The crimson robes that clad the young Fire Lord sat uncomfortably, wrinkling heavily as he shared in the joy of a steaming hot cub of Jasmine Tea, alongside his Uncle. The air was hot, even in the open air, and it bothered him greatly. It took him a long time to acclimatise to the warm atmosphere of the Nation he had returned to, and even now it managed to take its toll on him. He sighed, resting his cup on the small table beside him as he started to fiddle with his crown piece. The pin no longer kept his raven-black hair perfectly in a knot, and needed adjustment to seem gracious once more.
"It the weight of your crown too much to bear, Lord Zuko!" Uncle Iroh offered a humerous chuckle as Zuko furrowed his brows deeply.
"I don't like it." He said after a moment's more of fiddling with the ornament. "I mean, it stings my scalp from time to time, it never seems to fit my top knot… it's becoming ridiculous."
Iroh only smiled. "Yet it suits you more than any predecessor I have seen in my life's span. Truly." He kindly remarked as he refilled his cup. "The greatest of leaders often suffer beneath the weight of their crown."
"I guess." Zuko puffed dismissively as he averted his gaze elsewhere.
"That was a compliment, Zuko."
"I know, I know…" Zuko puffed once more, returning a glance at his Uncle. "It's just- Nevermind." He looked down at his cup, and shook his head. "I'll just leave it for now. Will you be joining me tomorrow at the meeting?"
Iroh hummed at Zuko. "I'll be there to offer my counsel. How many of the Generals have been sent along with the delegation from the Earth King?"
Zuko grunted and folded his arms beneath the sleeves of his robes. "Five, and that's five more than I wished for in these times. They're-"
"Stubborn." Iroh quickly finished his nephew's sentence. "Listen, you're on the right path. You did well in your efforts to revert the damage caused in the Colonies and their neighbouring provinces."
That was true. He had spent his first year as Fire Lord organising restoration summits for the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes, as well as extending a hand to Aang in renovating the Air Temples, starting with the Western Air Temple. The Fire Nation's name was slowly being cleansed from its previous blamishes, caused by the now late Fire Lord Ozai and his predecessors, Azulon and Sozin.
He had also made sure the original polocies were reverted or corrected to suit a new era of peace and harmony. Along with the dismissal of Ozai's old court and the war tribunals of the upper echelon of command during the Hundred Year War, Zuko had secured his homeland and he had aquired a staff of seasoned politicians and officers to help him usher in this new era. Such as Master Jeong Jeong, who he had grown fond of after his corronation. The old Admiral was reinstated at Zuko's behest, and reluctant as he might have felt about retaking his former position he was now tasked with a restored and noble purpose of de-militarisation the troops and equipment.
He smiled gratefully at his Uncle. "I guess so. All because of you, Uncle."
"Oh, please, spare me that." Iroh waved his hand, as to silence Zuko. "You'll be off to Mai now, I take it?"
"Yeah…" Zuko jawned as he shoved his chair back to the table. "She'll be waiting for me with Izumi, hopefully. Can't blaim her if she went to bed already." He said with a cracked smile.
Mai, who was now Fire Lady of the Fire Nation at his side. Together, they had a daughter, Izumi was her name. Their first born child. He absolutely adored her, with every fibre in his body. She took after her mother mostly, apart from the fact that Izumi actually smiled. Mai had kept her more or less bored, unexpressive attitude over the time they had spent married, though she did warm when near Zuko. The regal position fitted her natural elegance almost perfectly.
She had contributed just as much as he did to restoring the world back to balance. The same was not said for Ty Lee, who had disappeared to Kyoshi Island ever since his first day as Fire Lord. No… Mai had extended a hand to overseeing the Colonies and the wellfare of the once conflicted provinces. Mai, of all people! Who knew she had it in her… At first glance, you would not have expected that from a girl like her, for sure.
Zuko bowed to his Unlce deeply before heading inside, leaving him to muse on the endless topic of teabrands and the diversity of pai-sho strategies. Zuko barely managed to hold in a grin as he made his way through the palace. It took him a good few minutes walking the corridors of the Royal Pallace to reach his chambers. He made sure not to wake Izumi as he tip-toed towards his bed. Mai, as he already suspected, was fast asleep.
He couldn't help but smile, as he reconsidered. "I'll just let her be for a while." He whispered to himself as he quietly made his way to his study.
Maybe a little paperwork, then bed. It would lift the load off tomorrow's pile of work awaiting him. He grabbed the chair as he scoured his desk for leftover scrolls and messages he had not yet inspected.
Easily enough, his eyes fell fell upon one of the largest scrolls resting on the corner of his desk. It bore the seal of the Fire Sages. Filled with renewed enthusiasm, he opened the letter and eagerly started binge-reading the document.
Ever since Aang had destroyed the Temple of Avatar Roku during the Winter Solstice, the Sages had not seen fit to return to the Cresent Island. Zuko had longed for the day that the Temple was restored. He saw it as a crucial part of his heritage and as an important spiritual place for not just Aang, but future Avatars too. He had assigned a team of Fire Nation architects and earthbenders to oversee the task of rebuilding the temple to its former glory.
He smiled. He did right by his lineage. After all, Avatar Roku was his great-grandfather on his mother's side.
"Mother."
There it was again. A great thorn in his side.
Ever since he remembered, he wanted nothing more but to find his mother. He had personally scoured the globe in search for his mother. Every highest mountain, every deepest ocean… to no avail. There was not a corner of the four nations where she had been found.
Reports from Ba Sing Se had been shared at his request, which revealed a description of his mother travelling with another man throughout the earth kingdom. It lead him on a bleak looking trail.
It failed.
He burried his head in his arms as he removed his headpiece and undid the sash of his outer robes. He felt the crushing weight of this constant reminder bear down on his shoulders once more. A familiar burden, come to torment his mind, like an old, faded scar acting up out of the blue from time to time.
He had done almost everything in his power to gain more knowledge, to continue the search. Uncle Iroh had visited his father in the capital city's prison, to see if Ozai would be more willing to share his knowledge on the whereabouts of his mother with his brother. All that Iroh left with was a thousand painful remarks on how big a traitor he was to the Nation, how weak he was for siding with Zuko and worst of all how he failed to be a real father to his son, Lu Ten.
No… Ozai did not seem willing enough. His resolve was strong, even now, and nothing in the world seemed to change his mind on Zuko and his 'newfound' allies. In Ozai's eyes, his life was void of purpose or drive, and this meant he had absolutely no reason to aid Zuko. There was no trade to make, no gains from the exchange, no bargain to be struck to earn his freedom. He would stay locked up for the remainder of his existance.
"Just as he should." Zuko thought with a hollow feeling of accomplishment, since it pained him greatly to think Ozai might have information he could use. No… even if he had, and there was no way of knowing he had, he could not trust him. He was dangerous. Everything he would say and do could be a trap, or a ruse, or worse…
He thumped his hand on the desk. The more he thought about the subject, the more he struggled to keep his calm.
He had numerous encounters with Aang in order to still his mind. Their meditative sessions had caused him to ease his mental struggle, but even Aang could not bring Zuko to terms on the harsh reality of the subject. He would never truly be able to accept the probability that Ursa had vanished, for good.
He pushed himself from his desk, clearly agitated with himself. "Remember what Aang taught you." He scolded himself softly beneath his breath. Breathe in, breathe out… count to ten, Zuko… find your centre, your balance.
He exhaled deeply, no longer flexing… and then, his weary eyes fell on a peculiar scroll. One he had overlooked.
He picked it up, pondering the nature of the contents as he inspected the cryptic symbols which bound the papers together.
It was from the Sun Warriors. For… him?
Fire Lord Zuko,
Masters Ran and Shaw have blessed us with the greatest of gifts in these times of blossoming peace. We are sure their gesture of generosity will honour your rule as Fire Lord, as they have seen fit to entrust the renewed line of dragons to you. It will arrive this Thursday, we predict, at the Royal Palace.
May Agni light your path, Fire Lord.
He couldn't believe his eyes.
"Dragons?!"
"Can you believe it, Mai?" Zuko exclaimed as they waited in the courtyard. He had hardly slept through the night, and was so ecstatic he even skipped breakfast.
Dragons! After believing the stories for centuries that they had gone extinct, after witnessing first-hand what he believed to be the last two remaining dragons… he had not dared dream the wild possibility that the once-revered creatures would rise from the smouldering ashes.
"Yeah, it is." Mai yawned as she carelessly stretched outwards with her arms, much to Zuko's dismay. "Hey, I am glad for you, am I not?"
"Glad- Mai, this is the single-most greatest honour I've received since I-" Zuko swallowed his words as he sheepishly smiled at his wife. "O-Of course… I-I-I… I mean, I've never been more glad since the day w-we married… a-and Izumi, natu-naturally! I m-mean-" His cheeks started to flourish bright red.
Mai shook her head as she affectionally nuzzled his cheek, quickly dismantling the built-up tension within Zuko. "Just teasing, dummy. You should be happy. You have every reason to be."
Zuko dipped his head, and returned to continuously scouring the skies for any vague signs of the impending arrival of the dragons. Aang had sent him a letter too, which arrived shortly after breakfast. He had agreed to accompany their flight, along with Appa. In turn, Zuko had made sure to inform his Uncle of this great surprise too.
"Ooh, isn't that…" Iroh laughed as he wiped away a tear of joy. "I'm so happy… So, so happy. It is indeed the greatest of honours, Lord Zuko, that Ran and Shaw saw fit to grace you in this manner… and not to speak of the return of the dragons first and foremost!"
He hadn't seen his Uncle this joyful in ages, not since the grand opening of his very own tea-shop. The sheer amount of emotion packed in his reaction spoke a truth that encompassed over a thousand words.
A few minutes of silence had passed, before Mai spoke to Zuko again.
"What about the meeting, anyway?" She mentioned with a dull tone highlighting her question. "Is that still going to take place?"
"Only after the arrival." Zuko replied. "This is of utmost importance… I think the delegations can wait another hour. If they haven't arrived by then…well, I guess I'll have to reschedule them for tomorrow." His tone was filled with nonchalance, as if dismissing the importance on a childish whim.
"What- No, you can't. It'll dishonour them." Mai shook her head furiously. "After all, you summoned them here for the summit."
"I know…" Zuko sighed, folding his arms behind his back. "You're right… I'll deal with them accordingly, I promise." He nodded quickly, reminding himself his crucial position on the matters at hand. The Nation would, sadly, have to come before his own personal interests, even if they were as large as… well, dragons!
"And what about your fire-bending sessions?"
Zuko dipped his head. "I think I'll be ending those soon, anyway."
Over the past few months, Zuko had almost completed his training fully, mastering the most difficult techniques of the art under the tutelage of both his uncle as Master Jeong Jeong, among a few. He had been able to ascend to the same level of expertise as his tutors, yet there was one technique that proved out of reach.
Mai folded her arms too. "I don't even know why you would want to learn such a deadly technique."
"I just…" Zuko forced back a disappointed grimass. "I just thought it would be good if I grasped the essence of lightning. It feels important that I do."
"And then what…" Mai continued. "Would you use it?"
"I don't think-" Zuko was about to answer, as Mai continued her question.
"Just like your sister and father did?"
A moment of silence passed before Zuko replied.
"Not like them."
"You know I don't like bringing them into a conversation."
"No…"
"And I know you don't too."
Zuko hummed as he peered back at Mai. "Do you speak with anyone about them, at all?" Mai cautiously continued, feeling the need to press her curiosity over the edge. After all, they never had any lengthy talks about Zuko's relatives, who were now safely imprisoned.
"I discussed my relationship with Ozai long ago with you and Uncle, even with Aang. You three helped me in easing my past, and understanding my future path." Zuko said ever so slowly, clenching his jaw uneasily. "I never liked it. This… image, of my father, had grown so solid in my mind, that it took ages to undo it and behold my father fully, in all his goods and bads. Goods being in the vast minority, though."
"I won't mention your mother though, I know how much that hurts you." Mai said as she rested her hand upon Zuko's shoulder. "I know you're adamant about finding her."
"Mhm." Zuko grunted deeply.
"…and… and what about Azula?"
Zuko averted his eyes from Mai's. "What about her?"
"You… still haven't seen her." Mai continued, scouring his face for any change in expression.
"No."
Mai took an almost tentative step towards Zuko. "And you still aren't planning to…?"
Zuko dipped his head again as he quietly replied. "Still not."
Mai forced Zuko's head towards her as she searched his eyes. "But why?"
Zuko shook her hold off gently, grasping Mai's hand as he turned to face her fully once more. "Let's not… discuss that."
"But -why-, Zuko." Mai insisted, her tone growing more impatient by the minute.
"Because-… I just don't want to discuss her." Zuko said sternly. "I just don't."
In truth, he underestimated almost anybody who wished to bring forth the subject of his sister. He hadn't forgotten Azula, but regarding her mental state and their past together, Zuko had felt regret. Regret and sorrow for all that had occured in the past. He felt directly responsible for her condition, in certain ways. Ways Mai or his Uncle would not understand. They would most likely disagree, and hush him as they comforted him and tell him otherwise. But he didn't want that. He never wanted that…
"Don't want to, or can't bring yourself to do it?" Mai asked. "I'm not trying to push your buttons, I'm just… trying to help you, the same way I did regarding Ozai." She hastly added as she felt Zuko trying to withdraw himself.
"I'm sorry, but you can't. Not even Iroh can, and he's been in the family longer than I, Mom or Da- Ozai… have been." He puffed at her. He was right about something, after all. Time and time again it was proven he was right. No one understood Azula like he did. No one would ever see her as much more than a lunatic in a cage. Not that he could blame most people for thinking that. By Agni, even he believed that till this day. She -was- sick inside, but… he always held hope. Hope for a solution, a way to fix her. But he knew he couldn't do it, not untill she had help from others. People who knew how to handle her delicately. People who would not make stupid mistakes, unlike himself. "Not to discredit you, but I think Azula is-."
His voice stopped as he suddenly felt the winds shift. His ears picked up a faint flutter in the distance, accompanied by a loud, familiar roar of the flying bison.
"They're here." He said, as they both turned their eyes towards the skies. The Imperial Fire Benders immediatly scurried into position around the courtyard as they too became aware of the impending arrival. Zuko had stationed them, just in case. Not out of hostility, but simply to safeguard the premises. The news, strangely enough, had travelled throughout the city like wildfire. Every citizen had caught ears of it, and longed to see if the rumours were true.
He couldn't blame them for their shared enthusiasm. His people were just as giddy about the sole idea of dragons like him, after all.
The shadows in the clouds started to grow bigger and bigger as the clouds themselves started to thin out more and more. The winds picked up their pace as the crimson banners decorating the walls started to flap uncontrolably. Even Zuko himself struggled as his hand reached for his robes, making sure everything stayed right where it needed to be. Mai simply held a hand in front of her bangs, making sure her hair remained in its proper shape.
A few seconds later, Aang and Appa appeared from the sky, and landed with a soft 'thud'. Aang was dressed in the traditional orange garbs of the Air Nomad monks, with decorative wooden beads depicting the four elements hanging from his sash. With a daunting hop, he landed softly on the courtyard floor, tugging the reins of Appa over the bison's horns.
"Fire Lord Zuko." He said with a bow.
"Avatar Aang." Zuko replied, as the two stared at eachother for a brief second, before laughing it up and exchanging a hug. "It's so good to see you again, Aang."
"You too… though, I think you'll be rather suprised to see what I brought with me." Aang said with a sheepish smile, as he dragged Zuko towards Appa's saddle.
"Ah, yeah!" Zuko eagerly made his way towards Appa's side. "I was beginning to wonder if they're far off, or still airborne!"
"Weeeeelll, about that…" Aang fiddled with his thumbs as Zuko's expression changed from happy to uncertain.
"They… are here, right?" Zuko asked slowly.
"Weeeeelll… first off, I know you'll be disappointed, and I'm sorry… buuuuuuuut it's just… one." Aang said, as if treading on broken egg shells, so scared to see how Zuko would react tot he news.
"N-No, that doesn't matter at all!" Zuko exclaimed. "One is more than enough, I couldn't have wished for more than one! One dragon still hails the return of their kind, and I'd be happy to just play my part in the restoration!"
"Weeeeell… there's a second part! Funny, isn't it?" Aang laughed as he hopped back onto the saddle, and messed around with something Zuko couldn't see from down there. So, Zuko, now bursting with curiosity, made his way up Appa's side to get a glance of what in Agni's name Aang was doing.
"I mean, it's not an adult, which is fine… it's, uuuhm-." Aang started as Zuko crawled over the rails of Appa's saddle.
And there it sat. A small, winged, scaled dragon, no larger than a large dog. With fiery, crimson red wings, and long, protruding whiskers and small, yet deadly fangs. It reared its head at Zuko, and huffed, as if coughing, trails of smoke flairing from its nostrils. It made Aang cough too, as the smoke hit Aang's face by accident.
"Well, uuhm- *coughs*, whadya think Zuko?!" Aang cried out enthusiastically, trying to diffuse the tension.
"It's…"
"I know it might not be what you thought it would be, raising a dragon from infant to adult… but… b-buuuuuut…"
"I-It's…"
"Zuko, really, believe me, it's also not what I expected, but-"
"It's beautiful!" Zuko roared as he knelt at the baby dragon's side, unbridled fascination glimmering in his golden eyes. "Does it… does it have a name yet?"
"Not that I know of, but I guess you could-"
"Druk!"
Aang paused to stare at Zuko, clearly puzzled by the choice. "Druk?"
"Yeah, Druk!" Zuko continued, fondly observing every inch of the magnificent beast . "I had the librarians dig up the old scrolls of lore concerning the dragons, and Druk was among the names of one of the eldest of dragons known to our history. So, I figured Druk would be the most suitable of names!"
Zuko couldn't hold back his gigantic smile as he extended a hand towards Druk. Druk, now adequately named by the Fire Lord, peered up at him, licking his lips as his snout carefully reached out for Zuko's palm.
Within inches of touching, a sudden burst of energy hit Zuko's palm, making him cry out in confused pain as he immediatly fell back in Appa's saddle.
"Zuko!" Aang cried out, alarmed by his screech. "What happened?!"
But Zuko couldn't hear him as soundless cries for help gurgled from his throat. His hand extended into thin air as images flooded his mind. Dark, clouded images… a blue figure, and a blue dragon… no, a blue and red dragon, circling one another… a spark of flame, no- a bonfire, giant and terrifying! He saw flashes of his mother, his father… then, Azula. He saw himself and Azula- No, he saw the dragons. There they were again, the red dragon rising from the ashes as the blue dragon plumitted back to the ground… they were hurt, badly! They were roaring, violently… such an agonising, terrible carcophany of awful roars.
His hands shot towards his ears first, then his eyes. The images returned, far more rapidly, succeeding one another. The dragons, his family, Azula, the dragons again, the blue figures, then the downfall, and repeated once more. They kept coming ceaselessly, untill it felt as if the images melted together as a whole, a dreadful scene of suffering altogether.
And then darkness overtook him.
"No matter. We'll try again in a bit." The voice of his Uncle sounded as a helping hand emerged to bring Zuko back to his feet.
"Hgn- No, I'm ready now…" He gritted his teeth as he distanced himself from his Uncle, reestablishing his root and brushing off the dust from his training clothes.
"Are you sure, Zuko…" Iroh shook his head as he shook his thinger at Zuko. "Lightning requires a stillness of the mind, a degree of control over your emotion, and full, undivided attention."
"Look, I'm-." Zuko tried to start, but Iroh hastly continued. "And, added to those three points is my concern that you do not posses any of those three qualities at this particular moment in time."
"Look! I'm fine, Uncle!" Zuko said bitterly as he readied himself. "We'll do it again. Trust me, I'm okay!"
Iroh hummed hesitantly, but stepped back in respect to his wishes nonetheless. He had dealt with Zuko's brash stubborness in the past, and he knew from extensive experience that once Zuko had set his mind on something, he would keep pushing himself.
He would tire himself out, sooner or later. He would only remain there, if things got out of hand. If he needed to intervene. He always made sure he'd be just close enough to save him from himself.
Zuko inhaled a few times, trying to let the air flow steadily through his lungs before slowly attemping the necessary motions of his limbs. Amounting the energies around him, and guiding them from his stomach up through his arms to his fingertips. Years later, since he even learnt about redirection, he had finally gotten as far as visibly generating lightning, but… never a full blast from his hands. It always exploded in his face at the last second.
"Steady now, Zuko." His Uncle guided him by voice through the motions. "Take as much time as you need to stabilize yourself and to guide the lightning through your limbs before letting it flow outwards. Treat the energies like you would a flame. It lives, it breathes, it moves."
Zuko kept repeating the circles, sweat dripping down the sides of his face as he felt his muscles starting to ache, pushing his strength to the limits. The lighting in the room became overshadowed by dark blue, paired with a crackling noise echoing back and forth between the very walls.
"You don't control it, you guide it. Let it seek its own pathways, its own course…" Iroh observed carefully. He feared, that Zuko might overdo it once more.
Zuko's eyes shot open, and his right hands' fingers suddenly burst forwards, his arm lunging outwards to strike down the invisible foes. With a loud cry, followed instantly by a deafening explosion, he was flung across the floor, tumbling across the dusty stone before coming to a slipping halt on his sides.
"Zuko, you have to stop this…" Iroh pleaded, slowly walking over to him as he rose from the ground. "You have to come to accept the fact that this technique is highly dangerous and cannot be mastered by all."
"You did it- Not that you aren't exceptional as a firebender, though." Zuko bit his tongue, correcting himself before throwing an unnecessary, disrespectful slur at his Uncle. "Why can't I?"
"It takes years, if not a lifetime, to properly bend lightning, Zuko." His Uncle reminded him as he helped him limp to the side of the arena. "Inner peace is the core value that allows a firebender to harness such deadly energies-"
"That, or a lifetime of amorality and shallowness." Zuko cut his Uncle off with a rather bitter comment.
"Ah yes, Ozai and Azula might have been able to bend lightning, but their focus lay elsewhere." Iroh sighed deeply, closing his eyes simultaneously. "Your focus, however, must depend on a clear mind and harmony. Inner turmoil will continue to block your attempts to master the technique, untill ultimately resolved. And to be honest, Zuko…" Iroh shook his head.
"What? Spill it!" Zuko blurted out.
"With all that has happened in the past, I could not blame you." Iroh hesitantly continued, as his hand reached for Zuko's back. "Even if you think you're at peace with all that once was, and all that will be… it might prove to never fully be that way."
Zuko, even though partially angry, threw his head down in frustration. "So Ozai, and the entire legacy of my family will forever haunt me! Great, that so, SO AMAZING!" He roared as he fell back onto the floor, boiling with anger over his constant failure.
"Maybe not Ozai. I cannot tell, since you never visited him aside from the day of your ascent…" Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully. "But I have a theory on where the root of your problems lie."
"With mom, yeah." Zuko snorted, shaking off the argument he had heard a thousand times over.
"Partially."
Zuko sat right up once more as his eyes dwelled towards his Uncle's gaze, his troubled mind now sparked by the unexpected comment. "What do you mean." He stated dryly.
"If I recall correctly, you never visited Azula after you sent her for capital city prison's mental ward, am I correct?"
"Yes, but-"
"And I think," Iroh continued, "That whatever occured in the past did not just play out between you, Ozai and your mother. Your sister was just as much a part of your past as them."
Zuko pondered his Uncle's words. Azula and him were always being put at odds by their father, and his mother thought of her as a deadly monster. As for himself… he knew a few certainties, chief among them the fact that Azula ALWAYS lied. He reminded himself throughout his life. He reminded himself the cruelties, the harm done, the sheer fact she would have him killed to gain the throne she so covetted for years…
"Zuko…" His Uncle tried to dismantle the uneasy silence that had fallen between the two.
"I'll deal with Azula." Zuko forcefully spew out each word with a small degree of personal disgust. "In time."
"And aside from your past, what of your present?" Iroh asked, raising his hands questioningly. "What of your nightmares?"
Ah, the nightmares. Zuko recalled well what occured every night since his initial contact with Druk. He had spent a lot of time with Druk, making sure the proper arrangements were made to house such a noble creature. He had fed Druk, made contact with him over and over again, went on walks with him… but…
"I don't know… I keep seeing the same things I told Aang first." Zuko's right hand reached for his nape as they ran through the strands of hair. "Always the same, yet not the same order. Sometimes the dreams focus on just the blue figures, sometimes purely on the dragons… and sometimes…" His thoughts shot towards Azula. She had appeared the most in his dreams, vividly. Visions of them together, of her alone, of him alone, of them as children… He didn't understand. Neither did Aang.
"I can't help you any further right now…" Aang apologised. "You should rest."
"But how can I make them stop?" Zuko desperately pleaded Aang. "What if I'm going-"
"You're not loosing your mind." Aang declared. "Dragons are highly spiritual beings, and the extent of their powers and intentions are outside my dominion."
"What?!- You're the Avatar, for crying out loud!" Zuko shouted at him, grabbing his arm as to keep him in place next to his bed. "You're the single-most spiritual person in the universe. You -should- know!"
"But I don't!" Aang pried his arm loose from Zuko's hold. "Look, I want to help you, I do, but-"
"But -what-, Aang?!" Zuko cried out.
"But I can only interpret what you see, nothing more! I updated your Uncle and Mai on the situation, you won't be alone in this. They will help you however they can… And when the time is right, and you understand more about what you see… more than these, 'fragments'… you can come find me."
"And where's that then?"
"The Northern Air Temple, likely. I'll keep you updated on my whereabouts, should I change location." Aang reassured him before leaving.
"I just hope… that in time, they'll wear off." Zuko let out a huge sigh as he rose to his feet. "I can't tell you more than I already have shared with you, Uncle."
"Hrm. Just make sure to drink your tea before bed. Mai will have made a pot every evening to help ease your night's rest."
"Thank you."
"It's the least I can do!" Iroh said heartily. "After all, my greatest source of knowledge comes from tea! Did you know that-."
"I gotta go, Uncle, I'll see you soon!" Zuko hastly excused himself as he made his way out of the arena. Not the time to become a tea person. Not now, not ever!
So yeah... Hi! The very first step on the path to a new, challenging and certainly entertaining journey! First time using FanFiction as a writer's platform, and also a first time for writing A:TLA fiction. Future chapters will probably grow in size, depending on the amount of plotlines I want/need to explore/explain. The focus will heavily remain on Zuko's PoV throughout the story, with minor parts from other characters' PoV (such as Iroh, Azula and Mai as main examples).
I hope you enjoy reading, don't hesitate to leave a review. Most welcome!
