not from around here | Zuko X OC

| chapter three |

The door creaked open and an older looking man stood in the door way, holding a tray.
"Calming jasmine tea?"
His voice was soft and warm, and it somehow made me feel at ease despite having no idea where I was or what was happening.

"Uh. Yes please?"

"Good answer."
He came over and sat on the end of my bed as I slid my feet out of the way.
He handed me a cup of hot, delicious smelling tea.

"Uhm. I uh, don't want to sound rude or anything, but...Who are you? And where am I?"
I tentatively asked, feeling as though I should try and match his soft and calming demeanour.
"I'm General Iroh. But you can call me Iroh. You're not from around here are you?" He asked me, a small smile playing on his face.

I wondered what to tell him. He probably wouldn't believe me if I said the truth, but he also might not believe me if I lied. I decided to keep it not very specific.

"No, I'm not." I said, moving the cup to my lips to take a taste and hoping he would change the subject.
"I mean, you're not even from our world are you?"
Well there goes that plan.

"I-how did you-?" I spluttered, coking slightly on my tea.
"Your clothes aren't exactly the same as what we are used to."
I looked down to see I was still dressed in my jeans and top, then looked at what the man was wearing.

He had on various different shades of red clothes. A long robe looking thing went down past his knees, and some shoulder armour that also covered his chest and stomach.
Longish grey hair fell down just past his shoulders, half of it up in a bun on the top of his head.

"So what world are you from." He asked, a childlike and innocent curiosity played in his voice as he leant slightly closer to me.
"It's-well. It's hard to explain." I stammered, not sure where I should start to explain our world when I had no idea how to compare it to here.
"Let me start by explaining our world." Iroh suggested, as if he has read my mind.

(If you think your knowledge is really good on the avatar then feel free to skip this part, but I would recommend reading it so you know what knowledge the character has on it. 🤠)

"There are four nations. The water tribes, the earth kingdoms, the air nomads and the fire nation.

The water tribes are known for their kind nature and healing abilities. They practice water bending, the ability to move water using only your hands without touching the water. They use this water to heal, but to also attack if they need too.

The earth kingdoms can move earth and rocks with their hands without touching it in the same way. They can use the earth to their advantage and can even use it to sense their surroundings. To be an earth bender, they have to be solid as a rock, both mentally and physically.

The air nomads are free and at peace. They can bend the air around them and use it to help them. They call this airbending. They use it mostly as a defence and live free. They feel like it is best if someone is relaxed mentally and physically. Airbending lacks finishing moves and they tend to move swiftly and don't like to attack with violent movements.

Lastly; the fire nation. They practice firebending. They are usually not as relaxed as the other nations but they are still good people, even if the world doesn't see it. Firebending is where you shoot flames out of yourself, mostly hands and feet, to attack or defend.

The fire nation is where you are now. Except, you're on a ship with a banished prince, my nephew.
He is prince Zuko, son of the fire lord who is the ruler of the fire nation."

I blinked finding all of this hard to take in.

"Banished?" I asked, starting with what confused me most.
"Yes. The fire lord banished him from the fire nation." Iroh explained, a hint of sorrow in his voice.
"His own father banished him?" I asked, trying to figure out if I took the information in correctly.
"Yes." He nodded gravely.
I frowned at him and cocked my head, a little confused.
"How could someone do that?"
"I know. It is truly terrible."

"So is this the map of the nations?" I gestured to the map I had seen earlier, eager to know more about these "benders"
"Yes, the green is earth, blue is water, yellow is air and red is fire."
"So that explains why this place looks like I just walked into a furnace."

"Yes." He chuckled.
"Now, you never told me your name?" He questioned, raising his own tea cup to his lips as I turned back to face him.
"I'm Sakura."
"That's a very pretty name. Cherry blossom, am I correct?" He asked, surprising me with his knowledge on my name.
"Spot on." I smiled as I took another sip of my tea.

"There's something else you should know about. There is a one hundred year old war going on." He said, nonchalantly.
"A what?!" I asked, almost dropping the tea cup.

"The fire nation are seen as enemies because my grandfather, fire lord Sozin, planned a war to take over all nations. That is what started this whole war. The only person powerful enough to end this war is the avatar. There is one avatar at a time, as soon as one dies, another one is reborn.
The avatar can master all elements and become the most powerful bender in our world.
And my nephew, Zuko, is hunting for the avatar after he vanished one hundred years ago. If he captures him and brings him back to the fire nation, his father will let him back in and welcome him to the fire nation."

"Why does he want to go back somewhere with so much negativity? Why can't he just start a fresh?" I asked, feeling as though I had come to this world at the wrong time.
"I ask myself that everyday." Iroh signed.
"How long has he been banished?" I continued to question.
"Three years almost."
"Three years!? Wow. I would've just given up to be honest." I admitted, taking another sip of tea.

"Zuko is not one to give up on something like that." Iroh said, and j could see a glint in his eyes. A glint of worry, but also pride - seemingly at his nephew's resilience.
"Huh.." I shrugged, at a loss for any other words.

"There are spare clothes in the wardrobe there, but they will probably be too big." Iroh told me, starting up a new conversation and stopping me going too deep in thought.

"It's okay thank you. I've got a bag of clothes... hey where'd it go?" I exclaimed, looking beside me to (obviously) not see the bag.

The old man laughed slightly.
"Your bag is over there." He said, pointing.
"I found you on an ice berg, knocked out. We put something on your head for you-"

"Ohhh so that's why my head is so cold." I said, touching something cold, strapped to my head.
"Yes. And we fixed up your leg." He added, his gaze fleetingly landed on my ankle that was still under the covers.

I pulled back the duvet to examine the wound.
There was a bandage wrapped around it with a little blood that had soaked through it.

"Thank you." My stomach rumbled and I looked down, surprised.
"I'll see you in the dining room for breakfast, Sakura." Iroh stood and nodded at me.
"Thank you, Iroh." I bowed, however struggled slightly as I was sitting down.

Iroh stood and began to walk over to the door with soft and almost silent footsteps for someone who was quite large.
"Oh, Sakura. One more thing."
I looked up at him and nodded for him to continue.
"How old are you?" He asked, smiling slightly.
"I'm fifteen. Why?" I asked, slightly confused at the seemingly random question.

"Hm. Nearly of marrying age." He murmured, walking out of the room.
"Nearly of what!?" I yelled back, however the door had already closed.

I hate this chapter a lot, but future ones will be a lot better, I promise.
Pls ignore the shittyness, I'm still getting started 😏

Bea, out.

Word count: 1427