꧁ chapter twenty-seven ꧂
ember island

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"DOESN'T IT SEEM kind of weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Katara asked aloud, her eyes wandering wearily over the aforementioned house while Toph rested beside her.

Meiluna, on the other hand, had decided to lay comfortably on her back across the edge of a dry fountain, allowing the sunlight to warm her otherwise normally freezing body. This spot had allowed her to watch Aang and Zuko practice their firebending with each other. She liked to observe the way the flames flickered and danced in the air, striking with precision and elegance.

Meiluna also thought watching Zuko fight shirtless was pretty nice.

She noticed the two boys finish up their fighting, causing her to instantly turn away to look up at the clouds in the sky. She couldn't exactly tell why her face had suddenly felt a bit warmer.

It was probably the sun.

Prince Zuko approached the fountain where Meiluna lay, she lifted her legs up momentarily to give him space before placing them back down on his lap as he took a seat.

"I told you, my father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy," Zuko explained, "And that was a long time ago. It's the last place anyone would think to look for us"

He proceeded to look around for something to wipe away the sweat that had gathered near his neck and around his face when he spotted a beige cloth close to where Meiluna's head was.

The Princess noticed his eyes drift over to the material, deciding to grab it for him. Zuko smiled thankfully, just as he was about to hold out his hand, he felt something soft press against his forehead. Meiluna carefully wiped the top of his head while Zuko's eyes widened as he stared directly at her relaxed expression, his lips slightly parted in surprise. He felt her cold fingertips lightly holding onto his bare shoulder while her other hand with the cloth moved along the side of his face gently, trailing along his jaw before dipping behind his neck.

Feeling the familiar sensation of embarrassment overwhelm him once again, Zuko decided to shut his eyes tightly, allowing Meiluna to continue while he tried to focus on anything but the pretty girl who had her legs draped over his own and her hands all over him.

"You guys are not gonna believe this! There's a play about us!"

Zuko eyes immediately fluttered open as he and Meiluna turned to see Sokka and Suki running up to the group.

"We were just in town and we found this poster!" Suki exclaimed as Sokka held up a poster depicting all of their faces.

"Seriously?" Meiluna asked in surprise.

"Listen to this," Sokka held the poster up to read its contents,

"The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Pu-On Tim who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar, from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources include singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage"

"Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players" Suki announced excitedly.

"Ugh," Zuko groaned, "My mother used to take us to see them. They butchered Love Amongst the Dragons every year!"

Meiluna looked to Suki with excitement,
"We have to go!"

"Do you really think it's a good idea for us to attend a play about ourselves?" Katara asked tentatively.

Sokka rolled his eyes,

"Come on, a day at the theatre? This is the kind of time wasting nonsense I've been missing!"

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Meiluna shuffled through the aisles in the dark theatre, trying to find her seat. She noticed Katara and Toph had already sat down next to each other.

She had also noticed Aang trying to rush over to the seat beside Katara.

Seeing Zuko about to sit next to her, Meiluna quickly grabbed his arm to pull him back, giving Aang a wink as he passed through.

Zuko stumbled slightly, not expecting to be pulled and turned to look at Meiluna with a confused look before taking the seat beside her.

He leaned over to whisper,
"What was that for?"

"You were getting in the way of love"

He leaned back in his seat, even more confused than he was to begin with.

He shifted once again to whisper to Meiluna,
"What do you-"

"Shh!" Meiluna placed a hand over his mouth as she pointed to the rising curtains, signalling the beginning of the play.

"Sokka, my only brother!" Actress Katara sighed dramatically, "We constantly roam these icy South Pole seas, and yet never do we find anything fulfilling"

"All I want is a full feeling in my stomach!" Actor Sokka turned to the audience, "I'm starving!"

The audience all laughed while Sokka and Katara look at each other in confusion.

"Is food the only thing on your mind?" Actress Katara asked.

"Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind and into my mouth! I'm starving!" He replied back with a grin.

The audience laughed once again as Sokka leaned forward from his seat in the row behind Meiluna,

"This is pathetic, my jokes are way funnier than this!"

"I think he's got you pegged!" Toph replied before she and Meiluna laughed at the boy.

"Everyday, the world awaits a beacon to guide us, yet none appear!" Actress Katara clasped her hands together dramatically, "Still, we cannot give up hope! For hope," The actress began to sob loudly, "Is all we have! And we must never relinquish it, even to our dying breath!"

Meiluna held back a laugh looking at Katara's annoyed expression.

"Well, that's just silly. I don't sound like that" Katara huffed.

"Oh man," Toph laughed as she shook her head, "This writer's a genius!"

Actress Katara remained slumped over the side of the canoe when she noticed an iridescent light appear from above,

"It appears to be someone frozen in ice, perhaps for a hundred years"

"But who?" Actor Sokka asked as the shadowy figure in the scenery began to sway, "Who is the boy in the iceberg?"

"Waterbend! Hi-yah!" Actress Katara performed a karate chop, causing the iceberg prop to split in half.

An actress leapt out, posing for the audience, winking, with one hand on her hip.

Meiluna covered her mouth unable to contain her laughter at the sight of the overly feminine actress used to portray Aang.

"Who are you, frozen boy?" Actress Katara asked.

"I'm the Avatar, silly, here to spread joy and fun!" Actress Aang spoke in a high pitched voice.

Aang leaned forward watching in disbelief,
"Wait, is that a woman playing me?"

"An airbender!" Actress Katara gasped, "My heart is so full of hope," She emotionally dropped down to her knees, "That it's making me tearbend!" She began to cry as she grabbed on to Actress Aang's leg.

"My stomach is so empty, that it's making me tearbend!" Actor Sokka cried out before he also dropped to his knees to grab Actress Aang's other leg, "I need meat!"

"But wait! Is that a platter of meaty dumplings?" Actress Aang pointed upward as Actor Sokka jumped up to his feet excitedly,

"Ooh! Where? Where?"

Actress Aang laughed jovially before directly facing the audience,

"Did I mention that I'm an incurable prankster?"

"I don't do that!" Aang stood up angrily pointing to the stage, "That's not what I'm like! And I'm not a woman!"

"Oh, they nailed you Twinkle Toes!" Toph's head fell back in laughter.

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"Prince Zuko, you must try this cake!" Actor Iroh held up a platter.

"I don't have time to stuff my face!" Actor Zuko spoke angrily as he lowered the telescope he peered through, "I must capture the Avatar to regain my honour!"

"Well, while you do that, maybe I'll capture another slice" Actor Iroh smiled happily as he proceeded to noisily eat the rest of the cake.

"You sicken me!" Actor Zuko glared.

Zuko crossed his arms in annoyance,
"They make me look totally stiff and humourless"

"Actually, I think that actor's spot on" Katara smiled smugly.

Zuko looked over in shock,
"How could you say that?"

"Let's forget about the Avatar and get massages" Actor Iroh suggested excitedly.

"How could you say that?" Actor Zuko shouted.

Zuko slumped back into his seat, dismayed at the accurate claim.

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"Don't cry baby!" Actor Jet consoled a crying Actress Katara, "Jet will wipe out that nasty town for you!"

"Oh Jet, you're so bad" Actress Katara giggled.

Meiluna laughed as she pointed to Katara,
"I knew he was your boyfriend!"

Katara sank lower into her seat as Toph continued to poke fun at her.

The scene switched to the North Pole, fake snow covered the entire stage.

Meiluna sat up excitedly grabbing Zuko's shoulder,

"This is my part!"

Zuko rolled his eyes at the girl, grabbing her hand to pull it down. He watched how excited she got at the simple thought of seeing herself portrayed on stage.

And the first person she turned to share that with was Zuko. Not Aang, or Katara, or Sokka, or Toph, or Suki.

"Farewell, my beloved sister" Actress Yue spoke dramatically.

She hugged Actress Meiluna, bringing her head into her chest.

Actress Meiluna pulled away to look up,

"Yue,"

A dramatic pause followed,

"You're ruining my hair"

Actress Meiluna pushed her sister away as she retrieved a small mirror to fix up her appearance.

Meiluna stared at the scene in shock,
"I'm not like that!"

She turned to face Zuko,
"Am I?"

He simply shook his head with a smile, reassuring her, while his hand still rested on top of hers. To be honest, he wasn't even paying attention to the play, his own thoughts replayed in his mind as he admired her with a dazed look. With just his hand on hers, and her eyes on his, his mind was sent into a frenzy.

How was he supposed to concentrate on anything else when she'd look at him like that?

"Don't go Yue! You're the only woman who has taken my mind off of food!" Actor Sokka leaned in to kiss her before making a disgusted expression,

"Did you have pickled fish for dinner?"

"Goodbye Meiluna! Goodbye Sokka! I have important moon duties to take care of!" Yue announced as she ascended,

"And yes, I did have pickled fish!"

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"So far, this intermission is the best part of the play" Zuko complained as he sat on the edge of a step.

"Apparently the playwright thinks I'm an idiot who tells bad jokes about meat all the time!" Sokka rolled his eyes as he took a seat beside Suki, holding a bag of Fire Flakes.

"Yeah, you tell bad jokes about plenty of other topics" Suki teased.

"I know!"

"At least the Sokka actor kind of looks like you, that woman playing the Avatar doesn't look like me at all!" Aang huffed angrily.

"I don't know, you are more in touch with your feminine side than most guys" Toph said thoughtfully.

Aang stood up, letting out a frustrated groan.

"Relax, Aang, they're not accurate portrayals," Katara spoke calmly, "It's not like I'm a preachy crybaby who can't resist giving over emotional speeches about hope all the time"

Meiluna raised an eyebrow at the girl while everyone else fell silent.

"What?"

"Yeah, that's not you at all" Aang said sarcastically, returning to his seat.

"Listen friends, it's obvious that the playwright did his research. I know it must hurt, but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth" Toph shrugged.

"I'm not snobby or stuck up, so I don't know where they got that idea from" Meiluna crossed her arms.

"Then why aren't you sitting with us?" Suki asked, gesturing to Meiluna who remained standing in front of her friends.

"Well, I'm not just going to sit on the dirty floor Suki"

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"Well, here we are, in the Earth Kingdom!" Actress Katara announced.

"I'd better have a look around to see if I can find an earthbending teacher" Actress Aang spoke as she opened up her glider.

"This is it, this must be where I come in!" Toph said excitedly from her seat as Actress Aang flew around the theatre before returning back to the stage,

"I flew all over, but I couldn't find a single earthbending master!"

"Here it comes" Toph smiled, anticipating her appearance.

A trapdoor opened up beneath the rock prop.

"You can't find an earthbending master in the sky, you have to look underground" A large muscly man spoke.

"Who are you?" Actress Aang asked curiously.

"My name's Toph," The actor spat on the ground, making Actress Meiluna scoff loudly in disgust, "Because it sounds like tough, and that's just what I am!"

"Wait a minute," Toph spoke as the audience laughed, "I sound like a guy, a really buff guy"

"Well Toph, what you hear up there is the truth. It hurts doesn't it?" Katara smiled smugly.

"Are you kidding me? I wouldn't have cast it any other way!" Toph laughed, "At least it's not a flying bald lady"

"So you're blind?" Actress Aang waved a hand in front of Actor Toph's eyes.

"I can see you doing that," He laughed in return, "I see everything that you see, except I don't see like you do. I release a sonic wave from my mouth"

The actor turned to face Team Avatar and screamed very loudly in their faces.

"There, I got a pretty good look at you"

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"Azula, my sister, what are you doing here?" Actor Zuko questioned.

"You caught me. Wait, what's that?" Actress Azula pointed behind Team Avatar, "I think it's your honour"

"Where?"

Everyone turned around while Actress Azula escaped through a hidden door.

Actress Katara turned back around to face the audience,

"She escaped, but how?"

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"No, Jet what did they do to you?" Actress Aang cried out.

"Must. Serve. Earth king!" Actor Jet forced out, "Must. Destroy!"

A hollow rock prop floated down, crushing Jet underneath it.

"Did Jet just," Zuko turned to Meiluna, "Die?"

"Uh," Meiluna was actually unsure of the answer herself while Sokka leaned forward,

"You know it was really unclear"

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"I have to admit Princess Meiluna, I find you really attractive" Actor Zuko spoke.

Meiluna felt herself shrink back in her seat while Zuko did the same, awkwardly trying to distance himself from the Princess.

"I've had eyes for you since the day I saw you in the North Pole"

Actress Meiluna walked over placing a hand on the side of Actor Zuko's face before facing the audience dramatically,

"A member of the royal family?" She turned back to face Actor Zuko, "You're perfect for me"

Meiluna buried her face in her hands feeling her face flush bright pink.

Actress Katara and Actress Aang burst through the catacombs watching the other two embrace tightly,

"Look at them Aang!" Actress Katara pointed as she placed a hand on her chest dramatically,

"There is still hope," She turned to face the audience, "For love"

Aang sat up in his spot watching intently.

"I only wish there was someone like that for me" Actress Katara wailed before falling to her knees.

Aang stood up angrily as he decided to leave.

"Oh, you're getting up? Can you get me some Fire Flakes," Sokka whispered to Aang,

"Oh, and Fire Gummies!"

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"Well, my brother, what's it going to be?" Actress Azula questioned, "Your nation or a life of treachery?"

"Choose treachery," Actor Iroh suggested, "It's more fun!"

"No way!"

Actor Zuko walked over to push over Actor Iroh,

"I hate you Uncle! You smell and I hate you for all time!"

Meiluna turned to Zuko who looked very ashamed,

"You didn't actually say that did you?"

"I might as well have"

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"Avatar State, yip yip!" Actress Aang jumped up, the stage light shining on her causing the tattoos to light up.

Actress Azula jumped out,

"Not if my lightning can help it!"

Actress Aang grabbed a blue streamer, shaking and screaming in pain, her limp body slowly lowered to the stage as Actresses Ty Lee, Mai and Azula surround her,

"The Avatar is no more!"

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"It seems like every time there's a big battle, you guys barely make it out alive. I mean, you guys lose a lot!" Suki laughed.

"You're one to talk, Suki," Sokka said in annoyance, "Didn't Azula take you captive? That's right, she did!"

"Are you trying to get on my bad side?" Suki narrowed her eyes, looking to her boyfriend.

"I'm just saying" Sokka raised his hands in surrender.

"Does anyone know where Aang is?" Katara interrupted.

"He left to get me Fire Gummies, like, ten minutes ago. And I'm still waiting!" Sokka crossed his arms.

"I'm gonna check outside" Katara told them before walking away.

"Suki, what are the chances you can get me backstage?" Sokka asked, "I got some jokes I want to give to the actor me"

Suki's expression turned serious,

"I'm an elite warrior who's trained for many years in the art of stealth,"

She instantly smiled again,
"I think I could get you backstage"

Meiluna decided to speak up,
"I'll go get some more snacks"

Toph and Zuko nodded as she turned on her heel and walked away from the pair.

"Geez, everyone's getting upset about their characters. Even you seem more down than usual, and that's saying something!" Toph observed.

"You don't get it, it's different for you," Zuko shook his head, "You get a muscly version of yourself, taking down ten bad guys at once, and making sassy remarks"

"Yeah, that's pretty great" Toph agreed.

"But for me, it takes all the mistakes I've made in my life and shoves them back in my face. My uncle, he's always been on my side, even when things were bad. He was there for me, he taught me so much, and how do I repay him? With a knife in his back. It's my greatest regret and I may never get to redeem myself"

Toph sat down beside Zuko,
"You have redeemed yourself to your uncle. You don't realise it, but you already have"

"How do you know?"

"Because I once had a long conversation with the guy and all he would talk about was you"

"Really?"

"Yeah and it was kind of annoying" Toph smiled jokingly.

"Oh, sorry" Zuko