A/N. I had too much fun with Zuko actually lol! This chapter really was of a better quality then the last few I think!
Seriously, how had he not managed to capture these idio… These people, when he tried.
Zuko lay on the stone niche that was his bed in this place, thinking these last two days over.
The water sav…. Sokka. Sokka was kind of… weird. Kind, but weird. The guy shifted from overly friendly to openly hostile. At least, he didn't hide his emotions, and was as easy to read as a well-written note. The sister was just hostile. Sure, Zuko knew he had done bad things… But those had been in the service of a cause he deemed just at that moment. Surely, she had done things she wasn't proud of. But no! She had the moral high ground because he was the prince of the Fire Nation.
The blind girl, Toph, had been… nice? No, that was not the right word. She had tolerated him. But she appeared to tolerate everyone, even the people she called her friends. And he hadn't got used to the fact she pushed him out of her way each time she walked past him.
The others, the earthbender, the young guy in the wheelchair and the kid… To be honest, he knew next to nothing about those. They had apparently joined the Avatar's group just a few days before him… And were absolutely not included in the decision-making.
Then, there was the Avatar. How was that kid supposed to defeat his father? Sure, he seemed serious enough, and Zuko knew that the Avatar was a good fighter. He had hated fighting that guy during the winter months that he had chased the group over the world. The Ava… Aang. Aang always dodged and danced around, only to hit him with an invisible wall of air to knock him out or incapacitate him. It had been so frustrating.
But now… Well, of course, he had not seen him bend the other elements in a few months… But how was one supposed to learn three elements in less than a year? Zuko had only managed to become a sufficiently good firebender around fifteen! Learning one element had taken him fifteen years! Under tutelage of Uncle, one of the best firebenders in the world! How was the Avatar supposed to learn an element in four weeks or less?
Standing up, Zuko took the swords from the pile of bags. His firebending was… ridiculous. So, if they were to travel to the Sun Warriors ruins today… Well, it would be better to have something to protect himself with.
He walked to the door, opened it and stepped into the corridor. This place… Agni, how had the Avatar not yet killed him in his sleep? After what they had seen down by the river? How had he survived that discovery? When the waterbender had stepped towards him after calming the Avatar down… Well, he had thought he was done for. But she had just yelled at him.
And then the Avatar had stepped in. With… kindness.
Kindness…
How was he so calm? So forgiving? What had Zuko ever done for him? Sure, he had got him out of the clutched of Zhao, but that had been for his own personal gain! And that debt had been repaid when the Avatar had insisted on taking him with them at the North Pole, instead of letting him freeze to death.
And he had repaid that kindness with betrayal in Ba Sing Se.
But still, the Avatar was being kind to him.
As the firebender walked through the corridor, he passed the door behind which the Avatar and the waterbender had their room. It had surprised him that they shared a room…Sure, everyone did that here, but she could have easily shared one with the other girl, while the water tribe man slept in the room with the Avatar. But Zuko had seen the rather awkward attempts at hiding their feelings.
He may not be an expert in that field… Or rather, he may be useless in that regard, but still… How had they not seen it? It was as clear as day for him that the Avatar and the waterbender shared a bond, and even though they may not have acted on it… How could anyone be that blind? Even when he had asked Sokka the day before why the two had stayed behind, hugging and talking softly to each other, the water tribe man had been… Rather curtly.
He had said that the Avatar or… Air Head… was his sister's best friend, and that they were just like that. Always. Sure, that, Zuko could believe. But how had that not become something like a relationship? The two were more at ease and cuddly than Mai and he had ever been.
As he arrived at the bridge connecting the building where his room was with the big terrasse, he saw that the beast… No, the bison. The animal was already awake, with that chittering small… lemur? Already annoying the bison.
Zuko walked up to the animals, who stopped whatever they had been doing to eye him suspiciously. He knew that look all too well. Everyone on the ship had used it, for over… Six years? Yeah, that sounded right. Then, the same look had been on every face in the Earth Kingdom when they saw his scar.
Why does he not hide it?
What had he done to deserve that?
Zuko could nearly hear them whisper those questions. But, sighing, he walked to the animals, quietly and as reassuringly as he could muster. The lemur just shook a small paw in his direction, before disappearing onto the bison's back.
That animal, however, kept looking at him with those big brown eyes. As he approached the animal, he heard a soft growl.
"Hey, I'm not that scary, am I? Can't even bend alight a candle at this moment… So… How have you been since last we met?" Ridiculous. Here he was, Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation… Talking to an animal as if it could answer.
The bison just kept looking at him, before emitting a soft purr like sound. Raising the eyebrow above his good eye, Zuko just looked at the animal… Had he understood him?
How intelligent is this thing?
"Ah. You're here." A male voice sounded behind him, and, turning around, he saw the water tribe man stand behind him.
"Yeah… Ehm… Is the Avatar ready?" At dinner the night before, they had concluded that it would be best to depart as early as possible.
"He wakes up at the crack of dawn each day. He will be around in a few moments probably." Sokka answered, before taking a step towards him. Zuko saw the blade, but before he could even move away, the point was already against his stomach. The firebender froze, knowing what the man in front of him was doing.
"Listen to me. If he comes back with even a scratch, or a wrinkle in his tunic… I'll throw you down this canyon, to join those people in the river. But I won't make it that quick. No, first, I'll give you to Katara. And whatever is left of you then, I'll throw down. So… consider you warned." And the point of the knife was removed. Zuko hadn't moved, because he had kind of expected to be threatened.
"I know my life is tied to the Avatar. He dies, I die. He gets a wound, I'll be hurt. I never expected anything less, that is the way of the world." He answered, stepping away from Sokka.
Of course these people were no better than his father. Of course there were going to be threats, violence and abuse. Just like home.
The water tribe man seemed to deflate, and all the anger and rage were gone in an instance.
"Listen, I hope for your sake that you don't plan on betraying him. I don't think so, to be honest. I would have noticed it if you went to send messages to some soldiers." Sokka put the blade back in its sheath, and Zuko spied the ornate handle of a sword poking over the man's shoulder. The engravings… Seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place them.
"The Avatar is safe. At least, I will not do anything to hurt him. He is the only one who has shown kindness since… Since a long time. I'll make sure he gets back safely." Zuko nodded at the water tribe man, and turned around towards the bridge to see the Avatar walk towards him.
Across one shoulder, the young man had a bag, and with his right hand, he held a staff, as long as the airbender was. That was probably that accursed glider that the Avatar had used… But that one had been of wood, while this staff was a pale blue. Had he lost the other one?
Behind the Avatar came the waterbender. He saw the frown on her face when she looked at him, at Zuko quickly looked back to the airbender.
"Ready for our field trip?" Aang smiled at him, but Zuko couldn't help but think that that grin was slightly… exaggerated. As if he was trying to make light of a situation that was clearly charged with awkwardness and apprehension.
Zuko nodded, picking up his bag and his swords. He heard the soft hiss behind the airbender, and, looking up, saw the blue eyes of the waterbender flaming.
"No weapons." She muttered darkly.
"It's alright Katara." The Avatar turned back to face the waterbender. Zuko couldn't see the airbender's eyes, but clearly, the water tribe woman saw something that made her change her mind.
"Alright. But if you even think about hurting hi-"
"I know. I'll get the same treatment, probably worse. Seriously, I know the Avatar is my only safe keeping." The firebender spoke, sighing. Of course he was not going to hurt the airbender! How stupid did these people think he was. It had been clear that his only potential protectors here would be the blind earthbender and the Avatar. If he killed half of his insurance not to be killed, how stupid would he be?
"It is alright Katara… remember what I said yesterday." The Avatar whispered. He had probably meant it only for the waterbender, but Zuko heard it all the same.
Ah… So, they had talked about it in private. The waterbender had probably only agreed on letting the airbender go on condition that if he tried something, Zuko would be left somewhere. Or just plainly killed.
"Alright! Come on, Appa is clearly impatient!" The Avatar laughed, walking to the bison. Zuko took one last look at the water tribe people, who were glaring at him with badly hidden disgust and hatred.
Yeah… Cool. No reason to worry whatsoever. He was just going to travel around with the most important person for these people, and if he even got a broken finger, Zuko was going to be tortured and murdered. No pressure.
"Come on, we have long way to go before nightfall." The Avatar called from the bison's head. Zuko nodded curtly to the two people standing in front of him, and climbed up to the saddle of the animal. As he settled in a corner of the wooden saddle, Zuko saw how the Avatar waved at his friends, before the bison jumped off the terrasse.
Zuko quickly grabbed on to the edge of the saddle. Agni, this was not what he had expected. Sure, he had been on the animal before, but that had been at the North Pole, half unconscious, and the other time had been yesterday. But that had just been a soft descend to the river in the canyon.
This was different. As soon as they exited the canyon, wind whipped around them, and Zuko could only hear the howling sound of the wind around him. After a few moments, the wind disappeared, and it felt like the air around them became completely still.
"How is you first high-altitude flight?" The Avatar called from his position on the bison's head.
"Is… is it always like this?" The eerie silence as they moved through the sky surprised him. Zuko had thought he would have to listen to wind for the whole journey… but this was… Comfortable.
"No, you should stick your head over the ledge, you'll understand!" the airbender shouted.
Zuko moved cautiously, keeping his eyes on the man in the animal's head. If they wanted to kill him, this was the way to do it. Make him look at something, move in from the side with the bad eyesight, and throw him of the bison.
But the firebender knew that if they were to trust him… He had to show that he trusted these people. Or at least, that he trusted the Avatar. So, he stuck his head over the edge of the saddle.
Suddenly, the wind was back in force, and he felt his hair being pulled by the air. His eyes watered, and the Zuko quickly pulled his head back. Over the saddle, the air was calm once more, and he heard the crystal-clear laugh of the airbender resounding over the animal.
"What was that?" He muttered angrily, while trying to put his hair back in order.
"I bend the wind away whenever possible. We are not flying on Appa, but with him. And it is my duty to help him, because he carries us wherever we want to go." The Avatar explained, while patting the bison's ear. The animal growled softly, as if he answered the airbender, who nodded at the sound.
"I know buddy. You could do all this and more. But I like to help."
Was… Was the Avatar an idiot? He had to be. Talking to the animal and acting as if he had spoken back… Agni safe him. He was travelling around with an idiot.
"You mean to tell me your people didn't use them as beasts of burden?" Zuko asked. If he was going to get the trust of the Avatar, it was probably by talking with him. And Agni, he hated that. But if this was the only way to show his sincerity… Well, he had to get out of his comfort zone.
"Spirits no! The Sky Bisons are holy animals! They are not our pets, or beasts of burden. They are companions, for life most of the time." The Avatar explained, but Zuko heard the tinge of sadness in the young man's voice.
"So… ehm… You mean to tell me his is your friend, rather than your pet?" Spirits, how were these people even real? Or at least, their culture. His great grandfather had seen to it that the people were gone…
"Exactly! Appa's name literally means Friend…"
When the airbender said that, Zuko suddenly felt a jolt go right through him, as he realized something.
"Wait, seriously? It means friend? You are certain?" No… That was impossible.
"I do speak my native language." The Avatar answered, sounding sightly irritated.
"Yes, of course! I just meant… My uncle sometimes called his son that. His little Apeha." Sure, it sounded slightly wrong… But is sounded too familiar.
"That is because Iroh speaks my language. Even if it is with the worst accent, I have ever heard." The hard edge still wasn't gone from the airbender's voice, and Zuko knew what that meant.
Bitterness.
"Ehm… So, yeah… Does… Appa know what direction we need to go?" He changed the subject, realizing he had probably hurt the Avatar's feelings.
"He knows. Appa will only change course when I want him to, or if he senses danger." The Avatar suddenly straightened, and Zuko wanted to grab him. If that guy fell to his death, even before they had left the area… Spirits, he would really be done for.
But the airbender just danced over the edge of the saddle, and feel elegantly on the other side of the wooden platform, crossing his legs and straightening his back. Zuko had seen that posture when he had visited the Southern Air Temple. It had been the second temple he and Uncle Iroh had looked at, at the climb had been… Well, it had been terrifying. But there had been plenty of statues there with that exact posture.
"So, how long to the Sun Warrior Island?" The airbender changed the subject, and the firebender suspected it had been to make him stop asking questions about the bison or the people. And Zuko… Well, he could understand that.
"I don't know exactly. Uncle Iroh showed it once on a map, but my own maps don't show the island for some reason." Zuko sighed. He knew it lay to the west of the islands where the Western Air Temple was situated, but not much more than that.
Immediately, he saw the suspicion in those clear grey eyes. Yeah… it did sound dubious.
"What do you mean?" The Avatar asked.
Well… At least he didn't just kill him then and there.
"Well, I took some maps with me from the Royal Library… But the island isn't on it. I have only seen it on Uncle Iroh's map." Zuko admitted. If his memory served correctly, it would be around the western tip of the outer island… But that was all the information he had.
"Oh… I know what happened. Wait a minute." The airbender turned around and began to search in a chest that was strapped at the back of the saddle. Zuko had not thought about it, but it seemed… old. But not old, like mouldy and cracked. The design looked old, but too fine to be a reproduction. And the wood was not riddled with small holes, like old furniture usually was.
Then it hit him. That was probably something that had survived with the Avatar in that iceberg that they told him about… It looked old because it was a century old. But it looked new because it had been conserved.
Agni… It was true. That guy really was the airbender his great grandfather had tried to kill. That young man was the reason Sozin had wiped out the Air De… Nomads.
"Here it is!" The Avatar held up a paper scroll, grinning, as he rolled it out.
Zuko shuffled closer, and as soon as his eyes saw what was on the paper, his mouth fell open.
It was a map… But not like one he had ever seen. Sure, the Nations were all depicted in their traditional colour, and the shapes of most of the landmasses were known to him… But what surprised him, was that the Fire Nation was significantly smaller, reduced to the Home Islands. The territories to the north and south of his nation were all a pale yellow on the map…
Agni…
His ancestors had annexed the Air Nomad territories…
As he kept looking at the map, he realized that there were also islands he had never seen on any other map. There were several to the east of the Earth Kingdom, and also some to the west of the Fire Nation he had never seen before. And, sure enough, the island Uncle had indicated on his own map was there.
"That one." Zuko pointed to the small circle on the map.
"Oh, that is not far with Appa. We'll get there even before sundown, probably somewhere during the afternoon." The airbender seemed relieved. Probably because he didn't want to spend too much time with him.
A silence followed… What was Zuko supposed to say now? They had literally nothing in common… And it was not like the Avatar was trying. He was just starring into the distance, leaning back against the side of the saddle.
A few times, it looked as if the airbender wanted to say something, but then, he closed his mouth and said nothing.
"Alright, this is killing me. Just ask me a question, I'll answer, then I can ask a question." The airbender suddenly spoke after what seemed an eternity. The sun had come up, and it had been torture to sit there in silence.
Zuko exhaled, relieved that the Avatar had spoken.
"Ehm… Sure. But I don't have to answer. Right?" The firebender spoke. He knew what the Avatar's first question would be.
How did you get your scar?"
"No, of course not. Or lie. Just… Making conversation easier. I did it when there were new people in the temple when I was younger." The airbender smile awkwardly. Yeah… This was not going to be any less uncomfortable than that silence, would it?
"Alright… So… Ehm… How old are you actually?" Agni, what were they, twelve? He had done this once with Mai, but they had been eight!
"A hundred and seventeen. Or seventeen. I don't actually know how this works." The Avatar seemed to have recovered quite rapidly from the awkward suggestion, and was now smiling widely as he looked into the sky.
Even the idea of someone becoming a hundred and seventeen hurt Zuko's mind. The oldest person he had heard of had been Sozin, at a hundred a two. But he had been a feeble old man at the end of his reign.
"What is it like to firebend?"
Wait… what? The airbender had not asked him the obvious question… But instead, had asked something intelligent, that would give him information and actually be useful.
"Oh... alright. Well… Fire needs to be fuelled. It is the only element I can think of that has to be created from the bender's own energy. So, I guess you need something to fuel that. I always thought it was anger. At least, that was what they taught me. Uncle said it was whatever you wanted, but anger always worked for me. Until now." He had never actually thought about it that way… Uncle had said that there was another way… Agni, it was at these moments he missed Uncle the most.
"Makes sense. Kuzon said the same thing. But he didn't fuel it with anger, that guy was the most laid-back person I have ever known." Aang nodded.
"Kuzon?" What kind of old name was that?
"A friend from the Fire Nation, before the war. Probably long dead by now… But who knows, Bumi is still alive. So, maybe Kuzon is too." The airbender shrugged, but it looked too casual.
"Wait, Bumi?" Wasn't that the name of the old king of Omashu, the one that had turned crazy?
"No, no. Each a question in turn."
Agni, that wasn't a question! Well, it had been but not one that mattered!
"Does Azula… Does she tell the truth?" The Avatar asked, and it sounded… strangely vulnerable. When had he talked to Azula?
"My sister always lies. But if she said something, worry. Because she will do everything to make that a reality." Zuko didn't want to talk about her. She had been a thorn in his side too long.
"Ah… That is not good." The airbender sighed.
"Why ask this?" Alright, that was a question, but the firebender was curious.
"She said some things. At the day of Black Sun." That was the only answer the Avatar provided… Well, it may not be much, but Zuko could imagine what his sister had said. She had found the weakness of the airbender and had plunged a knife into it.
"Alright…"
"Your turn." The voice of the Avatar had changed yet again, and it had gone back to the cheery, fake optimism one. Zuko resisted to ask further questions about his sister, because he felt it was an invisible line the Avatar had just drawn.
"How long have you been in love with the waterbender?" He asked, hoping it would make it a lighter subject. Because anyone had to be blind or stupid not to realize that the airbender was hopelessly in love with the water tribe woman.
"No." The dark voice was back. In force.
"What?"
"No. Just… No."
Zuko didn't ask why, but he suspected that there was a whole history that he didn't have a right to know… And back to awkward silence it was then.
Agni, this was going to be hard. If he even repulsed the Avatar, the kindest of the whole bunch… Well, he was screwed, wasn't he?
Answers :
CoyoteLemon : Of course Toph is a loose cannonball, she can say something nice, and then something completely inappropriate lol! I hadn't wanted to focus too much on the temple, but it comes just like that while writing ! And Katara doing her best not to kill Zuko is just so easy to write! And you're welcome!