As the silver lunar orb began its descent from the midnight blue sky as the gold solar orb began to ascend to begin its day hunt. Zara was in her room tossing and turning and screaming as her imaginings exploded before her eyes. The pain it was all most too much to bear as she woke in a cold sweat screaming. She held head in right hand to her heart and began to breath hard.
"I can't go on like this. I cannot continue to wander through desert, which as become my life, only to have vultures waiting for my last breath! I don't wish to die! But still if these cursed visions continue to plague my dream life they will kill me in my waking life! Mother I wish you were here to help me. I must talk to Zuko." She said as her breathing slowed. Wiping the sweat off she quickly dressed and got out of bed. She was carefully not to put too much weight on her right ankle so it won't sprain again.
She quickly made her way to the deck just as the sun began to greet the world and bath it in warm light embrace. She paused only for a moment to marvel at this natural beauty. She became so lost in wonder that she didn't hear Zuko come up from behind her and touch her shoulder.
"Zara?" he asked gently
"Ahh! Zuko don't sneak up on me! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" She stuttered as she clutch her heart to make sure it was still in her body.
"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. We have lost the Avatar trail and we must find him. I was hoping to get your insight. So tell me, do you see him in your dreams last night?" he inquired with his left hand on her shoulder.
She viciously shook him off and put her left fist on her hip and pointed right hand at him. "ZUKO! I REALLY DON'T WANT YOU TO TAKE ADVANTGE OF ME LIKE FATHER DOES. SO DON'T ASK ME ABOUT MY VISIONS OK!" screamed the Fire Princess as set the morning sky on a blaze.
"Wow! Zara! Ok I won't ask! I'm sorry. Come Uncle Iroh waiting for us to come and join him for breakfast. I shouldn't have asked I'm sorry." He said as he sighed and walked toward the starboard bow with his head hanging low.
"Oh Zuko." Whisper Zara as she ran and hugged her brother tightly. "I'm the one who should be apologetic. My gift has been giving me a lot of trouble lately. I was looking to you for emotional support. But I guess I can't expect that from you. You only show the negative emotions how could I hope to get strength from one who never talks about his feeling and has not cried in 8 years. You wouldn't understand the emotional strain I'm under. Anyways I'm sorry I brother you. Come lets consume breakfast." She said sadly as she drudged along in front of him lost in her own world.
Zuko stopped dead in his tracks. Stunned by her words. He took a moment or two to reflect on what she said and as much as he hated to acknowledge it was true. But like so many times before he shook it off and went to breakfast. But he couldn't get Zara words out of his mind. He was drinking his morning tea. He did it in the morning only to humor his Uncle. But then he watched as Zara got up and start to drink her tea while gazed out at the infinite cerulean ocean. All of a sudden her cup shattered on the floor and she began to wither in pain.
While the crew flocked to her, he saw in is mind 's eye a repressed memory of long ago of a similar incident. He saw an attractive woman in the most spectacular dress collapse in pain as a little boy and girl cried out in terror. The women amber eyes locked with the little boy eyes as she reached one hand out to him as the other was clasped firmly on the necklace. "Zuko!" the woman voice echoed for minuet before he came back to the real world as Zara was on the floor violent shaking.
"Zara! Is she all right? Uncle! Tell me is she going to be ok?" he demanded as he looked at his sister with worry and fear on his eyes. He bent down and took her hand and held it for a moment. She stopped seizing but didn't open her eyes.
"Take her to her room. I want you Lt. To stay with her till she wakes up. I have to go to my quarters now. I don't want to be disturbed in less she wakes up!" he said as he ran away from the deck to his room and locked the door and fell to his knees whimpering.
He tried to stop the onslaught of repressed memories from coming back to the surface of his mind. He began to relive the five most agonizing months of his childhood. From his mother first becoming ill to watching her become weaker to her death bed to finally her funeral. How he had want to cry that day. To cry so much that river banks would over flow and flood the world. But he could hear the fiery words of his father voice "Zuko! Don't cry like you are a child! You are the Fire Nation Prince and as we are apart of the most powerful element of nature you shall not embarrasses this country or me by being a stupid weeping child. Tears make people weak. Showing emotions make you weak! So must never ever show them. So you are forbidden to cry! Understood, Prince Zuko?" said the haunting evil spirit like voice of the Fire Lord to the scared and confused eight year old boy who was holding a four year girl in his arms.
"I understand Father. I will not be weak! Come Zara we must leave now." He said as the three left the grave.
"I can't let anyone see me cry. I can't show weakness. But I can't go through that again. I can't lose Zara like I lost Mother. I can't." he whimpered inaudibly that he jumped when someone knocked on the door.
"Prince Zuko? Prince Zuko we need to talk. Let me in please!" pleaded Iroh through the steel door.
Zuko undid the door and let his aged uncle in as he sat on his bed with his head hung low. He was trying very hard to keep him self together. "What is it, Uncle Iroh? Is Zara ok?" he said his voice on the verge of breaking.
"Prince Zuko what happened?" Iroh asked gently"I do not know what you mean," he whispered in monotone not even looking at his uncle
"Your sister collapse and starts to seizes and you go into a look of shock. But it was like you were in another place. Then you order someone else to look after her and you run to your room and locked the door and begin to have a complete breakdown. I may be getting on in years but I can tell something bothering you so talk to me, please Prince Zuko!" he pleaded as he rested one hand on Zuko knee.
Zuko looked at his Uncle forcing the tears forming in his eyes to fade away. "When … When Zara… started to wither in hiccup in pain I suddenly remember something I thought I had forgotten forever…." He stammered
"Drink this while it's hot it will make you feels better." Iroh said as he pushed a cup of tea into Zuko shaking hands.
He took a long sip and stopped shaking. "Thank you, Uncle Iroh." He said a little more serenely
"You remembered the day your mother Zalika first fell in poor health didn't you?" he asked as he poured himself a cup.
"Yes. How you know?" asked the confused prince"I've often thought of my lovely wife when I encounter something that reminds of her. And what happen to Zara is identical to what happen to your mother. You have probably just relived in your mind the five agonizing months of your mother in pain too, am I right?" he inquire
"I want so bad to talk about how felt. I was so confused. I didn't know where to turn. I didn't think I could go the distance from feeling sorrow to feel happiness again. I couldn't tell what to love or fear. I just know things changed when Mother died. Father began to burn city after city and spend less time with Zara and me. I want to cry so badly when she died. I want to cry for days. But instead I forced myself to shut out one the best things in my life. All because Father said crying makes you weak. Now I fear if something happens to Zara I will just die because I can't go through that ordeal again! Do you understand how is to feel this way?" asked Zuko pessimistically
"Yes I felt like that many times, Prince Zuko. All want to do for weeks after Laura died is cry. But like you I was not allowed. Prince Zuko its ok to feel. It what makes us human both good and bad feeling make up our souls. If you want to cry go ahead. It does not make you weak. Zara has the problem of have everyone else emotions on top of her own and with these visions she is left very fragile. She needs you to keep her alive. But I'm beginning to feel that maybe you are not enough. Maybe the reason she drawn to the Avatar is because like you he gives her hope and stabile. So when you do get the Avatar don't harm him or Zara will surly die. So will you. Come Prince Zuko we must go check on Zara." He said has he got up and stretched
Zuko smiled and got up and the both arrived just in time as Zara woke up. "Zuko is everything alright? What happened? The last thing I recall was drinking tea and then undreamed of pain coursed through my body. You look horrifying Zuko what wrong?" she asked as she slowly got up from the bed but Zuko rushed to her
"Please lie still. You just had a waken vision and I believe the experiences overwhelmed you. You really should lie down for a little while. I'll be back in a few minutes with some refreshments and then I tell you a story ok?" he said as ran his right hand down the side of face affectionately and smiled.
"Fine we'll play it your way. A story? You must have been seriously disturbed to drop the bitter angry torn up attitude to tell me a story. You haven't done that since well I can't even remember the last time you told a yarn. But I do appreciate it." She said as she laid her head down and closed her eyes.
"She looks so peaceful. But her life is anything but that. She is so full melancholy. Uncle what can I do? I do anything to make her content. But how do you help someone when you can't even help your self?" asked Zuko as he began to make hot chocolate and put a small number of little dessert cakes on a serving dish and walked slowly back to her room.
"Just be her brother. Love her and help her through this rough time. That all anyone needs. Love, friendship, and family. That all anyone needs in this world. Those three things are some of the most common but most important and sought after miracles of life." Said Iroh as he stroked his beard and listened from the door, as Zuko told the legend of the mysterious warrior know as the Blue Spirit and his countless adventures. Zara smiled blissfully as her brother told the legend with such flare it seem to be real as life it self.
Iroh interest perked up a bit when Zuko began to tell of adventure he hadn't heard in the Blue Spirit saga before. It was about how the masked warrior dared to do the impossible. He broke his enemy out of an impenetrable fortress and was injure in the process and his mask had come off. But his enemy instead of leaving him to be killed saved him and brought him to a forest clearing and told his own tale about the past and asked the spirit a question he never been asked before in his life. "Do you think we could have been friends?"
The Blue Spirit attacked angrily. But the enemy words stayed with him as wander home and in his dreams and everyday those eight plagued his heart and mind. And it still remained undecided on what to do with the offer.
Pulling the sheets up and kissing her on the forehead Zuko smiled at Zara. "Now have only peaceful dreams. I will check on you later. I love you, my sister." He walked out and pulled the door shut and walked off to his room when his uncle put a hand on his shoulder and said in thoughtful voice
"Prince Zuko. I never know you had such a talent for story telling but please enlighten me. I've heard the fable of the Blue Spirit countless time but that last adventure." He said as Zuko whole body tensed up.
"Where did you hear that last adventure?" he asked inquisitively
"I…I just made it up. You know how Zara adores an excellent myth and I was just trying to make it thrilling!" he said as sweat dripped down his face he quickly wiped it off.
"I guess you have a superior imagination than. But the details sound so real. Such passion, such emotion. I'm glad to see you are doing better. Well I'm behind schedule for my afternoon pi show match. See you later on Prince Zuko!" He said as he headed to the helm room to yet again win the pot.
Zuko ran to his room and locked the door. Then he pulled a trunk out from under his bed and took out it the Blue Spirit mask. He thought back on that night not so long ago and the Avatar words remises in his mind like immense cerulean letters in that same sentence over and over again. "Do you think we could have been friends?"
"I just don't understand it! Why?" he screamed out loud his thoughts. "He could have left me to die! I would do that if our roles had been reversed! But he takes me to a forest and tells me about an old friend he used to have in my native country and ask me if I we could have been friends? I never been asked such a question! Still I never really had a friend before either. He was so determine to get those repulsive amphibians for his friends is so sentimental and yet it would be real nice for a change if someone cared enough about me to risk their own life to save mine. But I can't be the Avatar 's friend. I will not further dishonor myself but then what is the price of honor? And what is true honor? Why did I save him? My excuse was to get him before Zhao but is it possible I did what Mother would have wanted and saved him because it was the right thing to do?" he said furiously as he lay down on his bed and stared at the insignia on the wall.
New thoughts and feelings raced like the wind in his mind. Could Zara be right? Could this Avatar be right? What would it be like to have a real friend? Why did he do so much for a man that had purposely harmed his own son? What was the real meaning of the word honor? These questions and thousand others pound the walls of his mind. He slipped the mask away and tried to sleep to no avail.
Zara was dreaming again but instead of dreaming of events yet to come she was dreaming of events of what went before. She was seeing the events that had transpired during events of the Blue Spirit. She woke and realized that what she just saw was like her brother tale. But she had woken before she found out who was underneath the mask.
Splashing cold water on her face she looked at her reflection in the mirror and said her thoughts out loud. "I feel a raging war inside my soul. It like my heart and mind are battling. My mind says I must remain loyalty to my Nation, but my heart says I must go to Aang. I want to go to him, but if I do I will abandon my brother and his soul will be doom to wander entirety in the bowls of pits Hell. But if I don't go to him I will die." Sighing she held the Eye of Ember in the palm of her hand she began to shed tears.
That night as the two royal of the Fire Nation sat down to a dinner of smoked salmon they both notice that the other one was unusually quiet.
"Zuko?"
"Yes, Zara?"
"If we head northeast for about three miles we will intercept Aang and his friends. It's going to be a beautiful night. Lets sleep under the stars tonight, please?" she responds optimistic.
"That great news! Yes lets sleep outside tonight it will be just like we used to when we were little." He said gleefully
They pair spent the night watching the wonders of the night sky. By morning they had reach the place but Zuko was steaming angry.
"Zara! There nothing here! Nothing but stupid never-ending water! Why are we here? We are in the middle of nowhere! Where is the Avatar!" he screamed as he began to get himself into one hell of a hissy fit.
"Prince Zuko control yourself. And be respectful to your sister! Zara why are we here?" asked Uncle Iroh as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.
Smiling sly she spoke with hint in her voice like she had a big secret. "After you told me that story last night I remember another story Mother used to tell us about the Air Nomads Sky Sanctuary. It's a place of heavenly beauty and was used for emergency and special occasion. The Air Nomads never made it there because we the murdering Fire Nation soldiers slaughter them!" she growled and then continued "I'm positive Aang will go here before he reaches destination to begin water bending training."
"Nice tale so where is Sanctuary?" asked Zuko impatiently
"Like so many other humans Zuko you have a great tendency not to look up!" She said as she pointed up above their heads and they let out a gasp.
A small island was suspended about 4000 feet above them it was resting on air pocket.
"Ok how are we going to get up there? We don't have the power to fly or a smelly beast of burden. So what's your plan to get up there?" asked Zuko crossly
"Zuko are you dumb or just stupid? We will use our fire bending skills to get up there!" she said like that was the most obvious thing in the entire universe
"How is fire bending going to get us into the air?" he asked bluntly
"Fire creates heat and heat rise up! So we just launch our self from the catapult and use our fire to get us the rest of the way up. To get down we just jump and use our powers to slow us down and cushion the landing. Brilliant yes?" she put in plain words mischievously
"Its just crazy enough to work! I love it. But we must find a way to take the Avatar out and keep his wretched friends and animals out of the way!" said Zuko with a gleam in his eyes.
"NO! You promised no harm would come to Aang or his friends! You promised!" she said with pleading tearful eyes as she grabbed his arms and shook them.
"Relax, Zara no harm will come to them. I have an idea that should satisfy you. I'll be back in a minute excuse me." He said as disappeared below deck and return with a narrow wooden box.
"What in there, Zuko?" asked the child princess
Opening it inside on a black velvet cushion was gold and wooden blowgun with a series of darts and vile of fizzy greenish-blue liquid.
"These will paralyze a person for couple of hours. That will let us put them in the cell and by then they will be completely contained. Is that accepted to you?" he said as he closed the box
"Everything but the cell. If we do capture Aang and the others I want them treat as guest onboard this ship. Do you understand?" she asked him
He nodded and then orders them to get the catapult ready. In twenty minutes everything was ready. Zuko and Zara got inside the catapult and ready themselves for launch.
"You sure this plan will work Prince Zuko?" asked Iroh to his nephew as they got ready for launch.
"No, but it's the best plan I got so see you at my victory dinner! Launch us now!" he yelled and they we periled into the air. When they reach the peck height they shot off fire and manage to land on the island.
"Wow that was some ride! Let get ready for the Avatar and his little friends!" bellowed Zuko as he began to tread heavily through the vegetation.
They walked for miles till the came to a spring outside a ruined temple. Zuko quickly load up the darts with the formula and ready the blowgun. With in the hour the flying bison landed everyone went off to explore the island.
"Meat! There got to be some meat somewhere on this dumb island! Anything better than frog legs in your mouth while their still alive! Hmm?" said Sokka as he heard a rustling behind him. He went and pounced on the spot of moving leaves only to discover a frog.
"A FROG! Does someone up there just love watching me suffer? Oww!" he said as he felt a needle sharp pain in the back of his neck and pulled out the glass dart.
"What in the world…." Has he stiffed and fell onto the ground.
"One down, three to go." Whisper Zuko manacle
Katara was practicing her Aqua Dragon and making fog. It become so foggy she didn't hear the danger till she been dart to.
Soon Momo and Appa were out too. Aang suddenly became aware of how quiet things had become. He followed the spring till he found Sokka.
"Sokka! Are you ok? Speak to me!" he yelled and got no response he carried him back to the clearing and soon got the others too. They were breathing but were unable to move.
"What is going on? Uh? What this?" turning Katara over and noticing a puncture wound in the back of neck. Then leapt back as a dozen darts came flying at him. He managed to dodge them all till he reached the edge of the lake. One hit him in the back of neck and splashed into the water. Zara and Zuko emerge. Zara quickly administer the reverse drug and ran to the lake.
"You sure he will be able to swim back to shore before the drug sets in?" she asked
"Yes he should pop up any minute now." Said Zuko
But after a few minutes he didn't come up Zara released that they had put too much sedative in dart and he was drowning.
"AANG!" She cried as she dove in and pulled him to shore and listen for a heartbeat. There was none.
"Zuko! He not breathing! Quick start compression and I'll breath for him." She yelled so loud that Zuko obeyed.
"One, two, three, four, Breath Aang!" she said after three attempts of CPR, Aang coughed
"Drink this!" she said as she pours a purple liquid into his mouth.
"Thanks Zara, Zuko." He mumbled before using air bending to get them off him and running to the others. Looking over his shoulder he cried as they flew off.
"The offer still on the table, Zuko! Same goes for you Zara!"
After they returned to the ship Zara confront Zuko on what had happen. "I can forgive you for wrongly put too much drug in the dart but stand by and be lied to. Aang said that the offer was still on the table. What did he mean?" she demanded of him
"I don't know it must have some kind of trick!" he said with his back turn to her.
"You never could lie to me. I realize now that you rescue Aang from Zhao. Then he did the same for you and offered you friendship. Didn't he!" she screamed
"Yes! So what about! I will not become a traitor and be his friend!" he snapped
"Zuko! Friendship is way more important than honor! I rather live with a real friend than die with them. I can't be part of the Fire Nation anymore! If I stay I will die! So will you! Let's disappeared! We must go to Aang. Don't you see we are meant to help him not capture him? Please lets join him!" she pleaded to him
"I will not! Now lets go!" he cried
"NO!" Burning her armor away and reverent back to the dress she ran to the side of the ship and said to Zuko "I love you brother. I know in my heart you will change your mind. I'll be safe! See you soon!" As she dove into the water and began to swim to where her heart told her where Aang was.
"ZARA! Come back!" cried Zuko
"You will be reunite with her again Prince Zuko I'm sure. " said Iroh as he rested his hand on Zuko shoulder.
Zara final came to land and ran through the forest till she came to a clearing were Aang and his friend were eating dinner. Katara and Sokka got ready to attack but Aang stop them. He walked till he was about ten feet away and Zara feel to her knees.
The moonlight paint silver on leave as a light breeze came into the clearing as Zara looked into Aang eyes and said in a breaking voice "Aang. From the moment you waltz into my life in that instant that was sweet and strange, everything about me changed. My heart of stone melted and I knew that this was better than a dream. We were meant to be. I was dying and you saved my life. I want to know why out of the people in this world why did you set your sights and single me out? Why did you have to make me love you so much? You were right about me. I 'm not evil. Neither is Zuko. We just never been loved or cared about. We never had such a good friend. So please forgive me and let me stay with you on your quest." Said with tears falling from her eyes.
Aang walked to her and helped her up and hugged her. "I all ready forgave. I love you Zara." He said kindly
"Oh Aang, I love you too." And they kissed.
They spent the rest of the night playing in the moonlight hearing the wind playing a song only for their ears.
Nothing at all
You've been there for me no matter what the cost.
My best friend since we believed in Santa Claus
You have always stood beside me and I want to let you know
I'll be the one who hears your prayer don't have to ask me, I'll be there I'll be the friend you'll never have to do without
When you have nothing at all you'll still have nothing to worry about
When I was lost inside a forest of dismay you always knew just how to help me find my way in a world that so uncertain I will promise this to you.
I 'll be the one who hears your prayer don't have to ask me I'll be there I'll be the friend you'll never have to do without when you have nothing at all you'll still have nothing to worry about when you have nothing at all you still have nothing to worry about nothing at all
