Burnt Out - Zuko x OC

Lukewarm

Three years later, present time.
Season 2, Episodes 6 & 7

"Don't worry, we'll find you a teacher. There are plenty of amazing earthbenders out there." Katara's reassurance fell on deaf ears.

"Not like her.." Aang sulked, but was soon interrupted by the sound of heavy panting coming up the hill. He looked past Appa to see his new friend sprinting toward them, "Toph! What are you doing here??"

"My dad changed his mind, he said I was free to travel the world!"

The trio eyed Toph suspiciously, knowing deep down that she was lying. But this was their only chance, and this was her only chance at freedom.

Sokka spoke as he climbed up the bison's fur, "Well we better hurry up before your dad changes his mind again."

"I think that's a good idea, but.. there's one condition."

"Anything, you name it!" Aang responded.

"I'm a great earth bender, but I know of a better one. She taught me how to see and showed me real earth bending moves when my teacher refused. I wouldn't be able to train you if it weren't for her. We have to find her."

Sokka shrugged, "Sounds good, now hurry up!"

Toph climbed up Appa's side and sat in the oversized saddle with her friends, leaning back and taking in the first ounce of real freedom she'd ever felt.

"Where to then, Captain?"

Toph's sightless eyes popped open as she realized that she had no earthly idea where Kai was. There'd been no mention of her in the Beifong household since that evening, when she'd watched her be dragged to the cart by her father.

"Er, somewhere in our kingdom, I think.."

*******

Prince Zuko rode into the small, dusty town on the back of the stolen ostrich horse. He didn't know where he was or what he was doing, all he knew as that he was starving. He could feel his stomach trying to feed on itself from the inside.

He stopped at the trading post stand with little to give the girl on the other side, "Can I get some water, a bag of feed, and something hot to eat?"

Zuko dropped two coins on the counter in front of the stranger, who looked back at him with a lack of any emotion at all, "Not enough here for a hot meal. I can get you two bags of feed."

He nodded and the girl left to retrieve the items. Zuko's attention shifted from the gambling soldiers behind him to the hushed sound of schoolboy laughter, it came from beside the trading post. He saw a boy of about ten years old and his friend, both earth kingdom children. They tossed an egg at the soldiers and apparently their aim was expertise. It cracked against one of their skulls and they started off.

"Hey! You throwing eggs at us, stranger?"

Zuko could feel their footsteps getting closer, "No."

"You see who did throw it?"

He turned on his heel to face them and said sternly, "No."

The soldier in the center, the one with a skull covered in yolk grasped his mallet, "That your favorite word, 'No'? It had to come from somewhere."

They exchanged something that Zuko wouldn't personally consider "niceties" and the group of bullies reached for his bags of feed before he'd even had the chance to touch them.