AN: Sorry I didn't update sooner guys...
I'm not going to be able to update again until Friday (New Episode - YAY!) because my mom, my friend, my friend's mom, and me are all going to New York for Spring Break!
C.A.M.E.O.1 and Only - Actually I'm trying to learn classic Chinese. I don't know why, like nobody uses it anymore, (the reason why it is referred to as the 'ancient language' in the story) but it is the kind seen on Avatar so I'm O.k. with it...
Bloodress - I know what you mean. :)
teh rosey - lol
Oh and by the way - MORE OC'S !
On with the chapter!
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This is what I had originally said as my opening author's note. Yet, as you can obviously see, I didn't get to finish writing the chapter last Friday(which is when I had started). Just for that, you ALL get a whole box of oreos and ice cream.
As a side note - New York was AWESOME! We went shopping a lot. :D Did you guys know that the signs in China Town are written in Classic Chinese, which is the kind I'm trying to learn? Probably the two (that I knew) characters that I saw most were the ones for "beautiful" and "eat" or "food".
The new eppie is TONIGHT! W00T! It's about time!
Alright, alright... on with the chapter... again.
Chapter Fifteen : Misread Maps and Good Intentioned Gambling
She crouched in the trees behind Lunro, watching Fire Nation soldiers rushing around in giddy excitement.
What are you planning?
She recognized the largest ship - how could she not? Her emerald eyes scanned the deck, and it wasn't long before she spotted the flame-throwing princess.
A strand of raven black hair brushed across this mysterious girl's face as she tried to figure out what was going on. She looked up, through the leaves of the trees, to the sun and her eyes grew wider as realization stumbled upon her.
I can't go. I still remember what happened last time...
'Do you see Zhao anywhere? No, just that spoiled Princess Zula.'
What if Zhao put up wanted posters?
'Have you seen any?'
No.
She nodded, deciding on her coarse of action. She would go, but she would't let her guard down. Not again...
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Flames engulfed her clenched fists as her temper grew thinner.
"Is there not one soldier who isn't going to this - this Huo Guo Chuan Tong?"
"Princess Zula," Ruhuo put a hand on the girl's shoulder to try and calm her down. "You do know what Huo Guo Chuan Tong means, don't you?"
Although his hand had noticably decreased Zula's anger, she was still simmering. She mumbled something that Ruhuo was just barely able to catch.
"I never wasted my time with the ancient language."
Ruhuo straightened, removing his hand. "Huo Guo Chuan Tong means Fire Nation tradition. At this Fire Nation tradition, we eat, drink, and celebrate in honor of the Fire God, Agni, once every year."
"If we're honoring Agni, then why don't we hold this tradition in the Summer?" Zula seethed.
"Because another part of the tradition is to hold it in a different season each year, and the pattern of the seasons follows the Avatar cycle. This year just so happens to be the year we celebrate in Spring, so we hold it today, on the first day of that particular season."
Zula huffed as he finished his explanation. "Fine, go have your little celebration. I'll stay here on the ship doing something productive with my time."
"No, you won't."
Zula glared at him with her fierce golden eyes. "What did you just say to me?"
"You heard me." Ruhuo looked at her with her stern, yet kind, expression, and gave her a small smile. "You've been working too hard, Zula. You need to have at least one day to have fun. That is, of coarse, if you even know the meaning of the word."
Her eyes narrowed. "Are you implying that I don't know how to have fun?"
His small smile grew into a broad grin. "Maybe,"
"Well then," She stood straight and held her head high. "I suppose I will just have to show you otherwise, won't I?"
"I suppose you will."
"I will."
"You will what?"
"I bet you that I will go to that celebration, and I will have fun."
"I'll see you there."
"Yes, you will!"
Zula stormed off the deck with Ruhuo still grinning after her. She had nearly screamed her last few sentences, which had attracted the attention of a couple men on board.
"What was that all about?" A soldier asked as he approached Ruhuo.
"You'll see."
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"I don't get it." Sokka stated. "I just don't get it."
Aang and the gang plus two had left the island directly after the encounter with the strangee girls for fear of being spied on. They were now directly above more of the Earth Kingdom's expansive forests, and Sokka was trying to navagate using the map in his lap.
There was only one problem - he had noticed a thin line of ocean, only a few hours' ride away.
"You don't get what?"
Aang scrambled over to the giant bison's head and plopped down beside Sokka.
"Well," Sokka pointed to a place on the map, "This is where Omashu is supposed to be, but instead all I see is trees. Not only that, but Omashu is also located in the center of the Earth Kingdom, but see that out there? That's the ocean. I just don't get it."
"I do."
Sokka and Aang jumped so high that Momo, who had been sitting on Aang's head, ran down the monk's shirt to find cover. Both the boys turned around to see that Katara was directly above them, studying the map in Sokka's hands.
"Geez, Katara, why do you have to -"
"Give me the map."
"What would a girl know about -"
"Give me the map." Her eyes noticably darkened at her brother's unfinished comment.
Reluctantly, Sokka passed up the map. Katara looked over it again, turned it around, and gave it back to Sokka. Her eyes were angry and mocking.
"You had the map upside-down the entire time."
Zuko burst out in mocking laughter at the "warrior's" mistake. "Some warrior you are! You can't even read a map!"
"I wouldn't make fun of me if I were you."
"And why is that, peasant?"
"I'm not the one with the busted leg." Sokka smirked. "You can't even stand up right without a crutch."
"You do realize that broken bones don't affect a person's bending, don't you?" A small flame hovered above Zuko's palm.
"Is that a threat?" Sokka drew to his full hight, towering above the sitting bender.
"Perhaps," Zuko said slowly. "Or perhaps I'm attempting to put a think-headed Water Tribe peasant in his proper place."
Sokka drew his boomerang from his belt, ready to fight this smart-mouthed Prince.
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The emerald-eyed girl walked through the markets of Lunro, scouring for much needed supplies. She struck the merchants as awkward, for she kept her head down around any Fire Nation soldiers and yet kept it high at all other times. She wore a tattered green tunic and simple black pants, but her hair was always neat and clean.
It was also believed strange when this girl stepped into the dress shop on the outskirts of the town, for she did not seem of Fire Nation decent and it did not seem as though she would have any reason for her to have formal attire.
Then again, it did not seem that she was a fugitive. It did not seem that she had experienced unimaginable pain and suffering. It did not seem that she was on a never ending quest, always searching and hoping. It did not seem that she would be the kind of young lady to be seeking vengience.
Then again, not everything is as it seems...
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Zula was shifting through her closets and drawers, trying to find something to wear to the festival when understanding finally gripped her mind.
"He tricked me!"
She stood simmering at first, unnerved that someone could deceive her so easily, until she could stand it no longer and a broad grin crept across her face.
"Great Agni, I sure know how to pick 'em." She sighed.
Yet questions came flooding into her mind.
He wanted me to have fun ...
'He might think of you as a friend, nothing more.'
He went through the trouble to trick me into it ...
'Was it really that much trouble?'
He's the only one on this ship who can understand me ..
'Understand what? What have you told him? Why should he care?'
Zula brushed the arguements aside and continued to rummage through her clothes.
I worry about this later. Right now however, I have a bet to win ...
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Niether the flames nor the weapon left their masters' palms, for just as each was ready to strike, both were soaked in a wave of ice water.
"Katara!" Sokka sputtered as the girl bended all the water but that on the two boys back into a small pond that they had flown over.
Zuko's face remained emotionless as steam rose from his very skin and the air became noticably warmer.
"If you two are quite done, I have a solution."
Katara sat back on her feet as she rolled the map out in front of her.
"We need supplies," Katara began, "and there is only one village close enough to get them from. There is an Earth Kingdom port, not far from here, that could be of some use to us. If we continue flying at our current speed we should be there in an hour or two. With that said I would also like to point out that we might also have enough money to stay at an inn tonight, if the rest of you would like."
The rest nodded their approval, and, as soon as this was done, everyone went back to their usual - Aang steering, Sokka mapping, Katara practicing her bending, Zuko thinking, and Iroh napping and drinking his tea.
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AN: Yes, yes, I know - not a very good chappie but I do have good news! The next chapter will be the Huo Guo Chuan Tong! Yay! (I will try to update this weekend..)
Also, I stopped writing just before the last section to watch the new episode of Avatar... That general guy was an ass... seriously. OMG POOR ZUKO AGAIN! The poor guy is just proned to stuff like this isn't he? Also, watching this I found out that her name ISN'T Zula ... it's Azula. So I will be writing that in future chapters... maybe...
But it wasn't neccessarily the new episode that struck me. It was the comercial after it, for the eppie next Friday. I have but one thing to say to this...
Me ----- OMFG! NOOOOOO! Starts screaming to no end, pulling hair out, running around in circles, and foaming at the mouth GAAAAHH! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! KATAANG BAD! BAD! ZUTARA GOOD! AHH!
My brother ----- Ummm... Well she'll try update again this weekend. Just hope another one of those comercials doesn't come on again or she'll be spazzing out like this for hours... Well, I guess I'll have to find the Avatar DVD's to try and calm her down...