Story Title: Just Enough Hope
Rating: T
Pairings: None (Implied Zutara?)
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Avatar: The Last Airbender themes or characters. That is all owned by Nickelodeon.
A/N: Umm, okay. Quick little summary so no one has a cow:
Iroh's point of view AFTER the Second Season Finale! AFTER!! That means if you HAVEN'T seen the SECOND SEASON FINALE do. not. read! Written like Fire and Water and Earth and Air.
Enjoy.
-Solar Beam
Just Enough Hope:
The hunched figure leaned back and gazed out the barred windows.
It was raining outside.
Again.
When did it ever rain in this great city?
No.
It was a once great city.
Now it had fallen.
He gazed out the window and watched the droplets on the sill.
It was a great city, fallen and destroyed.
All thanks to his blood.
Thanks to his blood in the form of two teenagers.
The thought that two teenagers had bested him in taking over a city…
This thought did not perturb him.
No.
It was the thought that one of those two teenagers had had a metamorphosis.
Metamorphosed for the best.
Or so he had thought.
Oh, had he been wrong.
He thought for sure his nephew would be great…
But this old man was getting…well…
Old.
Perhaps his bones and his mind were getting too aged.
Too clouded with suspicion and the life of war.
Perhaps he was getting old.
He for sure wasn't getting any younger.
But his nephew…
Oh, that young man had years to grow on him.
He had chosen the path his father, and his grandfather before him had chosen.
He had thought for sure his nephew would be different.
He had thought for sure he would help the child that had eluded him for so long.
Thought that the kindness of the waterbender would change him.
Then again, he had also thought that being refugees and runaways would help as well.
Seeing how the war truly affected people,
And living how those "peasants" lived…
He truly thought that the sights would open his nephew's eyes.
But no.
Either his niece had said something to him,
Or he had said something to him…
No, maybe it was him.
Was he pushing his nephew the wrong way all this time?
Was the blame to be set on him?
Would he always feel this shame?
Would he be cursed to feel this wretched guilt forever?
He shut his golden eyes and turned away from the rain.
No, blame shouldn't be placed upon him.
He had tried to lead his nephew into the right direction.
Tried.
And failed.
He had failed so miserably.
Every thing he had tried to teach the young boy,
Everything had been for what?
For vain, that's what.
And after seeing his nephew attack the child and the waterbender so viciously…
He had been proud of how strong he was,
To that, he could not lie to himself.
But it had all been for the wrong.
And the moment the Avatar fell,
He had taken action.
He never thought he'd have to fight his nephew outside of the bounds of sparring.
But he had.
And in the end,
He gave himself up.
The girl needed to escape with the child,
And he needed to pull his guilt into his nephew.
Have him feel the shame and guilt and distrust.
And his sister.
Oh, she was pure evil.
She was nuts.
She had lost her marbles long ago,
Even before her mother had left.
There was no saving her.
He knew that she could not feel anything but spite.
She craved nothing but the power that came with the throne.
She would do anything to get to it,
To achieve that power.
She would do anything,
Even kill her own grandfather.
Even pursue her own brother and uncle to kill.
Even manipulate those close and dear to her.
She had manipulated her brother, hadn't she?
She must have.
Surely he would not join her side so willingly.
Something clicked in his elderly mind.
His eyes opened.
Maybe that was it!
His nephew didn't choose her side,
The bad side.
The dark side.
He had come up with a plan!
His nephew hadn't told him because he needed to do it alone!
'I'm tired of running…'
Those words echoed in the old man's mind and his eyes glistened.
His nephew wasn't a boy anymore.
He was nearly a man.
So close.
But so far away.
He had had a plan.
All along.
The golden eyes turned to the window;
The rain was easing.
The clouds were parting ever so slowly.
And a few beams of sunlight were beginning to fall onto the broken city.
There was hope yet.
Just enough hope.
Just enough hope…
For the last Hope.