Chapter 21 Ember Island Player's part 2
The current went up on the stage to show two people dressed like water tribe members rowing a canoe pass a painted backdrop of a sea filled with iceberg
"It's us." Said Sokka as he and Katara smiled as the woman spoke up first.
"Oh brother I can't stand our life in this cold and distillate wasteland." said Katara's actor "However someday when the fire nation is defeated and peace is at hand I will move to a warmer place."
Katara was speechless as the actor kept going on about hope and how miserable their lives were because of living in the south pole and while it was partly true she had come to love the warmer weather in the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, she still had found memories of being around the fire with her family in the cold winter months telling stories.
"Well I can't wait to get my hands on some meat to eat." laughed the actor playing Sokka
"I don't focus just on meat." said Sokka as everyone rolled this eyes. The only two people who didn't roll their eyes were Sokka and Naruto. Sokka because he believed he didn't focus just on meat and Naruto. Naruto had his eyes locked on Sasuke as he watched the play, which is when he noticed that Azula had her hand resting on top of his and the strangest bit was the fact that Sasuke wasn't moving away from her touch. In fact he was seamed to almost be smiling, while smiling for a Uchiha at least.
"Looks like you're not the only one to be sitting beside his mate." laughed the Kyuubi's voice "Don't worry Kit, he isn't attacking because he wants to have a good time with his mate just like you do."
"Look I am about to come out." said Aang as Naruto turned his attention back to the stage as woman appeared out of some fake looking iceberg, Naruto along with the avatar team had to fight back laughter as actor playing Aang was a young woman.
"A girl?" asked Aang as he watched the girl actor playing him acting way too cheerful and playing pranks on everyone.
"What is wrong twinkle toes." laughed Toph as the scene changed to show two men dressed in fire nation armor onboard a ship. The large scar was a clear sign that the actor was meant to be Zuko.
"Nephew would you like some cake?" asked the other actor
"No Uncle Iroh I can't rest until I find and Avatar, it is the only way to regain my honor." stated the actor playing Zuko as the real Zuko lowered his head a bit as they watched how he stormed the water tribe village and threatened the people, then how he chased the team around the world.
"What is wrong Zuko?" whispered Katara
"This is just reminding me of all my mistakes." answered Zuko
"That is all in the past." explained Katara "Besides this play is far from being totally accurate, when have you known me to fait?"
"True." Said Zuko
Meanwhile Azula and Sasuke sat side by side watching as the play moved on to the invasion of the North Pole.
"I am assuming this is when you failed to take the city." stated Sasuke
"I never failed it was that foolish Admiral Zhoe." explained Azula as watched as the actress playing the avatar got into a fish suit and started to destroy the model fire nation fleet in the harbor. "So what do you think of my plane will they take the bait?"
"Yes, Naruto will come at once and we will have them all." said Sasuke "The idea is straight out of the ninja guide to war."
"I am only worried that they will not show." said Azula
"They will show because we will give them a reason to show." explained Sasuke as the actress playing Aang spoke up
"The Avatar is back to save the DAY! Yaaay!" yelled the actress
"You know the sad thing is that the avatar is even more annoying than that." said Azula as the first intermission came and the lights came up as the curtain came down. "Have they started running yet?"
"No…do you want to talk to them?" asked Sasuke as Azula grinned as the two of them stood up.
"Were are you two going?" asked Mai
"Stay here." ordered Azula as the two of them walked off.
Outside their small theater box Naruto and Sakura were standing a little bit off from the avatar gang who were talking about the play.
"What is Sasuke's game?" asked Sakura "He isn't attack why isn't he attacking."
"The Kyuubi thinks it's because of the woman he is with." said Naruto as Sakura's head snapped toward him.
"He isn't attacking because he is on a date?" asked Sakura
"I saw her resting her hand on his and they were talking quietly during the entire time." said Naruto "Sorry Sakura-chan."
"Sorry for what?" asked Sakura as she looked at Naruto.
"I know that it may seem that Sasuke has a girlfriend now but I am sure when we bring him back to the Leaf you two can get together." said Naruto with a sad smile on his face which broke Sakura's heart.
"He wants to bring Sasuke back so that I can be happy; he thinks I will be happy only with Sasuke." Thought Sakura
"How many guys would go to these lengths to bring back a guy to take the woman he had a crush on since he was a six year old kid?" asked Inner Sakura
"Not many." answered Sakura
"Not many would do it for a crush, but for the person the love with all their heart and soul they would do anything." said Inner Sakura
"Listen Naruto, I don't care about Sasuke." admitted Sakura as Naruto looked at her with a stunned look on his face. "I was happy when we thought he was dead because I thought we could put him and all the trouble he caused us behind us."
"What?" asked Naruto
"What I am saying is I am here because you want to bring him home and to help them out." said Sakura as she looked toward the avatar team. "I don't love Sasuke, I don't I ever did."
"But when you were a kid." started Naruto
"Naruto kids grow up." answered Sakura "Most women don't end up with the their childhood crush, most of the time they end up with someone who was always by their side and who they only now realize what they really feel for the person."
"What is she talking about?" thought Naruto
"I may not be an expert on the mind of a vixen but even I can tell she is talking about you." answered Kyuubi "She is flirting with you and judging from how she is acting it wouldn't take much for you to claim her."
"What?" asked Naruto "Claim her?"
"You know what it means, but you just don't want to believe that she actually cares for you." said Kyuubi "Because if you open up to her and later she leaves you would never forgive yourself. The thing is Kit; you have to risk being hurt to have happiness."
"Why are you suddenly so helpful?" asked Naruto
"If you think I am doing it just because I am kind then you're wrong." said Kyuubi "The happier you are with me the sooner I can be free from this prison."
"I see." thought Naruto
"Naruto?" asked Sakura as she looked at Naruto who seemed deep in thought.
"Even if we don't save Sasuke for you, we have to save him because he is our teammate." said Naruto "Remember what Kakashi-sensie always said."
"Thosewho abandon their comrades are worse than trash." answered Sakura with a slight smile "Just remember Sasuke isn't going to hold back, I want you to be safe."
A few feet away the avatar gang wasn't talking about Sasuke or Azula instead they were focused on the play itself. The general sense from all but Toph was that the only one who wasn't upset about how they were portrayed.
"Face it they may not have elegant but that you saw on stage was the truth." stated Toph as she defended the play which most of her friends seemly disapproved of if not hated.
"I am not like that." said Katara "I am not that bossy, motherly or that weak."
"Well they may have gone an over board a bit on the weak but the bossy and motherly they got right." admitted Sokka only to get a death glare from his sister.
"But I am not that kiddy." defended Aang
"Yes, you are." said Zuko "Just like I am just as I was that big as a jerk back then."
"Zuko is right." admitted Katara as she took a breath "Maybe we should see this as a chance to improve ourselves."
"Zuzu right about something?" laughed a voice as they looked to see Azula and Sasuke standing by the small staircase which led down to the level where the royal box was.
"Azula." stated Zuko as fire gathered around his fist, the rest of the avatar gang was in a defensive formation, luckily the rest of the floor was clear of people so on one else saw them.
"Relax brother if we wanted to fight we would have started fighting long time ago." said Azula as Sasuke just kept his eyes locked on Naruto.
'What are you playing at Sasuke?" asked Naruto
"In three days the comet comes and we will be in the fire nation capital." answered Sasuke as he gripped the handle of his snake sword "Be there and we will end it then and there."
"You there as well Brother and Avatar, we will end it all at once." Stated Azula
"Why not now? It isn't like you to wait." said Sakura
"Why?" asked Sasuke "Because when I kill dead last here I want him to know that there was nothing he could have done differently."
"He wants to crush his hope before he dies, just what Zuzu suggested we do to the Earth Kingdom." Stated Azula as everyone looked toward Zuko. "Oh didn't he tell you, he is the one who came up with our attack plan to bring down the Earth Kingdom and end this war once and for all."
"What?" asked Katara as she looked at Zuko.
"It happened during a meeting on the end game of the war. They asked if I had any insights on the Earth Kingdom people." explained Zuko as he lowered his head "I said as long as the people have hope they will never give in."
"That is why we will crush their hope by burning their country to the ground from our airships." explained Azula as she crossed her arms over her chest. "We will burn a scar across the land that will forever mark it as ours."
"You came up with this plan?" asked Suki
"His father twisted his words." defended Katara
"My brother has to be defended by a water tribe peasants how sad." said Azula as Sasuke eyed the two of them. "In fact if I didn't know better I would say there was something else there."
"I think we should be leaving the second act is going to start soon." explained Sasuke
"I agree." said Azula as she took Sasuke's hand as the two of them descended down the stairs "Enjoy the show brother; it will be the last one you ever see."
"Am I the only one who is more scared now because those two are seemly a couple now?" asked Sokka
"It's a lie; they are just setting us up." said Suki
"No, both their heart rates picked up when they touched." Explained Toph
"Well you can't tell when Azula is lying; it could still be a trick." Said Aang
"Their heart rate only picked up when they touched I am sorry but that was involuntary, they enjoyed each other's touch." Said Toph
"The issue isn't if they are together or not, it is what their game is." stated Katara "Why tell us their plan and invite us to stop them?"
"It can't be a trap because we know they will be there." said Sokka
"It's a trap." answered Sakura
"Why?" asked Suki "That doesn't make sense."
"In the ninja arts one of the hardest things to do is to set up a trap." said Naruto "It's easier if you know when and where your target will show up."
"And they just did that." said Sakura
"If we don't show then the Earth Kingdom gets destroyed." explained Suki
"And when we go Sasuke will be waiting with seals in place to do spirit knows what?" asked Sakura
"Come on let's get back to the show, before we miss me coming in." said Toph
"We have more problems to deal with than that." stated Zuko
"If we don't then Sasuke will probably show up again and this time he will do more than warn us." said Naruto "I would rather avoid a fight here….to many civilians that could get hurt."
"Then lets enjoy the show and deal with the problems after it." stated Toph as she rushed back into the theater box.
Well I hoped you liked this chapter, I know some may have wished for a longer chapter but I want to divide this up into three chapters, so you have to wait until next time. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and I ask that you keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75