All Roads Lead
By flOofymikO
Disclaimer: Ha, yeah, right. I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, and never will. Remember it.
Author's Note: I will try to avoid such long notes in the future, but I just wanted to take this chance to say HI, and welcome to my first attempt at a multi-chapter Avatar fanfic! I want to reiterate that this will be a ZUTARA (yeah, yeah, another one :P). This fic takes place in an AU due to a screwy timeline: basically, at the start of this story, a season-one Zuko is wanted by the Fire Nation but still has his ship and crew, neither Katara nor Aang have found a waterbending master yet, and Toph has already joined the Gaang. I also apologize in advance for any OOC-ness, any other significant deviances from Avatarverse, and anything else unrealistic. I'm a very new fan. Just bear with me, and I hope you enjoy! (And make sure you check out the A/N at the end.)
Chapter 1
It was morning. A single slate gray ship sliced through deep blue green waters that sparkled with the fair gold of the rising sun. The vessel pointed west, parting the gentle ocean waves as it drew steadily towards the quickly paling indigo sky, the stars disappearing under the sweeping ray of light that invaded the waning night. Beneath the waves, schools of saltwater koi, black and jade green and armored with scales of faintly glittering silver, darted back and forth in an energetic aquatic dance; above, the occasional goose gull adorned in plumage of stark white emitted a load caw that echoed in the quiet dawn.
A lone figure stood at the bow of his ship, staring into the approaching horizon. He appeared to be tense, rigidly still, with feet planted firmly apart on the steel-plated deck. Two shoulders were hunched over, weary, hidden under his heavy, deep maroon armor trimmed in murky rose. The thick, baggy sleeves of the ashen-plum tunic worn underneath ruffled slightly in the cool sea breeze as two strong, pale hands gripped the railing tightly. A gentle gust of wind carried the crisp scent of saltwater up towards the young man's nostrils. He breathed it in deeply and closed his golden eyes. No matter how things were, morning had always been his favorite time of day. It was his time to relax, to meditate, and to gather strength for the long, upcoming hours. He tried to calm his tumultuous thoughts as he fixed his gaze on the middle distance, but stiffened almost imperceptibly when he heard approaching footsteps.
"Ah, you have been up all night?" remarked a gruff but kindly voice.
"Uncle," came the terse greeting, directed towards the sea.
"It is very early. You should still be resting," the voice pressed, worry seeping into its tone.
The young man furrowed his brows and clenched the railing even more tightly. "I rise with the sun. Nothing has changed."
"Nephew, this is not healthy," replied the older man, concerned. "How can you rise when you have not even slept?"
The youth turned to his uncle and scowled. "I'm fine," he stubbornly shot back. "I'm not tired."
The retired general sighed and tried one last time. "Well, you seem very tense. How about a nice cup of jasmine tea to calm your nerves?" As much as he knew how his hardheaded nephew loved and respected him, he expected the usual adamant retort.
"I said I'm fine!" the young man shouted, then dropped his voice and muttered through gritted teeth, "And I'm not tense, either." The elderly uncle sighed again at this and absentmindedly began stroking his neat gray beard. He would give the boy some more time by himself before they met dry land again.
"I will be in the usual room if you change your mind," said the old man, softly pattering away. He stole one last worried glance at his nephew before disappearing below deck.
Once again alone, the teen turned his face back towards the sky. He let out a low, frustrated growl as he slammed his hands down onto the railing and resisted the urge to scream. He was inexplicably troubled and reached up to rub his good eye. What's wrong with me… His thoughts swirled through his mind too quickly for him to grasp any of it. Mornings are my favorite time of day, no matter what, hm? he thought grimly. The crisp breeze picked up again, playing with his ebony ponytail.
The sun climbed higher, its bright, auric rays now reaching the farthest corners of his vision, bathing the world in light as if purging the lands and seas of every shadowy evil. And the sky was transformed. It was a lovely sight. He found himself staring, mesmerized by the cloudless azure expanse before him, almost seamless against the cerulean waters. "It's so blue…so blue…such a beautiful color," he whispered, unable to tear his eyes away.
Rejuvenating…clean…gentle…pure… The opposite of his element.
And all of a sudden, as his unblinking gaze grew hazy and lost focus, everything turned red.
The young man laughed softly to himself at the unexpected change. Red. How nice. The color of fire, of firebenders, of the Fire Nation. Everything was cast in red there, every single shade of red imaginable. The monotonous palette did not detract from its beauty, in fact, it somehow added to its allure. It was his home.
He was going home because he had captured the Avatar.
Yes, he had captured that elusive and extremely powerful young monk, and his group of friends as well, insignificant as they were. He held each one prisoner on his ship, even that giant, six-legged bison and that weird, twittering lemur. And that was it. His mission was over. He was going home, back to his family, back to his people. He was going back to his father. He was going to earn back his place, his honor, and…his father's love…all in exchange for the Avatar Aang, the last airbender. It wasn't a bad exchange…
He was Prince Zuko, son of the Fire Nation, heir to the throne…
And out of nowhere came a haunting voice that whispered maliciously into his ear:
Fire Lord Ozai does not forgive that easily…
Zuko gasped and clamped his eyes shut, shaking his head furiously. When he opened his eyes again, his vision had returned to normal, the voice gone. He sighed, relieved that the brief yet disturbing ordeal was over and released his death grip on the ship's railing. The sun warmed his back; the sea rocked him gently; the sky was a bright, clear blue. Yes, everything was going to return to normal now…
Then why do I feel like something's wrong…?
Sokka grunted as he slammed his shoulder into the door of his small cell for the thousandth time. "Darn it!" the young warrior yelled, as furious and energetic as he was five hours ago when he had first been thrown into his metal prison. "Let us out! Let us out!" He scrambled to the back of the tiny enclosure and proceeded to try again. Any second now, the steel bars blocking his escape would give way to his brute force, in which case he would take down the burly Fire Nation guard, reclaim his confiscated boomerangs, and, stealing the key and freeing his friends and his sister, they would find Appa and Momo and fly away as if nothing had happened…
"Agh!" Toph let out a bloodcurdling scream that betrayed her tiny stature. "Snoozles! Shut up! You've been giving me the biggest headache since we got here, what with your stupid shouting and ridiculous weakling attempts at escape! I wouldn't be surprised if your side's all bruised up now! That would serve you right!" The infamous earthbending champion slumped against the wall and sat down, bringing a hand up to her face and muttering silent frustrations. Her superior skills had absolutely no effect here on a ship in the middle of an ocean.
"Pipe down, little girl," said the guard tiredly, massaging his ringing ears.
"Oh, sure! You yell at me when I say one little thing, but you allow that pathetic excuse of a warrior yell and ram into his cell door like a maniac for five freaking hours? He's an idiot!"
"…How in the world did I get stuck with this job?" the guard muttered, mostly to himself. "That prince…I'm in no mood for this…"
"Gah…" came Sokka's half-hearted cry of defeat. "I'm in no mood for you, Toph. We're all hungry and tired and angry…and hungry…" He crumpled to the hard metal floor and lay down on his stomach, spread-eagle. There was just enough room for him to stretch out his arms and legs. Sokka turned to look at his sister in the adjoining cell, resting his head and yelping when the cold floor came in contact with his cheek. His stomach gurgled audibly, a sound that penetrated the morose atmosphere of the spiritless room, dimly lit with the shifting flames of wall-torches. "Katara," he whined, "the floor's cold, and I'm hungry…"
"Idiot," repeated Toph.
Katara opened her eyes blearily and glanced at her older brother out of the corner of her eye. He was already falling asleep, his mouth ajar and his face squashed on one side. She sighed. Sokka had been running on adrenaline and rage for the past few hours and he must've finally burnt out. She was tired as well. She wasn't one to give up without a fight; during the first hour or two of their capture, she had been fighting as passionately as Sokka, trying anything she could to escape. But the fact of the matter was that she had no water to bend. Zuko must've given his crew a heads-up, she thought bitterly. The group hadn't even been offered a single cup of water to quench their thirst. She had tried her hardest to connect to her element, to feel its push and pull, lapping up against the sides of the steel vessel…but no matter how much she strained, it was futile; it would've taken a ridiculous amount of strength to even rock such a large ship slightly. Katara rubbed her eyes and coughed. Forget about waterbending: she was parched, and she was sure her friends needed something to drink too.
I wonder how Aang is feeling…
She looked over at the young boy curled up on the floor, his back pressed against the metal bars. Katara hugged her knees as guilt built up in her chest and clenched her heart. I can't believe we've failed, she thought, tears threatening to spring up in her eyes, We could've done more…
No! She mentally chastised herself. She couldn't afford to think that way. She wasn't some helpless damsel in distress waiting for some master bender to whisk her away…her reality was here, trapped on Zuko's ship and bound for the Fire Nation. Here with her brother, with Toph. Here with the Avatar, Aang…
Scooting over to where he lay, she reached through the bars and placed a hand on the boy's thin shoulder. "Hey, Aang?" she said softly. To her surprise, he sat up straight, causing her to jump back a little.
"Hi, Katara," Aang greeted the older girl with a small grin on his face.
She smiled back at her young friend and his brave expression. Sure, he was the Avatar and the most powerful bender alive…but he was still only twelve years old. And okay, maybe she was babying him a little, but above being a friend and a sister she found that she loved filling the role of the mother he never knew. The maternal side of her took over as she searched his wide gray eyes for any sign of fear or doubt, mentally preparing words of comfort to quell any such feelings.
She was startled to find none.
"Oh, um…it's going to be okay, you know," she said, more to reassure herself than anything.
The boy widened his grin and scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I'm fine, though. Really!"
Katara slowly shook her head from side to side and looked at him quizzically. Is something wrong? Is he really okay? She wondered if he was simply putting on a courageous façade, but he seemed genuine. Katara had never found him dishonest or secretive. And he still wore his heart on his sleeve with a childish innocence.
"Well then, what are we going to do?" she finally said.
"Yeah," quipped Toph sarcastically from across the two benders, "do you have some big escape plan for when this ship docks at a Fire Nation port and tosses us into the Fire Lord's warm, welcoming arms?"
Aang's expression grew thoughtful and he frowned, his lower lip sticking out a little. "No plans…but I don't know…something isn't right…"
"Oh, very good, Twinkle Toes!" Toph remarked dryly, rolling her sightless eyes.
"No, it's just that…well, do you think we should be panicking right now?"
"You mean running around like headless chicken pigs and screaming at the top of our lungs? I was just waiting for you to start."
Aang furrowed his brows at the young earthbender. "Someone's not a very happy camper," he said with just the faintest tinge of hurt in his voice.
"All right, sorry, Twinkle Toes," Toph grumbled and heaved a sigh. "But if you'd just use your eyes and look around, you'd see this isn't exactly the nicest place to camp."
"Toph, okay," said Katara. She understood that wherever there was a lack of good, solid earth beneath the girl's feet, she would become either frightened and insecure…or defensively caustic. "But Aang, what did you mean?"
"I…I'm getting the feeling that maybe things aren't really so bad right now. It definitely could be worse, right?"
"Aang, what's up with you?" replied an exasperated Toph. "If you've forgotten, we've been captured by the crazy, obsessed, firebending prince who's been tracking you for months! I haven't even been with you guys for that long, and I'm already tired of this!"
Katara frowned at the boy, a bit confused at the sudden change of mood brought about by his incongruous optimism. "I was surprised, though, that you weren't fighting to escape like Sokka and I were before, Aang. You seemed so down, like you'd given up or something." She laughed quietly. "And here I was thinking maybe, if we were working together, we'd have the chance to get out of here; that guard didn't look like he was doing much, anyway—"
"Hey," growled the aforementioned guard, "I can hear everything you're saying over there, you know." He straightened his slouching shoulders and glared at the group, trying to look menacing and totally not bored. "And I'm doing my job! Don't think I haven't got my eyes on you prisoners! That water rat's pathetic attempts were a joke, but don't you guys dare try any funny bending business!" His large hands glowed momentarily with bright orange flames of warning.
Toph snickered. "I'll make sure Snoozles the 'water rat' knows."
"—And," continued Katara, "the thought crossed my mind…" Here, she lowered her voice and eyes, two brown locks of hair falling over her partially hidden face. "…The though that…we could escape easily if Aang used his powers in the avatar state…"
Her companions fell quiet and the conversation lapsed quickly into uncomfortable silence. And here it is again…that weird atmosphere… Katara bit her lip nervously and immediately regretted bringing up what she had known was a foolish idea, fleeting as it might have been.
Several long seconds later, Aang finally let out a hesitant laugh that pierced the thickened air. "I'm sure all of us know that wouldn't be good," he exclaimed, keeping his tone cheerful. "I don't want to get that powerful if it means I'll get all glowy and berserk. Or if I'll hurt my friends by accident." The young monk broke into a sheepish grin.
"Yeah, glowy and berserk would definitely not be good," agreed Toph with a small chuckle. She turned serious. "But Aang, okay really, what's going on?"
Aang shrugged and glanced between the two girls. "All I'm trying to say is that…I don't feel like we're really in danger here. I just don't."
Katara raised a skeptical eyebrow but nodded. The entire situation was awfully strange, but she wanted to show her support for her friend. Toph snorted and gave a casual, apathetic toss of her shoulders.
Leaning back against the wall, Katara sighed. "So…I wonder what's going to happen when the ship docks and we're marched to our impending doom?"
"Thrown into the dungeons, no doubt," came Toph's flat, automatic reply. "Though I do hope it's made out of earth and stone," she added with a sneer.
"Guys," Aang huffed, waving his arms around wildly, "didn't we just talk about this?"
"Well, you said we might not be in danger here," Katara pointed out. "And okay, since we haven't been chained up or separated—"
"Or burnt to a crisp," Toph interjected.
"—I agree that Zuko's actually been treating us relatively well—"
"Even after all those times he's tried to fry us."
"—But who knows how they'll treat us once we step off this ship? Who knows what's going to happen to us?"
Aang's shoulders drooped as the corners of his mouth curved downwards. "Zuko's not the bad one…but I guess that means there's someone else who is."
Toph grunted and let herself fall backwards onto the floor as she cushioned her head with folded arms. Unruly black bangs flopped over her forehead, obscuring her pearly sage eyes. "I'm still not too sure about Prince Ponytail. We have no reason to trust him. You think he wouldn't try to hurt us? He's a firebender, our enemy. And just look at exactly what firebenders have been doing to our nations. You really think he's above torturing and using us for whatever sick Fire Nation scheme he has in mind?"
"…Uh huh." Aang stared back at her levelly from between shafts of steel, nodding vehemently, eyes clear with affirmation. "I know he's not really out to destroy anyone. I can't sense any evil in him. He's doing this for another reason…one we don't know and might not understand. He's not trying to be mean. We've got to give him a chance."
"…Oh, I give up." Toph rolled over onto her stomach and slammed her small palm into the wall. "You're crazy, Twinkle Toes." She chuckled humorlessly.
"All right, don't worry about it, Aang," Katara insisted. "No matter what happens, we'll be okay if we stick together." She offered a bright smile of encouragement. It's all about the positive…just stay positive…
A tiny, muffled snort came from Toph's side of the room.
"You, be quiet," said Katara, an evidently teasing tone canceling out her commanding words.
Toph burst into subdued laughter. "And of course, we had to leave it to you, Sugar Queen, to bring up the 'happy teamwork' philosophy!"
"Well, I'm not about to just sit around and mope! Being positive and working as a team just so happen to be extremely important in tough situations," Katara shot back lightly.
"Oh yeah? Then what were you doing just before, when Snoozles was still awake? Uh huh, you were just sitting there doing nothing, all sad and hopeless and pathetic." Toph flashed the older girl a sly grin.
"I was just tired! And besides, I—" The waterbender's playful retort was cut off by the sound of approaching footfalls. They increased steadily in volume, echoing heavily as they descended the steps to the deepest part of the ship's hull, where the cells were located.
The trio froze and looked cautiously at each other. For the long hours since their capture, that one guard had been the only other soul in the vicinity. Have we already arrived? But the ship's still moving… Their gazes slid grimly over to the door where the guard was jumping to attention and straightening himself out. The burly firebender shot the group a quick glare before turning to slide open a little window that stood at eye-level in the thick metal door, then snapped a quick salute and a smart "sir" when he saw the visitor's face. As the two conversed in hushed, stern tones, Aang and Katara strained to see who it was, but the guard's broad form and large spiked helmet blocked their line of vision.
"Hey, guys…" Toph hissed cautiously. "I thought the footsteps sounded familiar. But with that voice…this has got to be someone we've met briefly before…"
Katara and Aang whipped around in alarm. Blue eyes widened apprehensively, and the Water Tribe girl could already feel herself becoming defensive. "What? Are you talking about Zuko?"
Toph frowned in concentration. "No, definitely not him—"
"Hello, young benders!" exclaimed a deep, amiable voice. A comfortably stout figure entered the room, his smiling face appearing in the flickering torchlight.
"The Dragon of the West…" Katara declared in astonished recognition.
The old man laughed jovially. "I am just an old retired general. My name is Iroh, and I am Prince Zuko's uncle."
"…Uncle?" chorused Toph and Katara.
"Hi. I'm Aang," the young monk responded with a toothy grin.
"Ah, yes. The Avatar." Iroh inclined his head slightly at the boy's arrow-shaped tattoos. "I know." He gave the group a warm, rueful smile. "I am very sorry we could not provide better accommodations, but my hot-headed nephew would not hear of it. I apologize for his rude and stubborn behavior." He heaved a sigh, eyes crinkling pleasantly as he smiled again. "And even after I told him it wouldn't be proper, especially, for two young ladies to be locked away in this horrible place!"
Katara smiled gingerly, unsure of what to make of this enthusiastic, grandfatherly man. "Um…"
"Wait just a minute!" Katara nearly jumped at Toph's outburst as the earthbending girl leapt to her feet and jabbed an accusatory finger in Iroh's general direction. "Now I remember you!" Toph's pale eyes narrowed into resentful slits. "You're that Fire Nation general who held siege on Ba Sing Se several years ago!"
Iroh turned slowly towards the girl. "Yes, I am. And I am extremely sorry for what I did. I was…a different man then…" Something dark flashed in his eyes, as if a painful memory had resurfaced, unbidden. He blinked once, momentarily lost in subconciousness, his eyebrows knotted together. When he spoke again, his gravelly voice was somber. "You are from the Earth Kingdom, young miss, judging by your clothing? And an earthbender, yes?"
Toph turned away and crossed her arms. "My name is Toph. Toph Bei Fong. Even though my family doesn't live in the capital, we have many relatives, friends, and acquaintances who do. I've heard about what you did for six hundred days! And I wonder if you know what kind of suffering you caused. I might've just been a little kid then, and I know the adults thought I couldn't hear, much less understand the whispers they kept exchanging." She snorted. "I'm blind, not deaf. I did hear. And I did understand. Fire Nation soldiers surrounding the city, fire everywhere, families afraid to step out into the street…"
"Toph…" came Aang's timid voice.
"And the lives you stole!" the earth girl spat lowly. "Do you know just how many people died in that attack?"
Iroh froze and looked at the floor, blanching slightly. It became deathly quiet, the groaning of the ship audible through the silence of the room. Aang glanced uncomfortably at Katara, who looked as uneasy as he felt. She stared back as if to say, I don't like where this is going… His gaze then slid over to Toph, who stood unmovingly, facing the wall.
"I—I have become a changed man," Iroh said softly after several moments. "Many things have happened since then…some of which I wish had not happened." He choked a little on these words, but then cleared his throat and continued. "I no longer wish for war, and I have given up my position. We once thought it was a noble thing to do, to fight for the proud and glorious Fire Nation. We loved our homeland, and we still do. But now I realize…that only one innocent death would have been enough to shatter any illusions of this being a 'noble war.' And now…now so many more are gone…" Iroh's voice faded into a distressed whisper.
Toph turned back around. Her eyebrows were still furrowed and she still felt tense, but her curiosity was getting the best of her. That old man…he sounds so sad…I wonder what happened…
"Uh," managed Aang, eager to break the melancholy mood. "We're sorry for bringing that up. I'm sure you are a good person. You look kind." The boy smiled.
"Yes," added Katara, picking up on Aang's lead. "Besides, you'd have to be a good person to put up with Zuko all the time."
Iroh chuckled. They really were a rather nice group of kids. "Prince Zuko has a bad temper and is sometimes awkward when around other people, but inside, he has a good heart," noted Iroh with an affectionate smile.
Katara just smiled politely and said nothing.
"Ah…I'm sorry for that." Iroh cleared his throat again. "I almost forgot what I came down here for!" he exclaimed. "Tonight is Music Night! It is a time to relax, to sing and to dance around a warm fire with friends during a long hard journey at sea. I would like all of you to join us!"
"Sounds fun!" Aang whooped, quickly warming to the idea. "But…is it really okay for us to go?" He frowned slightly and tilted his head. "Even though we're prisoners?"
"It is fine," Iroh replied with a laugh, "I will make sure of it. The more, the merrier! I have ordered the crew to be courteous to you and your friends, our guests. Don't worry, I will make sure there are no problems." The former general waggled his finger in a playful warning, his mouth forming a teasing smile. "Trouble will only come if you try to escape!" He chuckled good-naturedly.
Nervous laughter came from the airbender and waterbender standing by their cell doors. They looked at each other, disconcerted by this strange man from the Fire Nation, unsure of what to say.
"Well? Will you come?" Iroh pressed when he saw their hesitation. His voice dropped. "Protocol…or more like practiced tradition…requires you to be shackled while in transport. As in, bringing your four up to the deck. But, I assure you, I will personally see to it that your chains are removed. I will unlock them myself, if I must. However…I must ask and be sure that you two, the young waterbender and the Avatar here, do not attempt anything with the ocean so close by. You know…it will be, unfortunately, the last Music Night we will be having on this ship…and probably the last chance for all of us here to be joyful and carefree, enjoying one another's company…"
Katara raised her eyebrows in a confused inquiry. But…the elderly man sounded sad, almost fearful. What? But…why? And of whom…
Before she could think on it further, Iroh was speaking again, his tone seesawing back to one of paternal warmness. "And another thing! Again, I am very sorry. I should have come to check on you four earlier. The morning grows old; you must be very hungry. I will send some food down soon."
"Hnngrr…" A groan came from within the cell nearest to the doorway where Iroh stood. The drowsy Water Tribe boy sat up slowly, swiping at his face and rubbing the sleepiness from his crusty eyes. He yawned loudly and stretched. "Mmm…that was nice. Is it time for breakfast yet?"
"Rise and shine, Sokka," answered Katara, making a face. "It figures you'd wake up at the sound of the word 'food.' Glad you had a refreshing little nap."
"Iroh's going to bring us breakfast," Aang added cheerfully.
"Oh." Sokka stared blankly at the vaguely familiar Fire Nation man, who had lifted a hand in greeting. "Okay."
"Well then," said Iroh, folding his hands over his belly in a formal manner. "I will be back soon with some noodles and hot tea. We have an excellent cook, and it is a perfect morning for sharing a good pot of relaxing oolong!" He paused briefly, then lowered his voice. "Remember…I am aware of what you waterbenders can do. Please…" Katara looked up in surprise as the old man's strong voice took on the slightest hint of desperation. "You would not consider using my tea to escape?"
In any other circumstance, the young Water Tribe girl would have found that funny, maybe even laughed aloud. But this man was serious…he was almost pleading…and Katara was shocked into speechlessness.
"For my nephew's sake," he was continuing, "again, I really need to ask you this. It would be best for everyone, and I promise you will not be harmed…"
Katara felt a tiny twisting of sadness in her chest at his grave expression. This was pretty ridiculous. Her mind kept shouting "enemy!" but her heart was quickly rejecting it more and more. And she had been considering that chance of escape as soon as he mentioned the ocean, before he even mentioned the tea…but it was almost scaring her, the rate at which she was pushing aside those thoughts. There was something so captivating, so solemn, so genuine about this Uncle Iroh…
"Don't worry," said Aang, wholly serious. "We won't."
Katara looked at her friend. This didn't surprise her. It only confirmed what she had been slowly learning over the past several minutes. The threat wasn't here. Aang wasn't thinking of escaping this floating prison of steel, with airbending, ocean water, or tea…so she wouldn't, either. She cast a sidelong glance at her older brother. Surely he had something to say about this? But the young warrior had curled back onto the floor, apparently still mostly asleep. Toph remained silent.
No more was said on this matter. Iroh turned to leave with a pleasant smile and the guard scurried to close the door securely after him.
"Oh, wait!" The ex-general paused and turned back around at the young Avatar's outburst.
"Hm? What is it?"
"Uh, I need to know," asserted Aang, his eyes wide with concern. His hands were clenched into tight fists at his sides. "Are Appa and Momo okay? Where are you keeping them?" He wrinkled his brows, distress written clearly all over his boyish face.
"Ah, the giant bison and the little lemur? Don't worry; they are fine. They have been handled and are behaving very well. I believe the two of them are still sleeping."
"…Handled?" Aang's voice became slightly frantic. "Are they hurt? Did anyone hurt them?"
Iroh shook his head. "No, no. They have not been injured…although we did have to tie them up. We couldn't have them flying away now, could we?" He bowed his gray head in apology. "Your bison was chained down to the deck of the ship. But surprisingly, it did not put up much of a fight. That is fortunate because, if it had resisted, I am afraid Prince Zuko would have ordered the crew to use more force. In any event, the bison is unhurt."
Aang frowned and looked at the floor. "Appa doesn't like to be tied or chained. And the only reason he's not trying to escape is because he's very tired from flying so much yesterday…"
"Mm." Iroh nodded. "As for the other one—Momo, was it? We put him in a cage, but he has room to move around. I think he is comfortable."
"Momo doesn't like cages. He likes to run around and fly around and sit on my shoulders or my head…"
"Aang, it's all right. I'm sure Appa and Momo are both fine…" Katara said in a soft voice.
"Here, how about this?" Iroh proposed, sensing the boy's persisting doubt. "I will check up on them myself, and in the meantime, I will be sure to bring them some food, too. Do they like fruits and green vegetables?"
Aang nodded mutely.
"All right. We have plenty for both of them. We found a great deal on peaches and cabbages at the last town market we stopped at." Iroh chuckled. "And you can see Appa and Momo later today, during Music Night!"
The young monk faltered, but finally let out a hesitant "okay."
"Good." Iroh dipped his head towards each of the four cohorts. "Avatar Aang. Miss Bei Fong." He paused at the Water Tribe girl. "Miss…"
"Katara," she finished.
"Miss Katara. And…?"
"That's just my brother, Sokka," Katara offered, rolling her eyes at his dazed expression. "Don't mind him."
Iroh smiled, laughter in his eyes. "Sokka. All right. I will return soon. Please excuse me." The old general left and padded up the stairs, heading for the deck.
As the footsteps faded away, Katara sat back down and leaned against her cell door, letting out a short breath. That small exchange had left her with a number of mixed thoughts and emotions. And those would take some time to sort out… "Well…that was interesting. Zuko's uncle, huh. I guess…he seemed like a nice person, though," she said, absentmindedly playing with strands of her loose hair.
Aang nodded in agreement. "He is a nice person. I can tell. What do you think, Toph?"
The earthbender grunted. "I'm not sure exactly what to think. How 'bout you, Snoozles?"
Sokka blinked confusedly at his younger companions.
"Uh…I didn't sleep that long…did I?"
In Zuko's eyes, sunrise was the most beautiful time of the day. Its only rival was sunset.
As the day drew to a close, the Fire Nation prince found himself once again standing on the deck of the vessel that had been his home for over two years, staring into the sky. The fair cerulean of the afternoon was giving way to deep, milky indigo that spread slowly like delicate strokes of watercolor. The setting sun shone an radiant, fiery orange, its warm rays of farewell kissing the scarred face of the young firebender.
A familiar presence appeared his side. Zuko nodded towards the western sky as slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Look, Uncle. One more night of sailing and we'll be home. Finally, after all that time. Can you believe it?"
Iroh folded his hands behind his back and looked up at his nephew. He sounds so happy, so hopeful… he thought sadly. How long has it been since he's had that kind of hope? There have been instances where he has found things to motivate him, such as receiving new information about the Avatar's whereabouts…but that was more about determination, intensity, need…than the realization of the dream, he's secretly held for all of his young life…
The old general sighed heavily and managed a smile. "Yes, Prince Zuko. It is good to be going home."
Zuko looked down at the water. It sparkled brilliantly with what appeared to be flecks of gold, like bright embellishments for the greenish-black waves that bobbled continuously up and down. Where the streaming orange sunlight touched the surface of the sea, the light bounced back in silvery splendor, reflecting an ethereal glow of glassy white.
"Uncle…I really can't help but wonder…what changes there might've been since we've been away? And how father and Azula are doing…or if things are all the same…and if they've changed my room…and if the turtle ducks still live in the courtyard pond and if the ducklings grew up well…" The teen's deep voice faded away in thought, unvoiced questions still hanging in the air between the prince and his uncle.
Iroh placed a gentle hand on his nephew's shoulder. "We will be finding out soon enough, hm?" The elderly firebender forced a reassuring smile.
And if only things would turn out that easy…
Zuko did not reply, but simply returned the smile. His was a genuine one.
Just one more night…
A peaceful silence fell over the banished pair. They watched as the sun continued its slow descent in the darkening sky, the fiery orb startlingly bright against the cloud-brushed heavens, flushed in hues of blue and pink and purple. The minutes passed by slowly, every moment a quiet wave of tranquility in its most perfect form. And the sun dipped even lower, every shadow lengthening and stretching into ever larger patches of isolated darkness, bounded on three sides by warmly colored light.
And how many more peaceful moments like this will Agni grant us?
Zuko placed a calloused hand tentatively over his rough, pinkish scar. It was his constant reminder of his most recent memory, his most painful memory of the world before his exile, a corporal manifestation and graphic illustration of the nightmare he's had no less than three hundred times. And it was not just a nightmare, but his reality. He could never forget that, nor escape his past.
But now, it was becoming a simpler part of him, perhaps "nothing more" than an extension of his internal scar. Something that didn't eat away at him anymore, that no longer stole away his every waking moment. He wasn't as self-conscious about it, either. The physical wound had scabbed over and healed itself the best it could, and his body had autonomously tried to mend what it could. Although his mind and heart were a slightly different matter, time had undoubtedly been doing its job. He hoped his deeper wound was well on its way to healing, too…
Things will be better from today on…they have to be…
Zuko did not know how many more minutes had passed before his uncle's grisly yet soft voice pulled him out of his subconscious reverie.
"Huh? Did you say something?" His uncle was muttering quietly; whether it was to himself or not, Zuko did not know.
"Oh, nothing. I was just saying how it's almost time." Iroh smiled.
"Almost time? Almost time for what?"
"Almost time for everyone to start coming up for Music Night, of course!"
"…What did you just say?"
Zuko was fully alert now. His uncle wanted to have Music Night? Tonight? No, no way. His uncle was crazy. They were less than twelve hours from home. Home. His uncle knew that, right? Yes, of course he did. They had just been talking about this before. Zuko had only allowed Music Night the first time it was suggested because his uncle had said that the crew needed something fun every once in a while, to lift their spirits. And, wordlessly, Zuko kept allowing the occasional night of relatively low-key revelry from then on because everyone seemed to be in a better mood and ended up being much easier to deal with after some song and drink…
"—And, everyone will be coming up to set up the instruments and bonfire soon," Iroh finished.
"Uh, no—no," Zuko sputtered, taken aback by the sudden announcement. "We can't have Music Night. Uncle, we are so close." His anger flared suddenly. "Everyone should be doing their duties and manning their stations. We should be focused on bringing this ship in at full speed. We don't have time for fun and games now. All of us will have plenty of time for relaxing once we're home!"
Iroh turned away ad look up at the hazy, creamy sky. It was beautiful out, and they were at the threshold of the perfect night, one that alluded to the perfect morning.
"But you know that's not true," he whispered. Zuko did not hear him.
"Excuse me, General Iroh." A young Fire Nation soldier approached the railing. He dropped his head respectfully towards the elderly firebender and the brooding prince, who continued to stare into the distance.
Iroh smiled in greeting. "Tetsu. How are the preparations going?"
"Everything is in order." Tetsu gave a short nod and gestured towards the door that lead into the steel belly of the ship. "The instruments, the crew, and the prisoners should be arriving soon."
"Ah, wonderf—"
"WHAT?" snarled Zuko, whipping around abruptly. "Prisoners? That's—"
"Perfect!" Iroh cut off his nephew, whose previously pleasant, almost wistful mood was quickly and visibly evaporating. He could feel the heat of Zuko's temper burning into the back of his head. Tetsu shifted from one foot to the other, quickly glancing down at the metal floor. The former general sensed his discomfort and almost felt sorry for the relatively new, youngest member of the crew. Poor boy…he still hasn't gotten used to Zuko's unfortunate dispositions.
"I won't have it," growled the teenaged prince, angrily flinging out his arm and leaving a trail of flames in its wake. "I'm in charge of things here, and I never gave anyone permission to let our prisoners out of their cells! Do you know who you're going to be dealing with? And besides, I—I never even agreed to Music Night!"
"Prince Zuko…" Iroh shook his head slowly. "I know why you are distraught, but there is nothing to worry about. I have already spoken to the Avatar and his companions. They gave me their word. They will not try to escape."
"And you trust them, just like that!"
The old firebender looked gravely towards his young nephew as he spoke, his tone level and firm. "Yes, I do. You must know, Prince Zuko, that they are more like you than you think. They are only a group of young people on a mission they were appointed to, trying to make the world better again. Just as you are on mission, seeking to mend that which has been broken." He released a heavy sigh and furrowed his gray brows. "They are not looking to ruin you. There will be no trouble. If you really plan on doing what you intended to, this may very well be the last time they can enjoy themselves. And you know it."
"Uncle—!" Zuko began, seething in a dangerously low and heated voice. But he was interrupted by the familiar scrape and thud of the heavy metal door, creaking at its hinges as the emerging crew pushed it open. Falling into silence, he glared openly at each and every person systematically filing onto the deck of his ship, his gaze finally settling on the things they carried. There's the mandolin…and the flute…and the— he winced —Sungi horn…and some assorted drums…and some materials for the bonfire…and the small firecrackers…
Finally, the sound of loudly jangling chains and the discordant, telltale clamor of metal against metal filled his ears. A pale, bald head appeared, one marked with the distinguishing sky-blue tattoo, followed by that warrior-boy from the Southern Water Tribe and his waterbending sister, and then a young girl from the Earth Kingdom whom he didn't really recognize.
Them.
Zuko glowered at his prisoners through golden eyes flashing with discontent, unconsciously raising the temperature of the air around him by at least ten degrees. The men standing nearby glanced around in alarm, but the Fire Nation prince paid them no heed. With his fists tightly clenched, he was too busy staring scornfully at the group making its slow march across the vessel's deck. Look at me, he mentally spat at them, disdain pulsing through his entire body. I dare one of you to just look over here…
Several heartbeats later, one of them did. It wasn't Aang, who kept his gaze skyward as he sucked in big, greedy breaths of fresh ocean air. It wasn't Sokka, who kept staring at the floor, dragging his feet along. And it certainly wasn't Toph, who kept her eyes straight forward and nowhere else, a deep scowl plastered onto her face.
It was Katara. It was that wiry little Water Tribe girl who turned her head slowly, purposefully to look in his direction, her bright sapphire eyes locking with his own saffron ones. Her glare, surprisingly cold and piercing, shot through him like a fiery bolt of lightning, stinging tendrils upon his very soul. He found himself mildly shocked at the blazing intensity that mirrored, if not surpassed, his own.
He maintained eye contact, now daring her to look away. A tiny voice pressed into his mind, mockingly stern: Aren't you being a little ridiculous…or even immature…by having this little staring contest with your prisoner, the Water Tribe peasant
I don't care, he grumbled back, his provoked rage still in primarily in control. He wondered vaguely why she had looked at him. She must still be holding some sort of stupid grudge against me from when I tied her to a tree… He smirked at the memory. That was when they evolved from enemies by association to…well, something more. A formidable opponent, perhaps, no longer just posing as the Avatar's backup? A true enemy, even in solitude? Zuko couldn't quite put his finger on it. But it didn't matter; she had to hate him anyway. He shrugged to himself. And rightly so…even our elements are in opposition.
He could see Katara faltering after a few moments, growing increasingly more uncomfortable. He smirked again. For some reason, he seemed to enjoy making her squirm…ah, but he already knew that, back at the pirates incident. He inhaled deeply. Zuko's temper had died down somewhat while he held her gaze…it was very strange how the soothing blue of her distinctive eyes had drawn him into somewhat of a pensive haze…even if it was only thinking about how he disliked her…
…And maybe Uncle was right. Maybe I do need a little rest.
Iroh's warm, throaty voice finally jerked him out of his thoughts, concurrently severing his brief connection to Katara. At the sound of his name, Zuko looked over. His uncle's broad grin greeted him. "Well, it is time to start. Can I ask you to play the Sungi horn?"
The young firebender sighed in frustration and closed his eyes. "No, Uncle. You're already having your Music Night. Just make sure the ship keeps moving somewhat. You know what to do with the Avatar and his companions." He turned towards the door. "I'll be meditating in my room. No disturbances."
"Oh, no, Prince Zuko. You must stay tonight. Almost the whole crew is here; that is a lot more than usual." Iroh walked around the Fire Nation prince so that they were face-to-face, stopping him. The old man's eyes flickered curiously; they were serious, and commanding…yet dashed through with the tiniest gleaming of melancholy. "I think the crew would like to have you around tonight. Things will be very different tomorrow, as you know. One last night, for old time's sake, if anything, Prince Zuko." He paused. "You know it is what you should do."
Zuko snorted derisively. His uncle really was pushing him tonight, and annoyingly so; he had to have a good reason…or a great ulterior motive. Golden eyes closed as he released a deep breath. Fine. I probably wouldn't be able to concentrate on meditating, anyway, came the glum, unbidden thought.
"All right. I'll stay."
His uncle lit up with an enthusiastic smile. "Good. Now help me with this," he insisted, gesturing towards the small pile of wood in the center of the ship's deck. "I think it should be extra big tonight."
The teenaged prince looked away and said nothing. You don't need my help for this… Nevertheless, he got into position next to his uncle, a swirling ball of white-hot fire floating expertly in his left palm. In one fluid, synchronized motion, two jets of bright red flame merged to form a blazing fire, crackling and reaching towards the heavens.
Zuko turned his back on his roaring element and walked over to the ship's railing, his job done. The sound of tuning instruments slowly faded away as he lifted his face into the cool, endless skies. And under the blanket of the young night and the first peeking stars, he closed his eyes and wished, this time, for a vision of blue…
Author's Note: Yeah, I know, confusing and weird. LOL. Just so you know, that first author's note was written way back in September, when I'd first started writing this thing x.x. Obviously, I never got around to the real Zutara-ness… Anyways. I have an idea of what the problems are in regards to both plot and writing quality. But I would REALLY appreciate feedback, both the good and the bad! PLEASE see my profile for important info regarding this fic! If I get reviews that simply say "OMG UPDATE SOON!!1one," or, "OMG U SUK!!1one," I'll know you didn't read the info x.x
But, really, thank you for giving this thing a chance and reading!