Heh, can't blame anyone for not knowing the Illusion sequence. I'm probably the only Final Fantasy VII freak who read the game script. (That's where it's from.)
Read bottom notes after chapter.
Katara had finally fallen asleep, only to be woken up by an energetic Aang three hours later. "Guess what guess what guess what?" he asked. Then, without waiting for "Aang, go away," he went on. "The Eastern Air Temple is only a few days of bison riding away!" Katara sat up, tired but happy.
"That's great, Aang. Now, I didn't get much sleep last night, so can I get back to what little sleep I did have?" Aang blushed in embarrassment and nodded.
"Sorry, Katara. Yeah. Want me to tell Sokka to leave you alone?"
"I'll love forever and I'll dance at your wedding," she said. Aang's smile reached ear to ear. He ran off to tell Sokka, who merely nodded in Katara's general direction. Katara smiled and collapsed in pure tiredness. She soon fell asleep.
Meanwhile, Aang was happily telling everyone about the Eastern Air Temple. "You mean I'll get to sleep in an actual bed?" Suki said. "I haven't had one of those since Kyoshi!"
Toph turned to Aang. "Did you guys have bathtubs?" Aang nodded.
"The Eastern Air Temple also had this device that brought up water from a secret river below ground. The water is clean and everything. All you need to do is heat it up." Toph sighed in slight relief.
"Good. You boys stink, and I mean worse than Appa. I suppose we girls do to, but it is really noticeable on you guys." Loud protests rang out.
"I do not stink!"
"I don't think Sokka's that bad…"
"It's rude to say your elders stink."
"You're lucky I don't fry you right now." (Not that Zuko would. He enjoyed watching Toph tease Sokka too much.) Toph grinned evilly.
"Hey, truth hurts, boys. Now, when are we going?"
"Tomorrow, after we're all packed up. Katara said she didn't get much sleep last night, so we can wait," Sokka said. "If I find out someone kept her up, that someone is going to lose certain appendages." Zuko took a deep breath…and spun around to punch Sokka in the stomach.
"Look, I'm sick and tired of your constant insults and lack of trust. The only reason I've put up with it is because my uncle asked me not to fight and because I don't think Katara wants to lose another family member. If you insult me again, though, I will not hesitate to attack you with full force," he growled. Aang was staring open-mouthed at Zuko.
"Whoa," was all he could say. Iroh shook his head. He had known Zuko would lose it sooner or later; Sokka was lucky Zuko was honorable enough not to kill him.
Toph and Suki were looking at Sokka. Suki seemed concerned for Sokka and agitated that he had insulted Zuko again, while Toph had an "It's about time" look on her face. Suki walked over to Sokka. "Need something for the pain?" Sokka, who had landed on the ground, shook his head.
"At least it was above the belt," he gasped, winded. Suki giggled softly and helped her boyfriend up.
"Oh, they know."
"Know what?"
"About us." Sokka looked at Suki.
"Oh great. I'm never gonna hear the end of this, am I?" Toph chuckled.
"Nope! Hey, Suki, can I be in the wedding party?"
Katara woke up around lunch. "What time is it?" she asked, slightly groggy.
"Time for lunch. Here, Miss Bed Head," Suki teased. Katara frowned and put a hand to her head.
"Ack! Anyone have a hairbrush I can use?" Toph tossed her the comb from her bag. "Thanks, Toph." Katara let what was left of her braid down and began to brush it, oblivious to the fact that Zuko was watching her out of his peripheral vision. If it wouldn't have warranted a sound thrashing from Sokka and awkward looks from everyone else, Zuko might have stared at Katara. He had never seen her hair down, and the sheer volume of it amazed him.
Katara deftly braided her hair and sat down to eat. "Thanks for telling me, Suki. Otherwise, I might have spent all day with a messed up braid. We all know Sokka wouldn't have said anything," she taunted. Sokka stuck his tongue out, then promptly began to eat.
"Stupid little sisters," he muttered. Katara smirked.
"I was put on this earth just to teach you that you have to live with people like me, related or otherwise," she said.
"That made no sense."
"Of course it wouldn't to you, Sokka."
"Hey!"
During this sibling exchange, Zuko's gaze never left Katara. Iroh noticed, of course, but said nothing. He merely nudged his partner-in-crime, who, surprisingly, was not Toph, but Suki. She could tell Katara had a crush on Zuko (girl's instinct never lies), and she had grown to like Zuko over the course of their travels (and she could tell he like Katara).
Suki looked over at Zuko. She shook her head. Katara's good. She's purposely ignoring Zuko. Either that, or she's as oblivious as her brother.
Zuko finished his lunch then went off, saying he needed some time alone. No one stopped him; this was Zuko, he liked his privacy.
The teenager went off about six yards away from camp and sat down to meditate. That's what he did when he need to think things through without interruptions (which seemed to follow the group around like Momo chasing Sokka for a peach). He took a deep breath and started his thought process.
He couldn't stop staring at Katara. Katara seemed to enjoy their private moments together. Katara was, in most opinions made by typical hormonal teenagers, borderline drop-dead gorgeous and sinfully beautiful. (Of course, these opinions were made by boys in the various villages varying from ages 15 to 18 and were not completely accurate.) As far as Zuko was concerned, Katara was…Katara. No adjective could properly describe her.
To anyone listening in on his thoughts, it would have been obvious that Zuko liked Katara. But, naturally, Zuko didn't think that. He didn't know what to think.
"Well, that was a waste of time," he muttered, standing. It had taken him the better part of two hours to come to the conclusion he couldn't come to a conclusion about him and Katara. Zuko headed back to camp.
More precisely, what was left of camp. Everyone was scurrying around in a panic. Zuko stopped Toph. "What's wrong?"
"Azula's coming. I can feel those stupid lizards. She'll be here-"
"Right now." Azula's cruel voice stopped all activity. All three girls were sitting on their lizards. Ty Lee looked at Sokka, who was holding Suki's hand.
"Oh, drat! He's got a girlfriend!" Ty Lee pouted. "And he's so cute."
"Hmm, don't worry, Ty Lee. I'm sure Father will let you have him as a servant when this is over with," Azula said. "As for the others…I don't care. Girls, get them."
Before anyone could stop them, Momo jumped on Ty Lee's head and Appa knocked Mai, unconscious, to the ground. Ty Lee freaked out; she ran around, trying to get Momo off and ended up running straight into a tree. That left Azula alone.
Now, Azula was cruel and antisocial, not stupid. Nine fighters against one prodigy (Azula had no doubt that the bison and monkey would attack). It was suicide.
It wasn't as if she could take a cheap shot this time; too many people. Kidnapping and Azula didn't mix, and cold-blooded murder was Father's line of work. How to get out of here, yet leave a "present"…the explosives.
Smirking, Azula reached into her saddlebag. "Guess I'll wait for another day." She snapped and the other two lizards picked up their respective riders (the lizards were very intelligent). Azula threw the package she had taken out down and sped off.
Iroh and Zuko naturally recognized the package. "Aang, Airbend the stuff onto Appa's saddle and get everyone on Appa," Zuko muttered. "Azula left a package of explosives."
At that, everyone started scrambling about, trying to hurry. Sokka helped Suki and Toph on, jumping on after them. "C'mon!"
Katara looked at Zuko and Iroh. "We're not leaving you two behind. Iroh, we'll help you up first." Katara grabbed the old man and, with Zuko's help, pushed the Iroh up. Zuko then grabbed Katara.
"You're next. I'll fight off Azula," he said. Katara shook her head and grabbed Zuko's hand.
"Over my dead body. Zuko, we need you almost as much as we need Aang. You've become apart of this group and if you die, then I don't know what I'll-I mean what we'll do," Katara corrected. Zuko frowned slightly, but allowed himself to be pulled up alongside Katara. "Go, Aang!"
Aang snapped Appa's reins and took off not a moment too soon. The explosives went off, obliterating the small grove. Sokka held Suki tightly as Aang looked down at the area regrettably. "To the Eastern Air Temple, I guess," he muttered. The other teenaged boys nodded. There was no other place.
Good Lord, Zuko. What have you done?
I hope that season three has Zuko realize Azula's a bitch and three quarters. I won't stop supporting Zutara (she was so close!), but it's gonna take a lot of talent to write a believable Zutara after tonight.
He was that close...