Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Four years ago, the Fire Nation had a prince. Three years ago, the Fire Nation had lost him.

It wasn’t in the Agni Kai. The prince was burned from that and swiftly banished by his Father’s hand. The rumors of burnt flesh corroding across his eye from cheek to ear was true. Those rumors dampened when much bigger news came in like a tidal wave. The death of Prince Zuko.

A ship was sailing across the sea, towards a colony on the border of the Earth Kingdom, the first stop out of the Fire Nation. The first step into banishment. This ship held precious cargo, Prince Zuko the heir of the Fire Nation, who was alone, locked in a small room with a bandage plastered across his eye and no one to dry his tears.

In the middle of the waters, the ship was attacked by pirates and it sank into the deep, or that’s what was told of it. Everyone died, except Zuko, he remembered it differently, there was one man who was barely a pirate himself. The boat was an older ship, worth little to lose.

The so-called pirate banged on his door, scolding him, telling him that these are the consequences of the Agni Kai on the order of the Fire Lord. Zuko was confused, wasn’t his scar enough proof? Enough humiliation?

Then Zuko heard a loud bang, then a hiss and the metal walls shook. His heart rattled. His head spun.

It was a bomb set off by the man on orders from Firelord Ozai. On orders from his father. His father had killed him.

See, Firelord Ozai never really needed his son. He had a much better heir, Princess Azula whose flame was strong and powerful. Zuko was a mere wavering candle in her radiance.

Yet Ozai couldn’t let himself bloody his own hands with the royal blood, so he let the so-called pirate do it. Just like mother.

If his father really wanted him dead, then so be it. Zuko was dead.

It was a large sacrifice, the man was surely dead as well. There was a gap in his memory, darkness and the feeling of water filling small, weak lungs. Shrapnel cutting skin and burns deeply ingrained in his soul. Lee was born from the fire like a phoenix. As for Zuko? His fire was extinguished.

Saved by pitiful gods, he awoke on a beach with burn scars all over his broken body. Blood, cuts, a broken body. When villagers found him amongst the wreckage, they told him he was lucky and he told them his name was Lee.

They had questions of course, but nearly all of them could have been answered with blame to the Fire Nation. Of course no fire bender would scar their own.

None of the villagers thought he would live, but he did. To their credit they watched over him as they did for the many children burned by war. They took turns feeding him scraps of food, whatever they could spare from their own tables. But there were many broken orphans. He wore clothing too old or too ripped. He slept in barns with beds of hay or out under the sky in the warm seasons.

Soon after he was able to walk again, at the site on the beach where he washed up. He cut his hair, his phoenix tail. His hair was taken by the water, the burnt ribbon that tied, left behind. He intended to do the same with his dagger, but couldn't bring himself to get rid of it. His hair was the last evidence of his culture that had been left with him, his dagger was evidence he had a loving uncle.

He moved on from time to time, sometimes he would return, most of the time not. No one wondered where he went, everyone had seen the ghost like orphans left in the ashes of the war.

Lucky to survive, lucky to be born.

----

“The defeat of Firelord Ozai and his daughter, Princess Azula has brought chaos to the Fire Nation. I fear our troubles will not end until we find a leader for the people of the Fire Nation. We need to stabilize the people. We need someone to negotiate with in the Fire Nation...” The Earth King Kuei addressed the room of leaders and heroes. “Aang, would you speak on this?”

The great General Iroh, Dragon of the West, sat in a room in Ba Sing Se gathered around a large table, drinking tea. There was himself, The four children who accompanied the Avatar, King Kuei and his generals. Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, and King Bumi sat along. Chief Arnook had sent a young boy, Hanh, in his stead.

The tea was great, he had made sure of it.

Iroh had helped these kids defeat his brother just weeks ago. They had a period of well deserved relaxation, but now it was the time to install the peace they had fought for. Unfortunately, they had a long way to go, to rebuild.

The Fire Nation was a large mess of people, peasant, soldier and noble alike to find a footing in the new world. Many peasants starved, soldiers hadn’t left their stations and still patrolled in disbelief and nobles were in conflict fighting for the power void left by Ozai. The Fire Nation was fragile and when a proud state weakens, there would always be chaos.

“The Fire Nation needs a leader,” Aang stood and addressed the room, “We need someone to work with, someone to help assure the rebuild and reparations will be carried out.”

“If I may,” The Northern water tribe boy, Hahn spoke, “The Northern Water Tribe believes that the Fire Nation should not have a ruler, we believe that the council and the order of the White Lotus should be the ones to instill order and, well redefine the Fire Nation.”

Iroh was surprised to hear the boy’s voice not tremor, it was in fact one that had the underlying tones of anger and grief. A voice many soldiers carried. It would be a test for Aang to rebut. Iroh himself, questioned what the word ‘redefine’ would mean, he was sure Aang would question it as well.

“Well, the people of the Fire Nation do not hold the same values as Ozai,” Aang grew into a confident young man, Iroh was happy to see it, “When we went into the Fire Nation, we learned that these people are just regular people. They only followed what they were taught to do, especially since no one wanted to be punished. It’s the same with the soldiers. They need someone to teach them peace, freedom and happiness.”

“They need peace? Happiness?” Hahn spoke again, his sharp tone cut across the council, “They need to know what their nation did. They need to understand that something like this will never happen again.”

Iroh admired the way Aang spoke about his people. It did hurt a little to hear the young Hahn say such things, but Iroh could excuse it. With Aang, there was no resentment in his voice. Many had thought that defeating Ozai would end the war. It did help, but there was still a long road to a peaceful world. “We can debate that, but we need someone in the Fire Nation. Someone we can trust.”

“Is everyone else in agreement?” Hahn looked around the council, no one spoke up, but Sokka had the smallest smirk, “Very well.”

“General Iroh,” Oh, and Iroh knew this proposal was coming and he dreaded it, “Will you become the next Firelord?” King Kuei graciously asked.

Next to Iroh, King Bumi sat and snorted at the question, he of course knew Iroh’s answer.

“I understand my position,” And so Iroh would love to graciously decline, “But I cannot do this long term, I will not.. The people will not accept me and I am familiar, I was once as ruthless as Ozai. That’s why they need someone young and new. Someone who dreams of peace and understands responsibility. To be completely honest, I left those days behind… I’d rather live the rest of my days in the Jasmine Dragon!”

Iroh knew exactly who the Fire Nation needed.

“But Iroh, we can’t just have anyone-”

“I agree,” Avatar Aang interrupted the Earth King with a solemn voice, “We need someone certain, humble yet just. The people need to accept them but they cannot be a tyrant… Are there any cousins or someone related to the royal family? Would you suggest anyone, Iroh?”

“Aang!” The young Water Tribe Warrior shouted, “Are you thinking we crown Azula?!”

“Sokka calm down,” His sister spoke quickly and loudly, “We aren’t crowning Azula, right Aang?”

“Right.” The young Avatar looked at Iroh, “Is there anyone that we could trust, but also with a birthright, someone the people could rally behind? Any cousins? Distant aunts?”

“Well,” Iroh stroked his beard, “There is someone… but he hasn’t been seen for three years.”

“Who?” Memories of a small, kind child flooded Iroh’s mind. A kind boy who would feed turtle ducks with his mother.

“Prince Zuko.”

Chapter Text

“Lee!” The sound of laughter followed the calls of his name, “Lee!! Oh Lee, get up!”

Smellerbee, whose voice had never sounded so light and happy for as long as Zuko- no Lee had known her, awoke him from his nap. Longshot stood above him, the boy wore a smile, which was unusual. The boy smiled for nothing. Longshot pointed to Smellerbee who was bouncing around him.

“What is it?” he grumbled, sitting up from the dirt. Smellerbee sat next to him with a parchment in hand.

“News from the warfront!” Good news from the sound of Smellerbee’s voice as she began to read, “Firelord Ozai and Princess Azula have been defeated by the Avatar! The war is over! We won! We really won!”

The war… was over? Was he still dreaming?

“Defeated?” Lee’s voice trembled with shock.

Had his father died… was Azula killed… Az dead? What was Zuko feeling? Remorse or guilt. He should be happy shouldn’t he? They were tyrants. What if he had been there? What if she died because he wasn’t?

“On Sozin’s Comet, The Avatar- Aang, he faced the Fire Lord and he won!” Smellerbee was bursting with excitement, “Ba Sing Se was retaken by a secret order, you should read this, it’s all true.” She shoved the newspaper in Longshot’s face.

The Avatar? The little boy, he faced his father and lived?

They were the ones that cast him out, fate had granted his vengeance… yet Zuko felt full of grief? Was it okay to be sad when many lives will be spared and people will finally live in peace. Had his father even wondered where the prince had gone? Had his sister, as bright as she was, believed him dead? Would they have grieved him?

“Lee?”

His father let Zuko die, his mother too, but… was he still a father? Azula a sister? Once she was his younger sister.. Oh. His mother would be ashamed if he let Az die… but Azula… did she die alone? Who killed her… who did she let defeat her?!

“LEE!” that was Smellerbee, shaking his shoulder and Longshot was next to him holding the paper in front of his face.

That’s right. Zuko was dead. He was Lee now. He was in the Earth kingdom, a freedom fighter… helping those who were hurt by the war… That was his duty, that was his new destiny.

He was Lee, who when Sozin’s Comet flew by, did not feel the powerful energy in his soul, just the heat from his scars aching. Lee wasn’t a bender. Lee was the freedom fighter who helped evacuate villages on the edge of the invasion. Lee was the freedom fighter who pulled burnt bodies from burnt villagers the day after the Comet. Lee was never a prince of a colonizer, or a would-be emperor.

And he was Lee.

“I-I just wish Jet were here to see it…” Thoughts of Jet grounded Zu- Lee back to the present world. Thoughts of a boy who fought with all his power for people. Someone who Lee could be, someone who fought not for guilt but for others. Lee had to honor his memory, it was the least he could have done.

“Yeah…” Smellerbee said with a frown, “I miss him…”

“Me too.” Lee put his hand on Smellerbee’s shoulder. Longshot followed his lead and hugged the two others, pulling them close.

Longshot turned his head to the sky and smiled. Lee knew what that meant. Hope had won out against the misery, the pain, the mothers they had all lost.”

“Yeah!” Smellerbee said, jumping to her feet, “You’re right Longshot! We’ll find him and we’ll be a family again, right Lee?”

“Of course,” Lee smiled, pushing feelings of guilt down his throat, Smellerbee insisted Jet was alive and Lee doubted it, “We will rebuild. We will help people.”

Lee wasn’t there when Jet needed him. After the freedom fighters met the Avatar, Lee ran away like the coward he was. He remembered it, he always replayed it in his dreams. His worst moment.

----

Back then, he used to cut his hair short.

Lee watched from the trees as three kids stumbled into the Fire Nation camp, the camp he was about to attack. The kids were not obvious soldiers, Jet thought they might have been scouts or spies but Lee knew they weren’t, he reasoned with Jet saying, “Why would spies walk right into a camp? Spies are supposed to be secrets.”

“Let’s give them a show then.” Jet smiled and told the freedom fighters to jump and attack the camp. Just like they had done before.

The Fire Nation soldiers were easy work, even without a bender. Lee stuck to the shadows armed with dual dao swords scavenged from a soldier’s house that Jet had started to burn down.They had been a birthday gift. He didn’t think when he flashed his swords at a poor soldier, only to mash a hilt on his head knocking him out.

Every Fire Nation soldier harmed was a personal victory against Fire Lord Ozai.

Once the soldiers were handled, next came the strangers.

Longshot stayed in the trees focusing his aim on the strangers as Jet sauntered towards them with Smellerbee behind him. Others filled the gaps and the three strangers were surrounded.

The strangers, two dressed in Water Tribe clothes, and the other in old unrecognizable regalia. They were kids just like him and even then Lee was surely a little older.

Jet had introduced the freedom fighters and the strangers introduced themselves as the Avatar and his companions. Lee’s gut sank at the word.

The Avatar. The last Air Nomad. A child? Lee wanted to believe it was a scheme but the kid controlled air like Zuko would have controlled fire.

That's when Lee’s internal thoughts spiraled down. The Avatar… was a child… and also the key to returning home. He could return to Azula, to Iroh. His father would see him standing proud before him and grant him his honor. His home.

He could sleep in his childhood bed, where his mother read him stories and comforted his nightmares.

Longshot slapped his back and Lee returned to reality. He stood in the middle of the Fire Nation camp once again and remembered how he was burnt. He was with children orphaned from the war. To stand beside his father was not an honor he wanted.

They showed the Avatar their base. Their way of life. They fed the Avatar. Lee tried not to think about the rest of the dinner as he listened to their stories, he kept his head down. He listened to Jet fawning over the Water Tribe girl, she was a symbol of a different life to Jet. It was clear to Lee, the three of them were naive, children unburnt and unbroken. The same children who stood up to his father’s empire.

A child who will stand up to his father and carry the world on his back.

The whole time Lee made sure he wasn’t noticeable and it worked, for the most part. The Avatar and his companions were focused on Jet, who was happy for the attention, to show off his territory and his own resistance. The other freedom fighters were focused on the Avatar and the new hope he resembled.

The Avatar was a child, the Fire Lord would eat him up alive.

He was sure that Longshot noticed how quiet and jittery Lee had been the whole time. He was sure that Smellerbee thought he was acting odd. Jet didn’t notice, that's what mattered, he would have been the only one to call him on his act.

Later that night. Lee wouldn’t sleep. No, he couldn’t…

His mind wandered. He thought about the Avatar being the hope for winning the war. Defeating his family. He tried to push away the thoughts of Prince Zuko.

He didn’t want to think like Zuko, but he did. Ideas of him capturing the Avatar and presenting him to his father entered his mind. His long lost honor. He could be a prince again. Azula would praise him. Uncle would tell him his stories. He would be in the palace where his mother used to drift in the shade.

Temptations of youth. Temptations of warmth, too hot and it would burn him.

No. He couldn’t, Zuko was dead. Would his father dare take him back? Would his family believe that the dead prince had been alive the whole time?

His father killed him. On what earth would he return home?

But if he did. He could go home… He could be the proud and brave Prince Zuko, not just some mere peasant named Lee who had felt the tugs of hunger and the bite of cold nights.

No... He was Lee. He had a home. He had a family. Lee was a freedom fighter.

But his father could look at him and be proud… that was something Zuko always wanted as a child. He could become a hero to his people… his father…

But his people were the ones that burned him alive.

Zuko thought about it. Zuko nearly acted too. Zuko nearly snuck into the Avatar’s room, nearly. The wails of temptation were strong. It would be too easy.

Zuko couldn’t. Aang was a child. Aang was the age Zuko had been when his face was burnt. Aang didn’t deserve a fate like that. Smellerbee didn’t deserve that fate, she deserved to feel safe. Jet deserved to feel alive. Longshot deserved to live a happy life.

Yet Zuko couldn’t be around here with the Avatar taunting his fate either, a constant reminder of his past. It was a hasty decision and Zuko would learn to regret it.

Zuko left in the middle of the night. He strapped his dual dao to his back, another kid could take his bedding, maybe they would find the dagger hidden under his pillow and cherish it. He stepped deliberately, careful not to wake the children he’d never see again. He wrote a single word on a piece of parchment.

Sorry.

There were no other words that he could think of to justify this betrayal. So he wrote no more. That night was the last time he saw Jet. He should have written more, he should have stayed. He should have fought.

It would be a long time before he became a freedom fighter again. He didn’t have anywhere to go, so he picked a direction and walked. He was just an orphan again. Sometimes he would work on a farm for a meal, sometimes he would steal for a meal.

He traveled through Ba Sing Se, through Omashu, through Gaoling. He made his way to the coastal colonies in the earth kingdom.

He met people harmed by the war, Omashu was scarred by red, he left quickly. Ba Sing Se was foreign to him. Even in the outer ring, people believed they would never be harmed, even with the rampant crime and disgusting shit covered alleyways.

He left Ba Sing Se, carrying bad memories of poverty and anger with him. He enjoyed his time with the girl though, Jin, who seemed happy and content in her poverty and ignorance.

Could he live a life like that?

Live like the rich folk in Gaoling?

Could he find peace in the colonies?

Months had passed until he saw anyone he knew. Smellerbee and Longshot and tracked him down, they told him about Ba Sing Se and what had happened after the Avatar had left. Jet had been taken and left for dead.

They tried to save him. Then the Dao Li came and water flushed through the chambers. They barely escaped. Smellerbee almost drowned.

Tears and shouts were exchanged. He told them he was sorry for running and he would keep them safe. He told them he left because he feared the avatar. He told them he feared that Jet would leave them.

Yet they forgave him. They wanted to be around him. They wanted to be together and so they did. They worked together, traveled together and stole together. They were only three kids, but they were still freedom fighters.

----

Now his hair had grown longer.

Now he faced the guilt of leaving his family behind again. The guilt of leaving Jet. The guilt of not being able to comfort his dying friend. The guilt of not being able to say goodbye. Maybe if Lee were there, he could have saved Jet.

He would have died a thousand times for Jet to live one lifetime. Jet could have changed the world in that lifetime.

Jet would be here, he would see his dream come true. Jet could hear the cries of happiness, the celebration that the war had finally ended, but he wasn’t. He’d never see his dreams of freedom.

Now together, the freedom fighters wouldn’t need to fight anymore. That was what Jet wanted, wasn’t it?

In a sense he was free. Lee wouldn’t need to fight anymore.

Chapter Text

The boy who named himself Lee had been alive for a few months. Surviving on little to nothing but what scraps people could offer to a hungry orphan, armed with a small dagger that his uncle had given him a long time ago. His prized possession.

He was alone.

Back in the palace, a dead boy named Zuko, would have had everything given to him. Food and shelter. Tutors and well made clothing. Everything except the love of his father…

It was much harder to survive in this new world. However, Lee was good at it. He was small and sneaky. He had stooped to pick pocketing and petty thievery, he had a talent for it. When he could afford, he stuck to decent morals, don’t steal from those who have less and only to survive. Don’t hurt anyone. Don’t firebend. Don’t think about the past.

If he wanted to survive, he had to focus on necessities, nothing of fortune, needs not wants. Wealth had no place for a weary child. His uncle would say be wise and be kind. Azula would tell him to learn, adapt and take.

As Lee learned to steal and survive, he also learned how the earth had been scarred, just as he had. Burns on skin like burns on rice fields, like burns on towns.

The Fire Nation had burned farmland and forest. It made him angry. A swelling rage. A feeling so familiar to orphans like him.

The Fire Nation had also burned people. Lee heard stories of lost lives. Lee had seen burnt skin on more than just himself. These stories would haunt him like ghosts and take hold on his mind. Guilt for not seeing it sooner and grief for living through it.

Lee learned his own truth about the world. About the dead nomad nation. The war wasn’t glorious, it was devastating. War was evil. Zuko was evil.

Lee had learned to hate the Fire Nation, Zuko had learned to hate himself. His inner fire dimmed to a bare smoke.

Everything he had been taught was wrong. He was wrong. His father was wrong. How had he not seen it before? Did his mother see it? Did his mother die in defiance?

He vowed to never firebend, as much as he yearned for the freedom bending gave him. The thrill of the fight and the protections it came with Fire has brought pain to too many lives, he would never use it. No longer he would be a weapon, a tool in succession. He wasn’t Azula. He was more than a prince.

Zuko went three years without bending. Eventually he didn’t wake to the rising sun.

----

“Who is Prince Zuko?” Katara asked the old man. She felt that she should have known of a Fire Nation Prince like she knew Azula, who had chased them across the Earth Kingdom.

“Azula wasn’t an only child,” Iroh said as he sipped tea from a clay cup, “Azula had an older brother, my own nephew Prince Zuko.”

“Had?” Toph asked in the direction of his voice. The girl had been listening to the small tremble of sadness in his voice. Katara heard it too, it was like the voice she used to talk about her mother.

“Yes,” Iroh looked at his tea and saw himself, “Prince Zuko was sent away on a ship. The ship was attacked by pirates. He never made it to his destination.”

“Why was he sent away?” Sokka asked.

“It’s a sad story,” Iroh sighed and took a sip from his cup, “He was banished by my brother’s hand. Then he died in what seems to be a matter of bad luck..”

Katara couldn’t imagine her own father banishing her or Sokka. There must be more Iroh isn’t saying. Maybe this prince was worse than Azula. Maybe he had said something that crossed even Ozai’s line.

“How do we give a dead man a throne?” King Kuei asked, scratching his bear’s soft stomach.

“He was a boy, not a man, he would be around sixteen now.” Iroh spoke with a dark tone, it was like a ghost story, a sad one, “I didn’t look into it much, it hurt too, but I kept an ear and eye out. I asked the White Lotus and learned that his body was never found, just a ship wreckage.”

“And if his body is on the ocean floor?” Sokka scoffed, Katara sent him a sharp glare to which he responded with a shrug. How insensitive!

“There were rumors. Since I joined the war effort, I do admit, I’ve lost a hold of them. A few months after his death a merchant traveled through the coastal colonies and saw an interesting boy. The man saw a boy with a scar across his face, one that matched Prince Zuko’s very own. Now Zuko’s scar is very unique, I’m sure it was him.”

Katara held back from asking if Iroh was sure the boy was Zuko, then why didn’t Iroh go to him. She didn’t ask because it could have asked of her, why didn’t she save her own mother.

“Then there's still hope.” Aang spoke with a glimmer in his eyes.

“Even if he lived,” Sokka sighed, rubbing his temple, “How do we know he isn’t Azula number two? How do we know we can trust him?” Katara wished her brother would ask things in a kinder way, although the same questions were on her mind.

“Good question,” Iroh said, “Growing up, Zuko had a kind spirit. He was never as harsh as Azula. While he did admire his father and yearn for his father’s love, he was also a shining resemblance of his mother’s compassion. If the boy is alive, he might be more like his mother.”

Key word. Might.

“Ok.” Toph slammed her hands on the table, “Where should we start looking?”

“I’ll have the White Lotus send alerts to everywhere possible,” Iroh held a small smile, “I know a friend we can ask, as well.”

----

Zuko was wearing the name Lee for a while, long enough to get used to it, when Jet had found him.

They had run into each other as they were about to steal food from the same wealthy farmer. They both had the same idea, and agreed to help each other out. The food from that night was as delicious as the palace chefs would make.

When Lee was about to turn his back away and walk a different path, Jet invited him to eat. Jet had invited him to have a meal with his family. Lee said no but, Jet said otherwise and practically pulled him in his direction. They brought the much needed food to a group of kids.

Lee wasn’t expecting this. Jet could see the surprise on his face and laughed.

They were all children. Some with weapons. Some with scraps of armor. Helmets too big for their little heads.

Jet explained who they were, the freedom fighters. They fight for all children scorned by war. Did that count as Zuko? He had been scorned and scarred.

Jet told them all their stories, about the lost villages and families, and that they were fighting for change and vengeance. Having enough hope to fight against all odds. The concept of becoming a hero. To be in a world free of corruption where innocent lives aren’t taken at the whim of a conqueror.

“You’re just like me.” Jet said.

“I am?” Lee was surprised to hear.

“We’re starving and tired yet we still keep fighting,” Jet leaned back and put a sliver of grass in his mouth to chew, “The only difference is you fight for yourself and I fight for them.” He pointed to the kids, “I’m the oldest. I need to take care of everyone.”

“I was an older brother once.” Lee understood. Except he never fought for Azula, he fought with her.

“It’s hard,” Jet sighed, “I lead them, alone and they think they can be adults and look after themselves but they come to me with cuts or nightmares.” He pointed to a tall boy with a bow, “Longshot thinks he can help me more, and he does try his best but he closes himself off too much and makes me worry.”

“You don’t have anyone to fight for you?” Lee asked.

“No,” Jet looked at the bunch with a proud smile, “They would all fight for me, I think they’d fight for you too if you wanted. I can tell you get it, it’s literally written on your face.”

Lee touched his scar, “I don’t want any kid to have a scar like this.”

“You don’t want that? Then do something about it, don’t fight alone, fight for someone else other than yourself.”

Jet asked if he would join and Lee said yes.

Chapter Text

June was not who Katara was expecting when Iroh said his friend was happy to help.

June had helped Princess Azula track them a long while ago. Katara thought June would have been imprisoned from her gambling and working with the Fire Nation, but there she was standing with her odd, scary creature. On the other hand Toph fell in love with Nyla the shirshu.

“Do we even have anything that smells like him?” Sokka, always the pessimist.

“Yes,” Iroh pulled a dark red ribbon wrapped in cloth from his parchment, some of the edges had been slightly burnt, “He hasn’t touched this in 3 years, that’s the only problem.” and that he might be dead...

“And it might smell like you,” June scoffed, “Might be worth a try.”

“What is it?” Toph asked Iroh.

“A ribbon,” Iroh smiled gently, Katara wondered how much Iroh missed his nephew, “Prince Zuko used to tie his phoenix tail with it. This ribbon was the only thing out of place that they found with the ship's remains. Ozai took it as evidence that Zuko had died.”

“Do you think Ozai wanted him dead? Why?” Sokka had the nerves to ask, Katara was about to smack his head but Iroh answered.

“Yes.” Oh. That shocked Katara. Fathers would never do that, but Ozai was a monster. Aang shuttered next to her, “Prince Zuko was not like Princess Azula, he lacked her confidence. He was kind and that was his fatal mistake. Ozai must have thought to burn it out of him.”

Before Sokka could say anything stupid again, the shirshu had sniffed the ribbon and had gotten a scent, “Nyla’s ready to go. Follow us on the bison.” June said, Nyla sniffed Iroh for a couple minutes then quickly bounced off.

The children and Iroh quickly hopped on Appa’s saddle and with a yip yip, they were in the sky!

“So Uncle,” Aang spoke up after a while into their journey, “Do you think Zuko will be happy to see you?”

“I’m not sure Aang,” Iroh’s voice was solemn, “Perhaps. But I fear he might think his family abandoned him.”

“They did though, but you didn’t.” Toph said in her iconic deadpan manner that Katara absolutely loved.

“I think he might be happy!” Aang was keen on being optimistic, “He might have been waiting for someone. I’m sure he’ll be so happy, he’ll cry tears of joy!”

“I’m sure he missed you.” Sokka offered.

“He might be dead too.” Katara absolutely hated that Toph dared to said that.

“I hope so too young Avatar.” Although Iroh didn’t sound too hopeful.

——

Jet found a new base. Well, more like decided to build a new base.

A forest of red trees, surrounded by Fire Nation territories yet not far from the Earth Kingdom. A place close to trade and military routes, yet undisturbed. They could hide traps in the big trees. They could harvest nuts. Maybe even find a few streams to fish.

Lee never imagined he would live amongst the treetops.

With stolen wood and rope, they quickly built their little home. Expanding it day by day. Nights of sore shoulders from carrying the wood up into the trees. They stole iron nails and hammers from settlements.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Jet said as he spun around looking at the home they made together.

“Mhmm,” Lee looked around and scratched the back of his neck, “I just hope the wood holds and someone doesn’t fall, again.”

“It won’t happen again!” Jet looked down from the platform, “We’ll put nets at the bottom of the platforms.”

Lee sighed as he recalled Longshot’s shout when the plank he stood on, the weight began to give out. Luckily Jet was able to catch him with the hooked swords. Since then they reinforced the planks, still Lee was uneasy, “Where will we get the nets?”

“A fishery,” Jet had always seemed to have an answer for everything, “What is wrong with you? You don’t seem excited about finally having a home.”

“I’m not sure a base made of wood will be a great defense against the Fire Nation.” Lee sneered.

“The Ashmakers won’t find us.” Jet hissed back.

“We aren’t the most quiet bunch,” Lee said, “I mean look at Sneers and Pipsqueak.”

“Then we pick and choose on missions.”

“How long do you think this will Last Jet?” Lee asked, “Seriously?! How long until we get someone killed? We’re kids Jet! We can’t keep playing pretend.”

“We aren’t pretending!” Jet shouted, “If you want to give up then do that.”

“I’m not giving up.” Lee said quietly, his fists in a ball. Sometimes Jet reminded Lee of his sister. Only sometimes.

“Then why are you talking like this?! Why do you always have to act like you know so much more? Aren’t you angry? I mean look at yourself. Look what the Fire Nation did to you!”

“I said, I’m not giving up!” Lee yelled back, “I just don’t want to see anyone get hurt! Of course I’m angry, of course I hate them.”

“Good.” Agni, Jet was stubborn.

“Smellerbee is younger than my sister,” Lee sighed, “The Duke isn’t even ten. We have to be more careful with them. Longshot could have been hurt if you weren’t there.”

“I’m here though,” Jet put a hand on his shoulder, “You’re here too. We can protect them, we’ll be careful.”

“You won’t always be here.” Lee thought of his mother and his uncle and his cousin.

“I will be.”

——

They sailed low to the ground, just so they could see June. The journey lasted a few days. Nyla got tired out and they had to camp at night.

The first stop was a small village that had been long past burnt down and abandoned. Nothing was found here but Iroh had told them that this is around where the shipwreck had been found. It hurt him deeply. Not even a person to ask.

While Sokka doubted how effective Nyla worked, June assured them that Prince Zuko must have spent enough time here for any scent to be found, even in the destruction. Iroh believed her.

So did Aang, who daydreamed about what kind of person they would meet.

“What did he look like Uncle?” Katara asked, they were all a little curious to meet this prince. Katara could tell Sokka and maybe even herself were more cautious than curious.

“I wish I could show you a painting of him,” Iroh sighed and thought back to the little boy who would run around the halls of the palace, “He looked a little bit like his father, but he had his mother’s eyes, who had her grandfather’s eyes. Her grandfather Roku.”

“Avatar Roku?” Aang lept from Appa’s reins, to which Sokka scrambled to take over.

“Yes,” Iroh smiled, “Avatar Roku’s granddaughter was Lady Ursa.”

“I’m related to Azula?!” Aang shouted in disbelief.

“And Zuko,” Toph laughed, “What else was he like? A bending prodigy? A freak of nature like Azula?”

“He was always second to Azula,” Iroh sat back and let the memories of his nephew come back to him, “He was a sickly child, he was his mother’s shadow. Unlike Azula who bent fire before she learned to read, his bending came to him when he was around seven.”

Iroh remembered the day. He had happened to be visiting from the war front. Zuko ran around the palace halls with a little flame in his little hands. Ursa looked proud but Iroh could feel she was terrified. Ozai was finally excited for his little heir. An excitement that wouldn’t last.

“He has a scar now,” Iroh watched his face burn, his little body falling to the floor during the agni kai, “On his face, it would be the first thing you notice about him, but there’s more to him than that.”

Iroh had been in the infirmary, the first to see Zuko. The last to see him off as he sailed away. Ozai barred him from going with his nephew. Iroh was too much of a coward to disobey his brother. Maybe if he had, then Zuko would be here with him or he would have been dead himself.

The decision to change himself came after Zuko’s death. While Lu Ten’s death brought himself open to spirituality and inner peace, his nephew’s death brought a need for action. Iroh had to prepare himself to teach the young Avatar to bend fire.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad.” Toph said after hearing the darkness in Iroh’s voice.

The children changed subjects soon after but Aang kept his mind on the potential new Fire Lord.

After another day of travel, Nyla led them to a familiar place. A place Sokka, Aang or Katara never wanted to see again. A forest of tall red trees and painful memories.

It was shocking to them.

“Why here?” Sokka drew his breath in slowly and out, “I don’t have a good feeling about it.”

Appa flew closer to the ground, he didn’t need to follow June and Nyla, the bison remembered, retracing his way to the heart of the forest.

“What is this place?” Toph asked, her hands gripping the sides of the saddle tighter. She felt the unease in the air.

“Remember Jet?” Aang responded, his eyes aimed forward, “This is where we met him. The freedom fighter’s old base should turn up soon. Appa remembers it.”

“Why would Prince Zuko turn up around here?” Katara questioned.

“When people are lost, they tend to find themselves in the reflection of others, companionship perhaps.” Aang appreciated Iroh’s wisdom. Aang thought himself lost, until he was found from the iceberg by Katara and Sokka, perhaps this Prince Zuko was the same.

Appa landed on a platform on the edge of the old hideout, hidden amongst the trees. Aang hopped down with a gust of air. Sokka followed, helping Toph down, then Iroh. Katara sat for a moment to calm her swelling thoughts of Jet. The image of his smirk fading into a peaceful, tired face.

His death…

“I still can’t see,” Toph grumbled as she stretched her arms and legs, tapping her foot on the wood, “Can we be quick?”

Nyla climbed the tree with June on her back. The shirshu sniffed around and walked around in a circle. Nyla sat and curled up, pointing just her tail in the direction that headed further into the base, “I think you’ll find something here, Nyla will rest now.” June spoke for her animal companion.

“Hold my hand Toph, we’ll be quick.” Sokka reached out his hand to guide Toph, who couldn’t see amongst the wooden base.

The children and Iroh walked through the base. Katara noticed details she hadn’t before, like how wood had crudely been nailed into place or how uneven the platforms were. It reminded her that the occupants of the hideout were mostly children, how a wonderful place this must have seemed to them.

“Tell me about how you came to this place, how you met the children here.” Iroh asked as they walked further into the heart of the platform.

Sokka recounted the story, and he quickly mentioned the town. Aang recounted how they all had dinner around the large wooden table. How they exchanged stories and how Jet and the Freedom Fighters were inspiring and courageous at first. Now they seemed like lost little kids.

They took time to look around. Aang missed the laughter of the children, without a soul here, it seemed so empty and ominous.

Sokka took Toph around. Aang checked higher platforms. Katara walked with Iroh.

The two of them looked around places where the children lived. Wooden planks rested against tree branches and trunks to make little tents for shelter. Some planks were made into roofs, Katara could imagine Sokka building a fort like this when he was younger, just from ice and snow.

Iroh walked towards a tent that was built against the surface of a large trunk. Katara noticed him tracing the bark, “Look here.” He said in his gentle voice.

Katara walked forward, she placed her hand where his was. There were marks cut into the tree.

“Katara,” His hand pointed to another mark above her hand, “See how these cuts were made? They are the same in length. They are next to each other and never stagger. They were made with special swords, dual dao. Twin swords, two halves of a soul.”

“Are they important?” She asked, pushing her finger against the scar left on the tree.

“Prince Zuko was learning how to use them,” Iroh’s eyes had watered, but he blinked them away, “He was always excited to learn, to fight, he was better with them then fire bending.”

“Maybe he really was here then.” Katara looked into the little tent that leaned against the tree.

“Maybe, but they were common weapons. A peasant’s sword.” Iroh said as she crouched down on her knees, glancing into the room, “I believe it's why he must have been drawn to them. A common sword but difficult to master, he felt pride in his weapons, a tool that his sister would never touch.”

It was dusty, unused for a time. Some small objects had been thrown around, a clay cup had been left at the side of a makeshift bed. It hadn’t been emptied.

Iroh reached beside her to pick it up, he smelled the liquid, “Tea that has been left for someone.”

Katara shifted through the room. A small carved goat dog leaned against the wall. The blankets had started to fray, yet folded carefully. The room was almost a shrine. Katara picked one up to hold, but as she lifted the fabric, a small dagger fell on the wooden floor with a clank.

“Oh Agni,” Iroh sat next to Katara and held the dagger. As he looked it over, his hands started to tremble. He rubbed his palm on the handle where a little pearl was set in and ran his finger across the blade tracing a inscription, “Never give up without a fight.”

“Uncle Iroh?”

“I know this dagger,” Iroh held back more tears and swallowed the lump in his throat, “This dagger was the symbol of surrender. I was given it when I broke Ba Sing Se’s outer wall by a general who surrendered. I gifted it to Prince Zuko in victory. It was his.”

“And now it's here, in our hands,” Katara reached to hold the old man’s hand, “He was here. He’s alive.”

Chapter Text

The children gathered around the table like they had when they ate berries and broke bread with Jet. Iroh placed the knife carefully on top of the table, treating it like ice and it would melt away in his hands.

“This was Prince Zuko’s knife, I know this because I gave it to him.” He presented it to Aang.

“He’s alive then?” Toph said, reaching a finger out to trace the handle.

“Yes.” Iroh breathed out.

“Does this mean he was a Freedom Fighter?” Katara wondered, “I don’t remember seeing anyone with a scar on their face.”

“Maybe they stole his knife.” Sokka suggested.

“No that’s not it,” Katara scoffed, “He was here, Iroh saw marks on that tree, marks made by a sword he used. I think he was here.”

“Great,” Sokka returned the scoff with sarcasm, “ The future Fire Lord, playing army with a bunch of angry, stupid kids. What could go wrong?!”

“This still feels like speculation,” Toph said, as she sat next to Sokka, “Swords aren’t rare or anything.”

“Let’s try and remember,” Aang spoke up and sat next to the knife on top of the table, “I’m going to meditate.”

Aang gathered himself together, pressing his fists towards each other and closing his eyes. He filled his lungs with air then released, slowly calming his body and blocking the world outside his mind. Normally his focus would have been on his own energy, his chakra in connection to the universe, to his past lives.

He focused on the sounds he would have heard months ago. The colors of the red leaves. The taste of the berries he had eaten. The shape of Jet’s face. The army of children eating happily, hearing every story and how much of Aang’s focus hung on Jet’s every word. Then the feeling of betrayal and guilt.

Once he could envision himself from his memory, he pushed further, past his own recollection. To find what was lost in perception. The energy of a bender could not hide from him.

He found a set of eyes hidden in the shadows. A set of eyes so gold they looked like they belonged to a dragon. An ember of fire, crackling in wood. He could not see the face they belonged to. But he remembered this energy, one that had followed him, yet avoided him.

Aang remembered the shine of a pair of swords, the edge of them just catching the moonlight, just above him as he slept. Aang waited for a slash that never happened, instead everything about this energy had fled.

It reminded Aang of how he fled, in the middle of a storm. Aang had hoped that Zuko was guided by the moon unlike he had.

Aang was bewildered by the energy. It was so small, weak, almost missable but precious. It was rare like gold, but so far hidden away. The feeling of warmth brushed against his mind.

Ozai’s own energy was a raging firestorm. Power. Rage, the feeling of righteousness. Overbearing heat.

Azula had a confident energy. A promised power, that mirrored Ozai’s but with sharp and a certain pointedness. Deliberate.

“He was here.” Aang spoke as he blinked away his memory and opened his eyes to the present.

“How do we find him now? They disbanded.” Toph sighed and laid back against the wooden platform.

“I know where a freedom fighter is,” Sokka stood from the table, “The Duke is in Ba Sing Se.”

“Then we go to Ba Sing Se.” Aang declared.

----

Once they saw June and Nyla off with their promised payment, a bag of coins and coupon to the Jasmine Dragon, they left quickly on Appa to Ba Sing Se.

The Duke was left without a home or a family. Pipsqueak had taken care of him for a long time. He had taken a liking to Teo who was in a similar situation, his father Dae had been captured during the invasion just like Pipsqueak.

Pipsqueak was one of many war prisoners who hadn’t been released yet due to ongoing negotiations and lack of a person to negotiate with. He was waiting for freedom with numbers of the Earth Kingdom resistance like the Kyoshi Warriors, the invasion like Dae, and Water Tribe members like Bato. Many more people waited to be freed, from those in the colonies to prisoners scattered across the Fire Nation.

Iroh had met the two when Ba Sing Se was freed. After the war he offered them a home and an honest living with the Jasmine Dragon. After all, he needed help while he was the unofficial advisor of Fire Nation relations.

Ba Sing Se was a quick few days away.

Appa landed in front of the Earth Kingdom’s royal palace, the garden was sufficient for Appa’s landing and roaming, he was safe there, a worry that Aang still had on the back of his mind.

The Jasmine Dragon wasn’t far, a short walk, although Aang jogged with the air under his feet carrying him faster, and fast again bursting through the door. Teo was serving tea, almost spilling on the patron when he saw Aang.

“DUKE!” Aang yelled, his voice carried and echoed through the building.

“Aang!” Teo smiled and wheeled himself to the Avatar, “It’s great to see you. Duke! Aang’s here!”

“Hi Teo,” Aang said, “I need to talk to The Duke, it’s urgent.”

“I hope he didn’t cause any problems.” Teo ran his hand through his hair, an anxious habit of his.

“Aah Teo!” Iroh said as he walked through the door, followed by the children behind him, “Nonsense, nothing is wrong.”

At the sound of Iroh’s voice, the little boy ran down from upstairs.

“Sit, I’ll make tea.” Teo said as he wheeled back to the kitchen.

They all sat around one of the larger tables. Iroh beckoned the Duke to sit next to him and the boy did. As they all gathered around, the Duke tried to make himself seem a bit bigger, puffing out his chest to hide the fact he was an eight year old kid.

“Hi Duke!” Katara gave a bright smile, “We um-”

“The Duke.” The boy said with a frown.

“Sorry, Hi the Duke.” Katara corrected herself.

“We wanted to ask you about the freedom fighters.” Sokka cut to the chase.

“Whata ‘bout?”

“It’s about someone who would have joined you all,” Katara spoke softly, “He would have been maybe 16? Used two swords and had a scar-”

“Lee.”

“Who?” Iroh held his hands so they wouldn’t tremor, “He called himself Lee?”

“Mhmm,” The Duke frowned and pointed to his eye, “Lee. His face was burnt.”

Iroh breathed in. Lee, what a stereotypical Earth Kingdom name for Zuko, it was almost perfect, there were so many Lee’s.

“Can you tell us about him?” Aang leaned in closer, in anticipation, to catch every word.

“I hate him,” The Duke looked away, “He ruined everything.”

“What did he do?” Aang questioned.

“He left,” The Duke folded his arms on the table and rested his head on them, “He left us. I dunno why. Maybe he an’ Jet argued.”

“Jet?” Sokka raised his eyebrow at the name.

“Lee an’ Jet were close,” The Duke mumbled, “Lee was like his um go to, y’know? They did a lot of scary missions.”

“When did Lee leave?” Katara asked in her soft voice.

“The same night we met you.”

Sokka leaned against the wall, thinking about how close they were to him and how everything would have been so much faster if they had just met. His tribesmen would be free right now if Sokka wasn’t an idiot.

“Was it our fault?” Aang asked in a shocked voice.

“No,” Toph spoke up, “He must have felt like he had to leave. The Avatar fell into the lap of the Fire Lord’s son, maybe he thought you were a ticket home and couldn’t bring himself to do it.”

“Toph is right,” Iroh breathed out, “He must have thought-

“Fire Lord’s son?” The Duke stared at Toph with wide eyes, “Lee?”

“Crap.” Toph muttered, she forgot the kid wasn’t older.

“Is that why you want him?” tears swelled in the Duke’s eyes. His lips trembled, “He lied to us! He was the enemy all along! I hate him!” The Duke ran upstairs, his hands covering his face but Toph could tell he was crying.

“I’ll stay quiet next time.” Toph sighed, biting her lip.

Teo noticed the crying and the quiet. He wheeled himself in with a pot of tea, he looked to the stairs then to the table, “I wasn’t listening in but you were a bit loud, it was hard to ignore.”

“Yes Teo?” Iroh looked at the boy with gentle eyes.

Teo grabbed the pot and started pouring tea into little clay cups as he talked, “Um if you’re looking for this guy, maybe you should check the colonies on the coast. Smellerbee sends Duke letters from time to time, I help read them to Duke. Smellerbee’s last letter and it was a while ago, but she wrote about going to the coast.”

“It’s another Freedom Fighter, another lead,” Sokka shrugged, “I’m not sure if I want to see her again though.”

“I’m not sure she’ll want to see us.” Toph scoffed.

“It’s worth a try.” Aang was determined.

“I fear this will lead us to chase nothing but memories.” Iroh sipped on his cup, his face looked tired and dark.

“We could try June again,” Sokka said, “We have the dagger now, it probably smells like him.”

“No,” Aang sat up, “We fly to the Coast and start looking at each town, I think I’ll be able to sense him.”

“Smellerbee isn’t exactly quiet either.” Toph muttered between sips of tea.

“This journey might be long,” Iroh looked into the eyes of the Avatar, “You have a duty to the people of the world, not just a boy who may be long dead. Are you sure you are willing to find him?”

“For you Uncle,” Aang gave a soft smile, “Of course.”

“And everyone else?” Iroh asked, “Will you join us?”

“I’m in.” Toph downed her tea.

“Yes.” Katara said, putting a hand on Aang’s shoulder.

“I’ll look after the shop Uncle,” Teo smiled, “I’ll look after Duke too.”

Iroh patted his head and gave a smile of gratitude.

“I don’t know..” Sokka slowly said and when Katara gave him a sharp glare he quickly finished with, “I’ll go if I can bring Suki!”

----

“Fireworks?” Lee was surprised.

“Yes!” Smellerbee said excitedly, “The people of the town want to celebrate their freedom and a merchant offered his fireworks, so I offered to help set them off.”

“I don’t know…” Lee was hesitant. He didn’t really like loud noises. Well explosion noises, it just reminded him of that night. It was a long time ago, but he felt the pain everyday, nightmares would often remind him. Fireworks themselves felt like such a Fire Nation festivity.

Longshot gave him a smile. Not a small one, but an excited smile. It made Lee cave, “Fine, but I won’t light them and I’ll be somewhere quiet when they light.”

“Fine by me!” Smellerbee jumped up happily, “Let’s go help set them up!”

Smellerbee led Longshot and Lee to the merchant. They took the crates of explosives to the fields outside of town and started to set them up under the merchant’s instructions. It took them a few tries to get each one set up right, but soon a few stacks of fireworks were set up.

Lee left the two as dusk hit. He found himself sitting underneath a tree far from the village, but close enough to see the town, awaiting in anticipation. Once the first star in the cloudless night could be seen-

Then there were little bunches of glitter and light falling through the sky. He could hear cheers from the villagers. He wondered if this was the first bright spark they’ve seen that has brought them joy not terror.

The fireworks had started, relief settled in, he was far enough away to only hear a small sound.

It was pretty.

It was like summer on Ember Island. When his Mother would hold him and Azula when fireworks shows marked festivals. His father would bring sparklers, he and Azula would chase each other around with them.

His mother’s smile, something he had trouble remembering, but she would smile on Ember Island. Maybe they were a family once, or at least pretended to be.

It looked like the stars were falling from the sky. Different bursts of color, the sound that made hearts jump in awe.

It almost made Zuko miss firebending. Almost.