Chapter Two
Title: Avatar: the Tale of Kazu
Fan Fiction: (In relation to) Avatar: the Last Air Bender
Rated: PG 13+
Characters: All OCs, mention of canons
Chapter Two Summary: Kazu and the Crown Princess Yuuka find the Fire Lord’s safe house a few miles from the capital city and decide to figure out a plan there.
I took it upon myself to begin with introductions.
“Princess Yuuka –”
“What is it?” she interrupted, her pace never faltering as she led the way to what she promised was a safe house outside the perimeter of the city. I bit my bottom lip nervously.
“I realize I haven’t introduced myself yet.” I waited for her reply, but she kept silent. “I’m Kazu, a fire bender –”
“An amateur fire bender,” muttered Princess Yuuka. I kept all remarks to myself and continued.
“I’m an alright fire bender. I just haven’t used it as a weapon before. My Grandmother always told me it was only meant to be used to further our senses and help us, not to be used against one another.”
“What is she? A gypsy?” laughed Princess Yuuka. In the hour I had spent with her so far, I noticed she was quite a hard person to be in the company of. She was slightly rude, quite arrogant, convinced that her abilities were better than all, and tended to completely disregard other’s feelings. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. You’re Grandmother is probably captured, like the rest of them.”
I looked down to my feet. “No. She died almost a year ago. I’m just happy she didn’t see her city in ruins. She would have gone berserk.”
Silence followed, but it didn’t really bother me. It was much more comfortable than talking to Princess Yuuka. I still couldn’t get my head wrapped around the fact that Princess Yuuka was in front of me. I had seen her at special occasions, but only from a far distance. She’s royalty. And someone like me shouldn’t be interacting with royalty, that's how it was. I mean sure, the fire nation changed from what it used to be a hundred years ago, but some things just remained the same. And that was one of them.
“Ah, we’re here! At last! I thought my legs were going to limp from under me,” cheered Princess Yuuka, walking up to what looked like a little wooden cabin. Cobwebs filled every corner of the outside porch, and ivy weaved along the sides. The one window at the front was dusty and cracked, but the insides were even worst.
“Oh gosh, this smells worst than a pig pen. Did something die in here?” I said with my hand covering my nose. Princess Yuuka walked in and looked around, searching through drawers of an old, creaky table, and on bookshelves full of dusty old books. At last, she found what she wanted in a smashed pot.
“Matches,” she announced, her childish side seeping through her façade. Regardless of how she might try to act older, Princess Yuuka was still just twelve. She lit a kerosene lamp and hung it from a hook dangling from the ceiling.
“So, what now?” I asked, and Princess Yuuka leaned into the writing table again. I walked over and saw a dirty old map of the four nations. “We can’t go to the earth nation.”
“We have to. We have to confront the Avatar.”
“Wait,” I interjected, confused. “You know who the Avatar is? I thought . . .”
“Oh, so you heard that. Well, royalty lie. A lot, actually,” explained the princess. “You’d have to be an idiot to have not heard what the Avatar is.”
“Do you think it’s true?” I whispered. Princess Yuuka looked at me. “As in, do you seriously think the Avatar would attack the fire nation?”
“Well, I don’t think he has anything to be afraid of if he’s the Avatar –”
“No, I don’t mean out of fear. Its just, the Avatar is meant to be peaceful, caring and –”
“And don’t be a fool, Kazu,” Princess Yuuka snarled. “I’m assuming you’ve heard tales about the almighty Avatar Aang who saved the fire nation and restored peace to the world?”
I blushed. “My grandmother had a lot of stories to tell.”
“Well, I’ve got one to tell too,” she bit, coming closer to me. “That avatar is dead. We have a new one to deal with – and from the sound of it, he isn’t anything like the old one. All Avatars are different. Some are merciful, some are kind, and others are . . .”
I straightened myself and realized what the princess was trying to say.
“Some are cold-hearted,” I finished. Princess Yuuka sighed, and she turned back to the map. Her fingers traced from where we were to where we our destination was.
“There,” she revealed, and I leaned in to get a better read. Then I frowned.
“To the air nation? But, what would we find there?”
“Help. That's what. We need to go there before heading off to the earth nation.”
“Uh, Princess,” I began, doubtful of what she was planning. “There hasn’t been an Air Bender in years. They’re all . . . how to say, extinct. And the very few – and I’m talking, maybe one or two – who have learnt air bending from the last air nomad are in hiding. And old.”
Princess Yuuka rolled her eyes, and folded the map. She then searched the cabin for a bag, which she found. A dirty, stained messenger bag, yet I supposed it served its purpose well. She stuffed the map in the front pocket of the bag and sighed.
“Kazu, think outside of the box once in a while, won’t you? I can’t always be the only one here with a brain, now can I?”
I pouted. “So then just tell me what you’re up to? I’m sorry if I’m not exactly comfortable with travelling with a stranger to a foreign nation after my home city was smacked into ruins.”
Princess Yuuka glared at me, then shook her head and proceeded out the cabin door. I stumbled as I dashed after her.
“Wait, hey! At least answer my question!” I called, the empty woods echoing my shouts. The princess turned around on the ball of her heels, her tattered silk blue dress flowing around her knees. She clutched her should bag strap firm and delivered her next words harshly.
“My father is dead. He was murdered by the earth nation. And you expect me not to go to the person who decreed his assassination? I am the last of the royal bloodline. Do you know what that’s like? Do you? Its hard for you – your home was burnt down, and that’s all you lost. Well, newsflash: that was my home too. And I lost more than just that.”
The princess carried on, and soon my eyes lost track of where she went. I slumped against the porch rail and exhaled loudly, exhausted from today’s events. The princess didn’t get it – if she entered the Earth Kingdom, she’d be imprisoned just like the rest. She was right about one thing; she was the last in the fire nation’s royal bloodline. Fire Lord Dozuk never had any siblings, and his wife died giving birth to Princess Yuuka. She was the last, and yet she wanted to confront her father’s killer?
“Great. Now what?”
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Chapter Two of my Avatar fanfic! Something happened that was hilarious, really. I was talking to my older brother yesterday in the morning about how much I'm disappointed that whereas they said they'd release Avatar: the Legend of Korra last year during November, they still havent yet. Then, after he leaves and the conversatino ends, I check animehere.com and see the first episode released! I was ecstatic!
It sure looks promising, and I like Korra as a protagonist (She's no Aang though). Call me lame, but I want a male lead to come along now, preferbly someone who's sweet eye-candy like Zuko *wink*~! Go Korra!
