Fire You Are (Zuko Love Story)

Turmoil

Our ship is at full speed ahead and we've managed to still keep track of the bisont. They're trying to get out of our sight but they can't, and they don't seem to be attacking in any way. The truth is, we could go on like this forever. We'll need to get closer and make them stay in one place if we're ever going to get to anything.

Every few seconds, I remind myself that my family is on that bisont along with the Avatar, that is, if they still consider me family. 

Eventually, I see an island in the horizon where maybe we could lure them into landing. Maybe I could talk to Katara, tell her that Zuko's not doing this out of spite or greed, he has his own noble cause. Maybe she'll understand, maybe we could compromise. I don't know how, but... I guess I'll know when I see her.

"Our best bet is to make them land," I tell Zuko. "If not they'll just fly above the island and we'll lose them."

"We must be careful not to create any fatal losses," Iroh says.

"Maybe I can take care of that," I say. "Can we get closer?"

"Make this ship go faster!" Zuko orders the crew.

"That's as fast as she goes, Prince Zuko!" A man replies.

"No worries," I say. "I think I can do it."

"What are you gonna do?" Zuko asks me.

"Force them to land," I say. "Without hurting anyone."

I aim to the sides of the bisont, above and below to keep them on one trail. Then, all I do is fire more catapults above them gradually lowering their height so that they have to lose altitude of their own. As they move down, I need to keep them from going to the sides with more blasts. 

Zuko and Iroh see what I'm doing and they start helping me out: Zuko and Iroh to the sides while I keep the fireblasts above the bisont long enough so that none of them so much as hurt the bisont or its passengers. With the ship moving fast and the Avatar losing both speed and altitude, it looks as though we actually will catch up to them.

Soon, we see the bisont finally landing, and our ship is close enough to shore to reduce time and keep them from flying away. 

I run off the ship before anyone else does. Whatever happens with the Avatar I'll leave entirely up to Zuko for now, what I want to do is talk to Katara. Still, the thought of Aang getting hurt (and I know he probably would be, I've seen Zuko's technique) does make me a bit sad. He seems like a very nice kid and he'd sure give hope to a lot of people. Even Zuko, only it's hope for a different reason.

Unless... maybe Aang doesn't have to get hurt, and maybe no one has to fight. Maybe Aang could surrender, just for a few days, Zuko would achieve his objective, and all fault on him will be released. I'm pretty sure Aang could escape on his own after that, and even then it wouldn't be on Zuko.

Katara's gonna think I'm insane, but all I can do is hope she listens to me.

"Katara!" I call out.

Needless to say, she doesn't appear anywhere. They ran off into the thick forest that's just behind the shore.

"Katara!" I yell again. "I have to talk to you!"

Nothing. I don't blame her, I do have a huge Fire Nation ship behind me.

I turn to Zuko. "What's your plan?"

"Getting the Avatar and going home," he says.

"I mean, yes," I say. "But before that."

"As long as the bisont isn't seen flying, we can get in there and look for them," he says. "If we split up and move fast, we could find them."

I look into the forest.