A/N dedicated to Luath =P for the hand thing, but it didn't work as well as I hoped...drats ah well. Hopefully you like it! And also dedicated to all of my other wonderful reviewers! You guys make my day =)
Zuko didn't dare look down. You would think the shock of discovering that the ancient Sun Warrior's civilization was actually alive would be enough to distract Zuko from the current position of his hand. But, it was not.
They had been torn out of their prison, but where currently still stuck together in the stinking, disgusting gloop. Which meant Zuko's hand was still on some unknown part of Zoe's lower body. This very thought made his face grow hot and his heart beat a little faster. But, he refused to glance down to try and decipher exactly where it was, for if he did he was worried he may not be able to control his body's reaction.
"Zuko! Are you breathing?" hissed Zoe in a worried tone under her breath.
Zuko took a ragged breath, some of the dizziness in his head disappearing. Huh, apparently he hadn't been breathing.
"What is wrong with you…" sighed Zoe rolling her eyes.
He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, oh is she hadn't any idea what was wrong with him. He was driven crazy because of the mere fact of where his hand was. And he didn't even know where that was. Only that Zoe didn't want him moving his hand around any…
Zuko's eyes suddenly went wide and his face drained of all blood, paling impressively.
She didn't want him moving his hand…and his hand was on her lower body… so it must be…
He gulped.
Suddenly they were all thrown to the ground, rather unceremoniously, and were being surrounded by many tribesmen in yellow attire.
Three animal's were fetched to begin to lick the gluttonise glue that still stuck to their bodies. They had odd, long noses and even longer, worm like tongues. Zuko thought they were slightly repulsive, especially as they licked his face, but Zoe, naturally, thought they were sweet.
He rolled his eyes as she crooned softly to the nearest one, but a soft smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"For trying to take our sun stone, you must be severely punished!" Cried the Chief Sun Warrior harshly and Zuko's face quickly changed to determination.
"We didn't come here to take your sun stone." He said strongly, "we came here to find the ancient origin of all firebending."
Zoe nodded quickly in agreement, trying to look sweet and innocent.
"Yeah right." snarled one of the sleazier looking sun warriors, "They are obviously thieves! Here to steal Sun Warrior treasures!"
Zoe had an intense dislike to being labelled a thief. She scowled at the man who had done so. "Oh you hot-headed jerk!" She spat, "you haven't even heard us out, yet you go rushing to conclusions!"
Zuko couldn't help finding it attractive when she got angry. He smirked slightly, and then mentally shook himself. What was he thinking? He needed to stop getting distracted!
"Please." said Aang quickly when the sleazy, 'hot-headed' warrior went to retaliate. "I don't normally play this card…but, I'm the Avatar." Zoe nodded smugly and Aang managed to stand up amidst the glue, "just hear us out."
Zuko stood too, and Zoe was forced to stand as they were still attached at the hip, but as they stood, Zuko's hand managed to slide through the gloop up her leg and just under her hip. The intense heat radiating from his body made Zoe dizzy. "My name is Zuko." Zoe's spine tingled at his strong, confident voice. "Crowned Prince of the Fire Nation….or at least I used to be." He looked down and Zoe threw him a reassuring smile. "I know my people have distorted the ways of firebending to be fuelled by anger and rage. But, now I want to learn the true way…the original way." He looked up to face the Sun Warriors, "when we came here I never imagined the Sun Warrior civilization was secretly alive! I am truly humbled to be in your presence."
All three glue covered victims bowed respectfully and there was a small silence where Zoe looked up. "Oh," she said as everyone seemed to be looking at her, "I'm just Zoe." She said quickly, blushing furiously; she hated attention. "No one important."
These words seemed to provoke some strong emotions from Zuko. He scowled and glared at her. "Yes you are!" he snapped furiously, "Zoe is an incredible fighter and bender and in fact one of the last known airbenders in this day. Not to mention she is an honoured and very close friend of both myself and the Avatar." His eyes turned soft and a small smile curled on his lips, "I have never met anyone quite like her."
Zoe felt like the fuzzy, fluttering warmth in her chest might melt her. She smiled shyly and ducked her head, blushing furiously, her heart beating fast against her chest.
He turned back to the Sun Warrior chief. "Please." He said humbly, "teach us."
"Well, those two." Added in Zoe quickly, abashed, "seen as clearly I'm not…" they were all staring at her with dubious, patronizing gazes. She blushed. "I suppose you already realized that…"
The stern, but wise looking man surveyed them carefully, looking away from Zoe and back to the two firebenders. "If you wish to learn the way's of the sun," he said, making up his mind, "you must learn them from the masters Ran and Shao."
"Ran and Shao?" Repeated Aang confused. "There are two of them?"
Zoe didn't understand why this was strange, but then again she supposed Aang knew a lot more about that than her.
The chief nodded superiorly, walking toward them proudly. "When you present yourselves to them they will examine you." Zoe was surprised that Aang didn't flinch away from his penetrating gaze. "They'll read your hearts, your souls…" he was face to face with Zuko now, "and you ancestry"
Zuko gulped and Zoe could understand why when he had people like Azula, Ozai and Sozin in his family tree.
"If they deem you worthy," Continued the Sun Chief, "they'll teach you. If they don't… you'll be destroyed on the spot."
Zoe's heart clenched in her chest when she realized the fatal meaning of said words. She glanced at Zuko; his face was set, determined.
Zuko glanced at Aang swiftly; he looked nervous, but nodded hesitantly. "We'll do it." said Zuko confidently.
Zoe nearly sighed. Of course, this was Zuko; what else could she expect?
Before she could think on it further, she felt the comfortable warm weight just below her hip move and slide away. Zuko seemed to have a look of regret on his face as soon as he realised he had taken his hand off Zoe. He turned to look at her, but she blushed misreading his face and looking away; he was probably glad to get it off her.
Soon they were being shuffled toward one of the smaller buildings in the vicinity. Zoe hadn't realised the funny animals had basically finished licking the gloop off them. She stretched gladly.
"We will go to meet the masters at sun break." The chief told them, "Wash and rest. You will need it."
And he left them, leaving two Sun Warriors to stand at the door.
Zoe's tummy grumbled and she grimaced. "They could have offered us some food too."
"I don't think they're accustomed to serving visitors." said Zuko, peering through the only other door in the room that led to the bathroom. "Who's first for washing up?"
Zoe glanced at Aang and Zuko, and then grinned when neither of them spoke. "I'll go!" She was dying to get out of her sticky, stinky clothes.
But, then after she was nice and squeaky clean she came across a problem. She now had wet clothes, after throwing them in a bucket of water to wash, and no other clothes to put on.
Mortified and flushing she poked her nose out of the door. She needed Aang; he could waterbend the water from her dripping garments. But, he was not there. Zuko sat on the floor, apparently deep in thought.
He looked up out the sound of the door, his golden eyes glistening. Zoe's face flushed even more. "Uuhm…where is Aang?" she asked feebly.
He raised an eyebrow. "He's asking if we can get some food." His eyes narrowed, "why do you need him?"
"Uh…well, I have a small problem." She squeaked. "But, it's OK! I'll just wait in here until he comes back." She closed the door quickly, shutting out his penetrating stare.
But, then Zuko was pushing it open from the other side. Her stomach seemed to drop to her feet. "Don't open the door!" She screeched, her voice rising several notches, throwing her hands at the door with all her strength.
"What's wrong with you in there?" growled Zuko. He felt left out; why could Aang know and not he?
"I told you!" she hissed through the small crack in the door.
"Actually, you said you needed Aang." He snarled back. His eyes searched the slim line between the door and its port and his eye locked on Zoe's.
She hated it when he got like this; it made her feel bad. "It's…" she gulped, "Myclothezerwet." she mumbled quickly, looking down.
"Uh…" Zuko's mouth twitched slightly, "I'm sorry?"
Zoe took a breath, steadying herself. "My clothes…are wet. I need Aang to dry them for me."
Zuko's face flushed in realization. "Oh…I…Uh…" he was speechless. He cleared his throat. "I'll just…go get Aang." Zoe nodded meekly.
So finally, after that very embarrassing ordeal everyone managed to wash up and dry their clothes ready for a fresh nights sleep. Although Zuko let out a few grumbles that he could have dried her clothes with firebending. Right now their focus was on their 'meeting' that next day with the masters.
"Are you sure about this Zuko?" whined Zoe, nervousness fluttering in her stomach.
"We have to take the chance." He said stubbornly, determined.
Zoe sighed; she could hear the finality in his tone. There was no point arguing and starting a fight. "Ok." She said with her eyes down. She took a breath and looked him in the eye. "I believe in you; you can do this."
Zuko's heart warmed as Zoe could only make it do. "Thank you." He said, bowing his head. "It…means a lot to hear you say that."
Zoe smiled, and then elbowed Aang who was sitting silently beside her. "Hey, you too buddy." She said and Aang grinned. "There's no one worthier than you two to face these guys."
So it was content, with only a slight hint of apprehensiveness that the three friends went to sleep that night.
So, the masters weren't exactly what Zoe had expected. Though she started to get suspicious when the Sun Warriors told Aang and Zuko to stand far above them on this small platform in between two cliffs.
As it happened, the master were dragons. Therefore Zoe's shock was quite explanatory. Two, amazing dragons, one red, one blue. It was more than Zoe could ever have imagined seeing in her life.
But, it got even more impressive...and heart clenching. When the dragons stopped flying and dancing, they perched on either side of Zuko and Aang's platform and fire of every colour spurted from their mouths. Zoe struggled not to cry out in fear as the fire appeared to consume them, the only thing that stopped her was the sleazy looking Sun Warriors disappointed face. He had thought Aang and Zuko would be the masters dinner.
Though, she could not stop herself when the boys descended their platform, safe and unburnt with matching smiles, from throwing her arms around Zuko's neck. He fellback slightly in shock at first, but then wrapped his arms around Zoe's waist. "They're fire was beautiful," he told her, pulling her away, while keeping an arm looped securely around her waist. "I saw so many colours!" Zoe smiled gladly, just staring at his happy face. It warmed her heart, her soul. He truly had found himself.
They found out that Iroh had lied about slaying the last dragon, that he had too been deemed worthy and lied to protect them. This piece of news was enough to fill Zoe's brimming heart even more.
When they finally were back in the skies, with a joyful now firebending Aang with the reins, Zuko sat relaxed with his arm across the saddle as he did on the journey here. This time Zoe succumbed to her desire and sat herself inside his arm. Zuko didn't hesitate, he pulled her closer and Zoe guiltily placed her head on his chest, his heart beatly confidently and firmly beneath her. For now she would forget Mai existed. Zuko was here with her; that had to mean something.
A/N wow, I LOVE your guys reviews! Thank you, again, SO SO much! I hope you liked this chapter :) :) please review to let me know!