Magician Scorn

Storyline: Zuko gets hurt by protecting Aang

A mysterious sorcerer appears that teams up with Azula trying to capture Aang. Azula hopes to lure Zuko with Aangs capture and execute him. The Gaang is unsuspecting of the danger coming their way.

**Chapter 1: Irritation**

A cloaked figure stepped away from the shadow of the pillar. The figure walked forward towards double doors that led into a great hall. As the figure neared the doors another person leaped down from atop the doors. It was a teenage girl that was wearing fire nation armor.

"I see you came like you said." Azula said. "I was wondering if you would ever show up."

"You shouldn't question someone of my capabilities, Azula." the cloaked figure states. Their voice was husky and grinding like rocks grinding together. It sent Azula's teeth on edge.

"Tch. What was your proposition you mentioned in the letter?" Azula snarled. The cloaked figure just stood there and cocked their head to the side as if examining a piece of meat. "Well get on with it!" she yelled.

"Don't raise your voice to me, weakling!" the cloaked figure snapped. "You are not required to know any of my plans. Your importance will be to follow my orders. Do not even think of going against me, for if you do, you shall never see the light of day again, nor the wisp of a flame."

Azula growled. "May I at least know the name of my, _employer_?"

The cloaked figure stared at Azula for a while, as if debating whether she was worthy for such information. Finally he stated, "Ittyas."

"GRRAWR! Aang! I'm going to KILL you!" A snarling Zuko was up and chasing around a small bald monk kid.

Aang was laughing hysterically while running away from Zuko. He had just done his most favorite prank on Zuko and it never ceased to cause uproar among the friends. It was morning and Aang had blasted Zuko with cold water and screamed in his ear "MORNING!"

Katara and Sokka have seen this happen multiple times already and now take it as an alarm clock. It seemed that since Zuko had joined the Gaang, Aang just couldn't leave his fire bending teacher any peace.

After a chase that circled Appa many times Zuko finally caught Aang and pinned him to the ground and started a wrestling match with the smaller boy. Toph was awake by now and was grumbling about being woken up so early in the morning.

"Ahahaha! Ok, ok! I give. I give. You win Zuko!" Aang cries out.

"Next time, save yourself the pain and don't do that again or I will do worse!" Zuko growled out, his customary scowl decorating his features.

"Aang! Come with me to the river to catch fish for breakfast." Katara says. "We need to get moving by noon if we are to reach a safe place where you can practice fire bending."

"Ok Katara. On my way! Sokka watch Momo!" Aang replied.

"Why do I have to look after the stupid lemur?" Sokka grumbled.

Zuko, still soaked, grumbled to himself. Quickly, to prevent getting a cold, he fire bends to dry himself off. Sokka, who was close to the fire bender, shrieked and fell over crawling away.

"Warn me before you fire bend, stupid prince!" Sokka cries at him.

"What. Did. You. Call. Me?" Zuko snarls, sending a death glare at the water tribe boy.

"Eek! N-na-nothing!"

"Tch. That's what I thought." Zuko tossed over his shoulder. He was heading out into the woods. He needed to get away from these people. He understood that he will never get back his honor or forgiveness from his father. But he still couldn't get used to the idea of being around the people he had been chasing around for so long. It didn't help that Azula was still after his head.

_Sigh, I wish Azula would just give up. It's tiring running all the time and having to hi—_Zuko stopped and realized that the people he is now hanging around with must have thought the same thing when he was chasing them.

"Ugh, what an idiot I am!" he exclaimed to himself. "No wonder none of them trust me! I have been chasing them since they met and now suddenly I am right among them acting like nothing happened. They only accepted me because they need someone to teach the avatar how to fire bend. If not for that I bet they would have killed me…"

Zuko, deep in thoughts and head watching his feet, ran straight into a tree. Cursing his luck Zuko looks up into the tree. Hurtling straight toward his head is a huge, round fruit. With a resounding clonk the fruit lands on Zuko's forehead.

"Hey guys! We have fish!" cries Aang, his huge smile lighting his features up. He quickly looks around for a certain scowling face to yell at him for being too loud but didn't see it. "Hmm? Ne, Sokka, where's Zuko?"

"Huh? Like I care. He could be attacked by a platapusbear and I wouldn't bother helping him." Sokka says, packing up the sleeping bags lying around.

"Yeah Aang, Sokka's right. Why should we care about what that snotty prince does? It's not like he's ever done anything to warrant our concern." Toph states, leaning against Appa chewing on some nuts stolen from Sokka's pack. "But, its' not like I care at all whether or not he stays."

"Sokka! Don't be mean to Zuko. He is part of our team now." Aang shoots at Sokka.

"What do you mean by don't be mean! He has been chasing us around _everywhere_ we go! Relentlessly! It's his fault we never had any peace and I, for one, hate him! If we didn't have him chasing us all the time then we could have stuck to one place and you could have learned more bending without all the stress Zuko caused!" Sokka shouted, putting all his frustration into the outburst.

"Aang, Sokka is right. Zuko has caused us lots of pain and trouble. We understand that you like to think everyone in a positive light, but, well, even you were mad a Zuko for following us all the time and putting us in danger. It won't be easy for any of us to get used to Zuko being among us. Please understand Aang." Katara said in her calm voice, trying to put the situation at ease.

Aang clenched his fists at his side. He knew all this already and didn't need Sokka reminding him. He was trying to think of Zuko in a new light. He especially didn't need Katara siding with her brother either. He looked up quickly and saw that Katara was going to continue and he didn't want that.

"Yeah, I know." Aang stated.

Zuko was standing behind a tree next to the camp and had heard everything starting with Sokka's comment. _Ugh! I knew it. I was never considered part of their Gaang. But, I at least thought Aang would stand up for me after all we went through by going to the where the first fire benders started and even dancing with the dragons. I guess I hoped for too much._ Lost in his thoughts, Zuko missed something in the continuing conversation. But he didn't want to hear anymore anyway.

Quickly he ran to where he thought was a safe distance. Coincidentally that led him back to that infernal tree that struck him with its fruit. Not feeling like having fish for breakfast Zuko kicked the tree a couple of times. Five fruits tumbled down and landed at Zuko's feet. One bounced though and struck Zuko on the shin causing him to cry out and kick the fruit back at the tree, which caused another of the fruit to fall down and strike Zuko on the head. Swearing, he blasted the infuriating fruit and stormed back to the camp, not forgetting two of the fruits for eating though.

Zuko came upon the others still fuming from his ordeal with the fruits. When he looked at them Sokka and Katara looked away. Toph was eating an apple that appeared from Sokka's bag. Seems like not much had gone on from when he left.

"Oh, Zuko! I was wondering where you went to!" exclaimed Aang. He came running over to Zuko smiling. Noticing the fruits he was carrying he asked in rapid fire, "What are those? Are they edible? Where'd you get them? Can I have one?"

Zuko just stared at the little monk, scowled, and threw one at his head.

"Waaah!" Aang yelped. "Why'd you throw it at me?" He looked accusingly at Zuko pouting, hoping to get some response from the prince. All he got was a grunt.

Zuko walked over to his pack and sat down producing a small knife and started to try and open the hard fruit. Cracking it open, a pungent smell bursts upon his senses and he reels, falling back almost passing out.

Gasping and laying haphazardly across the ground caused all heads to shift over to star at him.

Growling, Zuko stumbled up and smacked the fruit out of Aang's hands.

"H-Hey! Wha-"

"Don't open it."

Grumbling, again, it has got to be unhealthy to always growl like that, Zuko hopped onto Appa, got comfortable, and seemed to fall asleep.

Sokka glanced at him then gave up. "C'mon guys. Might as well start going to the next destination."

End of chapter one. Hopefully it was good. Please give reviews and lots of criticism so i can improve. :)


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