Responses to Reviews:

RonaldM40196867: In canon, the North, because the South has been devastated by the Fire Nation. In this story, the South, because the North has been devastated by the Fire Nation.

Zigzagdoublezee: Iroh in this timeline grew up in a Fire Nation at peace, so he wants to do his duty to the Fire Nation but he's not really indoctrinated like he was pre-Ba Sing Se in canon. So he still has more of a moral compass.

As Always, Please Review!

The population of Ba Sing Se, it turned out, was not taking the news that they were under siege well. As Zuko pushed his way through the enormous crowd at the nearest market to his home, he could see that people were responding with panic buying.

Customers were crammed around every stall, thrusting money in the faces of overwhelmed merchants and walking away with their arms laden with food and other goods.

Zuko found he couldn't really partake, because he didn't have any money. To change that, he still needed a job. And one was not forthcoming.

To top it all off, the entire city reverberated with the sound of distant, rhythmic banging. Zuko didn't know for sure what it was, but he could guess; Fire Nation artillery, doing their best to smash down the walls.

He sighed as he sidestepped a woman holding a giant turnip with both hands, visibly struggling to hold it up.

Mai was back in their flat at the moment, wrapped up in their blankets having a snooze. Since there was no chance of a job at the moment, she had reasoned, she might as well catch up on her sleep. Zuko hadn't blamed her, but he had still got up and gone for a walk himself. He was a firebender, and rose with the sun, even now.

He didn't know how he felt now. There was no more running; his fate was directly tied to the city he now resided in. His own people were besieging it, and they were the ones causing all this panic.

A vague sense of guilt settled in his heart. The Fire Nation had done this, all of this. His family had unleashed all of this chaos. Maybe if he'd known, he could have done something to stop it.

Or, eager to please his family and nation as heir to the throne, he would have gone along with it. He was not sure he could have gone against his father.

Either way, he hadn't been told, and because of that he had made choices that had landed him here. He just had to hope the famed walls of Ba Sing Se were as impenetrable as the legends claimed.

He came out of his reverie in time to realise he had accidentally made full, direct eye contact with someone across the market. A woman who looked a little familiar, with dark hair. She was wearing the green of the earth kingdom. He saw her expression change to one of surprise- and recognition.

Oh, no.

He quickly looked down and turned to go, but she was faster, catching up and grabbing his arm before he had made it five steps.

"Li?" A voice hissed in his ear.

He stiffened, and then recognised he had no choice. He turned around.

"Hello," he said sheepishly.

The woman looped her arm through his as if they were taking a casual stroll and began leading him towards a quieter area.

"I'm glad you made it to the city then," she told him, in a tone whicb indicated she was forcing herself to sound unnaturally upbeat. Zuko stared at her for a moment, trying desperately to place her. He knew her, he was sure of it, but where from?

Suddenly he remembered. A baying mob outside a hotel.

"Fumika?"

Fumika nodded, and smiled, more genuinely now.

"You made it!"

"Thanks to you," Fumika told him. "Thank you."

"Where are the others?"

"Rehearsing."

Now Zuko knew exactly where he knew this woman from. On his way to Ba Sing Se, he had encountered an angry mob besieging a travelling theatre company from the Fire Nation in their hotel room. They had had nothing to do with the war, but that hadn't saved them from the xenophobic rage of the people when it happened. So Zuko and Chen had saved them instead. One of those actors had been Fumika.

"Good," Zuko nodded. "How are they getting on?"

"Well, we've only had time for a couple of performances," Fumiko told him. "But I'm happy to report things seem to be going well! We made a decent profit, considering it was only our first show here. At this rate we'll be able to get another room."

"Are you all sleeping in the same room?" Zuko asked, worried.

"Don't worry, we're used to it. I'm just grateful to have a room again. I think people need something to take their minds off things."

Fumiko led him down the street away from the market, until she found a quiet alleyway. Barrels were piled up along the wall.

"Nice to see you again, Prince Zuko," she bowed.

Zuko winced.

"Yeah, sorry about that-"

"Oh, it's fine, I completely understand," Fumika shook her head. "After the hotel incident, I think we all do."

Zuko leaned back against the wall.

"Still," he said, "I feel bad for lying. I don't think Chen took it well. How is she? How is her family?"

"Last I saw of her, she was still quite upset," Fumika told him. "But that was a while ago, we left their group when we reached the city. They might be on the other side of the city by now."

Zuko nodded. They were safe, at least, but she wasn't helping his guilt.

"Is your friend with you?" The actor asked. "Or should I say girlfriend?"

Zuko nodded. Considering she had earnestly proposed marriage not long ago, the label seemed appropriate.

"Yes, she's sleeping at the moment."

Fumika looked around furtively.

"Well," she said, "I probably have to be going now. I came to buy some food for tonight- can't perform on an empty stomach, after all. But they'll be expecting me."

She took a couple of steps backwards.

"I'll tell them I saw you!" She said. "And if you need something, we'll see what we can do. Don't hesitate to ask."

She lowered her voice.

"Us Fire Nationals need to stick together, I think."

She turned and went to leave, but just as she took a step away Zuko was struck with an idea.

"Wait!" He called.

Fumika stopped, and turned back to him.

"I think there is something," Zuko told her, bowing awkwardly. "I don't suppose... You don't have any jobs going, do you? I could work backstage or something."

Another thought came to him.

"And Mai could come too!" He said. "I'm sure you would appreciate the help."

Fumika considered for a moment. Then she nodded.

"I'll see what I can do," she said. "You should probably get your girlfriend and come with me."