Chapter 4 - Coronation
A/N: Thank you everyone for reviewing and putting this story on your alert! Thank you very much! I appreciate it a lot. :) Anyway, this particular chapter's pretty simple, there'll be more things coming up in the following chapters (especially chapter 6, I would like to think.)
As a reminder, italics in the story imply thoughts and is thus in first-person. A straight solid line indicates a change in perspective, or sometimes a timeskip.
Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA, although I wish I did.
Oh and I made some edits to chapter 3. They are quite minor, really. But (I hope) it explains Mai's and Iroh's absence.
"How do I look?"
"… Great."
Zuko bit his tongue. He wasn't Fire Lord yet, but he had already become so absentminded. Well, yesterday night is a contributing factor to my current state of mind…
"Sorry…" He said apologetically, turning to face Toph.
"Yeah yeah, whatever," She answered. "Now hurry up, Sparky. Your people are waiting."
"… What's with the sudden nickname?"
"In hopes that one day you'll be as bright as your namesake."
"Hey!"
"Shut up and be done with your narcissism!"
Zuko turned to face the mirror again. He was already decked out in his Fire Lord outfit, his hair was pulled back into a topknot. He frowned at his reflection and readjusted his topknot slightly towards the left.
"Stop touching your head. You're too self-conscious."
"I'm not!" He protested.
"Fine, you're too nervous for your own good. Still thinking about what happened last night?"
"… No." Zuko said tightly as he dismissed the servant.
Toph said casually, "You know I can tell when people are lying, right?"
"… So what if I am lying, Toph?" Zuko scowled.
"Don't worry, most of your people support you. Soon, these rebels would learn that this is the right way to rule."
"That's the best case scenario. I don't want any more lives lost. Enough have been sacrificed for my great-grandfather's cause."
"You'll do fine. You have Aang, the others and I on your side. We make up the strongest fighting team ever!" Toph grinned.
It's more than that. She doesn't get it… Zuko's scowl grew deeper. She's still an ignorant kid.
"She is right, you know, Zuko."
"Uncle Iroh!" Toph greeted him enthusiastically as Zuko respectfully bowed.
Uncle chuckled as he set down the tray he brought in.
"Some tea to calm your nerves," He said as he poured Zuko a cup and handed it to him.
Zuko received it gratefully and sipped it. He felt more at ease in Uncle's presence, for some reason. He glanced at Uncle, realizing he was studying him.
He regarded his uncle with a puzzled look. "Erm… Uncle? Is something wrong?"
"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking of how long you have yearned to adorn these robes. Congratulations, my dear Zuko," Uncle said, spreading his arms wide.
Zuko smiled and embraced him. "It was all thanks to you, Uncle, that I managed to find my true destiny."
"Alright," Toph interrupted. "Spare me the mushiness. I'm leaving."
Zuko watched Toph leave before turning to face his uncle again, somehow not feeling sorry at all for her abrupt departure.
"You may find her annoying at times, but she may be just what you need," Uncle Iroh said.
Zuko sighed. "I'm only letting her continue her stay here because she's a friend."
Uncle raised his eyebrows.
"Alright, alright. She's great security too."
He heard his uncle gave a small sigh. "I believe she means more than that to you."
Zuko refrained from replying. It would only prolong his uncle's lecture. This wasn't exactly the best day to ruin his mood.
"Make sure Toph does not stay too long," Uncle said, changing the subject. "Fire cannot last long without its wood."
"I will," Zuko promised.
Scores and scores of people gathered in the court before the balcony in which Zuko would appear. Toph greeted her friends with zest, even though it had only been a week since she last saw them.
"Toph! How are you doing here?" Katara addressed her genially.
"Awesome! Zuko's been nice. Mostly." Toph leant in and whispered, "He forced me to wear shoes."
Katara gasped in mock horror. "Really?"
Toph nodded and lifted up her dress just a little to reveal the eurgh shoes.
"He insisted that it was the least I could do on the day he would be crowned. I told him I'd sooner crown him. Although, I did relent finally." Toph turned away, refusing to reveal the blush creeping up her cheeks.
She felt Katara tap her chin curiously in response, a smile creeping up her face.
"Don't tell him though. I cut off the soles of the shoes," Toph smirked as she lifted her foot up and wiggled her toes. "Never mind me. How are you and the others doing?"
Toph was eager to change the topic.
"Great! After Zuko's coronation, Aang would be taking a trip around the world to maintain diplomatic relations and all. I'm planning on accompanying him. Sokka would be staying at Kiyoshi for quite a while. Seems to me he's quite serious about Suki," Katara said cheerily.
Toph smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. "So where's the couple?"
"Taking a stroll around the market… Y'know," She replied with a little hint of exasperation. " 'Couple stuff', they say."
"They're giving me the oogies. Honestly," Toph stuck out her tongue. "Hey, I'll catch up with you later. I need to go check on something."
"Aang!" Zuko spotted the twelve-year-old boy meditating along the hallway.
"Zuko!" He replied, opening his eyes.
For a moment, they just stood there, looking at each other.
"I… Can't believe that, just a year ago, all I ever wanted was to hunt you down," Zuko broke the silence as he thought about all that has happened. "And now…"
"Now, we're friends," Aang supplied, smiling.
"Yeah."
"I can't believe that a year ago, I was still frozen in that block of ice. The world's so different now," Aang mused.
"And it's going to be more different," Zuko said firmly, recalling Toph's words earlier. "When we build it together."
He nodded in response, meeting Zuko's gaze evenly.
"Come on."
"Don't worry, Miss Toph. The security here is as tight as can be," the guard reassured her.
Toph regarded the man skeptically before giving a short nod. "Just don't get too complacent."
As she turned to leave, she gave the area as wide as scan as possible, trying to block out most of which was coming from inside the palace.
Coast seems clear.
The roar of applause sounded. Zuko has made his entrance.
"As of today, I declare that the 100-year war is finally over!"
Another round of applause erupted.
"Please," Zuko silenced the crowd. "The real hero here is the Avatar."
Then, Toph felt light footsteps that could only belong to Twinkletoes. His entrance made the roar of the crowd grow louder.
"I promised my uncle that I would restore the honor of the Fire Nation and I will. The road ahead will be difficult, but with the help of the Avatar and everyone, I will help reunite the divided world and begin an era of love and peace," Zuko continued.
Someone from behind Zuko and Aang stepped out as Zuko knelt down.
"All hail Fire Lord Zuko!" The man cried out, initiating cheers and whistles from the audience.
Toph cheered, feeling her chest burst with pride, as did Katara's, who was standing next to her, her heart palpitating faster as well.
Then, as Zuko and Aang headed back into the palace, she sensed someone behind those doors, waiting to greet them. After she had spent an entire week in the palace helping out, with the occasional street fight since Zuko had rejected her challenges, she could more than easily recognize whom these graceful footsteps belonged to.
"Toph, I caught a glimpse of Mai behind those doors!" Katara told her. "This is the first time I've seen her smile so widely, what do you think?"
"I think the excitement's gone to your head," Toph muttered back, wondering why everyone today was forgetting she was blind.
A servant stepped forward and declared that the palace would be holding a feast in the Avatar and new Fire Lord's honor, resulting in whoops of joy.
"Oops, sorry," Katara giggled a little. "Come on, I want to go say hi to them."
"Mai," Zuko beamed as he took her hand.
Mai nodded to Aang and had joined their walk down the hall. She was dressed up today, in elaborate robes and rather heavy make-up. He certainly was not used to seeing her like this, but she certainly was beautiful.
"Well, what can I say? Congratulations," She gave him a lovely smile.
"Katara!" Aang called out, as the rest of the group appeared at the hallway, skipping over to her.
The two shared a quick kiss in front of everyone, causing Sokka to yelp. "No kissing in front of your brother! I'm getting the oogies!"
"Oh shut up, Sokka," Katara mumbled as she broke off the kiss, her face flushing.
"I'm very glad to see you all," Zuko grinned, changing the topic.
"Oh come on, getting sentimental already? It's only been a week," Suki said.
"I'm not! I'm just… Happier than usual."
"Oh yes, comparatively. You should've seen Sparky moping around the palace the entire time! Pathetic," Toph declared.
Zuko immediately clenched his fists, took a deep breath before he relaxed again. She's… She's just a kid. He reminded himself. I won't lower myself to her level.
"I wasn't moping! I'm merely contemplating the state of my country's affairs!"
"That's just an euphemism for moping, smartass."
"I'm not…!" Zuko readied his hand.
"Now now, I don't think you'd wish to ruin your robes this early, Fire Lord Zuko," Uncle patted his shoulder, silently telling him to drop the hand. "Come, let us all have some tea in the yard for a small celebration. My treat."
"Now you're talking!"
A/N: Alright alright. The chapter ended quite suddenly and all but... Yeah, that's all I've got for Zuko's coronation. Sorry. And yes, if you were wondering, I ripped that conversation Zuko had with Aang pretty much straight from the cartoon itself. (Zuko's speech to the crowd was kinda copied too... *mumbles*)
-EDIT-
Okay... The fire/wood thing is actually my lame attempt at a bit of Iroh's crypticness. It's really bad, I know. I just intended for it to mean that nothing (or at least fire) would last long without its source. My friend said it was too abstract and all... Mm, if anyone can come up with better... cryptic sayings, please let me know! Thank you!