AVATAR

The Young Lady Of Legends

She was a shy, self-centred and overall lazy dreamer from our world, transported to the world of Avatar where she's the stuff of some sort of legend. She also can't continue being lazy, not if a certain agitated prince gets his way. ZukoXOcc

CHAPTER ONE

Pink Light

O~O~O~O

The young prince's eyes were closed, but as he concentrated on his breathing he could sense that the flames of the four candles before him were expanding and falling with each careful breath he took. He was trained in the art of his Fire Bending, and this form of mediation was simple to him.

The light of the flames danced across the prince's room aboard his ship, illuminating the dual dao swords on the wall, and the well-weathered yellow scroll on the wall opposite to the prince. It lit the red and maroon robes the prince wore, as well as the faint but shining burn across his left eye.

Still the prince concentrated, but a small portion of his mind was focusing on what had just happened to him, hours ago. He had let the Avatar slip from his grasp, he'd been so close to regaining his lost honour, and then…

In the back of his mind, the young prince heard their voices:

"Your sister was born lucky – you, on the other hand, were lucky to born!"

"You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher!"

And his sister's voice, too, mocking him from afar now as she would one day rise to assume the throne…

But, no…the young prince clenched his fist, and the candle flames rose higher than ever. He would show them all. He'd hunt down the Avatar and capture him again, then deliver him to his Father and regain all that was taken from him.

He would show them…

As if looking behind him, he thought about the scroll painting on the wall. It showed a woman wearing traditional robes, and the scroll had a pink wash amongst the yellow.

He wouldn't forget who he was…

He'd promised them both that…

O~O~O~O

The young lady's eyes were closed, as tears slid silently down her face, messing up her eyeliner and mascara. The tears dripped down onto her hands, which shook as they clutched at the hem of her short black skirt. She wore a black singlet, a black waist tie with a red ribbon, black strappy-shoes and a red ribbon in her hair. A yin-yang necklace was around her neck.

In front of her on the coffee table in a vase was a single red rose that was losing its petals and a cup of green tea. On the TV, a movie sat paused, on the scene of a movie she had bought without permission.

She had bought it without permission, like she had done so many other things without permission, and now she was paying the price for those things. They were going to lock her out of her room, stop her from doing the things he loved, the things that kept her going. She couldn't fathom it…

In the back of her mind, the young lady heard their voices:

"You're a useless, lazy, selfish, worthless bitch!"

"If hitting you is the only way I can make you learn, then so be it!"

And her sister's voice, too, from before, telling her that it was no wonder their Mother wanted to kick her out of home…

The young lady's entire body was shaking now, and the side of her face was turning bright red where her Father had struck her. So what if she did things like buy DVD's or go on the internet without permission? Was that any reason to hit her, or swear at her like they did?

The tears fell unhindered now…

She didn't open her eyes but, somehow, she saw through the veil to the TV screen, where the picture of the young man "bending fire" sat frozen. She knew she was praying on an empty star here…

But she wished he was real…

She also wished she had a reason to exist.

O~O~O~O

"Priestess…Emma…"

"Prince…Zuko…"

O~O~O~O

In the celestial gardens, the black and white koi fish that mirrored the ones at the North Pole began to glow bright pink.

Tai Li-Jun hadn't been watching them but, of course, the young goddess sensed the discomfort of the yin and yang spirits, and ran through the halls to the Courtyard Of Rain.

There, in front of the spirits' pond, she saw a tall raven-haired woman in pink robes standing there observing the swimming spirits.

"Qi-Feng!" Tai Li-Jun called, nearly tripping over her robes in her hurry. "Qi-Feng! Your fish spirits are glowing pink again!"

"Yes, I can see that too, Tai Li-Jun," The woman standing before the pond said calmly. "But, as you know, our laws are…"

"To hell with the laws!" The young goddess' face turned the colour of her scarlet robes – Tai Li-Jun was not known for keeping her temper. "I'm sick of seeing them suffer anymore!"

"We're not talking about the fish anymore, are we?" The lady by the pond turned around, and Tai Li-Jun gasped. It was not Qi-Feng at all with whom she was talking, but the lady of Mercy, Kwan Yin.

Tai Li-Jun immediately apologized. "Forgive me, dear mercy, but I was expecting Qi-Feng! Where is…?"

"All is forgiven," Kwan Yin said serenely. Her brown eyes were soft and warm. "Qi-Feng is with Yuexia Loaren in the Temple Of Dimensions."

Tai Li-Jun's own brown eyes widened. "The Old Man Under The Moon?" She gasped. "You mean…?"

Kwan Yin nodded. "Yes – we, too, have decided to grant both their wishes. Emma wishes to go to her prince and he unknowingly…"

"Wishes to be with her also," Tai Li-Jun said excitedly. "But how…?"

"We elder gods have a way of shifting heaven and worlds," Kwan Yin said mysteriously. "Already I believe she is on her way."

"But I'm worried," Tai Li-Jun said suddenly, moving closer to the comfort of Mercy. "Kwan Yin, Emma is very irresponsible, even for a twenty year old. Which is another thing in itself, isn't it?"

"Yes," Kwan Yin nodded. "But, I believe, Qi-Feng has a way of making that alright. She may be able to tweak Emma's age a bit, to make her fit in. I myself have offered her a gift as well – the gift of my song."

"That's why I mistook you for Qi-Feng," Tai Li-Jun said in wonder. "Kwan Yin, you've given up the melody of your voice! But why? How will that help her?"

Kwan Yin's expression remained peaceful. "My child, I am indebted to do all I can to help her. I believe she will be grateful for this serenity I can offer her." Kwan Yin sighed – even without her melody, it was a peaceful sound. "She is being thrown headfirst into a new situation."

"Emma doesn't like change," Tai Li-Jun whispered. "She also doesn't like being told what to do, and she's lazy…however will she learn to get along with a prince, even if he is her soul-mate?" Her brown eyes were filled with worry.

"I don't know, my child," Kwan Yin said soothingly. "Emma is a very complex person. But, I believe we shall find, where she is lazy, he is motivated. Where he is hot-headed, she is patient. Where he is strong, she is weak. But, where she is gifted, he can help."

"You mean…wudang?" Tai Li-Jun's voice was barely above the light rain that had begun to fall. "The truest form of martial arts?" Kwan Yin nodded. "But…Mercy…Emma does not know martial art! She hates most forms of exercise! How is it that she can be the Priestess Of Wudang?"

"Ah, yes," Kwan Yin agreed. "But, in these areas, she will learn and, give time, he will teach her. She will master her skills as Priestess eventually, but to succeed she must put in more effort than she has been recently. It will not be easy for her. She is going to have to put others before herself for a change, but I believe she can do it. And she, in turn, will be able to reach his heart. But, even before that happens…" A small smile played on her painted lips. "I believe they'll have a hard time leaving each other alone…" The smile did not extend to her eyes, however, and she thought: But, if that is the case, then we may have more trouble to contend with…she'll have to guard that power within her until the time is right…the prince won't be the only one who becomes aware of it…

All people had this power…it was born into them and, as they lost it, they grew old and died. It was there…but for people like Emma, a priestess…or Aang, the Avatar…it was dramatically more pronounced…

She's only young and innocent…please, heavens…guide her…

O~O~O~O

Prince Zuko felt the change in the room's atmosphere, and his hazel eyes immediately snapped open. The candles in his room had been yellow a moment ago but, now as he watched them, the flames turned…pink?

The prince was speechless, as he turned around and saw that a pink light had appeared in the middle of his room and…was that a figure, appearing in the light?

It was…

A female, to be exact, appearing in the beam of pink light. He could tell it was a girl, became of the curves where girls had curves, although he had definitely seen girls who were more curvy than this one…but how was it that she was appearing in his room, and in pink light of all things?

She leaned forward in the light now, her face becoming clearer. Maybe it was the fact that she was bathed in candlelight, the light of the prince's inner element, but…

She's not bad looking… Prince Zuko thought, surprising himself slightly.

Then, the girl's eyes snapped open. They were the exact same shade of hazel as his were, which surprised both of them…but, he still wasn't expecting her to do what she did next.

She gasped when she saw him, her eyes swimming full of tears (annoyingly – Zuko hated it when girls cried) and she leapt out of the pink light, straight at him.

The pink light disappeared from behind her, and the flames of the candles blew out, as she landed on top of Zuko.

"Ow!" He yelled, despite himself.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed. Her voice would have been pretty except it was distorted slightly by a high-pitch, probably due to nerves.

"Don't be, just get off me!" The prince commanded.

"I'm trying!" Her voice was even more high-pitched, if that was possible. "I can't…I think my ribbon's tangled in your robes!"

"Well, untangle it!" He couldn't believe this was happening – could this day get any weirder?

"Okay, okay, I just…wait, what's this?"

Zuko was glad it was dark, otherwise this strange girl would've seen a blush creep over his tanned face. "That," He said darkly. "Would be something that you are not permitted to touch."

"Oh. My. God." Her body was on top of his, and so he felt it go snow cold. "Oh Lord…I'm not…hey!" Her voice suddenly became angry, and her body switched from cold to hot faster than lightning. "Get your hand off me!"

Yes, this day could get weirder. "Well move then!"

"Would somebody turn the bloody lights on? !"

The door to Zuko's room opened suddenly, and lamplight from the hallway flooded in as Zuko's Uncle Iroh entered. "Prince Zuko, I…" He trailed off, stunned into silence at the sight of his nephew struggling on the floor with a strange girl struggling on top of him, her waist tie tangled in his robes. She was wearing a skirt shorter than Iroh had seen on anyone, and had thick black circles around her eyes. The look on her face was one of absolute shock and disbelief – she did not look as if she belonged.

The look on Zuko's face, Iroh noted, was clear as day. GET THIS GIRL OFF ME…NOW!

"By the way, Prince Zuko," Iroh said calmly, as he watched the two teenagers struggle some more to detach themselves from each other, before deciding to intervene. "Commander Zhao has invited us for lunch – his ship has pulled up alongside ours."

Zuko looked shocked then angry, the girl looked terrified.

Yes, this day just kept on getting weirder and weirder…