Fallen Drops of Fire

by Chasmfiend

In one world, Zuko and Azula are kidnapped by earthbenders and rescued by a strange group of water tribesmen led by a firebender. In another world, Roy Mustang and his men are called in to deal with a rogue group of alchemists whose experiments have resulted in two children capable of circleless transmutation.

1. Falling

9th Day, Peach Moon, Year of the Tiger
Prince Zuko

Fire Lord Azulon had been furious, easily the angriest Zuko had ever seen anyone, and that included the disastrous firebending demonstration when he had accidentally lit a hanging depicting Fire Lord Chan Mae on fire. That was one of the very few times that Zuko had seen his father shout.

Dad was the one being shouted at right now, by his father, Fire Lord Azulon. And he was facing some other punishment too, no doubt as horrible as the Fire Lord to think up, for daring to suggest that he should be named Crown Prince, ahead of Uncle Iroh.

Zuko curled up a little tighter in bed, trying not to think about it.

The door creaked open. Zuko looked over and saw his sister, Azula leaning up against the door frame. "Dad's going to kill you," she said in the sing-song voice that she used to needle Zuko. "Really, he is." She turned and flashed a grin at Zuko.

Zuko sat up. "Ha ha, Azula," he said. "Nice try." He wasn't going to fall for it this time. Sure Zuko had fallen, twice, when demonstrating his kata, but that wasn't what had angered the Fire Lord. Mom wouldn't let Dad take his anger out on Zuko, any more than Dad would let Mom pull Azula out of her extra firebending lessons.

Azula flipped a wrist in dismissal. "Fine. Don't believe me." She walked over to Zuko's bed, her arms outstretched like she was balancing on a wire. "But I heard everything." She gripped hold of one of the bedposts and leaned out, letting the post take her weight. "Grandfather said Dad's punishment should fit his crime." She let go of the bedpost, clenching her fists and marching off towards the other end of the bed, her voice low and gruff in obvious imitation of the Fire Lord. "You must learn the pain of losing a first born son-" she twirled around the other bedpost "-by sacrificing your own."

Zuko made a face. "Liar," he said. It had to be a lie. Fire Lord Azulon wouldn't be ordering the death of his only remaining grandson just to punish Dad. Not when that would leave Azula as the sole hope for the continuation of the line of Sozin.

"I'm only telling you for your own good." Azula stared at her fingers, obviously considering something important. "I know," she said brightly, as she plopped down on the edge of Zuko's bed, without being invited. "Maybe you could-"

There was a flicker, like a bolt of lightning, that arced from the far side of the bedpost near where Azula was sitting and vanished somewhere behind Zuko. Then there was a loud cracking sound and the bed lurched, before toppled over like three of its legs had gone missing.