Yes, I know that I haven't written anything in over a year. And that this has nothing to do with The Lion King. And that I already posted this to my deviantART. :P

I've just had this idea stuck in my head since the Avatar aired (in the US), and wanted to write this down. It's the story with many themes. The mystery of what happened to a long-lost queen. The strengthening of an already-strong bond between a young man and his uncle. And in the midst of it all, a love story known by few, yet having a lasting effect on the only world these people have known. Enjoy.

Not What They Seem-An Avatar Fanfic

Chapter One

It was late at night, but the world was still bursting with life as the moon shone over a tranquil pond. Near the water's edge, a beautiful bird, which had soft feathers but a hard shell like a turtle's, watched over her young as they slept. One small turtle-duckling, however, chose not to remain by its mother's warm side and swam off towards the other edge. It's mother wasn't concerned as her watchful eyes followed her child...she had seen this for several nights...

The tiny duck swam up to a shadowy figure, sitting in the soft grass. The duckling hopped up on the bank and nestled next to the lone figure, allowing its feathers to be stroked by the stranger's hand. The figure sighed with a hot breath, as he picked up the small bird and laid it in his lap, letting it nap in his silk robes.

The young Fire Lord was just as used to this as the turtle-duck was. Whenever he wasn't busy with the affairs of his country, relaxing with his girlfriend, or out visiting his uncle in the city of Ba Sing Se, he was here, letting his thoughts out as his companion slept on in his lap. It was the only place he felt he could be alone...and the only spot he still felt the connection with his mother.

Day and night, he mulled over his encounter with his father, who he had visited in his prison cell a few weeks before. Good riddance, he thought, whenever he took the time to remember where the former Fire Lord's years of tyranny had gotten him. If it hadn't been for him, life could have been so much different...not only would the world had been a peaceful place, but he also wouldn't have been kept awake with his thoughts...

"What do you want, boy?" the prison-garbed man snarled at the younger man. "I'm sitting here in this hell, and you're outside the bars, looking all noble and sipping tea with the Avatar! What more do you want?"

The robed man glared at the bedraggled one, considering to go up against the man, but preferring to control his temper. After all, he couldn't return to a past life, one that he was more than happy to leave behind...unlike this prisoner.

"You know what I want, Ozai" the young man calmly replied, amazed that he ever called this thing "Father," ever thinking he could be loved by this man. "Just tell me where my mother is. Then I'll leave you alone...it's the most you deserve after all that's happen."

Ozai glared at his "son," feeling equally disgusted to ever referred to the man as that. "I told you before, I don't know. I don't normally associate myself with people that I exile."

"She was your wife, and the father of your potential heirs. Doesn't that make her a little more important?"

The man in the cell rolled his eyes, a look of disgust clearly visible on his face, even in the dim light. "Like she matters to me any more," he muttered. "It was an arranged marriage that got me nothing but two useless children. And yes, I was talking about your bratty sister too." he added, after seeing the look on his son's face. It was probably the first time he had ever called his daughter anything less of a prodigy.

"But she also helped you get to the throne sooner," the Fire Lord reminded him. "Doesn't that count for anything?"

Ozai snorted. "My father would have died within months, anyway. And you should know better than anyone the powers I once had," he said, nodding to the burn covering nearly half of the young man's face. "If it hadn't been for that Airbending brat, I would have been in your place."

The younger man thought of what Ozai had said, and admitted that he did make a good point. Ozai could have easily taken down his father, Azulon, on his own. He had the power, the wit, and enough servants to do it without anyone noticing. It was his own protection and his mother's love that caused her to assist her husband in Ozai's father, Azulon's, murder.

It was at this moment the young man noticed something he hadn't before...

"You banished my mother because she helped murder my grandfather, correct?"

Ozai rolled his eyes again. "Pity your knowledge doesn't match your Firebending skills."

"Let me finish," the Fire lord said coldly. "You had to have a better reason for banishing her than that, you were just as involved in Azulon's murder as she was. What was it?"

Two pairs of eyes glared at each other through the iron bars as the prisoner spoke again. "Perhaps you should ask your dear uncle about that." he snarled. "He appears to be such a more caring person than I. Perhaps he'd be able to put a worthless bastard like you in his place-"

A flame shot through the bars, striking a spot on the cold stone floor inches from where Ozai. The man stared at the smoldering pile of ashes before looking up to glare at his son. The younger man had kneeled to the floor, his hands gripping the bars as he stared at the prisoner through spaces between the bars. His face was held in a tight glare, bursts of steam coming from his nose as he tried to calm down.

"My uncle is more of a man than you'll ever be," he snarled, before getting up to leave. "Don't you ever forget that."

A slight nip on his finger snapped the Fire Lord out of his thoughts. He looked down to see the young turtle-duck, looking upset that his companion had stopped stroking him. The young man continued with their routine, as he looked out into the pond, reflecting the moon and stars.

He had yet to discuss the details of that prison visit with his uncle, preferring to let him enjoy his retirement in peace. He had put up with enough of his nephew's problems over the years, so why throw more worries on him? However, the young man knew he would not be able to rest until he knew where his mother was, and any further circumstances of her disappearance. He laid the duck back in the water, and walked back into the palace.