After such a long wait and so much anticipation…finally, here is chapter 21 of Two Against a Nation! Sorry it took me so long! Please let me know what you think!
Flight
Zana could do all but hide her shocked elation that came with Aang's words and she nearly climbed out of her own skin. She turned to Zuko to gauge his reaction, but there was hardly anything, if nothing. Zana turned back to Aang and could see just how much it meant to see Appa again by the way he nearly choked on his own, ecstatic words. Her once readied fists came instead to her face as Zana finally found words, "Isn't this excellent, Zuko? Now we can get to the Fire Nation sooner than we had thought!"
She could no longer resist the urge, so she gave in and threw her arms around Zuko's neck in front of everyone. Zana couldn't help but notice how tense the Fire Bender's body was against hers, but she took it as his being uncomfortable with the contact they were sharing as the others watched. By the time Zana had released Zuko, Katara had gotten Sokka up and over to their little circle in record time. "Where is he?" Sokka yawned deeply.
"Just a little while into the woods, through the other side near the ocean!" Aang answered with a wide grin. "It was so good to see him again." Zana frowned a little, "I didn't think that we were that close to open water…" Katara spoke up, "I didn't either, but it's true." Iroh shuffled forward, "Well, what are we waiting for?" Zana remembered something, "Oh, I will go grab my cloak, and then we can be on our way." She turned and went back to the giant tree near the water's edge.
Zuko didn't even glance at Zana's retreating frame or hear the chattering voices surrounding him…he was basically in shock. His hands were limp and numb at his sides and he had to twitch his fingers to see if they were still there. Zuko had always thought that he would enjoy the time he had when he finally got his revenge on his father, for his banishment, scar, mistreatment, and for all the pain that had been handed to him over the years. It was so much more of a deal now that it was staring him the face and close enough to bite him. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. Zuko basically had he entire fate of the world riding on his shoulders and his arms subconsciously slumped slightly. The more the people around him spoke excitedly, the more his churning stomach acid took the form of dread. It was such an alien feeling to him because Zuko never feared anything like that before. He had not even felt that way before his Angi Kai with his father. Only the sound of Zana trotting back to his side broke Zuko out of the sort of trance he seemed to be in, "Now, we can go!" the Double Bender said gleefully.
Without another word, the little group made their way to Appa. "Zuko? Are you coming?" Zana called over her shoulder. He hadn't realized that his body had still been stationary. Zuko took a deep breath, "Yes…" The time for things to fall into place was long overdue and Zuko knew what was owed to him.
It wasn't long, maybe half an hour at most of near silence, before they began to hear deep rumblings from said Flying Bison. Aang sped ahead of everybody else to get to Appa first. Then, Katara took off after him while Iroh and Sokka happily conversed at their own pace. That left Zana and Zuko to carry up the rear, as usual. Zuko's features were stone and distant and it concerned Zana. The girl looked up into his face. She was dying to know why Zuko had sealed himself off from everything so suddenly, but she decided not to push her luck. Not to mention that they had just made up from a previous argument and she felt that another one so soon was definitely not in order. Instead, Zana said, "So…since you were tracking Aang for so long, you must know what Appa looks like, right?" She had asked it hopefully-wondering if Zuko would even acknowledge her.
He looked back into Zana's face, deciding it would be better if he actually answered her. "You haven't seen a Flying Bison before?" Zana raised an eyebrow, ""Well, only in a few select pictures back in the Fire Nation…obviously never in real life. They were thought to have died out along with the Air Nomads." Zana thought about what she had said, "Then again, here we are with the last Air Bender and the Avatar in the same person thought to have died one hundred years ago, so I guess anything is possible." She followed her words with one of her smiles that made Zuko want to return with one of his own. Zuko was able to hold back, however.
"If you have seen drawings, then why are you asking me?" He asked Zana with one of the tones of his voice that he knew would, at the very least, get her riled up a little. She frowned as if he had been daft to ask, "Those were artist renditions…I want to know the real thing." All Zuko did in reply was stare back down onto her soft features. It felt so good to be in her graces again. Especially with Zana, he knew that if he ever really got her pissed again he would have to watch his back. "What?" she asked. "Nothing," Zuko turned his head forward again so it seemed as if the conversation had ended and there was only the crunching of the littered forest floor between them.
Zana broke the silence, "Well…?" More or less, she was trying to create conversation to try and gauge what was bugging Zuko, but she was actually curious. All of the art that she had seen had been censored and, therefore, only depicted the other Nations as the evils. The Flying Bison that she had seen had all been vicious looking creatures with gigantic bodies and heads that seemed big enough to swallow a fleet of ships one by one. Zana knew that Appa had to be large if he was expected to carry all of them at once and the way Aang had spoken of the creature, he seemed more of a lump than a man-eating beast. All of the signs pointed to a vast exaggeration, but she was not surprised. Zana almost thought it sad that a Nation would lie so much to its people, but she didn't know just how much to expect from the very same Nation that had banished and nearly forgotten its own Prince.
The rumbling was growing louder and louder and Zuko could tell that they were all getting close. " 'Well', what?" he asked just trying to annoy her. "I don't know…"Zana replied sarcastically, "maybe the same question that I have been asking you over and over again?" Zuko saw the edge of the forest less than a stone's throw away. He didn't see why it was such a big deal, but he said, "Why don't you see for yourself?" Seconds after they stepped through the brush and there, in all of his bulk, was Appa, the Flying Bison.
Zuko looked over at Zana's face to see her elated expression. "Anything like the scrolls?" he said with a knowing lilt to his voice. "He's adorable!" Zana cried and ran over to the others who had already surrounded the behemoth. Zuko could not help but give an amused half-laugh along with the puzzled look on his face. It was so strange to see such a "girly" side to someone who could very well kick his ass…then again; Zana really was a girl so he decided to give her some leeway. Zuko followed at his own pace-still apprehensive about the entire plan.
Zana strode towards Aang and the others, "Appa is…amazing!" she said astounded. "I never thought I would actually see one of these…" She held out one of her hands to the large creature. Her palm was barely a fraction of the size of the beast's gigantic nose, yet it somehow tested her scent without inhaling her completely. Zana laughed in her ringing, singsong way again as Zuko continued to hang back at a safe distance from what was going on. He felt he did not need to get any closer to Appa until it was absolutely necessary.
His arms crossed his chest as he watched the others gush over the giant as if her were the most welcome sight to their eyes. Even Iroh seemed to be enjoying himself as he was already settled into the large saddle attached to the Flying Bison's back. Sokka too was up there and he yelled down to his sister, "I never thought I would be so happy to see Appa!" Katara called back up to him, "I never thought you would be happy to see Appa, period!" The Water Bender proceeded to clamber up the animal's tail and join Zuko's Uncle atop the Flying Bison. Zuko couldn't help but wonder how Iroh had made it up there so fast, but he brushed it off as being insignificant. He looked instead to the Avatar. Aang had Bended a breeze to carry himself effortlessly up to the animal's head.
It was such a familiar sight to Zuko as countless times he had gone after that boy and his traveling companions on Appa. Yet, he had never really seemed to successfully have him in his grasp long enough for a victory celebration. Zuko gave a gruff sigh and looked instead back to Zana. Aang was speaking down to her from Appa's head. Her dark head nodded and she was soon helped onto the beast's head with the assistance of a little Air Bending. She plopped down beside the Avatar and the spoke contentedly seeming to have forgotten all about Zuko. He didn't mind, however. He was happy to prolong their upcoming flight as long as possible. His back found a tree trunk at the edge of the forest and leaned against it. Uncrossing his arms, Zuko flicked his fingers and a spark appeared. It danced across his moving fingertips and gave him something else to look at and think about instead of Zana and the Flying Bison before him.
Even from the simple Fire Bending he was doing that even a child could perform, Zuko could tell that he needed to do some serious training…otherwise he knew that he would be too rusty to complete the task that lay before him. What happened to me? Zuko thought, I was so disciplined… but he knew very well what had happened to him and it involved a beautifully cheeky female soldier.
"Are you coming, Zuko, or would you rather stay here alone?" Zana's voice called to him. It broke his concentration and his flame flickered out with the ocean wind. He looked up to see the group and Appa outlined with the midday glare of the sun reflecting off of the nearby ocean. He squinted and slowly began to make his way over to them. He focused on Zana's smiling face, but then a gust of wind came from his back and caused his scent to be blown directly towards Appa. The animal, recognizing the smell of danger, bellowed deeply. The sound reverberated through all of their bodies like a wave when all of a sudden; Appa began pounding his feet on the ground and everything seemed like an earthquake was ravaging the earth around them all. Zuko had to fling out his arms to keep his balance while everyone else atop the animal had to grab onto something for their lives. The situation was already bad, but it was made worse when Aang tried to console his Flying Bison, "Appa! Calm down! It's only Zuko!" he cried clutching his reins in both hands like a lifeline. After the words, Appa took a few steps towards the flailing Zuko. The beast's eyes were wild and his intentions clear-Appa was tired of being chased by the angry Fire Bender and he wanted to protect all of the innocents perched on his back and head.
The people watching helplessly from the higher vantage point cried out and Zuko jumped out of the way just in time as a giant foot came down where he had once stood. He came out of his roll in a crouched position and glared back at the beast and yelled to Aang, "Can't you control him?" Aang pulled on the reins as had as he could, "I'm trying my best!"
While Zuko was busy paying attention to Appa's head, where Aang sat, he carelessly lost track of the animal's tail. Aang saw what was coming and leapt off of Appa's head to Zuko's side. It was that motion that finally caught the Fire Bender's attention and he turned to where Aang was looking. He stood in a prepared stance and his fist was engulfed in fire, "I'll do it if I have to, Avatar!" he said, without even looking at the boy. Aang's eyes grew wider, "Appa, no!" His hands went up as if he were physically going to stop the animal's tail, but instead he spun his arms and a great gust of wind countered Appa's attack and his tail dropped to the ground.
It finally seemed that the Flying Bison heard Aang and he simply stopped and stood there, giving off the occasional confused and agitated rumble. Zuko stood up straight and extinguished his hand. He panted slightly as he released the breath that he hadn't realized that he had been holding. His eyes tore themselves away from Appa and found Aang who was standing stiffly beside him. For once, the boy was so quiet and still that Zuko couldn't help but wonder what was going on inside of his head.
Aang heard Zuko shuffle to his left. He understood why Appa had acted the way he had, Zuko was a slightly intimidating person and he had done them wrong so many times before. It just surprised Aang how unwilling Appa was to listen to him. He had never thought that he would ever have to use bending on a friend-especially one as dear to him as Appa. Granted, he hadn't hurt him, but it was still slightly shocking.
The Avatar looked over at Zuko. He was also dumbfounded over Zuko's threat towards Appa. Sure, he knew that they had some sort of a "companionship"…but it was more of a situation where there was an unspoken, yet fragile-more than likely temporary-truce. It was true that Aang had seen the teenager change so much from the previous meetings that they had had, but he was obviously willing to use Bending against anything that opposed him. Aang sighed and shook his head to clear it and began to think about heading back towards Appa. "I'm sorry about that, Zuko…" The Fire Bender turned his head, "It's…not really your fault. I guess I can see where he is coming from," he said understanding why the whole thing had happened-he knew that he hadn't exactly been the kindest person the Flying Bison had encountered. "We should probably try again, that is…if we want to be on our way any time soon," Aang spoke up.
Before Zuko could reply, he was interrupted by Iroh calling to them, "Are you two alright down there?" Zuko replied, "Yes…I just don't think that he likes me very much." He knew it was a weak attempt to lighten the mood and to loosen the tension, but at least he was trying. Zuko looked back at Aang. "Why don't we try this a different way," the Avatar said. He felt the wind and walked into it and out of Appa's line of sight. Zuko followed closely behind. "We're downwind so Appa won't be able to catch your scent and he can't see you either. Now…stand here," Aang said and pointed to a spot in front of him. Zuko obliged. "I am gunna Bend the air around you so you can get up there without him really having a clue," the boy said, seemingly proud of his plan.
Zuko nodded in compliance and was soon hurtled through the air and he landed with ease in the middle of the saddle, surrounded by all the others. He looked at Zana and saw her give a brief smile at the sight of him intact. His uncle patted the spot beside him and Zuko sat down at Iroh's hip. He didn't exactly feel like being obstinate at that point. Sokka and Katara looked on in silence as Aang suddenly appeared atop Appa's head, "Now are we ready to get off this island?" Sokka whined. "Yep! First-time flyers…hold on tight!" Aang called over his shoulder. Zana and Iroh held onto the edge of the saddle, but Zuko continued to sit there as if they really weren't about to take off.
"Appa, yip, yip!" Aang said and with a jerk, they became airborne and on their way to the Fire Nation. Zuko, however, was not prepared for the shaky take-off and had to quickly grasp onto the decorative edge of the saddle to keep himself stable and intact. As a reflex, Zana reached over and snatched the breast of Zuko's tunic to prevent him from tumbling out. "You alright?" she asked as his white knuckles clutched the sides. He swallowed deeply, "I'm fine." She released his shirt, but Zuko was not fine…he really did not like the idea of flying any more and all he could do was look straight ahead to occupy his mind from just how high up they must be. He had seen Appa from the ground and he knew how hard it was to spot him because of the height at which he flew. Zuko swallowed deeply again.
Meanwhile, on a great ship of ebony metal a scout called up to the ship's captain, "Sir! I have spotted something flying through the clouds…it may be the Avatar." "Well done…you are dismissed." With that, the young man left the wheelhouse and left the captain with his navigator. He smiled, his graying skin wrinkling more since the…incident. His paling hair had more streaks of white in it than he would have liked and his body ached with every movement. "General, Sir?" the navigator interrupted his reminiscing. "Yes?" "How would you like us to proceed?" The older man took a moment to think, "Follow them, but barely… We don't want out friends to know that we are on their trail." "Yes, Sir." The General cracked his stiff arm; he could hardly wait to see the look on that child's face when he saw who had come back from the dead…