Chapter 4
-Fire Nation: Dawn-
As soon as they had gotten in the air Aang had wanted to fly the balloon, and tired from the stress of the day's events Zuko had agreed. After a long, hard night of unsteady flying and near misses Aang and Zuko have finally reached the Fire Nation Capitol, a city situated in a giant volcanic crater. Bringing the balloon down lower Aang points to a large building surrounded by its own man-made walls.
"That there, that's Ozai's Palace!"
"Well its big enough alright, maybe Ozai's compensating for something?" Zuko says, allowing himself a small laugh at his own joke. Aang however is not amused, "You don't even get that joke do you?"
"No, I don't. What does it mean anyway?"
"Nothing you'll ever have to worry about," he says turning his back on Aang thinking to himself 'Monks,' when he notices Aang has steered the balloon away from the palace and they're heading back to the outer walls of the crater. "Hey, what do you think you're doing? The palace is back that way!"
"Uh...there was nowhere to land in the city; the buildings are too close together." Aang shouts back to him, trying not to meet Zuko's eyes, but he can tell Aang's lying.
"What about the palace courtyard? There was plenty of room there!"Knowing he's been caught in a lie Aang brings the balloon down for a landing. Left alone with the Exile, Aang blurts out his reasoning for not going directly to the Fire Nation Palace;
"Look, I know you want to hurry and get back to the island, but you didn't see how Admiral Zhao reacted when he found out I was an airbender. It was like he'd won some Fire Nation lottery, and I'm pretty sure if anyone else here realizes what I am it'll be just like that. Zhao didn't know what I was until I started airbending. Flying in on a hot air balloon with "The Exile" isn't exactly subtle. I'm in no hurry to die today so as far as anyone's going to know I'm just a kid with tattoos."
Aang hangs his head, waiting for Zuko to start yelling at him, but instead hears only a simple: "okay."
Aang's head snaps up, "You're not mad?"
"Not really, I can understand the whole not wanting to die thing. Besides, it's only dawn now, no one will be awake for another few hours, so we've got plenty of time to get back up to the city."
"Oh, well I guess we better get going then. By the way, how are we going to get up there without flying?"
"We walk." Zuko says pointing out a worn zigzagging road a few feet away leading to an entrance into the city. The beginning of the road is marked by a tower with a lone guard sitting half asleep at its base.
"Hey, you!" Zuko calls, waking up the guard who-upon seeing Zuko stalking towards him-proceeds to scream and run into the tower, locking the door behind him. Though the tower is locked down Aang and Zuko can still hear the guard screaming as he climbs a spiralling staircase, judging by the way the screaming fades and grows in a steady pattern.
"Zuko what did you say you were banished for again?" Aang asks while gazing at the tower with a puzzled expression.
"I didn't. Let's go, that guy will probably be all day climbing those stairs and we've got a lot of walking to do."
Aang tears his gaze away from the tower to see that Zuko's already started along the road to the city-a very, very, very long road. Aang quickly catches up to him but the two stop momentarily at the sound of metal hitting metal and a loud groan.
"Well, guess I was wrong."
"What was that?"
"The end of our issues with that guard, or the sound of the guard forgetting about a second closed door at the top of that staircase, now come on we're wasting daylight."
The sun was high in the sky by the time they finally reached the city, only to find it looking completely deserted. Though it was well past mid-day the streets were devoid of people, it was as silent as the grave, if not a little bit eerie.
"Where is everybody?" Zuko asks looking aound.
"I'm not sure...but look!" Aang points to a small kiosk with a shuttered window and a small sign reading "Knock for Information"
"Aang wait, I don't think you should touch that." Zuko says following Aang to the kiosk, but before he can stop him Aang knocks on the window sill. The two jump back as the spring loaded shutters fly open to reveal two elderly identical looking women, both in heavy burgundy robes.
"Welcome to Caldera City kids." The two say in perfect unison. "While in the city there are some rules you should observe; don't make waves, stay in line, and everything will be fine. Caldera City is a perfect place, please enjoy your stay."
Finishing their speech one of the women shoves a flier into Zuko's hand and then of their own volition the window shutters snap closed again. The pair stand there, frozen in stunned silence.
"So...what's it say?"
"'When in doubt...CONFORM!'"
"Well...that's not very informative. Maybe we should try asking them again?"
"No! I mean, no. Look, there's something on the other side of this flier. There's some kind of tournament today, something about the Prince choosing a champion."
"Hey that's good, we should be able to see him if he's making a public appearance at that tournament. When is it?"
On that note, a trumpeting call of fanfare sounds from the royal palace.
"Today,"
As the pair walk into the palace courtyard they are stunned by the sheer volume of people packed into the covered walkways the improvised arena. The six combatants were lined up in front of a staircase at the top of which was the very man they were looking for-Prince Ozai, who appeared to be addressing the crowd.
"Brave men, you are the best and brightest in all the land. Today one of you shall prove himself. That champion shall have the honour-no, no-the privilege to go forth and rescue the Princess Katara from the deadly keep of the dragon. If for any reason the winner is...unsuccessful, the first runner up will take his place and so on and so forth. Some of you may die, but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make.
Unable to stomach more of Ozai's crap Zuko unsheathes his swords and walks toward the line of prospective champions.
"Well aren't you just the kindest king of the God damn castle!"
"Startled, all eyes turn to the bold newcomer who would dare speak out against the Prince. (Aang, not liking all the sudden attention slips into the crowd) Even the combatants being physically stronger and some better armed than him all back away as Zuko approaches.
Rising, Ozai holds out his hand signalling for Zuko to stop, which he warily does, "You there, Exile! How dare you come to this city, my very home? You were banished never to return, and for good reason, why have you returned now?"
"I have business with you Ozai!" Zuko says, punctuating this statement by pointing at Ozai with one of his swords.
"Such insolence! Men, the first of you to kill the Exile will be named Champion." The looks on the men's faces shifted from shock and awe to greed and blood lust as they advance towards him.
"I've heard you have a reputation for being a cold-hearted killer, lets see if you live up to the hype."
"I've got news for you Ozai. I don't give a damn about my bad reputation!"
Watching Zuko fight-from a safe distance of course-Aang had to say he was pretty impressed. Outnumbered and out gunned Zuko still wasn't down, even after defeating five of the "potential champions." The one with the oversized mace was giving him some trouble though, the thing was as thick as a tree trunk and no steel could cut through that. So Zuko had resorted to ducking and weaving to keep his skull intact.
"Aang, I could use some help here!"
"Me? What's one little kid supposed to do?"
"Oh would you knock it off already, now is not the time for-AH!"
Having let his guard down to reprimand Aang, Zuko's opponent manages to land a solid blow to his ribs and flings Zuko back and he lands with the dull thud of...dead weight.
"ZUKO!"
Not missing a beat, Zuko jumps up and channelling his fire bending through his swords and whirls around becoming a fiery pinwheel of death!
His opponent goes down like a ton of bricks. A hush falls over the crowd and they erupt with thunderous applause. Beating six-to-one odds Zuko has emerged victorious!
The cheering stops when the guards keeping an eye on the spectators turn and encircle Zuko each poised and ready to barbeque him should he attempt to flee.
Ozai stands and Aang is sure he's going to bring the hammer down on Zuko. He covers his eyes so he won't have to watch as his one-and only-friend is killed when,
"People of Caldera, I give you our Champion!"
"What?" Zuko and Aang cry in shocked unison.
Zuko is stunned by what he hears; he didn't come to become the people's champion he came to get his home back! But considering the circumstances, namely all the guards surrounding him, it could be worse.
"Congratulations Exile, you have won the honour of embarking on a great and noble quest." Ozai says coming to stand in front of Zuko. With a wave of his hand he orders the guards to stand down and they back away from Zuko.
"Quest, I didn't come here for a quest. I came here to get my island back!"
"Your island?"
"Yes, my island. Where your goons dumped all those rejects of yours."
"I see...very well Exile-I mean 'Champion'- if you go on this quest for me, I will return to you your island."
"Exactly the way it was?" Zuko asks cautiously, wary of the suddenly gracious Prince.
"Down to the last algae covered rock."
"And your squatters?"
"As good as gone."
Zuko considers this for a moment, though he has no inclination to go "questing" for the Prince he did want his home back. And with an army of more experienced and professionally trained firebenders at The Prince's disposal, did Zuko really stand a chance trying to get his home back by force?
"...What kind of quest?"
"Zuko, Zuko can you slow down a bit I can't keep up with you."
"I'm not talking to you."
"Oh come on I said I was sorry!"
Zuko said nothing; it had been like this since they had left the palace. Aang knew why, he just couldn't figure out what to say so that Zuko would forgive him. It wasn't like he meant to abandon Zuko; Aang just didn't know how he could have helped him without blowing his cover. They were almost back to where they had left the balloon and Zuko still wouldn't talk to him.
"Can you just answer me this, when we first walked into the arena why didn't you just give Ozai that same treatment you did Admiral Zhao, you know stare him down until he gave in?"
"I'm not just a guy with a scary face. For your information, there's more to me than people see okay?" Zuko kept walking away as he said this, but he was talking to Aang again, so it was a start.
"Can you give me an example?"
"An example of what,"
"Of how you're different than what people see,"
"Oh, okay I'm….I'm like an onion."
"They stink?"
"Yes- -No!"
"They make people cry?"
"No!"
"Oh wait I got it, they're bitter!"
"NO! Layers, onions have layers. I have layers, you get it? We both have layers!"
"Oh you both have layers…what does that mean exactly?"
"It means I'm complicated, now stop wasting time. It's a long way to the Si Wong Desert."
Alright, alright, you want to drive or should I?"
"You barely got us here, I'll fly the balloon. Besides we don't have time for flying lessons, we need to get going!"
"I didn't mean now, it's going to take us at least a month to get to the desert,-even flying-and then who knows how long it'll take us to get to the Dragon's Keep, the desert is uncharted territory. There's plenty of time for me to learn,"
"You always but an upbeat spin on everything don't you?"
"Pretty much," accepting defeat, Zuko climbs into the balloon and the two take off, on what would be the longest trip of Zuko's life.