Smoke and Shadow

Zuko had sent a messanger hawk back home to request that a Fire Navy ship meet them, and then with some help from Appa they had flown to their rendezvous point in short stages. Within a week they were traveling back to the Fire Nation capital with Ursa, Noren, and Kiyi in tow.
Aang had taken Kiyi out for a ride as Sokka, Katara, and Ari, now back in her royal robes, watched them from the ship.
"Sure looks like Aang and Kiyi are having fun." Sokka said leaning over the rail; as they watched the two of them ride the Flying dolphinfish with glee.
"Why don't you ask to join them, Sokka?" Katara teased him.
"No, thanks. Too slimy for my taste." Sokka replied.
"Flying dolphinfish aren't slimy!" Katara argues.
"Yeah, well, I still prefer my rides to be mechanical." Sokka countered and Appa roars from behind him. "Except you, of course, Appa!" Sokka tells him and the giant animal licks him.

Zuko steps out on deck with Ursa and Noren following him.
"The captain says we're only a day away from the Main Island! " Zuko tells them, and he turns to his mother. "So much has changed, mother. I can't wait to show you around." He says excitedly.
"You still get that sparkle in you eye when you're excited, Zuko, just like when you were little." Ursa says reaching an affectionate hand to his cheek.
"Mom, please. I'm the Fire Lord now." Zuko tells her gently removing her hand.
"Of course. Sorry." Ursa replies, suddenly unsure of herself.
"It'll be so good to have you home again. I'm gonna go see what Ari and the others are up to." Zuko tells her as he walks over to his wife. Zuko puts his arms around her and looks out to where his sister is playing with Aang with a smile.
"Kiyi!" Ursa suddenly screams panicking as she rushes up to the rail of the ship.
"Don't worry, Ursa. She's perfectly safe with Aang. He -" Katara tries to talk to her.
"Kiyi! Come back!" Ursa screams again.
Aang leaps off of the dolphinfish they had been riding and airbends them back on the ship. "I promise, Kiyi wasn't ever in danger!" He tells Ursa as she ignores him and grabs Kiyi from his arms.
"Kiyi! I can't lose you! I can't!" Ursa says holding her tightly and dropping to her knees.
"Let go! Let go! Daddy, I wanna go downstairs!" Kiyi runs and hides behind her father.
"All right, honey. Whatever you want." Noren tells her, still a little wide eyed from Ursa's outburst.
"Give her time." Zuko tells Ursa gently as he kneels down next to her.
"I know. Not every little girl has to deal with her mother changing faces." Ursa says sadly.
"Ursa, I'm so sorry I worried you! But believe me, flying dolphinfish are among the gentlest creatures in the world!" Aang trys to explain to her.
"No, Avatar. I'm the one who should be sorry. I'm embarrassed that I overreacted like that. Now, if you'll excuse me ..." Ursa tells them as she walks away to stand by herself. The others all give her some space but share a worried look.

That evening Zuko and Ari walk out on deck to see the others loading up Appa.
"You guys are leaving already?" Zuko asks them.
"Yep." Aang replies.
"Going back to the Capital City is going to bring up all sorts of stuff for your mom, for Kiyi, for all of you." Katara explains to him.
"We'd just be in the way. Especially dolphinfish rider over here." Sokka teases.
"You need to figure it out as a family." Aang tells him.
You guys haven't really had any bonding time yet, Zuko. This will be your chance." Katara says hugging him goodbye. Turning she hugs Ari as well, and then lays a hand on her growing stomach to take one last look at the baby with a knowing smile.
"I guess that makes sense. Thank you, guys. For everything." Zuko says hugging Aang in farewell.
"Happy to be there for you, buddy!" Sokka says clapping him on the back. "Say Hi to my wife for me!"
"We'll see each other again before you know it! Yu Dao's inaugural celebration is in a month." Aang calls down to the pair as they fly off on Appa.

Ari and Zuko wave goodbye from the rail of the ship, before just standing there together in comfortable silence; Ari pressed to Zuko's front, his arm around her, leaning his head against hers.
In the quiet of the night they can hear a noise.
"Mom? Are you okay?" Zuko asks walking over to his crying mother.
"Zuko! I... I'm fine." Ursa tells him.
"I'll go below." Ari whispers to Zuko taking her leave.
"Did Aang, Katara, and Sokka just leave?" Ursa ask him.
"Yes. If I'd known you were still up, I would've asked you to come say goodbye." Zuko responds.
"You're lucky to have such good friends and such a sweet little wife."
"I am. I don't know how I would have gotten through the last couple of years without her, or them. What's going on, Mom?" Zuko asked her.
"Just needed a little fresh air, that's all." She tells him wanly.
"Kiyi will come around soon. You're the same person on the inside, regardless of what you look like on the outside. She'll figure it out." Zuko assures her.
"I know she will." Ursa said with a sad smile. "I was actually thinking about my other daughter..."
"Azula?"
"Do you think she's all right? Safe, warm, happy?"
"Mom, she's in an institution. She's receiving the best medical care. But Mom... she kind of lost it there at the end of the war. She had a complete mental breakdown. Sometimes she even thinks you're there talking to her. Azula is dangerous. " Zuko tried to explain.
"I want to go visit her after we've returned home." Ursa tells him.
"Alright, Mom. I'll arrange it. Just be careful." Zuko responds.
They stand there in silence for a moment watching the waves lap the ship.
"Zuko, we shouldn't be so dour on the eve of our homecoming! It'll be wonderful to see you in your element!" Ursa says trying to change the conversation to a happier one.
"Thanks. I... Mom, you're freezing! Come on. Let's get you below deck. Besides I think there are some things Ari and I need to tell you, I don't think we should have secrets." Zuko tells his mother turning to lead her below deck.
Before they could leave the deck however a messenger hawk arrived.
"A message from the Kyoshi Warriors ..." Zuko says reading the message.
"Is something wrong?" Ursa asks him.
"Nothing I can't handle." Zuko says trying to tamp down his anger. "Don't worry. I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you all safe. Especially Kiyi. I promise. Now let's go find the others so we can talk." Zuko leads her away with a smile.

Below deck Zuko, Ari, Ursa, and Noren are sitting together at a table while Kiyi sleeps in another room.
"We're family." Zuko tells them. "And as family I think there are some secrets that should be out in the open. Ari can you tell them your story please?"
Ari takes a deep calming breath before beginning her tale.
"A couple of years ago there was a battle in the crystal catacombs under old Ba Sing Se. Azula shot Aang while he was in the Avatar state and very nearly killed him. The universe sought balance for this world, at the death of the last airbender, so it stole an airbender from a world that wasn't supposed to have one, me. I was taken from my world, my life, my family. I traveled with the Avatar after that because he was my only hope of returning home. Only it turned out his 7th Chakra had been locked in the encounter with Azula and until he unlocked it we didn't know if returning was even possible. That's how I met Zuko, we fell in love with each other almost instantly. The more time we spent together the harder it became to imagine returning to my old life. My husband was horrible and abusive, but I had to return to my children. Aang was finally able to unlock his 7th Chakra during the final battle with Ozai on the day of Sozin's comet. Only it turned out that returning me to my children wasn't actually possible. I had been pulled backwards through my own timeline, I could be returned to the point my body had left more than 10 years before but if I wanted to see my children I would have to try and relive nearly a decade of mistakes. Even then they might never exist. While the tunnel leading to my children is too narrow to pull me through, Aang believes he can rescue my children. They are frozen in that moment and he will only have one chance before the timeline collapses." Ari explained.
"I was already madly in love with Ari, and this was the opportunity I had hoped would appear. I offered to raise her other 3 children as my own. But it required a level of deception together with our friends and family to help us achieve that. We have told the world that Ari is pregnant with twins, her older son will become the twin of our son who will be the crown prince. Ari will hide in the Southern water tribe for four years with friends, while the rest of the world is told that she is very ill. Once Aang rescues her children she will be able to return to the Fire Nation." Zuko explained.
Ursa and Noren watched them, eye's wide in rapt attention as they told their tale.
"So your an Airbender?" Noren ask, breaking the silence.
"Yep!" Ari said while quickly twisting an air funnel between her hands.
"We will help as well. However possible." Ursa told them reaching out a hand for both Zuko and Ari while she smiled. "The next four years will not be easy for you, but I respect your dedication to your children."
"Thank you Ursa." Ari said letting out the breath she didn't know she had been holding.
"This Grandma will love all her grandchildren, however they come into this world." Ursa said lovingly.
"Thank you mom." Zuko said his voice breaking.

The next morning dawned bright and clear and they all stood on the deck of the ship.
"Zuko, you sure we're on the right course? That doesn't look like Harbor City." Ursa ask him.
"Change of plans. I've arranged for some friends to meet us here." Zuko explained as a submarine broke the surface of the water next to the ship.
"Wow! What is that?!" Kiyi yells.
"A submarine- A ship that goes underwater. It's based on one my friend Sokka designed." Zuko explained.
"You know I helped too." Ari said with a frown. "Sokka just likes to take all the credit."
"The funny guy with the boomerang?" Noren ask unbelievingly.
"That's him." Zuko says with a laugh.
The hatch on the submarine opens with a creak and Iroh pokes his head out waving at them.
"Nephew!" Iroh yells.
"Uncle!" Zuko yells back with a smile.
It takes just a couple of minutes for Iroh to make it over to the ship after the soldiers lay down the gang planks.
"Thank you for watching over things while I've been away. Once again, I don't know how to repay you." Zuko said embracing his uncle.
"Seeing that your trip was successful is repayment enough." Uncle Iroh said lovingly.
"Iroh!" Ursa called out.
Iroh turned around and bowed deeply to her. "Lady Ursa, I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to see you again! Let me express how sorry I am for all the pain you suffered at the hands of my family." Iroh said in apology.
"Iroh, what are you apologizing for? Your presence in the family always gave me hope." Ursa told him hugging him warmly.
Zuko held out his hand to help Suki across the gang plank. "Suki, thank you for taking care of this."
Suki stepped down and she hugged her best friend before turning to Zuko. "No problem, Zuko! The messenger hawk got back to us just a few hours ago, so we really had to hustle. But we're prepared to follow your plan down to the last detail! I'll escort you and your family to the palace along a hidden route while a decoy travels up the main road." She explained.
"So you were able to find a decoy then? Who?" Zuko asked.
"Well... Iroh sort of volunteered." Suki told him.
"No offense, Uncle, but you and I don't really look alike." Zuko told him with skeptical look on his face as he looks at Iroh wave at him with a big grin.
"Oh, the crowds won't see my face, just my hand. What do you think? Is my hand-waving filled with enough angst? I've been practicing all morning." Iroh showed them his somber wave.
Ari quickly turned around to try to hide that she was laughing.
"We should get going!" Suki says leading them across the gang plank to the submarine.
"She's pretty! Don't you think, Zuko?" Kiyi said running forward.
"Yes she is." Zuko smiled at his sister.
"Is she going to have a baby like Ari?" Kiyi ask.
"Yep. Kiyi, the plank is pretty narrow. Why don't you take your mother's hand?" Zuko tells her.
"I'm old enough to walk on my own!" Kiyi replies.
"I know, but maybe she's scared. She's never been on a submarine before." Zuko tells her gently.
"That's her problem!" Kiyi responds.
"Will you do it as a favor to me?" Zuko asks her.
"Fine." Kiyi responds refusing to look at him as she takes her mothers hand.
Ari smiles, she loves watching Zuko interact with Kiyi. He's so good with her, he will be such an amazing dad.

The rest of the Kyoshi warriors were waiting for the royal family on a rocky shoreline. Once the submarine had surfaced one of the girls rowed out to them in a small wooden boat and brought them all to shore. The royal family loads up in the awaiting carriage and the Kyoshi warriors guarding them mount their komodo rhinos.
"Let's get moving!" Suki calls out leading the way.
They traveled in tense silence for some time when suddenly they heard a loud crash outside their carriage.
"What's going on?" Zuko asks stepping halfway out of the carriage.
"Nothing to worry about. An old tree fell, but nobody's hurt." Suki tells him.
"I don't think that tree fell because it's old! Get down!" Zuko yells at them having seen the explosives tied to the tree in time as he slams the door of the carriage door shut.
They hear a massive crashing sound as trees are felled all around our carriage.
"Free Fire Lord Ozai! Power to the Fire Nation!" They can hear shouted from the darkness of the tree line.
"Ready yourselves, sisters! We're in for a fight!" Suki tells her warriors.
"Stay put. All of you." Zuko tells his family in the carriage as he gets out to protect them.
"Don't be scared, Kiyi. Your brother's the most powerful man in the nation." Ursa tells her daughter.
"Who said anything about being scared?" Kiyi says and Ursa reaches out for her. "Ack! Your hands are so cold! Don't touch me!" Kiyi screams at her. Kiyi jumps into her father's arms as they hear yelling all around them.

"Impostor! Impostor! Impostor! Impostor! Impostor!"
A man steps out in front, "Zuko! The time has come for you to return the throne to the one true Fire Lord! We demand that you step down at once! Do so peacefully and no harm shall come to your family!" The leader yells.
"Let me get this straight. You expect me to give up my destiny, my rightful place in the nation, just because a bunch of thugs too cowardly to show their faces asked me to?" Zuko yells at him.
"Well... yes." The leader replies
"Ridiculous." Zuko yells sending an impressive display of fire their way.
"Whoa." Kiyi says in awe looking out the window of our carriage.
"Attack! Attack without mercy!" The leader yells to his minions.
"Power to the Fire Nation!"
"Impressive display of bravado, Fire Lord, but we still need backup!" Suki tells Zuko.
"No argument here!" Zuko says standing infront of her defensively. He couldn't help but question the wisdom of Suki accompanying them in that moment, if he let anything happen to Sokkas' pregnant wife the other man would never forgive him.
Suki set off a flare behind him to signal for backup as Zuko charged their enemies. Suki charged in behind him just a moment later as they fought the men together.
"All right everybody away from the windows." Ari said inside the carriage taking charge. She went around and pinned down all the curtains tightly so that they wouldn't move and nobody could see in the carriage. "It's about to get really windy in here." She said airbending them in an air bubble, so that if something struck the carriage or set it on fire, they should still be safe.
"Whoa!" Kiyi repeated this time seeing her sister in laws hidden strength.
Ari really, really hoped that Kiyi could keep a secret.

Outside the carriage Zuko and the Kyoshi warriors were surrounded.
"There's no end to them!" Zuko yells.
Suddenly a weighted cable comes shooting out of the trees and wraps around Suki's upper torso, just narrowly missing her swollen stomach.
"Suki!" Zuko screams as he watches her fall. Before he can even move he is wrapped in a weighted cable as well and he falls with a thud.
"Ha ha. Not bad for a... What was that you called us again? Oh yes. "A bunch of thugs." Remember what I said? No harm would come to your family if you stepped down peacefully. What just happened here was not peaceful. Not in the least." The leader said and two of his men advanced on the carriage holding flames in their hands.
"Leave them alone! They've got nothing to do with this!" Zuko yelled terror gripping him at the thought of loosing his wife, mother, and little sister.
One of the assailants stepped out of line "This is wrong..." He said lowering his mask. "Master, I won't let you hurt those people!" He took his sword and cut the cables that bound Zuko. "Hurry, go save your family!"
"What-?" Zuko said in shock but he recovered quickly and leapt to defend the carriage.
"Kei Lo! I wondered how long it would take you to finally reveal your treachery! I knew long ago that your heart had abandoned the righteous path. And that's why you proved so useful to me!" The leader told him.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" Zuko ask his unlikely ally.
"My name is Kei Lo. You and I... we, uh... Let's just say we have a mutual friend." Kei Lo told him as they fought back to back.
"Who?" Zuko ask.
"Her." Kei Lo said with a smile looking up.
Zuko looked up in shock and saw a war ballon above them and Mai, Iroh, and more Kyoshi warriors dropped in from above to aid them. Mai landed and immediately threw knives at the assailants.
"Now, finally- the Dragon of the West is ready for action!" Iroh declared taking a fighting stance.
"Mai?" Zuko said confused.
"Duck." Mai told him flatly
"What?" He ask still more confused.
"Duck!" Msi yelled.
"Oh!" Zuko said stepping out of the way in time to not get hit by another weighted cable.
"You! I knew you couldn't be trusted!" Mai said rounding on Kei Lo.
"Mai, the Society knew I was going to betray them! They fed me bad information, I swear!" Kei Lo said defending himself.
"I vouch for him." Zuko told her
"What?! You don't know a thing about him!" Mai yelled.
"I know his name is Kei Lo and he just helped me save my family!" Zuko told her.
"New Ozai Society, the carriage is unguarded! Attack! Attack without mercy!" The leader yelled
"I'd know that voice anywhere." Mai said narrowing her eyes.
A man with a spear threw his weapon through the window of the carriage.
"No!" Zuko screamed in fear.
"Go, nephew! I've got you covered!" Iroh said jumping in front of the man with spears and set all of his weapons on fire.
"Ari?! Mother?! Kiyi?! Noren?!" Zuko yelled throwing the door open.
Ari was sitting protectively in front of the others and their hair all looked a little crazy like they had all sat in the middle of a tornado. The spear was on the other side of the carriage and the glass had been repelled away from them.
"W-we're okay, Zuko!" Ari told him.
"Just tell us when you're done, 'kay? I'm getting kinda tired of sitting in here." Kiyi said sticking her head out around Ari.
"I was afraid you all-" Zuko struggled to say the horrible words, but feeling relieved.
"Impostor!"
"This is it, impostor!"
"Nowhere to run!"
Zuko and the carriage were surrounded by firebenders.
"Fitting, isn't it? The impostor "Fire Lord" meets his end in a roaring fire!" They continue to taunt Zuko, and he narrowed his eyes at them dangerously.
"Let him have it, New Ozai Society!" One of the men yells and the firebenders send a concentrated blast of fire towards Zuko. Suddenly the fire becomes a swirling tornado of fire. The men can see Zuko standing on top of the carriage in the center of it before he shoots the fire into the sky.
"New Ozai Society, this is your last chance! Surrender now, or face your Fire Lord's wrath!" Zuko yells standing atop the carriage as the men look on in awe.
The men surrender and the Kyoshi warriors put them in chains, the only one who got away was their leader.
"Zuko!" Ari cries bursting out of the carriage and throws herself at Zuko.
"Ari! I was so worried! I thought I had lost you! I thought I had lost all of you!" Zuko mumbles into her hair as he hold her to him tightly.
"That was amazing!" Kiyi yelled out as she ran to give Zuko a hug. "I want to be a firebender just like you!" She said pulling back and making pretend firebending forms complete with sound effects as the others laughed.

By sunset their carriage finally pulled up outside the royal palace. Zuko got out and bowed respectfully to the ever faithful Kyoshi warriors.
"Thank you for your service, Kyoshi Warriors. My family and I are in your debt."
"It's an honor, Fire Lord." Suki replied.
As the other warriors walk away Zuko talks to Suki who had hung back, most likely to talk to Ari.
"Hey, Suki? Mai didn't come back with you, did she?" Zuko ask her.
"Nope. She went home." She responded.
"Oh. But... Do you know where home is for her these days?" He asks.
"Of course. And if you're ever up for a visit, let me know." Suki tells Zuko with a smile.

"Here we are." Said Zuko with a flourish as they walked through the large doors in the front hall of the royal palace.
"Wow! I knew it'd be big, but I didn't think it'd be this big! Come on, Daddy! Let's go exploring!" Kiyi said in awe before she tried to drag her father off.
"Kiyi, maybe we should rest first? We've had a pretty... dramatic afternoon." Noren told her wearily.
"Aw, what's the big deal? I knew Zuzu would keep us safe the whole time! Come on, come on!" Kiyi said running ahead of us.
"Zuzu"? Where'd she pick that up?" Zuko ask eyes wide with shock.
"I'm not sure." Ursa said mirroring his expression.
"Gotta admit, it sounds much nicer coming from her than Azula." Zuko admitted as Ari laughed at him.
Ursa hesitated at the doorway of the palace.
"Mom?" Zuko ask in concern.
"Just tired from all the excitement." Ursa said waving the moment off and walking down the hall.
"I'll have someone show you to your old room." Zuko tells her.
"One of the guest rooms will be fine." Ursa says walking away.
Zuko decides not to follow her, she looked like she needed a moment alone.
Zuko turned to look for his wife, and he realizes Ari must have run off, but his uncle is still there.
"Uncle! Again, thank you for your help." Zuko tells him.
"My pleasure! These old legs needed a stretch." Iroh says brushing it off.
"You think she'll be okay?" Zuko asks him.
"Time heals all wounds." Iroh replies sagely.
"There's something else bothering you, Nephew. It's not just your family." Iroh asks him.
"It's the New Ozai Society. I've had to deal with opposition of one kind or another since I became Fire Lord, but this one felt different. More serious. I have another favor to ask, Uncle Iroh. Would you be willing to attend the Yu Dao Inauguration Ceremony in my stead? There's so much going on ... I think I need to stay." Zuko ask Iroh.
"I was about to suggest the same thing! You're growing in wisdom, Zuko." Iroh replies.
"Because I'm beginning to think like you?" Zuko says raising an eyebrow.
"Well... yes." Iroh answers with a straight face.

'I can do this. I can do is a different time. I'm a different person. And he's no longer here. Zuko is in charge now. Kiyi is safe. We're all safe.' Ursa thinks to herself as she walks through the halls of the palace. Her blood runs cold though as she stops in front of a massive portrait of Ozai.

The next morning they all gather to eat breakfast together.
"Mother, I set up a meeting today at the institution to visit Azula. If your ready that is?" Zuko told his mother.
Ursa takes a deep breath. "Yes, I'm ready."
"Ari what do you have planned for the day?" Zuko asks his wife.
"We've been gone for quite a bit so, um...tea." Ari told him feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the subject considering the present company.
Zuko frowned "With Ozai?"
"It is better not to burn the bridge Zuko. Drinking tea once a week with him doesn't bring me any harm." Ari tried to explain. "Afterward I am free if Noren and Kiyi would like a tour of the palace or to go into the city." Ari offered, trying to change the subject.

Later that day Zuko and Ursa arrive at the institution with Suki and Ty Lee guarding them.
Dr. Akio approaches them and bows. "Fire Lord Zuko, Lady Ursa."
"How is she today Doctor?" Zuko asks him.
"She seems a little restless, I think she understands something big is happening today." The doctor tells them.
"Do you think she's stable enough for this meeting?" Zuko asks.
"To tell you the truth I'm not sure. Her mood can swing to extremes so rapidly there is no telling how this will go." Dr. Akio speaks honestly.
"Thank you doctor." Zuko tells him.
Zuko stops a nurse and asks her to bring him a tea tray.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Zuko asks as he leads his mother to the room Azula is waiting in.
"I can do this. I promise. She's my daughter." Ursa assures him once again.
"You know for all her stubbornness dealing with Ozai, Ari won't come to the institution. Azula genuinely frightens her." Zuko told his mother.
Ursa frowned; how bad could Azula have gotten if such a strong woman like her daughter in law, who regularly drank tea with a monster, was frightened of her.
Suzi and Ty Lee stood guard at the door.
Zuko takes a deep breath and opens the door for Ursa.
Azula, currently restrained in a straight jacket, sits on a chair looking at her mother.
"You! Finally! I can't tell you how long I've dreamed of this moment!" Azula yells at Ursa.
Ursa, eyes wide, sits down across from her daughter at the table. A knock at the door signals that the nurse has returned with the tea tray. Zuko takes it from her with a polite 'Thank you.' and leaving the door open for just a moment he goes to place the tray on the table between his mother and sister.
Azula grabs the tray in her teeth and knocks Zuko to the floor.
"How did you expect me to drink tea while wearing a straight jacket, Zuzu?! Did you want to watch me lap at it like some kind of animal?!" She tells him with a chillingly terrible voice.
"No, I-" Zuko stumbles completely caught off guard.
"Zuko!" Ty Lee yells and runs to chi block Azula, knocking her to the ground.
"She's already restrained! You don't need to chi block her!" Zuko says with frustration as he stands back up.
"Tell me how she got to you and Mai! How'd she make you lose your fear of me?!" Azula says eyes wild.
"You're not making any sense, Azula!" Ty Lee replies and Suki comes to stand behind her.
"Ty Lee! Suki! Let me handle this!" Zuko tells them as he helps his sister back into her chair.
"You and Mother are meeting for the first time in a decade, and I know these aren't the best of circumstances. I thought the tea might lend a little... dignity." Zuko trys to explain.
"You want dignity? Let Mother and me talk to one another like two human beings. In private." Azula tells him calmly.
"Fine. Mother will you be okay?" Zuko asks her.
"I'll be fine Zuko. Go on, let me talk to your sister." Ursa assures him.
"I'll be right out there in the hall if you need me." Zuko tells her as he steps out.
He stands next to Suki and Ty Lee for a moment.
"She's wrong, you know. I never lost my fear of her." Ty Lee tells him quietly.

"Azula my daughter, I missed you." Ursa starts by saying.
"Don't pretend to care about me! You thought that you could break me, didn't you, by having Zuko lock me up in this institution?! But I'm stronger than you realize! I used all that time alone to figure out the truth! You've been conspiring to take me down from the day I was born! Even when I was an infant, you saw in me something you never had: Power! That's why you think I'm a monster! My power makes you fear me!" Azula rants.
"No Azula, you are confused." Ursa tells her, unsure of what just happened.
"I still haven't figured out the details. How did you contact Zuko, Ty Lee, and Mai even after you disappeared? How did you show that snow peasant Katara how to defeat me? Now I have what I need to take the throne from Zuko! But I can't become Fire Lord with you constantly conspiring to undo me! That's why I'm going to end you Mother! I should probably be grateful! After all, you've saved me the trouble of finding you!" Azula yells threatening her mother.
"I love you, Azula. I do." Ursa trys to tell her.
"Aargh! This-this must be your most treacherous act, Mother! You've turned my own mind against me!" Azula screams.

Ursa now terrified backs away from Azula slowly never taking her eyes off of her as she knocks once and waits for the door behind her to open. Suki opens the door for her and Ursa breathes a sigh of relief exiting the room. She can't help but start to cry, and Zuko just holds his sobbing mother and trys his best to comfort her.

Later that night Zuko and Ari are in bed for the night, each of them catching up on various correspondence.
"Ugh I give up, I've been staring at the same thing for 5 minutes. What is this symbol!" Ari cried out in frustration.
Zuko chuckled as he picked up the scroll she had tossed to her lap in frustration. "It says convalescent home. It's talking about medical care for soldiers injured in the war." He explained to her. Ari had done well having learned their form of writing but she still struggled from time to time.
A knock sounds at their door.
"Come in." Zuko calls out.
"Fire Lord Zuko! She's escaped your sister has escaped!" A guard tells him.
"Gather as many guards as you can to search for her, and send a message to the troops to search the city! We have to find her!" Zuko calls out orders jumping out of bed and dressing quickly. He sees Suki out in the hall guarding his door. "Suki can you come in here?"
"Yes Fire Lord."
"Can you please just stay with her tonight." Zuko says gesturing to Ari "Just incase..."
"It's no problem Zuko. Go find her." Suki tells him.

They searched the city all night but never found so much as a single sighting of Azula, it was like she had just vanished into thin air.

Authors Note: If you guys are enjoying my story please leave a review :)