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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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Zuko feels strongly compelled to apologise to the glaring baby. It's the weirdest feeling.

"I- uh..." Helpless look. "I know Sokka, yes - but I have no idea what they are."

"We have two Sokkas?" Mel hazards, waiting for a reaction. "One's older than the other, but they're both the same guy with the same history up to a point."

...

Okay, that's really weird.

"...So it follows that there's more than one Four Nations?" Two Sokkas? What?

"Probably," Mel agrees. At leats it'll make it easier if he ever learns about the father.

"And Toph's here, too."

Marginally easier.

"She is? I- I should talk to them."

...

"Two Sokkas? Really?"

"Really," Mel says. "One's... I think he's from about where you are, in time? The other's been living with me off world for two years."

Don't ask her how she knows so much.

The mind boggles.

"Wow. I... so there's more than just this world that moves people around?"

Away from their destinies?

"This is the third I've been to."

Destiny. Toy. Get used to it.

Yikes.

"...Oh."

Well, she'd... certainly know about it?

"Yeah," Mel says, and shrugs.

"So yeah, welcome to the farm. I'm guessing you don't know anything about farming?"

"Not a thing," he says ruefully. "...Is it difficult?"

Peasants do it, right? How hard can it be?!

"So we need people to keep sharp in case of an attack," she ays like he hadn't said anything. "And hunting's still good around here."

She knows Zuko has some scavenging experience at least.

"Oh, and there's an old general around you'll probably want to have words with."

The business-like tone of her giving orders is clear - if she treats him like any new person, she doesn't have to pretend he's anything else.

On the other hand - Iroh.

That sounds a lot better.

"I can do that," he says, smiling slightly. He can hunt and cook in one exercise!

Yum.

"Okay. What's his name?"

- well,he asked for it.

"Iroh," Mel says, biting her lip.

Zuko's expression is... complicated, for a moment. There's surprise, then almost something like joy before guilt floods in and he closes up.

Uncle Iroh - well, it explains why he wasn't in jail, but it also means he probably hates him. And... with good reason.

"...I see," he says.

"He's a Firebender, too," Mel explains, covering up her knowledge. "Figure you guys might want to chat."

"...Yeah," he says. "I'll find him."

And say... something.

Something really apologetic.

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