezed her eyes shut and put her head in her hands. " Are you okay?" Katara asked her. Mia shook her head no.
" The memories. They won't go away." Mia said quietly, as few lone tears fell from her eyes. Mia swallowed hard. " I froze up, I shouldn't of. I should have burnt them to a crisp or something. I put you both in danger. I'm sorry."
" Mia, Its not your fault. What did you do anyway?" Katara asked. Mia smiled and let out a small laugh.
" I used to perform there, ya know as entertainment. I would do acrobatic routines. Then, one time, I saw a Yun-Yan archer. I shot lighting at him automatically. The town felt betrayed and began to tell everyone, they chased me out of town. Because of it, I've had to live life on the run." She whispered. " I used to train with Yun-Yan archers. I would have to shoot sticks or whatever that looked like them. It was a reflex. I usually try not to hurt people unless they hurt fist. I hate killing." Katara nodded. " I'm tired. I'm going to sleep." Katara shrugged. Mia lay down onto the ground of the cave. She closed her eyes and put out the fire. Katara sighed and fell asleep.