An Innocent Spark [Zukka]

Chapter 12: To Right a Wrong

Zuko tried knocking on Sokka's door but there was no answer. Their boat hadn't left yet so he knew they were still there, but the silence was proof enough that he had messed everything up.

After a few more tries to get Sokka to open the door he walked away in defeat. Maybe his father was right. Maybe he was a failure. Maybe he would have been better off staying in Ba Sing Se with his uncle and working at his tea shop. His uncle had given up on the Jasmine Dragon after Zuko had been crowned fire lord. He said it was his responsibility to be there for him while he learned how to rule, but Zuko still felt awful his uncle gave up his dream because of him.

Zuko abruptly changed directions and made his way across the palace to the wing near the turtle duck pond. He arrived at a beautiful wooden door decorated with art from all the nations and knocked lightly on it.

"Come in," came the comforting voice of his uncle. He opened the door and closed it softly behind him.

"Ah nephew what brings you here on this fine day?" his uncle asked with a smile on his face and a hot cup of tea in his hand.

"Uncle, I've messed everything up again," he said solemnly. His uncle motioned for him to take a seat across from him and poured another cup of tea.

"Jasmine," he said handing the cup to Zuko, "I know it's your favorite, and it will calm the mind."

"Thank you uncle," Zuko said and took a sip, already feeling a little better than he did when he walked in.

"Now, why do you think you have messed everything up?" his uncle asked. He always seemed so undisturbed by anything Zuko told him no matter how unsettling it was.

"Well, as you know Sokka and Katara are here visiting," he said while taking another sip of his tea. "They got news of an attack on the southern water tribe, and a fire nation soldier was involved."

His uncle sipped his tea and nodded slowly in contemplation but did not say anything.

"The southern water tribe believes there may be traitors within the Fire Nation who are trying to sew chaos across the nations, but I don't know what to believe," Zuko sighed and set his cup down. "Sokka offered to stay here and help me figure out what is going on, but I may have snapped at him and made it seem like I didn't want him here."

"Hm, that is quite a problem you have made for yourself," Iroh nodded. "Do you want him here?"

"Of course I do uncle, that's why I came to you," Zuko said with a bit too much passion.

"Well then why don't you go talk to him?" his uncle asked and stood up and walked to the door.

"I tried but he wouldn't open the door," Zuko said slightly irritated his uncle thought he hadn't tried that yet. He felt like he was wasting his time with all of this.

"Why don't you try again?" his uncle said and opened the door indicating to Zuko it was time for him to figure this out on his own.

"Okay," Zuko got up and walked out, "but if he doesn't answer again what should I do?"

To that his uncle took a deep breath and replied, "That is for you to figure out my young nephew. The world is a confusing place, and I will not always be here to give you the answers. You have to find your own way in this matter."

Zuko was annoyed but he knew his uncle was right. He had to start figuring things out on his own if he wanted to have any hope of remaining fire lord and keeping his friends at the same time.

He bowed to his uncle and started walking towards Sokka's room, but something compelled him to start running instead.

When he got there, he saw the door hanging open. A maid was inside making the bed and he asked loudly, "Where did he go?"

The maid jumped and turned towards him. "I don't know your majesty; I assume he went to the port."

Zuko took off, storming out of the palace and running towards the gates. His chauffer asked if he wanted a ride, but he kept running. He ran through the market and past the street vendors, through the groups of kids playing fire tag and past the warehouses and to the dock.

He saw his friends unloading their luggage from a carriage and he sped towards them. Katara saw him and a look of shock spread across her face.

"Wait!" Zuko shouted as he got close enough to be heard. This caused Sokka to look up, first in surprise, and then in anger.

"What do you want?" Sokka asked, the anger in his voice sending chills down Zuko's spine.

"I want you to stay," Zuko said between deep breaths. He hadn't run that far and that fast in months and he hadn't been working out as much as he used to.

"I want you to stay here and help me figure out this whole mess," he said with desperation in his voice. Over the past week he realized how lost he was without his friends and he couldn't lose Sokka, not over a stupid thing like this.

"So you just want me here to do your dirty work for you huh?" Sokka crossed his arms and glared at the out of breath fire lord.

"No that's not what I mean, I..." Sokka cut Zuko off with a punch to the arm. "I know, I'm just messing with you."

Zuko let out a sigh of relief as the Sokka he knew was back as quickly as he had left. He really thought he had ruined things between them for a moment.

"I'll stay under one condition," Sokka said with a grin. Zuko raised an eyebrow, suspicious of what that condition was. "And what might that be?"

"I get meals prepared specially for me with none of your fire nation spices or hot sauces," his friend said and acted disgusted by the thought of the spicy food Zuko adored.

"It's a deal," Zuko said and smiled. The two of them said their goodbyes to Katara and wished her a safe trip. They made her promise them to let them know if anything else happened while she was down there.

As the ship pulled away the two boys loaded Sokka's luggage in the carriage and got in. The ride back was a relief to Zuko who had thoroughly exhausted himself running halfway across the city in record time.

"We've got a lot of work to do," Zuko said to break the awkward silence that had formed.

"Good thing one of us is used to hard work," Sokka said and flexed his muscles.

Zuko blushed slightly and laughed at his dumb friend. He was glad out of all his friends he would be taking on this difficult task with Sokka. The road ahead was going to be rocky, but at least he had his friend by his side.

The carriage rolled up the bumpy stone road and the two friends gazed out the window, admiring the lively city filled with people all trying to figure out their own lives in this messy world.