The Flames of the past (Avatar: Zuko love story)

Chapter 39: The Runaway

The five where swimming in a lake, that was surrounded by high walls of earth. Like a lake in a vulcano. Mia was floating around a bit, looking up to the clouds passing by. Mia thought of Piandao, and the white lotus tile he gave her. Mia already had one from from her father and she took a deep breathe. She closed her eyes and thought of the holidays on Ember Island. Surprisingly enough, Ozai agreed with Mia joining them. Mia was always teasing him. Splashing him with water and stuff like that. Now she does that to Sokka, but now it's more differently. 

Aang was swimming and diving and all and Mia saw how clear his tattoos were. "Aang, you shouldn't expose yourself like that, cover up." Mia said. "There are walls all around us, it's completely safe." Katara said, who was cleaning her hair. Mia ignored her and climbed out of the water. She removed the water, for she was too impatient to let it dry. She sat down in the shadow, not really enjoying the sun. 
"Why are you tempered lately?" Katara asked when she sat down next to Mia. "hmm," Mia mumbled, "maybe its because of my ex-boyfriend betrayed me and the sweetest man on earth, my brother and my bloodown mother wants to kill me, and not to forget that my father died of his own sorrows and grief." Katara looked at her feet. "I am sorry for being so... insolent." 

Mia looked at her and back to her feet. "It's okay." She whispered. "I have wondered, why your eyes are red and you have that spot on your chest." Katara said. "How do you, it's covered." Mia said and checked her chest. "I saw you when you changed your clothes.... does it hurt?"
"It does when I get angry or sad. And I get the most terrible and violent ideas. Like I want to kill everyone I don't like." 
"That must be a terrible feeling." 

Mia nodded and stood up. The sun was already disappearing behind a walls a little bit, so she started to warm up the left overs of the dumplings they ate yesterday. Mia set up their tea, boiling it till it was hot. She poured in 5 cups and they discussed their plans. Late in the evening they all went to bed, only Mia couldn't really sleep. She was wide awake, and she was thinking about what happened and what will happen. She was thinking about that when the time comes, she might have to fight Zuko or her mom. This gave her chills and she shivered. Toph, who was lying next to her, woke up and sat down upstraight. 

"I know this sounds weird, but it feels like a metal man is approaching." She said. Mia frowned when she saw a ray of light, shining on Aang's forehead, from a place somewhere up the wall in front of them. When Mia looked closer, she knew exactly who it was. The man with the third eye. He took a deep breathe and out of his forehead, a ray of energy, that sounded like fireworks, got fired on the group. Mia stood up and started to run. Strangely enough, he didn't fire at Mia, though she was really visable and kinda bit of fire back to stop his weird energy.

Toph, Aang and Katara started to fight back very intensly, but there was no way that they could win. 
They sat down behind a huge rock, covering themselves. "This is crazy! How can we beat up a guy who can blow things up with his mind?" Sokka yelled. "I know right? It's really MINDBLOWING!" Mia said with a huge smile, a smile of fear and nervousity. Sokka frowned and started to laugh out loud. "Oh my... I have to remember that one." He said when he was done laughing. 

"We need to leave!" Toph yelled. "Yes we have, and I know how," Aang said and he stood up, "jump on Appa, I will distract him." 
And so Aang did. Mia's stomach was twisting when she jumped on Appa and started to feel sick. Who send him? The Fire Lord? Her brother, her mom? Zuko...? Mia shook her head and they followed Aang, who was still fighting the metal man. Aang jumped up, and landed right in the saddle. They flew away, and Mia kept looking at the man, until he became a little black dot. 

"Well that was quite random." Toph said when she stroked a section of hair out of her face. 
"I believe it wasn't," Katara said with a sigh, "I don't know... I think he knows who we are." 
"Mia, are you okay?" Sokka asked when he sat down next to her. "Yes... I am fine." She replied slowly and she swallowed. 
Katara frowned at her. "It seems like you know him." Katara said, but not in a mean way. 
Mia looked at her feet and looked up. "I have seen him a couple of times. He is an assasin. He has this third eye... I don't kow his name, and I don't know who send him. The only thing I know is that he is very dangerous." 

"What are going to do now?" Sokka asked. "I have this strong feeling... I want to go to the island where Avatar Roku lived." Aang said.
"There is nothing left there... Everything is buried under the ashes." Mia said in a whisperm to Aang, the others didn't hear it. 
"I still want to go there, Mia." Mia nodded slowly and laid her head on a pile of clothes and other soft stuff and took a deep breathe. She hoped with all her heart and mind that Zuko didn't send that guy.

~

The next day they flew to Roku's Island. When they landed Mia got a strange feeling... It was more like a sad feeling. "There is nothing here." Katara said confused. Toph jumped on the ground and felt. "Yes there is, an entire village. Hundreds of houses, all completely buried in ashes." Sokka stood down next to Mia. "What does he want to do here again?" He asked her. Mia smiled at him. "He might get in contact with Roku, the last Avatar. Maybe he can get some help and information." Aang sat down on a kind of cliff, towards the sun, it's rays of light colouring the sea orange, a beautiful colour. The other four played some stupid games when Aang got finally in the Avatar state. 

When it was dark, Aang suddely stood up, his eyes still closed and it looked that he was kinda about to fart. "Do they have bathrooms in the spirit world?" Katara asked quite horrified. "As a matter of fact, they do not." Sokka said, his finger pointed to the air. Aang's tattoos lighted up again and the four waited for what he was about to do. Nothing happened and the four sat down with a sigh agin. 

After an hour or two, Aang finally returned and he told them the whole story. "You mean after all Roku and Sozin went through together, even after Roku showed him mercy, Sozin betrayed him like that?" Katara asked. "It is like there people are born evil..." Toph said, sinking it all in. "no, that's wrong, I don't think that was the point Roku wanted to show me at all."
'Than what was the point?" Sokka asked. 
"Roku was just as much Fire Nation as Sozin was, right? If anything, their story proves that anyone's  capable of great good and evil. Everyone, even the Fire Lord and the Fire Nation, have to be treated like the world is giving them a chance, and they also think it's about friendship." Aang replied.

"I understand it now..." Mia said slowly. "Understand what?" Aang asked.
"It's in his nature... Zuko's nature. His great grandfather was Sozin, but his mother's grandfather was Roku. Iroh and I had never told him, but I think this explains why he is so bad between knowing what is good and evil, and to choose between them." Mia said.
"Wow... that's pretty bizarre." Aang said.
 "Mi, he ain't less mean thanks to that." Sokka said with his arms crossed over his chest. Mia rolled with her eyes and looked at Toph, who was thinking. "Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?"

Mia grabbed her hand. "I can't see why not." 
"Well, scientifically speaking, there's no way to prove that." Sokka said.
"Oh shut up and just hug!" Mia yelled and they had a nice, cozy group hug. 

~

"Okay guys, I am ready for the training!" Aang said when he blindfolded himself. 
Mia, Toph and Katara where ready to attack and Aang reacted perfectly. He zigzaged through Toph's rocks and avoided Mia's whip of fire. Katara was trying to hit him with her water, but he hand it over and shot it back at her. "Good job Aang, visuelize, than attack." Mia said when she grabbed a rock of Toph and shot it to Aang. Aang disappeared in the ground and it fully hit Katara. Toph was rolling on the floor, laughing. "Maybe you should listen to your own advice, Mia." Katara said grumpy. 

"Please Katara, it's only some dirt. You better prefer the soft snow, do you?" Mia replied. Katara's vain on her forehead was beating and she send a tidal wave towards Mia, that wasn't paying attention. "What's the matter, did your little flame burned out?" Katara said teasing. Mia frowned and ran towards Katara. They were just having a regular kind of fight, no bending. "Guys... aren't you supposed to train me?" Aang asked. "Very well, pupil," Katara said strict when she tapped the mud off her, "this was enough training for today." 
"Good, let's go get some fun!" Toph yelled and Sokka, Aang and Mia yelled too. 

After Aang spoke to Roku, they went on to another town. Tehy were geting closer and closer to the Fire Nation capitol. "Look at all those messenger hawks." Sokka said, "You know, I have been thinking about getting one.... Then I don't need to talk to anyone, just send them a message." Mia smiled. "That is a great idea! Then I don't have to talk to you anymore."  
"So guys, what are we gonna do with our last silver piece?" 
"We can get more money." Toph replied to Aang and she stopped walking. 

"Or we can lend money from Mia." Sokka said.
"No, just imagine my money isnt here, okay?" Mia said hopeful.

"Right there we can get some!" Toph said and she pointed down to some men, who were gambling. "Hmm..." Mia said and she walked away, "where are you going?" Katara asked. "I am going to get some tea... with my own money." She whispered. Katara shrugged and followd Mia. 

~

Mia and Katara were preparing dinner when the three came back, with bags of groceries and a big smile on their faces. "Where did you guys got the money to buy all that stuff?" Katara asked amazed. "Not from Mia for sure." Toph replied. Mia narrowed her eyes and raised her head, looking to the other side, roughly stirring in the cettle. "Toph got that money, she fooled some a gambling guy. Those guys with shells and a little rock?" Aang said when he took a bite of his apple. "She used earthbending to win the game." 

"That is cheating." Mia said strict.
"Hey! I was only cheating because he was cheating."
Mia looked at Toph. "That is called fooling people, people shouldn't gamble at all." 
"Anyway," Katara said quickly, "you shouldn't make a habit of it." 
"Why? Because it's fun? and you hate fun?" Toph said teasingly. 
"I don't hate fun!" Katara replied. "Guys please," Mia said when she raised her hand, "just stop doing that. If you get caught, you are screwed. And I am not getting you out of jail." 

"If I tell them Mia Li Feng is walking into town, they would even give me money to let me out." Toph replied, "or you could be a bit more generous and less greedy and give us your money." 
"It is my mom's money. And maybe you could have brought some money of your rich parents you LITTLE SPOILED BI-"
"-Okay we know it!" Aang yelled quickly.

Sadly and disappointed  Mia shook her head. She thought of all the things that cou;ld happen. And maybe she is greedy, who cares? She was sure it was bloodmoney, it had to be but at some point Maya did put it on the bank at Ba Sing Se, maybe for her children. Follish that her aunt didn't think of that earlier. 

~

The days passed, and a wanted poster of Toph was already hung up the walls in town. Toph came back again from stealing, Aang and Sokka had already stopped and had properly listened to Mia. "Toph this is getting out of hand, you should stop, you are being called The Runaway." She said strict when she showed Toph the poster, even if she can't see it. "Where did you get, you and Katara haven't been to town the last few days." Mia smirked. "It doesn't matter where I got it from, Toph." 
"You went through my stuff! You had no right!" Where is the fun Mia huh? Where is she? I don't recognize you anymore!" Toph yelled. "BECAUSE I HAVE GROWN UP!" Mia yelled back.

Toph walked away from Mia. "Don't walk away from me while I am talking to you!" Mia yelled. "Or what? You are gonna do? Send me to my room?" Mia laughed amazed. "I wish I could!"
"Well, you can't! Because you are not my mom, and also not theirs! And I can do whatever I want!" Toph pointed to Aang and Sokka, who where sitting on the ground, quietly watching the fight. "That's why you are behavuing like this... Because you never could do anything at your own house... You miss your parents, and you do bad things to forget them." Mia said with a smile.

"That's not true, I hate them! But that is no reason for you to be like our new mother."
"I never said I was-"
"-no but you act like it. You act so motherly! You think you can play and be the boss over us, but you are not, you are just a regular kid like the rest of us!" Mia was pointing a shaking finger at Toph, her whole body was shaking, her red eyes twinkeling dangerously, her black spot on her chest glowing. 

Mia looked down and took a deep breathe. "I just don't want to lose you guys too." She mumbled and a tear rolled down her cheek. She turned around and ran away, to a place no one could see her cry, and where no one else could see her weaknesses.
 

(I know it's weird to read that Mia and Toph fighting, but they will be okay later again. Sorry for not uploading for 2 weeks, I feel really ashamed, but I just had no time at all... Hope you liked the chapter! xx)