The Smell of Hotness

Six: Hidden

Previously on Avatar: -"Are you here to attack me again?" he sat down his apple on the counter, "You do know that was childish, and unlike you?" he folded his arms and leaned up against the counter. Mai turned her head away from him and stared at the ground.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" she plainly stated.

-"I still don't understand the point of this stuff." Zuko told himself, "— but, maybe it'll grow on Mai… Then, again, should I trust Azula?" Zuko carefully placed the container in his pocket and exited his room, in hopes of finding Mai.

-"Ah!!! It's Prince Zuko!" one woman screamed. Zuko had a strangely horrified look across his face.

"Get him!" another girl shouted.

"Great…" he let out in a sarcastic manner. He turned back around and ran as fast as he could.

-"Let's dig in!!!" he shouted and started putting a bunch of food upon his plate. Kiame smiled kindly.

"You heard the cute traveler, dig in everyone." Kiame announced. Her words caught Sokka's attention more than the food. He peered up to get a glimpse of Kiame's smile towards him. His face turned a light shade of pink.

¤ ¤ ¤

"Huff puff…" Zuko breathed heavily as he stopped against the walls of an alleyway. He slightly turned his head to look around the corner. The women were searching everywhere for him.

"Zuko!"

"Prince Zuko?"

"Zu-zu!!!" They called from all directions.

"How the heck did I end up in this situation?" Zuko crossed his arms and leaned his back weight against the concrete wall. Why are these stupid girls following me? Zuko massaged the sides of his temples. Zuko sighed and looked over to his left. He noticed a large dumpster standing beside him. It looked like it hadn't been touched in ages, and it had grime around the sides of the openings. Then, something caught his eye. He noticed a small garment hanging from the side of the dumpster. It looked like old, thrown out rags. Zuko stepped over and grabbed the clothing from the dumpster.

"I can't believe I'm going to do this…" Zuko stared down at the clothing in hand. It looked like an old, bright red dress. It had two straps to hold it up on the shoulders, but one was ripped. There were holes like ones made in Swiss cheese around the bottom edges of the dress. The other one was just a dark, army green bandana. It wasn't torn, but it had dark brown stains on the top of it from who knows what!

"I almost forgot…" Zuko dipped his hand into his pant pocket and grabbed the small glass of cologne, placing it in the top part of his dress…

"Whistle, whistle, whistle…" Zuko stepped out from around the corner of the alley with his hair up in the bandana and him dressed in the dress. Morosely, he had to put his other clothes into the dumpster to dispose of the evidence.

"Where did Zuko go?" one girl cried out. A small smirk grew upon Zuko's face as he began to walk away from the girls.

"Um, excuse me?" Someone tapped on Zuko's shoulder. He froze and just turned his head to see who it was. It was a blonde-haired girl with big brown eyes, staring at him.

"Wha—?" Zuko stopped before he completely let out his word, "Uh hmm… I mean— what?" he disguised his voice in a high tone that reminded you of a bad Madonna Impersonator. The girl blinked and looked at him strangely.

"Hm, I'm strangely attracted to you." She admitted with her hand over her mouth. An anime sweat drop ran down the back of Zuko's head…

¤ ¤ ¤

"This food is delicious!" Aang smiled while licking his plate clean from the pounds of food he had inhaled.

"It was very good." Katara smiled at Kiame, "Don't you agree Sokka?"

"Yeah, you're hot…" Sokka sighed while staring at Kiame, "— I mean— yeah it was 'hot'. You know, the food! Nice and fresh!" He smiled big with all teeth.

"Not bad." Toph leaned back in her chair with her hands behind her head in relaxation.

"I'm very happy that you all enjoyed this prepared feast." Kiame bowed to them.

"Hello everyone!" a voice called out. Everyone turned and looked behind them to find Lee walking up to the table with open arms.

"Mr. Carper!" Siri ran up to Lee and hugged his leg tight.

"Hello, Siri." He patted her head, "Kiame, my dear. You took care of things I see." Lee patted Kiame on the back while she smiled with appreciation.

"It's nice to see you back Mr. Carper." Aang greeted him.

"Where did you go anyway?" Katara asked, getting up from her seat. Lee's smile seemed to fade quickly.

"Oh, just catching and gathering up more food for everyone. It can take a while to find the things we all need." Lee smiled a little, "— So! How did you enjoy the night here?"

"It was nice. Great floors." Sokka gave Lee a thumb up.

"It was all right." Toph commented.

"It's just so great to see you back Lee!" Kiame hugged him with a bright smile.

"Yes dear." He just patted her on the back; however, he didn't seem too enthused. He had a very beautiful girl hugging him…

"Hey Katara, let's go check out the land around her. It seems pretty nice." Aang said.

"Okay Aang." Katara smiled as Aang dragged her along.

Sokka put himself over beside Kiame.

"So, is there anything interesting to do around here?" Sokka raised his eyebrows up and down. Kiame giggled at Sokka's silliness.

"I'm sure there's something we can do around here. Actually, around lunchtime, the sun goes into a certain position and shines, making the sky look like a rainbow. It is quite luxurious." She smiled.

"Well, we could always go— together— you and I— me and you." Sokka smiled and nudged her slightly, giving her "hints". Kiame couldn't help but smile at Sokka's attempts.

Kiame turned towards Lee and bowed.

"Lee-san, you wouldn't mind if me and—"

"Please Kiame," Lee interrupted Kiame in her sentence, "Do you even have to ask?" he smiled at her and pushed her hair behind her ear. "I don't remember the last time you were able to get out with someone as a friend."

"Thank you so much Lee-san." Kiame blushed a little.

"Well then! Let's go!" Sokka smiled big.

"It is up upon this hill o'er there." Kiame pointed to a small mount of a hill in the distance out from the town. It wasn't too close nor too far; it was close enough to still see the city itself below…

"Great, what am I supposed to do?" Toph crossed her arms as Sokka and Kiame ran off, and seeing as Aang and Katara already left. She heard a purring sound beside her. It was Momo. "Well, there's no one else around…"

¤ ¤ ¤

"This plan is so genius…" Azula smiled while lying back in her bed; she was tossing the colored rock up and down in her palm. She was so relaxed and carefree. "Zu-zu won't even know what's coming to him…" Azula grasped the rock tight at hand and stared at it, giving it a smile of satisfaction. "Scraping bits of the rock's granite into my own mixture of cologne was quite intelligent of me. Now, wherever Zuko goes, girls' follow… nothing can mess this up. He can't hide. He can't run. They'll always track him down…" Azula sat up in her bed and placed the rock safe and sound into her pocket; "Now, when the girls the Avatar is traveling with, come anywhere near Zu-zu, they'll go crazy. They won't be able to resist him. Then, the Avatar will try to save his beloved friends, but he won't be able to— because we'll kill him— I'll kill him and get the praise I deserve!" Azula's mischievous smile returned to her face.

"Where is brother anyway?"

¤ ¤ ¤

"Stop, following me!!!" Zuko screamed while running down the middle of the cobblestone street. His bandana caught a breeze through the wind and flew off of his head and his hair sprawled out all over his head. "These women are crazy!" he told himself while picking up his running pace.

"Prince Zuko, I just want to kiss you!" a girl just behind him yelled.

"No! I want to kiss him!" another one yelled. Zuko turned his head back a little to see that the group of girls had stopped running. He stopped and caught his breath.

"I'm going to kiss him!!!"

"No, I am you bird brain!"

"You psycho freak!"

"You're the freak!"

"Err!" soon a brawl broke out between the girls in the middle of town.

"Their fighting is pointless." Zuko said and just walked away. The girls were so busy fighting they didn't notice Zuko had left…

Zuko walked down the streets with his hands swinging by his sides as he head moved, looking in all directions. Where is Mai? I haven't seen her all day… Zuko thought.

"Zuko…" he heard a calm, yet firm voice say from behind him. Zuko turned around and saw Mai standing before him.

"Oh, Mai, I was looking—"

"Oh Zuie-Poo! I've been looking all over for you!" Mai hugged Zuko tightly. She practically squeezed his insides out.

"Mai— what are— you— doing?" he yelled.

"I don't want to let go of you Zuko! I don't want you to leave! I love you!!!" Mai smiled and rubbed her cheek against his chest.

"Well— Mai how about we—"

"Zuko! There you are!" a girlish scream interrupted his sentence.

"Err, when is this going to end!" Zuko was getting fed up with this and just began to run again. Mai watched and stared as Zuko ran off with a crowd of women chasing after him…

"That's my boyfriend!" Mai growled and went running after them…

¤ ¤ ¤

"Ha!" Katara pushed her elbows back and lowered herself on her knees and forced her palms out, bending the water towards Aang. Aang lowered his body and leaned back, catching the water in the air and throwing it back at Katara. They repeated this process over and over again.

"You're really getting good at this Aang." Katara smiled along with her compliment.

"Thanks Katara." Aang replied…

-

"So, do you come here often?" Sokka asked while sitting himself down beside Kiame. They sat on top of the hill overlooking the small town. It was a half an hour past noon, and the sun lay just overhead, giving the sky a natural rainbow glow. It was unimaginably beautiful… Kiame put her hands a little behind her and rested her weight onto her palms in a relaxing manner.

"Sometimes… it depends on if I just want to get away… you know?" Kiame looked up and smiled at Sokka.

"Haven't you ever thought of just leaving this place and traveling?" he asked.

"Oh, never. This is my home— I'll always cherish it. I don't think I could bare to step a foot out of the sight of this town…" Kiame stared down at her feet. They hung down off the edge of the hill next to Sokka's. She crossed her ankles, as it seemed more lady-like.

"Well, that's what I thought it would be like at first… but then, just being around my sister and Aang, we're great friends now. I really have no regrets leaving home." Sokka looked down at Kiame, staring at her toes…

-

"Got any fours?" Toph looked down at Momo with cards in his paws. Toph sat on the ground with an average of five cards at hand. Momo purred and smiled.

"Eh-uh." Momo shook his head.

"Great…" Toph threw her cards on the ground and stood up, walking away. Momo smiled down and grabbed a stack of cookies that now belonged to him…

¤ ¤ ¤

"Stay out!" Zuko yelled with his back against the entrance door to his palace. He turned around and locked the doors shut. He wiped the sweat off of his forehead and headed fro his room. This is crazy… even Mai is acting weird… he thought.

"Hello brother." He heard a voice nearby. He turned his head to the left to see Azula standing there with her arms crossed. She smiled and stepped over to him, to greet him.

"Azula, what do you want?" he asked with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Oh nothing Zu-zu," Azula then looked down at Zuko's attire, "why are you wearing a dress?" she solidly placed her hands upon her hips.

"That's none of your business…" he scowled. Azula just smiled and crossed her arms while she watched him walk off to his room…

"Something's going on here…" Zuko shut his door, "— I have a feeling Azula knows something I don't…"

Zuko grabbed the bottom of the dress and pulled it up, taking it off and pulling it over his head. He shook his head, making his hair fall back into place.

Clang!

Zuko looked down and had noticed he dropped the glass container, and it had bumped up against the bottom of his dresser. He bent down and picked it up from the ground. He, without words, placed it back on top of his dresser and left it there…

Please, everyone, review!!! I hope it's up to expectations. It's kind of moving along slow and we haven't even hit the climax yet! I can't wait to write the next few chapters. That's when it will really start to get interesting:-)