jeriendhal | FIC: Administrivia (Avatar/Terinu)

"Thank you both for coming," Zuko greeted as Sokka and Kitara entered his throne room. "I could use your help right now."

Sokka grinned. "Heavy hangs the golden topknot thingie, oh Great Fire Lord?" he asked, while his sister looked more irritated.

"Zuko, we need to be going. We haven't seen our home in over a year now," she said.

"I know, I know and I'm sorry, but I have to ask this one last favor. It's a problem, maybe a big one, maybe just peasants panicking, but I need someone I can trust to check into it."

"Can't you just get Aang or your uncle to check it out?" Sokka asked.

"The Avatar is busy in the Earth Kingdom, trying to convince what nobility is left there that I'm not as scheming as my father and that this new era of peace isn't just a ploy by me to make them let their guard down. Meanwhile my uncle is overseeing the purging of the Fire Nation's officer corps, rooting out the corrupt and the cruel. I swear..." Zuko pressed an invisible ball together between his palms, as if trying to compact all of his troubles into one managable package. "I swear, if I could find twenty learned, honest men in the Fire Nation I could rest easily at night. If I could find fifty I could make it a paradise."

Kitara nodded, her hackles lowering. "What can we do to help, Zuko?"

He relaxed slightly. "I need to go out to one of the Fire Nation's northern provinces. I've had disturbing reports of... unnatural happenings."

Sokka grimaced. "You're sure you can't get Aang to help out? He's better at that sort of thing."

"I wish I could. At any rate, some of the people there are reporting sightings of strange beings. Humans with odd round eyes and pale skin. Foxes that walk on their hind legs and speak as men. And worse, a long tailed demon that can Lightning Bend."

"Demonic Lightning Bender?" Sokka slapped his palm to his forehead. "You're sure Aang can't help you this time?"

Zuko smiled slightly. "Aang is helping where he needs to help. You can help me by checking this out."

"We're not exactly qualified to deal with Lightning Benders," Kitara pointed out.

"Maybe not, but you are trusted by me, and that's a damned short list."

Sokka nodded, his face grown serious. "We'll take care of it for you, Zuko."

"I know you will."

* * *

No, it's not a new story, just a fragment I've had floating in my head for a few days.