HELLO MY ZULI FAMILY!
I GOT MY VERY FIRST TROLL! I'm actually excited about it hahahaha… I would like to thank Doc. Dump for his flaming review. I swear my wonderful wonderful readers, if you want just an all-out, side splitting laugh read his profile, but I won't read the his fanfic…unless you're into masochism and I'm for it… to each their own ;)
We can all have a big family laugh about this. From now on my sister and I are going to use "Doc. Dump" for something that is literally a literary abomination. I can't even say I hate this guy. Honestly I think he's my muse…. I must write now, to give you guys something wonderful to read, to make you forget what I just asked you to read!
Does that make any sense?
Soooo… I'm sorry it's been taking forever for me to update. Life happens you know? I moved to a new apartment with no internet yet, plus school, and a full time job but I promise I will start updating faster.
I love you all and thank you for bearing with me!
Happy Reading
FILI'S POV
"Ally? Ally can you hear me?" I shot up in my bed as I clutched my phone highly against my ear.
She sounded just as shocked as I was, "How did you….how is this even….HOW?"
"I don't know." I laughed. "But I'm happy!"
"How did you figure this out?" Alice asked me quickly, "I didn't think my phone would even work here. I so would have called you the second I fell in."
"Well…" I laughed again, "Here's the thing… you actually did call me."
"Huh?"
"Yeah, I'm not sure about it either. I was training on deck, but that's no big deal. Zuko is going to train with me tomorrow to see if my mental block is gone. Anyways, my Pandora stopped while I was training, and when I looked down at my phone I had a missed call from you." I told her in a sheepish tone. Ally and I always used these weird little accents and ways of speaking to each other that made everything funny.
Ally was quiet for a while after I explained, "Sorry, maybe I was clear the first time. I'll say it again… Huh?"
"Don't you pull a 'Soul Eater' on me, young lady!" First I semi-scolded her in another weird tone then I laughed into the speaker.
"Well, I can't help it you are leaving out all these BIG details in your complicated explanation," Ally growled at me.
"Ok, Black Star….."
"Oh no, you didn't?" She gasped.
"I did! BWAHAHAHA!" I gave her a long evil laugh then suddenly coughed and cleared my throat.
"Ha, goofball," she chuckled.
"Yes, yes I am! Now where was I? Ah, oh yes, so did I tell you I can do more than just firebending?"
"Like use your Pandora?" She said in a snippy tone, "No you didn't."
"Oi, don't get quippy, I'm sure you can use yours too." I laughed, "Well, I had my notebook with me when I fell in. You remember the story I was writing? About the chick with the mind powers?"
"Yes, she has mad ninja skills. I'm very jealous."
"Well…." Pause for effect, "I have all that mind power too somehow."
"Whoa, whoa, whhhhooooa!" Ally pulled her best Morton the Mouse impression. "You are telling me that you have all those mind juju, and you can hear people's thoughts and use your imagination as a weapon."
"Aww, I call it mind juju too."
"Fili, focus!"
"Oh, right I'm here so, go. Yes, well kinda."
"Kinda?"
"Yeah," I took a deep breath. I didn't want to bring up the nightmares so I explained as best I could. "Well, I could do all that when I first got here, but I started worrying more and more about you and if I would ever get home. I didn't deal with it very well, and I just pushed it deeper and deeper until I pwoha-ed."
Ally gave me a very over exaggerated gasp, "No, surely not no, not the pwoha!?"
I returned her over exaggerated-ness, "Yes! It's all true! I'm so ashamed." We both laughed together for a while. "But now that I know you are fine I can see what all there is to these powers."
"That's pretty cool, I'm jealous, but I mean, at least I can waterbend."
"Well, that makes since, you have waterbender hands." We talked for a good thirty minutes about our bending and everything we were trying to learn.
She told me about doing the water shield and other tricks like that, "I can't do too much, but once we get to the Northern Water Tribe I'll become a jedi master of waterbending."
"I don't know you might have to fight Mr. Jerky Jerkface first," I laughed at her for a long time.
Ally pouted, "Uhhhhh, unhappy seal!" I thought I would die laughing when she made her 'Unhappy Seal" impression. "Can't I just read a book while Katara beats him up."
"Nope, you have to be aggressive…B..E..aggressive." I clapped my hands.
"Oh shut up, I didn't ask for a cheer squad," she was quiet all of the sudden.
"Ally? Ally, are you still there?" I started to worry until I heard her laugh quietly.
"Yeah, sorry, just playing with Momo," I could hear Momo making noise in the background.
"Aww, Momo. I'm jealous you get to hang with the gAang. What all have you done? Who all have you met? And, oh, oh, where have you been?"
"Hold on there, Jethro," she started, but then Ally suddenly gasped, "FELICITY! Who are some earthbenders you know of?"
"What? Why?" That wasn't a question I was expecting.
"Just name some! Please!" Ally suddenly growled into the phone, "DO IT!"
"Yes ma'am, geez. Wow, so serious." I laughed at her.
She growled again, "I'm not playing with you Po! Answer the question woman!"
"Why? What's the big deal?"
Alice huffed, "Because, Aunt Wu told me I'm going to fall in love with an earthbender."
"Que sa Que…. Huh!?"
"I know right," she shirked. "Oh, and that's not all. With this earthbender I'm going to have FOUR bender children."
"Whoa, you hold up for a second. Say what now?" It was a good thing I was sitting down. I thought our older brother having one kid was a shock, but this was a completely different ball of wax. "We better get you home, and fast."
"NO!" Alice sounded like she was going to jump through my phone.
"What? Why?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You want four kids?"
"Well, not right now, but I do want to have a lot of kids, but that's not the point." She sounded worried all of a sudden.
"Then, please, enlighten me."
"If I go home before I meet my earthbender love I will be alone…..forever!" I heard her make sniffling type noises, "I DON'T WANNA BE A CRAZY CAT LADY!"
"Oh..dear sweet Lord of the Rings." I leaned back against the wall. "Well. If you're going to have babies I think it's safe to say that you're not going to fall for Toph."
"Duh, you think!" I just knew she was giving me a 'really' look. "Do you know of any other…."
"ErMerGerd! You're going to marry the Boulder!" I almost fell off my bed I was laughing so hard.
"NO, no, no, no, nnnno! I can't be with anyone that refers to himself in the third person."
"I can hear it now," I cleared my throat, "The Boulder, would be honored if you would be his wife."
"Stop it, Fili!"
"It would make the Boulder so happy to have children with his sweet little pebble."
"I know you didn't just call me a pebble," Alice hissed at me.
"The Boulder wants to name our first son the Boulder Jr." I had to stop or I was going to die. I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe.
Alice started to pout again, "Fili, I'm serious, stop it! I need your help figuring this out."
"Ok, ok, I'll stop," I had laughed so hard I started to tear up, "I mean I don't remember many earthbenders other than Toph, the Boulder, the other earthbending wrestlers, and Ha…..Oh! Oh…. Now that could work."
"What? What could work? Tell me!" Ally started begging on the other side of the phone.
"Haru…"
"Oh?"
"Yes, that's what I said."
"T…that could work." Ally cleared her throat.
"Put a good taste in your month huh?" I teased.
"Maybe, but he's going to have to shave. Cause I mean….I'm not feeling that mustache." She giggled as she thought about it. "What do you even flirt to an earthbender dude about? I mean really, should I just walk up to him and be like, 'I like that boulder….That's a nice boulder.'?"
"I hope you like that boulder cause he's gonna be your man," I laughed as I teased her.
"Ahhh….walked right into that one," Ally winced, "and it hurt. What happened to the Haru thing. I could so have babies with him."
I pulled my best MacManus brothers' accent, "Oh of course."
She did the same, "Goes without saying?"
"Aye!"
We laugh together before she spoke again, "We're good," She added, still in Murphy's Irish accent.
"YES, we are!" I replied as Conner. "So any other fun stuff happen?"
"That can wait. I have a very serious question for you." And like she said she got very serious, "Does... Zuko… you know….train…shirtless?"
"Sssoooooometimes."
"What?!" She squeaked then started talking like that Frog from Gnomeo and Juliet, "I need details….and go slowly. Is he totally gorgeous?"
"You have no idea!" I laughed at her for a while.
Suddenly she stopped laughing and suddenly became very serious, "So… Do you love him?"
"I? I like him, yeah, but love? I haven't…. love isn't something I think I know how to do anymore." I didn't want to think about sad stuff when I was finally talking to Ally. "I love you, and our brothers. I don't need to love anyone else," I just tried to just laugh it off.
"Stop it, Felicity! You have to stop letting Adam hold you back from caring about someone else." Alice had this way of talking sometimes that made me feel like the younger sister.
"You don't get it, Ally. You've never had your heart broken. You've never been used." Block it out. Don't think about it. "And Zuko is going to have a relationship with Mai, remember? How can I let myself fall for him knowing that he is going to be with her?"
"That was before we got here. There is no way of knowing what we have changed by just being here, Felicity." Ally stated. "We have already changed things, and I saw the way you looked at him. I know you have feeling for him. You can't just keep that wall up."
"Wall? What wall? I don't know what you're talking about, you goofy goober." I tried to laugh it off again.
Alice cut me off mid-laugh, "That right there… that's you're wall you try to laugh and joke and tease to keep people from seeing your true feels, and it won't work with me."
"So what… I can't fall for him, Ally. What if I do, ok? I let the wall down and fall for him, and he picks Mai over me, huh? What then?" I took a deep breath to fight back the feelings. "I can't go through that again. Adam used me! He knew just what to say and what to do so that I would give him everything, and after he got bored he was done."
Ally sighed before saying something I didn't expect. "Is Zuko Adam, Felicity?" The thought of comparing them together was like day and night. Zuko was like the sun, but Adam was like a black, starless sky. It seems romantic and mysterious, but it truth it is just emptiness. "I know he used you, but you can't let that one time…"
"It wasn't just one time, Ally. I think if it was just once I could have dealt with it. He stayed with me after the first time. He would hold my hand and buy me things, and I would let him sleep with me thinking he was going to stay." I wiped the tears from my face. I will not cry over him anymore. "And then he was gone, I didn't know what happened or why, but he was gone. It wasn't until later I found out about all the other girls he would see behind my back."
I had never told anyone about this, but maybe if I told her she would understand. I knew that story, and I knew that Zuko and Mai would be together. I can't care for him like I did Adam then just watch him walk away. My heart couldn't take anymore abandonment.
"Felicity, why didn't you ever just tell me this?" Ally asked softly.
"Because I had to be a strong big sister. I couldn't let you see me cry over a stupid guy."
Ally sighed on the other side of the phone, "You don't have to be strong for everyone. Let me be strong for you sometimes. Besides, the Fili I know would never back down from a challenge. If you like Zuko then fight for him. Don't let him choose Mai. Show him that you're the only choice there is. You are smart and funny and pretty and tough and sooooo much more. Mai is gloomy and boring and well….Mai."
We both laughed for a while.
"Ok, ok, I'll try." I could help but feel better.
Ally got serious again took a deep breath before saying, "Do or do not, there is no try."
"Yes, Master Yoda." We laughed again for the longest time. We talked for I don't know how much longer until finally we just couldn't stay awake any longer. Ally started falling asleep on me. I waited until I was sure she was asleep before I hung up. Goodnight Ally-Cat. Sweet dreams!
It didn't take me long at all to fall asleep as well, but if Fussy pants thought he was waking me up early he had another thing coming.
THE NEXT MORNING – ZUKO'S POV
It was still dark, but I could feel the sun rising. I stopped just outside of Felicity's door. I knew she would most likely still be asleep. I told her I would help her with her training and I would wake her early, but I was sure she wouldn't be happy if I tried to wake her now. She was unlike any fire bender I had ever met. She didn't like waking up early. Every firebender I had ever even heard of woke at sun rise. So I just decided to just wait for her to wake up like she normally did.
The air outside was still very crisp and cold. That meant only one thing; we were closer to the North Pole. As much as she got on my nerves sometimes with all of her "future – knowing wisdom," Felicity had been right. We were getting there a lot faster than I thought we would.
It won't be long now. Once we reach the North and I captured the Avatar I would finally be able to go back home. My people, my father would welcome me back with open arms. I would have everything I had lost again. It was just a matter of days and these past two years of searching would be worth it.
Two years… I hate looking back and thinking about my time out here looking, but now it will soon finally be over. With my Uncle and Felicity's help I have gotten so much closer. Now all I have to do is figure out how to infiltrate the Northern Water Tribe's ice walls. It would take too long to burn my way through alone. From what Uncle has told me and the intel we have gathered the walls have pipe like structures made of ice. If I can find one, I can sneak into the city, and capture the Avatar without raising an alarm.
I believe the best way to do this is with stealth. There is no way my crew alone can take on the entire Northern Water Tribe. I will have to talk to Uncle later today and get his opinion, and Felicity can help me with smaller details. With any luck she will be willing to share what she knows about the water tribe. I am sure she knows more than any spy or scout could ever know about the city. She certainly knows about everything else.
As I walked the deck I tried to think of a few different ways in infiltrate, but I think the piping system would be the easiest way to get in and out without anyone seeing me or the Avatar.
While I was lost in my thoughts I didn't realize there was someone else on deck. It wasn't until I heard the strange music getting louder that I realized who was at the opposite side of the deck.
"But I can't fix him, can't make him better
And I can't do nothing about his strange weather
But you are unfixable
I can't break through your world
'Cause you live in shades of cool
Your heart is unbreakable."
I could hear Felicity singing a strange song that I have never heard her play before. It wasn't like her normally up beat and happy music. It seemed almost sad, but it was like a siren's song.
When I finally got around the tower I saw her standing there at the railing of the ship watching the sun rise. She was still in her nightgown. The wind blew around her and her nightgown flowed away from her feet. She wasn't wearing any shoes. It was too cold for her to be out without any kind of blanket or coat. But she didn't look like was cold at all. She just stood there with her back to me, staring out at the light coming over the water, and singing. Her hair was loose and falling down her back. That was the second time I have ever seen it completely down. She normally kept it in a loose braid. I liked it more like this.
"And when he calls, he calls for me, and not for you
He prays for love, he prays for peace, and maybe someone new
But I can't help him, can't make him better
And I can't do nothing about his strange weather
Cause you are unfixable
I can't break through your world
Cause you live in shades of cool
Your heart is unbreakable."
When the song was finally over she didn't play another, which made me worry ever more, "Felicity?"
She jumped in surprise then turn and looked at me, "Zuko? How long have you been there?"
I just shock my head and walked over towards. Normally she didn't mind when I was around her, but for some reason when I walked over to her she tensed up, "Are you ok? Are you cold?"
All she did was quickly shake her head, "I'm fine. Go back to whatever you were doing. I'm sorry if I disturbed you."
She's apologizing for something? Just then another gust of wind blew past her. I could easily see her start to shiver. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Felicity shook her head again. She turned back toward the water and seemed to ignore me and the fact that she was cold.
I took off my robe and laid it over her shoulders. She looked up at me as if she were surprised that I was still there.
"Try not to freeze to death," I tried to look serious….
….but then she smiled up at me. "Thanks, fussy pants."
"Don't call me that!" I still had my arm over her shoulders so she slid closer to me. She didn't say anything just laughed quietly and looked back out at the water. It wasn't until I felt her head rest on my shoulder that I realized she was starting to fall asleep. I held her just tight enough so she wouldn't fall. When she finally drifted to sleep I scooped her up in my arms.
She felt so small. She was always ready for anything and never afraid to stand up for herself or fight, but now that she had fallen asleep she seemed so little and helpless.
Felicity opened her eyes just a bit as I carried her back to her room, "Zuko?"
"Yes?" I didn't look down at her. I knew if I did I would lose my train of thought. I was going to take her to her room and think of a plan to get into the Northern Water Tribe, get the Avatar, and get out. "What is it?"
Felicity didn't answer just pushed her face in my neck and took a deep breath before falling back asleep. Once I got to her room I laid her down as gently as I could and pulled the blankets over her. She was still wearing my robe, but I would be fine. I needed to get dressed anyway. She could keep it… for now.
A FEW DAYS LATER – ALLY'S POV
I turned away from Aang, "Nope…..no…defiantly not," I this rate I am going to turn into Mr. Ollivander.
Unfortunately, Aang isn't the kind of guy that takes "No" lying down. He reached out and grabbed my arm, "Come on, Alice, you ride around on Appa all the time now. A little gliding shouldn't be so bad."
"Aang, what is Appa covered in?" I turned at stared back at him.
He shrugged and grinned, "Fur?"
"Very good, Aang. That's right Appa is covered in fur. Nice, soft fur. So I can lie down and stare at the sky and pretend I'm not flying around." I pointed out to the kid, "Plus, if I fell off of Appa he would go catch me. If I fell out a glider nothing would catch me and I would die."
"Oh, come on, Alice. I wouldn't let you hit the ground." Aang gave me a big toothy grin.
"It's not the ground that would kill me, Aang." I crossed my arms as he scratched his head. "I'd just die. If you got me on one of those gliders, which you're not by the way, I would look down and die."
"What? Just like that?" Aang gapped at me.
"Just like that…. I'd be like, 'Oh, what's that…' DEAD!" I nodded vary matter-of-factly. "I would also probably need a new pair of pants too."
Aang started laughing at me, "Don't worry Alice I would…"
"DEAD, Aang, D…E…D…Dead!" I stopped him right there, "There's no coming back from that." I turned away from him and looked over at the cliff side, "That's all so….so sudden." I looked over at Katara who was standing by the edge holding a glider looking very worried as well.
Teo rolled up in his wheelchair, "Don't worry girls, The wind will carry you. It supports something inside you. Something even lighter than air." He pointed out showing Katara and I the other people gliding. "And that something takes over when you fly."
Katara looked over at me then back a Teo nervously, "I've changed my mind. I think I was born without that something."
Teo just laughed, "Impossible! Everybody has it!" He looked over at me and smiled.
"Oh no, that adorable smile won't get you anywhere, I'm with Katara. The only thing I was born with is afraidium. It's a metal. Its yellow and tastes like chicken." I crossed my arms and nodded, "Metal doesn't fly or glide, it falls…..hard. The only difference between me and metal is that it would survive."
Teo laughed at me again, "Alice if anymore has that something I'm talking about it's you."
"Spirit," Aang added.
"What?" Teo looked up at him confused.
"Spirit. That's the something you're talking about." Aang explained.
Teo thought about it for a moment, "Yeah, I suppose it is."
They both looked back at Katara and after a little more encouragement she jumped off the edge and started gliding. Aang and Momo quickly flew after her. I couldn't help but smile as I watched them. They were so cute together. I just have to give it time and those to love birds would be together.
Speaking of love birds, I wonder how Fili is doing…
FILI'S POV
We had just docked for the night and Uncle Iroh had already started getting music night under way. Zuko didn't join use tonight. He wanted time alone to think and come up with a plan to capture Aang. He had been very focused all day on his planning. I hadn't seen him but just a few times since this morning.
That was kinda embarrassing. I mind was so busy I couldn't really fall asleep after I talked to Alice. First her earthbender news, and that was a lot of craziness in a short time. My mind couldn't settle until I had fully processed the information.
I was trying to come up with a few theories about Alice's earthbender. I know there are tons of earthbenders in this world so it literally could be anyone, but there was Haru. He's about my age so he's not too old for her and he's cute. Then there is the earthbender kid in from the comics that was in Toph's metal bendering school, but I'm not super sure about him. I know Alice had always thought Haru was a hottie so one can only hope. I know if we fall into Legend of Korra and not Aang's story, Ally and Bolin would hit it off swimmingly. But there's no way it could be Bolin because if Alice leaves before meeting her earthbender she will be a crazy cat lady, spinster forever.
I was pulled out of my thoughts by Uncle Iroh's song. Not that it wasn't lovely, but I knew it and that's what worried me.
"Winter, Spring ... Summer and Fall ... Winter, Spring ... Summer and Fall ... four seasons ... four loves ... four seasons ... four loves." Uncle sang the tone as two of the other men danced and Lieutenant Jee played the lute.
As I was sneaking off to go warn Zuko the music stopped and all the men turned to face Admiral Zhao. He looked at all of them with a cocky, jerk face smirk for a while before walking over to Uncle Iroh. Zhao cut his gaze at Lieutenant Jee and when he did Jee reluctantly stood up at attention.
"Hello again, General Iroh," greeted Uncle as he looked at all the men and he eyes stopped on me. "Ah, Maili, I see you found your way back to our banished Prince Zuko's ship."
I just grinned in my own cocky way.
Jee looked over at Iroh and whispered, "Maili?" Iroh shushed him quickly.
Uncle Iroh straightened as he addressed Zhao, "Welcome, Admiral Zhao. What brings you to our humble ship tonight? Would you like to have a seat or some tea?"
"No thank you, General Iroh, I have come to recruit your crew." He looked at the men again, "We have received word that the Avatar has reached the Northern Water Tribe. The Fire Lord has ordered the invasion, and I need every man loyal to the Fire Nation at my command."
"I see," Iroh nodded not showing one sign of concern or worry. "I will discuss it with my nephew. I'm sure he will be willing to help in any way he can."
"You misunderstand me, General," Zhao smirk only grew darker and darker. "I only need men loyal to the Fire nation. Prince Zuko is still banished therefore he is no ally to the Fire Nation."
I squeezed my fists tighter and tighter trying to control the urge to bass blast him again. It wasn't working out so well.
"Also because he is not an ally to the Fire Nation I do not require his consent to take these men for the Fire Lord's invasion." Zhao looked over at Jee and the others. "Gather your belonging and go with my men. You are now a part of my personal crew."
Jee nodded, "Yes, sir." He bowed to Uncle Iroh and turned towards the hall.
As Jee past me I reached out and catch his arm, 'Lieutenant, please be careful.'
He looked shocked but only for a moment then bowed to me as well, "My lady, it was a pleasure serving you." 'So it is true? You do have strange gifts?'
'Yes,' I nodded my head in return, "Thank you, Lieutenant. Stay safe." 'Try to stay as far away from the fighting as you can. Zhao will not win this. Whatever you do try to stay on a rear ship.'
He turned away from me and walked towards the ship's hall. 'Thank you, my lady. Take care of the Prince. I'll look after the men, and don't worry your secret gifts will stay a secret.'
I turned back to Uncle Iroh and Zhao.
Zhao gave me and evil smirk, "Don't look so worried. I know how to win this battle."
I lifted my chin and glared at him, "And I know your fate, Zhao. Don't you remember my warning? It's watery." I started to turn away from him but he caught my arm.
"You and General Iroh are invited to join us, my dear Maili." Zhao turned and looked and Iroh, "I need your gifted strategic mind, General. This will be a great victory for the Fire Nation." He turned back to me, "I would love to have you by my side."
"I'm sorry, Admiral, but I have sworn to my brother that I would protect my nephew, his son." Iroh walked over to the two of us. "Maili is also my student, and she has not finished her training. I cannot make that choice for her, however."
I jerked my arm away from Zhao, "My place is with my teacher."
"Your teacher or with the banished prince?" Zhao hissed. "I can offer you so much more than he ever could if you would just stop fighting me.
"Oh Zhao, that means a lot, but you're not listening to me." I smiled up at him. "I don't wanna hurt you 'cause I don't think it's a virtue, but you and I have come to our end. Believe me when I tell you that I never want to see you again. And please can you stop calling 'cause it's getting really boring and I've told you I don't want to be friends. Believe me when I tell you that I never want to see you again." Thank God for Lily Alan. "How on earth could I be anymore obvious? It never really did and now it's never gonna happen with the two of us. I don't understand what it is that you're chasing after, but it makes me really sad to hear you sound so desperate. It just makes it harder."
His face just got harder and harder until his glare could cut glass, but I held my ground and smiled.
"Where is Prince Zuko?" He hissed and turned to Iroh.
"In his quarters," Iroh held out his arm towards the hall and Zhao stormed off. Iroh smiled and me and we both followed after Zhao.
Man, that felt good.