LOLOLOLOL
ok, I have to put this up for everyone because I found it hilarious
WarriorAtHeart: Poor Sokka and Zuko they had to carry bodies...and Katara...poor her...she got captured by the evil half ape-man!
k I'm done. :D
Katara strained against the chains but it was no use; they held tight to her, groping her skin with freezing claws, biting mercilessly at her flesh. Zhao was watching her, grinning his terrifying smile. Katara roared in frustration and lashed out with her tongue.
"You evil -horrible fiend -what the hell do you want? Let me go - Zuko, and Aang, and Sokka, they'll come and -"
"You're friends won't find you," he hissed, instantly enraged bu the name of the hated Prince. "I suggest you save your strength, unless you want the firsthand experience my other prisoners had." Katara gave another angry lunge but the iron held her tight.
"What are you talking about? Whoever your prisoners are - I'll - I'll free them..."
She slowed and paused, seeing a light dawn on the Admiral's pale complexion. He let out a small laugh that sent the girl's spine shivering in terror.
"So...you didn't have the pleasure of enjoying my little joke? Dear, dear...you missed quiet a show. I suppose they wouldn't let you down there though, too weak of a stomach..."
"LET ME GO, DAMN YOU," shouted Katara. She was completely unconcerned with Zhao's ramblings; all her thought was focused on Zuko, the soft gold of his eyes, the warmth of his embrace...the way his gaze would shift into fear when he discovered she had never returned to the ship...Zhao let out a long, low snarl.
"Damn me? Your words amuse me. But I don't have time for this..." he turned to the guard standing by the door and his shoulders lit with flame.
"Bring me the girl!" he barked, so loud that Katara's ears stung. The man stumbled from the room and slipped outside, where the sound of his footsteps died away. Katara continued to struggle, but her attempts only seemed to increase the Admiral's amusement. Idly he let his hands glow with flame and he raised his fingers to a tapestry along the wall. The fabric burst into flames and he grinned strangely as the fire rode up the wall, glittering in his empty eyes.
There was whimper and someone crashed to the floor at Zhao's feet. Zhao did not seem to notice, but Katara's eyes fell on the girl with sudden horror and sympathy. She struggled onto one elbow, her dark hair tangled, scattered, crusted with dried blood; her clothes were torn and Katara could see burns etched into her tan flesh, the slim cuts of whips riding across her back. She tried to stand but fell horribly as her right hand buckled beneath her. Her left hand was untouched, but the right was shattered, the bone crumbled to pieces beneath the skin. Her eyes gazed up at Zhao and Katara saw a faint, desperate hatred light up her features. She raised her right hand and a few rocks hovered into the air. Zhao promptly stamped them into the dust, kicking the girl hard in the stomach.
"You know what you get when you try stupid tricks," he hissed venomously as the girl rolled over, her eyes shut tight as she held her stomach. Blood was seeping from the corner of her mouth and Katara stared, lost in shock. Then her insides flared and she roared towards Zhao.
"You horrible - sick - twisted man -"
Her head spun and pain exploded violently across her face. Zhao lowered his fist as Katara gasped for breathe, a dark bruise forming around her left eye.
"I'm getting impatient with you," he growled as fire flared from his shoulders. Dazed and hurt, Katara hung against the chains, helpless. Zhao strode to the girl on the floor who looked up at him, terrified, still wheezing for air.
His fingers poured fire and his fist clenched around her jaw; she gave a startled whimper as he carried her, her chin burning, and held her up beside a recovering Katara. He studied the two for a moment.
"It's enough," he stated, his tone echoing a sort of satanic pleasure. He threw the girl back to the ground and nodded to the guard, who grabbed her arm and dragged her from the room. Katara glared hatefully at the man as her world came back into focus, preparing to spit more insults at him.
"You - fiend, you coward -"
Zhao ignored her, studying her features. Katara's voice paused as he grinned at her.
He raised his hand to her shoulder and ripped her coat off of her. She flinched until she felt his hand at her wrist; she gave a terrified gasp as he tore the half of her mother's necklace away from her.
"No - No! Give it back! Don't you -"
"Silence!" roared Zhao, completely past his endurance of the girl. His fist slammed intot he back of her head and she fell unconscious. The guard had just returned to the room as Zhao finished untying her.
"Leave her on an iceberg somewhere. Make sure its somewhere far away...I want her to die slowly, slower than I could ever manage. What are you waiting for? Go!" He snarled.
The guard trembled and bent to pick up Katara, who lay out cold on the ground. He swung her over his shoulder and left the tent, leaving Zhao grinning at the perfection of his plan.
Zuko did a double take and stared at Aang, bewildered.
"What do you mean she's not here? I told her to come back..."
"I thought she was with you and Sokka...you haven't seen her? At all?" said Aang. The first faint comings of panic were being to take over the Prince and he stepepd towards the Avatar, shaking slightly.
"If this is some sort of joke, cut it out and tell me where she is -"
"Calm down, Zuko. I am sure Katara is fine," said Iroh quietly. Zuko's fists stopped shaking but Aang seemed unnerved; Sokka frowned and threw his fist victoriously in the air.
"Well then, let's go find her! She might still be in a shop somewhere!"
"I am sorry, Sokka," said Iroh calmly. His eyes bore intensely into Zuko's who was gazing at him in a simmering fear. Flames began to appear between his fingers as terrible thoughts crept into his skull. Had she been hurt? Was she lost? His shoulders began to shake as he thought of Katara, wounded and crying in the snow, calling for him. He would rescue her, he would save her, he would bring her back -"
"I am afraid of telling you my suspicions, but they may be of use later," said the old man slowly as Zuko continued to stare at him, waiting in perilous silence for the elder to speak. "Perhaps...perhaps..." he turned his gaze on Aang, who had his glider in hand, ready to soar.
"The people who slaughtered those men. They may have something to do with it. If we can -" Sokka's voice pierced his ears.
"Zuko!"
Iroh turned towards Sokka, who was running after the Prince with astonishment glowing in his features. Zuko didn't think. He didn't breathe. His insides were flaming again as scarlet tore through his flesh, his eyes casting a desperate gold glow onto the white tundra. His Uncle's words had risen an inexplicable terror in him, a terror that he hid in anger, floundering through the snow as he bolted into the darkness.
He didn't pause when Sokka called him. The warrior's voice was background noise, an insignificant voice that could neither detain him or gain back his sanity. The white powder surfaced around his knees, the wind whipping his face in a cruel attempt to thwart his search; he tripped several times as he stumbled past the few lighted houses, his hands digging into the snow where he fell and numbing all the feeling from his ice-coated fingers. Frost was forming around the edges of his face but he neither realized nor cared about his own personal state; his mind was racing, too scared to think straight, flashing pictures in his mind.
There she was, crying with him in the water on that warm, heavenly island where he had first discovered her beauty, her serenity, her forgiveness...she was laughing as Momo pulled Sokka's hood over his head and he floundered around deck, cursing the troublesome lemur...she was petting Appa as Aang practiced fire bending with Iroh...she was gazing at him, softly, he face lighted with a flaming rose, her flawless blue eyes flickering with yellow fire. She was perfect, heavenly, beautiful, peaceful...
And he was not about to let anyone hurt her.
But he wasn't paying attention to where he was going. He flung his foot out into the air to meet the snow, but it never did; startled and helpless, gravity grabbed him viciously and he tumbled headlong down the snowy slope, rolling through flying showers of white powder, his body thudding hard into the frozen ground below. He came to a tumbling stop at the base of the hill, covered in snow and shivering so much that he lit his hand just to keep himself warm. And it was then that he saw him.
He was walking towards him with a look of deep concern, an expression he never, never wore. An expression that made his pale features seem even less trustworthy.
Zuko roared and stumbled to his feet as the flames glittered up his arms. Weak and cold as he was, his fury was stronger than ever, his wrath twisting him into the fiery demon that he had long sealed away. His fingers dug into his palms and his flesh began to burn; his clothes threatened to catch fire.
"YOU! I knew it - what have you done with her? Where is she? TELL ME! I swear to every Avatar to ever walk the earth, I swear I'll incinerate you -"
"I do not have her, Zuko," said Zhao, his voice sounding sad but his eyes glittering. Zuko roared.
"LIAR!"
He lunged towards the demonic man and swung his fist to catch his face. But the Admiral was fresh, and Zuko was exhausted. He dodged the blow easily and Zuko tumbled into the snow, ice stinging the scar on his face.
"I know how angry you must be right now," said the Admiral softly. Zuko was turned away, so he didn't see the smirk spreading across the man's devilish face. "But if you really want to know, follow me. I can take you to her."
He turned and walked away as Zuko stared, furious and confused, at his straight-edged back. For a moment, his mind warred and his heart ached terribly. But the thought of seeing Katara was overwhelming - he needed to know where she was, if she was safe...
He struggled to his feet, letting a constant flame glitter in his palm, and slowly limped after the Admiral. Zhao heard his footsteps and smiled, letting his teeth glitter and his eyes laugh in twisted ecstasy.