While his uncle was shopping for tea leaves at one of the martkets in the lower rings of Ba Sing Se, Zuko wandered from vendor to vendor to see of there was anything of interest to him. As he passed a fruit vendor, where a mother was haggling with the man who owned the cart on some mango and bacui berry prices. But it was not their arguement that made the Firebender pause, it was the infant hanging from the woman's back in a simple cloth sling. The babe was giggling loudly, full of mirth, as he played with his toes. The was no sign of worry or sadness about the child, he was so innocent and oblivious to everything and everyone. The banished prince was about to continue his stroll through the market when the boy suddenly lost interest in his feet and extended a chubby hand towards Zuko. The child's mother took no notice, still fighting with the man behind the cart to save herself a few copper pieces.
The Firebender took a step closer to the babe and held his hand up to give the infant something to grab. Happily accepting Zuko's offering, the boy started playing with the teenager's long, slender fingers. Every once in awhile, the baby would look up at the prince and his horribly scarred face without pity or difference, just joy and innocence. Squeals of glee and laughter filled the child's voice and Zuko wondered when the last time was that he truly laughed, when was the last time her was truly happy? Three years can seem so short with hind sight, but for this prince of fire, it was an eternity. And for what? To capture the Avatar? The Avatar who would protect this child, while his people, the Fire Nation would see him dead before he could walk? The Firebender shook those thoughts from his head and the laughter that had been ringing thoughout the market suddenly disappeared. He looked down at the infant in surprise.
The boy was no longer interested in Zuko's fingers, instead, he was reaching up towards the great scar that marred the left side of his face. There was no judgement or rejection, just curiosity in the child's eyes. The once heir to the throne of the Fire Nation knelt before this Earth Kingdom child, and left him touch the physical manifestion that has marked him a failure and a traitor to his own people. The infant's laughter returned at his soft fingers pressed against the ridged, incarnadine flesh. The Firebender felt emotions stir within him at the excitement in the baby's laugh. He wishes someone could touch his scar and not feel pity or disgust, like this boy did. What hurt even worse was, the only reason his scar did not scar the infant was he didn't know any better. One day, he would grow up, his merry laughter would be weighted with the sorrow and anger life handed him, and he understand ugliness. Would he remember the scarred boy in the market and think him ugly?
Zuko had to shut his eyes to force back the tears he felt rising. The child went quiet once more. When the Firebender opened his eyes again, the boy was looking at Zuko as if he found the emotional reactions the teenagers was experiencing odd. The banished prince could hear the infant's mother had finished haggling, but before he and the baby would part, he wanted to hear that carefree laughter again. Quickly reaching up and placing his fingers on the boy's ribs, he tickled up and down as his mother had once did to him. Laughter burst from the boy's mouth, lifted into the air, and resounded throughout the marketplace. Almost as if it had shoved his misery away, the Firebender smiled at the young boy who would someday grow up to hate everything about Zuko. People turned to see a jovial baby clapping his hands together as if he had just seen something amusing. The mother finally noticed her child.
"What are you making so much noise over?" she inquired, glancing over her shoulder at the fifteen pound ball of bliss hanging from her shoulders.
The infant stretched his arms out towards a shady alley across the street from the vendor. His mother turned around and looked down the alleyway. When nothing caught her attention, she continued on through the market never knowing what lurked in the shadows. Zuko, son of the feared Fire Lord, Ozai and the lovely Ursa, watched a peasant and her son leave walk along the streets of Ba Sing Se, and felt remorse that he had lost what this pauper's child indulged in. Happiness, laughter, and innocence. Not since that fateful day after the Agni Kai had the prince experienced any of those things. A single droplet of water swimming at the edge of his left eye spilled over the ruined flesh of the Firebenders cheek, a reminder of what he has lost and what he would never know. The joy of not worrying what tomorrow would bring, the carefree life, unspoiled merriment, the love of a mother...the touch of a beloved one. In lament and dejection, the once Fire Lord-to-be walked down the poverty-ridden alleyway of Ba Sing Se and missed the sounds of the baby's laughter.