Reborn In Water || ATLA

Shepard of Fire

The Southern Air Temple

"Let's take a moment to break the ice so my intentions are known. See I have pity in watching you suffer. I know the feeling of being damned alone." - Avenged Sevenfold

🌊 🌋 🔥 🌪

With the ship damaged from the falling ice, Zuko had no choice but to stop for repairs. That was how they ended up on these dreaded docks with their battered, small boat surrounded by much larger, more pristine Fire Navy ships. Aelita followed Zuko and Iroh down the dock even though she'd rather be damn near anywhere else. Like Zuko she stayed dressed in her armor and poised for a fight, the soldier in her wanting to be prepared for anything that could happen here even if this didn't count as true Fire Nation territory. When it came to Aelita and Zuko, they didn't trust anyone but each other.

"Uncle." The Prince said as he walked. "I want the repairs made as quickly as possible, I don't want to stay too long and risk losing his trail."

"You mean the Avatar?" Questioned Iroh innocently, his arms tucked into his normal robes. Zuko turned quickly to face his Uncle and pressed in close so no one else could hear him. This place made him uneasy for good reason. Just standing here out and the open and so very exposed made his skin crawl.

"Don't mention his name on these docks." He hissed. "Once word gets out that he's alive every firebender will be out looking for him and I don't want anyone getting in the way."

Luck it turned out, was not on the Prince's on his side that day. Slithering out from between the tents like the snake he was stood a bastard of a man both Zuko and Aelita would've preferred to see dead.

"Getting in the way of what Prince Zuko?" Interrupted the middle-aged Fire Navy officer. With a hard face, brown hair in a typical knot, and sideburns as big as the ego the teens knew he had, he reeked of arrogance and cruelty.

"Captain Zhao." Zuko addressed with folded arms.

"No." Aelita finally piped up. She stood as tall as she possibly could between Iroh and Zuko, squaring her shoulders. Her face fell rigid, any trace of worry or anxiety she had felt before disappearing from view. With Zhao here, she wouldn't dare smile until they left these docks because he was one person she'd hide it all from. "Look at the insignia on his shoulder, he's a Commander now."

Zhao chuckled. Good, he liked that she noticed.

"As clever as always I see Aelita, at least you gained one redeeming quality from your traitor of a father." The young girl swore she saw red at the comment but it was replaced by disgust as she saw the much older man look her up and down as if he was imagining what was beneath the thin metal on her body. "And look, you're even becoming so womanly. I bet that's a distraction for our dear Prince. " Zhao changed his tone changed as he looked at Iroh. He would never admit he was sucking up now. "And General Iroh, a great hero of our nation."

"Retired General," Iroh replied as humble as ever.

"The Fire Lords' brother and son," Zhao continued while looking at the men on either side of the girl, "and I suppose even their pet," he spat the word like an insult, "are welcomed guests anytime. What brings you to my docks?"

"Our ship is being repaired," Iroh answered, knowing Zuko and Aelita both would rather eat fire than speak to the man before them.

"That's quite a bit of damage." The Commander said as he glanced past them to inspect the battered boat.

"Yes," Zuko began, "you wouldn't believe what happened. Isn't that right Uncle?"

Shit. Aelita tensed when she caught Zuko passing the tale off to his Uncle and when the pot-bellied man faked a laugh she knew he had nothing either.