Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar The Last Air bender or Disney's The Lion King. This fanfiction is based off of the Disney movie mixed with little bits of Broadway's The Lion King. I just called this fanfiction The Fire King because all of the characters from Avatar will still be human and still have their bending abilities; they'll just follow along with the characters' story from the Lion King. They lyrics used throughout are not mine; they are from the movie and the Broadway show. If something doesn't make sense while you are reading, message me and I will do my best to explain. Also, I realize that a different author had started to write their own Avatar/Lion King crossover. However I did not know that until after I had started writing this fanfiction. I hope no one is upset with me and I never tried to take anything from the other author; there story is written how they wanted it to be.

Chapter 25: The Truth

"Zuko! My son!" Ursa cried in joy and encircled him in her arms. Tears of joy trickled down her cheeks. Zuko comforted his mother.

The whispers started as soon as everyone heard Lady Ursa's exclamations. No one could believe that the lost Fire Prince was alive and had returned to them. Some were even starting to cry in relief with the prospect of a better future.

Zhao, who had been cowering in the corner, sat up when he heard Zuko's name. "Zuko?" He knew he was in trouble unless he could resolve it quickly. So he stood up and walked over to Zuko as if relieved to see him. "Zuko, I'm so surprised to see you…alive" at the last part he turned to glare at the Freedom Fighters. They were just as surprised and weary of what would happen to them.

Hearing Zhao's voice Zuko stood up and turned towards him. A growl was building up deep in his chest that could be heard. "I see you've been working on that tiger – dillo roar of yours" Zhao stammered nervously as he backed away until his back collided with the wall.

Stalking forward Zuko growled, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't give you a scar to match."

"Oh Zuko you must understand! The pressures of ruling an entire nation…"

"Are no longer yours!" Zuko faced him with a level gaze despite the fact that he still had to stretch up on his toes to be at his height. "Step down Zhao."

"Oh such a serious face" he coughed. Zuko's stare was unwavering. "Well, yes, naturally. Of course I would. But you see, there's one tiny problem" he pointed out. He gestured around him. "You see them?" Zuko turned his attention to all of the rebels surrounding them and peered over the balcony to see more rebels keeping the people back from entering the palace. He returned his glare back to Zhao as he smirked at him. "They believe I am Fire Lord."

"Well we don't!" Zuko smirked when he saw Katara standing there proudly with other members of the Order of the White Lotus and other soldiers he didn't recognize. While they were helping Ursa to stand up Katara spoke again. "Zuko is the rightful Fire Lord!"

"Well, well look who decided to come home" Zhao commented as he started to walk over to her. Momo flew down and got right in Zhao's face screeching and growling. Then he flew back to Katara staring directly at Zhao with his ears pulled back, ready to pounce.

"I wouldn't try that again if I were you" Zuko commented smugly. He turned serious again and his voice rang with authority. "The choice is yours, Zhao. Either step down, or I'll have to challenge you to an Agni Kai."

Pretending to be distraught Zhao addressed everyone. "Must this all end in violence? I would hate to be responsible for the death a family member. Wouldn't you agree with me Zuko?"

Keeping a straight face he said, "Nice try, but that won't work with me Zhao! I've put it behind me."

This was exactly what Zhao was expecting to hear. "But what about to your faithful subjects?" he gestured around him and to the people waiting below them. "Can they put it behind them?"

Katara was the first to speak. "Zuko, what is he talking about?"

Before he could respond Zhao answered for him. "So you haven't told them your little secret?" He shook his head in mock disappointment. "A ruler never hides anything important from his people. But, Zuko now is your chance to tell them." He gave him a side glance as he paced around the people watching them on the balcony. "Tell them who is responsible for Fire Lord Iroh's death."

All fell silent as everyone waited anxiously to hear what Zuko would say. Sighing, he replied with tears thick in his voice. "I am."

Everyone gasped. It didn't make sense to them. He was so close to Iroh. What reason would he have to kill him? Katara tried working it out in her head. She knew this couldn't be true. Zuko can be stubborn, but he would never hurt Iroh. He's not a killer, she thought to herself as Ursa walked up to him.

"Zuko that's not true." He couldn't even bring himself to look into his mother's eyes. She placed her hand under his chin and made him meet her gaze. "Zuko, tell me that's not true!"

He screwed his eyes shut. "I'm so sorry Mom I-"

Zhao stepped in then. "You see! He admits it! Murderer!"

Zuko refused to be accused of murder. "No! It was an accident! He tried-"

"If it weren't for you Fire Lord Iroh would still be alive! It's your fault he is dead, do you deny it?!"

"No!" he growled.

"Then you are guilty!" Zhao believed turning him against the people would work to his advantage.

"I'm not a murderer!" Zuko was worried. He didn't know what to do. No one would listen to him now, except maybe Katara and Ursa. By then Zhao and the rebels were stalking towards him and he had no choice, but to continue to back up as he tried to think of something quick. Why didn't I think everything through before confronting Zhao?

"Oh dear, look Zuko. You're in trouble once again. But this time your Uncle Iroh isn't here to save you. And, now everyone knows why!" he shouted.

Not realizing he had reached the balcony, Zuko hit his back and the force sent him over the edge. "Zuko!" Katara shouted. Zuko had just enough time to catch himself from falling to his death, but he struggled to keep his grip. Katara and Ursa tried to run to him, but Zhao stopped them. One of the rebels held Ursa with her arms pinned to her sides. It took two rebels to catch Katara and she continued to struggle while Momo tried to do what he could to get to Zuko. Then Smellerbee snatched him and held Momo as he squirmed in her grip.

The people could only watch as Zuko dangled there, his cloak falling off in the process, and Zhao watched with a smirk on his face. Suddenly lightning struck again, but it struck the courtyard and parts of the building and the remains of any nearby trees caught fire. Everyone cried out and backed away as some fire benders tried to keep control of the fire before it spread further. Oh great! Could anything more happen?! Zuko asked himself.

Zhao spoke to him only. "Now this seems strangely familiar." He rubbed his chin in mock thought. "Just a moment. Let me think." Zuko tried to climb up, but couldn't get his footing. "Oh, now I remember! This is just the way your Uncle Iroh looked before he died."

Zuko started to slip more until Zhao grabbed him tightly by his wrists. "Here's my little secret." Pulling him close so he was whispering in Zuko's scarred ear he said, "I…killed…Iroh…and gave you that scar."

Everything at that moment faded away and Zuko's eyes went wide as he relived that fateful day. He could see Iroh falling and could imagine what he had looked like at that moment. Then everything sped back into reality as Zhao released his hold on Zuko, expecting him to fall. He didn't count on Zuko shooting forward – aided by his fire bending – shouting, "NO!" and spinning him so that now he was the one pinned to the stone railing of the balcony with Zuko towering over him.

"MURDERER!" Zuko bellowed so loud everyone heard him. Everyone waited with bated breath.

Zhao tried to worm his way out of this one. "No, Zuko! Please!"

"TELL THEM THE TRUTH!"

"The truth? Honestly Zuko what good would that do y-" he didn't get a chance to finish. At that moment Zuko's right fist was pulled back with flames ready to do what he wanted. "Ok, alright!" Then he whispered, "I did it."

"LOUDER! SO THEY CAN HEAR YOU!"

Seeing he was defeated for now, Zhao gave in. Shouting at the topic of his lungs he confessed, "I KILLED FIRE LORD IROH AND BURNED PRINCE ZUKO!"

The rebels on the balcony jumped in and pulled Zuko back as Zhao made his escape. Zuko managed to pull out his duo swords and used them with – and sometimes without – his fire bending. Katara managed to open her water pouch and get away from the rebels holding her. Momo bit Smellerbee and jumped from one rebel to the next, scratching or pulling as his way of fighting. Katara ran to Zuko's side and they fought together. They were doing fairly well, but there were too many rebels for them to take on by themselves even with the white lotus members and soldiers fighting in front of them. Jet was the one to speak when they were surrounded. "Nowhere to go and no one to help you." As soon as he pulled out his hook swords one was knocked out of his hand.

Looking up they saw Sokka catching his boomerang and flying on Appa. "I'd rethink that if I were you!" Upon landing Appa roared and the rebels ran in terror. Sokka turned to his companions with a big smile. "Need a ride?"

Katara started to climb up while Zuko watched her back. He saw Ursa just getting away from one rebel that looked to be about her age when another came up behind her. "Mom, watch out!"

But that warning was unnecessary as they soon learned that Ursa was prepared. She bent down and this caused the rebel to flip over her onto his back. Then before he could even get up Ursa kicked him hard enough to knock the breath out of him and temporarily dazed. Ursa smoothed out her skirt before looking up to the bewildered faces of the three teenagers. Zuko literally started rubbing at his eyes to see if this woman was really his mother. "Shall we?"

All three of them stuttered to form a coherent sentence as they shook their heads yes. Flying down, they saw that all the people of the Fire Nation that were present were fighting against the rebels. Once they were safely on the ground they all jumped off of Appa and he ran off to help by knocking people out of the way with his head. More rebels saw them, but were cut short from reaching them when they heard two battle cries coming straight for them. Zuko smiled as Toph and Aang made their grand entrance. He even laughed as he heard Toph shouting, "Coming through! One side! GET OU OF MY WAY!" The last sentence ending with Toph kicking out and rebels shooting away from her. At the same time Aang struck the ground with his staff and more rebels went flying in the opposite direction. Then they ran off again to help others, but not without Toph shouting, "How many more rebels does this guy need?!"

Zuko was frustrated that he couldn't even ask Toph if she could sense what direction Zhao may have gone. But he was more focused on the rebel earth bender in front of him. He didn't even know where everyone else was now. The earth bender got close enough that Zuko sent him back with a fire kick. Unfortunately a fire bender used that distraction to grab Zuko from behind and wrapped his arm around his neck.

At that moment the fire bender was sent flying with Zuko free of his grasp. Turning to his left he saw Bumi standing their laughing manically until he jumped forward into a circle of rebels and beat them all single handedly with his earth bending. Then he laughed again and pulled out a piece of rock candy to take a quick bite of before joining the rest of the white lotus members.

Sokka was doing well defending himself with his space sword – as he called it, but struggling to get to the prison so he could free Hakoda until he sensed someone was with him. Well, more than one. Checking with his peripheral vision he saw that Zuko and Aang had joined them. Aang created sphere around them so any rebel just bounced away. Together the three of them were able to break free and get away long enough to update each other. "Zuko where's Katara?"

"I thought she was with you!" he shouted. He tried to keep calm, but he was more concerned over Katara's safety.

"Well I thought she was with you!" Sokka countered. "Zuko please find her! I'm going to find my Dad." He paused before continuing, "Are you going to arrest me later for having to break him out of prison?"

"Seeing as he is innocent no! I wouldn't recommend it in the future though! Now go! Take Aang with you! He'll get you there faster and watch each other's backs! I'll find Katara!"

They agreed and Aang snapped his glider open. "I'll fly you over just hang on tight and tell me where I'm going."

Taking off Sokka shouted to Zuko, "If anything happens to Katara – Fire Lord or not – you answer to me!" Zuko nodded his head and ran off. Sokka held on tight to Aang's glider while he was freaking out at the same time. Then he saw the prison. "Down there!"

"On it!" Aang shouted and flew down where the Freedom Fighters were waiting for them. "I'll distract them! You run!" Not needing any further prompting Sokka ran as fast as he could to find Hakoda.

Hakoda had been listening intently to all the commotion going on outside and he figured a rebellion had started. He knew he was right when he saw Sokka running for him with his sword in hand. "Sokka what's happened?"

"Long story short Dad, Zuko was alive the whole time and has returned. We learned it was Zhao who killed Iroh and so everyone is fighting back so we could use some more help. I'm getting you out!"

While he was working on the lock Aang had trouble fighting off the Freedom Fighters and tried to run from them. Not realizing that he was headed straight for Sokka and Hakoda.

Sokka saw him and immediately shouted, "Help me out!"

"Help me!" Aang shouted back just as the Freedom Fighters came bursting in. Sokka yelped in surprise. Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot smiled as they had them cornered. "You don't have to do this!" Aang tried to mediate.

"Back off!" They all turned to see Toph standing there with her hands on her hips and scowling.

"Hey, who's the girl?" Jet asked snidely.

Toph's eyebrows shot up beneath her bangs. "Are you talking to me?"

Aang's eyes went wide as Sokka and Hakoda waited to see what would happen. "Oh, boy he called her just 'a girl.'"

"Are you talking to me?!" Toph's voice steadily got louder.

"You shouldn't have done that!"

"ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?!"

"Now you're in for it!"

"THEY CALL ME…THE…BLIND…BANDIT!" With a battle cry she ran for the trio and together – she with Aang and Sokka – fought them until the Freedom Fighters ran away. Then banging her fist against the door of Hakoda's cell she had him free and threw the door in the opposite direction. Not being able to help themselves they did their own little cheer at their mini victory.

"Can I just say that what you did was sweet?" Sokka commented.

"Sure and feel free to mention it whenever" Toph stated smugly.

While they were temporarily distracted a stray rebel who had followed Toph from far behind caught up with them and was about to attack her when Aang shouted at the top of his lungs, "GET AWAY FROM MY GIRL!" One air slice and the rebel was knocked back into the wall and unconscious.

Toph marched right up to him after that. "Your girl?"

Realizing what he had said out loud Aang tried to think of something. "Well, um, I-" but was cut off when Toph pulled him close and gave him a quick kiss. Aang could only blink. Sokka and Hakoda could only stare at the interaction between the two.

"We'll talk more when this is over but right now we have to go. We're not out of the woods yet." Aang silently agreed and together they all ran out of the prison back to the battle field.