A/N: Next chapter, yay! I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, but I do own the OC…. Enjoy!
~Moon White Rose
Chapter 3
The golden flames flickered and danced upward into the night sky, but Zuko hardly noticed. He continued to stare, but he didn't really see. He had officially been on his own for over twenty-four hours, and he had mixed feeling. On the one hand, it felt wonderful to finally have peace and quiet and not have to worry about finding the Avatar or pushing his crew to almost the point of mutiny. On the other hand though, being alone was just that-lonely.
He had left his ship just before midnight after getting all the provisions he could stuff into two packs he had found and saddling a komodo rhino. Aside from a stray dock worker, he had seen no one since, and it was a bit unnerving, given he was used to being around people, even if he wasn't used to personal social interaction with anyone other than his uncle. Finally he tore his gaze away and turned his attention to the sky. It was littered with stars, and the moon was almost full. He wondered briefly if his uncle, or even his mother, was looking at the same sight right now.
"I guess it doesn't really matter if they are, and I guess it's just you and me." His rhino grunted and when Zuko glanced towards the rhino's face he noted its eyes were shut. Sleep wasn't a bad idea. He was tired, and now that the adrenaline from his escape had worn off, he realized he was exhausted. Getting comfortable, he rested his head against the rhino's warm side and closed his eyes. It didn't take long before he was sleeping soundly; unaware of what would soon happen that would ultimately change his life forever.
Zuko's eyes opened and the world around him was dark and blurry, save for a faint light, which after a few seconds he assumed was his dying fire. What had awakened him? He noted he wasn't very comfortable and was about to move when he heard something that made him freeze.
"Shh, easy big boy, I didn't mean to wake you." The soft voice was coming from behind him. He had his back turned to his mount's face, so he couldn't see the intruder who seemed to be trying to keep the rhino calm. "Come on, go back to sleep big boy," the voice continued, a small grunt coming from the beast. Zuko wasn't sure of what to do just yet, so he waited, pretending to be asleep. Eventually, the rhino quieted down, and Zuko heard soft footfalls on the dirt. He focused on the movement, and with horror, realized they were heading towards the two packs that held his provisions. He sat up and sure enough, a person had their back to him, and they were going through his stuff. Quickly, they disregarded the pack that held his spare clothes, and thankfully, his money, which he didn't have much of. But then to his anger, they went through the one that held his food and took half a loaf of bread and a few strips of dried meat. With nimble hands, they wrapped the stolen food up in a cloth they produced from their cloak and tied it off at the top.
Not wasting any time, the person turned, but only made two steps, freezing instantly under Zuko's glare. Tense silence filled the clearing for many moments. "The last time I checked, taking something that's not yours is stealing."
"Well, hungry people can do desperate things," the person smoothly replied. Zuko noticed the long dark hair spilling out from the cloak hood and the feminine tone in the person's voice and felt embarrassed at the fact that he almost got robbed by a girl.
"That doesn't matter. Give me back my food." Zuko stood and hoped that this girl was intimidated by the fact that he was taller. "Now." If she was scared, nothing gave it away. She clutched the food to her chest.
"You have plenty of food; if you ration it, it could last you for around two days, and I didn't take your money. This is mine," she said, stepping back. Zuko felt his anger flare, and he struggled to keep it in check. He was, after all, trying to change and killing someone over some food was not a good way to start. Still, it wasn't right to steal, and it wouldn't be right for him to just turn a blind eye.
"Maybe if you had asked, I would have shared. Did you think of that?" he questioned. The girl didn't respond immediately, and it unnerved Zuko that he couldn't see her face, especially since he knew she was looking him over. She turned away without warning.
"No, you wouldn't have. I've asked before from your kind and I've wised up. People like you only look out for themselves and the ones they love. They don't care about riffraff like me." The girl started to walk away, and for a moment, Zuko forgot about the food. His kind? People like him?
"What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded, walking after her. The girl turned quickly and Zuko froze. He didn't need to see her face to know she was glaring; he could feel it.
"A komodo rhino, red clothes- it doesn't take a genius to figure out you're Fire Nation, baldy," she spat. Zuko felt heat creep into his cheeks. He had cut his hair after leaving; hoping it would help him not be so recognizable, and praying it would grow back quickly. "Fire Nation monsters like you don't care what happens to someone like me. You wouldn't have shared if I was a skeleton with skin, and begged for just a bite while kissing your feet and calling you the Fire Lord. You probably would have laughed and ate in my face."
Zuko wanted to let his anger loose and tear this girl to shreds, but he couldn't form the words to do so. For one, the mention of her calling him the Fire Lord was too close for comfort. Also, there was truth in her words. He probably wouldn't have shared, and if he were still Prince Zuko and the scenario she just described happened, than yes he would have laughed and ate in her face. Peasants had been filth to him then, but he was, in a way, filth now. He was a peasant; a homeless refuge, just like thousands of others.
"Give me back my food," he finally said lowly, holding out his hand expectantly. The girl was motionless for a few seconds, then took off running, whistling shrilly. Zuko took off after her, but an ostrich horse burst into the clearing, getting between the two. In one fluid motion, the girl mounted, wheeled her mount around, and took off. Zuko just stared in the direction the thief had gone. He couldn't believe it- he had just been robbed and insulted in less than five minutes. What made it worse was the fact that he didn't even get to see who had done it, so he could properly repay them later if the chance came up.
"Great, just great," he finally muttered, slowly going back to his mount, and bringing his packs closer, so that they were within arm's reach. "I guess it's better to have this happen now with something that can be replaced, but still, this isn't the kind of welcome into the real world I was expecting."
Laughter from her younger siblings mixed with her own as they all ran on the lake shore. Not far away two people sat; one a man and the other a woman, both watching their children with smiles of pride and love on their faces. Her younger brother chased her and she fell on her face when he playfully pushed her on her back, yelling, "You're it!" She jumped up quickly and turned to chase after him, but froze, her eyes going wide.
Dozens of soldiers on fierce looking komodo rhinos were racing towards her parents, one ahead of the others. "Run! Children, run!" their father yelled immediately, pushing his wife behind him. She obeyed; she wasn't even worried about her younger siblings or her parents, she just ran as fast as her eleven year old legs would carry her. Suddenly, screams pierced the air and they froze her to the spot. She turned, and no longer was she at the lake, but she was in her village. Smoke was heavy in the air and bodies littered the ground, with five of the bodies staring at her, two large, three small.
"Well, all that's left is you," a voice sneered from behind her. She turned and her eyes widened in terror as she looked up at a man dress in the uniform of a Fire Nation Captain. Her body trembled violently as she backed away, but for every step she took back, he took one forward, until she tripped and fell onto her back. He slowly knelt, cruelty shining in his dark eyes.
"Please, leave me alone," she begged. He laughed and slowly reached for her.
"Not a chance…."
Screams of fear filled the clearing and pierced the early morning silence. A young woman, barely sixteen, bolted up, trying to fight off the dark thoughts her nightmare had brought her. It didn't work and she slapped a hand over her mouth as she jumped out of her sleeping bag and ran to the first bush that caught her eye. Her mouth was barely open before what little was in her stomach came rushing up her throat and past her lips. She heaved violently, one hand holding back her tangled, dark brown, almost black, hair while the other wrapped around her stomach.
Eventually she was done, but temporarily lacked the strength to move from her kneeling position. She took in deep lungful's of air, but it didn't help. Her nightmare, and more importantly, the guilt that followed her everywhere no matter what good she did made tears well in her eyes, tears that were soon cutting paths across her pale cheeks. Her fragile body shook with each sob.
It's your entire fault you know. You can steal from no good people like that Fire Nation boy you met last night a million times, and give what you steal to the needy a million times more, but it won't change what you've done. It won't make your bloodstained hands any cleaner. It won't make the ghosts go away. You're a murder; selfish to the end. Nothing will ever change that.
More tears spilled at the thoughts in her mind because she knew, no matter what she did, it was all true.
Every. Single. Word.
A/N: Well, there you go the third chapter. So, who is this mysterious OC? Read and review to find out! :) Anyway, thanks to:
quoththeraven5: Thanks for the review! The father/son moments between Iroh and Zuko are my favorite too! I'm glad you liked how the letter ended; I was honestly tearing up when I was typing it! As for what will happen to Iroh… just keep reading, he'll be back, and the Gaang will come in too. As will Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, Ozai…. Basically everyone will appear. I'll shut-up now. Again, thanks!
sokkantylee: Thanks for reviewing and thanks for all the kind words. I'm glad you are enjoying this. Hope you liked this chapter!
Well, until next time!
~Moon White Rose
