Chapter 30

A constant hum of chatter filled the air mixed with the occasional clink of a teacup hitting a platter. Unsurprisingly, the Dancing Dragon was filled with people even during the peak of the day when most people would be stuck at their jobs.

"Well, this is it, and I got to say, pretty swanky," Feng complimented as he stared at the emerald and golden decor, delicate-looking fixtures decorating the walls in a style that both complimented the more common Earth Kingdom aesthetic, but also stuck out as unique and eye-catching.

It was probably based on Fire Nation architecture, knowing just where Iroh and Zuko came from.

"The question is, how should we do this? Because while most people won't recognize you Azula, your Uncle and Brother might. If they do, they might do something...rash."

"Yes, that does sound like them," Azula agreed with a sigh, not bothered in the least by the comment on her former behavior. "Is there a way you could arrange for us to meet somewhere? You said you gave my Uncle the gold to get this place started. I'm sure that, if you asked, he would be agreeable to moving to a more isolated area."

"Maybe," Feng admitted, not agreeing to anything for the moment as he stared inside the windows, looking for a glimpse of the aged and rotund figure he remembered meeting all those months ago. "But that seems like a lot of work, so I have a better idea."

Removing his cloak, Feng swung the emerald garment around Azula's surprised shoulders, its size dwarfing her as she feebly grabbed onto the edges.

"What are you doing?"

"What, I thought you'd have heard of disguises before now," Feng smirked, reaching back and tugging the hood up, leaving Azula's face covered in shadow except for the occasional glimpse of golden light peeking through.

Azula glared at him, placing her hands on her hips as best as she could with the oversized garment that even now was dragging on the floor.

"Not my best work, I agree, but's serviceable. Now for the finishing touch," Feng murmured, starting up and down Azula's form as he gaged the length of the cloak against her height. Reaching into his money pouch, which was affixed to his size, he withdrew 10 gold coins that he handed to Toph, who had been standing at his size.

"Could you bend these into a belt? Right now, the cloak's too long which could make her trip, and I don't exactly want to cut it just for this meeting."

"Can do boss man," Toph grinned, going to work as she squished the gold coins together, deforming them from their circular structure to create a roundish blob of yellow material. Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai all watched in interest as Toph brought her hands together before drawing them apart, golden chain links following her motions until the blob had disappeared, leaving Toph standing with a fancy piece of bling.

"Right, where am I attaching it to?"

"Through my hand holds on the bottom, just give me a second to position things," Feng replied, grabbing onto the edges of the coat as he folded it up, making Azula squawk at the contact.

"Hey!"

"Just a second Azula," Feng muttered, not really concentrating on where he was placing his hands and for the first time, Azula was glad to be so covered up in the cloak, as it stopped the others from seeing her face. The reason was pretty clear, however, as to fold the cloak, Feng had to feel out the size of her waist and hips, rearranging the material of the cloth until both handles were close together just above her hips, the cloak now ending a little bit above her knees and looking quite fashionable.

Sure, it was more of a hooded cape now than a cloak, but in Feng's eyes, it looked quite pretty, emphasizing Azula's developing figure in a way that was both tasteful and alluring. Finishing off the ensemble, Toph looped her chain through the handles, fusing the other ends on the front of her waist to give the piece of clothing a splash of vibrant color.

"And done!" Feng grinned, standing back to stare at his work as he looked her up and down. "I think I can safely say that it will be hard to recognize you like this. Green and brown clothing, and a face that's mostly obscured. More than enough to allow me to get him talking."

"If you say so," Azula huffed, shifting her weight from side to side as she stared into the window's reflection, admitting to herself that for a last-minute ensemble, it was quite good.

"He does, so let's go," Mai said impatiently, marching forward toward the door of the tea house, a small bell ringing as she opened it.

Stepping inside, the noise of the patrons became even louder than before, the noise of conversation no longer a hushed whisper but more of a steady stream. No one was particularly loud, however, so it wasn't overwhelming.

Scanning the crowd and the few employees, nothing stood outs to Feng's eyes, causing him to shift his gaze lower.

"Can you sense either of them?"

"Give me a second," Toph nodded instead of an answer, closing her eyes as she shuffled her feet slightly, digging them into the polished floor as she focused on her surroundings. Feng waited patiently for her, as did Mai, Ty Lee, and Azula.

"Yeah, I think I got something," Toph replied after a moment, opening her eyes as she led them back out the door and into a small alley tucked away on the right of the store, her feet unerringly leading them towards the doorway of a courtyard attached to the shop's rear.

"In here," Toph gestured with her head, stepping up to the metal gate and holding her hand over it for a second before she drew it back, twisting the metal ring to let them in. As the door opened, she stepped back, leaving room for another to take point.

None of the Fire Nation girls wanted to, each of them looking elsewhere when Feng looked at them. So, with a sigh, he stepped forward, revealing a pleasant-looking courtyard filled with speckles of color. The main section of it, which took up most of the courtyard, was a bed of white rocks, currently arranged into a swirling pattern, but there were also a couple of pots filled with flowers and other tea leaves scattered around.

Sitting in the center of the rock garden, however, was a familiar form dressed in subdued green clothing, his hair longer than when Feng had last seen him but his facial scar no less obvious. Their entrance had evidently created enough noise to alert him, as his eyes snapped open to glare at them.

"Who are you?" Zuko demanded, a scowl crossing his face as he stood up from his seated position, his arms held in a ready position. "How did you get in here?"

Calmly, Feng raised his arms, showing that his palms were empty. "Calm down, Zuko, we mean you no harm."

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say as the instant the former prince's name left Feng's lips, a light flicked in his eyes that switched between panic and anger, finally settling on a furious expression as he charged forward, the conversation over.

"And of course we're doing this," Feng sighed, walking forward at a much slower pace than Zuko as he turned his head back to the girls. "One-second ladies, it won't be but a moment."

Not giving them a chance to respond, Feng refocused on Zuko, the boy now far closer as he held one arm back, undoubtedly ready to send forth a punch. Normally, Feng would be far more concerned about this, but he had an advantage that Zuko didn't.

Unlike Zuko, Feng could still bend without outing himself to the world, which was actually kind of funny now that he thought about it. In the past, he had done everything he could to avoid letting the knowledge of his Airbending get out, substituting it with skills in both war fans and unarmed combat. It was only recently that bending had become his go-to move

Zuko, on the other hand, was in the opposite boat, as a person who, for the most part, had always had access to his bending when necessary. The times he hadn't, when he had acted under the name of another, he had still had his swords.

Sure, he wasn't completely unskilled with just his fists, but compared to Feng? Well…

"Rarrgghh!" Zuko yelled, swinging his fist forward with the intent to harm Feng's jaw. By the time it got there, however, Feng had already ducked beneath, swirling around the blow as he came up beside Zuko, their faces almost touching.

Zuko blinked in surprise at the action, his eyes focusing on the scars as a hint of confusion filled him. Which wasn't helped when Feng blew him a kiss.

Realizing their positioning, Zuko, pulled his arm back, seeking to take Feng in the head with an elbow only to find Feng dodge under this blow again, fully moving behind Zuko this time and putting them back to back before he reached over and grabbed onto Zuko outstretched arm, swinging both it and the boy over his shoulder and sending him flying over the ground with a small boost from his bending.

"Gahh!" Zuko grunted as he touched down, rolling heavily over the stones before he pushed back up to his feet, skidding slightly while disturbing the pattern as he readied himself to go again.

Feng smirked as he readied himself for it, but someone else had different intentions.

"That is enough, nephew," Iroh's aged voice broke through the clearing, drawing attention to the doorway he had just exited with a bemused smile on his face as he took in the environment, his eye darting back and forth.

"If you would take a closer look, you may find that your enemy is not so much your enemy, but instead, a friend."

"Really Uncle?!" Zuko grunted, not changing his fighting posture at all., his eyes still locked onto Feng. "Now is not the time for some cryptic advice!"

"I was not being cryptic," Iroh chuckled, lifting his arm to point toward Feng, "For if you look closer, you may find the face of the one responsible for our current prosperity."

Zuko blinked as he lowered his fists slightly, his eyes narrowing to sharpen his gaze.

"How are you, my friend," Iroh said, ignoring his nephew's actions as he walked closer to Feng, stopping in front of him to bow. "It is good to see you."

"It is good to see you too, Iroh," Feng grinned, allowing himself to relax as the tension in the air diffused, returning Iroh's bow. "It seems like our time since we last met has been good to you," Feng's gaze lowered to his gut, which was now larger than it had been, "in more ways than one."

"Hah hah, yes!" Iroh agreed, patting his jiggling belly as he smiled genially. "Yes, it has. Come, come, let me treat you to a round of tea, on me. For you, and your friends."

The question in his voice was clear.

"Yeah, yeah, I get the point. From simplest to most complex, I'll start with Toph, who you both met on the boat. Toph, Iroh and Zuko, Iroh and Zuko, Toph."

"Nice to see you again Sparky, Old man," Toph waved, smiling as she got closer.

"And you as well, my young Master Earthbender," Iroh chuckled, his voice overpowering the annoyed grunt Zuko let out.

"Now, the other three might be a bit harder to explain, so before I explain who they are, I want you to promise me something."

"A mystery, eh?" Iroh grinned, "I've always liked mysteries. So long as they mean us no harm, I have no intentions of doing anything else but reciprocating said intention. Our time in Ba Sing Se has treated us well, and I have come to enjoy such peace, even if there were a few patches of excitement."

Iroh's eyes flashed as his gaze shifted toward the cloaked form of Azula, making Feng chuckle internally. Oh yeah, he knew. Not that it surprised Feng, as he had assumed that Iroh held all sorts of contacts and would know that Feng had taken her prisoner.

"Then it's a good thing Toph here has verified their intentions that no fighting shall take place today."

Zuko reached up to rob his shoulder, grimacing slightly.

"Well, no more than what already has," Feng continued without pause as he waved his hand at both Ty Lee and Mai, urging them to come forward. Mai did so with anxious steps, but Ty Lee acted without a care in the world, even cartwheeling once as she did.

"I'm sure they seem familiar, and that's because they are. On the left, tall, dark, and broody is Mai. On the left, short, sweet, and bubbly is Ty Lee. I have it on good authority that you have already met."

"Yes," Iroh chuckled his gaze shifting to the shocked expression on Zuko's face, "we have."

"M-Mai? Ty Lee?! What are the two of you doing here?!" Zuko half shouted, staring between the two of them in shock. "The last time I saw you the two of you were following my sister around, how could you possibly be here?!"

"Oh, you know," Ty Lee shrugged, a playful smile not leaving her face, "a bit of this, a bit of that, a failed invasion, a merciful imprisonment, and a handsome jailer who was willing to bend the rules a bit." Here she gestured toward Feng, who simply lifted his hand to acknowledge the compliment.

"That…that's insane!" Zuko shouted, his eyes wide open.

"Yes, it does sound insane when she explains it like that," Mai agreed softly. "But it's the truth, Zuko, I can promise you that, as…unlikely as it sounds."

"Yeah, and it's not like your story is any less hard to believe, mister 'I'm one of the Fire Nation's most wanted but here I am living it up in the middle ring of the Earth Kingdoms Capital city'." Ty Lee agreed before frowning, tilting her head as she tapped her chin.

"Probably going to have to shorten the name though, it's a bit long."

"That's…" Zuko raised a hand to interject but lowered it after a moment's pause as he was forced to acknowledge her point. "Alright, that's fair. But it still doesn't explain why you're here, or where my sister is for that matter. The two of you were never far from her side."

Mai and Ty Lee shared an awkward smile, one that Feng saw, so he decided to take pity on them.

"Yeah, funny story that, have you met my last friend here?"

Hearing the signal for what it was, Azula sighed as she paced forward, making sure not to make any sudden movements as she reached up to grasp onto the edges of her emerald hood. Taking a second to prepare herself, Azula lowered it under the shocked gaze of her brother, and the resignation of her uncle.

"Hello Uncle, Zuko…it's been a while."

Evidently, she didn't know what else to say. Shame that it didn't stop Zuko.

"Azula!" He snarled, flames already beginning to form around his hands before another grabbed hold of them, a blast of air blowing away the forming flames.

"Now, now, none of that. She came here peacefully, Zuko, you can make sure to return the favor," Feng tutted as he released his hold of Zuko, allowing him to shift a few paces closer to his uncle.

"And how can you be sure of that, huh?! She's always been crafty, she could just be tricking you!"

"Not this time I'm afraid," Feng denied. "More than a few things have happened since you last saw her, the most impactful of which I'm sure you can see the evidence for," He said, waving a hand at Azula's face as the girl in question blanched slightly before steadying herself, jutting her chin out definitely.

Iroh was the first to see as his mouth opened slightly, his words failing him as he stared in horror at the scars littering her face.

"Oh, oh my poor niece. Who did that to you? Was it…was it your Father?"

"What? My Father?" Zuko asked in confusion before he started closely at Azula as well, even taking another couple of steps closer to get a better look as a look of horror dawned on his face, the former prince reaching up to paw at his own scar without his conscious input.

"Not the Fire Lord, I'm afraid, and not just my face," Azula said bitterly, pushing up the sleeve on her left arm to show that it went all the way up. "No, this is an injury of my own making, one that happened when Feng here caused my lighting to backfire. Not that I blame him, I was trying to kill him at the time."

"Yeah, good times," Feng sighed in remembrance, seeking to break some of the tension. "But yes, as you can see, Azula here has had a number of revelations about both her place and the place of the Fire Nation in the world. Revelations that caused her to seek out an alternate worldview, one that would be able to shed some light on those manners."

"And who better than someone who has gone through something similar," Iroh finished with a sigh as he put it together, nodding slightly.

"Yes, but hey, at least we match now," Azula smiled bitterly, lowering her sleeve and covering her face up again with the hood, finding that she liked how it covered the evidence of her failure.

"Mm, maybe we should start a club, facial scars are us," Feng agreed with a nod, causing Zuko to narrow his eyes in anger as he focused his gaze on Feng's face, only letting go of it as he caught sight of the scars scattered around it.

That simply left him to groan as Ty Lee and Mai stood there awkwardly, waiting for someone else to say something. Luckily, someone did.

"How about we go get some tea, hmm? I find that it helps calm and relax me, and that is something I believe we all need right about now," Iroh commented as he clapped his hands together, drawing the courtyard's attention.

…

"I have taken the liberty of preparing everything a cup of Chamomile, but feel free not to drink it if you wish," Iroh smiled gently, the ceramic tea mug clinking as he laid it on the table amidst seven tea cups.

In a circle, he moved to pour tea into each of the cups, starting with Zuko who looked away but allowed it, Ty Lee who held out her cup eagerly, Mai who just gave a shake of her head making Iroh skip hers, Toph who nodded in thanks, Feng who frowned but decided to give it a try, and Azula, who was still looking distracted.

Finishing with his own cup, Iroh sat down and embraced it with his hands, inhaling it before giving the hot liquid a sip, a smile forming in satisfaction at the taste.

"There, now I believe we can talk."

That was all Zuko needed.

"What are you doing here Azula? Why did you want to talk to us?"

Taking a second to sip at her tea, fortifying herself, Azula glanced between both her brother and her uncle before signing, folding her hands in front of her.

"As you may or may not know, I was captured among all the other Fire Nation soldiers in the second failed assault this past year. While most of them were sent elsewhere, Ty lee, Mai, and I were kept in the Royal Palace, in an effort to get some information out of me."

Iroh nodded to show that he was listening, a calm smile urging her to continue.

"While they first tried using the Earth Kingdom Interrogators, they quickly learned I wouldn't be...cooperative."

Yes, Feng agreed. Cooperative was not a word that he would use to describe her. He didn't say it aloud, however, instead choosing to take a sip of the amber liquid in front of him, finding that it tasted oddly fruity. It wasn't bad.

"So, they changed their method, seeking to instead form a 'bond'," Azula mimed curling her fingers here, "with me, so that I may share the information freely. The one they chose to do this was Feng, who was the cause of my defeat three times, twice by himself and once as a distraction."

"You beat here three times?!" Zuko shouted, his eyes widening in shock as he stared at Feng. "But…how!? She was always the best bender wherever she went!"

Azula smiled slightly at the compliment, even if it wasn't meant as one.

"Unfortunately, Brother, that isn't even remotely true, as I have been forced to see. As it is, I'm only the third, maybe fourth best sitting at this table."

"I'm assuming the maybe is me?" Feng asked, earning a distracted nod from the girl as Zuko found himself reassessing his sister. Never before had she been so…willing to admit weakness. "And Iroh is the best and Toph second?"

"Mmhmm," Azula nodded, taking a sip of her tea, not seeing the assessing look Iroh was giving her behind his own.

"Going back to what I was saying earlier, they felt that even if it was a negative connection, it was still one that could be leveraged, pushed into me giving up what I know. So far, it hasn't worked, but" she trailed off as she glanced at the man to her right, "they weren't entirely wrong."

Silence dawned at the table for a moment, the only sound to be heard was the clinking of teacups and a faint murmur of sound coming from the shop proper. Each of the occupants waited quietly, waiting for someone else to break the quiet.

Which Feng did.

"Yeah, it seems to be," he joked, earning a laugh from Ty Lee and Iroh, "but there is one thing that you may not be aware of Azula. Yes, we are trying to get some information out of you, primarily about the Fire Nation royalty, but not for the reason you may think."

"Feng," Toph warned, caution in her voice as she flicked her head to the Fire Nation people sitting at the table. "Are you sure you should be sharing that? It may get back to the Fire Lord."

Feng hummed as he considered her words, staring at the rest. He very well may be making a mistake here in trusting them, but even if the Fire Lord did learn of what he was going to say, it really wouldn't matter much.

He was sure that the musterings of the soldiers would have already been noticed by the Fire Nation, there were too many people involved to not be caught out by their spy network, so that wasn't a secret. Ozai wasn't an idiot either, so he was probably aware that they were waiting for the eclipse to make their move and would thus be preparing for it.

"At this point Toph…he likely already knows."

As she considered his words, Toph found herself grimacing, nodding with his assessment as she sat back, giving him permission to speak as the others looked on with curiosity.

"As to what I was saying, the information we are trying to get out of you Azula isn't for the war effort at all. It's to prepare for what comes after."

"After?" Azula blinked, frowning in confusion as did Ty Lee, Mai, and Zuko.

"Yes, after, because as it is…in less than a month, the combined forces of the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes will be assaulting the Fire Nation Capital directly, with the intention of either ending it then, or crippling the Fire Nation forces enough that we can easily sweep them away."

Multiple pairs opened wide in surprise, shocked at the news of such an invasion. Never before had the Fire Nation been on the defensive side of an invasion like that, as it had always been them doing the invasion.

Iroh however, was not surprised, simply closing his eyes as he drained the rest of his tea, setting it down with a heavy 'thunk' before he opened them, his eyes no longer pleasant and jolly, but instead filled with steely determination.

"I assume you are planning on using the widow of opportunity the eclipse will give you?"

"Yeah," Feng agreed, tilting his head. "You know about it too?"

"All of the generals do, at least any who have served in the past 10 years."

"I'm sorry," Zuko interjected, fed up with being strung around as he gritted his teeth in annoyance, "but eclipse? Do one of you feel like explaining that?"

His tone made it clear that it wasn't a request, causing Iroh and Feng to exchange an amused glance. Feng nodded, indicating that he would explain.

Still, deciding to have a little bit of fun with it, Feng sipped slowly at his cup, making a loud slurping noise that continued for almost 30 seconds as he drained his cup, the teen letting out a sigh of contentment as he placed it on the table under the twitching brows of both Zuko and Azula.

"Well?!"

"The eclipse that we are referring to, Zuko, is the cause of a historical event called the Darkest Day in Fire Nation history, and it is something Toph and I learned with the rest of our team when we visited the library of Wan Shi Tong. An eclipse is a rare celestial event that occurs when the moon moves in front of the sun, blocking its light in the form of an eclipse."

"That, okay, that's simple enough," Zuko admitted, "but that doesn't explain why it's important enough that you're staging an entire invasion off of it."

"But it does, my Nephew," Iroh chimed in, lacing his hands together. "Because during a Solar eclipse, just as Waterbenders couldn't bend during the lunar eclipse at the North Pole, Firebenders can't bend fire during a Solar eclipse. As bending is the backbone of our Military, such an event cripples our strength, leaving them vulnerable to attack."

"It cuts off our Firebending?!" Both Azula and Zuko shouted in surprise, causing them to stare at each other for a second before righting their gazes.

"It does," Iroh confirmed.

"So that's why you're attacking." Mai mused, breaking her silence. "I had wondered."

"Well wonder no more," Feng chuckled, stretching his arms up as he relieved the tension in his muscles. "The only problem is, while we seek to take out the Fire Lord, some kind of governing body needs to be left to ensure that all the civilians that live on your islands can still live comfortably. And we can only do that if we know who is loyal to the current ideals of the Fire Nation, and who will accept a change in their ways that is more appropriate for us."

Azula's eyes widened slightly in surprise, shocked at the thought of such societal change in the Fire Nation before she thought about it for a second. With how things currently were, it was the only way they'd be able to survive as a country, with how they were universally hated as a country.

For good reason, but it did leave them in a dilemma.

"Well…if you want to oust all the loyalists, that makes sense," Azula said, causing Feng and Toph to look at her, "and I may be able to help with that, even if I feel my Uncle knows better than me despite being away from the courts for years now," Iroh smiled mysteriously, "but you're still left with the problem of who exactly is going to lead them."

"Yes," Mai agreed, "as it can't be just anyone. It needs to be someone who the people will obey, otherwise, the various nobles might seek to start a rebellion to return to the old ways, and then we'd just be back to where we started."

"As tyrants," Azula muttered, clenching her cup tightly as she stared down into it, seeking her reflection in the liquid. She didn't see the way Iro stared at her due to the statement.

"Yeah, that is a bit of a problem," Feng agreed, "which is one of the reasons we're here, aside from letting you talk to them, Azula. The Fire Nation needs a leader, one for the people to rally behind. Right now, I was kind of hoping that you would do that Iroh, as even now you hold a lot of weight as the Dragon of the West."

Iroh blinked as the spotlight was put upon him, the man grimacing at the suggestion. "Yes, I can…see why you would suggest that, and I can't deny that my influence still holds weight among the Fire Nation people."

"But I'm sensing a but here," Feng replied.

"Yes," Iroh sighed, lowering his head as he rubbed his forehead. "I'm going to be completely honest here, Feng. The thought of becoming Fire Lord like I had assumed I would when I was younger, does not bring me joy. No…it gives me fear. I am old Feng, and in my life, I have done many a thing that I regret."

He looked up from his hunched-over position, staring at Feng with tired eyes that emphasized his age. "I have been responsible for the deaths of a great many people, both on the battlefield…and off of it. In my search for glory…I got my precious sun, Lu Ten, killed along with so many other sons and daughters of the Fire Nation. Since then, the only thing that had given me joy in life has been accompanying Zuko on his own journey, teaching him what I can to make sure he does not make the same mistakes I once did."

Zuko both looked happy and sad at the old man's words, his facial features shifting between the two.

"But here, in Ba Sing Se? I have finally fulfilled a long-since thought-impossible dream of mine. Owning my own Tea Store. Three of them in fact, with likely at least a few more to come. For the first time since the death of my son…I have felt truly happy, unburdened by the weight of the world. So as much as it pains me to say this, Master Feng, I will have to decline. An old man such as myself is not the one who should lead my country of birth into a new era, one detached from the current one of death and tyranny. No," Iroh's gaze shifted toward both Zuko and, after a second of hesitation, Azula "that is a job for the young."

Azula's mouth gaped in surprise at the offered respect Iroh had just given her, far from expecting something like that from him soon. It was the same level of respect she had received from her father at most, and to have that from someone who should have hated her, it was hard for her to comprehend.

"Uncle…are you sure?" Zuko asked in concern, earning a nod from Iroh.

"I am sure, my nephew, just as I am sure that Feng and his friends will pull through in actually pulling the Fire Nation out of my brother's hands. I have faith."

"And I thank you for that faith," Feng replied, nodding in respect. "We will win, Iroh, I can promise you that. It's just a matter of how long it will take and how many people will get caught up in the crossfire. I won't lie, I don't have any lost love for the Fire Nation, they killed my parents when they learned of my ability to bend air. But in my travels, if I have learned one thing, it is that there are no winners in this war, no victors to the conflict. There are only the losers and the bigger losers. Everyone losses people during such a conflict. Everyone."

Azula looked down at her hands, ashamed of her past actions for contributing to such bloodshed. It had been far more enjoyable when it hadn't been affecting her, but her scar? That allowed her to understand, a least a little bit.

"So, if I can, I'll help in the peaceful passing on of the Fire Nation's leadership, to either of you, Zuko, Azula, but as it is, I don't believe either of you are suitable for the role."

Azula leaned back as if stuck, shock and a little pain present on her face. Zuko was similarly offended, even if Toph had to hide a smile behind a hand.

"What do you mean, not suitable? It's what we've both been raised for!"

"Yes, and the one doing the raising was Ozai, who I think we can all agree we don't want any of you to be like. Azula, for as much progress as you've made these past few days, you're not the most…caring, of people. Smart, skilled, strong, yes, but not overly caring. Zuko, on the other hand, while you're not as smart or strong, you possess a more chivalrous heart, one that cares about the lives of others."

"What? No I don't!" Zuko refuted, making Mai and Azula smile, while Ty Lee chuckled.

"Yes, you do, or do I need to bring up a certain incident with the turtle ducks?"

Zuko flushed in embarrassment as he rounded on Azula, glaring at him heavily.

"Azula," he snarled, fire flickering out of his nostrils as Azula looked on in amusement.

"What? We were talking about things, and it was a safe topic to bring up that didn't involve Fire Nation secrets. I hadn't exactly changed my opinion at the time."

"Yes, and I greatly enjoyed hearing it, but I know of a far more recent event that proves your character, don't I mister Blue spirit." Feng chuckled.

Azula's amusement shattered as she coughed slightly, having been in the midst of taking a sip of her tea, making her splutter as she tried to regain her equilibrium.

"What?!"

Mai and Ty Lee were equally as shocked, kind of like when they had found out about Feng's identity.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Zuko replied awkwardly, trying to play off the way his eyes had widened in shock at the statement.

"I can come back with Aang later if you want to be stubborn, but that's not important right now. What is important is that as kind as you are, the more viper-like members of the Fire Nations' upper nobility would dance circles around you, and you would be less likely to make some of the hard decisions that are sometimes required of such a position."

Zuko still looked annoyed, but he grudgingly folded his arms as he nodded, silently accepting the point.

"Azula, on the other hand," Feng continued, ignoring the way she perked up at her mention, "while more than able to navigate the perils of the courts, wouldn't be able to win over the public like Zuko would, not in a way that wouldn't imitate her father."

"That that's it then?" Azula said, sounding frustrated. "Were stuck?"

"Nope, because the two of you aren't considering a simple fact," Feng grinned, waggling his finger, "while neither of you is an acceptable ruler by your lonesome, together, I think you could be just what the country needs to turn around, to return to the days of the Fire Nation of old."

To their credit, neither of them rejected the suggestion outright, instead looking toward each other as they considered the proposition.

"…Together?" Azula voiced hesitantly, making Feng nod.

"Yep, together. Don't you know, teamwork makes the dream work? How that kind of thing would work out though would require an in-depth conversation between the two of you and Iroh I believe, but I believe it could work, and we have roughly four hours before we need to leave, Azula, so you may want to get started."

She still looked unsure, but grudgingly nodded after a moment's pause.

"Okay," Azula sighed, knowing that he was right as she turned to Zuko. "Alright, where should we begin?"

"Umm," Zuko looked like he didn't know what to say, so Iroh pipped in with a helpful suggestion.

"How about we move to the root of your problems with each other, hmm? If you want to work together, you're going to need to be able to get along."

"That…" Azula looked hesitant for a second, looking first towards Mai and Ty Lee and then Feng for support, receiving three separate nods all as encouraging as the other. "Okay," she sighed, lifting her cup up only to find it empty.

"I don't suppose I could get another cup of tea? As you might expect, this is going to take a while."

"Why of course my niece," Iroh chuckled genially, hopping to his feet. "It's always nice to introduce another to the way of tea. Zuko is still stubbornly holding out on me, but I know I'm wearing him down."

"No you're not," Zuko muttered quietly, looking away from the group as they chuckled, seeing his act for what it was. He had accepted the tea just like most of the rest of them had, and his cup was just as empty as theirs. At this point, it was more out of pride that he didn't admit his liking of the drink, but it didn't stop him from consuming it.

"I think I'll join you," Feng decided, standing up as well. "I'd like to see how you make it."

"Of course, my young friend. I would be happy to."

While Feng wasn't there for all of it, the concertation between the three members of the Royal family was quite fruitful, and something that was repeated at least once a week during the leadup to the invasion.

AN: And that's another chapter, one that I'm quite pleased with. More importantly, however, it is the last chapter before the invasion, where let's just say...there is going to be a lot of action. Peace.