The Fire Within - an atla fanfic (Zuko x OC)

Open Your Eyes

The exit of the ship came down and the crewmen came pouring down with Zuko in the front of them all. As the small group of tribe members gathered, a boy who I guessed was about my age tried to fight off Zuko. As if a fly, Zuko swatted him away. I was impressed by this, as he seemed skilled in some sort of martial art, but I was also usually in awe the past day. I was experiencing a lot of "firsts".

The crewcontinued walking down until they reached the snowy bottom. "Where are you hiding him?" Zuko questioned. The people all stayed quiet for a few moments. This seemed irritate Zuko as he reached forward and grabbed and old lady. "He'd be about this age, master of all elements?"

I widened my eyes. The avatar seemed like quite the guy. What was Zuko needed an old ma like that for? Wasn't the avatar to be for peace? That definitely didn't seem like what Zuko wanted.

Suddenly, the Prince unleashed a wave of fire over the people and I flinched in horror. Of course I already knew Zuko was mean-spirited, but this was brutal. The people of the tribe all shrieked and I noticed that they were all women in exception of the boy who had tried to attack Zuko and a few of the children. "I wonder where all the men are?" I thought to myself. Speaking of the boy, he ran up to Zuko and tried to attack again, but Zuko nimbly blocked him and threw him forward, unleashing an amount of fire in the boy's direction. The boy dodged the fire and picked up his weapon once again throwing it towards Zuko.

A small boy chanted, "show no fear!" and handed the boy a spear-looking weapon. Once again, Zuko easily won and destroyed the spear into pieces as if it was a tiny twig. The boy sat there rubbing his head in pain, I didn't like watching the adolescent get best up by Zuko, but it was somewhat comical. This reminded me of watching a movie. My hidden chuckle was cut out; however, when I noticed a weapon from before in the sunlight as it came back towards the back of Zuko's head. It was a boomerang! I watched in quiet anticipation as it hit Zuko in the back of the head.

Zuko became enraged from the previous event and made the fire in his palms into the shape of daggers. I leaned forward on the rail of the ship to see what Zuko would do when suddenly a very young boy came sliding down on what seemed to be a penguin. He slid in between Zuko's legs, which caused Zuko to fly up in the air and land quite awkwardly. I held back my laughter as I looked at Zuko. It was almost like a comedy act.

As I looked closer at the young boy, I saw a blue tattoo run along his head. "What a strange arrow." I thought to myself. The boy with the arrow got off of the penguin and I realized with a pang that that must be the Avatar, the wise and all-knowing one I had heard of. But wait- wasn't the avatar supposed to be some old fart?

"Hey Katara, Hey Sokka," The Avatar said to the water tribe boy and what looked to be his sister.

Everyone looked back at Zuko, who had gotten back up from the ground and was ready to fight. He got in a stance. Before Zuko could fight him, the Avatar blew a large amount of snow in front of them all. "Looking for me?" The Avatar questioned Zuko.

I widened my eyes. That's what airbending was.

"You're the Airbender?" Zuko asked as the snow melted from his armor. "You're the Avatar?" Katara and Sokka seemed surprised by this, I guess they didn't know at the time that their friend was indeed the Avatar. "I've spent years preparing for this encounter: training, meditating, you're just a child!"

"Well you're just a teenager," The Avatar responded. I partially laughed through my confusion. The two began to battle each other, Zuko throwing the fire as the Avatar put out the fire by using his staff.

I widened my eyes as I watched the fire almost reach all the children behind the Avatar. Zuko was going to hurt them.

"If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?" The Avatar questioned.

Zuko nodded in reply and the guards took the Avatar. I thought for a moment as they brought him up. "I need to get back home. If anyone could help me, it would be the all-knowing avatar." I shrank into a shadow as Zuko walked up into the ship. I didn't want to be spotted.

"Head a course to the Fire Nation." Zuko ordered. "We're going home."

"I'll be going home too," I thought as I followed behind the Avatar, desperate for help. The door to the ship closed behind me.