1~ The Archer

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Okay. Just a deep breath in...and...

Crack

Right on target. Expected nothing less.

"I don't know why you're practicing. We haven't seen any action in weeks!"

"I know, Iroh. But I always have to keep sharp, just in case." (y/n) says, tapping her finger on her temple.

Iroh lets out a small laugh, from deep in his belly. She could always count on Iroh for a light moment.
She retrieves her arrow from the small wooden plank that was sitting on the metal stand that Iroh helped her weld, and placed it back in her quiver. She took the stand down and placed it on the ground, along with the wooden plank.

"Come play my game with me! Let's see if you can win this time." Iroh beckons her over with a small wave of his hand.
She sits across him him at a small table on the deck of the ship. Across the table are tiles, and she eyes them carefully as Iroh explains the rules to her one more time.

After a couple rounds of him kicking her ass again, Zuko crosses to the bow of the ship, his dark ponytail swaying wildly in the cold antarctic air. (Y/n) scowled. She never cared much for Zuko or his desire to find and capture the Avatar. She wanted more than to be on this ship, just waiting for something to happen. She didn't want to capture the Avatar. She secretly believed he could help heal the world. She believed in the Avatar's return and their glory. Even if it meant betraying her own family and her nation.

As Iroh lays out the tiles to start another round, a bright beam of light is thrown into the sky. (Y/n) turns to see the magnificent bright blue that the beam casts over the ship.

"Finally! Uncle, do you realize what this means?" Zuko calls.

"I won't get to finish my game?" (Y/n) chuckles under her breath.

"It means my search...it's about to come to an end."

(Y/n)'s eyes go wide as she stares at the tiles laid out in front of her. Zuko thinks that light came from the Avatar? No way. The Avatar hasn't been around for 100 years, and it was highly unlikely Zuko would find them before anyone else in the Fire Nation.

Iroh lets out a long sigh.

"That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!"

"Oh, it's just the celestial lights. We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko." Iroh gestures to the sky. (Y/n) nods. She can't even remember how many times Zuko has lead them down a dead end path, thinking they were about to find the Avatar. With every dead end, she lost more and more hope. She barely had any hope left this time. She wanted so badly for the Avatar to be alive, but with every passing day it seemed more unlikely. She didn't want to get her hopes up this time.

"Yeah, Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. We can't keep putting everything we've got into every dead end." (Y/n) adds, receiving a scowl from Zuko.

"I need to find the Avatar!" Zuko yells, turning to her with fire in his eyes. "Helmsmen, head a course for the light!" Zuko storms off into the ship cabins, leaving Iroh and (Y/n) alone again on the deck.

(Y/n) rolls her eyes and turns back to Iroh, who is pouring her a cup of jasmine tea. "He will find his way soon. I do not believe this is his destiny."

"I don't think this is mine either." (Y/n) mumbles.

"Then you can create your own." Iroh smiles. She lifts her head up, not knowing that he heard her. "Oh, I didn't think you'd-"

"(Y/n), you can make your own destiny. Whether that destiny is here on this ship, or elsewhere. You are meant for great things. Things bigger than this ship." He lends her a soft smile as he passes her the tea. Iroh always knew how to make the best tea.

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