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III. Blackholes and Revelations
火 - 火
"Sokka, I'm still worried..."
Katara squatted in Appa's saddle, observing the low clouds lazily floating by. Sokka was lounged across from her, sharpening his boomerang with a wet stone, purchased from the same seedy peir as the precious Waterbending scroll tucked into Katara's pack. Aang lay, stretched out on Appa's head, half-asleep.
"Why? We've been flying for miles and no bad people have torn us apart or shot Appa down - I count this as a great day."
Pouting, Katara shook her head, "That's precisely the reason, " She touched the bare base of her throat, where her pendant used to sit. Aang's eyes bolted open as Katara exhaled miserably - he Airbent himself up and onto the saddle infront of her.
"Come on Katara - It's a beautiful evening, the sky is clear and no Fire Nation in sight. Just relax and let the air currents take us away..."
He floated about, trying to entertain her, but she was undeterred in her worry. Sokka blew out his cheeks; he stuffed the wet stone back into his pack and examined the boomerang in his hand, "I agree with Aang here. You worry too much!"
"But don't you find it suspicious, " Katara snarled at her brother, "That Zuko's not been anywhere in sight? We should make camp..."
Aang landed, his clothes puffed up with air, and shrugged, "I'm happy either way. Sokka?"
Sokka crossed his arms furiously and stared in the direction of flight. They were making excellent progress - but night was drawing in, Appa yawned thunderously and he could feel his eyes beginning to become heavy. Swinging his boomerang about - Sokka agreed.
"Fine! I still think you're still overreacting about Zuko!"
Appa dove through the pink seamed clouds and down into the cover of a forest. Momo instantly hopped off and scuttled into the cover of winter foliage as Aang, Katara and Sokka dismounted. Sokka could feel something was off - but he brushed it off as Katara threw a sleeping sack at his head.
火
"I hate you," Toni marched beside Zuko, her hand gripping his shoulder so hard it turned her tanned fingers white. He had been 'treated' by having Toni to guide him to the beach - which niether of them appreciated. Toni never let Zuko out of her grip; Zuko never let Toni know how hurt he actually was.
"Same here..." Zuko snarled, his head still swimming with the revelation on Nervebending, "I can't believe I got beaten by-"
Toni set her jaw, "Choose your next words very carefully. Oh, and remember which one of us can Firebend. "
As they cut a path through the heavy bracken, Toni drove her nails into his shoulder. He squealed into his lips as she pulled him into a squat beside her. The party behind them copied the action promptly. Zuko was about to protest, after all nothing dangerous (except the knife-edged bracken was in sight), but Toni clamped a hand over his mouth.
Movement and snapping wood broke cover infront of the trail - Tigerdillo. Zuko pressed his back further into Toni as it sniffed the air before trotting deeper into the jungle, stalking its prey. The Sun Warriors that made up the group weren't deterred - but Jee, Shun and Zuko were. They were on edge for the rest of the journey.
"Oh, get over it," Toni gripped the scruff of Zuko tunic, "We have plenty other dangerous things around here..."
Zuko pulled his eyes back to the Cheifs daughter, "Like you, for instance."
"Yeah, like me, for-" Her hand squeezed his neck before letting go completely and pushing him through the last of the jungle cover. He tripped into the sand with a grunt, his hands digging into the all too familiar surface. Tonalli stepped out after him - her hand raised over her eyes and face screwed up in the sunlight.
Along the beach lay the wreckage of the boat. Skittering over to it, Zuko found his Uncle and Niraj still beneath the shadow it cast, much to his relief, but Iroh was parched of liquids. Niraj fared no better. Out of the jungle emerged the Cheif. He clutched a golden staff in one hand; air in the other. His heavy, self-assured footfalls left deep imprints in the sand as he marched towards Iroh.
"Dragon of the West, I presume? " The Chief's voice muttered. Zuko flinched, realising his second mistake of the day - Iroh was the supposed slayer of the last dragon. And this wasn't the man to speak to that about. Toni caught up with her captive - she slung her hands around Zuko's bicep in a death-grip. Zuko went to turn on her, but she quirked an eyebrow to silently remind him he was surrounded by expert Firebenders.
"My good man," Iroh rasped, "My, you have grown."
The Chief laughed and crouched beside the Dragon of the West, the two men exchanged a nodded bow before talking about healing arrangements. Zuko stood, under Toni's vice-like grip, more confused than ever. Toni, too, was having a hard time understanding what was going on. Jee opened and smacked shut his mouth as a Warrior caught his arm.
"I could definitely use some of your mothers tea - lovely woman. Had quite the liking for her; of course your father went berserk when he found out. Nearly incinerated me."
"I know. Mother was a lovely woman. You know, she used to-"
Toni bit her lip and cast a look at Zuko, who returned it with a glare. He snapped the glare to his Uncle and Toni's father, "This isn't a mothers meeting, Uncle! We have a dying man!"
Iroh nodded and scooped Niraj up in his arms. The poor sailor had a makeshift bandage wound around his side and a salt water stiffened towel on his forehead, to make use of what little cold water there was. Iroh had removed anything potentially infectious from his body (such as clothing and his best attempts at all the glass).
But Niraj was still deathly pale.
Toni grimmaced slightly, her lips peeling back to expose her teeth. Zuko wasn't as affected - but he still felt more than partially responsible. Iroh went to Jee, his shaking hands passing over the weight of the barely animated body. Jee swallowed sharply at the sight of his friend in the state he was in before allowing a Sun Warrior to frog march him along.
The shadowy hulk of the ship seemed depressing in the late morning sunlight; Zuko could feel Tonalli's grip on him loosen slightly as she stared up in horrified awe. There were some things that remained in the ship Zuko desperately wanted to retrieve.
Dual Swords, for instance.
But the way things were going, he would never get the chance to even see them again. As the group headed back for the Capital - Zuko made Toni wait, with some procrastination story about needing to pee. Toni, not wanting to see Zuko wet himself however funny that would be, let him go off in search of an isolated spot. She reminded in the shadow of the wrecked vessel - humming a Sun Warriors' song.
Zuko took the opportunity and started searching for another entrance. He found a hatch, used for emergency water ejections, in such cases as flooding, near to bow. Chuckling lightly, Zuko flattened down his tunic (he had been stripped of his armour back at the Capital) and began to clamber in. The tunnel - although quite a tight squeeze - was large enough for him to get through.
It tapered away in the engine room. Zuko swung himself down and onto a bar - the ship being beached on its side was a disorienting factor. He slipped along the rail, hands out for balance, until he got to the stairs. There were two ways up.
One would involve exposing himself to Toni and two was another tight squeeze - this time through ventilation shafts. The shafts seemed much more inviting than Toni's fury.
It was a dark deep hole that led directly past his room. Perfect. There was a hatch in the roof where the could access his room and slip away with minimal noise. Perfect.
Clambering into the shaft, Zuko sneezed violently. He hadn't accounted for the coal dust or remnants of smoke welded onto the sides. All the way, he kept sneezing and occasionally so harshly his head hit the top (or was it side, it was all very confusing...).
He bit his lip and twisted his body, the grate at the ceiling of his room was almost no trouble. Almost. It wouldn't come free... Zuko yelled at it, forgetting his aspect of stealth.
Outside, Toni had heard. She shot to her feet and started to examine the ships exterior. Never in her life had she heard a ship scream - but here it was. Calling out Zuko's name, she screwed up her nose and slumped her shoulders when he didn't answer. Pressing her lips into a line, Tonalli's face became pale with fury. He had to be inside the ship.
Sneaky little git.
She gave a running leap onto the ship and set about clambering up to the source of the noise. Meanwhile, inside his room, Zuko searched for his Broadswords. They had survived the wreck under a pile of other possessions. Blue Spirit mask, Pearl-Handled dagger, the Swords. And, under what had been his keep-sake box was the Water Tribe girl's Betrothal necklace.
If he were to find his way off of this cursed island, he would need a bargaining tool. He stuffed that in his belt. The jagged rip and line of bruises across his chest was stained jet black with charcoal and grime - Zuko set his jaw and ignored the pain as best he could.
"Zuko!" Toni yelled - she was peering in through the slit of a window, "Zuko!"
He yelped at her eyes sudden appearance. Crashing into the pile of stuff, he went to Firebend, but nothing spurted out. Toni, however, giggled before becoming deathly serious and slamming her fist into the slit. The glass had shattered during the storm, so she arched her brow and tutted:
"If you don't come out, you'll become a Crown Prince barbecue!"
He clutched onto his weapons before glancing over at the proper exit - the door. It had been a stupid idea in the first place. Uncle was right, Zuko only acted before thinking. Toni began a count-down from ten, her expression taught and lips pressed in an unhappy line.
"Fine! Fine! I'm going, I'm going! " He trudged over his stuff morosely - cussing himself for his lack of restrain. It always got him unto trouble, yet by some miracle, he didn't learn anything. Hesitating as he reached the horizontal door-flap, he picked up the mask and tied that, too, onto his belt - it was his one of two only things he possessed in connection to his mother. He took another step towards the door, but again, he hesitated.
"Five, Four..."
His prajiad - Agni Kai armbands. His mother had made them the day before she had... They joined the neacklace in his belt-sash.
"Three, Two..."
Through the door, down (or along?) the stairs and out into Hotika's blinding light. From out of nowhere, he was set apon by a smack of lightweight limbs.
The pair toppled down and into the sand. Tonalli wrestled Zuko to the floor, using her body weight to press and restrain on him. A knee in his back and twisting his arms around - Toni had pinned him. Zuko was outraged by this. But he couldn't do anything about it. Toni was, he hated to admit it, going to beat him whenever they fought.
"You little weseal-rat!" She heaved him onto his feet. Zuko was spun about, forced to meet his captors eyes. Her bronze eyes flashed into the light and dark hair hung around her face - she would've been reasonably pretty... if it wasn't for the fact she was snarling and twisting his arm.
Her hands would've left red marks if Zuko hadn't let his arms go lax. Two weapons lay at his feet: The Dual Swords and the Dagger. Which looked incredibly incriminating. Zuko sweapt out Toni's feet and gave a short, sharp thrust of his arms towards her. She toppled over into the sand with a cry.
Zuko knelt across her and pinned her hands above her head. He sat on her legs to restrain them from kicking... kicking somewhere it hurt all men. Toni was not pleased by this one bit - which made Zuko smirk.
"Who's the best now? Huh?" He taunted at her ruddy face. She grit her teeth furiously, "I hate you, so much!"
He was about to back off, knowing it was only a temporary victory, when someone came charging in on their high horse. He was shoved off of Tonalli and set apon by a blur of fists - Tonalli yelped and ripped the attacker off. She was once again knocked into the sand by Zuko's attacker. He stood there, panting deeply, his greasy black hair and whispy starter goatee ruffled about by the attack.
He had sharp, malevolent eyes and a wiery frame - his cheeks, however, were probably the roundest Zuko had ever seen. It was like he had stuffed something in them, like a hamster. His tattoos cut across his cheeks as jagged rocks do on a coastline. This, Zuko grapped at his chest in panic, must be Yota.
"Why are you attacking my wife?!"
W- wife? Since when did Tonalli have a husband? She didn't wear a neacklace like the water tribe. Or a ring like the Earth Kingdom. Or even an expensive gift, like Zuko's own nation. And she looked his own age... sixteen... A bit young for marriage...
"Quit saying that!" Toni bellowed, struggling to her feet, "I never want to marry you!"
Yota spun on his heel, his hand shot out and went for Toni's loose hair so he could yank it. She dodged his grip and sunk into a fighting stance with her fists flickering with rainbow flames. Yota was amused by this - but his laughter quickly dropped when Zuko attempted to stand. Yota shoved him back into the sand with a gasp; Tonalli slid to Zuko's side on her knees, her eyes slightly bleary from restrained tears. Yota raised his fists and curled his lip.
"Come on, Flowerbud, outta my way! I gotta teach this guy some manners..."
Toni flinched at the nickname. This guy was violent - Zuko knew how to deal with bullies like him. Challenge them. He, with Toni's slight aid, stood quite shakily and stared down Yota. But the bully wasn't as easily scared as Zuko thought (he was internally, just quite stupid too). He proceeded to fly at the Prince with his face as white as the clouds.
"No one touches my girl!"
Toni held her fist up, ready to attack her so-called husband, but there was no need. Zuko sidestepped and Yota sailed headfirst into the iron hulk. He backed up, dazed, clutching his head. Toni giggled slightly at his misfortune - Zuko remained in fight mode. Yota backed up and snorted like a Bull-Lion - he even pawed the ground with his foot. He screamed and turned on heel. Zuko dodged yet again and elbowed Yota in the back, sending him sprawling.
"H- hey!" Yota's greasy black hair clung to his scalp, "No one-"
Tonalli raised her fist to Firebend at her claimed husband, but Zuko caught her fist before she could unleash anything. He drew his eyes closed with a quiet, forced tone, "Don't taint the victory..."
"But-" She protested, her eyes ablaze.
Zuko shook his head solemnly and went to collect his things. Yota lay, humiliated, in the sand - rubbing his sore back and head. Toni scampered after Zuko as the latter marched off into the jungle. She caught up with him and massaged her elbow nervously.
"Uh... Well, Thanks.. I guess... Thanks for dealing with him," She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. Zuko didn't respond - he swatted aside a large leaf and remained silent.
"Zuko... are you listening? "
No response.
"Sweet Ran's Wings. Zuko?"
No response.
"Zuko?!"
He turned to her sharply, catching her unaware, and stared awkwardly over at the Chief's daughter. She flinched and shied back before sighing and standing her ground. The Prince clutched his possessions to his battered chest and took a slightly shakey breath.
"I know how it is to deal with- with guys like him. Trust me."
The eyes covered with the scar twitched and he pursed his lips. Toni, her brows knitted together, unconsciously reached out to touch his scarred face. He snapped his head away and stalked still further into the darkening jungle. Tonalli bounded after him, over the vegetation and around shapes of trees.
"So," Zuko coughed, ducking a low hanging vine and giving in to conversation, "What's his deal? How come he thinks you are-"
Toni ran her hand through her loose hair and stopped short of the vines, "He has been promised to me for a long time..."
Spinning on his booted heel, Zuko's eyes widened in horror, "Betrothed? What? To- to you?"
"Hmm, it's kinda of a tradition that the Chief's daughter-" She poked a thumb at her chest "-is betrothed to the best warrior's son. And- and the other way around for boys and girls and all that... jazz."
She weakly shook her hands for comedic affect, but Zuko frowned deeper than before. Toni was clearly not happy with the state of affairs - and neither was he. Zuko had began to despise tradition ever since the... Agni Kai...
"How do Sun Warriors get betrothed?" Zuko blurted randomly, although genuinely interested. Toni took a tiny step foward and slung one hand up to touch the vines - she shrugged her shoulders, her great collar necklace clinked on a few beads strung through her hair.
"This," She stuck out her right arm to show a band tied around her bicep. It was a grubby and meaningless thing, poorly woven and even more poorly decorated. It was dirtied and there were several tears in it, where Toni had obviously tried to slide it off but was disturbed in the process. Zuko grit his teeth harshly as Tonalli retracted her arm violently.
"I hate him... I hate it."
She spat the words out like they were poison. It wasn't like she had told Zuko she hated him earlier. Then, it almost seemed lighthearted... She began picking at the woven betrothal band. Zuko cringed as she gave up with the task. It seemed to be welded to her.
"Can't you cut or burn it-" Zuko clung to his weapons.
"Not if I don't want angry spirits after me," Tonalli stared at the band, trying to laugh. It was a flawed mask to hide behind. Zuko opened his mouth to speak, but then thought better of it. Toni dropped her hands to her sides and blinked at Zuko with a fake smile, "But worse things could happen then marry-"
Zuko frowned sharply, "Than marry a brute? No. I've only known you a couple of hours... but I can see you don't deserve him. No one deserves that treatment. "
He waited a moment before sidling off and into the jungle, disappearing from view. Toni - in half the mind to ran back and give Yota a massive smack on the jaw - pressed her lips together and jogged after Zuko. She knew he was right about some things... even if he was a hot-headed Prince.
火
Sokka began to realise why he had had that awful feeling. Dusk had settled and camp turned out to be a tree-top complex run by some guy named Jet. Katara had seemingly forgotten all about her worries for the Fire Nation as Jet wrapped his arm around her waist. Sokka gagged while Aang turned crimson with jealousy.
A kid, going by 'The Duke', had been tasked to lead them to a building they could bed down in. Katara had been led in the opposite direction by a girl called Smellerbee - weird name, but who was Sokka to judge. The Duke bounded along and wiped his nose on his sleeve. Aang kept asking questions about the hideout and life as a Freedom Fighter.
"Don't actually think of joining this lot!" Sokka's hand hovered over his knife, "As soon as I've done my task, we're outta here."
Aang seemed lost in the scenery, "Come on, Sokka, It'd be pretty sweet here..."
It wasn't just the way Katara acted around Jet that gave Sokka the chills. It was the boy - Jet - himself. He seemed a little... cagey about details of the mission and anything else, for that matter. The Duke skipped along and sniffed up another lot of snot.
"Here ya go! Night, Night!" The kid skipped off merrily, back towards the main platform. Aang entered the tree house with a beam on his face. Sokka wasn't so happy. He began to think about what Katara had complained about earlier.
Zuko had just disappeared. Without a trace. Then, when Appa sped off back in the direction of the Earth Kingdom, a storm had been sighted on the horizon. Mabye the good-for-nothing Prince had drowned in the storm... No. Zuko was definitely a fighter and he would have easily survived that. It just seemed so off how he had vanished without a trace.
"Hey, Sokka!" Aang called from within the hut, "Look at this! We've got a zip-line! This place is sooooo cool!"
No. No it wasn't. Jet was probably some maniac and Zuko was probably somewhere right now, plotting something evil with his cronies. Sokka unsheathed his knife and drove it into the tree branch beside him. Something was going to happen. Something big. Like life or death big.
"Ya coming?" Aang's head popped around the doorframe. Sokka bowed his head and drew the knife from the tree with relative ease. He slid it back into its sheath and forced a smile.
"Sure am!"