I am on a roll here! Boo Yah! and i got to skip practcie this morning! I am a happy person! can't spell for my life, but still happy! Everyone throw something at someone, 4 of july weekend is next weekend! I think i'll throw some fun dip at Kelley...

Fire that helps Chapter 7

They turned around. Azula was behind them, with Mai and Ty Lee. "You've fallen for the bait once again. I thought you were smarter than that." She shot an attack at Aang. He dodged it and threw a fireball at her. "I see you've begun to learn firebending. Who taught you? I highly doubt that Zuko could even think of making a fireball that big." Zuko threw a fireball at her. Mai and Ty Lee joined in the fight.

Sokka and Mia heard something ram into the side of the ship, and a loud groan.

"Appa." They both said. Mia blew the door off and ran up the steps with Sokka close in tow. They burst on to scene, seeing Toph and Katara fighting Mia and Ty Lee and Zuko and Aang fighting Azula. Sokka ran to help his sister. Mia threw a lighting bolt at Azula. Everyone stopped.

"Well, Well, the run away girl shows her face again. Stop bending, you're a failure to fire bending prodigies every where."

"Shut-Up Azula and fight. Or have you realized you're beaten. Just like that day in school." Azula's eyes narrowed. She tossed a lighting bolt at Mia. She dodged it.

"Shut-up."

"What Azula? Hate it when I mention that I beat you? When I was tiered and blind none the less?"

"SHUT-UP" She yelled and lunged at her. Mia flipped her over her arm and into the water. She turned and ran off the pier, the others following her. They ran util they go to Appa. Once they got on, Aang yelled 'Yip-Yip' and they were off.

Choy made his way up the stairs, he heard a commotion up there. He found a very wet, very pissed off Princess Azula.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Your stupid little sister that's what happened. No matter, she's like my brother and she will fall. Prepare to follow the bison, he is headed east I believe."

"Yes Princess." He said and bowed as he left.

"We need to start formulating a plan to defeat the fire lord and the comet." Zuko said as they pulled away. Everyone nodded. "Any ideas? We cant just take it by storm, its 6 on the entire Fire Navy." He said.

"Sneak Attack." Mia said, sitting up. "Katara, Toph and I can get in easily, we can fake catacombs, you boys can fake guards. I can get some dresses for us and we can jump some soldiers for their uniforms. Once in, we need to plan further. I can find out the catacomb time once we land, and from there we can formulate an attack on them from the inside out." Mia said.

"I don't want my little sister pretending to be a catacomb!" Sokka yelped. Mia shrugged.

"Then how about we have Zuko fake 'capture' you guys and I fake as a guard, then we attack before he can decide what to do with you." Mia suggested.

"Are you kidding? They are looking for me to throw me in jail, I won't make it 3 meters into the fire nation!" Zuko groaned.

"I don't see any of you coming up with plans."

"What if we use that plan, but you capture all of us instead." Toph suggested. "They think your dead, right?"

"Yeah, that might work." Mia said

"I say we vote on it." Sokka said.

"Fine" Everyone said.

"Okay, Mia's catacomb plan." No one raised their hands. "Okay, Mia's capture plan." Mia, Zuko, Toph, Aang and Katara raised their hands. "Okay I thinks it's that one."

"Okay, lets put it into action." Aang said "What do we need to do."

"Okay, we need Bunki rope. It looks strong, but breaks with a few tugs. That way you guys can be released easily. We'll need to land in the Fire Nation."

"Lets do it." Katara said.

They all sat around a fire. Two months, that's all we had. Zuko drew out a map of the palace from memory in the dirt. We disused techniques. "If we attack when I am in there we stand a lesser chance. I say that we wait until I leave, then attack. I can take care of the guards who come running then." Mia announced. Everyone nodded. "Until then, we sharpen our skills. We need to find a rotate matter, a schedule to move by. We should train endlessly for a week before even think of setting foot on fire nation grounds. Aang, teach someone else to fly Appa. This way we can rotate and you can get some sleep, just not Mr. Pain-in-the-ass-to-wake-up cough Sokka cough."

"Hey!"

"Then we need to train. Katara, you're going to have to make sure everyone brings a canteen of water for you to use. Sokka, go train with Zuko. I'll train with Aang and Toph. Toph, the palace is all metal, you're going to have to bend rocks from your pouch. I'll work with Aang." Mia instructed. She had an arthritic ring to her voice. Sokka nodded and left with Zuko. He still felt utter hatred for the prince, but he had learned to respect him as well. He saw that he really cared for his sister. He saw this the time that she had almost fallen off of Appa, he had caught her and pulled her back. He saw that he cared for Mia, but in a different way. The same way he cared for Katara, in the loving older brother way.

"Sokka, can I ask you something?" Zuko broke the silence that they had been walking in.

"What?"

"What's your fathers name?"

"Kinko, why?"

"Just wondering."

"What ever." Sokka rolled his eyes and raised his hands to fight. Why had he wanted my fathers name? The only thing he'd ever need my father for would be permission to marry Katara. Oh god I hope I'm wrong.

They trained vigorously for the week. Aang taught Mia to steer Appa. They had gotten the Bunki rope and practiced over and over how their plan would go. They had to leave this morning. Mia appeared in her usual outfit, a black top that showed her stomach and black leggings with a black skirt, but the top that she had on was different, the straps were thinner. They all climbed up on Appa. Mia insisted that everyone rest on our trip there, eating at dusk, rising at sunrise. In between we were stuck on Appa with not much to do. Mia and Sokka were both two people who were not shy, they spent the time cuddling. Zuko was glaring at Sokka, shooting him the 'don't even think about it' look. I tried to occupy him, putting my arms around him, telling him to chill out. He responded by putting his arms around me. We all knew better than to start making out in front of everyone. It happened like this everyday, we flew for 4 days strait. We landed in the fire nation then, in the trees. We spent a day training and reviewing the plan, then the time had come to strike.

Mia tied our hands together with the Bunki rope. She pushed us forward and into a cart. She dragged the cart behind her with all of us in it. She got past the palace guards easily, after all she had captured both the Avatar and the banished prince. On her way there, she got stopped many times by boys asking her to court them. She politely turned them down. I was surprised Sokka didn't say anything. He had matured from a whining teenager who's voice cracked to a pretty strong warrior. We entered the fire lords big palace room thing. All of us were thrust to one knee behind Mia.

"What business do you have here Miss?" the fire lord began

"My lord, I have captured the avatar and banished prince Zuko. I have come to deliver them to you, that is what all the wanted posters say to do." Mia said. He voice was calm and clear.

"Stand." The fire lord commanded. Mia stood. "You shall go to collect your reward in the southern wing, guards lead her there. I shall take care of the prisoners." Everything was going as planned. Mia was lead away. "I suppose these are your masters? What may I ask is my son doing among them? After all, he will never be able to master fire, he is weak and insignificant." Aang said nothing in response. He only whistled. High, low, High, high, low, high, high, high, high, low. This is when we attacked. I could hear Mia outside, beating up the guards and keeping them at bay, leaving the 5 of us against the fire lord. The rope broke easily. Aang swung first, a large barrel of air was throw at the fire lord. He laughed and dodged it. He threw a fire ball, it was huge, at us. We all spread into different directions. Toph and I stuck together, we both had limited power here. Zuko kicked up fire at his old man.

"Agni Kai, now." Zuko said coldly to his father. His father nodded.

"This time I shall show no mercy, I will enjoy watching your weak self die." His father told him The men went into the Agni Kai area and readied themselves for a fight. I followed. Aang, Sokka and Toph were fighting off the guards. They both stood, ready to fight. Oazi threw the first punch, Zuko dodged. Mia had forced this skill upon him, tire out the enemy before you strike. They went on this way for 5 minutes, it seemed like hours, before Zuko struck. He knocked his father down easily. He placed a foot on his fathers chest.

"Surrender the crown now, I have beaten you father."

"I'll never surrender the crown to you. A weakling dose not deserve the thrown."

"This weakling just beat you. You've called too much pain on too many to be sparred." Zuko said simply, he released the flame in his hand, setting his father on fire. "You don't deserve to live." And with that, Zuko made the flame bigger, burning his father to death in front of his own eyes, just as the guards busted in, Mia, Sokka, Toph and Aang in front of them attempting to beat them back. They were easily out numbered, 50 to 1. All the guards stopped when they saw what was happening. "The fire lord is dead, I am the rightful heir. I take the throne." Zuko said.

"Not unless I kill you first." Princess Azula said, coming out of nowhere. She threw a lighting bolt at Zuko, he dodged. She lunged at him with a knife that had been attached to her ankle. He reversed the power of the knife and killed her. Mia stepped up onto the arena and pulled the crown from the fire lords ashes. The smell of burning flesh still haunted the arena. A man stepped forward and took it from her.

"The crowning shall take place now. Prince Zuko, you have defeated your father in Agni Kai, there for lifting your banishment. Your father has died in the making, and you were the one to kill him this makes you the new fire lord." He said and placed the crown on Zuko's head. He was now the fire lord. I smiled. "Another official ceremony will be held once you have collected yourself after your fathers funeral." The man said and patted Zuko's back. The man was about 6 ½ feet tall and old, very old. All the guards and Mia bowed in respect. She motioned for us to bow, so I did. "Fire Lord Zuko, what will your first act as Fire Lord be?"

"I declare this war over, retreat all troops now." He said.

I walked through the market, I knew I wasn't supposed to leave the palace gates but I didn't care. It had been a week since Zuko had defeated his father. The comet had passed. He was planning to hold his father's funeral tomorrow, this meant his official crowning would take place then too. Mia had disappeared, again. I had spent much time comforting Sokka over it. Zuko helped too, with the comforting. He told him she disappears a lot and that she will reappear soon. She came back last night, only for a short visit to me. She asked me to tell Sokka not to worry, she had some things to straiten out. She had a 'prior commit' is what she told me to tell him. I had told Sokka this morning and left him to let it sink in. That's not all that changed though. Zuko had asked the Kings, Nobles and Chief men of all the nations, principalities and tribes to come to the crowning/funeral. We had made a treaty to go between the nations to keep balance. Aang still had his job, attending meetings and such to act as a middle man, deciding the outcome and settling arguments. I pulled my cloak over my face to hide my eyes like Mia taught me to do. I was the main form of gossip in the market place.

"I heard that she's from the southern water tribe, and she's a pheasant."

"I heard that she's the chief of that tribes daughter, that makes her royalty, sort of."

"Why couldn't that be me?"

"Why couldn't that be me?"

"God, he's so hot."

"Speak for yourself, she's so sexy."

"Have you seen her best friend?"

"No, why?"

"They are like exact copies of each other, except one has deep brown eyes and bright brown hair. And she's a lot more, not shy."

"I think she's seeing that water tribe boy."

"He's not even a bender."

"What could she see in him?"

"Have you even seen him?"

"Well no, but still." I shook my head. People are such gossips. I'd heard rumors that my father was here, and that Aang was married to a flying lemur. I turned and walked back to the palace, it was after dark. Zuko was going to be mad, he said that the rebels would be after us and kill us if we left the gates. Sure enough someone pushed me into a wall. I couldn't see their faces, it was too dark out.

"Well, Well look at this, the fire lords girlfriend. Think we can use her to get to him?"

"Defiantly, but first." Who ever it was slit my wrists. I cried out in pain. There was almost no moon and no water, I was power less. I spotted something in the distance, a red mask. A figure appeared behind the two figures. They spun. "What does the Angel of fire want?" one of them demanded. The masked figure pointed to me.

"Too bad she's ours." The figure in the mask shrugged and turned, only to spin back around just as fast and knock on of the other figures out with a lighting bolt. The other one swung his sword at her, but was too slow. She dodged it and knocked him out. She grabbed my wrists and dragged me out of there, and up to the tops of the buildings. I tried to fight back, it didn't work. This masked person had a strong grip. They brought me inside the palace gates.

"I don't understand." I said, the masked person put their finger to my lips. And leaned in next to my ear.

"Always remember the fire that helps." She whispered in my ear and disappeared. The guards and Zuko appeared not 5 seconds later.

"Katara, where did you go?" Zuko asked me.

"I was in the garden." It was a lie, Zuko could tell, but he shrugged it off. "Let's go, I'm tiered." I nodded, and we walked to our room. I changed and climbed into the bed. Zuko joined me shortly after.

"So, are you going to tell me where you really were?" he asked me, he was propped up on one elbow looking at me.

"I went to the market, some rebels tried to capture me, but someone they called the angel of fire saved me, she told me never to forget fire that helps." I told him and braced myself for a tongue lashing. Instead he laughed.

"I swear, you and Mia are so alike it's scary. She said the exact same thing that time when we were 10. But I believe you, I've heard rumors that the angel of fire has returned." He ran his finger along my jaw line. I cuddled closer to him, inhaling his sent. He smelled like ashes along with another sent I could never name, but I like it. The two mixed well. I wondered what this angel was. Don't ask, Don't ask, and don't ask…

"Zuko, who's the angel of fire?" Ah shit, My curiosity got the best of me.

"The angel of fire is said to be a fire nation resident, that travels the globe and helps people. The angel has been around for 100 years, and the mask and training outfit is passed to the chosen girl. The angel disappeared for a short period of time a while ago. She apparently has returned. It is said, that she has started a league of angles who she trains in the earth kingdom who call themselves the angels of earth, but there is only one angel of fire." He told me.

Katara awoke the next morning while Zuko was getting dressed. She got up and grabbed the new dress that she was to wear for the ceremony, all white. She put it on and looked at Zuko, his robes were white as well. They had gone over the schedule many times. Breakfast, funeral/crowning, lunch, the big meeting. The funeral/crowning was short.

"Here lies the ashes of Fire Lord Ozai, father of Princess Azula, now past, Prince Zuko, brother of General Iroh, now past, Son of fire lord Azulon, now past. May he rest in peace. Prince Zuko, please step forward. I now pronounce you Fire Lord Zuko. All hail Fire Lord Zuko." Everyone bowed. Katara looked at Zuko with a proud smile, but he looked disappointed. He stood and went to change, and Katara followed to changed into her normal gown. Her gown was a long blue gown that matched her eyes. Her hair was still down when Zuko came up behind her and slipped his hands around he waist.

"Damn." He whispered in her ear. Katara smiled and leaned back into his arms. They both knew that Zuko had to go to some meetings about the treaty they designed, but they had a few minutes.

"Are you gonna tell me what's wrong?" she asked him.

"Nothing is wrong, I have my throne back and my sexy waterbender. I'm fine."

"Then why did you look disappointed at the ceremony?"

"I wasn't disappointed." He insisted. She rolled her eyes.

"I didn't see Mia."

"Yeah I know."

"That's it."

"No it isn't."

"Yes it is, Zuko she is basically all you have left, you said she's like family." Zuko gave a defeated huff, Katara knew she was right.

"I Gotta go, treaty meeting. No leaving the gates again or I'll assign you a personal guard." He told her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled as he left.

"I think I'll go find Sokka." She said aloud and left the room, she prayed she wouldn't get lost again. The palace was so big! She had gotten lost quite a few times before, but thankfully guards were everywhere. She just had to ask one of them to point her toward wherever she was going and they would direct her where to go. She knocked on the door to his room. "Sokka?" She asked, he opened the door.

"Hey." He said

"Are you okay?"

"I can't believe she left."

"Sokka, Zuko said she does this allot, she'll should show up soon."

"I guess, I think I wanna move into town. It's boring here."

"Do as you want brother of mine. Wanna go for a walk?"

"That bored? Sure I will." Sokka mocked her. She smiled. No matter what happens Sokka will always be Sokka. He closed the door behind himself as he left. He seemed depressed still. No matter what she did, she couldn't cheer him up. They walked into the garden.
"Sokka,"

"Katara, don't even try it. So far I've lost two girls in a row. I'm not cheering up." Katara sighed. She picked up a rock and tossed it across the turtle-duck pond.

"Ya know what I always wondered?" Katara said. Sokka picked up another rock.

"What?" he asked giving it a strong toss, sending it flying

"Why Mia could always find where things were, like Toph, even though she was blind and not an earth bender." Katara said, throwing another rock across the pond.

"I asked her once. She didn't even know." Sokka said, skipping a rock across the pond. Katara pulled some bread out and fed some of the ducks. She and Sokka spent the day doing this. Soon it was close to sunset, dinner was in two hours. "I'm going to train, I haven't trained all day." Sokka said standing up. Katara nodded, she needed to think.

"See you at dinner."

Zuko came outside, he finished early and he wanted to spend some time with Katara. The guards told him that she was in the garden. He saw Sokka get up and leave. He walked up behind her, she was sitting on a bench next to the duck pond. He took a seat next to her on the bench and put his arm around her shoulders. "Hey." He said, she looked over at him and smiled. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Hey." She said. He kissed her forehead. "Did you finish early?"

"Yeah, the meetings went surprisingly fast. You wouldn't believe how many nobles are in favor of this treaty. I got almost all of the ones from the fire nation to sign today. Only a few remain to be convinced. I'll do that tomorrow."

"I missed you, Sokka's too depressing to be around lately."

"He's lost two girls that he liked a lot, in a row and within a year of each other Katara, he is going to be depressed. I'm, surprised he hasn't tried to kill himself yet."

"Zuko!" She said spinning around to look at him.

"Katara, I was joking. Your brother is strong than most men, most men would attempt suicide after the loss of one woman they like a lot, your brother has lost two, and not even a year apart."

"Don't scare me like that he's all I have left of my family."

"Okay, come on, you wouldn't want to be late to dinner." He stood, taking her with him. They went to dinner.

2 years later,

Katara was about to turn 16, the marrying age of her tribe. Zuko was 18 and a great fire lord. That treaty he had made, all of the nobles and such of the world have signed it. He is having a ceremony to celebrate it a week after her birthday. She was worried about Sokka, he had gotten more and more depressed by the day. He was 17 now and he hadn't dated at all since Mia left. He convinced himself that he was a death magnet. That image of that sprit that helped her was burned into her head, and she was hearing more and more about it. That red mask was hard to miss. She sighed and leaned back onto the bed, Zuko was had some last minute details to attend to after dinner. He promised he would take the least amount of time he could. She was in her night cloths, a short blue nightdress that fit her perfectly. She remembered the first time Zuko saw her in it, his eyes widened. She usually didn't wear things as short as that gown, but it was the plainest by far so she chose it. Katara closed her eyes. She heard Zuko come into the room, so she pretended she was asleep. She heard him change and climb into bed. He pocked her. "Hey, no falling asleep until I get my good night kiss." He whispered to her. Katara snickered and rolled over to face him.

"Hey, how'd the meeting go?" she asked him.

"Good." He said. She leaned up and kissed him.

"My birthday's tomorrow." She reminded him.

"I know you'll love your present."

"Oh really, how do you know this?"

"Because I asked Sokka and Aang."

"Aang's here?"
"For the party next week about the treaty, and your birthday."

"I haven't seen him in two years."

"That's a long time not to see someone, what about that girl, Toph, remember her?"

"Of course I do."

"Well, those two are kind of going out, he told me himself. He was asking for relationship advice, he said he wasn't about to ask Sokka."

"No one tells me anything." Katara scolded and rolled over. Zuko moved closer to her and put his arm around her waist.

"I tell you I love you" he whispered in her ear. She smiled.

"I love you too." She said, they laid there in silence. Zuko fell asleep soon. Katara rolled over to face his chest and leaned her head against it. He was so warm and he always smelled good, even after he had been training. She sighed and fell asleep.

I woke before Zuko the next morning. It was close to sunrise, but not quite sunrise yet. He opened his eyes and looked at me. "Happy birthday." He told me and kissed me. I smiled.

"Morning." I said to him. I cuddled my head into his chest.

"Go back to sleep." He said into my hair.

"I'm up now, I can't go to sleep." I told him and looked up at him.

"Well than we've got an extra hour to kill before breakfast." He told me I blushed. "What should we do?"

"I think that we should do this." I told him and leaned up and kissed him. He ran his hands up the sides of my body. We mad out for another ten minutes, being careful not to go past making out. We didn't want to do it until we got married, I remembered when we had the talk. It had been so embarrassing.

"Zuko, we need to talk." I said, it was late at night, a few days after we had gotten Sokka's approval. It was time to have 'the talk' with him. I took his hand and led him into the woods, away from Aang and Toph.

"What do we need to talk about?"

"We need to have 'the talk' Zuko. This relationship is getting serious. We need to decide and map out what we do and don't want to do and when." Zuko palled a bit at my words.

"Go on, you go first."

"I don't want to, ya know until I'm married." He nodded his head.

"I understand." He said. We continued on like that for another hour.

"Hey." Zuko poked me. "Where'd you go?"

"Just thinking." I told him.

"We better get ready." Zuko got up, I sighed. Zuko got up and pulled on his robes. I pulled on my own robes, my back to him. He came up behind me and pulled my braid out.

"Zuko." I said.

"I want to try." He said and tried to pull my hair back the way it had been. "There." He said, I looked at my hair. It was surprisingly close to how my hair had looked before.

"Close." I said undoing the braid he had done and redoing it. He kissed my cheek and we went to breakfast. Sokka was there, he was moving out tomorrow. He gave me a hug when he saw me.

"Happy birthday." He handed me a small package, it had a hair brush in it. "I made it myself." Sokka told me, I smiled and gave him a hug.

"Katara!" Aang came in the room and ran up to me, giving me a hug. Toph followed close behind. "Happy birthday." He handed me a package with a mirror in it to match the brush. "I made one to match Sokka's brush, then you'd have a matching set." Aang piped cheerfully. "It's from Toph and Me."

"Thanks." I said and gave everyone else a round of hugs. The people came in to serve us breakfast so we need to sit. Once we were done, Zuko covered my eyes and led me down the hall. Aang, Sokka and Toph followed. "Zuko, where are we going?" I asked him

"You'll see." He told me and brought me into a room. "Close your eyes." I closed them. He lifted his hands and walked out from behind me, "Stay there and no peaking." He told me. I heard him open a door and hustle someone in. He returned to my side. "Open your eyes." I gasped when I saw who it was standing before me.

i skipped at lot of time between point a and point b on this one. i promise that once chapter nine is hit i won't be time jumping anymore.