not from around here | Zuko X OC

| chapter nine |

I walked past Zuko's room to see Iroh stood, about to go in, taking deep breaths.
"Whatcha doing Iroh?" I asked, peering over his shoulder.
He jumped and turned to see me.

"Oh Saki. It's you." He sighed in relief and turned back to the door.
"What're you so on edge about?" I asked him, looking at the door that I now recognised to be Zuko's.
"I need to break the news to Zuko." He sighed, putting a hand to his forehead in woe.
"What news?" I asked him in confusion.
"We don't know where the avatar is." He sighed.
"I'm sure he'll love to hear that." I muttered sarcastically.

Iroh finally poked his head in the doorway and looked at the meditating Zuko. I looked over his shoulder into the room and saw that it was dim with some candles lined up that was the only light in the room.

"The only reason you should be interrupting me, is if you have news about the Avatar." Zuko snapped, not breaking his mediation.
"Well, there is news, Prince Zuko, but you might not like it. Don't get too upset." Iroh tried to tell him.
"Uncle, you taught me that keeping a level head is a sign of a great leader. Now, whatever you have to say, I'm sure I can take it." Zuko said calmly, still in his meditating pose.

"Okay then. We have no idea where he is." Iroh said as quickly as he could, as if trying to get it over with as fast as possible.
The flames of the candles suddenly erupted in a fiery mass, brushing the ceiling and obscuring Zuko from sight.
So much for keeping a level head.

"What!?" He shouted.
I poked my head in too, grinning cheekily at the angry Zuko as he glared at me.
"You really should open a window in here."
Suggested Iroh, fanning himself.

Zuko snatched the map from Iroh.
"Give me the map!" He unrolled it, scanning over the parchment.
"Well, there have been multiple sightings of the Avatar, but he is impossible to track down." Zuko sighed, tracing over the map with a finger.

"How am I going to find him, Uncle?"
I peered over his shoulder and looked at the map in his hands with cross marks on it.
"He is clearly a master of evasive manoeuvring." Zuko continued, looking back at the map.

"If you say so." I said shrugging.
"What're you doing here!?" He snapped at me.
"Checking out how angry you were gonna be. You know that there's not much point in ticking off the places we've been to, he could just go there after we've been there." I pointed out, looking at the different markings on the map that showed where we had been and where the avatar was seen.
"You're NOT helping!" He shouted at me, clearly frustrated at everyone.
"Well, I'm just saying~" I sang as I walked out of the room.

"Well where would you suggest looking!?" He asked, his brow creasing in a harsh frown.
"I don't know. Maybe do some detective work instead of just meandering around. You know, try and figure out where he's gone." I suggested, standing in the doorway.

"What do you know about 'detective work'?" He asked, making air quotes with his fingers.
"Well give me a laptop and WiFi and I'll have his location in five." I shrugged.

"A what and a what?" Asked Zuko, frowning even more.
"See ya." I waved and left the room.

"What is she going on about?" Asked Zuko, waving his hands in anger.
"No idea." Answered Iroh, shrugging.

I skipped happily down the hallway and stairs until I got outside the kitchen.
I knocked and the door and it flung open.
"What is it now-oh it's you Saki." The chef's tone immediately changed as soon as he saw it was me.
"Hey chef, need any help?" I asked him, leaning against the doorway.
"No no it's all good." He promised, returning back to the stove.
"Please, I need some entertainment around here." I pleaded, flopping against the doorway and sliding down slightly.
"Well... We're getting a delivery of fish and it's down on the dock..." he started, thinking hard.
"I'll go and get it!" I said enthusiastically and jumping up from the doorway.
He nodded his approval and I turned and ran down the hallway.