Chasing the Avatar turned out to be a very boring occupation, and since I was stuck on this boat for the foreseeable future, I had no choice but to follow along, though I was still yet to catch a glimpse of him. I'd seen the flying bison from a distance, no more than a small speck in the sky and each time I'd get excited, but we were yet to get close enough for me to actually see them. We'd followed them wherever they went, including to a prison rig where Zuko ended up picking up a water tribe necklace. I'd been interested to take a look and surprisingly, he turned it over into my possession and told me to take care of it and that I could wear it if I wanted.
Although it was pretty, it looked like something really important so I simply wrapped it up in a small pouch I had embroidered and kept it safe for the time being. It must belong to that water tribe girl, the water bender, and according to Iroh, those necklaces held significant importance to the wearer, either as a betrothal necklace or as an heirloom from either a mother or grandmother. At least it was safe, so maybe one day I could give it back to her as a peace offering before asking her what she knew about water bending. I could do with a few more pointers.
Whilst we pursued the Avatar and his companions, my embroidering went down a treat with the crewmembers. Everyone was touched that I'd remembered every single person and left no one out, having embroidered handkerchiefs, pouches, scarves and all kinds of things for them as a personal thank you for all they had done for me. If anything it made me all the more popular, and now whenever someone had a wardrobe malfunction, I was the one they brought it to. "You really are good at that, I tried to sew once but I ended up sewing my sleeve to my leg somehow." Zhu said to me with a laugh as he rubbed his head bashfully, his uniform having got a tear in it.
"It can be tricky at first, but once you know the different sewing techniques and have some practice, it gets easier. You should have seen some of my earlier works, my animals looked like monsters and somehow, I made flowers look like vegetables." Laughing freely, I sewed up the torn uniform until it was almost completely invisible to the eye, revealing no evidence of a tear. "There, all done. Try to be more careful next time Zhu, there's only so many holes I can patch up until you end up with an entire new uniform." I teased him, returning the uniform after I'd cut the thread.
"Thank you Kayo, I owe you one." Waving him off I returned to sewing the new robe I had made for Iroh, having taken particular care with the garb. I'd sewn two golden dragons onto the back and one on each sleeve with adornments of flowers from all his favourite teas. It was one of my best works to date, and when I'd finished it I rather proudly presented it to Iroh who immediately beamed and began to inspect every single fine detail he could possibly find.
"Such magnificent craftsmanship, your needlework is delicate and detailed, I can almost smell the flowers." He praised as he held the sleeve up to look over each and every petal. "Prince Zuko, look at this wonderful new robe our little Kayo has made for me. Is she not a talented young lady?"
"It's a fancy robe with a dragon. So what?" Somehow, I'd gotten the feeling that Zuko wouldn't be able to appreciate fine needlework like his uncle, but what's a girl to do?
"Well, if that's the way you feel then maybe you don't want yours?" I suggested as I placed his own new robe onto the table in front of me. "Such a shame, I spent so long on it too, cutting the fabric, sewing everything by hand, I worked so hard and Prince Zuko doesn't even appreciate my sincerity. Oh well, guess I'll give this to someone else then." Reaching out I began to pull the robe away but Zuko quickly snatched it back before I could take it from him.
"If you're going to complain then I'll just take it!" He snapped at me before looking at the belt I'd embroidered. Seeing as Zuko wasn't exactly a flowery person, I'd kept his robe fairly plain with only a few gold embellishments at the cuffs and collar. The robe itself was the real masterpiece, cut and tailored to perfection to produce a clean and sharp outfit which was fit for any prince, if I do say so myself. The belt was the finishing touch, an embroidered sun at both ends with evenly sewn patterns of gold, orange, yellow and red to imitate the colours of flames. I was rather proud of it all, and as Zuko touched one of the suns thoughtfully, he clenched his jaw and looked away bashfully. "Thank you. It's nice."
"You're very welcome, Prince Zuko." Iroh had already changed into his robe, chuckling as it fit perfectly across his shoulders and around his belly, lifting his arms to check that it was comfortable everywhere and admire the cuffs further.
"I think our little Kayo has more talent than the royal seamstresses and tailors. Never has a robe fit me so well, and you did not even have to measure me for it!" He chuckled, stroking his beard as he sat back down to pour some more tea. "Perhaps, when we return home, you should join us and work as a seamstress. I would be sure to pay you handsomely for more clothes just like this one."
"A tempting offer, but I have plenty of work to be doing in the troupe when I find them. They've probably worn through all of their costumes already so I'll have a mountain of work waiting for me, but don't worry General Iroh. If you ever want for another robe or shirt or anything, I'll be happy to make it for you. Same goes to you, Prince Zuko." He just sent me a sharp look which told me not be ridiculous.
All in all, we had a very pleasant tea time together even with Zuko's sour face, though his mood did improve as we gradually got closer to tracking down the Avatar's location, though we had to leave the ship in order to move further inland as that's the direction the Avatar was moving. I was so glad to get off the ship and feel solid land again that I almost kissed the dirt. For a while I couldn't walk straight, my legs not used to a solid surface that didn't move. "Steady. You're not used to walking on land after so long at sea." Zuko said to me as the komodo-rhinos were unloaded, his hand reaching for my arm in order to pull me up.
"This feels totally weird, it's like the ground is moving but it's not." It took me a few minutes to adjust, but once I had, I was running around the place like a madwoman, investigating everything as I leaped, jumped and danced around, Iroh not too far behind me. "Land! Sweet land!" Laughing as I dove off through some bushes, I yelled out to General Iroh that I'd found some hot springs. The temperature was perfect and I couldn't help but kick off my shoes, take off my outer shirt then jump straight in.
"Ah! Hot springs! One of life's true luxuries." Iroh said as he dipped his hand into the water to test it.
"Here, you enjoy it General Iroh. It's all yours." I offered to him, getting out of the hot spring and as I jumped off the lip of the basin I spiralled, water bending the water off me so that I was perfectly dry once again. "I'll tell Prince Zuko where you are, so relax plenty."
"Thank you little Kayo, you are too kind." Rubbing his hands together eagerly, I put on my shoes and outer shirt in order to leave Iroh in private so that he could soak away and tiredness. Back at the ship where everyone was already loading up again.
"No way, we're leaving already? But we only just got here."
"We've already picked up on the Avatar's trail and he's moving fast. Prince Zuko wants to follow as quickly as possible. Have you seen General Iroh?" Jee asked me as he directed his men to gather up everything and get the rhinos back on board. Too bad, I didn't realise they'd find the trail again so fast. I bet the rhinos were looking forward to stretching their legs just as much as I was.
"Oh he's…"
"Where is my uncle? What's taking him so long?" Zuko yelled as he came striding over with purpose, honing in on me directly. "Well?"
"He's in the hot springs over there." I pointed with a sheepish grin, laughing weakly as Zuko's brow twitched in anger. "Do you want me to show you?"
"Forget it, I'll find him myself." Obviously in a hurry to get moving, I shrugged carelessly as Zuko strode off into the bushes in order to find his uncle as Jee sighed heavily.
"You'd better get on board Kayo, otherwise he'll just find another reason to berate you when he comes back."
"Good idea." I agreed, giving his arm a squeeze before I went over to where the men were bringing the supplies back onto the ship and helped bring in one of the crates of fruit. They'd been fast about gathering fresh food, I was impressed. I must have only been gone half an hour at most. Zuko came back on his own without his uncle, informing Lieutenant Jee that Iroh had been given half an hour to get back here and to let him know when his uncle returned. I was minding my own business, perched on the railing of the command centre in order to get a better view of my surroundings and enjoy the fresh air the land gave rather than the salty ocean breeze I usually experienced.
It was nice and peaceful and before I knew it, a long time had passed without me even realising it. Shouldn't Iroh be back by now? Seeing that Jee was looking concerned and was scanning the treeline rather intently, I dropped down from the railings and turned, grabbing hold in order to lessen the fall before I flipped backwards and landed lightly on my feet. "Is something wrong?"
"General Iroh hasn't come back yet." He informed me before instructing one of his men to go and inform Zuko. "Something must have happened."
"I'll go take a look." Without waiting for an answer, I quickly slid down the ramp and headed off into the trees towards the hot springs, thinking that perhaps Iroh had just fallen asleep whilst bathing. In all honesty, it was a likely scenario. Pushing branches and foliage out of my way, I called out with closed eyes just to make sure I didn't accidentally see something I didn't want to. "General Iroh? Sir? Are you there? Did you fall asleep?" I waited for a few moments but heard no response, which I thought was kind of odd.
Opening one eye a crack, I cautiously peered forwards as I stepped further into the clearing, letting go of the branch I'd been holding in order to try and take a peek. Wouldn't I hear Iroh snoring if he was asleep? Hearing nothing, I finally opened my eyes to find the hot springs were completely vacant. No Iroh anywhere, though his clothes had been left hanging exactly where he'd taken them off. Strangely, however, his shoes were gone. "Uncle! Uncle, where are you?" Hearing Zuko calling out behind me, I turned just as he pushed through the branches and entered the scene. "What happened?"
"I don't know. He's not here." I responded with worry, looking around. The hot spring looked like it had been hit by a landslide, the water completely gone where Iroh had been bathing before I'd left. Perhaps I should have stayed nearby.
"Sir, maybe he thought you left without him?" One of the soldiers suggested as Zuko started to survey the scene, investigating everything thoroughly as I started to pull Iroh's clothes off the branches and folded them up carefully, using his belt to tie them all together like a package.
"Something's not right here. That pile of rocks..."
"It looks like there's been a landslide, sir." Really? Because to me it looks like the ground had somehow cracked and collapsed upwards somehow. What kind of landslide affected just one hot spring and not the others?
"Land doesn't slide uphill. Those rocks didn't move naturally. My uncle's been captured by earth benders!" Just perfect. Exactly what we need. I hope the general is okay, those earth benders wouldn't hurt him, right? "Get the rhinos, we're going to follow these tracks and rescue my uncle. You, go back to the ship."
"I want to come with you." I protested immediately, having made a shoulder strap with the belt so that I could sling Iroh's clothes over my shoulder. "I can help. Earth benders won't expect a water bender among all you fire benders, and General Iroh has been good to me. If I can help rescue him, then I want to try." Stubbornly putting my foot down, Zuko and I glowered at each other until finally he relented, probably realising that there was no way I was going to back down on this occasion.
"Fine, but if you get captured instead, I'm not coming to rescue you." He warned me so I promised him I wouldn't be a burden and instead, hurried back to the ship in order to get the rhinos. I'd never ridden one myself before, and although they were friendly with me I wasn't entirely sure how to make them go forward or anything, which proved to be a rather huge blunder in my plan to come along with Zuko and his rescue party. "Just come on already, stop wasting time!" Snapping at me, he held out his hand in order to pull me up behind him.
It was a little awkward at first, sitting behind the prince of my nation on a komodo-rhino, but once we set off I got used to it. For balance I had to hold onto Zuko to keep from falling off, using him as a support by holding onto him tightly as he followed the tracks of the ostrich horses the earth benders must have been riding. "Do you think your uncle is okay?"
"My uncle may be old and ridiculous at times, but his fire bending abilities are nothing to joke about. He'll hold his own until we reach him. Since he's an important figure of the Fire Nation, they'll have no choice but to take him prisoner and deliver him to Ba Sing Se, most likely to stand trial. Don't worry, we'll catch up to them." Zuko assured me so I nodded my head and held on a little tighter as he urged the rhino to go faster. We followed the tracks until Zuko noticed something in the road after the footprints had faded with the firmer ground, getting down in order to take a look.
I remained on top of the komodo-rhino, watching as Zuko stooped down to pick up a sandal that had been left there, sniffing it cautiously. Immediately he recoiled in disgust and I couldn't help but giggle at his amusing reaction. "Yup, that's Uncle Iroh." That's what you get for smelling your uncle's sandal, you moron. Of course it's going to smell bad. "We're on the right path. Let's keep going." This time when Zuko mounted, he sat himself behind me in the saddle and when he took up the reins, his arms rested either side of me. "It's easier to ride in front. Don't worry, I won't let you fall."
"Much appreciated. I don't particularly fancy getting a face full of dirt." If I wasn't mistaken, I believe I heard a curt sound of a single laugh from Zuko before he moved the party onwards, picking up the pace once more as we continued after Iroh and his earth bending captors. We continued to travel further inland, however without warning Zuko suddenly pulled up on the reins and forced his mount to a sharp halt which made me slam against his chest at the unexpected halt.
"The Avatar!"
"What?!" Excited, I twisted around in the saddle to catch a glimpse of a giant fluffy monster creature flying in the sky, with six legs and a wide, flat tail. "No way! Is that the bison? This is the first time I've seen it so close!" I was momentarily distracted by the flying bison, but then I remembered the entire reason we were out here. I looked around at Zuko, worried for what he'd decide to do but after a few moments of hesitation, he pulled the rhino back around to face the tracks we were following.
"Let's keep moving. The Avatar can wait." I'll admit, I was relieved. For a second there I thought he was going to abandon his uncle altogether, but I guess deep down Zuko must really care. It was rather endearing to see and I couldn't help but smile up at him before turning around. "Why are you smiling like that?"
"No reason, I'm just happy." I answered ambiguously as we all moved off, continuing on our way to find Iroh before we lost him to the Earth Kingdom forever. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Zuko didn't push for an answer, falling into silence for a while. It was getting late, the sun almost setting and I couldn't help but feel concerned for Iroh. I just hope we make it to him soon.
"You know, there's probably going to be some fighting once we find them. The earth benders won't just hand my uncle over to us. It's going to be violent." Zuko warned me quietly, making me lift my head in order to listen. "Are you going to be alright with that?"
"Well, I'll stand back so I won't get in anyone's way since I don't have any real combat experience, but I'll make sure to watch your back. Besides, since your uncle's clothes are here, then it's most likely that he's not actually wearing anything. I don't exactly want to see that so I'll stay out of sight until you take care of things." I answered reasonably, patting the bundle of clothes I'd brought along with us. "Just make sure to bring him back. I don't know what I'd do without my Pai Sho partner."
"Ugh, you're so much like my uncle it's exhausting. Sooner or later he might just ask to adopt you and be done with it." I laughed lightly, finding the idea of being adopted by the Dragon of the West a little funny.
"Would that make me a princess?"
"Technically…yes."
"Could you imagine, me a princess? What a joke." The thought of me wearing fancy robes and following the rules of etiquette was just laughable, and even Zuko seemed to find it ridiculous as he hummed with a laugh. Zuko quickly snapped back into his serious expression, recognising that we were very close to the earth benders who had captured his uncle and hushed everyone. He sent the soldiers he'd brought with us to circle the area and make sure that nobody could ambush us before he leaped down off the rhino, telling me to stay put. "Just be careful." I told him sternly, sliding down off the saddle and held onto the rhino's reins as Zuko started to move towards a deep earth pit where we could hear voices.
He turned back and actually gave me a small smile as if to reassure me before charging straight in, leaping into the pit in order to rescue his uncle. I listened to the sounds of moving earth and blasts of fire, seeing the bright plumes upon occasion as Zuko and Iroh fought against the earth benders together whilst I stroked the komodo-rhino's face, keeping it calm until things began to quieten down. Tethering the rhino to a tree I crept closer, listening closely to what was going on. When I heard Zuko yelling for his uncle to put on some clothes, I figured things were now safe.
Unshouldering the bundle of clothes I'd brought along, I launched it into the earth pit, intending for it to land somewhere near Iroh however when I heard a thud and a yell from an outraged prince, I realised I must have accidentally hit him in the head. "Kayo!"
"I'm sorry!" Squeaking in apology, Iroh laughed loudly as he began to dress himself.
"It was kind of you to remember to bring me my clothes little Kayo, what would I do without you?"
"You could try not getting yourself captured in the first place! We've lost an entire day because we had to chase after you." Zuko informed him grumpily, climbing out of the earth pit as he dusted himself down from the dirt that the earth benders had thrown at him. "Get dressed and hurry up. We need to get back to the ship." Walking the rhino over to him, Zuko grabbed the reins from me rather forcefully, clearly back into his usual mood.
"We saw the Avatar not too long ago, and I doubt they'd fly at night so they shouldn't be too far from here. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll catch him this time." I tried to bolster, knowing that a grumpy Zuko was not the best travel companion to choose from.
"You make a good point." He mused, thinking it over as the rest of our rescue team returned. Zuko started to give out orders, instructing his men to scour the area and report back any findings to him immediately whilst he retraced his steps back to where he'd seen the Avatar's bison flying off. Meanwhile, Iroh had emerged from the earth pit fully dressed and unharmed, rubbing his wrists from where they must have been chained up before.
Holding nothing back, I ran straight to Iroh and flung my arms around him, embracing him tightly with relief to see him all in one piece and well. "There's our little Kayo, you came all this way just to help rescue me? This old man is honoured." He chuckled as he returned my embrace and rubbed the top of my head affectionately. "You didn't run into any trouble did you?"
"I am the trouble." I laughed happily, glad to see him again. "But I was worried about you General Iroh sir, next time try not to fall asleep whilst bathing, alright?"
"How did you know?" Grinning at him, I drew Iroh over to the rhinos where one of the soldiers dismounted in order to allow Iroh to ride instead, the solider doubling up whilst Zuko grabbed hold of me as I passed, intending to ride with either Iroh or someone else since I didn't think Zuko would want me sharing a saddle with him again.
"No time to waste, let's get moving." I'd yelped as he'd pulled me up almost effortlessly onto the saddle in front of him, drawing up the reins before giving a yell to move out, urging his rhino forward and before my mind had caught up to everything, we were already away.