Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA or any of it's characters. The only thing I own is my OC.

The Six Rules:

Rule Number One: Alec won't warn the Gaang about things in advance or solve their problems for them, with a few rare exceptions.

Rule Number Two: Only Alec has the right to tell people his true origins, and he will mostly limit this to group members. He will tell new group members his secret as soon as they join the Gaang.

Rule Number Three: There are some changes Alec wants to make, and he will use his knowledge of the future to make those changes.

Rule Number Four: Sometimes, to make a change, Alec will act in a way that doesn't make sense. If that's necessary, he'll tell the Gaang "I need you to absolutely trust me." After he says that, the Gaang has to either do whatever he asks or leave him to do what he needs to do.

Rule Number Five: After a change happens, Alec will tell the Gaang what happened in the original story, in the interest of transparency.

Rule Number Six: If a major change happens that Alec doesn't expect, the Gaang will have a meeting ASAP. In this meeting, Alec will break Rule One and tell them all relevant information that will help them figure out how to respond to the change.

Chapter 30:

Tears

Alec POV

As soon as I closed the door, Mai turned to me and raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you're not Aang's firebending teacher." She said.

I shook my head. "I've only had firebending for less than a year." I replied. "Besides, I have other reasons for bringing these people into the group." I started walking. "We need to get to the monorail and head to the Lower Ring."

Ty Lee took my hand, and we started walking off. Luckily, the station was less than a mile from our house. We ended up on an almost-empty train, and we had an entire cart to ourselves. Mai and Toph sat across from Ty Lee and me. I noticed that both Mai and Ty Lee were wearing new outfits. Mai was wearing a dark green dress with a high collar and long, billowing sleeves. I could see her wrist launchers printing against the fabric. Ty Lee was wearing something very similar to her Fire Nation outfit, exposed midriff and all, except it was a light green, while the collar and the skirt she wore over her pants were dark green. I looked at Ty Lee. "I'm surprised that you found an outfit that much like yours in the wardrobes."

She laughed. "I didn't." She admitted. "I took two outfits, borrowed Katara's scissors, needle and thread, and fixed them into this." She explained. "I learned to sew and mend my own clothes in the circus."

I nodded. "Impressive. At least now I'm the one sticking out." I said, looking down at my sleeveless blue shirt and dark pants.

Toph raised an eyebrow. "Enough fashion chit-chat." She said. "Who are we looking for, and why do you need us three?" She asked. "It's okay to talk, we're alone."

I nodded. "Mai and Ty Lee are familiar faces to help put the people we're trying to find at ease." I said. "And you're the one who's going to help me find them." I explained. "What's the maximum range you can recognize someone by their footsteps?"

Toph frowned. "I can see pretty far, but the Lower Ring is way too big for me to see everything in there at once." She said. "A good idea would be to go to a station, have me feel around to see if they're nearby, and if not, move on to the next station." She suggested.

I nodded. "Sounds like a good idea." I agreed. "Hopefully this won't take all day, but it might."

Toph crossed her arms over her chest. "Of course, I need to know who we're trying to find, first." She pointed out.

I smirked. "Old Man and Sparky." I replied.

Toph's face lit up. "They're here?!" She asked excitedly.

I smiled. "Yeah."

"Awesome!" Toph cheered.

Ty Lee gave me a confused look. Mai narrowed her eyes. "Who are Old Man and Sparky?" Mai inquired.

I looked her in the eyes and smirked. "Iroh and Zuko." I answered.

Ty Lee gasped. I noticed a light dusting of red cover Mai's stunned cheeks. Toph smirked. "Interesting." She mused. She turned to Mai. "Your heart rate just spiked, Knives. I wonder what that's about?"

Mai turned even redder and glared at Toph. "Shut up." She hissed. She turned back to me. "You mean to tell me that the Dragon of the West is in Ba Sing Se?" She said with disbelief. "How?"

"He's part of a secret club." I explained. "He has connections all over the world."

Ty Lee looked concerned. "Wasn't Zuko hunting you?" She asked. "How can you convince him to join you?"

"I know things that, if he knew them, he'd stop working against us, if not join us outright." I replied seriously.

"Wait." Toph suddenly realized something. "If you were going to recruit them, why didn't you just do it when Iroh got hurt by Azula?" She asked.

"Because we wouldn't have gotten into Ba Sing Se." I answered. "Iroh and Zuko got in here using forged passports and fake names. General Sung was reluctant to let Mai and Ty Lee in. I can't imagine he would have let the Dragon of the West and the banished Crown Prince into the city."

The train slowed to a stop. "Anything?" I asked Toph.

She stomped her foot and waited a few seconds. Then she smiled. "Found them!" She announced.


We got off the train. "Where are they?" I asked.

Toph pointed in one direction. "Sparky's a few miles that way in an apartment." She pointed in the opposite direction. "Old Man's walking that way." She reported.

Interesting. This must be a day off for them, or something. "Let's go after Old Man first." I said, making sure to use the nicknames when people could overhear us. "Sparky's got a temper, but if Old Man's with us, he won't attack."

Everyone nodded. "Alright." Toph said. "Follow the blind girl!"

Toph led us through a series of streets. We made sure to stay close together, to deter muggers. Not that we couldn't handle them, but a fight would attract unwanted attention. Toph raised her hand, making us stop in the middle of an alley. "He's right around the corner." She said.

I poked my head around the corner, and saw a market street full of people. I saw Iroh in front of a stall, wearing a green robe and a straw hat. What was he doing here? I saw him browsing the stall's wares, and finally selecting his purchase. My eyes widened.

He bought a picnic basket.

Oh spirits, that day was today!

I walked back into the alley. "Slight change of plans." I said to everyone. "He's doing something important today, so we'll follow at a distance, for now."

Mai shrugged. Ty Lee nodded. Toph seemed a little disappointed, but she didn't object. I heard a child crying in the street. Then I heard the twang of a pipa. Then I heard Iroh sing.

"Leaves from the vine, falling so slow. Like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the foam. Little soldier boy, come marching home. Brave soldier boy, comes marching home."

My eyes were already wet. I rubbed my eyes with my forearm. Ty Lee came over and put a gentle hand on my arm. "What is it?" She asked softly.

I shook my head. "You'll find out." I replied.


We followed Iroh until about mid-afternoon. We had to struggle not to lose him after he ran from the irate homeowner when the kids broke his window, and I had to stop everyone from intervening when Toph sensed a mugger approaching Iroh with a knife, but we remained hidden from him. Then, after Iroh had some tea with the most pathetic mugger I've ever seen in my life, he made his way to the Inner Wall, heading for the Agrarian Zone.

"Where's he going now?" Toph wondered.

I swallowed. "To where his son fell." I said.

I saw a flash of sadness cross Mai's normally stoic face. Ty Lee tightened her grip on my hand. "What happened?" Toph asked quietly.

"His son, Lu Ten, died during the Siege of Ba Sing Se." I replied. "Today would be Lu Ten's birthday."

"Is that why the Siege just stopped all of a sudden?" Toph asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah." I said simply.

We followed Iroh out of the Inner Wall, but kept back far enough that he didn't notice us. Iroh walked for maybe a mile, then he stopped under a particular tree. His back was facing us, and we slowly got closer.

Iroh set the picnic basket down and opened it. He removed a blanket from it and set it down under the tree. He took out a few pieces of fruit and set them on the blanket. He pulled out what looked like a drawing and set it in front of himself. Finally, he took two incense sticks and lit them with firebending by pinching them.

"Happy birthday, my son." He said in a voice so quiet we could barely hear it. "If only I could have helped you."

He started to sing again, but this time, instead of sounding comforting, the song was mournful and heart-wrenching. His voice was breaking due to his grief. "Leaves from the vine, falling so slow. Like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the foam. Little soldier boy, come marching home. Brave soldier boy, comes marching home."

I lost it. I was crying silently. Ty Lee gripped my arm tightly, tears running down her face. I even saw a single tear run down Mai's cheek. Toph didn't cry, but I could see that she was right on the edge. I managed to dry my eyes and calm down.

After several minutes, Iroh began packing up his basket. When he was finished, he slowly stood up. He turned around and saw us. His eyes widened briefly, before he smiled kindly at us. "Well, this is certainly a surprise." He said warmly. His eyes were red from crying, but he seemed happy to see us. "Alec and young Toph. It's good to see you again!" He greeted. He noticed the Fire Nation defectors. "Mai? Ty Lee? Is that you?" He asked with mild disbelief.

Mai nodded, as did Ty Lee. "I'm surprised to see you with the Avatar's friends." He mused.

"We defected." Mai said simply. "We learned the truth about some things, and we couldn't fight for Fire Lord Ozai anymore."

Ty Lee smiled. "It was the best decision we ever made." She said happily, lacing her fingers together with mine.

Iroh noticed the contact and gave me a knowing look. "Is she your soulmate?" He asked.

I smiled at him. "The ostrich horse decided to drink." I replied.

Mai and Toph each turned to me and raised an eyebrow. Ty Lee and Iroh laughed at our little private joke. When we stopped laughing, I looked Iroh in the eye. "Iroh, last time we met, I promised I would tell you how I know the things I know when we met again." I said. "I'm here to make good on that promise. We need to get Zuko and bring him to our house in the Upper Ring."

Iroh nodded. "I see." He said. "Is the Avatar with you?" He asked.

"He's in the house, yes." I said. "So are Sokka, Katara and Suki. She's another friend of ours. Before we go, though, I have a question I need you to answer honestly." I said seriously.

Iroh nodded. "Very well. What is your question?" He inquired.

I looked him in the eye. "Have you read Rules and Customs of Agni Kai by Fire Lord Yosor?" I asked quietly.

Iroh shook his head. "No, I have not. I never felt a need to read it. I always preferred to resolve my disputes with words, rather than violence, even when I was a general."

I wanted to believe him, but I had to make sure. I turned to our lie-detector. "Toph?" I asked.

She nodded. "He's telling the truth. He hasn't read it."

That was a relief. If he had read it, I would've had a serious bone to pick with him regarding certain choices he made. "Out of curiosity, who would have read it, and know it by heart?" I asked.

Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I'm certain Ozai has. The Fire Sages are required to read it, because they usually serve as referees for formal Agni Kai. Most other people haven't read it, because they trust the Fire Sages to make sure everybody follows the rules."

I nodded. I was starting to get a clearer picture in my head about what happened. "Okay." I said. "We need to get Zuko and head to the house."

Iroh raised an eyebrow. "How do you plan to convince my nephew to meet with the Avatar on peaceful terms?" He inquired.

"What do you think Mai's here for?" I snarked.

If looks could kill, I would've been sharing space in the ground with Lu Ten.


Iroh led us to an apartment complex in the lower ring. It was pretty dilapidated. I'd been in some bad apartments in my life, but these were extremely small, and on the verge of falling apart. Iroh led us to his unit and knocked on the door before we entered.

There, sitting at a table, facing away from us, was Zuko. His hair had grown out a little, and he was wearing Earth Kingdom clothes, but it was definitely him. Iroh cleared his throat. "Nephew, we have guests." He said softly.

Zuko looked over his shoulder, and jumped out of his seat when he saw us. Interestingly, he didn't get in a stance or try to attack. He seemed on edge, but not aggressive. "What are you doing here?" He asked. Again, he seemed worried, not angry. What was up with him?

Toph smirked. "Is that any way to greet an old friend, Sparky?" She teased.

Zuko's attention shifted to Mai. His eyes widened. "Mai?" He asked, as if he couldn't believe he was seeing her.

Mai stepped forward. Her eyes focused on the scar. She hadn't seen it before. I could see a little wetness in her eyes. "Zuko." She greeted awkwardly. "It's been a long time."

He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "It has." He said. "You're with the Avatar's friends?" He asked, clearly surprised.

Mai nodded. "Ty Lee and I joined them two days ago." She said.

Zuko's eyes widened again. He suddenly noticed the acrobat. "Ty Lee?"

She smiled brightly and waved with her free hand. "Hi!" She said happily.

Zuko noticed her holding hands with me. His eyes bugged out again. "When did that happen?" He asked.

Ty Lee shrugged. "Last night." She replied.

Zuko blinked. "Okay." He turned to me. "Look, I just want to be left alone." He said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I've given up hunting the Avatar, and I'm trying to find my own path. What do you want?"

That was a surprise. "Wait." I said, narrowing my eyes. "You don't want to hunt Aang anymore?" I asked for clarification.

He nodded. "After you all helped us and healed Uncle, I asked what would happen if we successfully captured you." He shuddered. "I couldn't let those things happen to you after you helped us. So I decided to find my own path in the world." He narrowed his eyes at me. "What do you want?"

"I want you to come with us and hear me out." I replied. "We have a house in the Upper Ring. Aang and the others are there."

Zuko gave me a flat look. "Why should I come with you?"

I returned his stare. "Because I know why your mother disappeared, and I want to help you find her." I said seriously.

Iroh, Mai and Ty Lee turned to me. Iroh gave me a shocked look. Mai's eyebrows disappeared into her bangs. Ty Lee looked hopeful. Toph didn't react. Zuko gasped, but then he narrowed his eyes. "Is this a trap?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I'm not going to lie to you to lead you into a trap." I denied. "I'm not Azula."

Zuko looked thoughtful for a few seconds, but then I saw something in his eyes that I'd never seen there before: hope. He nodded. "Okay." He said. "I'll hear you out."


A short train ride and a short walk got us back to the house right at sunset. Before we entered, I turned to Iroh and Zuko. "I should warn you." I said seriously. "I told the others I'd be bringing guests, but I didn't tell them you were the guests."

Zuko raised his only remaining eyebrow. "Why didn't you tell them?" He asked.

I smirked. "Because the looks on their faces will be priceless." I admitted shamelessly.

Toph snorted. Iroh shook his head. Ty Lee laughed. Zuko looked shocked. Mai pinched the bridge of her nose. "Don't encourage him." She told Ty Lee.

Ty Lee smiled. "What? It's funny!" She replied.

I opened the door and saw the others in the sitting room. "Hey, we're back!" I announced.

They all stood up and turned towards us, trying to see who our guests were. Ty Lee, Mai and Toph filed in first. Then Zuko and Iroh followed after them. The others stood there, frozen. There was a quiet tension in the room.

Zuko waved one of his hands. "Uh, hello." He greeted awkwardly. "Zuko here."

I fell to the ground laughing, as did Ty Lee. I didn't think I'd get a chance to hear that memetic line. This was priceless! The others reacted, too. Sokka drew his boomerang. Katara prepped a water whip. Suki took a fighting stance. Aang, however, didn't move. He didn't seem surprised by Zuko's presence, either. Interesting.

I finally got my laughter under control and stood up. "Stand down." I said to the others.

Katara gave me a glare. "Are you insane?!" She exclaimed.

"I know what I'm doing." I said calmly.

Katara lowered her stance, but turned her glare on Zuko. He took a step back. "You stay here." She ordered. She turned her glare back to me. "Everyone else, dining room. Now."

I turned to Zuko and Iroh. "Please wait for us." I said. "I'll vouch for you."

Iroh bowed. Zuko just stood there, wondering what the fuck was going on.


The rest of the Gaang entered the dining room. Katara shut the door and then rounded on me. "What are you thinking?!" She hissed.

"I told you, I know what I'm doing." I said calmly.

She shook her head. "We can't trust him." She said quietly. "He chased us all over the world!"

"So did Ty Lee and I." Mai pointed out.

That brought Katara's rant to a stop. "Katara." Ty Lee said in a soothing voice. "Mai and I have known Zuko since we were kids. He's a good person." She insisted.

Sokka decided to offer his opinion. He looked at me. "Of all the people to teach Aang firebending, you went with those two?" He asked, dumbstruck.

I returned his gaze. "Zuko was his teacher in the original story." I replied. I glanced at the airbender. "Besides, Aang doesn't seem that surprised."

Everyone turned to Aang. He shifted on his feet uneasily. "I'm not." He admitted. "I just had this gut feeling. Somehow I knew it would be him."

I had a strong suspicion this 'gut feeling' of his was named Avatar Roku. Katara shook her head. "How do we know he won't betray us and turn us over to the Fire Nation?" She asked.

"Because he told us that he's not hunting us anymore, and he wasn't lying." Toph said.

That came as a surprise to the others. "What? Really?" Suki asked.

Toph nodded. "Yeah, apparently after Sugar Queen patched up Old Man, Sparky felt guilty about hunting us, and what would happen to us if we got caught." She explained.

Katara turned to me. "Alec." She said seriously. "Are you sure about this?"

I nodded. "Trust me." I said firmly. "He seems really angry and gruff, but he was just going through a lot of stuff in his life." I smirked. "Deep down, he's just an awkward turtle duck."

Toph and Ty Lee snickered. Mai even cracked a small smile. Katara gave me a confused look. "But why bring him here, now?" She asked.

I looked her in the eye. "Because my third task from Lady Ài is to help him find his mother." I answered.

Eyes widened around the group. "Why would a spirit care about that?" Suki asked.

I shrugged. "Spirits have weird priorities." I said. "Listen, do you guys agree to give him a chance?" I asked.

Toph, Mai, Ty Lee and Aang nodded immediately. Sokka and Katara nodded a few seconds later. Suki was the last holdout, but she eventually nodded too.

"Alright." I said. "Let's go back to the sitting room." I swallowed. "And bring some handkerchiefs. This isn't gonna be pretty." I said grimly.


We left the dining room and sat down in the sitting room. Ty Lee and I sat on one of the sofas, holding hands. Toph sat on my left, propping her feet up on a side table. Sokka and Suki sat in the loveseat to my left, like yesterday. Aang and Katara took the chairs they sat in yesterday as well. Iroh and Zuko sat on the sofa across from me. Mai sat next to Zuko.

Zuko looked awkwardly around the group. He noticed Suki giving him a death glare. "Um, have we met?" He asked her.

Suki's glare intensified. "Yeah, you kind of burned down my village." She said angrily.

Zuko's eyes widened. "Oh." He realized. "I'm sorry about that." He said awkwardly. "Nice to see you again." He added.

Suki blinked. "See?" I said with a smirk. "Awkward turtle duck."

Toph and Ty Lee snickered. Iroh smiled. Zuko gave me a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing important." I said dismissively. "Anyway, I brought you here to tell you what happened to your mom. But, in order to do that, I'll need to tell you how I know the things I know."

Iroh looked interested. Zuko looked puzzled. The rest of the Gaang looked at me with surprise on their faces. "Alec, are you sure?" Katara asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I am." I looked at Iroh. "First, I have to apologize. I told you I was from the colonies when we met, and I told you that I learned my information from eavesdropping on drunken soldiers. I lied." I admitted.

Zuko narrowed his eyes. Iroh, by contrast, nodded. "I suspected as much." He said. "So, where are you really from?"

I took a deep breath. "I'm not from this world." I said.

Zuko raised his eyebrow. Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Interesting." He said. "Are you, perhaps, from the Spirit World?"

I cracked up. Ty Lee, Toph, Suki, Katara and Aang laughed too. Mai even smirked. Sokka groaned, utterly defeated. I turned to him. "So, what is this now? Four for four?" I asked teasingly.

Zuko looked completely lost. Iroh looked amused. "I take it people make that assumption often?" He asked.

"Literally. Every. Time." I confirmed. I calmed down my laughter. "To answer your question, I'm not from the Spirit World. I'm from a world beyond that. Lady Ài, the Love Spirit, brought me to this world to do four tasks for her. One of those tasks is to help Zuko find his missing mother."

Iroh stroked his beard again. Zuko looked incredulous. Iroh gave me a questioning look. "Why would Lady Ài send someone from another world to do tasks for her?" He inquired.

I turned to Ty Lee and she smiled at me. "One reason was because my soulmate was in this world." I said softly. I turned back to the exiled royals with a serious face. "But the other reason is that in my world, this world exists in a story. A story I'm very fond of. I know a lot of things about your past, and a potential future as well."

Zuko gave me a look that screamed 'you've gotta be kidding'. Iroh raised an eyebrow. "I assume you can prove this?" He prompted.

I nodded. "I have a piece of knowledge I know about each of you." I began before turning to Iroh. "But I have to whisper yours to you, because the others can't know about it yet." I finished.

Iroh nodded. "Very well." He agreed.

I turned to Zuko. "First of all, apple. Firebending. Fountain. Wet clothes. Girls are crazy." I smirked. "Sound familiar?"

Zuko and Mai blushed. Ty Lee giggled. Everyone else seemed curious. "Someday, I'll find out what that story is." Toph muttered.

"You won't hear it from me." I countered. "Mai would turn me into a pincushion if I told you." I turned to Iroh. "Can we move a few steps away from the sitting room?" I asked.

He nodded and rose to his feet. I did as well. We walked over to the front door. The space between it and the sitting room provided enough privacy to whisper. I leaned forward and cupped my hand by his ear. "The dragons are alive." I whispered. "You lied to protect Ran and Shaw from the Fire Nation."

Iroh's eyes widened briefly, then he gave me a nod. "You're telling the truth." He said with the slightest hint of amazement.

"You guys done gossiping like old ladies?" Toph asked loudly.

I rolled my eyes. "We're on our way, Shrimp. Keep it together." I replied.

Iroh and I returned to our seats. I turned to Zuko, who was staring at me with amazement. "So, do you believe me now?" I asked him.

He nodded with wide eyes. Then a flash of realization crossed his face. "If you're telling the truth, then where is my mother?" He asked harshly.

I rubbed the back of my head. "Well, you see, apparently when Lady Ài pulled me over to this world, there was a slight ripple in time." I replied sheepishly. "I know everything about your mom up to and including her disappearance, but the ripple changed what happened to her afterwards. I know she's alive, but I don't know where she is." I admitted.

"WHAT?!" Zuko stood up and screamed, preparing to throw a fireball.

Before anybody could react, Ty Lee shot up from her seat and jabbed Zuko so fast that her hands were a blur. Zuko fell down to the floor in an awkward heap. He was still conscious, but completely limp. Ty Lee leaned over him with a fierce glare on her face. "Nobody. Attacks. My. Boyfriend." She growled.

Mai's eyes darted between Zuko and Ty Lee. It seemed as though one part of her pitied Zuko, and the other part was impressed with Ty Lee. Iroh shook his head, probably disappointed that Zuko didn't think before he acted. Suki looked at Ty Lee and nodded, clearly impressed. Sokka looked like he was trying not to laugh. Aang had a look of complete shock on his face. Katara smiled. Toph let out a low whistle. "Looks like Kitten has claws." She mused.

As for me, I was impressed, a little intimidated, and more than a little turned on. Ty Lee blinked, almost as if she didn't believe what happened. She blushed and sat back down next to me. I took her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. She looked me in the eye. I smiled comfortingly to her and she relaxed.

"Uncle!" Zuko complained from the floor. "Why didn't you help me?" He asked indignantly.

Iroh shook his head. "You brought that upon yourself, Nephew." He replied simply.

"Listen Zuko." I said to the prince. He craned his neck, the only part of his body he could move, to look at me. "I don't know exactly where Ursa is, but I swear to you, I'll scour the Earth to find her. I have a few ideas of how we can start looking, but it'll take time." I said in as kind a voice I could muster. "In the meantime, I'll tell you what I know about her life, including how and why she disappeared. You deserve to know that."

"Before you do that." Zuko replied. "Could someone move me up to the couch?" He asked. "This is a really awkward angle."

Mai dragged Zuko onto the sofa in a sitting position.


I took a deep breath and began my story. "Ursa was born in a small village called Hira'a. She was an herbalist, but her real passion was acting. When she was nineteen, she and her best friend, Ikem, got cast in the lead roles of Love amongst the Dragons."

Zuko smiled wistfully. "She loved that play."

I nodded and continued. "The same day that she and Ikem got the roles, Ikem and Ursa confessed how much they cared for each other. Ikem proposed, and Ursa said yes."

Mai frowned. "Then how did she end up marrying Ozai?" She asked.

I looked down sadly for a minute before I continued. "The same day Ikem proposed, Ursa went home that night to find a guest in her family's house." I said grimly. "Fire Lord Azulon was there, along with his second son, Prince Ozai. Azulon proposed that Ursa marry Ozai. Ursa agreed, and boarded a carriage to Royal Caldera City to marry Ozai."

Zuko looked confused. "Why did my mother agree if she'd just accepted another proposal that day?" He asked.

I shook my head. "She didn't have a choice." I replied sadly. "Azulon didn't make explicit threats, but Ursa knew that if she said no, her family would be imprisoned or executed. She couldn't say no."

Katara and Sokka frowned. "That sounds like the Northern Water Tribe." Katara growled.

I turned to her. "Actually, it's worse." I said. "I asked Poduk and Yue about the marriage laws up there. While the girl can't say no, the guy and both sets of parents have to agree, and the Chief can't force a set of parents to accept a proposal, even if it involves the Chief's kid." I turned to Ty Lee, curious. "Does the Fire Nation normally have arranged marriages?" I inquired.

She swallowed. "The commoners don't, but the nobles sometimes do." She replied, disgusted with what Ursa had to go through. "Fire Nation law says that if the parents want to arrange a marriage, both sets of parents, the guy, and the girl have to agree." She said. She looked at Zuko sadly. "But it sounds like Azulon and Ozai didn't care about that."

"That's not the only law Ozai chose to ignore." I thought to myself.

Suki narrowed her eyes and turned her gaze to Iroh. "Tell me you didn't do that." She said lowly. "Tell me you didn't force some woman to marry you against her will."

Iroh shook his head vehemently. "My wife, Amaya, and I loved each other very much." He replied. "I spent years courting her in my youth before I asked her family for permission to marry her."

Toph nodded. "He's telling the truth." She announced.

Suki's gaze softened. "Sorry." She apologized. "I just wanted to be sure."

Iroh nodded. "I would ask that same question in your position."

Toph frowned. "I just thought of something. Ursa wasn't a noble, so why did Ozai want her?" She asked. She turned to Zuko. "No offense, but it seems weird for a prince to marry a commoner."

"Azulon wanted her to marry Ozai because of who her grandfather was." I replied. "Apparently, the Fire Sages told him that a royal descendent of Ursa's grandfather would bring great power to Azulon's lineage."

Aang turned to me. "Who was her grandfather?" He inquired curiously.

I shared a look with Iroh. He gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. "That's not important right now." I said. "Let's just say he was a very powerful firebender."

I decided to continue the story. "Anyway, Ikem tried to stop the carriage. Ursa, desperate to save the man she loved, told Ikem that marrying Ozai was what she truly wanted, and told him to go home. She broke his heart to keep him safe." I said softly.

I heard Ty Lee give a small sniffle beside me. I laced my fingers together with her. Iroh looked sad. Zuko looked shaken. Mai had a tight grip on the arm of the sofa. Suki and Sokka shook their heads sadly. Aang looked down at the floor. The water glass on Katara's side table turned wet with condensation.

"It gets worse." I said warningly. "During the wedding, Ozai told Ursa to make sure to say goodbye to her parents, because she could never see them again after that day."

Zuko's head shot up, surprised. Iroh narrowed his eyes. "He did what?" He growled.

"He said that because Ursa was now a princess, she had to sever all ties to her past and devote all attention to her duties. He told her not to mention Hira'a or her old life ever again." I clenched my free hand into a tight fist. "His exact words were 'You belong to the royal family now, and to me'."

Ty Lee gasped. Mai's eyes narrowed into slits. I saw the glass of water on Katara's side table freeze. Aang gripped the arm of his chair so tightly that I heard the wood creak. Toph growled beside me. Zuko looked horrified, and confused. Iroh looked furious.

"Ozai was lying." Iroh said in a voice so cold I almost forgot he was a firebender. "Any member of the royal family, even spouses, are allowed to invite whomever they please to the palace. I frequently had Amaya's mother, Churi, over for tea, and I enjoyed playing Pai Sho with her father, Yasam." He said, his anger slightly tempered by the pleasant memories. "I continued to do so even after Amaya died giving birth to Lu Ten." His fury returned. "Why would Ozai do this?"

I narrowed my eyes. "I don't know for sure, but I have a theory." I said grimly. "In abusive relationships, one thing the abuser often does to their victim is cut them off from their friends and family, in order to prevent them from leaving." Everyone was horrified. "I'd certainly call Ozai abusive." I said.

Sokka shuddered, but he turned to Zuko. "I can't imagine that he was a good father, if he treated your mom like that." He said softly.

Zuko didn't respond. He just looked at the floor. I nodded. "Ozai's the worst father in this world that I know of." I confirmed. "One night, at the dinner table, Ozai criticized Zuko for falling behind Azula in firebending. He told Zuko that when he was born, they weren't sure if Zuko was a firebender, and that he planned to cast him out of the palace, rather than deal with the 'embarrassment' of having a nonbender as a firstborn." Gasps rang out from multiple people. I kept talking. "Ozai said the only reason that he didn't was because the Fire Sages and Ursa begged him to give Zuko a chance. He said Azula was born lucky…"

"And I was lucky to be born." Zuko said quietly, not looking up from the floor. Mai took his hand in hers, and he looked at her gratefully. Iroh shook his head, angry and sad. Aang looked at Zuko with watery eyes. Katara looked at Zuko with pity. Suki looked furious and sad. Sokka stared at the floor. Toph tensed up beside me, like she was trying to hold it together. Ty Lee sniffled again.

"Ursa lived in the palace for years. The only bright spots in her life were her children, and her brother-in-law Iroh." I looked at Iroh. "You were nice to her, which helped make her life there tolerable." Iroh nodded.

Katara frowned and turned to me. "Both her children?" She asked. "Even Azula?"

I nodded. "Yes, she loved them both, even though Azula was…difficult." I said diplomatically. "Ursa tried to send letters to her family and Ikem in secret, but no response ever came. She suspected the letters were being intercepted. So, she decided to test that theory."

Zuko looked at me. "What did she do?" He whispered.

"She wrote in a letter that Ikem was your father, not Ozai." I said. Zuko's eyes widened, but I held up my free hand in a placating gesture. "It's not true. Ozai is your father. Ursa was just trying to bait him." I explained. Zuko calmed down. "It worked. A little too well, unfortunately." I said sadly.

"What happened?" Zuko whispered.

"Ozai confronted Ursa, and accused her of treason, even though he knew the letter was a lie. Ursa yelled at him that even though he was your father, she wished he wasn't." I shook my head. "That was the wrong thing to say. Ozai told Ursa that he'd 'honor' her wish, by treating you as if you weren't his son."

Mai tightened her grip around Zuko's hand. Iroh's eyes flashed with fury. Ty Lee moved closer to me for comfort. Toph snarled. Aang and Katara had horrified looks on their faces. Sokka and Suki's faces contorted with anger. I had to keep talking. "After that, Ursa had to spend almost every moment watching over Zuko, to make sure Ozai didn't hurt him. Because her mom was now spending all her time with her brother, Azula thought that Ursa didn't love her, and instead tried to win Ozai's praise and affection." I shook my head sadly. "But Ozai doesn't love anyone, and the only way to impress him is to become just like him. Ozai began molding Azula into 'Daddy's Little Monster'."

Zuko looked me in the eye. "Why did Mom disappear?" He asked.

I took a deep breath. "Five years ago, Iroh abandoned the Siege of Ba Sing Se after Lu Ten died in battle." I said. Iroh looked down sadly. "The day that news of Lu Ten's death reached the palace, Ozai met with Azulon and asked to be named heir to the throne."

Iroh looked at me and narrowed his eyes. "Did he now?" He asked. "Interesting, I was under the impression that my father came up with the idea on his own."

"It wasn't Azulon's idea." I replied, shaking my head. "In fact, when Ozai suggested it, Azulon was furious. He told Ozai that Iroh had suffered enough, but his punishment had scarcely begun."

The familiar words made Zuko's eyes widen. "You don't mean…" He whispered.

I nodded grimly. "Azulon said that Ozai must know the pain of losing a firstborn son…by sacrificing his own." I said quietly.

Everyone but Zuko looked at me in shock. "He ordered Ozai to kill Zuko?" Ty Lee whispered.

I nodded. "And Ozai was going to do it. His only regret was that he wouldn't get the throne out of it."

Sokka gave me a questioning look. "Then how is Zuko…well, you know…" He trailed off.

"Azula overheard the meeting and taunted Zuko that Ozai was going to kill him." I said. "Ursa happened to overhear Azula, dragged her away, and made her confess what she'd overheard. Ursa then confronted Ozai and proposed a plan."

Iroh narrowed his eyes. I could see him putting the pieces together. "What was the plan?" He asked.

"Ursa was an herbalist, so she knew how to make an odorless, colorless, traceless poison. She agreed to give Ozai a vial of it, as long as he didn't hurt Zuko." I explained. "Ozai agreed, on the condition that Ursa leave the capital forever. Ursa asked if she could take Zuko and Azula with her, but Ozai said that if she ran away with them, he would hunt down and kill all three of them." I narrowed my eyes in fury. "He promised no harm would come to either Zuko or Azula." Iroh, Mai and Ty Lee tensed angrily. Zuko looked down. They knew that promise was a load of shit.

Everyone was stunned, and silent. "Ursa made the poison and gave it to Ozai. She went into Azula's room and kissed her sleeping daughter on the cheek, then she went into Zuko's room. She told him that everything she did was to keep him safe, that she loved him, and to always remember who he was, no matter how things changed. Then she snuck out of the capital. I don't know where she went." I took a breath. "The next morning, Azulon's body was found, and it looked like he just died in his sleep. He had his freshly-written will conveniently next to his body, stating that his final wish was to name Ozai the Fire Lord upon his death."

Toph shook her head. "That is fucked up." She whispered. "That is so fucked up."

Katara looked at Zuko with kind and sad eyes. "Your mother is an amazing woman, wherever she is." Zuko gave her a thankful nod. Mai remained silent, but I'd never seen her this angry. Sokka and Suki looked shellshocked. Aang looked like he was about to cry. Ty Lee leaned more of her weight into my side.

Iroh shook his head. "I knew my brother was ruthless." He said. "But to kill our father…I wouldn't expect him to do that."

Aang swallowed. "Zuko?" He asked gently. Zuko turned to Aang. "Do you mind telling us why you got banished? Alec didn't tell us anything except that you got banished for talking out of turn."

Iroh gave me a look. "I'm surprised you haven't told them." He said.

I shook my head. "It's not a story I like telling." I said quietly. "I only told Mai and Ty Lee to convince them to defect, but even then, I didn't go into all the details." I looked Zuko in the eye. "I think it would be helpful if you allowed Iroh to tell them." I suggested gently.

Zuko seemed to shrink in on himself, uncertain and scared. Mai gave his hand a comforting squeeze. He turned to her, and she gave him a small nod. Zuko turned to Iroh. "Okay." He whispered.


"Three years ago," Iroh began, "I found Prince Zuko attempting to enter the War Chamber of the Palace. He wanted to attend an official war meeting with all the generals and the Fire Lord." I saw shame flash over Iroh's face. "I allowed Zuko to attend, on the condition that he not speak."

The others looked at Iroh attentively. Mai had her attention on Zuko, and gently brushed her hand over his arm, trying to soothe him. Ty Lee leaned more into my side, and I let go of her hand to wrap my arm around her shoulder to comfort her. She wrapped an arm around my waist. I could feel her trying not to cry. I focused my gaze on Zuko. He was still a teenager, but all the shame, pain, and trauma I saw written all over his face made him seem a lot older than sixteen. Those eyes of his had seen too much suffering for one person.

Iroh continued the story. "During the meeting, the generals were trying to decide the best way to defeat a fierce battalion of experienced earthbenders and warriors." He said. "General Bujing recommended sending in the Forty-First Division, which was made up of new recruits."

Sokka tilted his head questioningly. "How did he expect to defeat a battalion of experienced fighters with new recruits?" He asked.

Iroh shook his head. "He didn't." He said grimly. "General Bujing's plan was to use the Forty-First Division as bait, and send another force to flank the enemy battalion while the Forty-First was being slaughtered." He took a breath. "His exact words were 'What better to use as bait than fresh meat?'."

Aang's eyes widened in horror. Katara's hands flew over her mouth. "That's horrible!" She exclaimed.

Toph paled and swallowed. "That's so wrong." She whispered. Ty Lee held me tighter. Sokka stared in shock. He couldn't fathom using a strategy like that. Suki snarled in outrage. "Didn't anyone say anything?!"

"The most honorable person in the room did." I said quietly. Zuko's head shot up and he looked at me with eyes larger than dinner plates. I gave him a small nod and a reassuring smile.

Iroh nodded. "Prince Zuko stood up and shouted at General Bujing that such a plan was a betrayal of loyal soldiers who love and defend the Fire Nation."

Katara looked at Zuko like she was seeing a new person. Aang nodded at Zuko. Sokka gave Zuko a look of respect that he probably reserved for other warriors. Toph gave Zuko a grin. "Good job, Sparky." She praised.

Zuko managed to give her a weak smile. "Thank you." He muttered. His face was pale. I started to tense up. The bad part was coming.

"Zuko was right, of course." Iroh continued. He shook his head sadly. "But it was not his place to speak out, and there were dire consequences."

This story had been bad enough to watch as a cartoon, but somehow, hearing it from the people that saw it and lived through it was even worse. Iroh spoke again. "After Zuko's outburst, the Fire Lord became very angry with him. He said the challenge against General Bujing was an act of complete disrespect, and there was only one way to solve this."

"What?" Aang asked, his voice quivering.

"Agni Kai." I whispered. "A firebending duel."

Zuko shrank into the sofa. Mai grabbed his hand tightly. Katara let out a little squeaking sound, and slid her chair closer to Aang, who looked horrified. Ty Lee shifted so that she was sitting in my lap. I held her close. Sokka and Suki did something similar. Toph was trembling slightly beside me.

"Zuko looked at the old general, and declared he was not afraid." Iroh said. "But he misunderstood. I misunderstood." Iroh finished, his voice full of guilt and shame.

"M-misunderstood?" Aang asked. He looked like he was about to be sick.

Iroh closed his eyes. "I knew something was wrong when I entered the Agni Kai Chamber and saw General Bujing in the audience, not the arena." He said, his voice on the verge of breaking. "But by the time I understood what was going to happen, it was too late." Zuko turned even paler. "Zuko had spoken out against General Bujing, but by doing so in the Fire Lord's War Room, it was the Fire Lord whom he had disrespected." Iroh said quietly.

Sokka looked at Zuko. "You can't mean…your own father?" He whispered.

Mai shifted so she leaned against Zuko's arm, and I saw a tear slide down her cheek. Zuko just had a dead look in his eyes. Toph's trembling got worse. Ty Lee hugged me even tighter. Katara hugged Aang, not caring that anyone else was watching.

Zuko gave a timid nod. He was numb.

Iroh took a sad breath. A tear ran down his cheek. "When Prince Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to duel him, he prostrated himself and begged for mercy. The Fire Lord ordered Zuko to stand and fight, but Zuko refused, and tried to apologize, insisting he only had the best interest of the Fire Nation at heart." Iroh swallowed. "The Fire Lord would not hear him. He said 'You will learn respect'."

"And suffering will be your teacher." Zuko finished with a haunted whisper, tears began to run down his face. Aang whimpered. Katara gasped. Suki's hands flew over her mouth. I started tearing up. I felt Ty Lee shake slightly in my lap. Toph suddenly went still.

"And then," Zuko continued, "He stopped in front of me, and put his hand over my face, I thought he was going to show me mercy." He shook his head and then he broke. "And then he burned me." He finished with a sob.

I started crying. This was so much worse. I thought Ozai had hit Zuko with a fireball or something. But he actually held his crying son's face in his hand, and set his son on fire. I thought I was going to be sick.

Mai's stoic demeanor broke, and she cried, wrapping Zuko in a hug and sobbing into his shoulder. He returned the hug. Ty Lee cried into my chest, and I stroked her hair to try and give her some kind of comfort. Tears ran down Suki's face, and I could tell all her anger at the prince was forgotten. Sokka hugged her tightly. Katara was sobbing. Aang's teary eyes were as big as Appa's.

I heard a sob from next to me. Toph was crying.

Toph.

Was crying.

Iroh decided to finish the story while he could still keep it together. "The Fire Lord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness." He said. "As punishment, he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honor."

Aang gasped. "But, I'd been gone for almost a hundred years!" He exclaimed between sobs. "How were you supposed to find me?"

"He wasn't." I said grimly. I took one of my arms and dried my tears on my sleeve so I could see better.

Everyone turned to look at me through tear-stained eyes. "Most people in the world believed that the Avatar was gone." I said. "Zuko got the smallest ship in the Fire Navy, and only a small crew. On top of that, as soon as Ozai learned that the Avatar was back, he sent Zhao after us, and gave him 131 ships to attack the Northern Water Tribe. He never wanted Zuko to come home."

Iroh gave a sad nod. Zuko looked defeated, like he knew it was the truth, but he was in denial. I had to tell him the truth. I turned to Iroh. "Tell me something, were there any Fire Sages in the crowd, or refereeing the Agni Kai?"

Iroh shook his head. "No." He stated. "That was odd, considering that most formal Agni Kai have a Fire Sage present."

"And the people in the crowd, were all of them loyal to Ozai?" I asked. "Like, more loyal than the average person?"

Iroh looked thoughtful for a few moments. "Yes, I would say so." He confirmed.

Well, that explained why Zhao was there, when he was only a captain at the time. I reached a hand into my bag. "There's something I need to tell you, Zuko." I said.

Zuko's tear-stained golden eyes peered at me from over Mai's shoulder. "We recently went to Wan Shi Tong's Library in the Si Wong Desert." I said, pulling a scroll out of my bag. "I found this scroll there. It's a copy of Rules and Customs of Agni Kai by Fire Lord Yosor. I won't go through all the rules, but there are two that are important for you to know."

Zuko and Iroh seemed confused, and curious. The rest of the Gaang turned their attention to me. I managed to open the scroll, even with Ty Lee sitting in my lap. I read the two relevant rules aloud.

"-Agni Kai may either be fought to the death, or to the first burn. Either participant may surrender at any time by prostrating themselves before their opponent.

-When an Agni Kai is over, either by defeat or surrender, no more fire may be used. If the loser attempts to burn the victor, they will be imprisoned for life, never to have their honor restored. If the victor attempts to burn the loser, the victory is forfeit, and the victor must surrender all possessions, titles, and honors to the loser as reparations."

The realization slowly dawned on the rest of the group. Zuko's eyes widened. "But that means…" He whispered.

I nodded. "By the laws of the Fire Nation, you are the rightful Fire Lord."


The others stared at Zuko in shock. I looked him directly in the eye. "Zuko. The Fire Lord kidnapped and raped your mother. He abused you, your mother and your sister. He murdered his own father and usurped the throne. He broke the law just so he could hurt and humiliate you." I said evenly. "You already told me that you don't want to hunt Aang anymore, but now, having learned all the things I told you today, what do you want to do?" I asked.

Zuko shook his head weakly. "I…don't…know…" He said weakly. "I don't feel so good." His eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out.

"Zuko!" Mai and Iroh shouted, holding him to make sure he didn't fall off the sofa. Katara leapt up and ran over to him. She bent some water over his body, trying to heal him. "He's got a fever!" She announced. "What's going on?!"

"Can't you heal him?!" Mai asked, eyes full of concern.

Katara shook her head. "It should be working, but this isn't a normal fever."

"I know what's wrong." I realized.

Mai darted over and grabbed me by the shoulders, dislodging Ty Lee from my lap. "What is it?!" She asked, almost frantic. "We need to help him!"

"Everything he's learned today contradicts his image of himself." Iroh realized. "He's at war within his own mind and body."

Mai let go of me and turned to Iroh. "What does that mean?" She inquired.

"He's going through a metamorphosis." Iroh replied. "It won't be pleasant, but when he comes out of it, he'll be the person he was always meant to be."

I nodded. "We should move him to one of the spare bedrooms." I suggested. "We need to make sure he gets plenty of water." I looked around the group. "Guys, is it okay if they stay here tonight?" I asked.

Everyone nodded immediately. No surprise there. After what they just heard, kicking Zuko out would feel like kicking a puppy. Sokka and I moved Zuko into the bedroom next to mine. Mai pulled up a chair and sat beside Zuko's bed, as did Iroh.

Everyone else filed into the room. Mai gave Iroh a questioning look. "When you said that what Zuko learned today contradicted his self-image, what did you mean by that?" She asked.

Iroh looked down sadly. I decided to speak up. "Zuko hates himself." I said quietly. "For years, he thought Ozai was right, that he was weak, and that he deserved his punishment. Now he's beginning to realize how wrong and cruel Ozai is."

"That's horrible." Ty Lee whispered.

Sokka gave Iroh a look. "What are you going to do now?" He asked.

Iroh gave a small shrug. "That is up to Zuko." He replied. "He must decide his own path, for a change."

"You two could stay with us." Toph suggested. "Aang needs a firebending teacher. Hand Slicer would probably like some pointers, too."

Toph had a point. "Yeah, I still have two scrolls to go." I said. "I was going to start on wall of flames tomorrow morning."

Aang nodded, but I noticed something strange. When Toph mentioned firebending he seemed…uncomfortable. Why would he feel that way? "How much more earthbending do I have left to go?" He asked Toph.

She frowned. "You're about halfway there." She said after a few seconds. "I think we should skip metalbending for now. It took me a while to get good at it, and you're on a tight enough deadline as it is."

Aang nodded. He seemed almost relieved that he wouldn't need to start firebending yet. That was odd. I needed to keep an eye on him.

Katara shook her head. "It's hard to believe that we're offering to let two people who hunted us all over the world join us." She mused.

"Only Zuko was trying." I said with a smirk. "Iroh wasn't trying."

Suki narrowed her eyes at Iroh. "You weren't?" She asked.

Iroh gave a sheepish nod. "He really wasn't." I said. "He only ever bent fire at us once, and I'm almost certain he pulled his punch. If Iroh wanted to catch us, we wouldn't have escaped the South Pole. Iroh's been secretly against the war for years."

Ty Lee looked at Iroh. "Really?" She asked. "For how long?"

"Since my son's death." Iroh said sadly. "When he died, I experienced firsthand the pain and suffering the war had inflicted upon the world for nearly a century. I wandered the world for almost a year, and I came to realize that nothing that causes that much torment can possibly be right."

Everyone fell silent for a moment. I looked out the paper window and noticed how dark it was getting. "I think we need some sleep." I suggested. "It's been a long day." I turned to Iroh. "The room at the end of this hall is free, if you want it."

Iroh shook his head. "Perhaps I'll take it when Zuko wakes up, but for now, I need to watch over him."

"I'm staying too." Mai insisted.

I nodded. "I'm going to go get some sleep."

The rest of us left the room and I quietly closed the door behind me. Everyone else walked to their room. Everyone except Ty Lee. She fidgeted nervously, then looked at me. I saw her eyes, the normally silver pools were red and puffy from crying. My heart ached for her. "I'm sorry." I said quietly.

She tilted her head, confused. "For what?" She asked.

"For making you cry." I elaborated. "I'm sorry that I made you so sad."

She shook her head. "It's not your fault." She said. "Ozai did those things. You just told us about them." I saw her eyes dart nervously to her room.

"Is something wrong?" I asked gently.

She worried her lip between her teeth. "You see, I was going to ask…whenever I had nightmares or went to bed sad back home, one of my sisters would cuddle with me to keep the nightmares away." She whispered.

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. Was she implying what I thought she was implying? "Um…" I said.

She shook her head. "I just meant sleeping in the same bed tonight." She insisted. "I didn't mean…that."

My throat ran dry. I didn't know what to do. I had a very strange history with relationships back in my world. I had a girlfriend for four years in high school that we didn't do anything but kiss, and I'd had a few hookups in college, but I'd never slept through the night in the same bed with someone else. That level of emotional intimacy was new for me.

I looked at Ty Lee. She was opening herself up for me. She wanted this. I couldn't refuse her. For her, I was willing to let myself be vulnerable.

I grabbed her hand. "Alright." I said with a soft smile.

We ended up going to her room, and we moved under the covers. Luckily for us, all the beds in this house were queen size, at least. We faced each other. She wrapped her arms around me, and I returned the gesture. "Goodnight." She whispered.

I stroked her hair softly and put a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight."

AN: Next time, a bunch of POVs, character development, and romance.