Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender. It belongs to Nickelodeon and its respectful owners.
At one point during the night, long before the sun rose, Aang guided Appa to land in a clearing five miles to the south Shingu. The clearing was surrounded by high cliffs and stationed at the base of a tall waterfall. Cool clean water poured from over the falls and formed a river below. The waterfall was situated about five miles inland. This made the cleaning even better to set up a temporary camp because it was out of the view of the shore.
Even though Appa is a flying bison that weighs ten-tons, Aang has practiced with Appa many times in the past on making near silent and smooth landings. That talent did wonders for Aang's desire for adventure. It was always so difficult to seek away from the monks. The acquired skill of making graceful landings has come in handy many times in the past and it certainly very handy now. There was one passenger that Aang was hoping would not wake up any time soon. With barely a shudder, Appa's six paws touched the ground and he slowly lowered himself to the ground.
Aang looked over his shoulder and hook in the sleeping forms of Appa's passengers. Katara was wrapped in a blanket cocoon near the front of the saddle where she was shadowed from the strongest air currents. Going around the saddle counterclockwise, Shyu was near the middle. Being a full-grown adult, he took up a fair bit of space on the left side of the saddle. Sokka was sprawled out in an awkward heap of limbs at the rear of the saddle. Momo was curled up at his side. Lastly, Zuko was laying with his back to the other travelers along the length of the saddle's right side. After watching the prince sleep for a few moments, Aang was relieved to realize that he had slept through the landing.
Aang glanced back to the rest of the sleeping forms when he realized Shyu had woken up. Shyu also looked around the saddle to observe the sleeping occupants. He sat up with very little noise.
Aang let out a sigh of relief and turned back around. He numbly let go of Appa's reigns and leaned back to rest his head against the bison's shoulders. The encounter with Roku left him very afraid. He needed to talk to Sokka and Katara about the visions as soon as possible. They both needed to know because he has to figure out what to do.
A rustle behind him pulled Aang from his musings. He looked up and saw Shyu motioning to the tree line. Aang silently Airbent himself and Shyu off of the sky bison. After walking what they deemed to be out of hearing distance, Aang faced Shyu.
"I'm sorry to wake you. I tried to be as quiet as I could. Is everything okay?" asked Aang.
"The landing was fine. In a way, it is fortunate that I woke up while your friends and the prince are still asleep. I needed to know how you planned on dealing with Prince Zuko in the morning."
"What do you mean?"
"I have heard tales of the prince. According to them, he is both brash and arrogant. I do not know if these things are true. However, one thing that I can confirm is that Prince Zuko has searched the world over looking for you. He was doing so for nearly three years. Zuko has plenty for wanting to capture you. If he was willing to infiltrate the Fire Nation while his banishment is not lifted, he will almost certainly not walk away now."
"He said that he would go to the nearest occupied territory and contact his uncle."
Shyu sighed at this reply and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Young Avatar, he said that because he believes that he can capture you quickly. I am relatively sure that he will head to the hold soon enough.
"So, what should I do?"
"I, myself, do not know the answer. We will likely have to fight."
"But, I don't want anyone to get hurt."
"I will do my best to see that that outcome does not happen. Tell me, what time do your friends normally wake for the day."
"I don't know, about an hour after dawn?"
"That is not good." Shyu gained a pensive expression. "Most powerful benders poses an intimate connection with their element. Firebenders in particular subconsciously sense when Agni's light reacts with their Chi at daybreak. Zuko will awaken then if not sooner. If he is anything like my youngest son was at that age, Prince Zuko will be on the attack as soon as he wakes up."
"I don't understand. Why does he keep attacking me? I have….had so many friends in the Fire Nation and I have never met anyone who hates me so much!" Aang was not angry, but he was hurt by Zuko's actions. "I'm the Avatar. I'm supposed to be helping people. I can't do that if he captures me."
"It is not my place to say anything about the prince's beliefs, his past, or his current circumstances. I do not think that prince Zuko hates you, but…Avatar Aang, what did the monks teach you about when two people believe that they are both right?"
"'What one thinks is right is not always the same as what others think is right; no one can be always right,'" Aang recited as if reading directly from a scroll. A frown formed on Aang's face and he looked to the ground beneath his feet as if it held all of the secrets of the universe. "So...Zuko is trying to capture me because he thinks that it is the right thing to do?"
"Precisely, what young minds are taught in the Fire Nation today is much different from one hundred years ago. Because Prince Zuko thinks that what he is doing is right, he will not stop in his quest unless a significant change in our situation occurs."
Aang felt his heart breaking. How could he help people if they didn't want him to?
Shyu must have noticed how their conversation was taking a toll on Aang. "I know that this may not help much, but there are many different kinds of people all over the world. Most in the Fire Nation would agree with Prince Zuko, but there are also quite a few people who are tired of this war and wish to see an end to the fighting. I will help you in any way I can." Shyu smiled.
Aang bowed to Shyu in the traditional fire nation style. "Thank you, Shyu. I am honored to have your help."
"I suppose that help now includes dealing with moody teenagers. Why don't you get some rest? I'll keep watch and alert you when Zuko wakes up."
"Are you sure that you'll be alright?" asked Aang with mild concern.
"My boy, I am a Fire Sage. That is a title not lightly distributed in my homeland. In addition, my late wife, Agni rest her, and I raised three sons and a daughter, two of which were benders." Shyu then adopted a wry look. "I'm pretty sure I can handle it."
A few hours later, the sun rose over the edge of the horizon. Ture to Shyu's words, Zuko's eyes snapped open. In less than a second, he had the Avatar within his sights. The Sky Bison was grounded. He lept to his feet and took a step towards the air nomad. Before he could take another, a concentrate, thin stream of fire rushed past his face.
On the ground, only a foot from the bison was the Fire Sage. He was in a low stance with his right arm extended diagonally to the ground. His left arm was perpendicular to the ground. Because he was on the ground on the bison's left side, Zuko did not see him and momentarily forgot that the sage was even there.
A controlled, steady stream of fire was being released from the sage's hand. Zuko was closer to the Avatar than Shyu, but the elder Sage would be able to launch his next attack before Zuko could change his stance.
"Not another step!" shouted Shyu. His shout was loud enough that it woke Aang, Karata, and Sokka.
Zuko had to risk it. He shifted his stance to call up a fire blast. The moment the flames started to leave his hand, they were being drawn away, upward into the sky. He tore his eyes to the left and saw that Shyu's position had changed as well his left arm was now extended directly upward.
He redirected the blast from over there?!
Zuko had just barely enough time to leap off the right side of the bison and avoid the blast. Before he could turn around, he was knocked to the ground by a powerful gust of wind.
The Avatar
"You just don't quit do you?!" cried the Avatar. The Air Avatar flew from his perch atop the sky bison's head. The Avatar charged with immense speed. The fan at the end of his staff was extended outward. Aang jumped into the air about a foot off the ground and spun his body. A wall of air was bent towards Zuko.
From his position on the ground, Zuko shifted his weight and spun his body. The added momentum and spiraling movement to the steam flames released from his feet were just enough to stop the Avatar's attack. Zuko vaulted from his hand onto his feet. His hands were smoking with burning energy, ready and waiting.
The Avatar spun his staff from his left hand to his right and stamped it into the ground upright. He assumed a neutral stance, neither poised to attack or defend. "You don't have to do this!" cried the Avatar. "Please, I just want to talk to you."
Zuko answered his plea with a volley of fire blasts. Left. Right. Left. Right. He punched out the flames as quickly as he could.
The Air Avatar used his left hand to force the staff to the ground. A burst of air left the Avatar's hands. Right. Left. Right. Left. Each blast of air met a burst of fire snuffing it out of existence.
Zuko changed his tactics and charged toward the Avatar. Just as he was about to release a blast from his right palm, he heard a whirling motion to his left. Zuko had heard that whistling sound once before and aborted his attack. With expert reflexes, he changed his running gait into a roll to avoid the boomerang aimed at his head.
Of to the side, Zuko heard an "awwwww, boomerang!" come from the peasant boy. Zuko would have sneered in triumph over that accursed weapon if he did not have a mounting problem on his hands.
The fight had lasted only a few seconds, but others were already joining the fight. Sage Shyu had rounded the bison and had reached the Avatar's side. The one-on-one battle had turned into a four-on-one and there would be no backup for Zuko. Zuko was beginning to have second thoughts about whether he could beat all of them and escape with the Avatar without serious injury.
"Your Highness," began Sage Shyu. "We ask you to please halt your attack. You are outnumbered and I do not wish to see anyone harmed today."
Zuko paused when Shyu addressed him. He looked at each of the people present. He met the eyes of Aang and Shyu. They were both confident and earnest.
"Why?! Why do you of all people address me with respect?" Zuko couldn't believe this cruel twist in fate. "You are a traitor of the Fire Nation. Why bother to pretend that you still care about the Fire Nation or honor the authority of the Dragon Throne? Why address me with respect when I have dishonored the Fire Lord and my country?"
"Because I know of the truth behind your banishment. You are a good person. You cared deeply about the Fire Nation and all its people. I respect you because of the respect that you showed for others three years ago. You spoke out against something you thought was unjust" Shyu drew in a shaky breath. "My second son, Takumi, was in the 41st Division. He would have been twenty-four next month."
Zuko felt as though he had been struck. The remaining flame went out in his hands. Never. Never had anyone told him what happened to the 41st. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he knew. He had hoped and prayed to Agni the hour before the match that they would be safe...
His outburst did make no difference. He thought his words could save them from a cruel demise.
He truly was a fool back then.
Yet, he was being shown high respect even in banishment for his failure? His weakness? This was being given to him by a parent of one of the countless fallen soldiers. The more Zuko thought about the aftermath and the families...a lump grew in his throat. Zuko began to feel quite ill. These feeling must be wrong. The parent was a traitor. Did Shyu have the right? Zuko found that he could not answer.
It was too much, too confusing.
"Avatar Aang, remember what we talked about last night?" asked Shyu.
Zuko's attention was brought back to the situation he was in. When did they talk? Zuko wondered. Had Sage Shyu and the Avatar planned the counterattack?
"I ask that we still let Prince Zuko remain free and help him to the nearest village occupied by Fire Nation forces, despite his attack. I trust that he will make no more moves now that we have proven that taking you will not come easily whilst you are surrounded by allies." The statement by Shyu left everyone in the clearing with gaping expressions. Everyone except the Avatar. "Furthermore, he is in a neutral area of the fire nation dressed in full military armor. Someone might get the wrong idea."
The water tribe siblings immediately began issuing protests. It was clear by the Avatar's furrowed brow that he heard the disagreements coming from his friends. The Avatar closed his eyes and took a breath to steady himself.
"Shyu, are you sure that we can trust him?" questioned the Avatar.
Shyu met Zuko's gaze again. There was no uncertainty in his gaze that Zuko could see as the sage replied: "Yes."
"Then, it's settled," Aang addressed Zuko directly. "As long as you do not try to attack me or my friends, we will take you to the nearest occupied village and we can part ways. Can you agree to that?"
Zuko felt very numb and dumbfounded at the turn of events. He was going to be helped by the enemy. He was at a loss for words, so he nodded his head in affirmation.
Zuko could not bring himself to care about the way the Avatar's face lit up in a beaming smile or that Sage Shyu looked proud of him. He was going to be a traitor, a real traitor, traveling with the enemy. He realized that he missed Uncle. When he wasn't saying a cryptic proverb, Uncle could always make these confusing situations seem so simple. Zuko couldn't wait to get back to his ship where things made sense.
Katara was upset and confused. When she is upset, she practices her waterbending. The pushing and pulling motions help calm her down. As on this moment, she had been pulling and pushing a small wave on and off the riverbank for nearly two hours. Aang and Sokka knew better than to come near her right now. She was furious with Aang. Ever since Aang had that first vision of the comet, he has made nothing but poor decisions that are repeatedly putting all their lives in danger.
Push. Pull. Push. Pull. Push. Pull.
Attempting to leave them in the village that the Hei Bai attacked.
Push
The Fire Navy launching dozens of flaming rocks at them
Pull
Sokka falling off App and Aang dives them too close to the water for comfort to save her brother
Push
Going into the fire nation
Pull
Being attacked by the Sages
Push
Being attacked by Firebenders and chained
Pull
Roku destroying the temple with them still inside!
Push
Zuko sneaking onto Appa
Pull
Zuko attacking Aang
Push
Aang agreed to protect Zuko even after he was just attacked
Pul-shing
.
.
What? Oh.
The wave that Katara had been manipulating for a while was now an ice sculpture. She was so angry that she made ice. She just needs to calm down...easier said than done.
Katara sat at the edge of the bank and wrapped her arms around her knees. She watched as the water in the river flows down the stream. The sunlight made it shimmer. It was...pretty, but it brought her no comfort. This was all Zuko's fault... and Aang's.
The Fire Nation killed her mother. Sage Shyu did help save their lives. She was grateful to him. He believes wholeheartedly that Zuko was a good guy. Zuko, on the other hand, was outright dangerous. He was the enemy!
She still could not deny that there was more to the prince than what she first thought. He was a bad guy who might have done some good things in the past. What Zhao and Shyu and Zuko said were contradictory statements. Zuko was banished for doing a good thing? How does that even happen? What was the 41st Division? What did Zuko just shut down after hearing about it? Katara looked over to where the prince was sulking at the edge of their clearing following his defeat by Aang and Shyu.
Traveling with them didn't seem...right. It was her and Sokka who started their journey to the North Pole with Aang.
Aang and Sokka talked for a long time after the announcement was made. At first, Sokka shouted at Aang until he became winded about how you do NOT agree to travel with someone after they just attacked you. When Sokka lost some of his steam, it looked like Aang explained his side of the story. Sokka seemed to realize something and became very quiet and broody too. The weirdest part was that
Katara had wanted no part in listening to Aang's explanation at first. Now, she was a bit curious. If Sokka realized something that made him change his mind, it was huge. She couldn't take it anymore. She needed answers and she needed them now. Just as Katara stood from her seat along the riverbank to go search for Aang, she found that he was already approaching her.
"You have some explaining to do!" rounded Katara.
"Yeah, I kind of figured that" sheepishly replied Aang. "Before I talk to you about the deal with Zuko, I really, really need to talk to you, Sokka, and Shyu about the vision that I had at Avatar Roku's temple. It's very important and it cannot wait anymore."
Katara was still mad, but she could hear the urgency in Aang's voice. Her earlier worries about Aang's vision came back tenfold. She was still mad at him and might be for a while, but he needed them and wanted to open up a bit. She could give him that...for now.
Hundreds of miles away, a fourteen-year-old girl walked through a regal hallway. Her boots clattered against the black marble floor beneath her feet. The girl had an aristocratic look about her as she walked with purpose. She had been summoned from her training for an important announcement. It was a bit unnerving that the missive came from one of the more...composed servants. Still, she made sure that all of those who entered her domain knew absolute obedience and contain a healthy dose of fear towards her.
As the girl came to the end of the hall, two servants opened the ornate doors to the location in which she was summoned: the throne room of the Fire Nation palace. The girl immediately knelt before an ominous wall of flames.
"You sent for me, father" she stated in a relaxed tone.
"Yes, my daughter. I have received word from Commander Zhao of the Southern Blockade. He claims that your brother ran the blockade in full pursuit of the Avatar."
So, ZuZu is now a full-blown traitor.
Ozai spoke in a monotone voice. It lacked any compassion or sorrow for his deceased son. "The report goes on to say that Prince Zuko is presumed to have been killed in battle against the Avatar." The young woman smiled a ghost of a smile. "The temple in which he was facing against the Avatar was destroyed through a devastating force of manga bent by the projected form of Avatar Ruko. Witnesses claim that he was still inside when the building collapsed. They were unable to recover the body."
When Ozai began again, his voice was tinged with power-lust and ambition. He was openly smiling a cruel smile. "Now, the Air Avatar has raised his hand against the Fire Nation. Even in disgrace and in exile, Prince Zuko was still of royal blood. A hand against our country and our throne will not be tolerated. We will use this tragedy to rally our troops. Intel from Commander Zhao's report marks his path as heading due north. That trajectory has placed his assumed destination, the Northern Water tTribe I want you to lead a battalion of Fire Nation soldiers and burn everything within their projected path from the east of the colonies to the ground."
Fire Lord Ozai paused for a moment before continuing in a warning tone. "Sozin's Comet will be upon us by summer's end. We do not want any...distractions. Make it known to all that anyone who dares aid the Avatar in any corner of the world will be dealt with swiftly and with much prejudice. I expect that you will depart in two days' time."
"It shall be done as you command," informed the girl.
"Then rise, Azula," replied the Fire Lord.
Azula rose with a form a grace achieved through years of discipline. She performed a flawless bow to her father and exited the chamber. The guards to the throne room saluted her as she passed. Taking note of their stiff posture, she knew they were afraid. The soldiers at her command will be...fresh meat for her to toy with.
This is going to be oh, so much fun.
A/N (Part 2): Yes, I did. Azula in Book 1.
Reflections:
The Air Nomad's Wisdom: The quote that Aang used was by author Roy T. Bennett
This chapter is a bit shorter than the last one, but Chapter 4 will be pretty long.
I have gotten some questions about pairings and a few pairing requests. Right now, I am undecided. I am leaving nothing off the table until I have more of the end game of the story fully outlined. I am even considering pairings as unusual as [Jet, Jin] and [Zuko, Suki]. Let me know in the comments: What is your favorite pairing? Why? I promise nothing; but, who knows, you may give me an idea.
Until Next Time,
NinjaGhost1752