Sokka sat on a cushion in one of the many rooms of the Fire Palace as Katara knelt next to him healing his burns with her water covered hands. Under the intense glow of the liquid, the burns that covered Sokka's arm vanished.
"There you go, good as new," Katara smiled as she retracted the water from her hands to her water skin.
"Thanks little sister," Sokka said as he rubbed his arm, then stretched it experimentally. Finding it to his satisfaction, he reached over to give Katara a side ward hug, saying, "I don't know what we'd do without you."
"I don't know what you'd do either," Katara grinned, then became more serious, "You two should really be more careful. Are you doing alright, Toph?"
"Are you kidding Suger Queen," Toph sighed with boredom from where she lounged nearby, "that scrap was the highlight of my day."
"Well I'm glad you guys had fun," Katara said as she stood up, "Things were pretty uneventful for Aang and I."
"That's a good sign," Sokka concluded as he stood up too, "with rebel attacks going down, Zuko should have no problem after we leave."
"Speaking of Zuko, I'm going to go see how he's doing. He was pretty disappointed about having to stay behind this morning," Katara said, walking off but turning back for a moment, "Iroh mentioned that dinner would be ready soon, so don't wander far."
"Don't worry about the bottomless stomach here," Toph said as she got to her feet and gestured to Sokka, "You couldn't keep him away from dinner if you tried."
"Hey, a man's gotta eat," Sokka shrugged sheepishly.
Laughing to herself, Katara turned and continued on her way.
As Sokka moved to take the exit on the opposite side of the room, Toph stopped him saying, "Look, Sokka, I don't normally do this, but I want to apologize for earlier."
"Wow, really? An apology from you?" Sokka said with good-natured sarcasm, "I didn't think that was possible."
"Well don't get used to it," Toph shot back, poking Sokka in the chest, "Anyway, I'm sorry for pushing you into the flames back there."
"Apology accepted," Sokka said, taking a comical bow.
Toph's arm shot out, making contact with Sokka's forehead and pushing him back to his upright position.
"Apology aside, I was serious when I said I was fine," she growled with annoyance, "I don't need to be picked up and put back on my feet every time I'm knocked over in battle."
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Sokka replied quickly, not eager to argue with Toph, "but I'll try not to care next time."
"You care about something besides food?" Toph inquired skeptically.
"Hey, I may appreciate food more than most people, but sarcasm aside I can be straight-talk Sokka too," he explained, putting an arm around Toph's shoulder, "I know you can handle yourself in battle, the fight against the fire lord was proof enough, but everyone needs someone to guard their back sometimes."
Blushing from Sokka's touch and smiling uncomfortably, Toph averted her blind gaze to the floor saying, "Sokka, there's been something I've been meaning to tell you, I—"
"Sokka?" Ty Lee's voice interrupted quietly from behind them.
Sokka whirled around on Ty Lee, startling Toph as much as it did the nervously smiling acrobat, "For the last time, I'm not interested!"
Still smiling timidly, Ty Lee replied uneasily, "I know…I just…can we talk a minute?"
Sokka maintained his annoyed glare while Toph stood behind him unmoving.
"Privately?" Ty Lee ventured.
Turning, Sokka said, "Sorry Toph, we'll talk more later."
As Sokka, looking considerably put off, and Ty Lee, still smiling apprehensively, moved off to another part of the Fire Palace, Toph blew the hair out of her unseeing eyes in annoyance, muttering sarcastically, "No problem Sokka, I'll wait right here," before stocking off in the opposite direction.
The sun hung low in the sky as Zuko leaned on the stone railing of a balcony, staring out over the Fire Capital absently.
"Hey Zuko," Aang said as he leaned against the railing next to him.
"Hey," Zuko replied, turning his attention to the Avatar, "How was the patrol?"
"Pretty boring," Aang shrugged, "Toph, Iroh and Sokka ran into some trouble though."
"Uncle told me," Zuko said, returning his attention to the landscape, "He said it was a pitiful assassination attempt organized by a group of tea haters possibly connected to Tze."
"I wish we could stay and help you find Tze," Aang replied, putting a hand on the bag at his side that held the face of Le Jien.
"It's fine," Zuko said calmly, "Katara and Sokka want to go home and see their dad, I can understand that. I'll be able to take care of things without you guys. You have your duties and I have mine."
Aang nodded, then turned around to lean his back against the railing and asking, "How was your meeting with the generals?"
"Huh," Zuko snorted, "Nothing unexpected. Despite our success with subduing the rebels, they don't like the way I've handled it. They blame me for Tze's disappearance."
Sighing, Zuko continued, "When I was younger I used to dream about being the Fire Lord. I never thought it would be like this."
"I know what its like, all the responsibility" Aang replied, looking distant, "I didn't ask to be the Avatar; I was just a kid when they told me and all I wanted was to be like everyone else. I've learned to accept who I am, but it's so hard to deal with when the fate of the world is constantly being pushed into my hands."
As Aang finished, he withdrew the mask from his bag. Zuko glanced down at the face of Le Jien, concentrating on the features before returning to look face to face with Aang.
"I wish I could come with you," he said, "I'd give up the throne if I could, just to be a part of Team Avatar again."
"It won't be the same without you," Aang replied as he returned to the mask to his bag, looking as remorseful as the fire lord.
Just then, Momo flew up to the balcony, landing on the railing and interrupting the two boys with a loud chirp.
"Hey Momo," Aang said as Zuko reached out to pet the lemur.
Taking to the air again, Momo landed on Zuko's head, one of his favorite perches. Pricking himself on the Fire Lord's crown as he landed, Momo let out a loud screech and pulled the crown from Zuko's hair and threw it on the ground, then resettled on Zuko's head.
Aang and Zuko looked at the golden crown lying on the ground, then at each other and couldn't help the fits of laughter that erupted. Momo went wide eyed with annoyance, struggling to keep his balance on the Fire Lord's head as Zuko bent over to pick up the crown, chuckling as he did so.
"There you guys are," Katara said as she approached them from inside the palace, "I've been looking all over for you."
Grinning to see her two friends in high spirits, Katara continued, "I'm glad you two are feeling better. I came up here to tell you that dinner is about ready."
"Please say Uncle has something besides roast duck planned," Zuko inquired in a hopeful tone as he removed Momo from his head and handed the pesky lemur to the still grinning Aang.
"It'll be good whatever it is, he's been in the kitchens since we got back," Katara replied, ushering the Avatar and Fire Lord back into the palace.
"Alright, now what's this about," Sokka said, stopping in his tracks. Ty Lee had led him to a deserted hallway in the Fire Palace and he was more than suspicious of her intent.
"I just wanted to apologize for the way I've been acting," Ty Lee smiled awkwardly.
"Do you always have to smile like that?" Sokka asked in a demeaning tone.
"Sorry," Ty Lee quickly wiped the grin from her face, "I'm sorry for bothering you all the time, and…I'm sorry for what I did to your friend."
Sokka looked at Ty Lee incredulously. He was well aware of her crush on him and there was a time when he would have admitted that she was very pretty. But not now, not after what she had done to Suki and her warriors.
"What do you want," Sokka asked sourly, turning away from her.
Frowning in frustration, Ty Lee spilled out, "I'm on your side now, we're not enemies anymore! Can't we be friends?"
"No," Sokka shot back as he looked up to face her, "I forgave you for what you did, but I can't forget how it affected Suki. She wasn't the same when we found her, after she lost her warriors."
"I know what I did to Suki and the Kyoshi warriors was wrong, I wish I could go back and change what I did, I—"
"Don't," Sokka stopped her, "Just don't."
Ty Lee stood still as Sokka turned and walked away. Her eyes watered on the verge of tears as Mai approached silently.
"You tried," Mai said gently, facial expression betraying empathy for her friend as she extended a comforting hand.
"I should have listened to you," Ty Lee hung her head, her usual perkiness absent in her tone, "You were right."
Dinner was spent in the grand dining chamber of the Fire Palace. Since it would be everyone's last moment together, Iroh had planned a special meal for the departure. There were noodles, assorted fruits and vegetables, rice dishes, pastries, and, much to Sokka's enjoyment, a variety of meats.
The meal went by uneventfully for the most part, the high point being when Sokka began choking on a cherry and Toph hit him across the back, sending the cherry flying across the table hitting Zuko square in the forehead, earning laughs and snickers from everyone except a very flabbergasted Zuko.
Zuko stood nearby as Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph began loading Appa with their belongings in the palace courtyard. It had been decided that leaving at sunset, rather than dawn, would be most strategic in order to make Zuko's enemies believe that the Avatar and his mighty companions still guarded the Fire Palace.
The sunset bathed the scene in orange, and Zuko watched his closest friends, who had once been his bitter enemies, prepared to leave. Mai and Ty Lee stood next to him, more out of respect than to say goodbye.
"Fire Lord Zuko, could I talk to you for a moment," Iroh asked as he approached Zuko from behind.
"What is it Uncle?" Zuko questioned once he and Iroh were out of earshot of the others.
Stroking his beard, contemplating how to phrase what he needed to say, Iroh asked, "Have I ever told you the proverb of the old dragon?"
"Uncle, now is hardly the time for a story," Zuko pointed out, wondering why his Uncle had chosen now to share one of his old anecdotes.
"Let me rephrase this," Iroh said as his brow creased, "It has only happened twice in Fire Nation history, but written in the Code of Agni there is the seldom noticed clause that allows the Fire Lord to leave a regent in his stead, allowing him to pursue other interests."
"What are you suggesting," Zuko asked unbelievingly but already knowing the answer.
"I want you to go with your friends. I want you to go with the Avatar and help him defeat his foe," Iroh replied.
"I can't just leave!" Zuko blurted out, "I have responsibilities as fire lord, it would be dishonorable to run away from them, I can't just leave this behind!"
Iroh chuckled, "I know as well as you do that you don't want to be fire lord. And to be honest, I don't think the generals want you to be fire lord either."
Zuko looked at the ground, unsure how to react.
Iroh placed a hand on Zuko's shoulder prompting Zuko to look up as Iroh said, "This is not to say your are incompetent; you've proven yourself time and time again to be worthy of the title fire lord. But I know my nephew. I know how our time as refugees and as companions to the Avatar has affected you."
Zuko looked at his uncle attentively as Iroh continued, "When I was young I had ambitions to become fire lord, like you. But after my travels in the Earth Kingdom, I too did not want all the responsibilities that came with leadership. Someday you will be Fire Lord Zuko, and I have confidence that you will one of the greatest the Fire Nation has ever known, but now is not the time."
"What about you," Zuko asked, hardly able to believe Iroh's words, "what will you do?"
Smiling, Iroh responded, "Someone has to stay behind as regent to keep the generals in check. Fear not my nephew, I'll be able to handle things in this part of the world."
"Thank you," Zuko said quietly as he embraced his uncle, tears sliding down his cheeks. He was going to leave the closest thing to a father he had ever had.
Tears fell freely from Iroh's eyes as he returned his nephew's embrace. He had stuck by Zuko through thick and thin; parting with his beloved nephew would not be easy.
"I should go pack my things," Zuko said as he pulled away from his uncle.
"I've already taken the liberty," Iroh chuckled as he wiped his tears away with his sleeve, stooping down to reveal a sleeping role and backpack to which Zuko's duel swords were strapped to.
Thanking his uncle once again, Zuko picked up the two parcels and walked back to wear his friends were loading Appa. Mai and Ty Lee looked at Zuko with silent surprise as he walked past them.
"Sokka, catch!" Zuko said as he threw his sleeping role up to the water tribesman who stood on Appa's saddle.
"Zuko, what're you—" Katara began to ask.
"I'm coming with you guys," Zuko answered before she could finish, "Under leave of Fire Regent Iroh."
"Alright!" Toph cried as she pounded her fist, "Hothead's joining the party!"
Aang and Katara beamed at Zuko as he accepted a hand from Sokka up onto Appa's paddle.
"Great to have you with us," Sokka grinned, clasping the would-be fire lord's hand.
Zuko grinned back, then set down the bag with his twin Dao swords down. Momo ran over to inspect the bag before chirping up at Zuko and flying over to Aang. Hopping down, Zuko walked over to scratch Appa's muzzle. Iroh walked over as he did so.
"Hope you don't mind the extra weight," Zuko said.
Appa let out a started groan as Iroh patted the bison as well.
"Sorry I won't be able to come along this time," Iroh grinned unknowingly, "I'll miss you too."
Appa let out a sigh of relief at the heavy firebender's news.
Turning to face his young friends, Iroh said, "I'll miss all of you."
Aang, Toph, Sokka and Katara all gave their uncle Iroh a group hug goodbye. Iroh had given them wisdom and encouragement throughout the summer and they would miss him greatly. As they finished their goodbyes to Iroh, Zuko stepped forward.
"You'll be needing this," he said as he removed the crown from his topknot and handed to Iroh.
Accepting it, Iroh took it and placed it on his own head, saying, "Your nation is safe with me, Lord Zuko."
"Just Zuko," the firebending teen replied, hugging his uncle goodbye once more.
As Sokka and Toph, climbed aboard Appa, Katara and Aang paid Mai and Ty Lee their respects.
"Thank you for all your help," Aang bowed, serious faced, "I don't know if we could have taken down Fire Lord Ozai without you."
"It was an honor," Mai said fatly as she returned the bow, "We owed you after what you did for us."
"You can thank Zuko for that," Katara said expressionlessly, "But we're glad you made they right choice."
As Aang and Katara made their way to Appa, Zuko approached Mai and Ty Lee. He really didn't know what he'd say to them. He'd never known either of them very well, even in his childhood when they played with Azula in the palace courtyard he had tried to avoid them. When they had come to the Avatar for help, he had only vouched for them because he knew Azula's cruelty, not because of any attachment he felt for them.
"I never thought I'd end up here, with Azula's childhood friends," he began, before being interrupted by a hugging Ty Lee.
"Thanks for everything Zuko," she practically cried into his shoulder, "If it weren't for you we'd still be lost in the Earth Kingdom or worse."
Startled by Ty Lee's actions, Zuko brought a hand up to pat her on the back. Smiling tearfully, Ty Lee stepped away to leave Zuko to Mai.
The dark haired girl took a step closer to Zuko, then leaned up and kissed the Fire Lord on the cheek.
Wide-eyed and utterly shocked, Zuko raised a hand to where Mai had kissed him.
Mai merely blushed in response, giving a small, awkward smile as she stepped away.
Zuko swallowed hard, finding his voice, "I won't forget you,"he began as he looked from Mai to Ty Lee, "I won't forget either of you."
As Zuko climbed aboard Appa, Aang cried yip yip and furry bison took to the air.
The street corner armaments shopkeeper was ready to call it a day. Already some of the street salesmen were wheeling their sales carts down the road of the little town south of the Fire Capital. The setting sun marking closing time, the salesman was just closing shop when a customer hailed him from the counter.
"I need two pair of Tonfa," the black-cloaked customer rasped.
"Sir, you've come to the right place and just in time," the burly shop keeper turned from his business, "You can't find a better pair of weapons anywhere except the Fire Capital itself."
Taking a pair of baton like weapons off the wall, the shopkeeper was about to present them to the man when he looked at him for the first time, seeing that his customer's identity was concealed by a hood.
Glancing out the corner of his eyes at the wanted poster of General Tze posted on the wall, he put up his arms in a defensive stance, wielding the Tonfa batons saying, "Who are you, show yourself!"
The stranger's arms came up, two hands emerging out of both his sleeves as he pulled back his hood, revealing his face, or rather, what should have been his face.
The burly shopkeeper's eyes went wide and, turning completely pale, he fell over backwards, feinting at the sight of the faceless monster in front of him.
Le Jien entered the shop for a moment, picking up a Tonfa baton in each hand and strapping them to his side. Exiting the shop, he was met with a loud scream as a young streetvender dropped the handles on her sales cart and ambled off in fright.
Looking at the fallen cart, Le Jien's attention was gripped by one of the many masks the woman had been selling. Stooping down slightly, he reverently took the blue and white mask.
Holding the mask in his hands, his voice echoed icily from his mouthless head, "I'm coming Avatar Aang. This face is only temporary; I will reclaim my face."
With that said, he placed the mask over his faceless head. With a new host, the Blue Spirit was reborn, and more deadly than ever.
On the far western coast of the Fire Nation, a small fleet of vessels sat unmoving in the sea. The shore was an empty piece of land that stretched to the horizon on either side in darkness. Azula, former princes of the Fire Nation, stood at the front of her vessel, eyes scanning across the ocean waters to the shore.
Her sharp vision caught sight of a lone Mongoose Dragon rider emerging from the jungles. Dismounting, the rider signaled the ship with quick a quick, low fire blast into the air.
"Lady Agni," one of the crew members rushed over and threw themselves on the ground behind Azula, "General Tze has arrived, he's signaled the ship and—"
"Send a ship," Azula replied curtly, not waiting for the man to finish.
The man pressed his face against the floor of the boat once more and dashed off to do as Azula commanded. She continued watching the shore as a small boat promptly began chugging its way towards the lone figure on the beach. Holding up her good hand to signal one of her crew, her other arm bandaged and held to her chest in a sling, she was promptly received by another man.
"Highness?"
"Get the fleet moving, he may have been followed," she said, turning her sharp glare to the man, "We need to get as far from the Fire Nation as possible."
"As you wish," the man bowed, too fearful to ask the destination. Azula wanted to leave the shores of the Fire Nation and he would obey without question.
Azula's ship had made considerable distance from the shore by the time the smaller craft had returned with General Tze aboard.
Meeting Azula on the lantern lit deck, Tze bowed respectfully and put on a disarming smile, "It's good to see you again. I trust the heir of Agni is feeling better?"
"If you're referring to my arm," Azula gestured to her sling, smiling amusedly making Tze sweat with uneasiness, "I am indeed feeling better. But aside from my health, I'm eager to hear the outcome of your mission."
"I regret to inform you, Lady Agni," Tze stuttered, "that the mission was a failure. We had the Avatar in our hands, but your brother managed to rescue him."
"Hmm," Azula smiled even more as she turned to face away from Tze, "Heir of Agni, Lady Agni, you come up with such colorful nicknames for me. But you understand that I cannot accept failure, and no nickname devised to placate me is going to change that."
Tze's puzzled expression was met with Azula's foot as she spun around, kicking him squarely in the jaw and sending him toppling over the edge of the boat.
"I have no room for failures on my ship or in the future reclamation of the Fire Nation," Azula declared to the guards that stood nearby, "When I call upon you I expect you to succeed."
Turning, she stocked into the ship, leaving behind her startled and fearful guards and the general she had once called an accomplice.
Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, this one took me awhile to write. Thought I'd let people know that last chapter got 41 hits. I realize this isn't a very accurate way to measure readership, but judging from the fact that chapters two and three got 171 and 128 hits respectively, I think its pretty clear that I've lost some readers. I'm wandering what I did to turn people off to this story :/ Anyway, I really appreciate you readers who are sticking with this, especially those who review, it's very encouraging and informative :)