It's been some rough going for Zuko and Iroh for the past few weeks. After being reported as traitors of the Fire Nation, and having a bounty put on both their heads, they've decided to flee to Ba Sing Se. Zuko hasn't been sleeping well, he's been dreaming about those four years he was going down to the dungeon to visit with Aya. He wondered if she hated him now for not telling her he wouldn't be coming back. After the Ag-Ni-Kai that had resulted in his scar and banishment, he'd immediately left. Over those four years though, he'd watched her grow thin and pale and kinda ragged. Vaguely the thought crossed his mind if she was even still alive. Then, he shook it off, of course she was, she's a strong person with a strong will to survive. She had to be alive. One day, he would return home with his honor intact and he would have her freed immediately. Currently Zuko and Iroh were about a week away from Ba Sing Se on foot, and the first thing on his mind was how to get food. That's when he decided to once again don the blue spirit mask and go raid a market. An hour later he returns with a decent amount of food. Iroh asks only once where he's been, and after not getting an answer decides he'd rather not know. A few hours later they're on the move again, and they're making pretty good time when it starts to rain, heavily. They take shelter under an overhang of rocks. As the rain is pouring down, Zuko starts, once again, to think of Aya, and how she used to love rainy days. Especially days with storms. As she explained it, it combined the two elements that were a part of her more than the others. She used to watch the storms for ideas.
"Uncle," Zuko finally asks, "did you ever see the dual bender, Aya perform?"
Iroh thinks for a second, "You mean that girl that did the most beautiful things with water and fire? I saw her perform to a live orchestra once on New Year's, it was amazing. She created a thunderstorm that never rained, but was beautiful to watch. She disappeared a short time later."
Zuko's jaw drops, during the said New Year's celebration, Zuko was bed ridden with an odd form of chicken pox. It was shortly after Ozai was made Fire Lord, and Iroh had just returned home. Luten's funeral had been a grand affair, and Zuko's mother was long gone, Azula made sure to rub that in every chance she got.
Zuko goes back to thinking about her, before asking, "Uncle, how can two opposite elements reside in the same person?"
"In theory, it represents the conflict and chaos within her, but she was only a child. Perhaps, it was simply one of her parents was a waterbender, and the other a firebender. Maybe she was to be the next avatar but the avatar spirit wasn't passed down since it still resides in the... avatar? She could just be an anomally too," Iroh concludes.
Again, Zuko ponders over memories and thoughts of Aya, "Uncle, why did my father think she was a threat to the Fire Nation?"
Iroh shrugs in response, "There are many things I do not understand about my brother. The way he thinks is one of them."
Lying back, Zuko slips into a light sleep where thoughts of his childhood dance through his head as he dreams. Aya is at the forefront of these thoughts, and most of all the fun times they had together in the dungeon. He would bring toys and water and weapons, and they'd play or train, sometimes, she'd just put on a show for him. She helped him with his bending, mostly to try to keep up with Azula, but of course, he fell behind. However, he trained solely with her in the dual sword style. She knew some from her father and could make blades of ice to train with. It wasn't until he left home that he'd bought the set he now carried. All those times he had to wear tight gloves because the ice was so cold seem so long ago now. Even though it was only four years. There was one time, for his birthday, he asked his father for a day with Aya outside of the prison. His father agreed, however Aya had chains on her arms and ankles and they were surrounded by several guards. Despite the restrictions in her movement, Aya still managed to put on a beautiful show with her bending for Zuko's birthday present. Immediately after the show was over, he gave her a long hug and a sincere thank you.
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A/N: I'm sorry these are short, I'm trying to make them longer, this one's longer by about 100 words. 3 will be out either monday night, or tuesday. So, I'll try to get a few out a week!!
