Chapter 19

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that it's not a lizard pony?" Sokka drawled as he made to stand up, taking Aang's offered hand.

"What? No!" Aang replied, shaking off his confusion from the strange response as he placed the chest on the ground, opening it up to fetch three scrolls. "Its scrolls about us! One from the Eastern Air Temple, one from Toph's parents, and an intelligence report about a fleet of water tribe ships."

"That could be Dad!" Sokka said in shock, moving beside Katara as they approached Aang.

Handing the scrolls to the appropriate people while keeping his own, Aang looked up to give Feng an apologetic look.

"Sorry Feng, there's nothing in here for you." He said, making Feng shrug. He didn't mind. Outside of the people in front of him, there wasn't anyone he really had any connection to, not anymore. Instead, he just listened to the sound of paper scraping on paper as they opened their scrolls, waiting patiently for them to reveal their contents.

Seeing as the intelligence report was the shortest message, Sokka and Katara finished first.

"'...Protecting the mouth of Chameleon Bay. Led by Hakoda.' It is Dad!" Katara read out in excitement, jumping up and down with her brother at the news of her long-lost family member, one that she hadn't seen for more than a year by this point.

"Really? That's great!" Aang said with cheer as he finished the final lines of his own scroll, his eyes widening the more he read. "I can't believe it. There's a man living at the eastern Air Temple. He says he's a Guru."

"What's a Guru? Some kind of Poisonous Blow Fish?" Sokka asked.

"No, that's Voodoo," Katara replied distractedly, looking toward Aang.

"No, that's witchcraft. Do you mean Cuckoo?" Toph suggested.

"Like the Bird?" Feng voiced in confusion

"No, the fish!" Sokka yelled in frustration as understanding cleared in Feng's eyes.

"Ah! No, that's Fugu…what were we talking about?"

"A Guru!" Aang exclaimed before releasing how loud he was being, clearing his throat as he spoke in a more normal voice "Sorry. A Guru is a spiritual expert. He wants to help me take the next step in the Avatar journey. He says he can help me control the Avatar State." Aang revealed, jumping slightly a second later as Feng landed beside him in a burst of wind, staring at the shorter boy with deadly seriousness.

"Are you sure? Is that precisely what it says?"

"What?" Aang asked with confusion before nodding. "Yeah, it does. See?"

Taking the offered scroll, Feng found that Aang was telling the truth. Well, the truth about the letter's contents at least. Whether or not this Guru actually could teach Aang to control the Avatar State was another matter entirely. Curiously though, it also said he had other news to share with the boy but refused to reveal it in a letter.

On the off chance that this man was telling the truth though…

"You have to go meet this man," Feng stated, staring Aang in the eye to let him know how important this was.

"I know."

Holding for a second, Feng found calm determination in his fellow Airbender's eyes, so with a nod, he stepped back, looking to the last member of the group.

"What about you Toph?"

Curiously, she hadn't opened her scroll yet, merely staring at it. Feng's prompt moved her to action, however, causing her to shake her head.

"Well, I would tell you, but you know…Blind! I can't read!" She huffed faintly with frustration, waving her arms energetically around herself as Feng nodded awkwardly.

"Right, give it here then," Feng said, having forgotten about her physical impairment for a moment as the girl all but tossed it at him in impatience. Undoing the tie and pulling it open, he ran his eyes over the contents, nodding to himself.

"Apparently, your mother decided to try contacting you. It says she's in the city somewhere and wants to meet up to reconcile." Feng paraphrased, causing Toph's eyes to widen in shock, taking a hesitant step forward as she reached for the scroll, pulling back momentarily before she touched it.

"Are...are you sure?"

"Pretty sure." Feng nodded, rolling up the scroll and placing it back in Toph's hand, moving her arm around her shoulder to comfort her as he pulled her against his body, feeling her relax into his embrace. "It seems like she might have had a change of heart since you left," he informed the ecstatic girl.

Although a small niggle in the back of his mind was telling him that something was wrong with this picture. He didn't voice his suspicion though, not when it made her so happy, the younger girl visibly perking up at the news.

"I can't believe we know where our dad is now." Katara voiced with excitement, rereading the scroll a second time to make sure it was real.

"And I can't believe that my mom's in the city, and from the sounds of it, finally ready to understand me. I'd always hoped she would but until now…" Toph trailed off, looking into the sky as her voice took on a distant quality, "…I never believed she actually would."

"This is all such big news! Where do we even start?" Sokka asked the obvious question, each of them considering its possibilities. Up until now, they had always stayed together, moving through the earth kingdom as a team as they fought off whoever attacked them.

But there were now three separate influences on the team, each of them pulling them in separate directions.

"Three separate tasks, with three separate destinations. I would suggest that we go through them one by one, but we're on a bit of a time crunch, aren't we? The solar eclipse and Sozin's comet are drawing ever closer." Feng mused, splitting his gaze between the others.

"I hate to say it," Katara began hesitantly, glancing at her brother for support, "but I think we have to split up."

"Are you sure?" Aang asked with worry, taking a second to look at Feng, "whenever we split up, something bad tends to happen. Are you sure we can afford to take that risk?"

"At this point…" Sokka sighed, "I'm not sure we can afford not to." And that was the crux of the matter, Feng mused. It was all too important not to complete each objective, a fact that Katara apparently agreed with.

"You have to go meet this guru, Aang. If we're going to invade the Fire Nation, you need to be ready." Katara said, her words echoing her brother, trying to convince the boy.

"Well..." Aan still looked unsure, but under three separate opinions in favor of the decision, he had no choice, "if I'm going to the Eastern Air Temple, Appa and I can drop you off at Chameleon Bay to see your dad."

The two siblings looked pleased with the offer, but a regretful expression overcame Sokka.

"As much as I would love to...someone has to stay here and help plan the invasion, even if that means helping Long Feng." Sokka rejected with a shake of his head, slumping slightly as he continued with a saddened voice. "I guess that's me."

"No Sokka. I know how badly you want to help Dad. You go to Chameleon Bay. I'll stay here myself." Katara counteroffered, making Sokka look overjoyed as tears started welling in his eyes.

"Or…" Feng interrupted the pair, drawing their focus towards him, "and hear me out here, both of you could go, seeing as I don't exactly have anywhere else to be. Not to mention that I'll probably have the best luck with dealing with our little Shadow Leader, as people like him are right up my alley."

"Are you sure?" Sokka asked, earning a nod from the elder teen before he was engulfed in a hug from the boy, Sokka lifting him in the air as he twirled them around.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"But what about your scar? I still haven't finished healing it, which I could do if I stayed." Katara pointed out, concerned about how Feng's face was still healing.

The mention of his face was enough to make Feng frown as he lifted a hand to poke his cheek, feeling it to be slightly rougher than before, but only receiving a slight sense of irritation from the action, one that might be more psychological than physiological at this point after four healing sessions from the girl.

"That's true, but answer me this. Will more healing sessions really make a difference in the final result now? You've already dealt with all the more minor burned areas while at the same time reducing the worse parts. Aside from speeding up how quickly I heal, is there any point in continuing?"

The hesitance on Katara's face was all the answer he needed.

"I thought not." Feng sighed, running his hand through his hair, an action he had taken to doing since his injury in an effort to keep his hands from touching the more delicate areas of his face. It had only been an hour since the end of the most recent session too, and a good 70% of the skin on his face was now back to normal, including his nose which he had happily scratched afterward.

That still left the remaining 30% however, scattered as it was over the entire area, primarily around his eyes and on his cheeks, with a touch remaining on his forehead. It wasn't uniform though, more patchy than anything, but it was still eye-catching.

Ignoring the rough texture of it you could feel and see at a close distance, the more damaged skin had a darker color than the rest, drawing attention to itself through its light red color. One that would never go away.

"I can handle an extra week or two of healing Katara, and you haven't seen your father in a long time. Go with your brother, now more than ever is a time for family."

Katara still wasn't sure, but he could see the desire to see her father warring with her caring nature, her desire eventually winning out as she nodded, a grateful smile gracing her lips.

"Okay. Thanks' Feng."

"Yeah. Thanks, buddy. I appreciate it." Sokka smiled in agreement, holding out his hand to clasp, something Feng returned with vigor as the pair of them clenched, straining their biceps against one another in the long-since-honored ritual of manliness that started so many years ago.

"Well, as you said, we are on a bit of a time crunch so we should probably get going," Sokka said after letting go of the hand clasping, earning a nod from the others as both Aang and Katara came in, each of them going for a hug.

"We'll miss you guys," Aang said, staring up at Feng with naked happiness in his eyes, as did Katara. "It won't be the same without you."

"Then hurry back," Feng replied with amusement, letting the pair out of his embrace as he stood beside Toph, resting an arm on her hand much to the girl's annoyance, "because we'll be waiting for you."

That was as far as he got to speak before a harsh elbow to his stomach forced him to fold over, leaving him grasping for breath as Toph sported a triumphant expression.

"What he said," Toph said gruffly before an innocent smile appeared, showing her true feelings on the matter.

"Goodbye, guys. We'll see you soon." Aang nodded one final time from Appa's head, taking the reins into his grip. "Appa, yip yip."

Together, Toph and Feng, well just Feng, watched as Appa left, leaving the duo behind as they went in search of family and learning.

"So…do you want to go meet your mother now? Or wait a few days?" Feng asked her, not one to delay on matters such as this as Toph hummed.

"You know what, this is a long time coming. We'll go today." She decided, much to Feng's approval as she turned to start walking away from the open area, leading the way. He was content to follow her for a couple of minutes, his hands folded behind his back.

"…you do know this is the wrong way, right? I never actually told you where she was."

This brought Toph to a stop as red appeared on her cheeks, much to Feng's amusement as he chuckled, earning a glare from the girl.

"You didn't think to tell me sooner?!"

"Nope." Feng grinned, enjoying her reaction far too much not to. A myriad of expressions flashed over Toph's face before she eventually settled on grating acceptance.

"Just…lead the way." She huffed, kicking a small stone away at a far larger speed than the force used would suggest.

…

A half-hour later, a still cheerful Feng led a more subdued Toph to a house in the Upper Ring, one of the villas that could be rented if you had the money for it, which the Beifong family definitely did.

"You ready?" Feng asked the girl beside him quietly, earning a shake of the head from the girl.

"Not even close, but when has that ever stopped me?"

"Damn straight," Feng agreed, holding out a fist for the girl, letting her touch her own to it in a fist bump before she stepped forward, opening the door and stepping in, Feng following cautiously when he noticed how dimly lit the house was.

"Hello? Mom? Anyone home?" Toph asked into the still air, walking towards the center of a bare living area, looking around with confusion at the lack of presence in the house.

Warning bells that had been previously tinkling now roared in a crescendo in Feng's mind, putting the facts together that this couldn't be Poppy Beifong's doing.

"Toph! It's-" but his warning came too late, as less than a second later, while she had started to react to something, Toph was entrapped inside a metal bow, one that to most would be an impressive prison.

"Hey! Just who do you think you're dealing with!?" she yelled in irritation, wrapping her hands around the bars.

Feng made to intervein, but upon seeing the merely annoyed expression gracing Toph's features, decided it would be best to hold back for now. Especially since she wasn't in any danger, seeing as they sought to catch Toph, not injure her. Why else would they use a cage?

Well, that, and the fact that she'd be able to free herself whenever she wanted.

Off to the side of the room, a door opened, revealing two familiar figures for both Feng and Toph. Specifically, Xin Fu from Earth Rumble and Master Yu the earth-bending teacher, both looking surprised at Feng's presence.

"There is another with the girl? We did not expect this." Master Yu said with a touch of nervousness.

"It does not matter." Xin Fu retorted, glaring at Feng as he took a couple of steps forward, crossing his arms as he stood in between Feng and Toph's cage. "I remember him, he's the assistant of the Avatar, a non-bender."

The instance the words 'non-bender' left his mouth Master Yu immediately relaxed, the pair of them content in their ability to take out Feng. Now, if Feng was actually an assistant for Aang, to help with his logistics and such, they may be right to hold such a belief.

But Feng was far more than that. Far, far more.

"Are you sure you want to do this? It can only end one way." Feng warned, drawing his fans in preparation as he glanced between the two Earthbenders, deciding that Master Yu would be the easier target to go for first.

"Yes, it will, just not the way you hope." Xin Fu declared arrogantly, a sneer on his lips as he moved into an earthbending pose, his fist drawn back with his front foot extended, Master Yu copying his companion in this endeavor.

Tensing his muscles, Feng readied himself as well, waiting for the faintest glimmer of movement from either of the benders before he made his move. Before he did though, he saw that Toph was making a move of her own, giving him the wait signal.

So, with a sigh, Feng holstered his weapons, leaving his arms at his side.

"You're right, it won't go the way I hope," Feng admitted, much to the pleasure of Xin Fu as he straightened from his own stance, the man grinning triumphantly.

"Good of you to see it that way."

And then the metal behind him crashed open, splitting in two as a furious 12-year-old stepped out.

"But that doesn't mean it will be your victory." Feng finished with a smirk, taking a couple of steps backward to give the girl some space.

"How did you get out?! You were in a metal cage!" Master Yu yelled in shock, earning a smirk from the otherwise angry girl, Toph was never one to turn down the opportunity to brag.

"How do you think, smart guy?"

"But that's impossible!" Master Yu continued, seeing the state of the cage as his eyes widened in shock, the white in them easily visible as he took a couple of intimidating steps backward.

"I don't know the meaning of the word!" Toph yelled, stamping a foot into the ground before sliding it to the left, her arms flowing with it as a pillar of earth erupted from Master Yu's right, Toph doing the same motion again to cause a pillar to erupt from the right as the cowardly man was pinned in place, unable to move.

One part of the duo dealt with, Toph turned her focus back to Xin Fu, the shirtless man warily staring at the girl, not taking his eyes off of her.

"And how about you? Do you want to fight? Or do you just want to give up now? It won't make much of a difference." She said insultingly, cracking her neck in a way that echoed through the room as she set her stance, falling back on her preferred style of listening and reacting.

Now, a smart man might have tried to flee, but Xin Fu, while not dumb, was also hot-headed, and confident in his own superiority even if that wasn't always the case.

"Such insolence!" Xin Fu roared, slamming a foot into the ground as a rock erupted from the ground, damaging the already pockmarked floor as he kicked it at the girl, Toph leaning forward to swipe a hand underneath the approaching projectile, matching its speed before she redirected it back at Xin Fu, curving it around her body to do so as it was sent flying towards him, forcing Xin Fu to punch the rock, causing it to splinter into a thousand pieces as it filled his half of the room.

Man, Feng really pitied whoever had to come and clean up after this. It'd be almost downright impossible without an Earthbender, and he was fully aware that almost every Earthbender in the city was enlisted in either the military or the Dai Li.

Maybe there was a broom somewhere? It couldn't hurt to help out a bit. So, with that thought Feng ignored the fight going on in the center of the room, only paying enough attention to dodge if something came towards him, but otherwise focused on the cupboard placed on the edge of the room, opening it to take a look inside.

"Hmm, that could work," Feng muttered, seeing a stack of bristles bound together from the middle to the end of one side, letting the other end splay out. Picking it up, Feng even found that it had a nice weight to it. So he started sweeping with it, pulling together all the dust and pebbles in his corner of the room.

Meanwhile, Toph was just about done demolishing Xin Fu, her emotional outrage at having pretended to be her mother giving her the right motivation to really go to town on the man. That's why his vest was hanging by his side and his ribs were covered in bruises.

"Gah!" Xin Fu grunted as one particular vicious rock struck him in the center, a cracking sound filling the air.

Make that bruises and a broken rib Feng noted absently, Xin Fu clutching his side in agony as a pained expression appeared on his face, the man's movements immediately slowing as he left one hand on his side, sending a few pitifully sized rocks with his free hand.

"This isn't worth my time," Toph grunted, turning around to walk away, swaying out of the way of a few attacks.

"Don't you walk away from me!" Xin Fu yelled, kicking outwards at Toph to send a pillar of earth erupting from the ground. "We're not d-done here!"

In the past, this may have been something to keep an eye on, but Toph had only gotten better since leaving with Aang. This meant that Xin Fu's attack only made her sigh as she ducked beneath it, keeping her hands behind her back as she swayed to the side, sliding a foot over the ground to send Xin Fu flying, aimed at her supposed cage.

A metal clang filled the room as Xin Fu grunted in pain, slumping slightly at his position inside of the cage before Toph repeated the action with Mater Yu, the man still trying to get out of his own trap. Once the pair were both inside the cage, Toph leaped forward, slamming her hands into the edges before bringing them together, a metal screech filling the room as the pair were trapped inside.

"Don't you two get it? I'm the greatest Earthbender in the world. The two of you…are not on my level." A grimace passed her lips. "But you brought my mother into this, so you made it personal. Do not come after me again if you value working limbs, because next time…I will not be so generous."

A whimper escaped Master Yu as Toph once more made to leave, stopping momentarily in confusion at the sight of Feng sweeping up stones.

"What? Someone's got to clean this place up, and it's not like you needed help," Feng shrugged, forming a third pile with a third of the room cleared.

"Right," Toph said, a twitch of a smile gracing her lips at his trust in her skills as she stomped once, pulling her arms backward as all the stone and dust in the room gathered together in a single large stone, one that Toph used to patch up the floor. As a final show of goodwill, Toph swung her arms downward, looking like she was pushing something physical before with a crack, the floor leveled, its appearance becoming flawless to Feng's impressed clapping.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Toph said, leading the way as Feng tossed the broom to the side, following her.

They walked in silence for a minute, Feng enjoying the warm day's sun on his skin for a moment before he covered his head with his hood, knowing that he was still sensitive to sunburn on his scars. Despite the noise the pair had made, it seems like no one had noticed, simply going about their day as the hustle and bustle filled the neighborhood.

But a moment later, the sounds of sniffles filled Feng's ear, the teen in question identifying where it came from a moment later.

"Hey, Toph…are you alright?"

"What, yeah of course." Toph denied, a sniffle not helping her case as she rubbed her eyes. "It's not like I was hoping for something else or anything."

But you were, Feng didn't say aloud. Instead, he stepped inside her reach, wrapping an arm around her as he led them into an alley to give them some privacy.

"It's alright to be upset, you know," Feng stated softly, leaning against the wall with Toph against his side, staring blankly at the other side. "No one would blame you."

"But I would!" Toph said with agitation, her movement dislodging his arm for a second before he wrapped it back around her, knowing that she needed the human contact. "…I would."

"And I wouldn't." Feng retorted with a snort, feeling her head against his chest. "Toph, you got a letter from who you thought was your mother, one that sounded like she was finally coming around to your point of view, to support you in who you wanted to be. Then you found out that it was a trick, a ruse designed by two men who were…"

He trailed off here, not wanting to voice his suspicion.

"Two men who were hired by my parents, you mean?" Toph asked angrily even as Feng felt a wet patch begin to form on his chest. "To the people who are supposed to love me and care for me? Hiring the very man who had already kidnapped me to do the same? Yeah, I got that part."

"Sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" Toph retorted, shaking her head slightly. "You're not the one who did anything."

"True," Feng nodded, "but I am sorry for what has happened to you, even if I can't quite relate. As you know, I lost my parents at about your age, but before then they loved me in entirety, not caring who I was, even if my actions…had a hand in their demise."

Which was a truth he was still trying to overcome, even if he'd made peace with some of it, putting it up to youthly ignorance.

"But even despite that, they still loved me. What I'm trying to say is Toph…you have a right to be upset. More than the right, in fact, I would be concerned if you weren't."

"I…I just don't understand." Toph finally confessed, sounding unusually vulnerable. "Why did they do this Feng? Just…why?"

"I don't know Toph." He replied, not knowing the reason either. "And I'll be honest in saying that it'll hurt for a while. How can it not when they are…were, your parents. But I can tell you this. Aang, Katara, Sokka, and I will always support you in whatever it is you chose to do. Yes, we may get annoyed at you sometimes, and you may get annoyed at us as well, but at the core of it, our little group, Team Avatar as Sokka would put it..we are your family now. And for some of us…it's the only family we have."

It'd been a long time since he'd had a family, but this was the first time he'd put his feeling into words, his…affections for the others. He knew he'd do just about anything to keep them safe, to keep them happy.

"But you don't have to say anything Toph, I know you're not very touchy-feely. But we can just stay here for a while until you calm down. Okay?"

"…okay," Toph mumbled, turning around to wrap her arms around Feng, burying her head in her face as small shudders racked her body, the quiet sound of sobs joining it as Feng wrapped his arms around her, giving her the comfort she needed even as he stood there stoically.

…

"Thank you for choosing the Dancing Dragon's Tea Store! We hope to see you again!" Iroh thanked the last customers as they exited the store, an easy smile on his face as he bowed, his hair neatly trimmed and his body clothed in high-quality green and gold clothes.

Behind him, Zuko was busy clearing the recently occupied table, taking the ceramic mugs and returning them to the cleaning area before giving the table a wipe, taking a cloth from the pocket of his apron to dap at the sweat on his brow as a sigh left the former princes mouth.

"You know, this was not what I was expecting when you said we'd open a tea store, Uncle," Zuko commented, taking a seat at the now clean table as he used the opportunity to rest his legs for a second, having been on them for hours now.

"Ah, but that is where you are wrong my nephew," Iroh chuckled genially, flipping the open sign to closed in the window as he locked the door, the last signs of light reducing in the distance as the sun set on the city of Ba Sing Se. "Good tea is always a commodity in need, especially tea like mine!" he laughed, his large belly shaking slightly.

"But it's just hot leaf juice!" The younger man protested, not caring for the beverage in the least.

For Iroh though, such a statement was sacrilegious as an offended expression crossed his face, a hand moving to his brow as he lamented. "Oh, how can a nephew I raised say something so dastardly! Don't you understand? Tea is more than just a drink; it is a way of life! Every single customer who comes through those doors comes in search of the delicate flavors and aromas of properly steeped tea, seeking to soothe their souls and warms their hearts. Bah," Iroh scoffed, "hot leaf juice, preposterous!"

"Ok, ok, so it's more than just hot leaf juice." Zuko agreed, holding his hands up in surrender as he placated the man, even if he didn't truly believe what he was saying. "Still, how can people be so carefree about such things? Ba Sing Se was just invaded! The very walls themselves were breached! By Azula no less!"

In his state of agitation, Zuko barely noticed as the flame-lit lamps sitting across the walls of the shop flared, almost fully filling their glass enclosures before they died down.

"Since when is she leading armies like this? Is not like they don't have enough generals for it. Hell, from what I remember there were always far too many of them to begin with!"

"Yes, there is," Iroh sighed in agreement, taking the seat in front of Zuko as he lifted off his emerald green cap, resting it gently on the tabletop as he looked at his nephew with compassion. "But none of them are as zealous in their approach to warfare as your sister. None of them seek the thrill of battle quite like she does, as desperate to prove her superiority as she is."

"Yeah, and look where that got her," Zuko chuckled slightly, some of his frustration bleeding away as he thought of the news that they had overheard from some of the earth kingdom soldiers. "injured and humiliated, by the return of a Fire Nation boogeyman."

"Yes," Iroh nodded, a knowing smile gracing his lips, "returning. Still, it is nice to see Azula be taken down a peg. Spirits know it has been a long time coming."

"It has, hasn't it?" Zuko nodded, before frowning in confusion, taking a closer look at the smile on Iroh's lips. "Wait a second, I recognize that smile. It's the same one you always had when you forced me to play Paisho with you and managed to cheat somehow. You know something, don't you? Something about the Vengeful Oni."

It took over ten seconds of silent staring on Zuko's part before Iroh broke, he had never been very good at holding out on Zuko.

"Perhaps I do, but it is not my place to share such news, not if they do not wish it."

"Are you sure? It's not like I'd tell anyone."

"I'm sure, nephew. It's about the principle of the matter, just like I would not share tales of your own journeys under a mask. Whoever they are, they deserve their privacy."

"You know about that?!" Zuko shouted in shock, moving to his feet as his chair was pushed outwards, screeching as it slid across the floor, the sound making Iroh wince. "How?! I thought I kept it a secret."

"Oh please, who do you think kept the watch schedule open for you? While you may have gotten better at it over the years, you weren't exactly subtle in your first couple of missions. It's a metal ship, remember? Noise travels easily." Iroh chided the boy, not moving from his seat as Zuko sighed, nodding as he returned to his seated position, his feet already beginning to ache again.

"If you'd known, you could have said something," Zuko muttered, giving Iroh the gimlet eye. "It would have made things a lot easier for me and a lot fewer sleepless nights."

"And ruin my fun?" Iroh countered, winking. "I think night. Besides, sleepless nights are good for building discipline. If I had to go through them, so did you."

Zuko, despite feeling a flash of annoyance at the statement, decided to let it go as his uncle's pettiness as his words were true, they had allowed him to build discipline, making it easier to continue his journey against the Avatar. Even now they paid fruit as it allowed him to settle into his job of menial labor far more easily, although the fact that they were earning a fair amount of money certainly helped.

He could only imagine trying to work minimum wage at someplace, likely another tea store. At least this way they'd be able to earn enough money to make their next move.

"So, where to next Uncle?"

"Hmm? I believe home would be the correct answer unless you wish to go out and meet some ladies. I wouldn't begrudge you, if I was only twenty years younger, I might have done the same." Iroh teased, pleased to see his nephew flush before he shook his head.

"No, I didn't mean that. I meant where to after we're done building up capital. Where will we go, what will we do?"

Understanding cleared in Iroh's eyes as a frown graced his lips.

"What do you mean, Zuko? This is the goal, at least for me. Why would I want anything else when I already have my tea store?" It had been a lifelong, well decades-long ambition after all.

"Because you'd be wasting away!" Zuko roared, throwing his arm out to gesture to the building. "Staying here like a sitting turtle duck as the war rages on around us. What happens when the Fire Nation finally seizes Ba Sing Se, huh? What happens then? Will you just sit back and watch as my father finally takes what he's always wanted? Watch as he finally brings the world under his control?"

"What would you have me do, Zuko?" Iroh asked sternly, now starting to sound a bit cross with the boy, his expression closing off as some of Uncle Iroh left to be replaced by the Dragon of the West. "I am but just one man, while your father has thousands."

"But Father is only one man! A single man can change a lot of things! Just ask the Avatar!"

"Yes, but unlike Aang, I am not a symbol of peace like he is. I cannot bring the nations together, not after the deeds I have committed. And what if I did take out your father? I would just be seen to be continuing the same cycle of war and bloodshed as he and our forefathers have. Besides, Zuko…"

For the first time in years, Iroh let the true depth of what he was feeling show freely, his visage deepening as he truly showed his age of 61 years.

"I am old. For more than four decades I waged war as a part of the Fire Nation military, working my way up as we slaughtered our way through the Earth Kingdom and Southern Water Tribe. Perhaps I am tired of such hardship. Perhaps I am tired of giving pain to so many others now that I know what such pain feels like! No Zuko, I do not feel like I am wasting away." Iroh stated, shaking his head as he moved to his feet, pointing an unwavering finger at the boy in front of him.

"It is you who feels like they are wavering away. It is you who feels like you are not doing everything you can. And until you can find what you actually want, and decide who you actually are, you will continue to feel like that. Who are you, Prince Zuko? Who is it you want to be? Do you wish to be a man of peace? A man of war? A man who desires to return to greatness? Or someone who wants to fade away into obscurity? This is not a decision I can help with, my nephew, only you can do that. But for now, I am content with our current situation. I think it is time for you to decide if you can be as well."

"Who am I?" Zuko snarled, moving to his feet in anger, "I'm the disgraced Prince of a Nation who wants to kill him, hiding away like a coward! One who wants more than some tea store. I am not the one who has given up. Not now, not ever!" Zuko retorted hotly, the flames in the store flaring so brightly that the store almost looked like it was day before they subsided, having burned up the fuel enough to make them die out, throwing the store into semi-darkness as Zuko stored out of the door, slamming it as he did and leaving an old man alone.

A man who expressed his guilt and grief through a single shed tear.

"It is not that I have given up, Zuko. It is that I have moved my hope into those of the new generation. My time has passed, and it is my hope that with the help of the Avatar and his friends, the younger generation can bring about a brighter and better future."

Iroh sighed here as he stood up, his feet aching just as much as his nephews if not more as he moved over to replace the oil reservoirs so that he could finish cleaning up.

"And it is my hope that somehow, you will be able to be a part of it."

AN: And that's another chapter down. I'm not sure how I feel about it, to be honest. Some parts, like Feng comforting Toph and Zuko's confrontation with Iroh I feel good about, but others I do not. I do feel like my writing is improving though, if slowly. Bt that's the thing, isn't it?

Slow and steady progress. Anyway, thank you for reading.

Ervin.