A/N: Thank you to Guest, Sharpe, Black Dragon Master, Raider, devilfiredog18, CrazyPhenom, FireLordAziz, and the ever-diligent StevenBodner for reviewing! In fact, it's largely due to Steven that we've hit 600 reviews so fast! Thank you so much!

I know last week's update was a short chapter, but it was a necessary bridge to this week's - much longer - installment.

Lastly, thanks for weighing in on the blog! I'm in the middle of setting it up right now, so do keep the ideas coming!

Time check: Early spring, 177 AG (2 years and 6.5 months since the end of Book 4, about a month since Mako and co. arrived in the Fire Nation).

54. There may be a fortune waiting, or maybe an egg soufflé

Kirachu Island, Bolin tells him, is famed for its food.

A small island with only one major city and a variety of food exports, Kirachu is a popular destination for food tourism; it is not uncommon for Fire Nationals — or even citizens from other countries — to travel to Kirachu specifically to eat. And its location just off the coast of the Capital Island makes it an extremely convenient site for a quick day trip from Caldera — which Bolin had spontaneously initiated, and which the rest of Team Avatar (with Iroh and Mai Lee in tow) have gone along with.

"The spicy soufflés are to die for," Bolin gushes with a chef's kiss as they make their way to the open-air food carnival that dominates the central road of the eponymous Kirachu City. "It's one of the few things they can't export, because the soufflés need to be eaten fresh, and the chefs here keep the recipes a closely guarded secret. You are in for a treat."

"It's been a while since I've had a spicy soufflé," Iroh admits.

"I've always wanted to try one," Asami says with a smile. "Which flavour do you recommend?" She directs her question at Mai Lee, with whom she's struck up a fast friendship —bonding over being 'badass nonbenders', as Bolin puts it — that looks like it will eventually rival his and Iroh's.

"They're all good," Mai Lee declares. She sneaks a snide glance at her brother. "Except the green tea — I don't think tea in any form should be spicy."

"But that's the best one!" Iroh exclaims in affront.

"You, brother mine, are obsessed with tea. Try the cheese flavour," Mai Lee suggests to Asami. "I think you'll like that best."

"Hey, there's an easy solution," Bolin points out. "There's six flavours and six of us. We'll get one of each and share them all!"

"I'll eat Mai's share of the green tea soufflé," Iroh says with amusement.

"You're welcome to it," she tells him cheekily.

They fall in behind the line already forming at the spicy soufflé station. This isn't the only soufflé stall in the carnival, but it's certainly the biggest, and the only one attached to a storefront with large industrial ovens for baking the goods. A long banner advertising all six flavours of soufflé stretches across the awning.

"Lucky we got here early," Bolin comments, surveying the people ahead of them in the queue.

He squints at the sun overhead — it's barely midday. "I had no idea spicy soufflés were this popular."

"I told you — they're to die for." Bolin grins. "You'll see."

He smiles and exchanges a fond glance with Korra. Bolin's dragged them to Kirachu specifically for the soufflés — and knowing his brother's palate, they're both sure it'll be worth the wait. Bolin's promise of you'll see already has his mouth watering.

Then, however, he sees something else: someone slips into the queue behind them, and he gasps in recognition.

"Zoya?" he exclaims before he can stop himself.

As one, all his friends whip their heads around while Zoya stares back at him in surprise.

"Mako?"

"Um, hi." He hasn't seen Zoya since their breakup almost nine months ago. "What are you doing here?"

She blinks at him. "Same as you, I imagine." She gestures vaguely at the soufflé banner. "Buying a soufflé."

He flushes. "Right. Yeah. No, I mean…" He catches the amused twinkle in her eyes and realises she's teasing. He clears his throat and starts again. "What I meant was, what are you doing here, in the Fire Nation?"

She laughs at his sheepish expression. "Visiting my grandparents."

He belatedly recalls Zoya's father, Haruko, mentioning they were from one of the small villages on the outskirts of Kirachu.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm…on vacation." He suddenly remembers the five other people with him, watching him awkwardly interact with his ex, and flushes deeper. "Er, Zoya — you've met Bolin and Asami, right?" He knows she has; he'd taken her to meet them sometime during their relationship. "And, uh, this is Korra…" — a.k.a. the woman he'd been in love with the entire time he was dating Zoya (does Zoya know that? Probably). He hurries on, "And this is Iroh and Mai Lee."

Zoya blinks in bewilderment at his whirlwind introductions — but to her credit, she rallies quickly. She extends a cordial hand to Korra, her expression neutrally polite. "Avatar Korra, it's an honour to meet you."

"Just Korra, please," Korra says as she shakes her hand, making a valiant attempt to be casual. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Really?" Zoya smirks. "Good things, I hope?"

"Absolutely," Korra says sincerely, and Zoya smiles as she moves on to Iroh.

"You must be the Iroh I've heard Mako mention before?"

Iroh raises his eyebrows good-naturedly. "Unless Mako knows some other Iroh."

"I don't," he interjects.

"Then yes, I am." Iroh shakes her hand courteously. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Zoya."

Zoya beams. "Likewise. Are you also here on vacation or do you come from the Fire Nation?"

Nonplussed, Iroh shoots him a questioning glance, and he abruptly registers — to his astonishment — that he's never explicitly clarified to Zoya that 'my friend Iroh' is in fact the Iroh. Like most people in Republic City, Zoya is peripherally aware that Fire Crown Prince Iroh is also serving as a General in the United Forces, but she has no reason to believe that the Iroh he occasionally brought up in conversation was anyone other than an ordinary friend who happened to share the name of that extraordinary individual.

"Uh, Zoya…"

"I'm from Caldera, actually, but I'm based mostly in Republic City," Iroh cuts in swiftly. Clearly, he's caught on that Zoya doesn't know who he is and would like to keep it that way.

"Oh, what do you do?" Zoya says with interest.

"I'm…in the military," Iroh admits.

He sees the imperceptible cringe as the prince anticipates Zoya putting two and two together. Iroh can lie, but is too honourable to do so for such a frivolous reason.

The reference seems to fly over Zoya's head, however, as she merely nods amicably and turns to greet Mai Lee. "Sorry, I didn't quite catch your name. Was it Mai?"

"Mai's fine," Mai Lee states agreeably.

Zoya then trades small talk with Bolin and Asami while he anxiously examines the line and wonders how long he'll be compelled to stand here and listen to — sweet Agni, all three of his ex-girlfriends are here and Iroh is pretending not to be the prince and what is he supposed to say…

"Mako, relax," Korra advises in a low voice, squeezing his hand and reminding him that this ex is also his current (and probably forever).

His eyes dart furtively from their interlocked fingers to Zoya chatting with Asami and he half-heartedly tugs his hand, but Korra holds firm.

"Didn't you say you wanted to be friends with her?"

"I did — I do — but this is not how I imagined I'd meet her again," he protests. "This is weird." Why are there so many people ahead of them for soufflés?

"Just be natural, and it'll be okay."

Natural. Right.

"Zoya…" he speaks up hesitantly. She looks over at them — he sees her eyes drop casually to their joined hands — something flashes over her face, and he chickens out. "How've you been?"

Her lip quirks, as if she knows what he isn't saying, but there is no resentment when she responds. "I've been good. And you?"

"Good," he replies automatically. "Are you still working at the flower shop?"

"Actually, I enrolled at Republic University," she tells him. "I'm studying political science."

"That's…" Something he's never heard of. "What is that?"

"It's a new course they just started. It's all about the study of governments and how they relate to the people."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

He's never cared much for politics, but he knows why Zoya does. "It sounds interesting."

"It is."

There's a lull; he wants to continue the conversation, but he's not sure how.

Fortunately — or perhaps unfortunately — Mai Lee has picked up on the undercurrent. "Excuse me, but what is the story here?" she questions firmly, her gaze roaming across everyone's faces. "Why is everyone being so amazingly polite?"

Bolin looks at Asami, who looks at Korra, who looks at him, while Iroh tactfully avoids looking at anyone.

Zoya is the one who answers. "Mako and I used to date," she explains to Mai Lee. "It was back when Korra and Asami were together." She indicates the two women in question with a slightly apologetic nod (that Asami waves aside). "Mako broke up with me last spring, and then Korra and Asami broke up, and then Mako and Korra got together. Again." Her amber eyes gleam wickedly. "It's particularly ironic because Mako has also dated Asami before."

Mai Lee is nothing if not sharp, and her expression turns mischievous as she looks at him, fluttering her eyelashes. "Mako, does that mean I'm the only girl here you haven't dated?"

Korra and Asami giggle simultaneously and he throws Zoya a mournful look. "Thanks for revealing all my messy romantic history," he grumbles — but he can't help but feel relieved. There was no condemnation in Zoya's tone; she seems to be over him.

Zoya smirks and then laughs, lightly and honestly. "Don't worry, Mako, I'm just teasing. We're fine," she assures him.

He smiles hesitantly. "You sure?"

"Yes," she confirms. "We're good." She winks at Korra. "At least I can say I lost my boyfriend to the Avatar; there's no shame in that."

Korra grins back, and he feels the tension dissipate. Thank Agni.

"What'll it be, folks?" an unfamiliar voice asks; they've reached the front of the soufflé line.

"We'll take one of everything!" Bolin announces, passing a handful of ban to the man behind the counter.

"Zoya, what flavour would you like?" Iroh asks.

She looks startled. "Oh no, don't worry, I can get my own…"

"It's no trouble," Iroh assures her. "We're already getting six; what's one more?"

"I really couldn't —"

"Just let my brother be a gentleman," Mai Lee advises conspiratorially. "He lives for it."

"Hello!" Bolin pipes up from the front. "Are we adding a seventh soufflé or not?"

Zoya hesitates, glancing at Iroh, and then gives in. "Lemon, please!" she calls.

Bolin dutifully relays the order.

"Thank you," Zoya says to Iroh.

"You're welcome."

After they receive their seven soufflés, they retreat to a conveniently-placed nearby table to divvy up the spoils. Zoya gets her lemon soufflé to herself, and Iroh claims most of the green tea one after the others (except Mai Lee) have had a taste. Asami finds herself partial to the cheese flavour, just as Mai Lee said; whereas he and Korra enjoy the butter and the sweet potato, respectively. Bolin has no preference; he eats whatever no one else wants — but by default, he ends up finishing the caramel soufflé.

"Zoya, tell me more about this political science university course," Iroh requests as he scoops out spoonfuls of his soufflé. "It sounds fascinating."

Of course, Iroh would be interested in that.

Sensing a kindred spirit, Zoya enthusiastically launches into an explanation of her first semester subjects — namely, the philosophy of leadership and the guiding principles of good governance. He's quite sure Iroh already intuitively knows all of this, but he supposes it's useful to hear about it from a different perspective.

"It seems to be quite well-structured," Iroh notes thoughtfully as Zoya pauses to scrape up the last bits of her soufflé. "May I ask what made you choose this course?"

Zoya smiles a bit bashfully. "I've always had some interest in politics — mainly because I wanted to be able to enforce laws that would change people's minds about my family. Mako knows this already, but it's pretty obvious that I don't exactly…fit in here." She taps the brown skin of her bare arm.

"Right." Iroh nods. "Mako told me your father was adopted from the Water Tribes?"

"Mm, it's a bit of a mystery, actually," Zoya confesses. "Gran says she found him one day wandering about near their village. He was about two, and a bit banged up — nothing serious, just some cuts and bruises — but that's how they found him. They figured he was Water Tribe, but they had no idea where he came from and he couldn't answer any of their questions. The only word he could say was his name — Haruko. Since Gran and Gramps couldn't have kids, they decided to adopt him, and that was that." She sobers. "It wasn't easy, though. Dad had a tough time growing up on Kirachu — they're not exactly the most open-minded over here."

Iroh nods in acknowledgment. While Kirachu City is fairly tolerant due to the constant influx of food tourists, the surrounding villages are small, insulated communities with strong prejudices. (And even in the city, people don't take kindly to other ethnicities overstaying their welcome.)

"Anyway, since I was old enough to understand the difference in how people treat us in Republic City vs. the Fire Nation, I've wanted to be able to understand how leadership influences citizens. And how I could do something about it. Even in Republic City, things aren't perfect. There's a lot less prejudice between ethnicities, but there's a whole conflict between benders and nonbenders."

"Tell me about it," Korra mutters. The revived Equalist movement is nowhere near as dangerous as Amon's was, but it's been giving her headaches since she resettled in the city and is a significant factor in current Republic politics. In fact, a big reason why Savannah Zhol had beaten Raiko in the recent election was because she was a nonbender who gained airbending after Harmonic Convergence, and the moderates in the population hope this unique distinction will help her bridge the gap between benders and nonbenders.

He points this out, and Zoya nods.

"Yep. Zhol becoming president actually inspired me to enrol," she admits. "Until she got elected, I didn't think someone like me could ever get involved in lofty government institutions."

Iroh's brow creases. "Why not?"

"Well, I'm female," Zoya points out simply. "Hierarchy tends to be quite male-dominated."

"But there are plenty of strong female leaders," Iroh disagrees. "Fire Lord Izumi, for example —"

"Was born royal and inherited her position. Suyin Beifong is nobility, not to mention she founded Zaofu. Lin Beifong — nobility and legacy." Zoya ticks them off on her fingers. "Asami — also legacy, though you definitely had to work hard to re-establish your company's reputation," she concedes with a glance at the Future Industries CEO. She meets Iroh's bemused expression directly. "And then there's me — ordinary girl, mixed heritage, nonbender in a city I did not have any hand in creating, and no convenient world crises for me to make a name in." Zoya shrugs. "I'm not saying all these women aren't good leaders — I definitely look up to all of them — but they had advantages I don't to get where they are."

None of this is news to him, as Zoya had expressed her interest in politics and her admiration for the women she mentioned while they were dating. He had (and still does) empathise wholeheartedly; although he knows now that he is technically nobility, a large part of him will always be the orphaned street rat who knows how difficult it is to rise through life with no privileges.

Iroh, however, frowns thoughtfully; while the prince is not unaware of class differences, there are intrinsic aspects that those of Iroh's status are not naturally conscious of — and he knows from experience that Zoya has a frankness of phrasing that throws matters into stark relief.

Mai Lee, too, seems to be recognising this for the first time. "You know, I never thought about it that way."

Zoya cocks her head quizzically, clearly wondering why her statements have been such a revelation to a fellow everywoman. Her brow furrows in thought, and he can almost see her brain clicking the clues together.

"Wait a minute…" Zoya's gaze shifts between Iroh and Mai Lee and she points at each of them in turn. "Iroh…Mai…and you said he's your brother?" She narrows her eyes at Mai Lee. "Mai's not your full name, is it?"

Mai Lee grins sheepishly. "No."

"You're Princess Mai Lee," Zoya realises, sounding dazed. She swivels to Iroh. "And you're Prince Iroh."

Iroh's lip quirks. "Guilty."

He wonders whether Zoya notices the new reserve in Iroh's tone, the subtle shift in his posture. Iroh has a persona he projects to people who only know him by his rank, and he'd automatically withdrawn into it once Zoya started recognising his identity.

Zoya arches an eyebrow. "August company you keep, Mako," she says lightly.

He chuckles, halfway between humour and mortification, still gauging Iroh's reaction. He knows Zoya is perfectly capable of disallowing Iroh's titles to overshadow his personhood; but will Iroh give her that chance? Iroh met Team Avatar as a general, and their fight against the Equalists put them on equal footing as allies right from the start of their acquaintance — so his royal status has never been an impediment in his relationships with Korra, Bolin, Asami, and himself. With anyone else, however — unless they are already his friends or his fellow soldiers — Iroh is acutely conscious of how his princeship might be perceived, and often preempts any negative impressions by projecting the polite, but detached social facade he's cultivated like a second skin. It's great for his public image, and an absolutely vital necessity for a future world leader — but it also tends to keep most people at arm's length, as Iroh doesn't let them see who he really is.

Zoya shakes her head and seems to come to some internal decision. "So, Iroh," she says casually, "are you gonna finish that?" She nods towards his hands.

Iroh blinks and peers down at the last remaining spoonful of his green tea soufflé, which he'd completely forgotten about in favour of their conversation. "Uh…"

"Because if not, I'll eat it. Lemon's my favourite, but I quite like the green tea too."

Iroh looks perplexed for a second before he comprehends what Zoya is doing. When he does, he relaxes. His bearing loses its stiffness, his eyes crinkle at the corners, and his smile becomes more open.

"No," he states simply, amusement clear on his face. "You already had a whole soufflé all to yourself. This one's mine." And the Prince of the Fire Nation very deliberately lifts the spoon to his mouth, and slowly swallows the last morsel.

"Shame." Zoya laughs.

With that settled, he turns his attention back to the remnants of his own butter soufflé, only to find his paper bowl conspicuously empty. "Huh, what —?"

"You snooze, you lose, city boy," Korra taunts mischievously, leaving no doubt as to who the culprit was. She meets Zoya's eyes and they both burst into giggles.

That of course sets off Asami and Mai Lee, and Bolin joins in with loud guffaws, and even Iroh grins with unadulterated mirth — and he gives up, and laughs along.

He can always get another soufflé.

A/N: I've been using a lot of oldies for the Fire Nation arc - because the lyrics and atmosphere of said oldies just seem to fit certain chapters like a glove. Take today's song, for example - 'Meet the Sun Halfway' by Bing Crosby - it has a jazzy, breezy tune that suits the 'lighthearted day out' mood, the lyrics are appropriate, and there's even a long instrumental portion in the middle with no words to encapsulate Mako's difficulty in making casual conversation with Zoya in the middle of this chapter. How is a song written 82 years ago so perfect?

In any case, the frequent use of these oldies in this arc definitely reflects the rich history of the Fire Nation and how past traditions are still very strong there, and TLOK is set in basically the same time period that these songs were written. Hmm...possible discussion for the blog?

Kirachu Island is mentioned in the Avatar wiki as 'a location hailed for its delectable collection of food, especially its spicy soufflés'. Apparently it was name-dropped in a Nickelodeon magazine - so I don't consider it canon, but I decided to run with it (that's the beauty about non-canon extras - you can decide if you want to include them or not).

By the way, the ban (what Bolin uses to pay for the soufflés) is Fire Nation currency.

What did y'all think about Zoya's return? ;)