Zuko was annoyed, no he was pissed off. Furious. How could Zhao capture the avatar before him. He was the one who found the long thought dead air bender. Him!
Zuko remembered his initial shock at seeing the boy, yes boy, not even a master of all the elements. Zuko remembered his first thought being that the child was the same age as him when he got his scar. He remembered pushing that thought to the back of his mind to be forgotten, only to have it haunt him every time he faced the child.
Zuko was furious. He needed the avatar to regain his honor. It was HIS destiny! His! Not Zhao's. Yet try as he might to convince himself that was the only reason he was upset, deep down Zuko knew, he was scared for the boy. Zhao was ruthless and cruel. He would keep the boy alive but only just. The things he could get away with made zuko's blood boil.
He was determined to capture the avatar, but he never wanted to hurt him. Even in their fights Zuko knew he could end the child's resistance. It would be so easy to stop him from bending.
When he first set out three years prior to capture the avatar Zuko thought of all the ways he would subdue him. In the earth kingdom Firebenders who were caught would have their arms crushed. It was as simple as that. After all any old coward who could hide from the war so long deserved it.
Finally finding the avatar, seeing just how young and innocent he really was. Zuko knew he couldn't do it. He needed to capture the boy, yes, but he wouldn't maim him.
Every chance Zuko had to capture the avatar he held back. He would aim his fire just off to the side, trying to corner him and corral him into a trap. It never worked, the boy was like the wind whistling through the holes of his net, and his friends were always there to defend him.
Now Zhao had him. Zuko tried to deny the fact that he was worried for the boy. Scared of things that could be done. Zuko had thought of everything he knew what lengths could be taken to subdue him.
Only a child… he was only a child… just like Zuko was a child. Zuko was truly afraid for the boy. Maybe that's why he snuck out.
Maybe that's why he put on his darkest clothes and armed himself to the teeth. Maybe that's why he hid his face behind a wooden blue and white festival mask. Maybe just maybe that was the only reason he went to rescue him.
Zuko snuck through the dense forest careful not to make even a sound. No leaves crunched beneath his feet. The prince moved like a predator through the trees.
I'm only getting him out so I can capture him myself.
Moving stealthily forward towards the stronghold he crept. He quickly hid himself under a supply carriage waiting for it to be checked before slipping into the back and hiding.
Once inside Zuko slipped away and found his path through the sewer system.
The things I do for my honor.
Creeping through the halls of the stronghold he made his way to the most secure cell.
It required a great deal of patience but the predator knew how to wait. He waited three years for the avatar. He would wait a few more minutes to do this right.
Zuko saw the guards, only four. Zhao was cocky. A bit like he was when he first faced the child at the South Pole.
The blue spirit took down his pray without a sound. Lowering them to the floor. Then he kicked open the door to retrieve his prize. Running at the avatar his swords at the ready.
The boy screamed. Terrified. Then the ballades came down. Slicing cleanly through the chains.
"Who are you? What's going on? Are you head to rescue me?"
The boy received no answer but the blue spirit opening the door.
"I'll take that as a yes," he said following after the masked stranger.
"My frogs! Come back! And stop going out!"
The blue spirit turned to find the boy chasing frogs. What is wrong with this child! He grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away.
"Wait! My friends need to suck on those frogs!"
The blue spirit ignored him and continued to pull him along.
Why on earth would anyone want to suck on frogs. Zhao must have dropped the kid on his head.
He pulled the child along until they came to a rope the blue spirit used to get over the walls. Halfway up the alarm went off.
"The avatar has escaped!"
The rope was cut.
"Stay by me," the avatar said pulling him towards the closing gates.
The blue spirit tried to follow but was held up fighting off tens of fire nation soldiers with spears. The blue spirit held his own, cutting off the tips and keeping them from coming to close. The avatar blew the rest away with a gust of air.
The boy tossed the blue spirit into the air using his air bending to boost him. They both landed on the innermost wall safely.
Soldiers ran towards them from both sides. Those down on the ground used long layers of bamboo to spring themselves up.
Uncle was right, I never think things through.
The avatar was clever.
"Get on my back," he said grabbing the bamboo latter's.
In no time at all the avatar with the masked man on his back were making their way to the next wall using the latter's like stilts.
At least until a fire bender burned the latter they were on.
Thinking quickly the avatar spun his broken spear and boosted them the final way to the last wall. The blue spirit clinging to his legs.
It wasn't enough. Both the avatar and the masked stranger clung to the wall until their arms slipped. They tumbled to the ground only saved by a blast of air to cushion their fall.
Firebenders surrounded them, throwing flames at their opponents only to have them blown back by the wind.
"Stop! The avatar must be captured alive!"
Before he could process his actions the blue spirit moved. Holding his dao swords to the avatars neck.
"Open the gate," Zhao growled.
The blue spirit back himself and the avatar down the path only to be struck by an arrow halfway there. Said arrow imbedded itself in the masked mans shoulder, only just missing heart because the avatar shifted.
The blue spirit let his swords fall away from the avatars neck and ran.
The avatar grabbed him and using his air bending sped them along.