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Chapter 22

I coughed myself awake, feeling the hard and cold floor beneath me. "Are you okay?" I heard from the wall beside me.

"What?" I sat up looking around. I was in a dark cell with nothing around me except for a bucket in one corner, and a mat underneath me.

"You've been out for a day now, I was worried you wouldn't wake up." I rubbed my head, feeling a sharp pain in it.

"What exactly happened?" I sat against the wall. The last thing I remember was being surrounded by a wall of fire, then something happened. I must've passed out... again.

"Azula, my niece, knocked you out. I wouldn't have taken you for a firebender."

"I'm not," I sighed, "or at least, I wasn't one before."

"That must be quite a story."

"So, you're the Fire Lord's brother?" He sighed. "What's your real name; I doubt your parents would have named you 'Mushi'."

"No I suppose they wouldn't have," he chucked, "Iroh."

"So, Iroh, what were you and... Zuko doing in the city?"

"Making tea obviously, I managed to get my own shop. I would've loved for you to visit it."

"Well I was too busy being kidnapped, sorry." He chuckled.

We sat in silence for a while. Eventually a guard brought us both food. I poked at it. "Gross."

"It's the best food we're going to get for awhile, unless someone else visits us." He paused. "It's not too bad though."

I took a small bite, then spat it back out. "It's horrible." He chuckled. The bowl sat in the corner, untouched. "So, your niece, she's quite a character."

"If that's what you want to call it."

"Yeah, she's creepy." I yawned, laying against the wall. Soon enough I was asleep.

The days seemed to pass by quickly. Night and day were both illusions, much like time and vegetables, something I have come to realize. Lunch came by, one of the only markers of the days passing. The food, despite being absolute garbage, eventually grew on me. It wasn't the worst thing I had eaten, I'll give them that.

Iroh spent most of the time giving me advice whenever we would talk. Which wasn't that much, mostly because I wasn't sure if I still actually trusted him. He did lie about who he was.
He still was Fire Nation.

Zuko had visited him a few times before, I knew that because I could recognize his footsteps. Or almost lack thereof. He was back, and brought something with him.

"I brought you some komodo-chicken. I know you don't care for it, but I figure it beats prison food." Iroh remained silent. "I admit it. I have everything I always wanted, but it's not at all how I thought it would be. The truth is, I need your advice," he paused for a second, "I think the Avatar is still alive. I know he's out there. I'm losing my mind. Please, Uncle, I'm so confused! I need your help." Iroh stayed silent. "Forget it! I'll solve this myself! Waste away in here for all I care!" Zuko left, slamming the door.

"He seems troubled," I said. His footsteps echoed down the hall.

"He is."

"Zuko said he thinks the Avatar is alive, meaning something would've happened to make them think he's dead..." I paused. "Do you know?"

"It's best if I didn't tell you. That's something you should hear from your friends." I heard him shift around. "Speaking of which you should find a way out of here."

"How, exactly? It's not like I have a surefire way of that."

"Actually you do. There's an eclipse coming, but if we get a chance I want you to escape earlier."

"How though?" I looked towards the wall.

"Your bending."

"I don't know if you didn't know this, but I can't exactly handle using that without passing out."

"Perfect practice makes perfect play. You need only practice your skills, to 'handle' them."

"Well since it's your idea I assume you'll be training me?"

"Yes," he said.

There was a moment of silence. "...So are you gonna eat that chicken or?"