Author's Note:Oh boy! Finally finished Zuko's POV. This is a big chapter too! Also anyone else notice how Azula and Ozai use the eclipse time to trick their opponents into wasting their time? I decided to have Mira shoot lightning at Azula as a mirror to Zuko deflecting the lighting instead. I think this shows their growth as characters, Zuko into a more balanced bender and person who defends and redirects instead of fighting so aggressively like he used too (This is all on the original writers, they did this transition BEAUTIFULLY MUAH) so of course I utilized the same story telling technique with Mira where she is now more sure of herself and fierce. Our baby girl is really growing up into the badass she was always meant to be. The future of Mira and Zuko is going to be oh so fun now. Also the big reveal of Mira's mental health issues as well as her previous life.
Now before anyone says she is a self insert, there are a few key differences between us. I have brown hair almost to my butt, I have hazel eyes, I am very tall, I do not river dance, know Gaelic, or have siblings, I am 31 not 18/19, I am also a man (surprise! Yeah this is why I laugh when people say 'You just inserted yourself!'. if I did it would be a little more obvious as we would have the same bloody gender but I digress. Full disclosure I am afab so take that as you will.)
Mira is inspired by a few different people I have met in my life, mixed with my own mental illness as when I wrote this story I had just gotten my diagnosis. I use writing to cope and to help me heal and grieve, etc. So yeah, there is some of me in every story and every OC, but they are not just me inserted into the story. :P I actually knew someone in school who did a ridiculous amount of Irish extra-curricular stuff because their family was proud of their heritage and did the whole river dancing, singing, Gaelic lessons, competitions, etc. The whole family has won awards for stuff and performed at so many Irish festivals. I always thought it was so cool to be able to be raised with your heritage since mine has been such a goodness knows what because both my grandma and father were adopted. Just found my grandma's family recently which has been really really cool. So yeah here is my long lost admiration letter to someone I was friendly with throughout school.
P.S. Cyberpunk 2077 has a huge following for trans men OC's (or V the main character who can be anyone and any gender) and the game actually lets that become a reality no matter what kind of body you got so like...there is real potential for some self-insertyness there. We all have our self-indulgences ;) So if you simp Johnny Silverhand like I do lemme know and I will just write all sorts of indulgent shit for us.
~Chapter 10 Start~
Zuko awoke to the sound of knocking at his door. Sitting up he did a quick scan of his room and found nothing amiss, just his curtains blowing in the night wind. Quickly getting out of bed, he rushed towards his door, opening it to find a shadow rushing down the hallway before disappearing as he turned left. Moving to follow, his foot hit something on the ground causing him to stumble in surprise. Bending down, he picked up a scroll and opened it to a mostly bare page.
"You need to know the story of your great-grandfather's demise. It will reveal your own destiny." He read.
Looking down the hallway one last time he could hear nothing except the echoing of the wind in the halls. Whomever it was was long gone now leaving Zuko standing in the cool night air alone with his thoughts.
~Break~
It was morning now and Zuko found himself staring at the portrait of his great-grandfather, thinking back to the note he had found last night. Sleep had evaded him ever since and at first light Zuko had gotten up. He wasn't sure what to think about it, but he knew Iroh had to have had a hand in it. No doubt he still had loyal friends here, he had hinted as much during their travels in Ba Sing Se. He heard footsteps behind him and turned to find his sister, Azula. What she was doing there he would never know, but it was hardly by accident.
"It's never too early for a sitting with the court painter, Zuko," She said with an amused lilt in her voice. "Make sure he gets your good side."
Zuko ignored her, fighting the urge to roll his eyes as she pointed towards his unscarred side. It was better to give her little to no reaction so she would get bored. But, still, she had been living in the Fire Nation during the entirety of his banishment. She had knowledge he never had the chance to gain himself. Turning his head towards Azula he watched as she turned to leave.
"Wait...I need to ask you something," Zuko said, against his better judgement. "What do you remember about our great-grandfather's history?"
"Zuko," Azula sighed as she turned back to him. "It's so strange how your mind works. Fire Lord Sozin began the war, of course. He spent his early years secretly preparing for it, but he was as patient as he was clever. He famously waited for the comet, later renamed Sozin's comet and used its power to launch his full-scale invasion of the world. In the end, he died a very old and successful man."
"But how did he die?" Zuko asked.
"Didn't you pay any attention in school, Zuko? He died peacefully in his sleep. He was ancient." Azula waved off as she went to walk away once more.
He stared at the painting once more with a frown. That couldn't be all there was to the story, not if Iroh had gone through that much trouble to send him that message. He just had to find out what was left out of the story if he was going to figure out his uncle's riddle. Whatever had happened to his great-grandfather was important for him to know. Iroh wasn't a liar, not that he ever experienced anyways. He was always one to be evasive than to outright lie.
~Break~
As Zuko laid down for bed that night, he stared at the scroll and wondered what it could mean. Did it have something to do with the Avatar? Did it have something to do with the war? Why was it so important for him to know? Just what was Iroh's plan in sending him that letter? Maybe it was merely sent to drive him mad and torment him for betraying Iroh and Mira. Despite that thought slithering into his head, Zuko didn't have the heart to truly believe it. Nothing Iroh had done was ever to benefit himself, not when it came to Zuko. As for Mira...well, he'd rather not let his thoughts go there. Sitting up, he grabbed the scroll, unrolling it as he looked at it for any clues huge could have missed the first hundred times.
"What does it mean?" He asked, tossing it onto his bedside table where it landed on top of his lantern.
He lay back down into bed, his thoughts a mess as the paper lit up against his pale lantern. Letting out a deep breath he turned to retrieve the paper once more only to find something else written on the paper, illuminated by the heat of his lamp. With a gasp, he quickly got out of bed and grabbed the scroll, looking at it once more.
"The fire sages keep the secret history in the dragon bone catacombs." He read.
With a destination in sight, Zuko got ready for a late night excursion. Now that he had a destination nothing was going to stop him from finding out the truth. A small thought slipped into his head that perhaps this was the knowledge he needed to finally find peace within himself, find peace with what he had done. After all, he had done what was right...right?
~Break~
Breaking in was easier than Zuko thought. It may have been guarded by the sages, but no actual guards were on the premises. He followed one of the sages towards a circular platform and watched as the sage used firebending to open the secret entrance. It was as if the sages did not fear anyone breaking in this close to the palace, but they were wrong. Zuko waited until the entrance had closed back up before following after the sage. He opened the secret entrance and found a spiraling staircase. Pulling his robe righter around his head, he headed down the stairs and found himself in a vast hallway filled with roaring fire and dusty ancient dragon skulls.
Finding an even older looking statue with a Fire Nation symbol on it he pulled his hood down and found he didn't recognize the significance of it. Looking down Zuko found yet another fire sage seal, so this must be another secret passage of theirs. Placing his hand on the seal, he used his firebending to open the second secret door, which parted with a large amount of dust and spider webs. Walking in, he removed his hood and found a large dragon statue surrounded by web coated vases. Laid up against the statue were several large wooden boxes containing ancient scrolls.
"The final testament of Fire Lord Sozin." He read off the boxes.
Grabbing one of them, he opened it up and revealed a dusty scroll. Unrolling it carefully, he began to read:
'As I feel my own life fading, I can't help but think of a time when...everything was so much brighter. I remember my friend, Roku. Back when we were just teenagers falling in love and sparing for fun not honor. We had shared many things back then, including a birthday and it was on such a birthday we discovered news that changed everything between him and I. When the sages came with the news I was shocked, but not surprised. My best friend, Roku, was the Avatar.
'Soon the day came when my friend Roku had to leave the Fire Nation and face his destiny as the Avatar. He needed to travel the world so he could master the other elements. On the day he left, I gave him a gift to remember me, and his home, by. I gave him one of the royal artifacts meant to be worn by the crowned prince. It was a bittersweet day, but I knew we would not part forever.
'Twelve long years passed until I saw my friend again. When Roku returned, he was a fully realized Avatar, and I had changed as well. I had become Fire Lord in his absence, and had to bear the brunt of the responsibilities that came with it. I was proud to have my friend home, despite all the years, he was still my best friend. I was his best man a few months later at his wedding, it is one of the few memories I still cherish now. On wedding days, we look to the future with optimism and joy. I had my own vision for a brighter future. One I had hoped my friend, Roku, would share with me.
'I felt the peace and prosperity the Fire Nation had should be shared with the world. I had thought, and hoped, my friend would feel the same. I felt it was my job to unite the world, that our friendship was a destiny we were both meant to fulfil. But he didn't see it that way. We fought like we never had before that day. He was angry with me, and he demanded the conversation be over. But, I did not let his words sway me. I established colonies in the Earth kingdom a few years after that, and when he found out...
'He showed up, enraged, and we fought. He gave me an ultimatum: either I stop or he would stop me permanently. We did not speak or see each other for another twenty-five years after that. Until one day, the island Roku lived on erupted. Roku's island was a hundred miles away. But I could still feel it rumbling and see the black plume of smoke. I had never seen anything like this catastrophe. I rode there right away, deciding to check on my old friend, despite the differences we had in the past. When I arrived he had already evacuated the island and was working on taming the volcano. I offered him my help as another eruption occurred. We fought together for the first time since we were teenagers.
'But then an opportunity appeared and I was given a choice. Roku was hit with a blast of poisonous gas and fell to the ground. He begged for my help as I realized I had been given the perfect opportunity to remove the very person standing in the way of the Fire Nation. I left Roku there to die, leaving without another thought. With Roku gone, and the great comet returning, the timing was perfect to change the world. I knew the next Avatar would be born an air nomad, so I wiped out the air temples. But somehow, the new Avatar eluded me. I wasted the remainder of my life searching in vain. I know he's hiding out there somewhere. The Fire Nation's greatest threat. The last airbender.'
"That can't be it. Where's the rest of it?" Zuko said as he looked around.
But that was all that was written on the paper. Flipping it over several more times Zuko found nothing on the ages paper. He now had more questions and still no answers. He had one last place he could go to find the truth, but he'd have to be careful.
His Uncle Iroh.
~Break~
Stomping into Iroh's cell he felt the anger hit him like a tsunami. With a slam, he closed the door and took his seat, kneeling before the bars. Iroh owed him some answers, and if he was silent again, Zuko wasn't sure what he was going to do. His anger and rage were rumbling untamed beneath his skin threatening to split him wide open.
"You sent this. Didn't you? I found the secret history, which by the way should be renamed 'the history most people already know'. The note said that I needed to know about my great-grandfather's death. But he was still alive in the end." Zuko shouted, unable to stop himself.
"No. He wasn't." Iroh responded without looking up.
"What are you talking about?" Zuko gasped.
"You have more than one great-grandfather, Prince Zuko. Sozin was your father's grandfather. Your mother's grandfather was Avatar Roku."
Zuko reeled back, confused. Could that be true? Did his great-grandfather really...kill his other great-grandfather? It didn't make any sense, even if that were true, it wouldn't explain the letter Iroh had sent him. Who cared if his great-grandfathers hated one another, it had nothing to do with him.
"Why are you telling me this?" Zuko demanded, his confusion warring against his rage.
"Because understanding the struggle between your two great-grandfathers can help you better understand the battle within yourself. It can also help you understand why you are so angry with Mira." Iroh explained, his eyes finally raising to meet Zuko's.
Zuko changed position to sit more comfortably as he held his head in his hands. Everything in his life revolved around the Avatar, he was related to an Avatar, he had to spend years hunting the avatar, and he loved an Avatar. What was he going to do now that he knew all of this?
"Evil and good are always at war, inside you, Zuko. It is your nature, your legacy. But there is a bright side. What happened generations ago can be resolved now. By you. Because of your legacy, you alone can cleanse the sins of our family and the Fire Nation. Born in you, along with all this strife, is the power to restore balance to the world. You can also learn to forgive Mira for her self-preserving deception because you know exactly what her fate would have been had you or anyone else known." Iroh turned away and moved to the wall.
Zuko was a swirling ball of anxious thoughts. He knew deep down in a place he didn't want to acknowledge that he was never really mad at Mira, no, he was mad that she wasn't able to trust him, and she was right. She, like everyone else, had seen that darkness inside of him that he had ignored. It hurt that she didn't trust him to be fully herself around him, but it hurt even worse that her lies were probably the only reason she was still alive today. The ice cold dread that filled him at the thought that if he had known who she was when they first met, he would have handed her to his father and...he couldn't let his thoughts go there, not now. He truly never was in control of his destiny nor his actions and somehow it felt even worse than before. Like he had been a puppet pulled by strings his whole life. Iroh pulled out a small rock in the prison, proffering a small package he brought over to Zuko.
"This is a royal artifact. It's supposed to be worn by the crown prince." Iroh explained, unwrapping the fabric to show a golden hairpiece.
Zuko took it from his uncle's hands, staring at it with wide eyes. What was he going to do now? He felt as if the floor had disappeared from beneath his feet and he was free falling. His stomach was sitting nestled in his throat as his anger turned to fear and regret. A dam was beginning to break within him and he was no longer able to avoid the repercussions and pain any longer.
~Break~
Zuko awoke feeling refreshed and better than he had felt in a long while. He dressed in his robes with the help of his attendants wanting to spend the day with Mai. Despite how tumultuous last night was, the truth and the subsequent realizations seemed to free the part of himself that still clung to his precious honor. There was nowhere else to go but up, and he was hardly going to give up now.
"Fresh fruit, Prince Zuko?" One of his servants offered, holding out a bowl of oranges.
He waved him away and continued to leave his room before anyone else offered him something.
"May I wash your feet, sir?" Another asked.
He once again waved him away as he continued his attempt to leave his room. This was going to take all day at this rate.
"Head massage?" Another asked as he too was waved off.
Oh how Mira would have hated this, Zuko mused. His lips quirked up in a small smile as he realized how overwhelmed she would become. His stomach dropped as he bid his thoughts of her away. It had been happening more and more ever since Iroh had told him about his mother's grandfather, Avatar Roku.
"Hot towel?" The last attendant asked, holding out a tray of steaming cloth.
He looked at it for a moment, bidding his previous thoughts away. Deciding a hot towel might do him some good, he took one, wiping his face with it, before handing it back. It was already shaping up to be a warm day, so he might as well arrive as fresh as he could. The attendants bowed as he left his room. Walking down the halls he found them virtually empty, it was easy enough to leave today. It would have felt suspicious, if his father hadn't been busy gathering up every piece of his army for the upcoming eclipse.
As he exited the gates he was met with a crowd of people being held back by eleven guards. They cheered upon seeing him and the noise grew louder. So much for being lucky and getting to Mai's without too much trouble. It seemed as if today was going to be as hectic and busy as every other one.
A woman wearing an orange and red dress burst forth from the crowd, giggling and screaming when she saw him. She looked ready to lunge at him, but was stopped by several of the guards and carried away. He waved at the crowd awkwardly as he watched them leave.
"Prince Zuko, is something wrong?" Someone asked as Zuko turned to look at him. "You didn't take the palanquin."
It was one of his attendants who must have followed him. He had brought a palanquin with him and it was put down on the ground awaiting him. Zuko covered up a scowl as he thought of a response.
"I'm just going to Mai's house, it's not far." Zuko tried to reason.
He really didn't want to take the palanquin, it always drew too much attention. He wasn't used to it anymore. Although, he wasn't sure if he ever really did get used to using a palanquin before his banishment.
"It's not a prince's place to walk anywhere, sit." The attendant bowed, motioning towards the palanquin.
Looking at the crowd Zuko figured the attendant may have a point, he wasn't sure how he was going to make his way through on his own without riling up the crowd more. He stepped into the palanquin and sat down. It rose with little difficulty and he was taken through the throng of people and towards Mai's home. Within a minute he felt the palanquin lower to the ground. Stepping out he felt foolish but it was soon replaced with joy when he found Mai waiting for him with a soft smile. She rarely smiled so whenever he saw it, he knew it was reserved just for him.
~Break~
Zuko was lazing about on the couch with Mai in her living room. She was laying on her side, partially on him, as she faced him. Her hands were on his chest as they talked. It had been a mostly lazy day and Zuko stretched out much like a cat and found his fingers between Mai's with a content smile.
"Tell me, if you could have anything you wanted right now, what would it be?'" Zuko asked as he gazed down at her.
"Hmm..." She thought as she removed her hand from his chest. "A big fancy fruit tart with rose petals on top."
"You know," Zuko started to say as he leaned his face in towards hers. "Being a prince and all, I might just be able to make that happen."
Mai let out a giggle as she raised her hand and placed it on his chest once more. He smiled at the swell of pride and nuzzled her forehead.
"That would be impressive." She purred.
"Do you think you can find a fresh fruit tart for the lady? With rose petals on top?" Zuko asked as he turned towards his attendants.
"Excellent choice, sir." They bowed before leaving.
"I guess there are some nice perks that come with being royalty." Mai gushed, clearly impressed.
Zuko was pleased by this, the guilt starting to ebb away from where it had taken hold. He was with Mai and he was able to make her happy, give her things she wanted, let her know she mattered. Here, in this room with her, he wasn't a screw up or the banished prince, he was simply Zuko.
"Though, there's annoying stuff too," She smiled, pulling him to lay down with her once more. "Like that all-day war meeting coming up."
Zuko sat up rigid as he turned to look at Mai. She turned towards him startled, attempting to right herself from where she had folded into the cushions. Her eyes were wide with surprise, realizing instantly that she had said the wrong thing.
"War meeting? What are you talking about?" Zuko asked, his tone rushed and filled with anxiety.
"Azula mentioned something..." Mai tried to explain, sitting up herself finally. "I-I assumed you were going too."
Mai's face looked at him filled with shock and regret. Zuko turned away to look at his lap feeling the familiar burning rage of betrayal in his gut. It was hard to not feel left out. After everything that had happened he still had a lot to prove, and as it turned out he had a lot more to prove than he thought.
"I guess I wasn't invited." Zuko managed to get out, closing his eyes tightly as he let slip the admission.
~Break~
What he had just found out didn't sit right with Zuko. He found himself stomping through the halls as he looked for Azula. He needed an answer. Did his father not trust him? Did he find out about the Avatar? Did Azula tell his father about Mira? He wouldn't be able to relax and spend any time with Mai if this was weighing on his mind, so he found himself stepping into the baths, finding Azula sitting back as several attendants worked on her hair.
He walked up the steps norm even introducing himself as he moved to stand beside her, positively seething.
"Hello, Zuzu," Azula greeted without opening her eyes. "If you've come for a royal hair combing, I'm afraid you'll have to wait."
"So I guess there's a big war meeting coming up huh? And I'm not welcome there." Zuko hissed out.
"What do you mean? Of course you're welcome there." She responded, almost sounding surprised.
"Oh yeah? I guess that's why no one bothered to tell me about it?" Zuko responded much like a child.
"Oh Zuko, don't be so dramatic. I'm certain dad wants you there. You probably just weren't invited because it's so obvious you're supposed to be there." Azula explained, trying to talk him down.
"Well, were you invited?" Zuko asked, sneaking a look at her face.
"Of course, I'm the princess." Azula smiled, opening her eyes to look at Zuko.,
"And I'm the prince!" Zuko shot back.
"Exactly, so stop acting like a paranoid child. Just go to the meeting." Azula sighed out, clearly annoyed by him.
"Forget it, I'm not going." Zuko growled as he stomped out of the room.
As he left the baths he couldn't ignore the feeling that he was merely a tantruming child taking his ball and going home. But, if he wasn't invited personally he was hardly going to make a fool of himself just to amuse Azula. She always lied after all.
~Break~
Zuko found himself back at Mai's place, staring out of her living room window at the palace. He had been there almost since he had arrived, glowering as his mind raced. He was trying to act as if it didn't bother him and he was failing miserably. He couldn't stop thinking of more questions. Was he really welcome at the war meeting? Was Azula lying? Did his father know about the Avatar being alive? Why wasn't he invited? Should he have gone like Azula said? What was the war meeting about? Did anyone trust him?
"Zuko, it's just a dumb meeting, who cares?" Mai sighed out as she approached him.
He cared. Her words made him frown, was he not allowed to wallow even a little? He felt his anger shift in her direction all at once and had to huff out to gather his bearings. It wasn't her fault, she was just trying to help.
"I don't." Zuko said instead, the lie burning on his tongue.
"Well, good, you shouldn't. I mean, why would you even want to go?" Mai asked, clearly not quite believing him. "Just think about how things went at the last war meeting you went to."
Zuko released a heavy sigh, she just had to bring that up. She placed an arm around his shoulders sensing his unease. He wasn't sure if she ever really understood what took place at the last war meeting he attended, barely anyone did. She had never bothered to ask, so he had never bothered to tell. He had grown accustomed to being around Iroh and Mira who just...knew.
"I know." He said instead of everything he really wanted too.
There was a beat of silence Zuko took to slump onto the window sill, his arms folded in front of him. He felt like he was supposed to say or do something as Mai's boyfriend, but instead he just stared out into the darkened streets with a bitter frown.
"You know what will make you feel better?" Mai asked, causing him to glance in her direction. "Ordering some servants around."
She leaned in close to him and he couldn't help but feel bitterly annoyed at her. What was once something he was proud of became almost sickening as she mentioned it. Mira would have known what to say to distract him. She would have just known how he felt and steered the conversation to a place he felt more comfortable.
"I might be hungry for a whole tray of fruit tarts, and maybe a little palanquin ride around town, double-time." Mai baited, her tone becoming amused as she circled him and took his face in her hand.
Zuko looked away as if her touch burned and almost felt guilty. It wasn't her fault everything felt so wrong. Mai gave him a dejected look as she let him go and stood next to him in silence. He was starting to really regret returning to the Fire Nation and he wasn't sure what to do about it.
~Break~
It had barely been an hour and Zuko was still sulking by the window but Mai had moved to sit on the couch and watch him. She looked at him with bored eyes, her body slack against the cushions perched much like a lounging cat. The only difference was that she was hardly lounging. He could tell her nerves were as high as his were right now. Just by the tilt in her frown he knew she was bothered by him shutting her out. But what was he supposed to do? They never were the kind of couple who confided in one another about such sensitive subjects. Footsteps echoed against the floor and he turned to see an attendant opening the door.
"Prince Zuko, everyone's waiting for you." The attendant spoke as he knelt down and bowed his head.
"What?" Zuko asked, moving from the window and walking towards the attendant. Mai had risen as well and was already standing before him.
"The High Admirals, High Generals, War Ministers, and the Princess have all arrived. You're the only person missing." The attendant spoke, looking towards Zuko.
"So my dad wants me at the meeting?" Zuko asked, surprise evident in his tone.
"The Fire Lord said he would not start until you arrived, sir." The attendant spoke as he bowed his head once more.
Zuko began to smile as he looked towards Mai, who mirrored his expression. His father wanted him there, feelings of elations hit him causing him to feel almost dizzy. Quickly exiting Mai's apartment, Zuko rushed towards the palace without the help of a palanquin.
~Break~
Zuko followed the attendant to the Fire Lord's war room. Mai had decided to tag along in silent support, which he was thankful for. He took a deep breath and stepped through the curtains finding everyone staring right at him. As he met their eyes he almost wished he could rush out like he did when he was a small child. But, instead he stepped passed everyone, heading towards his father.
"Welcome, Prince Zuko." Several of the Admirals greeted him, others merely gave him a respectful bow as he passed them.
"Ahh, Prince Zuko, Please take a seat next to Princess Azula." His father spoke, motioning for him to sit right next to him.
Zuko looked around the room finding a man he did not recognize staring at him with an unsettling smile on his face. He had blue eyes and light coloured hair which reminded him of Mira's. Only his was lighter and more fine. Sitting next to him was another man, bigger than him, with dark hair and green eyes. He turned and gave his father a questioning look. They were wearing strange clothing, tight fitted and dark. It reminded him of the fabric Mira had been wearing when he first met her. Along with those mercenaries they had run into in the Earth Kingdom.
"Now, I believe everyone has some questions regarding our new guests. Sadar, if you could please introduce yourself and your companion to everyone here?" His father's booming voice fell over the room.
"Certainly," The light haired man spoke, his smile twisting in amusement. "My name is Sadar, my companion is Kurt. I'm sure you will all have questions about why we are here, and let me say it's quite an unbelievable story. One the Fire Lord and I do not feel needs time to be further explained. We have come from a very distant future to help the Fire Lord win this war. Where we have come from nothing good has come from his defeat. We believe that only the Fire Nation can unify and save the world, so we are here to offer our services, and advanced weaponry, to help you win this war."
Everyone was silent, mulling over his words. Zuko felt like he had been doused in ice water, he couldn't be serious could he? Nothing he said made any sense, but when Zuko looked at his father, his gaze was deathly serious.
"Now I am sure you all have questions, as this story sounds far fetched, but let me assure you that Sadar and his companions have taken the time to prove his story to me, so I want you all to be mindful of what you say, as any disbelief will be taken as you distrusting your own Fire Lord." His father threatened.
The few Generals who had opened their mouths immediately shut them.
"Now, Sadar, if you could explain to us more about the weaponry advances?" His father asked.
"Certainty, Fire Lord." Sadar bowed.
What the hell was going on?
~Break~
Zuko left the room feeling as if the rug had been swept from under him. Sadar had gone on to show them their advances in weaponry and the instant they had demonstrated their guns, everyone in the room had stopped disbelieving their story. Zuko wasn't sure what to think of it as he heard generals discussing the meeting in hushed whispers around him.
"So, how did it go?" Mai asked from where she was leaning against a pillar.
Zuko didn't break his stride as he rushed down the hall. He mulled over the question as Mai followed him. What could he say? That a bunch of people from the future showed up to help his father win this war?
"When I got to the meeting, everyone welcomed me. My father had saved me a seat. He wanted me next to him. I was literally at his right hand." Zuko decided to say.
"Zuko, that's wonderful. You must be happy." Mai cheered as she caught up to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
They stopped before one of the royal portraits and she let him go. It was a portrait of his father done around the time he had just become Fire Lord. They both looked up at it with unreadable expressions.
"During the meeting, I was the perfect Prince. The son my father wanted. But I wasn't me." Zuko admitted, and shut his eyes instead of telling the full truth.
How could he tell her that he was so confused by what he had learned during the meeting he was worried, more worried than he had ever been. How could he tell her that he didn't trust Sadar and his men in the least and was scared by the weapons he had seen. How could he admit he was still haunted by Mira's words?
~Break~
That night he spent most of it awake, mulling over what he had just learned. Sadar honestly scared him, and it wasn't just his weaponry. It was how he looked at all of them as if they were less than him. Throughout the evening he realized just how many men Sadar had and wondered how on earth his father had been able to stash them to keep it all a secret. But now, the secret was out and for the most part so were they. They now roamed all the halls, discussing in hushed whispers and laughter. More people with hair like Sadar and Mira's were everywhere, causing Zuko to feel a stab deep within his chest.
Zuko had discovered where their main base of operations most likely was. It was within an unused part of the palace, a place he hadn't been since his grandfather was still alive and his mother still around. There was one room only Sadar, Kurt, and a young woman wearing a white jacket went into, and it was there he would find out the truth. Tonight, he was going to sneak in and discover just what Sadar was playing at.
Putting on his cloak he pulled his hood over his head and slipped out of his room. Rushing down the halls were easy enough, they were most devoid of everyone except the guards. Passing into Sadar's area was harder. They had their own guards stationed and many were up and down, clearly taking shifts. It was clear they didn't trust his father's hospitality, and he couldn't blame them one bit. After all, he hardly trusted his father's new guests.
Finding the room was easy enough, he had already discovered it when he had followed Sadar earlier after parting ways with Mai. Entering the room was slightly harder, as he had to pick a lock. Thankfully, it was still one of the palace locks and he was able to slip in. He found the room dark and lit the lanterns to get a good look. What he found wasn't anything he could have guessed. Strange contraptions were everywhere, lighting up the room further when he stepped closer.
He found Several items on the table and poked at them. One was clearly a writing implement, next was some strange rectangular box with an almost reflective front, or was it the back? Next was a hard form of paper to which he opened to find several more pieces of loose paper. Taking a look at it he noticed Mira's name and froze. Why did they have her name? The page was filled with information about her, a few strange dates, the colour of her hair and eyes, as well as her age. Moving to the next page he found a picture of her looking very different from the girl he had grown close to. There was further information about her studies, what her grades were whatever that meant, and what year she was in. He was beyond confused now.
Placing the papers down he moved to the brightly lit box and poked at it. It did nothing and he looked around some more, finding the last two objects were connected to the screen by some weird cord. He grasped the oval shaped one and looked at the rectangular object covered with tiny boxes. On each box had a corresponding letter, at least that he recognized. Moving the oval object caused the glowing box to change and suddenly he was staring at a grey background covered with tiny objects. Reading them he found a little paper symbol similar to the one he had found on the table, but this one had Mira's name on it. Actually, it read Mira Walters. He moved the oval object around until he had the weird paper symbol glowing under a small triangle that moved when the oval object moved. He poked around, and found two buttons on the oval object and clicked once. The strange symbol twitched, lit up with blue, and then did nothing further. Furrowing his brow he tried the other button and a bunch of words appeared.
Delete...save...move to...no this wasn't what he wanted. Clicking away he tried to click with the first button again until he grew frustrated and started to click repeatedly in irritation and the symbol changed, opening something different on the box. Peering at it he found many small little pictures with a black triangle on them. He clicked one and found himself watching Mira, moving around. Whatever this was, it was able to capture moving pictures.
He watched in awe as Mira fought a man twice her size, a strange black mask stuffed onto her head, tight purple pants, and a matching tight black tank top. The clothing was very much similar to what Sadar's people wore. She moved gracefully, and used a sword he had never seen before, She was thrusting and did almost no slices. He moved in closer, hearing her grunts of exertion. The camera moved slightly, pulling out of focus as the person recording zoomed out.
Zuko quickly closed the video, opening another one. This one started with a stage, Mira was standing between two other girls looking much younger than she did when they met, but not by much. She was dressed in a long flowing teal coloured dress, the other two girls in lighter shades of blue. Music began to play and he bolted back in his seat, startled for a moment. Mira opened her mouth and began to sing.
"Look how the lights of the town the lights of the town are shining now. Tonight I'll be dancing around, I'm off on the road to Galway now." Mira began to sing.
"Look how she's off on the town she's off on a search for sailors though. There's fine fellas here to be found, She's never been one to stay at home." Mira continued to sing as the other two girls began to sing in harmony.
"Home you'll go and it's there to you'll stay and you've got work to do in the morning. Give up your dreams of going away, forget the sailors in Galway." They sang.
Where the hell was Galway? Was that where Mira was from? He had too many question and still no answers.
"Téir abhaile riú, téir abhaile riú, téir abhaile riú Mhearai. Téir abhail gus fan sa bhaile mar tá do mhargadh déanta." They sang in a language Zuko didn't understand.
He closed the video and opened another one this time. The next one was Mira walking down a street, bundled up warm in a large brown coat and a grey scarf. She was blowing her hair out of her face in irritation.
"God damn it..." he heard her grumble as she hitched her bag higher on her shoulder. The camera zoomed in as the wind continued to assault her hair.
Then, suddenly, the wind shifted at the girl's irritation, completely avoiding her as she flexed her fingers around. Her hair was now barely moving and she let out a sigh, her shoulders relaxing. Zuko knew instantly that she had shifted the wind, bended it to her will. Despite having seen her bend both fire and water, it was still hard to truly believe that she was-is the Avatar.
"Well I'll be," A man chuckled off camera. "She just airbended, Sadar is going to want to see this."
The video suddenly halted and Zuko realized that Sadar had been watching Mira from wherever she had come from. With a burst of panic he grabbed the papers again, reading through them. If Sadar had been watching her in her home from the very start. The very same home she said she could never return too, then that mean't...
"Citizenship...Canadian? Why doesn't it say anything about what nation she is from?" Ripping through more papers Zuko found his answer.
Zuko didn't want to admit it, he didn't even want to think about it. Desperate to prove she wasn't from the future he searched for information about her home. Lifting up a few pieces of paper Zuko found a photo of Mira, unconscious and on a white table wearing the clothing he had found her in when they first met. Beside her was the woman who always wore the white jacket, the one who worked closely with Sadar and Kurt.
Mira was from the future. There was no denying it anymore and so he squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a snarl of rage. Rushing away from the computer, Zuko knocked a strange rectangular object onto the floor. Looking down he saw it had also lit up, and on the screen was a picture of Mira and some girl with curly brown hair. Reaching down he picked it up and slipped it into his pocket.
~Break~
Zuko was breathing heavily once he made it back to his room clutching the mysterious object with Mira's face on it. She looked different, wearing makeup he had never really seen on anyone before, It was sharp, very flattering, and more colourful than he had ever seen. With a gulp he touched the screen and found where he touched, the picture would move slightly. He tried moving it up but it didn't budge, so he swiped to the left and found himself face to face with a picture of some fat black and white cat lying on a large bed. He assumed that must be Mira's cat and bed. Searching around he found similar symbols on her screen and poked around.
A blue box with an F on it, varied multicoloured icons, and a dark box with a music note on it. Clicking the first box, the one with the F, he found an error message: 'Error: Unable to connect to the internet.'. Trying again he got the same error, so moving along he clicked the next box finding a similar error. After the fourth icon, he found one that opened without the internet, whatever that was. He found himself faced with what looked like hundreds of pictures, many of Mira, many of what appeared to be her home, and the rest were of the various people who Mira had known. Opening the most recent one up he saw her sitting with a cup of something, raising it up as if toasting. Another girl, the same one from the picture he saw earlier, holding her own with a grin. It was as if he was getting to know her all over again. Stunned as he was by the sudden secret the girl had hidden from everyone for so long, he was even more curious to learn more about her and her world.
Moving to the next photo he saw two legs and the end of a bed. It was most likely Mira, who was flexing her toes out as the sun shone through the window cascading speckles of light on her legs. The next few were mostly of flowers and various scenery and fuzzy bees. Zuko skipped a bunch, looking further back until he hit one of Mira looking rather unkept and upset. Clicking it he was startled to find it was another one of those moving pictures.
"Okay, I am probably going to delete this later but whatever, here goes. My therapist said it might be a good idea to journal my thoughts or whatever, she suggested I try video since it's easier to do spur of the moment considering...well...everything." Mira said as she held her arms up in defeat.
Zuko could already see the leftover stains of previous tears and felt his heart clench. Holding the phone white-knuckled, he couldn't look away as Mira laid herself emotionally bare before him. She was dressed in what looked like an oversized dirty sweater with her hair tied in a messy bun on top of her head.
"So let's start at the beginning shall we? I'm the child of two happily married first generation Irish-Canadians. We have a clan crest and all that jazz, it's a big deal in my family, not like most who just celebrate it once or twice a year in passing. It's not a bad thing, not really, I mean if you aren't me anyways." Mira smiled with a bitter edge.
She was crying again, the tears leaking out against her will as she spoke. It was hard to imagine Mira that broken, that...lost. The Mira he knew was always so positive and strong-willed. Her stubbornness alone matched his.
"So I grew up as a happy loved kid with parents who lived and breathed extracurriculars. I learned to river dance, sang in Irish festivals, and took gaelic classes. It should have had a happy ending right? There's just no accounting for genetics I guess. I know they didn't ask for a broken kid like me. Nor do they hate me for it, but I can tell...whenever I take my meds, every time I went to a therapy or cognitive behavioural appointment, it bothered them. They tried not to show it, but as I got older I think it got harder for us to pretend. I couldn't pretend I wanted the life they gave me and they couldn't pretend that they weren't disappointed. They'll always love me, but I think when I made the choice to stop my dance classes, stop going to those festivals, and stop learning gaelic, it hurt them. I don't think I can ever take back how much I hurt them while I struggled within my own mind." Mira admitted, her eyes no longer facing him.
He didn't understand half of what she was saying, but how she sounded was so raw and pained. It made his heart ache and he found himself tracing her face on the screen.
"So I moved away, like a coward. There was never a big fight or fallout, but things were never the same. It's been half a year and I've spoken with them maybe three times I just...did you know they removed me from their insurance? All because they didn't feel comfortable pretending I still lived at home anymore. I ended up having to change my ADHD meds and I feel like shit. Probably why the school set me up with a therapist." Mira chuckled as she shook her head.
Her hand flickered up, brushing some of the tears, acknowledging them finally.
"I just, wish I had someone who understood without judging me, instead of my stupid camera." Mira muttered as she shook her head.
He heard a few clicks before the video ended. He wasn't sure what to think as he stared at her frozen sad face again. When was this? Why had she never mentioned any of this before? It hurt to think she suffered at any point before him. He couldn't do anything about that, but he could do something about himself.
~Break~
Zuko never found any more videos filled with her pained confessions. He couldn't help but feel a deeper connection from what he had learned, and wished he had known it sooner. He wasn't sure what she meant by ADHD, meds, or therapists, but he could guess it had something to do with her brain. Was she going to be okay in this time? Was her health at risk? The only person who could answer those questions now was her, and she was the furthest from him she had ever been from him.
He had long since moved on from the photos and found her music. It startled him at first, coming out without warning. It scared him so much he dropped the phone and lept over his bed. But, after a moment of realization he wasn't in danger, it became quite novel. He flicked through a few of them as he wondered about Mira and her world. What was it like? Who was she there? Would he have fit in there better than here, with...her?
'It is as everyone dies alone...does that scare you?...I don't want to be alone...'
Zuko shot up on his bed at the words almost mirroring how he felt. Looking down at the phone he saw the words scrolling by say: Sam Smith - To Die For.
'I look for you, every day...every night. I close my eyes, from the fear...from the light. As I wander down the avenue so confused, guess I'll try and force a smile.'
Thumb hovering over the square that stopped the music, Zuko sat there and just listened. The music seemed to stir up an emotion in him he had been avoiding all day; his feelings for Mira. It was an uncomfortable truth he had barely admitted to himself within his head, but listening to this song that bore how he felt, it was no longer something he could ignore.
'Pink lemonade sipping on a Sunday, couples holding hands on a runway. They're all posing in a picture frame whilst my world's crashing down. Solo shadow on a sidewalk, just want somebody to die for. Sunshine living on a perfect day while my world's crashing down. I just want somebody to die for.'
The vulnerable truth of the singer's feelings allowed Zuko an outlet for how he felt. The words were there, plain as day. Ever since he had returned home it was like watching everyone go along with life, happy and carefree. Yet, Zuko remained burdened with regret and guilt that increased every day.
'I long for you, just a touch (does that scare you?) of your hand. You don't leave my mind. Lonely days I'm feeling like a fool for dreaming. As I wander down the avenue so confused, guess I'll try and force a smile.'
It felt foolish to long after Mira and what they had, while pitying himself over his situation. He wasn't alone here, he was with Mai after all. Not to mention, he was the one who had technically ended whatever they had. The bitter realization made Zuko feel sick to his stomach; he had done the unthinkable to someone he had claimed to love and care for; just like his father and Azula.
'Pink lemonade sipping on a Sunday, couples holding hands on a runway. They're all posing in a picture frame whilst my world's crashing down. Solo shadow on a sidewalk, just want somebody to die for. Sunshine living on a perfect day while my world's crashing down.'
What right did he have to long after her. The guilt began to set in then, as he realized how dismissive he was being of Mai and her feelings. Perhaps, all Zuko had been doing was chase after the ghost of his past.
'I just want somebody to die for. I just want somebody to die for (to die for) I just want somebody to die for. (Does that scare you?) (I don't want to be alone)'
Zuko didn't want to be alone, and yet he was. Despite being surrounded by everyone he had ever loved and cherished, he was unable to find peace. His mind wared with itself every day and Iroh was right about...everything. It was sobering to realize he had left something back in those caves of Ba Sing Se.
'Pink lemonade sipping on a Sunday, couples holding hands on a runway. They're all posing in a picture frame whilst my world's crashing down. Solo shadow on a sidewalk, just want somebody to die for. Sunshine living on a perfect day while my world's crashing down.'
Zuko had left his heart with Mira all those nights ago. Despite thinking he had taken it back and given it to Mai, he had simply been masking the feeling of having it torn out. That feeling was there now though, gnawing its way through his chest and up his throat. It was getting harder to breathe and Zuko wanted to run despite not knowing where to go.
'I just want somebody to die for. I just want somebody to die for (to die for)'
~Break~
Zuko had come to a decision last night. He couldn't ignore the aching pain in his chest any longer nor the truth about what his father was planning. He had spent the entire night looking through the videos, photos, and music on Mira's strange device. He missed her, and as he grew to learn about her home, as well as more about her, he couldn't deny the feeling in his chest. It was the only remaining connection he had with her anymore and he hadn't found a moment to put it down.
He had loved Mira and still did. What his father was doing was wrong, and Zuko had made a big mistake when he had betrayed Iroh and Mira. He felt a pang of guilt as he penned his letter to Mai, he could only hope she would one day forgive him and understand why he had to do this. Hopefully she would understand that his love for Mira wasn't her own failing. It was time for him to make things right, become the man he was supposed to be, could have been, back in the crystal caverns.
He cared for Mai, sure. He could have even seen himself falling in love with her one day if he had never been banished, but he had and then he met Mira. How could he give his heart to Mai if Mira already had it, wherever she was. It would be cruel of him to string Mai along. He found himself humming one of the songs from Mira's device and finished packing his bag, leaving his room pristine. He pulled the hairpiece from his hair, letting it fall free around his face. He removed his armor and placed it on his bed. Walking towards his desk he placed down some paper along with two paper weights on either side and began to write.
~Break~
Zuko found himself able to get through the palace with ease. Most everyone had retreated to the catacombs, allowing him free passage. He made his way across the street towards Mai's house and let himself inside. Once inside he walked towards her room, finding himself face to face with the portrait that they had done upon his return.
His heart ached once more as he moved forwards to place down his letter to her. He felt terrible, but he knew if he stayed he would only feel worse. He couldn't let Mira die, and whatever Sadar was planning very well could do it. Sadar had been stalking her, knew she was the Avatar, and that only meant the worst in his mind. His destiny also lay with helping the Avatar, he knew now what his father and nation were doing was wrong. He had seen it first hand while on the run. How he had been so blind to it up until now he would never understand, but now he had a chance to make it right.
"I'm sorry Mai." Zuko said as he turned away from the portrait.
Placing the letter on her bed he left without another look.
~Break~
Zuko found himself kneeling before a portrait of his mother he had leaned against his bed. Her face always looked so sad in them, and up until now he never understood why. She had given all she had to protect him, to educate him, and he had learned nothing. Now, she was gone, and he wished more than ever for her advice. Zuko wasn't good at many things, but he figured he was talented at hurting people, since that's all he seemed to do, whether he wanted to or not.
"I know I've made some bad choices, but today I'm gonna set things right." He bowed.
Standing up, Zuko checked his bag before grabbing hold of his swords and slinging them over his shoulder. Next, he picked up his bag and stood before the portrait of his mother once more.
"I'm going to make things right with Mira, I'm going to make things right with the world." Zuko promised as he pulled his hood over his head.
And just like before, he left without another look and headed towards the catacombs. It was time to have a chat with his father.
~Break~
Zuko stood outside the doors to where he knew his father was waiting. His nerves felt electrified and he was aware of his father's presence in a way he never was before. Despite the lack of firebending, his father still commanded a powerful presence. Taking a deep breath, Zuko steeled his emotions and reached towards the door.
"I'm ready to face you." Zuko breathed, closing his eyes for a moment before walking forwards.
He opened the door and found his father sitting down drinking tea; the only thing he and Iroh had in common with one another. Pulling his arm away from the heavy steel door and stepped through. The many guards turned towards him and gave him a curious look as his father looked up. Zuko fought to keep his hardened look in place, but standing before his father always made him feel so small.
"Prince Zuko, what are you doing here?" His father asked as he placed his cup down. "Why are you here?"
His father motioned for the guards to leave, and they did with haste. Zuko watched as they left, waiting for the echo of the closing doors before speaking.
"First of all, in Ba Sing Se it was Azula who took down the avatar, not me. In fact, he's probably leading this invasion. He could be on his way here right now." Zuko explained, his gaze turning back to his father.
"Get out." His father hissed as he rushed to his feet, pointing towards the door. "Get out of my sight right now if you know what's good for you!"
"That's another thing, I'm not taking orders from you anymore." Zuko challenged.
"You will obey me or this defiant breath will be your last." His father threatened, taking a predatory step forward.
Zuko unsheathed his swords and his father halted. With the royal guard dismissed, his father was unarmed while Zuko was not. He would never make that mistake when facing his father again.
"Think again," Zuko shot back. "I am going to speak my mind, and you are going to listen."
His father sat back down after giving him a measured look.
"For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honour that I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you. You, my father, who banished me just for talking out of turn. My father, who challenged me, a thirteen year old boy, to an Agni Kai. How can you possibly justify a duel with a child?" Zuko spat, pointing his sword down at his father.
"It was to teach you respect." His father hissed back.
"It was cruel, and it was wrong!" Zuko shouted over his father's words.
Zuko could feel his anger rising, the shame his father had made him feel his whole life bubbling into pure hatred of the man.
"Then you've learned nothing." His father continued anyway.
"No, I've learned everything, and I've had to learn it on my own. Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history. And somehow, that war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was. The people of the world are terrified by the Fire Nation. They don't see our greatness. They hate us, and we deserve it. We've created an era of fear in the world and if we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness." Zuko explained, his eyes narrowing as he felt himself begin to lose his breath.
His father began to laugh, loud and full of belly.
"Ahahaha! Your uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?" His father mocked.
Zuko took a moment to close his eyes and calm himself before looking back at his father.
"Yes, he has." Zuko said proudly.
His father scowled at his admission, a fire igniting in his eyes.
"After I leave here today, I'm gonna free Uncle Iroh from his prison and I'm gonna beg for his forgiveness. He's the one who's been a real father to me." Zuko continued.
"Ohoho. That's just beautiful. Maybe he can pass down to you the ways of tea and failure." His father tried to goad Zuko.
"But I've come to an even more important decision. I'm going to join the Avatar and I'm going to help him defeat you." Zuko said with conviction.
"Really? His father asked as he tilted his head. "Since you're a full-blown traitor now and you want me gone, why wait? I'm powerless. You've got your swords. Why don't you just do it now?"
"Because I know my own destiny. Taking you down is the Avatar's destiny." Zuko declined as he sheathed his swords. "Oh, and one more thing before I leave. Sadar and his men brought someone else back with them, a future Avatar who is more than likely with the Avatar and helping with this invasion. Up until I returned home she had been traveling with Iroh and I. I kept that from you, as did he, because I would rather die than let you get your hands on her. Goodbye father."
"Coward! You think you're brave enough to face me, but you'll only do it during the eclipse, and then making up lies about there being a second Avatar! If you have any real courage, you'll stick around until the sun comes out. Don't you want to know what happened to your mother?" His father shouted at Zuko's ridgid back.
The admission made Zuko halt and turn around.
"What happened that night?" Zuko growled.
"My father, Fire Lord Azulon had commanded me to do the unthinkable to you, my own son. And I was going to do it. Your mother found out and swore she would protect you at any cost. She knew I wanted the throne and she proposed a plan. A plan in which I would become Fire Lord and your life would be spared. Your mother did vicious treasonous things that night. She knew the consequences and accepted them. For her treason she was banished." His father explained.
"So she's alive." Zuko poke brokenly as he felt tears begin to fall.
"Perhaps. Now I realize that banishment is far too merciful a penalty for treason. Your penalty will be far steeper." His father said in a chilling voice.
Within a moment father began to move the energies around in his hands, summoning lightning. Not missing a beat, Zuko did as Iroh taught him, moving the lightning through his stomach and back out his arms towards his father. The blast had sent Zuko skidding back from the power, finding himself almost out the door. An explosion echoed around him as his father was setting flying into a wall where he bounced off with a painful howl.
Not wasting any time Zuko fled his father's safe room and headed out of the catacombs.
~Break~
Well, shit. His father had wasted no time in deploying the war balloons it seemed. Zuko took the distraction his father had with fighting the invasion to get into the prison tower and release his uncle. Explosions rang out from above him as he entered, only to find an injured guard lying on the stairs. He cowered as Zuko raced past, charging towards his Uncle's cell.
"Uncle?" Zuko shouted as he entered the room to find the bars to Iroh's cell were broken and Iroh was nowhere to be seen.
Beside the broken cell was another guard, slumped against the wall in pain. Zuko quickly rushed towards the guard and pulled him up, bunching his uniform in his fists.
"Where is my uncle?" Zuko demanded as he shook the man.
"He's gone. He busted himself out. I've never seen anything like it. He was like a one-man army." The man admitted clearly scared out of his wits.
Zuko let go of his uniform and left the prison tower as quickly as he could, he didn't have time to figure out where Iroh went if he wanted to escape before he was caught. He could only hope he had arranged his own escape. Zuko had somewhere to be after all, Iroh was more than capable of taking care of himself it seemed.
~Break~
Zuko managed to steal a small war balloon and kept a lookout for Aang's bison. It didn't take long as he spotted it towards his left and turned to follow. He followed at a distance, holding onto one of the front cables. He craned his head seeing if he could catch even the slightest sight of Mira, but he was too far away. Would she be angry once she saw him? Happy? Sad? Not knowing was making him anxious. But he had chosen his path and this time he was going to see it through. He may not be able to make up for all the horrible things he had done, but this time he would be fighting for the right side for once.
Maybe he could make amends that way.
(End Zuko POV)
~Chapter 10 End~