Chapter Text
“Listen, Katara.” Sokka grumbled warningly over his shoulder.
The soft silver of the moon was lighting him from behind, and his eyes were almost glowing with it. His expression was solemn and serious.
“We got lucky at that fishing village. You know that, right?”
Katara hunched her shoulders up against the cold breeze and against the accusation, but she knew he was right.
“I know.”
“I want to help these people, I do. But-” He turned slightly, and Katara followed his gaze to Aang, taking a much-needed rest, curled up with Toph and Zuko at the back of Appa’s saddle.
“We already nearly lost him once. We can’t call attention to ourselves. It will be hard enough for us to lay low in the Fire Nation as it is, I need you to be on my side. Please.”
Katara watched Aang’s face in sleep. He didn’t wear his worries on his sleeve openly very often, but she remembered their conversation in the hull of the Kazekire. The overwhelming weight and responsibility of being the world’s last beacon of hope clearly fell harder on him than he liked to let on. She knew caging him up and telling him not to help people was a losing battle. It was why they left the ship to travel the Fire Nation on foot instead, but Sokka was right.
The fishing village was small and isolated. They had very little pleasant feelings for the army, or connection to the goals of the war, and she had just helped them immensely. Even considering all of that, they had still nearly turned on her, and that confrontation could have turned out much worse.
The coastal city they were going to now was much larger, and it would be easier to blend in without being noticed, but their connection to the capital and the war would also be much stronger. It was unlikely that people in a prosperous port city like this one would let them go free just for a few good deeds.
And toppling the power and authority structure here would be much harder and much riskier.
She looked over to Sokka and saw an expression on his face that she didn’t often get to see anymore. He was afraid, and he was pleading with her. She remembered that moment in the fishing village, when despite everything, having been tricked the same as the villagers and watching her face the consequences of her own actions, he had still placed himself as the focal point of the angry mob and placed himself between her and danger.
“I won’t let him take any unnecessary risks.” She promised, “And I won’t, either.”
Sokka flattened his expression out again and turned back to face the dark horizon and the rising sea cliffs ahead of them.
They flew Appa into a dark sea cave while the others were still asleep, and the two of them set up camp as quietly and efficiently as they could while their friends snoozed on Appa.
For the sky bison’s part, he flopped heavily to the ground with a grunt, knocking loose an army of cave hoppers. Katara grimaced at them and scowled worse when she looked in their food stores and found even less than they’d had before they went to the fishing village. With all the pollution in the river, they still hadn’t been able to get enough food to feed themselves long-term.
Early tomorrow, they would have to go into town to find something to eat. She wasn’t sure how they would manage it while laying low. Being newcomers in the fishing village had drawn enough attention to them already regardless of what they were wearing or how well their cloaks from the ship had covered the three of them.
In the city, wearing the wrong colours and still being visibly singed around the edges would cause them to stand out far too much.
“Sokka, we’ll need to get supplies in town.” She whispered in the dark, “We didn’t get enough at the fishing village, and most Fire Nation animals would be too dangerous for you to hunt alone.”
“There’s always cave hoppers?” Sokka suggested with a squeak, watching the pale insects scurry back into the shadows, not covering his own grimace well enough under the cover of darkness, “Or fishing?”
Katara gave him a flat look, and he sighed. “Fine. We’ll find a way to blend in in the morning.”
They shared their plan with the others when they woke.
Katara had already cooked up an idea how to get Fire Nation disguises, despite Aang’s protests about stealing.
“We don’t have much choice.” Zuko added in, “We’re far too distinctive otherwise. If we grab them directly from a laundress, like Katara said, no one will notice they’re gone. They’ll just think it was a mix-up.”
The protests didn’t seem to last long once they found their way to the laundress’. Aang was as quick as anybody to claim his suit, while Sokka more carefully chose something that should be suitably bland.
Zuko, for his part, grabbed something that looked almost exactly what he had used to stomp around shouting in, all of the time, minus the armor and the stupid ponytail. Instead, he pulled his rough-shorn hair up into the best top-knot he could and then snatched up a straw farmer’s hat and tilted it far enough forward on his face to cover his eyes, and more importantly, his scar, at first glance.
Watching Katara remove their mother’s necklace made something uncomfortable beat in Sokka’s chest, but he pushed it away. It was too distinctive, if they were intending to be completely invisible. Still, it felt very strange not to see her in it.
Purchasing a new neck covering for her, and hair pieces for Toph, Zuko and himself, did help a bit, and Sokka was able to stop noticing the empty spot at her collar with every glance. Aang cleverly covered his tattoo up with a headband and Sokka appreciated his forethought.
He thought to himself that it was as good as they were going to get without more careful planning.
“Alright” He pulled them all into a huddle, out of sight behind a heavy stone wall, “Now we just need to be careful to blend in and not draw attention to ourselves. Everyone got that?”
“I used to visit my friend Kuzon here 100 years ago.” Aang announced happily, “So I know a thing or two about staying cool in the Fire Nation. Or as they say, stay flamin’!”
“Nobody says that.” Zuko deadpanned.
“Whaat?” Aang cried, “of course they do, maybe you just aren’t hip with the common folk, Zuko.”
He blinked up at Zuko guilelessly and Zuko scowled down at him. He had been on a ship with a mix of common sailors and noble officers for 3 years. He was pretty sure he knew about common lingo. Of course… he hadn't really socialized with them, and they hadn't spoken with him if they could help it.
He shook off the doubt. The only person he knew who might say ‘stay flamin’ was Uncle, because he was old and embarrassing.
“Maaybe we should follow Zuko’s lead on this.” Sokka suggested, “Considering, you know, he is from the Fire Nation.”
“I agree with Sokka,” Katara said. Aang deflated and she apologized, “Sorry, Aang.”
Zuko ducked his head to cast his face in the shadow of his wide-brimmed straw hat and stepped out from the wall they were hiding behind.
He led them through the marketplace without acknowledging anyone they passed until they came to a stop in front of a restaurant.
“Oh,” Aang’s voice was disappointed, “we’re going to a meat place?”
“Come on, Aang,” Sokka cajoled as if he were suddenly the expert, “everyone here eats meat, even the meat.”
He pointed over at a hippo cow eating the scraps of what looked like a chicken-pig.
Aang made a noise of disgust, “you guys go ahead, I’ll just get some lettuce out of the garbage.”
Zuko cleared his throat, “We could try to find a place that serves southern-island cuisine. They have a lot of vegetable-based dishes: Stir-fried peppers and cabbages with mushrooms, tofu, spices, nuts.” he listed off. Aang was looking at him in wonder as he did. He grew a bit embarrassed and trailed off. “It’s, uh, really spicy though. Some of the spiciest food in the Fire Nation.”
“But it’s all vegetarian?!” Aang asked in excitement.
“Uh, it has vegetarian options.” Zuko corrected, “You can usually ask for tofu instead of any meat product.”
“Wow!” Aang hopped excitedly like he was going to create an air scooter to ride there but caught himself at the last second.
“Sokka, you were totally right.” Aang declared and Sokka preened, “We should all follow Zuko’s lead!”
Sokka’s stomach growled loudly, “Er, no thanks. You guys can go searching for this veggie-place. I’m hungry and there’s food here. We’ll meet back here in… thirty?”
He entered the restaurant, and Katara and Toph followed shortly after.
Aang looked up hopefully at Zuko. Zuko himself was examining the market. He finally pointed, “Over there. I think I see some Southern Island dialect on that sign.”
They walked away from the meat restaurant. There was a sign directing them to go around to a side door for a southern restaurant. As Zuko ducked an awning, he didn’t quite clear it and his hat fell off his head, exposing his scar to any passers-by.
He cursed quietly and fumbled around Aang to pick it up. Just as he had gotten a hold of it again, a voice called out to them.
“You there!” Zuko looked over and saw 3 soldiers approaching them. He took a quick analysis of their surroundings to see if there was any way for him to lead them on a wild Chicken-goose chase around the plaza and away from Aang.
“It’s over. We caught you!” They closed on them quickly, and Zuko’s escape routes quickly narrowed down to fighting or climbing.
“It couldn’t be more obvious you don’t belong here.” The captain said, his hands on his hips. They weren’t acting aggressive, and they didn’t seem like they were about to attack, but Zuko knew better than to ever lower your guard around anyone. He narrowed his eyes and waited, preparing to react as necessary to whatever they were about to do, up to and including getting injured or arrested to help Aang escape.
“The next time you play hooky; you might want to take off your school uniform.” The captain said, looking down at Aang.
Zuko felt a sense of mental whiplash trying to reconcile his preparedness for a fight and the captain’s words. He shot Aang a wild look, still processing what the captain had said.
He hadn’t realized Aang's outfit was a school uniform, for one. It was quite different from the ones in Caldera city, and Zuko wasn’t even confident he remembered them all that well, considering he’d always been privately tutored.
“And you” The captain turned to Zuko.
Zuko clutched his hat tightly. Would they recognize his face? This island was fairly far from Caldera, and he had been away for a long time. On the other hand, his scar was very distinctive. How far had that story traveled?
“You’re the older brother, aren’t you? You should know better. Both of you are coming with us.” The soldiers commanded.
Zuko and Aang were escorted back to a set of buildings high on a hill over-looking the town. Once they arrived, the two were separated and led to different areas of the school. Zuko’s heart was pounding in his chest, and he forced himself to remain breathing normally.
He was being taken away from Aang. Sokka, Katara and Toph were in the town and didn’t know where they were. What would they think? Would they be asking around for them? Even if these soldiers didn’t know Zuko’s face, it was possible someone in the town would recognize him by the description they gave, and they would be discovered.
The soldier knocked on a door and it opened to reveal a man maybe in mid to late 30s who took Zuko in with one derisive look.
Zuko was still struggling to figure out what to do next when the teacher – he must be the teacher- snapped at him.
“Truant and rude.” He scoffed after a long silent moment of scrutiny.
“You should know better. You are supposed to be the bright future of the Fire Nation. If you cannot respect your teachers, you are better off answering the conscription early.”
The soldiers behind Zuko shifted in a way that made him nervous. Would they conscript him then and there? Even though he was underage?
Zuko snapped to attention, realizing what he had forgotten. This man was his teacher, and he therefore expected Zuko’s respect.
Zuko snapped into his bow. “Apologies, sir. It won’t happen again.”
“See that it doesn’t.” The teacher said. The soldiers left then and Zuko waited for his permission to enter the room.
“You may rise.”
Zuko did.
“I do not recognize you. Where did you come from?”
“The colonies, sir.” Zuko replied, thinking quickly “Hoshiage.”
Hoshiage had been under Fire Nation control for a long time, explaining his distinctly Fire-Nation features, but was far south, so it had few ties with Caldera and very little in the way of economy. This would excuse his less-than-pristine clothing and even perhaps some gaps in etiquette.
“You have just moved here?”
“Yes.” Zuko confirmed, “Apologies again for the truancy.”
“Not a good start, young man. What is your name?”
Li was not a very Fire-Nation name, but perhaps it could be excused since he was from a colony in the Earth Kingdom. It would be easier than thinking up a new alias.
“Li, sir.”
“Fine, take a seat, Li.”
Zuko did as asked. He worried he would make a fool of himself if called upon because he had only gotten schooling until he was 13, and all these other students were the same age as he was now. Not to mention he hadn’t been very good at his lessons to begin with. He wasn’t smart like Azula.
However, when he saw the subject matter on the slate, he had to mask his surprise. It was barely more complicated than what his tutors had been teaching him before his banishment. It was challenging, yes, but not impossible. He began working through it on his own.
When the teacher came around to observe, he had to consciously keep his shoulders relaxed and his breathing steady. Would he call Zuko out in front of everyone? Humiliate him for doing it wrong? He resisted the urge to try and hide his mistakes. That would only make it worse.
“Check this one again.” The teacher pointed at one of the problems Zuko had already solved. Zuko furrowed his brow but did as he asked.
The teacher looking over his shoulder nodded approvingly at the rest of his work.
“At least they managed to teach you the basics in Hoshiage.”
In the end, he only missed 2 problems. He was surprised, himself. And as they went through the highest imports of each prefecture and colony, Zuko found he was actually well above the other members of his class in scope of knowledge.
Current politics was, surprisingly, fascinating. After all, Zuko personally knew most of the people they were speaking about. It was a very odd experience to hear what they had done since his banishment, but from this outside, almost reverent, perspective. They went into deep detail about what Minister Shuu of Manchuu had done with his iron mines, but didn’t even mention what his wife, Zuri, was doing with her experiments in Solanes breeding, or how his lay-about cousin, Shii, might have squandered the fortune their grandmother, who had first dug those iron mines, had left him.
When the final bell rung, Zuko almost found that he was disappointed. He had never gotten to attend school with other children like this, other than Azula and her friends.
Aang’s earlier comment about Zuko not knowing about the common people of his own nation had struck a chord.
Yes, he had learned a great deal about the common people of the Earth Kingdom and what the war had done and was doing to them, but his own people… the people he was tasked to care for and maybe lead someday… he knew nothing.
He was thinking deeply as he left and accidentally bumped into someone on the way out.
“Sorry.” He mumbled, about to continue past him. He needed to find Aang and meet back up with Sokka and the others.
“Whoa, wait. You’re the new kid, right?”
Zuko stopped and actually looked at the person he bumped into. He inhaled sharply when he took him in. He was taller than Zuko, but not by much. He was broad though, and held himself with a confident surety of someone who knew who they were and what they wanted out of life. Wow.
“Uh.” Zuko stuttered, feeling his cheeks heating “Yup, that’s Li. ME. I Lin- I mean I’m Li.”
The guy smiled at him, just with one half of his mouth like he’d seen something small and cute do something clumsy.
Zuko’s felt his flush grow worse,, and his anger boiling up in him.
“Me and some friends play bump-ball after school most days. Want to come?”
Zuko blinked in astonishment. He was being invited out? Socially? Why?
He looked over at the courtyard where the middle-school students were milling. He squinted into the crowd looking for that distinctive floating walk and figure of Aang. He couldn’t see him anywhere, and he couldn’t very well go back to Sokka and the others without him. What was the harm in playing a little until Aang got out of class?
“Okay.”
Zuko followed this handsome fire-nation boy back to a sports grounds behind the school. A net was set up and about 5 other teenagers were chatting near it. Some were stretching while they talked, but most were just sharing gossip.
They looked over as Zuko and the other boy arrived. Zuko wondered if they’d ask why he was there or give looks of annoyance to see he’d been brought along.
Rather than that, they seemed thrilled to see him. They waved happily at the other boy and smiled at Zuko when they got close enough.
“Still trying to recruit a decent teammate, Mako?” One of the other teens called out to Zuko’s companion.
“He’s here, isn’t he?” the peak specimen of fire-nation masculinity – Mako – called back.
“But now we’re uneven.” A girl complained, although she didn’t really seem upset about it.
“We’ll let the new kid play on Aki’s team.” The one who’d called to Mako said, “Since Aki barely counts as a player.”
A lithe boy with hair that was too long to be fashionable stuck his tongue out at the first boy. “Go jump in a Lake, Bubu”
“I told you not to call me that!” The loud boy – Bubu- shoved Aki, “It’s Bukato. Say it with me Bu-ka-to.”
“Sure thing, Bakato.” Aki teased again.
“Have you ever played Bump ball before?” A girl with lighter hair asked, talking over Aki and Bukato’s argument.
“No.” Zuko said, because he hadn’t.
“It’s pretty simple.” Another girl said.
Once the rules were explained, they got right into the game.
At first, Zuko’s team – himself, Aki, the light-haired girl Hinata, and another girl who called herself Kiki, were getting absolutely smoked by Mako’s team – Mako, Bubu and the third girl, Ju Ni.
In the second match though, Zuko realized Kiki was weak on her right side, and Aki had to basically cover two spots to make up for it. So Zuko started covering Aki’s spot when the ball would drift right of Kiki.
He was strong, and fast, so it seemed only Mako could return his shots with any accuracy. By the end of the second match, Mako was panting for air and doubled over with the exertion of trying to keep up with Zuko. Mako’s team had only won by one point that time. Zuko was certain that his team would win on the next one as Aki started to realize he could trust Zuko to cover his spot and stopped running into him trying to get back to open zones.
He was about to call for a rematch when an explosion went off nearby and Zuko dropped immediately into a bending stance and placed himself between the noise and Aki, who was closest. He was already inhaling to send up a wall of fire to protect the rest of the kids when from out of the smoke emerged a familiar figure.
“What in Agni’s flaming maw are you doing?!” Zuko yelled at the sheepish figure of Aang, waving smoke away from his face. The gathered heat in his chest flared out as sparks to punctuate his annoyance.
“We’re playing hide-and-explode!” Aang announced, unbothered.
Zuko regarded the young airbender with some alarm. Azula and Zuko had played hide-and-explode when they were younger. It usually ended up with one of them -guess which one- quite battered. Aang, on the other hand, looked just fine.
Zuko glanced at the sky and saw how late it was getting. “Look at what time it is!” Zuko snapped, “You should have met me right outside after school! The others must be worried sick!”
Aang looked at Zuko, sweaty from the exertion of his own sport and surrounded by gawping onlookers.
“Well, you’re playing too.”
“I was waiting for you!” Zuko snapped, even though he hadn’t looked that hard - and hadn't looked at all since the second game started. “Also, you’re covered in soot!”
Zuko grabbed Aang by the shoulder and pulled him closer so Zuko could wipe his sooty cheeks with the tails of his own top.
Behind Aang came a gaggle of curious onlookers of his own. They peered over a pile of rocks at Zuko fussing over Aang.
“Time to go.” Zuko told him. Sokka was going to give them a lecture when they got back. Zuko bemoaned his future.
“Okay.” Aang said, a little disappointed, but noticeably in higher spirits than this morning. He waved bye to his friends, and they waved back.
“Bye, Kuzon, see you tomorrow!”
Zuko turned and began leading Aang away.
“Thanks for playing, Li!” Bukato shouted out, and Zuko turned around a bit in surprise, having forgot about them for a moment.
“Yeah, come play again, it’s nice to finally not get my ass whooped by these two muscle heads.” Aki elbowed Bukato in the ribs, and Bukato retaliated by putting him in a headlock. Mako smiled at him and Zuko felt his face heat again. He waved a little shyly and continued with Aang towards the cave Sokka had settled them in.
“We are gonna be in so much shit for this.” Zuko grumbled to Aang as they neared the cave mouth.
“Can’t you do something to make Sokka be nicer to us?” Aang pleaded, looking up at Zuko with wide panda-ferret eyes.
“What do you want me to do?” Zuko growled, “He isn’t any nicer to me about this stuff than any of you.”
“If you kiss him, won’t that put him in a better mood, so he forgives us?” Aang suggested.
Zuko rolled his eyes. He couldn’t believe a 13-year-old monk was trying to pimp him out to get out of a lecture.