Crazy trouble with love part 6
Zuki and Aang
Series: Avatar the Last Airbender
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-Fire Nation-
The gang were currently out in a town trying to get some more supplies while making sure to take any wanted posters they found off to keep from getting any attention. The only problem was that it was very crowded today with people going around like it was some kind of holiday.
"This is nuts, there's so many people here even I can't count them all." whispered Toph while Katara lead her around by the shoulders.
"Maybe it's a folk festival?" Aang said while trying not to get lost.
"For burning down villages?" Sokka said sarcastically.
"Maybe it's a holiday or some tradition that's coming up." said Katara.
"Maybe."
Toph got bumped by a man holding some fireworks and almost tripped. "Hey! Blind girl over here!"
"Easy Toph, we're almost out." spoke Aang.
"Easy for you to say." She grumbled before feeling a large procession coming this way.
"Make way for the crowned prince!"
"Move out of the way!"
"Let the prince by!"
The group groaned as they were squished by the people moving with Zuko being carried by on a chair by several guards. And he looked a little bored.
"Excuse me." Katara asked a man next to her. "Why is there a procession?"
"Didn't you know? It's the prince's birthday, and we have been commissioned to hold the celebration."
"Great, hold a party for a traitor." whispered Sokka to them while he passed by and was tempted to chuck a tomato, if he had one.
"Even still, it is his birthday and we should at least celebrate it." Aang said with honesty.
"Yeah and I'm the fire lord." Muttered Sokka.
"So where's the emoness?" Teased Toph.
"In front of us."
She grinned and slid her foot back while some earth rose up a little and tripped a guard up, causing the others to fall and the chair to tip resulting in Zuko rolling out and onto the ground with the crowd gasping.
He got up and looked around before frowning. He looked at the guard who looked scared before looking at the crowd and swore he saw Sokka's smirking face before it disappeared and sighed as he sat back down and let the guards pick him up and proceed onward.
"That was odd." Aang said as Katara started quietly scolding Toph. "How come he didn't get mad?"
"Probably too busy about the banners." snickered Sokka before Katara hit his arm. "Ow."
"That's not funny."
"It is to me."
"Especially to me." smirked Toph as the crowd dispersed.
Aang sighed before noticing something on the ground, a shoe, not just any shoe either, but a royal shoe from a girl's foot. 'What's this?'
"Toph that was too close, you almost gave us away."
"But we didn't sugar queen."
"Hmmm, I got an idea!" grinned Sokka.
"If it's throwing your boomerang at him then no."
"Of course not, I say we sneak in and really embarrass him. He's the one who went with his sister and nearly got Aang killed, so this would be some grade A payback. I mean, he deserves it."
"I don't know."
"Sounds risky."
"I'm in." Toph smirked. "What's the plan?"
"Simple, we go into the sewers."
"Maybe Aang should go? He can go in and out without being seen?" Katara said. "Hypothetical of course."
"Wait, why can't we just go in through the back?" asked Aang.
"Guards." They all said at once.
"Oh right, forgot about that." He chuckled nervously.
"I mean if you can get in from the sewers and give us the signal, then we can go the same way and make it a party he won't ever forget." smirked Sokka rubbing his hands together.
"Or we could get pentapox again." Katara sweatdropped as Toph cocked her head.
"A what now?"
"It was a fake plague we used to get the people of Omashu out when the fire nation took control. Really it was just putting fake marks on everyone's faces and acting sick with our arms stretched out."
"Oh….still weird." she smiled. "But it sounds fun, let's do it."
"No way, we don't want people to panic, and really maybe we should just ignore this." spoke Aang while picking the shoe up.
"What's that?" Katara asked.
"A shoe, but it looks kind of like Azula's."
"Wait she's here?!" Sokka said with wide eyes.
"Maybe, but hopefully she's not trying to kill us."
"Or have her circus pal taking Sokka away." Katara frowned. "Unless it's for dinner then maybe I could let her."
"Oh sure, you're willing to let them kidnap ME, but when I wanna get back at the jerk who practically gave his sister Ba Sing Se, clearly that's too far."
"Two reasons. One, you need a girlfriend. And two, dad wants a wife for you. Think about that for a second."
"She got you there." chuckled Toph.
Aang sweatdropped. 'This is kind of getting out of hand.'
(Later that night)
Kaboom!
Kaboom!
Kaboom!
Kaboom!
Fireworks ruled the night sky as everything was ready for the prince's birthday. People were heading to a building with guards at the doors with people showing proof of their invitations.
All the while guards were protecting the building with unbridled determination, including one that had a pure skeleton mask and body armor.
"This is nice, right Siki?" Asked the guard to his female commander.
"To me every guard duty is the same."
"True, but we are at a party, isn't that something?"
"Yes, but still I'm just wanting this thing to end." She said. "So don't bug me Ruki."
"Fine, but no 'fun' after this."
"No problem, you're the one who's gone the last month too tired to actually do anything."
"Hey I was busy keeping the new recruits from killing themselves riding Komodo Rhinos!"
"Still, you're the one who always starts things off."
"Maybe I'll change that, after you start being nicer to me."
"Yeah that'll be the day." She said while the camera zoomed on a sewer drain.
Aang covered his nose with a sigh. 'I should have brought a cloth to help keep some of this smell away.' He then looked around and tried to find an exit without any ratsnakes or insects. When he did he quickly moved down it while trying to be quiet.
"Squeak."
He turned and saw a swarm of ratsnakes that were looking at him with hunger.
"Hisss!"
"Nice ratsnakes." He gulped.
(Two seconds later)
In a girls bathroom, we find no one inside as a hole was formed on the floor as Aang jumped out and closed the hole very quickly.
He panted while wiping the grime off him and winced from a few bite marks. 'Thankful they weren't poisonous.'
That was when he realized where he was and blushed.
'Oh spirits!' he thought before hearing something and ducked into a stall while two girls all gussied up entered.
"I hope the prince is done with this party. I'm bushed."
"Well it is the first party he had on Fire Nation soil for years, so I guess he's entitled to it."
"Fair point, but is it just me or does he seem different from all those years ago? Like, around his face?"
"How so?"
"I mean he looks thinner than before."
"He was in exile, people get thin as paper after a while."
"Maybe."
"Plus he looks fine, besides the burn mark. Still can't believe his own father did that to him."
"The prince was refusing an Agni Kai, he kind of deserved it."
"Yeah you're right. Anyway let's go back to the party."
Aang waited till he heard the door shut before sighing in relief. He got out from his hiding spot before slowly opening the door. 'Coasts clear.' he slowly tiptoed out while grabbing some hand soap and slipped it in the sleeves to try and cover the smell.
After a while he heard the sounds of music and dancing coming from the main chambers. He looked in and saw various people dancing and mingling with each other.
'Maybe I should walk away?' He thought before smelling some food, which had a more plant like smell to them. 'Well maybe I should have a snack instead.' He walked towards the food. He looked at the dishes and smiled before hearing trumpets play.
On the throne was Zuko who was bored out of his mind and playing with his hair, which was somehow longer than before. "Ugh…" 'Boring.'
"Crown prince." Spoke a guard. "I think you should be more marry about the party, it is yours anyway."
"I'm just not feeling it all that much."
"Maybe if you were to dance-"
"Out of the question! I'm not dancing!"
"My apologies crown prince, I was just giving a recommendation."
He looked at the crowd before seeing a boy eating some salad. 'Huh, that's odd. Most Fire Nation guys don't eat salads.'
"Would you care for some of the royal dancers instead?"
"...maybe. But after this song."
"Yes your highness."
With Aang he felt the salad had a smoky taste to it, but not too much. 'Tastes much better then normal.' He then looked up and noticed some dancers with masks on walking out of the halls. 'Wonder what's happening now.'
The music changed into a more slowish one as flutes were played and drums used to simulate low rumbling.
'Huh? Didn't know that was used.' Aang thought before seeing the dancers moved...a little seductive for his tastes. 'Oh spirits!'
"Is this to your liking crown prince?" The guard asked.
"It's fine, but boring." He said while getting up. "I'm going outside for some fresh air, don't follow."
The guard nodded as Zuko left the room.
(Some minutes later)
Aang finished his meal while seeing that the dancing continued.
"Care for a dance?" Asked a woman with a dragon mask, a very skimpy dancer outfit that showed her curves and C cup chest.
Aang blushed and gulped down the bite of salad in his mouth. "Uh..t-that's alright, I'm not much of a dancer."
"Don't be a scaredy cathog, you need to lighten up." She said before grabbing his hand and pulled him into the center of the room. "Hope you keep up."
He blushed feeling eyes on him before she took his hands and put them on her waist while she put hers on his shoulders. 'This is...wow.'
The music became more ecstatic as the dancers moved faster and more wildly. This also caused the guests to watch on with excitement.
"So where are you from stranger? I've never seen a boy like you eat a ash salad before." The girl asked while twirling Aang around.
"Oh, uh….just on the edge of the nation, I kinda lived a secluded life."
"Makes sense. But I find that kind of life boring." She chuckled. "Still you're a fine dancer."
"Thanks, you too." He said while feeling a little pink. 'I never danced this close with anyone but Katara, but she seems a little familiar.'
The dancer moved and swayed like a pro as the audience cheered on.
Aang felt very red as continued to dancer with the mysterious woman.
"Are you enjoying the prince's party?" She asked while dropping a little and tipped Aang over her front.
"Y-Y-Yeah."
"Personally it's boring. But dancing with another person makes everything fine." She said while Aang tilted her and twirled her. "Good, you're picking up."
He nodded before noticing the mask was covering something on her right side. 'What's that?' "Uh, excuse me, but did you get hurt?"
She frowned. "No, I'm not hurt."
"But why is there a black spot under your mask?"
Her eyes widened. "There isn't, you must be seeing things."
Aang looked a little uncomfortable before trying to change the subject. "So, you live here?"
"In the capital, I'm just here for the party."
"What's that like?"
"Boring. They are too many stiffs and not enough care free people." She said while twirling Aang. "Personally I rather be in Ba Sing Se."
"You've been there?"
"Once, before the invasion." She said before seeing a small tattoo near the roots of his hair. "Fan of tattoos? Aren't you a bit young for that?"
He gulped. "Uh, it's part of my family tradition."
"Oh? What would that be?"
"Well it's for spiritual proposes." He said while dipping the dancer. "Something about being enlightened or something."
"Well it looks fine, but don't get anymore." She said before hearing the music reaching its climax. "Get ready, I'm about to finish this to finish this up in style."
Aang blinked before the girl started to dance like crazy as he was forced to follow.
The crowd cheered as the two became the stars of the entire party.
"W-Woah! Isn't this a little fast?"
"That's what this dance is all about, to be free and unrestricted." She laughed with merriment before causing Aang to be launched into the air while spinning like crazy before he landed on the ground and was tilted at a ninety degree angle.
'Wow, I don't think I ever danced this much.' He thought before seeing the mask slip a little as he saw a large burn scar near the girl's right eye.
"You're a perfect dancing partner." She said with a smirk.
"Thanks." he replied while looking at her in the eye and started to notice something. "You know in this light, you remind me of someone."
"I get that a lot, but go on."
"Well he was….I wanna say friend, but rival fits more. I mean we're not close or really hate each other, but I thought we could at least be friends, but….let's just say something happened and that changed."
"I see, and what do you think about this person?" She asked while they did a much slower dance.
"Well a little stubborn, hotheaded, funny sometimes, and has good intentions...at times."
"You must admire him."
"I just wished he didn't….betray me and my friends. I mean it just happened so fast, I even nearly...died."
She blinked before saying. "I had a friend like that once. But well...let's just say he was in a difficult position."
"Really?"
"Yes, it was either stay loyal to his friends or….become something you're not. And he chose the former and became miserable for all his days." She looked up. "I mean, that's what I can only guess."
Aang cocked his head. "Well it was almost like that, but I really hoped that his honor was stronger than that."
"Maybe he's trying to find his honor again. If he's unhappy maybe he found out that his betrayal wasn't all that cracked up to be."
"Honestly you look like him, I mean the eyes, scar, even your voice kinda reminds me of him. Almost like….uh….."
She stiffened a little. "Like who?"
He looked closer and went wide eyed. "Zuko?!"
The girl stopped moving and looked around before grabbing him and ran out of the hall like an angry spirit was after her. She then stopped in a room with a few wooden dragon statues on the walls and closed the door as she turned to him. "How did you know?!"
He blinked before seeing her take the mask off and gasped. "Y-You really are Zuko!"
She frowned. "I am, but that's a secret not even my father knows." She placed the mask on a chair and crisscrossed her arms under her chest. "Now tell me how you found out."
"Um…..it's hard to explain without you trying to burn me."
"You have my word I won't use firebending on you."
"Well funny thing, but Sokka had this plan to have me sneak in and let them in so we could…..crash the party and embarrass you when we saw you earlier."
She looked confused before it finally clicked. "Avatar?! But how? Nevermind, you were going to do what?!"
"It was all Sokka's plan." he held his hands up. "But….you're really a girl!?"
"I'm the eldest daughter yes." She sighed. "But I'm more of a tomboy and since most people think I'm a boy I try bandaging my chest and keeping myself from attracting attention using heavy constricting clothes."
"But when we met your face looked just like a boy's."
"I didn't eat a healthy diet." Zuko sweatdropped. "Too much gruel and the like. Especially when I was on the run from Azula."
"Wow…..I….don't know what to say."
"I know what you should say, you were fighting a girl." She said with a slight chuckle.
He blushed and crossed his arms. "I still won every time."
She lost her frown. "Yet I saved your life in the North Pole."
"And nearly got me killed by your sister when you helped her take over Ba Sing Se." He said before surprisingly seeing Zuko looking downcast.
"I know." She said before walking towards a bed and sat on it. "And I've been haunted by my actions ever since."
"What?"
"I thought if I helped her I could get on good terms with my father after all this time, but looking back on all the stuff I've been through and what I've seen makes all of this just feel empty." She said while looking at her feet. "And just thinking about seeing your dead body haunting my dreams every night, it just...makes me wonder if I'm doing the right thing."
Aang looked at her in surprise while thinking back to their earlier conversation before it clicked in his head. "Wait….you feel guilty?"
"Yes."
"But I'm still alive."
"But you don't trust me, and that's what I'm worried about." She sighed.
"Hey, you shouldn't feel guilty. I mean if I was really mad I can understand, but honestly? I'm not."
She turned and blinked. "R-Really?"
He nodded before taking her hand. "Maybe you could come with us? If you're still feeling bad about yourself maybe you should try helping the world and regain your honor in the process?"
Zuko looked at him in shock. "But...I'm a traitor!"
"But the monks told me that everyone needs a second chance." He said with a smile that made the 'prince' blush lightly.
'I can't believe him, he's willing to give me that?' She thought. 'Me, who hunted him and helped kill him….he wants me to fight with him?'
Aang looked around before walking to the window. "If you want we could leave a bit of your clothes here, that way the guards might not realize you left?"
"Are you sure I can join you? What about your allies?"
"I guess they'd be unsure at first, but if you prove you're sincere then they might believe you."
She looked at her feet before getting up. "Very well, I'll join you." She then bowed. "Avatar Aang."
"Just Aang's fine."
She nodded before saying. "And just call me Zuki. It's my real name after all."
He nodded before making an air scooter and grabbed Zuki as they zoomed out of the building.
(With the others)
"When is he going to signal us?!" Sokka quietly yelled.
"When he's not eating." Toph rolled her eyes before getting tapped on the shoulder. "Nice try sugar queen."
"I'm not anywhere near you Toph."
She blinked and reached over before rubbing a face. "Twinkle toes? What are you doing here?"
"Just came back." He said before another hand poked her arm.
"Can you quit it!"
"Sorry." Spoke an unfamiliar voice. "But I wanted to make sure you were really blind as Aang told me."
"Huh? Wait….you sound familiar." She said as Sokka and Katara noticed the woman and gasped.
"A little."
"Zuko?!"
"It's actually Zuki." She said while getting off of Aang's back and bowed. "And I'm here to pay for my foolishness."
"W-What?! Y-Y-You look like…." spoke Sokka with wide eyes.
"A girl." finished Katara.
That's when Aang spoke up. "She's um...a tomboy. And the time we did see her was when she was eating nothing but gruel."
"But...how did you know this?!"
"Complete accident." He blushed. "We were dancing and stuff happened."
"What stuff?" asked Toph with a raised eyebrow.
"Um….just having a heart to heart moment?"
Zuki looked up. "I know you hate me for my decisions but I have...been guilty for my actions and I wish to right the wrongs of my past and as Aang said before we left, have a second chance."
The three raised their eyebrows as Toph felt her heart beat staying the same.
"She's not lying that's for sure."
"I don't know."
"Sokka, I'll vouch for her. She really wants a second chance."
"But Aang, what about what happened in Ba Sing Se?" asked Katara.
"She said that it still haunts her every night and she's really depressed about the whole thing."
She blinked before seeing the 'prince' raising her hands up to her.
"If it's all the same, I wish to pay for my sins. And if being a slave works for you then I'll happily fulfill my role."
"Hey hey hey! You don't have to do that!" Aang yelled.
"Why not?" asked Toph.
"It's just wrong!"
"Still…"
"As long as I'm here she's NOT becoming a slave!" He yelled while his eyes flashed white for a second.
Zuki blinked while feeling a lot of gratitude towards him, along with a blush and a slight fast heartbeat.
Toph noticed this and smirked. "Oh I see now. Miss firebug has a crush on twinkle toes. Ha! That's a riot!"
"N-No I don't! That's crazy!"
"The heart never lies." She smirked as Zuki blushed red. "But I think she should join, how else am I going to tease these love birds?"
"We're not lovebirds!" they spoke up in unison with blushes.
"Tell that to your heart beats." She laughed as Katara sighed.
"This might be a weird night." She whispered to Sokka.
"Even stranger than the time you dreamed you were naked in your water bending class?"
SLAP!
"OW! KATARA!"