┊𝑰𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆┊

chapter 30

"Do you know of any ships going to the Kungi Mountains?"

"You mean them mountains where all them Air people lived?"

"Um, yeah."

"Nope! But for a small fee, I could take ya up there myself in my fishin' boat."

Zuko felt around in his pockets for any money and came up with two copper pieces. "This is all I have."

"Then I suggest ya find yerself a job and make a little more before I leave this afternoon."

Zuko grumbled something under his breath and walked away. He didn't have time to work for money, he needed to leave now. If his uncle were there, he would try to make him perform for money, but there was no way he was lowering himself to that. He walked between shops and behind buildings until he got back into the woods behind the town. He felt around for his mask and slid it over his face. He was glad it hadn't gotten lost when he fell into the ravine, even more glad he survived it period.

"I guess it's time for the Blue Spirit to make a little money," he whispered to himself. "I'm sorry, Uncle."

He snuck back down into the town and crept along the rooftops until he spotted a man in fine silk robes. He was stuck-up and rude to anyone who talked to him and Zuko decided he was the perfect target. He watched and waited for the man to pull out his money pouch to pay for some useless piece of junk statue, then he jumped down with his swords drawn. It scared the man so badly that he dropped the money and ran. Zuko quickly picked up the bag and jumped back up on the roof and disappeared into the woods before anyone knew what happened.

Well, that was easy, he thought. He hid the mask again and waited a few minutes before taking the main road back into town. He stuck the money pouch inside his robes and decided he was going to need a few supplies before he left. He was positive they didn't exactly have a fully stocked kitchen at the temple. The clothes he'd bought in Ba Sing Sei should still be packed up on Appa, that is if Aang even got them, so hopefully he didn't have to worry about that. He stopped at a nearby food stand and stocked up. He wasn't sure if he should get fruits or not because it was summer and they might be in great supply up there.

"Ya got yer money already, boy?"

"I borrowed some from an old friend in this area," Zuko replied casually, handing the old man a couple silver pieces. "Will that do?"

"That'll do just fine, thank ya. Ya ready to go? The sooner we leave, the better, eh?" The old man laughed, but Zuko didn't find the joke in it and kept a straight face. "Alright, boy. Let's head out." Zuko nodded and boarded the rickety old boat with the man. "By the way, what's yer name?"

"Just call me Li."

"We should be reaching the end of this peninsula today," Alec said from atop Appa's head. "Probably this evening, then Appa will have to fly us over the ocean to the mountains."

"Good, I was starting to get bored with the same scenery for the past week or so," Mai grumbled.

"It hasn't really been the same," Alec started. "There are no more trees now and we can kind of see the ocean way over there." He pointed off to the side and you could catch a glimpse of blue if you looked hard enough. The peninsula was getting smaller, meaning they were almost at the end.