Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, because if I did, it'd be socially acceptable to wave my hands around in an attempt to Firebend some warmth into this chilly hut that I call home.
Chapter 4: The Prisoner
"So…what do we do with him?"
Aang finally tore his gaze away from the horizon and became aware of his surroundings. Broken pieces of wood and scraps of fuzzy material littered the trampled grasses of the meadow. Zuko lay still on the ground, his head supported by a large, flat stone. Aang's stomach lurched; a dull crimson thread was trickling out from under Zuko's skull and spreading slowly over the rock and dripping into the dusty earth.
"I say we just go. It's getting dark, I'm cold and hungry. He'll be fine out here." Sokka was already dancing away, heading back towards the tree line of the forest.
"We can't just leave him here, Sokka! He's bleeding and it looks like his shoulder is dislocated!" Katara glared at her brother in disgust, and turned her gaze back on the unconscious Fire Prince. "Besides, it looked like Appa thrashed him good. A concussion, broken bones, internal bleeding…there's no telling what other injuries he may have. He could die out here."
"Well I say that's all for the better. An eye for an eye…he's practically given any of us those injuries."
"You're such a meathead, Sokka!"
Aang blinked. The siblings' bickering was slowly drawing him back to reality, piercing the haze that cobwebbed his senses. Appa was gone, night was coming, and Prince Zuko was passed out, heavily injured, before him. The Avatar rubbed his temples. The shock of the day's events was catching up with him, and he was tired.
"WOULD YOU STOP POKING HIM WITH THAT STICK!" Katara was shrieking at her brother now.
Aang spoke abruptly. Sokka's antics ceased at the Avatar's voice and both he and Katara turned their eyes on Aang. "Monk Gyatso," Aang took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Monk Gyatso always said, 'An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.' We can't leave Zuko. We'll take him with us and find shelter for the night. In the morning, we'll head west, where Appa went."
"But – ow!" Sokka's protests were silenced by a hard punch to the arm from his sister. "Geez, Katara!"
She paid him no mind. "That's a good idea, Aang. Will you carry Zuko with your Airbending? He shouldn't be jostled, what with that head wound."
Aang looked into the Water Master's calming blue eyes. He knew that she had a good heart, a kind heart, but was still slightly surprised at the compassion he saw in those cerulean depths. With a gesture, the limp form of Prince Zuko rose steadily into the air and floated effortlessly. A few drops of blood dripped off of the gash in his head, but the wound was beginning to congeal. Katara reached into a pocket, withdrew a turquoise kerchief, and wrapped it around Zuko's head, tying it on the forehead. "I'll fix him properly when we get to a good source of water."
"Hmmph!" Sokka pouted. "You just wait. He'll wake up and blast us all to crisps. Won't you just be so happy then? C'mon, Momo."
He held out his arm and with a chirrup, the lemur leapt onto it and scurried to sit on the shoulder. With another indignant sniff, Sokka marched forwards, nose held high. Momo looked at Sokka with his large eyes and imitated him, lifting his own snout to the sky.
Katara rolled her eyes. She and Aang, still holding Zuko in the air, followed as the sky crescendoed into a blazing glory of vibrant scarlet and gold.
"PRINCE ZUKO! RUN! THE BISON'LL GET YOU!" Uncle Iroh bolted upright and immediately held a hand to his throbbing temple. "Ohhh."
The old man winced at the pain pounding inside of his head. Slowly, the initial rush of blood from sitting up so quickly ebbed, leaving only an indistinct pulse that testified to the airbison's strength. Iroh tilted his head back, looking up at the sky. Night had fallen – by the looks of it, for some time now – and dazzling pinpoints of light were scattered across the heavens like precious jewels flung across an infinite canvas of blackest velvet.
What happened? Iroh tried to regain his bearings as he stood shakily, hearing cracks and pops from various joints. Oh, that should please my physician.
The meadow was completely empty, save for the other Fire Nation men, some who were beginning to awaken as well and others who were still knocked out, and Keeli's remains. Iroh wobbled over to what was left of his artwork. "Poor Keeli," he mused, toeing the smashed remains of the rope system. "I will come back and give you a proper burial, but first I must find my nephew; please forgive me."
Iroh scanned the clearing; there was no sign of Zuko or the bison, and that worried the old man. "I hope Prince Zuko didn't get eaten," he fretted.
Dejectedly, Iroh decided that a search party would be necessary. The last he remembered, his nephew had been alternately fleeing and attacking the Avatar's beast, who seemed to be more than a match for him. Either Zuko had indeed been defeated or had managed to escape and was currently pursuing the Avatar, as he would have most certainly stayed behind to tend to his dear uncle if the bison had taken off. If the bison really did have Zuko, there would be no telling where they would be. Make that a very large search party.
With a last, sorrowful look at Keeli's trampled form and the empty meadow, Uncle Iroh began helping the woozy Fire soldiers up, sending them back to the ship for some dinner and rest before the search for the lost Prince Zuko began.
Although it would probably have cheered Iroh up a little to know that his nephew had not been devoured by the bison, Zuko was in only a slightly better state. The travelers, following the creek that had wound through the meadow, had taken shelter in a small hollow and were settling in for the night. As Aang and Sokka pitched camp, Katara knelt on the ground by Zuko, who was laid out as comfortably as possible on a makeshift bed of foliage and spare cloths. He was still completely out cold, and while the bleeding of his cut had stopped, he needed much medical attention.
Katara scanned her unconscious patient from tip to toe. Where do I even begin? He's a mess.
Her gaze fell on the dislocated shoulder. That should be easy enough, she thought.
One gentle hand grasped the arm, the other held the shoulder. Katara took a deep breath. While she was skilled at healing with water, injuries such as this were more difficult for her. Gran-Gran had taught her only basic first-aid, and while she picked up other medical skills as the group traveled, she was no expert healer.
Here we go.
Katara gripped Zuko's shoulder with a sudden ferocity as her other hand shoved the arm back into the socket. There was a loud POP! and an even louder scream.
"AAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"AAAAAAGH!"
"EEEEEEE!"
Zuko was wide awake, staring wildly with terrified, pain-glazed eyes. At his cry of pain, Katara had screamed in surprise as well. Sokka let out a piercing shriek a split-second after his sister's, evidently startled at all of the noise.
"I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU HE WOULD WAKE UP! NOW WE'RE DEAD! DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DIED!"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME!"
"HEALING YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK, YOU INGRATEFUL JERK? NOW HOLD STILL!"
Chaos broke loose in the campsite: Zuko struggled to sit up, Katara pushed him back down, Sokka yelled, Zuko yelled, Katara yelled, and Momo shrieked.
"EVERYONE, STOP IT!" Aang shouted. The blue light that usually indicated the Avatar spirit's presence was not glowing in his gray eyes, but the power emanating from his voice carried authority that seemed to stop time.
The entire camp fell silent. Cautiously, Zuko tried to raise himself up again, only to be met with a stern glare from Katara. Sheepishly, he stopped moving and kept still. "Now. Sokka, you be quiet. Momo, you too, please." Aang said slowly.
Sokka grumbled and moved off to the edge of the firelight, where he paced and muttered under his breath, "We're so dead. We're dead, dead, dead. We're alive, but we're dead."
Aang ignored him. "Zuko, you're lucky to be here. You're badly hurt and I doubt you can take on both me and Katara in your condition. Don't try anything."
The authority thrumming through Aang's voice was a sure indication that he was not to be trifled with. Even Sokka, who looked slightly cross that he was not included in the arsenal that could be potentially levied against Zuko, remained quiet. The Avatar continued, "Katara, since Zuko's awake now, it doesn't seem he'll be in any immediate danger. Don't heal him until we settle this."
Katara nodded. She looked down at her patient, who gazed back at her. Strangely, she could detect no sign of the usual hostility that was sure to be present when they met. Of course, he's also got a horrible cut on his head and who-knows-what-else.
Aang came to stand at the foot of Zuko's bed and glared down at his prone form. He still looked as he had moments ago, but it was as if some deeper power had gripped him, transforming him into someone older and wiser. It was a huge difference from the carefree boy who whizzed around on airballs, crashing into anything and everything in his path. "Zuko."
The addressee's head cocked to one side, like a puppy hearing a curious sound. "Zuko?"
Aang's gaze hardened. He wondered what the Fire Prince was playing at. Although Aang had saved Zuko's life, he had no kind feelings towards the one who had burnt Appa and provoked the bison to flee. "Yeah. Zuko. Y'know…your name?"
Zuko raised his arm, the one that hadn't been dangling out of its socket earlier, to his forehead. "M-my…my name?"
"What's wrong with you?" Aang was becoming uncharacteristically angry. "Stop playing. We're serious. If you don't cooperate, we'll…we'll…"
His voice wavered, as if Aang the child was trying to force his way through the current personality of Aang the Avatar. "We'll leave you to die."
"Aang!" Katara sounded reproachful.
"I'm…I'm sorry. I'm trying, I really am." Zuko looked genuinely regretful.
Katara looked at the Prince lying before her. "Aang, I think he's telling the truth. I…I don't think he knows who he is."
Zuko turned towards her, a grateful look in his eyes. Aang remained unconvinced and Sokka, pacing in the background, muttered, "Yeah right."
Katara narrowed her eyes at her brother, who held up his hands and gave an apologetic grin. When she turned back to Aang, Sokka made a face at her behind her back. "Aang, I think it'd be best if you let me heal him, and then we can talk to him. That cut still looks pretty nasty, and I don't think he'll do so well if we interrogate him like this." She indicated the Prince lying at their feet.
"Yuck." Zuko had pulled his hand away from his head wound and was now examining the crusted blood with disgust.
After a moment's pause, Aang seemed to deflate; the jaded look left his eyes and he became the kindhearted child monk again. "Okay Katara, heal him. But don't try anything funny. Appa will get you," he bluffed.
Zuko tried to swivel his head in alarm, only to be rewarded with a hissed "Hold still!" from Katara. "Appa?"
Sokka leapt at the opportunity. "Yeah. He's our monster. He's HUGE. He's got six legs and can stomp jerks like you into pulp. In fact, that's how you got the way you did. He was trying to EAT YOU. We got there just in the nick of time to save you. Yeeeep. That's us. Your saviors. You owe us, buddy."
Zuko's eyes widened. "Is this true?" he asked Katara. He apparently saw her as his guardian, as she had been defending him these last few minutes.
Katara opened her mouth to tell him the truth, that Appa wouldn't hurt a fly, and it actually was Zuko's fault he was like that, but Aang shot her a glance over Zuko's body: Don't. We don't know what's going on exactly, yet.
She swallowed. "Yeah," she affirmed quietly. "Appa's ferocious, and we control him."
Panicking, the frightened Fire Prince began to struggle violently, but just as soon as he began, he jerked to a stop, holding his side in anguish. "OW! Owww…what's going on?"
Afraid that her patient may have broken ribs that could potentially pierce his internal organs, Katara soothed, "Appa got you pretty bad. I'll need to see what damage he's done so I can heal you."
She knelt by his side once more, and gingerly lifted a corner of his grimy tunic. "Oh, gross!"
A mass of blue and purple greeted the world from their home on Zuko's side. Appa's teeth, while flat, had crushed Zuko's body with tremendous force. "It looks like you've got some internal bleeding here," Katara said.
She tested a particularly violently purple patch with her fingertip. The gentle prod caused the patient to squirm and let out an involuntary cry of pain. Katara's eyebrows knitted. "Your ribs are probably bruised, if not cracked altogether."
She looked up again. "I'm sorry, but I…" her voice faltered. "I'm going to have to ask you to take off your shirt."
"I'd do it, except I can barely move."
Aang wordlessly handed Katara a broad knife. A flash of fear came to Zuko's eyes but was quickly replaced again by the trusting, blank gaze. Steel flashed, and fabric fluttered to the ground.
Katara sucked in a sharp breath. Zuko's body had been beaten, beaten mercilessly. Purple, blue, and red rose up in angry splotches on both sides of his torso, tinged with green and yellow on the outskirts of the bruises. There were a few cuts, where by sheer force bison teeth had cut the flesh, but they were shallow. On the left side, there was an exceptionally dark patch of battered Zuko; Katara's mind flashed back to Sokka, gleefully socking his foot into the fallen Prince's side. "Wow."
Katara was impressed. Not only was this the most comprehensive and extensive collection of bruises she had seen in her life, but underneath the cacophony of colorful swelling she could see that Zuko kept himself in superb shape. Wouldn't I like to have that stomach.
She gave herself a mental slap. What was she doing, checking out Prince Zuko? He was their prisoner, and she couldn't let herself forget all of the wrongdoings he had inflicted on her and her companions during their travels. He hurt Appa. He looks…good. But he's the enemy.
Resolve steeled, she grated, "Water won't heal your bruised ribs. We'll have to do it the old-fashioned way."
Half an hour later Katara, for the second time that day, finished patching up a patient. "That doesn't look too bad!"
Wide strips of clean cloth were wrapped across Zuko's muscled torso. Underneath, the shallow cuts were cleansed and healed, as well as the gash in his head. He moved gingerly. "Oof."
Katara helped him slowly sit up. "You can move a little now, but in order for the bones to knit and heal, you can't jar them. No sudden movements, no hard activity."
The Prince nodded. Who is this girl? he wondered. Katara, whoever she is, seems to be the nicest of the three.
From what Zuko could piece together, he was in the company of some very powerful people. They controlled a monster, could Waterbend, and that boy…
Zuko watched Aang, who was tending the fire. He is special. He has power. Zuko couldn't explain how, but he knew that the monk boy was more than what he seemed to be.
Whoever these people were, Zuko knew he would like to be on their good side. He couldn't remember anything, not even his own name. Sure, he had basic knowledge of the world around him; could identify everything and knew of concepts such as bending and its implications, but he just couldn't place himself into the midst of what he knew. It was all just information, facts that he knew but had no personal ties to.
He lay there, lost in the empty, echoing corridors of his personal memory. His entire body ached – it should, it was gnawed on by this unidentified Appa! – and he felt weariness behind his sinuses, as if he had missed sleep the previous night. "Not that I'd remember," he growled to himself.
Zuko sighed and snuggled deeper into the light blanket the trio had lent them. He was tired, so tired.
Tomorrow I'll get the answers, he promised himself. Tomorrow I'll remember.
A/N: Bleh. Foo. Sorry, this wasn't one of my funnier or more impressive chapters. We've got to get the tedious stuff out somehow, right?
Actually, I have to admit: I just saw Brokeback Mountain. Have you ever seen or experienced something that was so powerful that it leaves you in a sort of daze for a while? Yeah, that's me right now after the movie. It was…it was something, I'll tell ya that. I'll leave out the details here because I realize this is a public place where anyone can read my words, and in some places that sort of movie wasn't taken too well. If you want to hear about my experience of the movie or discuss it, drop me a line and I'll be more than happy to oblige. But it's my excuse for the decrease in quality of work.
Let's get to a few of the comments I've received…
Rashaka: Squeal! I'm ecstatic that you liked this enough to pimp it on your own fic! Much obliged, thanks muchly! I hope this slower chapter didn't turn you away in disgust.
Silverwolfprints: Egads! You're in Cali too? It's a LONG shot, but wouldn't it be FREAKY if we knew each other but didn't know it? By any chance, do you know Crazy Ted?
The Youkai Slayer: Glad you're enjoying it! Yes, it's actually a Zutara! In disguise! It's getting there…
I stalk u at night: And I stalk cheese sticks at night. I hope I didn't make you cry too much. See, I'm a champion crier. Don't you be usurping my position, now.
Toffee Beans: "Neko" is Japanese for "cat," "Mei Li" is Chinese for "beautiful," "Joi" was a misspelling of "joy," and "Zongzi" is a delectable food made for a Chinese festival. "Keeli" is in honor of Keely, a dog at the shelter I volunteer at, my favorite one ever. She had a cone on her head from surgery and you have not seen a sad sight until you see a doggy that has dropped food down the cone where she can't get to it but knows it's there so tries very hard to reach it. Happily, she found a home. Sadly, I never saw her again.
Everyone else: As always, I really appreciate your kind reviews. You know, it's really okay to leave unkind ones too, if you have a good reason for it. I wish I could give all of you a cookie. Or just some good writing, as soon as I sleep some and get my paycheck. Yes. That should make Penguinlet happy. PANDA-MONIUM!