Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or any of its characters…oh well.
Also, in this chapter some people will be speaking a different language, however I made this language up. It may sound or look Japanese, but it is not.
Special Thanks:
-Dolphin Water
-crazed inuyashafan girl
-fragile246
-DemonDaughter
-lilbunnybo
The Festival"Who is he?" Katara asked. His facial features seemed familiar, but she was positive that she'd never seen him before in her life. Sokka and Aang turned to look at her.
"I have no idea." Aang said.
"And I certainly have no idea either. Are you sure you're okay Katara?" Katara looked at her brother, and then up at the sky. Maybe she was just acting funny. The only people she'd ever met from the Fire Nation were Zuko, Iroh, Zhao, and Azula. But the more she looked at him, the more she was certain she knew him. He wasn't very tall or old at all. He was only about 13 years old at the oldest, not much older than Aang. He had a full head of black hair that was pulled into a loose, low-hanging ponytail. His eyes were a dark red and he seemed to be laughing quite a lot with some friends.
"Alright guys, since I've been to the Fire Nation before, I know their customs. Just do what I do okay?" Katara and Sokka nodded at Aang.
"Hey wait Aang, the last time you were in the Fire Nation was over 100 years ago. Are you sure that their customs and traditions are the same?" Aang looked at Sokka and smiled.
"Well Sokka, before I made friends in the Fire Nation, they had had the same traditions that were used by their ancestors from about 2,000 years before! I don't think that they've changed anything. They're too proud of their culture to ever change it. So don't worry. Are you guys ready?" Katara and Sokka gulped down the lumps in their throats.
"Ready." They said simultaneously.
They cleared away the bushes and entered the festival. Luckily for Sokka and Katara it had been very sunny all week, so almost everyone had a tan. Aang decided to split from Katara and Sokka in order to find the whereabouts of the hostage quicker. Aang told them to simply "Be polite, and laugh at all their jokes." Even with this knowledge, they were still wary and avoided everyone at every cost.
Katara linked arms with Sokka to appear that they were a couple in order to keep all of the whistling, staring, and drooling boys at bay. Sokka only laughed and said, "That's what you get for looking like mom!" Katara glared at him and hugged his arm closer so that they wouldn't be separated in the crowd. Just as Katara was about to start daydreaming the familiar boy ran past her.
"Hey Sokka, why don't we follow him? I was serious when I said that I'd seen him before."
"Fine, just as long as you stop pestering me about it!" With that hey followed the boy through the crowd until he stopped at a large gathering of people in a circle. A high-spirited and lovely melody was being played and everyone was clapping and laughing at what was happening in the middle of the circle.
"I can't see!" Sokka started yelling.
"Shut up Sokka! Honestly!"
Once they worked their way towards the center, they saw something they didn't expect to see. "Oh my god…Sokka, is that who I think it is?" All that Sokka could do in response was nod his head. He too was bewildered and amazed by the spectacle before him.
"Could that really be Prince Zuko?" There he was, the infamous banished Prince. Only this time, he was dancing with the most adorable little girl in the entire world. Her eyes were wide and bright with youth and happiness, with a smile to match. She was giggling uncontrollably as she twirled and glided with the Prince. It was an odd sight to say the least. Especially because he was laughing hysterically too!
"I've never seen him like this Sokka. It's strange. He actually looks happy!"
"I'm surprised that he's human enough to laugh!"
Once the song ended, the crowd clapped their approval at the cute couple. Then Zuko promptly scooped her up in his arms and kissed her on the forehead. He whispered something in her ear while grinning, which she responded to with a laugh. The familiar boy then walked up to them and started talking to Zuko. As Katara watched them more and more she finally realized something.
"Oh my god Sokka! I know why I thought I saw him before! Look!" Sokka looked over at him, and then at Zuko. He noticed that they had very similar features. They even laughed the same way, and had the same mannerisms. Katara looked over at Sokka. "Do you think they're related?"
"It's a possibility I guess."
"HI GUYS!"
"Oh…hi Aang. I finally found you guys. Is that Zuko over there?"
"Yeah, he was dancing with that little girl over there. Too bad you missed it, it was pretty funny." Suddenly Aang felt someone tap his shoulder. Aang turned only to find Zuko's face staring back at his.
"Excuse me stranger, have we met before? I don't recall ever seeing you in this village before, but I feel like we've met before. Where are you from?" Aang started to sweat bullets. He pulled his red hood a little further onto his forehead so as not to expose his markings. Katara started fiddling with her now untied hair. Sokka did the same. The last thing they needed was Zuko to recognize them.
"I don't think we've met, sorry. You're right though. I'm from a village further north. Is there a problem?"
"Oh no, not at all. I'm sorry for sounding that way. I'm Prince Zuko, and you three are…" He held out his hand for Aang to shake. Aang shook it reluctantly.
"My name is Ashenji. I am a sage. These are my friends Zynda and Zopher." Zuko smiled warmly and extended his hand to them as well. Sokka shook his hand, but when Katara went to shake his, he took her hand and lightly kissed the top. Katara lightly blushed at the gesture from shear surprise. She was dumbfounded by the Prince's kindness at this festival.
The little girl, who he was still supporting with his hip, tugged on his shirtsleeve. Her reddish brown locks fell in front of her face as she turned away from Aang, Sokka, and Katara.
"I'm sorry." Zuko said politely. "She's a little shy. Her name is Nani." Katara smiled at how cute her shyness was. It was just a minute ago that she was dancing without a care, and now here she was hiding her face on Zuko's shoulder.
"Nasoshi ishta. Nakogey yo. Tobarawu, se some. Te shitama kogage mo tet disho. Su rawalla. Teme to ba?" Katara, Sokka, and Aang looked at the little girl strangely. What did she just say? Zuko noticed the uncomfortable looks on their faces. "Is there something wrong?" Zuko asked.
"Yeah, what did she just say?"
"Excuse me?" Zuko was confused. These people looked like they were from the Fire Nation, but they didn't speak the Fire Nation's native language. This had never happened to him before. Doesn't everyone know our language in this nation?
"Sorry, but where did you say you three were from?" Aang, Sokka, and Katara were worried. He was definitely suspicious. They started to wish that they learned some phrases in this language.
"Uuuuhhh, we're from Todashi village. It's very far north…almost on the border. Fire Nation traditions aren't as strongly pressed in our region. That's why we don't know the language." Zuko scratched his head. It made sense, but there was something off about their story.
"If it's so far north, then what are you all doing in the south?" Aang looked at Katara and Sokka for help.
"We're visiting some relatives, but when we saw the sign we decided to see this festival first." Katara said smiling. Wow, she's pretty…I wonder how old she is…
Suddenly the familiar boy came up and tapped Zuko's shoulder. "Hey, Uncle Iroh says that it's time for Nani to go to bed. Hey, who are your friends?"
"Oh sorry, this is Ashenji, Zynda, and Zopher. They're visiting some relatives near here. Ashenji, Zynda, Zopher, this is my younger brother Jayzen." Jayzen held out his hand for all of them to shake. He didn't kiss Katara's hand, which she thought was strange. I thought all Fire Nation boys did that.
"Now, if you'll all excuse me, I have to put this one to bed." He bowed and turned, but just as he was about to walk away he stopped. "Actually, if you three would like some company while you travel, my brother, uncle, Nani, and I would be more than happy to escort you." They all looked at each other.
"Huddle!" They huddled together at Sokka's command. "What do we do!"
"I don't know, Aang you know about Fire Nation stuff better than we do. What's the plan?"
"Well, in the Fire Nation it's rude to turn down an offer like this. If we say no, they'll be really insulted and want to fight one of us. If we fight him, it might reveal who we are. I think we should just say yes and leave early in the morning before he gets up."
"Sounds good to me." They all turned around. "We'd love for all of you to join us!" Zuko smiled broadly.
"It's settled then! We'll leave first thing in the morning." They bowed to each other and Zuko, Jayzen, and Nani left. As soon as they were out of sight Aang turned to Sokka and Katara.
"Now to look for that soldier…"
oooooooooooooooooooooo
As the festival started to wind down and everyone went home, the three continued their search.
"Now, if I were an Earth Kingdom soldier, where would I be?" They looked up and down the village. There was no soldier or prison in sight.
"Wait a minute. If the Fire Nation is trying to make this person really hard to find, then they'd put him in an unobvious spot right?"
"Right…"
"So, where is an unobvious spot?" The three sat and thought when all of the sudden Sokka started grinning.
"Sokka, you okay? You look really creepy all of the sudden."
"I figured it out! Those conniving little bastards! I bet they put him in a temple, a holy place. Somewhere sacred that we can't attack!" Aang and Katara stared at Sokka. Since when did he get smart?
The three found a temple at the top of a hill in the village. They opened the large doors and stepped inside. There were high ceilings and carvings on the walls. All of the pictures depicted a point in history of the Fire Nation. Most of them showed the people being enslaved or killed by powerful rulers. Then there were carvings of what appeared to be a beautiful goddess. Her hair was flowing wildly and her body was entwined with a dragon. Its scales glowed from the eerie glow that the torches cast upon it. The hallways were dark, dreary, and long. They finally approached another set of large doors and opened them. They creaked mysteriously as they opened.
Ooooooooooooooooooo
Another cliffhanger! I win! Don't worry, more M rated stuff and Zutara stuff in next chapter. This chapter was mostly foreshadowing. I like to take things slowly. I believe that they're better that way! REVIEW!