AN: Well, at least it isn't 2 months late, right?
colorcrystals - You wouldn't!
almostinsane - Yup. In fact, in this chapter. You know, you were the first one to ever review for this story?
pureangel86 - Yes, I am. Not for a little while though.
As for pretty much everyone else - THE ZUKO EPI WAS SO ... BEYOND WORDS! His mother was pretty. :) As for Azula in that one ... I guess she's always been like she is. I am SO MAD at that village though! But at least Zuko got to keep his knife...
Chapter Seventeen : What Happened Under the Huo Ying ...
It was a strange feeling, being kissed by the Fire Prince. What was even stranger was the fact that she kissed him back. As their lips touched, fire seemed to run through her very being, and she loved it.
But there was no way she was telling him that ...
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It was a strange feeling, kissing the waterbender. What was even stranger was the fact that she kissed him back. As their lips touched, healing water seemed to rush through him, making him feel safe, and he loved it.
But there was no way he was telling her that ...
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Iroh, Shuin, and Hua watched their plan unfold under the Huo Ying. Iroh had the largest grin on his face that the girls had ever seen. The girls were smiling too, until Shuin could take it no longer and squealed with pleasure.
She grabbed Hua's hands and jumped up, spinning in a circle and singing "We did it! We did it!". Then Hua broke free of her sister's grip.
"No, Shu. This was just a small ice-breaking step towards our real goal."
"And what goal would that be?"
Shuin and Hua jumped as the familiar voice sounded. They slowly looked over to the doorway to see that Zuko and Katara were glaring at them. They obviously didn't realize that they were still in eachother's arms ...
"Uhhh ..."
"Great job, Shuin! Now you blew our cover!"
"I didn't mean to!"
"Yeah, yeah ..."
"Hey, you were the one who blew it on the island!"
"Don't even start about that!"
"I already did!"
"Shuin!"
"Hua!"
Thin wisps of smoke were curling from Hua's fists, while a water glass on the counter had shattered, its contents spilling onto the floor. Iroh was still behind a shelf, unseen by all. Katara had moved closer to the girls, bending the water to her. Zuko was still in the doorway, though he had entered a bending stance.
"Um, Shuin and Hua, I believe your names were ..." Katara still had the water at her command as the girls transferred their gazes to her. "I don't know who you are, why you've been following us, or what you want, but I would most certainly like to."
Shuin sighed and looked back to Hua. "Should we -"
"No, Madame Woo said - "
"I know what Madame Woo said, but she never told us that we had to do our duty in the confines of shawdows, Hua."
Hua looked desperate. "Shu, - "
"Don't you "Shu" me!" Shuin stepped closer to her sister and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hua, I know you. We have been there for eachother all our lives. I know why you don't want to."
Hua looked her sister in the eye. "I don't ... I just ... I ..."
"What if this was what the fortune teller meant Hua? How can you expect to meet the man she told you of if you don't let people closer?"
"But Mom ..."
"... died when we were babies."
"Our father ..."
"... split us up from our brother and sister so that Zhao wouldn't be able to find us."
Hate filled Hua's eyes. "Zhao ..."
"... was a stupid hog-monkey destined for hell, Hua, and don't you forget it."
Hua couldn't stop the weak smile from forming. "Alright, Shu, we'll work in the open from now on."
"I'm glad to hear it Hua."
"Yin and Yang?"
"Water and Fire."
"Shui and Huo."
"Shuin and Hua."
The two embraced for a moment before Katara cleared her throat.
"Oh, right, sorry." The two said at once.
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"Layla, -"
He was cut off by her lips on his. He had waited so long for this feeling again, as had she.
But Hanu had been asigned as a spy. His parents had never liked the idea, and he didn't either. But he would do what he could for the Earth Kingdom. He wished he could do everything for Layla.
"I've longed for you ever since I left, Layla."
"I know."
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What the couple didn't realize, was how much closer they were getting until -
Azula didn't exactly know how it happened, but she did know that she had been waiting a while for it. Her lips were pressed against Ruhuo's, and they were the only ones on the dance floor who had stopped dancing. She loved it even more when he kissed her back, although it did surprise her a bit.
Ha! He does care for me!
Azula rejoiced in this moment. She had no inner voice bugging her, she was in the arms of the man she loved, and more importantly - her father wasn't here to see it all happen. Azula knew Ozai would be outraged. Ruhuo wasn't a nobleman, and she was supposed to be after the Avatar...
But there was one, no two, other things that could ruin this moment for her ...
"Look at that, Mei! Azula finally got herself a boyfriend!"
"Hey Azula, enough liplocking. You know we don't have guys of our own yet."
"Well, Mei, you would if you would make a move towards a certain prince we know!"
Azula reluctantly parted from Ruhuo, although still in his arms, and glared at the other girls with frustration.
"Ty Lee, Mei, how nice to have you here during Huo Guo Chuan Tong."
Ty Lee obviously didn't catch the sarcasm dripping from Azula's voice. "Oh, yes, Princess Azula. We couldn't miss the Fire Nation Tradition, could we?"
"My father is the new governor of Omashu and when we heard of the celebration Ty Lee forced me to come."
"Azula," Ty Lee once again spoke. "aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?"
Azula nodded. "Ruhuo, this is Ty Lee and Mei. Ty Lee, Mei, this is Ruhuo."
" 'Like fire' ?" Mei questioned.
Ruhuo nodded. "My mother named me."
"Ty Lee, Mei, why don't you two go and have some food. There is certainly plenty of it." Azula was attempting to sound hospitable.
"Oh, no, we just - oof!" Ty Lee started before Mei jabbed her. "Oh, I mean, yes! We would love to!"
Ruhuo and Azula could hear the girls' snickers as they walked from the dance floor, then Azula turned back to him.
"Interesting friends."
"Sometimes,"
They both smiled a bit, then, "Hey Ruhuo,"
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"I win."
Ruhuo's smile grew into a grin. "And would you like your prize?"
"Yes, I would."
Ruhuo gave her a gentle kiss, then led her off of the dance floor for a romantic walk along the beach.
Too bad they didn't know who else was there...
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"Hey, did you say Madame Woo?" Katara asked.
"Yes, do you know her?"
"I do. She gave me my fair share of predictions!"
"Oh, no!" Hua cried, causing evryone else to turn to her. "You're sounding like Shuin!"
"Hua doesn't usually believe in fortune." Shuin explained.
"Wow, that sounds like my brother."
"Sokka, right?"
"Yeah, that's him." Katara paused for a moment. "So, what did Aunt Woo tell you?"
Shuin and Hua exchanged glances.
"Oh, you know, who we would fall in love with, - " Hua started.
"Our part in the war ... and the lives of a certain couple ... " Hua elbowed Shuin in the side.
"So?" Katara questioned.
"So?" Shuin and Hua asked.
"So, who are you going to fall in love with?"
Shuin and Hua grinned so wide, you wouldn't think they'd have that kind of room on their faces. Never the less, Katara had chosen the perfect topic to get the girls talking.
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The girls had gone to sit outside and watch the celebrations as they talked.
Shuin went first. "My love will be quick and agile. He will always know how to make me laugh and he will ... well, love me! He will be a bender, and will believe and do what is good for me and everyone around him!"
Next Katara confessed what Aunt Woo had told her. "My love will be a powerful bender, and hansome! We will have a great romance, but in the end we will be happy with eachother.
Both girls looked expectantly at Hua. The girl sighed. "Alright. My love will be a non-bender, but he will be a powerful warrior. We will have a very rocky start, but he ends up caring for me, and I him."
The three girls sighed in union, pondering over who their loves might be. Then Aang, Zuko, Sokka, and Iroh came over. When the men (mostly) noticed the dreamy, dazed look in the girls' eyes, Sokka just had to speak up.
"Girls ..." He mumbled, and the others nodded in aggreement.
"Excuse me?" Hua demanded.
"Hey, you're that firebender from the island!"
"So, what if I am?"
"So! So, you're a firebender!"
"And...?"
"And ... you're dangerous!"
"Is that, although true, the best you could come up with?"
"Uhh ..."
As Hua and Sokka continued their little 'chat', a certain idea struck Katara and Shuin.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" They asked.
"Well, if you're thinking that your brother is the one from my sister's prediction, -
" - and that we should hook them up?"
The girls smiled.
It is about time Sokka learned a little lesson on pride, predjudice, and love.
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AN: Oh, what Sokka's sister has in store for him! But now Shuin is playing matchmaker for two couples! Will se be able to pull it off?
O.k. Part of my little question from chapter 13 has been answered. PART OF IT! And I told you guys that I would award cookies as the information appears in the story. Others of you got the rest of it right, but I'm not telling you who!
But for now, a box of cookies to Storybender for guessing that Hanu was Haru!
Don't worry, I have more cookies to hand out. Just not right now!
I gave you guys little hints to who everyone's loves were, but now that Katara has befriended the twins, what will happen?
And who was it that Azula and Ruhuo meet on the beach? Well, let's just say it shocked Ruhuo a bit more than everyone would like.
Just one other thing - this was the first story I posted here on and in the time I have been writing it, I've started 3 other stories as well (one being a one shot). This said, I have a question...
Do you guys think I've improved?
Now this AN is big enough to be a chapter...
As always - REVIEW!