An Innocent Spark [Zukka]

Chapter 13: Stop The Carriage!

The carriage was halfway to the palace when Zuko yelled to the driver, "stop the carriage!"

"What's going on?" Sokka asked as the carriage came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the road.

"I'm tired of palace cooking," Zuko smirked and opened the carriage door motioning for Sokka to get out.

"You know that sounds pretty pretentious right?" Sokka said poking fun at his friend.

"Oh I see the water tribe boy is using big words now," Zuko shot back jokingly. "Palace food is great and all, but sometimes a man just wants some junk food to sooth the soul."

"Now you're speaking my language," Sokka said jumping out of the carriage. Zuko climbed out and turned to the driver. "Take my guest's bags back to the palace and ensure they are returned to his previous room.

Sokka raised an eyebrow to the fact that he was being put in the same room he had been in before. "What if I want a different room? Maybe I don't want to face the east and have the sun wake me up in the morning."

"Too bad water boy because I'm in charge," Zuko said and Sokka laughed a little. Zuko wasn't a very funny guy, so when he was able to make Sokka laugh it made him feel good.

"So, where are we going to get some food?" Sokka asked. Zuko knew better than to keep Sokka from food for too long, but in all honesty he hadn't thought that far ahead.

"I'm not really sure," he said scratching his neck. He tried to avoid Sokka's unimpressed expression and think through where they could go.

"What do you mean you're not sure?" Sokka asked and as if on cue his stomach growled.

"Well, as royalty and all I never exactly was allowed out of the palace to explore the city," Zuko admitted and was more than a little embarrassed at the fact he didn't know any good restaurants in the city he grew up in.

"Maybe we can ask someone for a recommendation," Sokka suggested and Zuko nodded in agreement.

"Excuse me ma'am," Sokka said to an older woman sitting on a nearby bench mending a hole in her sweater, "do you happen to know of any good restaurants or food stands nearby?"

"Does it look like I can afford to go out to eat?" the woman yelled and batted them away with her walking stick.

"Fire Nation people sure are friendly," Sokka said and tried to find someone else to ask.

Zuko spotted a young teenager harassing a merchant and walked over to him. "Hey kid, you happen to know any good places to grab something to eat around here?"

"Mind your own business," the kid said and went back to yelling at the lady for not wanting to hand over her profits from the day.

"You look like you've been around the block a few times kid," Zuko said in a cool yet serious voice, "so I'm going to ask you one more time, know of any good places to eat around here?"

"What did I tell you back..." the kid stopped in his tracks when he turned around to see it was the fire lord himself.

"Uh, uh... I... there's a good place that serves dumplings a few blocks down," the kid stammered as Zuko loomed over him.

"Thanks," Zuko said without moving an inch, "now where were you headed?"

"Back home sir, right away actually," the kid said and ran off, leaving the poor merchant alone.

"I don't think he'll be any trouble for you from now on ma'am," Zuko said in a friendly tone.

"Thank you so much fire lord Zuko! Is there anything I can give you to express my thanks? I have fruits from all over the fire nation, and I'll even give you the dragon berries that I received today," she practically begged him to take something.

"No thank you, we've already got our dinner covered," Zuko politely refused and walked back to Sokka.

"Very impressive," Sokka said and rolled his eyes sarcastically. Zuko smiled a little and told Sokka he found a place to eat.

"You're going to trust a delinquent kid to recommend food for us?" Sokka asked bewildered.

"Why not? These kids know these streets like the back of their hands and I'm sure they have had plenty of money to spend from robbing these poor merchants," Zuko shrugged and started walking in the direction the kid had told him to go.

"Point taken," Sokka said and followed the fire lord down the crowded street until they stopped in front of a decrepit looking restaurant with a drawing of dumplings stuck to the dirty window.

"Having a change of heart?" Sokka asked as his stomach turned at the thought of what might end up on his plate.

"Come on, where's your sense of adventure?" Zuko asked. "Besides, it's always the places like this that have the best food."

Sokka's shoulders sank but he followed Zuko into the establishment and they took their seats in a small two-person booth near the kitchen. The menu was small and Zuko knew what he wanted within a minute.

The waiter was a very old man with a long white beard and bushy eyebrows. The boys ordered their food and were left alone in the empty restaurant.

Something about the restaurant appealed to Zuko. He was so used to his surroundings being perfectly maintained and repaired as soon as anything broke, it was nice to be somewhere that felt like it had seen a lot of life happen within it.

The boys sat in silence for a while, neither of them knowing what to talk about now that Katara was gone.

Sokka finally broke the silence and said, "So, what's the plan for uncovering the plot to destroy the world?"

"You're the plan guy," Zuko smirked, "I thought you would have come up with something by now."

"Hey I just found out about this whole conspiracy theory this morning," Sokka said and crossed his arms, "I need more time to come up with my ingenious plan."

Zuko shook his head and laughed. Even in serious situation Sokka always found a way to make light of it.

"We'll have to come up with a plan later because I think I spot some delicious dumplings heading our way," Sokka said and unwrapped his silverware.

"Fresh dumplings for my special guests," the old man set down two plates of steaming dumplings that Zuko swore looked ten times better than the ones his chefs prepare.

"Thank you," Zuko said and bowed. The old man smiled as though he had received the highest honor and bowed in return before returning to the kitchen.

The two enjoyed their meal and when they were finished Zuko paid for both their meals and left the nice man a large tip. Sokka protested and said he could pay for his own meal, but Zuko reminded him that he had been the one to drag him to the restaurant in the first place.

They made the long trek back to the palace on foot, and despite the distance Zuko couldn't help but enjoy every second of it. He had never seen the city from the streets except on the way to and from the port.

"When everyone isn't trying to kill you or arrest you, the Fire Nation's not too bad," Sokka said as they passed by a small park with an ancient tree growing in the center. It made Zuko smile know that Sokka was beginning to appreciate his homeland. Most of the world hated the Fire Nation and for good reason. It was his father and grandfather who should be hated, not the people who were fed lies to support the war.

They returned to the palace long after the sun had set. They were met with Zuko's personal guards who expressed their concern that something had happened to the fire lord.

After being assured that no harm came to them the guards let them into the palace. They immediately went to their rooms as the day had been an exhausting one and they both needed their rest. They wished each other goodnight and Zuko entered his room, a smile still lingering on his face and his mind was finally at ease.