Zuko's POV
I pulled the tea pot from the fire,
"No one makes tea like uncle, but hopefully I learned a thing or two. Would you like to hear uncle's favourite tea joke?"
"Sure."
"I like jokes."
"Bring it!"
As I made my way around the circle, handing cups of tea to the group, I began,
"Okay, well, I can't remember how it starts, but the punchline is: leaf me alone, I'm bushed!"
Everyone just stared at me, quietly.
"Well, it's funnier when uncle tells it."
Katara rolled her eyes,
"Right. Maybe that's because he remembers the whole thing."
That gained laughter from around the circle.
As I went to serve Sokka his tea, he jumped up and asked,
"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"
I followed him away from the group,
"So, what's up?"
"If someone was captured by the Fire Nation, where would they be taken?"
"What do you mean? Who was captured?"
"When the invasion plan failed, some of our troops were taken. I just want to know where they might be."
"I can't tell you."
"What? Why not?"
"Trust me. Knowing will just make you feel worse."
I turned to return to the group but Sokka grabbed my shoulder to stop me,
"It's my dad. He was captured too. I need to know what I put him through."
"It's not good, Sokka."
"Please."
"My guess is: they were taken to the Boiling Rock."
"What's that?"
"The highest-security prison in the Fire Nation. It's on an island in the middle of a boiling lake. It's inescapable."
"So, where is this place?"
"Why do you need to know? What are you planning?"
"Nothing. Boy, you're so paranoid."
"It's in the middle of a volcano between here and the Fire Nation. You guys actually flew right past it on the way here."
"Thanks, Zuko. Just knowing makes me feel better."
"Yeah, I'm sure it does."
He was such a liar.
When everybody went to sleep, I climbed on top of Appa and waited, I knew he was coming.
When he climbed up to the saddle, I was waiting for him,
"Not up to anything, huh?"
He dropped backwards and crashed into the ground.
"Fine, you caught me. I'm gonna rescue my dad, you happy now?"
"I'm never happy."
"Look, I have to do this. The invasion plan was my idea. It was my decision to stay when things were going wrong. It's my mistake and it's my job to fix it. I have to regain my honour. You can't stop me, Zuko."
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Fire & Rain: Book 1
FanfictionI wrote this for myself but you can read it, too, if you'd like. Y/N is a water bender who was born on board a fire navy ship holding Southern Water Tribe captives, she was left in a Fire Nation orphanage and was eventually adopted by Fire Nation n...
