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

Chapter Twenty

Sakari's POV

"Feel anything?" I asked Toph as she felt the ground, looking for the catacombs.

It was kind of freaky that she could do that, but I suppose you have to get creative when you're blind.

"Well, what do ya know?" Toph said surprised. "There's an ancient city down there, all right, but it's deep."

Toph used her bending to create a tunnel down into the catacombs, the earth rumbled like a small earthquake.

"We should split up. Aang, you go with Iroh and Sakari to look for Katara and the angry jerk, no offence." Sokka suggested, aiming that last part at Iroh and I.

"None taken." Iroh replied.

"And I'll go with Toph to warn the Earth King about Azula's coup." Sokka finished.

We all agreed, and I gave Sokka a quick hug before he left with Toph just in case it was a while before I saw him again. Iroh, Aang and I began our walk down the tunnel to the catacombs, Aang was using Earthbending to push the earth further down the tunnel so that we could continue, and Iroh had a fireball in his hand for a source of light.

"So, Toph thinks you give pretty good advice." Aang said to Iroh. "And great tea!"

"Oh, Aang, his tea is the best." I confirmed.

"The key to both is proper aging." Iroh replied. "What's on your mind?"

"Well." Aang started, bending some more earth out of our way. "I met with this guru who was supposed to help me master the Avatar state and control the power. But to do it, I had to let go of someone I love, and I just couldn't."

"Perfection and power are overrated." Iroh said, giving me a quick glance. "I think you were very wise to choose happiness and love."

"It's my sister isn't it?" I asked, giving Aang a nudge with my elbow.

"Shut up." He mumbled, letting out a chuckle before turning serious again. "What happens if we can't save everyone and beat Azula? What if I'm not powerful enough without the Avatar state?"

"I don't know the answer. Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel." Iroh started one of his insightful lessons. "You can't always see the light at the end of it, but if you just keep moving-"

Aang bended the last bit of earth in our way and revealed the beautiful crystal catacombs.

"-You will come to a better place." Iroh finished.

We continued through the catacombs, Aang was blasting dirt and rock in all directions when we finally blasted ourselves into a small open area. I looked around and found Katara and Zuko standing fairly close together, it gave me a really weird feeling.

"Aang!" Katara exclaimed, throwing her arms around him in relief.

And, without even thinking about it, I ran to Zuko and pressed my lips to his, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I'm glad you're ok." I said after I pulled away.

"I knew you would come, Aang." Katara told him, sending me a disgusted look right after.

"Uncle, what are you doing with the Avatar?" Zuko asked after he had hugged Iroh.

"Saving you. That's what." Aang retorted.

Zuko got annoyed at this comment and went to lunge for Aang, but Iroh and I held him back and tried to calm him down.

"Zuko, it's time we talked." Iroh told him, pulling him away from the rest of us.

"What the hell was that?" Katara suddenly asked me, an angry tone to her voice.

"What are you referring to?" I asked in an innocent voice.

"You know." She stated angrily.

"Oh! You mean when I kissed my boyfriend?" I said, pointing to Zuko. "Do you have some kind of problem with that?"

"He's the enemy." Katara stated, glaring at Zuko, who was still talking to Iroh.

"- It's time for you to choose good." I heard the last of Iroh's words.

Katara took Aang by the hand and they ran out through the tunnel Aang had created, leaving us behind. I jumped suddenly as an unexpected landslide of crystals crashed through the wall and trapped Iroh, The Dai Li and Azula appearing seconds later.

"I expected this kind of treachery from uncle, but Zuko, Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?" Azula asked, trying to manipulate her brother.

"Release him, immediately!" Zuko ordered Azula, but she ignored his request.

"It's not too later for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself." She told him.

"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you." Iroh said from behind us.

"She's just trying to manipulate you." I said, putting a hand on Zuko's arm.

"Why don't you let him decide?" Azula said, looking from me to Iroh. "I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honour back. You will have father's love. You will have everything you want."

"Zuko, I am begging you, look into your heart and see what you truly want." Iroh said calmly.

"You are free to choose." Azula told him, signaling for the Dai Li to stand down.

We watched as Azula walked past us to follow the tunnel Aang and Katara had taken, I was about to say something to Zuko when Iroh interrupted me.

"Sakari, go help your friends. They're going to need it." He ordered me.

I took one last look at Zuko before running down the tunnel we had come through, I could hear loud blasting sounds ahead of me and got some water ready. I ran into a large open area with a pool of water in the middle, Azula was bouncing around from pillar to pillar dodging Aang and Katara's attacks, but she hadn't noticed me yet. I took her by surprise, knocking her out of the air with a water whip, earning a glare from her as she stood up. Aang, Katara, and I took our positions in front of her, ready to attack, when a huge blast of fire suddenly landed in front of us. It was Zuko, and it seemed like he had chosen good. But I spoke too soon. My heart dropped when he sent a fire blast straight towards Aang, who dodged it quickly.

"Are you kidding me?!" I screamed at him.