Iroh once thought that his destiny was to conquer Ba Sing Se. He laid siege to the city for over 600 days, and not once did he question his destiny. He did not think anything would change his determination and loyalty to the Fire Nation.

War was not easy. There was once a time when he relished in it- the thrill of battle, the complex maneuvers and strategies that were almost a game to him. But losing Lu Ten changed him. He lost his lust for battle. Life itself seemed pointless. Even his loyalty to the Fire Nation, to his father, faded away. Nothing mattered anymore after Lu Ten passed.

Iroh does not remember much of the year after that. Blinded by rage and grief, he journeyed into the spirit world itself in search of answers. It was a dangerous and soul changing journey for him, one that he was loath to remember but will always treasure. It was there he learned the truth of war and life. He could not bring Lu Ten back, but he would never lead the Fire Nation's armies again.

He no longer cared for war. Instead, Iroh wanted peace. He only wanted to return to the Fire Nation and retire. To spend the rest of his days with his remaining family. To treasure every moment he had.

But his return to the Fire Nation did not bring him peace.

In less than a year, the Royal family had fallen apart. Ursa, Zuko, and Azula were dead. Traitors, Azulon had called them. Ozai himself was the one who tracked them down and delivered their punishment.

How could one war bring so much pain and suffering?

It was selfish of him, in hindsight. To retire when so many innocents were slaughtered every day- when he had the power to stop it. And he knew where to start.

There was a tower just outside of the city capital. It's walls were sheer and smooth. The tower did not have a name, but many called it the Zhu tower, for it was where capital prisoners would await their execution. As a prince it was Iroh's right to visit the prisoners. There were two in particular that Iroh was interested in.

Piandao and Fat were chained together in a small cell. They glanced up as he entered, but said nothing. As Iroh dismissed the guards, he noted that both of them were covered in bandages. Judging by the deep cut on Ozai's arm that was still healing, these men put up a fight. It warmed Iroh's heart to know that Ursa and her children were in such noble company before their deaths.

"I've come for the truth," Iroh began, kneeling down to their level. "You helped them. You must know why they were killed. I do not believe what the Fire Lord has told me."

"And what has the Fire Lord told you?"

"He said my brother killed them. His wife first, and then Zuko and Azula." Iroh paused, his throat closing up. "The children's bodies were too badly damaged to be recovered."

Piandao met his gaze. His face sagged with exhaustion, and in his eyes Iroh could see the overwhelming grief that he was all too familiar with. There was anger there, too, simmering under the grief that spoke of injustice and tragedy. Even by looking in his eyes Iroh could tell that this man loved them, and that they were not what the Firelord said they were.

"Yes, he killed them," Piandao whispered, his voice trembling with anger and loss. "I did not see it happen, but I saw- they brought back her body."

Closing his eyes, Iroh took several calming breaths. "My brother told me they conspired to kill the Fire Lord, and fled when they failed. It cannot be true. They were only children, and Ursa-"

"They did nothing of the sort!" Fat spat. "Ozai tried to kill Azula for the throne. Your brother, on the Fire Lord's orders."

Iroh was stunned. He knew his brother was ambitious, but this was too cruel- too much to wrap his mind around. The thought of willingly taking the life of his own son for power was unthinkable. "The Fire Lord?" He choked out. "Father ordered this? When? How did they get away?"

"It was a year ago. Ursa took the children and fled to Shu Jing," Piandao answered. "Zuko was badly burned. He stood between Ozai and his sister that night." His face hardened, but there was also pride there. "He was more honorable than all of your ancestors put together. The world needed him, and your family killed him."

Iroh reeled back, his mind spinning. Everything was wrong. Lu Ten was dead- killed in battle. Ursa, Zuko, and Azula were struck down by his own blood. And for what? What good was this war if it only took innocents?

"Do you see now?" Piandao asked coldly. "Do you see what your family has done? You have laid siege to the Earth Kingdom, destroying their lands and tearing families apart. How many children have you killed, Iroh? Zuko and Azula are not the only innocents lost in this war."

Iroh shuddered. His victories and achievements in battle no longer filled him with pride. Instead, he was disgusted with himself. He had blindly followed in his father's footsteps. He had delighted in causing terror and destruction across all of the Earth Kingdom. He had ordered the deaths of its citizens. More than that, Iroh despaired. Even Lu Ten's death was indirectly caused by him, and the countless other Fire Nation soldiers who were only following orders- his orders.

But no more. He would not allow this to continue.

Standing up abruptly, Iroh pulled out the key he had slipped from the guards. "Are you able to walk?" He asked, opening the cell door.

Piandao and Fat glanced at each other, stunned. "We will endure what we must," Fat eventually said. "But what do you plan to do?"

"I am choosing a new destiny." Iroh did not hesitate as he broke their chains. His mind was clear now. "Leave these on until we exit the tower. We will leave by boat."

They say that they were dead. Traitors to the crown. Good. Azula felt dead, anyway. And if it wasn't for Zuko, she really would have died.

The first time was because she was scared. Too scared to fight their father, even as she watched him burn her brother. But the second time? She was angry. No- beyond angry. Something in her snapped after Mother died. When she attacked Ozai, her fire was a bright blue- cold and deadly. Her rage fueled her. Maybe it was the cold flames, or even the all consuming anguish and fury he could see on her face, that Ozai ran from. She would have chased him; she would have burned everything to the ground, herself included, if Zuko hadn't stopped her.

Zuko says it's been a month since they reached the Earth Kingdom, but she doesn't care. She barely even remembers it. It's all the same, anyhow. Wandering from village to village, using what little money they had to buy food before moving on. They don't stop moving, even now when they are sure they are not being followed. Because if they stop, then they will have time to remember.

Azula was angry. Zuko wished that he could give in to his anger too. But someone has to get food. Someone has to keep them alive. So Zuko pressed down his grief, as best as he could, to take care of his sister. He took on odd jobs, something he's sure a prince of the Fire Nation has never had to do. He earned money, and when that didn't work, he stole what they needed.

After a few months, the sharp pain of grief faded somewhat, but it never went away. At night he still saw his mother's still form, her face slack and her hair singed. It will never go away. They will never get over it, but eventually they get used to it. Zuko learned to push his grief to the side, because he still has Azula to look after. Mother would want him to keep her safe, and so he will.

They don't have a whole lot from home. When they fled Shu Jing they did not have the time to pack anything substantial. They had to sell their clothes, switching them out for more neutral Earth Kingdom tones to avoid suspicion. But Zuko had his dao swords, made by him with Piandao's aid, as well as his knife that Uncle Iroh gave to him. And Azula had Mother's knives. That was one of the few moments she remembered from that day- stooping to grab them from where they lay beside Mother's body as Zuko pulled her away.

It's all they have left of her. Sometimes, when the pain became too much, Azula would bring the knives out and remember how brave Mother was, how fierce and protective she was until her last breath. Didn't she promise herself that she would protect them? She couldn't have helped Lu Ten, but Mother died protecting her. Now Zuko is all she has left. Azula doesn't think she would be able to keep going if something happened to him, too.

So while it was painful to use her mother's knives, they were also a reminder of her sacrifice. A reminder of her own failure, and a warning to herself. Because if she fails again, she'll be alone.

Zuko grunted as she placed another cool rag on his head. There was little she could do besides this. Ever since he was burned, her brother suffered from debilitating migraines a few times a month. So far they have not found anything to help alleviate his pain. Mother and Piandao tried countless tea concoctions, and some of them did help a little, but still Zuzu would remain curled up beneath a blanket for hours at a time.

But now they were alone. Giving him cool rags and watching over him while he rested was all she could do.

Azula took him to a healer, once, with what little money they had left. The old man took one look at Zuko and told her there was nothing to be done. A severe burn like Zuko's would often result in side effects such as migraines. Azula would have burned down his pathetic hut if she wasn't worried about what would happen to Zuko if they were outed as firebenders. It was infuriating to sit there and watch Zuko suffer without any way of helping him.

Nothing seemed to help, but it made her feel better to do something, to distract herself from the fact that this was all her fault. Wallowing in her own misery wasn't going to help Zuko. So she would recite Love Amongst the Dragons from memory, or stroke his hair like Mother used to do. She even tried to replicate Piandao's tea. Anything to make him feel better.

"My name's Jet, and these are my freedom fighters."

Azula glowered at the boy with the ridiculous eyebrows and hook swords as he introduced his band of dirty children. How dare he assume that they would socialize with him just because they were attacking the same Fire Nation patrol? Azula preferred to work alone. Well, just with Zuko.

And she didn't like the way that boy looked at Zuko as they fought.

Zuko didn't seem to mind the dirty children. He accepted their invitation to join them in their hideout (or that's what they called it- but it was literally just a tree hut), and even was smiling and laughing with them while they ate dinner.

Azula was not sulking. She was simply eating alone because she didn't want to socialize with dirty peasant children who childishly threw their food and ate with their hands. She also was not discreetly looking at Zuko and Jet as they sat together by the fire. There was a sour feeling in her gut as she watched them talk. Jet was sitting closer than was necessary to her brother. Not that she cared! But she thought Zuko would have better standards than that.

The next day Jet invited Zuko to go scouting with him. Azula was not invited, which she of course did not have any strong negative feelings about. Zuko could do what he wanted. He was probably tired of hanging out with his sister all of the time. And although she never had any romantic notions herself, she did slightly enjoy the way Zuko blushed when Jet brushed up close to him.

But the fact of the matter was that Jet was no good. They had told him their names were Lee and Lin, and that they were also Earth Kingdom orphans. He would turn on them in a second if he found out they were firebenders. Azula didn't trust him.

But she was conflicted. Zuko was enjoying himself, and even though she hated every second of it, she did not object when they were invited to stay for longer. But after three days she couldn't take it anymore. They really needed to be moving on. It had nothing to do with the fact that Zuko was spending less time with her than she was used to.

Zuko was against it. "It's safe here," he pointed out. "We don't need to worry about anything if we stay with them."

"In case you didn't notice, Lee," she growled. "They hate the Fire Nation. What are they going to do if they find out?"

Zuko hesitated. She could tell this was also worrying him. "They won't find out."

"So you just want to live as Lee forever? Hide who you are?"

"What do you think we've been doing this whole time! We don't have a choice, Zula!"

Azula smiled vindictively. "You already messed up! What if you do it in front of Jet?"

"Well stop annoying me and I won't!" Zuko snapped, and he stomped away. Azula watched as he joined Jet, and together they climbed back up to the tree huts. That sour feeling was back. Something needed to be done.

She had invited herself to one of Jet and Zuko's scouting missions. She was just trying to spend more time with Zuko, but they only had eyes for each other. So she walked behind them as they joked with each other, and talked, and compared their swords (that was not a euphemism, they literally traded swords to inspect them). After a few hours of this Azula was fuming. Zuko had barely said a word to her!

What she did next was not the most mature way to go about the situation, but it was already done. In her defense, she did regret it.

Jet had been talking about his childhood. His whole family was killed, his village burned down, blah blah blah. And then he asked them where they were from. Zuko looked at Azula as he hesitated, obviously trying to think of the name of one of the countless Earth Kingdom villages they passed through.

"You mean you haven't guessed?" Azula cut in, cocking her head to the side. "How many people do you see with golden eyes, Jet?"

Jet whipped around to stare at her. "What do you mean?" He asked, but she could see the gears turning behind his eyes.

"Lin!" Zuko choked, his eyes wide. Azula firmly ignored the hurt in his expression, and continued.

"I mean that we're not who you think we are."

"Then who are you?" Jet looked at Zuko, who wouldn't meet his eyes. "Why would you lie to me?"

"Oh please," Azula laughed. "We lie to everyone. You're not special."

Jet continued to stare at Zuko. "Lee, what does she mean?"

Zuko said nothing.

"I'll show you what I mean," Azula said. She raised her hand, and summoned a blue flame. The look on Jet's face was exactly what Azula was hoping for, but her glee was quickly soured when he drew his swords and turned to Zuko.

His face darkened, and his eyes became almost deranged. "You're an ashmaker!" He spat at Zuko. "You fucking lied to me!"

"Jet, I'm sorry-" Zuko started, raising his hands in the air. But he didn't get to finish. Jet swung at him with his hook swords, literally trembling with rage. "You sat there and listened to me talk about my family- and you're one of them! You fucking asshole! Fire Nation Scum!" Zuko scrambled backwards from Jet's swings, panicked and shocked.

But Azula was already there. She disarmed Jet in seconds, taking his swords with a complicated maneuver that Fat had taught her. That didn't stop him of course. Jet threw a punch at her that she easily dodged, before she shot a ball of fire at his feet. He jumped back, panting harshly.

They stood there for a moment, sizing each other up.

"You have two choices," Azula said calmly. "Either you leave, now, or I kill you for attacking my brother."

They both knew what he would do. Jet spat on the ground. "If I ever see you again, I'm going to kill you." Azula scoffed as he stared her down. Then he turned his gaze to Zuko, who was still standing frozen behind her. "You're going to pay for this."

He turned and ran. Azula stood her ground until he was out of sight.

"What is wrong with you!" Zuko shouted. Wincing slightly, Azula turned slowly to face him. "Why did you do that?"

"He would have found out eventually, Zuko. I was protecting you." It was partly true. They were former royalty, after all. It didn't take a genius to see their unmistakable Fire Nation features. Jet would have realized eventually. Azula would rather it be in a situation she was fully in control of.

Zuko stared at her, and she resisted the urge to squirm at the disappointment and hurt in his expression. "Whatever," he said tersely, turning and grabbing his swords. "Let's just go."

They didn't talk for the rest of the day. When they finally stopped for the night, Zuko made them dinner in complete silence. He didn't even look at her as he handed her the bowl. Shame pooled in her stomach.

"I'm sorry," she started, pushing her food around the bowl. "I shouldn't have done it."

"Why did you do it?" Zuko asked quietly. "I know you didn't like it there, but-"

"It's not because I didn't like it there." Azula said. She had to force the next words out, her mouth dry and her stomach rolling with anxiety: "I was jealous."

"Of me and Jet?" Zuko gaped, flabbergasted.

"Not in that way!" Azula was horrified that he would think her standards could be so low. Zuzu can be such an idiot.

"Then what were you jealous of?"

"You spent all of your time with him," she mumbled, ducking her head to hide her reddening cheeks. "You're all I have and I didn't want to share you with someone else."

Zuko's eyes softened. "Azula, you're stuck with me. I'm not going anywhere."

She rolled her eyes as he hugged her, but she couldn't hide her smile as she hugged him back.

Zuko was paying for rice when he saw them. Further down the street there were artisan stalls, something of a rarity in Earth Kingdom villages. Not many could afford to buy anything but the necessities (and some couldn't even buy those). It wasn't the masterfully formed pottery or the brightly dyed fabrics that caught his eye. Zuko stopped in front of a smaller stall, one with dozens of intricately painted theater masks. Slowly, he reached out and stroked the front of a blue spirit mask.

"The blue spirit fights for what is right," he remembered Mother telling him and Azula. "They fight corruption and injustice."

Women and children left lost and alone after the men leave for war. Men and boys losing their lives to a war that wasn't their doing. Lu Ten leaving for Ba Sing Se and never returning. Mother lying cold and still on the ground.

"There you are," Azula huffed from behind him. "I've got the-" but she stopped when she saw what he was holding. "Oh," she said softly, just as enamored with it as Zuko was. The man behind the stall smiled at them.

"I see you have an appreciation for the arts," he said eagerly. "My wife paints them herself, beautiful aren't they?"

Zuko nodded absentmindedly. There was a sudden ache from somewhere deep in his chest, an open wound that had not yet healed.

"How much for two?" Azula asked, snatching an identical one and holding it close to her chest.

They stop running. Now, they were chasing. Fire Nation patrols mysteriously disappear. Supply routes used by the army are in disarray. Prisoners of war are freed. Corrupt Earth Kingdom leaders are assassinated. Those who hoard wealth and supplies are robbed.

The Blue Spirit delivered swift justice.

Those who catch a glimpse see a small, lithe form, dressed in black, with two swords on their back, or sometimes clutching two shining daggers. But it was their face that everyone remembered: a grinning, blue demon; unchanging and cunning, remorseless and righteous. Some swear that the spirit can split themselves in two. Others say the spirit moves so fast it looks to be in two places at once.

The spirit worked quickly- by the time you realize something was wrong, they were gone.

"Hey, look at this!" Sokka turned to look at what Aang was pointing to. There was a wanted sign there, with a grinning blue demon covering most of the poster.

"The Blue Spirit," he read aloud. "Why does the Fire Nation think they can kill a spirit?"

"Kuzon and I read about that spirit!" Aang said excitedly. "They're in his favorite play, Love Amongst the Dragons!"

"Is this an actual spirit though?" Katara asked doubtfully. "They don't normally stay in our world that long."

"Maybe they're like Hei Bai. Maybe the Fire Nation did something to anger them."

He studied the poster more closely. "Looks like this guy is causing a lot of problems for the Fire Nation." Sokka was not a fan of spirits, especially now that he's had a few run-ins with them, but even he could appreciate a spirit with a vendetta against the Fire Nation.

Their plan was to camp the supply road that led to Pohuai Stronghold and attack any caravans that they encountered. But after several days of intense rain and wind, they had to admit defeat. A storm was coming, and Zuko and Azula were not prepared for one. Even with their breath of fire it was difficult to stay warm and dry.

Azula was sick. At first she denied it fiercely while holding in her coughs, but within hours she was gasping and hacking without stopping, her face sweating from her fever. Zuko had bundled her up as best he could and kept the fire blazing, but all he had were supplies for tea, which were not helping. She only got sicker and sicker.

He was fighting back the panic that slowly started to form when she first started coughing. He knew nothing about medicine, how was he supposed to help her? They were still several days' walk from any village. His thoughts were interrupted when Azula sat up again, body heaving as she coughed. Rising quickly, he pulled her blanket around her tighter and rubbed her back as she hacked. When the coughing subsided, she slumped against him, exhausted.

"We've got to get you to a healer," Zuko murmured, still rubbing her back. "You're only getting worse."

"We're in the middle of nowhere, dum dum."

"I'll figure something out."

She eventually fell asleep again. With nothing else to do, Zuko consulted his map. It was then that he saw a small marking a few miles out. A healers institution.

He looked to Azula, who was sleeping restlessly, shaking with fever and exhaustion. He would let her sleep a few hours, and then he would carry her to the institution.

Zuko staggered up the steps, struggling to keep his sister on his back. Azula was completely limp, sometimes crying out in her fevered dreaming. He had carried her the whole way, and was almost there. He didn't understand why a healer's institute would be so high in the mountains where it was harder for the injured to get to. He had to rest twice while climbing them. As he stumbled to the door, a white cat darted inside.

An old woman greets him at the entrance. "My my," she croaks, opening the door wide for him to pass. "You two don't look so good."

"It's my sister," Zuko gasped. "Please help her, she's really sick."

"Mother…" Azula moaned into his back. Fear spiked in his heart. Her fever was getting worse.

"Calm down, young man." Turning from him, the herbalist began to walk further inside. "I've been here for forty years now, you know. There used to be more, but now there's just me and Miyuki." She gestured to a cot on the ground. "Bring her here, boy."

Zuko gently laid Azula on the cot and pushed her hair out of her face. Her eyes were slightly open, but they were glazed and unfocused. "Do you have any medicine?" He turned to the herbalist, pleading with her. "She's all I have left, please help her!"

"She just needs some frozen wood frogs, dearie." The herbalist patted his head. "Go down to the valley swamp and fetch some."

Zuko stared at her. "What? Don't you have some herbs or something?"

"Oh I do. But the frogs work best." And the next thing Zuko knew, he was shoved out the door by the herbalist (who was surprisingly strong) and walking back down the path and towards the lake.

Surprisingly, there were frozen frogs at the edges of the swamp, so Zuko collected a handful and hurried back to the institution.

When Azula woke up, she had a wriggling frog in her mouth.

"What the fuck! Zuko!" She yelled, throwing the frog and scrambling to her feet. Well, she tried to stand, but her legs were too wobbly so she just flopped pathetically on the ground.

"Get back in bed, dear. You need your rest."

Alarmed, Azula looked up to see an extremely old lady standing over her. And when she looked around she realized that she was not in the forest with Zuko anymore.

"Where am I?" She demanded, wincing as her throat scratched. "Where's Zuko?"

"Your brother is sleeping. You'll wake him if you keep shouting," the old lady threatened, wagging her finger in disapproval. Azula followed the old lady's gaze to the corner of the room, where Zuko lay on another cot sleeping. Both of them were normally light sleepers out of necessity, but he still hadn't woken despite her shouting. "He's been taking care of you all night and day, Miyuki just got him to settle down and sleep. Don't go waking him and ruining all my work."

Azula was speechless. Waking up to a frog in her mouth and an old lady standing over her was disorienting. And, she noted, the crazy old bat had a stick in her hair. All of it was too much. She felt exhausted, right down to her bones, and her throat was scratchy and sore. Even moving her head too quickly was disorienting. Maybe sleeping more was a good idea. She could deal with the old lady later.

Zuko was sitting beside her when she woke up the second time.

"Hey," she croaked. Her throat was parched. Zuko wordlessly pushed a cup of tea into her hands, which she drank greedily.

"How are you feeling?" Zuko asked. She swatted his hand away when he tried to check her temperature.

"Fucking fantastic," she drawled sarcastically, leaning away from him as he straightened her blankets. "Dearest brother, why the fuck was there a frog in my mouth yesterday?"

"Uhhh…."

Azula waited impatiently as Zuko bowed to the old lady. "Thank you for helping my sister," he said respectfully. "Are you sure you don't want any money?"

"No money needed, dearie." The old lady said cheerfully. "Miyuki and I have all we need here."

Zuko seemed unsure of what to say to that, so he bowed again before turning to go.

But Azula had just thought of something. "Wait," she said, turning to the herbalist. "My brother gets migraines frequently, do you have anything that could help?"

"Azula-"

"Shut up, Zuzu."

The herbalist surveyed Zuko, her face somber. "Yes, that would be expected with an injury like that. I might have something for you, wait here."

They watch her shuffle away. Miyuki stayed and watched them, eyes unblinking and solemn. Zuko bent down to scratch her behind the ears.

When she returned, she had an armful of pouches. "Make these into a tea when you feel a migraine coming on," she said, shoving the pouches into Zuko's hands. "You can add a little peppermint for taste, the tea is very bitter."

Azula bowed. "Thank you."

The herbalist waved a hand, her eyes twinkling. "Goodbye, dearies."

"Zuko."

He turned from the fruit stall he was perusing, watching as Azula hurried towards him. She shoved a poster in his face.

It's a wanted poster for the Avatar. But instead of the old, wrinkled man he was expecting, the poster depicted a young boy with bright clothes and blue tattoos.

"The Avatar?" He said, taking the poster from her. "What about him?"

"I was just eavesdropping on some guards," Azula said in a low voice. "Zhao captured the Avatar. He's being held in Pohuai."

Their eyes meet. Zuko knows what she's thinking, and he smirked at the thought of stealing the Avatar right from under Zhao's nose.

"This will be fun."