Day 2: Change

I remember the day that changed my life forever. I was only 13 at that time but my young age wasn't an excuse. My Uncle Iroh let me inside the war room and let me sit in while they had their meeting. I learned about the plan to put a whole group of newly-enlisted soldiers in the front line during the next attack. The next thing I knew, I was screaming at the general who had unveiled the plans. I couldn't help it. How could someone proudly sacrifice a whole platoon of soldiers and call themselves decent? Where was the honor in that? Being the immature boy that I was back then, I let my emotions get the better of me. I, a 13-year old boy, challenged him, a general, to an Agni Kai. The first thought that popped into my head was "What have I done? How could I have been so stupid?" but later on, I decided to face the challenge head-on. After all, I knew I was right.

Later on, when I turned to face my opponent, I expected to see the general before me, prepared to fight. Instead, I saw my own father, Fire Lord Ozai, ready to duel. Then, he said that by speaking out in his war room, I have disrespected him. Therefore, when I challenged the general, it was really him I was going to be dueling with. I fell on my knees and begged for his forgiveness.

"Please, father! I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart!"

But he wouldn't listen. His mind was set on dueling with me. I, however, would not fight my father. I knew I had to, but I just couldn't do it.

"You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher!"

A bright orange light flashed before my eyes and the next thing I knew, my left side of my face was engulfed in flames. The last thing I remember before passing out was my father, walking away from his own son after scarring him for life...

When i woke up, I quickly looked in the mirror. I saw that the right side of my face remained the same but my left side, including my eye was covered with a bandage.

Soon, I found out that my father had banished me. Why?

Because I opposed the general's plan during a war meeting. Because I became too angry and foolishly challenged a general to an Agni Kai. Because I was too cowardly to fight my father. Because I brought shame to myself and to him, the Fire Lord.

From that moment on, I swore to myself that I would change. I wouldn't be that helpless little boy anymore...

A lot of things changed while my Uncle and I lived as refugees. Personally, I hated living amongst the common people, mostly because I was used to being treated like royalty. To make it worse, I felt like I wasn't going to be able to go home anymore. The only way I could be free of my exile is if I capture the Avatar. Since my sister and her friends were on the same mission, I lost all hope.

I tried to live as peacefully as I could in Ba Sing Se but the environment was just too unusual. I was used to servants waiting on me hand and foot and people bowing as I passed by. Here, in the Lower Ring, I was the servant. I was the one serving people who weren't even nobles. I was the lowest of the low. I hated it there. I would do anything to get out. I was tired of the chores, the obnoxious customers, the insufficient money and the tea.

One day, as I was sweeping outside the tea shop, a flyer floated down until it came into view. On the paper was the avatar's bison and I knew what that meant. He was here in the city. As soon as I saw the poster, I knew I had to do something. I was sure I had a chance because my sister wasn't here in Ba Sing Se. That night, I put on my Blue Spirit clothes and snuck off into the night.

After I had found the bison, I became aware of the incompleteness of my plan. What do I do now? Suddenly, my uncle was behind me. I guess he knew something was going on and followed me. He started reprimanding me for my actions and started saying things about me and my destiny.

"It's time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions! Who are you? And what do you want?"

Giving up, I decided to go along with what he said and went home, but not before I set the bison free. After letting my mask sink to the bottom of Lake Laogai, I felt a piece of me fade away. I felt sick and unwell along the way home. As I stepped inside our apartment, my vision blurred and I fell to the ground.

And then, everything went black.

After the strange dream I had about being the avatar, I was strangely in a good mood for the next few days. I was really proud of my uncle for being invited to the King's palace for tea. We arrived there, expecting the king to be there, welcoming us. Instead, my sister was there along with her Dai Li agents. They attacked us and tried to capture us. Luckily, my uncle escaped. I, however, had a different fate.

They led me to a cave with glowing green gems. One of the agents earthbended a rock and it led to a tunnel leading to another cavern below. They pushed me inside and I tumbled down. I fell flat on my face but when I finally looked around, there was someone else trapped with me. It was that Water Tribe girl, Katara, giving me the dirtiest look I've seen in a long time.

I just sat there and turned away from her while she paced and started making accusations at me. She was convinced that it was a trap to lure the Avatar here so I could finally have him in my "Fire Nation clutches."

"You're a terrible person, you know that? Always following us, hunting the Avatar, trying to capture the world's last hope for peace!"

I kept silent, even if what she was saying was making me feel worse by the minute.

"But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood."

She struck a nerve there and I had to retort.

"You don't know what you're talking about."

Of course she didn't. How would she know what I've been through? Does she know the pain I've endured all these years? The pain of knowing your father was ashamed of you. The pain of knowing your mother was gone because of you. The pain of knowing you'll never be more than a banished prince to almost everyone in your country...

For some strange reason, I was intensely hurt by what she said. I don't know why. It was probably because even if she didn't know me, she already thinks I'm the most terrible person in the world. Or maybe because if the situation was different, we could have been friends...or even more...

"I don't! How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through! Me personally!"

I turned my head a bit to see her kneeling down, with her back turned so I couldn't see her face.

"The Fire Nation took my mother away from me..."

I heard her voice crack so I figured she must be crying. Suddenly, I didn't feel so alone...

"I'm sorry...That's something we have in common."

When she heard me, she wiped her tears and looked at me in disbelief. We both stood up but didn't say a word. I didn't know much about girls (having spent 3 years of my life hunting the Avatar) but I think it was one of those awkward moments where you both want to say something but were too shy to do so.

I wanted to tell her everything. Everything that happened to me ever since I could remember. I barely knew her but I just felt like she would understand? After all, she did know the pain of losing a mother. Surely, she would understand other things... Besides, maybe if she knew my story, she wouldn't think I was so bad anymore.

She apologized for yelling at me. I didn't mind...She had a right to do so (because of all I've done to her and her friends) and I thought I deserved it anyway.

"It's just that...for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face..."

Oh...The scar...I guess she feels the same disgust that everyone else feels when they look at it. I consciously touched it, feeling ashamed of it and ashamed of myself.

"My face...I see..."

"No...No, that's not what I meant."

I was a bit relieved. Then, I started pouring my heart out to her.

"It's okay...I used to think this scar marked me, the mark of the banished prince cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark."

I felt lighter after I told her this. I don't know why but I was beginning to like her. I didn't see her as the pesky waterbending girl anymore. I now realized that she was a beautiful talented young woman who only wants peace in this world.

"Maybe you could be free of it..."

I thought she was just kidding when she said this. A scar can't just be erased like footprints in the sand.

"What?"

"I have healing abilities."

"It's a scar. It can't be healed."

Then, she fished something out of her dress and let me look at it. It was a small Water Tribe vial dangling from her hand by a string.

"This is water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties so I've been saving it for something important."

Could she really do that? Could she really free me from the mark that has marked my humiliation and shame for all these years?

She made her way near me until we were about a foot away from each other.

"I don't know if it would work but..."

I closed my eyes and waited. I felt her hand touch my left side. I was surprised when she didn't recoil back in disgust or fear.

For some strange reason, I wanted to see her again and memorize her features. Her long brown hait, her smooth chocolate skin...especially her deep azure eyes which you could drown in. It was definitely the most captivating thing about her...

Then suddenly, there was a loud crashing of rocks a few yards away. From the dust emerged my uncle and the Avatar. Then, she was in his arms again and he was giving me a glare. I glared back at him while my uncle gave me a hug.

"Uncle, I don't understand! What are you doing with the Avatar?"

"Saving you, that's what."

I growled at him in anger but my uncle stopped me before I could tackle him. I wasn't even sure why I was so aggravated with that boy. Maybe it's because the pretty girl ran to his arms before she finished business with me. Maybe because he took away my last chance of being free. Maybe it was because I realized that at the end of the day, he'd end up with all the fame and glory with that special someone at his side, while I would still be the bad guy, forever loathed by the world...

My uncle let them help their friends and we were left alone in the cavern.

"You are stronger, wiser and freer that you have ever been. And now you have come to the crossroads of your 's time for you to choose, time for you to choose good."

Before he could finish what he was saying, the gems rose and imprisoned him. The Dai Li and my sister walked in, catching us before we could escape. I ordered her to release him but she wouldn't listen.

"It's not too late for you, Zuko. You could still redeem yourself."

Then, my uncle counterattacked her statement.

"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you."

I was so confused. They were making me choose between right and wrong but I didn't even know which was which in this situation.

"I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have everything you want."

"Zuko, I'm begging you. Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want"

"You're free to choose..."

I was left with my thoughts. What did I truly want? For three years of struggling, all I wanted was for my father to accept me. Now I've been offered another shot at it. But is my father's love truly worth the freedom of the world?

I ran into the next section of the cavern and saw my sister, the Avatar and Katara ready to fight. Who would I side with?

Azula or the Avatar?

Good or evil?

Myself or the world?

Again, I did the unthinkable. I shot many fireballs at Aang as he dodged and did everything to escape. He shot me with wind and I was thrown into a bunch of genamite. When I got up, I saw my sister trapped by the Water Tribe girl. I shot fire at her water and my sister was free again. She rushed off to battle the avatar while I kept my eyes on the girl, partly because I wanted to stay on guard but mostly because I wanted to hear what she thought of me now.

"I thought you had changed!"

Obviously, she was angry at me for making that decision. I shook the regretful thoughts in my head and focused on keeping her away from the Avatar, all the while ignoring the look in her eyes. It was a look I never wanted to receive, especially from her. A look of sadness, anger, disgust and most of all, hurt.

"I have changed..."

After defeating the Avatar and conquering Ba Sing Se, my sister and I returned tothe Fire Nation. After spending some time there, I got to thinking again. My thoughts kept going back to that time when I spent time with an enemy in the caverns of Ba Sing Se. I was more confused than ever.

When I found out later on that Avatar Roku was my great-grandfather, I was beyond shocked. It didn't help that my uncle said those proverbial statements to me again.

"Why are you telling me this!"

"Because understanding the struggle between your great-grandfathers can help you better understand the battle within yourself. Evil and good are always at war inside you, Zuko. It is your nature, your legacy. But, there is a bright side. What happened generations ago can be resolved now by you. Because of your legacy, you alone can cleanse the sins of our family and the Fire Nation. Born in you, along with all the strife, is the power to restore balance to the world."

A few days later, I was invited to a war meeting with the generals and my family. I didn't oppose anything, even if I was against it. I didn't say anything against anyone else's plans even if I knew they were cruel. I was accepted and respected by my father because of it, but in the end, I ended up feeling no respect for myself at all.

"During the meeting, I was the perfect prince, the son my father wanted...but I wasn't me..."

Then, I decided. Everything that my uncle has been saying for the past years was right. I was just too stubborn and blind to listen. If I was to be accepted in my family, I would have to be just like my father, just like the man who burnt his 13-year old son and scarred him for life. I just couldn't do that. I would never do that, especially to my own flesh and blood.

I was aware of the invasion that the Fire Nation was getting ready for. I planned to run away that day and bring my uncle with me. Then, I would go with the Avatar and help him defeat my father, who I wasn't so afraid of anymore.

"For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honor that I wanted but really, I was just trying please you. You, my father, who banished me just for talking out of turn. You, my father, who challenged me, a 13-year old boy, to an Agni Kai. How can you possibly justify a duel with a child?"

"It was to teach you respect!"

"It was cruel and it was wrong!"

"Then you've learned nothing!"

"No! I've learned everything and I've had to learn it on my own. Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history and somehow, the war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was! The people of the world are terrified by the Fire Nation! They don't see our greatness. They hate us! And we deserve it... We've created an era of fear in the world and if we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness. After I leave here today, I'm going to free Uncle Iroh from his prison and I'm going to beg for his forgiveness. He's the one who's been a real father to me. But I've come to an even more important decision. I'm going to join the Avatar and I'm going to help him defeat you"

"Because I know my own destiny. Taking you down is the Avatar's destiny. Goodbye."

After finally escaping, I rode a war balloon and followed the bison as they flew away from the fire nation.

Now, as I sit in by the small fire I set to keep warm, I thought about Katara again. How would she react when she sees me suddenly there at the Western Air Temple. I'm sure she would be mad. I really did deserve all the punishment in the world, especially from her. She was actually kind enough to give me a second chance, to give me a fresh start and I blew it. I betrayed her right after I made her think I could actually be good.

Tomorrow, I would prove that in fact, I can be good and that I wasn't that selfish boy I was before. I would do it for the world, for my uncle, for my mother but mostly...for her...because I never want to see her get hurt again.

Then maybe, just maybe, the expression in those cerulean eyes would change and they would look at me with pride, love and finally...acceptance.

Author's Note: So yeah. Day 2. I actually just crammed this. LOL hahaha

Disclaimer: i dont own avatar or any of the characters in it

Hope you like it! R&R please! :)