The Half of Me | Zuko

Chapter Two: The Southern Air Temple

Stopping at the harbor to fix the damages made Ryoko feel uneasy. She felt the knots in her stomach as she was surrounded by possibilities. Nothing good would come out of going to this harbor, she knew that. 

"Uncle I want the repairs made quickly as possible. I don't want to stay too long and risk losing his trail." Zuko says as he continues walking away from the ship. 

"You mean the Avatar?" Zuko turns around as Ryoko's eyes widen. 

"Don't mention his name on these docks. 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."

"Getting in the way of what?" Ryoko freezes in her spot. Her breath hitches as she curses to herself. She should have stayed on the ship. "Prince Zuko." 

"Captain Zhao." Ryoko turns around and looks up at the man in his cold eyes. He was quite taller than all of them and easily induced fear into one of them, his own daughter.

"Father." Zhao glares down and she gulps. "Captain Zhao." She bows her head slightly in respect and stands straight. Her arms sat clutched together behind her back, her feet the perfect distance apart. The perfect soldier. No matter how much she kept that image, it wouldn't be enough. 

"It's commander now, Ryoko." Her name on his lips made her want to sink into the docks. "And General Iroh, great hero of our nation," he greets the older man with a bow.

"Retired General," Iroh corrects as he gives a bow too. Zuko stands with his arms crossed as he faces the taller man, unimpressed and not afraid.

"The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcome guests anytime." He pauses and then continues, "as well as my daughter. What brings you all to my harbor?" 

"Our ship is being prepared," Iroh replies.

"That's quite a bit of damage."

"Yes. You wouldn't believe what happened. Uncle, tell Commander Zhao what happened."

"Yes, I will do that. It was incredible. What, did we crash or something?" Ryoko almost pinched the bridge of her nose yet stopped herself. She couldn't give up anything to her father. He could read her like an open book, she had to be careful.

"Yes! Right into an Earth Kingdom ship." Commander Zhao looks down to his left at Ryoko who stayed silent through it all.

"Really? Is that right, Ryoko? You crashed into an Earth Kingdom ship." She did not make eye contact but nodded.

"Yes sir. General Iroh was asleep during the crash, he came out when the damage was already done. We fixed the damage as best as we could before we came to your harbor." 

"Well, you must regale me with all the thrilling details." His light brown eyes dug holes into the three of them and smirked. Ryoko was the only one to feel his gaze and feel belittled. "Join me for a drink?" He leans forward toward the Prince.

"Sorry, but we have to go." As Zuko tries to go while grabbing Ryoko's arm he is pulled back by Iroh.

"Prince Zuko. Show Commander Zhao your respect. We would be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's my favorite." As Iroh walks off, Zhao smirks and walks next to him, letting his daughter trail behind with the banished prince.

Zuko growls in frustration, shooting fire from his hands. "I don't know how you're related to him," he tells Ryoko as they walk enough behind where the older men wouldn't hear them. Where he was arrogant and cruel, she was humble and quiet.

"I'm sure if I was his son I'd be just like him. That's always what he wanted." She breathed in deeply to not let the pain of the past bother her. Even though it always did. "And he already rose to Commander." She sounded hopeless. Zuko saw whenever she was around her father she was like that. Because he had Ryoko and he didn't have a son, he treated her as though she were less. It infuriated Zuko, the fact that he gained power, was a horrible man and an even worse father to her.