Author's Note:Hello all! This chapter took longer because I went back and decided to write the Zuko Alone episode that I had originally ignored in favour of giving Mira her own 'Mira Alone' chapter. However, I decided this was not only important but that people were actually interested in reading what Zuko was up too. There are some changes, and also a lot of canon. This is a pivotal moment for Zuko in the original series, so I wanted to ensure I did it justice, while also weaving in my original plot so things tie together.
Also, I want to thank everyone who has given me their thoughts, critiques, and future wants. It has helped me make this a better story and also grow as a writer. Please do not ever feel afraid to point anything out, ask questions, or mention things you don't like along with the stuff you do like. The last critique I got helped me flesh out the last few chapters and bring the story together more for later. I am endlessly thankful for those comments/reviews. I couldn't be more happy with what I've written and set up after hearing your thoughts etc. You guys are so so so so so amazing.
The next chapter is longer but has more fluff in it to tide over my thirsty readers. I see you, you guys are all valid, I hope you enjoy the payoff soon!
~Chapter 4 Start~
~A few weeks ago~
Zuko had been alone for the past few days, using his hurt and anger to keep driving him forward. It was a tale as old as time for him; he always had to dig deep, take care of himself and figure out how to survive. The arguments he had with both Mira and Iroh were still fresh on his mind. When it rained it seemed it always poured for Zuko. One after another the people he had learned to trust the most had turned on him. The anger and shame mixed inside his gut and he was unable to stop from replaying their conversations at night. His defensiveness protected his ego, allowing him to ignore the consequences as he trudged onwards.
He was tired, having traveled without much rest for days. The food he had stolen had long since depleted and he found himself too tired to fuel his anger any longer. With exhausted eyes he looked on, hanging onto the reins of his ostrich horse in search of a safe place to rest. His eyes were narrowed as he rode down a barren road, dusty and hot like a lot of the areas in the Earth Kingdom. The heat here was different from the Fire Nation, it was a dry heat from a lack of rain. He missed the humidity of his home more than he ever had in this moment.
His ostrich horse wobbled again, the heat clearly affecting the poor creature. Zuko pushed forward, hoping he would find somewhere to rest, and hopefully have some water for both their sakes. As he continued, like a cruel joke, he did find water. The water he found was several feet down below a rickety wooden bridge. As he slowly crossed it, his ostrich horse wobbled ever more as a slight breeze pushed the bridge. Zuko found it refreshing, but also knew that if he wasn't careful he could soon find himself plunged into the wild river below.
As he continued forging his path forward, the ostrich horse hit a rotten patch of wood, it's leg falling through. Pulling on the reins Zuko urged the ostrich horse forward, managing to somehow make it across the bridge in one piece. His previous hunger was now forgotten as his adrenaline took over. He took one final look at the rundown bridge, before continuing on his trek.
It wasn't long until Zuko found a young man camping on the ridge below him. Sniffing the air he smelled roasting meat. Zeroing in on the campfire, Zuko felt his stomach growl and he moved to grasp his sword. Mira's word echoed in his head then, causing him to halt in his movements. Their argument came to the forefront of his mind and he frowned. Looking back up, he saw the man kneel down before a pregnant woman. He smiled, touching her belly as she laughed.
Slowly letting go of the hilt of his sword, Zuko looked down in shame. Perhaps Mira was right about the difference between stealing from someone abusive and stealing from those just trying to survive. He turned his ostrich horse away, and continued to ride down the road. It bothered him that what she had said stuck, but it bothered him even more that he had almost been ready to attack a pregnant woman and her husband over a single meal.
~Break~
Days stretched into weeks, and Zuko was barely able to keep both himself and his ostrich horse alive. The occasional stream or river provided water, while he was lucky enough to find the occasional mole rabbit or wild vegetable to eat. As he continued to keep pushing the ostrich horse forward, water became scarcer and scarcer. His ostrich horse let out another tired grunt, wobbling slightly as they trekked through the scorching desert. Taking a small sip from his canteen, Zuko looked ahead to see if there was anywhere he could stop for water, or a town he could stay in. His small sip, slowly grew deeper, until he realized he had finished the last of his water. With a sigh, Zuko placed the canteen into his pack and did his best to ignore the headache that was starting to come on from the heat.
His eyes began to droop, a sign of heat exhaustion if Zuko had to hazard a guess. His vision was growing blurry and he knew that if he didn't find somewhere to rest, eat, and drink soon, they would be goners. His eyes slid shut for more than two seconds and Zuko shot them open with a gasp. It was growing harder and harder to stay conscious now. He couldn't even feel the heat anymore, nor the wetness of his sweat soaked clothes. The edges of his vision slowly became tunneled and his eyes slid shut again.
He suddenly saw his mother, pulling up her red cloak as she turned away from him. He tried to reach out but she had already faded from view. Opening his eyes again he caught the sun hitting the rocks in the desert as his head bobbed up and down. The ostrich horse had slowed considerably, but was still moving. Eyes shutting again, this time he saw Mira. She was staring down at him with a smile, caressing his face, before she too faded from view. Snapping his eyes open, he frowned, but didn't shut them again after that.
Reaching the top of a hill, he found a small town nestled in the desert valley. At the very least, they wouldn't die now. His ostrich horse let out another tired grunt, wobbling as they reached the gates. Leading his ostrich horse forward, through rows of small homes, he looked for a place to get them some water. He passed four men who were kneeling in one of the alleyways, looking to be gambling. His eyes slid to them as they turned to watch him with keen interest. They gave Zuko appraising looks, some even grinning as they did. He didn't like how their eyes followed him as he dipped through another alleyway, dismounting at the first store he saw. As he hit the ground, he laid the reins on the ostrich horse's back and took a deep breath. Turning to the merchant, he dug into his pockets, looking for what remained of his money.
"Could I get some water, a bag of feed, and something hot to eat?" He asked, holding out a few coins.
"Not enough here for a hot meal," The merchant said with a shake of his head. "I can get you two bags of feed."
Zuko closed his eyes as he felt irritation and shame strike him. With a deep breath, he opened his eyes and handed the merchant the coins. When he did, he caught sight of two young boys peeking out from behind the stall. They were laughing and stirring up a small ruckus as they whispered to one another. One stood up with a wide grin on his face, raising an egg above his head, before throwing it at one of the four men kneeling in the alley across from them. The egg hit the top of one of the man's head, coating his hair with the yolk.
"Ow!" The man cried out.
The boys bolted as the men stood up, turning to look for the source of the egg. They zeroed in on Zuko, pinning him with glares. Zuko noticed immediately they all carried weapons, casting a sideways glance at the largest man's hammers. He was most likely the ring leader, if Zuko had to guess. He wore the brightest of greens on his armor. He also had higher quality weapons on him.
"Hey!" One of the other men shouted at him. "You throwing eggs at us, stranger?"
"No." Zuko replied.
"You see who did throw it?" The same man asked, irritation lacing his tone.
"No." Zuko said, finally turning around to pin the man with a stare of his own.
Grasping the hilt off his sword, he sat the rest of the men a look of warning. The other three men wore matching beige green uniforms, holding simple naginatas. They all frowned at him, blocking his only exit.
"That your favourite word, 'no'?" One of the cronies mocked.
"It had to come from somewhere." The leader demanded.
"Maybe a chicken flew over." Zuko said, turning back around.
One of the cronies laughed at his comment. The merchant handed Zuko his two bags of feed, which he took gratefully.
"Thanks for your contribution," The leader said, snatching the bags from Zuko's arms.
"The army appreciates your support."
The leader tossed the bags of feed to one of his cronies and they all turned away, laughing. Zuko clenched his fists as he watched the soldiers steal the only food he had in days for his ostrich horse. He debated his options, wondering if it was worth it to fight those men over the feed, but knew with the condition his ostrich horse was in. They wouldn't make it very far in their escape if he caused a fight, feed or not. The leader turned back around, giving him the biggest shit-eating-grin he had ever seen.
"You better leave town. Penalty for staying's a lot steeper than you can afford, stranger. Trust me." He warned as he patted his hammer three times.
"Those soldiers are supposed to protect us from the Fire Nation. But they're just a bunch of thugs." The merchant scoffed, watching as the soldiers left.
Zuko didn't say anything, turning to his ostrich horse and moving to mount it. He knew he had to think of another plan to get them both fed tonight and find a safe place to rest. If he started now, he might be able to find them a place before nightfall. As he placed his hands on the saddle, the boy who had thrown the egg popped up from behind his ostrich horse. He was missing his front teeth and his messy hair was tied in a loose knot at the top of his head. He was coated with dirt so that even the green clothes he wore looked brown.
"Thanks for not ratting me out." He said with a wide smile.
Zuko ignored the boy, mounting his ostrich horse and flicking the reins. Heading back towards the entrance to the town, Zuko saw the boy rush after him. He wasn't sure what to think, so he ignored the boy hoping he would get bored and leave him alone.
"I'll take you to my house and feed your ostrich horse for you," The boy said, grabbing the reins near his ostrich horse's beak, leading them both down the road. "Come on, I owe you."
Zuko didn't have the energy to complain as another pang of hunger hit his stomach hard. Grasping it, he hunched over willing it to go away. Dismounting his ostrich horse, he took the reins from the boy and followed after obediently. If nothing else, they would have full bellies and somewhere warm to sleep.
~Break~
The boy led them towards a farm on the outskirts of town. Good thing too, because Zuko didn't want to have to deal with those soldiers again. It would be better to just spend a night here, and then leave. As they entered the farm Zuko noticed there were pens filled with pig sheep, pig cows, pig chickens, and one pig rooster. They began to stir up a ruckus as they passed, oinking and squealing as they walked towards a lone stable with a half finished roof.
"No one can ever sneak up on us." The kid said, pointing out the silver lining.
"Tuh, no kidding." Zuko responded.
The boy grabbed the reins, leading his ostrich bird into the stable. Zuko stopped to look around, only to be interrupted by a loud squawk of the pig-rooster's crow. He turned to give it a startled look, not expecting it to crow right in his ear like that.
"You a friend of Lee's?" An older man asked, walking up to him.
The man gave Zuko an appraising look, but didn't seem displeased at his presence. An older woman poked her head out from the small house behind the stable as Lee came running back out.
"This guy just stood up to the soldiers," Lee boasted, pointing towards Zuko. "By the end, he practically had them running away."
"Does this guy have a name?" The woman asked, appearing from the entrance of the small house.
"I'm, uh..." Zuko began to say.
The woman walked over as she dried her hands on a small tea towel. Once she reached them, the man placed his arm around her pulling her in close. He did the same with Lee, signifying most likely that they were a family. The father stood behind them with a small smile, clearly proud.
"He doesn't have to say who he is if he doesn't want to, Sela," The man interrupted, giving Zuko an out. "Anyone who can hold his own against those bully soldiers is welcome here. Those men should be ashamed to wear Earth Kingdom uniforms."
"The real soldiers are off fighting the war. Like Lee's big brother, Sen Su," Sela pipped up with a smile. "Supper's going to be ready soon. Would you like to stay?"
"I can't," Zuko declined causing Sela to frown. "I should be moving on."
"Gansu could use some help on the barn," Sela said, exchanging looks with Gansu. "Why don't you two work for a while, and then we'll eat?"
Zuko wasn't able to refuse again, finding himself too tired and hungry to disagree. He was reminded for a moment of Mira, and how she always seemed to find the energy to argue, too bad she wasn't here now. He felt an ache in his chest at the thought before quickly smashing it down in the recesses of his mind. With a small nod, Gansu motioned for him to follow.
"I have tools in the shed, come on." Gansu said with a smile.
~Break~
They were to work on shingling the roof. It was something Zuko had zero experience with, but Gansu never questioned how he clumsily held the hammer nor how often he struggled to hit the nail. True to his word, Gansu didn't push him for any information, allowing him to work in silence. The weight of the hammer wasn't something he was used to. A sword was more balanced, and used entirely different movements. Most of the time he needed two hands just to get the nail through the thick wood.
Lee had been watching them from the top of the ladder for a while now, he wasn't known for silence and kept chattering on. Gansu had already shingled most of the roof while Zuko struggled with the same one he had been working on since he had started. He had only managed to get a few nails fully in, the rest were sticking up, bent at odd angles.
"You don't seem like you're from around here." Lee mused out loud.
"Mm-mm." Zuko grunted with a shake of his head.
"Where are you from then?" Lee asked.
"Far away." Zuko answered, readying to hit in another nail.
"Oh...where are you going?" Lee continued to pry.
"Lee, give it a rest," Gansu interrupted, stopping his own hammering. "Stop asking the man personal questions, got it?"
"Yes..." Lee sighed out sadly, looking down at the ground. "So how'd you get that scar?"
At the question, Zuko missed the nail he was trying to hit and smashed his thumb instead. Letting out a grunt of pain, Zuko shook his hand and hissed through his teeth to breath.
"It's not nice to bother people about things they might not want to talk about," Gansu interjected, disciplining his son. "The man's past is his business."
Gansu then went back to hammering as Lee deflated from where he was standing on the ladder. Zuko looked down at the nail he had been aiming for, grasping it and holding it in place once more. The sound of hammering lulled him in a way, and his mind began to wander as he worked on hammering in the nail. His immediate thoughts were of his mother, the only person who disciplined him with words and wisdom in his immediate family. Where his father was cruel, his mother was kind. At the time, it balanced the family, it had even kept Azula in check. She always lied, even back then, but it used to be pranks, selfish amusement, and a want for attention. She dealt with their mother's absence in a much different way than Zuko had. She didn't seem to care she was gone, if anything she was giddy.
~Break~
Zuko dreamed of the night Iroh had sent them gifts back from his army campaign in the Earth Kingdom. He had received an ivory handled knife, while Azula had received a doll. She had grown annoyed, even angry at it, burning it to a crisp. She took her anger out on Iroh's letter, mentioning how sad it would be if Iroh died in the war and their father became Fire Lord instead. The look on her face was one he hadn't really seen on her before that day, but it chilled him all the same. Azula felt nothing at the thought of Iroh dying, and only saw the pros in it. Their mother admonished her, scolding her to never say such things again, but it was clear Azula didn't care as she burned Iroh's letter with a grin.
Zuko was startled from his dream by footsteps creeping towards him. Looking beneath his lashes he caught sight of Lee as he began to pull the sword from where he had hung it up. As the stable door closed shut, he opened his eyes and moved to follow the boy. He wasn't surprised to find him attempting to swing the swords around in the fields. He grunted and shouted as he hacked at the flowers, clumsy and uncoordinated in his attacks. He was agile enough, sprinting back and forth, turning to stab at a hollowed out tree stump in success. Zuko crept towards the boy, finding himself amused and not annoyed in the slightest. There was a time where Zuko would have shouted at anyone who touched his swords, but after dreaming of his mother he felt soothed.
"You're holding them all wrong." Zuko said, crossing his arms with a feigned expression of annoyance.
Startled, Lee screamed and jumped backwards, falling to the ground. With a guilty look, Lee slowly stood up, a sunflower stuck on his head. With his chin tucked against his chest, Lee held the swords out for Zuko to take. The sunflower he had previously been wearing as a hat, slipped off his forehead, brushing his nose, before falling to the ground.
"Keep in mind, these are dual swords. Two halves of a single weapon." Zuko said, holding them together before stepping back. "Don't think of them as separate, because they're not. They're just two different parts of the same whole."
Zuko began to show Lee what he meant, moving with perfect flow. He hit high and low with each sword, switching after each swing. His one sword always led the other, ever so slightly. Taking the top of a sunflower perfectly off, Zuko turned back to Lee, reminding himself of the times he spent training Mira. He handed the swords back to the boy, and watched as Lee tried to emulate him. While his movements were still sloppy, his form was much better than before. Lee attacked the stump again, cutting off a branch sticking out from the top. Lee stopped to give Zuko an expectant look, clearly wanting praise. Zuko smiled, giving the boy a nod causing Lee to grin and laugh in relief.
"I think you'd really like my brother, Sen Su. He used to show me stuff like this all the time." Lee boasted, pride beaming across his face.
~Break~
Morning came too quickly for Zuko, who had been up for half of the night. He knew he had overstayed his welcome, but needed the rest and food horribly. His ostrich horse was doing a lot better today, appearing more alert and energetic. Packing up what few belongings he had he saw Lee and his family exit their house. They approached him as he mounted his ostrich horse, holding out a small package.
"Here, this ought to get you through a few meals." Sela said as Zuko reached for it.
Hearing a rumble in the distance, Zuko looked up to see the soldiers from before heading towards the farm. Gansu stepped forward, clearly intent to meet them at the gate.
"What do you think they want?" He asked.
"Trouble." Zuko responded as he glared at the soldiers.
The different farm animals started to make a ruckus, oinking, screeching, and stamping their hooves in the dirt. The soldiers reached the gate within minutes, stopping just before Zuko and Lee's family.
"What do you want, Gow?" Gansu asked.
"Just thought someone ought to tell you your son's battalion got captured," Gow grinned, before turning to the other soldiers. You boys hear what the Fire Nation did with their last group of Earth Kingdom prisoners?"
"Dressed 'em up in Fire Nation uniforms and put them on the front line unarmed, way I heard it," A soldier answered, before he spat into the dirt. "Then they just watched."
"You watch your mouth!" Gansu shouted, pointing his finger at the soldier.
Gow flicked his reins, moving towards Gansu as Zuko intercepted. He matched Gow's stare, daring him to try something. He was reminded of the day his mother had received news that his cousin, Lu Ten, had died in battle. He couldn't stand to let Gow mock Gansu and his family for their loss, it was too similar to what his father had done when they had seen their grandfather, who was still Fire Lord at the time, the night before his mother disappeared.
"Why bother rooting around in the mud with these pigs?" Gow scoffed, turning his bird around and motioning for his men to follow.
Zuko watched as Gow and his men left, not quite listening to Gansu talking to his wife and Lee behind him. This wasn't going to be the last they heard from Gow, but what could Zuko do? He was Fire Nation, the very same people that had most likely taken their son from them. He didn't have a right to their pain and he felt like a voyager as he stayed frozen on the spot, watching the horizon.
"What's gonna happen to my brother?" Lee asked, sorrow filling his voice.
"I'm going to the front. I'm going to find Sen Su and bring him back." Gansu answered, pulling his crying wife into his arms.
"When my dad goes..." Lee said, rushing towards Zuko to talk. "Will you stay?"
"No. I need to move on," Zuko answered, reaching into his belt to pull out the ivory handled knife he had gotten as a gift from Iroh all those years ago. "Here, I want you to have this, read the inscription."
Lee grabbed the knife with a wide smile, showing his missing front teeth once more.
"Made in Earth Kingdom..." Lee said reading the inscription.
"The other one." Zuko sighed.
"Never give up without a fight." Lee read.
Zuko flicked the reins, leaving the farm, and Lee, behind.
Zuko was unable to shake his uneasy thoughts, and was pulled back into his memories of the aftermath of Lu Ten's death. Stricken with grief, Iroh had returned home, giving up on his siege of Ba Sing Se. Azula had mocked him for it, calling Iroh weak and pathetic. She wasn't the only one to harbour those thoughts either, and soon Iroh had become the disgraced retired general he was now. But, it hadn't happened by accident or as a direct result of his failed siege.
Iroh had been next in line for the throne, but the night of his grandfather's death, the night his mother disappeared, something had changed. His father had pushed for Iroh to be removed as next in line because he had lost his heir and failed in his siege, incurring his grandfather's wrath. That night, Azula had come into his room, joking about how their grandfather was going to kill him for his father's cold hearted words. He hadn't fully believed her then, but after that night he had always wondered if what she had warned him about was true.
In the end, their mother intervened, taking Azula out of Zuko's room for a talk. By the end of that night his grandfather would be dead, Iroh would be stripped of his birthright, and his father made Fire Lord. His mother's presence would be erased from the palace in the following weeks, until not even her name was mentioned by anyone, even his father, ever again. He never learned why, and Azula would always mock him with fabricated truths. Over time, he eventually learned to ignore her.
After all, Azula always lies.
~Break~
"Azula always lies..." Zuko muttered, slipping in and out of his dream.
Finally awakening by the sound of a cart coming down the road, Zuko sat up to see Sela rushing towards him. It took a moment for Zuko to situate himself. He was in the Earth Kingdom, not the Fire Nation, and had stopped to rest in a small field on the outskirts of the town.
"You have to help. It's Lee," Sela shouted as she stopped her cart, hopping off of it to run over to him. "The thugs from town came back as soon as Gansu left. When they ordered us to give them food, Lee pulled a knife on them. I don't even know where he got a knife. Then they...took him away. They told me if Lee's old enough to fight, he's old enough to join the army. I know we barely know you, but..."
She began to cry, her sobs echoing around them as she begged for his help. Zuko knew exactly how Lee had gotten his knife, and felt guilt rip at his gut. It had meant to be a kind gift, but it had blown up in his face like everything always did. He knew that he wouldn't be able to abandon the boy and let Sela lose another son.
"I'll get your son back." Zuko said, standing up and looking at Sela.
"Thank you, oh thank you so much!" She cried, rushing towards Zuko and pulling him into a hug.
Zuko wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't used to people hugging him like this. Even Iroh was rare in giving him hugs. Sela smelled like a mother would, and he melted into her, winding his own arms around her back in return. It had been so long since anyone had hugged him like that and he felt himself lost in the reminder of his own loving mother.
~Break~
When Zuko rode into town, most of the villagers were packing up their stalls or bringing their children inside. Zuko knew there was going to be a fight, and moved his hand towards his hilt. He would have to rely on his swords instead of his bending if he wanted to be able to help Lee. He didn't want to make things worse for the boy, more so than he already did.
"Hey, there he is!" Lee shouted from where he was tied to a post. "I told you he'd come."
The three soldiers from before stood up and turned to him, their weapons already drawn. Their leader, Gow, was nowhere to be seen. Zuko dismounted and began to undo his hat, placing it on his ostrich horse's saddle. As if summoned by Zuko's thoughts, Gow walked out from one of the alleyways. He gave Zuko a pompous grin, moving to join the rest of his men. Zuko glared at Gow, staring him down as he approached.
"Let the kid go." Zuko ordered, causing Gow to laugh.
"Who do you think you are? Telling us what to do." Gow spoke, casting Zuko a glare of his own.
"It doesn't matter who I am. But I know who you are. You're not soldiers, you're bullies. Freeloaders abusing your power. Mostly over women and kids. You don't want Lee in your army. You're sick cowards messing with a family who's already lost one son to the war. " Zuko answered back, his tone venomous.
"Are you gonna let this stranger stand there and insult you like this?" Gow said incredulously as he turned to one of his soldiers.
The soldier looked at Gow, and then Zuko for a moment, before angling his naginta and rushing at Zuko. Zuko flicked his sword out of the hilt so he could draw it faster, awaiting the man's incoming attack. Dodging his thrust, Zuko sidestepped and drew his sword, hitting the man square in the forehead with the butt of his hilt. As the man was sent skittering back, Zuko sheathed his sword once more, standing at full attention. The soldier took a look at Zuko, before scrambling to his feet and abandoning not only the fight and his weapon, but Gow as well. The remaining men looked at Zuko with rage-filled glares, another bum rushing Zuko without much care.
This time Zuko did not draw his sword instead dodging the incoming naginta attack, pivoting around the weapon with ease. He grasped the man's head, and used their momentum to smash the soldier into the dirt road. Zuko quickly stood up and slipped backwards, waiting for the soldier to either continue his assault, or flee. Zuko bet all his remaining possessions on the fact these men were cowards and watched the man whimper, before he too fled. The remaining soldier wasted no time in attempting the same tactic as the other two, charging at him with a growl. Zuko kicked high, breaking the metal blade off the wooden staff it connected too. The soldier stared at what remained of his weapon with fear racing across his face. With a scream, he tossed the splintered wood and ran after his defeated friends.
Now the only people who remained were Gow and the tied up Lee. Lee laughed in triumph as a crowd slowly gathered, watching Zuko fight the supposed soldiers. Gow drew his hammers, swinging them around with deadly precision. He had a scowl on his face, his intent and emotion clear; he wanted to take Zuko out and he was pissed. Zuko drew his sword, separating it into dual blades. He was ready for this fight, and would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to knocking Gow down a peg. Gow swung a hammer down and towards the earth, bending the dirt and rock into a boulder. Twisting the second hammer around, he launched it towards Zuko. He grunted in exertion, watching as Zuko cut the boulder in half with a glare. So he was an earthbender too, just great.
Gow jumped into the air, twisting around, and landing with a thunderous thud. He bent the earth up, creating more projectile boulders he sent at Zuko with a slam of his hammer. Zuko deflected each one, walking backwards as he tried to avoid the immense force used to send them towards him. The third boulder hit Zuko in the gut, causing him to bend over and suck in whatever air he could. Zuko raised his swords back up, moving to charge Gow and decrease the distance between them so he wouldn't be fighting anymore boulders.
"Give him a left! A left!" An old man shouted at Zuko.
"It's not a fistfight." An old woman corrected, grabbing his shoulder.
"He's got a left sword, don't he?" Was the old man's reply.
Gow let out another grunt, sending a barrage of rocks at Zuko. Zuko continued to advance, slashing through rocks and dodging others if he could. Unable to keep up with how fast Gow could bend, he eventually took another rock to the gut and was sent sailing back, the momentum causing him to somersault backwards. Catching himself, Zuko rose to his feet, attempting to shake off the hit.
"Look out!" The same old man from before shouted out.
"Behind you!" Lee warned.
Zuko looked up in time to see Gow bending night several more boulders, hitting them with his hammers in quick succession. Zuko continued to do his best, deflecting them with his swords, but the force and size of these boulders made it harder to do. Gow, growing angry with Zuko's tactics, sent out a torrent of rocks from the ground which smashed into Zuko with such force he saw stars. Landing in a painful heap on his back, Zuko groaned as his head connected painfully with the dirt road.
'Zuko, please listen to me. Everything I've done, I've done to protect you. Remember this, Zuko. No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are.'
He heard his mother's voice, somewhere behind the ringing in his ears. Everything was dark and Zuko could hear footsteps approaching him. He let out a small groan, willing his eyes open as his mother's words played on a loop.
"Get up..." He heard Lee pittifully beg.
Remember huh...there was a lot Zuko remembered, he remembered he was a banished prince, he remembered his father's cruelty, and he remembered Iroh's warm hand on his shoulder as they watched their homeland slip into the horizon. His whole life was contradictory, remembering who he was now was dangerous. Grasping his sword, Zuko wretched open his eyes, seeing Gow raise his hammers above his body. Anger and shame deeply seeded in his gut, he spun around sending out a wave of fire with a snarled yell. Sending it outwards, Zuko knocked Gow to the ground as he rose from the fire still raging around him. He missed how the faces of the crowd turned shocked and fearful, watching him with apprehension.
Gow, having lost his hammers, attempted to fight back with only his earthbending, but Zuko was faster. Zuko rushed through the cover of flames, and used his swords as extensions of himself, sending out blast after blast at Gow. Gow attempted to shield himself in earth and rock, but he wasn't anywhere as adept as Zuko was and his fire tore through the stone as if it were paper. Gow was sent sailing back once more, landing in a heap down the road, a cloud of dust obscuring him from view. As the dust faded, Zuko saw Gow had smashed into the side of a house, trapped beneath several large boulders.
"Who...who are you?" Gow asked, his voice laced with pain and fear.
Zuko approached Gow, his swords still steaming from the heat he had sent through them. There were many answers to that question, depending on how Zuko wanted this to end. His mother's words bounced around his skull as pride shot up his spine. He fixed Gow with a proud and angered stare, stopping at his feet.
"My name is Zuko. Son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. Prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne." Zuko declared proudly as he sheathed his swords.
"Prince of the Fire Nation?" The crowd began to murmur.
"Liar!" The old man shouted, pointing towards Zuko. "I heard of you! You're not a prince, you're an outcast! His own father burned and disowned him."
Zuko knelt before Gow, feeling the burning sting of that comment. Gow whimpered, struggling to get away. Zuko retrieved the knife he had given Lee and calmly walked towards the boy, who's mother, Sela, was already untying him. Lee hid behind her skirts, giving him a fierce look as Zuko knelt before him, holding out the knife.
"Stay right there." Sela ordered with a protective glare etched into her face.
Zuko stopped walking, feeling the sting of her tone hit him like a ton of bricks. Kneeling down, Zuko held the knife out for Lee to take. If nothing else, Zuko could at least return what Iroh had stolen. He could still give this boy a gift, and maybe one day it would save his life.
"It's yours, you should have it." Zuko said in a soft tone.
"No, I hate you." Lee responded with a harsh glare, poking his head out from behind his mother.
Zuko watched as they turned away, walking towards their home and out of town. Pocketing the knife, Zuko attempted to ignore the feeling of hurt the boy's words had caused. Just like that, he was back to being the hated banished prince of the Fire Nation. For the first time ever, he didn't feel angry for it, nor the pride of being from the Fire Nation. There wasn't any honour here to find, and so Zuko stood up and turned towards his ostrich horse. As he mounted his ostrich horse, the townspeople parted ways, watching him leave with sour looks and vile glares. They held makeshift weapons rocks, and rotten fruit. Lee stood by, emboldened by the crowd, watching Zuko leave with a glower of his own.
He had remembered who he was, he had never forgotten, just like his mother had asked. For all the good that did him, he was the most hated person in the Earth Kingdom. It was no wonder Mira had left the first chance she got.
~Break~
His thoughts hadn't strayed to his mother since the day he had been shunned from that town. It was easier to pretend he wasn't Zuko crowned prince of the Fire Nation when he could avoid those thoughts and memories. Zuko couldn't remember a time he had ever felt so rotten. He was alone, hated, shunned, and still running low on supplies. He hadn't thought he had anything else to lose after what happened with Azula, but he was wrong. Now, his chances of ever capturing the Avatar and returning home were slim to none. He had never felt more lost in his life.
To make matters worse he had noticed several toll stops set up along the roads as he approached the coast. Some soldiers seemed to be dressed in Fire Nation colours, but many others also wore Earth Kingdom garments. Mercenaries, if Zuko had to wager a guess. So he opted to avoid the roads, cutting through more of the desert.
He caught sight of smoke coming from a campfire, signaling there was someone camping out nearby. Approaching where he had seen the smoke, he saw a small ravine leading towards a camp set up near the river below. A dozen or so people were milling about and Zuko was startled by how many of their features seemed to remind him of Mira's. Their eyes wider, faces a lot more square, longer noses, and skin pale and speckled with dots of colour. A few had light coloured hair like Mira, but most had variations or brown and black. They all looked like they had come from different places yet their mannerisms were so similar. They spoke like Mira did, casually and with words or slang he didn't recognize. Some had dark skin, some were tanned, and others looked like many of the people who lived in the Earth Kingdom. It was possible that other people from Mira's home had come here too, but that wasn't what startled Zuko.
No, it was the fact that they had a Fire Nation banner at their camp. Zuko watched as a woman waterbended from the river, filling several flasks at once. It was strange, because the Fire Nation hadn't taken any prisoners with the intention to have them join their army. If that woman came from Mira's homeland, why was she a waterbender and Mira a firebender? Questions swirled around his head and he found himself even more perplexed by their strange natures. Their dark clothing even reminded him of the outfit Mira had been wearing when they found her. Tight fit, sleek, and lacking any real decoration or colour to signify their homeland.
"That bitch of an Avatar has to have headed in this direction. We haven't heard anything from the other search parties. If we keep heading towards the next town, there's a chance we can find more leads." A man dressed in black clothing spoke as he twirled a knife around in his hand.
"I second that idea because I am sick of bathing in the river." The woman scoffed, stepping towards him and handing out the flasks.
"We should follow the river." A young man with short dark hair and deeply tanned skin spoke up.
Zuko was startled by the man's voice, he hadn't noticed he was there at all. The young man was sitting on a rock, slouched over a matte black object Zuko didn't recognize. It looks like a club with a strange thin pole and hilt. He heard a click as the dark-haired man slid a piece of it off, revealing the hollow end of what Zuko thought was the hilt.
"Fuck the river, I say we take the most direct road." The first man scoffed.
"It may be faster, but it's also controlled by the Fire Nation. There is no way the Avatar would take that route. Also, this is the only consistent water source for miles around here, any Avatar would need to have access to water in order to practice waterbending and not die of dehydration. Honestly, I think we need to be less concerned with catching up quickly and more concerned about leaving Fire Nation controlled areas. It's going to be harder to get the townsfolk to talk to us, we will also have less backup." The dark-haired man responded.
"That's why we don't dress in their colours for fucks sakes." The man with the knife scoffed.
"I just mean, once we pack up camp we shouldn't put up that Fire Nation banner if we want to get any good intel." The man sitting on the rock sighed.
"I agree, we will get a lot farther if we blend in fully." The woman said.
"Fine, do whatever the fuck you guys want. I don't give a shit if we fly their flags or not, just as long as we catch that bitch." The large man with the knife spat as he tossed his knife into the dirt.
"Che, testy aren't we." The woman scoffed, bending down to retrieve the knife and place it in her pocket.
"You better not be thinking of keeping my knife." The beefy man scowled.
"I think I might," The woman grinned as she folded the blade away into the handle and pocketed it. " Maybe then you'll learn not to throw your toys."
"Stop fucking around, that was a gift from my ma, give it." The beefy man scowled, sticking his hand out and motioning for it back.
"Aww, so cute, baby's first knife." The woman laughed.
Zuko's head was a flurry of questions, just who were those people? His father had never been keen on hiring mercenaries for such important matters like finding the Avatar. They didn't act like Fire Nation, most of them didn't even look like they were from the Fire Nation, yet they fought under its banner. The only thing keeping Zuko from freaking out was the fact that if they too were hunting the Avatar, that meant Azula hadn't caught him yet. This was good news for Zuko and he now had the perfect place to start his search. He just needed to get there before they did.
~Break~
It was nightfall by the time Zuko reached the nearest town. He just hoped that those people from before were stopped for the night so he could have a decent head start. If they were working for the Fire Nation, but not actually Fire Nation, there was a good chance they wouldn't recognize him, but he couldn't take that chance. If they got to the Avatar first, he would have to fight them, something he wasn't sure he was capable of alone.
The small town was quiet and set up in a small semicircle against the side of a rocky hill. In the middle he found a large building with lights still on. It reminded him of a temple in a way, but he soon heard murmurs of children as he got closer. Everywhere else was closed up for the night, and there was no bar or inn he could see. The only building with activity was the one before him. Hitching his ostrich horse up outside, he entered through the large double doors finding them unlocked. A long hallway greeted him and he walked down it, feeling uncertain. Was he supposed to just walk in, or was he trespassing?
"Hello?" He heard a woman ask.
Zuko twisted around finding an older woman dressed in soft creams and light greens watching him from one of the doorways.
"I, uh...was wondering if there was anywhere to stay in town for the night?" Zuko asked, unable to think of anything else.
"Well, there is no actual inn here, but we often take in travellers for the night. Come, follow me." The woman smiled, motioning for Zuko to follow.
Several children ran past them as she led Zuko into the main area of the building. There was a staircase leading upstairs and he saw a couple younger children watching him from the railings. The woman led him into a kitchen and motioned for him to sit. Silently obeying, Zuko sat down and watched as she pulled open a cupboard and collected a bowl and spoon. Turning back around she walked over and placed a now full bowl of stew before him.
"Eat up, you look like skin and bones." She smiled.
Zuko didn't have to be told twice and he started to dig in. The woman served herself a bowl and went to sit beside him when a shrill cry broke the silence. She let out a soft sigh, placing her spoon back beside her bowl and gave him an apologetic smile.
"Oh dear, that's probably little Liu Min, excuse me for a moment. Please, keep eating" The woman said as she scurried off towards a room across the hall.
Zuko looked back down at his food, wondering how he could broach the subject of the Avatar. Was it possible he had stopped here? It was doubtful because this town was so small they didn't even have an inn or many stores for supplies. But, if the Avatar had flown over they might have seen his air bison. Figuring that was his best course of action, Zuko looked up to see the woman returning with a small baby.
"Sorry about that, Liu Min has trouble sleeping through the night still, we've only had her for a few nights. Poor thing was brought in by a young woman who had rescued her from a Fire Nation attack." The woman said mournfully.
"A woman rescued her? Was she alone? Did she have dark hair and wear blue Water Tribe clothing?" Zuko asked, thinking of that Water Tribe girl that traveled with the Avatar.
"No, this girl was alone. She had the strangest colour of hair I have ever seen. It was so light, like straw or sand. She wore Earth Nation clothing not Water Tribe." The woman said as she shook her head.
"Hair the colour of sand..." Zuko mused, thinking of Mira instantly. "Did she tell you her name?"
"No, we never asked. People who come through here are usually escaping something. We don't have much nor are we on the way to any other towns. Our village is the last remaining one in the area, the rest are now ghost towns." The woman said as she rocked the baby in her arms.
"Did you happen to see where she was headed?" Zuko asked.
"Towards the ruins of a town called Taitou, she seemed to be looking for someone." The woman said as she looked up at Zuko.
"Thank you for the meal, but I've got to go." Zuko said, forgetting completely about the Avatar.
Rushing towards the door, he heard footsteps following him. His mind was a flurry, Mira had come through here? Was she also tracking the Avatar, or was she looking for him? He had wasted too much time in Lee's village and he needed to make up for all that lost time. He needed to ride through the night and catch up with her, and hopefully the Avatar, before Azula and those soldiers did.
"Wait!" He heard the woman shout.
"What is it?" Zuko asked, stopping and turning his head to look at the woman.
"I hope you find her...she seemed lost." The woman smiled, before turning and heading back into the kitchen.
Zuko left the village as quick as he could. He didn't stop riding for anything, moving as quickly as he could to catch up to Mira. He could only imagine what would happen if Azula or those soldiers got to her first. Flashes of the uncontrolled anger of the man with the knife flashed through his mind and he flicked the reins harder, urging his ostrich horse to go faster.
~Break~
Zuko had rushed throughout the night and well into the morning before he needed to rest. He had been napping for a couple of hours when he felt the earth rumble below him. Sitting up and looking around he saw a large metal vehicle rolling across the grassy field below him. It had several Fire Nation insignias emblazoned on it and Zuko frowned. It was possible those soldiers from before were using the large vehicle, but he had not seen them with it at their camp, so the most likely culprit would be Azula. A frown etched on his face, Zuko quickly mounted his ostrich horse and rushed towards the tracks left in the dirt by the large metal machine. She was headed in the same direction that Mira and the Avatar were, Zuko had to get to them before Azula did.
If he kept up with the monstrous machine, he would be able to rest for a few hours here and there and use the tracks to catch up. It didn't seem to move much faster than he did, although it never seemed to stop. The lack of windows also meant that they wouldn't be able to see him following as long as he stayed behind them. Eventually, Azula would need to exit the metal monstrosity to capture the Avatar, so until then he would bide his time.
~Break~
Catching up to the metal vehicle once again after a nap, Zuko saw it had stopped. Halting his movements he saw three people exit from a ramp extended from the front. Getting a little closer he saw it was indeed Azula. However, he also recognized her two companions. They were Ty Lee, and Mai. Stunned at seeing both of the girls after so long, he couldn't help but feel a clench in his gut. How long had it been again? Five years? He watched as they darted into the trees and followed after them, keeping his distance. They both looked so different and Zuko wondered for a brief moment if they would think the same if they saw him.
They stopped not far down the river and Zuko watched as they chatted for a few minutes, picking up clumps of fur to inspect. They didn't talk for much longer and split up, heading in opposite directions, Choosing to follow after Azula, Zuko knew she would be heading straight for the Avatar, there was no way she would let Ty Lee and Mai take the glory. She led them out of the forested area and towards an abandoned town nestled in a small desert. He wondered if it was the abandoned town Taitou, but no record or sign of the town's name remained. He approached the town, catching the tail end of a conversation. Getting closer, he found it was Azula and Aang.
"Do you really want to fight me?" He heard Azula say as he reached the first remains of a house.
Flicking the reins Zuko rushed in, ducking between two of the buildings, jumping off his ostrich horse and landing in a crouch. Dust kicked up around him as his ostrich horse continued to run past another few houses.
"Yes. I really do." Zuko replied as he took off his hat and threw it aside.
"Zuko!" Aang gasped.
"I was wondering when you'd show up, Zu-Zu." Azula said with a smug grin.
"Pfft." Aang laughed as he covered his mouth with a hand. "Zu-Zu?"
"Back off Azula!" Zuko ordered, ignoring Aang as he stepped in front of him. "He's mine."
"I'm not going anywhere." Azula declared, stepping back and raising her arms for a fight.
Zuko looked at Azula, then glanced at Aang. Aang jumped back, raising his staff in defence, but made no further movements. His fingers twitched as he looked back at Azula, waiting for someone to make the first move. As he went to glance at Aang, Azula sent out a burst of blue flame. Zuko conjured his own fire, managing to block her incoming attack just barely.
"Ouf!" He shouted as he was sent flying into the side of a building.
The wood shattered upon impact, sending splinters of wood and dust down upon him. He heard Aang run off and Azula chase after him. She sent out a large whip of fire, bringing it down upon Aang who was attempting to fly off on his glider. Zuko struggled to get out of the debris, following Azula on foot he watched as she scaled one of the buildings, landing on the roof.
"Ahhh!" Aang shouted, spinning his staff to bend the fire away. "Unf!"
Aang hit the ground and quickly sat up trying to find where Azula had gone. Azula was racing across the roofs of the remaining buildings, jumping off one to land with a flaming kick aimed at Aang's head. He rolled away, avoiding another fiery kick, attempting to escape, only to be blocked by Zuko. Zuko sent out several blasts of fire from his fists, causing Aang to duck, quickly turning to sprint in the other direction. He narrowly missed one of Azula's attacks, spinning around her, sending out a few blasts of air at them both.
Zuko continued his assault, sending blast after blast at both Aang and Azula. He dissipated one of Azula's blue flames, watching Aang flip out of the way. Azula was now stuck in the middle, fending them both off as Zuko and Aang dodged and attacked. Taking advantage of the distraction, Zuko jumped up sending down his own flaming kick aimed at Azula. She moved herself back, shooting out a wall of flame to protect herself. Her hand shot out to strike Zuko and he rolled back, avoiding her blue coated fist. He rolled back forward, flipping onto his feet, sending out his own blast to cover his movements. Azula aimed for his feet and Zuko jumped up, dodging just in time as she sent another attack at Aang.
Aang jumped up onto a raised walkway that led to several buildings, before darting into one of them. Azula was the first to follow, landing just as Aang retreated into the house. She raced through the doorways, letting out a gasp. Zuko didn't see what was going on, already rushing up the steps and darting through the doorway. His feet suddenly hit thin air and he saw Aang floating in the air above him, waving.
"Whoa! Aah!" Zuko shouted as he fell and landed in the rubble below.
He watched as Aang knocked Azula down, except she landed a lot more gracefully beside Zuko's head. In a crouch, she gave him a small grin, shooting a blast of fire up at Aang and sending a second towards him. Zuko shot through the wall of the building, hitting the ground with a solid thud. He groaned, attempting to stop the world from spinning. Shutting his eyes tightly, he felt like his body was numb as the fight continued on around him. Attempting to open his eyes once more, he found his Uncle hovering over him with a concerned look. Zuko blinked as he realized he was no longer alone.
"Uncle?" He gasped as Iroh grasped his arm.
"Get up." Iroh said, helping Zuko sit up.
Looking around he saw Mira fighting Azula alongside Aang and his friends. His eyes widened as he watched her fight his cruel sister with such ferocity. He swallowed his want to call out her name, realizing that Mira might not need him as much as he thought. The hurt mixed with his pride for her abilities, watching as she slipped around Azula's attacks with a fluid grace. Was this a recent change, or had she always been this talented?
Perhaps she actually was better off without him.
~Chapter 4 End~