In which Zuko and Katara's daughter, Kya (who is now fourteen), and their son, Iroh (who is now twelve), ask about their father's scar. This story will now, I think, be about their lives as teenagers, and Zuko and Katara and the rest of the Gaang having a hard time keeping up with their offspring. That includes Aang and Toph's airbending daughter, Kaori, and Suki and Sokka's son (Ren), and their waterbending daughter, Sakura.
Things have been hectic. I've barely been able to update my other stories let alone this one. For some reason, my story that has the most followers and views is the one that I pushed to the part of my mind where the things I least worry about go.
Also, I've decided that to win the battle I've been having with writer's block; I've had to skip quite a bit in time. I always thought it would be interesting to see what the lives of the Zutarian children were like. This is how I think their lives will go. Catch you later! Thank you all for being so patient. You've earned all the love and cookies that I can give (which is a lot).
Sincerely Yours,
Symphonic Madness
Kya
One of the many mysteries of my parents' pasts is how my dad got his scar. Their answer when Iroh or me would ask my dad, mom, or both how he got his scar, they would always say, "We'll tell you when you're older". It's been years. I've decided I've waited long enough.
My parents are in a meeting with Uncle Aang, Uncle Sokka, and the royal council, so after I get done with my firebending practice with Uncle Iroh, I gesture for my little brother to come with me to ask him the question that's been burning at the back of my mind since the practice session began.
"Well done, Kya. You're improving greatly on your training. I don't even think these old bones of mine can keep up with you for much longer. You're well on your way to becoming a firebending master." The old man chuckles and slaps my back.
I bow to him respectively. "Thank you, Uncle Iroh. But may Junior and I ask you a question?"
Normally, when our Uncle is around, we just call my brother "Junior". He hates the nickname, and it's clear as day when he scrunches his face at the endearment that that is the case.
"Of course, kids. What question do you have?" Uncle Iroh asks.
"How did Dad get his scar?" I ask.
Uncle shakes his head and his mirthful facial expression turns serious, and he sighs. "I'm not sure your father is ready to talk about it with you yet. It's still too painful of a memory for him to recall. Especially to his children. But unfortunately, I know the story well. It's a story I highly doubt I'll ever forget. Come. Let's go to the garden. I need to sit down."
Iroh Junior and I follow our uncle to the garden. Without us asking, a servant brings a loaf of bread. I assume it is for the turtleducks, and I am correct in my assumption when I toss a small piece into the pond.
"When your father was very young, probably about your age, Kya, he wanted so badly to go into the war room where his father was meeting with his council. They were discussing the war, and Zuko wanted to watch. I told the guards to let him in; making him promise that he must not say a thing while he was in there. He gave me his word then we went in together.
"One of the generals proposed something that your father thought was a terrible idea, and spoke out against that general. Fire Lord Ozai was furious. Your father was right of course, but the only way to resolve this act of complete disrespect was an Agni Kai," Uncle tells us.
"No!" Junior exclaims. "Not Dad!"
"But your father thought nothing of it. He boasted that he could and would duel the general, but little did he know, it wasn't technically the general who was disrespected. Sure he did not do it to his father personally, but it was his father's war room that the deed was done in, so it was his father that he would have to duel.
"Sure your father begged for forgiveness, but Ozai would have none of it. He told your father he needed to learn respect, and that suffering would be his teacher. I did not see the whole encounter. I just heard the piercing scream your father let out as Ozai unleashed an enormous amount of fire at your father's face. I couldn't bear to watch my nephew be hurt that badly by my brother, but he was, and my nephew was never the same again," Uncle tells us.
"I can't believe it," I say as the words Uncle Iroh has told us sink in. "I knew Fire Lord Ozai was bad, but what he did was just pure evil. There isn't an ounce of good in him. At all. I know that now."
"Don't get angry at your grandfather so quickly. My brother and I were never given a chance to know any better, but somehow I did. I learned even more about what was right when my nephew was banished. I traveled with him all over the world looking for the Avatar," Uncle says.
"Dad told us about that," Junior says. "He told us that he scoured the globe looking for Uncle Aang."
Uncle chuckles. "Yes he did. At the time, though, Aang was traveling with your Uncle Sokka, and your mom. In fact, your father actually tied your mom to a tree and made her tell Aang's whereabouts."
"Did she?" Iroh asks.
"You should know your mother well enough to know that she didn't. She's as stubborn as your dad is."
Junior and I break into laughter, but it is my brother that manages to calm down first. "Mom and Dad never told us that story."
"Probably because they're embarrassed. I know your father is," Uncle Iroh says.
"Embarrassed about what?" I turn around to see Dad with a raised eyebrow and an amused smile on his face.
"Oh! Nephew! I was just telling them some stories," Uncle Iroh says.
"Like what?" Dad asks.
"They wanted to know about your scar, and I figured that they are ready to know how you got it, so I told them," Uncle says.
Dad sighs. "Well, it was bound to happen sometime."
My dad has grown his hair out down to the small of his back, and he has a long, thin beard growing on his chin; a new feature of my dear old dad. He smiles at my brother and I and beckons us closer.
"I hope you don't think of me any different," he says as he takes us into his arms.
"We don't," I say. "But we do think of Ozai differently. I now realize how evil he was."
"That's good," I hear my mother say. "You needed to learn about our pasts. Your father's especially."
Junior and I pull away from our father's embrace, and I look at my mom. As per tradition, she is wearing royal Fire Nation red robes for the meeting. Normally, though, she would wear blue. She has a few wrinkles, and isn't as youthful as she was in the paintings I've seen done of her. Neither is my dad. My mom has the warm smile on her face that she knows can make any sadness or hurt my brother and I feel fade away.
"Iroh, you have to practice your waterbending. There's a new technique I want to show you," she says.
"Sweet!" my brother says excitedly as he follows our mom down the hall.
Zuko
My daughter is the spitting image of her mother when she was her age. Katara looks a lot like her own mother now. She's aged a bit since her duties as Fire Lady began; seeing as it's been a little over fifteen years. My son looks more like me than anything; save for his blue eyes. While Kya has brownish hair, Iroh has jet black hair that mimics my own. He decided a couple of years back that he wanted to take on the hairstyle of the monarchs before him; which meant long hair, a topknot, and an eventual beard. He has the long hair and topknot, but no hair on his chin quite yet. People often look at him and tell me how much we look alike. I usually reply with, "I know. We're quite handsome if I do say so myself."
But my daughter, who proudly wears her grandmother and great grandmother's necklace, is stunning to look at. She is close to becoming a firebending master, and of that I am positively sure.
"Kya, can you show me what Uncle Iroh has taught you in my absence?" I ask.
"Sure!" she says excitedly.
I back up and she moves forward more into the training grounds; where Azula and I had our final Agni Kai. She demonstrates a powerful and complicated move involving a spinning kick meant to trip your opponent and burn them at the same time. She jumps into the air and throws three punches of fire, and does a somersault when she hits the ground; doing the move as gracefully as her mother would do a waterbending move. She stands and bows to my Uncle and I.
"How was that, Dad?" she asks while panting.
"That was excellent, honey!" I tell her.
"But guys! I've gotta show you something. You'd better stand back, though," Kya says.
My uncle and I take her word of caution seriously and back up. Kya takes a deep breath and releases it before extending her arm and her pointer and middle fingers to point at a distant target. With a grunt she unleashes a powerful bolt of lightning that leaves a large black spot on the ground. My jaw drops. I look at Uncle and he has a similar expression on his face. Kya bows and smiles.
"I don't know how I discovered I could do that, but I can do it," she says.
"Kya, you possess a rare gift," Uncle says. "Few firebenders have the gift of bending lightning. While many firebenders can direct it, not many can summon and bend it. Not even your father can bend lightning. But Azula and Ozai can. But that does not mean your gift is evil. Bending lightning is a skill so rare and so beautiful. Use it wisely, child. For when you bend lightning, you have so much power and strength that if used for the wrong cause, can destroy your enemy and consume you at the same time."
"I can feel it," Kya says. "When I bend lightning, I feel strong, fearless, and brave. But you are right, Uncle. I can give you my word that I will not make the mistakes my grandfather and aunt made while using lightning. I know that's how Dad got the scar on his chest."
"Yes, but remember, your mother healed it," Uncle tells her. "But you may not always have that backup plan. Your father was lucky he chose her to accompany him to the Agni Kai."
"Yes, I was," I say. "I'm lucky I have a lot of what I do now."
"You are, Nephew." My uncle claps my back and smiles at me.
"But remember, Kya, just as my uncle told me all those years ago, it all comes down to basics when facing an opponent. You can't learn all the cool stuff until you master your basics. Which clearly you already have," I tell her.
She hugs me. "Thanks, Dad."
"Now come on. Let's go see what your mom and brother are up to," I say, placing my hand on her back and guiding her with me.
Katara has since changed into a smaller outfit so she can bend easier. She and Iroh Junior are bending waves of water in perfect sync. They end their dance-like movements before putting the water back in their respective pouches and high fiving one another.
"Good job, Iroh!" Katara says. "You're coming along better than I thought you would be."
Iroh bows to his mother. "Thank you, Mom."
She bows in return.
"You're very welcome, son." She turns to Kya and I. "So what did you two do while we were gone."
"Well… I'd been kinda hiding something from you guys. Dad just found out," Kya says.
"Spirits, you aren't pregnant are you?!" Katara asks.
That brings out a laugh from my son and I, and Katara and Kya glare at us. Kya, on the other hand, has a furious blush on her face.
"No, Mom! I'm only fourteen! What are you thinking? My secret is that I can bend lightning!" Kya exclaims.
"Oh. Well, what do you think, Zuko?" Katara asks me.
"It's a rare, wonderful gift to have. As long as Kya is careful, I think it's great that she can bend lightning," I say with a shrug.
"If your father doesn't have a problem with it, then neither do I," Katara says.
"Yes!" Kya jumps in excitement.
"Come on, everybody. It's almost dinner time," I say. "After that, I think we need to schedule a much-needed family vacation to Ember Island."
So in exchange for my insolence for not updating sooner, I gave you an extra-long chapter just for you(= I hope you enjoyed it! More to come about the Zutarian family vacation! And who's that muscly boy who keeps staring at Kya as if under a spell? 'Til next time, my loves!
P.S. I realized that Song does NOT bend fire, and have had that knowledge in mind for quite some time. But I started writing this before I finished the series. Sue me. Adieu, my lovelies!
-Symphonic Madness