The Half of Me | Zuko

Chapter Sixteen: The Waterbending Master

"Are you sure you don't want to go for music night?" Ryoko asks. She stands in the doorway of Zuko's room, leaning on the frame. Zuko huffs with his arms crossed. "I mean I really don't either, Iroh says you can play the sungi horn though." She stifles her laugh as Zuko stares at her incredulously. 

"He already said that to me before, the last three times." Ryoko laughs, holding her stomach while Zuko stares at her, this time with a small smile. 

"Okay, fine. Then I'm not going, it's late anyway. Goodnight." She waves with a grin and walks out towards her own room.

 Ryoko opens the door and sighs, dropping onto the bed and laying down. She looks up at the dark ceiling. She knew this feeling wouldn't last forever. The feeling of pure joy, until something inevitable would come and stomp it out. Ryoko just wanted to let herself enjoy what she had in these moments though as they grew closer to the Avatar. She wanted to enjoy being with Zuko, despite neither of them speaking about entirely what they were, besides best friends who were closer than ever. Ryoko knew there was more to that, they both did. She liked him, she always did.

Heavy footsteps tap through the halls and her head picks up, taken from her imagination. Ryoko's room was not far from Zuko's and the footsteps past her room. 

Iroh walks with Zhao in back of him, he turns his head slightly as they pass Ryoko's room, knowing she was inside. Iroh's eyes glance over at the taller man who also looks to the side at the door but Iroh turns back fast so they can go over to Zuko's room. 

As the door opens, Zuko looks up expecting it to be Ryoko but his expression drops and turns away, crossing his arms against him. "For the last time, I'm not playing the sungi horn," Zuko tells his uncle. Ryoko takes a moment in curiosity and opens up the door to her room, and peeks out seeing the figure of her father. She gasps, shutting the door quickly. Zhao turns his head upon hearing the noise but only sees the door closing with a harsh swing. 

"No it's about our plans. There is a bit of a problem." Iroh steps in, but right behind him was Zhao. 

"I'm taking your crew," Zhao says. Ryoko couldn't hear much from the muffled voices further away. She breathes heavily, not knowing if her father saw her and was already by the door. She puffed out her chest, putting on a brave face and opens the door, seeing the empty hallway.  She doesn't bother to close her door, instead tiptoeing to the voices. 

"What?!"

"I'm recruiting them for a little expedition to the North Pole." 

"Uncle, is that true?" Ryoko stood outside the door, listening in on the three speak. She wasn't sure if she could just barge in on her father now. 

"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone - even the cook." 

Ryoko's mouth drops open, shock setting in. "Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar, but I can't have you getting in my way again." Ryoko hears Zuko yell out loud, as well as Iroh yelling no. She almost rushed in but the silence made her stay. She stopped her father before from capturing the Avatar, how many times would he attempt to capture the boy before he would actually succeed?

Zhao walks over to the wall away from the angry boy, his eyes catching the dual swords that hung there. His eyes widen, memories flooding in of the masked "blue spirit" who took the Avatar. The man who also had help from another masked person, this person not having a name for themself. Ryoko doesn't dare look inside, her own fear keeping her on the other side. She hears a whooshing sound slicing through the air when her father says, "I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko." 

"I'm not," Zuko lamely says, adding on an excuse, "they're antiques. Just decorative." 

"Tell me, did you ever go looking for Ryoko when I sent back her things? It included a long sword, did you get them?" Zhao glances over at Zuko who was visibly angry but never said anything. Zhao knew how to bring up his daughter to get under the skin of the prince. The admiral ignores his own question, taking silence as an answer and continues. "Have you heard of the blue spirit, General Iroh?" Zhao continues to examine the sword from across the room.