XXXIV: The Village of Hira'a

"Azula."

Azula woke with a start to find her mother kneeling at her side, and with a gasp, she asked her: "How did you get the jump on me?!"

"Give up this futile quest, my daughter. Go home, the throne is Zuko's destiny, yours lies elsewhere." Ursa replied.

Azula got to her feet and advanced on her: "I should consider myself lucky, you've spared me the trouble of finding you!"

"All your life, you've hidden behind a mask of intimidation and fear."

"Prepare to meet your doom!" Azula snapped, prepared for a lightning strike.

"Take off your mask, only then will you see the beauty of your true destiny." Ursa spoke gently.

"N-N-No… Why must you fill my head with lies?! THE THRONE IS MY DESTINY!" Azula shouted, and she struck out with her lightning, but then she pulled herself back and questioned herself weakly: "Isn't it? I mean I-I have…"

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"I HAVE PROOF!" Azula woke up with a start and snatched Katara's arm.

"Whoa!" Katara exclaimed. Sokka, trying to pack up the camp dropped his things and whipped out his boomerang, and Mai a couple of her throwing knives. Sokka threw his boomerang, but Azula blocked it, but she let Katara go.

"You okay?" Mai asked Katara, her voice was dry, and emotionless.

"I'm fine, she just caught me by surprise." Katara replied. She kept her guard up as Azula muttered to herself, and then she searched her boot: "The letter! It's gone!" She got to her feet, holding two plumes of flames like daggers: "Where, is Zuko?"

Katara, Sokka, and Mai stood their ground and did not answer, and so Azula lashed out and engaged in a one-to-three battle.

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Aang and Zuko were sitting together at the edge of a cliff with Aang looking at Ursa's letter: "I can't believe it."

"I'm not his son. It makes so sense of so much of my life! That's why Ozai was able to banish me without a second thought!"

"The it would've been so easy to just get rid of you permanently." Aang replied.

"Yes, he had that option when he asked for Uncle Iroh's birthright, but mother must've stopped him. About the same time she left, my grandfather, Azulon, passed away… Perhaps challenging me to that Agni Kai was his way of seizing an opportunity to get rid of me while also sparing my life."

"Zuko, I'm not sure about this. Something doesn't seem right, this shouldn't be right."

"Why? All night I've had this odd sense of… Hope."

"Hope?! What are you talking about, if you're not Ozai's son, what does this mean for your reign? Who's the rightful Fire Lord?"

They heard a shout and saw a plume of blue flames shoot into the sky. Without a word they got to their feet and as Aang flew back to the camp on his glider with Zuko holding on to him by his foot, riding a bolt of lightning seemed a bit risky at that point.

When they reached the camp, they found Zula fighting against the others.

"THERE YOU ARE!" Azula snarled as she saw her brother land: "SHE TOLD YOU TO STEAL THAT LETTER OUT OF MY BOOT, DIDN'T SHE! GIVE IT BACK!" She stated exchanging blows with Zuko while everyone else ducked away and took cover: "SHE'S NOT GOING TO GET AWAY WITH THIS!"

"What's she even talking about?" Sokka asked.

"She's gone completely insane! I saw her mind slip away from her during Sozin's comet." Katara replied.

"That explains everything." Sokka stated.

Katara worked on putting out the flames while Aang tried to break up Zuko and Azula, but there was no getting through to Azula. She leapt past him, but Zuko caught her foot and had her fall to the ground: "From the day you were born, you have put me through so much!" Zuko then picked her up by her shirt and snapped: "Why Azula?! Why did our relationship have to be like this?"

"WAS THIS HER PLAN ALL ALONG?! IS SHE WHISPERING IN YOUR EAR TO END ME NOW?!"

Zuko lowered her: "You're not making any sense."

"All my life she's kept me from my TRUE DESTINY! DON'T DENY IT, ZUKO! SHE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE LETTER IN MY BOOT! SHE TOLD YOU TO WAIT UNTIL I WAS ASLEEP TO – Wait a minute…" Her mind seemed to show some clarity: "You've had that letter all night, so why didn't burn it to ash when you had the chance? Tell me, dear brother, why?"

Zuko dropped her, and the others began emerging from their cover.

"It's almost like you want me to have it."

"Look we can spend the rest of the day – the rest of our lives - fighting; but it's not going to bring us any closer to mother. Azula, we need to work together, no more fighting until we get what we came here for, agreed?"

"Oh, Zuzu, are you actually on my side?"

Zuko cast her a glare; she looked between the group and then spoke: "Alright, no more fighting, but first, I want the letter back."

Zuko knew that she wasn't going to burn it, and so he passed it back to her. He turned to Appa and told the group: "Let's get going now."

They hopped back onto the bison and flew until they reached the edge of Hira'a, where Appa landed. To avoid being mobbed for being the Fire Lord and Avatar, Zuko put on a hood; Aang, Sokka, and Katara switched to Fire Nation clothes, and Aang put on a headband: "Avatar? What Avatar? I don't see an Avatar around here!" He jested.

"Aang, that disguise worked a lot better when you had hair." Katara stated.

"Yep, when you were our inside man, Zuko, and we were travelling the Fire Nation, we became masters of disguises!" Sokka declared, and he added: "With a little bison fur, TA DA! A convincing beard! It's a classic!"

Azula and Mai cringed and withdrew from him.

"Ew, get that away from me, you smell like a wet possum-pigeon!" Azula exclaimed. Sokka sneezed and the false beard flew off of him.

When they entered the town, they found a gathering by the stage where performers played out "Love Amongst Dragons" the dragon emperor was facing against a dark water spirit.

"Hmm, they're doing quite well." Mai stated. An old lady turned to her and spoke: "Yes, they are, the young man playing the Dragon Emperor is better than last year's fellow, and the choreography is top notch."

Zuko turned to Azula: "Remember when mother used to take us to watch the Ember Island Players perform this play? Afterwards on the beach, we would reenact this very scene. I don't know why I always had to be the dark water spirit though."

"Hmm, clearly I made for a better dragon emperor." Azula replied. She actually had a bit of a smile on her.

They stood back and watched the final kiss in the show, as the dragon emperor declared his love for a blue dragon. The crowd cheered and applauded before the play came to a close. People remarked about how well the play was done and began to disperse.

"Everyone's leaving, what do we do now?" Aang asked.

"Let me ask around." Zuko replied. He walked up to the old woman and an old man that he took to be her husband and asked them: "Excuse me, we're looking for information about a woman named Ursa. I believe that she lived here years ago."

"Ursa… Ursa… Wasn't she the magistrate's daughter?" The old man spoke.

"Oh yes, rumor has it what she…" The old woman started, but she was cut off when the actor playing the dark water spirit came up from behind them: "Excuse me." Sokka and Katara turned and were startled to see the masked man. He quickly took off his mask, revealing an angular face with a well-trimmed moustache and beard: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He approached Zuko and shook his hand: "My name is Noren. I'm the director of the Hira'a acting troupe. Ursa was once a member."

"Really?" Zuko spoke.

"That's right, she always wanted to play the dragon empress, but she never got the chance." The old woman recalled.

Noren turned his head back to Zuko and his companions, and told them: "We should find a quiet place away from the crowds. You're all welcome to my home; we'll share some tea and I'll tell you everything I know."

"It would be an honor, thank you." Zuko replied, bowing his head.

Noren led them to a small house where his wife, Noriko was cooking. Noriko was a sweet and gentle woman with a face as plain as could be, with her simple brown hairstyle and copper eyes. She welcomed all of them graciously and invited everyone to sit down. They also had a little girl, Kiyi, she was a little shy, but took some curiosity in Zuko.

"You have a lovely home, Noriko." Katara stated.

"How long have you been married?" Aang asked.

"It's been about five years now." Noriko replied.

"It must be nice." Katara spoke.

"It is, but you two are a little young to be thinking about marriage, aren't you?" Noriko told her, but then she saw Aang and Katara blush: "You know what, I take that all back. Love leads where love leads, regardless of age. Noren and I found each other late in life, but you two young lovers are lucky."

At that point, little Kiyi stepped in to greet Zuko, Azula, and Mai: "Wanna meet my doll?"

"No." Azula said.

"Of course." Zuko told her.

"Her name is 'Kiyi'."

"Wait, I thought your name was Kiyi?" Zuko questioned.

"It's such a good name that I used it twice!" She told him as she showed the simple doll wearing a pink dress, with brown button eyes, and a bad haircut.

"Little Kiyi has a very… interesting haircut." Mai stated.

"I tried to make her prettier, but it didn't turn out very good."

"My sister did stuff like that when she was little." Zuko told Kiyi.

"That's right, only I didn't give them haircuts, I gave…" Azula started, but Mai cut her off: "NOT another word!" She then turned and whispered to Zuko: "Since when are you so good with kids?"

"Ah, there was one in this family I helped out when I stayed in this one village when I was off on my own for a little while." Zuko replied. He then told her: "I just have a soft spot for them."

Noren and Sokka stepped in with trays and asked: "Kiyi, are you being hospitable with our guests?"

"I'm trying." She replied. Noren smiled to her and sat beside his wife: "Mind if I join the conversation, dear?"

"Oh, I'm just sharing advise about life and love." Noriko replied.

"Well you are Hira'a's foremost expert on those subjects."

"According to you!"

As Zuko and Sokka helped Noren to pass out tea and snacks, when Noren told them: "I must admit that I was a little suspicious when you asked about Ursa, but Sokka tells me that you're all drama historians."

"How wonderful! The Hira'a troupe deserves the recognition!" Noriko declared. Katara threw a look to her brother and whispered: "Drama historians, really?"

"Pretty good cover story, right? I just opened my mouth and there it was!" Sokka whispered back.

Noren then told the group: "Ursa, the woman you asked about, was probably the troupe's most famous member, but not for her acting. She was taken, years ago, to the capital city on some sort of official business. We're not supposed to talk about her anymore, but people can't help speculating."

"Supposedly she married into the royal family. This all happened before I was in town of course." Noriko added.

"What about a man named 'Ikem'?" Zuko asked. Noren's eyes caught a spark and he lowered his teacup: "You certainly have done your research! Ikem was an actor too, and was once Ursa's boyfriend, I believe. He disappeared shortly after Ursa left."

"Folks say he ran off into Forgetful Valley, a forest at the bottom of a canyon, just outside of town, where the heartbroken people go to forget their lives." Noriko added, she then looked more towards Noren, but her eyes were in the past: "I vaguely recall hearing that Ursa came back to look for Ikem, and then followed after him into Forgetful Valley."

"Now that can't be true, no one's seen or heard from Ursa since she was taken to the capital!" Noren told her.

Noriko sighed: "Well, if it is true, it's awfully romantic."

"Romantic or tragic? Forgetful Valley is a dark and dangerous place. No one who enters ever returns." Noren then turned to the group: "I'm afraid that's all I have to tell you, but I hope that I've helped you."

The group got to their feet and bowed, save for Azula.

"Noren, Noriko, you've been more than generous, and thank you for the information." Zuko told them.

"And for sharing your home with us." Katara added. Kiyi ran out a moment later up to Zuko and asked him: "You'll come back, right? Please, please, please!"

"I sure hope so, Kiyi." Zuko replied. He turned and followed after his sister and friends as they headed back to Appa.

"Ugh, more than once I was tempted to burn that place down! I resisted for you, Zuzu, I hope you appreciate it!"

"How could even think that about such a lovely family!?" Katara exclaimed.

"We shouldn't have to appreciate you for acting the way you're supposed to!" Mai snapped.

Aang ran up to Zuko: "Listen, I know that this doesn't sound good, but I'm thinking that we better take your mother's letter and destroy it, and let us forget that we even heard about this Ikem."

"Aang, we need to focus on the task at hand, finding my mother. I promise you that I have no intention of stepping down. I joined your group and became your inside man because I wanted a reign of love and peace between the other nations, and I'm not going to give that up. My family was just so messed up; my father cruel, my sister is mentally unstable! It would be nice to be connected to the gentler side of my family to bring some balance back to us."

"Hey, can we keep this group together before something's on fire or encased in ice?" Sokka asked them.

"Alright, listen up! There's one more place to visit before we're done here; we're going into Forgetful Valley!" Zuko announced.

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