Chapter Text
The Avatar and Fire Lord walked through Capital City, observing the serval repair projects being done on the damaged buildings and roads.
Nearly a month had passed since Aang had defeated Ozai and Zuko had taken his rightful place on the throne.
Benders from the Earth Kingdom had offered to stay in the Fire Nation to help with repairs, but Zuko had declined their offer, saying that they had been away from their homes long enough. Since then Zuko had concentrated his efforts on building up and repairing all the surrounding areas that had been affected by the war.
Aang glanced at the clear blue sky above him then again at the hard working Fire citizens around him.
"It's hard to think about how different the world would be right now, if Ozai had won the war," he said.
"There would hardly be a world left if my father had won," Zuko responded, waving back at a small child who had excitedly been trying to get his attention. "It's been an effort to try and get the Fire Nation to understand that as well. But they finally seem to be understanding."
Aang also waves at the small child, who had grown even more excited when she saw the Avatar. "I'm glad things are starting to turn around," he said.
"I think a big part of that is because of your decision to stay in the Fire Nation, even after the rest of your friends needed to leave."
" Our friends, Zuko. And it's not a problem, now that I'm an expert in spreading peace and all!" He gave Zuko a large smile. "Speaking of spreading peace, I'm going to fly down to the base of the volcano, to see how everyone is doing there."
Zuko nodded and Aang flew off on his glider, receiving several gasps and cheers from the citizens around him.
" Our friends," Zuko said aloud, a small smile appearing on his face. Aang, Toph, Suki, Sokka, Katara… aside from his uncle they were his greatest support. They had all come to Capital City to help rebuild both the infrastructure and the people's view on others outside the Fire Nation. It was because of their help that peace, true peace, was finally with the Fire Nation. And within himself.
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"I think it's time I leave to see how the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes are doing," said Aang, breaking off another piece of bread for the turtle ducks. "But what do you think?"
Zuko watched as two baby turtle ducks fought over the piece of bread before one eventually ate it, causing the other to quack in indignation.
"I agree. Things here are finally stable, other places probably need your help more."
Aang tore off another piece of bread and threw it to the complaining turtle duck. He laughed as it appeared to quack a "thank you" to him.
"So what are you going to do once everything calms down? Do Avatars get any free time?" Zuko continued.
Aang sighed and gave the rest of his bread to the turtle ducks. He leaned back against the tree he was sitting next to and closed his eyes. "I'm not sure," he said. "Everything up to this point has been about saving the world or saving my friends. Maybe I just keep practicing my bending?" He opened his eyes and looked at Zuko, who was standing against a tree a few feet away. "What do Fire Lords do in their free time?"
Zuko stared broodingly at the pond in front of them. "Feed the turtle ducks, I guess."
A laugh boomed behind them, causing them both to jump. "You two sound too serious, talking like that."
"Uncle!" Zuko said, smiling. "You're back!"
"I am back, my nephew. Avatar Aang, it is good to see you," he bowed at Aang.
Aang returned the bow. "It's good to see you too, Master Iroh."
"Oh please, just call me Iroh."
"How are things going at the tea shop?" said Zuko.
"Things are going well, business is booming. I recently hired a new assistant manager, which is why I was able to take time off to come and visit."
"I'm glad you were able to come, Uncle."
"Now let's talk about what you two are planning on doing in your free time. Even the Avatar and Fire Lord need to have fun." Seemingly out of nowhere he pulled out a teapot and three cups. He sat on the ground and gestured for the other two to sit with him.
"Time is like this empty cup," he said, gesturing to the cups. "They all have the same potential but the value ," he began filling them with tea, "depends entirely on what you fill it with." He handed the filled cups to Aang and Zuko before taking a sip of his own. "That's why I chose to work at a tea shop, so I can literally fill my time with jasmine tea." He laughed again.
"So, Avatar, what is something that you have been wanting to do but haven't had the chance yet?"
Aang sipped at his tea, watching the sun begin to sink below the rim of the volcano that held the city. "Well, there is one thing that's been on my mind for awhile. I just don't know if it's possible."
"You're the Avatar who just restored balance to the world. I'm sure anything is possible for you," Zuko said.
"It has to do with my people, the Air Nomads."
"Oh…" Zuko glanced at his uncle, unsure of what to say.
"I know that there's no way to bring them back, that's not what I'm saying. It hurts, but I've finally found peace with the fact that they're gone." With the hand that wasn't holding his tea Aang fiddled with his glider that was laying next to him on the ground.
"When I left the Southern Air Temple I didn't realize it would be for the last time. Now everything is destroyed. I've written down all that I know, but there's still so many things that I don't know or remember about the Air Nomads. The culture from all the Temples, history, names, dates, significant events…" he paused and took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I don't even know the recipe for the fruit pies Monk Gyatso and I used to make all the time."
Zuko drank his tea while Iroh ran his hand along his beard, both pondering.
"If I had known the entire culture of the Air Nomads would depend on me then I would have paid more attention in school," Aang joked half-heartedly. "So, yeah, that's what's been on my mind recently."
"I wish we could help you, but I doubt any Fire Nation history books contain accurate Air Nomad culture or information, if any at all," Zuko said quietly. "I imagine my grandfather erased their history from our society so that it would be easy to convince the war generals to wipe them all out."
"It is easy to hate those you do not know," said Iroh wisely.
"That's what I figured," Aang said. "When I went to school in the Fire Nation they got mad at me when I tried to correct their information about the Air Nomads." He held out his cup to be refilled by Iroh.
"Maybe Ba Sing Se University? Have you tired there?" Zuko said.
"That's a great idea!" Aang shouted, accidentally spilling his freshly poured tea as he leapt to his feet. "Oh, sorry," he quickly water bended the tea back into his cup.
"I just hope that one hundred years of bad leadership and misinformation hasn't tainted the University like it has the Fire Nation," Iroh said, now cautiously keeping his teapot away from the excited Avatar.
"That's true, I hadn't thought about that," Aang sighed, remembering how controlling Long Feng was with the help of the Dai Li agents. "If only there was a source of knowledge that wasn't tainted by bad people…"
"That would be helpful for a lot of circumstances," Zuko agreed. "A place like that would have to be well hidden so people couldn't-"
"THAT'S IT!" Aang interrupted, spilling his tea and water bending it back again. "Before we met you, Zuko, me, Katara, Sokka and Toph found an ancient spirit library that contained knowledge that wasn't corrupted by people. That's how we found out about the solar eclipse and how it took away fire bending."
"I always wondered how you knew," Iroh mused. "Sounds like the perfect solution to your problem. Why don't you go there?"
"Because we angered the Spirit that guarded the library, causing it to return the library to the spirit world and take our heads as trophies."
"Ah."
"So Ba Sing Se University it is, then," Zuko said. "It's a start, at least."
"Are you heading back to Ba Sing Se soon, Iroh? Appa and I can give you a ride since now we're going there."
"I would be honored, young Avatar. I was planning on returning in a few days, if you don't mind the wait."
Dusk had arrived, blanketing the surrounding area in purple. The warm red glow of the palace invited them in after they had finished cleaning up. Aang headed to the palace barn to say goodnight to Appa before going to bed himself. Zuko walked together to the section of the palace reserved for the royals.
"And what about you, nephew? What is something you have been wanting to do but haven't had the chance?"
Zuko paused, thinking. "I don't know. There's so much to do, it's hard to imagine even having free time, let alone imagining what to do with it."
"It sounds like you need some help. A companion, perhaps." Iron ran his hand along his beard again. "Where's Mai? I haven't seen her since I got back."
Zuko frowned and stared ahead. "It's complicated. Her family has been having some problems, she needed to return to them. I'm not sure when she'll be back."
Zuko continued to avoid his uncle's questioning state. What he had said was the truth, that Mai had to return to her family to help with family trouble. But that wasn't the whole story. After the defeat of Ozai he and Mai had promised to be together, forever. But as the days and weeks went on they found themselves drifting apart. It soon got to the point where the only time they spoke was when they argued. He thought about their last argument, the one they had before Mai left.
"Why is it so hard to talk to you? I feel like you're a different person," Zuko said.
" I'm a different person? You should look in the mirror more, Fire Lord."
Mai turned to leave, causing Zuko to lunge forward and grab her arm, turning her around. "Wait, please, don't go yet. We can't have this be our 'goodbye' until you get back." He let go of her arm as she turned fully around.
"Well what should our 'goodbye' be?" she said, folding her arms.
Zuko paused. "At least tell me what I should do to make you happy again. Don't just storm off like you always do."
Her yellow eyes narrowed beneath her black bangs. "At least I give you the decency of storming off instead of just leaving a note on your bed," she said, making Zuko remember the last time he had broken up with her.
"Can you just get over that? I've already told you why I needed to do that! I thought you would understand!"
"There's a lot I don't understand about you, Zuko."
"I could say the same thing about you."
They stood, glaring.
"Then maybe that's the problem," Mai eventually said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe we've changed too much to understand each other anymore."
She turned to leave again and this time Zuko didn't stop her. It wasn't until the next day, after she had left, that her words began to hurt.
They still hurt but the pain was different than any of the other times they had argued. It was a deeper pain but Zuko refused to dwell on the reason why it was deeper.
In the almost two months since Mai's departure they had written to each other a couple of times via messenger hawk. Their written conversations contained only superficial questions, idle chit chat and comments about the weather.
"I'm sorry to hear that," his uncle said, returning Zuko to the present. "I hope she is able to return soon. You need someone to stand with you, Fire Lord Zuko. You need someone who accepts who you are but pushes you to be better. You need someone you can rely on, even at your lowest points." With that he yawned and stretched. "And now, an old man needs rest. Good night, my nephew." Iroh turned and entered his room, the guards closing the door behind him. Zuko walked the rest of the way to his own chambers where he undid his hair and put on his sleeping clothes.
Laying in bed he stared at the ceiling, his mind whirring with what happened today and what needed to happen tomorrow.
He thought about what his uncle said, about how he needed a companion. His thoughts then turned to Mai. When Zuko had returned to the Fire Nation with Azula, before the end of the war, he and Mai had spent almost every day together. They loved each other and had even discussed the possibility of their marriage in their future. Back then it all seemed so clear, but now Zuko was not so sure.
"You need someone who accepts who you are but pushes you to be better. You need someone you can rely on, even at your lowest points."
Iroh's words reverberated around his head. Months ago he would have thought this description fit Mai, no hesitation. But now he wasn't sure.
" Maybe we've changed too much to understand each other anymore."
That was the last thing Mai had said to him. What had hurt him so deeply.
"It hurts because it's true," Zuko whispered aloud. "We've changed. We aren't who we need anymore."
Saying it didn't make the pain go away, but it did make Zuko feel better. Though what to do with that information he didn't know. It was a problem for another day.