hey guys! heres the next update and as a general update i finished writing the final chapter. I still need to edit the last few chapters but we're super close to the end of the story. Please review!
You rolled over reaching for Zuko, but he wasn't there, you woke up in a panic before realizing that you overslept. You found a note next the hair ornament Zuko gave you. It said: You were sleeping so peacefully I didn't want to wake you, Love Zuko. You released a breath you didn't even realize you were holding, even though you slept peacefully your thoughts were far from peaceful, all you could think about with the upcoming confrontation with Azula and the Fire Lord.
You quickly bathed and dressed in a red and gold uneven skirt and a red halter top before pulling some of your hair into a top knot and putting on the hair ornament. Once you were ready for the day you wandered around the beach house but couldn't find anyone, it was so strange. You decided not to worry too much about it because everyone's stuff is still here. You prepared a small breakfast of fresh fruit and herbal tea and ate outside overlooking the ocean as you waited for your friends.
Toph and Zuko were the first to return, Zuko instantly rushed to your side when he saw you as Toph mumbled something about feeling gipped that her 'life changing' field trip with Zuko was a failure.
"What's going on?" you asked curiously upon seeing Zuko's worried expression.
"Aang is missing"
You were shocked, "and no one thought to wake me up?' you questioned.
"I was going to but Daisuke thought it would be best if you got more sleep" Zuko replied timidly, he knows that you hate being out of the loop but like you, he also has a great deal of respect for Daisuke.
Soon after your bothers returned from the forest, they found no trace of Aang. Then Jet, Smellerbee and Longshot returned from town without so much as a lead on Aang's whereabouts. Katara and Suki also returned without any idea of where Aang is. When Sokka came back with no leads everyone looked a bit hopeless. You couldn't help but worry about Aang fighting the fire lord is terrifying but running away? He wouldn't just leave, would he?
"What should we do Zuko?" Katara asked suddenly.
You were surprised that Katara turned to Zuko for advice, then you noticed all of team Avatar looking at Zuko expectantly.
"I don't know" Zuko mumbled in his grumpy way, he suddenly became aware of the fact that everyone of was looking at him. "Why are you all looking at me?" He asked genuinely freaked out, before turning to you and mouthing, 'is there something on my face?' you couldn't help but giggle as you shook your head.
"Well, you are kind of an expert on tracking Aang" Katara reasoned.
"Yeah, if anyone's got experience hunting the Avatar its you."
Zuko looked horrified that everyone was counting on him, Kaito decided to chime in at this exact moment. "So future little brother what do we do?" Kaito asked with a cheeky grin.
Zuko's eyes widened as you blushed. Moments later Zuko regained his composure, sighed then nodded for everyone to follow him to Appa. Soon Team Avatar, plus you, Zuko and Daisuke were flying towards the Earth Kingdom. Kaito and the Freedom Fighters volunteered to stay behind so not to overload poor Appa.
"Zuko, I don't want to tell you how to do your job but why are we heading towards the Earth Kingdom? Theirs no way Aang's there" Sokka reasoned. You looked at Zuko curiously as well, you spent all that time with him tracking Aang but as smart as you are you never got the hang of tracking.
Zuko glanced at Sokka before saying "just trust me."
Your eyes widened in realization when you figured out where you're going, "Zuko" you mumbled, you could see his shoulder muscles tense at the tone of your voice. "We're not going where I think we're going are we?"
Zuko opened and closed his mouth a few times, unable to figure out the right thing to say, you could hear team avatar snickering as daisuke mumbled something along the lines of 'this is gonna be good'.
Zuko finally settled for pulling you into his arms, you protested at first, but realizing that Zuko is not going to release you, you gave up. He buried his face in you neck and apologized.
"You know I'm scared of large animals" you mumbled in annoyance.
"I know, I just can't think of any other way to track Aang"
Faster than you expected you and your friends found yourselves in a familiar forest, outside one of the shadiest bars in the Earth Kingdom. You could hear that strange music and the sounds of a fight breaking out from a few yards away.
As you walked through the door Katara leaned towards Zuko, "And the reason you brought us to a seedy earth Kingdom tavern is what now?" she asked clearly annoyed, for once you agreed with her.
"June" Zuko replied as he pointed to her, you weren't too surprised to see that she was getting into a bar fight.
"Oh yeah that weird bounty hunter with the giant mole" Sokka mused.
"Mole? Her skin is flawless" Suki stated. Daisuke looked just as confused. You couldn't help but giggle as Sokka got them up to speed.
Once June finished her fight, you and your friends approached.
"hey I remember her. She helped you attack us!" Sokka protested.
"Yup, back in the good old days" Zuko said with a straight face.
That's when June noticed your group. She took a swing from her drink then rather loud stated "look its my old friends, prince pouty and pretty face. " She nodded towards Zuko, "where's your creepy grandpa?" she clearly does not like Iroh and to be honest you couldn't blame her, that whole side adventure made you extremely uncomfortable between being terrified of shirshu, Zuko ignoring your fears, Iroh making advances on June and being paralyzed for a few hours, if you never saw June again you'd be ok with that.
"He's my uncle, he's not here"
"Hm no loss" Then she turned to you, "I see he hasn't scared you away yet, its clearly not his good looks or brains keeping you here" June was going to continue when Daisuke chimed in.
"We need your help" He stated bored with the useless conversation.
"Oh and who is this cutie" June asked in a soft tone carefully eyeing your brother. Daisuke's eyes widened as he uncomfortably took a step back.
"We need your help finding the avatar" Zuko said catching her attention.
"Hmm doesn't sound too fun" she replied as she picked up her drink again
"Does the end of the world sound like more fun" Zuko snapped, you could sense that he was quickly losing his tempter.
You stepped between June and Zuko, "What my foul tempered boyfriend means is Sozin's comet is coming soon and the Firelord is going to use to end the war and take over the war, and now the avatar is missing, we need to find him" you explained. As you went through your explanation you could see June's harsh features soften as she realized that you were serious.
June abandoned her half finished drink as stood up and gestured for your group to follow her, you released a breath you didn't even realize you were holding as you felt Zuko grab your hand.
Seeing June with her Shirshu, whose name you found out is Nyla, was touching, it almost made you not scared of the Nyla hearing June baby talk it. Then Nyla suddenly whipped out its tongue and all of your fears came rushing back as well as the memories of being paralyzed for a few hours.
"Okay whose got something with the avatar's scent on it?" June asked
"I have Aang's staff" Katara came forward and handed June the staff who in turn offered it to Nyla.
Nyla started to circle sniffing as she went , Nyla made a few round before walked to June before she laid on the ground and started to rub her nose with her paws.
'Something isn't right' you thought as Daisuke shot you knowing look.
Zuko crossed his arms, "well, what does it mean?" he asked impatiently
"It means your friend's gone"
"We know hes gone, that's why we're trying to find him" Toph stated the obvious.
"No, I mean he's gone, gone" she paused searching for the right words. "He doesn't exist"
You were about to speak when Sokka yelled, "What do you mean Aang doesn't exist?" he paused and quickly said, "Do you mean he's… you know, dead?"
"Nope, we could find him if he were dead" June replied stretching, "It's a real head scratcher" she paused awkwardly, "see ya," she said before mounting Nyla
"Wait! I have another idea," Zuko said as he rushed over to Appa "I'll be right back with a smell sample.
"Where's he going" Toph asked you as everyone else looked at you expectantly.
You put your hands up in defense, "I have no idea, if I knew what Zuko was thinking half the time this relationship would be a lot easier"
As he returned, Zuko shot you a playful glare at you while you childishly stuck your tongue out at him. Then you realized what he was holding
"You saved your uncle's sweaty sandal?" Sokka questioned in disbelief.
"That's just gross" Daisuke shuttered as you turned to Zuko, "Out of everything, why did you keep that?" you questioned. Zuko shrugged innocently as Nyla sniffed it and June took off running. Everyone scrambled to get to Appa before you lost sight of June and Nyla.
As Zuko settled down next to you, you looked at him waiting for an answer. After a few moments Zuko realized that he was quickly losing this staring match and decided to cut his losses.
"I didn't have anything else form Uncle" he sighed, "I couldn't justify getting rid of it when it was all I had" he finished as he looked away.
You smiled softly, "Awe Zuko" you mumbled as you rested his head on his shoulder and closed your eyes. Zuko wrapped his arms around you pulling you into his lap.
"Oh get a room," Daisuke said snickering.
"Gladly" Zuko smirked, you opened your eyes just in time to see Daisuke pinch the bridge of his nose and mumble "he's almost as bad as Jet"
"If you don't like it big brother I'm sure June wouldn't mind you riding with her" You said with a sly grin.
"Not you too" Daisuke sighed in annoyance.
After what seemed like forever the Nyla was slowing down. You started to recognize the area.
"We're going to Ba-Sing-Se?" Zuko asked.
"Your Uncle is somewhere beyond the wall." June said, then gestured to Nyla "Nyla's getting twitchy so he can't be far. Good luck" she said as she pulled on her reins and Nyla sped off.
Zuko looked around, as if waiting for someone to take charge, when no one did he said "It's been a long day, let's set up camp and start our search again at dawn."