Zuko walked silently into his room directly after the meeting of the black sun. He closed the door gently behind him and moved over to his bed removing his headpiece, allowing his hair to fall messily around his face. It seemed to ease his headache slightly. He knew the day of the black sun was upon them. With a silent sigh he removed his armor and placed it on his bed beside his head piece then he turned and walked over to his desk.
He placed a sheet of parchment on his desk and used the two weights to smooth it out flat before sitting down and picking up his brush. With careful and delicate strokes, he began writing, his heart heavy in his chest.
He had everything planned out.
He sneaked out of his room like he had done countless of times and made way for the auburn-haired servant's room.
He stood outside of her door and raised a hand his nerves getting the best of him as he told himself to suck it up and just knock. He shook his head and simply walked in like had done several times before.
His eyes widened at what he saw inside the small room. Papers and scrolls were wildly scattered all over the room and it smelled like burnt paper and smoke. Tsai sat on a chair using the small desk as she burnt what looked like confidential information into a metal bowl.
Her eyes shot wide as she jumped from her chair and shoved a crumbled paper inside of her shirt.
"It's not what it looks like." She said in one breath as her brain racked thoughts of a believable lie to explain this awkward situation.
His golden eyes meeting hers. "You're the one that's been leaking out all the information."
"I knew it." He said softly.
She braced herself ready for his explosion. For the perfect prince to erupt in rage at her lies and betrayal.
"You're the one that left the scroll outside of my door," he said as the realization hit him.
She nodded slowly. Still waiting for the volatile reaction. For him to scream and maybe even immobilize her for capture as a traitor to his Nation.
"I know you're working with uncle. I've known since the beginning. You would never betray him. You would never betray everything you believe in unless he asked you. That's why you bowed before my father. Swore your allegiance to the Fire Nation." He finally managed to connect all the dots and see the bigger picture. It was as clear as water.
Her body was tense. She had been holding her breath. His expression was unreadable. Would he turn her in?
Their eyes met again. She didn't dare move a muscle. Only looked at him like a deer dog caught in headlights. His silence was killing her.
"Let's runaway." He proposed boldly.
She looked at him beyond confused at the bold suggestion. One of her eyebrows arched the other knotted making her bewilderment even more apparent on her face.
"Let's runaway together," he repeated holding her head in his hands. She was too stunned to react to his touch.
"We-We're both of marrying age." He stammered. "We'll runaway. Get married. Start a new life somewhere where nobody knows us. We'll bring uncle! We've already done it once. We can do it again!"
She had stopped listening halfway through his spiel. Both of her eyes wide. All the blood rushed to her head. Her head was spinning, and she could swear her mind went blank for a moment. She feel forward almost comically feeling dizzy at the declaration. He caught her by the shoulders, and it took her a moment to regain consciousness.
"It's official!" She said stepping away from him cornering herself creating the most distance she could between the two of them.
Her heart had skipped an anxious beat. Face red as a beet.
"You have lost your mind. Do you hear yourself talk? We are SIXTEEN." She attempted to snap some common sense into him. "NOBODY is getting married," she spoke tensely letting out a nervous laugh.
"I'm leaving the Fire Nation and I am not leaving without you." He said his eyes blazing with determination.
She looked at him with a defiant glare. She wanted nothing from him. Not anymore.
"Of course... Unless you would rather stay here with my sister..." He added casually.
"When do you leave?" She caved. Not even thinking twice about it.
Little did the two of them know that a pair of prying eyes had been watching the prince enter and exit the servant's room with vile intent.
Xxx
Tsai awoke drenched in sweat at the memory. She heaved as she looked around restlessly. It seemed like it had been ages ago when in truth it had only been days... She breathed harshly looking around the camp and gazed up at the sky suddenly feeling very small.
Shaking her head, she sneaked off to the edge of a cliff where she sat burying her face in her palms in aggravation. It was so frustrating...
Sokka prodded the campfire with a nearby stick, watching the embers float up into the air with a grim expression. Around him, his sister and friends slept peacefully, unperturbed by the discomforting thoughts that had been nagging at him for several days. Sokka glanced over towards the ledge of the mountain cliff where sat had been sitting for most the evening since insomnia had greeted her in the late night.
Without much thought Sokka walked over and took a seat next to her also dangling his feet over the bottomless abyss before.
She didn't turn to acknowledge his presence instead kept her tired eyes facing forward pensively.
"You want to know more about her, huh?" Tsai finally acknowledge and turned to look at him. Sokka sat quietly and nodded his head as his thoughts drifted to Yue, his first girlfriend who had terribly perished...
"She didn't feel any pain... When it happened. And she's happy, I think," Tsai paused for a moment before she cracked a rare smiled which was accompanied by a small laugh. "She knows all about you and your new girlfriend. She thought it was sweet how you didn't kiss her that one night."
Sokka's eyes went wide, cheeks flushed a little red. "S-She told you that?!"
"Of course," Tsai was still laughing. "We're friends. We had a lot of catching up to do. Don't worry. She found it endearing. She really wants you to be happy. Sincerely," she said graciously.
Sokka was quiet and looked up at the moon which was perched in the night sky above them and he smiled knowing that Yue was watching over them. It was then that his thoughts swayed to his current love. Suki... He hoped that she was okay. Prayed that they would find a way back to each other. He was much too distraught to see the smile fall from the colonial girl's face. He turned to say something and then noticed the lost look in her eyes.
"You know you don't have to stay up and keep watch. I'm on guard duty tonight." He said encouraging to return to her sleep. Which as of the late, it seemed like an impossible task.
However, she remained silent and didn't move not wanting to admit to her insomnia.
"He's on your mind, right?" Sokka asked.
Tsai thought of her brother. The uncertainty of not knowing if he was well or not was once again consuming her. If she knew of his fate be it fortunate or horrible, she would've come to terms with it, but not knowing? This was even worse than last time. She cursed him for doing this to her. Making her bear such worry.
"The uncertainty. It's killing me, not knowing if he's well or not," she confessed.
Sokka let out what sounded like an insensitive snort.
"Don't worry. Knowing Zuko he'll be just fine. He's hard enough to get rid of," Sokka rolled his eyes at the thought of his enemy.
"Zuko?" She retorted confused. Right now, he was in a faraway place in her mind. She had bigger problems to worry about. Besides, she hated to admit it but Sokka was right. There was nobody as persistent or determined as the Fire Nation's Prince.
"I was thinking about my brother," she admitted and touched her naked neck suddenly aware that she was free no longer having to wear that humiliating dog collar. She missing her own necklace and found some comfort in knowing that her other half had a piece of her with him.
"I know what you're thinking," she said after a moment. "That I'm probably crazy you know... for dating him. I'm not on cactus juice or anything," she let out what sounded like a humorous huff.
"How could you have even dated that stupid, conniving, evil jerk?!" He asked his expression shocked and border lining in outrage. "Willingly?"He raised both of his eyebrows incredulously as he sat in disbelief.
She nodded with a small sad smile her heart still ached for him.
"We always thought it was some sort of hostage situation," he shrugged raising both of his hands up. "Go figure."
She let out a laugh at the idea. "No... Not at all," she smiled weakly. "He's not dumb at all, or conniving like his sister, or evil. He can actually be very sweet. Nobody makes me laugh like he does. And he has the kindest heart," she had a lazy day dreamy smile on her face as she spoke about the prince.
"Wow," Sokka's mouth was ajar in shock. He could've sworn he was about to barf his guts into the abyss. He wondered if this was this what girls talked about all the time?
'Zuko? Really?' He could not believe her words. 'She must've drank something stronger than cactus juice or something.'
"But he's so-" Sokka sought out for the proper vocabulary of choice. "He's such a dick." He settled. "He's so angry and overbearing and persistent and did I mention angry?"
He looked at her slightly dazed expression and realized that she wasn't kidding.
This was serious.
"He is all of those things too," she said rubbing the back of her neck nervously. Who was she to deny him his truths? When Sokka was right, he was right.
"You really love him huh?" He mused after witnessing the smiled grow on her pink face.
She felt a chill run up her spine and erect her hair in comically pointed stands at what to her sounded like a most seriously bold accusation. She felt as if she had been struck by one of Azula's lightning bolts.
"Me? What-lov-no-" She struggled with her words her tongue twisting her face burning from the embarrassment of her affections. She let out a huff and shook her head lightly. "I won't give that jerk the time of day, not after everything he's done."
Sokka snickered at her reaction. Without thinking she gave his arm a hard, playful shove which almost made him fall over the cliff.
"No!" She realized and pulled him back into a safer ground just as fast.
The Southern Water Tribe boy's face had turned white in fear at the close brush with death.
"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly with a small laugh.
xxx
Zuko folded his hands behind his head and stared up at the same moon contemplatively, his thoughts storming in his mind. As he thought of just how in the world, he was going to convince the Avatar's group to let them join them.
And just where where Tsai and his uncle? He hoped they had somehow found each other...
Xxx
"This is humiliating." Katara grumbled as she tossed a bag off to the floor in frustration.
Tsai spared her a look over her shoulder and shook her head ignoring her. It was known that both weren't on the best speaking terms. Tsai knew that Katara had a prejudice against her for being born in the Fire Nation which wasn't fair. Her discrimination wasn't cute. Tsai hated how she would walk with this air of superiority pretending to embody a moral compass of goodness when she did ignorant things like this.
Sokka glanced over at his sister amused despite his sore limbs "You mean getting thoroughly spanked by the Fire Nation or having to walk all the way to the Western Air Temple?" He teased as he walked next to her.
Katara glanced at him contemplatively for a moment then answered with dry humor, "Both."
"Sorry, guys." Aang said to the siblings from where he was walking at the back the group and he reached out to scratch Appa's cheek affectionately, "But Appa gets tired carrying all these people."
"It could've been worse," Tsai the eternal optimist offered.
The group continued their trek up in an exhaustive hike to the Western Air Temple. Laments were felt as they mourned their missing people. Bickering and some healthy ramblings were exchanged as several group members (Sokka. It was Sokka) complained about having blisters and walking the long way. Before they reached the temple.
Xxx
Zuko tied the rope he'd brought with him to a rock and tossed it over the side of the cliff before using it to slide down the cliff. He turned slowly to face the cliff and stared at the massive statue of a female Airbender. He swung forward slightly then jumped, landing in a crouch on the platform the statue was on. Zuko straightened and stared up at the statue, remembering the last time he'd been at this temple.
At the time he had been younger, more foolish, more naïve. He was blinded by his ambition of regaining his father's respect and recuperating his honor. Then again, he had only been a child. Having only been thirteen at the time.
"What else would I expect to hear from the laziestman in the Fire Nation?" Zuko whirled around and snarled at his uncle furiously. Iroh sighed and bowed his head while his nephew turned away from him, "The only way to regain my honor is to find the Avatar, so I will."
The memory stung him. Waves of disappointment and regret washed over him as he wondered just how he could've treated his uncle in such a way. He let out a heavy exhale and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.
The familiar rumbling growl of the Avatar's sky bison suddenly flew above in the air, followed by even more familiar laughter. Zuko jerked his head to the left, towards the sounds and gasped in surprise. He quickly darted towards a nearby pillar and ducked behind it, crouching down and watching the Avatar's sky bison soar him past before disappearing behind another of the upside-down pagodas.
He waited a few more moments then stood up and backed away from the pillar without taking his eyes away from where he'd seen the sky bison. Shaking his head, more than determined Zuko spun on his heel and raced towards a flight of stairs.
Xxx
"You guys go ahead, I think we need to talk about some things." Katara urged some of the other people that had escaped the Fire Nation with them. Tsai had no idea who they were nor did she have any interest in knowing.
She had greater things to worry about... Like her brother, her family, Iroh and well Zuko... She prayed they were all well. She- however didn't want to think about her father. She flinched slightly as his cold eyes flashed in her memory. And what about her being the Sun Spirit? She didn't even want to open that Pandora's box of unanswerable questions.
Aang looked at Katara in confusion, "Why can't I go?" He protested.
"We need to decide what we're gonna do now." Katara replied with a small frown "And since you're the Avatar, maybe you should be a part of this."
Aang huffed and walked over to a piece of a broken stone pillar. He leaned his staff against it and sat down, crossing his arms grouchily in front of his chest, "Fair enough. What's the plan?"
Katara, Toph and Zokka followed him, each sitting down on another piece of the broken pillar.
It was then that Katara noticed the red head that was sitting alone a couple of feet away with her feet grounded. She hugged her knees as she starred off into the distance lost in thought.
She cleared her throat loudly. "I also meant you Tsai," she basically growled out.
The other turned her narrowed eyes at her with an angry expression in them.
"What?" She let out a scoff.
"We are about to discuss some important things in private and I think it would be best if you left." She explained.
"Why don't you want me here?" She stood up shoving her hands in her pockets approaching the group. "Because I'm Fire Nation?"
Katara glared with intense dislike.
"I'm not going to apologize for being born on the wrong side of the pond," Tsai stood her ground. "I can't change who I am and I won't. Just like I wouldn't ask you to change even if you were born in..." She paused for a moment and fought the urge to clap back with a petty insult.
It took every ounce of patience in her not to say. 'Born in some teepee in a snow wasteland in the middle of nowhere.'
"In the Southern Water Tribe," she finished eloquently in a strained voice.
"Katara, Tsai is part of the group now." Aang defended. "She helped me escape the Pohuai Fortress. Remember?"
"Yeah! For her own benefit! After she asked you to surrender! And after she kidnapped you in the Earth Kingdom and then betrayed us back in the Crystal Catacombs." The loopy haired girl barked back aggressively. "I saw you attack Iroh!"
"I think what matters is that I'm here now," Tsai raised both of her hands as a peace offering her eyebrows too feeling beyond irritated. "And willing to help."
Katara grumbled something under her breath. Aang let out a frustrated sigh.
"But if this helps," she whipped out the White Lotus Pai Sho chip that Iroh gave her what seemed to be a lifetime ago. She held it between her middle and index fingers. "I don't know if this means anything to you, but I've been helping the resistance for months now."
The group let out a confused "huh?" in unison. All of them taken aback.
"Hey! I have one of those too!" Sokka noted pulling out his matching chip.
"Where do you think you got all of those Fire Nation maps, diagrams and military plans from? I was the one sending the fire hawks to the Resistance." She put her chip away and nodded feeling a huge weight being off her shoulders. "Iroh and I agreed it was best if people didn't associate us. Which is what you saw that day in the Catacombs. I would've sent more information about the day of the black sun, but got captured and tortured that day... Which is when you found me." She couldn't help but be proud of her brave accomplishments. It hadn't been an easy thing to do, but it had been the right thing.
Tsai was officially Sokka's hero. Aang was grateful. Toph thought it was a cool story and wanted to ask about the torture intrigued. Katara on the other hand was boiling with anger, her prejudice showing.
Without further continuation the Fire Nation girl was welcomed into the group and took a seat opposite of Katara sitting between Toph and Sokka.
Now that that was over with...
Sokka rubbed at his chin thoughtfully for moment then shrugged, "Well, if you asked me, the new plan is the old plan!" He grinned widely at Aang, "You just need to master all four elements and confront the Fire Lord before the comet comes."
"Oh, yeah, that's great." Aang drawled sarcastically and he picked up a pebble off the stone, tossing it into the air and catching it nonchalantly, "No problem, I'll just do that." He rolled his eyes and laid down on the broken pillar, flicking the pebble away from him with a scowl.
She was about to chide in how she had broken his nose-
"Wait," Tsai interrupted. "You still haven't mastered fire?" She raised an eyebrow looking at him judgmentally. "My brother was just with you. He's a great bender. What have you been doing all this time? Goofing around?" She accused as she felt her back knotting in stress.
"I-I didn't want to learn from him." Aang confessed after a moment.
Aang remembered the short lived time they had spent with Tsai's brother, Mecha, and he had been- well... He was troubled.
His sister blinked twice in surprise. As far as she remembered her brother was an adequate fire bender. Yeah, maybe he was childish and could be lazy with his training but he could've still taught Aang the basics.
"Your brother he.. He spoke about vengeance and about hurt and suffering. I hurt Katara once and swore I was never going to fire bend again in my life." Aang explained. "He just wasn't the teacher for me."
That didn't sound like her brother...
"So, you put your own selfish interests before the fate world?" She rose to her feet.
This was unacceptable.
How on Earth had these children managed to outsmart both the Fire Nation and Prince Zuko for more than a year? Having been raised under the stern hand of a governing family Tsai had always been taught never to slack off. Less when others when in peril. Less when your people were in danger.
"Gee, it's no wonder you and Zuko were together," Sokka mumbled under his breath. Both of them had a stick up their asses when it came to these things and the same nasty temperament.
Katara was about to say some snide remark when the girl beat her to it.
"You know what-" Tsai shook her head with her eyes shutting for a moment. "I'll teach you." She said clapping her hands together at the grand idea.
The room looked at her with dumbfounded expressions on their faces.
"Umm.. Can you even fire bend Chili Pepper?" Toph asked in a bored tone giving the girl a new nickname. Aang would've laughed if the current situation wasn't so serious.
"No," She dead panned. "But I've seen my brother do it my whole life." She offered. "Hey, it's better than nothing and beggars can't be choosers." She grumbled before leaning against one of the wall pillars cooly and crossing her arms over her chest. "I'll call it non-firebending!"
That was a terrible idea. Sokka slapped a hand over his face and he pulled it down in exasperation.
"Well, it's not gonna even be possible!" Aang exclaimed, leaning back on his elbows and staring at Katara questioningly turning his attention towards her, "Where am I supposed to get a firebending teacher?"
Katara's brows furrowed as she thought then she grinned excitedly, "We could look for Jeong Jeong."
"Yeah right." Aang scoffed and laid back on the bench, covering his eyes with an arm, "Like we'll ever run into Jeong Jeong again."
"Who's... Oh never mind." Toph mumbled and crossed her arms irritably, "If it's important, I'll find out."
"Touché." Tsai added.
Aang abruptly leapt to his feet and grabbed his glider, "Oh well, guess we can't come up with anybody." He grinned and jumped over the stone block Sokka was sitting on, "Why don't we take a nice tour around the temple?" He snapped his glider open as he ran towards the edge of the courtyard then leapt off, Momo following after him a moment later.
"Aang wait!" Tsai called as she stretched out her hand. She couldn't believe how not seriously the Avatar was taking all this.
"What's up with him?" Toph asked drily.
"He's just having a hard time right now. Give him some time." Katara said protectively over Aang.
Tsai hadn't been here long, but she figured Katara's motherliness attitude would get old fast.
Sokka tapped his chin, "There's gotta be someone who can teach him firebending." He looked over at Tsai and eyed her thoughtfully.
"What?" She retorted. "I already offered to show him how to non-bend fire."
"Know anyone?" Sokka asked her.
xxx
"Hello..." He raised a hand with an uncharacteristic smile.
"Zuko here, but...I guess you probably already know me, sort of." He winced and rubbed the back of his head nervously, looking off to the side as he let his arm fall back to his side, "Uh...so, the thing is I have a lot of firebending experience, and I'm considered to be pretty good at it. Well, you've seen me, you know, when I was attacking you..."
His eyes widened and the smile disappeared from his face as he pressed his fingers against his forehead in embarrassment, "Uh, yeah...I should probably apologize for that. But anyway," He shook his head and waved an arm to the side dismissively, "I'm good now. I mean, I thought I was good before, but I realize I was bad and that I hurt a lot of people," He fidgeted uncomfortably and his shoulders slumped dejectedly.
"But-but anyway...I think it's time I joined your group and taught the Avatar firebending." He straightened with a sincere expression on his face.
The badgerfrog perched on the log in front of him croaked loudly. Scowling, Zuko leaned forward with a frustrated expression on his face, "Well?! What's your answer?"
The badgerfrog hopped onto his head then jumped away and Zuko hung his head with a sigh.
"Yeah, that's what I'd say too...How am I supposed to convince these people I'm on their side?" He muttered and he straightened, grabbing his head in despair. He paused and stared thoughtfully at the ground, "What would Uncle do?"
Pacing a few steps, Zuko pretending to stroke an imaginary beard as he imitated his uncle's voice,"'Zuko, you have to look within yourself, to save yourself from your other self.'" He turned and paced in the opposite direction and pretended to be lecturing himself, "'Only then will your true self reveal itself.'"
Sighing, Zuko pressed his hand against his forehead and shook his head in exasperation, "Even when I'm talking for him, I can't figure out what he means. What would Azula do?"
"'Listen, Avatar, I can join your group,'"Zuko drawled in a high-pitched voice and he crossed his arms arrogantly, "'Or I can do something unspeakably horrible to you and your friends. Your choice.'"
He groaned and covered his face with his hands before letting them drop to his sides, "Tsai had done it before. How had she managed to do it?"
"'We have to work together to defeat the Fire Lord!'"He spoke in a different high-pitched voice as he imitated the girl's blinding optimism. "'We have something he doesn't have, something worth fighting for!' We can have tea after!'" He scoffed at himself in frustration and sat down on the ground heavily, "I guess I'm not that good at impersonations..."
He stared in surprise when the badgerfrog leapt in front of him and croaked loudly. Zuko rubbed his temples then hung his head dejectedly.
xxx
"So Chili Pepper, huh?" Tsai asked as she sat on the edge of the fountain in the courtyard. Toph sat next to her dipping her fingers on the water.
"It suits you," The blind girl shrugged. "Hot-tempered like one and spicy, just like the Fire Nation."
"Isn't that a little stereotypical?" Tsai laughed. "Not all Fire Nation people eat spicy food. I do prefer sweets myself, but I do love me some jalapeño poppers-" She realized that Toph wasn't listening to her. "But I guess it is fitting. My hair is red like one too."
"I don't know what that looks like," was all Toph responded awkwardly making reference to her blindness. Tsai sweated nervously had she offended her? Befriending this group was going to be harder than it looked like.
Aang landed besides the fountain and snapped his glider shut, grinning at his friends as they jumped off Appa, "Oh, and the all-day echo chamber, you guys will love that!"
"What's he talking about?" Tsai was about to ask. Unsure of what was going on. One moment Katara and Sokka went to get Aang to try and persuade him to change his attitude in regards of mastering fire bending.
"I think that'll have to wait." Toph commented seriously and the others looked at her quizzically. She turned towards Appa and pointed behind him, just as the sky bison shuffled to the side, revealing a shadow.
"Hello," Zuko said awkwardly and he raised his arm in greeting, "Zuko here."
Tsai felt her heart jump to her throat her eyes wide in disbelief at the surprise. He looked at her too. Surprised to have found her here out of all places and with them. The group immediately shifted into an offensive stance their eyes menacingly glaring at the Fire Nation's Prince.
"I heard you guys flying around down there, so I just thought I'd wait for you here." Zuko replied and he shrugged slightly. Appa stepped towards him with a growl. Zuko took a cautious step back, covering his face with his arms. He grunted when the sky bison proceeded to lick his back happily.
Aang stared in surprise and lowered his staff slightly, watching as Zuko lowered his arms and Appa licked his face affectionately.
"Ick." Zuko grunted again and wiped the slobber off his face with his arm then he looked at the group before him, "I know you must be surprised to see me here."
"No, not really." Sokka snapped and he let go of his boomerang, "Since you followed us all over the world."
"Right..." Zuko coughed uncomfortably and glanced to the side, "Well, uh...anyway, what I wanted to tell you about is that I've changed, and, I, uh, I'm good now."
Zuko's eyes met Tsai's light brown ones. He looked at her with worry. She hadn't said a single word since he had arrived. Her judgement weighing heavily on his pride and honor as a man. He couldn't read the look in her eyes. Was she upset that he had left without her? Still angry at what had happened in Ba Sing Se? Or with Mai?
He cleared his throat and looked away from her as he continued to addressed the Avatar apprehensively, "Um, and, well, I think I should join your group. Oh, and I can teach firebending...to you. See, I, uh..." he stumbled upon his words nervously.
"You want to what now?!" Toph interrupted sharply while the others just stared at Zuko in dumbfounded disbelief, Aang lowering his staff even further in confusion.
"You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you?" Katara demanded angrily and she glared at the prince, "I mean, how stupid do you think we are?"
Triggered that's where Tsai drew the line. "Guys!" She pleaded stepping over in between Zuko and the Avatar and his group. "I don't think you're being fair." She glared at Katara.
"Fair?" Sokka scoffed and then frowned. "Tsai! You're being biased. All Zuko has ever done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang!"
"Yeah and you were there to help him all alongside the way!" Katara added.
The edge of her eye twitched in frustration.
"I've done some good things." Zuko replied defensively and he took a step forward now standing next to the red head. He gestured towards Appa with his arms, "I mean, I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free. That's something." Appa rumbled and licked his back again, much to Zuko's surprise. It was then that he looked at his friend and offered a weak smile just like he had that afternoon when they fed the turtle ducks together. She did not return the smile.
Toph tilted her head slightly, "Appa does seem to like him."
Katara and Sokka looked at her in surprise then turned back to glower at Zuko again.
"He probably just covered himself in honey so that Appa would lick him." Sokka stated and he swung his arm out, "I'm not buying it."
Zuko closed his eyes and bowed his head for a second then looked at the five friends remorsefully, "I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past." He looked to the side and closed his eyes in shame.
"Like when you attacked our village?" Sokka snapped then he threw his arm out "Or when you burned Kyoshi island?"
Katara took a step forward and clenched her fists, "Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to track us down and capture us?"
Zuko flinched and looked over at the Tsai, her eyebrows were twisted in worry. It was true he had done many mistakes in the past. As had she. There was nothing else to do but to own up to them.
"I admit that I've done some awful things. I was wrong," He hung his head and pressed his palm against his temples, "I was wrong to try to capture you, and I'm sorry I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should have sent that Fire Nation assassin after you, I'm gonna try to stop him-"
Tsai turned to look at him with her eyes wide and she face palmed.
'Oh Dear...' She thought. When had he even had a chance to do that?
Sokka unsheathed his boomerang and pointed it threateningly at Zuko, "You sent Combustion Man after us?" He exploded.
"Well, that's not his name but-"
"Not the point," Tsai whispered through gritted teeth rubbing her temples. Zuko's social skills or lack of them always seemed to amaze her.
"Oh, sorry." Sokka growled sarcastically, "I didn't mean to insult your friend!"
Zuko reeled back and shouted in frustration, "He's not my friend!"
"That guy locked me and Katara in a jail!" Toph snapped angrily and she pointed an accusing finger at the prince, "And tried to blow us all up! Twice!"
Zuko closed his eyes and sighed softly as he opened them a moment later. He turned his head towards Aang, who had remained silent the whole time, "Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends." He watched as Aang looked down and stared at the ground. "You know I have good in me."
Aang frowned and glanced towards his friends. Sokka glanced at him and shook his head slightly.
Turning his head, Aang stared at Zuko with furrowed brows. He then looked at Tsai who looked concerned as she looked at him with large eyes. "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us."
"You need to get out of here." Katara spat, "Now."
Zuko looked at them in surprise then closed his eyes for moment. When he opened them, he stared at them with determination, "I'm trying to explain I'm not that person anymore." He raised both arms in frustration and he walked towards the group, but Sokka took a step forward and pointed his boomerang at him warningly. He flinched and took a step back, a shocked and dismayed expression on his face.
"Either you leave, or we attack." Sokka threatened grimly.
"Sokka please!" Tsai pleaded with him. "Be reasonable. He's owned up for all that he's done. He's more than sorry."
He glared at her and ignored her pleading words.
Zuko closed his eyes, "If you won't accept me as a friend, then maybe you'll take me as your prisoner." He kneeled and held his arms out with his head bowed submissively.
Katara scowled viciously and bended the water from her canteen, launching it at Zuko with a furious shout, "No, we won't!"
Zuko grunted when the water struck him, knocking him back a few feet. He lay face down on the ground in a puddle of water for a moment then slowly rolled onto his back, propping himself up onto his elbow.
"Hey!" Tsai snapped defensively facing Katara. "Was that really necessary?" She growled out. Tensions already riding high between her and the waterbender.
"You took me in without question before you knew I was helping the resistance, and I've done at least half of the same things he's done to you!" She shot back.
"The only reason we took you is because Aang insisted!" Katara barked back. "I don't trust you anymore than I trust him! I don't care for however many fire hawks you did or didn't send." She whipped some of the water that was left on the ground and got ready to strike the girl in front of her.
"Aang?" She turned to look at the Avatar with pleading eyes.
Zuko 's eyes were fixed on her and he stretched an arm forward approaching her.
"Get out of here!" Katara suddenly barked cracking the water whip before him menacingly. She then crossed her arms as she stood between the two parties, "And don't come back. And if we ever see you again...Well, we'd better not see you again!"
Water dripping from his hair, Zuko looked away from the furious waterbender dejectedly. He closed his eyes bowed his head in defeat then he pushed and walked away, Aang and Katara watching him go with irritated expressions.
"Zuko wait!" Tsai rushed over to him. She reached for his arm with worry and was about to ask if he was okay, but he brushed her hand off his person.
"Tsai, don't-" He turned to look at the group that was glaring at him maliciously. It wasn't the time or place.
She let him go. Her sad eyes tailing after his back as he descended down the steps.
xxx
"Argh!" Zuko growled and grabbed his head as he paced around his camp in the forest on the cliff above the air temple, "I can't believe how stupid I am! I mean, what was I thinking?" He slapped his forehead and shook his head, horrified at himself, "Telling them I sent an assassin after them? Why didn't I just say Azula did that? They would've believed that! Stupid!"
He groaned and slapped his forehead again. The badgerfrog sitting on the log in front of him croaked and Zuko slouched forward. He dropped to his knees in front of the log and bowed his head, groaning in frustration.
"I am such an idiot..."
xxx
"Why would he try to fool us like that?" Katara ranted as she walked into the pagoda that led to the hourglass fountain courtyard "I mean it doesn't make sense!"
"Obviously, he wants to lead us into some kind of trap." Sokka stated as he followed his sister with another sleeping bag while Aang walked after him with some other supplies in their arms.
Tsai glared at all of them judgmentally. Her blood was boiling as she sat with her jaw clenched unable to even look at Katara or say a word to the others. Katara turned towards her brother, "This is just like when we were prison together in Ba Sing Se. He starts talking about his mother, and making it seem like he's an actual human being with feelings."
"He is an actual human being with feelings!" Tsai snapped irritably as she stalked past Katara.
"Oh, you go right ahead and defend your boyfriend!" Katara whirled around to face the girl from the Fire Nation with an angry expression.
"Listen-" She growled out. "I'm sick and tired of your prejudiced attitude towards us! We are not all heartless monsters. I spent almost a year abroad with him. Months stuck alone with him and his uncle in a raft lost in the middle of the ocean and I can vouch for him he's human he-" She suddenly went quiet when she looked at Katara's judgmental expression. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she glared. She wasn't going to change her mind.
"You know what?" She finally snapped her lips growing into a thin line. "I'm not going to waste my breath." She angrily tossed the sleeping bag she had been holding in her arms and stormed away. She didn't need to announce just where she was headed.
"How Typical," Katara glared.
"Tsai! Come back!" Aang called with worry. He then turned to look at Katara. "Katara you need to be kinder to her. Like it or not she's part of the team and she's going to help us take down the Fire Lord."
"Really?" Katara arched an eyebrow. "Doing what? Making tea?" She rolled her eyes dramatically and raised her arms up.
"She's the only human to have ever walk through fire and actually strike the Fire Lord and survive to tell the tale. So as of now she's the only one that actually stands a chance fighting him." Aang explained.
Katara crossed her arms childishly and turned away facing her brother and Toph.
"You were saying?" she motioned to her brother to continue with a scowl on her features and a propped hand on her hip.
"As I was saying-" Sokka continued. "No, no, no." Sokka chided and the two girls turned to look at him.
Tsai continued her trek up the mountain in the darkness. The bickering and fighting growing dimmer and quieter the further she advanced. Some moments later she was in the forest. She looked down at some footprints with her squinting eyes and luckily was able to track Zuko's camp down in the middle of the wilderness.
xxx
Zuko slept quietly beneath the war balloon's tarp he'd tied up between a couple of trees as a makeshift tent, a campfire blazing a few feet in front of his shelter. Soft rustling filled the air and he awoke with a soft groan, groggily pushing his upper body off the ground and peering out behind his campfire.
"Who's there?" He called out then he swung his arm out, sending out an arc of fire, "Stay back!"
"Hey," Tsai called out weakly as she popped out from behind some green shrubbery. It pained her to see him, but was still relieved that he had escaped the Fire Nation's grips.
Zuko watched in horror as his flames circled around the girl and struck her. "No!" He shouted in horror as he bent over backwards stumbling on his feet and clumsily rushing to her side. "No! No! No!" He thought in horror at the realization he hurt the person he loved the most.
"Tsai!" he reached her and engulfed her in a rough hug which made her collapse back to the ground. She landed on her behind and looked at him confused before awkwardly patting his back.
"Are you okay? He was frantic. He pulled away and looked at her arms, her neck her face as he sought out any sign of burn or injury. His breath was hitched. Heart racing. It was then that he realized she was perfectly unharmed.
"How?" He asked in disbelief as he slowly retreated kneeling besides her. Her heart hurt, but she couldn't help herself.
"You're cute when you're worried," she said humorously and poked his chest playfully before letting out a weak laugh. He did not return it.
"It's not funny," he rose to his feet and walked away. "I was really worried." He admitted upset.
She frowned lightly and rose to her feet as well following him to his camp.
"I'm fine," she said with an edge of unease to her voice. Her voice hard and tense at the cocktail of mixed emotions she was feeling. She shouldn't be here not after everything he had done to her. She was still wounded.
So, it had really happened. It hadn't been a lucky shot of divine intervention. She really could walk through fire. Part of him thought the spirits had intervened or that he had hallucinated the whole thing.
"I'm the Sun Spirit." She said casually.
He looked at her unsure if he had heard her speak correctly. "Huh?" He retorted confused. "It's a long story," she said nervously. She feared how he would react to it. Would he think she was some kind of freak?
"You're the first person I tell."
His eyes never left hers, he remained silent and she continued explaining.
"The day of the black sun," she began. "When the eclipse began, I blacked out for that same duration and in my absence Yue- do you remember her? The Northern Water Tribe Princess who turned into the moon? It was so weird because when I met her, I felt like we had this connection and so did she and then we spent the whole day together and-" She paused for a brief moment when she realized she was straying away from the point.
"Right," she apologized and cleared her throat nervously. "She came to me and told me I was the Sun and that she was the Moon and explained that's why we were connected."
"How... are you the Sun Spirit?" He asked confused as he came closer to her.
"I-I'm not sure. I don't know. I don't think even my own family knows," she said in a bewildered tone as she remembered both her father and brother's looks of surprised as she walked through fire and lived to tell the tale. "Your sister had me chained up like a dog. After that I woke up, we got in a fight and she tried to roast me alive and I simply walked through her fire. My brother was there too. He stayed behind to hold her back and I don't know what happened after..." She said rubbing the nape of her neck pinching a stressful nerve. She then remembered plenty of other similar events that would've made her spiritual connection to the sun more apparent.
Zuko was staring at her in disbelief. He felt even guiltier now about what had happened to her brother. He wasn't strong enough, fast enough to spare her this and many other pains.
"I'm sorry," he said sincerely.
She looked at him surprised. "For?" She blinked twice confused.
"For everything." He said apologizing for what seemed like the first time.
"I'm sorry about what my father did to you. "
"I'm really proud of the way you stood up to him." She commented as they both now sat by the fire conversing. Crickets chirped in the wooden surroundings.
She listened attentively for everything that he had to say. He told her about the confrontation with his father. About how he looked for her all over the palace and prison. How he went to look for Iroh but couldn't find him either...
"I'm sorry," he apologized for what seemed to be the hundred time now. He lowered his head in shame. "Again, I apologize for everything I have done and taken from you. All the pain I caused you and my uncle. I really wish I had been a better man. I regret everything that happened in Ba Sing Se and after." He explained sincerely. "Mai..."
He was silent for a second and noticed she tensed up at the mentioning of the onyx haired girl.
"The things I said in the Crystal Catacombs... I was angry. I didn't mean them. I believe in you. In your dreams."
He didn't dare look at her judging expression. This was the moment when she ran for the hills and as far away from him as possible.
Again silence.
"You were right," he finished looking down at his hands in shame. "About everything."
He kept his head lowered and closed his eyes before he felt a warmth engulf him. She had taken him into her arms and embraced him tightly.
"That's all I wanted to hear," she laughed lightly. Still there was some sadness clinging to her voice. He wrapped his arms around her hugging her tighter as if she would run away from him. He buried his face in her shoulder hiding his face. He would never allow her to see the tears that had formed in the edges of his eyes as he held her even tighter terrified of the thought of losing her again.
She pulled away from the embrace and his eyes caught hers. Their noses accidentally brushed. In that moment. Magnetized as if in a bewitched trance. He reached for her face fingers caressing over her skin. They both leaned in. Their lips grazed against each other for only a moment. His fingers tangling around her hair. She could feel sparks. She felt herself sitting up-
"I think I'm going to be sick!" A childish voice called out from the bushes.
Both teenagers jumped at least ten feet apart from each other at the intrusion on their intimacy. Both of their faces a matching shade of vibrant crimson red. The kind of shade that seemed to almost glow in the night.
"TOPH!" Tsai roared ready to murder the earthbender.
"Where you eavesdropping?!" She asked still attempting to compose her cool. Her heart hammering against her rib cage violently at the shock.
"You two are SO sappy," she let out a laugh before picking out at some dirt that was hiding behind her ear. "It's not hard to eavesdrop when you two are so loud. And then it got awkward and I simply didn't know when to leave or if I should say something."
"and you chose that moment?" Zuko grumbled in frustration slapping a hand to hide his painfully embarrassed expression
Toph grinned wickedly. "Don't worry Zuko, I won't tell anyone you started crying." Toph laughed.
He looked mortified. Tsai looked at him with a small smile feeling somewhat touched.
"I-I didn't!" He butted in refusal his face growing a darker shade.
"Sure," Toph laughed and kicked herself a seat made out of Earth from the ground. " I just came here to tell you that I believe you. And like it or not Aang does need a firebending teacher. I'm sure anything you can do is wayyy better than Chili Pepper here teaching him how to non-bend fire."
"...What is that?" He asked her confused.
She was quiet for a moment. "I was going to imitate you and Mecha- you know throw some punches, screams and kicks..." Her voice trailed off sheepishly.
Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "That is not how fire bending works" he groaned at the painfully ridiculous idea.
"The group is biased but you should try again tomorrow." She nodded. "I don't think they have much of a choice and I don't think you have much of a choice but to accept our conditions" she crossed her arms over.
"I'll do whatever you say," he nodded determined.
"Toph's right."
"Also Tsai also doesn't really count as a Fire Nation person. Considering she has no bending powers and what not," Toph said blatantly.
"Hey!" She protested. "I can still do a lot of damage!" She pouted. She then looked down at her naked forearms her hidden blades long gone and forgotten in the Fire Nation. "Or at least I used to..." She said sadly.
"But Toph's right," She repeated again bouncing back with that blind optimism she was famous for. "Nobody's as determined as you. Don't give up!" She touched his arm and smiled at him lightly.
"Gross," Toph stuck out her tongue. She had never met a mushier more gross couple. "I'm leaving. See y'all tomorrow." With that she turned and left.
"Wait Toph!" Tsai called after her in panic. She couldn't be alone with him. Not after all the lingering tension in the air. Specially not after that. She had to have a little bit more self respect. She wasn't about to stay and give him the time of day after everything he had done. Yeah sure, everything was forgiven, but not forgotten!
She began walking away and felt a possessive pair of arms wrap around her from behind holding her back.
"Stay," He said against her ear and she felt a chill run up her spine.
She slapped his hands off her body and jumped away from him he looked at her perplexed.
"Do you not remember what happened earlier today? They already pin us both as their enemies. If I stay here it will only make things worse. This won't help your case." She explained flustered.
"Come on," he insisted and pulled her close burying his nose in her hair.
"No," she groaned and snaked out of his embrace once again. He looked at her with what looked like a small frown. She looked- angry?
"Everything is forgiven, but not forgotten. I'm still angry at you. The thought of everything you've done- it- it" She used her hands to speak allegorically. "It makes me livid!" She snapped balling both of her hands.
"What? But we were just about to-!"
"Shhh!!" She shushed him rudely her face burning and raised her hand up.
"I am still upset." She declared. "So, don't for one second think I'm going to be all- all- warm and welcoming."
She let out a "hn" back of her throat and and with her nose sticking up she walked away leaving the sixteen-year-old dumbfounded and feeling more than frustrated. He stood there for a good minute pulling at his hair dumbstruck still processing what had happened. It was then that he suddenly heard a croaking sound.
Turning around he saw the badgerfrog perched on a log croaking at him
"Tell me about it," he said to the frog. "Women."
xxx
AN: Brief update. Sorry Zuzu looks like you've got a lot of making up to do. Also *gasps* we are almost at the end of our story.
Thoughts?