When Aang found Zuko by the windowsill again the next morning, he knew he had to bite the bullet and ask about whatever had happened with Katara. Aang had seen them in heated conversation after the play last night. It sparked a glimmer of hope in him, that Katara was willing to talk to Zuko one on one again. But soon Jia had whisked her away and Aang was too caught up in the festivities in the aftermath of the show – those paper spirits really knew how to impress – to see where Zuko had gone, if they had even come to some kind of resolution.
The last time they played, Jia had mentioned an important wedding her parents were taking her to, so it was likely she wouldn't bring Katara back until later. Katara would miss whatever they got up to in their absence (it was the price to pay for being a kid's favourite toy), but Zuko didn't have to.
He didn't want to just leave Zuko up there, or ask him to play and ignore what was obviously on his mind. Not now that they were actually friends. Sokka would probably call all the toys out to go exploring around the house soon – it was a special tradition when the whole family was out and the toys had the entire house to play in.
This meant it was up to Aang to find out what was going on between them. His chance to figure out why Zuko hadn't come down from his old brooding spot yet and get him to join his first-ever out of house extravaganza was slimming with each moment that passed. He suppressed the niggling feeling that he was about to go behind Katara's back, and made for the window. When he arrived on the ledge, Zuko was sitting down, appearing to be deep in thought.
"Hey, Zuko. What are you doing up here?"
Zuko didn't turn. He was staring through the window, past Toph's hideout and into the fenced field beyond. The planes of his face reflected the clear morning sunlight with a slight shine, the dulled surface of the scar standing out by contrast. "I'm just thinking."
Aang shifted on his feet. "Well, don't you wanna come down? I thought we could try to brainstorm about this Avatar stuff before we go out to play."
"I think I'll skip today, actually," Zuko said with a sigh. He was slow and distracted, a manner that was so unlike him that Aang's curiosity got the better of him, and he walked around in front of Zuko just to be able to read his face.
"Really? But it's going to be a lot of fun. We can go anywhere we want in the whole house," Aang started. "Sokka said last time, they had a wrestling match on the huge sofa in the living room, how cool is that?" He dropped his volume, "I get it if you're afraid Katara won't want you to join us, but she's not–"
Zuko raised his head at that, eyes widening in surprise. "I know she's not here. That's not– that's not what this is about."
Well, this was news. Aang frowned. "Then what?"
Zuko gave him a scrutinising stare before shaking his head. "It was something my sister said to me yesterday. Ugh, nevermind."
"What did she say?" Aang pressed. The fact that this wasn't about Katara after all emboldened him; he didn't have to feel awkward about taking sides.
Zuko answered in a reluctant mumble. "She said we should go visit Li's study. That I should bring you guys to hang out." His eyes were trained on the dewdrops clustered on the other side of the window by Aang's feet.
This was puzzling. Zuko didn't like talking about his sister, but from what little Aang had heard, it seemed like this should have been a good thing. "Huh? Why's that worth sulking over?"
"Because Azula doesn't suggest anything without an ulterior motive– I am NOT sulking, by the way–" He stopped abruptly and his voice quietened considerably before his next words. Aang saw him glance at his own boot, at the scratched-out signature. "I didn't know if you guys would want to. I mean, it's definitely not as fun as out here."
Aang's heart fell. Zuko was afraid they would be put off by where he came from, up in those cabinets with all those fancy toys. Aang had worried about the same thing, when Katara first brought him to Jia's toys. "Why not? I'm sure it'll be fun."
Strangely, this didn't seem to assuage Zuko one bit. In fact, he looked even more perturbed, Aang could almost say he looked guilty. "Are you sure?"
Aang drew his eyebrows together, before erupting in a smile and unclipping his glider. "Yeah! Now get down from this window and join us."
A call from below drew his attention. It was Sokka, waving his arms around wildly at the bottom of Jia's dresser. "Hey jerks! If you don't mind, we're heading out now! We're having a pool party in the bathroom!"
"We're coming!" It looked like any Avatar stuff would have to wait. Aang couldn't say he minded.
When they descended, Aang with his glider and Zuko following him down the cords of the blinds, Sokka informed them that the rest of the toys were already on their way. He swiftly deposited a squawking rubber turtleduck in Zuko's arms, alarming him enough to make Aang laugh loudly. As they walked, Sokka drew Aang into a far too intricate conversation about the possibilities of water gliding, which Aang had to admit, did sound pretty exciting.
What they saw as they crossed the living room stopped them in their tracks.
The television had been left on; Li often forgot to turn it off before he left the house. From its scratchy screen stared out none other than Aang himself.
The three toys gaped.
You're all familiar with the extraordinary airbender Aang, a booming voice said, while the camera zoomed out to a kid a few years older than Jia admiring the likeness of Aang on a too-tidy shelf full of toys. The scene around the toy dissolved, changing to a serene cartoon set of a mountain, surrounded by temples and waterfalls, while the Aang on the screen flipped open his glider and spun around in jerky, stop-motion movements.
Aang marvelled at how serious his face looked when he wasn't moving. Was that really how humans saw him?
A new voice, bubbly and girlish, exclaimed: Now get ready for a brand new Avatar, waterbending Korra! Hi-Yah! Aang belatedly realised that if this was the new Avatar, then that macho voice a moment ago was supposed to represent him. He glanced across at Zuko and Sokka, who had pure bewilderment written on their faces. The commercial went on to show off the new Avatar, a girl with ancient water-tribe garments and an intricate hairstyle that probably wouldn't have been feasible when Aang was made. Her background was a bustling cityscape.
Aang was still too stunned by the bizarre version of himself on-screen to follow the voiceover, but he watched as a disembodied hand demonstrated the on-off switch on the Avatar's back, and it made her eyes glowed with a majestic, near-blinding light.
He whirled around to his friends. Sokka was still gawking at the television, pointing; whether he was shocked by the oddity of the super-serious Aang onscreen, or the price tag that had just appeared next to his successor, Aang couldn't tell. Zuko was looking straight at him, eyes full of vindication.
The whole thing was over in a matter of twenty seconds. "You were right," Aang whispered. "I'm an Avatar."
"Azula," Zuko called into the empty room. Around him, his new friends filtered into the study, a handful of curious eyes flitting around the unfamiliar place. Even Toph had come, and she wasn't normally interested in the ongoings of other toys.
After mulling it over for a few days, he was feeling confident about this. Azula didn't have anything on him. Since that commercial had confirmed to Aang what Zuko had told him about his origins, Sokka and Katara both seemed to trust him more. Once Katara had returned from the trip, he had even managed to finish their conversation from earlier, and she was being nicer to him when they all played together. Zuko could breathe a sigh of relief. Even if she didn't trust him yet, it showed she was willing to. Zuko hoped what Azula said about Li and Jia and her being happy enough to play with him could be true. Things could actually be starting to fall into place for Zuko.
The devil herself emerged, leaning against her favourite spot on the railing. Zuko could feel the eyes of several toys, staring up in awe at the magnificent dollhouse. "What's this, Zuzu?" Zuko grimaced automatically at the nickname. Aang raised a bemused eyebrow at him, while Katara and Sokka sniggered behind their hands.
"I brought my friends," he told her, trying not to feel intimidated with everyone's eyes on him. "I want to introduce them to you."
Promptly, Ty Lee poked her head out from behind a pencil pot. "New friends?!"
Mai hopped out behind Ty Lee, who was already hopping down the piles of boxes adjacent to the desk to meet the other toys on the carpet. Slowly but surely, the toys began mingling. A few of the Kyoshi Warriors were fascinated by Mai, who surprisingly, was answering all their questions about her blade. Ty Lee hopped around asking Aang and Sokka about water gliding (which they had tried yesterday – and failed, it should be said). All Zuko could focus on was that Azula stood perfectly still in her terrace, surveying the room, and he tried to catch her eye to determine what was going on with her. To make it worse, he became aware that Katara also watching, only she was watching the interaction between Zuko and his sister.
"Toys!" Azula said suddenly, eyes all at once glued to Zuko and glittering. She smirked, as if she was impressed he had actually got the toys to come here and mix. "I think we should play a little game, don't you?"
The study toys stopped what they were doing and deferred to Azula's announcement, and curiously, Jia's toys did the same.
"How about...let's see… oh, hide and seek?" Azula asked. "There are so many nooks and crannies in this little study here, it would be a riveting game."
No one said a thing. Zuko almost felt bad for her. It never occurred to him the sheer lack of skill Azula had, at being friendly, until he had started hanging out with other toys. Most of them were simply looking between her and Zuko with bewilderment.
Thankfully, before Zuko had the chance to interrupt, Aang piped up. "Sure!"
Azula's smile widened. Its points were like knives. "All right. Uh–?"
"Aang."
"-Aang. Care to seek first?"
Aang hopped up to the desk. "Why not?" "
Zuko heard Katara make a noise behind him before catching herself. A twisting in his stomach made him sympathise. As Aang advanced, it became clearer that Azula was observing him like prey.
"Perfect," Azula said. "Since I can't exactly leave my house," she said bluntly, splaying her hands out to gesture her opulent surroundings, "I'll count you down until you can open your eyes. Everyone, you have until I count to 30."
As Aang covered his eyes, all the toys scurried to find a corner, clearly eager to explore a room many of them had never been allowed in before.
Zuko slipped out of Azula's view into the corner of the room, but he waited instead of hiding. Katara appeared to have the same idea, quietly crawling behind a briefcase next to him, and they watched the toys disperse. It wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out, just this time, to see if Azula was really going to play nice. Within a minute, the toys were all tucked away, disappearing inside shelves, behind books and trinkets and under desks. Azula was counting.
Zuko turned to Katara, a question of suspicion on his lips, when a tremendous crash jolted him out of it. Zuko froze.
Azula had thrown down a paperweight from her height, which lay in pieces on the floor.
In the moment it took him and Katara to register what happened, Aang opened his eyes, startled at the sound. A rush of heavy footsteps was thundering towards the study door.
Azula retreated. Aang had only a moment to drop dead, a lone toy in the middle of the desk, before the door flew open.
"Oh no, no," Zuko whispered. It felt like the breath had been knocked out of him. Katara watched the scene unfold next to him, her eyes wide as saucers, her hand clasped over her mouth in horror.
Time slowed to a crawl as they watched Li pick up the toy and observe him, attaching and reattaching the glider, flicking the light switch on his back on and off fruitlessly, recognition slowly hitting him. Li's expression of awe made dread pool in Zuko's stomach, and when he took Aang, gave him a final shake, placed him in his regular bag and walked out with it, Zuko knew what he had walked right into. He knew what he had done, how he had betrayed Aang, had played right into Azula's plan. And what was more, Katara knew it too.
Katara's head was reeling. She was rooted to her spot, panic constricting her, like being trapped in a box. She barely noticed Zuko storming out of their hiding place, barely even noticed as the rest of the toys clambered out of their hiding spots, shouting over each other with worry.
"Azula!" Zuko marched out to the middle of the room, Sokka and Toph fuming on his heels. "What did you do?"
Azula sauntered out to the railing, a smug little smile painted on her face. "Zuzu, you've been a great help. But I can't afford to work so slow."
Katara's heart seized. She should have known.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Zuko spat. His voice wobbled, laced with alarm and he was looking directly at Katara.
From above, Azula tutted. Katara felt sick, between the two of them, between the confused group of toys, trying to figure out what was happening. Every moment they stayed here was a moment they could be trying to get to Aang before something happened.
"Don't be coy," Azula was saying. "I told you bringing your new friend would help us. If Li sells him, he'll finally have the money to get the rest of our family."
Sell him? That's what they were planning? To think she had ever felt sympathy for Zuko, to think she had been worrying for him minutes ago when she saw the way his sister taunted him. To think Aang had trusted him.
Those two were in this together. She whirled on Zuko, balling her hands into fists. Her voice shook. "You–"
Zuko's eyes widened with real fear. He sputtered, "Katara– you have to believe me, I didn't have anything to do with this, I- I would never want Aang to get captured- I didn't even think he was that valuable-"
Liar. He was the only one out of them that had known Aang was an Avatar. How long had he kept up this ruse? She couldn't listen to any more. She turned to the figure in the dollhouse, her anger and worry thundering in her ears. "What happens now, Azula?"
Azula had the gall to look like she didn't even care about the aftermath, inspecting her nails.
"Azula!" Zuko snapped. "What's your plan?"
She sighed a long-suffering sigh, deigning to give them her attention. Katara wanted to scream. She clenched her fists, glaring into her perfectly painted eyes. Azula glanced between her and Zuko, a bemused expression crossing her face. "Aren't you quite the worried little pair."
Toph almost lunged. "You prim, snooty little princess. What's going to happen to Aang?!" Katara would have, too, if Sokka wasn't gripping her hand tight and keeping her in place. If her anger towards Zuko wasn't turning to bewilderment with every second as his face took on a devastated expression.
Sokka glowered. "Answer her!"
"Li's Avatars are still in the box, so he's not going to keep your little boyfriend," Azula explained with a sigh. This was news. There were more Avatars in this house? What other secrets was Zuko keeping? "He's had his eyes set on a better deal for days. I noticed your friend's lights didn't work. Once Li gets them fixed, he'll be sold to pay for more Royals."
Dread rose in Katara's stomach. She wrenched her wrist out of Sokka's grip, who quickly turned his attention to herding all the toys out of the study. Katara faced Zuko. "You were in on it. You had to be. I can't believe I fell for it," she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Katara, I don't think-" Toph started, her voice trembling with concern, but Katara couldn't pay her any mind.
"It all makes sense. Of course it does," she laughed deliriously, "you want a family. You're all alone, Zuko! And you're using Aang to get your way when he's been nothing but nice to you!"
Zuko stepped backwards as she advanced on him, even daring to hold his hands up in surrender.
"Katara!" Toph called. "Please! Not now! We have to focus on getting Aang back!" There was a childlike fear in Toph's voice that was so unlike her that it finally made Katara stop. She swallowed. "Right."
With one last glare at Zuko, she walked out with Sokka and the other toys. When she looked back, Toph had gripped Zuko's wrist, worry etched all over her round face, before she dropped it and hurried after everyone.
At least Zuko had the sense to keep his mouth shut, to not follow them. As Katara stepped out of the door, she followed Zuko's gaze up to the dollhouse one last time: Azula had vanished behind one of the screen door landscapes, like none of this was of any interest to her, and her two friends were nowhere in sight. The study was deserted again. All that was left was Zuko, looking lost in the middle of it.