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40 days until Sozin's Comet

I couldn't sleep. Because I knew what I would dream of, and I knew how I'd feel afterward.

I'd faced my father! I'd taken his lightning and fired it back at him! I shouldn't be so…terrified of dreams!

I stood. There was no point in trying to sleep tonight. Druk could continue sleeping, but I would not.

I walked out towards the edge. Anahita was still waiting for me. It really should have realized that I wasn't coming back, though I suppose it thought that one of us would fall by accident soon. Unfortunately for it, we had an airship that didn't require bending. Sure it was easier for a Firebender to use it, but there was enough coal to sustain the fire without Firebending.

But I wasn't here to wonder about Anahita. I was here to not sleep. I knew the Sun was down, and I knew that sleep was what I needed, but I. could. not!

And so, instead, I practiced. I knew that my Bending was being derived from anger this time, from desperation for distraction. I could tell that my Fire was colder, less impactful, and weaker. But I didn't care right now. All I wanted was to not think about it.

I punched, I kicked, I spun, I flipped. I did everything I could. Even without my normal drive, my fire grew stronger, especially as I felt the sun begin its return to the sky. My fire ran hotter, became brighter, and moved faster.

My muscles burned. I could feel the sweat dripping off my everything. But I pushed through. It wasn't training. It wasn't anything except working too hard to think. But that's what I wanted right now.

Don't think. Just do.

The Sun rose into the sky. I felt the light hit my face, and I was filled with more energy than ever. I grinned, continuing my tantrum.

My fire was bordering white. It burned so hot that I almost feared it burning me as I fired it. But even with how I felt, I knew that I had trained too much for that to be an issue.

"Drk." I heard Druk behind me. I was sure that he could feel what I felt. He just knew it.

He joined me, circling around me, firing off his own Purple and Green and Yellow flames. Even in my current state, I knew that what we were creating was beautiful. A flower of color. A passionate, painful, dangerous Dragonlily.

Finally, I felt my legs give out. I tried to keep myself upright, but my knee buckled, and I was forced to the ground. Druk paused for a moment, but I refused to. I continued to punch at the sky, trying to force myself to keep going, trying to keep myself from thinking.

"Drk…" he nuzzled my side. My flames faltered. I felt so…pathetic. Reduced to this, just because I couldn't handle having a bad dream.

Druk circled me, wrapping himself around my torso. He was already larger than yesterday, his body almost as thick as a log, and as long as Appa. He probably already weighed more than I did. And yet, he could still fly. He could still just…leave it all on the ground. And yet…he stayed.

"Druk…" I started. "You…you're just…I want out…" I admitted. "I don't want to do this. I never wanted to do this. I don't want to fight him. I don't want to fight her…I don't want to fight anymore. I'm tired. I've been fighting for 6 years now…and it'll never stop…" I could feel the tears trying to form, but just like my hair, that ability had been burned away.

"I want to leave…but I know that if I do…" He didn't finish that sentence. Druk understood. Of course, Druk understood.

"...let's go…just for today. Just you and me." I looked down at Druk. "A day alone. I won't even make him work out."

"Drk." Druk chirped in agreement.

"..." Breakfast was a silent affair. Even though they should still have been celebrating their father's return, they had woken that morning, remembering the revelations from last night. Katara hadn't even been sure how she would talk to Zuko anymore.

She'd always wondered how it was possible for him to turn his back on them. To join Azula underneath Ba Sing Se. But now…for the chance to go home-since that's what he did afterwards-after 3 years of banishment…she was sure she could at least understand, even if she didn't agree. She tried to imagine what she would have done in that situation, but she couldn't put her Father in the Fire Lord's place, and she most definitely could not put Sokka in Azula's place.

It was harrowing…it recontextualized almost everything that Zuko had ever said and done. From the moment he'd appeared at the Southern Water Tribe, to the moment he'd approached them a month ago, hoping to join them.

And she'd been so cruel! Even if she justified it, she was ashamed of herself. No matter what, Gran Gran had said that she should be kind, and yet she'd been crueler than many of the Fire Nation soldiers she had faced. She would have to make it up to him. She had no idea how, but she had to. It was the only way to stem the pain she felt in her chest.

"Has anyone…seen him?" Sokka asked. "I mean…I wasn't really expecting him to eat with us this morning…but I thought he wanted to train you?"

"I haven't seen him at all…" Aang sighed. "He didn't even wake me up."

"He's not here." Toph tapped the ground. "I can't feel him anywhere."

"...do you think…" Sokka pointed down.

"There's no way he'd go back down there willingly." Toph curled up. "He…hated it down there. He told me how…" She cut herself off, shuddering.

"How far can you sense?" Hakoda asked. "Because if he isn't nearby, then he has to have been awake for a long time…and I'm worried about leaving him alone with his thoughts."

"..." Katara stared at the fountain. She could see faint scorch marks that had not been there yesterday. It seemed like he'd been training. That or having a Katara-esque tantrum. "Druk is probably with him."

"Do you think he went so far because he didn't want me to sense him?" The tone startled her. Toph sounded so…young. Like a small child who wanted to do anything to make the bad feeling go away. And Katara remembered that Toph was 11. Maybe 12 since Birthdays weren't really a thing they paid attention to. She was 14. Sokka was 16. Suki was 15. Aang was 13. And Zuko was 17. Seventeen. The oldest among them. Toph was the youngest among them. And yet, the fate of the world rested on them. Whether the world survived the 100-year war or succumbed to Fire Nation Hegemony.

"I think he just wanted to be alone…" Hakoda said. "He isn't…he isn't like you." He looked at his children. "You enjoy being together, spending time with the people you care about. Zuko…he seems to enjoy the silence of solitude. The calmness that comes with being alone."

"But Druk is with him."

"...it's not the same." Chit Sang spoke up. "There's a difference between being alone with somebody and being lonely. No one wants to be lonely…but sometimes you don't want to be around people. It's…complicated."

"Let's agree not to look for him, okay?" Aang stared at the fire. "He needs…he needs his own time, the same way I needed mine when Appa was kidnapped. I can't…no one can do anything about it except Zuko."

I found myself in the plains above the Air Temple. I followed the sun through the sky, traveling further and further away from them. I knew I was moving back toward the Sun Warriors, but I didn't plan to go that far. I just needed…different. At least for tonight.

Druk followed along. Sometimes on the ground, chasing Prariefoxes. Sometimes, he flew through the sky, drawing my envy. I wanted to fly with him. I wanted off the ground, to be up there, chasing the sun across the sky.

I was just…tired of living. I didn't want to die…but was it worth living like this? And what if we won? If Ozai was deposed? Azula could not become Fire Lord. And Iroh didn't have children. And I did not trust my extended family to not just be the same warmongers that my own family was.

So what now? I become Fire Lord and dedicate my life to a position that had caused me nothing but pain?

"I can't." I paused underneath the shade of a tree. "I just…I can't do it. I'd hate myself. I'd ruin the world if I ever became Fire Lord…"

'And if my father wasn't lying…if my mother really was only banished…then I need to find her. I can't do that on the throne.' I shook my head, and Druk landed on the branch above. The grass tickled my hands.

This was a beautiful field, untouched by the Industrialization of the Fire Nation. And yet…the Fire Nation was richer than the rest of the world. They lived better lives than the rest of the world. And I wanted them to be comfortable. They were my people, but…to lose this? To lose this field to a factory or a farm? To lose this breeze to the buildings that the Fire Nation would inevitably build? It was…sad.

"Drk?" Druk slithered down to the ground, gesturing over to a herd of Koalasheep.

"Hungry?" Druk nodded. "Alright. Try flying this time." I pulled out my swords, lighting them ablaze. "You're a Dragon, you don't need to hunt like me. You probably shouldn't hunt like me…I don't think your parents would appreciate that." I thought back to Ran and Shaw.

Druk took off, circling a few meters above my head. The Koalasheep eyed us warily, knowing that we were a danger to them, but they considered us too far away to be a significant threat. After all, to them, we were just specks of color in the distance.

It was too bad that we didn't need to ambush them in order to hunt.

I shot forward, feeling the air bend around me. Druk cried out, quickly overtaking me, becoming a streak of fire in the sky.

The Koalasheep bleated in panic, turned, and raced towards the cover of a nearby forest. Unfortunately for them, and fortunately for us, we were far faster, far smarter, and far more maneuverable. Even if they reached the forest, we could easily navigate around the trees.

Though they weren't ever going to get that far.

I raised my swords, bringing them down like claws against stone. An arc of fire immediately stopped one of them in their tracks, bringing a quick end to its life. Its wool quickly got fire, but I sheathed my sword, and pulled the flames away, leaving the corpse intact.

Druk chose to go after smaller, younger prey. It had been cut off by another member of the herd, and Druk quickly landed between it and the forest. He snarled, and it stopped in its tracks, bleating in panic. It looked around for help, but its herd had left it to its fate.

I stood behind it, watching as Druk stalked forwards. It seemed cruel to not go for the kill immediately, but that was what being prey was.

Finally, Druk opened his mouth and spat fire, bringing an end to its life. Unlike mine, its wool didn't catch fire. Druk was left with a pristine corpse, ready to be cooked or burned or sheared. Mine was passable, but part of its flank was already burnt, and I'd probably end up giving half of it to Druk anyway. I didn't eat nearly as much.

The Sun finally began to set. I chose to grill my food since clearly I actually cared about taste. Druk almost swallowed his whole, though he was just a bit too small to do that. It wouldn't be long before he could. I had offered to cut it for him, but he elected to use his claws instead. It was messy, especially the bone, but he managed.

I could feel Agni leave, and finally, my exhaustion caught up to me. I lay my head on Druk, who wrapped himself around the dying fire. I couldn't stay up tonight. I was tired. All I could do was hope that I didn't dream.

"I know what I said…" I stated to the sky. "I know that I told them that I'd defeat my father. That I'd take the throne. I mean…those prisoners definitely believe that. I think Azula does too…but I don't want to. I hate the Fire Lord. All that Throne has done is cause pain. Sozin killed the Air Nomads. Azulon killed the Southern Waterbenders. And now…Ozai is going to kill the Earth Nation. There will be nothing left in this world."

"And…what comes next? Who's next to resist the Fire Nation? Who's going to die next? What happens if the Fire Nation gets tired? Will we kill our own people?" It was strange, talking to no one - Druk wasn't really paying attention - but I felt like…something was listening. "The Throne…I can't. I'm…not them. I'm not good. I don't…they didn't have to try. They are good people…good kids. Their father is a good man. But me…I…I hurt people. I attacked their village. I burned down her village. I tried to kidnap him. When they tried to help Uncle…I attacked them…" Druk grumbled.

"If I take the Throne…what will happen to me? Who will I end up hurting? I can't do that…" But someone had to take the Throne. Someone had to be in charge. Otherwise, the Fire Nation would tear itself apart. Such a heavily propagandized and militarized society wouldn't be able to stay stable. And who would keep the nobility in line? Who could stop the Fire Nation from continuing the war? Someone had to. But that someone couldn't be me.

"It's better if no one becomes Fire Lord…yet someone needs to be Fire Lord." I almost laughed. "Politics…"

'As if I could just get rid of the…Throne…' I frowned. It sounded incredulous…but the more I thought about it, the less sense it made. The Fire Lord was…too powerful. That Fire Lord Sozin had taken the Fire Nation from prosperous to warmongering was…concerning. That the whims of one man had managed to ruin a Nation, ruin the world. Clearly, that wasn't okay. Right? And besides, why was I destined to be Fire Lord? Because I was the oldest child of the reigning Fire Lord? In comparison to Azula and Azulon, in comparison to Iroh, I was weak. I was a weak bender and a weak person. I wasn't the best candidate by far! And if that was with the specialized breeding of the Royal Family, then why were they even in power in the first place?

I felt weird. It sounded absolutely insane…and somehow still made sense. I mean…the Water Tribes. Sure, normally the Chieftainship was passed down through family, but if the Tribe thought their Chief was terrible, they replaced him with an entirely different family! In the Fire Nation, it was always the same Family. As it had been for almost its entire history! Why could they just pick a new Royal Family?

But if we were going to pick a new family to be in charge, then why bother even letting the children become the next in line? Why not just…pick a new Fire Lord every time? And in order to prevent them from just…taking the Fire Nation wherever they wanted, we could distribute the power between multiple people, so that in order for something big and important to happen, you needed multiple people to agree, which meant that at the very least, it wasn't the decision of one person!

Again, it sounded completely insane. Treasonous even. To make the Royal Family give up its power, to distribute it among multiple people? How could you even decide who got to rule?

"What if…mayors…they're elected by their towns…what if we get people to elect their governors…and then the governors elect who's in charge?" I was speaking aloud now. "And…since the people got a choice, they should be pretty happy with who's in charge…and since that person in charge was elected because of the people, that person can't just do whatever they want, since they could make the people who elected them angry…" But how did you stop someone from abusing their power anyway? After all, the nobles would still have a lot of say, with all the money they controlled.

"...what if they can only be in power for a short time…that way they can't do whatever they want…and what if they could be removed if they made the people mad?" This was even more than just a mayor. Even mayors served for life. But…this was something dangerous and new. And it solved all of my problems. If the Throne didn't exist anymore, then no one man would have too much power. It would be a dangerous transition. But…the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. It was just…strange.

And if I was the one to implement the change…if the Royal Family was the one to give up their power…then they had the Spirit's blessings for this new…form of government. And I wouldn't be breaking my promise. I would still be taking the "Throne", and immediately using its power to dismantle itself and squash the nobility. I'd have overthrown Ozai, established order in the Fire Nation, and only have had to hate myself for a few months or years, instead of the rest of my life! I was probably feeling far too optimistic, but…finally, I didn't need to be Fire Lord!

Something stirred in the wind.

39 days until Sozin's Comet

"Any sign of him?" Sokka stared at the Fire. It reminded him of the scar. Which he hated thinking about now, but it was all he could think about. Zuko…his friend…scarred by the Fire Lord. By his own father. Sure, his dad had gotten mad at him when he was being stupid, but he…Sokka had never feared his father. Never. And yet…Zuko hadn't even done anything bad. If anything, Zuko was being good. Unwilling to throw lives away, and he'd been punished for it. What kind of lesson did that even teach? Don't be a good person, or you'll be burned, and scarred for life?

If anything, the "not as much of a jerk as you could have been" award was understating it. Zuko deserved the "not as messed up in the head as you probably should have been" award, or "genuinely a good person who got fucked over so badly" award. Sure, Zuko had been a jerkbender, but…honestly, he'd had the best reason anyone could even have. To go home. Sokka couldn't even be angry at him. Even after all Zuko had done in the past, it had all really been for…if not a good reason, at least an acceptable one.

And if he felt this bad…well, he could see how Katara felt. She'd always had a bleeding heart, and with how she'd…treated…Zuko over the past few days, this would break it. She looked so…sullen now. He really hoped that Zuko would come back soon. Especially since his dad was still unaware of why exactly Katara was so…careful around Zuko. And Sokka really did not want to explain that.

"I-I feel him!" Toph shouted, shaking the ground hard enough that the fire went out. "H-he's walking towards us…he's c-coming back!" Sokka watched as Toph turned away from them. He was pretty sure she was about to cry…or at least, try not to cry. She was Toph. She wasn't supposed to cry, but Sokka knew that she was still a young girl and that emotions were…difficult.

Sure enough, a Sokka spotted a glimmer in her blank eyes before an earth tent appeared around her. The others weren't paying it much attention, but Sokka understood.

He was coming back. She hadn't scared him away. She hadn't pushed too hard. She hadn't said too much.

No…she had. She had hurt him too much for it to be okay.

But he was coming back. He wasn't gone forever.

She should have known. Even if Zuko didn't stand firm like she did, he never really…just gave up. Maybe that one time he'd jumped off a cliff. But he'd had a reason to, so she didn't think it counted.

No, Zuko didn't run away. She should have trusted that…but she was scared. Because she could feel the way that his heart had hammered in his chest. She'd felt it when he'd told the story. She'd felt it when he'd left. And she'd felt it while he'd been training through the night. And then…when it was just…gone. That when she woke up, she couldn't feel him, and that it had hammered that way because of her. Because of what she said. Because she was too stubborn, too obsessive. Because she didn't understand just how much it meant to him. What it represented and what it really was.

She'd thought that because she'd felt the scar, she understood. That because they were both "injured", she knew him better.

She didn't. Not if she'd hurt him the way she felt she had.

I finally saw the edge of the cliff. The forest was not a fun place to walk through, especially since it was almost as dense as Anahita's. It was far brighter, but still. Bad memories that I would rather not dwell on.

"Drk." Druk flew between the trees, testing himself. I had no idea whether or not he was any good at flying. I couldn't fly, and he wasn't a Bison. It seemed impressive, how Druk always seemed to just miss the tree, before swerving out of the way, but again, I didn't know.

"...what am I going to say to them?" How was I even supposed to talk to them anymore? Pretend that I hadn't bared my soul to them? Pretend nothing had happened? That…revelation would hang over every Agni damned conversation I had. Sure…maybe I could talk with Chit Sang and his entourage since they'd already known about it…partially. They knew why it had happened and the basic lead-up, but they didn't know the specifics before. And…Hakoda was basically in the same boat. But the people who really mattered? Aang, Sokka, Toph and Katara? This was new. And it wasn't…something I wanted to address.

But I had to go back. If I was gone for too long, they'd worry. And Katara might think I was selling them out. Still, I wanted to put it off for as long as possible. I stowed my Dao Swords, slowing to a dead walk. Druk continued to weave through the trees. Agni continued to pass through the sky.

The world would continue, with or without me in it.

Eventually, the stairs came into view. I could hear soft conversations coming up from below. I paused.

It was strange. I felt as though I was being watched. Something was following me. I had woken with the sun and felt its presence. And yet, I had no clue what it was. It was just…there.

I shook my head. It wasn't important right now. I needed to figure out what I was going to say!

I took a seat on the steps, staring out over the horizon. Toph would know that I was here. She'd tell the others, and they'd have no reason to worry. I didn't need to be physically present just yet.

Druk curled around me. By now, he was more than thrice my height in length. I didn't understand how an animal could grow so quickly, but I supposed that Druk was closer to a spirit than an animal. Dragons, the heralds of Agni. How my grandfather had ever justified their extinction, I couldn't be sure.

"..." I sighed, and Druk rested his head on my lap. I stroked at his mane, watching as Agni finally began his descent behind the mountains. That…thing was still there. I couldn't tell where it was. Even Druk seemed to be apprehensive, but he hadn't found what it was either. Maybe…maybe I was just paranoid. I hadn't slept very well, and after yesterday's night, maybe I was just starting to hallucinate. It wouldn't have been the first time. It likely would not be the last either.

I rested on those stones as the sky passed from purple to black. The stars winked into existence, and the moon(Sokka's Ex?) rose in Agni's place. That…thing had retreated, but I knew that it was still there. It was just…further away now.

"Drk" Druk snorted, smoke flowing from his nostrils. It seemed as though he'd fallen asleep. I really didn't feel like waking him either.

I could hear them in the pavilion. They were probably eating dinner now. I couldn't really tell what was being said.

"I guess neither of us is eating tonight, are we?" I whispered. Druk shifted but didn't wake. 'It's not worth it…' I leaned back, using Druk as a pillow. His head moved to my chest.

"...I won't…"

"...is he coming?" Sokka glanced over at Toph. "He should be here by now, right?"

"...he's at the top of the steps. She shook her head in that direction. "He's been sitting there since sunset."

"...Is he not going to eat?" Aang began to stand.

"I don't think so." Hakoda put his hand on Aang's shoulder. "If he hasn't come down by now, he probably doesn't want to."

"I think Druk fell asleep…" Toph's voice was so…empty. "And I think he's falling asleep too."

"...on the stairs?" So was Katara's. "That can't be good for his back."

"Leave him there. If he doesn't come down by Breakfast tomorrow, we'll go to him, alright?" His father's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "There are…wounds that can't be healed so easily."

"...yeah…"

"...failed…not enough…"

I frowned.

"...too far…long enough…needs…my own…"

Something was…speaking?

"...Raava's folly…deny Vaatu…will not…stake…herald…part Dragon…"

No…they were…arguing? They were most definitely responding to something.

"...descendent…the spirits…she noticed…greater than the Avatar's…one of us…"

What was it saying? I didn't understand.

"He's already on his way…feel him…listening…"

The voice…it seemed…amused? It felt amused.

"...powerful than…wishes for something different…fate laid out…deserving…suffered more…"

It was getting stronger…closer…

"...accept nothing less…decision has been made…rules of old must be broken…"

There was a thrum in the background. Something was approaching.

"...my Champion…My Chosen…my Child…"

It was getting louder.

"...a spirit…"

38 days until Sozin's Comet

"Drk…" Druk nudged at my side. I could feel the sun rising. It was the break of dawn.

That thrum was still there. Whatever that…dream…vision? Whatever it had been had left an impact. That thrum seemed ever-present. It surrounded and filled me. Druk seemed to notice it as well. I could see the concern in his eyes.

"I'm not sure what it is…" I admitted. I took his face in my hands. "But I…don't think it will hurt us…it feels…" I didn't have the words to describe it. It was…otherworldly in a way. Similar to Anahita. But…it felt almost overbearing, and yet…comforting. Whatever it was…that thrum was more powerful than her…but still…I felt no danger, no animosity. It was just…there. I couldn't tell why.

"Drk." Druk nudged at me, before uncurling himself and facing the steps.

"Hi…" he cleared his throat. "Hey, Zuko."

"...Hi Aang."

"...you…weren't there for yesterday's training…so…I woke up early this morning to catch up?" I knew that was a lie. He was concerned.

"...alright…" I stood. "I'm…sorry for missing your training. I shouldn't allow my student to fall behind."

"I-it's no problem!" His laugh was as black as snow. "I…I get it…um…" He shook his head. "I did some muscle training, but I didn't really practice my bending."

"...then let's run through the Shorin-Gyou styles." He nodded. "Where do you want to practice?"

"Would you mind…practicing in the main square?" He wanted me to be there when the others woke up. So I wouldn't be able to leave once Breakfast began.

"...fine…I'll join you." It seemed I wouldn't get a chance to decide how I wanted to approach this. He smiled and turned, going back down the steps. I followed after a moment, and Druk was right on my heels.

When we arrived, our shirts were laid aside. We bowed, before facing the open air. With a simple breath, we began.

I kept an eye on his stance, but it seemed that Aang had truly mastered this set of Kata because there were hardly any improvements to be made. And so, I let my mind wander.

That gentle thrum was growing. It was slow, but it was undeniably louder now. Not uncomfortably so, but…noticeable. It spread throughout my entire body, but I could feel it jump just as I released fire. And then it would settle once again. Still, as the sun rose, and our movement grew more defined, it grew louder. As the air began to heat and the sweat began to fall, it grew louder. And finally, as the others emerged from their halls, and the final moments of the kata, as fire flew through the air, it grew louder.

Finally, together, we roared, and the thrum was released into the world. I felt as though my veins were burning, and fire clogged my throat.

The sun flared.

'What?' I paused. Had I just seen what I thought I saw? The sun had…brightened. Just for a moment, but…that…just didn't happen. Or at least it wasn't supposed to happen.

"D-did you see that?" I turned to Aang. "The sun…"

"...what about it?" He looked up. "Looks pretty normal to me."

Breakfast was silent. Not only because they were not sure how to speak to me, but also because they could tell that I was hardly paying attention. Even Druk seemed somewhat concerned, but I could not forget that flare. For as long as I'd been alive, the sun had been constant. The only time it hadn't been as it always was was on the Day of Black Sun. And even then, behind the moon (girl?), it hadn't changed. We'd all known that it wouldn't be any different when it reemerged. But this? This was…a change. The Sun didn't flare. It did not brighten suddenly. It was a constant for me. For the Fire Nation.

And yet…Aang hadn't seen anything. And the others hadn't either. Normally, that would lead me to believe that I was hallucinating, but…I couldn't shake the feeling away. It was real. It had happened. I could feel it in my core. Deep within the center of my being. I was certain.

"Um…Zuko?" I glanced up, seeing the rest of them watching me. "Are you gonna…ya know? Eat?" Sokka pointed at my bowl. His was already empty. "Cause you didn't eat anything yesterday, right?"

"N-no…I didn't." I forced myself to start eating. I was hungry, that was true, but I really didn't feel like eating. Not until I knew what had happened. But…they wouldn't leave me alone if I didn't eat.

It was mechanical. Entirely artificial. And I knew that they knew, but for the life of me, I could not care at the moment.

Druk raised his head. He was far too large to curl up on me, and he didn't want to wrap himself around me, but he still used my head as a headrest.

And so it went. Eventually, people began leaving, and it was only the core group. Sokka and Aang seemed to be having a hushed conversation, while Katara and Toph remained silent. By now I had finished eating, and although I was still distracted by the flare, I couldn't let this atmosphere continue. Partially because it would disrupt Aang's training if he couldn't focus, but mostly because I wanted to get past this awkward stage as quickly as possible. Agni knows if I'd manage to stay sane if this wasn't resolved.

"...if you have anything to say about…it…you should say it now." I winced at my own tone. I wasn't angry with them-Why did I sound angry?

That killed their conversation. Sokka kept glancing between me and the dying fire, Aang stared at the floor, and Katara's eyes flitted everywhere except me. Toph's were as blank as always, though she kept curling her toes.

"...are you okay?" Sokka started. "Cause you didn't seem okay after…that."

"..." I stared down. "I don't know."

"..."

"Um…" Katara spoke up next. "...I…uh…was…" She huffed. "I want to…apologize. For…being so mean."

"...I…but you weren't that mean…I thought it made more sense than anyone else here?"

"What?!"

"I mean…" I shuffled. "I chased you around the world…for months on end. And I yelled at you when you tried to heal my uncle, and I yelled at you when we were underground, and then I attacked you, and then I sent Mukan to kill you all, and-"

"Zuko, we get it!" Sokka cut me off. "Yeah, you did…do a lot of bad things. But!" he held up his hand before I could respond. "But you had a reason for all of it. You weren't doing this stuff because you were a bad person, ya know? You don't set Turtleducks on fire."

"I would nev-"

"I know! I know…we know that Zuko. Honestly…I think that what Katara means is that…" he looked at her. "You weren't doing anything bad while you were here, and therefore, didn't deserve to be treated the way that…"

"Yeah…you didn't deserve how I treated you."

"But…I do deserve it?"

"..." Sokka sighed. "Alright…I don't think you do. I don't think any of us think you deserve it. But, we're not gonna convince you so…even if you did deserve it, Katara thinks you didn't. That's what matters."

"Zuko…you're…good." Aang started. "And I know that you don't believe it. But I'm going to tell you that you are a good person. You are. No matter what you think, and what other people say, I think that you're a good person. You want what's best for people. You were right…back then."

"And I wanted to say sorry for…never considering the why?" Katara sighed. "I always just fought. It was the Fire Nation. They were bad. That was it. But…we hid out in the Fire Nation for a while, and it was plain to see that you guys weren't just this…nation of evil. It was clear. We met so many normal…and even nice Fire Nation Citizens. But…we-I…I never thought to question why people would fight. Why they'd fight for the wrong side? And especially with you. And…Toph is right. I…you didn't betray me under Ba Sing Se. And I know that you joined Azula-and that was clearly the wrong choice-but still…you didn't betray me. I shouldn't have treated you like a traitor. Like an enemy. So…I'm sorry."

"I-it's fine…it wasn't that bad any-"

"It doesn't matter!" Toph spat. "I hate it! I hate it! Why are you so…why are you so…why don't you believe us?! Why…wh-why don't you be-believe us?" Her eyes welled up, and her voice wavered.

"W-what?" She seemed to struggle for words, before finally collapsing in on herself. She was crying. Genuinely…sobbing.

I struggled for something to do. Something to say. The others didn't seem to know what to say either.

Slowly, I nudged Druk off me and shuffled over to her side. I turned my back to the others and held her in my arms. She continued to sob, turning her head into my chest. I rubbed her back, searching for anything. I couldn't think of a reason for her to cry. I could…maybe understand being a bit down, but not…this.

"Toph…" she stiffened. "What happened?" I whispered. I doubted Toph wanted everyone to be a part of it. Thankfully, the others had the sense not to be intrusive…at least not overtly so. I was pretty sure Aang would still hear us. Hopefully, he knew to keep his mouth shut.

"I'm sorry…" I heard. "I shouldn't've…"

"You shouldn't've?"

"...I pushed you. I made you talk…I hurt you. I…" She shuddered. "If a-anyone doesn't deserve…it's me…"

"Toph…I…I'm not mad at you…not at all. I promise." I breathed. "It was hard…maybe…and maybe you did push…but…you were also right. It's…a little easier, now that you know."

"B-but you b-broke down!"

"I break down all the time…" I almost smiled. "It wasn't the first time. It won't be the last. I…I'm not…okay. And I haven't been for a long time…but none of it is your fault. I promise you…I'm not angry with you. I don't hate you…I…" I cleared my throat. "I can't hate you Toph."

"...but I messed up…"

"Toph…if you knew how many times I've messed up…beyond even just with you guys…Toph. I asked my Uncle to shoot me with lightning. And when he refused, I ran into the middle of a storm and begged the heavens to strike me."

"W-what?!"

"It wasn't a suicide attempt." I chuckled. 'Dark.' "I had just learned how to redirect lightning and I wanted to test it."

"S-so you asked Iroh to shoot you?!"

"I did. If you think I'm a mess now…then you really should have seen me back then." I smiled. "Toph really, I'm alright."

"No, you're not." She moved back a bit, looking at me-as well as she could-in the eyes. "You still think you deserve to be treated like dirt."

"...I…"

"...why don't you believe us?" She begged. "Why can't you trust me?"

"...I've hurt a lot of people, Toph. I searched the world for years. I have hurt…and killed more than a few. People who didn't deserve it. I directed my anger at people who had nothing to do with it. I lashed out. I hurt my Uncle, I hurt my crew. I robbed people. I stole. I burgled. I almost mugged a pregnant couple. I…there isn't anything I can do to make up for it. I don't even know most of their names. I barely even remember their faces. I lied to so many people, used their sympathy against them. I…took advantage of anything I could, because I am selfish. Alright? I'm not good. Not like you are. Not like all of you. I…I can never make up for the things I've done."

"...but you're good now." She grabbed my tunic in her fists. "You're here now. You're doing the right thing now. And not just that…you're fighting your dad and your sister. You've…changed for the better. I know you have. And…after this is all over…I know that you will go and try to find them. You…are good. You are good now. That's all that matters."

"...okay." I hugged her. "Okay…I'm good now." I felt her nod into my chest.

"Please…don't forget that."

"How are you feeling?" Hakoda stood behind me. I was sitting at the edge of the pavilion, legs dangling over the edge, watching Anahita stir below. It was probably really dangerous, but I didn't really care.

"...sick."

"Like…you're actually sick?

"No…but my stomach hurts…but I'm used to this by now."

"Why?" He sat by my side, watching the sun lower.

"It's shame. Guilt. I know this feeling." I sighed, stroking Druk's mane. "But I still hate it."

"...I see." Hakoda ran a hand through his hair.

"But…I'd rather feel it than not." I admitted. "It means…"

"It means you feel…bad…ashamed…angry at what you've done, and therefore, are a better man."

"...yeah…"

"...I feel it too, you know." I looked at him. "When…their mother-my wife-died…I left them. Kya would have wanted me to stay…to protect them. Especially…because she died to protect her…protect Katara. And I didn't. The moment I could…I left them. I couldn't stay…but I should have. And then…I didn't see them for 6 years. I missed 6 years of their life. I can never get that back. The relationship we could have had…we never will. There's nothing I can do to change it."

"..." I nodded.

"But you are stronger than I am." His smile was full of ash. "You're younger than I am. You're better than I am."

"...that can't be."

"Zuko…you suffered more than most. I don't know how much they talk about trauma in the Fire Nation…" He waited for me to answer.

"...it's considered a weakness. No soldier should lose themselves to…sentimentalism." I felt dirty.

"But, in the Southern Water Tribe…it's a real issue. Life is harsh. Sometimes…things happen. Trauma is not a choice. No one chooses to be traumatized. No one chooses to act out on it. But they do. And in order to survive, we had to learn how to live with it. How to help ourselves, and others. How to heal."

"But you…" He continued. "You didn't get that. You never got that chance. It takes time, time that you never had. It's only now that you can…do something. Think. Converse with yourself. And you're already a better man. When I finally got to face myself…and heal…I still didn't return home. I still left them behind. You could've done the same. You could have stayed safe, in the Fire Nation. You didn't need to uproot your life and come join us. But you did. That's why you're better."

"...my mother would hate who I've become."

"...I doubt that."

"She was everything that fath…that O-Ozai wasn't. Everything that I wasn't."

"And she loved you."

"...she did."

"Then she could never hate who you are." He shifted. "You know…at first I thought that it was too early to talk about it. But…Chit Sang…he was right. There is never a time in which you will be ready. You can't ever be ready. I guess I just don't want to see you kids hurt."

"...I don't feel like much of a kid anymore."

"...that's true for them all."

"...I know…but at the very least…they still act their age sometimes. They still…are capable of it."

"And you aren't? No teenage angst?"

"Hah…I mean…I haven't felt like a kid since…then."

"Oh…" Hakoda stood. "I guess that would be true…maybe…one day you'll get it back. One day…you'll get to be the kid you couldn't be."

"I hope so…but it doesn't look like destiny wants it to happen anytime soon."

"Destiny?"

"...it was my destiny to capture the Avatar. To present him to my…the Fire Lord, and return home in triumph. It was what I was meant to do. Now…my destiny is to help the Avatar defeat him. But what about the after?" I stood as well, and Druk stretched, a puff of smoke leaving his nostrils. "Just because…just because he's gone, doesn't mean it's over. He is the main impetus, and with a new Fire Lord, it will open up some new channels. But what about the soldiers? The generals? The nobles? The citizens who lost their family members? And that's just the Fire Nation. What about the other Nations? I'm sure they'll want revenge. And can you ever even pay them back for what's been done?"

"...that's supposed to be for us adults to figure out. You shouldn't worry about that stuff."

"...I'm supposed to be the next Fire Lord…I know it. My Uncle doesn't have any kids. He's older. And…he's the Dragon of the West. A general who almost tore down the walls of Ba Sing Se. There's no way he can reconcile the Earth Nation. It has to be me. But…I don't want that throne. I know I promised…but I don't want to. I can't…I can't be Fire Lord. I started a fucking succession crisis, and I can't even be what they need me to be."

"...I think that's true for everyone. No one is who they're supposed to be."

"Dad! Zuko! Dinner's ready!"

With that, the conversation came to an end. I was left alone with my thoughts. At the very least, Dinner wasn't as suffocating as breakfast. It was still subdued, but I could hear quiet conversation throughout the meal.

Still…I felt off. Both because of the atmosphere, and the gentle thrum. It had never gone away, even as I had been distracted by all the other things going on. It was still there. Again, quieter than it had been before. But present nonetheless.

"Drk…" Druk huffed. He didn't seem very comfortable either. He kept glancing between me and the fire.

I narrowed my eyes. The fire…it was following that thrum. Sure, it rose and fell as normal, but the way that it burned…it was far too similar to that thrum than I was comfortable with. It was a fire of my creation! Why was it following someone or something else's whims?

"Zuko? You seem distracted." Aang stared at me from across the flame. "You alright?"

"...yeah…I think." I messed with my hair. "I think I'll stay out here tonight though…"

"Are you getting any sleep though?"

"Sleeping isn't the issue…besides, Druk makes for a nice pillow."

"Drk."

"Really?" Sokka came up to Druk's side. "But he's so scaly. Appa's fluffy. Soft. Druk is…" He stroked at Druk's scales. "Hm…not as hard as I thought he'd be."

"Really?" Aang approached too. "I've never really…touched a Dragon before. It was a bit too dangerous, even for Kuzon."

"Just don't annoy Druk…" He didn't seem to mind now, but still. Big dragon. Little people. Well…he wasn't that big yet. But I doubted he'd be able to fit in my room for much longer.

And so it went. Slowly, people trickled away, until it was just Toph and I. I kept watching the fire, and I was sure that that thrum had done something to it. It wasn't dying like it was supposed to.

"Promise not to leave." Toph stomped the ground, creating a tent of Earth. "Don't…don't leave."

"I won't."

I could hear Toph snoring. She evidently didn't want to leave me alone. And…she probably didn't know how to talk to the others. I doubted that she'd ever…sobbed like she had this morning. Especially with them.

But she was 11. 11. That was it. I was 6 years older than her. And she didn't always act like a child, but she was. She wasn't even a teenager. Aang at least had had some time with puberty. She had barely started.

I wanted to laugh.

But the fire…continued to burn. The fuel was gone. I wasn't supplying it, and yet it continued. It refused to die. The thrum continued on, never wavering, never growing, and the fire followed. So I watched.

"So you did notice…Of course…I am almost always correct."

I jumped. 'What?' I was certain I'd just heard someone. "Is someone there?"

"Yes, someone is." The voice sounded pleased with something. "It seems that you've already begun to change…oh, yes…I almost forgot about that."

"...what?! Who are you? Where are you!" I heard Toph snort, but it didn't seem as though she'd woken yet. "I won't hand over the Avatar!"

"I don't want him. Honestly, I couldn't care less at the moment. Raava and I were never very amicable."

"R-Raava…? N-no! Who are you!"

"You won't be able to see me. Not now. This is Tui's time…though I suppose she is Yue now." The voice chuckled. "Regardless, I have been watching you for some time now…ever since you begged me to strike you down. Valiant, but quite idiotic I must say."

"W-what are you?" I shook my head. I had to be going crazy. It was some voice in my head.

"Drk." Druk looked around. "Drk…" He growled.

"Calm, Druk. Do not test me." Druk's eyes widened, and he immediately seemed to prostrate himself. "That's better."

So Druk…heard the voice too. And for Druk to such deference…

"You're a spirit…"

"I am."

I ignited my hand. This…being seemed to be unlike Anahita.

"I am not an enemy. Anahita is her own entity, separate from my domain. She and I do not share a goal nor morals. Besides…that bending of yours…it would be a disservice to take it away."

"...Can you?"

"We all can if we want." It responded. "We are Spirits. Wherever we go, the Spirit World follows. It takes effort, but it can be done." It seemed to ponder its next words for a moment. "But I see no reason to do so. Your bending is a part of you. To remove it would be a cruelty. At least…I believe so. Others may disagree. I do not care to know."

"W-why are you talking to me…now? If you've been watching for so long?"

"...hm…I suppose that I grew tired. You are an interesting character, you know. So full of…what was the word, angst? So full of pain and passion. No matter what you do, you will be of interest to me. However…recent events have led me to this. Especially since you are meant to take that position…what have your people called it…ah, yes…The Dragon Throne." It spat those last words. The fire before me flared.

"Do not misinterpret. I favor the Firebenders. But that Throne does a disservice to my name."

"Y-your name?"

"Hm…I believe it would be more fun for you to find out, rather than tell you." It seemed amused. I could feel the emotion…somehow.

"...but what do you want from me?"

"Always awaiting the inevitable end, aren't you? Can never trust that things are good. This is what I like about you, Zuko. Though, in this situation, you are partially correct. I have a…proposition. Do not fear my wrath if you refuse. Just know that I believe you'll be…more fulfilled if you accept."

"...why should I trust you?"

"You'll see in time." It continued on, ignoring me. "If you accept…I can assist you in finding your Uncle, or any other person you seek. Perhaps I already have…" The voice turned up at the end, as if amused.

"You know my Uncle?"

"I know most people of importance. Especially when he broke our world. He may have never met me, but I most certainly took notice of his insolence." I stiffened. "Worry not. Others dealt with him, and he was easily redirected. He must still answer for it, but he will not be harmed."

"W-what did my Uncle do?"

"He was seeking his son. Though why he believed he deserved it is not something I am sure of. He killed many sons in his crusade." I felt it shrug. "Regardless, he did not find his son. He misunderstands the nature of the spirit world. His son is not here. Most mortals are not here."

"W-where do they go then? I-if I ca-may ask?"

"I do not know or care. It is not my domain. If you ever meet Yama, perhaps they'd be willing to share, but I do not enjoy their company, nor do they enjoy mine. Regardless, your Uncle was kicked out into Anahita's forest. I suppose that Ran and Shaw felt pity for the man. They were always soft in that regard. Though…I suppose that that is what led up to you being here, so let us say that it was an acceptable outcome, and be done with it."

"...thank you?" It nodded. "I um…" I rubbed Druk's head, trying to keep calm. "You wanted me to guess your identity?"

"Yes. Though…it will be revealed soon, regardless, so it will not matter for much longer."

"Um…" I gulped. "You wanted me to do something for you?"

"I did. I want…hm…the Avatar will be inundated if you succeed in ending your little war.

"Little?"

"We are immortal. 100 years of war is inconsequential in our lifetimes. I know of spirits with tens of thousands of years of conflict. So yes…little war." I decided not to point out that the war had been going on for multiple generations, and that the average life expectancy was 55. "The Avatar will be involved…heavily in the political situation if you succeed. He will be mediating conflict between parties, traveling to speak with specific peoples. He and his posse will be working on a high level, with leaders of nations. However…there is more to the world than just those. What of small conflicts? I know that the Avatar mediated many as he traveled to the North. But that will no longer be possible. However…you can. I want you to keep the peace on a local level. To protect those below the Avatar's notice."

"B-but I have to be one of those leaders? I have to take the throne!"

"I heard you speak of replacing the throne with something new. I know that is not what your concern is."

"W-what about the others? Just because Aang is busy doesn't mean they can't still do what they've done."

"You know that is false. They will be the Avatar's group. Held in almost equal respect to the Avatar himself. They will be given high-level positions. That is also not your concern. Do not speak around the issue. You lack faith in yourself. Tell me."

"..." I grit my teeth. "I'm not the kind of person who can protect people like they could. I'm not good like them."

"There. Do not avoid the truth again." I nodded. "That may be true. However…I do not care. I have chosen you. If need be, I will help you. If you are to encounter someone you have harmed, I will remind you, and you will attempt to reconcile with them. Whether or not they accept is not my concern, but it should help lay some guilt to rest, hm?" I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I didn't think saying no was the right thing to do either. "You have faced reality on a scale that the others have not."

"T-they've all been hurt!"

"I am not speaking of the genocides. Yes, the Avatar lost his people to a cowardly assault. Yes, The Water Tribesmen lost their maternal figure to a cowardly assault. However…they have not faced cruelty from those who they love. That is a truth they lack the ability to understand. And that is a truth that many people face. People who they can not help. However, you can."

"Um…"

"Or do you believe that the Avatar could console a child shunned by his family? To protect him from them? Or do you believe that he would righteously demand that they change, and leave the child with them, believing that he had solved the problem? The Avatar is young, untrained, and naive. Even more so than the Airbenders normally are. The Waterbenders would perhaps be better, but they do not have the sway that you do. The Earthbender, the one who you have grown close with…there is a reason she turns to you instead of the others. There is an innate understanding that can not be replicated easily."

Was that true? Did Toph and I get along so easily because our parents had fucked up?

"It seems that the time is coming." Its voice was starting to get clearer. It had sounded as though he were speaking through a plane of water. Understandable, but distorted. Now though…the water was thinning. The voice was clearly male now…and startlingly human. "Do you understand why I have chosen you?"

"...not entirely…but you still haven't told me what you want…other than the whole, protection thing."

"That is true. I suppose I have not been specific. In the way that Druk and the others serve, I want you to do the same."

"...you want another Dragon?" 'Is it…he…they(?)...collecting Dragons?'

"Yes!" I could hear the grin. "You understand. I want a human Dragon. Fierce, Loyal, Passionate, Honorable. You have acted in such ways before, especially during your tenure in the walled city. I was watching. I heard of your exploits in Pohuai."

'Pohuai?'

"I will have you serve as my vassal, my herald in the world. You will be as a dragon is, revered by those who know and understand."

"So…you want me to become…a spirit?" I hesitated. "As in…the Painted Lady, the Kemurikage? Like…like them?"

"Ah…but you must know, some already revere you. Both in the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. As a warrior, as well as a rebel." I felt like it was looking through me. "You were not aware, but your actions had effects far beyond your intentions. For all the years you acted, you have left a mark across the world."

"W-what do you mean?!" I blanched, realizing what I'd just done. "I-I-I apologize. I just, uh, don't understand what you are saying."

"You traveled for years, acting as Fire Nation Prince. But you also acted through subterfuge, and that is what people revere. A spirit that appears and disappears at a whim, only appearing when the situation is most dire. All around the world, that story is known."

"You mean…But…"

"Ah…it seems that I will be revealed before you manage to guess." A figure was beginning to appear above the fire before me. "Ah…well…I wonder if they'll notice I'm gone. They should learn to manage without me for once."

I started back, and Druk, although still bowed to the ground, took a defensive stance between the Spirit and me. I knew it was present now. Its presence was more powerful than it had ever been. Yet…still, I saw nothing. I breathed deeply, concentrating. Chi began to grow visible, and I almost choked on air.

"...you're…"

37 days until Sozin's Comet

Aang woke up well after the sun had risen. He knew that because he actually felt rested. Yesterday, forcing himself to wake up early had been terrible, but it had gotten Zuko to join them, and that was more important than his sleep. The fact that Zuko had let him sleep was a bit concerning, but Aang hoped that Zuko had been truthful last night. He was pretty sure he was…but still. Zuko's head wasn't in a good place, and he might have relapsed.

No…Zuko was still sitting at the fire. 'Did he keep it alive all night?' Aang frowned. What was that about?

"A-Aang!" Toph turned towards him as he entered the chamber. "Do you know where Zuko is?"

"Uh…" Aang glanced at Zuko. He hadn't moved. "Right where we left him last night?"

"I'm serious! He promised he wouldn't leave!"

"H-he didn't! He's right by the fire!"

"W-what?!"

"You…you can't feel him? I…I can see him. He's right there." Aang approached Zuko, who didn't react to any of this. Was he asleep? Sitting Up? Speaking of which, where was Druk? Usually, he was right next to Zuko.

"I…really?" Toph moved slowly, almost hesitant. "I…he's not there…there's nothing in front of the fire."

"Zuko!" Aang yelled. No reaction. "Zuko!" He reached out, trying to get his attention. His hand passed through Zuko's shoulder, and Aang stumbled back. It was…it was too close to when he'd entered the spirit world. Was Zuko in the Spirit World? But he wasn't the Avatar! His body shouldn't have stayed…kinda? It wasn't actually there, but his spiritual presence was? Aang really wished he knew more about it, he was the Avatar!

"He's…he has to be in the Spirit World."

"What?!" Aang flinched. Toph often forgot how sensitive his ears were.

"I don't know how…and I'm not sure why either. But…he's still here, his body is…"

"Hey, guys!" Sokka strolled in. "...something wrong?"

"Zuko's…" Aang wasn't really sure. "Zuko's body is gone, but he's still here. Look!" He waved his hand through Zuko's torso. He must be…either in the Spirit World or there's some Spirit messing with him…or us."

"So…where's his body?" Sokka crouched down. "Because…when I was in there, my body was with me. But…yours doesn't go with you when you meditate." He looked at Aang. "But here…his body is gone, but his…spiritual presence is in front of us, which we can see…?" He sighed. "I hate dealing with spirits. Why can't they just adhere to science?! This doesn't make sense!"

"Where's Druk?" Katara approached behind them. "And what's going on?"

"Zuko's in the Spirit World!" Aang was starting to worry. There was no way to know how long Zuko had been gone. The Spirit World was a dangerous place, and he had his past lives to rely on for advice. Zuko didn't have that! Druk was still a baby, even if he was going to be longer than Appa soon. He needed to go and find him! Before he met Koh or another malevolent spirit. He couldn't lose his new friend!

The fire in front of Zuko flared skyward, shifting into red scales, as Druk shot up into the air. He snorted, circling above Zuko, who had suddenly jumped up and stumbled back. He was holding something in his hand, his other reaching for the swords on his back.

"Zuko!" Sokka grabbed his shoulder. "You're alright, right? Nothing…no angry spirit is coming after us, right?"

"S-Sokka…" Zuko's eyes finally focused. "I…" He sighed. "He's…not mad. Well…they don't really like you." He glanced at Aang, "But…no he's not angry. They…wanted to talk to me."

"W…what's that in your hands?" Katara pointed at the object. "You…didn't have it before."

"What?" Zuko turned the object over. "...oh…he…oh."

Aang looked down. It was a white and blue mask, reminiscent of a demon. "That's the mask you were wearing at Pohuai Stronghold!"

"I…I threw it away after I found Appa in Ba Sing Se." Zuko was staring at the mask, but he seemed to be seeing something much further away. "I wanted to…separate myself from that life…the life of a criminal…a thief. Why is he…I wasn't…" Zuko slumped over. "I don't deserve this…"

"So…some Spirit found your mask, and gave it back?" Sokka frowned. "Sounds pretty nice to me?"

"Some spirit…they fished it from the bottom of Lake Laogai…my mother gave me this mask. She loved plays…a troupe would put on a production of "Love amongst the Dragons'' for her every year…but…I didn't honor her wishes. I robbed…a lot of people while I was a refugee. I ruined lives…I was going to use Appa to capture you." He stood, looking at Aang. "I don't know how…but I was going to use him. My Uncle…he convinced me to let him go. That I could be a new man in Ba Sing Se. That I didn't…have to tie myself to Ozai…and I threw it away. I don't want to be attached to him!" He yelled, glaring at the mask. "I am free here!"

"...Zuko." Aang frowned. "You…can't choose who you were born to. I…never met my parents. The Air Nomads didn't attach importance to blood ties because…they aren't chosen. You choose who your family is. You choose who you spend time with. You choose who you love." He paused. "Kuzon was my brother. Monk Gyatso was my father. But most of all…they were my Friends. My Family."

"...but…"

"You don't have to detach yourself from Ozai because the only connection you have is the connection you choose to have. You are your own person. Zuko. Ozai can never change that. But…you don't have to throw away something that connects you to your mother…in order to get away from him."

The mask smiled. It did nothing but smile. It had all the chips and cracks that I remembered. All that damage it had accumulated over the years, and yet it still smiled. It was stronger than I was.

Still…it was different. I could feel power emanating from the mask. Voices whispering on the edges of my awareness, just out of reach. It was unsettling, and yet…I had to know. I turned the mask over, staring at that familiar inside. I inhaled, and pushed it to my face.

I was blinded by color. My head throbbed, a roaring in my ears, pressure on and in every bone. I ripped the mask away, crashing onto my knees. The mask clattered away, sliding across the ground, coming to a stop by the cooling embers of the fire. It smiled.

"Why would you put it on?!" Suki raised a hand. I jolted back.

"...have some more self-preservation, buddy." Sokka sighed.

I nodded. Their voices were so distant. Their colors were off. I could see…more. I wasn't even concentrating, yet I could see. I could see every creature in the temple. Every single one. Every worm, every bug, every little fungus. I tried to calm down, but every one of my nerves was burning. I scrambled forward, lunging for the mask.

"Zuko?!"

My mind finally calmed. I didn't dare put the mask back on, but…I couldn't let it go. I knew that now. The mask smiled. I still…saw. It was muted, but I could see. I shouldn't have been able to see like this. Not without focusing. I didn't even think I was capable of focusing right now.

"Drk…" Druk circled around me, nuzzling into my neck.

"I'm…I'm okay…" I nodded. "I'll be okay…"

"Would you let me…check you?" Katara raised her hands, water around them. "You…don't look alright."

"I…yeah…okay." I stood, knees trembling. I clutched the mask to my chest. What was I supposed to do? I didn't…I couldn't let it go. I couldn't throw it away, but I didn't want to wear it. I couldn't handle…whatever it was trying to show me. I already saw too much now, let alone if I tried to put it on. Whatever was…causing that roar, I didn't want to know.

It smiled.

34 days until Sozin's Comet

Zuko had taken to wearing the mask on the left side of his face. It covered most of his scar. Sokka was a bit concerned because he didn't want Zuko to think that his scar was all they saw. Zuko was his friend!

Zuko'd said that it was to keep his eye under control, and he definitely seemed calmer when the mask was on.

Still, Sokka didn't think it was a good idea to keep such a dangerous object so close to his face. Zuko had been so…shaken the first time he put it on. For all they knew, the mask urged people to put it on and tried to make them crazy! And his friend was just…a few inches away from that.

He tried to stay calm. Zuko had met the spirit that had given him the mask. It had been a gift from his mother, and Sokka wasn't going to make him throw it away just because it was probably dangerous.

Still, he was going to keep an eye on Zuko, just in case.

Also, Sokka was pretty sure he'd seen that mask before, but for the life of him he couldn't remember where.

I could see through the mask. It looked solid. It felt solid. But the moment I had put it to my eye, the black inside had faded away, and I could see anyway. I didn't need it, since I had already lived some time without depth perception, but it was nice not to worryabout being truly one-eyed. It did however, stifle the worst of it. No matter what, Chi was always visible. Still, with muted colors and less detail, I could learn to live with it. It was probably permanent anyway.

Without the mask, every source shined at me, trying to draw my attention. Aang and Druk's forms were overwhelmed by the color of their chi, so much so that I could barely tell who they were otherwise. And…from the barest glimpse, I'd seen with the mask on…I'd see more than I ever wanted to. It tickled at my mind, but I could resist. I still remembered that roar. I'd live with this for now.

Druk seemed unsure of the mask. He'd stare at it for a while, then he'd lick my face and forget about it for a bit until he came back to do it again. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be concerned or not. Was he angry at the mask? Did he like it? It was a gift that I couldn't refuse, and I hoped that Druk would be okay with it. I didn't get to choose.

"Guys, Breakfast's ready!" Katara called down the hall. Sokka and I stopped feeding the Turtleducks, and Druk took one last look at the mask before flying ahead of us. Momo intercepted us on the way, landing behind Druk's horns, as though he were riding him. Soon Druk would be big enough for me to do the same, and he would have to fly around the outside of the temple instead of inside.

There was a buzz all around us. I knew that today would be hot and humid. There was likely a storm on the horizon, tomorrow at the latest. These kinds of days happened often in the Summer.

I groaned. Druk and Momo were circling around the fire. Thankfully, Katara had moved the food away before they got there because the updraft they had created would have burned anything she'd tried to make.

"Druk!" I called. He stopped, and Momo slammed into his tail. "If you let me eat in peace, I'll go hunting with you when I'm done…okay?" He nodded, flying away from the fire and over to Appa. It probably wasn't the best way to get him to listen, but I didn't have the energy to discipline him in any other way right now.

Everyone gathered around the fire, preparing to eat. The trees above the temple were swaying. The storm shouldn't have been here just yet. I saw the animals freeze, the Cicadamice went silent. Druk stilled.

"Move!"

The Temple exploded around us, the ceiling coming down above Katara. I rocketed upwards, kicking through the largest of them.

"C'mon, let's go!" Toph opened a path, and everyone scrambled to the cave entrance. I grabbed my swords

"Drk! Drk!" I heard Druk struggling. I turned to see him and Aang trying to get Appa to move. Even as the temple came down around us, he refused to go into the cave. I winced. It would take them too long to convince him. We'd be blown off the temple by the time he caved.

I saw another burst of chi, and a ball of fire rocketed towards the pavilion. I shot forward, shooting fire into the center, dispersing the ball, but not the impact. I was thrown back, scrambling to my feet. "Toph! We need to shoot them down!"

"I don't know where they are!" She joined my side. Haru took over the expansion of our escape.

"Just aim where I do." Druk joined us. I shot a stream of fire up toward the airship. I could see the men scrambling to get out of the way. Toph took out a piece of their platform, and I could see some of the men fall beneath the clouds.

"Would you look at that!" I heard Azula laugh. "You can actually stand up to me!" Something…something was wrong. Her smile was too wide. Her Chi was…stuttering. She wasn't…she wasn't right. "But this is it Zuzu!"

"Azula! Shouldn't you be too busy to chase a few fugitives?!" I heard yelling behind me.

"You've caused us many problems, you know! There's been word of a revolt brewing, even in the streets of Caldera! And it's all centered on you!" She growled, smoke curling from her mouth. "So I'm going to end both of my problems at once, and celebrate becoming an only child!" She shot up, kicking fire toward us.

"Toph, Zuko! Get on!" Appa appeared at our side. "We've got to get moving."

"Appa'd never manage to get through this." The temple was still being demolished around us. "What are you doing?!"

"Appa's not going into the tunnel," Aang explained. "So we've…split up. Hakoda and the others are going to meet up with the people who escaped the Black Sun, and we're going to find a new place to hide out for a bit." He winced as another one of the temples crumbled into the abyss.

"How are we getting away?!" I had to disperse more of Azula's fire. Usually, she was more accurate than this.

"We have to fly. Toph, I'll take your place." Katara raised her arms and the fountain water rushed to meet the fire.

"Even if we escape, Azula's fleet will chase us down. Sure, Appa's faster, but do we really want to deal with never sleeping through the night again?!" Sokka groaned.

"We need to get Azula to back off!" I glared at her. "Or…" I shook my head. "Take down the others." I jumped up, rocketing towards her ship. She grinned, shooting fire toward me. I raised my arms, pushing through the fire. Her eyes were too bright.

"Drk!" Druk landed behind me.

"You and your Dragon. Can't do anything on your own, can you?!" Azula laughed. "You had to cheat to even come close to me! Where's your precious honor now?!"

"Back off Azula! Just let us go!" Druk circled around me.

"And then what?! Betray father just like you! Seize the throne with an army from other nations?! Turn my back on the Fire Nation?! On Agni?! I'm not a traitor!"

"I have not betrayed my Nation!" I shifted my stance. "I'm saving it! I will bring the Fire Nation to prosperity!"

"I'm sure you all believe that, traitors!" She shot forward, aiming a blast at my feet. "And now you're even hiding the mark of your shame with that stupid mask Mother gave you! You can't hide Zuzu! You're a coward!"

I grit my teeth. I had to focus. No letting her get to me, even if she was concerningly manic today. I had to make an opening for Appa. And I had to make sure she couldn't chase us.

We traded blows, neither of us making ground. Druk circled overhead, and while Azula did keep her attention on him, she made no effort to involve him. Druk didn't either. Either he remembered her from the Boiling Rock, or there was something else going on. I didn't want him getting hurt though.

I saw her gathering chi. She was preparing for a concussive blast that would knock me off the edge. 'She really is trying to kill me…' I frowned. The only thing that would counter that was a blast of my own, but that would probably knock us both off the edge. I had to overpower hers. "Druk!"

"Calling your Dragon in an Agni Kai?!"

"This is an Agni Kai?" I shook my head. 'Don't let her get in your head.' I stood my ground, waiting for her to come to me. She punched forward, and I met her. I could feel my feet sliding back, but I could not let the impact reach me. I would not fall off the edge.

There was a ringing in my ear, the smoke obscured my vision. Still, I could see through it. She was falling. She was falling. Down into Anahita's forest.

"Shit!" I raced over to the edge, leaping for the wall of the chasm. I pulled out my swords, sliding down the edge, still faster than she was. She had opened herself, slowing her fall.

"Azula!" I leaped out. "Azula!"

"Drk!"

I felt something grab me just as I grabbed her waist. She was limp, and her hair had fallen from its form. Druk struggled to pull us up. We were too much for him to carry.

"Don't try!" I called. "Just bring us to that ledge!" I jerked my head over to a small outcropping just above the clouds. It was low enough that Druk could mostly glide instead of fly, which would make it easier to reach. Assuming Azula didn't make it more difficult than it had to be.

She remained still, even as her hair streamed behind us. My sword was still in hand, grasped in Druk's claw, and finally, we touched down. Well, barely. There was only enough space for one person. I swung her onto it, stabbing my sword into the stone beside it, half standing-half hanging on. Druk let go, swirling above us. I stared at her, ready for whatever came next.

"...I hate you."

"...Is this a new development?"

"You're weak. You've always been, but now you cheat."

"...cheat?" I shook my head. "Druk just saved our lives! If he hadn't gotten involved, you would've died!"

"I would've been fine!"

"That…" I breathed "Below these clouds is the Forest of Anahita. That Forest belongs to a Spirit that takes away your bending. She'll chase you through the dark until you escape…if you even escape. I was down there, and it was not…"

"If you survived, it couldn't have been that bad."

"Azula!" I glared at her. "You and I both know what happened to me. I…see more now. More than people are supposed to." I looked away, though I kept a lock on her chi. "And without that…I would have died. It's a forest. Going through that without a way to tell what's in your way isn't an option."

"Like I said. You're a cheater."

"...so I am." I sighed. "I don't get why it matters."

"You would bring ruin to the Fire Nation! A cheater on that throne and Agni would burn Caldera to the ground! I am the greatest Firebender! My flames are hotter than Azulon! I am the closest that we will ever come to Agni's Fire, and you…" Her words collapsed in on themselves, turning to a growl more than anything.

"You are a better bender than I'll ever be." I stared her down. "You were born with a talent that no one else gets. I was lucky that Ozai didn't toss me out when I was born. I only have a story about him saving me, and it's because I was his only child. The moment you were born, I stopped mattering. And…it took me a long time to realize that I could never, no one could…never make him proud."

"Then why can't I…why can't I kill you?" She laughed, smoke curling from her mouth. "If I'm oh so much better than you…if I am the only one he can be proud of, why aren't you dead? Why did I lose?"

"No one's lost."

"And I'm not the one trapped on the edge of a cliff here, Zuzu." She sat, staring between her knees. "Your little entourage is here to pick you up, and I stay here. Tell me that I lost. You should take pride in it, like any good child of Agni. You beat me."

"...If you want an Agni Kai so badly, wait for it. This wasn't it. We'll duel. And…then we'll know who wins. If you want that, I'll give it to you."

"Hah. And how long will that be?"

"Soon enough."

"...everything alright, buddy?" Sokka reached out from across Appa's saddle. "I'm…what did you guys talk about? Cuz honestly, I was pretty sure she'd try to stop us from picking you up."

"..." I turned to watch the Airship in the distance. She'd probably gotten back inside, but it wasn't making any attempt to follow us. "She's…" How could I explain? "When you go to confront the Fire Lord…I can't be there with you. I have to…I promised her an Agni Kai." I turned back to the rest of them. "She…needs it."

I thought back to that night at the beach. Azula was smarter than I was. She must have known that Ozai was a terrible man…a monster. And she believed that our mother had seen that in her. Maybe…maybe my mother had seen that. But…I couldn't see it. If Azula was a monster, then I was too. And if I was a monster, then Mother would have left far sooner. I'd…become a monster. I'd acted as one because I wanted to fulfill my destiny. I wanted to be accepted as his son and heir. But I knew…I knew now, that that wasn't me. When I'd had everything I'd wanted, I'd hated it.

"Azula didn't seem happy either…"

"What?"

"..." I shook my head. It would take too much to explain, and…I wasn't sure if they'd believe me. "Where are we going?"

"...not sure," Aang admitted. "We'll keep flying as long as possible, that way Appa gets enough rest in case they chase us."

"...they're not chasing." I pointed back. "If Azula wanted to chase us, they'd already be on their way."

"...I guess so…" Katara sounded curious. "What did you say to her?"

"...I promised her the fight she wanted. She'll wait for it. She doesn't…need to seek it yet."

"...Well, it would've been nice to have you to talk her down the last time we had to run like this. We couldn't even sleep because of her stupid steam train tank thingie." Toph leaned back. "...she doesn't feel like your sister."

"Um…"

"I mean…you're…open." She frowned. "I can tell what you feel and you don't try to hide it. But she's…I can't tell. I can't tell what she feels, and I can't tell when she's lying."

"...Azula always lies." I looked down at the land below us. "It's…not always true, but it was true often enough to be useful. At least…when we were younger." A sigh escaped. "But sometimes…I don't know if she would even lie. Why lie when the truth hurts more? She told me that my fath…that Ozai was going to kill me. She wasn't lying. She told me that I would be accepted if I…I joined her under Ba Sing Se. And she wasn't lying. She's had so many…chances to trick me, and she hasn't. Sure, she still lies…but there must be a reason she'd tell the truth. Because…I know that he didn't want me back. What could have made Ba Sing Se so much different? He's smarter than that. He knows…that I couldn't have killed Aang." I turned over. "Azula had something to do with it, she…convinved him that I could still be of use to him…and I don't know how, and I don't know why…and I don't understand what she wanted."

"...you know, I don't say this often enough, but thank you for not being crazy." He turned to his sister.

"No problem Sokka…" Katara grimaced. "But Zuko…Azula's always after something, you know that, right? You can't trust her."

"I don't trust her." I wasn't sure how to explain this. "But…I think I comprehend her…sometimes. I don't know why she wants what she wants…or even what she wants sometimes, but I do know what she'd do to get it, and…she always does things efficiently. She wants to be the best, which means doing it the best. If I offer myself…if she knows that I'll go to her, she won't waste resources pursuing me. It wouldn't be the optimal move, so she won't make it." I paused. "...I don't think she cares about you, Aang."

"...but didn't Ozai send her after me?"

"He did…but she conquered Ba Sing Se instead. She's…after something else. It's not just Glory, I know that…she…she's doing all this for a reason."

"Does…does it really matter why she's doing it?" Sokka shuffled around in the saddle. "I mean…she conquered Ba Sing Se, she attacked us here, she almost got your girlfriend's brother killed back in Omashu."

"Former girlfriend."

"She's been betrayed by her friends…" He ignored my interruption. "They helped us escape. So…isn't it just her now? Whatever reason she's got, it's putting her at odds with everyone except the Fire Lord. No matter what, she'll fight for him."

"...but she doesn't always agree with him." I thought back to the War Council. Although Azula didn't care about casualties, she also didn't care for wasting the comet the way Ozai planned to. She knew what the results of a genocide would be. She knew how wasteful it was. We hadn't talked about it, but I knew that she wasn't entirely on board with it. It wasn't the way Azula wanted it. I could almost hear her. 'What's the point of killing all our subjects?'

"Hm?"

"It doesn't matter…but I do have an idea of where we can hide out." I looked up at the sun. "It's…a bit far from here, but it shouldn't be too far from Caldera, or any forward base on the Earth Kingdom.

"Really? Where?"

"It's…the Fire Lord's Vacation Home on Ember Island."

"Isn't that in the heart of the Fire Nation?

"Geographically, sort of, but not really. The Nobles who stay there rarely involve themselves with anything, let alone politics. I wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't recognize Aang if they saw him." I paused. "I went there before the black sun, and they didn't recognize me or Azula."

"Really?!" Sokka grinned. "And since it's a vacation home, we won't be missing out on any resources, will we?" He rubbed his hands together. "I like the sound of that."

"Isn't it still dangerous to fly so close to the middle of the Fire Nation? What if they spot us?"

"There aren't any military bases near Ember Island. There shouldn't be any Naval Presence either. It's sort of a…tax haven set up by a former Fire Lord." I didn't remember who, but Ember Island had been this way for a long time. "We don't have to go there. I just wanted to offer up a place where we'd be safe. If you guys want to go somewhere else, that'd be alright."

"...I don't think we'd make it to Ember Island today," Aang said from the front. I could see the ocean ahead of us. "Maybe we could discuss it during dinner?"

32 days until Sozin's Comet

"You know, I never thought I'd be hiding inside the Fire Lord's own house." Sokka was lounging on the porch alongside Suki. "It's kinda freaky to think that one of us is sleeping in his bed."

"..." I wouldn't tell him that it was him and Suki. They'd taken the Master Bedroom because of the size, and I wasn't going to comment.

"I like beach sand more than desert sand." Toph wiggled her toes, making the sand bounce under Druk and Appa. Druk huffed smoke, tongue lolling out. "Maybe I can actually practice here."

"Didn't you want to practice Metalbending?"

"I can do both."

"The water here is kinda warm." Aang was standing in the surf. "This is the same ocean as the one on the Earth Kingdom shore, right?"

"This is a volcano." I pointed at the spire in the distance. "It's…still active, I think."

"Is it…gonna go off?"

"Probably not. The last time was around 40 years ago? Someone goes up about once a month to check on it. There haven't been any warnings, and…some of the more sensitive Firebenders can tell. Besides, we're far away enough to escape if we need to. I'm just saying that the Volcano keeps the waters around the island warm."

"Hey, Zuko?" I turned to Katara. "Can you cook these?" She lifted the fruit. "They seem like they fell off the tree."

"You can eat it as long as it doesn't look rotten. You need to open it though, they can be really tough. And…you probably don't want to eat them raw. You can use the oil for cooking though."

"Oil…?" She stared down at the brown husk.

"Here." I unsheathed a blade. Even though I'd dug it into a wall, it hadn't needed sharpening. It was also glowing. I wasn't going to question it. I couldn't really, as I hadn't seen him since he'd given me the mask.

'And…I'm pretty sure these are my original ones. The mask is one thing, but these should have been blown to pieces…' I shook my head. Do not question spirits. Especially not this one.

"Sparky!"

"Yeah?"

"Why does your mask cover your scar?"

"I still…I see too much. Whatever…he did, I can't focus. It's…like every one of my senses is burning." I whispered to her. "Wearing the mask makes it unbearable, but keeping it over my eye…it's manageable. I…don't know what your Seismic Sense is like, but imagine if it was always beating into your brain, everything at once. With no time to understand what you're seeing."

"Honestly, that's what seeing seems like to me." She shrugged, molding a pile of sand in front of her. "That's a constant thing, right?"

"I mean…yeah, but you can choose what you focus on. I stared at her. Right now, All I really see is you. Everything else is unfocused," I glanced toward Druk. "And now that I'm looking at Druk, you're blurry. It's not seeing everything all the time. It's seeing a lot, but only paying attention to a few things. My senses are like focusing on everything at the same time." I frowned. "Did that make any sense?"

"...not to me, no." She sighed. "But I'll never know what it's like to see anyway. I don't need to." Her voice turned up, a hint of smugness.

"The best Earthbender in the world, and sight would only make you more powerful," I laughed. "If you could see, we wouldn't be fighting the Fire Lord, we'd be stopping you from conquering the world on your own."

"Lord Toph, of the Melon Kingdom." She smirked. "I like it."

"Melon Kingdom? Why Melons?"

"I don't know…it just feels right." She stood. "I am Melon Lord, Muahahaha!" Everyone turned to look at us.

"What are you guys doing?" Katara returned my Dao, having cut open the fruit. "Did you guys find a melon?"

"Uh, no…" I glanced at Toph. She shrugged, going back to whatever she was doing with the sand.

"…"

This was all too…perfect. Nothing was happening, nothing was going wrong. Yes, I'd told them that Ember Island was a safe place to hide out, but we had a month before the comet. There was no way that this was going to stay this idyllic. Yes, Ember Island was safe, and yes they wouldn't recognize me, not with how little the people here actually cared about the state of the world, let alone the political turmoil in the Fire Nation, but still, someone here would find it strange that the secluded residence was suddenly being used by a few teenagers, including a strangely dressed boy with a flying lemur. Especially if they'd seen the giant bison landing this morning.

Or maybe I was just paranoid. Azula wouldn't chase us, and Ozai was busy preparing to raze the Earth Kingdom to the ground. We would not be their focus for some time, not until we appeared to stop them.

But, they may pursue Hakoda and the others who didn't fit on Appa. Afterall, it was one thing to have to fight us during the comet, but to fight us alongside the vestiges of the army that invaded on the Day of Black Sun was something that Azula most definitely wouldn't want to do. On the other hand, Hakoda was a great warrior and sailor, and Chit Sang still retained his basic training, which included survival training, so they may have been able to use the woods above the Temple as cover for some time before they set out to unite with other warriors.

And…my Uncle. He didn't know what I was doing. He didn't know that I had left, that I was no longer fighting for my father. He thought that I was fighting him and his cause. I had betrayed him, and he didn't know that I had turned my back on them, desperately trying to find him before I left the Fire Nation behind. He'd escaped, thinking that I hated him.

"Drk." Druk rested his head on my chest. Smoke puffed from his nostrils, and his eyes flicked at mine.

"...thank you." I lay my head down, staring up at the sun. At him. I had a month to teach Aang enough FIrebending to fight Ozai. He would have to become a Master in a month. We had to practice maneuvers, we would have to plan strategy. Sokka and I would need to scout out terrain, find the best places to lay ambush. I wasn't sure what Ozai's plan was exactly, but Sokka and I agreed that the airships were likely to be in play. The aerial superiority, especially in league with comet enhanced bending would make a powerful, nigh-unbeatable combination.

So we had things to do. Let alone that I wanted to find my Uncle. And I had no clue where he would be.

I had to train my own firebending. I had discovered something, during my tantrum. It had been white. Dragonfire white. And if I could manage that, then I needed to learn how to expand my repertoire. If I could manage all those colors, then I could truly be content with my bending. It would be mine, my own fire. No one could lay claim to it then. It would be unmatched to my heritage, the line of Sozin. The only other benders who could claim the same would be Aang and my Uncle.

"...he must have gone back to his Pai Sho club."

"Huh?" Toph turned her attention back to me. "Pai Sho club?"

"Um…" I cleared my throat. "So…while we were refugees, my uncle went into the back with this…white lotus piece from Pai Sho. It's a…I don't really know what it is, but it seems like an organization that stretches at least partly through the Earth Kingdom, if a member was right on the edge of the desert. I guess that now that he's on the run, that's where he would go first. I…was never introduced to them, so I don't know where they operate…but I want to find my uncle sometime soon…before the comet hopefully."

"White lotus…" Toph grumbled. "Yea, I don't know what that is."

"Uh, it's a Pai Sho tile. Small, round. It's…probably not something you would recognize."

"A White Lotus tile?" Sokka spoke up. "Didn't Master Piandao have that tile on his Pai Sho table?"

"Uh…I don't think any of us were looking at his Pai Sho table." Katara glanced at the others.

"I…wouldn't be surprised if Master Piandao were a member. As far as I remember, he is not very patriotic, even if he doesn't make it known publicly. I think…I think he once deserted, and then defeated the men who came to arrest him…" I thought back to when my Uncle introduced us. It had been in response to my feelings of inadequacy when regarding my firebending. My sister had learned it at a far younger age, and was already better and faster than me. It had been just before he'd left on his campaign. Had he already been a member of the club, or…well, regardless, he'd been far closer to Piandao than a general should have been to a man who had deserted the army.

Actually…why hadn't he been arrested? Surely he wouldn't have been left to live as he wanted, had he actually defeated 100 men. He would have been hounded from his home, and hunted down, even if he had defeated that many men. He'd probably be with Jeong Jeong, or have formed his own similar group.

It didn't matter. If Piandao was a member, that was a lead. We couldn't stay on Ember Island forever. There were logistical matters that we needed to take care of. It was just as long as it took to finish Aang's training, at least to the point where he could continue to learn on his own.

"Zuko, how long are you going to glare at the sky?" Aang called from the surf. "Enjoy the water! Have some fun!"

"...I'm not glaring." I shoved Druk off my stomach. I could take at least today off. Tomorrow, we'd be working.

29 days until Sozin's Comet

Correction, I'd be working. Apparently, they felt that I wasn't enjoying myself, and I should "take a break" and "enjoy the water" and "stop being so worked up." I couldn't understand how they could sit there and enjoy the island when the war needed to end before and at the comet. Yes, the water was warm and the sand was clean, and the trees swayed in the soft breeze, and yes, the rain was strong but warm and cleansing, and yes, the nights, though cool and not warmed by Agni, were wonderfully pleasant and calm, with only the sound of waves and the gentle sound of animals in the distance. The crackling of the fire was also very calming, and the general jollity of our little group was a wonderful thing. It reminded me of the nights with my mother, as she taught me many wonderful things.

Yes it was all great.

But the war wasn't over! We needed to win first, and then we had to reorganize the world after the fact. Assuming we won. I didn't want to think about what would happen if we lost.

I switched my stance.

Anyway, we all needed to work together, and figure out our plan. We needed to drill, work through strategy, work on coordination and signaling, and all the other things required for squad work when fighting a more numerous enemy. I knew that they weren't trained in squad based warfare, but they had to have an idea of how battle worked?! I mean, their invasion on the Day of Black Sun had been almost successful, and that could have only happened with extensive training and planning. There was no amount of luck that would have allowed them to get that far. Even though the benders were useless during the sun, we had whole divisions of purely non-benders, even some benders who were trained in non-bender combat. They had faced those soldiers, and defeated them.

But…they were not working. Yes Aang, still got up when I woke him, and he still followed my instructions, but the moment that we finished morning training, he just left. And when I wanted him to train after lunch or dinner, Katara or Toph stepped in and said that he needed to practice their bending too. And while I could believe that Aang needed Earthbending practice, I knew for a fact that any "Waterbending training" was just Aang and Katara spending time in the surf and starting water fights that Sokka kept losing. And as far as I knew, Toph was just using it as a reason to throw rocks at Aang. Either that, or she was trying to get him out of working. They were basically the same age, so I wouldn't have been surprised.

Honestly, I didn't want to have to be the bad guy, but we needed to focus on winning this war! Did they think that I wanted to work all the time? No! I wanted a break too, but we didn't have the luxury! In 4 weeks, the comet would arrive. I was already monitoring the sky for it. Druk was still growing, and the fact that it was so close to when the comet would arrive was worrying to me. I had been providing the fire he needed, but the comet would enhance all fire chi, only barely perceptible as it approached, and then astronomically once it grazed the atmosphere above us. What effect did that have on dragons?

I didn't want to worry too much because when Dragons had been common, surely there had been baby/adolescent dragons when the comet had come. As far as I knew, the comet's appearance stretched back beyond recorded history. Surely, Dragons knew how to manage it. Though, maybe it was best if I brought Druk back to his parents before it arrived, just in case.

I kicked forward.

I wondered if the comet would affect Druk the same way it affected Firebenders. A massively powerful dragon on the day at which Ozai tried to burn the world away. I couldn't tell if that would help or hurt us.

Anyway, I shouldn't have been the only one worried about the comet and what we would do. And I most definitely shouldn't have been the only one who was actively training myself in preparation.

Besides, I had no clue how to attain Dragonfire. That white fire didn't seem within my reach, let alone the colorful majesty of actual Dragonfire. Druk, though a dragon himself, either didn't understand what I was trying to do and didn't know how to do it himself. Maybe he was just too young.

And his size…I had no clue what the reference was, but he was just growing too fast! It was concerning, because I had no clue what he was eating in order to get that big. He was what, a month old? Not even two, and he was longer than Appa, and soon he'd be half as thick. His head was the size of my torso, and he literally could not rest on my head without risking breaking my neck. He had recently stopped getting longer, and was thickening again, getting fatter in the torso. His horns were growing longer too. He seemed to fly through spiritual power more than physics, since his wings had not grown at the same rate, yet his flight pattern hadn't changed at all.

I wondered whether he could carry me now. Last time, he had been smaller, he had tried to catch Azula and I mid air. Now, he was large enough that I could conceivably sit on him and not reach the ground if he stood up. Whether he could fly was another question, and I had no place to go just yet. Soon, we would try, because it would allow us to move separately instead of relying on Appa or commandeering a ship. Appa was conspicuous, not that a dragon would be any better, but Druk would be faster than him, and far more maneuverable if we were to be fired upon over the ocean.

"Hah…" I wiped my brow. But none of that really mattered at this moment. Right now, I needed to find a way to bend Dragonfire. If I couldn't just manifest it, that meant that I needed to change something else. If it wasn't just mindset, and it was something physical, something about the limits of the human body…then…"

'...I need to talk to them again…' I flinched, glancing up at the sky. 'If…if I say yes…I'm sure that I could do it…but…nothing would be the same.' The sun was starting its descent, and soon enough the stars would be visible.

"Zuko!" Suki called for me, coming into the courtyard. "Do you want to…join us?"

"For what?" I panted. Even if they were playing, I was working. It was common for them to find me in the middle of training.

"We were gonna start a game of Kuai ball."

I paused. Since when did they know how to play Kuai ball? The last time I'd played it was…here on Ember Island.

"I…who taught you?"

"Oh, Sokka and I met some people further down the coast. They let us join their game, and when we mentioned that, Aang knew what we were talking about."

"Y-you went down the coast!" I immediately stood. "Why-why would you do that!" Were these people trying to get us caught? I'd told them that people wouldn't be aware of what we looked like, not that we wouldn't be suspicious! Yes, people wouldn't question who we were, but they would wonder if they saw us going to the Fire Lord's residence!

"We were careful!" She protested. "We made sure no one noticed when we arrived, and we left without going directly to the house." She put her hand on her hip. "Honestly, Sokka may not know anything about subterfuge, but I'm a Kyoshi Warrior. I know how to keep things secret." She shook her head. "You need to chill out, Zuko. You're spending too much time training, it's messing with your head."

"I'm perfectly fine." I drank from a waterskin. "I'm just cautious."

"It's called paranoia."

"It's a healthy paranoia."

"Then it wouldn't be called paranoia." She grinned. "Listen, Kuai ball? We have 5 people, which means someone would have to sit out. If you join us, we can all play."

"...can Toph even play?" As long as the ball was in the air, Toph wouldn't be able to tell where it was, and even if she used her bending, when the ball hit the ground, that was a point. How would that work?

"Uh, well, when Sokka asked that, Toph took it as a challenge, so…" She shrugged. "Besides, she and Aang decided to amend the rules a bit. If she hits it with a move before it lands, it counts, even if that means the ground had to be raised."

"...fine." I groaned. If Toph wanted to play, she would find a way to make me, regardless of whether I went with Suki or not. "Technically, it counts as training." Suki groaned.

It did though. Kuai ball required a lot of strength and dexterity, as well as general agility and strategy, as well as teamwork. At this point, this was probably the closest to training that any of them were doing, so if that's how I had to do it, then that's how it had to be done.

'...maybe I should try and sneak that into my training for Aang, and he'd stop trying to avoid it all the time.'

And so I joined their game. Running on the sand was hard, especially when Toph started bending in order to hit the ball. I had to assume that she felt the direction the other team aimed, because she was relatively accurate with where it was. Relatively. She didn't really know how much power they'd used, especially when Aang started spiking from the air, so she was mostly regulated to setting up for Suki and I. I didn't think she was entirely happy about that, but she'd tried to spike it herself, and instead it had landing on her face, so…even for Toph, there were limits, especially in sports that involved a lot of airtime.

After some time, and many, many complaints from Sokka, I decided that we'd play a new game, something that Toph could participate in more. It was a benderless sport too, so Sokka had no reason to claim that anyone had an unfair advantage. Mostly consisting of passing the ball back and forth, it was similar to airball in that both sides were defending a goal. I decided to stay behind, and let Toph use up her energy on breaking through Katara and Aang, before shooting the ball directly at Sokka, who, instead of blocking, dove out of the way and allowed us to score.

"Sokka!" Katara yelled. "You're supposed to stop it!"

"Yeah, well why don't you just stand there and block it while it's speeding at your face!"

"You're allowed to use your hands!"

"Guys!" I cut in before they could descend into another sibling squabble. What I'd give if that was all Azula and I did. "How about we just…" I sighed. "Look, either switch your goalkeeper, or Toph can switch teams."

"I want Toph!"

"Sokka!"

"What?!"

"Alright, whatever!" Why had I agreed to participate again? "Suki, what about you?"

"I'm alright with it," she shrugged. "How about we switch Toph and Aang. Power for Speed."

"Well, as long as you've got Zuko, you've still got power." Katara grinned. "Don't think we forgot about the pillar."

"Look, I'm a goalkeeper, I'm not on offense."

"Then switch with me," Suki said. "I don't mind defending, even against Toph."

"Ooh, so me and Sparky are going head to head, huh?"

"Ready?" Aang asked. I nodded, coming forward to the halfway mark. "Alright, let's go!"

And so the game continued. Toph was a challenge, but Aang had more than enough experience with manipulating objects without his hands, and I could maneuver well enough to get past Katara.

Eventually, the sun set, and it was no longer possible to see the ball, giving Toph an overwhelming advantage, though Aang could still compete. But everyone else decided to quit, and I set up a bonfire, illuminating our night.

I stepped away from their conversation, returning to Druk, who had been lounging near the water as we played our games. The tide had risen enough for it to tickle his side, but only barely. I watched the stars.

"...it's that one, isn't it?" I pointed to a dim red light in the sky. It was almost drowned out by the surrounding stars, and had the moon been full, as it had been only yesterday, it would have been impossible to see. I could only notice it because I had studied constellations as a child. It was a star I didn't remember being there. If I was right, this object would continue to glow brighter and brighter, before growing in size just before the day arrived.

"...there's not much time left."

"That is correct."

"Ah-ah, uh, L-lord Agni…" I scrambled to my feet, bowing my head.

"So, have you decided?" It…he…they hovered just above the surf, almost impossible to see through normal means. Only the barest ripple in the moonlight, but through my eye, it was clear who they were. "My patience, though vast, has limits."

"O-of course!" I nodded. "I…I…I," I wasn't sure what I wanted to say. I wanted…I wanted to accept, I really did. It would be an easy way to start my envisioned transition for the Fire Nation, from the autocracy of the Fire Lord and his nobles to the…new system I wanted. If I became a spirit, the Blue Spirit, immortal, there would never be an heir because I would be the only person to ever sit on the throne again. The Fire Sages would have no reason to seek out next of kin. But I would also be immortal. Never dying-never changing. I would cease to be Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation, Son of Ozai and Ursa, Brother of Azula, and I'd become Zuko, servant of Agni. What of my Uncle, what of my sister. What about my mother? What about Mai and Ty Lee? Could I handle what I would become? Was that really to be my Destiny?

What about me? Would I even be the same person, given what would change?

"...Lord Agni, I have but one question."

"Speak."

"...If I become your vassal, do I remain Zuko? Will Ursa still be my mother?" I paused. "Will I be able to still act as Zuko, Prince of the Fire Nation, brother to Azula?"

"Ah…I see your hesitancy." I stiffened. "Calm yourself. I am a patient one…perhaps too patient, if the behavior of my current vassals is of any evidence."

'...what?' I schooled my face in front of them.

"I will allow you free autonomy to act as you please. I only demand that you act on my orders when given, though that will be rare." They stilled for a moment. "I have heard that becoming one of us removes some…attachments that humans suffer from. Fears and wants alike."

"...this has happened to others?"

"Throughout time, a good few humans have passed over to the realm as a spirit. Some are remembered, most are not." They seemed to smile. "But you will be remembered, for you will act among the humans."

"Then…" I grimaced. "I…thank you for this opportunity, lord Agni." I hoped that I wasn't being hasty. Druk stood by my side. "I accept your gracious offer."

"Wonderful. You are mine."

"Drk."

"Druk as well, of course."

"Lord Agni…what now?"

"Patience, Zuko. It will take time. In the morning, when I am risen, you will feel the first effects. You will bend Dragonfire."

"I…see…thank you." I bowed.

"You will know when it is finished. I will call upon you as I see fit once the process is complete."

"Y-yes…" I gulped. "Do…do you have any instructions before we meet again?"

"Hm…I would recommend beginning your search now. You will need to confirm as many allies as possible, in order to prevent the destruction your father seeks. Finish your tasks quickly."

"Y-yes, yes my lord!" I gave them the traditional Fire Nation bow. When I looked up, they had disappeared.

28 days until Sozin's Comet

"The hell was that?!" Sokka yelled. "I mean, first you yell at Aang, then you chase him around the house, and now you're bending purple fire?!"

"...is fire not supposed to be purple?" Toph let me go. "Wait, does fire even have a color?"

"Um, just a second, Toph." Katara sighed. "Zuko…what's going on?"

"I just don't understand how you can all…play all the time!" I exploded. "I entertained it yesterday, but this is too much!" I knew that I'd probably taken it too far, but I was just…overly irritated. I'd woken up, and my skin had felt…wrong. Just wrong. Everything about my body felt wrong. Some things felt too long, others were too short, I was too slow with some things, too fast with others. I felt itchy in the worst places, and nothing helped. It was just too much. Even Druk couldn't calm me. And he didn't seem like he was doing so hot either. He was…larger, generally, then yesterday, but not in any obvious way. Just his presence was larger, more, powerful, but he also seemed like he was just as uncomfortable as I was.

"Well, we're on a nice beach, and we wanna have some fun." Sokka shrugged. "I get that you're…not up for it, but that doesn't mean you can just attack Aang!"

"How can you think that!" I was flabbergasted. "How can you think like that! The comet's less than a month away! We don't have the time to play! We need to train, and plan!" I huffed, fire curling between my teeth. It was a deep red this time. "You're all acting like children!"

"Well, first of all, we are all children, including you." Katara sighed. "Besides…Zuko, the comet isn't…"

"...it's not what?" I sat on a nearby rock, lolling down to look between my legs. Druk lumbered over, resting by my side. "The comet's our deadline, right?"

"...it's not." Aang shook his head. "I-I thought you knew, Zuko…" He gulped.

"...what do you mean?"

"Look, there's no way that Aang can master Firebending in less than a month, let alone enough to battle the Fire Lord during the comet. We can't go up against the entire Fire Nation Armada, not without an army, and with Ba Sing Se occupied, it's just not going to happen."

"But…that's why we should be finding allies and-no-no, hold on, that's not the issue!" I shook my head. "We can't let the comet pass! That's insane!"

"Why?"

"What do you mean, why?!" I turned to Toph. "The comet is what let Sozin wipe out the Air Nomads. The overwhelming firepower allowed him to burn everything. All of it! You can't overpower Airbenders in their home, not without that kind of overwhelming force." This should have been self-evident! How didn't they understand?

"...Zuko? What is the Fire Lord planning?" Sokka sat down. "We didn't consider that. Tell us what he's going to use the comet for."

"...the occupation of the Earth Kingdom isn't going well. Sure, the Fire Nation controls the territory, but there are too many rebellions to say that the Fire Nation has a firm grasp on the land. And so…I…I told him that the Earthbenders would never surrender unless they had hope. As long as their belief held as firm as the earth, they would fight."

"...and?"

"...he's going to burn it all down. All of it." I looked up at Aang. "The Earth Kingdom will be razed to the ground. Not a plant left behind. What they did to the forest in Senlin, they will do to the rest of it. There won't be any other nation…except the Fire Nation."

"...no…"

"I'm…I'm sure that they'll send a fleet to the poles, just to make sure. With the power of the comet, it doesn't matter how thick the ice is, it'll all be reduced to water."

"..." The pavilion was silent. It seemed as though all things had gone quiet.

"...How…how could someone do that?"

"...I don't know." I admitted. "I don't know how you could justify that. I don't know…how I came from him. I don't know how he's related to my Uncle. I…don't think Azula would ever do that."

"We have to stop him."

"We will." Sokka declared. "Listen, Zuko's right. We don't…have the time to play. We need to plan…and practice."

"Okay…"

"Zuko. You need to tell us everything about the plan. Every detail you can remember, and anything you think might happen, alright?" Katara said, putting a hand on Aang's shoulder. He looked shocked, distant, as though he wasn't really present.

"Alright." Maybe I shouldn't have been so…direct with my language.

"Alright, let's pack up and meet in 5…" Sokka sighed. "Man…and I really wanted to see that play about us."

"They're definitely going to use Airships." I began. "It gives the height advantage, and it avoids any real defenses while giving the widest area available to burn."

"Can they reach the ground from so high?" Suki asked. "No matter how talented, that doesn't seem possible."

"...I don't know, but from the stories I've heard, a Firebender with the power of the comet is an unstoppable force. It's…literally in Fire Nation legends. If Ozai believes that it's possible, they will do so."

"What else, any other info?"

"Um…the focus is the Earth Kingdom. It's the largest, as well as the main issue. So, the Water Tribes and any other activities are going to be the last thing they do." Sokka and Katara nodded, not exactly reassured, but able to function well enough without worry. "The Fire Nation itself won't be heavily guarded. I dont…I don't know if that's changed now that I'm a traitor, but the main forces were going to be aboard the Airships as well as stationed at the colonies."

"Wait, I thought it was all airships!"

"That's the main force. They're the ones focused on burning, but they…they could miss, so after an area is burned, the ground forces will move forward and rectify any mistakes. They only have as long as the comet's near, so they're going to be thorough."

"How long is that?"

"I…don't know. I never read about how long it was, but…it had to be long enough to sweep through the Air Temples. I don't know how long it was, but at least that long."

"So…at least a good few hours." Sokka hissed. "This is gonna be a long one."

"Alright…with Appa, we can take care of the air forces, but who will manage the ground forces?"

"Before that, Aang needs to fight my father. So that leaves…how many of us?"

"Well, how many do we need for the airships?"

"We also need someone to handle Azula."

"Me." I raised my hand. "It'll be me. I promised her the fight, so I have to go."

"You shouldn't go alone. Even if you…bend weird fire now."

"What about it is weird?" Toph stood. "I don't get it. Fire is fire!"

"Toph…I…" I gulped. I had been sworn to secrecy. "I can't tell the entire truth here. I made a promise…on my honor."

"To who?!"

"I…I can't tell you that either." I sighed. "All I can say is that I learned this recently, and it's nothing to worry about."

"But what about the purple fire?"

"So…Toph, I know that you don't really know colors the way we do…but fire is normally a very warm color. It's…like a summer sunset, that kind of aura and heat in the air. But…my fire was…regal. Royal, a darker, more refined color. Azula bends blue fire. It's a cold, direct, terrifying color. Like the ocean, where you can't see the bottom."

"But your fire was just red!" Aang pointed out.

"I can…well, its color can change. I don't really know how to control what color it is." I frowned. "I don't think I need to control that."

"That's not important right now!" Sokka brought us back. "Look, we need allies. We need at least 3 of us on the airships, Zuko and someone else are going to Azula, and Aang's covering the Fire Lord. That covers all of us. We need someone on the ground.

"We…don't have the manpower for that."

"Then we need to find it." I stood. "We need to find Hakoda and the others, maybe bust open a few more Fire Nation prisons. We…" I breathed. "We need Fire Benders. We need to find my Uncle and Jeong Jeong."

"Fire Benders?"

"No matter what, even if the moon is full, there's no normal bender that could overwhelm a Firebender with the power of the comet. We need some of that power on our side." Katara shuffled.

"...I…" She gulped. "I can handle…a few benders during a full moon."

"Katara, you're not thinking of… you said you wouldn't!" Aang seemed pale.

"I…" Sokka grimaced. "You might have to…"

"If there's something you can do…" I nodded. Every tool had to be used.

"Zuko…do you remember the story of the waterbender you told us about? The one who could control people like a puppet?"

"...yes?"

"...it's called Bloodbending." Katara whispered. "I can only do it during a full moon…"

"And…if 2 days ago was a full moon…then…it might fall on that night." I nodded. "Okay…okay."

"You…aren't freaking out?"

"...it's…look, I'm not very surprised. At least, not that it exists." When I saw their faces, I clarified. "We…the Fire Nation, has extensive documentation on the other nations…I think that if any other nations had information on us, we burned it. But, I've read about the theoretical possibility…that waterbenders could control blood. It was never tested, but if anyone could do it, it would be Katara." I sighed. "Besides, they were thankfully pursuing the healing aspect of it rather than the potential combat capabilities. At least at the time."

"...where'd you find this?"

"It's on an old scroll in the Royal Library. It's dated from well before even Yangchen's time." I shrugged. "We have to use every advantage that we've got, alright? If you're up for it, it's our last resort, alright?" Katara's nod was hesitant.

"Alright…what else can we do?"

"Um…" I looked at Suki. "How many Kyoshi warriors were captured?"

"It was me and my posse, in Ba Sing Se…" She frowned. "I don't know if they participated in the Day of Black Sun Invasion," Sokka shook his head. "Then most of them are still free, unless the Fire Nation's been attacking the island. I can't say for certain."

"Alright, so we need to go and check that…" I frowned. "We're gonna be doing a lot of traveling…too much for Appa." I looked at Druk. "We need to split up."

"What about funding?"

"Huh?" Everyone looked at Sokka.

"Look, during the invasion, most of our ships were destroyed." He grimaced. "Let's say we get everyone back together, let's say we double our numbers. How do we get them transportation? Food? We don't have any assets. We don't have the time to build another fleet. We need to buy all that material, and I don't think the money Zuko gave us will be enough for that."

"You're right." I grit my teeth. "Okay, put that on the list…wait, nevermind." They all looked at me. "We're on Ember Island, home to basically every noble's vacation house. We have all the money we'd ever need right here."

"You mean, we're going to steal?" Aang asked. "That doesn't seem…very good."

"From Fire Nation nobles, nobles who profit from the bloodshed, and never see combat themselves." I glared at the mansions dotting the coast. "I may have been Prince, but at least I was there to see what was happening. Besides, I've done this before."

"What, robbed people?"

"...yeah…"

"When you were a refugee?"

"...uh…" I cleared my throat. "Um…no. I was…back before I found you guys."

"...why would a Prince rob people?"

"Well…it wasn't really that I needed the money, and more that I got…caught up in a situation where…" I shook my head. "That's not important right now."

"I feel like it might be."

"Later."

"Look, we need to find your father, and we need to find my Uncle. Do you have anything that might have your father's scent on it." It seemed like we'd be paying a visit to June very soon.

"You're the Blue Spirit!" Sokka spat out his drink. "You mean that I was a fan of…Zuko?! How could you do this to me! I loved you! I was praising that stupid Jerkbender the entire time?!"

"...what?" I strapped my Dao swords to my back. "What are you talking about?"

"That mask! I knew that mask! Why didn't I put it together?!" Sokka slammed his head into the wall. "Fuck!"

"...alright, whatever." I hesitated to put the mask on. I should probably hide my face, but…on the other hand, maybe it was better for people to know. Seeing the traitor stealing resources in order to fund the battle against my father could galvanize anyone angry with the current regime. It would also be good optics, showing that I'd been "fighting against my father" far longer than it had been public. 'I'm already manipulating information like a Fire Lord…' I winced.

On top of all that, the mask hurt to wear still. I didn't care if I was more spiritual than I was yesterday, I didn't feel like it. I was irritated and itchy, and I could bend new fire, but I was not going to subject myself to that pressure. Not yet, not now. Maybe when I had some time to focus.

"Okay…" I breathed in. "You should start packing. Once they realize they've been robbed, the entire beach will be swarming with private guards."

"Well, aren't you not supposed to get caught?"

"I don't want to, but regardless, at least in the morning, we need to really leave." I sighed. "Besides, without the mask on, I'm a bit easier to identify. Pack tonight, leave tomorrow morning at the latest. We head out to where we think Hakoda and the others might be, and then we split up, alright?" They all nodded. "Alright, I'm off."

I launched myself onto the roof. From here, I'd be able to get onto the cliff above the compound, which would give me easy access to every house on the beach. And now to take as much as I could carry.

I leaped down to a roof, making sure to land as silently as possible. I, thankfully, had a lot of practice and experience. We needed a lot of funding. Not just for supplies and logistics, but also to loosen tongue's, gain support, and at worst, force hands. We didn't have the luxury of niceties now. The fate of the world was at stake. We needed as much power as we could muster.

I reached into an open window, opening it just enough to enter the room. It seemed to be a bedroom, though it was empty for now. Which meant that either the occupant wasn't home, or they hadn't fallen asleep yet. I prayed for the first one.

I searched the house, taking anything easily accessible. Mostly coins, but also other luxuries, like figurines and statuettes. I picked the lock on the office door, making sure to keep the hinges silent with some Firebending. This room could contain important documentation in case the owner of this compound was a military officer, or a part of Ozai's inner court.

There wasn't much. It seemed as though the owner hadn't been here in some time.

And so I continued down the coast. I returned to the cliff, and stashed much of it before hitting the next complex, just so I wouldn't be encumbered by extra weight or the sound of coins.

The moon was just beginning to set when it all fell apart.

This person's roof was covered in some sort of oil. I couldn't tell whether or not it was intentional, though the amount made that seem likely. I slipped down the roof, I couldn't grab the ledge in time, and I landed on my back, 3 stories below. Though I didn't allow myself to cry out, I did land rather loudly, and it wasn't long before a candle began to burn in a few rooms. I groaned. Of course, they were Firebenders. I quickly stood, moving away from the shrubbery I had crushed, and hid behind a wall just as the front door burst open.

"Ah, so we've got a little thief here, do we?" He growled, staring at where I'd landed. "You won't be getting away from me." He turned, and I had to stifle a gasp.

It was General Bujing. It was him. I grit my teeth, grasping at the hilt of my swords. Though he hadn't seen me, he knew I was still nearby, I didn't doubt that he would find me if I tried to climb any wall. Especially not if he covered his roof in oils. I doubted I would be able to climb anything.

I had to get out quickly. He was already calling for his guards, and soon, others who had been home would hear the commotion and the entire beach would realize that they'd been robbed.

I snuck around the back of the compound, hiding in the shadows. Still, I saw no way out without being seen. I grit my teeth.

"I see something!" I spun around, noticing a group of guards approaching. I hadn't been paying enough attention. My thoughts had distracted me. "Over here!" Fine then, battle it was. I stepped out into the moonlight.

"Oh…" One of them stopped. "It's…um…" He raised his fists, but he didn't seem very keen on fighting me."

"So…the traitorous Prince was hiding out on Ember Island?" General Bujing approached, a sneer adorning his face. He glanced at the mask. "And it seems you've been a traitor for some time. To believe that our beloved prince would be raiding loyal Fire Nation camps ever since he was rightfully banished." He punched forward, shooting a blast of fire. I redirected it into the wall.

"Oh, so loyalty matters now, does it?" I grinned, seeing more guards approaching. That meant there were less guards at the exit. "I thought they were disposable? To be used as we saw fit?"

"Oh, they are, but only by those with the ability to see beyond. As we all know, Zuko," he growled my name. "You could not. And you suffered the consequences."

"...perhaps." I nodded. "But only because someone was too cowardly to fight."

"Yes, I remember how you begged your father for mercy. Dishonored yourself before Agni."

"And yet you refused to fight a 13-year-old boy. I smirked. "A coward."

"..." Smoke curled between his teeth. "I will not be disrespected by a traitor. Especially one reduced to petty robbery. The Blue Spirit, finally brought to heel." He gestured to his guards. "Seize him! I will present him to the Fire Lord myself!"

The guards hesitated, but stepped forward. Immediately I surged towards them, Dao raised like the claws of a Dragon. The guards, presumably shocked by my speed, immediately raised their hands, trying to block the strike, but I quickly broke through their guard and hit them in the solar plexus with my pommel. They weren't unconscious, but they were most certainly out of the fight. I turned directly towards the General. He was more measured than his guards, but he also seemed a little caught off guard. He shot fire at me, but I sliced through it, forcing him to step back. I kicked him in the stomach, knocking him to the ground. I raised a sword to his throat, keeping the guards off my back.

"Well, would you look at that?" I joked, though there was nothing kind in my voice right now. "No wonder you didn't fight, I just beat you without any Firebending at all." I glanced towards the exit, seeing an opening beginning to form. Now I just had to stall. "It seems that you're just as incapable of fighting as you are at strategy, General. To think, you have a place in the war room. The Dragon of the West would be ashamed."

"That traitor-" I cut him off, thrusting my sword just before his neck. He glared at me, but I could see the fear in his eyes.

"I serve the Fire Nation. I serve in its best interests, as all of us should." I declared. "I am and will always be a servant of Agni." I looked to the sky. "But you…you and my father, you and Ozai, you have desecrated the throne." I stowed one of my swords, put my fingers in my mouth, and whistled. "I will make sure that the Fire Nation is returned to its rightful place. A land of peace and prosperity, in which we share our innovations with the world, through diplomacy and trade, instead of blood and fire."

"You mean to make us weak?!" He roared, though the fire barely reached my outstretched hand. "You mean to make us subservient?!"

"No!" I felt the air begin to stir, and a spindly shape descended towards us. Countless people jumped back, guards, but also servants, neighbors, and all others drawn to the confrontation. It was far more than I'd realized, but…it didn't matter now. Not anymore. "I mean to make us better."

'The propaganda war starts now I guess.' Druk landed behind me, looking as regal as a juvenile dragon could. I could feel the shift in the air, as all the people realized what they were looking at.

But it was time to leave. Ember Island had nothing left for us now.

"Druk, let's go."

27 days until Sozin's Comet

"So…what next?" Sokka looked at the rising sun. I sat still as the energy washed over me, waking me from my short nap. "We've got all this money, but it's not enough." He glanced at the bags at the end of the saddle. Druk flew just above.

"We need to keep raiding." I looked down, Ember Island in the distance. I focused, barely able to see any chi from so far away. Still, I could see multiple blips leaving the island. It seemed like the messenger hawks were busy. "We'll need to raid Fire Nation bases, as well as other noble dwellings." I grabbed one of the bags. "But we can also sell some things at International Ports."

"I don't feel so great about stealing…" Aang muttered from Appa's head.

"It's…it's war." I sighed. "Look, we need to find Hakoda and the others, and set up a place to rendezvous. We give them some of our supplies, and then…" I glanced up at Druk, who nodded at me. "We need to split up."

"...how?"

"Well…" I glanced at Suki. "You guys need to check up on Kyoshi Island, and…if possible, King Bumi. He must have an army of his own, right?"

"But he surrendered last time."

"But that was before the Day of Black Sun." Sokka pointed out. "If that's not the perfect time to take back Omashu, then he's even crazier than we thought."

"We can also break open prisons in the Earth Kingdom." Toph spoke up. "They have to have food stores at least. Accessing that should be good, right?"

"At least until it runs out." I nodded. "We should pop by Piandao, just in case." Sokka perked up. "He's a master swordsman, and I know that he can hold his own against the common soldier…at least before the comet."

"Do you think we can get the Northern Tribes together in time?" Katara looked at Sokka.

"I don't think we've got the time to organize that." He grit his teeth. "We've got…we've really got about 2 weeks, maybe 3 if we push it, in order to get organized. We barely have time for the Earth Kingdom coast, let alone that." He frowned. "Toph, I know it's a longshot, but would your parents be willing to fund us?"

"Hah, no." She spat. "They want nothing to do with war. If their business wasn't in Gaoling, we'd be living in Ba Sing Se." She looked away. "Besides, I don't want to see them right now."

"Hm…" I frowned. "It's not a good look to rob them either."

"I'm glad that optics is your issue with robbing my parents." Toph rolled her eyes, but I could tell she wasn't angry.

"Okay…How about this?" You guys need to split up too. I can manage funding from here. I'll keep gathering resources from Fire Nation bases and estates, and then Aang can transport that to the Earth Kingdom, while you guys…requisition a ship and make your way up and down the coast?"

"...what's with you and robbing people, Zuko?" Aang turned around, letting go of Appa's reins.

"Actually, yeah!" Sokka turned to me. "You've…the Blue Spirit's been acting in the Earth Kingdom for way longer than Aang's been out of the iceberg. And you were supposed to be captured by order of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation! The hell'd you do?"

"..." I sighed. "I…when I was on my ship…and before you found Aang…I…was…discouraged. It had been a year or so since I'd started looking, and I'd been all over the world. Well, everywhere a boat could take me. I didn't want to just…go into the Earth Kingdom, because I wasn't suicidal, but I needed to get off the boat, so I took my mothers mask and dressed in black. I decided that I wouldn't use any Firebending so that no one would recognize me, and I told my Uncle that I didn't want to be bothered, so…he wouldn't enter my room while I was gone."

"...okay?"

"Sorry-sorry. I uh…got wrapped up in a…" I winced, glancing at Toph. "An incident…between a group of Fire Nation soldiers and a woman. I…helped her, by…well I was…I killed them." I braced myself for their judgment.

"Why?" Toph was the one who spoke. She was watching me…as well as she could.

"I…I shouldn't have. But…I also don't know what else I should have done." She frowned. "Look, what they were doing was terrible. Horrid. I…cut them down in anger. I…didn't want to believe that my people were capable of that. But…they should have been tried for their crimes. But…who would try them? So…I don't know."

"Okay…" Katara closed her eyes. "Keep going."

"Um…well, the woman told me that the soldiers had been collecting…items from the townspeople. Trophies of their…" I shook my head. "She begged me to get it back, and I…well I didn't speak, but I…I couldn't say no." I cast my mind back. It was a long…long story. Complicated. "I went into the Fire Nation base and took what I could find. It turns out that someone had witnessed what I did, because they recognized me as the person who'd killed some of their officers. I…I killed some of them while I was escaping. Um…and it also turns out that I took too much, or some people didn't want to come and meet me in order to get their stuff back, because I had a bunch of stuff left over, including money, so I…just distributed the stuff between every house in the town. Because, uh, the town was suffering, so I just wanted to tide them over for a bit. And then I realized that it would draw the attention of the Fire Nation onto the town, and some of them told me about a nearby detachment of Earth Kingdom soldiers, so I…drew them into conflict with each other so that the Fire Nation would forget about the town. I guess that I pissed off the Earth Kingdom too, because they both wanted me captured. And…I guess the story spread, because every time I went out in the mask, people would ask me to help them get revenge, or take back something that had been stolen by the Fire Nation soldiers or an Earth Kingdom noble, and I guess it just…kept going until I found you." I looked at Aang. "It's…complicated."

"And now the Fire Nation knows that you're the Blue Spirit." Sokka nodded. "Okay…I wonder how that will pan out?"

"It depends on what I'm seen doing now." I sighed. "I'm more worried about what the Earth Kingdom thinks of me."

I watched Druk fly through the air. Now…we had to fly. We needed to fly between prisons and compounds and anywhere else we could get the resources we needed. We would be traveling all across the Fire Nation in order for this to work. First things first though, we had to find Hakoda. Hopefully, that wouldn't be too hard.

"I think it's because of Zuko." Sokka nodded. "Zuko can easily find anybody he's looking for."

"Now I wouldn't say that, Sokka." His father rested a hand on his shoulder. "We were hoping you would find us. Though, it took a bit longer than we thought it would."

"Oh, uh…" Katara winced. "We didn't think we were going to meet up again…"

"What?" Hakoda frowned. "How are we supposed to coordinate without meeting up again? We need to prepare for whatever the Fire Lord has planned."

"We…didn't think that far ahead," I cleared my throat. "Everyone except Zuko didn't." I nodded.

"We…" I coughed. "I am going to stay here, in the Fire Nation. I need to gather allies for the comet. I was hoping that we could…meet and prepare near Omashu, with King Bumi."

"...I see." Hakoda nodded. "Are you sure you should be alone?"

"I…" I grit my teeth. "I need to be seen by my people. They need to see me, in order to prepare for…after." He nodded. "I…don't know what will happen, but…causing as much disruption to my father's efforts is what needs to be done."

"Alright." He looked at his children and Aang. "So…what's with all the bags?"

"So dad, get this." Sokka began. I tuned them out, drifting towards Druk's side. He snorted, watching me approach.

"How are you feeling?" I stroked his mane. "I know that it's been…a bit much recently. I…I'm sorry." I hugged him. "I chose for us…I said yes, without consulting you." He purred into my stomach. "I…changed you."

He stood, stepping back and staring into my eyes. I could feel him purring, before his tongue darted out and slathered my face in dragon spit.

"Ew…" I spluttered. "...are you sure?" He nodded. "I…thank you, Druk. I'm…glad I found you. I would…I wouldn't have made this choice without you. I would've become Fire Lord…and I guess I would stay Fire Lord." I grinned, but it was weak. Pitiful. "And I would've hated myself."

But now, I had a new destiny. I would be a spirit. A servant, a true, dedicated servant of Agni. Forever and always, unless I "died" somehow. I hoped…I hoped that I would learn how to be happier.

And so, I stood back and watched them. I watched those who I knew would eventually grow older than I ever would. They would eventually die, and I wouldn't. And only Aang, whoever he became, would be left. And who's to say what would happen in the future.

"I'm…glad we found you so quickly, but we should probably start moving." I pointed at the sun, which had just reached its peak in the sky. "Appa can't carry all of us, but we need to move quickly." I frowned, glancing around. "We need a ship. A quick one. I'd say that we should buy one, but it should ideally be military grade, and I don't know if we can get something like that through legitimate means. So…"

"We actually need a fleet." Sokka spoke up. "We need to take a good few." He looked at me. "Is there a port nearby?"

"Not a substantial one. And how are we gonna get away with that many ships, let alone control that many? I'm only one Firebender, and I need to stay here." I glanced at Druk. "As much as he's grown, I don't think he can carry me back from the Earth Kingdom."

"Well, I can provide the fire for at least one of them. It'll be good practice for me." It seemed like Aang was ignoring how we would acquire that boat. "But that's still only one of them. How many do we need?"

"..." I tried to focus. "Okay, how about this? We take one for now, and each time we gather more allies, Aang comes back, and we take another one. We get ourselves a defensible port in the Earth Kingdom, and we gather our strength there."

"Okay…" But we needed to see Piandao. There was so much to do, I felt overwhelmed. How were we to succeed if I couldn't do it all in time?

"Alright, me and Zuko will take Appa and go find Piandao, while you guys make your way to a port." Sokka put his hand on my shoulder. "We'll come back, either with him, or with some information."

"What about Druk?" Katara stopped us before we left. "Is he going with you?"

"I'm not leaving him behind." I turned to him. "And I'm not going to make him try to carry two people before he's even tried to carry one." He chirped, standing up and preparing to follow us.

"Okay, but you will need to ride him once we go to Omashu. If Aang's flying between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom on his own, while you're still here, then Druk's going to need to fly."

"I'll…" I turned away. "I'll deal with it when it needs to be dealt with."

"He's…gone." Sokka returned to the entrance, where Appa and Druk were waiting. I was keeping a lookout on the town below Piandao's complex. A few villagers were watching us, but no one dared to approach, and no one seemed to be notifying any soldiers. I hadn't seen a single hawk since we'd arrived. "There's not a trace left…except his Pai Sho table."

"...what?" I turned around. "What does it look like?"

"It looks like…" He sighed. "Listen, just look. Appa and Druk can warn us if something happens." I nodded, following him through the foyer. It truly looked as though not a soul was here, even though I knew that Piandao had at least a few attendants. And yet, they were gone. Not a trace.

And there was the table. I knew that pattern. Each piece spiraling out from the center, forming the shape of a flower. All pieces were present, except the center. The white lotus tile was missing. I nodded.

"He's a part of that club." I looked around. "We won't find him…unless…" I gulped. "Unless we find my Uncle."

"...so what now?"

"...you go back to the others." I looked him in the eye. "Sokka, you're the only one I trust with this. You have to get them practicing. You need to drill, and you need to lead."

"I mean, yeah-"

"I mean lead Fire Nation people into battle." He stopped talking. "I…can't guarantee anything, but I will make sure that we have allies. Chit Sang…he's a former soldier. Ask him for support, but you will need to drill with them. It…won't be easy, or comfortable, especially for…some of the others." He nodded. "...and make sure that Aang keeps practicing. We need him…if he falls, then nothing we do will matter."

"...okay." He grabbed my hand. "I will do my best." I knew that of all of us, when it came down to the moment, Sokka was ready. As he had been from when I'd first stepped out onto the ice of the Southern Water Tribe. "And you?"

"I'm going to stay here tonight. We're far from major military bases, and I'm hoping to get some…funding. Listen, if I have anything, I'll meet you in Fire Fountain City. Every 3 days, just have Aang check in. I'll be…visible to him."

"Got it." He turned to Appa. "When will you join us in Omashu?"

"...either when I'm satisfied with my work here, or if it's too late." I sighed. "I hope…I can meet with you earlier than that. I…want to find my Uncle too, but I know that he's in the Earth Kingdom."

"We'll let you know if we have any information about him." Sokka assured me. "But…I guess this is it."

"Yea…"

"Zuko…" He grit his teeth. "Do what you have to do. You know that…we can't-"

"I will, Sokka. You know that I will."

"..." He nodded. "Yip-yip!"

I watched Appa fly back towards the others. It was almost evening now. Already the day was almost gone. There was no time.

"Alright Druk." I walked down into the town. I hated how public I had to be, but it had to be done. "It's just you and me."

"It's…it really is him!"

"A Dragon?!"

"Look, the mask!"

I allowed their whispers to wash over me. I could hear their shock, their confusion. They crowded outside, but at the edge of the streets, giving Druk and I a wide berth.

I felt…different here. I felt different in general, partly because of…the whole process of becoming a spirit thing, but also the stress of the last few days. But…here, surrounded by these people, I felt strange. They were fearful, but I felt like there was some other kind of feeling in the air. Or inside me. I couldn't parse the feeling, but as a group of Fire Nations soldiers approached, I put that thought to the side. I could have my journey of self-discovery some other time. This was war.

The soldiers marched in line, as though led by an Officer, and yet no Officer was present at their head, nor was there any obvious scribe. They stopped, just a stones throw before me. At least 50 men and women. The whispers died down, the street going dead. Not only this street, but the entire town. Not a sound was to be heard, just the swell of winds across the rooftops.

One of them stepped forward, raising his hands. I glared, reaching for my Dao, and Druk stood tall, ready for the coming fight.

"All hail Fire Lord Zuko!" He bowed.

"All hail!" The soldiers behind him bowed as well. I stopped.

'What?'

"Uh…rise?" My voice cracked, but their leader ignored it, removing his skull mask. "What…what is this?"

"Lord Zuko!" He grinned. "We've been doing as we promised!" He gestured to the entire town. "We all follow the true Fire Lord."

"...were you from the Boiling Rock?" He nodded. "I…uh…" I shook my head. "So…you're on my side?"

"Yes sir." The soldiers thumped their chest in unison. "We're ready for orders!"

So…this entire time, I had a battalion just…waiting for me? I couldn't stop the grin on my face. It was just so…stupid. "Then…I'm glad you're here."

With those words, the town erupted into noise. I winced, my senses already so sharp, and with so much noise I had no idea what they were saying. But…they sounded ecstatic?

Eventually, finally, it died down enough to speak again. I glanced around. This wasn't the place for any kind of discussion. "Can we speak?"

"Of course." He gestured back towards where he'd come from. "We've got a bit of a base. Nothing worthy enough for a Fire Lord, though." He stuttered a bit at the end. "Um…"

"Don't concern yourself with luxuries." I slipped back into speaking like a Prince. I was surprised that I could still do that. "But we have much to discuss."

Druk and I stayed on the roof. I didn't want to take someone's bed, and honestly, recently, beds just hadn't been as comfortable as they used to be. Maybe I was just used to sleeping on the ground or curled up with Druk.

I was…pleasantly surprised. Again, somehow, luck was on my side for once. Not only were there more than 50 soldiers in this town, but they'd been coordinating with other escapees across the Fire Nation. It was…I shouldn't have been surprised, but somehow, I was: Not very many people liked Ozai. They didn't like conscription, they didn't like the increasing taxation, they didn't like the lack of commodities as factories focused on war material. I had heard many complaints, from speaking with the…my soldiers. Many…many complaints, some of which really didn't have anything to do with Ozai. But there was one that stood out. They…they thought him to be cruel. And the anecdote they used most often, was my story. I…perhaps because I hadn't been in the Fire Nation, but I hadn't known just how public my banishment had been. I didn't know just how much information they had. But…it was more than soldiers. It was civilians, academics. Children. They feared Ozai.

But now…funding was an even larger issue than before. The uproar that these rebellious groups had caused had attracted the attention of Caldera, and they were cracking down. Only a few days ago, the town had been plundered, and many valuables had been taken by their local lord and his army. While this group had tried to defend themselves, many had been defeated, and those who hadn't been captured had decided that they could only deal in subterfuge. They had limited manpower, and limited supplies. They were relying on the goodwill of the town, but after the raid, there wasn't much left. The same was true for many of their correspondents across the Fire Nation. My presence was a major morale boost, but it wouldn't last.

"Druk…" I stood. "We have to do something. Tonight." He snorted, seeming reluctant. "If…we succeed here, both in returning supplies to the town, releasing any…allies from prison, and drawing Caldera's attention to me, we can deal a real blow, and give Hakoda and the others a real fleet. This…" I looked down. "I…it's a civil war." I nodded. "It might not be with frontlines and boots on the ground, but the Fire Nation is fighting itself. These kinds of groups are proof of that. And…if that's what it takes to stop him, then so be it."

"Drk…" He flapped his wings, before lowering himself.

"...okay." I swung my leg over. "It shouldn't be too far. Don't strain yourself. If you can't do it, let me know."

He huffed, annoyed that I was doubting him. Still…he was young.

I patted his spine, and he stood, backing up just a bit.

In moments, we were in the air. It was so fast, I barely registered that we'd taken off before we were streaking towards the edge of the town, towards the capital of the region. The wind whistled past us, blowing my hair off my forehead. It was…so different from Appa. Appa was measured, steady. If you didn't look down, it was easy to forget that you were flying. But this…

'This is what it means to fly…' I grinned. Druk pumped his wings, bringing us even higher into the air. It should have been cold, but I couldn't feel anything. We broke through the clouds, and all the stars of the night were there. The moon shone down, blindingly bright.

This…this was where I wanted to stay.

But eventually, we arrived. We circled down towards the city, seeing a major Fire Nation outpost as well as a large compound for whatever noble lived in the region. It was time to free my men.

24 days until Sozin's Comet

Chief Hakoda waited, his men behind him. It had been a series of stressful days, and today would be no different. They had broken through every Fire Nation Military Installation on the way, freeing a substantial number of their allies who'd been captured during the failed invasion of Caldera. They had stolen a ship and gathered at the port nearest to Omashu, where King Bumi had taken his city back, though he hadn't been very clear about what his plans during the comet were. His children and Toph, as well as Suki, were watching the horizon. Aang had left yesterday, as agreed with Zuko, to meet him in Fire Fountain City, and bring back any supplies and allies. And now, Aang was late. Not disturbingly so, but he was still late.

"I…hope Zuko's okay." Toph kicked at some dirt. "Was it…a good idea to leave him alone? I know that we've got a lot to do, but-" She stopped herself, before sighing. "I don't like not being able to feel him. He felt weird before we left."

"..." Katara rubbed her temple. Hakoda was tempted to comfort her, before Sokka squinted into the distance, he turned. There was a fuzzy shape on the horizon. Sokka grabbed a telescope.

"It's Aang." He nodded, a smile breaking out on his face. The tension broke, a smattering of cheers and applause erupting across their camp. "But…" He came closer to the others. "He's really pushing Appa. Why is he going so fast?"

"..." They all turned back to the horizon. There were other shapes. Many shapes.

Ash began to fall.

The camp erupted into pandemonium. People were trampled in a desperate scramble to grab weapons. Others bolted, intending to be gone before they were crushed under the weight of the Fire Nation.

The few Kyoshi Warriors among them were more measured, preparing their weaponry, but their calm demeanor was lost amongst the chaos.

"Hold! We can prevent their landing!" Hakoda tried to take control, but he could hardly hear himself over the sound of the mob. Toph stomped, bringing their group up higher, above the chaos. Aang was halfway to them now, but no one was paying much attention. Whilst they would need to deal with the chaos, with Aang and Katara, master waterbenders, the fleet had little chance of making it to shore in the first place. The main risk was ranged attacks, and Hakoda wasn't sure how to deal with that.

He turned to his children, who looked determined, but not fearful. They were prepared…too prepared for children. He grit his teeth. This shouldn't have been their fight. If he were more competent, if they, the adults, had been better, the children would have been spared.

"GUYS!" Aang shouted, projecting his voice from a far greater distance than anything possible for anyone other than an Airbender. "STAY CALM!" He jumped off of Appa, opening his glider and pushing himself towards them. "It's alright!" He landed on their platform, grinning up at them.

"Yue and La, Aang! Sokka gestured at the approaching fleet. "What do you mean, it's alright?! You led the Fire Nation right to our base!"

"No!" He gestured to the telescope. "Check the flag!"

"What?!"

"Just look!" His normally infectious grin was infuriating. Why wasn't he taking this seriously? Hakoda knew he was a child, but even he should have been aware of the ramifications of this!

"Is…is that?" Sokka's jaw dropped. "No way…"

"What is it?!" Suki snatched the telescope from his hands.

"It's…they're allies." Sokka's eyes slowly came back into focus. "They're Zuko's allies!"

The telescope was passed between all - except one - before it was finally in Hakoda's hands. The flag they flew was not the black flame of the Fire Nation, but a blue mask, underneath which were two broadswords, with a red dragon intertwined. It looked more like a pirate flag than anything official. But…the mask and those swords. They were Zuko's.

"We need to calm the men." He turned to his children. "We can't sour relations between us and our allies by fighting them.

"HEY!" Aang shouted down, while everyone near him immediately heard a harsh ringing sound in their ears. Toph shrieked, slapped her hands over her ears, and cowered down, before a rock shot itself into Aang's back. He yelped, wincing, before he jumped down into the mob. "IT'S NOT THE FIRE NATION!" His voice carried, even to those on the very edge of the port. "THEY"RE ALLIES!"

"B-but…" One of the men pointed at the sky, the ash becoming more concentrated as the fleet got closer. "The ash…"

"Those are Firebenders who will fight the Fire Lord." Aang grinned. "They're all loyal to our friend Zuko."

"...the prince?"

"Yeah, and our friend." Aang emphasized. "This is his…army." He paused. "He…the Fire Nation…" He sighed. "Zuko explained it better. Anyway, these are our allies. We need to get along, so…don't attack them. Let them land, and we'll figure it out, alright?"

Hakoda winced. As powerful as Aang was, he was not a very talented public speaker. Maybe it was just naivety, but it was best to put Sokka in front of the men.

"Toph, could you get Sokka down there before this gets worse." It seemed his daughter had had the same realization.

Hakoda prepared himself as the first ship came to a halt. Now that he wasn't so distressed, he realized that "fleet" was a bit of a strong word. There were about 5 ships. They were quick, but smaller than the average, and at most, each ship could hold 150 men, if you didn't have any supplies. Still, they were honest to Tui and La, Fire Nation ships. Modern too, if the shine and lack of barnacles was any indicator. Chit Sang emerged from the group, frowning as the gangplank lowered, and a group of men and women dressed in standard Fire Nation armor.

"Greetings." Chit Sang raised his hands. "I am Private Chit Sang."

"Greetings." The leading man reciprocated. "I am Captain Hwang Gou, of the Blue Dragon Army." Sokka mouthed the name. "Private Chit Sang, Fire Lord Zuko has promoted you to the rank of First Lieutenant." Chit Sang froze. "Are you…" He seemed to hesitate for a second. "Are you Chief Hakoda of the Water Tribe?"

"I am." He stepped forward. Clearly this man held deep loyalty towards Zuko, if he was calling him Fire Lord.

"We have been instructed to treat you and your son, Sokka of the Water Tribe, as Colonels." He bowed. "We shall follow every order."

"Uh…what about the rest of us?" Sokka gestured at Suki, Katara, and Toph.

"Uh, Snoozles, none of us are military commanders." Toph kicked at the dirt.

"How…many men are you?" Hakoda eyed the ships. "Because, these ships…this is far…far more allies than we expected."

"We admit, it is mostly supplies," He explained. "These ships were built for primarily speed, and they don't require a lot of personnel, especially for a trip this short."

"A short trip?" Yes, while this port wasn't particularly far from the Fire Nation, he'd never heard of a ship that traveled so fast, unless aided by Waterbenders. It was through Aang and Katara that they had arrived here in less than a day.

"The Blue Dragon Army has taken control of a few ports, primarily Fire Fountain City. We've left behind about half of our gathered manpower, though we are still spread throughout the Fire Nation. We've commandeered the fastest ships accessible, and we've managed to streamline coordination between us."

How…fast were these ships? "It's only been a few days since we last saw Zuko. Surely, this is too much…"

"The…largest issue is organization." He winced. "Without the resources of the Fire Nation Military, we are limited to coordination by hawk, between many different groups. Until Fire Lord Zuko arrived, all we could do was disrupt supply lines. With his strength, we've been able to strike a real blow against the Fire Nation. He has helped us free captured allies, remove Fire Nation influence from our major bases, and distract the efforts of the local governments onto himself and his efforts. That is why we rally around our flag." He beamed with pride. "Our Fire Lord, is a gift from Agni. We will remove the pretender, Ozai from his false throne, and the Fire Nation will see resurgence."

Hakoda hid his shock. It was…religious fanaticism that fueled this man. Perhaps he had other reasons, but Hakoda knew that he had elevated Zuko beyond humanity. He was hesitant to work with this man, but…he would fight against Ozai, and that was what they needed. "So, how many are you?"

"We have 120 men amongst the ships, and enough supplies to last us 1 week. Of course, we expect to run out sooner, especially since these supplies are to be distributed amongst your men as well." He glanced at the men behind Hakoda. A paltry 70 in comparison. And this was only the first batch.

In some ways, Zuko was too successful.

Sokka watched Zuko's allies prepare their camp. They were…organized. They acted like an army. Either Zuko was a genius, or most of these people had military experience. Since he knew that at least a few of them had been in the Boiling Rock, he was leaning towards the latter, but still, it was a surprise, and a welcome one at that.

On the other hand, he had a few…issues with them. "Blue Dragon…" He shook his head. These people…they were treating Zuko like a saint. He and his dad were worried, because sure, they'd fight Ozai, but that didn't mean they wanted the Fire Nation at peace, and putting Zuko on a pedestal like that could really tear the Fire Nation to pieces when he refused to burn the world down in his own name.

But still, they had been running low on supplies, so a ship full of it was great. And the fact that they were supposed to get more ships coming in 3 days, and that Zuko actually had control of a city was insane. Let alone the one that had a literal statue of his father.

'Well…maybe not so much that Zuko took control, but that he managed to get these people coordinating.' Sokka honestly wished that his friend was here. Sure he'd sent allies, but if Zuko were here, they'd…well…he wasn't sure. He just knew it would be better if his friend was here, even if that jerkbender hadn't told him that he was the Blue Spirit. How had that not come up!

But in all honesty, he was just worried for his friend. Zuko had seemed…different recently. Sokka had already been uncomfortable leaving him alone after finding out what Ozai had done to him, and even though Zuko seemed okay, Sokka just wanted to be there for him. But…ever since the mask appeared, and especially the day that Zuko had blown up at them, he seemed…it felt like he was seeing past everyone. He didn't act…well he did, but it was a different Zuko.

Sokka groaned. As much as he might worry - which was a perfectly reasonable amount, Katara - Zuko and Druk were powerful, and clearly capable of doing whatever they were trying to do.

Sokka would just have to hope that Zuko would join them relatively soon.

22 days until Sozin's Comet

I had no idea what I was doing. Not in the slightest. I may have studied tactics and strategy, but when it came to actually commanding people, I really didn't have much experience beyond my time on the Wani, where I spent most of the time getting angry and yelling at my Uncle rather than building camaraderie with my crew. And well, my attitude most certainly hadn't served me well.

But now, I had to balance the needs of the multiple Captains, and manage their travels towards Fire Fountain city, while also keeping the Fire Nation Army from attacking the towns and cities they had operated out of. I had to steal a surprising number of maps, just to direct people to the right place. Every moment, I awaited a hawk, informing me of the state of Fire Fountain City. Even though we had converted it into a stronghold, and had a firm grip on the city, the Fire Nation was aware that it was our main base of operations, especially since the statue of my father had been utterly destroyed in a highly public spectacle. It turned out that most of the population had hated him, and were only waiting for permission from some "authority figure." Apparently I counted as one. Maybe it was because my men had managed to keep crime to a minimum, something that we'd found that the local governor had actually promoted to line his own pockets. It hadn't been hard to take the city once the population turned against him.

I watched out below, making sure that there were no Fire Nation ships nearby. Though we focused mostly on speed, we didn't have the resources to match the power of the average Fire Nation ship, so Druk and I acted as recon and Firepower for all the ships I was escorting. I was planning to meet with Aang again, to resupply and provide more manpower. I also needed to hear about whether or not they were getting along. I had instructed my men to obey orders, but I didn't know whether or not they would respect foreign authority, especially without my presence. I knew they respected me. They respected me far more than I deserved, but that meant nothing when it came to training and obeying Hakoda and Sokka. Hopefully, Aang had good news.

"Drk!" Druk clicked at me. I snapped my gaze over to the side he'd been watching. There was a ship in the distance. It bore the black flag of the Fire Nation. Druk glanced up at me, and I nodded.

I blasted a stream of dark red fire down, the agreed sign that I had spotted something. I waited until the ships below stopped moving, before Druk and I streaked downwards, approaching the ship. It was a larger battleship, built for power and intimidation unlike our smaller and more agile destroyers. Strangely, it was unescorted, which was confusing. Protocol demanded an escort for the expensive ship, not only because it was very valuable and would have been a waste for it to be destroyed in battle, but also so that Earthbenders or Waterbenders couldn't sneak up on its blindspots.

As I got closer, I could see scrambling on the deck. Seamen were rushing around, some of them with seemingly no purpose, though others were preparing the artillery and trebuchets. A small group stood near the front, in formation around a man wearing decorated armor. He raised his hand, ordering his men to fire. It was pointless. Trebuchets would be easy for Druk and I to dodge, and were difficult to aim once we got close, and artillery, though incredibly powerful, was highly inaccurate. It was new technology, only deployed on the latest of warships, and while it was great for sieging cities, I didn't see a use in battle until it was accurate enough to actually detonate where it was needed.

Druk and I swerved around the fireballs shot at us. They attempted to reload, but by the time they were ready, Druk and I were hovering above their commander. I held my sword between his eyes. Silence descended upon the deck.

"It's…it's true…He's…" A soldier muttered. That seemed to shock the commander out of his silence. He grit his teeth, glaring at me.

"Your reign of terror ends today." I frowned. "The people of the Fire Nation will no longer live in fear, once I've captured you and brought you before your father, Blue Spirit Zuko."

'Blue Spirit Zuko?' I would've thought they'd call me traitor, or just my name. Well, that wasn't important right now. "Or, you can turn around, and I won't be forced to sink this ship." He grinned.

"No matter the rumors, you are but a man. And when I defeat you, I'll no longer be a Commodore, but an Admiral. Your father will reward me with all I could ever imagine." I grimaced. "And all that I have to do is capture the traitor. You and your rebels will fall to me."

"You really have faith that Ozai would reward you like that? Then you don't know my father."

"I have served the Fire Nation loyally! As every citizen should."

"And yet General Bujing and my father wouldn't hesitate to dispose of you if it won them an inch of ground! Loyalty means nothing to them!" I was tired of seeing people sacrifice their lives for a Nation that would never do the same for them. For a man who didn't recognize their sacrifice, who used and disposed all who he could get his hands on! "I was loyal once. Now I serve the Fire Nation, not the Fire Lord."

"I don't even know why I'm arguing with a traitor." He stepped back. "You are a stain on the Royal Family, and I will eliminate you like the mistake that you are. Men! Attack!"

"...no."

All movement stopped. The Commodore froze, his eyes hardening, before he turned towards the seaman behind him. "Excuse me?" He hissed.

"No." The seaman stood their ground. "I refuse."

"Are you…insubordination!" He shoved his stubby finger into their mask. "You will obey orders, Captain!"

"No." They straightened. "I will not battle the Prince."

"He is no prince! He is a traitorous rebel who wants to destroy our great Nation! He is nothing more than an animal, just like his pet, and when I kill it, I will be the greatest Dragon General the Fire Nation has ever seen!"

"...no. This is wrong. The only dragon to be seen in the last 20 years, and all you care about is personal glory. That is all you've ever cared about, Commodore. At the expense of this ship and our lives. We left behind our escort because you wanted fame. We all know the story of the Prince's banishment. We know how Fire Lord Ozai treats loyalty! I will not help you slay a Dragon, nor will I help you capture our Prince! It is not loyalty, but ambition that drives you."

"...then you will be punished, just the same as him!" The Commodore was incensed, clearly not liking the blow to his ego. "Men, throw her overboard!"

Not one sailor moved. I couldn't tell how many were below deck, or still near the back of the ship, but it seemed as though every person on the ship was here, and not one of them was listening.

He spluttered. "Are you all stupid! I am your commander, and I demand that you throw the Captain overboard!" No one moved. "This is an outrage! I-I can't believe this! This is a mutiny! I will personally ensure that each and every one of you is summarily executed. I will ensure that your families suffer for this! I will-"

He was working himself up into quite the rant, but it seemed that he'd forgotten where he was. On a ship full of insubordinate sailors, in the middle of the Eastern Fire Sea, with the only witness a traitor to the nation. In only a few moments, he was just a charred corpse, tossed into the sea.

"...I…" The Captain lowered her hands. She hadn't been the only one to fire, but she had been the closest. "I couldn't allow him to inform the Fire Lord…" She looked up at me, mask covered in ash. "I…um…"

"It's…" Another sailor spoke. "I…I…"

"We're traitors now." A third spoke. "I…don't know if that was the right way, but…it's done now."

"W-what about him-uh…Prince Zuko…the Blue Spirit."

"Just Zuko is enough." I urged Druk to land, and I dismounted, putting my sword away. This hadn't been what I'd expected. "So…what will you do now?"

"What else is there to do?" The captain got on her knees. "I killed my commanding officer…I've condemned us all to death."

"I fired upon him as well, Captain."

"As did I."

"He deserved it anyway." There was a general murmur of agreement with that statement.

"But now what?" A young sailor asked, looking at me. "Are we…deserters? Or traitors?"

"I for one would rather not fight a dragon."

"Look, this is dumb!" A smaller sailor stepped forward. "We just killed our Commodore, and the Prince is literally right here! We all know what he's been doing for the last week! We all know what he's been doing for the last 3 years! I say that we join him!"

"But he started a civil war!"

"But when Fire Lord Ozai shot him with lightning, he didn't die!" I paused. Where did they hear that? "Doesn't that make him the new Fire Lord?"

"I don't know!" The Captain yelled. "I don't know…"

"If I may," I raised my hand, and she paused. "I don't think that I am fighting against the Fire Nation. You do not need to serve me, but I…I love the Fire Nation. It is my home. But this war against the world…it does nothing but enrich my father and his nobles. It does nothing to make your lives...your family's lives better. You soldiers have been used as bait, fodder, to be thrown at the enemy so that people like my father can have a little more power. I just…want the Fire Nation to succeed. In peace, where people can actually prosper. That's why I fight my father. As long as he's on the throne, the war will never end."

"Drk…" Druk snuggled against me, walking along the perimeter of the clearing I had. I noticed the smaller sailor reach out, but when Druk growled, they quickly retracted their hand.

"Then…" The Captain raised her hand. "I…pledge my allegiance to Fire Lord Zuko." A fire was lit, and like a beacon, all eyes were drawn to it. The ship was silent, before another hand was raised.

And another.

And another.

At all at once, every hand on the ship was raised. Those who could lit a fire, and those who couldn't put their hand to their chest.

"I accept your pledge." I nodded, and Druk did the same. "But…please, remove your helmets. If you mean to fight with me, fight as men, not soldiers.

And so the helmets were thrown overboard, to sink and be forgotten like their Commodore. I smiled.

The mask smiled.

"Zuko…" Aang stared at the Battleship below, docked at the port of Fire Fountain City. In the city center, a construction site as people began to clear out debris of my father's former statue. I didn't really want to govern the city myself, especially not while I was still flying up and down the islands, checking up on any city that we had allies in. A lot of the time, that meant breaking them out of captivity, or raiding Fire Nation installations. It seemed strange that they weren't more heavily guarded, but it also seemed like Ozai was ignoring my actions and focusing on his preparations for the comet. I guess that he thought that if he could shock (and slaughter) the world into submission, my allies and I would give up. That was why we couldn't allow him to use the comet!

"Zuko!"

"What?" I looked back at Aang. We were suspended above the city. I could see the captains preparing, ordering men to load the battleship with supplies. Per my calculations, this should've been enough to feed the men for 2 weeks, which meant that all I needed was another shipment to last until the comet, as well as extra in case we gathered more benders from the Earth Kingdom. And perhaps money, in order to…incentivize some people.

"ZUKO!" Aang blasted my face with wind. "Are you…are you listening?"

"Yea, yea…sorry." Druk snorted at me. "Shut up."

"Zuko…this is…I think you're doing too much." Aang stood on Appa's head. "I mean, it's amazing what you've managed to accomplish in like…a week. It's insane, honestly. Like…I have no idea how this was possible, but…look at you! You're pale! And you've been in the sun all the time!"

"I'm…what?"

"You're pale."

"But I'm always pale.

"Paler."

"That's…look, I'm trying to…keep civilians out of the way, and that means that I have to divert the Fire Nation's attention, as well as keep this city under control. I might have it now, but that doesn't mean that they'll still be on my side when the comet hits. And it's good practice for when I take the throne, but I also wanted try out this idea, since I can't be here all the time, especially when I'm looking for more allies, and I'm trying to reestablish some economic activity, since we both know that this place wasn't very safe before. I want to establish some sort of co-"

"Zuko!" Aang rubbed his head. "I get it, but you've got to take a break! You need to be prepared for the fight, and you can't do that if you spend all your time trying to manage this!" He sighed. "You've got a battleship…that means that we've got supplies that'll last us for a while. We've got Bumi with us, and he's gotten us in contact with some groups scattered throughout the Earth Kingdom. They're bringing their own supplies, so…please. Don't worry. We're working hard too." He looked away. "I know that you…I…I'm sorry. I should have taken the comet more seriously, and I know that we…made you feel like you had to manage us. Manage this." He gestured to the city below. "We pushed all of the…stress onto you so that we could play. I'm…I'm sorry."

"Aang…" I swallowed. "It's…you're 13. I'm…I'm sorry that this is your responsibility." He looked up at me. "It shouldn't be this way, and I shouldn't've…pushed so hard. I guess…I…I'm…" He nodded. "Let me…give me another 3 days after this. I have to finish this…I have to know if it works. After that, I'll come to you with the last of my supplies." The sun was setting behind him. "Take them with you tomorrow morning. Um…let them know that this is the bulk of our forces. I just…" I looked down. "Let's land. I want them to see us…I know that they see me as…different from them."

'And I am.'

"They…seem to worship you, Zuko." Aang urged Appa down, and Druk followed, slowly orbiting around Appa. "It's…creepy. The Blue Dragon Army is…fanatical."

"...I know." I looked away. "I'm not happy about it…but I don't know what to do about it, and…it might be what we need. If they…" I grit my teeth. "I hate it, but if worshiping me means they fight Ozai, then I…I…"

"You'll let them."

"...I'll encourage it." I wanted to cry. "I hate it, Aang. I don't deserve to be worshiped, I don't want it. I'm…I'm not good."

"You are!"

"Not for this! Worship lets you get away with so much! My…Azulon was worshiped." I clenched my fists in Druk's mane. He jerked. "Sorry…sorry." I cleared my throat. "Azulon…he built himself a cult. He fashioned himself as a savior. He used his strength and ability to make people believe that he was more than us. The fact that he lived so long made it even more…believable."

"...How long did he live?"

"He was born…Aang." I looked at him. "He was 34 when you were born. He was 46 during the Air Nomad Genocide. He lived to be 141…and he died…way before anyone thought he would. There's…a reason my Uncle is so much older than my father."

"...I know a few people who lived that long."

"...I know Aang. But the point is that people believed that he was greater than we were. That's why Azula…being able to bend blue fire made her so special. People thought that she was the next "Savior." I looked down at Druk. "But with this…now I think they're going to replace that with me. And I don't want that. I don't want to be attached to Sozin, Azulon, or Ozai. I'm the son of Ursa…great-grandson of Avatar Roku. Which…I guess…doesn't really help my case."

"Zuko…that's…I…" He gulped. "I don't think there's anything you can do. I mean…belief…" His eyes were far away, and I felt as though his presence had multiplied so suddenly. He was shining with chi, even though there was an area where it seemed…blocked.

"Prince Zuko…Servant of Agni. Belief is among the most powerful forces in this existence. You must never forget the strength of the human mind. It will taint you mad with ambition, should you allow it."

"Uh…"

"Um…" It seemed like Aang was back."Sorry…didn't know that would happen. I guess they…" He frowned. "Wait, servant of Agni? Why would they call you that?"

"Uh…that's…" I cleared my throat. "Look, that's for later." He paused. "I…know that worship is bad. I…ambition…that's why I'm scared. That's why I'm…"

'That's why I'm removing myself from…all of that.' Druk snorted. "I'm trying, I'm trying." I patted his head. He was often worried about me. I wondered what that meant, when the baby was worried about the almost-adult. "Listen Aang. This is…how it is. We don't have to like it, but we don't have the time to change it, nor are we in the circumstances where we can look for…allies who aren't so…zealous." I looked him in the eye. "I would if I could. Trust me, if I didn't think this was the best way…I wouldn't do it. And-and I know that I'm not the best at judging that kind of stuff, but I really…don't know what else to do."

"...I don't know either." He gulped. "Alright…let's…keep going. I'll…I…" He looked away. "Now that we're here…now that this is happening, what am I going to do? I…I can't…I'm the last one, Zuko. So…"

"...We can…figure it out another time." I nodded at him. "When I'm with you guys again, we can figure something out. I mean…isn't that better than letting you deal with it all on your own?"

"...alright." Appa landed in the center of the city, and Druk did the same. The civilians watched in awe. For many of them, this was the first time they had seen the Avatar, and that I was next to him, or he was next to me…well…I would deal with it when it had to be dealt with.

21 days until Sozin's Comet

Azula grumbled. Her hair was out of place, her nails were off. She knew that her lipstick wasn't right either. She was starting to need help getting ready, which was absolutely terrible. She was the crown princess, she should have been capable of doing all of that. She had been capable. Why was she getting worse! Zuko was getting better!

He was doing so well for himself. In some ways, she was almost…proud? Was that this feeling? After seeing him fail, make a fool out of himself and sully the name of their royal line so many times, it was gratifying to see him finally awaken to his abilities as a member of the line of Sozin and Azulon. Of course, what she didn't like was that this was all being done in his efforts to steal the throne from her father and her. Still, though it was…aggravating, she liked seeing Zuko, her brother, do something right for once. But nonetheless, it was an annoyance. Not only because he was making it far more difficult for her to eventually rule her subjects, but also that her father didn't seem as though he was taking it seriously. The Fire Lord was aware of the damage that Zuko was doing, since he got reports everyday, and General Bujing had advocated every day for the formation of a task force, but he did nothing.

It…hurt. She had stated how competent Zuko had become, how much of a threat he could be to his rule, and her eventual rule, but her father had dismissed her, as though she didn't know what she was talking about. She, the conqueror of Ba Sing Se. She who had done what the Dragon of the West had failed to do, who had supposedly killed the last Dragon. Of course, she had always suspected, and now knew that that was a lie, but still. She'd been highly successful, if anything, she had been the greatest success of Fire Lord Ozai's regime! She deserved to be respected for her loyalty! She had done as she was supposed to, she had done her best! She had done more than that, she had outshined every single military achievement in the history of this war, and her father treated her as though she hadn't accomplished anything at all. She was being treated like Zuko.

How dare he…how dare he treat her like Zuko. Zuko was the failure, Zuko was the mistake! She wasn't supposed to be like him! She was the perfect one. She was better than perfect. She was the one who would succeed! She always had! That was why she had been trained by her father! It was because Zuko had been a failure. She had done everything she'd had to do!

She was the supposed to be the useful child.

And her mother had never understood that. She had always tried to stop her, stop Azula from overshadowing her favorite child. Her mother didn't want her to be successful, because she knew that Azula was better than her son. At least Zuko had acknowledged her superiority, even if he had never liked it. Her mother called her a monster, because Ursa didn't want her to be great. So she became the monster her father wanted her to be, and she had done everything required of her.

And now…it didn't matter. It wasn't good enough! What else could she do? What else did she need to do for her father to listen! What did he want from her! Why wasn't he proud of her!

"I'm proud of you…"

"Shut your mouth…" She tried to ignore her. Ever since Zuko had left, she'd appeared. Azula hadn't even known that she still remembered her face. She was an incessant presence, often not saying a word, but always watching. Always judging. Ozai judged, but at least he told her. She knew the consequences of failure. But with her, her voice was soft. Her eyes were soft.

Everything about her was soft.

And Azula didn't understand.

She had never understood, and with her mother having disappeared, she had thought she'd never have to think about it again. And yet, here she was. Here to torment her, because she always had to be reminded that Zuko was her favorite. That her failure of a brother was who her mother favored. That she wasn't good enough for her. She should have been. She was perfect.

"Oh, Azula…" Azula couldn't help but turn back to her. "I love you. I always-"

"Stop lying to me!" She blasted a stream of fire into her face, but her mother did nothing but step aside, allowing the curtain to be set ablaze. "You hate me! I am a monster!"

"You are my daughter." She opened her arms. Her smile was soft. Azula hated how soft it was. How warm it seemed. "No matter what, I love you!"

"...no you don't. You were too busy protecting Zuko!" She spat. "You were never there when father was there. Never when I needed…" She grit her teeth, turning her back once again.

This was pointless. She was just seeing things. She shouldn't have entertained the idea for even a second! She had 3 weeks before her Agni Kai. Before Agni themself saw that she was the only one deserving of the throne. She needed to pull herself together, reestablish order, and find a way to deal with the consequences of Zuko's raid up and down the islands. At the very least, find a way to keep public opinion on her side. As much as she disliked it, she knew that the public, as ignorant as they were with their failure to understand their place, had to be placated.

But what to do…

19 days until Sozin's Comet

"Alright, here you go." I smiled, handing off a small bag to the woman. Her children were running around, trying to climb on top of Druk, even though they'd been told repeatedly that they shouldn't. Whenever they tried, Druk shifted, making it impossible to grab onto his spines, so at the very least, they weren't in danger of getting hurt, but I could tell that Druk was getting annoyed, and it was probably better if I wrapped this up quickly. "I'm not sure if I managed to get all of it, but this should help offset the damage they did."

"N-no, no." She cleared her throat, clearly nervous, even though I was a good 10 centimeters shorter than her. Maybe it was the dragon? "This is…more than enough. We have nothing but gratitude for you and your men…L-lord Zuko."

"Thank you for your kind words." I plastered on a smile, ignoring my issue with the title. "I will be going. Keep in mind that though my men will remain, they work best…in the dark. I ask that if any Fire Nation official arrives and asks for information, you give only basic information that anybody would know."

"Y-yes!" She saluted, though she seemed to realize that it wasn't necessary, because crimson exploded across her cheeks. "I…"

"Then I will be off." I whistled, and Druk rose, shaking the kids away before lumbering over to me. "I hope to visit again someday." The children laughed as I took off. My men stationed here already had their orders. All that was left was to return to Fire Fountain City and make sure that it was secure. I knew that the parts of the Fire Nation, especially the Caldera Guard, were turning their attention to the city, and I needed to be sure that it could stand against siege, or at the very least, wouldn't be too damaged if they did enter the city.

The last three days had been…something. I had focused on destabilizing communications between Fire Nation bases, which had included stealing finances and spreading it out between nearby cities and villages. I had also destroyed many pieces of technology, including what I knew now to be a new radio system. I was glad I'd found that so quickly, because the prospect of having to fight the Fire Nation with the ability to coordinate over long distances almost instantly was not one I thought we'd be able to win. The moment the ground forces met our forces, they'd inform the airships, who'd turn around and destroy us almost immediately. It wouldn't matter if I defeated Azula or Aang defeated my father, our men would be lost, as well as Sokka, Toph, Suki, and Katara. That wasn't a victory. We needed…all of us had to be alive at the end of this. We all had to live to see the aftermath.

Anyhow, I had informed my men that when raiding, they needed to focus on the destruction of any electronic equipment first, and that supplies came second. With control over key port cities, supplies were no longer the biggest issue we faced.

Druk pushed upwards, above the clouds. I could see the sun beginning to reach the horizon.. I hoped to make it back to the city before sundown. I wanted to leave tomorrow morning, and arrive in the Earth Kingdom by midday. I could help with the integration and the training of my men before setting off and finding my Uncle. While we had time, the Earth Kingdom was massive! Even though Druk could fly me around faster than Appa, that didn't mean I'd recognize him from so high, and if I flew low enough, who's to say that the Earth Kingdom wouldn't see me as a threat? I needed to be seen in a…relatively neutral light? At least enough that I could ask them to sit at the table with me before we inevitably argued about what the world would look like after this war was over.

'I can feel it getting closer…' I glanced up. It wasn't visible during the day just yet, but it was getting closer. That dim red dot in the night sky was starting to get brighter, and during the day, I felt as though the highs, right at dawn, were higher than ever before. My fire was slightly stronger, slightly hotter, than I intended it to be now.

Did that mean that during the comet, Firebenders wouldn't be able to hold back? Is that what made us so powerful? Or it could have been that the comet supplemented, or even replaced our need for chi, which meant that there was no need to preserve energy, and we could put our all into every single attack?

As much as I feared this comet, I was almost…excited. I wanted to know what it would do, what I could do with the power of the comet. I wanted to see what Druk could do.

But I feared what Azula and Ozai would do.

I landed near the beginnings of the new statue. The old statue of Ozai had been toppled, but the city had decided to melt it down and use it to build a new one. They hadn't told me what they were building, but knowing what it had been, and what they thought of me, I kinda…didn't want to be here when it was completed.

"Lord Zuko!" A messenger arrived. "The defenses have been put in place, but we've already spotted an outpost being set up only a few kilometers Southwest of us!"

'Guess that sleep will have to wait…' I sighed, rubbing my eyes. "Okay…do we have any idea when they plan to attack?"

"Not yet. Scouts have been sent, but it has only been an hour since we first noticed their arrival."

"How large is the force?"

"It's estimated to be at least 15,000 men."

"..." That was a lot. While the city had a population of roughly 180,000, most of them were not fighters. While yes, they would cause issues to the Fire Nation if they tried to occupy the city, I'd rather not have the civilians putting their lives on the line for me. And if they were only just now setting up, I wouldn't be surprised if that number doubled within the next few days.

My forces in the city were numbered at roughly 5,000. We could potentially hold, at least in the short term, but we would need to break the siege before the Comet arrived. And I knew that if they were setting up for siege, a fleet was on the way, which would prevent the city from resupplying. If that fleet arrived, this city would fall, no matter what I did.

"We need to strike before they have the ability to muster any manpower." I turned to Druk. "You and I need to destroy whatever ships even look like they're coming this way…wait no…they might have a radio." I grit my teeth. There were far too many factors that needed to be dealt with.

I turned back to the messenger. "Get me a hawk. I need to write a letter." I glanced over at the natural cliffs and mountains that surrounded Fire Fountain City. "And gather the construction crew. We're expanding the defenses."

18 days until Sozin's Comet

Sorry guys, but I won't be able to make it for some time. The Fire Nation is preparing to siege my city, and I can't leave them undefended. I don't know how long it will take, hopefully we can get them to retreat quickly.

Druk and I are focused on taking down any naval presence that could prevent the city from resupplying. Toph would make it a lot easier, but I don't think she'd like flying around on Druk. We can handle a few ships, and I have a few ideas of my own. Nothing even close to what Sokka could come up with, but it could definitely work. I have a lot of smart people here, and I'm sure that we can do something on our own.

Anyway, just know that I'll be alright. I know what Fire Nation sieges are like, and if I have to, I will be their Ba Sing Se.

Don't try to join me. We've spotted artillery equipment as well as modern trebuchets, and I don't want Appa to try and fly through that kind of barrage.

I'll send another hawk when this is over.

"...bastard." Sokka crumbled the piece of paper. "He should know that he doesn't have to do this on his own."

"And what does he mean, "a few ideas?"" Katara quoted. "We know what kinds of ideas that Zuko comes up with. Did he really think this would make us less worried?"

"You know he likes to ramble, why are you surprised his letters are the same?" Suki watched over the soldiers as they went through their morning drills. "And he's not wrong either. Appa shouldn't try to fly into a Fire Nation siege.

"I'm not sure what exactly artillery equipment is though…"

"It's explosive weaponry." Sokka thought back to the Northern Air Temple. It had been one of the inventions he'd seen the blueprint for. "It's…not accurate, but it's really good at breaking defenses and killing large numbers of people." Aang gulped. "I'm sure Zuko is…he'll figure something out. It's definitely going to be stupid, but he can do it."

"But are we really going to leave him alone?" Aang looked conflicted. "Especially now…"

"I mean, we were all waiting on him." Katara looked down towards a lone man standing at the edge of the field.

The Dragon of the West was lending his fame and ability to their effort. Here to make sure that the Fire Nation soldiers cooperated with the Earth Kingdom. He'd brought a group of his own men. Older and far fewer in number, but all masters of their craft, as well as their retinue.

He'd been waiting to see Zuko, but now, who knew when that would happen.

"I'll tell him." Toph nodded. "Sokka, hand me the letter."

"What? You…if Iroh reads that, his first thought will be to go and help!"

"He's a general. He's…literally the greatest Fire Nation general that I can think of! He can understand why rushing to Fire Fountain City isn't a good idea."

"I…" Sokka grumbled. "I know…I know…sorry."

"Look, we're all stressed out…and this isn't helping," Katara gestured at the letter. "But Zuko has…always found a way to survive what he shouldn't have. And…Zuko seems confident. I…I believe that we can trust him with this. If he really needs help…I think he'd ask for it."

"..."

16 days until Sozin's Comet

"We surrender! Please, we're just trying to leave!"

"Lord Zuko, what should we do with them?" A Captain kept an eye on the captured soldiers.

"...We need information. Transport them into the city. Cordon off the block, and use that area for prisoners. Humane treatment only, we are not Ozai's men."

"Yes, Lord!" She saluted, and ordered her men to capture and transport the 40 or so men we'd just intercepted.

"Keep in mind that if there are deserters, we may see more such groups in the future! Do not strike before identifying their goal. If they are deserters, either capture them or avoid confrontation!"

"Yes, Lord!" The response echoed between the trees.

"Lieutenant Owada, you and your men are to join me in half an hour. Prepare for covert operations, but we will have to engage in raiding activities."

"Yes!" The man departed to gather his men.

"Druk…you might need to carry a few things…if we can find them." He nodded. "No matter what happens tonight, we're going to have to deal with that blockade they're setting up. There's no way that we're going to be able to take a ship down on our own…but hopefully, we can find material here. I don't want to deal with this any longer than I have to."

"Drk, drk."

"Yes." I nodded. "As soon as I'm sure they can stand against a siege, or that the Fire Nation won't try to break the city until after the Comet passes, I'm heading to the others." Recently, I'd found it easier and easier to understand Druk. Not that I could interpret his intent in words, but I was feeling…emotions, or something similar. Either it was just us becoming closer…or I was no longer as human as I had been before.

"Lord, Zuko, this man has information for you."

"P-prince Zuko…" The boy gulped. He was, at most, 17 years old. My age, but probably younger. "Um…I…we've been deserting in large numbers. We are not the first group to…disappear." So it seemed like we'd missed at least a few groups. "I guess we weren't as…stealthy as we thought."

"It's probably best to leave after dark, when it's harder to track you down. You probably shouldn't use Firebending to light the way for you." I grinned. "But I'm glad to see that you aren't willing to throw your life away."

"It's…it's a suicide mission." He looked to the ground. "We're fodder. Nothing but fodder. I heard them planning on how to breach your defenses. They were going to send us in waves to scale the mountains, all while shelling it down at the same time. It's like we mean…nothing to them. We only just got here, we barely have rations, let alone an actual piece of dry ground. My friend got sick after sleeping in the mud, but they want him to fight anyway!"

"...do you know anything else?"

"T-they wanted to use drills to get underneath your defenses and get into the city itself. We-we were supposed to be a distraction. Y-you were right…we're just like Osaru. We're…"

"Then you understand why my father can't stay on the throne." He nodded, tears falling to the ground. I felt drops on my shoulder as it began to rain. "Please, cooperate with my men. We will treat you well, I can promise you. I want nothing more than to make the Fire Nation a better place for all of us." He nodded again.

"Lord Zuko, we're ready." Lieutenant Owada looked around at the rain. "Are you certain we should do this now?"

"While our bending may be weaker, so will theirs." I nodded. The Captain took the young man away. He was allowed to walk on his own, hands unbound. He made no effort to escape, and he followed every command, as did the rest of them. It seemed they'd lost the will to fight at all. I noted that most of them were children. "And I refuse to wait when acting now can save lives."

"Of course."

"We take prisoners first." I addressed the men. Though the rain was falling heavier than ever, they stood perfectly still, their faces dripping with water. Thankfully, it was still warm enough that hypothermia could be avoided for some time. "Do not aim to kill. If you must, incapacitate, and only kill in self-defense." The men nodded. "I will aim to strike at their commander. We need to break the siege before it begins. Electronic equipment first. If you can, capture all technology, do not destroy it. We want those materials for our purposes, and if we can rob the Fire Nation while getting that, then that's even better." I paused. "I will trust your Sargeants to provide command on the ground. This will be scrappy, and do not hesitate to change your tactics if you believe it to be necessary. If you believe your mission to be impossible, retreat. Return to the city, and fortify the defenses. Clear?!"

"Yes, Lord Zuko!"

We broke, splitting up into smaller groups. Capturing radio systems as well as artillery were imperative. If I could bring a radio with me to the Earth Kingdom, I could coordinate with Fire Fountain City, who could then send information to the other bases through Hawk.

Druk and I raced ahead of the army, skirting between the trees, down towards the Fire Nation base. The sun had set by now, and without the ability to see chi, the others had to move much slower than Druk and I did. Thankfully, the rain would drown out any noise they made.

I arrived at the edge of the base, just where the treeline broke. Druk and I skirted along the outskirts, marking where any watchtowers or troop patrols seemed to be. I spotted at least 3 makeshift warehouses, likely where artillery was being stored, as well as the commanding tent, where the radio system was likely being used.

The base was built on the edge of a small town, likely to provide the soldiers with some "entertainment," but based on the story that soldier had told me, they didn't have a lot of food, and the town was at risk of looting if the soldiers grew tired. I had to force a retreat, not just for the safety of Fire Fountain City, but also for the sake of this town and others in the region. I needed to either capture most of the army, or force them off the island entirely. If we could demoralize them to the point that they believed their offense to be impossible, and their escape impossible, they would surrender in droves. That was why we needed to capture working artillery. Overwhelming firepower and a lack of naval support would give us undisputed control over the region.

Finally, I noticed my men arriving around the camp. We dispersed ourselves in a semicircle on the non-town side of the camp. Hopefully, a full occupation was unnecessary, because we in no way had the manpower for that.

"Alright…Druk."

Druk raised his head, letting out a great roar of fire. Immediately, an alarm was raised in the camp and troops began to rush out of their tents, but it was too late. My men had already rushed past the outer perimeter, and were already dispersed all over the camp. I saw brief flashes of fire, but they were weak and short-lived, most of the fighting was hand to hand, or sword. Druk and I fought in tandem, claws and Dao striking at helmets, making sure to never penetrate, but probably leaving nasty injuries and concussions in our wake. As always, while Druk did make an effort not to kill, he was still a Dragon, and the men who faced him in a misguided sense of glory were not in good shape.

"Druk, I'm going to the tent! Grab some artillery and get back to the city!" I raced into the commanding tent, where men and commanding officers seemed to be far from prepared. I heard the great flap of Druk's wings as he departed.

"It's the Prince!"

"He's just a traitor! Capture him!"

"Kill him!"

They charged at me in a disorganized mob. It was simple to swerve between and underneath their attacks, dispersing flames when necessary, and striking with the pommel of my blade to knock them out when I was given the chance. Soon, the only able men in the tent were me and 3 others, 2 of which were defending the last.

"So…" I leveled my blade at him. "Do you still want to fight?"

"..." The leading officer gave me the stink eye. "Regardless of our failure here, we are not the only division in the area, let alone on the island."

"Of course I know…" I scoffed. "But that doesn't change the fact that you lost here."

"Most of our men were in town!" He spat sparks. "Now that the alarm has been raised, they will be rushing back and you will be overwhelmed!"

"Uh-huh…and how does that change the fact that you may not live beyond your next sentence?" I stepped closer, and his guards raised their spears, trying to keep me at bay. "No matter what, I can strike before they arrive."

"..." He didn't respond that time.

Of course, I didn't want to kill him. I was just buying time for my men to grab what they needed and escape before he could organize a real defense, let alone a counter offensive. We would be escaping through the trees in the rain, so he wouldn't be able to burn his way to us, but I didn't want him to start the siege prematurely either. It was best if he let us leave, having suffered a bruised ego at most.

But death was always on the table. He and I both knew that.

It was silent and still inside the tent. I could still hear the faint sounds of battle outside, but it seemed to be dying down.

I heard the sound of beating wings, before something tore through the tent roof. Druk spiraled around me, and the soldiers holding spears dropped their weapons and ran.

"Good job, Druk." I grinned, keeping an eye on the officer but rubbing underneath Druk's chin at the same time. "Guess it's time to leave, isn't it?"

15 days until Sozin's Comet

Alright…" I gulped, watching as my lone ship approached the blockade. I knew they had already spotted us, as I could see the men preparing the trebuchets. It would do them no good, because we intended to stay well out of range. We had…one real shot, maybe two, but I didn't want to put my men at risk. If this went wrong…I would've led my men to their death.

We had…retrofitted the artillery pieces we'd stolen. Much of my men were actually retired military engineers, people who had managed to escape before my father had forced their compatriots to stay. They had been…disgusted by my father's treatment of their department, and I now had many men with good ideas about how to kill people, and how to destroy large amounts of war material. Which…right now, was a good thing. In 2 weeks, not so much.

Still, what was important, was that they had worked together to come up with a way to destroy Fire Nation ships at a distance. Not just damage, but sink ships. What that really meant, was that the damage had to be done under the water, to force the ship to lose buoyancy and sink.

An underwater explosion was…impossible with a trebuchet and artillery, and unless someone could hold their breath for over an hour, no one was melting through the steel before drowning themselves.

But my men had created an engine, an engine small enough to fit inside a retrofitted artillery shell. It was heavier than average, and probably would have been even less accurate if the Firebenders hadn't managed to reshape the fins to keep it traveling in a straight line.

Still…it was risky. The artillery piece, redesigned as it was, wasn't designed for the ammunition. It could blow up in our faces, and…Fire Fountain City, while it wouldn't necessarily fall, wouldn't be in a safe situation, especially not one I was comfortable leaving. So…this had to work.

Our torpedo needed to be successful. If we could sink their Battleship, force their Destroyer's to return to Caldera, they would need time to reorganize, and I was praying they would just scrap the siege and devote their efforts to the Comet. The vestiges of the division we had raided were still on the island, but my scouts had been watching them, and command had essentially broken down. They were in no position to mount a siege on their own, especially without the blockade.

Those men had seen their commanders inability to supply them, and had essentially stopped following orders. They were not approaching Fire Fountain City, and had taken to breaking into squads and camping on the outskirts of other cities and towns on the island. Whether or not the locals were comfortable with them was unclear, but Fire Fountain City would be safe for now…if this succeeded.

I knew they were waiting for us to approach. They were probably confused as to why we weren't getting closer. They're confusion was a boon. The torpedo wouldn't be very fast. If they had been moving, this would have been impossible, but standard Fire Nation practice when facing a naval opponent dictated that staying still was best, since you would be far more accurate. After this…I would have to change that doctrine.

I watched the men load up the torpedo. They pushed the launcher to the edge, aiming just beneath the waves. We had to hit. We had to.

It was difficult to see. It was streaking down towards the water. Gray in color, it blended in with the surface of the water, becoming a part of the seaspray coming off the ship. Druk and I, and likely my crew as well, watched with bated breath.

I lost sight of it. Afterall, it held no chi of its own. I turned my attention to the battleship. Its escort seemed to be approaching, but by the time they got in range…

A great burst of water rocked the battleship back. It swayed for a moment, before tilting to its side. I urged Druk towards the damage, ignoring the danger for a moment. I could see a current forming. Water was rushing into the ship! It had worked!

"YES!"

"Drk!" Druk spiraled around, and I caught sight of a fire on my men's ship. Well, it had mostly worked.

Druk and I joined my men in stifling the flames. I pulled away as much heat as I could, cooling the flames and allowing the others to attempt to remove the Oxygen supplying it. By the time the flames were out, the artillery piece had melted. It was unusable.

"Well…" I turned back to the destruction. "I believe that our operation is a success. ." The men broke out into cheers behind me. I watched the Destroyers hesitate to approach, fearing that the suction would capsize them as well. I could see lifeboats being deployed, soldiers and crewmen desperately trying to escape before the ship went under. Lives had been…and would be lost here.

"..." I grit my teeth. We couldn't approach. We couldn't save them. They'd fought for Ozai. Maybe it wasn't their choice, but that was their reality.

I tried to pretend that made it okay.

I began to pack. Tomorrow morning, Druk and I would depart, and leave Fire Fountain City. The city council I had established would manage the city and by proxy, the island on their own. It was a group of both prominent civilians as well as military leaders. Just for now, at least until the war was over. Then, my election plan would start here.

First, if they could manage the city in my absence, it would prove that there was no need to invest so much power into an individual.

Second, if the citizens were to accept this kind of leadership, it would hopefully make it easier to establish it across the rest of the Fire Nation.

Finally, if this worked, I'd have proof. I'd be able to prove that I didn't need to be Fire Lord! To the Fire Nation…and me.

Hey Guys!

I managed to prevent the blockade. We're still keeping an eye on them with our own boats, but so far, there is no indication that they're returning anytime soon. The troops on the ground have been routed. I have faith in Fire Fountain City.

I'll be there by midday tomorrow. I am not going to be bringing anyone along with me. My men need to stay and control this island, at the very least. I hope I don't have to return until after the war is over, but these men have served me loyally, at threat of execution if we lose. I have to reward them for that. I have to protect them at all costs.

I will be bringing a radio with me. I don't know if any of you know how to operate one, but it will keep me in immediate contact with my men, even across the ocean. It's even faster than mail by hawk.

I'll see you soon.

I handed off my letter, watching the hawk take off towards the East.

Finally, I could…rest. Somewhat. My men still relied on me, Captains looked for my orders first. It made sense, but I hoped that they'd take on a more proactive role once I was no longer readily available.

My council…was more willing to work without my input. They were trying to figure out a way to keep the peace without relying on a martial presence within the city. It also seemed like they were hesitant to rely on the police force. It made sense, afterall, the police under the previous administration had partaken in a lot of the crime the city had suffered from. I wasn't surprised that they were trying to do something new.

I would let them. I didn't have any ideas, but hey, what I was trying to do was new too. As far as I knew, it had only been attempted a few times, on an incredibly local level, and it was usually crushed under a neighboring regime. So…maybe this was the chance to change the underlying methods of the Fire Nation.

But that was a problem for them. Not me. Of course, I really wanted to stay and make sure that it all worked, but at that point, it wouldn't only indicate a lack of faith in their ability to govern, but it wouldn't actually change anything. I'd just be a Fire Lord, instead of investing my power (that I really didn't deserve) into competent people.

Unfortunately, holding elections wasn't possible right now. Not only would they take time to set up, it probably wasn't a good idea to ask people under immense amounts of stress to vote for who would lead them. If anything, it'd lead to the election of some hyper militaristic person who promised to protect them, and I didn't think that was going to end well, not now, at the end of this war.

"Alright…" I turned to Druk. "It's either sleep now, and pack the radio tomorrow, or…" Druk snorted, before lumbering over. "What? We need to pack the radio at some point. I don't think I can just hold it while I'm flying with you. You're gonna have to carry at least part-"

Druk pushed his snout into my stomach, forcing me back. "What?" He glanced over at the bed behind me. "But-" I was crushed under his weight, and he forced me to lay down. "Alright!" I yelled, a short burst of fire following my voice. "I get it…I get it."

"Drk."

"...I know." I rolled over, looking at the wall. "I…I just…you know what's going to happen after this. I…if-when we win…I will be crowned. And…if he was being honest, then I can never…really leave. Hell, I don't even know if I can have a kid, let alone if I should! I mean, you know my father! If that's how he was? Then…who will I become? What kind of father would I be? And-after what I did, who would want to be the mother anyway?"

I heard Druk sigh behind me. "Sorry…I know it's…worse for you." He shook his head. "I just…this has to work. It all has to work. I'll break if it doesn't." I turned back to him, watching him curl on the floor. "If…I have broken before. With my uncle, with…I only met you because I broke. I wasn't thinking straight, but…I don't regret it. But this? This here? Being Fire Lord forever is terrible. I don't want to do it. I'll…fake my own death if I have to, but I just can't."

"Drk."

"...they don't need to know just yet." I looked at my hands. "I'm not that different, at least as far as I know. I feel…strange. Off…but I still feel human." I focused. "I still see better than before…but it's…" I closed my eyes. "Not yet. Maybe…after."

14 days until Sozin's Comet

"..." Toph kicked at the ground, causing a few rocks to fall into the sea. "Is he here?"

"No…" Came a chorus of voices. Sokka was holding the telescope, watching the horizon, but there was no movement. None.

"Isn't it already 4?" Toph grumbled. "He said midday, so what's taking him so long?"

"I don't know…" Sokka grumbled. Toph had become increasingly impatient as the sun passed over them. It was…understandable, but it was also incredibly annoying.

Katara and Aang were having a small conversation on the edge of the cliffside. It seemed…private, especially based on the expression Aang was wearing. He'd be staying out of that one.

Suki was resting next to him. This morning had been tough for her. Not just her regular nightmares, but combined with the constant training, and more…personal issues, she was just tired. Sokka really wished that he knew what to do. That he could…fix it somehow. But there was nothing he could do, and he wasn't even sure what could be "fixed" at all. It really did piss him off. He stroked her hair.

"..." He glanced over at the one other person in the area. He'd taken to meditating, having set some candles out in front of him. They rose and fell evenly, but compared to the other times Sokka had seen him do this, the flames seemed more…lively. Nervous was probably the word.

He was nervous too, but…Zuko had always, even when he'd been chasing them, always survived. Always kept going. He had faith in his friend, especially since Zuko had nothing but good news in his letter. Zuko was honest, to a fault, and literally couldn't lie for his own sake. Sokka would believe that it was alright unless he had a reason not to. It was probably something stupid. As it always was with Zuko.

"Sokka…" Suki stirred. "He's…still not here?"

"No." He peered through the telescope again. "...are you feeling a little better?" She nodded. "It looks like you needed that nap."

"Mm-hmm…" She stretched. "I'm just-"

"I know…" He kissed the top of her head. "But it'll be alright." He plastered a grin on his face.

"Blegh!" Toph gagged. "Enough with the sappyness! You're disgusting."

"Toph!" Katara and Aang joined the larger group. "Let them be!"

"Don't act all high-and-mighty, Sweetness." Toph turned to her. "I know what that conversation was about." Katara stepped back. "I might not have heard anything, but I can always feel, and your heart was-"

"Some things are better left unsaid, don't you think so?" Iroh butt in. The fire before him disappeared. "We are all aggravated, because Prince Zuko isn't here, but there is no need to take it out on each other." He smiled.

"Y-yeah…" Toph looked down. What was it with Firebenders and Toph? Zuko and Iroh could talk her down in an instant! Where were they back when they were being chased through the Earth Kingdom?!

Oh yeah. Sokka felt like smacking himself. They'd been declared traitors, and forced to become refugees.

Honestly, maybe if they'd been…better after their confrontation with Azula, Zuko would have joined them then? Probably not…Zuko had told him that going back to the Fire Nation had been necessary for him, not just to go home, but to really understand himself as a person. Zuko had told him that being in the Fire Nation, and hating it. Hating himself, had finally made his "destiny" clear. He'd learned how to be better because he'd been so wrong.

"Sokka!"

"Huh?"

"Sokka, he's here!"

"Wait, what?!" Sokka turned back to the horizon. Sure enough there was a shape there. A shape that was growing quickly. Far too quickly.

"How's he going so fast?" Katara's jaw dropped. "That's…Tui and La…"

"What?" Toph looked around at them. "How fast is he going?"

"Well, he's on the edge of the horizon right now, but-"

"Like 3 minutes, a little less…" Aang squinted. "I mean, based on how far the horizon is from us, and our height, he must be traveling at least 300 kilometers an hour."

"H-how do you-" Sokka shook his head. It must have been an airbender thing. He really shouldn't have been so surprised. "Okay…so…hopefully he's just being fast on his fancy dragon, and he's not racing here for our help."

"Even if he needed help, there's no way Appa could match that speed." Aang huffed. "I'm not sure if Appa can even crack 100 kilometers an hour." He hummed, watching as the spiraling shape became clear. Druk was most definitely longer than before, and thicker.

As Druk and Zuko came in, they could feel the intensity of the air rushing around them. Iroh stepped back, but Sokka could barely see anything over the dust that Druk had just kicked up.

"S-sorry guys, I got caught up dealing with some deserters-" He cut himself off, jumping from Druk's back. "Uh - deserters from the Fire Nation, not from my men, but they surrendered themselves this morning and I had to deal with it. I mean-we can't imprison people who've committed no crimes, but my people also don't trust them, but I don't want to segregate them either, so-"

"Zuko!" Toph launched herself into his stomach. "Shut up!" She was sniffling. "You were supposed to be here last week!"

"S-sorry…" He slowed down, and Druk lowered his head to gaze at the rest of them. "I…didn't mean to be so late."

I winced as Toph jabbed me in the ribs. I accepted her anger. I hadn't intended to stay for this long. I shouldn't have stayed so long. Just because my city needed me didn't mean that they didn't too.

"I'm sorry." I knelt down, and put my arms around her. "I should have been better."

"..." She stepped back, staring at my chest. "..." She frowned.

"Is something wrong?"

"..." She glanced back at the others. "Are you…" She grit her teeth, not. "After."

"Thank Yue and La, Zuko." Sokka clapped me on the back. "Finally man, we can get some things done."

"H-how have my men been?" I straightened. "Have they been listening! I know that I gave them orders, but I also know how hard it can be for them to listen to people from other nations."

"They've been fine, we've had-" Sokka started, but Aang swooped in for a hug from me before he could finish.

"Zuko, you…you have to help me with explaining this!"

"I-I know, Aang, I'll try my best."

"Why are you so pale?" Katara muttered. "You shouldn't be so pale. You've been in the sun, like everyday."

"I…uh…" I winced. I had an…idea, maybe an idea, of why that might be. But now…I saw him.

I froze.

"..." He looked away. I winced, stepping past the others.

They stepped away, and I knew that I should have still told them that I was alright, but all I could see was him. I…took another step.

He was silent. Everything was silent. There wasn't a sound, not from him, not from me, not from Druk, not from them. I wasn't even sure if they were there anymore.

"U-Un…" I swallowed. Did I have the right to call him Uncle? After all I'd done to him, the way I'd treated him. I thought back to the ship. The three years on that ship. Had I ever thanked him? Had I even thanked him for protecting me when my mother had disappeared. I…wasn't even sure if I'd thanked him for allowing me into the War Council. I had constantly disrespected him, belittled him, insulted him. I'd called him, old, senile, fat, all manner of things.

All the things I had done to my Uncle, and none of them mattered now. Because, at the end of it all, I had betrayed him. I'd betrayed his trust, I'd betrayed his dream. All he'd wanted to do was to serve tea, to live a peaceful life in Ba Sing Se. And instead of allowing him to do that, I handed him to Azula, to be imprisoned for the rest of his life. I turned my back on him.

For all my life, even when he'd been a loyal Fire Nation General, he had treated me well. He had treated my mother well. He had been nothing but kind, always. He had "slayed" the last Dragon, protected it, and I knew that he was sworn to secrecy, the same as I was, and he still tried to teach me the best form of fire that he knew.

And I'd thrown it all back in his face.

"..." I sunk to my knees. "I…" My cheek felt wet. I removed the mask covering my scar, ignoring the roar in my ears. It didn't matter right now. "I…wasn't expecting you to be-I was going to look for you…"

He said nothing. I could barely see him beyond the comforting glow of his chi.

I didn't deserve to see it.

"I…I know that…you don't want to see me right now. I…" I felt like the ground was about to swallow me. "I…just need you to know…I'm sorry."

Because what else was there to do? What else could I do? There was nothing I could do to undo the damage. I couldn't go back and change who I'd been. I couldn't undo what I'd said or done. No matter what, I had failed him. I'd failed him in the same way I'd failed so many others. But for him…

"I…I'm ashamed of myself." I lowered my head. I didn't want to see his face. I didn't want to see how much he hated me. I didn't want him to see who I was. "I'm so…so sorry. I…I k-know that there's nothing I can do to make up for it-and I don't…" My mask beneath me was wet. "I…I don't know…what I'm supposed-"

His arms wrapped around me. His head rested on my shoulder.

It was warm.

"..." I crumbled. "...How…how can you forgive me…" I wanted to yell. I wanted to scream and demand an answer, because I just couldn't understand him. I just didn't have the energy anymore. "You should be furious with me…"

"I was never angry…" His voice was thick with tears. "I…I was sad, because I was afraid that you'd lost your way."

"...but I did." I wrapped my arms around him. I made sure not to squeeze, but he was so firm. It was just…warm.

"And you made your way back." He shuffled back. I hadn't realized that he was kneeling as well. "You made your way back, and you did it on your own." He was smiling at me.

He was smiling.

"I'm so glad you found your way here."

"..." I looked down. "You should hate me." My voice warbled. "I…I should have been better."

"Never apologize for learning." He pulled me back in. Why was he so warm? Why…was this so comforting?

"Uncle…I…" I swallowed. "Why couldn't I have been better?"

"Zuko..." He looked me in the eye. "All I see…is a good man. That is all I have ever seen. No matter what decisions you made, and no matter what decisions you make, I will always see a good man. It is not…" His grip tightened. "It is not your fault that others tried to smother that."

"..." I tried not to cry. "Thank you…"

And so we sat there. I didn't know how much time had passed, and I didn't really care. I didn't care about the sounds, I didn't care what I saw. My Uncle still loved me.

That was all that I needed.

"...Uncle…" I started. He nodded, waiting for me to finish. Even though I knew that he didn't hate me, it was…hard to ask him something so personal. I gestured back to Druk, who was lounging on the edge, just as the sun was beginning to set. "This…I…" I cleared my throat. "I…the Sun Warriors told me…and…another…they told me that you were in Anahita's forest."

His eyes widened, and I could feel the shift in the air. "That…" He deflated. "I…was arrogant, back then. Even after…meeting the Dragons, I still had much to learn, both about the nature of this war, as well as what it meant to be responsible for the deaths of so many."

"...I've met a few spirits." I stared out at the sun. "They…aren't very happy with you."

"Deservedly so…" He nodded. "I assumed that I was special. That my relationship with the Dragons made me better than others." His smile was filled with ash. "I found an entrance to the Spirit World. I assumed that my son was there. There was…much I didn't know."

"...they told me that you were kicked out."

"I was." He nodded. "And I emerged in her forest. But Ran and Shaw…they decided that I deserved to live, and they saved me." His voice was grim. "And so I spent some time with them. To learn. To understand." He looked at me. "To grieve."

"..." I nodded in understanding. "...and then when you came back…"

"My father had passed, my brother had taken the throne, and my sister-in-law had disappeared." The air was heavy around us, seeping into my bones. "And her children…one had been groomed into a loyal successor, and the other…" He laid his hand on mine.

"...But you couldn't have known."

"I know…but I still wish that circumstances had been different." He glanced at Druk. "But it seems like you've had your own journey."

"I…" I nodded. "I wanted to…break you out, on the Day of Black Sun. But…I had to say something to my father first. And then…" I looked down at my hands. "He shot me."

"...what?"

"He shot me. He tried to kill me." I looked at him. "And I redirected it. I…almost killed him. Had I aimed higher-"

"But you didn't." He was resolute. "Do not dwell on what could have happened. You are a better man than he…and he is a worse man than I'd hoped."

"Then you…" He shook his head.

"To maim you…he's proven himself capable of that. But to kill you…" The breeze swelled for a moment. "It seems I had too much faith in him. As his brother."

"...It didn't really register at the moment. I was more…happy that I'd redirected it. I was more focused on the fact that I almost killed him, instead of that he tried to kill me."

"That is…concerning…" I nodded. "But…what happened after that?"

"I-uh…I tried to join them. I followed them to the Western Air Temple, but…I didn't…uh…sell myself very well." I thought back to that day. So many things could have gone differently, had I been better at arguing my case, or better at not mentioning all my mistakes. Maybe not just…leaping from the edge. But…knowing who I'd met because of it…I couldn't really say I'd change what I'd done. "Anyways, they said no, and I…ended up in Anahita's forest."

"..." He gave me a side-eye, and I was pretty sure he knew what I'd done. He'd been present for every single one of my impulsive decisions.

"And…I found Druk down there. I…he gave me…" I glanced back at him. "Uncle, I was…gifted."

"...what do you mean?"

"..." I sighed, reaching for my mask. "I…you saw me discard this…" He nodded. "...Agni gave it back." He froze. "I know…he…spoke to me. Druk was blown into the forest. He hatched prematurely, because Agni intervened. I met with the Sun Warriors, I met Ran and Shaw. I just…can't…I…"

"Breathe, Zuko." He put his hand on my shoulder. "You do not have to say more."

"..." I grit my teeth. "I…accepted a deal. And…I'm…different now. Or…I'm becoming different. I see more than I'm supposed to. I hear more than that too. I…it's all…off."

We sat in silence. I wasn't sure if he knew how to respond. I wasn't sure I had really explained what had happened. It was so…hard to really say, but I had to tell someone. And who else other than him.

"And do you regret it?"

"..."

"..."

"No." I looked back at Druk. "I regret making the decision so quickly, but…I still would have made the same choice."

"Then you've done nothing wrong."

No matter what…no matter what…he loved me.

What had I done to deserve that?

"Zuko…" Toph sat by my side. "Why…why is your heart so weak?"

"...what?!" I put my hand up to my chest. I felt…nothing. I moved my fingers up to my neck, right against my artery.

Bmp…

…

…

Ba-bmp…

…

…

Ba-bmp…

"I…don't know." I did know.

"You're lying."

"...I am." I sat a little straighter, with my back against Druk. "But…I don't want to tell you."

"..." She clenched a fist. I knew what she was thinking of. Just because she couldn't see my scar didn't mean that she didn't think about it. "Why…" she shook her head. "Are you…sick?"

"No." I was trying my best to be honest. "No, I'm not."

"But Aang and Sokka keep talking about how pale you are…I don't know what that means-but I know that being pale isn't good!" She quivered. "And if you aren't sick, why is your heart so slow? I can…barely tell when you're lying anymore…"

I nudged her shoulder. It…really wasn't fair to her. She didn't deserve to worry like this. But I also knew that if she knew, she'd freak out. I didn't want to…I didn't want her to feel like I was abandoning her. I wasn't, but I knew what it looked like. I knew what it would look like, when we were all done, and I revealed that I was going to just…fuck off after a few years? Just up and disappear just because I didn't want to do my job?

I almost wanted to take her with me…but she was a child. Literally.

"I'm the strongest Earthbender that's ever existed." She glared at me. "Don't forget that." I didn't question how she knew what I was thinking.

"I know that. Trust me, I know…" I sighed. "But…it doesn't change how young you are, and…how much you have left to learn." She opened her mouth. "Look at me and say that I know everything I need to know?"

She gave no response.

"I…went out on my own when I was 13. Two years after you. I had an entire ship with me, my Uncle…the best Uncle I could ever have with me, and it still took me so long to learn just…what was right. Let alone what I should do. And we both know I still don't know nearly enough." I looked down at her. "I'm not saying that you're weak, but I am saying that you're young. Younger than I was, and even if you knew more than I did, there are things that…you just don't understand until you're older. I don't know why…but that's just how it is."

"...it sucks."

"It does." I grinned. "I…I know you don't like Katara coddling you, and I think we both know that she can take it too far sometimes, but…we just want to look out for you. We remember being 12…well, I don't remember it too well, but I can get the general vibe?" I shrugged. "I…it's hard. And with our kind of parents, it's even harder." She blew on her bangs. "They're…supposed to love us. They're supposed to listen, and try to understand, and guide, but instead-" I took a breath before I worked myself up into a rant. "Instead…they fail. They don't care. They don't understand. And they don't try."

"I don't forget how strong you are. I'm…so impressed by it. To be honest, I sit here, surrounded by prodigies. You, Aang, Katara. All of you are bending prodigies. Katara went from untrained to a Master in the span of 3 months. Aang has learned and almost mastered all 3 of the other elements in less than a year. And you…" I looked down. "You've been a Master for how long now? Without the actual training you should have gotten? I mean, you met the Badgermoles yourself. Learned how to bend, and how to…see? Feel?"

She shrugged.

"You're all great. Azula is a prodigy too. All of you are so…good at it."

"You're a great Firebender."

"...maybe now." I acquiesced. "But not always. I…it took a long time to reach where I am, and even then…I got gifts. Gifts I will cherish, but it isn't…all me."

We sat in silence.

"My point is that: I know you're strong. I will never forget that, and if you…ever feel like I'm treating you that way, please…tell me. But just because you are strong, doesn't change the fact that you are young. I mean…there's nothing that you can do about that. But that just means that there are things you still have to learn."

I looked back at her. Her eyes were pointing up with rapt attention, and I could almost see the speed at which her brain was moving.

"You…sound a lot more like your Uncle than you think you do?"

"...he said something similar?"

"...with a lot more proverbs." We laughed.

"It's just…I'm not weak…I'm not stupid." She glared at the fire in front of us. "I'm not helpless."

"I know." I whispered.

"So why does being young change how I'm treated?"

"Because there's still so much to learn. And I don't mean because you're too stupid to understand." I thought about my life. Every single bad decision, every single time I'd manipulated the people who'd placed their trust in me. Every time I took advantage of people's goodwill. "It's about…life-experience. Being young means that you just…didn't have the time to experience life. That's why the older you are, the more you know. Because you've lived more. Made more…mistakes. Fucked up more than any kid could ever fuck up."

"Eloquent."

"Screw you." We sat there for some time. "I guess I grew up at some point. Gonna be honest…it doesn't really feel like I did."

"...will it ever feel like it?"

"...I don't think so." I sighed. "I don't think I'll ever feel like I did."

'I don't think I can anymore.'

13 days until Sozin's Comet

And now to deal with this. I watched my men below, going through their morning drills. Were they the ones who had coined the name of my army? The people most willing to go to the Earth Kingdom and join the Avatar were also the people who were most…fervent in their support.

"Lord Zuko!" The men saluted. They lined up as true Fire Nation Soldiers, but whether or not they were able to actually defend the Earth Kingdom when faced with the might of the Fire Nation Army…I wasn't sure. If anything, the only thing that would keep them in the fight was their fervor.

"At ease…" I looked over them. Just next to them were our allies from other nations. A combination of Earthbenders and other nonbenders from the Earth Kingdom. They seemed at least…cordial with my soldiers. I supposed that was the best we could get without genuine cultural exchange training. And that required a bit more time than we had. It'd just be best to have them working together in order to defend against the Fire Nation Army.

"Hm…" I turned to Sokka. "What kind of training have they been doing?"

"Gonna be honest, it's mostly been drills." He sighed. "We tried doing some of the drills your captains told us about, but they really aren't meant for Earthbenders. So…we've had to modify them a bit, with a lot of…trial and error. A lot of errors."

"..." I groaned. "Were there any fights?"

"Almost." He gestured at 2 groups on opposite edges. "They've been separated from the others. We're trying to keep them apart now, but…eventually, they have to work together."

"..." I focused. "No…they won't." He raised an eyebrow. "I have an idea…we can practice live fire, and hopefully they'll build some bonds under pressure."

"Well?"

"So, we know that they're gonna be fighting the Fire Nation during the comet, so why not have a group of about a third of them act as the Fire Nation, and attack the other groups? Get them actual experience under safer conditions before…they're faced with blasts of fire all night long.

"Okay…" Sokka frowned. "I get it, like conceptually, but doesn't that just mean that part of your group is going to end up not working with the others? You're gonna have to keep switching them out, and that seems really complicated for the time we have left. Let alone how dangerous it is."

"...I think we might just have to accept that. We don't have time for this…and I think that maybe we can have them work on separate things during the comet itself." I pointed to the nearby trees. "On the coast, at least around this area, we've got a lot of trees. We can use them to stage ambushes, and having a group train on attacking might be useful if we try to surround them. Pincer maneuvers, and other stuff…"

"Ohhh Kayyy…" Sokka nodded. "Hold on, let's talk about this with Iroh and my dad. Oh yeah, so you're Uncle brought his Pai Sho group with him. Gonna be honest, I don't think they're just a group for playing Pai Sho."

"...who else is here?"

"Well, we've got Master Piandao, we've got King Bumi of Omashu, Katara and Aang's waterbending master Pakku, and Admiral Jeong Jeong. A few more, but I really don't know them that well."

"Uh…huh…" I shook my head. "That doesn't matter right now. We need to figure out this training like…within the next hour."

"Okay…Go!" They surged out of the trees, blasting fire towards the others. Immediately, pillars of Earth surrounded the defenders, before they retaliated with their own fire. Katara stood on the side, ready to heal anybody before they suffered a debilitating injury, but all the fire present was kept at a cool temperature, though that would get harder and harder to do as the Comet arrived.

Still, it seemed to be working. Under real conditions, our army would actually learn what it felt like to be attacked by Firebenders (if they hadn't already) and we'd have a subgroup capable of attacking. I hoped, beyond anything else, that this kind of training would get them to coordinate without issue. We needed a cohesive unit during the comet, and I couldn't have us worrying about desertion or internal conflict when it really mattered.

I saw a wave emerge just as the earthen walls fell. The attacking group stumbled back, unprepared, and their ambush fell apart.

Well…it was their first time. We'd just have to try again. And honestly, it was better if the defenders won, just for morale reasons. Still, the better the attackers got, the better the defenders would have to become.

"Alright, run it back!" I shouted. I heard the men grumble, and watched steam rise from them as they tried to dry themselves. "Keep in mind that the first attack will be blocked, and you need to be prepared for retaliation."

"Good job guys, but don't block everyone's sight." I heard Sokka giving his advice to the defenders. Somehow, we'd ended up as the commander of opposite sides, at least for training purposes.

I turned back to men. "This time, try to scale the wall. Don't bother breaking through, it will take too long, and as long as they have water on their side, we will be unable to melt anything substantial. Speed is our most important asset here. Force them into individual battles, so they can't synchronize. We have only Firebenders, we have to force them to engage with us."

"Yes, sir!"

"Prepare for battle."

We kept throwing ourselves at their walls. Slowly, we learned how to deal with their defenses, when they would surge water towards us, when the walls would rise. On the eighth attempt, my men began to launch themselves over it, not just with their own fire, but with the same earth that was being used against them. They would jump just as the ground came up, and rain fire down on the defense. While the waterbenders did their best to block it, it was the FIrebenders who were best at dispersing the blast. Still, the ambush failed in the end. They had more numbers than we did, and the crossing of the wall was uncoordinated.

On the next attempt, the walls were far higher, much more difficult to bypass. But in turn, there was no wave of water to follow, and my men took their time melting into the barrier. Still, Sokka was smart, and sudden holes opened in the earth, allowing water and fire to burst through. Our attack collapsed, but not before a small group of us managed to get inside and wreak some minor havoc for a short while.

"Hm…" Sokka and I reconvened after the battle. "Well, I can say that you got close."

"Yeah, yeah…" I waved him away. "We have half of your numbers, and we still managed to break through."

"But did you win?"

"Do we need to? With the comet on their side, just breaking through would be enough."

"Damn…" He grit his teeth. "Well…we've got a bit of time left."

"And it is always good to rest after working. Allow them to absorb the lessons of today, and plan for themselves." My Uncle approached us. He and Hakoda had been watching from above. "As should you." He addressed us. "Hard work with no rest will make it difficult to perceive what is needed."

"...perceive what is needed?" Sokka muttered. "Is that why Zuko was always so sloppy?"

"...perhaps."

"Hard work gets things done." I grumbled.

"Ya know, sometimes I wonder if you even sleep." Sokka examined me. "It doesn't look like you do, and you keep magically appearing in places…" His eyes narrowed. "Hm…"

"...Katara!" I turned. "Your brother's a conspiracy theorist!"

"No I'm not!" Katara just sighed, shaking her head, which seemed to make Sokka more defensive. "I'm a man of science. Listen…" He chased after his sister.

"He is quite perceptive."

"I do sleep."

"Not as often as you should." His eyes twinkled, and I cast my mind back to my time on the ship. It was true that there had been a lot of sleepless nights, but I hadn't been aware that my Uncle had been aware.

"Okay…sure, fine, but I'm not magic. I get places just the same as anyone else." I crossed my arms.

"Hm…" He glanced at Druk before giving me a smile. "Perhaps."

"I walk places. I run, and I climb-"

"Climbing isn't the way one typically arrives at places. Neither would they choose to swim where you have." He cleared his throat. "You are…unorthodox, Prince Zuko."

"..." I shook my head, trying to focus again. "I don't…want them thinking that I…I don't want them to know what happened. Not…yet."

"To be fair, I don't entirely know what happened." Iroh put a hand on my shoulder. "It is…unprecedented to hear from Agni themselves. But I am certain that they will accept it, no matter what happens."

"I…don't think they'd hate me, but I don't want them to think that…I don't…care about them? I don't know…what it will look like when they find out, but I don't want them to just…think I disappeared?"

"Disappeared?"

"...Agni wants me to do something for them after this war…and it means that I have to leave for a bit." I muttered. "I won't leave before the Fire Nation is…somewhat stable…but…"

"...hm…" He stroked his beard.

"I…I'll still be around…but not in the same way that…I am now, you know? I can't be so…public?"

"It may be best to broach the subject before it happens."

"I…maybe." I watched the sun. I really didn't know what my life would look like a year from now. If I would even be "alive." If everything went the way I wanted it to, would I just be the Fire Lord who disappeared? Up and left with no successor, but clearly still alive. I was certain that stories of my travels would let them know that I was still around, but how would the people feel? How would the world feel about me?

And when they found out what I'd done…what I was becoming, what then? Aang would likely understand, able to change so effortlessly, and understand the wants of others, but Sokka? Katara? Suki?

Toph?

Actually, let alone what I'd do, what would she do? There was no way that she'd willingly return home, at least not for a few years. If she had her way, she'd never even hear about her parents. But what would she do instead? Chill in the South with Sokka and Katara? What about Aang and whatever he decided to do? Or would she want to stay in the Fire Nation with me? Something more?

But here I was…and my life plan had been decided for me. And…I almost preferred that. Given the choice, on my own, I didn't trust myself to make the right decisions. I knew that I didn't always see what should be done. Having someone else decide it for me was much more comfortable, because at least I could question why they wanted what they wanted. It was much easier to examine what others wanted from me rather than what I should do in the future.

Maybe that wasn't how it was supposed to be…but it was the truth.

10 days until Sozin's Comet

"I can't!"

"Then what the hell are you going to do?!"

"I don't know, alright! I don't know!"

I watched Sokka and Aang argue. This was the same argument I'd heard for the last few days, just rehashed again and again. Aang had his view, and Sokka was incapable of understanding. I didn't think that any of them really understood, not having studied the Air Nomads in the same way I had.

'How did I ever fall for the propaganda knowing what I knew?' I shook my head.

The others, I knew, were on Sokka's side, but each had a different reason for not involving themselves. Hakoda and Iroh, both knew what was necessary, but still saw us, and especially Aang as children, and didn't want to burden us more than was already necessary, even though my Uncle knew that the Avatar had to be the one. Suki was pretty much pro-Sokka, but she had made herself busy training the few Kyoshi Warriors left and wasn't confronting either about the topic. Toph, well, Toph didn't understand what issue Aang had, and while she wasn't really arguing either, it was evident what side she was on. Katara, as much as she didn't want to see Aang hurt, didn't see an alternative, and believed that the best they could do was make it as easy as possible for Aang.

If I was going to be honest, even I didn't see an alternative. Well…I had one in mind, but it wasn't that different from what needed to happen anyway. But on the other hand, I knew why Aang had such an issue with it. Honestly, they shouldn't have been so surprised. Aang was a strict vegetarian, and did his best to avoid killing all living creatures. Not to the point of sweeping the floor in front of him as he walked, but enough that it was noticeable. And although it had been impossible to avoid killing - I thought of my old crew, lost in the Siege of the North - he took an active effort to avoid doing so at all opportunities. I knew from personal experience.

But my father…Ozai had to die. For the sake of the rest of the world, and for the sake of the Fire Nation. The world would not allow the current Fire Lord to live, either he would be captured and executed by the Earth Nation, or there would be no end to the war until the Fire Nation either turned him over to them or executed him themselves. It was an understandable view for the rest of the world to take, especially after the fall of Ba Sing Se, and most especially after they saw what he would do with the Comet. The world was already bracing itself, they knew something was coming, but when they saw…

Regardless, Ozai could not remain in the aftermath. Because if he did, the Fire Nation would be torn apart by those with similar proclivities, those who did want to subjugate the world, those who profited from the economy built on war, or just those who believed themselves superior, would all rally around restoring Ozai to the throne, even as just a puppet.

And if he was alive while I took the throne…I didn't trust myself. I didn't want to become worse than I already was, and if he was alive…what was stopping him from trying to manipulate me? And I didn't have the confidence to say that he would fail. I was a weak man, mentally.

But that wasn't the issue at hand. The issue was how to end the war, and end Ozai, without forcing Aang to kill. Ozai had to die. It didn't matter if he was mentally incapable, it wouldn't matter if he was immobilized by debilitating injury, his presence would always be a banner to gather enemies of the world we were trying to build. It couldn't be allowed. It was why my Uncle was so willing to allow his brother to die, and it was also why he was so adamant that it had to be the Avatar.

I had asked him.

But Aang wasn't explaining himself well, and the others didn't understand why he was so unwilling. But it couldn't be known that Aang hadn't been the one to kill him. If any other than the Avatar killed him, the Fire Nation would hold their nation accountable, and the war couldn't end smoothly, if at all.

And if I did it…if I were even capable of doing it, well, that was Patricide and Regicide, which really…really didn't look great in the eyes of Agni.

At least as far as I knew right now. And I didn't really want to ask.

Regardless, I wasn't comfortable with the thought of having my father's blood on my hands. Maybe I was still attached to the idea of being his son. Maybe I was just too weak. Regardless…

Something needed to be done. This argument had to be resolved.

"Ugh…" I groaned. Why was I the one who had to deal with this? If Aang were better at explaining his feelings, we wouldn't be here right now.

"Aang is the Last Airbender." I blurted. The others went silent, and I shifted as their gazes turned to me.

"...yeah…?" Sokka shrugged. "And?"

"I mean that…" I tried to focus. "Airbenders don't kill. It's part of their culture."

"...what's your point?" Aang nodded for me to continue. He should have been the one saying this.

"I mean that…Aang is the last one. He is the only…person keeping his culture alive. If…if he gives that up, if he kills my father…if he kills the Fire Lord, then the Airbenders are truly dead. His people will no longer exist."

"But…Aang's already killed people." Sokka began listing them off on his hands, and each one made Aang sink a little lower.

"I didn't want to ki-...have them die…"

"But they st-"

"But what you're asking for is premeditated. You want Aang to go into battle and intend to kill Ozai. That's not the same as fighting and killing as the battle escalates. I doubt that Aang wanted the people at the Northern Air Temple to die, and I doubt he wanted to kill the people at the Northern Siege." Aang nodded so hard I was certain he'd give himself some sort of brain damage.

"Well, he sure wanted to kill the Sandbenders when they stole Appa." Aang's smile, which had grown as I argued on his behalf, plummeted.

"...And I'm sure he'd have regretted it, had he done so." I cleared my throat. It had been so…itchy lately. "My point is, if Ozai dies during the battle, that's one thing. If Aang kills him…" I let it hang.

"What's the difference?" Sokka grumbled, running his hand down his face. "Either he dies, or he dies?"

"Whether it was or wasn't intended. If Ozai stumbles and falls off a cliff, then Aang isn't really responsible for that. If he bleeds out, that's a little more questionable, but Aang didn't kill him. If Aang strikes him down, if Aang drowns him, if Aang crushes him, if Aang tears through him, that's killing. That's the real issue here."

"I just…I have to keep my culture alive, at least long enough to…pass it on?" Aang's cheeks colored at the end there. "I can't kill him. I just…anything else."

"What else though?" Katara finally spoke up. "What other alternative is there?"

"I…I don't know." Aang turned away. "I asked them, you know?" When we didn't respond, he elaborated. "The other Avatars. I'm still not…that connected to them, but I did ask. They all told me that it had to be done. Even…even my fellow Air Nomad, Yangchen." He seemed particularly hurt by that. "But she was never the only Airbender around. She doesn't know how it feels to know to be the only one standing between the memory of your people and extinction!" The wind picked up around us. "I've seen it. Our festivals are gone, our temples are destroyed, laying in ruin, or are being used by others." His voice softened at the end, and a few glanced towards a boy in a wheelchair, who seemed very interested in a nearby tree. "Our relics are being used to lay traps, to destroy what was left of us." I groaned, knowing what he was referring to.

"So…" I rubbed my eyes. "Yeah…point is, I don't think Aang will be the one killing him."

"So…what, we let him live?"

"Absolutely the fuck not!" I rounded on the others. "I am not letting him stay alive, not if I have to rule the Fire Nation, no matter how short that ends up being." I stumbled over at the end, realizing what I'd just admitted. "But the world still has to believe that Aang was the one to do it." I hoped they'd ignore my statement, and focus on the last thing.

"I…" Aang groaned. "I don't even want to take the credit for that."

"I'm sorry Aang, but none of us can do it."

"Why?"

"Because the world needs a fair end to the war." Iroh approached. "No singular or coalition of nations can be seen as having ended the war." Sokka glanced at me. I shook my head. "The world needs to see his death as a natural event, a fundamental fact of life, and not something that had a cause. Only the Avatar, who isn't attached to the world, who is more a part of the nature of the world than attached to any nation or culture, can do that." My Uncle paused. "Of course, being the last of a people makes it far more difficult, but even then, the world will view my brother's death as a natural event, in the same way that disease and age kill. It won't be seen as a murder."

"So…what do we do?"

"...no matter what happens, Ozai dies, and Aang takes the credit." I started pacing. So…someone will have to kill him…or leave him to die, and no one can know that it wasn't Aang. So…we have to make sure that the fight happens in an uninhabited area, without any easy way to see what's happening, nor get too easily. So…" I glanced at Toph and my Uncle. "We need to keep Ozai there, and we need to take down his entourage. That has to be the focus of everyone who isn't dealing with the army or taking back the city.

"So…basically, everyone except the old guys and you?"

"Yeah…"

"Someone has to stay and deal with the army." Hakoda murmured. "They need a leader, and if General Iroh isn't there, then someone else with experience leading has to be present, at least for the morale. We know that they're going to be…skittish…during the Comet."

"Uh…Dad, that just sounds like you should stay." Katara pointed out, and Sokka nodded in agreement.

"Sure, sure…" I continued pacing, and I kept thinking. I was dealing with Azula, they were dealing with Ozai and the airships, but…something didn't feel right. "Sokka, the airships…you know how to take them down, right?"

"Ah…" Sokka frowned. "You're right…" He turned away, beginning his own mutterings.

Yeah…this was all very efficient. We had maybe half a plan, if that. "Look, we've got to figure this out, We all know what has to be done, we just have to figure out how." I frowned. "First things first, Aang, if you could find a place that you'd be comfortable with fighting Ozai in, that's pretty…sparsely populated? I can give you a map of a few paths they'd take, and you can choose where you want to intercept them?" Aang nodded, looking down at the ground. He seemed to age just a bit, realizing just how close we were to the day that all of this had been leading up to.

"Sokka?" He perked up. "I'm guessing that you and 2 others will be dealing with the Airships, right?"

"If someone's going with you, then yes." I wasn't sure exactly when I'd agreed to taking someone with me, but I knew better than to argue that now.

"Who do you think would be best for it?"

"Well, Toph is a given, especially since we know their ships are made of metal." He looked between Suki and his sister. "Katara…I'm sorry, but I'm not sure exactly how much water'll be available on an airship…and other than…you know," he gestured towards the sky, "I don't think you want to do that either."

Katara looked disturbed, knowing what he'd insinuated, but she also knew that he was probably right. In the sky, on a metal ship, there was enough water to drink for the night, and not much extra. Certainly not enough for her to be the force of nature that she normally was.

"Then, you and I will face Azula?" She turned to me.

"Well, I guess that I can get my own revenge against her." She grinned. "Especially for separating all of us again."

"Okay…" I nodded. "But, uh…I don't know if you'll get the chance to fight…" I turned to Druk. If Katara was coming with us than he needed to be able to carry the both of us across the Sea. He looked strong enough, but, as always, I couldn't help but worry. And I especially did not want to end up dropping Katara over the Ocean.

7 days until Sozin's Comet

"I feel…" I flexed my fingers. My muscles had felt…stiff all day. Like I'd been dunked in ice and frozen, yet I wasn't cold. If anything-"I feel stronger…" I glanced at the sky. Though it wasn't visible during the day, it was evident at night, and I knew that the red glow in the sky didn't do our morale any services. Well…anybody except the Firebenders. All of us were starting to feel something off. It felt like the Sun never truly set. Not enough that we couldn't sleep, but enough that we were…restless sometimes.

Even Aang seemed effected, though if that was the comet itself or just his feelings about what it's approach meant was uncertain.

My Uncle had been a great help, reminding all the benders to meditate, and to maintain control, lest we accidentally burn ourselves or others without meaning to. I was glad that he was here. Still, within the next few days, he and the other members of the Pai Sho Club that they kept calling some Lotus thing would depart for Ba Sing Se, and take it back. Apparently, they'd been sheltering King Kuei for some time. I hadn't even realized that he'd been missing, but that was more my fault than anything else.

Toph had taken to staying by my side. Partially because she knew we'd be separated soon, but I knew it was also because she was concerned about my body. I was concerned about my body. Until Toph had pointed it out, I hadn't realized just how…unhealthy I seemed, at least visibly. I still moved with the same liveliness I always had, so I hadn't realized that anything was off. I was sure that because the others could see that I still had the same energy I'd always had, the physical look of my body was only a mild concern in the face of everything else. But with Toph, who could feel every movement I made, every blood vessel and every muscle, I was a travesty. I probably felt like I was on deaths door. And…I kinda was in a sense? Maybe.

Either way, I was off. I could feel it, now that attention had been drawn to it. My skin felt like it was always a fraction too slow, as though it wasn't my skin, but a bulky suit, one that didn't quite fit correctly. I felt squeezed in certain places, and I felt loose in others. I knew that this wasn't normal, but I no longer felt as though I fit within my own skin. I felt…trapped. As though internally, something was terribly wrong, but it didn't show on the outside. I felt like every motion made something crack, be it bone or muscle.

I'd even noticed some bruises appearing at random, mostly around my feet and legs. Sometimes the tips of my fingers turned dark. I wasn't sure what caused it, because i wasn't kicking rocks constantly, and I didn't injure myself often enough for it to appear like it was.

But there was nothing that I could really do about that, was there? It seemed…at least to me, to be a natural part of the transformation I was undergoing. I had received no contact from Agni, whether I looked for it or not, so clearly the process wasn't over.

Regardless, something was wrong with me, and Toph knew. And even though I'd told her multiple times, that I wasn't sick, and that I was doing alright - which was only partially true - she wasn't content to leave it be. And I couldn't bring myself to stop her.

"...Do you think everything will end up alright?"

"What do you mean?"

I watched as the sun set, and the stars slowly became visible. Just over the Ocean, to the West, was my father and his men, surely preparing themselves for battle. Slightly closer, my men prepared themselves for news of either, victory, or soul-crushing defeat. Above, a red light shone through, slowly brightening, and illuminating the night.

"That if we win…that we'll still be together after all this." Toph turned her head to me. "I'm starting to think that a lot is going to change."

"..." I frowned. "I won't lie to you Toph…I don't think so." She nodded, as though she'd been expecting it.

"I guess that I just…I liked this." She played with the soil in front of her, forming and reforming little figurines. "I liked being together like this. I know that we were all fighting this war…but I'm…happy like this."

"..." I looked back at the others. They surrounded a bonfire just 10 meters behind us. Suki rested against Sokka's shoulder, and Katara spoke animatedly with her father and few other water tribesmen. Some of them wore leaves instead of pelt, so I assumed they were from the Swamp. "I am too…but you had this for much longer than I did."

"...I guess that I just don't want things to change…for once." She sighed. "I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't with you guys."

"...I know you don't want to go back home." She nodded. "And I'll be…busy."

Gone.

"But…it's not like Aang will just settle down somewhere. He's still the Avatar. He'll be travelling a lot in the after. Maybe you could go with him?"

"And be around to see him and Katara do this will they won't they thing again?" She gagged. "I'd rather stay with Sokka and Suki. At least when they're making googoo eyes at each other, they know it."

"Ah…" I grimaced. "Yeah, nothings really optimal about that, is it?"

"Can't I…" She paused. "Can't I just stay in the Fire Nation?"

"What, you don't want to help my Uncle serve tea in Ba Sing Se?"

"Yeah, to a bunch of rich snobs who still bind their feet?" She shuddered. "I can't even imagine what that'd feel like. Actually, I can, because I can feel it when they walk."

I grimaced as well. I was very glad that footbinding had been banned in the Fire Nation. Although Sozin had banned a lot of other things, 'I'll have to unban a lot…' At least footbinding had been among them.

"Why can't I stay with you?"

"..." I looked down between my knees. There were a lot of reasons, some of which I didn't want to say. But at the end of the day, they all felt weak. Like excuses I was using just so I didn't have to say that I didn't want her there.

"Toph…there's…" I sighed. "I'd be happy to have you in the palace with me. I just don't know what you'd do, and honestly, you'd probably be bored to death half the time, but…you have to understand that while I'd be so glad to have you there with me…I don't think that it's best for you." I looked down at her. Her eyes, though milky and blank as always, looked back at me, and I knew that I had her full attention. "You…needed freedom, and you got that. That's why you left home, why you joined Aang and the others. But the palace is no place for that. You'd be stuck under rules and regulations all the time, and even though you'd ignore it, it'd surround you. I think you…I do think that some structure would be good for you, but I'd rather it be structure of your own making rather than something that's forced upon you by others. I want you to be able to live the life you want without having to adhere to someone else's rules. And I just don't think that the Royal Palace is the place for that."

'Besides…I don't plan to stay there for very long either.'

"Hm…" She curled her toes. "I could make it work. And besides, you'll be Fire Lord." I knew she could feel my dread. "Can't you just get rid of the rules?"

"...Some of them, maybe." I conceded. "But not all the rules are…bad. They were made to keep ruling organized, and to make sure that there was no miscommunication. A Fire Lord can't do everything alone, and you've got to delegate, which means you need systems in place for how that delegation works. It's…complicated. Afterall, I can't build every bridge in the Fire Nation."

"...I don't get it."

"It's something that you've gotta learn. I was prince, you know." We watched the waves crash against the shoreline below us. "I still don't understand all of it, but I do understand enough to know that those kinds of rules about what you can and can't do, and what you can and can't say have…or at least had a purpose. And…if I'm being honest, I'd rather that the Fire Lord did have rules that needed to be followed. I don't want to have no one above me…I don't trust myself like that."

"Zuko…" Toph looked upset. "You know that you're good now, right? You aren't…a monster just because your family is."

"I try…I really do try. But…I don't know…it just…" I reached out before me, trying to grasp at something. "I'm still selfish, I still don't…know what's best until I've already made the wrong decision. There's a lot that I wish I didn't do…and a lot I wish I did. I just…don't have the confidence yet to say that I'm…good enough."

"Then let me stay, and I'll make sure you're good enough." Toph slammed a palm into the ground. The trees buckled from the waves of earth. "I'll beat it into you if I have to, but just…please…don't stay there alone. I don't want…to be alone at the end of this."

"..."

The after did matter. When we were done with this…when we won - because there'd be nothing left if we lost - we'd live in a whole new world. A world where the 100 years war was over. A world that none of us, not a single living person had ever experienced. It wouldn't be for another 20 years before adults could really say that they lived in a world without the 100 years war. It was so hard to envision. I just…couldn't imagine a world without the constant presence of the Fire Navy, without the knowledge that so many Captains and Colonels were marching their soldiers through the fields of the Earth Kingdom. A world in which the Fire Nation had to rely solely on itself because there was no international trade.

A world without warprofiteering, in which nobles who owned the weapons factory were no longer the driving force of Fire Nation policy, just by virtue of their wealth and influence alone. A world in which the Fire Nation no longer had such a low life expectancy, because so many died in the fields of another country, leaving family and friends behind. A world where men, of all nations, were no longer 40% of the population, because although women served in the Fire Nation, they did not serve in the same numbers as men, and therefore, did not die in the same number either. A world where mothers didn't fear having sons, knowing that one day, they may never see him again. A world where fathers didn't come home damaged beyond repair, no longer capable of taking care of themselves.

A world where the problem wasn't the Fire Nation.

"I don't want to be alone either, Toph." I just wasn't sure what to do. "But…we'll see. After this is all over…we'll see."

3 days until Sozin's Comet

"Well…this is it guys." Sokka started. We were all packed, ready to get going. Below us, our forces were packing their tents, preparing to travel north to where the burning of the Earth Kingdom was to begin. Appa was wearing his armor, their bags already on his back. Next to Druk, my few belongings and Katara's. Aang held his staff in hand, looking into the distance. This was our moment now. The world depended on us.

"We'll…see you in the Fire Nation." Katara hugged her brother, before turning to Toph and Suki. "Aang…" She seemed to hold herself back just a bit. "You'll do great."

"...Thanks Katara." Aang's smile didn't reach his eyes, but he hugged her anyways.

"I can't get over the fact that we'll be seeing each other again at Zuko's coronation." Suki grinned.

"Yeah, and I can't get over the fact that that's gonna be a hard sell to the Earth Kingdom, let alone the Northern Water Tribe." Sokka glared at me, like it was my fault. I didn't choose to be next in line to the throne.

"And Gran-Gran." Katara pointed out.

"I'm hoping that all the Blue Spirit stories help…at least a little?" I shrugged. "It's going to make diplomacy with all the nobles a headache, but maybe popular opinion won't be…so bad, right?"

"Yeah, let's hedge our bets on a criminal serial robber." Toph laughed. "I'm sure my parents are gonna love that."

"Hey, for all we know, a serial robber is exactly the kind of Fire Lord this world needs."

"Who else is qualified anyways?"

'Probably a lot more people than any of you realize.' But I kept those thoughts to myself. After this was all said and done anyways, I'd get a chance to explain myself to them.

"We'll see eachother at the end of this. All of us." Katara promised. "That goes for you two as well, you know."

"Yes, yes." Hakoda raised a placating hand. Iroh laughed, and the other members of their club smiled as well. "We…all of us will make it through this."

And as much as I knew that it was unlikely, I wanted to believe that we'd see the other side of this. That those who fought would get to see the fruits of their labor. I hoped the same could be said for our soldiers.

"Then…let's be off."

And slowly, our groups departed. My Uncle was the first to go, having to travel from the Western coast all the way to Ba Sing Se. I wasn't sure how it was possible to do in only 2 days, but he, and especially King Bumi seemed confident, and I knew better then to tell old people that they were wrong. Besides, of all our issues, their's was, fortunately, the least pressing. Ba Sing Se could be liberated after the comet if necessary. My Uncle hugged me one last time. I knew, that the next time we met, things would be different.

Next was Appa, who took Aang, Sokka, Suki, and Toph with them. Momo perched on Aang's shoulder. They would be escorting the army, Hakoda as their commander. I could only hope that he could maintain control during the night of, especially with so many unruly Firebenders. We could no longer sleep comfortably, with the comet illuminating the night sky. We all fidgeted, tossed and turned, and our sleep was fitful. There was just too much energy inside to be contained.

"Zuko…buddy." Sokka grabbed my shoulder, and he raised my mask so he could see my scar. Somehow, the noise was no longer so unbearable. "I can't wait to see the new Fire Lord." He grinned.

"Sokka…we'll be alright. I'll make sure of it." I gestured towards Katara, who was watching us from Druk's side. "I promise you, Katara will be alright."

"I…I know she will." Sokka nodded. "But you've gotta promise that you'll do the same for yourself, alright. No swimming though sewers, no jumping off cliffs, no rocketbending, alright?"

"Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me?"

"Yeah, a lot!" Sokka's grin was infectious. "Buddy, we've got a whole list of stupid shit that Zuko did, from before and after."

"Well, then you know better than to ask me to promise anything."

"..." Sokka sighed, letting my mask drop, before pulling me into one of the tightest hugs I'd ever received. "I'll see you soon. Don't let your crazy sister win. There's only enough space for one of them in this group, and that's mine, alright."

"I won't." I nodded, wrapping my arms around him as well. I wasn't used to so much physical contact, but Sokka was alright. "Protect them for me too, alright."

"Of course."

"You know that I don't need Snoozles to protect me, Sparky." I heard from somewhere behind Sokka.

"I know."

And with that, they climbed on Appa's back.

"Aang, I know…that this will be hard." He didn't turn to me, but I knew he could hear. "If you need some time…take it." He nodded.

"Zuko!" Toph yelled as Appa lifted into the air. "After!"

"After." I agreed.

And now it was just Katara, Druk and I. My men knew to follow Hakoda. I could only hope that they would still follow orders even though I was no longer around.

"I guess…it's time to head to the Fire Nation." Katara turned to look over the Sea. "It's really here. It's the end of the war, one way or another."

"...it is." Druk yawned, blowing a spew of fire into the air. "We'll win."

"I don't doubt that I can beat Azula, whether she's powerful or not. It's…I'm worried about you, Zuko." She turned to me. "I have bloodbending on my side, if I need to. But…we both know Azula is the greatest prodigy of our generation." I was pretty sure that that title belonged to Katara or Toph, but sure. "And besides, she won't be alone. There's no way that there won't be a single guard in the Capital.

"...it's about the honor of it." I smirked, almost laughing at the phrase. "It's an Agni Kai, for the right to the throne, at least in her eyes. She'd…lose her mind if another party interfered. Besides…as much as I…don't understand her…I know her well enough to know that when we last met, she wasn't…her standard. She was off…and I was a match for her. Technically…I beat her."

"But that's last time, which was basically a month ago." She put her hands on her hips. "Azula recovers quickly."

And within the last 2 months, she'd lost the only people she'd ever called her "friends" and lost to her failure of a brother for the first time. I would never have admitted it to anyone…but I worried. Not for the outcome of this match, whatever it may be, but for my sister. For the 14-year-old girl who believed that she was the most powerful person in the Fire Nation. Who had believed that everyone except her father was dancing in the palm of her hand. And now…she had tangible proof that that wasn't the case. How many times, as a child, had I wished that her world would come crashing down around her, and how she'd see that she had nothing but fear to keep people in line. And now that it seemed to be happening, I wasn't sure if she could handle it. My sister, the monster.

I looked at Katara, who seemed annoyed by my lack of response. "She's your age."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

'She's just…a kid.'

"Zuko, why are you so cold?"

"What?" I glanced back at Katara, whose eyes were wide. "I'm…cold?"

"Your skin is…cold. It feels…" She paused, searching for the word. I dreaded what she was going to say. "It feels like a corpse."

"..." I shivered. "What?" I took a hand off Druk's back, trying to feel my skin. "I don't…I don't feel anything like that." I didn't feel much of anything at all.

"I've felt a lot of Firebenders in the last few days, especially when you guys keep accidently burning something, and they've all been uncomfortably hot. Fever almost." it seemed as though medical Katara was here. "And you're…this can't be natural." Katara's eyes were wide with concern. "Zuko, you've looked pale ever since you've got back, and I've heard your bones crack almost everytime you get up after sitting down. Somethings up with your body."

"...But I feel alright. If anything, I feel better then normal. I'm not unnaturally tired, or sick, or anything else."

"But that's just the thing, we don't know what it is, but that doesn't mean that it's nothing!" Katara's eyes narrowed. "And I know that Toph's been worried too."

"I…look, we don't exactly have the time to figure out what's going on. We can talk about it again after this is all over."

"Lord Zuko, you've returned!" One of the Captains bowed as Druk landed in the center of Fire Fountain City. The old statue was taller than when I'd left. I could see the beginnings of feet and a curved body laying the base for the rest of the statue. Katara looked between it and me with suspicion, but I wondered why they were even bothering with construction right before the comet arrived.

"I'll only be here until the night before. On the night of the comet, I plan to challenge my sister to an Agni Kai." The Captain looked up in shock, his soldiers doing the same. "I trust that you understand what that means."

"...of course, your Majesty." He stood, and the other Captains began to arrive. I could see quite a bit of a crowd forming, as more of the city realized that I'd returned. "And if I may, who is your companion."

"This," I stepped to the side. "Is Katara, the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, and a Waterbending master in her own right." She seemed put on the spot. "She is to be treated as a diplomatic guest, understood? She is my companion in this fight against Ozai."

"Yes, sir!" I heard through the square.

"I shall meet with you in City Hall within the hour." I glanced over towards the central building that used to serve as the Governors manor. It had been converted into the Political Capital of the City, and as such, the Political Capital of the island as well. "Prepare your reports for then. Relay this message to all other relevant parties."

"Yes, sir!" The soldiers dispersed, Officers to prepare their reports, and others to inform the city that their I was back.

"Why'd you introduce me like a…princess?" Katara looked around at my city. "I'm not nearly on the same level as someone like Yue. Our tribe isn't even 50 people strong, let alone the thousands in the Northern Water Tribe Capital. My dad might be the High Chief, but that's only because none of the other Tribal Chiefs are left."

"But…for how much I know about the water Tribes, they know far less. I might be aware of the…shaky ground that the Tribes stand on, but for them, you are a Princess. You're the daughter of what in their minds is equivalent to…what would at least be a Provincial Governor, if not the Fire Lord, and so you're a Princess." It was technically the truth anyways.

"But…I'm not."

"If we'd been born in a world without war, Katara, you might've been." I turned to Druk, and began to unload our belongings. Katara came to my side to help. "You…we might've met through diplomacy rather than war."

"...I can't imagine being married off like Yue was though." Katara glanced at me. "I just…can't imagine that my dad would ever do something like that." She frowned. "And I definitely can't imagine not being allowed to fight just because I was a woman."

"...I don't know what the world would look like without the war. I don't know what kind of people we'd be without the war." Druk sighed, relieved of his burden, and went off to grab a drink from the water fountain. It probably wasn't very clean water, to be honest. "The war's effected every facet of every life on this planet. I…don't know who I'd be without this war my family caused. I placed a hand on the mask covering my scar. Would my mother still be around if she hadn't been banished. Would…would Ozai have been better? Or worse? Did I even want to know?

We brought our belongings to a room near the City Hall. It was larger than I'd liked, especially since I knew they wanted me to live in the luxury that they believed a Fire Lord should live in, but it would do. More than enough space on the roof for Druk, and they'd moved an extra bed into the room for Katara. They probably shouldn't have bothered, as I'd likely end up sleeping on the roof with Druk, but I appreciated the thought.

"Alright, what's happened while I was away?" I stepped into the council roon. For some reason, I was the only one allowed to keep my swords while in these meetings, as they were still strapped to my back. I'd grown comfortable with them there now.

"Firstly, Lord Zuko, if I may?" A Captain stepepd forward. I believed that he'd original been a member of the rebel groups on one of the Northern Islands. A man named Fumio.

"Yes?"

"We have been…struggling to acclimate others to many of the deserters of the Fire Nation Army. Especially as more and more are found around the city looking to surrender." I wasn't surprised that so much of the army on the island was surrendering to us. After their failure to even begin a siege, and the loss of command, they'd broken up into small units, likely just platoons with at most a Lieutenant or even only a few Sergeants at their head. Scavenging and relying on the goodwill of, or threat to, a town could only get you so far, especially when there were 20 other groups doing the exact same thing. Surrendering to us, in hopes of ethical treatment, and easy access to food, water, and shelter was probably the smarter decision, and I was happy that they were making it. Avoiding needless death was better.

"Some of them have chosen to work in construction, and have…made an effort to ingratiate themselves to the city." Captain Fumio continued. "They haven't caused enough incidents to be of concern. However, among those surrendered, especially those who served in Officer positions, they seem less willing to cooperate, and have been drawn into conflicts with many civilians, especally those who live closest that district."

"I assume that they don't appreciate the lack of enthusiasm of the POWs?"

"Yes sir."

"I believe I understand the issue." It seemed as though many former Fire Nation Officers were treating themselves, and us, as enemy soldiers, and themselves as captured Prisoners, and therefore didn't understand what we were offering them, unlike the more common soldier. Though, I shouldn't have been surprised. "What solutions have been offered?"

"The Council offered clemency to many of the offenders, but has moved some further within the district, in hopes that they will have less interaction with civilians. Other than that, there have been no other solutions."

"I see." As far as I knew, that was the best short term option, other than actually treating them like POWs and building a prison camp to keep them inside of. We didn't really have the time to stress-test different systems to view their efficacy. But it was most certainly unfortunate that former Fire Nation Officers seemed so…loyal to the regime. Maybe it was a misguided sense of duty to the office that had granted them their position, or just a general feeling of loyalty from those who didn't have too much ambition. Either way…it was these kinds of people who'd be an issue after this was all said and done.

"It's only a few more days." I looked back to Captain Fumio. "The Council's choice is the best we have for now. Let them remain in the city. Once this war is over, we can revisit the issue." Captain Fumio accepted, stepping back. "What else has happened."

"Sir, it's been difficult to keep up with taxation in many smaller settlements, especially those on the Southern side. Not only is the legitimacy of our collectors called into question, but the continued presence of Fire Nation troops has given them reason to keep the money within their walls…"

And so and so on. Many issues, mostly minor, many unsolvable in the time left before the comet were brought to my attention. I'd known that running a city would be difficult, let alone an island, but Agni...And I was on the cusp of running a Nation soon.

'This is gonna suck.'

I felt bad for Katara, forced to just watch and listen as military and administrative officials informed me of the ongoings while I'd been away. At the very least, many of the issues had also been brought before the Council, and the Council had deliberated and offered some, implemented fewer solutions. I could see that having a Council that needed to vote in agreement on anything was leading to a few inefficiencies. Too many things needed to be responded to at once, and they could only vote on so many things a day. I hoped it was only this hectic during wartime, and that once peace arrived, there would be fewer problems that needed immediate response.

Well, I'd known that I'd need to workshop this system of mine. There was no way it would have been perfect from the get go. It was my idea, of course it didn't work right the first time.

"Dismissed." The room erupted into scattered conversation as Captains and Officials began to return to their work. Katara watched in silence. I wondered what she thought of all this. Did she approve of this new system. Would she be alright with this being the way that the Fire Nation was run?

Although Katara didn't seem to hate me anymore, sometimes I wondered if it was just pity. Affterall, before she'd learned how I'd gotten my scar, she had been…at the very least, not friendly. While we'd been on the way to Ember Island, I'd considered talking to her about it, asking if I was…forgiven? I still…wasn't entirely sure why she'd thought I'd betrayed her, and I certainly wasn't going to bring it up now, but I had wondered how long this peace between us would last. But…thoughts of Agni and the comet had taken precedence, and Azula's actions had dominated my mind, that by the time I'd realized that we'd never discussed it, it had been too late. I could have…helped her find her mother's killer. I was sure that I could have done so, especially with this information network that I'd crafted.

What she'd do with them, I didn't know, and honestly, I didn't care. I only hoped that they weren't working for me now. I didn't want to have to get between her and them, though…I would have to punish a lot of people for perpetuating genocide, wouldn't I? A lot of officers and soldiers would be responsible for wiping out a race, or attempting to do so after the Comet passed.

'Why is this something that I have to deal with? Why couldn't it be anyone else?!' I didn't know how to handle crimes of that matter? What of the family members of those committing genocide. I couldn't…execute them, or the Fire Nation would fall apart. Afterall, that'd be executing at least a few tens of thousands of people, just for being on the airships or in the army during the Comet. And what about the navy?

Or was I just supposed to condemn the officers who gave orders, rather than the soldiers who followed them. Was following orders enough to be absolved? Or did you have a moral imperative to ignore orders that demanded genocide? Could you expect them to ignore orders knowing that their lives and their families lives were at risk if they didn't. What was I supposed to do?!

"Zuko!" Katara raised her voice. "Zuko, what are you even thinking about?" She glared at me. "I've been calling you for the last 30 seconds?"

"O-oh…sorry." I groaned. "I'm…concerned about the Fire Nation."

"Uh-huh…same as the rest of us?"

"Well…that too, but I mean…what about after?" I stepped out of the room, and Katara followed. We made our way to the roof, where Druk was waiting. "So many of these…people…some of them are my age, are going to be apart of this genocide." I looked over the setting sun. "They are going to be directly…or indirectly apart of the burning of the Earth Kingdom." Druk snorted smoke into the air, as I ran my hand over his snout. "I…have to hold them responsible for that, especially so that the Earth Kingdom and the Northern Tribes see that I'm serious about this. That I genuinely want to put an end to this conflict and do better, but I can't…do that without seriously risking the Fire Nation. Imagine…just how many people have to be punished, and imagine the reaction of their families. That's…10,000 people at least who are really angry with me. I can't unpropogandize the Fire Nation in one night."

"...yeah…I guess we didn't think of that."

"...I can't execute them, and imprisoning that many people is just…impossible. So what am I supposed to do?"

"Have them make it up in another way?"

"What other way, Katara?" I felt like screaming. "This is…if I found the man who killed your mother…" Katara froze. "If I found him, what would you have me do with him? Would you be alright with just…letting him go?"

"...no." Katara's voice was soft and grating, akin to a Polar Leopard stalking its prey. "I'd kill him myself."

"...so what do I do?" I frowned. That was a much more violent response then I'd expected, but I supposed that Katara had good reason for it. "I…can't kill all those people, and I can't hand them over to be killed like that either. I can't imprison them, I can't kill them, and I can't let them go."

"..."

"I'm just worried…that I won't be able to keep the peace. That the Fire Nation is either too far gone, or that other Nations will want revenge that I can't abide by." Especially since I didn't want the job for long. "These people are…my people. Even for all the terrible things they've done, they shouldn't be forced to suffer. I can't…make them suffer, and I have to protect them from suffering. If I can't do that…then I shouldn't be Fire Lord. It's why this Nation is fighting itself right now. So many people are suffering because of the Fire Nation, inside and out, and I don't know how to stop it without pissing somebody off."

"This…" Katara grit her teeth. I could see the puddles left behind by rain pulsing with energy. "How long have you been thinking about this?"

"..." I did wonder that. I could barely keep track of my own thoughts, so I wasn't entirely sure, but this had been on my mind, at least in part, for some time. Maybe I hadn't thought or expressed it in these exact terms, but this wasn't the first time I'd considered the suffering of the average person inside the Fire Nation. Perhaps I just hadn't realized how much that conflicted with the wants of the other Nations. Surely, they'd seek retribution for their suffering, and want to see the Fire Nation citizens suffer as theirs had. And it would be hard to deny their claim.

"For a good while at least." I rubbed my exposed eye. "I can't give like, an exact timeframe, but it's been at least a month or longer, I think."

"Why didn't you mention this sooner, Zuko!" Katara exploded. "We've all been thinking that this would be the end of it, and now you've got me realizing that none of us made plans for how to handle what would happen once the war ends!" She turned her back to me and Druk. "We could've been planning for this, figuring out what to do! You've got to talk to us!"

"I-I…I didn't want to make it harder than it already was…" I stopped stroking Druk, who whined as I approached Katara from behind. "I…it's already hard enough on all of you, being responsible for ending the war. I didn't want you guys stressing about it."

"So we're just supposed to let Zuko stress about it instead, huh?" Katara spun back around, and I took a step back. "Zuko, you've got to stop…holding things back! You're not the only one who should be thinking about this kind of stuff! I mean, what if you needed hellp, huh? Would you ask? Or would you just stay quiet until it blew up in your face! I mean, you weren't even going to tell us about your broken ribs until Sokka asked! Why am I even surprised by this?"

"I-I didn't want anyone to worry."

"We should be worrying about this!" Katara seemed irate, and I really didn't want to be the only one she directed her anger at. "Why wouldn't you let us know? Please, please tell me that you told your Uncle about this."

"A-a little?" I thought back to our conversations recently. I'd told him about my personal plans, but we'd talked little about how to run the Nation itself. "I talked about this more with your father than my Uncle."

"My dad?" Katara's eye was twitching. "And he never mentioned it to us, huh?!"

I could see that she was getting very angry about this, and I didn't want to be the reason that Hakoda and his daughter started arguing. "He…said that we were children, and that we shouldn't have been worrying abou it. That we should've been able to leave it to the adults. He didn't want us to be apart of the fight at all!"

"We're not-we aren't weak kids!"

"He knows that Katara." I was exhausted. This hadn't been what I'd wanted to talk about. "Hakoda isn't…saying that we shouldn't fight. He knows we will. He's saying that it should never have gotten to the point where we had to fight. He…wanted it to be easier for us than it was for him. Same as every…good adult. I'm pretty sure he didn't want me to focus on the after either."

"..." Katara still seemed angry. "I'm not a child who needs protecting, and he can't claim to have been around to do the protecting."

"Katara, you are a child." I could see her fuming, so I continued, "same as your Brother, same as Toph, same as Suki, same as The Duke, same as Aang." I sighed. "I am technically, still a child of some kind. The point is that we…should not be apart of this war, because this war should have never gotten children involved in the first place." I could feel this…energy within, one that wasn't just based on the approaching comet. I didn't have time to dwell. "Children should not be fighting this war! There is not a single person among us who is of age, at least legally speaking, and that's if you use the Fire Nation's old laws. With my father on the throne, remove Sokka and I from that list. This isn't the way it's supposed to be!" Fire shot from my mouth, stopping only a few inches away. I put a lid on my anger, but smoke still curled between my teeth.

"If war had to be…if this war had to happen, it should never have been with children. The old men who reap the profit should be the ones on the front lines." I bristled. "I don't…understand why you're so angry with him. Why is it wrong to try and protect you?"

"I can protect myself!"

"That's not what I said, Katara."

Zuko stared her down. The mask over his left eye smiled at her. Chills swept over her skin. Something about that mask felt, off. More than it had when Zuko had first started wearing it.

"I…don't need anyone to protect me. Not Sokka, and not my dad. I went to the North Pole to learn Waterbending for a reason."

"I know…" Zuko's eye wandered, clearly remembering that time he had chased us across the globe. "And you're one of the best waterbenders on the planet, maybe even in history, but that's not the point. It doesn't matter than you can protect yourself, I'm asking why you won't let them try to protect you."

"I…" Katara frowned. "I have to protect myself. Dad was gone, and Sokka could barely fight. We both knew it. I'm a Waterbender, the only one. There was no other choice!" She should not have had to justify herself to Zuko, of all people! He knew what having no choice felt like.

"..." Zuko looked up at the stars for a brief moment. "Katara…that was then. You aren't wrong, you did have to protect yourself. But I'm not asking why you protect yourself, I'm asking why you refuse to let people protect you. No matter…no matter what, we are children. We are barely finished with puberty, and we are on the verge of ending a war that's lasted 100 years! This isn't the time to debate your maturity, or your ability! I'm not arguing with you about that. I'm saying that my Uncle and your father regret the fact that you're apart of this. They aren't stopping you, and they aren't saying that you don't deserve to participate. They aren't even saying that you shouldn't be here. What they mean is that none of us, should have ever gotten involved in the first place. That they should have done a better job of protecting and fixing the world so that we wouldn't have to fight! So that we wouldn't risk death everytime we stepped outside!" Zuko's voice roared, low and deep with barely concealed aggravation. It pulsed through Katara's bones, energy passing through her as surely waves slowly eroded the cliffside. She knew that had this been the old Zuko, he would have been screaming by now, but this Zuko was…more than that. "I didn't bring it up for a reason. It's not something that we have the time to dwell on."

"Zuko…" Katara really wasn't sure how to respond. She felt so…defensive whenever anyone insinuated that she wasn't capable. Especially when they were talking about fighting. She knew that it was the same way that Toph felt, but Toph was younger than her, and Katara knew better. Afterall, she'd basically taken her mother's place in their lives, trying to make sure that Sokka and Gran-Gran were okay, so she just…knew better than Toph did. She was more mature.

But she also had to admit to herself that Zuko wasn't talking about that at all. He didn't mention her ability to fight except in praise, which she never really expected Zuko of all people to acknowledge, at least not up until recently. She knew that Zuko was older than her. He was 17. 3 years older and he seemed somehow…more and less mature than her. It was weird, knowing just how responsible and determined he could be, as well as how absentminded he tended to be sometimes. He sometimes overlapped with her, making sure the others were alright, spending time with Toph and Sokka, even making sure that Aang felt understood in a way she'd thought only she'd been capable of. If anything, the argument last week had shown that in some ways, Zuko had a better understanding of Aang than she did. It was hard to reconcile what she knew about this Zuko with the person who'd chased them around for half a year. With the…not Man, as she'd thought at the time, but boy. And if he was a boy, then she was not a woman, but a girl.

She hadn't felt like a girl in a long time.

2 days until Sozin's Comet

"Check, check, this is Colonel Sokka speaking?"

"We hear you Sokka."

"Excuse me? I'm Colonel Sokka! You gave me the title yourself!"

"Sokka, no need for the machismo." Katara but in, staring at the radio with a mix of aggravation and wonder.

"Katara…you never let me have any fun."

"Sokka, you really should be getting to the point." We heard Suki in the background.

"Did something happen?" I had to admit that being able to hear Sokka from hear, purely through the means of electricity and whatever else this radio did was amazing. It took up almost an entire room, and was at essentially the highest point in the city, situated near the edge of the mountain overlooking Fire Fountain City. At first, I'd wondered why we were dedicating this place for one machine, but now I knew that this was the perfect lookout tower, and could inform not only people in the city immediately of any approaching danger, and inform people far away in case backup was needed. A system of radios like this one, with a similar range to this one, and the entirety of the Fire Nation could be connected by 6 or 7 of them, with connections to port cities on the Southern Coast of the Earth Kingdom. The one downside was that the electricity costs were enormous. Enough that you'd need to genuinely overhaul the power supply if you wanted them to run 24/7. Probably something I'd end up dealing with in the future anyways.

I felt like I was always the one who had to deal with it.

"Zuko!" I flinched when Katara yelled in my ear. "Zuko! Are you listening?!"

"Y-yea, I'm listening, Katara…" I winced. My ears were ringing. It felt…like everything was louder now too.

"So what did Sokka just say?" Katara glared at me.

"I-I don't know…I wasn't paying attention…"

"Zuko, Aang disappeared."

"What?!" I squawked. "What do you mean?"

"Aang and Momo just…are gone. We can't find them anywhere, let alone a trace of where they could have went or what happened." Sokka's voice shook. "The others don't know about it yet."

"Let's keep it that way…" I stared up at the ceiling. This was…I'd told him to take some time, but he really needed to let people know beforehand. I sighed, smoke shooting from my nose, and I waved it away before speaking again. "Is Appa still there?"

"Appa's here. He didn't take anything except his glider."

"Well, there's not much we can do about that then." He could be flying anywhere, and without June, we couldn't find out where he went. I wasn't going to bother going to June anyways. Aang knew what was at stake, and I could do nothing but hope that he'd arrive when we needed him.

"This is…" Sokka's sigh was heard through the radio. "Zuko, is there anything we can do?"

"If we had time? Sure. But we've got 2 days before the comet arrives, and I don't think you guys should be flying Appa down to the South of the Earth Kingdom and back right before you fight a squadron of Airships." I pinched at my eyes, moving the mask out of the way. "This…we just don't have the time. Focus on your own preparations, and I guess we just have to trust Aang." I set the mask aside, so it rested atop my head. "Sokka, we just…we have to focus on what we can do."

"...alright."

"We'll see each other after all this is over."

"...we will." The radio clicked off.

I slumped backwards, until my back hit a wall, and I sunk to the floor. I was just…tired. This comet couldn't come soon enough. I wanted to be over and done with, so that I didn't have to keep just planning. I wanted to just do. Just do what I thought and not wonder and obsess and worry. Once the after came, I could stop worrying about what happened after this war ended. I could just be doing, and Agni it sounded so much easier.

"Zuko…how often do you just…think?" Katara sat down beside me. She looked exhausted, and I assumed I looked the same. Even her chi was…languid. It flowed slowly, exhaustedly, as though it was fighting through mud. I assumed that my own chi was also muted, probably looking as though it was on its last few embers. "You're always…staring off into the distance somehow. It's…funny sometimes." Her chuckle died quickly.

"...It's the only thing I ever do." I admitted. "I have to…second guess myself all the time. I did back then, and I do now, and it's because I never just…know what I want to do, or what I should do. I can barely tell where my own thoughts start and end…and if my father is in my head, or Azula. I have…a hard time thinking."

"..." Katara frowned. "I don't know what that really means…but it doesn't sound very fun."

"It's…no, it's not."

We sat in silence for some time. I could see Druk stand up, having waited outside the building. His form looked at me, and I waved him away. He nodded, before taking off and darting down towards the forest. He was hungry, and I trusted that he, a large Juvenile Dragon, could catch his own game.

It was no surprise that he could see me through walls. I could see him too, and technically, we shared an eye. At least spiritually.

Instead, I focused on all the little lights I saw down below in the city. All those little stars, representing the chi of an entire person. Many were a bright orange, some a darker red, but most were white, indicative of the nonbending population. I could see them move throughout the city. I could see them live.

I could see the powerlines, glowing bright amongst the faded backdrop. Lines connecting houses to eachother, connecting even this radio building to the city, and all converging/emerging from the central power grid, where tufts of Fire were used to power the city. Such…progress, made through the power of bending. Something that wasn't war.

This is what the Fire Nation was meant to be.

This is how it should have always been.

1 day until Sozin's Comet

Katara now knew why she'd thought Zuko was a man. With his scar covered, she'd forgotten just how…angry he always seem. Brooding. When she could only see his one eye, the unscarred, unaffected one, in which Zuko had absolute control over its shape, and it's sparkle, it was easy to see the boy that Zuko was. His eyes were soft. Kind. Even happy, rarely, but you could tell.

But with the scar, ignoring the angry red skin which already made him look a certain way, his eye was kept in a perpetual scowl, as though he were angry at everyone and everything. When you saw him like that, it was easy to see a warrior, a cruel one at that.

It really wasn't fair to Zuko. He wasn't that, and if he had been, he most certainly wasn't anymore.

Katara wasn't sure why Zuko stopped covering his scar. He'd shared some, she knew, with Toph, and less with Sokka. Somehow, Aang understood something about it, even though he never seemed sure. Of all of them, it was likely that Katara knew the least of what Zuko was going through. But she did know that something about him had changed when he'd jumped into the forest.

She tried to ignore the small pang of guilt she felt thinking that.

After the forest, Zuko had stated that he could…see something. Even though he couldn't have. She'd also gathered that once Zuko had touched the mask, he'd seen far more than he was meant to, an overwhelming amount that seemed to hurt him, and she'd most certainly noticed the stress on his body after the fact.

But with it off, Zuko seemed no different. Except…that wasn't entirely true. Zuko reacted to things, just…slightly too early. He seemed to notice things just slightly too far away, or around corners, or just out of what a normal human should have been capable of. She knew that Zuko was not a normal human, but Zuko had always been at the peak of what was possible, and now he seemed…to be moving past that.

And she hadn't forgotten how cold his body was. How stiff it all felt, how it seemed to just…not support itself anymore. His skin hugged his bones more than ever, even though Zuko still had just as much muscle as before, if not more. It was like it had stopped fighting gravity.

It was dead.

But Zuko was just…so animated. He was so alive. He rushed around his city, preparing for everything and anything, responding to things she thought were beneath his attention. She wondered how he'd manage to still respond with this energy, especially with the state his body was in, but Zuko forged ahead anyway.

As he always had.

And so when the sun set, and that dark red star in the sky illuminated their faces, and when Zuko's countenance grew grim, she could still see the energy writhing in his veins. She could almost smell the smoke in the air. She could tell that the Firebenders of this city of Zuko's were agitated, but ready.

And when Druk lowered his head, she climbed aboard. She settled in behind Zuko, trying to ignore the way his cold body felt. She watched as they flew away from the beginnings of what she knew would be a statue of Zuko. Away from the city she knew Zuko had put so much of his effort into. Effort that she didn't entirely understand, but she knew that it was something he wanted so badly. So badly.

The island disappeared behind them, as they made their way towards Caldera. It was one more night of camping, and then…this would all be over.

"You are completed."

The Day of the Comet

'You are completed…You are completed…' I mulled over those words in my head. At the dead of night, just before the moon was above us, I'd heard them speak. That was all they'd said. I'd reached out, I'd prayed, I'd done all manner of things, and they didn't respond. Katara hadn't heard, which wasn't surprising. Druk didn't seem to have heard either. Neither of us slept though.

And neither of us seemed any different either. I didn't feel different then I had yesterday. Druk didn't seem different to me. He didn't seem to notice anything was off with me either. I still understood him as I always did, more through emotion than speech or thought, and though Druk knew that I was curious, he didn't seem to know anything more than I did.

Completed.

I had no idea what that meant, and now that the sun was rising, I didn't have much more time to dwell on it. We'd fly into Caldera just as the airships left. Roughly around Sunset. Just an hour before the comet arrived.

I could already feel that energy pulsing through me. I could see it so clearly. A flame, burning brighter and brighter, engulfing most of my body. I was literally leaking chi through my pores. I knew that without careful control, I could burn through almost anything tonight. Azula could do the same.

But only one member of the Royal Family would have to die tonight. And Azula…my younger sister would not be the one. I didn't care that she was crazy. I didn't care that she lied. I didn't care anymore. If I couldn't have a father, than I wouldn't have one, and if my mother was lost forever, as much as I hoped that wasn't the case, I could live without her. But other than my Uncle, my sister was my only family. And if what I suspected was true…then Azula deserved one other person who could truly understand what Ozai was.

I just…couldn't let us end like this. I had to talk to her…in someway, even if she never understood why. I had to make sure that she heard what I had to say.

And so when I heard Katara stir, I smothered the fire before me. If Katara was awake now, there was nothing left to think about. I could ponder what Agni meant in the after. I could figure out my life in the after. But today…today was the day my life came to a head. Where my destiny would play out. Where my honor would be on the line, once again, but this time, of my own volition. Because I wanted to be there.

"...did you sleep?"

"No…" I looked up, the comet now visible during the day, but still far enough that it wasn't overwhelming. I'd seen the murals, I'd read the manuscripts. It passed so close to our planet, that it grazed the atmosphere, literally heating the planet a few degrees. It was still a little ways out. But tonight…"It's too close. I'm too awake." She frowned. "Imagine if their were 2 moons in the sky…and they both just…kept growing. That's the best way I can describe it."

"You don't have to describe it to me, Zuko." Katara watched the red star as well. "I can see it…I feel…something too."

"...Katara?" I looked to the ground. "Why did you come with me? You could've gone with your brother and Aang. You didn't…"

"We aren't leaving you to fight Azula alone."

"That's not what I mean…" I frowned. Sometimes it seemed to me that people assumed questions, questions that I didn't ask. "I mean…why you? Why not have Toph come with me? Or Suki?" Though we both knew Suki wouldn't have come, but of any of them, Suki was likely the one who wanted revenge the most.

"I…" Katara frowned. "I guess that…Azula…she's the reason that it all went so…poorly in Ba Sing Se." I froze for a second. "She…convinced you to help her, and she shot Aang when he was in the Avatar State. I…haven't seen him even try since." She curled in on herself. "He was supoposed to be training to activate it at will, and gain control, but it just…" She sighed. "I know that I had something to do with it. I don't know what, but something about…me is stopping Aang from becoming a fully realized Avatar."

"..."

"So I guess…getting back at Azula helps me feel like I can…do something for once. Like what I have to do actually matters. Because at the end of the day, it's always been Aang who's had to manage everything. It's Aang who deals with the greatest threats, and I just…don't want to be the reason he can't.

"..." I looked down at Katara. She was staring at the ground, holding her arms close to her body. She was…small. "You've done a lot more than you realize, I think." The wind picked up around us, leaves fluttering through the air. Summer would be ending soon. "At the Northern Water Tribe, you stopped me, and even when you lost, you chased after me, to make sure that Aang wasn't hurt. Through a blizzard."

"But I lost…"

"When Aang was struck by lightning, you saved his life. You are the reason that we don't have a new Water Avatar. Aang should have died that night. And you saved him. And it wasn't just because you had special spirit water," I cut her off before she could retort. "It's because you are a talented healer, just as you are talented at fighting."

"Katara, we can't hold ourselves to the same standard as Aang. He is…more than human, unwillingly, yes, but he is. And as long as he remains so, he will always be at the center of it all. That is in the Avatar's Nature. He is destined to bring Order to the world, as is his very purpose in creation." I frowned. That wasn't information that I knew? "But the point is that we can do our best, for him. Support him as best we can. I know that he is…young, and that you want to protect what childhood he has left, but…that shouldn't be your responsibility, Katara. Because when you do that…you lose your childhood too. Take it from me, okay?" I stared past her, out into the distance, just as the Sun breached the hills. "I lost my childhood when I was banished. You can't get it back. Don't throw it away before you have to."

Aang didn't want to kill him. Aang didn't want to kill anyone. And now, he sat, watching the Lion Turtle swim away, and he wasn't sure what was left now. Sure, he could…potentially take away Ozai's bending. Render him unable to bend fire ever again. But…he also knew that he was naive in many ways, and although his first instinct was to, leap for joy, and assume that this was the way to avoid killng, he had heard what Zuko had to say, and he understood what was at stake.

Ozai could not live, and Aang couldn't be the one to kill him. Energybending or not, this was only a temporary solution.

And honestly, even the idea, though better than murder, was…disturbing to Aang. It was akin to mutilation. Aang tried to imagine life without his Airbending, and he found it almost impossible. He knew that it could be done, after all, so many people were nonbenders, and they functioned perfectly fine, but Airbending, the casual use of it even, was such an integral part of his life, that the idea of it no longer being possible was scary. The same as losing his hands, or his legs, or any other loss of function to something so fundamentally apart of him.

Taking Ozai's bending would be cruel, no matter whether he lived afterwards, or died.

"Why…why is it never easy?" Aang put his head in his hands. "Why can't I just…ever have an answer."

He found it easier to understand Zuko now. How Zuko never had confidence. It was because his entire life was this kind of choice, one with no right answer, and no comfortable solution.

And yet Zuko seemed to thrive, even as his body withered.

"Your friend's transformation will leave him forever marked, by whichever means it ends. Know this, young Airbender, for all choices have consequences, even those whose outward appearance are naught but good."

'...I can't even tell who said that…' Aang knew that Zuko had done…something. It was only a feeling, one he couldn't describe, but he knew,somewhere inside, that Zuko was changing into something else. Into something…similar to what Aang was, some strange fusion of mortal and Spirit. Zuko was approaching that boundary that Aang straddled everyday, and Aang wasn't sure if that was a good thing. Nor what it really meant.

But it would be nice to know that he'd still have one friend at the end of it all.

Hakoda knew the moment that the comet entered the atmosphere. He could see it in his soldiers, the way the Firebenders seemed just slightly larger, the way their eyes gleamed slightly too bright. The restless energy, partially nerves, but partially just an excess of energy, with nowhere to be released. But tonight…would be a night that they would write stories about. Either great tales of overcoming evil, or Fire Nation Propoganda.

Hakoda had faith in his children. He had faith in Aang.

They would live to see the sunrise.

But he had a job to do. He had to protect the Earth Kingdom from the Genocide that Ozai threatened. Protect them from that which he couldn't protect his wife.

And so…when they approached the coast, where they knew the Fire Nation Army was preparing, they waited. They watched. The moment that they knew that the Airships were beyond them, the attack would commence, and history would be made.

Hakoda had to see his children again.

He had to.

Some would die tonight. He had to ensure that he wasn't among them.

For their sake.

"Welp…here we are."

"Welp…" Toph sighed. "Snoozles, this deserves more than a welp."

"Hey!"

"She's right, you know…"

Sokka didn't appreciate this slander. Just because he couldn't come up with anything better to say didn't mean they had to make fun of him! Besides, he had his moments!

"Well…I guess we wait…"

For both the Airships, and for Aang.

Sokka wondered, not for the first time, what the after would look like. He knew that Zuko had been doing the same, but they rarely voiced their thoughts. It had always seemed so…far away at the time. But the after was tomorrow. And the day after, and the next, and every single day after this comet passed. Either they lived, or they died. There were no other options.

And to see Zuko after this, to make sure that his buddy, his pal, and frankly, his greatest friend was alright? That would be a treat. He hoped that when the after arrived, Zuko would recover. He always looked so pale, and it always seemed like his bones were out of line. Zuko never seemed to actually suffer, but just looking at him, and you could tell something was up. Honestly, it was a little freaky how little Zuko seemed to care.

But that was the beauty of his best friend. Zuko always cared more about everything and everyone else. To Zuko, he didn't matter nearly as much as his mission. It had been true back when he'd chased them to the ends of the Earth, and it was true now that he was going to defeat his sister. Sokka could do nothing but have faith. Zuko was their strongest after Aang, he knew that. Yes, Katara had her Bloodbending, but that could only be used on specific nights, if ever, and yes, Toph had the natural skill and talent to rival almost anybody, but Zuko was the one with grit, and tenacity, and Zuko was the one who would do anything to win. No matter the cost.

And that was most certainly what they needed tonight.

Sokka had never been a man of faith. He'd preferred hard facts. He had to. Faith wouldn't protect the tribe. Faith wouldn't keep his father alive. It certainly hadn't kept his mother. But the truth was true, and it was always there for Sokka when he needed it. Face everything at once, and you could be sure that you knew what was right.

But on nights like these…he had nothing except faith. He had to believe that Zuko would win, he had to believe that Aang would come back. He had to believe that the 3 of them and Appa could handle this. If he didn't believe…then there was nothing to fight for.

A pillar of fire appeared before their eyes.

People were dying tonight.

Toph felt the shift in the air, the way both Sokka and Suki shifted. Their heads swivled to a spot in the distance, and she knew they'd seen something. She stomped the ground, but felt nothing. It was either too far, or it wasn't solid.

"It's…" Suki whispered. "It's horrible…"

"...alright, c'mon." Sokka gribbed Suki's hand, before standing and walking towards Appa.

"I guess this is it, huh?" Toph could guess what had happened. The fleet was here, and they were burning everything. She could feel the heat getting to her. She didn't know how far out they were now, but they didn't have time to be scared, or to panic.

This was their moment.

Everything was leading to this. She'd fight, she'd win, and she'd prove that she was capable.

But this time, there was no one to prove it to.

The Night of the Comet

Druk and I shuddered, our senses suddenly heightened. Already, I could see the blips of energy sparking ahead of us. The comet had entered the atmosphere.

"It's here." I felt Katara nod.

I could see Katara nod, even though she was behind me. Is this how Toph felt? Feeling things behind her at all times. It was…somewhat disorienting, but not debilitatingly so. It should have been, I knew it should've been, but it wasn't. I was…too different now.

I guess that's what it meant to be Complete.

"We're going in." The Airships had long since left, having passed us half-an-hour ago. We'd stayed low, using the glare of the setting sun on the water below us to hide us from any scouts. I doubted they had any looking down, but it was always good to be cautious.

I could only hope that Sokka, Suki, and Toph could handle the fleet. It wasn't terribly large, but each person on board had the power of hundreds tonight. And I knew that my father was among them. Leading his Crusade against the world, deigning himself Emperor of all under the sun. He'd mentioned some ridiculous name. Phoenix…whatever.

I no longer cared.

It would only be Azula and I. One of us would rise, and one wouldn't. I didn't plan to kill her. I planned to keep her relatively unharmed actually. But that would mean her surrender, and I knew that was unlikely.

As always, I didn't have much of a plan. All I had was confidence in my ability, and belief in my power. I still hadn't bent Dragonfire, not that I needed to, but regardless, that wasn't an option. At least…as far as I was aware. Maybe it was something else that I needed. But either ways, lightning wasn't an issue. I had redirected it before, and I could do so again.

Still, even with all this extra energy, I felt…trapped within my body. Something was…not wrong, but off. But I really didn't have time to focus on the feeling.

The feeling of my skin burning away, like it had 3 years ago. Like everything was seconds from going up in flames. Like I was about to burn to ashes.

Yeah…I was going to ignore that feeling for now.

We flew over an empty city. People were staying inside. It was…pitiful in a way. The most…disturbingly beautiful day in a Firebenders life, and it was just a weapon of war. No festival, no celebrations. Not even a scant gathering. The city felt so…trapped. Same as I did.

I was supposed to be ignoring the feeling.

We descended above the pavilion, where few people remained. I could see the Fire Sages, very few servants, and even fewer attendees. Azula was crouched before the Fire Sage. It was a coronation.

I guess my father had discarded the title. Something told me that Azula wasn't…entirely satisfied with this.

"I'm here." I jumped off of Druk before he landed. I hit the ground just in the center of the outer courtyard. "As promised."

"...you're late." She still hadn't turned around, but the Fire Sage too a step back. "I thought you'd lost your nerve, and I would have to hunt you down." Something about her was…off. Her voice was…wrong, somehow." I heard Druk land behind me, and Katara jumped off his back to join. "You better not be planning to get others involved.

"Of course not. An Agni Kai, just me and you. No interruptions, no allies, and no tricks."

"To Death or Dishonor."

"...Death or Dishonor." I acquiesed

This would be the last Agni Kai, if I had anything to say about it. Death or Dishonor…

Death…

Or

Dishonor…

Neither of us wanted Dishonor, did we?

She nodded, waving away the servants and others. They scrambled away, fear evident. She turned to face me.

Everything was just…wrong. Her hair was uneven, as though someone had just hacked away at it with scissors. Her lipstick was off, unevenly covering her lips, and some of it was applied on her skin. Her makeup was too harsh, her cheeks a deep pink. Her eyes bloodshot. This wasn't my meticulous sister. This was…not the Azula I'd known.

"Perfect, then let's get it started."

"..." I eyed the servants. They feared her. They…feared her. Beyond just that of a Fire Lord, they feared her. She was volatile, and the evidence was plain to see. "Let's go through the procedure. All of it. If this is truly our final battle, then we should do as proper, under Agni."

"...fine! I wasn't aware that you were one for tradition, but we'll do it the…proper..way." With that, she turned and stalked into the palace, servants reluctantly following. Even her voice, the way she tried to goad me just…didn't hit the mark the way Azula was meant to. It was…

It was sad.

I pitied her.

"Zuko!" Katara hissed. "Why are you fighting one-on-one?!' Katara gestured around. "We could totally just…win outright."

"...I promised her, Katara." I pointed to the door she'd left through. "And you saw her…she's…" I could barely explain. In a way, I almost felt like crying. She had been…reduced to this. This wasn't who she was supposed to be. This wasn't the sister I knew. This Azula was…deeply, truly, hurting, and she was lashing out, and losing control. And Azula hated not being in control. To lose control of herself…

She must be suffering already.

"She needs this. This will be definitive…for both of us." I grimaced. "Besides, what better way to declare my right to the throne, than through public spectacle?"

I crouched down, deciding not to remove my shirt. I didn't entirely care to be accurate, and I knew that Azula wasn't removing hers either. I wasn't sure entirely what the rules around women fighting in Agni Kai's were, but…this wasn't the time.

The crowd around us, summoned by the castle servants and Fire Sages, were restless, full of the same energy that flowed through my veins. All the lights should have blinded me, but I truly felt nothing at the sight. I closed my eyes, ignoring the fact that I could still see their chi.

Silence settled over the arena. Azula crouched down as well, and the Fire Sages stepped forwards. I ignored his words.

This was the same area in which I had been burned. The same arena on which my father had publicly shamed me. For speaking against his cruelty. Tonight…this would be on my terms.

We shed our shoulder garments. Letting them fall to the ground. We faced eachother. I could see hate in her eyes. She hated me. Either that or something that I represented.

"With this victory, father will see that I am nothing like you! I am and will always be your better! I will ascend to the throne and stand in my rightful place by father's side! He hasn't forgotten me! He knows I deserve it! He just needs to see proof!"

I said nothing. I didn't have time to psychoanylize what she'd just said, but I knew that it was concerning.

The gong sounded.

Katara watched from a special seat, amongst what she assumed were important figures in the Fire Nation. They didn't interact with her, and she didn't either. This was…too important to even acknowledge their presence.

The battle was nothing but waves of blue and orange fire pushing against each other. So much fire that the arena itself seemed to be burning. It could never truly die out, as the next wave struggled to overcome the other.

Strangely, Zuko was almost entirely still. His stance firm and low, and although she saw his kata clearly, he moved nowhere. Not a step forward, and not a step back. He was a rock.

Azula on the other hand, was nothing but movement. Always, she threw more fire, a blur of limbs, she ran around the arena, blasting at all angles. Zuko stood still in the center, doing nothing more than defending himself.

It was a strange…reversal of what she was used to. Very few times was Zuko not on the offense, rushing through attacks and trying to pin his opponent. And even fewer times was Azula so ravenous. Desperate almost. She fought against the wall that Zuko was and each failure made her more and more incensed. Each time Zuko was unmarked, she got more frantic.

As the battle continued, for what felt like far too long, the area itself got hotter and hotter. The people, who had been at the edge of the stage, backed away, seeming to realize just how dangerous an Agni Kai during a comet could be. The people around her shuffled, and she found herself suddenly surrounded by spectators.

Katara fought her way forwards. She could sense the water beneath her feet, and knew that she had access to water nearby. As she emerged from the crowd desperate to get away from the siblings, she spotted a storm drain in the corner. She drew some water from below, gathering it in a fine layer over her skin. She could keep cool this way, and still be nearby in case Zuko needed backup. She wouldn't want to have to fight through a crowd of Civilian Firebenders if things went poorly.

And so, Katara was left alone at the edge of the arena, the only one among the crowd who cared to be nearby. All others had either fled or were using the pavilion around them as shelter. The guards at the Palace doors held their spears nervously, aware that a mob could easily break into the palace. She doubted that they wanted either potential Fire Lord to know they'd failed to protect their home.

But she knew that Zuko would understand. He was kind that way.

She was winning.

She had to be. If she wasn't winning, then father would never love her! The only person who mattered wouldn't care. She had to prove herself. She had to show him that she was the only one worthy of being by his side. Not left behind. Not abandoned. He couldn't abandon her. That was for people like Zuko.

She couldn't be abandoned again.

"I love you…" Her voice whispered in her ears. Azula tried to ignore it, she really did. Zuko had stolen her mother, hogged her to himself. Her mother had left her behind. For Zuko. For her failure of a brother, who didn't understand respect, power, or authority. For a brother who had no right to the throne, who was incapable of taking care of himself. As evidence when he'd ended up getting her banished! All because Zuko had been too weak for Azulon to allow to live. To continue to taint the image of the Royal Family. Azulon had wanted to purge the line, prune the weak. Same as Lu Ten.

She was certain of it. She had never spoken much with her grandfather, but she was smart. What other reason could there possibly have been? Besides, had Zuko been the one to "dissapear" perhaps her mother would have-

'Stop!' She commanded herself. She didn't have time to wish. Wishes weren't worth anything! They had never come true, and Azula had stopped trying.

She could barely remember much of what she'd wished for. Just for something to stop. Clearly, she'd eventually gotten over it. Stopped having feelings of weakness. She was Azula, the greatest Firebender in history, heir to the throne, and the next in line to be Pheonix King. She would make sure that father knew she was worthy.

Never again would he toss her aside. She'd make sure of it.

But to do that, she would have to end this battle. Permanently. Make it so Zuko would never rise again. Burn him to ash and watch his remains blow away in the wind. His "Blue Dragon Army" would fall apart without him, the rebels routed and annihilated. She would slay his dragon next. Rise to the level that Sozin had promised. She was the greatest descendent. The dragon would fall by her hands, same as her brother.

Dead like Zuko.

Something twinged within her.

This wall before her was nothing more than her final challenge. One that would refine her into the greatest warrior on this planet. This final barrier would pressure her until she was pure.

Yes. Yes! That must have been what Ozai intended for her! He hadn't abandoned her, he was only waiting for her to be purified! He still wanted her.

He cared. He had to.

"Azula." She heard his voice cut through the flames, the same as he. Somehow, he was still unmarked. "Why does it have to end like this?"

"Really, Zuzu?" She frowned. Her chest was heaving. Was she really already so tired? "Now? Are you going to surrender? Dishonor yourself again?!"

"No." Zuko stood tall. Taller than she remembered. "I won't surrender." There was no heat in his voice. Not much emotion at all, at least, not one that she recognized so easily. "I just…wonder what happened to us. Why we never got along."

"..." she had no clue why Zuko cared to ponder that now. Frankly, it should have been obvious. She was superior, and he refused to submit. In the same way that father and their Uncle Iroh. Iroh had refused to submit, and he should have been purged. She remembered the countless times that Ozai wanted to see Iroh executed, but there had been no crimes to accuse him of.

Father had been elated when Iroh had shown his true colors at the Northern Seige. Enough so that the failure of the attack itself was a minor concern.

Honestly, sometimes father forgot about the cost of a warship. Let alone a fleet. Another reason that she deserved to be by his side. He needed her.

"It's just…" Zuko sighed…rubbing his eyes. The mask on his head bobbed, strangely attached to his head, never shifting. "I remember a time in which we were…closer. Before the Firebending separated us. Before my inferiority complex, before your…training with Ozai."

Azula tried to stop herself, but she couldn't help but cast her mind back to then. There was…nothing. Not a moment. Not a single memory. The earliest she could muster was already a year into her training. When she was 6. That didn't seem right. Surely, she had earlier memories. She remembered experiencing earlier memories. But they weren't there. She couldn't understand why they weren't there. Where had they gone?

"I think your memory is faulty, Zuzu." She laughed, trying to hide her unease. It was better to put Zuko on the backfoot, especially if his emotions were involved. And they were always involved. "We never got along. I don't know where you found such sentimental imaginings. Probably from our Uncle, filling your head with fantasies."

"...I see…" Zuko's eyes darkened, and he sunk back down. Not…quite the reaction she'd wanted, but clearly, he was affected. And an affected Zuko was a Zuko she could exploit.

"Done with your break? Did you finally catch your breath?" Honestly, she was glad to get a reprieve. She had overextended herself, and she was getting tired. She needed to be a little more careful, or it would all be a hair out of place.

She had to be perfect.

She remembered none of it. Not a moment of before. Yes, I was older, but she hadn't been a toddler. Azula…should have had an inkling at least. At yet, there was nothing.

I remembered a time, early in my banishment, in which my Uncle had offered unsolicited advice, as he always did. But this one had stuck out, because at the time, I could hardly remember the events of the Agni Kai. I had nightmares, yes, but recalling the day it happened, and the days leading up to it had been difficult.

He'd said that pain and trauma, could damage the mind. That it could render someone unable to remember moments, or years.

At the time, I had thought it to be weakness. I had thought that it showed another way in which I was less than. I had forced him, as much as I could force him to do anything, to help me recover my memory. And so he'd sat me down, and we'd talked through the events. We'd connected the event with why I felt a certain way, and slowly, I'd began to recall more and more, until I no longer needed it. Until the nightmares stopped being everyday, and were only every so often. In which I could think beyond just the moment, and try to recall further back.

Much of that time had been in my room with my Uncle. A 13-year-old-boy, almost too scared to leave his room. It had been a month before I truly began to familiarize myself with the ship, and soon after, my thoughts were focused on finding the Avatar, rather than continuing my recovery.

I had stopped talking with my Uncle then.

In hindsight, I knew now what had happened. Uncle had wanted me to focus on my recovery, so I could truly heal. I had ignored him, and wasted 3 years of my life instead.

And here…Azula suffered from the same fate.

I split the wave of fire around me. It parted between us, passing over the edges of the arena before finally fading away. I saw Katara near the edge. Why she had come closer, I wasn't sure. It wasn't safe here. Even for all my control, I felt my fire slipping from me.

Azula glared at me, before jumping high in the air to blast fire from her feet. She followed up with a low sweep, designed to trip me up. I reached my hands back, clapping them together, and cleaving a path before me, fire splitting once again. It was…easy. I took a step back. What had changed? Why was Azula no longer this…force of nature?

Was it me?

I heard Azula's cry of frustration. She crouched low before shooting forward, blasting fire from her feet. So that was successful Rocketbending. It was impressive. She strafed over the area, passing behind me, blasting large plumes of fire. It was an impressive display of coordination. It was also making it evident just how small this arena was. It was…limiting.

I continued to disperse some, dodge other plumes. The longer this went on, the more the size limitation would hinder me. I had to fix that. The audience was already gone, having scrambled away a while ago. I could see the FIre Sages taking refuge behind the guards at the Palace doors. Some others remained. I was sure that the crowd had moved indoors, but were still watching through any opening. The only one who was truly close was Katara. I could see water covering her. It was probably the reason she could withstand this heat.

"KATARA, GET BACK!" I crouched low, ducking under another attack. "NOW!" I saw her jump at the sound, but she complied, backing away until she was at the steps at the other end of the area.

I launched myself into the air, blasting fire from my feet. Although I was no Rocketbender, I did know how to do this. I flipped over in the air, bringing my legs over my head, before, and blasting my way back down to the arena. It was…much smaller than I'd expected. It seemed I'd gotten higher then intended.

This would hurt.

Zuko was only a speck in the sky. Katara honestly had no idea this was possible. But she saw him blast his way back down, coming down with a force that she didn't expect. What was his plan? There was no way he was going to hit Azula from so far away. Already, Azula was backing up as far as the Arena allowed.

Zuko came down with an axe kick, aiming for…something she couldn't see. But something told her that she needed to get cover.

There was a crack in the arena. One that showed where it was weakest. One I intended to exploit.

My foot connected with the center, and I felt the stone platform give way. It shattered beneath me, and I landed amongst rubble and dust. All around me, the rock parted, crumbling underneath the force. Fire too, blasted from where I'd landed.

I could see through the dust, but Agni it stung my eyes. I was surrounded by the remains of the arena. Most of it shattered and scattered, though much still remained around me. I jumped back, to where Katara had been standing before I'd told her to get back.

After what felt like a minute, the dust slowly settled. It rested among the stone, rubble, and ruin. Much of it still hovered in the air, picked up by the updraft. Some was deposited on roofs around us.

I saw Azula, near the Palace doors, watching me. The arena was…gone. Shattered. Where I'd landed, a shallow crater surrounded by rock was evidence of what had happened. Some larger stones were left at the edges, but nothing nearly the size of the arena.

It was cathartic, in a way.

But we finally had some space.

"Well…that was something." Azula recovered quickly. "I suppose you always had some freakish strength. The only evidence of your lineage."

"That's one way to view it." I acquiesed. "But it isn't Sozin's."

"You think that our mother had strength?" She scoffed. "She was weak!"

"...And yet her grandfather was the Avatar." I stated. She was silent, looking confused. She glanced back at the Fire Sages. They glanced between us, before nodding. They would know. Afterall, that was probably the reason she had been chosen for marriage to a Fire Prince.

I shuddered at the thought.

"So not only am I descended from Sozin, I'm descended from Avatar Roku?" Azula's laugh was maniacal, piercing the air. If she kept laughing, she would choke on dust. "So I really am destined to be the greatest! I knew father needed me!"

"...Ozai doesn't love us." That shut her up. Her gaze was sharp, and I knew I'd struck a sore spot. "Ozai doesn't love anyone. He doesn't care about me, and he doesn't care about you…"

"I'm not you, Zuzu!" She snarled. Her hair fell out of place, covering her eyes. "I am better! Father wants me! I know he does! Just because you failed to gain his favor, after everything I did for you, doesn't mean that he doesn't want me!"

"You're a tool, Azula!" I roared. Fire slipped from my mouth. "You are nothing but a tool, to be used and discarded by him! He will never see you as anything except a tool, another number, the same as any common soldier! He doesn't value you as his daughter! Azula, you deserve better then him!"

"You're wrong!" She shot fire at me. I ducked left, allowing it to pass over my shoulder. "You always are, Zuzu!" She continued to step forward, a blast following shortly behind. I continued to move, slowly moving closer. "It could have been perfect! I let you come home! I gave you a chance to remain by my side. A loyal vassal! Instead, you ruin my plans, and you poisoned my friends against me! You abandoned me!" Her voice was so…off. It scratched at her throat, every sentence punctuated by more fire.

"...Mai and Ty Lee were never your friends, Azula." I continued to talk. I didn't want to be cruel, I truly didn't, but Azula had to know the truth. "You never treated them like friends. You aren't supposed to fear your friends. You're supposed to love them. Your friends aren't lesser than you, they are equal. Were Ty Lee and Mai ever equal? Or were they vassals? Did you love them?"

"..." Azula breathed deep. "Love is for the weak. It holds people back. I have no need for it. Fear is all I ever needed."

"And yet, they didn't fear you enough." She bristled. "Their fear would never hold them in line forever Azula. It was unsustainable. I'm…sorry that it happened like it did, but it was always going to happen."

"...so you mean to say that I'm meant to be abandoned. That it is my destiny?!" Her hands were like claws, her nails, already unevenly cut, drawing blood from her own palms. "I control my destiny, and I won't be abandoned!"

"You aren't meant to be abandoned, Azula." More blasts, but they were weaker. "I don't want to abandon you. I won't abandon you."

"You did. You already did."

…

The stars shone bright tonight.

"...I'm sorry I couldn't be the brother you wanted." I bowed my head slightly. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way. I couldn't stay there, knowing that Ozai wanted to burn the world. I couldn't lie to myself and pretend that I was okay with it."

"So I mattered less. I always seem to matter less."

"...but it was wrong of me to not tell you." I admitted. "I should have told you. Because you did give me a chance to live at home again. And I never thanked you for that."

"...I don't need your thanks. It clearly didn't matter as much as I thought it did."

'And neither did I…' I could hear the rest of her sentence in my head.

"...I don't want to fight you Azula. If…I had been a better brother, maybe we wouldn't be here. I guess…I've changed a little too late."

"There could never be two of us, Zuzu. Don't get sentimental now."

"...I love you, Azula." And I knew that I might be the only one who did. Because if I didn't, who would?

"I love you, Azula."

"I love you, Azula."

"I love you…"

That wasn't right. That wasn't something that Zuko…had ever said to her. It wasn't something she'd ever expected to hear…not from him.

Was he even real? Was all of this just…a figment? A wish that her traitorous mind conjured up? The same as her mother, who had stood to the side in quiet pride this entire time?

Was Zuko real? Was any of this day real? What if none of this was true?

If Zuko was fake…how could she find out? She had known her mother was fake, she had thrown objects through her countless times at this point. Charred most of her room. But Zuko hadn't even been hit yet.

On the other hand, the arena had been shattered. If this were only a dream, that most certainly would have woken her. And the fact that she was still here implied that this was real.

But Zuko would never say that.

Real?

Or

Fake?

Truth?

Or

Lie?

She really, truly could not tell.

Azula's attacks came more frequently now. Frantic. She was pushing herself beyond her limits. Even with the power of the comet, there was a ceiling, and Azula had reached it. There was no greater effort she could use to make her fire more forceful. She couldn't make it burn hotter.

I simply stood, redirecting as necessary. I didn't want to attack her anymore. I didn't want to hurt her.

I didn't care that this was an Agni Kai. I didn't care that I was essentially giving up. I would stay here, a solid rock for Azula to exhaust herself against. And once she was done, once she was truly satisfied…

Then I would do my best to help her. To be to her what Uncle Iroh had been to me.

She deserved that at least.

And so we continued. Azula circled around me, yelling and panting. I continued to evade some, disperse others. Never moving from my spot in the center.

I wasn't sure how long we'd been fighting for. I wasn't even sure how long we had left. In some ways it felt like hours. In others, barely even 10 minutes.

I chanced a glance at the sky. The moon was already high above our heads. The comet was visibly passing it by. It had been at least an hour or two, and likely much longer. I jumped over a whip of fire, before strafing left.

Surely, she was getting frustrated at this point? She had made no progress, and she was visibly tiring. Even with her current mental state, she had to be aware of it. I was surprised that she hadn't even attempted bending lightning yet. Even if she knew that I could redirect it, and I was sure that Ozai had told her, she wouldn't have just…left her trump card to the side, right?

Had I known less about her now…I may have goaded her into it. Asked why she was afraid of me. Used her anger against her. It would have been effective. I knew that. But somehow, I just didn't care in the same way that I had. It just…no longer mattered to me. I didn't need to rile her up. I didn't need to make her angry. I didn't want to do any of that. She didn't deserve any of that.

She'd use it when she pleased. I wouldn't be the reason it happened.

My mind wandered as the fight continued. Everything about my body was on autopilot. Even as my bones shifted out of place, even as my muscle stretched too far, and even my skin was ever so slightly too loose, I still moved as I always did.

A step to the left.

I wondered how long Azula had been suffering like this. How much turmoil she'd felt on the inside, that was only visible to me now.

Duck underneath.

Could I only see it because of Druk? Because I could see more than I was meant to? Because of Agni?

Jump over.

If so, what would have happened today had I not seen it. I remembered my feelings about Azula. I had held no such inclinations when I'd left on the Day of Black Sun. I hadn't intended to help her at all, let alone listen to her like this. Had I not done what I'd done, would I have just…left her alone? Imprisoned her? Or worse, committed her?

A shift of my shoulders.

Then…I understood why she felt abandoned. I would have just…left her behind, had I been the man I used to be. He was wrong.

Perhaps I shouldn't have focused on myself so much, that night at the beach. The night that my sister had admitted that she felt no love from our mother. That she thought that our mother believed her to be a monster.

A monster.

Three steps to the right.

She felt so…alone that night. And all I'd done was complain about my anger. Why I hated myself. Perhaps some part of Azula hated herself too. She'd brushed it off, when we hadn't said anything. She'd said that she was one. She'd accepted the title, and all the implications that came with it.

"She was right, of course, but it still hurt."

It still hurt. No matter what, I knew that that had been the truth. For all Azula's lies, that had been real. It had been raw, and it had been painful. And none of us had known what to say, and none of us had addressed it afterwards.

Maybe…if I had said something. Done…anything, we wouldn't be here.

A slide past the plume.

It had been so, easy…to take on a leadership role in the Gaang. They'd needed it. I hadn't realized how much they'd needed it until I was there. Sokka, as accomplished of a planner that he was, was new to it. He still felt the nerves that came with command. Aang, as much as he was the center of the group, did not want the responsibility of it on top of his role as Avatar, and was more than happy to give it away. Toph had no desire to lead, and although capable, didn't want to bother with the necessary prepwork. Suki, a leader already, felt content to allow others to lead. Especially Sokka.

Bent knees, prepared for impact.

I glanced back at Katara. She took on much of daily leadership. Making sure that others were okay, ensuring their safety and security. It was why I respected her so much.

But the more I'd seen of it, the more I realized that she couldn't handle it on her own. At least…not to the level of quality she wanted. And that incensed her. It was the reason she could be so prone to outbursts. In some ways, she was a true perfectionist.

And so I'd wanted to help her. I made sure Aang was alright. I supported Sokka. I took on this strange…parental figure that I hadn't even realized they'd needed. And it hadn't been until Ember Island when I'd realized what had happened.

Raised hands, held out.

And now…I knew that that role was meant for Azula. It was what she needed. Ozai could never fill it, the unloving tyrant that he was. Iroh was…unwilling, it seemed to me. It disappointed me, in a way. Why was I so different? Why did I deserve it, and she didn't?

Yet I also knew that asking him to be perfect was unfair. Allow me to take the place of his lost son.

I would take the place of the father we never had.

The smell of ozone in the air.

If there was ever a time in which i had made a mistake, it was abandoning my sister to the monster. For allowing it to taint her mind, to poison her tongue. To turn her from a young girl into a weapon. To transform her from my sister into my enemy.

Ozai was a monster. And he had groomed her in his image. I could only hope I still had time to undo some of the damage. Perhaps Azula would never truly recover, but I could only try my best.

Azula was not a monster.

Energy crackled down my fingers, through my arm, and into my body. I let it pass through my core, before aiming up at the sky.

Thunder cracked as lightning arced into the air. I could feel the vestiges of electricity in my hands.

"I…I hit you." Azula shuddered. "I know I did."

"You did." I nodded. "I felt it."

"Y-you shouldn't be here anymore. Or…you shouldn't have been able to touch it."

"I…excuse me?" I stepped forwards, and she stepped back. She trembled, biting her lip. Blood trailed down her chin.

"It should have gone through you…" There was terror in her eyes. "It always goes through-she's never…" She went quiet for a moment, eyes darting off the the side. I followed her gaze, but there was no one there. "Shut up…"

"She suffers from psychosis, it seems." I heard their voice echo in my head. "Plagued by visions, she struggles to differentiate reality and fantasy." Their voice was just a little too vibrant for the topic at hand. "The weakness of the human mind…" Their presence disappeared. Still, I felt them on the edge of my senses. They were…watching.

Azula…was hallucinating. She was imagining people that weren't there, seeing things, hearing things that weren't there. And…

She thought I was one of them.

…

What had happened to her?

"Azula-"

"Shut up!" She yelled, fire roaring from her mouth. It didn't reach even halfway. "Shut up, shut up, ju-just BE! QUIET!"

"..."

How could I prove I was real? How could I even "win" this fight if my sister wasn't even sure that we were fighting. That all of this was a dream.

It truly was worse then I'd thought. Worse than I'd even imagined. The help she needed was beyond what I could do alone. I'd have to mobilze doctors, have people constantly checking on her. I would need to read any and all information we had on mental disorders, even that which was likely false and dismissive.

But that was all a problem for the after, because it truly didn't matter how much I could do for her, if I didn't win this Agni Kai.

I hated it. I didn't want to win. I didn't even want to fight. I wanted to sit down with her, and just be there. Just have her know that someone wouldn't leave her. That she was important to me, and not because of what she could do, but just because she was my sister.

Unconditional love and support.

"Azula…I'm real." I stepped forward, trying to ignore the flinch of terror I saw in her. "I'm…here." I held out my hand, trying to show her how real I was.

She jabbed it, nails scratching my skin. Instead of piercing it, it just moved it roughly, resembling processed leather rather than skin. Still, I knew that she'd felt the contact.

"...no…no, no nononononononononono!" Azula leapt back. "I don't believe it! I don't! Zuzu would never say that! Zuzu left me! He left me alone!"

I put my hand down. I…didn't know what I could even do now. If touching me didn't prove my presence, what could?

"Azula…" She glared at me, fear and anger mixed with ash and blood. Her mascara dripped from her eyes, leaving marks on her face. She was crying. "Azula, please…" I got down on my knees. "Tell me, what do I have to do…to prove that I'm here? What do you need to prove that I'm real?"

Afterall, if I had no idea, then the only thing I could do was ask her.

Azula considered me for a moment. I could see her addled mind trying to work through what was happening. From a certain perspective, it did look like I was about to surrender. I was on my knees before her, looking up to her. It reminded me of when I'd offered to be prisoner, many months ago.

And in this very courtyard, 3 years ago.

"..." She glanced to her side, where I was sure she saw something. Something that wasn't there. "She's already gone…so you must be too." her eyes were alight with glee, even as her carefully crafted makeup fell apart. "If you're here, in my head, then you must already be dead."

I was…already dead to her. She believed that I'd died. It certainly made sense, at least from a certain perspective.

Afterall, my body was pale, sunken skin, with bruises appearing at random. My body was as stiff and cold as a corpse.

Oh.

The fake went still before her. He seemed, surprised. His eyes darted around, something very familiar to her. He was thinking.

She was honestly surprised that it all felt so real. Perhaps she just didn't remember her mother well, but clearly she remembered Zuko enough to recreate him so accurately.

Still, it felt…too real at times. Something nagged at her mind.

The fake touched his neck.

But she didn't have time to dwell. The fake, as real as he acted, was a threat. She wasn't sure why her imagination had conjured up a foe so powerful, and why it was represented by Zuko of all people. Though…she'd rather the power be in Zuko's hand than fathers. At least Zuko wasn't scary.

She wasn't supposed to be scared at all. Father had said that often. Somehow, it had never helped.

"So…" Her eyes snapped back to the fake. "Kill me."

Pallor Mortis

Pale skin, that no longer fit quite right. No longer gave as much, nor followed as closely.

Algor Mortis

A body temperature just as cold as the air around it.

Rigor Mortis

Muscle that no longer stretched, was stiff and firm, shifting bone and tissue alike.

Livor Mortis

Blood pooling as gravity drew it down.

I was dead.

I was a dead man. A walking, breathing, corpse.

I put my hand to my neck. I searched for the feeling of an artery.

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Nothing. Not even a shift. Blood no longer rushed through my veins. There was no heart left to pump it. I breathed through habit, not by necessity. No longer did my lungs give oxygen to my brain. No longer did I need to eat.

'When was the last time I ate anyways?' I couldn't remember.

I was dead.

I had an idea. A dumb idea. The kind of idea that Sokka would throttle me for.

It could be suicidal. Just because my body no longer functioned as a human, didn't mean it was…wrong. It was still my body. I still used it all the same.

But on the other hand…it did feel wrong. I felt trapped. Confined.

And…if I was correct…

Afterall, how could you really kill something that was already dead?

Katara no longer understood what was happening. She couldn't hear very well, but she could most certainly still see.

It had started, she'd seen, in his body language, that he was thinking. That his mind was far beyond the present moment. Somehow, he still managed to dodge just as gracefully as ever. Then she'd seen Azula bite her lip, set her stance, and that horrible sound of electricity filled the arena. She could see the energy sparking off her fingers, feel the gathering of cold fire. Zuko was still so far away, and he'd done nothing but set himself. She'd wanted to run up there and scream, get him to actually pay attention!

But then, she'd seen for herself what lightning redirection looked like. Zuko had caught lightning, traced a path through his body, and shot it up into the air. It had looked so…simple. Effortless. Like breathing.

She could see where the Waterbending influence came from. She recognized some of the movement from a standard Northern Water Tribe Kata. But trying to catch lightning…

Green crystal flashed in her mind.

She didn't even want to attempt it. No matter how easy Zuko made it look.

But that had been before. Zuko still hadn't attacked, not for some time. He and Azula were talking, low and personal. So close that they could touch. Azula did jab at Zuko's hand, but she backed away.

She watched in horror as Zuko sunk to the ground. On his knees before Azula. What was going on?!

She trusted Zuko, she really did. Time and time again he had proven himself in these last months, and Katara really did believe him to be changed…

But Tui and La sometimes Zuko made it really easy to believe that he could still betray them.

"Zuko! Don't kneel! What are you doing?!" Katara ran forwards. "Fight back!"

"I'm not surrendering." Zuko's voice was soft, but strong. It carried through the ruins, projecting itself farther than she thought possible. Even those indoors, hidden away in safety, could hear him. "This is not the end of it. I pledge no allegiance, nor do I grovel at the feet of the Fire Nation. I plan to lead, not bow." He glanced back at her, smiling softly. It was…a haunting look, like he was watching somone seconds from death. Katara stopped in her tracks. She…that was the look her mother had gave her.

Even through the smile on his face, she could see it in his eyes.

Druk crooned behind her. He walked slowly, settling at her side.

"Drk…" His chirp, deep in his throat, rumbled at the sight of Zuko. Druk made no judgments. He simply waited.

"...thanks…" And with that, Zuko turned back to Azula. He stood.

"What do you mean…?" Azula cocked her head, but the effect was lost. She no longer had control of this situation. She hadn't for quite some time.

"..." Zuko set himself. A pillar of absolute confidence. "Kill me."

Katara's breath caught in her throat.

"...what are you playing at?" Azula pretended to check her nails, but she was shivering. "You wouldn't let me kill you. Do you think I'd fall for a trick so dull? Really Zuzu?"

"I won't move. I won't bend." Zuko's countenance was firm. "I'll stand here, and I will let you kill me." He breathed deep. "If you can kill me, then you will know that I'm real."

"..." Azula was silent.

"I won't leave you."

…

…

A crackle filled the air. Azula, once again, began to gather energy, cold fire on her fingertips. She stepped closer, and Zuko made no effort to move. He just watched, waited as the lightning grew more refined. The arena lit up, the power of the comet boosting her, as Azula drew on the last of her energy.

The comet was leaving soon.

Zuko just stood still. Hands at his sides, not a shred of defense to be seen.

Surely, he had some plan? Surely this was how he was going to win. Make Azula use the last of her energy, and force her to surrender. He could even duck low, trip her up with his spin kick. Surely, he wasn't going to just…take it. Right?

Azula grunted, pausing for just a moment. Electricity arced from her fingers to the ground. She was a beacon of energy. A testament to her power.

Sibling's eyes met.

Whatever Azula saw, it did nothing to stop her. With a strangled cry, she released the energy, pointing her fingers into Zuko's chest.

In a fraction of a second, electricity arced through his body

Then he went up in flames.

I was burning. I could feel my skin slowly disintegrate. Each layer turning to ash.

But it didn't hurt. There was no heat, no pain, not much of anything.

I experienced it all in mute fascination, waiting as my body slowly disappeared. I could hear Agni laughing in the distance. They finally had what they wanted. I could feel my mortality slipping away, slowly leaving my spirit behind. My body had become a shackle, and now I was being freed.

The fire burned hotter, spreading from where my body fueled it. It burned fierce, bright and hot. It began to turn purple, then green, then red, and it kept changing, before finally, all the colors thought possible ebbed and flowed as my body left me. I could feel new energy coursing through me, something other that I'd never experienced before. I could feel new presences in my senses, beings intrigued by my presence.

In the distance, two natures struggled to overcome each other, a tyrant and a monk.

I felt the last of my body burn. My heart, my lungs, my brain. It was…strange. I looked down, trying to see if there was anything left.

Through the fire, I saw a scar on my chest, stretching both up and down. It reached its branches over my skin, spreading like a firecracker. It's crystalline pattern akin to a snowflake made of leaves. I could feel lightning in what used to be my veins.

But…the rest of me was revitalized. My skin, still pale, but no longer beyond what was natural. It was even a shade darker than before. My muscle returned to me, no longer moving with strain, but mine. I shifted. I hadn't realized how burdened I'd been until just now. Perhaps because I had grown in strength, I hadn't noticed that my bodies deterioration had left marks. Now I did.

I felt my face. As expected, my scar was still there. I was glad. It marked me as a survivor. Someone who faced Ozai and grown beyond him.

I found that my image no longer mattered much to me.

The fire began to die. I felt the comet leave the atmosphere. Still, my senses remained heightened. I breathed, one last time.

"Drk…" Druk lumbered over through the flames. "Drk…" He sniffed at my hair, nudging the mask. I could feel his breath. I could feel his question.

"I feel…good." I smiled, rubbing his snout. I plucked the mask from my head. "I'm…satisfied."

The mask smiled.

It was a promise. I had promised many things. I had to rectify my wrongs, repay my debts. Protect those in need.

And I needed to save my sister.

Azula watched the body burn. She could see it turn to ash. She was…

She wasn't ecstatic.

She was supposed to be. This was her moment. Her triumph. Finally, Zuko, the traitor, was dead. He had died, which meant that she was the only heir! She was the only successor to the throne. His army would fall to her, and she would rule!

…but she'd already had the throne. Father had appointed her to it himself. So, was she in line for the position of Phoenix King as well? She doubted it. It seemed that Father wanted it for himself and himself only. She knew rejection. She'd felt it all her life.

So…why did it matter if she was the only heir? Father didn't want her. He…didn't care what she did. He was gone, left her behind, refused to allow her to accompany his moment of glory.

"I love you, Azula."

And now Zuko was dead. Killed by cold fire. She'd felt it enter his chest. She'd seen the way it scarred his skin, just before he'd burned.

The pillar of fire began to glow, soft colors emerging. Colors she'd never seen in fire before. Her blue, Zuko's orange, a regal purple, a blinding white. And so many more. This was fire she'd never seen. Fire she could never produce herself, she knew.

And she'd killed Zuko. For what? Why? He wasn't a fake, as she'd just proven. He…

He wasn't fake.

"I love you, Azula."

He was real. It had been real.

He had been telling the truth.

…

…

She really was a monster.

She sunk to her knees, her head in her hands. She had killed her only brother. Killed him. The only person who she could remember so clearly, so…fondly, and he was dead at her hands.

"I love you, Azula."

When was the last time she'd heard that? At least 6 or 7 years. Probably longer. Had she even heard her mother say it? She wasn't sure. Father had never. He would never, she knew. But Zuko had.

And she'd killed him.

It didn't matter that she was Fire Lord, it didn't matter if she could be by father's side.

She had murdered the one person in the world who had come back to her. All those that had left her behind, all those who had rejected her, and he was the only one who had turned back. He'd come back.

He was the only one who actually cared to. The only one who cared about her.

She would never hear those words again.

"I love you, Azula."

And she could only blame herself.

She felt someone approach her. She wanted to lift her head, but she was so…tired. She felt wetness on her cheeks. Her makeup was ruined. Her stomach churned. Her chest heaved, even as she tried to just…breathe. She could barely breathe. Something was trying to claw itself out of her chest. She choked. She was trying so hard to breathe, but she just couldn't. It was all too much. Why, why had she done this?

What had she been trying to prove?

There was no one left to prove it to.

She was all alone.

She sobbed. Short bursts of fire hit the ground before her. Her hands were hot, she was breathing through them. But she couldn't stop. She didn't want to. She deserved to hurt. She always had.

As father had said.

Something wrapped around her. She felt this…heat against her body. She looked up, but she couldn't see anything but deep red. Still, it was warm. So, so, so very warm.

A hand on the back of her head, holding her close. She breathed. It smelled of smoke and musk. Hints of amber.

It smelled like Zuko.

She closed her eyes. She didn't understand and she didn't care. She was warm. Warmth spread through her body like someone had tucked her in for the night. Warm blankets, and warm scents, and warm everything.

The sun rose, and Azula didn't stir.

The First Day After

I held her close. I didn't care that my shirt was stained with tears and lipstick. I didn't care that snot dripped from her nose. None of it mattered.

I only wish I'd known she was hurting sooner.

"...Zuko?"

"Hey Katara…" I didn't turn to face her. "Sorry about that."

"...what happened?" Katara pressed a hand to my back. "I…" I felt water rush over her hand, as she searched for something. "...what did you do?" Her hand fell.

"..." I watched the sun rise. "I should explain." I picked Azula up, holding her as she slept. I wiped her tears away. She was…much smaller than I remembered. Perhaps I was taller. Perhaps she really had shrunk. Spiritually at least.

I saw the Fire Sages step out from behind the pillars. They seemed…perturbed. The first of them slowly stepped down, approaching the wreckage. He eyed the stone and dust with a nervous air, before standing before me.

A second passed.

He kneeled.

"Hail to the Fire Lord." He raised his fists. "I pledge allegiance to our new lord."

The others bowed behind him. Their vow echoed through the courtyard. Slowly, others began to emerge, seeing that the battle was over. All that reamined of the battlefield was a circle of charred stone at my feet. Left behind by my immolation.

I held my sister in my arms. I would not leave her behind, and I would not put her down.

I could see that they weren't sure whether to applause or not. They're Fire Lord was defeated, and the "traitor" now held the throne. And yet, they didn't hate me either. They eyed the ground nervously.

I knew that stories would be shared about tonight. Fantastical stories about the strength we'd shown.

I wondered how fantastical it really would be. I'd died tonight. I'd been killed, burned away, and reborn.

I hoped that as I had, the Fire Nation could rise from the ashes of its creation as well.

Katara watched Zuko rally his people. He gave commands, soft but firm, and people jumped to follow.

"The coronation will have to wait until noon." Zuko said to the Sages. "I have unfinished business that I have to attend to. If I have not returned in time, delay until I arrive."

"Yes, my lord." The Fire Sages glanced at each other. "Are you going to…seek out the Phoenix King?"

"The illegitimate tyrant has no place being king of anything. There is and has never been a Phoenix King." His eyes flashed. The mask smiled. Katara felt a whisper in the air.

"U-understood."

"Well then," Zuko turned to Druk. "Prepare the palace for my return. I plan to make my coronation open to the public." Servants began to move. "Where are the rest of you?"

"L-lord Azula…dismissed many of us, my lord." A young girl trembled before him. Katara could see Zuko wince.

"I see." He nodded. "Have them called back into service. They are loyal Fire Nation people, and I will see to it that they are rewarded."

"...yes, lord."

It seemed to Katara that a lot of people were nervous about having Zuko on the throne. Scared even. It was…she knew that Zuko hated it. He didn't want them to be scared of him.

"Have someone inform the governors that a new Fire Lord is being crowned. Provide them the fastest ships. Including Fire Fountain City."

"Y-yes lord!"

Katara wasn't sure how they would arrive in time. It was around 5 in the morning. That meant that these ships had to arrive and return within 7 hours. Surely, they couldn't all make it?

"Release Mai and Ty Lee from their imprisonment. I want them here in Caldera."

"Yes lord!"

"I will speak with the rest of you when I return."

With that, Zuko glanced at her, using his head to gesture to Druk. "We need to go…I felt Aang and Ozai fighting."

"You felt?"

"I'll…" He swallowed. "I'll explain it all when we're all together. I promise." He stepped forward, and Druk lowered his head. He clambered on, careful not to disturb his sleeping sister. "I…hope it's not bad."

"I just…" Katara gaped. "I just don't really understand." She got on behind him, and Druk stood. "I felt…nothing when I tried to check you for injuries."

"No injuries?"

"I couldn't tell." Druk took off, leading them away from the Palace. "I felt…nothing. Your skin doesn't have any veins, and your muscle doesn't exist. I couldn't feel bones, or organs, or…anything." She shuddered. It had been like touching air. The closest approximation was Aang's airball. It felt solid to touch, but there was nothing there. Air pretending to be firm.

If she'd felt anything at all, it was the vague idea of…energy.

Zuko was made of it now.

"I…wow…" Zuko tilted his head to the left, and Druk followed. They communicated without sound or touch. Just intent. It was…fascinating. "I guess I really did die."

"..." Katara rubbed her eyes, trying to stay awake. All of this was starting to catch up with her, and she really hadn't done more than watch.

She grabbed Zuko's torso, keeping herself steady. He was still solid. And finally, just as warm as he was meant to be.

At least he seemed okay.

I searched for that feeling again. I had felt Aang and my father fighting, not with weapons or arts, but with will. I had felt Ozai's will threaten to overtake Aang before his had burst forth, shining brightly and pure, promising to bring order to a disordered world. To bring peace to the war weary. To bring prosperity to the downtrodden. I knew at that moment, Aang had won.

The bad news was that I didn't know how to sense anyone else. Aang had a strong spiritual presence. He was a beacon in this world. I felt a few others, some deep in the ocean, some far far away from where I was now, but they were slumbering, their energy low and gentle. Aang still, though fading, was bright and loud.

But it meant that I couldn't feel if Sokka, Suki, and Toph were alright. Or if my Uncle and my men were okay? What of Hakoda?

Druk snorted below me. He reminded me that I couldn't dwell on possibilities. I just had to hope.

He was right, as he always seemed to be. It was strange, seeing him now versus when he'd been born. So small and snippy. Now so regal and mature.

I loved my Dragon.

He chirped. I felt his love too.

He was also a beacon. Still small, but he felt like family. I felt two similar figures somewhere vaguely to the North. It must have been Ran and Shaw.

"I see that you're testing yourself." Agni's presence was just…beyond. It was indescribable. It was more than what the planet could contain. "I am glad to have such a responsible Dragon by my side."

"Thank you…" I murmured. Katara stirred behind me. I wasn't sure if she was asleep or not. Still I kept a hand on the arm wrapped around my torso.

"I will allow you time to settle, to reestablish order, but know this…" Agni paused for a moment, looking into the distance. "There is much to do, and little time left. You must be prepared."

"...how long do I have?" I needed a timeline. If I had little time, I would need to prioritize that which was most important first. Demiliterization, and a shift of the Economy from War to more peaceful pursuits. Other ideas, like general legislation would have to wait a while.

"Roughly 70 years…" Agni shook their head. "Truly, time is short."

'...nevermind.' I would need to remember that my frame of reference was much shorter than theirs. I wondered if that would change.

"Still, when I give commands, I expect them to be followed. You are to prioritize what is necessary first, understood?"

"Of course, my lord." I bowed my head.

With that, he nodded, and his presence truly disappeared. The all encompassing pressure, the proof of their existence, was gone. I did not know the how or the why. But they were just…gone. As though they had never been there.

I knew that couldn't be the case. The Sun was above. Perhaps there? Perhaps the Spirit World? How to travel there, I had no clue. Maybe Aang would know?

Finally, a gorge of rocky pillars came into view. Just past Wulong Forest. I could see Appa and others standing on top of one. Druk roared, causing Katara to stir behind me.

"Oh…" She blinked. "Oh! We're here.

Azula shifted in my arms. I hoped we hadn't disturbed her.

I saw Sokka wave his arms at us. He was still alive. It looked like we were all still alive.

Druk spiraled down. They cleared the area next to Appa, and Druk slithered into place. Quickly, Katara jumped off and embraced her brother, who wrapped her in a hug. I noticed that he favored one of his legs, a long red stain on the other.

We weren't unscathed, but we were still here.

"You all made it!"

"We did…" Aang stepped forward, and Katara wrapped him in a hug. I could see his blush from here. Suki laughed, letting Sokka lean against her.

"It was a little spotty, but we made it through."

Druk ducked his head, and I held Azula tight as I dismounted. She lay still in my arms, but her breathing had…changed. She may have been awake. It didn't matter to me. She wasn't trying to escape my grip.

I saw Toph's expression shift as I stepped on the ground. She stomped, causing the ground to rumble just a bit. I waited.

"Sparky…what…what happened to you?" She stalked forward, ignoring the girl in my arms. "Where is…why isn't your heart beating?"

Of course Toph could sense that. She felt my presence, a physical body yes, but it wasn't made of flesh and blood anymore. I probably felt apart of nature, in a way that made it easy to ignore my presence, especially if Toph was looking for heartbeats and muscle.

"I'll explain as soon as I can," I promised. "But Toph, I'm alright. I'm fine."

"..." She grit her teeth. I knew the questions were right there.

"Is that…" Sokka limped between me and Suki. "Is that Azula?" I nodded. "Is…is she dead?"

"No." She croaked. "I'm not."

So she was awake.

"Ah!" Sokka stumbled back, into Suki, who was frozen. She stared at Azula, who made no effort to move. I knew that it was best to keep them separate. I didn't know what Azula had done to Suki, or how Suki felt about her, but I also couldn't leave her alone.

"Hey Zuko…" Aang's voice cut through the tension, calm and focused. I looked at him. I looked through him, as he did the same to me. This was a fully realized Avatar. I felt something in me respond. He felt the same. "It's…nice to see you here."

"...I feel the same."

Sokka's head whipped between the two of us, narrowing his eyes. "Is this freaky spirit magic?! Is that what's happening?!"

"Focus Sokka." I brushed past the issue. I approached the one person who had not spoken yet. "He's…still alive."

"He is." Aang stood by my side. His frown held weight to it. "I…couldn't kill him. But I did defeat him."

"How?"

"...I took his bending away." Aang supplied. His eyes were far away. "It's cruel, but effective. He'll never bend again."

"...I see." I looked down at his body. He was awake, but exhausted. He stared at me, too tired to glare. He was…pitiful.

Not even. He was pathetic.

Taking someones bending. It was…cruel. That was true. Mutilation of a kind. Cruel and Unusual punishment would be an apt term. But it was a good way to ensure someone could do no damage again.

I found that for the tyrant, I didn't care as much as I should have.

"So…what now?" Sokka came to our side, still between me and Suki, even as he leaned away from Azula. "He needs to die. We know he does…so…?" He trailed off.

"We could just…kick him off?" Suki said. She looked past me, refusing eye contact. I could live with that. If Suki hated me for this, I could live. I could only say that I was sorry I hurt her.

"You'll find that even without my bending, I am still a threat." Ozai slurred. He forced himself to his feet, his hair pooling on the ground. He was no longer the great figure on a throne. He was nothing more than a broken man. Perhaps he'd always been. He had never earned the throne, had never had the ability. He could only succeed by stealing from those who were better than him. He'd stolen the throne from his brother. He stole from his people. He sold the Fire Nation to the highest bidder. All he couldn't take, he corrupted. My morals, that which said that loyal soldiers deserved to be protected, tainted in my pursuit of the Avatar. Tainted by his hand. My sister, a better bender than he could ever be, turned into a weapon. A tool.

Rage boiled in me. If there was one man who I truly hated, it was my father. I was ashamed to be related to him.

His stance was shaky, clearly he would fall in one blow. Was he really so delusional, that he'd fallen for his own propaganda? That which made him out to be immortal?

Truly pathetic.

"I am Phoenix King Ozai!" He rasped. "Even without my bending, I will never allow such merciful brats to defeat me!"

"...merciful." I heard Azula mutter. "They offered you mercy?" Her eyes opened, amber resting on me for a moment, before she turned them towards Ozai.

"Azula!" Ozai's eyes shown with glee. "Defeat them, and I shall…overlook this betrayal."

"..." Azula patted my chest. I nodded, setting her down on her feet. I held her steady, as she stared down at our father. "I…betrayed you?"

"Clearly you were defeated! What greater betrayal is there?!" He coughed, spit flying upon the ground. "But if you can defeat them, kill them here, you will find a place by my side." Azula shivered, eyes hardened. A little bit of the old Azula shown through. But just as quickly, I felt her hold my arm tightly, She squeezed, and I held a hand over hers.

"...they offered you mercy." She seethed. "Mercy. You don't deserve mercy."

She stumbled forward, getting into his face. His glee transformed, shock evident. He stumbled back, and she pushed on. She put her hands on his face, holding it tight. Her nails pierced his skin, and Ozai struggled to escape her grip. "You…deserve nothing. All those years…all the time I gave you, and it meant…nothing." Azula growled.

"Release me this instant!" Ozai roared. He brought a fist forward, snapping it like a whip, but Azula batted it aside easily. There was no fire for him to bend. "I order you to-"

"I'm free from you."

And with that, they tumbled over the edge.

It took only a second for me to react. I leaped forward, following them over the edge. A quick burst of fire from my feet and I caught up to them. Ozai flailed as he fell, but Azula held firm. I could see her smile manic and wide. I grabbed her torso, pulling her away from him. She gave no resistance. With another burst, we flew forwards, away from the pillar, leaving Ozai to his fate.

I heard the impact.

Still, I had to focus. Quickly, I flipped over, put my feet beneath me, and blasted fire once again. I curled my body over hers, and we landed. I absorbed the brunt of the impact, feeling the vibration in my legs.

"You should've let me die, Zuzu." Azula said. I felt her shift. "I should have died."

"I'm not leaving you, Azula." I hugged her. "I won't leave you behind. Not again."

His body was splayed out, blood pooling near his head. The ground cracked around him, the force of the impact having killed him instantly.

It was…quick. Likely painless.

Probably better than he deserved.

We all just stood there, not sure what to do. He was dead. That was it.

Aang and Suki eyed Azula, who crossed her arms and refused to look at anybody. She leaned against my shoulder, clearly still tired. Sokka was obviously avoiding the issue, and Katara seemed unwilling to argue about it now.

Toph…I wasn't sure. I couldn't really read her body language. She was…putting on airs of nonchalance, I recognized that, but I couldn't guage much of anything more than that. I didn't know if she was angry, worried, or…jealous.

I hoped she wasn't.

She was the reason I felt like I could do this.

She'd been a sister I had never had. Given me the experience of what a relationship between siblings was supposed to be. Caused me to wonder what was wrong with Azula and I. Why we didn't get along.

Convinced me to try just once again. Think a little beyond myself, and consider Azula's feelings.

I was better because of Toph.

It was truly day now. The sun was up, the people were waking. The Earth Kingdom would soon realize just what Ozai had attempted. We would have our work cut out for us.

"Aang, I need you to get in contact with Ba Sing Se, and make sure they know that Ozai is defeated." I paced around Ozai's body. "We need to let everybody know that today is the first day of armistice. We need people drafting treaties, getting a summit in place so we can finally end this war."

"Isn't…the war over?" Sokka prodded Ozai with his scabbard. His sword was missing. "I mean…we defeated the Fire Lord?"

"You really are an idiot, aren't you?" Azula snarked. Sokka bristled at the insult. "You can't end a war that easily. How this group managed to outsmart me, I don't…"

"Azula…" I said softly. "They're children."

"So am I, and I-"

"We aren't all as smart as you, you know." I stood by her side. "You're a prodigy, you know that. You really can't hold them all to your standards."

"...fine…" Azula looked away. "I want to go home."

"...I think Zuko's collecting sisters." I heard Sokka whisper. "I mean, think about it. Toph was always snippy, and then the moment Zuko joined us, she's all nice and calm, and now Azula, his crazy sister, just-ow!" A spark of lightning hit him just as he walked into a pillar that sunk back into the ground.

Both Toph and Azula glanced at each other, before returning to their funks.

"...Alright!" Aang clapped, causing most to flinch. "Guys, we won! We won!"

'We…did." Suki began to smile. "We…won."

Finally, the mood lifted. I smiled at Aang, and he nodded in return.

We had won. This was a day of celebration. It didn't matter if we weren't done yet, that I had a lot of work on my plate before I could relax. We had won. We were alive! We were all here, in the after, to see the new world in the making.

I hoped to see Hakoda and my Uncle soon.

"Are you sure you want to be there?" Her lip quirked, in the vague resemblance of a smirk. Her makeup redone, she no longer looked as broken as before. Yet…

"If I'm not going to be on the throne, then I'm not going to hide in my room." Her eyes drifted to the side. "Quiet."

"I'd be glad to have you with me."

"You'd better be…" Azula shuffled. "I don't…I don't know what to do now." She admitted. "My life was nothing…"

"..." I looked out the window. Rows upon rows of people below, with more and more filtering in. The sun was high in the sky. I hoped that our allies could arrive in time. "Neither was mine, Azula. I wasted my life on that ship. 3 years of fruitless searching, and even when I found him, I failed."

I looked back. "But I wouldn't say it was worthless. I still learned…I'm sure you did too. You have time, Azula."

"...when did you get so smart?" She sighed. "This is all wrong."

"I'm…not the same as I was."

"Obviously. But it…it's still you." Azula muttered. "I just wish she'd be quiet for a moment."

"You see our mother, don't you?" She nodded slowly. "...I'm sorry she didn't do right by you."

"There's nothing you can do about it, so no need to dwell." Azula dismissed. She was still her, afterall. No one changed in one night.

"Still…I hope I can help you." I… I decided to keep my suspicions to myself. I could search for our mother some other time. My sister came first.

We lived in comfortable silence, as I folded my robes. She sat on the couch, kicking her feet back and forth. For the first time since I could remember, we existed in the same room with no strife, no barbs, and no mockery. A weight was lifted from us. The pressure on our shoulders no longer so heavy.

Our father was gone.

I heard the door click open, and the rustling on the couch stopped.

"...hello, Mai." Azula's voice was dark and heavy. Here was one of the people who had left her. I took a step between them, and Mai focused on me.

"...what's going on?" Mai glanced behind me, where I could hear the sizzling of fabric.

"Mai…" I sighed. My relationship with Mai was…

It was over, wasn't it? I wasn't even human anymore, and I was just…different now. I didn't hate the world the way I used to. Our shared feelings of apathy and disgust were no longer shared. Our bond no longer as stable. And with me wanting to focus on Azula, to truly help her, she couldn't be around people who made her feel so strongly. Even though Azula was the abuser, the one who had driven them away, she didn't see that just yet.

"Why is she here, Zuko?" Mai stepped towards me, reaching for my hand.

I stepped back, pulling away. I held a hand back, placating Azula. "She's here to support me, Mai."

"Y-you can't believe that…right?" Mai looked between us again. "She's…"

"I'm what?" Azula crossed her arms. "What are you going to say? Call me a monster? Evil? I've heard it all before, nothing you say can hurt me."

But it could. It was why she tried to project an aura of nonchalance. Why she fought so hard to look put together. Because those words did hurt. Brought back images of people who should've done better by her.

"Mai…Azula is my sister." I stood tall. "I want to have her by my side when I'm crowned. I…I want her to stay with me. And if you take issue with that, then there's nothing I can do."

"..." Mai glared at me. "I see. So this is it, huh?"

"...I'm sorry it had to be this way." I shook my head. "I'd hoped it would be better."

"...I hoped for a lot, I guess." Mai turned, slamming the door behind her.

I felt nothing but sorrow, but there truly wasn't much I could do. If they never got along again, unfortunately for Mai, I had to choose my sister. I owed that to her. I could only hope Mai could find someone to hate the world with on her own. She deserved to be happy.

Azula hummed, a tune I recognized but couldn't remember. She sat back down, ignoring the burn marks, and stared off into the distance.

Her smile, a soft one, one I hadn't known Azula could make.

She seemed happy.

"All Hail Fire Lord Zuko!"

The crowd roared before me. A field of color, all nations represented. Aang at my side, in resplendent Air Temple robes. Before me, my people, both those of the Fire Nation and the Blue Dragon Army. Hakoda's men, dressed in blue, our allies in green. The Kyoshi Warriors lined up at the back, Suki reunited with her girls.

"We're here…" Aang smiled. "We won. It's over."

"Not by a longshot," I waved to the crowd. "We've barely gotten started."

"Can't you ever just be happy?"

"No." I grinned.

"I'm going inside." Azula turned, clearly uncomfortable. "This is…urgh…" She shook her head.

"I'll be with you shortly." I nodded, and she left. Although I wanted her within my sight, I didn't want her to feel trapped. She needed help, not prison. No matter how luxurious.

"...do you really love her?" Aang watched her enter the palace. Although a proponent of peace and forgiveness, even Aang felt…something about it, I knew. "I mean…she tried to kill you."

"She did kill me." I corrected. His eyebrows raised. "I…choose to love her. She's my sister, my only direct family. I love my Uncle, I really do, but…he's wrong about this one. If I deserve redemption, so does my sister. She's younger than me…under Ozai's thumb in a way that I never was. If I don't choose to love her, no one will. And I want to love her, so I do." I looked down at him. "I love her in the way only a brother could…and I think she loves me the way only a daughter of Ozai could."

"That…doesn't sound healthy."

"It's not…it really isn't." I agreed. "But…I hope that one day, it gets better. We can make it work somehow."

"...I'll support you." Aang nodded. "I don't know about the others, but if you believe in her, then I will too."

"...thanks, Aang." I felt a little teary at that. He didn't need to do that. He knew he didn't. Aang was a good man. He would be a good Avatar.

"Zuko!" I heard Sokka's call from the stage. "Zuko!' He waved his cane in the air, Suki supporting his weight. "Did you know that Ty Lee joined the Kyoshi Warriors!" He hobbled towards us, followed by the rest of the Gaang and a couple warriors. One of which, through the make-up, I did recognize as Ty Lee. "Did you do this? Why are all our enemies turning into our allies?"

"I had nothing to do with this one." I said. Ty Lee waved at me, as bubbly as always. I wondered how she'd felt seeing Azula on that stage. I knew that…Ty Lee had been the one to bear the brunt of much of Azula's…personality.

Still she smiled, and laughed, as sparkly as she'd always been.

I wondered if she didn't hate Azula as much as Azula thought she did. There was a lot that Azula over or underestimated.

"Then why are all these, random enemies here?!" He squawked. "I mean, Azula, Ty Lee, and I know that I saw Mai here earlier!"

"Yes, Sokka, I definitely got in contact with Ty Lee and had her join your girlfriend's army while I was busy raiding Fire Nation bases." I drawled. "I could totally squeeze that in between everything else I had to do."

"Hey Zuko!" Ty Lee bound forward. "Congrats, your Aura's so…" She cocked her head, a finger on her chin. "I don't know how to describe it really. It was clogged last time, but now…it's amazing!" She cheered.

"Clogged?"

"I don't know, when we were all on the Boiling Rock, you seemed so…trapped by something. But now you aren't! I'm glad!"

I had felt trapped, by the pressure of the throne. I shouldn't have been amazed that she could tell.

Ty Lee leaned in, covering her mouth. "I saw Azula's aura too. It's…lighter, somehow?" She hummed. "I've never seen it that color before."

"...I don't know what's going to happen." I admitted. "But…I'll try my best."

"We'll see." She stepped back. "I for one, am so excited!" She reached to hug the other Kyoshi Warriors. They gave her tight smiles, but they seemed more uncomfortable with the sudden hug rather than the fact that it was Ty Lee who was doing it.

We stood on stage, waiting for the cheering to die down. There was a lot of work to do, both for the Fire Nation and for Azula.

But first, to explain what had happened to me.

Azula didn't want to come to this meeting. She'd said as much to me, when I'd knocked on her door when I'd finally made it back inside. She'd actually held her door closed, when I'd tried to come in and see her. I could hear sniffling.

I didn't want to force her to do anything. I didn't want to make her listen to me, but I also didn't want her to cry. I didn't know why she was crying, and if I wasn't what had brought it on. Then again, there was a lot that I didn't know about my sister.

Either she'd ask what the meeting was about after, or she wouldn't. Azula likely didn't care much about what had happened to me. In the end, she had lost. It was possible that she'd never truly felt a loss before, and this was how she needed to cope. I just hoped that she'd come to me soon, and not try to handle it on her own. I didn't think she could, at least not now.

I also needed to speak with doctors about her Psychosis. It was something that I needed at least a cursory understanding of before I could really find ways to manage and potentially treat Azula.

But right now, I owed it to my friends to explain what had happened.

I most certainly owed it to Toph. She'd been remarkably patient with me. It had been weeks since she'd first asked, and I had avoided the question many times. Surely, she was annoyed, if not a little mistrustful. Afterall, she'd asked me to trust her, and I did, but I hadn't shown it.

I wasn't sure why, looking back, that I'd been so reluctant to tell them. Perhaps because I wasn't entirely sure how it'd feel to be on the other end of this transformation, but did that really justify not telling them anything? I could have told them that I was becoming a spirit, and that I wouldn't be around forever. I could have even just said that I was going through something that was hard to explain, but that I wanted it and that I was happy.

But instead, I'd decided that they shouldn't know. I had denied their questions, evaded, deflected, and more in order to avoid a difficult conversation that really wouldn't have been too bad, and would certainly have been less nervewracking then this. It was stupid, in hindsight.

I was almost glad to know I was still a dumbass sometimes. I wasn't just…a new person.

"Hey guys…" I saw them all sitting around a table, food already being eaten. I was still wearing my robes, but instead of the robes I had been coronated in, I had changed into an outfit that allowed for far more mobility. I had simple armor under my robes. It was a warriors outfit more than anything else. My old swords were strapped to my back.

I had been surprised it had been ready at all. The old Royal Seamstress had used the measurements they'd had before the Day of Black Sun and had already been making the outfit even before the Comet arrived. They'd been in frequent contact with members of the Blue Dragon Army, providing them intel that I hadn't even been aware of the source of.

Of course, the measurements hadn't been perfect, but they'd been updated just before the Coronation, and by the time I had gone back inside, he had refitted the outfit, and presented it to me.

That had been a surprise. Mostly the fact that he had been working with me for weeks, but the outfit too.

"Zuko!" Sokka waved a drumstick in the air. "I never got what the spices were about with you, but man, I've been missing out!" He took another bite. "Itsh sho thlicish…" Suki grimaced.

"Uh, yeah…" Aang eyed Sokka. He was holding a bowl of rice, beans, and many other vegetarian options. "It is good…"

"I'm glad to hear it." I smiled. I sat down with my friends. Toph kept tapping the floor, constantly turning her head in my directions. I was sure that feeling me there, with no pulse and no muscle was concerning.

I wondered if that meant she could no longer tell if I was lying. That…didn't feel right.

"Well…" I started. A server set a dish down for me, but I didn't feel particularly hungry. I probably never would. 'What even happens to the food when I eat?' I refocused. "I should probably…tell you guys what happened to me."

"It'd be…appreciated." Katara frowned. "I'm just…confused. About a lot of things." I urged her to elaborate. "I mean…the entire thing between you and Azula got weird, just before we started really planning everything. It was…like one second, you were ready to beat her down, and all of a sudden, it just…" she waved her hands, trying to emulate something, "fizzled away."

"..." I looked down at my hands. "I…do you remember when Azula attacked us at the Air Temple? And we had to split up?"

"Yeah?"

"I…" I shook my head. "I couldn't stop thinking about it. I mean, Azula…she's definitely attacked me before, that wasn't surprising, and wanting revenge for what we did at the Boiling Rock wasn't strange either. But…" I tried to put my thoughts into words. "I can't remember a time in which she tried to kill me before." I thought about the past year. "We fought on her ship for a few minutes. She tried to kill my Uncle, but she wanted me captured. I wasn't the one who was supposed to die."

"Uh…okay?" Sokka shrugged. "So your crazy sister snapped. What about it?"

"..." I sighed. "It's different, Sokka. She's my crazy sister, yes, and she did hurt me a lot as a kid, but it was always as a joke, or in a game. Azula didn't do it for no reason. So…I guess that when we were on Ember Island, and I had a second to think about it, I started wondering why that changed."

I could see a mass of chi sneaking through the walls, coming to rest at the edge of a pillar just behind me. Was that a secret passage? I hadn't known about that one.

"What matters is that she tried to kill you, not why!"

"Sokka, it mattered to me." I was getting a little tired of the dismissal. "I wasn't a good person for a good while. You know that. And Azula…to me, is young. She's Katara's age. I was thinking about it, and I…I suspected that something was different. I assumed that it was because of Mai and Ty Lee."

I heard what I thought to be the sound of wood creaking behind me. "...what matters though, is I started wondering why…I got to be…better. Why my Uncle put so much effort into trying to get me to see the truth of the matter. Because it was all because of Ozai. The only reason I even cared to find Aang was because I thought Ozai would love me. You know that." I pointed at the scar on my face. "I thought I had to find you to redeem this."

Aang gulped.

"But…my Uncle wanted me to know that this mark wasn't because I was weak, but because Ozai was. He wanted me to know that this mark didn't mean I was unlovable. That I shouldn't have had to ever earn my fathers love in the first place. But I didn't realize that until…long after I should have."

"After Ba Sing Se?"

"..." I wondered. "I think…before…a little before Ba Sing Se. He wanted Azula to bring me home in chains, and I think I realized that even if I brought Aang before him, he would never want me. He sent Zhou after you for a reason. But even then, that didn't mean I was ready to fight him. I still thought of myself as a rightful Prince, of a great Nation. That journey as a refugee, a refugee created because of the Fire Nations war, the same as any other refugee in the Earth Kingdom, got me to realize just how wrong it was, and how much that…propoganda had warped my mind. I knew…even as a child, so much about the other Nations, and even then, I dismissed anything that didn't support the story the Fire Nation told me."

"Okay…" Sokka frowned. "I'm getting that, but again, what's with you wanting to keep Azula around?"

"...you guys did." They looked confused. "All of you. I…got to see a family of people who actually…cared about each other, and not because you could do anything for each other, but because you were just…good people, who loved others unconditionally." I smiled. "And I got to be apart of that. Do you…understand how good that felt? After all those years…the only person in my life who ever did that was my Uncle, and I didn't even realize that until I decided to join you guys."

The chi behind me was still.

"And so…I watched you guys. You and Katara are siblings, basically the same age as Azula and I, but…neither of you would ever kill the other. It doesn't matter how often you fight, at the end of the day, you'd lay your life on the line for the other." They glanced at each other. "Your father, he has nothing but pride for you. If he feels disappointment, it's only in himself. He…loves you, and you love each other, and I couldn't help but feel jealous. I wondered the entire time, "why couldn't I have that?" I stopped talking for a moment. "It was just…unfair."

"So you…want to try and get that with Azula?"

"I…thought about it." I admitted. "But…I didn't think I really could, at least not until I thought about Toph and I."

"...me?" Toph looked surprised. She was likely the only person in this room who knew that Azula was listening. I was glad she hadn't said anything to the others. "What'd I do?"

"...you're like a sister to me." I looked down at her. She was seated next to me, barely an arm away. "I didn't think much of it, but…a conversation I had got me thinking about the way we talked, and the things we talked about, and I just…saw it." I shrugged. "And honestly, I just felt like if I could handle Toph, then my sister wouldn't be so hard."

"Huh?!" Toph jabbed my shoulder. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"The point is, I thought that my Uncle was wrong." That got people's attention. "He told me once that Azula was crazy…which uh…" I swallowed. "He said that she needed to go down. At the time, I agreed. It was…uh…right after she chased you guys in that tank train thing."

"Ugh, don't remind me." Katara rubbed her eyes. "Didn't your Uncle get injured?"

"Yeah…" I frowned. "Actually, I should apologize for blowing up at you guys. I was freaking out and…I just wasn't thinking."

"It's fine, it's fine…" Katara sighed.

"Uh…but I guess, I realized that I was just…a better person now. And that I could have never become better without my Uncle's support. For a long time, I'd wondered what my life would look like if I'd never been banished, and if my father actually wanted me around, but I realized at some point, that I wouldn't be a good person. I'd be…at best, an ineffective Prince, and at worse, another Ozai, made in his image." An unlikely future, but it was possible. "And…I realized that Azula never got that support."

I wondered if I should talk about our moment on the Beach. It felt…wrong to share that with them. "And when I say never…I mean…never." I nodded. "I always had…somebody on my side, making sure I was alright, and trying to direct me towards becoming my best self. And Azula didn't. All she ever had was Ozai, and we all know that there's no best path there."

They listened in silence. I hoped that meant that they were actually starting to understand. I wasn't sure what I could do if they didn't understand after all this.

"I just…she's Katara's age, and she's younger than me, and all she's ever had was Ozai, and it all just felt so unfair. Why did she deserve that, huh? Why did I get a chance to change for the better, even after all the times I turned my back on it, and Azula didn't even get to take a step in the right direction?! No one even tried!" I slammed my fist on the table. It dented under my hand, food jumping off plates for a second. "Sorry…sorry." I rubbed my eyes, before taking the mask off my head. I played with the wood for a second, running my fingers across the grain. "I just…if my Uncle wasn't going to do it, then it falls to me. If Azula…doesn't want to change for the better, then I can't do anything about it, but I don't want to just…up and leave without even trying."

"..."

"I don't want to leave at all." I looked at the siblings. "I…this is my only chance…I've only got one sister. One…other person who can really get what Ozai was, in a way that no one else will ever get. Toph understands better, but even then, we both know that it's not perfect. There's things I don't get about your shitty parents, and there's things you don't get about mine."

Toph looked particularly reluctant to admit it, but she did nod eventually. It was just the truth of the matter. We weren't incapable of helping each other, but true understanding eluded us, at least for now. It wasn't because we didn't try.

"I think you understand now that this wasn't just some…impulsive decision of mine. I've been thinking about this for a while. It just took a bit for me to really get what I wanted to do. And I guess I just didn't talk about it."

"Yeah, but you sure made a bunch of impulsive decisions during the fight." Katara pounced. "I mean, you literally stopped attacking and let her strike you with lightning!"

"What?!" I heard multiple people say. I winced. That was kinda loud.

"Look…" I sighed. "There's…a lot to explain."

"That feels like an understatement." Suki drawled.

"During the fight with Azula, I feel like I…learned a lot of new things. Things I should have known, in retrospect. And most certainly things that a caring older brother should know. That's why it was…important for me that I prove to Azula that…i want to be there for her."

"...huh?"

"But that's enough of that." No need to air Azula's dirty laundry, especially not while she was listening. I was already pushing boundaries just a little, no need to incense her and have her not trust me with information. "I want Azula in my life. That's final. I…have to prioritize her, and I'm sorry if that hurts you guys in the process."

"Okay…" Aang looked at the others. "I get that…I do. But that's…not the main issue, I don't think." The others nodded. "If…you said to me that Azula killed you, so…what does that mean?"

"...okay." I nodded. "Okay." This was it. They were going to found out that I wasn't human anymore..

"I…I'm sure you all noticed how my body was just kinda…wrong for the last few weeks. Especially the last 2, right?"

"Yeah? You were like, super pale, and your skin was all…sunken." Sokka scooched closer to poke me. "Actually, how'd you get it looking alright again? Secret Fire Nation Skin Care?"

"No actually," I gently removed his finger from my bicep. "I…do you remember when a spirit gave me the mask?" They nodded. "I wasn't…entirely truthful. They did give me my mask, and they did say all the things…but they also offered me a deal."

"...a deal?" Suki frowned. "You shouldn't make deals with spirits."

"..." I winced. "Well…" How to explain? It was my patron spirit, the literal religious spiritual head of our pantheon. Same as Tui and La for the Water Tribes. But I also didn't want to just…drop that on them. Especially Azula. It felt like I was rubbing in my victory. 'Yeah, I won our Agni Kai, the one that you waited for for a month, underneath the once-in-a-century comet. Also, by the way, Agni themself literally was on my side, so, yeah, sorry about that.'

"...point is that I took it." I continued. "I knew…what the consequences would be. I thought about it for a while, you know. I made the decision after we got to Ember Island. And…well…"

"...what?"

"...I'm a spirit now. I'm…not human anymore. My body was dying, I was trapped in my own corpse, and now…I'm free."

"..." I waited for them to say anything. Honestly, seeing their faces was kinda funny. All except Aang's contorted into looks of horror and confusion. Even Aang looked a little shocked.

"WHAT!" Katara yelled.

"Yeah!" I chuckled. Honestly, it was really funny. "Azula killed me, and I got up again. Guess I'm immortal now." I shrugged.

The mask smiled.

"You'll be dealing with me for the rest of your lives!"