Book 1: Water

Chapter 18: The Waterbending Master

A/N: Another chapter up, not too terribly late I would hope! I start school in two days so I'm hoping to finish off Book 1 tomorrow (ohmygoodness the end of book 1 already. Sooo ready for the next two!) and then I am not too sure how updates will go. But, we will cross that bridge when we get there:) Enjoy! And Reviews pretty please! Oh and I continually forget to add this, but chapters 16 and 17 do not need to be changed and are completely canon, as are any segments of the episode you don't see here. Okay, now Enjoy:)


The moon shined brightly over Zuko's ship where it was docked at a small Earth Kingdom town. It was music night on the ship, one of Emi's favorites. The lieutenant strummed lightly on his pipa while Uncle and Emi harmonized "Four Seasons, Four Loves". His voice was deep and steady, hers high and light. The music was interrupted by the heavy sound of metal coming towards them. Tossing looks over their shoulders, Uncle stayed relaxed as Zhao approached them, but Emi stood up and looked slightly on edge.

"Admiral Zhao." Emi said in a coldly polite greeting.

"Lady Emi. General Iroh. I'm afraid I have some bad news." He said. Emi narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing. "I'm taking Prince Zuko's crew. We need them for an expedition to the North Pole. You two are more than welcome to join me." Emi pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"We need to speak to Prince Zuko about this." Emi said. She usually didn't include his title when they were together, just like he never used hers, because they thought it was too formal. Now, however, she made sure she used it. Zhao wouldn't forget his place around her. Zhao gave her a short nod and she led both him and Iroh back to Zuko's chambers. She stepped back as Uncle gently pushed open the door, following in right behind him and leaving Zhao standing in the hallway.

"For the last time, I have no desire to play the tsungi horn." Zuko said from his place on the floor. His back was against the wall, one leg stretched out while the other was tucked up, his crossed arms resting on top of it. He was wearing only his sleeveless tunic and loose pants in place of his heavy fire nation garb.

"No. It's about our plans…there is a bit of a problem." Uncle said calmly. Zhao walked through the doorway, his metal boot clanging against the floor.

"I'm taking your crew." Zhao said shortly. Zuko's eyes widened in defiance as he leapt from the floor.

"What?" he cried in outrage.

"We need them for a little expedition to the North Pole." Zhao added, eyes narrowed and voice cold.

"Uncle, is that true?" Zuko asked.

"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone…even the cook!" he answered, hiding his face in his sleeve in distress. Emi frowned at him for dwelling on such a trivial matter.

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me catch the avatar. The last thing I need is for you to get in my way again." Zhao sneered. Zuko snarled and advanced towards him, but Emi rushed forward and held him back, one hand on his chest and the other his cheek.

"No, Zuko." She said. She looked up to see Zhao making his way over to the mantle…where Zuko's broadswords just happened to be hanging. She froze, feeling the same reaction from Zuko, as memories of them kidnapping the avatar from right under him flooded her. Her one hand dropped to Zuko's shoulder and her other curled into the fabric of his tunic. His own hand came up and he wrapped his fingers around her wrist, as if he was the one now holding her in place. Zhao lifted a single sword from its place on the mantel.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko." He said. Emi could hear the small undertone of malice in his voice and fought back a shudder as he turned back to the pair of them.

"I'm not." Zuko lied smoothly. "They're antiques, just decorative." Emi let out a silent sigh of relief. Zhao ran his hand lightly over the blade.

"Have you heard of the blue spirit, General Iroh?" he asked.

"Just rumors. I don't think he is real." Iroh told him.

"Oh he's real all right. He's a traitor, and an enemy of the fire nation, as well as the girl that was with him." Emi dropped her hands and walked over to a torch that seemed to be dying out a bit.

"The girl, she was a waterbender, wasn't she?" Emi asked carefully, calling fire to her hands and lighting the torch once more. Her display of firebending would take the suspicion off of her for sure…she couldn't say the same for Zuko.

"Yes. But I have a feeling justice will catch up with them soon." His voice held even more malice than it had before as he left the room. Emi and Zuko shared a look, hers worried and his determined. He laid a hand on her arm, but didn't say anything. He didn't have to; Emi knew he was trying to tell her all would be well. "Lady Emi, General Iroh, the offer still stands to join me, should you change your minds." Zhao said, shutting the door behind him.

Emi stared at the place where Zhao had just been standing, an ominous feeling of dread coming over her.


Emi and Zuko were talking quietly in his chambers, the hour late. He was laying on his bed, legs crossed at the ankles and arms crossed tightly across his chest. Emi sat cross legged on the floor next to the bed, head resting against his knee.

"We will figure something out Zuko. We always do." Emi said, sitting up straighter and turning to look at him. Any response he would have made was cut off by the sound of the door being pushed open.

"The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels." Uncle said, leaning his head in through the door.

"Good riddance to those traitors." Zuko snarled. Emi sighed as she watched any progress she might have made calming him fly through the window.

"It's a lovely night for a walk. Why don't you two join me? It would clear your head, Prince Zuko." Uncle said. Zuko made no move to leave and Emi decided it would be good to let him have some time for himself. She squeezed his arm as she got up to follow Uncle. He looked disappointed that Zuko would not be joining them.

"Or just stay in your room and sit in the dark, whatever makes you happy." He said, sighing as he pulled the door shut.

"He's just upset Uncle. He would hardly be jumping for joy at the fact that the crew that has stuck with him for nearly three years would up and leave him with a snap of Zhao's fingers." Emi said tiredly. Life had been hard on all of them, and just once she wanted to catch a break.

"I know. I can just feel him pulling away from me." Uncle said sadly, leading the way off the ship and towards a path through the mountains. Emi took a deep, calming breath, loving the night sky and wintry air around her. She really loved winter.

"I'm sure it is in no way intentional on his part-"A thunderous explosion came from the direction in which they had just come. Horrified, Emi and Iroh whirled around, watching as the entire ship was engulfed in flames.

"No! Zuko!" Emi cried. Sprinting down the short way they had come, Uncle hot on her heels. She came to an abrupt stop at the edge of the dock, feeling her heart being torn into pieces as she watched the inferno. She could feel tears pooling around her eyes. In an extreme show of recklessness that was very out of character for her, she pulled a huge wave of water out of the bay and rained it down on the ship, not caring who saw her. The fire was effectively put out and Emi and Uncle wasted no time in rushing onto the ship, pushing scraps of metal out of the way in a desperate search; praying for the best but bracing themselves for the worst.

Emi could hear the scraping of another metal scrap being kicked away from the pile, but this time Uncle's urgent voice called to her.

"Emi! Come quickly my dear." Emi responded immediately, shedding the outer robe that was just big enough to hide her water pouch, which had been glued to her hip ever since the sister at the abbey gave it to her. Pulling the water into a glove-like shape around her hand, she pressed it onto the worst of his burns. His eyes fluttered open and he gave a haggard sounding breath, and Emi knew he would be alright. Helping him sit up, she and Uncle carefully wrapped him in a tight hug. Tears of pure relief fell down her face and Emi would recall that as one of the first times she ever thought her feelings for Zuko would be more than just friendship.


Emi did not want to go into that room. She did not want to face the monster who tried to assassinate her best friend. But she had to. Giving one last nod to Uncle, they both entered a fancy looking chamber with ornate lights and a giant map of the world hanging on one wall.

Emi wasn't considered a brilliant liar for nothing. Her eyes were bloodshot and tired looking, red rims around them as if she had been crying. She kept them trained to the ground as she walked in, her shoulders slumped in and her gait no longer confident as it usually was. She sat down quietly next to Iroh across from Zhao. She hated him…loathed him really, with a passion beaten only by Azula, Zuko's insane sister.

"I am simply devastated to hear about Prince Zuko." Zhao told them, false sincerity and sympathy oozing from his voice and causing Emi to seethe. She kept her eyes trained on the tea he had just poured them. It was Uncle's time to do the talking.

"The Firelord will not be pleased when he learns who is responsible." Uncle replied, his voice hard and his face looking exhausted.

"You know who was behind the attack?" Zhao asked tightly. Emi had to stop herself from snarling at him. Calm…stay calm she reminded herself.

"Yes." Iroh said, closing his eyes. "Pirates." He snarled. "We had a run in with them a while back, and they wanted revenge." Emi spared a glance up at Zhao and almost snapped when she saw the smirk on his face. Her hand found Iroh's leg and she gripped it tightly, trying to tell him without words what she had seen. He discretely covered her hand with his own; he understood.

"So…" Zhao began, placing his tea on the table. "Have you reconsidered my offer?"

"Yes. I accept. I would be honored to serve as your General." Uncle told him.

"Excellent." Zhao practically hissed. Emi could feel her anger rearing its nasty head again, but quickly hid it as he addressed her.

"And you, Lady Emi?"

"I also accept." She said looking up at him with eyes that she hoped looked merely sad and lost, as opposed to him seeing the anger that was telling her to leap up and strangle him.

"Wonderful!" He said.

"To the Firenation." Uncle said, raising his glass.

"To victory." Zhao added. Emi said nothing as the three of them knocked back their drinks.


Emi and Uncle walked together around the bowels of the ship, both of them coming to a halt as they passed one of the crew members.

"Our plan is working perfectly. Stay hidden until we reach the North Pole and the avatar is yours." Uncle explained quietly.

"Thank you Uncle, Emi." Zuko said quietly, lifting the mask off of his face.

"You didn't think we would let you stow away without back up, did you?" Emi asked him, trying to add humor but not quite managing it because of the tight, worried expression on her face. She placed her hands on either side of his face, a quite difficult task with the helmet in the way.

"Zhao doesn't suspect a thing." Zuko told her calmly. She nodded just as the three of them heard the heavy sound of a door somewhere close to them. She pulled back and Zuko replaced his mask.

"Be careful." She told him.

"I will." He assured her.

"Come on Emi, we must go. Good luck." Uncle told Zuko. Giving Emi's hand one more comforting squeeze, Zuko resumed walking in the opposite direction as if nothing had happened, Uncle and Emi following his lead.


A/N: Just a little fluffy angsty stuff for you there:) It was so sad to write the scene where when Zuko had been attacked! And yes I know, you could all probably see the whole Zuko/Emi relationshippy stuff coming, but you know, we'll just see where that all goes from here:) I can't believe I have only two more chapters of Book 1 left! You all have been great. I love you all:) Reviews pretty pretty please? Thanks:)

Much Love,

Em