Chapter 2
(Elsewhere) (one year earlier)
"WHAT!" roared a certain formerly-banished Prince of the Fire Nation, also known as Zuko. Fire leaped from his clenched fists in his outrage. (He is even more muscular and his hair is like it is in the final season of show, the shaggy skater-type hair I mean)
"It is the truth, Nephew, he is still alive. My sources tell me that he and his companions have altered their appearances and have resorted to living in a large cave in a forest near the Earth Kingdom for the past two years," Iroh stated calmly.
"Damnit! How is that possible? I watched him take a direct hit in the back from my sister!" Zuko growled, glaring at his Uncle.
"My guess is that your old friend 'the water peasant' healed him using the spirit water from the Oasis in the North Pole, the very same water she was willing to use to heal your scar when you two were trapped in the catacombs," Iroh stated accusingly, still upset at how Zuko just turned around and betrayed the only girl who even for just a moment overlooked Zuko's past and treated him like a person; not a Prince or a traitor…the only person who had been willing to help him.
Hearing his uncle mention that time in the catacombs with the Waterbender, Zuko visibly flinched. He would NEVER forget the look of those big, teary blue eyes of hers glaring at him with a look of utter betrayal and pain. Everytime he thought of those eyes he felt a pain in his chest like he was being stabbed in the heart. Pushing away all feelings of remorse in annoyance, Zuko took a deep, cleansing breath and closed his eyes like he was meditating. Seconds later his amber eyes snapped open, glinting dangerously as his lips pulled into an evil smirk that almost made Iroh cringe.
"Do you know what this means, Uncle?" Zuko practically purred. Iroh gulped and shook his head warily.
"We're going hunting," Zuko stated, confirming Iroh's worst fears.
"You are forgetting one very important thing, Nephew; I'm locked up," Iroh drawled, trying to discourage his nephew from trying to repeat history.
"Not for long…" Zuko stated, reaching into his robe and pulling out a set of keys, causing Iroh's worn amber eyes to widen.
"Where did you get those?" Iroh whispered harshly in alarm.
"I stole them, of course," Zuko scoffed, as though that was the obvious answer, with that said Zuko quickly went to work on releasing his uncle.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Zuko? I mean you JUST started getting in your father's good graces…" Iroh practically begged.
"I've never been so sure about anything in my entire life. The honor I have re-acquired means nothing if the Avatar is still alive," Zuko hissed. The prison door swung open, and the prince stood back. "Are you with me, Uncle?" Zuko asked.
Iroh sighed, before a small smile pulled at his lips "Always, my dear nephew."
"Then let's get going," Zuko stated with a mischievous smirk, looking his uncle dead in the eyes as he held the now unlocked jail cell door open for his Uncle, handing him a thick, hooded black cloak, and with that Zuko and the disguised Iroh escaped the dungeon.
"Before we leave, we need to make a quick pit-stop" Zuko stated, stealthily sneaking through the shadows and heading toward his chambers.
"What are you doing Zuko?" Iroh asked, genuinely curious.
"I am writing a note stating that I have taken my ship to go visit an old friend in the Earth Kingdom and I won't be returning for a while," the prince stated with a smirk.
""Very clever, Nephew, I'm impressed!" Iroh stated with a chuckle as he smirked back.
With that said, Zuko placed the note on his bed for a servant to find, before he and Iroh snuck out his bedroom window, stealthily avoiding guards and evil younger siblings (both lol) and made their way to the docks where Zuko gathered only his most trusted guards and soldiers to form a crew. And finally, only an hour later, Zuko and Iroh set sail.