Chapter 14

" Zuko, what are you doing…?" Yumi whispered, cautiously. He didn't move for a minute, but then slowly backed away. He rubbed his head, and avoided eye contact with Yumi.

" I…I don't know what I was thinking." He muttered, Yumi shifted onto her knees.

" What do you mean?" She asked, shaking.

" Must be temporary insanity." He replied, standing up and turning his back to her. Yumi didn't move for a second, but simply because she was shocked.

" TEMPORARY INSANITY?" She yelled, jumping Zuko. " You jerk…" She said, mock-awe. He turned back to her.

" Well, what were you expecting, I'd do that voluntarily?" He asked, Yumi jumped up and twisted her ankle, falling in the process. Zuko stared at her, then started to walk in the other direction. She stood up, her arms at her sides, shaking in anger.

" Don't forget, you're the one who fell on top of me!" Yumi cried, Zuko spun around and stomped back up to her.

" I was mentally exhausted is all!" He huffed as Yumi smirked. " You just happened to be in my collapsing range." Zuko explained, rather lamely.

" Mentally exhausted my shoe."

" I don't need this." Zuko shrugged and walked further into the forest. Yumi chased after him.

" First the continuous saving of me, the weird wrapping, then you're practically hugging me! What is going on, Prince Zuko?" Yumi wanted an explanation, no one had ever acted so oddly with her. She was confused.

It was a puzzle to Zuko as well. He didn't have any idea why he had just done what he had. Perhaps he was going crazy, perhaps he was getting soft. Maybe he was sick, yes, he was probably coming down with a fever. Then, why…did he feel fine?

" I don't understand, Prince Zuko." Yumi's eyes glistened, as she actually looked worried, or confused. You couldn't really tell with her. Zuko stopped and examined her shoulder. She unknowingly held her whole arm closer to her then her other, probably an instinct. Her robe was burnt off to the bicep. The two layers underneath had been charred as well. Other then the wrapping, her skin was exposed. Zuko forgot about the awkward argument he was in and concern reared its head.

" Are you cold?"

Yumi was in mid-yelling mode, her mouth half open as she tilted her head side-ways. " What? Why do you ask?" Zuko blinked once.

" Answer the question." He demanded.

" Well, not really. My shoulder just sears a little." She answered, looking down at her injury. Zuko sighed.

" You can't have a pain that sears a little." He muttered, sitting down, Yumi did the same, her eyes softened. It was nice, that he was concerned like this. Why, though?

" I'm going to take the bandage off, it's going to hurt." He said quickly, reaching out to her. She hesitated, and her eyes got small, as she bunched them in fear. Zuko noticed.

" Don't be afraid." He said, oddly gentle. " It will only take a minute."

Yumi nodded reluctantly. " Okay." Zuko reached over to her, he brushed her cheek with his fingertips as he untied the knot of cloth on her shoulder. Yumi could feel her face getting red, Zuko didn't seem to notice. He looked her square in the eye.

" Ready?"

" Yes." She replied, biting her bottom lip. In an instant the wrappings were off and were set in a splotchy red pile beside Zuko. Yumi didn't cry out, but held her scream in. She almost burst into tears when she looked at her shoulder, it looked horrible. Zuko was looking at it closely.

" These aren't deep." He said, fetching a red cloth beside him and starting to wrap it tightly around the damaged area. " You'll heal pretty quickly if you don't get into any more trouble." He finished and took the blood-reddened cloth and burying it. Yumi breathed a sigh of relief.

" Thanks."

" Sure."

" Why did you bury that other wrapping?" Yumi asked curiously. Zuko wiped the dirt off his hands before he answered.

" The scent will carry." He answered.

Yumi looked at him sideways. " Well that's sufficiently weird."

" Please don't talk." He murmured, distracted.

" Whatever you say, Prince Zuko." Yumi smiled happily. She peered over at him. His head was bent down so she couldn't see his eyes. " Prince Zuko?" He looked up.

" What is it?" He asked.

" Is something wrong?" Yumis' mouth parted slightly as she waited for his response.

" I've been contemplating some things for a little while now." Zuko admitted, he looked up at Yumi. " I've come to a decision." Zuko announced. Yumi practically fell over out of suspense.

" And!" She demanded. Zuko didn't answer straight off, but stared past Yumi, he then turned back to her.

" I'm going to help you."

Yumis' eyes widened. " With what?" Now it was Zuko's turn to fall over.

" What do you think?" He yelled, frustrated. Yumi sat in the cross-legged position, her hand poised under her chin in thought.

" I do not know."

Zuko growled and gripped the dirt at his sides. " What did you keep pestering me about not too long ago?" He asked her, Yumi wasn't watching him as he asked the question, and she had taken to staring at a light in the distance. She was squinting and trying to make out what it was. Zuko noticed that she wasn't paying attention and he looked in the same direction. He could see the light too.

" What is that?" Zuko asked rhetorically.

" It's a light." Yumi pointed out.

" I know that, I mean what's it coming from?" He asked, again rhetorically. Yumi didn't catch on that it was a rhetorical question, so she answered.

" It's an orange light."

" I don't care what color it is, you're useless!" Zuko huffed. Yumi felt it best not to talk too much anymore. Zuko stood up without another word and headed for the light. Yumi sighed, and shook her head before she followed.

Yumi managed to trip over quite a few bushes, sticks and what not, before they actually saw what it was the light was imitating from. It was a candle, from an oil lamp. As the lamp got closer, Zuko gasped at seeing Fire Nation soldiers. Yumi looked quite delighted, actually.

" This is great, they can help us!" She cried, triumphantly. " YO! OVER HER…" Zuko clasped his hands over her mouth and dragged her behind a tree. She screeched behind his hands and flailed about angrily. It was dark and the only sound was the occasional whisper of the men, they were coming closer to the site. Zuko knelt down behind a large Oak. He held Yumi close to him so she wouldn't move or make any sounds. Yumi took in staggering breaths, as her hands were pressed against Zukos' chest. She tried to move them away, but they were too tightly still. She eventually gave up and sat there in silence.

" I don't see why the Admiral is making us go look for Prince Zuko and that other girl…what's her name?" One man noted to the person behind him. Yumi slipped out of Zukos' grip and stalked out from behind the trees into the open path.

" Other girl? I have a name, it's Yu…" Yumis' anger took over her better judgement and she was struck with fear. " Oh no." She breathed.

" It's her! Get her men!" The leader motioned towards the others. They charged at Yumi, fists outstretched.

" No way!" She screamed, halting the soldiers for a moment. She started to breath heavily, she brought her hands up as took a deep breath and held it in, smiling at her opponents. She exhaled and let out a wall of fire that sent the soldiers toppling backward. Although she didn't look happy about what she just accomplished. Yumi looked angry. " I'm not…" She gasped. " I'm not going to be saved anymore."

" Yumi…" Zuko came out from behind the tree he was standing, watching. Yumi didn't look his way.

" Stay out of this."

" Yumi, don't be stupid…"

Yumi raised her fist, firing spurting from her palms. " I'm not going to be weak anymore." She was in a state similar to a trance. The men just watched her, somewhat mesmerized. They actually looked fearful.

Zuko had had enough of this. " Yumi, don't act like the hero now." Yumis' eyes darted towards him.

" Don't start. I'll take care of them." Yumis' eyes became small as they got wet with tears. Zuko sighed.

" You see, you're a wreck."

" I don't care, let me take them!" She cried. Yumi threw a fireball at the men closest to her, they dodged it and started to make their way towards her. Yumi fell to one knee, breathing hard. She couldn't stand up. She forgot that firebending weakens her. " Please, not now…" She pleaded.

" Don't just stand there, morons! Capture her!" The leader yelled. The men lunged at Yumi, fortunately for her by a force unknown they were thrown to the side, crashing into trees causing them to be knocked out. Yumi looked around. Zuko was standing in front of her.

" You better get out of here." For a minute Yumi thought he was talking to her. " Seriously. I'm going to have to commandeer that rhino of yours." Zuko said, eyeing the beast the leader was clutching. He teeth chattered as he shook.

" Prince Zuko, what are you…"

" Go." Zuko whispered dangerously. The man took off down the path faster then a normal person should be able to run. Zuko laughed to himself, as he turned around to Yumi. He bent down towards her eye level. " Get up now." His face blank, but it was different. Yumi pouted, Zuko held his hand out to her. She cautiously stared at it before she grasped it. He pulled her up and led her to the rhino. Zuko let go of her hand to climb onto the rhinos' back. He looked down at her. " Coming?"

" Um, Prince Zuko?"

" What now?"

" I'm sorry about…my outburst…and…" Yumi muttered. He stopped her.

" Don't worry about, just let me protect you. Okay?" Zuko replied, grinning a little. Yumi smiled, and climbed onto the rhino's back as well. Zuko kicked its sides and it went off down the path. They rode for quite sometime until it was light out. Yumi just realized that she had no idea where they were heading.

" Where are we going?" She asked.

" The Royal Palace." Zuko replied simply, as if nothing.

" WHAT? You can't…" She said, grinning widely.

" Oh, stop smiling, I might change my mind about saving your brother from my own home." Zuko lowered his eyes. He really shouldn't be doing this. Yet, he was banished from his country, what else did he have to lose by breaking out a hostage. His life.

" I can't believe you're finally helping me, I'm so happy!" Yumi cried, bouncing around on the rhino.

Zuko ignored her jumping. " Promise me this." Yumi stopped. " Once I break out your brother, you're to stay with me. Help me capture the Avatar." Zuko glanced back for her expression.

" I will." She said, confidently. " Anything to save my brother." Zuko turned back forward.

" What have I gotten myself into?" Zuko muttered.

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