The Half of Me | Zuko

Chapter Four: Winter Solstice part 1: The Spirit World

"Uncle, it's time to leave," Zuko calls out as he walks through the bamboo. Ryoko follows him in pursuit of their teacher. "Where are you? Uncle Iroh." 

"Over here." Ryoko notices the retired general's clothing hanging on the branch in front of the water and turns to see Iroh in the springs. She lets out a giggle as Zuko grows confused.

"Uncle?" He moves closer as Ryoko stands beside him, looking everywhere else. "We need to move on. We're closing in on the Avatar's trial, and I don't want to lose him." After finding Katara's necklace, there was a hope that they would get closer and find the Avatar again. 

"You look tired, Prince Zuko. And you have passed on your stress to Ryoko. Look at the poor girl. Why don't you join each other in the hot springs and soak away your troubles?" 

"I have to respectfully decline, Iroh," Ryoko says as she chuckles. Zuko glares at his uncle.

"My troubles cannot be soaked away. It's time to go!" 

"You should take your teacher's advice and relax a little. The temperature's just right. I heated it myself." Zuko's uncle put his hands together and blew steam through his nose. Zuko heard Ryoko laugh beside him and he sighed. 

"Enough," he says as he swats away the steam, "we need to leave now. Get out of the water!" 

"Very well." Ryoko who had already turned to the side, turns around more due to Zuko pushing her away. 

"On second thought, why don't you take another few minutes?" He grabs Ryoko by the shoulders and guides her away. "Be back at the ship in half an hour. Or I'm leaving without you." 

As the two walk away Ryoko smiles lightly.Times like this helped her feel lighter, like the weight on her shoulders were not so heavy and that being the soldier was only needed sometimes. 

She took her thoughts off of the event on Kyoshi Island and focused solely on constructing herself, keeping her control. She would need it to capture the Avatar. She would ignore all the thoughts that would prevent her from achieving the goal and showing that she can be powerful too.

---

Half an hour turned into hours as it started to get dark. "Uncle! Uncle where are you?"

"Iroh?!" Ryoko called out looking all around. She figured he would be late, but not so late where they would have to look for him. Ryoko felt her chest tighten. They came upon the springs where they left him to find the earth lifted up. 

"Sir, maybe he thought you left without him," a soldier suggests. 

"Something's not right here." 

"I have a bad feeling about this, Prince Zuko. Look at the rocks, it wasn't like that before." Ryoko grimaced thinking about what could have happened to Iroh. The four of them approach the springs to examine the rocks.

"It looks like there's been a landslide, sir." 

"Land doesn't slide uphill. Those rocks didn't move naturally."

"Earthbenders," Ryoko whispers in fear of what they could do to Iroh. Iroh was a strong firebender, but she worried what a group of them could do to him. 

"My uncle's been captured by earthbenders."

As they got back to the ship, Zuko remained quiet. He had planned to search for his Uncle alone and track him. He started packing his things when Ryoko appeared in his room. She leaned on the door frame watching his stance. He was rigid and cross. 

"I'm coming with you," she states with her arms crossed. Zuko picks up his head to see Ryoko. Her gold eyes were filled with determination.

"You don't have to. I'll find him and I'll bring him back." Ryoko sighs and travels further into the room.