The Ocean Spirit

Chapter 52

Song Yin POV

No matter how hard I try, Zuko is still following me. It seems like, His desire of capturing the Avatar is far more important than his uncle. I didn't say a word. But let him to guide me. He is pretty good at tracking other people. I still remember the way He tracks General Iroh ones. When the earth benders capture him.

But today things are changed. I don't want him to be around me at all. First of all, a few days ago, He saw me naked. And secondly, he kisses me. And next, the little talk we had and his overprotective action makes me a lot uncomfortable to stick around him.

The truth is Things are pretty awaked between us. It's not like the old days.

I stay as quiet as possible. He did the same. It seems like he doesn't mind anything at all. I really hate him. we keep a huge gap between us. I don't want him to find Aang. More importantly, I don't want his sister to find Aang too.

The way Zuko said, his sister is so powerful.

But Aang is my Brother. And I do anything to protect him. I love him. I want him to be safe.

"The track went this way" Suddenly Zuko speak.

His voice is so cold.

I hold my rings and glance at him. Zuko is searching for a clue on the sandy floor. His half grown hair makes him look a bit mature than normal. I keep my stare at him. He had been changed. This is not the Zuko I knew ones. He is not a proud full prince anymore. His royal clothes are gone. his hair is gone. he looks anger than ever. more importantly, he lost himself in his heart.

Suddenly he looks back at me. His golden eyes meet mine. They look so colder than ever. But warm at the same time. I keep my eyes on him. as soon as our eyes met. familiar warm feeling cross over both of us. It's the same feeling I feel before we kiss that day. Zuko shakes his head and looks away. I did the same. I kick Moo' s butt and change the road. Zuko and his Ostrich hoarse walk in front of me.

"So you didn't tell him yet," he asks.

I wide my eyes and look at him. What is he talking about?

"The Avatar"

"Oh" I didn't reply.

It's a bit surprising the way Zuko keep my Secret safe from the others. I know I can trust Iroh. But Zuko is someone who doesn't understand anything at all. But he still didn't use my secret against me or Aang. at least that a good thing about him.

"why are you keep hiding it," he asks again.

Zuko's voice is colder than normal.

"it's not easy to say those things," I said slowly." It's not easy to explain these things to him. Telling him the truth is harder than jumping into a volcano Zuko.

I suddenly feel a small pain. What was he thinking? it's not easy, to tell the truth. How am I supposed to do that?

"Hmm" That's all he said.

I didn't reply and let the silence surrounded us.

"he is lucky," Zuko said suddenly.

"why," I ask and glance at him.

Zuko smirks. He stops his Horse and looks back at me. His angry eyes are soft for a second.

"At least he has a sister like you to follow him, even after, death," He said and kick his Horse.

I glance at his back. His focus is still on the conversation. What does he mean by that? he has an uncle to follow him. But he said, sister. Does that mean his sister don't like him? Perhaps this might be a perfect time for me to know more about his creepy sister.

"Aang is my past. But still, our bond is so powerful. I love him. Even he didn't know that yet. It's my duty to look after him. since small days I was his mother figure" I said and stop.

Zuko's ears are still on me.

"no matter what happens. I love him. I will always be there for him. That's what siblings should do right? Don't you love your sister?" I ask innocently.

Zuko Exhale a huge berth and stare at the Horizon. He didn't speak at first. And I didn't push the question further. I didn't make him angry right.

"It's complicated," He said slowly.

"Why"

"She is not someone like you, not even me, she is deferent. She is like my father. Her powers of bending are limitless"

"Is that why it's complicated?"

"No it's just, it's hard to love her when she doesn't do the same for me," Zuko said sadly.

I don't know why but I get close to Zuko while riding.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" I ask curiously.

Zuko stops his horse and stares back at me. His Golden cold eyes ran every ware on my body. I blush a bit.

Suddenly he smirks and looks away. Hmm that's new. He never does that before. I glare at him and kick Moo. I was so stupid to ask something like that in the first place.

"Who knows maybe I do" I heard him say from behind.

And I suddenly discover a small feeling of jealousy dancing around my heart.

Aang s POV

Appa starts to fell down without a warning. We all scream in terror. I jump in front and try to wake Appa. But nothing works. He is still sleeping.

"AAPPAAAA" I scream.

But nothing happens. We all start to keep falling at full speed. Toph, Sokka, Katara, and Momo sway to the side still tightly gripping the saddle.

"Do something Aang" they scream.

I try to open Appa's eyes. But it's harder than I thought. His eyes were glue to each other. I look at the ground area. It's getting closer in every second.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA' we all scream.

Suddenly Appa opens his eyes. He crashed us between trees and land us on the ground. We hold our berth until Appa stops.

As soon as Appa stops. we all jump out from him.

"Appa's exhausted," I said tiredly.

My eyes start to cry without some sleep.

Sokka holds his sleeping bag and fell on the grassy ground.

"Okay, we've put in a lot of distance between us and them. The plan right now is to follow Appa's lead and get some sleep." He said and close his eyes.

I sat next to Appa and keep my head on his furball leg. I don't want to stay awake for a second.

"Of course, we could've gotten some sleep earlier, if Toph didn't have such issues." Suddenly Katara starts to yell.

I glare at her. Oh god can't she let it go. We all are tired.

"What!?" This time Toph stand next to us.

She walks towards katara to start a fight.

I jump and ran between them.

"All right, all right, everyone's exhausted! Let's just get some rest." I try to calm them.

But Karara pushes me away.

"No, I want to hear what Katara has to say. You think I have issues?" Toph Scream.

I hold her hand to stop her. And she did the same.

"I'm just saying. Maybe if you helped out earlier, we could have set up our camp faster and gotten some sleep. and then maybe we wouldn't be in this situation!"

"Come on guys stop," I said with a loud voice.

But it seems like nobody heard me.

"You're blaming me for this?" Toph asks in anger.

Katara threw her sleeping bag away and got up. Oh boy. This is not good at all. I don't want my both teachers to fight with each others.

"No! No, she's not blaming you." I said and try to separate them.

"No, I'm blaming her!" Katara said and push me again.

I fell to the ground and. Momo helps me to stand.

"Hey," Toph high her voice. "I never asked you for diddly-doo-dah. I carry my own weight. Besides, if there's anyone to blame, it's Sheddy over here!"

Suddenly she said and point at Appa. I wide my eyes. what is she talking about? How dare she is. Appa was carrying us all since the day we start this journey. And nobody ever complains.

"What? You're blaming Appa?" I ask in a higher voice. I feel sad and angry.

"Yeah, you want to know how they keep finding us? He's leaving a trail everywhere we go!

Toph Grabs a handful of Appa's fur and lets the shedding's blow away in the wind.

I stare at her hand in a surprise. That's not true. Appa never helps fire nations to find us. I feel a bit angry.

"How dare you blame Appa! He saved your life three times today! If there's anyone to blame, it's you! You're always talking about how you carry your own weight, but you're not. He is! Appa's carrying your weight. He never had a problem flying when it was just the three of us!"

...

Iroh s POV

I start to make some tea for the stranger who threw me to the floor by a mistake. The Avatar bison' s fur leads me to her.

As for a surprise, this young stranger is so young to travel by herself. And especially when she is blind. But I can see that she is a master of Earth bending. But still. I am sure she is just a small little girl.

I pour tea into two tin cups. Well, the only cups I got.

I hand over the cup to the stranger. She looks sad and tired at the same moment. I wonder why.

"You seem a little too young to be traveling alone," I said as a jock.

"You seem a little too old."

Her sudden answer makes me smile.

"Perhaps I am," I said and laugh.

"I know what you're thinking ... I look like I can't handle being by myself." She said suddenly.

I felt surprised. She read my mind. But I don't want to tell that to her.

"I wasn't thinking that," I said to bright he faces. But there is nothing.

"You wouldn't even let me pour my own cup of tea!" She sadly.

What an interesting girl. But this time she was wrong. I didn't pour the tea for the reason she thinks.

"I poured your tea because I wanted to and for no other reason."

"People see me and think I'm weak. They want to take care of me, but I can take care of myself, by myself." He said suddenly

For some reason, this strange girl reminds me of Zuko. I exhale a deep berth.

"You sound like my nephew, always thinking you need to do things on your own, without anyone's support. There is nothing wrong with letting the people who love you help you. Not that I love you, I just met you."

I said and smile. As for a surprise she gets my jock and starts to laugh. Interesting. She has a beautiful smile. Too bad she can't see that.

"So where is your nephew?" she asks suddenly.

"I've been tracking him actually," I said while drinking my tea. I wonder where Zuko is.

"Is he lost?"

Before answering that question, I start to think. What she asks is pretty deep. She was right. Zuko is lost. He is lost in a fake world he made for himself.

"Yes, a little bit, His life has recently changed and he's going through very difficult times. He's trying to figure out who he is and he went away." I sadly.

"So now you're following him?"

"Him and her," I said without thinking. "I know My nephew doesn't want me around him right now, but if he needs me, I'll be there.

"Her?" the girl asks.

Oh great. She only heard that. "His Girlfriend?" She asks again.

"No No not his girlfriend. She is someone I start to care to. And I send her after my nephew. And now I lost them both"

"Your nephew is very lucky, even if he doesn't know it," she said suddenly and Gets up to leave. "Thank you."

"My pleasure. Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights." I said and laugh.

"No, thank you for what you said. It helped me." She said and kindly bow to me.

"I'm glad," I said and start to drink my tea.

"Oh, and about your nephew, maybe you should tell him that you need him, too." She said before leaving me alone.

I stare at her emotionless face. Believe it or not, what she said is true. But I can never say that. I want Zuko to understand that.

Zuko POV

I Stare at Song's back while riding behind her. She hasn't spoken to me since earlier.

Her Dark hair has loosened up and flown around in the air. Her water tribe clothes are half loosened. And I can clearly see her body shape on them.

For some reason, I think she looks better in red more than white and any other stupid color in the earth kingdom. I mean the white is a bit dull to her. But blue is better for her too. and red makes her something more.

Song slowly pat her Horse' s head and said something to it.

I don't know what she was thinking when she asks those questions from me. Did uncle ask her to talk with me like this?

She was kind when she talks about the Avatar, even after that she asks about Azula.

I don't know the reason she asks me about a girlfriend. She knows I don't have any. I never had a one. But I did have a crush and a soft spot towards Mai. And I did date Ayami. And mostly. I do have a small thing for my life savior mermaid. Actually, it's not a small thing. I really like the feeling of kissing her.

But It's a bit different than the kiss I and Song share earlier. it changes lots of feelings inside me. I still remember her full lips. they are so good and makes me kiss her more. her eyes were closed when we kissed. her body fixed perfectly to mine. I am thousands sure if she didn't stop me that day. its really going to go far than just a kiss.

I still don't know what happen to me that day. maybe it because I saw her naked earlier that day. Or maybe it because I had a desire to kiss her Since the north pool.

But still. It feels so amazing. Her lips are pretty warm in mine. And more importantly, I didn't faint that day. It means I can really kiss her. and make love. wait did i said love?. do I love her. A small smirk covers my face. Now I can annoy her more.

But at the same moment a trace of sadness wash over my heart. She said she has some boyfriend ones. I look at her.

"She is from the water tribe Zuko. you could never be with her." My heart said.

"hmm"

"Mooooo"

Suddenly her horse and my horse start to scream and interrupted my thoughts. I feel a small shakiness on the earth. Song turns to look at me. Her eyes are wide with amazement. I shake my head. Azula is close.

Sorry guys for the long wait.