Wild At Heart (Zuko)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

An Earth Kingdom ferry port is the next stop for Zuko, Kali, and Iroh. They need to catch a ferry to Ba Sing Se and this is the only port that is not watched by the Fire Nation. It means that it is their only route. Zuko's eyes are on a cruel-looking Earth kingdom woman that stands at a podium, stamping papers of the refugees seeking their own journey to Ba Sing Se. Zuko pulls Kali closer to him, his arm around her waist as they wait their turn to be seen. Iroh stands in front of them with their passports in hand, ready to go. Each of them is hoping that this is going to work.

"No animals allowed" The woman at the podium scolds the refugee. A guard takes the cat from the refugee and he stares after it as they take it away from him. He lets out a breath and nods. Accepting it. Kali looks down at Bing, worried that he's not going to be able to go with them. She looks at Zuko who seems to sense what is bothering her. But he doesn't know how to help here. He rubs her back, trying to comfort her. To reassure her. Iroh glances back at them both and Zuko gives him a look.

"Bing" He voices.

"Trust me" Iroh comments, Kali nods, she does. More than anyone. The woman stamps a paper and hands it down to the refugee waiting, taking it he bows his head and scampers away.

"Next!" Iroh moves forward to the podium.

"Four tickets for the ferry to Ba Sing Se, please," Iroh asks the woman there.

"Four?" Kali asks Zuko who shrugs a little as they move closer to join him.

"Passport" Iroh hands over their Lotus given passports. "There are only three passports here" The woman argues.

"Yes, but my nephew and his wife" Iroh starts. Zuko clenches his jaw, trying not to send a glare at his uncle. "Just had a baby, and those under six months...." Kali looks down at the sling across her chest and then at Zuko. Iroh is making out that Bing is a baby and right now, he can be easily hidden.

"Very well" The woman states and stamps the papers before handing them down to Iroh who then walks away with Zuko and Kali.

"How did you know that was going to work?" Zuko asks his uncle.

"Even the Fire Nation doesn't demand papers for those under six months old" Iroh counters and shrugs. "Took a chance..." Zuko lets out a breath and reaches down for Kali's hand, threading his fingers together. She lets out a relieved breath that she can keep Bing with her. She's already attached to the creature. He was a gift, from someone she has come to care about. Just like the flower that is now living inside of the book Zuko has been using to teach her to read. These two men have shown her more kindness than anyone has ever shown her. She squeezes Zuko's hand and looks down at her, silently asking if she's okay. But she is. She is more than okay.

.........

On the ship, Iroh and Zuko find space at the railing, the two of them stand together, looking out over the water. Kali sits behind them with a few small children who fuss and coo over Bing and Kali's kind nature. Children seemingly flock to her as she tells them stories to keep their minds occupied and off their hunger and their pain.

"Who would have thought, after all these years, I'd return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace...as a tourist" Iroh comments solemnly as he pulls on a flowered straw hat and then smiles at Zuko at this side.

"Look around, we're not tourists, we're refugees" Zuko argues and then takes a sip from the wooden bowl in his hand. "Ugh!" He spits the contents from his mouth and over the railing. "I'm sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt... I'm tired of living like this" He glances over at Kali, who seems to take all of this in stride. But he hates that she's living like this too when she should be treated with reverence for who she is and what she is.

"Aren't we all?" A figure close by agrees with Zuko, wearing a sly grin. "My name's Jet and these are my freedom fighters, Smellerbee, and Longshot" Jet steps out toward the rail, his companions behind him.

"Hey" Smellerbee greets as Longshot nods a greeting.

"Hello" Zuko comments, flatly, turning back to look out over the water.

"Here's the deal" Jet starts as he moves closer to Zuko. "I hear the Captain's eating like a king, while us refugees have to feed off his scraps. Doesn't seem fair, does it?"

"What sort of "king" is he eating like?" Iroh inquires.

"The fat, happy kind" Jet answers, Iroh's mouth gapes open, drooling. "You want to help us 'liberate' some food?" Zuko stares down at his bowl of gruel, then gives Kali another glance, considering a moment before hurling the bowl out over the rail.

"I'm in" Zuko offers as he turns to Jet.

"Zuko" Kali whispers, moving to him, she's not sure about this. He turns to her when she touches his arm, a small frown on her face. She doesn't trust this person. This Jet person. "I can feed them, you don't need to do this" She reminds him, he shakes his head. She can't hide her bending here. There are no trees, no bushes, nowhere for her to have gotten fruits and berries and nuts from. He touches her cheek as she peers up at him. He knows she wants to help them. That she can help them. But it's too much risk for her. He leans down and kisses her forehead before pulling back.