Note to the Reader: Finally this chapter is out! I'm very sorry about the wait and thank you so much for all the reviews! I'll keep writing for you all! Enjoy!
Chapter 4: Mister Mushi and Mister Tuan
Zuko stood there and tried to ignore his uncle's scolding. He was so close. The Avatar's bison was right in font him. Just a little more time and he would be home free. He would be able to restore his honor. He would be able to go home again. But here Iroh was, yelling at him.
"...this is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole! You had him, and you had nowhere to go!"
"I would have figured something out!" Zuko yelled back in his own defense.
"No! If his friends haven't found you, you would have frozen to death!"
"Hrg... I know my own destiny, Uncle."
"Is it your own destiny, or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?"
"Stop it, Uncle! I have to do this!"
"I'm begging you Prince Zuko! It's time for you to look inward and ask yourself the big questions, 'who are you?' and 'what do you want?'"
"ARG!" Zuko yelled and slammed his blades to the ground. His blood was boiling and his mind spinning with questions. Who was he? What did he want?
"Nephew," Iroh said, calmly now. "Listen to me, think about the big questions and make the right decision for yourself. Good things will come out of it."
"Maybe you haven't noticed, Uncle," Zuko said. "But nothing 'good' has come out of anything for me."
Iroh shock his head. "What about Jin?"
Zuko froze again. It was as if every time he heard her name, his body just... freezes.
"Don't think that I haven't noticed," Iroh said. He began to walk over to his nephew. "Maybe good things are happening to you, Prince Zuko. They're right in front of you, but you just don't notice them."
Zuko sighed and turned his back to his uncle. Silence placed by. Even the large bison didn't make a sound.
"I have to do this first," Zuko said.
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It was late into the night. Jin sat with her head resting on her arms at a table near the firelight fountain. Half moon had already passed. Where's Lee? She wondered to herself. Her heart sank as she held back tears.
She had done so much to prepare for this night. She had made sure her hair was prefect, she was wearing her prettiest dress, and she was wearing her favorite perfume. Why isn't he coming?
Jin rolled her eyes. Every time it came it Lee, it seemed that she was always going to be disappointed. She slowly sat up and looked at the firelight fountain. Images of Lee and herself found their way to her mind. A smile crept its way to her lips.
"Jin?" someone said her name from behind her.
Jin's heart jumped as she turned around abruptly. "Lee you— oh..." Her smile disappeared.
It wasn't him.
"What are you doing here so late, Jin?" the middle age man asked. He was dressed in a green outfit and had brown hair with a few gray strands. He stood there with a broom in his hand.
"Hi Mister Tuan," Jin said. "I was waiting for someone."
"A friend of yours?" Tuan sat down next to Jin at the table.
Jin nodded. Tuan was a family friend. He often came over to Jin's house to have tea with her father and grandfather. Her mother didn't mind him at all. He was friendly person who always smiled. Even though he didn't have children of his own, he was like an uncle to Jin.
"It's late," Tuan said. "Maybe you should go home. Your friend must have forgotten. It's alright."
"Yeah, but," Jin started. "I don't know. He's..."
"Your friend is male?" Tuan asked with a little surprise in his voice.
Jin nodded again.
"So was tonight supposed to be a date?"
Jin started to smile again. "That's what I hoped."
Tuan laughed softly. "Well if he's a boy then don't blame him. Boys are... well from what I know, forgetful."
"Thanks Mister Tuan," Jin said sarcastically.
"Sorry," Tuan chuckled. "But you know, you should probably go home. Your parents might be worried."
"Yeah, I think I will. I don't think he'll show up."
"Do you want me to take you home?" Tuan asked and got up after Jin.
"It's alright," she said and bowed to him. "I'll see you later, Mister Tuan."
He nodded. "Okay."
Jin smiled to him but once she was far enough, she dropped the smile. Why didn't you come tonight, Lee?
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Zuko and Iroh made their way back to their apartment in the city. Iroh was proud of his nephew. He had let the Avatar's bison go free. They reached their room and went inside.
"You did the right thing," Iroh said closing the door behind him. Then he watched Zuko stagger into the living room. His steps were crooked and strange. He placed a hand on his hand and said, "I don't feel right..."
Iroh wrinkled his eyebrows in thought. He saw Zuko take another step, but then he crashed into the table and fainted. He tipped over face first onto the floor.
"Zuko!"
The elderly man hastely rushed over to this nephew. He turned the young man over onto his back with softhearted hands. He grabbed his wrist and felt for a pulse.
"Steady..." Iroh whispered. He picked Zuko up on his back and took him into his room. He cautiously lied Zuko down on the cushion and went to get a bucket of water from the kitchen. Worry rushed in and out of Iroh as he moved as fast as he could to help his nephew.
Iroh came back into the room with the bucket of water and a thick blanket. He dropped the bucket in the corner of the room and flung the blanket over Zuko. Then he placed at hand over his forehead. It was burning...
Zuko grunted and his eyes flickered open. Iroh took a clean cloth and swirled it into some clean water in a bowl.
"You're burning up. You have an instance fever... This will help cool you down."
"So thirsty..."
"Here's some clean water. Stay under the blanket, and sweat this out."
Iroh carefully spooned Zuko the ladle of water from the bucket, but Zuko took the ladles and crushed the water down his throat. The cold water slipping down his chin, dripping onto his bear chest. Zuko tossed the wooden ladle aside and reached out for bucket. He poured the massive amount of clear liquid into his mouth. He drank what he could and let the rest go to waste. When every drop was gone from the bucket, he disposed of it.
Iroh watched sadly at his nephew behavior. He didn't know what to do from her. He simply got up, picked up his clothes, and went to put them away. Once Iroh picked up Zuko's tunic, a piece of paper slipped out from the pocket.
"Hm?"
Iroh bent down to pick it up. It was the letter from Jin.
Oh no... Jin.
Iroh remembered what it had said. He pondered on weather the young girl had gone home or not. The person she was expecting will not be showing up to meet her. Zuko needed him to be here to take care of him. Maybe...
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It was already dawn by the time Iroh reached the firelight fountain.
"Jin?" he said in his normal voice. It was quiet in the morning. People were starting to set up their stands and shops for the day. There was no one there at the fountain besides a middle aged man sweeping out his shop's porch.
"Jin?" Iroh said again, louder this time.
The man at the porch walked up to him and asked, "Excuse me, are you looking for a girl named Jin?
Iroh nodded. "Yes. Do you know her?"
"I do. She's a family friend of mine. Jin was here last night waiting for a friend of hers."
"She was here last night?" Iroh asked.
"Yes."
"Well she's probably gone home by now," the old man sighed.
"Are you looking for her?" Mister Tuan said to Iroh. It was more of a statement than a question.
Iroh nodded.
"Well..." the middle aged man put his broom to one said and nodded several times to himself. "Okay. I can take you to Jin."
Iroh smiled and thanked him. "Thank you! But what is your name?"
"I'm Tuan," he answered as he led Iroh through the empty morning streets. "It's this way."
"Oh... Tuan. I am Mushi."
Tuan didn't say anything else. He merely smiled and continued to lead Iroh towards Jin's house.
Hang in there, nephew. I hope Jin can help you if I can't.
Ending Notes from Sixthstellestial: Nothing. Please leave reviews if you can.