Ozai waiting on the fighting platform for his son to appear he made sure no one told the boy that he would fighting him to make sure he could teach the weak boy a proper lesson. However it seemed Zuko wasn't going to the one surprised by his opponent. His eyes widened as instead of his son his brother walked up onto the platform. "Iroh this duel is between my son and myself what are you doing here?" he demanded a subtle threat in his voice as always.
Iroh gave him a cold look that did not fit on the kind man's face. "I believed I was going to fight a General Bao Brother my honor was the one insulted Zuko came into the war room under my permission and I happen to agree with the statement he made thus by calling him a fool and challenging Zuko's honor he challenged my own." Ozai shifted nervously in an almost imperceivable way fighting his son was one thing but his brother did not earn the title dragon of the west for nothing. "The better question is why are you here?" several of the nobles and observers began to mutter among themselves they had the prince had challenged his father in a decision but it sounded like he disagreed with a general and his father was trying to punish him for it.
"The boy has insulted my own honor speaking out of turn and insulting those wiser than him."
Iroh's eyes narrowed. "That is funny brother I don't remember father challenging you to an Agni Kai when you disagreed with a military strategy." the mutters increased greatly and Ozai scowled it was clear he was losing the crowd. Challenging his own son to Agni Kai because he didn't not approve of a battle plan? That was ridiculous he was just a boy. When most of them arrived they had been told that the fire lord's honor had been insulted by his son and he was going to teach him a lesson but now it sounded like he acting like a petulant child.
The official looked nervously between the two firebenders and decided to start the match. "Are both combatants ready?" he asked with a slight quiver in his voice.
"Yes." Iroh said calmly while his brother nearly spat out a "Get on with it."
"BEGIN!" he called before jumping back.
Ozai attacked first fast and furious launching fireball after fireball at his brother but it was clear from the start who was more skilled Iroh dissolved and blocked any fire thrown at him with ease. If this was a few years later Ozai could have won Iroh had let up on his training ever since the siege of ba sing se ended and was slowly falling out of shape. But right now he was a man just out of war and had experience far more combat than his own brother. Seeing he was getting nowhere Ozai decided to try a last resort with great speed he summoned lightning to his hands and launched it at his brother. Gasps rang out as Ozai summoned the lightning to use such an art against his own brother.
But Iroh did not try to dodge or counter instead he merely stood his ground and held out two index fingers. The lightning redirected itself into his hands but instead of striking him dead as it very well should have he moved and threw it right back at his brother. Sending him out of the ring and to the floor unconscious.
Mutters broke out amongst the crowd once more as the referee called the match the dragon of west had done the impossible and redirected lightning he truly was the greatest firebender alive. Iroh looked down at his brother and shook his head sadly. What had happened to him, he was always cruel but never this cruel. He sighed and realized his brother would have maimed his own son to make a point he was lucky that Hara had warned him or else Zuko would have been injured perhaps even killed. He almost didn't come not wanting to agitate his brother but Hara said something that struck a chord with him.
"What do you mean you might do nothing?"
"My brother may be cruel but Zuko is his son." Iroh said finding it hard to believe the man would harm his own son to that extent.
"He said he was going to teach him a lesson he would never forget! How are you even hesitating!" Iroh looked at him and Hara sighed. "I don't know why it would be any different here. I once heard that for evil to flourish all that is need is for a good man to do nothing. This pointless war started because good men did nothing and allowed Sozin to kill the airbenders believing the avatar would be able to stop him. They were cowards who waited for another to do what they were not willing too." Hara said before storming out of the room.
Iroh looked down before his eyes hardened Hara was right he kept waiting for the avatar to come and do something, he knew the avatar was still around the spirits told him so and he had been waiting for him to arrive before doing anything. No more!
Iroh had been trying to get away from the crowds he had been forced to mingle with, he had forced Zuko to stay on the side lines for the fight not allowing him into the before the match had started this was reinforced by the guards he had ordered to not allow him in until the battle had begun. He knew his nephew would not be happy about being forced onto the sidelines and he wanted to go check on him.
"ZUKO!" Ozai called as he recovered standing up luckily for him iroh had weakened the lightning so it while causing him immense pain did very little long term damage. Iroh's eyes narrowed as Zuko nervously made his way forward.
"Yes father?" the entire hall was silent as everyone listened with rapt attention.
You have disgraced yourself allowing another to fight in your place." Ozai declared and Zuko looked down in shame still yearning his father's approval. "You have lost your honor!" he said making Zuko look up in shock. "You are banished from the fire nation until you reclaim it by finding the avatar!" whispers broke out as Zuko's eyes widened, it was clear Ozai was trying to make up for his loss by pushing the shame onto his own son by giving him an impossible task.
"As a reminder of your shame you shall bear this mark." Zuko looked confused until Ozai grabbed his son and pulled him towards him his other hand coated in fire. Zuko let out a cry of agony as Ozai grasped the left side of his son's face burning him. Ozai dropped his son to the floor and began to head back to his throne as several healers moved forward to aid the injured prince.
"OZAI!" Iroh bellowed in rage making his way through the crowd who moved as fast as they could to get out of his way.
"Watch your tone brother you are speaking to the fire-" he was cut off by a burst of fire slamming into him. A dozen guards moved forward to stop his assault but Iroh took them down with ease. The normally calm man was infuriated, his rage filled face striking fear into the guards between him and Ozai.
"LOST HIS HONOR! YOU ARE AN ARROGANT FOOL WHO CAN NOT HANDLE THE FACT THAT HE LOST!" Iroh roared much like his title sending a stream of fire at his brother guards sending them to the floor from the sheer heat of the fire. "He has not lost his honor you have!" Iroh stated in much more calm but just as furious tone. "You dare call him honorless! you who was going to fight your own son in an Agni Kai because he cared for the lives of his country men unlike you!" his own hand became coated in fire much like Ozai's was a moment earlier. "You are nothing but a coward!" he thrust his hand forward and burned hànzì for coward into his brother's chest. "let this be a reminder of your shame!" he declared before leaving to go see his nephew.
Ozai glared at his brother's retreating back that was twice now he had been humiliated by his brother.
Harry smirked as the fire lord fumed he never like Ozai the man had too much ego, Azulon had an ego true, for spirits sake the man had a giant statue of himself built to guard the western side of the country and only entrance to the capital by sea. But he had a great cunning to match his ego. It wasn't lost on anyone that fire nation had nowhere near as much finesse as they used to when fighting. Nor was it lost that they lost far more soldiers and supplies during battle then they did when Azulon was leading their army. Ozai preferred the brute force tactics over anything else, he unlike his brother and the two previous fire lords had no real experience as a general.
Harry slunk unseen into the shadows once more, he had more chaos to sow.
Harry looked fairly normal for a fire nation citizen while his green eyes were very memorable but he had means of hiding it. A simple mixture turned them a more bluish color and an ability he had from before he even came here the ability to change his hair. It wasn't anything special he couldn't suddenly turn it pink but he could make it a few inches longer and a bit more controlled than his usual was at least for a few hours add in some makeup to hide his scar and he was good. It wouldn't be enough to fool anyone who really knew him but to a random person on the street he was just another commoner.
Harry snatched up a box as a man dropped it. "Need any help sir?" he asked with a bright smile and the middle aged man smiled.
"Sure thing kid thanks." he said before pointing to a bar just across the street. "My store is right over there." he said as they moved into the shop, Harry hide a smirk this made his job so much easier, a bar was the perfect place to begin.
"Hey Lao here's your drinks." the man said placing his boxes on table and motioning for Harry to do the same.
"Thanks Lee. who's the kid?" he asked.
"I couldn't carry all the boxes and the kid offered to help." he answered making the barkeep nod.
Like clockwork one of the men drinking spoke up. "Did you here about the prince?"
"What happened?"
"He got banished for speaking out against his father and letting his uncle fight for him."
"But that's not what happened." Harry said adopting a confused tone and look.
"You know what happened kid?"
He nodded cheerfully. "Yeah mom works at the palace and I got to see the fight." he said. "It was so cool the older guy was wapush! And the other guy fire lad or something like that was all like gah!"
"Oh why were they fighting?" one of the men asked again leaning forward there was nothing commoners loved more than gossip.
"Something about honor, apparent iron-"
Iroh." corrected one of the men.
But Harry continued like he didn't hear him. "Said something about how it was his honor that given a boo-boo as well and that he had every right to fight for his nepu."
"Nephew." he was corrected again.
"And then they started throwing fire and Iron." they didn't even bother correcting him this time. "Was winning then fire lad-"
"Lord."
"Yeah whatever anyway fire lord threw lightning and it was so cool but then Iron threw the lightning back at him and won!" they assumed he dodged the lightning and threw his own and the kid just missed what happened.
"Than later fire guy called some kid name zuso-"
"Zuko."
"Up to the stage and started this really long talk about how he was disgrassed."
"Disgraced." they correct once more. Not really caring too interested in the story.
"Than he gave him a really bad boo-boo by touching his face his hand on fire." mutters broke out they knew nobles could be crazy but burning his own son alive?
"Then he said go find the avater."
"Do you mean avatar?"
"Yeah that's it." he nodded. "Avatar. Any way than that one guy who fought fire lord earlier came back and he was really mad!" Harry exclaimed. "He beat up the fire guy again and a bunch of guards before saying that fire guy was the one without honor and that Zuso was a better man than him for caring about his own people. Than he burned a symbol into to his chest." here Harry winced again.
"What symbol?"
"I don't know but I can draw it." he said and there was scramble to give him some paper and ink. He then drew a poorly done symbol for coward but clear enough that you knew what it meant.
He then pretend to realize it was late and rush back home before his mom got mad. Going to several different bars he told the story various times sometime as a little eight year old kid sometimes dressing more like a teenager.
He also told the story a few different way for example one persona heard from a friend who over heard a guard that apparently Zuko had defended a whole legion the 41st from being sacrificed in battle. By the end of the night the whole capital knew what happened by the time Zuko had to leave the every town within the entire island knew and the news was spreading fast.
Even Harry was surprised when on the day of the Zuko's banishment almost thirty ships showed up and docked next to his own.
In the usual manner of welcoming nobles and royal the soldier exited the largest capital ship and form ranks on either side of ship's walk way making a path clear to the capital ship.
Harry's eyes widened when he saw the emblem on side of one of the soldiers. "The 41st." He mutter without realizing it. His mutter was heard and whispers spread throughout the crowd.
A man whose appearance marked him as captain came forward and kneeled before Zuko. "Prince Zuko the 41st division is at your command." Zuko's eyes widened in shock at the statement and he shot a glance towards his father. Did his father expect him to succeed? did he have faith in him? That hope was dashed as he saw his father scowl.
"What is the meaning of this?" Ozai demanded with a growl.
The man did not rise but explained. "My lord Prince Zuko disgraced himself on our behalf." the man said the word disgraced with clear skepticism. "If he is to find the avatar to regain his honor than it is only fitting that we aid him in his quest."
Zuko looked shock yet he felt incredibly touched this men were willing to leave their home to join him on what most likely would be an impossible quest. Ozai's scowl deepened but he said nothing with the way the captain had phrased there was no way for him to turn this against Zuko especially not with the crowd who had come to see the prince off eating it up. It made perfect sense and showed how noble the men were, willing to fight on behalf of a banished prince for speaking in their favor.
Not to mention he couldn't give a warning such as they shall not receive pay for this because he had stated when asking for volunteers for such a mission, that being will to join a banished prince in exile was respectable and show loyalty to the throne even for one who could not inherit for now and that they would still be payed for such loyalty. He had made it clear that this was a dishonorable up taking and that he didn't approve that was also why he gave Zuko a nearly centuries old ship to use.
Zuko still looked shocked before he composed himself and smiled before bowing before them. "Thank you." he stated the captain stood and led him back to his new capital ship.
Back on the ship he should have taken the captain smirked he had joined out of respect for Iroh plus he was old and his family could use the extra money, but he always felt his general had deserved the position of Fire Lord. so it was pleasing to the arrogant man get knocked down a peg.
As the small fleet took off Harry smiled that smile faded slightly when he saw Azula frowning in thought. "You alright Azula?"
"Fine." she said the frown vanishing. "Merely thinking."
Harry made his way back to his quarters thinking about why he had done this, it wasn't out of petty dislike for the fire no it was more than that. He had been asked by Ursa mother of Azula and Zuko to look after them. She was the closest thing to a mother he ever had, he hadn't hesitated to accept. She had been kind to him, scolding him when he did wrong congratulating him when he succeed, teasing him at times. He had cared for her and he knew it was because of Ozai she had been forced to leave. So he had done his best to honor her wish, protecting Zuko from his father's wrath and aiding him when he could.
Done also man was this long and RRW well Ozai did get scar as well so it's kind of balance. Also I don't believe Ozai commanded as much respect before Zuko was banished as he did when he returned. Iroh held much more influence at the time, he just didn't want the throne.
Bluestorm28: catch up on legend of korra not the avatar is not the only one who can bend more than one element they are just the only one who learned how.
