Under the Cherry Blossom ↠ Zuko x OC ✔️

09 | The Ember Island Players

Katara and Toph relax in the courtyard of the Fire Lord's vacation home on Ember Island. Aang and Zuko finish up their firebending lesson on one half of the courtyard while Arlington plays fetch with Peanut on the other half.

"Doesn't it seem kinda weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Katara asks.
"I told you, my father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy. And that was along time ago. This is the last place anyone would think to look for us." Zuko says while drying the sweat from his hair with a towel.

Sokka runs into the courtyard with Suki following him.
"You guys are not going to believe this. There's a play about us!" Sokka seems quite excited.
"We were just in town and we found this poster." Suki holds up a poster with Chinese writing on it. Arlington takes a break from playing fetch with Peanut to get a closer look of the poster.

"Zuko's scar is on the wrong side." Arlington points out.
"Ugh, you have got to be kidding me." Zuko facepalms.

"What? How is that possible?" Katara asks.
"Listen to this. The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Pu On Tim who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources including singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage." Sokka reads from the back of the poster.
"Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players." Suki finishes.
Sokka roles the scroll up.

"Ugh. My mother used to take us to see them. They butchered Love Amongst The Dragons every year." Zuko complains.
"Sokka, do you really think it's a good idea for us to attend a play about ourselves?" Katara asks.
"Yeah, that seems a little creepy." Arlington adds.

"Come on, a day at the theater? This is the kind of wacky time wasting nonsense I've been missing!" Sokka widely grins.

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Later that day, the Gaang walks into a private viewing box on the second floor of the theater. Toph, Katara, Arlington, and Zuko fill the first row of seats in that order while Sokka and Suki sit in the row behind them.

"Hey, uh... I wanted to sit there." Aang points to the area where Arlington and Zuko sit.
"Just sit next to me, what's the big deal?" Zuko lowers his hood.

"Zuko.." Arlington darts her eyes back and forth between Katara and Aang, silently telling Zuko that Aang wants to sit next to his crush. 
Zuko makes an 'ohh okay' face when he finally realizes.

"Here, switch with me Aang." Arlington stands up to move to the other side of Zuko.
"Thanks Arlington." Aang gratefully smiles.

"Why are we sitting in the nose bleed section? My feet can't see a thing from up here." Toph worries.
"Don't worry, I'll tell your feet what's happening." Katara reassures.

Zuko wraps his arm around Arlington's shoulders. Once everyone is settled, the lights in the theatre dim and the play begins.

Sokka starts squealing when he sees Actor Sokka and Actress Katara. He pokes his sister's shoulder and gestures towards the actors.

Actress Katara is much more developed and bigger sized than the real Katara and her clothes are quite revealing.

"Sokka, my only brother. We constantly roam these icy South Pole seas and yet never do we find anything fulfilling." She dramatically says.

"All I want is a full feeling in my stomach, I'm starving!" Actor Sokka jokes. Arlington cringes at the pathetic joke.

"Is food the only thing on your mind?"
"Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind and into my mouth. I'm starving!" The audience laughs once again.