Next chapter, bringing in our favorite exiled prince :D

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Prince Zuko gazed at his ship with contempt. The hull of the ship was taking in water even as they were docked at the near by village in the earth kingdom; one which gave help to all nationalities, the only limits they set were that they were not to be ruled by the fire benders. As long as they helped the fire benders though, the fire nation didn't bother hurting or harassing anyone. As he looked on at the broken ship and simmered over the money it would cost, his uncle sat right on the rickety old dock next to him, drinking tea calmly, watching the men work on the ship.

"Prince Zuko, you do realize that we only have enough funds for the ship to stop the leak, not to made it ship shape," Uncle Iroh said and Zuko rubbed his temples with his fingers.

"I realize that uncle," he replied, cursing the avatar for all the ship damages earlier on in this hunt. Since he'd been outcast from his own land, the money dwindled little by little, barely scraping by already with food for his men,ginseng tea for his uncle, and fuel. But they weren't broke, no, they had money for food and all the junk that they bought, thanks to the navigator's accounting skills, there was a fund for ship needs and funds for their needs. His crew would fan out in a village and find work, if they could, to help with collecting money. Zuko himself, exiled prince now, worked at some jobs, refusing to sit out while the Avatar was running around; besides, some jobs like guarding and fighting kept his fiery temper to a simmer. Zuko sighed, holding his scared eye side of his face in his hand, looking at his ship, longing to ship off to catch the avatar.

"I suppose we'll need to find work again," Zuko said, "Something to pay all this off."

"I wish you luck young Zuko," Iroh said, sipping his tea, "I shall await here to inform the men of what to do." Zuko knew it was only a reason to get out of work, but he didn't comment, sometimes just keeping his uncle in one place instead of forcing the old man to do something was easier.

"Fine," Zuko said and turned, but not before he caught a glimpse of his uncle moving. He looked back and was taken aback some when he only saw a hand weaved bamboo hat.

"This place may be fine for fire benders, but word still passes quickly if a prince is strolling around looking for work." Zuko looked at the hat, and took it, nodding. Even if his uncle was a crazy old coot, he trusted his judgment. He slipped on the hat and turned again towards the village, hearing his uncle call behind him cheerfully. "Oh, and if you see some Ginseng tea, pick up some!" Zuko just ignored him, heading towards the village, tilting he hat over his scar

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Zuko sighed as he walked around the large port town. He found no good work, most of it wouldn't pay enough even for food for his crew. He sat on a stone bench by a tavern, thinking of where he could get work. As he leaned against the bricks of a building, he caught part of a conversation from a couple of old men near by, both sitting on another bench nearby.

"Haruka is going through a tough time I hear with those bandits trashing the cargo," the one said.

"No kidding," the other. "And there's trouble with the shipments coming back too I hear," The last man said who ever goes down the cargo path now-a-days is either brave or crazy." Zuko quickly grew uninterested in the problems of the cargo, until he heard the next thing that the first man said.

"I hear the owner of the business will pay anything to get a good pair of fighters to go with the haul. I could certainly use the cash, but the offer wasn't open fast enough I guess." The old men laughed and Zuko stood up and faced the men, a hand going to the rim of his hat, making sure it overshadowed his scar. Alas, the scar told most who he was at first glance.

"Where are they hiring for the guards for that shipment?" He asked and the men and a few other tavern goers looked at him.

"Do you plan to work, stranger?" The second old man asked, both suddenly solemn, "People have lost their lives on that trail."

"Where are they hiring?" Zuko repeated, ignoring the warning.

"On the far side of town," the first old man replied, "It's called Cargo Road, there are a bunch of horse-ox at the beginin' of it in a stable. Ask for work around there." Zuko nodded and muttered a quick thank you before heading off to see if the job was worth anything.

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It's starting to pick up