Dragons of the West

Dragons of the West

Chapter 1

This chapter was beta-ed by two people: kitkat1327 and EE's Skysong. Go into my profile under "My Stories Betas Below:" are my whole list of betas. If you wish to go into their profiles.

Dragons of the West

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Summary: Set after episode, the Firebending Masters. It was dinner time after Zuko and Aang arrived back from the Sun Warriors’ community. Aang, Sokka, Katara, Toph, Haru, the Duke & Teo, wait for the arrival of their newest member to come from his room. Everyone is still uneasy around the fire bender. Soon they have to leave the Air Temple. Ever wondered what the Fire Nation value the most? Find out. What other secrets would be discovered?

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Chapter One

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“Yeah, Aang, do you know that dance thing that you and Zuko did the other day? It was like this and that,” Sokka mocked; he swirled his body around, poorly copying the Dancing Dragon moves. Sokka grinned as Aang covered his face with his hand, shaking his head.

“Sokka, for the last time, the Dancing Dragon is not a dance! It’s just a name! It’s been passed down for thousands of years in the Fire Nation, and--”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Whatever.”

Aang shook his head again. It was pointless to try and change his friend's mind about it. Even he was a little skeptical at the beginning, but it did kind of save Zuko’s and his life when the two Firebending Masters (real-life dragons, not just the spirit one that he met with Avatar Roku), looked into their souls to see if they were worthy enough to live. Hopefully, Sokka wouldn’t do that in front of Zuko again. When Sokka mocked him about it, Aang thought he would tear Sokka’s head off! …Come to think about it, where was Zuko?

As if reading his mind, Sokka looked up. “Where is Zuko?”

“He said that he needed to meditate. For what reason, I don’t know,” Katara hissed, stirring a pot over a fire. It hadn’t been a week since Zuko had joined them; she was still angry at him from Ba Sing Se.

“He’s probably in his room…” Aang guessed, not wanting anyone to fight.

“Well if he’s hungry, he’ll come out,” Haru said, sitting next to Katara. Katara smiled tightly at him.

“You’re right,” the waterbender muttered.

There was silence.

“How do we know that we can trust him?” Sokka asked suddenly, looking at Aang.

“Honor,” Aang responded. “He’s bond to his honor. He won’t betray us.”

“How can honor do that?” the Duke asked.

Unknown to everyone (minus Toph), Zuko walked up to the group. Not wanting to barge in on their conversation, he hid in the shadows near them; he wanted to know what the Avatar believed was honor to his people. Just as he did this, Toph suddenly sat up. He knew that the blind girl knew he was there, but he guessed, as she lay back on the ground and folded her arms, that she was not bothered he was hiding from them. Maybe thinking that he wasn’t a threat to them.

“Well…” Aang began. “Of what my friend, Kuzon, said before the war started, honor in the Fire Nation is one of the things that they value the most. To them, without honor there is nothing to live for. Without honor, they don’t have respect from the Fire and the Sun Spirits. Without their Spirits’ approval, they can’t control their fire and their wellbeing. Without honor, their family’s name is forever bathed in misfortune. I really don’t know how to explain it more, because Kuzon couldn’t either… Well he did try, but he confused me.”

Zuko was impressed. The Avatar was good at explaining what honor meant to his people. Who was his friend? That name was familiar … where had he heard it from?

The whole group didn’t know what to say. Honor must’ve been very important to the Fire Nation if having no honor could do all that. “No wonder Zuko chased us all over the world. Didn’t he say that he had to regain his honor?” Katara asked.

“Yes, he did,” Toph said, folding her arms over her chest. “You told me that.”

“He must have his honor back if he’s with us, doesn’t he?”

“No. I think he’s regaining it,” said Aang thoughtfully. “Helping us, he regains his honor. It also helps that he now knows how to firebend without being angry.”

Zuko narrowed his eyes. Was he that obvious?

“I still say that’s a load of crap. Zuko’s using that for excuses. Honor this and honor that. He makes me sick!” Katara hissed.