1Thanks, guys! Oh, if any of you would be interested in Beta-reading my fics, that would be great! Just PM me, and we'll talk.

Chapter 9: Confrontations

"Earth."

"Air."

"Earth!"

"Air!"

"Teo, how the freak is Air the best element?" Toph asked her friend, exasperated. She and Teo were talking about which element is better. "If it was, the Air Nomads would've survived the genocide!"

"True, but wasn't the genocide a surprise attack thing?"

Toph threw up her hands in frustration. "That's not the point! Air is a crap element to fight with! God, it's pointless to argue with you..."

"Yet you seem to enjoy it." Teo said teasingly.

Aang approached the two. "What are you guys arguing about this time?"

"Whether air or earth is the best element." Teo explained. "I voted air."

Aang snorted. "Is that even a question? Everyone knows air is the best!"

Before Toph could retort, the trio heard lightning. They froze.

"Crap, Azula didn't ambush us, did she?" Aang asked, worried.

"Well, I don't hear anyone screaming in pain and or agony, so no." Toph said. "In fact, all I feel around here is you guys."

The lightning struck again. Aang and Toph ran to check it out. They saw Zuko standing in the field, his back to them. Zuko turned around and saw Toph and Aang gaping at him.

"Oh, hey. Sorry. Did I scare you?" Zuko said a bit embarrassed.

"Psh. Me? Scared?" Toph chuckled. "Nah. But Aang was."

"I was not!" Aang turned on Toph. "I was worried! I thought it might be Azula."

"So, you're afraid of Azula?" Toph asked. "You didn't seem like it when we were in that bunker thing."

"That's because I'm not afraid of Azula!" Aang shot back. "I can walk all over that bitch!:"

Zuko gaped. "Wow...you swore."

Aang blushed in embarrassment. "Well...heh..."

Toph chuckled again. "Wait until I tell Katara!"

"Pleaxse don't!" Aang begged.

"Okay, I won't." Toph said half-convincingly. She walked off.

"...I hate Toph so much sometimes." Aang admitted.

Zuko laughed. "Looks like you have a surrogate sister."

"Unfortunately." Replied Aang. "Anyway, were you lightning bending earlier?"

"Yeah. My uncle taught me." Zuko explained. "I wasn't able to do it until...well, until my father tried to kill me with it."

Aang stared in shock. "Your dad can lightningbend?"

Zuko nodded. "There's a technique you can use against it, but I think you'd have to be a more advanced firebender."

"What technique is it?"

"Redirecting lightning." Zuko demonstrated the move for Aang. He looked interested.

"Cn you teach me?"

Zuko sighed. "Aang, I just old you- you need to be a more advanced firebender."

"But if Ozai can lightningbend..." Aang's voice trailed off at Zuko's expression. He sighed. "Fine. Let's just...get started on intermediate firebending, then."

"Okay." Zuko replied. "There is something I'd like to try with you. Have you ever combined bending moves?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like have you earthbended using airbending moves, or waterbending with earthbending moves?"

"How is that possible?" Aang asked, shrugging. "All four elements are separate."

"Not really." Zuko responded. "My uncle taught me that it's the power of the four elements is what makes you- the Avatar- so powerful. But if you only use earthbending with only eartnhbending moves, it only becomes rigid and well...unstable. I mean, sure, earth-, water-, and airbending is powerful, but if you combine different element moves, you can become even more powerful."

"Wow. I never really thought about it that way." Aang admitted. "Let's try it!"

First, Aang tried using eartrhbending movements to firebend. Some of the movements worked well until he accidentally set the field on fire. Zuko controlled the fire to stay in one place until Aang came back with Katara. The two doused out the fire.

Aang winced. "Okay, so earthbending mixed with firebending doesn't work out."

"You firebended using earthbending moves?" Katara raised an eyebrow. "Mixing up elements is a bit hard, don't you think?"

Zuko explained to Katara what he explained to Aang. Katara was a bit more understanding. "Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to learn something new."

Sokka came into the scene. "Really? Because if I recall, the last time you did learn something new, it did hurt."

Aang and Katara glared at Sokka. Zuko looked confused. "What did she learn?"

"Bloodbending." Katara replied, sighing. "Don't ask/."

"Well, it would make a great horror story, at least." Sokka commented. He was then hit with a water whip from Katara. "Ow! Well, it would!"

"Sokka, I swear to the spirits, if you don't shut up!"

"Okay, sorry." Sokka raised both his hands in surrender. Katara stormed off, huffing. Sokka headed off to...do whatever he does.

"Are they always like that?" Zuko asked Aang, amused.

"Oh, yeah." Aang nodded.

Zuko's thoughts keep trailing to Mai. He couldn't help it, but each minute, he wishes he was back in the Fire Nation palace with her.

Aang noticed Zuko spacing off. "Are you okay?"

"What?" Zuko snapped out of his thoughts. "Oh...yeah. I'm just thinking..."

"About...what's her name...Mai?" Aang guessed. Zuko nodded. "You really miss her, don't you?"

"More than anything." Zuko admitted.

"Then go back to her." Aang advised.

"What?"

"If there's one thing we need during this war, it's happiness." Aang responded. "The invasion is next week. You can meet us at the palace then."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Aang said firmly. "You've just given me a new form of bending style. I can teach myself firebending using other elements. That's just as good as mastering it."

Zuko smiled. "Thanks, Avatar...Aang."

"You're welcome." Aang returned the smile and bowed politely. Zuko returned it.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Let me go!"

Ursa was struggling against two of Ozai's guards. They were marching her to the throne room of the palace. Ozai smirked as he saw his ex-wife being forced to kneel in front of him.

"Ursa." Ozai acknowledged her.

"Ozai." Ursa said, gritting her teeth. "Where is he?"

Ozai raised an eeyebrow. "I'm assuming you're asking about Zuko."

Ursa nodded. "Where is he?"

"I was hoping you would ask that, actually." Ozai replied. "You should be proud. The way he confronted me during the eclipse. So defiantly, yet cowardly. He had the nerve to say he will join the Avatar and free his uncle from prison."

Ursa was both amazed and shocked. "So, he's alive!"

"Not for very long." Ozai smirked evilly. He turned to the guards. "Take her away."

The guards stood Ursa up and marched her towards the door. Ursa twisted around to face Ozai.

"I swore I'd protect Zuko at any cost. My vow still stands." Ursa glared. "Mark my words, Ozai: if you do anything to him, I will kill you!"

"You mean scarring and banishing him? Because I already did those things." Ozai teased.

Ursa growled and broke free from the guard's grasp. She ran at Ozai. Before she could reach him, a female guard tackled Ursa to the ground and tied her up.

"Dammit, Ozai! I will kill you!" Ursa shrieked as she was lead away.

Ozai just stared after the door. 'Oh, she will be punished.'

XXXXX

By the following day, Zuko was halfway to the palace city. He stopped at a clearing to rest for a while. He took a deep breath to breathe in the air. The smell of trees, plants, flowers, and tea sorround3ed him.

...Wait, tea?

Zuko gasped and jumped up. He sniffed one more time and ran in the direction of the smell. A few minutes later, Zuko stumbled across Iroh sitting with his back facing Zuko at a campfire.

Iroh heard someone and stood up and turned around. Zuko was standing a few feet away from him.

"Zuko?"

"Uncle..." Zuko sighed deeply and fell to his knees. "Uncle, I'm so sorry! I wronged you. I was a bastard."

"Yes, that would pretty much describe it." Iroh replied coolly. "Where's your favorite sister in the whole world?"

"Surrogate, or biological?" Zuko half-joked, hoping to lighten up the mood.

"You think this is funny?!" Iroh snapped. "You betrayed me, Zuko! I helped you, guided yo, took care of you! I didn't have to come along with you when you were banished! And you betrayed me."

"I realize that." Zuko replied, calmly. "I also realized that you've been like a real father to me, not Ozai."

"How do I know Azula hasn't taught you how to lie and get away with it?" Iroh asked.

"What?!" Zuko stood up, astonished and appalled. "How dare you assume I'd want to learn anything from that selfish cowhippo! I can't believe you'd think I'd lie! When have I ever lied to you?"

"The Blue Spirit thing...?"

"Okay- one thing!" Zuko yelled back. "Look, I came here to apologize. Why do you find this so hard to believe?"

"I wish I could believe you, but don't! I'm sorry, Zuko, but I'm just so sick of making fruitless attempts at turning you to the good side!"

"I AM on the good side! If you don't believe me, send a damn messenger hawk to the Avatar!"

"Maybe I will!"

"Good!"

The two scowled and walked off in different directions. Zuko punched a fireball at a tree. This was proving to be a lot harder than he anticipated. Zuko groaned and lay down on the forest floor.

XXXXXXXXXX

Iroh sighed as he moved on.He didn't know what to make of Zuko's appearance. His nephew did sound sincere. Maybe he was telling the truth.

The aged general stopped walking and sighed. Maybe he was a little harsh with Zuko, but who can blame him? He turned and headed back in the direction he came from.

Fwish.

A small, sharp object hit one of Iroh's legs. He felt really dizzy. Before he knew it, everything went dark.

XXXXXXXX

Zuko woke up to find a soldier staring down at him. "Good morning." Said the soldier,. Something hit his head and everything went dark.

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GASPETH! XD Well, Zuko and Iroh were captured. Don't worry, I'm going somewhere with this.