They spent days wandering after leaving Zhao's fleet until they finally ended up in an Earth Kingdom resort controlled by the Fire Nation. Iroh was taking full advantage of the services and was currently receiving a massage. Zuko was brooding in the corner as usual as Rezalia sat in a tree, picking at the blossoms in her hand. From inside the structure, it couldn't quite be called a building with how open it was, Iroh groans happily. "Aaahhh... this is what I've been missing. Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for three weeks with no food or water and sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver could make one so tense?"
Rezalia snickers and looks over to her friend, who was attempting to hide his sulking under his hat quite unsuccessfully. "Maybe you should get a massage, Z."
No answer. Iroh dons a robe and takes a seat on the floor next to his nephew. "I see. It's the anniversary, isn't it?" he asks. Rezalia goes back to her flowers, figuring that iroh was well equipped to handle this one.
"Three years ago today I was banished. I lost it all. (He looks up suddenly.) I want it back. I want the Avatar, I want my honor, I want my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless," Zuko replies bitterly. Rezalia frowns.
"I'm sure he doesn't! Why would he banish you if he didn't care?" Iroh says cheerfully. Rezalia nearly falls out the of the tree as Zuko gets up and walks away.
"Dude, what the fuck?" she asks, jumping down to the ground.
"Erg... that came out wrong, didn't it?" Iroh asks sheepishly. Rezalia snorts and hands then man the blossoms before going after Zuko.
She finds him leaning against a tree, hat abandoned at his side. "Heya, Z." Zuko cracks open one eye - his good eye - to look at her. In response to her words, he flicks a finger to the space beside him not occupied by a hat. Rezalia takes the cue and sits down.
"You aren't worthless, Z. I know you probably don't want to hear this right now, but fuck your dad and what he thinks. You should be doing this because it's what you want to do, not because he sent you on some wild goose chase," the purple eyed girl tells Zuko.
The prince bristles. "It's not a wild goose chase! We found the avatar, didn't we?!"
"Yes, but your father had no way of knowing that Aang was alive when he sent you out here! He didn't intend for you to succeed, Zuko!"
"You don't know that," Zuko replies, voice dropping to hide the slight shake of it. "Please go. I don't want to fight with you. Not today."
Rezalia sighs and squeezes Zuko's shoulder as she stands. "Bye, Z."
About an hour later, the three of them were gathered around a table, Zuko having been dragged back in by Iroh who was currently showing the teens the shells he had gathered on the beach. "Look at these magnificent shells! I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come."
Zuko huffs. "We don't need anymore useless things. You forget we have to carry everything ourselves now."
Before Iroh gets a chance to answer, someone else speaks. "Hello, brother. Uncle. Freak."
"Well, hi, brat!" Rezalia chirps in response as Zuko's good eye twitches. Azula gives the girl a nasty look but ignores her for the most part.
"What are you doing here?" Zuko practically snarls. Azula plays with the shell in her hands, tossing it up and down.
Rezalia pulls one leg up onto her chair. "For real, Azula, what do you want?"
"In my country, we exchange a pleasant 'hello' before asking questions." Azula stands and gets in Zuko's face. "Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?"
Zuko's lip raises into a sneer. "Don't call me that!"
"To what do we owe this honor?" Iroh asks in an attempt at politeness.
Azula appraises her uncle with a look bordering on disgust. "Hmm... must be a family trait. Both of you so quick to get to the point." The princess crushes the shell in her hand and something in Iroh's face shifts. "I've come with a message from home. Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of plans to overthrow him—treacherous plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust." Azula's demeanor changes then, softening. "Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home."
Rezalia's eyes narrow. "The Fire Lord regrets something? This is news."
Azula turns burning eyes on Rezalia. "Your banishment was not lifted, freak. Do not think that you and my brother are one."
"I never said anything of the sort. I told good old Ozy to suck my dick, I don't expect a parade," Rezalia snorts. Zuko frowns, looking between his best friend and his sister.
Azula scowls at his apparent indecision. "Did you hear me? You should be happy. Excited. Grateful. I just gave you great news."
Iroh steps in. "I'm sure your brother just needs a moment to—"
Azula cuts him off with a sharp tongue. "Don't interrupt, Uncle!" she snaps before turning to Zuko. "I still haven't heard my thank you. I am not a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way."
"By all means, go back," Rezalia replies, propping her feet up on the table. Azula glares at her.
Azula leaves Zuko to think about his sudden welcome back to the fire nation and walks off with another flippant insult toward Rezalia. The white flame wielder raises her middle finger in response. Zuko paces back and forth with a look in his eyes that Rezalia knew. "You want to go back," she sighs.
"We're going home. After three long years. It's unbelievable," he rambles suddenly, as if a dam had burst.
"You said it," Rezalia murmurs, tipping her head back to stare at the ceiling.
Iroh didn't seem content with the situation either. "It is unbelievable. I have never known my brother to regret anything."
"Did you listen to Azula? Father's realized how important family is to him. He cares about me."
Iroh seemed to bristle a bit at that. "I care about you. And if Ozai wants you back... well, I think it may not be for the reasons you imagine."
Rezalia doesn't bother to voice her opinion. It wouldn't matter in the end regardless. "You don't know how my father feels about me. You don't know anything," Zuko snaps.
"Zuko, I only meant that in our family things are not always what they seem," Iroh responds gently.
"I think you are exactly what you seem: a lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who has always been jealous of his brother."
Rezalia sit up at Zuko's words, feet returning to the ground. "Zuko!" she shouts. The boy ignores her and stomps off.
Iroh sighs as he watches his nephew walk off. "You aren't coming, are you?" he asks, not looking in Rezalia's direction. Rezalia smiles a bit.
"No, I'm not. You heard Princess Psycho, I'm not welcome back. Can't say I'm too upset about it, really."
The next day, Iroh said his goodbyes to Rezalia and set out to meet his nephew. "He'll miss you. Both of us will advocate for your return, dear. I promise," he whispers before leaving.
Rezalia watches them go, leaning against a tree. "Thanks, uncle," she murmurs, though nobody was around to hear her. As the guards part and bow to the pair, Rezalia turns and leaves. Alone for the first time in years. It was odd. She could hardly remember it ever being so quiet.
Her journey alone hardly lasted twenty minutes before Zuko came crashing through the foliage. He leaned heavily on her shoulder, panting. "Z? The hell are you doing here? I thought you were going back to the Fire Nation!"
"It was a trick," he mumbles in return. "She was taking us back as prisoners."
Rezalia sighs and pats Zuko on the back. "Yeah, that makes sense. Sorry, Z. I should've been there." Zuko pulls back and kneels by the creek. Iroh kneels at his side. "Uh, what are you guys-"
Her question is answered when Zuko pulls out a dagger and cleanly slices off his ponytail - his last remaining connection to his former glory. Rezalia's jaw drops and Zuko passes the dagger to Iroh who cuts off his bun. Both of them drop the hair into the stream and watch it go. "We're fugitives now," Iroh says gravely.
"We should probably get a change of clothes, then," Rezalia replies, setting her hands on Zuko's shoulders.