Under the Cherry Blossom ↠ Zuko x OC ✔️

09 | June

Iroh is drinking tea. Zuko sits on the other end of the table. Iroh pours his nephew some tea after he takes his sip.

"Ahh! See, Prince Zuko, a moment of quiet is good for your mental well being."
Ever since the incident with Arlington, Zuko has been brainstorming on how to make it up to her. Because of now, she's scared of him.

The Prince raises the cup to drink, a thud that rocks the boat causes the tea to splash all over he face. Zuko wipes it away and gets up from table, making angry noises.

Once on the deck, Zuko examines the situation. A young, dark haired girl is climbing on deck riding a massive and hideous monster. Members of Zuko's crew scatter as the monster climbs the railing and onto the deck. On the other hand, Zuko is furious at the intruder.

"Get back! We're after a stowaway." She growls.
"There are no stowaways on my ship." The young Prince tries is best to keep his temper in check.

The monster proceeds to rip out a chunk of deck plating and hurls it aside. It sticks its head into the gaping hole. Nearby a barrel falls over and a man crawls out, whimpering. The man crawls out onto the foredeck where the monster quickly whips the back of his neck with its tongue. He falls instantly onto the deck, conscious but paralyzed.

"He's paralyzed." Zuko is amazed.
"Only temporarily. The toxins'll wear off in about an hour. But by then he'll be in jail and I'll have my money." June swings the stowaway's body over her shoulder.

"But how did you find him on my ship?" Zuko asks.
"My shirshu can smell a rat a continent away."
"Well, I'm impressed." Iroh states. The bounty hunter cracks her whip and the shirshu bolts off the ship.
"Very impressed." Iroh continues.

'If that animal can smell anything in the world and find it.. I know how to find Arlington's mother.' Zuko quickly sprints off the deck and down the endless corridors to find Arlington. He stops at her door and gently opens it.

Inside, Arlington is reapplying her bandages to her hands. Guilt builds up in Zuko. 'I did that to her.' He had burned her and left ugly wounds on her hands. After finishing wrapping her other hand, Arlington looks up at Zuko.

"I know how to find your mother."

She jumps from her bed to stand in front of Zuko.
"How?" Her desperate golden green eyes pour into Zuko's.
"There's a bounty hunter with a shirshu, don't ask what it is." Zuko knows Arlington is curious to what a shirshu is, but she'll just have to see it for herself to understand it.
"The shirshu can find anything in the world using the scent of someone or something. Do you have anything of your mother's?" Zuko asks.

Arlington holds up her wrist. On it is a tiny silver bracelet with a star charm on it. She takes it off.
"It was my mom's." Her voice is pained and choked. Like Arlington is trying to hold back tears.

Zuko places his hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"
"She gave it to me before she vanished. Just, what if she's not here? Then what? I don't know how to go back to my own world. What if-" Zuko cuts her off.
"Your mother has to be here. You said it yourself, you were confident that she's here." The Prince tries is best to comfort her, but he's not the comforting type. Arlington nods.

↠ ↠ ↠ ↠ ↠ ↠ ↠

Arlington, Zuko, and Iroh walk through the woods to meet a squat, three story building with many windows. Arlington left Peanut on the ship to rest. Next to the building is a large animal, a shirshu.