"Uncle, I want the repairs done as soon as possible. I don't want to stay here too long and risk losing his trail," Zuko hissed, his voice low.
"You mean the Avatar?" Kira interjected.
"Don't mention his name on these docks! If word gets out that the Avatar is still alive every Firebender in the world will be out looking for him and I don't want anyone getting in the way!" Zuko was cut off suddenly by a familiar voice.
"Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?" The man said, as he walked toward them. Kira recognized him as Captain Zhao. Her one memory of him was of him grinning during the Agni Kai between Ozai and Zuko. It was not a pleasant one.
"Captain Zhao," Zuko acknowledged, his tone cold.
"It's Commander now,and General Iroh, great hero of our nation, and Lady Kira, daughter of the great General Zhu," He said, bowing slightly to her and Iroh.
"Retired General," Iroh corrected.
"The Fire Lord's brother, son and favorit general's daughter are always welcome at my port. What brings you here?" Zhao asked.
"Our ship needs to be repaired," Iroh answered, gesturing to the battered ship.
"That's quite a lot of damage," Zhao said suspiciously.
"Yes, you wouldn't believe what happened!" Zuko replied. There was a lengthy silence as Zhao raised his eyebrows.
"Uncle! Tell Commander Zhao what happened!" Zuko ordered, thrusting the responsibility onto Iroh.
"It was incredible, what did we crash or something?" Iroh whispered, asking Zuko.
"We crashed, we crashed into… into a mountain!" Kira interjected, saying the first thing that came to her mind.
"Really? You must regale me with all the thrilling details. Join me for a drink?" Zhao asked, grinning ferociously.
Kira stiffened. Surely Zuko wouldn't agree to this, it was obvious that Zhao suspected something was up, and even if he didn't, she didn't want to spend another minute in the presence of someone who smiles when their prince is burned.
"Sorry, but we have to go," Zuko answered, turning to walk away. Kira breathed a sigh of relief and started to follow him, but then Iroh grasped his nephew's shoulder.
"Zuko, show Commander Zhao some respect!" Iroh reprimanded, "We would be honored to come Commander Zhao, do you have ginseng tea? It's my favorite."
He walked away with Zhao and Zuko growled, flames spurting from his hands, then followed his uncle. Kira followed both of them, allowing her necklace to heat up the slightest bit. She could afford to be angry about this.
l*-*-*-*-*l
"My ship is prepared, when we set sail you three will be free to go," Zhao said. He had found out quickly that Zuko had captured the Avatar, but, in his words, "let him escape." He had then taken it upon himself to capture the Avatar, and kept them locked in the tent while he prepared his ships.
"Why? Are you afraid that I'll stop you?" Zuko asked frostily,responding to the fact that Zhao was keeping them there.
Zhao laughed, "You, stop me? Impossible."
"Don't underestimate me Zhao, I will capture the Avatar before you!" Zuko snapped, standing up from his chair.
"Prince Zuko, that's enough!" Iroh reprimand, standing up as well.
"You can't compete with me, I have hundreds of warships at my command and you, you're just a banished prince. No home, no allies, your own father doesn't even want you,"Zhao sneered.
Kira's eyes narrowed and her necklace stones started to heat up. How dare Zhao bring that up, when he had sat grinning on the sidelines of the arena!
"That's not true! Once I capture the Avatar my father will welcome me home with honor, and restore my rightful place on the throne," Zuko snarled. Kira saw the doubt she felt reflected in Iroh's face, and she saw how he carefully rearranged his face to keep Zuko from seeing. She understood it, she couldn't understand how,after all Ozai had done, Zuko still wanted to please him.
"Do you really believe that? If your father wanted you back he would let you return, Avatar or no Avatar. But in his eyes you are a failure, not worthy of being his heir," Zhao said.
"That's not true!" Zuko exclaimed, a sort of desperation in his eyes.
"You have the scar to prove it," Zhao replied viciously.
Kira felt her control slipping away from her. The stones in her necklace started to glow, and she felt the ground heat up around her. At this point she didn't care about keeping her secret, if Zhao so much as opened his mouth again she would summon lava from beneath his feet and watch him burn.
Zuko lunged forward and shouted, "Maybe you'd like one to match!"
"Is that a challenge?" Zhao asked calmly
"An Agni Kai, at sunset," Zuko responded. Kira took a step back, stunned. No, there was no way Zuko wouldn't fight another Agni Kai after the last time! The determined look on his face told a different story, though.
"Very well. It's a shame your father won't be here to witness your defeat. I guess your uncle and your friend will do," Zhao smirked as we walked out of the tent. As soon as he was gone Kira confronted Zuko.
"Why are you so stupid! Why would you even think of fighting in another Agni Kai after last time! " She yelled.
"I have to! If I don't fight Zhao and beat him then he will capture the Avatar and I'll never be able to go back home!" He yelled back.
"You and your Avatar! The Avatar is a child! Don't tell me you honestly think that your father will take you back even if you bring the Avatar to him!" Kira knew immediately that she had passed the line but she didn't care. She wouldn't let Zuko fight in another Agni Kai, not again, and she would say anything to get him to back down. Images were flashing in her head of his last Agni Kai. The scream, the smell of burning flesh, and most of all, the assurance that it was all her fault.
Zuko opened his mouth to say something but before he could say anything she stormed out of the tent, covering her eyes so that no one would see the tears that were pouring out.
l*-*-*-*-*l
She was sitting on a fallen tree, looking at the ocean, when Iroh found her.
"What is it?" She asked sadly. Now that she had had time to think about what she had said to Zuko she felt like slapping herself. She had said the fears that had obviously plagued him ever since he had found the Avatar. Surely Iroh was going to scold her for saying such a thing to his nephew.
"I'm not going to yell at you," He said calmly, perhaps seeing her thoughts reflected in her eyes.
"I just wanted to let you know that the Agni Kai is going to start soon. I understand if you do not want to attend, but trust me, if it seems like anything is going wrong I will step in, " Iroh added, his gaze hardening for a moment.
"I don't think that Zuko will want me there," She said dully.
"I think he does, but he might not show it. Now are you going to come?" He asked, gesturing to her to follow him. She rose and followed him to a courtyard. There Zuko and Zhao were preparing to face off. Zuko started slightly as he saw her, then his face fell into a scowl. He didn't look at her. Kira bowed her head in shame. Even though she had known he would react like this it still stung.
"Remember your basics Prince Zuko, they are your greatest weapons," Iroh said, facing his nephew.
"Be careful Zuko," Kira said, raising her head to look him in the eye.
He didn't respond, instead he declared," I refuse to let him win."
The battle began. Zuko immediately went on the offensive, blasting Zhao with fire, but Zhao easily deflected his blows and threw back his own fire.
"Basics Zuko, break his root!" Iroh shouted.
Iroh's advice wasn't working though. With every blow Zhao weakened Zuko's stance, until, with one final blast of fire he knocked Zuko off his feet. Zhao then shot fire straight at the side of Zuko's face that remained unburned.
"NO!" Kira screamed, turning the rocks in her necklace into a lava shuriken. She was about to throw it at Zhao when Zuko did a flip,dissipating the flames, and knocking Zhao's feet out from under him. He then landed in a strong stance and started blasting fire from his feet. Now the tables were turned, with Zuko breaking Zhao's stance with every wave of fire he produced from his feet. Kira gasped in relief, returning the rocks from her shuriken back into her necklace. That had been stupid of her, if Iroh had seen her shuriken her secret would have been lost forever, but she couldn't let Zuko get another scar from an Agni Kai.
A thump brought her attention back to the Agni Kai. She saw Zhao sprawled on the ground, with Zuko's fist pointed at his face.
"Do it!" Zhao ordered, his face twisted with pride. Zuko let out a blast of flames that landed right next to Zhao's face.
"That's it? Your father raised a coward," Zhao said with disgust.
"Next time you get in my way I won't hold back," Zuko turned to walk out of the arena. Zhao's face hardened and he kicked out at Zuko while his back was turned.
"Zuko! Behind you!" Kira shrieked. Zuko spun, but he was too slow. Suddenly, Iroh was there, grabbing Zhao's foot in his hand and tossing him back into the ground with an ease that reminded Kira that he was a powerful fighter despite his seemingly weak frame. She ran toward them, reaching them as Iroh stopped Zuko from lunging at Zhao.
"No Zuko! Do not taint your victory. So this is how the great general Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful," Iroh frowned.
"Iroh's right. Zuko is more honorable than you could ever be, even in exile," Kira added, smiling a little bit at the slack look on Zhao's face. With that all three of them walked out of the area making their way toward the ship.
"Did you really mean what you said to Zhao?" Zuko asked after a moment.
"Of course I did! You'll always have more honor than that horrible man!" She exclaimed.
"But, what you said before…" He trailed off.
"Oh Zuko, I didn't mean it, I just.. I couldn't bear it if you got hurt in another Agni Kai, especially since the first one was my fault," Kira gushed, her eyes pricking with tears.
"It wasn't your fault," He said quietly, " Come on, let's go. "