𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕕𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕒𝕝'𝕤 𝔻𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕖𝕣: ℤ𝕦𝕜𝕠 𝕩 𝕆𝕔

Chapter 7- My father killed my best friend

At a Fire Nation Navy base, Admiral Zhao tells a lower-ranking captain, Li that the Avatar is traveling North, and surmises that he must be traveling to the Northern Water Tribe in search of a waterbending master.

Li remarks eagerly that they should pursue the Avatar, but Zhao calmly rejects the suggestion, stating that the Northern Water Tribe is a powerful nation, well-protected by the location of their settlement and the inhospitable cold of the tundra. Zhao tells Li that, to undertake such a daunting endeavor, he will need a massive invasion force.

Zuko's ship arrives at the camp as Zhao and Nico, aboard it. Nico didn't want to admit it, but she was actually really happy to see Zuko, she hadn't seen him in almost a month.

The father and daughter duo stepped into Zuko's room.

"I'm taking your crew." Zhao says.

"What?!" Zuko gasps.

"I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole." Zhao states.

"Nico, is that true?" Zuko asks.

She looked down at her feet. "I'm afraid so. He's taking everything-"

Iroh cut Nico off. "Even the cook." He sobbed.

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar," Zhao continues. "But I can't have you getting in my way again."

Zuko went to attack Zhao, but Nico held him back.

"No!" She shouted, looking deeply into Zuko's amber eyes. "You really don't want to do that." She whispered.

Zhao walked over to Zuko's sword display.

Zuko and Nico looked at each other, worried that Zhao would figure out, Zuko was the Blue Spirit that helped the Avatar escape back in the Pohuai Stronghold.

Zhao grabbed the sword. "I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko."

"I'm not." Zuko lies. "They're antiques. Just decorative."

"Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?" Zhao asks.

"Just rumors." Iroh replies. "I don't think he is real."

"He's real, all right." Zhao says. "He's a criminal and an enemy of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon. General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands, if you change your mind. Nico let's go."

"Sorry." Nico muttered to Zuko before leaving.

❅ ❅ ❅

That night, Nico overhead her father's conversation with the pirates that she had bumped into with Aang, Sokka, and Katara earlier on.

Nico ran as fast as her legs could take her, but it was too late, Zuko's ship had blown up.

Nico's knees fell to the ground as she repeatedly screamed Zuko's name.

A hand touched her back.

Even through her tears, she could tell it was Iroh.

"Zuko." Iroh breathed out.

❅ ❅ ❅

Nico had cried herself to sleep that night. Her childhood best friend, gone in a blink of an eye.

Iroh and Zhao were having a cup of tea, when Nico came into the room.

"I'm devastated to hear about Prince Zuko." Zhao says.

Nico muttered some not so nice words.

"Oh, Nico, you're awake, you look horrible."

"Thanks Zhao." She mutters.

Zhao sniffs the air. "You smell like someone died?"

"Someone did die." Nico bluntly says.

Zhao rolled his eyes and turned to Iroh. "Just devastated."

"The Fire Lord will not be pleased when he learns who was responsible." Iroh says.

"You know who was behind the attack?" Zhao asks.

"Yes," Iroh says. "Pirates. We had run in with them a while back. They wanted revenge."

Nico couldn't bare this any longer, she ran out of the tent and walked onto the ship as they were about to depart soon anyways.

Moments later, she came out of her room and passed by Iroh, who was talking to a soldier.

The soldier took off his face plate, revealing the injured Prince Zuko.

Nico couldn't believe it.

Once they walked away, Nico pulled the soldier into her room and locked the door.

The soldier cleared his throat. "Yes, Ms. Nico?"

"Cut the crap Zuko, I know it's you."

"Shhh." Zuko scolds. "Okay, it me, happy."

"Happy?" Nico raises her voice. "Happy? Zuko I was terrified."

"Why would you be terrified?"

Nico scoffed. "Because I watched an old friend of mine, blow up into pieces. That's why I'm terrified." She then fell to the ground, hugging her knees. "It reminded me of my mother's death. I couldn't save her or you."

Zuko kneeled down, awkwardly placing his hand on Nico's shoulder. "Hey, I'm fine now, I promise. I knew Zhao was up to something, so uncle and I made a plan."

Nico sniffed a bit. "Can I come with you guys?"

"You want to come?" Zuko questions.

"Yeah, I'm really starting to dislike my dad." Nico chuckled through her tears.

"Yeah," Zuko slightly smiled. "Of course, you can."

The pair both heard a noise and got up quickly.

Zuko proceeds to open the door but Nico stopped him with a quick hug.

"Stay safe." She muttered into his chest.

"You too." Zuko says, before closing the door and disappearing in the halls.

Nico met her father and Iroh at the balcony of the ship.

"My fleet is ready. Set a course for The Northern Water Tribe."