Iroh's Question (140AG)
Masaru always stayed in Azula's sector of the palace when he came over. It was the only place where no guards were allowed to go where they could hide all of their family secrets. Masaru was helping Iroh practice some of his firebending forms when the boy stopped.

"Is something wrong?" Masaru asked the young prince with a compassionate expression of sympathy.

"Uncle Saru," Iroh asked walking over fearlessly, loving his 'uncle' greatly.

"Yes Prince Iroh?"

"Can I ask you a question?" the six-year-old boy asked sadly. Izumi, walking across the platform on the second floor across the way with Takeo on her hip stopped to listen.

"Of course! Anything! What is on your mind, my little prince?" Masaru asked sitting on the bench directly below where he had seen Izumi pause, out of his peripherals.

"Do you think my Mother hates me?" Iroh asked.

Izumi clapped her hand over her mouth in shock. NO! Why would he think such a thing. Did I do something wrong? Did I look at him cruelly or say something? She asked herself. She could feel her heat rising. STOP! CALM DOWN ZUMI! She yelled at herself, remembering Takeo was on her hip, and having to remind herself that until they knew he was a firebender and could handle her heat, she had to be EXTREMELY careful in containing her ability and remaining in control at all times, of everything.

"NO! How could you think such a thing? Prince Iroh!" Masaru asked accusingly.

"It's just that- I have this feeling that Mother didn't like Father and I am his and not yours.. And I guess… I thought… just… well… what if I remind her of him? What if…."

"You don't," Masaru said dead seriously, frightening the boy slightly for good measure with a particularly low tone of voice to emphasize his point before relaxing slightly. "You are NOTHING like your father, just how Fire Lord Zuko is NOTHING like his father, former Fire Lord Ozai who came before him. You are good, Iroh. You are good, and your mother loves you to the end of the world and back. She would do anything for you. You are her first born son, and I know this won't make any sense at all to you but you created the very heart she carries in her chest now."

Iroh looked up at him eyes wide with bewilderment as he tried to understand. Masaru tried to clarify. "You gave her the strength to continue living in this very difficult-to-navigate world especially for someone in her position. You are her true love, Iroh."

"What about you?"

"I am just a man doing my duty to my country: keeping you and your mother safe and warm as you navigate this crazy world." Masaru answered simply.

"And you're okay with that?" Iroh asked with the most adorable furrowed brows.

"Absolutely!" Masaru said.

"You're sure she doesn't hate me?"

"Certain of it! Frankly, I don't think your mother could truly hate anyone anymore. After all she's struggled to get through, she understands that everyone is fighting their own battles inside, where no one sees, and everyone deserves sympathy and mercy."

"So you're saying she doesn't even hate my father, Hisoki?" Iroh asked.

"No. She understands he was hurt, angry that the Fire Sages were using him. The Fire Sages were using both of them to carry on some stupid tradition." Masaru explained.

"Oh."

"But Iroh, listen to me, if it makes you feel any better, please know that you will always belong to your mother and she will always love you. AND, now that your mother sort of belongs to me, you are sort of my son too, and I promise I will always love you, and do anything I can to help you just as I would for any of my blood children." Masaru said kneeling before the little prince.

"Really?" Iroh asked looking down at him.

Izumi was crying with joy as she listened, trying to remain silent as Takeo frowned at her with one raised eyebrow.

"Yes," Masaru said. Iroh slid off the bench and hugged his 'Uncle Saru'.

"If you said you would do ANYTHING for me," Iroh began to say mischievously.

Uh oh! Thought Izumi. You've done it now, Saru!"

"Can you teach me how to redirect lightning?!" Iroh asked excitedly, all fears and insecurities practically gone from the child's mind.

Masaru smiled.

I SAID NO! Izumi screamed internally. NO! We've talked about this! He's too young!

"Now, now," Masaru said in a condescending tone. "Lightning generation is one of the most dangerous skills a firebender can learn, and lightning redirection, even more difficult to master. Get one thing wrong, and you could be DESTROYED!" Masaru said gravely as the boy listened wide eyed. "But I think you're ready." he said casually.

Izumi almost screamed and revealed herself, but instead just held onto Takeo and turned in a circle on the walkway with her hand over her mouth.

"Really?" Iroh asked truly surprised. "But Mother said I couldn't learn until I was ten years old!"

"Really?" Masaru asked feigning surprise, knowing perfectly well that Izumi was extremely protective of her children and didn't want them trying such dangerous maneuvers so early. "Did you know your beloved mother started shooting me with lightning when she was four years old without any regard for my safety, so your namesake had to teach me to redirect lightning when I was five?" Masaru asked the boy.

Izumi made a note to kill Masaru later, but not now. Not until he actually committed a crime.

"REALLY?!" Iroh asked with great interest.

"Yes!"

"Why would she do that if it is so dangerous?"

"She thought it was fun," Masaru shrugged. "And don't worry about her getting mad at you. What she doesn't know can't hurt her, can it? Just do exactly as I say, and don't get injured!" Masaru said.

NO! He isn't actually going to teach him this, and demonstrate? Oh shit he's going to shoot my baby! Izumi said pacing.

"Relax, Princess," Azula said appearing, putting a calming hand on her dear niece's shoulder. "Saru won't harm the Prince, and if he does, don't worry. I'll kill him and spare you the blood," Azula offered. Izumi smiled at her gratefully and watched he lover and her son begin training.

"Before we can deal with lightning we must first understand how the energy flows within our own bodies, and the best way to learn that is by studying waterbending," Masaru said showing Iroh the motions as the boy watched wide-eyed and completely captivated by everything Masaru was saying and doing.

After a few minutes, Masaru stepped back and just watched six-year-old Iroh practicing the motion. Masaru corrected his hands and legs and watched a bit longer then finally said "I think you're ready to try it."

Izumi almost screamed but Azula covered her mouth, Takeo still watched her with his little furrowed brows.

"If anyone is going to shoot your son with lightning, it should be Saru. He can control the electricity at a greater range with greater precision AND keep it away from the boy's heart regardless of the child's technique," Azula reassured Izumi. "Remember, he delivered your baby." Azula touched the one year old's nose. Izumi turned and looked at him too, kissed his head, and returned her gaze to Iroh and Masaru.

"Ready?" Masaru asked.

"Ready!" Iroh replied.

Masaru sent an extremely low voltage lightning bolt at the boy, and the boy redirected it to the sky.

"Good!" Masaru said.

"Really?" Iroh asked jumping up clapping his hands.

Masaru nodded.

Izumi let out a sigh of relief.

"How do you feel?" Masaru asked.

"Powerful!" Iroh said beaming.

"And you should, but remember, with great power comes…"

"...great responsibility." Iroh finished

Masaru nodded. "Yep. You have to be careful," he reminded the boy, charging up for another lightning strike.

This time, Iroh let it pass through him but missed the sky and hit the courtyard catwalk behind him almost striking Izumi and Takeo, but Zumi managed to roll aside.

"Good technique, but watch your aim, Love," Izumi said pulling herself to her feet again, wiping dust off of Takeo's irate face.

"MOTHER?!" Iroh whirled around, mortified as Masaru started cackling with laughter, knowing she had been there the entire time.

Izumi merely smiled proudly and adjusted Takeo on her hip.

The shock and fear of reprimanding on Iroh's face turned into a wide grin when he finally began to believe she wasn't angry. She was proud.

"I thought you would be afraid of me hurting myself," Iroh confessed when she joined them down in the courtyard.

"I thought I would be too, but then I realized just how absolutely miserable it is to live fearing everything all the time. Fear is not at all necessary to go through life-" Izumi began to say.

"But great Aunt Azula says fear is the only reliable way!" Iroh protested.

Izumi turned and frowned at her aunt who still stood on the balcony watching them all with great pride.

"It isn't the only way. Respect is. Respect the power any and every action has over your surroundings and act accordingly. Do not do unto others something you do not wish done unto you. While I was growing up, my parents always feared for my safety. They worried I would be targeted for bullying if I went to the Royal Academy for girls, an elite Fire Nation School where all the princesses before me were forced to go. They feared the children of those formerly loyal to Ozai would try to break me. They made my entire education contained within these palace walls. For me, learning felt like nothing but limitations. I will not do the same to you. I will not restrict you in a way that will inhibit your growth. I want you to learn what you want, just… safely, okay?" Izumi asked.

Iroh nodded.

"If you want to learn anything with firebending, you know you can ask, me, Uncle Saru, and even aunt Azula no matter how scary the history books make her seem. She is a really nice lady now, honestly! And she would love to teach you," Izumi said genuinely.

"Thank you, Mother," Iroh said hugging her.

"No, thank you, for being so curious and unafraid to ask questions, Iroh," Izumi replied, kissing him on both cheeks.

"Now if you excuse me, I think Takeo is getting hungry," Izumi said as the one year old started tugging at her collar.

"You go have fun, love, I got Iroh," Masaru said kissing Izumi on the lips quickly.

"Thank you, so much!" Izumi said before running off.