Disclaimer: We don't own Avatar. We're not making any money from writing this.

This is what happens when people try to make Lin have fun… complete and utter horror!

Oh, and if anyone is upset at me for not updating in a while, I'm sorry. I'm just kind of lazy sometimes.

There is no excuse, that's just how it is.

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Chapter 31: Terror

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She had entered this place for refuge. Now she saw her own reflection repeated over and over.

Each time she saw a new reflection, it drove home one crucial and painful fact: she didn't really know who she was.

The true reflection she saw was of a woman deprived of something vital, her hair loose and her clothes simpler than any she'd worn before—even in the depths of her confusion she knew that to be true.

Sometimes, she saw herself in fine silk robes, her hair in buns and pigtails, a solemn, disinterested expression on her face.

Most horrifying was an image of herself in royal robes, a contented smile on her face, and small child in her arms.

Lin screamed as another round of fireworks went off.

As soon as Sura entered the back door of the tea shop, Iroh intercepted her.

"How was the festival?"

"Oh, it was… fun." She smiled, hoping the old stranger would get the hint and leave her alone.

"Zuko has been waiting for you," Iroh said, pointing to the front of the shop.

"Oh, well, tell him I'll come see him soon." She peered back through the door, hoping to see Katara and Lin coming up behind her, but the alley was empty.

"I would like to speak with you, as well. Come," Iroh took her by the arm, and Sura discovered he was much stronger than he looked.

Zuko saved her from having to walk into the front room, entering the back himself. "Hello!" he said anxiously.

"You wanted to talk to me about something? Is it about Mai?"

"For this once, no," Zuko said. "I want to know why you haven't forgiven me yet."

"You mean for ruining my life." Sura glared at him.

Zuko gritted his teeth. This was Katara all over again. "Explain that assertion."

"You're in charge of the Fire Nation. I was imprisoned by the Fire Nation. And I would still be if somehow Mai hadn't been brainwashed. I haven't heard anything about home and people who may or may not still be there after the fighting since I was taken. I know you seem nice and care about Mai but I don't know whether you care about the fate of others including those who are still imprisoned."

Zuko sighed. "Sura, I never knew the Order had slaves. If I did, this never would have happened. They hide their secrets better than you seem to think. Despite my investigating their actions for a whole year, I've only been able to give colonies back to the Earth Kingdom, reestablish trade routes with the other nations, pay for the rebuilding of the Air Temples, and try to get the other nations to trust mine. It's a wonder I was able to do that, because the Order has been slowing everything in the council meetings down so much that hours turn to days! They didn't even leave me alone once I was married. There was no time to investigate them personally… except for one time Mai and I did it on a date. Even then, we only learned about the mines—another thing I'm going to have to fix. Long story short, Sura, your plight is one in many that will have to be fixed once I imprison every member of the Order."

"You are going to fix it though, right?" Sura asked cautiously. Then, deciding to trust that he would, she added: "If it would help, I know everyone's name at the palace: slaves, guards, brainwashers, everyone." She paused, stared straight at his eyes and slowly said, "I'm sorry. I understand you're trying to fix the world's problems."

Zuko sighed. So, he hadn't needed his uncle after all! "I appreciate your forgiveness, Sura. I would also like for you to help me write a list to send home to the Fire Nation and one to keep of all the people I need to take care of… you know, one way or the other?" he smiled shyly, not wanting to ruin such a hard-won friendship.

Sura smiled back and said, "Okay we'll be friends now. I'll make a list of people and I'll get Lin to help. She'll like that and it will keep her busy." She turned to leave, then changed her mind, turned back around and said, "I can see why she loves you so much."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Really? I've often wondered why myself," he smiled self-mockingly.

Sura faked a surprised look and replied, "You really shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

Iroh laughed. "I've never been able to convince him of that, dear, so don't hold your breath." Iroh thumped Zuko on the back.

Zuko smiled in embarrassment. "Um… thanks?"

"You're welcome, but it wasn't a complement it was just a suggestion." Sura said cocking her head.

"It's a good suggestion that I should pay more attention to. That's why I thanked you." Zuko said.

"Oh," Sura replied, then changed the subject. "There was something I've wanted to ask you when Lin wasn't around. What was she like before they brainwashed her? I only knew her a few hours before she became Lin and have only heard about her from her dreams."

Zuko smiled wistfully. "Strong, brave, and calm. Always calm. You could hardly get a rise out of her no matter how hard you tried. Well… I could, but I'm a special case." He chuckled slightly. "She always had this bored, solemn mask she'd hide her emotions behind. It was so hard to tell what she was thinking and feeling in public. All she'd tell you was how annoying something was, or how ugly or irritating… And she always either exaggerated or made things sound insignificant. It was her attitude." Zuko smiled fully now. "That's Mai."

Sura nodded, "Thanks, I can understand why you want the real Mai back. Lin is so scared of everything! Like at the market."

"What happened at the Market?" Zuko asked.

"First we got her to play with some street gamblers. We convinced all the other players that she was dangerous. We just told her not to change her expression at all. She won every game because she unnerved her opponents!" Sura laughed.

Zuko smiled. "That's Mai, all right!" he laughed before realizing what Sura was about to tell him. "What scared her?"

"Fireworks." Sura shook her head. "Katara and I didn't see her run off. Apparently, she stumbled into a house of mirrors trying to escape the fireworks. It… didn't turn out so well."

Zuko's eyes bulged at her vague description. "Is she all right?"

Sura pondered that. "I think she'll have nightmares about being a queen and mother, but otherwise she's fine."

Iroh laughed.

Well, what did that mean? "What exactly did she tell you?" he probably didn't want to hear, but he had to know.

"Exactly? Well…" Sura got down on her knees, hands over her ears, and pitched her voice high. "I don't know who I am anymore! What's my name? Where's my family? My hair is all wrong! Where is Zu—what's his name?" Sura stood up. "That is exactly what she said. We told her your name… but then her eyes rolled back in her head and we had to call it quits."

"You restarted her brainwashing?" Zuko was feeling unbalanced.

"Sorry," Sura said. "At least you still have a wife."

Iroh laid a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "I know it hurts, but it will end soon."

Zuko couldn't help but feel a pessimistic twinge of foreboding at those words.

"Lin!" came a voice from outside. "Wait!" The voice was easily identified as Katara's.

"I don't want to wait!" Lin shouted.

The door swung open and Lin charged through. She glanced at everyone, but kept going. Zuko and Sura reached out to stop her, but she ducked around them. She ran through the back door.

Sura ran right after her.

Katara came in, her face worried and exasperated. "Stubborn!" she shouted.

"So are you!" came the reply.

"What's going on?" Zuko asked, stopping Katara.

"Your wife!" Katara shouted at him. "She's so… she's not cooperating!"

"With what?" Zuko and Iroh asked.

"I tried to heal her mind with some waterbending. She won't let me! Her exact words? Are you trying to drown me on land?" Katara huffed indignantly.

Zuko struggled to keep a straight face, trying desperately not to redirect Katara's fury at himself.

Nonetheless, Katara narrowed her eyes at him. "You think it's funny, don't you?"

"I think he does!" Sura said, and she burst out laughing herself. "You have to admit, that's a fair question!"

"I would never—" After a moment's consideration, Katara sighed. "Of course Lin doesn't know that."

"Sura, do you think you could convince her to calm down and let Katara try again?" Zuko asked.

"I think perhaps you should try this time," Sura said.

"Me?"

"That's what she said," Katara said, a smirk forming on her face. "We'll be staying with the Earth King tomorrow. Maybe you can make her feel better about royalty?"

"It hasn't worked before," Zuko pointed out.

"But you're getting better at this, aren't you?"

"Well, I'd like to think so…"

"Go on, Nephew. The shop is empty."

Knowing that he could always call Sura in if things got too difficult.

Lin crouched over in a chair, staring morosely at the tabletop in front of her.

"How are you doing?" Zuko asked.

She looked up at him. "You aren't going to let her come get me, are you? I think she wants to drown me."

"No, she only wants to help you. She has the power to heal with water."

"I see," Lin looked him in the face, almost as good as looking him in the eye. "And why are the two of you trying to help me?"

"Well, you're our… friend."

"I have friends?"

"That's right. And we're going to go to a big palace tomorrow."

"Why? There might be…" Lin's eyes shifted from side to side, "royals…"

Zuko laughed. "Royals can be fun."

"They can?"

"Yeah, at least I think so. And the Earth King likes to have parties. He'll probably have a party when we stay there!"

"And… will Sura be there?"

"Yes. I will be, too."

"Oh. But how long are we going to stay?"

"Only as long as we have to. But I'm not sure how long that will be."

"Okay…" Lin looked at Zuko again, but this time, in the eyes. "Are you all right?"

"Me?" Zuko laughed nervously. "Why?"

Lin reached over and touched his scar. "That doesn't look…"

"It hurt once," Zuko said, pressing her fingers to the chapped skin. "But it doesn't bother me anymore. Thank you for asking."

Lin slipped her hand away. "Well, that's good to know."

"Are you going to let Katara try helping you?"

"Only if…"

"Sura can sit with you."

"No, I meant…" Lin looked at Zuko's eyes again. "You should stay."