Chapter Ten: Duplicity
"We are only falsehood, duplicity, contradiction; we both conceal and disguise ourselves from ourselves."
--Blaise Pascal
"Are you absolutely sure you know what you're doing?"
Sokka sighed; it seemed like they had gone over this a million times. "Of course. Don't I always know what I'm doing?"
He heard a guffaw from the corner of the room and directed a glare towards its owner. "Seriously, Snoozles?" Toph quirked an eyebrow, "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"
The boy glared at her, "I didn't ask for your opinion, Toph." He turned away from her, "Now why don't you run along and join your little boyfriend. I'm busy."
Before he could even blink, he felt a sharp pain in his shin. "Get a life, you idiot." She turned so he couldn't see her blush, "I didn't want to listen to your mushy conversation anyways. It's probably bad for my teeth."
Sokka rolled his eyes and waited for Toph to leave the room before he spoke. "Yue… you have absolutely nothing to worry about."
The young woman looked at him, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears. "How can you tell me I have nothing to worry about? Anything could happen… they could…" she trailed off, unable to finish her thought.
He gently lifted her chin with his thumb and smiled brightly at her, his eyes tracing every bruise and cut on her porcelain skin. "I have to do this. I can't bear to lose someone else who is important to me." His eyes flashed with anger, "I swear, if they lay a hand on you again…"
As she gently embraced him, he could feel her wracking with silent tears. "Sokka…I…"
"Shh." He held her at arms length and wiped her tears away with his thumb. "You're making me feel horrible, you know that."
Yue smiled slightly as she hesitantly pressed her lips against his own. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gently pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.
"If you keep doing that," he whispered huskily against her lips while tightening his hold on her waist, "I might not be able to leave at all."
She smiled again, tears suddenly forgotten. "Have I ever told you how much of a liar you are?"
He rested his head in the crook of her neck, "Maybe once or twice…"
She rested her head on his, "You have to promise me you'll come back alive."
"I
promise." He said, "I'll bring Katara back if it's the last
thing I do."
'You only have one window of opportunity, Katara. I advise you take it.'
Those had been Azula's parting words; words that Katara was now certain would haunt her endlessly for the next week.
She didn't know what was wrong with her. The perfect opportunity had manifested itself. If she did this, she could finally seek her revenge as well as rid the world of a ruthless assassin. It was like killing two birds with one proverbial stone; it should have been easy.
However, as she kneeled over Zuko's fallen form and stared at his pained face, she wasn't so sure where she stood anymore. Her rationality ceased to exist the moment she witnessed his absolute vulnerability.
She winced as her eyes traveled to the hole in his chest. It seemed to have missed his heart, judging by the fact that he was still breathing, but she was certain that if they didn't seek medical attention soon, he would bleed to death. She wondered what had made Tosen shoot him in such a manner. She decided that the man either had horrible aim, or he knew just how to make someone suffer.
Why don't I end his suffering? She mused; He's going to die anyway.
For reasons unknown, her thoughts brought tears to her eyes. She rubbed her eyes furiously, in a failed attempt to stop the tears from flowing. "What is wrong with me?" she wondered, holding her shaking hands in front of her, "Why can't I…?"
She suddenly felt angry with herself for being weak, with fate for placing her in such a compromising situation and, most importantly, with Zuko for making her feel this way.
In her anger, she folded her arms over his body and screamed, not caring if she could be heard. It didn't matter that her clothes were now drenched in Zuko's blood or even that they were in such proximity. The only thing that mattered at the moment was figuring out what the HELL was she supposed to do.
"I hate you so much, you know that?" she whispered, "I hate you so much… but why does the thought of your death seem so unbearable?"
He didn't answer. "You were the one who got me into this situation in the first place." She continued, her face still pressed firmly against his chest. "You captured me, hurt me, and mocked me. You threatened to kill me… and yet, for some reason, I can't bear to do the same, no matter how much I wish to."
The tears were falling indefinitely now as she smiled slightly, "I guess that makes me the weak one after all, doesn't it?"
"…No."
Her head snapped up from its position on his chest. "Zuko?"
His eyes were slightly open now and staring at her, "Being weak…has nothing to do with if you have the ability to kill or not." He paused, taking a deep, laboring breath before sitting up. "The only people who are weak are those who refuse to face their challenges head on."
As Katara stared at his chest, her mouth opened slightly in astonishment. "How…?"
He followed her gaze to the left side of his chest and placed his hand where his gunshot wound should have been. "I don't know."
She shook her head to make sure she wasn't suddenly going crazy. Her eyes landed on her hands, now devoid of all blood. Was it all an illusion?
No. It's not an illusion. She thought as she grasped onto the tiny vial in her fist and stared at her blood-soaked clothing. But I sure as hell wish it was.
"Aang, would you stop doing that?"
The young boy cocked he head, "Doing what?"
"Smiling."
"Sorry." he said with a shrug, "I can't help it. Did you hear, Toph? Sokka is going to save her! She's coming back."
"Of course I heard it, numbskull." She mumbled, "You've told me at least a million times."
"I'm so excited!" he exclaimed, ignoring her comment. "I haven't talked to her in a month. I mean, I've seen her in her room sleeping and-"
"In her underwear." Toph said with a smirk.
Aang's face suddenly turned a bright red. "H-how did you know about that?"
"I have my sources."
Aang laughed nervously, "Y-yeah. Well, anyways, I'm sure you'll really like her. She's a really nice person. And she's very pretty…"
Toph scoffed and stomped her foot, causing Aang to suddenly fall over. "Get your head out of the clouds, Twinkletoes. We have more important things to worry about than your sickening puppy love for Sugar Queen."
Aang pushed himself off the ground. "I do not love-"
"Don't even bother." Toph whispered dangerously, "I can tell that you're lying."
Aang suddenly looked take aback. "Well? So what if I do? It doesn't have anything to do with you." He folded his arms across his chest. "You're just angry because you have a heart of stone."
The moment he let the words out of his mouth, he knew he shouldn't have. She closed her eyes and turned away from him, her hands clenched in fists. "Is that what you really think of me, Aang?"
His eyes widened; this was the first time she had ever said his name. "You think I'm just some helpless blind girl without a heart?" She clenched her fists tighter, "You just…pity me, don't you."
Aang suddenly felt the guilt wash over him, "Toph-I.."
"I don't want your pity." She said, her voice quivering with every syllable. "Save it for someone who cares."
She took a deep breath and turned on her heel, skillfully keeping her tears at bay. It was foolish of her to have thought that he could ever possibly…
"Nice going, blind girl."
Toph quickly wiped her eyes and groaned. She didn't even have to turn around to know who was speaking; the tactlessness and idiocy gave her away. "What do you want, Meng?"
The girl ran her hands through her finally wavy shoulder-length locks. "I wish to… make a deal with you."
Toph quirked an eyebrow in amusement, "Oh?" She inquired, folding her arms across her chest. "Last time I checked, we weren't exactly the best of friends."
She actually hated the girl with a passion, but she decided to keep that little detail to herself.
Meng's lip curled and Toph could feel her anger resonate through the ground. "Don't get me wrong." She said, observing her nails, "I still think you are a good-for-nothing, incorrigible, little insect. But I think there is some fun to be had around here."
Her insults are slowly improving. Toph mused, slightly impressed. It probably took her all day to think of that one.
She took a step forward and sniffed the air. Surely enough there were traces of fresh ink in the air. She rolled her eyes. Why am I not surprised?
Meng looked down at the writing on her hand in pure satisfaction. She had, indeed, spent all day looking in dictionaries for the perfect insult. It was a wonder she hadn't thought of doing that before. It was much more effective…
"So, what do you say?"
Toph closed her eyes and sighed in exasperation. "You haven't even told me what I'm getting myself into and your asking me if I want to participate." She shook her head, "I know for a fact that making a deal with you is synonymous with making a deal with the devil's advocate."
Meng cocked her head. "Why not the devil himself?"
Toph smirked irritatingly, "You're not nearly as clever enough."
Meng's face flushed in indignation. "Fine! If you don't want to do this, I won't force you." She smiled deviously, "However, you're going to miss out on a lot of fun at another's expense."
Toph's eyes lit up. "I see. You didn't mention that part…"
"The end result will benefit the both of us." Meng said, coaxingly. "However, once we get rid of the menace, it's every girl for herself. Clear?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Toph stated simply, "Now what is it that you want me to do?"
So you think I have a heart of stone, Aang? Toph smiled slightly, masking the slight pain she felt in her chest. You have no idea.
"Boss, all the preparations are ready." Azula reported, a sickeningly satisfied smirk gracing her features. "It's a shame really. Zuzu could have been great, if he wasn't such an idiot."
He looked up at her in mild amusement. "Really, Azula, you disappoint me."
She quirked an eyebrow in inquiry. "Do tell."
"The girl may have the capacity to commit murder, but that does not prove that she is ruthless." He rested his chin in the palm of his hand, "She will not do it."
Azula shook her head. "If you already know the outcome of this, why do you even bother testing her?"
Boss smirked, "Inner turmoil is the key to drawing out her gift. Once she realizes that she is not capable of killing Zuko, she'll be under my control forever."
Azula looked thoroughly impressed. "You never intended to tell her who killed her parents, did you?"
"Ah." Boss shook his head, "That's where you are wrong. I fully intend to tell her when the timing is right. However, I will push her to her breaking point until then. For now, I will allow Zuko to protect her as long as he is able."
"Pure genius." Azula said in mock awe as she walked out of his room, making sure to close the door behind her. She walked forward until she was absolutely sure he was out of earshot. "Pure idiocy is more like it. Why can't he see what a useless, weak fool Zuzu is?"
Mai and Ty Lee nodded as they followed her through the hallways of the Agency. They looked at each other anxiously, knowing that whatever the girl was thinking, it wasn't good.
"Azula." Ty Lee said cautiously. "I know that look. What are you thinking?"
Azula smiled maliciously, causing Ty Lee to flinch. "I'm only doing what's best for the Agency."
Mai raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure massacring a large amount of people constitutes as a benefit of the Agency."
Azula laughed. "Although that sounds thrilling, that's not exactly what I had in mind."
Mai and Ty Lee both let out breaths that they didn't know they had been holding. Perhaps her plan wouldn't be so bad…
"I think it's time to stir up some trouble." Azula said, feigning a yawn. "It's been a bit dull lately, don't you think?
Her
unwilling accomplices groaned simultaneously; they had spoken to
soon.
"For the millionth time, brat, I don't need your help."
He was lying to her of course; the wound in his chest wasn't completely healed and his legs felt as though they could give out at any moment. However, any pain was bearable compared to the constant fluttering feeling in his stomach due to their close proximity.
Katara rolled her eyes as he tried, in vain, to wrench her arm from its position on his waist. "Quit being such a baby and let me help you!" She exclaimed, her voice filled with weariness and anger, "Consider this payback for leaving me alone back there."
Zuko remained silent as he allowed her to lift him off the ground and slowly lead him out of the room. He braced himself for what lay beyond the door. It would have been much easier if Boss had planned the assassination for some other day, in another location. However, for some reason unknown to him, he decided to assign him to yet another suicide mission.
"It seems this is the only way out."
Zuko tilted his head slightly to look at her. "You have an uncanny ability to state the obvious."
She glared at him and tightened her hold on his waist. "I'm just letting you know that we have to be ready for whatever lies beyond this threshold. No matter how drunk they may be, the men will want to know what happened in there."
"Well." He said, half-smiling, half-grimacing, "I guess we'll have to tell them then."
Katara nodded hesitantly. "Yeah, I guess so."
Together, they walked through the doorframe and prepared for the onslaught of questions that would undoubtedly await them. However, as they entered the bar they were met with the telltale stench of burnt flesh. Katara's eyes widened as she looked upon the multiple dead bodies, each burnt beyond recognition. Their lifeless eyes were filled with terror, their faces mangled and broken.
Needless to say, Katara was stunned.
"Azula."
"Azula?" Katara looked down at him in surprise. "How could Azula do this? She…she wasn't even here."
She sure as hell was. She thought, suddenly remembering the vile in her pocket. But Zuko doesn't need to know that.
"Only Azula is capable of doing such a thing." Zuko said as he narrowed his eyes. "She kills with a reckless abandon and relishes in it. That is why Boss trusts her to get the job done. She has absolutely no qualms about murdering innocent people. It fills her with joy to see others suffer."
"Let's go." Katara whispered as her body began to shake. "I can't stand to see this anymore."
Zuko didn't answer, he just allowed her to guide him through the club until they were outside. He couldn't help wondering why Boss's favorite pupil came to such an obscure establishment. It didn't make any sense. For as long as he had known Azula, she only agreed to assignments that provided her with large amounts of money and glorified her in Boss's eyes. What was so different about this place? Why would Boss send her if…
Suddenly, it came to him. "What did Azula say to you?"
He could feel her body tense for a split second, effectively proving his theory. "She didn't say anything to me." She lied. "I didn't even know she was here."
Before Zuko could respond, a black limo pulled up in front of them. They looked at each other quizzically before cautiously stepping towards it, waiting for a response. The back windows rolled down, causing Katara to tighten her hold on Zuko's waist.
"Well, well, well." A voice hissed through the window, "If it isn't Spirit and the tramp."
Katara rolled her eyes, recognizing the voice immediately. "I'm not even going to bother stooping down to your level. It's a waste of my time, energy, and brain cells." She placed her index finger on her chin in mock pensiveness. "Although, I doubt you know much about the latter since you are in desperate need of them."
The girl's lip curled in anger as she opened the door for them to enter. Katara smirked in satisfaction as she made herself a comfortable buffer between the girl and Zuko. This, of course, only served to make her even angrier.
"Mai," Zuko said in an attempt to cut through the palpable tension in the air. "What are you doing here?"
Mai frowned slightly at his tone. "The agency heard of your dilemma and decided to send me over to collect you." She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Although, if you hadn't risked your life protecting that idiot of a partner, you wouldn't be in this predicament."
"Hello?" Katara objected, "If you haven't noticed, I'm sitting right next to you."
They both ignored her, much to Katara's chagrin. "Boss was spying on me again?" Zuko hissed angrily, "Why did he do that? Did he not think I was capable of handling this mission on my own?"
"Clearly." Katara muttered darkly, "If not, why would he send such a nuisance to rescue you?"
Mai sent her a vicious glare. "I advise you to hold your tongue if you would like to keep it."
Katara glared back at her. "Empty threats will get you nowhere."
Zuko
pressed his fingers against his temple in irritation. It was going to
be one long ride home.
"What have I told you about coming into my room when I'm not around Azula?"
"You've told me that privacy is key; it is something I should never infringe upon." The young girl rolled her eyes at her brother and continued to jump on his bed as if he didn't exist. "Can you explain what that means, big brother?"
Zuko folded his arms over his chest in aggravation. "It means that little girls like you aren't allowed to play in their brother's rooms without permission."
She laughed, "Whose going to make me? Mom?"
"Yes, actually." Zuko said smugly, "I'll tell her when she gets back."
Azula's smile widened immensely, "Don't you get it, you idiot?"
"Don't call me that."
She jumped off of his bed, her eyes filled with mirth. "I'll call you whatever I want! Mom's not here to tell me off and she's never coming back."
Zuko rolled his eyes. "You must think I'm really stupid if you expect me to believe that."
"I'm telling the truth." Azula twirled around him, "Mom's never coming back, and it's all your fault Zuzu!"
"You're lying." Zuko placed his hands over his ears in an attempt to block out her voice. "You always lie…"
"I'm telling the truth, big brother," she said in a mocking tone. "You murdered our mother. It's all your fau-"
Before she could even react, Azula found herself pushed against the wall. Her eyes widened as she looked up at her brother's anger-ridden face. "Shut up!" he screamed, his eyes flashing with uncontrolled rage, "Just shut the hell up!"
For the first time in her life, Azula became completely silent. "You're a monster; everybody hates you. The only reason that anyone can stand to look at you is because they pity you. You are a liar, a cheater, and a sociopath; you don't care about anyone but yourself. Even mom hates you! She can't stand the fact that you, her own daughter, are such a selfish human being. So please, do me and the rest of the world a favor and shut up!"
A normal child would have cried; however, Azula was anything but. She simply shrugged off her brother's hold on her shoulders and grabbed his neck with both of her hands and smirked. "That is precisely why I am the prodigy and you are nothing. No matter what you do, I will always be the coveted, superior child. The people who hate me are insignificant insects, including mother. I'm glad that she's dead; she was the only person pathetic and useless enough to love you."
She relinquished her hold on his neck and climbed back onto his bed. "Now, what were you saying about privacy, Zuzu?"
Zuko gasped for air, silent tears falling down his face in thin trails. "N-nothing." He whispered, "Just leave me alone."
Azula smirked, "That's what I thought."
And with that she continued jumping on the bed, an eerily jovial expression on her face.
Zuko shook out of his stupor and held back the urge to bang his head against the window. There was only one explanation for that memory; he was going crazy. He supposed if anyone were trapped in a car with two people who obviously hated each other for unknown reasons, they would be prone to insanity as well. However, this particular recollection was so absolutely bizarre that it could have easily been a hallucination.
The weirdest thing about the memory wasn't that Azula had clearly overpowered him (he had seen her do the same thing to many a comrade and enemy alike) it was the fact that she had called him her big brother. The only way he and Azula could he related was if hell froze over and, last time he checked, his life wasn't anywhere near freezing point. It didn't make any sense, especially the nonsense about him being responsible for his mother's death…
"We're here," Katara mumbled, effectively interrupting his thought process. "If it had taken one more minute and I would have killed myself."
"What a shame." Mai said sarcastically. "Move to the front seat, and out of my sight. Spirit and I have a very important matter to attend to."
Katara opened her mouth to protest, but Zuko sent her a meaningful glance. "Fine, mother." she said. "Since you asked so nicely."
She opened her door and walked out of the car, leaving Zuko and Mai alone. The former rolled his eyes, "You know that brat is too nosy for her own good, right? If she wants to listen to the conversation, she will do everything in her power to do so."
Mai smiled slyly and pointed to the tinted glass divider between the front and back seats. "I doubt she'll be able to hear anything. It's sound proof."
"That doesn't mean she won't still try."
Mai rolled her eyes. "She's truly the biggest idiot that I have even had the misfortune of meeting." She shook her head and looked at him, her face completely deadpan. "But that is beside the point. You may not be aware of it, but you are in grave danger, Spirit."
Zuko raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about?"
She shook her head once again. "I can't tell you. However, I can tell you what you can do to save yourself."
"What?"
"Kill her." Mai said simply, "Kill her, in the most brutal, dehumanizing way possible."
"Kill who?" Zuko asked, though he was sure he already knew the answer to his own question.
"Kill your prisoner." Mai whispered, with a wicked smile, "Kill her, and I assure you that your memory will be restored and your life will be spared."
"Why should I believe you?" Zuko asked, "For whatever reason, Boss has searched for years for this girl. Killing her would not only enrage him, it would push me further away from my goal."
"You're not even thinking about your goals." Mai sneered, "You don't want to kill her because you've become emotionally attached to her."
Zuko narrowed his eyes at her strange statement. "Emotionally attach-"
"Don't even try to deny it, Spirit." Mai laughed dryly and looked him straight in the eye. "I see the way you look at her when you think no one's looking. You become concerned for her when there is clearly no reason to be. You watch her like a hawk out of the corner of your eye. You even jeopardize your own missions to ensure her safety!"
"I have only done what Boss has instructed me to do up to this point." Zuko hissed angrily, "I have been forced to protect that girl; I had absolutely no say in the matter. Don't you dare tell me I'm attached to that useless excuse for a girl!"
"Normally, your yelling would intimidate me," Mai said simply. Her obsidian eyes were still locked onto his; she was not going to back down. "You used to regard everything with a cold indifference, not caring if you had the power to influences the opinions of others. The only thing that mattered to you was your memory. But now, it seems as if the emotions are too much for you to handle. You can't deal with the fact that someone was able to finally break into the impenetrable wall surrounding your heart. You can't deal with the fact that she is much more than a petty mission. You can't deal with the fact that you've fallen in love with her."
Zuko laughed humorlessly. "Fallen in love? I don't know what the hell that means. I assure you, my hatred for her runs deeper than you know. The brat is a liability; she has absolutely no affect on me."
Mai looked unconvinced. "No, prove to the agency that Spirit, the great assassin, hasn't gone soft. The girl thinks she only has to commit one more murder before she's off the hook, but Boss wants you to get rid of her before then. He has just realized that she is too weak and is no longer of any use to him. He has promised that if you complete this mission, you will receive all of your memories."
Zuko stared into her eyes, unable to believe what he had just heard. Everything he had worked so hard for was finally going to pay off. All he had to do was kill the annoying self-centered, nosy, little brat in exchange of his identity. It almost seemed to good to be true.
"Consider it done."
Mai smirked, "You have exactly one week."
"I don't need that much time." Zuko whispered, his face impassive once again. "It'll only take a second."
Mai nodded. "Welcome back, Spirit."
As
she watched Zuko open the door and let himself out of the car she
couldn't help but feel guilty for lying to him. She closed her eyes
and let out a deep laboring sigh before she pulled her cell phone out
of her pocket and dialed Azula's number.
Katara sat against the wall and rested her head on her knees. She was showered, fully dressed, and ready for bed, but for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to step near Zuko's bed. She suddenly felt dirty and worthless; she was nothing but a back stabbing liar who had willingly sold her soul to the devil or, at least, his equivalent.
Zuko stared at the wall adjacent from his bed where his broadswords hung. Each blade was beautifully crafted and allowed him to complete each and every mission with ease. However, they were nothing but his instruments. The rest depended on his ability to execute and follow through.
She fingered the vial in her pocked and silently wondered how she would do it. She could slip it into his food the next morning when he wasn't looking, or perhaps discreetly sprinkle some into his mouth when he fell asleep, but none of the options seemed particularly appealing to her.
A nice clean cut would end her life quickly; a messy job would cause her to suffer a more painful, excruciating death. He couldn't decide which one would be better in the long run. Either way, the blood would leave a rather disgusting stain on his immaculate white carpet.
She grasped the vial in her hand and stood up; it was now or never.
He pulled his broadswords out of their sheaths; he was ready.
They turned to each other, identical impassive expressions on their faces.
"Zuko Kurosawa…" Katara said silently, a white vial in her hands. "I've been sent to kill you."
"Katara Mitsuo…" Zuko said, "I will kill you."
Katara shook her head. "I don't have any doubts that you will kill me, Zuko." She smiled sadly, "I can see it in your eyes; you have the ability to end anyone's life without a second thought. You and I are truly different human beings after all. I have to think about it before I raise a gun to someone's head. I think about the consequences of my actions and how they will affect others in the long run. I tried being you for one day, and I find myself regretting every moment of it. I feel my soul being ripped apart even as we speak because of the single life I have taken.
"When I was presented with this opportunity, I should have been thrilled. You were the one who ruined my life, after all. You were the one that destroyed my independence, integrity, and morality. You were the one who turned me into a monster, a mere shadow of my former-self, an assassin who, like yourself, sold her soul in order to gain some information about her past.
"Yet as I stand here in front of you, I cannot bring myself to kill you. Even though you have killed a countless number of people, I cannot hate you. Although your eyes are filled with nothing but contempt for me, I cannot express anything but happiness that you are alive and standing before me." She closed her eyes and smiled, this time he could feel the joy radiate from her face. "I'm sorry, but this is one mission that I cannot complete."
"That's too bad." Zuko said as he slowly walked over to her, his sword at the ready, "I, however, am a completely different story. You are the only thing standing between me and my memory. Once I kill you, I'll have my freedom."
"So what are you waiting for, Zuko?" Katara asked. Her eyes were still closed and her face looked eerily serene. "Do it. Kill me so we can both be free."
Zuko roughly grabbed her arm and slammed her against the wall. To his surprise, she didn't flinch, or cry out in pain; she only continued to smile, as though openly welcoming her death. He was so close to her that he could feel the warmth radiating from her body, so close that he could feel her breath tickling his neck, so close that he could easily end her life.
Zuko pressed his sword to her neck and watched in fascination as the bright red liquid trickled down the cold metal of his blade. In one fluid motion, he slit her throat, causing her to body to fall to the ground. He stared at his hands, now covered with blood, and back at Katara's fallen body. Although, her eyes were wide open and her mouth agape, she was still smiling. His eyes widened, and his body began to shake. He fell to his knees and his broadswords slipped from his lax hands with a resounding clatter.
He had finally done it.
He had finally succeeded in silencing the only person who ever dared defy him. He should have been euphoric; the annoyance had finally left him. She was no longer his responsibility; he was finally free to choose his own path. However, he didn't feel satisfied or relieved like he had expected; he could only feel a void where his heart once was, a crushing sadness that seemed to engulf his entire being.
Everything became dark. The pain was lifted from his soul, as though seeping into the surrounding abyss. His body refused to agree with him; he was completely immobilized. Suddenly, a soft whisper traveled to his ears coaxing him out of his reverie.
"Have you had enough, my nephew?"
Before
Zuko could respond, he woke up, his body drenched in sweat.
Katara smiled sadly as she looked at Zuko's sleeping face. The strangest thing had happened; he had collapsed onto the floor as soon as soon as they arrived in his apartment. She had panicked at first, but she realized that although his wound had mysteriously healed itself, his body must have still been getting over the initial shock of the wound. She had spent all night monitoring his body and, to her relief, his fever had just now broken
She shook her head as she pressed the cold towel onto his forehead one last time. Her eyes landed on his face once more; she still found it strange that someone so brutal and callous could look so peaceful.
He's not so brutal anymore… she mused as she ran her fingers through his silky black locks. He's…
She removed her fingers from his hair. What was he to her exactly? He wasn't her friend, but at the same time, he wasn't her enemy either. Something had changed between them in the time they had been together, but she could quite put her finger on it.
She shook her head; it wasn't important anymore. It would all be over in a matter of seconds. She reached into her pocket and grasped the vial tightly in her fingers. She decided what she must do in her heart the moment she had accepted the vial from Azula.
"Zuko," She whispered as the tears welled up in her eyes. "I guess this is goodbye."
She
leaned in and kissed him lightly on his forehead before she opened
the vial with trembling fingers.
What the hell was that? Zuko thought as he sat up in confusion.
It had been one of most confusing dreams he had ever experienced. Every moment of it had seemed so real. Especially…
He suddenly glanced at the empty space beside him in panic. His eyes widened as he hastily pulled off the covers and jumped out of bed. He looked around the room for any trace of her, to no avail.
Had she escaped?
No. He thought, in an attempt to calm down. That would be impossible.
He scanned the room one last time and his eyes landed on his bathroom door; it was slightly ajar. He pulled one of his broadswords out of its sheath and cautiously walked towards the door. He kicked the door open with his foot and-
A blunt object connected with his head, causing him to fall to the ground, his broadswords slipping to the floor with a clatter.
Something caught his eye as his consciousness began to slip away: a familiar tan girl was laying on the ground, a strange white powder on her lips.
TBC…
End of Part I
Gulps I know this chapter was thoroughly confusing, but no worries. I will clear everything up eventually. Din the mean time, don't be afraid to ask questions. I haven't really decided yet but I think this story will consist of about 25-30 chapters in three separate parts. I've been planning this story for as long as I can remember, and I promise not to disappoint. So please don't come after me with pitchforks or anything like that. In the mean time, I will leave it at that. Let me know what you think. There are a lot of speculations floating around… I could actually use some more རྫ. Constructive criticism only, please. We all know flames are a royal waste of time. I can't tell you for sure when the next chapter will be up. School is starting soon, and I need to focus on midterms and stuff, but I'll try my best to update soon. See you next chapter!
P.S.: I can't wait for Season Three of Avatar. Maybe I can knock some sense into Zuko by yelling at the screen when the premiere airs! Does anyone know when it will air? I've been looking all over for some information, but I can't find anything.