𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕕𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕒𝕝'𝕤 𝔻𝕒𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕖𝕣: ℤ𝕦𝕜𝕠 𝕩 𝕆𝕔

Chapter 8- You Don't Have a Plan?!

"This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh, Just think, centuries from now, people will study the Great Admiral Zhao, who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe civilization. You're lucky you're both here to see it." 

Nico looked up at her father. "Yeah, lucky."

"Be careful what you wish for, Admiral." Iroh warns. "History is not always kind to its subjects."

"I suppose you speak from experience." Zhao says. "But, rest assured, this will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba Sing Se."

Nico looked over at Iroh as he frowned.

"I hope not," Iroh responds. "For your sake."

"Nico, tell the Captain to prepare for first strike."

"Yes, father."

"It's Admiral father to you."

Nico rolled her eyes and followed after Iroh as they both went to tell the captain to prepare.

Before telling the captain, they both snuck to the bowel of the ship to meet Zuko, who was still disguised as a guard.

"We'll be landing soon." Iroh whispers to Zuko. "Do you have a plan?"

"I'm working on it uncle." Zuko replies.

"Really Zuko?" Nico speaks up. "You told me, you and Iroh had a plan."

"Shhh."

Zuko and Iroh both casually walked away like nothing had just happened, leaving Nico to be standing in the same spot, stunned but eventually, leaving the area and walking up to the control room to her father.

They stood in silence.

"Mom wouldn't be happy about this, you know?"

"Don't bring up your mother," Zhao scolds.

"Why not? she's my mom!" Nico exclaimed.

"Was." Zhao corrects.

"Oh, no, you didn't." Nico yells. "She is still my mother. Dead or not."

Iroh interrupted. "It's almost twilight, Admiral as your military consultant, I must advise you to halt your attack."

Nico quickly wiped the tears that strolled down her cheeks.

"The waterbenders draw their power from the moon," Iroh continues. "And it is nearly full tonight. You should wait and resume the attack at daybreak."

"Oh, I am well aware of the moon problem." Zhao replies. "And I'm working on a solution. But for now, daybreak it is."

Nico quickly departed the scene and set off into the deep hold of the ship, she opened the door to see Zuko out of his Fire Nation uniform and preparing a small kayak.

The door soon opened, revealing Iroh. "If you are fishing for an octopus, my nephew, you need a tightly woven net, or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape."

"I don't need your wisdom right now, uncle."

"I'm sorry, I just nag you because...well ever since I lost my son..."

"Uncle," Zuko interrupts. "You don't have to say it."

"I think of you as my own." Iroh finished.

Nico looked down at her feet.

"I know, Uncle." Zuko says. "We'll meet again."

Iroh quickly ran over to Zuko, hugging him.

This warmed Nico's heart.

"After I have the Avatar." Zuko says, backing away from Iroh's hug and walking over to Nico.

"See you later dork." Nico punched his arm.

"Owe," Zuko winced. "Thanks."

They awkwardly stared at each other.

"Do you want to maybe come?" Zuko asked.

Nico glanced over at the kayak. "I think that kayak only fits one person and my dad would be pretty pissed, if he knew I was missing."

"Y-yeah," Zuko stutters.

He was about to board the tiny kayak but Nico quickly turned Zuko around and hugged him. "Stay safe."

"I will." Zuko slightly smiled and lowered himself down the ship.

"Remember your breath of fire," Iroh says. "It could save your life out there."

"I will." Zuko replies, lowering himself down more.

"And put your hood up, keep your ears warm."

"I'll be fine." Zuko responds.

Iroh looked down as Zuko departed on the kayak.

Nico rested her head on Iroh's shoulder. "He'll be fine." She reassured. "I hope."

❆ ❆ ❆

The next morning, Nico met her father, excuse me Admiral Zhao, up on the balcony as the sun started to rise.

"It's daybreak at last." Zhao says. "Let's write history."

Nico sighed as the Fire Nation ships broke through the Water Tribe's outer wall as the soldiers rushed through the breaches to attack.

"The Water Tribe can try to resist the inevitable, Zhao says. "But their city will fall today."