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

Chapter Twenty-Two

Sakari's POV

I pushed Zhao further down, making him twist and jerk on the ground, he was clearly in pain and I didn't care. In that moment I was prepared to do anything to save Tui, to save everyone, but just as I was about to bring Zhao's own hand to his throat I was knocked to the side by a blast of fire. I fell to the ground, breaking my concentration on Zhao who very quickly ran to the pond and scooped Tui into a bag. The moon went red and I tried to Waterbend at him but realised that I couldn't.

"I am a legend now. For generations, the Fire Nation will tell stories about me, The Great Zhao, who darkened the moon." Zhao announced to his men. "They will call me Zhao the Conqueror... Zhao the Moon-Slayer... Zhao the Invincible!"

Just then Aang's lemur leapt onto Zhao's head, pulling on his face, I turned my head and realised that Appa had just landed nearby. I got to my feet and stood with my siblings and Aang, Katara had seemed to have gotten over her pride and nodded to me as a greeting.

"He's going to kill Tui." I told them.

They all looked shocked at Zhao as he held his fist up to the bag that contained Tui.

"Zhao, don't!" Aang said, dropping his staff.

"It's my destiny to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe." Zhao stated.

"Destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe, it'll hurt everyone, including you." Aang tried to explain. "Everything will fall out of balance without the moon. Chaos would erupt all over the world."

"He's right, Zhao." Iroh said, coming out of nowhere.

"Iroh. Why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?" Zhao said.

"I'm not traitor. The Fire Nation needs the moon as well. We all depend on the balance." Iroh explained, but Zhao didn't move. "Whatever you do to that Spirit, I will unleash on you tenfold! Let it go, now!"

I had never seen Iroh this angry, and apparently neither had Zhao, he looked like he was considering his options. Zhao finally gave in and let Tui go, she swam back into the pool and the moon turned back to its normal bright white colour. I relaxed my body, as did everyone else, when Zhao suddenly let out a loud growl and a line of fire burst from his hand. The world around us went grey, the moon had completely disappeared, and Tui floated motionless in the pool.

"NO!" I screamed

I tried to lunge at Zhao but I was pulled back by Sokka, reminding me that I no longer had my bending, and we watched as Iroh easily knocked Zhao and his men down. They made a run for it as the rest of us stared in shock at the lifeless white koi fish, I was truly enraged; Tui had been my master for as long as I could remember and now, she was dead. Iroh lifted Tui from the water and I could see the deep gash on her body that Zhao had given her. Tears fell freely from my eyes as I imagined all the different ways I could end Zhao's life for this.

"There's no hope now. It's over." I heard the white-haired Water Tribe girl say.

"No, it's not." Aang said getting into the Avatar state.

He walked forward into the pond and seemed to be communicating with the Ocean Spirit, La. La's eyes glowed with Aang's and a moment later Aang disappeared into the water, a bright blue light flowed through the water and became a huge water creature with Aang in the middle of it. Aang left us at the pond and went towards the Fire Navy ships to deal some damage.

"How are you doing that?" Katara's voice broke me out of my trance.

"What?" I asked confused.

It was only then that I realised the air around me had gotten quite hot, and the others were looking at me with extremely confused faces. I lifted my arms and, to my surprise, red hot flames followed them.

"I need to tell you something." I said to Katara.

Katara and I stepped away from the group to talk while the other three went back to looking at Tui's dead body, Katara had a strange look on her face and kept some distance between us.

"This is gonna sound crazy... But I'm not really your sister." I told Katara.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked, sweating because of the heat coming from me.

"I've learnt that my biological mother was from the Northern Tribe, and my father was a Firebender. My mother died giving birth to me, and her husband didn't want to raise me so he sent me to the South Pole, where I was raised with you and Sokka." I explained to my shocked sister.

"So... That's why you can heat water?" Katara asked.

"Yeah I think so." I replied.

"That still doesn't explain why you can create fire right now. You're a Waterbender!" Katara stated.

"I don't know -"

"Yue! No!" I was cut off by Sokka's yelling.

Katara and I turned back and saw the white-haired girl, Yue, in Sokka's arms. I looked at Katara, worry in my eyes, and then we rushed towards them.

"What happened?" I asked.

Iroh put his arm out, silently telling us to give Sokka space. The air around me was getting unbearably hot now and flames erupted from my body; Katara couldn't stand too close anymore, and she put a few metres between us.

"She gave her life to restore the moon." Iroh explained.

I looked into the sky and frowned; the moon wasn't there. Yue seemed to have died for nothing, and that made me extremely angry. Zhao was going to pay. I left my siblings at the pond and ran through the streets of the tribe following the sound of grunting and the whooshing of fire. I rounded a corner and saw Zuko and Zhao on a bridge in the middle of a fight, my appearance shocked them and they froze.

"Sakari, how -"

"No time to explain!" I cut Zuko off.

Just then the sky lit up once more and I looked up at the glowing white moon; the flames around me disappeared. I smirked as I ran towards Zhao, letting my anger fuel me, and used some boiling water to knock him to the ground. He screamed in pain and turned his head towards me, just in time to see ice spikes coming his way. I pinned him to the ground and stepped over him, I gathered a large bubble of water above him and slowly lowered it to his face.

"Any last words?" I asked threateningly.

Zhao just silently glared at me, ready to meet his end, but before I could lower the water to his face a giant hand shot out of the water below us and grabbed Zhao. I could tell that it was Aang's giant water creature so I didn't stop it, Zuko ran to the edge of the bridge to stand next to me and we watched Zhao sink into the water below.

"That was pretty ruthless of you." Zuko commented.

"Yeah, uh, I don't know what came over me." I said, thinking about what I almost just did.

"We should get out of here." Zuko stated.

"We?" I asked. "Don't you mean you?"

"Well, yes, I suppose." Zuko said sadly. "You're not coming with me?"

This took me by surprise a little, Zuko and I have grown close these past months but I didn't think he would voluntarily want my company. I stared into his eyes for a minute, thinking about my options, I could stay here and re-join my siblings and Aang... Although I guess they're not really my siblings are they... And they looked so horrified when I was covered in fire... Or I could go with Zuko and Iroh and end up who knows where.

"Well?" Zuko asked, holding out his hand.

I took it. Zuko gave me a smile and we ran together to find Iroh and get out of here.

*****

"I am surprised at you both." Iroh stated as we sailed on a small raft. "Surprised at you, Sakari, for not staying with the Avatar. And, Prince Zuko, I am surprised that you are not at this moment trying to capture the Avatar."

"I'm tired." Zuko stated.

"Me too." I added, ignoring Iroh's comment.

"Then you should rest. You both need it." Iroh said.

I laid down next to Zuko on the small raft and drifted off to sleep as we sailed away from the Northern Water Tribe, away from the Avatar, and away from the only family I've ever known.