𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕕𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕒𝕝'𝕤 𝔻𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕖𝕣: ℤ𝕦𝕜𝕠 𝕩 𝕆𝕔

Chapter 4- Zuko's Prisoner

Two long years later, I was still beneath the cell walls.

Just kidding, but seriously, it felt like two frickin years.

I searched my pocket and took out my knife. I grinned, hopefully this cell was easy to cut through and I was right.

I kicked down the cell and made my way outside the main deck to see Zuko sparing with Lieutenant Jee.

The ship then tilted. I tried my best to hold onto something. Zuko angrily walked up to the helmsman and yelled at him for changing courses.

After he found out it was Iroh asking to change courses, Zuko angrily let out a breath of fire and stormed downstairs to the cell room.

I quickly slid next to Iroh and moved a tile on the Pai Sho board.

"Nico, it's so nice to see you, I was wondering when you'd break out." Iroh smiled.

"You knew?"

"Of course, did you truly think I'd let you stay in that cell to rot? I knew you'd get out, somehow. And I maybe might have burned the cell bars, so it would be easier to escape." Iroh winked.

I smiled.

Twenty minutes later, Zuko comes back screaming. "Uncle. Nico, she-she, escaped fro-" Zuko glared at me. "You."

"Me." I smirked.

"How'd you get out?" Zuko asks.

"Cheap bars."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Help me find uncle's lotus tile." He demanded, grabbing my arm as he dragged me to the deck.

"Can you bring me back to my father now?" I asked.

"Why would you want to go back to him? He's horrible."

"No, he's not," I reply. "He's not that bad."

Zuko scoffed.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing," Zuko shrugged. "Keep looking."

❆ ❆ ❆

We eventually stopped at the market.

"I've checked all the shops on this pier," Iroh says. "Not a lotus tile in the entire marketplace."

"It's good to know this trip was a complete waste of time. For everyone!" Zuko yells.

"Quite the contrary. I always say the only thing better than finding something you are looking for is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain."

On cue walked by three of Zuko's soldiers, carrying an assortment of merchandise that Iroh had purchased.

"You bought a sungi horn?" Zuko asked.

"For music night on the ship." Iroh says. "You should come tonight, Nico."

"Thanks, Iroh, but I'm not staying long, I'm contacting my dad right now, to come pick me up."

I sat down on the ground, crisscross applesauce.

"Get up!" Zuko yells.

"Or what? Dad." I teased.

"Fine, stay here. Don't come crawling back to me when you can't find your precious father." Zuko yelled, walking away.

"Good luck." Iroh calls out.

"Thanks," I mutter.

How in the name of hell was I going to find my dad? I don't even know where I am.