(1) Augmentum | Zuko

Chapter Seventeen

Zuko leans in the cell doorway of his ship. Rana had come around not long after they got her back, but after they'd given her her new accommodation. He folds his arms over his chest as he watches her glaring at him from where she is bound to the wall, her arms chained above her, attached to the ceiling. She curls her fingers, wrapping her hands around the chains as her feet barely touch the floor. Her tail swishes angrily behind her.

"I hope you'll find your accommodation to your satisfaction" Zuko offers dryly with little meaning or actual hope. Rana is chained and bounded to the wall. She chuckles and smirks despite how beaten and tired she looks. He momentarily seems surprised before he shakes it off, he turns and leaves, closing and locking the door behind him. She is fine where she is. He'll follow the Avatar. Which will take her back to her pokemon. Which will take her to freedom. She is right where she needs to be.

.....

With her now being locked up, Rana is not exactly expecting visitors. Not unless they want something. So when the door opens, she is surprised, but hides it well. Iroh stands in the doorframe, watching her before he sighs, softening his stance and frame. Trying to come across as non-threatening. But it makes her more cautious. He moves into the cell and to where the catch of her chains are. She watches him, eyes not leaving him. He releases her chains and she drops to her knees with a groan.

"Who are you?" She asks. He moves closer to her.

"Iroh" He offers and helps her up to her feet. She watches him, unsure. "You don't remember me?" Iroh asks, she shakes her head. "Ah, we only met a few times and you were only young..." He waves it off. "Last time I saw you, you had just defaced my father's portrait" He leans closer and smirks. "I thought it was a very nice touch to a rather stern face" She smiles a little and looks down before she frowns. She doesn't remember that. Well, she kind of does. She remembers standing on a boys shoulders, balancing a tray on her head with inks and brushes as she defaced a portrait. But she thought she made it up. That she dreamt it up. That it was nothing. She was a lonely child. Zhao made her feel like it was all made up. That she imagined it all to get through her childhood. But if Iroh knows she did that, it can't be in her head. Which means her 'imaginary' friend, 'Zu', is real too. Which means a lot of things. That her time in the palace was real. The things she got up to. Zu, who would actually be Prince Zuko, as in the person currently holding her. Which is a weird thing to get her head around. To think that he is the one she grew up with as her best friend. That made her laugh. That she thought would be her best friend forever.

"I did that?" She asks him, Iroh nods. She frowns and looks away. She only ever told Zhao about those 'thoughts', those 'imaginations'. He wouldn't have told anyone else, having a daughter with a wild imagination wouldn't have been good for his image. She narrows her eyes at him and steps away. She's not sure now. About any of it.

"You did" Iron voices. "Now, how about some tea?" He asks her and nods for her to follow him. She shakes her head at him. "My nephew doesn't know how to treat our guests" He motions to the door. She's not sure. This could be a trap. This could be a trick. "Please" He adds, she lets out a breath.

.........

Rana is nervous. She has to be. Sitting on an enemy ship. Having tea with a member of Zuko's crew. It's a little surreal. She's not convinced she's not back in her cell fast asleep. That this isn't just some weird dream. Like from a storybook her nanny used to read to her from. She smiles a little thinking about Shakra. It's been a long time since she's seen her, and a while since she thought about her. She knew that thinking about leaving her behind would get to her. Shakra was the mother she always wanted. But she went away before Rana hit sixteen. Now that she thinks about it, she's not sure if Shakra actually left or something terrible happened to her. She looks at Iroh as he sets up his tea set on the table between them. She doesn't feel anything with him. Her whole life she's felt tense and a certain energy from the Fire Nation, that now knows is a warning. But she gets nothing from Iroh. Just as she never got it from Shakra. Weirdly enough, she doesn't get it from Zuko either, which is really strange, considering. She's not sure what that is about. Maybe her instincts are out. Misfiring.

"Jasmine tea" Iroh offers. "My favourite" She hums a little in acknowledgement as he pours it out. "Zuko is no fan of tea and rarely indulges me" The door opens sharply, hitting back against the wall. Rana and Iroh both turn to look at the doorway and Zuko who is standing there, glaring.

"Uncle" Zuko scolds, Iroh looks at him, Zuko motions to Rana sat across from Iroh. "What is she doing out of her cell?"

"Your uncle offered me tea...how could I say no? Just look at that face..." Rana counters with a smirk. Zuko is not amused.

"Put her back," Zuko tells Iroh who gives him a look back.

"Actually, young Rana and I have business to attend to" Iroh argues, Rana and Zuko both give him a confused look.

"We do?" Rana asks him, Iroh hums and nods for her to follow him as he stands and walks away. Rana looks at Zuko who is just as confused as she is.

"Come now, Young One" Iroh shouts of her. She lets out a breath and then shrugs, following after him. Zuko opens his mouth to argue, but his curiosity over this is overriding him. He closes his mouth and follows too.