𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗

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"Sailing into Fire Nation waters," Iroh protested from behind Zuko atop the command deck, "Of all the foolish things you've done in your sixteen years, Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish."

The prince had his eye pressed to the telescope, tracking the Avatar through the sky. La'kea who was waiting beside him patiently, turned back to Iroh, "We need to capture the Avatar. The villagers told us he was heading to Crescent Island."

"I have no choice, Uncle." Zuko stated.

Iroh continued his indignant speech, "Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you? What if you're caught?"

The prince finally turned from the scope, "I'm chasing the Avatar. My father will understand why I'm returning home." La'kea looked back and forth between the prince and the general, if they let the Avatar go there was no telling when they might pick up his trail again. That was if someone like Zhao didn't pick it up first.

"You give him too much credit," Iroh crossed his arms, "My brother is not the understanding type." When Zuko only returned to peering through the telescope, his uncle tried a new tactic, "What about La'kea!"

The islander paused, "What about me?"

"If Zuko is captured, I cannot protect either of you!" The old general explained pleadingly. "Miss La'kea will be sent back to the prisons, or worse."

The prince hesitated, she noticed it, why was he hesitating? "We can't lose the Avatar," She snapped, gripping the railing so hard her hands turned white. The thick mass of twisted pale flesh on her wrists stood stark against her dark sun kissed skin. She'd rather die than go back into the mines, but she'd also rather die than accept never being able to return home.

"There," Zuko spotted the bison in the air. "Helmsman full steam ahead!"

Everyone rushed to the main deck as the catapult was raised and loaded. Focusing on the Avatar was a difficult task, especially when she was trying not to gag on the smell of the rhino dung projectile.

Iroh had no problems voicing his complaints. "Really, Prince Zuko, couldn't you shoot them down with something more fragrant?"

The prince didn't dignify a response, only lighting the dung ball. "On my mark... Fire !" The crew wasted no time reloading the catapult, spreading tar down the sides of the dung. Oh spirits, La'keas eyes watered from the stench, how was the prince so unaffected by it. Her woozy thoughts were pushed aside as she looked beyond the pursued Avatar to the sea.

Zuko's eyes widened, "A blockade."

"That's not good, is it?" She asked anxiously, rubbing her wrists.

"Technically, you are still in Earth Kingdom waters," Iroh pulled at his beard. "Turn back now and they cannot arrest you."

"If we turn back, we might never pick up the Avatar's trail again." La'kea didn't like disagreeing with Iroh, but she liked the opportunity to return home more.

Zuko clenched his fists, "He's not turning around!"

"Then neither are we!" She insisted, stepping over to the prince's side to stare at him imploringly.

"Please," His uncle tried one more time, "If the Fire Nation captures you, there's nothing I can do for either of you. Do not follow the Avatar."

The prince tried not to look at the dark abysmal eyes staring up at him, as if she could compel him with her thoughts, but they were impossible to escape from. "I'm sorry, Uncle. Run the blockade!"

Once the Avatar was in range of the blockade ships, they fired, much to the crew's horror at the sight of the fireballs arching through the air towards them. The world tilted underneath La'kea as the ship was hit, but before she could make contact with the deck, a pair of warm hands wrapped underneath her shoulders.

"I've got you," Zuko grunted as he hauled her to the catapult, where they both clung to it until the ship stopped rocking.

The ship's mechanic appeared around the back of the ship, pointing to the fire pouring out the engine room, "Prince Zuko! The engines are damaged! We need to stop and make repairs!"

"Do not stop this ship," The prince commanded, turning back around to see the islander running across the deck just as a wave crashed against the side of the ship. She threw her hands in the air, feet planted, and threw the wave back into the ocean. Repeating the gesture as many times as it took until the fireballs stopped colliding with the water.

She trotted back over to Zuko, out of breath, just as the Avatar made it through the blockade. "Thank you, for breaking my fall."

He didn't look away from the blockade closing in on them. "Anytime." As their ship plowed through the water, two much larger navy ship were closing in the gap of the blockade. La'kea raised her hands, ready to push the ships aside.

"We're on a collision course!" Iroh warned.

They had already gone this far in, there would be no turning back. "We can make it," Zuko urged.

La'kea lifted her arms higher, and everyone braced themselves, only for the ships to suddenly cut their engines, halting entirely. This wasn't right, they were letting them sail through unchallenged? "That was... odd," She mused.

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Zuko was heavily suspicious of Zhao. There was no way the conniving man would just let him pass that easily. "What's he up to, Uncle? Why didn't Commander Zhao arrest me?"

"Because he wants to follow you," Iroh interpreted. "He knows you'll lead him to the prize you're both after- The Avatar."

A plan began hatching in the prince's head, he turned to the islander leaning against the railing. "Remember the steam trick? If Zhao wants to follow our trail of smoke, then that's exactly what I'll let him do."

La'kea held onto the railing of the skiff being lowered into the water behind Zuko's ship. The prince had no problem keeping his balance as he looked up at Iroh. "Uncle, keep heading north. Zhao will follow the trail of smoke while we use it for cover."

He turned towards the islander as their small boat made its way towards Crescent Island. "Once we start emerging from the smoke, we do what we discussed."

"Of course," She said, sliding her foot against the deck into a slight crouch. Concentrating her focus into the water around them, evening her breaths as she moved her hands in tandem upwards.

A thin dome of water coalesced above the skiff, just as the nose of the boat was emerging from the smoke, Zuko punched the air. The heat of the fire evaporated the water into vapor, leaving just enough moisture for her to cling on to, keeping a slippery hold on the steam around them.

"How are you doing." Zuko inquired after a while, steering the skiff through the water.

La'kea huffed, body straining to keep the moisture around them intact. "How much further," She panted, "Are you sure we shouldn't have brought some guards, or firebenders?"

"We can take the Avatar ourselves," He insisted, glancing at the islander, "Not much further."

True to his word, it wasn't that much further, but she was still groaning under the effort by the time he docked their skiff around the side of the temple. By the time the water vapor drifted back into the water, her legs were shaking and she stumbled to her knees.

Hesitating for a moment, Zuko started towards the temple, the Avatar was probably already inside.

"Thank you." Grasping his hand as he lifted her to her feet, she smiled up at him gratefully before starting into a run towards the temple. "Come on. There's an Avatar to capture."

The prince shook himself before rushing after her.

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La'kea couldn't believe their luck. As they ran up the stairs of the temple to the inner sanctuary, they literally collided with the Avatar.

Thanks to Zuko's quick reflexes, he bound the airbender before he could even make a sound, not a moment too soon either.

The Water Tribe girl that had seen travelling with the Avatar shouted as she struggled to subdue one of the Fire Sages, "Aang, now's your chance!"

They stepped out from behind the pillar with the thrashing airbender. "The Avatar's coming with me," Zuko stated, dragging his captor towards the stairs as the Fire Sages regained the upper hand. "Close the doors, quickly!"

She should have expected it, both her and Zuko knew how slippery the Avatar was, but he still managed to twist out of the prince's grasp. Spinning on his heel, the airbender kicked out a fan of hard air that sent them both tumbling down the stairs.

As she landed on the floor, something snapped. La'kea stifled her shriek, clutching the throbbing pain that cut through above her ankle. Biting her cheek as the haze lifted from her mind, she looked over her leg, shaking off her boot and rolling up her pant leg. For all the pain, there was no blood and her leg wasn't twisted.

Zuko jolted up from his fall, and saw her prodding her ankle tenderly. He had heard the strangled cry and knelt down hastily next to her. "What happened?"

"I'm fine," She started, but gritted her teeth when she tried to stand. A fracture definitely. She had splinted and healed enough of those to do it in her sleep, but she couldn't do it here. A scuffle sounded above and they both looked up, then back at her ankle.

The prince quickly hooked his arm under her, slipping her arm over his shoulder, preparing to help her back up. "Come on."

"No," She sat back down against the wall, giving his arm a thankful squeeze, "It's okay. I'll wait down here."

Zuko didn't like the idea of leaving her behind, but she was right. He couldn't carry the Avatar and her at the same time. Giving her a nod, he ran back up the stairs.

La'kea could only hear faint murmurs of the prince interrogating the Fire Sage that had helped the Avatar. There were heavy footfalls as more people joined outside the sanctuary doors, maybe more Fire Sages? She briefly debated dragging herself up the stairs just to see what was happening.

After waiting for what felt like hours, even she could see the blinding light that appeared as the sanctuary doors opened. The orange glow of flames suddenly lit the space, only to be cast backwards.

Zuko suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs and rushed down. "Wait," She protested as he scooped her up, arms underneath her legs and back. "What happened?"

"The Avatar got into the chamber," He explained as the ground started shaking. "He's going to destroy this place." Just as they passed through the doors, a pillar of lava erupted through the center of the temple.

By the time they got back to the skiff, La'kea realized how tightly she was holding onto the prince and muttered an apology as he set her down.

Zuko didn't respond, only directing their boat away from the island as fast as possible. As the temple careened sideways behind them, they watched the Avatar fly away on his bison.

Back to the chase they went.