Okay, now the story gets interesting!

Chapter 8

Nori was not a sane person. She was dangerously downright unstable, as a matter of fact, and no one was safe once she was angered. Carying two twin blades in sheaths

attached to a belt on her waist, she watched through a crack in the wall of the Avatar's sloppy shack with a dangerous smirk of satisfaction. All the years of nonsense she had to put up with were about to pay off.

She had been a Fire Nation spy for a while now. She was tall and muscular, yet lean and graceful. Her hair was sloppy and frazzled, but I guess anyone's would be if they had tied their hair in a ponytail and chopped the hair off. It was short, maybe an inch or two below her ears, which were peirced several times in both sides.

She sat squatted next to the small crack in the wall, staring whith a dangerous look in her large black eyes. She smirked again. This was big news.

She ran through the ruins, past the large hills of dried lava, through the fire and smoke, to the Fire Nation's main city.

Nori could feel her heart pound with exitement as she ran faster and faster through the city streets. She came to the palace, where several guards were surrounding a tall front building.

"Nori of the Northwest. I expect you have news for the Fire Lord, do you not?" One of the gaurds said as he looked down upon Nori.

Her evil smile grew wider. "Yes, of coarse. I may be a little low on the food chain, but I'm still famliy, right, Flippy?"

The gaurd grumbled under his breath as he moved himself out of the way for Nori to pass.

Nori entered the palace. There was the usual ominous glow that had always been her favorite homely custom. She felt safe and welcome within the walls of the palace, even though she was almost anything but welcome.

The large doors opened, and she entered the thrown room. "I have news, bigger than anything I've ever said before." She anounced to the dark figure sitting upin a large thrown.

"If it is about the Avatar, I suggest that you better leave. I've had enough of this foolish Avatar nonsense you keep drabbling about. You might as well give up, Nori. Go back to your home."

Nori raised her eyebrow for a moment before giggling maniacly. "I think you'll take this peice of news quite differently, Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko looked up at the crazy 15-year old. "Well, you might as well go ahead and tell me, Nori. I know you won't leave anyway."

"I think you'll be quite pleased to know that the Avatar's long-lost daughter Matari of the Water Tribe has been reunited with him."

Zuko's eye widened with suprise. "Matari? You mean..." A flashback ran through Zuko's mind...

Flashback

"Zuko, you monster!" Katara screamed as she wrestled herself away from Zuko's grasp. Zuko stopped himself and realized what he was doing.

He couldn't hurt her, he just couldn't.

Katara began crying, taking her steps slowly away from Zuko as he stood there in awe.

"Katara...I'm sorry...I never realized before how special you were.Please, I don't want to hurt you, Katara."

Katara looked away. "Of coarse you don't, Zuko. You just want to take Aang away and help destroy the earth."

Zuko stood still. "I just want to go home!" He yelled, trying to keep his own self from collapsing into tears.

Katara stopped crying.

"Home? What do you mean?"

"I tried to tell you before, I was banished from my home. I was forced to capture the Avatar. I never wanted anything to do with this!"

"I'm sorry, Zuko. But right now the rest of the world is more important to me than that..."

"I understand, Katara. You are loyal to your tribe, just as I am loyal to my nation."

"Well...at least my tribe isn't trying to destroy the world."

"It's not that easy! I'm just trying to be a good son!"

Katara didn't say anything for a moment, just stared at Zuko with sympathetic eyes.

"Zuko..."

At that moment, Appa came flying into the sky, and Aang handed down a ladder.

"KATARA! CLIMB THE ROPE! HURRY!" He hollered to the Waterbender watching from below the palace roof.

Katara gazed at Zuko for one moment, still having that sympathetic look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Zuko. I wish I could help you, but I have places to go..." She ran up, kissed Zuko quickly on the cheek, and climbed up the rope.

End Flashback

Zuko looked back down on Nori. "Get me the girl. It's time to get my revenge"...

Nori bowed repectfully and left the palace, smirking dangerously all the way.

This was her change to redeem herself, for all that Zuko was worth...

Sarah: Can you take a wild guess at what's about to happen?