Kumo sighed, fiddling with her hair. She didn't like it when it was up, but it was too noticeable down, even with a hat on. Zuko had panicked after spotting a wanted poster with her face on it while they were travelling into a town, so made her where a large sedge hat (or otherwise known as straw hats or rice hats). Kumo hated it, it was itchy and warm.
She sat still, her eyes focused on a particular scroll she'd bought from the market they'd passed through. It was about spirits and the spirit world. Lang Yao had only briefly explained to her about herself as the blizzard was too strong, so she took it into her own hands to find more knowledge about the subject.
But so far, the scroll had been useless. She heard Iroh groan as he was being massaged, Kumo rolled her crystal eyes and looked over at Zuko who was unusually quiet today. Then glancing up as Iroh approached them, Kumo stood and wandered to view the sakura tree when he began talking to Zuko. She didn't want to intrude, she was sure it was something personal.
"I see, it's the anniversary, isn't it?" Iroh asked gently, Kumo's sensitive ears picking up on the soft voices.
"Three years ago I was banished, I lost it all, I want it back." Zuko hissed, his eyes burned with anger and his hands clenched into fists. "I want the avatar. I want my honour, my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless."
"I'm sure he doesn't, why would he banish you if he didn't care?" Zuko shot his uncle a glare as he got and wandered over to where Kumo was, standing with her to admire the sakura trees.
-
"Look at all these beautiful shells!" Iroh explained, showing the shells to Kumo who stared at them in interest. They were a pretty peachy colour, she'd never seen shells before, after all, she did grow up in the North Pole. Shells weren't exactly in abundance. "I'll enjoy these for years to come."
"We don't need anymore useless things!" Zuko yelled, folding his arms coldly. "If you forget, we have to carry everything ourselves know."
"Well, Kaze could always carry some." Kumo suggested, Zuko gave her a stern look and she sighed, placing down a pale pink clam shell, it was pretty. Zuko never let any of them have any fun, it was avatar this and avatar that! She swore she never got a second of rest.
"Well, hello, brother, uncle." Zuko's head snapped in the direction of the voice, as did Iroh's. Though Kumo was slower to look, she knew who it was before she even saw her face. Zuko's sister, Azula, even though Kumo was not from the fire nation, she'd heard stories of Azula and how evil she was. "Oh, and you must be the air bender."
"What are you doing here?" Zuko growled, glaring at his sister. Azula rolled her eyes, making Kumo want to gouge them out.
"In my country, we exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions." She scowled mockingly, getting up from her seat. "Have you become so uncivilised so soon, Zuzu?"
"Well, we're not in your country, are we?" Iroh glanced over to Kumo, shocked at her hostility. Azula smirked at Kumo's daring attitude, picking up on the subtle challenge.
"Well, looks like your parents didn't teach you any manners, did they?" Azula countered, she'd been informed by Zhao before his death of the air bender. Her smirk faltered as Kumo's grew, but before Kumo could say anything, Zuko interrupted as he yelled at his sister.
"Don't call me that." He roared, Kumo rested a hand on his shoulder, relaxing him instantly. Iroh sighed.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Iroh asked calmly. Kumo removed her hand from Zuko's shoulder as she ran her pale fingers over the back of a shell.
"Hmm, must be a family trait, both of you so quick to get to the point." She hissed, crushing a shell in her hand. Kumo snorted, Azula's temper flared, much to Iroh's disappointment as his face went sour.
"Your not the embodiment of manners either." She hissed, narrowing her cold eyes at Azula.
"I'd appreciate it if you stayed out of this, air bender." She hissed, Kumo just smirked, knowing Azula felt threatened. "I've come with a message from home, fathers changed his mind, family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumours of plans to overthrow him, treacherous plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust. "
Azula gazed out of the window, Kumo could sense her lies from a mile off, Zuko, being a little slow sometimes, couldn't.
"Father regrets your banishment, he wants you home, he'll even accept your little pet." Kumo growled lowly at the term 'pet', she'd been called that too many times. Zuko's cold expression did not change. "Did you hear me? You should be happy, excited, grateful, I just gave you great news."
"I'm sure your brother just needs a moment-"
"Don't interrupt, uncle!" She roared, Kumo flinched at the sudden raise in her voice. "I still haven't heard my thank you, I'm not a messenger, I didn't have to come all this way."
"Father regrets? He wants me back?" Zuko asked, his voice was quiet and timid. Kumo's heart ached to comfort him but knew she could do nothing. He was caught in Azula's trap, and there was no getting him out.
"I can see you need time to take this in, I'll come to call on you tomorrow." Azula sighed, she turned and left. "Good evening."
-
Kumo sighed, looking out onto the night, Iroh stood with her deep in thought. He glanced at her thoughtfully, his brother would slaughter her where she stood if she came with them, although he knew Azula said that Zuko's 'pet' could come. His brother wasn't the type of person to care, especially about Zuko.
"It's a lie, isn't it?" Kumo asked quietly, making sure Zuko couldn't hear as he packed. Her big, blue eyes stared into the un-ending abyss, full of wonder yet they seemed so dull as she traced constellations.
"I don't know, Kumo." He sighed, folding his arms. "But what I do know is that my brother is not a very caring person and if this trip will be dangerous for anyone, it's you. Sadly, I fear Zuko has already made up his mind."
"Ah, I see." She murmured, closing her eyes as the cool wind lifted her hair.
"We're going home! After three long years, it's unbelievable!"Zuko exclaimed, packing his clothes away. Kumo's mood dampened, he was so happy...
"It is unbelievable." Iroh sighed. "I have never known my brother to regret anything."
"Did you listen to Azula?" Zuko shot, clearly forgetting the evil nature of his younger sibling. "Fathers realised how important family is to him. He cares about me."
"I care about you!" Iroh shot, walking towards his nephew. "And if Ozai wants you back, it maybe not be for the reason you imagine."
"You don't know how my father feels about me, you don't know anything!" Zuko scowled, turning his back on his Uncle.
"I only meant that in our family, things are not always as they seem." Iroh suggested carefully. Kumo sighed, resting her head on her palm. For her, the fire nation was not home, it was certain death.
"I think you are exactly as you seem! You are a lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man whose always been jealous of his brother!" Zuko seethed.
"Zuko!" Kumo hissed, coming away from the window. Iroh looked to ground in shock or in sadness, Kumo couldn't tell as she watched his back fade into the night. "How could you say that?"
"You don't understand! You're not apart of our family!" He scowled.
"I'm glad I'm not! Ozai gave you that scar, he scarred you for life while your sister laughed!" She roared, Zuko's eyes widened before they narrowed into a malicious glare. "The only one in your family to have contact with you is Iroh, whose put up with your crap!"
Kumo didn't wait for Zuko to yell back, instead she stormed out, calling after Iroh.
-
Night passed uncomfortably. Kumo didn't make up with Zuko, and Zuko didn't apologise to Iroh. And in the morning he set off before them, while Iroh and her were drinking tea peacefully. Though she could tell from the atmosphere, they weren't staying.
"We're going with him, aren't we?" She asked, sipping her tea. Iroh nodded, sending her a small smile. He couldn't help view her as a daughter or a nice now.
"You don't have to go, this will be danger-"
"I'll protect myself," She sighed, placing her tea down and standing up. "I just...I want to be with him, incase he needs me."
"Alright then," Iroh smiled, grabbing the bag he'd packed the night before." Let's hurry before he leaves."
Kumo always had her stuff packed away in a bag which she slung over Kaze, it made things easier. She exited the hut, leaping onto her faithful companion and setting off on a walk down the mountainside as to not leave Iroh behind.
They walked through thick vegetation before stumbling onto the narrow path down the cliffside, Iroh spotted Zuko up ahead.
"Wait! Don't leave without us!" He called, Zuko's face lit up as he turned to his uncle's voice but it faltered as Kumo appeared behind him, letting her smile fade slowly into a blank stare.
"Uncle, you've changed your mind." Zuko smiled, waiting for the others to catch up to him.
"Family sticks together," Iroh chuckled, placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder, "even those who aren't related by blood."
Kumo slid of Kaze and stared at the ground, apologising was never something she was good at, especially when she knew she'd said something personal.
"Sorry, I said...things like that...I had no idea what I was talking about," Kumo stammered, nervously before bowing. "Please forgive me."
"I forgive you." Zuko mumbled, Kumo straightened before letting a soft, sheepish smile adorn her features .
"Thank you."
Zuko looked down at the ship docked by the small jetty.
"We're finally going home." He exclaimed before he began to walk down the steps again. Kumo sighed, fear clawed her stomach as she hauled herself onto Kaze.
It was a trap... They were falling right into the Fire Lord's hands.
-
Kumo scowled as they walked along the docks. The fire nation soldiers stood bowed along each side as they walked slowly towards the ship. She was walking right into the enemies' layer, all for Zuko. Kaze was beginning to act threatened, he stood tall as to make himself big and growled every time someone got too close.
Azula waited for them on the deck of the ship, eyeing them all deviously. Kumo could see straight through her lies as she watched them hungrily, probably with promise of money or power fuelling her malicious act. Kumo snapped her fan open, fanning herself in the heat silently in the heat of midday sun.
"Brother, Uncle and the Air Bender! Welcome!" Azula greeted, bowing to them. They all bowed back, except Kumo of course, who stared coldly at Fire Nation girl in disgust. "I'm so glad you decided to come."
"Shall we depart, your highness?" Kumo heard the soldiers behind her move, her wrist twitched, aching to attack everyone. The tension was killing her.
"Set our course for home, captain." Azula informed. Kaze growled quietly and Kumo couldn't help her lips pull back into a snarl which she hid with her fan.
"Home..." Zuko muttered hopefully. She liked him and all, but sometimes he could just be real stupid.
"You heard the princess! Raise the anchors, we're taking the prisoners home!" The captain messed up and it was silent as Azula eyes widened before narrowing into a glare. Zuko and Iroh froze, while Kumo was expecting it. "Your highness...I..."
The white-haired girl leapt off Kaze, spinning her fan rapidly, blowing the soldiers off the docks. Iroh turned round, swinging a fist into the nearest soldier's face. and Zuko leapt forward to shot fire at the soldier that charged at him.
"You lied to me!" He roared, anger clouded his eyes as he punched another solider.
"Like I've never done that before." Azula sneered, before turning to head inside her ship. Zuko tried to run after her but the guards stopped him, blasting swirling flames at him. They were quickly dealt with by Kumo and Iroh, who quickly finished of the guards on the docks while Zuko went on to fight Azula.
"You know, father blames uncle and your pet for the south pole and he considers you a miserable failure for not finding the avatar." Azula taunted. "Why would he want you home other to lock you up so you could no longer embarrass him?"
Zuka and Azula engaged in a fight, it was fast paced and fiery, They went at each other, not landing a single hit until Azula got Zuko with her lightning. She was about to blast him again, hopefully killing him but faltered as Kumo leapt in front, shielding Zuko's body with hers. Azula smirked, charging the attack once more.
But as she went to fire it but Iroh grabbed her wrist, redirecting the lightning and kicking her overboard into the swirling waves.
And then they ran, into the woods, Kumo leapt up onto Kaze, pulling both Iroh and Zuko with her as Kaze bounded off. They stopped when they reached a river, they both clambered of the polar dog and knelt by the creek as it rushed quietly through the woods. Kumo watched in interest as Zuko produced a knife from his clothes, bringing it up to chop off his ponytail.
She frowned, she liked his hair. Then Iroh took the knife, chopping of his own topknot before they sat in silence as the hair floated down the river.
Kumo just assumed it was some sort of weird fire nation thing.
|Please forgive me, this chapter isn't very good, but hopefully, it, uh, gets better. |