The Explosion
~~~
"Winter, spring, summer, and fall... winter, spring, summer, and fall.... Four seasons, four loves, four seasons, for love," Iroh sang. Three crew members played instruments to go with his song, while two other crew members danced together to the music. Ivana danced alone, twirling with the music. She froze in place when she saw Zhao come aboard with two soldiers. The others turned, surprised at the intrusion. "Admiral Zhao," Iroh greeted.
"General Iroh and my dear niece. I need to speak to Prince Zuko. We are planning an attack on the northern water tribe and I am commandeering the crew."
"I'll get, Zuko," Ivana mumbled, escaping Zhao's presence. She really wanted to take her grandfather's advice to stay away from Zhao, but he kept appearing. She ran below deck, stopping at Zuko's quarters. She knocked loudly, before entering.
"What do you think, no disturbances means, Ivana!" He shouted angrily.
"Um..." before she could say anything, Iroh appeared behind her, Zhao close behind him.
"For the last time, I'm not playing the tsungi horn!" Zuko shouted at his uncle.
"No, it's about our plans. There's a bit of a problem," Iroh said, stepping aside for Zhao to enter.
"I'm taking your crew," Zhao declared.
Zuko got up, "What?!". This is not going to be good.
"I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole," Zhao explained.
"Uncle, is that true?" Zuko said, searching him for answers.
"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone," he put an arm over his eyes in woe, "even the cook."
"Sorry, you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar. But I can't have you getting in my way again," Zhao stated.
Zuko was furious. He charged Zhao, but Iroh cut him off. "No!" he shouted, holding him back.
Zhao walked over to the wall where Zuko's dual swords were placed. He took one off the wall. He starts waving it around. Ivana looked over at Zuko, his expression one of fear. "I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko."
"I'm not. They're antiques. Just decorative," he dismisses. Yeah right. You practice with those in the dead of night, waking me up so you can practice on someone. Just antiques my butt.
"Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?" Zhao questions, examining the blade. Please tell me Zuko isn't the Blue Spirit.
"Just rumors. I don't think he is real."
"He's real, all right. He's a criminal, and an enemy of the Fire Nation," Zhao stated, handing the sword to Iroh. "But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon." Zuko is definitely the Blue Spirit and Zhao definitely knows. Zhao starts to leave. "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands ... if you change your mind." He shut the door behind him.
Zuko shot fire from his fists. He was filled with anger. Ivana couldn't help but feel sad for him. "Leave me alone," Zuko sneered at Iroh and Ivana. Iroh led Ivana out of the room.
The next night, Ivana and Iroh said their goodbyes to the crew. "Good luck!"
"I'm going to have to cook for his grumpy highness, aren't I?" Ivana grumbled.
"You love cooking for him," Iroh pointed out with a chuckle.
"Yes, but now I have to. It's different. Spirits know he can't cook for himself," she sighed, slapping her forehead. She looked at the mountains covered in snow. "It's a beautiful night. We should take a walk."
"I'll go see if Zuko will join us," Iroh said, leaving to retrieve him. He came back a few minutes later. "He just wants to sit in the dark, I guess. Let's enjoy the evening, Ivana." Iroh led the way off the ship and to the docks. They started down a road when a loud boom sounded over the bay. They turned back, seeing the ship up in flames. "Zuko!" Iroh shouted, running back towards the ship with Ivana.
Ivana's heart pounded. All she could think was "no". They stopped at the dock, watching the ship blaze. "Zuko!" Ivana cried. She fell to her knees. She looked up at Iroh who had tears in his eyes. She let out a breath of fire into the chilly night air before hanging her head. They sat there for a few minutes, still shocked.
Ivana looked up when she heard a loud cough on the shore. Zuko was crawling out of the water. "Iroh!" she yelled, to get his attention before scrambling to her feet and running to Zuko. "You idiot, we thought you were dead," she smiled with relief. His face was bruised and scratched. Ivana laid a hand on his chest, trying to calm his breath. "Shhh, you're safe. Just rest."
~~~
Ivana and Iroh found a safe place to keep Zuko while he healed. Ivana sat with his head in her lap as she cleaned his cuts. Iroh ventured aboard the ship to retrieve anything that might have survived, leaving them alone.
"Why?"
"Why what?" Ivana asked him, gently wiping some dirt away from a cut on his face.
"Why do you go from one minute to hating me to caring for me?"
"Zuko, very few things could make me hate a person, none of them things you have ever done or will ever do," she said, focusing on his cuts instead of his piercing amber eyes staring up at her. "I may get unbelievably pissed at you, but it doesn't mean I don't care about you." She tried to convince him. His family has really messed him up. I suppose it makes sense. Ozai taught Azula that caring was a weakness, so it's no surprise that they only gave him negativity. His mother and Iroh have rarely yelled at him, so he really isn't used to both. He isn't used to someone yelling because they care.
Zuko closed his eyes, taking a moment to think. Ivana smiled when she heard him start to softly snore. This guy better not make me fall for him again.