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Chapter 9

$Reward$

I stood outside on the deck, enjoying the feel of the warm sun on my face and the salty sea breeze as it blew up from the ocean. I felt alive and glad to be so. It has been a week since I had received the jade panda lily from the man in the blue mask and I have not seen him again since that night, ti my utter disappointment. Prince Zuko and another man were practicing firebending behind me. I had watched for a little while then soon grew bored. My father was a firebender and he used to show me and my mother tricks, but I had lost all interest in it.

I went up to the captains room to see if I could be of any use up there. The captain looked up when I knocked, he smiled kindly, "Hello Koi, how are you doing young miss?" He asked. Miss Miss Miss, that's all these men call me, It almost seems like a nickname that had long ago lost its meaning. I put on a smile, knowing that the old man meant well, "I'm fine, thank you Captain." Captain got out a scroll that was tied to a messenger parrot, "This just came for Prince Zuko, can you take it to him Koima?" I nodded, taking the scroll from him, "Yes, sir."

I headed back down the stairs that led onto the ships training deck with the scroll clutched in my hand. I looked down at the scroll, printed on the outside was the characters for, "Reward." I frowned, I shouldn't look…. But my curiosity got the better of me. I unrolled the scroll… and looked……

;Zuko;

Zuko turned in time to see Koima crumple to the floor at the base of the stairs, staring at a sheet of paper clutched tightly in her hands.

"Koi!" He halted practice and ran to her side. She had a horrified look on her face, "No…No." She said over and over like a chant as she stared at the paper.

"Koi what is it? What is wrong?" Zuko asked. He took the paper out of her trembling white hands. Zuko looked at the parchment, his breath froze in his throat at what was in the paper.

There was a drawing of Koima, what she had looked like a few weeks ago. The character $Reward$ was painted as the heading. Zuko read the captions underneath Koi's picture.

"Reward for the capture of this thief. Alive. Name is unknown but woman has identifying marks on her lower back. Two tattoo's : A.Z and "Bird" in black ink. Woman is around sixteen with black hair and gold eyes, thin, emaciated. Charged with stealing 500 gold coins. There will be twenty gold pieces for the capture of this dangerous woman. Turn in to Fire Nation Officials."

Zuko read it twice over in a pathetic attempt to believe that this couldn't be Koi, it must be a different girl. But he knew it was her, who else would have those tattoos on her back. But Koi never stole any money, she hasn't stole anything. " This...this…is…" But he couldn't finish his thought. Koima sat on the floor holding her face in her hands, shaking her head, "No! No! He'll find me now…He'll get me now!" She cried.

Zuko picked her up by the shoulders, "Come on, We have to take this to Uncle. He'll know what to do." He grabbed her arm and pulled her to his Uncle's room.

He knocked on the door loudly, "Uncle! Uncle! We need to speak with you!"

His uncle opened the door and Zuko pushed past him with Koima.

"Close the door!" He said quickly. Uncle Iroh did but was very puzzled.

"Prince Zuko! What is the meaning of this? What's wrong with Koi?" He added when he saw Koi collapse in a chair, her limbs trembling with fear and anxiety.

Zuko thrust the paper in Iroh's face, shaking it, "This! This is what's wrong!"

Iroh took the paper and looked at it. After a moment his eyes went wide, "Koima…"

"I didn't steal anything!" She cried, "He's trying to find me! He's going to find me!"

"No he's not Koi!" Zuko said, wanting to believe it himself. What would happen if Zhao got a hold of Koi…he already knew and that renewed his determination that she would never see that evil bastard ever again. But what could they do? Someone is sure to see one of the posters if they had been sent out. Zuko asked his uncle, "What are we going to do uncle. Half the people in the Firenation must have already seen these by now. What can we do?"

Uncle Iroh thought for a moment, "Has anyone else seen this? On the ship I mean." He asked, not looking up from the notice.

Zuko looked at Koi, she shook her head, "I don't think the captain opened it." She said, "I shouldn't have opened it. I'm sorry. I was curious when I saw the Reward sign. Please forgive me."

"It's okay Koi. You don't have to apologize." Zuko said, trying to calm her down. He didn't want to see her cry again.

"No one else will see this. First thing we must do is change your appearance Koima; so no one will recognize you." Iroh said as he looked up at her.

Koima locked eyes with him, "Am I in better health to have the tattoos burned?"

Zuko was caught off guard, "What? Burned? Uncle!"

Uncle Iroh nodded, "Getting rid of the tattoos. Thos would easily give you away if anyone happened to see them. The only was to get rid of them is to have them burned, Prince Zuko." Iroh explained to the prince, "Koi, you are in better condition for us to do it. Do you mind having your hair cut short?"

Koi shook her head, "No, Uncle."

Zuko's eyes went wide, "Cut short! She would look like a boy!"

"Not that short, Prince Zuko." Uncle laughed, "Why? Would you miss her long hair?" he chuckled.

Zuko turned bright pink, he chose not to answer but turned away, pretending to take an interest with the Reward notice.

"People will now be looking for you since you have a bounty on your head, Koi. I think it best that we get rid of the tattoos tonight… is that alright with you?" Uncle asked Koima.

Koima touched her back, wincing slightly as she felt the aching sting. She nodded, her face set with determination, "Yes. Tonight. I don't care how much it will hurt. I just want them gone, no matter the price."


I know it is a short chapter. I can't type anymore. The day after my birthday…..my sixteenth birthday… my parents announced that they are splitting up. My parents have been together for over twenty years... and now this. I wish I was lying, I wish they were lying…. I don't know if I will continue with my stories…. I don't know. I don't know if my siblings and I will be split apart or not. I know some of you have gone through divorces or your parents have, I have never been through this, I had always said that my family was lucky that that had not happened to us. If it's not too much to ask, can some of you pray for my family to stay together? It would mean a lot to me... Omg, I'm crying. Shit, I have not cried at all….now I am. I will try my hardest to post-new chapters whenever I can. If I move, I'll have one of my friends post a notice. If I do move, I'll probably have a new name. If you see anyone with the name KisstheMoon16 or TheBlackEnigma it will be me. I love all my reviewers very much and I hope some of you won't ever have to go through this. Goodbye. Amy.