"We've got to find them! Its the only way we'll be rid of them!" Ozai shouted to the rest of the Benders around the table. They all shifted their eyes warily. Ozai sighed and continued on. "If we find the nest and run them out, the dragons will leave, they'll find another home! One last search, before the ice sets in!"

"Those ships never come back." A random Bender called out.

Ozai sighed once more. "We're Benders! Its an occupational hazard! Now whose with me?"

Reluctant whispers were spread through out the audience. Ozai smirked with a plan.

"Okay, those who stay will look after Zuko."

They were soon fighting to get their hands in the air.

"Thats what I thought."

And with that, the meeting was adjourned.

"I better pack my tea cups."

Ozai turned at the voice of his brother.

"No I need you to stay and train some new recruits."

"Sure and while I'm busy, Zuko can work the shop! Lots of sharp knives, lots of time to himself... what could possibly go wrong?"

"Oh Iroh, what am I going to do with him?"

Iroh looked at him as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Put him in training with the others."

"No I'm serious."

"So am I!"

"He'll be killed before the first dragon is let out!"

"Oh you don't know that!" Iroh countered.

"Yes, I do." Ozai bit back.

"No you dont."

"Yes, actually, I do."

"No you don't." Iroh slammed his palm on the table.

"Listen, you know what he's like." Ozai stood. "From the time he could crawl he was... different. He has the attention-span of a saber-toothed-moose-lion, I take him fishing and he goes hunting for-for Pandas!"

Iroh turned quickly. "Pandas exist! They steal your socks, but only the left ones! Whats up with that?"

Ozai ignored him. "When I was a boy..."

"Oh here we go."

"..my father told me to blow on a fire, I thought it was crazy! But I did it! And you know what happened?"

"You got burned."

"The forest lit on fire! That was when I discovered what Benders could do! We could tame seas, crush mountains, control the sun! Even as a boy I knew what I was... Zuko is not that boy."

"You can't stop him Ozai, you can only prepare him. The truth is, you won't always be around to protect him! He's going to get out there again, he's probably out there now!"

Ozai sat back and ran over what his brother had said. Hmmm..


Zuko opened his eyes to... another tree. Suprise suprise. He sighed and look back down at the sketch book in his hands and scribbled all over the hand made map in irritation and closed it with a heavy sigh.

"Oh the spirits hate me." He kicked at a rock. "Some people lose their knife or a mug, no not me, I manage to lose an entire dragon!"

He smacked a branch in his way only for it to come back and nail his in the eye.

"Ow!" He grabbed at the small scrape before dropping his hand in awe at the tree that was currently broken in half. His eyes trailed to the large rut in the ground leading over a small hill. He slid down it, stepping over a root carefully, and peeked over the edge of the hill only to dart back down in fear. He peeked over again to confirm what he had seen. A dragon, black as ash with wings three times as big as Zuko. He stood up straighter though he was still having a mini asthma attack and readied his hands in case he needed his bending.

He stumbled down the hill and hid behind a large rock that was currently the only thing seperating him from death itself. He took a few deep breaths before stepping closer to evaluate his work. The dragon was detained and un-moving. His heart grew with joy.

"Yes! This fixes everything!" He placed on foot on the dragon looking all mighty. "I have brought down this mighty beas-" Suddenly he found himself against the rock due to the dragon shuffling him off. He ditched his bending and grabbed his dagger, holding it out threateningly. He trailed his eyes from the tail to the dragon's eyes. When he reached them they opened to reveal eyes as gold as his but with red in the center. He looked absolutely... terrified. Zuko shook his head and took deep breaths before raising the dagger.

"I'm going to kill you dragon. I'm- I'm gunna cut out your heart and take it to my father. I am a Bender. I am a Bender!" He looked once more at its eyes before closing his eyes and raising the dagger above his head. The dragon dropped its head in defeat, knowing its fate. Zuko sighed and dropped the knife at his side. He looked in shame at the bola wrapped around the dragons scales.

"I did this." He said, ashamed. He turned to leave but stopped. He looked back at the detained reptile and pity struck him. He got down quickly and started cutting at the ropes. Once free, the dragon jumped up and pinned his against the rock, no escape. They stared at eachother for a moment before the dragon gave an ear-piercing scream right in his ear. The dragon then took flight into the air but hit several things along the way. Zuko stood for a second, took a step, the wobbled to the ground with a groan.

Two in one day! Wowza! Review!