Disclaimer: Don't own Avatar: Last Airbender. That goes to my bud Michael and Bryan. The only things I own are Aizen (not Sosuke) and a dream! Man, I'm gonna have to have some other popular character read this next time. How do authors always put this here?

April, 87 AG

Seven people sat at a table together. Only six of them wanted to be there. Five servants were on standby. Four of the members were kids. Three of them were adults. Two members had cake. And one of them had tea.

This is the Royal Family enjoying a dinner together.

Iroh and Lu Ten watched the dysfunctional family that was Ozai, Ursa, and their children with cautious optimism and Tea in the eldest's hands.

"Azula, is the banana one good?" Aizen asked his little sister. Evidently, he convinced his little sister to get more into cake. He was working on Zuko and Momma next. The three may finally connect through cake. It was a possibility, however small.

"I still don't see how you like it so much..." She muttered, making sure to keep a bored expression in front of Mother, Father, and especially Zuko. She wouldn't tell them that she was crazy about the treat. She was a princess. So she'd act like it. "I still liked the strawberry one best, though." She'll blame any slip ups on her favorite older brother though. Curse him and bless him for finding cake!

"Is it really that good?" Lu Ten asked aloud cautiously. Cake reminded him of his father's tea, and while he was okay with the drink... it was average at best. Not that he'd tell his father his opinion though. It'd break his heart.

"Cake is good. The world just doesn't see it yet." Aizen said simply. You'd think with that kind of faith he was worshiping a god or something.

"I see..." Lu Ten muttered. After his first real meeting with his three cousins, he thought that after being bit by Azula, she'd turn out the weirdest one of the three. Perhaps he'd have to think on that.

"It is becoming more trendy around the Fire Nation Capital, so it must have something to it..." Ursa said, defending her son's eating habits. She would try it eventually, but... she was actually on a diet right now.

"A trend that my son started." said Ozai, finally contributing something to the conversation that's been going on since dinner started. His son, a trend setter... like a true royal member of the family. Sure it was for something as simple as a desert but it was a start. He'd use his skills better when he was older.

Zuko was looking at the cake his sister and brother were eating together. He always tried to do nice things for Azula, yet it had ending in either her biting him (previously) or setting him on fire (now). Why does she listen to him so easily? It confused him. Everyone liked Aizen. Mom, Dad, Azula, the servants. It made him slightly jealous, then subsequently feel bad for being jealous. He loved his brother too, he just wished he knew how he had both the approval of father and natural fire bending prowess. It wasn't fair.

The conversations continued throughout the entire dinner, helping Iroh finally settle a definitive opinion of his nephews and niece right now. Azula was still a baby through and through, yet could pull off acting like she was older. Her words were also mean, mostly to the servants and Zuko. To himself, his son, and her parents, she had acted respectfully. And while she had complained just as much about Aizen as she did Zuko, she didn't hide her affection to him from her voice. She'd need guidance and would need to be shown more kindness, but she'd probably turn out alright. With her skill and attitude she'd definitely join the military, though.

Aizen was a quirky one that asked questions most kids probably would be bored with, and listened to what he and his brother discussed even though he had no idea what they were going on about. He had a natural charisma that showed, even at this young of an age. That and his growing intelligence would take him far. He'd probably even be helping him and Lu Ten with the throne and politics when he finally had to take it from father. There wasn't any need to worry about him.

Zuko, though, he feared a little bit for. He noticed how anytime Ozai talked about his children, he always focused on Azula and Aizen. It was such a sad thing. Zuko was also smart in his own way, he could tell. He also had a natural kindness to him that not many could have. Such a shame that Ozai didn't see the benefit of that kindness. Though, with the love from his Mother and brother, he'd hopefully not come out too scathed.

The dinner came to a conclusion as the servants came to pick up the dishes and leftovers from the royal family. Aizen looked thoughtful for a second as one of the servants-a young woman probably just exiting her teen years- picked up the dish that had held the delicious banana cake today.

"Excuse me, miss? Can I ask you a question?" Aizen questioned just before she turned to leave. The servant stopped and turned to the young prince, as is common courtesy.

"Yes, Aizen?" Aizen had also had the habit of correcting the servants to call him by his name instead of 'young prince'. So some of them just followed that order without question now.

"I've been thinking about this for a while, but what's school like?" The servant looked in him in confusion.

"Why do you like to know?" She asked, feeling the eyes of the rest of the royal family focus on her. tiny drops of sweat dot her forehead from the sudden stress and attention.

"Well, I got teachers, but I don't have any 'classmates' or whatever. It sounds interesting. Tell me about it." Aizen didn't notice the sudden tension. After all, why would he fear his own family?

Ozai saw the woman stutter an explanation out, Aizen's eyes glowing at the news. Was his son getting bored of the lessons, or did he just want actual peers to speak too? Either way, it was interesting. He was going to just continue to have mentors and private tutors teach his children, but if Aizen wanted to experience school, why rob him of that? It was to late for this year, but after his next birthday, school would start a new semester. That would be the perfect time to enter him.

He'd enter him in the best school in the capital, named after Sozin himself, who had started it for the noble children and prodigies. It was less picky about entry now, but it was still one of the best schools in the fire nation. That's where Aizen would go, along with Azula when she was old enough... and Zuko could go too, he guessed. Maybe he'd befriend a child of a powerful nobleman. He didn't really care either way if Zuko went though.

Author's Note: And Ozai decides to enter his kids into an actual public school! You wouldn't think this is affecting the timeline, but think about it; Do you really think Ozai would have cared enough about Zuko to send him to a school to socialize and become accepted by his peers? Or that Azula, a natural prodigy that had people problems already and had more fun messing with her mentors then anything, would have went to school? My answer: No. So while it may seem minor and it's based on my own assumptions of the series, it is a change made by Aizen.

Hope you enjoyed today's chapter, and having Iroh and Lu Ten appear yet again. Leave a review, I'd appreciate the feedback, positive or negative. And by negative, I'm talking constructive criticism instead of just telling me something like "YU sUx at writ1n, k7ll yoors3lf!". I'd delete that and I don't think anybody would mind.