Chapter 5: Zuko's Little Mishap

The next day Zuko went looking for Aang again for his second firebending lesson. As he was slowly beginning to realize, the Avatar was usually the first up and full of energy. By the time Zuko rose, he was long gone doing whatever an Avatar typically does, though Zuko wasn't exactly sure what that entailed. The only thing he was certain about was he was spending most of his time just trying to track the Avatar down.

He smiled ironically. Like he hadn't been doing that for the last three years! Though his reasons for seeking the Avatar out had now changed, he wondered if this was going to be a lifelong habit.

After checking the temple ruins without luck, Zuko headed back across the compound where he ran into Sokka and an excited Teo. They were on their way to explore the inside of the temple in hopes of finding some suitable material to make the wings for the glider.

He was told Aang had taken off with The Duke about an hour earlier heading for the East Gardens.

Teo practically dragged Sokka inside, jabbering excitedly about the prospect of getting the glider finished.

On his way to the East Gardens, Zuko passed by the area Sokka and Teo were working on the glider and stopped to examine the progress. Looking at the skeletal framework, Zuko was doubtful the thing would ever get off the ground. He also couldn't see what the thrill in flying was all about either. Having spent three days following the Avatar in the balloon, not to mention the harrowing ride he'd taken with Aang, Zuko was more than happy to keep his feet planted solidly on the ground.

He was about to continue on his way when he noticed something in the dirt that caught his attention. He reached down and picked up the object, examining it curiously. It was a lotus tile from a Pai Sho board game.

As he fingered the inlaid tile, his thoughts turned to his uncle who had as much of a passion for a good game of Pai Sho as a cup of rare tea. Unfortunately, when his uncle's two favorite passions were combined, it usually meant Zuko was in for an endless night of long winded stories filled with ancient wisdom and advice. Towards the end of the evening, all Zuko wanted to do was find the nearest hard object to bash his head against it.

But now, he wished more than anything he could talk to his uncle again. He had hoped once he freed his uncle, together they would join forces with the Avatar.

But everyone, including Zuko, had underestimated the Dragon of the West. The old man had taken matters into his own hands, busted himself out and disappeared during the chaos of the invasion. Though Zuko was glad his uncle wasn't rotting in a prison cell anymore, he had no idea where he vanished either.

He missed his uncle and his mood sombered again with a heart ladened with guilt.

Pocketing the tile, he continued on his way.

When he reached the other side of the temple, he found himself in a stone courtyard above a series of open fields and smaller gardens below laid out in a terrace step configuration, and arching around the perimeter of a great wall.

A wide stone staircase running along the wall led down into the gardens. Zuko descended the steps looking for Aang. After checking several sections without much luck he noticed The Duke perched on a very large boulder some distance away. The Duke waved to him the same time he spotted Aang.

The Avatar was standing completely alone in the middle of a rocky torn up field. He was squatting with his arms bent, palms facing inward and…Zuko squinted…wearing a blindfold? Aang stood perfectly motionless and after several minutes Zuko wondered if this was some odd form of Air Nomad meditation.

But as he approached the Avatar from the side, Aang abruptly turned and with lightning speed brought his fist forward. A slab of rock erupted from the earth and barreled straight towards him. Zuko, caught off guard, brought up a fire shield in an attempt to block it, but unfortunately, wasn't quite fast enough. The rock slammed into his ribs sending him airborne. He came down hard about twenty feet away and knew no more as his head smacked hard against the ground.

Through the darkness Zuko slowly became aware of voices.

"Aang, did you kill him?" Someone asked.

"Nah…he's still alive. I can feel his heart beating, but congratulations, I think you just knocked him out cold, Twinkle Toes."

Zuko then felt one eye being pried open and saw a blurry Aang staring anxiously at him. "Zuko…Zuko…are you okay?"

Slowly he opened both eyes. Four faces were bent over him: Aang, Toph, Haru and The Duke, who was busy munching on a peach.

Zuko groaned. "Are you deliberately trying to kill me, Avatar?"

Toph laughed.

A sheepish blush crept over Aang's face. "Uh…sorry Zuko…I...uh…mistook you for Toph."

Zuko gave him a dry annoyed look and tried to raise himself up on his elbows but fell painfully back, gripping his side as needles of pain shot through his body. He also felt the back of his head which now had a nice lump on it.

"Next time you should really look first before walking into the middle of an Earthbender training session," Toph suggested.

Zuko threw the blind Earthbender a sour look forgetting that she couldn't see. "I'll try and remember that next time I see someone blindfolded."

Haru grinned and to Zuko's surprise actually extended his hand to help him get back up on his feet. He grimaced, holding his side, and to his humiliation and embarrassment, found he needed to lean on the Earthbender for support. Every breath came with a sharp stabbing pain. "I think you broke my ribs!"

"Well, at least your aim is improving, Twinkle Toes," Toph said.

Aang squinted his face, embarrassed.

Haru wrapped Zuko's arm around his shoulder with a grin. "Come on, we better see if Katara can fix you up."

Zuko looked up at the Eartbender. "I think I'd rather keep the broken ribs," he replied dryly.

The young Earthbender chuckled.

With Zuko leaning against Haru, the group slowly made their way back to their base camp. The Duke ran up ahead to find Katara.

When they got back, Zuko leaned up against the edge of a low lying wall exhausted, sweat beading his brow. While they waited for Katara, Aang stood anxiously next to him.

"I'm really sorry, Zuko."

"I thought you were meditating."

"Huh?"

Zuko indicated the blindfold, now hanging loosely about Aang's neck.

"Oh. No, this is how I train with Toph."

Zuko looked at him cluelessly.

The Avatar explained. "Toph is teaching me to use my Earthbending to sense my surroundings and to be able to anticipate my opponent's next moves. I'm getting better, but uh…I still have a little trouble distinguishing specifics. I thought you were either Haru or Toph trying to sneak up on me."

The Duke returned with Katara in tow. "What happened?" She asked.

"Aang…Earthbender training session…self explanatory," Toph replied.

Katara looked at Zuko holding his side.

"I sorta accidentally broke a few of Zuko's ribs when he walked into one of my practice sessions," Aang attempted to explain.

Katara's mouth split into an amused grin. "I see."

Zuko threw her a sour look. "I'm glad all of you find this so amusing."

"Well, we have to get our entertainment somewhere," Toph jested.

"Do you think you can heal him, Katara?" Aang asked anxiously.

Katara sighed. "Let me have a look."

Zuko gingerly pulled up his shirt. His side was already turning a nice shade of black and blue.

The Duke peered around Katara munching on another piece of fruit. "Wow, that's a BIG bruise."

"No kidding!" Zuko snapped.

Katara tried to suppress a giggle as she extracted some water from her pouch into both palms and placed her hands along Zuko's ribcage. He grunted and instinctively pulled back.

"Hold still!"

Zuko reluctantly did as he was told, feeling a bit humiliated by the whole encounter. A few seconds later, however, he felt a strange sensation running through his side. It felt both hot and cold and tingly all at the same time.

Katara's eyes remained closed for several minutes as she concentrated while Aang and The Duke looked on like fascinated bystanders.

After several minutes she removed her hands and to Zuko's surprise, he was able to breathe again without hot daggers shooting through his side.

"It will still be sore for a few days, but I think you'll live," she said contritely.

Zuko rubbed his bruised rib cage. "Thanks, Katara," he said sincerely.

She looked slightly surprised before her mouth tightened down again.

Sokka and Teo wandered into camp a few minutes later. The Duke lost no opportunity in filling them in. Sokka was grinning from ear to ear. "Guess Aang's officially broken you into the Gaang. Get it? Gang…Aang?"

The Duke giggled. "That's pretty funny."

Zuko rolled his eyes, clearly not amused.

He rose slowly to his feet. "I guess we'll need to postpone your next firebending lesson until tomorrow."

"Oh..Umm..It's okay," Aang replied. There was a quiet change in his tone. "I was going to do something else anyway today."

The Avatar turned to Katara and Sokka. The change on his face had Katara's full attention. "Are you sure Aang?"

The Avatar nodded. "I'm ready."

Toph too seemed to sense the change in Aang's demeanor and stepped forward and grabbed Haru. "Come on Haru, let's show Teo and The Duke here how Earthbenders can rumble."

"Okay, but you're not going to make me wear a blindfold are you?" Haru said a little nervously.

"Nah…and I promise I'll go easy on you."

Haru threw Katara a worried look as Toph dragged him off with Teo and The Duke giggling behind.

As Aang started walking towards the temple, Katara looked back at Zuko. Aang stopped and said to Katara. "It's okay. He can come."

Though the expression on Katara's face clearly indicated her disapproval, she held her tongue and Zuko found himself following curiously behind the Avatar and the two Water Tribe siblings.

"Where are we going?" Zuko asked.

"To the Temple Sanctuary," Katara replied.