I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. It is the property of Nickelodeon. It is also the creation of Michael Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko.
Enjoy!
By the time Druk was finished blasting, the entire war balloon was on fire, and he couldn't stop coughing.
"Now don't give me any baby eyes. We told you that we could do it ourselves. But you wanted to show off. Now deal with it."
Druk did not, in fact, stop using baby eyes. For a creature that would one day grow up to strike fear into its opponents and rule the sky with a fiery vengeance, it was putting a lot of effort into looking like a kicked poodle-monkey. He was even whining like one!
Unfortunately, the act was effective.
"Alright, alright. Calm down." Zuko took his waterskin and started pouring some into one of his uncle's teacups. He had enough of them, he wouldn't mind one being used to feed a dragon.
"You take care of young Druk nephew. I am going to head into the city to see if I can find any potential masters for you."
Zuko frowned. "Why do I have to stay uncle. I could go and help you."
"You could. However, that might be risky."
"What do you mean?"
"Your scar Zuko."
Zuko's hand instinctively came close to his face. He stopped his hand before it could.
Iroh seemed to notice. "I am only saying that your scar could be recognized. We have spent so much time with the Sun Warriors, we were away from the outside world. It is quite possible that the story of the scarred and banished prince could have spread beyond just the Fire Nation."
"I doubt that anyone int he Earth Kingdom would know anything about that Uncle."
"You forget Zuko, that Fire Nation soldiers are spread as far out as possible within this nation. Your father's decision was a highly discussed topic when it occurred. The possibility exists that soldiers here were talking about it. Especially in Gaoling, where trade runs the city."
Zuko hated to admit that Uncle was right. As much as he didn't mind spending time with Druk, he would much rather look for his own master. What if uncle found someone that he didn't get along with? What if the master he found wasn't even that great? What if they both got recognized?
Iroh noticed Zuko's thoughtful frown. "Do not worry Zuko. I am only going to look for potential masters. I will return to consult with you before making a decision. I have no intention of forcing a teacher upon you."
That could work. Zuko didn't like the idea of staying, but at least he would have a say in how he learned.
"Don't worry. I will return nephew."
Iroh put on his green Earth Kingdom disguise, covered his head with a straw hat, and walked out into the forest. It didn't take long for him to disappear.
Zuko waited until he was gone. "Come back soon. Please."
"What's taking him so long?"
It had already been over an hour since Iroh had left. During that time, he hadn't had much to do. He had set up the cave that he and uncle would be sleeping in. He had helped Druk get over his burning throat. And the two of them had even found some small singing groundhogs that they could eat or dinner later.
Both Zuko and Druk were now setting up the fire for food later. Seeing the fire gave Zuko an idea.
"There's no one around. I guess we could train."
At the mention of the word "train", Druk's head and ears perked up.
"You like the idea Druk?"
Said dragon's response was to start flapping his small wings.
"I'll take that as a yes. Let's do the Dancing Dragon together."
Zuko used to be annoyed by the form, but he had since then gotten used to it. Iroh always said that this form could be as helpful, and it might turn out to be just as important as his breathing. Zuko wasn't so sure about the second one, but he wouldn't doubt that it was important to know.
Besides, doing it with Druk was actually kind of fun.
"You ready boy?"
Druk was now flying around Zuko in a cycle. His control over his wings had improved over six months, and he was now capable of controlling his flight. He would still need time to grow before he could take to high skies, but he was making progress.
"Let's do it," Zuko said as he took the beginning kata.
Zuko went through every move of the form, his movement born from new muscle memory. Druk followed his movements as he could, moving his body in tangent with the dance. Both of them were careful not to use too much flame, as neither wanted to burn the forest. But both of them could still feel the energy within and between them.
Zuko had discovered this back with the Sun Warriors. Performing the Dancing Dragon alone was done thing. Doing it with an actual dragon was something else entirely. It was these moments in which they practiced together, mirrored one another, that Zuko felt more connected to Druk. He could understand what the Sun Warrior Chief had said about dragons being special lifelong companions. And judging by the pleased look on Druk's face, he could feel it too.
The two would spend the next several hours engaging in the dance. By the end of it, Zuko felt both tired limbs and a restless spirit. His inner fire had felt stronger. And he had never had more fun practicing fire. It didn't matter that the sun was starting to set. He felt great.
He soon heard a voice.
"Zuko."
"Uncle!" Zuko all but yelled when he saw Iroh crossing the trees towards their cave. Druk followed close behind.
"Calm yourself Zuko. I am fine."
"You were gone for hours uncle. What happened?"
"Nothing to concern yourself over Zuko. Now would you mind if I made myself some tea?"
Zuko frowned but decided to let uncle win. If he wanted tea, he wasn't going to be helpful until he got it.
"Sure uncle. I and Druk got a fire ready over there while you were gone."
'Excellent. And you have meat as well. Would anyone care to join me for a meal?"
Zuko would have refused, if not for his stomach deciding to groan at that inopportune time.
"Sure. let's just get everything ready."
Zuko gathered sticks, Iroh made his tea, and Druk just laid down by the fire. Everyone got roasted hedgehog on a stick, with Iroh's ginger tea to wash it down.
"Ok uncle. Can you tell me what took you so long?"
"I wasn't gone for that long Zuko," Iroh said before taking a sip. "But if you must know, I decided to be thorough in my search for your master."
Zuko's eyes widened. "Did you find anyone?"
Iroh stroked his beard. "I found a possibility."
He reached into his shirt and pulled out a paper. "Read this."
Zuko took the paper and read it's contents. "Earth Rumble IV. Show up to see the best earthbending fighters in Gaoling."
He looked at his uncle. "You want to find a teacher for me here?"
"I think it would be a wise strategy."
"How? None of these people would be true masters. They would just be entertainers fighting for money."
"That could actually benefit us Zuko."
"What do you mean?"
"Remember, our objective is to find you an earthbending master. But we must also be careful to not be discovered. If word spread to the Fire Lord that there was someone who could potentially master all four elements, he would not rest until that threat was destroyed."
Zuko stared at the fire. "Even if that person was his son?"
Iroh sighed. "I am sorry Zuko, but yes. Power is held to a higher significance that family in the Royal Palace. You would be seen as a threat, and nothing more."
Zuko was silent for several moments. Iroh was beginning to wonder how his nephew would process what he just heard. Would he lash out in denial? Defend a father who didn't deserve any defense? Proclaim that the glory of the Fire Nation was worth even his own life?
"I see. I understand uncle."
Iroh could only stare in shock. This was not the reaction he had been expecting. There was no anger, just... resignation. Like he didn't expect anything else.
"We should probably get some sleep. We can go to that Earth Rumble tomorrow to see if there is anyone worth learning under."
Unsure of what to say, Iroh only nodded.
When Zuko went to sleep, he didn't notice Druk's whisker connecting to his cheek.
"Why is Druk big all of a sudden?"
Zuko was now riding a large dragon across the clouds. Vaatu was right next to him.
"If his whisker is connected to you, that might explain why."
"His whisker?"
"Dragons are more special than you know. You'll figure it out in time."
Not in the mood to discuss dragons with Vaatu, Zuko dropped the subject."
"I am proud of you, vessel. You are finally learning."
"Shut up Vaatu. I don't want to talk about it."
"About what? Finding an earthbending master at a fighting tournament, or the realization that your father does not, never has, and never will love you?"
Was it possible to kill a spirit if it's inside of you? Zuko would really like to know.
"The first part is fine. Don't even start on the second one."
"Alright then. For the record, I agree that going to find a teacher there is a good idea."
Zuko sighed. "Of course you do. Are you and my uncle talking to each other in secret? You both keep giving me the same advice."
"Oh, my dear vessel. There is no need to be jealous. We both know you and I are the only ones who can communicate together."
"Shut up."
"Don't think too much about it. Your uncle is just a wise human."
Zuko's glum expression softened after that statement. "Yeah. He is."
For the next several moments, Zuko and Vaatu remained in silence. Zuko simply sat on the cloud that was traversing across the sky, while Vaatu floated next to him. The silence was not uncomfortable, and it allowed them both to reflect on what they had told each other. They just continued moving forward, not a word between them.
"So about your family..."
Zuko felt like screaming. "I don't want to talk about it!"
"Believe me, I am aware of that. But I think talking about it would help you."
"Help me?!" Zuko finally yelled.
"You want me to... what?! Admit that my father was disappointed in me the moment I was born. That my grandfather saw me as expendable and told my dad to kill me? That my sister was so much better at everything that she felt free to treat me like trash? That my own father, my Fire Lord, hated me so much he burned my face? I have to live the rest of my life knowing that my family HATES ME!"
"You are forgetting your Uncle and Mother."
Vaatu's calm response throws Zuko off, and he takes that opportunity to continue.
"From what I've seen, your mother always went out of her way to make her affection towards you known. She would spend time with you and encourage you. Her final words to her before leaving were used to remind you to stay true to yourself. Words I very much agree with."
Ursa did always try to help him. It was part of the reason he remembered her so fondly.
"And then there's that Uncle of yours. A disgraced general who decides to spend his golden years helping you. He could just as easily turn you over to the Fire Nation and collect a reward. You are now a threat to their goal after all, and turning you in could give Iroh enough riches to spend the rest of his life in luxury. Instead, he decides that your well-being is more important than his. It is not something I would do, but I can understand why you respect him."
Zuko's eyes widened at Vaatu's assessment. His uncle could have easily left him behind and not gotten involved in Zuko's mistake. But he was staying. By choice.
"And after that letter you sent, there is a chance you could make up with your sister. I wouldn't get your hopes up, hope does tend to betray more than anything else after all. But it is a possibility."
Zuko was going to respond when the cloud he was sitting on darkened. The sky was following suit.
"It seems you are about to wake up," Vaatu noted. "Think about my words vessel. They may change your outlook."
The entire world then went dark.
Zuko woke up to Druk licking his face. It wasn't the worst way to wake up, but it wasn't the best either. His face would probably feel sticky after a while.
"I'm up Druk. You can stop."
"He is merely being affectionate nephew," Iroh said, preparing cups of tea for him and Zuko. He made sure to think about his nephew.
Zuko sat up from his bed, staring at his uncle. He wanted to ask his uncle something, but he was hesitant.
"Uncle?"
"Yes, nephew?"
Zuko opened his mouth to say something, but he quickly closed it.
"What time is that Earth Rumble thing at?"
Iroh furrowed his brow but decided to answer his nephew. "It is some time after the noon hour. We should leave once we finish our meal to make it time."
"Alright, uncle."
The three of them ate leftover hedgehog with tea, before putting out the fire and making their way to the city of Gaoling. Zuko wore a hood to hide his scar, while Iroh opted for his regular hat. Druk hid inside Zuko's vest.
"Is it wise to bring Druk with us?"
"He's still small enough to hide uncle. Besides, if we do find someone who can teach me, we can use Druk's sense of smell to track them."
Iroh wasn't entirely convinced of the safety of this plan, but he realized that Zuko had a point. Druk did have a strong sense of smell.
Besides, leaving a young and restless dragon alone in the forest might be even riskier. Who knew what kind of trouble a young dragon could get into alone? It was trouble enough leaving Zuko alone.
With that settled, the three of them set out for Gaoling.
"Ah, front row seats. I wonder why they are empty."
Zuko was about to respond when he saw something flying towards the two of them.
"Uncle! Move!"
The two of them separated as a man went crashing into the earthy seat between them. He crushed into the seat, and slip out in pain.
"I think that's why uncle."
"I agree. Do you want to sit somewhere else Zuko?" Iroh asked with a leading voice.
"No. I need to be close in order to get a good look at these fighters. I need to watch carefully to determine who to learn under."
Iroh's face was still worried, but he conceded. "Very well Zuko. We'll stay here."
Zuko nodded, before his face broke into a small grin. "Don't worry uncle. We're fast enough to dodge flying earthbenders. And besides, you could use the exercise."
Iroh's jaw dropped. "Zuko. Was that a joke?"
Zuko snorted. "Of course not."
Iroh was in extreme doubt, but decided not to push it. He had to dodge another flying contender.
That's when a man walked into the center of the arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen. I am your host and referee, Xin Fu. ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE?!"
The cheers from the crowd were deafening. Zuko would guess that they were, in fact, ready to rumble.
"The rules are simple. All you have to do is knock the other guy out. Whether that's out of the ring or out of consciousness, who cares?"
Based on the cheers, no one cared.
"Here are your first contenders. In this corner, we have the Big, Bad, Hippo!"
A large man with missing teeth and a fat belly than Iroh took the stage.
"Hippo Mad!"
Apparently he was missing more than just teeth.
"And in the other corner, we have our newest challenger! The Blind Bandit!"
The person who came up to the podium was... a little girl? She was wearing plain green and yellow clothes, and she had heavy bangs covering her eyes. Wait a minute, blind?
"They let children fight in this?"
Iroh looked just as concerned. "Perhaps she is just a trainee? Someone who will fill in for a real fighter?"
Zuko doubted that.
"Whenever both fighters are ready. Begin!"
"Hippo Smash!"
The big guy started charging at the little girl. He tore two chunks of rock from the ground, ready to smash the little girl.
But she didn't move. She just waited in her place for the Hippo to get closer.
"Isn't she going to move?" Zuko asked Iroh.
Iroh's only response was two words. "Neutral Jing."
Zuko gave a confused look before turning back to the fight. The girl finally moved. She made one kick into the ground.
Two large pillars of stone exploded from the earth, aimed directly at the Hippo. They hit him with enough force to knock him out of the arena.
The entire crowd is silent for a minute. No one can immediately comprehend that a small girl just beat an Earth Rumble contender. Especially one that's the size of Hippo.
But once the fact sinks in, the crowd starts cheering for her. The girl is clearly happy for the attention. She throws her hands up to egg the crowd on. Her bangs move from her face when she does. That gives Zuko a chance to see her eyes.
"She actually is blind."
"Impressive." Whether he was referring to her skill or disability, Zuko didn't know. He wouldn't get a chance to ask, as the next round was now up.
"An impressive display!" Xin Fu announces from the top pillar. "Here comes the next contender. Fire Nation Man!"
A man wearing a very bad Fire Nation suit, holding up the Fire Nation flag, walks to the stage to a series of jeers and boos. Zuko honestly wishes he could join. What is the man doing?
"Please do rise, for Fire Nation National Anthem."
Frowning, Zuko leaned to his uncle. "Do you think this clown actually knows the song?"
"Unlikely."
As it turns out, he doesn't.
"Fire Lord, my flame burns for thee."
Groaning, Zuko fell back in his seat. For the first time in his life, he was in the position of wanting a Fire Nation man to lose to an Earthbender.
Thankfully, she did win. All it took was one hand movement, and a rock smashed into the face of the insulter. He was sent flying into the stands. He landed right on top of the other guy that got smashed next to Zuko and Iroh.
Unable to help himself, Zuko leaned in close to the unconscious man.
"Maybe if you actually were Fire Nation, you might have stood a chance."
Another four rounds passed, basically the same way. A bunch of fighters in ridiculous costumes and weird names came up to the stage. And all of them were swiftly defeated by the small blind girl who knew how to use her element against them. She was one with the earth.
"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. The final round!"
The crowd's screams were deafening.
"The Blind Bandit will now face the reigning champion. Yours truly, The Boulder!"
A large, confident man stomped his way onto the stage. He threw off a green robe he had been wearing, displaying heavy muscles and a wide back tattoo. He stooped on the stage, eyeing the Blind Bandit.
"The Boulder feels conflicted, about fighting a young blind girl."
"Sounds to me like you're scared Boulder!"
That statement earned many "oooh's" from the audience. Boulder was not amused.
"The Boulder is over his conflicted feelings. He is now ready to bury you, in a rock-alanche!"
"Whenever you're ready, Pebble!"
Zuko just leaned to Iroh. "Who do you think will win, uncle?"
Iroh stocked his beard in thought before answering. "Let us wait and see."
The boulder was preparing to charge at the Bandit. His foot was being placed before him, ready to stomp the ground. To everyone who was watching, that was all that was happening.
But Iroh was more observant than that.
He could see the lines of thought on the girl's face. He could sense her patience.
Power in firebending comes from breath. From being in control as you power through at your opponent. Positive Jing.
Strength in earthbending came not only from one's stance. It also came from waiting for the best moment to strike. That was Neutral Jing.
And despite the girl's age, and despite his distance, Iroh could see that she had mastered her element.
And that meant that the outcome of this fight was obvious.
In just two moves, the girl decimated her opponent. She broke his spirit by forcing him to do the splits. Even in his youth, Iroh knew just how terrible that ordeal could. And judging by the cringed look on Zuko's face, he felt the same way.
The girl then broke the man's back by tossing rocks at them. He was hurled off the stage, falling to the earth with a resounding thud.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new champion! The Blind Bandit!"
The girl was quite happy with her victory. She practically ripped the championship belt from the host, and held it up high for the audience to see.
"Her."
"I'm sorry?" Iroh asked, turning to Zuko. His nephew had quite an unnerving smile on his face. His smiles were so rare, they were always unnerving.
"My earthbending instructor. Let's get her."
Now, Iroh was more than willing to admit that this girl was a master of earthbending. He would be a fool to do so after what he saw. But that didn't mean he wouldn't have concerns with the idea.
"Zuko, she is just a child."
"I know. That means we can probably bribe her to teach me. We just figure out what she wants, and then we got her."
"Zuko..."
"Come on Uncle. We need to catch up to find her."
Sighing, Iroh followed his nephew. If he wanted to learn under her, he wouldn't be able to stop. He just hoped that he wouldn't make any rash decisions.
So yeah, we finally meet Zuko's earthbending teacher. Let's be honest, did anyone honestly expect anybody else? Toph is one of the best characters on the show, and her dynamic with Zuko and Iroh is just too much fun to pass up. Now the two just have to convince to run away from home with them.
Shouldn't be too hard.
Speaking of Toph, we are now meeting her when she became the Champion, not when she already has been. The reason is mostly that it is two years earlier than in canon.
And if any of you wonder why Toph is just as good here as she was in 100 AG in canon, it's because I always felt that mastery of earthbending came easy to her. After she learned from the Badgermoles, it didn't take long for her to surpass almost everyone at the art. Bumi being the only possible exception.
On a different note, I've put some thought into the pairings, and I've head people get back to me. A lot of people don't seem to like Mai for some reason. I don't know. I've just decided to not focus on romance in this story. I'll wait until Zuko has interacted with every character I intend to for him to interact with, and then we'll see what happens. Until then, no romance. Just teachings, shenanigans, and occasional friendship.
Anyway, please leave reviews, tell me what you think, and I will see you all next time.
Bye!