Chapter 10: The Wilderness and The Wall
By the time Aang come out of the Avatar State, General Fong's base was a mess. The ground was cracked, with piles of stone dislodged, forming a bumpy floor that could easily trip some who wasn't paying attention. The walls had, thankfully, survived, but they had been pierced by many smaller stones, leaving small cracks that would grow if they weren't fixed. Perhaps the most problematic of the damage were the buildings in the base, many of which had had their roofs and walls damaged by the flying stones. At least one was partially collapsed. Some of the damage had been caused by General Fong's last insane attempt to make Aang go into the Avatar State. Much of the damage was caused by Fong's success.
Aang, upon coming out of the Avatar State, had just sat down, not moving for a few moments, until General Fong came over, clearly more satisfied than the situation merited.
"You're out of your mind," Aang told him, offering a rare glare. The crazy general ignored Aang, continuing to talk about his plan.
Sokka had had enough.
A few moments later, with Fong on the ground, Sokka looked over to Fong's men. "Anybody got a problem with that?" The men quickly shook their heads.
They offered an escort to Omashu, but Aang and Sokka declined, opting to take to the sky with Appa.
Once they were in the air, Sokka turned to Aang while holding Appa's reins.
"So…some morning, huh?" Aang didn't respond, and Sokka looked over. Sighing, he shook his head. "For the record, I always got the impression Fong was sort of nuts. But if I knew he was going to attack us, I'd gotten us out of there before he could try anything…Aang, are you alright? You're being really quiet."
Aang stared blankly for a moment. "I never want to go into the Avatar State again," he told Sokka. Sokka's eyes widened, looking over to the young airbender.
"That's a bit harsh, don't you think? I mean, you're the Avatar. Isn't the Avatar State kinda part of that?"
"But I don't want it!" Aang protested, standing up in Appa's saddle. "I only go into when I'm upset or in danger−neither of which are pleasant. And I cause so much destruction while I'm in it."
"So you'll learn to control it someday," Sokka told him. He shrugged. "I mean, all the other Avatars did, right? So will you."
"How?" Aang asked. "How am I supposed to control it? There's nobody to teach me!" At this, Aang sat back down, putting his head in his hands. "Maybe I'll never figure it out. I sure can't right now…"
"I hate to break to you, Aang, but you're only twelve. I doubt most Avatars have even started their second element by that age, much less the spirit-world-Avatar mumbo jumbo. You'll get there, eventually. And, hey, you came out of the Avatar State on your own this time. That's a start, right?"
Aang frowned. "Not really. I had help," Aang told Sokka. "While I was in the Avatar State, Avatar Roku visited me."
Sokka raised his eyebrows. "But he didn't actually teach you to control it?" At the shake of Aang's head, Sokka frowned. "Of course not. Because why make things easy? Any ways, what did he have to say?"
"He said that if I'm killed in the Avatar state, the Avatar cycle will end completely." Aang's voice was grave.
"So…no more Avatars?" Sokka had to check−it just didn't sound possible.
"No more Avatars," Aang confirmed. He looked down to his hands. "Another reason not to use it. The world needs the Avatar, and if I'm killed during the Avatar State−"
"That's not going to happen," Sokka interrupted fiercely. "Okay, number one, you're basically invincible in the Avatar State. It's practically impossible to get near you while you're in the Avatar State, much less kill you. Do you know about any benders capable of killing you while you're in the Avatar State? I don't!"
"But Sokka," Aang tried to interrupt. Sokka ignored him.
"And number two," Sokka said, a glint in his eye. "Nobody is going to get close enough to you to kill you. I won't let them. I don't care if you're in the Avatar State or not. I'm going to protect you, and I'm going to stay by you."
For a moment, it was silent between the two, the wind being the only sound. They knew they were both thinking the same thing.
Their little family couldn't afford to lose another.
It felt a little bit like being back on the raft.
After Iroh and Zuko had reached Katara, the three of them escaped into the woods, heading away from the colony. They were technically in Earth Kingdom territory, but they certainly didn't mean they were safe from the Fire Nation yet. At one point, they came across a house with a few lines of clothes drying. It hadn't felt right to steal, but as Zuko had pointed out, their current clothing would only make them stand out to both the Fire Nation, and the Earth Kingdom. Zuko and Iroh both took plain green clothing, basic pants and a tunic. Katara swiped much the same, except that she also grabbed a longer tunic, which went down to just above her ankles. It was similar to what she was used to, except green. Iroh clearly did not approve of the theft, even though was to better hide. The two Fire Nation royals had fixed their hair, Iroh evening out the hair which had been chopped off. Zuko had to cut it more drastically, using the dagger to carefully shave off the hair he'd grown in the middle of his head. Now completely bald, within a few days small shoots of hair began growing all over his head.
It was sort of strange to see Zuko without any hair at all.
Zuko kept the knife hidden, for the most part. But Katara had paid it a few short glances. It was sleek, and the handle was well-formed, but it looked mostly decorative. Katara noticed that there were words engraved on the blade itself, but she never got close enough, or looked long enough, to tell what they were. She didn't dare ask Zuko. Although he hadn't sought out a fight with her, it was still obvious that he didn't want to talk to her. Much like the first few days on the raft, Zuko spent much of the time sulking. On the occasion that he spoke, it was mostly just to his uncle. He was silent towards Katara, but he would sometimes cast a glance to her. His expression as he did so varied. Sometimes he would look rather curious. Other times, his look would be one of frustration. Only once or twice did he seem to be glaring at her. And she couldn't understand those occasions. She didn't think she'd given him any reason to be mad at her. She thought back, but she was sure of it. But then, she supposed that he could be upset that he was still stuck with her. After all, she reflected, it's not as though he wanted me here to begin with. He's probably just impatient for me to leave.
Which she was still going to. Her concern for Iroh and Zuko had resulted in her staying with them a little while longer, just to make sure they were safe from capture. Still, she missed Sokka and Aang more with every passing day. She would look up into the sky, staring at clouds, and wishing that one of those white puffs would be Appa. She'd dream about them.
She hoped they were okay.
She would just make sure that Zuko and Iroh were safe, and then she'd leave them for Omashu.
"Where are you going to go?" she asked Iroh one morning.
The old man raised an eyebrow, and put his fingers into his beard, rubbing it thoughtfully. "We cannot go to Fire Nation, or the colonies. That much is clear. Sadly, if we are to hide in the Earth Kingdom, we must also hide who we are."
"Do you think you can?" Katara asked. "I mean, I honestly can't picture Zuko living in the Earth Kingdom like any random person. It's just not in his character to give up and hide. Not to mention, you guys wouldn't be able to firebend freely."
Iroh considered her words. "It certainly won't be easy," he admitted. "And knowing Zuko, his frustration with our new situation will only make things harder. But I believe that I can keep him grounded, on the right path."
Katara smiled. "So…does this mean the two of you won't be hunting Aang anymore?" she asked quietly. She certainly hoped so.
"I do not believe it would be wise," he confirmed. Katara breathed a sigh of relief.
This changed everything. When she returned to Aang and Sokka, they would no longer need to worry about being chased by the Fire Nation prince and his uncle. And Katara wouldn't have to worry about fighting the prince she'd grown to respect as a good person. Not even when they go to fight Firelord Ozai−Zuko and Iroh would be out of the way, safe in the Earth Kingdom.
Perhaps they would even denounce their relative, as he had them.
Katara could dream, couldn't she?
"Will you two be safe in an Earth Kingdom village, then?"
"Probably not," Iroh told her, and her heart plummeted. "Azula is undoubtedly in pursuit, even now. A mere village with not be able to withstand her." Katara furrowed her eyebrows.
"So what are you going to do?"
"There is one place that can withstand the Fire Nation. Ba Sing Se. The capital of the Earth Kingdom. Its walls are grand, and nearly impenetrable. Only once, have the walls been pierced. And even then, it was only the outer wall."
"I heard about that," Katara realized. "While we were passing through the Earth Kingdom. This was…what, six years ago?" Iroh nodded, confirming what she'd heard. "I also heard that the Fire Nation was close to breaking the second wall." She frowned. "You don't think the Fire Nation could do so again, do you?"
Iroh raised an eyebrow. "That would require no small amount of planning," he told her. "In the immediate future, at least, I believe Ba Sing Se to be safe."
"So…the old general won't try again?"
"No, I will not be trying again."
It took a moment for Katara to process what Iroh had just said. "It was you?! You were the general that nearly conquered Ba Sing Se?" It didn't seem possible. Iroh was just so friendly, and wise. It didn't possible that he had one besieged the Earth Kingdom's capitol so viciously. Then again, she reminded herself, he is the Firelord's brother. I suppose he can't be entirely spotless.
Noticing Katara's shock, Iroh elaborated. "I was a rather different person back then. I believed that it was my destiny to conquer Ba Sing Se. I intended to fulfill it." Iroh frowned, looking away from Katara. "I besieged Ba Sing Se for six hundred days, my son at my side…"
"Your son?" Katara blinked. "I didn't know you had children."
"Only one," Iroh told her sadly. "I thought that we would win, together, and take the Earth Kingdom capital. With the Earth Kingdom defeated, the rest of the world would follow." A chill went down Katara's spine. It was hard to imagine Iroh, who had spoken of the elements working together, who had mediated between her and Zuko, speaking of how closely he had come to allowing the Fire Nation to totally conquer the world. "After six hundred days, we were closer than anyone else had ever been…and then my son was killed." Katara gasped.
"I'm so sorry," she told him, reaching out and grasping his hand. He offered a small, sad smile, eyes slightly wet. Once again, Katara was reminded of how the war had been harming everyone. She wouldn't wish the loss of a child on anyone.
"Thank you, Katara." He sighed, shaking his head. "After the loss of my son, I…understood things differently," he told her carefully, slowly. "I immediately withdrew all of our troops, and returned to the Fire Nation."
"You could have won," Katara realized. "You still had the numbers, and the strategy. But you chose not to."
Iroh nodded. Katara had never realized just how close they were to losing the war. To think−if Iroh hadn't lost his son, or hadn't been so affected by his loss, he could have taken Ba Sing Se. The war would have ended by five years ago, she realized. And the Fire Nation's domination would be complete.
"I returned to the Fire Nation," Iroh continued. His eyes now squinted, his eyebrows drawn down. "My son was dead, and I returned home to find that my father had also died."
Katara's jaw dropped. "Your son, and then your father, too? That's awful."
"And Ozai had taken the throne," Iroh added.
"Even though he's the younger brother," Katara said. "I remember, you told me that before." She stopped for a moment. "That…doesn't sound right." She frowned. "So your son dies, your father dies, and then suddenly your younger brother is Firelord?" She raised an eyebrow. "I've got to say, that's some family you've got." Iroh didn't seem to mind the near-insult to his family.
"That isn't even all of it," Iroh told her. She raised an eyebrow.
"Do I want to know?"
He smiled. "That story, I believe, can wait for another time."
He got up, walking around the forest, searching through the bushes. "Zuko hasn't returned yet."
Katara frowned. "You don't think someone's captured him, do you?"
Iroh cast a smile at her. "I trust my nephew's ability to defend himself. No, I don't think he's in trouble. Although, I fear he may not have had any luck in finding us any food."
Katara nodded absentmindedly, following Iroh. She looked down to her feet for a moment. "Do you…have you ever wondered if Ozai stole the throne? I mean, it just sounds kind of weird, with everything that happened. Is it possible that you were supposed to be Firelord, still?"
Iroh paid her a glance, waiting for a few moments to respond to her. "I…prefer not to think about it, to be honest," he told her. "When I came back to the Fire Nation, I had no will to challenge Ozai for the throne. I was too broken by the loss of my son, and my father right after that. It shook my faith in everything I believed in. And I left the Fire Nation, on a spiritual journey. I found a new purpose in life. A new understanding of the world. And when I returned to the Fire Nation, I knew it was never my destiny to become Firelord."
Katara blinked. "Oh…" She didn't completely understand what he meant, and it would be weeks before she would begin to understand what Iroh was truly telling her. Still, she understood clearly that Iroh had no desire to be Firelord. Who will be Firelord after Ozai is defeated? She wondered. Zuko is nowhere close to ready to lead a country to peace, and Azula seems to be exactly the same as her father.
She was pulled from her thoughts by a loud gasp from Iroh. She turned to see him walking over to a large flower in a clearing. "What?"
Iroh walked closer to the bushy plant, eyeing it critically. He kneeled down, looking all over it. "This appears to be a White Dragon Bush," he said, a smile forming, a twinkle in his eye.
"Okay…so?" It was a nice flower, Katara noted.
"It makes for an absolutely wonderful tea," he informed her. She raised her eyebrows.
"That's great, but don't you think we should be looking for actual food?"
He looked over to her, waving her off. "I believe there's a stream somewhere in that direction. Perhaps you could go catch some fish?"
Katara nodded. "Of course." She began walking away, then hesitated for a moment, looking back. "You know, I don't know anything about tea plants," she admitted. "But I really think we should be careful with plants we find in the wilderness. I wouldn't recommend making tea out of strange plants."
Iroh nodded, not looking away from the plant. "Don't worry, Katara. I know what I'm doing." She slowly turned and walked away. I'm sure Iroh knows what he's doing−surely, he's more experienced than Zuko?
With Katara gone, Iroh took to sniffing the plant.
Katara was by the stream, pulling fish from the water with her bending, when footsteps startled her. Standing up quickly, Katara brought out some water from the stream, ready to fight…
Zuko emerged from the tress, arms crossed, eyes glaring. In one of his hands was a long stick that was almost a spear. Despite his clear irritation, the Fire prince made no move, and Katara put the water back into the stream.
"What are you doing here?" she asked him.
"Fishing," he stated bluntly. She raised an eyebrow as the prince came to stand beside her, peering into the water, occasionally trying to stab into it with his makeshift spear. Katara stood by for a while, watching as he tried and failed to catch a fish. He scowled and growled as he became frustrated, and finally threw the spear on the ground. He turned around, pacing a few steps, and let out a bit of fire from his mouth. Finally, he noticed Katara.
"What do you want?" he shouted. "Are you just here to watch me make a fool of myself? Is that why you stayed? I suppose you just wanted to see me humiliated? I bet you think this is real funny," he accused. Katara frowned at him, crossing her arms, but he continued. "Well, fine! Enjoy it. Just go ahead, and laugh. Prince Zuko, the banished prince who can't even catch a fish…" He shook his head, and sat down beside the stream, sulking. He put his head in his hands, muttering. Katara couldn't fully understand what he was saying, but she knew she heard "failure" in there.
It's all too much for him, she realized. The anniversary of the banishment, being named a traitor, the raft, this… Katara took a deep breath, unfolding her arms, taking a few steps towards Zuko, and sitting down by him. "Zuko, I'm not laughing at you. I swear it. And no, I don't want to see you humiliated."
"Then why are you here?" He looked to her, golden eyes confused. "Why are you still with us?"
"Why stay?" she asked. She shrugged. "Because I care. About you. About Iroh. I couldn't just leave the two of you…so I'm staying. For now anyways." Zuko's eyes widened.
"You…care? About me?" He sounded incredulous.
"We've been through a lot in the past few weeks," Katara admitted. "I couldn't just leave you and Iroh to your crazy sister."
Zuko frowned, looking over to the stream. "And I suppose you knew it was a trap? Uncle did, too." Suddenly, he stood up again, pacing. "Why am I so stupid? I know Azula always lies. Why did I fall for it?"
Katara frowned as she stood up. "It wasn't your fault. And quit calling yourself stupid. Your sister is manipulative, and she knows you. She offered what you wanted, and you took it."
Zuko swerved back to look at her, eyes narrowing. "What do you know?" he demanded. He took a few angry steps towards her.
She met his eyes, standing her ground. "Your uncle told me about your banishment." Zuko's eyes widened.
"How much did he tell you?"
"Enough. Look, I can't imagine being unable to return home," she told him. "And I imagine if were, and someone came and told me that I could return home, I would throw caution to the wind, too. I'd have fallen for it, too. Does that make me stupid?"
Zuko scowled, once again sitting by the stream. He didn't say anything for a long time. Finally, when he did, his voice was bitter.
"You remind me of her."
Katara blinked. "What?"
"You remind me of Azula."
Katara's eyes widened, then quickly narrowed. "Excuse me?! Just what have I done to remind you of your crazy sister?" Katara was offended. Zuko's sister was cold blooded in a way that disturbed Katara. She did not appreciate the comparison.
"You're like her," Zuko explained, glaring at her. He stood up, once again, glaring into her from his taller height. "She's…perfect. At everything. At planning, with people…and she's far better than me at firebending." He brought a hand to his head, running his fingers of the small hairs that were growing. "I don't understand how she does it. She sees a move, and has it mastered in a day. It's not fair! She just does it, like it somehow just comes to her. She's a firebending master, and she's two years younger than me! I've been practicing for years, and I've only recently gotten past the basics!" Katara listened to his tirade, feeling less angry as he explained. She understood where this was going… "I remember you back at the South Pole. You couldn't even freeze the right people. I remember how you stole a waterbending scroll from a group of pirates, just to learn something. And now? You're nearly a master. Weeks," he hissed. "Less than a year of training, and you go from being clueless, to being able to best me in a fight. You're just like her," he accused. "It just comes to you…and I can't compete? Why can't I do it?"
Katara waited for a few moments as Zuko let it all out.
"I think I know where you're coming from," she offered.
"No, you don't!"
Katara looked down to her boots. "When I stole that scroll, a lot of it had to do with me being outdone by Aang," she admitted. "I was trying to teach him some basic waterbending, stuff I taught myself over the years. It took me forever to learn this basic stuff. Aang had it all figured out in moments. I drove me nuts."
Zuko looked to Katara, now paying attention. "Well obviously you still figured it out pretty quickly.
"Perhaps I did," she agreed. "I did learn pretty fast once I had an actual master. And I think a lot of it had to do with training beside Aang. But I do know what you're going through."
Zuko was quiet. He shook his head. "I just don't understand why I can't get past my basic firebending," he told her.
"Have you been practicing?"
He shot a quick glare. "Of course, I've been practicing. Every day, hours on end, for nearly my whole life. But I practice for hours and hours, and it all feels like a huge dead end."
Katara frowned. "A dead end? What do you mean?"
"I practice my basics," he explained. "And I practice my breathing exercises. I call on my fire…and it's like there's this wall. A big, impenetrable wall, that stops me from advancing. That stops me from being able to rise to my potential." He shook his head. "Uncle Iroh believes that I can be a powerful bender. I want to fulfill my potential, but I can't."
"Because of this 'wall'?" Katara verified.
Zuko nodded. "I don't understand what it is, but it's like I just can't go any further than I have." He sat down, once again, grabbing his spear, and glaring at it. "I'll never be a master firebender."
Katara stared at him for a few moments, trying to understand what he'd just told her. She tried to imagine it. An invisible barrier preventing her from learning waterbending. She tried to imagine training with Pakku for years, unable to advance beyond the basics. It would be horribly frustrating. She sat down next to Zuko. "I've never heard of anything like that," she told him. She frowned. "It must be beyond frustrating."
Zuko let out a stressed breath. "You have no idea."
"Have you talked to your uncle about this?" Katara asked. "Maybe he'll know something about this issue."
Zuko shook his head. "No." He looked over to Katara. "Don't you dare tell him!"
"But maybe he can help," Katara insisted.
But Zuko was adamant. "The last thing I need to humiliate myself in front of him. And this is humiliating. Who has ever heard of a Fire Nation prince with such a problem?"
Katara stared at him for a moment. A far better person than I used to think he was, she acknowledged. But not even a little bit less stubborn.
"Fine," she grudgingly agreed. "But I hope you reconsider." She touched his spear, running her fingers over the wood.
"Another thing I'm a failure at," Zuko said, glaring at the spear.
"Now you're being completely unreasonable. You've never fished before; you're not going to be an instant expert."
"Do you know how to fish?" he suddenly asked her. She pointed to the two fish she had caught before he'd arrived. "I meant without bending."
She nodded. "Do you…want me to teach you?"
She tried to imagine someone telling her, one day before the raft, that she would someday spend an hour teaching Prince Zuko how to fish.
She'd never have believed them.
Zuko was an even worse fisherman than he was a cook, but Katara wasn't about to tell him that.
She was still somewhat it shock by what he'd confided to her−and that he wouldn't tell his own uncle. She would have figured he'd share his woes with his friendly uncle, rather than her. Just weeks ago they were enemies. Now, they were…
Katara wasn't entirely sure what they were.
Still, she saw now more than ever just how self-critical Zuko could be. Growing up with Azula and Ozai couldn't have helped in that. It was amazing how somebody as arrogant as Zuko could have such a side to him.
Then again, she supposed, Zuko frequently seemed to be the opposite side to his own coin. The Fire Nation prince was full of contradictions.
The two of them didn't talk on their way back to Iroh. They were silent, again, but this silence wasn't like the one they'd been having for the past several days. It was far more amiable.
Finally, carrying three fish between them, they stepped into the clearing where Iroh was waiting for them. He was still where he'd found that bush.
"Ah, Katara, Zuko," came Iroh's voice, without him turning around. "Remember that plant I thought might be tea?" Katara narrowed his eyes. He didn't…?!
"You didn't?!" Zuko said, mirroring Katara's thoughts.
"I did!" He turned around, revealing a large swollen rash over his face. "And it wasn't!"
Zuko let out a gasp, dropping the fish, and taking a step back. Katara swatted her forehead with her hand, shaking her head. "I told you not to mess around with plants in the wilderness! What were you thinking?"
"My apologies, Katara. In the future, I'll be more careful," he assured her. He turned back to Zuko. "When the rash spreads to my throat, I will stop breathing." Katara's heart dropped, as horror set in. He poisoned himself. She shook her head. He can't die like this! "But look what I found!" Iroh proclaimed, pulling out a branch full of red berries from behind his back. Katara's jaw dropped. Right after…he MUST be joking! "These are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the white jade plant!" He smiled for a moment, and then it fell as the old man reconsidered. "That, or make'ole berries, that cause blindness."
"What?!" Katara could only stare as Iroh held another plant, which could poison him even more.
Thankfully, Zuko was ready to react. The prince quickly grabbed the branch out of his uncle's hands, yanking it out, as he ranted. "We're NOT taking any more chances with these plants!" Thank the spirits someone has some sense. Katara blinked. Never thought I'd be thinking that about Zuko. "We need to get help," Zuko admitted.
"But where are we going to go?" Iroh questioned as he scratched his rash. "We're enemies of the Earth Kingdom, and fugitives of the Fire Nation."
"I vote Earth Kingdom," Katara said, putting her hands on her hips and she stared at the two royals.
Zuko looked her direction. "It's not so simple. If the Earth Kingdom discovers us, they'll have us killed." He had his fingers on his chin, forming a thoughtful expression.
"But if the Fire Nation discovers us," Iroh pointed out. "We'll be turned over to Azula." The two firebenders nodded simultaneously.
"Earth Kingdom it is," Zuko agreed.
The three of them began walking towards the nearest Earth Kingdom village they knew of. They had passed it earlier in the day. It was close, thankfully. Hopefully, somebody would be able to help Iroh. As they walked, Katara came up to Zuko, walking beside him.
"Here I thought Iroh was supposed to be the wise one," she said quietly. It was slightly humorous, but it held an edge of tension. She really was worried about him. "I told him not to do anything with that plant."
Zuko snorted. "He thought it was tea." He shook his head. "I'm telling you, his obsession with tea is dangerous."
She looked back to Iroh, who was walking just behind them. His rash was red, and he was still scratching. She shook her head as she turned back. "Can't argue there."
The silence between the three as they walked was companionable, and there was little awkwardness about it. It felt little different that walking with Aang and Sokka.
Katara paid little notice to how closely she and Zuko were walking, how the two of their hands would nearly brush against each other. She certainly didn't notice the appraising looks that Iroh would give them, nor the slightly pleased smile that he gave them.
Yay, I've got another chapter for you! Less than a week after the last one, too. Hopefully this one is still good, despite how little time it took.
Few things:
1. Zuko's 'wall'. Obviously, this is something that hasn't really been discussed in canon. But, please, hear my reasoning on this. Zuko was sixteen at the start of the series. He was never exactly cut off from training access. He'd have been training since he was young, and he continued training to when we meet him.
But somehow, he didn't even get past the basics until he was sixteen?
Now, I get that it usually takes 'years' to master an element, but it had been years. You'd think Zuko would have gotten at least a little bit further along than he was.
Sure, Azula was a prodigy. Everything came easy to her. That's part of her character (and part of what led to her epic breakdown). Still, the disparity between her and Zuko was a bit huge.
So, what is this 'wall' I put in here?
To be quite frank, it's how Zuko is bending. Using the anger and frustration. What he, and the rest of the FN is being taught.
Except Zuko's no good with that. Certainly not when he was a child. And still not as a teenager. He lacks ruthlessness. He's still merciful, and compassionate. So even when he does have anger to fuel his firebending...his ultimately good nature prevents him from fully accessing his power as a firebender.
It's worth noting that once Zuko began drawing his fire from a different source, he quickly became a far better firebender.
So, it seems likely that a lot of his early failings as a firebender was because he just couldn't 'connect' through the firebending method that he knew.
Which must be beyond frustrating.
:P
2. And Zutara is slowly developing. Yay! They certainly got closer this chapter.
3. And I'm sorry to any of you that don't like the Aang and Sokka chapters. They will be continuing. Hopefully, the Taang and Sukka will eventually redeem those chapters. If not...sorry.
Pure romance has never exactly been my thing. Plus, I'll admit, I'm enjoying exploring the bond between Aang and Sokka. I think it's one that's frequently ignored, and this fic, having left the two alone (until Toph joins up), leaves them to grow closer than in canon.
WHEW that was a huge note.
Till next time, guys!