Fuel To My Fire - Book Two (ATLA Zuko Fanfiction)

Chapter Sixteen

Sakari's POV

After my encounter with Yue I decided to go home and get some sleep, jumping from rooftop to rooftop to avoid bumping into any of the Dai Li agents roaming the city. Home was in sight when I noticed someone sneaking out the front door. Zuko. He was dressed in black and wearing his Blue Spirit mask; clearly up to something.

"What are you doing?" I whispered to myself, changing my course to follow him.

I watched from my perch atop the building as he sprinted past one of the Dai Li agents, knocking into him.

"Out of my way!" He yelled before rounding a corner.

I crept along the rooftops and looked down into an alley where Zuko was waiting for the agent, who immediately sent his two rock gloves at him. One went straight through Zuko's chest and the other knocked off his head. Turns out it was actually a dummy made of straw. The real Zuko came creeping up behind the man and placed a sword to his throat.

"If you don't wanna end up like him, I suggest you do what I say." He said menacingly.

"What do you want?!" The agent exclaimed.

"Tell me where you're keeping the Avatar's sky bison." Zuko said, pressing his sword harder against the man's throat.

I knew it. I knew he'd go after Appa.

"He's in our secret headquarters! Underneath Lake Laogai." The agent replied, sweating bullets.

"Take me there." Zuko ordered.

*****

It was a long walk to Lake Laogai, especially when you have to stay hidden, and once we were there I looked out into the water. It looked like a normal lake, maybe the agent was trying to trick Zuko. I could tell that Zuko was about to say something, when the agent suddenly slammed his foot on the ground, Earthbending a path out to the middle of the lake. Zuko then swiftly slammed the handle of his sword into the agent's head, knocking him out cold, before running down the path. I followed him down the path silently, he was just about to climb down the tunnel when I made myself known.

"And what exactly are you doing?" I asked, making him jump a little in surprise.

"Sakari?" He asked, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"I asked you first." I stated, crossing my arms.

"I... Uh..." He stuttered.

"That's what I thought." I said angrily, pushing past him and descending the ladder into the tunnel.

"Where are you going, Sakari?" He asked from above.

"To free Appa. Is that ok with you?" I spat, as I started walking through the tunnel.

Zuko followed me, quickly catching up, and we walked down the long tunnel in silence. We walked past many rooms; one was filled with women that all looked remarkably similar. One of the Dai Li seemed to be brainwashing them, it was super creepy. We continued walking until we came across some larger rooms, ones that would be big enough to hold Appa.

"He's gotta be nearby." I whispered to Zuko, who was already looking in every room.

I started peeking through doors on the other side of the tunnel, until I heard a loud growl and Zuko's voice. He must have found him!

"Expecting someone else?" Zuko said to Appa, pulling out his duel swords.

"Appa!" I yelled happily, pushing past Zuko and giving Appa a massive hug.

Appa let out a happy growl and gave me a lick, it was gross, but I didn't care. Then, I heard Zuko move closer behind me, making Appa growl angrily at him. He was really mad, stomping his feet and growling at Zuko.

"You're mine, now." Zuko stated.

"Zuko, don't." I pleaded, not moving out of the way.

The door suddenly opened behind us, and Zuko and I got ready to fight, thinking it was the Dai Li, but were shocked to see Iroh standing there.

"Uncle?" Zuko said surprised.

"So, the Blue Spirit." Iroh stated. "I wonder who could be behind that mask."

"What are you doing here?" Zuko sighed, removing his mask.

"I was just about to ask you the same. And you Sakari?" Iroh asked, turning to me now.

"Hey, I'm just trying to protect Appa." I said, raising my hands in defense.

"What is your plan now that you've found the Avatar's bison?" Iroh asked Zuko, anger in his voice. "Keep him locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?"

"First I have to get it out of here." Zuko stated.

"He has a name, you know." I said, being ignored by both of them.

"And then what?!" Iroh shouted. "You never think things through! This is exactly what happened at the North Pole. You had the Avatar, and then you had nowhere to go!"

"I would've figured something out." Zuko retorted.

"No!" Iroh continued shouting. "If his friends hadn't found you, you would be dead!"

"I know my own destiny, Uncle." Zuko said, getting frustrated.

"Is it really your destiny?" I asked, raising my voice as well. "Or is it a destiny your father is trying to force on you?"

"Stop it, both of you. I have to do this." Zuko said, turning to Appa.

"I'm begging you, Prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions." Iroh told him. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

Zuko screamed in frustration, throwing his swords and mask to the ground. I quickly ran to him and placed my arms on his shoulders, standing in front of him and making him look into my eyes.

"Zuko, please." I said, staring into his golden eyes. "Please free him."

I pleaded with him, not breaking eye contact, until he seemed to have made up his mind. He picked up his swords again and stepped towards Appa, who was still terrified of him, but what Zuko did next surprised us all. With one hard swing of his sword he broke the chain around one of Appa's front legs. I let out a sigh of relief and looked to Iroh, who was smiling at his nephew, then I ran to Appa's other side and used water to slice through the chains holding him. Appa looked incredibly grateful and then quickly flew up and smashed through the ceiling to freedom.

"Not to ruin the moment, but we should probably get out of here." I suggested, Zuko and Iroh both nodded.

We ran back the way we came, through the long tunnel and up the ladder to the surface of the lake. It was morning; the sun had already risen above the tree line.

"You did the right thing, nephew." Iroh said proudly, now looking at the Blue Spirit mask in Zuko's hands. "Leave it behind."

Zuko looked to me, and I nodded to him with a reassuring smile. His lips curled very slightly upwards and he turned his head back to the mask in his hands, dropping it into the lake and watching it sink out of view.