Find Me | Zuko x reader | Avatar the Last Airbender | Book 1

Chapter 44: Match

          "I feel useless." Sokka started bluntly, and Y/N choked on her food, barely managing to not spit it out. She swallowed with some difficulty, looking over at him incredulously.

          They had recently put out a fire caused by a meteorite, and come into town to eat. She had sensed that Sokka was feeling down, but she didn't expect that in the middle of chewing some noodles. She quickly smacked his shoulder.

          "What are you talking about?" She hissed. "You keep this group together, on task, and going in the right direction. I'd hardly call that useless." 

          Y/N was already attracting stares as it was, so she didn't want to be loud. The very few people in the small restaurant kept looking at her funny, and she couldn't figure out why. She was in normal clothes, not posing as F/N for the time being, as that would make their group very easily recognizable. Maybe it was her eyes? Did she need a coverup for her coverup?

          Maybe Toph could teach her ways to walk around blind, and put a bandage over her eyes like she's had injured them, and couldn't see. The piercing white was a little suspicious overall, and she didn't want word getting out about possible other clues to F/N L/N's appearance.

          "I just have no like bending abilities or anything." Sokka sighed, leaning on the table. "I can't fly around like you guys can. That fire back there? I could put out less than Momo could." Y/N finished her food, frowning at him.

          "I mean, you weren't real cut out for that situation, Toph too. Yeah, she helped, but it was more of a waterbender job, you know? Just like the planning, jokes, and boomerang are more of a Sokka job, cheer up. We all have our different moments." She tried for a smile, which he got, but he didn't really perk up much.

          Thinking it would raise Sokka's spirits a little, the group walked the town shops, despite Y/N still getting stares. She kept her head low, entering several shops and marketplaces, until they came to a certain store with a variety of weapons. 

          Y/N quickly found new throwing knives, and a strange weapon she'd never seen before. It was like a shuriken, but was completely round, and bigger, with three spikes evenly spaced apart with a handle. There was a long, ribbon-like string tied to the handle, it was several feet long.

          She picked it up off the rack, and had to rebalance it in her palm. It was much heavier than it looked. 

          "Careful, a weapon like that isn't for pretty little ladies like you." Y/N turned around to see the shopkeeper approaching. He was elderly, with a kind smile and wrinkles starting to etch his face. He took the weapon from her, backing up to demonstrate.

          "It's meant to be used with one in each hand, and spun, like this-" the shopkeeper grabbed the ribbon connected to the handle, fairly close to it so the sharp weapon spun in a small circle, to not hit anything. "The ribbon material is a little stretchy, so the user has to be careful, as it it thrown, and quickly bounces back." 

          He carefully wrapped the string around his hand, and handed the weapon back to Y/N, who studied it with more interest. It was like a large circular knife that could be easily retrieved. 

          "Hey! Guys! Get over here!" Sokka called, and Y/N set the weapon down, walking over with the shopkeeper to see Sokka jumping up and down, pointing at a beautifully crafted sword.

                              —| § ථ § |—

          "This could be a great opportunity for you, Sokka." Aang urged, watching Sokka pace back and forth. They had headed back to their makeshift camp, and had plenty of time Tom spare before the invasion, so they didn't have to move just yet.