Author's Note: I'm really sorry about the delay in my writing. Life is...complicated and busy. I promise the story isn't dying though. I've still got plenty planned out. There just will likely be large gaps between chapters off and on. Hopefully not on a continuous basis.

Direct Replies-

Luna Lillyth-Happy Zuko is Best Zuko in my personal opinion.

Mr. Haziq-No, no field trip needed, yet. I kind of figured that Iroh could help walk him through the problem for now.

From that night on Iroh and Zuko took time each night for Iroh to teach his son about the Order of the White Lotus. Some of what was being taught Zuko already knew, or had guessed, but some of it was new. Thankfully, when Zuko set his mind on something he put his whole being into it. So it didn't take long for him to memorize the various greetings and passcodes as well as other methods to recognize members of the order. Iroh also taught him the names and locations of various order members, watching with pride as Zuko set them to memory as well. Iroh also decided to teach his son a specific bending katana that he knew would help Zuko learn more about his own fire someday. He wasn't surprised to see that Zuko took to learning the Dancing Dragon with the same fervor that he used to learn Order business.

It was like a new purpose had been lit within Zuko's soul and the young man was taking to it like a fish to water. This new attitude even seemed to branch into the less private parts of his life. Zuko had never been rude to any customers, nor had he disliked working in their shop, but now Zuko met their patrons with bright smiles and easy laughter. It truly warmed Iroh's heart to see. His son was finally grasping fully at his new life with both hands and Iroh couldn't be happier. He knew he had young Toph to thank for a lot of it and he planned to make sure she knew how grateful he was for her, he just had to figure out how to do so without her getting grumpy. Young folk could be so prickly sometimes.

Unsurprisingly, Toph had been practically giddy to find out that Zuko had his bending back and had practically dragged them both back to their training area as soon as she knew. Iroh was surprised that she hadn't teased Zuko on what he now used to draw his bending out. The young earthbender could be quite the wisecrack most of the time, but all she told him was to remember that she could protect herself too. Which was not something either of the local firebenders would dare to argue against. Despite what her parents thought Toph was far from helpless. And she proceeded to prove this fact again and again as the two young, rebellious noble children practiced again and again. It took Toph about a week to get confident in her ability to judge where Zuko's flames were going to go based on his various movements and a good deal longer than that for Zuko to be comfortable not holding back most of his ability when they sparred. Eventually, though the two of them got into a good rhythm. Even Iroh sparred against her a couple of times, wanting to make sure she could still get a good judge on things when it was a firebender other than Zuko she was facing. He made absolutely certain to teach her the feeling of a firebender getting ready to cast lightning, just to be safe. If that gave her a clue to who the two of them actually were she didn't say anything about it.

Naturally, with how their lives tended to go, shortly after they started truly getting comfortable in their new lives the world shifted on its end for them again. It was one of the few times that Zuko didn't go to watch Toph destroy the competition at the Earth Rumble. Instead, he and his father met with a couple of Order members who were passing through town that day, passing on things they had learned and learned what news there was to learn. They weren't an active part of the war, but they were becoming a point where information could be gathered and passed on. They had no idea that things were going wrong until the next night.

Farther into town a familiar flying bison was lifting off the ground with a new member on his back, grinning to herself at the thought of being free of her oppressive family. As she felt the bison shift and the wind wash against her face she shifted to turn her head towards the sound of the others up there with her.

"Hey, mind if we stop by and say goodbye to my friends before we leave?" she asked. She really didn't want to just leave without letting them know. The last thing she wanted was for Lee to panic and go all vigilante to try and find her again.

"Sure!" Twinkle Toes chirped happily "Where are they?"

"They live in a small tea shop near the North edge of town," she replied "It's called the Jasmine Dragon. The building is made entirely out of stone and it has a stone dragon carved over the door. Mushi tells me the dragon is green if that helps."

"Mushi is your friend?" Aang asked as she felt the wind shift some, assumably because they were turning.

"Yeah," Toph agreed with a shrug "Him and his son Lee. They're pretty great."

"Are they earthbenders too?" Sweetness asked curiously and Toph couldn't help but laugh. If only they knew.

"No," she replied "Nothing of the sort. They're just friends."

"I'm sure they're great," Twinkle Toes noted with the bright and chipper tone that seemed to be his default. They fell quiet for a while as they traveled, something Toph was honestly rather grateful for. Being completely off the ground like this was somewhat unnerving. It was several minutes later that Sweetness spoke up again

"I think I see it." There was the sound of the others shifting around to, assumedly, look where the waterbender was indicating before the air shifted again. Were they going down?

"I think you're right," Twinkle Toes spoke up happily "I'll land us just outside." Ok, so definitely going down. A short while later the bison jerked and came to a stop, assumedly on the ground. Toph couldn't help but grin. She couldn't wait to feel Lee and Mushi's reactions to the fact she was going to be teaching The Avatar earthbending. She just hoped Lee wouldn't be too upset about her leaving for a while. It wasn't like it was going to be forever. She was still grinning as she carefully climbed her way down off the bison to the ground.

Zuko and his father were sharing a quiet cup of tea with cakes while they waited for Toph to show up. They planned to eat before making their way out of town to practice again. Toph was running late, but not late enough to cause concern. That is, not until there was a loud thud outside their shop. One that made the tea in their cups to splash out some. The two firebenders exchanged wary looks before they both got up from the table. Zuko carefully made his way over to get his swords that were hanging on the wall, as if decoration and Iroh carefully made his way over to peer carefully out their window.

"Oh my," Iroh's voice wasn't surprised, but not alarmed, so Zuko relaxed some, but still gathered his swords and made his way over to look out the window as well. What he saw had him freezing and staring in shock. The Avatar was here. With his friends. And Toph. Toph who appeared to have just climbed down off the flying bison. Toph who...looked a little wobbly? Concern flared in Zuko's chest. He didn't think The Avatar would have any reason to hurt Toph, and Toph wasn't one to act a complacent prisoner, so it wasn't likely that this group had hurt her, but something was definitely off with her movement. He barely hesitated before attaching his swords to his back and striding out the door. Somehow dealing with The Avatar didn't seem as bad as it had back at the Northern Water Tribe. It was somewhat amusing to watch all three of their faces falter in shock as he came into view.

"Zuko?!" The Avatar cried in shock, causing Toph to slow and turn her head back towards the young airbender curiously. Zuko ignored the others for now as he made his way over to Toph with a frown.

"You're hurt," it was a statement. He knew better than to ask her if she was hurt when it was obvious she was "What happened?" The younger girl huffed and turned her head back towards him.

"Snoozles here dropped my champion belt on my head," she told him, jerking her hand back towards the group still on the bison. Zuko scowled at that, his eyes shooting up to the three travelers, noting how their expressions told him everything he needed to know. They all still looked shocked to see him, but Sokka now had a strange mix of embarrassment and wary fear on his face as well. Zuko fixed the other boy with one of his fiercest glares for several long moments and was pleased to see the Water Tribe warrior swallow nervously.

"Zuko huh?" Toph spoke up, cutting in before he could scold Sokka. Zuko huffed a sigh and looked back at his friend.

"Yeah," he conceded. It seemed silly to deny it now. "How about we all go inside and talk for a bit. I imagine you want an explanation and I want to know why you're with this bunch. Father is still inside."

"Your father is here?!" The Avatar squawked, clearly alarmed. Zuko blinked in surprise before frowning at the now wary group on the bison.

"Not my biological father," he told them shortly, earning him a raised eyebrow from Toph. Zuko groaned and ran a hand down his face. "Can we please go inside to talk? Your bison can wait out here or go rest somewhere out of town."

"Sounds good to me," Toph agreed easily, beginning to make her way inside without waiting for the others to agree. Zuko couldn't help but shake his head in resigned amusement at her behavior before he glanced up at the others. They exchanged looks but seemed to decide that it was alright and began climbing down from the bison as well (Well, The Avatar jumped down).

"Go wait for us outside of town boy," the young monk instructed his animal companion with a pat on the large head "I'll call you when we're ready to leave." The bison made a sound that Zuko couldn't only assume was an agreement before it took to the sky. Once he was sure they were all coming in Zuko turned and began making his way in as well. It made him slightly uneasy to have them at his back, but he was able to remind himself that they weren't his enemies and press down his unease as he got to the door and held it open for the others (Toph was already inside, lounging in her usual chair).

"Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon," Zuko told them in a wry imitation of his usual greeting for guests as they made their way inside. He couldn't help but be amused by how the three of them looked around the shop with clear interest once they were inside. Father, who had clearly decided they needed a fresh pot of tea (and probably a different kind, knowing him) made his way out of the kitchen, a tray with a teapot and extra cups in hand.

"Welcome Avatar Aang, Katara, Sokka," his father greeted them warmly "It is good to see you are all well."

"You too General Iroh sir," Aang replied with a grin. Zuko almost groaned as Toph's head snapped around to face the young Avatar in shock before she turned it towards her two friends.

"General Iroh?" she repeated "Like the Dragon of the West, brother of the Firelord? That General Iroh?"

"The one and the same I'm afraid," Iroh replied with a small sigh as he placed the tray on the table "Though I hardly use those titles these days." Zuko could almost see the gears churning in Toph's head as she processed this. She would figure the rest out, of that he was certain. She was far from stupid. So he was hardly surprised when she turned her attention to him.

"You said he wasn't your biological father," she repeated his earlier comment, mostly looking for confirmation.

"That is correct," Zuko sighed "Biologically he is my uncle, my father's brother." She didn't look surprised at this, so she had clearly already guessed who he was.

"So you're Zuko. As in Prince Zuko." She didn't seem angry at least, mostly a bit surprised and rather amused. But Zuko couldn't help but grimace.

"Yeah. Technically. I'm not sure you can still call me a prince though. Since I'm kind of working against the Firelord." That caught the attention of the majority of the room, but his father cut in before they could be bombarded with questions.

"Perhaps we should all sit down and have a cup of tea while we swap stories?" the older man suggested easily "I'm sure we all have quite a few things to share." Zuko couldn't even pretend to be surprised when the whole group agreed to the suggestion and moved to sit around the table. He could practically feel the curiosity flowing out of the three young travelers and Toph was clearly curious about some things as well. It didn't take him long to be seated between Toph and his father as the other three took seats across from them at the table. Tea and cakes were passed out to each person. Zuko hid a sigh by raising his cup to his lips and taking a small sip. This was going to be a long night.

He had no idea how right he was.