The Undying Fire: City of Secrets

by Boogum

Book 3. It started with a battle for the Outer Wall. It ended with blood and a blackened throne. Ba Sing Se changed all of them, for better or worse.

8. City of Rules

The sun was warm. Zuko exhaled in sleepy contentment and shifted into a more comfortable position. Dimly, he could hear water running and a flutter of feathers. Cloth rustled next to him. A hand, soft and familiar, stroked his cheek. He smiled and breathed in the scent of flowers and spices. His mother had come.

"Master Mizuto knows something," Shizue, his mother's lady-in-waiting, said in a low voice. "He has been watching Prince Zuko too closely during their firebending lessons."

Ursa's hand stilled. "I'm aware."

"You're not worried?"

"I believe that man may be one of us."

"What?" Shizue hissed. "But—"

"It's too dangerous to confirm it with him." Ursa's voice turned hard. "For now, I am watching him to see what he will do."

"Isn't that risky?"

"Acting with haste can be just as dangerous. The fact that Master Mizuto approached me instead of Ozai suggests he knows this isn't something that should be spoken of lightly. Perhaps he even knows the truth about us."

"Princess—"

"I will not needlessly put my son's life in danger. If anything went awry, we'd be dealing with a much worse situation. First, we must learn more about Master Mizuto's intentions. Then we can decide whether we need to act."

Shizue was quiet for a long moment. There was a rustle of cloth as if she had just lowered into a bow. "Very well. I shall help you keep watch for now."

"You don't seem happy with this decision."

"I made a promise too," Shizue said, as if she was reminding Ursa. "Royalty or not, they will not forgive you if something goes wrong. Do not let your love for that boy get in the way of your duty."

Ursa's hand convulsed, gripping Zuko's robe. "Nothing is going to happen."

"Can you really guarantee that? I have followed you this far, sometimes against my better judgement, but you and I both know what should have happened the moment it was confirmed Prince Zuko was one of them."

"Enough! Remember your place, Shizue."

More rustling cloth. Shizue must have bowed again. "Forgive me, Princess."

Zuko's heart pounded in his chest. He lay still, eyes squeezed shut. The words his mother and Shizue had spoken made little sense to him, but something in their tone left him feeling chilled and like there were a thousand knots in his stomach, all twisting and tightening. He was glad when Shizue left and his mother pulled him close.

"I won't let them take you away from me," Ursa murmured, cradling him to her chest. "No matter what people say, no matter what you become, you will always be my son." She stroked his hair and placed a kiss on his forehead. "I will protect you."

Zuko stirred awake. He was conscious of a swaying motion and that his cheek was pressed against something warm. People talked around him in muffled voices. It was so much like his dream: the haziness between sleep and waking, but also the warm presence at his side. His eyelashes fluttered open. A blur of blue greeted his vision. He frowned and raised his gaze upward, catching a glimpse of a moon-like pendant. He sat up with a start. Katara turned at his sudden motion.

"Hey," she greeted.

"S-sorry," he stammered, hurrying to put more space between them. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

"So you should be." She made a show of rolling the shoulder he had fallen asleep against. "You made my arm go dead."

His cheeks warmed. "You should have woken me up."

Some of the teasing light faded from her eyes. "Don't be stupid. You looked exhausted. Besides, that"—she cast a wary glance at the other people seated inside the monorail, then leaned closer and lowered her voice—"that healing must have taken a lot out of you, right?"

"Not as much as it could have."

She looked at him questioningly, but he just shook his head.

"Later," he told her.

There was no way he was going to discuss his healing powers, let alone his newfound ability to absorb chi, while sitting in a crowded monorail. Katara didn't push the matter and was soon distracted by Aang, who was bemoaning the fact they'd had to leave Appa behind. It still didn't seem fair to him. Appa was harmless and didn't deserve to be kept away just because of some stupid rules.

"Better get used to it."

Zuko, Katara and Aang all turned to look at Toph, who was seated on the opposite bench with Sokka.

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked.

"Ba Sing Se is just a bunch of walls and rules," Toph said with a curl of her lip. "There's no escaping it."

Zuko eyed her with interest. "Sounds like you've been here before."

"I have."

He waited for her to continue, but she just huffed and leaned back against the seat. It seemed that was all they were going to get out of Toph. Zuko frowned and glanced to his left. Iroh was snoring away, completely dead to the world. Not much of a surprise since he'd ended up taking the brunt of the healing and had his energy drained. Mai sat on Iroh's other side. She was ignoring everyone, chin resting on her palm and gazing out the window. That also wasn't a surprise.

Zuko sighed and closed his eyes. He still felt a bit groggy. The dream, or memory, lingered in his mind. He'd almost forgotten about the conversation he'd overheard between Shizue and his mother. He'd been six at the time. It had only been a month since his mother had found him with the wounded turtleduck. A month since she had made him promise not to use his firebending for anything except what Master Mizuto taught him.

"I believe that man may be one of us."

A crease formed on his brow. It sounded like his mother and Shizue had been part of something: a group or some kind of secret society that was involved with the Children of the Undying Fire. That would explain how the two of them had known so much. Still, the more his childhood memories returned, the more he realised that he knew nothing about the woman he called mother. Not her family, not where she had come from, not even how she had become his father's wife. Shizue was just as much of a mystery. The lady-in-waiting had always been at his side, keeping an eye on him when his mother could not, but now he felt a prickle of unease when he thought of his pseudo-nanny. Now he wondered just what her intentions had been when she had agreed to watch over him.

"I made a promise too."

He did not understand everything that had been said on that day, not even now with the context he could give it. All he knew was that Shizue had been afraid that Master Mizuto might dig too deep and uncover the secrets she had been protecting. However, his mother had only shown fear when reminded of her duty. His mother had not liked being reminded of "them".

"Royalty or not, they will not forgive you if something goes wrong."

Zuko let out a breath. There were too many secrets. He wished he knew who "they" were. He wished he could see his mother and ask her for the truth. But Ursa had vanished. She had left the night she had committed treason to protect him from Fire Lord Azulon's twisted orders. Even Shizue had disappeared, following his mother just like she had always done. Zuko could only assume that they were both dead. He had travelled all over the world; he would have heard something if his mother and Shizue were still out there somewhere.

"Look!" Katara exclaimed, making his eyes snap open. "It's the Inner Wall."

Zuko joined her and Aang to look out the window. The wall was huge, though not quite as grand as the Outer Wall. The monorail passed through a long tunnel and then emerged on the other side, giving them a view of rows upon rows of green-tiled houses. Smaller walls spread throughout like a massive stone web. It was impressive, though there was something very contained and almost oppressive about the design. Still, Sokka oohed in wonder and seemed quite taken with the city.

"You think it's that great?" Zuko asked, scrunching his nose.

"I've never seen a city this big," Katara murmured. "It just goes on and on and on. Even Omashu and the Northern Water Tribe can't compare to this."

Zuko understood then. Both the siblings were from the Southern Water Tribe. From what he had seen during his time there, it had just been a lot of small igloos and huts.

"Is the Fire Nation capital like this?" Katara asked him.

Something clenched in his heart. Home.

"No," Mai said in a flat voice. "It's not."

He glanced at Mai, but she was still staring out the window with her chin resting on her hand. She didn't even look at him. Still, he was grateful that she had spoken for him. Thinking of home was painful. Even now, he missed the warmth of the capital and the lush gardens; he missed the sprawling, tower-like houses of red that filled the Caldera and all the scents and sights. It had been three years. It hurt to think he would never see it again.

Katara must have realised she had said something wrong, as she quickly changed the subject to instead ask what everyone thought the king would be like. Toph shrugged and said the Earth King was treated like a god. No one really knew much about him.

"So long as he's not as crazy as Bumi, I'm good," Sokka said.

"Hey," Aang complained. "Bumi is my friend!"

"Yeah, and he's totally nuts."

The two boys were still squabbling when the monorail stopped at the station. Zuko nudged his uncle awake. Together, they disembarked and stood on the platform. The sun had almost sunk behind the hills, taking the orange glow that bathed the sky with it. Iroh yawned and stretched his arms, murmuring about how a cup of tea would be nice. Zuko rolled his eyes. He froze when he noticed a woman standing under a lantern on the opposite side of the track. She smiled brilliantly, as if trying to split her face in half with the expression, and advanced towards them.

"Hello," she greeted. "My name is Joo Dee. I have been given the great honour of showing the Avatar around Ba Sing Se." Her smile, if it was possible, got even wider. "And you must be Yingjie, Lee, Sokka, Katara, Toph, and Luan."

Mai scrunched her nose at the fake name, but otherwise said nothing. Even she had accepted that since she had been one of Princess Azula's right-hand warriors and her father was the governor of Omashu (or New Ozai), it was probably not a good idea to use her real identity.

Joo Dee included them all in her jaw-breaking smile. "Welcome to our wonderful city. Shall we get started?"

oOo

"Told you this place sucks," Toph said, settling down on one of the cushions in their new home.

It was a fair assessment. They had all quickly realised two things during their tour: Joo Dee did not plan to let them explore the city alone, and no one was going to be seeing the Earth King any time soon.

Katara took a seat next to Toph. "I can't believe it'll take a month just to see the Earth King. We can't afford to wait around for that long."

"What will you do?" Zuko asked, propping his back against the wall and folding his arms. "You were pretty set on seeing the Earth King, right?"

"We need the Earth King's support if we want to build an army to invade the Fire Nation," Sokka said. "A month will push it too close to the eclipse."

"Eclipse?" Iroh questioned.

Zuko rubbed the base of his neck. "Right. I forgot to tell you."

There had been so much going on of late that the thought had slipped to the back of his mind—not forgotten, but also not as pressing when compared to everything else that was demanding his attention. Sokka stepped in to explain about the plan.

Iroh rubbed his chin in thought. "I'll admit the plan does have its merits, but this is still going to be a huge risk. The Fire Lord makes a point of having astronomers predict the occurrences of solar eclipses. He will not expose himself when he is that vulnerable. You also have to keep in mind that the capital has been strategically designed to impede all invading armies. No one has ever got close to the palace, not even once during the last hundred years. The navy is too strong and the domestic guard are well-trained."

Sokka met his gaze. "We're aware of the risks, but this is still our best chance to take down the Fire Lord before the comet arrives. Even if the capital is prepared for the eclipse, they won't be prepared for an attack."

Zuko's brow furrowed. "Comet?"

He hadn't heard about that one. Iroh, however, did not seem surprised. If anything, he looked as if he had just been given the last piece to a puzzle.

Aang sighed and joined the girls on the cushions. "Roku warned me that I needed to master the four elements and defeat the Fire Lord before the comet arrives. He said that the Fire Lord would use the comet to finish the war once and for all."

"I don't understand," Zuko began. "How would—"

"Think, Nephew. Astronomers have predicted that Sozin's Comet will pass by the earth at the end of summer. Why would that be important?"

Something plummeted in Zuko's stomach, settling like a cold lump of lead. His knuckles burned white. "Don't tell me—"

"Yes," Iroh said softly. "I suspect Ozai will follow in his grandfather's footsteps."

There was an awful silence as everyone digested the meaning of those words.

Aang swallowed. "Are you saying that the Fire Lord is going to repeat what happened to the airbenders?"

"There is no doubt that will be Ozai's intention. My brother only cares about results. Any lives lost mean nothing to him. If he can end the war quickly using the comet, he will do it."

Zuko said nothing. His chest felt tight and his fingernails dug into his palms. He wanted to believe that such a sick, cruel thing was beyond his father, yet the scar that marred his cheek reminded him that Ozai was not one for holding back. His father really did just care about results. It was why Zuko had never been able to measure up to his expectations. It was why Father had not been fazed when presented with that plan to sacrifice new recruits in order to gain an advantage in battle.

Zuko slumped against the wall, feeling suddenly ill. Iroh was at his side in an instant.

"Nephew," Iroh murmured.

"I'm fine," Zuko lied. "I just ... I just didn't think Father would ..."

"Now you understand why we have no time to waste," Sokka said, locking gazes with Iroh. "The Fire Lord has to be defeated before the comet arrives."

Iroh couldn't argue with that. The eclipse was the best chance to take the Fire Lord out directly. Even Zuko, torn as he was because of the love and hate that warred within him, felt only sickened at the thought of his father's plan. Ozai had to be stopped, of that there was no denying. Unfortunately, that brought them back to the issue of having to wait a month to see the Earth King.

"There must be a way to speed things up," Aang said, hugging his knees to his chest. "Appa is out there all alone. I can't make him wait for me for a whole month."

"The bison is the least of your problems," Mai said dryly.

Zuko glanced her. She was leaning against the opposite wall, watching them with her arms crossed. Katara must not have liked Mai's tone, as she was quick to jump to Aang's defence.

"There's no need to speak to Aang like that."

Mai's lip curled. "So, you'd rather baby him?"

"W-what?" Katara spluttered. "I'm not babying him. I'm just saying—"

"You're all hopeless," Mai said bluntly. "You don't even have a real plan to defeat the Fire Lord. You're just winging things and hoping it will turn out okay. The way you are now, you don't stand a chance against the Fire Nation."

"Hey!" Katara exclaimed. "Don't just—"

Mai ignored the interruption. She stared at Aang with her one good eye and told him in a perfectly controlled voice that he had no hope of winning. He was a child who hesitated and allowed himself to be manipulated by his feelings too much. It was the reason Azula had been able to trap him so effectively in the drill. If Mai had not stepped in, none of them would have made it out safely.

"Do you think it will be any easier when you face the Fire Lord?" she demanded. "You calculated that the eclipse will last eight minutes. Do you think he's just going to let you walk in and fight him during that time?"

"Well, no, but—"

"Azula is nothing compared to her father," Mai continued ruthlessly. "The Fire Lord is the most powerful bender in the world and has an entire army to defend him. What hope do you even have? You're just a bunch of kids playing hero."

"You think we don't know that?"

Sokka's voice broke through her barrage of words. Mai turned to face him, arms crossed and her eyebrow raised as if to ask him to please enlighten her. Sokka didn't back down.

"We know it looks hopeless," he said grimly. "We know we're outnumbered and that we're just a bunch of kids trying to stop the most powerful nation in the world. But that's why we're going to get support from the Earth King."

"And if that doesn't work? What if you can't get the support you need? What if you do but you can't get to the Fire Lord in time?"

Sokka held her gaze. "We still have to try. The eclipse might be a gamble, but it's the best shot we have. All of us are prepared to take that risk."

Mai stared at him for a long moment before turning away. "You're all stupid," she muttered.

"Maybe," Sokka allowed, "but even you know making a stand for what's right isn't always the most logical decision. Isn't that why you chose to risk your life to help us?"

Mai stilled. From this vantage point, they could only see the bandaged side of her face.

"You must have known what was going to happen," Sokka said softly, "yet you still chose to betray Azula." He rubbed the base of his neck. "To tell the truth, I thought you were really cool back then. You didn't even hesitate."

"That was before I realised how hopeless you all are."

Toph blew her fringe out of her face. "It sounds to me like you're just scared."

Mai's lips curved into an unamused smile. "You would be too if you knew what the Fire Lord is capable of." She glanced back at Sokka. "Why don't you ask Zuko or General Iroh why they haven't said anything? Go ahead and ask them why they aren't defending your little group."

Aang looked at him. "Zuko?"

Something twisted in Zuko's stomach. He found it hard to meet Aang's gaze.

Katara got to her feet. "Oh, enough! This kind of talk isn't going to solve anything. We've come this far, haven't we? Even if we've had some setbacks, we've still managed to pull through. So stop acting like we've already lost!" Her eyes sparkled, too bright to be natural. "I believe in Aang. I know that he can save the world. That's why I'm here." She looked at Mai. "Why don't you ask yourself why you're here?"

Mai held her gaze for a moment. Then she just heaved a sigh and turned her back to them. "I'm not interested in your 'just have hope' speeches. Reality doesn't work that way. One day, you'll see that too."

She left on the words, shutting herself inside one of the bedrooms. Katara fumed and muttered unflattering things under her breath, but that didn't change the fact that Mai had put a definite damper on the mood. The truth hurt, and there was enough truth in what Mai had said to leave a sting in all of them.

"Is it really true?" Aang asked in a small voice. "Do you both agree with Mai?"

Zuko exchanged a helpless glance with his uncle.

"Mai raised some valid points," Iroh admitted, though he was quick to soften the blow. "That doesn't mean I believe you have no hope of winning."

Aang didn't get any comfort from these words. He buried his face against his knees, looking small and dispirited. Zuko felt a stirring of pity. He could not deny that he had thought almost the exact same thing as Mai—had even said as much to Katara when she had found him after the failure that had been Aang's firebending lesson. Still, he found himself kneeling in front of Aang.

"Aang," Zuko said, and then paused. He really wasn't good at this comforting thing. "I don't know what to tell you. I wish I could say the eclipse plan will work out fine and that you don't have to worry, but Mai is right that my father is far stronger than any of you can imagine. He's ..." Zuko curled his hands into fists. "He won't care that you're a kid. He'll completely crush you."

"So, you think I have no chance?" Aang asked in a muffled voice. His face was still hidden against his knees.

Zuko sighed and shifted to sit next to him, leaning back on his palms. "I think only you can decide that."

Aang peeped up from his knees. "Huh?"

"You might be a kid, but you're also the Avatar. I've seen what you can do when you're at your full power. Not even my father can match that."

Aang said nothing. Zuko gripped his shoulder, startling him into raising his face.

"You need to stop holding back, Aang. I know you're worried you'll just end up hurting people, but you can't win this fight without the Avatar State. The whole world is depending on you. Your friends are depending on you." His grip tightened. "You know what you need to do, right?"

Aang lowered his gaze. "I'm scared."

"I know, but I also know how brave you can be. So, stop running and prove to Mai—prove to all of us—that you're someone worth following." Zuko's mouth curved into a faint smile. "You were born to wield fire. Once you accept that, I'm sure the block keeping you from accessing the Avatar State will be released."

Aang sniffed and snuggled against him. "Thanks, Zuko."

"Geez, that doesn't mean you can hug me. You're so clingy."

The others laughed and somehow Zuko found himself being squashed against Aang as he was dragged into a group hug. He protested and tried to escape, especially when Toph's grubby feet got too close, but Katara told him to suck it up and deal with it. Not a surprise since she had been the one to first initiate the hug, pulling both boys into her arms.

"Being part of the group means being part of group hugs," Katara informed him. Then she tightened her hold, pressing her face against his back for a moment before he heard her voice in his ear, soft and spoken only for him: "Thank you, Zuko."

Zuko let out a breath. He stopped resisting after that. A part of him could even admit that it was kind of nice to be with everyone like this. Somehow warm and reassuring.

"C'mon, Gramps!" Toph called, poking her head out from the tangle of bodies. "You're part of this too."

Iroh chuckled and moved to join in the hug. Even Momo got in on the action, chirruping and jumping around on their heads. Zuko closed his eyes and relaxed into the embrace. In that moment, he knew he would do whatever it took to protect these people.

oOo

The night air brushed against Sokka's face. Everyone else had gone to bed, though he had been unable to sleep. That was why he had come to sit outside on the steps. The moon was especially bright tonight. "Yue," he murmured.

A sound came from behind him, like wood sliding against stone. He turned to see Mai leaning against the door.

"Oh, it's just you," he said, glancing back at the sky.

"Isn't it against your happy gang code to sit alone brooding?" she asked wryly.

Sokka twitched. "Look, I'm not in the mood. If you want to make sarcastic comments to prove how little you care about anything, then do it somewhere else."

Mai said nothing. He didn't check to see if he had offended her and tucked his leg against his chest, fixing his gaze on the silvery orb that lit up the night. Eventually, there was a rustle of cloth and Mai sat next to him. So, she had not left.

"You don't seem yourself," she said after a moment.

"What would you know?"

"Not much," she admitted. "But you were the one blabbing on about how the cause you're fighting for is worth it, even if making a stand doesn't always seem logical." Her one good eye met his. "Are you saying you've changed your mind?"

Sokka shook his head. "I'll always stand by Aang. That isn't going to change."

Mai tilted her head. "Then why sit out here alone? All your friends seem pretty content with the way things are. They're certainly snoring loud enough."

"What's it to you? I thought you didn't care about anyone."

"Humour me."

Sokka pursed his lips. He didn't understand why she had decided to sit with him, let alone ask him all these questions. Still, she was staring at him in an expectant, albeit flat, way. It was hard to resist the pressure of her gaze.

He sighed and traced his finger along the cracks in the stone. "I guess ..." He swallowed, started again. "I guess your words just reminded me that things don't always work out the way we want."

She remained silent, though he could feel her watching him.

"Katara is right that we've managed to pull through and make it this far," he continued softly, "but it hasn't been without a cost." He glanced up at the moon and a lump formed in his throat. "Sometimes things just happen and no amount of should haves or would haves can change that."

Silence settled between them.

He sighed again, shaking his head. "Well, you understand that better than anyone, right?" He touched the jagged strands of her hair. "I'm sorry I couldn't come faster."

Mai got quickly to her feet. It was hard to tell in the dim light and with all the bandages, but it almost looked as if she was blushing. "You don't need to apologise," she said in her usual flat tone, though she kept her face averted. A pause, almost hesitant. "But, um, I suppose I should thank you. For coming back for me."

Sokka's mouth curved into a grin. "You and Zuko are really alike, huh?"

Mai gaped at him. It was not a flattering look.

He laughed and got to his feet, stretching his arms above his head. "You know, Mai, I don't know why you decided to speak to me tonight, but Katara was right about one thing: you need to decide for yourself why you're here. No one is going to force you to stay. You know the risks if you do." He shrugged. "What you do next is up to you."

Her brow furrowed.

Sokka patted her on the shoulder and went inside, leaving her alone to sort through her thoughts. He'd thought her a scary girl once, but now he was beginning to understand that she was just confused. Like Zuko, she was simply trying to find her path after choosing to abandon everything she had known. Her personality was prickly and difficult, but it was obvious to him that her heart was in the right place.

Well, only time would tell what she would choose. As for him, he just had to make sure he was ready for whatever the Fire Nation threw at them. Sokka might not be a powerful bender, but he would try his damned hardest to come up with a plan that not even Azula could unravel. He wasn't going to lose anyone else. Not again.

oOo

The next morning Joo Dee turned up at their house with a face-splitting smile, ready to perform her hostess duties. No one was impressed. Not even Iroh. They were hindered at every turn, and eventually learnt that in Ba Sing Se no one was allowed to speak of the war.

"I wonder why they let this kid in then," Mai mused as they all sat in the communal area of their house that evening. "The Avatar is pretty much inseparable from the war, but even ignoring that, those in charge here must know that you all helped to defend the Outer Wall. If they don't want people to mention the war, why let any of you in?"

Zuko's brow creased. He hadn't considered that. Perhaps that was why Joo Dee had been monitoring them so closely.

"We shall have to be careful," Iroh agreed, then cast a warning look at his nephew. "Which means no late-night excursions for you."

Zuko opened his mouth to say that he'd had no such intention, but Iroh just raised his eyebrow. Damn. Had it been that obvious that he'd been planning to sneak into the library and maybe even check on those Dai Li guys?

"Fine," Zuko said, averting his face. "I'll play by the rules."

For now, he added silently.

It wasn't being reckless. He just knew that they couldn't afford to stay here for a month, nor could he afford to miss his chance to check the university archive. The words from yesterday's dream were still lingering in his mind like a haunting whisper.

"Royalty or not, they will not forgive you if something goes wrong."

"You and I both know what should have happened the moment it was confirmed Prince Zuko was one of them."

Zuko closed his eyes. There were too many secrets: inside this city, but also in his past. In order to move forward, he and the others would have to uncover the truth. If that meant breaking the rules, so be it.

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