AN UNKNOWN LOVE

A/N: Hey there! It's me again. I've decided to write an "Avatar: The Last Airbender" fic. Yay me! Let's make it clear that I do own "Avatar". If I'm lying may I be struck by lightning. Thunder crashes threatingly Okay, Okay! I don't own "Avatar" or any of the characters. The ones that come from my imagination I'll let you know by means of: (A/N: I do own this one.) italicflashback "quoted italic"thinking or talking/singing. "QUOTED, BOLD, CAPS"YELLING "quoted underlined italic"thinking during flashback and, of course, "regular quoted"talking/singing normal (normalnot flashback)

ON WITH THE FIC!

This character I own and she's a main character so I'll do the description now.

Name: Joiu (Pronounced gee-ooo)

Age: Same as Zuko-Sama

Gender: Female

Looks: Shoulder length brownish black hair, worn down; tanish skin; about 5'; dark brown eyes

Nation: Fire and Earth

Outfit: When she's in the Fire Nation she wears what any other female Fire Nation inhabitant wears; when in the Earth Kingdom she wears what any other female Earth Kingdom inhabitant wears

Crush: Zuko-Sama

Bender: Fire and Earth (I'm not sure if this could happen in the actual show so bear with me besides the fic stands for fiction.)

Other: Her mother is an Earthbender; her father is a Firebender; no one but her, her best friend, her mother, and her father knows that she can bend earth and fire; her mother and father were married in secret and have to live apart except for on a few days; Joiu had to be kept secret so they pretended to have found her abandoned; she stays with different parents during different months.

Joiu was lying on her bed on the ship remembering what had happened two years ago.

Joiu was running toward the tree where Prince Zuko had wanted to meet her.

She saw that he was already there.

He was looking at the ground.

"Hey Zuko, I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long." she said when she'd gotten closer.

He looked up at her and smiled.

"Hey, Joiu. No I haven't been waiting long. I just got here myself."

Joiu walked over to him and sat on the lowest branch.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" she asked.

"Well, I was going to try to get into the war counsel room." Prince Zuko replied.

"Again?" Joiu sighed.

"Yes, again."

Joiu rolled her eyes.

Zuko noticed and said, "I think I'll be able to get in this time."

Joiu heard the note of annoyance in his voice and smirked.

"And just how are you gonna try this time?" she asked, still smirking.

"I'm gonna try the direct approach. Just tell them to let me in."

"Again! You've tried that 78 times! If it didn't wok then what makes you think it'll work now?"

"First of all, I was only 20 times and second that's only part of my plan."

"Okay then what's the rest of it?"

"My uncle is very predictable. I know exactly when he gets there so I'll get there about a minute before him and ask him to let me go in with him."

Joiu was about to say something but stopped and thought.

"You know what, Zuko? That just might work! If it does work and you do get in, tell me all about it."

Zuko smiled at her and said, "Sure, I promise."

We all know what happens next so let's go to Zuko telling Joiu about what happened.

"-then I told him that he didn't scare me and I accepted his challenge."

"Wow…an Agni Kai…just for saying what was true? Man, those old guys are dumb…well except your uncle. You said that he agreed right?"

"Well, he didn't say that he agreed but yeah, I could tell that he did."

"Hm. Well from the way you described him, it seems like you'd be able to beat him easily. I'll come watch and sit as close as they'll let me."

She smiled at him.

"Wow…I never realized what a beautiful smile she has." Zuko thought as he smiled back.

"Ooh! He has such a cute smile!"

(A/N: Hee-hee! They don't know that they both feel the same way about each other.)

The next day Joiu went to the arena and sat in the third row.

(A/N: The first two, no one sat in so they wouldn't get burned.)

You know what happened next.

Joiu looked away, behind her actually and saw Zuko's bitch of a little sister watching and smiling.

(A/N: I reeeeelyyy don't like his sister. Seriously, I thought my sister was a bitch.)

She glared at her.

Joiu heard a knock on the door and sat bolt upright.

"Who is it!" she demanded.

Her friend Jigren peeked her head inside. (A/N: I do own this one.)

"It's me. What were you doing?"

"I was thinking. Now get out!"

"What were you thinking about? Oh wait I think I know. You were thinking about Prince Zuko again weren't you?"

"IF YOU DON'T LEAVE, I'LL BURN YOU TO A CRISP AND SPIT ON THE ASHES!"

"Okay, Okay. I just came down to tell you that there was a weird light coming from somewhere and I thought you'd want to know."

Joiu lay back down and rolled over on her side.

"Could it be the Avatar? If so, I hope that Zuko captures him first."

She started thinking about when Prince Zuko first left.

Zuko was healed enough to leave and Joiu went to the dock with her things to ask if she could go with him.

"No, you can't come with me. I appreciate the offer though."

"But you could use an extra pair of eyes and you know I have really good eyesight!"

"I'm sorry but the answer is still no. Goodbye, I hope I'll get back soon."

Then he got on the ship.

Iroh put his hand on Joiu's shoulder and said, "Just give him time."

The he gave her a knowing smile and got on the ship too.

Joiu wondered what he meant, and, furthermore, what that smile was.

She watched the ship leave with tears in her eyes.

She felt her heart breaking.

When the ship was no longer in sight she ran to her house, opened the door and slammed it shut, ran to her room, threw herself down on her bed and cried.

She didn't know how long she cried until she fell asleep.

She woke up in the middle of the night because of an idea she'd had.

"That's it! I'll ask Jigren if I could use her ship to follow Zuko! Yes!"

Then she got up and ran straight to Jigren's house.

When she got there she looked around to make sure no one was around.

When she saw no one was there she made stairs to Jigren's window using her Earthbending.

"Jigren. Jigren! Wake up! Jigren, GET UP!"

Jigren rolled over and looked at her.

Her red bangs were in her face hiding her lavender eyes.

"What…do…you…want?" she asked sleepily.

(A/N: Hey. Just a quick description of Jigren:

Hair: black w/ red bangs

Eyes: lavender

Height: same as Joiu

Age: a year older than Joiu

Other: She's bi; her parents spoil her

Crush: changes every week but mostly Joiu

Okay, that's all for now.)

"I needed to ask you something."

"Oh! Joiu it's you!" Jigren said and glomped her.

"Get offa me! And keep it down! Do you wanna wake your parents up?" Joiu whispered pushing Jigren off her.

"Sorry. It's just that I haven't seen much of you lately. You've been hanging out with Prince Zuko a lot…you like him don't you?"

Joiu blushed and answered, "There's no time for me to answer that. I needed to ask if I could borrow your ship."

Jigren raised her eyebrow.

"For what, dare I ask?"

"That is none of your business"

"Being with the prince has definitely given you his attitude…I won't let you use it unless you tell me what for."

Joiu saw that she really meant it and said, "Fine! I'm going after Prince Zuko so I can help him catch the Avatar."

"Any particular reason why?" Jigren asked grinning.

"Because he's my friend and I want to help him"

"Are you sure that it's not because you like him? It's fine if you do he is pretty hot. Though he looked better before he got the scar. He did deserve it"

Joiu was pissed off.

"DO NOT LET ME HEAR YOU SAY THAT EVER AGAIN OR EVEN HEAR ABOUT YOU SAYING IT OR ELSE!" She yelled, not caring about Jigren's parents.

"SHUT UP OR YOU'LL WAKE MY PARENTS UP!"

"Sorry…look can I use the ship or not?"

"Just answer me two questions."

"Fine, just ask them already." Joiu sighed.

"Okay. First, can I come too? And second, and be honest with me, do you like Prince Zuko?"

Joiu blushed and answered, "I guess I'll answer your first question first. I'll let you come on two conditions. First, don't jump on me like you did earlier while we're on the ship. And second, do not ever repeat what I'm about to tell you…(sigh)…I like Prince Zuko."

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. Can you say that again?"

"I like Prince Zuko."

"I knew it."

"Remember, you tell, you die. Now, can I use your ship?"

"Yeah, sure. When can we go?"

"As soon as we can. Get as much food and money as you can and leave your parents a note."

"Right. We'll meet under my window in a half hour."

Joiu left out the window and ran straight back to her house and gathered all of the money she could find in her house.

When she got it all in her bag she got all of the non perishable food things in the house.

Then she went to the tree where she and Prince Zuko used to go to talk, climbed to the very top branch and cried.

When she was finished she jumped down and ran to Jigren's house.

She was early so she just sat and waited.

She nearly fell asleep when Jigren came up behind her and poked her.

Joiu nearly jumped a foot in the air.

"GAH! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING!" she asked.

"You were falling asleep so I woke you up"

"You could have just tapped my shoulder or said that you were finally ready. I thought you said we were leaving in a half hour. That was an hour ago!"

"Sorry. I fell asleep for a half hour and when I woke up I thought I'd only been asleep a few minutes."

"That doesn't matter now. Let's go."

"Wait! Don't we need a crew?"

Joiu smiled, Jigren thought, sadly and whispered, "No. no one except your parents can know what we're doing. We're the only crew we'll need. Did you remember to pack the Earth Kingdom clothes I brought you from my last visit to my mother?"

"Of course. How dumb do you think I am? Don't answer that!"

Joiu rolled her eyes and they left.

Joiu sighed; it had been a long time since they left, two years.

"Zuko I hope you're ok…" she thought.

Suddenly the ship came to a halt and Joiu fell out of her bed.

Just as she was about to yell at Jigren she yelled first.

"Joiu! Come on deck quick!" Jigren shouted.

There were very few times Jigren was serious but by her voice you could tell she was very serious about whatever was up there.

Of course she ran up.

"(pant, pant) what?" she asked as she came up.

Jigren was wide eyed when she pointed in water.

In the water there was a body floating.

"Um…should we pull her up?" Jigren asked.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, OF COURSE WE SHOULD!" Joiu shouted.

"Okay, okay! Gosh, how was I supposed to know what to do, I don't usually go sailing without like, a guard or something…"

After they pulled the woman on board Joiu gasped.

Jigren looked at her "What?"

"I'd know that face anywhere!" Joiu said.

Jigren looked at her then back at the woman "What? Who?"

"Ursa, are you ok! Please, wake up!" Joiu said shaking her almost lifeless form.

Jigren's eyes widened "THAT'S URSA! B-BUT SHE DISAPPERED AND WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN! MOTHER SAID SHE DIED!"

"Shh! She's waking up!" Joiu said.

Ursa coughed some water out "Ugh…where…where am I?"

Joiu smiled "You're alive."

She shook her head "Joiu! Wha-where are we? Don't tell me I'm back at the Fire Nation capital!"

Joiu held her hands up defensively "No, no you're not! We're on a boat far from the kingdom actually, why does it matter?"

Ursa let out a sigh of relief "Good, couldn't afford to go back just yet."

"Um…your highness-"

"Don't call me that, I'm no longer the queen of that nation." She said dully.

Joiu blinked "Um…ok…Ursa, why did you leave the Fire Nation?"

"I should be asking you the same thing." She replied.

Joiu stepped back in surprise.

"You certainly changed a lot since you left! You use to be nice!" Jigren said.

"Jigren!" Joiu said through her teeth.

Ursa sighed "No, she's right…sorry, being on your own for such a long time tends to get you a little rougher. I apologize for my rudeness. You two do deserve and explanation, but I think I deserve one to, how about you go first."

Joiu was about to say something but Jigren open her big mouth.

"Well, after Zuko got burned and banished Joiu went insane with heartache and her little crush ceased to be just that and she dragged me out on this stupid boat so we could either help him get the Avatar or so they could get married and-"

She yelped and ducked as fire just barely missed her head.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" she screamed and shot more fire.

Jigren managed to dodge and yell "Well then do it on land or you'll burn the ship down!"
Joiu stopped and looked at the almost burnt mass of the ship.

She chuckled nervously "Oh yeah…well…you're safe for now but-"

"What does she mean? What happened to my Zuko!" Ursa suddenly yelled gripping Joiu by the shoulders.

After Jigren said 'after Zuko got burned and banished' she went into state of shock and just got out of it.

"Um…Zuko went against the plans of the army and well…he was challenged to an Agni Kai to…well…his father and-"

"That monster! He killed my son!" Ursa suddenly wailed hopelessly.

"No, no! He's alive, just, he got his face burned and…he was banished until he could catch the Avatar. Once he has the Avatar he can return."

"Damn, he can't catch the Avatar! He's the only chance we have to beat Ozai once and for all!"

Joiu and Jigren stared at her.

"…What?"

"…You just said a curse…" Jigren said.

Ursa laughed nervously "Oh yes, sorry about that."

"Wait, now, what's with you? I mean, why did you leave, where have you been?" Joiu asked in what she hoped was a polite voice.

She was pretty mad, Ursa made her angry, just up and leaving like that, besides her and Iroh, she was the only one who ever made Zuko smile.

"Oh right. Well, as you know Ozai's father died and instead of Iroh getting the throne, he did."

Both girls nodded.

Ursa's face hardened "Well, it didn't happen like you think. Fire Lord Azulan didn't just die…he was killed! And by his own son no less!"

"WHAT?"

"It's true. But, there lies the reason I left. When he was killed…I accidentally witnessed it. Ozai didn't trust anyone, especially not me. Considering we where forced to be wed and I never truly loved him. I had to be destroyed."

By now both girls was sitting on the ground, eyes wide and waiting, like children listening to a fairytale.

"But, Iroh had thankfully bought me some time with his arrival back. He didn't know why I was on the run but he didn't ask questions when I asked to borrow one of his fleets. Maybe it was the grief of losing his only child or just that he knew his brother was a monster. Either way, he let me leave without a word. Ozai may have looked for me, maybe he didn't. I didn't care, but for some reason or another as soon as our fleet left the dock we were pelted with something. Not fire, just…I don't know. Whatever it was, the ship crashed and was destroyed, I'm not sure who else survived…but I did. Luckily, I was able to find an island to rest on. Once I got back my strength I went forward. For a while I merely traveled around, but today I was lucky enough to get a ship. A small one, for one person, but a ship none the less! I'm not sure what happened after that. One minute I was sailing, I fell asleep and then I was here." She finished.

For awhile Joiu and Jigren stared disbelievingly at Ursa.

Joiu was the first to speak.

"So…Ozai killed his own father! That, if you'll pardon my language, son of a bitch!"

"It's fine. I actually think that isn't enough to describe what he is but I also don't think they've come up with a word yet to say what he is." Ursa replied.

Jigren laughed.

"Do you need to rest more? If you do you can use my room and I'll share a room with Jigren or sleep somewhere else."

Ursa smiled and replied, "Thank you, but I'm not tired right now."

"Okay. Well, if you are going to stay in my room I'll move my stuff into Jigren's room."

Then she left.

When she got to her room she only got things that meant a lot to her that she wouldn't want anyone else to touch and put them in a box.

The one that meant the most to her being a scroll with different Firebending techniques that he'd made up on his own.

(A/N: Yep. He made them up on his own and they worked.)

She opened it and could hear his voice while she read it again, "I made these techniques up myself and I trust you to keep them a secret. You can practice them too. It took me a long time to perfect them even though I made them up myself. I know that you're better than me so it won't take you as long."

She smiled as she read one particular part over and over again.

"-I trust you-"

It was after reading that that she'd known that what she felt for him was more than friendship or a crush.

She knew that he was who she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with.

She wasn't sure if Prince Zuko felt the same way or not.

She heard Jigren saying her name so she rolled up the scroll and put it in the box.

"Coming!" she said.

She got back up on deck.

"What is it?" she asked Jigren.

"Look! Over there!" Jigren said pointing to the stern of the ship.

(A/N: For you dumb people out there the stern is the front.)

Joiu looked and saw Prince Zuko's ship.

She gasped and said, "Slow the ship down! I don't want him to know that we're following him yet."

Jigren nodded and obeyed.

Joiu stared at the ship and thought, "Oh, my Zuko. I hope that you capture the Avatar soon."

She was brought out of her thoughts by Ursa's voice.

"I haven't seen my son for seven years…how was he doing before his banishment?"

"He was doing okay. He kept trying to get into the war counsel room…when I remember all of the ways he tried…" she smiled sadly, remembering all of the failed attempts and how they laughed about them.

She wished things could still be like that.

She sighed.

Ursa looked at Joiu in a questioning way then she realized that Joiu was in love with Prince Zuko.

Joiu looked at Ursa, who gave her a smile similar to the one Iroh gave her before he and Prince Zuko left.

She left to get the box from her room to take to Jigren's room.

When she got to Jigren's room she took out a piece of parchment that she was writing a song on.

She hummed the tune while reading.

(A/N: I do not own this song. It is copyright Andrew Lloyd Webber.)

"No more talk of darkness, forget these wide-eyed fears. I'm here nothing can harm you; my words will warm and calm you. Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears, I'm here, with you, beside you, to guard you and to guide you."

(A/N: Sound familiar POTO fans?)

She had started writing it the day after Jigren and her had left.

She read the next verse.

"Say you'll love me every waking moment, turn my head with talk of summertime. Say you need me with you now and always. Promise me that all you say is true…that's all I ask of you."

Then she got an idea, she wrote a J before the first verse and a Z before the second verse.

She decided to add more.

J "Let me be your shelter, let me be your light. You're safe, no one will find you, your fears are far behind you."

Z "All I want is freedom, a world with no more night, and you, always beside me, to hold me and to hide me."

J "Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Let me lead you from your solitude. Say you need me with you here beside you. Anywhere you go, let me go too. Zuko, that's all I ask of you."

Z "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you."

Z/J "Share each day with me, each night, each morning."

Z "Say you love me."

J "You know I do."

Z/J "Love me, that's all I ask of you. Pause for music Anywhere you go let me go too! Love me, that's all I ask of you."

(A/N to the POTO fans: I also know that the pause was for more than the music.)

Joiu had finished the song and played it in her mind with her singing the parts that she'd put the J and Z/J in front of and Prince Zuko singing the parts that she'd put the Z and Z/J in front of.

She sighed and smiled.

She put the scroll back in the box.

She remembered the day she first met Zuko.

Joiu was three years old and her father and Ozai, who have been friends since childhood, were having lunch.

(A/N: He was a forced friend.)

Zuko was sitting in the grass pulling it out.

Joiu walked over to him.

"Whatcha doin'?" she asked.

He didn't even look up when he answered, "Pullin' the grass out."

"Oh. Why?"

He still didn't look up.

"'Cuz I don't got no one to play with."

"Oh. I'll play with you."

He looked up at her.

"Hmm…okay! You know how to play tag?"

"Yeah! I love tag!"

"Okay then…YOU'RE IT!"

Then he pushed her.

She fell and looked like she was gonna cry but she got up and chased him.

They ran around laughing and after awhile they forgot what they were doing.

They lay down in the grass.

Joiu rolled over on her stomach and said to Zuko, "I like you."

Then she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Joiu smiled at that last part.

She sighed and thought "Zuko…I hope you're ok…"

THE END

A/N: I made this as a test. If you like it, please review and tell me. If you like it I'll continue this as a series.