Prince Zuko was looking at the map with the Lieutenant only two days after he and Leiko had had their longest conversation in years. As hard as it was to believe, Zuko had a hard time balancing the time he spent thinking about the avatar with the time thinking about Leiko. He knew that she was right, and that they used to be the so close that nothing could tear them apart. But something had changed; maybe it was the amount of time since they had last spoken to each other. Leiko stayed to herself most of the time for the past few days, probably still trying to get a grip on her new reality.
Zuko was taken from his thoughts when his uncle walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Prince Zuko, are you alright? There seems to be more than the Lieutenant's plan on your mind." Zuko just turned to look at him from over his shoulder.
"I'm worried, Uncle." He replied.
"About what? We are on course and the weather seems fine. Nothing is wrong."
"I am worried about Leiko." He owned up.
"Ah," Iroh seemed to understand, "Why don't you have a chat with our new recruit? I am sure she will be happy to talk with you." And Zuko walked out onto the deck. He spotted Leiko sitting Indian style and meditating. He walked over slowly and cleared his throat. She opened her eyes and turned to look up at him.
"Sorry to interrupt." He said.
"Are you talking to me?" she asked with a smile as she stood up. That smile seemed all too familiar to him and it tugged at a string in his distant memories. Something about seeing it again made him smile back. This was Leiko, his long lost friend; the girl who only opened up to him and kept everybody else out.
"I was just wondering," he had to think about what to discuss, "How my sister is doing?"
"Zula?" Leiko turned up her nose at the thought of that girl, "I guess she's fine. You know I don't really like your little sister that much."
"But you two are the same age."
"I think she's evil." She spoke up and then covered her mouth daintily, "Excuse me." She apologized with rosy cheeks. She knew she had stepped beyond the boundaries on that one, which she would normally not care about.
"No offense taken." He replied, "I just thought you girls might have spoken."
"Nope, only at the war meetings and it was never a friendly speaking." She pointed out to her friend. "I know she's related to you but…that doesn't really make up for much. I was friends with you, not her."
"I see. Is she still power-mad?"
"More than ever without you there." Leiko crossed her arms and informed him. "Why? Do you miss her?"
"Not really. Who could?" Zuko made her grin on that note. "What about my father?"
"I wouldn't know. I'm unaware of his commerce." Zuko sighed and Leiko tilted her head. "Do you miss your home?"
"I miss my honor and my throne. I'd give anything to have it back."
"Capturing the avatar."
"Exactly."
"I still can't believe it. What your father did."
"How does it settle on you?"
"Who cares what I think." Leiko said now placing a hand on her hip, "It's not my place." There was another draw of silence between them.
"Leiko?"
"Hmm?"
"What's it like? To finally be a warrior."
"What do you mean?"
"You've worked so hard all your life to become what you are now. How does it feel to reach your goal?" Leiko didn't answer, at first she just turned away and looked out at the sea.
"I didn't want to become this if that's what you think." She told him, "I was constrained; forced every step of the way. I wanted a father who would accept me for me. But to keep what should have been given to me unconditionally I had to sweat and bleed everyday. Everybody in the Fire Nation is a soldier, and here I am a girl who fights without any allies. A warrior fights alone and often stays that way. It's just me and Tila." She said pointing to her bird that was perched on the edge of the ship. "Ever since you left…I-I dunno." And they just looked at each other.
There gaze was taken away from each other when the ship began to shake and a loud booming sound came from underneath their feet! Leiko just looked down and then back up at Zuko. "Does that happen often?" she asked. Then a soldier came out yelled to the prince that the engine blew.
"What!" Zuko snapped at him, making Leiko blink it disclosure. "How long will it take to fix?"
"At least a few days. We need to set shore to fix it and fast or the motors could melt." The man answered.
"You idiot! Isn't there anything you could have done to prevent this? See to it that it's fixed immediately or I'll teach you a lesson about being careless!" Zuko barked. Leiko stepped back with her mouth open. Was this the new Zuko? Had he really changed from a caring and dependable young gentleman to a fierce tyrant? She was shocked at him. He turned to her with a scowl on his face. "What are you looking at!"
"I guess I was wrong about you." She said and she glared at him, "I guess you really have changed for the worst. You're not the Zuko I remember."
"What do you know!"
"I know that the old Zuko would never explode or threaten anybody like that. The old Zuko wasn't quick tempered."
"Well here's the new me, so you should just get over it." Leiko balled her fists and scowled.
"I waited two years and betrayed my father for the old Zuko. I risked my life and decided to stay on this goddamn ship. I feel like I don't know you anymore."
"Don't back sass a prince."
"You're no prince," and Leiko walked away but turned back to him, "You're just like my father…a fucking heartless monster." And she walked away. She pushed her way past Iroh who was standing in the doorway. He just looked astounded at Zuko.
"Since when did Leiko pick up such a nasty mouth? What horrible language! Do you see now what Zhao has done to her, Prince Zuko?"
"I don't care." Zuko said quietly. But deep down somewhere inside he really did.