"Stop," Zuko ordered.

"What now?" June sighed.

"They're signalling us."

"Not my problem."

Zuko glared at June; she gave a very put-upon harrumph, but patted Nyla, who slowed to a trot and then a stop, so that Appa could catch up and land.

They were in a forest, somewhere along an animal trail that, according to June, led directly to Izumihanto. Zuko was fairly sure there were supposed to be people living in the general area, but clearly not in the forest: they hadn't seen a soul since the Temple. Appa was cruising along behind them, his feet brushing the treetops. As Nyla slowed, he matched them and glided in to land, and his three passengers hopped off.

"What?" Zuko asked.

"We were talking –" Sokka began.

Always ominous.

"– and Aang mentioned that Izumihanto was a Fire Nation colony before he was frozen."

"It still is," Zuko said. "My Uncle's there: he's not going to sit around in Earth Kingdom territory."

Well, you say that, but …

"Right," Sokka said. "So, isn't it, y'know, a bad idea for us to go waltzing in?"

"My Uncle's there," Zuko repeated patiently. "He's a genius. He'll know how to get past Zhao's patrols."

"Okay, but, remember the part where it's a Fire Nation colony? Full of people who want to capture Aang? How do we even know we can trust your uncle? He doesn't know that you don't want to turn him in any more. For all we know, he's got the town guard waiting to grab Aang the moment we walk in his door."

"That's – that's ridiculous. Uncle would never do that. He doesn't even know I'm with you."

"And that's assuming we even get that far," Sokka went on. "If I were Zhao, I'd've ordered every guard to check the scalp of every boy for a blue arrow tattoo. Including under hats and wigs. It's far too dangerous for Aang to go in. Appa's right out. And even Katara and I are pretty distinctive. They're probably on the lookout for a Water Tribe brother and sister."

"Well, see ya," said June. Zuko glared at her. She rolled her eyes right back at him. "What? My job is simple. Some rich guy says his nephew's lost in the Earth Kingdom and wants him brought back? Fine, I find him and bring him back. The nephew's made some friends who want to tag along? Whatever. One of those friends, I'm pretty sure, is the Avatar? No. I'm not getting paid anywhere near enough for the sort of heat that's going to bring down."

"I've spent the past three years looking for him," Zuko said, "I'm not letting him out of my sight now. And he's going to agree, because" he turned back to Sokka "the entire army must be combing these woods by now. That division will have messaged ahead, and the garrison's probably searching the area too. We don't have a choice."

"Yes, we do," Sokka said. "One of us goes with you to ask your Uncle for advice, while Aang and the other one waits here. Then you double back, tell us whatever your uncle said, and we all decide what to do from there. Two will be much less conspicuous than four plus a flying bison –"

Momo chimed in, saying that he just wanted to point out that he was good at hiding under people's shirts.

"– and even if we do get arrested, we'll have two people still free to try to rescue us, and Zhao won't be able to prove that you're working with the Avatar."

"Huh," Aang said thoughtfully, patting Momo. "I was thinking we'd have to get out our disguises again, but maybe that really is safer. And if it turns out we have to sneak into town, maybe it'd be good if you two had a look around first."

"… Fine," Zuko said. "Come on, then." He beckoned Sokka forward.

"Uh, actually," Sokka said, visibly trying not to laugh, "I think it'd work better if Katara went with you."

"What?!" Katara and Zuko said together, their eyes widening in horror, because Sokka looked entirely serious.

"When has me being with Zuko ever worked well?" Katara asked, panicking. "We can't stand each other!"

"Exactly!" Zuko said.

"Wait," said June, "aren't you two …?"

Everyone looked at her.

"… I don't actually care," she said, lounging back against Nyla.

"Why should it be me?" Katara whined. "Can't he just go on his own?"

"It's kind of your turn," Aang told Sokka. "She was the one who went to prison when we rescued Haru, remember? And I got locked up at Pohuai."

"I could do terrible things to her!" Zuko said. "Don't you want to protect your little sister?"

"In reverse order," Sokka said, holding up a hand for silence, "if I didn't think she could handle herself, I wouldn't have let her go off that time with Haru either; good idea, I'll draw up a rota; and no, because right now, I'm trusting Aang trusting Zuko trusting his uncle, and at least two of those people have tried to blow me up. I want someone suspicious there, making sure nothing funny happens, and when it comes to the Fire Nation, no-one's more suspicious than my little sister. But the most important reason it can't be me is this: neither of you" to Aang and Katara "can read a map, or tell which way is north from the sun or stars. If it goes bad and Zuko and I get caught, you'll both be lost."

"You can't read a map?" asked Zuko, who'd learned a lot about navigation second-guessing his helmsman over the years.

"I can read a map," Katara said with asperity. "I just need a little time to get my bearings. … Please?"

Sokka held up one index finger, give me a moment, took out a tube, and removed four sheets of cloth maps. He laid them out on the ground.

"Point to where we are," he said. "On any of these. Aang, you can try too. Take as long as you need."

Zuko, Katara, and Aang crowded around. One map was of the South Pole, one of the archipelago around Kyoshi Island, there was an old one of the northern Earth Kingdom, and one was a world map. It was a bit of a trick question: two of these were maps of other places, and the world map was too large-scale to be useful for navigation.

"We're here," Katara said, pointing at a spot on the world map, projecting confidence.

Zuko gave Sokka a look of Is she serious? Sokka gave Zuko a grim nod of Welcome to my life.

"What?" Katara said, indignant. "I'm pretty close, aren't I?"

"I think we're closer to here," Aang said, pointing. "You have to go a bit west to get to the North Pole from the Northern Air Temple, and you go by this outcrop called the Handshake Peninsula that I don't think is shaped like that."

"Okay," Zuko said, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Katara it is, because you're both off by about three thousand miles. That's the Eastern Air Temple."

Katara and Aang blinked, then tilted their heads. "Ooooooh."

"Can we hurry this up?" June asked.

"Fine," Katara said, defeated. She moved toward June's shirshu.

"Wait," Zuko said, smirking. He'd been waiting for this opportunity for ages. "If you want to go incognito in the Fire Nation, your hairstyle's a dead giveaway. You'll have to take it out of those loops and into a topknot."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Thank you for the great idea, Princeling," she said. "I'll be happy to do it, because mature, intelligent people are always happy to do trivial things like changing their hair if it means they can avoid getting into completely pointless, stupid fights."

Aang shot Sokka a Huh? look; Sokka gave Aang an I don't have the energy to care shrug, as he often did when Katara got in a Mood.

"That's good," Zuko said.

"Fine," Katara said.

"I'm happy for you."

"I'm happy for you."

June facepalmed. "Kids …"

"You'll need a hairpiece," Zuko mused. "June and I could go in first, buy one, and come back …"

"Or," Sokka said, "you could just lend her yours."

Zuko gave him a murderous look.

"Because the bald plus ponytail look is also pretty conspicuous," Sokka went on. "It'd make you both less recognisable."

"Yeah," Katara said, brightening. "Your hairstyle's a dead giveaway, Princeling."

"You do want to keep it from the Fire Nation that you're working with the Avatar, right?" Sokka asked.

Zuko glowered.

His mood only worsened further when Katara finished putting her hair up. With his loose, he looked like a vagrant, whereas with barely any effort, she looked fantastic.

"You look fantastic, Katara!" Aang said enthusiastically.

"Hmm," she said doubtfully.

"You really need to be wearing red," Zuko said, the only criticism he could think of.

"You need to be getting a move on," said June, "because soldiers could show up at any moment."

"I'll see you both soon," Katara said to Aang and Sokka as she mounted Nyla behind Zuko. "We'll be back as quick as we can. Literally."

The road led over a narrow rise with steep cliffs on either side, leading down to Izumihanto, a circular peninsula. In the middle and to the eastern coast was the town, a Fire Nation colony with bright rainbow-painted terracotta buildings, the majority red, also with plenty of blue and purple. To the west was an expanse of rice paddies; to its east was a harbour, with a few little wooden boats, but most of the space was given over to steamships. Some were freighter or fishing vessels, but Zuko counted four warships in the harbour plus another six in dry dock. Workers swarmied around, bits of machinery in their arms.

The road passed through wooden walls, anti-earthbender design, with high towers and a metal gate. There were soldiers milling around everywhere, and it was covered in posters of Aang's face.

A pair of guards motioned them to dismount. "Papers, please," said the sergeant. His eyes scanned Zuko's hairline. Zuko scowled, acutely conscious of how ridiculous he looked.

June fished in her saddlebags for a passport and letter of commission and handed them over. The sergeant skimmed the passport, nodded, then checked the letter. His eyes widened a little, and he handed the passport over to the private to stamp.

Really hope that was "Wow, Prince Iroh ordered this" surprise and not "Zhao's ordered me to arrest this guy" surprise.

Why can't it be both?

"Who's the girl?" asked the sergeant.

"The kid's girlfriend," June said promptly.

"I'm not his girlfriend!"

"She's not my girlfriend!"

Katara and Zuko glared at each other.

"Then why are you here?" the sergeant asked patiently.

There was a pause.

"As in," Katara said, "why am I here? Why are you here?"

Zuko facepalmed.

"They spent the entire trip pretending I didn't find them tongue-deep in each other's mouths," June said wearily. "But if you won't let her in, I don't care, I'm only supposed to bring the boy."

"I'd have to arrest her," said the sergeant. "Which I really don't want to do. A new commander's just come in and tightened up security, I'd have to put her in prison for at least two days for processing, and it'd be a pile of paperwork for me. But this is a military checkpoint. I need a name and reason."

"Kya," Katara said, now a deep red. "And …"

"I want her to meet my uncle," Zuko blurted out.

The two guards and June exchanged looks of Typical kids.

"Okay," said the sergeant, handing back June's papers and waving someone unseen to winch open the gate. "Stay out of trouble."

Zuko and Katara carefully avoided each other's gaze.

"This is none of my business," June said, once they were out of the guards' earshot, heading down the main street on Nyla, "but in future, you might want to think of cover stories before you walk up to a checkpoint. That was pretty sad."

"Thanks so much," Katara said miserably. Then she looked up and frowned. "This isn't a colony, this is Water Tribe!"

Half of the passers-by were Fire Nation, but the rest were Water Tribe, with their distinctive dark skin, blue eyes, and angular features. Plenty of them had to be mixed race. Most dressed in Fire Nation style, with some Water Tribe style modifications such as heavier fur clothing.

"Sure," June said, "so why don't you yell that at the top of your little lungs, because if there's one thing we need it's to attract attention."

Katara shut up, fuming.

Zuko looked around, a strange feeling in his chest. His banishment technically included all claimed Fire Nation territory, including colonies. He'd had to bend that rule from time to time, usually because you couldn't get the supplies and repairs for a steamship from Earth Kingdom ports, occasionally to chase down a rumour of the Avatar, and that one time at the Fire Temple; but this was the first time he'd been in a town with civilians. These were his people. They were mixed with Water Tribe, but even they felt somehow Fire Nation, to the point he wouldn't even have noticed their skin and features if Katara hadn't pointed them out. This was his home, indirectly. And he was still banished, and it was probably a matter of hours at most before someone would point him out and he'd have to run away again.

He was lost in nostalgia until June pulled up at a nice house toward the harbour. They dismounted, and June walked up to the door and knocked. A Water Tribe woman in Fire Nation dress answered. She took one look at June, less than that at Katara, then saw Zuko.

"Come in," she said. "I'll fetch Uncle."

Zuko frowned. Iroh was his Uncle.

It was obvious that Iroh hadn't been here in years, because the walls weren't strewn with touristy garbage, just a handful of charcoal sketches like a novice artist might make: mostly still lifes, a few of people, good enough to tell whether they were male or female, not good enough to tell whether they were Fire Nation or Water Tribe. The woman left them in a sitting room, and a moment later, out came Iroh in casual dress, holding a cup of tea.

He set the tea down, walked up, and pulled Zuko into a crushing hug. "Ah, nephew, you're here at last," he rumbled.

Don't hug a parental figure in front of Katara! Play it cool!

Oh, shut up and let us have this.

Zuko said nothing and leaned into the hug. Iroh was one of three people who'd ever hugged him that he could remember.

"Hello, my little turtle-duck. How were your lessons today?"

"Hi Zuko! Is Azula around? She said she was going to get Cook to make us some of those sweet sticky buns we had at the festival, do you want to come?"

"Excellent work, June," Iroh continued over Zuko's shoulder. "I'll arrange payment presently. In the meantime, can I offer you a drink?"

"Beer or sake, no tea," June said firmly.

"Nikat!" Iroh called. "Fetch a bottle of sake, top shelf!"

"Coming, Uncle!" the housekeeper called from the next room over.

"Oh dear," Iroh went on, breaking the hug. "Miss Katara. Has my nephew captured you again?"

"Not this time," Katara said. "I'm just keeping an eye on him now."

Iroh blinked, then broke out into a grin. "That's wonderful news! I was worried my nephew had fallen down a well somewhere, but he was actually making up with you and your companions! Let me offer you a drink, too. A toast, to new friends!"

"We're not friends," Katara said harshly. "We have a deal. That's all."

"… Oh," said Iroh, drooping like a puppet with cut strings. "That … of course, after your history, I shouldn't have dared hope … it's just, I think of my nephew more like a son, and it's been such a long time since he's had the chance to have friends his own age …" His voice gradually choked up as he went along.

Zuko felt his blood pressure rising. Even Azula wouldn't have tried to humiliate him like that. But, bizarrely, Katara looked like she was actually buying it.

"Uh, I mean, we're not not friends," she backtracked. "He and I don't really talk much, but he and my brother get on pretty well, and Aang likes him."

Zuko stared. Apparently, his uncle had just done the most transparent manipulation in recorded history, and Katara, who blamed the Fire Nation for everything from earthquakes down to her split ends, had swallowed it without chewing.

"Excuse us," he said through gritted teeth. He seized Iroh by the upper arm, dragged him into the next room, and slammed the door behind. "Are you quite done embarrassing me?" he hissed.

"What?" Iroh asked innocently, his voice mysteriously clear again. "An old man can't want what's best for his nephew?"

"You can try not making out like I'm a hopeless case in front of her of all people," Zuko hissed.

"Nephew," Iroh said, "if you never listen to another word I say, listen to this: never, in all of history, has any man borne a burden that was not lightened by the smile of a pretty girl."

"Let me know if you find one," Zuko snapped, then, lowering his voice, "and while you're looking, don't send June away. I've got another job for her." Iroh raised his eyebrows. "The Avatar's just down the road, waiting for me and the girl to return. Her brother gave me the idea. We leave her tied up here, take June, and then the three of us hit the Avatar at first light, he always sleeps in. We drag him back here and turn him in to the garrison. My mission'll be over before breakfast tomorrow."

Iroh blinked slowly. "What happened while you were away?" he asked.

Zuko summarised the Yuyan and Pohuai, being hurt and treated, the bargain he'd struck with the Avatar, the encounter at the Air Temple, and Sokka's idea for scouting Izumihanto.

Iroh smiled at the bargain. "That was clever," he said. "For someone so young, and untrained as the Avatar, he has excellent instincts for this sort of thing."

"Apparently he doesn't," Zuko said. "Because we're going to capture him right now. What do you think?"

Iroh considered this.

"I think we should forget about the Avatar," he said, "and get massages."

Zuko stared. Iroh liked to pretend to be senile specifically to annoy him, or occasionally Zhao or whoever else had the misfortune of dealing with him, but he looked deadly serious.

"How can you say that?!"

There came a clatter from the sitting room, as of someone starting and knocking something over. Neither Zuko nor Iroh moved to check on it. Instead, Zuko glared, and Iroh took a sip from the teacup that he'd somehow kept when Zuko pulled him in. He frowned, breathed a little steam into it, and took another, longer sip.

"I wonder," he said at length, "whether you remember what I said after your duel with Commander Zhao?"

Zuko hadn't expected that, but he sure could remember: he'd run the words through his minds about twice a day ever since.

"So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat?" he recited, even mimicking Iroh's cadence. "Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honourable than you. Uh, and also a bit about tea."

Iroh nodded. "I said that not just because of the events of the duel," he said, "but because I travelled with you for two and a half years before that, and in all that time, you never broke your word, never reneged on a deal, and never harmed an innocent outside of self-defence. So, when you come here and talk about doing exactly that, it makes me think. Perhaps I misjudged you all those years?"

Zuko looked at the floor, his gut churning. Iroh knew how to give a guilt trip. "Uncle – it's not like that –"

"But I don't think I did," Iroh continued. "I think it's likelier that you are stressed, and are allowing that stress to make you panic, and would allow that panic to push you into a decision you would certainly regret. After all, have you forgotten that your mission is not to capture the Avatar, but to restore your honour? How do you expect to redeem honour by dishonourable means?"

"It's … not dishonourable," Zuko said, clenching his teeth. "He broke his end of the deal first. He promised to surrender to me, and that he wouldn't put himself in danger. Then at the Temple, he rushed out to fight. He could have been blown to bits!"

Iroh took another long sip of tea. "He sounds a lot like you."

Zuko frowned. "You just said that I never break my word."

"The Avatar would be twelve years old, almost thirteen, by the records," Iroh said. "When you were thirteen, you gave me your word that if I let you into the royal council, you wouldn't speak out of turn. But then, when you heard General Bujing's plan for a battle that would result in the deaths of hundreds of people –"

"You will learn respect …"

"Uncle, stop," Zuko cut in. "I don't need a reminder of that day."

Iroh shook his head. "I think you do, nephew," he said firmly. "When you realised that innocent lives were on the line, you spoke out to protect them, even at the cost of breaking your word. Even though you knew it would anger your father. Enough for him to challenge you to a duel, where you received your banishment, and your scar."

"… and suffering will be your teacher."

Zuko looked down at the floor. He'd balled a fist hard enough that his nails had drawn blood. Better trim them.

"You could visit the same punishment on the young Avatar," Iroh said, "but I do not think you will, if you take the time to think things through first. Perhaps you regret speaking out of turn at the council, but I know you don't regret wanting to protect your people, and nor should you. Neither should the Avatar."

"… How?" Zuko's voice was scratchy. "Zhao has an entire fleet! Our luck isn't going to last forever. Even if we do get to the Northern Water Tribe, what about when we have to find an earthbending teacher? There are ten thousand things that could go wrong!"

Iroh sipped his tea again.

"The Avatar didn't become a legendary figure by being easily defeated," he said. "Not least because of a knack for forming powerful alliances. Case in point: he has proven himself against our armies, you have proven yourself against Zhao personally, and you shouldn't underestimate his other companions either. It may look impossible, but I believe that if you have the courage to see this through, you will be rewarded greatly. Now let us return to your lovely new friend."

'Lovely', and 'friend'.

Zuko said nothing and followed Iroh back into the sitting room.

He froze. June had wandered off somewhere, but Katara was standing, examining one of the charcoal sketches, just slightly too casual. She met his gaze for a moment, then sharply looked away.

Was she eavesdropping?!

Shoot. What did we say?

That we wanted to double-cross her. If she tells the others, we're finished.

What do we say now? If she wasn't listening, and we say something unnatural and make her suspect, it'll ruin everything.

If we don't and she was, she'll tell the Avatar to wait until our guard's down while we're flying, then air blast us over the side.

"Miss Katara!" Iroh said, beaming again. "Zuko and I were about to get massages, he's terribly tightly wound. Would you like to join us? The masseurs here are excellent. We can give you a separate room, if you're bashful."

"Um," Katara said. "Weren't we supposed to be asking how to get further north? Sir? It's sort of urgent?"

"Please, call me Uncle," Iroh said. "And I suppose that it is hard to relax without dealing with the cause of one's stress. Come with me."

You've been ignoring us saying that for three years, but some Water Tribe peasant saunters here and says the same thing, and now you're ready to take things seriously?!

Iroh led them down a hall and into a small, dusty study, where he unlocked a cabinet and began rummaging through papers.

"Fifteen years ago, I was appointed to defend Izumihanto," he said. "Specifically against Earth Kingdom forces attacking by land, but the strategic value of Izumihanto is that it is the nearest point on this continent to the North Pole. If ever the Northern Water Tribes decided to re-enter the war, we would be the first to sound the alarm, and to try to hold them back. Managing naval patrols was a major part of my duties."

He found some maps and a spreadsheet of ships, times, and places.

"Beside Izumihanto, there are two Fire Nation outposts, Hiduro Island and Lon-Xa, here and here. The three are well-guarded staging grounds for naval patrols that scout this entire area, which is the only route the Northern Water Tribe could take that avoids these currents here, dangerous even to waterbenders. When I first arrived, all three were managed by their own commanders, who did not coordinate. It was common for there to be gaps in their patrols, or collisions between ships. I devised a schedule. Ships would follow a pattern, rotating between all three locations. It would eliminate all possibility of failure with less manpower, while ensuring excellent communication between the three outposts."

He took out a sheet of paper and ink brush, and began copying the maps and writing detailed instructions, cross-referencing the spreadsheets.

"My new system had only the tiniest of flaws. If someone were to leave at the correct time, and follow a certain route that involves waiting and even doubling back, they would avoid all the patrols. The Fire Nation would never know they had even left. But it isn't easy to identify, even if you know what to look for. My political enemies, who could read the schedule and pore over it for weakness, never figured it out."

"How did you notice it, then?" Katara asked.

"I put it there on purpose."

"… Why?"

"So that I could visit the North Pole without the Fire Nation knowing," Iroh said simply. "Izumihanto has a long history, Miss Katara. You aren't the first adventurers to pass through. So. What do you think?"

Zuko took the directions Iroh had transcribed. "This is perfect."

"Miss Katara?"

She frowned.

"You're right," she said. "This is perfect."

"You don't sound happy about it?" Iroh probed.

"I don't know," she said.

"Perhaps you are thinking," Iroh said, "that it is odd that a Fire Nation Prince would readily agree to help the Avatar? Not only that, but that he would just happen to know exactly what to do? But you do not wish to say so, because if I do have ill intentions, you don't want me to know you suspect?"

"… Something like that," Katara said. "Also, I can tell you're trying to butter me up; and I remember that the first time I met you, you shot a fireball at Appa; and you're sitting in a house kept with Water Tribe forced labour."

Iroh nodded. "All valid points, except that Nikat is here by choice, and I pay her."

Zuko frowned. It was really annoying when Iroh didn't stand up for himself.

"If you invade a place," Katara said, "it's hardly her choice to do whatever you tell her to."

"Izumihanto has a long history, Miss Katara," Iroh repeated. "If you want to know why I would help the Avatar now but attacked him back then, it's because when my nephew first set out on his mission, I never for a moment imagined he might actually succeed. After all, a million people searched for the Avatar for a century and never caught a glimpse of him; what hope did one boy have, re-treading their footsteps? I went along for his sake, not out of any expectation of completing the mission."

Zuko nodded. Iroh had never said it so bluntly, but it had been kind of obvious, between his lack of enthusiasm and frequent suggestions that Zuko give up to focus on something 'more important', such as learning how to make tea. Zuko had refused to even try on principle, and his tea was horrible, which he considered a moral victory.

"But then, the Avatar awoke, and he just happened to do so when we were less than an hour's steam away. A hundred years, and if it had been a day earlier or later, we never would have known. My nephew only thought to visit the South Pole in the first place after an offhand remark I made months before. And he continued to get lucky enough to stay on your tail all across the world. My nephew is far too willing to see destiny where there is nothing but wishes and coincidence, but at some point, even I have to take a hint."

"You think Zuko was destined to find Aang," Katara said. "To help him, or hurt him?"

"At the time, the second one seemed likelier," Iroh said. "Now, it seems the Avatar might have found a better way. Either way, it is not my destiny. If it were, I would have found the Avatar when I went looking, decades ago. My place is to support my nephew. If he comes here asking how to escort the Avatar to the North Pole, I will give him my advice. It is his place, and yours, to decide what to do with that advice."

Katara mulled this over.

"Where's Nikat?" she asked.

"Hopefully, preparing drinks for my other guests," Iroh said, standing. "Shall we?"

"I was right, wasn't I?" Zuko said, stuffing the directions into his yoroi. "About Zhao raising the garrison to search for the Avatar. We don't usually have this many warships here."

"He's bringing in forces from all across the theatre," Iroh nodded. "Ships are being refitted for arctic operation, and land divisions are arriving too. You really don't have very much time, I'm afraid. It's a shame: I'd love if Miss Katara could see the Bijutsu-Hi Festival, it's in just a few days. I drew these sketches just for it."

"Ooh, do you all show off your drawings?" Katara asked, interested in spite of herself.

"We burn them," Zuko said. Katara looked at him askance. "There's even a saying. 'You live and burn'."

Iroh gave Zuko a warning look. "I believe that Water Tribe women customarily sew? What did you do with your first piece of needlework?"

"It was a parka," said Katara, puzzled. "I gave it to someone to wear, of course."

"Not your first finished piece, the very first time you ever put a needle to fabric."

"You mean my first practice stitch? My mother pulled it out and I started over."

Iroh nodded. "Because you were a novice, and it would be ridiculous to define yourself in terms of your very first attempt. It is the same. Those sketches are dreadful."

"I've seen much worse," Katara objected.

A few miles away, Sokka sneezed.

Iroh shook his head. "I haven't, but that's not the point. The point is growth, learning, forgiveness, and a chance to start anew. Acknowledging your mistakes, and resolving to do better. In the Earth Kingdom, they call it a clean slate."

Father gestured to an ink sketch of Zuko, and it burst into flames.

Zuko was fairly sure that memory hadn't actually happened, but still, his hand reached up to his scar, as they came into the smoking room, where June was putting away a bottle of wine with gusto, while Nikat watched with disgust and awe. Beside them sat a fat man in Earth Kingdom robes.

"This is my friend, Puon Tim," Iroh said. "Tim, this is my nephew, Prince Zuko, and another friend. I would appreciate it if you kept this meeting out of any finished product."

"Of course," said Tim.

"Tim is a playwright, and has decided to write a play about the adventures of the Avatar," Iroh went on. "He visited me for an interview, since we were among the first to meet him, at the South Pole."

Tim stood. "It would be an honour if you could help me with my chronicles, Prince Zuko."

"Zhao's got soldiers pouring into town," Zuko said, "and I'm supposed to give an interview? This is ridiculous, Uncle. Absolutely not."

Puon frowned and jotted down a note.

"Some other time, maybe?" Katara said diplomatically. "Oh, Zuko! Your hand!"

They looked down. His hand was crusted in blood, he couldn't remember from where.

"Let me heal it," she said.

"It's nothing," he said irritably, stuffing it under his yoroi.

"Zuko!" Iroh exclaimed, scandalised. "Have I taught you nothing? When a lady offers you a favour, you must always accept graciously! Especially if the favour is so rare and valuable as water-healing." Zuko frowned, but Iroh met his gaze, clapped hands on his shoulders, and forced him into a seat. "Nikat, would you fetch a bowl of water?"

Katara knelt beside Zuko, looking at Iroh. "Water-healing? You've heard of this? Can all waterbenders do it?" she asked, trying and failing not to get excited.

Iroh pulled a kettle out of thin air and began bending the water to a boil. "Oh, yes," he said, "there are water-healers in this very town. Another reason it's a shame you can't stay longer. I don't know whether every waterbender can learn it, but I expect so, if it is anything like firebending."

"… There are fire-healers, too?" she asked, suddenly less enthusiastic.

He shook his head. "We benders use our chi to move the elements around us, but we can also use it to change ourselves. It manifests differently for each element. For waterbenders, it manifests as healing. For firebenders, it manifests as augmentation. We can make ourselves stronger, for short periods."

Katara gave Zuko a thoughtful look, remembering the times he'd shrugged off hits that really ought to have put him down.

"I assume all waterbenders can heal because I know all firebenders can augment," Iroh said. "Although it usually requires extensive study. It's required of all firebenders who want to become commissioned officers." Casually, "With it, a skilled firebender is stronger than any nonbender in the world."

At this, June, who had been quiet, scoffed loudly. "Didn't do you much good back at the pub."

Iroh smiled. "The last time I did anything as stupid as firebending in an Earth Kingdom bar was for a bet with quite a lot riding on it, and I was very drunk."

June folded her arms. "You want a bet, old man? Rematch, double or nothing on my fee."

"Well …" Iroh began.

Zuko gave him a look of disgust. "Are you serious, Uncle?" he asked. "You give me a lecture about honour, then turn round and swindle this woman straight after she helped you?"

"Ah," Iroh said guiltily.

"Swindle?" June repeated.

"Yes, swindle," Zuko said. "Of course he'll destroy you! Do you have any idea who –"

June shoved Iroh into a chair, grabbed a table, slammed it down in front of him, sat at the other side, and assumed an arm-wrestling pose.

Zuko rolled his eyes and slumped back. "You know what? Fine. I don't care."

Nikat came in and brought Katara her bowl of water. Katara accepted, and Nikat turned to go, but Katara beckoned her closer.

"Nikat, wasn't it?" she asked, keeping her voice down. "My name's Katara. My friends and I are going to the North Pole soon. Do you want to come with us?"

Nikat blinked. "As in a vacation?"

"As in going home."

"This is my home. I have a husband and three kids here."

Katara stared, then remembered the bowl. The water flowed around her hands, glowing, and she took Zuko's hand in hers.

"My clan left the North Pole to settle here, hundreds of years ago," Nikat said. "Then the Earth Kingdom came. They ruled over us as tyrants, taking everything as 'taxes'. We called on the North Pole for help, but it was the Fire Nation that drove them out, a hundred and twenty years ago."

"What about the Avatar?" Katara asked. "He's supposed to preserve peace in the world."

Nikat sneered. "How do you think the Earth Kingdom beat us so easily?" she asked.

She stood to leave just as Iroh tapped June's hand against the table. June stared in disbelief.

"You tricked me," she said, impressed rather than accusing.

"No, I didn't," Iroh said. "I told you I was stronger than any nonbender." He stroked his beard. "A bet's a bet, but my nephew's right, I can't leave you with nothing. Give me some time, and I'll think of a suitable gift?"

Zuko looked down at his hand. Katara's water-healing itched like crazy, but the cut had closed, and she'd washed off the blood, too. Which was probably more important: walking around covered in blood tended to attract attention.

"… Thank you," he said grudgingly.

"You're welcome," she said automatically. "Should we get going?"

Iroh was listening. "Ah, before you do," he said. "Could you have Nikat loan you one of her daughter's dresses? Better to blend in as much as you can, and in my opinion, red is an excellent colour with darker skin. And my nephew could do with some new clothes, too, and a hairpiece."

He led Zuko into a bedroom and began rummaging around wardrobes.

"… Uncle. Will you come with us?"

"I don't think Miss Katara would want to travel with two firebenders," Iroh said.

"Miss Katara can deal with it."

"I also don't think it would be in your best interests." Iroh pulled out a balaclava and tossed it onto the bed. "If ever you want something less distinctive than that mask."

Wait, did I tell him about the mask?

"I have been your teacher for three years, and I have taught you everything I can. It is time you found a new teacher. One of the reasons I approve of your arrangement with the Avatar is that it seems you have found them for yourself."

Zuko stared, processing this. "You think the Avatar is supposed to be my teacher? He asked me to teach him firebending!"

"Really? What did you say?"

"No! Obviously!"

Iroh nodded, and added an Earth Kingdom peasant robe to the bed.

"How's he supposed to teach anyone anything? He's just a child!"

"He has a different point of view," Iroh said. "Zuko."

He stopped looking for clothes, and gave Zuko a direct and serious look.

"There is more to bending than what is taught by the Fire Nation, and there is more to life than bending. If you only accept teachers from your own country, you will never truly master firebending, and will never lead a full life. But if you listen to all wisdom, wherever you find it, you will grow into a greater man than me, by far. I very much wanted to find you after you disappeared; I wouldn't let you go again so soon if I weren't absolutely certain it was what you needed."

"…"

"And when I say you should listen to all wisdom, I mean all. I don't know anything about Sokka, but I have a hunch that Katara will turn out to be a savant bender, and firebenders can learn a lot from waterbenders. Fire and water flow in very similar ways."

"When I saw her doing kata from that waterbending scroll, I thought they were firebending kata. Done badly."

"If we were to interpret that as meaning she was doing a variant style of firebending," Iroh said, "would you be willing to bet your life that your own technique could not be improved at all by studying the variant? Because that's exactly what you're doing whenever you get into a fight without having tried to incorporate her style."

I mean, when you put it that way, it makes us sound like a bit of a tool.

Bah. What would he know?

Um, lots?

"… Why do you think she will be a savant?"

"For the same reason Ty Lee is a septuplet."

He pulled Zuko into another hug.

"Stay safe, Zuko."

"You too, Uncle."


When Zuko and Katara arrived back at camp, Sokka and Aang were both wearing fake beards. Sokka had an animal skull in hand, and looked like he was giving a speech.

"…" said Zuko and Katara.

The boys whipped their beards into their robes, and Sokka wedged the skull into the fork of a nearby tree.

"Hey guys!" he said. "How'd it go? Did Uncle Zuko have any ideas?"

Zuko pulled out the directions and pushed them into Sokka's hands. "Here."

Sokka read them, Aang glancing over his shoulder before deciding he'd rather talk to Katara. "What was it like?" he asked. "We took a look earlier, but you can't see much just from the tree line. This place is way bigger than the last time I was here."

She hesitated. Zuko had noticed she'd been quiet walking back. Pensive. It was just as well, he hadn't felt up to talking either.

"We didn't see the town, there were too many guards to risk it," she said. "We just spoke to his uncle."

"What's he like?"

"Not what I expected."

"He's that guy who was there when we fought the pirates, right?" Aang asked. "Good times."

"So what do you think?" Sokka asked, cross-referencing the directions with his maps. "If we're going, this says we need to head out soon. Do we trust him? Go or no go?"

She took a deep breath.

"I think we should trust him," she said.

17