Emptyness is inflammation (zuko/oc fic)

The past and the future

( Authors note: Hi there, this story follows the journey of Rie(oc above) and Zuko. POV will be changing, Enjoy!)

(The boy in the iceberg)

A cold breeze waves upon the large metal ship as Zuko stands still watching over the horizon. He had been looking for the avatar in desperation, but he was yet to be found. 

As large glaciers pass by him, hopelessness slowly starts to work its way into his system. The view is silent and serene, as the- The sound of falling metal breaks his train of thought as he quickly looks over his shoulder, angered at the person who'd bothered him. 

He faces the large uncomfortable smile of his comrade, and his oldest friend, Rie(Ree-ay). "I'm sorry, I was just going to count all our spearheads because I'm bored, and we haven't done anything in the last month." She says, with a slightly sarcastic tone. Zuko's anger slowly builds as she slowly sits down and throws every spearhead she counts to the other side of the deck, loud clanging noises included. Iroh, sitting at his small Pai Sho table, softly chuckles.

 ''Ten... Eleven... Twelve... Thir-" ENOUGH! CANT YOU DO ANYTHING USEFUL?" Zuko snaps. " I could.. Also count every helmet we own?' she questions, slowly heading toward the door. "TAKE THE SPEARHEADS DOWNSTAIRS AND STAY THERE" He yells, "You're looking like a spearhead yourself!" she snaps back. "I'm not bald!" He insists. "As you say, Prince Zucchini." She grins. "AND DON'T CALL ME THA-" 

Zuko turns to see a large shaft of white light  as it shoots into the sky, "Finally." He sighs. "Uncle, do you realize what this means?'' He asks, "I won't get to finish my game?" Iroh replies. " That light came from an incredibly powerful source, it has to be him!"

"Or it's just the celestial lights?" Rie chimes in. "We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea'' Iroh pleads.

"I DON'T WANT ANY CALMING TEA!" Zuko sneers angrily. "I need to capture the Avatar. Helmsman, head a course for the light!" He continues.

Rie shares a look with Iroh as they start moving toward the source of the light.

In a span of several hours, Iroh had no success in teaching Zuko the sequence that he had been practicing for a while. "No! Power in firebending comes from the breath. Not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire."

Iroh demonstrates, shooting a plume of fire toward him, just close enough for Zuko to feel the heat. 

 "Enough. I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready." Zuko insists.

"No, you are impatient. You have yet to master your basics.  Drill it again!" Iroh says.

Zuko growls as he shoots fire at one of the guards, throwing him to the ground. "The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last Airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the four elements. I'll need more than basic firebending to defeat him. You WILL teach me the advanced set!" He says, now facing Iroh closely, but Iroh is not intimidated.

"Iroh, let me take over. You seem tired" Rie's soft voice appears from below deck as she walks toward them. "Good, now I can finish my Roast duck," Iroh says relieved, heading back to his small table.

"Will you teach me something I can fight the Avatar with?" Zuko asks. "I will, but first I need you to take three deep breaths." She says calmly. Zuko slowly calms down again as he complies.

"When I was at the Northern watertribe, the first place I saw on my journey, I saw how waterbenders were able to use water as a whip. I was welcome to look at a demonstration." "Okay, what does that have to do with firebending?" Zuko asks. "You learn from the other elements to learn your own." She says. She mimics the movements of a waterbender to form a straight line of fire, then raising it up and whipping the side of the deck.

As Zuko tries to follow her lead, he doesn't seem to be able to make a line of fire. "You're too stiff," Rie corrects.

 Zuko can't help but be filled with envy and betrayal, as he is reminded of the moment she left  his side to study the other elements.

(begin flashback) " Rie! I knew you'd come!" Zuko said gladly, his slight smile hurting his freshly burned and covered cheek. " Zuko, I'm sorry, but I HAVE to go on this mission. I cannot insist with your father. You know I can't. The firelord needs me to become a master, so I can be his royal guard." She said sadly. Zuko had known that she never signed up for being a royal guard, and that she was basically being forced on this mission, but it still hurt him that she couldn't magically change plans so she'd be with him.

 "Please Zuko, I'll join you as soon as I'm done!" She promised. "Yeah, right! As if you wouldn't follow my fathers orders blindly to become a royal guard. There's no way he'd let you come with me after you've become a master!" Zuko sneered. 

"Zuko! This was never MY choice!" She said, offended. at his ignorance. "This," Zuko starts, pointing at his fresh burned face, " Also wasn't my choice!" Zuko yelled angrily.

 Rie looks him in the eyes, "Zuko, there will never be a day that I won't be reminded of what your father did, and I will never-ever comply with any of your fathers cruelty's. But if I were to stand against him now, he'd have me killed!" Rie pleads.

 "Go then! Have a nice little trip out there!" Zuko says furiously. His anger slowly building up to a boiling point as he clenched his fists.

Tears hung from Rie's lashes as she stood there, wordless. Zuko hated her right at that moment. Every little positive aspect of her was at that moment gone. 

"Goodbye Zuko," She says softly, as she turns to walk away.

In a whirl of anger, Zuko started to blast fire at her back. He only sees fire, but then through the fire he suddenly saw her hand.  She had seen it coming as she pressed her hand into his face and pushed hard enough to throw him to the ground. Zuko didn't know that tears had started spilling from his eyes as he sat there.

She looked down at him in dissapointment, but did not speak a word as she turned yet again. 

"I HATE YOU" Zuko spat. But it did not seem to matter, she would not look at him as she walked away. But he did not know that the venom he spat had hurt her intensely. - (end flashback)

" Focus, Zuko." Rie says, as he tries again, and again, and again. Zuko growls angrily as he throws firefists onto the steel deck. 

Rie had tried often to teach him what she learned on her journey. But had never been able to.

"You don't trust me, still?" She asks him, with a sad look. " That's not what this is about!" Zuko insists. "Then.. Keep practicing the movements, practice makes perfect.." She sighs. " I'm going to meditate." She says as she leaves the deck.

Later on, Zuko is looking through his telescope, pondering. Suddenly a soft bang is heard in the distance as he sees a flare flying up into the sky.  Then, spotting the avatar escaping from an old Fire Navy ship.

" The last Airbender." He murmurs. "Quite agile for his old age." 

"Wake my uncle and bring Rie! Tell them I found the Avatar..."

As he continues to follow where the Avatar is headed he spots the Southern Watertribe.

"... As well as his hiding place."