~000~

Chapter Thirteen: The Beginning of Summer

~000~

Zuko's routine running the garrison outside the walls of Ba Sing Se was simple. He woke up, ate breakfast with the rest of the troops, and set them to run drills.

They ran laps under the summer sun in full armor, marched, and maintained the defenses.

To Zuko's surprise, Katara wasn't talking to him after what they discussed around the campfire. However, her sibling did not share the same sentiment.

From his command tent, Zuko had a good view of most of the battlefield from which Azula's forces would approach, as well as his own soldiers and the trenches. Sokka walked up the earth bender made steps to the banished prince.

"Tell me honestly." Sokka approached as Zuko noticed he appeared. "Can we beat your sister? Or are we um, doomed?"

"As impossible as it seems," said Zuko plainly. "Yes, we can beat her."

"I know I already said this yesterday, but how? I know we're defending but, so did everyone else in the Southern Water Tribe. And we both know how that turned out. You saw it first hand."

Zuko frowned, not understanding his tone. "I. I um, didn't know that-"

"What?" Sokka's expression changed. "Oh, I didn't mean that you were responsible. Not that you were completely out of any blame but." Zuko looked at him. "I meant that. You know what, whatever. How can we win this?"

"Well, both Water Tribes should help a lot. I expect them to provide good soldiers."

"We're the best of the best," Sokka said. "You can count on us."

"Sounds like you're looking forward to seeing your father again. Wish I could say the same."

Sokka scratched his head a bit. "About that. How does this all end for you? Before it made sense, you brought Aang to the Fire Lord. And that's it, you would be welcomed back. But now? The entire Fire Nation probably wants nothing to do with you. How will this play out for you?"

"I've been thinking about that for some time," Zuko admitted. "Honestly, we have to win the war first."

"Let's say we do," suggested Sokka. "Then what? You, someone who hasn't even been in the Fire Nation for years suddenly rules it. I mean, no offense. But you're basically like the worst prince the Fire Nation has ever had. You're the reason this siege has to come back for them."

"I know. But I don't think there was a way to settle this without bloodshed. Aang still has to master Firebending before the end of summer. I have to defeat my sister. Battle was inevitable."

"Look I-"

"Lieutenant Zuko!" a pair of troopers atop ostrich horses appeared with a Fire Nation soldier bound by ropes with them.

"This oughta be good." Sokka joked.

Zuko shot him a look.

Shoving the man forward with a spear, the trooper spoke. "We found him on a lookout post hidden under some sand. Spying on us."

Zuko looked around the camp. Everyone, even Katara who was practicing his waterbending took notice and was waiting to see what he'd do.

"My name is Zuko, commander of this garrison," Zuko said proudly.

The man spat in his face. "I know who you are, damned traitor."

The men guarding the spy responded in kind.

Striking him in the heel with the butt of his spear, the trooper pushed the Fire Nation spy onto the ground. "Quiet you. What do we do with him, commander?"

The other trooper ground his teeth. "We should pack his corpse in a box and send it to your sister."

Zuko knelt in front of the man. "Where's your camp? How many men are planning to march on these trenches?"

"Never." the man looked Zuko right in the eye. "Your father will burn you alive for this betrayal. I'd rather die than speak to you."

"That can be arranged," Zuko said before nodding to one of his men. "Chain him to a rock out in the sun. See how long it takes before he changes his mind."

"Sir yes sir!" the men gladly carried him away, the spy yelling as they grabbed him.

"You're no commander boy!" the spy yelled. "The best generals in the Fire Nation will kill you all in battle."

Sokka watched him being carried off. "Harsh. Wasn't that one of your own people?"

"He's the traitor." snarled Zuko. "Azula would've done the same."

"You could've been nicer to him. Maybe he would have talked." Sokka shrugged.

"You know how prisoners are treated in the Fire Nation?" Zuko almost frightened Sokka with the look he gave him. "We starve them for days on boiling rocks. That's the only way to beat the Fire Nation. To defeat my father. Mercy will only cost us lives."

Zuko noticed how many of his men were still looking at the scene, barking orders from his tent. "What're you all looking at? Get back to work!"

~000~

Iroh explained in a courtyard with Aang. "Fire is unlike any other element. Water is forgiving and calm. Air is soft and gentle. And earth is strong and firm. But fire grows, fire spreads, and fire is the element you create."

"I know. It's powered by the sun." Aang said. "Jeong Jeong told me that. But why're you training me? Shouldn't you be helping run the military with the other generals?"

"Zuko should not be teaching you this. As strong as he may have grown in the ways of firebending, he is not a master yet." Iroh said. "Now, fire grows from within you. In the hearts and breath of every firebender, is where the power of fire is drawn from. Your breath must be strong. The sun is always there, as is the fire within the bender in question."

Using his hands, Iroh breathed out and expelled a large circle of fire from around him. Aang noticed how cleanly he executed his technique.

"You have only witnessed fire in his destructive form. But while it is true how strongly fire may destroy, it may also create. Fire comes from the breath, not the muscles." Iroh said. "We will start with the very first firebending form. Mind of Peace."

Iroh executed a simple punch, a large fireball flowing out from it.

"Um." Aang said. "What do I do?"

"Watch." Iroh grunted quietly, raising a fist to swing it around into a downward block, summoning a small whip of flames to act as a temporary shield from an invisible strike.

Iroh began to move around, punching and blocking in repetitions, the whole time, creating very quick but effective flames about him.

"Now you try. Draw upon the energy in your breath, and create the fire with the simple movement of the strike."

Aang took a deep breath, moving forward and punching the air trying to focus and release fire.

A small but noticeable fireball appeared, and instantly Aang was surprised at the result. "I did it! I fire bent!"

Iroh shaking his head, walking forward and holding Aang's fist. "The strike must be strong. The structure of the movement requires your entire body to move when bending fire."

Iroh demonstrated quietly while explaining, walking to a nearby stone statue. "I may look old. But years of practicing my strikes resulted in proper technique."

Aang was surprised by how easily Iroh kicked the dragon piece off the rest of the pillar.

'I got it. Without firebending, the strike needs to be effective regardless.'

"Unlike any other element. You are creating it to bend it at your will. As such, you must be as structured as possible in its execution. Now, again, do the same movement."

Aang didn't realize how such a simple movement as walking forward a little and punching the air required every ounce of posture, timing, and body structure.

It must've taken hours before Iroh realized Aang had started to punch as effectively as he needed. The entire time, the early summer sun powered Aang's technique, but it also drained him of his energy.

Iroh saw Aang continue to punch for a bit until he was satisfied.

Catching the flames expelled from Aang's fist, Iroh dispelled Aang's strike easily. "Good. That was the technique I was looking for."

"Great." Aang wiped the sweat from his forehead. "So can we start on the next form?"

"What are you talking about?" Iroh said. "This is only the beginning of this form. Now come the blocks and moving in between the strikes."

"Can I at least get some water."

"Of course."

Iroh watched Aang drain his canteen of water while speaking. "I must say, you are still learning this quickly. For firebending, like any bending, to be as effective as possible, your mind must be clear. And you move with a clear mind without a doubt. More so than my nephew."

"What was wrong with Zuko's bending?"

"The better question is what wasn't? Until training properly with Jeong Jeong, he only used the strength of his muscles to bend. His structure and focus was unbalanced. Zuko only sought to learn firebending impatiently, always seeking to strike harder. Without regard for the proper discipline of learning to bend fire properly."

"I still have no clue how someone like him could be related to someone as patient as you." Aang said. "You seem to give the best advice and make the best tea."

Iroh chuckled. "The key to both is proper aging. Now, an important part of firebending is preparing your body. While the power of firebending does come from the breath, the strength of your body is also important."

"But it's so hot out. Why do we need to work so hard?"

"It's for that very reason that you must train in the hottest sun in living memory. Not for a hundred years will anyone see a summer this hot. Now, blocks. One by one, up and down the courtyard."

~000~

Zuko unrolled the report the army courier handed him. "Another week? What's taking so long?"

"The entire water tribe fleet has been harassed by enemy ships for their entire journey. Chief Hakoda wasn't expecting the Council to summon him so quickly." the messenger said.

Sighing, Zuko put the letter away. "I can see that. Tell General Tsao to send as many explosives as he can. The trenches need more of them."

"At once sir."

Sokka again approached. "Is my dad alright?"

"My father and Azula know what Ba Sing Se is trying to do. They'll do everything they can to stop us from getting help."

"I don't think it'll work. Even with their ships, waterbenders always have the advantage on open water."

Zuko frowned. "Sokka I'm sorry about what I did earlier."

"Oh you mean tying up that guy to starve to death under the hottest sun imaginable? No." Sokka said sarcastically. "That was totally fine."

"Well I couldn't do anything else alright?"

"If we're going to beat your sister, we have to be better than her."

Zuko scoffed. "By feeding an enemy spy and giving him a pat on the back? This is war in case you've forgotten!"

Katara walked up the steps to Zuko's tent to defend her brother. "Stop it. Don't blame Sokka for your decision."

"You both are under my command!" said Zuko. "My decisions are final! And if we're going to run this garrison together, you have to follow my lead."

"We're not in your army. We're not your soldiers." Katara said. "Why don't you respect either of our opinions?"

"Because you don't know Azula. You don't know the Fire Nation. You don't know how we plan to act!"

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "We? How, we plan to act?"

"I." Zuko realized his mistake. "Wait, I-"

"It's fine." Sokka put his arm over his sister's shoulder. "Let's go Katara."

Zuko watched the Water Tribe siblings walk off, grunting quietly in frustration.

Grabbing his ostrich horse, Zuko spoke to his second in command, a short man who was a regular in the Earth Kingdom Army. "I'm heading back to speak to my uncle. Don't let the men stop working until I return."

"Sir yes sir!"

~000~

"So you believe you reacted accordingly then?" Iroh sipped his tea quietly.

Zuko sighed. "It's like they don't even care that I know more about war than them. This entire city should be grateful for our help. Without us, Azula and Father would capture the city and win the war!"

"So you feel lost with Katara."

"I need their help to man the trenches." Zuko said. "And they don't trust me no matter what I do."

"Have you forgotten what you've done?" Iroh said, pouring Zuko some tea. "You've followed them around the world. And until recently it seemed you wouldn't stop following them."

"But I fought Azula. I saved the city with them. Isn't that medal enough?"

Iroh sighed. "Strength alone cannot change people's minds Zuko. You should know this better than anyone. I would have thought you'd have grown more patient with how far you've come."

"Then what am I missing uncle? What is it?"

"Quite a lot I'm afraid." said Iroh. "The first is that you didn't ask Sokka or Katara what they would've done with the spy."

"Why should I? The city trusted me to defend those parts of the trenches. They know how important it is that I face Azula head on. I have more right than anyone to command."

Iroh smiled as he sipped his tea. "See? You've only considered yourself in the decision. It is true, officially, General Tsao and the others have trusted you with the command. But they put both Katara and Sokka with you for a reason. You are all too young to make these decisions alone."

Zuko took a moment to sip his tea. "But if they're too young. And so am I. Then why trust us with so much?"

"Because only together should you make these decisions. You need to ask yourself Zuko if it is you who mistrust yourself with the command. Or them." said Iroh.

As wise as his advice seemed, Zuko sighed, wanting some fresh air. "Sorry uncle. Just give me a second to think about this."

Closing the door behind, Zuko leaned on the balcony from Iroh's house in the inner ring.

'I can't be that wrong. Can I?'

"How goes life outside the walls?" his sort of girlfriend asked.

"Jin?" Zuko was surprised to see her in the regular Earth Kingdom army uniform, sword tied to her side. "You're. Wait-"

"My whole family enlisted the moment everything about the Dai Li became known. Thought it was time to pitch in and help. Been trying to get myself transferred to the trenches with you."

Zuko almost gasped. "You? On the front lines with me?"

"Why not? Think I can't handle it? The water tribe girl, she's there too right?"

"It's not that it's. The men there. They need to respect me. They wouldn't if they saw, well. My girlfriend there."

"Strange." Jin walked up the steps to Iroh's balcony, leaning on the railing with him. "You seemed stressed. More so than usual."

"Why shouldn't I be? In a few weeks I go from having festival dates with you, to saving all of Ba Sing Se. To fighting this war."

"That's not what's bothering you Le- Zuko." Jin said.

Zuko needed a moment to collect his thoughts and answer appropriately. "I. I think I'm terrified. I'm going to be facing an army. My own father's army, my sister. All of them. And I have no idea why."

Jin placed a hand on his forearm. "Zuko. It's alright."

Zuko didn't push it away. "I don't know how I'm gonna run an entire platoon of soldiers from the same kingdom I was born to conquer. This all feels. I don't know. Hard for me to do."

"Then speak honestly." Jin said. "If you know you can do this, do so. If you have doubts, speak honestly." Jin kissed Zuko on the cheek, surprising him. "If you speak honestly. Nothing can go wrong."

"Honestly I'm scared." Zuko said. "I'm scared I'll fail. That Azula will breach the defenses and enter the city."

"So? You retreat. The city has defenses in place for losing the outer wall. That's what your uncle's for. For what we're for." Jin hugged him. "What I'm here for."

Zuko smiled. For the first time in days, Zuko felt like he could genuinely relax and be himself around someone who wasn't his own uncle.

Jin rubbed his shoulder. "I can talk to your uncle. That's what I'm here for actually. I want to fight with you on the front lines against your sister."

"Never thought I'd hear you say that." Zuko admitted. "But for a lot of reasons, you should stay with my uncle here in the city."

"I understand." Jin began to walk away. "But hey. I'm always here with the other troops. Bronze Platoon in the third barracks, General Fong's division."

Zuko nodded. "I hope you won't have to face battle. Not if I do my job."

"Don't worry about it." Jin rested a hand atop her sword while walking away.

Zuko went back in his uncle's house walking right past him towards his ostrich horse.

In the patio outside leading to the road to the station to take Zuko back towards the trenches, Zuko fixed his steed's mouth straps.

"Where are you going?" Iroh asked outside.

"Back to the front lines." Zuko said. "I have an apology to make."

Iroh cleared his throat. "I have a confession to make."

"What is it?"

"I put in a request to have Mai and Ty Lee freed to join the war effort. I won't take too long to get processed but-"

Zuko's eyes widened. "What!? Why would you do that?"

"They deserve a second chance. Just like we do."

"Yeah but I've been defending Ba Sing Se since I got here. I've been the Blue Spirit since last year! Mai and Ty Lee nearly let my father win! They helped Azula."

Iroh sighed. "They had every reason to follow her, as much as they'd follow you."

"Nonsense." scoffed Zuko. "Azula manipulated them. I would never ask for their help."

"You do need it. History is being made Zuko. The Four Nations are coming together to fight our family. We need to do it right."

Zuko mounted his ostrich horse. "I'm meeting the warden tonight. This won't happen."

"Or what?"

"Or I'm resigning my post as commander of the Southernmost Wall."

Before Zuko rode off, he turned hearing his uncle's words. "Zuko I meant it in all respects."

"Did you? Why didn't you ask me first?" asked Zuko. "Would my mother have wanted them freed?"

Iroh instantly said nothing.

Zuko noticed this quickly. "Would she?"

Iroh kept quiet, and Zuko flicked the reins. "Thought so." he muttered.

~000~

The warden of Ba Sing Se's main prison facility was a bearded old man.

An assistant hovered over his desk, helping him sign papers in ink as he worked late into the night.

Zuko practically kicked the door open.

"Where's the order to set my sister's friends free?"

The man cleared his throat. "Lieutenant Zuko! I wasn't expecting to see you this evening!"

"Where is it!?"

The man handed him a piece of parchment with Iroh's handwriting on it.

Zuko couldn't finish reading it. "So you'd set the most dangerous pair of girls in the city free? Why?"

"The Council of Five needs to approve a decision this important. I only carry out their orders."

"Then carry out this one." said Zuko. "I, Zuko, Lieutenant Commander of the Ba Sing Se's Southern Trenches and Earthworks. Order you to not release Mai and Ty Lee under any circumstance."

"At once sir." the warden bowed his head. Zuko turned to leave his office. "Um, where are you going?"

"To make something else clear."

~000~

"Why're you so grumpy all the time?"

Mai partially ignored Ty Lee's question while looking past the bars on her cell overlooking part of Ba Sing Se. "Hmph."

"I'm asking because you're even grumpier than usual."

"Why wouldn't I be? If I tell you will you shut up? Sharing a cell with you all day every day for the past three days is getting exhausting."

"But still, why?"

Mai groaned. "The city's praising Zuko like some sort of hero. For all we know he wanted to get back at Azula for poisoning his girlfriend."

"So you are jealous of them."

"Of course I'm jealous." Mai said as dry as ever. "But I'm angrier. Zuko's the reason we're stuck here. Stuck in this cell. Stuck in this city. And our only option is to help him defend it. I can't even believe he'd side with the Earth King instead of his own flesh and blood."

Before Ty Lee could say anything else Mai went on. "We're done for Ty Lee. Our only way to escape is if we take Iroh up on his offer. If we do and flee the city, Azula will probably imprison us anyway for taking a deal for freedom. One way or another, we're going to be jailed for the rest of our lives."

"But why not join the effort to defend the city?" suggested Ty Lee. "If we win-"

"Win?" Mai didn't even look back at her friend. "Zuko can't beat Azula in war. Zuko might know how to fight, but he's no strategist. This is going to be the hottest summer in years, Zuko's commanding water benders, earth benders, non benders." Mai said. "Against nothing but fire benders. Outnumbered, against a superior warrior. Our fate was sealed the moment Zuko set Azula on the run last week."

"But we-"

The sound of the lock on the cell door opening interrupted Ty Lee.

In Fire Nation battle robes wearing partial armor, Zuko walked into the cell.

"Well, wasn't expecting to see you here." Mai said.

Ty Lee smiled. "How're the front lines Zuko?"

"How do you know about that?" asked Zuko.

"Your uncle comes in every now and then. Brings sweets. Nicer guy than you." Mai refused to make eye contact with Zuko.

Zuko ignored this. "He wants to set you free."

"So we can man the defenses with you." Mai said dryly. "Yay. Do you really want to defend Ba Sing Se?"

"Of course I do." said Zuko. "I've done it in secret for months. It's only right I do it properly."

"Fighting a war for months isn't the same as running around with a ridiculous blue mask." Mai said. "You're a fool if you believe you can win this."

"Is that why you tried to kill Jin? Jealousy?"

"Why're you here Zuko?" Mai said. "The entire city needs you outside the walls. What're you here for?"

Zuko spoke honestly. "To let you both know that I want you to stay here. Azula almost handed Ba Sing Se over to my father. And she wouldn't have been able to do it without you two. There's no telling what you'd do."

"Fine by me." Mai said.

"Not me." Ty Lee said. "I trust your uncle. He wants what's best for everyone. Don't you know that?"

"You two really thought I'd trust you after the battle at the Palace? After almost killing Jin? After siding with Azula instead of me? You're both a disgrace for doing so."

Ty Lee gasped, tears welling up in her eyes.

Mai struck Zuko with a hard slap across the face.

The guards outside would've burst into the room to restrain her, but Zuko stopped them, holding the mark on his cheek.

"I." Zuko sighed, rubbing his face. "I might've said it the wrong way. But Azula is a monster. And she-"

"Is our friend." Mai now looked Zuko in the eyes. "You're infuriated we'd side with her instead of you. That you'd be our second choice. Well guess what Zuko? I'm not choosing you. I'm choosing your uncle."

"Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Mai said. "If you'd come in here and insult us out of anger, all it shows me is how right your uncle is for trusting us. You're even more insecure than I thought."

"At least I care about something. If it was up to you, you'd stay in this stupid cell all day doing nothing!"

"Iroh won't be happy when he finds out about this. He'll try even harder now to set us free."

Zuko snarled. "He might be ranked higher than me. But this isn't over."

Seeing Zuko leave their cell, Ty Lee spoke. "Is he really that angry?" the metal door clanked shut.

"Have you met him?" Mai flopped back on her cell bunk. "We could waste away in here just to satisfy his stupid pride. Prancing around with that stupid Earth Nation girl and that stupid water tribe girl, defending this stupid city."

"Sounds like you're jealous!" sang Ty Lee.

Mai proceeded to throw her pillow right into Ty Lee's face.

~000~

Sokka spoke quietly to the man standing guard outside Zuko's tent. "Where is he?"

"The commander just came back, he's by the western campfire."

"Thank you."

When Sokka found Zuko, he was passing flames in between his fingers.

Sokka was surprised. "Um. Am I seeing things?"

"No." Zuko wisped the flames away with his bending.

"Well you've been gone all day." Sokka shook his head, trying to ignore what he just saw. "Where were you?"

"Talking to my uncle. Jin, and then Mai."

Sokka crossed his arms. "So then you just sit here and brood about it?"

"Do you always have to question everything?" Zuko looked at the Water Tribesman calmly. "Do you ever stop making bad jokes either?"

"I will admit. You do a good job at selling this whole angry jerk thing." Sokka said.

Zuko sighed. "I'm sorry. Had a long day."

"That spy you chained up in front of the trenches. He won't last another day or two."

"No." Zuko said. "I might've made a mistake not trusting you."

"You think?" said Sokka. "What is your deal?"

"My deal?" Zuko rose up, making the large campfire grow as he approached Sokka, not fazing him at all. "I don't know how the Water Tribe deals with prisoners. Or even spies. But we don't sit down and take tea with them."

"He's going to die."

"Yes." Zuko said. "This is the way of war."

"He's one of your people. He's following orders. We're not in battle, he was captured."

Zuko shook his head. "I keep forgetting that. God. I'm sorry." Sokka watched as Zuko sat by the fire again. "It's been confusing having to be. Manning these defenses with you. Fighting a war. I'm just, I just don't want to feel like I'm losing control."

Sokka sat down next to him, listening to him.

"My uncle wants to set Mai and Ty Lee free from prison. The same people I've fought for years are coming to fight with me against my sister and my father. Hard to remember what normal felt like." Sokka watched Zuko turn to him. "I don't know if I can trust you because I don't know if I can trust myself. I've been trained in warfare since I could learn how to read. I'm sure completely differently from how you have been. Out of all of this craziness, the only person I have left to trust is my uncle."

"You can trust me." said Sokka. "I know we hardly know each other. But Katara and I just want to help you."

"Katara." Zuko scoffed. "She can barely talk to me."

"You've made it hard for her. One moment you say you're done with the Fire Nation the next you're yelling at us for the exact opposite. I get you're angry, I mean, all the time. But how often do you hear yourself talk?" asked Sokka.

Zuko shook his head slowly. "Not too often I'm afraid. After becoming the Blue Spirit, I thought it was my honor that I wanted. To defend Ba Sing Se how my mother would've."

"Your mother." Sokka said as the camp fire crackled.

"She told me stories about the Blue Spirit." Zuko said. "When I rescued Aang, when I defended the city at night. I panicked when I saw Aang again. I guess what I'm trying to say is that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I tried to kill you and capture Aang so many times. That I've been your enemy for so long. It just takes some getting used to to be your ally."

"You can say friend." Sokka chuckled. "I know we're not exactly there yet but you can say you're trying."

"Sokka I am sorry. No need to make a joke out of it."

"I wasn't entirely joking." admitted Sokka, surprising Zuko. "You're pretty much the only person I know my age who's you know. Male. With the whole world coming together to fight your father. We gotta put that all behind us."

"I understand that. I can agree with that actually."

Sokka smiled. "Then apology accepted."

Sokka patted Zuko's shoulder as he left. "I need to get some rest before tomorrow. It's been a long day, Commander." he said jokingly.

After Zuko heard Sokka depart from the campfire and leave towards his tent, he began to think quietly.

'He's probably not as bad as I'm thinking. I mean, the entire Southern Water tribe left him to defend it. Not that they had much of a choice but still.'

Zuko saw Katara was standing in front of him.

"So fire is your friend huh? If I didn't see it for myself I wouldn't believe something so absurd," asked Katara. "Is that why you almost burned down the entire cave with you when you fought your sister?"

"I thought I apologized for that."

Katara shook her head. "Well you didn't."

Zuko sighed. "It was my fault you and Aang almost died down there. Guess I have been a bit rude today. Just one person behind the other."

"So are you done with the Fire Nation or not?"

"Yes." said Zuko. "But I'm so used to commanding Fire Nation troops. So used to, I don't know. Being the only one giving orders. I forgot how hard it must be for you and Sokka to run this camp with me."

"It is." Katara said. "The spy. Are you going to let him die?"

Zuko looked at her. "What do you want to do with him?"

"Chain him up under some shade? Feed him something? Even a little?" asked Katara. "You've changed Zuko. But you're still frustrating to talk to sometimes. You make very careless decisions."

"I-" Zuko sighed again. "I want to win this war."

"So do I." Katara said. "But if we're going to, you have to trust my brother and I."

Zuko spoke freely. "We have a week until your father arrives along with the other Water Tribe. When he does, I'll give him the command."

Katara took a moment to register this. "That's really mature for you. But you'll have to go over it with him."

"What would your father say?"

"What would he say?" Katara sat down and laughed a little. "My dad would have no idea what would be happening if he saw you commanding the men in these trenches."

"To be honest I can't blame him." Zuko laughed a little.

Katara brushed her hair back. "Zuko do you. Do you honestly believe the three of us can run this entire platoon by ourselves?"

"No." Zuko said. "We're going to need your father's help."

"I'm glad to hear you say that." Katara said. "And for what it's worth. I'm glad you're on our side."

"Must be hard to trust me still."

Katara nodded. "It is. When you've lost what I have. You'd. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"It's fine." Zuko said. "Last night we talked about your mother."

"We talked about yours too." Katara said. "You said she's the reason you're fighting against your father in this war."

"Defeating my father will just be the beginning." said Zuko. "Finding her will be the real challenge."

"You're lucky. Yours might be alive." Katara said. "Mine wasn't."

"Who killed her?"

Katara looked at Zuko. "Who do you think?"

"Oh. You didn't have to-"

"I did. It was only fair. After hearing you mention her, I could only assume your father was responsible."

"Even my uncle doesn't really know what happened." Zuko said. "She just disappeared one day."

"So about your uncle. How come you two are so different, but still have been together for so long?"

Zuko sighed. "He was the only person he could trust to raise me after I was banished. That and I don't think there was anyone else willing to."

"When you were banished. Did you, did you trust him?"

"Of course I did. He was the only person left in the Fire Nation I could trust. My mother was gone. Zhao, Azula, everyone else relished the idea that I was banished. Even now after all these years, he's all that's left of my mother."

Katara noticed his tone. "But are you angry with him?"

"He wants to set Mai and Ty Lee free."

"What?"

"I know. If you can have trouble trusting me, those two trusted Azula with their lives. But that's not the real reason I'm angry with him."

Katara inched closer to Zuko. "What is it?"

"He knew my mother better than anyone. From what he told me, they were the only two people in the Fire Nation who saw my father for who he truly was. It wasn't until recently I understood what that meant."

Katara listened. "But whenever I bring her up. He says nothing. There's something he's not telling me about her. And I don't know what I have to do to get him to tell me what it is. I've stopped the pursuit to capture Aang. I've helped you and him save Ba Sing Se. I'm even still here fighting this war. I want to learn the truth about my mother. No matter how confused I get, it's always been clear to me."

Katara smiled. "That's very noble of you. It's very. Honorable."

Zuko tried to fight the urge to, but it actually made him laugh. Which made Katara laugh as well.

"I wasn't kidding."

"I know."

"Zuko, you deserve to learn the truth about your mother. But I don't think your uncle even knows all of it." admitted Katara. "I've only spoken to him a few times but. He seemed like he wouldn't keep anything hidden away like that."

"He knows me better than I do." Zuko said. "It's why I." Zuko nodded, knowing he could trust Katara with this. "I love him."

"And I thought you could never love anything."

"He trusted I'd make the right decision after seeing Aang. I um, I got sick. And he helped me through it. My sister never would've done so, and definitely not my father." said Zuko. "But he was there for me. To guide me, to heal me. I owe it to him to follow through on this path I've set out for myself."

"Where do you want it to end?"

Zuko considered Katara's question. "As impossible as it may seem. With my mother. Seeing my mother alive. I don't think I miss anything more than her."

"She'd be proud of your decision."

"I just hope I can ask her one day."

Katara stood up. "I do as well. It is pretty late."

"It is."

"Good night?"

Zuko nodded. "Good night."

After Katara walked away, Zuko waited for her to leave completely.

Zuko then decided to step into the campfire fully. He knew it couldn't damage him at all, but he was surprised the Gamer extended the same ability to his clothes.

Before Zuko went off to speak to the Mask again, he stepped out of the fire and approached one of the soldiers nearby who were still unable to see Zuko take a bath in flames.

"Put the spy in a tent. Give him some water, I'll speak with him in the morning."

The Earth Kingdom trooper bowed his head before he left. "Sir yes sir!"

Wanting to learn more about this power, Zuko opened his [Menu] and entered the Abyss.

~000~

"Let me get this straight." the Mask watched as Zuko leveled up his lightning bending quickly with help from the Gamer. "Your old girlfriend is jealous of you finding a new girlfriend. And your other girlfriend can't trust you because you chased her and her boyfriend around the entire world."

"None of them are my girlfriends." said Zuko. "Well. Not Katara at least. Mai and I haven't been together like that in years. Not even when we were little kids. And Ty Lee is, well, Ty Lee."

"Kid I've seen heroes of all sorts from one dimension to another. And not one of them has a love life as complex as yours. I mean you've got more girlfriends than you know what to do with."

"So? They all hate me for one reason or another. I lied to Jin, chased Aang, and Mai pretty much hates everything."

The Mask chuckled. "And you still talk about them nonstop."

"Can you teach me to use fire focus?"

"Damn you like to jump around a lot. I mean sure, I've mastered basically anything with the Gamer. The problem is you can still blast your Chi right out of your skull with it." said the Mask. "You have a long way to go before you can basically learn the strongest firebending skills ever created."

Zuko balled his fists. "I can handle it."

"Can you?"

The Mask made a long array of white cubes appear in the dungeon room, assembling them in long rows.

The Blue Spirit created a small bubble of energized fire within his palm, and when he jumped and ignited it, he turned the hundreds of cubes from within the room and turned them instantly into ash.

Zuko gulped. "I understand now."

"Kid I've maxed out all sorts of skills to get that proficient. The Gamer is strong enough to let you learn this stuff in about a couple of weeks, but you could kill a lot of people with this if you're not careful." the Mask said. "You're not ready."

"At least I'm not working in that stupid tea shop anymore."

The Mask laughed. "Yeah that was a bit ridiculous. Still, it's time kid."

"For what?"

"Charged Lightning Release. It paralyzes anything it comes into contact with for about an hour."

Zuko looked at him. "Sounds way too powerful to just paralyze someone."

"There are dozens of lightning skills you can learn. This is one you can use on that sister you go on about. The crazy one with all the lightning. So, you ready?"

Zuko nodded. "Yeah."

~000~

Hakoda and the other Water Tribe warriors bowed to their northern brethren as they boarded their ship.

"Thank you for coming." Hakoda said to Hahn and Arnook. "Chieftain."

"The honor is all mine." Arnook said as the waves lapped at their ships. "We need to move quickly. Several Fire Nation admirals have been alerted."

A bell was ringing, and a Water Tribe warrior spoke loudly. "Fire Nation ships spotted!"

Hakoda watched as a fireball barely missed his ship. Flames quickly spread onto the deck, the entire ship moving as quickly as possible with the fleet of Water Tribes ships to try to escape.

Azula watched from the deck of her own ship. She lowered her telescope giving calm orders.

"Continue to fire."

A nearby Admiral spoke. "But my lady, we're barely in range."

"Then get us closer. I want all crew members working double time! I want that fleet at the bottom of the sea before it reaches Ba Sing Se!"

~000~

~000~

Rewatching ATLA, Aaron Ehasz really did a good job. ATLA might be one of if not the best written series I've ever seen? Either way, yes, I agree with the comments.

The age difference between Zuko and Toph is negligible considering the world of Avatar.

However.

The harem is large enough as it is? Ty Lee, Katara, Mai, and Jin are more than enough in my opinion. That's four entire plotlines I have to resolve and develop in character with proper pacing. Adding a fifth or even a sixth person is making the harem way too large.

Still, I see the reason why it was suggested.

Out of all of the girls in ATLA I agree that Toph is the most likely to hate Zuko the least? Suki, Katara, Mai, and except for Ty Lee I guess, have really good reasons. But Toph joined the main cast when Zuko began to transition full time to being too busy dealing with Azula to capture Aang. So I will give you all in the comments that much for sure.

Moving along. Now before I forget, after playing Cyberpunk 2077 Keanu Reeves is a pretty good voice actor. And since the Mask, or the Blue Spirit does not have a voice, and Dragon Bone Z pointed out that writing the dialogue and imagining the voice actors saying the lines while writing/editing helps um…

I can't really attach a voice to the Mask, but if I had to I would go with Keanu Reeves. It doesn't really matter, but it's the voice I use when reading and writing the dialogue in my head. Another thing too, the voice actors as well as the writers of ATLA did do an amazing job.

Dante Basco and Jack DeSena are easily my favorites. As well as Azula's V/A, damn.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading!

(Also nearly 1k subs! Let's gooo! You guys rock thank you all so much!)