He lost his memories and soon woke up on a banished Prince's ship without a clue in the world. But this boy somehow reawakens something in the Prince's heart, trust. He feels like he can finally rely on someone else other than himself and his Uncle...
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I've just started school, so don't be alarmed if you haven't seen any updates from me, I will try to publish a few chapters here and there, but I won't be putting as much effort as when I did before. Anyway, thank you all for sticking with this story and all the votes!
鬼
Iroh and Shoko both sat quietly inside a cavern. They looked up when Zuko dropped the barrels of food at his feet. "Where did you get these?" Iroh asked, wondering to himself as he looked at the objects carefully.
"What does it matter where they came from?" Zuko growled defensively before walking away.
"Mm..." Iroh said and took a bite out of a cupcake. "Mm!"
Shoko faced the angered Prince, trying to decipher what emotions were hidden under his fake act.
❥・❥
Shoko and Zuko were sitting next to the campfire as Iroh walked into the cave to inspect the new set of tea. "Looks like you did some serious shopping."
"Not me, he did," Shoko pointed at Zuko.
Iroh picked up the big, gold-colored teapot. "But where did you get the money?"
"Do you like your new teapot?" Zuko asked, resting against a tree trunk.
"To be honest with you, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup," Iroh said as he walked over to his nephew. "I know we've had some difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by. But it's nothing to be ashamed of. There's a simple honor in poverty."
"There's no honor for me without the Avatar."
'Of course' Shoko thought to himself.
"Zuko..." He began to say with a small sigh "Even if you were to capture the Avatar, I'm not so sure it'll solve your problems. Not all of them."
Zuko turned away from him, "Then there is no hope at all."
He would've stood up to leave, but Iroh took hold of his shoulders and sat him back down. "No, Zuko! You must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts" He explained, Zuko bowed his head. "In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That's the meaning of inner strength."
Zuko faced his Uncle, who looked back at him with a saddened frown gracing his older features. Abruptly, Zuko pulled free from Iroh's grasp and headed out into the forest. Shoko looked back at the old general, he nodded as the teenager jumped to his feet, running after Zuko.
"Hey, Zuko, wait!"
The Prince stopped, turning around to meet eye-to-eye with him. "What is it, Shoko?"