Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Title: For a Pessimist

By: Shuramai

Summary: I'm Pretty Optimistic. Zuko-centric. Why am I so bored that I'm actually taking Uncle's advice?

A/N: Last chapter...it's been fun, guys. Two little journal entries and the little epilogue in this last chapter...hope it amuses.8D.

DL 13

I was almost discovered today.

Okay, so I know I miss Uncle. Everyone knows I miss Uncle. But if they start noticing that I've stolen his sandals from the piles of old supplies and scraps that we've found scattered all over the Temple, I'm pretty sure they'll laugh at me. Or find some kind of place that takes care of insane people, and leave me there.

Either that, or they'll puncture my air balloon and ride off on Appa.

I have the sneaky suspicion that they are planning to do this, as today, I was made to cook.

Yes, cook. Me. As in, not Katara or Sokka, or Aang. Or anyone else.

And even though it is possible to ruin rice, I didn't think I that even I could ruin soup. Just how do you do that?

Well, maybe it was due to the fact that Momo had been jumping around the kitchen and stealing food, not to mention trying to play with every shiny thing that seemed to catch his attention.

I seriously think Momo was a magpie-parrot in a past life.

Anyways, even though I tried to defend myself and my unedible cooking, everyone still blamed me for the ruined meal.

And tonight, when we were made to tell our 'bedtime' stories, Katara volunteered to tell a story. A horror story, she had said, as everyone seemed to enjoy those.

Haru almost bolted when he heard those words.

Luckily for Katara, Toph had pulled him down, and hissed something at him along the lines of You big sissy, so Haru stayed.

Then Katara had this large grin on her face, and proceeded to tell about her day.

And really, that should've tipped me off that she was just trying to insult my cooking. Which she did, in great detail, and everyone laughed. Even Aang, even though he had shot me this apologetic look.

Sokka laughed so hard that he almost passed out. Literally.

I hate Katara.

DL14

I think I've discovered a new talent. The art of matchstick bending.

For the oddest reason, my bending has gone a bit screwy. I really hadn't been noticing it messing up; we've been busy with all these other things, and Aang has been busy working with Toph as she still believes that his Earthbending has to be (atleast) at an average level for a Earthbender.

Well, I really haven't been practing my own Firebending. I've been meditating, sure, but that was mostly to calm myself before I began to mingle with our little dysfunctional family we have here in the Western Air Temple. It's as therapeutic as writing in this journal, and I need all the therapy I can get if I have to deal with people like Katara.

I think that my bending has gotten weaker. It may be the altitude here that distrupts my bending, or it could be the stress of dealing with Katara. Maybe it's because I haven't done my exercises? I don't know.

I mean, when I need to use my bending, like lighting the campfires and cooking fires, it's not bad. If the world depended on matchstick bending, I'm pretty sure that we'd give my fathe--Fire Lord Ozai a run for his money.

There has to be a solution to this...

Oh. Forgot to include the Katara glares for yesterday. Eleven.

Today's number for glares: Fifteen.

Total: 36. And it's just been three days.

One of these days, her face will just...stick like that, I'm sure. Then I won't have to count how many times she glares at me, because she'll have the same expression on her face, so it'll be like...I dunno. A continuous glare.

What's sad about that is that Katara's glares are as intimidating as Momo trying to pick a fight with Appa.

It's not scary. It's funny.

Zuko's journal ends here.

Epilogue

Years after the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai, and the coronation of Fire Lord Zuko, this journal was found by Lord Zuko's close friend, and later Chief, Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe.

It must be known, that yes, Sokka did laugh when he found it.

Lord Zuko's prediction of Chief Sokka becoming a poltergeist, however, did not come to pass.

While Lord Zuko himself forgot about the journal he had written, it became a source of mild amusement to all the friends he had known during his brief stay at the Temple. While it must be known that the Queen of Omashu had made several copies and passed it around the city for the amusement of its citizens, Sokka himself returned the diary.

Zuko was thankful...until he discovered that it was passed around the kingdoms.

Fire Lady Mai, however, took it and placed it in the Fire Nation Library to be preserved. It was a wartime document, showing the history of one of the rulers of the Fire Nation. While Lord Zuko was displeased, he agreed with her decision.

For years it resided in the Library, next to Chief Sokka's own diary, which was found a few years later by his wife.