Avatar the Last Airbender: The Admiral's Daughter Zuko and OC

Zuko

I had to admit that I was afraid, being caught as a stowaway and sent to prison was not on my list of things that could possibly happen to me. Then again Zuko was banished and couldn't return to the fire nation so...

"What are you doing here?!" Zuko asked me, he was staring at me in shock but not anger, which boded well for me, I hoped anyway.

I then realized that his left eye had a bandage over it, I hadn't noticed it before due to my worry. I didn't catch much of the gossip from living on the streets, but I had heard about Zuko's banishment from the cabbage merchant, no one knew exactly why Zuko was banished, just that he was and that was all everyone would talk about.

I snapped out of my train of thought so that I could come up with a possible lie. Fortunately my brain didn't need to do any thinking because before I could process the thought I spoke the words, "I got banished too, well sort of, so I thought I'd come join you." I mean it's not a lie, I'm just not telling him the fact that I was also going to kill my father. No biggie.

Zuko gave me a skeptical look, "Why were you banished?" I realized that my father had probably hid the fact that he had been married to a waterbender, killed her, and in fact also had a daughter who was a waterbender because that would make him look bad, I cursed myself for not thinking of a better lie. Zuko had probably thought I had just decided that I didn't want to talk to him anymore for some weird reason, that was six years ago after all.

The man next to Zuko, who I just then realized was Iroh, the fire lord's brother, spoke, "Zuko, leave her be, speaking of one's hardships is never easy, I think you both have been through a lot and need rest-"

Zuko turned from me and snapped at his uncle, "Rest?! I don't need rest, I need to find the avatar so that my father will let me return home!"

I flinched back, I had never seen Zuko act like this when they were kids. This darker side to him made me nervous. I turned to the guard holding me, "Do you think you could let me go now?" I asked him. He hesitated for a second, not sure what to do but in the end shrugged and let go of my wrist.

Zuko turned away from Iroh and stomped off angrily, Iroh stared after him sadly. "My nephew has been through a lot and I'm afraid that he won't give himself enough time to heal, mentally and physically before he starts his journey to find the avatar."

"Sorry but I got a little lost on the avatar thing," I said to Iroh, why was Zuko trying to find the avatar? I thought that the avatar didn't exist anymore.

"My brother, the fire lord, told Zuko that he can return if he can successfully capture the avatar and bring him to the firelord," Iroh explained to me.

"But I thought the avatar hasn't been seen in, like, a hundred years," I said, I still didn't quite grasp the concept that the avatar might in fact be alive, it was almost thrilling to think about. My mother had told me stories of the avatar and his great wisdom, and how some day he would save the world, from what I wasn't sure, I was too young to understand or remember.

Iroh shook his head sadly, "I fear that is true, let us hope it is not true, the world has been out of balance for far too long. Now I think we should get you to a room where you can rest, we have a long journey ahead of us."

Iroh instructed the guard to take me to a room where I could rest and eat, but I didn't have much time for either because the second the guard shut the door behind me Zuko opened it and walked in.

"Zuko, what are you doing here?" I asked in surprise. "I thought you were going to rest."

Zuko waved his hand dismissively, "I don't need to rest, I have more important things to do. Anyway I want to know why you're really here."

I felt a shiver run through her spine, to kill my father. "I'm not lying Zuko, it's true, the day we last saw each other my father found out I'm a waterbender, he told me he never wanted to see me again and I haven't seen him since." He also had my mother executed and threatened to do the same to me if he ever saw me again but let's not get into details.

Zuko's face softened, "I'm sorry, but that still doesn't explain why you're here," he said.

"I'm tired of living the way I have been for the last six years, so I decided that it's time that I find somewhere new, plus, I missed you," the last bit slipped out without my permission, I was shocked at myself because I had frankly not given much thought to Zuko over the past six years. Well okay, maybe some thought...

Zuko stared at me for a moment and then smiled, "I missed you too," he said softly. "I'm glad that you're here, and that I won't have to make this journey alone."

My eyes softened, "Zuko, what happened to you? Why were you banished?" I said.

Zuko's face darkened and he turned away from me with sadness in his eyes. "I disrespected my father and my country, I've lost my honor, now I have to find the avatar and capture him if I ever want to regain my honor."

I stared at Zuko, at that moment I vowed to myself that I would do whatever it took to help Zuko, I never wanted Zuko to look that sad again.

"And your eye?" I asked softly.

"My father wanted to teach me a lesson," he said simply, I didn't ask anymore questions, I could tell it was painful for him and I could understand his pain, I too had been cast away from a life I had loved into a world where no one cared. Maybe now I had found someone who did.

I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I think it's really fun to write for Iroh. He is my favorite! Sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes, if you have any suggestions or input comment!