Chapter 4: Paper Street


A boy gasped, pointing up to the sky like the excited child he was. "Mama, look! It's a dragon!"

Above, slinking between the skyscrapers of Republic City, a red scaled dragon flew. Thousands of eyes stared up at the beast. It wasn't the first time most had seen it, but it was an uncommon enough occurrence to be in the presence of the last known dragon on earth.

"A dragon," the mother repeated. "The Firelord must be in town."

Besides them, a hooded old man, one of the few that had not turned up to stare, laughed, "Yes, he must be. Unannounced, too."


Even though he sat in the squashed corner of the diner, everything seemed bright. Republic city was bright. Jazz seemed to hum through every street, tinting life with a breeze of cheer. Sunlight poured through giant store windows and turned the sides of skyscrapers into molten gold. Cars and people of all colors walked across black asphalt like a swirling field of flowers, all flowling together, yet to their own beat.

He felt it, and he loved it. It made him feel small, like one tiny pulse in the beating heart that was Republic City. Its enormity got away from him.

A blur of orange and yellow shot past the diner's window. There was the tinkling of the bell as the door opened, and Tenzin stood in the doorway, winded.

He caught sight of the old Firelord and dashed into the corner booth. "Lord Zuko, I came as soon as I got your message."

"You didn't bring Pema and the kids?"

"I'm sure you can tell me whatever you wanted to tell me without them here."

Zuko frowned, "Tenzin, I just wanted to share breakfast with you and your family."

The councilman furrowed his eyebrows. "That… that's it?"

"Why would it be anything more?"

The bell at the front rung again and in a moment an ironclad, grey-haired woman was marching up to their table.

"Lord Zuko, sir. I got your letter," Lin announced, holding the sheet of paper Zuko had sent from Gaoling - which read that he'd be in Republic City in a week, and wanted to meet her in the diner they were currently making a scene in. The police chief side-eyed the airbender. "What are you doing here?"

"It's nice to see you too, Lin," Tenzin sighed.

"If you called this guy in as well, it must be something important. What's happening?"

Zuko threw his hands up, "Nothing's happening! Why do you kids always think I have bad news when I come to visit?"

"So… nothing's wrong?" Lin asked.

"Nothing is wrong! I'm visiting Republic City for the first time in years and I called you here so we could have breakfast together as friends; family, really. Is that so hard to believe?"

"Sorry, sir. You've just never been one to…" Lin trailed off.

"I can be social if I want to. Now sit down, have something to drink."

The two shuffled their feet for a moment, before Zuko gave them a glare and they took a seat at the booth.

A waiter came around, paper in hand. "What'll it be?"

"I'll have a jasmine tea, please. And you two?"

"Coffee. Black," was Lin's answer, looking glum.

"Nothing for me, thank you," Tenzin said.

Zuko frowned at the airbender. "Hmm… get me a cup of ginseng for him, and whatever your breakfast special is for the table."

The waiter nodded and walked away before Tenzin began to argue.

"Lord Zuko, that's really not necessary-"

"But I'm going to do it anyway. So sit back down and wait for your tea. Ginseng calms the mind. I think."

"Then he's going to need all the ginseng he can get," Lin muttered

Tenzin leaned back into his chair, arms crossed like a petulant child. The two scowled from across the table, with a bit more intensity than a little joke could have earned. Were Tenzin and Lin the two that had dated when they were kids? Ah. Perhaps it was a good thing Pema and the kids hadn't come.

Zuko sat there, studying the menu, trying to ignore the all too obvious tension in the air. When Tenzin began incessantly shaking his leg - and the table with it - and when the sound of Lin absentmindedly winding and unwinding one of her metal cords started to give him a headache, he slammed the menu back down on the table.

"Enough. If I wanted to see people scowling I would've just looked in the mirror."

Tenzin flinched. "I'm sorry Lord Zuko, I just don't know how much time I can make for this."

"Same goes for me. The station's overloaded and I need to get back."

"It's the weekend," Zuko argued.

"There's no breaks on this job, sir," Lin answered.

"Everyone needs a break."

"Not when there's so much work to be done."

Zuko snorted. "Do you think I stepped down as Firelord because I thought there was no more work to be done? There's more work to be done than ever. But that doesn't mean you can't have a break."

They slouched down, not convinced. Zuko studied them, and wondered when they had gotten so weary. He and Toph and Aang and everyone else had worked to try and keep their burdens off their children's shoulders, and yet here they were - the councilman, the police chief, and the Firelord, tired and world-weary as ever.

"Look," he spoke, a tad more gentle, "I know more than anyone what it's like to be under pressure. I know what it's like to be a leader. It feels like doing anything less than working yourself to the bone isn't enough. And maybe it isn't. One lifetime really isn't enough time to fix the world."

That did little to smooth the lines of stress from their faces, but it was true. The Avatar, after all, had been given thousands of lifetimes, yet even they could only do so much.

"There are a lot of things I regret about my life. Do I regret not working more? Sometimes, maybe. But what I regret much, much more, was not spending enough time with friends - with family."

And that, he knew, had struck home. Here was Lin - estranged from both her mother and sister, and so committed to her job that it put Zuko's workaholism to shame. Tenzin, though he had raised his family with love, was oceans away from his mother and siblings, and after Aang died, he'd thrown himself into his role as councilman, as if continuing his father's work would bring him closer to him.

He knew their lives were busy; even after this, Lin likely wouldn't find the time or the energy to reconnect with her family, and Tenzin would only become more entrenched in the business of the council as the city went another year without its Avatar. They were busy, busy people. So Zuko had gone to them, and he might not be Aang or Katara or Toph, but he was family enough - at least, he hoped so.

"So entertain an old man and join me for tea. It's been awhile since I've spent time with you youths."

Lin allowed herself a smile. "I don't think you can really call us youths anymore, Lord Zuko."

"And no more of this Lord nonsense. You two used to call me uncle Zuko. But then again, I always told you not to call me that. So maybe it's my fault."

Tenzin smiled, "Are you going to head to Air Temple Island after this? Your room is ready."

"Not yet. I've spent most of my life trying to build this city and I'd like a chance to finally see it for myself."

"I think you'll like what you see. It has its faults, but Republic City is home for so many of us. We're indebted to you for the work you've done to bring it to this point."

"That's one thing I'll agree with you on," Lin said.


Zuko had seen the maps, the pictures, the blueprints and ground plans, had even watched the city speed by through the window of a Satomobile, but nothing could compare to standing at the very feet of the world's youngest nation. A picture could never capture the soft music following him through downtown, or the looming grandeur of Harmony Tower's scaffolding above him, or how the mist made Air Temple look like it was floating on clouds.

To him, Republic City had always been paper streets and blueprint buildings, but now he was at ground level, and he could never imagine the city as two-dimensional ever again. Men and women passed him by, lives busy, feet fast, making a world for themselves out of what the city had to offer.

He passed by the train station, where people flowed in and out like a never ending stream. Above the hustle and bustle, a bronze statue watched over the crowd.

Zuko frowned up at the metal. Did people really have to pass his stupid face everyday?

He'd made a speech at the unveiling, he remembered. He'd forgotten what he'd said. Zuko was never good with speeches. Something about a connected world and how far technology had progressed, probably. And progress it did. Zuko was never the best spokesperson for that kind of thing - he was still dumbfounded by the first telephone.

He kept walking, making his way steadily to the bay. The streets were wide, flanked by towers that seemed to have no end, the neon lights of store signs bright against chrome metals and gray brick. It was exotic, almost. The Fire Nation had grown too, throughout the years, but the change had been like a young oak filling into its full size. Republic City was like a whole new species. He could walk through this one street and find just about everything - phonographs, fresh fruit, Fire Nation spices, spare car parts, a new radio, authentic Southern seal jerky, even little bobblehead versions of Aang, apparently. It was nice to know there could still be things new to him even at his age.

The growling of a satomobile suddenly echoed from in front of him. Passersby began to walk faster, store signs quickly turned to closed. It didn't take long for Zuko to catch on either. The bright red satomobile, the three men in silk suits jumping out and trading words with the frail looking owner of what looked like an antique store; racketeering in broad daylight - well, broad sunset, at least.

Of the three, a man dressed in blue, the likely waterbender of the group, was taking charge, words of protection and unfortunate incidents slithering from his mouth.

"Excuse me," Zuko said in a voice that didn't care at all whether he was excused or not, "But I don't believe you're welcome here."

The goon looked him up and down. "You're out a little past your bedtime there, oldtimer. It'd be better for both of us if you get lost."

"And it'll be better for you if you leave this instant."

"Who do you think you are, old man?"

"That hardly matters. The question is who do you think you are to be terrorizing the people of this city."

"Us?" He smiled and spread out his hands. "We're the kings of the the street. The Triple Threat Triad. Is that dementia setting in, or did you just forget?"

Zuko scoffed. "You? Kings? More like parasites preying on the weak and innocent. You don't deserve anything this city had given you."

"Look, we've been pretty good on the 'no hurting the sick and elderly' rule so far, but I'll make an exception if I have to."

"Try me."

Zuko might've been old, but he was a firebending master. If it came down to it, Zuko was confident he could take the fool. Alone, at least. Take account the other three, and he might have to call down Druk.

The goon huffed at the proposal, but rolled his shoulders back and cracked his knuckles, laughing, still only half-believing that this old loon had challenged him to a fight. The rest of his crew smiled at Zuko with mock pity.

Before either of the made a step forward, the eyes of the red suited thug, likely the firebender of the bunch, sparked with recognition. "Wait, you- you're the Firelord."

Zuko rolled his eyes, "Former Firelord, please."

A look of absolute shock covered the leader's face, and Zuko couldn't help but chuckle. At the sound, the man wiped off the look and scowled. "I don't care if the Avatar herself was in front of me. I'll fight anyone who thinks they can get in my way!"

"Wait, boss," the firebender reached for his arm, turning the thug around so he could mutter something into his ear. They whispered scathing words back and forth, loud enough that Zuko could have heard them if he was a few years younger.

When they turned around again, the man steadied a biting look towards Zuko, before breaking out a grin. "Looks like it's your lucky day. We don't have time to deal with royalty tonight. Consider it a thanks for all the hard work you've done," he said with a mock bow, "But don't forget: you might have built this city, but we're the ones who own it."

Then he and his men piled into their car, revving the engines and filling the storefront with smoke. The man flashed him one last smirk. "Enjoy your stay."

Tires screeched on asphalt, and the men were gone, their laughter echoing down the street.


The rest of the night was quiet. The store owner had asked him inside for a cup of tea as thanks, but Zuko had said he had to be on his way. He left the shaken man with a farewell, promising to bring up the issue with the station, though Zuko knew Lin was already doing all she could.

A sigh rocked his lungs as he walked on. The city lights seemed colder now, harsher on the eyes. Crooked rooftops and cracked sidewalks appeared to be the defining traits of the city, along with the ever-present growl of car engines. Men and women huddled in alleyways, children flitted across the streets without a care, and with no one to care for them, all the while triad cars shot past unchallenged.

Another sigh escaped. Who knew paper streets had such flesh and blood problems?

Zuko reached the edge of the bay, where in the distance, Aang's statue glowed against the dark water. The two of them had been hailed as the creators of this city, and the world had always considered it as one of their crowning achievements. But could he really claim a city wracked with unchecked crime and poverty as a triumph?

Zuko never truly considered himself a founder of the Republic City. He had neither sown the seeds nor tended to its growth, he merely convinced the other nations not to nip it at the bud. Yet decades later, standing at the foot of the concrete jungle itself, he felt he could have done more. Should have done more.

But that was all wishful thinking. There would always be more work to be done, and by that standard, everything he'd done and would ever do would never be enough. It was time to let go of the could haves and the should haves, and make use of what he did have. And right now, he had a few weeks left of vacation, and a city he would love to explore.

Across the water, jutting out into the pier, was the Pro-bending Arena. It was an architectural masterpiece - colossal in size, polished in design, and blasted in golden lighting. Roars of the crowd could be heard through the concrete walls.

Zuko wandered up to the entrance, now desolate, except for a single ticket seller and two young boys, one pressed up against the glass of the ticketbooth, and the other leaning against the wall of the stadium, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.

The one at the booth was pleading, "Come on, please! I know you have tickets left!"

The vendor scowled, "Yeah, I do. Balcony seats. You kids don't make that kinda money in a year. So scram!"

"But sir," the boy pleaded as if in a radio drama, soaking his voice with heartache, "My brother and I love Pro-Bending. We listen to the matches on the radio every day. Please, it's the Lion Vultures versus the Catgators tonight. Just this once, please!"

"Nice sob story. Tell it to someone who cares!"

The other boy pulled his brother by the arm. "C'mon bro, stop wasting your time. Let's go."

He watched curiously as they started to leave. They were here without their parents. It wasn't hard to assume from their thin frames and worn clothes that they didn't have any. His earlier thoughts came back to bite him, and he couldn't help but feel bitter - mostly at himself. He was hailed as the creator of this city, and yet he had done so little to help those who lived in the streets he'd helped built.

It was late, but Zuko stepped forwards towards the booth.

"Three tickets for the balcony, please," Zuko said, placing a stack of yuans in the window.

The keeper stared, as if he couldn't decipher what he'd just said. "Are you sure, sir? The game's almost halfway over."

"That's fine," he assured, taking the tickets in hand.

Behind him, the boys had stopped to stare. He held the tickets towards them. "Would you boys like to join me? I need some company. And someone to explain the rules of this game to me, because I don't have the faintest clue."


AN: Zuko, Lin and Tenzin make up Team Family Grumps, and you cannot convince me otherwise. Thanks for the reviews so far everyone! Two more chapters to go, hope you're enjoying it!