Chapter Seven – Reconnaissance

"I have a job for you," The Prince told Haru as he shut the door. They were in a rather large square room, occupied almost in its entirety by a rectangular table with numerous chairs placed around the edges. On the far wall was a very large map of the world. Zuko took a seat and as he did Haru sat in the chair directly across from him. "Which I believe to be within your ability." Haru sensed a faint amount of arrogance in his statement.

"And that would be," asked Haru. Zuko stood up and turned to face the map.

"We will be landing in a small port town soon to re-supply. Since my crew most likely won't be welcome I want you to gather necessary supplies." Haru could not help but be skeptical.

"What did your crew do before I came on board?" Zuko turned to face Haru.

"That doesn't matter!" Zuko's scar flickered as the torches along the walls flared and subsided within a second. "I also want you to gather any information on the Avatar; where he was seen last, where he might be headed."

"Wouldn't he be headed to the North Pole, since he does have to learn to waterbend," Haru had thought of that and pondered returning to the North Pole for a long time.

"I still don't know he was seen last, so I don't know where to go to intercept him!" The fire on the walls leapt up a several feet. Obviously Zuko was not used to being questioned. "We will be there in a few hours, you are dismissed." Zuko turned to face the map and as Haru left he heard Zuko mumble something inaudible.

When he returned to the helm he saw that Iroh still sat at the Pai-Sho table, but there were other men across from him, locked in a fierce game. The two men that played against Iroh had expressions on their face that made them look as if they were trying to move the tiles with their mind. Iroh, however, smiled as he moved his pieces around.

Haru tried to figure out the strategies that took place but they contestants were clearly far more experienced than he was. He did notice that for a few turns Iroh pulled his pieces back as if in retreat; at the same time the men began to look triumphant, though Iroh, in two turns, had won. Haru had not seen the victory coming, nor had the men as they rubbed their heads in confusion.

"An excellent game, if I may say so," Iroh took the tiles and placed them in a small pouch. "Oh, welcome back, Haru. I take it Zuko was hospitable."

"Oh yes, very," Haru laughed a bit. "I thought you said you would wait until I return so we could finish our game."

"I apologize, but I could not pass up the opportunity to play against these men," Iroh gestured to the two men that now stood by the windows and talked, though Haru could not hear what they said.

The boat pulled in to harbor in mid-afternoon. Haru had already gathered what he deemed necessary for his short excursion, a flask of water and his sword. After being reminded by Zuko what he was to find Haru walked down the gangplank on to the docks. Before he had managed to put 20 feet between him and the ship he heard a voice calling out to him.

When he turned he saw Iroh running down the dock after him. "I am glad I caught up with you." Iroh's breath after the short run was a sign that he wasn't in the fittest of states.

"What are you doing?" Haru asked.

"I came to join you," Iroh replied simply. "I need the chance to stretch my legs, and I have heard you can find the best bargains in the Earth kingdom." Once again Iroh had his trademark grin plastered on his face. "Why don't you search for information, I can buy the supplies." Haru nodded and said a word of thanks before departing from Iroh's company.

It wasn't very far before Haru realized he had no idea where to begin. The market place in to which he had wandered was very busy and offered no place to start. Eventually Haru resorted to asking people at random. Most of the time received little more than an indifferent grunt before the person he had questioned disappeared in to the sea of bodies.

An hour passed by and still he had been unsuccessful in securing any of the citizens' attention for more than a few seconds, much less an intelligent answer. The market place had diffused so that now Haru could walk and not bump in to anybody, though this didn't help his predicament.

It was a half hour before Haru found a bulletin board at the end of one of the many lanes of wooden stands and small carts. Posted on this bulletin board was a wanted picture of the Avatar. Beside Haru there was a middle aged man looking at the poster.

"Ha! They expect us to hand over the Avatar?" the man said, a little louder than just a mumble.

"What do you mean?" Haru inquired. This might be his chance.

"The Fire Nation wants us to give them the Avatar," the spoke as if everyone ought to know what he said. "The Avatar is the only thing protecting us from the Fire Nation, like anyone would give up their main line of defense." The man shook his head.

"I would…" Haru said softly. The man looked back at Haru. "Do you know where the Avatar was seen last?" The man looked up in though.

"Last I heard he were in Omashu, or Kioshi or somewhere around there," the man answered. "After that I don't know. Why do you want to know?"

"Just curious," Haru lied. "Thank you for your time," Haru said with as much sincerity as he could summon and bowed to the man before he turned to walk back the way he came.

As he set foot on the deck of the ship he saw that Iroh had returned and conversed with Zuko, who, to Haru, looked a bit less angry than usual. "Oh hello Haru," Iroh said as Haru stepped up beside the two. "I trust your search went well." Haru nodded.

"You found where the Avatar is?" Zuko asked with something that resembled glee. "Where is he?"

"He was last seen near Omashu or Kyoshi. So he's at least it as far as-" Haru was cut off by Zuko.

"Start the engines, we're leaving tonight! We have no time to lose!" Zuko walked off, Haru and Iroh left to stand alone as the boat slowly pulled away from the dock and ventured back out in to the ocean.