Chapter 5

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You were training with Zuko, dodging his attacks and sending some back towards him effortlessly. You had a smirk on your face and held a sense of pride for Zuko for getting stronger and getting closer to beating you. He was about to send another attack your way when the ship seemed to have taken a sharp turn causing you and Zuko to stumble and nearly come off the side of the ship. "What the?" You trailed.

"Someone decided to change our course..." Zuko growled and stormed off to find out. You following hot in his tracks in case it turned into an all out battle knowing Zuko. "What's the meaning of this?! No one told you to change courses!" He scolded the captain. You looked to your right and saw Iroh looking puzzled at his Pai Sho board.

"Actually someone did." The old man spoke. You raised a brow at this but didn't really care which direction you went in if you were honest. "I can assure you it is of utmost importance, Prince Zuko." He went on to stroke his beard. His eyes scanning the table once again.

"Does it have something to do with the Avatar?!" Zuko asked eagerly. You chuckled.

"With all due respect. Knowing Iroh, I don't think so. Besides I wouldn't mind a break from the sea." You spoke. Zuko shot you a look before Iroh spoke once again.

"She's right. This is something much more urgent. It seems I lost my Lotus piece." You deadpanned at his words. But then again, if it allowed you to walk on land and take a break, you didn't care too much.

"Lotus piece?" Zuko questioned. For once not looking pissed off.

"It's for my Pai Sho game. Most people think that the Lotus tile isn't important. But it is essential for the unusual strategy that I employ." And just like that, Zuko was back to his usual pissy self.

"You changed our course for a stupid Lotus tile?" He grumbled.

"And this is my que to leave..." You muttered and dismissed yourself from the conversation. Not wanting to deal with another one of Zuko's tantrums. You made way to the deck and looked out at the water and became memorized by the waves. You decided you'd take this moment to practice the different movements of the different elements on the ship. Starting with the element after fire in terms of the Avatar cycle. You did the fluid and very light movements of air bending, just from watching Aang fight, then moved on to the water movements which felt more elegant and flowy. And while you were practicing, you felt a pair of eyes on you but chose to ignore it. You then moved into the strong Earth bending movements and then back to fire. You then repeated the cycle but used your fire bending along with the movements this time.

~~~

The ship finally docked in a village. You stopped and turned to Zuko and Iroh who were making their way off the ship and you soon followed along with them to see if there were anything you may have wanted. The three of you investigated shop after shop and didn't find the thing Iroh was looking for and in the mean time, Zuko looked more and more ticked off in the moment. You chuckled and elbows his side grabbing his attention. "Come on. Lighten up a little. It could have been much worse, ya know." You teased light heartedly. He simply rolled his Amber eyes.

"What could be worse than losing my honor and having the one thing regain it slip through my fingers?" He growled  giving you a harsh glare which made your smile fall and your body tense up. You stopped in your tracks and Zuko continued on following Iroh. You frowned and eventually lagged behind the two of them.

"I've checked all the shops on this Pier. Not a Lotus tile to be found." Iroh huffed with a pout after stopping in his tracks. Zuko stood beside him with arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"Good to know that this entire trip was a waste of time for everyone!" Zuko shouted, practically in Iroh's face.

"Quite the contrary. I always say, the only thing finding something you are looking for-" he paused a moment as a guard walked by with his arms full of random bits and bobs. "Is finding something you weren't looking for at a great deal!" A two more guards walked by. One with a Tsungi horn. Zuko raised his brow at this.

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