Author's Note

So! This is a mostly OC (original character) story, but Aang, Katara, and Sokka are part of the storyline and will make an appearance soon enough.

Meet Rozin, little brother of Zuko and Azula. Follow his adventures to the North Pole with a group of talented earthbenders to meet the famous Avatar and his friends.

This story is actually written by a friend of mine, who is awesome. Before you go "OMG PLAGIARISM BETCH" she told me I could post it, I have permission. :) All credit goes to her.

I think it's a really good story, though unfortunately I'm not quite sure of the next events (not many chapters are written yet) I know it has potential!

Hope you like.


"But father, I still don't see what they did wrong." Rozin told his father in the heat of the Fire Nation prison. The harsh sunlight had temporarily blinded Rozin the second he stepped out of the dimly lite palace for the first time in six days.

"They escaped the Boiling Rock, started a prison riot, and handicapped on of my best guardsmen." Ozai paused, thinking about what he said for a moment. "Now I am not so sure they are deserving of that title if they were so easily defeated by simple ruffians such as these prisoners. Even so, their is a crime punishable by death. But my advisors have this insane notion that it might be a good idea to judge on who they are. Their apprence is supposed to change my mind apprently. "

"But they're people too fath-"

"People?" Ozai snorted.

Rozin gritted his teeth. "Maybe if we treated them better- like actually giving them clean water and food, we wouldn't have this problem every other week."

"Rozin, do you know how we keep this Nation strong and powerful?" Ozai asked, turning to his son.

"With generosity and kindness?" Rozin asked hopefully.

Ozai sighed hopelessly. "No. With fear. Fear is the drive that sends our armies forward, conquering vast regions of the globe in the name of your father and your fathers before him."

Rozin gazed at him in a astonishment. If he had any respect left for his father, it had vanished. "But if we tried making an agreement with the other nations maybe-"

"Your majesties," Admiral Zhao said, bowing. Rozin never learned the secret of how Zhao made his black side burns reach the bottom of his strong chin. Or how he could watch thousands of men, women, and children die because his father was a power mad tyrant, and actually start laughing. "The three prisoners are inside this room."

The Admiral twisted a platinum handle and opened a metal door, rusting from the damp air.

Ozai nodded at Zhao and stepped in the warm room, giving his long robe to him. "Hold on to this will you Admiral?"

Zhao glared at his highness with distan and the sort of hate you feared to see. "Of course your magesty." He sneered.

Rozin's brown eyes narrowed. He never trusted Zhao. Something about his black eyes was completely unsettling. Like a rock sinking to the bottom of an ocean stream. Then again, he felt the same way about everybody in his father's court. Even the handmaidens who cleaned his sheets in the morning seemed a little suspicious now and again.

Rozin walked behind his father, carefully avoiding Zhao's death glare. A giant iron cage with steel bars and a rusty key hole stood in the middle of the musty cement room. Immediately, sweat clung to the top of Rozin's brow.

"Where are the prisoners?" Ozai asked. "All I see are children."

At first, Rozin thought his father had lost it. And that scared him a little. With his older brother Zuko hunting down to Avatar somewhere in near the marsh lands, his sister Azula doing who knows what, and his Uncle Iroh was too old to rule over, Rozin was next in line for the throne. More than anything, Rozin just wanted to give the position to someone else. He wasn't anywhere near ready. He just celebrated his fourteenth birthday six days ago.

But when he looked inside the cage, he was just as surprised as his father. These weren't the men with their dull maroon rags bulging against their tatooed covered muscular bodies, ready to stab every one in the room and not lose one night of sleep on it he expected to see glaring at him.

These were children. Teenagers in fact. And all three of had their wrists covered in lead shackles. The two boys may have been a little older than Rozin but they were still younger than sixteen. One of the boys looked up at him with white hair that covered his pleading gray eyes like a curtain. His mouth didn't move, but he could feel the boy searching through his soul, looking for any kind of pity that the boy would find a surplus of. A knot tied in Rozin's stomach. Something was very wrong.

"These are the prisoners my King." A guard said behind his skull mask, pointing the boy. "They were found on a raft floating a few hundred meters from the Boiling Rock."

Ozai laughed good naturedly. Rozin hadn't heard that in a while. Ever since his mother supposedly died, he never laughed, smiled, or took him or his siblings to Ember Island like they used to.

"Very funny. But as you may know Admiral, I am not a man to be made a fool of. Now where are the real fellons?"

Zhao gulped. Never had Rozin seen him so nervous. He always had a smug grin on his face like he accomplished something so big, he couldn't tell you what it was."Your excellency, these are the convicts."

Ozai's eyes darkened. "These juviniles broke out of the most secure prison in the Fire Nation?"

Zhao glanced around nervously and looked at white haired boy. "Announce your name to the king, boy."

The white haired boy stared up at the Fire Lord with his brilliant gray eyes and grimaced. "Zakuro, your highness."

Ozai raised a black eyebrow. "Hm. Tell me Zakuro," He said his name like an insult. "How did you escape the Boiling Rock?"

Zakuro looked down to the ground.

Rozin sighed wih relief. He wouldn't die for the time being if he just stayed quiet.

"Hmph." Ozai grunted. He turned to the boy next to him. Even behind his black hair, Rozin could still see the boy glaring at him with his red eyes, like it was Rozin's fault he was stuck in there, probably never going to get out again. If he didn't look like he was going to wring Rozin's neck, he would actually feel bad for him. "What about you, son?"

He looked up at the Fire Lord with disgust. "Bite me." he growled.

"Fai," the girl next to him warned. Like Zakuro, she glanced up at Rozin, looking for some sort of pity. "don't."

"Smart girl." Ozai praised sarcastically. His dark eyes lowered down to her. "What's your name dear?"

"Airen."

Her voice sent a jolt down Rozin's spine. There was something about the way her blue eyes twinkled in the light of the torches on the gray walls, and the way her pale skin glowed with a beautiful ghostly radiance, that made his heart beat so loudly he was almost positive everyone in the room could hear it.

"Airen, do you want to tell me how you escaped the Boiling Rock?"

She glanced at Rozin one more time and bit her perfect pink lips. "I- uh, we um, might've-"

"Your magesty," Admiral Zhao interrupted. "we don't have a lot of time left. General Houndo has informed meof a meeting about the conquer of Ba Sing Se. The other officials are waiting on you. Shall we have the criminals asassinated?"

Rozin knew his father. Sure, he could be cold hearted, selfish, miserly, let his temper get the best of him, unmerciful, but then again- who wasn't at some point? When it came to children like Zakuro, Fai, and Airen, there was no way he could just let a guy like Zhao kill these innocent kids- right?

Ozai glanced at the three kids and sneered. " Do with them what you wish, Admiral."

Rozin's brown eyes widened. "No!"

Everyone turned to face him, with surprised faces. Even Fai's expression softened a little. Mainly because a guard had pushed the butt of his spear in his back. Rozin turned a deeper shade of red than his hair. "I mean, father, we already have so many people in line to be executed, what with your glorious conquer of Hangtu, why add more people to the list?"

Ozai smiled at his son, almost like he was proud of him. "Good thinking Rozin. What did you have in mind?"

He started fumbiling with his fingers. He didn't think he'd get this far. "We could always use a few more servents around the castle."

Ozai's eyes lite up. "Brilliant! Zhao, release the prisoners. Send them to the palace when they are cleaned and ready for service."

Ozai opened the door and slammed it in Zhao's surprised face.

Zhao glared at the kids in the cages. "I should kill all of you." he growled. Rozin thought he'd actually do it, but he just opened the rusty door, left in a huff, leaving the prisoners and Rozin alone, staring at each other in silence.

Fai was the first to speak. "Why did you help us?" He still glared at Rozin, but not as cadaverous. That made Rozin's insides feel all tingly. Sort of.

"Fai, don't be rude." Zakuro scolded. His gray eye bore on to Rozin kindly.

"We were all thinking it." Fai reminded him.

"Doesn't mean you have to say out loud." Airen muttered. Her pained expression gave Rozin a migrain.

Fai glowered at her.

Rozin shrugged helplessly. "I'm not a fan of seeing innocent people dying without a reason."

"But your dad is the Fire Lord, doesn't he like live for that kind of thing?" Fai asked.

Rozin grabbed the key from the key hook on the other side of the room, and unlocked the cage. "He does." He unlatched their hand cuffs. "But I don't."

They all stood up slowly. It made Rozin wonder how long they'd been in that cage.

"Well for whatever your reasons are, thank you. " Zakuro said, rubbing his red wrist."Allow me to introduce ourselves. I'm Zakuro, this is my sister Airen, and our friend Fai. We used to live in Omashu before... unforeseen circumstances occurred."

"I'm Rozin. Now come on, my father will be waiting at the palace."

The three stood in the same place, saying nothing, staring at the ground nervously. Well, Airen and Zakuro did. Fai rolled his eyes and picked at his fingernails.

Rozin frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Rozin, we're happy that you helped us get free and all, but we can't stay here." Airen said. "We were captured while we were on our way North. Apparently, it's unlawful to call the general of the Fire Nation an idiotic brainwashed zombie."

Fai stifled a laugh.

"Anyway, we were planning to go the Northern water tribe to meet with the Ava-" Airen quieted herself before she finished her sentence.

"But," Zakuro interrupted. "we are forever in your debt, your highness."

Rozin blushed. "The names aren't necessary."

" If there's anything we could do for you, just say the word." Zakuro continued. "Right guys?"

Airen smiled and nodded. "Of course."

Fai's jaw line tightened. "Whatever." Zakuro sighed hopelessly. "Can you guys just get our stuff? I think they're in the next room. "

Airen and Fai nodded and opened the door, letting the cold air hit Rozin's face.

He sat down on the dirt covered floor and put his head in his hands. Every single thought in his mind became insanely loud and shrill. It hurt to even think about Zakuro's offer.

Had he actually said anything? What could he possibly have to give to Rozin that he didn't already have? And the things Rozin really wanted, he knew Zakuro couldn't give to him. Like his brother to come back home. He hadn't seen him in three years. It was all his father's fault. If he hadn't have banished him to find the Avatar, he would be with Rozin, next to the turtle-duck pond, pelting them with loaves of bread while the house-keeper yelled at them angrily. Like the good old days.

He- unfortunately- wanted his father's approval. It was something he'd craved for since he was... well since his brother was banished. He would've given anything to be like his sister Azula. But without all the crazy. His father actually listened to her without hesitation. He ignored and avoided Rozin like the plague. According to Ozai, she was born lucky, Zuko was lucky to be born, and Rozin was just... special. And invisible.

In all honesty, Zakuro couldn't do anything for him. Except maybe break him out. But he wouldn't agree to that. Would he?

"Actually there is something you could for me."

Zakuro raised his white eyebrows in surprise. "That was fast. What is it?"

Rozin smiled. "I want to come with you guys to the North Pole."

His eyes widened. "What?"

"I want to g-"

"I know, I know, I heard you but, why?"

"Just to see the world... and to get away from this place."

"But-"

The door opened wide. Fai and Airen stood in the doorway, out of their rags, and looked stronger, able-bodied, and vigorous.

"Zakuro, you ready to go?" Airen asked softly.

Rozin held his breathe. She looked beautiful. A warrior that was a little over five feet tall. She changed from her maroon prison rags, into a dark blue and black tunic that reached her waist, and a black tights that went down to the tops of her knees. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail that fell to the small of her back like a dark, silky waterfall. Two granite fingerless gloves covered her hands like armor. A long - and probably fresh scar ran down her knee to her calf, all the way to the top of her ankle. She look like she may crumple on to the termite infested floor at any moment, but she just stood with perfect posture, and looked the strongest she could.

Zakuro nodded. "Just about."

Fai tossed him a pair of dark blue pants, a white jacket, beige shirt, steel cuirass, fingerless gloves, and some sort of black metal headband. He - like Airen - looked like a warrior. He actually looked more in charge than he did before he put on his armor.

"We gotta get going." Airen said. She turned to face Rozin, smiling sweetly. "It was... good meeting you Rozin."

Zakuro coughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Um actually guys, this isn't the last time we'll be seeing Rozin."

Fai's eyes narrowed. "Please don't say what I think you are."

"How would you guys feel about having a fourth member traveling with us?" Zakuro asked sheepishly.

Airen glanced Rozin up and down, like she was making up a judgement about him. He hoped it was a good one. "He looks like he can carry his own weight."

"Yeah, lightweight." Fai muttered.

"C'mon Fai, give him the benefit of the doubt." Zakuro urged.

"Please, I doubt he can firebend let along walk a few hundred miles without sobbing for a foot rub. All he's going to do is cause us to buy more food, slow us down by... who knows how off course we are by now and attract even more Fire Nation soldiers. Aang, Sokka, and Katara are probably in Omashu by now, waiting for us."

Rozin frowned. He'd never heard those names before. They sounded foreign. He doubted they were Fire Nation. He also doubted anyone would tell them what they meant and how they were relevant to anything.

"They'll just have to go to the North without us. We'll meet them there in a few weeks." Airen sighed.

"We can't get there in time anyway." Zakuro said. "Without Appa, it's going to take us weeks just to get out of the fire nation."

"Can one of you please explain what's going on?" Rozin interrupted.

Fai glared at him to shut-up.

Airen leaned on the wall, and started thinking. "Maybe if we cut around Senlin village, we can make it to the North Pole before of the solstice."

"If I may put in-" Rozin tried.

"No one asked you." Fai snarled.

"Fai, leave him alone. He's just trying to help." Zakuro said.

"Trying and failing. Like I said, all he is going to do is slow us down. Our best bet would be to just leave and-"

"Just listen to me!" Rozin cried. They all turned to him in shock. Even Fai seemed a little surprised, but then quickly got over it. "I can get us a boat-"

"Us?" Fai asked, raising a black eyebrow.

Rozin rolled his brown eyes. "-to take us to the edge of the Earth Kingdom. That's as far as any of the Fire Navy ships will go without being mistaken for a threat on the other nations."

Airen's eyes brightened. "Really? That's amazing!"

Rozin blushed. Him? Amazing? "I-"

A loud crash and deep voices were heard from the other side of the door.

"I'm telling you," one of the voices said. It was raspy and uneven- like a sword scraping on stone. "three kids broke all Aughi's, Faern's, and Ioh's limbs, started the prison riot from last week, and almost escaped the Boiling Rock."

"Not possible." another voice said. It was soft, and considerate. Almost kind.

"I'll show you." the other guard bragged.

"Fire Nation guards." Zakuro whispered. "Stay quiet. Maybe they can just let let us pass."

"Or, we can just go outside, try to explain what we're doing outside, and leave right after." Airen suggested. "Besides, it'll give me a chance to stretch out my muscles."

"Airen, I don't think that's such a good idea." Zakuro warned.

It was to late. She'd already turned the handle, and left the muggy room. Zakuro sighed and followed her. In a manner of seconds, the sounds of yelling, earth rising from the ground, and a very loud whimper filled the air. Rozin was about to walk out the door after her mostly because he didn't feel safe with Fai- judging from the way he was scowling at him, but just as Rozin was about to leave Fai blocked his path.

"C'mon lets talk, buddy." He said.

"Fai I-" Rozin tried to object.

"Don't talk, just listen." Fai sneered. "You and I both know that you really don't want ''find yourself' or whatever it is you want to come with us. But let's get one thing clear between the two of us. Those two are my family. I love them with all my heart. I honestly can't imagine life without the both of them. And under no circumstance will I allow them to get hurt. Ever." He squinted his eyes so all Rozin could see were two angry, red slivers. Rozin might have been imagining it, but for a second, he almost saw compassion in there. "So if I sense any reason that you may harm either of them in anyway, finding yourself isn't going to be your only problem, if you catch my drift." He cracked his knuckles for emphasis.

Rozin swallowed. "Look, Fai, I just want to get out of this place. I've seen war. I've seen women, children and god knows what else get slaughtered just because it was in the way of the Fire Nation's conquest. And I'm nothing like what you've seen out there. I would never hurt anyon-"

Fai rolled his red eyes and clenched his fist around the hilt of his bronze dagger. "Sure you wouldn't. Now come on your highness. We have a ship to catch."


A/N

Hope you enjoyed! Please review. :D