Chapter Ten

" I don't want to do this anymore, I can't save them all by myself. I...can't do it..."

" What are you doing sitting out here?" A voice called over to Yumi. She was crouched at the very tip of the boat. She was doubting herself and her meager abilities. Yumi looked up and was surprised to see a frowning Zuko staring down at her. " At least take this." He said, throwing a dark red cloak at her. It smacked her in the face. She held it in front of her.

" What do I do with this?" She asked dumbly.

" It's cold, you idiot." He said, turning around and walking back.

" Wait."

" What?" Zuko turned.

" May I ask you a question?" Yumi said quickly, pulling the cloak over her head. Zuko stayed silent, but didn't move from the place he was standing. " Will you...what I mean is, will you help me find my brother?" Zuko didn't hesitate.

" No."

" What? Why?" Yumi said loudly.

" It's not my place." Zuko snapped. Yumi jumped onto her feet and got dangerously close to Zukos' face. He flinched. " What?"

" Are you scared or something, Prince Zuko?" She asked, curious of his reasons. Zuko groaned.

" Don't be ridiculous, I am not an idiot like you, I wouldn't walk willingly into a trap." He answered, turning so his back was to Yumi. She walked around so she was facing him again. " Persistant little..." He started, Yumi glanced up at him and just stared. Zuko was puzzled at why she was just looking at him. He was about ready to dart past her and back to the encampment with the others. He didn't even know why he had wandered over to the depressed girl in the first place.

" I don't walk willingly into traps." Yumi defended, her companion rolled his eyes.

" Yeah, and I enjoy music night."

" Me too!"

" I was being sarcastic, you know what saracasm is, right?" Zuko asked.

"...maybe..." Yumi concluded, glancing away, as her cheeks shone bright red.

" You're so ignorant." Zuko said, sighing and sitting down. Yumi sat down, facing him.

" I could really use your help, Prince Zuko." Yumi said, she decided maybe she'd take a different approach then the pleading one she had been using to persuade Zuko into helping her. A devilish grin fell apon her face as she let her colar slip down over one of her shoulders, and she batted her eyelashes. Zuko raised an eyebrow.

" What are you d-doing, pull up your shirt." Zuko said, suddenly feeling warm. They had gotten back onto the ship a couple of hours ago and the sun was just setting, it was acutally a quite cool. Yumi leaned forward.

" Why don't you pull it up?" She asked softly. Zuko narrowed his eyes at her and stood up.

" I'm still not going to help you break into the palace." He replied, now relizing what she was doing, walking away. Yumi fumed as she pulled her colar up near her neck again. She followed him.

" Prince Zuko, wait for me!" She called, rather dramatically. He turned around and a frown was on his face.

" Stop following me!" He shouted. Yumi was taken aback.

" What did I do?"

" I don't like being clinged on by the likes of you." He sputtered, now angry. Yumi looked hurt as she took a step back, not saying anything. Zuko mentaly hit himself and looked at Yumis' face, she looked as if she would have cried. He was about to apologize, but then just shook his head angrily and stomped through the metal door that was behind him, leaving Yumi alone on the deck with the exception of a few guards who had watched the whole thing. Yumi watched the door slam and let her hands fall to he sides.

---

" Wait for me, big brother! I want to come too!" A small girl called to the older boy that was running in front of her. He turned back and gave her an adgitated look.

" Yumi, " He muttered, as if just relizing that the girl was there and yet little Yumi had been following her brother for quite a while. " Go home and help mother with dinner, I'm going to play with my freinds!" He urged the girl insistantly. She jutted her lower lip out and stomped her feet a couple of times.

" You have to let me come, I can if I want! You're not the boss of me." Little Yumi said, her voice squeaking. Aru sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

" Fine, you can come, but you don't have to be so clingy."

---

" I'm clingy?" Yumi asked herself, snapping out her flashback and staring at the ground. A cough was heard.

" Yeah you are." A guard mused from beside her. She glared at him.

" Who asked you?" Yumi muttered.

" You did." He replied, snickering. She turned to face him.

" I wasn't talking to you, you big oaf." Yumi managed, before the metalic door crashed open, hitting the wall. A few mangeled, goofy looking men, wearing odd clothes that were certainly not Fire Nation clothes came strutting out. They walked right past Yumi and the guard. Following behind them was Iroh and Prince Zuko. Yumi gawked unattractively at them. Zuko hadn't turned to look at her but kept his eyes pointed forward. Yumi leaned in close to the guard she was standing next to.

" Who are they? They're dressed so mysteriously." She whispered to him, he looked down at her.

" I'm not permitted to tell you that!" He replied.

" Don't be a stick in the mud, tell me!" She retorted, he sighed and glanced at them.

" Woman..." He muttered under his breath, but continued anyways. " Those, are bounty hunters, hired by Admiral Zhao to capture the Avatar, little missy." The guard explained. Yumi took her gaze away from the guard to look at the bounty hunters. One was at the very tip of the boat, pointing out into the distance. She watched as Iroh and the others nodded their heads. Iroh was talking to the one who had been pointing, he nodded and they made their way back past Yumi and through the door. Zuko was at the very back staring straight ahead, before he went through the threshold of the steel door, his hand darted out and grabbed Yumis' arm and she was thrust into the doorway. It slammed shut behind them. She and him watched as Iroh and the Bounty Hunters turned a corner down the narrow walkways. When they left Yumi, snapped at Zuko who was still clutching her forearm.

" Ow! That hurt!" She wimpered, looking down at Zukos' hand which was still on her arm. He let go when he felt it was safe, which was two seconds later. He turned to her, his face a combination of shock and worry.

" Be quiet, fool." He said, awkwardly. Yumi looked confused.

" What are you--" She began, but was cut off when she head voices coming down the hallway.

" Yes, General Iroh. That sounds fine, gather everyone on the ship..." A deep, male voice said, but Yumi couldn't make out the rest becuase Zuko had grabbed her open hand that was by her side and tugged her into the nearest open room. He slammed the door behind him, which probably was not a good idea. Zuko started to pace around, while Yumi stayed silent, her hands poised over her chest.

" What's happening, Prince Zuko?" She asked, more urgently for she wanted a clear answer and not to be told she was ignorant or a fool again. Zuko stopped pacing and turned to her, before he could answer the door to the room started to creak open. Yumi was standing on one side of the door, she was about to move but stopped, when Zuko darted over to her and pressed her against the wall. She grew as stiff as a board, as she saw Zuko put his arms on either side of her on the wall, his body pressed against her own. His face was inches from her own and she glanced up, now getting scared. What was going on?

" Don't move." He commanded. Not a problem seeing as she was so stiff from being so close to Prince Zuko that she choked as she drew is staggering breaths. Zuko kept his eyes plastered to the door, it opened fully and the Yumis' eyes widened in horror.

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I'm sorry for the long wait on Chapter 10, but I hope you liked it and please review.