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Zuko's unconscious body laid flat on the ground, his identity was revealed, Aang ran in a panic.
When the dust settled zuko's body was the only evidence of the fight, Zhao walked up to Zuko's body, the prince didn't deserve the original punishment he decided, something worse.
Zhao loaded up zuko into a dark metal box, chaining Zuko up.
Hours passed until Zuko woke up, he opened his eyes. But there was nearly no light in the box there was just a small opening so he won't suffocate. He groaned softly when the pain from the head injury set in. He looked around and saw that he was captured, he didn't know who and didn't know what they were going to do with him.
A couple hours of brainstorming later, Zuko still had no plan, half of the plans sounded like a high person came up with them and the other half sounded like a middle schoolers fever dream.
The hunger was starting to distract him slowly but surely taking his mind off getting out of the hell that is the metal box and to the concern of the lack of food and the growing hunger.he got back on track for a couple minutes before once again losing himself to hunger.
His mind was empty, he sat on the floor depressed, the only two noises he ever heard was the footsteps of the Komodo-Rhido that had been moving this box to god knows where and the occasional grumbling of his stomach.
By the afternoon, Jesus Christ the metal box was sizzling, it was supposed to be autumn or winter why was it so hot?! Zuko's body was just out of it by that point a couple hours before sure his thought was food but now there was nothing he just stared at the chains that bound him to the wall.
A couple hours later despite the endless hunger he had an idea that might work, maybe not to get out but the first step there. His idea was to melt the chains and he had a small advantage for once the heat in the box it could fuel his firebending, while his body was focused on melting the chains his mind was somewhere else, how had he fallen so far, how could he ever regain his honour like this, a starving and untrustworthy prince, Zuko frankly hardly considered himself a “prince” anymore
The first chain was finally broken after 2 hours of melting and pieces of molten falling onto his skin, zuko squealed quietly in excitement but not quite enough to not alert the guards. They came inside to see the chain broken, one quickly soldered the two pieces back together whilst the other held Zuko back from defending himself in this situation. Well to say the least his happiness was as short lived as his newly grown buzz cut. Zuko sat there his energy spent, his body weak it was contrast from the night before he used to be a (sort of) respected member of the fire nation but now he was probably known as a traitor to his nation and their goals.
2 more hours passed and the 8 hour mark hit, let's thank God himself that he gave the guards some enlightenment to feed asshole of the year ‘Prince Zuko’. They slid a bowl of rice under the door and Zuko beelined for it and shoved it down his throat he didn't care if he was eating the food like an animal at least he was fed, sure it was not a fulfilling portion even if they gave it to a seven year old but it was food non the less. Zuko eventually could think again and was not exactly proud of his lack of manners, he then slid it back to the guards from the little slot in the door, he was just left with his thoughts now and one that kept on repeating in his mind was “Would they care if I'm missing at all? Was all that support a lie?”
So what was happening with Team Avatar they are the main cast after all. They were in chaos, Aang's over there having a full on mental breakdown, Kataras failing to calm or comfort him as her hate for Zuko still shines like the sun. Sokkas panicking no not because the sensitive twelve years old is having a breakdown no because he thinks he has wart in the back of his throat.
Meanwhile, Iroh is worried about Zuko as he hasn't appeared from his room and when he checked what did he find no nephew in sight, the crew is panicking about the fire lords reaction to a possibility dead son they thought he would care which was the complete opposite Ozai didn't give a fuck about his son or his whereabouts unless it interfered with his plans for domination. So far they've looked everywhere in his room, the control room, hell even the kitchen they checked and once again nothing.
Zuko had 3 or 4 more hours of brainstorming and still nothing they were all duds, it was nighttime by that point and the box was now cold, so retrying the firebending was out the window for now. Also the hunger set in again because well half filled bowl of rice is not exactly the most fulfilling meal in the world. Zuko started at the roof once again going into a spiral of questioning all his life choices and if his loved ones really loved him
He cried trying to come to terms with this new situation. His faint sobs filled the air. He was sent into a spiral of questioning his life decisions, his existence itself.
But then, his body slowed down exhausted and the hunger put him in an unconscious rest. Zuko saw his eyes close as it went black. His sleep was deep and dreamless,his body stayed still, nobody checked, he was at peace it was a void that he stared at, but he couldn't think, he couldn't empty out his emotions. He feels nothing