The royal Fire Nation sloop had just landed upon the Fire Nation docks. Zuko and the others were waiting inside of the ship, patiently for the crew to secure everything and to let the doors down on the docks, so they could leave.

Azula, the Fire Nation princess stood standing the closest to the door. She wore her red Fire Nation attire and had a confident smile on her face, as she patiently waited to return home. She thought about what she had accomplished, since leaving home. She had captured the Kyoshi Warriors, conquered the Earth Kingdom Throne and killed the Avatar.

Behind her was Ma. She was wearing her black and red attire and had a bored expression on her face, saying, "Oh, great. I can't wait to get back home" She silently sighed, as she knew that she had to return to her home in Omashu.

Behind her was Ty Lee, who had a bright smile one her face, as she was ready to step foot on Fire Nation soil again. She wore her pink acrobatic attire and her hair was braided back to the way it used to be.

Zuko stood right next to Ty Lee. He looked a little worried and confused. He thought about his home country. His people. His father. It's been three long years since Zuko's banishment. He thought about what's going to happen, once he set foot on soil again. How will people treat him? How will his father treat him? He knew his father had told him to never return without the Avatar.

Zuko suddenly snapped out of daydreaming, as he then felt something soft grabbing his left hand. He looked down to his side and saw Ty Lee's hand holding his, then looked at her to see Ty Lee smiling at him. This made him feel a bit relieved as Ty Lee was by his side. He read the expression on her face, telling Zuko that "It's going to be alright." He smiled back at her.

"Princess Azula. Everything is prepared for your departure." A Fire Nation soldier had informed Azula.

"Good, peasant. Now leave us." Azula said.

With that said, the soldier bowed to her, then left as she demanded.

Five minutes later, the four teens had left the sloop and set foot on the docks. As they walked towards the Fire Nation palace, they were greeted by a big crowd of citizens. Mostly peasants and some of them were noblemen. They cheered on the four teenagers, as they somehow the news that they had conquered the Earth Kingdom under the Fire Nation.

Azula put on a smile of victory on her face as she walked. She thought about not waving back, because she believed that peasants doesn't deserve her appraise. Her ego was big. Mai had a mild smile, as she walked forward. In her mind, she thought that people cheering them on wasn't all that bad. Ty Lee smiled and kindly waved back at the crowd, as she walked next to Zuko.

Zuko looked left and right at the citizens who were cheering him on, as he walked. He never expected any of this. As he remembered the last time he was here, no one was cheered him on. Maybe a few people did back then. But now almost the entire city is cheering them on now. He didn't know how to respond to this, as he had a mild smile on his face. Within the big crowd, he spotted a group of cute Fire Nation fan girls were screaming and cheering for Zuko. They were chantings things like, "I love you!" and "Marry me!" He saw this and embarrassingly waved towards them.

Ty Lee silently hissed towards the fan girls with jealousy.

About ten minutes later, the four teens arrive at the Fire Nation palace, where they receive much appreciation from the noblemen and servants. For once, Zuko thought everything was getting a little better. After arriving at the palace, Zuko After arriving, towards the palace, Zuko and Azula were presented by Lo and Li to a massive crowd people as they were cheered on for conquering Ba Sing Se and slaying the Avatar. He had dressed into his royal Fire Nation prince attire, he wore his golden crown. Letting people know that he was the Fire Nation prince once again.

Zuko liked being acknowledged by the people, but deep down he knew this was wrong. He didn't smile. He didn't frown either. He just looked at the cheering crowd from above.

A few hours had passed since the ceremony of his return. He was later informed by a servant that his father, the Fire Lord had wanted to see him. He was a little shocked to here that his father had wanted to speak with him, shortly after arriving home. He was mentally confused and agreed to go. He looked at all the paintings, portraits and antiques left and right, as he walked towards the throne room to meet his father after three years. He took a breather before passing the curtains which led to Ozai's throne room.

Fifteen minutes later, Zuko had walked out of the throne room with an okay look on his face. He had just finished speaking with his father and was now acknowledged by him. He looked and walked around bit as he tried to think about finding something to do. It took him a little while to think about what Ty Lee is doing, until it hit him. He decided to search for her, temporarily.

"Ty Lee? Are you here?" Zuko called her name in a lower voice. He wasn't allowed to make loud noises within the palace, unless someone was attacked or injured.

"Hey, Zuko!" Ty Lee happily called.

Zuko stopped walking as he heard a voice from behind. Then he turned around to see his positive girlfriend, Ty Lee, who was holding a loaf of bread within her arms. She looked relaxed and calm to him. "Hey, Ty Lee." Zuko replied and noticed the loaf of bread in her arms. "What's with the bread?"

"This?" Ty Lee's eyes looked down at the bread. "Well, I was hoping that you and I could go outside and feed the turtle-ducks together?" Her eyes looked towards Zuko after finishing her sentence.

"Feed the turtle-ducks?"

"Mm-hmm." Ty Lee shook her head in a fast pace. "They're so cute and peaceful. I just get excited every time I come and see them."

Zuko looked at excited Ty Lee and thought about what she just asked. The turtle-ducks were one of the few things that Zuko could feel at peace around. He looked upwards, then received a flashback when he and his mother were at a pond five years ago.

Flashback

"Hey, mom. You wanna see how Azula feed the turtle-ducks?" Zuko asked, catching his mother's attention. The he grabbed a big piece of bread, throwing at the young turtle-duck. The young turtle-duck nearly sunk into the water.

"Zuko! Why would you do that?" Ursa questioned Zuko's behavior.

The young turtle-duck floated back to the top and shook the water off his feathers. The mother turtle-duck checked on its youngling out of concern, then proceeded to attack Zuko by biting his leg.

"Ow! Ow! It hurts!" Zuko grunted, as the mother turtle-duck wouldn't let go with its strong beak and jaw, until Ursa had released it from Zuko's leg and placed it back into the pond. The mother turtle-duck then hissed at Zuko, before swimming away with its young. "Stupid turtle-duck. Why would it do that?" he asked.

"Because. Mothers are protective of their children. If you attack them..." Ursa pretended to bite at Zuko, which made him laugh.

End Flashback

"Sure." He smiled and agreed to join Ty Lee.

Ty Lee happily gasped at him. "Thank you! Let's hurry, before they leave." She grabbed Zuko's hand and started running. Dragging Zuko with her.

"H-hold on, Ty Lee! We're not supposed to run in the halls!" Zuko tried to warn her, while being dragged by the hand.

Five minutes later, they left the back entrance of the palace and were now sitting by the turtle-duck pond in the garden, where the turtle-ducks were swimming. They broke down the loaf of bread and tore it into tiny pieces, so the turtle-ducks could chew. The sun was shining, a few clouds in the blue sky. It was sunny.

"Doesn't this feel great, Zuko?" Ty Lee asked.

"What feels great?"

"You know... coming back home after a long time? Being welcomed back by everyone? Being accepted by the Fire Lord?" Ty Lee said as she fed one of the turtle-ducks which kindly took the piece of bread from her hand.

"Yeah. It does feel good to be back." Zuko replied as he looked down and fed one of the young turtle-ducks as well. He looked at the mother turtle-duck which stared at him face to face. Zuko didn't know if this was the same mother turtle-duck that bit him years ago, or if it was a different one. After five seconds of staring, the mother turtle-duck kindly took bread from Zuko's hand instead of biting him.

Zuko silently sighed as the turtle-ducks didn't hiss at him this time. He noticed the sun was brighter than usual today, so then looked around in the garden and spotted a tree with a large bush of leaves on top of it. A tree where Zuko would occasionally rest and relax on. He got up and started walking towards it. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Ty Lee asked, as she stood and saw him walk.

Zuko stopped and turned towards her. "To get some shade. It's a little too bright out here."

"Oh?" Ty Lee cart-wheeled a few times towards him, then walked with him the rest of the way. They walked towards Zuko's favorite tree in the garden.

"Come sit." Zuko said as he sat down next to the tree. He left an open space for Ty Lee to sit on by him.

Ty Lee smiled and sat right next to Zuko on his left side. She moved her hips a bit to feel a little more comfortable. "Mmm, this feels nice." Ty Lee moaned as she leaned her back on the tree and felt the tree shade. She closed her eyes, and so did Zuko as they rested a bit under the tree.

"It guess it's nice to get out of the palace every once in while, isn't it?" Zuko smiled at her as he felt a mental burden had been released.

"Mm-hmm!" Ty Lee sat her back up and stretched her arms.

"I wish we can spend more time together, doing stuff like this." Zuko smiled.

"Me too."

The two just sat there under the tree and did nothing but look around the garden for a while until Ty Lee's eyes had suddenly gotten heavier. For some reason, she was getting drowsier as she lied under the tree. Zuko felt someone leaning against him until he looked and saw Ty Lee sound asleep and her head leaning against his own left shoulder. He smiled at Ty Lee, as she lied on his shoulder and slept peacefully. He personally thought she was cute while sleeping while doing this.

"There you are, Zuzu." said a familiar feminine voice.

Zuko looked forward to see his younger sister, Azula approaching him and Ty Lee.

"Azula."

Azula glanced over from an awake Zuko to Ty Lee, who was sleeping on Zuko. "My, my. Someone's knocked out." she smirked at Ty Lee.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"You're laughing at her while she's sleeping." Zuko protested.

Azula fake gasped. "I am not. I would never laugh at my friend."

"What do you doing here?" Zuko asked.

"What do you mean, "What am I doing here?" I live here at the palace, too, dear brother." Azula answered.

"I mean, what are you doing here? Can I help you with something?" He asked regularly.

Azula smiled at Zuko. "I came because I wanted to see what happened between you and father. So, how did it go?"

Zuko stared down at the grass. He thought about when he met his father again, after three years. "Everything was... okay. When I saw him again, he was actually happy to see me. He actually welcomed me with open arms. It was like the shame and disappointment he had for me all those years ago had disappeared." Zuko described how he met their father, Ozai, earlier.

"Wow. I never thought father would open his arms to anyone so easily. Let alone show mercy. Now that you've slain the Avatar and all..." Azula said, as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Yeah. And He was happy that I sla-" Zuko paused a bit and stopped himself. "Wait." He looked up to Azula. "You told father that I killed the Avatar."

"And what if I did?" Azula answered his question.

"Why would do that for me? Why would you lie to father?" Zuko questioned Azula.

Azula chuckled. "If I told father the real truth, If I told him that I was really the one who killed the Avatar... do you think he would've welcomed you back at all? And if I told father the truth... you would've never received the praise the way you had, today... you'd be in prison alongside our treacherous uncle... "Azula referred to Iroh, then glanced at the sleeping Ty Lee." And you would have never would've seen Ty Lee again. Ever." Azula glanced at Ty Lee for a second again.

Zuko slightly glanced at the sleeping Ty Lee on his shoulder, then back at Azula. "So you're saying that I'm only receiving the special treatment because of you?"

"Well, if you put it like that, Zuzu, then yes. You do."

Zuko stared at his sister for a few seconds.

Zuko blinked twice. "What do you want?"

"I want to become the next Fire Lord after father." Azula smiled and gave Zuko a plain and honest answer.

Zuko's right eye widened a little. "That's it?"

"Of course. I mean, it's only fair that the real Avatar killer becomes the next Fire Lord. Don't you agree? Unless you wanna tell father the truth and be put in a lot of trouble..."

"But you're the one who lied." Zuko protested.

"I know."

"Then why is this reflecting on me, then?" Zuko questioned.

"Because... you had every opportunity to tell father the truth that it was I who did it. Instead, you just nodded your head and took whatever appraisal he gave you."

In his mind, she wasn't wrong. Zuko started to think this through, as he really could've told Ozai. Even if he did, Ozai would get mad again and he'd be imprisoned for fraudulent. Azula would probably get a slap on the wrist.

"So, what do you say, Zuzu? Do you want me to tell father the truth and you lose everything... or do you wanna keep living this lie, being known to everyone as a war hero?"

Zuko opened his mouth and was about to speak, until he heard and looked at Ty Lee who was moaning in her sleep.

"You have until Ty Lee wakes up to give me final your answer. If she wakes, I'm gonna tell father and have you throne in jail." Azula blackmailed Zuko.

It took Zuko a few seconds to come up with an answer for Azula. He closed his eyes and sighed. "You can be the next Fire Lord."

"Are you sure?"

Zuko nodded regularly to Azula.

Azula cracked a smile, then clasped her hands together. "Goodie! Then I'll tell father the great news. See you soon, Zuzu." Azula winked, before skipping off back into the palace.

Zuko stared at Azula's backside as she skipped away back inside of the palace entrance. As soon as Azula left the garden, Zuko heard Ty Lee moan again and this time she suddenly woken from her slumber. She took her head off of Zuko's shoulder and wiped her eyes. Then saw Zuko looking at her.

"Are you awake, Ty Lee?" Zuko asked.

"Mm-hmm. What happened, Zuko? I could've sworn that I heard Azula's voice just now." Ty Lee asked.

"Yeah. She was here." Zuko said.

"What happened?"

"We were just talking and... You know what, let's go inside. It's starting to get late." Zuko dodged Ty Lee's question.

"Uh... okay." Ty Lee slowly nodded.

Zuko then helped Ty Lee up from lying on the tree and helped her back inside the palace. As they made their way through the entrance, Zuko couldn't help but think about Zuko blackmailing him. And now, he needs to think about finding what he's going to do next.

Next chapter will take place during the Beach.