~Chapter 36~

Asami stifled yet another yawn as the tour group wandered, seemingly aimlessly, through the Fire Nation National Museum. She glanced out the window as the night sky. Was this thing ever going to end? Suddenly, the leader of the group stopped in front of two doors and turned to face them.

"So tomorrow being the Red Dragon festival, can anyone tell me what tonight is?" A boy standing near Mako raised his hand. "Yes Han?"
"Tonight is the 'Day of the Dead'!"

Asami raised an eyebrow, how could something be called the 'Day of the Dead' when it happened at night?

"That's correct, now can someone else tell me why we call it the day of the dead and not the night of the dead?"

On ji raised her hand. "Because in old mythology the sun of the departed is the North Star so the day for spirit's is night because that's when their sun is out."

The instructor nodded. "That is one of the popular theories behind the name. Other theories include; the idea that the original calibration took place in the day, that it is actually a mistranslation and the real name is 'Dance of the Dead' or 'Ball for the Departed'. Now what I am standing in front of is the old grand ballroom, which was brick by brick moved from the spirit castle on Ember Island to here. This was done seven hundred years ago in the time of Avatar Kizula and is the oldest part of the museum; in fact the rest of the building was build around the ballroom. Now legend states that on this night you can hear music coming from this room and that the ghosts of souls the Northern Star Claims as his own can be seen dancing, dining, and having a grand old time. Utter nonsense but the rumor's have persisted since the days of Avatar Kizula so I have to tell you."

Mako raised his hand. "Um Sir, when you say the souls the Northern Star has claimed as his own, what does that mean?"

The man sighed like Mako was asking a question that everyone knew the answer to. "The Northern Star in Fire Nation culture is viewed as a grim lantern barer or grim reaper for people who died in battle, are claimed by the sea, or were a soldier in life. While the other nations depict him with the symbol of his Harold the white Hawk, here in the Fire Nation main land the Northern star is depicted as the northern star." He pointed to the door where a star had been carved with a bird flying around it.

"Is that the white hawk?" another student asked.

The professor shook his head. "No, that is the White Phoenix, the missing lantern barer and believed to be wife of the Northern Star, she is the spirit for the innocent slain in war. But her first and only mention in old history is in the song of North Star which has been turned into a very popular lullaby." The man sighed as another hand was raised. "Yes?"

"Do you believe that the spirits really have a party on this night?"

The man shook his head. "I think it's a nice superstition, but I highly doubt real phantoms congregate on this night in this ballroom. I-" All around them the lights started to flicker and music started to drift out from behind the doors. The man put a hand on the door nob. "But I could always be wrong." He smiled, his sharp eyes looking down at the students. "Let's find out shall we?"

The doors swung open onto a grand ballroom with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling their candles burning white. A small orchestra played in front of giant glass windows. People filled the room giving off a strange glow and all were dressed in a strange manor. Mako's eyes widened seeing the figures float around the dance floor like the clockwork couples on music boxes. Did a school really shell out the resources to pay what looked like the hundred or so people to dress up and dance? Or was this an actual party? He looked over at the teacher who was smirking contentedly at the shocked student faces.

Suddenly, someone shrieked causing Mako to jump. He glared at Bolin. "What's the idea of giving me a heart attack?!"

Bolin pointed to the dance floor, his arm shaking. "Eeeeeeee."

"What are you even looking at? They're just…dancers." He's eye fallowed to where Bolin was pointing. Mako felt a numb as he walked out on to the dance floor avoiding all the other dancers to the pair Bolin had pointed out. "Korra? Iroh?" He reached out to grab Iroh's sleeve but his hand grabbed only air before the whole couple danced right thought him. "No…What happened?"

From behind him he heard screaming and figured it was because everyone else had figured out these where real phantoms until a pair of rough arms grabbed him and a cloth soaking in something was pressed over his nose and mouth. Mako reached out mentally begging for Iroh and Korra to notice what was going on but they just kept spinning as his world went black.

.o.

Mako woke up in a cell with some of the other students, some still sleeping off what ever they had inhaled. They were in some kind of cave where cells had been hallowed out of the rock with bars of steal driven into the existing earth an impenetrable prison for a fire bender, but not an earth bender. Mako looked at the others in his cell and felt a surge of panic. "Bolin!? Asami?!"

"We're over here Mako!" Asami yelled from a across the isle. "Bolin's still sleeping but we're both ok!"

Mako nodded. "Glad to hear it! Now do you have any idea where we are? Or why we're here?"

Asami sighed. "I guy was in here earlier trying to comfort one of the girls, he was saying that we should all keep calm, they only want to make Fire Lord Zuko look bad they'll let us go after the festival tonight."

Mako gulped. "Was he wearing a mask or could you easily identify him?"

"I could pick him out of a line up no problem."

Mako frowned. "Get Bolin up now! If they're not wearing masks they don't intend on letting us go while we're still living." He looked over at the kids in his cell who were now cowering. He kneeled down. "Hey, don't worry we're going to get out of here safe and sound but I'm going to need you all to cooperate with me, ok?" he stood up. "Ok, I'm going to need all of you to buddy up! Know your buddy and stay with your buddy."
"Hey, Mako sir, there's some kids here who aren't from our school." Onji pointed out.
Mako looked around. "What have I just gotten tangled up in?" He breathed seeing the numerous other cells filled with kids and teens.

.o.

Iroh leapt off of Appa's back still clutching the map in one hand. He paused just a moment for Korra to jump down and take his free hand. She really didn't need him to guild her but old habits die hard and it wasn't like holding Korra's hand didn't have other perks. As they ran through the palace looking for anyone of the either team Iroh tried to figure out a way to gently explain what happened. Yelling 'hey we were phantoms for a night at this really awesome party!' just didn't seem like the right approach. Iroh was surprised at how empty the place really was, where had everybody gone? He stopped runned when he found Zuko sitting at a table his head in his hands.

"Grandfather?" Iroh ventured into the room. "Is something wrong?"

Zuko looked up relief spilling over his face. "Thank the spirits, at least you two are ok."

Iroh laughed nervously. "Why would we not be ok?" What did he know?

Zuko held up a piece of paper. "This was delivered to me this morning with the body of one of my guards. Some how, people unknown have kidnapped a large number of the children, ages ranging from 10 to15." He hung his head. "And if I don't figure out where they are before midnight, they'll all be killed or I have to let my father walk free."

Iroh took the piece of paper and set the map down. "You've sent people to search the city haven't you?"

Zuko looked cross. "Of course I have! The rest of the gang is out there looking along with Hakoda and the people he brought. I'm just here waiting for news and because it's 'too' dangerous for me to go out without some protection." He sighed. "Never thought I'd miss being exiled at least then I could move relatively freely."

Iroh looked at his grandfather and patted his back. "Sorry Grandfather, no one likes to be cage for safety. Right Korra?" He turned. "Korra?"

She was sitting on the floor her eyes closed and legs crossed, unmoving, her breathing steady and slow.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "What is she doing? Taking a nap?"

Iroh smirked shaking his head. "No, she's helping buy going into the spirit world and looking back on the physical one or as other's would put it cheating."

Korra opened an eye and smiled. "It's only cheating darling, if you're being tested."

Zuko wrinkled his nose. "You know, it's really off putting to see teen versions of you that act like the adult married versions."

Korra raised and eyebrow. "And it's also off putting to see a full grown adult man mope around like an angsty teen, but I wasn't going to point that out."

Iroh sighed. "Play nice you two. Korra did you see anything that could help us find them?"

"Yeah, I was able to see Mako, Asami and Bolin. They're in this underground maze with a whole bunch of other teenagers and children but they looked hopelessly lost and anytime Bolin tries to make a new path he finds lava so well new paths are right out of there." She sighed. "I also saw some of the people who captured them, there's a lot of them, and even with our team being the bad asses they are, they aren't that good. They'll be overwhelmed for sure just be the numbers but good news the bad guys are just as lost and a lot more scattered."

Iroh nodded. "Then we have to gather the rest of the original team and anyone else and go find them a.s.a.p. Toph should be great in navigating those tunnels."

Zuko sighed. "Ok, so we know they're underground if you're right about the location, but all the tunnels and bunkers were searched that there wasn't a single sign of them. Not to mention there are no tunnels that are that maze like on this island."

Iroh bit his lip. "That might not be entirely true Grandfather."

"What?"

"There's a network of tunnels through the whole island that are extremely old and deep in the island. They were completely forgotten centuries ago until," He made a gesture with his hands "things happened and now they're used by spies but for awhile they were kind of the domain of the smuggler or thieves that just lucked in to finding part of the network."

"If they're only used by spies how do you know about this network of tunnels?"
Iroh crossed his arms and looked away. "It's complicated let's just focus on finding the kidnapped? Ok?" Iroh's voice took on a defensive edge that didn't sit well with Zuko apparently.

The Fire Lord crossed his arms and did his best to look down on Iroh, even though he was sitting while Iroh was standing. "I don't like that tone a voice young man."

"Tough." Iroh spat out. "You just have to deal with it."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Deal with it."

Korra rolled her eyes. "Ok, while you two demonstrate why neither of you had booming social lives in your teen years I'm going to go find some people and tell them we have an idea where the missing are." She walked out of the room shaking her head leaving the two to sort it out on their own.

"Hey! Show a little respect for your elders!" Zuko yelled standing up.

"You're seventeen! Don't lecture me like you're my father."

"I'm your grandfather."
"Not right now, you're still a teen right now."

"Well I'm the Fire Lord!"

"Well I'm the Fire Prince and a General and a war hero who never once was thought of as a bad guy! And I will be Fire Lord one day and I will be the best one yet!"

"Really? Because right now all I see is a hot headed teenager!"
"Well looks like I'm just like you gramps! Cause that's all I see when I look at you!"

Zuko stepped back. "Where is all this hostility coming from?! I just wanted to know how you knew about the caves! Not get in an argument. Just tell me how you know about the caves."

"No! Like I said it's complicated!"

"Well uncomplicate it!"

"NO!"

"GO TO YOUR ROOM!"

"I CAN'T GO TO MY ROOM!"

"WHY!?"

"I forgot where it is...and don't you still need me to tell you where some of the entrances to the cave system is?"

"Oh…well go stand in a corner and think about…stuff…your bad attitude, think about that!"

"Fine!" Iroh stormed over to a corner and glared at the meeting of two walls. "Happy I'm standing in the corner!"

"I'm never happy!"

"Really? Cause you looked happy with Mia on your arm!"

"Glare at your corner silently! You're in time out!"

"GRRrrrrrr."

*Five minutes pass*

"So do you ever grow out of your short temper or…"

Iroh, still standing in the corner, shook his head. "No, I'm just a lot better at keeping a lid on it when I'm older. After all you can't have a high ranking officer losing his cool at every little insult."

"Yeah I guess not but it's not like that was a common problem for you right? You're the Prince of the Fire Nation."

"I'm the illegitimate prince, who never had a man to call father, who ran away from home and joined the military under an assumed name only to get caught a few years later. Top it off; I'm the freak of nature who actually thrives at night unlike every other fire bender ever. I don't rise with the sun and for a time I couldn't even fire bend in the daytime." He made a flame with his hand. "That's not even including that my fire's turned white or that the woman I love is the avatar. So yeah growing a thick skin and ignoring insults was a necessity Grandfather." Iroh sighed.

"I'm sorry."

Iroh shrugged. "It's fine you were always around to help raise me, you actually one of the few who would deal with me when I was in a bad mood. And now I'm sorry I lost my cool, but you're pocking around in things I'm just not comfortable with you knowing right now and I'm worried about my cousins." He turned and looked at Zuko. "Can we please try to forget that little argument and focus on finding them? I've kind of grown attached to them."

"Yeah, once we get everyone together we'll go find and help Mako, Bolin and Asami. Just one question Iroh, in the future do you keep secrets from me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"
"That's a secret too."

A/N: sorry it took so long to get this chapter out but I've been working on the other story a lot. School should be starting soon so I'll be uploading less often come next Tuesday but with my track record that only means like once or twice a week instead of almost everyday. See ya later and comment if you feel so compelled! :) ~C.C.