Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own the freak'n show or books! Deal with it!

And this chapter will have major spoilers. So that's just a warning.

Zuko grudgingly walked down the field to the little house by the woods. It was a sad excuse for a house. Two windows, a roof that looked ready to collapse any second, and to top off everything, there was dog sitting in front of the house. A huge, shaggy, drooling dog. Zuko had always hated dogs. Every since one incident when he was 9.

It was a nice warm spring afternoon. Zuko was sitting next to the duck pond watching a happy duck couple swim around together. He smiled as he watched them. Turtle ducks were some of the strangest creatures that the royal family kept. Usually Zuko would be sitting here with his mother, but she wasn't feeling that well, today. Zuko was planning on going to see her soon, after he'd gotten a chance to rest.

He had just finished a fire bending lesson. He and Azula had the same teacher, but of course she was at a higher level than him. Zuko often felt a little jealous of his younger sister's talents, but he tried to ignore it, but it was hard, considering she bragged about it when ever she could. Most of the times to her little stooges or to daddy. She was his little princess.

One time Zuko told his feelings about his jealousy to his mother. She put her soft hands on Zuko's shoulders and told him at his feelings were to be expected but try to forget about them. She told Zuko to put away those dirty socks. When she said this, Zuko looked down at his feet and cocked an eyebrow; at least he could do something Azula couldn't.

"So you want me to put my dirty socks on her head?" Zuko asked. "That's a good idea!" Giggling, Ursa grabbed her child's arm before he could put his little plan into action.

"No, Zuko. It means put away those bad feelings and try to forget about them,"

"But when ever Azula leaves her dirty socks on the floor, nobody can forget about them." Zuko protested. Ursa gave him a strange look.

"Do you mean Azula's feet smell or she can be mean?" She asked.

"Both!" Smiling the mother of the two royal children gave Zuko a hug and started tickling him. Zuko squealed as he tried to escape his mother's grasp. But it was no use.

Smiling at remembering the memory, Zuko continued to watch the turtle ducks. After a few minutes Zuko heard sounds coming from inside the palace. It sounded like the servants were trying to stop something. Hearing yelps and barks Zuko was getting rather curios. Within seconds a huge dog barged into the garden. It was at least as tall as Zuko, if not taller; with huge raggy long hair. You couldn't even really see its face!

The dog lifted its mop head into the air and sniffed. The dog must have had a cold or something, because when that thing sniffed it sounded like a tornado sucking up all the innocent and happy things in life. It turned to face Zuko. Even though Zuko couldn't see his face, Zuko knew the dog could see him. The dog lunged and started an all out sprint over to Zuko.

Zuko, not wanting to become dog lunch scampered up the small tree that stood next to the pond. The tree barley held Zuko's body weight, but it held. The dog from hell started barking at Zuko who was in the tree. Zuko decided that if he lived through this, this tree would be his best friend. The dog continued to bark.

"Get out of here!" he yelled trying to sound brave. It did really work. Throwing a small fire ball probably wasn't the best idea. It dissolved before getting to the dog, turning into smoke and only ticking the dog off more.

"Hey Zuzu! You met my new dog!" Zuko's heart went into his throat. Azula came out and walked over next to the dog. She was smiling; something was going to turn out bad for Zuko. "His name's Soki. I found him out in the forest, isn't he sweet?"

"Don't call me Zuzu!" the young prince yelled angrily. "And get your dog to leave me alone!" The fire nation princess giggled gleefully at her older brother's anger and fear.

"But he likes you. I think I'll let you two play together for a little bit." She sneered walking away.

"Wait! Azula! Come back! Make the dog come with you! Please Azula!" She turned around and sawthe fear in her brother's eyes. Zuko could tell that it pleased her. She then turned her head to look at the turtle ducks. Smiling she picked up a rock the size of her hand.

"Hey, Zuzu. What to know how to feed to ducks?" she asked tossing to rock at one duck couple. It hit one of them on the head and it quaked as a large red welt was forming on the back of its head. "Anyway you can get down anytime you want. Soki doesn't bite; hard." She laughed as she went back inside. Zuko would be up here a long time.

So Zuko waited. And he waited. And he waited some more. He was still waiting when it got dark. The entire time the dog was staring at him with hungry eyes. It didn't like Zuko, it hated Zuko, it wanted Zuko to die. There was defiantly a connection between this beast and Azula.

Finally Zuko realized something. He had to go the bathroom. Bad. This was a bad situation. He couldn't go back into the palace (if he ever would) with a nice wet spot on his crotch, but he couldn't get ripped to pieces by a dog. He noticed some stronger braches were over the pond. He could jump into the water and go in there, while waiting for the dog to go away. But that would be disgusting! He was a prince, not some water tribe peasant. He wanted to call out for help but he bit his tongue against it. If he called out for help, Azula would win. And he was sick of Azula wining.

Zuko thought about the options for a while. None of them really ended in his favor. Eventually Zuko decided he would fall into the pond, try to hold it, and then make a mad dash for his room. Then the bathroom. It didn't seem like it would work, but it was the only plan his young nine year old mind could come up with.

Inch by inch Zuko made his way toward the branches over the pond. He was only about a foot from where he was going to jump off, when he heard a cracking sound. Zuko, for the second time that day felt his heart jump into his throat. Before he could even try to go back the branch snapped. Tumbling down into the pond and taking Zuko with it.

"AAAHHH!" He screamed before entering the icy cold water. It had a metal taste. Much like the armor Zuko had once licked because Azula told him they were made out of candy. That wasn't one of his proudest moments. Water seeped into his body, over coming him, and smothering him, and drowning him. Zuko was still screaming when he stood up. Apparently the pond only came up to about his shoulders. Put that one down in "Things never to ever tell anybody".

Zuko half swam, half walked until he got to the edge of the pond. Soki had started following his process. Noticing this, Zuko made a mad dash to the palace. Soon he could feel the dog's warm muggy breath breathing down his neck. The presence and feeling that there were hundreds of sharp teeth just waiting to slash into him was the only thing that kept the tired and young boy from stopping.

The doors never seemed to grow closer. Until finally he was there. Grabbing the door handles, he found strength that no normal nine year old could possibly process he shut the doors.

Zuko leaned against them catching his breath and dripping all over the floor. He heard a voice.

"Zuko?" It was his mother. "Why are you all wet?"

Zuko couldn't help but smile slightly at the memory. His mother had ordered some servants to bring him a blanket and a cup of hot tea. Zuko liked for the most part how his little adventure had ended. The only thing he regretted was not going to the bathroom sooner.

As he was growing closer, Zuko noticed a huge tree standing by the approaching students. Growing closer, Zuko noticed that the huge tree was in fact a man. He was actually the huge man who was sitting with some of the other adults at the front table at breakfast. Once everyone was there the huge man spoke.

"Good morning everyone. As you know this is Care for Magical creatures and I am Rubeus Hagrid. Today we will start with some very slippery creatures called Swedish grow-worms.

A/N: Okay, yes I know it isn't that long. I find it somewhat amusing. I hope you did to! Anyway the next chapter will be longer and it might be written in two people's point of view. But I don't know yet. Um reviews would be cool.