𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘦𝘵𝘩

Awakening

book 2: earth

Just a little into the middle of the night our raft, in mostly tatters, happens across a small rapid and current that plunges us onto grass. The moment I step onto solid ground again, which I haven't in months save for docks, I begin to wonder if I'm insane. This is a Fire Nation operative site, on Earth Kingdom territory. With Zuko and Iroh. After three weeks of starvation and a nice dip beneath a glacier, here I am. The glacier thing is a story for later.

What you can call a small resort is what our little trio has stumbled upon after three weeks on a piece of driftwood. There are a number of cherry blossom trees in bloom surrounding the area, and other than the hairbrush I found, they are the only things that really calm me. That and no longer having the unshakable fear of drowning at sea. Three weeks left me with a wild mane of hair, and a good section of my brain dysfunctional with the fear of rolling off in my sleep and depriving myself of the one thing I love most in this world.

Zuko is back to being emo. Always so bloody dramatic. I can't hold a conversation with him. I can't entirely blame it on him though. With that thunderous way he yelled at me when we were in the North Pole, there will always be a twinge of fear inside me and an instinct to bite. I don't think we fully made up.

Then why are you travelling with him? Where would be the fun in the story if I wasn't? I mean, Team Avatar? Psssh, that's for goody two-shoes, I'm too old for them. Too wild and dangerous to be hanging out with kids who wouldn't dare to be angsty, moral wrought criminals— Like Zuko. Bad people doing bad things to get good results; that's our job.

On top of that, he definitely will not talk to me today.

"Ah, it's the anniversary, isn't it?" Iroh sits beside Zuko after we had to listen to him lament of our travels while being massaged-- mostly nude. There's obvious discomfort in our faces, but we don't say anything.

"Yes." Zuko sits across from me, with his hat tipped down to cover his face. What a stoic man. "Three years ago I was banished. Three years ago I lost it all. I want it back. I want the Avatar. I want my honor. My throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless."

"I'm sure he doesn't. Why would he banish you if he didn't care?" Wrong card, Iroh. "That came out wrong, didn't it?"

Well, yeah. Zuko leaves with that comment.

"Guess he needs his chill time." I click my tongue and look over and Iroh. "You get used to it. My conversations with him last two sentences."

"Why is that?" Iroh strokes his beard.

I sigh, tipping my hat up so he can see my face. "Long story." But I retell the events that happened in the cave, describing my outburst as a major whiny crybaby session. Then Zuko's divine judgement and thunderous roaring from heavens above.

"So Xiao has a voice." He nods, thinking to himself before speaking again, "I do believe you apologizing was the right course, but it's perfectly okay to let loose. It was a major one but your first over the three years I've known you, so I'm not surprised."

"Yeah but when he told me to leave, I'd never seen him so angry so I didn't just feel scared, I felt guilty. I caused that. I can't talk to him cause I'm afraid of him now, afraid I'm gonna bite again and then melt into a guilt puddle again."

"I've never heard of him getting that angry either. You bring out the best and worst in Prince Zuko."

"So it seems." I sigh, standing. "I think I'll go treat myself to a nice nap."

~

Mom is sitting on the bench, laughing as I give it a try at cartwheels. "You'll be a great gymnast one day with those moves."