Hello there. I'm am soooo sorry for the late update! I've been so busy, I don't have much time for fanfiction anymore. But I promise I won't stop writing.

Oh, once again, I've taken some liberties with the AtLA characters. I hope you don't mind.

Anyway, here's the new chapter. Enjoy!

Many thanks to PurseMonger for her awesome suggestions and help!

*Revised on 07/28/2020*

AtLA is not mine.

Chapter Six

In Which the Maiden Hears a Tragic Tale

Katara's eyes widened and her mouth dropped a little at Zuko's revelation. His own sister cursed him? First, his father scarred him during that Agni Kai, and then his sister cursed him to live in the body of a fearsome dragon? How…awful. No wonder he was hesitant to talk about it.

Still in shock, she watched as Zuko rested his head on his talons and let out a little growl, thin plumes of smoke escaping between his fangs. Katara could sense it was a painful memory, so she slowly moved closer to him, sitting close to his head, level with his right eye. She did not fear him. She only wanted to comfort him, just as he had with her a moment ago. She wanted to reach forward to place a comforting hand on him, but she did not know if he would appreciate her touching him.

Zuko's eyes opened and he looked at Katara's proximity in surprise. He didn't think she would feel comfortable being so near his draconic body. He could feel her warmth and smell her sweet scent that seemed to exude her concern and sadness. Sadness for him? He normally would have been upset to have garnered someone's pity, but he found that he didn't mind. He actually liked that she seemed to care for his plight, and didn't know how to feel about that.

"Please, Zuko," she said softly, "I want to help you, even if it's just listening to your story."

Zuko stared at her for a moment, observing the small frown of concern on her brow, the gentle sympathy in her large, blue eyes. He had not seen anyone look at him in such a manner in years—if ever—and he felt his cold heart melt a little. But could he tell her his story? Did he trust her enough to reveal so much about himself? He had learned from a young age to never let himself be vulnerable before anyone, to always keep his guard up, to never completely trust a person's intentions and words. He closed his eyes as he debated with himself.

But Katara had opened herself up a little to him, she trusted him enough to reveal something as important as her mother's death to him, and he knew with a certainty that she spoke the truth, that her pain was real. Could he not return the courtesy?

No, it was more than just that.

He could not explain why, but he just knew he could trust her, that she would not judge him. But most of all, he wanted to tell her. For the first time, he wanted to open up to someone.

When Zuko closed his eyes and remained silent, Katara felt her heart sink a little, though she told herself to be reasonable and that he was not obligated to tell her everything about himself. She was just about to stand up to make her way back to her bedroll when Zuko opened his eyes again and stared at her with an intensity that made her catch her breath.

"It all started when my father died," he began in a passive tone.

(42 years ago)

A twenty-year-old Crown Prince Zuko looked passively at his reflection in the elegant full-length mirror as the servants moved around him, getting him ready for the coronation ceremony that was to commence in a few hours.

He was still shocked by the events of the past few weeks. He could not believe his father, Fire Lord Ozai, had died in his sleep. Ozai had always seemed like a healthy, strong man. He was one of the greatest firebenders of his generation, and he wasn't old enough to just die. Zuko sighed. Either way, the fact was his father was dead, and as the heir to the throne, Zuko had been told by the royal council that he needed to immediately take on responsibilities and become the new Fire Lord. The whole affair just seemed to rush by in a blur. He had not thought he would become Fire Lord so young or so soon, but he would do his duty to his nation and his people. He had been taught and raised to be the next Fire Lord since he had been a child, after all.

"Why, Nephew, you look so gallant," the sound of his beloved uncle brought him out of his thoughts.

Zuko glanced at the mirror to see Iroh beaming proudly at him, his hands tucked into his sleeves. He relaxed slightly and smiled at the old man. The servants bowed and left the room, having finished getting him dressed in the formal ceremonial robes.

"Thanks, Uncle."

Iroh should have been Fire Lord, not Ozai, but he had lost his ambition when he suffered a double blow, the loss of his wife and his son. Azulon had then appointed his second son as his heir, much to Ozai's satisfaction. As a boy, Zuko had looked up to his older cousin as his hero and he had been devastated at the news of Lu Ten's death. Their mutual grief brought Iroh and Zuko closer, so that they now shared a relationship of father and son, more than uncle and nephew, especially since Ozai didn't bother to interact with his own children. Iroh had guided him through the years, taught him to be an honorable man and a great firebending master. He would forever be grateful to have the old man in his life, and even though he never really talked about it, he knew Iroh understood.

A teasing grin appeared on the tea-loving man's lips.

"With how dashing you look, maybe you will catch the eye of your future Fire Lady today." He chuckled.

Zuko let out a small snort as he looked himself over in the mirror.

"You already know I'm engaged to Mai," he replied passively.

Iroh let out a loud humph.

"I still can't believe your father arranged a marriage with her as your future wife. It is plain for all to see you two are not compatible at all."

Zuko shrugged uncaringly as he smoothed down his robes, looking blankly at his reflection.

"She has the proper upbringing and her family is one of the wealthiest in the country," he responded.

Iroh frowned at his words. His nephew's tone made it seem as if he had been repeating the same words to himself over and over in an attempt to convince himself it was for the best.

"Yes, that's true, but…do you love her?" he asked softly.

A scoff escaped the young prince as he turned around to look at his uncle.

"Love has nothing to do with it. It's a political marriage," he stated.

Zuko frowned as he thought of Mai, his betrothed. They had known each other since they were children. She was one of his sister's best friends, but he had not really paid much attention to her growing up since his sole focus was on his studies and perfecting his firebending. He still remembered the day, half a year ago to be precise, when his father called him to the throne room where the advisors, Mai, and her family waited. He had been ignorant as to the meaning of the meeting until his father announced to the whole room that in a year's time his son would be marrying the wealthy nobleman's daughter. Zuko had been unable to stop himself from gaping at his father in shock and horror. It was not that he hated Mai, but he wasn't ready to get married and to a woman that he really did not know, although he knew that eventually it would happen; it was the custom for Fire Nation nobility. But he quickly composed himself and remained impassive as the advisors congratulated them.

He had tried to convince his father to rethink his decision many times after that, but Ozai had been adamant. It wasn't until his father called into question Zuko's honor that he reluctantly decided to uphold the arranged marriage. So he tried to get to know Mai better, but those interactions only reinforced the fact that they were not good for each other, despite her infatuation with him. He thought of how dull Mai was which made things worse given his own taciturn personality. They would spend most of their time together sitting silently and somewhat awkwardly. She had tried to entice him into her bed several times in the course of their betrothal, but he had always come up with an excuse as to why he couldn't. He just didn't feel any attraction to her and he didn't want to hurt her feelings if she were to find out. Plus, he had no wish to usher the wedding date closer if it were found out they were already being intimate. He did not know what he would do once they married in a couple of months and had their wedding night. However, once they got married, he would do his duty to sire an heir. While he was not physically attracted to her or had any romantic feelings for her, he could admit she was pretty and had a graceful air about her that was pleasant.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard his uncle let out a sigh.

"I hope that one day you could meet a woman you could love and she love you in return, so you would know how wonderful it is," Iroh said wistfully before he added under his breath, "Hopefully before you're forced to marry Mai."

Another frown marred Zuko's brow, but he did not reply since he knew his uncle was thinking of his late wife. But what would it feel like to have a woman love him unconditionally? For him to love someone more than his own life? He could not fathom it. He had seen how unhappy married couples could be, even his own parents. Uncle Iroh and his late wife were the only exception, having had a true love match.

"Where is Mother?" he asked instead, wanting to change the topic.

Iroh frowned and reached up to stroke his beard.

"I haven't seen her since dinner last night," he mused pensively, "She must be getting things ready for your coronation."

The young firebender frowned and wondered if his mother was still sad because of her husband's sudden death. Although their marriage had not been easy, Ursa had still cared for her husband and Ozai had cared for her even if he rarely showed it.

"And Azula?"

The old man rolled his eyes. "She is still sulking over the fact that Ozai died before he could name her his true heir."

Zuko frowned darkly and clenched his hands. Azula and he had never had a good sibling relationship. She always sought to annoy and torment him as children, and as they grew older she made it her purpose to surpass him in everything in order to gain their father's preference, hoping to change his mind and give her the title of heir. It had only made Zuko strive harder to prove himself worthy of being heir, but despite all his efforts Ozai always loved Azula more because of her sadistic personality that was just like his.

He touched his scarred cheek and grimaced slightly at the painful memories. Ozai had burned him to teach him a "lesson" when he had only been thirteen-years-old and Azula had reveled in her brother's humiliation and suffering. Yet, Ozai had still not given the throne to his daughter and now that he was dead, Azula had lost her chance. He was once again brought out of his thoughts when he felt his uncle cheerfully clap his shoulder.

"I am very proud of you, Zuko," he said sincerely as he smiled at his tall nephew. "You will make a great Fire Lord."

"I will do my best," the younger man replied firmly.

Chuckling, Iroh again clapped him on the shoulder.

"I am going to wait with the others. Bumi is probably making some people uncomfortable with his jokes. Oh, and the Northern Chief finally arrived with his family and his son's betrothed."

Zuko grinned as he thought of the Northern Water Tribe's Crown Prince. Pakku and he had first met when they were children and the Water Tribe family had visited the Fire Nation Palace. They had not gotten along at first and would often get into small scuffles that Ursa or Pakku's mother would break up. But they had bonded when Azula and her posse, made up of Mai and Ty Lee, had been taunting a turtle-duckling and they had chased them away. Since then they became friends and sometimes even exchanged letters. Zuko had visited the North Pole last summer as a diplomat and his friend had proudly introduced his new betrothed, which was said to be one of the most beautiful maidens of her generation. The young woman had been polite and kind, and Zuko could see why she was considered one of the tribe's most beautiful women. It had amused him to see how his serious and gruff friend looked at her with lost, adoring eyes and even flushed when she smiled at him. Zuko had never felt that way when Mai, or any other woman for that matter, looked at him. He hoped to spend some time with Pakku and Kanna during the celebration.

"I will see you at the coronation," Iroh said, and with one last smile, he turned toward the door.

Zuko turned back to observed his reflection and frowned at the glaringly obvious scar on the left side of his face. Even after all these years, he hated looking at it since it reminded him of his naïve ideals and foolishness. He was not blind to the fact that it repulsed people, especially women, despite the fake flattery they threw at him so they could capture his interest. Even Mai tried not to look at it. That was one reason why he did not trust the women of the nobility and why he thought he would never find that true love his uncle was always talking about. His lips curled into a sneer at his thoughts before he schooled his features and smoothed down his royal robes once again. It did not matter.

He glanced at the window of his childhood room—which he would never use after he was proclaimed Fire Lord—and realized there was still a little over an hour left before the coronation. He decided to visit the royal garden for a moment in order to calm his sudden nerves.

A few minutes later found him glancing pensively down at the pond in the garden. He could hear the turtle-duck family swimming at the other end as he lost himself in memories. He and his mother had spent a lot of time near the pond when he had been younger, feeding the turtle-ducks and the koi fish, while he recited his lessons to her. Sometimes, she would tell him stories, which were usually myths and legends about great heroes, the kind of stories young boys liked to hear. Since he could not win his father's affections and had been envious at his father's preference for Azula, the young Zuko had valued the love and warmth his mother gave him.

As he grew older, his responsibilities grew, so he had less time to spend it with her, but even so, they were still close and they took the time to visit the garden together whenever possible. Ursa had tried to convince Azula to join them, but his sister had always sneered at the idea, saying it was a waste of time.

He once again wondered where his mother was. He thought she would have come to see him before the ceremony to wish him well and give him words of wisdom. He, too, had not seen her since yesterday. But she was probably getting things ready just as Iroh said.

A turtle-duckling swam close and caused ripples to distort Zuko's reflection. He glanced at the sky and realized it would soon be time for the coronation. At the sound of rushed footsteps, he straightened himself out and took a deep breath. His uncle must have sent a servant to look for him. Turning around, he was surprise to see his father's most trusted admiral hurrying toward him.

Zuko frowned. He had never liked the arrogant man, but he was curious when he noticed the look of sheer panic on Zhao's face. He felt his spine stiffen in sudden awareness.

"What is wrong?" he asked as soon as the older man was a few feet away from him.

"My lord," Zhao greeted with a quick bow, "I have bad news. It has just come to my attention that Fire Lady Ursa has been…kidnapped."

"What?!" Zuko exclaimed angrily.

"I just received this."

Zhao quickly produced a thin scroll from within his armor and handed it to Zuko. The young prince snatched it from his hand and unfurled it. His eyes widened when a lock of dark hair fell onto his palm. It was held together by a golden hairpiece in the shape of a dragon whose eyes were made up of red gems. He knew that hairpiece since he had seen it on his mother ever since he could remember—a wedding gift from Ozai.

Eyes wide and heart pounding in his chest, he frantically began to read the short missive. It simply stated that whoever had kidnapped his mother wanted a ransom before the end of the day or she would be killed. The drop off place was just outside the city. With an enraged growl, Zuko clenched the paper in his fist, barely keeping himself from setting it on fire, while he held on tightly to the hairpiece with the other.

"Gather some men. Quickly," he ordered harshly.

"I have sent a few men to scout ahead already, my lord," Zhao replied grimly. "And I already had a stable boy saddle your mount."

"Good," Zuko said as he marched back toward the building with the admiral following behind. "We must hurry."

Heart heavy with worry and mind racing with different, terrible scenarios, Zuko hurried toward his room to gather the ransom while Zhao waited for him outside. He did not care about money as long as he got his mother back safely. But hopefully, they could catch the person or persons responsible and throw them in prison for daring to lay a hand on her!

He took a second to look worriedly at the hairpiece before he placed it safely inside one of his drawers. Once he had secured the pouch and sheathed his broadswords at his hip, he hurried toward the stables with Zhao at his side. They passed a few servants who looked at their lord in confusion, but he ignored them as all his focus was on getting his mother back. There weren't a lot of people around since they were waiting for the coronation ceremony to commence. Zuko hesitated a moment, wanting to at least warn Iroh about what was going on.

"I should send word to my uncle," he said as he made to turn around.

"I already had a soldier brief him about the situation," the admiral replied as he slowed down to wait for the younger man.

The prince frowned as he debated whether to ask Iroh to accompany them. Perhaps his uncle would be better at negotiating. With his temper, Zuko might end up making things worse which could lead to his mother getting hurt.

"My lord, we should hurry," Zhao reminded him urgently, "Who knows what they could do to the Fire Lady if we arrive late."

At his words, Zuko strode quickly toward the stables. The love and worry he had for his mother urged him on and it was all he could do not to rage at the gods for letting her be in harm's way. Once there, Zuko made his way to the area where they kept the ostrich-horses to see that two had already been saddled. Hurriedly, he took off his royal robes so he was only in his under tunic and dark trousers. He threw the robes over the stall before mounting the ostrich-horse, whose speed was what was needed to get him to the rendezvous point quickly.

A few minutes later, they were riding out of the palace with the guards posted at the gates looking after him in confusion. However, no one dared to question or stop the future Fire Lord and the admiral. Zuko felt a twinge of guilt for missing the ceremony, in a way neglecting his duty to his nation, but he had to save his mother first. If he could not protect her, how could he protect the Fire Nation?

They rode in silence for a few minutes and Zuko's worry and anxiety rose. He hoped his mother had not been hurt.

"We are here, my lord," Zhao's voice brought Zuko out of his dark thoughts.

The young prince looked up to see they were riding toward a copse of trees.

"I will wait with the men over among the cover of the trees," the older man said gruffly as they came to a stop. "We will come to your aid at your signal."

Zuko gave him a silent nod as he nudged his mount to move forward. They maneuvered around the trees until they came onto a large clearing. In the middle of the empty space sat a small run-down hut, its wood and straw roof caving in on one side. Zuko glanced around cautiously as he strained his senses to pick up any sounds or movements. But, there seemed to be nothing. He and the ostrich-horse seemed to be the only ones in the clearing, but he was sure whoever had kidnapped his mother was waiting inside the hut. And when he got his hands on whoever it was, they would be begging to the gods for mercy.

He rode forward, keeping his senses on high alert as his eyes scanned his surroundings. He hoped his men were ready to emerge at a moment's notice so they could apprehend the criminal and also have his back if things went wrong. Once they were near the hut, Zuko dismounted and walked warily toward the old, rotting door. He paused to see if he could hear anything inside, but he was only met with a heavy silence. Squaring his shoulders and preparing for an attack, he pushed the door open, which made a loud, creaking sound. When no one sprang at him, Zuko stepped inside and looked around.

The sun was setting, which made the room dark and difficult to see. His eyes darted everywhere as he searched for his mother and the culprit, but he could not spot anyone. He walked further into the room, only noticing an old, broken chair and a scarred table. He stiffened when he noticed movement from the corner farthest to him. Cautiously, he made his way over. As he neared the corner, he was finally able to make out a lump under a heavy blanket lying atop a thin futon. The lump moved before it let out a quiet, pained groan.

"Mother!" he shouted in alarm as he rushed forward and knelt down next to her.

He quickly picked up the body wrapped in the thick blanket and he felt his heart ease a little. He found her! Just as he pulled back the blanket so he could see her face, his eyes widened in shock at what he saw. Instead of his mother's warm eyes, he was met with his sister's sinister smile.

"Azula? What?" he exclaimed in confusion as he let her go and stepped back.

He watched as she gracefully stood up, throwing the blanket away from her to reveal her armor-clad form. What in the world was she doing there?

"Hello, Zuzu," she replied mockingly. "Sorry if I disappointed you."

Before Zuko could reply, she struck her arm forward with a loud cry. Zuko barely had enough time to block his chest and face as Azula threw a blue fireball at him. The force of the attack sent him flying back to crash out the only window in the hut. Paper and wood shattered all around him, but he quickly gathered his senses and turned in mid-air to land on his feet. Growling angrily, he snapped his head up to glare at Azula, who was now looking at him through the broken window.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he growled furiously as he lit his palms up, red fire licking up his arms. "I don't have time for your antics! Where is Mother?"

"Tsk, tsk, Zuzu, you should be more worried about yourself," the dark-haired princess cooed mockingly as she slowly waved her pointer finger back and forth.

"What do you mean?" he asked with a dark frown as a sudden sensation of dread overcame him, causing his spine to stiffen.

He watched warily as his sister jumped easily through the detroyed window and landed agilely before him, her booted feet crushing the pieces of paper and wood littered on the ground. He tensed when she let out a loud laugh before she smiled at him. A smile he could only describe as evil. He had seen that kind of smile before when they were children. Usually when she was torturing a helpless animal or punishing a servant.

"I'm going to get rid of you once and for all," she finally replied, her laughter disappearing as she glared at him.

"What are you talking about?" Zuko asked as his eyes darted around himself.

Where were Zhao and the men? Why weren't they coming out to find out what was going on and why their princess was attacking their future Fire Lord?

"I got tired of waiting for Father to name me his heir," she growled angrily before she took a deep breath to compose herself. Looking casually at her long nails, she added nonchalantly, "That's why he needed to be rid of."

Zuko's eyes widened as he stared incredulously at her. She could not mean what he thought, could she? He knew she was a cruel person, but she was not a murderer. However, the satisfied expression on her face confirmed his suspicions. He sucked in his breath. How could she?

"You…killed Father," he stated.

He honestly had no love for the man, but Ozai had still been their father. Why would Azula kill him when Ozai showed her his affection and respect?

Azula shrugged one shoulder and waved a hand dismissively in the air.

"Technically, I didn't kill him."

"How could you?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"The man didn't deserve a peaceful death after the things he did," she replied with another careless shrug. "Did you actually believe Lu Ten and our aunt died in an accident?"

Zuko frowned as he had a feeling where she was going with that thought.

"Father ordered their deaths so he could rise to the throne, knowing Iroh would be too devastated to want to rule the Fire Nation."

"What?!" he shouted. "You lie!"

The princess let out another mocking laugh.

"Don't be so naïve, Zuzu," she mocked, "This is how the world works. Only the strongest, smartest, and ruthless survive. And now I will get rid of you and I will become the true Fire Lord!"

"You're insane!" he growled as he moved into an offensive stance. "I will never give up the throne to you! You only want power and don't care about the well-being of our nation."

"I'm not insane!" she screamed wrathfully and blue fire erupted around her clenched hands before she took a deep breath to compose herself. Once she was calm once again, she threw a mocking smile at her older brother. "You're a fool with such stupid, idealistic thoughts. It's what's going to get you killed!"

With a loud shout, she thrust her arm forward, sending a large blast of blue fire at Zuko. He quickly threw his arms in front of him, snuffing out the fire, before he retaliated by punching two fire balls at her. Azula nimbly jumped sideways and the fireballs hit the building behind her with loud booming sounds. The small hut quickly caught on fire, sending sparks in every direction. Zuko looked away briefly as sparks flew everywhere, but when he looked back Azula had already leapt into the air, spun around, and was aiming a kick at his head. Zuko barely had time to block himself, the hard kick sent him flying back to land heavily on the ground. He quickly recovered himself, and rolled to the side when Azula brought a flaming foot down where his chest had been. Growling, Zuko jumped to his feet and once again took an offensive position. He could not let her win.

Azula laughed cruelly at him as she prepared to attack again, but was forced to jump back when he snapped his fire whips at her. The bright, red tips tore holes in the ground where she had been standing seconds before and she growled out an angry curse. She had always been the better of the two when they had been younger, but Zuko improved greatly as he got older and was trained by Iroh. He cracked his fire whip at her feet, but she quickly deflected it with a fire blast only to curse when she saw the second one aimed at her chest. She crossed her arms over herself, but the force of the blow had her skidding back, ripping the grassy ground beneath her feet.

"Where is Mother?" he demanded as he watched her casually brush down her clothes. "Or was the message just a ruse to lure me out here?"

He really hoped the lock of hair was not their mother's and that Azula had just stolen the hairpiece when Ursa had not been looking.

Another sinister smile appeared on his sister's face and it caused his skin to prickle in rising dread.

"How smart of you to figure part of it out, Zuzu," she complimented mockingly before she shrugged uncaringly as she waved her hand dismissively at him. "I had planned to use her as bait, but she refused to cooperate." She paused and a deep scowl marred her perfect features. "If she had just stayed quiet instead of lecturing me, I may not have snapped and accidentally killed her."

Zuko looked at her in horror, feeling his stomach drop and his chest constrict.

"You lie!" he shouted as the fire around his hands erupted higher.

Azula always lies! he cried out in his head. She had to be lying! Their mother couldn't be dead!

"See for yourself," she replied passively as she lifted a hand and snapped her fingers.

Zuko whipped around at the sound of footsteps to see a large man, a servant by the clothes he wore, emerge from the other side of the clearing. He was carrying something wrapped in a blanket over his shoulder, a blank expression on his face. The man stopped a few feet behind Azula, who was smirking knowingly at Zuko. She waved her hand at the servant.

"Go on. Show him," she said.

The large man looked up to give the prince a pitying look before he moved forward slowly. He stopped in front of Zuko and just as slowly lowered the wrapped bundle he was carrying. Zuko did not pay attention as the man rose and retreated to stand behind Azula as his sole focus was on the object resting at his feet. His body shook as he continued to look at it, part of him wanting to find out the truth, but a bigger part afraid of what he would find. He could feel Azula looking at him, but he ignored her. Finally, he slowly bent down and reached out to grab one edge of the cloth. He took several deep breaths as his heart pounded painfully in his chest before he slowly pulled it back.

His breath stopped as his eyes landed on the glazed, unseeing eyes of his mother, her skin paler than normal. He pulled the blanket completely away to see the cause of her death was a charred hole in her chest. A pained groan escaped him.

"No. No," he whispered desperately as he cupped her cold cheeks.

Tears pricked at his eyes, his body shaking in both anguish and fury. He picked her up and cradled her to his chest as emotions whirled inside him. No, he could not lose one of the two people who actually loved him and he loved in return.

"No!" he cried before he looked up to glare wrathfully at his cruel sister. "How could you?! She was our mother!" he roared furiously.

"She's not my mother!" Azula shouted just as angrily. "She never loved me! She only loved you!"

Zuko carefully laid his mother's body back on the ground. He closed her eyes then covered her with the blanket before he slowly stood up. He lifted his head to glare hatefully at Azula, his hands balling into fiery fists at his sides.

"You will pay for what you have done," he said, his tone low and dark.

He sprung forward, a fist pulled back, ready to strike the smirk off Azula's face, but she easily blocked his attack and countered. The large servant picked up Ursa's corpse and quickly retreated away from the fight, but they did not notice him in their quest to harm each other. Zuko was about to deliver a devastating blow when Azula left an opening, an unusual mistake for her, but an unexpected blast hit him from the side. He fell to the ground with a pained groan, his side aching, but he quickly jumped to his feet. He was lucky the blast had not burned through his tunic.

His eyes narrowed when he saw that standing next to Azula was Zhao. Resuming his fighting stance, Zuko glared at them.

"What is the meaning of this, Zhao?" he growled angrily.

"Isn't it obvious, Zuzu?" Azula spoke up mockingly. "Zhao helped me lure you here. We're working together."

"You traitor!" the prince roared.

Zhao smirked arrogantly.

"Not if it's the true Fire Lord I am helping," he replied with a chuckle before he added, "Oh, and I was the one who killed Ozai. He didn't notice me slip poison into his drink."

Zuko let out an angry scream as he prepared himself to attack, but he paused when men raced forward from the trees and surrounded him. He stared at them through narrowed eyes, angry at their disloyalty, as he once again readied his stance.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves for such treachery," he growled.

A few men shifted uncertainly, but none dropped their aggressive postures or moved to join him against Azula and the others.

"What are you waiting for?" Azula called out, "Restrain him."

A couple of the soldiers rushed toward him with loud battle cries, fire balls shooting from their hands. Zuko easily evaded their attacks and fought off the men who were brave enough to come near him, but there were too many and he was soon restrained by two men holding his arms behind his back. He cursed mentally as he thrashed in their unrelenting hold. What a fool he had been! He should have realized something was wrong. He had never liked Zhao and should've listened to his instincts. But he had let his concern cloud his senses and now he would have to deal with the consequences for that mistake.

"Did you bring him?" Azula asked as she smirked at Zuko.

"Of course," Zhao responded as he motioned for his men.

A moment later, the men stepped aside and Zuko watched as two soldiers brought forth a short, old man. His thin long beard quivered as he looked around fearfully. Zuko's attention shifted to Azula when she spoke again.

"I had planned on just killing you at first, but then I decided it would be more satisfying to keep you alive," she revealed as she glanced at the old man briefly before smirking at Zuko, "Alive, but suffering, unable to do anything about your pathetic situation."

Before Zuko could wonder what she meant, he watched as Azula snapped her fingers at the old man who flinched at the sound.

"Do it now," she ordered.

The old man straightened himself out, his fear seeming to leave him for a moment, as he gave the princess a dark glare.

"I won't until you return my grandson to me," he replied in a raspy voice.

Azula smirked at him and lit a hand on fire, taking a menacing step toward him, but Zhao blocked her path. She looked up to glare incredulously at him.

"If we do anything to him, we will not be able to find another mage to carry out your plan," he advised.

"Fine," she groused before she barked at another soldier, "Bring the brat."

As they waited for the guard to return, Azula turned back to glare at the old man.

"If you try anything but what you've been brought here to do, I will have your grandson's head ripped from his body," she threatened.

The old man swallowed, but gave a small nod.

Zuko tried to break the men's hold, but they were unyielding. He winced when they twisted his arms higher, almost fearing they would dislocate a shoulder. He lit his hands up, hoping to at least have them back away in fear of being burned, but the men were heavily armored and didn't even flinch.

A moment later, the soldier returned with a small boy slung over his shoulder. His hair and clothes were dirty and his hands and legs had been bound with rope. The soldier placed the boy roughly on his feet and put a strong grip on his shoulder while he held a knife against his neck. The boy, probably no older than ten, had tears running down his cheeks as his eyes darted everywhere. His eyes widened when they landed on the old man.

"Grandfather!" he cried as he tried to move forward, but the soldier held him in place. The boy recoiled when the knife pressed closer against his skin.

"Yong!" the old man cried out.

Not wanting to wait and see what would happen, Zuko once again tried to fight back by using all his strength to push back against the men, but they restrained him easily with their added weight and strength. Livid at the entire situation and his mother's unfair death, Zuko pulled his head back and managed to smack one on his face, causing the man to stumble back with a pained cry. Zuko then twisted out of the other's hold and spun around with an outstretched leg, tripping the man onto the other. He raced toward the trees, but he was immediately blocked by the other soldiers. Undeterred, he fought them, trying to reach his ostrich-horse so he could escape.

"Do it now!" Azula screamed again.

"I've already said that my old age has weakened my power. It may not work," the old man began as he stared worriedly at his grandson.

"It better work or your grandson dies. Now do it, old man!"

Zuko could barely hear the man as he begun to chant something in a language he had never heard before as he tried to fight of the other men that had sprang at him. If he could not escape, he would rather die a warrior's death. Just as he sent three men flying back with a large fire blast, he heard the man's voice rise in volume and speed.

Zuko cried out when an excruciating pain, the likes of which he had never experienced before, assaulted his entire body. The men stepped back as he collapsed onto the ground with a scream of pure agony. He felt as if his skin was ripping and his bones were breaking as they began to stretch beyond their capacity. His gums and fingers ached painfully as if new teeth and nails were emerging.

What is going on?! he screamed mentally as he felt as if something was sprouting from his tailbone and his back, ripping his skin as waves of agonizing pain crashed through him. His ripped clothes began falling around him as his fingers dug into the dirt. He let out another scream, but to his tortured mind it sounded like an animalistic roar.

"What are you changing him into?!" Azula screamed.

Eyes suddenly hazy from the agony and panting roughly from the pain, Zuko looked toward the old man to see him looking apologetically at him.

"I am sorry," he heard the man whisper.

The old man was blocked from his view as the soldiers began to surround him, feeling them wrap ropes around him while Azula and Zhao shouted orders. Then he saw the boy run to his grandfather while the men were distracted. The last thing he saw was the pair turn to look at him briefly before they escaped into the forest. Then Zuko's eyes rolled back and darkness swallowed him, taking the pain away.

Zuko opened his eyes, feeling disoriented. He closed them and grimaced when his senses were bombarded with an overwhelming stench. It was silent, but he could hear the steady drip of water somewhere. He opened his eyes again and blinked several times to focus his vision. He frowned in confusion. There wasn't any light, yet he could see perfectly well. His eyes darted around and he noticed he was in a large rocky cavern, devoid of anything. He looked forward and realized he was facing one very large, steel door. He dazedly wondered where he was when he suddenly remembered his fight with Azula.

Those traitors!

He tried to stand up, but he was immediately stopped by multiple metal chains holding him down. Confused, he glanced down as far as he could with a chain restraining his neck. To his shock, he was met with large clawed hands covered in red scales.

"What? What's going on?!" he tried to shout, but found that he did not actually say the words, he just uttered incoherent growls.

His heart began to pound and his breathing accelerated in mounting panic. He looked at his surroundings again and noticed a full-length mirror standing a few feet away on his left side. His eyes widened in disbelief when he saw himself not staring at his normal human body, but a draconic one. He was covered in red scales, horns protruded from his forehead, and large wings rested against his sides, held down by the chains.

"No!" he screamed, "What is this?!"

Horrified and confused, he began to thrash around, but the chains were too strong and tight. More growls escaped his mouth instead of words. What had happened to him? This could not be happening! He must be having a nightmare!

Yes, that must be it. It was just a dream. Everything was just a nightmare. He would wake up to realize it was the day of his coronation. His mother would be alive and waiting to see her son be crowned Fire Lord. Uncle Iroh would beam proudly at him and give him some sage advice. He closed his eyes, willing himself to wake up.

However, what seemed like hours passed and he had not woken up. He was still in the cavern and he was still seeing a dragon in the mirror's reflection. His panic resurfaced as he finally admitted the truth; he was a dragon. Chained to the ground like an animal. And his mother was dead. Killed by her own daughter.

Why? Why was this happening?

It felt like days had passed as despair gripped him before he heard the rusty steel door creak open. He slowly glanced toward it in anticipation, only to growl angrily when Azula and Zhao stepped into the room. He launched at them with an outraged shout, but his curses came out as animalistic roars and growls. They laughed, which caused his rage to mount higher.

"So good to see you, Zuzu," Azula greeted sarcastically, laughing when he growled at her. "I like seeing you chained and suffering far better than just killing you," she cooed mockingly. She frowned. "Although, I expected you to be cursed into something more pathetic like a hippo-cow or an ugly, warty badgerfrog."

She turned to Zhao who was observing Zuko in interest.

"Where did that mage flee to?" she asked angrily. "He'll pay for defying me."

Zhao shrugged as he brushed his knuckles against his sideburn. "We haven't had any luck finding him or his grandson."

"I'll burn him to a crisp if I ever get my hands on him," she growled before she composed herself. She turned to smirk at her cursed brother. "It doesn't matter, a dragon is still an animal."

Zuko snarled at her and she chuckled at his helplessness.

"I originally planned on having you survive in the wilderness as a little animal, but I can make you suffer in other ways," she added as she glanced down at her nails. "I'll keep you locked up down here as my special prisoner. No one else knows of this place, but a select few. And here you will remain for the rest of your life…however long that is for a dragon."

She let out another loud cackle when Zuko tried to launched himself at her again, but was painfully pulled back by the chains.

"Don't worry, Zhao and I are getting married and we'll take good care of the Fire Nation," she cooed evilly.

Zuko stared at them incredulously and they laughed. He growled. They would ruin the Fire Nation! Furious, he opened his mouth, and with a deafening roar, he shot a column of fire at them. Azula and Zhao cursed as they barely had enough time to jump away from the powerful blast. Zuko was surprised and pleased at his new power and he knew the pair had realized it by the sudden uneasy looks they gave him. Just as Zuko was about to attack again, a few soldiers rushed in. They paused only a moment to stare at him in awe before they began to attack him.

Zuko became alarmed at the multiple fire attacks. He closed his eyes and ducked his head, preparing himself for the pain, but he felt nothing as the fire touched him. He looked back up with a wicked, fanged smile. The soldiers gaped at him and quickly ran away while Zuko spat fire at them. Azula screamed in outrage, demanding the men to return, before she allowed Zhao to lead her back outside. But not before she threw another smirk at Zuko.

"You will never escape!" she cackled as the steel door was shut with a loud bang.

That was the last thing he heard in a long while.

He did not know how long he had been imprisoned down there. There were no windows to tell the coming and going of days. He could not even feel the energy of the sun, which meant he was deep underground. It also explained the slight chill in the air, which admittedly did not bother him since his new body seemed to produce a lot of heat.

He was in pain from being restrained in the same position for so long, and he was suffering from hunger and thirst. He had seen no one since Azula and Zhao went to taunt him. Once a week, a smoke bomb would be thrown in from a slit through the door, which would knock him out. He would wake up disorientated to see pieces of raw, sometimes rotten, meat thrown near him as well as a bucket of dirty water.

At first, he had been disgusted and refused to eat the raw meat, but eventually his hunger gave him no choice. He had been afraid it would make him sick, but it seemed his dragon body was built for it because he was fine. It was only the thought of eating raw meat that bothered him.

What was worse was the fact that he could not escape the mirror that taunted him with the atrocious image of what he was now. Every time he saw his reflection, he felt abhorrence and horror at his new body. It was so unnatural. It was not him.

He had destroyed a few mirrors with fire blasts, but they were always replaced with new ones while he was passed out from the smoke. He knew it was Azula's doing, wanting to remind him of the monster he had become. As time agonizingly passed, he was beginning to feel as if he were losing his mind. It was torture being held against his will in the same place, within the same walls, and without seeing any other living creature, with the silence and darkness his only companions. It only made things worse when all he could think about was the memory of holding his mother's dead body.

He still could not believe she was gone. She had been so kind, warm, and understanding. So full of life. And Azula killed her.

And he had not been able to prevent it.

He could not help but wonder if death would bring him peace.

Zuko's eyes snapped opened when he caught the sound of the steel door to his prison being cautiously opened. He tensed and prepared himself to attack, but no smoke bomb was thrown in. He watched warily as a cloaked figure stepped in and paused uneasily before pulling back the hood. Zuko's eyes widened and he cried out in relief when the round face of his uncle was revealed. He made to move, but was forced to settled back down by the heavy chains.

The old man approached cautiously, walking slowly forward, trying to keep his body language as unthreatening as possible. Zuko knew because he had seen his uncle do the same to a spooked komodo-rhino or ostrich-horse.

"Zuko?" Iroh asked uncertainly as he looked into his eyes.

Zuko gave a low growl and a quiet whine as he lowered his head back on the ground with shame. He glanced up to see Iroh gazing intently into his eyes before he noticed the scar of the left side of his face. The old man gave a small gasp before he rushed forward, unshed tears making his golden eyes glisten. He stopped right next to Zuko's head as his hand hovered over his scaly skin before he gently rested it on his head.

"I finally found you," he whispered hoarsely. "I knew you hadn't abandoned your duties on purpose."

Zuko gave another low whine and nudged his uncle's hand, hating that he could not speak to convey his thoughts.

"We need to hurry and leave before the guards wake up. I knocked them out," Iroh spoke up urgently as his eyes darted to the door.

Zuko looked at him in surprise, but Iroh just smiled as he produced a heavy keychain from within his large sleeve. Zuko waited patiently as Iroh went about unlocking the chains holding him down. A moment later, he felt the chains slacken before they clattered to the ground. He slowly stood up only to fall back down with a pained groan. His muscles had cramped up and stiffened from lack of movement and he was weak from starvation. He could feel his uncle looking at him worriedly, which made him persevere. After several tries, he was finally able to succeed in standing up. His legs shook with his efforts, but he ignored the pain and discomfort. They needed to make a quick escape before the guards showed up. Not only for his sake, but Iroh's as well. Who knew what they would do to him for daring to help him escape?

"Would you be able to walk?" Iroh asked in concern.

Zuko gave a nod as his answer, unable to form words.

"This way then," the old man urged as he walked toward the opened door. "I'd say we only have about half an hour before they come looking. We must hurry."

Iroh moved forward and Zuko followed him. He was slow, however, since he had never walked in his new form before. It felt odd having to coordinate all four feet forward, but he did not let that stop him. Iroh led him down through several dark tunnels that were barely large enough for Zuko's draconic body to fit through. It made him wonder how they were able to bring him down there, although he was sure they probably dragged him all the way to his prison.

They walked quickly, but carefully, trying not to cause too much noise, always on alert of being persecuted. Several minutes later, Zuko's nose detected the smell of salt water.

"We are almost there," Iroh whispered as he hurried forward, his dark cloak billowing behind him as a sudden breeze swept through the dark tunnel, flickering the flame he held on his palm to light his way.

A moment later, an opening appeared and Zuko could make out the dark sky, smell the fresh air. They stepped through it and Zuko paused at the edge of the cliff. The sea was several feet below them, waves crashing loudly against the cliff's rocky side. He took a deep whiff of the salty air, enjoying the sensation of the cool wind that ruffled his dark hair.

Freedom.

"We are on the western side of the Fire Nation," he heard Iroh explained in a quiet tone that would have been swallowed by the howling wind if it weren't for his heightened hearing. "That is why it took me a while to find you."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. He had been imprisoned far away from the capital, from his home. He let out an inaudible growl. He would make Azula, Zhao, and those that helped them pay for daring to not only imprison him, but trapped him in a body that was not his own. But most of all, he would make Azula suffer for what she had done to their mother. What she had done to him.

"Come, we have to keep going."

The cursed prince followed his uncle on the small path, keeping his senses attuned to any sounds coming from the cliff side. It felt strange walking on all fours while his senses were attacked by different scents and sounds. It only reinforced the fact that he was no longer human. They walked for what seemed like hours until his uncle led him to a small mountain hidden by many, tall trees. It seemed his uncle had scouted the area before going to rescue him because the old man led him straight to a small opening hidden behind a thick curtain of flora. It led to a small cave that was barely big enough for him to curl into while Iroh sat himself beside him.

"We'll lay low for a few days," Iroh explained as he pulled a pack Zuko had not noticed before from within his cloak and rummaged inside for a water pouch, which he drank deeply from.

He offered it to Zuko, but he shook his head, knowing the old man needed it more at the moment as perspiration coated his skin.

"There is a small stream near here filled with fish. That will tie us over for a few days before we head out again."

Zuko cocked his head to the side and growled a little, angry that he could not voice his questions. How had Iroh known where to find him? And how had he known it was him in a dragon's body? It seemed he did not need to say the words out loud.

"You must have many questions, Nephew," Iroh said.

Zuko nodded. The old man sighed.

"The day of the coronation, Azula proclaimed that you had run away because you did not want to take up your duties as Fire Lord. It had caused uproar within the Court. Some wanted to go look for you, others condemned you," the old prince continued with another sigh. "But I knew Azula was lying. I know you would never run away from your responsibilities.

"So I kept an eye on Azula after that and had my friends in the White Lotus search for you. She forced the council to name her Fire Lord. Now she's married Zhao! He's old enough to be her father!" Iroh exclaimed with a shake of his head. "A few months after your disappearance, I received an anonymous letter stating what had happened to you and where you were being kept.

"I couldn't believe it at first, the thought of you being turned into a dragon seemed unbelievable, but I have seen many strange things during my life, so I knew I couldn't dismiss the possibility. So I cautiously went in search of you and, well, here we are."

Iroh fell silent as he stared at Zuko in both relief and worry. Zuko stared back, unable to express his gratitude, his anger, or concern for his predicament. He laid his head down on his talons and let out a small growl. He felt his uncle lay a hand on his massive talon and pat it in an effort to show comfort.

"Don't worry. We will find the mage and he will undo the spell. Then you will be human again."

Zuko glanced at him with one large eye before he looked away. He hoped his uncle was right. He did not think he could stand living in that form for much longer. He wanted to return to normal and he wanted to enact his revenge.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.

(42 years later)

Katara sat with bated breath as Zuko recounted his story, her chest felt heavy with anger, sadness, and concern for what he went through. He fell silent and she watched as he once again laid his head down on his talon and closed his eyes. She could feel his despair.

"You didn't find him," she finally spoke up, her tone soft and sad.

He opened his eyes and glanced at her. He had not spoken so much in his entire life. He was mentally exhausted from remembering those horrible months and years. But he found that he could not stop talking. He wanted Katara to understand him, to know him.

"Actually, we found him and his grandson months later," he replied. "The mage felt guilt and remorse for his part, but they had threatened his only grandson and living relative, so he had no choice. Which I understand. But even if he wanted to, he could not undo the curse."

"Why not?!" Katara exclaimed indignantly.

"He said such curses could never be reversed by the one who casted it."

Katara was saddened at the thought that he would remain in such a way forever.

Zuko stared at her dejected form for a moment, unable to help feeling warm at the fact that she seemed to care that much for his plight.

"The curse can be broken," he spoke up slowly.

The waterbender immediately perked up and gazed at him expectantly.

"It's impossible for that to happen though," Zuko added gruffly.

"Why?" Katara asked with a small frown.

Zuko said nothing for a moment.

"I can't talk about it," he began before he quickly added when she started to speak, "It is part of the curse, which is another obstacle. Azula wanted to make sure the curse did not break."

Katara frowned, wondering if there was something she could do to help him break his curse.

They were silent for a moment, each lost in their thoughts.

"How did you end up here?" she asked curiously.

"Uncle and I were chased many times after my escape. Azula put a reward out for him, dead or alive, and a bigger reward to whoever brought me to her. But five years later, we were ambushed and in the skirmish my uncle was…killed." He closed his eyes and growled sadly.

A small gasp escaped Katara at his words. First he lost his mother and then his uncle in such horrible ways. Life had been so cruel to him. She narrowed her eyes. It was all Azula's fault. Not only did she hurt her brother, but she wanted to bring harm to the entire world. She needed to be stopped. She was brought out of her thoughts when Zuko spoke again.

"In my rage, I attacked and killed those responsible, but it did not bring him back and I did not know what to do. I was lost," he murmured. "I was constantly being hunted. Azula was willing to pay heavily for my capture. Of course, there were others who thought I was just another dragon and wanted my body parts to sell in the markets.

"It wasn't until I came quite close to being killed one day that I finally decided to leave the Fire Nation. Those I cared about had been lost to me just as I had lost my home. I wandered the world for a while, trying to find a safe area until I found this place. It is safe, but…lonely."

Katara felt her heart clench in sadness. She wished there was something she could do.

"How is the Fire Nation doing?" he asked and she was a bit disconcerted at the change of topic.

"Azula's reign has not been easy," she replied. "Years after she was crowned Fire Lord, a civil war broke out. Many were opposed to having her on the throne and rebelled after they saw how sadistic, greedy, and cruel she was. The civil war lasted for several years until Azula finally had the military crush her opponents. I read that a lot of people died and she killed any who spoke out against her.

"But then another war sprang up between her and Zhao, her prince consort, when he tried to assassinate her so he could become the new Fire Lord. That lasted another ten years before Azula finally managed to kill him off."

Zuko let out a derisive snort. Served the traitor right.

"All that internal fighting had cost the Fire Nation citizens a lot, especially since Azula taxed them heavily in order to fund the military and her extravagant expenses."

Zuko growled angrily, sparks flaring from his nostrils and smoke seeping from his mouth.

"I knew she was going to ruin the Fire Nation."

A long moment of silence passed as Zuko brooded angrily and Katara waited for him to process the information. A few minutes later, the waterbender cleared her throat and shifted restlessly.

"There are rumors Azula is getting ready to start another war…against all the other countries…"

"What?!" Zuko exclaimed as he rose a little from the ground in his agitation, his large wings rustling loudly against his scales.

"Azula wants to conquer the world. There are rumors that say she plans to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground and make the Water Tribespeople and Air Nomads her slaves."

The cursed prince growled out his anger, the sound echoing loudly in the cavern.

"This is all my fault."

Katara frowned at his words.

"How so?" she asked.

"If I had not been such a trusting fool, I would not have been so easily captured and cursed," he growled before he paused. He lay back down, placing his head on his clawed-hands and closing his eyes. "I would have been Fire Lord and could have prevented all this bloodshed and suffering."

He felt Katara place her small hand on his cheek, the scarred one, and he froze. Nobody had touched his scar before. Slowly, he opened his eyes to look at her. She was sitting close to him, a frown on her face, as she stared resolutely back into his reptilian eye.

"It is not your fault, Zuko," she told him firmly. "How were you supposed to know your own sister was going to betray you? Besides, you had only been trying to rescue your mother."

"I wasn't even able to save her," he replied in pained tone.

Katara's ocean-blue eyes softened and her hand moved in comforting strokes against his scarred cheek, right under his eye that wasn't capable of moving away from her face.

"That wasn't your fault either," she said softly, but steadfastly. "Just like it wasn't my fault I could not save my mother."

Zuko could not stop gazing at her as he eagerly soaked up her words, wanting to believe them.

Katara's eyes narrowed.

"Azula is to be blamed for everything. She's the monster. Not you."

Zuko's eyes closed as he listened to her words, feeling as if his tortured soul was unburdened a little. He enjoyed her small touch on him, her comforting warmth and scent. Katara was indeed unique since she didn't show any sort of disgust in touching his scaly body.

He wished she could be touching his skin instead. He quickly shook away such thoughts and focused on what Katara had revealed about Azula. If only there was a way he could save his country and the world.

But how would he do that in the form of a dragon?

"I have to look for Katara!" a male voice exclaimed loudly.

"Not like that you aren't!" a feminine voice growled out.

Toph and Aang once again shoved Sokka back onto the thin bed. Sokka tried to fight them off, throwing curses at them both, which they ignored. But his weakened body wasn't of much help to him and they easily managed to restrain him.

"Shh, Sokka. Here, drink this," Suki softly ordered him as she moved forward.

She carefully picked up his head and helped him drink from the cup she held. So far only Suki had been able to calm the blue-eyed warrior down. Once finished, Sokka smiled up dazedly at the Kyoshi warrior who returned his smile as she caressed his sweaty hair back from his face.

Aang frowned at his sick friend as Toph made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat at the other pair's actions, but nobody seemed to hear her. The airbender took in the sight of his friend's pallid skin, sweaty body, flushed face, and glazed eyes. Even though Sokka looked terrible, Aang was glad the warrior had finally woken up.

When the sudden blizzard had caught them off guard, they had gotten lost in the snowy wind and unknowingly ran in different directions, quickly becoming separated. Eventually, however, he and Toph had caught up to Sokka a few weeks later and they began to search for Katara. But to their dismay, they did not have any luck as weeks passed. Then they had the misfortune of running into a wild animal, which had taken them by surprise while they rested. It had injured Sokka and broken his leg, before the warrior had killed it. Sokka and Toph ate the meat, while Aang declined.

Unfortunately, the wound became infected. Sokka became gravely sick and lost consciousness. Aang and Toph began to despair for his life when they were luckily found by Suki and a few of her warriors. They had been making their way to visit relatives around the area and led them to a small village hidden between some mountains.

A village healer had looked after the sick warrior, which paid off since Sokka was now awake, but his fever had not completely disappeared. He was desperate to find his sister and afraid at the thought that something terrible had befallen her.

Aang sent a silent prayer to the spirits that Katara had found shelter somewhere and that she was safe. Hopefully, they would be reunited soon.

A/N: And the plot moves forward!

Thank you for reading!

I'll try to update sooner and put up the next chapter of MHBFY as soon as I can.

~alwaysZutarian