COLLISION - a zuko and yue centric tale

Chapter nine

Yue leaves Zuko, trudging through the heavy snow. She descends into the spirit oasis. Tui and La are swimming around each other. Yue is swimming around La. She is standing on the shoreline. Her fingers curl into her palms, the divisiveness of her self after being fused with Tui has been difficult to adjust to. Seeing her "other self" makes it all the more obvious the changes that have taken place. Yue exhales. She is there to get food for Zuko and herself.

Yue is not ready to face her parents and her people yet. To face one was to face the other and she could not explain what had happened to her just yet. Mrs. Huemodo is just Mrs. Huemodo. No complications. Her purple garb obviously royal even if one ignored the colour, she shrugs it off and folds it. Her hair is also recognizable. Most people didn't have the time to do such elaborate hairdos — or the help. Yue removes her hair pieces, letting ivory tresses fall loosely around her shoulders. She can't truly conceal the colour and her scarf is currently being used by a certain prince. Her hair is braided and wrapped into a low bun. From afar she would just look like an elder. Hopefully.

Waterbenders rebuild the collapsed, war-torn structures. They are bloody and bruised. Fresh burn marks peak out from beneath bandages. One day they might look like Zuko's scar on his eye. Yue hasn't asked where his came from. How did a prince come by such a wound that persisted even after being treated, surely, by the finest healers in the land. Not like waterbenders healing powers, but even without waterbending there was plenty healers could do.

With everyone thus occupied, Yue manages to slip through the city to Mrs. Huemodo's kitchen, very much like she had when she was younger. A plate of blueberry bannock sits on the counter, steaming hot deliciousness. Yue reaches for one when Mrs. Huemodo, coming around a corner, snatches her wrist.
"Ha!" She exclaims. "Thinking you were going to steal my freshly baked bannock?"
Yue laughs and throws herself into Mrs. Huemodo's arms, squeezing her tight. "Hugging me? This is such strange behaviour for a thief," Mrs. Huemodo says as she wraps her arms tightly around Yue with surprising strength.
"I just came to say hello before I go to my parents."
"Everyone has been worried sick about you. I knew you would be okay."
"I'm glad someone did." Yue looks down. Mrs. Huemodo grabs a piece of bannock and waves it underneath Yue's nose. Yue smiles and reaching her neck out, quickly chomps down onto the piece of bannock. "Gotcha," she mumbles around the bannock she's now chewing happily on. Mrs. Huemodo puts the fresh plate of blueberry bannock into an old flour sack.
"For the road," she says. She pauses. "You are going to be fine, dear."
Yue cannot find the words to respond but smiles in response.

The visit was short, but if it was any longer Yue fears that she might have lost her nerve. She still worries she might as she walks up the steps of the palace to where her parents ought to be. The guards are gone from the entrance; the fire nation would not return for a time. Dorak is the first she comes across in the great hall. His eyes widen as he embraces her. Yue is shocked but returns the hug, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Yue." Her father, the chief, has entered the room. Dorak quickly pulls away, bowing quickly to Yue and her father.
"Nice to see you again, Princess," he says before leaving. Yue's father steps closer to Yue, as if hardly believing she was real.
"Yue, my daughter... I thought—"
"So did I."
A breath.
"I am so proud of you," the air is tense, "I'm sorry."
Yue's eyes well up with tears as she closes the space between them and throws herself into her fathers arms. Her mother enters the room a moment later, cries out and embraces her daughter. Descending into laughter and tears, the family collapses onto the floor.

A/N: I am NOT trying to introduce Dorak as a love interest! Dorak is just a person who is sort-of friends with Yue (technically he works for her but they're friendly and talk about books/scrolls). Also, I'm sorry that these reunion scenes are so short. I tried.