Ok…I'll try to make this chapter funnier and more interesting…Please R&R!
He lowered himself to the ground, crossing his legs into the posture of meditation, pressing his hands together, palm to palm, before him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, releasing it as he began to relax, muscle by well-toned muscle. Slowly, slowly he let his mind drift away from his current humiliation and into the future.
Bam. The door to his room slammed open, disrupting his mood.
"Prince Zuko!"
All the calm that had filled him only moments before evaporated, and was replaced with fiery anger. The exiled Prince of the Fire Nation leapt to his feet, and whirled, ready to cremate the intruder immediately.
"What – is – it?" He snarled, fire flickering menacingly in and around his fists.
The messenger (for that was who it was), trembled.
"I-it's the A-avatar, milord Zuko, sir! He's been s-sighted again, he and the t-two w-water-benders who travel with him!"
"Well, it's about time!" Zuko growled, calming despite himself at the good news. He strode out of his room, leaving the messenger to close the door behind him, and swept off to the main cabin. He slammed the door open and strode to the side of ex-General Iroh, who was busily consuming a glass of his favorite tea.
"Uncle!" he said sharply, "You have heard?"
Iroh raised an eyebrow. He didn't miss much around the ship, so of course he'd heard. Zuko knew that, so why bother asking every single time?
"Yes, I heard; when you are finished being dramatic, we can go find him. However –"
Zuko cut him off huffily. "I am not being dramatic! Finish your tea, Uncle!"
Iroh winked at the men from behind Zuko. "As I was saying before you interrupted, may I suggest a change in strategy? As your last attempt proved, outright attacks are basically useless. Perhaps it is time to try using one of the water-children as bait…?" He let the suggestion dangle in the air as the Prince thought it over.
"Very well, Uncle. I'll try to capture one of them. You stay here and prepare a holding cell out of one of the guest rooms."
Sokka stretched, waking up after a long afternoon nap. Katara and Aang weren't back yet, so he decided to look around a bit. The clearing basically consisted of a river with a high rock wall on one side of it, and a small beach on the other. Sokka was seated above the river, at a vantage point from which he spotted a large island.
That would be an ideal campsite…he thought, totally defendable, equipped with water and…Fish!
He made his way to the island, with only one or two minor mishaps when his skirt (blasted excuse for a piece of clothing!) caught on a rock, and set up camp. He caught two fish, one of which he cooked and ate himself, and the other he placed in a small secluded pool for later consumption. That being finished, he lay down, gazing at the small beach. The sun had set, and the temperature dropped. Sokka pulled on the hood of the parka and fell asleep.
Prince Zuko and his small band of fire-benders approached the village. He signaled them to come close and listen to him.
"Look for water, any water source. The avatar and his companions have probably stopped to get supplies, but I'm sure one of them was left to watch their belongings. The female is the most likely to have been left behind, and she will have set herself up by some stream or another. When you find her, alert me; do not attack on your own," he whispered.
They obeyed him and spread out, eyes and ears perked for any sign of water.
"Hey, Aang! Look at this!" Katara called excitedly. She held up a long, slitted blue skirt up for his inspection. "Do you think this would look better on me, or on Sokka?" she asked, laughing.
"Hmm…I dunno, Katara, that's a tough question…" He burst out laughing, but the corner of his eye twitched a bit. It was a small town, it was true…however, it was also the biggest center of fashionable wear for benders in the area, and he and Katara had only been to half of she stalls. They'd picked out Sokka's clothes five hours ago, and when Aang had jokingly suggested that Katara might find some nice clothes too, she had taken it a little too much to heart. He groaned, and followed Katara on to the next stall.
"Prince Zuko, sir. We found her." One of the men pointed out the sleeping bender from the rock wall they stood on. She was curled cutely in the middle of a river on an island. Zuko frowned that she had chosen such a defendable spot, but moved in for the capture anyway. He took a deep breath and jumped, landing nimbly on his feet next to the quiescent bender, and landed a sharp blow on her head, knocking her out for easier transport.
"There. When you awaken, you shall be the honored guest of Prince Zuko's ship," Zuko said with a sneer.
"Katara…Don't you think we should get back? Sokka will be furious!" Aang cried desperately. The sun had gone down long ago, but the shops were still open.
"No, he'll be fine…we'll leave as soon as the stands close." Aang resisted the urge to burst into tears. He wandered over to the closest stall and asked the owner when they closed.
"Close? Why no, sonny, we never close! We keep all night shifts here!" If he had hair, Aang would have torn it out. As it was, he stuffed his fist in his mouth to muffle his frustrated screams, and followed Katara to yet another stall.
Yay! Three Chapters in one day! I really have too much freetime. Hopefully, this one will be funnier...Zuko has entered the plot.Katara might be a little OOC, but I dunno...I'm new to this. Poor Aang! Oh, sorry about all the switching viewpoints. Now that Zuko and Sokka are in one place, there'll be less of that. Review please! Comments on personality would be appreciated. Thanks!