Avatar: The Last Airbender – Yin and Yang

By Mdalia and RebLaw

Author's note: Between the two of us and all our stories- this is our 50th chapter.

Chapter 9

"So let me get this right," Iroh said gruffly, holding a cup of tea in his hand. The tea was cold. "You are from a different world, identical but opposite to mine?"

"That appears to be the case," the unscarred Prince Zuko said. They had spent the last hour trying to hash out what exactly was going on.

Iroh finally got to drink his tea. The crisis of the odd Prince Zuko had been solved. Iroh didn't really like cold tea.

"I want to get my nephew back," Iroh stated, after the moment of silence had past. "He may look strong and act tough, but he still needs guidance."

"Okay," the unscarred Zuko shrugged. He never left like he needed anyone. But then again, he never really had anyone. The Iroh from his world was never particularly dear to him. "I think I may know how to help you."

- - - - - - - - - -

Katara was ecstatic. She had wanted to learn advanced water beginning for a while, and now, finally, she was going to be taught. The morning of their first lesson Katara woke Aang up at the break of dawn. She was somewhat surprised he was up then himself. They ate a good breakfast of fruit and met the teacher at the appointed time.

"Hello again Kona," Katara greeted the older water-bender politely. It was hard for her not to burst out with glee. "I brought along a friend, Aang, an airbender, I hope that's alright."

The older water-bender looked at Aang colorful outfit with mild interests. "I thought the Fire Nation wiped out those monks. I'm glad to see I was misinformed."

"I'm the Avatar," Aang, the Avatar of War stated. He didn't want to muck around waiting for the teacher to figure out that he was capable of a lot.

"Oh my," the older waterbender said in mock astonishment. "He's the Avatar he says?"

"He is," Katara firmly stated. "He's the last Airbender too."

"Oh don't be silly," Kona said smiling. "There are loads of airbenders."

Katara frowned, this didn't make sense, but the last thing she wanted to do was antagonize her teacher. "But, you just said that you thought they were all wiped out?"

"I did?" Kona looked up in an effort to remember. "Oh I forget. It's time for today's lesson anyway. Enough idle chit-chat!"

The lesson for the day was on the basics. Kona praised Katara's patience and bending technique. The water bender didn't have as many good things to say about Aang's bending, except that it seemed to be more powerful. Kona began to wonder if maybe her teaching wasn't right for the young Avatar, he did often look bored and quickly master the material. He acted as though Katara being a classmate was a burden slowing him down, as he seemed to be doing more waiting than anything else.

"Aang," Katara hissed, when they had a break. "I can't learn bending as fast as you can. I wish you wouldn't try to get the teacher to rush so much."

"Rush?" Aang sneered. "Katara if the lessons would go any slower, they'd be going backwards in time."

Katara frowned, "Look, we've learned three new spells and it's only noon. That's the fastest I've ever learned any amount of bending in my entire life!"

"I'm sorry Katara," Aang, the Avatar of war said almost meekly. He didn't like it when Katara was mad at him. Not that he was a goody-two-shoes or anything. He just wanted her to like him, that's all. He had an idea on how to do that too.

"Don't worry about it Aang," Katara said glumly. "Compared to you, well, I can't compare to you."

"Katara…" the Avatar of war said softly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out something small and shiny. "Here, I want you to have this."

"A ring?" the waterbender said as she accepted the gift. The ring looked familiar, like the one that was stolen- but telling Aang that would be a bad idea most likely. "Thank you Aang, it's pretty."

"Here, have some food," the water-bender instructor said offering Aang and Katara lunch. Both Katara and Aang took her up on the offer. Katara seemed to be lacking her usual appetite though.

- - - - - -

Zuko looked in the mirror. He saw himself, his scar, everything with him was as it should be. He looked around him: his father was out of shape and different, his nation was at peace, everything was so different. He decided, because he could, to go to his father for guidance. He hoped his father was mostly the same.

"Father," Zuko said, almost barging into one of his father's rooms.

The young prince had picked the right room to barge into- his father was indeed in it. As was the Avatar, the Avatar of peace. They were playing a game of Pai Gow. Zuko had only ever known his uncle to play that game.

"Yes son?" Ozai asked, giving Zuko his full attention as Aang pondered his next move.

"Where is Uncle Iroh?" Zuko asked, with a blind desire to find out what was going on. He knew Iroh was always very dependable.

Ozai raised his eyebrow. Iroh was normally abroad, but Zuko was in luck today, Iroh had just returned. Ozai told his son, "Third door on the left. He just got back a couple hours ago."

With that Zuko left the room to seek out his uncle. Aang still wasn't sure what piece he wanted to move yet, he kept on looking up to see if Ozai had lost patience with him yet.

"That boy," Ozai sighed. "He's been acting strange ever sense he got back. I wonder what is up with that scar of his."

"He's had it ever since I met him," Aang said, narrowing his potential moves down to two.

Ozai didn't think much of that. He didn't know that Aang was the Avatar of peace or that he had met Zuko previously. He decided to play the gracious host some more, figuring that in doing so he was some how hitting a soft spot of the Avatar, as this is as peaceful as anyone has ever reported him being.

- - - - - - - - -

"Uncle," Zuko said barging into his Uncle Iroh's room, seeking the familiar face and calming voice of his uncle, but finding Fe instead.

Fe looked at the boy, at first a bit startled. He quickly regained his confidence. Smiling almost maliciously he teased Zuko, "So this is where you ran off to hide eh?"

"Where's my Uncle Iroh, Fe!" Prince Zuko, with the scar, demanded. He didn't need this, not now.

"Silly boy," Fe said still smiling. "I am your Uncle Iroh. Who is this Fe you talk about? I am Iroh. Don't ever call me 'Fe' again. I'm a busy man, I'll have time to talk to you later."

Just then Zuko heard a voice behind him. "What's this about Fe?" he heard his father ask.

Zuko felt frustrated. No one was there he could trust. He could ask, but he would be unsure if anyone would give him straight answers. He walked away, to give himself room to cool down and collect his thoughts