Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or The Good Place.

A/N: Okay, so for those who haven't watched The Good Place, it's a great, light-hearted show with a premise that people, while they're alive, earn negative and positive points for their behavior and how much good or bad their actions put forth in the universe. Once a person dies, these points are added up and, depending on the final tally, they are put in either The Good Place or The Bad Place.

This fic is not an exact replica of the show, but there will be elements of it and it will be based on The Good Place's Season 4 (I don't wanna spoil anything, so to those who've watched it, it's the part with Timothy Olyphant).

I promise it's not as confusing as it sounds! All will be explained throughout the fic. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Everything is Not Fine

Zuko opens his eyes, and the first thing he sees are the words, "WELCOME! EVERYTHING IS FINE." emblazoned on a white wall in front of him.

Normally, Zuko wouldn't trust anything— or anyone— that told him everything was fine. Nothing is ever just fine in his life. Prime example: He doesn't even know where he is right now, or what happened before he came here, or why this particular wall was telling him that everything is fine. Clearly, something is not fine.

But Zuko can't quite form any emotion other than placid calmness.

So when a door opens to his left and a lady with stick-straight black hair and a huge smile on her face tells him, "Zuko? Come on in," Zuko just nods and follows her without hesitation into a modestly decorated office.

"Hi, Zuko. I'm Joo Dee," the lady says, sitting behind the large mahogany desk and straightening her beige and green pantsuit, still sporting that huge smile. "How are you today?"

"I'm… good?" replies Zuko, half in wonder, half in incredulity. He couldn't bring himself to sit, so instead he grips the back of the chair intended for him and drums his fingers against the wood. "Um. What's going on? Who are you? Where am I?"

"Ah, yes." Joo Dee leans forward and clasps her hands over the desk. She clears her throat delicately. "So. You, Zuko, son of Ozai and Ursa, are dead."

Zuko blinks at her. And blinks some more.

"Oh."

"Your life on Earth has ended," continues Joo Dee, "And you are now in the next phase of your existence in the universe."

"Cool," croaks out Zuko, his throat dry. "Cool. Okay. I have some questions."

Joo Dee's smile, if possible, widens even more.

"Thought you might," she responds.

Zuko forces himself to sit, feeling like the bones— does he still have bones?— of his knees would turn into jelly.

"How— how did I die?" he asks. "I don't— I don't remember."

"Oh, in cases of a... traumatic death, we erase the memory for a peaceful transition." She shuffles through the folder in front of her— Zuko supposes that is his file. Joo Dee scans the piece of paper she is holding. "Let's see. You had just successfully saved a child from a burning apartment building when falling debris crushed your body."

"Oh," says Zuko.

"The debris didn't kill you, however. You sustained heavy injuries to your legs and spine, but that prevented you from crawling out of the building. You attempted to firebend the flames, but the smoke was too heavy. It was suffocation that did it, in the end." Joo Dee peers at him with beady eyes, her smile drooping a little. "Would you like to know who attended your funeral?"

"No, no thank you," Zuko replies hastily, shaking his head. He swallows. "I think I've, uh, heard enough of my time on Earth for now."

"Alright," Joo Dee smiles brightly at him once more. "Do you have any more questions?"

Zuko chews on the inside of his cheek for a moment, jaw working. He does have a question, he just doesn't know if he's prepared for the answer.

Best to get it over with.

"Am I…" He swallows thickly, his fists clenching and unclenching. "Am I… in heaven or in hell?"

"Oh," Joo Dee seems utterly delighted by the question. "Well. It's not the heaven-or-hell idea that you were raised on, but generally speaking, in the afterlife, there's a Good Place, and there's a Bad Place."

Zuko waits in bated breath for the verdict. Joo Dee seems to sense his worry.

"You're in the Good Place," she says soothingly. "You're okay, Zuko. You're in the Good Place."

He sighs in relief, head bowing.

"That's good," he murmurs. "That's… great."

"It sure is," agrees Joo Dee, standing up. "Now, let's take a walk, shall we?"

"So this is how it works," explains Joo Dee, walking down the cobblestone street with Zuko trailing behind her, "The Good Place is divided into distinct neighborhoods. Each one contains exactly three hundred and twenty-two people who have been perfectly selected to blend together into a blissful harmonic balance."

Zuko allows himself to marvel at the buildings around him. It feels as though he is transported back in time— they seem to be in a village square, surrounded by squat, one-storey houses with bamboo and rice paper walls and sliding wooden doors. Hawkers with carts of food— some familiar to him, others foreign yet very appetizing— surround the fountain in the middle of the square, and people amble past them, some stopping to take a piece or two while chatting amiably with the vendors. The energy of the place strangely feels close to the festivals that Zuko attended in his youth— back when life was simple and uncomplicated.

"Are all neighborhoods like this?" Zuko finds himself asking in his awe.

"No, every neighborhood is unique," answers Joo Dee, still walking ahead of him. "Some have warm weather, some cold. Some are cities, some farmland. But in each one, every detail has been precisely designed and calibrated for its residents."

"There's a lot of tea shops," comments Zuko as they pass by the fifth one he's seen since arriving.

"Ah, yes. What can I say, this neighborhood loves tea." Joo Dee looks at him over her shoulder and waits for him to catch up. "You're going to have more questions, I know, so whenever you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me, and I will assist you as much as I can."

"Oh. Thanks, I guess?" replies Zuko, scratching the back of his nape self-consciously. "Do you- are you- does that mean you're like a god, or something?"

Joo Dee laughs and waves a hand dismissively.

"Oh no, no," she says. "I am, simply put, an information delivery system."

"So, a robot?"

"Not a robot," she responds automatically.

Zuko's brow furrows.

"But you're not human, either?"

"No," Joo Dee replies in a chipper voice. "I am a being that was created to help human souls transition from the mortal world into their assigned neighborhood, as well as make sure said humans remain content in said neighborhood."

"So, if I, like, asked you for a… grilled ostrich-horse leg, you could get me that?" asks Zuko, curious.

Joo Dee beams and suddenly an ornate silver platter with a shiny, polished lid appears in her hands. Zuko lifts the lid and sees that there is, in fact, a large, perfectly grilled ostrich-horse leg inside.

"Wow," he mutters, then clears his throat uncomfortably. "Uh, could you also please- um, get rid of it for me?"

"Sure," Joo Dee replies, and the ostrich-horse leg vanishes as quickly as it appeared. Joo Dee clasps her hands in front of her and starts walking again. "Now, I know there are still more that you have to process, but I still have three residents to welcome, so why don't you grab a seat before the movie begins, hm?"

Zuko moves forward so they are standing side by side, and he sees a pristine park just a ways away, with blooming cherry trees standing at the edges. The ground slopes downwards into an expanse of green, green grass, and here and there are colorful blankets laid out. A considerable number of people— his neighbors in the afterlife, Zuko reminds himself bemusedly— have already claimed some spots and were chatting amongst themselves.

Joo Dee disappears from his side and Zuko steels himself before slowly trudging down the slope, trying not to catch anyone's eye. He sits down cross-legged near a cherry tree, the familiarity of it bringing him some comfort. Around him, blankets are steadily being claimed by people of all colors and ethnicities— he sees someone with the distinct tattoos of the Air Nomads, and suddenly he wonders if he could bend in the afterlife.

There's still nothing but an unusual emptiness inside him, though— it isn't the placid calmness he felt when he arrived, not anymore, but still, something is missing.

He takes a deep breath and holds out his palm—

Nothing.

Huh. Uncle got that one right.

His heart squeezes painfully at the thought of his uncle. He doesn't know how much time has passed since… since he died. How was his uncle coping? Does he know? Has he forgiven him after what he—

Zuko's musings are cut off when a huge screen suddenly appears on one end of the park and a video of Joo Dee in front of a white background rolls.

"Hello, everyone," Joo Dee greets. "And welcome to your first day in the afterlife. You were all, simply put, good people. But how do we know you were good? How are we sure?

"During your time on Earth, every one of your actions had a positive and a negative value, depending on how much good or bad that action put in the universe," she continues as graphics— more impressive than what Zuko has seen when he was alive— appear in the background. "Every sandwich you ate, every time you bought a magazine, every single thing you did had an effect that rippled out over time, and ultimately created some amount of good or bad.

"When your time on Earth has ended, we calculate the total value of your life using our perfectly accurate measuring system." At this, pluses and minuses accompanied by lists of actions scroll through the screen. "Only the people with the highest scores get to come here, to the Good Place.

"You are here because you lived one of the very best lives that could be lived," Joo Dee says, before announcing with a big smile, "And you won't be alone. Your true soulmate is here, too."

Zuko glances at the raptly watching audience; most of them have erupted into excited murmurings and are looking around as though they could guess who their soulmates were. Somewhere in front of him, a girl with long brown hair and striking blue eyes accidentally meets his gaze— he looks away and tugs at the blades of grass by his feet.

This soulmate thing has got to be one of the cheesiest things this place has to offer, he thinks to himself. But it's another thing Uncle Iroh was right about the afterlife.

"That's right," says Joo Dee from the video, "Soulmates are real. One of the other people in your neighborhood is your actual soulmate, and you will spend eternity together.

"So, welcome to eternal happiness," she concludes happily. "Welcome to The Good Place."

"Welcome to your new home!"

Zuko's jaw drops. His 'new home' is… grand, to say the least. It makes his father's house on Earth look like a quaint cottage.

"Why… is it so— so—"

Joo Dee nods and answers his unasked question.

"You see, in the Good Place, every person gets to live in a home that perfectly matches his or her true essence. However, each neighborhood's top point-getter has the option to live in a mansion. Consider it a prize for your goodness," winks Joo Dee. "Of course, should you like something else, it could be arranged. This is the Good Place, after all!"

"I… I don't know what to…" Zuko gapes at the mansion, at a loss for words, when part of what Joo Dee said suddenly strikes him. "Wait, did you just say I'm this neighborhood's top point-getter?!"

"Yes," says Joo Dee, unruffled, leading him into the gigantic house. "Your work as a lawyer who got innocent people off the death row— and died rescuing a child, too!— you're special, Zuko."

Dazed, Zuko walks into the foyer, nearly slipping on the cool marble floor.

Lawyer?

His stomach twists.

"As you can see, the interior has been decorated just the way you like it, in traditional Fire Nation style," Joo Dee is saying ahead of him, already walking towards a room to his right, oblivious to his distress.

He tries his best to follow, but his body feels like it has been doused in lead.

"Ah, and I have to show you the video system here…"

Zuko arrives in the room— so large that he could only call it a theater— just as Joo Dee swipes her hand up and another screen, much like the one in the park, appears.

"You can review everything that happened in your life from your point of view," she explains, tapping her hand on one of the freely hovering images.

The video plays, showing him giggling children wearing patched parkas and scuffed boots gathered around a rickety plastic table. They all squeal in delight as a box full of toys is placed in the middle of the table.

"This was your human rights mission to the South Pole," Joo Dee says fondly. "You earned a ton of points for that one."

Zuko just nods in reply, unsure of what to say.

Luckily, he's saved by the bell— literally, as an unnaturally soothing chime rings through the house.

"And that would be your soulmate!" announces Joo Dee.

She strides purposefully back towards the foyer. Zuko takes a moment, studying the memory playing on the screen, before hurrying after Joo Dee.

She heaves open the double doors, revealing a small, silhouetted figure.

Zuko swallows.

So this is my soulmate.

The first description he comes up with is doll-like; the petite figure, the porcelain face, the small features— together, they paint a picture that tells everyone that she is too fragile to touch.

"Zuko, this is your soulmate, Toph," Joo Dee says.

"Um, hey, Z-Zuko here," stammers Zuko, not quite sure what to do— does he hug her? She looks like she would break at the slightest contact, and besides, he's not a touchy-feely person. Maybe a wave would be enough.

So he waves at her stiffly.

If Toph found it weird, she did not react in the slightest. Instead, she just bows at him formally.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," she says in a small, sweet voice, keeping her head bowed.

"Toph here was an advocate for the rights of people with disabilities," explains Joo Dee. "She has requested to remain blind in the afterlife, but we know you'll take good care of her, won't you?"

Great, I have a blind soulmate. Zuko mentally winces. Just my luck.

"Of— of course I will," he agrees nervously.

"Wonderful! Now, I do have one favor to ask, although it's not actually a favor," laughs Joo Dee, "We usually have a welcome gala for the neighborhood on the first day of the afterlife. If it's not too much trouble—"

"I'd love to help, Joo Dee," pipes up Toph in an angelic tone. "I've organized fundraisers before."

Zuko blinks at her in disbelief.

"Oh, that's very thoughtful of you, Toph," gushes Joo Dee, "But you can't do it alone—"

"Let's have it here. I'll help Toph out," Zuko finds himself saying, unable to fight the guilt of leaving a blind girl to do all the work. "This place is huge— the entire neighborhood can fit here, no problem."

"Splendid!" Joo Dee claps her hands delightedly. "Now, I'll let you two get acquainted. I have other people to attend to."

The large double doors close behind her, leaving Zuko and Toph alone in the foyer.

"So—" Zuko begins, when Toph yawns hugely and rolls her shoulders back.

"Man, I thought that nerd would never leave!" she exclaims, her voice as brusque as a man hankering for a fight. "Nice digs you got here, Hotshot."

"Wha— what—"

She strolls languidly through the entrance hall while scratching her head, mussing her perfectly coiffed bun.

"Can you believe they stuck me in some tiny, stinky cottage?" she continues derisively, kicking off her sandals and throwing them at random. "Guess they thought I couldn't see it. You won't mind if I moved in, right? Huh, soulmate?"

"What's— wait—"

Toph wanders down the hall, hands tucked behind her head. Zuko follows her dumbfoundedly.

"Hey, awesome! You got your own movie theater! Are those your memories? They didn't bother to install a video player for me, I just got a lame headset," she gripes as she passes by the room. "Think I could get someone to smuggle some video games in this place? I've never tried 'em and I'm curious what the hype is all about. I mean, it wouldn't be heaven without 'em, right?"

"Wait a second—"

"Woof, your kitchen's huge. Not too shabby, gotta say. This place kinda feels like my parents' house," she comments, continuing her walking tour of the mansion. "Though whassa point of havin' a huge kitchen when you can just order whatever ya want, right?"

"Hey, stop!" Zuko finally catches up to her and slaps a hand on her shoulder, panting slightly. "I thought— I thought— I thought you were blind?"

Toph sniggers.

"When Creepy Lady asked me if I wanted to stay blind, I could already see," she says. "I just told her I wanted to stay the way I was right at that very moment. Not my fault she assumed the afterlife sent me here blind. Gotta say, colors ain't too bad. Kinda gives me a bit of a headache though."

"What the fork is going on," Zuko mutters, his head spinning, before he realizes what he just said. "Why can't I say 'fork'?"

"Oh, if you're tryna curse in this place, it ain't gonna happen," says Toph, shrugging his hand from her shoulder. "Bullshirt. Motherforker. Ashhole. Son of a bench. See?"

"I… I need to sit down."

He retreats into the kitchen and plunks himself down on one of the plush barstools. Toph joins him with a smug grin on her face.

"Want some fire flakes?" she offers.

Zuko gapes at her blankly.

"You lied to an immortal being, continue to lie to her, and now you want fire flakes that can only be provided by the very same immortal being you're lying to?" he asks incredulously.

Tooh shrugs carelessly.

"Want 'em or not?" she asks gruffly.

Zuko sighs and nods in resignation. Toph grins victoriously at him.

"Hey, Joo Dee?" she calls, and Joo Dee appears out of thin air in front of the kitchen island, nearly causing Zuko to fall off his stool. Toph continues in a small voice, "May we have some fire flakes, please?"

"Here you go. Enjoy!"

Joo Dee places a carton overflowing with corn flakes coated with spices onto the island counter before disappearing. Toph slides the carton closer and pointedly places it in between them before grabbing a handful and munching on it aggressively.

Zuko frowns at the snack before once again sighing in resignation and taking a couple of flakes for himself.

"So, let me get this straight," he says, mouth full of flakes, "Are you really an advocate for people with disabilities?"

"Fork yeah, I was," she announces gleefully. "I was a motivational speaker and all that shirt. Raised over sixty billion yuan for charity."

"But— but— why are you—"

Toph snorts and licks at her dirty fingers with relish.

"What? You think all those bozos who donated would give me half as much as they did if they knew I could take care of myself?" she asks. "Sometimes you gotta exploit what people think of you so you can get what you want."

That actually applies to my situation, thinks Zuko. He shakes his head.

"How are you even in the Good Place?" he asks incredulously.

"Jeez, shirt-for-brains, didn't you hear what I said?" Toph throws her hands in the air in exasperation. "I raised over sixty billion yuan for motherforking charity!"

"Alright, alright." Zuko pauses, deliberating. As crass and duplicitous his soulmate seems, maybe she really is meant to be here. Maybe she would help him. Granted, he doesn't really have much of a choice, so… "Listen. I have something I gotta tell you."

"Shoot."

"Promise me first that you won't rat me out."

Toph smiles deviously, a manic gleam in her eyes.

"Oh, this has gotta be good," she declares, dusting her hands off. "What is it? Whatcha hiding, Hotshot?"

"Promise me first," insists Zuko, shifting on his barstool so he could properly face her.

Toph rolls her eyes and blows a few stray locks of hair out of her face. She adopts the sweet, angelic face that she had when he first met her and places a hand delicately over her heart.

"Zuko, my dear soulmate, I swear that I will never say or do anything to cause you any harm." She makes a face and gags. "That good enough for ya?"

"Will you take this seriously?" grits out Zuko, his irritation building.

"Fine," whines Toph. "I won't tell a single soul. You have my word."

"Alright."

Zuko glances around, half-expecting Joo Dee to burst in on their conversation. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.

"There's been a huge mistake," he announces gravely. "I'm not supposed to be here."

A/N: And that's the first chapter! How is it so far? Tell me your thoughts!

Btw, to fans of the show, think of Joo Dee as a very, very advanced Janet- I sorta fused together Janet and Michael for Joo Dee's character.