-1Past Scars of the heart
CH 20
Zinan shot his arms out from his sides forcing ice off his arms, he hated the cold… it was perhaps the only thing he could feel and hated. "You, filthy weak whore! How dare you freeze me!" he yelled, his voice sending a shock of fear shooting down Katara's spin, paralyzed unable to move. Katara quickly snapped out of it and prepared to launch another attack as Sokka slowly began to wake up, a stream of blood flowing down his face. Zinan charged at Katara, eyes locked and arms extended to grab her. Katara used what little water there was and blasted him. Water splashed off his body and landed on the ground. Her mind raced trying to think of a plan of how to stop him, nothing seemed like it would work. "Katara!" Aang screamed, She was brought out of her thoughts to find Zinan was a few feet away and closing in fast. Aang ran as fats as he could towards them and as he was running summoned a blast of wind and shot it at Katara pushing her several yards away from the demon. Zinan turned to face Aang as he approached him, his anger now lessening and turning to amusement. "You think you can save her Avatar? Not a chance. I could walk over towards her and snap her neck like a twig and there's nothing you can do to stop me." said Zinan, Aang glared at the demon and noticed the large puddles of water on the ground from the barrels and got a idea. He took a deep breath and charged at Zinan head on. Zinan stood perfectly still waiting to see what the child would do laughing at every idea that came to him. Right when Aang got with in 10 feet he stopped kicking up a lot on mud then made a sharp right turn and began to circle Zinan at such a high speed a tornado began to surround him. Zinan began to loose his footing and flew to his knees, then began to float in the air all the while trying to grab Aang but couldn't reach. Debree like rocks and wood were pulled from the ground each smashing into Zinan and shattering on impact. Water also was picked up and covered the demon even more so than before and as Aang circled him he let out a breath cooling the water and freezing the monster. When he was frozen Aang stopped and the tornado died causing to fall to the ground frozen solid, Aang stumbled around dizzy and disoriented. "All right Aang that was sweet! I didn't know you could use two elements at once!" Katara yelled in joy and began to walk over towards him. "Yeah… it awesome." Aang said as he grasped a tree trying to hold him self up.
As he regained his balance he began to hear a large cracking sound and began to relies what it was and ran over to the block of ice. Katara stopped as Aang ran and stood next to Zinan and felt like running, Zinan was breaking free and quickly. Aang jumped backwards and started to move his arms back and forth again but faster this time causing a faster and harder wind. Zinan Left arm broke free feeling frozen though it was free of ice and began to pound the ice. Aang jumped in the air cupping his hands together and shot another Minnie twister straight into the ground, making a small hole in the ground. As the twister hit pieces of debree flew in different direction along with the other debree a small spike shot past Katara and stuck in the wall right above where Sokka was sitting causing him to freeze in his tracks. Aang landed and waited hopping this time that was enough, but was disappointed to see him rise to his feet and stand before Aang. Zinan glared at Aang and examined his body not noticing anything major until he looked at his elbow and noticed the spike that stuck out from it was gone. "You actually manage to chip off a peace of me. Never has that happened…never." whispered Zinan lowering his head but still able to glare at the Avatar, his fist squeezed so hard it would have bled if he had blood. "Well I can do worse than that so leave me and my friends alone! Aang threaten, Zinan ignored his threat and charged the Avatar again bring his fist up and down into the ground again and again trying to crush the Avatar. ("Stop!") yelled a voice in side the demons head causing him to freeze in his tracks, Aang stared curiously at what was happening, it looked like the demon was in some other world. ("Return now Zinan you've played enough today." said the voice, "But I need to grab the Avatar, he's right here I can grab him now." "No now's not yet time, wait till later, now come." " But master I…" "Are you Questioning me Zinan!" "No master." "Then return now!) The voice then faded away leaving him to his own thoughts again, he turned and walked way out of the village. "Hey where you going were not done yet!" Aang yelled though not unhappy he was leaving. Zinan said noting and kept walking till he was swallowed up by the night. Aang gave a sigh of relief and feel to his knees gasping for air causing Katara to run to his side. "Aang are you alright?" asked Katara, Aang nodded and began to stand on his feet. "Yeah, I'm just really tired now… what about Sokka?" Aang asked looking around and saw Sokka walking towards them holding something. "Hey nice job Aang you must have really hurt that thing, he ran away." Sokka said as he handed the spike to him. "What's this?" Aang asked eyeing it, "I think It's a peace of that monster." said Sokka, Everyone eyed it and turned to head inside noticing a group of fire benders heading into Cho's store each thinking thing were going to be crowed.
Long after the fight ended Zuko and Iroh came running back into the village each gasping for breath taking notice around and seeing the mess of the after math of the battle. Both turned their attention towards the safe house and saw a pile of burnt wood. "where is the crew?" Zuko asked, "Cho's maybe?" Iroh answered questionable, both ran into Cho's shop and slipped in a puddle of water and fell to the ground. Zuko now laid on the store floor while his uncle laid on top of him as everyone stared. Zuko pushed his uncle off him and quickly stood on his feet as Iroh did as well glaring at everyone. "You ok?" Katara asked, using all her strength not to burst out laughing. "Why is there a puddle here?" Zuko barked, "Sorry about that. Haven't had a chance to clean up after your crew came in and tracked water on the floor." Said Cho as she entered from the front door. "Don't apologize it was funny. Besides we need a good laugh." Sokka said, Zuko glared at him and punched the air in front of him shooting a small flame beneath Sokka's chair causing him to fall. "Hey what the hell man?" yelled Sokka, "Needed a good laugh." said Zuko, who was now grinning readying to laugh but quickly stopped as a hand grabbed his ear and pulled. "Hey, watch it! I don't want this place to go up in smoke!" said Cho, Zuko tried to argue but the second he opened his mouth she pulled his ear again. Iroh just watched giggling silently. ("I really like this girl. At this rate maybe she will have him acting like a normal teenager again and maybe teaching him a few new things like how go out on a date he, he, he.") Iroh was brought out of his thought when he remembered the crew. "Where is the crew up stairs?" Iroh asked, "No, Cho took them to another building that's enmity now. Good thing to there be no room with them here." Aang said, Zuko finally freed himself and walk over and leaned on the closet wall as Cho walked over to get Sokka more ice. "So what happened here any way?" asked Zuko, Aang told them what happened and after words talked about what their next move should be when they went to the Haya forest. "We'll need a guide." Aang said, Cho left the room right when he mentioned it and everyone knew she wasn't for it. "Lets talk about this in the morning, we all need rest." Iroh subjected, Everyone nodded in agreement and went to their rooms.
(hours later) Mostly everyone was asleep but a few, Katara walked into the storage room for two reasons. Sokkas snoring and worry, what happen the last days kept running through her head and she couldn't keep her thoughts together. ("This isn't right, we shouldn't be here. Aang barley survived to night and barley scratched the demon, how am I going to help? Why do they want him? Why are they here and how come our problems only seem to get worse?") "Katara." Katara was brought out of her thoughts at the sound of a soothing voice causing her to turn around to see a figure of a beautiful women that seemed to resemble her. Her hair was tied back like Katara's and stood roughly around 5 ft, she was a slender women with kind blue eyes. She wore the same out fit Katara wore but a darker shade of blue. "Katara, is it really you? I can't believe how you've grown." the women said, Katara began to walk towards her, tears beginning to pour down her cheeks at the sight that was before her. "M-Mom?" she asked, the women nodded, Katara ran towards her with her arms spread to give her a hug but as she tried she ran right through the women and stood dumb folded. "I'm sorry dear but we can not touch… I'm not of this world any more." Katara's mother grimly said, "But how are you here, I'm I dreaming?" Katara asked, "No dear your awake… I wish we could talk more but I haven't much time. I'm here to warn you…. If you continue to travel with the Avatar you will die." warned the mother, Katara looked in horror at her mother an to what she said not wanting to listen. "What… how can you say that?" Katara asked, Her mother walked over and stood in front of her and looked her in the eyes. "I'm sorry but it's true. It's the fate of all who travel with the Avatar, always has. You must leave, I don't want you to die." mother said, Katara couldn't tear her self away from her mother's eyes, they were the softest eyes she had ever seen. "But Aang needs our help. I can't leave him now we've come to far. He's my best friend, he be lost with out me or Sokka." Katara stated, Her mother shook her head at her as if disagreeing with a small child. "He won't, the Avatar has come a long way and lived many lives and needs no one. You learned water bending which I am very proud of you for but it's time to go…" mother tried to say but was cut off by Katara, "No, I'm not traveling with him so I could learn water bending only but also to help. Our fates are intertwined and he will need our help, Avatar or not." Katara said, Her mother bent her head to the side as if thinking about a riddle and lowered her head grimly. "Are in in love with him?" she asked, "No, he's my best friend that's all." Katara answered, "Then he will under stand. Katara look at what he's put you through so far, pirate, fire benders, murders, wild animals, crazy people, and now demons. I want you to go home and live a nice life with a family. He can't protect you forever. In the end you will die and he won't do a thing to stop it. Leave now!" she raised her voice, Katara took a step back not believing what she had heard. Gran -Gran told her many things about her mother but her belittling her and singling her out from her brother like this was not one of them. Katara then remembered the story Leiko told them and what happened to Sako and began to figure things out. "Your not my mother. I will stay with Aang and maybe after the war as well, I don't know what your trying to do but it won't work now leave me alone." Katara whispered, tear now flowed down her cheek, eyes becoming puffy and her body trembled and she turned and walked to the door.
"Katara wait…. Dear please listen to me…. Stop please" she pleaded but Katara walked out the door leaving her in the room alone. A grin now formed on his lips and the kind look in her eyes disappeared. " Don't cry dear, well be seeing each other soon." she whispered to her self as she began to chuckle and disappeared. Katara entered her room and crept into bed still crying, remembering her family and her hatred for the fire nation as she cried her self to sleep. Zuko tossed and turned but just couldn't fall asleep. Iroh turned to see his nephew and decided this was the time to put his plan into action. "Can't sleep nephew?" he asked, Zuko said nothing thinking he could fool his uncle. "Perhaps a cup of tea would help or maybe a walk.' he said turning so Zuko couldn't see the grin on his face. "No and I'm not going to talk to her." Zuko stated, "Talk to who Cho? I wasn't subjecting that. Only get a breath of fresh air or something to drink. Besides I dough she's up now any way." Iroh stated, Zuko sat up thinking maybe some air would help and crawled out of bed and out the door with out a word. "She's awake isn't she sir?" Kin asked, Iroh was surprised to find him awake as well and sat up. "I think so." he said, "Why did you send him then?" Kin asked as he to sat up, "Zuko needs to talk to girls and I like this one. If I need to step in and get them together then I will. After all I'm doing what's best for Zuko." Iroh said with the biggest grin he could give. Kin laughed and shook his head at the general. "Wish I had a uncle like you sir. Think you could adopt me?" Kin sarcastically asked, Both men laughed at each other and began talking about family as Zuko made his way down stairs and opened to door taking in a deep breath. But as he did he could smell something sweet…sweet like honey, he turned quickly to see Cho coming from the back holding a cup of tea and honey on the couner. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Zuko almost dropping her cup. "Don't do that, you scared me. Why you up now any way couldn't sleep ether?" Cho asked, Zuko nodded thinking his uncle set him up again as he closed the door and walk to the couner. "Wanting to talk?" Cho asked, Zuko sat down and grinned at her, "Like I have much choice?" he said sarcastically, Cho shook her head and offered him some tea which he naturally refused.
The two talked for a few minutes making some talk before each asked what they really wanted to ask, Cho beat him to the punch though. "So how did your fight with the demon go any way?" she asked, Zuko frowned and turned his head not wanting to talk about it but something kept telling him to tell her about it like it would make him feel better. "I'm ok, we talked after she lured me away from here. She tried to get me to become a demon." Zuko explained, Cho stared at him straight in the eye like she expected more. "You said no right?" she asked "Of course I did. It tempted me though, she made some good points and I considered what she said and what my life was like come paired to a life of a demons. Uncle kind of helped me but I think I would have turned it down any way." Zuko said, Cho stared at him and smiled ( "think huh?") she thought before taking another sip of tea. " Glad you did, think I like you better as a human." Cho said, with that said both Zuko and Cho blushed and looked towards the ground, Zuko decide to change the subject. "So where were you when all this was happening?" he asked, Cho looked down again an hesitated at first as she tried to answered. "I was hiding. I know I'm a cowered but I couldn't go out there with those demons." she said, Zuko wanted to say something but decide not to after seeing her face. "Its ok, not like you could have done anything." Zuko said with a smile, Cho smiled back and finished her tea. "Guide us to Haya." Zuko said, Cho was shocked at what he said and spat out her tea. "What me? If I wasn't willing to go out tonight why would I tomorrow?" Cho asked, Zuko looked deeply at her their eyes meeting, "P-please, we need help and no one else will. We'll make sure your safe and nothing happens to you I promise." said Zuko, Cho was surprise at him she didn't think Zuko was someone who knew how to ask nicely, and began to think about it. "I will help but on two conditions." Cho stated with a grin, "ok what are they?" Zuko asked, " First I want someone to be my personal guard, second I want to see you drink a cup of tea." Cho said with a grin, "Ok. But why tea?" Zuko asked, "Because I don't think you've ever enjoyed a good cup that's why your always on edge, and I want you to be my body guard." Cho said as she pour him a cup of tea. "Why me?" Zuko asked, "Because I think out of everyone here you'll take the best care of me. "We got a deal?" Cho asked, Zuko thought about it for a couple seconds then grabbed the tea. "Deal." Zuko said as he drank his tea, Cho smiled and giggled at the sight . Mean while Iroh and Kin stood atop of the stairs listening and both smiling, They went back to bed to get some sleep to prepare for tomorrow but Iroh couldn't help but prey this worked and they got off this island and Cho came along to give some grand children as he nodded off to sleep.