DEAR DICTATOR → zuko

╸eight : the pirates and the peasants

❝ the pirates and the peasants ❞

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There's not much to do for 'fun' around this ship, unless you find your joy in punching fires at guards for training. Yet the guards aren't on Nari's level; the fairest fight would be Zuko or Iroh, and to fight the latter would be rude.

So Nari spars with Zuko.

For him, it's training, for Nari, it's blowing off some steam. They mirror each other in deep horse stances, palms facing each other openly as one waits for the other to make a move. The ship is still, the air between them is humid with a salty tinge, and the casual sound of the ship plowing through ocean waves swims in Nari's ears.

Zuko is a viable opponent; he shows no expression other than focus. Surely he's developed a plan for each of her potential movements, whether she steps left or right, whether she kicks an arch or punches a fire bomb. So, the unpredictable is her only adjustable move— or she could hit him with some lightning or white fire, but she has to be absolutely raging for that to happen, mind set on nothing but her abilities. That was a strange occurrence, Nari bets, I doubt I'll have that much power ever again.

At least she can say she did it, right?

Though it isn't her finest accomplishment.

Nari cocks a smile towards Zuko— she doesn't normally smile when readying herself to bend, nor does she tilt her head to the side. Her bubble braid falls over her left, lowered shoulder as her eyebrows lift.

The slightest relaxation hinges at Zuko's achilles, and as swift as a swallow's flight, Nari swings her heel in a horizontal arch parallel to the deck. Fire swooshes straight to his legs.

He jumps over it, an easy task seeing as Nari's flames were sharp and thin. When his feet meet the floor, he strikes up a leg to kick fire from his soles, one step after the other.

Nari flexes her arms in front of her in an 'X', using her flames as a shield when Zuko's spiral after her.

Both of their fires extinguish when the ship tilts, sending them sliding into the guard walls which barricade over the edge.

Nari thuds against the solid wall, side hitting first though her arms had been extended to cushion the crash.

Her pinched brows look to Zuko, aghast with the suspicion that they've hit something— open seas surround them. That proves her thoughts futile. "What was that?"

Zuko's eyes narrow upwards, a threatening glare hitting the control room with glass shards. "Somebody has changed our course." He rasps, pushing off the stern rail before stomping his foot down. "I'm going to find out why." Just before taking his leave, Zuko's shoulders tighten against his non-armored attire.

Nari chuckles to herself. "Someone's gonna get it," She sings to herself, a smile stuck on her face as she watches the oh-so-angry, angst-filled teen disappear behind closed doors— the last thing she saw of him was his sorry excuse for a ponytail.

Since the winter solstice and the time between, Nari has felt more... solid, so to speak. There's more of a grip on her anger, and while it constantly flickers in the back of her mind like a small flame, she's been able to see over the burning orange. Only her flame was never orange in her head— whatever rage hits, that Fire is white. That may be what keeps a hold on her anger to where she didn't lash out on Zhao, because Nari knows well that if she wasn't reminded of her grave situation, she might've snapped again. And she could thank that; maybe it keeps her at bay while a momentary peace has been placed over the past week or so.