This is kind of a pointless chapter because I have been having MAJOR writers block. Sorry if it sucks.
"Hold still." Katara grunted sitting Akiko down.
"Just don't make it hurt!" Akiko said nervously.
"I promise it won't." Katara replied. She dipped a tan hand in the water and watched as a gorgeous glow consumed it highlighting her face. Katara smiled as the familiar pure feeling ran through her body. She lifted out her now gloved hand and showed how harmless it was to Akiko.
"Whoa…" Akiko muttered. Katara smiled at her and settled the glowing hand on Akiko's head. Akiko sighed in relief as the cool sensation eased away the pain. Katara removed her hand with a satisfied smile; her abilities were getting stronger and stronger everyday.
"Are we done?" Akiko asked standing.
"Yes, now I suppose we find Zuko and Uncle Iroh." Katara said.
"No need to Miss Katara." Iroh said hauling in some luggage in his arms. Katara and Akiko quickly ran to help him.
"Why, thank you ladies." Iroh chuckled as his burden was narrowed into one piece of luggage which was his own.
Katara dug around her things, "How did you find all this?"
"We simply found it in the sand." Iroh stated.
Katara sighed merrily and slipped on her warm pants and fuzzy shoes.
"But there are these too. I'm not sure if they serve any significance but I thought you might like to see them." Iroh grinned holding out Katara's hair charms. Katara gasped and gently took them into her hands. They were still a luminous blue and didn't have one scratch. She could have stared at them forever if a distinct sound of desperate rummaging hadn't snapped her from her thoughts.
She turned and saw Akiko digging through her things frantically.
"Um, Akiko, what are you looking for?" Katara asked clipping the charms on.
"A necklace." Akiko grunted now pulling things from their places.
"What does it look like?" Katara asked avoiding a flying shirt.
There was no answer. Katara sighed and looked to her side by her own things. She was surprised to find a red necklace with a gold band that looked similar to hers only different colors and a different insignia. Katara crinkled her brow and took it into her hands. She gasped…it was an engagement necklace.
"Akiko is this what you were looking for?" she asked in a shocked daze. Akiko slowly craned her neck to see Katara looking at her in shock her engagement necklace in hand. There was no where to run now.
"Yes, it's mine." Akiko murmured.
There was an awkward silence.
"Akiko, why didn't you tell me?" Katara asked feeling hurt.
Iroh watched in fascination.
Akiko sighed and looked up with pale eyes, "I don't know."
Katara crinkled her brow, "How can you not know Akiko? Don't you trust me?"
Akiko bit her lip, "I'm sorry."
"I thought we were friends!" Katara barked totally ignoring the apology made.
"I just didn't want anyone to know…because…I shouldn't have to pass around the story to everyone."
The angelic girl rubbed her arms staring down at the ground.
Katara's mind softened from its mean thoughts. Had she not been doing the same? The waterbender smiled faintly and gave her friend a brief but warm hug and handed her the necklace. The tension was lifted and a moment was left in its place.
"Okay, who's getting dinner?" Zuko boomed through the moment. The girls gave each other tired looks and then turned to glare at Zuko.
Zuko who was not aware of the moment that was taken place glared back. He crossed his arms and shifted his weight, "What? Am I going to do it again?"
The girls didn't stop glaring. Leave it to Zuko to ruin a girl to girl moment like a royal pain. Iroh smiled as he looked between boy and girls. Girls rule and boys drool.
"Fine, I'll catch some stupid fish." Zuko huffed and turned on heel. They could faintly make out some of his rants about useless women.
Iroh couldn't take it anymore. He laughed. The two girls began laughing with him. No one knew why it was so funny, but they laughed anyway.
Zuko heard them laughing up a storm from where he was and crossed his arms. He wasn't going to weaken up and wish he was there being all buddy-like with his enemy, his so-called friend, and annoying Uncle. Nope, he wasn't going to do it.
The stubborn idiot.
…
Katara got all her things together and sorted them. Akiko and Iroh were looking for plants to make tea. No one trusts Iroh on his own with this anymore. So Katara was left alone. She sighed and lied on her back looking at the clouds slowly move through the blue sky as she calmly re-braided her hair.
The clouds made her think of Appa, and then it gradually went to Sokka and Aang, Momo and Toph. She wondered what they were doing. How did they like her not being there and how Aang's training was coming along? These thoughts went buzzing around her brain like swarms of angry bees. There was no end to them.
A loud growl of frustration actually broke the chain of questions. Katara sat up and looked downstream. She arched a brow, what was that? Was an animal dying or being attacked?
"STUPID FISH," A distant voice rang followed by a loud blasting sound. It was an animal named Zuko. Katara rolled her eyes. She should go help so he doesn't take his anger out of her later.
Katara stood and brushed off her backside and took off to find the teenaged boy.
She pulled open some bushes. The leaves that slipped through her fingers gave her enough shading to not be seen. Sure enough there was Zuko with a long stick jabbing at the water like a mad man. She giggled in remembrance of how similar he was to Sokka when it came to fishing. They shared no talent for it.
Zuko who had heard a giggle turned around with a look of rage on his face. "Who's there?" he barked into the forest.
Katara stepped through the bush brushing off some leaves. "I am." She said smiling.
Zuko groaned and turned his back to her with crossed arms, "What do you want peasant?" he growled.
Katara ignored his comment and walked next to him as a big silvery fish jumped directly into the sunlight in scales shedding colors of rainbow. It was so beautiful.
Too bad they were going to have it for dinner.
"I will help you catch ten of those." Katara said nodding at the fish who had resumed its position in the water.
Zuko snorted, "How?"
"Well," Katara walked over to the long pointy stick, "I could easily catch thirty with waterbending but I am going to show you how the old fashioned way." Katara tossed the stick into Zuko's arms which he fumbled to get grip of.
"Come on." Katara dragged him knee-deep into the water. Zuko opened his mouth to protest but Katara spoke before him.
"Now what you do is wait. You measure out your strength and the length of the stick. Like this." Katara slipped between his arms and aimed the stick with him as the gleaming fish from before slowly swam toward them out of curiosity. Zuko grunted and looked down at the ever-so determined Katara. He wasn't sure if he liked her so close.
"Okay, tense your arms and bend your knees." Katara instructed which they did together.
"Steady…" she paused, "NOW!"
They sank the stick directly through the fish. They lifted it up in the sun and examined it with pride as it wriggled around to somehow go back home. Katara examined the fish proudly in the golden light. Zuko felt a small smile on his face at their accomplishment. That trace of a smile was instantly gone at the realization of what he was doing, who he was with, and how he liked it. Zuko looked down at her who was still uncomfortably close and he back away with a scowl.
"Thanks but no thanks. I don't need your peasant help." He hissed.
Katara whirled around with a shocked expression. "W-what? Are you kidding me?" she barked now becoming angry.
"No I'm not, now go splash around in a puddle or something." He snapped and swung the stick over his shoulder.
Katara blinked a few times becoming less angry and more hurt. "Fine, but one day your going to need my help and I am not going to give it to you."
With that Katara sloshed her way out of the water and back to camp. He disgusted her so much she wanted to scream! She was trying to make this journey a pleasant one but he was just set on being her enemy. What was so bad about her anyway?
0000
Azula set down her goblet of sake wine slowly. She looked between her two companions with hostile golden eyes. She obviously was not happy with how things were going.
"How is it that a group of specialists can't manage to capture a twelve year old boy?" she asked coolly closing her eyes.
The two girls stayed silent as they exchanged worried glances.
Azula's eyes opened into narrowed slits, "I expect more out of such a team. We are to arrive into Earth Kingdom territory where Zuko was spotted on the beach. We will capture him, understand?" she spat.
The two girls nodded a yes.
Azula stood with her back to them. She clasped her hands behind her back and stared at a large map of the area.
"Good. Word is that the Avatar's waterbending girlfriend is with him along with another firebending girl and my fool of an Uncle. I don't know what they are planning but we will capture them all."
"Do you think Zuko has a girlfriend?" Ty Lee asked sweetly. Mai frowned.
Azula snorted. "Please, even Zuko would know to stay away from filthy peasants. The other firebender doesn't even look like she is a firebender so she can't be decent. If he is traveling with the waterbender and a no-name firebender then something is going on. And I am intent on finding out what it is."
The two girls nodded and stood.
"We're on it." Mai said dully.
Ty Lee giggled and nodded. "We won't let you down."
"Good." Azula smirked. She slammed her fist down on the table causing papers and pencils to scatter. "My brother will fall at sunup tomorrow!"
0000
Zuko came stalking through the bushes with one fish on his stick. The one the girl had helped him catch. But he refused to accept defeat; he would simply say that there were no more fish around, which of course was a lie.
He didn't like the sight he saw when he stepped into camp. Fish was already cooking and Iroh was making assorted beats with sticks and rocks of all sorts which those stupid girls where dancing to. He rolled his honey colored his at them; they were so childlike, happiest when doing something small and insignificant. Like skating on water, what was the point?
"If you flaming imbeciles don't mind an interruption I would like to ask why fish is already being cooked." Zuko barked his shoulders tensing.
No one stopped dancing and making music. Akiko laughed, "Katara caught some while you were gone, you can go ahead and put your in there too."
The girls laughed and twirled about like little school children. Zuko put his fish in the pot well more like threw it in there. How they could be so happy in the middle of a war, in the middle of this journey, was beyond him. He sat under a tree watching the two friends dance and laugh. His eyes settled on mocha skinned waterbender. She almost appeared to be glowing with happiness. She was so content with anything and anywhere she was. Didn't she miss her home and her family? How could neither of the girls wallow in self-pity and feel angry at the world after all it has done to them?
Now he was angry. He wasn't sure what about, but he was. He couldn't easily call it jealousy but that's exactly what it was. Their happy laughs and giggles echoed through his mind. Their steps tumbled through his brain and then that was it. He couldn't take it anymore! He stood and walked over to where his Uncle was making beats with the sticks and rocks. Zuko swiped his foot around and knocked the rock and stick from his hands and they went flying into who knows where. The music and dancing stopped and all eyes were on him.
"Zuko…" Katara trailed off worriedly. Zuko had his hands clenched at his sides staring at the ground breathing heavily.
"What's wrong?" she asked and took a step closer. Zuko looked up at her with a calm expression, his composure gained again.
"You guys are amazingly annoying when you're happy." He said in an empty tone and sat under a tree and crossed his arms.
Akiko, Katara and Iroh exchanged glances. Someone needed to talk to him but the two girls couldn't because they would end up killing each other by the end of the conversation.
Iroh sighed, he wasn't sure how this would work out but he thought a little Uncle-Nephew conversation was in order. Zuko wasn't very open about his feelings but occasionally Iroh could have a civilized conversation with him if proper wording was present.
So the elder got up from his sitting position on the ground and looked at the girls with a confident nod, though on the inside he wasn't so confident. He was pretty sure why Zuko was angry, he wasn't used to seeing so many content and happy people; people so carefree when he was so broken and hurt. Jealousy wasn't common with Zuko, though he refused to show it when it was present. Yet, Uncle knew Zuko far too well not to know his emotions.
Iroh slowly lowered himself into a sitting position next to his nephew who was staring at the ground with distant eyes. Iroh cleared his throat causing Zuko to look up at him with a blank expression.
"So, dinner will be ready soon. Miss Katara makes fabulous meals does she not?" Uncle said sniffing the air pleasantly.
Zuko groaned, "I don't want to talk about her. And why do you insist on using her name? She is just a peasant."
"Zuko, look down at yourself and then look at me. We are mere Earth Kingdom peasants now. We share a common situation and want now."
Zuko said nothing.
"Why did you become so jealous of the girls fun?" Iroh asked gently staring out ahead. Zuko turned to look at him.
"I wasn't jealous."
Uncle made a short laugh, "Zuko I have known you all your life, and I know when you're jealous because it is so rare of you to feel such. And I think I know why."
No reply.
"You wish to be as happy as those girls are, eh?" Uncle arched a brow.
Zuko sighed, "After all they had gone through I don't understand how they can't be miserable. It doesn't make any sense."
"Yes it does," Uncle replied, "like I said, the Water Tribes adapt to anything and do anything to hold their family and friends together. They respond well to change and go with the flow if you don't recall. Akiko is merely following Katara's example. She is under the Water Tribe influence."
Zuko furrowed his brow, "Then how come I feel no different?"
Uncle laughed causing Zuko to flush and feel awfully stupid. He didn't like being wrong and being the joke of a conversation. "You're not allowing yourself to become apart of Miss Katara's 'family'. You still see her as an enemy and continue to despise her. You have to be willing to accept change."
Zuko growled, "I don't want to accept her Uncle! She is a mindless-"
"Dinners ready!" a feminine voice rang. Zuko and Iroh looked at each other, Zuko hostile and Iroh sad. Nothing was resolved and if anything it was made worse.
Zuko stood and began walking into the forest, "I'm not hungry."
The three left in the camp stared after him until they could no longer see him. They exchanged similar looks of worry and sadness before filling their bowls with fresh fish soup.
The night was moving awfully fast as the three talked about their adventures. But soon Iroh turned in and that left Akiko and Katara. Now that Iroh was in bed Katara could finally have some feminine talk with Akiko.
"So who's the lucky guy?" Katara asked with a small smile. She rolled on her side her head resting on her arm.
"His name is Myricus."
Katara nodded, "So tell me about him."
"Well, he was amazingly handsome and sweet, hardworking, and basically the perfect guy for me." Akiko smiled.
"Oh, so uh…what happened if you don't mind me asking?" Katara looked away from Akiko and set her gaze on a nearby tree.
Akiko shrugged and looked up at the moon, "You know how I told you how my bending evolved right?"
Katara nodded slowly not wanting to trigger any water works.
"He came in while I wasn't in control and I…really hurt him. I swore that I would never face him again until I was in control of this evolved bending. The lightning made my eyes the color they are." Akiko finished pointing to her awfully pale orbs.
Katara soaked all this information in. "Does Zuko or Iroh know?"
Akiko sighed, "Iroh doesn't know any details and Zuko…" she paused, "Zuko found out a completely different way than me telling him."
Just the way the sentence was said was enough for Katara not to press the matter.
"So what about your hair? I've never seen a color so pale before, did you get that from the lightning too?"
Akiko suddenly laughed until tears came from the corners of her eyes, "No, but it such an odd story!"
Katara smiled waiting for the reason as to why her hair was so lemon-juice blonde.
"Well when I was a baby my dad was watching me. He owned a whole lemon foundation so we were out in the factory." She paused smiling briefly, "He was examining the lemon juice when I slipped out of the belly-pouch he kept me in. It took him forever to realize what happened to he had to jump in to save me contaminating the entire batch. He said when he pulled me out my hair was the color of lemon juice."
The two girls laughed until Iroh had to sit up and tell them to quiet down.
"Sorry Uncle Iroh." Katara giggled. She looked over to her side and found Zuko still wasn't back.
"Hmm, I wonder when Zuko is coming back." Katara whispered to Akiko. Akiko yawned and curled into her orange cape.
"He probably won't come back for the rest of the night, he does that." She said and closed her eyes.
Katara looked off into the direction of where Zuko left and felt the air around her. It was rather chilly out that night. He couldn't be comfortable without a blanket so she took the brown blanket she was laying on that she bought on one of their sprees. She gathered it in her arms and walked off to find Zuko.
After many stumbles and falls Katara finally found him curled up under a tree with his arms clasped around his knees. He didn't look very comfortable. Katara smiled a little, he wasn't so hostile in his sleep. In fact he almost looked peaceful. Katara realized that without his regular scowl he was rather handsome…really handsome even. Not that she would ever say that out loud but it was true.
She slowly crept over him and smiled a little more before softly laying the blanket over his body. She noticed he visibly relaxed and she felt proud. She brushed out the wrinkles and smiled down at her work.
"Good-night, Prince Zuko." She whispered and quietly walked away.
Zuko cracked open an eye and watched her leave and then his gaze settled on the blanket and then back to her. He sighed and closed his eyes again feeling more confused than ever. She was so complicated.
0000
"Good-morning Zuko." Iroh smiled as Zuko came back with the blanket in hand the next morning. Katara had yet to wake up and Akiko was off gathering food.
Zuko nodded in acknowledgment. He slightly frowned as he noted Katara was blanket-less. Why the hell was she so giving and motherly? Why did she keep giving and giving to him when he was so cruel and heartless to her. She saved him from his death, and now she gave up a good nights rest because he threw a temper tantrum? What was wrong with her?
Katara sat up and yawned before realizing who was staring at her. She arched a brow, "Uh-good morning?"
Zuko cleared his throat and nodded handing her the blanket. Katara laughed a little and accepted it.
"You're welcome." She said sweetly though he didn't say thank you. His eyes said it all when he saw how tired she was. Katara looked away.
"Well I will go get the water from downstream." She said and got up.
"Why downstream?" Zuko asked curiously. He was actually being pleasant.
Katara shrugged, "Because the waters clearest there."
Zuko didn't say anything else and grabbed a stick to again fish. Katara grabbed the basins and began walking in the direction of the clear water.
Zuko was about halfway upstream when someone tumbled to his feet out of the forest. It was Akiko.
"Zuko, three Fire Nation girls are here!" she gasped. The Prince didn't seem startled in the least.
"Where were they heading?"
"Downstream."
Zuko's eyes narrowed, they were aiming right for them. "Akiko cover my back; tell Uncle that he needs to stay at camp so we can lead them there on a full blown attack."
…
Katara kneeled down and slowly bent some water into the basin humming a tune about her tribe. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of her element. She dipped her fingers into the water and her entire body relaxed from her early morning aches.
A loud crack and then pouring of water interrupted the calm moment. Katara snapped her head in the direction of one of basins. It was shattered by a silver star. Katara stood and turned around only to be met with the eyes of those three girls from Omashu.
She gasped. The head girl nodded with a smug look on her face.
"Get her." Her cool voice hissed. Instantly the girl with a blank expression stuck out her leg and silver stars came at a fast pace toward her. Katara yelped and put up a wall of ice. Then the girl in pink flipped up into the air attempting to crash down on Katara. It was the same girl that can take her bending away.
Katara dodged and flung a few ice saucers at the expressionless girl before turning her attention back to the girl in pink.
Azula just stood there smugly watching the waterbender struggle against her friends. She wasn't going to waste energy on a pathetic waterbender that had no advantage over them. It was a perfect sunny day.
Katara avoided several pointed hands from the girl in pink but she wasn't sure how long she could keep up fending off arrows and knives and the overly chipper girls hands!
The waterbender lifted her arms and summoned the water. She turned it into a ball of snow in her arms and launched it swiftly at the emotionless girl who fell hard from the attack.
Ty Lee launched again trying not to be surprised by her friends fall. She offered a quick jab but Katara already covered it by putting a sliver of ice in the way which Ty Lee jammed her hand into. She yelped and clutched to her now throbbing fingers and gave Katara a horrid death glare.
The pink girl offered a heavy kick to Katara's stomach sending the blue girl stumbling back. Katara clutched her middle waiting for the air to enter her lungs again. Mai who had recently gotten up from her fall launched an arrow that Katara was too slow to dodge. It skimmed her arm causing blood to flow very quickly. Katara yelped in pain. What made matters worse was that Ty Lee was advancing on her. In the blink of an eye Ty Lee had her pinned while Mai took careful aim with one of her arrows. Katara closed her eyes waiting for the worst.
There were two loud cries followed by Zuko and Akiko bounding from the bushes. Zuko lunged onto Ty Lee knocking her off of Katara's body. Akiko flung her leg around causing the arrow that Mai had to dig into the ground.
Katara got up and quickly healed herself while she had the chance. She pulled up a water whip and got Mai in the neck with it. Mai growled and held her stinging neck and looked at Katara with a look of hatred. Katara launched another water whip that Mai responded to by launching some stars.
Akiko took Ty Lee off of Zuko's hands. Ty Lee smirked, "Please, are you going to really avoid this," she launched out a hand with cobra quick speed. Akiko caught her wrist and sent a kick to her jaw. Ty Lee flew to the ground and then looked up in surprise. No one had ever caught her hand before! Ty Lee got up and the two got into hand to hand combat.
Zuko circled around with his sister. Her face was curled into a smirk while his was nothing but concentration. "What do you want Azula? The Avatar isn't here." Zuko hissed.
"Oh, but I can easily catch him later with you out of the way." Azula said coldly and launched her first attack. A stream of blue flames came whirling towards the expecting Prince. Zuko ducked and launched his own flames at the princess' feet who staggered back from the heat. She scoffed when she regained her composure, "Who do you think you are?"
Zuko straightened his shoulders, "Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation."
Azula laughed coldly, "You are Zuko the Earth Kingdom peasant. Nothing more, just learn to accept it."
Zuko's eyes narrowed. He failed to notice the blue flickering light that ignited at his sister's finger tips. The next thing he knew a line of lightning was launching at him. He gasped and tried to jump but it skimmed his side. He crashed to the ground trying to force his body and mind to ignore the pain.
"Akiko!" he yelled from his spot on the ground. Akiko didn't need to be told anything else. She removed herself from Ty Lee and up against Azula. She never dreamed she would have to battle the Princess of her Nation, nor did she imagine traveling with the Prince.
Azula smirked, "What can you possibly do that Zuko over there can't?"
Now it was Akiko's turn to smirk. The Princess' calm composure lightened for a moment. White electricity formed at Akiko's fingertips. As soon as it formed, it was bee-lining for the Princess. Azula bent over backwards just narrowly escaping the attack. This was going to be more of a challenge then she thought.
Zuko hauled himself up and tried his best to ignore the pain in his side. A pink blur caught the corner of his eye he wasn't done mentally healing himself so what could he do to protect himself.
To his relief he saw a clear steam of water wrap around Ty Lee's ankle and fling her into the water. Katara was pretty beaten down but he noticed Mai encased in ice looking rather ticked off. Katara nodded at him that they needed to go back to camp.
"Akiko come on!" Katara called at Zuko's side with her adrenaline pumping.
Akiko who had been in a heated battle with the Princess nodded and circled her arms a stream of lightning slicing down a branch on the Princess. She ran to her friends and they began running back to camp.
Ty Lee pulled herself to land breathing heavily. Suddenly the branch that was pinning Azula down burst into flames and then into ash. Azula growled and melted the ice that imprisoned Mai with one single blast. The two friends stared at their leader; did she just LOSE a battle?
"What are you looking at? We are going to kill them! Do you understand?"
No one said anything, just followed Azula on her hot pursuit.
Zuko, Katara and Akiko stumbled into camp and loaded their things as quickly as possible. They weren't sure how far back the girls were but they didn't want to find out. And when a silver star whizzed by them singing through the air, they ran.
"Zuko, where are we going?" Katara huffed ducking under a branch.
Zuko didn't reply.
"He has no idea." Akiko answered for him leaping over a puddle.
Katara groaned as her luggage began weighing heavier and heavier with each second that passed. "Why are we running? We can all take them together! With Uncle Iroh-"
"Even Iroh can't save us. Azula is too angry now." Zuko growled.
Katara frowned. "Well that's just, AGH!" before she knew it, she was down on the ground.
Zuko looked over his shoulder and saw a big silver star jutting from the waterbenders back. He grimaced and she wriggled and gasped to get to her feet again. He kneeled down to her and grabbed her things and slung them over his own shoulder.
"Zuko…" she whimpered as the pain coursed through her entire body. She needed help.
"Be still!" he hissed, "This is going to hurt."
Zuko grabbed the star and yanked it out. Her squeal made him visibly flinch and she curled under him her entire body shaking and quivering in pain. He knew he shouldn't have pulled it out, that wasn't good first aid but if he didn't then the wound could become even more infected then it would be without the star.
"Akiko here!" he tossed Katara's things to the slender blond and swung the waterbender over his shoulder. He suspected that the star was coated in poison or it wouldn't hurt as bad as Katara made it appear. And he was right, her body was shuddering and her skin was turning icy cold.
"Come on!" Iroh barked and they began running again.
Katara felt her eyes droop and her body lose feeling. She had to get into some water fast. She rolled her head into the crook of Zuko's neck for warmth and fought off the urge to close her eyes. She didn't think she ever felt pain like this before.
"Zuko, she's starting to close her eyes!" Akiko's voice echoed fearfully. Katara heard Zuko's low growl but it hurt her ears more than it should have.
"Where are we going to go?" Iroh asked his voice giving away he was short of breath.
Zuko growled again, "I-I don't know." He sounded as if he admitted he committed a murder. Akiko screamed when a star whizzed past her face.
"They're gaining on us!" Zuko roared picking up his pace.
Akiko cried with frustraition and fear. She launched a bolt to where the star came from and heard a cry of surprise. Unfortunately she didn't hit them but it might have slowed them down.
All of them were at dismay when the forest suddenly ended and a waterfall was left in its place. Zuko looked down at the rushing water below and then over his shoulder. He clenched his eyes closed when he heard the waterbenders moan. They were at the end of the line.
Iroh gasped and jumped to the side. A long line of blue fire was launched from the forest and right at them. Zuko breathed in through his nose and out of his mouth.
"We have to jump."
"WHAT?" both Akiko and Iroh screamed. The waterfall was so high up; they wouldn't be able to make it.
Zuko nodded, "We have to. It's the only way."
Iroh sighed and agreed by nodding his head. Akiko shook her head so violently she staggered back and forth on her feet.
"Zuko, I can hardly hold my breath for thirty seconds! How am I going to survive that fall?" Akiko wailed her pale eyes filling up with fearful tears her hands clasped at her chest.
"I'll make sure you're fine." Zuko responded starting to throw everyone's things down the falls. Akiko gnawed on her lip and pulled at her short gray dress and picked at her navy pants working her way down to the flat brown boots at her knees.
"Akiko you will be fine!" Zuko barked and held the blonde girls arms to her sides. Akiko shoved away from him and leaned over the edge examining the water below. She could have thrown up. She took in a shaky sigh and nodded.
"Alright, as long as you'll make sure I'm fine." Akiko sighed and clasped hands with Zuko and Iroh. Iroh gave a smile and a gentle squeeze to her hand. Katara moaned in pain on Zuko's shoulder.
"I wish that we all make it out of this." Iroh said.
Zuko narrowed his eyes, "We will now-"
There was a loud crackle and the hiss of a flying star close-by. Everyone jumped instinctively and all wailed in fear all the way down.
Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee looked down at the four idiots that jumped down a waterfall. Azula growled and launched flame after flame down at them in a true Royal Tantrum. Mai and Ty Lee backed away from the enraged Princess. Her eyes were horribly glazed in blind rage.
Azulas shoulders were hunched and she was breathing heavily. But as soon as the temper came it was gone and she was void of all emotions. She smoothly turned on heel to face her cowering friends with smudged lipstick and frizzed hair. Neither of the girls had ever seen her so disoriented.
"They'll never survive the fall. Let's go." She said blankly, someone could easily mistake her for Mai.
Ty Lee and Mai nodded their heads and slowly backed away from the Princess. Once they reached the edge of the forest they turned and ran back to their ship as fast as they could. Never in their entire friendship had they ever seen Princess Azula so angry so enraged.
The four people falling from the sky hit water with such a force Akiko and Iroh both passed out and Zuko almost blacked out. Akiko's hand slipped from Irohs and Zuko gripped her hand and held Katara around the middle tightly. Before he too, gave in under the pressure of the water.
Katara felt a cool sensation running up and down her back. She opened her eyes and had them adjust to the water around her. She looked around for a moment wondering why she was underwater until it all slowly pieced together. The cool feeling on her back was the water healing her poisoned wound. True, she still felt weak and she couldn't bend but she would be able to swim. She could feel the land disturbing the water. She urged herself to stroke her way to land she thanked the gods she was a waterbender or she wouldn't be able to hold her breath for so long.
Zuko opened his eyes, little grains of sand falling from his lashes. He turned over on his back and soaked up the heat of the sun his chest heaving. He made a mental note to never do that again as long as he lived. He rubbed his head and sat up looking around. He didn't see anyone then a pain gripped him on the inside. He told Akiko that she would be fine and he let go…he had let go of all of them.
"Zuko!" a heavy voice panted. He heard the disturbance of water and looked over to see Katara crawling onto land flopping on her belly heaving in and out of her mouth. Some of the knots in Zuko's stomach unclenched when he saw that she was okay.
"Where are the others?" Zuko asked hoarsely, his voice sand dry. Katara looked up at him with bright cerulean eyes.
"I don't know, I thought they would be with you." Katara admitted wobbling to her feet.
Zuko opened his mouth to say something but it was filled with flying sand. He spat it out only to be hit with more. Katara arched a brow and looked over at a rock that's other side was causing the flying sand. Zuko brushed remaining sand from his shoulders before more smacked him dead in the face. Zuko growled and leapt on top of the stone glaring down at the reason of the annoyance. And there was Akiko sopping wet… digging a hole.
"Akiko, what are you doing?" Zuko barked as Akiko began digging more and more.
"Do you have ANY idea what its like waking up to a spider on your stomach, then some freaky crab and then waking up not being able to breath with a tiger-squid on your leg?" She wailed digging furiously, "Those nasty little things won't be able to get to me down here!"
Behind Zuko Katara giggled.
Zuko growled and pinned her arms to her sides and yanked her up. "All that's down there are sand leeches and most likely they will take a fancy to you too."
Akiko groaned and pulled away from him. "Did Iroh make it back okay?"
Zuko blinked at her, "Weren't you with him?"
"No, I let go when I hit the water."
"You did WHAT?" Zuko roared lurching for her. Katara grabbed his arm and shook her head.
"We'll search, don't worry, we'll find him." Katara soothed and took off walking down the river with Akiko by her side. Zuko struggled to regain his temper as he stalked off after them only after a short time gaining speed ahead in front of them.
0000
They searched all day and night…
"I'm going to search for food." Akiko said with eyes heavy after a long night of searching. The sun was just beginning to wake up in the distance.
"No! No stops, we are going to keep searching!" Zuko barked.
Katara sighed and plopped down on a rock cradling her head in her hands, "Zuko, let's take a break, just for a little while."
Zuko stared between the two females and slackened his shoulders and slumped over under a tree. Akiko nodded and disappeared into the forest. Katara went over to the waters edge splashed her face with water. She needed to wake up. As she went in for a second dip her fingers caught something. She opened her eyes and looked down at the large brown/green shirt. She held it up and examined it. Her mind snapped to attention, it was Irohs shirt…
"Zu-ko…" Katara trailed not trusting her own voice. Zuko kneeled next to her and caught eye of the shirt dangling in Katara's shaking hands. Without a word he stood and began walking away. Katara stood and turned to him eyes shimmering with tears.
"Say something…"
Zuko stopped and Katara edged closer. "Zuko…say something, please!"
"What do you want me to say?" Zuko's voice was eerily hollow.
Katara shuddered. "I-"
"If I wanted to say something-" Zuko said with an edge, "I would say it's your fault!"
Katara staggered back. "What?"
Zuko spun around and pointed a long pale finger at her. "You heard me! You were the weakest link when they were chasing us! You should have pushed yourself! You are the waterbender, you filthy peasant!"
Katara stormed up to him. "If I could I would have saved us all!"
Zuko scoffed, "If you weren't so weak we wouldn't be in this situation!"
Zuko turned fuming. Katara shook with rage and she used her little energy to pull up the water and waterwhiped him across his backside. Zuko stopped and turned around with the most horrid look on his face. Katara almost laughed if there wasn't so much tension in the air.
For a long while they both just stared each other down. Katara was caught off guard when Zuko struck out a fist and a small orb of fire hurled her way knocking her over. Katara quickly scrambled to her feet trying to build up the strength to fight but she was still getting over being poisoned, a long deadly fall down a waterfall and walking all day and all night non-stop.
But as she launched another waterwhip, she realized how weak it was and didn't phase Zuko at all. Before she knew it his hands were gripping around her throat. Katara put her foot on his chest to keep some distance so he didn't kill her. She pumped her arms up and down to summon the water but nothing was happening so she grabbed his wrists and tried pulling him away but he was too strong and the leg keeping some distance was weakening.
Just when she thought Zuko had snapped and was going to kill her, a foot came crashing down on Zuko's arms knocking them back to his sides.
"Katara get out of the way!" Akiko ordered. She didn't sound like Akiko anymore. This was firebender Akiko from the Fire Nation. Katara scrambled away under a tree catching her breath and holding her throat.
The two firebenders circled each other dangerously. Zuko's eyes were glazed and Akiko's were dead set. They were going to duel.
"Stay out of this, Akiko." Zuko said darkly.
Akiko's face looked carved of stone, "You have pushed the limit!"
"You have no say in anything that relates to me!" Zuko snarled and punched a fire ball in her direction. Akiko rolled on the ground springing to her feet instantly.
"We all knew this fight would come but no one knew it would be from Fire Nation rage!" Akiko hissed and a stream of lightning pulsed from her fingers. Zuko sidestepped it and glared.
"You know nothing!" he roared and kicked a long stream of fire in her direction that was ducked.
"I know more than you think Zuko! You're mother killed our Fire Lord because your own father was going to brutally murder you. You're father stole the crown from Iroh when he was at his lowest and your father gave you that miserable scar!" Akiko roared.
Zuko snarled with anger his eyes so glazed they looked like golden aquariums. He fired blast after blast that Akiko had to physically dodge for she had no control over fire. Akiko had a sliver of flames skim her cheek. Akiko clutched the wound and her eyes slowly started becoming glazed as well. Akiko lurched forward and a jet of lightning struck across Zuko's arm.
Katara blinked and Zuko was in front of Akiko, fists on fire in hand to hand combat. Katara couldn't think straight and her neck was throbbing. She was sure Zuko would have killed her if Akiko had not come back when she did. And now they were both in danger.
Zuko slapped wrists with Akiko. His mind was fuzzy now, he had no common sense. All he could think of was pain and unleashing it. It was the curse of being Fire Nation, they had nothing to cool them down. Now he was attacking Akiko like a ravenous beast and he couldn't stop himself.
Akiko and Zuko were in combat now wearing out but they wouldn't let up. Akiko was starting to unleash her Nations fury even with Katara's presence around her. Just as she had that thought she heard Katara moan in the corner. Her eyes flicked away to see if she was okay but that was a huge mistake. Zuko kicked her feet out from under her and launched a fire ball aimed for her right eye. Something in his fist shook and missed the target and it was left to leave a cruel burn on her neck. The shock of what Zuko almost did woke him from his rage and he stared blankly down at his friend opened mouthed and eyes wide.
Katara wobbled and stood up as she saw Akiko on the ground mouth open face in shock. Time seemed to slow as the blonde laid there writhing in pain unable to make any sort of sound. The waterbender leaned against the tree and stared with tears stinging her eyes of seeing her friends horrid expression.
Then a blood curdling scream rang throughout the forest causing birds to fly from their homes in fright. Katara collapsed to her knees sobbing, sharing Akiko's physical pain. Zuko still stared shaking his head and he staggered back using a rock for stability.
Akiko curled up in a ball screaming and crying soaking in the miserable pain of Zuko's burn. The scar trailed around her neck and up on her cheek some the skin an angry red and white. It was nearly identical to Zuko's
Katara forgot all her weakness and ran to Akiko scooping the hysterical girl in her arms rocking her back and forth crying too. Katara looked up at Zuko with miserable eyes.
"What have you done?" she whispered so hollowly Zuko almost fell over. Katara pulled up water to heal the girl when Zuko stopped her.
"She challenged me to a duel. She has to-keep-the…wound." Zuko almost puked from his words as he turned his back on them. Katara wanted to heal Akiko so bad but even though the girl was in hysterics she was pushing Katara away so she couldn't be healed. Fire Nation tradition.
It was days until Akiko could move without sobbing. Katara had put some herbs on the wound to speed up the healing process which was in fact healed after about a week. Zuko wasn't seen all the while.
0000
Akiko pealed off the bandages and examined the reflection in the water. She grimaced as the wound was a deep shade of crimson, like Zukos, trailing down her neck and up her cheek a little ways. It was the shape of Zuko's own scar, the reflection of shame. Akiko lowered her head and placed two fingers on the tough skin that was her scar.
"Hi Akiko." Katara smiled in the reflection behind her. Akiko turned around and smiled back.
"It isn't very appealing is it?"
Katara gave a half smile and sat down next to her friend and dipped her fingers into the water the ripples pulsing apart. Akiko pulled her knees to her chest.
"Have you seen him since it happened?" Akiko asked softly.
"No I haven't. I don't even think he's sorry." Katara said with malice. The water violently made a splash in the distance with a harsh hand movement.
Akiko sighed and untied her hair leaving it drifting around her shoulders to hide her scar. "What about you? Are you okay? Those were some nasty bruises you had to heal."
Katara felt the area around her neck. "And he gave her a necklace of pearls." She muttered.
Akiko sighed, "That was from 'Destiny' wasn't it?"
Katara nodded. "I wonder what came over him."
Akiko sighed and curled her knees under her. "It's a Fire Nation thing."
Silence.
"Fire Nation people have a fire raging inside them. We all have to master our emotions knowing when to unleash certain amounts because if we don't we spiral out of control. We are very passionate. Anger is easiest to feel, love is the hardest. Zuko was hurt so much that Iroh was gone that he unleashed all his anger in the worst way…out of control. We don't have people to cool us down in the Fire Nation so this happens frequently. He would have probably killed you if given the chance."
Katara shuddered, "It must be hard to have all that emotion."
Akiko shrugged, "You get used to it after awhile."
There was a long silence until Akiko got up. "I'm going to find him."
Katara looked at her like she was crazy, "Akiko no!"
"I have to make amends. I am following your example." Akiko smiled and walked into the forest. Katara smiled and looked at the earth, her example.
…
Zuko sat on a low branch, hat over his face. He felt so dumb, he shouldn't have lost control like that. He was going to strangle the waterbender and he…scarred Akiko. He did the one thing he swore he would never do to anyone. He was aiming for her eye but it shook a little south. After he came back to his senses he remembered the wound Azula gave him. It was still bleeding so he cleaned it and pressured it. He wished Katara would have healed it, but he banned that thought from his mind.
"Zuko?"
Zuko yelped and fell from his branch.
"Are you alright?" Akiko was next to him seconds. Zuko opened his eyes and looked up at her, the first thing he saw was the hideous scar he gave her. He shuddered.
"I'm fine." Zuko avoided looking at her face. There was a long silence, "…are you?"
Akiko smiled and help him stand up. "I'm fine Zuko."
Akiko gave him a pat on the arm and motioned for him to follow her back to camp. And when they got there Katara was making some stew and gave Zuko the first bowl without a word, just a gentle nod of acceptance and approval.
Pointless but cute. I told you that something was going to happen with Akiko and Zuko. AND IROH IS GONE! Yeah well, we'll see what happens to him next chapter which I hope turns out better than this one. School has just started so things are harder to write now.
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