Fire Nation: The Selection

Twenty-Nine

"I still believe that we should wait for Katara," Toph explained as Sokka looked over at Toph annoyed. He was already upset that his sister had left to go chase the prince, and he wasn't going to hold back his plans because of it.

"We are running out of time," Sokka exclaimed as no one was really paying attention to him. Aang had went out to fetch food for Appa while Suki was watching over Varo. Ever since last night, she's been having nightmares, "Fine, we'll give it til the next morning," He crossed his arms annoyed as he looked at the earth bender.

"No need for that," Zuko stated as he appeared with Katara right behind him. Everyone looked at the two as it obvious that there was still tension between the two.

Toph shook her head as she felt both their thoughts and emotions, "I have something to do, but I think it's best we wait til tomorrow morning," She explained before she headed out with no regards of listening to Sokka shout out her name.

Sokka continued to yell at her to come back, but to his misfortune she had walked off. He crossed his arms as he then looked over at Katara, "You have a moment?" He asked as she nodded and followed him.

"Zuko?" Aang questioned as he looked at the prince. "Katara managed to convince you?" The avatar stayed surprised while he sat down Appa's food.

"Aang can we talk?" The prince questioned the avatar as he seem hesitant but agreed.

Aang motioned him to follow as he planned to find more food for Appa, "What you want to talk about?" The fourteen-year-old questioned as he walked next to the prince.

"I was told that you don't know how to firebend, and in order to overthrow the FireLord it is essential to match up to his scale of power," Zuko explained as the avatar remained quiet.  The prince continued to explain the importance of firebending and how one must be cautious because it wasn't like any of the other bending abilities.

Aang listened as he agreed, "I hurt the person I care about trying to firebend," He explained as he remembered Katara shriek in pain and how she ran towards a lake.

"Which is why you have to be careful. At any instance of your control being loose— someone ends up hurt. Everything is up here and here," The prince explained as he pointed to his mind, and his chest.

Aang remained quiet as his words sunk into his brain. Maybe the prince was the one that is meant to teach him how to firebend. Almost as it was destined to happen, "We can start tomorrow if you would like,"

Zuko nodded in agreement, "The earlier the better," He stated as the two walked silently around the forest.

"Also another thing I wanted to ask you," Aang mumbled a bit as he stopped in his tracks. The prince looked at the avatar confused.

"What is it?"

"Do you truly love Katara?" Aang questioned. Yes he still felt that his feelings for Katara was there but it was so obvious that Katara will never feel anything towards him. She said it before that they were family. And, all he wanted is for her to be happy even if it isn't with him.

Zuko looked away, "I'll always love her. I never knew what it felt like to fall inlove or be loved by someone expect from my uncle. I never got along with the firelord, and my mother left. Katara fills up an empty void that I have,"

As he continued Aang felt horrible for going along with the plan. He felt ashamed that he stopped considering Zuko's feelings. He once offered a friendship between the two, but he couldn't believe that he was capable of playing with his emotions, "I'm so sorry about the plan, it was something that shouldn't had happened," Aang admitted.