Chapter Text
“Kid! Hey, kid! Wake up! Are you okay, kid?”
His ears were ringing loudly, and his head pounded with his heartbeat. He found only more pain when he tried to open his eyes, as light burned his eye and stabbed his brain. Why was he awake?
“Hey, kid, are you doing alright?”
“Chong, his aura screams pain. The bandage…”
“Ope. Good spot, Lily. Kid, we’re gonna move you somewhere safer than a ditch, okay? You’re gonna be okay.”
He felt it when they lifted him. He felt like it should have been harder, since he can’t do it at all.
“There we go, kid. We’re gonna take off these bandages, see what the damage is… Hey, that rhymed! Now, don’t open this eye, alrighty? Don’t want you to get anything in there, if it’s missing!”
The man seems to think he made a joke, though Zuko didn’t understand it. The others (When were there others?) laughed with him as they distracted him from the bandages being taken off with a wet, sticky squelch. They all fall silent, whoever they are, but Zuko doesn’t have the energy to open his eyes and see why. Someone whistles.
“Welp, I’d have to say that’s a lot more than a shiner, holy shit. Alright, Moku, can you get the clean shirt that I was gonna wear to the interview today?”
‘Interview? What’s an Interview?’ he thought. He hears the sound of cloth tearing, water splashing, and something touches near his cheek, a light tap, like cloth… It must have been the shirt the man was talking about. Once the tapping under his cheekbone stops, his eye is bandaged again, with the shirt as well.
“Hey, kid, are you in any pain? We can give you something, to help, if you want. What hurts?”
‘How do you expect me to answer right now’ he angrily tried to send his thoughts out, ‘when i don’t even have the energy to blink?’
“Well, it’d make sense if your head hurt. Alright, I’m going to put something on your mouth, and when I say so, breathe in, okay? It’ll make you feel better.”
Soon after, something that feels like metal is pressed against his lips. When the signal is given, there is sudden light near Zuko’s face, and he whimpers, but breathes in as he was told. Maybe they won’t hurt him if he does what they say? It’s all he can bet on, so he breathes in until his lungs are full, and he breathes out smoke and licks of fire. Zuko can’t see it, but they jump when he breathes fire. The smoke did taste funny on the way out, though, and his head slowly stops pounding so hard he can feel it through the ground. Eventually, he gains the courage and energy to open his eye- and immediately starts to panic. Why can’t he open his- right, bandages- wait, bandages? Why- right, Father, but who?- No fire?? How are they alive? What?
“Kid, you need to breathe properly. Slow down, that’s it, now, what happened to you?”
The man in front of him was tall and thin, wearing softly colorful and flowy clothing and a big head piece. Eventually, Zuko can speak, but not without his throat spasming and causing him to cough first. Once he has control of his voice, he rasps, “My Father… I displeased him. He- he burned me, and he threw me out. Where am I?”
“Well, we’re somewhere near Omashu… I think.”
“No, no, we’re near the Desert!”
“I still think we’re near the sea.”
“...So none of you know where we are?”
“We’ll figure it out when night falls. We just follow the stars wherever they lead us, kid. Hey, what’s your name?”
“...Will you be mad?”
“Why would we?”
“...I’m Zuko.”
“Huh, well, nice to meet you, Zuko. I’m Chong, the lady here is Lily, and our dear friend, Moku. We’re traveling musicians. Hey, since you’ve been kicked out, you want to travel with us? Just while you heal, of course.”
“...Do I have a choice?”
“Always, Zuko. When you’re a nomad, all there are is choices.”
“Then yes.”
“Alrighty, then, let’s get this show on the road! Upsy-lily!”
Chong picks up Zuko and carries him while they all start walking towards the mountains.