passion & pain. ((zuko x o.c.))

zuko. tch.

I'm just helping Katara with some extra chores when I see it- as does everyone else. The Fire Navy ship~ thousands of pounds of metal shell, breaking through the icy water, making its way towards the village. Our people collectively gasp, as so I, and everyone whispers heatedly in panic.

"K-Katara!" I falter as I call her name. The last time the Fire Nation was here... I shudder. That's a story for another time. "Katara, take the elderly and kids to the tents. Keep them safe!"

"Sokka!" I call. "Uhh, Sokka? Hello?!" I look around, and see a figure slip into a tent. As I walk in, I see Sokka preparing his best~ putting on Water Tribe paint; strapping his boomerang to his back. He looks at me sternly, "Hey, uh, Ni- when they come, don't show them your bending. In fact, just..just don't join the fight."

"Ehhh?! Why! I'm a bender by birth! Why should I hide who I am! I-I'm not afraid!"

Sokka grabs my shoulder. "They'll take you. J..Just don't."

"No. I will bend. I will protect my people." I scoff. "Just because I'm not a man doesn't mean I can't fight." I storm out of the tent, leaving Sokka with a look of confusion.

I huffed as I made my way to the tip of the ice, squinting at the ship in the not-so-far distance, trying to make out anything I could see. As I watched, it got closer and closer- until it was no more than 50 feet away. I backed up, looking at Sokka, Katara and the villagers, who were all scared for their lives. The Fire Navy ship crashed into the ice, shaving layers and layers off the edge, and came to a stop. Everyone held their breath as the catwalk lowered, and a gust of wind and ice shot up where it landed. A guy with a ponytail stepped out, as well as some Fire Navy soldiers. I stood my ground and got in position, and as I was about to strike, Sokka charged into Ponytail, yelling and brandishing a small weapon. Ponytail kicked him off the edge, where his face planted into a pile of snow.

"Where are you hiding him?" He grabs Gran, and yells, "Come on. He'd be about this old, master of all the elements...?" He shoves Gran back into the crowd. "Tch."

He shoots fire into the crowd. A warning? An intimidation? "I know you're hiding him." he yells.

I step up to him, fists clenched, and shout, "There is no Avatar here, Ponytail. And for the record, we haven't done anything to anger the Fire Nation, so leave us be."

"Oh, really now? It's not like you could do anything... sad little Southern Water Tribe villagers, rid of all your men and benders, completely defenseless. Tch. You would dare antagonize me?"

I'm on my breaking point, ready to stuff a snowball up his ass, when Sokka charges in a second time. He is beaten down again (what else was expected) and throws his boomerang at Ponytail, narrowly missing. He charges again, and gets hit down. I squint in the distance. Boomerang? It comes back and smacks Ponytail in the back of the head.

"Pff-" My laughing is stopped as Ponytail ignites fire daggers in either of his hands and steps forward.

"Oh, no you don't," I say, bending ice up, pointing it at Ponytail, his eyes widening, me about to shoot-

Aang suddenly appears and knocks Ponytail down with- a penguin?! "Hey guys!"

"Hey Aang. Thanks for coming." Sokka says, a pang of annoyed gratitude in his voice.

Ponytail gets up again, and sends the soldiers around Aang and I, cornering us. I'm about to bend some more ice at Ponytail, but Aang is quicker, shooting out a gust of wind at Ponytail. Ponytail looks just about as shocked as I am.

"Looking for me?" Aang taunts.

"Y-you're the airbender?! You're the Avatar?!" Ponytail says, confused.

A collective gasp; and then, Ponytail speaks again.

"I-I've spent years preparing for this.. Training, meditating... Y-You're just a child!"

Aang cocks his head. "Well, you're just a teenager!"

Ponytail ignores this; instead, he shoots fire at Aang. Finally, I get a chance to help, and as Aang tries to keep the fire away from the village, I try to use waterbending to stop Ponytail. How can he bend fire and dodge ice at the same time?! Damn it, he's really good!

Suddenly, Aang stops fighting as he sees the cowering villagers. "If I go with you," he says, "will you leave these people alone?" Zuko nods, and a soldier grabs Aang's arm. "Take the girl, too." Ponytail says.

The girl? Wait- uh, that's me?! Hell no, I'm out! I bolt to the side, and Ponytail runs after me, leaving the guards behind with Aang.

I'm running, propelling myself up as fast as I can with the snow, but soon I reach the end of my adrenaline- and the end of the land, as well. We're talking 100- no, 150 feet down into icy water. Fall, and you're a goner.

Ponytail, despite all my efforts, is still in pursuit. I bend up an ice wall to try and stop him, but he just shoots through it with fire. Now he's shooting fire at me. My heart is pounding. Ni, remember your training! You ARE prepared! I huff, and rise as much ice as I can hold into water, and create water arms, lashing them at Ponytail. I thrash them back and forth, but he weaves through my blows and comes at me from behind, kicking me down; pinning me onto the floor.

"Haaa... Haaa... Not talking so big now, are you?" He breathes. "You really thought you could defeat Fire Nation royalty?" He smirks at my shock. "Yes, yes, I know. You should be kneeling! I am Prince Zuko, and once I bring the Avatar and his little friend back to the Fire Nation, I will have all the honor in the world!"

I'm shocked. Finally, at least, a name to the face. Zuko. Tch. What a pampered little prick. With newfound anger fueling me, I find his blind spot, right above the back of his ankle, and kick as hard as I can, and he topples down. I get up as fast as I can and try to run, but he grabs my leg, and pulls me. I'm on one leg, and the opposing forces make my slide, drop, and- almost- fall. I'm hung precariously at the edge of the cliff now, heart racing, knowing I can't run anymore.

"Hm. You never give up, do you? Maybe I should just kick you off..."

That's it. I have one last weapon- my firebending, and it's time to use it. I take a deep breath, ready to breathe fire at a small exposed patch of skin above his boot, when-

"gaaAAH! OI! YOU! LEAVE NIKARA ALONE!" Sokka is pummeling towards Ponytail- no, Zuko, for like the millionth time. Great. Now I really can't use my bending. Now that Zuko is distracted, though, I can pull myself up. One elbow, two elbows- freedom! At least, for now. Sokka is running as Zuko shoots fireballs at him, and one hits his arm. Sokka clutches it, but doesn't run away.

"Gaah! Sokka! N-No!" I yell. "I... I'll come with you, Zuko. Just.. don't hurt him." I say, my voice shaking, eyes never meeting anything else but the floor.

"Tch. Took you long enough, villager scum." Zuko says, grabbing my arm and dragging me back. Sokka looks at me, a silent plea for me not to go, but I shake my head. I'm sorry, Sokka. I'm sorry, Katara. But most of all, I'm sorry, Mom. I failed you.

Ehh? How'd you fail your mom?!

A-aang? You can hear me?

I- yeah, I guess I can. What's going on?

Zuko's taking me prisoner with you, I think..

Zuko? Who- ohh, Ponytail...

Er, yeah.. I guess I'll see you in a minute, then...

...

After the walk, Zuko shoves me to the soldiers, who grab my hands and hold them behind my back. Zuko barks orders to them- "Set a course for the Fire Nation. I'm going home."