-1New Plan

CH15

Zuko and Iroh along with the crew returned to the village each looking around through the trees and around them, hoping not to run into any ghouls. Zuko had other fears to worry about, and noticed that a small area out side the village was disturbed like a battle happened. No one said a word or even spoke on the way to the village. Some members of the crew still looked at Zuko with scornful eyes after seeing what he did to Takus body. After entering the village they found Cho waiting for them in front of her store. " How'd it go? Did you make it in time?" Cho meekly asked, "Is there a place my crew can stay?" Zuko said in a low voice, " Yeah theirs a safe house people stay in if their new to the village. It's empty now, four houses down…. Ha probably the only house you knocked on that actually had no in it. Cho said, Iroh smiled but Zuko did nothing, she hoped to maybe get a smile out of him. ("He must have done the beheading, poor guy that's not easy.") Cho thought, Zuko lead the crew to the safe house while Iroh stayed behind. "So did something happen while we were gone? Looks like there was a fight out side the village." asked Iroh, Cho looked at Iroh with a sad exasperation. "Yes Aang fought a demon and lost. The worst thing was he could have killed Aang and no one could have stopped him. He's a little shaken up and a little burnt but it's nothing serious." Cho explained, Iroh frowned and walked inside now more worried than ever. ("So the Avatar can't fight them ether. I hate to have faced what he did, I got to do something to help him and Zuko. If they can't act normal then we have no chance.") Iroh thoughts were interrupted when he saw Katara walk up stairs and smiled. ( Well she can help the Avatar but Zuko is another matter. Losing a fight and beheading the corpse of one of your own is something else. Hmm….. Maybe I could get someone to help.) Iroh thought, he smiled and got an idea as he watched Cho walk to the back. Zuko walked through the door and past his uncle never saying a word.

Sokka and Katara sat in the storage room trying to process what happened, nether knowing what to do. "So Aang couldn't lay a hand on the guy huh?" Sokka asked, Katara nodded, "Well at least we know what he can do. Next time Aang will know what to expect." Sokka said, He knew this was bad but kept trying to put a positive spin on this situation. "What makes you think there will be a next time? Aang didn't know what hit him and could have died. If that thing wanted to kill Aang he could have, I don't think Aang will want to fight him again." Katara said, staring at the floor trying with all her might not to cry. She couldn't get the image of Aang on the ground sitting on his knees about to be killed, and him crying in her arms. " Sorry to say this but I don't think Aang has much choice. I mean he picked Aang out of the group to fight so he'll be back." Sokka stated, "No Sokka you don't get it! Aang won't want to fight him again, he's a 12 err.. well 13 now and doesn't want to die!" Katara yelled, "Thirteen? Aang's thirteen, when?" asked Sokka, Katara glared at him, both knowing that wasn't important now. Sokka sat head down on his knuckles of his hand and started to rethink his argument. "Katara, I'm sorry but Aang's going to fight that thing again. He's got to learn he can't run from his problems." Sokka hollered, "Oh, is that a fact? Well it's easy for you to say, you don't have to fight that thing, your not the Avatar, and you didn't see what happened or have a near brush with death!" Katara screamed. As the to siblings hollered at each other Aang stood outside the door. He could hear what they were saying. Aang took a deep breath and opened the door and walked in. Sokka and Katara froze, staring at Aang and the serious look on his face. Neither expected him to snap out of it already, both tried to say something but Aang raised his hand to silence them.

"Guys I know your worried about me, but I'm fine. I'm sorry I didn't take the situation well but I've been thinking and Sokka's right I can't run away from this, ha… not like I got much choice right? But I think we should skip past this and start thinking about a plan." Aang stated, Katara and Sokka smiled and were glad to have Aang back to normal. "Yeah that sounds good but theirs one thing I don't get…. When did you turn Thirteen?" Sokka asked with a grin, "Yeah why didn't you say anything we could have done something like get presents?" asked Katara, she now was grinning like a idiot. Aang shrugged and tried to give one of his innocent smiles. "Well we were on Appa and didn't have a lot of money so I figured I wait till we got to the earth kingdom so we could have some fun." Aang said, Sokka and Katara stated to laugh, "You know, now that your thirteen you got to get a girl right?" Sokka chuckled, Aang chuckled, Katara elbowed him in the ribs and frowning at him. "What he's a teen so he'll be thinking about girls more, hope the monks gave yaw the talk." Sokka laughed, Aang looked confused not having a clue what he was talking about. "What's the talk?" Aang asked, Sokka and Katara looked scared now, really not wanting to get into that now. "Well tell you about it when we get off the island ok?" Katara asked, "Ok… oh get everyone down stairs I got a idea about what to do." Aang yelled as he ran out of the room. Katara and Sokka got up and moved to the door. Katara stopped and faced her brother giving a serious face which Sokka knew was bad for him. " Of course when I said we give him the talk I meant you." Katara stated, "What no, you should help!" Sokka hollered, "You brought it up and wouldn't leave it alone so your dong it got it!" Katara said giving Sokka one of her death glares, Sokka gave a nerves gulp and nodded.

Everyone had gathered around the couner wondering what Aang's plan was. "Where's the Avatar anyway?" asked Zuko, Aang suddenly walked in the room with Momo on his shoulder and sat right on the couner ready to begin. "Ok everyone here? Good, now here's my plan none of us can get off the island because of the demons and ghouls that are probably watching the shores right? Well they can't do anything about incoming ships that land in a spot were waiting." Aang said, Zuko then interrupted not believing what he was hearing. "What your saying is we should wait for someone to come here like we did and hope were there and hitch a ride great plan. Lets just find your Bison and fly out of here." Zuko commented, "Can't no one knows where Appa ran to and its to dangerous to chase after him. He'll be back when he can, trust me. Also yes we will wait for rescue but we'll have better idea when after we send a cry for help. See what I was thinking we could tie a message to Momo and he could fly to the nearest island. They'll bring enough ships for everyone to get on." Aang explained, The idea sounded good but didn't sound like a winner to everyone. "Aang you know Momo isn't the best messenger or retriever for that matter. He my leave then come back a couple hours later or get lost." Katara said, "Plus who knows who will get the message, could be enemies." Sokka added, "Yeah but I've been working with Momo and he's been a lot better . I told him to take a coconut and leave it with you and he did, remember?" Aang asked Sokka, "Yeah it hit me on the head…. Wait you told him to do that? Sokka hollered, before Sokka could continue Iroh jumped in. "I think it's a great idea, risky but a idea that might work." Iroh said, " Not like we got much choice can't do anything else." Zuko added, everyone stared at them then agreed, "Ok then next we need to find out more about what were dealing with." Aang said enthusiastically, Everyone looked at Cho who started to shake her head. "Sorry guys I don't know anything else. Remember I said you should go see Leiko? Cho asked, "Where is she?" asked Katara, "In a hut about five miles from here. She's basically a hermit and no one bothers her." Cho explained, " Then we should go tomorrow then, those creatures seem to prefer night over day, mostly anyway." Iroh said, Everyone agreed and started to call it a night. Aang walked to the door and tied to messaged on Momo leg. "OK take this to the nearest island and stay with them ok?" Aang asked, Momo starred and dropped his to the side before squeaking and flying away. Aang waved good bye and went to his room.

The rooms were basically all the same, small with at one or two beds, a window and closet and a table or two. During the night, Zuko sat in his bed staring at the ceiling, still feeling guilty about what happened to Taku. "Can't sleep?" asked Iroh who sat up in his small bed. "No." Zuko simple said, " Still thinking about what happened to Taku? You know it's not your fault? You know you did what was necessary? Asked Iroh, "Maybe but he was part of my crew and I'm responsible and he shouldn't have died like that or have that done to his corpse." Zuko whispered, "Zuko you couldn't have know this would happen. Taku would understand, you need to stop trying to take responsibility for everything that you have no control over." Iroh stated, Zuko said nothing and starred out the window. Iroh gave a small sigh then gave a evil smile. " You know I bet Cho might still be up. Maybe talking with hear will have a better influence then talking with your wise uncle hmm?" Iroh asked, " Why would that help? If your trying to set me up for get it!" Zuko barked, he then threw the covers off (Still wearing cloth a shirt and pants from storage room) and started to walk to the door. "I'm going to walk around" Zuko said, he then stopped in his tracks when he heard what he said. Iroh looked at him with a grin almost laughing. "Not going to talk to Cho just going to clear my head." Zuko stated and walked out the room. "Have fun and think with your head." Iroh laughed, Zuko stepped silently down the stairs and walked to the window and starred at the wood. Though they basically meant death here but for some reason he liked them . As he stood in front of the window he heard a noise in the back. Zuko silently walked to the room and saw a figure by the back door and closing it. "Who's there?" Zuko threateningly asked, the figure slowly walked towards him hands raised and stepped into the moonlight that poured in through the window, It was Cho. "Your awake, figured you be asleep." Cho said, "Wasn't sleepy, what were you doing?" Zuko asked, Cho held a bucket and turned it upside down. "Getting rid of waste." Cho explained, Zuko dropped his guard and walked out of the room and Cho followed. "So you ok?" Cho asked before Zuko could make a move for the stairs, "Why do people keep asking me that? Yes I am fine, why shouldn't I be?" Zuko asked, "Because your on a island full of monsters and you beheaded the body of a friend." Cho said grimly, "He wasn't my friend, just part of my crew and he was dead." Zuko said, " If that were the case then it wouldn't be bothering you this much." Cho said

"You know keeping feelings inside like this won't help you. It will only cause you pain, and I don't think you want any more pain." Cho said, "You don't know me, why do you care anyway my uncle ask you to talk with me?" Zuko asked, "No. I just don't think you should have to deal with everything yourself. Now come here and sit you'll never get to sleep like this." Cho said, she sat and pointed to a chair on the other side of the couner. Zuko said nothing and started to descend to the stairs again slowly as if waiting to be convinced. "Hey, come on sit and talk for a while and then you can go to sleep. Besides you said you would talk to me later and now is later." Cho said, when Zuko didn't move Cho gave a annoyed growl, walked over to him and dragged him to his chair and sat him down. Zuko didn't fight or resist, he merely grinned in amusement. " This how you normally get people to talk to you" Zuko asked sarcastically, "Only the stupid ones." Cho said and smiled, "So what's really bothering you? Cho asked, "You know already, why ask? Zuko asked, "Because that's not the only thing bothering you, come share." Cho said, "Nothing special just something that happened." Zuko insisted, Cho starred at him waiting. "Little over two months ago I fought someone I hated and during the fight he was attacked by someone else. I don't know why but I tried to help him, and he chose to die. I just don't get why he chose to die." Zuko explained, "Maybe he hated you too much, letting his anger get the better of him. You did nothing wrong . You tried to save him, not everyone would have bothered. You got nothing to feel bad about… just let it go. You shouldn't torture yourself" said Cho, Zuko looked at her again and for some reason it made since now and didn't know why. "So what about you how are you running this place, little young aren't you?" Zuko asked with a grin,

Cho gave a grim smile. "It was my inheritance, I never knew my parents. See I was left on the steps of a church and the priest there took care of me. When I was old enough I left to find my own home but no where felt like home ether no one wanted me around or didn't feel right, till I came here. The people here welcomed me and a old women named Lee took me in, she became like a mother to me. I lived with her for three years… until a month and a half ago Lee went into the forest to pick mushrooms. She never came back and with the stories of the dead rising no one looked for her , to afraid. Four days later I went to find her…. I was about an hour away before I found something, a corps all chewed up and mangled. I looked up and saw Lee but she was different, didn't recognized me, pieces of her were missing she was dead and walking. She attacked me, I ran as fast as I could until I came here and locked up. She stood out behind the store for a entire day and night. I cried for days asking god why her, but got no answer. I then decided to run this place, it was her life's work…. So that's about it. Cho said in a low voice, She kept her face hidden looking like she was about to cry. "I'm sorry. That shouldn't have happened to you. But at least you had someone who cared about you, my own father banished me and scared me, sister hates me along with pretty much everyone. Iroh all I got, closest thing to a father I got. For awhile I looked for someone who could kill me in battle thinking I might be able to regain some of my honor, that way everyone's happy. Zuko said, not able to even look at Cho, "Iroh would be sad, people who like you would." Cho added, "Iroh be only one no one else likes me." Zuko finished, "I like you, your not a bad guy, you've just had some bad times. People near you weather you know it or not, care about you. You just need to open your eyes to see it, the people who care about you and the honor you never lost." said Cho, Zukos eyes open widely never hearing someone other than Iroh say anything like that. "Well you should go to sleep you got stuff to do tomorrow… good night." Cho told him, with that said Cho walked under the stairs where her room was. Zuko sat there for a minute sinking in what happen and what she said. ("She actually cares?") Zuko thought, then getting up and walking to his room where his uncle laid sleeping. Zuko got into bed closing his eyes, for the first time in a while going to bed with a eased mind and a tear going down his cheek.

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That was a little heart warming huh, sniff, sniff