Fuel to my Fire - Book One (ATLA Zuko Fanfiction)

Chapter Ten

Sakari's POV

I was sitting at the edge of the ship, looking up at Appa as we followed him, wondering where the hell we were going when I heard Iroh and Zuko step onto the deck.

"Sailing into Fire Nation waters. Of all the foolish things you've done in your sixteen years, Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish." Iroh told him, a stern tone to his voice.

Fire Nation waters? Aang... Sokka... Katara... What are you doing...?

"I have no choice, Uncle." Zuko responded.

"Have you forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you?" Iroh reminded him. "What if you're caught?"

"I'm chasing the Avatar. Father will understand why I'm returning home." Zuko tried defending himself.

"Doubt it." I mumbled to myself, earning a glare from Zuko.

"You give him too much credit. My brother is not the understanding type." Iroh said, looking worried now.

Zuko ignored him and went back to looking at the sky, and the giant flying bison that was in it.

"Helmsman, full steam ahead!" Zuko yelled.

The ship continued on its course and I watched as a large catapult emerged from under the deck, it had some sort if disgusting odour to it that almost made me gag.

"Really, Prince Zuko, couldn't you shoot them down with something more fragrant?" Iroh asked as he fanned himself.

"Yeah, that stuff reeks!" I complained as I bended a bubble of water around myself and walked over to Iroh.

Zuko ignored us and lit the smelly ball in the catapult, it was fired moments later and went shooting up towards Appa. I watched as the fire ball flew up into the air and missed Appa, falling back down into the ocean. As I watched it, I noticed that there were more ships in front of us, I dropped my water bubble and nudged Zuko pointing to the ships.

"I think we have a little problem." I said teasingly, thinking this would stop him from following my siblings.

"A blockade." Zuko stated.

"Technically you are still in Earth Kingdom waters. Turn back now and they cannot arrest you." Iroh suggested.

"He's not turning around!" Zuko announced after a moment of looking at Appa.

"Please, Prince Zuko. If you get captured, there's nothing I can do." Iroh pleaded. "Do not follow the Avatar."

"I'm sorry, Uncle." Zuko said quietly before turning to his crew. "Run the blockade!"

I looked at Iroh with a worried expression before looking out at the blockade. There's no way we're getting through there.

"Oh no." I heard Iroh say.

I watched as fire balls were shot up at Appa and came crashing down all around us. Using my bending I created a huge, thick bubble around us to try to stop us from getting hit. A few fire balls hit the water without getting through, but my bubble grew weaker the more it got hit and I eventually couldn't hold it anymore. One of the fire balls came crashing into the back of the ship and a crew member came rushing towards Zuko.

"Prince Zuko, the engines are damaged! We need to stop and make repairs!"

"Do not stop this ship." Zuko told the helmsman.

"I can help!" I yelled to the crew member and ran to the back of the ship where the engine was on fire.

I splashed a huge wave of water on the engine, freezing over any holes that I could see and I noticed the ship pick up its pace again. The crew member thanked me, but before I could reply I suddenly heard screaming come from somewhere above us. I looked up and saw Sokka falling from the sky and was about to extend some water out to catch him when I saw Aang and Katara swoop down on Appa and save him. I saw them look back at the ship I was on and I waved to them, I was happy when they waved back to me as I wasn't sure if they could see me or not. They were flying low towards the blockade now as more and more fire balls were being shot at them and us. Aang jumped from Appa and kicked out a blast of air, crumbling the fire ball that had been heading straight for them and making it past the blockade. Now it was our turn. We were headed straight into the course of two blockade ships, and we were so not going to make it.