𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 ⎯ 𝐙𝐮𝐤𝐨

Chapter 31

They were holding hands, walking so closely that their shoulders touched with every movement they made. None of them hesitated, and no one was oppressing their feelings. Shoko's smile disappeared the instant he reopened his amber eye, pulling his knees to his chest and hiding his head with his arms.

They could have been happy. 

"Yeah, we could've..."

❥・❥

"What do you plan on doing when you catch the Avatar?" Ty Lee asked Azula, the group of girls sat in a tank, following the trail of bison fur being left behind.

"Kill him of course."

Rin looked up from her nails that Mai was currently painting a black color. "What? But he's just a kid." Azula's cold eyes met Rin's concerned blue ones. An eerie look on her face, "And? He must be stopped. Looks can be deceiving, Rin, he's a hundred years old."

"But he hasn't killed anyone. Besides, how could you live with yourself knowing that you've killed a young boy full of spirit?" Rin shouted, standing up from where she sat with Mai. The other two watched silently. Rather surprised that Rin had spoken out against their leader. 

Azula's stance faltered, only slightly before she fixed her posture. "That's enough. You know better than to speak out. I recruited you so you could be with the people that actually care about you!" Azula stood up as well, immediately making Rin cower back with a frown.

"Yes, Azula," Rin whispered in a hushed tone. She looked away from the Princess and down at her black nails. The group all sat in silence now. Mai's expressionless face slightly showed a hint of sympathy. Ty Lee glanced at her saddened friend before focusing her attention to look out at the tank's scope. Azula, however, continued to glare at the back of Rin's head, pleased the older girl was cowering as she always did.

Suddenly, Ty Lee let out a gasp, "I found them again! Their bison is so furry! They're on top of that hill." Rin glared at her hands, standing up to follow the other girls to mount their giant lizards, preparing to attack the Avatar and his friends. Instead of running like the other times they did, when they noticed the machine, they stayed still and looked at it with curiosity.

They watched as the tank opened, revealing the girls on their lizards. 

"It's the four girls from Omashu!" Katara shouted in dismay. 

Rin looked over to a new girl who she hadn't seen the last time they fought, she was short and wore Earth Kingdom clothes. The girls all began to ride forward, and instantly, the young girl earthbended a large wall in front of them, blocking their way. The Avatar and his friends all pack up their messily done campsite and hopped onto the flying bison. Azula quickly shot out a bolt of lightning toward the wall, creating a half-circle to allow them their pass. Mai then took her chance to send a knife at the little girl's head, but the earthbender raised the ground from in front of her, propelling herself upwards as she landed with the others in the bison's saddle. 

"Let's continue following them. Leave the tank behind, it took too much time to get out" Azula announced, causing tired groans to fall from her friend's lips, knowing very well that the Princess wouldn't allow them to rest until she got her hands on the Avatar.

❥・❥

"Wads of wet fur. How delightful" Mai said in her usual sarcastic tone. Azula was kneeling beside a creek, examining the wads of wet fur in her hand. Rin, Mai, and Ty Lee stood behind her. "Hmm... they're not wads, more like bundles. Or bunches... it's got an 'uh' sound." Ty Lee added, putting a finger on her chin as she thought of the right word.

"Clumps?" Rin suggested, making the girl in pink jump and engulf her, "Clumps!" Ty Lee confirmed, a happy tone replacing her old one. Rin looked over Ty Lee's shoulder to see the trail of white fur. She decided to keep her mouth shut. There was no way she was going to let Azula kill someone that easily, especially the world's last hope. He needed to live, no matter what. 

"The trail goes this way," Mai pointed at the very trail Rin saw. Azula looked over to observe a couple of trees. "The Avatar is trying to give us the slip?" She pointed to the broken tips of the trees.

"You two follow this trail" Tye Lee lets go of Rin and all the girls began mounting their lizards, separating in two different directions. 

❥・❥

"I'm sorry," Azula spoke softly from beside Rin, keeping her eyes locked in front of her. "For snapping at you. I just don't want to get distracted."

Rin looked away from the trail and faced the Princess, her eyes softening as she took in Azula's beauty. "I'm sorry for speaking out as well. I just," Rin took a deep breath, "I don't want you to feel the weight of killing anyone, Azu. You're a lot of things, but you're not a murderer."

Azula's face morphed into a scowl, "It's not like it matters. If the only way to impress Admiral Wu is by killing the Avatar, then so be it. I won't hesitate."

Rin slowly shook her head, looking away at the passing trees. Azula did absolutely everything to impress Rin's Father, she looked up to the old man as she did with her own Father. "There are other ways, and if it means anything... I'm proud of you" Rin looked back up to meet Azula's gaze with a sad smile. The Princess's eyes widened, she wasn't used to hearing anyone say positive things about her. Warm yet small tears flowed down her cheeks. 

"I'm proud of you, and I love you" Rin continued softly. Azula faced the other side and forced her tears back, glaring deeply at the road ahead of them. "But how long will it take to drive you away from me?" She spoke to herself in a hushed tone.

❥

"No matter how much you run, you will always be caught. Facing the past is a scary thing, and some might not be ready to come to terms with what happened. Because, the mind might forgive, but the heart will forever be scarred, afraid to love again.