Guidance (Chapter I)
Series: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Characters: Zuko, other minor appearances
Disclaimer: Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Title: Guidance (Chapter I)
Rating: PG
Genre: General, family
Summary: While overseeing an operation to free the war prisoners, Zuko's gaze falls upon a familiar yet unrecognizable face -- the face of a man whose brother he'd saved in the Earth Kingdom. Zuko plans to meet him as an Earth Kingdom escort under another name.
He looked familiar. And Zuko was not one to forget faces. There was a certain glint in the man's eyes, combined with the way he carried himself that was strangely nostalgic. He only felt it was appropriate to know the stranger's name. Alas, he did not, nor did he have any guesses as to what it was. When he failed to pinpoint the source of familiarity, he resolved to find out through other means.
Turning to a stationary guard, he motioned to the growing group of men huddled in the center of the prison yard. "These are the Earth Kingdom war captives," he stated, receiving an affirmative nod in response.
"Yes, Your Highness. They are to be moved to Ba Sing Se, where they will be relocated accordingly to their respective lands."
He paused. "When?"
"In a week, Your Majesty."
After dismissing the soldier, Zuko turned his attention back to the man who'd caught his attention. He identified him with ease at the front row of the assembled men, his posture stiff yet impossibly casual. (The captives were wearing the prison garb, and spotting one individual would have normally proven difficult.) He was a typical Earth Kingdom citizen -- shaggy dark brown hair, droopy eyes, and relatively tan skin. But there was something else the Fire Lord could not place that nagged at his conscience, urging him to remember something he had no memory of. It was highly irritating and he planned to be rid of the feeling, soon.
He watched the Warden approach the men from the other side of the plaza, a faint look of disdain evident in his features. Mei's uncle was obviously against the pardon of any "criminals" that were sent to the Boiling Rock, even if these men had been brought for the purpose of regrouping the war captives collected over the years. He looked unusually restrained, however; it was likely due to the fact that the Fire Lord himself was overlooking the release of the prisoners.
"Prisoners -- former prisoners," the Warden corrected himself. "As you have been informed, you are all to be released within the next week. You will be escorted to your capitol, Ba Sing Se, where each of you will then be relocated.
Your belongings will be on the ship, your main method of transportation. There will be an attendant for every five of you -- whom the groups will consist of is up to your discretion. You have a few minutes to choose who you will be staying with for the duration of the movement." With that said, the Warden took a step back and returned to the corner he'd been favoring. It was clear he wanted everything to be over with and had chosen to deal with the circumstances until then.
Zuko watched on. The young man made several eye contacts, followed by either a nod or a shake of his head. He said little, only confirming who his main traveling partners would be with a simple "yeah" or "all right" occasionally. He was rather loud.
Before the Warden returned to give the last of his instructions (and pointedly ignoring the man for past complications), Zuko curtly left the prison he'd once inhabited himself. As he trudged down the walkway to the gondola, memories of his escapade with Sokka flashed by. They continued to come to him as he entered the gondola, ignoring the rough shake of the carrier before it abruptly started moving up. It had seemed so long ago since he'd left to join Aang as his firebending instructor. So long ago since he had been nothing more than a traitorous prince. So long ago since he had left with people he could now consider to be friends.
He could hear the Warden's booming voice trailing off as the gondola neared shore.
" . . . your escorts will be on board and ready to fill all of you in . . . "
That Earth Kingdom prisoner hadn't noticed him stealing glances. Zuko planned to change that. What he felt was no ordinary nostalgia and he planned to look into it.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Please, Mai," he pleaded. "I need you to look over the nation for a little while."
His lover merely shrugged, eying him from the edge of the couch. "You've left me with your responsibilities before. This time wouldn't be any different."
She had a point. He had indeed gone on several trips ever since his crowning, more often than not leaving Mai to tend to his duties until he returned. She had been very cooperative and reliable, and it only made him feel more guilty for having her do a good portion of his work again. Still, it was essential that he make the trip he had in mind, and she was the always ready fill-in. She scarcely complained unless an important meeting or event would be taking place during his absence. But, of course, she did have her share of brutal comments on the work she preferred to not do.
"So are you willing to?"
"Why not? I'm not fond of the work that comes with it, but it'll give me something to do." Though she turned away with those words, she could sense his relief and gratitude. She smiled. "Just don't keep me hanging for over a month."
"I won't," he said. Moving closer to the girl across him, he sat as she draped her arms around his shoulders, folding around his neck in an embrace. "Thanks, Mai."
Before he could leave the chamber, she stopped him. "What exactly are you planning on doing that requires you to leave indefinitely?" Her tone was of genuine curiosity, and he saw no harm in telling her. Nevertheless, he decided to keep the major points out of his answer for the sake of leaving things generalized.
"I'm going to be visiting the Earth Kingdom. It won't be for long." Upon further contemplation, he quickly added: "No one should know." At least, a majority of the people in the nation should not be informed. A short trip required no attention.
Mai knew better than to question him any further. In the years she'd gotten to know him, she had learn that he was the type that was impossible to crack for more information than he deemed necessary. He was, in a way, strikingly secretive when he wanted to be. For now she would let him go and do as he pleased, and she'd tend to his daily duties. It was nothing she was unfamiliar with, after all -- her father had been a governor, her uncle the Boiling Rock's warden. She was well-versed in politics and this was simply additional management on her part. Nor Zuko was the sort to shirk his work: He would manage his borrowed time wisely.
"Whatever you say." And it was then he was allowed to take leave to prepare for his departure.
- - - - - - - - - -
He was back in his typical Earth Kingdom attire. The mix of brown and green had always complemented each other surprisingly well when he put them on. Pulling the top article of clothing over his shoulders and securing it, he tucked the pearl-handed dagger within the folds of the layer of clothing beneath. With the way he'd placed it, pressed against his chest, it would stay in place without any chances of it falling out. That was all he brought with him, coupled with the clothes on his back. He chose to leave everything else behind to have little burdening him and to avoid arousing suspicion.
Leaving the place was no feat. Sticking close to the walls and keeping still whenever a servant passed by, Zuko was able to slip out of the palace without so much as breaking a sweat. It was as though the people there lacked peripheral vision. Once he was out in the open, he used the shades formed by the surrounding walls to keep under cover. An Earth Kingdom citizen would be too easy to pick out in a crowd of Fire Nation civilians. Blending in was useless in this part of the capitol.
The trip to the harbor was a relatively short one. It had purposely been built neither too far nor close to the palace for convenience and security. Surely enough, the ship that would be used to pick up the war prisoners from their temporary stay in the Boiling Rock was docked at the front. There were guards on watch, only allowing those with identification to walk up the ramp. As he predicted, the authorized figures were the escorts -- and luckily, there was a mix of Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation natives. The former were most likely volunteers from their kingdom.
With the knowledge that the soldiers would immediately recognize him the moment they laid eyes on his scar, Zuko advanced. While passing an Earth Kingdom escort fumbling with his pack, a portly man by all means, he plucked a green pass from his side. The man failed to notice. And another stroke of luck: The cards were solely passes. There was neither a written name nor a portrait to identify the holder by.
The security was shameful, he noted with a grimace.
Picking up a casual pace he approached the ramp and the guards with his gaze to the floor. The guards were aligned on the right side of the pathway, effectively blocking out the view of his left side. Keeping his head down would further shade it, courtesy of his hair.
"Pass," the guard grunted. Zuko held up the card he'd taken from the man who now came trudging behind him, seemingly oblivious of having been robbed.
As he was allowed entrance without so much as a second glance, his victim finally noticed the lack of a pass and began to provide absurd excuses. In a span of six seconds, he was moved away by the other guards. The Fire Lord only continued on into the ship, ignoring the commotion. He would make it up later, if at all possible.
Once he was on the ship's deck (the ship was designed much like the ferry he had ridden as a refugee months back, overall), he immediately blended in. He didn't even have to try. There was a handful of escorts scattered across the deck, chatting away or favoring a spot to spend the time in solitude. Zuko was one such individual and stuck to a corner beneath a shade. Even if anyone did see his scar, no one would suspect him of being the Fire Lord. Not many had recognized him of being a prince back in the days, at any rate, and the rumors of his general banishment had been far more popular than those concerning his physical features.
"Ya excited?" said a voice, jolting the firebender from his train of thought as he glanced up at a middle-aged man, presumably from the Earth Kingdom. "We're gonna be bringing our men home."
He merely sat there with his arms crossed, his response flat. "So we are."
"That Warden said whichever group we greet first will be ours to guide. Have any types you plan on seeking out?" When the escort received no reply, he let out a laugh. "'course, you don't have ta tell if you don't want to." Another game of silent treatment and the man was on his merry way, leaving Zuko to plan out his next move -- to ensure that he would lead the group he desired.
The image of a young Earth Kingdom man flashed through his mind. He clenched his fists. He had to know.
A shout sounded through the deck and the ship jerked, signaling its departure. Zuko kept his gaze glued to the deck, not looking up once to watch the palace grow smaller as the ship navigated for the Boiling Rock. There was a twist in his stomach, and the seeds of anxiety were growing within. He'd have to get this matter settled before it made him commit repulsive acts he would regret later. He was prone to being impulsive when his emotions would start getting the better of him. And they always did.
Chapter II »
Characters: Zuko, other minor appearances
Disclaimer: Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Title: Guidance (Chapter I)
Rating: PG
Genre: General, family
Summary: While overseeing an operation to free the war prisoners, Zuko's gaze falls upon a familiar yet unrecognizable face -- the face of a man whose brother he'd saved in the Earth Kingdom. Zuko plans to meet him as an Earth Kingdom escort under another name.
He looked familiar. And Zuko was not one to forget faces. There was a certain glint in the man's eyes, combined with the way he carried himself that was strangely nostalgic. He only felt it was appropriate to know the stranger's name. Alas, he did not, nor did he have any guesses as to what it was. When he failed to pinpoint the source of familiarity, he resolved to find out through other means.
Turning to a stationary guard, he motioned to the growing group of men huddled in the center of the prison yard. "These are the Earth Kingdom war captives," he stated, receiving an affirmative nod in response.
"Yes, Your Highness. They are to be moved to Ba Sing Se, where they will be relocated accordingly to their respective lands."
He paused. "When?"
"In a week, Your Majesty."
After dismissing the soldier, Zuko turned his attention back to the man who'd caught his attention. He identified him with ease at the front row of the assembled men, his posture stiff yet impossibly casual. (The captives were wearing the prison garb, and spotting one individual would have normally proven difficult.) He was a typical Earth Kingdom citizen -- shaggy dark brown hair, droopy eyes, and relatively tan skin. But there was something else the Fire Lord could not place that nagged at his conscience, urging him to remember something he had no memory of. It was highly irritating and he planned to be rid of the feeling, soon.
He watched the Warden approach the men from the other side of the plaza, a faint look of disdain evident in his features. Mei's uncle was obviously against the pardon of any "criminals" that were sent to the Boiling Rock, even if these men had been brought for the purpose of regrouping the war captives collected over the years. He looked unusually restrained, however; it was likely due to the fact that the Fire Lord himself was overlooking the release of the prisoners.
"Prisoners -- former prisoners," the Warden corrected himself. "As you have been informed, you are all to be released within the next week. You will be escorted to your capitol, Ba Sing Se, where each of you will then be relocated.
Your belongings will be on the ship, your main method of transportation. There will be an attendant for every five of you -- whom the groups will consist of is up to your discretion. You have a few minutes to choose who you will be staying with for the duration of the movement." With that said, the Warden took a step back and returned to the corner he'd been favoring. It was clear he wanted everything to be over with and had chosen to deal with the circumstances until then.
Zuko watched on. The young man made several eye contacts, followed by either a nod or a shake of his head. He said little, only confirming who his main traveling partners would be with a simple "yeah" or "all right" occasionally. He was rather loud.
Before the Warden returned to give the last of his instructions (and pointedly ignoring the man for past complications), Zuko curtly left the prison he'd once inhabited himself. As he trudged down the walkway to the gondola, memories of his escapade with Sokka flashed by. They continued to come to him as he entered the gondola, ignoring the rough shake of the carrier before it abruptly started moving up. It had seemed so long ago since he'd left to join Aang as his firebending instructor. So long ago since he had been nothing more than a traitorous prince. So long ago since he had left with people he could now consider to be friends.
He could hear the Warden's booming voice trailing off as the gondola neared shore.
" . . . your escorts will be on board and ready to fill all of you in . . . "
That Earth Kingdom prisoner hadn't noticed him stealing glances. Zuko planned to change that. What he felt was no ordinary nostalgia and he planned to look into it.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Please, Mai," he pleaded. "I need you to look over the nation for a little while."
His lover merely shrugged, eying him from the edge of the couch. "You've left me with your responsibilities before. This time wouldn't be any different."
She had a point. He had indeed gone on several trips ever since his crowning, more often than not leaving Mai to tend to his duties until he returned. She had been very cooperative and reliable, and it only made him feel more guilty for having her do a good portion of his work again. Still, it was essential that he make the trip he had in mind, and she was the always ready fill-in. She scarcely complained unless an important meeting or event would be taking place during his absence. But, of course, she did have her share of brutal comments on the work she preferred to not do.
"So are you willing to?"
"Why not? I'm not fond of the work that comes with it, but it'll give me something to do." Though she turned away with those words, she could sense his relief and gratitude. She smiled. "Just don't keep me hanging for over a month."
"I won't," he said. Moving closer to the girl across him, he sat as she draped her arms around his shoulders, folding around his neck in an embrace. "Thanks, Mai."
Before he could leave the chamber, she stopped him. "What exactly are you planning on doing that requires you to leave indefinitely?" Her tone was of genuine curiosity, and he saw no harm in telling her. Nevertheless, he decided to keep the major points out of his answer for the sake of leaving things generalized.
"I'm going to be visiting the Earth Kingdom. It won't be for long." Upon further contemplation, he quickly added: "No one should know." At least, a majority of the people in the nation should not be informed. A short trip required no attention.
Mai knew better than to question him any further. In the years she'd gotten to know him, she had learn that he was the type that was impossible to crack for more information than he deemed necessary. He was, in a way, strikingly secretive when he wanted to be. For now she would let him go and do as he pleased, and she'd tend to his daily duties. It was nothing she was unfamiliar with, after all -- her father had been a governor, her uncle the Boiling Rock's warden. She was well-versed in politics and this was simply additional management on her part. Nor Zuko was the sort to shirk his work: He would manage his borrowed time wisely.
"Whatever you say." And it was then he was allowed to take leave to prepare for his departure.
- - - - - - - - - -
He was back in his typical Earth Kingdom attire. The mix of brown and green had always complemented each other surprisingly well when he put them on. Pulling the top article of clothing over his shoulders and securing it, he tucked the pearl-handed dagger within the folds of the layer of clothing beneath. With the way he'd placed it, pressed against his chest, it would stay in place without any chances of it falling out. That was all he brought with him, coupled with the clothes on his back. He chose to leave everything else behind to have little burdening him and to avoid arousing suspicion.
Leaving the place was no feat. Sticking close to the walls and keeping still whenever a servant passed by, Zuko was able to slip out of the palace without so much as breaking a sweat. It was as though the people there lacked peripheral vision. Once he was out in the open, he used the shades formed by the surrounding walls to keep under cover. An Earth Kingdom citizen would be too easy to pick out in a crowd of Fire Nation civilians. Blending in was useless in this part of the capitol.
The trip to the harbor was a relatively short one. It had purposely been built neither too far nor close to the palace for convenience and security. Surely enough, the ship that would be used to pick up the war prisoners from their temporary stay in the Boiling Rock was docked at the front. There were guards on watch, only allowing those with identification to walk up the ramp. As he predicted, the authorized figures were the escorts -- and luckily, there was a mix of Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation natives. The former were most likely volunteers from their kingdom.
With the knowledge that the soldiers would immediately recognize him the moment they laid eyes on his scar, Zuko advanced. While passing an Earth Kingdom escort fumbling with his pack, a portly man by all means, he plucked a green pass from his side. The man failed to notice. And another stroke of luck: The cards were solely passes. There was neither a written name nor a portrait to identify the holder by.
The security was shameful, he noted with a grimace.
Picking up a casual pace he approached the ramp and the guards with his gaze to the floor. The guards were aligned on the right side of the pathway, effectively blocking out the view of his left side. Keeping his head down would further shade it, courtesy of his hair.
"Pass," the guard grunted. Zuko held up the card he'd taken from the man who now came trudging behind him, seemingly oblivious of having been robbed.
As he was allowed entrance without so much as a second glance, his victim finally noticed the lack of a pass and began to provide absurd excuses. In a span of six seconds, he was moved away by the other guards. The Fire Lord only continued on into the ship, ignoring the commotion. He would make it up later, if at all possible.
Once he was on the ship's deck (the ship was designed much like the ferry he had ridden as a refugee months back, overall), he immediately blended in. He didn't even have to try. There was a handful of escorts scattered across the deck, chatting away or favoring a spot to spend the time in solitude. Zuko was one such individual and stuck to a corner beneath a shade. Even if anyone did see his scar, no one would suspect him of being the Fire Lord. Not many had recognized him of being a prince back in the days, at any rate, and the rumors of his general banishment had been far more popular than those concerning his physical features.
"Ya excited?" said a voice, jolting the firebender from his train of thought as he glanced up at a middle-aged man, presumably from the Earth Kingdom. "We're gonna be bringing our men home."
He merely sat there with his arms crossed, his response flat. "So we are."
"That Warden said whichever group we greet first will be ours to guide. Have any types you plan on seeking out?" When the escort received no reply, he let out a laugh. "'course, you don't have ta tell if you don't want to." Another game of silent treatment and the man was on his merry way, leaving Zuko to plan out his next move -- to ensure that he would lead the group he desired.
The image of a young Earth Kingdom man flashed through his mind. He clenched his fists. He had to know.
A shout sounded through the deck and the ship jerked, signaling its departure. Zuko kept his gaze glued to the deck, not looking up once to watch the palace grow smaller as the ship navigated for the Boiling Rock. There was a twist in his stomach, and the seeds of anxiety were growing within. He'd have to get this matter settled before it made him commit repulsive acts he would regret later. He was prone to being impulsive when his emotions would start getting the better of him. And they always did.
Chapter II »