TOMOKO - burning gold. (atla)

t e n | KYOSHI ISLAND

now

SIX DAYS HAD PASSED SINCE Zuko's showdown with Zhao, and the the group had been lucky that the repairs had been done in efficient fashion.

Zuko sat in the candle light of his room, his face scrunched in concentration. The smell of sage burning wafted through the air as he focused on finding the calm ocean in his calamity of thoughts.

The metal screech of his door opening interrupted his concentration, and he irritably grumbled to the intruder.

"The only reason you should be interrupting me is if you have news of the Avatar."

"So I need to make an appointment with you now?" A curious voice asked.

Zuko didn't turn to face her but his eyes widened in surprise at who had opened his door. He felt his chest flutter before closing his eyes again.

"I didn't think it was you." He replied softly.

Tomoko gave a face of mock hurt, putting her hand over her heart. "Ouch, I'm hurt Zuko." 

The Prince shook his head slightly in annoyance. "What is it you need, Oko? I'm busy." He said lowly.

Tomoko gave a dramatic cough. "Jeez, how can you breath in here? You can smell the amount of sage in here from the conductor's tower." She avoided his question.

Zuko gave a small scoff. "Enough, Tomoko. Why are you here?" He repeated sternly.

Tomoko sighed lightly before shaking her head. "Uncle sent me to give you news."

"About what?"

"The Avatar."

Zuko's eyes shot open and they peered to his right where she stood, urging her to continue.

"What?" He demanded.

"It's not good news. You won't like it." She replied.

Zuko scoffed and shook his head in dismissal, repositioning his weight. "Whatever it is, Oko, I can take it."

Tomoko rolled her eyes, knowing that he would not, in fact, take this news well. The reason she had been sent in as the messenger  is because the crew was confident that Zuko wouldn't kill her, and Iroh thought that her presence would be the least likely to set him off. Regardless, Tomoko still knew that the tempered Prince would have a fit once he hears what she has to say.

"We lost his trail." She stated. She could immediately feel the temperature change as she saw Zuko's head whip around to her. "We have no idea where he is. The Captain isn't sure where he disappeared to." She explained.

"What?!" Zuko shouted in disbelief. The candles that burned in front of him blazed fiercely as the flames licked the ceiling and Tomoko had to shield her eyes from the blinding light.

Zuko's robes flared as he stood in anger. "How could they let this happen?!"

"I don't know. His movements seem erratic. He goes from place to place quickly and leaves in a hurry. We can't pin him down." Tomoko relayed to him.

Zuko eyed the small map in her grasp. "Let me see the map." He gestured to her and she handed it to him.

"We have reports of multiple sightings of him heading north, but they're not all water tight." She told him.

Zuko's eyes darted over the map and over the dots and lines that tracked the Avatar's movements.

"How am I gonna find him, Oko?" He asked softly. "He is clearly a master of evasive maneuvering."