The next three days passed uneventfully for Zuko. With both Mai and Akira ignoring him he found himself hanging out with Daichi at recess and kept to himself in class. Zuko was now just as angry at Akira as she was at him. This made her silent treatment a little easier, but Zuko was still bugged by her immatureness. Mai… well, Zuko was used to her silent treatments. She would loosen up in about a week, but until then she just acted like he was another classmate. Akira on the other hand went out her way to ignore him. She purposely sat with Tomoya on the other side of the room and wouldn't even look in Zuko's direction. She would take the long way around to the paper storage and ink cups so she didn't have to pass his desk and even when they were put in a group together she refused to acknowledge him. Finally on Friday after school Zuko couldn't take it anymore. It had been a week already and if she wanted to be angry with him fine, but she couldn't keep ignoring him. So on the way home he followed her at a relatively safe distance. After she turned the corner, he sprinted down the alley to his right and waited for her to appear on the other side. Zuko caught a glimpse of her through the windows of the building that separated them. She was headed towards him, carrying her school stuff in her arms. He tensed and waited for her to appear in front of him. As she turned the corner, she ran right into Zuko's waiting arms. He grabbed her and slapped his free hand over her mouth. She dropped her books in surprise and started to struggle. Akira twisted and turned in Zuko's grasp but he was too strong for her. He dragged her back into the ally and pinned her against the wall.
"Will you keep quiet if I let go of your mouth?" He asked her. She nodded in response and he loosened his grip. As soon as his hand left her lips she screamed. Zuko smacked his hand back over her mouth, a little harder than necessary. He glanced around and made sure no one heard her.
" Really? Look, I'm not gonna hurt you I just want to…" He began to hiss at her but was cut short by a painful kick to his shin. Zuko sucked in some air through his clenched teeth and then pressed Akira against the wall with even more force. "Look. I just want to talk to you but you keep running away. If you cooperate with me then neither of us will get hurt." Akira just glared at him and tried to free herself again. "Okay. We can do this two ways. I release you and then you listen to me and we can settle this like civilized people or I can tie you up and drag you to some hidden location and then you can listen to me there. You decide." Zuko stated and waited for Akira to respond. She gave him a rebellious glare then relaxed and dropped her gaze. He cautiously took his hand away, ready to react if she screamed again.
"Alright, let's hear what you have to say. And it better be good." Akira said. Zuko stepped back, realizing that she wasn't going to try and run away.
"Can we walk and talk? I want to show you something." He asked her.
"Uhh… sure, I guess. It will give me a chance to get the stuff I dropped when you attacked me." Akira answered, as she crossed her arms in annoyance.
"Hey, it got your attention didn't it?" Zuko joked with a smile, but only received a cold glare from Akira.
"Come on. Let's just go." Akira sighed as she disappeared around the corner. Zuko followed her for a second but quickly took the lead and they walked in silence. As they turned the corner Zuko finally broke the silence by clearing his throat.
"Okay." He started with a deep breath. "Before I apologize I would like to know what I did to receive such a harsh silent treatment." Akira looked up in surprise and then her expression fell to an almost depressed look. The fire in her eyes died and she dropped her posture. Zuko expected her to react with the same violence as before and was shocked to see her look so, spiritless. It was like all of the fight had drained out of her and had left her vulnerable and depressed. Akira looked up at him with sad eyes and held his gaze. They stopped walking and stood in the street. A single tear ran down the side of her cheek. She looked small and insignificant, defeated. Zuko wrapped her in a hug and held her close to his chest.
"Shhh…" He soothed. "It's okay…"
"I hate you so much." Akira mumbled as she rested her head in the crook of his neck and wrapped her arms around his upper torso. "You hurt me and scared me. I was afraid that Arashi was going to actually try to get his revenge, but that didn't scare me nearly as much as how easily you played with my feelings. I never expected it. That's why I hate you. You can be so cold and unfeeling. Even when I first met you, I thought you were actually going to kill me. And when we argued and you told me that Arashi's fist could really do some damage… you never even hesitated. Never stopped to think about how much that would hurt me. That's why I ignored you. I didn't want to become friends with someone who can do or say things without feeling guilty about it. I've been through that already and I don't want to go through it again. The hardest part is I really like the rest of you, but I don't know if I can… If…" Akira finished and mumbled the last sentence through tears. She buried her head deeper into his neck and dug her nails into his back. Zuko could feel her tears start to pool by his collar bone and then trickle down towards his arm. He pressed the side of his face in her hair and held her tight.
"I'm sorry… but, I want you to know that I do feel guilty when I hurt you. Ever since my mom died, I've hid my emotions from everybody. I've built up a wall to protect me from Azula, my dad, people who pity me… I guess that's why I look like I don't feel anything. Truth is… that fight with you… it tore me apart." Zuko finished and released Akira when she raised her head to look him in the eye. When their eyes met there was no more anger or sadness, only friendship and a mutual understanding between them. Zuko sighed and with a smile, squeezed her once more before releasing her completely. Akira returned his small smile, then once again grabbed her books and they walked down the street in silence.
They walked up to the palace, but before the entrance Zuko grabbed Akira's hand and pulled her the other direction.
"Whoa… Where are we going?" Akira said surprised.
"You'll see." Zuko grinned mischievously. "Go ahead and drop your books here. We can get them later." Akira rolled her eyes and sighed, but followed his instructions. They walked around the outside of the palace and soon walked single file along a path that had been cut into the bushes. After a while the trail started to ascend at a rapid rate. Soon the path was pretty much nonexistent and they were climbing on the steep, rocky side of the crater. Akira slipped and luckily Zuko shot his hand out and grabbed her arm. She thanked him with a glare for getting her into this in the first place and continued climbing. Akira slipped once again, this time skinning her knee on the jagged side of the crater. She winced in pain as she dragged herself up to the fairly large ledge that jutted out above her. She sat on the edge and checked her bloodied knee.
"Okay… Why are we climbing up here? We've been climbing for almost two hours now Zuko. Couldn't you have picked an easier place to get to?" Akira sighed impatiently, leaning against the rock wall behind her.
"I promise I will be worth it when we get to the top." Zuko smiled.
"The top! Zuko! Have you completely lost it?! There's no way we can climb to the top even if we wanted to! The rock is vertical at the top… or haven't you noticed." Akira snapped at her companion.
"Oh, come on. I didn't think you would be scared… that's no fun." Zuko taunted as he pulled himself up to the next foothold.
"Shut up! I'm not scared! I'm just pointing out the obvious… five more feet up and you will be attempting to scale a vertical wall with no footholds. Then again, I'm not one to underestimate the power of your stupidness." Akira growled as she scrunched up closer to the wall, shrinking away from the steep drop in front of her.
"Ha ha…" Zuko gave a little sarcastic laugh as he rolled his eyes. "Just come up here… I've got something to show you."
"Right. Because there are so many interesting things up there." Akira shot back, exaggerating her own eye roll.
"Come on Akira…" Zuko pleaded, his voice suddenly lower, sweeter; more sincere. "If you come up here… I'll… I'll get the cook to make fire flakes for you!" Akira sighed and then slowly stood up and grabbed one of the small rocks that jutted out. With one pull, she gracefully slid up to Zuko's height. She stood right next to him on the same small ledge he was on and then smiled sweetly.
"How did you know fire flakes were my favorite?"
"Lucky guess." Zuko laughed.
"Okay, what on earth did you want to show me?" Akira asked.
"Well… how about a way to get to the top?" Zuko smirked as he lifted his right hand. A part of a rope was wrapped around his fist. It looked very worn and dirty, but secure and strong at the same time. A large knot was tied at the end and the end was frayed and caked with dirt. Akira's eyes widened in surprise.
"Where did you get that?" She asked, her face twisted in confusion and she cocked her head to one side. Zuko leaned back and let the smirk grow wider. Akira just stared at him with a puzzled look and waited for him to answer her question. Zuko leaned a little farther back, now letting the rope support his weight. Akira's eyes widened once again and she saw Zuko look over his shoulder down the cliff side. She followed his gaze and what she saw made her tighten her already fierce grip on the rock ledges. The climb they had just made was even more intimidating looking down at it than looking up at it. She shut her eyes as she moved closer to the rock that she was suspended from. Zuko laughed as Akira glared daggers at his head. Suddenly his eyes sparkled mischievously and he crouched close to the ground. Akira continued glaring at him until she realized what he was about to do. She let out a surprised shout and shot her hand out towards him, but her grasp just met thin air. She was too slow, Zuko had already jumped.
Zuko let out a carefree laugh as he swung through the air over to a larger ledge. He loved this part of the climb to the top the best. Flying through the air was a rush that he couldn't get from anything else. It was like all his worries and hates blew past him with the wind that howled in his ears and disappeared from his life. Another ledge jutted out in front of Zuko and was rapidly approaching. He swung his legs up and they connected with the top of the ledge. Using his momentum he pulled the rest of his body up and soon found himself crouching on the larger ledge. He was careful not to let go of the rope as he slowly turned and stood. He looked across the large space he had just crossed and smiled when he saw Akira's face. Ha! She looks like she just saw a spirit! Zuko thought as he studied her frightened expression. All of the blood had drained away form he face, leaving a pale ghostly like complexion. Suddenly her cheeks flushed to a dark pink and her face twisted into anger.
"ZUKO! You are SO going to pay for that!" She yelled at him.
"Oh yeah? Well I guess you're gonna have to wait because you're probably too scared to even think about crossing!" Zuko laughed as swung the rope to her. Akira caught it deftly and gave him a defiant glare. She gave him a cocky smirk and jumped. As soon as she started to swing though, her smug expression disappeared and it was replaced with pure terror. She let out an ear-splitting scream as she flew through the air. Zuko waited for her on the other side and when she came close to the ledge he reached out and grabbed her arm. With a grunt he pulled her up to the ledge. She immediately let go of the rope and sat on the ledge gasping for breath. Zuko had to stumble over her in order to grab the rope that was slowly sliding back towards the edge. He managed to wrap his fingers around the thick rope but, with his hand entangled in the rope, he lost his balance and fell back over the ledge. He reacted quickly, using his free hand to grab the rope as he swung back over the gorge cut out of the rock. As he swung through the air the only rush he got this time was fright. He looked over his shoulder and realized that the other side was coming up quicker than he expected. Zuko turned away and tensed, getting ready for the unavoidable impact. He clenched his teeth as he slammed into the side of the rock with his shoulder. In the hang time, he flailed his feet around, desperately searching for something to grab hold of. Luckily his feet found solid ground before he was thrown back over the gorge and he righted himself and grabbed the rock wall. Breathing heavily Zuko winced in pain as he tried to rotate his shoulder. Okay… It 's just a bruise. Nothing worse. He reassured himself.
"Are you okay?" Akira's concerned yell reached him. He rolled his neck and moved his arms in a couple of circles, attempting to shake off the pain. Through clenched teeth he nodded his head and re-positioned his grip on the rope. He winced in pain as he jumped for a second time. This time he only concentrated on getting to the other side and ignoring his various aches and pains. Once Zuko had successfully landed on the other side, he quickly looped the rope around two metal posts that had been pounded into the rock. Akira idmmediatly stepped up to him and began to check him over for injuries. His hands felt like they were on fire and when she grabbed one to look at his palms he cried out in pain. Zuko could hear her quickly suck in some air through clenched teeth when she inspected his hands. He looked down and groaned when he saw the two bloodied messes that were once his unblemished palms. The rope had cut into his skin and the sharp rocks he had been forced to grab just added to the damage. He gently extracted his hands from Akira's and pressed them against the legs of his pants. The silk was soft and cool against the cuts and soaked up most of the blood. He was left with handprints in the middle of his thighs, but that didn't matter. The pants were old anyways. Zuko finally looked up and met Akira's concerned eyes. He gave a small smile and then started to laugh. Akira suddenly started to laugh as well and soon they were both leaning against the wall laughing their heads off.
"Don't ever do that again!" Akira scolded suddenly serious.
"I didn't do it for fun idiot." Zuko shot back. "If I hadn't grabbed the rope we would've been stuck up here!"
"Oh. Sorry." Akira mumbled, realizing her mistake. Zuko rolled his eyes and then slowly stood up and started climbing up the rock again. He placed each foot in little caves that had been carved out of the rock. Their floors dipped down, so they served as holds for his hands as well. Zuko winced as the bare rock pressed against his raw palms, but he swallowed the pain down and kept climbing. After he was about two feet above Akira's head she followed him without any questions. They slowly made their way up the cliff wall and right when Zuko started to get tired he saw the next ledge. He quickly grabbed the edge and pulled his body up, over the top. He turned and helped Akira up and then grabbed the next rope. Akira groaned and flopped down on the rock with her legs dangling over the edge.
"Can we just rest a couple minutes?" She asked, giving Zuko a pleading look. He sighed and re-wrapped the rope around the rock. He turned and sat next to Akira. They sat in silence for a couple minutes, taking in the view before them. The entire city looked miniature, the people like ants. The three small lake's surfaces glimmered and sparkled in the sunlight. The smaller houses on the outskirts of town were hidden by the shadow of the crater edges, but the inner city house's red roofs shone, and reflected the hot sun. The palace was in the center of a large, protective wall. Two entrances had guards placed at them and more guards stood at the entrances to the actual palace. The intricate gold designs that decorated the palace roof were blinding from the reflections. Zuko saw small bursts of fire come from within the palace's inner courtyard. Azula must be practicing. He thought. Servants and maids scurried around, sometimes disappearing in and out of the back door of the palace. A beautiful carriage pulled up to the first gate. Pausing only for a minute, the guards checked it off and sent it on to the larger palace entrance. There must be a war meeting. Zuko thought jealously. He had always wanted to attend one, but he wasn't supposed to have anything to do with the war until he turned fourteen. I think that rule is stupid. I'm going to be a soldier once I turn sixteen anyways. Why can't I start learning about it now? Actually, I'll start out as a captain since I'm the prince, and I'll probably be promoted to upper ranks quickly. Therefore I should learn everything possible right now, so I know what I'm doing when I get to be in command of a whole army. Zuko reasoned with himself. He smiled at his future. He would be the general of the entire army, or maybe the admiral of the entire navy! And after that… once his father died, he would be Firelord Zuko. Ruler of the Fire Nation. I will have the ultimate say in things, people will bow down to me and cater to my every command. I will be the one that sits in the throne with my fire surrounding me, rising and falling with my every emotion. And the best part, oh the best part… Azula will be forced to bow down to me. I will have more power than her, and even if she is better at everything, I am going to be the Firelord. I will get the higher position of power eventually and there's nothing she can do about it. No amount of firebending, or perfectness can give her the ultimate seat of power. She's the princess, I'm the prince. I will be the Firelord and nothing will deny me my birthright. Zuko looked over at Akira and touched her arm. She jumped a little as if he had pulled her out of a day dream. He smiled and slowly got up and stretched. Then without a word of warning Akira jumped up and grabbed the rope. She gave Zuko a quick mischievous smile then jumped. Her laughter echoed off the rock walls and the sun shone on her, giving her skin a healthy glow. Zuko smiled when he saw the pure joy on her face. He watched as she gracefully twisted her body up and landed on the other side. When she turned, all trace of the fear she had expressed at the last jump was gone and it was replaced with a huge grin. She swung the rope back across to Zuko and he caught it wincing a little as the rope pressed against his palms. He tried to ignore it, and jumped. As he swung though the air, all the pain disappeared and he felt the exhilaration push its way up through his core. Soon he reached the other side and as he let go of the rope and wrapped it around a rock, his hands started to bleed again.
"Dammit." He cursed softly as the crimson blood ran down his hands and flowed onto his wrists. Akira looked at him with concern.
"You need to wrap something around those." She said as she took his hands and looked them over. "Otherwise they are just going to keep splitting open." Zuko sighed and looked around, hopelessly searching for a piece of cloth. Obviously finding nothing he let out another sigh and pulled his shirt over his head. He tried to rip some strips off it but his bloodied fingertips screamed in protest. Akira took the shirt from him and quickly tore the fabric into long strips.
"Hold out your hands." She instructed. Zuko did as he was told and started to tell her how to wrap the cloth around his hands.
"Okay, start on the back and then wrap it around the palm fir…"
I know how to do it." Akira cut him off. Zuko watched with surprise as she expertly bound his hands tightly, but loose enough to be able to bend them. Then instead of finishing the wrap and ripping off the extra fabric as Zuko would have done she continued down his wrist and tied it off about halfway down his arm.
"Why'd you do that?" Zuko asked.
"I'll help keep it on better." Akira replied. "Give me your other hand." She quickly repeated her procedure on his left hand and then stepped back and inspected her work. She had wrapped his palms and then once around the base of his thumbs and then around his wrists. Instead of a knot at the end she had twisted the fabric through itself a couple times then pulled it tight.
"How'd you learn to do that?" Zuko asked her amazed. "I thought you weren't so good with the whole treatment of wounds stuff."
"Eh, growing up with your mom as the town nurse taught me how to wrap up quite a few injuries. I'm just a wimp when it comes to my own injuries. Other people's injuries… no big deal." Akira replied with a smile.
"Oh, well thanks. Okay, it's not long now; we're almost to the top." Zuko said as he started to climb up the next set of 'steps'.
"Who built all this?" Akira asked as they reached the next ledge.
"My Uncle Iroh, my cousin Lou Ten and I built it one summer. No one else knows about it." Zuko explained as he got ready to jump across. They both crossed and as they started climbing up again.
"Lou Ten and I come up here and just hang out. Well, before he joined the army…" Zuko started again. "We were best friends, but after he left for the army, well, we pretty much lost contact." Why didn't you tell her the truth. Why didn't you tell her Lou Ten's dead… A small voice scolded Zuko in his head.
"Oh, I'm sorry. It's always hard to be separated from your best friend. I know how hard it is." Akira replied. "Hotaru and I were best friends, but I haven't had a chance to even write her a letter since we got here." They climbed the rest of the way up in silence, each lost in their own memories.
"Okay, this is the last jump." Zuko told Akira before he jumped. Akira watched him swing over the gorge and land on the other side with ease. He is actually really built for a twelve year old. Akira thought seeing his upper arm muscles flex to hold him up on the rope. There was no trace of fat on him, but he wasn't totally skinny either. He's so much hotter than the guys back home. Hotaru would have probably passed out by now. Akira thought smiling to herself as she remembered her friend's dramatic reactions to a shirtless guy. Zuko turned and smiled a perfect set of white teeth as he swung the rope back over to Akira. After seeing his face, Akira quickly remembered who she was thinking about, after catching the rope she gave her head a shake in an attempt to rid her mind of any thoughts of Zuko being anything more than a friend and then jumped. She swung through the air, and quickly landed next to Zuko. He gave her a quick smile then led the way up the last climb. Zuko is my friend, no more. And even if I wanted him to be more than a friend… it wouldn't work. He's the Fire Nation Prince and I'm just… I'm just an insignificant citizen. I'm not even sure if I'm considered a citizen. After all, I've got earth kingdom blood in me as well, but no one will ever know that. Mom would be arrested if anyone ever found out that my grandparents weren't true fire nation. They only posed as fire nation so they could live in the safety of the colonies. Only Dad, Ryu, Mom and my grandparents know our true family heritage, and I intend to keep it that way. She thought as she climbed higher.
Zuko reached the top. He pulled himself up and over the lip of the crater and he landed with a soft thud on the other side. He stood on a wide ledge that had a shallow cave carved into the side of the crater. He looked up and saw Akira peer cautiously over the lip before following him. He laughed as her face quickly changed from concern, to surprise, to delight, almost all at once. Soon she was standing next to him, looking out over the island before them. The main island of the fire nation was spread out before them. They faced west, away from the main harbor and looked over the smaller villages and farms at the base of the volcano. The slope of the volcano was steep and as Zuko looked over the edge, it dropped away from the ledge at about a 120o angle. Not quite as steep as the slope they had just climbed up, but steep enough to cause him to watch his feet. He looked over at Akira, whose eyes were wide, taking in the scene before them. The warm ocean breeze floated past them, taking the edge off of the scorching sun. Zuko took a deep breath and filled his lungs with the clean, fresh air. It made him feel so care free and alive. It also reminded him of Ember Island; the island that his family vacationed every summer. Well, we used to go every summer, before mom died. He thought. Suddenly the feeling of freedom vanished and all his troubles returned. He sat down and leaned against the wall behind him, closing his eyes as if blocking all of the painful memories of his mother's death. Akira noticed his sudden change of mood and sat down next to him. She smiled and closed her eyes, letting her already tan skin absorb the heat rays. She let out a soft sigh and relaxed all of her muscles, letting those take in the heat as well. They were already sore and stiff from the hard climb up. It was definatly worth it though. She thought.
Zuko had opened his eyes and was now studying Akira. Her dark hair was accented with its beautiful reddish glow and Zuko wondered where she had got it from. I've never seen it before. I've only seen true black, brown, dark brown, and extremely dark brown, like mine, in the fire nation. His thoughts drifted away, but soon fell into his favorite fantasy of Firelord Zuko. He suddenly remembered the conversation that he had with Lou Ten in this exact spot two years ago.
"So Zuko… Do you like any girls in your class?" Lou Ten asked with a teasing grin on his face.
"Girls? Gross!" Zuko replied giving his cousin a small shove, but a small smile played on his face as he tried to duck Lou Ten's hand whapping the top of his head.
"Come on Zuko! You must like one of them! You're gonna have to get used to them eventually. After all, you have royal blood. The ladies aren't gonna be able to get enough of you!" Lou Ten threw his hands in the air, trying to make it sound more exciting.
"Yeah, yeah, you're gonna be Firelord someday… It's different for you." Zuko said, trying to distract his cousin and get him to change subjects.
"Firelord or not… As long as you have royal blood the ladies are gonna wantcha." Lou Ten said, putting his arm around his younger cousin. He waved his hand in an arc before them as he continued. "Just think, your gonna step out of the carriage and hundreds of girls will be screaming your name. Zuko! Zuko! Marry me Zuko!" He squealed in a high pitched voice. Zuko finally laughed and joined in.
"So, what's your perfect girl Lou Ten?" He asked his older cousin.
"Well little cousin, my perfect girl is a nice down to earth girl that isn't afraid to get in trouble sometimes and have some fun. One that isn't obsessed with all the fancy clothes and stuff, but loves me for who I am, not because I'm Firelord. Unfortunately, that probably won't happen. I will marry whoever my father thinks is best fit. Or rather, whoever Firelord Azulon thinks is fit. So, in this case, you're in a better position. You won't be forced to marry strictly according to politics." Lou Ten finished, his usual playful expression, hardened and serious.
"Oh." Zuko replied, not sure how to react to his cousin's speech.
As Zuko remembered his past conversations with his cousin, he also remembered the only reason he was now going to be Firelord someday was that Lou Ten died in a battle not too long ago. It left his uncle with no heirs and in a somewhat broken state. Ozai used this to convince Firelord Azulon to overlook the birthright and give the throne to him instead of Iroh. After that things happened fast. Azulon died in his sleep and Mom died the next morning, Ozai became Firelord and Zuko a prince. All these memories ran through his head quickly, he pushed them away and focused back on the original topic, marriage. Zuko, now twelve, had thought of girls as pretty, even going so far as thinking of what it would be like to kiss one, but marriage… no. Who would be the obvious choice? Mai. She comes from an important family and, well I kinda have a feeling she likes me. I mean, she blushes every time we touch and that other night when I didn't have my shirt on… man. I'm pretty sure she could have given a tomato a run for its money. He laughed to himself, remembering Mai's deep red cheeks when she first walked in.
"Whatcha laughin about?" Akira asked breaking Zuko away from his thoughts.
"Eh, nothing." Zuko replied, suddenly remembering his current lack of a shirt. Akira didn't even blink when I took my shirt off. He realized with a little bit of disappointment.
"Aw come on! Tell me!" Akira whined as she gave him a little shove.
"Nah." Zuko shrugged her off.
"Okay…" Akira sighed, obviously disappointed.
"So, have you met Mai and Ty Lee yet?" Zuko asked, trying to change the subject.
"Yeah. Ty Lee is okay, but Mai… well I don't think she likes me very much." Akira responded.
"Oh, well Mai is kinda like that. She's not very exciting, but once you get used to her she's cool." Zuko explained.
"Well, she… she kinda yelled at me for taking her pen. I didn't mean to…" Akira started.
"Wait… Mai, yelled at you? For taking her pen? I've known her my entire life and so far she's only yelled at me twice. Once for almost burning her by accident and another for me, well being stupid. But you haven't even known her for more than two weeks and she already yelled at you? That's crazy!" Zuko babbled on, trying to make sense of what Akira just told him. Mai never yelled at anyone. "What the hell is wrong with her?" He murmured under his breath.
"Zuko! You don't have to swear about it. I just told you she doesn't like me, therefore, her yelling at me isn't much of a surprise." Akira scolded him.
"Okay, Okay. I'm just surprised. That's all." Zuko explained. Akira rolled her eyes and looked back out over the island. The sun was getting lower in the sky and Akira watched it nervously. She definatly didn't want to try and climb back down the crater wall in the dark.
"Hey Zuko, shouldn't we go back? It's gonna get dark soon."
"And not watch the sunset? That's the best part! You can never see a good sunset from the palace!" Zuko exclaimed looking at her with surprise.
"Well it's just… I don't really want to climb back down in the dark." Akira admitted.
"We'll be fine. Trust me." Zuko smiled.
"Are you sure? I mean it was a pretty hard climb up…" Akira tried again.
"Akira! I'm beginning to think you just don't want to spend a sunset with me!" Zuko joked.
"Okay. Fine, but if I slip, fall and die because of your stupid sunset I hope you feel bad about it." Akira pouted. Zuko laughed and slid close to her. He put his arm around her and gave her a quick hug.
"I won't ever let anything happen to you." He whispered in her ear. Akira looked up in surprise. Zuko smiled and his eyes glowed with warmth. "You are my best friend, and I wouldn't ever let you slip, fall or die."
"When did I become your best friend Prince Zuko?" Akira asked with a small smile. "As far as I know, we've only known each other for about two weeks, and I didn't speak to you for one of the weeks."
"Promise you won't think I'm being silly… or stupid?" Zuko asked Akira with a serious tone.
"Of course, why would I think you're being stupid?" Akira asked, now serious as well.
"Because… because the last time I tried to explain my feelings for a best friend, she didn't listen and… never mind. Forget it." Zuko started, but cut himself off.
"It's okay. I'll listen. And I promise not to laugh, or call you stupid, or anything like that." Akira promised, quickly giving him a hug. It felt weird to feel bare skin pressed against her cheek as she laid her head in the crook of his neck, but it was also kind of nice. His throat vibrated against her head as he spoke.
"Alright, I think the reason Mai doesn't like you is, she's always been my best girl-friend, if you know what I mean, and she has been my best friend ever since Lou Ten left. Now that you've come into my life, you've kinda replaced her. I mean, we even had a little fight about me being friends with you… and well, I guess she's kinda right. You have replaced her." Zuko paused for a second, feeling Akira tense up at his words. "But the thing is, I don't mind it. Mai has always been a great listener, and she's fun to talk to… but you're fun to talk to and do stuff with. For example, Mai would have turned around as soon as we started climbing up here. You on the other hand, trusted me and followed me all the way up here even thought you had no idea what was at the top. And you have a ton more personality." Zuko smiled and gave her a squeeze around her shoulders. "What I'm gonna say next is true. All of it." Zuko warned Akira before continuing. She nodded and let him start again. "You are the most headstrong, most amazing, and most beautiful girl I've ever met in my entire life. You bring out the best in people and to be honest, you're the only person I've met, besides my mother, who can actually bring the true Zuko out." Akira smiled as she recognized her words from the conversation she had with him on their first day of school together. "You know, the Zuko that isn't the fire prince, destined to someday rule the Fire Nation. When I'm with you… I feel at peace with myself, which is a rare feeling. That's why you're my best friend." Zuko finished.
"Zuko, that's the nicest thing anyone's ever told me." Akira whispered. "And just so you know, you're the most undecided, most impulsive, and most amazing guy I've ever met. And that's why you're my best friend."
They sat in silence as the sun slowly sunk down until it was swallowed by the ocean. The clouds above were still painted with color, but even those were fading slightly.
"Thank you for sharing this place with me Zuko. It's really beautiful." Akira whispered.
"You're welcome. If you ever want to come up here, just ask and we can come back." Zuko replied. Slowly he removed his arm from around her and stood up. He stretched and then helped Akira to her feet. They stood for a minute more, watching the colors slowly disappear into darkness.
Zuko and Akira stood on the ledge for a minute longer, but soon turned and climbed back over the edge of the volcano crater. When they landed on the other side, it was pitch black. Akira gave a little squeak of fear when she almost stepped over the edge and a shatter of rocks tumbled down the steep rock face. Zuko grabbed her arm and pulled her back, away from the dangerous drop-off.
"Okay, this is nuts. There's no way we're gonna make it down without light." Akira decided.
"Well, I can make light if you need light." Zuko laughed, holding a palmful of fire in his left hand. The left hand's makeshift bandage hung from his right fist, unwrapped to allow his hand the freedom to firebend.
"Whoa! That's so cool!" Akira exclaimed. "I've never seen a kid bend fire… but then again, you are the fire prince, so I guess that would make sense." Zuko let out a short laugh.
"Yeah, most kids can't actually firebend 'till they're almost fifteen. With the right training though, you can bring it out faster." He explained. "And yeah, as fire prince… I started training at age three."
"Oh, well which is your main weapon? Firebending or broad swords?" Akira asked.
"Uh, firebending… and could you keep the broad swords a secret? I'm actually not supposed to have them." Zuko grinned sheepishly while he rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand.
"Definatly. You should have told me earlier." Akira scolded. "Okay, can we get going? My mom is gonna rip the city apart looking for me if we aren't back soon."
"Yup. Follow me." Zuko said as he grabbed the rope and swung across. Once he landed on the other side, the flame in his hand doubled in size and lit up the entire section of the cliff. He threw the rope back to Akira who caught the rope and swung across as well. They slowly picked their way back down, Akira always close behind Zuko. Once they reached the end of the steep part, Zuko put out his flame and they were surrounded by darkness. After a minute or two their eyes adjusted to the darkness and they started back towards the palace.
"Where have you two been?!" Mayumi exclaimed when Zuko and Akira walked through the front gates of the palace.
"We were just exploring Mom." Akira replied, rolling her eyes. "Zuko was just showing me some parts of the city that I haven't gotten to see yet. Like… like the library!" Zuko bit his lip to keep himself from bursting with laughter.
"Well next time you decide to go exploring, feel free to tell me before hand!" Mayumi said, killing Akira's excuse with one sarcastic comment. She turned on her heel, obviously miffed with her daughter, and walked back towards the wing of the palace that Akira's family was currently staying in. "Be home before midnight Akira!" She called over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner. Zuko and Akira quickly exchanged looks then burst out laughing.
"Wow. Your mom was really cool about that. If my mom had caught us she would have probably sent you off with a scolding about how you shouldn't be hanging out with guys past dark and then dragged me up to my room by my ear!" Zuko laughed.
"Seriously?" Akira asked after catching her breath. "I guess my mom has a little bit more relaxed parenting habits, huh?"
"Definatly." Zuko replied. "Both my parents were pretty strict."
"Well, my father isn't so relaxed. If he hears that I was out with you this late, especially without your shirt… well it won't be good." Akira laughed. Zuko suddenly stopped laughing and his forehead wrinkled as he furrowed his eyebrows in worry.
"Wait. He doesn't trust me?"
"Umm… well. It's not that he doesn't trust you… it's just…"
"Just what?"
"It's just he doesn't want us to get close and then…"
"Then what?! Get married?! Akira, we're twelve… not exactly thinking about getting married yet."
"Zuko! Will you stop jumping to conclusions!" Akira snapped. Zuko shut his mouth and waited for her to continue. "He… he doesn't want us to become friends or even more then friends, because in the end, when we're older; we… we can't be together Zuko. Even just as friends. You'll be the Firelord… and I'll just be an old general's daughter who grew up in the Colonies."
Akira's words echoed through Zuko's head and made him feel sick to his stomach. Just when I find a friend that seems to truly understand me… I find out she'll be ripped away, just like Lou Ten was.
"Why?" Zuko heard himself whisper.
"Don't you get it Zuko?! I'm just an insignificant colony peasant, and you're the fire prince!" Akira yelled once again. She was angry at the world for being unfair, angry at Zuko for being the fire prince, and most of all angry with her secret heritage that kept her from feeling like she truly belonged somewhere.
"Akira!" A voice sounded through the palace calling the girl home.
"See ya' Zuko." Akira mumbled as she brushed past the prince. Zuko mumbled a sound in response and stalked off in the opposite direction. He made his way quickly down the hall towards the courtyard in which all the fighting was practiced. He entered and stood in the doorway for a minute. Zuko's clenched fists started to smoke. Stupid stump. He thought as he lit a stump on fire with a powerful punch. Stupid bush. Stupid sign. Stupid straw thing. Soon the entire courtyard was lit up by small bonfires. Zuko watched as the flames licked around the straw figure's head, slowly consuming it. Parts of charred straw and ash fell from it like black snow. Zuko sat and watched his fire eat away at the objects, slowly diminishing them to a fine ash. He thought about Akira. How perfect this afternoon had been. When she laughed, the way her face lit up as she swung through the air, and how her head had fit perfectly into his shoulder… how all the colors of the sunset reflected in her hair, and those beautiful eyes...
Zuko sighed and leaned against the doorframe behind him. He watched the fires slowly die, and felt his own consciousness start to die as well. Soon he was fast asleep, sitting in the doorway, his head lolled to one side and his fingers limp.
"Zuko… Zuko! Wake up!" A voice startled him out of his dream. Zuko jumped up and frantically looked around.
"Wha…? Who?" He asked quickly taking the scene in around him. Lily stood in front of him with an amused expression. Dawn was creeping closer, the sky pink with fluffy clouds above.
"Ugh… What time is it?" He asked rubbing the back of his stiff neck.
"Time for you to get up." Lily teased. "What are you doing out here anyways?"
"I… I kinda stayed out late and I guess I never made it up to my room…" Zuko explained as he stretched out his back and legs. "Okay… the ground is NOT comfortable!" He complained. Lily laughed and set her basket of clothes that she was carrying to the side.
"Here, this usually helps crack your back." She laid on her back and with a push, arched her back into a bridge. Zuko tried to copy her, but fell over with his legs trapped beneath him. Lily laughed, causing her to fall as well. They both laid on the ground for a couple minutes laughing and trying to untangle themselves. Lily finally got up and helped Zuko to his feet.
"Okay, not trying that again." Zuko laughed.
"I hope not!" Lily exclaimed.
"So what are you doing here anyways?" Zuko asked.
"Oh, I was just passing by and I happened to glance in here. You however were the last person I thought I'd find in here though!" She replied.
"And you were the last person I thought I'd find speaking to the Fire prince in that tone." Another voice added.
"Mai! What are you doing here?" Zuko asked as he whipped around to find her casually leaning against the wall, twirling a knife between her fingers.
"A better question would be, what are you doing hanging out with a servant girl?" She shot back icily as she slipped up next to him.
"Um… I should go. Good day Prince Zuko, Miss Mai." Lily bowed before quickly grabbing her basket and rushing down the hall. Zuko whipped around and faced Mai.
"What was that all about?" He demanded.
"Oh I don't know. I guess I'm trying to figure out why you're out here at the crack of dawn with no shirt on playing with one of the maid's helpers." Mai responded sarcastically. "Honestly Zuko. I don't know what's gotten into you lately."
"Okay… I'll admit. It looks a bit sketchy, but I got home late last night and I never made it back up to my room." Zuko explained.
"Right… so why did you end up here?" Mai quizzed.
"Um… I, I don't remember. But my shirt's right here!" Zuko quickly changed the subject, raising his arm with the shirt on it. Oh, maybe that wasn't the best distraction. He thought as he saw a heavy layer of blood crusted on the bandage and sticking to his palm.
"What happened?" Mai asked a hint of worry in her voice.
"Um… I was climbing a tree and I fell, but I grabbed the branch. Therefore, ripping my palms to shreds but it saved me a broken arm." Zuko lied.
"Oh. I'm sorry. Here, let me look at it." Mai fretted over him and began to unwrap the blood crusted shirt from Zuko's arm. Ha! She believed me! Point for Zuko!
"Ow! Ow! Mai! Stop!" Zuko cried as Mai poked around the wounds and looked for any serious damage.
"Stop being such a wuss." She scolded him. "It doesn't look too bad. Go have the doctor look at it though."
"Okay!" Zuko quickly replied as he jumped at the chance to escape. "See you later Mai!" he called over his shoulder before disappearing down the hall. That was close. Mai would have been pissed if she found out that I had been with Akira last night. He thought to himself.
A couple hours later Zuko sat on the edge of his bed inspecting his hands. The doctor had washed them out and then put some funny smelling cream on them. They felt better, except they would still take a couple days at least to heal.
"Knock Knock!" A cheery voice called outside his door.
"Come in." Zuko sighed. Ty Lee burst through the door, cartwheeling across the room. She landed effortlessly and then walked on her hands to where Zuko sat.
"Hi Zuko! How are your hands?" She asked.
"Eh… could be better." Zuko mumbled.
"Oh. Well do you want to go play?" Ty Lee asked. She looked like she was about to pop from excitement. Her teeth bit her bit her bottom lip, keeping any words from slipping out and she bounced slightly, rocking the entire bed.
"Fine…" Zuko reluctantly agreed, trying to bite back a smile as Ty Lee leapt into the air and squealed with joy.
"Yay!" She exclaimed. "Come on Zuko!" Ty Lee grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room.
"OW! Careful with the hands Ty Lee!" Zuko yelled, wrenching his hand from her grasp.
"Sorry." She apologized. "Come on! I have a surprise!" Zuko sighed and followed her out to the entrance of the palace. She tied a cloth around his eyes and Zuko let himself be guided through the palace gates. Ty Lee pulled off the blindfold and Zuko blinked a couple times, clearing the intense sunlight from his eyes.
"Ta da!" Ty Lee's high voice rang though the air. A pair of black ostrich horses stood in the sun, their soft feathers glowing in the heat. They both wore deep red velvet saddles with gold accents along the edges. A servant stood between them, holding their reins. Zuko looked over to Ty Lee in confusion. Since when does she ride ostrich horses? He asked himself. Ty Lee just smiled in return and then looked the other way. Zuko sighed. Suddenly, one of the ostrich horses raised its head and perked its ears. It looked past Zuko towards the gates and whinnied. The massive creature pawed at the ground, causing the servant to jump away from the powerful legs. Tossing its head the animal knocked the servant off his feet. It galloped past Zuko and knocked him to the side. Ty Lee caught him and tried to keep him from falling but Zuko's larger weight dragged them both down. A cloud of dust puffed around them as they hit the dirt. Zuko swore softly, but quickly rolled off Ty Lee and helped her to her feet. She glared at him but Zuko ignored her and dusted himself off. A laugh broke the silence and Zuko whipped around to see who dared to laugh at the Fire Prince. Akira stood in the clearing holding the animal that had just knocked Zuko down. The ostrich horse had its head lowered and seemed to be purring in delight. Akira rubbed the creature under its chin and ran her fingers through its forelock. She was laughing, her eyes sparking with amusement.
"Well, I was going to invite you to go for a ride with me… but based on that clumsy performance, I don't know if you'll even be able to get in the saddle." She joked, her voice light and playful.
"Okay, I'll see you around Akira." Ty lee said as she walked back to the palace.
"Thanks again Ty Lee!"Akira yelled over her shoulder as she walked up to Zuko and handed him the reins of the ostrich horse. "Here, Morio should behave just fine. I'll take Mirai." Akira walked over to the servant who was holing Mirai and took the reins. Akira gracefully mounted the ostrich horse and rode back over to Zuko. "Come on. We don't have all day you know." She teased. Zuko smirked back and swung himself into the saddle flawlessly.
"Clumsy?" He asked her with a superior tone. "I believe you meant graceful." He studied her for a second with a serious expression. Akira cocked an eyebrow and let a smirk take her lips. She rode past him, never dropping his gaze. As soon as she had reached Morio's rear, Akira shot her hand out and smacked him.
"Whoa!" Zuko yelled as Morio bolted, almost throwing Zuko backwards. Zuko grabbed a fistful of the creature's feathers and fought to stay on. He finally managed to regain his balance and pull Morio to a halt. At the same instant Akira flew by on Mirai, spooking Morio. Morio jumped to the side but Zuko just urged him forward with a yell and a kick to his sides. Morio shot forward and quickly caught up to Akira and Mirai. Akira looked to her side in surprise and found Zuko with a smirk plastered to his face. She matched his expression and they raced through the palace gates and out onto the city streets. Zuko laughed as the rich citizens had to scramble out of the way of the ostrich horses. He looked over to Akira and saw her eyes sparkling and her lips curved into a genuine smile of pure delight. Her hair had come out and streamed behind her like a flag. It whipped to the side as the wind rushed through it and the sun brought out the highlights that rippled underneath the shadows of her darker hair. A single tear ran down her cheek, caused by the fierce wind that dried their eyes. Zuko felt his own start to water and his pony tail start to loosen. A couple of stray hairs tickled his forehead and wind rushed past his ears, blocking out all sounds except his own breathing. Zuko saw the great gates that marked to exit to the city and yelled for Akira to slow down. The pair pulled their ostrich horses up and stopped in front of the line of the guards. One of the men stepped forward and grabbed both of the ostrich horses reins.
"Just where do you kids think you're going?" He asked as he studied them threateningly. Zuko saw Akira shrink back and it made him even angrier at the guard than before. He leaned down and grabbed the guard by the collar and shook him.
"Do you know who I am?" Zuko hissed in the man's face, his young features twisted with anger. The guard looked confused by this new twist that the boy had just thrown into the game and his eyebrows furrowed as he studied Zuko carefully. "I asked if you knew me! Answer the question!" Zuko yelled at the man. He shook him once again and let go when the guard started to speak.
"I… I don't recall. You look familiar… but…" The man stuttered, obviously flustered by Zuko's commanding presence and temper.
"I am Zuko, crown prince of the fire nation and heir to the throne." Zuko cut the guard off. "Now let the lady and I through with no more annoying delays." He commanded the shocked guard. After a second the guard had still not moved and Zuko sighed before leaning close to the man. "Or will I be forced to report you to my father?" Zuko asked dangerously, his golden eyes narrowed. The guard snapped to attention and yelled a command to his men. Slowly the gates opened to reveal a winding path down the crater. With a nod from Zuko they moved through the gate and started down the path. They rode through and down the crater. When they reached the flatlands, Zuko veered off the trail and they raced across an empty field. Finally Akira pulled Mirai up and walked to a shady grove of trees. Zuko followed and soon they sat beneath a large tree.
"I'm sorry that I said we couldn't be friends yesterday." Akira apologized, breaking the silence that had settled between the two.
"It's okay." Zuko replied with a smile. "I kinda knew it was coming all along, because you're right. I have to face the fact that I'm not just a regular kid. I'm the fire prince."
"Yeah, but I guess I'm just mad at my own heritage. I mean, growing up in the Colonies isn't exactly the best for your reputation around here." Akira mumbled, drawing her knees up to her chest and hugging them. Zuko watched her intent gaze and he swore that she was trying to burn a hole in the ground with her mind.
"This is about Mai isn't it?" Zuko asked, his eyebrows furrowed and his golden gaze deep with concern.
"Yes… no…" Akira shook her head. "I mean, Mai has been hard on me, but it's generally Azula who starts it. I don't think she likes the fact that you and I hang out so much. Ty Lee isn't bad, but she doesn't stick up for me either. Some of the other kids at school feed off of Azula's teasing too…" Akira mumbled, resting her chin on her knees. Zuko sighed and silently cursed Azula.
"I'm sorry Akira." Zuko tried to comfort the girl. She seemed so delicate, as if she would break into tears any second. "If it helps, I don't care what your heritage is or where you come from. All I care is that you're my friend." Akira looked up at him and slowly a smile formed her lips.
"Thanks Zuko. You're the best friend a girl could ever have." She whispered. Zuko slid close to her and wrapped her in a big hug. Zuko took a deep breath and he could smell her shampoo in her dark hair. It smelled like fire lilies with a hint of the ocean air and Zuko drank it in as he held her in his arms. Little pieces of her hair tickled his face and Zuko squeezed her close, burying his face into her soft hair and neck. Akira laughed and kissed him on the cheek. It took the young prince by surprise and he pulled back with a shocked expression on his face. Akira blushed a deep red and looked away.
"What was that for?" Zuko questioned gently, starting to wish he hadn't pulled back.
"I don't know…" Akira shrugged still blushing madly and refusing to look up at him.
"Well… I, I thought it was kinda nice." Zuko stammered, mentally smacking himself a heartbeat after the words left his mouth. Stupid… Stupid idiot. That was possibly THE most awkward thing to say in the history of awkward things…
"Oh. Well I just thought, that… well. You did?" Akira interrupted his thoughts, obviously having just as many issues with her word choice as Zuko.
"Yeah…" He replied. By now, Zuko's blush matched Akira's and this time he was the one who looked away. The two twelve year olds sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Soon, the sun was slowly crossing the sky and both kids had recovered from the awkward moment. Zuko sat with his back to Akira and Akira was wrapping the ribbon back around his ponytail.
"There. Good as new!" She proclaimed triumphantly. Zuko smiled and turned back around.
"Thanks… I guess I'm not very good at putting my hair up without a mirror." He grinned sheepishly. Akira laughed, remembering his misshapen ponytail he had created moments before. Akira ran her fingers through her own hair and pulled it all back into a bun.
"Come on." She sighed as she stood up. "We better get back for dinner." Zuko followed her and sighed as he remembered that his father had invited some of his top generals and their families to the palace for dinner tonight.
