Lethal Encounter
The sunlight hours began just like any other daylight hours. Zara was looking everywhere for her brother. Ever since they had left the seaport she knew he was bearing her in mind in a different way.
"Where is he? I've seen him since breakfast and that was three hours ago. Maybe he ooh!" she cried out as she ran right in to the lieutenant as he came up from the boiler room.
"Sorry! So sorry! I should've looked before going down a blind passageway!" she quietly laughed embarrassed as she turned an intense crimson with an awkward smile.
"No apology needed ma'am. You didn't insult me in the least bit. You look like you're in need of something. So how can I help you…?" he asked in an enjoyable tone.
"Zara my name is Zara. I'm on the lookout for Zuko. Do you know where I can unearth him?" she inquired as she fooled around with her ponytail.
The lieutenant looked at her as if she had just asked a sea monster aboard the ship. "Why would such an attractive petite woman be seeking the exiled prince?" he asked bewildered by her request.
"Must I share my motive with you? You know of Zuko's disturbed history and I know him better than you or anyone else in this world will ever be allowed to know. Believe me there is more to him than meets the eye. So have you seen him or not? If not I will go on probing till I find him. This vessel is not that gigantic in any case." Sighing she excused her self and began to walk to the deck when the officer called to her and whispered
"I think I saw him last with his telescope heading to the front of the ship. He seemed to want to get an excellent gaze at the horizon as he searched for the stupid Avatar. Anyway you shouldn't disturb him. I rather take my chances with an out of control volcano than with his inferno of a rage." He responded gravely clearly not wanting to come across Zuko in a foul mood again
Turning around she locked her ambers eyes of youth with the worn out brunt brown ones of the lieutenant and stated in strong moving voice that held you in its grasp.
"Lieutenant, Zuko rage is nothing compared to my inner flame. He has many reasons to be upset and bitter. You may know of one but you don't know all of them. Further more the Avatar is not stupid. He has a very big heart and like you and me he is human. Aang who is blessed, unlike me for I am cursed. I will go now. Thank you for being of assistance." she turned and ran to see her brother.
"Uncle! I want this ship to stay on course. So none of yours or anyone else larking about should get in the way. I want to go at top speed so we can make up for the lost time. We must capture the Avatar! He could be two to three hundred miles ahead and we could lose him if we don't hurry. So I want no kind of distraction. I want under no state of affairs to be led off target! Understand?" he shouted at his uncle as he put away the telescope and gripped the steel plates of the boat and burned his hands into them.
"Relax, Prince Zuko. You have way too much stress. It's not good for the body to have so much anxiety. Why don't you go find Zara and hang out with her for a while?" Iroh suggest with a loud yawn as he rest his hand on Zuko shoulder.
"Sorry Uncle Iroh, but there not time to have fun when you been banished by your own father. I must get the Avatar and I must go home. Zara needs me to be there." He said with a sigh
"Actually Zuko? I could really use you now. Lets go play. It's a beautiful day. We may possibly fly kites or you could help me with my fire bending skills. What do you say?" asked Zara as she approached him hopefully
"Zara" he said than bit his lip and continued "I can't right now. Maybe later. Why don't you go play with your doll and I'll see you in about an hour ok?"
"Fine! You know what they say; "All work and no play makes you a dull boy!" she screamed at him and ran.
"Prince Zuko…" Iroh started
"Not now, Uncle!" snapped Zuko
Zara kept running till she went passed the galley and she stopped when the wonderful aroma of mushu passed her nose. She also notice some ice cold water. Her eyes lit up with excitement and a wicked grin began to creep across her face. Quickly she gathered a quantity of dry skin bags and filled them up with food and water. Then she slowly creeped up to a spot high above Zuko. She then took careful aim and let out a fastball! It hit Zuko in the back of his head and burst!
His head snapped around in a complete 360 and flames flew twenty feet in the air! "Who did that!" he screamed as he looked every which way. Three more of the make shift water balloons hit him before he looked up. He saw Zara laughing at him. He then did something that the entire crew thought was weird and wonderful. He started laughing! Not mock laughter but the kind of laughter for one who is having fun!
"Zara! You are so going down!" he said as thus they began to chase each other all over the ship yelling apologizes all over the place. She soon ran out of balloons and he pounced on her and began to tickle her to death. Then after that the fly kites till began to lightly rain. But instead of going inside they just ran around till the slipped and fell on top of each other and just laughed!
"See how much fun it is to have fun, Zuko? It really makes you feel alive Ahh, Ahh, achoo!" she said as she sneezed loudly.
"Come on Zara. That enough fun for today. We got to get you inside before you catch your death. Come on." Zuko said as he picked her up and carried her to her room. While he went to get her some supper she changed in to her nightdress. In a few minutes he was back with some bouillabaisse. He tucked her in and gave her Avatar doll and while she ate the bouillabaisse he sang to her, her favorite song the "Phoenix Lullaby" "You get some sleep now and dream only peaceful thoughts. I'll see you in the morning. I love you Zara, good night." He said with a quick kiss to her brow.
"Zuko?" she called out into the dark room.
"Yes, Little Phoenix?" he asked from the doorway
"I love you to. Thank you for this day of fun. I think we both needed it. Sweet dreams, Scarlet Dragon," she murmured as her eyes closed and she was whisked of to dream land.
"Thank you, Zara." He said with a rare smile on his face as he silently closed the door and went to his room to contemplate before bed.
Down in the boiler room the crew was in the mist of heat conversation over the events that had befallen them today.
The lieutenant was the first to speak of his encountered with the mysterious little girl.
"She was looking for Prince Zuko. She's as sweet and well mannered as they can be. But she seemed to be hinting that she was a force to be reckoned with. She also seems to be very attached to the prince." He said as he bit into his lamb chop
"She defiantly a talented fire bender. I don't know all the details myself but I witness her and Zuko in combat the other day and she beat him like he was a novice and she also smoked Zhao!" whispered the helmsman
"I truly don't get it personally. With out warning we stop the ship to pick up a little girl and immediately she gets more respect and power than any of us. She even made second in command! I don't like it. What so special about her?" asked a mechanic angrily
"She is very lucky. If anyone here was to do what she did this afternoon we be dead. But I must admit I never thought I see Zuko laugh or have fun like a normal kid before. But who is this Zara?" asked a crewman
"If you men are willing to share some of the mushu I'd be pleased to tell you about Zara," spoke an aged and worn out voice from the stairs.
"General Iroh! We were just talking and we are so sorry if we hurt somebody's feelings," cried the startled lieutenant who dropped his food on the floor as Iroh descended the flight of steps.
The helmsman pulled up a seat and the cook who had just come into the room gave Iroh a helping plate of mushu. After a few minuets Iroh wiped his face and began to speak in a soft voice.
"Zara is a very complex person like my nephew. Her name gives away who she is very clearly. You see "Zara" is a form of "Sara" and "Sara" means "Princess" and Zara is a princess. She is the daughter of Fire Lord Ozai and Lady Zalika, sister to Prince Zuko and my niece." He paused to eat his mushu.
Everyone looked at each other flabbergasted. Zuko had a sister! No wonder she got special treatment. He seemed over zealous just by her being around.
"I didn't know the Fire Lord had a daughter," said the Lieutenant, whose name was Oko, with caution in his voice as well as surprise
"My brother has made sure that her existence isn't public knowledge. Zara has a talent that puts her magic at the art of fire bending to shame. She like her Mother before her has the abilities of clairvoyance and empathy. It means she can see the future and feel the collective emotions of all around her. She has had a very friendless upbringing. Ever since her mother past away and Zuko being banished the only friend and comfort she had is from her pet miniature phonixe Ion. She though sorrowfully had to leave him behind. Convincing her father to come see her brother was very hard and dangerous. He really wants to keep her by his side so he can have the advantage of knowing if his plans will succeed." He looked at the men who had gathered around the fire hanging onto his every word.
"Is there a reason other than that she is Zuko kid sister that he so protective of her?" asked the cook as he refilled everyone plates with cat like curiosity. No one wanted to miss a minute of the tale.
"If you ever had the chance to have met Lady Zalika you would know that she was like an angel amongst the flames. There was no one sweeter or more pure of heart than she was. After Zara lost her right hand to Commander Zhao's drunken fiery actions and witnessing the Fire Lord giving Zuko a bad beating for failing to protect his sister, though there was no way to prevent it. He felt huge amount of guilt and shame. As the oldest in the family it was his responsibility to protect his little sister and her honor. He then swore he would never fail to protect Zara again. At this point in time Zalika and Ozai began to fight and quarrel into the late hours of darkness. It seemed that Zalika want to take her children away from their father. I had no doubt in my mind that she meant what she said. Her marriage with the Fire Lord was falling apart. He was no longer the man she had married. He was cold and hard. He cared only about conquering the world and exploiting his children. This was something she couldn't allow. Not after the treatment I had received from my brother about my marriage. But that's a tale I shall tell you another day. Back to my sister in law story. She hadn't been the same since the last full moon during the midnight hour that had occurred one week after Zara's accident. I believe she had had a vision of death. Before she could act she fell mysteriously into poor health and breathed her last breath five months later. A quiet funereal was held with very few attendants. The children were allowed to attend the funeral, but haven't been allowed back to see their mother. After she departed this life Zuko became hard, bitter and torn. But he honored his promise to his mother." He said with a sigh
"So after losing his mother and than being banished must of real messed with Zuko mind. Zara must be his only family beside you that gives him any love. No wonder he so astringent," commented the cook as he cleaned up everyone plates. Iroh nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile Zara was deep in R.E.M. slumber and she was having a very peculiar dream. She was looking at a village from above the sky. The right side of the village was bathed in golden sunlight and it looked brand new and happy. But the left side was cloaked in shadowy moonlight and was ruined and depressing. From the gate of the east walked a familiar figure and with a closer look she saw it was Aang!
"Uhh" she said as she arouse suddenly in an icy panic breathing a mouthful of air hard and looked at the map on the wall and realized what her vision meant. She dashed swiftly to her brother's room.
"Zuko! Zuko wake up! I have news! It's important! Come brother wake up!" she said as she shook him enthusiastically
"Zara? Its one in the morning! What so important?" he said as he yawned. He hated to be disturbed in his sleep.
"I know where Aang is going to be next!" she exclaimed as she jumped up and down.
"THE AVATAR! Where is he going to be Zara and when?" snapped Zuko fully awake now.
"At the Noyle Peninsula in the Azam Village in three days. We can be there in two if we hurry!" Zara informed him.
Right away the crew was up and pushing forward at pace that really tested the ship's abilities. But they soon arrived at the Earth Kingdom 's Noyle Peninsula, which was surrounded, by the soothing teal waters of the Kai Sea.
The ship was guided into the docks by a pod silver dolphins. Dawn had just broken through the sky and the villagers were busy doing their daily actives. In the market were two young youths in cloaks. One in deep red, the other the in jet black. They had the hoods pulled so far down that only part of the face showing was their mouths.
The one in the red cloak was paying for some food when the arrival of the Fire Nation ship caught the corner of her eye.
"No, it couldn't be. But it is! Zara! Luke! Look!" cried the girl fully clad in crimson as she shook him violently.
"Stop it, Crimson! What's so important? Remember we are here only to get food for our people. So what is it?" he hissed in a low voice scarcely above a whisper.
"Look about to the right about 30 degrees left of the apple cart," whispered Crimson as she finished paying for the food.
Luke locked his icy blue eyes to the correct spot and saw what made him gasped. The Prince of the Fire Nation and his infamous little sister where walking down the street in a fast manner. They looked like a pair of starving wolves on the hunt for their feast of deer. He had a very good idea who was the helpless fawn.
"Come, Crimson we must disappear for now if we are to plan away to stop them from capturing the Avatar for we both know they have no reason to come here if not for him. Let's hurry back to our temporary shelter." He said as he grabbed her with his left hand and rested his right hand on the golden-jeweled hilt of his rapier. The pair quickly vanished into the crowed and kept running till they came to an aged lean-to on the knoll on the rim of the woodland.
"We must make sure our presence is not known Zuko. If Aang knows we are here than well it won't be much of a trap! Let him spend the next two days helping these people rebuild their town. Once that's done I will lead him to the ruins and debris of the destroyed town where I will capture him and his friends. We will be on course for home by this time the day after tomorrow." Zara informed Zuko who looked lost in thoughts.
"Excellent. It's about time this game of cat and mouse ended. Finally I shall have my mouse trapped!" he said with a satisfying smirk before he began to chortle insanely
"Zuko, my brother you must make me a promise," she said as she shot him intense side-glances.
"Anything you wish for, my sister!" he said with a bow.
"Aang and his friends must I mean must not be harmed!" she said coolly as shook her fist at him.
"But sister how can we capture him if we don't rough him up a bit?" he asked questionably
"PROMISE ME! THAT AANG SHALL NOT BE HARMED!" She yelled with blazing eyes of fire.
"I swear to you on my honor no harm shall come to the Avatar. Your wish shall be granted. Now lets go eat!" he said as he ushered her into a tavern.
"Well here we are Aang! The Azam 's village. A silent modest settlement. We should be able to get some supplies here before we continue on to the North Pole. Come on Aang!" said Katara as she slid down Appa's tail.
"Come on I want to see if we can find a place to get some animal protein. After a week of eating only melons I need to use my canines to rip and tear into some nice juicy red meat!" Sokka said as he massaged his hands together feverishly.
Aang was sitting on Appa head and just gazing out to the sea. He watched as the sun radiance was reflecting on the undisturbed water surface. "Zara, where are you?" he asked himself before joining his friends as they headed to the village unaware that two cloaked figures were following them.
Reaching the town it became obvious that spirits were a little low. Everyone was moving in slow motions and no one was smiling. Everyone looked like walked through a ghost. Even the air was dead slight.
"OK, I knew that the people here lived in a tiny community but this village is like a ghost town without the ghost! What is making everyone acting like they been dead and buried for a hundred years?" asked Sokka
Before Katara could answer a small indigo ball rolled against her feet. Picking up she walk to a young man with two little girls with him.
"Does this belong to you?" she asked holding out the ball. The girls nodded and gradually accept the ball back.
"Tell this young lady thanks girls," said the man.
"Thank you, Lady!" said the girls with a perfect curtsey
"You are welcome. Pardon me but my brother and me, and our friend are in need of supplies for our trip. Do you know where we may obtain them?" asked Katara as gestured with her hands to Aang and Sokka
"Of course anything in my village is welcome to those who are pure goodness. My name is Mayor Ekon and these beautiful young ladies are my daughters Jun, Junko. We are very please to meet you…?"
"Katara, that my brother Sokka and that is Aang the Avatar."
"The Avatar!" squealed the girls
"Tell you what Katara. Your group helps us repair our village and we'll give you anything you need for your journey. Is that a fair enough deal?" asked Mayor Ekon with a big smile on his face.
"Sure! We loved to help! I'll go tell them." She ran off to inform the boys.
"So we have to work to get the things we need?" stated Sokka with his month wide open.
"Well I think it's a fair deal. The entire west side of the village was destroyed by the storm we encounter awhile back. These people lost a lot of good people in that storm. The least we can do is help them rebuild their village. So come on lets get a move on you lazy butt!" snapped Katara as she walked back over to the mayor.
"Oh man! I just want to eat some meat! Not be a slave! Oww!" Sokka cried as Katara used the water whip on him "That is so no funny Katara!" he cried as got his boomerang out and began to chase after her.
Aang actually began to smile and giggled a bit when out the coroner of his eye he spied the two-cloaked figures. They had been eyeing him and his friends ever since they arrived here.
He quickly turned to get a good look at them but they where gone. For the next 48 hours they helped rebuild what they could. Everyone was nice and hospitable to the travelers. After they had finished working on the second day the Ekon came and invited them to a feast in their honor.
"We are most gracious for your help Avatar. True it will take about a week to complete the repairs but we did want to show our apparition so dig in!" Ekon said happily
While they ate his daughters did a series of complex dances and flips. Everyone was enjoying himself or herself but Aang felt distrusted and indifferent to the whole affair. While everyone was entranced by the girl's performances he snuck quietly out the window and wander to the center of the village and gazed into the bubbling blue water of the fountain.
He absent mindly water bended but was clearly lost touch with reality. Sighing he closed his eyes for a moment, when he open them again he notice that his reflection had be join by another. But whose reflection was made him gasp! It was Zara's! "Zara! Zara?" he cried out he looked around and the moonlight seeped through the clouds and reveled the fiery enchantress near the edge of what was left to be restored. She stood beautifully in the moonlight smiling.
Without thinking about he ran to her but than a weird fog came in and when it passed she was gone. "Zara? Zara where are you?" he called out hopelessly into the darkness
"Aang! Aang come to me please," cried Zara voice faintly in the breeze
"Where are you, Zara? You have to help out!" he cried urgently
"I'm by the old outdoor theater! Hurry!" she replied in the same ethereal tone of voice from the shadows
"I'm coming Zara! Just stay put!" he yelled and took off on his glider with hope in eyes and a big smile on his face.
It was at this time that Katara notice that Aang had disappeared. She looked to her left and to her right and didn't see the child Avatar anywhere. "Sokka?" she said as she shook his shoulder hard.
"Hey Katara! Stop that! What is it? I want to see the rest of the show!" he snipped at her
"Have you seen Aang?" she hissed
"Of course, Katara he right next to me. Uh I mean he was right next to me." He stammered when he saw the pillow was vacant.
"Come on we got find him! I feel something terrible is going to happen." She said as the two raced out the hall and outside.
They got outside but a thick fog had rolled in. They couldn't see anything! "Aang! Aang! Umm!" as someone in black covered her mouth and dragged her to the woods.
"Katara! Where are you taking my sister? Umm!" mumbled Sokka as the same thing happen to him.
"Please calm down and relax. What every you do don't scream. Don't want them to hear you ok?" said the figure in black as he released Katara and Sokka who gasped for breath of air.
Sokka grabbed his boomerang and said, "I don't know who you are buddy but no one sneaks up on me. Ahh!" he stammered as he was flipped on his back and had a steel blade in face.
"If we want to hurt you, you would most centrally be dead." Said the one in red in a low voice
"If you don't want to hurt us than who are you? And what to you want?" asked Katara as got ready to use the water whip if it became necessary.
"We are part of the Rebellion against the Fire Nation. We have come to save you and the Avatar from the Fire Nation who is in this town right now as we speak. My name is Luke and this is Crimson. We plan to get you all out before the Fire Nation has a chance to spring their trap. " Said Luke as he withdrew his blade and pulled down his hood as Crimson did the same.
He was about 17 with short corn silk hair with one long braid. Icy blue eyes and in his right ear was dangling green jewel. He wore nothing but black save for a gold medallion.
Crimson had short orange hair, violet eyes and wore boy's armor but had the same medallion.
They bowed to the water tribe sibling and said "Prince Zuko is here. He sent his most trusted officer to capture the Avatar. He was going to get you too but luckily you left. I will take you two to a safe place while Luke goes a gets the Avatar. Hurry!" cried Crimson as she led them deep into the forest.
"Whom did Zuko send to get Aang?" asked Sokka as he cut low branches out the way
"The one that can get near enough to Aang and catch him. Someone he trusts. Zara." Said Crimson
"Zara! We have to go back and get him." Cried Katara as she turn to run back but was stop by a spear.
"It is too dangerous, Water Bender. Luke is more than able of battling the Fire Nations soldiers on his own. But we must get you to safety. I promise you Luke will get Aang! Now come." She said urgently
Meanwhile Aang had finally found Zara. He ran to her and hugged her. "Zara, how I have missed you! Are you alright?" he said as the embrace ended.
"Aang, it is good to see. I'm all right but that doesn't change what my duty is. So forgive me for what I'm about to do." She said as she held back tears in her eyes
"Zara what's wrong? You can tell me!" he said as he ran his fingers through silky-smooth scarlet tresses.
She pushed him away and her hands became engulfed in flames. She threw a round of her fire stars and he did a back flips.
He looked at her bemused! "Zara stop it! What are you doing!" he bellowed from the top of the cat walk.
"Why? Don't you understand? We are mortal enemies! This battle is inevitable. You shall pay for all the pain you have caused by your selfness! So let fight!" she said as she began to do acrobatic to get her self to him. She poured on the heat!
"ZARA STOP IT! I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT YOU!" He screamed as he used his powers only to defend himself.
"If you had done your duties than this war won't be going on. We be at peace. And I wouldn't be on the brink of insanity! Everything would be perfect!" she shouted as the continued to run through the old buildings
"Zara we can't predict how things would be if I hadn't vanished. But maybe things be the same. Its not my fault that your people have cause the pain that you feel so greatly. You're my friend Zara I will not fight you." He cried
The battle raged on for ten more minuets till they landed on the rotten wood beams of the old grand hall.
Aang knew that these beams would not support them.
"Zara, stay back! If you take another step this beam will collapse on it self." He pleaded to her.
She ignored him and took one step and her foot plugged through and become stuck. She let loose burst of flames as she struggled to get loose. The flames caused the roof to fall and would have killed her had Aang not used his powers.
"Let me help you!" he said as he tried to pull her loose but they fell down with rest of the rubble. He used an air sphere to save them.
She looked up at him in awe. "Thank you Aang. I…" when they heard another battle going on outside. The place was soon on fire! Aang tried to dig Zara out when someone in black came through the smoke and grabbed him.
"Come on, Aang your friends are waiting we must leave!" he cried as used his sword to cut a hole in the wall and get them to escape. Aang notice that Zara was saved by Zuko in the nick of time
"Thank you…" he said as he gasped for air
"My name is Luke and believe me. Fighting 15 fire benders is all in a days work for me. Come your friends and you must leave now. " He said coolly
Five minuets later they where gone with the hopes that they would cross paths again. Aang looked at the moon and sighed. He knew what Katara and Sokka were thinking but he knew he never believe that Zara was evil. Little did he know Zara was thinking maybe she was evil either.
