Following their second hasty escape, Iroh had taken it upon himself to choose a specific location for their next campsite: an isolated area in the Xishaan Mountain range that separated the Si Wong Desert from the southern Earth Kingdom.

The location was far from any major points of civilization; in fact, the only signs of human activity in the area could be seen in the ghost town of Tu Zin that sat in the valley to the south, its manmade walls standing in contrast to the barren plateaus that surrounded it. While they didn't have the tree coverage this time to keep from being completely exposed, they had managed to find an abandoned farmhouse—its roof mostly intact—to serve as a decent shelter for the next few days.

To Zuko's relief, he'd somehow managed to sleep well until the late morning the following day, as had the rest of his companions. Despite not feeling completely well-rested, he still felt better than he had the previous two days, and he could tell his friends did, too.

"Hey, this is pretty good," Toph praised, her mouth full as they sat around the house's fire pit for a very late breakfast. "I never thought camp food could actually be decent."

"Well, Iroh is an excellent chef," Katara replied, nodding to the former general.

"Aww, that's very sweet," Iroh replied kindly. "But I'm afraid I can't take all of the credit. Katara's contributions are often what make the difference between a dish being 'good' versus 'great'."

"Yeah," Sokka agreed, scarfing down his food as his sister beamed at Iroh's compliment. "She may have her faults, but Katara's a dang good cook."

Katara gave her brother a deadpan look. "...Thanks, Sokka."

"And I have to admit… It's nice to sleep with a real roof over my head," Toph added. "Well, at least one that's not made of cold stone. The fire is nice and warm."

Zuko smiled, nudging the small girl gently with his arm. "See?" he whispered out of the corner of his mouth. "Relying on other people sometimes isn't so bad."

"Yeah, yeah," Toph grumbled, shoving another several spoonfuls of rice into her mouth.

"So… how much more food do we have left until we need to restock, exactly?" Sokka asked Iroh. "It's only been a couple of days since we left Gaoling, so we should be good for at least a couple more, right?"

"We should have enough food for at least three more days, though we may need to dip into our moo-sow jerky and mixed nut rations at some point," Iroh replied thoughtfully. "Azula will likely be prowling the valley, so we won't be able to venture too far to find supplies, and we shouldn't use Appa to travel unless absolutely necessary."

"Great," the Water Tribe warrior grumbled sarcastically. "So we might be stuck with eating moo-sow jerky and mixed nuts in the next few days?"

"If you're so unhappy about it, maybe you could try and do some hunting while we're here," Katara said.

"Maybe I will," Sokka replied, smirking as he rubbed his palms together. "I bet I could rustle up some good meat for us. Well, most of us. Sorry, Aang."

"I'm honestly okay with mixed nuts if it comes down to it," Aang shrugged.

"So, the plan is to just rest and lay low for the next few days?" Zuko asked Iroh. "To throw Azula off our trail?"

Iroh nodded. "If we haven't seen any signs of Fire Nation activity in the area after three days, that will likely mean we are in the clear. You know how impatient your sister is—she won't want to wait around for long."

"That's true," Zuko replied, nodding as well.

"We can restock at a small town to the north of here once we're ready to leave," Iroh said, setting down his bowl and reaching over to unfurl their map. "...Misty Palms Oasis, on the other side of the Xishaan Mountains. It would be difficult for anyone to follow us there, if we're careful."

"Hey, I've been to Misty Palms!" Aang said, perking up. "It's a resort town with a pristine natural ice spring. And I usually don't use the word "pristine". It's one of nature's wonders."

"Honestly, it would be nice to spend some time in a resort town after the week we've had," Katara sighed.

Before anyone could say anything else, Toph set her bowl down and burped loudly, resulting in a slightly disgusted look appearing on Katara's face.

"Alright, Twinkle Toes," the earthbender declared, putting her arms behind her head as she stood up. "You ready for earthbending training, day three?"

"Actually, Toph," Aang replied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "It's been awhile since I've had a waterbending training session with Katara. I think I'd like to do that today, if that's alright?"

Toph's brow furrowed, and her smile disappeared. "Oh."

"It's nothing personal," Aang quickly replied, looking nervous. "It's just that, since I'm the Avatar—"

"I get it," Toph interrupted, waving her hand. "You two can go splash around in the creek today. I'm not gonna be mad."

Despite her statement of reassurance, Zuko could tell from the way the earthbender's eyebrow twitched that she might not be telling the truth.

Aang, however, did not seem to notice this, and instead looked visibly relieved. "Thank you, Sifu Toph."

"Sure," Toph replied, putting her arms back behind her head again. "I mean, I had plans today anyway."

With that, she spun around and promptly exited the house.

Zuko sighed heavily, setting his empty bowl down as well. "I'm… gonna go get something from the saddle that I forgot to unpack last night."

Nobody seemed to question him, so he pushed himself to his feet and exited the house as well.

She couldn't have gotten far… he thought as he wandered around the rock formations surrounding the house.

"Why are you always following me around, Grumps?"

Zuko whipped his head in multiple directions, unsure of where the earthbender's voice was coming from, until he heard her clear her throat loudly. He looked up to see that she was crouched down on the edge of the cliff a few feet above him.

"I wanted to talk to you," Zuko replied.

"Why?" Toph asked, folding her arms.

"Because I wanted to check and see if you were okay," Zuko stated.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Zuko sighed. "Toph… I honestly don't think any of us are really 'okay' right now. We've been through a lot the past few days, and it hasn't even been a week since we left Gaoling."

Toph remained silent, pressing her lips into a thin line. After a brief moment, she stomped her foot, and the ground beneath Zuko jutted upwards. He yelped as he flew into the air, landing haphazardly next to her on the cliff.

"...Does this mean you do want to talk?" Zuko asked after he had steadied himself.

"I dunno," Toph grumbled, sitting down and dangling her feet over the edge of the cliff. "Maybe."

Zuko sat down cross-legged next to her. "I know it's hard to adjust to it. Leaving your home, and your parents."

Toph snorted. "I don't miss it, if that's what you're trying to get me to say. I don't miss them."

Zuko's brow furrowed. "...You know it's okay if you do, right?"

"Well, I don't. "

There was an awkward silence for several moments as they both stared off into the valley. Eventually, Zuko took a deep breath.

"... I still do, sometimes," he admitted quietly. "Miss my home. And family."

Toph initially remained silent in response. However, Zuko soon heard a loud sniff, and as he glanced over at the earthbender, he saw that she was shaking slightly, the whites of her unseeing eyes turning red as they filled with tears.

"I don't get it," Toph murmured, her voice strained. "I wanted to get out of there for so long. I hated it. I hated them … So why do I feel like this?"

Zuko wished he could give her an answer.

"I used to wonder the same thing," he murmured. "The palace in Hari Bulkan was all I'd ever known, for most of my life. Then, everything changed in an instant. Anyone would have a hard time dealing with that."

Toph nodded, wiping her eyes with her hands.

"Also…" Zuko continued, leaning forward onto his elbows. "I think I realized, eventually, that not all of my memories about that place are bad. Not even all of my memories of my father are bad…"

An image flashed in his mind: the last time his family had gone to Ember Island, before Ursa had disappeared. He was standing with his father on the beach, Ozai's hand resting on his shoulder.

"Even your sister?"

Zuko's head shot up, and he blinked at Toph in surprise.

Another flash of a memory appeared in his mind—this time of warm spring afternoons in the palace gardens, laughing as he and Azula chased each other around. Ursa sat under the shade of the tree next to the turtleduck pond, smiling as she watched them play.

"...Yeah. I guess I have good memories of Azula, too," he replied quietly with a small, nostalgic smile.

Toph sighed heavily. "I just… wish I didn't care so much," she groaned. "I can't believe I feel bad for leaving them. I hate having to think about it."

"Is that why you've been throwing yourself into training Aang so hard right away?" Zuko asked. "To… get your mind off it?"

"...I dunno. I guess," Toph muttered.

"Did you know that he's having a rough time with it?"

"Of course I do," Toph replied, folding her arms. "His main problem is that he's a pushover. He can't stand his ground. He doesn't have the strength that's needed to be an earthbender. "

Zuko's brow immediately furrowed. "You think Aang isn't strong?" he demanded.

Toph appeared surprised by Zuko's change of tone. "I mean, yeah," she replied. "I'm not saying it as an insult, it's just a fact."

"Aang is stronger than you'll ever know," Zuko replied with a frown. "His entire culture, everyone he ever knew or loved, was destroyed. He has to live every day with the knowledge that not only is he the last of his people, but that he also has a cosmic responsibility to save the rest of the world from the nation who was responsible for their extinction…"

My nation, he thought for the millionth time with a pang of guilt in his heart. My family.

"He's experienced more tragedy than either of us could ever imagine," Zuko continued. "And even then, he still has the strength to smile. To be kind."

Toph's wide, unseeing eyes blinked several times as she stared into the distance.

"I…" she began, opening and closing her mouth several times before shaking her head slowly. "I guess I didn't think about all of that."

"I know," Zuko sighed, softening slightly. "I didn't either, when I first met him."

Or, rather… I didn't want to think about it. Didn't want to even acknowledge that it was the truth.

"I've just… never had friends before," Toph replied, hugging her knees close. "I don't think I know what I'm doing."

"That's alright," Zuko replied with a small smile. "It's a learning experience. Maybe... you could start by easing up on him a bit. Take some time to get to know him as a regular person first, and a student second."

Toph nodded thoughtfully.

"Thanks, Zuko. I'll… think on that."

"Are you alright?"

Katara's voice interrupted Aang's thoughts, and he snapped back to the present, where he and the waterbender were sending a blob of water back and forth to each other in a circular motion from where they stood in a shallow creek.

Aang shook his head rapidly. "I'm fine," he lied.

In reality, he'd been distracted all morning. He thought that waterbending would be a good way to get his mind off his earthbending struggles, but apparently, he was wrong. He just couldn't stop thinking about what he could be doing better.

"Aang, your hand!" Katara stated, her eyes widening with concern.

Aang blinked in surprise and looked down at his knuckles, which he'd been wrapping in gauze the past few days to both hide and treat his scrapes. When he saw the spot of red bleeding through, he quickly put the hand behind his back, dropping the water blob into the creek they were wading in.

"You're hurt!" Katara exclaimed, wading forward and pushing him over to the shore, pointing at a rock in presumably an indication for him to sit down. "What happened?"

"It's a long story," Aang replied awkwardly as Katara pulled water from the creek and enveloped her hands with it.

"…We've got time," Katara replied with a slight frown as she crouched down, nodding towards Aang's hands. He quickly removed the wrappings, and Katara placed the water onto the back of them, the healing glow causing his skin to tingle slightly.

"...I think I've been pushing myself too hard with earthbending training."

Katara sighed heavily. "I knew it," the waterbender muttered. "When we get back to camp, I'm gonna need to have a talk with Toph–"

"It's not her fault!" Aang interjected quickly as Katara raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "I mean, not entirely. It's not like she can see that I got hurt…"

Katara shook her head. "But still. She should know better…"

"Should she?" Aang replied with a slight frown. "She's probably never taught anyone before, besides herself. And now she has to teach someone who can't even bend a pebble, which I'm sure is frustrating…"

The irritation in Katara's features lessened slightly. "Why didn't you talk to me about all of this sooner?"

"I already talked to Zuko about it the other day," Aang replied, looking off to the side. "And… I didn't want you to have another reason to dislike Toph."

Katara was silent for a moment, and the glowing of the water stopped as she removed her hands and returned it to the creek. As Aang surveyed his healed hands, he heard the Water Tribe girl sigh heavily.

"...I don't dislike Toph," Katara replied quietly, sitting down. "I know we haven't been on the best of terms since we started traveling together. We've just been trying to get used to each other, and it's just… different than I expected."

"What did you expect?" Aang questioned.

"I was excited, at first," Katara replied. "To finally have another girl in our group. Especially since Suki…"

The waterbender's brow furrowed, and Aang thought he saw her bottom lip quiver slightly.

"...couldn't come with us," she finished, resting her chin on her knees. "But Toph is just… so different from her. And from me."

Aang's brow furrowed. "Is that a bad thing?"

Katara shook her head. "No. No, it's not," she sighed, pressing the heel of her palm into her right eye socket. "I've been putting too many expectations on her. It's my own fault for expecting—or, I guess, wanting her to be someone she's not."

"Well, the first step towards doing better is admitting when you messed up," Aang replied with an encouraging smile.

Katara nodded, smiling slightly in return. "I do want to do better. It's just… frustrating when she doesn't understand what I'm trying to tell her."

"Look," Aang said, moving to sit next to the waterbender on the ground. "I know Toph hasn't been the friendliest, or most helpful person... But think about how she was raised. She said she's never had real friends before."

Katara nodded slowly, wiping her tearful eyes with her sleeve. "You're right. I should have thought about that."

"I should have too," Aang sighed. "We haven't even really gotten to know each other that much over the past few days, even though we've been spending every day together... When we're practicing, I just keep trying to focus on earthbending, on doing exactly what she tells me, trying my best not to talk or complain too much… And in the end, it's not like that's even gotten me anywhere. I still fail every time."

Katara shifted into a cross-legged position and turned to face Aang. "Well… do you think that might be part of the problem?" she asked as she folded her arms. "Earth is your natural opposite element, right? You can't approach it the same way you do with air and water."

"But I'm not," Aang replied defensively. "I told you, I've been doing everything she's told me, exactly how she told me to do it."

Katara shook her head. "But you haven't been honest with her about how much it's bothering you."

Aang's brow furrowed, and he looked back down at his hands.

"You're right. I guess I've been avoiding it instead of just facing it head-on..."

Facing it head-on.

Suddenly, he pushed himself to his feet, straightening his posture.

"Oh. Are you ready to get back in the water?" Katara asked, standing up as well.

Aang shook his head. "Sorry. I think I need to go talk with Toph."

Katara smiled. "I understand. Go ahead."

"Thanks, Katara," he replied, taking a few steps before stopping and turning back around. "Sifu Katara."

Katara's smile widened as he bowed respectfully, her blue eyes shimmering.

Breathe. Just breathe.

Zuko squeezed his eyes shut as he tensed his arms closer to his core. His thighs were beginning to burn, and he could feel sweat dripping down the back of his neck despite the chilly autumn breeze that stirred his hair, tickling his cheek.

Focus. Breathe.

Azula's face flashed in his mind, her mouth curled into a condescending smirk.

Don't think about her. Just breathe.

However, Azula appeared in his mind again. This time, she moved her arms in circular motions, generating electricity before whipping her fingers forward, sending a lightning bolt directly at him.

He gasped, his eyes shooting wide open as he struggled to calm the terrified beating of his pounding heart.

"Are you feeling alright, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked, his brow furrowing with concern as he crouched down next to him and placed a hand on his upper back.

"I'm fine," Zuko replied, wiping the sweat from his brow as he returned to a standing position. "I've meditated long enough. I'm ready to try some fire blasts again."

While Iroh's expression appeared uncertain, he did not protest, and took several steps backwards, nodding for him to begin.

Zuko straightened his posture, closed his eyes, and took another deep breath in. Then, he let out a controlled exhale from his mouth, and slowly opened his eyes.

Focus. Breathe.

He punched forward with several quick movements, and he frowned when he realized that while the blasts were better than when he'd last practiced, they were still noticeably weak. With a grunt, he continued to punch, feeling himself grow more and more frustrated as they seemed to grow weaker and weaker.

Finally, he leapt into the air and performed a flying kick. However, instead of the powerful fire blast that should have been produced, a mere lick of flames appeared, and he stumbled upon landing, falling back onto the ground.

"URGGGHHH!" Zuko shouted, slamming his fists into the dirt. "What is the matter with me?!"

"Calm yourself, nephew," Iroh interjected as he began to approach him again. However, he stopped in his tracks when Zuko whipped his head to face him, rage burning in his gaze.

"I don't need to be calm!" Zuko growled in response. "I need to fix my firebending!"

"It's not going to help anything to overwork yourself," Iroh replied.

"But isn't that what I'm supposed to do?" Zuko questioned, tears stinging in his eyes. "How could Azula have gotten as good as she is without pushing herself as hard as she could? She can bend lightning, and I can barely fuel my own fire…"

Iroh sighed heavily. "That's the issue, nephew. Your mind is still focused on your sister, and what she can do that you can't."

"Of course it is!" Zuko snapped. "How could it not be after the past two nights? I'm a joke compared to her."

"Zuko," Iroh replied kindly, sitting down next to him. "You can't be so hard on yourself. Remember what we talked about yesterday? Azula may be skilled in her own way, but you are skilled in your own way, too. I doubt she knows the first thing about dual broadsword-wielding."

Zuko shook his head slowly. "But that doesn't matter, uncle," he replied, his voice weakening. "If she uses lightning again, I'm useless. Unless you can somehow teach me to bend lightning, which is just laughable at this point."

"Hmmm," Iroh mused thoughtfully, placing his hand on his chin. "You're correct. In order to bend lightning, you must quell the inner turmoil inside of you."

Which could take years, Zuko groaned internally.

"But… " Iroh continued before Zuko could reply. "I could teach you how to redirect it."

"Redirect?" Zuko repeated. "Wait, do you mean like what you did last night?" he added, perking up.

Iroh smiled and nodded.

"I thought you were just… bending your own lightning, or something, to counteract it," Zuko said, blinking in confusion.

Iroh shook his head. "The technique of lightning redirection does not require creating lightning yourself. Which means you do not have to know how to bend lightning to use it."

Zuko's eyes widened considerably. This would be an exceptionally useful skill to learn.

"And the best part about this technique is…" Iroh added with a smirk. "Azula doesn't know it."

"She doesn't?" Zuko gaped.

"Nope. That's because I invented it."

Zuko laughed in awe, quickly scrambling to his feet and holding out his hand to his uncle. "Okay. I'm ready to learn."

Iroh chuckled and took his hand, hoisting himself up. "Alright. But first..."

Zuko watched in confusion as his uncle picked up a nearby stick and began to draw in the dirt.

"What are you…?" he murmured before his eyes widened again in realization.

It appeared Iroh was drawing the symbols of the four nations.

"I learned this move from studying waterbenders," Iroh said as he finished drawing.

"When did you study waterbenders?" Zuko questioned curiously. "In Agna Qel'a?"

Iroh smiled, but shook his head. "You remember after your cousin Lu Ten passed away… When I was gone for a time?"

Zuko nodded. Of course he remembered.

"I did some traveling," Iroh continued. "I met some new people. And I learned quite a bit. You've learned quite a bit, too, though you may not realize it."

"What do you mean?"

"You've traveled all over the world these past two years, Prince Zuko," Iroh replied. "You've met and made many friends from a variety of different cultures. You've learned to see the beauty in diversity. And if you look deeper, you can learn more."

Zuko's brow furrowed in confusion, and as he looked back at the ground, Iroh drew a circle around the elements.

"Fire is the element of power," Iroh explained, tapping the Fire Nation insignia. "The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want."

Flashes of his father, Zhao, Azula, and hundreds of Fire Nation soldiers appeared in Zuko's mind, and he frowned slightly. That desire and will, that energy and drive… It had thrown the entire world out of balance.

Iroh moved his stick to the Earth Kingdom symbol. "Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring."

That was certainly true. There was a reason the Earth Kingdom had not fallen despite nearly a century of war with the Fire Nation, and Toph herself served as a perfect example of that strength and resilience the nation was so well-known for.

"Air is the element of freedom," Iroh said, moving to the Air Nomad symbol. "The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor. I think Aang himself is evidence enough of that."

When Iroh looked back up at him, there was a slight twinkle in his eye, and Zuko couldn't help but smile as the grinning face of the boy he loved appeared in his mind.

Lastly, Iroh pointed to the Water Tribe symbol. "Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything ."

Zuko thought of Sokka and Katara, Hakoda, Bato, and Kanna, and all the people of the Southern Water Tribe. They had experienced so much loss, but despite it all, they had persisted. The same was true of the people of Agna Qel'a, especially so after Zhao's siege.

"...Why are you telling me all this?" Zuko questioned.

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places," Iroh replied. "If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole."

"All this four elements talk is sounding like Avatar stuff," Zuko replied, raising a confused eyebrow.

"It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful," Iroh nodded in reply. "But it can make you more powerful, too."

The former general tossed his stick to the side, crouching into a horse stance, and Zuko quickly mirrored him.

"Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy," Iroh explained, lifting his arms, two fingers pointing out. "A waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponents' energy against them. I learned a way to do this with lightning."

As Zuko continued mirroring his uncle's movements, he nodded thoughtfully. "You're right," he replied. "That's what Katara does, isn't it?"

Iroh nodded. "If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it. You must create a pathway from your fingertips, up your arm to your shoulder, then down into your stomach," he said, moving his arms fluidly. "The stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is called the sea of chi. Only, in my case, it is more like a vast ocean…"

Zuko gave his uncle a deadpan look and remained silent in response to the attempted joke.

Appearing slightly disappointed at Zuko's lack of response, Iroh cleared his throat and continued. "From the stomach, you direct it up again, and out the other arm. The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightning pass through your heart, or the damage could be deadly."

Zuko nodded emphatically as he moved his own arms, trying to feel the flow of chi like Iroh had instructed.

"Now, are you focusing your energy? Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out?" Iroh asked.

"I think so," Zuko replied, feeling the sweat begin to form on his forehead again.

"Come on, you've got to feel the flow," Iroh replied, waving his arms around somewhat comically, resulting in Zuko snorting and rolling his eyes in amusement as he began to relax into the motions.

Iroh grinned as he continued his movements. "Excellent. You've got it!"

Zuko grinned as well, and he stopped moving. "Great! I'm ready to try it with real lightning!"

Iroh's grin abruptly disappeared. "What, are you crazy? Lightning is very dangerous!"

Zuko's grin disappeared as well, and he felt his irritation begin to rise again. "I thought that was the point! You teaching me to protect myself from it!"

"Yeah, but I'm not going to shoot lightning at you!" Iroh replied, a horrified look on his face. "If you're lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all! "

"If Azula finds us again, then we might not be so lucky," Zuko argued. "How else am I gonna know how to use it in real life if I don't practice?"

Iroh shook his head emphatically. "I'm sorry, Zuko. I can't."

A wave of anger pulsed within him, and his fists clenched at his sides.

"Then you're a coward," Zuko snapped.

With that, he turned around and began to march down the path leading back to camp.

Aang found Toph sitting cross-legged on the stairs of the abandoned house, chin propped up on her hand. Of course, she didn't need to look up to know that he had arrived.

"There you are, Twinkle Toes," she said, straightening her posture. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Me too," Aang replied, sitting down next to her. "You first."

"Hmm," Toph replied, pressing her lips into a thin line as her brow furrowed. "Well. Um. I don't really know how to… do this sort of thing. Ugh…" she sighed, pressing her palm to her forehead.

Aang sat patiently as he waited for her to speak again.

"I'm sorry," Toph said at last.

Aang blinked in pleasant surprise. That was not what he'd expected her to say right off the bat.

"I'm sorry for pushing you so hard with your training these past few days."

"Oh," Aang replied, not knowing how to reply. His first instinct, as always, was to say something along the lines of, 'I'm fine, don't worry about it!', but he knew it would be a lie. And somehow, he knew Toph would know.

"I've… never been a teacher before," Toph continued. "I think I thought… I don't know. That I had to prove something."

Aang's brow furrowed in confusion. "Prove what?"

"Prove my… worthiness to you."

You thought you had to prove your worthiness to me ?! Aang thought incredulously. When I'm the one who can't even bend a pebble?

"Toph, I'm not gonna find a teacher better than you anywhere," Aang replied—and he meant it. Bumi was a great earthbender, yes, but even he didn't have the same natural skill that Toph did. "You don't have to prove anything to me."

Toph shook her head and sighed. "It's just… my brain has just been all over the place since we left Gaoling… Nothing seems to make sense anymore."

Aang nodded understandingly. "Leaving home is hard."

"It's just so confusing," Toph replied, clenching her fists in her lap. "Part of me never wants to go back, never wants to see my parents again. And I guess that same part of me is scared that if I'm not a good enough teacher, you won't need me, and I'll have to go back…"

"...And what about the other part of you?" Aang asked.

"The other part of me…" Toph replied, taking a deep breath. "It misses that place… it misses them so much it hurts ."

Aang watched sympathetically as the earthbender squeezed her eyes shut for a moment.

"...And I think that's the other reason I've been focusing so much on your training," Toph sighed. "I've been trying to distract myself from… that feeling."

"Toph…" Aang replied quietly, looking down at his palms. "I'm sorry, too. I've been trying so hard to be a good student, but I haven't even taken the time to be a good friend. And I haven't been honest with you about how much I've been struggling I've been during our lessons."

"You didn't have to be," Toph sighed. "I could tell. I guess I also thought that pushing you harder would harden you too, and you'd finally get it. But... I don't think that's the right way."

"What is the right way?" Aang asked.

Toph shrugged. "I don't really know. Maybe we can figure it out together, by just... talking? We really haven't taken the time to just… talk. As friends."

She paused for a moment, looking as though she wanted to say something else.

"...We are still friends, right?"

Aang felt a pang of guilt in his chest upon seeing the girl's uncertain expression.

"There's something you should know, Toph," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Something I should have made clear from the beginning. I know we haven't known each other long, but you are my friend, and you're always gonna be my friend. And even if you woke up one day and suddenly lost your earthbending forever, I would never just send you away. Friends take care of each other, and you're a part of the team now."

Toph's eyebrows rose, and a relieved smile appeared on her face. "Really?" she asked quietly, almost as if she were unsure he was telling the truth.

"Really," Aang replied emphatically with a grin. "You know, I just finished waterbending training for today. Maybe… we can try earthbending again?"

Toph chuckled. "I mean, if that's what you want," she replied. "But it really is fine if you wanna skip today and rest."

Aang shook his head. "I want to train. It doesn't have to be long. But I think… I think I might be ready. To actually earthbend, this time."

Toph sighed, stretching her arms behind her head as she stood up. "Alright, Twinkle Toes. Let's get started, then."

The longer he walked, the more guilty Zuko felt.

I shouldn't have called uncle a coward, he thought shamefully. I know he just doesn't want me to get hurt. But… he doesn't understand.

"All right, Twinkle Toes! Are you ready to kick those earthbending instincts into gear?"

"Aye-aye, Sifu Toph!"

Zuko's brow furrowed as he heard Toph and Aang's voice echo from somewhere up ahead. It seemed Aang had gone back to his earthbending training. He wondered if Toph had actually taken the time to talk to Aang like he'd suggested—

As he ascended the hill, he froze in his tracks as he struggled to process the scene in front of him.

To his right at the top of a high cliff stood Toph, a giant rounded boulder at her side. To his left stood Aang, barefoot and crouched into a horse stance. Strangely, Zuko noticed he was also wearing a blindfold over his eyes.

"Remember what we talked about: you'll actually have to sense the vibrations of the boulder to stop it," Toph shouted. "It's all about waiting and listening for the right moment."

"Got it, Sifu Toph!" Aang shouted, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

With a punch, Toph sent the boulder flying down the cliff.

It's going to crush him!

With a spike of panic, Zuko broke into a run, looking back and forth at the Avatar and the boulder frantically.

"AANG!" he shouted, terror in his voice.

"Zuko?" Aang replied, sounding almost just as panicked as his head snapped towards Zuko's direction, his stance loosening.

"Aang, what are you doing? " Toph shouted. "Stand your ground!"

Just as it seemed the boulder was about to smash into him, the Avatar leapt into the air, letting it continue rolling.

Zuko sighed with relief as he came to a stop, hunching over with his hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath.

"What in the name of the Spirits were you thinking? "

As Zuko heard the sound of Toph's irritated voice, his own anger was stoked again. He stood back up to see the small girl stomping over to them, her features twitching with clear displeasure.

"What was I thinking?" Zuko snorted incredulously, marching over to her. "What were you thinking? You just put Aang in danger! Did you listen to anything I said earlier?"

"You interrupted a perfectly good training session, Grumps," Toph snapped, poking him in the chest. "I know what I'm doing!"

"What's going on? I heard shouting!"

Zuko turned to see Katara running out of the brush, coming to a stop next to Aang, who had removed his blindfold and was now looking at the ground with a furrowed brow.

"Toph just sent a giant boulder hurtling towards Aang while he was blindfolded," Zuko replied, folding his arms disapprovingly. "He hasn't even earthbent yet!"

"Toph!" Katara exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips.

"Oh, save it, Sugar Queen," Toph groaned. "Grumps got to it first."

Katara's face almost immediately began to turn red as her frown deepened. "Being so rough with Aang during his training is bad enough, but putting his life in danger is crossing a line!"

"Listen here, Sweetness," Toph barked. "You need to get off your high ostrich horse. You don't know diddly doo-da about me or my teaching methods, so back. Off. "

"No, Toph," Zuko interjected. "You went too far this time."

"Everyone, stop! "

The sound of Aang's shout surprised all three of them, and they each turned to face the airbender as he walked over to them, his head lowered.

"Aang–" Zuko began, he brow furrowing in concern as he reached out to the Avatar.

"Why did you have to do that?" Aang interrupted.

Zuko blinked confusedly. "Huh?"

"I almost had it!" Aang snapped.

As he lifted his head, his gray eyes locked onto Zuko's, and Zuko was astonished to see unmistakable anger in them.

"If you hadn't yelled at me, I wouldn't have gotten distracted, and I might have finally been able to earthbend!"

Zuko gaped at the airbender, shaking his head slowly. "I… I thought–"

"Do you not believe in me?" Aang demanded, the fire in his eyes softening into what looked to be shame. "Both of you," Aang said, turning to Katara, who looked taken aback as well. "You don't think I can do it, but I'm ready! "

"No," Toph interjected, walking up to the Avatar. "Your main problem, Twinkle Toes, is you. You did almost have it. Your stance, your form, was perfect. But you let your feel—"

She paused for a moment, pinching her nose bridge.

"You let your friend distract you. In a real fight, you have to stand your ground. You can't let things like that break your resolve and then jump out of the way like a jelly-boned wimp. So, no. You weren't ready."

Aang was silent for a moment, his eyebrow twitching.

"I never had this much trouble with airbending or waterbending," he blurted in reply. "Maybe I'm not the problem here!"

This statement seemed to leave Toph silent. After a moment, the earthbender turned around.

"I'm outta here."

As the reality of what he'd just said sunk in, Aang's anger quickly melted away, almost immediately being replaced by deep regret.

"Toph, wait!" he shouted, running after her. "I didn't- I'm so–"

He grunted as the ground under his feet shifted, causing him to trip and fall to the ground while he watched Toph disappear into the distance.

What have I done? I just yelled at my earthbending teacher… And now she's gone.

Feeling dazed, he pushed himself back to his feet as Katara and Zuko ran up next to him.

"I really wasn't in danger," he said, looking at Zuko. "We'd already talked about everything beforehand. I... thought I was ready."

The Fire Prince's amber eyes widened, the guilt instantly becoming evident on his face. "...This is all my fault," he sighed, squeezing his eyes closed. "I immediately panicked and assumed the worst. I'm sorry, Aang."

"And I shouldn't have yelled at her like that again..." Katara added regretfully, grabbing hold of her arms. "I just made things worse."

"It's not anyone's fault," Aang sighed quietly, shaking his head. "Toph was right. I wasn't ready. I'm sorry for yelling at you guys."

"It's alright, Aang," Katara replied, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Zuko, however, shook his head as well. "I'm sorry we made you feel like we didn't believe in you. I've always believed in you. And no matter what happens, I always will."

"I know," Aang replied, turning to look at the remorseful Fire Prince with a small smile.

After a moment, however, his smile disappeared, and he returned his gaze to the path ahead of him.

"I have to go after her," he said, pushing himself to his feet. "Will you guys come with me?"

"Of course," Zuko replied.

"Wait!" Katara interjected. "Before we go anywhere… Have either of you seen Sokka recently?"

Aang and Zuko exchanged a glance before both shrugging and shaking their heads.

"Not since this morning," Aang replied.

"Why do you ask?" Zuko asked.

"He went out hunting after breakfast, but he should have been back by now," Katara replied, opening her satchel. "I've been looking for him for the past hour. Right before I ran into you guys, I found his boomerang…"

She produced the weapon, holding it out in front of her.

"I had hoped that maybe he'd just dropped it… But you guys know how attached he is to this thing, especially after losing it to the Rough Rhinos."

"Where did you find it?" Zuko asked. " And did you see any signs of a struggle?

Katara shook her head. "I found it just laying on the ground on one of the footpaths to the south of here. I saw some animal tracks… And thankfully no blood."

"So… he was... kidnapped by an animal?" Aang asked, raising an eyebrow.

"More likely someone riding an animal," Zuko said. "Katara, can you show us exactly where you found the boomerang? Maybe we can see if the tracks lead anywhere."

"But what about Toph?" Aang interjected. "I don't want to lose track of her..."

Zuko placed his hand on his chin for a moment as his brow furrowed in contemplation.

"Okay," he replied at last. "Here's the plan: Aang, you should go look for Toph. I'll help Katara look for Sokka."

Aang frowned slightly. He didn't want to split up, but this was probably the best way for them to tackle two problems more efficiently. Plus, he knew that Zuko and Katara were more than capable of protecting each other if need be.

"...Alright," Aang sighed. "Just be careful out there, okay?"

His two friends looked at each other and nodded.

"We will," Katara replied.

Thankfully, Aang didn't have to fly for long before he spotted a familiar couple of figures crouched next to a small campfire atop one of the plateaus nearby.

As he twirled his glider closed and landed next to them, he saw that both Iroh and Toph had cups of tea in hand. While Iroh waved at him as he approached, Toph downed her cup of tea quickly, set it on the ground, and folded her arms.

"Here to lecture me some more about how horrible of a teacher I am?" the earthbender grumbled.

"No!" Aang replied quickly. "No, I'm not. I never should have said what I did. I was angry, and I wanted someone to blame other than myself. I'm so sorry, Toph."

Toph remained silent and unmoving, and for a moment, Aang was unsure if she would respond at all. However, before he could say anything else, the earthbender turned to face him with a sigh, her features and body language softening.

"...It's okay. I guess I didn't react to that whole situation in the best way, either…" she replied quietly. "Sorry for calling you a jelly-boned wimp."

"You were right, though," Aang replied with a sigh, crouching down next to the girl, holding onto his staff to keep himself steady. "I am a jelly-boned wimp, and I'm not ready to earthbend yet."

"And that's perfectly fine," Toph replied, to Aang's surprise.

"It is?"

"You're still learning, and it's only been three days. It's on me for assuming you'd get things as quickly as I did when I first learned."

Aang's wide eyes blinked again in surprise. "Oh. I… Thanks for being understanding, Toph."

Toph shrugged. "Don't thank me. Iroh's been giving me a few 'sifu' tips. Apparently, you aren't the only one who's been struggling with bending lessons lately."

"You've been teaching Zuko again?" Aang asked in realization, turning to Iroh with another look of surprise.

Iroh nodded and sighed. "At his request, yes."

"He's been having trouble, too?"

"His bending has grown weaker," Iroh replied. "Partly due to lack of regular training…"

"Partly?" Aang repeated, cocking his head to the side.

"Zuko is struggling to overcome an emotional block of some sort," Iroh said, taking a sip of his tea as his amber eyes stared into the small campfire in front of him. "He's been working hard physically, but there's something else holding him back."

"He hasn't talked to me about any of this," Aang replied, brow furrowing. "If I'd have known…"

"Our encounters with his sister recently seem to have reopened some old wounds," Iroh interjected, shaking his head. "His pride has been hurt. He's struggling with quite a bit of shame, and he likely doesn't want anyone to know."

Not too surprising, given this is Zuko we're talking about, Aang thought to himself, biting his lip. But he's gotten so much better at being honest with me these days… And he knows I won't judge him. Why wouldn't he just tell me?

"Speaking of Grumps," Toph said, sounding slightly apprehensive. "And Sugar– I mean, Katara. Are… they still mad at me?"

"No, they're not," Aang replied, standing back up. "They also both feel really bad about what happened. It was all just a misunderstanding, and they know that."

Toph seemed to visibly relax upon hearing this. "So… they don't hate me?"

"Not at all!" Aang replied emphatically, shaking his head.

"Then where are they?"

"Sokka's missing," Aang replied with a sigh. "They went to go look for him. We think he might have been–"

"Oh no," Iroh murmured, standing up abruptly.

Aang followed the former general's line of sight as he turned around to see what had caused such a reaction. When he saw it, his eyes widened.

From the ghost town in the valley down below, a steady plume of smoke was rising.

"I thought that town was abandoned," Aang murmured with a frown.

"Tu Zin has been abandoned for decades," Iroh replied as he and Toph walked over to stand next to him. "And that's far too much smoke to be from a simple campfire."

"Let me guess," Toph said, folding her arms. "Zuko's sister?"

Aang and Iroh exchanged a glance.

"We should go get Appa," Aang said.

Almost as soon as they had spotted the smoke rising on the horizon ahead of them, Zuko knew.

Somehow, he knew it was Azula.

"I should have recognized the tracks sooner," Zuko said, cursing under his breath as his eyes followed the tracks, which led in the same direction as the smoke. "Mongoose lizards."

"Mongoose lizards?" Katara replied confusedly as she broke into a run after him. "I've never seen one of those before."

"That's probably because they're native to the Fire Islands."

Katara's eyes widened. "You don't think it's Azula… Do you?"

"I don't think. I know. I can feel it," Zuko said, gripping the hilts of his broadswords instinctively. "And even if it somehow isn't her, whoever it is kidnapped Sokka. We need to be prepared for a fight."

"We can handle them," Katara replied, expression hardening. "If they've hurt him, they're gonna regret it..."

They didn't have to run long before they reached the village gate, where Zuko's suspicions were confirmed. To their right, three mongoose lizards were tied to an old ostrich horse hitching post. They growled as he and Katara approached, but calmed as Zuko shushed them quietly, scratching each of the creatures under their chins.

"Have you ever thought about pursuing a career as an animal trainer after the War is over?" Katara whispered, looking impressed and slightly amused. "You really do seem to have a gift."

Zuko regarded the waterbender with a deadpan look. "I only know how to calm mongoose lizards down because I was forced to take riding lessons with Azula when we were kids. It's nothing special."

"If you say so," Katara shrugged.

He rolled his eyes and quietly motioned for the waterbender to follow him, slipping into the town and coming to a stop behind one of the buildings. As they carefully peered around the corner, sure enough, Zuko spotted his sister, and, of course, Mai and Ty Lee.

Azula looked to be pacing methodically in front of one of the many decrepit buildings, which had been set ablaze—clearly the source of the smoke they'd seen. Mai leaned against one of the other buildings across the street, looking bored as she balanced a throwing star on her fingertip. An annoyed-looking Sokka appeared to have been tied to a wooden pole next to her, while Ty Lee stood face to face with the Water Tribe boy.

"Come on," she said sweetly, blinking her eyelashes at him. "All you have to do is tell us where your friends are! It's easy!"

"And what, you'll just let me go?" Sokka replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Well... No..."

"Ty Lee, would you give it a rest?" Mai sighed. "If he wouldn't crack after we threatened to throw him into the burning house, flirting isn't going to be any more useful."

"You should listen to your friend," Sokka replied to Ty Lee, leaning away awkwardly as she leaned in closer. "Words of flattery won't work on me!"

"Are you sure about that, cutie?" Ty Lee said, grinning flirtatiously.

"Ty Lee, leave the Water Tribe peasant be!" Azula snapped, stopping in her tracks to glare at the acrobat, who wilted slightly and backed away.

"How long are we going to just sit here?" Mai complained. "This place is so boring."

"Well, it is a ghost town," Ty Lee replied, bounding over to her friend.

"Patience, Mai," Azula replied. "The peasant may not have been forthcoming with information, but his friends will be here soon enough. If you can't catch the prey, you simply need to use some bait."

"But how do we even know if they'll come looking for him here?" Ty Lee questioned.

"What do you think the fire is for?" Azula replied with a smirk, gesturing behind her.

"I just thought you liked burning things down," Ty Lee replied with a shrug.

"While that is true," Azula agreed, folding her arms. "That's not my reason for setting this particular fire. A large plume of smoke coming from an abandoned town would pique anyone's interest. It'll lead them straight to us."

Mai sighed heavily again. "Well, if they don't show up in the next hour, I'm taking a mongoose lizard back to camp."

"I'm sure they'll be here soon!" Ty Lee said, patting a now slightly irritated-looking Azula on the back. "I have faith in your plan, Azula."

"As you should," Azula replied, straightening her posture, though a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"What should we do?" Katara whispered. "We're outnumbered."

Zuko's hand tightened around the hilts of his broadswords again for a moment as his brain considered the best in which they could initiate a sneak attack.

"Oh, look!" Ty Lee abruptly exclaimed. "You were right, Azula!"

A familiar roar sounded from above, and Zuko's eyes widened when he looked up to see Appa descending from the sky. The bison landed directly in the middle of the road, facing the three girls, who moved into a synchronized position.

Azula's red lips curled into her signature smirk. "Of course I was. I always am."

"Follow me," Zuko said, turning to Katara as he unsheathed his swords.

Katara nodded in reply, and the two began to move.

"Let him go, Azula," he heard Aang say as they snuck closer to the center of the small town.

"So demanding, Avatar," Azula replied. "Zuzu really needs to make some friends with better manners."

"That's rich, coming from you," Zuko snorted as he and Katara emerged from a side alleyway.

"Zuko! Katara!" Aang exclaimed with a relieved grin on his face.

"Ah," Azula said, looking both unsurprised and unconcerned at his and Katara's appearance. "There you are, Zuzu. You're a bit late to the party, you know. But at least things are finally getting interesting, eh, Mai?"

With a smirk and nod from their princess, both Mai and Ty Lee jumped into action.

"Toph, stay behind me!" Zuko shouted, immediately running over to the tiny girl back as he deflected a slew of darts from hitting her.

"Hey!" Toph protested, stepping away from him and stomping her foot. A small boulder rose into the air and shot towards Mai, whose eyes widened slightly as she ducked out of the way to avoid it.

"What's your deal, Grumps? I can fight–"

"Watch out!" Zuko interjected, jumping back in front of her and swiping one of his swords to prevent Toph from getting hit with a shuriken. "You may be able to tell where she is, but you can't see what she's throwing at you!"

Toph shook her head. "I may not be able to see what she's throwing, but I can feel when she makes a movement in this direction," she said, stepping in front of him to raise up a rock wall, blocking a slew of flying daggers, to Zuko's surprise. "But... I appreciate you looking out for me."

Zuko smiled slightly and shook his head as he and Toph continued to defend themselves from more projectiles. Eventually, his gaze moved to the rest of the battlefield, where he saw that Ty Lee was fighting Katara and Iroh. His sister, however, was hurling fire blasts at Aang—it seemed he had dropped his staff at some point, and was now purely using evasive maneuvers to avoid being scorched by her flames.

While Azula's movements were quick and precise, Aang was clearly still recovering from multiple days of intense training and lack of sleep, and it was showing in the way his movements seemed to slow down the more Azula attacked.

I have to help him, Zuko thought frantically.

Eventually, the Fire Princess jumped into the air, somersaulting into a spinning kick that produced a large wheel of blue flames.

"AANG!" Zuko shouted, and with a grunt, he shot a blast of fire towards Mai with his swords, causing her to stumble backwards and fall to the ground as she moved to avoid the attack.

He turned to make a beeline for Aang, but it was clear he would not be able to make it in time.

However, to his astonishment, instead of making a move to flee, the Avatar's expression hardened. With a quick movement, he anchored himself down into a horse stance and punched forward.

With a rumble, a chunk of earth jutted out from the ground in front of him, colliding with Azula's fire attack and producing a large cloud of dust.

"I… I did it," Aang murmured, laughing incredulously. "I did it! "

"I guess I was wrong about you, Twinkle Toes," Toph shouted with a proud grin. "I knew you could do it!"

Aang beamed at his teacher's praise, puffing up his chest proudly. "I couldn't have done it without your help, Sifu!"

Zuko grinned as well, happy that his best friend had finally managed to move past his earthbending block. However, his smile quickly disappeared when he spotted a shadow moving through the dust in front of them.

"Aang, look out!" he heard Katara shout before he could open his mouth to yell again.

He quickly glanced over his shoulder to see that Azula had leapt into the air above the dust cloud and was preparing to shoot another attack. However, before he could make a move, Toph stomped her foot, and an earth pillar shot up and hit the Fire Princess directly in the abdomen, knocking her backwards with a grunt.

"Looks like we still need to work on your distraction issues," Toph said with a smirk to a sheepish-looking Aang as Iroh and Katara emerged from the fading dust cloud and ran over to them.

"Where's Ty Lee?" Zuko asked concernedly.

"I don't know," Katara said, her eyes darting around apprehensively. "We lost her when Aang blocked Azula's attack. I–"

Suddenly, a blur of pink emerged from behind the waterbender, somersaulting overhead and jabbing the pressure points on her arms. Katara winced as she did so, and her bending water splashed onto the ground.

"Hey!" Aang shouted as the giggling girl pranced away, chasing after her.

Zuko made a move to follow as well, but was stopped by his uncle.

"Someone needs to free Sokka," Iroh said. "Toph and I will stay here and defend Katara since she's lost her bending."

Zuko nodded. "I've got it."

With that, he darted towards the Water Tribe warrior, who was struggling unsuccessfully to pull himself free from the ropes that bound him to the wooden pillar.

"Man, this is some high quality rope!" Sokka sighed, looking frazzled and exhausted.

"Don't worry," Zuko said, brandishing his swords. "Hold still."

With a swipe, the ropes fell to the ground, and Sokka breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, buddy," he sighed, patting him on the shoulder. "...You haven't happened to see my boomerang around, have you?"

"Katara actually found it while she was looking for you earlier," Zuko replied.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Sokka sighed again, hunching over. "I thought I'd lost it for good this time."

As Zuko turned back around, he saw that the dust had finally seemed to settle, leaving the street hazy, but much more visible than before. It seemed Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee were now evenly matched with Katara being unable to bend. The Water Tribe girl now stood helpless behind Toph, Aang, and Iroh, a frustrated expression on her face.

"Sokka!" Katara exclaimed with relief as both Zuko and Sokka ran over to join their companions.

"Katara!" Sokka replied in turn, hugging his sister tightly. "You found my boomerang?"

Katara smirked as she removed the weapon from her satchel. "You really need to stop losing this thing."

"You... are the best sister ever," Sokka replied, his eyes watering.

"You can thank me later," Katara replied, nodding for him to pay attention to the battle at hand, and the warrior nodded, taking his place next to Zuko and brandishing his boomerang.

Zuko couldn't help but feel a strange, tight feeling in his chest upon witnessing the sweet interaction between the Water Tribe siblings. As his gaze moved back over to his own sister, whose cold and calculating gaze swept over each of them, he realized what the feeling was.

Jealousy.

"Enemies and traitors, all working together…" Azula muttered, narrowing her eyes.

"I think it would be wise for you to surrender now, niece," Iroh said calmly. "You are outnumbered."

Azula was silent for a moment, and Zuko's arms tensed as he waited for her to strike like a viper bat.

"Fine. I know when I'm beaten," Azula said at last. "A princess surrenders with honor."

Slowly, the she raised her arms into the air, while an apprehensive Mai and Ty Lee followed suit.

No, Zuko thought, his eyes narrowing the longer he stared at his sister. It can't be this easy.

Taking a deep breath in through his nose, he sheathed his swords and took several steps forward.

A mixed look of curiosity and amusement appeared on Azula's face as her amber eyes focused on him, her arms still in the air. "Do you have something you want to say, Zuzu? Going to gloat about your victory?"

"I know you," Zuko replied, moving into a horse stance and raising his arms. "You'd never willingly surrender. You've got some trick up your sleeve. But I'm not going to let you get the chance to use it."

"My, my," Azula replied, smirking. "You're awfully confident tonight, brother. Did you finally lose your marbles after spending so much time living in the wilderness with these peasants?"

Zuko's features twitched with irritation. She was trying to get another rise out of him, but he wasn't going to let it happen. Not again.

Azula sighed and rolled her eyes when he did not respond. "Please, Zuzu. I know you're not used to it, but you really need to learn how to accept when you've actually won."

Zuko laughed. "Come on, Azula. You know how I know you're not telling the truth?" he questioned.

"Please enlighten me, brother," Azula replied.

There was that look in her eyes. That taunting look.

She thinks I'm weak. But I can show her that I'm not.

"You haven't even used lightning yet."

Before Azula could reply, Iroh's voice sounded from behind him.

"Zuko, this is not the way- !"

It happened so quickly that it took Zuko a moment to even register what had happened. There was a flash of blue, and Iroh cried out in pain.

The haunting sound of his own scream echoed in his ears, drowning everything else out as he turned to see his uncle clutch his chest and stumble backwards onto the ground.

When his gaze snapped back to his sister and her companions, he saw that while Azula appeared triumphant, Mai and Ty Lee looked astonished.

"Azula…" Ty Lee murmured, her wide gray eyes staring at the unmoving man on the ground. "You…Your uncle…"

The acrobat was interrupted by Zuko, who roared with rage. With a punch of his fist, a powerful attack of bright orange flames burst forth, larger and stronger than anything he had produced in a long time, possibly ever.

Azula clearly had not been expecting this level of firepower from him, and quickly made a motion to disperse his flames. However, Zuko did not hold back, continuing to hurl his fists forward, shooting fire blasts erratically.

"YOU'RE A MONSTER!" he bellowed, tears streaming down his face.

Just like the rest of our family.

Suddenly, in an uncharacteristic display of clumsiness, Azula stumbled backwards, falling onto the ground, where she now looked up at him with wide eyes.

Strange. Had he ever seen his sister make such an expression before?

"I- I'm..." she stuttered, her brow furrowing in apparent anger as she bared her teeth and shook her head rapidly. "I am not-"

"Zuko!" Aang's voice echoed distantly from behind him as he slowly stepped closer to his sister, fists shaking.

"You're not what?" he snarled. "You think you're not a monster? Open your eyes and look at what you've done!"

"Zuko, please stop!"

Zuko felt a hand grab his wrist, and he whipped his head around to glare at the Avatar.

"You're losing control," Aang said softly. "Hurting her won't help."

Zuko's chest heaved up and down as he stared at the airbender, and he blinked several times.

He's right.

After a moment, he felt the tension in his arm relax slightly, his fists loosening, and Aang's hand moved down to grasp hold of his own.

As he turned back to look at Azula, his brow furrowed when he saw that Mai and Ty Lee were now scrambling to help his sister to her feet.

"Let them go," Aang said, squeezing his hand gently.

Mai looked up for a moment, and her dark eyes met Zuko's own. Her expression was an odd one—if he didn't know any better, he'd say she seemed almost fearful and apologetic at the same time.

Suddenly, she withdrew something from her pocket and threw it to the ground, creating a large, dark cloud of smoke. When it cleared, the three girls were gone.

"He's going to be okay!"

Upon hearing Katara's voice shouting from behind them, both Zuko and Aang spun around and ran back over to where Iroh had fallen. Toph and Sokka stood to the side, each sporting anxious expressions, while Katara was kneeling next to Iroh on the ground, pulling back his burnt robes as she surveyed his wound. To Zuko's immense relief, his uncle was still breathing, though his features were currently twisted with pain.

"My bending is still chi-blocked," Katara said, wiping the seat off her brow as she removed a small jar from her satchel and opened it. "So I'll have to use traditional medicine. I think he should be alright for now, but we need to find a water source so I can start healing him when I can, and after that, a town with an infirmary, or at the very least an inn..."

While Zuko had heard what the waterbender had said, he remained silent, and continued staring at his uncle as Katara applied the medicinal paste to his burn.

"Uncle… Uncle, I'm so sorry, I–" he eventually choked, slowly falling to his knees. "This is all my fault..."

As he began to shake with sobs, he felt an arm wrap around his shoulders, pulling him close.

"It's gonna be okay," Aang murmured gently as Zuko pressed the side of his face into the airbender's chest. "Everything's gonna be okay."