Chapter Text
It started with a few words spoken before he'd realized he's said anything.
"Should have asked Uncle Iroh -he has first-hand battle experience." A one-off, quiet comment made to no one. Except that Father and Mother were sitting right there, and he froze with his next spoonful of congee halfway to his mouth. (Azula had chuckled quietly next to him. This was never a good sign.) He couldn't even remember what his parents had been arguing about -but the look in his fathers' eyes told him that the words were just one more strike against him. Lu Ten dies, and Mother disappeared a few days later, and Zuko couldn't help the frantic thought in the back of his mind that said it was somehow his fault.
It was only a matter of time after that before his father found a reason to do something with the cold anger in his eyes. Even with all of this stacked against him ...He thought his father wouldn't find the swords. He'd been so incredibly sure -he'd gotten lax at making sure they were completely, utterly concealed. Father had been harping on perfection, so very keen on making sure Zuko specifically fell in line. The week before, he'd been angry because Zuko hadn't advanced from the most recent Kata set fast enough, and his instructors had complained. The week before that, it had been Zuko insistently sneaking the turtle ducks bread. (And incidentally, him netting a messenger hawk when it tried for an easy meal. Those were Mother's turtle ducks, and Zuko would let nothing hurt them.) The week mother disappeared, it had been that comment. He should have remembered this when he put them away, but he'd heard Azula and Ty Lee coming, and he knew she'd tell if she saw, so he hadn't been careful enough and now-
Now.
Now every sense in his body sparked with pain, and every breath hurt because he'd been crying every time he was alone, and his face hurt all the time. Now he was nursing a broken hand and a burned-off face, and bruised ribs -and he was stuck on a boat at sea, and he so rarely remembered why through the drug haze. The only doctor on the ship was always making him take something for the pain, and that something so often left him feeling numb and useless. Well -even more useless. He'd seen Uncle a handful of times (and he couldn't remember why he kept seeing Uncle, Uncle was supposed to be at war wasn't he) but each time the older man simply watched him quietly then turned and walked away. It was just one more reminder that he'd screwed up, when even happy, calm Uncle wouldn't speak to him.
(A distant part of his mind that wasn't kept quiet by the drugs knew that something very bad had happened to Uncle, but it couldn't remember what.)
It lasted like this for hours-days-weeks, until he could finally stir enough without a lot of pain, to quietly ask the doctor who tended to him why he was on a boat. The man had looked at him with something in his eyes as he carefully patted Zuko's not-broken hand and so very gently told him he'd been banished for dishonoring the royal family. He then went on to say that as a mere doctor, he wasn't actually supposed to know this, but that Iroh wasn't available, and he felt that Zuko should know-
Zuko stopped listening after the man admitted that it had been quietly made public -without fanfare- that he'd been removed from the line of succession. His father never picked a reason, just forced everyone to agree with it. Since he was the Fire Lord, everyone did. Zuko couldn't help but find the whole thing blatantly unfair and ridiculous. He couldn't help be feel numb and exhausted and alone. It lasted like this for longer, which was worse, because now he could think through the haze of time, not just drift on it. Uncle never visited him while he was awake -but he visited while Zuko slept. He could always tell because there would be a pot of tea and a Pai Sho board set up by the bed, but no Uncle sitting with them.
Zuko hated these days more than he was beginning to hate most days.
(More than he was beginning to hate himself. Banished because he'd loved something he was good at. Because he wasn't half as impressive as Azula and probably never would be. Because he loved those turtle ducks, even if no one else did. Banished because he'd thoughtlessly spoken a truth. Ignored by the one member of his family -outside of his mother- who'd encouraged him to be good. A failure of a prince and a stain on their family legacy. He was worthless.)
(He knew all this because Father had whispered most of it to him while he made Zuko hurt. Usually, father was careful in his discipline, but as evidenced by the burned off half of his face and broken hand and bruised ribs, he hadn't cared about careful when he'd found out Zuko had blatantly ignored his orders again, and again, and again.)
By the time he was able to get up and move around, he only had the energy to walk himself to wherever the Doctor -Doctor Cheng Ziu, if Zuko's memories weren't a dirty trick- lead him. Most days, it was on deck, at a table, where he had a well-cushioned seat he could lay back on and a lot of blankets. Most days he ended up outside, he merely watched the sea beat against their old warship in a fruitless battle, or watched the soldiers spar. (The sparing always left him twitchy and nervous and breathless because their fires were so big-bright-looked-like-they'd-hurt.) The Doctor would sit with him, urging him to eat or drink, and when Zuko would do neither, politely threatening to hold him down and make him eat.
(He knew the doctor wouldn't, but the threat always shook him, because even though he knew the doctor wouldn't that hadn't ever stopped the adults in his life before.)
He always ended up taking a few reluctant bites of whatever was pushed towards him and a cautious sip of whatever was poured for him.
(It was a bitch learning how to do things with his left hand, especially since he still wore bandages over his left eye. On the plus side, living on a naval vessel was giving him a whole arsenal of bad words he intended to use in force -once he could fight back if someone took exception to the language.)
He didn't start seeing Uncle while he was awake until their third month at sea, drifting from port to port. Uncle just walked up one day while Zuko was fighting the Doctor about how much he intended to eat -which was nothing, because he wasn't hungry leave him alone- and Uncle just ... sat down, watching their banter with an odd look on his face. Doctor Cheng Zui huffed out in irritation shortly after and announced that he needed to take a walk. He and Uncle were left alone, and Zuko was looking anywhere but at the old General when Iroh spoke.
"Nephew," His voice sounded hoarse and disused, "I am terribly sorry for hurting you. I haven't been ... in my right mind as late. I know it has been months, but Lu Tens' death still hurts most days and -forgive me for being sentimental with you Nephew, but every time I saw you laying in that bed, so badly hurt ... I could only see my son as he was brought to me, and I focused on my own pain, instead of yours." Zuko was so startled by this quiet admission he looked up, saw that his Uncles eyes were glassy and wet, and that he was focusing very hard on his teacup. Then he was bowing and his shoulders shook a little and Zuko panicked because if any of his fathers' people saw this they would tell, and then Iroh would be the one that got banished and hurt and-
"Uncle get up!" He hissed, reaching out with his good hand to grasp the large, heavy one that was gripping the teacup so tight it might shatter. "Please, it's okay, just get up! You can't let them see you doing that!" His Uncle did straighten, giving him a wet, slightly confused look, and Zuko tilted his head at the crew.
"Uncle, these are fathers people. You can't let them see you cry like that." He explained softly. Uncle's eyes got even more ridiculously wet and he gripped Zuko's hand gently, flashing a weak smile at him.
"You are a good boy to worry about such things for me Zuko. I thank you." He whispered, and Zuko nodded weakly, trying to still the panicked beating of his heart at the feel of Uncles hand in his. This is Uncle. He doesn't hurt. This is Uncle. He doesn't hurt. Became a mantra in his head, and then he was struggling through trying to convince his Uncle that everything was fine. No, he didn't blame him for ignoring him -he never admitted that it had hurt, something told him that would be the wrong thing to say- yes he absolutely forgave him. Sure, he would eat something, but only if you please stop crying Uncle.
Much later, Zuko was sunk in a well of his self-deprecating misery when he remembered Uncles' desperate look as he started apologizing again. The way the older man had held his hand gently while explaining that he never would have willfully hurt Zuko and that he was so sorry and alright Uncle I'll drink the tea please stop crying. Zuko was getting his shouting voice back, if nothing else. The self-deprecation didn't last long this time, but he held no hopes. He was his own worst enemy after all.
(He found out the next week that they were heading North for reasons his Uncle didn't seem willing or able to share. Zuko was okay with that. He was a banished prince, one that had been made into something of a joke apparently, and he had nowhere to go but wherever Uncle decided they would go. He knew that there was something no one was telling him, but he could never find the energy to care between his face and his hand. He also discovered that everyone on the boat with them had been 'defected,' with Iroh. Some of them have never been Naval officers in their lives. They were essentially a ship full of banished people. It would be very bad to ever wander into a fire nation port because everyone would die.)
Zuko hated the North more than he hated the Earth Kingdom waters, which contained a bevy of terrifying sea monsters. The North was cold, and icy, and it made his scab ache and crack even more than a dry heat did. He took to wearing bandages, even though the salve under them wanted to freeze to his skin, and his depth perception was even more terrible. Over the last couple of months, his Uncle had been asking him very leading questions about his loyalty to his father, and his nation, and his opinions about right and wrong, all disguised as Proverbs and metaphors. He pretended not to understand most of them, because Proverbs.
(Had Uncle asked any of these questions before his continuous string of apologies, and his weird attempts to make up for the 'neglect,' Zuko would have sworn that he was a loyal son and loved his nation. He would have recited the most passionate fire nation propaganda and reasons for why they were the superior people and nation. But Zuko had stumbled through those Earth Kingdom ports, and been to several inland towns. He had seen the sharp lurch of fear and hatred when people looked first to his crews' clothing, then to their ship and then to their faces -and here, his scar and age seemed to throw people off, but it didn't stop the quiet hatred. He'd taken to sneaking around because it was easier than being looked at. What he'd heard while sneaking had been disheartening.)
Eventually, Uncle had quietly asked Zuko to keep some secrets for him. Zuko had agreed and Iroh had nodded and announced he'd get the secrets after they made it to where they were going. He refused to expand of this point so adamantly, Zuko was wildly curious and willing to put up with snow. He didn't bother asking why there were stipulations to his Uncles telling him things. Not when Zuko was fully aware that he wasn't in the best mind frame on a good day. Give him stipulations to earning information made him stick doggedly to a task -like eating a full meal or learning the steps of a new kata.
(Only ever the steps. He was working on bending again, but privately. His flames were so weak somedays, he wondered if maybe you could lose bending. It was alarming that there were days he was alright with that concept. One only had to ask him how he'd slept to understand.)
(On top of all of that, he didn't have a lot of good days. He had a lot of angry, shouty days. He preferred those days to his quite feels-like-he's-drowning days. The fortunate -and unfortunate- thing about being self-aware of these days was that he often felt like a failure for not being able to get over them. The voice that told him he should be able to get over these moods sounded a lot like his father, and spit all the same poison. Sometimes, Zuko got the feeling his Uncle could see inside his head and knew all these dark thoughts.)
He agreed to keep the secrets when he got them, and let his uncle drag him into a game of Pai Sho that he lost terribly. Today was not a good day, nor was it an 'extra energy for shouting,' day, so he simply sighed and let his Uncle talk him into another game. It couldn't last much longer, because his Uncle kept looking further North, like there was supposed to be something out there they were going to, when all he saw was ice and icebergs and a series of floating docks attached to a small segment of icy land and-
Wait.
There was a segment of icy land, with attached docks. A series of white structures were littered over the surface, but it resembled an encampment more than a village. Zuko had thought the Northern Tribe was united, and that it was huge, so his encampment idea was working theory. The only mystery here was why. Why would his Uncle be going to meet anyone in the North Pole? Why would anyone in the North Pole being willing to meet with his Uncle? More importantly, what was that mysterious sound coming from that far-off ridge that sounded like screaming rage and a humungous fog-horn? The mysteries here were endless, and gave Zuko just enough energy to spring after his Uncle -while begrudgingly letting Doctor Cheng Zui force him into a thick, heavy coat lined with dark gold fur- when the man headed for the skivvy dock.
They took two, one that held him and Uncle and a crewman whose name was either Kyo or Kazuto, (and who was so chipper even in the cold, Zuko was leaning towards Kyo) and the other had the Doctor and Lt. Jee -who didn't look pleased to be there, and whose armor was loudly proclaiming this- and another crew-woman Zuko had seen before but didn't know the name of. He should probably know these people's names. He would likely be with them for a long time. They weren't on the water long -none of them wanted to be- and Zuko felt more awake when they reached the icy shore than he had all day. Uncle chuffed, and huffed, and cautioned against falling into the icy water, and Zuko wasn't stupid so he ignored these warnings. While experimentally scaling one of the icy buildings -who made buildings out of ice?- to perch on the roof and try to see over that distant ridge where the mysterious rage noise was coming from. His right hand ached and twinged a little from the effort, and the Doctor was growling at him from the base of the wall, in much the same way Uncle sometimes did.
(Growling things like 'Young man you have ten seconds to get off that roof or so help me-' and 'Why are you doing this, I had you recite all the things you shouldn't do with that hand and this was one of them-' in Uncles exasperated-affection tone. Zuko had only ever tried telling the Doctor and Uncle that he'd done worse than scale a wall with a broken hand before. He'd assured them that it wasn't as bad as hiding in the rafters with a broken leg. That had gotten questions, and Zuko had been perplexed by the looks on their faces when he gave them the answers.)
(Zuko both knew and didn't want to know why both men were horrified to hear some of his childhood stories, and more recently, some of his stories about eduction as the -former- crown prince.)
Zuko took mercy on the Doctor -and his Uncle, who may have been smiling politely at another old guy, but was twitching in Zuko's direction- and just. Slid down the wall, to the Doctors sucked in breath and angry huffing. Zuko let himself get shuffled back over to Uncle and the old guy -who was glaring at him- for introductions. It was ridiculous that they were so proper about it, and he'd thought that one of the good things about being banished was that he didn't have to worry about formalities anymore.
(Another good thing was that Uncle had different ideas about child-rearing, and none of them involved strenuous discipline that left Zuko aching and scared. The real, secret reason he was becoming so compliant in regards to Uncle was that he was beginning to understand what affection and care actually meant, and none of it was what his father dished out. This was sad because Azula was still in the Fire Nation, and now she was alone.)
He belatedly bowed in the proper manner for a young boy greeting a stranger of some distinction, and Doctor Cheng Zui pretended not to snort through a chuckle behind him.
(Zuko hadn't been good at the formalities to begin with, when he'd have rather been practicing with his swords, or visiting the library or the turtle ducks, or even bending. There was nothing worse for an eleven-almost-twelve-year-old boy than formalities.)
"Nephew, this is my old friend, Pakku. We have some business to discuss for a little while, but after, we'd both like to speak to you. Until then, Pakku's men have set up a room for you and Doctor Cheng Zui to wait in. I believe there is a Pai Sho board!" Uncle was smiling his calm-happy smile, and Zuko wondered if the implied threat of Pai Sho was punishment for climbing onto the roof. It probably was, but at least he hadn't included a proverb.
"Can't I wait out here?" Zuko asked, quietly motioning to all the snow and ice, which he wouldn't have considered a good option before the mention of Pai Sho. Uncle's smile grew, and he slowly pointed to the building Zuko had just scaled. It was a wordless order for him to 'get moving and don't make the Doctor upset,' but without any threats implied. Zuko growled and went, wobbling when his depth perception decided that now was the moment to warp space and time, but the Doctor was there to carefully catch him and lead him on.
They set themselves up in the building to find that there was a fire -why?- and a series of dishes that were warm -how?- and several people that looked slightly murdery. Of all the things in the room, the murder looks were the one thing he understood, and he responded with his own one-eyed glares. The Doctor drug him into a game of Pai Sho, and hassled his choices and overall, made the murdery glares seem ridiculous when he asked Zuko why he'd made his moves, and how to make better ones, and treated him like a child and not an adult.
(It was ridiculously easy to sneak out. All he'd needed was to accidentally knock the board over when he 'stumbled' to refill his teacup. The Doctor actually did knock something over on accident trying to pick the pieces up, and it was perfect. He was out of the building and trekking through the snow before anyone was the wiser.)
Zuko slipped over another snowbank and settled down, huddling in his coat to try and warm up more while catching his breath. The rage noises were a little louder here, and more frequent, and Zuko really wanted to know what was going on, but also thought that maybe he shouldn't wander too far. Doctor Cheng Zui would already be really mad when he realized Zuko had wandered off, and no matter how intriguing those noises were he should at least pretend to have some self-preservation-
He was up and moving again before he'd even given it much more thought. Self-preservation hadn't ever been his strong suit.
(He was, in his own way, desperately searching for something to fight the numbness that wanted to grab hold of his mind. He could feel the drowning feeling coming, and he really wanted to find something interesting enough to keep it at bay.)
He reached the ridge and took a moment to analyze his poor life choices when he caught sight of the source of the noise. It was large, and white, and had weird looking fur and feathers, and a massive beak-like jaw that opened and emitted a sound of pure, scathing rage.
HOOONNNNKKK!
There were four large ones, and a handful of tiny ones that looked tiny but were as big as the adults' paws, and were all cuddled together in a big, unmoving pile. (He wasn't sure, but it looked like there were eggshells scattered just a little way away) Those paws were as big as Zuko's head, and he was suddenly very glad he was downwind and was contemplating how quickly he could disappear back to the safe side of the ridge. Then he realized that the giant creatures were so mad because there were Seagull Vultures dancing around them, trying to pick off their young, and Zuko thought he definitely needed to go back to the encampment-
(There was a rustle of wings just below him and he looked down. This Seagull Vulture was still young -it still had some of its baby feathers- and it was scuffling with a white furry something -a furry something that was loosing. Zuko watched the little white creature, only slightly bigger than his hands clenched together, as it viciously tried to defend itself. Zuko couldn't say why, but seeing this bird picking at that baby reminded him of home, and he hated it. His self-preservation instincts once again failed him.)
Zuko fought off the young vulture, with a little bit of fire, which drew attention from its flock, and they were all looking at him like he might be the next meal, and Zuko- He picked up the wounded baby something and ran. His depth perception hadn't yet failed him, and the creature wanted to fight back, then suddenly didn't, curling into him desperately, and he realized that it was soaked and bloody, and the stupid bird had probably tried to drown it or something. There was the sound of heavy wingbeats behind him, and a screech of death, and then-
His Uncle was just ahead and started running, with Jee just slightly behind him, and Zuko let off a small puff of fire behind him, which deterred the large birds, but only so much. That was alright because Uncle was there, and spitting fire, and generally making it known that he might have been human, but he was clearly the superior predator because he could spitfire. Zuko was breathing all wrong, and it was possible that he'd strained his hand, but he marched determinedly past Jee, who was wordlessly shouting at him, and straight to Doctor Cheng Zui. The Doctor looked five seconds away from hugging him or yelling at him, so Zuko struck first.
"Please." He didn't know his voice could crack like that. If anyone asked, he would refuse to admit to it. "Help it." He held out his hands carefully, and the small white something let out a painful sound that made Zuko's eyes feel wet. No one said anything about this until Doctor Cheng Zui started growling something about impossible children and willful disregard for orders, and Zuko knew he would help.
(Later, when the Doctor had done what he could for the baby Polar Bear Goose -Pakku had looked exasperated and slightly terrified when he'd seen it- he turned to Zuko and started the lecture to end all lectures. Uncle finished what the Doctor had started that night, in between forced Pai Sho and tea sips. Zuko regretted nothing, but he pretended he did, all while carefully soothing down the baby's fur/feathers. Uncle didn't look like he believed him, which just showed how smart he was.)
The next day an old woman showed up at camp, flanked by soldiers, and Zuko found out that water bending could heal. Uncle asked her to take a look at his scar and hand, and both the Former General and the woman ignored Doctor Cheng Zui's huffing in the corner. Zuko didn't bother hoping that the woman could do much for him -life had already taught him that it wouldn't be kind- and as soon as she was done 'I couldn't heal all of it, but I managed to smooth it down so it's not so angry,' Zuko carefully folded down the blanket in his lap to reveal the baby Polar bear Goose.
"Can you help?" He asked, ignoring his Uncles very pointed looks at his hand, and the woman's' very confused look at the baby, and the slight terror on Pakku's face as he watched.
"What happened?" She asked, carefully running a hand over the baby's back. The tiny creature, upset from being woken from her nap by someone who was not warmth incarnate, nipped at the perpetrator and squawked impressively. She was rewarded by gentle scritches from Warm Mom, who cooed sweetly at her until she fell asleep.
"I saved her from a Seagull Vulture." The old woman looked from the baby monstrosity her people hunted to the young prince that should have been less likable and sighed. (She did her best of course. She had sworn to heal all and any who had need of it. This creature might one day be a monster, but it was young and had a need now.) Later, as she was being brought back to the capital, she mulled over the young boy that flinched from his own element and watched all adults like they were vipers waiting to strike. This only reinforced the idea that the Fire Lord had much to answer for.
______
Zuko blinked through Iroh and Pakku's explanation of the White Lotus organization. They painted a pretty picture of subterfuge and allyship, and the intention to treason Ozai off the throne. He pet and soothed and cuddled the monster in his lap, and nodded through all their information without yelling once, though there were a couple of times he looked close to doing so. Finally, when they were done, Zuko's string of questions was almost redundant.
"So ... you're a top-secret organization that communicates through Pai Sho, and tea. " Iroh nodded, sipping at his cup -the most wonderful blend of Gensing he'd tried this year- while Pakku was clearly refraining from saying something cutting to the boy. "And you've been working this whole time to stop the war." Again, Iroh nodded. Zuko thought this over for a long time, alternating between warring emotions -loyalty to his people, if not the crown; worry over their spiritual balance with Agni, possibly- but he finally settled on nodding slowly.
"Alright, that's ... alright." Was not what Iroh was expecting. Pakku managed to say as much.
"Just alright?" He sneered. The boy scowled back, turning his face so that his healed-but-still-savage-looking-scar was pointed directly at the old Waterbender.
"What else am I suppose to say? Can it really be considered disloyalty to our people if the man sitting on the throne doesn't care about his people? Aren't you, in your own rights, trying to preserve all life? I've seen some of the towns my fathers' army takes. I know it's not right." The boy shrugged, increasing his abomination petting.
(It was the best result possible, all things considered. Now, at least, Iroh didn't have to hide his activities from his Nephew.)
______
Iroh stared at Zuko in wonder and disbelief.
"You want to what?" He asked again, and Doctor Cheng Zui slipped into his field of vision behind his nephew.
"I want to keep her. Some of those old guys told me a little about the wild Polar Bear Geese, and their young imprint on adults. She follows me around if I set her down, and she doesn't like it when I try to leave her, and she needs me, Uncle." He had never in his life heard his nephew sound so desperate for something.
(This was a small lie he told himself. He'd heard similar desperation when the child's nightmares were too much to keep to himself, and he shouted pleas into the night. He would never tell his Nephew the content he revealed in these instances.)
Even without the Doctor making 'say yes,' motions, Iroh would have agreed. The boy had been more active in the two days he'd had the creature than he had through his whole recovery. He'd eaten full meals without complaint and quietly sat through tea or Pai Sho because the baby abomination (Iroh had seen a few of the adults. He knew what this young thing would turn into) was in his lap and snoring softly, and he apparently had more care for napping creatures than Iroh's hearing. Still, he had to be the adult here.
"A young animal is a big responsibility, Zuko. Are you sure you're prepared for it?" Zuko shivered the slightest bit, and Iroh wasn't sure if it was something he'd said or something the boy was feeling. "You'll have to make sure she's eating right and well-groomed. You have to keep her entertained, or she may destroy things on the ship." The earnest look the boy gave him was heart-wrenching.
"I promise Uncle. I'll take care of her -we won't be a burden." Iroh had to refrain from pairing a verbal sound to the shot of pain in his heart.
"Nephew. You are not and have never been, a burden. I am sure your ... pet will be well behaved, and that you will take raising and caring for her very seriously." He managed to finagle a hug out of the boy, who looked seconds away from protesting but also begrudgingly wanted the hug to last. Doctor Cheng Zui nodded approvingly at him over his Nephews head, and then the moment was ruined when one of the soldiers let out a startled scream from outside the heavy tents they were using. When they went rushing out, they found the young cub had caught itself an arctic rat, and had started ripping it open. No one could move, and Zuko stood frozen, watching his pet very carefully rolling itself in the blood of its kill. He expected his Nephew to be mildly horrified when the creature noticed him and squawked excitedly, waddling towards him with purpose. Instead-
"Look at you, you're such a good girl, Strawberry Mochi! Look at that kill." The young boy cooed, crouching down and using the corner of his coat to gently clean off some of the blood staining her fur. "Whose a mighty hunter?" Zuko cooed. The creature responded by preening at him, and crawling into his arms.
(Retrospectively, Iroh should have realized then what his Nephews abject, inexplicable love for this creature would let him overlook. Like the glint in her eyes when she stared at his teapot collection, of the way she slowly licked her chops when she spotted Captain Zhao's ship. Unfortunately, the only thing Iroh was thinking at that exact moment was that this was his life now.)
Strawberry Mochi was as tall as him at the shoulder now, and she was better for it. The new height allowed her to stand on her back legs and be as taller than him, so hugs were even better because she hugged-crushed him back. (Uncle said the height made her worse because she could now reach his teapot collection. Zuko wasn't sure what Uncle was talking about, his girl was a blessed spirit.) He was thirteen-almost-fourteen and Mochi was two and a half, and soon, Zhao would stop being a problem. Zuko had finally gotten to the point in bending that he was where he had been before the banishment, and he was finally building muscle mass, which was great. He was also almost as tall as Uncle, which meant that soon, he wouldn't be the smallest one on the ship.
"Your form is looking very good, Nephew." Zuko paused in dao practice midswing at Uncles words, then glanced over his shoulder at the older man. Mochi was insistently nudging Warm-Scruffy Friend -for pets or a treat, she really didn't care which- and Zuko nodded slowly in thanks. (He really wanted to bounce in excitement, but he was trying to act older now that he was almost fourteen.)
"Thank you, Uncle." They were just off the southern Earth Kingdom coast now, and Uncle had told him that they would be leaving the Wani to travel over land. Apparently, being a super-secret member of an elite organization meant a lot of information gathering. Also secret bases. The first White Lotus base he'd gone to had been huge, and secret, and had the most wonderful shafts to repel down.
(Uncle all his old guy friends had lectured him about that for hours when they'd found him and a then-young-and-therefore-small Mochi playing spies in the shafts. Even the forced Pai Sho games after had been worth it.)
"We will be leaving the Wani soon." Uncle continued, and Zuko slid his dao back into their sheath, which Mochi decided was the signal that cuddles were now allowed, and while she rubbed against him and played with his ponytail, Uncle spoke. "That means you are going to have to keep a better eye on Mochi, Nephew. Polarbear Geese are not native to the Earth Kingdom."
Zuko nodded seriously because if there was anything he was never going to do, it was become lackluster at taking care of Mochi. She was his pet (baby), and she was there for every nightmare and knew how to give the best cuddles when he needed them. This meant she deserved the world, and if Zuko could give that to her, he would.
"I'll make sure to keep an eye on her Uncle."
(Retrospectively, Uncle should have specified that 'keeping an eye on your monstrous pet doesn't mean helping her cause trouble and then getting you both out of it in bizarre and unnecessary ways.' Unfortunately for Iroh, he had no idea how much like her Warm Mom Strawberry Mochi was, or he would have thought about a cage big enough for them both.)
______
Zuko was positive he'd be blamed for the explosion, but really, it was the corrupt Earth Kingdom nobles' own fault. Who left blasting jelly that close to anything that might spark? Fools, that's who. Mochi gave a very dignified shout of rage (see: a blood-curdling honk) as she smacked the last man into submission, and he gave her the appropriate amount of head pats and scritches as a reward. She trilled at his touch and they made their way towards their objective. Uncle had said the maps were important, and since he hadn't had anyone available, Zuko had volunteered himself. (He'd tried to make Mochi stay behind, but she'd been determined, and he could never say no to her.) They needed to leave and not be seen until they got back to where Uncle was staying, then hopefully they would be on their way again before an even bigger force came. He found the maps and a bunch of fascinating missives, messages either being couriered through the base or to it, when he found one from Captain Zhao to the noble who ran this outpost.
Zuko's plans cganed slightly, not just because of the note, but because of the particulars, it spoke of. He set the office on fire as they left, because he didn't want anyone knowing what he'd taken. It might alert the wrong people, and Zuko needed the shadows to work and thrive. (Never mind that his faithful companion was as tall as him and several thousand pounds heavier. She was an apex predator with a point to prove -anyone that saw her and lived was lucky.) The detour that was the port had them two days off schedule, but it was well worth it in the end.
(This time, the fact that he left the port in flames was totally on purpose. The things Zuko had found there had left him disgusted and sick, and hating his own nation. Especially Zhao. He hated Zhao -and the next time he saw him, he wouldn't stop Mochi from mauling him. She'd been waiting for her chance ever since the Captain had tried to kick her out of his way only to find that her tongue had additional teeth and they were barbed. Zuko hadn't wanted to stop her then either, but Uncle made him.)
Strawberry Mochi wasn't sure why Warm Mom was so upset on their way back, but she made sure to give frequently cuddles and lots of nudges, and tug on Warm Mom's long fur until she got scritches and happy sounds. She considered this job well done and happily went about doing her sacred duty of terrifying anything that smelled like a danger! to Warm Mom. Despite the nasty smells and not-right looking things they'd seen, it was just another day in Strawberry Mochi's life. In Zuko's, it marked the beginnings of a slow-boiling rebellion.
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Iroh had known better than to let Zuko and his abomination out of his sight. The reports rolling in stated that his Nephew had demolished the outpost that retained the maps they needed to plan their own people maneuvers in a war-time situation, and then a day and a half later, a port run by one Captain Zhao was on fire inexplicably. All reports stated that the creature responsible was a snow-white demon that screamed in rage when you looked upon it, accompanied by a spirit from ancient legends, who cut down any in its path. Further descriptions had verified, no matter how many times he read them, or how many cups of tea he drank, that this was absolutely, irrevocably his Nephew. They had much to speak of when he finally wandered back to their temporary base.
(He wasn't prepared for the sheer absurdity that he found once they were back.)
"Nephew. Wearing a mask doesn't make you unidentifieable when you have the only Polar Bear Goose outside of the North trailing after you." He growled because proverbs just weren't working. Zuko stared at him quietly through the deep black holes of the mask, and then slowly pointed to the ridiculous, utterly baffling mask of a jade dragon spirit sitting on Mochi's head.
"She has her own mask." Zuko pointed out unnecessarily. Iroh wasn't sure how to respond to this. He didn't know how to respond to any of this. Lu Ten hadn't been this hard, but then, Lu Ten hadn't ever thought he was a ninja either. His birth son's ideas on battle had always been straight forward. His adopted son had grown up relying on subterfuge and sneaking. This still didn't tell him how to respond to any of this.
(He never did find out how. Not then, in the moment, or later, watching as Mochi started chewing on the Pai Sho board the instant it was brought out. Zuko apologized for the board, but Iroh knew he didn't mean it very much. His Nephew never spoke about why he'd burnt down that port. Iroh never found the time to ask -but he should have.)