Book 1: Water
Chapter 12: The Storm
A/N: I am really on top of these updates aren't I?:) So, new chapter up less than 24 hours after the previous one that I hope you all will like. Chapter 10 and 11 had nothing that needed to be changed, So those were left as is:) I keep forgettting to mention this, if a section of an episode is not seen here, then it stays the same and is completely canon:) Enjoy!
"There is a storm coming." Uncle stated, looking out over eerily calm waters. Emi took a deep breath as another breeze lifted her hair. She could feel it too, but it was only to be expected from a waterbender.
"What are you talking about? The weather's perfect, there isn't a cloud in the sky!" Zuko insisted.
"Uncle's right Zuko. It's coming from the north. We should probably head south…maybe south east." Emi said.
"We know that the avatar is heading toward the north, and we will do the same." Zuko said calmly.
"Please, Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew!" Uncle said.
"The safety of the crew doesn't matter." Zuko snapped. Emi sighed as she saw the head crewman arrive just in time for Zuko's…declaration. She could tell that the patience of their crew was running thin, and this didn't help any. Zuko turned to see the man scowling at him, and stalked up to him until he was right in his face. "Finding the avatar is far more important than any individual's safety." He walked away then, but Emi decided not to follow him right away. She knew that he needed a bit of time for himself. She settled for looking out over the sea, barely hearing Uncle tell the man that Zuko hadn't meant what he had said.
"Well. It looks like your Uncle was right after all." The head crewman said as Zuko, Uncle and Emi walked on to the deck of the ship. Emi frowned at the very unfriendly looking storm clouds they were headed straight for. She didn't want to be anywhere near them. Zuko turned to the man who had spoken.
"Lieutenant! You need to learn some respect, or I will teach it to you." Zuko threatened. Emi flinched. Nothing ever ended well when it involved both the words 'Zuko' and 'Respect'. Ever.
"What do you know about respect?" the lieutenant sneered.
"Oh please don't-" Emi said in a small voice, but the crewman interrupted her.
"The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hardworking crew, to your esteemed Uncle, and even your best friend, shows that you know nothing about respect." Uncle pinched the bridge of his nose and Emi put her head in her hands. No, this was most certainly not going to end well. "You care for nobody but yourself! But what should I expect from a spoiled Prince." Emi bristled at that, and she knew Zuko was ready to snap. How many countless times had Zuko thrown himself in front of her to protect her? How many times had he let Uncle do what he wanted on his search for the avatar, even if it put him off course? Zuko turned to the lieutenant in a stance that was begging for a fight. His crewmember matched him, and in an instant they were head to head and ready to duel.
"Easy now." Uncle said, trying to calm the two benders. He separated them easily, and Emi walked over to Zuko's side, looping one of her arms around one of his.
"We are all just a little tired from being out at sea for so long. I'm sure after a nice bowl of noodles, everyone will feel much better." He said reasonably. Zuko and the lieutenant were still glaring at each other, but Zuko's shoulders seemed more relaxed than before. They both turned in separate directions, and once the crew was gone, Zuko turned on Uncle.
"I don't need your help keeping order on my ship." He snapped. Emi let go of his arm and let him walk a few steps away from her and Uncle before speaking.
"He's just upset." She said quietly. "I will talk to him." Uncle nodded his head and she gave him a quick hug. After he went inside, she joined Zuko, placing one hand on his shoulder and using the other to turn his face In her direction. He looked sad, angry and distressed all at the same time, so she figured the best thing to say right now was nothing. They just stood there for a few moments, before Zuko wrapped her in a hug.
"It's not true." He said. " I do care about you, and Uncle too, but the avatar-"
"Zuko, I know. You're a good person." She insisted. Zuko tightened his hold on her but didn't say anything else.
Emi and Uncle were walking near the boiler room when they heard the angry voice of the lieutenant from inside. Opening the door, they caught the last bit of what they were assuming to be his rant.
"I'm tired of following his orders, tired of chasing his avatar! I mean, who does Zuko think he is?" he asked angrily.
"Do you really want to know?" Emi was angry that they would speak about Zuko that way, but she also understood. He was often misunderstood, especially when people didn't know about his past.
"Oh, Lady Emi, General Iroh, um we were just-" he began, clearly flustered.
"It's okay." Uncle held up his hand. "May we join you?"
"Of course sir!" Emi and Uncle walked down the stairs and sat around the small fire where the other crew members were seated.
"I know you must think badly of him, but please, try to understand." Emi started.
"My nephew is a complicated young man." Uncle said. He frowned a bit. "He has been through too much."
*Flashback*
"Zuko, are you sure your father will let us in this war meeting?" Emi asked as they walked together towards the war chambers.
"Of course he will, I'm the prince! And you're my best friend, and they call you Lady, so you must be important." he said proudly, puffing out his chest a bit. But when they reached the guards, one of them sidestepped and blocked his path. "Let me in!" Uncle, who had just joined them, placed his hands on his shoulders and pulled him away from the guards.
"Prince Zuko, what's wrong?" he asked
"I want to go into the war chamber but the guards won't let me through!" he told him. Uncle just smiled and leaned in close, so that only Emi and Zuko could hear him.
"Trust me, you aren't missing anything. Those meetings are dreadfully boring." He said, as if it were a big secret. Emi giggled, but Zuko wasn't having any of it. He looked up at Uncle hopefully.
"Don't you think, that if I'm going to rule this nation one day, I should try to learn as much as I can?" he asked. Emi thought about that for a moment and quickly nodded her agreement.
"Very well, just don't speak out of turn. These old folk are very sensitive you know!" Uncle told him. Zuko beamed at him and bowed.
"Thank you Uncle!" he said happily. "Emi can come too, right?" he asked. Emi turned to Uncle, her deep blue eyes wide and pleading.
"Oh alright." Uncle said, throwing an arm around each of their shoulders and leading them into the chamber.
Uncle had been right about the meeting. Emi was trying to stay still while the war generals talked, but she really had no interest in the war. When the talk turned to sacrificing the new fire nation recruits, she was horrified, but sat still and didn't say a word, like she had promised Uncle. Zuko, however, did not.
"You can't do that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation. How can you betray them?" he said in disbelief. Emi gasped. She couldn't believe he had spoken out against the highest ranking military officials in the fire nation. She took in Uncle's worried look and was scared for Zuko. She reached up and took his hand, trying to offer some comfort even though neither of them knew what was coming.
*End flashback*
"Zuko was right, of course, but it wasn't his place to speak out." Emi said quietly. Everyone could see that the spark that was usually in her eyes had been dulled sadness. It was the first time the crew members had seen her as anything but joyful and calm.
"And, because of this, there were dire consequences." Uncle said. His voice was sad as well.
"After Zuko's outburst In the meeting, the Firelord became very angry with him. He said his challenge of the general was an act of complete disrespect, and that there was only one way to resolve this." Uncle hung his head.
"Agni Kai…A fire duel." The lieutenant provided.
"Yes. Zuko looked at the old general he had challenged, and accepted. But he misunderstood. When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the general he faced. He had spoken out against the general's plans, but by doing so in the Firelord's war chamber, it was the Firelord himself, who he had disrespected." Emi paused and look towards the ground, her eyes filled with unshed tears.
"You don't mean…" one of the crew members started, horrified.
"Yes, Zuko would have to duel his own father." Uncle told them solemly. "When Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to duel him, he begged for mercy…"
*Flashback*
Zuko looked at his father in disbelief, and sank to his knees in both a bow of respect, and surrender.
"Please father, I only had the fire nation's best interest at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of turn." He pleaded, looking up at the Firelord.
"You will fight for your honor." The Firelord said, walking slowly towards Zuko.
"I am your loyal son, I meant you no disrespect!" Zuko said, his voice filled with despair.
"Rise and fight Prince Zuko!" he commanded. Zuko sank lower to the ground.
"I won't fight you." He said shakily.
"You will learn respect." His own father snarled at him as Zuko looked up, tears streaming down his face. "And suffering will be your teacher."
Emi covered her face with her hands and wept into Uncle's shoulder as Zuko screamed in agony. She could remember sitting near Zuko's awful sister, a person that she hated with a passion stronger than she had ever felt towards anyone, and stronger than she would ever know again. She loathed the girl more than the Firelord himself.
*End flashback*
Emi sat quietly has Uncle finished the story, silent tears streaming down her face.
"I had always thought Zuko was in some sort of training accident." The lieutenant said.
"It was no accent." Uncle said coldly. "After the duel, the Firelord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness, and as punishment, he was banished and sent to capture the avatar. Only then could he return." He finished.
"So that's why he's so obsessed. Capturing him is the only chance he has of things returning to normal." Emi shook her head at his words.
"Things will never go back to the way they were before we left. But the important thing is that the avatar gives Zuko hope." She said.
Emi tried to stay steady as the fierce waves tossed around their ship and the sheets of rain poured down upon her. Every person on the ship was out on the deck, trying to find the damage done by the lightning.
"Where were we hit?" Zuko yelled, attempting to make himself heard over the wind, rain, and sea.
"I don't know!" the lieutenant called back.
"Look!" Emi cried out, pointing to where the helmsman was hanging on for dear life to a broken railing.
"The helmsman!" Zuko yelled, running over to the latter and quickly climbing it, the lieutenant hot on his trail. The next bolt of lightning brought with it a wave that crashed into the boat, causing the man to lose his grip on the railing and fall. Luckily, Zuko reached out and caught him before he could fall, and safely handed him to the lieutenant, who helped him climb down. Once they were all standing on the deck again, Zuko looked up to see the avatar flying overhead.
"The avatar!"
"What do you want to do sir?" the lieutenant asked, fully ready to chase the avatar into dangerous waters. Zuko didn't hesitate with his answer.
"Let him go. We need to get this ship into safety." He said calmly.
"Then we need to head into the eye of the storm." Uncle directed.
When they finally reached safety, Zuko looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry Emi, Uncle."
"Your apology is accepted." Uncle said, laying his hand on Zuko's shoulder. He then walked away, leaving Emi and Zuko alone. Zuko looked up at her sadly. He hadn't missed that she hadn't said he was forgiven. Emi threw her arms around his neck.
"I'm so proud of you." She said happily. Zuko sighed in relief, knowing he was forgiven.
A/N: Well, thats that:) It was so sad to write that flashback part, poor ZuZu:'( I don't really have any other notes, but reviews pretty pretty please! *le puppy dog eyes* thanks:) Next chapter might be up later today, might be tomorrow, not sure yet.
Much love,
Em
