AN at the bottom

Artists of the Song Quotes in order of appearance

Cocorosie

Sia

Bad Days

"Sit down Sissy." Gorou waved the Kunai into his tent, sighing as he sat in front of her.

"I promised I would tell you everything when you turned ten so here it goes." His eyelids drifted shut. "Do you remember the girls?"

Kunai nodded slowly. "Of course I remember them," the young girl said, cocking her head to the side. Gorou sighed and rubbed his palm against his face.

"Well the girls… the girls were dad's concubines. That means he used them for uh… well you know where babies come from right?" he asked, scowling at her amused smile.

"You mean sex?"

"You just love making stuff hard for me, don't ya?"

"Yep."

Gorou rolled his eyes. "Any way. They moved in shortly after I was born when Mom and Dad's marriage really broke apart. Everything was working until 6 years later when Luna got pregnant."

Kunai furrowed her brow in confusion. Slowly her features began to sink in realization and shock.

"You mean…"

"You're half Water Tribe. Mom threatened to kick Luna out on the streets if she didn't give you up. They wanted to keep up appearance for Dad's political career." Gorou winced at his own words though he knew brutal honesty was the only way for her to really understand. Kunai pulled her legs to her chest, tears forming behind her violet eyes.

"Mama… never really loved me, did she?" she whispered, tears dripping down the baby fat lined apples of her cheeks. Gorou sighed and went to embrace her, wrapping his arms around her tiny frame and cradling her against his chest.

"But they didn't love me either. Think about it. Not only was I Anti-Firenation, I was the bastard that broke up the marriage." He chuckled lightheartedly.

"You're not making me feel any better," Kunai grumbled into his chest. Gorou sighed and pulled her closer.

"What I'm trying to say is even if they didn't care, that doesn't matter. What matters is that we've got each other. And besides, Luna loved you, with all her heart." She buried her head into his chest, his shirt slowly saturating. Gorou let her sob quietly in his arms for a few more moments before she calmed enough to speak.

"Luna gave me up even though I was her baby. She was really brave."

Luna smiled, still crying as rained kisses upon her daughters head. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too Mama." Kunai pulled away, finally remembering the task at hand. She sniffed and wiped her eyes with the inside of her elbow, turning to face the three men.

"Guys this is my mom, Luna. Mom this is Sokka and his dad Chief Hakoda. And this is Zuko." The three gave small waves.

"Zuko, she's coming with us." Kunai stated strongly.

Zuko nodded. "Fine but we need to hurry." Sokka turned to Hakoda with a bright smile.

They headed towards the far guard tower, the area just below it abandoned and a blind spot. Hidden from the guards and far from the other prisoners, the three began to discuss their plan.

"So what's your plan, Sokka?" Hakoda asked.

Sokka opened his mouth then closed it quickly, averting his eyes from the expecting group.

"Yeah… thing about that is…"

"You don't have a plan do you?" Kunai asked flatly, shaking her head. Zuko groaned and smacked his forehead.

"Well you should start thinking of something before-"

"Sokka!"

Zuko was cut off by a bright feminine voice. Sokka turned around to see a vibrant red head bounding towards him.

"Suki!" He caught the young woman in his arms spinning her around excitedly. Zuko, scoffed.

"Sokka! We don't have any time!" he barked, pulling the two lovebirds out of their dazed state.

"Suki's a warrior-she can help!" he shot back and quickly explained to her the plan. Suki pondered it for a moment. Slowly, she nodded, her lips curling up at the corners.

"I think I can handle the warden." Suki ran off into an alleyway right underneath the where the warden was standing. She jumped from wall to wall in silent bounds until she reached the ledge of the balcony, eyeing the inattentive warden thoughtfully. She flipped over the railing, flying over the warden's head. As she did, she grabbed the tie from his topknot, effectively gagging him before he had time to protest. The other guards, now aware of her presence, unsurely considered their advance as she wrapped an arm around his neck and bound his hands. When the rest of them reached the balcony to find their target already bound, Kunai smirked.

"I like her," she remarked. Hakoda ran up next to them. With a laugh he slapped a hand over his son's shoulder.

"Good choice son."

The six of them, not counting the hostage, headed slowly to the gondola, shooting warning glances at every guard they passed so everyone knew the warden was in peril. They unceremoniously tossed the man into the gondola, filing in quickly. Zuko stayed back, making quick work of destroying the controls so no one could stop them. He took a few steps back and ran forward, launching himself at the Gondola. Sokka barely caught his arm before he fell. Sokka hauled him through the window and to safety, giving him a small pat on the back. He noticed Kunai, though smirking confidently, was as pale as a dove-rats feathers"

This isn't a suicide mission," she mumbled. He smiled back and was about to sit next to her when there was a deep thud and a gentle tap on the roof of the gondola.

"Oh Zuzu, you make it too easy."

The four teens all looked at each other, the cold, taunting voice known to them. With haste they climbed to the top of the Gondola, Azula and Ty-Lee smiling at them. At the same time, the warden slipped past Luna and Hakoda, spitting out the loose gag.

"CUT THE LINE!" he as Hakoda tried to restrain him. Azula scowled.

"MAI!" she yelled to a dark figure at the platform. The young woman turned around, first locking eyes with her leader, then her ex-boyfriend. She turned away from him and went to work, a barrage of stilettoes knocking the saw wielding men back. There was no time to admire her skill as Ty Lee went to face Suki hand to hand and Azula wielded a perfectly aimed fireball between Kunai and the two boys, purposefully separating them. Zuko redirected the fireball, sending it back towards her. Demonstrating her flexibility, Azula flattened against the gondola, leg splaying across the metal and sending an arc of flame at Kunai and knocking her off balance on the already rocking Gondola. As she stumbled back, her foot just missed the edge. Zuko reached for her. Before he could catch her, Azula's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, bringing her over the edge of the gondola, just above the boiling lake. The boys stilled, looking at each other for answers.

Azula smirked and turned her attention back to Kunai, bringing her lips just shy of the older girl's ear. No one but Kunai heard what she whispered but they all saw the effect. Darkness rose in Kunai's widening eyes and suddenly she roared fire leaping from her mouth to just barely lick the Princess's armored arm. Azula darted back and released her.

Kunai flipped back onto the gondola, fireball in hand and sent a barrage of fearsome attacks on the surprised princess, all agility, style and finesse absent from her movement. She aimed for the throat, the heart, each attack growing closer to its target. Azula held her own, raising a wall of fire in front of her to block the barrage. To her surprise a fist shot through the wall and grabbed her by the throat, cutting off her oxygen.

"You… will never…touch her." Kunai growled before flicking her wrist and knocking the princess off the edge to her imminent death. Zuko rushed to the edge of the gondola but instead of watching his little sister fall, he saw Azula hanging from the parallel wire. Ty Lee followed suit, hoping off in mid battle to stand on the parallel wire with a smile. Zuko closed his eyes.

Azula always wins. Even when she loses she wins.

The exhausted warriors made their way back to the gondola and rode peacefully to the end of the track. Leaving the warden, they ran off to where Azula's airship was hidden behind the rock face. They easily blew through the few remaining crew members and hijacked the air ship and at last, at least for a short time, they were safe.

Fatigued as they were, Zuko decided to park them in the concave of a deep valley, effectively hiding them from any passerby. Once they were settled, Kunai and Luna wandered off to a remote rock overseeing the cliff-side.

"How'd you end up in the boiling rock anyway?"

Luna chuckled. "I'm still a Fire Nation citizen. I spoke against the war and was sent with another shipment of prisoners for simplicity's sake." Luna chuckled once more but it soon faded as a serious air came about her. "Your friends are worried about you."

Kunai looked up at her, frowning slightly. Luna sighed deeply and answered her puzzled expression.

"They told me you'd had issues with depression before and-"

"How much did they tell you?" Kunai tried to portray a demand but her voice came out desperate and broken.

"Everything," Luna breathed. She cupped her daughter's cheek, a glaze of deep sympathy softening her face. "I'm so sorry sweetheart."

A strangled sigh escaped through Kunai's throat. She dropped her head as Luna gathered her in her arms.

"I'm turning seventeen in a few days… I promised her I'd come back by the time I was seventeen," she whispered, her voice muffled in her mother's chest.

"I'm with the Avatar now and I can't just leave but…"

"But you love her more than anything and you have an obligation," Luna finished. Kunai sighed deeply and Luna held her out to arm's length, looking her in the eye.

"Don't ever feel ashamed. It wasn't your fault and you did what you had to."

Kunai looked down and sniffed, pawing at her eyes. "She'll hate me. It was my fault and I didn't own up to my responsibilities!" she cried. Luna held the young woman tight, rocking her back and forth and whispering quiet soothing nonsense. Kunai sniffed as she composed herself.

"They don't know anything."

"Does Zuko know?" Kunai looked up with wide shocked eyes.

"I could never tell him. He'd hate me." Her voice broke slightly and a lump began to grow in her throat. "I've never felt like this before." she admitted, pulling her knees to her chest.

"I know he cares about me but I couldn't drag him into this."

Luna smiled softly. "I believe that if he really cares for you, he'll look past that. You were just a child when it happened, Kunai."

Kunai sniffed and wiped her eyes roughly.

"Thirteen isn't a child," she murmured.

"I think the important thing is how you feel about him."

Kunai chuckled humorlessly. "I really like him. I love everything about him and I don't wanna lose him."

"Kunai."

Kunai froze at the masculine voice. She turned slowly, to see the young man leaning against a tree, his dark black hair draping over his face and obscuring his expression. He looked up at her, his amber eyes locking on hers.

"I'll be over there if you wanna talk," he murmured and walked off into the woods. Kunai was unable to speak, shocked and embarrassed.

"Go to him," Luna whispered giving her daughter one last kiss on the head before walking back down the path to camp. Kunai dropped her head in her hands. She wanted to run as far away from here as possible, avoid ever having to face up to the words that just left her mouth yet she found herself walking the path he had followed into the woods.

"Zuko?" she called.

"Over here." He was sitting at the edge of a small pond, his feet skimming the surface. Kunai sucked in a breath and sat next to him.

"Zuko…" she started but no words could come. She could lie and say she didn't mean it, effectively ending their friendship but hey, that was another bridge she had to burn eventually. The only other option was confess, tell him how she felt, tell him how she was terrified and angry at herself and head over heels.

"All I want is an answer. Do you want to be with me or not?" His tone was soft and vulnerable, the question a sincere as he could muster. Kunai bit her lip.

"I can't answer that," she whispered honestly. Zuko grit his teeth and turned to her sharply, glaring.

"Why not!? If you like me then why can't we be together! Tell me what exactly it is about me that-"

"Stop!" She grabbed his forearm, her eyes fierce. "This isn't about you." She said sternly. "You… you deserve better."

Zuko narrowed his eyes as her grip loosened and she dropped her arm. She gulped past the lump once again forming in her throat and was about to stand when he stopped her, cupping her tenderly. She turned back around to him, and Zuko couldn't help but hate the look in her eyes. She looked defeated, broken, like she honestly believed he was the prize and she was the failure. Timidly, he stroked her cheek, reveling in her sharp intake of breath. Silently, he pulled her close until her breath was tickling his lips, just inches away from hers.

"Let me decide that." Slowly he moved closer and closer until the gap between them was closed. She fisted one hand in his tunic, the other tangling in his hair and pulled him closer. His hands wound around her small waist, holding her to him, as if she might drift away. They pulled away at the same time, pressing their foreheads together as they caught their breath.

"I've never done this before," Kunai whispered self-consciously. Zuko smiled small, tenderly brushing a stand of hair behind her ear.

"You've never had a boyfriend before?"

Kunai shook her head with a shrug, a light blush falling across her cheeks. Agni, how he loved that. He pulled her close, letting her head rest upon his chest.

"You really think you can deal with me?" she said in a self-deprecating comic tone. He chuckled not knowing how serious a question it was.

"Of course." Kunai wanted to believe him. However, the rational part of her said otherwise; he had no idea who she really was, what he had taken on.

Zuko was having a lovely dream when he was thrown out of his bed onto the cold and unforgiving floor, the six different Kunai's ripped away from him as reality kicked in. Kunai was leaned over the bed, staring out the window.

"Thank Agni…" she whispered to herself, just out of Zuko's earshot before running to grab her things, stepping over the dazed boy on the floor.

"It's Azula," she stated darkly.

He jumped to his feet, shaking the last bits of sleep and running out to the courtyard. "Damn it!" he cried at nothing in particular. He turned to Kunai.

"I'm going to take her. You guys get out of here." Kuna grabbed his arm to stop him but the determination glinted in his eyes and she knew it was no use.

"Fine."

Zuko took her by surprise and gave her a brief peck on the lips before taking off onto the war balloon. The others were already going to work. Toph formed a deep tunnel in the rock face.

"We can escape through here! Hurry up!" she said. The others followed after her into the cavern until Aang came through with Appa who stopped just short of the mouth of the cave, bellowing deeply.

"I can't get him to go in!" Aang said dejectedly, dropping the reigns.

"You kids need to escape on Appa. I'll take care of the others."

Katara whirled around at the sound of her father's voice.

"No! The Fire Nation isn't going to separate our family again!" she said adamantly.

Hakoda pulled his daughter in for a hug. "We'll be fine."

Kunai looked to Luna. Luna smiled back. "It's ok. I promise we'll see each other again." The two shared an embrace, cut short by another well aimed blast of blue fire to the temple.

"Go!" Hakoda yelled. They all gave hasty waves as the splinter group mounted Appa. Toph formed a shield of stone around him as he flew off, blocking the blasts that came their way. Just as they approached safety, Kunai caught something in the corner of her eye. It was Zuko, hurtling through the canyon. A pathetic squeak just barely escaped her throat as she watched him plummet through the sky. Appa banked beneath the ships, just barely sweeping under him. Kunai grabbed his arm and pulled him to safety. Before he had time to fully comprehend what had happened she'd pulled him into her arms.

"You're ok," she whispered, more to herself than anyone. He sighed deeply and hugged her back. He felt her tremble slightly. She'd lost too much in her life to lose him now. Damnit, she just got him. He placed a small kiss on her head.

"Yeah…. Yeah I'm ok." he whispered. She pulled away from him, head down. He gripped her chin and tipped her head back, giving her a weak smile. They shared a silent moment, his gaze saying that no, you can't get rid of me that easy. She smiled back and slid her hand to his, interlacing their fingers.

Yeah, he'd be ok.

They traveled rather leisurely for the next three days, the lack of rush refreshing after the last few months. Toph complained about the ridiculous couple-ness of the group, Aang and Sokka were up to their usual antics, Katara scolded, Suki laughed, Zuko was still the quiet one though he began to open up as he was their most recent hero. However, with her seventeenth birthday only three days away, something happened to Kunai. She wasn't expecting it. She awoke one morning to start off their travels and it hit her the moment she opened her eyes. Her body wouldn't cooperate. She had such little will to move that it took a good fifteen minutes of staring off into space to actually sit up. When Aang gave an excited good morning, a reply stuck in her throat, dissipating until it came out as barely a breath of a whisper.

She was having a Bad Day.

Bad Days were different for her then they were for other people. 'Bad Day' was a whisper amongst her friends, a widely understood warming of the monster that lurked inside of her. Once they were up in the air, everyone but her itching with anticipation of Ember Island, she looked them over. They didn't know what was going on, they had no idea. If they knew they'd be hiding her knives, they'd be sporting big fake smiles, trying to force conversation out of her instead of leaving her to the devices of her own mind. They would be forcing bowls of food at her, demanding she eat something instead of accepting her excuses: 'Oh I just don't feel well.' They had no idea what was going on with her.

With the exception of Zuko.

He had this way of seeing right through her, knowing something was wrong even if he had no idea why and he was using that skill to effectively piss her off the entire trip.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah."

"You're lying."

"No."

"Then why are you acting so weird."

She said nothing, turning away and curling in on herself. She knew he was probably mad at her now and that added to the weight on her throat, holding back everything she could ever want to say. There were only three things she wanted to do. The first was to sleep, to drift into a land of dreams where nothing was real, where nothing could hurt her. The second was to train until her muscles turned to jelly. The third…

She fingered the knife on her bag, cold steel sharpened to deadly point. She wasn't completely surprised the urge had come up again, just disappointed.

Ember Island came into view none too soon. Appa swooped in low, letting out a groan of relief as he collapsed onto his belly in the courtyard of the large house.

"Wow! It's so beautiful." Suki gushed, hopping down and turning in circles to take it all in.

Sokka nodded feigning indifference. "Meh. It's ok."

Toph hopped down as hard as possible, making sand fly everywhere. "I must admit Sparky this place is pretty sweet."

Katara pursed her lips in conflict. "I dunno… are you sure it's safe to be hiding from the Fire Nation in the Fire Lord's house?"

Aang smiled wide, jumping down in front of her. "Don't worry Katara! This place is totally secluded!"

Zuko nodded. "I've been here many times before. No one just stumbles across this place. Besides, no one's been here since our family was actually happy. " e grumbled.

"Hey Kunai, could you give me my bag." He looked over at the young woman, leaning against Appa with her head down. Without meeting his eyes she retrieved the bag and tossed it to him.

"We should find rooms." She winced inwardly at her voice, an odd weak whisper, and the words fake and empty. She was transparent. She'd always been transparent. They all nodded and went inside, ignoring her pathetic state. She shut out their gushing, making her way down the far halls until their voices were barely audible and found a room. It was dark, the window cracked. Perfect. She dispersed the dust with a gust of wind. It was primal and unskilled. She was a terrible airbender, she knew that so why did thinking of it now hurt like this now?

She ignored the feeling, knowing all that pain was about to be dealt with. She locked the door and sat on the bed, retrieving her knife. It looked sinister as the meager light reflected off it. She rolled up her loose pant leg. In the little light she could just barely make out the morbid form of poetry that had scarred upon her leg. Slut. Whore. Ugly. Along with other meaningless lines scattered carved into the flesh of her leg, always avoiding the bright red dragon across her thigh.

She thought about the friend she'd lied to, the innocent life just barely beginning to be lived that she'd betrayed, the man she was leading on just like the slut she was.

The knife pressed into her skin, dragging smoothly through her flesh. As she sliced more and more skin, crimson fluid dripped down her leg and coated her fingers. Her cuts became frantic, growing deeper and deeper, the pain growing more and more intense. When her arm began to ache from the repetitive movement she pulled the knife way and examined the damage. Tiny drops of blood were finding their way to the floor. Her leg was saturated, her fingers stained. The scene was gruesome. She felt truly alive. Kunai tilted her head back, reveling in the pain.

She deserved the pain, the blood.

She didn't deserve Zuko.

She didn't deserve Kameko.

Well here are some very important points of this story. You should really read this as I don't want there to be confusion.

This is not a healthy relationship. I understand that, don't send me flames.

You may find the suddenness of her depression off but from my own experience, this is what it's like.

There are 2 song quotes by two different artists. One in a quote from the same song as last chapter.

Artist that appears first: Cocorosie

Artists that appears second: Sia

Like I said, these quotes aren't in context, however they do apply to the story more and more as you learn more and more about Kunai.

Chapter 4 is finalized but I kinda wanted to make you sweat. Also, chapter five is very important so start remembering things. The flashbacks, the small details are all leading to the truth about kunai. A new OC will be introduced also, I think you're gonna really like this one.

Review please

Follow me on tumblr livingloving123. Ask Kunai questions if you'd like, she'll gladly answer. I'll also post oneshots and chapter updates.