Disclaimer: All rights belong to Nickelodeon, Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and all the men and women that created the A:TLA show, books, and comics. I take no credit, and I do not mean to break any copyright rules. This is simply a work of fiction made for enjoyment. No money is being made. The lyrics are from the song "Addict With A Pen" by twenty one pilots
Rating: General Audiences. Warning: some scenes contain dark themes and minor violence
Chapter 6: Redemption
Hello
We haven't talked in quite some time
I know
I haven't been the best
Of sons
Zuko steps into the tavern, the smell of alcohol and sweat hitting his nostrils instantly. The lighting is dim, but as he makes his way through the maze of tables to the front, he can see trouble stirring up. A woman with long black hair is sitting on her own, minding her own business at the bar. A man who acts like he's all that gets pumped up by his group of friends and then approaches her, leaning across the counter and getting all up into her space.
Zuko hangs back and watches. He wonders how long she's going to play with him.
He doesn't have to wait long for his answer. About a minute later, she reaches up, tangles her fingers in his hair, and then suddenly slams his face down on the counter. He clutches his nose and cries out as she stands up, hands some coins to the server, and then walks out.
As she passes Zuko, she trails her fingers carelessly across his chest. "You want something from me, don't you?" she asks.
He follows her quickly out of the tavern and onto the street. "I need your services."
"Again," she corrects.
"Again," he agrees.
"You know how this works." She holds out her hand. "I need money up front and something of the person's to track."
Zuko digs in his pocket, but before he can find what he's looking for, the tavern door bursts open. The man from earlier stumbles out, blood smeared across his lips from his nose. He glares at the woman.
"Nobody plays me for a fool," he growls, clenching his fists at his side. The door opens again and his friends file out behind, also ready to fight.
The woman sighs. "I'll take twenty percent off if you help me shake these losers."
"Forty."
"Thirty is the highest I'll go." She cracks her knuckles and slides on fingerless gloves with metal studs over the knuckles. "We doing this?"
Zuko falls in next to her. "I've got your back."
The first man lunges. The woman blocks his punch and uses his momentum to throw him to the side, where he sprawls against the cobblestones. The second man tries to lay a hit on Zuko but he ducks, delivering a punch to the solar plexus that leaves the man gasping for breath. Beside him, the woman is kneeing another one of the men.
The first man climbs back to his feet just in time for the woman to knock him back down with a powerful kick. Zuko takes on the last guy, knocking his legs out from under him and letting him fall to the ground.
The men crawl or stumble away. The woman puts her hands on her hips and watches, amused. "It never gets old," she says. Then she turns back to Zuko. "What, no fire this time?"
"I'm laying low," he replies. "I would appreciate if we worked with a bit of discretion, June."
June smiles. "That's not really my style. But I'll try for you." She takes off her gloves and stuffs them away. "Now, do you have something for me and Nyla to work with?"
Zuko digs around in his pocket. He pulls out Katara's necklace and stares at it for a moment before hurriedly shoving it back in and finding what he was looking for: a Pai Sho tile.
"Here," he says, handing it to her.
She raises an eyebrow at him. "What? We're not tracking down the girl that necklace belongs to? Because I would personally love to meet your girlfriend."
"She's not my girlfriend," he mumbles, following her down the street. She stops in front of an alley and makes a clicking sound. A large animal with the long nose of an anteater lumbers out of the shadows.
"Hey, Nyla," June says, petting the shirshu. "Ready to go catch someone?"
"Not catch," Zuko says quickly. "Just find."
June rolls her eyes. "Fine. Take all the fun out of it."
While June saddles up Nyla, Zuko visits Appa at their hiding place. He brings him an armful of hay and scratches his head. "You'll have to wait here for a day or two. I'll be back soon, I promise. Just lay low and stay out of trouble, okay?"
Appa growls in understanding. Zuko stacks up a few more bales of hale and leaves them for the bison before returning to catch a ride with June and Nyla.
June pulls Nyla into a stop outside of the walls of Ba Sing Se. The gate is closed and guards pace the top parapets. June turns back to Zuko.
"Your person is somewhere inside that city," she says. "Who are you looking for, anyway?"
"My uncle." Zuko stares at the huge walls. Fire Nation banners are hanging down. Torches shine out in the darkness.
"That place is crawling with soldiers who aren't particularly fond of bounty hunters," June says. "If you want help beyond here, you better add a nice bonus."
Zuko passes her a bag of coins. She weighs it in her hand, debating, before finally nodding. "But I'm only working for so little because I like you."
"I'll give you a bonus once this war is over," Zuko promises. "I'm not as connected as I used to be."
June smiles dryly. "If this war goes your way, you mean."
He doesn't answer. After a moment, June spurs Nyla on. The shirshu bounds forward, toward the walls. "Hold on," June warns as they near. Zuko doesn't take her seriously until the animal bounds up the side of the walls vertically. Then he grabs June around the waist, barely staying on.
Nyla waits for a break in the guards before jumping onto the parapet and then onto the other side of the wall before they're noticed. They enter into the limits of Ba Sing Se. The farm fields in the outer ring are abandoned this late at night, the evening breeze blowing little stocks and grass slowly to make a rustling sound. Zuko is glad he's not alone.
They make their way into the middle ring, where Nyla pauses to sniff around. She then runs in circles a bit before finally settling in front of a well-kept building at the end of a shopping street.
"This is it," June announces. "Your uncle is inside."
"Thank you," Zuko says, sliding off the shirshu. He bows in respect to June.
"If you need me again soon, I'll be in one of the border towns drinking off your money." She flashes him a smile before pulling on Nyla's reins, causing the animal to bound away into the night.
Zuko watches her disappear before turning back to the building where Iroh is supposedly inside. It smells faintly like herbs. As he steps onto the porch, he can barely make out a sign in the dark that says "Jasmine Dragon."
"A tea shop," Zuko murmurs to himself, shaking his head. Of course.
He walks up to the door but stops his hand an inch from the wood. What is he going to say? He's had all this time to think, but he couldn't settle on the right words.
Zuko steps back and takes a seat on the porch stairs. He has the rest of the night ahead of him to decide what he'll tell his uncle when he finally sees him again.
"If you don't have a place to sleep, you can always knock," a familiar voice says, waking Zuko up with a start. He's slumped against the railing of the stairs. He squints his eyes in the bright daylight. "I don't turn anyone down, but people sleeping on my steps can take away from my business."
Zuko stiffens when he realizes who the voice belongs to. He must have fallen asleep. And he still has no idea what to say to his uncle.
He takes a deep breath and decides to just take the plunge. Planning never got him anywhere anyway. Of course, he's also not the expert of spontaneous decisions either, but he has no choice this time.
Zuko turns around slowly. When he makes eye contact with his uncle, Iroh's draw drops. For a moment he just stares at Zuko.
"Can I - can I come in?" Zuko asks after a moment. Iroh closes his mouth and nods silently, leading him into the small but homey shop. Zuko sits at a table and Iroh brings over a kettle of tea and a set of cups.
They sit in silence for a while. Zuko can't read his uncle's face.
"Uncle," he finally says, tired of the suspense. "I know you probably have mixed feelings about seeing me. But I want you to know that I am so, so sorry." His voice cracks on the last words. "I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did. I don't know how I can ever make it up to you."
He wipes at his face with his sleeve. Iroh stands up. Zuko knows he's going to throw him out. What he did was unforgivable. He deserves it.
But Iroh just moves to his side of the table and pulls him into a tight hug.
Zuko is shocked. "How can you forgive me so easily? I thought you'd be furious with me!"
"I was never angry with you. I was sad, because I was afraid you'd lost your way."
"I did lose my way."
Iroh pulls back, still holding onto him. He looks at him with kind, open eyes. "But you found it again. And you did it by yourself." Iroh smiles. "And I'm so happy you found your way here."
Zuko feels lighter than he's felt since he was a kid, running around with his mom and Azula and Iroh at Ember Island. He spends the entire day in the shop, helping his uncle serve tea and meeting all of Iroh's regular customers. He hears news of what Ba Sing Se has become since the Fire Nation occupation. He hears the hopelessness in everyone's voices as they come in, and he sees the optimism and hope in their faces when they leave, their stomachs full of tea and their hearts full of Iroh's wisdom.
"I'm so proud of you, Uncle," Zuko says, standing at the front of the full shop with Iroh. "This is amazing."
Iroh has a look of complete satisfaction on his face as he looks over his achievement. "This is my dream," he says. "Owning my own tea shop. But more importantly, having you by my side to share this with."
Zuko smiles a little. He's about to say, "There's no place I'd rather be" when he thinks of Katara. As much as he loves his uncle, there's something he has to do first.
"You know I can't stay," he says quietly.
Iroh sighs. "I know. We'll discuss that later. For now, table four needs a fresh pot of tea."
Zuko retrieves the tea and sets it down at the table. One of the men seated there watches Zuko carefully. "Who are you?" he asks. "I've been coming here every day for weeks and I've never seen you around."
"I'm...Po. My uncle owns the tea shop. I'm just here to visit him."
"Well, you're a very lucky young man," another person at the table says.
"Yes, I am," Zuko agrees, meaning every word.
He returns to Iroh's side in the kitchen. "So, the Jasmine Dragon," he says. "Nice name."
"It's dramatic, poetic, and has a nice ring to it." Iroh hands Zuko a fresh pot of tea. "I almost named it the Tea Weevil, but that just sounds ridiculous."
"The Tea Weevil?" Zuko raises an eyebrow and they share a laugh before Zuko returns to helping the customers.
Iroh closes the shop a little early. Zuko assumes they're going to talk, but Iroh just motions for him to follow as he heads out into the city.
They head down to the outer ring, where Iroh stops at a flower shop.
"What'll it be today?" The woman at the counter asks, smiling at Iroh. "The normal?"
Iroh shakes his head. "Today is a special day," he says. "Do you have any white lotuses?"
The woman goes to the back and returns with a small bouquet. "Last one, just for you."
Iroh pays, telling her to keep the change. Then he says, "Can we use the back door?"
"Only for my most loyal customer," she replies, leading them to a back door. They duck in the small frame and Zuko follows Iroh through a short tunnel. When they emerge, they are outside the walls of Ba Sing Se. Zuko hadn't noticed that the flower shop was built against the side of the wall.
"What are we doing?" he asks Iroh.
"The Fire Nation has the city under a strict lockdown," Iroh explains. "But Suni is so kind and lets me use her secret passage."
"But where are we going?"
Iroh leads the way up a grassy hill. "I don't expect you to remember," he says, a sad tinge to his voice.
"Remember what?"
Iroh doesn't answer until they've reached the top of the hill. Zuko turns to see the city of Ba Sing Se behind and below them. In front of them, at the very top of the hill, is a lone tree. And at the base of a tree is a stone slab with carved characters, decorated with candles and dried out flowers.
"Today is Lu-Ten's birthday," Iroh says quietly. He kneels down in front of the memorial and arranges the flowers before lighting the candles with a wave of his hand. Zuko kneels down, slightly behind him.
Then Iroh begins to sing softly. "Leaves from the vine/ falling so slow/ like little fragile shells/ drifting in the foam/ little soldier boy/ come marching home/ brave soldier boy/ comes marching home."
At the last line, Iroh begins to cry. Zuko sets his hand on his shoulder, gripping tightly. He himself feels tears prick at his eyes. Lu-Ten was his role model as a kid, his favorite (and only) cousin. They played together at Ember Island when Zuko was very young. He still remembers saying goodbye when Lu-Ten went off to war.
He still remembers saying goodbye when they learned Lu-Ten would never return from the war.
Iroh wipes his face. "I never want you to think that I'm replacing him with you," he says. "I failed my son. I failed your sister. I couldn't fail you, too."
Zuko squeezes his shoulder. "You haven't failed me," he assures him.
"Today is a day of great sorrow. But because you have returned to me, it is also a day of great joy."
Iroh stands slowly. Zuko follows him. They stand at the memorial for a while longer. Then Iroh turns to Zuko.
"I have taught you all I know about firebending, except for one thing. If you are to face your father or sister again, you must know how to manipulate lightning."
Zuko doesn't dare bring up his lost firebending - at least, not yet. He's holding his breath, interested in what Iroh has to say.
"I've never been able to summon lightning," he says.
"Lightning is a pure expression of firebending. It is not fueled by rage or emotion as other firebending is. Because of this, it is sometimes called the cold-blooded fire. It is precise and deadly."
"Like Azula."
Iroh nods. "Exactly. To perform the technique, it requires peace of mind. Your sister doesn't let anything touch her, which is why it comes so easily to her. Same with your father. But not you."
Zuko dips his head. He wishes he had peace of mind, but he's not sure he ever will completely. To do so would require him to let go of all his bitterness and guilt. He's not in any position to do that yet.
"There is energy all around us," Iroh continues. "The energy is both Yin and Yang. Positive energy and a negative energy. Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance, and in the moment the negative and the positive energy come crashing back together, you provide release and guidance - creating lightning. Once you separate the energy, you do not command it. If your mind is not clear, that energy may not release."
"What happens if it doesn't release?"
Iroh's face turns grave. "It will electrocute you from the inside. I have seen it happen to a few overly ambitious Firebenders before."
"Why are you teaching me this?" Zuko asks. "My mind isn't clear. I'd probably end up like those fried Firebenders if I tried."
"You may not be able to do it now, but there may come a day when you can." Iroh sets his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "You have the ability, Zuko. You must only achieve the right state of mind."
Zuko isn't as optimistic as his uncle, but he doesn't argue. "If I can't do it now, then why do I need to learn about it?"
"Because I am going to teach you something Azula and Ozai don't know. A technique that I invented myself by studying waterbending scrolls. Like energy has yin and yang, so does lightning."
Zuko raises an eyebrow. "I'm listening."
"Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy. A Waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponent's energy against them. You have observed this with Katara."
"Yes."
"I learned how to do this with lightning."
Zuko's jaw drops. "You can teach me how to redirect lightning?"
Iroh nods. "If you let the energy in your body flow, the lightning will follow it. You must create a pathway from your fingertips up your arm to your shoulder, then down to your stomach. Your stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is called the sea of chi. Only in my case -" Iroh cracks a smile - "it is more like a vast ocean." He turns serious again. "From the stomach, you direct it out through your other arm. But the stomach detour is critical."
He takes a step closer and presses his fingers to Zuko's chest. "You must not let the lightning pass through your heart, or the damage could be deadly." He steps back again. "You may wish to try the physical motion, to get used to the pathway's flow."
Iroh demonstrates, and Zuko copies. They stand on the hill, moving their arms fluidly together. It feels strange; the waterbending motion is much smoother than firebending motions.
"Now, are you focusing your own energy? Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out?"
"I think so."
Iroh stands and watches him continue repeating the motion for a few more minutes. Then he nods. "Excellent. You've got it. Now, when you face your father and sister, you will not be so defenseless."
Zuko bows to him in respect. "Thank you, Uncle."
The sun is already beginning to set, so they return to the city.
Back in the tea shop, Iroh finally sits down with Zuko. "We must discuss your next steps. Have you already found Katara?"
Zuko nods. "Her friends are the ones who broke me out of prison. I came to you because I needed to make things right, but also because I need your help."
Iroh frowns. "What's the matter?"
Zuko lifts his palm and tries to make a fireball. Only a few sparks come to life before quickly sputtering out. "I've lost my firebending. If there's one person in the world who knows how to fix it, it's you."
Iroh nods. "I had the very same problem."
Zuko sits up straight. "You did?"
"After Lu-Ten - after I failed to conquer Ba Sing Se, I went on a journey of self discovery. I lost my fire because I lost what fueled it. I lost the pride and strength I once had. But I discovered a way to not only bring back my Firebending, but to purify it and make it stronger than ever."
Zuko leans forward. "How?"
"You must seek out the source of fire."
The source of fire? Zuko thinks back to his history lessons. His days at the Royal Academy of Fire were long ago, but he was an excellent student. "But the dragons are extinct. You hunted them to extinction."
Iroh's face falls. "I made many mistakes in my youth," he says. "But there is another source."
The dragons created fire. But how did people learn to firebend? Zuko racks his brain. Finally a name pops up. "The Sun Warriors," he says. "They worshipped and served the dragons. And they were the first Firebenders."
"They were also the first Fire Nation people. Their take on firebending was completely different than that of our people's today."
"But they've also died out. All there is is ruins."
Iroh stirs his tea. "Perhaps there is still something to learn from their ruins. Trust me, Zuko - if there is a chance of you regaining your firebending, you must start your search there."
Zuko nods. He's not sure what he'll find, but he trusts his uncle. His days of ignoring Iroh's advice are over.
"I don't want to leave, Uncle," he finally says. "But I have to get back."
Iroh nods. "I understand. Your destiny is intertwined with Katara's."
"Are you sure you can't come with me? You would be a much better firebending master for Katara."
Iroh smiles. "I would love to teach her, but that is not my fate. My destiny is here." He stands. "But you need to get back as soon as possible. It's best to leave now, while it's dark out. The longer you stay, the more you risk being discovered. It's only a matter of time before Azula returns here."
They move around the shop, packing a bag of supplies for Zuko and finding a robe with a hood. They sneak out under a crescent moon, closing the door behind them silently and walking down the street, hugging the shadows. It's empty at night, thanks to the strict curfew laws. An eerie silence magnifies any little sound that they make.
They're about halfway to the outer ring when a voice rings out.
"Out after curfew, my dear uncle? I wonder what's so important that you left your little tea shop for?"
Zuko freezes. That voice sends chills down his throat. He and Iroh turn slowly to see Azula strolling down the middle of the street. She appears alone, but Zuko knows she has soldiers or guards hidden in the area.
Iroh sees her and smiles. "What a pleasure, Azula. I didn't know you were back in the city."
"Or what? You would have invited me over to have a cup of tea and play silly little board games?" Azula sneers. "Please. You're pathetic. Once the Dragon of the West, now a delusional old man." She turns to Zuko, whose face is still covered by the hood. "Who's your friend? Show yourself!"
Iroh places a hand protectively on Zuko's arm. "Run," he says. "I'll hold her off."
"No! I'm not leaving you - "
"Go! I can handle her." Iroh rolls up his sleeves and speaks to Azula. "Just someone who needed an escort home tonight."
Zuko pauses for a moment, but he can see the rage building up in Azula's eyes. She's mad that Iroh isn't answering her, and if he lingers any longer she'll know who he is. Of course, if he runs she'll also know, but at least he'll have a head start.
"Then he shouldn't be afraid to reveal himself."
"That won't be happening, I'm afraid." Iroh suddenly throws out a wall of flame. It isn't enough to hurt Azula - not even close - but it gives Zuko some cover to dart into a nearby alley. He can hear her shouting a moment later and the roar of more fire, but he doesn't think - he just runs.
As he zigzags through the alleys, making his way to the outer walls, he pulls out a bison-shaped whistle from his pocket. He had found it in an antique store during his journey to find June and had picked it up, not sure if it would work but deciding that it might come in handy. He blows it now, hoping that it will carry to Appa - and that Appa will be able to get here quickly.
Then he shoves the whistle back in his pocket and continues to run. He hears a slight wisp of wind and ducks to the side right as a boulder flies through the space where he had just been.
He chances a glance over his shoulder as sees two green-robed men chasing him from the rooftops of the houses surrounding him. Earthbenders.
Zuko pulls out his swords from their sheaths. His firebending might not work, but he's not completely defenseless. He slashes at another rock sent his way, cleaving it in two before it smashes into him.
He sees the wall to the outer ring right up ahead of him. He speeds up and jumps up onto a porch, then onto the railing, and then onto the roof. He runs along the rooftops until he reaches the wall, sticks his swords back into their sheathes before taking a flying leap.
He grabs at the edge of the wall with his hands, struggling to get a hold. He can hear the Earthbenders catching up to him. They can easily knock him off the wall once they get into range, so he strains and pulls himself up onto the parapet. A pair of guards see him and shout, so he sprints across and jumps off to the other side of the wall.
It's a longer fall than he's expecting. He can't see much in the dark beneath him, so he squeezes his eyes shut and prepares for pain.
Fate is on his side. He lands right on a hay pile which, while not comfortable, is better than solid ground. He rolls out and gets to his feet, sprinting across the fields. He doesn't know if the Earthbenders are still in pursuit or if they just notified the guards at the big walls, but he knows he's not out of danger yet.
He gets his answer sooner than he expects. About halfway between the outer walls and the wall he'd just scaled, he takes a step and instead of propelling himself forward, the ground shoots up beneath him and he's thrown high into the air. He twists, trying to control his ascent, but he's no Airbender. He pauses for a split second before his stomach drops and he falls back towards the ground.
This is it, he thinks. He risked everything to return to his uncle and now he's getting captured. Katara and the others rescued him for nothing.
Before he reaches the ground he's suddenly snatched mid-air and held by something soft but firm. He cranes his neck up and a smile breaks out across his face.
"Appa," he says. "You found me."
The flying bison growls and pushes higher, swerving to the right and then to the left to avoid getting hit by rock projectiles from the Earthbenders. The entire wall is now ablaze as they attempt to find and shoot him down.
But Appa is stronger, faster, and smarter than them. He carries Zuko safely out of the city and over the hills, far enough away that they won't be found. Then he descends in a forest and releases Zuko.
After he lands, Zuko gives him a big hug. "No wonder the kid likes you so much," he says. "You just saved my life."
Appa groans contentedly and lays down. Zuko lays against his side, his face stinging from wind burn and his body aching and tired. But inside, in his heart, he's content. Somehow he's been fortunate enough to be forgiven by his uncle and by Katara. He's been given a second chance to make the right choice. Tomorrow he'll be on his way back to Katara and then he can finally fulfill his destiny.
Zuko considers himself the luckiest man alive right now.