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Chapter Text

"Yeah, but I'm not going to shoot lightning at you!", Uncle said, scandalized by his suggestion, "If you're lucky you will never have to use this technique at all"

There had been silence, for a few seconds, before Zuko spoke again. 

"Well, if you won't help me... I'll find my own lightning"

In retrospect, Zuko thought briefly, in an unusual moment of clarity and his dying self-preservation instinct showing up again to annoy him at not-the-right-time, maybe his response to Uncle's denial had been just a tiny itty bit exaggerated. 

But how was he supposed to properly learn if not by facing his enemy head-on? Uncle had never seemed to appreciate Zuko's eagerness for real-life experiences, but his disapproval stare had lost effectiveness after three-and-so years of use, so for once, the young firebender hadn't backed down. Ignoring the quiet pang of guilt and common sense screaming to go back, the firebender had grabbed Daisy, their ostrich horse, and ran away to have a chance of getting struck by lightning. 

As he screamed his lungs out to the storm above his head after yet another lightning roaring down somewhere near but not on him, he felt the anger, shame and regret fill his gut once more, causing his insides to feel as tumultuous as the merciless winds and piercing rain slamming over his body from the sky. It wasn't the right time to consider Uncle's decision to be the right one, but at that moment it made sense and Zuko briefly cursed his own block-headedness that refused to listen to the older man. 

It would, perhaps, be better if he went back to seek shelter from the violent storm. 

Exhausted, disappointed and soaking wet, the young firebenders walked heavily to where he had left Daisy and, during the first minutes of his way back, prepared a brief apology for leaving his Uncle behind one more time. 

He was so focused on finding the right words that he barely missed a strange glow from a seemingly naturally made cave, hidden between the endless hills and rocks spread all over the valley. Daisy's abrupt stop snapped him out of his inner monologue, and if he hadn't seen the eerie, almost ghostly glow leaving the rocks, he would've yelled at the animal. 

Something inside his gut told him to stay away. Daisy was nervous, for one, and every hair in his body stood up despite the cold rain. Another violent set of thunder and lightning struck far away and the winds picked up their speed, the freezing water falling sharply over what little exposed skin he had. 

What would Uncle do?  Would he wait until the rain stops or would he go back?

The answer was quite obvious.

Every fibre of his body yelled to put as much distance as possible from the mysterious cave, but Zuko had gotten really good at ignoring his nearly-dead preservation instinct, so roughly pulling at Daisy's leash, the young man made his way in, wishing to get away from the heavy rain. 

It took him a few minutes to calm his ostrich horse enough to settle down quietly, using some of his fire bending tricks to dry his clothes and keep the animal warm. It seemed to work to a certain degree because even if Daisy was still on edge, she calmed down significantly, enough to let Zuko let out a breath of relief. 

It's only until the rain calms down, Zuko told himself, rubbing his hands to keep them cold, It won't take long.

Once settled on the rocky floor, he paid attention to the strange glow coming from the walls. The glow was faint for the most part, nearly invisible, but it grew stronger between the cracks, shining in a soft, gentle blue, radiating warmth under the freezing storm. 

For Zuko, it reminded him of one of the most mundane but memorable events of his years at sea, at the begging of his second year in exile.

A large storm had left them sailing for weeks without a lot of supplies and unable to find a port to restock, so most of the crew was in an even more sour mood than usual. Zuko had not been the exception, but for once had decided to take his anger inside his quarters instead of snapping at his crewmates. Uncle had been happy, and the young firebender refused to tell him it was mostly because the nightmares were tiring him out enough to steal his anger away.

Helmsman Kyo, as if enlightened by Agni Himself, had yelled at his lung's full capacity- which was surprisingly a lot, his lungs were too large-and-almighty- the sighting of a mid-sized, unregistered island full of trees, soft sand and spirits-blessed, drinkable, shower-appropriate water. It had been the first time they had all collectively, without exchanging words, worked their asses off towards a single objective, no complaints or sarcastic remarks as they scattered all over the ship to get ready for docking. Even Sushi, their mimic catopus, had seemed unusually excited by her surroundings. 

As soon as the anchors were dropped, Engineer Hanako had pushed everyone out of her way to jump overboard, causing a mildly-concerned uproar on deck. Zuko would've felt slightly offended if he had been able to care back then, because as soon as she yeeted herself to reach the island before the others, almost all of his crew abandoned their posts and swam their way to shore. 

Only Zuko and not-surprisingly Lieutenant Jee had done what proper, civilized people would have, and grabbed a boat to row their way in.  It had been a pleasant surprise, to meet someone else unwilling to engage in the collective chaos of the Wani. 

The island, they later discovered, had been very recently registered and was even then not written in most maps, because for the fire nation, it was barely enough to make a military base and as such, was mostly useless. 

Bullshit, Helmsman Kyo spat, not reprimanded only because Zuko wholeheartedly agreed and Zhao's annoyed expression was a great delight, That dingy island saved our lives!

Soon, the Wani's crew had set up a decent camp and disregarded most of their duties to engage in laziness and "relaxation". Zuko had felt like calling them out but he was tired too and Uncle's not-so-subtle Look had kept him at bay. Sushi curled in his lap had also been a major motivation, but no one was careless enough to comment on that. Not without alcohol, at least. 

Just before the sun started to go down, they had lit a large fire and Assistant Cook Dekku- Agni bless him- had taken it upon himself to prepare a decent, tasty, spicy meal, using what he had found savaging the island plus what was left in their limited supplies. His next pay had been surprisingly larger, in a unanimous decision. 

It could've been the gentle summer heat from the beginning of the season, the warm campfire keeping them all together, the white and soft sand under their feet, the kind whispers of the waves or the for-once pleasant chatter of his crew around. It could've been all of them together, or none at all, but for the first time since leaving Caldera, Zuko had felt relaxed. 

He had let his guard down, had allowed himself to enjoy the company of his crew- chaotic and rebellious and looked-down upon by almost the entirety of the Fire Nation Military but his- and it had felt almost like being back home. 

No one had dared to comment on it, though, because they could be nice like that. 

Iroh, from somewhere, had pulled out a tsungi horn and a pipa and another tea set, and soon, under the summer sunset, the smell of jasmine tea had spread over the beach, accompanied by the lullaby of their ragtag and roughly-put-together concert. 

Helmsman Kyo had then gasped loudly and pointed at the beach, eyes wide and excited, while a large and almost childish grin spread through his face. 

"Look!"

They had all turned towards where his finger pointed, on edge, ready to attack any sudden threat, but when they saw what he meant, they...

Stared. Hard.

"What the fuck is that?", Engineer Hanako had asked out loud, earning a soft shoulder bump from Jee and a low "language" from Iroh. 

Stunned, almost all of them had collectively gotten closer to the strange blue light coming from the waves crashing against the rocks and sand, curious and interested in the strange phenomenon. In an amazing display of leadership and community, Iroh had flickered a stone towards it, and a collective gasp was heard when the water lit up at the collision. A hand slapping the water had gotten the same result, and soon after the campfire had been left behind as the Wani's crew laughed and splashed over the nearly magical shining water.

Zuko, quietly and making sure no one was looking at him, had sneaked his way to the water to see the lights on his own. He couldn't help the short and amazed laugh at the waves lighting up against his hand, the first genuine laugh to leave his lips in what felt like forever. 

It hadn't been a major event, nor a particularly remarkable day in their three-year-long voyage, but the memory remained as fresh as always, and thinking about the Wani and his former crew brought a painful squeeze to Zuko's heart. 

He would never admit it out loud, but he missed them deeply. 

Sighing, the firebender traced a line over the brightest traces of the strange glow. 

A particularly shiny line got his attention, and following its path with his finger showed him it went for longer than expected. The cave, too, was bigger than it seemed. 

Curious and unusually calm, he stood, patted Daisy a few times and carefully followed the shiny path as it went deeper and deeper down the endless cave. Soon, as he walked further from the outside, the glow grew, and he no longer felt the need to use his flame since the eerie blue was enough to guide his way. 

The deeper he went into the cave, the wider the crack grew as the lines of the cavern converged on it. The air around him, with every step he took, grew heavy and suffocating, generating a layer of sweat on the naturally warm firebender. The noise of the storm faded the further the young man moved away from the surface guided by the growing light until, finally, he came to a complete stop. 

The blood in his veins almost froze, and a heavy anvil fell on his stomach.

In front of him, previously covered and hidden by large and strangely shaped rocks, lay in the middle of a gigantic cavern an almost blinding light, a large and shapeless mass into which all the rivers of the complex of caves and tunnels flowed, stretched out beyond sight. It was ethereal in appearance and firm at the same time, graceful and quick movements without direction or purpose. In the centre of all that mass of light, flashes of a widespread, dark, almost malevolent and purple like freshly crushed grapes, made efforts to expand between the walls, without succeeding. 

Despite lacking solid appearance or proper features, the young bender's inner flame flickered briefly, almost in resonance with the thing in front of him. Feeling overwhelmed and - as much as he hated to admit it, scared - Zuko decided it would be best to turn around and forget everything, so he stepped back to begin his retreat.

The seconds his right foot touched the floor behind him, the Thing's head- or what Zuko supposed it was its head- snapped towards him, startling him deeply.

Leaving so soon, fire-breather?

The voice came from everywhere and nowhere, and Zuko winced at the words resonating inside his brain. He knew the thing had spoken, and found himself trembling to run away.

You can't leave yet. I haven't met anyone in over a century

"Who are you?", Zuko yelled, cursing his legs for trembling too much, avoiding his very much desired escape. The Thing's blubbery mass seemed to curl in annoyance and anger, the stone walls shaking under its ire.

Of course, you puny mortals dare to forget me. Damn you and your descendants, Roku!

"Avatar Roku?", the fire bender asked out loud, before realizing he was speaking. The dead avatar's name was enough to get the Thing's attention, and the walls shook once more. 

Yes! Him! He's the reason I'm here! That disgusting firefly dared to lock me in here during his early years, and I have yet to meet his descendant! He'll pay in blood for his actions!

"He's dead", Zuko replied, frowning, "Avatar Roku died a traitor to the Fire Nation a hundred years ago"

The Thing scoffed, and its tendrils shone like beating, breathing veins. 

How dare you assume I, Sat'ikuq, He Who Hears Everything, am unaware of that wretched pest's destiny?! I hear everything, I know many others. And Traitor? Roku was many things, but a traitor he was not. He was sickeningly loyal to his homeland, and it lead to his late demise under his beloved Sozin's hand. I would know, for only Wa Shi Tong knows more than what I have heard 

Zuko's blood froze inside his veins, every ounce of warmth leaving his body in a matter of an instant. 

"Beloved Sozin?"

As if sensing his confusion, Sat'ikuq giggled and their large body mass, moving their tendrils from one side of the cavern to the other.

They were sworn brothers from the early days. Together, they fought against Me and Roku was the one to imprison me. Oh, how much joy and delight I felt when I heard what Sozin had done! How poetic! How amazing! How beautiful!

Brothers? How?, Zuko thought, confused beyond reason. I need to get out of here and get to Uncle, he'll know the answer

"Well. Uh, Sat'ikuq. I'm glad to know you got your revenge on Roku. It has, uh. It has been a pleasure to talk, but my uncle is waiting for me and we need to go. So I'll just. Go. Okay?"

The Spirit laughed at his words, moving everything as he shook in mirth. 

Revenge on Roku? Don't make me laugh. That was a mercy. No, my anger goes beyond life and death. A part of me has existed before Avatar Wan and will keep on existing when the last Avatar dies. A part of me is older than the dragons and the sky bison and badger moles. Something as simple and merciful as death is not a fitting punishment for his transgression!

Zuko could only gulp as fear took his body and kept him frozen in place. 

And you, young fire-breather, are what I have been waiting for in this disgusting cave for over a century!

"Me?"

Who would've seen it coming?! Are you listening, Raava? Agni? My patience has born luck, and Roku's descendant has stumbled towards me like a sacrifice on the altar! 

Roky's descendant? Raava? Agni? Screw it, I'm getting out of here. Uncle better answer some questions

Forcing his body to move, Zuko pulled his legs back and dashed towards the exit, having memorized it on his way down. For a brief moment, he thought he had managed to escape Sat'ikuq's range when something, a cold and gelatin-like mass grabbed him from his chest and roughly dragged him back to the cavern in which the Spirit's body stirred and dashed all over the wall, floor and ceiling. 

When Vaatu fell to Raava and Wan, some of his spiritual energy remained floating around. I already Was, back then, but I was nothing more than a speck of simple dust, so I took what I could and kept it growing inside me. I have been saving it for something worth my existence and you, Prince Zuko, son of Ursa, grandson of Rina, great-grandson of Roku, are everything I needed all this time!

Struggling to get away from Sat'ikuq's iron grip, Zuko yelled and kicked as hard as he could, biting and scratching what he could reach. He didn't want to know what the old Spirit had planned and he wanted Uncle. 

I sense it inside you, Roku's spawn. So much distress, darkness and chaos... It's all a mess on its own! And Vaatu's spirit feeds upon it! I have grown it for almost ten thousand years, even when Roku almost whipped it out. I'll show him, I'll ruin his destiny and his legacy!

Zuko let out a whelp of pain as the blob grabbing him tightened its grip, pressing roughly over his ribs. Lighting and thunder seemed to grow inside the cave, and Sat'ikuq grew bigger and bigger, the purple mass shining and growing towards him. 

Roku's successor won't succeed without Destiny on his side! And you, Roku's descendant, will finish his line by dying the most embarrassing, ironic death possible! You'll die just like him!

Sat'ikuq's voice was loud and cruel, and an almost sadistic grin had made its way to what seemed to be its face. 

Only the Avatar can lift this curse, but only after you reach peace within yourself! Vaatu's energy won't disappear otherwise, and until that happens you will be persecuted and hunted by the Nation you love so much! Just like him!

Panicking, Zuko struggled with all his strength, spitting fire and sending blasts with his feet. Inhaling deeply, he let out a large flame as he saw Sat'ikuq's shape ready to strike him down like a wave crashing over the tiny rocks at the beach.

This is it! The culmination of my patience and strength! Everything I have done, my existence, all for this one moment!

There was a flash of electric blue and white, powerful light expanding all over the cave, and a cruel, eerie laugh fading far, far away. 

An immeasurable wave of energy tore through the young firebender's chest and spread through his veins, scalding lava burning and boiling him from the inside out without mercy or control. Zuko could only let out shrieks of immense pain as the shock wave continued its unstoppable way. He felt the snap of his bones, the skin splitting open in bloody furrows all over his body, the brief smell of smoke and the flash of the shadow of a hand bringing back frightening memories. He could feel his muscles tearing under an overwhelming external force and as his spine snapped, the screams in his throat were drowned out by the sudden inability to express the indescribable, raw mess inside him.

At the next wave of burning pain, Zuko couldn't take it anymore and faded completely into the merciful darkness of unconsciousness, briefly longing for his Uncle before finally drifting away. 

Outside the cave, the storm kept raging on.

Chapter Text

When Zuko opened his eyes, all he was able to do was stare at the dark clouds above. It took him an embarrassing amount of minutes to realize he had, in fact, woken up. 

The storm had stopped hours ago-not many if the smell of wet earth and rock meant anything-and what covered the sky was a blanket of dark and scattered clouds, revealing the darkness of the night. The sun was still hours away from rising

The firebender groaned as the pain ebbed through his bones once more, and shook his head to clear his thoughts. As memories surged through him, he inhaled sharply before looking around in confusion. He was also surprised that he had woken up because the last memory before passing out had been so full of pain that he would have expected nothing but death.

Sat'ikuq, however, had said death would have been too easy, so maybe not. 

Struggling to even stand up, all Zuko felt was the need to go back to Uncle. Wobbling over his shaky legs and becoming aware of his surroundings, he prayed to Agni for Daisy to be okay. She didn't like to be left alone for a long time.

Maybe the Spirit was bluffing, the young bender thought while looking around. 

Something was... off, he realized then. The floor was at an unusual distance and his body felt... heavier. Warmer. Different. 

Ignoring the growing unease in his chest, Zuko took a decisive step forward, but as he looked down, his heart stopped dead in its tracks and all mist in his mind was violently expelled. The faint discomfort grew exponentially into icy panic fueled by the shocking revelation.

Down there, instead of a foot covered by a boot, was a claw.

A claw. Covered in shiny black scales like lacquered coals, wide, heavy, and with three fingers pointing forward and one pointing back, ending in long, impossibly sharp nails.

Zuko let out a startled cry, but instead of hearing his usual voice, he heard a strange noise very unlike himself. Looking around, he spotted a wide puddle of rainwater and made his quick way towards it, ignoring the new rhythm of its four legs and long, long body.

"This can't be happening. It's a nightmare, I'm hallucinating. As soon as I see the water, I'll wake up"

He stopped in his tracks before seeing his reflection. His heart was pounding violently and his body felt much hotter than usual.

"Please let it be a dream. Agni, if you are listening to me, please let it be a dream. I know that your mercy was great in allowing me to be born, but please, if you have ever listened to me, let this be a dream."

Hesitant and fearful, Zuko peered into the still puddle and his eyes widened at the reflection. 

Instead of his usual face, a very large dragon stared back at him. 

His eyes, now with narrow and slit pupils, continued to billow with the same pure gold, but that was almost the only thing in common with his human face. Now, instead of skin, it was a huge head covered above in jet-black scales topped by long golden horns pointing upwards, just above what appeared to be his ears. Beneath these, making a path to end halfway down his jaw and between both horns, a mantle of soft but short fur shone with the gold of his eyes. His four canines were now unusually long and jutted out above the rest, on each side one pointing up and one pointing down. The scales around the mouth had a reddish hue, a deep dark red like blood, and the lower part of its body, which ended just before the start of the jaw, had the same colour. At the tip of the snout, a single pair of black moustaches drooped on each side, barely falling under his jaw.

The only recognizable thing from his human face was the scar on his left eye. There, where there should have been layers of black scales, were whitish remnants of pale pink, darkening around the eye which, as always, was narrowed and hardened by burned tissue. There was no eyebrow on that side either, and his left ear was wrinkled and smaller than the other, the same colour as the rest of the scar.

Royal gold stared back at Zuko, narrowing in anger and shame as the realization sunk in. 

Zuko was a dragon. 

Zuko was a dragon. 

A dragon, of all things. What had Sat'ikuq said? Hunted down by the nation he loved so much? 

Ironic, the Spirit had called it. 

Humiliation and fury are what Zuko felt. 

Maybe that's why you can't bend lightning, a little voice whispered in his head, cruel and soft, Your sole existence brings shame and disbalance to your family.

"Shut up!", he thought back, snarling."What did Uncle say about shame and pride...? Wait... Uncle!"

Zuko's head snapped up again, staring as far as he could in all directions. He needed to find Daisy and go back to Uncle because he was sure the older man would know what to do. The sun was hours away and the former General had never been one to listen to it, so he was probably still asleep. 

Maybe Agni hadn't forgotten Zuko after all. 

With sparks of hope lighting up inside, the young Prince raised his head and called at his ostrich horse. He tried to say her name, but instead, just like before, only an animalistic roar came out of his mouth. 

He cursed inside and started pacing in circles.

"How am I supposed to go back? Daisy won't want to get close and there's no way I'll make it before sunrise by foot. Damn it! If only there was another way...", he thought, huffing a puff of smoke from his nostrils, "Is not like I have a bison to fly me around! What is my life!?"

Uncaring of who might be listening, he threw his head back once more and let out the loudest roar so far, yelling away his anger and resentment along with a hot, large flame. It lasted a good two minutes before it finally died down, letting Zuko feel a bit better than before.  A gust of wind sent chills down his spine, puffing up the fur on his face and neck. Annoyed by the cold, he nestled both wings closer as he breathed deeply, letting the heat warm up his body. It came easier than as a human, despite the size. 

Mildly satisfied with the result, the young dragon restarted his circular pacing, folded wings going up and down. He stared at them for a few seconds and, allowing curiosity, he opened fully extended further examination. They were very large to their full extent, light but surprisingly easy to move. The thin membrane in between - he assumed- were the fingers reminded him of the flutter bat drawings in the Royal Library, mostly black like most of his body but letting the barest of light shine through. By moving them around a bit he realized they started in just behind the shoulders at a very wide base and some of the tendons felt like they were in some way connected to the front legs. 

"Wings, huh?"

Testing, he flapped them vigorously up and down with the desire to raise his entire body. To his shock, it took only two flaps to raise off the ground, and the surprise was enough to lose focus and fall. it wasn't a long fall, but it hurt his pride a bit, so next time he made sure to keep them moving. 

His body seemed to know how to move and what to do, so the young prince soon found himself able to stay a few seconds in the air. Experimenting and falling a lot, he realized the tail worked as a helm by changing the direction of his flight at a minimal shift in position- surprisingly, not very tricky to use. His wings didn't have to flap much to lift him, but there needed to be at least a bit strained to keep him on the ground, although the tail movement helped him to raise the rest of his body. 

So taking off was down- almost. 

Going down was easy- the hard part was landing. Landing instead of crashing, that is, but he would have time to master it later. Now that the take-off was secured, he had the means to go back to Uncle. 

Persecuted and hunted by the nation you love so much

Sat'ikuq’s words sneaked into his head, biting at him with the venom of a viper-rat. A heavy stone hit Zuko's stomach.

“Would Uncle… ?"

There was no way. Absolutely no way. Uncle cared, loved him too much, and had stayed while everyone left. Uncle worried. If he had wanted Zuko dead, they had spent three years sailing at sea in which there had been plenty of opportunities. They had both gone through a lot together and through literal years of tea, Pai Sho and annoying proverbs, Zuko had begrudgingly come to accept his Uncle's love and genuine concern, so if he could trust someone, that someone was definitely Uncle. 

Surely he wouldn't mind sticking around longer.

The little voice in his head whispered once more, hitting close home. 

Dragon of the West, hunter of the last dragon. Even someone like him must get tired from picking up your messes. Who would pass a chance like this? Dragon of the West, dormant but alive, he's going to kill you on sight. Really, he will.

Uncle's patience had never run out, but how sure could he be that it wouldn't happen at all? Everyone got tired of him at some point. If Uncle got tired would... would he raise a blade against his own blood? What if everything was just him playing pretend, waiting for the right moment to get rid of the obstacle on his way home? Zuko couldn't risk that, he couldn't bear to be hurt fight with the only family member by his side. 

He couldn't risk looking at his Uncle's eyes, always so loving and warm and genuine, and see fury or- Agni forbid- indifference. 

So perhaps going back wasn't the smartest option.  If Zuko wanted to stay safe, he thought, he would need to get as far as he could from his Uncle. 

So wrapped up he was in his deep thoughts that he failed to notice the very familiar ostrich horse carrying the shape of the very own man he was considering leaving. If the dragon had been paying attention, he would've laughed at the old general's dumbfounded expression- a feat in itself since very little was able to surprise him.

"Nephew!?

Zuko was sure he jumped a couple of meters in the air from the sudden call, staring at Iroh's golden eyes, wide in surprise. 

There wasn't a lot more he could think of, truly. 

"Fuck"

***

Three years at sea together had done very little to ease Iroh's concern in regards to his nephew's unorthodox- if he had been a little less caring, a little less kind, he would've said shitty but alas, such was life, he couldn't- tendency of acting head-first without an ounce of self-preservation left in his decision-making priorities. Iroh's tea had always carried a bit of alcohol whenever his dear nephew decided to go on his "night trips" whenever they docked- Lieutenant Jee, for all the annoyance he showed towards the young Prince, had accompanied the General in their tea-drowning vigil. Jee had always been one of Iroh's favourites, for that. 

It had only gotten somehow worse once the Avatar showed up and, being honest with himself, he should've seen it coming from kilometres away, given the sheer size of determination, perseverance and stubbornness his nephew carried within. Most of the time, he felt proud of that, whether they acted up for the "good" reasons or not.

Perhaps he had become a little desensitized though, because when Zuko rode off into the storm to catch his lightning- a sentence he never thought would feel normal- Iroh felt concern, that got mostly and quickly covered by a heavy dose of resignation and a strong wish for some sort of alcohol. 

Never a good thing to happen.

Still, Zuko was maybe not the strongest, but definitely the most stubborn and determined person Iroh had met in his very long life. It was partly on spite, but it kept him going when things went sour. Because of this, too, Iroh hadn't worried extra much. He had hoped for his nephew to return soon instead of catching a cold under the rain, but as hours went by and the young bender didn't return, the old General felt his heart growing heavier. 

Then the storm died out, and Zuko was still not back. 

Iroh had sighed, made tea and dozed off. Waiting was less troublesome when he could sleep through it. He was startled awake by the heavy gallop of a well-known ostrich horse, saddle and reins in place but without a rider on the animal's back. 

"Daisy!"

The animal reacted to her name and made her quick way towards him, her head shaking as she snorted and kicked the ground, restless. Despite their little time together, Iroh had come to learn how unusually calm and resilient their mount was, definitely not one to be easily startled. Her being there, anxious, without nephew on sight, only served to increase the general's well-founded worry. 

It was a bit hard for the wounded man to get a firm grip on her reins, but she calmed quickly enough to make up for the effort. 

"Hey, girl. What are you doing here? Where is Prince Zuko?"

Daisy seemed a bit calmer by his words, but her eyes still held a light of restlessness and mild panic. She let out a huff from her nostrils and shook his grip, kicking the earth with her heavy talons. Wary, Iroh took a few steps back, well aware of the dangers of an ostrich horse's powerful legs. Daisy, seemingly approving of his wariness, circled him a couple of times, giving his uninjured shoulder a little nudge before lowering her head and leaning her body sideways.

She was waiting for him to hop on. 

"Can you take me to him?" 

In response, she only flapped her wings and nudged him again. Relief riding through his body, the old general groaned as his body strained painfully at the movement, still some time away from total recovery. 

"Let's go", he ordered, bumping her sides.

Without further incentive, she took off in a blur and ran as fast as she could, quickly making her way through dirt and rocks. The jostling sent sparks of pain through Iroh's injury but beggars can be chosen and he wasn't about to slow his ride down since it also took a heavy toll on her to keep up that pace for long periods. 

Some time in their ride, a thunderous roar broke the monotony of the cavalcade, distant but loud enough to cause discomfort in the eardrums. Daisy changed course and headed in the direction the incessant noise seemed to come from. There was something familiar about that call that Iroh wasn't sure he could remember exactly. He felt it was a piercing shriek he had come across in some of his years across the world, but he couldn't place exactly where or when, until a column of intense fire became visible in the distance, hidden between some hills.

Iroh's mouth went dry, and his grip on the ostrich horse's reins tightened when it clicked. 

A dragon.

It was neither Ran nor Shaw, that was certain, but it was a living dragon. How could it be possible? Were there survivors Iroh didn't know about? Such was his surprise that for a brief moment he forgot about his nephew.

The closer they got, the better the look Iroh could get on the creature. It was big, although, given its species size, it seemed to be still some years away from being a full-grown adult- not a considerable amount given their usual life span. The lack of fur in his elbows, ankles and chin only confirmed the young age of the beast, despite its considerable size. It was, perhaps, a bit bigger than the Avatar's bison*.  Its horns were large and shiny, and the lack of a thick bone layer ending in smaller horns was characteristic of the males, who needed the impressive view of their largest horns to attract future mates unlike the females, who required a more resistant and durable armour to protect their offspring and chase away potential dangers.  

Judging by the heat radiating from the flames despite the considerable distance, along with the creature's shiny gold, intimidating black and eye-catching, vibrant red, Iroh was fairly sure he had stumbled upon a teenage dragon near its first rutting season. Often, he learned from the Sun Warriors, that young males in the search of potential partners would throw the largest flames possible to impress any female nearby. Judging by the roar- still going, showing a good pair of healthy lungs- it had been its purpose to draw attention to itself. 

Dangerous, they had also said, for young males tended to be more temperamental and aggressive than usual. Lucky for Iroh, he had more than three years of practice with the most temperamental, angry and riled-up teenager in the entirety of the Fire Nation and beyond. 

The fire ran out when Iroh was already close enough, and as if not noticing the incoming ostrich horse, the large creature began pacing in circles, smoke leaving its nostrils from time to time. 

Just as the general was about to make his presence known, the flash of a familiar scar over the dragon's left eye stopped the fire bender in his tracks. 

It had the same size- proportionate to the large head- and the same colouration, the same hardened burnt tissue around the eye. Even the animal's left ear was crumpled and wrinkled, just like his nephew's. 

First, he almost scoffed at the idea. Iroh had seen his fair share of ridiculous, impossible things, but a line had to be drawn somewhere. The General had learned to not think of anything as impossible or unlikable, and secretly prided himself in being unable to get surprised anymore. But this... This was new. 

The dragon let out another shriek and a thick cloud of smoke, and the familiar gesture would've been funny in any other situation. 

For Iroh, once again, it clicked. 

The disappearance, Daisy, the scar, the pacing and smoking, the fire, the yelling, the anger... It was as clear as the sky, no matter how ridiculous it may seem.

There was only one way to confirm it. 

"Nephew?!"

The dragon startled and jumped high but, when it turned around to face him, his eyes went comically wide as his body froze in shock. And Iroh, for all his poise and nobility, could only really think one thing. 

"Fuck"

***

This was bad. This was really bad. 

Uncle was there, just when Zuko had started to think about flying away. 

He had recognized him on a glance, despite being a dragon- and leave it to Uncle to just figure it out on the spot. 

Dragon of the West, he's going to kill you. 

Screeching- not squealing, thank you very much-, the dragon stumbled back in a crappy attempt to get away, tripping with his tail and, once more, kissing the dusty floor. 

"Nephew!"

"Nope. Not today, Destiny, not today"

Zuko let out a deep rumble off his throat and stared him in the eyes as he staggered backwards, spine raised and a long, sharp tail waving in the air, ready to strike at the minimal sign of aggression. He could feel his fur puffing up, and his wings instinctively extending and fluttering to give the appearance of a larger size. 

Is not like he wanted to hurt Uncle, but he wasn't about to take the hit by staying down. If there was something Zuko knew how to do, it was to take everything standing on both feet. 

***

When the dragon- Zuko, he reminded himself- started scrambling back like a fish out of water, Iroh recognized the signs of a scared dragon, got off the horse with some difficulty and lifted his hands in a sign of peace, keeping his palms towards the ground. It seemed to work to some extent because the dragon stopped flapping his wings and stared hard, as if curious. 

"Nephew, please calm down. I'm not going to hurt you, I promise", Iroh reassured, trying to keep his posture the least threatening possible.

Zuko seemed confused, and a high-pitched whimper left his throat as soon as he completely lowered both wings.

"Well done", the former general praised, remembering those first months at sea trying to get Zuko to firebend again. "Please, believe me, Prince Zuko, when I say that I will never raise a hand against you. I have not done it before and am not planning to do so anytime soon". 

Still somewhat suspicious, Zuko took a couple of careful steps towards him and sniffed the air around him, glaring hard. Iroh smiled at him gently in an attempt to put him at ease.

"Daisy brought me here", Iroh said, pointing to the ostrich horse, "She seemed very concerned, so I jumped on and we ended here"

The dragon squealed and nodded towards the animal, who merely shook her head and stayed away. She recognized Zuko, Iroh realized, but was not comfortable next to a dragon. Apparently deciding that getting close to him was safe, Zuko engaged in his instincts and surrounded his uncle with his long neck and large head, in an unusual display of affection. Iroh, relieved, hugged him back, chuckling a bit at the sheer size difference.  

"Is good to know you are not a dragon near his first rutting season", he whispered. Unfortunately for him, Zuko's hearing had increased, so he heard it. It snapped the young bender from the warmth of the hug, breaking it and staring down at the general in horror. Iroh couldn't help but laugh at his nephew's sheer expression. 

"The rambling of an old man, please don't pay much attention", he waved off, "Now please, do tell me how did you... ended up like this, if you may"

Zuko whined and pushed him a bit harder than before. "How am I supposed to do that? I can't do anything besides roaring!". Iroh seemed to realize this and wince, a bit ashamed. 

"We'll start with yes or no questions. Did you find your lighting?"

The dragon shook his head, annoyed. The old general held back a sigh of relief- it wouldn't do to piss his nephew in such a... fiery form.

"So this happened during the storm, right? Is it a curse of sorts?"

When his nephew nodded, seemingly to both questions, Iroh frowned in concern. Curses were a tricky thing and a matter of the utmost delicacy.

"Was it from another human?"

Shake. 

"A Spirit?"

Nod. 

Iroh's concern only seemed to grow. 

"Was it an Earth Kingdom Spirit?"

Shake. 

"A Spirit from one of the Nations?"

Shake. 

"Was it an Ancient Spirit?"

Nod. 

"Can you write their name?"

Nodding, the dragon moved away and lifted a claw, focusing really hard on writing the spirit's name on the ground. 

Sat'ikuq

Iroh felt his face paling, and stumbled for a moment, feeling his injuries flaring up. Zuko caught him before he hit the ground, and helped him sit down in front of the name. His raised eyebrow and eye shining in concern did enough to show his curiosity and wariness. 

"Yes, I... I've heard of him, before. It's nothing good, I assure you. You are not going to like it"

***

So, Uncle knew about Sat'ikuq and said it meant nothing new.

Big news.

It wasn't surprising, really. Uncle knew a lot about many things. And Zuko didn't like the situation already, so he thought it couldn't really get much worse.

"Records and writings about him go way back to before the Fire Nation, so there isn't much left of him to read. It is said that when the first Avatar, Avatar Wan, fought against Vaatu, Spirit of Chaos and Darkness, and sealed him away in the spirit world, some of Vaatu's energy was left around. That energy fed through millenniums was what kept Sat'ikuq growing powerful until he showed up to threaten and invade us during Avatar Roku's age. He and Sozin fought and imprisoned him, erasing most of Vaatu's leftovers with him. Since no one ever saw a trace of Sat'ikuq after that, it was thought he had been killed and eradicated during Roku's early years". The former General sighed and let his shoulder go limp, his face tired and old like the years on his back, "It seems that is not the case. He's nearby, isn't he? You stumbled in his cave?"

Zuko had to force himself to nod, embarrassed by his stupidity. Uncle's stare darkened, and for a moment, the young prince saw what everyone meant by seeing the Dragon of the West. 

"Then it will be better if we leave this place as soon as possible. Sat'ikuq's curse is a strong one, and his rage against Sozin's line must be great. It will be better to not give him more reason to attack"

Ice ran through Zuko's veins.

Sat'ikuq's actions had been against Roku, not Sozin. There was no way Uncle of all people, wouldn't know that detail. Why would he lie to Zuko about his heritage? 

A sense of dread and far rage burned somewhere in his stomach. 

How long had Uncle known? Why hadn't he said anything? Why was he lying even then?.

He wants the Roku line to disappear too, and you are too much of a disappointment to be a good heir to Sozin. He doesn't think you're worth his time, why would he bother explaining? Failure, failure, not even Uncle will deny. He wants you out of the way, to save the Fire Nation from the embarrassment that is your existence. He wants you gone. 

The little whispers in his head did make more sense, when out like that. Even Zuko agreed.

There was also the possibility that Uncle didn't know, as far-fetched as it sounded. 

"So what if Uncle knows? He must be waiting for me to prove myself worthy. He wants me to get stronger, to bring honour to the line of our greatest benders. He wants me to succeed but he thinks is not my time yet. I'll prove to him I'm worthy of knowing, I'll make him proud. I'll bring honour and glory to him once I give the Avatar to my father. He'll know my Sozin blood is strong, that I won't feel ashamed from carrying Roku in my veins", Zuko thought, determined. 

Either that or Uncle hadn't known, which it was very unlikely given who he was. If there was another reason for his Uncle to lie for so long, Zuko... wasn't sure what he would do about it. How would he feel? 

Lately, determining emotions and loyalties was becoming more and more complicated, and the matter only seemed to get worse as time went by. 

It was stressful and exhausting and it left him with migraines from thinking so hard. 

If he has lied about this, how much else has lied about? Does he really care about you? Failure, traitor, a useless prince without an ounce of honour. Who would love you?

"Zuko?", Uncle called, snapping the young Prince from his flying thoughts, "Are you alright? You spaced out"

"I'll make Uncle proud, I won't be weak in front of him. He'll notice I'm strong, and he'll trust me more. He'll... he'll... he'll love me more. Probably"

Zuko nodded, determined, with a puff of smoke from his nose. It seemed to do the trick since Uncle's stance relaxed a bit and he smiled gently, warmly, like always did. 

"Good. Before we leave, did  Sat'ikuq say something about how to break the curse? It would be really useful, but if he didn't I know people who could give us a hand"

The young prince nodded once more and, carefully, drew the four nations as his Uncle had done during his explanation of Lightning Redirection. 

"The Four Elements?"

Zuko made a wobbly circle around the four symbols, knowing Uncle would pick it up quickly. 

"The Avatar? He can undo it?"

Bingo. No clarification was needed, Iroh had always been smarter than he let on. The Dragon of the West hadn't fought for just a day, he was still a former military strategist. 

Uncle let out a deep sigh, concern furrowing his wrinkles. 

"This won't be an easy feat. If you fly fast, you might be able to reach him, but getting him to undo such a powerful curse won't be an easy job. And if anyone from the Fire Nation spots you, you'll be shot on sight. The glory and rewards from a dragon are big, and many will be drawn to it, so you'll have to be extra careful"

"What does he mean by fly fast?  Extra careful?"

He wants you gone, he wants you away, he wants you dead. He knows you aren't worth the effort, useless, pathetic. Don't trust him.

"Shut it! Uncle is not like that!"

In protest, Zuko bit the edge of his robes and tugged slightly, letting a mildly annoyed growl show a bit of tooth. 

"What is it? Don't worry nephew, I'm sure you'll catch up to them soon enough if you part now".

His words only served to anger Zuko further, and he tugged him with more strength, using his neck this time and singing the robes a bit.

"Hey!", he yelped, confused. It soon dawned on him, though, because his eyes shone with caring endearment and genuine concern. 

"See that, head? He cares!"

"Zuko. My dear nephew, please don't think I want to send you away. You know I worry a lot whenever you are out of sight, but sometimes it can't be helped. And this... this is of the utmost importance". The old man's expression shifted to the one he used when discussing military strategies, and Zuko stiffened instinctively in response. "Listen, Prince Zuko. Vaatu's sole existence was fed by chaos, destruction and darkness. He was fueled by hate and thrived on conflict, enjoyed it. If legends are true and Sat'ikuq grew some of his left energy, you might be affected by said darkness. There is already enough turmoil within you as it is; to have some of that spiritual residue will only hurt you further. You need to get rid of it as soon as possible. As we stand, we can't train you in bending and I lack the knowledge or skills to help you out. The Avatar is the only way. You'll have to get his help, or your mind may get corrupted beyond repair, with time"

And maybe it was his new animal form, but Zuko was feeling a little bit more expressive, so he whined and tightened the grip of his teeth. 

He heard Iroh letting a deep breath out. 

"I know, nephew, I know. I don't want to leave you like this. To be honest, I would want nothing more than to stand by your side through this, but my priority is your well-being. If I went with you, we'll have both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation after both of us. Even worse, given who I am and what I have done in the past, the Avatar group may not be so willing to welcome me with open arms. Besides, riding on Daisy is painful enough. I don't think a fly on a dragon would do me good"

"I know you care, but please don't leave me. There's no one else, and I want to keep you safe", Zuko thought, desperately reaching to keep his Uncle nearby. 

Suddenly, thick and strong arms were hugging him by the neck, and the young prince allowed the warmth of the painless touch to heat him within. 

"I'll be fine, nephew. You don't have to worry about me; I might be retired and out of shape, but I have not lived this long without backup plans, you know?", the older bender smiled at him,  "I know how to stay out of sight, so I'll be fine. I'll try to gather as much information as possible to help you out on my way to Ba Sing Se. The Earth capital is the safest place for someone like us, so even if things go well or not, I'll wait for you there. If you want to meet me, just go to the little forest near the Eastern side of the Outer Wall, when Agni shines the least. No matter what, we'll meet once more"

A purr, deep and grave, rumbled its way from the dragon's chest when he decided to hug his uncle tighter. Touched, Iroh squeezed back before letting go to get something from his pockets. Feeling as if it would be impossible to stay if he hanged around some more, Zuko broke the hug and ran in the opposite direction, flapping his wings as hard as possible 

The excitement in his heart, however, was interrupted when a sudden shift from his tail sent him falling to the ground. Again. 

"Nephew!"

Zuko stood again, more embarrassed than in pain, to meet Iroh's amused stare. Annoyed, the dragon huffed some smoke to his face. 

"Now, now, don't give me that look. I'll help you out! There was a lot of information about dragons in Caldera, so I know a thing or two. Up, up! There's no time to waste!"

The next few hours were... busy, to say the least. Frustrating. Painful, dirty and infuriating. 

"No, not like that, keep the tail loose!"

"Don't flap them too much, you'll lose your balance!"

"The legs go with the body, don't fight it!"

"Get up, Nephew, that was a close one"

"Use a slower flapping to soften your landing, I'm sure it won't be painful that way"

"Oh Agni, Prince Zuko the horns are not supposed to be used like that! Are you insane? You are going to break your neck!"

"Breath, nephew, everything comes from the breath"

"Very well, just like that. Feel every part of you, control your muscles and movement will come along"

It took an embarrassing amount of hours to get it down, and Zuko would've never guessed that someday he would receive flying lessons from his uncle, of all things. In his opinion, Iroh had enjoyed his job a little too much, if his bemused eyes were anything to go by. 

After a while, Daisy had gotten bored and started to peck the ground, searching for something edible. 

"I'm getting hungry, so we should go back to our camp. We'll discuss things better once we reach it". 

As Zuko's first official flight, it felt kind of... dull. New, yes, but nothing super amazing. He did arrive faster than his uncle, so maybe it had its advantages. The young dragon decided to take a nap outside while Iroh made tea and lunch with their limited resources, happy to see how Daisy now relaxed near him. 

They ate quietly, knowing what was about to happen. 

"Nephew, come here. There is something that might help"

Curious, the dragon stepped closer while his uncle searched for something in their bags. 

"Here it is!"

In his hand, little, round, worn out and innocent-looking, was a White Lotus tile. 

Zuko deadpanned at it, unamused. 

"Don't be so resented, nephew. I promise you, it may come in handy. Now please bend closer, I can't stretch much"

Doing as he was told, Zuko stayed still as he let Iroh do whatever he was doing with his mane. It didn't take long, and when he turned to see what was all about, Iroh grabbed one of his nephew's dao and used its blade to show a reflex. 

Squinting, Zuko saw that by his right side, visible and well-made, was a thick braid made from his fur with the lotus tile hanging innocently at the end. 

"My Pai Sho friends will recognize this on sight, and their aid will be useful when the time comes. They'll say "The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets", and you will bow your head in response. It will be enough, and they won't ask anything in return". At Zuko's wary stare, Iroh spoke again. "I can't tell you more than that, I'm afraid. My friends like to keep to themselves and will not be happy if I go around telling their names. Just trust me on this, and you'll get help when you least expect it"

He doesn't trust you with that either. It's probably a trap

Ignoring the annoying whispers in his head, reluctant but trusting, Zuko nodded in acceptance. Relieved, Iroh grabbed their stuff and started gathering in order, choosing to leave behind what they didn't need or couldn't afford to carry. 

The sun was high in the sky by the time Iroh finished packing up.

"Stay within the Earth Kingdom and avoid the ocean if you can. The villages on the outskirts will be better for quick hideouts, but don't stay too long on one play, since a living dragon will attract attention. Caves, rocky hills and dense trees will be your best options to sleep. Try not to give off any particular pattern, so you don't get followed. Rivers will be useful to get fish, but I'm sure you'll be able to go by either way", he rambled as he packed their things on their ostrich horse saddled, "If things go well too, I'll take you to meet some masters that might help you out. They are very experienced and wise, so I think it may do you well!"

He, with Zuko's help, hoped on Daisy with their belonging on the back. They both stared at each other fondly, with a lot of emotions shining in their eyes.  Surprising Zuko, Uncle's hands formed the Fire Nation's traditional bow as he lowered his body as much as he could.

"Don't forget, Prince Zuko, that honour lies only within us and our actions. You have proven to me that your honour is as strong as ever, even if you can't see it as I do. I'm proud of you, Zuko, don't you ever doubt it"

Fighting the tears and the lump in his throat, Zuko could only bow enough for his horns to reach the ground, hoping it could convey how grateful he was. 

"I love you, uncle", he meant. Judging by Uncle's warm eyes, it showed. The former General showed him the pearl dagger and placed it somewhere inside his robes, grinning widely. 

"I'll keep this safe for you when you come back. Until we meet again, my dear nephew. Please, take care, and May Agni feed your Fire"

With a last nod, Zuko turned his back on him and ran for a few meters before taking off, quickly rising in the air. Luckily for him, the voice in his head seemed to be quiet, unable to say something against the real concern in Iroh's last words. 

Fighting the urge of his squeezing heart yelling at him to go back, Zuko flapped his wings to fasten his pace and shot to the horizon with his most determined stare. 

He had a mission, and this time, he wasn't going to fail. He'd prove himself strong enough, worthy. For Uncle, to meet him again with pride and true honour.

***

Seeing Zuko fly away from him was much harder than it had the right to be, but it was the right thing to do, for the prince's sake. 

Still, it was difficult. However, dwelling in the past would do good to no one, so once the dragon disappeared on the horizon, completely out of view, the old general nudged Daisy to start his way on the road. 

He was going to Ba Sing Se eventually, but with the recent events, there would be a few stops here and there. The White Lotus would be informed about a young dragon, although its true identity was to remain a secret until it was absolutely necessary. 

Riding away from his family with a pang in his heart, Iroh steeled his will to endure the long trip ahead. Many things needed to be done, and time was against them once more. Hesitation would only lead to failure.

There was a lot of work to do, for both of them.

Chapter Text

As the dot of the old house that had served as his refuge for the last few days disappeared from the horizon, Zuko felt a strange heaviness in his chest, not at all related to his new form. There was no turning back, however; a mission was a mission and it had to be accomplished without question. The young prince was more than aware of everything that depended on his success or failure, although a part of him laughed at the irony of the situation.

His mission, at first glance, was the same as before: find the Avatar. Almost as if back to his roots, following his orders not-so-long-ago instead of doing Agni-knows what. Although the Fire Lord demanded his capture for the glory of the Nation and Iroh asked for the child's aid to ensure his nephew's well-being. There was a difference in the purposes. Both tasks overlapped one another, and although Zuko had a feeling that, when the time came, he would have to choose which one to follow, it was a decision that could still be postponed in favour of avoiding headaches and unnecessary migraines- the Spirits knew he had plenty of those without help.

Still, it didn't matter. At that time, finding him was the priority, and the rest would come later.

“I need clues, to know where he's going”, thought the dragon, setting routes on the maps in his head, “They shouldn't be very far yet”.

Below them, the flat, dry landscape receded further and further behind, slowly filling with abundant vegetation and high cliffs. Remembering his uncle's warnings, Zuko veered slightly to where there were large spaces covered in rock beds that a flying bison could enter, away from military roads and open plains where he would be an easy target for catapults and projectiles.

“Going into the plains would be foolhardy, and no one in their right mind would enter the Si Wong Desert on a whim. If the Avatar is looking for rest, shelter, and plenty of food, the lowlands and their villages will be the most sensible option,” the prince reasoned, keeping his course between the rock formations.

It was only hours later that the monotony of the constant flapping of wings was interrupted by a fleeting and gut-freezing idea shining above the rest and realization sinking in. The young dragon let out a frustrated roar as he stopped dead in midair, wisps of smoke and flames escaping his nostrils.

“And since when does the Avatar makes reasonable decisions!? Stupid! I'm so stupid! Of course he will stay on the plains! He might as well go for a ride to the Si Wong for fun! How did I not notice? Ugh!”

The prince kept up a steady growl as he turned back toward the plains from his path near the ocean, cursing the loss of valuable flight hours under his breath. He didn't like the idea of exposing himself to the open either, he would have preferred not to, but he had a mission to complete and there was no room for comfort.

Knowing that it would still take a good few hours of flying to get there, Zuko decided to perfect his flight along the way, taking advantage of being out of sight to try the tricks and pirouettes he saw the Avatar's bison pull off during their chases. He was mentally appreciative of his obsessive nature, for many notes had been written on the furry beast's aerial manoeuvres, and all of them memorized.

Like his new mission at hand. 

Who was he supposed to obey? Who was he supposed to follow? Despite everyone- including Uncle- seeming to think of him as a fool, naive and one-minded guy, Zuko wasn't a total idiot. Just because he chose to ignore information he deemed unimportant to his goals, it didn't mean he didn't realise their importance as a whole. 

He knew, for a fact, what a key factor was to the Fire Nation's victory for the Avatar to be defeated, even if said Avatar was a pacifist, twelve-year-old monk, seemingly vegetarian who genuinely wanted to be friends with Zuko even though nobody ever did. Conflicting, probably treasonous thoughts often showed up in his head, particularly after the monk's words after escaping Pouhai.

He didn't really want the Avatar to die. As the last Airbender, he was the only link to an almost extinct culture, and Zuko had seen the bones. The large ones, the medium ones and the small ones. He had seen the skeletons of large bisons covering the entrance of chambers full of tiny burnt pieces of bone and his heart had shattered at the painted picture. 

Arriving at the North Air Temple had been the first time in his life- asides from the War Room and the 41st- Zuko had doubted the benefit of war as a whole. When he had asked Uncle about it, he had received no clear response, as usual.

So. 

Maybe he didn't want to kill the Avatar. Maybe he had doubts about the war prolonged by Father. Maybe he was still resentful about the 41st, and still had nightmares about the remains in the Air Temples. The tiny clothes and not-empty cribs and the ashes spread in the wind. Did those thoughts make him a traitor?

He loved his Nation, truly, but couldn't help but think how unnecessary some of its actions were. Every name from the 41st was a constant reminder of it.

What was the other choice, anyway? What could he do, if not doing as Father said? If he quit, if he stopped, it meant that everything done until then would've been for nothing. His years at sea, his pain, his sleepless nights. All of it, just to serve a useless cause from a man that only grew worse and worse the longer Zuko spent away from home. 

It was... mildly upsetting. 

Time was valuable, after all, and if he hadn't been chasing the Avatar Zuko knew he probably would've been able to help his people more if he was still in the palace, in a position of power. But no, he had to open his mouth and get himself banished and he could nothing about it other than chasing a spirit's tale in order to go home. 

And even that, he managed to screw it up. Idiot, useless, thoughtless Prince, who could do nothing right. 

Who to obey? That was the important question. Or, he could do both. Perhaps. He could get the Avatar's help and then capture it and take it to Father and get his honour back. 

Probably. 

Even if the Avatar was younger than Zuko during the Agni Kai.

Damnit.

Zuko was mad, but it was getting harder to determine to who. 

Maybe... maybe it wasn't at the spirits, or at his bad luck. He had never been angry at Azula either, just- as much as it bothered him to admit it- jealous. Not at Mother either even though she abandoned him and ditched him alone like he didn't matter,  and never at Father. Sure, they had quite the rocky relationship but Father was Father and the Fire Lord and getting mad at him would be even more treasonous than getting the Avatar out of Pouhai. 

Zuko could be a disappointment, a weakling failure and an honourless prince but despite everything, he was loyal to his Nation and to the Fire Lord. It would take a lot of time and effort, but surely if the Avatar was taken to him Father would be finally pleased and everything would be well again. 

His own self-assurance couldn't sound faker even if he tried. 

So. Not at Father.

And Uncle could be annoying with his tea and Pai Sho and useless proverbs and had looked away after leaving him alone for years but had stayed when it mattered. Uncle, despite everything, cared. 

So. 

So. 

Maybe Zuko was just angry at himse-

"We're here", Hua's voice interrupted his spiralling thoughts, clear and loud and close. 

Zuko flinched and yelped and a little flame escaped his jaws. Embarrassed, he made an apologetic groan- not a whimper, thank you very much, princes don't whimper- at her direction but the girl, seemingly unphased, patted his side as she opened the barn. 

The inside was- like she had said before- cosy. Kind of. Barely big enough to fit a teenage dragon, dark and full of old hay, somehow managing to stay warm, too, although a few air currents were passing through with scary ease. 

It was the best shelter Zuko could've asked for. 

"Here. I know is not much, but it will do for the night. It used to be our old barn but we moved closer to the village when dad came back from the front. Those damned fire soldiers burned his legs, so he's not able to move around much. They hurt you too, haven't they? Damned ashmakers"

There was that word again. 

Ashmaker. 

Spit with such scorn and disdain that it could be heard as nothing but an insult. As if the ability to firebend itself- Agni's gift, His grace, His blessing- was an unforgivable sin to be looked down upon. Baffling, truly. 

Is it? The Fire Nation has burned down everything on its way. Land. Villages. Houses. People. Children, even. Remember the bones at the Air Temples? Is fire not a curse meant to destroy and maim? It is not a blessing, it is a monstrosity. Look at your face. Marked by the scorch of flames, you have dawned it upon your enemies without a second thought. You even threatened to burn away the ones who offered to heal your esteemed Uncle. Your fire can only destruct. Your fire is a curse, you are a curse, you should've never been born-

"I'll bring some fish soon so just wait here, okay?", Hua once more snapped him from his thoughts, "It'll be either me, Yang or Haoran", she remembered out loud, walking out the barn to ride her ostrich-horse again, "The barn is unlocked but don't go out, we don't want to get attention on us. Stay safe!"

And there was the other issue, wasn't it?

How was he supposed to keep himself loyal to the Nation when every time he walk through the Earth Kingdom, its citizens showed more kindness and compassion to a stranger than the Fire Nation soldiers to the former Prince? Never mind that he was banished, some sort of respect would've stayed, right?

Besides, the Earth's goodwill only lasted until they saw golden eyes and flaring hands. Nothing new, so nothing to feel sad about. Mere peasants wouldn't know better, that's why the Fire Nation had the duty to teach proper civilization to the lesser cultures. 

Mother. The 41st. Song. All those people you stole from. Li, Sela, Ganzu. Who here is the lesser one? Don't we all have blood in our hands? Death and War don't judge by colours.

Any possible argument would've felt even faker than his former reassurances, so Zuko didn't bother to ignore the little whispering voice. Instead, he walked to a nice corner of the barn, made a nest-ish makeshift hay bed and laid down, resting his large head over his claws. 

Look how far you've fallen. A stinking beast, using the commoner's mercy instead of taking. 

"Shut up, will you? I'm not in the mood for your stupid babbling", Zuko thought back, a bit nonchalant. Recently for him, the whispering voices in his head had grown louder, and ignoring them was becoming more and more difficult with time. The voice, surprisingly, fell quiet, and Zuko used the brief moment of peace to close his dropping eyes and half-nap until the food arrived. 

The next few hours flew by in a half-delirious haze. The effects of the curse seemed to have taken away most of his energy, so even if the fish brought by Haoran smelt amazing, Zuko was barely able to lift his neck and chomp it down in one without second thoughts. 

He heard him and Hua snickering and bantering a few times, heard Yang giggling nearby and even more childish voices growing closer and stepping back at his snarling fangs. A part of him guessed he maybe should be more alert, more willing to bite and run than to stay in his "little" corner of the "little" barn, but Zuko was tired. Dead tired. His muscles, now cold and rested, protested at the slightest movement. His wings refused to fold themselves properly and moving his horned head was impossible. 

Perhaps he could rest, for once. It harmed no one and Hua, Haoran and Yang had seemed genuine in their intentions to help. Uncle had always said he needed to learn how to relax, and even if Uncle wasn't near- especially if Uncle wasn't near- he might as well give it a try to his advice, right?

So Zuko did that. He allowed what he knew were children to get close enough to touch him, climb over his surprisingly large horns with only a half-hearted glare, and poke his wings with innocent curiosity. He felt amusement at Haoran and Hua scolding Yang for telling the kids in town about their discovery while keeping the tip of his tail away from the kid's shoes and hands, not wanting it to be stepped on or pulled.

He gave them little nudges and puffed some smoke rings to the ceiling and relaxed the slightest at their laughter and giggles. 

He shot Hua, Haoran and Yang a pained smile when the girl touched his scarred side, crying as she remembered her father's struggles. He allowed them close and behaved because he was tired, but enjoyed the closeness he had been longing for a long time. 

Lulled by the warmth in his chest, Zuko drifted away into a deep slumber. 

A piercing shriek snapped him open, and he had a moment of shock at thinking he had slept past Agni's rise when he noticed that no, Agni was not up yet. 

"DRAGON! WAKE UP!"

Then more muffled screams but by then Zuko was already wide awake and lifted his head up to attack the potential danger. And. He cursed himself. Deeply, with rage and fury and disgust. 

Because he could hear and smell many people- adults, not playful children- around the barn and by the edge of his right eye he saw some of them holding the siblings down, and once covering Hua's mouth to stop her from more yelling. And he could send some of the chains passed over his body, and his back legs and the base and middle of his neck and the man in front standing with the largest muzzle Zuko had ever seen.

The next few seconds of silence were as tense as the day before a large battle. Like those seconds between his father cupping his cheek and setting his face on fire and those seconds between Azula faking surrender and her striking Uncle down. 

Muzzle Man seemed petrified in terror, but the others weren't. 

"IT'S AWAKE!"

A thunderous, enraged roar pierced everyone's ears, and Zuko furiously jerked his body, his screeching growls and snarls keeping everyone from acting up. The chains weren't manacles and his wings weren't tied yet, so he raised them and flapped them like back with Uncle, effectively keeping them all at bay. The wind lifted from his movement distracted them all enough for the dragon to forcefully dig the chains from the ground, where they had been nailed, and it hurt but it was either that or prison and Zuko refused to be taken down by mere peasants. 

He howled and hissed at everyone once again, charging towards the door with little care, ready to fly. As soon as he was out, rocks flew towards him from everywhere and of course there were earth benders, it was an Earth village. 

 This is what you get for trusting, this is why you get for lowering your guard. Burn it, burn it all to the ground, make them regret ever raising a hand against you. 

Zuko cried out loud and rose on his back legs, desperate to quiet the howl of his thoughts. 

"Stop! Please stop, don't hurt it! It's done nothing wrong!"

"Stay away from it!"

"Don't hurt it!"

The sibling's cries were drowned out too, unfortunately, and Zuko was unable to listen while facing several earth benders. A flying chunk of stone collided against his horn, shaking his balanced, and a flying chain swiftly pulled by several men dragged his neck down. 

Things weren't doing really great, and the weights of the chains still wrapped around his back legs were dragging him down even further. 

"CLOSE HIS MOUTH! DON'T LET IT BREATHE HIS DAMN FIRE!"

There was a moment, a brief, almost imperceptible moment, in which Zuko's amber stare crossed with Hua's emerald eyes. 

It said a lot and, at the same time, meant nothing.  Zuko had to survive, and he never gave up. Not without a fight.

Zuko still had a lot to fight for. 

He inhaled, deep, deep, inflated his chest and let his Inner Fire fuel his insides. He kept the flame growing and growing until the chains hissed at the heat from his skin and the hot iron hurt but it didn't matter because Zuko breathed out.

The cries of fear were quickly overcome by the deafening roar of the large dragon, who howled in anger as he let the fire from his blast ignite everything in his way. The barn caught on fire and a lot of people had to jump away or fall to the ground to avoid being charred to a crisp but Zuko didn't stop because he didn't care and he wanted them all to turn to ashes for daring to attack him in his sleep, for daring to hurt him when this time it wasn't earned and-

Then Hua cried out in pain and Zuko froze. 

He looked at where the siblings had been and stared, with increasing horror, at the scene displayed in front. 

One of the old barn's largest wood pieces had fallen out from the wall and then fallen down upon the three of them who, distracted by the fire and the commotion around, didn't see it coming until it was too late. The still-burning piece of wood fell on top of the girl and was crushing his leg, and her siblings were unable to lift it since, old or not, the wood was heavy.

"Those damned fire soldiers burned his legs, so he's not able to move around much-", and Zuko knew she was remembering her father's legs and her screams were mostly out of fear than out of pain and he would recognize that sound everywhere because his own screams were the same after waking up from a horrific nightmare.

Unsure of when he started moving, the young prince made his violent way toward the siblings. He ignored Yang and Haoran's protests and with his mouth, lifted the heavy wood piece from the ground until he was sure they had moved Hua out of the way. 

He placed it back on the ground and behind her, not far enough from the barn and with eyes wide from fear, he saw the kids that had played with him hours before.

He saw them afraid of fire and afraid of Zuko. 

The prince looked down and once again, exchanged stares with the Hua. 

"Thank you...", she whispered, voice shaky and eyes shiny. 

"I don't deserve it", Zuko thought bitterly, "It was my fault".

Haoran's eyes widened and that was all the warning Zuko needed. 

"Wait, don't-!"

Too late. 

A crossbow's arrow whistle through the sky and, before Zuko reacted, lodged itself between the scales by the hip, the tip of it piercing some flesh. Surprised and in pain, the moment broke apart as the dragon hollered at the sky and turned around to charge at the shooter. 

He galloped as fast as he could and ignored everything else until with a final leap, rose towards the sky and quickly left the barn behind. 

The burning barn and the scared children and an injured Hua. 

You did this. You attacked them, you harmed innocents. So much for your so-called honour. Just like Azula, just like Father. What would Mother say? What would Uncle think? Disgraceful. Disgusting. You should've let them hunt you down piece by piece instead of burning their home. Biting the hand that fed you, how dare you? Spineless coward, worthless viper-rat. 

"I know...", he thought bitterly, holding pained whimpers at the movements that made his hip flare-up. 

After that, he didn't dare to stop. Not for a drink, not for a meal, not to sleep. Reaching his destination was the priority and getting distracted would only slow him down. 

"Keep going. Just keep going", he told himself whenever the pain and exhaustion threatened to overcome his drive and his vision went blurry. 

He wasn't sure how long he kept flying. His body moved and moved and kept moving in a trance until suddenly, his wings stopped responding. As he panicked, his body slumped to the far ground and he lost his sense of direction, unable to determine which was up and which was down. Upon colliding with the ground, his vision went black for a moment as the rumble in his stomach subsided momentarily.

For a brief moment, Zuko considered not getting up. 

Then Uncle's face flashed through his mind, and back again he was getting up. It hurt a lot. His muscles were strained beyond comprehension, many of his scales were slightly sunburned by the constant, uninterrupted exposure and that damned arrow was still nudging at the flesh of his hip, causing enough pain down his right leg to create a limp. The lack of food, sleep and water was slowly- or not so slow- but surely wearing him down and just the thought of flying again was enough to stop him in his tracks. 

By his right, luckily, he saw a cave carved in a mountain, hidden from above and covered by multiple bushes. Zuko only saw it because he rose taller than most, and his night vision had improved after the transformation. 

Holding in little hurt whimpers, he somehow limped his way inside the blessed refuge and let out a breath of relief. A part of him wanted to walk away and fly further, for he knew that by every second he spent resting, the further the Avatar went. 

But Zuko was drained, and he was in pain and hungry and afraid and thirsty.

"A man needs his rest"

He missed Uncle, too. Greatly. 

Exhausted by the constant ache of his wounds, the emptiness of his stomach, the dryness of his throat and the flaring pain in his head, Zuko thought that it would hurt no one to follow Uncle's advice for once.  It's not like he was taking a forever vacation of sorts, it was just a quick nap, nothing big! Besides, flying and dodging all day was not easy and the sting in his eyes was enough of a sign of the urgent sleepy time. 

"Just for tonight, I'll fly away with the sun. Just a little nap"

Luckily for him, the cave he had stumbled upon was big enough for the big dragon's body to fit several times, so he had plenty of space to move.  Zuko went to the darkest corner available and, to fight the cold stone, breathed a long and steady jet of fire that left the rock smoking. Letting out a breath of relief, the young prince circled his chosen spot a couple of times before collapsing on the rock and curling up as much as possible. Using both of his front legs as a pillow and his large wings as a make-shift blanket, the quietness of his shelter and the darkness of the night quickly lulled him into a deep slumber. 

***

Far from the plains, in the middle of a camp set up on the coast near the low mountains, a soldier and her captain hurriedly made their way to the red and gold canvas tent, carrying between them a mid-sized coffer filled with several scrolls from many different messenger hawks.

"Princess Azula, we have important news from our troops!"

Zihan, a young soldier only recently called to the field before being sent to Azula's troops, called the princess out from the outside of her tent. The young soldier was accompanied by her captain, Mingze, to verify the given information and, unofficially, provide emotional support. 

 "Come in", the princess replied, her voice laced with boredom and indifference. 

Gulping, Mingze walked behind his subordinate to enter the Royal tent, cursing the moment he decided that fighting in a war was better than tending to his family's farm- a big miscalculation from his side. 

The tent they both walked in was much bigger than everyone else's, set up nicely, comfortable and made of the most durable and expensive materials. In the middle, in front of a low table, the Princess was looking down from her iron chair, playing to lit up little flames from the tip of her fingers. 

Her friend, the circus girl and the knife-wielding noble, were sitting by her side, seemingly focused on a game of cards. 

"This better be important. I don't like wasting my time", she demanded, seemingly bored out of her mind.

"Your Highness, we've received... unusual reports from several of our troops all over the eastern side of the Earth Kingdom"

"Enemies?"

Zihan was not sure how to answer, so she shifted the weight of her feet and stared down. 

"Sort of, Your Highness"

The princess scoffed and waved a patronizing hand.  "Don't give me such a useless answer. Either say what you came to say and be useful once in your life or leave this tent at once". The soldier swallowed the lump in her throat- because, well, there was no reason to be so mean- cleared it, and gave her princess the mid-sized coffin. 

"Here, Your Highness. We... we have received several reports talking about the sighting of a... of a dragon. A big, black dragon, flying deeper into the continent"

If Zihan hadn't known better- and she did- she would've said that the Fire Princess seemed shocked, at least a little. Luckily for her, she had enough good sense to keep her mouth shut and, as consequence, keep her head on her shoulders. 

Whatever the Princess felt, made or ordered was not to be questioned, only obeyed. Only after several minutes without reply did Mingze dare to utter a word. 

"Princess Azula? Is everything alright?"

His words seemed to make her realize they bother were still there and, after she intensely stared at the reports, the corner of her lips lifted sharply and her amber eyes glowed with a predatory stare. Mingze trembled at her expression and looked down once more. 

"Set our troops to ready the invasion in Ba Sing Se and make sure the drill is on top condition, but tell them not to engage until I command it. Send a servant to pack up our things and prepare the Mongoose Lizards for riding. Mai and Ty Lee are coming with me, and we'll be departing soon", she commanded, excitement rushing through her veins. 

"Yes, your Highness". Zihan left her tent immediately. Mingze, assuming he was also dismissed, walked after his subordinate but was quickly stopped by Azula. 

"You, soldier. You're a captain, right?".

Mingze flinched at her abrupt addressing but kept his head low and bowed slightly. 

"Yes, Your Highness" 

"So I assume you have access to our war hawks"

"I do"

"Then send this message to every high-ranking officer: The dragon is not to be killed or maimed, only captured and locked up to be brought to me. I'll be the one to tame it and take it to the Fire Lord, so he'll show his worthiness by riding to battle with Agni's beasts under his command! If anyone dares to lay a finger on that animal before me, they'll face the immediate punishment for treason and will be executed on the spot. Am I being clear, captain?"

"Y-yes, your Highness"

"Good. Now hurry, and make sure those messages get sent fast. We don't have time to lose"

The captain a proper bow and left as quick as he could without looking suspicious.

As a high-ranking officer, he respected and accepted the authority of the Royal Family, but couldn't help the fear rushing through his veins when meeting the youngest member. She was as ruthless as her father, with a sharp and cunning mind surpassing even seasoned veterans. 

It was best for everyone to stay out of her way, lower their head and obey orders to the best of their capabilities. 

***

"So not even Uncle could get rid of all dragons, huh? Lucky me"

As soon as the captain walked out, the princess turned to her friends, both looking at her determined eyes and knowing what they were going to do next. 

"Why the silence? We're getting out of this stinking camp, you two should be celebrating"

"Azula...", Ty Lee asked in a pout, "What if the dragon doesn't listen? I heard they were powerful creatures, so we could get hurt if it decides to respond"

"Dragons were said to be incredibly intelligent too, so I'm sure it will know what's best for them," Mai replied before Azula could open her mouth, "If not, we'll bring it down. Isn't that right, Azula?"

The fire bender's smile stretched further and she nodded, in approval. 

"Well said, Mai. Now, let's cut this pointless chatter and get ready to leave soon. We have a dragon to capture, ladies, we can't waste time"

Many kilometres away, Zuko sneezed a puff of smoke. 

Chapter Text

It's happening long, long ago. Barely a few days after... something, she calls Zuko to her bedroom. It's full of white towels and healers, but all of them retire as soon as he enters. 

"Zuko, my love. Come here, there's someone I want you to meet"

He walks towards her, cautious and concerned for the mother he hasn't seen in days and has been told to stay away from. In her arms, there is a bundle of clean red clothes, tiny and minuscule and almost unimportant if not for the care and delicacy in which it's being held by her. 

"Mommy, are you feeling better? Everyone told me to stay away. Are you sick?"

Her laugh is like the soft ringing of the bells, melodious and harmonic. 

"I wasn't sick, Zuko, just pregnant", she smiles, ruffling his hair in the affectionate way only she is allowed to do, despite how much he loathes having his hair get messed up. She lowers the bundle held in her arms, enough to let Zuko see what it's wrapped around, "Look. Beautiful, isn't she? Your sister".

His first impression of her is that of something... tiny. Cute, like the turtle ducks on the pond. Of chubby cheeks and pale skin, with a layer of short, dark, straight hair adorning her minuscule head.

Not weak, though. Never weak. 

"Sister...?"

"Her name is Azula. She's your baby sister"

"She's... small. Mommy, why is she small?"

"Because she's just been born. You were this small too, once".

"No way! Me? But I'm big!"

"People grow, Zuko. You are still going to grow and grow into a handsome young man, of that I'm sure", s he kisses his forehead and chuckles at his pink cheeks, "But until she grows, you need to take care of her, okay? Is your job as the older brother to look after your little sister. She's weak now but-"

"She's not weak", he states as a matter of fact, "She's small, but she's not weak"

"I see... Well, you have a duty to her even if she's not weak. Promise me, yes? Promise me you'll look after her, as her older brother"

"I swear it on Agni, mommy. I swear I'll protect Zula"

"Would you like to carry her?"

"Me? But... but what if I drop her?"

"You won't if you hold her just like this"

"If you say so..."

Her weight is almost insignificant, but she opens her eyes as soon as she feels her mother's arms away. She doesn't cry. She simply stares, her golden eyes open wide, warm and curious about the new face. 

"Hello, Zula. I'm your big brother, Zuko! And we will be the best siblings in the Fire Nation!"

She rises a teeny fist and pulls at a loose strand of hair with all the mighty strength of a newborn.

"Hey!"

At his yelp, she bursts into merry gurgles. Ursa laughs too, and Zuko can't help but giggle along. 

They had been happy, back then.  During her first years, they had been joyful, too.

She grows a little, then, and chases him around the Royal Palace in her chubby little legs- sooner than others, always the prodigy even before knowing what the word "prodigy" meant- squealing and giggling just like any other child, butchering his name in her attempt to pronounce it the best she could. 

"Zuzu! Zuzu!"

Her name is twisted too, in his attempt to give her a cute moniker to go by. Easier to pronounce, too.

"Lala! Lala!"

They run around and play like children, ignorant of their written fates. Ursa always seems happier with just them, away from their father and away from the duties of royalty. She seems to love Azula as much as she loves Zuko, if not more. 

When she lits her first fire at the tender age of five, it's not first told to Ursa or Ozai, but Zuko. She bursts into his bedroom, already demanding attention like a proper Royal, excited and proud and happy. 

"Zuzu!"

~~~

Zuko didn't startle awake like he did whenever he had a nightmare.

"A dream?"

Slowly, he uncurled his long body from the position taken through the night. Agni had risen almost an hour ago, so His energy flooding through the dragon's veins helped him stand once more. He was still sore, thirsty and hungry, but less tired than when he had fallen asleep the night before. However, if he wanted to keep up at a higher pace and reach the Avatar soon, he would need to satisfy his body's demands to not pass out mid-flight.

He spent the next couple of hours walking around to get some food and water, somehow managing to stumble upon a pond big enough to hold fish and enough water to quench his thirst. Catching the fish had taken an embarrassing amount of attempts, but eventually, he had managed to swallow enough of them for his stomach to stop roaring.

The sun was halfway to noon by the time he had eaten and drank enough for the day, far too late to Zuko's liking. Having filled his stomach and feeling mostly- by Zuko standards, which was good enough, no matter what Uncle said- rested, it was now time to get back on the road. Or the sky, or whatever. It took him little to no time to be back in the air again, getting better at the take-off by daily force of use.

Up there, as he soared through the clouds, he allowed his mind to drift off again, knowing perfectly well he wasn't going back down anytime soon.

The centrepiece of his recent dreams, one he had mixed feelings about. 

Azula.

Just the thinking of her name brought to the front the contradicting emotions related to his little sister. 

He remembered vividly the first time he had her in arms, small and innocent, and the promise made to his mom. He remembered spending their early years as friends and siblings instead of competition. He fondly recalled planning military strategies to steal dumplings from the kitchen or mochi from the servants, and her sneaking into his bedroom during monsoon season because Father would've never accepted her wariness of lightning and Mother... Mother usually grew absent and distant when it rained, more than usual. He could still feel the warmth of sharing a bed, of being the one person she ran to when their bedrooms were too big and the loneliness grew unbearable. He still could hear her giggling when he exaggerated the voices of the characters from the plays Mother loved to recite, and still remembered perfectly what stories to tell to get her to fall asleep. 

He remembered giving her a tissue to wipe her tears after having Father yell at her for the first time, and could still feel the squeeze of his heart at seeing her harden her eyes. 

He could still feel the pain and growing horror the first time she purposely burned him. Her eyes had grown wide and big, and she had seemed almost regretful until Father's praises erased every trace of remorse inside of her. He could still remember the smoke and horrid stench from her burning down her first turtleduck, and her laughter- previously harmless and sweet- mocking his tears at finding the little feathery body near a tree. He still felt the fear of having to run away from her burning hands and painful words and vicious hands, and could still see her grow further and further from the sister he had been ordered to protect. 

He was still angry, too, at being lied to and attacked by her again, furious at her shooting Uncle down when he got distracted. Angry at her laughing whenever Father decided to personally punish his shortcomings, for enjoying his bruises and light burns- because their father was anything if not meticulous- and tears, for pushing him when she was supposed to also help him up. He was jealous, too, for being everything Father wanted and more, for being another way to show how much of a failure he was as a son. 

Zuko couldn't say he didn't hold grudges against his sister.

By Agni, he did. 

But he loved her too. Deeply and raw, for the promise and for the little girl she had been. 

He resented her, greatly, but missed her just as much. Missed spending time with her without having to watch behind his shoulder not to get stabbed. Missed being able to hold her hand and braid her beautiful hair and tickle her sides without worry. Missed not resenting her as much as he loved her. 

Thinking back at their time in Ember Island, he felt a sharp, painful pang in his heart at the memories of times long gone, of people never coming back, at knowing how bad things would be once they left the little pocket of Paradise in the hardships of Royalty. 

When had everything started to go so wrong? At what point had his family become so… harmful, to everything and everyone?

Zuko purposefully did not include himself in that "everyone". He knew he had deserved the Agni Kai, but it had been so out of nowhere... Father had reluctantly accepted him as his son for years and, in the next second, he was branding and banishing him on an almost-impossible quest. Why hadn't he done the same for Azula? Was it because she was more skilled, stronger, more like a proper heir? 

It couldn't be because he trusted Zuko to do what no one had been able to. Father didn't trust Zuko, because Zuko hadn't earned it, and that was fine. Nothing wrong there, just what a normal father would do to strengthen their children. 

So why? 

Zuko was sure Azula would've laughed at his ignorance, but there was nothing to do about that. 

It didn't matter either way. At the end of the day, he still had his mission to fulfil and, to prove his loyalty and skills proper for a Crown Prince, he was going to do whatever it took to be welcomed home by Father and regains his honour. 

He just needed to swallow his anger and ignore everything not-related to the hunt. Ignore Lee's village and the many houses burnt to the ground by Fire Nation soldiers and the vacant stares from those running away from the flames. Ignore the burns and poverty and fear, and focus on his mission. No matter what Uncle said, about hope and inner strength and the Four Nations, Zuko knew what he thought had to do. The curse was just another obstacle in his way, one he was going to push through because he needed to get things done. 

He just had to drown away his doubts and treacherous thoughts and get to work. 

It left a sore taste in his mouth that stayed there for many hours. 

***

"And where did you see it?"

"It seems to be going towards the plains, Your Highness. All the sightings form a path in that direction."

"Good. Captain?"

"Yes, Princess?"

"Give this soldier a little bag full of golden coins. Our troops need to learn that loyalty is to be rewarded"

"T-thank you, Your Highness! Your kindness is unmatched!"

"Cut the praise, soldier. I know my worth. Now go away, we are in the middle of a mission"

"Yes, Your Highness"

Night fell not soon after, but they were already on track.

***

"Zuzu! Look what I can do!"

Her hands- chubby and innocent and tender- are pulled together, as if cupping something fragile. She breathes in, deeply, and a flame, bright and warm, lits up between her palms. 

He feels excited for her. 

"Lala! Lala, you made a flame! That's so awesome! You're so awesome!"

Her cheeks tint pink, and her smile grows at the compliment. 

"Of course I'm awesome!"

"We need to tell mommy, Lala! She's going to love it! I love it! Zula, you're so amazing!"

They run to Ursa as fast as they can and show her Azula's fire as soon as possible. Ursa smiles and compliments her, but they both can see the strain on her expression and the tight grip on her robes as she walks away. 

Azula's expression creates a pit of deep anger in Zuko's stomach, aimed at his mom. How dare she? How dare she not be proud and happy at everything Azula does?

"She... she liked it, didn't she?"

"Of course she did! Anyone who doesn't like it is a dummy and needs to get a head check because of course you're incredible! I'm sure she's just having a bad day!"

Then they tell Ozai, and everything goes downhill. He stares at Azula with pride, but something in his eyes causes uneasiness in Zuko's stomach. Not on Azula, tho. She never looks at their father with anything else other than admiration and awe. 

"He likes it! Daddy likes it!"

Her training begins not long after that. Zuko's training grows intense, and Ozai's words are crueller than ever. Comparing him to Azula, who seems to grasp things far easier than he did. Her nicknames become mocking, instead of endearing, and her actions are out of deliberate cruelty rather than ignorance. 

Ursa distances herself from her daughter, which only seems to anger the little girl. Now, instead of playing in the Palace with her brother, he has to run away to not get burned. 

She grows further and further from the baby wrapped in cloths, into a young woman of iron tenacity and a knack for detached brutality, as beautiful as she is lethal.  Staring down at him from the ship, lighting flashing from her fingers, she embodies the very definition of deadly. 

Then the lightning leaves her fingers, no Uncle around to redirect it, and everything went white.

~~~

"Another one, huh? "

Is not that Zuko didn't like not having nightmares. A screaming dragon would attract attention no matter the hour, so it was much appreciated; in fact, he liked it because he could sleep uninterrupted even if it was only once in a while, but seeing his sister back when she wasn't cruel brought to the surface feelings and emotions he thought long buried. The only good thing bout them is that they were great for his musings during the long hours of uninterrupted flight.

The fly to the Plains was going at a bit of a slow pace, and it annoyed Zuko to no ends. He had given up on flying away from human sight and had encountered a couple of them in his momentarily searches for water but ignored their presence in favour of covering as much distance as possible. He wasn't risking another incident either. 

He had prayed to Agni for the siblings to be fine.

Only a few days after leaving the barn did he find a solution to his predicament, by stopping near a large river. It was wide, but not fast enough to prevent the dragon from fishing, and sufficiently deep to allow Zuko to dive in and clean up if he needed to.

Before flying away from the river, he realized it followed the same direction he was going toward, so to stay near a permanent supply of clean water and fish, he decided to fly over it towards the plains. His first lucky discovery too since, near the river, there were caves and cliffs big enough to provide cover and shelter to the large dragon. The fishes and creatures of the water were big and numerous enough to provide food too, and enough clean water eased his thirst at any time. 

It wasn't as bad as it could be.

However, his dreams for the next couple of days were the same. Memories of times long gone, and a bitter taste at waking up. 

***

"Azula! The dragon, there it is!", Ty Lee called cheerfully, pointing at a spot in the far sky. 

The princess turned fast in the appointed direction and did not have to squint her eyes to recognize a dragon's shape. It was incredibly long and bigger than most animals she had seen. Its scales were mostly black, but its belly seemed to be coloured deep red.

The sight of the beast was more than enough to bring her mood up. She had left camp barely five days ago, following rumours and whispers, and the last fisherman near the river had given her an idea of how to follow the animal. Finally managing to almost catch up with the mythical beast was as big as a prize as it could get, the perfect reward for her patience and dedication.

Luck truly was on her side. 

"Let's go for my dragon, then. There's no time to waste"

***

He should've seen it coming. Again.

The Spirits loved to laugh at him, didn't they? (Unknown to him, an old Spirit pulled at his beard in desperation and worry. The red dragon by the bearded man's side, life partner and animal guide, could only stare in worry). There was no other proof needed asides from what he had in front. Had he been too careless? Too naive to think that his efforts were enough? One way or another, he hadn't seen it coming, and the consequences were now inescapable. 

It had happened during his ninth day after the encounter with Sat'ikuq. After the incident with the burning barn, he had stayed away from towns or villages, sticking to flight above the clouds or hidden by large rock formations, only stopping to eat, drink or sleep for around five hours each night. Compared to how he used to work on his ship- not that he would ever miss that floating can- it was the best and most gentle working schedule he had functioned within a very long time. Finding a river had been a blessing, but honestly, it might as well have been a sign of how bad things would go four days later.

He had known that a few humans had seen him fly by, but had stuck to ignoring them and flying as far as possible. His highly efficient flying schedule had seemed to work well enough, because by the eighth day he had finally, finally reached the plains. The change of landscape was also pleasant, as it left behind the caves and huge rock formations to give way to abundant weeds along the river and leafy trees scattered on the land.

Then, on the ninth day, he realized his big, huge mistake. 

He had forgotten about Azula. 

This is why, on the late-night of the ninth day, as he landed to find a sheltered place to sleep for a few hours, he completely ignored the three small shapes staring at him from not so far away. Next to a large hill, he circled a couple of times before placing his head between his claws and closing his eyes. 

Then the wind blew from east to west, and their smell invaded Zuko's nose. It was a scent he would recognize everywhere. Three different scents, actually. Three scents he was never forgetting, along with the stench of mongoose lizards. He snapped his head up and lifted his wings just a bit, to prepare for his escape, growling towards where he knew the girls were. Azula's figure rode towards him, expertly handling the reigns of her lizard. At seeing her, Zuko couldn't help bristling his back and showing his fangs as a sign of aggressiveness. He stood on his four legs and waved his tail from side to side, warning her to stay away.

Watching his warning, she stopped swiftly, and by raising a hand, ordered her friends to stop too. 

Chapter Text

Pain. 

Pain and screams had been his reasons to dive head-first into the ground, and it had stopped everything, if only for a few minutes. His head seemed to be able to endure a lot more than before. The relief of unconsciousness didn't last long, and some blinks later he started feeling again. 

Pain. 

Familiar and undesirable, it never seems to stop. Human or dragon, the achiness of misery kept following him no matter how much he kept running- and wasn't that why he still hadn't stopped hunting the Avatar? Wasn't he the hunter but the hunted, running away from the reality of his family? How long could he keep lying to himself,  how long could he keep those treacherous thoughts at bay?

Painful as always, it ignited every fibre of his being. He couldn't think, not properly. He could barely tell where was up and where was down. A head, hurting. Legs, charring. Scales, burning. Ribs, broken. Body, exhausted. Everything hurt, nothing stopped. 

Pain and fear. He was in pain, and he feared being alone. He wanted home, he wanted safe, he wanted... he wanted Uncle. Missed him and his stupid tea and his endless patience. Uncle was safe and Zuko wanted to feel safe. Uncle never burned, never screamed, never hated. He stayed, and Zuko needed him, longed for his company, but couldn't go back to him yet, first he needed the Avatar and his powers and inner peace and he needed to be more, to prove himself worthy, to properly gain Uncle's love.

Pain and fear and loneliness. Those had become his permanent travelling companions long ago, never leaving him to rest. 

Everything hurt, and everything was burning until then, it wasn't. Only when he woke up did the pain return. The ground was cool, but rough on his injuries. The chain was still stuck in his leg and his ribs still cried out at every breath and some scales had begun to peel off under the heat of Azula's attacks. So he couldn't fly, not until it stopped hurting. 

Steps, several, got closer to where he was. Not good, not good, more people were not good. More people meant unknown, more people meant danger. More people could try and capture him, more people could injure Hua, Haoran and Yang. 

Two steps got closer than the others, stopping just in front of his sight. The burn from the Agni Kai had screwed up his vision severely, and the pain made everything even more blurry, so he only saw glimpses of yellow and orange. 

"Monkey feathers", he heard. 

Close. Too close, not good, dangerous. It needed to stay away, so he inhaled deep, deep, profound, filling his large lungs with air and heat. Heated up, heating it everything inside, holding it to stay safe. Some fire in between his jaws, growling from within his belly, and the figure stepped back, raising hands. But hands were harmful, hands were a threat, so they needed to disappear. 

"Wait, I don't want to hurt you! Please, I'm a friend!"

Lies. Deceive. Always lying, always trying to hurt him. He kept inhaling, but his ribs stung under pressure, and he had to stop. 

And then, he exhaled.

He exhaled and let it all out and ignored the screams. Exhaled fast and violent and desperate, as hot as he could, relaxing only when the figure disappeared with the fire. 

Good. 

Loneliness was painful, but it was familiar. To be alone, away from Father everyone else, meant safety. 

"Please! I can help if you let me, I swear I mean no harm", the voice called out. The yellow-orange blur had moved fast enough to avoid Zuko's flames, though he no longer held his hands in front, but on the floor. The colourful shape had kneeled in front, staying still and looking down instead of eye to eye.

"What are you doing? Step back, that thing is going to roast you to a roasted monk!", another voice said, sharp and loud and dangerous. 

Zuko's head snapped towards it and saw only a blue spot, a stain, squeaking and scrambling back when the dragon showed his sharp teeth once more. Good, it had to know when to stay away. 

"Honored dragon", Orange-and-yellow's voice called, still from the floor, "Your kin sent me to aid. Roku's will is for you to live. I hold no desire to harm you, so I beg you to let me assist you. I swear on Agni, you will not be hurt by our hand". 

Roku

"Roku...?"

Everything became too much. The voices inside his head started up a yelling festival and everything began to spin; Zuko wanted to stay awake, the voices begging him to burn them all to a crisp and hear their screams but his insides were wailing and his body, pleading to rest, shut down, unable to keep going. Against his will, the bliss of darkness fell upon him.

***

"Is it...? Did it just die!?"

"No, it just passed out", Toph replied, punching Sokka in the arm. 

Aang scrambled closer, sending gusts of wind to the near plants to push their asides and get a better look at the dragon. It was nearly the same size as Appa, and more than twice as long. 

"I thought they were extinct", said Katara, eyeing the creature in awe, "Not a single one has been seen in the last four decades"

"It seems like they are not", Toph replied, "Although considering its injuries, I don't think it'll live much longer without a little bit of help. Probably".

Her words seemed to serve as a trigger for Aang, who had remained relatively calm until then. After hearing Toph, he started pacing in circles, waving his arms and puffing out brief bursts of wind from his nostrils as he tried to calm his panic. 

"So that's what Roku meant by kin, he meant Fang's kin! Oh spirits, what do I do? I can't let it die, it's like- well, kin- like, well, you know, if it was Appa's sibling! Or friend, or parent or something-", Appa grumbled from where he was, curious about their discovery, "-like a relative- Katara, please help, I can't let it die!"

"Aang, you're going to blow yourself away if you keep pacing like that", she chided, kindly grabbing his sleeve and pushing both his shoulders down, "We are not letting your kin die, okay? If it's injured and you say so, I'll help out, but I need you to calm down"

The young monk nodded, closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths to root himself. A couple of seconds later, he opened them again and gifted Katara his largest available smile. 

"I'm better, thanks"

"No problem"

"If you two are done flirting, can we focus on the important stuff? You know, the dying dragon?", Toph called out, ignoring embarrassed screeches, "Its heartbeat is slowing down and it doesn't seem like a good signal so if you want to do something, you'll have to do it fast".

"Right", Aang replied, still a bit pink in his cheeks, "Katara, what do we have to do?"

Sokka's arms flapped above his head, "How do you expect her to know anything about dragons- why would expect any of us to know!?"

"Well, I-"

"Ignore him", the waterbender shrugged off, sending a quick, scolding stare at her brother. The girl stepped closer and peeked at what was exposed, scrunching her face at the scent of old burnt meat, "I'll run through its chi paths to look for inner injuries, but from what I can see-", and smell, she thought "-it's going to take more time and water than we currently have". 

"How can we help?"

"It would be useful if I could submerge it fully, but unless we find a pond out of nowhere I'll have to settle more water and some of our own supplies"

"There's a river nearby", Toph intervened, pointing at the direction the dragon had come from, "Over there. I can take us, dragon included"

Katara sneaked another glance at the creature, and shook his head, "It's never good to move a patient from the place they fall, or we could exacerbate any other injuries he currently has. So no, we can't move the dragon"

"Then what do we do?!"

"I don't know! It's not like we carry buckets with us all the time!"

"Or!", Sokka interrupted, staring at all of them as if they were the idiots- which, rude-, "Toph can bend a dragon-sized pool and while Katara does her shiny water-healing bending magic stuff, Aang can ride on Appa and waterbend the water here! Because, you know, two waterbenders?"

The other three stared at him in mildly-insulting awe. Toph smirked, crunching her knuckles, "Easy greasy, I can do it in no time. Let me just-". She walked a bit away and made a wiping gesture with her arm, cleaning everything off the dirt in a large radius. She then took a deep breath and, matching her moving finger, a thick line traced a very large circle in the stone. After that, she roughly stomped on the rock and everything inside the circle snapped down deep enough to hold the dragon in, "See? Easy"

"Great! Now move Blacky inside and tell us where the water is"

"Blacky? Seriously? I thought you better than that", teased the earthbender, poking Sokka's ribs. The young boy snapped her hand away, a bit grumpy, "What? It is black and I have barely gotten any sleep, get off my di-!"

"Sokka", Katara said, voice neutral and dangerous. A single word of warning was enough to shut them up, "Good"

"How far is the river?", Aang asked, bouncing restlessly on his feet, "Can you take me to it?"

"It's five minutes by Appa time. I'll mark you the way", the earthbender replied, huffing again as once more she stomped on the ground to let a trail of rock show up in a line parting from her foot, "There"

"Great! Now you come with me, too", the monk declared, grabbing Toph and taking her with him despite her loud complaints before anyone else could do something about it. Nothing unusual.

"Well... now that they left, I'll just go back to sleeping-"

"You stay right where you are"

"What?!"

"I said", Katara emphasized by pointing at his chest, "that you stay here!"

"Why?"

"Because I need as many hands as I can get to do the manual labour, and if Toph and Aang are busy, you are all I have"

"Oh, so now I'm your last resource"

"Pretty much, yes. Why? Got a problem?", she teased. The warrior let out a deep sigh and resigned himself to his fate. 

"Nope, not really. What do I do?"

~~~

It didn't take long for the other two benders to carry enough water from the river to heal the large dragon and even less for Toph to- for one- gently slide the dragon inside, nor for Katara to finish assessing the full damage- her pained expression was enough of a bad signal for Aang. 

"What is it?", the monk inquired, worried. 

"Is... is not good. His ribs are broken and cracked and have nearly punctured the lungs, most likely pushed deeper by the fall. His muscles are torn in several places from overexertion and overuse, he's dehydrated and starving and... well, many of his scales are either melted or peeled off because of intense heat. Whatever this guy was doing before, he must've been running to his last breath. Desperate, if you ask me"

"Wait, he? How do you know it's he?", Sokka interrupted, pushing Aang out of the way. Katara scowled at his intervention, placing both hands on her hips, "It's a full-body scan, do you really think I wouldn't notice?". Seeing his blanks expression, the girl decided to mess with her brother a little bit, "I thought Gran-gran had taught you about the human body. Remember when she detailed to us the difference between male and female and made us draw it over and over so we-"

"I GET IT! BOY DRAGON, OKAY, NOTHING ELSE, BLAH BLAH I'M NOT LISTENING-"

"What did she do? What did you have to draw?", Toph demanded, excited. Katara chucked and pushed Sokka towards her, "Ask him after he's calmed down".

Aang pulled down her sleeve, looking at the ground. The expression on his face was one of deep worry, sadness and childish defeat, similar to the one he had worn at seeing the destruction of the Southern Air Temple. 

"What is it?"

"Can you fix him? Can you help Blacky? I know it might be difficult and is fine if you can't but-"

"Aang", she called, grabbing his cheeks and forcing him to look at her in the eyes. She chose to ignore her own blush, "I'm going to heal Blacky and you'll save Roku's kin, so there's no need for you to get all anxious like that- that's Sokka's job", she pointed at her back where Toph was chasing a screeching Water Tribe boy around, "and he does a pretty good job at it. So trust me when I tell you I'll do my best"

The monk nodded, relaxing his shoulders a bit, "I know you can do it. You are a very talented bender and an amazing master, so if anyone can, it's you. Sorry for doubting you", he apologized, a little sheepish. 

Seeing his mood up, she patted his cheek and kept the flutter of her heart at bay. 

"You are forgiven, young pupil", Katara flicked his forehead quickly and made her way to the dragon-sized pool, rolling up her pants so she could stand with him. She cleared her voice and spoke out loud "Once I start, I'll like to continue as much as possible, so I'll need all the help I can". 

At her voice, the three others stopped in their tracks and scrambled close, ready to do what she needed. 

"Aang, you are going to stay on watch and warn us if anyone gets close. Toph, stick close and restrain the dragon if he starts trashing around, but be as gentle as possible, we don't want to further his injuries. Also, warn us if you sense he's going to wake up. Sokka, you'll stay here with me and pass me what I need, or do as I say. There are parts in which I won't be able to act without some proper first aid, and I need both hands on the job so you'll do what you have to and if you don't know how to just ask me, I'll tell you how to proceed. Understood?"

A choir of three "yes, ma'am's" was enough of a reply. Immediately after receiving their orders, Aang grabbed his glider to soar above their heads, Toph sat down behind Katara and frowned in focus. Sokka took everything from their bags near the floor next to him, preparing for whenever he was called. Momo, a bit upset at being ignored, went flying along with Aang and Appa, as curious as before, stepped closer to the dragon to sniff him a bit. 

Katara kneeled near the dragon's head, took a deep breath, lowered her hands underwater and closed her eyes, letting her chi infuse her element.

"Remember Yugoda's lessons", she thought to herself, "What to do first?"

~

"The first thing you must know about emergency treatment is that there is no such thing as a "big" injury or a "small" injury, a "rare" injury or a "common" one. Even the tiniest of holes can empty a pool with enough time, and what may seem small or usual to you can be the tip of the iceberg that is a deadly wound", the old healer dictated, energy and tension flowing into her words, "This is why, as healers, you should always expect for the better and prepare for the worst. Never dismiss anything! When in the face of danger and gore, one must keep the head cold and analyze what's in front. Observe! Observe and question! Our analysis is our best tool, so we have to polish our senses as sharp as possible. Missing out on anything can lead to the death of our patient, so never be anything less than the utmost meticulous". 

"Master Yugoda", Katara had intervened, excitedly drinking up every one of the healer's words, "How do we assess and prioritize as efficient as possible, if we can't dismiss anything?"

"Trust your bending", she replied, smiling mysteriously, "Healing, at its core, is one of the purest expressions of water bending because It follows the natural flow within every living being, it moves with the current and restores it to its original state. It releases the knots of physical damage, and some specialized experts can release the knots of mental conditions". The old woman's eyes hardened at the last part, and she almost imperceptibly tightened the grip on her dress, "But a healer must always be ready to push if the situation requires us to do so.  As a living, ever-changing organism, every single body can and will react differently under the same stimulus, and sometimes a patient can act against you by instinct alone. In those cases, you push, but you must wait. Wait and listen! Your body will tell you what to do, so don't move against it. Because we are all connected by the same chi paths, and the memory from all of it remains in our very own cells, if you listen to your bending, properly listen, it will guide you to where it's needed the most. Become the current, be one with your chi! Listen to your bending! Look underneath the underneath! Never allow fear and tension to dominate your body, for it will inhibit your capability to react and change with the flow!

Not a single lady dared to blink, for the fear of missing out on even a small detail. Yugoda smiled endeared her apprentice's attention and shot Katara an almost playful wink. 

"Excellent question! You carry within one of the most important qualities of the most efficient healers: the ability to question. It's that necessity to know, that craving for understanding, that one day will guide your hands to find even the smallest of details, and as a healer that is an invaluable skill to have. Keep it up and soon enough you'll become a very talented healer, Apprentice Katara. Well done.

Katara allowed herself to smile wide and blush under the praise of a more experienced master, swearing to remember those words by memory. 

*

"Prioritize, Katara! Calm down and relax, you can do this! It's just healing, nothing new, you've trained for this. What does the water say? Listen, wait and listen!"

With her eyes closed, she could almost see before her the myriad chi paths expanding and stretching across the water and beyond. They were too much, and Katara knew if she didn't focus, she would lose her grip on her bending. Taking another deep breath, she slowly reduced the scope and extent of her power by focusing on her, the water, and the dragon. Feeling the threads of chi, she closed her range as close as possible to the animal and defined a specific perimeter.

"Observe and prioritize. Observe, prioritize and let it flow". She relaxed her shoulders and infused her chi into the water, waiting to hear the natural call of the damaged organism.

One, two seconds.

Three seconds and the water kept flowing.

Four seconds, for the tail, hind legs, stomach and chest, wings, front legs, neck and head. Bones, tendons, muscles and scales.

Five seconds and the chi began to lead her to the broken ribs.

Six seconds and the burns on his hind legs caught her attention.

Seven seconds and the torn muscles begged to be repaired.

Eight, nine seconds, the sting of sunburned scales seeking the relief of cool water.

Nine seconds, wings exhausted and unable to rise again.

Ten seconds, bone-deep soreness, one that came from running for a long, long time.

Eleven seconds, stiff shoulders from staying on permanent alert, a feeling she had become unfortunately familiar with. 

Twelve-second, minor scratches and nicks and bruises, nothing life-threatening. 

Thirteen seconds, dry throat and a long-time empty stomach.

Fourteen seconds, fifteen seconds.  

Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen.

Twenty seconds, and the largest, most clogged knot she had even treated, around his eyes and the tissue nearby, old but still fighting to function properly. Even unconscious, the dragon's body fought to keep him alive, and said realization almost made her smile. What a stubborn guy, she thought.

Almost by instinct, she let her arms flow nearly on their own, gently guiding the water to where the dragon's body was already working to heal. She sensed the water rising at her pace, but paid it no mind while she focused her own bending into the creature's body. 

She pursed her lips a bit, weirded out by the different sensation of feeling a dragon's chi paths. They were... strange, to say the least. Almost uncomfortable. They flowed with raw strength and determination as if fuelled by sheer anger, flaring hot at the lightest touch and forcing their energy on the largest injuries despite being almost depleted. 

Fitting for the dragon, she guessed. 

Gently, patiently coaxing the creature's chi to allow her through, she reached the damage in his right side, extending her until she covered even the smallest of crack around the rib cage, pushing a bit to get a grip on his lungs.

The creature must've been still a bit conscious, because the instant she made her way in, he jerked in a body flinch violent enough to threaten to throw her down. 

"Toph!", she heard her mouth saying, but quickly recovered her attention to the dragon. 

From the inside, enhanced by being surrounded by water, she gently pushed the cracked bones away from the organs. The dragon jerked and whimpered, loud enough to clench her heart in sympathy, but she trusted her companions and as such, she kept going. Centimetre by centimetre, she closed the pierced tissue as she moved the ribs back to where they belong, slowly but surely closing the inner wounds. Once the lungs were closed, she focused on restoring the bone, feeling the sweat in her forehead as she willed them to their original state, mending the cracks and nibs. 

She vaguely heard Toph calling her out in alarm, knowing perfectly what to do next. 

For a moment she opened her eyes but didn't dare to look at anything besides the dragon. In trance, she made her way to his rear. 

"Sokka", she heard herself calling, feeling slightly detached from her body, "I'll need you to remove the chain. It's cold so it won't hurt you, but it has fused a bit with his scales, so be careful. I'll clean some of it first, but you'll start as soon as I say, and you won't stop until it's out. I'll follow your way, don't worry"

"Got it"

"Toph, keep the dragon from trashing much"

"On it"

She nodded and, once more, kneeled by his hind legs. She had to hold the nausea of her stomach- burns were always the worst- and lead the water just over the damage from the chain. Slow and methodical, she removed the dirt, grime, pus and sweat from near the wound, cleaning it the best she could.

"Sokka"

Her brother, as soon as she called, grabbed the chain and started to peel it off. The dragon's chest emitted a deep growl that quickly morphed into a pained whimper the more Sokka kept pulling it. To stop him from moving more, Toph encased some of his limbs and chest in rock and because Katara didn't sense any further damage, she said nothing, focusing on closing the wound as soon as it was free from the iron.

"Tui, this thing must've been really hot to leave such a burn", she mumbled, "Who could harm a dragon like this?"

"Isn't it obvious?", Sokka grunted, "The Fire Nation has always been the resident expert on setting things on fire- is not surprising they don't exclude this guy from target practice"

It took them almost an eternity and a lot of effort to close off those burns, and by the time they were gone Katara was trembling on her legs. She had already begun to make her way to the dragon's chest when Sokka's hand stopped her in her tracks. 

"Are you sure you should keep going?". 

Katara felt a flare of anger rising in her chest, flaring and pushing. 

"Why? Do you think I can't do it? Do I seem weak to you?"

Sokka's eyes softened at her words, which irritated her further, but he spoke before she could open her mouth again, "I never said that", he replied, "Actually, the way you just healed all of that was pretty impressive, but you look pale, you're sweating despite the cold and anyone could see you trembling from an Appa-trip away".

"Oh, great"; she scoffed, her anger dying out, "He's in the big-brother mood".

"My job isn't done yet!", Katara snapped back, weakly, "There- muscle, you know? And he's exhausted and tense and tired and his scales are itching and-" 

"Is his life in danger?"

The question cut her mid-rant, surprised enough to startle her quiet. "What?"

"I asked", Sokka repeated, calm like he didn't usually was, " if his life is in danger. If you don't fully heal him right now, will it die?"

"No, but-"

"Then we can do it later. You need to rest too"

And when Sokka looked at her like that, eyes full of genuine love and concern, Katara had never been strong enough to push him away.

"I... Okay, Okay. I'll continue later. I can still do it later"

Her brother's smile was enough to ease her worry. 

"Uh, guys", Toph interrupted, not sorry in the least, "If you two are done with your love-dovey sibling worrying stuff, does that mean I can stop holding Blacky down?"

Only then did they notice the dragon still encased in rock. Taking it as consent, Toph let out a sigh as she bent the rock away. She whistled and sat down, wiping some sweat from her forehead. 

"He sure has some fight in him", she exhaled, "Damn lizard almost cracked my rock"

"Language!"

"What? Twinkletoes is still up there, he won't hear a thing"

"Still"

Toph's expression morphed without notice, eyes wide and muscles ready to react. "Bla-"

Before she could finish, the dragon's eyes snapped open and focused on the three of them. Immediately, he screeched and sizzled at them, scrambled back and bared fangs, getting ready to shoot fire if the heat around his head was anything to go by. They could see his bifid tongue when he started hissing and stepped away even further when his tail waved from side to side.

"Blacky woke up", Toph ended, slowly stepping away to stand next to her friends. 

"Really? I thought he was a sleepwalker!"

"Shut it, Snoozles"

"Ouch!"

"Sokka! Stop teasing Toph!"

A loud yell from the sky distracted them from their bickering. 

"Blacky! You woke up!", Aang's painfully cheerful voice fell from his glider, diving in front of the dragon's mouth like there was no danger- Sokka's screeches were enough sign of an obviously bad decision, "I was so worried! But Katara is amazing and super cool so she healed you right away, and-"

He had to stop talking when a fire cloud was shot his way. 

***

Warmth

Not burning, not injuring, just... warm. Pleasant. 

The darkness was warm. 

It felt nice, so he allowed himself to melt in it. He drifted away, floated in the nothing, and breathed in peace. 

Then, the warmth shifted. It flowed, tickled, grew. That was... not bad, but not as pleasant, so he ignored it in favour of staying in the dark. The ticking continued, it kept moving and dancing, but it was easy to ignore, so he did. 

Then, the warmth reached... something. Somewhere, where it ached. And it would've been fine, it would've been easy to ignore if it hadn't started entering his insides. It was uncomfortable and it was lulling him into waking up, so he breathed deeper and felt his blood pump up. 

Then, something inside moved, and it hurt. 

He wanted it out. 

Wishing to end the warmth- no, not warmth, cold, cold and liquid and every-morphing- he jostled around a bit, despite being nearly wakened by voluntary movement. 

It didn't stop. It kept moving, shifting his insides, weird and foreign and painful, so he kept trashing, jerking his body to make it stop. He was vaguely aware of his own whimpers, and he knew he could've maybe done more if he woke up, but just for one time, he wanted to remain in the dark. 

As abrupt as it had begun, it ended, so he relaxed again. 

The cold grew warm and ticklish, but it seemed harmless as it played all over his body, so it wasn't an immediate danger. It kept moving, peaking, poking and studying, like a duckling entering a pond for the first time. It wasn't forceful, it was more relaxing than anything. 

Then, someone started pulling something from his legs and it burned. It ached, hurt, oozed while it peeled off, didn't stop, it wanted to injure. It needed to go away, so he tried to reach for his pain, but something else stopped him, binding him down, leaving him vulnerable. Despite his protests and growls, it kept going and going, excruciating at every moment until, finally, stopped. 

It stopped for a while, for a brief moment, and he realized his legs didn't ache. No peeled scales, infected burn, falling scales. It felt nice, almost, like breathing after being underwater.

His body felt normal once more. Normal and well enough to chase away the darkness, to let him wake up. 

Zuko snapped his eyes open. As soon as he did, he saw two humans dressed in blue and a tiny one dressed in green. They were... familiar, somehow. He blinked, heavily, and squinted to see better. 

The girl, of dark skin and braided hair, still had water clinging from her hands and had stepped back along with the other one, of dark skin too, carrying a silly-looking club in his right hand and a boomerang in his left

"Water... water bending? Only Water Tribe can water bend... Wait, Water Tribe...? Waterbender girl and boomerang boy...?" And that girl...! She was with them in the ghost town! The Avatar's followers!"

Said conclusion occurred in a fraction of a second, and as soon as he realized who he was facing, Zuko stood from his pond- and when had that happened- and scrambled back, ready to defend himself at the least movement against him. He hissed and readied his fire, just to be safe. 

"Blacky woke up", the little one said. 

"Really? I thought he was a sleepwalker!"

"Shut it, Snoozles"

"Ouch!"

"Hey, stop teasing Toph!"

A yell from the sky distracted them all, and before Zuko could react, an orange-yellow blur jumped right in front of him.

The dragon's eyes narrowed in recognition.

Avatar.

"Blacky! You woke up!", the Avatar said, happy for some strange reason, "I was so worried! But Katara is amazing and super cool so she healed you right away, and-". 

But Zuko wasn't letting his prey escape so easily, so he breathed out a fire cloud towards the monk. Other three yelps came from the other peasants, and the four of them- five, if one included the retreating bison, and six if one included the panicking flying-lemur thingy- scrambled back. 

"Why does no one ever listen to me?", the water boy- Snoozles, the tiny one had said- complained. " I TOLD HIM AND NOW WE HAVE BARBEQUED AVATAR AND THE DRAGON IS GOING TO EAT US-"

"I'm not a barbeque, Sokka". 

"You could be! You might as well be if you keep getting close to the dragon, a spirits-damned dragon! Are you nuts?"

Zuko wasn't going to sit down and listen to his prey talk, so he rose on his four legs and prepared a hotter flame, flapped his aching wings and scratched the ground with his claws. The Pai Sho tile braided in his mane pulled his hair a little. 

"Blacky, please don't shoot! I'm not trying to hurt you, I'm here to help!"

"Who the hsuan is Blacky?"

In response, the prince shot his flames again, letting them burn and burn until he felt out of breath. When he finished, instead of a crispy body he saw a scorched rock dome lowering down from around the four kids. 

"Blacky there surely had some flame", the little one wheezed, "It was pushing my rock back"

"Please!", the Avatar begged again, ignoring his friend's warnings as he walked closer, "Please, listen! Honoured dragon, I know you're hurt! I know you must be in pain and confused, and I know you've been hurt before but please trust me when I tell you that I mean no harm!". 

To Zuko's bewilderment, the monk left his glider on the ground and knelt, hands in front and his forehead touching the ground, "On my honour, under Agni's eyes, I swear there are no ill intentions towards you". 

Zuko... wanted to believe him. Really, really wanted to. Besides, even if the young Airbender had never proved himself to keep his word often, he seemed... genuine, this time. Genuine and innocent, a child. A child asking for an opportunity while on his knees, a picture the prince remembered well enough.

Lies, lies, he's lying so you lower your guard. He's tricking you so he can kill you in your sleep, Azula whispered into the back of his mind and Zuko shook his head to keep her voice at bay because now is really not the time, Lala, shut up.

The Avatar didn't move from his place, seemingly waiting for something. He was powerless, vulnerable, and yet showed no sign of backing up. Zuko could give it to him, the kid had bigger balls than most people Zuko knew. 

So the prince forced himself to step back, lowered his tail and wings, hid his fangs and snuffed out his inner fire, glaring down at the monk. It took the Avatar a couple of seconds, but when he realized he was no longer being threatened, a cheeky smile seemed to split his face in half.

"Thank you!", he greeted, standing and bowing deeply, more than anyone had bowed to Zuko in over three years, "Honoured Dragon, I was told by your kin, the guide of my past life, to help you. He says you are important for the future of the Fire Nation, and that your destiny is intertwined with mine, so it is my duty to keep you safe. Would you...", the kid seemed to hesitate a bit, earning a narrow glare, "Would you like to be my friend?"

These strange words brought back a similar memory, recent but that felt as if it had happened decades ago, flashing bright through Zuko's mind. 

"?If we knew each other back then, do you think we could've been friends too"

"Why does he keeps asking that?"

He doesn't know who you are, he doesn't know you are his enemy. Why would he say it again, if he knew your name? Fool, the voice that sounded a lot like Father mumbled in his right ear and the Avatar was still staring up at him, waiting for an answer.

 Zuko didn't think himself capable of replying without lying to the kid or to himself, so he did what first came to his mind. 

He turned around and walked away. 

"Hey!", he heard but ignored it because if he didn't he'd have to really think about it and that was a dangerous territory full of treacherous holes deep enough to break his bones. "Hey, Blacky!"

And one could argue that Zuko was already old enough to hold his temper but he was Zuko, he didn't, so he felt totally justified when his tail- long and sharp like a whip, loudly snapping in the air when he had thrown Azula in rage and that was definitely the worst time to think about the sound of her back colliding with the hard rock- fell next to the boy's feet in a blink, lifting a large dust cloud and leaving a deep groove on the rough earth because his name was not Blacky, thank you very much. 

He puffed a cloud of smoke from his nostrils, just for emphasis. 

"Aang!"

"Can you listen to me for once and come over here?", Snoozles hissed.

"What? What's wrong? Do you... do you not like Blacky?", the Avatar- Aang, the water bender peasant had called him- asked, so genuinely that it was almost insulting. In response, Zuko flicked the monk's feet with the tip of his tail before turning his back on him and walking away again. 

"I can give you another one! You can tell me yours if you want, I don't have a preference! If I pick a cool name, can you stay? Please?", Aang insisted, jogging to catch up, "What about, uh... Pendragon! Pendragon is good, right? No? Then Drakon! Do you- not, still walking away- Elmo! Elmo is nice and drat, he's getting further- Sokka! Sokka, please help me! What should I call Blacky?"

"Me? What do you want me to do? It not my fault Blacky over there doesn't like his new name!"

"You're the Idea Guy, come up with another one!"

"Oh, oh, me! Me! Unko!" (1)

"I am not calling him that, it would be mean- Toph, are you serious?"

"Hey, Snoozles ain't saying ostrich-horse crap, I'm just trying to help!"

"Kajutsak! How about Kajutsak? He looks like one!" (2)

"I don't think a dragon will like to be called "noodle"

"Fire Nation names! Quick, think of Fire Nation names- Oh, Agni! Do you like Agni? Do you-", but the Avatar didn't get to finish his sentence because an unusually hot fire blast was shot his way and he squeaked when his robes got singed by the edges but Zuko didn't care because, seriously? Agni?

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?", the prince thought in rage, stomping the ground, snarling down and ignoring the mouths wide open at his tantrum, "Why- how the hsuan can you be so disrespectful? It's gotta be on purpose, for sure- it would be worst if it wasn't! Aren't you supposed to be the balance of the four nations? Well, first things first, YOU SHOULD LEARN ABOUT THE NATIONS YOU WANT TO BALANCE!". 

Done with his outburst and a bit embarrassed by his lack of control, Zuko huffed smoke toward the young boy and for the third time since waking up, turned around to walk away- his wings and body were still far too tired to take flight so soon. 

"So not Agni..."

"Spirits, that dragon sure is moody"

"Maybe he's just... shy?", Aang suggested, weak in his attempt. 

"Shy?! He seems hostile, I'll let you know!"

"Blacky- dragon! I'm begging you, please don't leave! I have to protect you! Roku told me to and he's my past life, and something tells me we are meant to stick together. It's a hunch, and it usually works okay so take my word on this!"

Zuko froze in his tracks and snapped his head towards the Avatar, slowly but surely feeding the pit of rage rising from his gut, his stomach, the flames flaring bigger and bigger until smoke escaped from his jaws and nose, mane bristly and growling threateningly, pupils slit until they were thin enough to look like a black line splitting gold eyes in half.

"Roku? Why would Roku want to protect me? It's his fault I'm like this in the first place!", he thought, opening his jaws and allowing a guttural rumble to express the growing ire within. Seeing the Avatar still not-stepping away, Zuko roughly snapped his jaws towards him, fast and hard enough to finally cause a reaction on the monk, who swiftly avoided and floated back, "How dare you come here and tell me he cares when we are not even related? Do you think I'm that stupid? Agni, I hope you eat shit and fall off your bison if you hsuaning do!"

Burn them, Father whispered, strong and definite, imposing as he had always been, Burn them and let them feel your anger, make them kneel in fear to your power! What else can you do, if not use what has been given? Are you afraid, are you the same weakling as before?

"I'm not, I'm not weak! I'm not afraid!"

BURN THEM, BURN THEM, LET THEM FEEL YOUR ANGER

Desperate to do something, to keep it all quiet, the dragon rose high, stretched his neck to its full length and inhaled deeply before roaring as loud as he could, angry and confused and scared because the voices would not stop. He was vaguely aware of the other six covering their ears in pain, but he didn't care because yelling like that felt amazing and it burned the restlessness from inside, cooled down all the emotions bottled since Sati'kuq and before, so Zuko kept going until noise and fire was all he knew. 

He yelled, roared, bellowed, screamed, and allowed his anger to burn and burn and he may have shot fire to the sky but it didn't matter because when he finished, he finally felt better. 

Then he looked down, and the Avatar was still there.

Trembling a bit, sweating and ready to move at any possible attack, but. Still there. Waiting, for Zuko to calm down. 

"Aang, let's just leave him! We can't risk you getting killed because you never read how-to-train-your-dragon, let's go!"

"I can't just give up!", Aang replied, determination steeling his usually soft-looking grey eyes, "It's a request for Roku's kin, so we're kin now!"

"Kin?"

Kin means nothing. You have to earn it, no one ever gives it for free. Kin means nothing under the greatness of strength and accomplishment, you should know by now.

But the Avatar... the Avatar had no reason to claim him as blood. He kept asking and pleading even after being threatened, it made no sense. Why would he stay? Why did he want Zuko in his group so badly? Surely blood wouldn't mean so much for the Airbender, right? Monks had been said to detach themselves from earthly connections, so blood should mean nothing. 

If Zuko, the dragon, wasn't important, didn't represent a prise waiting to be captured by his enemy, meant nothing of value and was more of a threat than a potential ally, why did the Avatar insist on being friends? On protecting him?

Some people, nephew, don't care about made-up worth. Some people just seek connection and I pray to Agni that you'll meet them, one day, he heard Uncle saying, different than the usual whispers because it carried no malice or heaviness but the advice he so, so needed. It felt more of a memory than a whisper.

"I... I need the Avatar to get my body back. And if I go, I wouldn't be able to capture him for some time, and I'm sure we'll meet more of our troops so. I'd have to fight. Against my nation, my people. I could just... grab him and fly to Caldera and give it to my father. He'd... he'd make an exception, right? In exchange for the Avatar?"

Faced with the subject of his mission, Zuko hesitated. 

You know it's going to be treason. You know what this would mean, what this will mean.

"If I go with the Avatar, I can meet Uncle again. He can help figure out what to do next. It's not treason if it's for the Fire Nation, right?"

Treason is treason, no matter why. Are you truly willing to go against your Father? Against your mission? To ally with the enemy? We both know you've done it in the past, but this is different. This would be actively going against our destiny. How much lower are you going to fall?

"Please", Aang begged again, desperate.

Zuko replied by slamming his tail into the ground, stepping back and baring his teeth in a last attempt to keep his distance from actual treachery.

"Aang, if it doesn't want to we can't force it. Let's go, we can't stay around too long", Katara pointed out, softly pulling him from his sleeve, "Come". 

Dragon and monk exchanged stares for a couple of intense seconds and the genuine hope in the kid's eyes filled Zuko with rage, for an unexplainable reason. How dare the boy want him around? How dare he give his enemy, Zuko, a chance, when the only one to ever done had been Uncle? It was as strange as it was infuriating, it made no sense and it angered him and it hurt.

How does it feel? How does it feel to be given a hand by your enemy when your family didn't even lift a finger for you? Uncle let you burn, this boy healed your injuries. How come this child is kinder than everyone else? Don't you think this means something? Maybe it's time to become the traitor you've always been. 

Zuko growled and let out a puff of smoke from his nostrils in reply. Aang looked away and slumped his shoulders, grabbing his glider with a tight grip. Zuko ignored the pang of guilt at seeing the young monk so deflated. 

"You're right. Sorry about... all of this"

"Is not your fault. Let's just get out of here", she replied kindly, smiling warmly at him before getting on Appa to tie their luggage. 

The Airbender let out a deep exhale and made his slow way to the air bison, followed closely by his other two friends, who kept quiet through the exchange and only shot the dragon a couple of weird looks. 

Watching them walk away left a bitter taste in Zuko's mouth, in an intense way he didn't quite understand. Why did it feel wrong to let the monk go? Wasn't getting away from the Avatar a way to erase the internal conflicts over his actions, which contradicted each other at the slightest movement?

"There must be another way to get my body back," the prince suggested hesitantly.

Go, go and join your enemy. What else can you do but go the way you already started? Go and cut your opportunities, you've never used them after all. You have failed so much, for so long, that they could never let you go back home. Go, run, flee, join your enemy and escape from your reality. Coward.

"Shut up! Is there another way? Sat'ikuq was very clear and Uncle knows his stuff. And I'm not betraying anyone, I just need... I just need to use the Avatar until I get my body back, and then I'll give it to my father. That's it! He will see ... he will see that I am a loyal son, and with the Avatar in hand, he will receive me home. I... father- he, well, I have forced his hand to act, but he- he will receive me with affection. He'll love me. He'll finally love me because I will have earned it..."

Lie to yourself all you want, you know you're running away. You know that inside you are a coward and the more you want to hide it, the harder it will be to ignore. Coward, coward, what can you ask of a cowardly son?

The words of the voices in his head squeezed his heart badly. It was true, right? Zuko was a coward looking for the easy way out. But who could blame him? He had never been one to get lucky and meeting the Avatar so early in his journey might very well be his lucky break of the decade. It would be stupid not to take advantage of it, not to use it, and Father would understand everything once the mission was complete.

Just as he understood that you only wanted the best for your soldiers?

"He loves me! It's... it's me who makes it difficult. If I was a better son, a better soldier, he wouldn't have had to punish me."

Iroh's face appeared briefly, silencing the whispers for a precious instant. Iroh... Uncle had never demanded anything to treat him with affection. On the contrary, even when Zuko's temper got the best of him, the old General only welcomed him with open arms, a tired smile and a cup of jasmine tea. He never requested any feat of bending prowess to play Pai Sho and share a meal, he didn't get irritated when the prince's nightmares and screams were loud enough to wake him up deep into the night. It just...it just was, unconditional and warm and full of love that Zuko wasn't sure he deserved. He didn't understand it either, but... but it felt good, fuzzy inside, to be loved without demands.

Perhaps that conformity, that weakness, would be his doom one day, but Agni knew how much Zuko appreciated it.

Didn't he lie? Does he not see you as an unworthy successor to Sozin? Hasn't he sent you on another endless mission, just like Father? Even his patience is running out, surely he sent you away because he couldn't stand your presence anymore. If Father did it, Uncle could do it too. You've never won his love, why would you want to go back? He hates you, he hates you, he looks at you like the obstacle you are, he's an old fox who-

"Quiet your tongue! Uncle Iroh isn't like that, so stop babbling around like a salty little Koh-damned bitch!"

The voice, indeed, stopped.

Iroh's face, however, didn't, and Zuko felt in his chest the emptiness he tried to ignore. It was a heavy and challenging realisation to carry. It was loneliness and sadness and longing. It was fear, it was betrayal, dishonour and confusion. The last few days were starting to settle down, finally sinking in and starting to get harder to leave aside.

Of his conflicting emotions, however, there was only one - a single thought as firm and, to a certain extent, comforting as its source - that did not change before anything, as clear as the diaphanous waters of the beaches in Caldera.

Zuko... Zuko missed his uncle. He missed his uncle and wanted to go back to him, to talk and drink tea to clear the confusion and disturbance from his heart. To sink in a broad hug, if he found the time in private, a hug in thick arms and the faint scent of jasmine and ginseng. The idea of innocuous warmth, heat that didn't burn, was a very appealing one. And Iroh had never hurt Zuko.

Mother had never hurt him either 

The only way to do that, to get back to Uncle and ask for his advice to decide what to do, to get a hug- a shameful acknowledgement that would never escape his thoughts- was to get his body back.

And who was the only one able to turn Zuko back to his human body?

The answer couldn't be more obvious. 

Zuko would have to work with the Avatar. Even if it went against everything Zuko had stood up for until then.

"Damn it all", the dragon cursed inside, facing the group's direction and starting a light jog. He shrieked loud enough to be heard and allowed himself a sigh of relief at seeing them stop and wait for him. Even if it went against everything taught by his father, Zuko had a mission to fulfil, and a free Avatar was the only way to achieve it. 

So, for the first time in over three years, the young prince ignored the Fire Lord's orders and did what he thought was best for him.

***

The shriek of the dragon stopped them from getting on Appa. 

"See? I told you he'd come!", Aang cheered, smiling wide at the strange picture that it was seeing a dragon jogging towards them. Sokka couldn't find it within himself to put down the airbender's excitement, for it would have been a crime, so he kept his mouth shut for once.

The creature was fast, so it caught up to them quick enough. It bowed slightly to Aang, who bowed back deeply in return.

The young monk showed an impressive amount of restraint by staying down for a good seven seconds before dropping formalities and launching himself to the dragon's neck.

"I'm so glad you're coming with us! We're going to have so much fun together and we'lltakecareofyoulikeIpromisedsothankyouforbeinghere!"

The dragon seemed as confused and uncomfortable at Aang's words as Sokka felt at seeing his friend clinging near the mouth of a fire-breathing flying lizard. The expression on the dragon's face was relatable, to Sokka's book. And if for once, he wasn't the only one to be weirded out by Aang and his airbending-ness or Aang-ness or whatever it was, then good. 

It was good to change places for once. 

"Great", he sighed out loud, only a quarter joke, "Now we have a dragon in our group. We have the last Airbender, a waterbender, a blind earthbender-

"The greatest!"

"-a flying lemur, a flying bison, a guy with a boomerang and a dragon. Which one will come next, the firebender or the spirit?"

"Don't jinx it", Katara hissed at him between her teeth, cautiously staring at a huge dragon trying to untangle an Avatar's limbs from around its neck. At least one of them is having fun. 

"So can I ride the dragon first?"

And to everyone's opinion- said dragon included- Toph was way too excited than she had any right to be.

(1) Unko means poop in Japanese.

(2) Kajutsak is the Inuit for "Noodle", or at least it said so in the dictionary I was reading

Chapter Text

Toph did not, in fact, ride the dragon first. 

Aang tried to, really hard, but once the dragon began to heat his scales- slow but steady, uncomfortable but not burning- he let go in favour of riding Appa. 

The first ride with their newest teammate was as quick as it was awkward. The team's usual easy-going attitude was mildly dampened by their not knowing how to greet a dragon into their group, so it was unusually quiet at that time. Luckily, it ended barely after five minutes, and as soon as the dragon saw the river, he dived in head-first, disappearing under the currents and only flashing a chunk of two of his scales when he jumped briefly above the surface. 

While Blacky- because they hadn't still decided on a new name- swam around, seemingly enjoying the water, the group quickly got to set up camp, ready to get what little sleep they could before having to take off by morning. The little incident had left them even more tired since it had barely been weak since Azula's chasing-the-night-away, so no one bothered to properly take everything out and simply dumped their sleeping bags over the softest patched of earth available. 

Sokka was the first one to fall, ignoring everyone and burying himself under his blanket. 

"Usually I would make fun of Snoozles-", and the yawn that interrupted Toph mid-sentence was enough to prove her point-", but I'm tired too. G'night". 

Her snores soon joined the choir of the night, leaving awake only Aang and Katara. So, they exchanged looks. Stares. And yawns. 

Katara giggled a bit, but laid down and nuzzled in her blanket, "Let's sleep for a bit. It's been a long night", she said. Aang nodded, and brought his blanket up to his chin, ready to take a break, with Momo curling just by his side. 

Blacky chose that exact moment to leave the river, and with a slightly open eye, Aang saw him staring at the little group and heard him walking around them in circles, pacing.

"If he's going to eat us", Aang thought, a bit dizzy by the intense sleepiness, "At least we won't feel it". The next he knew, he felt a very large, scaly snout sniffing down at him from head to toe, "I asked for this one, didn't I? Monkey feathers", the Airbender thought, sighing when Blacky's nose went back to sniff his head. 

Then Appa grumbled loudly at the dragon, causing his mane and back to bristle. The dragon hissed back, lowering his head and intensely staring at the bison. 

"Aang, those two are yours. Your pets, friends, Avatar-sized companions. Your stuff,  you take care of it", he heard Sokka mumble under his breath, before turning away from the problem and going back to sleep. 

Which, fair, but not undeserved. Aang quickly cursed himself for his carelessness, before sitting up to stare at both animals. 

"Guys", he started, and rubbed his itchy eye, "Not fighting. Too late, it's dark. Go to sleep"

Both creatures seemed to ignore him, because Blacky stepped towards the bison, circling him, while Appa huffed and kicked the dirt. 

"Oh, drat", and he stood up to stand in the middle of both beasts, both much larger than he was, "Please, no fighting. Whatever the deal is, we can work at it tomorrow", he insisted, fighting a yawn. Appa shot him a look and slowly, centimetre by centimetre, leaned closer to the dragon still on edge. Blacky snarled and waved his tail from side to side, lifting enough dust to cause a choir of coughs around camp. 

"Aang!", Sokka hissed at him, eyes bloodshot, "Control your dragon!", he said and went back to sleep. 

"Appa", the monk insisted, grabbing his leg to push him back, "Step back, buddy, don't do this now". 

For the first time in a long time, the bison ignored his partner's orders and leaned even closer, lowering his head, to sniff at the tense dragon. A few tense seconds went by, and Appa just. Licked him. From neck to face. And plopped into the ground next to him. So Aang smiled relaxed and went back to his sleeping bag. 

He couldn't help to chuckle slightly when he saw Blacky's confused expression. 

"It means he likes you", Aang explained, "And that you can sleep next to him. He does that to everyone he meets. Well, almost everyone, but you get the point. There was this one time-", he couldn't continue because a sharp rock snapped from the rock just in front of his nose. 

When he turned around, he saw Toph scowling at him, her hand still on the ground. No more words needed to be said. 

"Sorry", he apologized, gulping when the rock dagger disappeared on the earth, "G'night, everyone". 

~~~

By the time Zuko went out of the water- having his scales clean and water in his belly did wonder for his mood, if he was honest with himself- he was quite baffled at realizing that the fours kids had already fallen asleep. 

Barely two hours before sun break. 

"How do these kids can be so relaxed when an entire Nation is out to get them?", Zuko thought, a bit annoyed with himself for failing to capture them over and over. 

This is the perfect moment, the Voice whispered again, sharp and soft, They are not expecting an attack, we can grab him and fly away. This is your chance.

"They healed me and allowed me here. Wouldn't it be dishonourable to stab them in the back?", he thought back, pacing in circles around the kids.

Why does that matter?, Whisper replied, insisting, Just grab him, and bring him to Father. It all ends the same way. Who cares about honour when this is faster? Go ahead, do it. Grab him. Take what's yours. 

Zuko lowered his snout and sniffed the Airbender from head to toe. He carried a heavy scent of the bison's fur, but there was an underlayer of washed-but-worn clothes- the kind of cheap soap Zuko himself had used during his time as a lone traveller- and new sweat. Dirt, too. Something in the boy reminded Zuko of the raw, cold wind from the Air Temples, but much, much softer. Like the gentle morning breeze, or a cooling gust of air in the middle of summer. 

Kind of weird to notice all of that from just the smell, but Zuko simply guessed his new dragon-tuned nose was sharper than most. 

Grab him, bite him, take him to your father. You can do it, he's just in front of you

Then the bison roared and Zuko felt his spin curling up in reply, ready to defend himself. The Avatar stood up a few seconds later- not asleep, vigilant, not daring to trust Zuko- and babbled some nonsense, but the prince only had eyes for the bison- which, he then realized, despite being smaller than himself (1), could probably, most definitely, cause some heavy damage with his weight alone, without considering his airbending- circling him back. 

More tense seconds went by, and Zuko was ready to snap his jaws when. The bison just. Licked him, from neck to face. 

And the Avatar had the guts to laugh and go to sleep again and tell him it was the bison's way to say "Hi, you can stay". So, the monk fell asleep again, but the bison kept staring. And staring. And staring, but Zuko didn't dare to move again. 

Appa- the bison's name was Appa- then walked closer, slow and unusually silent for someone- something- his size and judged him softly on the uninjured side. 

Zuko wasn't sure how to respond, so he simply froze in place. The bison nudged him again, a bit harder, and plopped by his side, still staring up at him. Zuko looked down and exchanged looks with the animal. 

And sat down. 

But Appa kept staring and patted the ground by his side. 

So Zuko laid down next to the bison, and only then did Appa close his eyes. 

"Huh", the prince thought, resting his head over the front legs, "What a weird animal". 

He had to hold a flinch when he felt the bison's fluffy- way too fluffy, shouldn't that be illegal?- tail curling by their shared side. 

And the prince was terrible with human interaction but animals were simpler and straightforward and never did something with ulterior motives, so Zuko didn't feel like a traitor when he extended his way-too-large left-wing and covered the bison with it, snuggling a little closer. 

*** 

The moment Agni's light began to touch the earth, chasing away the cool of the night, Zuko's Inner Fire- burning brighter and stronger than in his human form- flared restlessly, waking up the young dragon. 

The first thing he noticed was his closeness to the Avatar's bison and when he remembered having- ugh- cuddled with him after his nightmare, he wished to die of embarrassment on the spot. But alas, he had a mission to accomplish, he couldn't. So he simply stood, as quiet as he could, and moved away to stretch and erase any trace of morning sleepiness. 

He took the opportunity to drink some water from the river, fresh and clean and filling enough to quiet the hunger from his stomach for at least a while, and sat down in the spot between water and land, stretching his neck as high as possible to enjoy the familiar flood of energy from Agni's first light. It was a weird sort of comfort, to keep his Inner Fire despite his outward transformation, but a welcome one nonetheless. Letting the sunlight kiss his scales, he focused on his breathing for a while, falling into the practised ease of meditation rest. Knowing well that no one was awake yet, he took his time, and by the time he finished, Agni was well above the horizon. 

He held a sigh and stood up. 

"Time to figure out what to do", he thought bitterly, hating the idea of losing his brief state of after-meditation calmness. Back in the Wani, it never lasted past the walk to the dining hall- Cook Dekku would've laughed his ass off at hearing anyone refer to that small previously-a-health-hazard-storage-space-that-should-be-burned-to-the-ground room as a dining hall before slapping said person in the back, a bit harder than necessary, but it was better not to think about him because they had met for the last time the evening before Zhao had taken them all away and he could be dead and rotting in the bottom of the sea, away from Agni's light and missing a proper funeral because Zuko didn't fight to his crew safe and early-morning is not the time to think about past failures so it was better to stop thinking about it- because there was always something or someone- mostly Uncle, but it was unclear whether this was intentional or not- that managed to piss him off as soon as he began to think he could eat his breakfast in peace. 

When he turned around, to his surprise, he realized that no one had even begun to stir awake. Not even the bison, still napping where he had left him.

"How can they be so lazy? Isn't the Avatar supposed to be training to master all of the elements? It's already past sun break", he wondered, vaguely annoyed by remembering his own firebending lessons and wow, hadn't that been super fun. 

To prove his goodwill, he decided to give them an extra degree before waking them up. 

So. He had an hour of free time. 

"When was the last time that happened?", he asked sarcastically, a bit weirded out because there was nothing to do. He had already meditated, kidnapping the Avatar was temporarily off the table and taking a swim in the river wasn't tempting enough, despite the inner piece of royalty within screaming for a proper shower. 

After fifteen minutes of trying to figure shapes in the clouds like Uncle had asked him to try a couple of times during their lazy days on the Wani and getting pissed with himself because he saw a wakizashi but the voices kept insisting it was a dick, he realized that, for the first time since before his banishment, Zuko was bored. 

Not particularly angry or panicking to reach a lesson in time.Not hungry, not tense and waiting for the attacks that never came. 

Just. Bored. 

He briefly reconsidered waking them all up so they could suffer with him, but ultimately decided against it. Confronting his new companions was not something he was looking forward to, mostly because of the resulting mental yelling match he was slowly getting used to. 

Agni feeding his Inner Fire didn't help at all, and there was no training to exhaust himself with. He didn't even have his dao to practice. Not like he could've done it in the first place, having claws instead of proper fingers.

A realization hit. 

"I might as well train this body"

He had noticed himself sloppy, slow and disgustingly vulnerable during the last week, so he thought that maybe getting in tune with his new body and its new proportions would give him a better advantage against future enemies. As a dragon, he lacked the control and finesse to be a proper weapon and what better time to practice than early morning? 

There was nothing better to do, anyway. 

So, a bit excited to test his new limits, he wandered as away as he dared, breathed deeply and began to train. 

***

Aang woke up first like he usually did. Last night's events had left him a bit tired, but a new day was a new day and he had a lot to do ahead. The only problem he ever saw with waking early, was being alone. He didn't mind it much, but he found it disgustingly boring, and the energy inside him- always growing and being to be used- left him jittery on his feet. 

During the first days of his Avatar trip, he had tried to coax Sokka and Katara- and later, Toph- into joining him for early activities, but the replying denials had varied from a gentle but firm "no, thank you" to an annoyed stare and a cold shoulder to a grumpy scowl and a spiky rocked aimed at his head. 

No success, but no problem! The monks had always liked to say that "being alone is a power very few people can handle", and Monk Gyatso had always told Aang that, when the time came, he "would have to learn to walk through this world on your own, and find peace in it", so loneliness was no issue. No biggy. More time for meditation! He hadn't had the chance to do it properly for a while, so falling into the familiar pattern of well-ingrained breathing was a comfort big enough to calm his natural energy. 

He finished soon, for the day was early and there was much to do, but when he did, he felt much calmer and at peace than before. 

Then, he noticed. 

Blacky wasn't there. 

And then he heard the far swishes and thumps against the earth, and Aang grinned because he had a pretty good hunch of what was causing those noises.  

Truly, there was only one thing to do, so the young monk grabbed his glider and soared towards the noise. 

***

The snap of the tail colliding with the marked spot on the ground managed to get a tiny smirk from Zuko's sharp mouth. Getting the length and speed right enough to hit his targets had been a bit of a hassle, but finally hitting the intended spot did make up for the sweat and effort. He followed through with the movement, using the momentum to circle some steps and stretch his limbs into the familiar kata adapted to match a dragon's body. 

It was different and weird, but he was already beginning to notice the improvement in his previously lacking and honest-to-Agni awful mobility. 

He accompanied the last movement with a quick, hot, precise fireball shot towards another marked rock, getting a bit annoyed when it hit almost a quarter of the marked target. 

"Azula would've probably done it better", he chided himself, clicking his bifid tongue. 

There was no time to roll in self-pity, so he shook his head and went back to his starting spot when he heard it. 

Clapping. 

"That was amazing!", the Avatar praised, starry eyes looking up at him in adoration, "Can you teach me? It was so cool!"

"What part of that was cool?", he frowned, angry and a bit flustered by the undeserved attention, "It's only the begging set, even a toddler can manage"

Didn't you only learn it when you were nine?

"Shut up"

Aang ignored his inner conflict and stood from his spot on the high rock.

"Sorry if I interrupted, but I woke up and there was nothing to do and you were gone, so I came to look for you but then I saw what you were doing and I couldn't just interrupt. And it paid off! I've never seen Appa move like that! Although Appa is a bison, and we never trained our to fight, but still!"

Grumpy, Zuko walked toward the monk and softly scorched the edge of his robes before taking off to the camp.

He couldn't help the slight grin at hearing the Avatar's panicked squealing. 

***

Aang soared back, sending Blacky a pouting look and decided to wake everyone up. 

He couldn't, however, because the dragon had seemingly already done it faster than Aang thought possible. 

"Why are you all drenched in water? I didn't feel rain", Aang asked, sitting next to a grumpy Sokka. 

"Ask him", he snapped, pointing at Blacky, "Big lizard comes diving into the river and then decides it's a good idea to shake himself dry in the middle of camp because apparently, he likes to be an annoying jerk. Jerk fire ire lizard. Jerk dragon".

"Here", Katara handed him an empty bowl, "Breakfast will take a little more"

"And there's no meat", Sokka whined, dramatically plopping on his back and staring into the sun, "I'm too tired to hunt". Next to Appa, Toph shamelessly picked her nose in disinterest. 

Aang smiled and decided to give Sokka a quick rundown of his morning, giggling when the older boy started shooting him annoyed looks. 

The day had barely begun and was already feeling great.

***

The day had long begun and it was so... dull. Boring, annoyingly relaxed, nothing like he expected the Avatar's training to be. There wasn't even training going around.

"Dear Agni, how did I never catch them?", Zuko wondered from his place next to Appa, staring while the kids joked around and cooked proper honest-to-Agni breakfast. Who even had time for that? And Snoozles. Instead of whining so much, why didn't he just grab his spear and stabbed an animal? Was complaining about all he was good at? 

The bison seemed to pick up some of his moods because the next thing he felt was a wet tongue licking his mane, leaving it all weird-looking and wet. The Avatar's laughter reached his good ear. 

"Appa sure likes you, doesn't he? Look, your mane is shaped like a sea star-urchin!", Aang mocked, earning a well-deserved scowl and a cloud of smoke direct to his face. 

"Aang, I don't think is a good idea to annoy a dragon", the waterbender chided from her spot over their boiling breakfast. 

"And I still can't believe you annoyed a dragon into joining us", Snoozles interrupted, staring at Zuko as if he was the most interesting piece of a museum, "It has to be a secret superpower. Weird Avatar-bending. Friend-bending- Aang, have you been friend-bending us all this time? Is that how we end up here?"

"There's no such thing as friend-bending", the Avatar replied. 

"Hey, you never know! With our track record of finding things that aren't supposed to exist, I'm begging to think everything is possible"

"So do you finally admit Aunt Wu was right on her predictions?"

"Almost everything- she wasn't! We saw it and we fixed it"

It went on like that for the better part of the morning, falling into a weird silence when the waterbender gave filled their bowls. Agni had already risen nine degrees above the horizon- and Zuko was counting, he would know- when they finished their meal and began to move around. 

Zuko's stomach chose that moment to growl. Loud. He looked away when four heads- five, counting the lemur-thingy eating from Snoozle's bag- turned to stare at him. 

"Now that I remember", Waterbender began, worry frowning her eyebrows, "He felt hungry when I checked his body last night"

"She checked what?"

"But we don't even have much for us? How are we supposed to feed a dragon- he could pull an Appa and find his own food. Why do we have to do something about it?"

"Appa eats grass, you dunderhead. Dracky over there eats meat- have you seen those fangs? He's as much of a meat-lover as you are", the tiny earthbender replied, using a little twig to clean in between her teeth to the waterbender's obvious disgust.

"We can give him some of that dry pig-chicken meat we bought last time! Sokka, give him yours"

"What?! No! My meat, not Dracky's!"

"Don't be stingy, Blacky can't even hunt, he's still injured!"

"I guess he hasn't noticed the lemur emptying his bag"

"Wait, wait, wait, we have bigger problems at hand! Bigger than feeding Dracky! Can't you see?", Snoozles yelled, flapping his arms around and standing up, staring stern at everyone. 

"Finally, someone with a bit of common sense. Never thought it would be Snoozles though. I'm surprised"

"We need a name! For the dragon!"

"Agni, give me patience"

"Oh, that's right! He didn't like Blacky, Dracky, Elmo, Pendragon or Agni. And Fang is Roku's dragon, it would be weird to have two Fangs"

"So what do you suggest?"

"Oh, me!", Snoozles asked first, "Mushu! Eh? Ehhh? Good, isn't it?"

"I think that one's already taken..."

"Yeah, it's better not to risk it..."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing"

"Then? What do you guys suggest?"

"Saphira!"

"That's a girl's name"

"Right"

"Dragonite...?"

"A bit too obvious"

"Everyone's a critic"

"Scrubb"

"That's just mean"

"Firnen"

"Taken. Seriously, we can't use taken names! Are you nuts? We could get in trouble"

"Again, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing"

"I like Askook". 

"Isn't that too Water Tribe? Don't get me wrong, I love it, but... maybe for another occasion?"

"Zuko!"

Three heads were too busy staring at Toph to notice the dragon flinching quite violently. 

"What? They are both Fire Nation and are very angry beings, so it seems fitting"

Three heads turned towards Zuko, now self-consciously trying to hide away his scar. 

"They do, don't they? And they even have the same scar. It looks old. Stupid Fire Nation"

"Poor thing", Katara sighed, eyes shining with concern, "Why would we use his name, then? Wouldn't that be worse? Zuko is their prince, after all, wouldn't it be bad luck?"

"I'm taking offence by that"

"You're right. Any other options?"

"What do you think of "Lotus"? Like the tile on his mane"

Once again, three heads snapped at the dragon and squinted to see his mane. 

"That's true! There is a tile braided on his mane!"

"Do you think it's important?"

"Let's ask him later, we have an issue here"

"Oh, I don't know. Red! What about Red?"

"That's not very clever"

You think of a better one, then! If you are sooo clever!"

"Easy. I vouch for Rumble. It's tough, it has personality and it would scare away the weaklings. Rumble"

"Toph, we are not naming our dragon after your illegal fighting ring"

"Illegal fighting ring?"

"What!? Why not? It's cool!"

"It's Earth Kingdom. Druk's Fire Nation. See the problem?"

"All you see are problems, and you are supposed to be our Idea Guy? We're doomed!"

"Druk. What about Druk? It's short, sounds like Fire Nation, has a nice ring to it-"

"Oh yeah, that one sounds fine"

"Druk, huh? I like it"

"Better than Mushu-"

"Take that back!"

So distracted Zuko was with the little debate about his name, that he almost squeaked when the Avatar's lemur sneaked to his side, holding Snoozle's bag in his little hands. The dragon looked down and raised his only eyebrow, a bit curious. 

He couldn't hold the mischievous grin lifting his mouth when the little creature took out what seemed to be chunks of dry meat and plopped them just next to Zuko's front legs. The dragon lowered the head, and deeming them safe after a quick sniff, swallowed them all. 

Seemingly satisfied by the response, the lemur took out more and once more left them in the ground. 

"You know, I'm starting to like you", Zuko thought, wagging his tail at having something to fill his stomach with. The little creature seemed to be having fun emptying the bag because it chittered every time the prince swallowed the left meat, and excitedly went back to search for more in the depths of the bag. Zuko, from the corner of his right eye, caught Appa staring at their scavenging session. Both creatures exchanged stares until the bison shrugged and closed his eyes. 

The lemur took a little more to find more pieces of meat, and Zuko ate them with gusto.

"Hey", Aang suddenly said, finally realizing what they were doing, "Momo seems to like you!"    

Then, a blood-curling screech startled both of them, quickly turned around to find the cause of the scream. 

"MOMO, NOOOO!! MY MEAT! WHAT DID YOU DO?", Boomerang wailed, dashing to his bag and desperately looking for more inside of it, "IT WAS MY LAST PACKAGE!"

The lemur, not ashamed in the slightest, took off and soared until he found a nice resting spot above Zuko's head, ignoring Boomerang's cries. Normally he would've kicked it- Momo, the lemur's name was Momo- out, but the meat had filled his stomach a little, so he allowed it. 

The Boomerang rose to meet Zuko's eyes and scowled deeper when the dragon shot him a smug grin. "I'm not going to forget this", he hissed, as venomous as he never had been before. In response, Zuko huffed a little flame to singe the edge of his bag. The waterbender sighed and used some of her water to turn off the spreading fire. 

"Sokka, stop picking a fight with Druk", she sighed, patting his shoulder, "We'll get you more next town, don't be such a baby". 

The lemur peeked his head from Zuko's head, stared down at both kids and went back to hiding. 

"This is treason", Boomerang- Sokka- whispered, falling to his knees, "I've been betrayed by my closest friend. I'm never trusting anyone ever again". 

The tiny earthbender burst into laughter and had to onto Aang's shoulder to keep herself from falling, apparently not the best choice because the Avatar was cackling too.

"M-momo got you- Holy Shu, Momo got you so good!", she mocked, grabbing her belly, "S-spirits, I- I love that l-lemur-", and Aang was no longer able to hold her, so they both fell into the ground and kept laughing out loud, one on top of the other. Sokka blushed in deep red, shot Zuko and Momo the last warning stare, and stomped towards his sleeping bag while muttering curses in between his teeth. 

"Hey", Katara chided- although her eyes were way too amused to be talking seriously- "We're going to need to look for a town to resupply soon. Food's starting to run thin, and with another big mouth to feed we won't last long". 

Her words caused a pang of guilt through Zuko's stomach, but he ignored it. He could fend for himself, there was no need to feel bad about Avatar's followers. 

"But Sokka can hunt, right?"

"I don't think that's going to be enough to feed Druk. A dragon that size surely eats more than the four of us combined", the waterbender replied, shrugging. 

The sudden worry about the lack of food brought a rush of panic to the dragon. The memory of having nothing to eat for days on end, and being unable to sleep due to a very empty stomach was too fresh to forget or do not know the exact ways his stomach contorted and begged for even the scraps from the leftover bread, a fear he had never expected to have but had developed anyway. 

He could handle it- despite shuddering at the thought- well enough to last for a while just like he had done not so long ago, but the Avatar's group... they were younger than himself, their cheeks showed a roundness of someone who's never been close to starving- going hungry didn't seem like an experience they had gone through yet. It wasn't a pleasant experience, and some prideful stubbornness within refused to be the reason why a bunch of kids would go to bed with an empty stomach. 

Dragon or human, Prince Zuko would always refuse to be a burden. 

The dragon huffed and stood from his resting spot, stretching his limbs like he had seen Sushi- the Wani's mimic catopus- do several times, and lowered his head near enough to the ground to let Momo jump down easily. The flying lemur chittered at him and tilted his head, curious about what he was going to do, but Zuko simply turned his away and galloped to the river before diving like an arrow, waving his body to flow with the current. 

It was- luckily- a river deep enough to hold in the entire length of Zuko's body, and the calm current near the bottom was the perfect home for the largest of fishes, none of them fast enough to dodge Zuko's sharp jaws. It took him less than a few minutes to grab and stab several fish large enough to feed himself and the others. 

Once his mouth was full enough, he swam towards the surface, used his surprisingly strong tail to jump above the water and spread his wings just enough to reach the edge. 

Spotting Sokka still near his not-put-away sleeping bag, he walked towards the boy and dropped six large fishes in front of him. 

"What the-"

The prince grinned smugly, again, at the water tribe boy's dumbfounded expression. 

"Druk, you...!", Sokka whispered, so emotional that for a brief moment, Zuko worried he was hurt or angry, "You're such a great dragon!", and the next thing he knew, a water tribe young warrior was clinging to his neck, grabbing his mane tighter than the Avatar beforehand, "I'm so sorry for doubting you and calling you and overstretched angry fire-lizard! You're a great dragon, the best dragon! Who's my best bud? Who's my best bud? You are! You and I will be bed buds forever, you hear? The hunting buddies!"

Confused, Zuko shook his long neck hoping it would get rid of the water tribe warrior, but to his disappointment, it only worked to tighten Sokka's grip. Mildly desperate- and refusing to acknowledge the amusement of the situation- he whined towards Appa, pointing at the clinging boy. The bison seemed to understand what he meant because he bit down Sokka's shirt and managed to un-stuck him from the dragon's neck. 

Grateful, Zuko nodded towards Appa and didn't growl when the bison licked his side. Again. 

"Sokka, stop bothering Druk!", Katara reprimanded, flicking her brother's forehead, "If you have enough free time to play rough with him, you have enough free time to help store the fish!"

"You don't get it!", groaned Sokka, letting his hands fly for further emphasis, "With Druk here, we don't need to worry!  Can't you see? The possibilities are endless! We could leave him all these fish, and I still would say not to worry about the meat!"

The last statement managed to rip a horrified gasp from everyone- Momo included. 

"Oh, spirits, he's dying. Katara, Sokka is dying! What do we do, what do we do? Do I have to get him to suck frogs again?"

"I will not-"

"Wait, suck frogs? I feel like I've heard that one before..."

"I-I don't know! I've never seen someone like this before. How could I be so careless with my brother...?!"

Momo flew from his place on the ground and landed over Sokka's head, touching his forehead with a tiny hand, while Appa sniffed him from head to toe. 

"His heartbeat remains steady... this disease is even stronger than I am", Toph stated and shook her head in grim resignation, "He's not going to make it". Confused, Zuko looked down at a deadpan Sokka and simply raised an eyebrow, demanding an explanation. The young warrior sighed and took Momo off his head, taking a few seconds to fix his ponytail.

"Ignore them, they are just being idiots", the warrior replied, "They fail to see my unmatchable genius". 

"Never mind, he's fine", Katara smiled, flicking her brother's forehead while passing by, Aang following close behind. Toph shrugged and lay down next to Appa. Sokka, mildly annoyed, sighed and went towards the bison. 

"Toph", the warrior called, standing in front of the earthbender, "I'll need your help"

"Me? What for? Do you want your private mud bath or something? Are you actually going to die?"

"Mud bath? No, why would I-? Never mind, no. I need you to take me to the nearest burrow and point me out all of the openings"

"Sure, but why? What do you have in mind?", Toph asked, standing and starting to walk towards her objective.

Sokka simply smirked and patted her shoulder in a slightly patronizing way, "Just wait and learn, Toph, wait and learn". She scoffed and slapped his hand away. "Give me a second", she shrugged him off, frowning a bit while both her hands tapped the floor. "Found it"

"Can you take me?"

She seemed to consider saying "no" for a few seconds before she sighed and shrugged her shoulders, standing up, "There's not like I have better things to do". 

"Great! Druk, you too. Hurry up, you're coming with me", Sokka ordered, grabbing the dragon and lightly pulling him from his tail towards Toph. Annoyed, Zuko took his tail from the warrior's hands and walked on his own to stand with the tiny earthbender. 

Hurrying to Appa's saddle to take out what he needed, he called out to Katara.

"Hey, Katara. I'm taking Toph, Momo and Druk to hunt, there are some ideas I want to try", Sokka warned her while grabbing his club, dagger, boomerang- one Zuko wished to burn but couldn't because of principles- and an overly-glorified worn purse that was Sokka's Hunting Bag Extraordinaire, "We might take a bit longer than usual"

"Take all the time you want, Aang and I have some waterbending to catch up. But be back before sundown!", Katara waved them off, grabbing a towel to dry herself and heading to the river, "Let's go, Aang. We have several lessons to review"

"Coming!", the monk replied with a light pink tainting his cheeks. 

Ignoring the particular kind of excitement in Aang's voice, their little group headed away to where Toph had located the largest burrow in the nearby area. It took them a good twenty minutes of uncomfortable silence to reach the appointed place. Sokka ignored them in favour of mumbling to himself. 

"We're here", Toph said by minute twenty-too- Zuko had been counting, "The nearest opening is two feet away from your right leg. Druk's leg".

With a hum of affirmation, Sokka kneeled on the floor and cheered out loud at finding the little hole. He looked around a little and grabbed a particularly large dry twig, sticking in the ground next to the opening. "Tell me where are the others". They spent the next few minutes finding the openings and sticking twigs near them while under the curious stare of a weirded-out dragon and a lazy lemur napping on said dragon's head.

"Those were all the holes. Now what? Are you going to explain or do I have to guess?"

"Now you're going to help me cover all of the holes except the one near Druk and this one over here", Sokka replied, pointing at the hole with two sticks near, "Then I'll explain it"

"You're making me do all of the work", she complained, "This better be good". She stomped on the ground and every hole but those two pointed out by Sokka got covered in perfect-sized rock.

"Great! Now, we get to the good part", replied Sokka, stopping just in front of Zuko, who had lowered his neck and closed his eyes after the first few holes, "Druk, now's your turn". The dragon opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow, questioning. "Do you think your mouth fits inside the hole?", he asked, pointing at the opening closest to the dragon. 

"What kind of question is that?" Frowning, the dragon stood from his resting place and stretched a bit- Momo chittered as he flew towards Toph- before stepping closer to the hole and lowering his head. He sniffed a bit around it, catching the scent of several marmot hares, and measured the size difference, finding it almost minimal. "Snoozles sure has some weird ideas", he thought, raising his head and nodding.

"Wait there for a moment", he ordered and then made his way to the two-stick hole. He took out an unusually large sack from Hunting Bag Extraordinaire and with his jawbone dagger, began to cut it carefully, "I've been wanting to use this for something important, and this seems like the best chance to use it", he explained. It took him a few minutes, but as soon as he finished he stood and threw it over the hole, grabbing it from the sides. "Druk, can you throw some smoke into the hole? Don't make it too thick- actually, make it as light as possible, would ya? And make sure is fast but not too fast, but not too slow either. Just... make it flow...? Yeah, make it flow. Hurry!"

"Don't tell me what to do. Stupid peasant", Zuko growled, closing his eyes and focusing on his Inner Fire, "This shouldn't be too hard. Light and flowing, right? Light and flowing".He breathed in and allowed his chi paths to stir awake again, heating him up and running through his veins. Some hot smoke escaped his nostrils, but it was quickly controlled. "Thin it, thin it. Not too intense, control your breath", he reminded himself, frowning as he lowered the heat of his body and smothered any trace of flames.

"Too much heat and you scald the leaves. Too long, and they burn as well. Find your balance, Prince Zuko, balance your breath and your fire will follow along", he heard Uncle's advice again. 

"Balance, huh?". The dragon exhaled some of the excess fire and inhaled once more, slow and steady, just enough for the smoke to appear and flow. 

Then, he let it out. His mouth didn't open much, but it was more than enough for what he wanted.  Controlling the flow of oxygen from his lungs, he made sure to keep the fire thin and even just as Sokka had asked. 

"Stop it! Stop the smoke! Toph, cover Druk's opening, now!", Sokka suddenly ordered. By the side, Toph smiled wide as she stomped the ground and covered the hole. Before Zuko could ask- or nudge- since there wasn't much talking as a dragon- something small and fast collided against Sokka, ripping a grunt from the young warrior as he struggled to stay on his feet. 

Then another, and another, pushing against Sokka with every new projectile forcing his limits. They kept going and going until one seemed to escape the warrior's grip and only then did Zuko realize what they had been doing while staring at the marmot-hare running away from its burrow, followed by several others escaping Sokka's grip. 

"Toph! Uncover the holes, let them out!", Sokka ordered again, groaning at having to hold down a large number of marmot hares under the makeshift net. Unwilling to let his smoke go to waste, Zuko jogged towards the warrior and closed his jaws around the nearest marmot-hare, not fast enough to dodge the dragon's jaws. 

The rodent's blood tasted... different, very different than the raw meat. Zuko felt mild worry at not finding it completely unpleasant. 

Once the animal stopped moving, the dragon threw the body next to Sokka and focused on stomping on the little moving lumps under the fabric while the warrior took care of the others. It felt like a long time, but sooner than later the lumps stopped moving and no more marmot hares exited the hole. By the end of it, Sokka was sweating and panting, while Zuko waved his front leg at Toph and Momo. 

"It... it worked...", Sokka wheezed, uncovering the bodies of nearly ten dead marmot hares under the fabric, "I... I knew it....! It works...!". Then, he began laughing. Momo soared from Toph's shoulder to the ground next to Sokka and poked at a marmot-hare. 

"That... that was quite clever of you", Toph admitted, smirking down at him, "Seems like we have enough meat for all of us. Minus Twinkletoes, but he can manage."

"And... and for a good few days! I know how to make sure we use all the meat, and we don't need to eat all of this today. If we use it in the right way, we can eat the marmot-hare stew for at least five- wait, no- three days. And along the fish? Our meat supply is totally covered!", then he turned to stare at Druk, smiling wide and bright and sending a few butterflies into Zuko's stomach, "You were amazing! I don't think I could've gotten so much without you, you know? And the smoke was just perfect, was it hard? Fire always looks so hard- but you were so amazing and now we have more meat thanks to you!"

Zuko knew he would've blushed deep red if he had been human. Instead, he huffed and stared away. "He's so embarrassed!", mocked the earth bender, earning an annoyed look, "His heart is beating so weird and his tail is waving~". Only then did Zuko realise his tail happily waving up and down, and forced it to stop. Not before Sokka saw it, of course, and the warrior laughed whole-heartedly. Zuko had never been laughed at without malice and cruelty but for some reason, he knew there was no mockery or ill-intent when the warrior laughed at his little slip.

"Of course he's happy!", Sokka replied, "We've got meat!". 

Zuko couldn't help but agree. 

"Sure thing", Toph said, managing to roll her eyes by voice alone, "What now?"

"Now we take this back to camp and I'll prepare it for us"

"No- I mean, that too- but I meant the marmot hares inside the burrow. There are a few who didn't get to escape. I think- yeah, there are some little ones inside. What do we do with them?" An uncomfortable silence fell upon the hunting group. "Those... you didn't mean those, did you?"

"No. I didn't", admitted Sokka, frowning upset, "I'll have to think of another way next time". Hating to see his meat supply so down, Zuko nudged him with his snout. 

"I'll control my smoke better next time", he thought. 

"Let's get back", the warrior said, grabbing the marmot-hare closest to him and placing it on top of the fabric, "It's getting late and cutting all of this takes time". 

"Don't count me in!", the earthbender immediately said, stepping back, "I'll just stay here"

Sokka hummed flatly and stayed quiet while he carefully made sure to pile up his findings on top of each other, to fit them inside of the bag.

The sun had begun to lower, the cold of the night taking over the warmth of the day and some nearby birds chirping their trills. And, just out of curiosity, to see if he could, Zuko raised his neck, tightened his neck and. 

Chirped.

Chirped in the exact same tone he knew the blue jays chirped when there was no danger around, to call their own.

Zuko's eyes widened and his head snapped to look at Sokka, who was staring at him in baffled silence, his open mouth slowly rising into a gigantic grin, the marmot-hare pile momentarily forgotten.

"Was that-?", Toph asked first, her unseeing eyes wide enough to show her surprise, "Was that Sparky?"

"Yupp", replied Sokka, popping his lips for the last letter, "Druk", he grinned, patting the dragon's front leg, "Druk, buddy. My buddy, my pal, my partner, my comrade. I think we've just found a very big, unexplored gold mine"

The warrior's smile had never been so unnerving, and Zuko couldn't help but gulp.

***

"I have to admit, that was pretty smart of you", Toph praised from on top of Zuko's back, petting Momo between his large ears. After finishing their unusually successful bird hunt, the little earthbender had complained about being tired and had refused to move if not carried by one of them. Since Sokka had to carry most of their prey, Zuko had begrudgingly accepted to carry her on his back along the animals Sokka couldn't grab, and they began their leisurely walk back to their camp just a little while before sundown. 

He ignored the memories of Azula demanding piggyback rides just to spend time with her big brother, back when her fire hadn't shown and her words were playful instead of cruel. 

"Thanks! I'm actually surprised it worked so well, but now I don't have to hunt so much and our meals will last longer- I'm so glad we found Druk!", he cheered. Zuko was sure the only reason he had not been hugged yet was because of the weight of several marmot hares and blue jays keeping the warrior done. It was good, too, because the praise from the warrior really got Zuko embarrassed. 

From above, Toph, to Zuko's annoyance, chuckled. Despite being constantly mocked by her, the prince had to admit it had been a pleasant day. The voices hadn't acted a lot, and his stomach was about to be full. 

A wind came from the east, and Zuko froze.

Toph picked up on his change in demeanour, "What is it?"

"Nothing good", Zuko thought, shivering by a wave of urgency flaring within. Sokka yelped when the dragon bit him from the back of his shirt and threw him above his back. Completely ignoring the hustle and bustle on his back, he began a quick jog before leaping hard to take off towards their camp, flapping them hard to reach it soon "We need to hurry!"

 Within a few minutes, the small group reached camp, just in time to see a boar-q-pine kicking the ground at an angry Appa, who had positioned himself in front of Aang and Katara. Without giving the animal time to react, Zuko dove down and, aiming, rammed the boar from the side of it, knocking it out of the way. The prince let out an angry screech and when the animal rose, angry and still wanting to fight, he breathed out a long but cold flame to try to scare it away. The dragon's mane stood on end, his tail swung menacingly from side to side, his sharp fangs hissed in a warning display and his wings flapped violently, keeping Toph and Sokka well protected from the beast. Luckily, the boar-q-pine seemed to have a good sense of self-preservation, as his decision to turn around and run only took a few seconds.

"Druk, that was awesome!", the Avatar voice cheered from behind, "You didn't even hurt it, and yet you kept it away! How'd you do that? Can you teach me?". 

"You should've seen him during our hunt! He was so useful- look! All of this food? Team Hunter is at its best! We're never going to be hungry with this guy around"

Mildly mortified, Zuko scoffed and softly pushed at both monk and warrior, before walking away from the praise and settling behind Appa. 

"You're embarrassing him", Toph mocked, giggling when Zuko whined in a complaint, "What? It's true, you are"

"That doesn't  mean you have to tell!"

"Now, Toph, maybe Druk's just shy. Could you give him a break and give me a hand over here? I need a larger clay pot for tonight's dinner. And Sokka, I need you to hurry and skin those marmot hares soon. Take Aang to Appa before you begin, though. Less waiting, more moving!".

In the middle of the choir of undignified complaints, the three of them began to move around to do as told while Katara began to chop their remaining vegetables. Momo perched on top of Appa's head, while Zuko stared at the group from behind the bison. 

Wanting to be of use, he stood and grabbed one of the pots- delicate and careful enough not to break the recipient- before trotting to the river and filling it for Katara. Her smile at receiving the water was a good reward- not that Zuko would've ever admitted it. 

"Oh, you didn't have to. Thank you! You're a good dragon, you know?", Katara thanked, chuckling when the dragon's expression scrunched into a frown, "Hey, don't take it so seriously. I'm just kidding!", she smiled, "I meant it. Thank you. It feels good to be helped around for once". 

Understanding her better, Zuko nodded and sat across her from the growing campfire. 

It didn't take long after that for their dinner to be ready, but Zuko decided to grab his meat and stay as away from the kids as possible. Despite Aang0s presence quieting the screaming in his head, the more time he spent between them the less likely it was for him to betray them when the time came. So, after their meal, when the young monk tried to get closer to Zuko, the only welcome he received was a violent hiss and bared fangs. 

Luckily, the monk was smart, so he stayed away from the rest of the night. 

Zuko ignored the longing for hugs causing an intense itch on his skin. 

When, hours later, he woke up to find the lemur deeply asleep between the dragon's horns and the water tribe warrior clinging to his tail as if it was a pillow, well. No one else was awake enough to call him out for allowing it to go on for a few more hours. 

Zuko had begun to miss contact, after all. And, in his life. harmless touch had always been difficult to find. 

***

The next day was less exciting. They rose early, ate breakfast, flew away and repeated for lunch. There was no need for a lot of hunting given the successful catch of their last expedition, so their time together was more of a leisurely walk than anything. 

The only thing that differed from it began after dinner, all of them ready to sleep and end the day.

"Well", Sokka started, calling everyone's attention, "According to the map, if we take off in the early morning we should be arriving tomorrow before noon, so it will be better to just settle down for the night and rest enough to get up earlier than usual. IF-", he continued louder, to stop his friend's complaints and groans, "- anyone has an issue with that, you are all free to check the map and mark a new route. Until then, don't wake me!"

Ignoring the choir of complaining groans, the young warrior settled inside his sleeping bag and turned his back on them, totally willing to ignore them all. The lemur, being the highly impressionable creature he was, flew from Aang's shoulder and landed on top of Sokka's shoulder, curling in a ball to nap with the one who had fed him some berries last. The others knew when to recognize a lost battle, so both girls cursed him under their breaths while settling down for the night, closer to the fire. 

Aang, however, stood on his feet and stared at Zuko from meters away. Slowly, step by step, he closed the distance between them under the dragon's watchful stare, for they were both very patient when the time required them to be. 

When the monk's feet stepped within the two-meter range, Zuko decided to call him out so he bared his fangs with a light growl and raised the tip of his tail from the ground.

Understanding the queue to stay away, the young boy raised both hands and took several steps back, until Zuko lowered his tail and hid his fangs again. With a sigh of relief, Aang settled his sleeping spot for the night and got under his blanket, briefly lifting a palm as an apology toward the dragon. Zuko, of course, had been raised to act with proper manners, so he nodded back in acceptance of the monk's apology, which seemed to relieve some of the faint tension in Aang's shoulders. 

"G'night", the Avatar mumbled, turning towards the fire and closing his eyes. Zuko was a hundred per cent sure the young monk was not even close to falling asleep but appreciated Aang's willingness to stay away. He huffed once and, just to be sure, found a sleeping spot a few meters away from the little tight-knit group. To warm the rock under him he released a hot but controlled flare for several seconds until the stone began to smoke from the intense heat. Satisfied, he circled the spot for a second before laying on his left side, content with the pleasant warmth of his fire.

It was pleasant enough to relax his massive body and soon, the heaviness of his eyelids forced him to close them, unable to stay awake any longer. A bit upset at having to bend to his body's will, it took him a little while to finally fall asleep.

The darkness of his surroundings quickly became a comfortable pressure around him. It kept him focused and made him feel safe, something he had craved for a long time, ached and wished for with all his might. It was warm and dim, familiar and friendly and soothing. It kept going and going and swallowing everything on its way. It felt like the waves in the deepest parts of the ocean, lying in his room in the Wani, forcefully lulled into slumber by the continuous movement underneath the ship. It felt like the rocking of his mother's arms when everything was fine and the Royal Palace remained a safe place. 

When has it ever been safe? Can't you hear your screams? Can't you remember the pain? You've never had a home, you've never been safe. It's all a lie, deceit, meant to bring you down when you least expect it. And you keep falling, silly, naive little boy, longing for a home that never was. 

It picked up. Clouds of darkness moved, swirled around him, swallowing him, pushing him down. Then, a light. There was a light, tiny and far and brighter than anything else. 

It grew. Grew bigger and closer, and the white morphed into yellow, the yellow into orange and the heat became unbearable. His face burst into flames, the flesh burnt with the fire, blisters popped and scorched by the heat, and blood kept oozing out of the fresh wound. 

A shriek of pain behind him distracted him briefly from his melting face. 

"ZUKO!", Mother cried, surrounded by tall flames, "HELP ME! MY SON, PLEASE! I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE!"

And Zuko tried to scream, tried to call her out, but the fire had consumed everything and his body no longer responded. 

"ZUKO!", another voice- filledwithpainpainpain- called from the other side. 

Aang. Aang, full of blisters and angry red burns, chained down, grey eyes wide and terrified. WHY?", the boy sobbed, tears evaporating as soon as they left his eyes, "I THOUGHT YOU COULD'VE BEEN MY FRIEND! WHY DID YOU BRING ME HERE?"

I didn't mean to-

Didn't you? This is what you wanted. For three years, this has been your sole purpose, your goal. This is how you recover your honour. Are you going to give up now? Are you going to let him go just because he LOOKS LIKE YOU?

Aang's wailing shape morphed again, and in its place, a younger Zuko stared up in desperation. The darkness twisted, changed, and took the form of the Agni Kai arena. 

"Please, father. I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart! I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!"

His voice, shrilling and piercing, scalding and burning and as terrifying as he remembered, replied. 

"You will fight for your honour"

The same familiar terror bent the boy to his knees, once more, begging and crying like the pathetic little worm he was. 

"I meant you no disrespect! I'm your loyal son"

"Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!"

Stupid. Disgusting. Should've never been born, should've thrown him into the garbage the moment I saw him. 

"I won't fight you"

Useless. Failure. Coward. 

"You will learn respect. And suffering will be your teacher".

Weak.Pathetic. Euphoria ran through him when the child- an Airbender, a young boy who wanted to play in the water and befriend everything alive- wailed in unbearable pain, his face lit like a torch in the middle of the night, burning and melting and somuchpainpleasemakeitstopI'msorryIwaseverbornstop-

Then Zuko's eyes burst open.

Terrified, he stood up to fast, stumbling a bit by the sudden dizziness in his head. By his side, he heard the bison growling in concern but pushed it away because the nightmare fought claw and tooth to cling, to drag him back and he couldn't, not yet, but he didn't know why and he was confused and scared and Uncle was too far to go and check on him like it used to happen back in the Wani. His heart pounded against his chest, his breath came out in short, raspy wheezes and his legs felt like jelly, shivering and hazy-

A large shadow flew by his right side and Zuko's heart stopped, froze and he was going to die-

Appa's front right paw petted his mane a couple of times, and slowly but surely pushed Zuko back to his former place. The dragon stared and felt a lump in his throat when he remembered Uncle doing the same during his worst nightmares. 

"Calm down, nephew",  the old man chided gently, lowering him back to bed with a steady grip on his shoulders, "You are safe here, so go back to sleep, please. A man needs his rest"

"I miss him", he thought and squinted his eyes to keep tears at bay. Then a wet, thick tongue licked his scarless side, and the giant paw pushed a little harder, leading Zuko's trembling body to lay back down. Once there, the paw didn't leave and kept petting his mane as gently as it could. 

Had it been any other moment, or had Zuko been the slightest bit more lucid, he would've snarled in embarrassment and walked away as far as possible, but fresh out of a nightmare, surrounded by people he didn't know and doing his best to ignore the yelling inside his head, he allowed the painless touch to soothe him into a relaxed state.

The bison's paw, he realized, felt way too much like Uncle's hand. 

***

"Grand Lotus. The next caravan to the Misty Palms Oasis will come back a week from today. We can settle you in a room until they show up if you wish"

"That would be wonderful! Can you show me the way? These old bones grow more tired by the day and a man needs his rest"

"Of course. Please, follow me. We only have available the old room outside of the yard, so I apologize for any inconvenient you may stumble upon"

"Oh, no worries, no worries! One should never look at a gifted ostrich horse in the mouth, so I'll happily take whatever you wish to give me". 

After settling in the little room and waving goodbye to the innkeeper, surrounded by no light and in the middle of a starry night, the old man looked up at the sky and wished more than anything to meet with his nephew once more.

***

After a good night's sleep, their little group had begun to pack in the early morning and had taken off barely two degrees after Agni's early lights. Since they had all been still sleepy and tired, everyone but Aang had taken it to catch up on their sleep while on Appa's saddle, using each other's bags as pillows and made-up blankets. 

Despite having to be woken up by Zuko to avoid falling asleep while on the reins, Aang had refused to wake the others up for a shift, rather than letting them all nap while he rode. Because of this, their flight had been an unusually quiet one, only interrupted by the occasional snore or the rustle of clothing. 

Being someone who considered himself a lover of silence, the journey was particularly comfortable for the young prince, allowing him to fall into a marked and repetitive rhythm along with the beating of his wings, and in turn, letting his mind lose itself in the depths of the meditative and taciturn space reserved for his thoughts. The cooling wind from the clouds quietly hissed as it evaporated at the touch of the young dragon's warm scales, and the air currents that let the beast glide through the skies with great ease allowed him to soar for long periods without the need to flap his wings. 

Hours later, just like Sokka had said, they had spotted their destination from several kilometres away just a bit before the sun rose to its highest. Only then had Aang woken everyone else up, quickly making up a list of their so-needed supplies while they flew over the small town in search of a place wide enough to land with both Appa and Druk. Zuko had not particularly paid attention to that exchange and had focused most of his energy on testing his wings' stamina and resistance against prolonged use. It didn't hurt- not like before, hours and hours of endless flapping and pushing- but only at landing had he realized the mild strain on his largest limbs.

In the end, their little group had settled not so far from town, in a clear barely a few meters from the main road. The kids unloaded fast.

"Druk, are you staying or do you want to tag along?", Aang called, staring at the dragon. Zuko held down a yawn and shook his head. 

"We won't take too much so just stay here and don't cause trouble", said Sokka, earning a flat look from the prince, "Don't look at me like that- you haven't lived through our track record!"

Soon they disappeared down the road, leaving behind a bison, a dragon and a flying lemur. 

Appa grumbled to call their attention and stepped under a particularly soft patch of grass completely exposed to the sun's rays. He plopped over it and, with his head, signalled the place next to him. Zuko exchanged a brief stare with Momo and quickly made his way next to the bison. 

It felt nice, he realized once he had laid down, to have the opportunity of a much-missed sunbathing time. He hadn't had the chance to properly do it since the Wani, because his time as a runaway had made it impossible for him to relax and he had envied Uncle, back then, for being able to carelessly enjoy their breaks on the road instead of staying on his toes as Zuko had. 

He stretched his back like a cat and circled the grass before plopping down next to the bison again, relaxing as soon as he focused on the sun slowly warming his back's scales. Letting out a sigh of relief, he stretched out both his wings to let them bask under the light, covering Appa under the left one. The prince was vaguely aware of his long tail lazily waving from side to side and his furry mane warming by the exposure. Momo had settled over Zuko's back, curling in a ball to nap along with his friends. 

That evening was a peaceful one, shining under the warm sun's rays that kept the green grass at a nice temperature, not managing to be overbearing thanks to the occasional wind cooling them off. Soon after settling down, Zuko noticed the loud, steady purring coming out from within his chest and felt a bit embarrassed at allowing himself to relax so carelessly, but it was such a comfortable position that he paid it no mind after the first realization. Lulled by the company and the light, he quickly fell into a light, nice slumber, more at ease than he had felt in a long, long time.

A long time later- it felt like it was a long time later- an annoying, irritating chatter began to stir Zuko awake. As soon as he moved closer to Appa, the noise stopped. He was mildly conscious of Momo shifting and turning on his back but paid him no mind in favour of staying into his pleasant doze. His body was well aware of how rare it was for the prince to actually rest, and the nap under the sun might as well be the first good nap in forever.     

Then the lemur began to chitter and squeak and wouldn't shut up, so Zuko- without opening his eyes because opening them would mean accepting nap time was over and it wasn't- snarled, shook his neck and huffed two trails of smoke before settling down again. He prayed to Agni for the lemur to have at least an ounce of brain cells in his little head. 

Just when he thought he could go back to sweet, sweet sleep, the lemur jumped on his mane and began to roughly pull at his fur while hollering in what Zuko finally recognized as panic. 

The dragon snapped his right eye open. 

The first thing he felt was mild surprise at seeing a rather large crowd staring back with their eyes wide open and hands around very lengthy iron chains. A few crossbows, too, but mostly iron chains. 

The second was a sort of resignation- as if the other shoe had finally dropped and he had been too dumb to see the when- at knowing the situation could've been avoided if he had stayed awake. 

Then, anger.

At Momo, at the crowd, and at himself, roaring and boiling and sudden and begging to be let loose. Above their heads, the little lemur was doing its best to wake the bison up, but Zuko paid him no mind in favour of picking as much information as he could in the shortest time possible. 

The crowd in front was his priority. He was not letting them make the first move and refused to give them the advantage he had given to the villagers back in the barn. 

This is what you get. You asked for this, you let your guard down and this is what happened. When will you learn not to expect good things to happen? Silly, naive, worthless.

In a blink, Zuko stood on his four legs and began to close the distance between him and the crowd, growling and swaying his tail from side to side. He felt mild satisfaction when a lot of them stepped back with fear-stricken expressions on their faces, and the sadistic vein within made him extend both wings to their full length, using the sun's shadow to scare them away. Behind, he heard Appa's worried rumble, but couldn't allow the newcomers to have a chance of striking any of them. 

Just when Zuko thought he could handle them without exchanging blows, a large man who seemed to be in charge stepped to the front and pointed at the dragon with one long, thick finger. 

"WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? WE ARE MORE, WE CAN DO THIS! THAT'S JUST A BIG LIZARD! IMAGINE THE MONEY WE CAN MAKE BY SELLING IT! DON'T FALTER!", he screamed, taking several steps to the front. Irritated, Zuko growled down at him and snapped his jaws in the leader's direction, but his words had already reached the others, and the murmur of agreement crossed the crowd. "AS WE PLANNED, SCARE THE BISON AND WE KEEP THE DRAGON!"

The crowd began to cheer and some of them ran towards Appa, lighting torches and sticks to scare him away. Zuko kept flapping his wings, but the effect had been broken and they ignored his warning. Above their heads, he saw Momo dodging a thin chain aimed at the lemur and flying away. It couldn't go on for long.

So the dragon opened his jaws and shrieked.

It stopped the lot of them on their feet, and he saw a lot of them covering their ears in pain. Even Appa stepped back, unable to stand the piercing sound. Zuko felt a little guilty for hurting the bison, but it worked so he wasn't complaining.  He used the distraction to his advantage and launched the lot of them away from the bison with a lash from his tail. Immediately, he placed himself in front of Appa and snapped his jaws towards anyone who got close enough while throwing the others with his tail. Appa growled from behind, concerned, but the prince paid him no mind. 

Then something flew from his left and before he could react, a large chain roughly closed his muzzle. Some part of the crowd made sure to scare away Appa, who growled in anger and fear at the fire, while the largest part began to fly chains from above and on both sides, pinning down the angry dragon from neck to body. His tail was still free and he could use it to some degree, but the chain closing his mouth was impossible to escape, even worse when they began pulling him down.  

The dragon growled and swiped at them with his claws, uncaring if he hurt them or not, but they had taken him by surprise and their large numbers served some sort of purpose because every inch Zuko gained back was stolen again along with a few more. 

Appa's panicked noises were heard loudly from behind and the swishes from the beast's tail ruffled the lower trees, but the prince could no longer turn away his head. He cursed himself for not using his fire and trashed around as violently as he could, refusing to have something like the barn happen again. The crowd kept screaming, the heat became unbearable and the feeling of having a lot of hands wanting to touch him was overwhelming. Zuko felt his heart beating faster, roughly, aching to break out through his chest, and his breath began to pick up- never a good thing to happen. 

Unconsciously, his scales grew hot and he ignored the mild ache when the men pulling him down screamed at having their hands singed by the hot metal. It gave him some leverage to get rid of several chains, and once the ones keeping his front legs were freed, he tried to pull away the chain closing his mouth. 

The whistling was enough of a warning, but Zuko couldn't react before the arrow pierced his shoulder through the scales and into the flesh. The pain ripped a screech from his chest and caused him to jerk and shake harder than before. 

"HEY", a known voice thundered from the road, freezing everyone in place. "KEEP YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY FRIENDS!". Barely keeping it together, it took the prince an embarrassing amount of seconds to recognize Aang's shape. He saw too Momo perched on the monk's shoulder, panting and pointing at them. 

"The Avatar!"

"He's back!"

A violent gust of wind flew at them, carrying with it a familiar chart from a passing merchant. 

"MY CABBAGES!"

"RUN!", the leader cried, letting go of Zuko's mouth chain and running in the opposite direction. Almost as if a spell had been broken, those still conscious threw everything down and sprinted away from Aang. By the road, the merchant cried next to a stepped cabbage, grabbed it and walked away. 

It took a few minutes, but their chosen clearing was empty again. The monk lowered his glider and jumped towards the still agitated bison, clinging from his massive head and mumbling calming phrases for only Appa to hear. Momo soared towards Zuko's head and began to uncurl the chain, despite his tiny hands being unable even to grab it fully. Still shaken from what had happened, Zuko simply sat down and let the lemur do the work. His shoulder ached from the arrow piercing his scales, but aside from that, he didn't notice any other relevant injury.  

"Druk", Aang suddenly called, startling the dragon, "Let me help with that", he asked. 

Numb, a part of his mind was happy with simply obeying, and the voices in his head were unusually quiet, so before knowing what he was doing, he lowered his neck towards Aang. The monk's expression darkened at the makeshift muzzle, so quickly the chain got rid of it.  

As soon as it was out, Zuko scrambled back and curled on the non-injured side, hissing when the monk stepped closer.

"Druk. Hey, buddy, it's okay. They are gone, you see? They aren't going to hurt ya. I'm not going to hurt ya either",  Aang said in a calm tone, raising both hands and leaving his glider on the ground. "I just want to help". Appa, behind Aang, grumbled and slowly but surely made his way toward the panicking dragon. The bison sat down and huffed, keeping his distance. Zuko narrowed his eyes at the beast and back to Aang, unsure of whom to fix his eyes on.

Catching on to his wariness, the monk sat down, crossed his legs and smiled at the dragon. "I'm staying here until the others arrive. I'm not going to attack you, I swear", and Zuko hated how much relief the sentence made him feel. 

They stayed in silence for several minutes, until the other arrived. Sokka took it upon himself to distract Zuko. At the same time, Katara healed his shoulder wound by explaining what had happened- apparently, they had been shopping for their last batch of supplies when Momo had attacked Sokka's wolf-tail in panic. Aang had followed the little lemur back in his glider while the others grabbed their stuff and ran to the other end of town, hence the sweat. 

And Zuko could see the worry in the warrior's eyes at telling exaggerated versions of the story, the heavy concern about Katara's healing water, Toph's punches along with a smile or a friendly jab, Aang's genuine anger at seeing some of the left chain marks, Momo carefully grooming his mane, Appa licking him several times. He could see their different ways of showing concern and affection, but he didn't understand. They had met barely nearly a week ago, but they seemed to care as if they had been friends for life. For what? Zuko had done nothing to earn it and hadn't shown his worth enough for him to earn such reactions. 

"Just like with Uncle..."

Why did people insist on caring? Without gaining from it? It made no sense. 

They were quick to depart after that, and they all tried to talk and engage with Zuko just like they had been doing before but the dragon chose to ignore them and shooed them away from getting close for the rest of the day. It kept going deep into the night, after landing and setting camp far away from town. It kept going through their meal in front of the campfire. Only when the numbness began to disappear did the prince begin to realize and admit unpleasant thoughts.

Zuko hated to admit it- the sole idea of looking for comfort was nauseating enough- but the little incident in town had shaken him a bit. The memories of a burning barn and the pained screams of three innocent farmers would simply not leave his mind, and the Whispering Voice would just not shut up about it. 

What if it happened again? Going to town had been a risky decision- one he refused to fall for again- and he had been lucky the Avatar had intervened before things got out of hand, but the thought of having to rely on others, of his safety having to depend on someone else's goodwill or mercy, someone other than himself... it was sickening. Anger rose within his chest, and along with his huff and the slam of his tail against the ground, the campfire in front of him jumped to the sky, startling the others. The dragon, annoyed, ignored their wary yelps, closed his eyes and berated himself for such a shameful slip of control. 

Breathe in. 

Hold.

Breathe out. 

Repeat. 

Calming, repetitive breathing had helped him a lot during his first months at sea, during the occasions in which reality and dream became one and he found himself stuck back in the royal arena, feeling over his face the touch and heat of his father's hand.

Due to his tendency to react with aggression against anyone who dared to touch him during one of his episodes- and after almost burning Lieutenant Jee, it toon had become a safety procedure among the crew members who also suffered from such reactions- Uncle had taught him a particular pattern to use whenever he felt like he was going back, one he had learned and engraved within like a second breathing pattern, one of the few he willingly practised with Uncle just for the pleasant feeling of what the old general liked to call a safe routine. 

He had learned to ignore the whispers in his head chiding about his weakness and his lack of discipline at having to lower himself to such a basic thing as safety breathing instead of learning how to cut down his fears and burn them to dust and it had taken him a lot of practice but eventually, the shame had vanished under the usefulness of Uncle's teachings. 

++

"Through the nose, I inhale for four seconds", Uncle's soft voice commanded from far, far away, weak but slowly managing to bring Zuko's thoughts back, "And I hold it inside for seven seconds." Tic toc, tic toc, seven seconds went by, "Then I exhale during eight seconds with a woosh", and the General's chest fell along his breath. "Can you do it with me? Can you try?"

Zuko wasn't sure who moved his head, but it nodded, so Uncle grabbed his hand- gentle, caring, careful- and placed it away from his chest before wrapping them both with his own larger, wrinkled ones. "I'll help you count, okay? You just focus on breathing". 

It took the prince several tries to get the times right, but Uncle had never once scolded him for it. He had only given praise and patience, waiting for the young bender to calm down on his own. 

"You are doing amazing, nephew. Just keep breathing". 

That evening- too tired to move, too tired to think- Zuko had fallen asleep next to Uncle's safe presence and had not woken up until several hours later- a few hours before sunrise- covered by a heavy blanket and clinging to the old General's wide chest. They had not spoken about it after that- sleeping with someone because of a stupid nightmare was embarrassing enough but with Uncle? At thirteen?! Unforgivable- but an unusual quietness had fallen over the ship for the next few days, served along bitter ginseng tea and annoyingly long Pai Sho games. 

++

Zuko inhaled through his nose and counted the seconds while his lungs filled with air. He waited and breathed out just like he had done so many times before until the anger and resentment washed away. The rise and fall of the fire matching his breathing almost entirely by instinct served as a soothing presence; a familiar and warm and friendly presence that danced along Zuko's own pace and lulled him into a numb trance.

He was vaguely aware of the orange-coloured shape crossing his legs by his right, quickly managing to match Zuko's timed breathing. The dragon merely shot him a sharp look and then went back to focusing on the fire like he had been doing before.  

Breathe in, hold it and let it out. Wait for a second, and repeat. Let the fire rise and fall with your breathing, control it, and feel your Inner Fire heating your insides. 

His experience was one deep engraved into his body, and the presence by his side was one so calm, peaceful and quiet, that it didn't disturb his meditation. After a while, he was aware of said presence's Inner Fire imposing itself over the flames, letting them dance under his will along Zuko's established pace. It still didn't affect it all, so for the first time since breathing with Uncle, Zuko didn't mind sharing the fire. 

So Prince and Avatar breathed together, and they both fell at peace.

***

Druk had been acting a bit weird, since the incident in town. 

For starters, there was no way those bounty hunters had seemed threatening enough for a dragon to feel afraid, which had left Aang wondering why Druk had seemed so spooked, even if just for a brief moment. 

Then, their new companion had refused to get close to the others despite their previous positive exchanges, ignoring any attempt at interaction from all of them and going far enough to blow a little puff of cold fire when Momo had poked his nose several times.  None of the things done by their group had managed to snap him out of his sudden moodiness, and the more they tried the angrier the dragon got, so they had stopped after a while. 

Dinner had been a tense affair.

Druk had helped them get fish for dinner, but after roasting his, he grabbed it and sat a bit away from the fire, angrily munching his meal while ignoring everyone's looks. The tension had been thick enough to keep them all in silence and a couple of times the dragon had slammed the ground with his tail, growled to the void or huff little fire flares from his mouth, keeping everyone at the edge. In Aang's very personal opinion, it seemed more... broodiness, than anger, but Sokka had shot him extremely weird looks after saying that, so he had kept that and other thoughts to himself. 

In silence, they all agreed to sleep a bit away from the giant beast, to avoid accidents. 

Then Aang had seen Druk closing his eyes, and had it been anyone else, he would've assumed they had fallen asleep- he had assumed so- until the flames from the campfire had begun to rise and fall along the dragon's paced breathing, and the monk understood. 

Ignoring everyone's curious glares- minus Toph, for obvious reasons- he had, step by step, gotten closer to the meditating dragon, slowing even more when a golden eye had spotted him when he was still a bit away. Steady, he had sat by the dragon's right and crossed his legs, focusing on copying Druk's breathing. 

It had taken him a little bit to figure out the inhaling-holding-breathing pattern, but he had managed eventually and could've sworn the flames had begun to respond to him too. In silence, focusing merely on their breath and the dancing flames, he had eventually lost track of time. 

And grinning warmly, Aang had also felt at peace.

***

"Are we sure this is like, safe, right? Aang's not going to get barbequed by our resident flamethrower at all"

"Of course not. Aang's great with animals!"

"You know, Sugar Queen, sometimes your optimism still manages to surprise me"

"Oh, hush. What's wrong with hoping for good? Besides, even if Druk does attack him, I'm a waterbender. It'll be fine"

"And you are going to wait until they finish breathing or whatever is that they are doing? Because we all know how long Aang can take when he is in his meditation mood"

"Waterbender, remember? Have some faith in your sister for once!"

"Okay, okay, no need to snap. I'm just saying you may have trouble waiting, but if you're so sure you can do it then it's fine"

"Thanks"

Ten minutes later, the three of them had begun to snore

***

By the time they finished their meditation, the others had long since fallen asleep and the fire had consumed a lot of the wood.

Feeling better, Zuko stood, stretched and circled his spot a few times before plopping in place, ready to end the day and get a few hours of sleep. 

The rustling of clothing and a nervous tapping had the prince open his eyes, and he stared at the Avatar in curiosity, wondering what made the young monk so nervous. 

"Well... Could you-? Can I-? Spiritswhyisthissodifficul- I'll sleep here. No, that sounded even worse- Let's sleep together! Yeah, yeah, that's it. Can I sleep with you? By your side? Tonight?"

In the few seconds it took for the prince to decide, he saw Aang's tapping foot,  wandering eyes and uneasy fingers playing with the edges of his robes. Strangely, the Voice remained silent. There was no reason not to. And the Airbender had saved him from a nasty situation, so saying yes was the least he could do.

"I guess it doesn't hurt anyone", he thought, nodding down at the monk. Surprisingly, Aang didn't yell nor cheer out loud but simply smiled widely, grabbed his thick blanket and slid it over his belly while he settled over Zuko's warm right side. 

The dragon, bemused, nudged him in the slightest and raised an eyebrow. 

"Sorry, is this too much?", the Avatar said, apologetically, "I just thought... well,  I know I don't like to be alone when I get too much into my head and grabbing someone's hand helps a lot so I thought that maybe having someone touching you would be fine...? If it makes you uncomfortable that's fair too, I can leave if you want me to". 

"Maybe I should take Uncle on a shopping spree once we meet", Zuko thought, shaking his head and curling his long neck to surround the young monk, "His safe breathing is quite the miracle". 

"Great", Aang cheered, sliding a hand inside the dragon's mane, "You know, your mane is very soft. Not Appa-soft, but quite... silky".

Embarrassed by the strange praise, the dragon softly pushed him from his side and smirked when the young bender pouted at having to settle down again. Comfortable seconds flew by in absolute silence, and the prince had almost begun to drift away when Aang's voice brought him back."Today, in town... You got scared, didn't you? When they tried to take you?"

Too exhausted to jump to aggression, Zuko simply scoffed and turned his head away from the boy, letting his tail wave in mild annoyance. 

"Sorry, sorry, it's just. Well, you looked like it. For a moment, I think, and then you got super quiet so I kinda worried- but it's fine. To feel afraid, I mean. It's natural, a response to threats. I got scared too".

At the declaration, the prince moved his head to the right and shot him a surprised look. 

"You? Why would you?"

The boy understood.

"I didn't want them to hurt you", he answered, as if stating a fact, "They got close and you looked a little spooked and well- you're a dragon! If something spooks you, what am I supposed to think? I kinda freaked out too". Aang chuckled, rubbing the back of his head, "That's why I shot that cabbage chart at them- was the first thing that came into my mind". 

"Why do you care so much? We barely know each other. Literally, it has been like, what? Four days? You're such a weird kid. I don't understand you at all". 

A bit put off by his lack of response, the young monk looked away and fiddled with his blanket. "I know it's weird, ok? I'm not sure I understand it either. It's just... something inside tells me to look after you, and not just because Roku asked me. It feels as if we were meant to meet. Like... Like Destiny moving everything around us, shaping everything to make way. Does it make sense? I guess not. It's kinda hard to explain, but it feels the same with the others- like our paths are meant to cross at one point!"

"If that's an explanation, it's got to be one of the worst ones I've received. And Destiny? I mean, yeah, our destinies are to meet but is not like that. I'm meant to capture you, not... whatever is that we are doing. I know it's not fair, but is my mission. I'm meant to go home! I have to. So... So I can meet Uncle and make Father proud."

"You don't have to understand it now, but just. Trust me on this, okay? I know we've barely met but please trust me when I say that I'll do my best to take care of you. We're friends, aren't we? Friends look after each other. And friends kick other friends' fears butts!". 

Zuko didn't understand, not really, but his mind was barely awake enough to remember being angry, his body was relaxed and the voices were quiet, so he just nodded in response. Aang nuzzled deeper by his side and absentmindedly scratched the dragon's thick mane. 

"It sure has been a couple of weird days. More than usual, I mean"

Zuko couldn't help the huff. 

"You don't have to tell me", he thought. Despite the lack of words, Aang seemed to understand, because he smiled back. 

"You know, I met a dragon before, once. A long time ago, my friend Kuzon and I stumbled upon these mean-looking guys who tricked this green dragon out of her cave. Turns out, she was just trying to protect her nest but the mean guys were trying to steal it for sale, so we came up with a plan on the spot and managed to get it back. She seemed happy when she recovered it".

The boy let out a deep sigh, and his smile fell a little.

"I miss Kuzon. He was Fire Nation, but he was such a good friend and rarely got angry and if it happened, it never lasted. This is what Sokka and Katara disagree with me. They only see the Fire Nation as the enemy full of bad guys that need to be defeated, and I don't blame them, you know? They have suffered and lost a lot because of the war, so I understand. But... they don't see the possibility of change. Not like I do. Before, The Fire Nation I knew, it was so different than it is now! Their citizens used to be so energetic and passionate and had so much to give- and they produced a lot of art! Music, dances, theatre plays, everything! Everything you could imagine, you could find in the Fire Nation"

Aang's face grew serious, and something in the boy's expression ticked Zuko the wrong way, so he curled a bit tighter and nudged him with the tip of his snout. Aang looked down at him, and grinned gently- it reminded Zuko a lot of his mother's smile, always kind but carrying a deep sadness within- scratching between the dragon's horns. 

"Thanks, buddy. It... It's difficult for me too, sometimes. It kinda hurts, hearing them talk about what they think the Fire Nation is. Not like they are completely wrong, but I know that the one I knew can't be gone. It's been a long time, but it just can't, okay? S' just buried under all the anger. It's kind of sad, to be honest. Don't you think it must be tiring to be so angry all the time? I know I would be. I know it is. Every firebender I've met always looks so... exhausted, under all the emotion. Some more than others. Jeong Jeong, Zuko, Zuko's uncle- there's despair in there, covered in ire. It pains me, to think that they all live like that. I would never wish that to my people- or anyone." 

The dying embers cast a deep shadow on the airbender's eyes, deepening the seriousness of his gaze. Zuko found himself unable to look away. 

"This is why the war must end", the monk continued, "We must bring peace to the world, but also to the Fire Nation. They need to remember how to live, instead of fighting to die. And we'll show them! Now that I've met you, I can prove to the others that fire isn't evil by nature. You lit the fire to cook our meal and you scared animals without burning them. Isn't that not-destroying- what fire is supposed to be about? Protecting and caring? And sure, dragons are different from humans, but we are great at learning even if doesn't seem like it. We can teach, and we can learn, so that's what we'll do. You and I, buddy, what do you say?", he grinned down. 

Zuko didn't know how to reply. 

Zuko didn't know how to feel anymore. 

Then Aang's hand went to scratch under his right ear, and the dragon couldn't stop the soft purring that came as a result of such pleasant touch. Surprised, the monk's eyes widened as he scratched deeper, snickering when Zuko purred louder. Vaguely annoyed, the prince could only shoot him a Look before closing his eyes again, enjoying the scratching. His treasonous tail bumped up and down, thumping quietly over the earth. 

"Spirits, you're just like a big, scaled cat, aren't you?", Aang giggled, hugging his neck, "Don't worry, I won't tell", and for that, Zuko was grateful. 

He fell asleep before realising how tired he truly was and for the first time since leaving Uncle's side, he fell at ease. 

(1): Dragon!Zuko is bigger than Appa, but for a dragon- at least in comparison to full-grown adults like Ran and Shaw- is not particularly big

And! And. I don't know how to link in end comments so I'll just have to put this over here, thank you~ No fuck from now on. Only "hsuan" or "hsuanning". It makes up for it and I, for some reason, found it incredibly amusing. Its use is inspired by JustAnotherGhostWriter fic A House Built with Many Stones- my fic is not inspired by it tho, just the cussing- which is amazing and heart-breaking, would 100% recommend it to anyone who wants to enjoy a really good fic. Go check it out, it's super-duper great! 

(2) I forgot to say this before, but yes, this fic is heavily inspired by Moonybird's Children of Agni. Things are going a different route, but there might be a couple of similar ones. Just a few, though, and I'll try to keep it to the bare minimum. Go and read it, it's amazing and very enjoyable and the dynamics are hilarious!

News for the 8th of April, 2024: There will be plenty of "fuck" after this. I don't know why I ever thought there wouldn't be. Hsuan is still fun, tho. 

Chapter Text

The morning after going to sleep with Aang nuzzling by his side was the one that marked his first week with the Avatar's group and his second week with a second day after parting ways with Iroh. Taking everything into consideration- he vaguely thought, slowly blinking his eyes open to focus, during his brief early morning daze- things weren't totally a mess. Yeah, sure, he wasn't in any way, shape, or form closer to getting his body back and had not a single idea of how to even ask for help. Still, he was alive, there was plenty of food and the Avatar was not such a bad company- for once, said treasonous though didn't start a screaming match in his head, something he was grateful for.

That day started as the quietest morning in what felt like a long time. As always, Zuko was the first to wake up when he felt his Inner Fire react to the first ray of sunlight. Slowly, with unusual laziness and heaviness, he got up from his seat, careful not to disturb Aang too much, who was still fast asleep with his arms wrapped around Momo.

The young dragon took his time to meditate, enjoying the gentle warmth of the morning sun. Knowing he had time, he decided to take a quick dip in the river- although it wasn't as deep as it had been kilometres ago, it was deep enough to soak every part of his body if he contorted in a certain way, and if his new body was good at something, it was to contort in the most unusual ways.
He decided to drift in the water for a while, keeping only the top of his head above the surface.

He had been floating around for a while when he heard the familiar- so used to them he was becoming that he could recognize even that? How much further was he willing to go- how long would he be able to remain detached?- hustle and bustle of the small group waking up, enough for Zuko to decide to get out of his little bath. He shook the water off himself before joining the rest and lighting the fire for breakfast, deciding after that to sit next to Appa and enjoy the calm morning.

Breakfast was also a slow affair. There was plenty of meat and food left to feed everyone, and thanks to Zuko's fire, it didn't take long for it to be ready to devour. Grateful to himself, the prince gobbled up his marmot-hare in one bite and walked toward a nice, high, sun-bathed spot on a high rock, laying down to sunbathe and watch what the others were doing, wondering what they were going to do that day.

He saw Sokka sharpening his boomerang and dagger- an activity Zuko-approved because one could never be too careful about their weapons-, saw Katara cleaning up their camp, Momo stretching his wings and Appa grooming his fur. He saw Aang walking toward him, and Zuko raised an eyebrow when the monk pointed at his neck. 

"Can I? Nap on you, I mean. Momo's always doing it, and it seems nice. So, can I?"

Zuko hesitated for a moment, but there was, again, no reason to say no. So the dragon nodded and lowered his neck, allowing for the monk to climb on. He felt Aang turning around a bit, finding a comfortable position in his attempt to settle. But he had placed himself just above the first one of his back's vertebrae, between both shoulders, covered in scales and muscle but bony enough to be uncomfortable. Taking pity on the monk, Zuko moved his shoulders to push him just over the neck, in the spot between both horns and covered in enough fur and muscle to make for a nice bed- the place Momo always chose. 

"Thanks", he heard Aang say. In response, Zuko breathed in and allowed some of his Inner Fire to heat his scales just the slightest, enough to equal the sun heating everything from up there. He heard the monk's pleased moan and smiled to himself before closing his eyes, to enjoy a bit more of the morning warmth. 

They had been resting together- for some reason, being near Aang quieted the screaming matches in his mind and helped him calm down, just like Uncle's tea after a bad night- for a while when some light steps stopping in front made Zuko open his right eye, curious. 

"Listen up Twinletoes", Toph called out, standing in front of the monk and the dragon with both arms crossed over her chest, "You've been skipping too much of your earthbending training this last week. And I'm going to make up for it today, so get your ass up and come with me "

Aang gulped, and Zuko couldn't blame him. The little earthbender seemed to be the ruthless type of teacher. 

"Yes, ma'am". The Airbender slid down Zuko's side, and the prince snickered at the down expression on the monk's face. Toph turned to stare- or, well, face- him down, and her mischievous grin sent a chill down the dragon's spine, "And who are you laughing at? You are coming too" 

"What? Why?", he thought, whining at Toph in mild desperation. The earthbender's smile only widened in response. 

"I know you're a firebender-" and when she said it like that, Zuko always had the impression she meant something else, "-but that doesn't mean you can't be of use. Now stand up, Fire Noodle, we don't have all day"

"Great, first is Sparky and now's Fire Noodle. What's with the nicknames? What, is she going to call me Dru-Dru later?", Grumbling under his breath, he stood from his very comfy resting spot and walked alongside the Avatar while Toph went to get something else. 

"Hey", Aang called, elbowing his leg- the tallest place he could reach-, "At least we're together on this one, right?" 

A few seconds later, Aang's screeches were heard across the camp, and the Water Tribe siblings snickered at seeing their friend being chased by a grumpy dragon.  

"A week's worth of chores to Druk setting him on fire in less than a minute"

"Deal"

"Seriously? You're betting against your boyfriend?"

"Shut up!"

***

Zuko felt slightly satisfied at having singed Aang's clothes in less than a minute- he had grown faster through the week. He couldn't help but feel amused at the annoyed stares thrown by the young monk. 

Toph had walked them far from camp after declaring training day, and the Water Tribe siblings had decided to tag along for the lack of something else to do. The terrain the earthbender had chosen was one full of weak rock and several cracks on the ground, seemingly perfect for what the little girl had in mind. She, for some reason, had brought Appa and Momo too. 

"So!", she clapped her hands to get Aang's attention, "You already have the bare basics down- you can throw rocks and move rocks and break rocks and blah blah blah, all the boring stuff. What we need to do now is improve your finer control. And I don't mean kiddie things like flicking a pebble or piling rocks, I mean the real deal. Check this out". 

She pushed Aang out of the way and stood a few meters away. She took a breath, stomped on the ground and the earth rose along. It took a few seconds for the dust to settle, and when it did, Zuko raised an eyebrow, impressed. 

In front of the little girl, there was a mid-sized version- down to the very little detail- of the ghost town they had stumbled upon Azula those two weeks and a day ago. He heard Sokka whistle in surprise, and Katara clapping along. 

"Wow Toph, that's so... detailed! And refined!"

"Thank you, thank you, I know. Now your turn, Twinkletoes. Show me what you have"

Exited, Aang walked a bit further from her and rapidly stomped the ground, raising the rock. When the dust settled, instead of the honest-to-the-spirits piece of art that was Toph's sculpture, there were a few square rectangles weirdly shaped and piled one over the other. 

"That... that's not like yours at all..."

"Don't worry Aang, I've seen worse"

"What, like your drawings?"

"Excuse you, my drawings are amazing. It's not my fault you´re too blind to-"

"Could you two keep your mouths closed for a while? I'm trying to teach here!", Toph snapped, raising some rock spikes near the siblings, who simultaneously replied with a little:

"Sorry"

She huffed and turned toward Aang again. 

"What do you think your problem is?", she asked. 

Aang hummed, and stared at both sculptures, staying quiet for a few minutes. Toph, surprisingly, didn't interrupt. 

"You have a better perception of everything", he finally answered, "You shape the rock as you want. Mine is just a rough approximate"

"Exactly! Mine follows my instructions, I bend it to my will. Yours doesn't because the rock, and the earth, are both very stubborn and rough- they won't bend to just anyone who orders and that's what makes it so different from your air or Sugar Queen's water.  You need a resolve stronger than the element if you want to fully control it, and that's why we need to work on your finesse."

"But how?"

"Easy", she shrugged, stomping the ground to move the rock back to its original shape. She raised a finger and bent the shape of a perfect square on the earth, "Begin with raising a square and don't try to cheat. I'll know it the moment you do!"

They did pretty much that during the... next couple of hours. It evolved though, from a square to a rectangle to a circle, then to mixed shapes and a star. Aang seemed to have a lot of trouble forcing the earth to listen, so Katara had to intervene a couple of times to save the Avatar from death by scolding and despite the monk's suffering, Zuko had to admit it felt nice not to be the one at the end of the yelling for once. Toph's harsh words were creative and colourful enough to put some of Zuko's old teachers to shame, and as time passed by and he had nothing better to do, the dragon eventually settled on a nice, sunny spot over the nearest hill, ignoring Sokka and Momo when the boy and lemur decided to use his back as a pillow. 

Toph yelled again and Aang's pained grown- the one revealing who had been the victim of Toph's latest sculpture- was loud enough to get Appa's attention, but when the bison realized what was happening, he relaxed and settled on a spot just under the shadow of Zuko's chosen cliff, watching the little session in what Zuko knew was some sort of amusement.

However, seeing someone getting yelled at and pummeled by another someone almost a quarter shorter than said someone's size got boring and repetitive after a while, and out of pure boredom, lulled by the warmth of the sun and the- to the prince's reluctance- pleasant company, Zuko nodded off into a light, comfortable slumber, conscious enough to react to a possible threat but not enough to be fully awake. 

After some probably long-ish time, Toph's piercing voice snapped them all awake. He realized then that Katara had left, probably to make lunch, and Appa, Momo and Sokka had also been startled awake. 

He shook his head to clear some of the sleepiness and stared at the earthbender standing in front of them. Besides her, Aang was splayed over the ground, panting and sweating as if he had just run a marathon. 

"Now that you dunderheads are finally awake-", Toph scolded, "-we can begin proper practice". She walked towards Aang and flicked the earth to make him stand. "Listen up! Until now, these have only been baby exercises. We're going to move into more detailed bending, and for that, we're going to need these three animals here"

"What about me?"

"You can go if you want, but if you stay to help you stay until the end"

"Never mind, I like to keep my bones in their place", and quickly Sokka ran away. Toph sighed and softly pushed Aang's back. "Your first job is to raise the rock under them, as close and detailed as you can. We'll go from Appa to Momo to Druk. Once you get them down, you'll raise the rock around them along their shape, in the same order. If you can manage that, we'll end for the day"

Aang's face reflected exactly what Zuko was feeling. 

Noticing the reluctance of her pupil and training dummies, Toph hit the earth with her talon and rose a rock pillar from under Zuko. In the blink of an eye, it shot up into the sky and back down to earth, causing the dragon's stomach to rise up to his throat and making him want to vomit once the dragon-shaped pillar returned to the ground. Quickly he scrambled away and desperately clung to the ground, panting. Appa and Momo stared at him in concern. 

So mad he was that he allowed himself to chitter in protest, along with some growls and smoke from both his mouth and nostrils. The fire rose when he saw Toph's annoying smirk.

"You can go ahead and try to get the details. Given his size and shape, Druk is going to be your hardest challenge". 

While Aang took his time to study Toph's rock, Zuko busied himself with glaring at the earthbender. Momo chittered up at him, patting his leg with a tiny hand, and Zuko breathed out. At least he wasn't going to be alone. 

"Begin with Appa, and I'll tell you when to begin with Momo", the young lady ordered, raising a stone chair and sitting down, "Now".

Despite not being actively used for what were surely hours, Zuko wasn't able to relax or nap like before. The cracks of the earth were too strenuous, the shaking of the earth way too disturbing and watching Aang advance in his attempts kept him on edge since he knew the more Aang got better in his earth bending, the sooner Zuko's turn would be. 

When it was finally the dragon's time, Zuko was able to tell the exact moment at which his muscles began to strain and tense. Aang, having a less refined control, struggled a lot with the shape and strength in which the rock was raised, so Zuko often found himself either barely above the ground or being launched toward the sky. Only Toph's boulders used to strike him down kept him from flying away, and the more Aang took, the more he failed, the angrier and more nauseous the dragon got, despite the monk's constant apologies. 

Around two degrees after Agni's highest position in the sky, Toph ordered him to quit. When Aang stopped, Zuko barely managed to walk away with trembling legs, feeling his stomach up in his throat and heavy urges to throw up. 

"You could've done better, but we'll take it for now. Now, the next step is to raise the rock around them. Like this!" Thick and sturdy rock rose around the dragon, startling him. It was lowered down soon after, and when Zuko stepped out, he saw his own shape in the stone. It was kind of impressive. "Begin with Appa, then Momo and then Druk"

It went very similar to the first exercise. Aang struggled a lot, but eventually, he managed to pass Toph's basic standards. His advance was better than with the first try, so when it was Zuko's turn to be used, he felt slightly relaxed. 

That was a big mistake.

And he suffered every second of his choice. 

"You almost crushed his tail!", Toph snapped at Aang after the monk's third try at raising the rock around the dragon, "What, do you think it'll grow like some viper-gecko?"

"No! I didn't mean to, but it's hard! His tail is so long and thin that I don't even know what shape it has!"

"Stop overthinking it! Just do it! Again, go!"

Momo and Appa winced whenever Aang's mistakes hit Zuko without warning, and it got harder and harder to stay still like Toph demanded him to. Time went by and Aang didn't seem closer to doing it than at the beginning. 

"Stop, stop, stop!", Toph eventually ordered, waving her arms to emphasize her words. Aang let the rocks fall and Zuko let out a sigh of relief now that he was out of danger, "We're not getting better", the earthbender complained, shaking her head, "Let's go eat and we'll continue later"

"Finally, I was getting tired of watching him fail. I'm starving!", Zuko thought, letting his shoulders fall as he walked away and left Aang behind. He ignored the monk and the earthbender as he daydreamed about his share of meat for the day. So lost he was in his thoughts that he almost didn't hear Toph's words. 

"Actually, Aang, there's one thing I think we should try, just to see if it works"

"Wait-"

Aang's voice held a little worry, but Zuko was exhausted and a bit grumpy about being used as a training dummy. Still, his body had been conditioned to react to the littlest sense of danger, so he straightened and readied for a possible attack. 

And then the earth cracked open under him.

***

Iroh had long ago since taken the habit of opening up his days to all sorts of possibilities.

It was not the same as not planning- that would've been, in his humble opinion, naive and bordering on idiocy- but it was more of a healthy and peaceful approach to have, given the lifestyle forced onto him during the last several years. Every time his nephew grew furious for failing to meet the boy's unreasonable expectations of what it meant to have a productive day only served to further reaffirm Iroh's choice of lifestyle.

Besides, opening up to any kind of possibilities often brought interesting results and encounters- he still hadn't forgotten the little blind girl of a few weeks ago- and with time, Iroh had gotten really good at... burying down the nagging voice at the back of his head always chiding him for his carelessness, despite how much it sounded like Zuko. 

The second morning of his stay in the little town, waiting for the transport to the Misty Palms Oasis, began just like the first one. Nothing had seemed out of place, and hours had lazily passed by as he busied himself by dealing with the Order's messages and management. Some happiness had caused a smile on his face when he read the reports of a cabbage merchant by a young Avatar defending a dragon from some bounty hunters, and he felt relief by knowing his nephew was finally in good company.

Still, reading reports and managing Agni-awful paperwork could only be engaging so far, so after lunch, Iroh decided to take a walk around town before getting back to business. 

It began as nothing more than a simple expedition. It was, after all, a small town, so there wasn't much to explore. Being so close to the Si Wong desert, it was almost unbearably hot during the day and the stores around didn't sell enough interesting stuff for Iroh to waste- ehem, spend- his limited money on buying every little thing. So he had only bought a quarter in each store and decided to cut down his little walk bordering the town before heading back. 

He was ready to return to his room when a particular gathering of people caught his attention. The old general got closer and was a bit surprised at his discovery. 

A fairly large group of sand benders were having quite a loud argument with a group of three young kids, but only the one that seemed to be a leader was answering back, while the other two lingered nervously a little behind. 

The yelling got particularly loud, Leader's hand fell on the sheath of his sword and the sand benders began to close around the three kids.

"Excuse me", Iroh interrupted, raising hands when everyone snapped their heads toward him, "Are you lot perhaps sand benders?"

The young man in front of the supposed sand benders sneered at Iroh and raised a single finger toward the old man, "So what if we are? Got an issue with that?"

"No issue at all!", Iroh replied amicably, "I was just wondering why a tribe would adventure itself so close to the edge of the desert. There are not many merchants in this town, and no oasis either. I assume it wasn't just to pick a fight with three innocent children?"

Iroh decided to ignore the sudden tension and stiffness in the little trio. 

"That's not of your business, old geezer", the sand bender spit back, furiously waving a hand and lifting some sand along with it, "Who are you to tell us where to go or what to do? We ain't some kids in need of a babysitter so get lost if you know what's good for you!"

"I'm afraid I won't be able to do as you say", Iroh replied, stepping closer, "You see, I do seem to recognize the craft of those sand-sailers, and as far as I'm aware, Sha-Mo of the Lop Tribe would never allow his men to harass and threaten mere bystanders. Tell me, what kind of offence has these young men done to you to cause such a reaction?"

The sandbender's eyes widened like plates, in shock. 

"You know the old man?", he mumbled, forgetting to be angry for a moment.

"Of course I know him, we're close friends! We played a lot of Pai-Sho together, and he was very fond of always using his White Lotus tile on the fifth movement"

"I don't care about his stupid Pai-Sho or if you two were buddies twenty years ago! Who the hell are you anyway?", the sand bender snapped, anger filling his face. He stared at Iroh in silence, squinting his eyes. Then, recognition flooded his face. "Wait, aren't you...?", he wondered out loud, and suddenly his lips curled up in a sardonic, cruel smirk, "I recognize you now. You are not a family friend, you're a criminal! A fugitive from the Fire Nation!"

The bender's words caused a violent flinch on the kid's leader, whose eyes narrowed as his stare on Iroh grew in intensity. The old general allowed himself to sigh. 

"I'm afraid knowing about that issue won't do you good, for there's nothing you can do with it. Listen to me, son, and leave. I am not seeking trouble this night"

The sand bender, without further screaming, sent a wave toward the old man. For the kids and the benders, it was too fast for a sneak attack and there was no way he could've dodged it. For Iroh, it was almost embarrassingly slow. He sighed, again, as he moved out of the way, allowing for the sand to destroy one of the sailers. 

"You can't take me, son. Please, make this easy for all of us and leave or sit down with me to have a cup of tea"

Offended by some imaginary condescending voice, the sand bender ran toward Iroh, fists full of sand and grains floating on his back, and threw a few punches in an attempt to injure the old general. Without breaking a sweat, Iroh dodged all of his attacks and, using the bender's momentum, threw him towards another sailer, breaking it to pieces.

The sand bender stood, slow and pained by the collision, and his head turned toward everyone, taking notice of what just happened. Iroh simply stared, not needing to say anything to get his point across. Staring dumbfounded at the two broken sailers, the sand bender made a choice. 

"Let's go", the sand bender spat, furiously glaring at Iroh and the kids while stepping back, "The Hami tribe has plenty more sand sailers to take. They are transporting some prison merchandise soon, we can take them before they reach their sellers". 

It took barely a few minutes for them to disappear. Once they were away, Iroh allowed a sigh of relief. "Now that was exciting, don't you think?", he exclaimed, staring at the fading shapes of the sand sailer. He then turned around to properly look at the three kids he had saved. 

The leader, the one with a sword hanging on each hip, had a bush of shaggy hair pointing almost to all directions, and his brown stare had a wary sharpness proper of someone used to violence, along the... pointy shape of his pointy eyebrows. The thing that got most of Iroh's attention, however, was the little straw hanging from the boy's lips. 

The taller boy, behind the leader, had a worn conical hat and a bow hanging from his back. His hair was black and his eyes were barely a bit lighter. Then, the shortest one, with dry hair pointing down, had a headband over his eyes, the sheath of a large dagger hanging from above his hip, a chest plate, and two red lines on each cheek. 

Iroh, however, had seen weirder, so he didn't pay them a lot of attention. 

"Have a great night", Iroh said, wishing to leave since he had already made sure the kids were okay. The boy, the leader, took out one of his swords- bent on the tip like a hook- and kept it pointing down, but his grip was tight. 

"Not yet. I have questions"

Iroh raised a hand toward him, "If you wish for an interview, let's take this to my inn. I just bought a nice blend of jasmine leaves and I'm dying to share it", he said, ignoring their stares while he walked away

***

When Zuko realized what was happening, he was already in the middle of a very long fall, and when he tried to open his wings, both of them hit something hard, so his chance of getting out got shot down almost as soon as they appeared. Then, he hit the floor, and for a few seconds, stars danced in front of his eyes. 

Once the dust settled and the black dots disappeared from his sight he finally became aware of his surroundings. 

He was at the bottom of what seemed to be an underground canyon, narrow and full of twists and turns, going up in almost a tunnel-like shape. It was barely big enough for Zuko to stretch his wings and much, much larger than his dragon body's length, so it couldn't be climbed. At the top, in the middle of the remaining dust, he was able to squint enough to see Aang and Toph staring down at him. 

And then he realized. 

"Did she- did she just throw me to a canyon? What the hsuan is wrong with her?!"

Furious- see, this is what I meant. She's trying to kill you, they want to get rid of you, they want to humiliate you and lock you away to stay safe and you, foolish boy, fail to realise it until the last moment-, hurt and most importantly, hungry, Zuko inhaled deeply, letting his large lungs expanding with air until they couldn't hold it in. 

Then, he roared along one of the largest flares in dragon form, trying to get rid of the anger and impotence flooding his veins. He kept the flame going strong, burning and charring the stone until he was no longer able to breathe. Panting, he heard Toph's voice scolding him from above. 

"Hey, Sparky! Cut the fire, will you?"

Annoyed, he growled deeply and snapped his jaws several times, unable to hold the smoke from getting out through his nostrils and mouth. 

"Sorry, Druk!", Aang yelled, apologetic, "I'll get you out, I promise!"

"I don't care if I go out soon or not, why the hsuan did you throw me here in the first place?  What on Agni's sake is wrong with you- are you stupid aside from blind? SPIRITS!"

His anger showed through because little flames escaped his nose and mouth, after which he screeched and roared as loud as he could. 

+~+

"Toph! Why did you do that?! See? Druk's getting angry and I don't think this is the right way of doing it"

"He'll be fine as long as I'm around, don't worry. It's just a little healthy coat of his daily fire dose"

"Well, your healthy coat of dirt only smells awful but fire is more dangerous than smell so- Auch!"

"Stop babbling about my dirt and get working!"

"No! There has to be another way, right? Surely this isn't necessary"

"Between the two of us, who is the earthbending genius?"

"Well, you, but-"

"Exactly! Now stop questioning everything I say and do your job!"

+~+

He heard them banter up there, and he could feel the scales in his throat glowing by the anger channelling his bending, begging to be let out. Furious, he stepped back from the wall as much as he could and, crouching like a cat, he let go of the tension and jumped. He stretched his wings in the slightest to give himself some leverage and when he hit the wall, he was almost close to halfway there. 

Then, his claws began to slip, and desperate, he scrambled to get a grip on whatever edge or rock he could cling from. Unfortunately, he took too long to react, because soon he lost his grip and once again fell to the bottom, groaning at the pain from the fall.

"Are you okay?", he heard Aang yell from outside, and anger once more ran through his veins. Annoyed and determined to get out of there, he retreated to the furthest corner of the cavern and once more, ran, crouched and jumped, getting a little bit higher than last time. Committed to leaving the damn canyon, he forced his slender body to move upwards, despite feeling the creaking of his not-made-to-climb-canyon claws being moved from their places by holding the entirety of his body's weight. 

"STOP!", he heard Toph yell, and suddenly, every wall in that canyon had a flat surface. Once more, Zuko lost support and all of his progress, wheezing when he fell on his back, "TWINKLETOES IS GETTING YOU OUT SO DON'T RUIN IT FOR HIM!"

"yOU ARE RUINING THIS FOR ME! I JUST WANTED LUNCH, NOT HELPING THE AVATAR BY GETTING STUCK IN A HSUANNING CANYON! WHAT ON AGNI IS WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU?"

"I'm sorry, I'm getting you out soon! Please forgive me!"

"Forgive you my ass!", Zuko furiously thought, snapping his jaws and whipping the walls with his tail, "Get me out of here or let me go!"

"Toph, I really don't think we should-"

"We nothing! You get him out! Strengthen the rock above so he doesn't get crushed to death, keep the structures steady and make platforms so he can jump out!"

Aang's face scrunched as if he was almost about to take some deep shit, and Zuko swallowed nervously when pebbles and dust fell from the rocks above him. He heard cracks and twisting within the rock, and then Aang's arm shot to the front. The ground shook, bigger rocks dropped near the dragon and the cracks in the walls grew in a scary similar way to Sat'ikuq's cave. The unease within grew larger, and he could feel himself shaking every time a rock hit the ground, vaguely hearing again the thunder and heavy rain from that night. 

***

"Stop! You're going to bury him alive!", Toph reprimanded, pushing him out of his stance and turning the earth to its original state with a few stomps on the ground, "Focus! Focus on the detail and force the earth to listen! LIKE A ROCK!"

"Maybe there wouldn't be the risk of burying him alive if you hadn't thrown him down there in the first place!"

"Do you even want to get better at this?"

"Yes, but not like this!"

"Well, too bad. Now Druk's depending on you, so be sure to hurry or he'll get mad and you won't have your night heater to sleep"

"What-? Druk isn't my heater! And this is just mean, let's get him out and-"

"I've felt you sleep and nap close to him. And it's not mean, you're just a wimp. Never mind that, focus!"

***

Zuko focused hard on not letting the memories flood his mind, but it got harder when both Toph and Aang did their best to play around with the canyon. It put the dragon on edge and the longer they went, the less progress Zuko felt.  Three hours after midday- Agni's position never lied- Toph finally decided to quit it, partly because she was getting annoyed at correcting Aang and because Zuko's flares and roars were beginning to get to her- or that's what Zuko liked to think.

"Sorry Druk", she shrugged, looking down at the grumpy, tired dragon, "Twinkletoes won't do it, so get out of there"

"Hsuanning finally!"

Cursing between his teeth, he went to his far corner and crouched, building up tension in his legs and body. After the jump, once in the air, he flapped his wings open to lift himself and-

In a blink, he was back on the ground, still feeling in his bones the clash of his wings against the rock. Getting out of his stupor quickly enough, he got into position but instead of waiting for the jump, he unfurled his wings the slightest, contorting so they didn't get in the way. Midway up he lost power and the walls were too close, not giving him enough space to lift himself up. 

Again, he ended up on the ground, slowly feeling the embarrassment sinking in. He looked up and saw Aang's face wide in surprise, staring at him. They all stared at each other in total silence. 

After a few minutes, Toph's voice interrupted it.

"So I assume you suck at flying, right?"

Zuko's groan was the only response, but it was more than enough to convey his mortification.

"Great. Hsuaning great. My first week with the Avatar and I've already made a fool of myself. Way to go, Zuko"

"What do we do?", he heard Aang asking, and Zuko wondered too. 

"Like hell I'm staying down here", he thought angrily, shaking his neck and jumping up once more. 

He did it over and over, each time falling back for one reason or another. Time and time again he collided against either the rock walls or the intersecting pillars from one wall to the opposite. More pebbles and dust fell from the top, but Zuko was determined to get out so he paid them no mind. In his desperate attempts to leave, his crashes against the pillars and walls of the canyon shook the rock to its core, and the blood pumping through his veins heated him up from the inside.

The yells and pleas from the two kids outside of the canyon fell on deaf ears, drowned by screeches and stubborn shrieks. 

***

"What on La's name is happening?!", they heard Katara call, turning in time to see her followed by her brother, "I was about to call you guys for lunch and then we heard Druk roaring quite loud. Is something wrong? Is he okay?"

"We aren't under attack, are we?", Sokka asked, looking for the potential threat. 

Appa walked past their side and poked his head over the edge of the canyon, letting out a concerned yelp as he saw Druk desperately trying to escape from his apparent prison, not caring how his claws splintered at the force and suddenness of his ascent. Momo, staring down too, chittered in worry and flew down to check on the dragon. 

"No, but Druk can't get out of there and I can't bend him a way out", Aang worriedly admitted, pointing at the dragon once more at the bottom of the canyon.

"Wait, what do you mean he can't? Surely he must know how to fly his way out"

From his place, Druk began to stomp the ground and rapidly wave his tail, letting the smoke leave his mouth and screeching with each hit.

"Is he- Is he throwing a tantrum? Druk's throwing a tantrum?", Sokka asked, dumbfounded. At his word, Druk stomped harder and his shrieks morphed into broken roars. The earth beneath them shook a little at the dragon's stomping. Appa grumbled down at him as if trying to calm him down, but it didn't seem to work because Druk kept on his little act. "He doesn't look too good down there. Toph, get him out before he hurts himself"

Toph sighed and moved them out of the way. 

"Fine. I'll handle it. You guys go and get him dinner, he'll be starving after this".

***

Finally out of all the chatter and babbling up there, someone finally called his name. 

"Druk, stop moving!", Toph suddenly ordered, grinning wide, "I'll get you out, just stop moving!"

Reluctant, Zuko stopped his little outburst and went back to sit in his original spot away from the cave. Toph frowned, scrunched her face in focus, and Zuko felt the earth shaking at her will- he couldn't help but feel impressed by her prowess. The rock hardened- the prince felt it under his scales- and several platforms appeared upwards in a spiral, separated by equal lengths and spacious enough for Zuko to jump on them. The previously crumbling natural rock platforms were expertly fused with the walls, leaving a clear path for Zuko to finally, finally leave the canyon. From above, Appa, Momo, Toph, Katara, Sokka and Aang stared down at him, in expressions that varied from deadpan to judgmental to tired to relieved. 

In a hurry, as fast as he could, Zuko jumped over every platform and was finally out of that damned canyon in less than two minutes. Once he was finally able to feel on his skin the fainter rays of Agni's light, he rolled over his back and let the warmth heath his belly, swearing to stay as far as possible from underground caves. 

"Are you alright there, buddy?", Sokka suddenly asked, his annoying voice interrupting the moment, "That was quite the rocky situation"

No one lifted a finger when Zuko chased him around, setting fire to his clothes. Only the dragon's rumbling stomach stopped him from continuing his chase. His long tail waved happily from side to side when Katara gave him his meal, and he tried to ignore the deep purring from within his chest at being fed double- a nice gesture from the waterbender that had quickly begun to escalate her way up to his favourite person.

Sokka's snort cut it short, to Katara's dislike- seeing a dragon purr out of happiness was one of the cutest things she had ever seen and wow, wasn't that a weird thing to say? Annoyed, Zuko lifted his head and growled toward the warrior.

"Fiiiiine, I'll leave you alone so you can brood in peace". 

And, because he was feeling particularly petty, he spat another little fireball to set Sokka's shirt on fire. The dragon sniggered at seeing Katara chase her brother with a water balloon.

"Hey", Toph's voice called from his right, unusually soft and shy. Zuko stared at her in wariness, upset by her recent actions "Are you... better?", she began with hesitation, "It wasn't that bad, right? Just get over it"

Her words sent a wave of anger through Zuko, and he scoffed before walking away from the little earthbender. "Wait!", she called, but the prince ignored her. Rock rose from the ground and softly encased one of his legs, "Wait a second!", she panted, pursing her lips and playing with the dirt under her toes. 

Zuko stared down at her, expecting. 

"I'm... I'm a great bender, okay? It wasn't supposed to get out of control and you weren't supposed to freak out, so there. Better?".

"As if", Zuko scoffed bitterly, breaking the feeble stone. More rock encased all his four limbs and his muscles tensed as he readied himself for an attack. 

"I'm sorry, okay? That's all I want to say so just hsuanning take it!" 

Are you serious? How is that any better? You can't just throw someone in a hsuanning cannon and expect them to forgive just like that!

The dragon hissed at the little girl and slammed his tail a meter away from her, lifting a cloud of dust into the air.

"What? I said I was sorry! Isn't that enough?"

He snapped his jaws and spread his wings, raising above her as much as he could with his limbs encased. Her scowl deepened, and Zuko was getting ready to fight back when Aang sprinted towards the earthbender, a hand on her shoulder and another one raised to appease a startled dragon. 

"Toph", he scolded, holding onto her shoulder. "Let him go. I think he's had enough earthbending for today". It was said calmly, but it was far from a request. 

After a few seconds, she stomped on the ground and the rock fell down again. "Oh, whatever", she scoffed, arms crossed over her chest. "It's not that big of a deal. You're both being dramatic". 

It took a lot of self-control for Zuko not to snap back at her.

See? Not a friend, not an ally. She doesn't care about you. No one cares about you. 

Ignoring the Voice and her words, the dragon instead made his way to Appa.

***

After getting his shirt burned by Druk again, Sokka decided to take a long walk before heading back to camp, sort of as a scout and as letting-the-dragon-cool time. 

He hadn't been walking for long when he found himself at the top of a high cliff. Enjoying the view, the brief silence, and the soft wind on his face, it took him an embarrassing amount of seconds to notice the columns of moving smoke getting closer from the distance. Cursing, he hid behind some tall rocks and squinted his eyes to spot anything else. 

He felt a heavy weight on his gut when he saw glimpses of red uniforms and komodo rhinos.

"Oh, Tui", Sokka mumbled to himself, "This is bad. This is hsuanning bad". 

Worried, the warrior turned around and sprinted toward the others. 

***

"So", the leader said as soon as they walked inside the inn, "What's your deal?"

Iroh took off his hat, ignored the stares from the three kids and headed to the kitchen to heat the water, lighting it with his spark rocks. "Oh, you know. Just an old man travelling around"

"For an old man, you fight more than well enough"

"What can I say? The roads are dangerous these days, it's better to be safe than sorry. I apologise, but I never caught your names"

Leader exchanged stares with the other two, and Iroh must've done something right because the young man sighed and some tension left his shoulders.

"My name's Jet. This is Longshot and that one's Smellerbee", he introduced the boy with the bow and the one with the face paint respectively.

"A pleasure to meet you three", Iroh greeted, bowing his head, "If you allow me to ask, what are three young men doing here all on their own?"

"I'm not a young man", Smellerbee snapped, "I'm a woman"

"My apologies, young lady", Iroh replied, "But the question remains"

"Why would you want to know?", Jet bit back, gaining some of the lost tension, "You haven't answered us either". Iroh raised an eyebrow and gave him a Look. Jet shifted the weight on both feet and twirled the straw across his lips. "We're trying to get to Ba Sing Se", Jet finally replied, as unnerved by Iroh's stare as Zuko.

"Ah, the great Ba Sing Se. Those walls truly are a magnificent sight"

"You've been there before?", Smellerbee asked, curiosity brightening her young eyes. 

"Many years ago, yes", Iroh replied, sighing deeply at the memories, "I was a different man back then. I never thought I'd go back after all these years"

"What's it like? Ba Sing Se, I mean", Smellerbee asked again, indulging in her curiosity.

"Tall. Imposing like a mountain itself, surrounded by the thickest walls you can imagine, so, so tall that they can cover the sun itself"

"Is it...?", she began, stuttering in her question which earned her a worried stare from her friends, "Is it safe? From the Fire Nation?" 

Iroh hummed, meditating on his answer while he served her a cup of newly made tea. 

"As safe as it can get. No one from the Fire Nation has made it past the Outer Wall, and I doubt they have the capacity to do so". 

Her shoulders slumped in relief, and she smiled before taking a sip. Jet and Longshot nodded gratefully at receiving their cups. Seeing the three of them all together moved something within Iroh, and he found himself extending an unusual offer.

"A few days from today a caravan will take me to the Misty Palms Oasis and I have a few friends there that can get me the passports required to get inside. You three can come with me if you wish".

Jet's eyes widened in surprise, and Smellerbee choked on her cup. 

"Are- are you serious?"

"I have no reason to lie"

"We need to discuss this", Jet interrupted, standing up, "In private"

"I understand. Please, take your time. There's more tea on the way"

***

"GUYS! GUYS! WE HAVE TO GO, NOW!", Sokka's obnoxiously loud voice called from afar, getting louder as the boy ran closer. Worried, Katara met him halfway and quickly began to check on him for injuries.

"What is it? Are you hurt?"

Gently but stubbornly, he moved her hands away, grabbed her by the shoulders, and pushed her towards the others as he walked along. "No, I'm fine, but I saw Fire Nation troops not too far from here. If we want to lose them, we have to leave, and we have to leave now"

As soon as the others heard "Fire Nation", a sudden tension fell and destroyed the previously relaxed atmosphere as the others scrambled around, packing up their things and getting them on Appa. Zuko, as slowly and inconspicuously as he could, walked away from the group toward the hill Sokka had shown up from. The length of his fully stretched neck was of good use to spot what the warrior had warned them off. 

There, in the not-so-far distance, a few columns of smoke rose from between some rocky hills covered in trees. From what he could see, it was barely big enough to be little more than a scouting group, but Zuko knew well enough that it could grow into a little-sized army as soon as the signal was given. His soldiers were efficient like that.

"What am I doing?", he wondered, suddenly feeling a heavy weight pushing down his shoulders. The sight of soldiers from his country uncomfortably squeezed his heart and the bitter taste of treason bloomed in his mouth. 

He realized, then, that he still missed his people- the ones he had failed to save, the ones he was meant to serve, the soldiers who gave their lives with pride in the name of their home, the wives and kids waiting at home, the every-day workers and even the peddlers on the corners of the squares-just as much as he had three years ago, sailing away from Caldera. "I might as well be the scum of the earth", he thought, bitter and angry with himself for failing to take decisive action, for allowing himself to see the Avatar and his friends as people, children, instead of the enemies they were, felt rage within when a little tiny voice inside his head asked if they were the true enemies to defeat. 

He was vaguely aware of the monk walking to stand by his side, the very source of his hope and his doom and for a moment, ugly darkness looming just under the surface felt the need to go out and bite him.

"Don't worry", Aang stated, quiet but determined, "We won't let them catch you. You're with us now". 

Lie. It's a lie. They want to get rid of you. You saw it. She threw you down a crater. Who says they won't leave you inside one next?

Just as quickly as it had shown up, his anger died down to give way to deep-rooted tiredness, an increasingly familiar one wearing him down to the bone.  Zuko sighed and turned around. "That's what I'm worried about", he thought, walking away from the cliff. 

By the time he was back with the others, they had quickly packed their stuff and were ready to fly away. Aang patted his leg and flew on top of the bison's head while Momo settled in between the dragon's horns.  

"Yip yip", and the animal took over. With a tired sigh, Zuko followed right after, ignoring the chitter of the lemur resting on his head. 

They had been flying for a while when Appa's grumble called Zuko's attention. Curious, he raised an eyebrow at the bison and they exchanged stares. Momo stood from his resting place and dived into the air, easily managing to keep up with the other two. He and Appa exchanged a few noises, and the lemur nodded and flew next to the dragon's head. Appa stared at Momo, then at Zuko, then at Momo and then at Zuko again. 

"You want me to copy him...?"

A bit weirded out, he flapped his wings to the left to get enough space and focused on imitating the lemur's easy glide. Appa nodded in approval and kept on staring as Druk forced his wings to stay still.

"Guys, look! Druk is copying Momo!", Aang exclaimed, too loud and too happy for Zuko's liking. Annoyed, he scoffed some smoke at the monk, but the instant he broke position, Appa's loud grumble put him in place once more. Momo screeched at him for losing focus and flew just in front of his face.

Zuko sighed and began again. He realized the easiness with which Momo flew was, to some degree, thanks to the little animal using the softest wind currents to lift himself up, saving energy by not having to flap his wings. When Zuko tried to copy that little trick, he found it difficult to keep his wings steady and eventually, had to force them not to move. If he moved his body along each flap, he interrupted the airflow, but if he remained in a single line, still but not stiff, he glided with more ease. 

Suddenly, Momo folded both wings and dived down. With a surprised yelp, Zuko dived right after, trying his best to copy the lemur's folded wings. Not giving the dragon enough time to catch up, the little creature changed curses and flew three barrel loops before taking place next to Appa. Zuko only managed one halfway, before the altitude and movements caused a dizziness wave through him. 

Appa grumbled at the lemur, and the little creature showed it again to Zuko, pushing him to try again. Both animals, Zuko realised after a few hours of copying twirls and twists and glides and dives, were trying to help him finesse his flight, to teach him how to use his wings to their very best so he could have the tools and dexterity with himself in case something like the canyon happened again,

And amid the air, still annoyed by taking orders from both animals, he thought, just for a brief moment, that he really didn't mind much the feeling of freedom he got from soaring the skies on his own.

It was a high contrast to the life on Caldera- full of masks and pretensions- and different to the life on the Wani- hiding fear behind anger and ire- and different to life as a runaway- hiding behind Lee, the refugee, so, so different than Zuko, the banished prince- and something in it felt incredibly liberating, intoxicating in a way few things were. 

There, in the air, as a dragon, he felt free. 

***

At least half an hour went by in absolute silence. Iroh made tea on the kitchenette while the other three had gathered in a corner to discuss their decision. The silence, however, was not uncomfortable at all, and Iroh waited patiently until Jet stood in front of his friends, staring everywhere except at the old general's face. 

"We'll go with you", he stated, "But if we decide to leave, we leave, no questions asked. And we keep the passports"

"It wouldn't be any other way", Iroh smiled, shaking three dumbfounded hands, "Well then, it's a pleasure to travel along with you three! You can bring your belongings and sleep here until the caravan arrives. There's plenty of space and, even better, plenty of tea!"

***

It was two degrees past sunset, nine hours after midday, when they finally decided to stop and by then, Zuko was feeling nearly murderous. (1)

Landing after the flying lessons with Momo and Appa felt like sitting down after a particularly painful bending lesson, and at the glorious sight of the amazing, wonderful ground, he dived roughly over the dirt floor, panting, groaning and aching in muscles he hadn't discovered he had. By his side, he saw Appa gracefully landing, a few meters away, and Zuko could've sworn the bison looked the slightest smug. Momo soared from his spot on Sokka's head towards Zuko's head, and began to groom the dragon's mane- it felt enough of an apology for Zuko to forgive the little lemur.

Katara giggled at the sight, shaking her head at Momo with both arms on her hips. 

"They did a number on you", she smiled, patting his snout a few times. Feeling grumpy and indulging in said sentiment, Zuko puffed a little flame towards the waterbender, frowning further when she kept laughing at his expense, "Don't worry about helping out tonight, I can take care of it. You relax, I'll get you some water later"

He stared at her figure walking away, refusing to react when Appa grumbled by his left. 

"I know you can't hear me, but just for the record, I'm still mad at you", Zuko thought, pouting. Appa seemed to understand because he chuckled- something a bison wasn't supposed to do- and plopped down, nudging him with his tail. 

Are we okay? the bison seemed to mean. It felt much more genuine than Toph's early attempt to apologize, and the bison was nothing if not gentle. Zuko sighed and poked him with his tail a little harder than usual, but snuggled closer and blinked- as much as he could with the hardened skin squinting it nearly closed- with his left eye. Appa seemed to relax a bit and settled between his paws to rest for the night. 

Just like Katara had promised, Sokka brought him some of their leftover blue jays, grinning a bit mockingly.

"Who would've guessed Appa was such a ruthless teacher", he taunted, placing down the birds. Zuko merely huffed and turned his head away, "Fine, fine, no need to throw another tantrum. Here's your food. We'll go hunting soon, so enjoy" 

Katara bent some water towards him a little later, before helping the other settle down for the night. Once again, the Avatar settled his blankets by Zuko's side- the one not against Appa- with the dragon's permission and distracted himself by playing with his mane. He stayed awake until the others were deep asleep. A while later, after remaining in total silence for some time, the boy grinned up at him, mischievous and cheeky- and Zuko felt a bit bad for every person who dared to underestimate the Airbender

"Tomorrow, I'll take them all to meet the singing groundhogs, and we'll have a few extra days off because we deserve a vacation, after everything. You'll get to pick a place, too. What do you say? Great, right?". 

Amused, Zuko rolled his eyes and closed them again, letting a smile stretch his face. He knew Aang had seen it when the young boy chuckled. "Thought so", he replied, "Good night, Druk". 

This is not what we came to do, you know? The more you attach, the less likely you are to betray them when you have to. Don't you see they would have ditched you if things were the opposite? They are still our enemies, we can't just get all comfortable with them. They'll kill us when they see us as a threat. You know that, don't you? 

For some reason, the whispers didn't hear as convincing as before.

"Maybe", Zuko thought, staring at his new companions dozing in front of the fading campfire. He saw Sokka already kicking in his sleep, Katara nuzzling deeper in her blankets, Toph relaxed by having her feet off the ground, and Aang happily nestling deeper over Zuko's warm side. The prince crossed stares with Appa, and the bison seemed to smile at him in reply. Even the lemur had decided it safe to make a bed out of Zuko's mane- it tickled, but for some reason, he didn't mind much, "But this isn't so bad after all"

Allowing the warmth to flow through him, the dragon breathed out and closed his eyes, enjoying the company and forgetting about everything else, for once. 

He fell asleep before realizing how tired he truly was and for the first time since leaving Uncle's side, he fell at ease. 

No nightmares woke him up that night. 

***

Hours later, a rustle by Zuko's side shook him awake. He only bothered to open an eye, enough to see Aang standing to get some water. Nothing weird, no danger, Zuko could sleep for a little more. The fire had died down, but its warmth remained. 

Aang saw him staring and smiled, waving lazily.

What happened next couldn't have been anything more than an accident.

A casualty, a tiny chance amongst thousands of others, a huge, universal, hilarious cosmic joke set up to have Zuko as the permanent punchline. Because if there was one thing Zuko was sure of, was that the Universe- or Agni, or the spirits, or whatever high being influenced their reality- hated him. Had done so since the moment of his birthday, had doomed his existence every single minute of the Prince's life. 

Only a joke of such tremendous scale could end up in. Well, in such an accident, if you could even call it that.  

Because it was an accident when Aang tripped over his own feet and fell forward, too sleepy to react in time. Because it was an accident, when, for some astral force's will, Aang's forehead fell just over the end of Zuko's whisker. The instant it happened, 

the 

dam

broke.

Worry. Concern. Confusion. A swear, mild panic. 

Painpainpain- fearterrordespair

Faces flashing.

Azula's younger face, a shadowed figure

FearconfusionwhatdidIdo-

Hothothot, burnshurtstoomuch-

A ship, old and rusty, and a crew

Iroh, tea. Jasmin, Ginseng, late-night talks. 

Sleepless nights

"Prince Zuko", Iroh's voice, worn and warm and safe, "Please, breathe with me. You're safe here"

The ship, broken to pieces

Cold, snow, thirsty, so thirsty-

Lone travel, hunger, so, so hungry

Starving, a poor village, a kid

Ihateyougetlost

Azula

Uncle'shurtpleasebesafepleaseIneedyou-

Anger, so much anger

A storm

A cave, bright, lost. Roku, a spirit, a curse.

PAINBREAKINGBONESSNAPPINGMUSCLESSTOPPLEASE-

A goodbye, longing, ache, a Pai Sho tile

Flying, exhausted, endless flight

A burning barn, screams, three farmers

Azula, Mai, Ty Lee

Scaping and diving

The Avatar

Aang

Sokka, Toph, Appa, Momo, Katara

Friends or enemies?

WHATDOIDOIDON'TKNOWWHATTODO

CONFUSSIONANDYELLSANDSOMETHINGDARKSOSODARK

FRIENDSORENEMIESIDON'TKNOWWHATSHOULDIDO-

YOU'REGOINGTOGETBUNEDRYOUWORTHLESSTRASH-

LUCKYTOBEBORN-

Finally, it stopped.

The flood's flow stopped, and they both became aware of their surroundings once again, staring at each other in the middle of the deafening silence. 

Aang's eyes were open wide like plates, full of shock, bafflement and disbelief. His voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper, but Zuko heard it as clear and loud as the warning thunder before a storm, the single word freezing his heart in terror and a wave of resignation flooding through his body. 

"Zuko?"

(1) For Plot Convenience, in the Avatar World sunset occurs at around 7 pm in the Earth Kingdom, so the Gaang stops flying at 9 pm. 

Chapter Text

"Zuko?"

Aang's first instinct was to step back, get away and warn the others to keep them safe. He wanted to, his body screamed at him to run or to fight. But Druk's- Zuko's, the dragon was Zuko, oh spirits, the dragon was Zuko- expression filled with so much horror and fear that Aang froze. He gritted his teeth, controlled his fear and saw. 

Druk was Zuko. 

Zuko was Druk. 

Druk, who had shown up injured and barely awake, had recoiled in fear. Zuko, who had probably had many chances to take Aang and fly away, to injure Appa or to take them in their sleep. Druk, who had lightened up their fire, provided them with fish and went hunting with Sokka. Zuko, who had helped Katara despite not having to and had carried Toph in his back with little to no complaint. Druk, who snuggled against Appa almost every night and allowed Momo to nap on his mane.

Zuko, who had been Aang's first meditating partner after a hundred years, had defended them without killing and who seemed happy just by flying by their side.

Druk, who had allowed Aang to snuggle against him, who didn't push Sokka when the warrior found his way to the dragon's tail, who purred when Aang had scratched him under the jaw, who leaned into friendly touch with the desperation of someone who craved it.

Zuko, who had helped Aang with his earthbending training and who was being chased by the Fire Nation. 

Druk, who was Aang's friend. 

 If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?

Zuko, who had already answered the question without a single word.

And Zuko, whose eyes were shining in fear and resignation, and was leaning back ready to fly away. Aang raised a hand to prove he meant no harm, but it seemed like the wrong thing to do when Zuko flinched back. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, waiting for the other pin to drop, standing on their toes at the edge of an endless cliff, aware that even the slightest movement would cause a free fall down the abyss. 

One of the logs from the campfire snapped, and the spell broke. 

Zuko took several steps back, breathing faster. Aang kneeled, palms looking down. 

"Please wait", he whispered, eyes begging. Zuko's own amber stare scrunched in distress, and the dragon shook his head. Something in his expression painfully squeezed Aang's heart and steeled his resolve to help out his friend. 

Before Aang could speak again, the dragon turned around and began a quick gallop in the opposite direction. 

"Wait!", Aang called, grabbing his glider at the exact moment in which Zuko took off from the ground and began to fly away, "I won't hurt you, please wait!". He moved the winds under and behind his glider to catch up as quickly as possible and, as he got away from their camp, prayed to Yue that Zuko would be willing to listen.

He had only woken up to get water. What was his life?!

***

"He's going to kill me. He's going to kill me, he wants revenge, he-"

He sees you for who you are, he knows what you have done. No one would forgive you, you don't deserve it, you saw it coming-

"Please, I just want to talk! I promise I won't harm you, I just want to talk!"

He's lying. You know he's lying. Everyone always lies to you, and you keep falling for it. You won't fall this time, will you? You can see through the kid, can't you? His lies are beneath you, aren't they? Don't listen, don't stop, fly until your body can't keep going-

"I don't mind who you are!", he heard the monk yelling from behind, "I still want to be your friend!"

He doesn't! It's a trick, a lie! We're alone, we've always been! We don't need anyone!

A strong gust of wind ruffled his mane, and when Zuko looked back he saw Aang already by his side, sweating and panting from the effort to catch up. 

"Y-you're too fast...!", he huffed, struggling to breathe, "Please, Zuko...! Y-you're my friend now, let's- let's just talk!"

"You'll have to kill me! I can't die yet!", Zuko thought, letting out a pained whine. Aang sent back another wind current and finally caught up to the dragon, soaring right next to his head. 

"Y-you haven't hurt me, have you? I won't hurt you either! I want to understand!"

Zuko veered to the right, trying to avoid the little monk, but the Avatar showed his dexterity and determination by staying relatively close after each turn. Despite the darkness and the freezing wind from the altitude Zuko had risen to, the monk kept on chasing him, never getting too far from his tail 

"What am I doing? What should I do?". Aang's cries remained constant despite how tiresome it probably was for the young monk to yell, bend and fly at the same time, "How much longer am I supposed to run?"

"Please!"

Anger suddenly rose within him.

"Please? Like that's going to work! You just want to trick me! You want me to trust you so you can get rid of me! We aren't friends, we're enemies! Go away!"

"I told you we could be friends! Give me an opportunity and I'll prove it!"

"Go away! Disappear! I'm your enemy, you think I don't know what you have to do? We aren't friends! I don't have friends!"

"We don't have to be enemies!"

"We can't be friends! I'm supposed to hunt you down, I'm supposed to do this on my own! LEAVE!", and with a roar, Aang had to dodge a large flame shot in his direction but the little monk was stubborn, and he went back on his chase a few seconds later. 

"Zuko! Please, we're already friends!"

A painful clench squeezed the dragon's heart. The longing for companionship briefly sated during his week with the Avatar's group, had come back in full force with the familiar pang from the deep-rooted loneliness weighing his heart down.

"If I give in now, I won't be able to let go", he thought bitterly and waved his tail to try and shrug Aang off, "I can't give up! Not yet!"

Yes, yes, good, you're doing well. Go, run, escape. he's trying to take you down just like everyone else. Leave, get away from them, and go back to being by yourself like you've always been. This is how we are meant to end up.

"Give me a chance!"

"Please, just stop. Stop trying to give me hope, stop trying to tempt me. It had been a nice illusion, but it was time to wake up. Stop trying to give me a chance! Why would you? JUST STAY AWAY!"

"Zuko! Blue Spirit- you saved me, didn't you? I meant what I said back then! I know we can be friends, but I need you to give me a chance!"

When has hope done you well? When has hope eased you from pain? You hoped and gave and you lost it all. You hoped and gave and now there's nothing left to give. You know it as well as I do, hope is futile, hope is nonexistent. There is no hope

And the Whispers were so convincing, so true and so honest that it hurt. The Voice said the truth, but it was a painful one, and Zuko had made the mistake of lower his guard, had made the mistake of getting attached.

He had enjoyed Appa's comforting touch, Momo's endearing curiosity, Sokka's clever hunting plans, Katara's caring meals, Toph's strong presence, and Aang's friendly touches. He had enjoyed napping under the sun, relaxed and aware that the others wouldn't attack him, had enjoyed flying along them, side by side, free from duty and responsibility and the weight of his past decisions. He had enjoyed sharing the warmth of the campfire, the innocent laughter of children being children- something he hadn't been allowed to be for many, many years- and the feeling of belonging he got whenever they were together. 

He had enjoyed having friends, for the first time in his life, and had forgotten the lie upon which it had been built. 

 In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.

Iroh's words flashed through his ears and eased some of the panic growing within him.

"Uncle..."

After all, wasn't hope what he had been building by himself, for himself? Wasn't that what Iroh wanted?

You're going to lose it all! 

"Zuko! I'm begging you!"

Ignore them! We know what you have to do, we know what you are meant to be! How can this child possibly know what's best for us? Ignore him! 

"Wait! Just- stop! Be quiet, I-"

"I'm not giving up on you!"

Get away! Escape! Abandon all hope and save yourself!

"I don't- "

"I won't let you get away, so just get back here! Please!"

The cacophony of voices layering on top of each other grew and grew in volume until it created a deafening, intelligible roar that bellowed louder than the winds in his ears and drowned out all other sounds. It was imposing and overwhelming and it didn't stop.

Suddenly, from where Zuko had heard Aang scream one last time, a wave of pure energy shook the heavens to the bone and cleared the clouds, and for a moment everything stopped moving.
Neither a breeze nor the whistle of the clouds appeared before the overwhelming and sudden presence, a figure that had not inhabited this land for another hundred years and whose mere existence left the wind static. The light from Aang's tattoos, in that instant, shone brighter than the moon and, for a split second, the heat emitted by the man in possession of that body was even more intense than the sun itself. Powerful and unstoppable, not a hair weaker than at his best, Avatar Roku's voice tore through the sky like a hurricane over a straw hut and rumbled in his ears like thunder in a storm.

FREE YOUR MIND OF FEAR, CURSED ONE, AND BUILD THE BRIDGE THAT WILL BRING PEACE. YOU HAVE MY WORD, DESCENDANT OF MINE, THIS BOY WILL NOT RAISE A HAND AGAINST YOU

The Voice stopped whispering, the light vanished, the pressure disappeared and the wind began to blow again. 

And Zuko slowed down.

"Zuko!", he heard Aang calling, "Let me be your friend!", he said casually as if Roku hadn't just possessed his body just moments ago. It was kind of annoying. 

In resignation, Zuko stalled enough to be head to head-with the monk and stared at him with his right eye until Aang stared back. The Airbender raised a confused eyebrow, but it was enough for the prince, who nodded and began a slow descent, giving enough time for Aang to keep up. The dragon's acute night vision served its purpose when Zuko spotted what seemed to be a large cave hidden amongst some large trees. He ignored Aang's attempts to begin a conversation in favour of hurrying his way to the new shelter and kept ignoring him after landing. Despite the monk's loud insistence, Zuko had practised the art of not paying attention to others for a long time, so Aang's voice kept falling on deaf ears while the young prince picked up wood and twigs between his jaws. Once inside the cave- luckily large enough to hold the entirety of his body without having to squeeze- he dropped the branches and, with his claws, managed to make a decent pile. 

He breathed some concentrated flams on it, long enough for the logs to properly catch on fire, and consequently plopped down. 

Aang sat by his side, quiet for once, and stared at him. 

Neither of them was totally sure how to begin, and something within Zuko still wanted to fly away and disappear. He ended up staring at the flames, unconsciously matching his breath along their rise and fall. 

"So...", Aang began, staring everywhere but at him, "Zuko?" He knew the question was only to confirm what the monk already knew, but he couldn't help the flinch at the sudden question. Still, there was no more outrunning the truth and he had never been a good liar anyway, so Zuko just nodded. 

Aang shifted in his place and fiddled with his thumbs.

"You, ehm. You look... different", "Oh yeah? No shit", "What happened? How did you end up like this?"

It was a fair question. The only problem was how to reply. 

The dragon stretched a claw and slowly began to write on the hard stone. Aang got closer and squinted his eyes at the squiggly lines.

"A... cuss? You cussed?". The prince growled and pointed down at his writing. "What? It says cuss- ohhh, cursed. I see. Did you curse someone? No?"

Frowning in deep focus, he kept on writing down the least amount of words needed to explain his situation. 

"You cursed someone in a cave. Got cursed? In a cave? By who? Sati who? Sathu? Sadiq? I can't read this at all, I'm sorry." Zuko hissed in frustration and slammed his tail over his failed scribbles over the rock. The flames rose higher along his anger, and Aang startled back."H-hey, no need to get so angry. You can just show me. You know, like back at camp?"

The dragon raised an eyebrow and tilted his head in confusion. 

"What?"

Deadpan, Zuko slapped the kid's bald head.

"How am I supposed to tell you, you dimwit? Take a guess!"

"Hey!", Aang whined, rubbing the sore spot at the back of his head, "Gee, I was just joking, no need to get so grumpy", he grumbled, "Just put your whisker on my forehead and let me see"

Zuko's frown scrunched tightly and he tilted his head to the other side even more confused than before. 

"That's how Fang told me about Sozin's Comet, so it must be how dragons communicate", Aang shrugged, as if it was the most common thing ever, "Do you want to give it a try?"

And Zuko still didn't understand completely what was being said- he had, after all, only been a dragon for two weeks at most and thus, was still new to the whole dragon business- but really, there wasn't much else he could try. His good sense had also- probably- been dimmed by his time with the Avatar and his friends because he found himself accepting the suggestion with a mere shrug. 

It was surprisingly easy to move a whisker, something he hadn't realized he could do mostly because he hadn't paid them a lot of attention. But yes, they were surprisingly mobile and obedient and as soon as Zuko willed one of them, it lifted toward Aang's forehead. 

Whisker touched skin

And 

Aang

felt

it

all

A storm. Anger, so much anger.

Frustration, despair. Shame, crushing shame.

Roaring thunders, an ostrich horse. A rocky hill.

Desperation. 

"YOU'VE ALWAYS THROWN EVERYTHING YOU COULD AT ME! WELL, I CAN TAKE IT! AND NOW I CAN GIVE IT BACK!

A far thunder.

Fury, burning fury. Throat-scorching anger, hate. 

"COME ON! STRIKE ME! YOU'VE NEVER HELD BACK BEFORE!"

Rain, merciless rain. A weight, heavy, pushing him down down down.

Tears. An ear-piercing scream, drowned by the storm. 

Mild resignation. Resentment. Riding down the hill. 

Heavy rain, darkness, misery. 

Exhaustion, disappointment.

"I need shelter"

Guilt. Uncle. 

A cave. 

A faint glow, wariness. 

stayawayfromthatstayawaygetawayrun-

Curiosity.

Memories. A crew, a new island, longing. 

Following the bright light, down down down.

Brighter glow. Heavier air.

Stuffy, suffocating.

Frozen blood. Shaking legs. Bones made out of lead.

Fear.

A large, shapeless mass. Glowing, growing, moving. Huge, endless, dangerous.

A centre, a dark, purple centre, stretching and controlling everything.

It had chi, it was big, it was deadly. 

getoutgetoutgetoutleave-

A step back, a stare.

Leaving so soon, fire-breather?

A thundering voice, loud, deafening, from nowhere and everywhere.

You can't leave yet. I haven't met anyone in over a century.

Trembling legs, shivers. 

Frozen, staring. 

escapeescapeescape-

"Who are you?"

Of course, you puny mortals dare to forget me. Damn you and your descendants, Roku!

Confusion. 

"Avatar Roku?"

Yes! Him! He's the reason I'm here! That disgusting firefly dared to lock me in here during his early years, and I have yet to meet his descendant! He'll pay in blood for his actions!

"He's dead. Avatar Roku died a traitor to the Fire Nation a hundred years ago"

How dare you assume I, Sat'ikuq, He Who Hears Everything, am unaware of that wretched pest's destiny?! I hear everything, I know many others. And Traitor? Roku was many things, but a traitor he was not. He was sickeningly loyal to his homeland, and it led to his late demise under his beloved Sozin's hand. I would know, for only Wa Shi Tong knows more than what I have heard 

"Beloved Sozin?"

They were sworn brothers from the early days. Together, they fought against Me and Roku was the one to imprison Me. Oh, how much joy and delight I felt when I heard what Sozin had done! How poetic! How amazing! How beautiful!

"Brothers? How? I need to get out of here and get to Uncle, he'll know the answer". "Well. Uh, Sat'ikuq. I'm glad to know you got your revenge on Roku. It has, uh. It has been a pleasure to talk, but my uncle is waiting for me and we need to go. So I'll just. Go. Okay?"

Revenge on Roku? Don't make me laugh. That was a mercy. No, my anger goes beyond life and death. A part of me has existed before Avatar Wan and will keep on existing when the last Avatar dies. A part of me is older than the dragons and the sky bison and badger moles. Something as simple and merciful as death is not a fitting punishment for his transgression!

Fear, terror, panic. GETOUTGETOUTGETOUT-

And you, young fire-breather, are what I have been waiting for in this disgusting cave for over a century!

"Me?"

Who would've seen it coming?! Are you listening, Raava? Agni? My patience has born luck, and Roku's descendant has stumbled towards me like a sacrifice on the altar! 

MOVEMOVEMOVE-

Pumping blood, running, IwantmyUncle-

Something lifted him up

OHSHIT-

When Vaatu fell to Raava and Wan, some of his spiritual energy remained floating around. I already Was, back then, but I nothing more than a speck of simple dust, so I took what I could and kept it growing inside me. I have been saving it for something worth my existence and you, Prince Zuko, son of Ursa, grandson of Rina, great-grandson of Roku, are everything I needed all this time!

Anger, burning hate, boiling fury, letgoletgoletgo-

Tighter grip, creaking ribs, letmego-

IneedmyUncle-

I sense it inside you, Roku's spawn. So much distress, darkness and chaos... It's all a mess on its own! And Vaatu's spirit feeds upon it! I have grown it for almost ten thousand years, even when Roku almost whipped it out. I'll show him, I'll ruin his destiny and his legacy!

Pain, lightning, thunder.

Roku's successor won't succeed without Destiny on his side! And you, Roku's descendant, will finish his line by dying the most embarrassing, ironic death possible! You'll die just like him!

Cruelty, desperation, LET ME GO-

Only the Avatar can lift this curse, but only after you reach peace within yourself! Vaatu's energy won't disappear otherwise, and until that happens you will be persecuted and hunted by the Nation you love so much! Just like him!

Fire, keep him away, burn, burn, die, die and let me go-

This is it! The culmination of my patience and strength! Everything I have done, my existence, all for this one moment!

Light, thunder, crumbling cave.

Energy. 

Pain, so much pain. 

Muscles on fire, cracking head. 

Bones snapping, tendons breaking. 

Boiling insides, growing, growing.

Snap of his body, his spine, twisting. 

IT'S UNSTOPPABLE

SKIN SPLIT, EVERYTHING'S ON FIRE

I'MGOINGTODIE-

MAKEITSTOPITHURTSSOMUCH-

SCREAMING, PAINED SCREAMING

DARKNESS, TERROR

TURNAPARTFROMTHEINSIDE

IWANTTODIE-

It was all too much because Aang scrambled bag and tripped over his own feet, falling on his bottom.

Staring up, sweat rolling down his forehead, he panted and cleaned some of it, struggling to stand up due to the shaking of his legs. 

"Wow. That- wow. That was a lot"

A bit self-conscious, Zuko scowled and softly- because the young monk still seemed a bit shaken and the prince had never been one to attack those who couldn't properly defend themselves- pushed his shoulder, wondering why was he the one to blame. 

"Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that", Aang quickly explained, "It was your first time, wasn't it? It's fine, I'm just not used to it yet. Don't worry" A bit weirded out, and still glaring at him behind narrow eyes, Zuko plopped back to his former place and stared into the fire. "I think I understand now", the airbender began, "And, well. I... I would like to help you if you'd let me".

Zuko's head snapped toward him, fast enough to cause a whiplash that went ignored. The dragon's eyes were wide in bafflement, and he couldn't help the sudden rise of the flames that jumped along his breath. 

"Why? Why would you want to help me? It makes no sense. I'm supposed to capture you, you know this, you've seen it, so why? What's wrong with you?"

The monk sighed and sat next to him, folding his knees and hugging them with both arms. 

He seemed to be as young and vulnerable as Zuko often imagined him to be. 

"I know you have many things to say, so show me with your whisker, okay? I won't get away this time". Wary, Zuko slowly leaned away, unsure of what to do.  Aang sensed his discomfort and placed a hand over one of the dragon's claws, his fingers barely big enough to wrap them around the tip. "I promise. I can handle it, okay? Let me talk to you properly. I want to understand". 

Zuko sighed, too tired and worn out to put up much of a fight.

"You are a very weird kid", he thought, turning a bit towards the kid and raising his whisker once more. As soon as it touched his forehead, Aang's muscles tensed in preparation for the flood of thoughts, feelings, pictures and sensations from last time.

But they didn't come. 

Instead, all he heard inside his head were words and the background, numbed feeling that belonged to the young dragon. 

Mild annoyance, focus.

Concern, covered by layers of anger and bother.

"Is this better?"

Aang stared and noticed the strain on the dragon's frown, his stiff neck and twitching mouth. And realized, then, that Zuko was managing to control the flood from overwhelming Aang's own mind, despite his inexperience and short time of knowing how it worked. It didn't seem easy if the tension on the dragon's body was anything to go by, and for that, Aang felt a wave of gratefulness towards the prince.  

Embarrassment, fluster, grumpiness and fake detachment. 

"Yeah, yeah, you can thank me later. Just answer the stupid question, is this fine?" 

Aang giggled and relaxed.

"Yeah. Yeah, this is fine. Thank you"

"Save it", Zuko snapped, showing briefly a bit of his fangs, "Let's just get this damn thing over with. What do you want to know? What are you planning to do?"

"Nothing! Really. Why should I be planning something?"

"That's what everybody does", he growled, puffing some smoke rings from his nose, "You may have something you want and in exchange for helping you, you'll let me go. Deal?"

"What? No!"

"Why not?! It's a good hsuanning deal!"

"I don't want a deal- Zuko, spirits, I don't want you to go. It is that simple"

"But why? I don't understand. Why would you want me to stay? Why don't you try to strike me down? I've chased you for months, my family wiped out your people and my nation is trying to kill you, anyone would like to at least get the Fire Nation back at something-"

"Well, I don't, okay? Maybe I don't want more death, maybe I don't want more violence and maybe I just want to sit down and talk for once!"

"But why? I don't get it! You should be mad!"

"Oh, I know- I was mad! I was mad for a long while!"

"Then why do you still want to be my friend? Why aren't you mad at me?!"

"I'm still mad at you!", Aang snapped, clenching his fists, "You think I had fun being chased around with fire? That I enjoyed not being able to sleep because you or your sister were after me? Let me tell you, it wasn't fun!"

"Then what's the point of me still being here?", Zuko snarled, standing from his resting spot and looking down at the small monk. The flames from the campfire rose dangerously. Confusion, anger, wariness "What's your plan? What do you want from me?"

"I don't have a plan, I already told you! I want you here because I think we can be friends-"

"Which you still haven't explained-"

"-and I think that maybe you would like to talk instead of fight for once too!"

The dragon blinked a few times and then raised a very pointed eyebrow at the monk.

"What?"

"You heard me!", Aang huffed, easing his breath and sitting down again, "I might still be mad at you, but I don't want you dead. On the contrary, I want to be your friend because you remind me of myself"

"...how?"

"I... I'm not entirely sure either. It might be my instinct. Sokka always uses that one"

"I don't think it smart to use something Sokka uses"

The airbender chuckled, and leaned back, supporting his weight on his arms. 

"It isn't, is it? But sometimes he says things that make sense, in a weird way"

"Like now, with your instinct?"

"Yeah, like my instincts"

"And what do they tell you?"

Aang shot the dragon a strange look, and Zuko couldn't help the awkwardness from the stare. 

"They don't think you're a bad person. You've had a chance to harm me or my friends for a week now, and you haven't. You've helped us, instead. You give us food, light our fire and make sure we're safe. They all like you, you know?"

"They wouldn't if they knew who I was"

"You can't blame them. You have chased us for months, after all"

"Then why shouldn't I leave?"

"Because I believe you deserve a chance to redeem yourself", the boy answered honestly, "Just keep doing what you were doing until now and we'll be fine"

"I can't stay this way forever", Zuko replied, sitting down and placing his huge head over his front legs, "I need to get back to my body and I can't leave Uncle alone after everything he's done for me. I'll get my body back, Avatar, and then what? I've always had trouble thinking things through"

"I believe you've made the right decisions lately", Aang replied, shrugging shoulders, "You can still make them when the time comes".

"You don't know that"

"I trust you"

"Why?"

"Because I saw everything, remember? And I felt it too. There was not a single moment in which I felt you were being cruel on purpose. You've done horrible things, but your intent has never been the one to actively seek the harm of others. You care a lot about honour and your people, and I can understand that wish. I felt the same about us Air Nomads. And yet, you haven't let your self-appointed obligations stop you from doing good. Like Pouhai!"

Reluctance. Regret. Exhaustion."I was freeing you so I could capture myself". 

"You still freed me. If I hadn't gotten back, Sokka and Katara would've gotten worse but thanks to your intervention, I reached them soon enough. You even took a hit for me and you didn't follow me after the first blast."

"I was injured in the head"

"That hasn't stopped you before"

"Yes, I know. So?"

"Why didn't you go after me that time?"

The dragon took a deep breath and his eyes turned to stare into the fire, filled with melancholy. The fire rose up and down along the prince's breath, and a sudden weight seemed to push the huge dragon down. 

"You asked me to be your friend", his voice whispered shyly, timid and self-conscious. Heart-ache. Exhaustion. Resignation. Loneliness. "Despite what I've done, you still wanted to be friends. My family, at home. In Caldera... I lived with them for most of my life and yet at that moment, you showed more kindness in a minute than the Capital in thirteen years"

"I'm sorry"

"You don't have to be. It's not your fault.  It just got me thinking"

"And?"

"And?"

"What's your answer?"

Embarrassment "I... I don't know". Sadness. "Honestly? I don't think I would've minded being your friend. I think it would've even been nice". Grief

"But why can't we? Look, we're making progress! You haven't tried to kill me or kidnap me now that we are alone. You are doing better!"

"I have duties, Avatar. I can't just ignore them just because I got cursed"

"But why do you have to follow them?"

"Because the Fire Lord's Will is Agni's Will and-"

"Yeah, yeah, that's great and all but, do you want to? Do you really want to follow his orders?"

"What I may want or not is unimportant"

"It's the most important thing! Being forced to do something you don't want is awful. You should do what feels good for you".

"Is not so easy"

"I didn't say it was".

"Then you should understand", Zuko pleaded, almost whining. Desperation, fatigue. "Surely you understand what I must do as the Fire Lord's son. You can't just ask me not to fulfil the Fire Lord's orders just because it's something I don't want to do".

"So you don't want to obey, do you?"

Hesitance. "No", the prince admitted, turning his head away. Shame. "Yes. Not really. I don't know, not anymore. It's gotten very confusing lately". Frustration

"What's changed?"

"Everything". Fire. Bitterness. Scars. Song. Hunger, scorching sun, thirst. Li. Sensu. Hateful stares. "At home, we're told that war is how we share our greatness but the Earth Kingdom territories we occupy aren't great. They are suffering. They are suffering and we keep on hurting innocents and I don't know what's the right thing to do anymore. It makes it difficult to obey the Fire Lord's orders now that I know what they bring to others". Guilt

"But why do you have to obey?"

"Because I'm his son. Even if I'm banished, I'm still a prince. He's still my Father, my Lord. His orders will bring the best to my- our Nation"

"You aren't your father. I believe you have lived through enough to know what's best for your people". 

"As I said, it's not easy. His word is the law. If I just follow personal whims I would bring him shame and dishonour and I can't do that again".

"But why does he get to decide if your actions are honourable or not? He's not a God, Zuko! He's as human as the rest of us!"

"How dare you? His will is Agni's! He-"

"Yeah yeah, his will, not yours. You are your own person, with your own will and desire. You don't need your father's orders to know what's the right thing! We, humans, are born free! We belong to no one! So what if he's your father? He's not your owner and you aren't his slave! You can make your own choices!"

Fear. Fury. "Doing what I think is right would mean he's wrong! Can't you see that?!". Hurt.

"And what's so bad about him being wrong? All humans make mistakes and just because he's the Fire Lord doesn't mean he's an exception! He can make mistakes too!"

"YOU DON'T GET IT!", Pain. Fire. Grief. Regret. Begging. An arena. A shadow, tall and imposing. You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher. Fire, hot, burnsburnsburnssomuch-, "IF HE CAN BE WRONG NOW THAT WOULD MEAN HE COULD'VE BEEN WRONG BEFORE AND WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN? MAYBE I WAS RIGHT BACK THEN TOO AND I DIDN'T DESERVE-"

The fire from the cave rose high to the ceiling, and Aang had to cover his face from the sparks flying from the fire. The flood of feelings and angry thoughts through the dragon's head was becoming overwhelming again, and the young monk winced in his struggle to separate his mind from Zuko's. The prince's words had grown mushy and tangled, covered by layers and layers of contradicting emotions, but in the middle of the hurricane, Aang was able to understand the huge load the firebender's heart carried. 

"Zuko! ZUKO!"

"WHAT?!

Aang shivered under the storm that was Zuko's head but closed his eyes and focused on projecting his own emotions. 

"Zuko!", Safe, you're safe. Kind wind, early breakfast, evening flights. Smoked fish, laughter, warmth. Companionship, worthiness, meditating with the fire. Appa's fur, sleeping together, safety. You're safe, you're safe, you don't have to be afraid. "Zuko. Zuko, listen to my voice, okay? I won't force you to do anything you don't want to. We're already your friends, whether you want it or not. And friends look after each other, so I'm going to look after you, alright? You've proven that I can trust you and so that's my choice. But you don't have to choose right now. Take your time, think about it, and consider your options. We have time"

"But what about my body? I need my body-"

"I'll help you", Aang said, and the dragon's eyes widened at him, "Whatever you need me to do, I'll help you get your body back"

Bafflement. "Why?". Warines

"Because I'm your friend"

"Oh"

The silence dragged between them. The fire went back to normal size and their cave was once more covered by the night's darkness. Zuko's whisker slid from Aang's forehead but the dragon paid him no mind, busy staring at the sky. 

They stayed quiet for a while, the silence of the night only interrupted by the creaking wood and the chatter of the nearby nocturnal animals.

"Let's get back", Aang suddenly said, nudging his friend's claw and earning a quizzical look. Aang's own stare was nothing but sincere, "C'mon, let's get back. It's dark and if the others wake up they might worry. We have to go"

He was right, of course, and Zuko knew this. Besides, he was exhausted and he wanted some time to himself to think about everything. With resignation, he breathed out the fire and took a few minutes to throw away the wood. When he returned, he saw Aang waiting for him. 

The monk seemed a bit worn and tired, and the cold was already causing him to shiver slightly, but as expected, Aang didn't complain. Zuko, however, felt a pang of guilt, knowing that it was his fault the other boy was out of bed so late. Sighing, he nudged Aang's shoulder before he could fly away on his glider. When the Avatar raised an eyebrow at him, Zuko looked away in embarrassment but lowered his neck so he could climb with ease. 

"Really?!", the boy asked cheerfully, and he seemed so happy that Zuko felt it had been the right choice. So, he nodded and pushed him again, stepping closer. Happily, Aang jumped over and settled just behind the end of his mane, in the same spot he had taken a nap hours ago. 

Aware of the cold, the dragon breathed in and allowed the heat to warm his body enough to push the cold winds away. Aang leaned over and hugged his neck, barely able to get a grip due to Zuko's own size. The young boy seemed happy though, so the prince smiled slightly and took off toward camp.

A few minutes later, so quiet that Zuko had begun to think Aang might have fallen asleep, a quiet, honest voice called at him from his back. "I'm sorry about earlier today", he said. "I shouldn't have let Toph throw you there, and I should've insisted more to get you out earlier". 

Zuko squirmed, uncomfortable. Sensing his unease, Aang stretched a hand and ran his fingers through the dragon's mane. "I saw some of your memories, remember? And. Well. Sat'ikuq's cave didn't seem like the nicest place. So I'm sorry, Zuko. It wasn't right of us to do something like that. It's alright if you don't want to forgive me, but I promise you I won't let something like that happen again in the future. Alright?"

The prince remained quiet. What could he say? 

No one has apologized to me like that before. No one but Uncle.

So quickly he traced a line over Aang's bare skin with a single whisker, letting a small, loaded word make its way to him. 

"I forgive you".

Happily, Aang nuzzled into his mane, and neither of them said a thing on their way back.

***

The night was as quiet as always, and yet Iroh remained awake. 

Something inside him told him not to sleep, so he listened to his body and waited. It paid off sometime after midnight because from his chosen spot next to the bedroom window he saw Jet's figure standing up from the couch and staring at the room in an almost trance. 

The boy seemed too awake to have only recently gotten up, so it had most likely been a nightmare.

And when the young man, struggling to stay upright, walked out of the inn as fast as his trembling legs allowed him to, Iroh followed. He found him sitting on a spot a few meters away from the door, staring at the night sky with eyes full of anger and resentment. 

"I don't know what have the stars done to you", the old general said, startling Jet, "but I'm sure they can reach an agreement"

"Don't sneak like that on people", Jet growled, shooting him a stink stare before looking up again, "You could get hurt"

"Oh, I assure you, this old man won't fall because someone got spooked", Iroh replied, sitting at a respectful distance from the young man, "I'm not as fragile as you may think". Jet scoffed, but it was more in amusement than disdain. 

After that, both of them remained quiet for what felt like a long time, looking at the twinkling stars amid a comfortable silence.

Jet was the first one to speak.

"Why did you save us from the sand benders?", he inquired in little more than a mumble, "You gained nothing from it"

Iroh sighed and leaned back, fixing his wrinkled stare into the endless sky. 

"I learned long ago that indifference can be as harmful as the action itself. I refuse to stand by and let things happen, I won't look away from things because they are hard or painful. I like to think I'm not that person anymore".

"Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why not look away? It's easy and you have no obligation to care. Meddling in everyone's business will only lead to an early grave"

"Don't you think that's overly pessimistic?"

Jet shrugged, but his face softened in the slightest. 

"Is how I've managed", he admitted, doodling on the sand, "It's how I've kept my friends alive. If I had decided to go around helping everyone, I would put them in danger. And that's not something I'm willing to accept"

"They seem able to fend for themselves. Don't you think they may feel the same way about you?"

"Oh, they do", Jet chuckled, smiling a bit, "They got my back and have gotten me out of many situations I got us in. I owe them my life". 

"If they had looked away, you'd be dead"

"Yeah, most likely", and his smile grew bitter, "But I get in less trouble like that. If I stay out of the way, I don't put them in danger and I get to live some more. It's a win-win situation"

"I think that depends on what you consider a win", Iroh replied, scratching his beard, "I would rather risk my safety than look away again. It's why I helped you with the sand benders. Leaving while three kids face a whole group of sand benders would've been wiser, yes, but it wouldn't have felt like the right thing to do. And sometimes all you have to do is follow what your heart tells you". 

"It's easier to step aside"

"Maybe. But how does it feel?"

Jet stayed quiet for a long time, but Iroh waited patiently. 

"It keeps us safe"

"I didn't deny that"

"It's for the best"

"Most likely"

"We survive"

"But surviving isn't living. How does it feel?"

"Awful"

"Mhm"

"It aches. Burns. I want to intervene, but then I... I remember the last time I tried to do something big. I screwed up. I pushed people away, good people, and risked my friend's safety. I thought I was doing good, and that it was the right thing to do, but others disagreed and turned against me. It felt like treason"

"Those others. Were they your friends?"

"Kind of. We didn't meet for long, but I liked them. They were a lot like me, so I thought they'd go along. But then they didn't"

"Why do you think that is?"

"Because they are cowards", Jet growled, frowning at the dirt, "They refused to do what was right and went against me instead. They were traitors"

"Because they went against your actions?"

"I-"

"It sounds to me like they refused to stay away", Iroh answered, humming in deep focus, "They probably thought their actions were the right ones"

"But they weren't"

"How can you tell?"

"Because they were helping Fire Nation"

Iroh held back the twitch of his fingers. 

"So?"

Jet's sharp stare snapped toward the old general, and tension thickened the air. 

"What do you mean "so"? They were Fire Nation! That's a good enough reason!"

"What would you have done instead?"

"I would've let them die", Jet replied without missing a beat. Iroh believed him. 

"Even the elders? The kids? The innocent?"

"There's not innocent in the Fire Nation", the young man spat, disgust filling his expression, "They are all scum that needs to be whipped out"

"If you did that, you'd be exactly like them"

"Bullshit!", Jet snapped, standing up and staring down at Iroh, fists clenched, "I'd be doing the world a favour! I'd rid this earth of murderers and trash and if you don't think so, you might as well be a Fire Nation sympathizer!", he screeched, his brown eyes growing with each word. "Wait, are you a sympathizer? Are you with them?"

"I'm a fugitive, remember?", Iroh answered, calmly staring back, "Not wanting to whip out the innocent does not make me a sympathizer, as you call them. No, I am simply telling you that I believe it right to spare those who have committed no sin"

"No one in the Fire Nation is like that. They are all miserable, bloodthirsty bastards!"

"You can believe that if it makes you feel better. I, on the other hand, believe you are wrong. Good and evil, kindness and cruelty, action and indifference: everyone is capable of doing it. It's not exclusive to a territory, to a nation or to an element. Humans in general have the capacity to choose and said capacity is not related to their birthplace, it's innate. And the Fire Nation is full of cruel, merciless monsters, yes. But some are not. I'd even say that most are not. It's the same as everywhere else".

"You are wrong! The whole Fire Nation is evil, I know it!"

Iroh shrugged his shoulders and stood up. 

"You'll learn in your journeys that things are rarely as black and white as you paint them", the old general stated, "Stepping aside and looking away won't make the problems disappear if that's what you're expecting. The time will come when you'll have to choose which path to take and I can assure you, the road will always remain grey. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going back to bed. Don't stay too long outside".

After that, Iroh entered to go back to sleep. 

Jet went inside a couple of minutes later, in the most absolute silence. 

***

After that, the flight back started in a somewhat awkward quiet. Zuko was not feeling in a particularly chatty mood, despite settling an issue with Aang, and his head was filled with a whirlwind of weird thoughts and words. 

The altitude was high enough for the temperature to drop, but he was sure Aang would not suffer much from it thanks to the heat from Zuko's scales. Their little trip settled, after the first few minutes, at a comfortable pace; a mixture between the wobble caused by the flapping of the dragon's huge wings and the fast winds parting as they collided with Zuko's head, accompanied by the prince's soft and controlled breathing synchronized with every up-and-down.

It seemed like Aang, too, was at peace with not talking too, because for once the air bender didn't try to start a conversation, only speaking to tell Zuko where to go when the dragon flew in another direction. 

"Down there", the monk pointed at somewhere by Zuko's left. The dragon made a sound of understanding and turned in full flight to where the other indicated. Soon, faster than Zuko had planned, they were close enough that Aang could make it out of the camp despite the darkness.

Quietly the dragon landed, careful to keep the flapping of his large wings as quiet as possible, and lowered his neck so Aang could jump down. The airbender giggled and poked him a few times under his jaw, snorting when the dragon lazily bit toward him. 

And then...

"So", a sudden voice froze both in their spot, "What happened? Do I have to wake the others?"

"T-Toph!?", Aang shattered, staring at the bright-awake earthbender while Zuko hissed at her from behind. "What are you doing up? We-uh, I thought you were asleep".

"With how much noise you were making before how could I have stayed asleep?". She ignored the dragon's demeanour, arms crossed over her chest. "And I'm still waiting for my answer"

"Oh, well, nothing. You know, just, Avatar-animal stuff. Bonding and flying, did you know Zuko flies quite well? It's actually amazing how fast he learned from Appa!", he laughed almost manically. Zuko's eyes widened and in a blink he tackled the monk to the ground and placed both of his front legs on Aang's shoulders, pinning him down and snarling at his face. 

"WHAT THE HELL, YOU DIPSHIT?", he growled, huffing smoke from his mouth and nose, "DO YOU IT ON PURPOSE OR ARE YOU JUST ACTUALLY THAT CARELESS?"

"Hey- what are you-?! Oh. Oh. I- 'm sorry. It... slipped...?"

"YEAH, OH. DID IT SLIP? AGNI, YOU'RE SUCH AN IDIOT!"

"You know, I can't even hear what you're thinking but I can tell you're insulting me and that's not a very nice thing to do", Aang scoffed.

This time, the smoke grew thicker and a few flames showed up here and there. 

"NICE? NICE?! OH, I'LL SHOW YOU HOW NICE CAN I BE YOU S-"

"Guys", Toph interrupted, both arms crossed over her chest, "Hey, look, I'm all for friendly fire but you two should keep it down if you don't want to start a riot when the other two dunces wake up"

Realizing she was still there, Zuko got off Aang's shoulders, a bit ashamed, and Aang simply stared at her in confusion. 

"Did you, perhaps, hear me calling-"

"Zuko? Yeah, I did. Took you long enough, you blockhead. How did you figure it out?"

"Oh, I woke up to get some water and then I tripped and- wait, you knew!?", "She knew?!"

"Of course I knew!", Toph scoffed, almost offended by his question, "What type of earthbender do you take me for? Just because someone got a bit bigger doesn't mean I don't recognise his heartbeat"

"And why didn't you say anything?", and Zuko nodded along, wondering the same thing. He might've been mad, but someone knowing his identity was bigger than his resentment. 

"There was no need to", she shrugged with ease, "Sparky here hasn't tried anything against us even though we've been making it very easy and the old man said a lot of good things about his nephew, so I figured he probably wasn't that bad. It turns out I was right again!", she smiled cheekily, like a child who found the cookie jar, "Besides, he lights the fire, gets food while keeping Sokka busy, lets me ride on his back and is as warm as a space heater. The most competent member after me, in my opinion"

And even with all of that, you throw me into a crater? Doesn't that make it worse? Bothered by her nonchalance, Zuko grumbled in her direction and sent her a could of dust with a flicker from his tail. Sensing his anger, she clicked her tongue and began to tap at the ground with her foot. 

"Why are you still all hung up about early?", she inquired. "It wasn't that bad, wasn't it? Maybe you should just get over it". 

"Toph!", Aang scolded while Zuko stared at her, baffled by her words. The lightness of his mind began to fade, and he could almost feel the Voice running to whisper things into his brain. "You can't do things like that and- What?". The dragon poked Aang a few times on the shoulder to get his attention and waved his whisker in front of his eyes before pointing at Toph. "Are you sure?"

"About what?"

"Not you, Zuko- He found a way to speak but he needs to touch you with one of his whiskers"

"So?"

"He wanted me to ask you if it was okay to talk to you"

"For what? So he can tell me how mad he is?"

"Toph"

"What? Ugh. Fine. Do your whisker thing". 

Careful to keep most of his memories and emotions at bay, he touched her forehead with his whisker and projected his voice as steady as possible.

"Why would you ever think you don't get to apologize after something like that? Don't just expect people to ignore everything because you ask. Wasn't there something else you could've done? I could've died down there!"

If his sudden question startled her, it didn't show. "You wouldn't have, I was there! And I apologized, didn't I?"

"You didn't mean it!"

"How do you even know that?"

"Because it's the one I get the most!". Azula. Zhao. Soldiers. Vendors. His old crew. "And you don't get to walk all over me like that, and expect me not to take offence! It doesn't work like that, and I refuse to take it!"

Her mouth closed and opened several times while Zuko focused on easing his breathing. He was not going to let his anger control him, but he couldn't simply evaporate his emotions and there were lines he needed to establish. 

"Was...", she trailed off. Then looked down, and grabbed onto her forearm. "Was it really that bad?"

"Yes!"

"I see. Uhm... Look, I thought you were just being dramatic. I didn't notice it was such a big thing for you".

"Is there a problem if it is?"

"No. I think it just makes me look a little bit more of a jerk"

"It does".

Toph sighed and looked down, her expression more of shame and less of defensiveness. "I'm sorry", she finally said. "I could've been less of an ass. Are you... are you going to forgive me?"

"If I don't, are  you going to tell the others?"

She simply began to pick at her nose with the disinterest of a sabertooth moose-lion for a bunch of hay, but her discomfort felt evident despite her attempt at nonchalance. "Do you know how much of a hustle would be to get Sugar Queen to shut up? Yikes. Nah, you are good here, Sparky, I'm no snitch. And... even if you don't forgive me, I haven't fallen low enough to tell them something like that because you're mad at me."

"I won't be mad always. And I, uhm. I appreciate your concern, I guess"

"Concern? Please. I'm not giving up my space heater anytime soon.", and her grin grew sharp around the edges, "From now on, you are going to let me sleep alone and ride on your back whenever I ask you. If you can do that, we have a deal"

"Toph, you can't just blackmail Zuko, that's mean"

"Not now. But eventually"

"I'll take it"

"Seriously? Oh, never mind. If you are cool with this, it doesn't matter". A large yawn interrupted any further words. "Let's just get back to sleep", Aand whined, slumping over his sleeping bag and wrapping an arm around Momo, "I'm tired..."

"Gotta agree with Twinkletoes", Toph admitted, patting Zuko's leg once and going back to her earth-bent tent, "It's too dark to keep this crap going- hehe". 

And as soon as the chatter had taken over the camp, it disappeared as quickly and left him, once more, as the only one awake. With nothing better to do, he circled the place a bit until he found a nice spot in between Appa and Aang's sleeping bag, settled down and rested his head in between his claws. The night was still reigning over the earth, some far crickets made up a silent choir and the stars still shone above their heads.

Amid the absolute silence, it didn't take long for the prince to hear two more snores join the common choir. And yet, he was unable to close his eyes.

***

As soon as Agni's light began to rise over the horizon, Iroh begrudgingly found himself waking up. It was an unfortunate side-effect of his firebending nature he hadn't managed to get rid of despite his best efforts, which more often than not managed to interrupt his sometimes-awful sleeping schedule.

The conversation with Jet had kept him awake for a while and had brought to light the nature of his new companions. He knew he would have to be mindful with his bending around the kids, but luckily they wouldn't pay a lot of attention to an old man accustomed to waking up early. If they asked, Iroh would only adjudge it to a life-long habit- which it was, in a way.

He wasn't, however, the only one to "rise with the sun"- as Zuko had often said- in the little town he was staying at. The White Lotus's messenger posted in town, Yufei, was also a firebender and a young one at that, so all of the news, orders, whispers and letters arrived at his door a little bit after the crack of dawn, away from foreign ears and usually hidden in the basket of milk-bottles to appease any dangerous eyes.

"Grand Lotus", greeted the young bender with a bow, his voice barely more than a whisper, "This night arrived a letter from my sister Zihan, sir. Princess Azula has called off the dragon's hunt and, along with her forces, she has been summoned toward Ba Sing Se. Several troops from other fronts have also been reported to have been ordered to march towards Earth's capital as quickly and silently as possible. No one but the Princess has been told the reason behind the displacement, but it's likely they won't take long to arrive"

"Oh, shit", Iroh thought, a bit put off by the news. This surprise, however, didn't show in his expression, and he simply raised an eyebrow at the messenger. Yufei understood, so he kept talking. "Our shop in Misty Palm's Oasis is arranging your passport, transport and accommodations inside Ba Sing Se. Some of our members inside the Lower Ring have been keeping an eye on the Dai Li and these are the areas in which they have the least influence". 

Yufei handed Iroh the small basket and in between the milk bottles, he saw a coloured map of Ba Sing Se's Lower Ring. "Your transport to Misty Palm's Oasis will arrive today a few hours after noon, they will be waiting for you behind the old tavern. It's a caravan made out of light wood pulled by two male brown-feathered ostrich horses. Show the driver your tile and he and his wife will take you to your destination"

The old man sighed and grabbed the basket in one hand. With the other, he ruffled the Yufei's hair and snickered when a flash of bashful confusion crossed the bender's normally stoic expression. "Would you mind joining me for a cup of tea? I still haven't gotten my morning cup and I would appreciate the company"

Yufei shook his head, his lips curled up in a mildly embarrassed grin.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline, sir", Yufei replied, genuinely apologetic, "There is a lot of work to do and I can't be late. If we meet again, though, I would love to take you on that offer, if it's still standing"

"Of course, of course. I do hope we get to cross ways again, my boy"

"Most grateful", the young man bowed, "Are there any messages you need me to send?"

"There is", Iroh said, taking out of his sleeve two sealed letters, "Send this one to Sha-Mo of the Lop Tribe and the other one to Captain Mingze from your sister's battalion"

Yufei grabbed the letters and hid them inside his robes. 

"Anything else?"

"Yes, in fact, there is something else. Do you have any available fire hawks?"

"I do. What is your request?"

"Send word to Misty Palm's Oasis to arrange three more passports, tickets and transportation for Jet, Longshot and Smellerbee. I'll be escorting them to Ba Sing Se"

"Three passports?! I- Nevermind", Yufei shrugged, managing to calm down his surprise at the news, "It's a bit abrupt, but our fastest fire hawk will deliver your message to arrange the documents before your arrival. I'll send word to the caravan of the new passengers. Is there some other way I can be of use?"

"That would be all"

"Understood", and once more, Yufei bowed, but this time his hands formed the common Fire Nation greeting, "May Agni light your way and keep your fire burning. Please be careful on the road, sir". 

"You take care as well, Yufei", Iroh bowed back, "May Agni light your way and keep your fire burning"

The bender's eyes widened in surprise, and he stared at Iroh in bafflement. 

"You remember my name?"

"Of course! The White Lotus is grateful for your service, and so am I. It's comforting to meet with another firebender from time to time, and you have been doing a splendid job as far as I'm concerned. Take care as well and, if it is Agni's will, join me for some tea next time we meet". 

Yufei's eyes grew shiny, but the young bender kept the tears at bay. However, his smile, unusual in someone so serious, was grateful and shiny all the same.

"Thank you very much, sir. I'll ask for transference to Ba Sing Se, so we can meet again"

"That would be wonderful! What's your favourite tea?"

"Sencha"

"I'll remember it for our next time. Thank you for your service, Yufei".

The firebender bowed again and walked away in silence, disappearing in the early darkness as quickly as he had shown up. 

Iroh sighed deeply and closed the door, slid the map inside his robes and grabbed the kettle to heat water for his morning tea. There was still a lot of work to do, but it was never a bad time to enjoy a warm cup of green tea.

***

Morning took both too long and too little to arrive. 

Zuko had barely been able to shut close his eyes and Agni's near presence only served to keep him awake. Unlike Aang and Toph, who slept like rocks with enviable ease, the young prince had been unable to get even an extra hour, so as soon as the sun began to pear its light over the horizon, he silently stood from his spot and quietly collected the firewood for the breakfast. He knew they still had some left meat, but he considered it better to save it for later so he went fishing. 

For anyone else, it would've been nearly impossible given the lack of proper light, but the dragon's reptilian eyes were finely tuned to work both underwater and in almost total darkness, so he managed to catch enough to feed the others. He did it all as quietly as possible, making sure to keep the food away and diving a couple more times to eat some himself. His friends needed to cook the meat before eating, but he could manage with raw fish without further annoyance. It took him longer than expected- and it may have been on purpose- but when he got back, everyone was still dead to the world. 

It mildly annoyed him, but it was nothing big, so he ignored the heavy anvil pushing down his stomach and walked away to the top of the nearest cliff, sitting down, closing his eyes and focusing on Agni's rays slowly but surely covering more of his scales. 

The sun was already fully out when he heard Aang's light steps heading toward him. Neither of them said anything for a while. Only then did Zuko realise everyone else had awakened and began to cook, but he didn't have it in himself to care. 

It wasn't real, after all. They only cared and accepted him because he was lying, so then Zuko thought it better to begin distancing himself, to avoid further pain. 

The silence went on for a while until the airbender finally opened his mouth. 

"I know you don't believe me yet", Aang began, quiet, staring at the wide sky, "But I promise I wasn't lying when I said I already forgave you for everything" Zuko scoffed in disbelief but regretted it a bit when a pained expression crossed the monk's young face, "I felt a lot from you last night. I didn't understand it all, not really, but I felt it. I felt you. I know how alone you feel.  And even if you don't think you deserve it, I know there's enough good in you to entrust you with my friend's safety so give me the same chance, okay?"

It angered Zuko. Not Aang's words, not at all, but the fact that this kid that he had tried to hunt down for months and had been travelling with for little more than a week was more willing to give an undeserved opportunity and show him genuine gestures of kindness and affection than most of his family for nearly thirteen years. It angered him that a technical stranger made him feel more at ease than the thought of going back home. 

"You'll get yourself killed like this one of these days", Zuko chided, not unkindly, and blinking away some dust in his eyes, he shook his head and softly pushed Aang's shoulder. It wasn't a dismissal, the monk knew, but it wasn't an agreement either. 

Aang sighed and decided to give it a break, just in time to hear Katara's call for breakfast.

It was a quick affair, quieter than the other days but not enough to raise suspicions. 

Zuko was out of it most of the time, spacing out and ignoring any attempt at interactions until it was time to fly. He was aware they flew at some point, but his mind felt away from his body, like floating on an endless lake of darkness and overwhelming thoughts. 

He was vaguely aware of concerned stares but wasn't there enough to care. He heard the singing groundhogs from far away and was mildly conscious of their discussion about a vacation spot, but it was barely going through. 

"Misty Palms Oasis! It's truly a beautiful sight if you ask me. Nice pick, Katara!", Aang smiled at her, wide and genuine, and she looked away, a bit red on her cheeks, "We can reach it in just a couple of hours from here. It's going to be amazing!"

"Suuure, let's go to some weird mystical oasis and waste away our time until the comet. Great plan!"

"Hey, we deserve vacations, you know? We've been working really hard to teach Aang and-"

But Zuko paid no more attention to the sibling's bickering, instead deciding to stay as away from them as possible. Is not like he thought Aang could be lying- he didn't though the boy was capable of doing so, or at least not to, surprisingly, Zuko- but he still doubted the others would accept him if they knew the truth. He had done too much, and they had every right to hate him or kill him on sight. And it hurt because, in the span of a mere week and so, he had grown to care for them more than most of his crew in three years. Not like he had ever thought of them as worthless or replaceable, but their relationship had only gotten less strained for the last few months, and it had taken a lot of effort from everyone- Iroh included- to smooth the very rough edges enough for them to get along. And they, for a few months, enjoyed the true companionship and camaraderie proper of sailors, until Zhao had taken them away to a pointless battle and Zuko was unable to stop him. 

So it pained him- to his annoyance -thinking about their trustful eyes turning into the scorn and distaste stare he had grown used to many years ago. He didn't want to see such a glare in his new friend's eyes, he didn't want to feel that deep pit of loneliness and ache reappear once more, and he didn't want to go back to the realization of how alone he truly was and had been for so long. 

"Hey, Sparky", Toph suddenly called from behind, startling him, "Relax. I just wanted to tell you we're flying off and Appa's getting tired from carrying it all so it's my turn on your back".

Her smile was as sharp and cheeky as always, but if Zuko had been paying more attention he would've noticed her worried frown and the unease in her voice. Shaking his head, he took a step away from her and raised his neck, eyes fixed on the sky. She opened her mouth, seemingly trying to say something, but closed it, shook her head and headed back to Appa. 

Staring at his side, he realized then that the conversation had died down and everyone was now ready to fly. Aang, sitting on Appa's head with Momo perched on his shoulder, turned toward him and shot him a friendly, warm smile.

"He surely is a weird kid"

"Are you ready?", he asked, and his kind grin glowed under the intense noon sun. For some reason, it helped Zuko feel at ease.

The dragon nodded and took off after Appa when the monk gave the order to fly. They quickly reached their usual height, and their travel began unusually quiet, which Zuko appreciated. After some time, Toph dozed off, Sokka began to discuss with Momo, Katara took on sewing some of their clothes and Aang quietly hummed a weird travelling song Zuko was sure he had heard on his ship. 

It was quiet and calm, and the prince began to wonder if they would ever see him as a friend if they knew. Toph and Aang already did- and as to why, he still didn't understand- and he was sure Momo and Appa knew and didn't care either, but if the Water Tribe siblings turned away from him, the group would end splitter and Zuko would find himself in the middle of everything. 

He wondered what would he have to do if it ever got to that. While lazily soaring next to the bison, he wondered if it would be fine to wish for something good, for once. He feared the consequences terribly yes, but maybe, just maybe, he could give others a try. It had worked with Toph and Aang already, despite not forgiving and not deserving it, so perhaps the other two would eventually come along. 

Perhaps if he trusted, just once, things would turn out well. 

Chapter Text

To Remimonkey

Reaching for the Misty Palms Oasis took longer than expected thanks to Aang having followed his map upside down. Flying back to their original destiny took them extra flight hours and cost them their mandatory land lunch-time and Appa's- and by extension, Zuko's- good mood. Their meal was shared on top of the bison- Aang had given Sokka the reigns while he grabbed Toph back to their shared saddle- and by then Zuko congratulated himself for having eaten some extra fish from the river. 

He still eyed them with jealousy when the smell of marmot-hare meat, smoked fish, bread, berries, nuts and green tea reached his highly sensitive nose. Appa seemed to catch on to his mood because he grumbled a sympathetic sound and shot him an apologetic stare. Zuko, unable to get or stay mad at the bison, rolled his eyes and tried to contain his annoyance.  

During the hours it took them to reach their destination, the young dragon completely ignored all of Aang's and Toph's attempts to start conversations or engage in some weird stare-down, choosing to remain quiet and meditate about the past few hours. After a while, both benders decided to give it a rest and remained quiet or shared small talk with the others. 

When they finally arrived at the Misty Palms Oasis, the sun was barely one or two hours away from setting and both the prince and the bison were in a particularly sour mood. Aang landed his partner just outside of the entrance and giggled embarrassed when Appa shot him a dirty look. Zuko, for his part, decided to copy the bison's nasty stare.

"Man, that was some long-ass ride", Sokka complained, stretching his arms and rubbing his back, "Long rides are so boring"

"Is not easy to make lunch with all the movement either", said Katara, jumping down and helping to unload some of their luggage, "Most of the time, I thought our tea was going to spill"

"It wasn't so bad!", Aang replied, always the optimist, "The clouds had funny shapes and at least we got to eat something. Appa and Z-", a sharp growl startled the monk and quickly corrected himself, "-Druk were flying all the time, so they must be hungry"

"Ohh, so that's why you two are so grumpy!", Toph  thought out loud, "I just figured your broodiness was finally sticking to Appa after all your night cuddles"

Embarrassed, Zuko pushed the little earthbender with his tail. Katara, blessed by Tui and La with an uncanny and unusually well-tuned sixth sense for spotting trouble from kilometres away, stepped in between the two of them with a chunk of meat in her hand. 

"Sorry for the trouble, Druk", she apologised, waving the meat in front of him, "It wasn't very considerate of us to have you two fly us all this time just because we mistook the route. Here, have this. We'll get you some more if we go through a market"

Hesitating just the slightest and ignoring the pang of guilt squeezing his heart, he sniffed it briefly and quickly chunked down Katara's offering in a single bite, beginning to firmly consider her his favourite. Absentmindedly, he quickly licked her cheek just like he'd seen Appa do many times before. They both froze and stared at each other. By her side, Toph giggled and poked at the dragon's massive leg. 

He didn't push her away this time.

"What's wrong, Sparky? Does she taste that bad?"

"Toph!", "Shut up!"

Their bashful expression only served for the others to laugh, Sokka being the loudest of them all.

"Now, now", Aang intervened, amused but trying to calm them down, "Let's just feed them and get into the Oasis. We'll look for an inn to spend the night and we'll decide where to go tomorrow. Does it sound fair?"

Everyone- humans and animals- cheered in agreement, and so they began their walk to their destination. 

The closer they got- because they had landed a bit away from the oasis- the more excited Aang got until he began to run, dragging Katara behind him and covering her eyes before she could take a look. Zuko purposely ignored the girl's light blush.  

"Welcome!", he grinned, uncovering her eyes, "Welcome to the Misty Palms Oasis!"

"Now that, father, is what you call a disappointment. See? I'm not the worst with expectations", Zuko thought dryly, raising his only eyebrow when the wooden sign fell and broke against the floor, "This place is nothing more than a dump"

"Uhm... It was... well, it's different than when I was a kid, okay?", Aang nearly shouted, his cheeks bright red in embarrassment, "Maybe it changed ownership or something"

"Don't worry, Twinkletoes, it looks great to me", Toph patted his back, earning a snort from Zuko, an unimpressed stare from Katara and an approving nod from Sokka. "See?", the warrior comforted, passing an arm over Aang's shoulders, "Even Toph says it's fine and she's... wait-"

No one could help it and all of them chuckled at Sokka's frustrated expression. 

"You make it too easy!", Toph answered before he could say anything, punching him in the arm and walking past everyone, "Let's go somewhere, this sand is hot and I want to cool my feet down for a while"

Zuko trailed after her in agreement. 

"Hey", Katara called, both hands on her hips, "Sorry Druk, but you and Appa stay outside. Appa is already hard to fit and you are bigger. Wait for us out here" She was right, the place wasn't big enough to properly have streets and most of it, as far as the prince could see from his higher ground, wasn't even slightly paved- he felt a chill down his spine at sensing everyone's stare fixed almost entirely on him. He couldn't blame them, not really- they were a very strange group and it would've been weird if they didn't receive any looks- but it didn't make it easier, and after two groups of people stopped their way to stare, he bared his fangs to make them scramble. "Stop! Bad dragon!", the water bender chided, softly pulling at the fur from his jaw, "Don't rile anyone up, we don't want trouble".

With an overly dramatic sigh, the prince lowered his head and simply nodded, staring until they finally decided to stop. 

"I'm sure we can make this work!", he heard Aang from away, grabbing Appa's reins and taking him to the side of the building, "We'll be around town for a  while so you two stay out here and rest. Shout if anything happens!"

With that, the four kids and Momo disappeared inside the barely-standing gates. 

A bit unsure of what to do next, Zuko simply stared at the entrance in a bit of a trance until Appa's rumble snapped him from it. The bison pointed at his side and the dragon, not having something better to do, went there and laid down. Satisfied, Appa closed his eyes.

And is not like Zuko didn't like Appa- on the contrary, he felt like the bison was one of the best things on the trip so far- but, despite appearances, he wasn't a dragon nor an animal. Resting with his eyes closed got boring after a while and although his scales, thicker and stronger than most armours, protected him from the heat and any potential damage, it didn't mean that they couldn't itch sometimes. 

So, after a while, he parted enough from Appa and rolled on his back, letting the sun warm his belly and spreading his wings so it could warm their underside. He ignored the bison's amused stare and focused on puffing out smoke rings from his mouth, just like he had seen some members of his crew do with their own wood-crafted- because most of them were tight on money and couldn't afford to buy a proper kiseru- during their lazy hours on the deck of the Wani. He had never been particularly interested in smoking- and even if he had been, he was sure Uncle wouldn't have let him try- but he had been curious about the rings they managed to puff when they were in a particularly good mood. 

So, now that he could produce smoke without the need for a pipe, he thought there was nothing to lose if he tried to pull it off. It was, after all, a good way to pass the time. 

A part of himself, too well-fed and sharpened across the years, screamed at him in anger for allowing vulnerability in enemy territory, but Appa's presence helped him relax, and he trusted the bison would defend him if things went down to it. Besides, he wasn't useless enough to have to rely on others for protection. 

He ignored everything else and lazily puffed ring after ring, slowly but surely producing more than shapeless clouds.

He had been doing it for a while when he heard some weird sizzling sound sliding and stopping nearby, and Appa's uneasy grumble was more than enough of a queue for the dragon to open a little from his eye to stare at the newcomers. The smoke rings stopped coming out.

They were weird, unlike anyone Zuko had met before. They wore several layers of clothing, all of them worn down after obvious years of use. Some of them had strange wrappings covering their heads, and a few of them stood over strange wooden vehicles seemingly powered by wind if the sail was anything to go by.

A few of those vehicles carried something with a metallic smell that brought unease to the dragon, and one or two seemed barely put together. 

None of them made any sudden move so Zuko wasn't going to attack them just yet, but he wasn't dumb enough to trust their good-will and kindness so he opened both eyes and stared at them, readying to jump in front of Appa and blow them away if the situation arose. 

The air sizzled under the heat and tension, but no one dared to make a move. 

"See?", one of them said, smugness dripping from his voice, "I told you I hadn't imagined it. It is a dragon"

"Huh. Go figure. I thought you'd been hittin' on cactus juice again"

Zuko slightly tilted his head at the statement. "Cactus juice?"

"Shaddup! I finished my stock last week, remember?"

"Both of you, quiet!", the one in front snapped, effectively shutting them up, "We need to decide what to do with it now that we've found it"

Something in his tone and phrasing raised the dragon's hackles, so he turned his neck so as not to see them inverted and stared at them dead-on.

"Damn lizard be staring. Do you think it understands what we're saying?"

"It doesn't matter!", their leader replied, annoyed, "Now it's time to make our choice"

"What choice?", Second Guy replied, jumping from the wooden vehicle to stand next to Leader. "Hsuanning geezer destroyed two of your father's vehicles and we almost didn't convince him with the ones we stole from the Hami tribe. The prison's stock may be of use and no one will catch us in the desert, but we need the money. I say let's just grab that lizard and sell it to those freaks from Ba Sing Se". 

Zuko's eyes widened and ire rose within. How dare they talk about him as an object, a prize, as nothing else than expensive merchandise? Furious, he stood from his place on the sand and quickly charged at them with his horns down, only stopping when he stood in front of the now fully awake and alert Appa, feeling smug satisfaction when every single one of them flinched, yelped or tripped on their scrambling back. 

The dragon kicked the ground with one of his front legs, leaving deep marks on the sand, and snorted a mixture of sharp screeches and low growls accompanied by a few puffs of dark smoke from his mouth. 

"G-Ghashiun", First Guy stuttered, "I'm sure there are other caravans to steal from. We can't win against a dragon. B-besides, what would your father say? He's already mad because of what you did in town. One more thing and he'll take away your sailer"

"Like hell I'm letting some spoiled brat beat me! Come at me, you shit!"

"If we don't grab something this time, we won't be going out in a long while!", Second Guy squawked, standing on Ghashiun's other side, "We don't need Old Man Sha Mo's permission to do as we please! We are adult, grown sand benders so we can make our own choices! Ghashiun, please think this through. Your father already suspects about the sand sailers from the Hami Tribe and the incident with the old man and our deals with those traffickers from the circus, he already summoned you back to him and you know he won't let us out of his sight anytime soon. We have the merchandise from the Fire Nation prison. This is our last business trip, don't you see? Let's use what we have and earn some good money with that oversized handbag! What do you say? We wouldn't have to work for a long time!"

Zuko shook his head and slammed his tail on the sand, hissing at them. "Try, filth! I dare you, I double dare you!" Appa grew uneasy, so he too began shaking his head and stomping on the ground.

"This is madness", First Guy scoffed gripping the Leader's shoulder, "If we mess this up, we'll have to answer Old Man Sha Mo. It's not worth it"

"Ghashiun isn't afraid of his father!", Second yelled, pushing First away, "He began doing this on his own, without the old man's permission. He will make the best choice! Won't you, Ghashiun?"

"Yeah", Leader answered, smirking at both animals, "Yeah, I will. I'm taking what the scum geezer broke and a little more, nothing wrong with that. The old man can stuff it where it fits. If he doesn't take his chance, then I will. Get ready, boys! We're taking the lizard with us! And the bison seems like it will get us some good money too"

"Try and take us, you overgrown parasite!", Zuko scoffed, raising his spine and feeling his fur bristling along his mood, "You won't get past me!"

All of the group's members jumped down and formed a semicircle around both of them. Ghashiun was in front, smiling cruelly at them, and as he rose his hands some of the sand lifted along. 

"Now, now", he said, mocking, "Don't make this difficult, would you? Come in peace and we won't hurt you. Much"

Indignant, Zuko unfurled both wings to both sides and fluttered a bit, pushing the vehicles with the wind from his movement. By his side, Appa had lowered his head and growled at the ones closest to him. 

When Leader took a step to the front despite the wave of sand and wind on his face, Zuko inhaled and allowed the heat to build inside, his scales glowing along. He heard some scared yelps and words but he didn't care, because the stupid sand bender had dared to look down upon him and he was going to burn for that.

Kill him. Burn him. He wanted to sell you, use you, rip you in pieces. Rip him before he leaves, make sure he regrets every setting his eyes on you.

The buzzing inside the dragon's head grew, thick and dense and convincing, and Zuko felt not a small amount of satisfaction at imagining their Leader as a charred corpse, twisted and incinerated and crumbling into ashes like wood after a wildfire. 

Make him burn

Zuko inhaled deeper and he felt the fire inside growing hotter, he was about to eradicate that filth from the earth-

"Sand benders! Shoo! Away from them!", a sudden voice yelled, approaching from the town. The leader of the sand benders exchanged stares with the others and, after a nod, curses and a nasty stare, jumped on his weird sailer and drove away.  The buzzing stopped and the heat was released, his scales losing their glow. 

"What just happened?" 

He then turned around to see who had scared them off, but before he could properly look at the newcomer he found himself bombarded with questions and struggling to follow the rapid movements and excited jumps from his "saviour".

"You are a dragon! And a sky bison! Oh, what a remarkable opportunity! To think the day would come in which I would meet so rare specimens. And alive! Truly, I must be the most fortunate man in the world! Tell me, bison, how old are you? And, dragon, please, would you mind me an inspection of your wings? I've wanted to study the physics and anatomy behind your flight ever since I read your kind existed but I never thought I'd be able to do so!"

Then the man reached out to grab him and Zuko woke from his confusion. The dragon violently stepped away from his touch and snapped his jaws at the newcomer, snarling down at him while the fur from his mane and spine bristled along. The violent waving of his tail rose sand from the ground, but he ignored it in favour of stepping in front of Appa to cover the bison from the man. 

"Druk!", he then heard, and Aang's shape appeared from the gates, closely followed by everyone else, "Don't hurt him, please, he's going to help us"

"Professor, please don't try and grab him without warning", Katara chided, placing a hand on his shoulder while the man deflated and stepped back, "Druk is very wary of strangers and doesn't like being approached"

"My most sincere apologies. I didn't mean to distress your companions", the Professor bowed, at both Katara and the dragon. Curiosity got the better of him, and along with Aang's pleading, the prince lowered his tail and moved away from Appa. The man seemed harmless, and although that didn't mean he wasn't a potential danger, it did lower some of Zuko's natural mistrust. 

"Nah, he's always grumpy like that. Is not your fault", Sokka replied, patting the man's back. 

"How long have you known him?", the Professor asked, quickly getting over his disappointment and taking out a journal from somewhere. 

"Uhm... A month or so? We've been travelling for a while", Aang replied, a bit unsure. 

"How did you meet? How do you know his name? What is his diet? How long can he fly without landing? How hot is his fire? Oh, and do you think I could have one scale? For research, obviously. You see, some time ago I worked with the head biologist from the Ba Sing Se University with a microscope he built and let me tell you, we saw the tiniest, most amazing things! Whenever I passed by I took him strange materials of interest from my journeys, so I'm sure having the chance to have his hands on a dragon scale would be most pleasant for him!"

"I'm sure we can get you several, don't worry", Sokka shrugged, climbing on Appa to get some of his leftover marmot-hare jerky. 

"My most sincere gratitude, young man", Professor Zei smiled up at him.

"No probs", the warrior replied, "I'm sort of a scientist myself"

"Really?!", the older man squeaked so high that Zuko flinched at the high pitch, "What branch are you specializing on? Being so young you probably haven't decided yet but I would like your insight on what you've learned until now. Tell me, how have you recollected your data during your journey? What's the thing that got your most attention? Please, you must tell me everything!", and he couldn't have sounded more excited if he tried. 

"Oh... Well, uhm-", Sokka's cheeks flushed in bright red, and the young warrior played with his fingers, looked around and rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed by the praise and attention, "I, uh. I don't actually have a journal... But my memory is great! And I worked with the Mechanist from the Northern Air Temple, we built this hot air balloon and there was this smelly gas too and-"

"Professor. Excuse me, Professor Zei?", Katara interrupted Sokka's stumbling, ignoring his scowl. 

"Yes, dear?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, I know you must be excited to keep talking, but we need to go look for a place to stay the night. It would be a bit pointless to start searching after sunset because the only one of us able to see at night is Druk, and he doesn't know what the Library looks like. We can meet here tomorrow and you can keep on asking, we'll be glad to answer, but for now, I'm afraid we have to leave"

"That's right", Aang nodded from near Appa, "We won't find anything in the night, and we need to rest well if we want to properly help you. It's fine, you can continue tomorrow, but we need to go look for a place for all of us"

Professor Zei's face suddenly lightened up with a broad smile and, to Zuko, it was at least a little disturbing how a middle-aged man could be called cute but alas, such was his new life and weirder things had happened to him.

"I know! You kids can stay with me at the inn I rented for the night and tomorrow you'll help me with my search! How does that sound?"

"For free?", Sokka asked, eyes narrow, and Zuko nodded in agreement because finally, someone in the group was wary enough of strangers to gain the Zuko-approves-your-mistrust-and-thinks-you-will-probably-survive-the-war nod

"Sure! How could I dare to charge if you've given such priceless, invaluable information? Is the least I can do to express my gratitude!"

If it had been anyone else, Zuko would've scoffed and called bullshit, but Professor Zei didn't smell like a liar and nothing in him rose Zuko's hackles, so in the dragon's book, the man was at least mildly trustworthy.

"Oh no, please, we wouldn't want to intrude", Katara replied, although her words were weak. 

"Nonsense, you wouldn't. I insist! Even better, my room is facing their backyard and I'm sure it's more than big enough for your bison and your dragon".

"Well, you don't have to say more!", Toph intervened before anyone else could put up an excuse, "This sand is making my feet each and I wouldn't mind sleeping on a bed for once. Let's go!"

"Great!", the Professor smiled, and quickly stored his journal and pencil in a pocket from his travelling bag, "I'll ask for a large meal and we can continue this over dinner"

Given the kids no time to deny the food or reply against his choice, the older man disappeared inside the wall behind a sand trail. Something in his attitude reminded Zuko of Mai whenever the girl received a new weapon or managed to master another one. A pang clenched the prince's heart, and he couldn't help the longing making its way through.

He missed Mai. 

"Well, it's a good deal", Sokka shrugged, grabbing his bag and hanging it from his shoulder, "A free meal and a real bed? Hell yeah I'm in". Toph trailed after him, Katara soon running alone. 

Aang, Momo, Appa and Zuko were the only ones left behind.

The lemur chittered at Aang and soared from his shoulder to in between Zuko's horns. The dragon, amused, looked down at his friend and raised an eyebrow, questioning. Zuko didn't particularly dislike Zei and the prospect of a safe spot for the night was tempting, but he would follow Aang if the monk decided it wasn't safe. 

The monk sighed and his lips curled up in a fond resigned smile. 

"It's a good deal", he simply said, grabbing Appa's reigns and pulling him along, "Let's go, I'm starving"

In silence, they followed his lead. The town wasn't big enough to get lost and the noise from the others was enough to find them, so it took no time to catch up. The inn itself, like pretty much everything else in the Oasis, wasn't particularly big and two floors tall. It even seemed to be having trouble standing, if the cracks on the walls and slight tilting of the building meant something. 

"Those would be my companions", he heard Professor Zei and turned to see him just as he lowered his finger from pointing at them four. The innkeeper, logically, seemed on the verge of a major freak-out. 

"T-Tha-That's a d-dra-dragon...! S-sir, p-please do u-understand, it won't fit! It'll bring the building down!"

"They'll both sleep outside."

"What 'f they scramble in the middle of the night? Or 'f the dragon s'ddenly decides it wants human meat? Or, Oma forbid, wants to set everything on fire? You!", the innkeeper's wife snapped, barking out at Aang and pointing a thin but sharp finger at him, "Yer its owner, aren't cha? Can ya keep yer pets in line? Hmm?!"

At the woman's words, Zuko couldn't help the bristling of his fur and he bared his fangs down at her, pleased when she squeaked in fright and once more hid behind her husband. 

"S-see? S' rabid! S' gonna kill us!"

"No ma'am, is not that", Aang appeased, raising both hands to signal peace, "He just doesn't like being called a pet because he isn't. He doesn't have an owner, you see, and is quite proudful, so please show him some respect"

"Respect my butt!", she spat, narrow eyes staring at everyone, "You can't control the damn thing!"

Her screaming had begun to call the town's attention and a few lights began to light up as several heads popped out in curiosity. Seemingly fed-up with her attitude, Sokka took a single of their remaining precious golden from his pouch and roughly put it in the innkeeper's hand. 

"Look, we just want a place to sleep for the night. Take this and let us in and if those three-", he pointed at Appa, Druk and Momo,"-destroy something, we'll pay for it. Deal?"

The woman quickly snatched the coin and stared at it hard. She sniffed it, licked it and bit it, and whatever she found seemed to satisfy her because she made the coin disappear in her sleeves and moved to a side. 

"Follow me. Your... companions can follow my husband to meet you lot". She gestured to her husband, who flinched but quickly made his way to the side of the building. "This way, please", he said, power-walking his way away from them.

Aang and the others followed the woman inside, while Zuko, Appa and Momo followed the man. It took them less than a minute to arrive. 

It was a sort of yard without a trace of grass or water, dusty and rocky and with no fence to signal the property. There was, luckily, enough space between the back of the inn to the wall that surrounded the Oasis for Appa and Zuko to fit properly if they contorted just the slightest. 

The back of the building had a large wooden window that showed the inside, from where Aang's head popped out almost at the same time as their arrival. The innkeeper went away without another word.

"You guys good out there?", the Avatar asked, bouncing on his feet. Both bison and dragon nodded. 

Aang, seemingly in a better mood, sat down on the ledge with his legs hanging on the outside. "This is the living room!", he began, happily swinging his legs back and forth, "It's small, actually, and the rooms are on the left side, but it's better than what we've had recently. Katara is making a list of our supplies for tomorrow and Sokka and the Professor are talking science in one of the bedrooms. We're going to bunk up with him tonight! And Toph-"

"It's here", her voice intervened, and she pushed Aang to make space for herself in the window. Her presence was... not entirely unwelcomed. But Zuko didn't bother to greet her warmly, choosing instead to watch her and Aang bicker.  Both she and Aang decided to have an endless rant about everything from the last few weeks, asking Zuko a few things here and there whenever they forgot something. It was unusual for the rough earthbender to indulge in what was almost middle chatter, but she seemed to be taking it in a good mood and Zuko enjoyed their companionship, so he didn't dare to complain.

There was a sort of strange easiness, how their words flowed and made sense without interrupting or demeaning each other, how they laughed and mocked everyone with a very obvious, large absence of maliciousness or cruelty, that was to Zuko as foreign as it was relaxing. 

Perhaps, he thought later that night, it was what people liked to call "friendship". And perhaps he had, in fact, gotten new and authentic friends.

"Aang! Toph!", Katara's voice called sometime afterwards, from one of the bedrooms, "It's cold, close those windows! And come to sleep, we need to wake up early!"

Toph scoffed but jumped down from the windowsill. "Sure thing, mom!", she replied, snickering when she heard Katara cursing between her teeth. "She's annoying, but she's right. And I'm getting sleepy with all this babbling, so I'll be heading back to bed. Nighty!"

And with that, only Aang, Appa and Zuko were left. The dragon and the Avatar stared at each other in a strangely amusing silence. 

"It's bedtime", Aang shrugged, lips twitching the slightest

Something in the delivery hit Zuko just right because the dragon couldn't help the booming laughter erupting from deep within. A deep, rumbling sound was heard from his chest, growing even more when Aang's laughter reached the prince's ear. 

They laughed for a good few minutes until both their stomachs began to ache, and it took them a couple more to stop in their whole. 

Once they calmed down, they went back to staring, but Zuko noticed the monk's tired slump and the heavy blinking, so with the tip of his massive nose- almost as wide as Aang's chest- he pushed the air bender back into the room, smiling when Aang yelped at falling back. Just in that time, Katara had walked in probably to drag her friend back to bed, but the moment she saw Zuko's action, she gave him an approving nod and dragged the monk from the edge of his robes. 

"Don't make us wait for so long!", she scolded. Aang, knowing the futility of scaping, sighed and waved at Zuko while being dragged away, mouthing a "good night". "Good night, Druk!", Katara said too.

Zuko, amused, raised a claw, waved back and huffed a low noise as a reply until both kids disappeared inside the bedroom. 

The living room was then left in the dark. The prince took a lot of care in closing the wooden window and after that, let out a deep sigh, staring up. 

"What a day", he thought, feeling waves of exhaustion riding through his veins, "I haven't had the chance to think", he lamented. 

Deciding to leave it for tomorrow, he walked around in circles a couple of times and took his usual spot around the sky bison, making sure to raise the heat of his body to keep his friend warm. Appa grumbled, grateful, and promptly closed his eyes. 

Zuko followed not so late after that.

Several hours later, barely a couple away from dawn, something rose Zuko from his sleep.

He wasn't sure what or why until he noticed that the faint sound of sand being pressed down wasn't from his dreams but reality. The dragon looked around and, effectively, saw a man dressed in white and deep blue robes walking closer to the inn. Said man didn't seem to realize Zuko was watching him, and yet the prince was able to easily smell the fear and anxiousness reeking off him.

In the blink of an eye, he rose from his spot and bare down his fangs at the newcomer. He felt some dry satisfaction when the man yelped and took several steps back, showing an afraid expression on his face, unable to hide his fear. And, because he was feeling particularly petty, he widely and slowly waved his tail from side to slide, raising sand around.

"T-the-", the guy stuttered, cleared his throat, and composed himself, "The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets"

Zuko's tail froze in its place and his eyes widened in surprise.

The memory from his conversation with Uncle before parting came flashing to his mind. 

"My Pai Sho friends will recognize this on sight, and their aid will be useful when the time comes. They'll say "the White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets", and you will bow your head in response. It will be enough, and they won't ask for anything in return. I can't tell you more than that, I'm afraid. My friends like to keep to themselves and will not be happy if I go around telling their names. Just trust me on this, and you'll get help when you least expect it"

How can you be sure he wasn't trying to set you up?, the Whisper said, sneaky and cruel and sharp like the edge of a blade, Maybe he was trying to take you down, after all

"Uncle wouldn't do that"

Wouldn't he?

"He cares. He cares, he does."

Appa's light grumbles- the bison opening an eye at sensing his uneasiness- snapped him back to reality and away from the Voice. 

Zuko then bowed his head, bending a knee and lowering his head enough to stare at the man from the same eye level. Despite the closer distance between himself and a mouth full of razor-sharp fangs, the man seemed to relax and bowed back. 

"Holy Shu, I'm so glad this wasn't a joke", he sighed, "When the Grand Lotus told us to look out for a dragon of all things, I thought someone had spiked his tea!". Zuko stepped back and rose an eyebrow, curious. The young man seemed to notice his ramble and cleared his throat, quickly composing himself. "Right. Sorry about that. Ehem. Honored dragon!", he began, a bit too loud for Zuko's taste, " A few weeks ago General Iroh, Grand Lotus of our Order, sent a message to all of our stalls about a young black dragon with a White Lotus tile braided into its mane", and he pointed at the braid in Zuko's fur, "Our orders are to provide help and resources to the dragon and its companions, but the General just sent a message this morning and I think it thoughtful to inform you that the Grand Lotus will arrive here in two days at most"

Zuko felt as if someone had dumped him with a bucket of cold water.

"Whether you need a place or transport or deliver messages, my name is Shouhei and I'm the messenger delegated to this Oasis, so you can ask for my services whenever you please. If you look for me, I'm staying at the Green Palm Inn, near the back of the furthest bar. Just show your tile and you'll get what you need".

Zuko nodded, barely able to move with the numbness spreading inside. Shouhei seemed to have done because he bowed again and stepped back.

"The Order of the White Lotus is at your service. Show one of us your tile and we will answer your call.", after that, the man disappeared as quickly as he had shown up. 

His disappearance did nothing to ease the prince's mind.

"Uncle's going to be here soon", he realized, "We can meet again"

Oh, but he wanted you away, remember? He sent us on a mission so he didn't have to deal with us, why would he want to see you again? Naive, stupid, always falling for the same tricks.

"Uncle isn't like that"

Everyone is like that. What have you done to earn his love and approval? He has no use for you. Your accomplishments amount to nothing, so seeing you will only bring him shame.

"Bullshit. He can help the others figure out what to do about my body and-"

Oh, but the others don't know who you are, remember? You're still hiding from them, running like the vermin we've always been. Why would they want to help you, once they know your identity? Do you think they'll lift a finger to get their main enemy back?

"Aang and Toph-"

Are nothing but children too naive to see the harsh realities of the world and they won't go against their friends for you, we both know this. 

"They wouldn't attack Uncle. He's good with people, he can convince them to help".

He's good with lying, too. Maybe he sees more value in you as a dragon than as a human. For the Fire Nation, wouldn't he sacrifice you, given what little value you hold?

"Uncle has never stayed around for my usefulness! He stayed even when I was too afraid to bend!"

Because he needed a replacement for Lu Ten. You've thought this before, I can see it. Is it too hard to accept that no one has ever stuck around for you and only for you? Hmm?! That everyone you have ever loved has left once you lost your value?!

A few faces flashed through the dragon's mind. 

Ursa

Lu Ten

Iroh

His crew

Ty Lee

Mai 

Azula

"Lu Ten didn't mean to leave. Uncle stayed with me. Zhao took my crew. Mai and Ty Lee had to stay at home, and Father wants Azula"

Sure, keep telling yourself that. Ignore that Lu Ten could've stayed at home as Crown Prince, that Iroh kicked you out as soon as you changed, that your crew could've said "no", that Mai and Ty Lee could've joined you on your travel and that Azula has never cared about your life after she bested you at everything. Ignore it and keep thinking someone has ever cared about you. Mom left too, but sure, don't mention that.  

"That's not-"

Liar

Then Appa grumbled and Zuko snapped awake.

He shook his head and looked around, relieved at being back from wherever his mind had flown off to. Appa called him again, and the bison seemed worried when he sniffed at the dragon's mane and snuggled his snout on Zuko's neck, looking for a way to calm him down. 

Feeling a sudden rush of fondness towards the bison, Zuko moved away as gently as possible and plopped on a nice, shadowed spot to try and reassure Appa he was fine. If the animal didn't seem to buy his actions, there was no reaction at all, because he plopped down and snuggled against the dragon's warm side. 

Glad that Appa was now out of the way, Zuko couldn't help but go back to mull over the latest news. Any thought contradicted another one in an endless stream of words and screams and cruelties so, worn out by the crushing burden weighting down his back and growing with each passing day, the dragon fell into a restless slumber full of whispers and confusion. 

***

The caravan had stopped for the night, and it was luckily big enough to fit several people inside. The owner's wife had been the first one to go to sleep, followed closely by Smellerbee and a reluctant Longshot that only followed her after getting Jet's approval nod. The owner, after feeding both ostrich horses had sat on the caravan's roof, bow in hand, and had declared he would stand guard for the night. Iroh's offer to take watch had been refused, and the only thing the owner had accepted had been a cup of green tea. 

Aside from him, Iroh and Jet remained awake around the fire in almost absolute silence. They hadn't talked much since the previous night and although the other two kids had caught on to their strange behaviour, no one had said or done anything. 

Iroh, however, had more than noticed the heavy, heated glares Jet had sent his way throughout the day. 

Still, he had remained silent and friendly, for he felt better like that. 

"You know, I've been thinking since last night"

Jet's voice, although somehow unexpected, didn't startle Iroh, who simply raised an eyebrow from behind his teacup.

"Yeah? And have you reached any conclusions?"

"Yes, I have. I've concluded that you are a weird old man"

Iroh couldn't help the booming laugh that erupted from his belly, and he felt a twinge of joy at seeing Jet's lips lifting too. 

"I've heard that before. What gave me away?", he teased, amused by the teen's words. 

"Aside from everything?"

"Yes, aside from everything"

"Well... You were awake pretty late. Old people sleep early"

"Mhm. Anything else?"

"You sat down, and you listened. You actually listened and went against what I said. Not many people listen and even fewer people know me to call me off. Is strange, still"

"I'm sure your friends do that plenty enough"

"Not really. Bee's young and doesn't go against what I say, and Longshot has been following my orders for years. So no, I'm not used to people standing up to me"

"Is that what made you think I was weird?"

"There is something else", Jet replied, and all trace of mirth quickly left his face, replaced by a scowl and the embers of a campfire of anger starting to heat up. "I just don't get why can you say they aren't all monsters. It's the Fire Nation. That speaks for itself. Do you have any idea what they have done?", and the more he talked, the angrier he sounded, "To the world, to the other nations? To me?!"

"I'm well aware of the crimes committed by the Fire Nation, Jet. I am, and I understand how much it hurts", Iroh tried to reassure, seemingly without much success. 

"No, you don't. How could you? They took everything for me, those disgusting parasites", Jet spat, growling at the fire with so much hate that Iroh felt his stomach twist in sadness, "They came in and burned our town with everyone inside, and they laughed. They laughed while we burned as if it was nothing but a joke, and just for the kicks of it, shot down a few of the ones who managed to escape. They enjoyed seeing us die like hsuanning dogs"

"I understand your pain", Iroh replied, as honestly as he could. 

"No, you don't"

"I do"

"How could you understand what I mean? How can you understand what I've gone through? They burned my village! They killed my family! They killed everyone! I have to make them pay to get justice for everyone, so don't dare you tell me you understand what I've gone through! You-"

"You have to know, young man, that you are far from the only one who has lost loved ones to the cruelties of endless violence", Iroh couldn't help but reply, griping his cup a little tighter "I lost my son to the war", he stated as if it was a fact as simple as the sky is blue and stared dead-on at the rambling teenager. He seemed surprised, and a flash of compassion flared through his eyes before the usual anger took over. 

"And? Did you kill his murderers? Did you make them pay? Did you make them suffer?"

"No. No, I did not"

"Why?"

To Iroh, the most painful part was not the question itself, but the genuine bafflement in such young eyes. It had always been hard for him to see Zuko's eyes- formerly so full of awe and joy and kindness and tenderness- so full of hatred against everything, and in Jet, it felt as if Iroh had gone back in time to look at his nephew during those months after banishment.

"Murdering them wouldn't have given me my son back", Iroh replied, with the same softness he often used on Zuko. 

"Bullshit", Jet growled, his hands clenching into tight fists, "A life for a life is nothing but fair. Is what they deserved! And killing them would have probably spared some innocent lives in the future. Ending their lives would have been a sacrifice for the greater good!"

"No, son, no. It wouldn't have been justice, it would've been vengeance"

"What's so wrong with that? Scum like them needs to be taught their place!"

"It poisons your soul, it changes who you are. Once you allow yourself to fall into such a dark path, I assure you, there is no way back. It gets easier the more you do it and one day you'll look around at all the dead bodies behind and realize it was all nothing but a temper tantrum thrown by an immature, reckless man unable to deal with his own grief without hurting others"

"It's not like that, old man", Jet grumbled, a bit uncomfortable by Iroh's blunt words, "Saving others is how I grieve. I save them by taking the threats away before someone else gets hurt"

"Even if you have to go through innocents too?"

"No one is innocent in the Fire Nation!", Jet snapped, bristling like a furious cat, "Get it through your thick skull, they are all filthy, merciless criminals!"

Iroh couldn't help the heavy sigh leaving his body. Instead of anger, sadness was all he could feel for the young rebel. 

"You're blinded by your emotions", the general replied, ignoring the way Jet opened his mouth to complain and giving him no time to do so, "You ignore that Earth soldiers ravage the villages they are supposed to protect in the name of the war, that they scorch the earth to keep the Fire Nation from advancing and entire towns starve because of that, that Water Tribe torture and drown soldiers for information and supplies. War isn't one-sided, son, it never is. Everyone suffers from it, and in the same way, everyone is capable of causing suffering. And just because you refuse to see it, doesn't mean is not true".

"It's for the best!", Jet replied, although Iroh could see the slightest hesitation in his other ways stubborn eyes, "There isn't a sacrifice big enough if it means defeating the ash-makers! Everyone knows it too, so we do what we have to!"

"A victory in which the supposed winners lose far more than the defeated is not victory at all".

"So what? Am I supposed to give up and stop fighting, to forgive them all and not kill anyone else ever again?!"

"Not at all. I believe it has been your anger that has kept you alive until now and has given you the strength to keep moving. Sometimes, getting your hands dirty is the only way to protect those you love, but as a selfless act to give a piece of yourself in exchange for keeping what you value alive and well. My own hands are far from clean, although as the years go by, they grow heavier with everything I've done. And through my years I've come to realize that just because you have been hurt does not give you the right to hurt others in the same way. It maintains an endless cycle of hatred and disharmony and makes everyone miserable". 

"Then what is your suggestion, if you know so hsuanning much?!"

"For you, I would suggest sitting down and thinking if what you're doing, what you've done, is true for other's sake or if it's nothing but a way for you to take out your anger in the name of pretended justice. And then, with a clear head, decide what would be best for you and your friends"

The general heard Jet's teeth crackling under pressure and the teen's breathing getting heavier amidst the heavy, thick silence, but Iroh had already said everything he felt was needed to say, so he didn't try to start another conversation no matter how well he could pull it off sometimes. 

His patience was, too, far greater than Jet's, because it wasn't long until the young man spoke again, his frown still tight and crinkling and voice strained by his previous yelling.

"When are we going to reach the stupid Oasis?"

Iroh couldn't help an amused huff. And, just because he was feeling a little petty, he took a long sip of his teacup and waited a few seconds to answer in the slowest way possible. 

The way Jet's expression soured and scrunched at his displeasure for waiting only made it all worth it. 

"The owner said the day after tomorrow if everything goes well"

No more words were exchanged that night, and a few hours later, both of them were soundly asleep. 

***

Just a little bit after the sun had completely risen, their little group was already settling their luggage on Appa's saddle, getting ready to leave the Misty Palms Oasis. Still uneasy and confused about his feelings regarding the night's message, he called Toph and Aang aside to warn them while the others worked with their luggage.

"What's the matter?", Aang asked, "Is something wrong?"

Not bothering with asking for permission, he slid his whisker over both of the bender's foreheads so he could touch them at the same time.

Stress. "Last night outside of the inn a man came to me"

"What did he want? Did he hurt you?". Zuko felt the earthbender's genuine worry and some of his leftover resentment drifted away.

Reluctant fondness. "No, he didn't. But he did tell me something I thought you would want to hear"

"Go to the point, Sparky, we don't have all day"

Annoyance. "Fine! He's from a secret organization called the White Lotus. Uncle is a  high-ranking member and they have eyes and ears everywhere. The man who met me last night was one of their members; he recognized me because of the Pai-Sho tile Uncle braided in my mane and said Uncle had sent an order to all of the Order that they would have to aid me and my companions whenever we requested"

"And?!", Toph insisted, a bit weirded out, "What's the big deal? If we have a secret organization with us that's supposed to be a good thing, you know?"

Zuko couldn't help the exasperated growl that went out of his throat. 

Exasperation, "If you'd let me finish we could end this much faster!", he snapped, huffing a bit of air from his nose, "The thing is: the guy I met said Uncle would be here in two days or so"

The silence following his revelation was a bit confusing.

"So?", Toph asked again, crossing both arms over her chest. 

"What do you mean "so"? Uncle's coming to the Oasis! Shouldn't that be a big deal for you guys?"

"But it's Uncle we're talking about", the earth bender replied, Aang nodding along, "I trust the man. Hell, I think it would be a good addition for the team to have him join us"

Incredulity. "But he's Fire Nation! He was a General!"

"Why is that a problem?", Aang intervened this time, staring at Zuko's eyes, "From what I've seen, from what Toph told us and from what you've shown me, I don't think he's a threat to us"

Bristling, "You are underestimating him and overestimating yourself. How dare you think Uncle can't deal with you lot? He-"

"We know he's strong-", Toph cut him mid-sentence, "-and that he can kick our asses anytime, but that's not what Tiwnkletoes meant"

"Then what?!"

"What I meant, Zuko, is that I don't believe he'll try to hurt us", Aang replied in a soothing tone, trying not to irate the dragon further, "And we're travelling with you, aren't we? We are friends too. When he sees what you've managed to achieve and the group you've found, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to help. I think just seeing you would be enough"

"Twinkletoes is right, Sparky. Uncle cares a shit-ton about you and when he sees we're good for you, he'll be happy. Don't you miss him? Don't you want to see him?"

Hesitation. "Well- Yeah, I do but-"

"Maybe you're just scared of meeting him again", Aang said as if it was the most obvious thing, "I can't say I understand why, but it's a possibility"

"Why the hsuan would I be?! He's Uncle, he doesn't scare me!"

"Then you should just meet him", Toph replied, "If he doesn't scare you, let's meet him. I  like him, he's strong and cool and he knows a lot more than us about the Fire Nation. He'd be a good addition."

"We can't just-"

"That's a great idea!", Aang beamed, jumping up and down, "Zuko, can I borrow your tile to deliver the message?"

Exasperation. "Are you two listening to what you're saying?! You want to meet with the Fire Nation! What's wrong with you guys?"

"Iroh's not just Fire Nation", said Toph, frowning, "We can get along just fine no matter where we come from. You're here, aren't you? I'd say that's enough proof of our good judgment. Now stop being a wuss and give Aang your tile so we can find that stupid library as soon as possible"

"I'm not a wuss!"

"Then give Aang the hsuanning tile"

With an annoyed huff, the prince lowered his head and allowed Aang to undo the braid that kept his tile attached. The sudden absence of the tile's weight felt off-putting to the large dragon, despite it being a very minor change. 

"How do I find the guy?", Aang asked, hiding the tile in his robes. 

"Go to the Green Palm Inn near the bar at the back of town, and show him my tile. It should be enough to receive aid"

"That's enough, then. I'll manage", he nodded, grabbing his glider and unleashing its wings, "Tell Katara that I...I, uh, well. That I needed to stretch my wings"

"You don't have wings, you idiot. Come up with something better".

"Just go", Toph sighed, pushing him from behind, "We'll figure something out, so hurry!"

"Thanks!", he said and quickly rose toward the other edge of the place. 

Katara showed up at that exact moment, with both hands on her hips. 

"Where is he going?", she asked, lips pursed in annoyance. 

Zuko exchanged stares with Toph, but quickly shook his head to disengage from the situation. He liked Katara but he had seen her lose her temper with Sokka and it wasn't a situation Zuko wished to find himself in. 

"He wanted to check the area to make sure we were safe", Toph lied with the ease of someone who's been in the profession for years, "So we could fly away without worries"

"Oh", and Katara's expression softened greatly, "Oh, that's very considerate of him", she smiled, "He's a good kid"

"That's Twinkletoes for ya", and Zuko snorted at Toph's deadpan words. "She would've gotten so along with Mai", he thought, a bit bittersweet. Katara seemed to agree, though. She moved toward the others to explain Aang's actions and they waited for him for a couple of minutes which took the monk to return. 

Once he did, he winked at Zuko and climbed back up on Appa, ready to fly off. 

"Are we all ready?", he asked despite knowing the answer. Zuko couldn't help rolling his eyes at Aang's antics, but replied with a huff-like groan, straightening up and looking down at Aang from the higher level given to the dragon by his long, long neck. 

The airbender smiled at him and with a "yip yip" and a slam of Appa's tail, their crew rose toward the sky, quickly followed by the young dragon.

Despite the early hour in which they left the Oasis, the desert sun had been intense since the appearance of its first rays, so shortly after taking off, the light and heat were already quite considerable.

Zuko heard the beginning of the complaints, but for his part, it didn't particularly bother him. On the contrary, the young dragon enjoyed the fierce presence of Agni shining indomitably above his head. It could have been either his firebender nature or his dragon nature, but the exposed and naked closeness to the sun's energy only served to vitalize him and put him in an unusually good mood.

It was pleasant, to feel scales warming in the unrelenting heat, and the wind that sliced against his body as a result of his flight helped to eliminate any possibility of heat exhaustion. The relatively thin membrane of his gigantic wings created brief air pockets that cooled his stomach and legs, and both the thick eyelashes and the strange extra membrane in his reptilian eyes protected his vision from the flying sand and dust. Had he been on land, those sensations would have made him purr and stretch shamelessly, like the cat that got the cream.

If someone had asked him for a comparison to hum- to non-flying creatures, Zuko would have compared it to riding at top speed on a stable-mounted ostrich horse while being cooled by a steady, gentle breeze.

Flying also served to reduce the dread, apprehension and stress lingering within him since last night's announcement. The prince had discovered that, no matter what happened, flying for long, uninterrupted, periods did wonders at easing-or at least lessening-the negative emotions that plagued his mind, which happened more often than not.

The feeling of freedom and lightness born of darting through the sky of his own volition was nothing to scoff at either, and he secretly preferred it to the smallness and restrictions tied to the existence of his human body.

It was something that he had not discussed with anyone and did not even admit to himself, but there were moments- that were becoming more frequent with every passing day- in which his dragon body, his status as a dragon, felt better and much, much more comfortable than the thought of returning to his human body, times when he could indulge in indulgences he would never have dared to even dream of as Prince Zuko, such as sleeping during the day or lying in the sun on a hot hill or snuggle up to Appa for the pleasure of company, or even serve as a tent for Aang when the monk felt like it. Carrying Toph on his shoulders, hunting with Sokka and carrying food, helping Katara with tasks at their camps; many things he would not have been able to do with his status as Prince Zuko but as Druk, the dragon, he could afford that and much more. 

And he enjoyed it. 

The worry about whether or not he would want his human body when the time came to make the decision plagued him late at night.

During the day, however, he could put those worries aside and enjoy the good times as they came.

Using his massive wings to bring shadow to his friends and indulge in the thrill of flying free were examples of the guilty pleasure Zuko had gotten used to enjoying during his time as a dragon. He was so comfortable like that, that he fell into a sort of bliss-born trance during the time they spent scouting the endless miles of sand and desert. 

Only much more time later was Zuko aware of the little discussions happening under his wings, on Appa's saddle, and after hearing Sokka's whining pitch, he shook his head to clear the doze away and focused on hearing what was going on. 

"Let's stop for lunch", Sokka whined again, flipping on his bare back and patting his stomach, "I'm starving and this heat isn't doing anything for it. Let's stop for a little while to eat and then we keep looking". 

"You're covered from the sun", Katara scolded, pointing up at Zuko who  still easily managed to keep up a steady soar close enough to shelter the others from direct sunlight, "How can you still be complaining?"

"I'm a very simple guy", he answered, sitting up, "And I'm hungry. Don't you think maybe Druk wants to stop too? He's been over there since we parted". Katara looked up at the dragon's belly and then looked around to exchange stares with the others- minus Toph.

"I think your brother might be right, dear", Professor Zei nodded, scribbling something in his journal again, "Druk might be able to stand the heat but Appa, on the other hand, isn't built to deal with it. Perhaps it would be better for everyone if we landed for a little while"

"Yeah, it's hsuanning hot over here", Toph remarked from her side of the saddle. 

"Fine", Katara sighed, making her way to Aang, "Let's land for a while", she told him, "To eat and let Appa rest"

"Sure thing", he replied and pointed Appa's reigns towards the ground. Zuko, noticing their changing course, matched their pace and quickly followed along. Their chosen spot for lunch break was under the shadow of a particularly large dune but unlike other lunchtimes before, they didn't unload their luggage.

"Sorry buddy", Aang apologised to the pouty bison, "The sand would get everywhere and you know it's a pain to take it off". Appa grumbled in annoyance but complied nonetheless. 

Once they were all settled down to eat, Professor Zei crawled towards Aang and Appa and began asking an endless amount of questions, occasionally asking Katara and Sokka, who were the closest. 

As Professor Zei kept on asking and writing down the answers in his little journal, Zuko realized he had no idea what they were doing or where they were going so he sneaked behind Toph- who had walked away from the others and was standing under the shadow of Zuko's wings- and poked her shoulder with a single claw. 

"Sparky, right? What's up?"

He let out a low, confused chirp, and slid his whisker on the girl's forehead. 

Guarded confusion. "I don't get what's going on. Mind explaining?" 

"Ohhh", she realized, not startled by his voice, "Oh, well, no one explained to you? Professor Desert over there has been looking for a magic library hidden somewhere in the desert and because it's Snoozle's time to pick our vacation spot, we're going to help him find it".

A scoff. "A magical library?"

"Yupp"

"Why?"

"Apparently the library is owned by an all-knowing spirit- Wantan or something, I wasn't listening- and Sokka hopes we might find information to take down the Fire Nation"

"The what?!"

"The Fire Nation- Sparky? Are you okay?"

Zuko was not, in fact, okay. 

Furious. incredulity. Hurt. "What do you mean to take down the Fire Nation?! I can't do that! I can't go against them! How much further am I going to betray my country? How much further am I supposed to hsuanning go? HOW MUCH OF A SCUM DO YOU WANT ME TO BE?!". Terror. Fear of punishment. A scorching hand, begging, burnt flesh-

His heartbeat abruptly seemed to gain the strength of a thousand war drums, his blood rushed a race through his veins and pounded on his ears and even if he had been able to speak, even if he'd had his body back, the dryness and increasing tightness of his throat would've made it impossible to answer properly. He was aware of his whisker sliding away from Toph and her concerned words calling the other's attention, but right then and there he did not care. 

His chest started to close, began to feel too tight and an itch under his scales grew unbearable, irritating, like the crawling of a hundred bugs scattering through every little inch of skin. His legs and tail suddenly grew impossible to move, heavy like lead and he realized then how hard it was for the air to fill in his lungs. He failed at taking deep breaths and panic cursed his body, straining his muscles and causing waves of a strange sort of pain from his snout to the tip of his tail.

"Hey, something's wrong with Druk!", he heard Toph from far away. 

"Druk!"

"Buddy, what's wrong?"

"Dragon?"

"Druk?"

"Shut up. All of you, shut up", he thought, twitching back to get away from the noise, "Too loud, too hsuanning loud"

"You're scaring him!", Katara scolded, still too loud for Zuko. He couldn't stop the instinctive growl growing from the depths of his throat and was deeply surprised by the sudden wish to burn her to a crisp, and the sadistic vein beating happily when she flinched back.

"Druk, buddy, please answer, what's wrong?", Aang begged, stepping closer with his hands open. Behind him, through the blurriness of his eyes and unable to focus on anything, Zuko was aware of Katara, Sokka, Toph, the Professor and Appa closing around him in a circle and then Zuko wanted away.

His shaking limbs threatened to fail him, but he pushed through and managed to scramble back, almost tripping with his tail. Bile rose to his throat and begged to escape through his mouth, but the dragon managed to keep down his meal. His claws dug deep into the sand and more grains embedded themselves in between his scales and the folds of his dragging wings. Without realizing when it had begun, Zuko noticed that at some point he had started to pant heavily and that with each passing second, the scorching sun he had enjoyed so much before had grown to be unbearably hot. The fur on his mane and part of his spine felt like they were scalding his flesh and he began scratching at both sides of his head to make it stop. 

"He's hurting himself!", someone squeaked, too loud and still too much. 

"What do we do?!"

"Toph, what the hsuan happened?"

"I don't know! He asked me where we were going and told him about the Library and he freaked out after I-"

Stressed by their incessant chatter, Zuko wheezed out the loudest roar he could manage, and against every single one of his fibres that throbbed mercilessly with numbing pain, he spread both wings and fluttered them as wide as he could because they all needed to shut up and get away from him. 

"After you what!? TOPH!"

"Stop screaming you dipshit, you're scaring him!"

"You're screaming too!"

"Sokka, yelling will solve nothing, so please shut up. Toph, just answer the question: he freaked out after what?"

"After I told him Snoozles wanted to find a way to take down the Fire Nation..."

"How am I supposed to go against them?", he coursed, hissing through his teeth, "How am I supposed to choose? What should I choose, my nation or my friends? Are they really my friends? Will they throw me away if I don't support them? Will Uncle forgive me if I turn my back on my Nation? I shouldn't even be considering it! It's my people! I'm supposed to protect them from threats like me! WHAT THE HSUAN HAVE I BEEN DOING ALL THIS TIME!?"

Desperation clawed its way to his heart and stabbed it thoroughly over and over until his hind legs became unable to hold his weight. He plopped heavily over the sand, still somehow managing to keep his wings extended as much as possible.

He didn't notice the exact moment in which it began, but he was aware tears had begun flowing from his eyes at some point in time. 

"Druk?", Aang's voice called him from far, far away, and Zuko recoiled at the sound of his voice. "I'm supposed to betray you", he thought with a whine escaping his throat, "I'm supposed to capture you and take you to my father and since when thinking about it hasn't been easy? Why shouldn't I grab you and fly away? Why does it hurt to even think about you being in his claws?"

"What are we supposed to do? He isn't answering anyone!"

"I don't know!"

"Perhaps only let him with his main caretaker?"

"He isn't an animal!"

"Isn't he?"

"Druk isn't a pet!"

"I'm the one who'll bring death and destruction to these kids. I'll bring them misery and pain and they'll suffer because of me!", the anger burning under his flesh grew hotter with each second, and the blazing sun pumped up every single one of his thoughts into increasing heat. The sand sizzled at the contact with his scales and his stomach and throat glowed with the threat of fire. 

"Guys. Guys, we should move, he's going to fire at us-"

"We can't leave him! He's scared and confused, and we don't leave friends behind"

"We aren't friends! You just took pity on me and my dumb scar and you are going to get all of us killed one of these days! Why don't all of you just go away? GET AWAY FROM ME! MAKE IT ALL GO AWAY! DISAPPEAR!"

It took all of his remaining strength, but Zuko had always been the one to push through hardships so once more he forced his will over the lead of his muscles and the pain and the fear and panic and the everything and filling in his lungs since forever he finally managed to do what he wanted and breathed out the largest, hottest flame he could conjure, and aimed at everyone. 

He heard squeaks and yelps of alarm but he didn't care because he was finally safe. 

When the fire died down after several minutes, all of Zuko's strength fled his body at once and he slumped over the sand, panting heavily. His vision blurred again and dark spots popped around the corners and the idea of even lifting a single claw was enough of an effort to keep him down. The noises around him were confusing too, but he was unable to make sense of them while still being down from whatever had just happened. 

Sand shifted nearby and he tensed, ready for the pain.

Instead, two hands of different sizes gently placed themselves on his snout, soft and careful and friendly. Doing another humongous effort, he focused his sight and was finally able to see who was touching him. 

Hovering over him, wearing matching grim expressions, Aang and Toph had sat down at both sides of his head and were kindly petting the scales of his massive snout. They were sweaty and some of Aang's robes smelled burnt, and Zuko felt guilty. 

Some of it must have shown in his expression because Aang did what he always did whenever Zuko felt down.

He smiled.

Genuinely, kindly, forgiving.

Unconditional. 

The prince, once again, felt like crying, but this time out of shame rather than anger and panic. Aang's hands climbed up to scratch up his jaw and over the fur, and just like every time before, a deep purr escaped the dragon's chest. 

His reaction seemed to ease some tension in the monk because he briefly turned to Toph. 

"I think I can take it from here. Tell the others it will take a while to leave, but that Druk will be fine"

"I'm ain't leaving Sparky after that", she complained, and Zuko couldn't help but disagree with her statement. He didn't want Toph to go away per se, but didn't want her around either, not at that moment. So he lifted a claw as big as Toph's forearm and pushed her slightly towards the others.

She sighed, pursing her lips. "Fine". Toph stood up and turned around. "I'll go and tell them. You keep on doing what you're doing, okay?"

"Sure thing"

Toph didn't bother to reply and she quickly went to the blurs that were the others. Aang didn't say anything else and he moved to scratch Zuko behind his ear, under his jaw and at the base of his neck because he knew he liked it in those places. He seemed to enjoy his purring and kept doing it until Zuko was finally able to breathe and think properly. 

"It's good to have you back", he admitted, sitting in front of him to look at him in his eyes, "Are you okay?". His voice carried the same genuine, gentle concern as usual, and despite how badly he wanted to evade answering, he felt like he owed it to him and to the others for freaking out on them. So he shook his head. 

"Was it something Toph said?"

Sighing, he flickered a whisker over his forehead for a quick message. 

"I just overthought some stuff. It was, uhm. It got heavy. I reacted and, well. You saw how that went"

"I think that's a little bit more than reacting", he teased but didn't push for answers. And for that, Zuko felt pathetically grateful, "We'll fly away only when you're better to travel".

The prince felt deeply grateful to all of them for waiting for his stupid ass, so despite how much his joints and bones and muscles ached and strained and begged for rest, he shook his head and forced his body to stand up. 

"Let's go. We've taken too long already"

And because Aang knew how much he hated to be seen as weak, even if he disagreed with the prince's beliefs, he didn't call on his bullshit and nodded at Toph, who quickly helped the others to pack and climb on a still-worried Appa. 

A few minutes later they took off once again. 

The next couple of hours went by in uncomfortable silence. Zuko's lashing out had worried Aang and Toph and unnerved Katara and Sokka. The only one still willing to push it aside was Professor Zei, but the prince didn't feel particularly comfortable engaging with the scholar no matter how friendly or interesting he could be, since his presence reminded him of the choices he would have to make when the time came. 

For hours on end, he refrained from engaging with anyone- Appa and Momo included, to both animal's disappointment- or trying to get involved with the group, deciding to simply keep on his job of providing shadow, eyes and occasional air to the riders. No matter how many times Aang, Toph, Katara, Sokka, Momo or Professor Zei tried to engage Zuko in their conversation, the dragon ignored them and focused on his job. 

It went like that for an unknown amount of time, long enough for Zuko to be the only one still able to distinguish shapes and details in the middle of the desert's almost total darkness. 

It was Sokka, once the moon had begun to rise, that suggested stopping for the night. 

"It's getting late, so maybe we should set up camp and continue tomorrow?"

They were all tired, so the warrior didn't have to say anything twice before the others groaned in approval and guided Appa to landing. A bit detached from everything, Zuko followed along and landed a bit away from everyone like at the beginning of their journey, while they managed to make a quick camp out of what they still had. Since they had eaten supper a top of Appa, their food stayed inside their luggage and they simply settled their sleeping bags close to a warm fire, all of them quickly falling asleep by the lulling warmth of the flames and the company.

By the time the moon had risen to her highest on the 4sky, the young prince realized he would not be, physically, able to rest, in the strange too-exhausted-to-even-try-to-nap-but-I-don't-know-how-it-works-so-please-stop-asking way, weird for most people but way too common for him, to Uncle's permanent chagrin. 

So, once again, Zuko was unable to sleep.

It wasn't weird for him to stay awake for nights on end-nightmares and insomnia had been his faithful companions for almost all of his life- but they had lessened considerably during his weeks with the Avatar's group. 

The nights in which it occurred again weren't pleasant at all, far from it, and having them occurring again was unnerving and ominous and induced an irredeemable itch crawling under and between his scales, one he couldn't scratch or rub to get rid of no matter how much he tried.  It kept him awake and alert and made his body unable to relax or settle down in any possible way.

The crossroad displayed for him to decide from made him more anxious than anything else. The necessity of having to determine which choice to make grew exponentially with each passing hour and every time there seemed to be a clear conclusion nearby, something else changed his course of thought entirely and he had to go back to mulling it all over again. Not even Appa's comforting presence and soft fur or Momo's distracting behaviour could snap him from the detachment slowly but surely growing within. 

After what felt like hours of trying to ease his breathing, he gave up and as silent as possible, made his way further away from their camp, climbing his way up a particularly tall sand hill.

He sat down in silence and stared up, trying to find some comfort in the turbulence that was in his mind. Not even the Whisper- always eager to yell whenever he felt particularly confused- was bothering to voice curses or stab him with sharp words, and for some reason, its silence added to the large pile of worries. 

Staring up at the night sky, he had to admit liking at least one thing from the Koh-damned dessert, aside from Agni's closeness during the days. 

The stars scattered across the night sky shone dazzling like polished diamonds in a myriad of colours and hues only capable of existing in space. In some places, like soft strokes made by a dedicated and careful hand, clusters of light could be seen piercing the black vault like beams of ethereal glow, flickering in cool purples, warm blues, and gentle bits of polished amber.

Those distant, lofty lights stretched out like rivers of pure silver, flowing farther than the eye could see and disappearing over the horizon in mischievous gleams. It was, despite belonging to the same planet, very different from the sky seen from Caldera or the ocean. There was something up there, a result of that chaotic composition, that differentiated it from the nocturnal landscapes that the young man had seen in his sixteen years of life.

Not as a small child playing on the soft sands of Ember Island or as a rookie captain looking up at the sky during sleepless nights or as a newly transformed dragon seeking shelter to survive the night had Zuko ever felt as small as he did at the moment in which the stars of the desert imprinted in his yellow-slanted eyes.

However, despite being stunning by themselves and of incomparable beauty in their harmonious whole, compared to the light of the full moon that had granted them the courtesy of lighting their way that night, they paled and were almost relegated to the background.

The night when the dragon waited for dawn atop a hill of sand, the full moon shone brightly and gently, allowing the beast's sharp eyes to see miles and miles of endless desert.

In those moments, for the young prince, the moon was a kind, unattainable and all-powerful lady who towered over the stars with her dresses of pure whiteness and sparkles of polished silver. In her light, the desert sands closely resembled the seas and oceans the prince had seen for months on end, and for once, feeling surrounded by something infinite and endless brought him not discomfort, but peace.

That night, lost in the light of the stars and the glow of the moon, Zuko felt completely calm.

So immersed was he in the enchantments of the night sky that, when a small presence cleared its throat less than a meter to his right, he jumped several meters accompanied by an involuntary screech. Back in the ground, now free from the spell and covered by specks of sand, he scowled at Katara when the water bender giggled at his surprise. 

"When did I ever think it safe to lower my guard around them?", he cursed, fluttering his wings to get rid of stubborn sand hiding in their folds, "If she were someone else, I could've died tonight"

"Hey", she greeted, amusement shining in her voice, "Got trouble sleeping?"

He stared at her with narrow eyes, but she remained calm and stared back with patience. Her demeanour helped to calm him down, and eventually, he settled for sitting closer to her, staring back at the endless sand hills. 

He nodded, after a few minutes in silence, and Katara let out a short sigh, wrapping her arms around her legs. 

"Me too", she admitted, although he had guessed as much, "It's because of the moon". Zuko rose an eyebrow and tilted his head at her, curious. Her lips curled in a fond grin. "Water benders draw our power from the moon", she said, looking up at the shiny sky, "Many years ago, during the times of the first benders, water benders saw how she pushed the tides and how the Ocean pulled them back in their eternal dance and learned by copying their movements. We owe her our bending, and we are stronger when she's full. It kind of makes it hard for me to sleep when I've got all this energy inside"

A wave of shame ran through the dragon, remembering well how dead the sky had looked like all those weeks ago when Zhao had killed the fish. At the moment he had been distracted- angry, furious, hurt because they were both Fire Nation soldiers, why did they have to keep fighting against each other?- but thinking back at the greyness of the land after the horrible blood-red moon had vanished, he had to admit it had been a bone-chilling experience that he never wished to repeat once more. 

"That's why the Moon Spirit was called "Tui"; It means "push" and "La" means "pull". I met it, you know? The Moon Spirit, a month or so ago. It had come down to earth from the Spirit World because it loved it so much, and taken the form of a white koi with a black dot on its forehead. La was there too, a black koi with a white dot on its forehead, and they swam together in circles in the pond of the Spiritual Oasis at the Northern Water Tribe. I wasn't there for long, but I remember thinking how beautiful it was". 

Sensing she was going to speak for a while, Zuko lay down in the sand and curled his body around her to keep away the desert's night's cold, placing his huge head amongst his claws and looking up. She smiled down at him, gently, and stretched an arm to scratch his mane. 

Zuko felt some relief from seeing her relaxing. 

"It didn't last long", she sighed, looking up once more, "The Fire Nation invaded and this scumbag Zhao-", she spit his name like it was filth, and Zuko couldn't help but smile because he could relate to that feeling, "-thought it was a good idea to kill the Moon Spirit. And the worst part? He did. He killed Tui as if it was nothing more than a simple fly, and the world grew dark". She shivered, but it wasn't for the cold. Zuko, however, curled tighter around her and nudged her leg with his snout, trying to offer a bit of solace at her obvious discomfort. She smiled down at him and scratched his snout.

The moon twinkled from her place. 

"I felt my bending disappear", she whispered, as if saying it loud could make it happen, "Aang told me later that he did, too. We all did. There was an emptiness inside of us, something very important missing and I felt afraid". Her lips tightened and she once more stared at the moon. "And when all seemed lost, Princess Yue from the Northern Water Tribe offered her life. She had been blessed by Tui at birth and offered a chance to live for a while longer, being given some of the moon's energy. But we needed Tui back, so Yue gave it all."

"So that's what happened to that girl", Zuko thought bitterly, thinking about the young white-haired lady who had been with the others in the Oasis.

"Is almost as if she had known that one day she would have to give back her gift. I miss her", she whispered in a shaky voice, "We didn't know each other for long, but I like to think that we were friends. And then she went and became the Moon Spirit and Sokka was heartbroken because he loved her, and Aang couldn't sleep because he kept thinking it was his fault and I felt like it was my mother happening all over again and people keep dying because of this stupid, hsuanning war and sometimes it feels like nothing we do helps at all!", and her eyes were shiny with falling tears. Zuko's heart squeezed tightly and painfully, "I hsuanning hate this!", Katara hissed, hitting the sand with a closed fist. 

Her tears kept falling and her shoulders shook in badly hidden sobs, and Zuko began panicking because he had no idea what to do about it. A bit stiff, he extended his right wing and softly placed it over her shoulders, lifting his head and licking her cheek like Appa did when the bison felt someone needed some comfort. 

She giggled in between her crying and opened one eye to look at the dragon with blue eyes full of gratefulness. "Sorry", she apologised, a bit embarrassed, "I didn't mean to drop all of this in you, it just came out", she sniffled, and Zuko could identify self-blame with his eyes closed, so he nudged her face a bit more and licked her again up to her hair, just like Appa did. His actions caused her to wipe her tears and wrap both her arms around his head, giggling in genuine merriment. "Sorry, Druk, I'm going to get your fur wet"; she joked, "You're a good dragon. I think one of these days Appa's going to be put out of comfort business". 

He hummed in agreement and allowed her a few minutes of silence while she calmed down. Is not like he wasn't going to clean himself soon anyway.

"Sorry", she finally said after a while, wiping her bloodshot eyes and cleaning her hands on her dress in anxious fidgeting, "Thank you for being here. I think I needed to take it all out". Zuko nodded in understatement. 

There was, however, a question he wanted to be answered, and there was only one way to properly ask. 

"Should I?", he considered, staring at the water bender, "She doesn't have to know it's me". Strangely, no voice inside his head replied or snapped, so he thought it would be fine.

He poked her shoulder and when she turned back, he slid his whisker on her forehead, only letting through what he wanted to ask. 

Fondness. Worry. Guilt. Confusion.

"Are you angry with her?"

"What the hsuan-", she cursed, scrambling back and cutting the connection, staring wide-eyed at him, "You can talk? All this time, you could speak?" A bit deadpan, he waved his whisker at her, trying to make her understand. She was smart, so she nodded and got closer again. 

The whisker made contact and the thin connection returned. 

Amusement. Very mild annoyance. Toph and Aang. 

"I figured it out a few days ago"

"That explains why you three have been acting off lately", she admitted, stroking her chin. 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just answer my question. Are you mad at her?"

She snorted at his exasperation. 

"You're truly a grumpy dragon", Katara admitted, fondly shaking her head before hardening her eyes, "Who were you talking about?"

Admiration. 

"Yue"

Shame.

"Oh. Well... yes, I think I am, sometimes. Is it weird? She gave her life away so our bending could survive so I have no right to be mad at her, but I still am and I don't get why"

Understanding. "Because she left you", he said, and his voice was bitter. Sympathy."You loved her and she left and now there's emptiness where she used to be"

"Yeah", Katara admitted after a few minutes, "Yeah, that exactly. How did you know?"

"I...", Grief. Loneliness. Isolation."I've lost people too. Family and my home".  Longing. Anger. Fear,

Katara felt like crying but held her tears back and grabbed one toe from the dragon's leg, the only thing from him that she could wrap her hands around.

"I'm so sorry"

Uncomfortable. "You shouldn't be, is not your fault. But I know how you feel, so I thought knowing someone else understands may help". Awkwardness.

"If you don't mind me asking... who did you lose?"

Sharp pain. Agony. "My cousin", he admitted dryly, keeping pictures and images away, "And my mother". Missing so much it hurts. Burning sadness, emptiness. 

"I'm sorry you had to go through that as well. Mine's gone too. My mother, I mean. She... well, she-", her words seemed to get stuck in her throat as if she choked only by trying to pronounce the words, "Mom-"

"You don't have to say it if it hurts too much", he interrupted, sensing her struggles, "There's no need to force it". Concern.

"Sorry. I want to, but tonight is too difficult"

"I understand". Bitterness. "If it helps, I don't talk about it at all." Resignation

"But if you don't take about them how can you remember why were they important? Or the little details? Don't you think pretending they didn't exist is horrible?"

Mourning. "The dead don't come back", he snapped, regretting sharing those details, "And there's nothing we can do about it. We just keep moving forward". Resentment

"Do you think of them often?"

Yearning. "Yes. All the time.". Grief

"And you are still angry at them, aren't you?"

irritation. Defensiveness "I already said I did. I'm angry because I want them here but now I'm alone, so I thought you might be feeling the same". Prepared for rejection.

"Oh, I am", she repeated grimly, "I'm mad at her and Yue for the same reasons as you. I talked to my Gran-Gran about it once, a little bit after my father left. Things were difficult and the days were hard, so I had to talk to someone"

Curiosity. "What did she say?"

"That the spirit is eternal, it prevails. The body dies, but the soul still exists. Once one of us dies, our souls go to the Adlivun, the Underworld, and there they are purified and prepared for their journey to the Qudlivun, the Land of the Moon, where they can find peace and eternal rest. Gran-Gran always said that Mom's spirit had always been pure, so she had probably gone straight to the Qudlivun", she smiled, "It helped. Still does"

"How?". Hopelessness. 

"I like to think she's up there, with Yue, watching over us and resting in peace. It eases the pain"

"Lucky you", and he couldn't help the slight bitterness sneaking in through his thoughts. Katara frowned and he cursed because of course she noted. 

"What do you do? When it hurts too much, how do you deal with it?"

Closing off. Wary. "I keep myself busy. When my body moves enough, there's little time to think. It helps, even if I end up exhausted". Deflection.

Her frown deepened. 

"Is that what you do or what dragons do?"

Agitation." Is what I do". 

"And what do dragons think about death? Or is it too much to ask?"

"No, it's fine". It is not like I'd know anyway, but here goes nothing,  "Some of us believe-believed that our lives end with our bodies and that even speaking of it was jinxing it. They were fewer though. Most of us believed that the soul went to another realm, not too far from our world so they are always nearby and may visit their loved ones on special occasions".   

"Would you like to believe that?"

Displeased. "I already told you that it doesn't matter", he growled, more frustrated than angry, "I don't need distractions and thinking about them will distract me. They are gone and will stay so no matter how lonely I feel, why bother? I made up my mind long ago that I would probably live alone for the rest of my life, there's no need to think something else"

"But you won't", she replied, not faced by his little outburst, "Live alone, you won't"

Confusion. "How can you say that? Why would you?". Bafflement.

"Because we're here now, silly", she answered with a bright smile, "I know we haven't known for long but you are one of us now. We look out for each other, and no one ever gets left behind. Do trust us on that, would you?"

Unsure. "I don't understand how you do it so easily. Don't you have self-preservation or something like that?". A scoff.

"Oh, we do, but there are moments in which you know you can trust someone", she stood up, wiped her clothes from the sand and moved over Zuko's tail, "And you, my friend, have already proven yourself plenty. You're stuck with us now, whether you like it or not"

Bewilderment. "It doesn't make sense. I don't understand"

"You don't have to. Just accept it, it's happening anyway"

Further confusion. Amusement. "You guys are crazy". Mirth

"Yeah, we've been told that a lot", she replied, and stretched along a wide yawn. "All that talking got me sleepy so I think I should be fine. Let's go?"

"Sure. And Katara?". 

"Yes?"

Gratefulness. "Thank you"

"Thank you, instead. It was nice talking to you, we should do it more often"

Hope. "Yeah. Yeah, maybe we should".

The whisker slid away and the connection got severed. In silence, he trailed after her and plopped next to Appa, watching her slide inside her sleeping bag and cover herself with a blanket. 

Zuko spared the moon one last look, feeling even more conflicted than before and yet, more at ease. 

"What am I supposed to do?"

Exhausted and worn out along a head full of questions, the young dragon fell into a restless sleep, the day's events playing over and over in his worn-out mind. 

Up in the sky, the moon twinkled again.

Chapter Text

By the time morning arrived, Zuko hadn't slept for more than a few minutes. His body stood tired, heavy and so sluggish that even raising his head took obscene amounts of effort. His eyes were dry and heavy-lidded and staring at something for more than a few seconds increased the intense sting that reminded him of the deep-seated exhaustion dragging him down from his bare bones. His jaw, after how hard he had clenched it during his little freak out from the previous day, was both sore and numb and all of his muscles were full of needles and stings that flared with each movement. 

When he began to stand up, having wakened up later than everyone else for once, he realized all of his limbs were still shaken and trembling, and even the weight of his- albeit quite long and heavy- horns was enough to send him stumbling from side to side in the search of balance. His chest still felt tight, his stomach could barely stand the thought of food and his head still wobbled at the slightest movement.

He felt like ostrich horse shit scraped with a rusty rake, pounded by a stone-made hammer, dumped on an industrial-sized blender, and subsequently incinerated in hot lava. 

Not good.

Appa, always the closest so always the first to notice when something was amiss, nudged the prince with his snout and licked his mane a few times to try to cheer him up. Unfortunately, his poking and prodding only helped to increase the dizziness, so the dragon hissed half-heartedly and moved his head away, doing his best to ride through the waves of relentless nausea. 

Sokka, noticing something was off, walked to where Zuko and Appa were failing at understanding. "Hey there, buddy", he called, "How are you feeling?"

"Annoyed, for one", Zuko thought bitterly, "And like shit, for another", but none of this could be said, so the dragon settled for huffing through his nose and rolling his eyes. Sokka nodded wisely. 

"I see, I see. Understandable, really. It was a crappy incident, the one from yesterday. Where does it hurt?"

"Oh, for Agni's- idiocy must be contagious in this group. He knows I can't directly reply, right? What are you expecting, for me to suddenly grow a proper mouth and-  You know what? Screw this. Aang already knows, Toph already knows, Katara already knows and Appa already knows, so what's with one more?  If it gets him to shut up, it might be worth giving it a try"

There was a flash, a whip, and a sudden whack, loud and clear, noisy enough to get everyone's attention.

"Like ostrich horse crap stepped on by a giant bison"

There were a few seconds of incredulous silence. 

Then Toph snorted, Aang wheezed, Katara giggled, Momo chittered and the Professor blinked in confusion. 

And then it clicked. 

"Wait- you talk?! Druk, you oversized snake, you talk?! How come I just found out- do the others know?", he wonders out loud and turns to stare at his friends, "Guys, did you know Druk could talk?"

"Yupp"

"Yeah"

"We talked last night"

"The dragon can communicate in our language?! Oh, those are wonderful news, I must-"

"And you didn't tell me?!", Sokka shrieked, rubbing the sore spot in the back of his head where the whisker had made contact, "Why didn't you tell me?! I must have looked like a fool trying to figure out what this flying purse was trying to say!"

"You always look like a fool", Katara bit back, enjoying the situation a bit too much. 

"That's not the point"

"If Sparky didn't want to tell, we weren't telling", Toph replied, flicking a booger at him, "We aren't snitches"

"Sorry, Sokka", Aang apologized, "I would've told you, but it's Druk's secret".

"Still, I would've liked to know! Hunting would've been much easier and- Ugh. Nevermind. Druk can talk, great! That's all good, but not why I'm here", Sokka huffed in annoyance, turning to stare Zuko straight in the eye. Something in his glare made the dragon uneasy but before he could do something, Sokka grabbed the long whisker and stubbornly stuck it on his forehead. 

It took all of Zuko's willpower not to recoil and snatch it back and Sokka must've felt some of the dragon's apprehension because he let go and waited to see if Zuko removed the thing. When he didn't, the warrior finally spoke.

"How are you actually feeling? Before you didn't seem to be doing well" 

Tired. Exhaustion. Soreness. "I've been better". Dizziness. Nausea. Ache.

Sokka snorted in reply, but his eyes shone with worry. 

"No kidding", he replied vaguely, "Look, I've... encountered several panic attacks and may have gone through one or two over the years, so I know how to ride this down, ya know?"

Defensiveness.  "Who says I need your advice? I know how to take care of myself well enough" Shame.

"I'm not saying you can't, but I could help with it. It might make you feel a bit better"

"We don't have time"

"We do! And it won't take long, yes? Just trust me on this one. Please"

It took Zuko a few minutes of hesitation but eventually, he managed to nod in acceptance. Grinning widely, Sokka raised his bag and happily took out two full packages of the marmot-hare jerky and the water canteen. 

"Here, have this. Eating something you like helps to calm down and drinking clears the mind and throat. You'll feel better if you sleep too"

Zuko rose an incredulous eyebrow at him, shaking his head. He felt nauseous, how would eating help out? As a human, eating after a panic attack never helped. 

(That may have been his angry refusal to do anything as unforgivable as admitting being, indeed, hungry, but nobody had to know that.) 

Determined, Sokka pushed the food and water toward him. 

"Oh, what's the worst that can happen? If I throw up, I'm blaming him entirely, and we better find enough water or I might dehydrate." Still a bit hesitant, the dragon nodded and with his nail, dragged the packages of meat left on the floor. Scrutinized under the warrior's stare, the dragon prince slowly chunked down the offered meat, sighing in relief when the easy grin returned to its rightful place on Sokka's owner's face. 

"Not very hard, wasn't it?". Zuko only shook his head in response. "Eating, drinking, and sleeping are important after this happens. If we were somewhere else I may be able to do a bit more, but this is all I can do for now. If it happens again, any of us can lend you a hand, understand?"

And before getting a reply, the warrior turned around and left where he had shown up. Watching Sokka walk away, Zuko couldn't help but wince at the fondness he found himself filling his heart.

"Damn it"

They took not so late after that and their hours went by as the day before. Despite feeling a bit better than in the morning- probably thanks to Sokka's... cares, for the lack of a less cringy word- the prince still felt the after-effects of the previous day wearing him down the longer he went by without resting. He was plenty familiar with panic attacks and although the one from the previous day had not been by far the worst he'd had, it had still left him shaking on his feet and would take, as usual, and on the best-case scenario, at least half a day for its effects to fully disappear. It had left him very far from his top shape and if the search dragged on for long, he was going to have to give in and take a time-out to keep going. 

He had certainly done much more difficult things while being in much worst shape, but on those occasions- although not as rare as they should've been, in Iroh's opinion- his desperation had gone beyond limits and left him running on fumes, only managing to survive through a mix of indecent amounts of stubbornness, spite, dao swords and a dangerous tunnel-vision that more often than not grew even whiter hairs in Iroh's grey bun. 

He did not wish to reach one of those limits if it wasn't absolutely necessary.

Luckily for him, their flight went on smoothly and after a while, if still sore and nearly exhausted, he managed to find a comfortable pace to fly along with the others. He had fun watching Momo take turns jumping from Aang's shoulder to Sokka's head to Katara's lap to Toph's arm to the Professor's side, pleased when the flying lemur finally settled in the shadow between his horns but away from the fur of his mane. 

A few hours of flight later, someone finally spoke loud enough for him to hear, meaning something important had happened. 

"Down there! What's that?", Sokka suddenly called, pointing at a long shape raising barely above the sand. Called out, Zuko soared to the right to have a better look at whatever Sokka was pointing and noticed that there was, in fact, a stone pillar-thingy just in between some dunes. 

Following the bison, the dragon steered down and softly landed a few meters away from the structure. He caught up with Appa but despite the distance between them and the tower, his long neck stretched high enough for the dragon to check on the details. It was a nicely built tower, but it was not large enough to hold books inside.  "This doesn't look like a library at all. Aren't they supposed to be... big?", Zuko thought, tilting his head in curiosity and remembering the sometimes overwhelming size of the library back at the Palace, "And filled with books?", he thought, curiously sniffing around. 

Everyone jumped off the bison and Aang stared hard at the paper in his hands, handing it to Katara when the water bender waved her hand. 

She stared at it intensely for a few seconds until she concluded. "It's obviously not what we're looking for. The building in this drawing is enormous", she stated.

"So it wasn't a library, huh? Crap"

A gentle gust of air from the west flew through the group, and it carried a peculiar scent that caught the attention of the young prince. Zuko snapped his head toward the dune at his left and stared intensely, feeling his muscles readying themselves to jump at the slightest threat. Sokka seemed to catch on to his unease because he grabbed his boomerang and stared at where Zuko was growling at.

Almost two minutes later as if summoned by the sand itself, a small furry animal showed up from the top of the dune, carrying a scroll in between his teeth. Instinctively Zuko growled down at him, his fur bristly, but the fox merely stared back and kept walking

"What kind of animal is that?", Sokka wondered out loud, voicing Zuko's own thoughts. The creature ignored everyone else and kept running toward the tower. When he reached it, to Zuko's huge surprise, he walked vertically up the tower wall as if it was the easiest thing to do. 

"I think that was one of the Knowledge Seekers", the Professor answered, more excited than before. "We must be close to the Library!"

"No", Sokka interrupted, Aang and Katara close to him and looking intensely at the map, "This is the library. Look", the warrior stated, pointing at the tip of the tower drawn on the paper he held. 

"It must be buried under all the sand", the Professor suggested, hovering over Sokka to take a closer look at the drawing's details, "It would explain why it's so hard to find despite the large magnificence of its structure".

"That makes sense"

"It seems like it is buried. Check the details on the drawing, they are exactly the same"

"Well, it does explain why no one has found it until now. It must be hard to keep a location on something that disappears so easily"

"It's buried...? The Library is buried?!", Professor Zei exclaimed, running toward the structure and falling on his knees. "My life's ambition is now full of sand!". For a moment Zuko felt for the guys. "Don't worry", he couldn't help but think while staring at the grieving man, "My own life's ambition got me burned in the face. It happens", he sighed. Suddenly, from his sleeves, the scholar took out a shovel and began digging.   "Well, time to start excavating"

Zuko couldn't help the snort at the man's action. 

"Actually, that won't be necessary", Toph intervened, resting the palm of her hand on the rock, "The inside seems to be completely intact. And it's huuuge"

"That fox thingy went in through a window. I say we climb up there and give it a look", and the starry eyes on Professor Zei's face grew bigger and bigger with each word.

"I say you guys go ahead without me", said Toph.

"What, you got something against libraries?", Katara inquired. Annoyed at her tone and a bit more confident after the late-night conversation, Zuko felt no guilt when he whacked the back of her head with the thin end of his long tail. "Ouch! Hey, what was that for? I- oh. Right. Sorry, Toph"

"Just let me know if there's something you can listen to", she replied. 

By Sokka's side, Zuko rose on his back legs and stretched his neck a bit, glad when he realized could easily reach the opening if he tried.  

"No, Druk", Katara chided, pulling his tail before he could start squirming his way in, "You're too big, you have to stay out here outside". Zuko whined, staring down at her and up at the entrance. "No", she repeated, placing both hands on her hips, "What if you bring something down? We don't want to bring the place on us. Now come down here and let us through"

"Fine"; he grumbled, settling back on the ground. Katara sent him an apologetic look before going back to Sokka to help him with the rope and the knots.

"Don't worry, buddy", he heard Aang telling Appa while patting the bison's snout, "I won't make you go underground ever again. You can stay out here with Toph and Druk"

Taking advantage of the fact that the others were busy preparing for the climb, Zuko poked at Aang's shoulder.

"Druk?" Gesturing with his head, Zuko stood up and walked to stand next to the walls of the tower, once again looking up at the narrow entrance on the top. "What's wrong, buddy?"

Sighing, the dragon lifted his whisker and placed it over Aang's forehead.

Resignation. "I need to ask you a favour". Reluctance

"Sure, whatever you need. What is it?"

"If this library is what the Professor is looking for and what he said about it is true, then there might be something in there that can help me with my situation. I need you to get it for me". 

Expectancy. 

Ready for rejection. 

Brief shimmers of hope. 

"Sure!", Aang smiled, sending soothing thoughts through their link. 

Bafflement. "Seriously?!"

"Yup!"

"Why?"

"I told you before, right? We're friends"

"Well yes, you said that but still. Why helping me? Is no benefit for you, there's nothing you can get out of that"

"I don't need the promise of a price to choose to lend a hand. Especially if it's for someone I care about"

"You do realize that the moment I get my body we'll go back to how we were before, right? Me chasing you to take you to my father"

Aang's smile sharpened, and a mischievous yet understanding look shone behind his grey eyes. 

"See, you keep saying that but I don't believe that's what'll happen. You've changed, Zuko, and I believe you're free to decide on your own, no matter what others may say"

"What does that mean?"

"It means what it means"

Annoyance. "Listen here you little sh-"

"Aang!", Katara called from where she was, grabbing her rope, "It's time, let's get inside!"

"Coming!", he replied and briefly turned to stare at Zuko. "Look, we can talk more about everything when I get back, okay? And I promise I'll bring as much information as I can get and I'll help you find a way to get your body back"

"Sure. And uhm. Well. Thanks, I guess"

"No problem!", he grinned, and he was about to run toward the other when something roughly stopped him in his tracks, "Oh, and would you mind taking care of Appa for me? I know he can look after himself and no one is strong enough to go over Toph, but he's surprisingly good at finding himself in trouble. A little bit like me, actually"

"Aang! Hurry up!"

"Please? Just watch over him until we get back. Is not going to be so long and I doubt something can happen in the middle of the desert but-

"Don't worry, I'll keep him safe"

"Really?!"

"Yes, I promise I'll- hang on, why so surprised? I like the bison and unlike you and the others he's not annoying-"

"Thank you!", and suddenly Zuko found himself attacked by an overly grateful, hyperactive air bender clinging to his chest and hugging the air out of him, "You're the best!"

Embarrassment. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now go away, you're being a pest. Keep your arms to yourself, would you? You're going to hug someone to death one of these days"

"See you later, Druk!", and the monk jumped off, happily running toward the others while waving back at Zuko. 

Fondly shaking his head, he lifted a claw and waved back as Aang disappeared inside the tower, Momo chittering as he flew along. 

Once the others were gone, Zuko walked toward the bison and the earthbender and sat down on the sand. The silence dragged on for a few uncomfortable minutes until he finally exchanged stares with Toph.

"What's up?"

***

Wan Shi Tong's Library was exactly and totally different from what Aang had imagined.

Its sheer size full of endless rows filled with ancient books left all other libraries far behind and coughing dust. It was to be expected- he had expected something like that, the Library being the stuff of legend and all of that, and yet his imagination could not have conjured the details he perceived by simply standing there. 

The very aroma in the air itself was what Aang could only describe as a "Library Smell", similar to but even more intense than the large circular rooms that housed manuscripts, books, scrolls, and papers in the Air Temple libraries, more imposing than the great rock-hewn halls of the Earth Kingdom, more awe-inspiring than the neat, ordered shelves carefully guarded by the Fire Nation and sharper than the cold, homey igloos of both Water Tribes. The constructions, walls, and pillars of green and gold carved carefully with delicate designs, cared for through the years, were also different from any other buildings from any of the other Nations.

If it had been on any other occasion, Aang would've liked to spend time exploring every possible room, if not for the knowledge, for curiosity to find interesting or fun things in one of the rooms, but they had a specific purpose for the library and no matter how much he wanted to, he could not spend all of their time playing around.

There were things he needed to take care of, and this time he could not ask for help.  

"Uhm, guys? I'll, uhm... I'm going to look around in other places- you know, sections? Because it's a huge library and we can cover more ground if we split"

"You have a point", Sokka mused, grabbing his chin while his sharp eyes checked the volumes on the shelf in front of him. "I think it's going to be a while before we find something useful, but maybe you'll be lucky". 

"And try not to get lost", said Katara. "It's a big place and we'd have trouble finding you". 

"Sure!", he chirped, relieved. Now all he had to do was ask Wan Shi Tong and boom! Problem solved. "I-"

"Oh, Aang. May I go with you?", asked Professor Zei, perking up at the idea of further exploring. "I could spend here all day, but I want to take some more time for exploring as well". 

"Well..."

"Even better. Take Momo and let us know if you find anything", Sokka said before Aang could deny the offer. "Go, we don't have time to lose".

"Okay..."

A bit disappointed

The Professor rambled about many things, but Aang could not pay attention to his words. 

"If I don't find this, Zuko won't get his body back. He'd be mad. But wait, isn't he usually mad? Well, not really. He's been rather nice these weeks. What if he stayed like that? Would it be better? He cannot take me to his father like that. Wouldn't it be better for us? Great, now I'm thinking like Sokka. He needs his body! He's really desperate! I know he's different- he feels changed. Besides, he asked politely and I said yes. I cannot go back into my word, that wouldn't be right. I just need to find something, but where...?"

A finger poking him in the shoulder startled him from his line of thought.

"Aang?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright? You were away for a little bit".

"What...? Oh, oh yeah. Yes, I'm alright. I'm just a bit worried about something. It's important, you see, and I promise. So I need to know". 

"What are you looking for, then? Perhaps one of these curious fox assistants may help", the Professor suggested, signalling at the little brown-furred guy who had trailed after them. The fox let out a yip, wagging his tail at being addressed for aid. 

"I know, but I do not believe books will tell me what I need to know..."

The Professor tilted his head while his frown deepened in disbelief. "What kind of knowledge are you after, that his Library cannot hold?"

Aang let out a sigh. 

"It's about a spirit. Sat'ikuq. Books may tell me things, but I need someone who has first-hand experience".

"So you are going to ask Wan Shi Tong, correct?"

"Yeah. If he doesn't know I could go to the Spirit World, but I rather avoid that. It's a tricky business, going in and out".

"I could try to help", the Professor offered, smiling warmly when Aang's eyebrows shot up. "I admit that, as an anthropologist, spirits are a bit out of my field, but I cannot tell the truth if I say they have never caught my interest. Perhaps I'll learn a thing or two along that way, and wouldn't that be a wonderful thing to happen?"

"Really? Just like that?"

"Mhm". 

"You're a lifesaver! Ask the foxes and tell me what you find. I'll ask Wan Shi Tong". 

Going in the opposite direction, Aang could feel a light jump in his step that hadn't been there before. The Professor's help had been unexpected but not unwanted and with his help, the airbender might be able to find the information after all!

After half an hour or so without seeing a feather of the spirit's body, Aang grew frustrated and began to call him out loud. 

"Wan Shi Toooong! Are you there? I need to meet you, could you please show up?"

He did it a couple more times and was considering using his glider when he took a moment to look around at the shelves nearby. 

"It is needless to say that should you seek written knowledge, I would not be called"; said the Spirit's eerie voice, followed by the appearance of his imposing figure. "I am not a pet or animal you can summon with your hollering, young Avatar. This is my abode and you'd do well in learning to show me the respect I deserve. Only this time, I will answer your call, for mistakes can be made and not everyone knows better. Ignorance is, after all, an evil of easy remedy; do remember that when you wish to meet me again. My mercy knows limits, and they are not very wide".

Aang only barely managed to hold back a shriek. 

For all the harm he hadn't done and despite receiving them, if a bit reluctant, in his Library, the young monk could not deny how unsettled he felt around Wan Shi Tong. There was an underlying sense of threat whenever the spirit was around, one he could not make disappear no matter how hard he tried. 

It was not, however, time to give in to gut feelings.

"My most sincere apologies", said Aang, bowing by the waist to present his respects. "It was not my intention to disrespect, and I'll be more mindful of my manners in the foreseeable future". 

The owl hummed, and despite his expression remaining unchanged- could owls change their expression?- something in his face showed him pleased, or at least accepting. 

"You were asking for my presence", the spirit said. "Why? My collection dwarves all human attempts to gather knowledge. There is more than enough for anyone who seeks to learn". 

"I'm not so sure in this case, I'm afraid", the monk answered. "I believe only you possess what I want". 

"Regardless of your demands, I will not give you any of my feathers. But no, that is not to be your intent, is it?".

"It is not".

"What is it that you pursue, then, that needs my memory to achieve it? Because that's what you want. Something that lays only in my rememberings."

Aang took a deep breath, similar to the one he took before jumping into the ocean, and steeled himself.

Deep breaths, Aang. Deep breaths.

"Sat'ikuq. You know about him, right?"

If an owl's face could look surprised, Aang felt that Wan Shi Tong's face would have been wide with bafflement. 

"Sat'ikuq?", the spirit mumbled, something in his voice similar to awe. "Now that is a name I have not heard for some time. He came to see me a few years ago; how much is of little importance. He was weak, barely a whisp of his former self, weakened by your predecessor, the dragonrider. He wanted to know a way of getting Vaatu's energy back, but I refused to aid him and sent him away. Being under the ire of the Avatar is not a wise thing to do when you are caring for a Library. I did not know he still roamed around. Perhaps it was too hasty of me to think he had faded just like many before".

"So you do know him"

Squirming under the black eyes of the Spirit, Aang believed no owl had the right to look that condescending. It was not nice to be stared at like a particularly dumb animal by one who was so wise.

"Yes, Avatar", the owl answered at last, perhaps a tad too slow as if making sure Aang understood the words. "I know him". 

"Great!"

"What has the Meddler done to guarantee your attention?", Wan Shi Tong inquired, tilting his head a bit too much. "He has been around for as long as me, he knows the consequences. And last we met, he did not seem eager to meet you again".

"So, uhm, there's this thing he did... like, I don't know, maybe a month ago? Some time. He cursed my friend and got him stuck in a dragon's body and I want to help him get his body back".

"So is that why a young dragon is resting above my Library?"

"Yes". 

"Interesting. The Meddler may have earned every letter of his nickname, but he is not thoughtless. He's crafty and manipulative and known to hold grudges. What has your friend done to guarantee action from him?"

"I'm... not entirely sure".

"Has your friend lied?"

"What? No, no, he showed me. But is new in the whole "do it like a dragon" thing, so I got the gist of it but not the detail". 

"Indeed?"

"Yeah. There was a cave and this blob glowy-looking thing. It was... mad. Resentful. Full of hate towards Roku for imprisoning him. I think he said to be older than some Avatar Wan, and the dragons, badgermoles and the sky bison. And mentioned some Raava and Vaatu". 

"I see... What do you know about them?"

"Who?"

"Raava and Vaatu. What do you know about them?".

"Those are other names for Ying and Yang, right? Similar in concept to Tui and La, but we didn't learn much in the Air Temple. Only old monks talked about them but like characters from those stories of old". 

"What a shame", sighed the spirit. "You are not wrong in saying they are similar, but Raava and Vaatu are much older. They have existed since the very Creation along with Agni, Tui and La, Vaiu and Mata Prithuí. Raava and Vaatu are the predecessors of what is now known as Ying and Yang."

"The Creation?"

"The beginning of everything. Nothing is left of what happened back then, and only the Old Seven have some memory of those times. Back then, the very concept of time did not exist. But there was a beginning, of that I'm sure. A One who started it all and who, after using a large part of his energy to Create, divided into the seven great spirits that in the future would form the world we know. Of the seven, five took hold in the elements. Agni became Fire and Sun. Vaiu became Air and Wind. Mata Prithuí became Earth and Stone. Tui and La became the ocean's Push and Pull"

"And Raava and Vaatu?"

"Only they remained as pure Energy and, to survive and stay in harmony, to keep their very essence from destroying what existed, they became Duality. They could not be without the other, and as Two they Were for unknown millennia".

"Does this have anything to do with Sat'ikuq?"

"Everything. Sat'ikuq found strength in the remains of Vaatu after the Era of the Avatar began, but there was nothing of Raava around for the Avatar now had merged with all of her. So he grew erratic. Unbalanced. Too much of something and too little of the other; that instability became his core and for hundreds of years flourished within".

"So he's an evil, unbalanced spirit?"

"Unbalanced, not evil. Lacking. I think that the absence of Raava irked him to try and fill that void with more of Vaatu, but more of the same would not change his reality. His choice made him what he is today, and it seems like he has now affected your friend".

"But what are Raava and Vaatu, if not Ying and Yang?"

"They are your origins, Avatar. They come directly from the Old One and are energy in their purest form. As I've told you, they have existed as Duality since the formation of the Old Seven. Light and Darkness. Night and Day. Passiveness and Activeness. Sun and Moon, Warm and Cold, Male and Female. They are Opposite and Complementary, have always been and will always be. Raava is the spirit that fused with Wan, the First, and allowed the Avatar to come into existence. Vaatu dispersed all over the world, to keep his energy from becoming a danger to everything. A way to control the damage, so to speak."

"But why would Wan fuse with Raava if it could create so much destruction?"

"I never said it was a good decision. No one knows the exact details of what happened back then, so regret is pointless. It is what it is".

"And Sat'ikuq?"

"Sat'ikuq misunderstood. He Hears but doesn't Know. Vaatu may have been the opposite of Raava, may have not fused with Wan, but was fundamental in keeping harmony because they depended on each other to exist. It is why he's no longer one thing, but scattered all over the world. Too much in one place becomes destructive and they both know this. If Vaatu wished to, he would probably be able to become One, but he and Raava know better. It is why you, a human with that spirit inside you, can die. Or do you believe Raava cannot keep one of your kind alive for millennia?"

"Honestly, I'm just learning this out. And it's confusing".

"She would", scolded the spirit, a bit too into his tale. "She is wise enough to know that change is necessary, and so the Avatar dies and is born and can die of old age or wounds. Vaatu, dispersed, is no threat to the world. Raava, in her cycle, is a Guide for the Avatar to keep Balance in the world. They work together and keep everything functioning as it should". 

"And Sat'ikuq doesn't".

"His mistakes turned him into something little more than an aberration. If he has cursed your friend, you should fear for his well-being. Vaatu is not evil- such a concept is human nonsense- but alone, with nothing to keep him controlled, can be dangerous, just like everything else."

"Then what should I do?"

"That, I cannot answer. What I'm saying is what I know, but it is not my job nor wish to provide a solution. Such things, Avatar, are your job."

"It sounds to me that I just need to find a way to balance things out". 

"Do as you believe wise. But be careful with your actions; Sat'ikuq may be lesser, but he isn't to be trifled with. Centuries of existing like that have turned him dangerous, less wise than he should be, and can lash out at any time. If you value your friend, which I believe you do, you'll take this matter as seriously as possible."

"I thank you for allowing me to obtain this valuable knowledge."

The owl fell silent and the more time passed the more Aang wanted to leave, but doing so without being dismissed felt a bit disrespectful.

"Air nomads I always liked the best", then said the spirit after a while, a trace of sorrow painting the flat tone of his voice. "I do not recall even one of them taking or damaging what was mine. Their detachment from earthly belongings is one I appreciate and remember fondly. I may have even felt... sadness, perhaps, when my Seekers told me of what befall your people. Only in respect of their memory, I will demand no payment for what I have told you. Do not make me regret this service, Avatar Aang. "  

"I won't"

***

"So do you two like flying?"

Appa let out a soft growl. Zuko shrugged, realized she could not see it, and let out a soft grumble before placing a whisker on her forehead. He guessed a conversation wouldn't hurt anyone, and waiting was terribly boring.

"It's nice. The air is nice. Being away from the ground is... nice".

"Is "nice" all you can describe it with?"

"It's not the best time for poetics". 

"Understandable". 

Appa grumbled again. 

"Of course, I prefer the ground where I can see. But like, with the earth, you know? I can't use my eyes to see, so I do it by feeling the vibrations in the ground"

"Hold on. If you can see through vibrations, how did you know I have a scar?"

"You favour your right side by covering for the left a lot". 

"Really? You can feel that?"

"It was a hunch. Also, the others like to rant about you very much, so once I knew who you were it wasn't difficult to guess"

"About me...? Oh. I get it. Makes sense". 

"I can't see that well on this sand, though. It's shifty and makes everything fuzzy. And it's too hot for my feet. Not like there's anything wrong with fuzzy... or hot". 

Zuko understood. 

With a huff, he spread his wings a bit more, stretching to cover them in shadow as much as possible. 

***

"You won't stay with us?"

"This inn has no stables, so no. Our ostrich horses need as much rest as we do."

"What a shame. Well, it has been a pleasure to travel along with such excellent company".

"It has been our pleasure as well. If more travellers were as pleasant as yourself, they would often find us much more agreeable". 

"Oh, that's very kind of you to say". 

"And you've been nothing but kind to us, so it is well earned! Whatever you need, you know where to find us."

"Yes, I certainly do. Let's have faith and pray that we'll get to meet again."

"Faith is all most of us have left."

"Faith and kindness! Such things are most important". 

"Indeed. Take care, Master Mushi. This war has already taken good people away; let's not give it the pleasure of taking some more". 

"The only we can do is try". 

"And try we will. Farewell! Be safe!"

"Farewell".

And so the owner of the caravan and his wife went on their way, Musih waving at them until they went out of sight. The three of them, Mushi and the owner and the owner's wife had gotten along quite well during their brief journey and despite the short time together, they had grown fond. Going each on their separate ways in the midst of such terrible war, Mushi had told Jet when questioned about wasting time merely saying goodbye, was very similar to throwing a coin: The only thing one could do was to hold one's breath and wish for luck to be on one's side.  

His answer had placated Jet well enough, so while the old man exchanged a few last words with the other two, Jet, Smellerbee and Longshot stood near the entrance of the Green Palm Inn, staring at the three adults go on with the pleasantries. 

It had been going on for a bit more than five minutes and it was getting boring. 

"He's taking too long", Jet mumbled to himself, fingers tapping on the hilts of his swords. "What do they have to talk about? All they've been doin' is endless yammering".

Longshot shrugged, seemingly unbothered by the waiting. "Old people like talking", Smellerbee chimed in, wiping some of the sweat from her face. "And he's getting us an inn and passports into Ba Sing Se, so would it kill ya to be more patient?"

Jet stiffened at the tone of her voice. Both she and Longshot were incredibly patient with him, so hearing her irritation left things very clear. 

"Guess not...", he huffed and wisely decided to keep it quiet. 

It took another five more minutes for the caravan rider to leave and for Mushi to return. 

"Why the sour looks?", the old man chided as soon as he saw their scowls. "Cheer up, cheer up! We have a nice little inn waiting for us! Cheer up!"

"Repetition ain't gonna make it happen", Jet grumbled. He held back a groan when Smellerbee elbowed him in the ribs, but the warning was more than clear. "Just show the way". 

"With pleasure!", Mushi chirped and turned around to lead them, his steps almost cheerfully bumpy. "Tag along, kids. Today is a good day!"

Sighing, Jet picked up his bag and trailed after the old man, wondering almost annoyed how the hell the old man could be so cheerful all the time. It seemed to be natural and, to some extent, Jet liked that about him, but it could also be annoying. 

Maybe it was the heat. 

It didn't take them long to reach the inn, and by then Jet was almost dripping in sweat. Mushi kept talking. "The Green Palm Inn isn't particularly new, but it'll do for a few nights. I heard it even has some Pai Sho tables and I'm aching to play !"

"How much do we have to wait for our transport to Ba Sing Se?", asked Smellerbee, comfortable enough to voice her curiosity. Mushi hummed and stroked his beard. "Of that, I am not sure, but it shouldn't be too long. At most, a day or two". 

They walked inside the worn building, and Mushi happily placed a few coins on top of the counter. "Two bedrooms for me and my friends, please. Two nights, if you would have me". 

"We have the ones at the back available", the innkeeper huffed, taking the coins and handing over the keys. "Had a real freaky bunch leave yesterday- weirdest I've ever seen!"

"Indeed?"

"Yeah! Had a dragon and all! I thought those were extinct, but apparently not. Beast was huge, bigger than a house". 

"Oh?"

"Grand Lotus?", a shy, quiet voice called from his right. A young man, with black hair and darker eyes, handed an envelope. "From Hope". 

"My most sincere thanks", Mushi replied, opening the envelope with care. Once open, a familiar White Lotus tile fell on his open hand. 

And together, a note with squiggly lines. 

Master Iroh.

I met Zuko. Yes, I know what happened and yes, I will try my best to find a way to help him. He gave me his tile so I could send you a message "of my convenience" but I think he just wants you to know he's alright. He speaks very highly of you, you know? He says you're the best tea maker he's ever met, so if we ever have the time, I would like to try some of it. 

My friends and I are now going to search for a hidden library, and perhaps I'll find a way to reverse what has been done. 

I hope we can meet in the near future. Please, be safe. Zuko would go nuts if something happened to you.

P.S.: Toph found out first!

Atte

Avatar Aang.

When Jet looked up from cleaning his blade, he saw Mushi smiling at them wider and warmer- and was that possible? Spirits- than before.

"I have arranged for two separate bedrooms. It's at the back. Up, up! Man needs rest, and we've been travelling for a long time. Would you care to join me for some oolong tea? I still have some leaves with me, if you wish".

"I'd like to", Smellerbee smiled, and to Jet's surprise, Longshot nodded as well. They both turned to look at Jet, expectant. 

How could he say no?

He sighed, placing his sword back where it belonged and grabbing his travelling bag. 

"I guess it wouldn't hurt"

"Great!", Mushi smiled. He seemed happier than before, and Jet couldn't say he disliked it entirely. "After me, children. Let me delight you with the greatness of oolong!"

***

"Mortals are you predictable... and so terribly disappointing". 

Sokka gulped under the looming shadow of the old spirit. Aang felt a rush of frigid blood course through his veins and found himself unable to meet Wan Shi Tong's eyes.

It had been many years since the last time he had felt so ashamed.

"I give my trust to all of you, and yet again I am betrayed", said Wan Shi Tong, his icy voice giving way to growing anger. "Despite your pretty words and supposed goodwill, you pretended to misuse this knowledge with the purpose of destroying each other. Isn't that what humans like to call "evil"?".

"You don't understand! If anyone's evil, that's the Fire Nation- look what they did to your library! They are destructive and dangerous and we need this information", Sokka replied, stepping back as the spirit stepped closer. 

"Do you think you are the first person to believe their war is justified?", the owl spirit hissed. "Countless others before you have come seeking weapons or weaknesses or battle strategies and- "

"We had no choice!", Aang intervened, guilt and regret urging him to seek a way to soothe the angry spirit. "Please, we're just trying to protect the people we love".

"You have no right to disrespect me like that. Have I not aided you when you said you needed to help your friend? Have I not allowed you into my house despite what has been done to it in the past? And yet you spit to my face and go acting behind my back- how shameful! How unbefitting of the Avatar, the bridge between humans and spirits, to engage in such treacherous behaviour!". 

"It's not like that! "

"Oh, but it is. I told you I would not tolerate further disrespect, did I not?"

"Yes, but I-"

"You say you act to protect what you love. Now it's my turn to protect what I love!"

At the flapping of his wings, the building began to tremble, dust falling from the ceiling and the earth shaking them all to their chore. 

"What are you doing?"

"I'm taking my knowledge back. No one will ever abuse it again!"

"He's sinking the building. We've gotta get out of here!"

"I'm afraid I can't allow that. You already know too much". And letting out resentment held back for an unknown time, the old spirit lunged at them with the intent to destroy. 

***

Appa raised his head and let out a loud rumble, rustling Zuko from his slumber. 

"I already told you, I don't wanna snuggle", Toph mumbled from Appa's side. Curled into himself as he still was from his impromptu nap by Appa's other side, Zuko didn't notice Toph raising her head in alarm, sleepy under the comfortable desert sun. A couple of seconds later, though, the ground began to tremble and he was up on all fours in a blink. He let out an alarmed whine, followed by Appa's when he saw the tower sinking into the sand. 

What the hsuan?

"The library's sinking", Toph realized. "The library is sinking!".

She ran to it and dug her fists into the stone, but it seemed like the sand was too slippery because she was losing her grip. Soon enough she solidified the chunk under her feet and once more held onto the tower, groaning under the string of keeping it afloat. 

And how could Zuko let her do all the job on her own?

With a loud screech, he took off, raising a cloud of sand below him, towards the top of the building. Here goes nothing. Tightly he wrapped his tail around the base of the tower's top, and with all his might he began to beat his large wings. It was almost as if the tower itself had the will to bury everything with it. Through his tail, he could feel the intense vibrations from the foundations. Gritting his teeth, he flapped even harder, feeling in his lungs the burn of large strain. I've never fought a building before, he couldn't help but think. 

Focused as he was on helping keep the tower above the sand, deafened by the violent beating of his own heart, he promptly ignored Appa's warning grumbles. Until, by the corner of his right eye he saw a large sand cloud moving quickly towards them. That's no natural sandstorm. He turned his head and shook it to lift off the sand from his lashes and mane. Squinting, then, he could finally make out the shape of the approaching figures. 

Half a dozen sand sailers, each of them powered by what Zuko could recognize as the sandbenders from before. Hsuan!

"What is it now?", Toph groaned from below, squinting her eyes due to the grains of sand in the air. "Who's there?". Zuko let out a low-pitched whine, warning her of the incoming threat. The sandbenders circled Appa with their sailers and jumped off their vehicles as soon as they were close enough. 

A flare of anger bubbled within Zuko. What are they planning?

They were wielding chains and bolas, twirling them in the air while they closed off around the bison. Appa grumbled ad warning, lowering his head and stomping on the ground. They threw a few of them above the beast, twirling the sound around their ankles for better grip, and pulled down. 

"Don't make me put this down!", Toph warned, briefly letting go of the tower- Zuko yelped at the sudden pull- she tried to attack them, failing by several meters. Annoyed by her feeble attempts of aggression, one of the sandbenders,  raised a hand in her direction, sending her little body across the sand and away from the tower. She howled wildly, panicking and very un-like Toph, and scrambled on her feet to hold onto the stone for dear life. 

By the side, the other benders were centimetre by centimetre lowering Appa onto the sand. 

"Zuko!", she wailed. Her voice cracked and the tower trembled. "Please! Help him!". The same sandbender threw her again, and the tower dropped several meters. Then four sandbenders, two holding the bolas around Appa's hind legs, gave a particularly rough pull, powered by the sand, and a loud crack was heard amongst the hustle. Followed by the bison's bellow at having two of his ankles probably broken. 

And 

Zuko 

saw 

red

He let go of the tower and, with an ear-piercing screech, dived towards the attackers, using his horns to pull at the chains keeping Appa down while taking some benders along. Fur bristling he flapped his wings up and down, shaking them while spread while open. Violently he bit off and spat the remaining chains while circling around the bison, doing his best to set him free. Appa whined gratefully, and Zuko briefly stroked him with his tail before letting out another screech towards the attackers. 

They stepped back, wary of the raging dragon. Except for the same bastard who was all set on throwing Toph around. Seeing him hurt the little girl was enough to send Zuko on a raging charge, missing his body by little. It was enough for Toph to get back on her feet and keep the tower from sinking further, but in paying her attention Zuko had left Appa uncovered. 

Once more another chain wrapped around the same injured ankle, and the bison roared in pain, scrambling with his other four legs to escape the attack.

And. 

Well. 

One could argue that they had not been travelling together for long. One could say that a few weeks together was not enough time to honestly pledge that you'd lay your life for someone else's. Barely a month together wasn't enough to develop such loyalty. One could say that he simply clung - stubborn and determined and willful and headstrong, just like everything he did - to the only people besides Uncle who had shown him unconditioned affection, who had been kind and decent and honest merely for the sake of it, clung to those bare scraps of affection like a starving dog devouring the leftovers thrown away after the great lords are done feasting.

One could say he was desperate and blind and unwilling to see the truth, whatever that might be. 

They might've been right. It was just like that little phrase Uncle had said once or twice, one he had heard from a young rower many years ago: "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between dog and man". 

Zuko had been starving for a long time. And the Avatar and his friends had all been very lenient with their giving.

Perhaps, he mused briefly, a dog would've fitted me more than a dragon.

You are just their pet, their guarding dog, a beast, the Voice whispered again, weak and insistent. They don't care as you do. They see you as less; let's fly away, let's leave them and their treacherous-

No. Be silent, you poisonous filth. Don't taint them with your foul words.

The silence inside his head felt strangely baffled.

Toph will take care of the Library.  

"Oh, and would you mind taking care of Appa for me?"

I'm keeping the promise to my friend. 

Dogs are loyal until their last breath. Dragons guard their treasures for a lifetime.

At that moment, Zuko felt like both. 

Once more he charged towards them, horns down. He roared at Appa, hoping to get the message across. Stay with Toph!. Appa seemed to understand, because once free he made his way to the earthbender's side. 

"Let's keep the dragon!", one of them said. "It'll be worth much more!"

"NO!", Toph screamed from behind. But she was the only thing keeping the tower above the ground, so there was nothing she could do. Enraged, Zuko snapped his jaws close towards them, waving his tail from side to side and shaking his wide-open wings. 

"Can we capture it?"

"Look, the beast is trying to cover its friends! Attack them!"

Another wave of sand headed towards Toph, and Zuko jumped in the middle. He wheezed once the wind was kicked off his chest, and the second of distraction was enough to have a bola wrapped and pulling at his tail. He used a hind leg to try and shake it off, but another pull and a new chain around his horn managed to get him off balance. 

Straning, he breathed in, his chest warming and glowing with the fire held inside. 

"FIRE!"

Careful not to send his fire to his friends- his friends, his companions, the ones he had to protect- he blew out the heat towards the benders and sailers, burning three of the vehicles in an instant. The others got covered by sand walls rising just in time. 

Once over, panting, Zuko blinked a few times to see what had happened. And saw the sparkling glass where sand had been just a second before. 

"CLOSE ITS JAWS!".

Before the dragon could take note of what was happening, an iron chain wrapped around his snout and shut it close, bringing his head down as well. He let out a groan and pulled back, but more benders grabbed it and tugged in the opposite direction. Ropes with weights on one end held onto his horns and soon enough, his whole head was pinned down. The bola around his leg pulled again, and with another hit by a sturdy sand wave, he got knocked off his feet, falling roughly above his left wing- always the fucking left. 

"Zuko!"

Appa roared and slammed his tail onto the sand, but the benders were skilled enough to cover from the attack. One of them took the chance to bring Zuko's right wing down, using a sturdy chain to force it close. And though the rest of Zuko's new body was strong enough to withstand major hits, the wings were far more fragile. Something snapped inside and, muzzled as he was, he let out a deaf whine. 

When he tried to use his two remaining legs, they got covered in sand and forced to his sides, where a swift bender had another chain waiting. "NO! Ugh, stop sinking!". And for a moment Toph let go of the tower to attack again, but the others were inside and were not out yet, so she had to hold onto it soon enough "No!". 

By her side, Appa uselessly grumbled and roared, but the sandbenders were no longer paying attention to him, focused as they were on securing Zuko's capture. They spared no chain, rope or bola, reinforcing his muzzle and the bolas around his hind legs, or the chains snapping his wings together or the drops holding his horns down. They spared no bending, using the sand to have the dragon sink and further immobilized.

Skilfully they secured the restraints to the largest and still functional sailer and, in between shouting orders and savaging what they could, marched off as fast as they could. 

"I'm sorry, Zuko", Toph whispered, barely managing to sense the sandbenders dragging her friend away. Appa's furious roars were not loud enough to rise above the thundering of the sinking tower. "Please, please be safe.":

***

Relief flooding his chest, Aang finally managed to get himself and the others out of the spirit's tower. A wide smile split his face when he saw the bison near Toph- the moment she sensed them, the little girl finally dropped toward and let it sink, thrown back by the strength of the pull. Immediately the building sank into the desert, leaving a perfect wide circle where it had once stood. 

"We got it!", Sokka cheered. "There's a solar eclipse coming". He and Katara hugged, gleefully. "The Fire Nation is in trouble now!"

Toph didn't have it in herself to join their celebration. "Appa!", Aang greeted, clinging to the bison's leg. Appa, despite being happy to see Aang, let out a pained huff and flinched away, trying to keep the weight off his hind legs, "What's wrong, buddy? What hurts?". 

Noticing Toph was still sitting over the sand, Katara went to her side immediately, nursing for possible wounds. Momo, able to notice the tension in the air, flew above their heads in nervous circles, chittering restlessly.

"Hey, where's Druk?", Sokka suddenly asked, noticing the missing dragon and looking around in search of their friend, "Did he go for a fly or something?"

"Toph?", Katara called, noticing her shaking shoulders, "Are you okay? What's wrong?", and she placed a soothing hand over her slim frame. "Are you hurt?"

"Not me", she sniffled, doing her best to hold in her crying. From a bit away, she felt Aang's heart skip. 

"Where's Druk?", she heard Aang asking, and her heart clenched tightly inside her chest. "Toph, where's Druk?". The airbender's voice had taken a graver tone, and Toph couldn't stop the tears that rolled down her dry cheeks. Unable to say a word, she merely shook her head and faced down. Even if she weren't blind, she wouldn't have been able to meet Aang in the eye. 

Now that she wasn't busy keeping the tower up, she could feel Aang's body trembling, his heart thumping violently against his chest. 

"What happened?", he demanded, shaking her by her shoulders. 

"Sandbenders", Toph answered, ignoring Katara's demands for Aang to stop grabbing her, "Druk and I were keeping the tower up when they came. I couldn't see because this hsuanning sand is all fuzzy and dispersed and I had to keep the tower up and- I tried, Aang, I did, but- They were many, I couldn't see-"

"Toph, you don't have to say it. We know you did your best like you always do, and no one can hold that against you", Katara reassured, petting her hair in an attempt to calm her down. 

"What happened?", Aang interrupted, shaking off the water bender when she tried to push him back, "Tell me, Toph, what happened?"

"They were going to take Appa", she whispered, sobbing freely, "I couldn't do a thing to stop them and they hurt him, I think- Druk came down on them, stopped them before they could do something else, but the tower kept sinking and I couldn't do shit. But Druk saved Appa, Aang. He saved Appa and they took him instead"

She felt him falling on his knees, felt him shaking, and couldn't help but do the same. 

"I'm sorry",  she cried, sinking to her knees as well, "I tried, Twinkletoes. I tried, and I'm sorry, I-"

"It wasn't your fault, Toph", Sokka interrupted, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. His voice was thick and wavy and she assumed he was still holding his tears back, "You did what you could, so is not your fault". Usually, she would've pushed him away, but at that moment she indulged in the comfort and hid her face in the warrior's chest, relieved to hear the right words. 

Despite Sokka's soothing tone, though, Aang's heartbeat kept thumping without a break. Appa, sensing his friend's distress, limped toward him and licked his face to calm him down. 

Finally snapping out of his stupor, the monk hid his face in the bison's fur, but his crying was still the loudest of them all.

***

Zuko didn't stop struggling while being taken away. Even after the sound of the crumbling tower banished with the distance, he kept resisting, forcing the sandbenders to use all the restraints they had available, if only to keep him from destroying their vehicle. 

He wondered if the others had managed to get out, if Appa was going to be fine, if Toph was alright. He didn't want the girl to feel guilty, for this time it was not her fault. 

He wondered how was Uncle Iroh doing, and if they were going to ever meet again.

But despite having no idea what fate had in store for him, Zuko didn't dare to regret his decision because it was born of his own free will and without coercion. As the sand benders dragged him further and further away from his friends- he really could call them friends and would even admit to himself that he did love them even if just a little bit- the satisfaction and relief of knowing that they were safe overcame the fear of the situation.

So, while terrified by the consequence of his decisions,

Zuko

smiled. 

Chapter Text

"I'm going after Druk!", said Aang. Ignoring Katara's call, he jumped into the air and glided away, bending the currents to gain speed. 

How could I let this happen? Zuko trusted me and I turned my back on him! And he kept his promise to keep Appa safe, in exchange for himself. Is it... Is it all right to feel grateful that it wasn't Appa? UGH! I HATE THIS!

A few minutes into his search, Aang took out the whistle he used for Appa. Here goes nothing. Filling his lungs with air, he blew into it as hard as he could, for as long as possible. 

"ZUKOOOO!". He didn't care if the others could hear him.

Quickly and in circles, he landed atop a sand hill.

Looking in all directions, he found not a single speck of black similar to the dragon's scales. "ZUKOOOO!!". There was no response. He's not around. Oh, spirits, he's not around. I can't see him. Desperately he turned to all directions, to no avail. 

He felt again Zuko's brief shimmers of hope, his bafflement at kind gestures. His exhaustion, his loneliness. 

"Don't worry, I'll keep him safe"

I can't find him!

Feeling tears collect in his eyes, Aang looked down, closing his eyelids tight. 

"No...". A sudden burst of anger flared up inside. How unfair! How cruel! How... how terrible, that Zuko got to suffer because Aang could never be where he was needed. "NOOOO!!!"

***

They travelled a kilometre or two before stopping momentarily. 

"Check if it carries something with it!", Ghashiun ordered, jumping down from his sailer. "Whatever it has, we can sell and earn an extra if we sell it right". 

When the first two idiots brave (or stupid) enough to get close ran closer towards him, Zuko growled at them, baring his fangs and puffing up his fur.  They were seemingly smart enough to stop outside the dragon's reach. 

"He's tied up nice an' good! If you're so afraid of it, close its muzzle tighter. We still have some leftover chains, right?". So while the first two jumped on top of Zuko to look for supplies, the sand sailer pulling at his head advanced to keep his neck stretched out. Ghashiun and his boot-licking follower wrapped their only left chain around Zuko's muzzle, despite the dragon's struggling and hissing, so tight that it was difficult to do more than growl. 

With all the hustle and bustle, they raised clouds of fine sand. Feeling the grains inside his nose, Zuko couldn't help but sneeze accompanied by hot smoke, right toward one of the three remaining sand sailers. Ghashiun and the others ran to put out the fire. 

"We can't lose any more sailers! We already lost the ones we stole from the Hami tribe- did any of you useless fucks already check if this damn lizard carries something else?"

"Nah, there's nothing. The bison had the saddle one, this one's bare"

"Ugh, really? Ah, it doesn't matter. We'll still make a profit from selling it to those beetle-headed merchants"

And so they all jumped back onto their sailers and kept dragging Zuko for kilometres on end.

The sand slid over his scales like dirty water, and he could feel the grains seeping through his fur mane. The heat of the day did nothing but grow, and to save his strength Zuko decided to stop struggling for the time being. Chained and muzzled as he was, the constant movement of the sand-sailers across the desert lulled him into a bit of a slumber. He couldn't do much more than twitch his tail. 

A while later, they stopped, and the abrupt lack of movement arose Zuko from his brief rest.

They were in front of a campsite made out of three large tents and people wearing... dried beetles? It looked like they wore dried beetles as hats. Three of them were already waiting for them when the vehicles stopped. Ghashiun was the first to jump down, to greet the first beetle-headed merchant. 

"As promised. See? We followed it outside the Misty Palms Oasis. It is in perfect condition". He waved at the merchants for them to step closer and inspect, to which Zuko replied with the most intense huffing. 

The three merchants ignored it in favour of looking at him more thoroughly. "How's its temper?"

In any other situation, Zuko would've laughed. 

"Wel, uh... Pretty good!", said Ghashiun. In response, Zuko once more struggled against his chains and growled as violently as possible. The three merchants jumped back, startled, and turned to stare at Ghashiun with unimpressed looks. "Heh. Most of the time".

Two of the merchants exchanged stares, and one of them raised his eyebrows. "I bet someone would pay a fortune for it in Ba Sing Se". The first merchant seemed satisfied with that. 

"Alright. You've got a deal". After this, they delivered Ghashiun a mid-sized coffin and, by the sandbender's smile, it was probably filled with coins. Carefully they moved the dragon's bindings from the sand sailers to two giant beetles that dragged him into a large sand sledge. 

"Sold into Ba Sing Se? "

While the merchants secured him into the sledge, a sharp, high-pitched whistle reached Zuko's ears. He recognized it! It was the whistle Aang used for Appa whenever they needed him!

"He's looking for me!"

Spirits renovated, Zuko struggled again, going from side to side and waving his tail as much as possible. From afar, he heard Gashiun's mocking laughter and the worried cries from the merchants.  

"He's your problem now! HAHAHA!"

"The asshole is right", Zuko scoffed, using his long tail to the few ropes tying him down. "I'll be the pain in your hsuanning ass!"

Somehow his struggle was enough to loosen the grip of a few chains keeping his wings closed, and the little extra edge was enough to raise sand clouds. Determined, the dragon puffed out hot smoke towards the beetles. Panicking, the animals squirmed and screeched, creating further chaos at the campsite.

"We need the shirshu spit darts!", yelled one of the merchants. 

"Got it!"

The picture of Jun's shirshu flashed through his eyes; the creature's spit was nothing but trouble. Doubling his efforts, he made the most out of his wing's little range of movement. With a forceful slam of his tail, he took off several meters into the air. Some of the ropes around him loosened up; the constant struggle was bearing fruits. He was unaware of several darts bouncing off his scales, none sharp or strong enough to pierce his armour. His ears, hidden by the fur, were not on range either and with his snout closed they could not aim for inside the mouth. 

Zuko had forgotten how much tinner the membrane of his wings was. 

He remembered when he felt the sting of a few darts lodging in one of them. 

A sudden numbness spread from his wings to the rest of his body. It became harder to keep moving and his muscles began to give. 

"No. Not here. I'm not falling here".

With a warlike growl, he kept advancing, pushing his muscles to their absolute limit. Sand rose in puffy clouds and he heard a single rope snap. He heated his scales, trying to burn through his restraints. He dug deep marks into the wood, having loosened up enough of his scratch. The voices around him grew frantic, but he paid them no mind. He could not stop, shirshu spit be damned. 

"Well then use more, you idiot- it's a damn dragon!!"

Another round of darts lodged into the membrane. The vague numbness became a full paralysis and his body plummeted into the sand, stiff as a rock.

"Hsuan"

With his right eye, he saw two blurry shapes talking to each other just in front of his nose. He growled, though it was nothing as menacing as before.

"We've gotta get rid of this one. He's too much trouble!"

"We can sell it for parts".

Behind them, a weird shape stood amongst the desert ground. 

"Is that... a mushroom?"

He could not think much else because the numbness reached his brain and the world disappeared under a swirl of golden grains. 

***

"I recognize the son's voice", Toph said low enough so only they could hear. "He's the one that stole Druk"

Katara turned to her. "Are you sure?"

"I never forget a voice".

The wind ruffled Aang's clothes. He stomped towards the younger sandbender and pointed at him with his staff. "You stole Druk! Where is he? What did you do to him?"

Behind, Appa grumbled uneasily. Their water supply was limited enough, so Katara could not afford to heal his broken ankles if she wanted to keep everyone from dying of dehydration. 

"They are lying!", Ghashiun snapped. "They are the thieves!"

With a yell of anger, Aang sent a violent wind gust that tore one of the vehicles into pieces. "Where is the dragon? Where is my friend?! You tell me where he is now!". the young monk destroyed another one of their vehicles without hesitation. 

"What did you do?", the older sandbender chastised Ghashiun, anger evident through his voice. 

"I-It wasn't me!"

"You said to put a muzzle on him!", Toph angrily retorted, pointing at him.

"You muzzled Druk?!"

And Aang's eyes glowed white.

***

"Seriously? A circus? It's not even funny- I must be the spirit's laughing stock to end up here of all places." 

The cage he'd woken up inside of was barely big enough for him to turn around. It was made out of reinforced iron, the same one his shackles were made of. Strange, for a circus to have such quality material- the kind used for Imperial battleships. No one but a few selected blacksmiths had the knowledge to forge it, and the Fire Nation military took careful care of them and their products.

Particularly due to the material's resistance against freezing and boiling temperatures. It was sturdy enough to withstand the heat of Fire-vehicles engine rooms and the freezing waters of both poles- Zuko's own Wani, old and battered as it was, had survived the difficult weather because of the reinforced iron of their boiler room. The cuirass, however, had not been coated with it, hence the troubles they'd faced in freezing waters. 

Many of his early-day migraines had resulted from the stress of fixing the cracks and fissures around the old ship. He'd ended up placing a regular rotation to check for damage- Spirits, he'd even welded some of those cracks himself. 

Agni, he missed the ship. He'd hated it, surely, and more often than not he'd felt it too much of a prison, but he'd spent calling it "home" for three years. He hadn't realized how fond he'd become of it until it -quite literally- blew up with him inside. 

Like many things in his life. 

" -wild animal".

"Is he still yapping? Must love the sound of his voice. And what's with the facial hair?  I'd expect it from Sokka but he's Sokka- this guy looks stupid. Stupid clown. And a prick".  

"But it makes sense, you see. No one has civilized you properly before, and so you act as you feel like it. But don't worry...". The stupid-looking clown stretched a hand to touch his muzzle.

He huffed hot smoke from his nostril- a reinforced muzzle tightly shut his snout- and the prick stumbled away.

"Oh, I'm going to break you", he hissed, words full of poison. 

And despite his ridiculous attire and frankly embarrassing facial hair attempt, Zuko clearly heard his words' sincerity. 

***

The smell woke him up first.

He'd spent some unknown time later dozing off. From afar he smelt the stench of fresh, raw meat. Minutes later, he heard a heavy cart being dragged closer. The animals around him- all of them in cages made out of thick wood- grew a bit restless, but to Zuko's surprise calmly waited for their turn.

From atop the cabbages filling the cart was a brown bag and he knew for certain what was inside it. 

He kept staring at the circus asshole while he fed a lion vulture. He thought, a bit annoyed, about the shackles around his limbs. He couldn't even try to chew at them with the muzzle on and vaguely wondered if Appa's teeth would be able to make a dent in them.

"Hungry?", the man asked in an oh-so-arrogant voice. He gave the lion vulture a cabbage, grabbed the brown bag and stepped towards Zuko. "Don't worry, I'm going to feed you".

And Zuko would later deny drooling at the smell of raw meat. But above the hunger, there was the ever-present annoyance- a glance down at the muzzle was enough for even the circus guy to notice, and he seemed almost pleased by his actions. 

"Ah, yes. That. Well, you can't blame me for taking precautions, can you? I can't just simply let you set fire to this place- it would be most troublesome. So it will stay there until I know for certain you will behave all nice and proper. You seem to be smart. Watch and learn, and this will be much faster for both of us".

Zuko rolled his eyes but followed the man's movements. He unlocked the lion vulture's cage and the creature lept into the air.

"You need to earn it!", the man yelled, and with a wave of his hand, he created a whip of fire. He then brandished it towards the lion vulture, after which the creature flew in loops around golden rings hanging from the tent's ceiling.

"Yeah, no. I've fallen to many lows but circus attraction is not one of them. That is for Ty Lee, not me". 

"Of course, when you do it the hoops will be flaming, but I imagine it won't be an issue for something like yourself".

Zuko, aiming for the man's turned back, huffed a stream of hot smoke from his nostrils, strong enough to push him face to earth. He chuckled at the man's embarrassing squeak. He stood up, face morphed with a furious sneer. "You are about to be sorry".

With a wave of his whip, he created a wall of flames in front of Zuko's cage. Had this been years ago, fresh out of the Agni Kai, such a thing would've driven Zuko to his knees. But he had practised and practised again and again until he could handle fire thrown at his face better than most. So at the flames' sight and heat, he blinked, unimpressed, and looked up at the angry man. 

"It's obvious that whoever your previous owner had no idea of how to handle you properly", he growled, fists tightly clenched. "Until you learn some manners, no food for you. Stupid beast". And then proceeded to stamp his way out.

***

Several hours into the night, long after sunset, Zuko's stomach reverberated with intense hunger. 

He'd gone through worse during his lone days across the Earth Kingdom and had gotten used to tightly restricted rations during the long days at sea, so he wasn't a stranger to the feeling. But hunger wasn't comfortable to get to know. Lazily, for there was little he could do while locked in such a tiny cage, he scratched at the muzzle with a stretched claw, the only thing he could do to pass the time. He was hardly capable of reaching- his limbs being a bit too short and the shackles a bit tight-but it gave him something to do. 

By the corner of his right eye, he saw, out of nowhere, the round face of a chubby-cheeked boy, dressed in the red clothing of a Fire Nation citizen.

Zuko's heart squeezed in longing. How long had it been since he'd been able to take a stroll amongst his people? How long more would he have to wait?

The child, wide-eyed and curious, stared back at Zuko. The dragon huffed a puff of smoke and settled back into the floor of his cage, particularly reluctant to harm or scare the child away.

"It's true...", the boy whispered. "You are a dragon. Everyone thought it was a lie, but it's true...".

Zuko nodded, closing both eyes, which seemed to amuse the boy. Behind him, a large, fat man poked him on the head. "I'm gonna go get a bag of sizzled-crisps. Stay here and stay away from that monster! Behave yourself or you'll regret it".

The dragon huffed and turned his nose, offended.

You know it hurts. He's of your nation and yet he sees you as a monster. Isn't that what you really are, then? Who are you if not what others think?

The boy carefully stepped closer, Zuko warily following his every move. "You look a bit scary," he said. "But you're no monster, are you?". Once close enough, the boy climbed the chart below the cage reached out a hand to scratch his mane and oh, how good that felt. 

A bit too tired to hold back his reactions, the dragon melted against the tiny hand, nudging at it to keep it going. The kid giggled and decided to use both hands, grinning widely when the dragon's throat began to purr. "You are no monster at all!"

Suddenly, something seemed to startle the kid, and quickly enough he scurried off the tent, leaving Zuko a bit disgruntled. Only a second later did he notice the cause behind the kid's impromptu leaving, and he had to hold back another eye-roll lest he wished for his eyes to stick towards the inside of his skull.

The circus asshole and another older man who seemed to have an even worse fashion sense stepped in front of his cage. 

"He's a difficult creature, stubborn and willful. Dangerous too- we haven't taken the muzzle off. I need more time with it, otherwise it's too risky".

"Too risky? What are you talking about? This is the circus, home of fear and danger! And it's a dragon, of all things- a dragon! They were supposed to be extinct and somehow we get our hands on the last of its kind- even if it's disfigured, how could we not exploit it while we have it? So I want that stupid fire lizard to perform tonight, you hear me? I will not be the laughingstock of the country for not taming the Nation's most feared creature! The nerve!".

The circus asshole turned back and exchanged glares with the dragon's golden eyes. 

"If you don't behave yourself...", he started. He ran forward and lit a large flame next to Zuko's scarred eye. The surprise made him flinch, but otherwise, he didn't show much of a reaction- he'd gotten rid of that weakness long ago. "...I'll find a way to make you regret it!".

Zuko's lack of reaction irked him further. "Oh, at least you'll only be here for a few more days. When Princess Azula gets here she'll take you to Caldera with her so we'll have one less thing to worry about". 

"What?"

By his right, he was vaguely aware of the boy's "see you later, buddy", too busy digesting the news. 

"Azula's on her way here? Oh, hsuan. I can't- she can't take me, I can't go with her".

But why not? Isn't that what you've always wanted? To go back home?

"Not like this. Not with her- not under her thumb".

Isn't that how it's always been? You don't remember it any other way, do you? It's always been either her or your father's rules you've played by.

"Not always. I've made my own choices- without them".

And where has that taken you? Look around you. You are treated as nothing more than a beast- shouldn't they be grovelling at your feet, begging for the honour of feeding you?

"No. That's not how I want to rule. If they grovel at me, how can I look them in the eye? I'm supposed to serve them, to walk among them, not above".

Pathetic. That's what led you to your banishment, isn't it? Your weakness? There's nothing wrong with using them. Kill them. Set this place on fire. Escape, far away, like the coward you are.

"I'm not a coward!"

Then prove it.

Zuko couldn't think of an answer, and so he remained in silence, his mind filled with cruel thoughts. 

***

"I give you... a dragon!"

The curtains fell and Zuko blinked a few times under the sudden lights. He heard the ooohs and aaahs across the stage, the amazed sounds of his people at the sight of a creature long thought extinct.

"I'm no circus pet", he huffed, and sprawled over the ground, puffing tiny smoke rings from his nostrils. The weight of his circus costume bothered him a little bit, mostly the bells and ropes they had clung from his horns and mane. The muzzle had remained there, for no one wanted to risk the dragon's dangerous fire.

With a tight smile, the circus ashole raised his arms with a single "UP!", to which Zuko responded with a whip from his tail -the idiots had taken off the heavy bola keeping it down- the man's but first into the ground. 

The people around the stage laughed, but since it was the man, Zuko didn't mind. 

Furious, the man stood up and created a fire whip, eyes wide and full of rage. "Up, you insolent lizard!". The whip cracked in the air, hitting very close to Zuko's burnt eye. Unable to hold a flinch, he jerked back and growled at the man, waving his tail from side to side. 

"RUN AWAY, GET AWAY FROM HIM!", the boy from before yelled at him. Before Zuko could react, the circus man brandished the fire and whipped the dragon near the eye a few more times, enough to get him up in the air with a few beats of his large, wide wings. 

The crowd oohed when the wind raised by them ruffled their clothes and threw off their hats, but Zuko wasn't paying them attention. 

"I need this muzzle off". He used the circus obstacles to make time, thoughts buzzing in his mind as he tried to remember where could the keys be. "Circus asshole may have it. I just need to search him- ugh, stupid claws! How can I dig through someone's pockets with them! In any case, I need the guy".

With a swift turn of his wings, the dragon dived down in front of the man and loomed over him, satisfied by the flicker of fear in his eyes. Giving him no time to react, the dragon spread his wings as wide as he could, shaking them to get his attention. Then, with a quick flicker of his tail, he sent the man flying into a pile of hay on the other side of the tent.

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause- right across Zuko, the boy grabbed his belly while wiping a tear from his face. For a moment, Aang's childish grin replaced the boy, their laughter so similar it tugged at the dragon's heart. 

"I can't risk staying here. I'll take the muzzle off later- I need to leave". 

And so, he made his choice.

"Go", the boy suddenly said. "You can do it!".

With a grateful nod, Zuko rose into the air towards the top of the tent only to be stopped by a flame against his scar- it was getting annoying quickly. 

"GET BACK HERE, YOU STUPID BEAST!", the circus man yowled, brandishing another one of his fire whips.

"Oh, you want me back there?", Zuko scoffed as he dived down and grabbed the man by the clothes of his back before rising again into the air. 

He ignored the man's squeals and pleas, ignored the fire from his hands- "Your pathetic fire cannot kill me", he thought-  and dropped him into one of the golden rings. He felt satisfying vindication at seeing the cruel man hanging for dear life to the same obstacles he had wanted Zuko to overcome. 

Unwilling to stay for a second longer, the dragon gave a strong shake with his large wings and rose into the sky, the clothing and some accessories falling off him as he flew away.

The wind against his body, the width of the sky and the fresh air of the desert were enough relief to briefly forget the shackles of his limbs or the muzzle in his snout. Even the whisper of his mind remained quiet. For a while, at least, he flew in peace, gliding through the sky like an obsidian arrow, unburdened of any weight and pushing his body to its limit.

By sunrise, the strands of light taking over the golden sand to mark the beginning of a new day, he somehow found the exact spot in which the Library's tower had been- he remembered it well. With a careful turn, he landed in the middle of it, lifting clouds of dust with the movement of his wings as he made it into solid-sort of- ground.

He clawed at the sand, looking for clues in the search for his friends, but he found none.

Exhausted, thirsty and hungry, unable to even roar to show his displeasure, the dragon curled into a ball for a nap and fell into a restless sleep full of dark shadows and twisted whispers. 

***

By the time the sun rose at its highest, Zuko had already been flying for hours without rest- not like his body felt like needing one. The rays of light barely reflected on his jet-black scales, and the golden of his horns wasn't bright enough to shine either.

"Food. Water. I need them".

A sudden whiff took his attention. It seemed something a bit sweet, along with the musk of other animals.

"Food!", he thought excitedly as he changed courses towards the source of the smell.

Soon enough he saw from afar a large rock formation filled with holes drilled deep into it. From each of the holes the smell came out strong and without thinking it much, the dragon dived into the largest he could find, relishing the brief shadow and depth long enough for his long, scaly body. The muzzle didn't let him even lick properly, so he had to stick his face really close to the walls to even have a taste, and the sticky honey got all over the fur of his mane.

He didn't care, though. His stomach grew emptier and something was better than nothing. 

Until a violent buzzing got his attention, and then the sudden movement of several creatures forced him out of the hole. 

Their beaks didn't hurt, but their numbers were high enough to drive him into the air for a safer position. Once he calmed down enough, after the surprise had died down, he saw the buzzard wasps and only one thought filled his tired mind.

Food

So charging back, he slammed against some of them with the weight of his body and rejoiced at seeing them plummet into the ground. 

A particularly large buzzard wasp flew by in an attempt to escape, but Zuko quickly got a hold of him and dug his sharp claws into the creature's soft body, the chains tingling with his every movement. He ignored its wiggling, ignored its pathetic, pained cries, and swiftly tore him open. With strange viciousness, he used both front claws to rip it apart and followed the body into the ground -no wasp had stayed after the fate of the poor creature- to dig his snout into the animal's entrails. 

The muzzle didn't let him open his mouth enough to devour it. 

Enraged, the dragon clawed at his snout, ignoring the sting of his talons against the softest of his scales, in a desperate attempt to take off the muzzle. He slammed his tail into the ground and pushed and pushed, and succeeded only in displacing it an inch and nothing more, for it was well-placed and too tight.

Dismayed, he spent the next few hours licking what little he could from the animal's insides, getting blood all over his already sticky mane. He even managed to slip tiny, slippery slices of meat in between his teeth, but those were few and far between. 

The closeness of a meal was almost worse than the absence of it. In a fit of frustration, the dragon threw the main carcass far away from him and slumped into the sand on his left side. 

"Water..."

He took a glance at the carcass and, to his dismay, he saw it covered by layers of sand. He could barely eat, and having grains of sand in his mouth didn't seem particularly pleasant. 

An itch under his scales made him stand and look away.

"Water. Need Water".

So once more he took off, ignoring the blood and sticky honey and dirty bells hanging from his mane and the shackles binding his legs together.

This time, he flew until late into the sunset without stopping, eventually leaving the desert behind. Exhaustion was still some time away, but the lack of food and water had begun to take its toll on him, so as soon as he saw a barn and the well of water inside it was easy to know what to do next.

The landing was a bit ruff -maybe his body was more tired than he had first thought- and he stayed on the ground for a few seconds, recovering his breath from the continuous demands he had forced upon himself. Eventually, feeling a few of his joints creak under the strain, he got back on his feet and headed for the barn. He had to lower his head for his horns to pass through. Inside there was nothing he could use to take off the muzzle or chains, but there was a pit of the water he desperately craved.

He sank his snout to the bottom of the pit and, opening his mouth as wide as possible, slowly but surely, he swallowed mouthful after mouthful until it was half empty.

Feeling much refreshed and with a stomach fuller than before, he slithered the rest of his body inside. He moved the hay to serve as a pillow and finally allowed his body to rest, sunk gracelessly into the floor with his left side against the ground. He stretched his right wing to cover his body and, after a few minutes, sleep took him over.

The wood cracked amid the night. Insects chirped from away. Everyone was already asleep. There was a small river nearby, and even from afar, they could hear the waters softly running their course. Zuko's large body, warmer than the embers themselves, was curled around Aang. It had been a long day, little after figuring out his identity. 

The cold night has brought them all huddling closer around the fire. The others were all sleeping next to Appa, but Momo and Aang had picked sleeping with the dragon instead. 

Quietly Aang took out some leftover dried meat from Sokka's bag and gave Zuko one every few minutes while Momo groomed the dragon's mane. "Don't worry", Aang said. "Sokka won't mind. And you can always catch more, can't you?"

Amused, Zuko huffed a smoke cloud as he grabbed another piece of meat. His tail wrapped around them, closing Aang from the wind's direct flow. "Thanks. Friends look after each other, right?"

"...after each other...!", Aang mumbled to the air, nuzzling closer against someone who wasn't around.

Noticing the monk's movements, Appa, still healing from the sandbender's attack, moved to support Aang. They crossed through the Serpent's Pass because he could not carry everyone for so long and they would not abandon the refugee family. Besides, Sokka and Suki seemed happy to meet again. 

Appa grumbled, worried. He did not like not having the dragon's warm presence around. And feeling his usually cheerful friend so distraught was unsettling as well. 

***

"IT'S SOME KIND OF GATOR!"

The sudden yell rose Zuko from his slumber and he quickly got on his feet, alert and ready to take on any threat. He looked down and saw a middle-aged man holding a pitchfork against him.

He's threatening you. 

Hackles raised, he extended his wings as much as he could within the tent's space and growled down at the man. He bared his sharp, deadly fangs and clawed at the ground, leaving deep marks on the floor. 

The man squealed and fell on his butt, pitchfork forgotten. Behind him, a woman carrying a torch squeaked in surprise.

"That ain't no gator, you numbskull- that's a dragon! Haven't you heard how much they are offering for it? We could be rich!"

"R-Rich?! Oh! W-well, uh, c-calm down, dragon, we are n-not going to hurt you... Just come with us...", said the man, rising both palms in sign of peace.

Are you going to let them take you?

"No!"

Shaking his neck and head, Zuko lowered his horns and gave them a warning huff. Both of them caught on quick enough and dove aside as Zuko charged against the door, running as fast as his shackles allowed him before taking into the sky once more. 

"Don't stop. Can't stop. Fly away, find a safe shelter".

The dark solitude of the night sky was a welcome companion.

***

"You saw what I did out there", Aang said. "I was so angry about losing Druk that I couldn't control myself. I hated feeling like that". 

Looking down, Aang thought back on Zuko's fury. Is that how he'd felt all the time? Carrying all that anger and rage and... despair? Spirits...

"But now you're not letting yourself feel anything. I know sometimes it hurts more to hope and it hurts more to care, but you have to promise me you won't stop caring". She reached her arms to him. "C'mon. You need a hug".

Aang couldn't meet her eyes as he bowed. "Thank you for your concern, Katara. "

And after that, he walked away. 

***

"From what I've heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se. I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant wall". 

"It is a magnificent sight"

"So you've been there before?"

"Once". A brief shadow of grief passed through Mushi's eyes. "When I was a... different man".

Jet nodded, briefly patting Mushi's shoulder. "You know I've done some things I'm not proud of. I think that's why I want to go to Ba Sing Se". Mushi met his eyes, smiling warmly at the young man. Jet's shoulder seemed to relax. "For a new beginning. A second chance". 

The old man placed a large, warm hand on Jet's shoulder.  "That's very noble of you", he said. "I believe people can change their lives if they want to".

"For real?"

"Yes". He squeezed a little, not unkind. "I believe in second chances". 

Jet smiled back and looked away, brown eyes staring into the dark water. "I... I think I want to find more outcasts. Like Bee and Longshot and... and I. Us outcasts have to stick together, ya know? Watch each other back. Because no one else will".

"Being on your own is not always the best path", Mushi agreed, letting go of Jet's shoulder. "It is remarkable for a young man who's gone through so much to realize and understand such things". 

Jet's grin was warm and a little shy. "Thanks... Mushi". 

A while later, the three kids sound asleep, Iroh stood near the boat's edge. He stroked his matted beard, staring at the distance and thinking about his long-missing nephew. He did not worry (too much) because his last news had said he was with the Avatar, but Zuko tended to find himself in trouble more often than not and Iroh could not help the concern. 

Almost as if summoned by his thoughts, a large, serpent-like creature flew above them, ripping a surprised yelp from the old man. 

"Mushi...?", Jet called from his sleeping place. "What are you staring at? Something out there?"

"Uhm. No, not. It's nothing. Go back to sleep, I'll stay on watch".

As Jet's head fell back onto the sleeping bag he used as a pillow, Iroh allowed a large grin to take over his face. 

Zuko...! Oh, I'm so glad to see you, even if it's from afar. It seems like coming to Ba Sing Se was the right call. That must mean the Avatar will most likely be in the city, right? My, my, how interesting... Well. I'm glad that at least you are safe, my nephew. So, so glad. 

***

He flew until he was certain his lungs told him he needed to stop. Amid the forest he'd reached he saw a strange tunnel, one that seemed enough to find shelter for a little while.

"Mine", he thought.

He collapsed into the ground, stumbling a few times and leaving marks on the earth. Once he stopped moving he let out a breath of relief at being able to rest his worn body. The soft grass was kind of his scales, and though he could not eat it he rubbed his snout against it a few times. He kept rubbing against the grass, getting a full back rub until he was satisfied and ready to nap.

But of course, at that moment, a distant squealing got him back on all fours. His ears twitched and he turned around just in time to see a roaring boar-q-pine sprinting towards him.

He barely had time to blink before the beast rammed into his side, ripping the air out of his lungs and sending him rolling down the hill, both of them locked in a ball of quills and scales. The chains tingled and dirt was sent flying- Zuko could not bite the other creature, but he could use his claws to keep it from doing further damage. Still, some of the animal's quills lodged in between his scales, itching and prickling.

Soon enough both of them reached the bottom.

The dragon stood up, angry and hurt. The boar-q-pine squealed and Zuko growled back with equal rage. The dragon's fur bristled and his tail shook in its place. The other creature was far smaller, but it compensated with aggressiveness. They circled each other, measuring one another until the boar-q-pine attacked first, ramming into his side and slamming him against a tree strong enough to bring it down.

His scales protected him from further damage, but it hurt. And the dragon was exhausted, starving and very, very angry. 

With a groan, he grabbed the trunk with his tail -stronger than it would seem at first- and threw it at the boar-q-pine, reeling in satisfaction at seeing the beast being taken down by it. 

The satisfaction lasted little. The animal jumped above the fallen tree and ran against Zuko. Furious, the dragon stood his ground and lowered his horns. He kicked at the ground, leaving the marks of his claws on the dirt. 

Once the boar-q-pine was in range, the dragon rammed him on the head and grabbed him with his front claws. Using the strength of his wings to propel him, he launched the creature as far as he could. 

The animal, seemingly sensing defeat, decided to take a ran for it. 

But the dragon was starving and would not let the meal escape. Stretching his wings, the dragon slid over the tallest branches, his night vision letting him keep the boar-q-pine in sight. 

With a final leap, he collided against the boar-q-pine's side. Finally having a clear view of the creature's softer belly, the dragon lost no time to dig his sharp talons into the animal's flesh. Despite its squeals, he kept going at it, attacking the stomach, the chest, the throat. 

Eventually, it stopped moving and finally, the dragon stopped attacking. 

Straining to ignore the exhaustion and pain in his body, he wrapped his tail around the dead animal's throat and began his way back to the tunnel he'd seen earlier. 

His injuries made it far harder for him to reach the shelter. By the time he got there, he wasn't in the mood to quarter the beast or clean himself -not like he could, anyway- so he merely left it outside and dragged himself inside the tunnel, collapsing over the cool stone.

Food. Water. Shelter.

With these three ideas first in his mind, the dragon could finally close his eyes.

***

"I'll try to forget I ever saw that", Jet replied dryly, taking his ticket and avoiding Mushi and the woman's eyes. "I'm with him", Smellerbee added, Longshot nodding by her side. 

"I'm thinking we could find a few more Freedom Fighters inside the city", said Jet a while later, keeping his pace to Mushi's. "There must be people inside who feel like us"

"You know nothing about them, Jet", Smellerbee replied, pursing her lips. "Besides, I thought we were going straight now". 

Mushi, though staring ahead, nodded. "She's right, Jet", said he. "You do not want to cause trouble in Ba Sing Se. It would not end well".

"I wouldn't be causing trouble. I just think the Freedom Fighter could use some new people. What do you think, Longshot?", and he stared at the archer. 

Longshot stared back, expression unwavering. 

"I can respect that". 

Mushi hid a laugh with a cough, but Jet noticed and grinned, pleased with himself. Smellerbee shook her head, but she was not upset. They found places to sit down while waiting for their ride. 

"So...", Smellerbee started, looking at Mushi. "Any plans for inside the city?"

"GET YOUR HOT TEA HERE! FINEST TEA IN BA SING SE!"

"Oh!", excited, Mushi raised a hand and waved it at the seller. Smellerbee couldn't help a small chuckle at the old man's enthusiasm. "Jazmine, please!"

Jet snorted, amused. "I imagine it would be something tea-related", said he. 

"You know, that's not such a bad idea at all!", Mushi smiled. Then he sipped his tea, made a disgusted face and spat it into the ground. "Coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it. What a disgrace!"

"It can't be that bad", Jet wondered, stretching a hand to grab the cup from Mushi's hands. "No!", interrupted the old man, slapping Jet's hand. "I will not let anyone drink more of this disgraceful attempt at tea, on my good honour. You are right, Jet. Tea-making would not harm, and maybe I'll be able to eventually fulfil my lifelong dream".

"Selling warm tea?", Smellerbee teased, leaning back onto the wall with Longshot by her side. 

"Owning my own tea shop! I've always wanted to do that, but I never got the chance".

"I think if someone deserves one of those it's you, Mushi", Jet shrugged. 

"Ah, maybe you are right again. It won't be immediately and I still have business to attend to, but it might happen. In any case, you three are welcome to stay with me as long as you need. If you wish to, of course".

Jet would've liked to say he was surprised, but he was not. At least, not as he would've been a while ago. 

"Are you sure? It would be far easier to be on your own". 

"Well, of course. I would not offer if I was not willing to see it happen. And I've taken quite the like on you three, so it would be a pleasure".

The three of them exchanged a look. 

"We... We'll have to think about it", the girl said. "But I'm sure we can give you an answer soon enough".

"That works just fine for me. Oh, look. There's our ride".

***

"I thought I was trying to be strong, but really I was just running away from my feelings. Seeing this family together, so full of happiness and love, it has reminded me of what I want for Druk. And what I feel for you".

Katara's eyes welled up in tears. It felt great to hug her. It was like a weight lifting off Aang's shoulders. 

Appa bellowed as he and the other stepped closer. 

"I promise I'll find Druk as fast as I can. I just really need to do this".

"And we'll help you", Sokka said from atop Appa. "I bet you five copper I spot him first". 

"I'm betting on Twinkletoes", Toph replied, punching Aang in the arm. "So say hi to that overgrown lizard for me". 

Katara placed a hand on Aang's shoulder. "We'll find him, Aang. Don't worry about that".

"I know. Thank you, guys". The airbender took off his glider and stretched its wings, looking hopeful at the sky. "You ready, Momo?"

The lemur chittered in reply before Aang launched himself into the sky, quickly becoming smaller to the view. 

"Well, now. I guess it's our turn. C'mon, Suki. We can't lose those five copper": 

"Sokka... It's really been great to see you again". 

"Woah, hold on. Why does it sound like you're saying goodbye?"

Suki smiled, loving and a little pained. "I came along because I wanted to make sure you got through the Serpent's Pass safely, but now I need to get back to the other Kyoshi Warriors": 

***

Unfortunately, the stench of a dead body did not pass undetected. The next time Zuko opened his eyes, he saw three hog monkeys curiously climbing over his boar-q-pine's body. Feeling a surge of strange anger within, he let out a sudden, violent growl along with a slam of his tail, enough of a threat for the tiny animals to run away.

Yet, the dragon knew he could not let the body outside, for it could attract larger, more dangerous predators. So despite his body still being away from recovery, he dragged it inside to try and get meat chunks in between his teeth like he had done with the buzzard wasp in the desert. 

He had around the same degree of success, the bells of his mane tingling at his every move. The blood of the boar-q-pine tasted a bit different than the buzzard wasp, and yet it only served to get the dragon hungrier. It got stuck all over his filthy fur. His mouth was dry and his stomach almost empty -having the food but no means to properly eat it was nothing short of torture. 

Eventually, he stopped, annoyed by his lack of progress, and focused instead on getting out the quills between his scales. Some of them he could not reach -the chains, though they allowed some movement, made it impossible- but he got rid of most of them. 

Once done, he thought about finding a water source but realized quickly that he could not leave his prey alone unless he wanted to come back and find it gone. 

Annoyed, he decided to guard his shelter and food by sitting at the entrance of the tunnel. Lazily he grabbed some of the animal's quills, trying to get it in between the muzzle and his snout, to no avail. The restraint was tightly tied on the back of his skull, and he could not reach it nor dislodge it. 

He spent the next two days in that same spot, only getting up to relieve himself. From time to time he tried to eat some more, though his success remained low. By the third day, when it started to rain, the boar-q-pine's body had already started to rot. 

Water

The dragon, when it started raining, spent an hour or two looking for wide, flat rocks. After that, he dug a decent-sized hole, before using the rocks to make a sort of basin, so the dirt didn't absorb the water. 

While he waited for the basin to fill, he took the time to drag the boar-q-pine's carcass outside and away from his tunnel, knowing the water would wash away the stench from attracting others to his shelter. 

When he returned, he didn't bother to hide in the tunnel. He didn't dislike the feeling of water over his body, it made him feel cleaner. He liked it, for some reason, so he stayed outside while it lasted, closing his eyes and enjoying the constant dripping of the water drops all over his body.

Eventually, like all good things, it stopped. 

The dragon then remembered how badly the ostrich horses would smell after rain, and so he closed his eyes and focused on heating his scales. He heard the sizzling of the water evaporating and purred as his body heated nice and warm.

He was far from recovered, but it was pleasant nonetheless. Once he was dry, he drank as much as he could from the basin (not enough to fill him or quench his thirst, but better than anything).

He used both of his wings as blankets and laid down on his left side. For a moment he tried to forget the hunger, the thirst, the solitude and the pain of his body to no avail. He could not sleep with how empty his stomach was. It roared and roared like a Komodo rhino, but there was nothing to do about it. 

He closed his eyes, not sleeping but resting, until he sniffed the scent of a familiar yet unknown creature getting closer and closer. Several, his nose said. His ears twitched as one of the creatures walked closer, and he raised his neck to threaten it as soon as it dared to show up.

He heard a gasp, saw a gloved hand and finally saw the creature's painted face- a human. 

Kyoshi? Ugh. 

"Dragon? Oh, no..."

Not good. Threat. 

Rising back on all fours, the dragon lowered his head so his horns aimed at her, and his whip-like tail once more waved from side to side, almost daring the human -her, he vaguely remembered, it was a her- to get closer. His chains clanked and his bells tingled, but not having his fangs or fire would not be enough to render him useless. She was not as dangerous as the boar-q-pine, and he had killed one already. 

She stopped closer, foolish one, and so he huffed a smoke ring and kicked the ground.

Don't. 

She seemed to get a clue because she took a step back and kneeled. 

Good.

"It's Druk, isn't it?". Druk?. "It's going to be okay, don't worry. I have to leave but I'm going to be back soon with help. And I'll get that muzzle out of you, alright? You're going to be fine".

"Druk?"

Nothing

"She called me Druk"

Nothing

"I'm... Druk? I'm Druk"

He cautiously sniffed at the place she had kneeled.

"Island. Kyoshi island. A Kyoshi warrior. Sokka?"

He hid back inside his shelter, still and ready to jump at the slightest threat. He closed his eyes and wrapped his tail around himself.

"I'm alone"

You were left behind. You are always left behind. 

Minutes passed by until he sniffed her scent and that of other female humans. Women. 

"-most important mission yet", he heard.

He saw the Kyoshi Warrior's face and was almost fine with that until many other warriors dressed in the same attire and with the same face paint showed up with her. 

Too many. Dangerous. 

He snarled and shook his head, standing and huffing smoke. He raised dust and his fur bristled.

"Give him some space!", Sokka's Kyoshi Warrior said, and the other woman stepped back to the edge of the hill. 

"Druk, right?", Sokka's Kyoshi Warrior called, slowly getting closer. "You don't know me, but I'm a friend. My name is Suki. I want to help you. You're hurt. We want to help you feel better".

Zuko stepped back. Her voice wasn't condescending or aggressive or patronizing, but he couldn't take risks. He huffed and shook his horns.

She stopped in her tracks. 

"I know you don't trust me, but we can help you. Aang is dead worried about you- everyone is. We can help you rejoin them- they've been looking everywhere".

"Aang?"

They left you

"He's looking for me. She said he's looking for me. They care".

They do not. They-

"They care".

Sokka's Kyoshi Warrior -Suki- raised a hand and stretched it out towards him. Slowly, incredibly so, he lowered his head. Almost a minute later he rested the tip of his snout against her gloved hand and sniffed. 

"Sokka. Appa. My friends, they are looking for me"

A wave of relief washed through his body and he lowered to the ground, leaning into her hand. 

She doesn't know who you are. She doesn't know you burned her village.

"My friends do. And they are looking for me".

He breathed out, and a fog he hadn't realized was there began to clear out. 

"I'm Zuko", he told himself. Suki kneeled in front of him and petted his nose. Zuko sneezed but closed his eyes, relishing in human contact -something he hadn't realized was missing until Suki. She chuckled and kept petting him. 

Her hand rubbed him around the muzzle and his eyes snapped open. He let out a brief snarl and she raised her hands.

"I want to take that off, it's all. I'm not going to hurt you", she said. "It would be better for you if you let me".

"I need the muzzle off. She can help". 

He nodded and lowered his neck, giving her the back of his head so she could work with the closing part of the muzzle.

"How cruel", she mumbled to herself. "You must be starving. You probably haven't eaten in days, haven't you?". "Sort of". Slowly she moved her hands into a handbag she carried and took out what seemed like several weird-shaped lockpicks. "I'm going to need to climb onto your neck so I can get work better, alright? I promise I'm not trying to hurt you".

She's lying.

"She's a friend".

With a nod, Zuko stuck his head to the ground and used his front claws to help her climb. He did his best to hold his snarls and his flinches at having someone so close to his neck. He heard her cursing and pulling at the fur on the back of his neck, heard the clinking of metal against metal until, a few minutes later, he felt the lock loosening. 

"There! All done. You can take it off now".

Wasting no time he used his claws to snatch the cursed thing off his snout, finally capable of opening his jaws. He forgot she had climbed on his back and slid out his whole, standing on his hind legs, spreading his wings wide and roaring loud into the sky now that he could. He took a deep breath and breathed out his beloved fire, joyful and excited with child-like wonder. 

He heard her yelping and felt the pull at his fur, her grabbing as tight as possible, and remembered Suki was still over him. He allowed her to go down and nudged her in apologise, but she waved him off.

"It must've been hard to wear that. It's fine". 

He licked her face and she grinned, warm as the grass and kind as the summer. "Hey, there. I still need to get the shackles out, but I need the others if we want to make this quick. You also need a bit of a shower, buddy. You stink".

He pushed her a bit and then went to the hill to see the other warriors.

At the sight of him, they froze and remained dead still until Suki, after she reached Zuko's side, signalled them to come closer. "Don't worry, he won't hurt you. He knows we're friends".

They took barely a few minutes to get the shackles out.

Now, to clean him...

"No, Druk, don't- it's just shampoo! Druk!"

It took far longer than that, and a lot of struggle was spent particularly on his mane. It was filthy with blood, dirt, mud, murky water and sticky honey along with several other things. Matted as it was, it took the job of almost all of the Kyoshi Warriors to clean and brush it. It was particularly more annoying with the fur beneath his jaw, but by then he was already relaxed by all the grooming being done- it reminded him a little of the cleaning services back at Caldera and it had been too long since then. 

They cleaned and sharpened his claws, removed all remaining quills and rubbed his scales until they were once more immaculate.

"I never thought I would ever see one in the flesh", one of the Warriors said. "He's so magnificent".

"Gorgeous scales, aren't they? Such pure black..."

Zuko licked at them both, puffing his chest in pride. They laughed and kept coddling him, and, honestly? Zuko thought it wasn't wrong to enjoy a bit of pampering, at least for that one time. 

"Such a proud, handsome boy.  Oh, and the mane is so soft... Suki, can't we keep him? I want to sleep on this! Please?"

She smiled as she patted him on the side. "No, you know we can't. Aang and the others want to rejoin him, remember? It's our responsibility to make it happen".

Grateful he rubbed her head. He felt happy and his mind was clearer than it had been since he had been taken. How long ago?

"It doesn't matter. I'll see my friends soon". 

Of course, that's when he caught the whiff of three mongoose lizards from a blast of wind coming from his side. 

He stood again, startling the Kyoshi Warriors, and pushed them out of the way just in time to avoid a large tree from crushing them. A tree taken down by a burst of lightning. 

"Azula!"

Riding on a mongoose lizard herself, she was accompanied by Mai and Ty-Lee, surprising no one.

"Do you know how easy you made it, with all those sightings? It's truly astounding my brother couldn't capture you yet. But haven't heard of him since the Earth Kingdom, so he could be dead. Not like anyone would miss him"

(Zuko did not ignore how Mai's eyes narrowed and how she averted her eyes, or how Ty Lee's face fell like it did when she was feeling sad). 

Stepping in front of the Kyoshi Warriors, Zuko roared -Spirits, how good it felt- as loud as he could, unsettling the lizards and hopefully the riders' hearing. His wings spread and he shook his horns, baring his fangs in aggression. 

"You have to make it difficult, haven't you? I thought you were smarter", the princess said.

Running beneath Zuko's wings and taking their shields and fans out in formation, the Kyoshi Warriors formed a barrier between Azula and Zuko.

"What do you want with us?", demanded Suki. 

Azula scoffed, but Zuko could tell the seriousness of her eyes and the loose stance of her shoulders, ready to spring at any moment. 

"Who are you? The Avatar's fan girls?", Azula mocked.

"A pun? Seriously?"

Ty Lee snorted and she smiled wide and pleased. "Oh! I get it! Good one, Azula".

"If you're looking for the Avatar, you're out of luck", Suki said.

Zuko groaned in warning, but it went unnoticed. 

Mai sighed, as usual. "I knew this was a waste of time".

"No Avatar, huh? Well, that's alright. You have something of mine, and that works just as well!", Azula said as she jumped off her ride and shot blue fire at them, covered by the Kyoshi shielding together. 

In a blink, Mai and Ty Lee jumped off their lizards and turned to face the scattered Kyoshi Warriors.

"They'll lose", Zuko thought, taking note of every movement and how quickly the Fire girls were bringing down the Kyoshi Warriors. "They'll lose and Azula will kill them and it-"

It will be your fault.

"No!"

Suki could deflect some of Azula's flames, but one of them got sent into a three and sent it aflame. Zuko wasn't bothered by the fire. It was a part of him, and fear had been long defeated. The flames grew as they ate more wood, and yet Zuko didn't move an inch. 

"Not afraid of fire? Good. It would be unfitting of a creature like yourself to be so".

"Go, Duk! Fly away from here!", Suki ordered as she prepared to charge Azula.

"Oh, like hell". He pushed her down, strong but gentle, and covered the Kyoshi Warrior. He roared at the princess. She merely raised an eyebrow. He breathed in, his scales glowed and heated, and quickly he fired his own flames, strong and burning, at his sister.

To your own sister?

"Shut up!"

Azula reacted just in time to disperse the fire, and he could see the strain it had done on her by the lack of a smile on her face.

Didn't Mother told you to look after her?

"She's trying to kill me -I think that gives me some leverage!"

"Are you brave or are you stupid?", she hissed. She called at her flames and soon enough, blue fire was being shot from her towards Zuko. With Suki beneath his claws, he had to be careful not to step on her and to block his sister's flames. He roared back and fired back at her, using his wings to propel the flames larger and hotter in her general direction.

"No, Druk!", Suki called -at some point, she had moved from beneath him. As Azula got distracted by another Kyoshi Warrior, Suki grabbed a burning branch and branded it against him. "You need to rejoin Aang, alright? We'll be okay!"

"As if fire will keep me away!", he scoffed, flying past her and charging against Azula.

His scales were thick enough to protect him from heat, and his animal shape was far more resistant than his human body. Dodging him barely in time, Azula had to leap several times to escape the dragon's tail and flames. Noticing the firebender's opponent, Mai and Ty Lee joined her by the sides. 

"What do you need?", asked Mai, always the pragmatic. Zuko had to force himself not to stare at her too much -not to see how she had lost all baby fat, how her jawline had sharpened and her cheekbones thinned and raised, how her face had adopted almost a feline grace, all angles and elegant, sharp lines. On how good the black braids looked on her, on how strong the silverish yellow of her eyes had become. 

"The dragon is mine", Azula replied, cutting. "The duty is mine. Father wants it, I deliver. What do you say, dragon? Druk, wasn't it? Not such a bad name. So what do you say, Druk? I'll give you one last chance to surrender and come peacefully. Don't be stupid, and follow me. I won't hurt you if you do".

Azula always lies.

Zuko stomped on the ground, raised his neck in all of his glory and roared, loud and imposing, terrifying enough to send the mongoose lizards running away. 

"I hope you kept their whistle with you", Mai told Ty Lee. "I'm not running to chase them, I'd hate to get all sweaty".

"Don't worry, I have it in my purse!"

"Foolish!", Azula hissed, performing kata after kata in magnificent efficiency, deadly in every movement. "You're just like my worthless brother! None of you could ever follow instructions -and look where it got him! You don't know about him, but you'll end up just like him, I figure". Her face, for a moment, seemed to flourish with anger until it was quickly under control. "Father finally got free of his existence because he was too weak and foolish to do what he had to -if you don't obey me, you will meet his fate!" 

(Despite the situation, Zuko saw the pursing of Mai's lips and Ty Lee looking away, and knew then and there that both girls did not hate him).

Father has never wanted you. Azula hates you. She will kill you if you don't run. 

"She won't! I'm a dragon, she's just a human. I can't abandon Suki and the Warriors, they are my friends!"

And you would rather them die with you instead?

"I rather die protecting them!"

Even if it means never seeing your friends?

At that moment, Azula threw Suki's sword away and sent against the woman a flicker of blue flames that Suki barely dodged. 

For a moment he felt like a child again, struggling to escape his sister's burning fingers and cruel jabs. 

See? Your presence only puts them in danger. Everyone you get close to gets hurt. Run. Run away. Escape.

"No!"

Diving down, Zuko whipped at Azula with his tail and sent her flying away, ignoring the brief but sharp pain at harming the sister his Mother had told him to protect. She wouldn't have hesitated, he knew, and he had gotten used to their distance and hostility across the years.

Her face when she stood again was one of anger and determination -a dangerous combination. 

"You want to play, don't you? You want to protect these filthy peasants so badly? Let me get them out of the way, then!". With a sharp intake of breath, she called upon her lighting, bright and lethal, that marked deeper shadows on her young face.

"If she hits them, they'll die. I can't let them die!"

Just in time, Zuko pushed Suki out of the way, carrying her with him and letting the rock behind him explode. He used his wings to cover Suki from damage -the rock shards weren't enough to harm him.

If you stay here, you're putting them in danger. Run. 

Azula would not give up. Sparks of electricity kept sparkling on her fingers but her eyes, rejoicing, looked at the other warriors -the ones not covered by Zuko, the ones groaning in the ground. 

Zuko roared but didn't dare fire at her while she handled lighting -a part of him inside did not want to see his sister's inside being burnt by lightning, did not want to see her perish with charred skin or suffer from infection or choke on her own blood. 

Instead, he turned his back and galloped away -one-two, one-two- before spreading his wide, membranous wings and once again taking to the sky. The fur of his mane bristled and he barely dodged Azula's lightning, taking a sharp turn mid-air. 

He didn't look back.

Coward

***

Coward. 

Zuko flew. He crossed the forest, left behind bushy trees, flew above rivers and valleys, amidst birds and clouds, under the daylight, under the night sky. He flew over lakes, over plains, from sunrise to sundown. 

He kept pushing. He kept moving on. His wings took him gliding across the air, cutting through like a hot knife on butter, keeping him up with a few beats. His tail was his helm, it marked his direction. His lungs, large and strong, fueled his body, his muscles, his movement. The currents broke against his horns, the sun heated his scales.

"I need to find him. I must find him"

Nothing else mattered

He ignored the thirst and the fear. When he got hungry, he dived and caught some nearby gull pelicans and devoured them whole, then rose and kept pushing. He ignored how tasty the blood was, how his body craved more meat, how the fog of his mind dulled his thoughts and covered his heart, how it grew stronger by the minute.

He kept running away.

Coward.

He flew above the ocean, above the waves he knew better than he knew himself, the beautiful pure blue and the salty water; ignored it all, and kept pushing. He ignored the wooden ships of bue sails being carried by the very wind he used, and eventually left it behind.

"I have to find him".

Nothing else mattered.

Rain fell over him, wetting his fur, straining his wings. His joints creaked, his muscles tore, but he kept going. High in the clouds, cool against his face, he glided until the ground rose, the rock grew and the valleys turned into mountains. 

Coward

"I have to"

He could do nothing about the voice and the Whisper. He soared across the mountains until he spotted strangely familiar buildings, ones he remembered from perhaps another lifetime away. 

Coward.

"Him..."

His wings, large and so reliable, could carry him no longer. They would've given out. So he spotted a yard big enough to land and dove into it without care or grace. His stomach bagged him for nourishment and his mouth for water, but he had only one remaining thought and that was to find him. 

His claws, trembling and worn, could not bear his weight and he collapsed on the ground with all the roughness of his falling weight. He didn't notice the cracks under his body -instead, by the corner of his eye, he saw a robbed shape. 

Maybe not the same colour, but it had to be -it had to be him.

With a desperate groan, the dragon pushed the man down and licked him in the face -he could not feel embarrassed, he was so relieved, so happy, so-

"Hello. I am Guru Pathik"

"Not him".

The dragon forced his body to step away until the farthest corner of the yard, too exhausted to do much else. The human sat up, but the dragon growled at him. 

"I know I'm not the person you expected. And I didn't expect to be licked by a giant tongue just now -and the tongue of a dragon even less!". The old man sighed. "The world is full of surprises".

The dragon growled at him, unwilling to take any chances.

Sensing the dragon's aggressiveness, the man laid down again.

By sunset, the dragon settled down.

The man rose his head, the dragon growled, and the man laid down again. At each of his movements the dragon growled and threatened, but truly was too tired to do much else, and eventually, by next sundown, he no longer had the energy or will to stay up any longer.

(He didn't hear the Guru's kind, empathetic words.

"Oh, dear. You've been through a lot since we last met. So hurt and betrayed, so twisted up inside. You're still capable of love, yes, but it has grown fearful and wary because of pain and cruelty. I cannot solve all of your problems-their root is far bigger than me. But with the Avatar, you can go back to what it was. I've been expecting him for quite a long time, you see. I had a vision many years ago of helping him. That's why I came to the Eastern Air Temple. Oh, your emotions are so turbulent. Like violent storm clouds. Let the clouds of your mind be gentle, peaceful ones. Let the chaos inside it be dormant once more".

He didn't hear the Guru's words, but felt them nonetheless).

By the time he woke up, the fog had disappeared and Zuko's mind was clear and sharp. 

"Where am I?"

His body protested at his movement and briefly Zuko cursed his own stubbornness, only to ignore it a moment later. He followed the trail of food -fruit, but food- until it led him to another yard a bit above his landing spot. 

The old man was there, surrounded by small animals and creatures that fled the moment Zuko showed up.

"Someone looks very well-rested, judging by your bedhead," Zuko whined and shook his head, flattening back the raised fur. "It's an honour meeting you, Prince Zuko. I believe we have met already. Do you still remember me?"

Zuko grumbled, confused and surprised. The Guru seemed to understand his surprise. "Of course I know who you are! You were quite interesting to meet, two years ago, though perhaps not the most polite. Not at the beginning, at least"

Then Zuko remembered. Two years ago, during his first year at sea, he had searched across all four Air Temples first. 

The Eastern Air Temple had been the third he'd visited, and his scar had already finished healing by the time they'd reached it. Not everyone in the Wani's crew had gotten with him -only Uncle and Lieutenant Jee- but he hadn't minded, for once. He'd wanted some for himself, at that time, and he didn't deal with people then.

So the three of them had reached the Temple, looking for air benders (or at least Zuko) and finding instead the old Guru. Pathik had, expectedly, treated them with hospitality, to which Zuko had responded, expectedly, with open hostility.

("If you're wondering about the bodies, they've already been given burial"

"...why would I care about such things?"

"I had a feeling that you did. If you are looking for a place to pay your respects, follow the stairs down to the next hill. I'm sure their souls won't bother if you light up a candle or too, despite everything"

"I don't need a freak of an old man to tell me what to do. I don't care about them"

"I don't believe I'm wrong, but alas, such things can happen. I just thought you would like to know".

Hours later, no one said a word about the tiny, warm candlelights illuminating a small, private yard.

Thank you, Zuko had said before leaving. Pathik had merely smiled, a lot like Uncle, and said nothing).

Shaking his head, Zuko turned around and walked away. 

He spent the day walking around the temple, too tired to fly but too anxious to stay still. He looked at the horizon and enjoyed the gentle wind ruffling his fur. He quenched his thirst with clean, pure mountain water and eased his hunger with the plenty of fruits he could find -for some reason, he didn't feel it right to hunt around those terrains.

He came back by the next sundown, and with a clearer head, he laid down next to the Guru. 

"I believe dragons had their ways of speaking. You are capable of it, aren't you?"

"Oh".

Softly, almost a bit fearful, Zuko placed his whisker on the Guru's forehead.

"We do. I had forgotten, though I'm not sure why"

"The curse you have upon you is nothing to laugh at. What happened exactly, if I may be too bold to ask?"

With a weary sigh, Zuko showed him the quick events that had led to his transformation, struggling a little to control his emotions. 

"Nasty, indeed", the Guru said gravely after seeing everything. "I believe many would've lost their battle by now, with how intense the turmoil inside you is. You are strong, Prince Zuko. For good or bad, you've always had a strong-headed will, and this time, it has served you well".

"Why do you treat me with kindness? I was a scumbag to you without need. Shouldn't you be angry at me?"

"Oh, dear, of course not. The turmoil inside you when we first met was different but equally if not stronger than the one you face now. I knew your words weren't honest, or at least not in their first intentions. I've learnt over the years to hear the true meaning of most words, and you were angry, yes, but you weren't cruel. You weren't evil, Zuko".

"How do you know that?"

"Evil would not feel compassion. Evil would not lament. Evil would not mourn fallen enemies, nor set candles aflame". 

"I thought I had been subtle"

Pathik chuckled. "I'm afraid not, my friend. And if you had been subtle, your Uncle told me about what you did on the other temples".

Shame. "It was the least I could do".

He sighed, and his voice was tinged with sadness. "The least you could've done was nothing".

"Even if they were the nation of my enemy, I couldn't leave it like that. It didn't feel right." Burnt skeletons. Human and bison. Charred bones, big and tiny, huddled up and alone. "Everybody needs a proper send-off".

Pathik smiled and patted him on the belly. "That, Zuko, is what makes you you".

Zuko spent the next few days resting and recovering, exchanging quiet conversations with Guru Pathik as well. 

(Onion and banana juice was nasty and the only chakras he felt opening were the ones of his bowels)

Zuko ate, hunted away from the surrounding terrain, slept and thought plenty. By sunset, mostly, the conversations arose. About big things and little things, war and grief, love and cruelty. Of Fire and Air, and Water and Earth.

Zuko hadn't noticed how relieving it was to be able to hold a conversation until he finished talking with Guru Pathik. He didn't realize how much clearer his head was by merely holding a conversation with another intelligent being, and it was made better by not having to hide his identity.

"You must be careful, Zuko", one day Guru Pathik warned. "The curse inside you festers on solitude and chaos. The longer you spend isolated from connection, the stronger it will grow. Your bonds will help you from being led astray".

By the end of the week, however, they both felt it was Zuko's time to part. They spent the last few hours in absolute silence, interrupted only by the sounds of nature around them. Curled around him, Zuko made sure to keep his scales warm and cosy, dozing into a pleasant rest. 

By midnight, however, the Guru stood and grabbed string and paper, and Zuko knew then that their time was up.

"I have prepared a message for Aang. May I attach it to your horn?". Carefully Zuko lowered a side of his head, keeping it still until Guru Pathik finished tying it up around his golden horn. "You and the Avatar's energy have grown mixed", and the man chuckled. "Almost by your mere obstinacy, I can see. You two have an unbreakable bond, in more ways than you one. So by reading your energy, I can sense where Aang is".

Feeling a surge of fondness for the strange man, Zuko nudged him and licked his face. 

"Funny, what invisible strings connect us all", he sighed, almost whistful. They both fell quiet, and the man's hand rested in between the dragon's horns.

Suddenly, a bright, clear light lit up in Zuko's mind, an energizing current of almost gentle electricity lighting up a path that did not vanish when Zuko opened his eyes.

"I will see you again, my friend", said the Guru. 

Zuko nodded and as he galloped away, he briefly brushed the man with his whisker. 

"Thank you. I will never forget the kindness you've shown me. Until we meet again".

Yet again Zuko took to the sky, relishing in the feeling of air beneath his wings. He had rested well in the Eastern Air Temple and was more than ready to take on his path to rejoin Aang. He flew extensively but a bit slower than before, taking his time to hunt, drink and rest. 

The meeting with the Guru had given him some peace of mind, and for once in some time, he heard no Whispers nor a Voice. 

Despite his lessened rhythm, it didn't take him long to see the great walls of Ba Sing Se. 

The bright, silver moonlight lit up the entire city. From his place high above he saw the houses, the terrains, the little lights lit up after nightfall. They looked all the same, and he wondered if it was like that back in the Fire Nation. 

Feeling strangely hopeful, strangely optimistic, the dragon soared high enough to not be too noticeable and used his keen night vision to spot Appa or maybe catch the whiff of Aang or the others.

After finding Aang, I'm going after Uncle. The eastern side of the Outer Wall by midnight, right? I'm coming, Uncle. Just wait a little bit more

From amidst the Middle Ring Zuko heard the familiar noise of the bison whistle.

"Aang!"

Cheerfully he dived down, softly and quietly landing in a stone yard amid large, old houses. One of his claws burrowed in fresh mud, leaving a footprint underneath.

He grumbled, uneasy.

"Where is he? Why isn't he showing up?". Hurriedly he followed the noise, looking around to spot his friend. He turned right to the source, only to meet the stern face of a serious-looking man, with tan skin and clean, deep green robes. He held in his lips a whistle that was definitely not Aang's.

"It's a trap!"

Too late

The man waved his arms and both he and Zuko disappeared under the stone and into unforgiving darkness. 

Chapter Text

"Seriously? Flowers?"

"The place should look nice! What if you bring home a lady-friend? I wouldn't want it to look too gloomy".

"As if I'll have the time for that", Jet scoffed. "Money just doesn't make by itself, ya know? If Longshot and Bee are gonna go to school, I gotta find a way to pay for it. Everything else comes second".

"Life passes by wherever you are, whether you want it or not. Don't let it! Grasp for it, and enjoy the little fortunes by the day. I assure you, it will make your life much happier". 

"Happiness doesn't feed much, does it?", the young man replied, not unkindly. "Did you find us anything?"

"I have! Two new jobs at a teashop near our place. We start this afternoon"

***

"Well. You certainly look like official tea servers", said Pao, smiling gently. "How do you feel?"

"Green isn't my colour", Jet replied, scratching at a loose string. "It clashes with my outfit".

"Does this possibly come in a larger size?", asked Mushi, doing his best -and failing- at tying up his apron.

"I have extra string in the back", Pao answered, pouring some tea over the empty cups. "Have some tea while you wait".

As Pao left, Mushi took a sip of his cup and promptly spit it out, to Jet's surprise. 

"Eugh! This tea is nothing but hot-leaf juice!"

Jet raised an eyebrow, amused. "C'mon, Mushi. Isn't that what all tea is?"

"That is one horrible thing to say -I thought I had taught you better than that! We're going to have to make some major changes around here!"

***

"Would you three like a pot of tea?", asked Mushi from his spot at the kitchen.

"Yes, please! Longshot wants too, right?", said Smellerbee from her place at the table, books and some notebooks surrounding both of them. 

"How come you don't get sick of tea? We've been working in a teashop all day", Jet said, turning to stare at Mushi with an eyebrow raised. 

"Well, you don't see me getting tired of breathing now, do you? And have you seen our spark rocks to heat up the water? I can't seem to find them".

Jet stretched and lifted the books and utensils, searching for the green rocks. "Found 'em. Here you go"

"Thank you. Jasmine, lavender or oolong?"

"Lavender!" "Jasmine" "Oolong"

***

The place they'd managed to get their hands on was a small, old thing in one of the many apartment buildings around the Lower Ring. The floorboards creaked and there was a bit of mold in the ceiling and the walls were a bit too thin. The stench of dirt and worn wood never left, and it was never silent, even less so at night.

And yet... it got so boring. Smellerbee and Longshot arrived late from school most nights, and quite often Mushi would disappear for a few hours only to reappear when everyone was asleep. It always seemed like he arrived at just the right time and was quiet enough not to wake anyone up. He never quite questioned where he went, because Jet himself would go out to the streets just as often, to ease the itch under his skin or the restlessness of his hands.

That, however, was for later. During the early night, there was still work at the teashop, more than during the day, and that meant answering customers.

"Sir, for the last time, you ordered that".

"I did not! I most certainly asked for jasmine and green, not green and jasmine".

"Sir, it's the same thing"

"It is not -I know how it tastes different, don't you dare tell me otherwise! This tea was served green first and then jasmine, but I wanted it jasmine first and green second. How is that so hard to understand?!"

Jet sighed, clenched his jaw and kept a pleasant -or attempt at that- expression in his mouth. His eyebrow twitched.

"This is the best tea in the city!", one of Mushi's customers a green-dressed guard, old and happy and definitely polite man.

"The secret ingredient... is love", Mushi said unironically, and Jet watched him pass by while tuning out the man's shrill voice, wondering how on Earth Mushi always got the nice ones.

"Hey, I'm talking to you, young man! Are you always this rude to customers?" 

"No..." Just to pompous pricks who think they can taste the order of fuckin' tea leaves

"Ah, so that's why you won't admit what you've done with my tea! You have a problem with me!"

Now would be a really great time for someone to burst through the door and take a shot at us. Please, Universe. Please, send someone.

But alas, such things would not happen and only a minute later would Mushi need to step in, after seeing barely held-back violent thoughts in Jet's face 

***

The itch kept growing. Extending, prickling, crawling underneath the skin, begging him to go out and fight. 

It was there when we woke up. It was there when he walked through the market. It was there when he served tea. It was there when they spent time together in their shared living room, drinking tea and solving math problems. It was there when he went to sleep.

***

"Sir, for the last time, you ordered white dragon bush, not lichi. That's seven copper, not two".

"You have quite a nasty attitude, boy. Call a superior, I want to file a complaint"

Everything itched. From the crawling under the skin to the rubbing of his worn clothing to the tingling of his hair beneath the ears. It became a pool of tightness in his chest that flared and flared with every passing hour, every passing day.

"Sir, Mr. Pao has left to get his break, so I can't call him. Please, just pay the damn-"

"Then find someone else! I refuse to sit here and be called a liar and a thief. Go, get the manager, kid, I don't have all day!"

"Sir-"

***

Nights had never been particularly quiet back in Gaipan. 

Living amongst kids, one got used to an almost permanent background noise of giggling and wrestling and loud hushed arguments. And the forest had plenty of noise by itself. The rustling of leaves, the whistling of the wind, the creaking of the wood, the squeaking of tiny animals and birds passing nearby. 

So Jet was quite used to the noise. 

The Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se, for some reason, held the kind of noise that he could not ignore no matter what, and sleeping became almost impossible.

The wailing of a child from the apartment beneath their feet, the faraway laughter from the bar down the street, the screaming matches of the couple a few doors down, the fucking train-

It made the itching worse. It made it spread to his legs, to his feet, made him ache for his hook swords to go swinging at whoever bastard crossed his paths. It made him wanting to do something -to soothe the child's crying, to stop the fighting couple, to put a curfew on the spirit's forsaken train-

(Nevermind that his mind longed for the thrill of chasing down ashmaker scum. That whenever he thought of Gaipan and the old Freedom Fighters, the itch became too much to bear).

No war in Ba Sing Se my ass, he thought as he turned around to cover his ears with a thin, worn pillow. This shit ain't peace

***

Jet tried. He knew he had quite a bit of a temper, that sometimes his tongue was quicker than his thought, and that he could sometimes act like a self-righteous, pompous jerk. But he needed the money because Bee and Longshot had to go to school and he couldn't leech off Mushi, who'd already been far kinder than any reasonable human being would dare to be, and so Jet tried. 

Deep breaths. 

"Don't try to con me, you damn hag! This is barely a pound, you can't charge me- Auch! Hey, no, stop-"

***

"Mushi, for Oma's sake, no. You're a grown-ass man and you're not spending the rest of your payment in flowers"

"Beauty is key for the mind's ease. And we already have a nice, pretty vase waiting at home-"

"Which you shouldn't have bought".

"Don't act so sour. Besides, don't you want to get rid of that stench? These flowers-"

"Won't feed us, let's go".

***

The market nearest their place was always full, no matter the time. Unless, of course, it remained close. As it was in the middle of the district, a commercial district, crowds hovered in and out, and people sold items and foods of all kinds, though, during the worst of scarcity, very few got to open their stalls.

It was dirty, uncovered to the dust or the sun and politeness wasn't a priority to pretty much anyone. Despite that, Jet had taken a strange likeness to the place. Maybe because there he didn't have to hold back his anger or because the hook swords he carried made it easier to keep attackers at bay, but it always managed to lift his mood, if only for a little while. 

"-flower just like yourself, if I may be bold to say it", Mushi said, smiling charmingly (but not to Jet, ew-) at the old lady selling them rice. She smirked (Jet had to do his best not to vomit) and fluttered her eyelashes and the paleness of her skin revealed the red flush of her droopy cheeks. 

"Oh, very well, but only because it's you", she finally relented, taking their silver piece instead of the two for five pounds of rice. "Do remember to come by soon, darling. I close at 6 pm and there's a... fun block we could visit"

And now Jet had to look away and pretend he didn't hear Mushi's equally nasty reply.

"You always do that. Why do you always do that?"

Mushi humphed as he hung the rice on the bag of his back. "Miss Huei is a charming, lovely lady and she deserves to be treated as such. She showed me a picture of herself last time I came by, and she was quite the catch! Though, if I can err on the side of pride, I was a bit of a coveted bachelor myself. You should've seen me, Jet: Wide as a wall, sturdy as a rock, strong like a komo-"

"Blah, blah, I'm not listening, please shut up-"

"You could afford to learn a few things, you know?", Mushi added. Both men turned to the left, to the section meant for vegetables and spices. "Ladies require as much care and attention as the best cup of tea. Too little time and what do you get? Nothing but mildly flavoured water. Too much? It becomes bitter in the mouth. It's all about balance. If you give it a try, maybe you could go out on a date instead of wiping the back of Pao's shop".

Jet clicked his tongue but said nothing (especially because Mushi was right. To some degree).

"I'll make sure to write it down as soon as I get a parchment to write that on. We can hang it in our living room if you like", replied Jet, eyeing a cabbage from the nearest stall. The vendor, a small man of grey hair and light green clothes, fluttered from the back with a wide smile.

"The best cabbages you'll ever find!", he said. "Perfect for any recipe, fresh and delicious and only two copper the unit!"

"I-"

A loud noise and a few yells interrupted their conversation, and Jet's hands flew to the grip of his swords. Almost immediately, Mushi's wrinkled hands kept him from unhooking them.

Sneaking a look in between the curious heads, Jet saw a squad of five city guards ganging up on the stall of a middle-aged vendor. The stall had been thrown to the side and the vendor struggled to keep his goods off the floor. 

"I'm sorry, but it's hard and-"

"I don't care!", the city guard yelled, stomping on a lone pepper. "A price is a price and a promise is a promise! It's not my fault you're too lazy to work for what you owe me!"

"Please, sir-"

"Let's teach him a lesson he won't forget. What do you say, guys? We can force the laziness out of him"

Voices of agreement followed the statement and, despite the poor man's pleas and apologies, he got kicked to the side while the other four destroyed the remains of his business. 

Furious, Jet took a step forward only to be stopped by Mushi's iron grip. Jet's furious look did nothing to deter him; the man merely shook his head and pointed at two Dai Li standing to the side while the event unfolded. 

The guard who had kicked the vendor saw the Dai Li and threw them a coin pouch. They smiled, bowed, and left while the city guards continued to destroy someone's business. 

And Jet stood by and watched. 

(He wanted to peel the skin off himself, to ease the itch, to do something-)

***

Sensing Jet got too twitchy when they spent too long inside their apartment, Mushi would occasionally bring the three kids to a square a bit far from their residence, give them each a few extra coins and agree on a meeting place at a certain time. 

Jet had protested the first time, and Mushi had nodded and smiled and placed an extra coin on Jet's hands, and left him alone. 

(Jet was stubborn, but he'd learnt that he held no candle to Mushi's gentle determination).

It was another one of those free nights, and Jet had separated from everyone else, choosing instead to wander around town. It was very similar to his district near the tea shop, but he liked to spot the difference in a competition against himself. He never spent all the money, but he enjoyed sniffing the scents and meals from everywhere. 

Everything was too different from Gaipan -or anywhere he'd been before- but it held a certain... charm to it. Despite the obvious setbacks, it wasn't a total disaster. He didn't dislike most people he met, and he got along with most refugees. 

(Very few outside of them could understand the anger and drive he carried in his every word. They saw his eyes, full of resentment and flaring with life, and didn't frown upon it or judge but instead smiled, sometimes, and nodded and said keep it lit. It will keep you alive).

He'd gotten to meet a few even by name and would wave them hello if they crossed in the street or if they met near a stall. He would listen to stories told amongst whispers and glances, of villages scorched to the ground, of starving on the road, of lost people and burnt scars. He would meet their eyes and see exhaustion or mirrored anger and would pat them on the back and say I feel it too. 

So when he turned a corner and saw three Dai Li members harassing a thirty-year-old woman -Hua Ming, a widow and raising two boys, house lost to fire, had a burn scar on the back of her right calve, loved to drink lavender tea with her lunch- Jet froze.

Don't mess with the Dai Li, people said as soon as they entered Ba Sing Se, or they'll take you away and steal your soul

It was a bit of an open secret, like the war outside the Walls. They could hush about it, whisper about it, but only the bravest or most foolish dare to speak of it any louder. Mushi had accepted the warning since day one and was an expert at keeping his head down to stay out of trouble. The old man had somehow drilled the same behaviour in Longshot and Smellerbee, and both kids were sensible enough, so they brought no issue. 

Hua Ming, mother of two, of loud laughter, quick words and a sharp tongue. 

"And what would a woman like you be doing all on her own?", one of the agents questioned. There was no unwanted lust in his voice -Jet had heard enough of that while travelling before choosing Gaipan as his base- but the soft cruelty, the maliciousness of his tone was just as dangerous, if not more. "You must have heard of the new curfew we've talked about all week"

It was all bullshit. There was no curfew, only a notice about an increase in night patrols. She knew it, Jet knew it, the Dai Li knew it. 

"Ah", she said. "I must've missed it. I can't read, I'm afraid. My parents never taught me, poor as we were"

"Even Earth Kingdom villages with low income have public schools to teach the most basic reading. Why do you lie?"

"I'm not lying", she replied, steady as always. Her eyes wandered to a side and saw Jet, and he could almost feel her anxiety. He could almost hear her calling out for help. "My village was really poor. I moved here for a better opportunity".

"Where there no other places to settle in? Ba Sing Se is full enough as it is. Other cities thrive well enough outside. Unless... there was something else out there that you had to escape?"

Don't mess with the Dai Li, or they'll take you away and steal your soul.

"I- I don't know what you are-"

"What did I just say about not lying? Are you deaf as well as stupid?"

Deep breaths

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?", Jet barked, stomping in front of the three of them. He refrained from looking at Hua Ming, but he felt her relief nonetheless. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

The Dai Li stared down at him, and it took everything out of him to keep his swords in their place. "Who might you be, young man? Can't you see we're discussing politely with this woman?"

"That woman is my aunt", Jet replied, stepping closer to the Dai Li agent.  "I went to take a stroll but lost her on the way. I've been looking for her for a while", and the moved to a side to stare at Hua Ming. "Hey, Aunt Hua! Would you mind heading back with me? Uncle says is getting late and you know how grumpy he gets when he doesn't sleep early. My sister has already taken your kids back to bed, don't worry about them"

She was trembling when she took Jet's arm. "Oh, thank you much, my nephew", she said, genuine and a bit spooked. "We shouldn't take too long, let's not make your Uncle wait"

And they were about to leave when...

"Hold on", said the Dai Li. "Only one of you needs to warn the Uncle, right? The other can stay here"

"I-"

"Go", Jet interrupted, pushing Hua Ming away. "I'll meet you soon enough"

"Jet-"

"Go"

She looked like she wanted to push, but one look at the Dai Li was enough to convince her. "See you later, then", she said, more of a plead than a statement. 

The four of them said nothing, and the more the silence dragged on, the more the uneasiness grew. 

"Your aunt, huh?", said another Dai Li, with black hair and a large moustache. "That's your cover story?"

"No cover story", Jet replied. "She's my aunt on my mother's side"

"That's funny", the first Dai Li commented, softly but surely, and Jet felt like a stone had dropped on his stomach. "We were reading her file this evening, and there was nothing written down about local family". 

Shit

"So who is she, and why are you willing to lie for her? Why are you so willing to risk your neck?"

Why, indeed.

"She was a friend of my mom", Jet insisted. "They weren't blood family"

The first Dai Li clicked his tongue. "More lies. More secrets. You must be taught a lesson, boy", and the other two began to surround him on the sides. "Come with me, and I'll make sure you never forget"

To hell with this.

In a blur, both of his hook swords were out of their holster, and what few people remained around the Dai Li screamed and scattered under the threat of a fight. "Try", Jet growled, glaring at the three of them by turns. 

The first Dai Li merely raised a fine eyebrow and his lips twitched in a cruel grin. "Very well. At least you will serve as entertainment".

"Do your worst". 

A rock launched itself at his neck and Jet barely dodged the projectile. He jumped out of the way and had to dodge again the hands of the black-mustached Dai Li. He pushed another rock out of the way with his sword, jumped high up and brought his sword onto the first Dai Li. The man moved to a side and hit Jet on the ribs, ripping a grunt off him. The third Dai Li tried to grab a hold of his neck but Jet scrambled away and charged again, trying to hit at any of them from all angles.

Until he didn't see a projectile from the back. It threw him on the ground and took away the air long enough for another pair of hands to encase his wrists behind him, both of his swords forgotten on the side.

"Let's take him to Lake Laogai", the first Dai Li told the two others. "We'll take him with the others and teach him to behave. Come on, there's a carriage close enough".

Shit

"JET!", a loud, familiar voice stopped them from moving. "JET!"

Jet struggled to turn his head towards the noise and saw Mushi running at them. Behind, near Smellerbee and Longshot, Hua Ming hovered anxiously. 

"I'm so, so sorry about my nephew!", Mushi dropped to his knees, forehead to the ground, as soon as he was close enough to the Dai Li. "He's a reckless one but he's a good boy!"

The two other Dai Li waited for no instructions and quickly brought Mushi to his knees. From afar, Bee and Longshot made alarmed noises but didn't intervene. The first Dai Li lifted a hand, and so Mushi was held off the ground. 

"Your nephew is violent and a danger to peace", he said. "He attacked us without provocation and lied about several things. Why should I let it pass?"

"He's hot-headed, yes, but he can learn to behave", Mushi insisted, unphased at being manhandled. "I'll teach him his lesson and this won't happen again. I swear".

"I could take him with me and teach him myself. I'm sure that he wouldn't forget about that anytime soon".

"We need him. He brings us a lot of money, and Hua dearest can't work as long as she used to. Please, sir"

The Dai Li shook his head. "That's on him. He should've thought about that beforehand"

"But he doesn't think -he got hit on the head as a baby, you see, so he's a tad slow. And what we want here -what you need- is justice, isn't that right? To keep the peace?"

"Which your nephew disturbed"

"And so he'll be punished for it so he doesn't forget, but you can show others that you are not one to dirty your hands with minor infractions", Mushi pleaded, voice even and steady. Jet's eyes widened, but a look from Mushi kept him quiet.

"Peace disturbance is not a minor infraction", and there was a dangerous edge in the Dai Li's voice. 

"So we'll discuss what's appropriate. He lied, yes, and he attacked you, yes. Of that, he's guilty"

"Indeed"

What is he doing?!

"So you will act like a judge, from your position as an esteemed Dai Li agent, and deliver justice. Eye for an eye, as the saying goes"

"Take him with me and make sure he never forgets"

"How about I provide the service instead? He just risked our main income by attacking high-society individuals, and the only reason I'm not doing anything to him is because I do not wish to impose my will on your decision. But look at it this way: you let me handle the punishment and show everyone you're strict but fair, and keep others from doing the same thing".

The Dai Li then looked around, and as Mushi had said, a small crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle. 

"Allow me to be of service, show your fairness and make the public know the Dai Li can be reasoned with. There's no need to escalate this further, is there? Not for a hot-headed boy who made a terrible mistake once".

The three exchanged looks, and it seemed as if no one dared to breathe. 

"And you'll make sure he never does something like that again?", the first Dai Li demanded more than asked. Jet didn't relax, as he was still pinned to the ground. 

"Of course"

More silence: a minute, two minutes, three minutes...

"Very well", he said. He gestured at the other two and Jet and Mushi were released from the stone. "Just this once. If he tried something again... if we find him stepping even an inch out of line... we'll take all of you at that second, understood?"

"Like crystal!", and then for some reason the old man fell to his knees with his forehead on the ground. "Let everybody see and learn how kind and fair the Dai Li are! Let everyone know how just and good they treat us mere peasants!", Mushi claimed out loud, letting everyone hear his voice. 

The Dai Li shifted on their feet, embarrassed. 

"Let everyone-"

"Knock it off, old man", the third Dai Li ordered, looking away from the crowd. The second one frowned, scowled and without warning, backhanded Mushi hard enough to make him stumble. 

The rage once more lit up Jet from the inside but before he could do something, Mushigrabbed him on the wrist and kept him still.

"Don't!", the first Dai Li hissed, grabbing the second one in the wrist. "Foolish man! There was no need!"

"He was mocking us!"

"He was not!", he spat, and the second one looked down. "You and I are going to have a discussion later". The second Dai Li nodded and stepped back to stand with the black-moustached agent. 

The first Dai Li saw Mushi's grip on Jet, looked at the eyes of a judging crowd, and took a step back. "Make sure you keep your promise, old man", he ordered. "We'll keep an eye on you". He then bent down and grabbed Jet's forgotten swords. "And don't let your nephew play with toys. Weapons are for adults, not for foolish boys"

"Most grateful", Mushi said without looking up. 

After a few beats, the Dai Li looked around and roared. "What are all of you looking at? There's nothing to see!"

Finally, they left, and Hua Ming was the first one on their side with tears falling down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry!", she said. "I couldn't keep them away and then when you took the blame I looked for your Uncle, but I-"

"Hua Ming, dearest, it's okay", Mushi smiled, patting her hand. "Nothing bad happened, right? Only a little bruise that will fade away soon. It was more than worth it if it meant keeping seeing your beautiful face when we come by".

She sobbed and hugged Mushi and Jet as tight as she could. "Thank you!", she cried. "Thank you so much! I was so scared!"

Jet patted her on the back, a bit awkward, and crossed stares with Smellerbee and Longshot. Both kids smiled, but there was something in their eyes that meant words for later. 

"Now, now, let's move out of the way", Mushi said, gently pushing both of them off the ground. "Dear Hua, go home and calm yourself. Keep your head down for a few days, do nothing that could be seen as strange and pass by Pao's Tea shop anytime. You can ask for a Friends and Family discount"

"Thank you", she kept crying as she walked away. "I'll never forget this!"

They both waved at her until the crowd dispersed. 

Mushi looked at Jet, a bruise blossoming on his cheek, and asked: "Are you alright?"

Why me? You are the one who got hit by those assholes!

Jet nodded. 

Mushi sighed and gestured at Bee and Longshot. "Let's go home, all of you. It will not do us good to stick around".

***

Their way back home was quiet and silent, and for once Jet wasn't sure Bee and Longshot would take his side entirely. It ached to see the bruise on Mushi's face, but he said nothing. He wouldn't cave.

They walked the stairs until they reached their apartment on their last floor. Mushi opened the creaky door for the three of them to get in, and closed it behind himself after getting inside. Smellerbee and Longshot sat down at their usual table, both of them far too quiet, and Jet looked down when the two of them glared at him.

Mushi went to his teapot, gathered water inside, and used the sparks rocks to put up a fire. While the kettle heated, the old man gathered peppermint -Jet's favourite- and went back to the pot. Minutes ticked by, the heated leaves released their flavour, and a total of ten minutes later Mushi placed three warm cups of peppermint tea for them, before going to grab a cup for himself. 

He hadn't said anything yet, and it was getting on Jet's nerves. 

"What?", he snapped after another minute or so. "Aren't you going to say something? Aren't you going to yell or -or punish me?"

Mushi hummed, took another sip, and placed down his cup in careful, methodic movements. Finally, he looked up to stare at Jet, and the golden of his eyes shone brightly even while shadowed by his own bushy eyebrows.  Jet purposefully didn't look at the now green spot on the man's cheek. 

"It wouldn't solve a thing".

Jet scoffed and crossed his arms, but a part of him panicked. Yelling, he could deal with. Contempt, disgust and arrogant stares were nothing uncommon. Fighting was his strong suit, and he could escape most situations almost unscathed. He was even skilful enough to outperform a few benders.

Patience? Now that was something he hadn't quite mastered. 

Deep breaths. 

"What? You think you're better than me because you don't like to shout?"

"That's not it"

"Then what?! Tell me!"

Mushi sighed deeply and he looked at Jet almost as if he were seeing someone else. 

"You still have a lot you want to say, and as long as you don't, we won't have a real conversation. So I'm waiting for you to get it out of your chest".

"That doesn't make any sense -just use your words, alright?"

"Oh, you want words?", Smellerbee chimed in, fists clenched and eyes narrowed. "I have some words for you, Jet: What the hell were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking that I didn't want to stand by and watch! I was thinking that Hua-Ming needed help and I had the skill and-"

"You could've gotten yourself spirited away -haven't you heard everyone around us? The Dai Li could've taken you Spirits knows where and we would've never seen you again! Is that what you want, hm? To disappear -", and she snapped her fingers, "-just like that?"

"No, of course not!"

"So?"

"I can't stand this!", he exploded, itching everywhere, his insides boiling with rage, words pouring out of his mouth faster than he could reign them. "I can't stand this stupid life serving stupid tea and I can't stand serving entitled customers walking all over me! I can't stand hiding while the Fire Nation still exists!!"

Mushi looked down at Jet's empty cup, shoulder squared and voice even.

"There's nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity, Jet", he said, almost kindly, almost as if he wasn't there. "I suggest you think about what it is that's actually important in your life, and why"

"But there is something wrong!", Jet snapped, waving at the air. "Haven't you been a refugee all this long? Haven't you seen what the war has done to everyone? How can we sit here and enjoy a little apartment and a little job and a little meal when there are people out there who starve and suffer and burn because the Fire Nation won't give up? How could I possibly give up? And I know perfectly well what's important -to see those fuckin' ashmakers die and pay for what they've done!"

"Do you truly believe you will be happy if you do?"

"It's got nothing to do with happiness", he stated. "It's about doing the right thing instead of- of- of wilting on a tea shop in the Lower Ring! It's about going out to fight them and end them and free the world of their filth!"

"If you wait until you achieve that to find joy in your life, you'll remain miserable. Because you won't find joy until you're satisfied, Jet, and I'm not sure you'll ever be satisfied on the path you want to follow. Even then, would you be willing to sacrifice everything you have for that?"

"Without a second thought!"

Mushi's face made a thing. It was the first time any of them had seen even a slight glimpse of annoyance in Mushi's kind, gentle expression, but if anyone asked Smellerbee -or Longshot, in the rare case he needed to answer- they would've said it was rather justified. 

"I do not think it wise to speak without meaning what's being said. But if you truly believe your own words, I think you are far blinder than I first thought".

Smellerbee and Longshot, who had seen Jet's temper rising and rising since recovering him from the Dai Li, raised their hands simultaneously to stop the older boy from saying something else, to no avail.

"And you are nothing but a spineless coward!", Jet screamed, slamming his fist over their little wooden table and throwing his cup onto the table, spilling peppermint tea over the mat. "Aren't you tired of sitting down in your fat ass and doing nothing as things pass by?! Aren't you tired of watching and watching while the world dies by fire? You're pathetic, you fuckin' wet blanket, you-"

Smellerbee stood up. "JET!". She grabbed him by the shoulder and roughly pushed him down, breathing heavily and closing both her fists. "SHUT YOUR MOUTH FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE!"

Both Jet and Longshot fell quiet, mouths open wide at her weird outburst. The brief pause was enough for Jet to realize what he was saying, so he turned to Mushi with his mouth open.

The old man raised a hand. 

"We're all tired and it's been a long day", he said, but he didn't look at them. "I'll turn in early. We can keep talking tomorrow", he said, raising a hand before standing and quietly heading to his bedroom. 

The silence remained for a few minutes after the old man closed the door behind him.

"Why do you have to be such a jerk?", Smellerbee hissed, pulling at a strand of his puffy hair. For once, Longshot nodded angrily, lips pursed and eyebrows slightly down. 

"I didn't mean-"

"You did it anyways", she interrupted. "Because you don't think. And then you do stupid stuff that gets others in trouble". It was a low blow, the three of them knew that, but for once Jet was willing to take it while being down. "I appreciate everything you've done and keep doing for us all these years, Jet, I -we both do. You have no idea how much. But there's more to do than take down the Fire Nation head-on. There's more to-"

"You can't tell you've forgotten what they did! That you've-"

"Don't put words in my mouth!", she said, shooting him such a nasty glare that both Jet and Longshot took a step back. She took deep breaths, once, twice, and then her eyes went glassy and panic rose in both boys. "You... We... Ugh! Look, the Fire Nation won't stop because of the three of us! We did it for years, and yeah, we did something great but sometimes- I- Damnit, I don't even know how to say this- Fuckin'-"

"Bee...? Uhm. Are you-?"

"Shaddup! If you ask me if I'm okay I'll deck ya!", she snapped, wiping her tears and dropping over a lone cushion. Longshot offered her a glass of water and one of his handkerchiefs and with a grateful nod, she cleaned the wetness of her cheeks.

A few minutes passed by as she drank off the glass and calmed her breath."What I'm trying to say is... We've never had trouble following you into battle before. If you want to, we will too, because where you go, we follow. But Jet, don't you want to live a normal life, for once?"

"I used to have one. The Fire Nation took it away"

"This is our chance to gain some of it back", she replied, calm and collected -or more so than before. "We can try something new here. Change our ways, start a new life. Mushi said life happens wherever you are, whether you want it or not, and he's right. We're here, the three of us, we're here, and we're here now. Isn't that enough?"

Longshot placed a kind hand over her shoulder, and she leaned a bit of her weight against it, sending him a brief grin. Jet remembered, then, how young both of them were, and how much younger they'd been at the beginning of everything. 

"I'm sorry", he said, and meant it, because he knew in his heart that he couldn't settle. He had seen too much, lived too much, hated too much, and it was such a core part of himself that he could no longer separate it as an outside thing. "I... I've been trying, I really have. But I can't keep up the farse. I love you guys, and I would do anything for either of you, but I can't just give up. I can't stop".

Both of them exchanged looks, but Jet didn't notice as he was looking down. 

"We can work with that", said Longshot after what felt like an eternity, surprising the older boy. 

"He's right", Smellerbee agreed. She stretched her hand and grabbed Jets. "We can find a way to make it work -come up with something to keep the Freedom Fighters alive, to help others. But we can't help you if you push us away, and for that, we need you alive and well, Jet. Everything else comes second".

No one commented about the wetness of his cheeks. He merely smiled and she squeezed both boys' and all was forgiven.

***

"I'm sorry about what I said last night. I was a jerk, and you didn't deserve that".

They were both setting up the store for the day, while Pao cleaned the windows and dusted off the entrance sign.

"You weren't entirely wrong", he admitted to Jet's surprise. "I've told you about my nephew, haven't I?"

"Lee, right? Loves turtleducks, amazing with the tsungi horn, likes jasmine tea, has a bit of temper. Yes, Mushi, I've heard of Lee".

"He's a lot like you". Mushi smiled in that wistful, bright, loving way he did when talking about his dear nephew, and Jet couldn't help but grin as well. For some reason, however, the smile fell and was quickly replaced by an expression carrying great grief. "His father wasn't a kind man. I always suspected he did more than yell and curse, but I didn't want to see the truth, and so I convinced myself it was all in my head. One day, however, Lee's father did something horrific to him, all in front of a crowd. And I stood by and watched. Only after that did I notice all the other scars, both physical and emotional, that he carried with him. Not a single day passes by in which I don't regret not stepping up for him".

Jet said nothing -there was nothing he thought he could say.

"There are many ways to achieve one's goals-", Mushi said, " -but dying is not an even trade. The hatred you carry within you rarely leads to a better outcome". His eyes hardened, for a moment. "I've seen it happen many times. You'll keep chasing the horizon and miss all the good things around you. It's a very miserable way to live, Jet. You deserve better than that".

Jet's hands stopped over the teacup for a moment. 

Deep breaths

"I can't forget what they've done". His teeth clenched and he scrubbed harder at the table he was washing. "Not now, not ever. It's impossible". He scowled at the wood. Blink, and he was cleaning the wood of his old home's table, a deep rich brown worn by the weather while his mother hummed in the kitchen as she prepared breakfast. Blink, and he was back to Pao's shop. "They've taken too much from me already"

"Well", said Mushi, placing a wrinkled, large hand on Jet's shoulder, its weight soft and comforting. "Make you they don't take you as well".

They exchanged no words for the rest of the day.

***

Unknown to them, miles away and deep, deep within Lake Laogai, a stone prison kept a young dragon alone and far from the sun. And so slowly, bit by bit, he began to give in to the curse within himself. 

Nobody heard him calling out for help. No one important, at least.

***

The girl was still there, at the same hour, just like the day before. 

She looked over the menu before asking him for his opinion before ordering chamomile tea. Just like the day before. 

"Hey, Mushi", Jet called. "There's an issue"

Mushi, who had been checking the upper cupboards, walked down the ladder.

"I think there's a spy", Jet said while the older man stepped on the floor. "The girl in the corner, she's been here every day for the last week. Same time, same ritual, same order. Don't-"

In the way Musho turned his head, it seemed as if he were trying to break his own neck.

"Oh, she's quite pretty!"

"Don't look!", Jet hissed, grabbing the older man by the shoulder and turning him around. "You have to be more careful -what if she is a spy and now know we're onto her?"

Mushi chuckled and elbowed Jet's ribs. 

"I don't believe she's a spy. More like a young girl through another typical condition of the youth"

Jet hadn't noticed any symptoms, and he had been paying attention to her. "How'd you know?"

Mushi laughed and patted him on the back. "When you reach my age, you tend to notice these details! It might have been long ago but I remember well what it's like to be young and suffer the wayward sting of young love-"

"What?! That's... Uh. That makes sense". I should've noticed that. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask her out on a date".

"I can cover you for a while", said Mushi, grabbing Jet and pushing him to the back. Despite Jet's protesting, Mushi untied the young boy's apron, took it off and threw a bit of tap water to his face and hair. He spent the next two minutes using water and stubbornness to push down Jet's wild mat of hair. "Go and have fun! Live a little!", he said before pushing him back into the shop. 

It was empty except for the girl and two other customers nursing their drinks. 

He coughed, took a deep breath and made his way to her. Each step was more of a struggle than the last. Be calm, Jet. You've done this before. You can do this again. It's just an Earth Kingdom lady, you've worked with this before. You can do this. 

He stopped by her side, hands on his hips and leaning his weight to his right, his face showing the lift of eyebrows and half-smile he always used to impress his Freedom Fighters.

"Hey", he called. She raised both eyebrows but the smile didn't leave her lips. I can do this. "I never asked you, and since you're such a loyal client I figure I should know your name".

"It's Jin", she said, her green eyes twinkling with something that seemed like mischief. "And you are...?"

"Jet. The name's Jet. And hey, I was wondering...". Here goes nothing. "...if you were free later. To ensure client-shop loyalty between us, you know".

She laughed, warm and bright, and her laughter was like the jingling of spring festival bells. "Oh, Jet, I- I'm so sorry".

What?

His face did the questioning instead. 

"I appreciate the attempt, I do, and the shop's great and you're cute, but I'm not interested", she said, genuinely apologetic.

"What- I didn't- No- I... What?"

She patted his hand and dragged him down to a chair. "I'm free later and we can hang out, sure, but I'm not looking for a date".

He couldn't help himself. 

"Why? Girls like me"

Jin's smile was a cheeky thing. "I'm sure, but you're just not my type"

"Not your...type?"

"Mhm"

"Then why do you keep coming here?", he asked and immediately winced. "Sorry, I-"

"I get it"; she said, still smiling and not at all offended. Her black braids framed the roundness of her face quite nicely. "I, uh, haven't been totally honest with you either"

"Hm?"

"Well, I... I did come here for the first time because my neighbour said there was a cute boy in Pao's Family Tea Shop and I was bored, you know?". She played with her fingers and seemed amused at herself. "So I passed by and saw the cute boy looked my age and seemed available and thought, hey, why not?, so I came in here. And then realized you weren't my type".

"Auch"

"The tea's good, though, so I kept coming", and just to make a point she sipped on her cup. "It tastes just right"

Jet rubbed the back of his force-combed hair. "Well. This is awkward"

"Only if you keep acting like that". She rolled her eyes and poked him in the shoulder. "We can hang out and be friends, you know? I have a little sister and my aunt's boys to look after. So most of the people I meet are either too young or too old and it gets weird".

"I know", Jet sighed and looked at Mushi smiling at him from the back, two thumbs raised. "Trust me, I know".

"I need to spend time with someone my age or I'll go nuts", and she dramatically plopped on the table, looking up at Jet with a pair of warm green doe eyes. "Please?"

Jet chuckled and leaned back in his chair, arms crossing in front of his chest. "I'd love to", he said. "I can ask Mushi to cover me for today, he'll say yes. How about we meet out of the shop after sundown? And you can take me to a few places. I'm a bit new, so I'm not very familiar with the area".

"Not a date", she smiled, wide and sweet. "Just hanging out. Like a play date!".

"Playdate. Seriously?".

"Mhm!". And then she stood, ruffled his hair back to its place, and waved as she left the shop. "Later!"

Inmediately Mushi ran towards Jet with all the excitement of old people for new gossip. "So? How did it go?"

Jet turned to look at him, eyebrows raised high and still a little bit confused. "Apparently, I'm not her type", he admitted. "Hey, can you cover me for the night? I have a play date".

***

"It's not a date, I don't need to wear that-"

"You can still make an effort to look nice! Here, this green looks nice with your skin tone. And it makes your eyes look pretty and-"

"Can you please stop saying stuff like that? It's embarrassing!"

"But it's true!"

"He's, right, Jet", said Hua Ming as she sipped at her black tea."That green suits you. You should do something with your hair, though. It doesn't do you any favours"

"There's nothing wrong with it!"

***

The first thing Jin did when she saw him was snort.

"W-what did they do to your hair?", she laughed as she, very kindly, ruffled it back in its place.

Grateful he leaned down so she could do her job properly. "They thought it needed a fix. Old people, you know".

"I'm sure they were only trying to help", and he could tell she was mocking him. "It looked interesting".

Then the girl grabbed him by the arm and forcefully dragged him amongst the narrow streets with the familiarity of someone who's known a place for a long time. "Come with me. I know a place not too far, you have probably seen it a few times already. They sell really good dumplings and sweets! If you don't like it, though, there's a square nearby with plenty of street vendors"

"Lead the way".

They chatted amicably during the ten minutes it took to get to the place. It was a cool, moonless night, and the orange light from the lamps gave a warm hue to the stone pavers. Being located in the middle of a commercial district, the surroundings were almost always packed with people, and the background noise never disappeared. It was, Jet thought, almost as if the streets had a life of their own.

The restaurant Jin had picked, unfortunately, had filled with people by the time they got there, so they had to settle with getting food from the street vendors of the nearby square.

"Di'sh-", said Jet while chewing his third bite, "-ish 'e 'rea'est 'ing I' eat'n"

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I couldn't hear you", Jin said, cleaning the powdered sugar from her dress.

They both sat on a stone step that gave way to the district's local market, which despite being closed for the hour was still almost crowded with the number of people who spent their working hours at night. 

Jet rolled his eyes and swallowed. "I said that this shit-", and he waved at her while holding the moon peach cake, "-is the greatest thing I've eaten! And I stand by it"

"Here, have some of my bean curd puffs", she offered, throwing one little cube at him. "Try everything before deciding".

Jet relented, ate it in a single bit and his eyes widened in pleasure. "Hey, this is good too! Man, I've been missing out. You know more food like this?"

"I know all sorts of food. Desserts happen to be my speciality", she laughed. She stretched a hand to reach for her slice of egg custard tart and poked at Jet's shoulder. "Hey, since we're now best friends you need to tell me more about yourself".

"Best friends?"

"The bestest", and she pulled at a strand of his hair. "Don't interrupt me. You said you were new around here, right? When did you arrive?".

"Uhm... a while ago, I guess. I haven't kept track of time much. I was a little more focused on settling down and finding a job".

"You live alone?"

"Nah, I share a place with Mushi and my friends, Bee and Longshot". When he tried to reach out to have another of Jin's egg custard tart slices, she slapped his hand and placed her meal away. "No, bug off, this is mine. I've given you one bean curd puff, I'm eating this tart by myself!"

Jet clicked his tongue and leaned back, giving her a bit of a stink eye. "You eat too much for a girl"

"And you're too much of a wuss for a boy", Jin retorted. "Is Mushi like, your dad or something?"

"Not my relative, we just met on the road and tagged along", said Jet. "He helped the three of us get in, really kind, and he... cares about us, for some reason. So we've stayed together and get by well enough. Though he speaks too much about his nephew, it's kind of annoying"

"I think is kind of sweet", she admitted. "But I need more details. How'd you meet? What were you doing before that? What's his nephew like?"

"It's a long story..."

"Does it looks like a give a damn? Tell me, c'mon, don't be stingy"

***

"Hua Ming? Your aunt is Hua Ming?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Hua Ming from the Qū district? The widow with two boys?"

"The one and only. Again, why?"

"Uh. Nothing. I just think that the world can sometimes be a really small place"

***

"What did you mean by me not being your type?"

"You're still obsessing about that?"

"I'm everybody's type!"

"Somehow I doubt it"

"Hey, I told you about my life-changing trip with Mushi, you tell me why I'm not your type"

"Geez, way to be a baby"

"C'mooon"

"Fine. If you want me to be honest, I think it's the attitude. There's nothing wrong with being cocky and mouthing off to every shitty client -my aunt likes that- but I'm more into the... well, the shy, quiet ones. Or at least, the ones who keep the rage inside. Most of the time you can see it on their faces -it's hilarious, and I think it's cute"

"So the problem is that... I speak too much?"

"You left out some important details but yeah, that's the gist of it. Also, the twig you keep chewing? How was I supposed to kiss you if you keep sucking on that? No, thanks".

"I can still suck on something else if you want me to"

"EW! Don't be gross, you jerk-"

"I was just- Ouch! Wait, no, stop- I'm sorry, I'm sorry, stop that-"

***

"Oh, I almost forget- here. It's a coupon for a free cup of tea"

"Aw, Jet. That's so nice of you".

"Mushi's idea. He thinks you're a most valuable customer"

"He's a good teacher. Here, have another bean curd puff. Now we're even"

"Thanks. Since we're friends now-"

"Best friends"

"-it's only right for you to use the Friends and Family discount"

"Is your boss aware of such a discount?"

"Make sure to come by when he's not around"

***

"Where did you say you worked again?"

"Distributing goods and food to the refugees. My aunt cooks for them, and I help around. It doesn't pay much, but it's good work"

"Do you... do you think I could pass by one of these days? To help out and stuff".

"I'll have to talk with my aunt, but sure. From what I've heard and you've told me, she'll take you in in no time. We need every available hand"

***

By the time Jet arrived home, it was late enough for most restaurants to be closed, and the narrow streets were no longer brimming with life. He felt a strange joy in his body, a good mood that was quite unusual.

"How was the night, Jet?"

"Yeah, did you two kiss?", asked Smellerbee, elbowing him on the ribs with Longshot poking at him from the other side. "~Jin and Jet sit under the tree, K-I-S-S-I~!"

"Oh, get off, you brat", he replied, messing with her hair and ignoring her squealing. "It was nice. Real nice, but we agreed to stay friends". And just because he could already hear Jin's voice, he had to correct himself. "Best friends".

"So quickly?", questioned Mushi. 

"I'm a man of many talents. And I think I've found something worth looking into". And he looked at both kids in the eyes. Deep breaths.  "How would you like to help some refugees?"

***

"Mushi? You're going out?"

"Yes. There is something I must do today"

"I can join you if you want. It's our day off and we're up to date with the rent"

"Where are Smellerbee and Longshot?"

"Hanging out with Hua Ming. They get along with her boys and look after Jin's little sister, so it's a nice trade. And I'm bored, so can I?"

"Very well"

***

"Are all your trips this... exciting?"

"Sometimes yes, other times no. It's a bit of a gamble, but one I enjoy all the same. What's life without a bit of a risk?"

"I think I haven't said this before, but your optimism terrifies me".

"Why, thank you"

***

"Mushi. Who... Who's that man?"

"Lu Ten". Mushi sighed, heavily, and in a single breath, it seemed like he'd aged a decade. "He was my son"

~Leaves from the vine...~

***

Deep breaths

"I'm sorry about Lu Ten"

"Me, too"

***

They all looked as Jet still felt sometimes, and it was as comforting as it was unsettling. Many of them had plenty of scars to show their suffering and those who didn't have a similar look in their eyes.

A twelve-year-old girl with a bright red burn scar stretching from beneath her clothes up to her face, blinded in one eye, stretched her hands to ask for food, and instead of her, he saw Smellerbee. 

A young boy, black-haired and quiet and missing a leg, waited for a mat to sleep in, and he saw Longshot.

A group of three, an old man, a young woman and a little boy, asked him for tips to find a place to sleep, and as he pointed their routes on a map, he saw Mushi, Jin and the Duke. Familiar faces replaced the strangers, and though seeing the suffering caused by the war worsened the itch under his skin, helping them out with Hua Ming and Jin surely did wonders to ease the sensation.

***

(The nightmares would never totally leave, but they grew lesser and lesser)

***

"Isn't that just... water?"

"It's not, foolish boy, it's oolong aftertaste. Water down the tea and make sure it doesn't taste too much like oolong but also not like water, you know? It's becoming a hit amongst Upper Ring girls, you see. I know someone who has a cousin's brother's best friend, and he told me she said he said she told him that when passing by the Middle Ring. A hit, I tell you, a hit!"

Deep breaths 

"Middle Ring? Your friend has been there before?"

"And myself, several times! It's going to spread, I can see that now, and then this shop will get more customers, so you have to learn about this, young man, or this run-down shop will fall in ruin".

Deep breaths

"And what's it like? I've never been there-"

"Sit down, sit down! Oh, are you still on shift? Tell your boss to take a few minutes, you must".

"Right along with your non-tea, sir"

***

"Jet!", Mushi called from the living room. "Jin's here! Make sure you close when you go out, dear. Have a good night and say hi to Hua dearest from me!"

"Thanks, Mushi. I will"

"So soon?", Jet asked as he entered the room. 

"Don't be rude", Jin scolded as she sat down to sip on Mushi's tea cup. "I'm your best friend, you should be more polite. Especially because I brought you this"

"Are those...?"

"Two tickets for a puppet show, Ba Sing Se special. Yes. Now hurry up and dress nicely, we need to get going"

"Jin, if I were your type, I would kiss you where you stand"

"Good thing you aren't. Now go! We don't have all night!

***

Maybe this was alright. Maybe serving tea in a small teashop, worrying only about keeping the coin pouch away from Mushi, paying for Bee's and Longshot's schooling, dealing with annoying customers, working his free hours with the refugees under Hua Ming and hanging out with Jin was alright. Enough.

Maybe he could settle down and find some of the peace he had thought long gone, and leave others to destroy the Fire Nation. 

Jet realized, then, that the itch was gone.

***

"Katara? Is that you?"

Chapter Text

"Hey, Mushi", called Jet as he untied his apron. "I'm going out for my morning break. Mind covering for me?".

"You know it's never a bother to serve tea. But are you going to be away for long? Pao was quite unhappy last time you left for the evening".

Jet winced at the reminder. Calling Pao's tantrum "unhappy" was selling that quite short. "Yeah, yeah, I'm not planning on ditching", he insisted. "I'm just going for a walk, I'll be back in a jiffy. Half an hour tops, I swear".

"Very well. Go on, now. And be careful".

Jet smiled and slapped Mushi's shoulder in good graces. "Thanks, man. I owe you one!".

The old man chuckled while Jet walked out.

Before leaving, he spotted two well-dressed men waiting for their tea on the first table by the door's right. One of them wore in his right hand a pair of thick golden rings embedded in shiny jewels, and Jet wondered what two Upper Ring businessmen were doing in a Lower Ring tea shop, but as they didn't seem to be a threat, he figured it wasn't his business and left it at that. 

The moment he stepped outside, he leaned back against the wooden walls and deeply breathed. 

The restlessness had gotten much easier to control as of late, but occasionally the itch would resurface and he would need a moment to get it under control. Mostly by using breathing patterns that Mushi had taught him after hearing of his problem. 

Apparently, his nephew Lee had the same issue.

(Sometimes Jet couldn't help but wonder if he and Lee would've gotten along).

Just a walk around the block and I'll get back to work. 

He had barely taken a turn at the corner when a lone piece of paper falling from the sky caught his attention. 

Huh. Is District Management changing their ways to deliver news? Spirits, last month was such a hustle...

Almost carefully he plucked the flier out of the air and turned it around to read. He ended up facing the printed face of a black dragon, its description and a note with Aang's name and address along with a picture. 

He looked up in all directions but saw no more papers falling. But then, almost as if on cue, he heard from far away a very familiar rumble.

"What the-".

Quickly he made his way up to the rooftops, but as he was not quite quick to find ledgers it took him longer than he would've liked to. By the time he made it, he could only stare from afar as the flying bison flew in the opposite direction. By its side, an orange blur also delivered papers and if he squinted his eyes, he could see a tiny white spot doing the same. 

"He's here", Jet said to himself. The itch that had vanished not long ago returned full force, and Jet clenched his fists while he remembered his last encounter with Avatar and his group. "I...". 

Familiar anger flared in his gut, but it cooled off as soon as it showed up. 

I have to apologize. 

His conflict against them was a big representative of the past he was trying to leave behind. He would not apologize for wanting the Fire Nation gone, but he could try to make amends for using them, hurting them and betraying their trust. 

Forgiveness is a gift, Jet, Mushi had told him once while they drank tea and people-watched from their tiny balcony. You can't force it from yourself or from others. And if it's not given, you can only try to understand why, accept it and move on. 

He had never forgotten the icy tone in Sokka's voice, the horrified glare in Aang's eyes or the storm-like anger in Katara's usually gentle face. 

It was time to make amends. 

I'm sure Jin will forgive me for not meeting her at the mochi shop tonight, he figured while he climbed down and sprinted towards the shop. I'll buy her a box of peach pies, that'll shut her up.

"Mushi!", he called as soon as he walked in, flier in hand. "Mushi!".

"Jet!", Mushi cheerfully greeted. "You will not believe what just happened! I got offered my own tea shop and tonight I'll go see the new place! It's where the old puppet theatre used to be and-".

"I'm sorry, I'm sure it's amazing and great and I'll listen to everything later but I gotta get going now", Jet interrupted, placing the flier in Mushi's hand. "This showed up and I have to go settle a debt. I'll tell you everything when I return, but I don't know how long it'll take me". Jet moved past him and quickly bowed at Pao. "Pao, I'm really really sorry for ditching like this, but I have personal business to attend to. You don't have to pay me for today, I won't be back soon".

Pao's face lit up like a cherry on fire and he took the nearest broom to whipe at Jet. 

"You! Insolent! Lazy!", he yelled, finishing each word with a hit of the broom.

"Auch!".

"Cocky! Arrogant! Little shit!".

"I said I was sorry-", and he had to dodge the stick aimed at his head. "I'll make it up for you tomorrow!", and he dashed the door while dodging Pao's broom attacks. "Mushi! Hey -Mushi! If I'm not back by eight, tell Jin I'm sorry and that I'll pay for the dessert next time!".

Such was his hurry to leave that he did not notice the aghast expression on the old man's face.

***

"WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE RULES AND WE ARE NOT ASKING PERMISSION! WE'RE FINDING DRUK ON OUR OWN AND YOU SHOULD JUST STAY OUT OF OUR WAY!".

The slamming door was the final touch to Aang's response to Joo Dee.

Sokka crossed his arms in front of his chest. "That might come back to bite us in the blubber".

"I don't care", Aang replied dryly. "From now on, we do whatever it takes to find Druk".

"Yeah, let's break some rules!", yelled Toph, happy to destroy the entire left wall of their house. Appa grumbled at the sudden destruction, to which Toph apologised with a small "sorry". 

"Is it wise to take Appa?", asked Katara as Aang climbed on the bison. "This is not just dropping fliers. There's not a lot of space in the Lower Ring. Where are we going to land?".

"We'll figure something out", he said. "But I'm not leaving Appa alone. As far as we know, the Dai Li could take him to get an advantage on us".

"Why not just find a large enough yard and have Toph stay with him?", Sokka suggested after jumping down the hole in the side of the house. "That way- ouch! Hey- what was that for?".

"Why, because you think I can't put up posters on my own?". She snatched one of the fliers and stomped towards the stone wall still standing. She punched it, a long spike grew out of the rock and she then stabbed the paper near the top. 

"..."

"It's upside down, isn't it?", she asked, but she knew the answer. "I'll just stay with Appa and pound to dust anyone who gets close".

***

"If the Avatar keeps searching for his dragon, it could upset the delicate balance we've worked so hard to achieve in this city. It could even cost us control of the Earth King". Long Feng clicked his tongue. "And his bison is never left alone, so taking that is out of the question".

"Should we take care of him?".

"No. It's much too dangerous for us to confront it directly". Long Feng stared down at the green fire, casting eerie shadows behind him. "But we can't risk losing the dragon. No, that wouldn't do".

His resolve didn't waver.

"I've heard reports of the Avatar's doings outside the City, it wouldn't be surprising for him to find Lake Laogai. Increase our defences down there. Have everyone be on alert", he ordered. "And I want that dragon moved". 

"To where?".

"Deeper. Far into the lake".

Both Dai Li exchanged a brief look. 

"The-?" 

"Yes. It's been unused for long enough". The man pictured the idea and was amused by it. "Don't you think it's fitting for a dragon? Oubliette".

***

"Being suave won't help you woo every girl, you know?", Jin rolled her eyes at him once, during one of Jet's free mornings. "It can get creepy. You could try to be genuine or let her make the first move once in a while, to see if she's really interested or just finds you a nuisance".

"Let... her?".

"Yes, Jet. Let her. And be genuine! That works wonders. It's what I like in a guy, even if being genuine means being awkward. I'm sure it'll turn out not disastrous". 

"That's because you would squeeze a yes out of him and leave before he can think better".

"Don't be a smartass. And get rid of that twig, for Oma's sake. It's ridiculous!".

Okay. Twig gone. Be genuine. Be suave. Jin can stuff it, I can make this work.

"Katara?", called Jet. "Is that you?". He spotted the flier on the small water tank behind her and heard the sudden intake of breath. "I think I can help you", he said with a smirk and his left hand placed on his hip. 

Her blushing surprise became anger in a blink, and with a raise of her arms, the water of the nearby canal rose along. 

Into a massive wave.

Oh, fu-

"Katara, I've changed!". He screamed before the wave launched him into a nearby alley. 

She waved her hands to form a water sphere. "Tell it to some other girl, Jet". The water froze and she growled as she sent sharp ice shards in his direction. 

He dodged a few of her projectiles, quickly raising his hand in a sign of peace. "I don't wanna fight you! I'm here to help!".

She hesitated, and he moved a hand towards his back pocket where the flier was, but the moment he moved she quickly pinned him against the wall with her ice.

Summoned by the commotion, Sokka, Aang and a little girl Jet hadn't seen before ran up to her.

"Katara, what is it?", asked her brother.

"Jet's back"

"Why do you have to say it in such an ominous voice?", he said, almost rolling his eyes. I've spent too long with Jin.

Katara scowled at him. "We can't trust anything he says".

"But we don't even know why he's here", Sokka said, to Jet's surprise. 

"I don't care why he's here. Whatever the reason is, it can't be good", she snapped. 

"I'm here to help you find the dragon!", Jet interrupted. He looked down at the flier and let it unfold. "I saw this outside of my job. I've been looking for all of you for hours".

Aang looked down at it and then back at the waterbender. "Katara, we have to give him a chance".

"I swear, I've changed" Be genuine. "I was a troubled person, and I let my anger get out of control. But I've been working to be better. I've put all of that behind me".

 "You're lying".

The new girl moved Katara out of the way and placed a hand on the wall next to Jet's right arm. "He's not lying", she said.

"How can you tell?".

"I can feel his breathing and heartbeat. When people lie, there's a physical reaction". She turned to the others. "He's telling the truth".

"Katara, we don't have any leads. If Jet says he can help find Druk, we have to check it out". 

"Alright", she said. "But we're not letting you out of our sight".

"Actually, I should probably get back to my job". He raised his hands when she scowled at him. "I said I had to leave so I could look for you guys, but I've already found you. If I go back now, maybe I can convince my boss to pay me for a few hours", he explained. 

"They why go through all the trouble to find us?", asked Sokka, less causing and more curious. 

Jet sighed.

Be genuine. 

"I wanted to apologize", he confessed, and could not bring himself to look at them. "I hurt you and used you after you trusted me. I understand if you don't want to forgive, I'll accept that. But you must know I'm being honest. Things have been very hard lately but I have been trying to change for the better. Doing what I did is one thing I truly regret".

"He's telling the truth", the girl said after a few seconds of silence. The three exchanged a look. 

"I believe you", said Aang. Jet looked up, surprised to see a brief but warm grin on his face. "I'm happy to know you've chosen to change your ways".

Jet smiled shyly. Neither Katara nor Sokka said something, but Katara's frown eased.

"It's alright if it takes more time for you two. We can talk later", said Jet, and he remembered something from before. "I know! I can give you an address and we can meet up there tonight."

Aang shrugged. "Sounds good to me", he said. 

"Look for the old theatre in the Upper Ring. The man I'm staying with, Mushi, got offered his own tea shop there. We can meet there and the Dai Li won't suspect a thing".

As soon as he was freed from Katara's ice, Jet waved them goodbye and ran back to Pao's Tea Shop. 

He had to stand still and bite down any retorts during the fifteen minutes Pao used to yell at him. The customers were already used to Pao's temper, it didn't bother them and, apparently, the offer donde to Mushi had him in a particularly foul mood. Only when Pao was done scolding him was Jet allowed to work again. 

The moment he could talk to Mushi, he placed a hand to stop him for a moment. "Hey, Mushi. Can I go with you tonight to see the shop?", he asked. "I, uh, met those I was looking for, but we could get in trouble if we met just like that. So I told them the address for your new tea shop to meet tonight -I'm really sorry, I-"

"It's alright", said Mushi, reassuring him with a pat on the back of his hand. "I want to see my new shop as well. And your friends seem interesting. I don't mind"

"That's... great! That's great! I'll leave Bee and Longshot in charge of the apartment. Do you think-?"

"I'M NOT PAYING YOU TO GOSSIP LIKE AN OLD LADY, JET, GET BACK TO WORK!"

"I'M GOING, I'M GOING!"

***

The place was large, with high walls and glass windows. Being abandoned for the moment, it was covered in dust and dimly lit.

Toph had dug a path underground, careful to avoid any underground structures, digging through less inhabited parts until they reached their destination. It took them quite a while to make it; when she and the others arrived, Jet and Iroh were already waiting. When Jet asked how they knew each other, Iroh quickly replied that he had been on the road in a situation similar to Jet's.

With introductions made and basic information exchanged, the group proceeded to exchange suggestions and options. While the others argued, Toph made sure that no one was close enough to spy on them or attack them.

"How about Lake Laogai?", Jet suggested. He stood from the floor and dusted away his pants. Under everyone's scrutiny, he crossed his arms. "I got into a bit of trouble with the Dai Li a few weeks ago. They would've taken me to Lake Laogai if Mushi hadn't intervened". He bowed his head at the old man. "Thanks for that". 

"It was no problem". 

"That's it!", Sokka exclaimed, his face almost glowing with happiness. "Joo Dee said the same thing, remember? About taking a vacation to Lake Laogai!"

"That can't be a coincidence", Katara mused. 

Sokka waved at her. "Is probably not! We need to go check it out before they know we're on the move, as soon as possible. I suggest parting before dawn- we may be able to take them by surprise". 

"I like how you think", said Toph, and proceeded to punch Sokka in the arm. 

Aang bounced on his feet, lifting dust from the floor. "I'm in, I'm in!".

"I guess we're doing it like that, then", Katara sighed, though there was an excited gleam in her blue eyes. 

"Hold on, hold on", Jet interrupted. "You are going in just like that? Without a plan?"

"The plan is to go and look for Druk", Sokka shrugged, his arm thrown over Aang's shoulder. "We usually end up winging it anyways", Aang admitted. 

The boy looked at Iroh for support, but he seemed far too pleased with their choice. "They are strong", he said, as if that explained everything. 

"Damn right!", Toph cheered, slapping Iroh on the back. "But don't count yourself out, old man. I bet those Dai Li dunderheads have never fought a firebender before- you'll kick their asses!"

It was as if all the noise in the room had vanished in an instant. There was a sudden tension in the air; Aang, Sokka and Katara held their breaths and Toph could feel the violent change in Jet's heartbeat.

It was a thick, heavy atmosphere. Jet's breathing became heavier and heavier, his anger growing like a balloon about to burst.

"What?!", Jet's shrill voice screeched. Everybody froze. Toph moved her hand from Iroh, unusually hesitant.  "You?! What the fuck- you are an ashmaker?!"

Iroh's eyes closed, briefly, but there was no hesitation when he opened them. 

Every witness held their breath. 

"Yes", he said, and though shorter than Jet, he stood far taller. "Yes, I am".

"No!", the boy howled, startling everyone.

He paced furiously, ruffling his already messy hair.

Katara's hand subtly stopped over her waterpouch, Sokka's to his boomerang and both Aang and Toph shifted their weights to a proper stance. Momo, sensing the tension, chittered restlessly above their heads. "Not you!"

Slowly Iroh raised a hand and from his index, called upon the tiniest of flames. It was gone as quickly as it had shown up, but by the horror and disgust on Jet's face, it was more than enough. 

"All this time?", and he took an abrupt step towards Iroh. "I've travelled with you! I shared a place with you! I've shared meals with you, I've- I trusted you and you come up with this?!". His eyes were wide and frantic, his voice shrill and cracking. "And all this time you were one of them!"

With a raging cry, he jumped towards Iroh with a raised fist. Before he could get closer, a pillar of rock appeared behind him and a water wave launched towards it before freezing him in place. In the blink of an eye, he had the end of Aang's staff, Sokka's club, Katara's ice needles, and Toph's sharpened pebbles a mere inch from his face.

"What the-?"

"Don't touch him", said Toph, her sightless eyes staring in his direction. 

"I don't want to hurt you, Jet", Aang said with a grave voice. "But I can't let you hurt Iroh. We need him"

Jet struggled with the ice. "He's one of them!", he hollered. "How can any of you defend one of his kind?!"

"A part of me wanted to believe you were telling the truth", admitted Katara.

"I didn't", added Sokka, shrugging when his sister shot him a nasty glare. "What? It's true. Once a jerk, always a jerk". The waterbender ignored her brother and stared at Jet. Her ice stood in place. "But you haven't changed at all, haven't you?", she said. 

Jet shook his head. "I have! I really have! I- Just- Agh! You can't do this!", he snarled. "He's the enemy, how can you not see that? He's the reason the world's gone to shit! You still defend the Fire Nation, after everything?"

"We're not defending what the Fire Nation has done", replied Sokka, dry and curtly. "They're terrible alright. It's their fault our mother is dead and our tribe barely standing and why the Air Nomads disappeared. But the firebender you are trying to attack has helped us before, even if I don't know why, and can help us find our missing friend which, if you haven't figured out by now, it's a big deal. So I don't care about your anger issues, you either control that and help us out or get the hell out of our way"

Jet stared at him wide-eyed, and though he opened his mouth several times he said nothing. 

"Master Katara", Iroh called. "Please, let him go"

"What?". She used a hand to keep the ice in place to stare at the old man. "He'll attack you the moment I do".

"Please", he said.  "I'm in charge of him"

"You're not in charge of anything you-"

"What if he tries to hurt you again?", she asked. 

Iroh's eyebrows raised briefly. "I'm more than capable of looking after myself".

"Oh, that's true", Toph grinned, elbowing Iroh in the arm. "It'd be stupid to mess with this one".

Iroh chuckled and rubbed the spot on his arm. Aang and Sokka lowered their weapons, stepping back to give Jet space. Katara's eyes darted from Jet to Iroh a few times, before she finally settled for a wall nearby. "Fine", she spat. "But try anything funny and I'll freeze you to a roof". 

With a wave of her hand, the ice melted into water and returned to her pouch; Jet managed to stay on his feet and Toph retreated the stone back into the ground. 

"Jet", called Iroh, and Jet glared at him with a sneer. "I will not ask you to accept me as a firebender, nor to forgive the Fire Nation. You can hate me if that's what you want, and I'll understand. But whatever it is that you need to settle with me will have to wait for later. Right now, I must help the Avatar and his friends".

"And then what?", Jet spat in disgust. "You'll deliver him to the Fire Nation?"

"Never"

"Oh, please. Ashmakers are all the same, those fuckin' barbarians. Just like you. You didn't even tell me your real name", and his fists clenched. His body was tense and his eyes full of aggression, but Iroh remained calm. "You just used me to get into the city, didn't you?"

"I did not", he reassured. "I am what I said I was: a refugee"

"Bullshit"

"As interesting as this is, can you leave it for later?", interrupted Sokka, tapping on his club. "The longer we stay here the more likely we are to be spied on by the Dai Li so we need to leave as soon as possible with a solid plan. So pick a side, or don't, but do it quickly". 

"You can't expect me to help out an ashmaker!"

"Great!", Sokka clapped his hands, "We weren't counting on you either way! So now zip it until we're done discussing important things".

Jet didn't pay a lot of attention to their battle plans or their concerns about some Long Feng guy. He was a bit busy replaying every moment he'd shared with Iroh that had led him to that point in his life. 

Why shouldn't he kill the man?

- He owed the man his life (and Bee's and Longshot's)

- He only got into Ba Sing Se because of him

- They lived and worked together 

- He hadn't burned them to death yet

- He'd found a night school for Bee and Longshot 

- He made great tea

- Jin would miss him

Or why should he?

- He was an ashmaker

As far as Jet was aware, it was very even. If the Fire Nation entered the city, it would be the end of the Earth Kingdom and the loss of the war. There would be no safe place left for anyone.

But Ba Sing Se isn't safe. You know that. You've lived that. 

And if there was anyone capable of taking down the Fire Nation, said someone was the Avatar. Jet had already screwed that up once before, he wasn't about to do it again. Even if it meant putting aside his grievances for the time being, he figured he could aid the monk in finding his dragon. It seemed important, and it gave Jet the chance to keep a close eye on Iroh.

So...

"I want to go", Jet declared. 

Sokka stopped mid-sentence and stared at Jet, bewildered. "I'm sorry, what did you say? I think I heard wrong, did you just-?"

"I want to go", Jet repeated. He seemed a little defeated, a little resented, but his words were genuine. 

Katara swirled to look at him, raising a finger and poking him in the chest. "And why should we trust you?"

The boy raised his arms in defeat. "I was telling the truth when I said I wanted to make amends", he explained. "And this is as good a chance as any. So yes, I'll go with you and I... I promise not to hurt Iroh while we're together". But then he swirled and pointed a finger to the firebender. "But do one thing. Send a tiny flame to anyone you're not supposed to, take a step out of line or turn on us, and I'll make sure you never get another chance", Jet growled at Iroh. 

Toph scoffed in mockery, but Iroh merely lowered his head. "Sounds fair". 

"Great! We solved that issue, we have several more to go. Aang, do you think Appa can carry us all?", asked Sokka.

Aang tilted his head, considering the question. "He'll have to put in some effort, but I'm sure it can work. Besides, we'll have Druk back with us by the end of this, so they can split the load. I'm sure he won't mind". 

"If I'm going, I want to take Bee and Longshot with us", said Jet, crossing arms. "They are handy in a fight and we work well together. They'll help".

"Appa won't be able to carry us for long with the extra weight. I'm not sure it's such a good idea", said Aang, almost apologetic. "Sorry"

Jet shifted his weight from one foot to another. "How about we meet over there? In Lake Laogai, I mean. We can meet up there in a few hours, so Appa won't have to carry everyone. You've seen us fight together. The more people on your side, the higher the chances to get your dragon back. What do you say?"

"As long as you do your share, it sounds fair to me", Toph answered while picking a booger off her nose. "We won't wait though. If you're late, we're leaving the three of you behind".

"Deal"

"So tomorrow at 5 am we'll meet at the shore of Lake Laogai, then", declared Sokka. "Anything else?"

"One more thing", Jet admitted, to Katara's chagrin. Jet raised a finger towards Iroh. "You find another place to sleep in. The flat is just as ours as it is yours, and I won't share the roof with an ashmaker for another night". 

"Stay with us", offered Toph, ignoring Jet almost entirely. "I can dig you a way to our place so we won't get detected by the Dai Li. Stay the night with us and brew me some more of that tea you shared with me the other time".

Iroh gave her a warm smile and a short laugh. "It will be my pleasure"

"I'm off now, then", said Jet. He turned his back on the others and said nothing else as he left. 

Katara scoffed at his words. "Geez", she spat. "What a jerk".

***

"Jet?", called Smellerbee the moment he entered their apartment. She and Longshot were sprawled on the couch, a few notebooks spread on the table. "You're late. We were starting to get worried. Where's Mushi?"

"He won't be coming back again", he said. Both sat up in alarm at his words. "That's not his name either"

"What?! What happened?! Did he get taken by the Dai Li?!". She blinked, taken aback. "And what do you mean that's not his name?"

"It's a bit of a long story", Jet admitted. He sat in front of them and gave them a bit of a bitter smile. "But first, what do you say about raiding Lake Laogai?" 

***

It was a calm night in the Upper Ring.

The silence was steady but not absolute,  interrupted by the buzzing of bugs, the whisper of rustling leaves and Appa's sleepy rumbles. The wood creaked after the heat of the day and the playful breeze occasionally sneaked whistling through an open window, carrying the smell of the seasonal blossoming flowers. What little light entered the room through the only window with open curtains came from the street lamps and the faint silver rays of May's full moon. Inside, almost everything was plunged into the darkness of the night; the only light on was the warm-coloured lamp in the kitchen where Katara and, for once, Sokka, washed the dinner dishes.

It was not absolute and oppressive darkness, but one in which you could see silhouettes if you scrutinize with your eyes. And with the soft and cosy cushion on which he sat, Iroh would've happily taken a nap had it been any other occasion. 

That night, however, not even the ethereal aftertaste of his special spring blend could calm him down.

There was heaviness in the air, a strange thickness that made it almost hard to breathe. He could feel it in the strain on his bones and the occasional flicker of his Inner Fire. It was like the pull between opposite energies whenever he called for lightning, like the tingling under the skin that grew and grew, waiting for the moment to be released. It was stale and static, constant on many important moments across Iroh's long life. 

Ozai's first kill. The loss of his wife. Lu Ten. Zuko's Agni Kai.

The North Pole.

Iroh took a deep breath and the heaviness lessened a little bit, but, expectedly, it did not disappear. 

"Nice tea, by the way. Did you add peaches? I'm tasting peaches", Toph said after she sipped from her cup. 

Iroh hmmd, pleased. "Tiny strips of dried moon peaches, yes", he confirmed. "It's a batch I enjoy for spring nights. Fits with the season". He poured more for Aang, who had already downed his first cup. "It pleases me to see you enjoying it so much".

Aang bowed his head in thanks. "It's the best I've had in over a hundred years", and Iroh chuckled at Aang's wide, cheeky grin. They'd appointed themselves to give Iroh a quick summary of their trip on their way back into the house through Toph's earth-bent, makeshift underground Secret Tunnel. One of the first things the old firebender had learnt had been Aang's time inside the Iceberg. 

"I'm glad to hear that", he smiled. The grin fell quickly, and Aang looked at him in concern. Toph frowned a little, sensing the shift in Iroh's demeanour. "Avatar Aang-"

"Just Aang is fine".

"Aang. I know this may not be the best moment to ask this, but I'm afraid we won't have much time later", Iroh admitted in a low voice. He left his empty cup on the wooden tea tray. "I beg the utmost discretion".

"We didn't snitch on Sparky before and we're not doing it now", Toph replied with a huff and Aang's "Mhm" confirmed her intention. A tiny bit of tension lifted from Iroh's shoulders; he nodded grateful. 

"The last time I saw him I was on a ferry heading into the city. I thought we were going in the same direction so I assumed he was with you", the man admitted slowly, as if measuring the words. "I would've tried to meet with him sooner, but I thought it was better to let him be the one to reach out. As you know, my nephew is very stubborn. Making him company doesn't end well when he does not wish for it". To this, Aang and Toph shared noises of agreement, to Iroh's mild amusement.

It faded as quickly as his earlier smile. "If I had known he was lost, I would've...", and his eyebrows twitched and he had to stop for a moment before continuing "Well, it matters not. What's done is done. But I would like to know what happened".

Any lightness in the air vanished after his request. Aang looked down and away, fiddling with his clothes. Toph pursed her lips and crossed her arms. 

Iroh waited. 

It was Aang, with a few interjections from Toph, who told him everything. From their first meeting near the Plains to their last encounter outside the Library. 

"We've been looking for him ever since", said Aang. He looked away to cover a sniffle. Iroh, politely, did not comment on it. "I'm sorry, Iroh"

The old man shook his head, placing a wrinkled hand on Aang's thinner shoulder. "The blame does not rest on you, my friend", he reassured. "My nephew would not have helped if it were not of his own free will. You must know by now how stubborn he can be".

Toph gave a sharp, dry laugh. "Oh, yeah. We know".

"If anything, I'm grateful", said Iroh, handing Aang a tissue. "You were good friends. You took care of him when I could not". 

"Load of good that did to him", Toph scoffed. Aang's sniffles grew louder.

"I was relieved...", he whispered. "When I figured out it was Zuko and not Appa, I was so relieved...!". He loudly blew his nose on the dirty tissue, but the Avatar's round cheeks grew wetter. "Because Appa was there and he was mostly fine, so I... How could I be such a bad friend?".

Iroh gently squeezed Aang's bony shoulder. "It doesn't make you a bad friend to be happy about Appa's wellbeing. He's your companion, much more than just a pet. For all they practised separation from earthly concerns, Air Nomads sure were attached to their bisons", he said. "And it does not make you a hypocrite. Appa is one of the last living remains of your culture, and of that, very little is left. He has also been with you since before. To care so deeply about him? I believe that is what makes you human".

Nothing else was said about that. They waited for Aang to wipe his face and recover his breath.

"You think so?".

"I do".

Aang looked down. His shoulders were still hunched, but less so. "Does it not bother you? That Appa is here while Zuko is not".

Iroh placed his cup back in the tray and moved his hands from Aang's shoulder. "Of course, it does. And I will never stop worrying about him for as long as I live", he admitted. "But knowing it was his choice to defend the bison makes me... I wouldn't say happy, but it's a close thing". The firebender exhaled, and the air around them warmed slightly. "He's always getting in trouble, and he often doesn't come out unscathed. I just wish I could be there to guide him and keep him safe, no matter how silly it sounds".

Aang elbowed him lightly in the side. "Now, now. What's done is done".

Iroh gave him a hearty laughter and both kids giggled along.

"So we'll find him", then said Toph. Her voice was back to her usual confident self. "We'll find him, I'll apologize for being a jerk and then you will tell him how much he means to you while you wrap him in a safety blanket".

Aang smiled widely. "Yeah!", and he turned to Iroh to point at him. "Toph's right -and you as well. It'll turn out alright".

Iroh chuckled and ruffled the kid's heads with both hands. 

"Thank you, " he said, for nothing else would express how he felt, even if it fell short. "Thank you, both of you".

***

Long Feng sent his fist forward and Aang could see the solid rock sliding towards Jet's unprotected chest.

I won't reach. 

Jet hadn't even noticed the blow getting closer by the millisecond.

Aang's eyelids dropped under the dust. He was almost afraid to open them. 

I'll blink and he'll be dead.

He didn't expect to hear the fwoosh of sudden roaring flames or feel the intense fire blast's heat. For an instant, his heart was filled with joy because it was a fire so similar to Zuko's that he thought the dragon had popped out of thin air. 

When his eyes fully opened, he saw Jet thrown to a side and Iroh standing where Jet had stood, his position firm and steady and smoke still coming out of his fists. The attacking rock was blasted to smithereens and burnt to blackened shards.

Aang felt a shiver go down his spine when he saw the thunderous expression on Iroh's face, and once more he could almost see Zuko baring his fangs. 

"You will not lay a finger on these kids!", Iroh shouted. His voice resonated loudly across the room. 

Long Feng took a step back, and Iroh took a step forward. As if breaking out of a trance, Aang knelt next to Jet and began to look for wounds. "Are you okay? Did you get hit anywhere?"

He shook his head, but Jet wasn't looking at him. His brown eyes were fixed on Iroh. "He pushed me out of the way", Jet mumbled in disbelief. 

With a click of his tongue, Long Feng stepped backwards and shot himself into a tunnel near the ceiling. Once above, he dissolved the pillar he'd used to climb. 

"I'll make sure all of you suffer the demise you deserve!"

"Do you really believe I won't reach you just because you're standing inside your little tunnel?", Iroh asked calmly.

He called a flame to his hand and Long Feng flinched back. With a scowl, he turned tails and fled. 

As soon as he was out of sight, Iroh turned to look at Jet and Aang. "Is any of you injured?". Jet, mouth wide open, couldn't reply. 

The stone at the room's entrance moved out of the way, revealing the group of kids finally catching up to them. They ran towards the three figures near the floor and hovered around Jet. 

"What happened? Are you okay?", demanded Smellerbee, frantically touching his chest in her search for injuries. Katara coated her hands in glowing water, but Jet stopped her before she could use it on him.

"Long Feng attacked us", Aang said, pointing at the burnt remains of the rock pillar. "He was going to hit Jet".

"Mu- Iroh pushed me out of the way", Jet revealed, still exchanging stares with the firebender. A blur dashed across them and launched itself to Iroh -Smellerbee held tight onto him, sniffling against his clothes.

"Thank you", she whispered. Longshot stood next to her, not hugging Iroh but bowing his head in recognition. "Thank you so, so much". Iroh hugged her back

Sokka cleared his throat. "I'm sorry for being a party pooper, but if you're fine then we need to keep moving. We're not out of the woods just yet, and we still need to find Druk", he explained. 

Aware of their limited time, the group got back on their feet and kept running after Toph in an unusual silence. They took a few turns until finally, the earthbender reached a stop in front of a particularly wider "door". 

Toph slid it open and they hurried inside. 

It was a large room, big enough to fit even Appa. It was lit by green lanterns around the perimeter and a single opening above. There were several open shackles around the middle of the room and even under the dim light they could see many jet-black scales littered all over, along with flecks of what seemed to be dried blood. The stone on all four walls, the floor and even the roof had large spots coloured black as if charred by intense fire. Long scratch marks covered the area around the shackles.

There was no dragon inside.

They heard Iroh's intake of breath.

"Druk's gone!", Aang realized out loud. "Long Feng beat us here".

"If we keep moving, maybe we can catch up with them", Sokka suggested. 

Wasting no time, the group left the void cell and followed Toph on their way outside. 

***

Appa grumbled and nudged Aang's side. The monk patted the bison's head, but his heart wasn't fully into it. "We didn't get Druk back", he mumbled. Momo chittered and landed on Aang's shoulder, patting his head with his tiny hands. "We failed".

Jet, Longshot and Smellerbee were huddled up and a little to the side, but just a short distance away. 

"It was a risky decision since the beginning", Iroh said. His voice sounded tired and his eyes had lost a little light, but he held himself the same way as usual. "Long Feng is a smart man. He's been using this sort of tactics for years".

"But we escaped from the Dai Li, didn't we?", Sokka added, waving his arms. "Sure, we didn't find Druk, but we still have Appa. We should go to the Earth King now and tell him our plan"

"I don't know if you noticed, but none of our plans have gone well for these past few weeks", Katara replied. "What makes you think this is going to work?"

Sokka placed both hands on his hips. "We have to try. If we want to invade the Fire Nation when the eclipse happens, we need the Earth King's support"

"What makes you think we'll get it?", inquired Toph, sitting down a small bump in the ground. "As you've just seen, things don't usually go that smoothly for our little gang"

"I know, but I've got a good feeling about this", he smiled. "This time will be different".

"Sokka, Long Feng is in control of the city", Katara scolded. "His conspiracy with the Dai Li is too powerful. I think we should just keep flying and leave this horrible place behind us".

"I'm with Sweetness. I've seen enough of Ba Sing Se. And I can't even see!" 

Iroh shook his head. "That won't do", he declared. "To face the Fire Nation, even if it's a single encounter -especially if it's a single encounter- we need support. We are all strong and even if I've grown old I can still take my fair share of enemies, but it won't be enough for a siege".

"And facing Long Feng and his Dai Li is that much easier?", Toph said, frowning. 

"It is", Iroh said. "As you said, the Dai Li are basically in control of the city. So we don't give them a chance to overpower us. We head directly for the Earth King Palace and find the Earth King himself".

Aang lightly landed next to them. Though still far from cheerful, he had a determined glint in his eyes. "Nothing's stopping us from telling the Earth King the truth about the conspiracy and the war. And if we get him to believe us, he can help us find Druk", to which Iroh hummed wisely. 

Grinning from ear to ear, Sokka hung both arms across their shoulders. "See? They agree with me. Besides, it's the whole reason we came here in the first place".

Katara scrunched her nose and touched her chin with a considering look on her face. "Well... I guess if the Earth King knew the truth, things could change".

"I don't trust the new positive Sokka". Toph stood up and pointed at the older boy with an accusing finger.  "Long Feng brainwashed you, didn't he?!".

Aang noticed something by the lake, and he ran near the shore to look better at it. The others followed behind, and they all spotted three green-flagged ships not too far away from the islet they'd landed on. 

"Those are Dai Li ships", Iroh told the others, confirming their suspicions. "They are probably searching for us", Sokka noticed. "So?".

Determination quickly took over Katara's expression.

"Let's fly".

"Don't count on us", Jet suddenly said, standing up and facing the Gaang. "You want to raid the Earth King Palace? That's fine by me. But we're out. I've already done my part of the deal, and frankly, I have no obligation to stay through the whole way. Drop us in any square of the Lower Ring and we'll manage to get back home".

Smellerbee exchanged a little look with Longshot, but neither contradicted Jet. 

"That's fair", Sokka shrugged. "It's our business, not yours. And Appa can't carry all of us, either".

Despite the extra weight, they reached their destination soon enough.

"I understand why you're not coming with us", said Katara after Jet had jumped off. "But I'm glad to know you're okay. And... And I believe you. You have changed".

Jet smiled at her like he would smile at Jin. "Thank you, Katara". 

She smiled back.

The three walked away as the bison headed for the Earth King's palace. 

***

"This man is a criminal, Your Majesty", hissed Long Feng, glaring daggers at Iroh's impassive face. "He's a terrorist who's worked to take down the Earth Kingdome before, and-"

"Indeed", Iroh declared in a voice that thundered above any other sound in the King's hall.

He squared his broad shoulders and lifted his chin, barely moving, but it was like a dragon lifting its neck and spreading its wings. "Long Feng does not lie, your Majesty. Five years ago, I laid siege to your city for six hundred days. I am the one who pierced your Outer Wall".

"Why should I believe you?", asked Kuei, though his voice was not as accusing as it was genuinely curious and, perhaps, a little awed. "If what you say is true, you would have no reason to come back".

"Hiding, your Majesty. I was declared a traitor of the Fire Nation and so I came here seeking refuge", Iroh said. Long Feng's face was a mask of disgust, but it was ignored. "And I was declared a traitor because I sided with the North Pole during a siege a few months ago. A siege that was part of a war that has been going on for the last hundred years".

***

"Though it is a nice gesture of you to honour my Nation, this would be taking it a bit too far, don't you think?", Iroh said with a polite grin that sent Long Feng's blood boiling. 

"It's important to respect the imported product", the Dai Li gritted his teeth. "You can't trust domestic machinery".

Seeing that his words had no effect, for a moment the nervousness could be seen in his eyes. The man licked his lips and tried to smile politely, but this time it seemed more like a grimace than a gesture of goodwill. "Surely you don't believe these children and that terrorist instead of your most loyal attendant?".

There was indecision on King Kuei's young face. His eyes slowly travelled from the Gaang to his old advisor.

For a moment, Long Feng's face relaxed. The old rat-viper seemed to believe that he had succeeded in moving the king's will in his favour.

But puppet or not, Kuei was Earth Kingdom through and through.

The King's choice would not be swayed. 

"Dai Li, arrest Long Feng", he ordered with a voice as hard and cold as a diamond. "I want him to stand trial for his crimes against the Earth Kingdom". His eyes flickered to the soldiers behind him. "You two. Send words to our Generals, and whoever is skilled for the task. Send them to search all of Lake Laogai and bring me every bit of information you can find about the missing dragon".

And Iroh couldn't help but feel joyful, satisfied and, dare he say, smug when he saw the surprise on Long Feng's face. And while all eyes were on the man's tantrum as he was taken away, Iroh stared at Kuei with something like hope. 

It wasn't easy, after all, to turn against your own people.

Iroh knew that almost better than anyone. 

***

"We searched Long Feng's office as you commanded", General How said. "I think we found something that will interest everybody". 

The kids stared at each other. Iroh clapped his hands. "Very well", he smiled. "What are we waiting for? Let's see what that's all-"

"No", interrupted General How. "You will be escorted to a prison cell and kept there until further notice".

"What?!" "No!" "No way!"

"General How", asked Kuei. "Is it truly necessary?".

"I'm sorry, your Majesty, but we cannot allow the Dragon of the West to run free all over the city, no matter how good his intentions seem". The General's eyes hardened to stone as he looked down at Iroh. "I have not forgotten what your siege did to our people. One good deed will not erase the hundreds of graves we had to dig".

"I'm well aware", replied Iroh with a grave voice. "But as you must know, I've been declared a traitor to the Fire Nation after what happened at the North Pole. I no longer stand with them, and I have not fought for their ideals since the end of the Siege. I understand your caution, but I plead with you not to ignore the intel from an enemy General out of resentment. It is a bit outdated, but I hold useful information. I can be of aid".

"And what? Are you going to bargain that in exchange for your freedom?", spat the General. 

Iroh shook his head. "Not at all. From a cell or my shop, I will do my best to provide for this city. I just beg you to listen".

"You can't take him!", said Katara. Determined, she stood in front of Iroh and faced the General. "He's helped us out many times, and we need him!". Aang and Sokka nodded in agreement.

"That's right", said Toph. "His advice is the best and he brews the best tea!".

"Children", calmly chided Iroh. "My crimes are far too many to be forgotten or forgiven. Whatever happens to me, I have earned it every step of the way".

"Iroh", called Kuei. 

"Yes, your Majesty?".

"Are you planning on betraying my city?".

"No, your Majesty".

"Are you conspiring to bring it down or to bring glory and power to the Fire Nation in any way, shape or form?".

"No, your Majesty".

"Do you swear on your life that these statements are the truth and only the truth?".

"Yes, your Majesty".

"Very well. General How".

"Yes, your Majesty?".

"Have General Iroh escorted to his tea shop in the Upper Ring, and have him placed under permanent surveillance at all hours".

"But your Majesty-!".

"Any violation against the statements he just made will be seen as treason against the Earth Kingdom and punished accordingly".

"Execution, your Majesty?"

Kuei's eyes widened briefly, but he set his mouth in a firm line and gave a sharp nod. "Yes, General. Under penalty of execution".

"It will be done as you say", said the General. He seemed much calmer than before. "And as your command, we searched Long Feng's office. I think we found something that will interest everybody. But as General Iroh is not included in that and he should not wander the castle by himself, may I place him on temporary hold until we're done with this business?".

"Of course".

"Right away, then". The General then barked some orders at nearby soldiers, and soon enough Iroh got escorted away by a full squad of Imperial Soldiers. "Follow me", he then told Aang and the others, and they and Kuei followed along. 

They were led to a large and fancy furnished room, with a roaring fireplace and books and files all over the walls. A soldier brought forward a nicely decorated open box and placed it in front of King Kuei before leaving.

"There are secret files of everyone in Ba Sing Se. Including you, kids", said General How. 

"Secret files?"

Kuei took out a scroll atop the small pile inside the coffer. "Toph Beifong", and handed it to How, who handed it to Toph, who handed it to Katara, who opened the scroll and read what was inside. 

"It's a letter from your mom. Your mom's here in the city. And she wants to see you!"

"Long Feng intercepted our letters from home? That's just sad".

"Aang", said Kuei and handed him a scroll. "According to the Dai Li we interrogated, this scroll was attached to the horn of the dragon when the Dai Li captured it", explained General How. 

"It's from the Eastern Air Temple!". Momo, perched on Aang's shoulder, bent closer to the scroll and sniffed at it. He seemed to recognize something because he then cooed sadly and rubbed his face against it.

"Is there any news on Druk's whereabouts?", asked Sokka, and all the kids turned to stare at the General. The man seemed disappointed in himself when he answered. "I'm afraid not. The Dai Li have stayed away after Long Feng's arrest and we have not found any loose strings. We're keep working on it".

***

Jet burst the door open, Smellerbee and Longshot entering quickly behind him. "Jet?", she called, quickly by his side. She placed a hand on his shoulder, holding him while he sat down. "Talk to me".

"Oh, I'm fine", he snapped. The girl, having known him for so long, didn't take it personally. "Just peachy".

"You are not. Please, Jet. I know none of us expected such thing from Iroh, but he-"

Iroh

"I don't care what happens to that fuckin' ashmaker!", he yelled. Smellerbee let go of his shoulder and Longshot took a step away. "He lied- he- he's scum! He's a lying scum and I believed him and he could've killed us all this time!"

Longshot looked away and placed down his bow and arrows. Smellerbee took her place beside him, both sitting in front of the distressed older boy. Jet was hunched over himself, grabbing his hair and with a strange look in his eyes. "I've let one of those viper-rats into this city!!"

"Jet", Smellerbee called. "Iroh, ashmaker or not, he saved your life. I... I don't care what he is. We're all alive because of him, and I owe him that".

"You don't care, then?", he demanded, staring up from the ground. "That he's Fire Nation scum?"

"I...  I understand why he didn't tell us. And I believe him. He had many chances to hurt us or take advantage of us and all he did was brew tea and get us better lives. And he saved you. I could never, ever hate someone after that".

Longshot nodded along, for he felt the same. 

Jet shook his head, but no longer grabbed his hair. "I just... I don't understand". He wanted to yell, needed to fight, but he had just barely survived an encounter with the Dai Li, an ashmaker had saved him and he was exhausted. "We... He...". He sighed, closed his eyes and pressed his palms against his eyelids. The day's events flashed through his closed eyes, but he couldn't make much sense of it. "I don't think I could kill him".

 And wasn't it a foreign feeling, to say that and actually mean it?

"Alright, then", she said. "What do you want us to do?".

Us

Jet shrugged and leaned back to rest against the worn couch behind him. 

The Fire Nation was big, even if smaller than the Earth Kingdom. In his best days, Jet could be tempted to admit that not every single Fire Nation citizen could be evil incarnated. But Iroh was not a firebender, he was the Dragon of the West. He had the deaths of hundreds if not thousands under his command. 

How could he reconcile that with the kind, patient, loving old man who had given Jet, Longshot and Smellerbee a new life? How could he reconcile that with the grieving old man crying in front of his dead son's picture? How could he reconcile that with every time he had enjoyed the old man's company?

"Guys", Jet called a while later, voice hoarse and eyes far away. "Do you... do you think all Fire Nation deserves to die?".

Longshot and Smellerbee exchanged a look. A few seconds later, the black-haired boy sat down closer to Jet, shoulders sturdy and eyes unwavering. Smellerbee hovered behind him, her brown eyes shifting quickly from one boy to another. 

"What?".

And Longshot said something Jet never expected:

"My father was from the Yuyan. My skill with the bow started with him, and I assure you, he loved us deeply. Did he deserve to die?".

"What?!" Jet's mouth dried. His eyes widened and his stare turned sharply to Smellerbee. "You knew?!".

"Of course, I knew!", she replied, though she couldn't meet his eyes. "But Jet... how could I tell you? I couldn't risk that". 

"Risk that? What do you mean by that? I would have never-"

"Wouldn't you?", she replied, gentle but firm. Jet turned to stare at Longshot, but the boy's face was unmovable. There was no trace of emotion. For some reason, Jet felt like he was being tested. 

The older boy looked down. His shoulders sagged, and he suddenly felt very very tired. 

He sighed. "I don't know", voice little more than a whisper, small and unsure.

"We'll do whatever you tell us to", reassured the girl. "But I think you first need to figure out what you are going to do"

Another five minutes went by. Jet then stood up and walked towards their bedroom. 

"Just leave me alone".

***

"I'm staying too", suddenly said Toph. Her arms crossed and she seemed upset, but there was no hesitation. "I'll explain everything to my mom and will get back here as soon as that's done. 

"Are you sure you don't want more time with her, Toph?", asked Katara, voicing everyone's unspoken concern. 

Toph frowned but instead of lashing out, she looked down, deflating. "No, not really", she admitted. "I want to spend more time with her. She... well, hsuan, she's my mother and despite everything I love her, but I'm the more likely to find Sparky. The Dai Li are good, but I'm the best, so if I put my mind to it I'm sure I can find him in no time. He needs me more than her"

"It must be hard for you", added Katara, placing a gentle hand on the little girl's shoulder. Toph accepted her gesture for a few seconds before shrugging off. "It's fine"

"Thank you for doing this, Toph", said Aang. Then Toph scowled and punched him in the arm. "Auch!"

"I'm not doing this just for you", she snapped. "Druk's my friend too. And last time we met he was kind of mad at me; I want to find his scaly ass so we can be even".

***

Jet didn't pay much attention to where his feet took him after leaving the apartment. He knew the area well, he'd made sure to memorize all the routes as soon as he arrived, so he wasn't worried about ending up somewhere particularly dangerous. He was capable enough to defend himself. 

He was also unaware of the passing of time. He only knew that he needed to get out of the stuffy Lower Ring, so he let his footsteps carry him towards the Middle Ring while his mind mulled over all the events of the last two weeks.

The sun was approaching the top when a loud, very familiar voice snapped him from his reverie.

"BREAKFAST! GET YOUR BREAKFAST! HUA MING'S AMAZING BREAKFAST! LATE-MORNING BREAKFAST! THE BEST RICE PORRIDGE FOR BREAKFAST!"

Jin?

Curious, a little bit in a trance, Jet approached the screaming woman and, to his surprise, he saw Jin shaking a rusty bell in front of a mobile food stall occupied by several large pots and Hua Ming serving portions to a line of eager customers. 

"GET YOUR AMAZING LATE-MORNING BREAKFAST! THE BEST- JET?!".

The entire line of customers turned to stare at the sole being capable of distracting Jin while on announcer duty, to Jet's mild embarrassment. 

"Hey", he greeted, "What are you-?". 

He couldn't finish his sentence. Jin stomped towards him and whacked him in the head with her wooden sign. 

"OUCH! What was that for?!".

"That was for standing me up last night!", she scoffed, placing both hands in her hips. "You were supposed to buy me dessert. I waited for two hours before going to your place and I found it empty. Empty! Not a letter nor a single explanation! I was worried, you numbskull. You can't just walk in and say hey like nothing happened -that's not the way to treat a friend!"

"You tell her, Jin", one of the customers said, eagerly shaking her wrinkled fist. "Show your boyfriend how to treat a lady!".

"He's not my boyfriend!" "I'm not her boyfriend!".

The entire line chuckled at their response, but the old lady didn't push it. 

"And she's not a lady", Jet shrugged, rubbing at the sore spot in his head. "More like a goat gorilla -ouch! See?!".

"Don't call me goat gorilla, is rude", she huffed. "So? Are you going to tell me what happened last night?".

Something must've changed in Jet's face because the lines in Jin's expression eased into soft concern. She poked at his shoulder, searching for something Jet wasn't sure she should find. "Hey", she insisted, quiet in a way that contrasted heavily with the scolding of before. "You don't seem to be doing so well. Are you alright?"

"I...". How to tell her? How to explain to her the hatred that ran through his veins since he saw his town and his family burn in the flames of a Fire Nation squad?  How to explain to her his intention to let go of that hatred, only to come face to face with the very reason for it hidden under the mask of a kind old man? "I don't know".

It was the best he could give. 

She grinned, gentle and firm. "Come with me", she said as she pushed him towards Hua Ming. "You look like you haven't eaten breakfast. You just need a nice hot meal and you'll see how much better you feel".

"Sorry, but I-".

"Sit down, Jet", Hua Ming insisted as she placed a warm bowl in his hands. It was chicken ginger congee. "And fill your stomach. Everything else can wait until later".

Only then did he notice the grumbling of his empty stomach and the heaviness pressing on his shoulders. He sighed and lifted a spoonful of the bowl's contents. 

He peaked over his shoulder to tell Jin to give him space, but she had already gone back to her announcer post to act as if nothing had happened. 

"BREAKFAST! GET YOUR BREAKFAST! HUA MING'S AMAZING BREAKFAST!".

Jet allowed himself a smile.

When he took his first bite of the day, it tasted quite great. 

***

"Your Majesty", a Royal Guard called, "There are three female warriors here to see you. They are from the island of Kyoshi"

Sokka turned his head, excitement filling his voice. "That's Suki!", he called and promptly fell off the bison.

"You know these warriors?", asked King Kuei. 

"Oh, yeah", Sokka said, standing up after rubbing the spot on his back he had hit when falling. "The Kyoshi Warriors are a skilled group of fighters. Trustworthy too. They're good friends of ours". Sokka then got an idea. "Hey! Since Suki is here, Katara-"

"Don't worry, I'll ask her".

Kuei's face softened, and he addressed his guard. "Then we will welcome them as honoured guests". 

***

Hua Ming took Jet's third bowl of the day.  

"Mushi?", she asked. "Seriously?".

They'd run out of food to sell a while back, and Jet had helped Jin and her aunt pick up the stall to leave back to the Lower Ring. Apparently, some Middle Ring man had once eaten Hua Ming's food during his early days as a refugee and, barely a few days ago, had contacted her to arrange for her to sell her meals three times a week during the morning. The only condition was to return to the Lower Ring before midday and to give him a pot of her congee and ten per cent of her earnings to the District Management Office.

He'd even taken care of the paperwork. 

So, as it was barely thirty minutes from midday, Jet chose to help them carry their pots back to the Lower Ring. They'd picked a safe route, away from Dai Li posts or too-crowded squares, and stopped to ask Jet about last night. 

He'd told them everything in detail, quickly but quietly. 

"Yeah. And I... I don't know what to do".

"Well, what do you want to do?", said Jin as she adjusted one of the pots hanging from her back. 

"I want to hand him over to the Dai Li", he admitted. A shiver passed through Hua Ming, to which Jin clicked her tongue at him. "Sorry", he apologized. "It's not easy for me either". 

"Jet", Hua Ming called. "Don't apologize for being honest, I asked. And I want to help you out. You're a good kid and my niece's best friend. Of course I want to help".

"I'm not sure you can", he replied, not unkindly. 

The older woman sighed. "Then at least I'll lend you an ear and an old lady's advice".

"Are you going to hand over Mushi?", inquired Jin. 

"Yes", answered Jet. His nose scrunched. "No. I don't know. I want to, but-"

"He saved your life", Jin said. "It makes sense that you don't want him gone".

"It's never mattered before!".

Hua Ming hummed and looked at Jet, raising a grey eyebrow. "Have you ever gotten that close with anyone else from the Fire Nation before?".

Jet sneered. "Eugh. As if. I'd never fall that low".

Jin shrugged and adjusted the pots on her back. "Well, maybe he's one of a kind".

"He's an ash-maker!", he snapped. "His kind is why this world is so shitty! They burn and destroy and take what they want and no one has the balls to stand up to them. How could I ever want to be close to them?".

"You already are", Jin mused. 

"Not on purpose!", he screeched. 

"Does it really change that much?", she questioned. Their voices were still hushed and hidden by a nearby canal. "Mushi is still Mushi. And you said he was acting the same as always".

"He might be planning something", Jet scoffed. "You never know what those fire rats are thinking. It might be a ruse to lower my guard and stab me in the back".

"If he were your enemy, I don't think he would've saved your life", Hua Ming added. "Don't you think it'd be easier to get you out of the picture?". 

Jet looked down, fists clenched. He kicked a pebble out of the way, and it bounced a few times before falling into the canal. 

"That's what I can't understand", he grumbled. "Why keep me alive? I'm a threat. We're enemies, he-".

"Are you?", Jin interrupted.

He did a double-take. "What?".

"Are you enemies? Because I'm pretty sure you wouldn't say that if he weren't Fire Nation". 

He clicked his tongue, displeased. "In case you haven't noticed, we've been at war for a hundred years. A war which they started". 

"Jet", Jin called, in a tone more serious than he was used to seeing in the usually relaxed girl. "Not every member of the Fire Nation is trying to destroy the world".

"How do you know that?", he scowled. 

She and her aunt exchanged a brief look, which didn't go unnoticed by Jet. Jin stared at the roof of the tunnel, nibbled at her lips and, a minute or two later, squared her shoulders, seemingly arriving at a decision. 

"I'm going to tell you something, but first you have to swear you will not tell anyone else".

Jet scowled, confused. "What?"

"Swear it", she demanded. Her green eyes were open like plates, and she stared at him dead in the eye. "Swear you won't tell another soul".

"I...".

Only then did he notice Hua Ming staring at him, glaring with unusual intensity. A shiver ran down his spine; the tunnel was void of people. 

He gulped. "Why such a big deal?", he asked. "What, are you helping the Fire Nation or something?", he joked. Jin looked away, and he saw her clenching her jaw. Jet's eyes widened a little bit and he froze as if someone had dumped a bucket of icy water all over him. "Wait, seriously? Are you... are you an ashmaker lover?", he accused with disgust. 

Jin seemed totally unimpressed. "I'll forgive you once because you're my best friend, but if you say that again with a straight face, I will deck you".

"It's a valid question!".

"No, you idiot, is not", Jin said, rolling her eyes. "Honestly!".

"Well then, what's all that secrecy about?!", Jet screeched, waving his arms. "You are not doing a good job at looking innocent!".

"As far as I'm aware, I've committed no crime", she replied with a cold voice. "But if you don't swear to it, I won't say another word".

Jet pouted and turned his head away, looking instead at the murky waters of the nearby canal. 

What's the big deal? Only someone who is hiding something is so secretive. But if I accuse her of supporting the Fire Nation, she'll get angry and won't help me. Threatening her would not help either, she is stubborn as a rock. 

Guilt flared in his gut at that last thought. He pursed his lips, shoulders further hunched. 

I'll have to compromise for once. 

"Very well", he then said. "I swear". 

Jet expected doubt and suspicion from both women, he expected to have to give arguments and reassure them that he was telling the truth - although he himself was not sure of it.

He did not expect their easy smiles nor the pride in both women's eyes. 

"I knew you'd come around", Jin smiled, giving him a gentle push on the shoulder.

"Tell me, Jin".

She blinked, once, staring at the path ahead. Her smile shrunk to a mere lift on her lips. "Ah. That was the deal, wasn't it?". 

For the first time since their meeting, Jin seemed nervous. Jet's eyes narrowed but he had nothing kind to say. 

Hua Ming moved past him and squeezed her niece's shoulder.

"It's alright, dear", reassured the older woman. "We can trust him". 

She bowed her head. "I know". 

Then she took a deep breath and moved closer to Jet to walk beside him. Neither of them looked at each other.

Her voice was a murmur, little more than a whisper. And yet, to Jet, the next words rang louder than thunder in a summer storm.

"The Fire Nation is already inside the city".

He stopped dead. The others did too, waiting for his reaction. Ice coursed through his veins and rose to his head as he processed her friend's words.

Fire Nation... inside?

"WHAT?!"

"SHHH!"

"Don't 'shhh' me, Jin, what the fuck? What do you mean inside?", he snapped, flailing his arms like crazy. "Are we about to be sieged? Are they- are you helping them?", he spat with disgust. 

Hua Ming stepped in front of her niece, wide and broad as a wall. "They are refugees, Jet. Benders and non-benders alike. They-"

"I don't care if they can bend or not, they are Fire Nation- what the hell were you thinking, letting them inside? Are you both crazy? They-"

"They were running away from the war", Jin cut him off, soft and patient. "Just like you and many others".

I've never killed innocents!, he tried to say, but the incident in Gaipan came to his mind, so he closed his mouth.

"We're not the same", he grumbled instead. "It isn't my nation that burns the world".

"No one chooses where they are born," Hua Ming said. Her voice was deep and firm like rock but with rounded and soft edges. "Not all humans are born equal. Some are born in a Palace, some are born in a forgotten village. Some are born benders, some are not. Some are born in the Earth Kingdom, some in the Fire Nation". She breathed out, a sigh that carried all of her years in it. "What we can choose is how to live our lives. It is a freedom that we are all born with. And the refugees who come here, no matter their origins, are here to escape a terrible war".

"Those fire rats wouldn't have to come if their kind weren't conquering everything", he hissed. "Whose fault is that?".

"What did I just say?" the woman rebuked. "Don't you think it's enough for them to leave their home and come to the land of the 'enemy'? Even though my children and I were starving beside my husband's grave, leaving my home was the hardest decision I've ever made. Do you think it's not the same or worse for them?". She took a deep breath, realising she had raised her voice a bit too much. "We can't control other people's decisions", she said. "Only ours. And I've had enough of this stupid war taking away our empathy. So yes, I help Fire Nation refugees. Just like I help Earth Kingdom refugees and what few Water Tribe refugees arrive". 

The look in her brown eyes was impenetrable and proud, like hand-carved volcanic rock. Jet found himself unable to maintain eye contact; for a moment, the anger inside him was significant before the woman.

Was Longshot's father a runaway too...?

"Mysery doesn't know of borders, Jet", Jin's sweet voice came from his left. Her expression was heavy but her green eyes hadn't lost their usual brightness. "So why should I?"

Jet didn't know what to say. For once, he was speechless.

They stayed silent for a long stretch of the remaining journey. The streets along the canal became a little more familiar; only footsteps on stone, running water and the clatter of pots on their backs could be heard.

They were already close to reaching the section of the path that would take them to the checkpoint to enter the Lower Ring when Hua Ming softly poked him in the shoulder. 

"Go talk to him", suggested the older woman. 

The boy scowled, but it wasn't as pronounced as before. "How could I? He's an ashmaker", he grumbled. For some reason, it felt more out of habit than out of a genuine statement. Which was ridiculous. Why wouldn't he mean it?

"But he's still Mushi, isn't he?", she insisted. "Don't look for excuses just because you don't like your choices. Talk to him, then figure out what to do". Her face was stern like a rock. 

Jet looked away, shoulders hunched. 

A moment of silence, then two. 

"If you're worried about Bee and Longshot, I can look after them". Jin raised an eyebrow at Jet's bewildered expression. "Why are you so surprised? I like the kids, and you need a bit of help. What's a girl to do?".

Jet sighed and shook his head, but he was grinning fondly. Jin flickered his arm. "Buy me dessert next time when we go to the market and we're even".

"Duly noted", said Jet, ruffling the girl's hair. 

He laughed a little when she screeched at his gesture. It took her and Hua Ming a few steps to notice that Jet wasn't following them anymore. 

They turned to look at him, their faces wearing a mixture of fondness and the slightest of sorrows. 

"You are going now, then", Hua Ming sighed. It wasn't a question as much as a statement.

"Yeah", he admitted, rubbing his shoulders. "If I don't go now, I won't do it later. I don't know when I'll be back, though". 

"Good!", Jin declared, giving him a thumbs up. "Don't become a wuss. Go there and say what you have to say! We'll be waiting for you when you get back".

Hua Ming nodded. "And no matter your choice, we'll still be here. Take care, alright?"

Jet bowed his head as he walked backwards. His words wouldn't be enough, but they were the only thing he could say. 

"Thank you".

Hua Ming waved at him one last time. Jin grinned cheerfully, a wide and toothy smile. "What are besties for?".

And as he made his way towards the Upper Ring, Jet felt his chest a little lighter.

***

Looking at the luxurious place, all Toph could feel was a strange mix of shame, hope and a bit of embarrassment. 

Here goes nothing. Well, I'm sure I can convince her to wait for me a little bit more. 

The earthbender took a deep breath and gave the door a soft knock, only for it to open with ease. 

"Hello? Mom? Anyone home?", she called as she walked further into the house. 

Something's off, she thought. I can't feel a thing. It doesn't seem like she's here. She heard a small creak above her head and it was enough to alert her. I should leave.

The creaking grew and... fell towards her? It was too sudden and quick, and before she could react she was locked inside a spirits-foresaken metal cage. 

"HEY!", she yelled, patting at the walls of her enclosement. She couldn't bend it, she couldn't move it, she couldn't get out and- "Who do you think you're dealing with?!"

From afar, a familiar voice grew closer and closer. 

"One loudmouth little brat who strayed too far from home". 

***

Two lines of burly, rock-still earthbenders formed a procession path along the main courtyard towards the platform on which King Kuei stood. Their uniforms were clean and Azula could not find a single wrinkle or misplaced foot.

"In our hour of need, it is with the highest honour that I welcome our esteemed allies: The Kyoshi Warriors!"

The Earth King sounded so genuine it was laughable. And pathetic. And so, so useful. 

Knowing Mai and Ty Lee would follow her every action, the princess knelt on the floor and lowered her forehead as she would've done for the Fire Lord. Her face showed none of the disgust she felt at making such a gesture to the Earth King. 

"We are the Earth King's humble servants". 

Her amber eyes twinkled under the Sun.

***

"Look, Bosco", the Earth King told his pet... bear? Oh, Agni, this place was weird to its core. "The Kyoshi Warriors are here to protect us. Aren't you excited?". The creature grumbled and the King turned to stare at the three girls. "It's been a most difficult week for me. My most trusted advisor, Long Feng, and his Dai Li agents tried to take control of Ba Sing Se from me".

"It's terrible when you can't trust the people who are closest to you"

"Oh, yes, indeed. And what's worse, we still haven't found the Avatar's pet dragon yet"

Dragon?

"It's been missing for quite a while and Long Feng has kept it hidden from us, though he hasn't said anything yet. But the Avatar's friends told me you could be helpful in that regard. I'm sure the waterbender girl, Katara, will probably tell you all about it later. I just hope I get to see it if only for a moment. A dragon sounds like such a fascinating creature..."

"I'm sure it must be quite a wonderful sight".

"But there is good news", then said the King, while petting the grumbling bear. "As we speak, the Council of Five is meeting to plan an invasion of the Fire Nations this summer, on the day of a solar eclipse".

Oh?

"Really? Now that sounds like a fascinating and brilliant plan"

***

"All we need is the Earth King's seal in order to execute the plan"

With a sharp gesture of his hand, the general earth bent the message towards Katara. She grabbed it and stood up. 

"I'll get these scrolls to him right away. Thank you, General How".

It was a lovely day, thought Katara as she made her way outside. Not too hot like in the Si Wong and windy enough to cool off the heat. Despite all of its downsides, the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se was a beautiful sight to behold. The parks and green areas were full of well-kept, well-trimmed trees, and she took a deep breath to enjoy the scent of nearby grass. The sun heated her asking, but it was more like a comforting hug than a blistering burn.

Momo chittered on her shoulder while she walked in a leisurely place. In the middle of her way, she remembered Iroh's teashop being close enough. 

"What do you say, Momo? A cup of tea before we get back to the King?"

So she turned around and headed for the Jasmine Dragon. But then she turned a corner and met up with a body colliding against her. 

"Watch where you- Jet?!?

***

"This chakra deals with willpower and is blocked by shame. What are you ashamed of?".

The guru's voice seemed to float through the air as Aang grasped the first memories that came to mind. The lake and the fire, warm and playful, so easy to bend. Katara and her warnings. The ring of fire that suddenly wasn't so pretty anymore, spreading and growing without listening to Aang's will.

The terror in Katara's eyes. Her scream. The fire, voracious and disobedient, burning the girl's hands.

"What are your biggest disappointments in yourself?"

Zuko's helpful presence. His reluctance to ask for help, his surprise at receiving it. The protective ferocity with which Aang knew he cared for Appa. The trust the monk knew Zuko had in Aang, no matter how much he wanted to deny it. A pledge made without reservation, as burning and inextinguishable as the heat of his flames.

The sickening relief of knowing that it was Zuko and not Appa who was gone, the lonely pieces of a broken promise.

Aang's face scrunched under the strain. "I'm never going to firebend again. I can't". He hesitated for a moment. His head bowed in shame. "And I'm not a good friend either. I wanted to help Druk but I couldn't be there when he needed me. I couldn't even be angry- I was so happy Appa was with me that I almost forgot about him". 

The guru's voice didn't change inflexion; his words were as soothing as ever. 

"You will never find balance if you deny this part of your life. You are the Avatar, and therefore, you are a firebender". Aang heard him scratch his beard and the light humming from the old man's throat. "Druk... That's Prince Zuko, isn't he?".

Only Aang's years as a monk stopped him from opening his eyes and breaking his focus.

"You know him?!".

"Oh, I don't know if I know him", the guru chuckled. "But we've met a few times in the past, before and after his little spirit problem". 

"...how was he?".

The guru hummed again. 

"Not very well", he admitted, to Aang's chagrin. "His curse had consumed part of his consciousness. When he arrived here, his mind was a bit more that of a dragon than that of a human; it took me a few days to get close enough to help".

Aang's fists clenched and the creak's clog filled with even more debris. A chilly air breeze sent a shiver down his spine.

Zuko...

A question that had been consuming Aang since the Si Wong Desert floated to the surface. For a moment the monk considered not asking it, but a surge of anger removed any doubt from his mind. Whatever the answer, Aang had to know.

"Was he angry with us? With... with me?"

The guru's gentle laughter was unexpected, and Aang had to bite down his annoyance. 

"Angry? With and your friends?", he asked, incredulous and amused. "The Prince was angry at many things, Aang, but never at your friends. And even less at you". 

Aang's eyes opened wide and he swirled to stare at the guru's peaceful and fond expression.

"Seriously?!"

"Indeed", he nodded. "We got to talk during the days he stayed here to rest. And not once did I feel a hint of anger when he spoke of you and your friends. On the contrary, he spoke with, dare I say, affection. And hope, perhaps".

Affection? Hope?

"You accepted him even knowing who he was". The guru placed a long, bony hand on Aang's shoulders and handed him a tissue when the airbender's tears started to flow down his round cheeks. "He admired your willingness to help others, even if it could be harmful in the future. And I think that's not something to be ashamed of, young Avatar". 

Aang bent his head, his face scrunched and tears flowing freely. 

"Hn!"

Softly but firmly, Guru Pathik helped the monk to get back into his meditation position while giving him time to calm down. 

"Now", he reassured. "Try again. Unclog that shame". 

The airbender took a deep, deep breath to clear away his mind. 

I'm a firebender. I'm allowed to learn from my mistakes. I'm... I'm still Zuko's friend. I haven't failed him. He's not even angry at me- and he's always angry!

When he breathed out, his stomach was looser. Some of the chilliness had disappeared and it had nothing to do with air bending. 

"Hmm". The guru tilted his head. "That chakra opened less like a flowing creak, and more like a... burping dragon". 

***

What would normally be a clamour amidst the usual afternoon hustle and bustle of the Lower Ring was a comfortable silence among the streets of the Upper Ring. After wandering through the well-kept parks of the district they had decided to sit on the edge of the polished marble parapet that surrounded one of the gardens built on the top of a wide hill. On one side there was a narrow staircase protected by white railings that led to a wide, cobbled street, decorated with brightly coloured tiles. Near the wall ran a small but voluminous stream that playfully bathed the pebbles in its path.

The few clouds in the sky were tinted cherry and orange, moved slowly by the afternoon breeze. Momo lazily hovered above their heads. The sun warmed their backs. Insects croaked and screeched, hidden out of sight.

Night was approaching.

During their walk through the Upper Ring, Jet had told Katara a little about his dilemma. She had listened, albeit reluctant at first. Once he'd been done talking, she'd questioned his every choice, a discussion that was still going by the time they sat down.

"Well, he had Longshot, didn't he? I believe that's a good thing". 

"Of course it's a good thing! Longshot is the same as always, I'm not throwing him away just because his old man was who he was?".

No one chooses where they are born.

He clicked his tongue in frustration. "Okay. Fine. Let's say that maybe one of them wasn't a total psychopath. So what? It makes almost no difference. The Fire Nation is still the same. Their war is still the same. How can I ever make peace with them if they are still free to burn entire towns on a whim?". 

A nearby bird sang a high-pitched thrill. 

Blink. The glow of flesh-devouring flames, the stench of burnt wood and roasted flesh. Blink. Screamos of despair, pebbles digging under his knees, ash covering his tongue. Blink. The beauty of an Upper Ring park. 

"I understand", she said, snapping him from his thoughts.

He noticed then that he'd dug his nails quite hard into his palms, and shook them to get rid of the itching. He raised an eyebrow but Katara wasn't looking at him. Her hand held on softly onto her necklace, and the sadness in her faraway eyes was one Jet carried in the shape of anger. "They took my mother too, remember? I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive that".

The older boy crosses his arms. "So why shouldn't I get rid of Mushi?".

"Other than him saving your life over and over?", she deadpanned. He bowed his head, an almost playful admission. Katara frowned, looking at the carved stone as she traced patterns over its surface. "We need him. He can help us find Druk and-".

"You mean the... dragon, right?".

"Yes".

"Its name is Druk?".

"It was the only one he didn't hate", she explained sheepishly. "We had a whole discussion about it".

Jet's eyes narrowed with wariness. "You do remember that the Fire Nation slaughtered the dragons, don't you? Maybe he's using you to get his hands on the last one", he proposed. "To gain favour from his nation". 

"He's not with the Fire Nation", she retorted without a trace of hesitation. "He's helped us escape them before. Spirits, the last time I saw him I wasn't sure he'd make it out. So he's a firebender, yes, but he's not evil". She turned her neck to look into his eyes, a pair of bottomless pits as blue as the ocean. "Not all of them are evil, Jet".

Jet shook his head, drumming his fingers over the smooth surface. The stream kept running, the birds kept singing. "How can you be so sure of their goodness?", he demanded, furrowing his forehead. "Are you willing to bet your life on it?".

She shrugged. "I'm already betting my life on it". Momo chittered and Katara petted him on the neck. "And I never said I was sure. I just... Well, I think I need to believe it's there, you know? That the goodness inside them actually exists and is not just a fragment of my imagination. That is more than wishful thinking".

"But why?"

She considered his question for a moment. He waited patiently, tracing the clouds with his eyes. Some of them were golden and pink, and the sun occasionally reflected on the droplets from the stream, shining brief rainbows over the black pebbles. 

"Because if one can turn around and show love when his nation has only shown hate, then there is still hope in this world", Katara eventually admitted. "Hope that not all is lost. That we are not doomed to destroy each other".

The branches creaked under the higher wind. "So what, I'm just supposed to forgive him for the sake of hope?", he answered, though there was no bite in his words. 

She chuckled. "Not really", she said. "I get why you wouldn't. But you have the chance to respond to kindness with kindness instead of anger. It's small, but it's a step toward a better future, I think".

He huffed. "I don't want to make it easier for them- they don't deserve it. I want them to suffer".

She laughed once, again, but the sound was everything but cheerful. "Oh, don't I know?". Her expression was a bitter one, all grief and longing. Maybe even a little lost. "I'm no Aang to tell you that forgiveness is the right way. Maybe it is, maybe it's not. I don't know".

"So?".

"I've just said I don't know!", she retorted. She looked tired, far too tired for someone so young. Jet's hand found its way to her shoulders and squeezed lightly. Her mouth answered with a grin that was gone quickly. "I'm not the one who should decide who deserves what. If I could have my way, I'd find the man who took my mother away and... well, you can guess the rest".

They stayed a moment in silence. Momo jumped from Katara's shoulders to Jet's lap and purred when Jet scratched him behind his large ears. A light breeze ruffled their hair, carrying with it the scent of seasonal flowers. They heard the rustling of leaves in the distance. The warm, orange afternoon sun warmed their backs and created long shadows in front of them. 

"Iroh hasn't hurt me", Jet whispered, his voice barely audible and yet a booming thunder amidst the silence of the Upper Ring. "That man may have killed your mother, but Iroh saved my life. He... He's helped me out a lot, more than anyone I've met before". Momo shifted to lay on his back, so Jet could scratch his belly. Katara waited in silence. "He was kind even when he didn't have to. Always goes out of his way to lend us a hand, to give us a better life. If only he weren't an ashmaker..."

Katara sighed, heavily, swinging her legs back and forth. "But he is", she said. "You can't change that".

"I know. And I can't put it aside. I can't just let it go". He clenched his fists, ignoring Momo's demand for more attention. "I'd gladly give my life if it meant ridding this world of the Fire Nation". 

"And what good would that do?", she asked dryly. “If you die, that’s it. Your friends might remember you, but you won’t be able to do anything else. They'll grow and live and might even move on, and you'll stay sixteen and dead". Her face eased, looking younger than ever under the soft caress of the late afternoon sun. Her voice was both kind and sorrowful, diaphanous as the water of the stream at their feet. "You deserve better than that.”

The clouds in the sky had broken up into small pieces, like lilac flowers scattered everywhere.

"Huh".

"What?".

Jet looked away, tracing his fingers over the ridges in the stone beneath his hand. "Iroh said the same thing", he said in a wistful voice. His shoulders dropped. His eyes skimmed over the flowers scattered down the hill. "But you know what? I think we both do". 

He didn't have to look at her to know she was smiling. "He's a pretty wise man". 

"Oh, I know", he admitted. "Does wisdom come from age or experience?"

She hummed, taking her time to think of a proper answer. "Both", she said after a minute or two. "You gain experience with age". 

"You can still be old and inexperienced". 

"Maybe. Though I doubt it happens often, in this world of ours". 

A huff escaped Jet's lips. "You said it".

Katara abruptly stood up, startling a sleepy Momo. "That's it! Experience!".

Jet raised an eyebrow at her sudden emotion. "I have an idea", she stated. "Well, not an idea, a person but that- Ugh. Look, I know just the right person, okay? She's a Kyoshi Warrior- her name's Suki. She's their leader and has spent many years defending her island from the Fire Nation. If you talk to her, maybe she can give you the perspective you need!".

"A warrior, huh? That... That doesn't sound bad, actually", he admitted. "She sounds pretty badass". 

"She is". She jumped down the parapet, landing lightly on her feet. Momo uncurled from Jet's lap and climbed back on Katara's shoulders. "I'll take you to her", and she extended a hand. "Besides, I need to ask her help to find Druk. If more of us look, then we will surely find him soon".

Her eyes shone like sapphires, glistening blue under the evening light. 

"Very well", he nodded. "Let's do this". He took her hand to jump from his spot, following her closely towards the Earth King Palace. And after this... After this, I'll talk to Iroh.

***

"So my uncle and my dragon are here, then?", Azula said out loud to an almost empty hall. 

"Azula!", Ty Lee cheerfully called. Azula turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "You could have your family reunion with your uncle! And your father will be so pleased when you give him the city and the dragon -oh, you are so lucky!"

"I am, aren't I?", she smiled and looked down upon the two bodies on the floor. She found it amusing how angry they glared as if it would help them in any way. "Looks like everything's falling in place"

***

"I am the greatest earthbender in the world, don't you two dunderheads ever forget it!"

***

"I want to make a deal. It's time that I regain control of Ba Sing Se and you have something I need"

"Oh?"

Hook...

"The Earth King's trust". 

"Why should I help you?"

"Because I can get you... the Avatar"

"With the dragon, isn't that right? Because you have hidden the Avatar's pet dragon"

"Indeed"

...line...

"I want it", she declared. "Such creature only belongs with the Fire Nation. As a riding beast or as decoration matter little, it's ours. Give it to me, and I will aid you in your every need".

"How can I be sure you will keep your word?"

"I swear it on my honour as Princess"

"Hm. Very well. Take her to the beast and escort her back here after that. In the meanwhile, do as she says. We have much to discuss".

...and sinker.

***

"A message from the Royal Palace", the messenger said, bowing before leaving. 

Tea to the Earth King? If Kuei wanted my brew, there was no need to send such a formal invitation. Iroh's eyes narrowed slightly, and he headed off to the back of his shop. Either they are trying to warn me about something or something has already gone wrong at the Palace. Most likely, it's a trap. Am I reading too much into this? One way or another, I need to make sure nothing's amiss.  

Hidden from public sight, Iroh took away the invitation within the scroll and burned the original message.

If I'm lucky, it's just a little of an old man's paranoia. But I would rather be prepared.

***

"Proceed with caution", a faraway voice said. It was faint, but still audible through the tiny hole in the rock "The beast is far too aggressive. Only feeding it is dangerous enough".

The dragon sniffed. It caught the familiar stench of the humans who gave it food and kept it locked, along with another vaguely recognizable scent—human, female, younger, with something familiar about her. It shifted its limbs and long body, as much as the cell allowed it to. It was pitch-black and incredibly cramped, with only a small slit above its head for ventilation. Across the floor there were littered mounts of waste and human bones of all ages, all of them in different stages of decomposition. Male, female, young and old, as the dragon's only company. 

Another voice, higher-pitched yet more measured, interjected. "You dare doubt the skill of the Fire Nation princess? You, a mere Dai Li?"

"I- No, of course not"

"Then keep it quiet. I will deal with the dragon, and that's all you need to know. Now open whatever hole you call door before I decide you're more useful as dragon treat than as earthbender"

The dragon felt the grinding of the rock beginning to move, and all thoughts of familiarity escaped its mind.

BURN THEM

"HOLD IT!", the male commanded. The room was far too small for the dragon to move freely, but its long and slender body allowed him enough range movement to be a hassle.

The rock around the dragon shifted, a familiar sensation akin to when food used to be delivered—it had stopped a while ago. The humans adapted, though. They learned how it moved, figured out the patterns of its fire and tail, and reacted accordingly. It was a constant struggle that neither side enjoyed.

Thus, the dragon evaded the rock projectiles, hissing and screeching, seeking any gap to unleash its fury upon flesh. Stones pelted its head. Stoking its rage as it disregarded caution, it inhaled deeply. Black scales glowed yellow as warning cries echoed from afar.

BURN THEM

A torrent of burning fire shot from its mouth, lighting up the far-too-small room and charring the stone black as the dragon circled, relentless in its assault. The once scorching heat had waned, its flames flaring orange and red. It completely ignored the dimness of its Inner Fire and continued firing until its lungs emptied.

It gasped for air to sustain the dwindling flames, but as its fire faded the heat inside it spluttered and vanished, leaving it depleted and hollow and cold. 

That had also been happening quicker than usual.

At first, even before being moved, it used tiny flames to stay warm and bring some light. As of late, even that he couldn't spare. The longer it spent in that cramped, dark hole, the less it could call upon its fire. Using it drained what little energy it had, rendering it incapable of keeping the flames alive. It had been too long since it had felt the Sun, deep in the ground as it was. Each time, as well, it got progressively more difficult for its Inner Fire to ignite. The connection wouldn't sever -it was too strong, too deeply rooted within itself to vanish so quickly- but it would weaken until he was only alive and barely so.

It felt like being thirsty and having water, but never more than a single drop. 

Seizing its expected weakness, the humans encased its limbs in unyielding rock. Chains pulled its horns down and its tail was quickly secured.  A thick rock collar restrained its neck to the floor, and lastly, they summoned a sturdy stone cover to keep its snout down. 

Finally, the slit above him opened wider and a rock slide followed through. Two figures went down. One was one of the human males it was familiar with, and the other...

FIRE. DEATH. BURN

As the female approached, the dragon struggled against the rock, huffing smoke and shaking the ground. The pounding inside its skull grew along with the whispers. But the humans had learnt well. Now whenever they secured it they did it in groups, several focusing on each restraint. And yet, it could feel them straining to keep them in place. Lately though, as with many other aspects, they could afford to put less effort. 

Weakness encroached, and they knew.

"Well, well, look who we have here", the female said, standing just in front of the dragon's maw, her amber and calculating eyes looking down at him. Measuring it. It growled, torchlight casting shadows upon its massive tusks. "Hello, there, dragon".

FILTH. LIAR. DANGER.

The dragon once more pushed at the rock, but it held. The pounding sharpened beneath its eyes and it groaned in pain. The female clicked her tongue and knelt at eye level with its large head. Despite its warning growls, she approached, hands touching its scales, inches from its whiskers.

CLOSE. CLOSE. BITE HER. KILL HER.

“Now, now, none of that. I told you not to be stupid. You chose to defy me and look what happened”, she almost whispered. 

Memories surged. It knew it'd felt the same many times before, feeling powerless under the strength of the female- Fire Nation? Home? Kin?- and unable to do anything about it. She stood there, and all it could see was a monster made of sharp edges, blue fire and shared blood. 

Familiar. She was familiar. Who was she? 

Hot rings of smoke escaped as it huffed, waved away by a dismissive flicker of her hand.  

"Perhaps a refresher is in order, dragon, as it's been time since we met and I doubt you capable of remembering all that much", she said. Her words, for some reason, stirred the anger inside it. "I am Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. I serve Fire Lord Ozai, my father, the supreme ruler of our Nation, may his flame burn eternal. You and I, like him, are both blessed by Agni. All of us must stand together".

Sweet were her words, convincing and logical. 

Azula...?

SHE ALWAYS LIES. DANGER. AZULA ALWAYS LIES. FIRE. 

The dragon shut its eyes, battling the piercing pain assaulting its mind. He shook his head—whatever semblance of control it could muster—to silence the cacophony it had grown accustomed to obeying.

The woman hushed, caressing its scales. Eventually, it relented, opening its eyes to meet her gaze, and royal gold met royal gold in a wordless exchange.

Azula. I know her. She's kin.

"Druk", she whispered, and hearing the name stirred something within. "Honored Dragon. We must stand together. Surely you know this. We must stand tall and proud, to burn brighter than anything else. Why should we allow these peasants to reign above us? Why should we allow them to determine our actions?"

Together. Tall and proud. Burn brighter.

"This is not how a dragon should be received. They should kneel at your feet and beg for your forgiveness. They should suffer for what they've done".

Azula...

"They've stolen you from the sun", she said, empathetic and merciless. "I can give it back to you. I can give you that and so much more. Listen to me, Druk. I can give you the rightful place you deserve"

Rightful place... Back?

"Aren't we like family, after all? You and I share Agni's blessing. Only you and I can serve the Fire Lord's Will. Join me, Druk. It's not too late for you yet. I'll give you the sun back. I'll give you your freedom back".

Azula. Family. She's family. Sister.

"We'll rise together", she said. Her lips curled up and the lines of her face softened. "We'll go home together"

Home. Azula. Sister. Together. Family.

A single tear escaped his right eye.

Home?

Softly, almost gently, she wiped it away. "You must've been so alone. The Avatar left you, did he not? This is why you shouldn't trust others. I tried to warn you, but you did not listen. It's your chance to make a better choice. Come on, Druk. Rise with me. Come with me. I need you".

Left me. Choice. Rise. Home

THEY LEFT YOU. SHE LIES. FAKE, ALL FAKE. DESTROY

They cared... They were friends... They liked me...

THEY NEVER DID. BURN. YOU NEVER MATTERED. ASHES. YOU WERE NOTHING. ALONE

They left me, then? I... I want home.

"But then again", and her voice cut sharply through the absolute silence. "You could decide not to. You are a dragon, after all. I cannot tell you what to do. The choice is yours".

Terror gripped his heart at the mere thought of being left behind again. 

Home. I want home. I want out. 

The dragon whined as she pulled away. He closed his eyes and leaned into her hands as much as his stone restraints allowed him to. The throbbing pain eased. He could hear her smiling, and it felt amazing. 

"Smart. Good choice", and she patted his scales. She rose to her feet and addressed the other humans. "Release it and open the ceiling. This dragon must reach the sun"

"Princess", the first human hesitated, and the stench of his fear was as noticeable as it was disgusting. "Is it safe? We barely manage to hold him and-"

"That is the second time you question my judgment", Azula's voice cut sharply. "I'm feeling merciful so I've let it slide, but do it again and that dragon will be the least of your concerns. Understood?"

"Yes, Princess"

"Good. Now do as I command. I'm a woman of my word". 

The Dai Li Man bowed and retreated through the opening. A second later, all of the rock fell off the dragon's body, and without delay, he shook whatever remained. Azula didn't flinch, not even when the dragon steered too close to her. 

"Druk", she called, meeting its gaze without hesitation and raising her chin. Carefully he lowered his neck to stare at her at eye level. She didn't blink. "When the earth opens and the Sun enlightens us, it will do so with me on your back. It is only fair, as I've been given it back to you"

Sister. Family. Together.

The dragon lowered his neck, offering a giant claw for her to climb. Carefully, it positioned her near its mane, away from the sharp scales covering its back.

No further command was needed for the other humans.

Above their heads, layer after layer of rock slowly shifted. Anticipation swelled within the dragon's chest. He paced around the prison, head sliding from side to side in search of light.

After an agonizing wait, a sliver of Agni's light breached the stone confines. The moment he connected with it, the dragon felt the sparks of his Inner Fire explode into a raging blaze, a campfire, a wildfire.

It threw its head back and screamed and rejoiced and made everyone suffer with him. He screeched and roared and bellowed, for his rage and resentment and loneliness and relief burned brighter than ever, violent and unstoppable, a current of renewed life flowing through his veins. 

The stone parted further and more light bathed the dragon's body. Barely enough space for him to fit through, yet he leapt into the air, scrambling to reach the outside. With frantic flaps of his wings and claws seeking purchase in the rock, he ignored the pain of impact and screamed all the way up, feeling tears dripping from his eyes. His Inner Fire flared brighter and hotter, and his body was kindling and his veins were fire.

The final layer of stone yielded, and the dragon wasted no time hurtling into the sky.

It was an indescribable sense of bliss, pure joy, desperation and exhaustion and extasis. It was a shower of light and a reunion with the Sun, a comforting embrace, a gentle caress infusing life and welcoming him Home.

He flapped his wings with all of his might and rose higher and higher until every inch of his body was bathed in sunlight until he broke amongst a blanket of clouds.

He stopped there for a moment, savouring the sensations.

The wind currents kept him suspended and he breathed, allowing the air to fuel his Inner Fire. The sunlight danced upon his golden horns. The softest of breezes tousled his mane. From his back, he was aware of the girl -Azula, his little sister, Azula- holding to his mane for dear life, felt her breathing and warm and alive, and for some reason, it brought him immense joy. 

Chuckling, he turned its head and met her gaze with a corner of his right eye. She composed herself and offered a simple acknowledgement, "You're welcome."

Nodding in gratitude, the dragon shifted its focus downward.

After another deep breath, he folded his winds and leaned forward. In a blink, gravity worked over his body and pulled him down, breaking again through the blanket of clouds. As they both plummeted, the dragon brought his wings as close as he could to his body -he vaguely recalled something, a small furry creature and large wolly mammal showing him the right ways to gain speed while spending little energy- and straightened his neck. He sliced through a few clouds on his way down, cutting through them like a black arrow. 

Halfway to the ground, the dragon began to spin on its own axis, gaining more speed. The wind roared in his ears, deafening, and only a thin transparent membrane covering his eyes allowed him to see despite the velocity of his fall.

Barely a few meters from colliding with the water, the dragon popped out its wings and harnessed the momentum to glide forward while releasing a powerful blast of liquid fire. The fire burned and burned, unstoppable and inextinguishable, evaporating the water with which it made contact and colouring the lake in hues of gold and orange

From the corner of his eye, he spotted the humans clad in green near the shore of a small islet—their destination. With a powerful flap of his colossal wings, he ascended, then dove once more while tongues of fire sprouted from his jaws, dancing playfully to the rhythm of his flight.

Suddenly, from her place between the dragon's horns, blue fire gushed hot from Azula's hands, joining in sync with the dragon's fire. As if dancing at the same time, cerulean blue and pure gold joined together as one fire, reflecting tongues of brilliant green, vivid red, and pale lilac. They burned together for endless seconds until they reached the shore of the small island.

The dragon landed heavily, shaking the earth beneath, a cloud of dust billowing around him. Anger surged within as he faced the humans in green, its captors. It growled menacingly, baring its sharp fangs. Satisfaction flooded him when they retreated in fear. 

Without delay, the dragon pulled back its long neck, spread its black wings to their full span, and stood up on its haunches -he inhaled quickly, filled his chest to its limit and, as the flapping of his wings rose dust into the air, he roared as loud as thunder.

It was a roar filled with rage, resentment, loneliness, grief and relief and ecstasy. If he had been human he would have wept. 

After what felt like an eternity, the dragon's lament died down and he returned its front talons to solid ground. He lowered his neck slowly and tilted it a little so Azula could get down without problems. The girl, who had taken advantage of the roar to fix a messy bun, came down without help, her face composed and unaffected by the dragon's tumultuous flight.

The dragon positioned himself to stand behind her, the heat of the sun warming the scales on his back and his slightly outstretched wings, rising above the princess to look down at the humans in green. Two pairs of golden eyes did not blink or change expression.

Azula remained silent.

The humans sank to their knees, heads bowed, and none dared to raise their heads.

This amazing, gorgeous piece was provided by the super amazing silver_dragon. .Here's the link to the original drawing. Let's please show some love and appreciation! 

Chapter Text

"Nice speech, Azula. It was pretty and poetic, but also scary in a good way", said Ty Lee as she poured a teacup for Azula. 

Behind Ty Lee, sprawled on the stage platform, the large dragon huffed in what she hoped was amusement. He—Ty Lee just knew the dragon was a "he"; his aura emitted a very masculine vibe—stared at them behind narrowed lids, his amber eyes almost glowing brighter than the strange crystals of the cavern. His most prominent fangs were stained reddish brown; the Dai Li, under Azula's orders, had gotten the dragon all the fresh meat they could find, and the blood hadn't been cleaned. 

Mai smirked and the dragon's eyes twinkled. "Yeah. I thought you were going to make that one guy pee his pants".

The dragon rested his massive head on his huge claws and closed his eyes almost as if at ease; he did not seem unsettled in front of Ty Lee or Mai compared to his aggression towards any Dai Li that came closer than five meters. He'd even allowed both girls to help Azula buckle the leather straps of the saddle on him.

(Ty Lee had the sense he was fonder of Mai in a slightly different way. But, just as likely, she was probably overthinking it!). 

Azula quietly sipped at her warm cup, but in her eyes, Ty Lee could see her thinking of something a bit far beyond their reach. "There are still a few loose ends. The Avatar and my uncle".

Oh, well, Ty Lee thought. If it's Azula, she'll find a way to make it happen. 

***

"It's tea time".

Somehow I'm not surprised. 

"Niece. It's been a while".

"Uncle. How's the shoulder?".

"It's healed quite nicely, although it's a bit stiff in the mornings. Tell me, what brings you and your friends here?".

"Oh, you know. I was already out of the Fire Nation and thought why not take Ba Sing Se while I am at it? Since I'm already in the city, it won't be long until it's ours", she shrugged. "Where's Zuzu?". 

Iroh took a sip of his cup, careful to keep his face even. "Your brother and I separated a while back. We haven't met since". 

"Oh, wow. Did he get tired of you or did you get tired of him?".

"No such thing", said Iroh. "We merely decided we were better off on our own. I've never been capable of convincing your brother to do what he didn't wish to, and this time was no different". 

"Do you expect me to believe that?", she said, and her voice let through the barest of annoyance. "My pathetic brother has never had the guts to leave you behind. Where did you send him?".

"I told you already. Your brother's whereabouts are unknown to me". 

"Very well", she shrugged. "After I take Ba Sing Se, I'll use that dragon of mine to hunt him down". At Iroh's expression, Azula grinned like a particularly satisfied cat-octopus. "Don't tell me you didn't hear".

Iroh struggled to keep his composure and his left hand held tightly on his robes. "I had heard rumours, but I admit I dismissed them as folk tales. After all, I myself had made sure none remained all those years ago". 

"Well, since you weren't thorough enough you've given me the chance to keep the last one. It's quite eye-catching, I'll admit. Big, black-scaled, stubborn and very aggressive. A little damaged, but I'm sure Father will not mind".

Oh, Zuko

"And where is that dragon you speak of?".

Azula's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's none of your concern. And I've grown bored of this conversation. Uncle, have you met the Dai Li?", she said as she opened her arms towards the squad of earthbenders surrounding them. "They're earthbenders but they have a killer instinct that's so firebender. I just love it".

Iroh calmly stood up, cup in hand. Very well. I know enough. "Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname "the Dragon of the West"?".

"I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle", she replied while checking her nails.

"It's more of a demonstration, really", he said, before taking a long sip of his warm cup.

Azula barely reacted in time to block the blistering heat of Iroh's roaring fire breath. As soon as he sprinted through the hall, he heard her yelling at the Dai Li to catch up to him. He took a turn to the left and with a sharp move, he sent a bolt of lightning to destroy the wall. 

He jumped and landed atop some nicely cut bushes. The moment he touched the ground he ran away as fast as he could with a few ideas in mind.

The Avatar's group should be of aid. But perhaps one of those Dai Li may be of use.

***

"Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se", Iroh said gravely.

Aang's eyes widened in realisation. "She must have Katara!".

 "She has captured a dragon as well," added the firebender.

Sokka's eyes narrowed at him. "How do you know about the dragon?".

 Iroh raised his hands in an attempt of reassurance. "At ease. I had nothing to do with his capture. Azula mentioned his existence when she tried to arrest me, and I merely thought the Avatar had to learn about it. Who else would know about a creature that's supposed to be extinct?". 

The wariness of the young boy didn't vanish, but Aang stepped forward before he could voice his doubts. "Then we'll work together to fight Azula and save them both"

Iroh almost sighed in relief.  "I brought someone along who might be able to help us"

He guided them outside where he'd left the scarred Dai Li. Toph quickly encased him between large rocks.

"Azula and Long Feng are planning a coup," confessed the man as soon as the gag was out. "They are going to overthrow the Earth King".

"My sister", said Sokka. "Where are they keeping Katara?"

"And what about the black dragon?", demanded Aang.

"The girl and a bushy-haired boy are held in the Crystal Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace".

"And the dragon?", insisted Toph.

"It usually stays with the Princess and follows her commands". To this, Iroh and Aang exchanged concerned looks. "But today she was seen without it by her side, so most likely it will also be within the Catacombs. It's the safest place, and big enough to hold it"

***

"This one doesn't lead anywhere either," Jet sighed frustrated as he patted the crystal in front of him. "This place is a maze!"

Katara huffed. "I told you so," and she crossed her arms. Her pointy nose pointed upwards and he could almost hear the disdain for his lack of acceptance. "We're locked in here. Azula is very thorough". 

"Azula is the Ko-shi Fighter?".

"Kyoshi Warrior. And no, she isn't. I mean yes, she is, but she's the fake Kyoshi and—".

Abruptly, a low grumbling echoed from above their heads. It was grave and deep, bouncing off the walls. It heard almost as if it came from every side and sent icy shivers down their spines.

Both instantly pressed back to back, staring above. "What was that?", said Jet, squinting to look for details. The air was unnaturally still, heavy with the sharp tang of ozone as if a storm were crouched just out of sight

"I don't know", Katara admitted, "Maybe it's friendly?".

"Well, aren't you an optimist?".

"Shut up".

Their breathing echoed across the cavern, each louder than the last though he swore they were barely taking any air. The grumbling grew louder. The crystal lights flickered violently, though no breeze touched his skin. From among the shadows of the stalagmites and niches, they saw fragments of a serpentine figure appearing and disappearing without revealing itself. The shadow flitted past the crystal—too quick to see clearly, too large to ignore. It made not a single sound beyond the growling.

"That's... That's big. That thing's pretty big". Jet couldn't help the shaking of his voice. "Are we being executed? Is this how they execute people here?".

"Were you always this chatty?", Katara replied, mentally cursing the lack of a water source. "I don't remember you being this chatty".

"I always aim to impress". 

The creature grew larger the more it went down. As it approached, the growl became deeper and louder. They got a quick glimpse of a whip-like tail and massive claw holding onto the rock, covered with jet-black scales. It vanished swiftly and silently. 

A chunk of crystal broke against the floor a few meters to their left. They yelped, though quickly recovered and faced the source of the sound. 

"It mustn't be very smart, giving itself away", suggested Jet. His voice was brittle against the heavy air. "Maybe it doesn't know how to hunt?".

"It was silent enough if not for the growl", she said. 

And then it hit her.

"Jet," she called, and her voice was so fast that Jet stared at her with concern.

"What?" Slowly, her face turned to him, inch by inch, until wide eyes glared into his very soul. 

"I can't hear it".

The noise had stopped.

The silence swallowed them, thick and suffocating until the faint scent of sulfur tickled his nose. The cave had grown absolutely silent. They stared at each other, covered in cold sweat and holding their breaths. 

A shadow shifted at the edge of the crystal light. Too tall, too still, it clenched his stomach and trembled his legs. He wanted to run, but his body refused. The silence stretched, unbearable, until the figure moved—just slightly—and the light guttered out. They felt a heavy body sliding very close behind them, and a sudden breeze ruffled their clothes and hair. It was silent in its movement and its presence radiated heat; when they looked at the floor they saw a shadow so large that it dwarfed everything else.

At the same time, they raised their heads as if moved by rusty hinges until they were staring upwards.

A pair of glowing amber eyes, fangs bared and tusks glinting under the crystal light in a reptilian face hovered from high above their heads. Its fur was raised in hackles, its lips pulled back, and the moment they made eye contact it thundered from its chest a growl similar to a ship's roaring engine. 

Jet's knees shook against his will; it took a lot of him to stay standing. By his side, Katara didn't move either, though she seemed more surprised than scared. 

"D—", she started.

As soon as she made a sound, the dragon—a dragon, an actual dragon—opened a massive, full of very sharp fangs jaw, and gave them an ear-piercing shriek. It raised its enormous claw and thanks to the spirits Katara was quick enough to push them both out of the way; Jet was a little too in awe to react as he usually would. They collided against the rock just in time to escape the dragon's slashing talon.

"That's a dragon", Jet mumbled to himself. "That's a fucking dragon".

"Druk!", Katara suddenly called, sounding, in Jet's opinion, far too happy for their situation. "Druk, it's me! It's Katara! Oh, I'm so happy to see you—we've looked everywhere for you!".

"That is your pet dragon?", Jet questioned as he got on his feet by Katara's side. "I thought you were speaking in metaphors or something".

"He's not a pet, he's a friend! And we weren't lying, why would—? Druk!", she called again when the dragon's body moved to face them. Its wings were held high and spread wide, its back arched and its ears—or ear, the left one didn't seem to be much beyond a lump—flat against its skull, with its eyes narrowed and its tail flicking from side to side. "Hey, it's alright! Calm down, we're not your enemies! You know me!".

Jet tried to pull her away by tugging at her sleeve. "Katara, that thing doesn't seem friendly. Let's not give it reasons to attack us".

"Excuse you? He is not a thing, he is our friend", she spat. "He didn't look like that last time. He's so much thinner... Oh, Druk...". She stepped in front of Jet and moved he hands so her palms were low but pointing upwards. "See? I'm not armed, and I'm not bending. I'm not going to hurt you". The dragon brandished its tail and whipped at the air with it, but Katara, brave and stubborn and kind Katara, didn't flinch nor move away. She knelt in front of him, carefully keeping her hands still. "Druk".

The dragon was no longer growling but didn't relax either. Although he was focused on Katara, Jet knew the dragon was not ignoring his existence, so he thought it wise to stay still until something happened. 

In front of him, Katara looked down to avoid the dragon's gaze. 

Jet dared not even to gulp. 

A tense minute later, the dragon looked at her hand and tilted his head. Carefully, he lowered the tip of his snout towards her palms, eyes darting around as if waiting for an attack. Every little thing, inspiration or sound or a breeze moving a hair, made the dragon flinch away. It took him several minutes to get close enough to sniff Katara's palms. He placed his snout on them and meticulously sniffed them inch by inch. Katara didn't move a hair as the dragon continued his exploration of her, climbing up her arms, brushing against her neck, and snorting over her head.

(Jet would've been the first to admit it: Katara had balls. Though telling her that would probably end up with him frozen to a wall).

Eventually, he stopped.

He emitted a low rumble, far different from the earlier bone-chilling growl. Then he groaned, turned around and walked away from them, leaving Katara flabbergasted. 

"Druk?".

The dragon ignored her calling. They followed him as he walked down a tunnel near their left, staying behind until he stopped in front of a slightly steep hill. His scales gave off a strange colour under the dim greenish light of the crystals around the tunnels. As soon as he reached the base of the small hill, the dragon circled a couple of times and sat on the ground with his neck raised and his golden eyes fixed on a point in the wall in front of him.

"Druk!", she cried again and ran to him. Jet stretched a hand to try and hold her back, but she got away too fast and Jet didn't dare to step any closer. "What's wrong? You don't recognize me? I've missed you so much! I'm so sorry for not helping you before!". 

The dragon stretched his wings before folding them back in his back, and only then did Jet notice something. "Katara", he called. "He's wearing a saddle"

She gasped and swirled around to confirm the boy's words. 

It was true. After he had folded his wings, he'd let in plain sight a human-sized saddle secured by several thick straps, placed just behind his mane. 

"They put him a saddle", Katara said to herself. By the tone of her voice, Jet figured it hadn't been there before. "They put him a hsuanning saddle—how dare they?"

"You guys didn't put it a saddle before?", asked Jet, slowly stepping to stand by her. "How did you ride it, then?"

"Sokka suggested to buy him one, but he would hear none of it. He got so offended he lit Sokka's bag on fire, though he did that often...", she said. "And since we mostly stayed on Appa, we didn't usually ride on him. Emergencies were an exception".  She looked again at the saddle and her face fell in sadness. "Oh, what have they done to him?".

It was almost as if they hadn't spoken. The dragon didn't move as he watched the same spot on the wall. 

"What is that?", asked Jet while he stared at the beautiful vial.

"Water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole. it has special properties and I have been saving it for something important."

Jet crossed his arms, his jaw tight. "And you think fixing his eye will make up for all that?".

"No," Katara admitted, her voice heavy with emotion. "But it’s a start. I owe him this much, after everything. And maybe he'll understand," she whispered with a wobbly voice. She sniffed but her tears didn't fall. "Maybe, if I do this, he'll forgive us."

Once more she stepped far too close to the dragon for Jet's comfort but he made no move to stop her. The dragon licked his chops and slid his head from side to side. His calculating gaze was too smart and intelligent for an animal, and Jet decided he didn't particularly like that.

She stretched her hands towards the dragon and its eyes followed the vial with interest and curiosity. "Druk," she murmured. "I'm sorry we couldn't protect you. I'm sorry you went through so much. Let me heal you —it's the least you deserve. And even if you don't forgive us after that, it's alright. You don't have to". 

BOOM!

A part of the wall behind them exploded; the dragon startled and flinched back, bearing his fangs with a threatening hiss. Katara once more cursed the lack of nearby water until, through the smoke, dust, and shards of glass, she spotted two heads: One was half-bald, covered in grey hair, and the other completely hairless with a familiar blue arrow in the middle.

"Aang?!"

***

"The dragon has claimed the princess", said the Dai Li. "It was... It was like nothing I've ever seen. She walked in and talked to it and just like that the dragon listened. It let her ride on him and returned her without a hair out of place. It has stood with her ever since". 

Vague unease crawled up Long Feng, but he quickly shut it down. The Dai Li were his. A princess and her pet dragon could not change the outcome. 

The game had been his for many a year. 

***

"Aang!"

"Jet?"

"Katara!"

"Iroh?!"

"Druk!"

"So you were the bushy-haired boy".

While Katara and Aang were wrapped in each other's arms, Jet briefly forgot about the massive dragon and instead stared at the familiar face. He hadn't expected to be rescued but in the few scenarios he'd thought of, Iroh had never been on one of them. 

"What are you doing here?" he mumbled, a bit too confused to process what was happening. 

Iroh smiled, kind and patient as always, but Jet noticed a bit of strain in his weathered face. "Helping a friend". 

And... Ugh. How could he be angry when, despite the harsh words, the old man never faltered in his warmth?

"I was going to talk to you," Jet blurted, afraid that if he thought too long he would never speak. "When the Yoshinama Fighters took us down, I was going to talk to you. I didn't say anything to the Dai Li. I just... I just wanted to talk".

He briefly cursed his sudden lack of eloquence. He'd gone over his sentences time and time again but now that he had Iroh in front, everything he practised vanished into thin smoke.

"Jet—".

Jet never got to hear Iroh's reply. Before he did, a high-pitched screech thundered across the caves. The floor shook and dust fell from the ceiling as the dragon retreated; its mane was puffed and its eyes shifted from one head towards the other.

"Druk!", Aang cheered. A smile split his face when he released Katara to launch himself at the dragon. "I'm so happy to see you —we've looked everywhere!".

The dragon's eyes narrowed and he snapped his jaws shut, freezing the airbender in place. 

"Why are you—?".

"Aang, they did something to him", explained Katara, pointing at the saddle. "He's having trouble recognizing us".

The monk's eyes widened in horror. "What?". 

Druk clawed at the stone and clicked his jaws again; its horns shook with his long, long neck. Iroh moved past the three kids and stepped under the dragon's shadow, broad shoulders facing away from the tunnel. 

"We have no time to explain everything. Go and help your other friends", Iroh told Aang while still facing the dragon. "We'll catch up with you".

Jet was the first to go, throwing Iroh one last look before disappearing. Katara didn't move; her blue eyes shifted from Iroh to Druk and from Druk to Iroh.

"I'm... glad you're not dead, but how—?".

Aang gently placed a hand over her shoulder. "He helped us find you," he said. "And he's not with the Fire Nation, he won't hurt Druk. Trust me?". 

She looked at him, wariness written all over her face but with no words to express it. She tightened her grip on the little vial; Aang moved his hand away and stepped back. Her fingers carefully followed the patterns carved over the material; the glass almost shone turquoise under the green crystals. 

Her stare was steel when she pointed at Iroh. "I don't care who you are or what you've done. If you hurt Druk or any of us, I'll go after your head".

Something like pain flickered behind the old man's eyes, but he bent his neck as much as he could giving her his back. "I would expect nothing less". She huffed but did not reply; Aang yelped when she grabbed his hand and ran into the tunnel. 

***

Uncle. That's Uncle.

The dragon sniffed at the air, carefully. The scent of his uncle quickly invaded his nostrils; the knot of uneasiness in his chest loosened at the familiar aroma. The strongest scent was the soft, floral, slightly sweet aroma of jasmine but he could perceive the traces of the smoke left by a long-burning fire. The faint whiff of dried herbs—chamomile, anise, sage, ginger—little details he couldn't distinguish before but were now clear as a lighthouse guiding a ship home. Cotton robes, not linen, worn and patched but well cared for. A hint of the honey he often poured on his ginseng tea.

Iroh smelled like a peaceful and quiet afternoon in a sun-drenched room, sipping tea as incense playfully curls into the air before disappearing. He smelled like old times, good times, harsh times and even the worst ones but he was there and like home. 

The fog that hadn't completely cleared since being released by Azula vanished as if blown by the wind. It felt like sticking his head out to breathe without knowing he'd been drowning.

And with a clear head and Uncle in front, there was only one thing acceptable to do. 

Uncle. 

"Zuko," called Iroh. "Nephew, you have no idea how much joy it brings me to meet you again". 

The dragon jumped towards him, small Uncle—he didn't flinch, he'd never flinched even during his worst tantrums—and rubbed his head against Uncle's sides, purring and chittering when he heard Uncle's belly-deep laughter. 

I missed you. I missed you so, so much...

Uncle uttered no words. He wrapped his strong arms around Zuko's long, thick neck and squeezed, always careful not to hurt him. He needed no words, he'd always been good at that. 

"I'm so glad to see you," and Zuko was not mistaken when he heard the slight quiver at the end of the last word. He licked the old man's face and rubbed his mane over his bald top. His amber eyes closed content when Iroh scratched him under his chin and his tail wagged from side to side. 

Aang. Katara. They were looking for me, weren't they? I know so. She said so and Aang—Aang was happy to see me. He's a terrible liar.