I'm back and better than ever! I went to England, had a blast and learned a lot. Then I went to Comic-Con where I learned even more! I met Bryan K, Dee Bradley Baker, Andrea Romano, Giancarlo Volpe and so many many more. I also met Rawles, Isaia, Booter Freak, kimchi Crusader, and Paranoididiot, among others. I am so enriched by them and I thank two special people, Acastus and Savitri for being amazing friends! This chapter is for them! Now, in this chapter, everything changes! Read and Enjoy! Special thanks to my beta-readers Spleef and Loveroftheflame!
Someday Out of the Blue
I still believe
I still put faith in us
We had it all and watched it slip away
Where are we now
Not where we want to be
---Elton John
Women were delightful headaches, my father Azulon always said. He was right. One female in the camp was a delight. Two were a headache.
I had been trying to sleep when I was awakened so rudely. "Prince Zuko, I think if you returned with me alone, we could convince His Majesty to reinstate you. He has no choice, you are the only royal left," Mai had been whispering when her feet had been swallowed by stone. Toph maintained the illusion of innocence by snoring loudly. No one was fooled.
"That's enough. Let her go." Zuko's voice was tight with fury. The ground defiantly swallowed Mai up to her knees. "I said…let her go!" I kept my eyes nearly screwed shut, not wanting to get involved in petty squabbling. Still, I did keep an eye on them to prevent any lethal damage.
"Fine! I'm getting more tea plants. When Uncle is crying over your death, I want to be able to offer him some tea." Toph was not one to mince words. I didn't want to think about the fact that she happened to be right. If Ozai and my Zuko were reunited, it would end in death. Either the quick and devastating death of a blinded father to the child he could never appreciate or the slow death of a good person lost to evil, war and cruelty. If either happened, I wasn't sure I could stand to keep living. As Toph stomped away, I tried to forget what she said.
"Peasants are boring. I don't know why you would want to be around trash like that," Mai muttered to Zuko. The look on my nephew's face when she said that intrigued me. I knew that Zuko had a soft spot for Mai, one of the few people in the palace who had cared to notice the silent prince beside his prodigy sister. Once, she had been the only friend he had ever had. But that was many years ago.
"She's not trash. She just…" Zuko began, as he tore a piece of leaf between his fingers.
"Is Earth kingdom?" Mai asked, her eyes narrowed predatorily. I could recognize the look of a jealous woman. Lien had been fortunate enough to marry me and had been the subject of many jealous glares from romantic rivals.
"She's a good person. I don't want her hurt. When I return, I need her protected. Promise me that," Zuko growled, his voice low and determined. "I don't care that she's an Earthbender. She's my ward now."
"All this talk of Toph. Aren't you glad to see me?" Mai asked coldly. The stars light up the anger in her face. "I am trying to help you."
"Yes," Zuko whispered, taking her hand and squeezing it. "I'm…happy to see you."
"You definitely make things interesting," Mai said, stroking his cheek. Her sharp features looked softer, more beautiful by moonlight. She was a beauty and she was a tempting prize for Zuko. "I promised I'd see you again."
"You're going to come home soon, Zuko. You are going to be Fire Lord," Mai whispered, continuing to stroke his face. It was good to see my nephew getting some action, but I worried about what kind of action she would give him.
"I killed Azula. My father…he might not understand that I had to," Zuko trailed off, turning away to look at the mountains in the distance and the shadows of Ba Sing Se in the distance.
"You defeated Azula. That makes you the stronger one. Of course he'll understand. Once you conquer Ba Sing Xe with me, he'll see you as a hero. Trust me." Mai snuggled into Zuko's arms. Her head rested on his shoulder tenderly.
"I do. I really do. But what are we going to do about Uncle and Toph? Father and Uncle aren't on good terms…and Toph's…," Zuko sounded extremely worried now. Finally, the boy was using his head. Tomorrow, I would thank the Gods for letting some sense pierce his thick skull.
"Don't worry about the General. He is still a royal. I'm sure some honorable retirement can be found for him. And the Earth girl, she's not much use as a concubine. Isn't she a bit young as a gift for your father?" Mai asked, her tone dripping with disdain.
"She's not a gift, she's my…" Zuko said, stopping himself before he declared himself, the crown prince of the Fire Nation friends with a lowly brutish Earthbender. I was disappointed in him.
"Friend. I see." Mai's tone could wither roses in the middle of springtime. "Well, that's boring."
"It's reality. She stays. She's part of the deal. My honor demands it." Zuko's tone was just as strong.
"I'm not going to push you, Zuko. Just…think about it," Mai said, sliding around the upcoming fight so neatly, avoiding actually discussing the issue. Her fingertips brushed Zuko's good cheek neatly.
"I will. You have helped me a lot. I will never forget it. Being home…taking down Ba Sing Se…Father will be proud," Zuko convinced himself, to Mai's approval.
"Are you two lovebirds finished?" Toph growled, popping out of the ground like a vengeful groundhog.
"She's not my girlfriend!" Zuko hissed, always a master of words. Sometimes I wondered about him. "Can we all just go to bed? I don't want to hear a word out of any of you. Uncle is trying to sleep."
With that, I yawned and rolled over. My nephew was right. I had heard enough and needed some rest.
----------------------
Therefore, early the next morning, I was not at all sad to see Lady Mai leave the camp. Between her attempts to convince my poor deluded nephew to return to his father's clawed embrace, and Toph's attempts to crush Mai under boulders, I was surprised Ozai himself didn't hear the bickering.
Zuko had watched her ride away for a long moment. I watched Toph mindlessly throw stones, obviously knowing the object of her affection was thinking about another female. I pitied her, but I doubted even she knew how much she cared for my nephew. I decided to say nothing. We had bigger problems to deal with.
The three of us were on our way to meet Lady Mai in Ba Sing Se, a journey of ten days and a different world. Ah…the city of a thousand dreams and a single crushing death. My dear Lu Ten, my son and heir, the fallen prince of the nation. Every night I dreamed of him, holding his fragile little infant body in my arms and laughing as he yanked my beard. I remembered his warm hand in mine as we walked together in the gardens. I remembered his cheeks as I wiped away the tears when we lost his beautiful mother, Lien. I remember his shoulders, as I wrapped the cloak around his body and sent him out to be a soilder. I remembered his eyes, when death clouded him. In my heart, he was alive.
I shook myself out of this stupor and focused on the task at hand, covering the tension in the air with inane chatter. I could not afford to dwell in misery. Lu Ten's last words had been "Take care of Zuko for me, Father. And try to laugh."
I had sworn to fulfill his words without fail. It wasn't even a burden for me anymore. I loved Lu Ten with my entire body, but I had allowed myself a small corner of my heart for my foster son. And now, that corner was being shared with a feisty little girl that Lien would have loved. I loved all of my children, and enjoyed filling my heart. It was comforting.
We had been traveling for five days, in the direction of the historical city, a journey through my past. We were still in disguise as refugees, but the danger was very great. If the soldiers found us, Zuko and I would be imprisoned and executed, and Toph would be shipped back home. None of that would be very pleasant for us.
Still, setting up camp had not been so bad. Zuko had been chopping wood with his hands, while I began to lay out our blankets. It was nice to share these nice quiet moments, where I could imagine Zuko was Lu Ten and Toph his bride, that someday they would bring me grandchildren, that we weren't strangely banished royals in a horrible war that would never end. It was comforting to pretend.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" shrieked Zuko, disturbing my fantasies of coddling my little grandchildren in my arms and feeding them sweets till they were properly spoiled and plump. Why did my family feel the need to disrupt my life at all hours?
It was only when I heard Toph's screams and the smell of burning cloth that I understood what had happened. Toph must have wandered too near the fire! I stood up to see Zuko brushing off a shaking Toph, who was covered with black soot. She clutched her arm, whimpering. "Are you all right?" I asked, cuddling her.
"I just wanted to cook dinner," Toph sniffed angrily, trying to hold back the tears most girls would have been bawling. Her sightless eyes were wide with pain as she grabbed her arm.
"How could you be so stupid?" ZUko demanded, his eyes wide with fear himself. "You could have been killed!"
"Shut it, Sparky. I was just trying something new," Toph snapped, shivering in terror as she tried to brush herself off. After my plan was over, I'd buy her the prettiest dress possible.
"Nephew, you are being cruel," I admonished. It was rare that I called Zuko on his poor behavior but even the son of Ozai had to have a heart once in a while. Had my own son behaved this way, I would have considered scolding him.
"If she wants to get killed, that's fine, but not while she's in my camp," Zuko snapped, turning on his heel. And in that moment, I smiled. Perhaps, my nephew had more of a heart than I thought.
Toph had silenced her whimpering and was now feeling her wounds. "I'm fine," she snapped, trying to hide the pain in her voice. "I've had worse. I don't need your pity."
"Good, you don't have it. I'm going to get some fresh water," Zuko sneered, walking away with his head held high. "Stupid girl." I closed my eyes and waited for the ground to launch Zuko ten feet into the air. I only had a moment before I heard my nephew land in a painful heap, cursing to himself.
"Don't tsk tsk me, Uncle. He called me stupid," Toph muttered, holding out a small arm to be examined.
"You know, you could try solving your problems with words, not action. You can't fight everyone who upsets you," I reminded her, taking some honey from the flask to put some on her wound. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Toph shrugged. 'Yup. Sometimes, fighting doesn't work. Sometimes the situation calls for discussion," she recited back to me. "But till that situation happens, I plan to use what works."
I had a splitting headache. Between my nephew and this scamp, I really had a splitting headache.
Of course, my headache was becoming a permanent part of my life. I was awoken the next day to the sound of my nephew and adopted niece going at it. And not in the way that I could have politely slept through.
"You are a complete idiot!" Toph was shouting. "You can't go and meet that minion of your sister!"
"I have a duty to be Lord!" my nephew shouted, his voice resonating with the rage that permanently bubbled within him. I watched his posture tighten up, as he prepared to battle. I would hate to see Toph grind him into the ground but I knew that this was how it would most likely end.
"You aren't going back to being a Lord, Sparky! You are going back to being your father's lackey, the same father who burned and banished you like you were yesterday's news! The same daddy dearest who sent your sociopath sister to kill you! I'm not feeling the love here!" Toph snapped, her body coiled for action. Yes, my nephew was about to get a face full of dirt.
"My father is Agni Incarnate. He's a God! Who are you to question him?" Zuko demanded. As the son of one "God" and the brother of another, I knew full well that God belched after heavy meals, wet themselves when they were toddlers, and had smelly feet. "His word is law!"
"Even if that word means helping him crush every person who doesn't bow before you?" Toph hissed, hitting the raw nerve of every member of the family. "That's what your father wants."
"Shut up!" Zuko retorted, knowing that was only too true. "You are just some Earth bender, you wouldn't understand!"
"Understand? What is there to understand? Your daddy wants to crush everything. He'll only be happy when everyone is his slaves. And don't tell me everyone should be his slaves."
"Why not?" Zuko hissed, making me wonder if my nephew even thought about the idiotic propaganda he had been fed.
"So you want me as your slave, Sparky? Not enough I save your sorry butt, now I have to be crushed under your daddy's heel? Forgive me if I am a bit worried. The guy can't even treat his own family right. He doesn't know the meaning of mercy. You can't trust him!"
"He's my father!" Zuko roared, smoke coming out of his ears. I really didn't like this. It was like lancing an abscess; a lot of ugliness always came out.
"Then why doesn't he act like that! Uncle is more a father than the Fire Lord could ever be! He followed you into exile, he cares about you. A lot of respect you show him!" Toph roared.
The blood drained from Zuko's face. "Uncle…I show you respect, don't I?" he said, in a false haughty tone.
I was not sure how to answer that question without lying or worse, telling the truth. "I think I shall put on some tea. All this yelling is giving me a headache," I said, trying to avoid the firing questions.
"This isn't about tea, Uncle. Answer the question!" Zuko snapped, looking quite panicky.
"Yelling at your uncle, now that's respectful!" Toph rightly pointed out. This blunt approach was something I had to get used to.
"I think I shall go make roast duck for dinner," I muttered, trying to hope that this would not require me physically separating them.
"That means your goose is cooked," Toph smirked, crowing over her triumph as Zuko stalked off to go throw fireballs. I had hurt him badly. Perhaps I should have lied to him and soothed his feelings.
"You really should not goad him like that," I murmured as I tossed some more wood on the fire.
"Well, he just won't listen," Toph muttered, grinding a clod of dirt under her heel. I could just see her imagining that clod being my nephew.
"My nephew is a complicated person," I began, trying to defend the person I loved most in the world, the son I parented but could never claim.
"His father basically ignored and emotionally trashed him. Zuko's trying to get back in Daddy's good graces and won't accept that he's the spawn of evil. So you're stuck watching him chase his tail till logic gets into his thick head. What's so complicated in that?" Toph asked, yawning.
That was certainly laconically well put. "I…suppose it only seems complicated. Well, perhaps things will seem better after a nice hot dinner," I said. Food solved nearly all problems.
"We're running out of supplies," Toph mumbled. "Is there a town nearby?" she asked. "We might as well cook Sparky's last meal."
With that, I smiled. "I think I have a friend in the area who might be of some use to us," I said, allowing myself a slightly fiendish chuckle.
"You had this planned the entire time," Toph accused with a smile. "I can hear it in your voice."
"Dear Toph, I am an old man. I often had to wake up in the middle of the night for my needs and I had time to think. That is all." I allowed myself a smirk of joy. "If all goes as planned, Zuko will finally change his tune." Father would be so proud of my scheming. "There's a building out on the hill and rain clouds on the horizon. Everything is working out perfectly."
It didn't take long for Zuko to return, looking quite sheepish and annoyed. He was calm enough for the moment. I bided my time before telling him that we had run out of supplies and would have to visit the tower on the hill.
"I don't want any mistakes. This close to the city, we have to be careful," Zuko snapped for the third time, as the enormous temple loomed above us. A proud temple to some, it ached for me to see it. It was a symbol of murder and destruction, a symbol of the madness in my blood.
"We'll be fine. If anyone asks, I'm Toph Beifong and you are my humble slaves," Toph added helpfully, fanning the flames of my nephew's anger. She was treading up the mountain-top easily, nearly floating above the rocks.
"I'd rather die than be a slave," Zuko spat, leading the frightened animals behind him, soothing them with hardened honey chunks.
"That's the attitude I like to hear. Very Earth kingdom of you. Live free or die fighting," Toph said approvingly.
"Something we share," Zuko admitted grudgingly, the tiniest hint of a smile crossing his face before fading into the anger of his mind.
Yes, live free or die fighting. The motto of every soldier, like the young prince who had led a suicide attack on the walls. I could still hear the words in my mind, "He's gone."
Still…I know I would find comfort there. I had before. As I had before. I had once been so weary, so frightened, so much like my nephew. Just thinking about that time made me wonder how…
"Welcome weary travelers. I was not expecting guests but life is full of delightful surprises," a voice said, out of the darkness, making all of us jump. Toph looked especially shocked, obviously surprised she had not felt his presence.
"Who goes there?" Zuko snapped, his hands reaching for his Dao swords to battle. "Come out!"
As the light illuminated the thin face of the thin man who neatly parted the bushes, I couldn't resist a smile. His kindness had served me in a hard time. "Please enter my humble abode." Always welcoming, never judging. I had actually attacked him when I had first met him, but he had deftly blocked my attacks and then hugged me.
"It has been a long time, Guru. I am in your debt, for another kindness shown to a lonely man," I said, bowing deeply.
"Ah, Iroh. My old friend, I had a feeling you might show up. So this must be your new son and daughter," the withered man said, bowing to Zuko and Toph in turn. "Welcome welcome."
"No. this is my nephew Zuko, and his friend, Toph," I corrected. I had asked him to find me my son and we had failed. It was painful to return to that same place and remember how I had first met him.
"I felt such a parental burst of chakra when I saw them. Well, we all make mistakes, my friends. Allow me to cook you a meal. Treat this as your humble home," Pathik said, bustling us inside. "What lovely auras you all have. It will be a pleasure to have you all as my guests."
"Is he insane?" Zuko hissed to Toph, as always missing the meat of wisdom in the stew of life. "Why is he telling him our names?"
"No, your uncle is quite sane, young man. I should know," the guru said with a laugh. "Now, let me have the honor to serve you porridge and give you rest. Hospitality is the light of the world." Zuko stared balefully at the sparse temple, with holes in the ceiling. It was a lot less than he would have liked it. "It brings in the divine chakras."
"Yeah, and the rain," Toph snickered to Zuko. "Sounds like a holy place."
"Perhaps you could show me the peach trees," I asked loudly, as the four of us and the animals journeyed into the caves under the mountain where Pakku made his home. "Toph and Zuko can set up camp."
"Bring me back some peaches," Toph said gaily before my hypocritical little nephew could protest about going off alone. He tried to hide how much he worried about me.
Pathik nodded wisely. "Yes, the peaches will do us both good," he said. "Honored Toph and Zuko, follow the path and you will reach the sleeping place. Rest your bones and breathe in the clean air."
Zuko rolled his eyes. "Another proverb-maker," he muttered, petting the animals before leading them off.
We watched them go off for a few long moments. "A strong boy, a proud boy." Pathik said, watching Zuko fade around the bend.
"Too strong and too proud. He is on the cusp of so much and yet, I can't reach him. He is too bitter and angry and proud for me to handle. I fear that fury and hatred will consume him till there will be nothing left," I sighed.
"He has spilled blood. A heavy weight lies on his shoulders. He cannot keep living a lie anymore. He is a prince."
"But he doesn't have to be. He can choose another path!" That was Mai's road, the road I could not let him go!
"Destiny has left its mark on Zuko. Toph as well. Their auras say that soon, they will achieve great things, if they can reach their full potential." Pathik's word was rarely wrong, and I knew I could trust him. Still, I was filled with doubts.
"I am frightened for my nephew. He is young, too young to face the trials ahead. Master, what should I do? Can I keep watching him struggle?"
"The White Lotus opens her petals to all who ask, but they must ask first. Are you asking me to…" Master Pathik asked, staring after my nephew.
"Yes. Initiate him. He needs it. Toph too," I said, bowing my head. It was the only choice I had.
"As you wish. The process is painful, you know. Not everyone can complete it," Pathik said sternly, reminding me of my second great failure.
"I know Toph and Zuko can do it. I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't sure," I begged, trying to forget the horrible memories. I had been forced to face my failure and had been unable to continue. Zuko and Toph would have to go forward where I had never gone.
"The stars are beautiful, Iroh. Each one, their own light. No matter how many there are, each one has its place," Pathik proverbed neatly, reminding me of what I should have known. "Shall I tell you what I see for your nephew?" His voice was cold.
I closed my eyes and nodded, bracing myself for bad news. "I see two paths for Zuko. He is at a crossroads. His love for you is strong, but his need to regain his throne is a maddening desire. If he would stay with you, he will eventually succumb to temptation and do great evil. He will fall farther than he could ever fall and you will stand on opposite sides. The fire in his personality makes him unstable," Pathik began, verbally knifing me in the heart.
"I have tried," I began, trying to comprehend how my nephew could betray me someday. Tears blurred my vision of the inky black sky.
"There is more. If however, he can ground himself, center himself, take friendship in Toph, both of you can balance him. I see a long road ahead of him but a path that can lead to untold greatness. He will be a true son of Agni," Pathik continued. "So we must help him choose right."
I jerked my head up. "So, you'll train him?" I gasped, my breath caught in my chest. I owed this man everything.
"Yes. Now…let's make some banana onion juice and visit our new students. Do you think they will enjoy it?"
So, bet you didn't see that coming? And it only gets better. Keep reading and please tell me what you think!
