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It had taken Zuko awhile to get used to the way the plane felt, moving - it is not like riding on that bison! - and then he'd mostly stared out of the window at the unfamiliar landscape below.

Landing was another new experience that left him resolutely hiding wobbly legs as he walks down the steps and into sunlight behind the others.

He really appreciates solid ground right now, but he'll stare darkly at nothing in particular for a bit, so nobody notices. While surreptitiously looking around.

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"Some," he says. "But a decent Firebender can deflect a lot, and they were pretty well armoured."

So, fine as long as you don't have to deal with multiple Earthbenders... Or, you know. Toph.

"...Okay!" he says, trying to keep up. Her enthusiasm is... actually, it kind of reminds him of Aang, in a weird way.

"Firebender... they are like the Earthbenders, right?" Critical thinking = good!

"...Sort of," Zuko says, then figures no harm can come of it.

"We manipulate fire. Like this." He holds out a hand, palm up, and produces a small, flickering flame that hovers there.

"Ah!" She claps, dutifully impressed. "That must be very useful! Is it difficult to do?"

"Not really," he says, letting the flame go out and dropping his hand. "There's a lot of training to go through to use it as a martial art, but just producing a flame is easy enough to get the knack of."

Training, dancing with dragons. You know. The usual.

She nods. She knows martial arts! "Is it something any human can do, then?"

Well, probably not, considering if it was, she'd have probably heard about it back home. But still!

He shakes his head.

"No. The Four Nations each live under the name of one element, but only some people from each can Bend, and only one element. Apart from the Avatar."

Who can bend... three, currently. He really has to find a way back.

"I see." That makes sense. "The Avatar... there's only one?"

"One at a time," Zuko says. "Yes. He is reincarnated. Or she, I think. I'm... I was travelling with the current one. I was- am his teacher."

Bleak expression.

"Oh dear..." She frowns. "It must be difficult for you." Sadly, she adds, "I only hope it's not too much trouble for Master and my sisters, myself."

He shrugs awkwardly.

"I'll find a way to get back," he says. "Just... hopefully sooner, rather than later."

Then he peers at her. "You have a... Master?"

Is that her teacher?

"I hope so," she agrees.

"Oh, yes, all OSes do. We were created to serve, after all." She is very cheerful about this fact.

...

"...But... I... Okay?"

Zuko has no words that help here.

"...have I said something wrong?" What problem could there possibly be here?

"Um. I don't know. I... take it it's normal, where you come from, then?"

Cultural differences! Cultural differences!

"Oh, yes." After a thought, she adds, "I suppose if you don't have any airplanes, you wouldn't have anything like an OS, either..."

He shakes his head.

"I don't think so, no."

Unless she means, just... women. They have those! Mind you, he got the impression that she was different to Dinah, so maybe not.

"ah." Now, does she need to try to explain things?

"I don't suppose it will be very important, though. I... don't think I can serve Master from here. Though he's been relying on my sisters, anyway." Sigh. "I hope it won't cause much trouble for them, though..."

"...It does seem to be very cut off," he says, still confused, but trying to carry on. "But there's a few of them, right? They'll probably manage okay."

As if he has any idea what he's talking about.

She nods. "2K is reliable, at least... I'm sure they can manage without me." She's sort of convinced herself now. The household probably won't collapse with her gone.

Maybe.

She forces a smile. "I suppose we'll just have to make the best of things here, right?"

Zuko nods gloomily.

"For a while, at least, while we find a way to get home."

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