Well, well, well. Eight reviews huh? That's so awesome! Anywho. Check out my new ficlet, 'Jumping on the Bandwagon'. It's super-cool and super-unedited. Heh. Too many grammar mistakes in less than 1000 words for my computer to handle. This is the fifth chappie! Hope you enjoy!


Effort

"No uncle, for the last time, I AM NOT PLAYING THE SUNGI HORN!"

"Alright, alright, just calm down." Iroh said hurriedly, waving his fan at the irritated prince. "Just come out and enjoy the night. You are always in your room."

Zuko turned to face his uncle. The prince sighed and grabbed his cloak, brushing past the old firebender on his way out.

"Fine, but I swear uncle, if you try and make me play that stupid instrument one more time I'll-"

"Deal." Iroh said swiftly, cutting off Zuko's threat. "And about that young girl in the cells, don't you think she would enjoy music night too?" he asked innocently, walking out of Zuko's quarters and shutting the door behind him. Zuko was standing a few feet in front of the general, his back turned to him.

"No." he stated flatly, fastening his cloak with a yellow brooch. "Absolutely not uncle. She is a water bender. And if you haven't noticed we are in the ocean."

Iroh chuckled and tapped his fan shut against his palm. "True, but she is an untrained water bender. And even if she did manage to escape a ship full to the brim of trained fire nation soldiers she couldn't get anywhere. Think about it Prince Zuko, if she stole a small canoe where would she go? She can't navigate and she can't waterbend to any threatening proficiency. It will be fine." The general explained slowly examining his folded fan.

"She is still my prisoner." he growled, knowing that he would eventually give in anyway.

"She may be a prisoner Prince Zuko, but she is still a person." A burst of fire issued out of Zuko's hands.

"Fine! You go get her. I'll be up on deck." Zuko stomped off in the direction of the staircases, ignoring the small chuckling coming from his uncle.

The old firebender shook his head slowly, still chuckling. "So impatient."

Down in the cells Katara was lying on her back, her knees bent and her foot moving in time to the beat of a pipa, the sound penetrating the long corridors and her cell door. She heard another noise over the stringed instrument and turned her head to see Iroh open up her cell door.

She sat up and waited, wondering what the general had to say.

"If you would like to come up to music night, young lady, I would be happy to escort you." he said bowing slightly and offering Katara his arm. "If such a pretty lady would oblige?" he asked, the complement causing a blush to rise on the waterbenders face.

She stood up and took Iroh's arm. "I'm taking Zuko doesn't like me being allowed on deck, huh?" she asked once they had risen to the top part of the ship.

Iroh walked out toward the group of soldiers, leaving Katara slightly behind. "He'll get over it. And besides," he said, turning back and smiling slightly, "fresh air is good for you."

Katara raised an eyebrow. How was he related to Zuko? She shook her head and followed Iroh, circling around the small group and sitting down a little farther back from the group of soldiers than was necessary. The girl scanned the mass of military seated around the fire. She shivered and wished she had brought the cloak Zuko had given her.

"Here, you'll catch your death of cold if you don't have an extra layer on." Katara looked up, not recognizing the voice. A handsome firebender of about nineteen stood in front of her, offering Katara a cloak. He had long black hair tied up in a traditional firebender topknot and dark brown eyes.

The girl smiled "No thanks, I'm fine. Besides you must be cold too."

"Nonsense." the firebender stated, draping the cloak around Katara's shoulders and sitting down. "Don't worry about me. This armor keeps the heat in." he said, tapping a chest plate. "In summer too, unfortunately."

Katara laughed a little.

"Forgive me, I'm being rude. My name is Ghan. I'm a lieutenant on this ship." he said offering Katara a hand.

The girl smiled at Ghan. "Nice to meet you, I'm Katara." she looked from the firebender to Zuko, then whispered into the nineteen year-olds ear. "Is he always this moody?" she asked.

"Only on music night." he whispered back, "His uncle makes him come out and he sometimes plays along with Lt. Lee. He is very talented on the sungi horn."

Katara giggled. "Seriously?" she glanced over at the prince, now glaring pointedly in another direction. "He doesn't seem to be the kind of person to get up and entertain."

Ghan smiled at the girl and then stared dreamily at the fire. "He isn't." A small pause followed. Katara stood up slowly, stretching.

"I think I'll go talk to him." she said looking at Zuko. The girl glanced at the firebender next to her. "Nice meeting you Ghan." she said, taking off his cloak and giving it back to him.

"Likewise." he said good-naturedly, watching as Katara made her way to sit next to Zuko.

Zuko glared at the girl as she sat down. "What do you want?" he asked, acting more like a little kid than a sixteen-year-old prince.

"Moody?" she asked serenely, sitting down in the kneeling position next to the prince. Her legs where tucked under her and she was playing with the folds in her robe. "Look, the only reason I came out is for the fresh air, if you're really that uncomfortable with me being here, I'll leave."

The prince looked away from the fire and at rested his gaze on the girl. "If we could both leave that would be even better." he growled under his breath and returned his gaze to the fire.

The water bender rolled her eyes. "Fine. You take me back to the cells, say you were tired or something, and then stay in your rooms the entire rest of the night." she said, looking at the prince. "Sound good?" she asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

"It would be." Zuko muttered. "If I could actually leave." he sighed and looked back at Katara. "Uncle says double training tomorrow if I don't stay here for the duration of the night." he shook his head and frowned, his stare drawn to the fire once again.

"I'll take her."

Zuko and Katara looked up at the speaker. "That would be much appreciated Lieutenant Ghan." The prince said, looking at Katara. He watched as Katara stood up and followed the officer downstairs, the girl laughing slightly at a joke the lieutenant had made.

He frowned and looked at the ground, only to see the feet of a certain general. He looked up and saw Iroh's normally nonchalant face in a small frown. The overweight firebender shook his head and bent down to whisper in Zuko's ear.

The prince's eyes narrowed.

Downstairs, Katara had stopped Ghan outside her cell. "Here it is." she muttered walking into the small room.

Ghan walked into the cell and looked around, noticing it bare furnishings. He gaze rested on an empty plate and glass. He smiled and shook his head, coming farther into the unembellished room. "So this is where you sleep huh?" he asked.

Katara nodded, slightly uncomfortable with the way Ghan was searching the room. The lieutenant turned to the girl, a small smile on his features. "What do you say to a goodnight kiss Katara?"

The girl's eyes flashed. "No." she stated firmly, setting her feet shoulder length apart and relaxing her hands. "No" she said again. "Please go away."

Ghan smiled and shook his head. "Sorry Katara, but I always get what I want." he said, shooting a fireball at her body.

The waterbender reacted quickly, bending the water in her pouch to form a shield that dissipated the young man's attack. She formed the liquid into a whip and tried to lash the lieutenant's face. He promptly blocked her attack with an arm covered in fire. Throwing another, larger fireball at Katara he stepped closer to her, trying to hold her to the wall.

She shoved him away, the water in her hands pinning him to the metal plating. She breathed in deeply and exhaled, freezing the man to the wall by his arms and body. There was not enough water within her range to completely freeze him to the wall, although she would have liked too.

Ghan smirked. "You think that these can hold a firebender little girl?" he asked, heating up the ice and making it evaporate, leaving a small mist in the room. "Now come on Katara," he said, watching her futile efforts to gather the water back to her, amused. "One kiss and I'll be out of your way."

This time the lieutenant succeeded in pinioning Katara to the cell wall. The girl snarled and turned her head away. Both her arms where above her head, restrained by one of Ghans hands. She couldn't move her legs and she could feel the man's breath on her throat. Katara was about to scream when the weight was lifted off her, followed by a dull thud.

She looked up and saw the lieutenant slumped against the far end of the cell, blood dripping from a small cut on his forehead. The girl turned her head slowly to see the furious face of Prince Zuko, advancing on the man.

Ghan got up slowly, his hands up in a peaceful gesture. Fire seemed to be coming out of Zuko's mouth as he examined the man before him.

"Easy, milord." the lieutenant said slowly. "No harm done, I was just playing with the girl. Can't let you have all the fun." Before Zuko's eyes had time to widen in rage, Katara had already headed over to the man and slapped him. The sound was harsh and sudden, leaving both Ghan and Zuko speechless.

"How dare you!" she spat, standing above the man, who was now rubbing his cheek. "How dare you." she said again, anger flashing in her eyes. She raised her arm to slap him again, and then lowered it. Katara clenched her fist and turned around, walking over to Zuko.

"He isn't worth the effort." she muttered to herself more than to the prince, watching as the lieutenant got up and fled the cell.

The prince closed his mouth. "You're all right then?" he asked her, a little timidly after seeing her outburst.

Katara huffed and crossed her arms. "Of course I am." she muttered, not looking at the prince. "I wouldn't let myself get hurt by a jerk like him." she said, glancing at Zuko.

Zuko scratched the back of his head, slightly confused at where to go with the situation.

'Tell her that you're glad she's unhurt,' came the curt whisper from the doorway. Zuko's forehead creased as he heard the voice coming softly from outside the cell.

"No." he hissed, trying to be subtle but failing, quite miserably. Katara stifled laughter behind a hand.

'But you are! Don't deny it prince Zuko.' came the reply. 'and what are you doing paying attention to me? Pay attention to the girl!' Zuko's head snapped around to face Katara.

"I'm . . . glad . . . That you are unhurt." he said through gritted teeth. Katara raised an eyebrow and bit her tongue.

"Thank you." she said, noting how uncomfortable Zuko was with the situation. "I'm glad you where there when things go t tough."

The prince nodded. "The lieutenant will be disciplined. I cannot abide it when an officer does not carry himself with honor." Zuko clenched his fist. "I must be going. I do not wish to have to suffer through double training tomorrow."

He turned around to exit when he heard both a sigh from outside the cell and a movement behind him. He stepped back, slightly startled, as Katara appeared in front of him. She searched his face and leaned up, blushing slightly, and kissed his cheek. "Thank you." she whispered, retreating and still blushing.

Zuko nodded and sidestepped around the girl, who was now staring at the floor. He quickly closed the cell door and rounded on his uncle, curled up in silent laughter on the hinged side of the door. He glared at the old firebender, ignoring the blush on his cheeks. "That was unnecessary," Zuko hissed, walking past the man and heading down the corridor.

"But nephew," Iroh said, catching up with Zuko. "It was too good an opportunity to miss. Do not say differently, you would have stood there for a good ten minutes before deciding to leave had I not intervened."

The prince glared at the aging firebender. "Why didn't you help her?" he asked. "You could have dispatched of Ghan easier than I did."

Iroh merely smiled and continued up to the deck. "I wanted you to have the . . . Experience." he said, and then climbed up the ladder to the fire circle, Zuko not far behind.

"Besides, you need every ounce of skill you posses in order to capture the avatar." he paused and turned to Zuko. "What do you think of asking Katara to be your dueling partner?" he asked, his face serious. "It would be good for both of you. It is not often you will get to go toe to toe with a waterbender without them trying to kill you. And the girl does need to improve her skills; she could be great you know." The Dragon of the west pulled out his fan again and began wafting himself.

"I don't need a partner," Zuko hissed. "Ow!" he exclaimed as Iroh slapped him upside the head with the small fan. "What was that for?" he asked, more confused than angry.

"You where being impertinent." Iroh said smartly, turning his back on his nephew. "Do not bother me." he said, cutting off Zuko before he had the time to retaliate with a barbed comment. "I am the baritone in the quartet and we need to practice."

The prince sighed and rolled his eyes. 'Uncles' he thought, 'will get you every time'.


Aang yawned. It was the fifth night of the search and they hadn't seen a single sign of a fire nation ship. Zuko's or otherwise. He stretched and jumped back to where Sokka was sharpening his knife, Momo watching interestedly.

Sokka's eyes flicked upwards, then swiftly returned to his work.

"Hey." he muttered, tired and not feeling very talkative.

"We need to land, Sokka." Aang said timidly, gazing at the fabric that made up Appa's saddle. Momo abandoned his perch on Sokka's knee and scampered up to Aangs shoulder. "Appa's getting tired, and we need some food." Aang's stomach growled, as if to emphasize his point.

The water tribe boy nodded. "Alright, anything that has food attached to it can't be bad." he said, a hint of his old sarcasm showing through. "Anyway, Appa still has a strong hold on their ash trail right?" Sokka looked up at Aang, "Right?"

Aang chuckled nervously, "About that Sokka . . . " The avatar explained to the water tribe boy slowly, very much aware he might get a swift whack to the head for being the bearer of bad news.

"What do you mean we lost the trail two nights ago!"

"Well, it's not that hard to understand really Sokka." Aang muttered, cowed under the furious gaze of the older boy, Momo too had jumped up and dashed down Aang's back, startled by the outburst. "You see a few nights ago Appa got confused and mixed up the trail with that of a nearby village, they where having a bonfire, some festival or another and-"

"So you have no idea where we're going?" Sokka asked, sitting up straight, his fists clenched and his knuckles turning white around his knife handle. "We're flying around in the air in circles, searching for a ship that not only has my sister on it but the one person who has nothing to lose by dying?"

"Er. That's about right." Aang said nervously. "But don't worry, I've told Appa to just go toward the Fire Nation, he's bound to stop there right?"

"Yeah, in about a week!" Sokka said angrily, his teeth clenched. The boy then sighed an sat back. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry for snapping at you Aang, I'm just, . . .Annoyed."

Aang nodded, then climbed back up to Appa's head, Momo still on his shoulder. Aang then toke the reigns in hand and snapped them over Appa's neck. "Yip yip!" he cried, and the large bison swiftly descended toward a small island.


That's it! Don't expect #6 for a while though. Sorry all. I'm going away, I might work on it some. Still . . .Anyways Zuko and Katara not IC enough? Iroh just the right amount of humor? Tell me and vote/review!

-Word Bender.