𝐆𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 [ᴢᴜᴋᴏ]

Chapter 17

Episode 15, Bato of the Water Tribe

My mood has been a bit on the edge since Zuko just disappeared one night. I don't know why but it bothered me that I didn't know where he was.

We were on deck and this time I had to join the training and fight Zuko. I didn't want to because I tried to avoid him but Iroh insisted, so I hesitantly stood up and walked to the middle of the deck.

Zuko already stood in a fighting stance and I slightly narrowed my eyes at him as I copied his stance. I knew he would attack first so I just waited a few seconds.

I was right. He shot a huge stream of fire directly in my direction without any hesitation. My jaw dropped as I dodged it. Did he want to burn be to a pile of ash?

I dismissed this thought and focused again. He didn't stop attacking me and I couldn't do anything but to dodge all of his attacks. He paused for a few more seconds to take a breath and I took that opportunity immediately.

I concentrated on the water around us and raise my hands. The water to my sides rose in the air. I formed my hands to fists and the water froze. Then I swung my hands in his direction and as I did that many small ice spikes flew in his direction.

Zuko saw that and immediately made a fire wall in front of him. The ice spikes melted before they could hit them and after the fire wall disappeared, he looked at me with fury in his eyes.

"What was that? Are you trying to kill me?" he shouted and huffed as smoke came out of his nose.

"Don't worry, I would've stopped them before they hit you," I rolled my eyes at him and crossed my arms over my chest.

He growled and looked away from him. But from the corner of my eyes I saw fire coming my way. I gasped and immediately manipulated a wave of water in front me with a wave of my  hand. The fire disappeared and my jaw dropped.

The stupid prince just attacked me. As I looked up I saw that I drenched the whole deck and everyone was wet but me. I narrowed my eyes at Zuko and we had a staring battle.

After a few moments I froze the water around him so that he couldn't move and walked up to him with a flame in my palm.

"I wouldn't do that again, honour boy," I threatened him as I stood in front of him, casually playing with the flame in my palm.

If looks could kill I would be dead now, but I only shrugged and unfroze him as I turned around and walked away.

Right before I left the deck a huge animal jumped on it shaking the whole ship. I lost balance and fell on the ground with a light puff. I groaned a bit and looked at the huge animal on which a beautiful woman was sitting.

Zuko who stood beside me offered me his hand but I ignored it and stood up on my own glaring at the woman. I bet this is his girlfriend or something. I dusted myself off and huffed with a bit of smoke coming out of my nose. She didn't have to make such a dramatic entrance.

"Go away. We're after a stowaway," the woman shouted at the guards. My eyebrows shot up in confusion at her statement.

"There are no stowaways on my ship," Zuko stated but the huge animal tore a piece of metal from the deck and threw in in our direction.

Everyone ducked and the animal put his muzzle into the hole. I knitted my eyebrows as I stood up straight and took a step back when a stranger climbed out of the hole and tried to run away.

He didn't make it far as the animal's tongue touched him, he fell to the ground paralyzed. "'He's paralyzed," Zuko breathed out and the woman jumped off the huge animal.