Blazing Crystal (Revised Version)

Chapter 36: The Right Path

Chapter 36: The Right Path

(Zuko POV)

My mind was wild with thoughts after I had gotten back to the apartment. Once I placed Crystal on my sleeping mat, and moved my thin blanket over her, I began to pace the room in first bewilderment and then heavy uncertainty. Everything had happened so fast, and I was just starting to gather the events that had passed.

That crazy guy Jet tried to expose my Uncle and I as firebenders, and we'd fought in the street. Then out of nowhere, Crystal jumped between us and managed to take Jet down before he caused serious harm to me. She was injured in the process, but watching her fight amazed me as I saw improvement in her bending since the last time I was with her. I knew immediately her sister had been training her.

Her sister...

If Crystal was here, then that could only mean her family and the Avatar were nearby. How near though? Were they in the Lower Ring? I doubted that... Being the Avatar probably bumped them up to the Upper Ring. If they were in the Upper Ring though, then was there a chance I could get to the Avatar?

The sound of Crystal shifting on the mat made me freeze in my pacing. Looking over at her, I dropped my hand from where I'd been clutching my hair in thought. Walking back over, I knelt down as quietly as I could and took in her unconscious appearance. Her hair was shorter than when I last saw her, but long enough for her to put up if she wanted to. Her skin was paler than I remembered, but I assumed that probably had to be due to exhaustion. I recalled the last thing she spoke to me after I managed to catch her from completely collapsing to the dirt.

I have to find Appa...

Appa... I'd heard the name before, but I struggled for a second to figure out what she meant. Then I understood as the image of a giant flying sky-bison came to my head. The Avatar's animal was named Appa. Why did Crystal have to find him?

Another question then came to my mind: Was Crystal walking through the Lower Ring all by herself? As I thought this, I saw then for the first time how worn down and beaten she looked. She had bags under her eyes, and she looked thinner than I remembered. How long had she been searching for the Avatar's sky-bison? What happened to her while we were apart?

The door to the apartment opened a good hour later, and Uncle stepped in with a heavy sigh. I was still on the floor, completely bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

"I'll be heading to work tomorrow..." Uncle began to speak. "The shop needs repairs made which will take a good day or two. I suppose you can have the day off. I spoke to the manager and he has permitted it since we probably won't have a lot of business due to the damage." Uncle walked over to me then, asking, "How is she? I managed to contact someone who said they could get a message to Crystal's family. I wrote that she's staying at an inn for the night... I don't want her family coming to look for her..."

I brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Why... Are you worried I'll try to capture the Avatar...?"

A moment of silence passed through the room. Uncle breathed in heavily, and then walked over to me. "We need to talk about that... Now that you know Crystal's family is here in Ba Sing Se, what do you plan to do, Prince Zuko? Are you really going to go after the Avatar, knowing it would break Crystal's heart?"

Shutting my eyes, I pulled from her and ran a hand through my hair in uncertainty. My heart ached as I was conflicted.

"You know you have to choose, Prince Zuko... You can't have both... Are you going to try to pursue the Avatar again, knowing if you do so you will lose Crystal in the process?"

My eyes shot back open, and I looked down at the sleeping beauty before me. As I stared down at her face, I felt torn between two things: Love and honor. Which did I want more?