Zuko dropped down onto his prey. Hidden in the dark alley of an earth kingdom village the two struggled.
It was a short fight.
The blue spirit had been hunting in the town for days now. Little by little thugs disappeared off the streets, terrified to leave their own homes or whatever rock they lived under.
Clothed in all black with his swords in his hands, Zuko felt invincible.
His swords were an extension of his arms. Much as his bending had become an extension of himself.
The masked prince shoved his prey against the wall. Had anyone cared to listen all they would hear is the defeated man's whimpers.
"Please! I'll give you anything you want!"
Silence followed. Zuko considered his words carefully.
"I want you to stop attacking people."
The prince tilted his head to the side. His mask glowed slightly thanks to a little fire-bending trick.
The man just about wet himself in fear. Whimpering a little louder he nodded.
"Okay! Okay! I promise!"
Zuko pinned him a little longer.
"If you don't," pause for dramatic effect, "I'll hunt you down."
Zuko then dropped the man and jumped. He pulled himself into the roof and took off at a light sprint.
The last week had been especially rough for the prince. Days were spent adrift in the ocean. Food and water became scarce.
More than that, Zuko was conflicted.
While he had ultimately sided with the avatar in this war he still loved his people. To see so many lost in battle was heartbreaking.
Yes, they were the attackers but they were just soldiers following orders.
Now they lay under the ocean waves trapped inside their ships.
Icy blue bodies floated in the water carried by the currents.
They were all gone now. Any remains would have sunk to the ocean floor. Fish would pick away at their flesh leaving a pitiful skeleton in its place.
The ocean would continue its cycle, back and forth slowly wearing away at the bones.
Nothing would remain.
Their banished prince mourned for them. He took comfort in the fact that the majority of the ships were far enough out to sea to survive. That they had time to retreat and return home.
Still, Zuko found it hard to celebrate the avatar's victory. Focusing on the bad always came so much easier to him.
The masked vigilante jumped over alleys and ran across the roofs. His steps carried no sound. Silent as a Panther-fox and just as agile.
He busied himself with cleaning the city of thugs.
Zuko loved being the blue spirit. When he put on the mask he shed his responsibilities as a prince and as a fire bender. He became a free soul, a spirit.
The blue spirit could go wherever he pleased. Save whoever he wished. He could roam the countryside and do whatever he wanted.
Lately, he had felt more in sync with his secret persona. Accepting his title as the banished prince, betraying his father, he was now open to doing anything without fear of disapproval. To put it simply, he no longer cared about the expectations forced upon him.
Zuko was free.
The night ended far quicker than he hoped. He made his way to the quaint cottage he was staying in.
Noni, an active member of the white lotus owned the house. Just outside the town surrounded by farmlands, Zuko found the perfect temporary refuge.
Though only having been staying with her a day so far, Zuko had come to care for the elderly woman. She had brought him warm home-cooked meals and a soft bed to rest in.
After splitting up with his uncle, at his insistence, the prince found himself truly alone for the first time.
Zuko had taken the money he'd stolen from criminals he'd taken down and bought him an ostrich horse as well as plenty of provisions.
Anything else uncle Iroh needed could be provided by white lotus members who would shelter him.
Even knowing all this Zuko was worried for his uncle. He knew the former general could handle himself just fine. He was after all still one of the greatest fire benders in the fire nation.
Watching him go was heartbreaking.
Still, it was for the best. The fire nation would be looking for two people, an older man and a scarred teenager traveling together. Apart and out of sight was the smartest option.
Zuko loathed thinking of his uncle being recognized because of him.
The blue spirit gathered his small provisions in a black satchel he strapped to his back over his sword sheathes.
The tight black durable fabric clung to him but it did not hinder his movement.
Zuko had taken the liberty of using old fire nation armor. Sewed into leather pockets to silence and noise while moving and hidden under his dark clothes.
On the outside, his new outfit appeared rather simple and stretched up to his neck to cover every part of him.
The layers provided warmth during the nights in the earth kingdom.
Pockets for knives and useful objects hid everywhere in the fabric, but his favorite part remained his blue and white mask.
Given to him by his mother after she had caught him playing with her old play props, it was one of his most prized possessions.
Zuko climbed into the bed Noni had let him borrow and prepared to sleep the day away. Taking comfort in the feel of Agni rising the blue spirit drifted off to sleep.