Six year old, Zuko sat sulkily on a bench in the training grounds. It was still dark and the suns preceding rays were just barely visible. Zuko's shoulders wracked with frustrated sobs. He dreaded the day to come, the hours he'd spend in here, with Azula by his side. They'd be given several task, Burn logs, hold a flame, ignite hay, extinguish a large flame, make fireballs. Throw the fire balls. His always extinguished a few feet after leaving is hand
This part of the castle was still, no one was there but him. "It's not fair!" he hissed to himself. "Why does Azula always get to win!" He hissed furiously. He let his hands fall to his left knee, where the fabric was scorched black and ruined permanently. He practiced twice, some times thrice as hard as she did. He knew all the rules. He studied hard. Why couldn't he defeat his younger sister?
"I hate Azula, I hate her! This is her fault!" The young fire bending prince cried. Allowing a few steaming tears to swell in his eyes. He held his breath, felt his blood heat. His fist clenched and relaxed several times. His heart raced twice it's normal speed. "Father says that Azula is a special breed, destined to be great!" Zuko said his voice growing in volume with each word. "But what then," Zuko continued in a quieter voice. "Does he, can he, think of me?" Zuko asked the cool morning air. "That you're a fine young boy."
Zuko leapt at the sound of the voice. Rubbing his fist over his face, quickly hiding any traces of tears. "Who will grow, in mind, body, spirit, and skill. And rule this nation in a manner that all previous Fire Lords will admire and be proud of." The voice continued as the owner got nearer.
Iroh came from his place in the shadows and smiled warmly at the boy. "Uncle, what are you doing up at this hour?" Zuko asked, eager to know if his Uncle had heard his whole conversation with the morning stars. "The better question is what are you doing up at this hour?" Uncle said, skillfully redirecting the question where it would help the most.
Young Zuko sighed mightily, "Nothing." He muttered the lie, scrunching his face at the bitter taste of it. "May I?" Uncle said pointing to the iron bench. Zuko scooted over. "Go ahead." Iroh sat down, took a deep breath and then waited. "You sure that nothings bothering you?" Iroh asked. "Yes, Uncle. I'm certain." Zuko muttered sullenly
Several moments passed and the young prince made no move to say or do anything. Finally Iroh began. "Zuko?" "Yes, Uncle." "What's bothering you?" "I told you, nothing." Zuko said keeping his eyes on the stone arena floor. "Zuko," Iroh said with out any sign of anger or disappointment in his voice. "Please, don't lie to your Uncle, I'd prefer that you refuse to tell me. Than to treat me like a fool, and expect me to believe that." Iroh said impassively.
He saw his nephews shoulders tense momentarily. "I…" The young boy began, "I'm sorry." Zuko said. "Now then," Iroh said cheerfully, "what could possibly be dousing the flames of the young fire princes spirit?" "Uncle…I." Zuko sighed, he released his hold on his knees, then turned to look at the wall. "Azula is my little sister, I'm six, I'll be seven soon. She's had her birthday this year and she's five!" Iroh nodded, "Yes, Azula is younger than you. But, explain to me why that is a problem, You are a very good big brother. She is lucky that she has you to watch over her." Iroh said, "Yeah, but she always wins. She's better than me." Zuko snapped angrily. "She doesn't need me to watch her."
"Zuko, what do you mean?" Iroh gasped, "Azula isn't better than you, and you're not better than her. You are both the royal Prince and Princess, children of the fire lord himself." Iroh said soothingly. "And Azula does in fact, need you. More than either of you realize."
Zuko sighed, Iroh waited impassively. He knew what was wrong, but he needed to play all his moves just right, set the stage before they got to the middle and things to awkward. He had to let Zuko lead and he had to follow, He needed to paint the picture he want Zuko to see.
"She's a better Fire-Bender!" Zuko yelled, leaping to his feet, sparks shooting from his feet as he pounded the stone ground. "It's not fair! I practice and practice. I work and work, I study and meditate—you know how hard meditation is, its boring—but you know what, she gets to be really good. She gets to do what I cant. She burns through more logs in less time. She's already learning sets that I don't know!" Zuko was breathing heavily now. He felt a little (only a very little bit) better after venting his frustration out loud.
"Zuko," Iroh said sternly "Azula was given a gift, from the spirits, she was made to have a very special talent for fire bending. Not many benders, some twice as old as you, can do what you can do. Very, very few can do what Azula can do. Her being gifted, does not, in any way make her better than you." Iroh said. Zuko was practically mesmerized by the stern, yet gentle tone in his voice.
"Azula has a talent, or gift yes, that's true. But she isn't a better person than you. She is nothing more than a young child. The same as you. She has a talent like most people do, only her talent is one that most people, even the talented ones, don't have." Iroh waited. He needed to make Zuko hear what he was saying, not listen to him speak about how exception Azula was, by all standards. "Some people are very strong, some fast, some smart, some can paint, while others can swim, some can tame beast with words alone. Others are just funny, naturally. Some people get to be beautiful of body, others beautiful of soul. Some both."
"But Uncle," Zuko interrupted. "You yourself Zuko have many talents that you should be proud of." Zuko looked grudgingly at his uncle. "Like what, Uncle. What talents do I have."
"I am several years your senior, yet you play the songi horn almost better than me." "But, I hate the songi horn, remember?" Zuko put in, it was required by socialist that the prince have a well rounded education in all fields. So his father told him to take up several classes. Songi horn was probably the worst of them all. "But you have a talent for it. You are a magnificent artist. You are a handsome boy," "What?" Zuko hollered touching his face as though he was expecting oozing hives to appear on his face.
"Handsome;" explained Iroh, "means that women will find you attractive. They will want to meet you." Zuko felt sick. "Woman?" He gasped turning blue. He didn't want woman telling him he was handsome! "Well, girls will be more interested in you then actual woman, but still." Iroh laughed at his nephews childish disgust. "Girls!" Zuko shrieked. His breathing was coming in ragged gasps now. This was worst than woman. Woman, he'd imagined would want to pinch his cheeks and rub his hair. Girls they might try and to marry him! Or worse…dare he even think it—kiss him!
"Uncle, don't let them marry or kiss me and pull my cheeks." Zuko begged moving closer to his uncle as though they were being attacked. Iroh laughed. "Don't worry Zuko, you wont have the girl-problems for some years now. By the time you do. You yourself will feel far different about them." Iroh said. "Me? How?" Zuko wondered aloud. "Not, now. I'll tell you when your older."
After Zuko calmed from his shock Iroh continued. "You swim as though you were a fish." "Fire benders," Zuko said "cant do anything with swimming." "No, but they can drown without it." Iroh reminded him. "Azula can swim too." Zuko snapped back. "But not as well as you, most cant. You are very nimble, and quick witted. You have a knack for invention. Remember that tea-making machine you designed." "That's just a drawing." Zuko sighed bitterly. If only he could get the iron sheeting for the tank then maybe it could be real. Then his uncle wouldn't always have to get up and find someone to send for tea. Namely, Zuko himself. "I think that it could be a real invention, all the nobles and normal's would buy them just alike. Put water in the tank and tea of choice in the press and viola! Tea when ever you want it."
Zuko frowned now, "Uncle, I don't want to be pretty or swim, I want to make great columns of flames out of a little candle spark! I want to learn the crab style and I want to be a master fire bender!" Zuko shouted.
"Zuko, be reasonable, even Azula isn't that skilled," Iroh chuckled. "Yet." Zuko stated the unsaid word bitterly. "Just give her a year or two." Iroh sighed.
That was a seemingly simple trick but only a bender could appreciate the difficult art of bending. And fire bending wasn't like any other bending arts. To take an established flame of any size and manipulate it at will was a fancy maneuver. Many wouldn't understand it all very, very complicated.
But to take a single spark or candle flame and increase it to the size of a mighty pillar, with or with out reducing the candle to a puddle of wax, was a task that took more discipline and practice than any child could ever hope for. Even a record breaking prodigy like Azula. Iroh could've explained that it would be at least two or three years before Azula would be able to do those things, but he knew it wouldn't help. It would take Zuko about seven years of more training--impressive by average standards—to do the same thing. But Zuko didn't judge himself by average standards. He judged himself by his fathers standards.
"Zuko, do you know who you are?" Iroh asked tenderly. Zuko seemed confused by the question, then thought then said. "I'm Prince Zuko, of the Fire Nation." That wasn't what Iroh had been looking for.
"I will tell you. But you must promise to keep it as your own wisdom. You mustn't tell anyone what I am about to tell you. You yourself shouldn't know just yet." "What, are you going to say." Zuko asked curiously. "Promise me, first. I am the only person who knows it. It's a great and powerful secret." Iroh said. "I promise Uncle, as a nephew, a member of the fire nation, a fire noble, and your faithful student." Zuko said, giving the most powerful oath that he could conjure. "Good." Iroh nodded approvingly.
Even now, Zuko was a person who took honor and truth more seriously than most adults. It would be no surprise that politicians would hate him immensely in years later to come.
"You are a person." Iroh stated. Zuko stared dumbfounded. Then his face tightened in frustrated anger, raising his hands for emphasis he yelled. "I'm a person named Prince Zuko, of the Fire Nation! That's who I am." Zuko said angrily, was this whole ordeal just a big joke to his uncle! The cool morning air around them heated and grew warm. If Iroh had brought any plant but desert cactus with him ,it would have wilted, and be half dead if it wasn't an oak tree. "True, but wrong. Zuko, you are a human. A prince and then a fire bender. But as one person you are all of those things."
"I don't understand." Zuko sighed. He relaxed, the heat air cooled again to a normal temperature. He put his hands on his knees and breathed in the morning air. The suns tip was now bulging in the horizon. "Zuko, before you were born, but the moment you were conceived, you were a human." Iroh told him. Zuko frowned. "Conceived?" he asked, Iroh mentally kicked himself. Of course Zuko didn't know that word. "Before you were born, but while your mother was carrying you." He explained. "Carrying me? How could Mother carry me if I wasn't born?" Zuko was puzzled. "You know, before babies are born they are inside of their mothers, growing big enough to be born." Iroh said. Zuko let the topic go with a shrug, He still was slightly confused, but he already knew his uncle would tell him that it was one of those things that he'd understand with time.
"You were a human then. The moment you were born. Safe, sound, and healthy, You were declared the prince of the Fire nation. And when you cried at just four days old and brought your bottle to boiling temperature, you were known, undeniably, to be a fire bender of great talent." Iroh finished, watching as the boys face lit up.
"I did that?" he gasped. "I brought a bottle of milk to boil…as a little baby?" Zuko asked, his eyes were round in awe of his own untapped power. "Yes. You were four days old. You become upset over a loud din in the hall. The nurse maids tried to calm you, but you would not be pacified. You screamed and the glass bottle grew hot in your nurse maids hand, and the milk boiled and then, the bottle shattered. The milk evaporated mostly before hitting the floor. Every one was amazed."
"Then, if I could do that, back then. Why cant I do it now?" Zuko asked. "I mean, I can make fire, but I cant channel temperatures and heat, I learn that in the fall." Zuko said as though talking to himself. "Zuko, that's what I am trying to tell you. Most children aren't Identified as benders until at least a year of age. Azula's talent wasn't discovered until she was nearly three. We knew she was a bender, but no one would have guessed her such a gifted prodigy."
Zuko took a moment to absorb his uncles words. "But, uncle…That still doesn't mean anything." "Why, Prince Zuko. You don't see it. You have remarkable power. Its just a lack of discipline and training. You need to learn the basics. Walk before you run, you have a mountain of power contained in you. You simply must learn to control it. Once you do, well, I wouldn't be amazed to see you do things many think impossible task for you." Iroh said.
"Well. When can I learn to control this power?" Zuko asked, fearing that he knew the answer. "It will take time Zuko, it's a dangerous, and magnificent power. You can not simply will your self control and then have it granted to you. You must practice. It may be ten years before we know the true extent of your power." Iroh said softly.
He knew the truth about Zuko was hard for the boy to bear. To long for such power, told that he had the power, and then still be denied access to it. But he knew how harmful it could be if Zuko were to be told what he wanted to hear, it would be disastrous if the boy got a little stronger, assuming that was the extent of his powers and was still losing to Azula in contest. He would be crushed. The truth was what was best for him.
Zuko sighed and held his head low, the sun throwing their shadows down over the cold stone. Iroh waited. Zuko's shoulders shook for a few minutes, then he settled. Sniffed softly and wiped the unfallen tears from his face. He looked at his uncle with bright flames in his eyes. The flames of a determined soul.
"Then I will practice, train, and work ten times harder than ever before. I will wait, It will take a ling time, but once I get control of all my power, Uncle, I will show the entire world that I can hold my own against any opponent, even a little sister!" he declared proudly. "That-a-boy! Prince Zuko, good for you!" Iroh patted the boy on his back.
"Now then, what do you say we have some tea before morning drills." Iroh offered. "I don't want any tea, Uncle, Thank you." Zuko said politely, dreading what he knew would come next. "Oh, well wont you run and bring me some, I'll be in my study." Iroh stood, stretched and turned to leave.
Zuko sighed, he hated running errands, especially for tea! But as the pupil, he was obligated to comply, If he gave his teachers a hard time they could make him suffer ten fold. Piling up the work load, giving him strenuous, stressful task for weeks. He didn't want to make his Uncle angry. But why did uncle just have to have tea. "What kind?" He asked remembering the time when he'd had to go back nine times before his uncle was satisfied with the tea. "Umm…lets have some rose-berry tea." Iroh said, leaving the brightening training arena.
Zuko nodded and stood. "Yes, Uncle, Rose-tea it is." He stretched and then after one deep breath, took off running up the stairs, toward the main hall so that he could get to the kitchen, gather the tea leaves and be out again before the cooks saw him. They always got nervous around him because of his tendency to get upset, and then things began to boil to hotly, bake to fast. Burn crisp. I've gotta get my hands on some of those Iron sheets. Zuko thought. "Then Uncle could keep tea in his study, and I would have to run his tea-errands anymore." Zuko laughed as he leapt over the low wall, cutting through the garden paths and heading back into the main castle. This wasn't going to be such a bad day after all.