Ahh, here comes the moment of truth!

Well, it's 'tomorrow.' And it's eight. I'm. So. Screwed. Thought Zuko. Looking over the events of last night, he wasn't sure what had gotten him in this mess. Probably because he didn't get his dad a new atlas for Father's Day.

"Well, I'm already late, so I might as well get changed as slowly as possible." Which he did. By the time he was ready, it was already nine. He walked to his father's war room as slowly as possible, making sure he greeted everyone in sight, then asked them what the weather was like, then bought them an ice cream cone. It was ten o'clock when he arrived at his destination. There was no one around anymore besides the guard at the door to the war conference room. He bowed and swung open the door.

"You're late," mumbled Ozai

"NO KIDDING!" Zuko exclaimed. Azula watched this exchange from her place beside her father and smirked. She was picking her nails.

"Well, let's get this show on the road," Azula said lazily. Zuko and Ozai stood across from each other. Zuko slipped off his robe and the whole room sort of got warmer (I wonder why?). Ozai did his fancy "step-out-of-the-flames-like-a-badass-then-show-off-your-guns-which-actually-just-makes-you-look-stupid" thing. He took his stance. The two men faced off for a moment.

"Loser gets a tattoo of Sozin's comet on their left eye."

"Deal. Let the agni kai begin." They brought their hands back and shot them forward.

"Fire," said Zuko, making a tiny flame in his palm.

"Earth," said Ozai simultaneously, making a fist.

"SHOOT! I LOST!"

"Haha, you have to get a permanent tattoo on your face…of Gramps' comet. HA!"

"AW, COME ON!"

"Come 'ere, lets go get you a tattoo, come on."

"No! I don't want one!"

"Well, maybe you should have thought of that before you disobeyed me!"

"But—"

"I don't want to hear it! Let's go." Ozai grabbed hold of Zuko's ear and dragged him out the door, down the hall, out the front door, across the lawn, and into town. This was only Zuko's second time being in town, and his first time being in this side of town. Buildings and street markets lined the roads with barely any space in between them. In narrow spaces lurked wanted criminals and street thugs. People stopped whatever they were doing to watch the Fire Lord—who hadn't even bothered with a palanquin—haul his first son into a shabby old building. In a few minutes, Zuko found himself strapped on his side to a hard, makeshift bed with his right eye facing down.

"Hold still," said the tattoo artist, brandishing a needle with a dangerously hot point. She cackled. "This will only hurt a lot…"

An hour later, Zuko stood in front of his mirror, the left side of his face bandaged and throbbing with pain.

"I can't believe this," he said, tenderly putting his hand on his eye. "All this pain over a fake Hallmark card and a whoopie cushion." There was a knock at the door. Zuko answered it.

"Well, I can't see the tattoo, but it must look dashing. I have to say, you getting banished and branded is probably the best thing that's happened to me since potato salad was invented."

"Shut up, Azula."

"Well, now I know Dad doesn't give a toenail about you. Have fun living with your smelly old uncle."

"What?"

"Haven't you heard? Uncle apparently doesn't have anyone else to annoy so he's going to follow you around. Isn't that great? Now TWO Fire Nation pigs are getting thrown out," Azula said with glee.

"Azula, don't you have other people to terminally depress?"

"As a matter of fact, I don't. Did you know Uncle also got a tattoo? It's a teapot and…" Azula leaned in closer, "…it's on his butt."

"GAH! GO AWAY AZULA!" Zuko pushed her out the door and slammed it in her face. He slowly walked over to the mirror. The tattoo artist said I shouldn't remove the bandages, but I just need to get a quick look… He thought as he began to unravel them. When he was finished, he revealed an angry, red, and fiery scar-like mark over his left eye. He knew it should look like a beautiful comet, but it was not beautiful…and it looked more like a splattered tomato than a comet. He looked a little closer and discovered that his eyebrow had been shaved off to complete the tattoo. For some reason, that made him a little angrier.

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