star_kingdom | first flame ☀ video

So that's it. My entire world... gone. My country, my people, everyone...

[A teenager in red and gold clothing slumps dejectedly onto the steps in Traverse Town's first district. A moogle carrying the communicator is hovering beside him.]

I'm sorry, kupo. For now, you'll have to make a new life here!

[Zuko looks up, showing his mismatched eyes; one side of his face is covered with a burn scar. His anger flares as his gaze fixes a little above the camera onto the moogle.] I didn't want a new life! How many times do I have to lose everything?!

[He moves to stand abruptly. Bad decision; the still-fresh wound in his midriff jolts and he has to sit back down, gritting his teeth in pain. The moogle flutters beside him, worried.]

Are you okay, kupo?!

...Yeah. [Zuko runs a hand through his hair, obviously agitated.] Sorry. Getting mad at you won't fix anything. [He accepts the proferred phone from the moogle and looks at it with a blank expression.] What are you giving me?

It's a communicator! Maybe you can contact your friends with it!

How--? [He's curious, even in spite of his situation. He presses a button experimentally-- and the feed ends.]

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Did you have other questions, too? I'm sure your friend will help you, but I can try to answer them until you two meet.

I think I know enough to get by for now.

...Although, there's one more thing... [Her blue hair has him curious. It's unusual, by his world's standards, but blue has always been the colour of the Water Tribe.] What was your world like? Are you a Waterbender?

[If she were here as Mercury, she'd explain that it's similar, that she's never been called that but she can use water the way his nation uses fire.

Instead, she plays ignorant.]

No, I'm nothing like that. I was studying to become a doctor back home.

Oh, right. [It was a pretty wild guess; he shouldn't have expected much.] Never mind, forget I asked.

[Some day, Zuko.]

No, it's alright. I don't mind. You're far from home, and looking for things that will still be familiar.

[She probably hasn't even heard of the Water Tribe. It was a stupid question.]

Something like that.

[She's feeling guiltier and guiltier for not being able to answer properly.]

Please don't feel badly.

Don't worry about it.

Have you eaten something yet? I don't know what happened right before you left, but you must be needing food and rest by now.

The moogle gave me some money and a room, so I'll get by. I'm used to this kind of thing.

[Being in an unfamiliar land having lost everything, being forced to survive relying on nothing but his own back, and the random kindness of strangers... He never thought he'd have to live through another repeat of his time in the Earth Kingdom. At least this time he's prepared -- and not a wanted fugitive.]

You sound as though you became very resourceful. You must have gone through a lot.

[Zuko shrugs evasively. His past isn't something he likes to discuss.] My entire world's been through a lot recently.

Ours was, too, before coming here. I suppose it's one of the signs of the Heartless coming.

You think so? Then maybe there's some kind of pattern to which worlds the Heartless will attack?

I'd like to analyze that possibility, but I don't have enough data at present. However, it should be safe to say that the Heartless will attacks worlds which, in some way or other, are open to the Darkness.

I figured that much. [Pause.] Guess the best way to learn about an enemy is to confront them directly. Speculation won't get us anywhere.

I've fought the Heartless. They can be defeated, but not destroyed, yet.

We're fighting an enemy that can't be destroyed?

[Sigh.] This just gets better and better.

There's a way. A weapon that can defeat them completely. But we still need to research where it may be.

A weapon...

[But if bending can't defeat them, what use would a weapon be?]

You mean like a sword, or something different?

I'm not sure exactly. Everything I've heard about it has been very vague. I think we should keep looking for other methods while we search for whatever this weapon might be.

Yeah. Putting all our hopes in a weapon we know nothing about won't get us anywhere... Maybe there's another way.

I agree. And until we can find one or the other, I'll keep fighting the Heartless the best I can right now.

Fighting? But you just said back home you were training to be a doctor.

[Either that was a lie, or there's something she isn't saying...]

Look, if you can't fight, leave it to the people who can. It's safer for you that way.

Everyone here needs to do their best. I'd be useless to everyone if I didn't at least try to defend myself and protect the people here.

[It's true she's said too much. But plenty of people who aren't magical girls could say the same.]

[Video]

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