Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kya is the first to notice.

It's hard for her not to—Kya is the one who spends the most time with her son, her firstborn child. Kya is the one who pays the most attention to him—every mother cares especially strongly about her first child, fearing to make a mistake and paying particular attention to him.

At first, these are only suspicions. Sokka is still young, cannot talk yet  – but Kya watches him closely. She notices that there are days when he seems to lose interest in the toys she has given him before – or that he prefers slightly different ones than the ones he likes. The same is true of food – on those particular days, Sokka prefers different food than usual. A day later, everything changes.

At first, Kya thinks her son is just moody. That he's a little capricious, that he can't decide what he likes and what he doesn't like — which is completely natural, say the other women in the village, children are often capricious, especially when they are young.

Everything changes the moment Sokka starts talking.

At first, Kya is ecstatic. Her son is starting to talk, even if it's just short words. Months pass, and Kya is able to spend hours talking to her son — even if they are often just simple conversations, as Sokka is not yet able to construct complete sentences.

Kya becomes pregnant again, hoping that this time it will be a daughter—she has given her husband a son, but Kya dreams of having a daughter whom she will be able to teach so many things.

Shortly before Katara's birth, Sokka begins to have imaginary friends. And that's not so strange, if Kya is honest—sometimes children have imaginary friends. Sokka never talks to them, he doesn't speak to the void – he just claims that he has met people Kya has never met before.

At first, Kya thinks it's jealousy — that her son doesn't like the fact that he's not the only child, that he's afraid Katara will steal his parents' love — but then Katara is born and Sokka adores her. He spends a lot of time with his sister, looking at her with fascination.

Months pass, Sokka grows up a little – and then he starts saying things that make Kya slightly uneasy.

“She's your only sister, you should protect her,” Kya says one evening when Hakoda is out of the village hunting and only the three of them are in their igloo: Kya, Sokka, and little Katara, who is about a year old.

Sokka glances at Kya.

“But mom, she's not my only sister,” he says.

Kya smiles slightly, assuming he is joking.

“I see” she says. “Who is your other sister?”

“Lala,” Sokka says. “But I won't see her for a few days.”

“Lala?” Kya makes sure Katara is dressed appropriately. “Tell me about her.”

The name comes up several times in Sokka's stories — though he has never claimed she is his sister before.

“Lala is my Fire Sister,” Sokka says. “Katara is my Water Sister.”

That's... a little alarming.

“Fire Sister?” Kya repeats. “Could I meet her?”

Sokka shakes his head.

“Why not? Where did you meet her?”

If there's a firebender nearby...

“You can't see her, Mom,” her son says. “She's not here.”

“Then where is she?” Kya asks.

“In the palace,” Sokka replies.

“Whose palace?” Kya tries to sound calm, but inside she's starting to panic a little. She's convinced that Sokka hasn't left the village — it must be a joke, and Kya hopes it's just a joke — but if it's not a joke...

“Grandpa's.”

“Honey, your grandfather is dead,” Kya reminds him.

Sokka has never met his grandparents — he has only met Kanna, Hakoda's mother.

“I know that my Water Grandfather is dead, Mom. And I'm not talking about him.”

“Then who are you talking about?”

“My Fire Grandpa  — Fire Grandfather.” Sokka says. “He's in the palace, with Lala and my Fire Dad and Fire Mom. I don't see them very often. But they're there.”

“Could I meet them?” asks Kya. 

Sokka thinks about it.

“I don't think you can,” he says. “I'm not Sokka there.”

“What do you mean, you're not?” Kya frowns.

She hopes it's just a game. That these are just games her son is playing — but the problem is that this game has been going on for a long time, for weeks, months, ever since Sokka was able to speak.

“Sweetheart,” Kya decides to put a smile on her face, playing along. “Who are you there?”

“Zuko,” her son replies. “I'm Zuko.”

The name means nothing to Kya — except that it's not a typical name for the Water Tribes. But it makes sense if Sokka is pretending to be part of the Fire Nation — except that Sokka has no reason to do so. No one in their village likes the Fire Nation.

“So, in a few days, you'll meet them,” Kya concludes. “Your Fire Family. At your grandfather's palace, right?”

“Yes,” Sokka confirms. “Grandfather Azulon's. The Fire Lord's.”

Kya feels the blood drain from her veins.

She cannot remember anyone in their village ever calling the Fire Lord by his name.

Ursa is not the first to notice.

The first to notice is one of the nannies—traditionally, children of the royal family are often raised by nannies and babysitters.

When Ursa was pregnant, she used to be happy about this—about the fact that she wouldn't have to be close to her children, the children of a man Ursa hated—still hates. A man she did not want to marry, but she was given no choice.

But then, when her son was born... when Ursa saw him for the first time...

She loved him unconditionally.

Ursa loves her children, both her son and her daughter, even though she knows that Ozai never saw them as children, as people. In his eyes, both Zuko and Azula are tools, weapons—a way to show the world that Prince Ozai has more potential than his older brother, Iroh. That is why Ursa was chosen to be his wife—because Ursa is the granddaughter of Avatar Roku, because the Fire Sages prophesied that children who are descendants of both Fire Lord Sozin and Avatar Roku will be powerful. Because Fire Lord Azulon believes that these children will change the world.

Ursa is aware of her husband's ambitions, even though she knows that Ozai has no chance of becoming Fire Lord—because of Iroh, the powerful general feared by the entire Earth Kingdom. But Ozai has his dreams and plans—and their children are part of them.

Ursa is aware of this, which is why part of her is afraid to get close to her children—because they are her children, but they are also Ozai's children. His blood, the blood of Azulon and Sozin, flows through their veins. These are children who were born to burn and destroy.

But when Ursa looks at them, still young and innocent, she cannot bring herself to hate them.

Everything becomes more complicated when her children begin to grow up, and one of the nannies approaches Ursa with quiet doubts – with information that something is wrong with her son. She does not say it directly, but she makes it clear, passing this information on to Ursa so that she will pay attention to it.

Ursa does not ignore this warning and begins to observe her son.

Soon, she understands what the problem is.

Her son seems to have imaginary friends. That in itself would not be a problem, but Zuko is the Fire Prince, he is Ozai's son, and Ursa knows that Ozai would not be happy if he found out.

Moreover, Zuko's imaginary friends are not from the Fire Nation. They all belong to the Water Tribe—what's more, Zuko claims that they are his family, his father, mother, sister, and grandmother.

If they lived in a different world, Ursa could ignore this.

But the world they live in is not kind, just as the palace they live in does not forgive mistakes.

Ursa approaches her son and explains to him—in the gentlest words possible—why he cannot talk about it. Why it would not be appropriate behavior.

Zuko listens to her carefully—and then tilts his head to the side.

“But they're real,” he protests. “My Water Family.”

“Zuko,” Ursa looks at him intently. “You have only one family. Us.”

Zuko shakes his head.

“No,” he says. “I have two families. Here I am Zuko. There I am Sokka.”

Ursa doesn't recognize the name. She tries to remember if she's ever met anyone like that — besides, the name doesn't sound very Fire Nation-like.

“I see,” Ursa says slowly, not quite sure what to make of it. “And this Water Family of yours... Where are they now?”

Zuko thinks for a moment, then walks over to the desk. He pulls a map of the world out of the drawer—Ursa assumes he got it from Lu Ten. Lu Ten adores his cousins and spoils both Zuko and Azula.

“Here,” Zuko points to the South Pole. Then he squints. “But this map isn't complete. Our village isn't here.”

“I see,” Ursa feels like this is some kind of game, but she doesn't quite understand the rules. “Well, maybe one day, when the Water Tribes surrender, you'll be able to go to the South Pole and see your friends.”

Zuko looks at her with sudden horror.

“But I don't want the Water Tribes to surrender!” he protests. “No one there wants the Fire Nation's rule! My Water Dad will never accept it! Besides, the Southern Water Tribe doesn't need the Fire Nation's help! Everyone there fears the Fire Nation!”

Ursa looks around, hoping no one heard him. Words like that are treasonous.

Fortunately, they are alone — but that doesn't mean they are out of danger.

“Zuko,” Ursa says quickly. “Don't say things like that out loud!”

“But it's true!” Zuko says. “When I'm Sokka, I know what it's like there. My Water Mom is afraid of the Fire Nation. Everyone is afraid of the raids. The Fire Nation doesn't help the Southern Water Tribe—although, to be fair, they aren't as technologically advanced as we are...”

Zuko thinks for a moment. It's strange to see that kind of expression on a child's face.

“Honey, you can think whatever you want, but please don't say things like that out loud.”

“Why?”

“Because your grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon, won't be happy if he hears something like that. You don't want him to be mad at you, do you?”

Zuko nods, not entirely convinced, but still trusting Ursa implicitly. He believes in her. He trusts her, unaware that there was a time when Ursa cursed his existence.

“Let this be our little secret,” Ursa suggests. “You'll tell me a little about your Water Family, but we won't mention it to anyone else, okay?”

“Not even Dad?”

“Especially not your dad,” Ursa says.

“What about Azula?” Zuko looks at her with hope and anticipation. “I told her about it earlier. Just like I told Katara. My Water Sister.”

“You only have one sister, Zuko.”

“Here, yes. But not there.”

Ursa feels like she's constantly returning to the same topic.

“Zuko...”

“Fine, fine, I won't tell anyone here,” Zuko agrees. “But you have to ask Sokka about it too. I don't know what he thinks about it.”

“Okay,” Ursa really doesn't want to play this kind of game, but she'll do it if it protects her son. “So, where is Sokka? Is he here?”

Zuko looks at her amused.

“Sokka isn't here, Mom,” he says. “I'm Sokka. But I think when I'm Sokka, he's Zuko.”

This makes no sense at all.

“I see,” Ursa says, even though she doesn't understand anything at all. “Can I talk to Sokka?”

She almost expects her son to start playing, to play with her — but Zuko shakes his head again.

“I can't just call him,” he says. “But he'll be here. Soon. Um. The day after the full moon. It's always like that. I'm Sokka the day after the full moon and the day after the new moon. The rest of the days I'm Zuko.”

“I understand,” she says once again during this conversation. "In that case, I'll talk to Sokka in... three days?

If she's not mistaken, it will be a full moon in three days.

Zuko nods.

“If you want.”

Three days later, Ursa approaches her son and brings up the conversation they had not long ago.

Zuko looks at her blankly. He must have forgotten about the conversation, even though it wasn't that long ago.

“You mentioned that sometimes, as Sokka, you find yourself at the South Pole...” Ursa says, not entirely sure, suddenly feeling silly for believing such a thing.

And then—then understanding appears in her son's eyes.

“Ah,” he says. “Yes. You're right, Mom. I think I'm mostly Sokka. But here, I'm Zuko.”

“Zuko,” Ursa says, once again making sure no one else is around. “I asked you not to say things like that.”

“Ah. Maybe,” her son agrees, but there is no conviction in his voice. “Why?”

Ursa realizes with a heavy heart that she will have to have the same conversation with him. She prepares to scold him, to tell him that she remembers the conversation they had earlier — but then she looks at him, really looks at him. And she realizes that her son is sitting a little differently than before, that he is trying to act as he always does, but his movements are slightly different, his tone of voice slightly different than usual.

For the first time since Zuko was born, Ursa wonders who she is really looking at.

As her children grow up, the changes become more and more apparent.

Kya hopes that Sokka will grow out of his playfulness—but he never does. He no longer says out loud that he has a Fire Family, he doesn't say it in public, knowing that their Tribe won't accept it—but every now and then, Sokka is... different.

Kya is a mother.

Kya watches and sees.

There are differences.

Sokka is cheerful and likes to joke around. He likes to banter with Katara, loves his father, and wants to become a warrior in the future. He likes seal jerky and is quickly learning to hunt. He is smart and quick-witted, and every now and then he scribbles strange things on pieces of paper that don't make sense, but Sokka says they do.

Twice a month, with a two-week break in between, Sokka is not Sokka. He is still her son, he still responds to the name Sokka, and he still loves his family, but Kya knows that she looks at Zuko. Zuko is a little calmer, sometimes a little more withdrawn. He doesn't know how to hunt and doesn't want to kill animals, and when he writes something, his handwriting resembles calligraphy, as if he had been learning it for years.

Sokka eats with them, using his hands and devouring meal after meal. Zuko sometimes picks up sticks and makes chopsticks out of them, sitting a little more stiffly than he should.

Sokka doesn't remember the days when he is Zuko.

Zuko doesn't remember the days when he is Sokka.

Sokka claims that they switch places. That when Zuko is here, Sokka is in the Fire Nation—being Prince Zuko, son of Ursa and Ozai, brother of Azula. Zuko confirms this.

Kya and Hakoda sometimes talk about it in the evenings when their children are asleep.

“There are three explanations for this situation,” Hakoda says one day. “The first is that it's all just a big game.”

“Games don't last for years,” Kya points out. “And Sokka really doesn't remember the days when he was Zuko. I know my son. I know he wouldn't be able to fake it.” 

“And that's why I'm leaning toward the second option,” Hakoda says. “It could be... Kya, dear, we have to consider the possibility that Sokka isn't always... fine.”

“You're saying that our son has mental problems,” Kya concludes. “You don't have to hide it. I see what you're saying.”

Hakoda opens his mouth, then closes it.

“You think our son is crazy,” Kya can't believe it. “That he's created two personalities, that it's all in his head.”

“The only option left is that Sokka isn't lying and really does swap bodies with Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation twice a month,” Hakoda notes. “That sounds even crazier, Kya.”

“I know, but...” Kya hesitates. “I don't know what to think, Hakoda.”

None of these options bode well. Sometimes Kya almost starts to believe what Sokka tells her — and feels like she's raising three children instead of two, even if two of them share one body.

“Me neither,” her husband pulls her close and hugs her tightly. “But everything will be fine. Sokka... Sokka is strong. Whatever it is... whatever his condition is, he'll be fine. Everything will be fine.”

Kanna, Hakoda's mother, tries to exorcise Zuko — in case it was the spirit of the dead boy that possessed her grandson's body.

It's all in vain. Later, Zuko looks at her without understanding, and also with pain in his eyes, fearing that he is not welcome here.

Kya can't bear to watch.

She approaches her son and takes him in her arms, hugging him tightly.

Whatever is happening — whatever Zuko is — he is her son.

And a mother will do anything to protect her children.

Ursa can't stop worrying about Sokka.

The more her son grows up, the more the differences between him and Zuko become apparent. And while part of Ursa is convinced that it's all just one big cruel joke — that Zuko is really just pretending — another part of her can't help but look at Sokka and see her son - another one, someone else than Zuko.

The problem is that Zuko is not just anyone.

Zuko is the Prince of the Fire Nation. He may be fourth in line to the throne, but he is still a prince. There are things he needs to know and master.

Zuko is learning. He is learning incredibly hard because he is not a prodigy when it comes to bending, unlike his sister – but for two days a month, he forgets half of what he has learned. His bending is weaker than usual, his movements are not as confident as usual, and his teachers say he has forgotten most of what he should know. He mixes up dates and events. Ursa sometimes sees him immersed in books or training, with growing frustration because he is unable to do what came easily to him just the day before.

The day after Sokka's Day, Zuko trains harder, as if trying to convince his teachers that he is not a complete disappointment.

Despite this, Ursa cannot stop worrying about her son. Sokka—whether he is a real person, another personality of her son, or some kind of spirit—takes control of Zuko's body, and the fact that he does not remember many events does not work in his favor.

“Sokka,” Ursa says one day, after making sure they are alone.

When they are in public, she calls him Zuko. But when they are alone, she prefers to call him Sokka. Sokka does not protest when others call him Zuko, but in Ursa's eyes, they are two completely different people.

“Yes, Mom?” Sokka looks at her intently.

“I may have mentioned this to you before, but when you're here, be careful,” Ursa lowers her voice. “And stay away from your father.”

“Okay,” Sokka agrees without hesitation, and Ursa wonders briefly what Ozai said to him earlier that made Sokka agree to stay away from him.

Ursa stops wondering because she knows she wouldn't like the answer.

Sometimes, when Sokka thinks no one is watching, her son trains.

Kya sees him, but she never says anything, even when his training is not typical for a Tribesman. Sometimes, his training resembles hand-to-hand combat—and in a style that Kya does not recognize.

But Hakoda does.

“That's firebending,” he says one day when Sokka doesn't come back for too long and he and Kya go to find him.

They find him in the snow, practicing with a determined look on his face.

“Those are firebending moves,” Hakoda repeats, squeezing Kya's arm. “Of course, our son is not a firebender...”

“But Zuko is,” Kya says quietly.

“If Zuko is real.”

“These moves are real.”

“He could have seen it in someone else.”

“Perhaps,” Kya admits. “But who? No one from the Water Tribe would practice firebending. Besides, Sokka hasn't met a single firebender.”

Not counting his so called Fire Family.

Hakoda glances at her out of the corner of his eye.

“Even if it's true, what do you want to do? Go to the Fire Lord and tell him that his grandson is our son? We can't prove anything. Besides, who would believe a child?”

Kya presses her lips together. Neither of them is entirely sure what Zuko really is. If they really do sometimes talk to the Fire Prince, then they could—purely theoretically—try to talk to his family. Perhaps they would agree to let them meet him. But if this is just Sokka's imagination, then they are risking their entire tribe.

The risk is too great.

There are too few of them to survive an attack by the Fire Nation.

Besides, Katara is a waterbender, and Kya can't risk her just because she wants to find out if she really has two sons.

“If Zuko is real... If he does exist...” Kya says uncertainly. “Then maybe there is hope for this world. You know what that means, Hakoda. We are raising the Fire Lord’s heir. Well, fourth in the line, but… it’s still a member of the Fire Nation Royal Family.”

Hakoda puts his arm around her.

“It doesn't matter to me whether Zuko is real or not,” he says. “And it doesn't matter to me whether he's really a prince or not. What matters is that he's our son.”

Kya snuggles up to him. She wishes it were that simple, but at the same time, a dozen possibilities pop into her head. If, theoretically, Zuko were real and took the throne, he would be someone who is partly Water Tribe.

Kya immediately feels bad for considering this thought. A mother should love her child unconditionally, not see them as a weapon or political tool.

Despite this, she can't stop wondering.

As the years pass, it becomes harder for Ursa to ignore the truth: whatever Sokka is, he is real.

Ursa doesn't know what Sokka is – but she knows she must hide his existence from the world. When Sokka Days come around, she does everything she can to ensure that his training focuses on sword fighting rather than firebending. Sokka is not a firebender—so it's better that his teachers don't know how weak his control is. And no wonder, Sokka only has two days a month to master his power.

In secret, Ursa visits fortune tellers and exorcists. She tries to find out what Sokka is, because although she loves this child, she also knows that he is a great threat to Zuko. And if Sokka is real, it would be better for him not to be here, not in the Fire Nation. Ursa tries her best to protect her children, but it is a losing battle. Azula is too much like Ozai, and Zuko and Sokka seem to want to talk to her whenever they can—which, in turn, does not please Ozai, who prefers to keep them apart and who clearly looks down on his son.

Ursa is unable to protect her children from her husband. She is unable to protect herself.

Sokka is a threat—both to Zuko and to himself. Ursa wants to give him a safe childhood.

She tries to get rid of him by brewing various potions – all in secret, so that Sokka doesn't find out. But it's all in vain – Sokka is here and always comes back, no matter what Ursa does.

The only thing her efforts bring her is angry glances from Azula, who has always been more perceptive than usual – and then Azula is suddenly closer to her brother because Sokka absolutely adores her and has made it his life's goal to protect her, even though Azula is stronger than him.

Ursa stops trying to get rid of Sokka.

She stops trying, but she feels like she's losing her children. Azula stops talking to her. Ursa has less and less time alone with Sokka or Zuko because Azula is starting to approach him — and Ursa fears this, oh so much, because Azula is too much like Ozai.

Ursa lost her daughter.

She will not lose her sons.

Kya, though she does not like the Fire Nation, thinks about it quite often.

Zuko does not mention the Fire Nation much—he learned quickly that he should not do so while at the South Pole—but sometimes he slips up and says a little more than he should.

Sometimes, Kya spends hours talking to him about the Fire Nation. In those moments, Kya feels like she is really talking to someone who spends most of their time in the Fire Nation — because Zuko's stories are a little too accurate for them to be true.

Sometimes, Kya looks at him and believes that one day this boy will bring peace to the world.

That dream is quickly shattered when the Fire Nation comes to her village looking for the waterbender.

Looking for Katara.

A Firebender with his face covered by a helmet stands in front of her, demanding that she tell him where the waterbender is.

Ultimately, the decision is incredibly simple.

A mother is capable of doing anything for her children.

For her children, Kya is willing to die.

Something has happened.

Something has happened, and her son won't tell her about it.

One day, Sokka stops looking at her. He withdraws, avoiding her presence — looking as if he's about to vomit when he looks at her. Ursa can't find him all day, and when she meets Zuko the next day, her son avoids her gaze.

“Something happened, sweetheart?” Ursa asks.

Zuko doesn't answer, he just runs away to the training field and practices — and practices, practices, practices until he falls to the ground, exhausted.

Over the next dozen or so days, the situation repeats itself—Zuko avoids telling her what happened, instead focusing on training. Sometimes Azula joins him—Ursa watches them from a distance and decides not to approach them.

When she meets Sokka again, he is a little calmer. He still doesn't look at her, but in the evening he comes to her chamber and hugs her. Ursa takes him to Zuko's favorite spot – the turtleduck pond. Sokka doesn't explain anything to her, but they spend the evening together, just the two of them.

The next day, Zuko is a little more gloomy and almost bursts into tears when he sees Ursa.

“She's dead,” he explains later.

“Who?” Ursa asks quietly.

“My Water Mom,” Zuko's voice is almost a whisper. “It's not fair, Mom. Grandpa... Fire Lord Azulon said we wanted to get rid of the waterbenders because they were a threat. But she wasn't...”

He trails off.

“She was a waterbender,” he says quickly. “The last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. But she didn't fight. She didn't fight, Mom. And Katara saw it all.”

“Oh, honey,” Ursa now feels like she's going to vomit.

She doesn't know if it's true or not. She doesn't know if Zuko was really there or not — but whatever happened, he truly believes that his other mother is dead, killed by Firebenders. And that means that Zuko — and Sokka — are in the palace, among the very people who ordered her death.

Ursa pulls him close to her.

A dozen days later, a report from the Southern Raiders reaches her – the last waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe has been eliminated.

Ursa persuades Ozai to let her see the report – and when her eyes see what is written in it, Ursa runs to the bathroom and then really vomits.

The woman who was killed was named Kya. The date of her death coincides with Zuko's sudden change in behavior.

Zuko knew about Kya's death long before the palace was informed.

And that means Sokka is not a ghost. He is a real boy who spends most of his life in the South. Ursa is actually raising two children.

And her father-in-law gave the order to kill her son's other mother.

Ursa is unable to sleep for a long time after what she has learned.

She considers running away—taking her sons and daughter—and leaving the palace. But she sees how controlling Ozai is. She knows they couldn't escape, not with the children, not when Ozai sees the future of the Fire Nation in Azula.

Ursa cannot escape. She is too afraid of what Ozai might do.

Instead, she decides to do what she can. She talks to her children—all three of them, because Ursa is losing Azula and fears her and knows she could become a monster, but Ursa cannot stand idly by and watch her children suffer. So, she does everything she can.

It's not enough, and Ursa knows it. Ozai notices this and becomes even more controlling—but Ursa has her ways of pleasing him, of appeasing him.

She can't give Sokka his mother back.

But she can give him another mother.

It's not enough, it's never enough. If Ursa were braver, she would take her children and run away. But Ursa is a coward.

Ursa is unable to protect her children. She can only stay with them and hope that it will be enough.

But it isn't.

Ursa realizes this when news arrives from Ba Sing Se—about Lu Ten's death, about Iroh calling off the siege.

That same evening, Ursa hears voices coming from her son's room.

Something tightens in Ursa's chest as she enters the room. Zuko and Azula are sitting on the bed, talking about something in hushed voices.

When they see Ursa, Azula's lips stretch into a cruel smile.

“Did you know about this, Mom?” her daughter asks her. “Dad wants to kill Zuko and Sokka.”

“We don't talk about Sokka,” Ursa says instinctively, because at some point it has become a secret they all share. “What happened?”

Azula continues to smile.

“Dad went to Grandfather,” she says simply. “He said he wants to be Fire Lord because Uncle Iroh no longer has an heir. Grandfather got angry and said that in that case, he should experience the same pain. So now Dad is going to try to kill Zuko.”

Ursa needs a few seconds to process these words.

“Shh!” Zuko objects. “Don't say that, Azula! You know it's not true!”

“I know what I heard!”

“You heard wrong!”

“You would have heard the same thing if you weren't such a coward! Or if Sokka were here today!”

Ursa suddenly can't bear to stay in the room.

She turns and goes to her husband.

She hopes Azula is lying.

Azula isn't lying.

Ozai looks at her impassively.

“I cannot disobey my father's orders,” he says simply. “He is the Fire Lord. The Fire Lord's words are sacred.”

“So... you're just going to kill our son?” Ursa can't believe what she's hearing.

“He was a disappointment anyway,” Ozai says, already using the past tense, as if he has come to terms with the loss of their sons. “I have no other choice.”

Ursa grabs his arm.

“Wait,” she says. “What if... what if you do have another choice?”

Ozai glances at her with slight interest.

Ursa knows what her husband desires. She knows what he wants.

“No one knows your father's will,” Ursa says quietly. “No one knows what he has planned and what he has commanded you to do. And no one will know unless he opens his eyes tomorrow.”

Ozai smiles.

Ultimately, the decision is incredibly simple.

A mother is capable of doing anything for her children.

For her children, Ursa can kill.

Chapter Text

Kya tells Hakoda about it as soon as she begins to realize what is happening.

At first, Hakoda doesn't want to believe it.

He wants to think that it's just an exaggeration—that it's a joke. That Kya is panicking because Sokka is their first child and Kya is just looking for reasons to panic even more because she cares about him.

But then days, weeks, months, and years pass, and Sokka's behavior doesn't change.

Instead, the changes become even more apparent. Sokka and Zuko begin to differ from each other—and memory loss becomes an issue. Twice a month, Hakoda looks at his son and knows he is looking at someone else.

They talk about it with Kya many times. Many, many times, wondering what to do about it and if they can prevent it somehow.

The more time passes, the more Hakoda begins to separate them. Kya and Katara do the same – it is difficult to treat Sokka and Zuko as one person, even if they share the same body. Their behavior is different, their skills and interests are different, as are their personalities. Even the way they walk is different.

Their village is small, so many people quickly realize that there are two personalities in Sokka - although Zuko quickly learns to pretend to be Sokka and respond to his name. Hakoda is never fooled by this. 

Sometimes, Hakoda wonders what his son really is. Sometimes he talks to him—and the information he gets from him is definitely disturbing. Everything points to Sokka and Zuko really being in the Fire Nation—which is obviously impossible. But the things they tell him, the things they know... Hakoda didn't know half of what they tell him. But it makes sense—and that's the worst part, because Hakoda can believe it.

Hakoda doesn't want to believe that his son sometimes resides in the Fire Nation, in the body of their enemies — worse, in the body of someone who belongs to the royal family. He doesn't want to because it would change so much.

It's easier to think that it's a split personality — that there's something wrong with Sokka, that Sokka is just... a little different from everyone else.

But that's fine. It's fine because Hakoda loves him anyway, no matter what happens. Besides, Sokka is himself most of the time — and Zuko's appearance is predictable.

Besides, Sokka and Zuko are aware of this. As soon as Sokka learns to write, he starts making notes, which he shares with Zuko just before he appears. He probably thinks no one notices, but Hakoda sees it. He just decides to pretend he's not aware of what his son is doing.

These are just simple notes—information about what has happened recently, what Sokka has learned, what Zuko should do the next day. Zuko reads them in the morning and then writes a similar message in the evening, informing Sokka about what he has done.

Hakoda thinks it's a good habit, so he doesn't forbid him from doing it.

But he worries anyway.

He worries because sometimes he really feels that Zuko is a real person — especially later, when information from the Fire Nation reaches him, information he asked his people to gather. Zuko is able to draw him a portrait of Prince Ozai, Crown Prince Iroh, or Prince Zuko and Prince Lu Ten. People who, he claims, are his family—people he shouldn't be able to know, let alone know what they look like.

Of course, Zuko is still young. The drawings are not perfect, they lack detail, but the most important elements, such as hair length and clothing style, are correct.

Hakoda doesn't know what to think about it.

He doesn't know what would be better—for it to be just a mental illness, or for it to be true.

But as long as it doesn't hurt his son, everything is fine.

Ursa never tells Ozai, so Ozai never notices.

That is, Ozai notices what something is happening—later, years later, when his son grows up and his teachers begin to complain about his memory problems and inform him that sometimes Zuko is just incredibly lazy.

This kind of behavior is unacceptable.

Ozai looks at his son, then at his daughter, and can't help thinking — this is unfair.

It's unfair because Azula is younger, much more talented, and according to the law, Zuko is Ozai's heir.

Ozai can't stop comparing his children to himself and Iroh.

Wasn't that the case with them? Iroh is older than him, so Iroh got all the best things, even though Ozai is better than him, more powerful. Everyone knows that Ozai is a powerful Firebender, and yet it is Iroh who is the Crown Prince, who is to become the Fire Lord.

Iroh has no talent. Azulon sent him to war to get rid of him. And that makes Iroh unaware of what is happening in the country.

Ozai is the one with talent. Ozai would be able to end this war, force the Earth Kingdom to its knees—but instead, he has to pretend to be the polite second son and support his older brother.

Zuko has no talent. His bending is incredibly weak—he is a disgrace of their family. He is too weak, too gentle.

Azula is the one with talent. She is incredibly powerful—she is the secret to winning this war. If only Azulon could see that... oh, then he would understand that Ozai is the one who should be his successor.

Ozai knows this.

Azula knows this.

Zuko is the only one who doesn't know it, naively thinking that he will be able to surpass his sister.

Ozai waits for a moment, watching him, hoping that his bending will improve – but that moment never comes.

Zuko is weak.

He doesn't deserve to be called Ozai's son.

Ozai looks at him—and then, one day, he loses his patience and says what he thinks out loud.

“How is it that you are unable to master these kata?” he asks irritably. Zuko was supposed to be his successor, he was supposed to surpass Iroh and Lu Ten, and yet he is one big disappointment. “Your sister did it months ago!”

“I'm sorry, Father,” Zuko looks down.

He often does that. He often doesn't look at him.

He is a coward.

Cowards have no place in the Fire Nation.

Ozai considers what he could do. He considers all the possible options — and then comes to the conclusion that his son will never learn how to be strong. That he will always remain a coward.

So Ozai must teach him how to be strong. And he will do so, for the good of the Fire Nation. For Zuko's sake.

He approaches his son and hits him in the face, knocking him to the ground. The fool doesn't even try to protect himself. He just falls to the floor and then looks at him with wide eyes—surprised, looking as if he has just been betrayed. There are tears in his eyes.

“I don't want an apology,” Ozai says sharply. “You have to master these kata. I'm giving you one day. I want to see you performing them perfectly tomorrow. You're already a big enough disappointment. Do not disappoint me again.”

“One day?” Something changes in his son's eyes. “Tomorrow?”

“Are you stupid or deaf?” Ozai asks. “Yes, tomorrow. This is your last warning.”

“Tomorrow is a bad day,” Zuko says. “Can't I do it today? Or the day after tomorrow? Just not tomorrow. Tomorrow is a full moon.”

“And?” Ozai can't understand what the problem is. “So what?”

“Tomorrow I won't...” Zuko begins, still lying on the floor, still not getting up, like the coward and weakling he really is.

He looks hesitant, as if trying to make a decision, and then he gets up. He swallows and looks him straight in the eye, blinking several times to get rid of the tears.

“I can't tomorrow,” he says. “But I'll do it today. I'll master it today. I promise. Just not tomorrow, because then Sokka– I'll do it today. You'll see.”

“All right,” Ozai agrees graciously. “Don't disappoint me. I don't need someone who can't master such a simple thing.”

He turns and walks away.

Some time later, his servants inform him that his son has fainted from exhaustion, training non-stop in the heat of the day. Ozai clenches his lips in anger and dissatisfaction. If it were Azula, this would not have happened. But Zuko is weak and proves it to everyone at every moment through his very existence.

Ozai, if he were to be honest, does not hate the boy. No, he simply despises him. He cannot believe that something so incredibly weak is his son.

In the evening, he comes to the training field. Zuko looks exhausted—another sign of weakness—but he performs the kata. And this time, he is able to do it correctly.

Ozai nods.

Zuko is weak and stupid and has memory problems—but he's not completely lost. Ozai can save him. Make him not such a disappointment.

And he will do so, even if he has to resort to violence.

People may think that Ozai is cruel, that he is an evil man, but oh, how naive they are. They do not see the truth.

Ozai is doing all this for his family. For the good of the Fire Nation.

And for the good of his son.

Hakoda doesn't notice right away.

In hindsight, it wasn’t his fault. Zuko only shows up twice a month, and the rest of the time it's Sokka who Hakoda talks to. And even if Sokka sometimes behaves... strangely (as: tries to practice firebending or sword fighting, even though his favorite weapon has always been the boomerang), he doesn't show anything that would cause Hakoda to worry.

Until one day, when an argument breaks out in the family.

Later, when Hakoda thinks about it, he will come to the conclusion that they argued about a detail—something incredibly unimportant, something that didn't really matter.

But he's not thinking about that now. Right now, he's just fed up—because his children are shouting over each other, Kya looks angry too.

“ENOUGH!” Hakoda slams his fist on the table, raising his voice. He doesn't usually do this, but today he's just had enough. This argument has gone on too long. “EVERYONE, BE QUIET!”

Katara presses her lips together in displeasure. Kya sighs heavily.

And Zuko flinches.

Hakoda catches the movement out of the corner of his eye. He turns toward him—and then his son suddenly recoils, a sudden panic in his eyes, something like terror, which is quickly replaced by resignation.

Hakoda notices his movements. He registers everything—how his son steps back from him, how his eyes wander toward his fist for a moment, how he turns pale, and then how he grabs Katara and shields her with his body—as if he wants to protect her. As if he fears that Hakoda will hurt her, attack her.

And from his resigned look, it's clear that he knows what's going to happen and is resigned to it.

Hakoda freezes.

Kya also catches her son's gesture. A look of concern crosses her face.

“What are you doing?!” Katara looks at Zuko with irritation. “Leave me alone!”

“Everything is fine,” Zuko doesn't even look at her, but focuses on Hakoda. “It was my fault. Katara did nothing wrong.”

Hakoda suddenly realizes how he looks—standing over his son, towering over him, his hand clenched into a fist—but not to strike, not to hurt, but because he feels a terrible suspicion growing inside him.

“I know she didn't do anything wrong,” he says, slowly sinking into a chair. He sees his son relax, though he still shields Katara with his body.

He glances at Kya, whose expression tells him she's thinking the same thing. There’s an anger in her eyes, which she quickly hides.

“Zuko,” Hakoda says, trying to sound as calm as possible. “Can we talk, just the two of us?”

He doesn't miss how his son tenses up slightly, as if expecting punishment.

“Yes, Father,” he says quietly, his gaze falling to the ground.

This is another red flag, because until now, both Zuko and Sokka have always called him ‘Dad’.

Kya takes Katara aside, giving Hakoda a slightly uncertain look. Zuko remains in the room, not moving.

“Zuko,” Hakoda says. “You can relax. You're not in trouble.”

“It was my fault,” Zuko says quickly. “I was the one arguing with Katara. She didn't do anything wrong.”

“I know, I know,” Hakoda raises his hand. “I mean, you were both arguing—you know Katara, you know how stubborn she is. I'd be more surprised if you hadn't said anything. You shouldn't argue so much, but I'm not going to make a big deal out of it. I'm not...”

Hakoda hesitates, wondering what to say next.

He takes a deep breath.

“I'm not going to hurt you, Zuko,” he says, looking him straight in the eye. “Not you, not Sokka, not Katara. Nothing would make me raise my hand against you. Nothing, do you understand?”

Zuko doesn't answer for a moment.

“Of course I know,” he says, but there is no conviction in his voice. “I know that, Dad.”

“Good,” Hakoda nods with satisfaction. “Now, please tell me. Zuko, has anyone ever hurt you?”

He sees the answer on his son's face before he can answer.

“No,” Zuko lies. “Of course not.”

“If someone in the village said something or raised a hand against you–”

“Nothing like that happened!” his son says quickly. “Everyone here is nice to me! Really, no one here has hurt me!”

Hakoda knows his son and knows that Zuko is a poor liar, even if he can be a good actor.

This time, he doesn't hear the lie in his voice.

But that doesn't mean anything yet.

“Not here,” Hakoda says. “So... Did something happen there?”

“Does it matter?” asks Zuko, his voice full of bitterness. “You don't believe it's true anyway.”

Hakoda loves his son, but he cannot protect him from something that exists only in his head.

“And even if it were true, what would you do?” His son's eyes suddenly turn cold. “Are you going to the Fire Lord's palace? Everything is fine. I got a little scared, but that's just because of my training. My firebending isn't strong enough. But everything is fine. It's fine, Dad.”

It doesn't look like it's fine, but Zuko is already turning away, leaving the room.

He stops suddenly, just inside the doorway.

“But you don't have to worry,” he says quietly. “I'll make sure Sokka doesn't get into trouble because of me.”

For some reason, all these words do is make Hakoda even more anxious.

Ozai, contrary to what many people think of him, is not cruel.

He does what he must—all for the good of the Fire Nation.

He married Ursa because it was the best option he had. He pays more attention to Azula because she has potential. He is particularly harsh toward Zuko because only through force can he make him stronger.

Ozai does not hate his family. In his eyes, they are merely tools he can use—and that is exactly what he does.

Ozai does not hate his family. He does not hate his son.

And that is why he feels compelled to react when something wrong happens.

One day, Ozai notices his children talking to each other.

Azula laughs.

“That's incredibly pathetic, Sokka,” she says, but her voice lacks its usual venom. “And incredibly stupid. Two fishhooks in your thumb? You can do better than that.”

“Don't be like that,” Zuko smiles despite her words. “You didn't see what Katara did next. She–”

He stops suddenly, noticing Ozai. The smile disappears from his face — and rightly so, Ozai's son will not behave like a peasant, like a simpleton. Zuko straightens up, stiffening slightly.

Azula also notices her father. Like her brother, she stops smiling. Ozai immediately feels better — his children are supposed to represent a certain standard, they have to prove that they are better than the rest.

“Father,” Zuko bows quickly.

Ozai feels like ignoring him.

Instead, he resigns himself to the fact that once again he will have to teach him a lesson.

“If you have time for jokes, you should get back to training,” Ozai says, stopping in front of his children. “Have you forgotten that you are still behind, especially compared to your sister?”

“I haven't forgotten,” his son says. “I apologize, Father. I'll go back to training.”

He bows once more, then makes a move to leave, grabbing Azula by the hand and pulling her along with him.

“Zuko,” Ozai says, causing his son to freeze.

“Yes, Father?”

“What is sokka?”

“It's...” Zuko glances at Azula. Azula glances at him. “It's a new word that's been popping up around town. We heard it a while ago. But we won't use it again. I'm sorry, Father.”

Ozai is tempted to say that the word sounded strangely similar to a name—but then again, his children are still young, and Zuko has always had problems with his head.

“Don't do that,” Ozai orders. “You too, Azula. Don't embarrass me any more — not that I expect anything from Zuko, but you, Azula...”

“I'm sorry,” Azula says quickly.

Ozai doesn't miss how Zuko moves to shield her with his body — as if he wants to protect her, which is an incredibly pathetic gesture, because Zuko is incapable of protecting anyone, especially himself.

“Don't apologize, just go back to training,” Ozai orders.

He turns away, losing interest in his children.

He will have to talk to their teachers and inform them that their future training must be much more demanding than usual.

There are days when Hakoda hates the fact that two different people lie dormant within his son's body.

When Kya dies, Hakoda watches his son fall apart twice—first Sokka, then Zuko. Their ways of mourning Kya's death are completely different—Sokka focuses on comforting Katara, while Zuko disappears for a few hours and then returns, tired and exhausted, which makes Hakoda realize that he must have been training as hard as he could.

Part of Hakoda wants to yell at his son—to say that someone who identifies with the Fire Nation has no right to mourn Kya's death—but then he remembers that this is his son after all, and that he is not to blame, and Hakoda knows how much he cared for Kya.

Everyone has lost a family member.

When the last Waterbender from the South dies, it is a sign.

The Fire Nation has won the fight against the savages of the South. No one will threaten them anymore. And that means they can focus on the real threat—those who are truly capable of harming them.

Ozai watches and sees.

He watches the mood in the palace change. He sees his father, Fire Lord Azulon, summon Iroh and talk to him about something—for quite a long time. Ozai sees the army preparing to attack, the people gathering weapons.

With the South on its knees, it's time to deal with the Earth Kingdom.

It is a logical step, the most logical one.

Azulon sends Iroh to conquer Ba Sing Se. Iroh, who has been on the battlefield for years, agrees easily.

It is supposed to be a short battle. It is supposed to be the moment when another nation falls to its knees before them.

But before all that, a few days before Iroh is to leave, a celebration takes place.

Fire Lord Azulon invites his entire family to a formal dinner. Ozai, Ursa, Azula, Zuko. And also Iroh and Lu Ten.

Two seats remain empty—those of Azulon's wife and Iroh's wife. Ozai doesn't understand why his father and brother still think about the dead. It doesn't make sense—thinking about the dead doesn't make sense, so why...?

Ozai presses his lips together and pretends to enjoy being here with everyone. Pretending that they are one big happy family, even though Ozai is not stupid and knows that as soon as Iroh takes the throne, Ozai will probably meet with a strange, unfortunate accident – unless Ozai is quicker, unless he is more careful...

But Ozai is careful, oh, so careful. He chooses his words carefully, raises his children carefully, and–

Azulon raises a toast.

In gratitude for the Southern Raiders' activities. To celebrate the fact that the South has finally fallen to its knees. To celebrate the fact that the last Waterbender from the South is finally dead, as dead as they should be.

Ozai, like everyone else, raises his glass.

And his son—his foolish, naive son—does not move. Instead, he turns pale, clutching the table so tightly that his knuckles turn white.  

Azulon notices this too. He sees that of their entire family, it is Zuko—Ozai's son, the stain on his honor—who does not move to raise a toast.

“Zuko,” Ozai says, glancing at his son out of the corner of his eye.

It's just one word. Just one word, but Ozai knows that Zuko knows that it is both a command and a warning.

But Zuko doesn't move.

He doesn't move, doesn't even make a gesture to raise a toast—it's just one simple, damn toast. A simple toast, a few words that are enough to say.

Instead, Zuko sits in his seat, incredibly pale.

And Azulon watches.

The Fire Lord watches him. Ozai's son.

Zuko stands up suddenly.

“No,” he says, swallowing his words. “I can't–  I don't– ”

And then he turns away.

And runs away.

He runs away, breaking all the rules of etiquette, all the rules of the royal family, all possible rules.

And Fire Lord Azulon watches.

He watches and waits for a reaction.

Ozai stands up.

“Let me take care of this, Father,” he says, cursing his son in his mind. This was his chance — finally, Iroh will leave Caldera, finally, Ozai won't have to look at his brother, who has more blood on his hands than the inhabitants of the palace have inside of them. It was his chance, and Zuko ruined it all.

Azulon glances at him and then nods. Briefly.

Ozai bows to his father and then leaves.

No one stops him, but Ozai sees it. He sees the slightly concerned look Lu Ten gives Iroh, the reassuring smile on Iroh's face as he says something quietly to his son. He sees Ursa sitting, staring into space, as if she has no idea what is going on. He sees Azula looking at him, her gaze cold and calculating. He sees Azulon's equally cold gaze. His expectations.

Ozai leaves, knowing full well that his father is not a man who forgives easily.

For Zuko's sake, it is better that Ozai was the one who found him.

His son hasn't gone far—he's standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall, breathing heavily. His hands are shaking. He's still so pale.

Ozai approaches him.

“Father...” Zuko looks up at him.

Ozai grabs him and pulls him into a nearby room, slamming the door behind him. He clenches his hand around his wrist, jerking him up, forcing him to look at him.

“What are you doing?” he hisses, his anger turning to fire. His hand grows warm. Not enough to burn or hurt, but enough to be felt. “What is this, Zuko?”

“I didn't–  I couldn't,” his son looks at him in a strange way, as if he is about to burst into tears or explode with anger. “You don't understand! You don't understand anything!”

“Then,” Ozai looks at him intently, “explain. So that I understand.”

Something strange crosses his son's face — something like uncertainty, fear, anger, and finally hope.

“This is wrong!” Zuko says suddenly. “Raids? That's all that's happening? This is wrong! Not a single person from the Water Tribe has ever hurt us! And yet they killed her! She did nothing wrong—she didn't even try to fight back!”

“The waterbenders must be destroyed,” Ozai says, tightening his grip on his son's wrist.

What is going on here? Zuko has always been a disappointment, always been a problem — but this? These kinds of words? Treason?

Perhaps Ozai really should have gotten rid of him at birth, as he had planned—but Ursa stopped him, saying she had prayed to Agni and been answered—what foolish words, what pathetic excuses.

Oh, Ozai should have gotten rid of his son years ago. But he didn't, and now his son stands before him, treason coming from his mouth, and Fire Lord Azulon is so close–

“They don't have to!” his son objects. “This is wrong! It's inappropriate! All the Fire Nation does is bring destruction to the world!”

“Zuko.” Ozai loses his patience. This is the last warning.

“I'm not Zuko!” his son suddenly yells, pulling his hand out of Ozai's grip. The skin is red. Ozai lost control at some point.

This is not good. It's not good because Ozai should have better control over his bending.

Zuko doesn't stop shouting.

“You can't even see something like that?!” Zuko raises his voice. “I'm not Zuko, and what happened was wrong! She didn't deserve to die — she didn't deserve what happened, none of us deserved it–!”

Why wasn't his bending working properly? Why did Ozai lose control of it? Agni, what if Azulon finds out about this? How will Iroh react?

“– my mother! Katara cried for weeks because she saw it all! Katara was eight years old! Eight! And now I'm supposed to celebrate this?!”

Ozai should be better. He should be the better son, because Ozai, unlike Iroh, has talent. And Azulon saw that, which is why he chose a wife for him who is the granddaughter of Avatar Roku, because their children were supposed to be special–

Zuko continues to shout.

Ozai no longer knows what is going on—but that doesn't matter much right now.

He hits him once, hard, silencing the endless torrent of words. Zuko falls to the ground, and in his eyes you can see the same surprise—the feeling of betrayal—as years earlier, when Ozai first taught him how a prince should behave.

But Zuko doesn't learn.

Ozai tries—he tries so hard—but Zuko doesn't learn. Zuko is problematic, Ozai tries to help him—but instead, Zuko is ungrateful, doing everything he can to work against himself and Ozai.

“What...?” Zuko lies on the floor, not daring to raise. The anger he was radiating a moment ago turns into something else. Shock? Surprise? “What are you...?”

Ozai bends down and grabs the front of his robe, pulling him toward him.

“I'm afraid we haven't understood each other well enough,” he says, his hands at the right temperature, as they should be, because his bending cannot have problems, his bending must be perfect. “I don't care what you think about the savages of the South. I don't care what you think. I don't care who did what and why. I care that you are the Prince of the Fire Nation. My son. Everyone looks to you because whatever you do will translate into my actions. So if Fire Lord Azulon raises a toast, you do the same. If the Fire Lord orders you to get rid of the savages from the South, that's what you'll do. Whatever the Fire Lord orders you to do, you will do. Is that clear?”

Zuko does not answer. He looks at him as if he is seeing him for the first time in his life.

“Is that clear?” Ozai asks again.

Only after a long moment does his son nod.

Ozai lets him go, and Zuko falls to the ground, limp as a sack of potatoes.

“Excellent,” he says. “Now you will come back inside with me. You will apologize to the Fire Lord. You will pray that he will be gracious enough to forgive you. And you will raise a toast. You will smile. This is a celebration.”

Ozai waits for a moment, expecting anything. Objection. Consent.

Instead, there is silence.

So Ozai waits. And waits.

“What if I don't?” After a long moment, Zuko looks up at him, a kind of challenge in his eyes. “What if I just walk away?”

Ozai holds his gaze.

“You don't want to make the Fire Lord your enemy. You don't want to know what happens to his enemies.”

“Oh, I think I know,” Zuko says, a strange sound escaping his lips, somewhere between laughter and crying. “They burn.”

Ozai turns away.

“You can burn or be burned, Zuko,” he says simply. “The choice is yours.”

Zuko is silent.

Then he stands up and follows him.

The rest of the dinner passes... fine.

Zuko makes a toast when he has to. He remains silent whenever he can.

Everyone is watching.

And Ozai sees.

He sees Azulon nodding his head, barely perceptibly, with satisfaction. He sees Lu Ten grab his father's hand and whisper something to him. He sees the disappointment in Iroh's eyes. He sees Azula becoming more talkative, drawing attention to herself. He sees Ursa not even looking at her son.

Ozai watches and sees.

Everyone watches and sees.

And no one says a word.

Just like always.

There are days when Hakoda hates himself because his children are suffering and he is unable to do anything about it.

He is unable to find the firebender who killed Kya. He is unable to calm Katara's fears.

And he is unable to save Sokka from what is going on in his head.

Because something is happening, something has happened—Hakoda is not a fool, he can see it. He notices how Zuko Day passes and Sokka returns, and then Sokka looks at him in a strange way. He notices how his son is quieter than before.

Hakoda looks and Hakoda sees.

And he reacts.

He can't protect Sokka from what's going on in his head—if it's only in his head, because Hakoda doesn't know if it's true or not—he doesn't want to think about it. He can't protect his son, just as he can't protect Zuko—but at least he can talk to him.

“What happened?” he asks.

Sokka doesn't answer right away.

Hakoda leans toward him cautiously, then puts his hand on his shoulder.

“Sokka,” he says, cautiously, and a memory of a similar conversation from years ago pops into his head. But back then, the person he was looking at was Zuko. Never Sokka. “Whatever happened, I won't be angry. And I won't hurt you. Ever. So if there's something you want to tell me, please do. I won't be angry, I promise.”

And those words seem to be the right ones, because his son blinks his eyes, as if trying to hold back tears.

“They were celebrating,” he says suddenly. “They were celebrating, Dad. They were celebrating, and I could only sit there, and I had to smile and pretend that everything was fine, but it was wrong, so wrong, and I wanted to throw up, and Azula told me to pretend because that's the right thing to do, and Grandfa—the Fire Lord—he was looking at me, looking at me the whole time, and Fat—Ozai—was looking at me too, and he said that—they were celebrating, Dad. And I was supposed to celebrate with them. And no one did anything. No one stopped it.”

“Sokka,” Hakoda says gently, but there's a big lump in his throat because Hakoda probably knows what happened, and it's so wrong. “What were they celebrating?”

His voice is almost a whisper.

“Her death,” Sokka's voice is also a whisper. “We were supposed to celebrate Mom's death.”

His voice breaks mid-sentence. Hakoda pulls him close without hesitation, pretending that his heart isn't breaking as his son breaks down in his arms, his shoulders shaking, his body convulsing and crying.

“I hate this,” Sokka says. “I hate this so much, Dad. And I don't want to go back there. I don't want to go back there.”

Hakoda pulls him close, holding him tight, not letting Sokka pull away.

Oh, Sokka, he thinks, miraculously managing not to cry, because Sokka needs someone strong right now, someone to be there for him, not someone to cry with him. Believe me, I don't want you to go back there either.

You're not safe there.

Shortly after the toast incident, Iroh leaves.

He hugs Ursa, whispering something in her ear, then turns to Ozai. He looks like he wants to say something, but gives up. He looks away, as always.

Ozai looks at him, almost wanting Iroh to say something. Anything is better than this silence, this silence.

Iroh turns and walks away, leaving Ozai alone.

Of course, he is not alone. He has Ursa—who hates him. He has Azula—who respects him, but whose abilities are a threat. He has Zuko—who is a disappointment.

Ozai focuses on what he is capable of doing.

He knows perfectly well that he is the lesser brother. That Iroh was sent to Ba Sing Se to conquer the city, to bring glory to the Fire Nation, to prove that he is capable of making their ancestors proud.

But Ozai is in Caldera. He is in Caldera, people like him, people tell him many times that he would be a better Fire Lord than his brother.

Ozai is not going to do that. Oh, he would be better than Iroh—but Iroh is strong, and Ozai is not stupid, and he knows he has no chance of defeating Iroh.

But Azula would be able to do it.

Azula... Azula is a prodigy. Everything Ozai could want from her. Ozai adores her, loves to look at her, loves her abilities — and makes sure that Azula only looks at him, because Azula is a weapon, but she must be kept under control.

Zuko... Zuko is a problem. After the toast incident, Ozai forces himself to personally go to each of his teachers and remind them that if he is unable to learn through kind words, they should force the truth into his head.

Ozai doesn't want to hurt him — but things can't go on like this. Fire Lord Azulon is watching, and Ozai won't let Zuko destroy their reputation any further.

Ozai isn't going to let his son destroy their family.

“Do you hate it?” asks Hakoda.

“What?” Zuko doesn't understand his question, sitting across from him and helping him weave a fishing net. He's not as good at it as Sokka, but Hakoda needs to talk to him, and he learned long ago that it's good for Zuko to have a distraction. A task. Something to keep him busy.

“The fact that you belong to both the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation,” Hakoda says. “The fact that your families are at war with each other. They hate each other. They kill each other.”

“You don't believe I'm real anyway, so why are you asking?” Zuko still doesn't look at him.

“Out of curiosity.”

Zuko is silent for a moment.

“No,” he says after a moment. “I don't hate it. It's not... easy, especially since my opinion doesn't count for much in the Fire Nation, and my father–  but I don't hate it. I like being here.”

“I understand,” Hakoda glances at him out of the corner of his eye and realizes that Zuko is not looking at him. His gaze is fixed on the fishing nets. “And the Fire Nation?”

“I live in a palace, Dad,” Zuko rolls his eyes. “Everything is fine. I'm fine. You have no reason to worry about me.”

“Sokka told me what happened.”

Zuko's fingers slow down, but they don't stop working.

“Nothing happened.”

“Sokka told me that some time ago there was a... celebration at the palace.”

This time, Zuko's fingers freeze.

“I wasn't there at the time,” he says after a long pause. “And from what Azula told me, it wasn't exactly a celebration–  a celebration of the death of the last Waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe. It was Uncle Iroh's farewell dinner. Before he left for Ba Sing Se. If I had known–  but I didn't. It should have been me. Back then. At that dinner. I could have handled it better than Sokka. I know how to behave. I know when to keep quiet. But Sokka doesn't.”

Hakoda is unable to respond for a long time.

“I don't blame you for that,” he says finally. “Not you, not Sokka. I don't think either of you wanted to be there.”

“Of course not,” Zuko glances at him, then his eyes drift toward the fishing net. “Fire Nation—we didn't—it was wrong. What happened to Mom. I know that. But no one there knows that. There are things you don't talk about. You cannot talk about it. It ends badly.”

It's just a few sentences, but they're enough to set off alarm bells in Hakoda's head.

“Are you–?”

“I'm fine,” says Zuko. “Everything is fine. But if you want to help, tell Sokka to learn to keep his mouth shut. He knows it, I know it, but, Agni, he can't do that! I know it's wrong — I want to shout it out too — but he can't do that! No one can oppose the will of the Fire Lord! Not even me! Not even Sokka! Do you understand?”

Hakoda doesn't understand. He doesn't understand — and at the same time, he really, really wishes that Zuko was just a figment of Sokka's imagination. Because the more Hakoda learns — the more he sees — the less he likes it.

“So just — everything's fine,” Zuko says. “No, it's not fine, this whole war isn't fair, and I hate what the Fire Nation is doing to the world — we could do so many things better, Dad, but it's not fine, we're just hurting everyone around us, just like Mom, like Katara, like Gran-Gran... It's not fair. I know that. But I can't do anything about it.”

Zuko looks up at him, and Hakoda almost shudders when he sees a kind of emptiness in him that terrifies him more than anything else.

“I can't do anything about it,” Zuko repeats. “But that's fine. I just have to be stronger. Then I won't be such a disappointment. I have to train harder. Then I'll be able to do something. Change something.”

“Zuko,” Hakoda doesn't move, even though he wants so badly to just take him in his arms and hug him, but he knows his son and knows that at this moment, any sudden movement could send him into a panic. “You're not a disappointment. You never have been.”

Zuko blinks, and Hakoda breathes a sigh of relief, because any emotion is better than that damned emptiness.

Then Zuko looks down at the not-quite-repaired fishing net.

He looks like he wants to say something, but can't find the right words.

He doesn't find them for a long, long time.

Ozai is trying.

Ozai is trying to do everything as it should be done.

It's not working.

Everything is falling apart.

Ursa is drifting away from him. She doesn't come closer to him, she doesn't smile. She becomes almost like a doll. And when life appears in her eyes, it's only when Ursa starts screaming — and then Ozai screams too, and the servants run away, and then Ursa lies on the ground or looks at him with hatred.

Azula continues to look at him, but the admiration in her eyes turns to caution. Her words become more and more calculated, and her admiration is sometimes almost false, as if she were playing someone Ozai wanted to see in her. Azula is getting stronger and stronger and more and more dangerous. She is a threat. A hope. A weapon. An opportunity.

Zuko is still the disgrace of their family. Ozai doesn't hate him—he simply despises him and has considered getting rid of him several times, but he is not a monster who would kill his own child, no matter how much he despises him. So he reminds the boy of his place, reminds him why he must keep his mouth shut.

Ozai does not hate his son, but he hates what Zuko does to him. He hates that because of Zuko, Ozai has to punish him so often, that he has to inflict pain on him – it does not give him pleasure, Ozai is not a madman who would enjoy inflicting pain on others. But Zuko doesn't learn, so Ozai has to teach him, by force if necessary.

Ba Sing Se does not fall.

Iroh does not return to Caldera. Instead, he brings Lu Ten to Ba Sing Se.  

Fire Lord Azulon watches, observes, and waits.

Ba Sing Se still does not fall.

Instead, it is the Dragon of the West who falls.

Iroh loses his son and falls apart.

And the Dragon of the West is no more.

One day, Zuko comes to him with a strange expression, more serious than usual and looking as if he is trying to hide tears. But then he sees Hakoda, straightens up, and looks at him solemnly.

“You've been wondering for a long time if I'm real,” he begins.

“I'm not saying you're not real,” Hakoda says quickly, because the truth is that Zuko and Sokka are different people, even if they share the same body. “I'm not saying that– ”

“But you've wondered about it,” his son interrupts him. “You don't have to say it. I know you have. I would have done the same. But I am real. I know something I wouldn't normally know.”

“What is it?” Hakoda can't help but be interested in Zuko's words.

“Fire Lord Azulon is dead,” Zuko says. “His heir will not be the Dragon of the West, but Ozai. My father. And Lu Ten, Uncle Iroh's son, is dead. He died at Ba Sing Se. Uncle Iroh withdrew from the siege. Ursa, Ozai's wife, has disappeared. There will be no new Fire Lady.”

Hakoda blinks.

“Zuko–”

“This happened yesterday,” his son interrupts him. “There's no way a messenger hawk could have reached us in one day.”

Hakoda realizes that Zuko is right—if it happened yesterday, there is no physical way for Zuko to know about it. It's too much specific information about people on the other side of the world.

With that, Zuko turns away.

Hakoda realizes too late what his words really mean—that he has just lost his mother, once again.

Almost five weeks later, news from the Fire Nation reaches them.

Five weeks – that's how long it takes Hakoda to send a hawk to his few allies in the Earth Kingdom to confirm what is happening in the Fire Nation.

Five weeks – that's how long it takes Hakoda to find out that Zuko was telling the truth.

Even then, no one knows the fate of Ursa, Ozai's wife. All the information Hakoda has focuses on the fact that Azulon is dead and Ozai is his heir.

On the same day that Hakoda finds out, he takes Bato aside and they drink together—because Hakoda suspected that Zuko might really be Zuko, the Prince of the Fire Nation, but now there is no way to deny it. Now he cannot hide the truth.

This means that two beings live in his son's body — and that from time to time, Sokka becomes Zuko, just as Zuko becomes Sokka.

Hakoda needs a moment to be able to face his son.

He apologizes to Sokka as soon as he sees him.

Sokka smiles slightly at him.

“Didn't I tell you?” he asks. “I'm not crazy.”

“You're not crazy,” Hakoda confirms. “You never were.”

He can't help himself and pulls his son close, hugging him tightly.

His son isn't crazy — which means Hakoda has two sons and one daughter.

And he will do anything to protect them.

Some time after Ozai takes the throne, rumors begin to spread.

People are hopeful—because Ozai is the younger son, he doesn't have the same history in the army as Iroh. It is Iroh who is bathed in blood and responsible for the suffering of many people in the Earth Kingdom.

Hakoda has no illusions that Ozai will be any better.

Hakoda sees how Zuko sometimes reacts—he sees how Sokka sometimes reacts when someone raises their voice, or when Hakoda sometimes moves too abruptly. Hakoda is learning to be calm, not to give his sons reasons to fear him—but he has suspicions about what is really going on in their other home, especially after Ursa's disappearance. He sees how Sokka and Zuko are becoming more and more protective when it comes to Katara—and it all creates an incredibly unpleasant vision of reality.

At the same time, Hakoda knows his limitations. Ozai has become Fire Lord, which means that for now, Hakoda has no way of getting rid of him, of saving his sons from this man.

To do that, Hakoda must go to war.

But then he will leave his children behind—he will leave his village defenseless.

His children are still too young to do this.

He cannot do this to them.

So Hakoda waits—waits for months, talking to other men, weighing their options. Someone has to stop Ozai, and the Southern Water Tribe cannot remain idle. Hakoda has to do it—for Katara, for Kya, for Sokka, for Zuko, even for Azula, whom Hakoda has never met but has heard much about.

Hakoda cannot simply stand up to the Fire Nation—no, because that would only send his people to their deaths.

But they must fight.

Years have passed since the Fire Nation attacked them and killed Kya.

Ozai is a monster, no better than his father or brother.

The Southern Water Tribe must fight to save their future and their children.

The decision to leave the village is one of the most difficult Hakoda has ever made.

He does not do so without careful consideration. He weighs the various possibilities, including the fact that the Fire Nation could attack them. If only women and children remained in the village...

Hakoda discusses this at length with the men. With Bato, his right-hand man.

Finally, they make a decision. The Southern Water Tribe must protect itself—and in this case, the best defense is offense. The men gather their weapons, preparing for battle. The women are not happy about this—Hakoda knows that they are putting them in danger, but they have no other choice. At this point, the Fire Nation is convinced that there are already no Waterbenders among them—they have no reason to be interested in them, as Zuko confirmed when Hakoda spoke with him.

One day, Zuko approaches him, looking at him uncertainly.

Hakoda glances at him. Sometimes, especially at moments like this, he has incredibly mixed feelings about his son. Zuko is his son – Hakoda knows him less well than Sokka, but this is the child he raised and who calls him father. But despite that, he is the person who will inherit the Fire Nation in the future—the one who currently has the best chance of becoming Fire Lord. Hakoda knows that it can't be easy for him to watch Hakoda and his people prepare for battle.

Hakoda sometimes almost expects Zuko to betray them. That he will tell his family about it – the other family he knows more, the one he knows better. And that probably makes Hakoda a terrible father — because Hakoda knows his son, he knows he is loyal and that he would never do anything to hurt the Tribe — but at the same time, Hakoda sometimes wonders who each of his sons is really loyal to.

Zuko stops in front of him.

“You're leaving,” he says.

“Yes,” Hakoda confirms.

Zuko glances at him, then at the snow surrounding them. He moistens his lips.

“Give me two weeks,” he says suddenly. “I'll try to find out something useful. Find out where the Fire Nation ships are. It probably won't be much, but—maybe you'll be able to avoid an ambush if the Fire Nation is expecting you there. Maybe I'll find out something. I can—I can try to get into the war council.”

The war council. The council commanded by the Fire Lord himself.

“I was under the impression that you weren't allowed to attend those.”

“No,” Zuko agrees. “But my Uncle—Uncle Iroh is in the palace. And he likes me. I can try to ask him to let me in. Uncle will listen to me. All I have to do is sit quietly during the meeting. Maybe I'll find out something useful. I want to...”

Zuko trails off.

He takes a deep breath.

“I don't want anyone to get hurt,” he says in a slightly quieter tone. “The Fire Nation is my home—these are my people, I am responsible for them, I will be a Fire Lord in time. But the Southern Water Tribe is also my home. I don't want there to be fighting — but I know that people are dying. They are suffering. And I don't know if my father — Ozai — will stop it. I probably won't learn much at this meeting, but if it saves lives — I have to try. I have to try, Dad.”

He looks at him, determined.

“I can't fight against my own people,” he says. “I can't fight against the Fire Nation, but I can't fight against the Southern Water Tribe either. That's why I want to try to help — I'll find out something useful. I'll pay attention to where the Fire Nation ships are now, how many people they have — otherwise you could be ambushed, you could be attacked and killed, and then Sokka and Katara will be left alone. I don't– I want to help.”

Hakoda hesitates only for a moment.

He smiles slightly and puts his hand on his shoulder.

“Thank you, Zuko,” he says. “That's very brave of you. I know it's not easy, what you're doing. And thank you for the offer. If... If you were able to find out something that could save my people, I would be eternally grateful. But please, be careful. Don't do anything stupid.”

Zuko smiles at him.

“Don't worry,” he says. “I know when to keep quiet.”

Zuko doesn't know when to keep quiet.

Ozai isn't even surprised. He's not even disappointed.

Rather, it is an opportunity. The moment he has been waiting for. Zuko opposed the generals' plan—a plan devised by those superior to him. He did so publicly, in the presence of the Fire Lord. In doing so, he showed disrespect to the Fire Lord.

Ozai makes his decision in a matter of seconds.

Ozai is a practical man. There are lines that should not be crossed. His son has been a thorn in his side for long enough.

This means it's time to teach him a lesson — one he will remember for the rest of his life. Because Ozai has tried so hard for so many years — but this boy doesn't learn, he still can't control himself.

“Enough!” Ozai says sharply. "There is a way to resolve this. Agni Kai.”

Zuko looks at him—and then at the general he has offended—oh, what a naive child.

“I accept.”

Agni Kai, especially an Agni Kai involving members of the royal family, is a public event. Ozai prepares himself, determined to destroy his son's weakness once and for all — how stupid and naive can one be? People die, and sometimes they are soldiers. The proposed plan—to get rid of the recruits, the mere cannon fodder—makes sense. It is the only way to win the coming battle.

This is reality. Harsh and cruel – but this world is not kind.

Zuko should have know it better.

But his son has always been this way—detached from reality.

When Ozai enters the arena, his son's eyes widen suddenly.

Zuko did not expect this. He naively thought it would be the general.

“Father,” Zuko falls instantly to the ground, bowing his head. “Forgive me. I did not know.”

“The plan you criticized was my plan,” says Ozai. “It goes without saying, you have offended me. You have shown me disrespect.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he notices Azula moving, wanting to do something. Iroh grabs her by the arm and whispers something to her.

Ozai has had enough. Sometimes he feels like his whole family is against him.

He is the Fire Lord. He is the one who rules here, he is the one who makes the rules.

“I'm sorry,” his son repeats. “Forgive me, Father. I didn't know. It was my mistake. It was my fault.”

“Enough,” Ozai says sharply. “Raise and fight, Prince Zuko.”

 “No, Father,” Zuko continues to kneel on the ground. “I won't do it. I can't do it. I lost. I'm sorry.”

Ozai feels a wave of disgust and revulsion wash over him. This is his son? This trembling creature, tears suddenly streaming down his cheeks, full of fear and terror?

Did Azulon think the same thing when he looked at Ozai years ago, when he was still alive and Ozai was constantly in his father's shadow?

Refusing to fight during the Agni Kai is an absolute example of disrespect. Cowardice. Lack of honor.

“Raise and fight,” Ozai orders again, this time in a warning tone.

Zuko does not raise.

Ozai approaches him.

Zuko raises his head, looking at him through his tears.

Ozai reaches out his hand to him. For a moment, he considers ending it all — wiping away his son's tears, telling him that it was a pathetic performance, that he never wants to see him again. Or telling him that everything will be fine and that Ozai forgives him.

But the Fire Nation will never forgive him.

Looking at him, Ozai realizes that Zuko cannot become Fire Lord.

He cannot do it — because he is too weak. He is too much like Iroh. His presence has a bad influence on Azula, just as Iroh's presence had a bad influence on Ozai.

Zuko cannot be here.

He does not deserve to be Fire Lord.

Ozai remembers what Azulon told him long ago—suffering is your best teacher.

Zuko does not fight. He shows no respect for his father. For his country. He disregards their customs, their traditions.

Ozai looks at him closely, at the tears on his son's face. His hand, initially reaching out to wipe away his tears, changes position. He grabs his face, cupping his eye.

Zuko has no respect for the Fire Nation. For Ozai.

So Ozai will teach him respect.

Look what you've made me to do, he thinks as the flames respond to his call. You forced my hand.

Firebenders don't burn easily.

They don't burn easily, and they don't burn nicely.

Ozai stands and watches.

And the world watches him.

Everyone watches him, the boy in his hand, the fire surrounding them.

Everyone watches, and no one reacts.

As always.

This is your fault, Ozai thinks, as his son falls to the floor, unconscious, his throat raw from screaming, half his face melted, and the awful smell of burnt flesh hanging in the air—everyone saw, everyone heard, but no one reacted.

It's your fault, Ozai repeats, looking coldly at his son. You never learn. And look what you've forced me to do.

Some time later, Ozai considers what he can do with his son.

Lost in thought, he wonders what he should do now.

After a moment, he realizes that there is only one solution to this situation — only one way to ensure that Azula inherits the throne, not Zuko.

Ultimately, the decision is incredibly simple.

Ozai is a father, but he is first and foremost a ruler. It is his duty to protect his country. 

For the good of the Fire Nation, Ozai banishes his son from the country.

Hakoda knows his children.

Hakoda knows his children, all three of them—and he can't help but notice that something has happened.

Zuko avoids talking to him for most of the day. Instead, he hides in an igloo, not talking to anyone, completely ignoring Katara. Hakoda wants to talk to him, but Zuko reacts with anger and shouting—the kind Hakoda has never heard before, the kind that almost breaks his heart.

His mother is nearby. She puts her hand on his shoulder and shakes her head slightly, as if to tell Hakoda to give her son some space.

Zuko doesn't show up for dinner. He only comes to him in the evening, holding out the scrolls, avoiding his gaze.

“I've gathered some materials,” he says, still not looking at Hakoda. “This is all I could remember. Maybe it will be useful.”

“I see,” Hakoda takes the scrolls from him, admiring his calligraphy skills once again. Sokka could learn a lot from him. “Did you manage to attend the war council?”

Hakoda focuses mainly on the scroll, but out of the corner of his eye he sees Zuko flinch.

“Yes,” his son says quietly.

“How was it?” Hakoda asks. “Zuko, is everything fine?”

“Yes,” Zuko averts his gaze. “Everything is fine. It's better—it'll be better if you do what you have to do. I told you everything I know.”

“Zuko...” Hakoda reaches out to him, but Zuko is already gone.

He slips away from his hand and then runs out of the igloo, not caring that it's starting to snow.

Hakoda curses under his breath — there's no way everything is fine, Hakoda knows something has happened.

And whatever it was, he doesn't like it.

Hakoda finds him later in his mother’s igloo. Zuko is lying among the furs, asleep. Hakoda, who has been looking for him for almost an hour, breathes a sigh of relief when he sees that he is safe.

“Hakoda,” Kanna says, nodding for them to go outside.

There, after making sure no one is around, Kanna becomes serious.

“What happened?” she asks.

“I have no idea,” Hakoda admits. “I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't. He wouldn't tell me anything, he avoided being around me — Mom, I have to leave soon, and this– ”

Kanna is silent for a moment.

“Maybe it's best not to ask any questions right now,” she says after a long pause. “I don't know what happened, but Zuko was terrified.”

“You think I didn't notice?” Hakoda asks bitterly. “But he won't tell me anything.”

“Then don't ask him anything,” Kanna says. “Just be there for him.”

Some time later, Zuko wakes up. Hakoda immediately realizes that it is still Zuko — at some point, he began to distinguish between them instantly. These are small changes, the way they sit, the way they move — but Hakoda sees it all.

For a while, Hakoda sits next to him, pretending to be busy repairing a fishing net. It's becoming an unpleasant habit. How many times has he sat like this, pretending to be doing something — just to make his own son feel more comfortable in his presence?

After a long moment, Zuko stops pretending to be asleep. He sits up, pulls his knees to his chest, and covers himself more tightly with the blanket.

“I messed up,” he says suddenly, still not looking at Hakoda.

Hakoda thinks about what words to choose.

“It happens to the best of us,” he finally decides to say. “But whatever happened, it's not the end of the world. Whatever happened, you're not alone. Remember that.”

Zuko doesn't answer. Instead, he closes his eyes and his left hand wanders to his cheek, as if he expects to find something there.

“Zuko,” Hakoda says after a moment. “What happened?”

“I made a mistake,” Zuko says quietly. “It was my fault. I spoke when I shouldn't have. And I didn't fight when I should have. I deserved what happened, but...”

He trails off.

“Sokka didn't deserve this,” he says, tears beginning to flow from under his clenched eyelids. “When you see him tomorrow, will you tell him I'm sorry? That I ruined everything? You can be mad at me, but don't be mad at him, please. Sokka didn't do anything wrong, he didn't know anything...”

“Zuko,” Hakoda doesn't move from his spot, looking at him intently. Zuko reminds him of a frightened rabbit, one step away from running away. “I don't blame you for anything.”

“You should,” Zuko says simply. “You don't know what happened.”

“No,” Hakoda agrees. “But I know you, and I know you tried to do the right thing.”

A strange sound comes out of Zuko's mouth, somewhere between laughter and crying.

"My father—my real father—thought otherwise.”

Hakoda doesn't know the details of what happened. He doesn't know what happened. But he knows it wasn't anything good.

“I made a mistake. And it was my fault.”

“Zuko, whatever happened... I don't know the whole story. But I know you tried to do the right thing.”

“No, I didn’t. I made a mistake. I was weak. I was a coward.”

Hakoda looks at him seriously.

“Zuko, listen to me carefully,” he says. “When I look at you, I don't see a coward. And I'm not saying that because you have Sokka's face. Everyone makes mistakes. Even the strongest warriors stumble. What matters is what you do next — that you get up and keep going. That you keep fighting.”

“Never give up without a fight,” Zuko whispers, his eyes suddenly widening as if those words have some special meaning.

“Exactly. You're still here. You're still fighting. And that's what matters. And maybe your father, Ozai, thought differently, but that doesn't matter. It doesn't matter that you made a mistake. What matters is that you're able to face them. And even if you can't... you won't be alone. Do you understand?”

Zuko nods.

He doesn't speak for a long time, as if thinking about his words.

“I wish... I wish you were my real dad,” Zuko says suddenly, incredibly quietly, just when Hakoda thinks he won't speak.

“Zuko...” Hakoda moves toward him. He sees his son flinch, one step away from running away. Hakoda kneels beside him. “You don't have to want that. I've thought of you as my son for a long time. You are my son, no matter what others say or think. And no matter what happens, I will never hurt you. Do you understand?”

These words seem to be appropriate, because Zuko is suddenly next to him, hugging him and crying into his chest. Hakoda doesn't know what happened — he has no idea — so all he can do is pull him close and gently stroke his head.

They stay like this for a long, long time.

The next time his son wakes up, it is Sokka who is looking at him.

Hakoda waits for a while, part of him afraid of how Sokka will react.

Sokka looks at him, then turns his face away.

“I'll be back in a minute,” he says, strangely quiet. “It won't be long.”

Sokka returns, drawn by the smell of food.

Throughout the meal, he glances at Hakoda, looking as if he wants to say something, but ultimately gives up each time.

Only later, when they finish eating, does he approach him somewhat uncertainly.

“How much did Zuko tell you?” he asks.

“Not much,” Hakoda admits. “Just something about how he spoke when he shouldn't have and didn't fight when he should have. And that he made a mistake.”

“A mistake,” Sokka repeats hollowly. His hand wanders up toward his face, but stops midway through the gesture. “A mistake. Sure. A mistake.”

“Sokka, what happened?”

Sokka doesn't answer right away.

“Nothing,” he says after a long pause. “If you want to know the details, ask Zuko about it. I'm not going to tell you about it—besides, I wasn't there, I only know what Uncle Iroh told me and... No, it doesn't matter now. You don't have to worry about it, Dad.”

“Sokka,” Hakoda is not fooled by his son's words. “Something happened. And that means–”

“There's nothing you can do about it anyway, Dad,” bitterness suddenly creeps into Sokka's voice. “You know what, if you want to help, go to your stupid war. Go and leave us all alone. It'll be best for everyone.”

With that, Sokka turns and walks away.

Sokka comes to him a little later, this time with an apology.

“I didn't mean it like that,” he says. “It's just... I don't even know how to put it into words. I don't want to create artificial problems, I don't want you to worry about it and–”

“Sokka,” Hakoda interrupts him. “What happened?”

Sokka hesitates.

“Like I said, you should ask Zuko for details,” he says, although he is aware that Hakoda shouldn't be here in two weeks. He has already stayed here too long. If they stay longer, winter will come — real winter — and then the journey will be difficult, if not impossible.

“I don't think I'll have a chance to ask Zuko about it,” Hakoda remarks. “And he didn't want to tell me anything specific.”

Sokka moistens his lips slightly.

“I don't know all the details, but in a nutshell, Zuko got into... a conflict with his father. Ozai. But everything is fine,” he says quickly, before Hakoda has time to panic. “Zuko is far away from him now. And they probably won't see each other for a long time. And that's good, because after what happened–”

Sokka doesn't finish. He turns a little pale, as if he's about to vomit. Instead, he presses his lips together and shakes his head, as if to get rid of unwanted memories.

“Anyway, everything is fine now,” he says. “You don't have to worry about us, Dad. Zuko and I will be fine. I'll stay here and protect the village, just like you wanted. Everything will be fine. I can handle it. And you... I know why you want to fight. And I think you should do it.”

Sokka looks up at him—and then smiles, though Hakoda feels it's a bit of a forced smile.

“Just... go, Dad. Go kick Ozai's ass. It's the best thing you can do.”

For a moment, Hakoda wants to argue. To say that it doesn't explain anything; that something has happened and Hakoda knows that Sokka isn't telling him the truth.

But at the same time, Hakoda knows that for the good of his tribe, he must go to war. Ozai is not a good man—so someone has to stop him. Hakoda won't do it by staying in the village.

The Southern Water Tribe has waited idly for too long. Hakoda has waited idly for too long.

Ultimately, the decision is incredibly simple.

Hakoda is a father, but he is first and foremost a ruler. It is his duty to protect his people. 

For the sake of the Southern Water Tribe, Hakoda leaves his children behind.

Chapter Text

Bato does not believe in Spirits.

He hears a lot about them, but he does not really believe in them. In his opinion, they are just superstitions created by women to scare children or gain more power over their husbands.

Bato hears a lot about Spirits, but he has never seen one, so he has no reason to believe that such a thing exists. Bending is already strange enough for him.

When his best friend's son starts claiming that he sometimes finds himself in a different place—that he is two different people—Bato decides that he has mental health issues. It's the only logical explanation.

The problem is that Bato likes Sokka. He likes the kid, even if there is something wrong with his head. So he doesn't let him know that he thinks he's crazy.

Sometimes it's best to hide the truth from children.

Iroh does believe in Spirits.

He believes in their existence and spends a lot of time studying them. Sometimes he sees the future in them – the future for this world, for the Fire Nation. The Spirits must bless them, support their mission to bring peace to the world – because if they didn't, the Fire Nation would have lost this war long ago.

And yet, the Fire Nation is winning this war.

The end of this war is only a matter of time, and Iroh will do everything in his power to make it happen in his lifetime. He owes it to his son—the only thing he has left of his wife—but also to his nephew and niece. For the children, Iroh will end this war, even if he has to burn half the world in the process.

Iroh doesn't spend as much time with children as he would like—his duties often send him to the Earth Kingdom, to war—but he does everything in his power to return home as often as possible.

When Ursa comes to him for advice, Iroh expects many things, but not that she will tell him that there are two different people living inside her son.

“I've watched him for many years, brother,” Ursa says gently. “And this is no exaggeration. Zuko isn't always just Zuko. Sometimes he's Sokka, the boy from the South.”

Iroh is silent for a moment, stroking his beard.

He doesn't know what to think about it, but Ursa seems convinced that she's right.

“Let me talk to the boy,” he asks.

Ursa gives him permission, so Iroh arranges a tea party with his nephew. To his surprise, Azula also comes, although she looks incredibly bored.

Two weeks later, a completely different person sits in front of Iroh, even though he has the face and eyes of his nephew. But this is not Zuko — everything about him is foreign.

How did Iroh not notice this before?

No, Iroh knows the answer to that question. He knows why he didn't notice it before — because Iroh is often away, and Sokka rarely shows up.

From that moment on, Iroh does his best to talk to his nephew — to get to know them both. He suspects that Sokka is not a living being — that he is just a poor soul who has taken over his nephew's body and appears from time to time.

His suspicions are destroyed after the death of the Last Southern Waterbender, when Ursa tells him that Sokka and Zuko knew about it long before.

Iroh does something he usually tries to avoid—he reaches for alcohol and drinks alone, staring into the fire.

The truth doesn't change much.

The truth doesn't change much because Iroh goes to war again some time later, this time with his son.

At Ba Sing Se, Lu Ten dies.

Iroh loses the will to fight.

Hakoda comes to him, holding a scroll with news from the Fire Nation in his hand. His friend takes him aside, pulls out a bottle of strong alcohol—and then says the words that change everything.

“He's not lying,” he says, taking a big sip and passing the bottle to Bato. “Sokka isn't lying. Zuko is real.”

“Because?” Bato also takes a sip of alcohol.

It's strong alcohol. And that's good. For some reason, Bato has a feeling they're going to need it.

Instead of answering, Hakoda hands him a scroll.

“So old Azulon finally kicked the bucket?” Bato raises an eyebrow. “And his heir is... Ozai? Why Ozai, not the Dragon of the West?”

Bato has never met a single member of the Fire Nation royal family—and probably never will—but before his children were born, Bato traveled the world a bit. He has heard a little about the Fire Nation royal family—and everyone agrees that the Dragon of the West is incredibly dangerous and that he is his father's equal, if not worse.

“Ozai, huh...?” Bato mutters under his breath. “Well, that's good for us. Ozai isn't a soldier, is he? This is our chance to show the Fire Nation that— Why are you looking at me like that, Hakoda?”

“Bato, Sokka knew about this weeks ago,” his friend says.

“So?” Bato doesn't quite understand what the other man is getting at.

“Sokka told me about it weeks ago,” says Hakoda. “As soon as he told me, I sent my people to find out what the situation was in the Fire Nation. It took them weeks to get that information, but Sokka knew about it just a few days after Azulon died. And he knew all the details. Did you know that the Dragon of the West had a son who died at Ba Sing Se? No one mentions it—everyone focuses on Azulon's death—my people needed weeks to confirm and know that it was true. And Sokka knew about it. Weeks ago. And do you know why?”

Bato stares at him.

He can't do anything else.

“Sokka knows because Sokka was there. He was in the palace — Bato, my son was in the Fire Nation palace — and he saw it all. Everything that I’ve just told you about. Sokka saw it all. So did Zuko. And do you know why? Because Zuko is now the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, Bato.”

Bato reaches for the bottle.

He takes a sip, then another, then another.

“Do you think he's lying?”

“Sokka and Zuko know things they shouldn't know. Besides, you've seen them. You know they're acting differently. Why, you ask? Because they're different people. Out of fourteen days, Sokka spends thirteen here and one in the Fire Nation. Out of fourteen days, Zuko spends thirteen in the Fire Nation and one here.”

“I'll ignore the fact that we're at the South Pole and I don't know if looking at it in terms of days is a good idea,” Bato mutters under his breath, because he's right. At the South Pole, days are never the same length — and sometimes there are moments when the sun never sets or when it doesn't appear on the horizon.

“That doesn't matter now, Bato,” says Hakoda. “What matters is that Sokka didn't lie. He never lied. Give me that alcohol.”

Bato does so without hesitation.

This is not a conversation they can have sober.

For almost a year, Iroh travels. He spends a lot of time in the Spirit World, trying to come to terms with his son's death. He tries to find the truth and peace.

On the few days when he is in the palace, Zuko and Sokka often visit him. They talk to him, sometimes just stay close to him, as if they want to comfort him by simply being there.

Iroh sees no meaning in life—he is satisfied that Ozai has taken the throne—but the presence of his nephew—his nephews— and niece is incredibly helpful. It gives him hope for a better tomorrow.

And it makes Iroh start to wonder about the future of this world. About whether the only way to end this war is for the Fire Nation to win.

Iroh searches for answers. He travels.

The Order of the White Lotus shows him a new path.

Iroh realizes what a fool he was – how naive he was – when Ozai publicly burns his son.

Zuko's scream echoes in Iroh's ears long after it's over.

Iroh looks at his unconscious nephew and realizes with a heavy heart that this cannot go on any longer. Zuko and Sokka are not safe here—perhaps they never were.

Iroh must take the boy away. He must protect him.

Fortunately, Ozai gives him the opportunity to do so by sentencing Zuko to exile—a mission he was never meant to complete. Iroh goes with him without hesitation.

The first few days are the hardest, because Zuko is semi-conscious and his body is racked by a strong, cruel fever. Iroh spends long hours sitting with his nephew, almost expecting his heart to stop beating and his body to give up.

This does not happen.

Zuko does not give up.

He survives.

The worst does not come, and Zuko lives—on this ship that Ozai has assigned them, among people about whom Iroh has heard nothing good.

When Zuko hears what Ozai has ordered—when he learns of his fate—he closes one eye (the other is hidden under a bandage and will remain so for a long time) and reacts with a strange silence. Iroh tries to talk to him, but soon after, Zuko tells him to leave, to go away.

Iroh knows that sometimes you have to digest everything alone, so he leaves his nephew alone.

He returns some time later with tea, determined to give him the only thing he can give him at the moment—company, a smile, and goodwill.

It is not difficult to notice the change in his nephew.

Ozai has scarred Zuko—and killed a part of him, the gentle and compassionate part. The Zuko that Iroh sees is full of anger, determination, and guilt, because he is convinced that what happened was his fault. He reacts with anger to any attempts to talk to him, not allowing anyone to get close to him. He withdraws into himself and is full of rage.

Iroh does not tell him aloud that for a long time he was convinced that Zuko would not survive those first days. He does not say aloud that Iroh does not want to fulfill Ozai's will, that he does not want to return to the capital.

He does not say many things aloud because it is not his place to do so.

Some time later, Zuko is no longer Zuko, and Sokka stands before Iroh.

Iroh meets him early in the morning when Sokka enters his cabin without knocking—something he wouldn't normally do, but Iroh decides to forgive Sokka for it.

From Sokka's expression, he can see that the boy did not expect to find Iroh here—and no wonder, because Sokka has just woken up and, as a result, is not yet familiar with the ship.

How strange it is to see Sokka today.

Sokka is pale. He leans heavily against the doorframe and looks at Iroh with wide eyes.

“Is it true?” His voice is quiet, his breathing a little faster than it should be. “Zuko left me a message, but I didn't think... What really happened? Did Father—Ozai really–?”

He breaks off, blinking his eyes as if trying to hold back tears.

Iroh feels something tighten in his chest. He will have to explain it all again, this time to Sokka. Sokka did not take part in the duel with Ozai, but he is now in Zuko's body. And that means he must feel his pain; he must have trouble coordinating his movements, as his eye is covered with bandages.

“Come inside,” Iroh invites him.

Sokka enters and sits down on a free chair.

Iroh closes the door.

“I have no idea how much Zuko has told you,” he begins cautiously. He had long since stopped pretending that he was unaware that two people lived in his nephew's body. “However, I'm afraid it's as you suspect. The wound you have was inflicted by my brother– Don't touch it! It's still healing!”

Sokka's hand, which was already reaching for the bandage, drops down.

“Why...?” he whispers. “Why would Father– Ozai do such a thing?”

“I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that,” Iroh reaches out and places his hand on Sokka's shoulder.

He had tried to do the same thing the day before in Zuko's presence. Zuko had flinched and refused to let him touch him.

Sokka allows him to do so, looking at him with confusion.

“However, know this,” Iroh says. “It wasn't your fault, just as it wasn't Zuko's fault. Zuko wanted to protect people — the soldiers of the Fire Nation.”

“And Ozai hurt him and banished him,” Sokka says in a dull tone. “He sent him – us on a mission that is impossible to complete.”

Iroh closes his eyes sadly.

Unfortunately, Sokka is right.

Capturing the Avatar is impossible.

Sokka opens his mouth to say something, but ultimately doesn't. He doubles over, looking as if he's about to vomit.

Iroh does exactly what he did before with Zuko — he stays with him for as long as Sokka needs him to.

“How did you spend your day yesterday, Prince Zuko?” Iroh asks, smiling at his nephew.

Zuko looks away from him.

“It doesn't matter,” he says. “It only distracts me from my mission. It was just a distraction.”

“Young Sokka told me–”

“I don't want to talk about him right now!” Zuko raises his voice. Almost instantly, a look of pain crosses his face. The wound he received must be bothering him. Iroh saw Sokka trying to hide his pain for most of yesterday morning. Zuko is better at dealing with it, but today he has clearly forgotten that.

Iroh looks at him with concern.

“As you wish, Prince Zuko.”

Bato doesn't have much time to think about what Zuko's existence really means to them. He doesn't think about it because life and war wait for no one, and before Bato knows it, it's time to leave their village.

Hakoda pretends that this is the right decision, but Bato knows his friend, his sworn brother—he knows that Hakoda is worried about leaving his children behind.

However, it is the only right decision.

They must do this for the good of their Tribe.

A few months after beginning their journey around the world, Sokka approaches Iroh.

“I've been thinking,” he begins slowly, sitting down in front of him.

Iroh cannot help but notice the differences between them. Zuko is more impulsive, a little louder. He still has problems with firebending. And he is determined to find the Avatar.

Sokka is a little calmer. He has problems with firebending, but that's not because he's afraid of flames, it's just that he has fewer opportunities to practice. He smiles more often and sometimes jokes around. Finding the Avatar is the least of his concerns right now. Sometimes Iroh gets the impression that Sokka doesn't want to do it at all.

Zuko always protests when Iroh invites him for tea or a game of pai sho. Sokka joins him without hesitation.

“I've suggested this to Zuko several times, but he wasn't very keen,” says Sokka. “But I've been thinking about it. What do you think about going to the South Pole, Uncle? That's where I normally live. Maybe Zuko could use... a place to call home.”

Iroh doesn't answer right away.

“Are you aware of how many men and women are on this ship, Prince Sokka?” he asks, pouring himself some tea.

Sokka's lips curve into a slight smile, as they always do when Iroh calls him prince.

“I am aware of that,” he says. "But let's be honest. Zuko will not find the Avatar. Why should he travel the world aimlessly, searching for rumors and ghosts? He could come to us. I know the crew is loyal to you, Uncle. I would not suggest this if that were not the case, but I know these people. I know they wouldn't hurt my tribe. They might even help us. And Zuko... Zuko grew up there too. He could... he could come home. I've never met him, not really, but you know, he's like a brother to me. An incredibly strange brother, but that's beside the point.”

“I'll talk to Zuko about it,” Iroh promises, taking a sip of tea. “However, I can't promise anything.”

“Tell him I've already talked to Katara about it, and Katara also thinks he should come to us.”

Iroh nods.

“I'll pass the message on to him.”

“Oh, and tell him to fix that hairstyle,” Sokka points to his hair. “Really, it's starting to annoy me a lot. It looks awful. I won't cut my hair or shave it off because Zuko is mostly here, but the longer I look at this hair, the more I feel like I'm going crazy. And okay, I know it matters—really, I know, I grew up in the Fire Nation too, at least partially—but I can't stand it. Really.”

Iroh smiles slightly.

He has to admit—it's not the best hairstyle ever.

“Young Sokka suggested that we could go to the South Pole when you feel better,” says Iroh. 

“We're not going to the South Pole!” protests Zuko. “We're not going anywhere! Leave me alone, Uncle!”

Before Iroh can say anything, Zuko slams the door shut and is gone.

Iroh closes his eyes sadly.

He's not going to force his nephew to do something he's not ready for.

Some time after they left their village, rumors reach their ears about what happened in the Fire Nation.

Bato feels that he will never be able to forget the sight of his friend when Hakoda learned that the Fire Prince had been branded by his father and exiled from the country with a mission that was impossible to accomplish.

Bato knows Hakoda very well, but he has not seen him this angry in a long time.

Looking at his friend, Bato quickly realizes that this anger is personal. At some point, Bato doesn't know when, Hakoda began to see Zuko as his son. And that means that Fire Lord Ozai hurt his child — no, children, because Sokka also resides in Zuko's body from time to time, sharing his pain.

Bato looks at his friend and sees how close Hakoda is to immediately marching on the Fire Nation capital, demanding Ozai's head. The Fire Nation killed his wife, traumatized his daughter, and scarred his sons.

Hakoda has no intention of forgiving them.

He will not do so—but at the same time, Hakoda is their leader, their chief, and he must think like their chief. Some time later, Hakoda returns to his people and informs them that their goal remains unchanged.

But in his eyes, Bato sees determination.

For Hakoda, the war is becoming even more personal.

Bato notices how Hakoda gathers rumors about the Fire Prince. How he tries to find out where he is now and what he is doing.

And although this never contradicts their main goal, Hakoda pays attention to it — as if he hopes that one day they will meet the exiled prince.

And the world must be incredibly small, because one day that is exactly what happens.

It is a coincidence—that is the only way to describe it. A Fire Nation ship appears before them. Everyone prepares for battle—and then Hakoda suddenly takes a deep breath, looking through his spyglass at the people on the other ship.

In a moment, he orders them not to attack first.

The Fire Nation ship—an incredibly small ship, Bato realizes—does not attack either.

And there are two people on its bow. A teenager with a scar on his face and an older man with a large belly.

“We'll go talk to them,” Hakoda decides. “Bato, come with me.”

It's a bad idea for many reasons, but Bato trusts his friend. After a moment's hesitation, he agrees to his plan.

Besides, they have the numerical advantage. It's just one ship, and there are definitely more of them.

But none of them are benders. Which completely changes the situation, because Bato sees at least a few firebenders and knows how dangerous even one firebender can be.

But Hakoda seems determined to try to resolve this without violence—and Bato knows why, because he also recognizes the teenager standing before them. He has never met him before, nor has Hakoda, but they have seen his portraits. Hakoda has spent quite a bit of time staring at the portrait—which was sometimes just a wanted poster, posted in Fire Nation colonies with the message that Prince Zuko was not welcome there. Bato never knew what his friend might be thinking.

Firebenders and Fire Nation soldiers surround them, causing Bato to curse silently. This was a bad idea. They should have ordered the commanders of this ship to board their ship—instead, Hakoda himself is entering Fire Nation territory. Which is an incredibly bad idea for a million different reasons — but the truth is, no one is attacking them yet.

The teenager with the scar stares at them intently—no, not exactly at them, his gaze is focused on Hakoda. He leans toward the other man standing next to him. The man nods.

“My name is Iroh,” he says. “Iroh of the Fire Nation. Allow me to speak on behalf of my nephew, Prince Zuko. It is an honor to meet you, Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe.”

Bato is not surprised that Iroh has heard of them or that he recognized Hakoda. He would be more surprised if he hadn't.

“I am grateful that you have chosen not to attack our ship,” Iroh continues. “I also want to assure you right away that no harm will come to you from us. You are our guests, and we intend to treat you as such.”

From the expressions on the crew's faces, Bato guesses that many of them would prefer to treat him and Hakoda as prisoners or enemies—but they have no say in the matter, because Iroh is smiling broadly.

“If you don't mind, I would like to invite you for tea. It shouldn't take too long.”

Bato and Hakoda exchange glances.

This is a bad idea. An incredibly bad idea, because they are asking to be killed, betrayed, captured—isn't Iroh the Dragon of the West? There are so many bad rumors about this man, and everyone knows how dangerous he is...

But Hakoda nods.

“All right,” he agrees.

This won't end well.

Shortly thereafter, the four of them sit down at a table. They are on the outside of the ship, so that they are clearly visible to the members of the Southern Water Tribe and the Fire Nation. At the same time, they are far enough away from the other people that no one will be able to attack them.

This is an incredibly bad idea. Incredibly bad and incredibly dangerous, but Bato understands why Hakoda took this risk. If they are not mistaken... if Zuko really is–

They sit down at the table.

Hakoda keeps staring at the teenager with the scar on his face.

And then Hakoda says the stupidest thing he could possibly say.

“You lied, Zuko.”

Bato looks at him with alarm in his eyes—if Hakoda was wrong, if their Zuko is just a figment of Sokka's imagination—or if he's someone else, then–

But the Fire Prince isn't angry. He doesn't explode with rage.

“I never lied to you,” he says simply. “I always told you the truth.”

“You didn't tell me about Ozai,” Hakoda says, a little tense. “Your behavior that day, when we last saw each other... that was after you were exiled from the Fire Nation, right?”

And after Ozai melted half his face.

Zuko looks at Hakoda, at General Iroh, and then back at Hakoda.

“Sokka didn't tell you either,” he says. “We both decided you didn't need to worry about it. You had more important things to think about.”

“More important things to...” Hakoda breaks off, as if he can't believe what he's hearing. “You fool.”

Hakoda stands up.

Zuko flinches.

Anxiety appears in General Iroh's eyes.

Zuko stands up, instantly guarded. He looks like he wants to run away—or attack Hakoda, Bato doesn't know which would be worse.

The decision is made for him.

Hakoda closes the distance between them and hugs him. The kid stiffens, as if he didn't expect it.

“Right now, there is nothing more important to me than my children,” Hakoda says. “And one of them was hurt. And then it was hidden from me and—Forgive me, son. I wasn't there when I should have been.”

Iroh turns his head away—is it just Bato's imagination, or is there shame in his eyes?

For a moment, Zuko looks as if he wants to embrace Hakoda, as if he wants to hug him—and then he pushes him away suddenly. He steps back, and Bato's hand moves toward his sword. If this kid attacks Hakoda...

But there is no fire in Zuko's hand. His hands are empty, his eyes wide open.

“I'm not– I'm not your son,” he says, taking a step back. “I'm not–  I'm not Sokka. So stop it. Stop pretending.”

“Zuko–” Hakoda takes a step toward him.

Bato glances at Zuko, then at Iroh. Fortunately, there is no fire in the Dragon of the West's hand.

“Stop it!” Zuko raises his voice. “Just– Just leave me alone! We're not here to play family! We're here to negotiate! You are the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, and I am the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation! This is our relationship, nothing more, nothing less! If you can't accept that, there's no reason for you to be here! You don't have to– !”

He stops abruptly. His chest heaves with anger, with emotions he is unable to hide — and then he suddenly turns and runs away, leaving them at the table.

Hakoda curses under his breath and follows him.

Bato turns around, wanting to follow them.

Iroh — the cursed Dragon of the West — puts his hand on his shoulder.

“Perhaps it would be better to leave them alone now,” he says quietly. “I think there are things they should talk about privately. As father and son.”

Later, Bato comes to remind Hakoda that it is time for him to return to them, to their ship. People are beginning to worry that Hakoda has spent too much time on the Fire Nation ship—besides, they really can't just stand in the middle of the ocean. Even if the weather is good, it doesn't mean their leader can just disappear on their enemies' ship — even if Hakoda has officially said that these are “negotiations” and that he is “doing what he has to do.”

The Fire Nation soldiers show Bato the way. They all look at him suspiciously, but at least they don't try to attack him.

Bato approaches the cabin where Hakoda is staying.

He stops in front of the door, but does not open it because he hears quiet voices—something like crying, Hakoda's gentle voice, and quiet assurances that everything will be all right and that it was not Zuko's fault.

Bato hesitates only for a moment.

He closes the door, making sure no one can hear them, and then leaves. General Iroh looks at him and invites him to a game of pai sho.

They return for their commanders later.

Under the pretext of negotiations, they reach Kyoshi Island.

Early in the morning, as soon as they reach the shore, Bato almost bumps into Sokka.

“Bato–!” Sokka looks at him in disbelief.

Bato blinks.

How strange it is to see this. It is Prince Zuko's body, but his behavior is completely different. He is much more open, and a genuine smile appears on his face—not the uncertain one Zuko gives General Iroh or Hakoda.

The kid is on the coast.

And they barely reached the shore. The coast of Kyoshi Island, which, theoretically neutral, should not be fond of the Fire Nation. 

And Sokka looks very Fire Nation.

Bato opens his mouth to say something — but he doesn't get a chance because Sokka is first.

“I couldn't believe it when I read Zuko's letter, but you're really here!” says Sokka. “What are you doing here? Where's Dad?”

It's so strange to hear these words from Prince Zuko's mouth — but at the same time, the person Bato is looking at is not Prince Zuko...

Bato points to the side.

“There.”

Sokka, instead of running that way, glances sideways at the ship — and doesn't move.

“You... are Sokka, right?” Bato asks, because the story Hakoda told him and what Zuko confirmed still sounds a little crazy.

Because this is supposed to be Sokka? This boy wearing Fire Nation clothes, with his hair in a strange (and ugly) ponytail, half his face melted, and who is almost certainly half blind or deaf (or both at once) — this is supposed to be Sokka?

Bato would never wish such a fate on anyone.

Sokka straightens up a little.

“Yes,” he says. “It's me. Sokka.”

A smile appears on his face, but it disappears just as quickly.

“What are you doing here, Bato?” he asks. “Why are you here? I was convinced you were fighting against the Fire Nation?”

“Prince Zuko... didn't he explain anything to you?”

“It's not like I can talk to him,” Sokka rolls his eyes. Or rather, one eye (?). “We write letters to each other describing the last two weeks. Zuko wrote to me that dad's fleet is here. But he still hasn't said why we're here. And how did you find us?”

“If I say it was an accident, you won't believe me, will you?”

“Do I look like a fool, Bato?”

“No,” says Bato, because Sokka has always been smart. But Sokka is only, what, thirteen? Fourteen? Bato isn't sure how old the kid is right now, but he's a little younger than his daughter, so... Maybe he really is fourteen?

Sokka looks at him expectantly.

“What are you doing here, Bato?” he asks. “Tell me the truth.”

Bato still doesn't know why the kid didn't go to Hakoda.

“Well, in a nutshell? Hakoda heard that the Fire Prince was in the area. And since we were going to head that way anyway, we just took a slight detour. But I don't think Hakoda really expected to meet you. It's not like Hakoda was deliberately looking for you.”

“Mhm,” Sokka stares at him for a long time. “So you found Zuko and his ship, and what? Fath—Dad—decided to just stop fighting because what? Zuko is here?”

There is a strange bitterness in his voice that Bato is not used to.

“I don't think so,” Bato says cautiously. “You know very well that we can't stay here too long.”

“Because you have a war to win,” Sokka suddenly looks as if he's starting to get a headache. “Sure. I get it.”

Bato isn't quite sure what to say to that. The whole conversation feels surreal to him. Part of him feels like he's still talking to Prince Zuko, who is just trying to trick him into believing he's Sokka.

But why would he do that?

No, this must be the real Sokka.

“It’s been months, Bato,” Sokka says after a moment. “Months. And what have you done in that time? The Fire Nation is still winning this war. The Fire Nation is still winning. Wolf Cove is safe, before you ask. Katara and I, your daughters, we are safe. But my point is, what have you done in that time? Do you think defeating one or two ships will win the war?”

“Would you rather we sit at the South Pole and do nothing?”

“I didn't say that,” Sokka stops looking at him. “I do know that the only way to end this war is to defeat the Fire Nation. And Fire Lord Ozai. You don't have to tell me that out loud. It's just that sometimes I wonder what–”

He stops suddenly.

“I'm sorry,” he says. “I guess I'm just taking my frustration out on you. I've spent the last few months on a ship and we haven't found anything. Literally nothing.”

Sokka kicks a nearby pebble.

“I can't do anything,” he says. “That's the truth. Neither me nor Zuko. Neither of us can do anything, and it's not like either of us is useful, either here or at the South Pole. When I was in the Fire Nation, at least I had my title, but now? Now I have nothing, and Azula is–”

He trails off again.

“Azula?” Bato doesn't understand.

“My sister,” Sokka says simply. “Never mind. I'm going to talk to Dad.”

Bato hesitates for a moment because Sokka doesn't look like he wants to talk to him — for a brief moment, he even looks like he's about to throw up at the very thought of talking to him.

“As you wish,” Bato finally says. “Ah, and Sokka?”

“Hm?” Sokka turns around, already halfway to Hakoda.

“I don't think your actions are useless. When you're at the South Pole, you're protecting the village. Katara. My daughters. And when you're here... well, I'm sure you're doing something. You're exploring the world?”

“And I'm looking for a ghost,” Sokka doesn't look convinced. “A wonderful task. I've always dreamed of –  Wait. Are those angry women carrying fans that strangely remind me of weapons?”

Bato follows his gaze.

Sokka is right.

Women appear before them. Angry women. With fans.

And they look as if they are about to take their lives.

Of course, the inhabitants of Kyoshi Island are not happy to see them all. As soon as they arrive, they try to arrest them. For a moment, Bato is convinced that they will really be arrested or that a fight will break out – but somehow they manage to prevent it.

Of course, this is not without shouting, threats, slightly over-aggressive behavior, and attempts to burn down their surroundings. The Tribe looks at their “negotiating partners” with even greater suspicion, and Bato remembers some of them. He will have to talk to them and remind them that if any of them kill the Fire Prince while Hakoda is “negotiating” with him, they will be in trouble. And Hakoda will be furious.

The Tribe has reasons not to trust the Fire Prince. Bato, if he is to be honest, does not fully trust him either.

However, as General Iroh points out, theoretically, although they are part of the Fire Nation army, and the same time, they are not. They have their own orders. And their orders are focused on finding the Avatar. And if their commander says he will do so by negotiating with the Southern Water Tribe, that is what will happen.

The Tribe looks at the ship's crew with suspicion. The ship's crew responds in kind.

The people from Kyoshi Island look like they just want to kill them all.

But — theoretically — Kyoshi Island is neutral. And while the task of “capturing the Avatar and bring him to the Fire Lord” is not neutral in a sense, the fact that no one has seen the Avatar in a hundred years means that the islanders know that the Fire Prince is looking for a ghost.

In a sense.

Either way.

No one here fully trusts anyone else.

After lengthy discussions with General Iroh, the Fire Prince decided that he would sleep on his ship (apparently his men feel safer there; meanwhile, the Water Tribe ship is located a little further away, because the Tribesmen, in turn, did not feel safe in the presence of firebenders). Hakoda and his men always carry weapons. Kyoshi Island is full of young women called Kyoshi Warriors, who still look like they want to feed them to unagi.

Because apparently there is a monster on the island that loves to eat people.

Wonderful.

If Bato were to be sure, he's not convinced how everyone is surviving. The Kyoshi Warriors are young, but at the same time they are incredibly fierce and know how to kick ass.

Well, maybe it helps that no one is trying to burn down their village.

It doesn't take long for Bato to get used to the sight of Hakoda and the Fire Nation Prince sitting next to each other, talking and smiling at each other. General Iroh is always nearby, watching over them, smiling slightly, but also giving them space. The opportunity to spend time together.

Bato only hopes that neither of them forgets their situation—that they are, theoretically, enemies. But at the same time, he sees the looks that Hakoda and Zuko give each other—and Bato quickly realizes that even though Zuko hasn't spent as much time in the Southern Water Tribe as Sokka has, he considers the Tribe his second home, the people they must protect.

Bato really hopes that Hakoda brings this up with Zuko—no, he's sure he does, because one day Zuko spends quite a bit of time talking about something with General Iroh.

Bato doesn't know what decision they come to, because the next day it's not Zuko who approaches them, but Sokka.

They spend almost two weeks on Kyoshi Island, during which Hakoda and General Iroh form what Hakoda calls a preliminary alliance.

“None of us likes Ozai,” Hakoda explains. “We all want to get rid of him. So, if General Iroh or Prince Zuko takes the throne... I intend to support them. Right now, the Fire Nation is the aggressor.”

Bato nods.

He can't imagine anything else.

This is their best chance to end the war.

“You want to help them stage a coup,” Bato sums up. “And put someone who is partly part of the Tribe on the throne.”

Hakoda shrugs with apparent indifference.

“It's the best decision we can make. There are too few of us to win a direct confrontation. So if we want to end this conflict, we should put someone we can trust on the throne.”

Bato raises an eyebrow.

“Can you trust them?” he asks. “The Fire Prince? The Dragon of the West?”

Hakoda is silent for a moment.

“He's my son, Bato,” he says after a moment. “I raised that kid. Besides, every two weeks, it's Sokka. He's someone who has both Fire and Water in him. Politically, it pays us to form an alliance with them.”

“They don't have much support,” Bato notes. “It's just an exiled prince and a general who can't do much.”

"Well, in that case, they've just gained the first alliance that will be useful to them.”

“And our goal?” Bato asks. “What are you going to do, Hakoda?”

“Just because I'm going to support this kid doesn't mean I'm going to forget about our people. It's like you say, Zuko doesn't have much support. Iroh... I don't know if I can trust the Dragon of the West, but Zuko and Sokka like him. Either way, Ozai must die.”

“Are we capable of doing that?”

“I don't know,” Hakoda admits. “But we have to try. We have to do something. We won't end this war by sitting at the South Pole, and we won't end this war by sitting on Kyoshi Island.”

“So we're leaving,” Bato concludes. “Have you told them about this?”

“Not yet,” Hakoda takes a deep breath. “But I'll have to. We've spent too much time here. We can't be seen in their presence any longer. If Ozai finds out we're here...”

Bato nods again.

It's the only right decision they can make at this point.

Bato is loyal to his Tribe. 

So he follows Hakoda, no matter where he wants to go.

Iroh decides not to comment on the fact that Zuko cuts his hair a few days after Hakoda leaves them.

Sokka has no problem commenting.

“Finally!” he says, throwing his hands in the air.

Hakoda said goodbye to both Sokka and Zuko. Sokka woke up knowing that Hakoda would not be here—Iroh sees it in his eyes and recognizes it in the fact that Sokka refuses to talk about Hakoda's decision to leave once again.

Iroh understands—in a way—Hakoda's actions. Hakoda is a commander. He cannot stay on Kyoshi Island indefinitely. If someone saw him in the presence of Zuko or Iroh, rumors would start. And that would make Ozai consider one of them a traitor—he would try to kill them or get rid of them.

Besides, Zuko's mission was given to him by Ozai. It is a task, a mission—something he must not abandon. If he did not try to find the Avatar, Ozai might consider it an act of insubordination and order his execution.

It is better for all of them if Hakoda and Zuko are not seen around. That doesn't change the fact that it's not easy.

It can't be too easy for Sokka, but the boy is clearly trying not to think about it, looking at his reflection and his hair—or rather, the lack thereof.

“So,” Sokka says with a broad smile on his face. “When is Zuko going to visit the South Pole?”

It takes Zuko almost two years to decide to visit the South Pole.

Sokka has a lot to say about it.

“This is incredibly stupid!” he says to Iroh one day, after complaining about everything he can possibly complain about. “Zuko spends his time on that stupid ship, and for what? What has he gained from it? It does him no good, and Ozai doesn't want him back anyway — I myself never want to see Ozai again, seriously, as soon as I see him, I’m going to hit him with my boomerang! Or a fireball, depending on whether I'm Zuko or Sokka at the time. But you know what I mean! Zuko could come to me and Katara, but instead he's rotting away on that ship! It's incredibly stupid!”

“Everything has its time, Prince Sokka,” Iroh takes a sip of tea.

“Thanks, Uncle.”

When they arrive at the South Pole, Iroh sees Zuko becoming increasingly tense. At the same time, recognition flashes in his eyes—he knows this area, he knows where he is.

And then they see a pillar of light that shouldn't be there.

It's like a sign.

When they enter the village—only Iroh and Zuko, just the two of them—a boy stands before them, holding a boomerang in his hand, his face marked with paint.

The teenager stops. Recognition can be seen in his eyes.

Zuko also stops. The same recognition can be seen in his eyes.

There is silence for a long, long time.

“Sweet Tui and La!” the teenager blurts out suddenly. “You're real! I mean, I knew you were real, I always knew you were real, but—you're real. Tui and La, you're real. Ugh. I talk too much. Sorry. I always talk too much when I'm nervous. It's just... you're real.”

Zuko stares at him.

And says nothing.

He just stares.

The Water Tribe teenager squints suspiciously.

“Because you are real, right?”

He walks up to him, the boomerang long forgotten, and nudges Zuko with his finger. Zuko blinks.

“You are real,” the teenager says. “You are Zuko.”

“Yeah...” Zuko confirms slowly, raising his hand somewhat uncertainly in a gesture that is probably meant to be a greeting, but doesn't quite work out. “Hello. Zuko here. And you - you are Sokka.”

“Yes,” the teenager confirms what Iroh figured out some time ago. “I can't believe it. I knew you'd be here, you wrote to me about it, but it's just... it's weird. It's incredibly weird to talk to someone who has your face.”

Iroh looks at one of them, then at the other. The whole situation is surreal for him. He did know Sokka was a living being, but to see him in reality...

“Yes,” Zuko confirms slowly. “It is weird. It's almost like looking at myself in the mirror.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah.”

For a moment, there is a strange, somewhat awkward silence between them.

“Why are you wearing war paint?” Zuko asks after a long pause.

“Because I didn't know it would be your ship. My ship? Never mind. I just didn't know who to expect and–  why are you taller than me? It's incredibly unfair! Why are you taller?”

“Uh...” Zuko clearly doesn't know what to say. “In a few days, you'll be taller?”

“That doesn't make me feel any better. Tui and La, this is so weird. Incredibly weird.”

“I know,” says Zuko. “I think it's weird too. I knew we'd meet someday, but I didn't think– ”

“Well, at least you could have prepared yourself mentally–”

“Don't exaggerate, I wrote you a letter–”

“Yes, but you know very well that I don't always read them carefully–”

“Then why do I write them at all?”

“Besides, it's not my fault that the Fire Nation ship decided to come to the South!”

“You knew we'd be here–”

“Yes, but I didn't know you'd be here today and– Tui and La, I can't do this, it's like I'm talking to myself. I can't do this. I just can't– Uncle?

Sokka glances at Iroh over Zuko's shoulder.

Iroh smiles at him.

“It's nice to officially meet you, Prince Sokka.”

“Are you still going to call me that, Uncle?” Sokka asks amusedly. “Well. Um. It's nice to officially meet you too. Yeah.”

“Ahem,” someone says.

Sokka and Zuko turn in that direction, and Iroh feels like screaming in frustration. Which he doesn't do, of course. He just wanted to talk to Sokka longer — he'll have a chance later, of course, he just... He just wants to spend a little more time with this boy.

But well, Iroh can understand why Sokka and Zuko need some time to themselves.

However, the person who spoke was neither Sokka nor Zuko.

It's a girl. A girl with brown skin and dark brown hair, dressed in a blue parka.

“Zuko?” she says, a little uncertainly. 

“Yeah...” says Zuko. “Katara.”

Katara blinks.

“You're... more Fire Nation than I thought.”

“Um...” Zuko takes a step back—and that's all he can do, because a smile suddenly appears on Katara's face.

“We've been waiting for you, Zuko.”

Zuko blinks, looking as if he doesn't know whether to run away or hug the girl.

Katara makes the decision for him. She takes him in her arms, hugging him and pulling Sokka in as well.

“Well...” Sokka says after a long pause. “Welcome home, Zuko?”

“Yeah...” Zuko says slowly. “Uh. Thanks?”

"This is the moment when you say, ‘I'm back’, you idiot.”

Iroh smiles slightly.

It seems that his nephew has found his second home.

A moment later, Sokka catches him and pulls him toward himself, and Iroh wonders briefly if, along with his nephew, he has just gained another niece.

“So...” Sokka says a little uncertainly. “This is Aang.”

“Hey!” smiles the boy in orange clothes with an arrow-shaped tattoo on his head. “I'm Aang!”

An airbender.

What is an airbender doing at the South Pole?

“Hi,” Zuko says awkwardly. “Um. I'm Zuko. Son of Lady Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. And, um. Katara's brother. I think.”

“There's no ‘I think’,” Katara nudges him with her elbow. “He's my second brother. Sometimes he and Sokka switch places.”

“Yeah...” Zuko says.

“Wow!” Aang looks at him with admiration. “That's why I could sense the connection between you two!”

“Really?” Zuko is surprised.

“Yes!” Aang confirms. “I am the Avatar!”

Zuko blinks.

“What?”

“We found out a moment ago,” Sokka says quickly, putting his hand on his shoulder. “Listen, Zuko, I have a plan. Aang is the Avatar, but no one knows that yet. We'll tell the world he's an airbender. We have to help him master the other elements.”

“But...” Zuko looks incredibly confused. “The Avatar? My mission– ”

“That's exactly what we're going to do,” Sokka says quickly. “But first we have to train him. No one will believe that Aang is the Avatar if he doesn't know the other elements. So, we'll try to train him, and then you can take him to the Fire Nation—that doesn't contradict our mission, does it? We'll regain our title, our honor. And everything will be fine. As soon as you become Fire Lord—me, you, or Uncle Iroh, maybe even Azula—we'll be able to stop this war.”

“But– ”

“No one knows yet that Aang is the Avatar,” Sokka repeats. “So, we'll tell the world that he's an airbender. Aang will help us with the search.”

Zuko blinks again.

“You want to take the Avatar on... a search for the Avatar?”

“Well... Yes?” Sokka smiles broadly.

He glances at Iroh, as if counting on his support.

Iroh smiles at him.

Of all the possible decisions, this is one of the right ones.

Iroh is loyal to those who deserve his loyalty.

So he follows his family, no matter where they want to go.

Chapter Text

When Suki first meets Sokka, she sees Zuko.

She doesn’t know about the swap at the time—she’ll find out later—so she thinks she’s looking at an ordinary person.

Well, as ordinary as the Fire Prince can be, arriving on Kyoshi Island accompanied not only by the Dragon of the West, but also by the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe.

Suki, being one of the Kyoshi Warriors—one of the best—feels responsible for ensuring that the islands are safe.

They do not attack any of the newcomers—Kyoshi Island is neutral, and an attack would be tantamount to declaring war (on whom? The Fire Nation or the Southern Water Tribe?)—but Suki watches them closely.

The boy with the scar on his face—Prince Zuko, former Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, Exiled Prince, Avatar’s Hunter, Fool of Fools, etc.—is also watching her. He glances at her when Suki thinks he can't see her.

Suki considers herself a calm person. Someone who does not act on her emotions.

Something in the boy's gaze draws her to him.

Before Suki realizes it, she challenges him to a duel.

The teenager lifts his chin proudly. 

“You want to fight me?” he asks. “You, a girl with fan?”

Suki holds out her fan toward him.

“What, a Firebender can’t fight a fan?”

Prince Zuko smiles broadly.

“Then bring it on.”

Zuko doesn't use fire.

Instead, he uses his dao swords.

They fight each other for several minutes, capturing the attention of the crowd, until finally Suki's fan stops at his neck.

“Wow,” says Zuko. “That was something. I haven't seen a woman so good at fighting in a long time.”

“Don't underestimate women,” replies Suki. “It will end badly.”

“I wasn't going to,” Zuko says quickly. “You know, my sister, Katara, is also good at fighting. And Azula? You haven't seen Azula yet. Or Mai and Ty Lee. They are really strong. But I never thought anyone could be so strong with a fan.”

“It's a weapon, just like any other.”

“I know, I know,” Zuko smiles broadly. “How about a rematch?”

Suki thinks for a moment.

“With pleasure, Prince Zuko,” she says.

“Sokka,” Zuko says (Sokka?). “Call me Sokka. Today.”

Suki raises an eyebrow.

“I'll explain it to you someday,” Sokka promises her.

They fight again. And then again. And again.

In the end, their battle ends in a draw — Suki won twice, as did Sokka.

Suki quickly realizes that she likes this boy.

Sokka is nice, he jokes a lot and smiles a lot. And although there are bad rumors about him – didn't Prince Zuko try to kill his own father to take the throne? – he is nice. It's hard not to like him.

In the evening, Sokka invites her to an “activity,” which in his case is simply showing her his drawings—some strange scribbles that Suki can't read, but she has to admit are quite charming. Or rather, his lack of talent is charming.

Late in the evening, as they sit by a small lake, Sokka leans toward her. For a moment, Suki thinks he's going to kiss her — but instead, Sokka hangs a necklace around her neck.

“I bought it today,” he says, smiling a little uncertainly. “I know I shouldn't have, but I wanted you to remember me.”

“I don't think I could forget you,” Suki admits.

Sokka steps back a little.

“I appreciate that,” he says. “Suki, tomorrow...”

He doesn't finish.

“Tomorrow?” Suki raises an eyebrow.

“Never mind,” Sokka averts his gaze. “I'm sorry.”

The next day, Suki heads toward her new friend, determined to talk to him — and stops dead in her tracks, because for a brief moment she feels like she's looking at a completely different person.

It's the same person she talked to yesterday — but at the same time, it's someone completely different. He's sitting differently, a little more stiffly, not smiling. He doesn't even notice her.

Suki approaches him. There is no recognition in his eyes.

“Sokka,” she says.

He looks up at her—and then recognition and panic appear in his eyes.

“Suki,” he says. “Ugh. Um. I'm Zuko. I'm sorry, but... um. Sokka, he kind of... um. He didn't explain anything to you, did he?”

“No,” Suki says coldly. “About yesterday...”

“It wasn't me!” Zuko says quickly. “It was... um...”

He glances at his Uncle—General Iroh, Dragon of the West—and then back at Suki.

“My twin brother!” he says suddenly. “You haven't heard of him because he rarely shows up, but, um, Sokka is my brother. I'm not Sokka.”

Suki raises an eyebrow.

There is a way for her to find out.

She holds out her fan toward him.

“Me and you,” she says. “Fan and swords.”

She loses.

Out of five matches, Suki loses three times.

And she doesn't like it very much.

It's not about her pride anymore — no, the problem is that his fighting style is a little different. His movements are more confident than they were the day before. His face is focused.

Suki knows she's looking at someone other than Sokka.

Zuko is more introverted. He is not prone to joking around. He is more serious. When he smiles, he does so uncertainly, as if he expects someone to reprimand him for it. He quickly becomes impatient and is prone to shouting if someone does not listen to him or if something does not go his way.

Suki doesn't believe the story about the twins—but at the same time, the question pops into her head, “If he doesn't have a twin, then who was the person I talked to yesterday?”.

Part of her wants to ask him about it, to ask him for details, but at the same time, something in the way he looks at her makes Suki realize that he probably won't answer her.

And honestly? Suki can't blame him. She only met him yesterday; they've known each other for one day. Kyoshi Island isneutral — officially — but that doesn't mean it's not part of the Earth Kingdom, and Zuko is part of the Fire Nation, which is at war with the Earth Kingdom. So. Bad choice for a friend.

Besides, his presence here is annoying.

“Hey, Huan,” Suki says to one of her friends, whom she practically grew up with.

“Hm?” Huan glances at her out of the corner of her eye. “What is it?”

“Is it just me, or was Prince Zuko completely different today than yesterday?”

“No, it's not just you,” Huan replies. “I saw you fighting — by the way, what do you have against him?”

“I have nothing against him!”

“All right, all right, I didn't say anything,” Huan raises her hands as if to show she is innocent. “But, yes, in my opinion, Prince Zuko is... strange.”

“I knew it!” Suki says triumphantly. “Yesterday he was smiling all the time, and today? I had the impression he wanted to kill us all here.”

“Maybe it's because of his scar?” Huan suggests. “You know, it's not the prettiest, and besides, what they say about him...”

Huan lowers her voice. Suki knows what they're talking about.

“I don't care if Prince Zuko tried to kill his father or not,” she hisses. “We shouldn't have anything to do with him.”

“Well, Oyaji let him come here and stay on the islands for a reason, so if Oyaji agrees–”

“I know, I know,” Suki says. “I really do. It's just...”

She doesn't finish.

“I don't trust him,” she says finally. “There's something wrong with him. And I need to find out exactly what it is.”

Prince Zuko spends the next dozen or so days on Kyoshi Island.

Suki watches him closely, looking for evidence that he came here to destroy their village. Or to become their enemy. But Zuko doesn't seem interested in gathering information—he's more interested in Chief Hakoda. Suki loses count of how many times she sees him following the man like a stray turtleduck. Prince Zuko, according to what he said, is here to negotiate with Chief Hakoda — but Suki has no idea what power the exiled Fire Nation prince wields.

“Maybe he's here because he wants to kill his father,” Huan suggests one day as the two practice in the dojo.

“And for that reason, he would form an alliance with the Southern Water Tribe?” Suki asks incredulously. “Huan, everyone knows that the Southern Water Tribe is practically nothing.”

“But maybe they have something the Fire Nation can't offer them.”

“What is that?”

“Ships.”

“That's an idiotic idea,” Suki says. “Besides, what difference would one or two ships make? They're just asking to die.”

“You know, you could just ask Prince Zuko what he's up to,” Huan suggests.

“Oh yeah, I'll definitely go up to him and ask, ‘Hey, is it true that you want to kill your father because you failed to do so a few months ago? You know, when he burned half your face and sent you on a quest to find a ghost?’”

Huan shrugs.

“I'm not going to ask him,” she says. “But if you're curious, go ahead. He's your friend, not mine.”

“He's not my friend!”

“Are you sure?”

Suki doesn't answer.

The truth is, Suki likes Prince Zuko.

Suki spends quite a lot of time with him—he's a challenge for her, an opponent she's been looking for for a long time. After a few days, she decides that Zuko could become her first male friend. If only he weren't so much Fire Nation. And if it weren't for the fact that he's hiding something from her and she wants to tell him what happened on the first day they met.

But despite this, being in Zuko's presence is quite easy. He doesn't underestimate her because of her skills. When Suki defeats him in battle, he looks at her with irritation, as if he intends to kill her, and demands another duel.

Sometimes he's a jerk. Sometimes he yells and screams and is just unpleasant. But then, when he calms down, he looks at her apologetically and tells her that he's trying to control his temper, but he doesn't always succeed.  Suki doesn't always have the patience to tolerate him, and sometimes she just kicks him out of the dojo when she's had enough of him — but somehow they always manage to make up. Ultimately, Suki comes to the conclusion that she likes him. Sometimes.

But even though Suki likes Zuko, he doesn't stir up the same emotions in her that Sokka did. He doesn't fascinate her, make her laugh, or amaze her.

And then, one day, Suki comes to their daily sparring session and almost feels as if someone has punched her in the stomach.

She looks at Prince Zuko, but she sees Sokka.

It's Sokka, it's his smile, it's his gaze.

Suki smiles at him, and then proceeds to wipe the floor with him.

Sokka explains everything to her some time later, telling a story that sounds impossible—except that it's true, because Suki experienced Zuko becoming Sokka.

Suki can't believe it at first — but then she talks to General Iroh, to Chief Hakoda — and the impossible becomes true.

Sokka smiles at her, and something in that smile makes Suki really want to talk to him longer.

Sokka doesn't kiss her goodbye, even though Suki would let him.

Instead, he smiles at her and promises her that he'll try to visit her as often as he can.

He keeps his word.

Over the next two years, Prince Zuko's ship occasionally calls at Kyoshi Island. Suki greets Zuko with a smile, but she is really waiting for Sokka to show up.

And perhaps that is why she completely overlooks the appearance of the real Sokka.

When Zuko arrives at Kyoshi Island, Suki approaches him and hugs him—she is not on duty today and wants to greet her friend. She ignores the slightly hurt look from a boy in a blue Water Tribe parka. 

“Suki,” Zuko says. “Let me introduce you to my family. My sister, Katara. And my brother, Sokka.”

Suki ignores his next words, “and our friend Aang, the airbender,” because her attention is caught by the Water Tribe boy.

He smiles broadly at her.

“Hey, Suki,” Sokka says. “It's been a while.”

Suki responds by extending her fan toward him.

They fight.

Suki wins.

As her victory, she steals his first kiss.

Somewhere in the crowd, Katara and Zuko make faces full of disgust. Aang tilts his head to the side.

“So,” Suki says. “What are you guys doing here?”

“Well...” Sokka says. “Basically, officially, we're all accompanying Katara to the North Pole so she can master waterbending. And Zuko wants to go there on a diplomatic mission and find out if anyone has seen the Avatar there.”

“The Avatar?” Suki frowns.

“Um...” Aang says, a little uncertainly. “It's quite possible that it's me.”

“Aang!” Sokka raises his voice a little. “That was supposed to be a secret!”

“You said I could tell Suki!”

“Yes, but not like this!”

Suki looks at Sokka. Then at the young monk.

“I thought you were an airbender,” she says. “A descendant of one of the few airbenders who survived the massacre of the Air Nomads.”

“Well, about that...” Sokka smiles in that peculiar way that Suki has come to love. “Aang is the Avatar. But no one knows that yet. So we say he's just an airbender.”

Suki glances at Zuko.

“And you're okay with that?”

Zuko shrugs.

“Sokka and Katara threatened to never speak to me again if I didn't take them to the North Pole,” he says. “And Sokka said he'd banish me from the Southern Water Tribe if I kept arguing with them — which is stupid, because in three days I'll be Sokka, but okay.  Besides, Aang said that if he masters the four elements, he'll go with me to the Fire Nation, which will fulfill the terms of my exile. And I'd rather keep an eye on the Avatar than let him go out into the world to work against the Fire Nation.”

Sokka grins.

“See, Suki, that's how it is,” he says. “By the way, don't you want to come along? The Northern Water Tribe may not be particularly friendly to Zuko, so if we had a representative from the neutral islands with us, we could convince them that we don't want to fight them.”

Suki considers this for a moment.

“Sokka?” she asks finally. “A word, in private?”

Sokka looks at her with slight apprehension, but finally nods and follows her. Suki notices Katara and Aang turning toward Zuko, as if expecting him to explain himself.

Suki stops a little further away, once she is sure that none of them will be able to overhear them.

“So,” she says. “The Avatar.”

“Avatar,” Sokka confirms. “We're trying not to tell anyone. So far, only Gran-Gran, Uncle Iroh, and you know about it. Oh, and Zuko, Katara, and Aang. No one on Zuko's ship knows who Aang really is, which is good, because you know, if we run into Zhao–”

“I don't care about Zhao,” Suki interrupts him. “What's the plan, Sokka?”

She feels strange asking Sokka a question when she's looking into blue eyes instead of golden ones. When his complexion is darker, when there's no scar covering half his face.

But at the same time, this is Sokka. He is her friend—and someone Suki has fallen in love with over the past two years. Someone she can finally call her own.

“We go to the North Pole, find a teacher for Aang and Katara, then find an earthbending teacher and try to hope that no one finds out that Aang is the Avatar. And then we try to get rid of Fire Lord Ozai.”

“I have a feeling that Zuko wanted to capture the Avatar to bring him before the Fire Lord,” Suki remarks.

“Yes, yes, Zuko still believes that will work,” says Sokka. “But you know, Zuko doesn't want to hurt Aang. And he wants to end this war. He just doesn't fully believe that Ozai won't change his mind. He's still incredibly naive and thinks that Aang can convince Ozai with words.”

Sokka thinks for a moment.

“What's worse, Aang is convinced that he can convince Ozai with words. Aang is a pacifist, Suki! He and Zuko have even started writing speeches they'll use to convince Ozai that war and violence are wrong!”

“Okay...” Suki says slowly. “So the Avatar doesn't want to kill Ozai. Neither does Zuko. What about you guys?”

“Well, Katara and I have a plan,” Sokka says, looking around to make sure no one is nearby. “Zuko will take Aang to the Fire Lord. When they realize that Ozai doesn't want to talk to them, they will fight. And then, after Aang defeats Ozai, Katara and I will kill him. Ozai, of course, not Aang.”

“Even though he's your father?”

Sokka's face hardens.

“Ozai doesn't deserve to be called my father,” he says. “Neither mine, nor Zuko's, nor Azula's. We deserve better. Zuko knows that too. I don't think he considers him his father anymore. But he still considers him his Fire Lord, and it's hard for him to move from passive treason to actual treason. And that's why I need you.”

“Because?” Suki raises an eyebrow.

“Because Katara, Aang, and I are on a ship full of Fire Nation soldiers. And while I would trust Zuko and Uncle Iroh with my life, I don't fully trust them. You know how they are. In case something happens, we need someone on our side, and you are one of the strongest girls I have ever met.”

“One of?”

“Azula is terrifying.”

Suki bursts out laughing when she hears these words. She has never met Azula, but Zuko has told her about her enough times to know that she can trust Sokka's words.

“So,” Suki says after a moment, once she has controlled her laughter. “You're traveling with the Avatar, telling everyone that you're looking for the Avatar. Zuko and Aang believe that this is a peace mission, but in reality, you and Katara are planning to kill the Fire Lord.”

“Yep,” Sokka says simply. “It is a good plan, don't you think so?”

“And you're fine with killing the Fire Lord?”

“Suki, he's an abusive bastard. He burned Zuko. And he'll probably murder us all when he finds out Aang is the Avatar.”

“Okay,” Suki had known about Zuko's scar before, but she had hoped it was just a rumor, especially since Zuko had never confirmed it. “All right. I'm in. But when we kill the Fire Lord, I want to watch.”

Sokka smiles broadly. Then he hugs her.

Suki feels she has made the right decision.

Traveling together with everyone isn't so bad. Mainly because their journey isn't really that difficult. It's not like they have to run away from the whole world.

All they have to do is hide the fact that the Avatar exists.

This becomes much more complicated when Zhao is lying in wait at every turn, determined to sabotage Zuko's mission, or when Aang — completely by accident — enters the Avatar State.

Then the whole world knows that the Avatar has returned—although no one really knows who the Avatar is, because luckily for them, no one but them has seen Aang.

“Which is our big advantage,” Sokka says. “Because we can just tell everyone that we're looking for the Avatar together and that we're forming a team to catch them — what do you think about calling us Team Boomerang?”

“That's an incredibly stupid name,” Katara says.

Zuko nods, agreeing with her without hesitation.

“How about the GAang? Or just Team Avatar?” Sokka thinks for a moment. “Hey, that could be good. We can call ourselves Team Avatar—everyone will say we're hunting him, but really we want to protect him. What do you think?”

“That's stupid,” Zuko says.

“You don’t get it, Zuko,” Sokka rolls his eyes. “It's the best way to fool everyone. No one would ever expect the real Avatar to be in a team called Team Avatar. That’s the genius.”

The only problem is that Aang is an airbender – but some time after they found him, Sokka and Zuko reviewed the old laws from Sozin's time and made sure that being an airbender is not currently against the law. Yes, Sozin ordered the elimination of all Air Nomads and airbenders – but a dozen or so years later, the order to “kill on sight” was revoked – mainly because everyone thought that airbenders were already dead. In addition, many Air Nomads—non-benders—surrendered to the Fire Nation and began serving them in order to save their lives. Their descendants still live in the Fire Nation, although no one will openly call themselves Air Nomads.

When Aang heard this, he almost cried with relief. Suki, though she knew it wasn't a good reaction, smiled slightly—Aang may be the last airbender, but he is not the last Air Nomad. The Air Nomads are still alive, they just need to be found.

But that was a task for the future. For now, they had to focus on making sure no one knew that Aang was the Avatar.

It was impossible to hide the fact that Aang was an airbender, but as long as Aang did not start using other elements or enter the Avatar State, no one would know that they were dealing with the Avatar.

Besides, everyone currently believes that the Avatar has just been born—or that he is somewhere in the Water Tribes.

And this gives them the perfect opportunity to go to the North Pole.

Aang would very much like to go to Omashu to see his old friend Bumi.

The four of them need to join forces to convince everyone that they can do it later—because for now, they can't just walk into Omashu and say, “Hey, Bumi, will you teach me earthbending? It's me, Aang, your old friend, and by the way, please don't tell anyone I'm the Avatar.” .

Aang doesn't seem too happy about this, so Suki decides to teach him how the Kyoshi Warriors fight. And while Aang is still not happy, it does provide a distraction of sorts.

Zhao, being the bastard that he is, is, in short, a pain in the ass.

Zhao is everywhere. He's always getting in their way. And when he finds out that Aang is an airbender — Suki knew he would find out eventually — he tries to capture him. Worse, he succeeds. He doesn't announce him as the Avatar — but he does announce that, as an airbender, he is their enemy.

To make matters worse, Sokka and Katara have fallen sick shortly before – probably due to the weather.

Suki catches Zuko in the evening as he tries to sneak off the ship.

“Where are you going?” she asks, easily recognizing the figure wearing a blue theatrical mask.

Blue Spirit does not answer.

Suki sighs heavily.

“You know, if you needed help, all you had to do was say so,” she says. “I'm coming with you.”

Breaking into one of the most heavily guarded prisons in the Fire Nation isn't that difficult when you have your friend on your side.

And when the person you want to free is an airbender.

Zhao shows up a little later, demanding answers about who freed Aang — and saying they can't keep him on the ship.

Sokka — looking like Zuko that day — stands up to him.

“You know what, Zhao,” he says, straightening up. “I've been able to ignore how you've been interfering with my mission, but this is too much. I specifically chose the best warriors I could find — people from all four nations — to prove to the Avatar that no one wants him here and that the whole world is against him — and you've been trying to interfere for weeks. Aang is an airbender, but he has sworn allegiance to the Fire Nation. To me. Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. Do you know what that means?”

Zuko, now looking like Sokka, takes a step forward, but Suki grabs his arm, reminding him that he is not Prince Zuko now.

“It means that Aang is a symbol of our greatness,” says Sokka, and Suki is truly grateful that it is Sokka standing against Zhao today, not Zuko. Zuko is a terrible liar. “A sign that the airbenders bow down to the Fire Nation. That the last airbender is fighting on our side, against the Avatar, hunting the Avatar.”

He stands in front of Zhao and points his finger at his chest.

“My sister, Princess Azula, has given me her support,” she says. “And you, Zhao, oppose both me and Azula. You want to show the world that the Fire Nation is internally divided; that we are unable to protect our allies. So. Back off, Zhao, before everyone knows you're a traitor. And remember, even the Spirits are on our side!”

Zhao's face turns red.

Suki feels that this will not end well.

Zhao stops following them.

Which is strange. Definitely strange.

“He's up to something,” Sokka says.

“Of course he's up to something,” Suki agrees.

“We should find out what,” Sokka suggests.

“Later,” Suki says. “Later.”

Somewhere along the way, Suki gains a friend, a sister, a brother, and a lover.

Although Sokka and Zuko switch bodies, Suki can recognize them and tell them apart. This has never been a problem for her, and now that she spends time with them—that she is in their presence every day—everything becomes even easier.

Suki likes the rest of their team.

Katara, Zuko and Sokka's sister, is stubborn, and sometimes Suki clashes with her, arguing loudly. At the same time, she is one of the gentlest people Suki knows. She has a big heart and wants to help the whole world. She joined them because she cares about Aang and doesn't want to leave him alone.

Suki quickly offers to teach her martial arts. Katara is eager to learn – they have nothing better to do on board the ship. Sometimes Zuko or Sokka join them. Aang is not interested in these lessons, preferring instead to sit in Zuko's cabin and browse through the information he has gathered about past Avatars.

Zuko quickly becomes like a brother to Suki. She has known him the longest of everyone here. Zuko can be stubborn, arrogant, and convinced that he knows everything best. He is a challenge for Suki — and Suki decides to prove to him that yes, he may be the captain of this ship, but that doesn't mean he knows everything best. Sometimes they argue, but they always make up.

Aang – Avatar Aang, officially Airbender Aang, the Avatar Hunter – is incredibly kind. At the same time, he is also a bit naive. He is only twelve years old. He knows so little about this world – and yet sometimes his gaze becomes a little different, older, and Suki remembers that she is talking to someone who lived a hundred years ago.

Then there is Sokka.

With each passing day, Suki falls more and more in love with him. Perhaps she fell in love with him a long time ago—two years earlier, when Sokka first arrived on Kyoshi Island—but now Suki can confirm that yes, she is in love with him. She likes this boy.

She tries not to think about whether they will have a future.

For now, Suki knows one thing — if they don't defeat the Fire Lord, neither of them will have a future.

When Yue first meets Zuko, she sees Sokka.

Yue doesn't pay much attention to him — her gaze is focused on more important people who have just entered Agna Qel'a’s territory.

Prince Zuko—the former Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, the Avatar Hunter—stands before them, smiling a bit awkwardly. He raises his hands as if to show that he means them no harm.

Yue isn't fooled for a second.

Even she has heard of Prince Zuko – the Avatar Hunter who has been trying to find him for years. And, more recently, that his team has been joined by people who should be his enemies.

Prince Zuko is hunting the Avatar. To this end, he has created—ironically—the Team Avatar, whose goal is, as the name suggests, to capture the Avatar. And on this team are the children of the Southern Water Tribe Chief, the Kyoshi Warrior, and the airbender –  Tui and La, a true airbender. 

There are five of them. The whole team and one flying bison—Tui and La, that is, the flying bison.

Yue knows she shouldn't be here. She shouldn't be in their presence—they are dangerous people, their enemies, people who are currently an incredibly great threat to the Northern Water Tribe.

But Yue is unable to leave.

She can't leave because her gaze is drawn to Prince Zuko, and Yue senses that something is wrong.

Prince Zuko is a Firebender. He is a child of fire and ash, and at the same time, Yue feels as if she can sense the ocean in him. It is as if La himself has blessed him.

When she glances at the teenager in the blue parka standing next to him—the son of Chief Hakoda—Yue realizes that something is wrong with him too. His eyes are blue, but she can sense fire coming from him.

Yue stares at them both, almost feeling something calling her to them.

Some part of her knows that her destiny will be linked to them.

Yue should not be at the meeting.

She should not be at this meeting—because Yue is a woman, she knows nothing about politics, she should sit quietly and not speak unless asked—but something makes Yue decide to go to her father and ask him to let her take part in the meeting as well.

She doesn't know what made her father allow Prince Zuko to enter the city—perhaps her father is hoping to take him hostage against Ozai—but for some reason, Arnook is allowing the boy to walk free for now.

Perhaps it is because he has an airbender at his side—an airbender! Or perhaps it is because he is supported by the children of the Southern Water Tribe Chief, their sister Tribe. Or perhaps it is because Kyoshi Warrior is at his side, claiming to be here as a neutral faction and unwilling to fight against anyone.

Either way, Arnook allows Prince Zuko and the rest of Team Avatar to enter Agna Qel’a. And he agrees to listen to them.

As it turns out, this small group doesn't want much. All they want is to be allowed to learn waterbending from the Waterbenders.

Yue looks curiously at the boy from the Water Tribe—Sokka, if Yue remembers his name correctly. So he's the Waterbender?

“We could—theoretically—teach the boy waterbending,” her father says. “The girl can learn healing.”

Sokka blinks. Then he points to himself.

“Wait,” he says slowly. “You think I'm a Waterbender? I'm a Fir–”

“A friend of our Waterbenders,” Prince Zuko says smoothly.

Arnook narrows his eyes.

“What are you talking about?” he asks.

The Airbender laughs quietly.

“Well… It’s me. I am a Waterbender.”

“I thought you were an Airbender,” her father looks at him with even greater suspicion.

“Because I am,” Aang replies. “Just as I am a Waterbender. And an Earthbender. And a Firebender.”

“Aang,” Prince Zuko says lightly, “is the Avatar. And he will defeat my father. If only you keep his existence a secret.”

For a moment, the room is silent.

And then chaos erupts.

In the afternoon, Yue has the opportunity to talk to Sokka. He is one of those whose interrogation ended rather quickly (probably because he is not a bender and clearly cannot lie) and is now waiting for the rest of his friends, clearly anxious.

Yue approaches him and smiles slightly.

She asks him for a quick chat.

The guards clear their throats.

Sokka rolls his eyes and hands over his weapon. Only then do they allow him to follow Yue.

They talk for a while about everything and nothing — Tui and La, this boy is so cute when he's embarrassed — until finally, when the guards are a little further away, Yue turns to him and asks him the question she's wanted to ask him since she saw him:

“What are you?”

Sokka freezes.

“What?”

“What are you?” Yue repeats. “You are a child of the ocean, yet I feel Fire from you. It is as if you have been blessed by both La and Agni.”

Sokka looks at her with wide eyes. For a moment, he seems unsure of what to say.

“That's...” he says after a long pause. “It's quite possible. But I have no idea if it would be a blessing or a curse.”

“Sometimes a blessing can be a curse,” says Yue.

Sokka looks as if he doesn't know whether to smile or sigh with resignation.

“Well,” he says after a long pause. “I can explain everything. You see, it all starts with the fact that I'm not really Sokka. At least not today.”

And those words change everything.

“Yue,” her father says in the evening, when their guests—Prince Zuko, his group and the Avatar—sweet Tui, the Avatar—are in the ice cells. Officially, these are their quarters, but in practice, they are a prison.

At least it's good that out of the whole group, only one is a Firebender - Zuko. Yue knows they have their ship somewhere - Yue isn't sure where exactly - but the soldiers are far enough away that they're not a threat. For now.

“What do you think of them?” her father asks her.

Yue looks at him in surprise. Arnook is not someone who often asks her opinion. Her job is to follow her father's will. She is not supposed to ask questions. Her opinion does not matter.

“Prince Zuko and Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe have been blessed by La and Agni,” Yue says, truthfully. “It's as if they both have Fire and Water within them.”

“That doesn't make sense,” her father says. “Do you trust them?”

“I wish I could, but no, I do not trust them. It's too soon. But I believe there is a reason La chose them.”

Arnook thinks for a moment.

“And the Avatar?” he says. “Do you think they really want to train him to defeat the Fire Lord? Or, on the contrary, to defeat our Tribe?”

This evening is getting very strange. Yue doesn't know what made her father consult her. Her, Yue.

“I sense La in them,” Yue says. “I don't sense any ill will in them. I think they want to help us. However, the final decision is yours, Father.”

“Do you think they'll kill us?” Sokka wonders aloud.

“They'll probably imprison us,” says Katara.

“They'll imprison you,” says Zuko grimly. “They'll probably kill me. Or torture me. Or use me to get to Fire Lord Ozai.”

“I—I don’t think they want to hurt us!” Aang says, but there is no conviction in his voice. “They should be our allies!”

Suki listens to them with moderate interest.

“Well,” she says finally. “If they try to kill us, we run. Simple as that. But maybe it won’t come to that”

Officially, there is no Avatar in the Northern Water Tribe.

Officially, Master Pakku only trains Katara—who fights for the opportunity to train. Aang often follows her because he is madly in love with her and likes to watch her train. Sokka and Suki are often nearby because they don't trust Aang and Katara when they are left alone together.

Yue, on the other hand, spends time with the Fire Prince.

His presence here is still very strange to her—he is a Firebender, their enemy—but despite this, he does not want to be a threat to them.

Yue shouldn't be close to him—her father should want to keep her as far away from him as possible—but despite this, Arnook agrees to let them meet alone from time to time. Of course, they are always accompanied by other Waterbenders, making sure that Prince Zuko does not try to attack her – but the Waterbenders are a little further away, giving them the opportunity to be alone together.

Yue does not understand this – but she does not care.

During the few weeks that Prince Zuko spends in Agna Qel'a – officially trying to find out if the Avatar is here and setting a trap for him in case he arrives – Yue befriends the Fire Prince.

Most of the time, the person she looks at is Zuko. Yue begins to like him. The boy is sometimes a little too harsh and impulsive, but at the same time, he has a slightly more sensitive side. After a few meetings, he becomes much calmer, as if Yue's presence calms him down — brings out the best in him.

Yue begins to like him. She doesn't pity him when she sees the scar on his face. She doesn't ask about it, knowing that the story behind it is probably not a pleasant one.

Before Yue realizes it, she begins to look forward to these meetings. Zuko has seen and experienced a lot – he has traveled a lot. He is free, while Yue is here in Agna Qel'a, doomed to become the wife of a man who does not respect her.

This is the first time Yue has talked to a young person her age who also carries a lot on their shoulders. Zuko is not the Fire Lord, but he has a good chance of becoming him.

Both of them are responsible for the future of their countries.

And Yue finds a friend in him.

Suki has no idea how it worked out.  

The Northern Water Tribe has accepted them. They have agreed to train Aang, even with Zuko nearby.

“Oh, don’t let it fool you.” Sokka says one evening, putting his arm around her. “They're only pretending to cooperate. Sure, they want to train the Avatar, but they don't want to let him go. They’re not planning to let any of us leave. They won't let us leave. Besides, you've seen the guards around here. They're all ready to kill us if necessary, or capture us and use us as hostages.”

“Then they don't know who they're dealing with yet,” Suki smiles slightly.

“Of course they don't,” Sokka smiles too, then kisses her on the cheek. “They have no idea who they're trying to fool.”

The mystery of why her father allows her to spend so much time with Zuko—why he even encourages her to do so—is solved one evening when Zuko is not Zuko, but Sokka.

“It seems to me,” Sokka says, glancing sideways at their Waterbender guards, “that your father wants to make you Fire Lady.”

Yue blinks.

“Your father has practically decided that he wants to adopt Hahn,” says Sokka. “Of course, a marriage between you and Hahn would be good for your Tribe, but your father is thinking ahead. He sees that Aang has a chance to defeat the Fire Lord. And since Zuko is his successor... it would make sense.”

“My engagement–”

“Could be broken off,” Sokka lowers his voice so that only Yue can hear him. “It happens more often than you think. Besides, with the Fire Lord as his son-in-law, Chief Arnook could demand a lot. A lot. It's profitable for him. And it gives him the opportunity to meddle in the internal affairs of the Fire Nation. Besides, Yue, you're a princess — the only person close to Zuko's age who has any royal blood is Katara, who, first of all, is Zuko's sister, and second, isn't really a princess”.

Yue blinks again.

That does make sense.

That kind of alliance would make sense—because her father could set his terms—he could demand peace.

“Yue,” Sokka says. “These are just my suspicions. But you know, if I'm right... you know that neither Zuko nor I will force you to do anything. You're our friend, you know?”

Yue smiles at him slightly.

Deep down, she knows she will do what she must for her people.

And she knows that Sokka and Zuko are capable of doing the same.

“I don't think my father would want to send me abroad,” Yue lowers her voice, leaning toward Sokka. “Do you think he would?”

“I think your father is talking primarily about the survival of his Tribe. The Northern Water Tribe has been cut off from the world for decades, and for good reason. They don't like strangers. You know, looking at it from your father's perspective, it's in his best interest for Hahn to be your father.”

“Hahn was designated as the future Chief of the Tribe a long time ago,” Yue points out.

“Yeah,” Sokka agrees. “And that's why what I told you is just my theory. Your father still doesn't trust Zuko, and honestly, I don't blame him. If I were in his shoes, I would do the same.”

“In that case,” Yue says cautiously, “why does he allow me and Zuko to be around? Why hasn't he captured him and held him hostage or prisoner?”

“That's the part I'm still working on,” Sokka admits. “But my most likely theory? Your father realized that neither of us is an ally of Fire Lord Ozai. So he wants to stage a coup with us. And if he helps Zuko win the throne, Zuko will be indebted to him.”

It makes some sense, but Yue is still not convinced. The Northern Water Tribe has been isolated for many years for a reason, unwilling to make contact with the outside world. Why would that change now?

Of course, there is the matter of the Avatar returning after a hundred years, but is that really enough to change her father's mind?

“Besides,” Sokka lowers his voice even further, “I think my uncle is an important factor here.”

“Master Pakku's friend?” Yue asks.

“Exactly. Don't you think it's strange, Yue? How would my uncle suddenly know the Waterbending Master from the North? Something is going on here, something we don't notice, and no one wants to tell us exactly what it is.”

Sokka straightens up, increasing the distance between them.

He smiles and changes the subject, but Yue can't stop thinking about his words.

“Do you think Chief Arnook really wants to make Yue Fire Lady?” asks Suki.

Sokka bursts out laughing.

“Of course not,” he says. “She's his only daughter, plus she has a fiancé. Even if she weren't engaged, and even if Arnook were interested in the outside world—which he's not particularly interested in at the moment—he would never allow his daughter to marry a Firebender.”

Suki looks at him blankly.

“Then why did you say that to Yue?”

“Because I wanted to show her that it's a possibility,” Sokka explains. “That she could change her life. And that she could choose someone better than Hahn.”

“You know that's not going to happen,” Suki says. “It's a miracle that Chief Arnook hasn't killed or imprisoned us all yet.”

“Technically, we are prisoners here. Have you forgotten about all the guards who accompany us for ‘protection’?”

“Sokka,” Suki looks at him meaningfully.

She knows very well that Sokka hasn't told her the whole truth.

“I just... I like Yue, okay?” Sokka finally says. “If I didn't have you, I'd probably fall in love with her. Not that I'm planning to! But listen, I see the way Yue looks at Zuko and the way Zuko looks at her! It's like they both know they have a future together-”

“Sokka,” she says in a reproachful tone. “I appreciate that you care about your brother, but that won't help. That way, it will all end up with a broken heart.”

“I just want them to be happy.”

“They have no future,” Suki remarks. She wishes those words were a lie, but that's the reality. “Sokka, they have no future.”

The truth is, Yue had noticed Zuko before.

She had seen him before as a man—one of the few people outside her Tribe, someone foreign, different, interesting—but she tried not to think about it. Yue has a fiancé and responsibilities to her Tribe.

Her father makes no mention of her engagement being broken off—Yue assumes that even if she were to have another fiancé, it would not happen until Arnook was certain he was giving his daughter to the winner—but Yue cannot stop thinking about it.

She imagines the future—and every time she fails. Yue does not know what the future will bring. Perhaps she will be Hahn's wife, as it has been planned for years. Perhaps she will die, and her name will be forgotten in the pages of history. Or perhaps—according to Sokka's theory—she will become the Fire Lady.

Yue tries to imagine it. She tries to imagine a future where she leaves her Tribe, where she leaves everything she knows, where she stands against the whole world.

She's not sure she's ready for that. She doesn't know if she wants that future.

Part of her—the part that her family, her entire Tribe, tried to destroy and suppress—wants it. Part of her wants to leave the Northern Water Tribe, wants to become someone significant, someone important, someone more than just Yue—just a woman.

But at the moment, these are just Sokka's theories. It is something that may never come true.

So Yue leaves this future in her dreams.

Nothing lasts forever.

Their stay in the Northern Water Tribe is abruptly interrupted when black snow begins to fall from the sky.

Ash.

The Fire Nation has arrived.

Suki exchanges concerned glances with Sokka. Everyone here is suddenly in a very dangerous position.

Officially, they are here as part of Prince Zuko's team, searching for the Avatar and acting in accordance with the will of the Fire Nation.

Unofficially, they are here to support Avatar Aang, making sure he is well trained so that he can defeat the Fire Lord in the future.

(Sokka and Zuko have some serious doubts about that last part, Zuko in particular, believing that Ozai is capable of ending the war peacefully.

Sokka has no such illusions, but at some point he has become very protective of the members of Team Avatar and clearly does not want to hurt Zuko.)

All of this means they have problems.

They can't attack the Fire Nation. They can't attack the Northern Water Tribe.

Everyone wants peace. They want to avoid fighting — but Zhao — Admiral Zhao, as one of General Iroh's men reports — clearly wants it.

“This is going to be problematic,” Sokka says. “Suki, can you buy me some time? I need to talk to Uncle Iroh before they arrest us all.”

Suki nods.

“You don't even have to ask.”

The Fire Nation armada is approaching, and no one knows why or for what reason.

“This doesn't make sense!” Zuko protests when he hears about it.

Yue stands behind her father, watching the Fire Prince, with whom she has become friends. Perhaps she feels something more than just friendship for him.

“None of this makes sense!” Zuko repeats. “I haven't heard anything about such an attack — besides, everyone knows I'm here! Zhao knows it! I'm here under a temporary ceasefire, as a neutral faction–”

Hahn snorts under his breath. Zuko pretends not to hear him.

“–which means that as long as I'm here, we've agreed that both sides have immunity! And yet Zhao, “Zuko utters his name as if it were the worst insult, “wants to attack Agna Qel’a? In the middle of winter? It doesn't make sense! Why would he do that?” What does he gain from it? It doesn't make sense—the Northern Water Tribe has done nothing wrong, we are in the middle of peace negotiations–”

Master Pakku snorts. Yue wonders if such negotiations actually took place. She has a feeling that if anyone led them, it wasn't Zuko. Perhaps Sokka. Or rather, most likely General Iroh.

“–and now Zhao wants to destroy them? By attacking the largest city full of Waterbenders in the middle of winter? That's crazy! And it doesn't make sense!”

“Exactly! It doesn't make sense!” The door opens and Sokka and a breathless General Iroh rush in. “What do you think about making it even less sense?”

Arnook looks at him with irritation.

“Explain yourself.”

“Well...” Sokka looks a little uncertain. “Can we try to make some kind of official agreement?”

From her father's expression, Yue quickly realizes that he definitely doesn't like Sokka's plan.

Some time later, Yue finds himself in the Oasis, watching the meditating Avatar (who, officially, is not the Avatar) trying to figure out what Zhao wants to do.

Zuko—in Sokka's body that day—keeps pacing in the snow, looking like he wants to get into a fight just so he can hit someone. Yue watches him closely.

Theoretically, Yue shouldn't be here. But Aang said he suspects Zhao is up to something. For this reason, Yue decided to take the young Avatar and Zuko to the Oasis.

Sokka (now officially Prince Zuko) and Suki, Katara, and General Iroh went to talk to Zhao and try to persuade him not to attack the Northern Water Tribe. Yue doesn't think it will work — Zuko once told her that Zhao does whatever he wants.

But Yue does not give up hope. She hopes that there will be no fighting. Even though she knows better.

Zuko keeps pacing around. He looks like he wants to do something. Yue has a strange feeling that if he were a Firebender that day, he would try to throw flames in front of him.

“It won't work,” Zuko says suddenly. “It won't work. It's a stupid idea. Zhao is here with an army — he wants to attack the Northern Water Tribe — it won't work. He won't negotiate.”

“But the attack hasn't started yet,” Yue points out. “For now, the armada is standing outside the city and not attacking anyone.”

“This is Zhao,” Zuko remarks. “He's up to something. Definitively.”

Sokka's plan is not particularly complicated.

It relies mainly on General Iroh's authority; on the fact that Iroh was known as the Dragon of the West. And on the fact that Prince Zuko had been visible in the North for quite some time.

“You're trying to get in my way!” Sokka says in an unpleasant tone. Suki, standing beside him in full Kyoshi Warrior makeup, puts on her most neutral expression.

When Sokka is Zuko, he can sometimes sound like a spoiled child—like someone who grew up in a palace and knows that everyone should eat out of his hands.

Suki thanks fate once again that today it is Sokka who is Zuko. She adores Zuko, but he's a really bad liar.

“Do you know what I've been doing for the last few weeks?!” Sokka raises his voice, and Katara grimaces slightly.

She mutters something under her breath that sounds strangely like, “You know, you may be half deaf, but that doesn't mean we all have hearing problems”. Suki decides to ignore it.

“For the past few weeks, I've been trying to win over the Northern Water Tribe—those savages, those pathetic Waterbenders—without spilling any blood! I managed to get them to cooperate in finding the Avatar—I managed to get them to promise that none of them would train him and that they would contact us immediately as soon as they saw him—and what do you do? You show up here with an army, ready to destroy all my plans!”

“There's no point in trying to talk to these savages,” Zhao says.

Katara stiffens. A few days earlier, Pakku had declared her a Waterbending Master. Suki, taking advantage of the fact that Zhao's attention is focused on Sokka, grabs her hand and squeezes it lightly.

Control yourself, she wants to tell her. Don't let them know your true emotions.

I know, Katara squeezes her hand too.

“So you prefer to send our people – our soldiers, the proud soldiers of the Fire Nation – to die for a piece of frozen land? How foolish can you be? I could conquer this place in days. Our forces are needed elsewhere—where they can win true glory, true honor for the Fire Nation!”

Zhao's eyes narrow. Suki wonders if it's because Sokka used the H–word, so popular in Fire Nation.

“What could a child like you possibly do?”

“Well,” Sokka straightens up and then smiles broadly. “I was thinking of stealing their princess. The savages will have to submit to us then, won't they?”

A few hours later, night falls, and the Fire Nation army still hasn't attacked. Yue is still at the Oasis. Aang is still meditating. Zuko is busy playing with Sokka's boomerang — and getting annoyed when it doesn't work the way it should.

“I don't know what Sokka sees in it,” he says. “I should be the one to go talk to Zhao, not Sokka.”

“Prince Zuko should be the one to lead the negotiations,” Yue remarks.

“I know, I know, but I'm absolutely convinced that Sokka will do something stupid.”

Yue slowly gets up and approaches him. Zuko stops throwing the boomerang.

“Sokka seemed convinced that my father might try to propose a marriage between us,” Yue says.

Zuko blinks.

“But... you have a fiancé.”

“Yes,” Yue confirms. “But the engagement can be broken. My father wants Hahn to be his heir, and I am only a means for him to confirm Hahn's authority. However, if I were to marry someone more important than Hahn–”

“Your father wants me to become Fire Lord,” Zuko realizes. “That's why he agreed to let me stay here. And that's why he's training Aang. He wants Aang to defeat my father — and then for me to take his place and for you to become Fire Lady.”

Yue is silent for a moment.

They both know that the engagement will not take place while Zuko is in exile or when he is only a prince. Her father is cautious — he will not agree to a marriage that will not bring him profit. But at the same time, Arnook knows that this would be the perfect way to ensure the safety of their Tribe – because during the weeks they have spent here, Arnook has gotten to know Zuko. And while he probably still doesn't trust him – and may never trust him – Arnook is also a leader. If his daughter's hand would save his Tribe... if he could save his people and secure favorable terms with one of the most powerful countries in the world...

However, Yue is her father's only daughter. She knows that her father would like her to stay in the North. Perhaps Sokka's theory is wrong and her father agreed to let her talk to Zuko in order to get them acquainted, to become friends. Perhaps Arnook wants the future Fire Lady to be someone from the Northern Water Tribe, but that someone will not be Yue.

If Yue were to be honest, she thinks that Sokka is wrong. After all, Yue's place is with her Tribe. Her father would never allow her to leave Agna Quel, let alone sell her to the Fire Nation. 

Despite this, for a moment, Yue allows herself to believe that she could leave the Tribe. That she could see the world. And that she could have a future with the person she is looking at now, not with Hahn.

“Would that be so bad?” Yue asks quietly.

“I don't know,” Zuko says. “Yes. No. I don't want to force you into anything. I always knew I would have a political marriage, the royal family doesn't marry for love, but–”

Yue doesn't let him finish. She kisses him, interrupting his sentence, silencing his protests. Part of her cries out, ‘remember, Zuko is currently Sokka, and Suki is really nice, and you don't want to cheat on her’, but right now, Yue wants to be selfish.

She doesn't know if it's true love — maybe it's just desperation to avoid becoming Hahn's wife — but one thing she is sure of.

Yue enjoys this kiss as much as Zuko does.

“Zhao is up to something,” Sokka announces.

“I know that,” Katara rolls her eyes.

“No, I'm serious,” Sokka summons a flame and then quickly snuffs it out. Then he summons it again. And snuffs it out again. “Zhao is definitely up to something. I know it. We've been waiting here too long.”

Suki glances at the flame that Sokka has summoned once again. After a moment, Suki approaches him and snuggles up to him—fortunately, the only other people in the room are Katara and General Iroh, so everyone knows that Prince Zuko is currently Sokka.

The flame disappears from Sokka's hand, and he then embraces Suki. Suki smiles blissfully as she is enveloped in pleasant warmth.

She loves the fact that her boyfriend is a Firebender.

“I know,” says Suki. “But for now, our presence is holding back the armada, so we'd better stay here.”

Katara looks at them with disgust.

“Can you not do that?” she asks. “It looks like Zuko is making out with Suki.”

“You know very well that it's Sokka,” says Suki, snuggling closer to Sokka.

“Yes, but he looks like Zuko. What would Zuko say if he found out what you were doing with his body?”

“It's my body too,” says Sokka. “Besides, it's not like Suki and I sleep together when I'm Zuko. I just hugged her. Suki often hugs Zuko.”

“This is crazy,” Katara says. “And please, don't say anything about sleeping together. I didn't need that image in my head.”

Zuko, Yue concludes, is incredibly cute when he's embarrassed.

 He's clearly someone who's never had a girlfriend before. His kisses are uncertain, a little clumsy—and that makes Yue laugh quietly—which makes his cheeks flush red.

And it makes Yue look forward to kissing him in his main body—when Zuko is Zuko.

Yue likes it when Zuko looks like Sokka—but she has to admit that she prefers it when he looks like Zuko. His scar is a little scary, but at the same time it makes Yue appreciate him even more—because Zuko is someone who has been through a lot and suffered a lot, but has not lost hope in this world.

A quiet sound catches their attention.

A man in armor—and several other Firebenders—appear in the Oasis.

They shouldn't be in the Oasis.

Zuko and Yue immediately jump away from each other.

Aang wakes up at the same moment.

“Zhao wants to kill the Spirits!” he announces, jumping to his feet and holding his staff out in front of him.

Yue, Zuko, and Aang look at the Firebenders.

The Firebenders look at them.

Yue isn't even surprised when the fight begins.

“Go find out what's happening in the city,” Sokka murmurs quietly. “Suki, can you check it out?”

Suki raises an eyebrow.

“Me?”

“You,” Sokka kisses her gently. “Katara and I have to stay here and pretend we're waiting for Zhao. But you... I have a strange feeling that you might be needed there.”

Suki kisses him back.

“I believe you,” she says.

She doesn't hesitate for too long.

Suki is a Kyoshi Warrior, she is responsible for her people — but at some point she decided to walk alongside Sokka.

Suki believes that this path will bring them true peace.

Having the Avatar on your side is incredibly advantageous — even if, at the moment, said Avatar is pretending to be just an Airbender.

The situation they find themselves in is not very good – they are up against a group of Firebenders, and apart from Aang, the rest of them are not benders. But none of the Firebenders know how to fight against Airbenders; no one knows how to defeat them – and Aang is desperate at the moment.

He is strong. Powerful.

And he is not alone.

Zuko – although currently not a bender – is also able to fight against the Firebenders – and no wonder, on another day he would have been a Firebender.

But Zhao is faster.

When Zhao pulls a fish – one of the Spirits – out of a small pond in the Oasis, Yue feels her strength leaving her.

“Everything will be okay,” Zuko is suddenly beside her, helping her stand. “We won't let him kill the Spirits. Believe me, Yue.”

“I believe you,” Yue whispers.

She doesn't even hesitate when she says these words.

Yue is the princess of the Northern Water Tribe, she is responsible for her people — but at some point she decided to entrust her life to Zuko and Aang.

Yue wants to believe that together, they will win.

Chapter Text

From the very beginning, Aang knows that something is wrong with Sokka.

He can't quite put his finger on it—it's just that when he looks at him, he senses that there is something different about him, something that makes Aang glance at him at least a few times, refraining from asking, what are you?, because that would be really rude.

So. Aang suspects that something is wrong with Sokka.

His suspicions grow even stronger when a Fire Nation ship arrives in the village, carrying a teenager with a scar on his face (ouch, that must have hurt) – and who exudes a similar aura to Sokka.

Okay, maybe it's not exactly an aura — Aang doesn't have the ability to see auras (wouldn't it be amazing if someone could do that?) — but more of a... feeling? An impression?

As it turns out, Aang is right.

So, Sokka and Zuko are connected. Apparently, they are brothers – although they don't look like brothers and don't share blood, they have the same parents and the same sisters. And every now and then, one of them becomes the other – Aang doesn't understand this part of the explanation even more.

But well, he'll probably understand it later, right?

Sokka and Katara tell him what happened to the world—how much it has changed, what happened—that the Fire Nation attacked the rest of the world years ago.

Zuko, who is part of the Fire Nation, has a mission to capture Aang as the Avatar and take him to the Fire Lord – ugh, that doesn't sound very nice – but after several minutes of rather loud conversation with Katara and Sokka (really loud, Aang hopes he hasn't lost his hearing), they manage to come to an agreement.

So. From what Aang has learned, Zuko has been exiled from his home (really unpleasant) and the only way for him to return is to bring Aang to his father. And since Fire Lord Ozai is “one big jerk” (Sokka's words, not Zuko's), it wouldn't be wise to bring Aang to him when Aang can't defend himself (a bit unkind, since Aang is an Airbending Master, but Sokka insists for some reason that he's not ready to meet the Fire Lord).

So. By some strange twist of fate, (Avatar) Aang is sent on a mission to find the Avatar with Zuko.

Huh.

“Hey, Aang,” Sokka says a little later, when each of them gets their own cabin on the ship (okay, when they get shared cabins on the ship, because the ship doesn't have countless empty cabins, which means that somehow they all have to fit. Which isn't easy, considering they still have to accommodate Appa, whom Aang will not abandon. Definitely not. Appa is his best friend, the only remnant of the Air Nomads. Aang will protect Appa, no matter what happens).

Aang turns toward Sokka—no, not just Sokka. Standing next to Sokka is Zuko, looking as if he doesn't know what to do with himself.

Ever since Sokka and Zuko met, they have behaved the same way toward each other—they look at each other with surprise, as if they can't believe the other exists. And every now and then they turn around when someone calls one of them – Sokka responds to Zuko's name, Zuko responds to Sokka's name. Whenever they meet on the ship, they flinch or stare at each other for a long time until someone – usually Katara – clears their throat and reminds them that they are not alone.

And now Sokka and Zuko are standing next to each other, both looking at Aang.

“Yes?” Aang asks, smiling at them. “How can I help you?”

“Well,” Sokka glances at Zuko. He flinches a little, as if he has only just realized that he is not alone.

Zuko closes the door to the cabin assigned to Aang, Katara, and Sokka.

The three of them are now inside. Which probably means that Katara is either drinking tea with General (call me Uncle, Aang) Iroh or playing pai sho with him and losing, because no one can beat him. At least, no one has been able to beat him during the one day Aang has spent on board the ship.

“We,” says Sokka. “Um. I don't know if it's really a matter of help, but–”

“We want to know what you meant by the connection you sense between us,” Zuko interrupts him. “What do you sense, Aang?”

“Um...” Aang hesitates for a moment. “You're connected. And kind of marked? It's kind of like you're, um, glowing a little? This weird mix of red and blue that's around you, and when you're together, I just know there's something connecting you.”

Sokka and Zuko exchange glances.

“Our mother – Water Mother Kya,” Zuko says, “once said that when I was little, she prayed to La to keep me safe.”

“Fire Mother Ursa once said something similar,” says Sokka, “that she prayed to Agni for our safety.”

“So maybe Agni and La blessed you?” suggests Aang. “And that's why you swap bodies?”

Sokka and Zuko exchange glances again.

“We were born on the same day,” Zuko says after a moment. “On the longest day of winter. Which is not a good sign in the Fire Nation.”

“The Water Tribe never cared about that,” Sokka adds. “But Zuko is right, in the Fire Nation it's not a good sign. Our powers — the powers of Firebenders — are a gift from Agni. The sun gives us power, strength, support. Meanwhile, we were born at a time when Agni was far away.”

It's a little strange to hear something like that — a member of the Water Tribe calling himself a Firebender.

“And yet you claim to sense Agni in us,” Zuko says. “Why?”

“I don't know,” Aang admits. “I could try to meditate on it. Or ask my past–”

“No!” Sokka and Zuko simultaneously adopt similarly terrified expressions.

Sokka moves toward him, placing his hand over his mouth to prevent him from speaking. Zuko moves toward the door, and when he sees that Aang is unable to say anything, he hesitantly opens the door, looks through it, and visibly relaxes.

“Voices carry on this ship,” Sokka says quietly. “You never know who might hear.”

Aang's eyes widen suddenly as he realizes what he almost revealed.

“So you guys–”

“Our... situation,” Sokka begins uncertainly, “I don't think it will remain a secret for much longer. We've always been bad at hiding it, even though we tried hard to keep it a secret. But the crew knows us, and they'll probably figure out who we really are to each other. But our secret is nothing compared to yours, Airbender.”

Aang nods, knowing why Sokka emphasizes his last words so much.

“Yes,” he says. “I understand.”

Sokka looks at him for a moment, and then, when he realizes that Aang really understands everything, he steps back a little. He relaxes a little.

“Anyway,” Aang says after a moment. “What I wanted to say is that I could try to find support. If you want to somehow... resolve your situation.”

“Resolve?” Sokka frowns.

“I mean, if you want to break the connection between you.”

Sokka and Zuko freeze.

Neither of them speaks for a long, long time. They look as if they are in shock—as if they never considered such a possibility.

“That... would be possible?” Zuko says in an incredibly quiet and weak voice.

Something is wrong with that tone. It doesn't sound like Zuko. It's not his style. It's so wrong.

“I... don't know,” Aang admits. “But... it probably makes your lives difficult, right? Every now and then, you just... lose a day of your life. From your main life, I mean. And you never quite... you never quite have your life. You're... how can I put it, kind of suspended between Fire and Water. You are both Fire and Water, but at the same time you are neither, not fully, because part of you always belongs to the other element... does that make sense?”

Sokka remains silent. Only his face shows growing horror the longer he listens to Aang.

Aang suddenly realizes that what he said could be considered cruel. But isn't that what balance is all about? That the elements are separate from each other. What connects Sokka and Zuko is not normal. It's not right.

“I don't have to do anything!” Aang adds quickly, because although their situation is not normal, it has brought them together and made them friends. “I won't do anything if you don't want me to.”

Neither Sokka nor Zuko respond. They just remain silent, and that silence is so inappropriate that Aang isn't sure what he did wrong. He meant well, he wanted to help them — because it's wrong, isn't it? There shouldn't be people with Fire and Water inside them.

“I think,” Sokka says after a long pause, “we should discuss this. The two of us. Me and Zuko. Because, you know, if it were... permanent, I don't know. Because. You know.”

His words are broken, as if he doesn't know exactly what he wants to say. He glances at Zuko. Zuko glances at him.

Is it because Zuko is a bender and Sokka isn't? Is it because Sokka likes being a bender, having Fire inside him? Aang can imagine it — it would be hard for him to live if he didn't have a connection to Air. But at the same time, it's wrong, their connection is wrong...

“Besides,” Zuko adds, “if it's a blessing, Agni's will, and you were to take it back...”

“Exactly,” Sokka agrees. “It's better not to risk angering the Spirits. Especially ones as powerful as Agni and La.”

Zuko and Sokka look at each other again.

Aang looks at them, waiting for their decision.

“So you don't want to break your connection?” he asks to confirm.

“We need to talk about this,” Sokka says after a moment. “This would be a big deal. A really big deal, and... we need to talk about it. The two of us.”

Zuko nods.

Then he turns and walks away, strangely quickly. Sokka glances at Aang with slight concern, then follows Zuko. They leave the room, and then Sokka lowers his voice, saying something to Zuko that Aang cannot hear.

Aang wonders what decision they will come to.

In the end, neither Sokka nor Zuko bring up the subject again. They simply act as if the conversation never happened, as if everything is fine.

Does that mean they want this connection?

It's wrong, bad, misguided — but at the same time, if it makes them happy... well, Aang isn't going to force them into anything. The monks always said to respect the wishes of others.

They go to the Southern Air Temple.

Aang knows what he will see—Sokka and Zuko warned him—but nothing prepares him for the sight of the destroyed Temple.

Sokka and Zuko leave him for a while, staying with Katara and General Iroh.

When they return, they ask how they should bury the dead, as there are bones of the deceased in some places.

Katara holds her hand on his shoulder, preventing Aang from entering the Avatar State, but it does not stop the tears from flowing from his eyes.

Aang has lost everything—everyone he knew, his family, his friends.

And it hurts. It hurts so much because Aang is alone, alone, alone...

Katara hugs him tightly, promising that in that case, they will become his family. Aang doesn't even notice when two more people join them—and then a lemur.

Another problem is that Aang doesn't really want to fight anyone.

He knows that the Fire Nation has done a lot of bad things. He knows that the Fire Nation is responsible for a lot of evil and destruction, and that Fire Lord Ozai is a bad person and that someone has to stop him — but Aang doesn't want to hurt him. He certainly doesn't want to kill him.

But at the same time, Aang can't pretend that there is no war.  

Aang is the Avatar, and as the Avatar, he must save this world and restore balance. But this is a task he is not ready for. He does not want to do it, he does not know what to do, he does not feel comfortable with it, he does not want to hurt anyone, he would prefer to forget who he really is and continue living as an ordinary Airbender, traveling with Zuko, Sokka, Katara, and General Iroh.

But the truth is, he can't forget what's happening. He can't forget the rest of the world.

But he doesn't know how to end this war.

How can he convince the Fire Lord that war is wrong?

Aang thinks about it for a while, until he finally decides that it's best to ask the person who knows best—the Fire Lord's son. He hesitates for a moment, wondering which son—Zuko or Sokka?—and then decides that Zuko is the better choice because he knows the Fire Lord better.

Aang goes to Zuko's cabin. It is late in the evening, but Zuko is not asleep yet; he is meditating in front of lit candles.

“Zuko?” Aang says, somewhat uncertainly.

Zuko turns toward him. He blinks, as if he did not expect him to be there.

“Av—Aang,” he corrects himself quickly. “What are you doing here?”

“Can we talk?” Aang closes the door behind him.

“We are talking.”

“Oh.”

Silence.

Zuko sighs heavily and gestures for him to sit across from him. Aang does so, trying to copy his position. It's a little strange, but Kuzon sometimes sat the same way, and when he did, it looked really cool.

“You don't have to sit in seiza, Aang,” Zuko says.

“It's fine!” Aang protests. “I don't mind!”

“You're not used to sitting in seiza. In a moment, your legs will go numb and you won't be able to get up.”

“Everything will be fine!”

“If you say so,” Zuko doesn't look convinced, but he's not going to argue. “What's going on? What do you want?”

“I... I want to end this war.”

Zuko blinks.

“Me too,” he says slowly. “So what?”

“Sokka said I have to...” Aang glances at the closed door, then lowers his voice. “Master the rest of the elements so that your father–”

“Fire Lord Ozai,” Zuko interrupts sharply. “Not my father.”

Now it is Aang who blinks.

“I thought Fire Lord Ozai was your father.”

“Sokka and I have four parents, two mothers and two fathers. And even though this body—Prince Zuko—is the son of Fire Lord Ozai, he's not my father. Not really. I don't think... Since I have two fathers when everyone else has only one, I obviously don't need two. One is enough for me.”

“But...” Aang doesn't quite understand.

Having two fathers isn't strange—Aang remembers that one of Bumi's friends had two fathers—but these days, apparently, there are few such people. Aang doesn't quite understand why.

“Never mind,” says Zuko. “Go on.”

“Oh. Okay. I didn't mean to offend you–”

“You didn't offend me, Aang. Continue.”

Aang swallows loudly. He likes Zuko, but right now he's just a little scary.

“Um,” Aang begins. “Anyway, Sokka said we could try talking to the Fire Lord about ending this war. Do you think that would work?”

Zuko hesitates, not answering him for a while.

“The problem with the Fire Nation is that there is a lot of propaganda in the country when it comes to war,” he says after a long silence. “People really believe that we are fighting this war for the good of the world, that we are sharing our wealth, that other countries are not civilized enough to understand what we want to bring them. People believe that we deserve to rule the world because we are the best. And people believe it, especially in the Fire Nation, because they don't see the outside world. They are not aware that the rest of the world does not envy us, but fears us.”

The candles flicker slightly. Aang looks at him with a mixture of fear and fascination. For a moment, he has the impression that the fire is responding to Zuko's words.

“They fear us, Aang,” Zuko says quietly, in an incredibly gentle and sad tone. “And I don't blame them. I was raised partly in the Water Tribe. I know why other countries fear us. The Fire Nation has been an aggressor for too long. The world fears and hates us, and I can't blame them for that.”

“But we can stop it, right?” Aang asks hopefully. “We have to convince Fire Lord Ozai that war is wrong. That his actions are wrong.”

“Fire Lord Ozai doesn't care about my words or opinions,” Zuko's hand wanders toward his face, toward his scar.

Aang desperately hopes that's not what he's thinking.

“Fire Lord Ozai only sees what he wants to see,” says Zuko. “I don't consider him my father anymore. I'm done trying to please him and follow his will. He's not someone we should admire. But at the same time, he is my Fire Lord.”

“So you don't want to fight against him,” Aang concludes.

“I don't,” Zuko confirms. “And I don't want you to fight against him either. You're twelve years old. In an ideal world, you wouldn't be involved in the war at all.”

“But this isn't a perfect world,” Aang notes sadly.

“No,” Zuko admits. “I'm sorry, but that's the truth. Fire Lord Ozai won't listen to me — but maybe he'll listen to the Avatar.”

Which is exactly what Sokka suggested to them at the very beginning. For Aang to master the four elements, prove to Ozai that he is the true Avatar — and then they will be able to talk to him. At least, that's what Aang hopes.

Zuko glances at the closed door, then leans toward Aang.

“If we started fighting against the Fire Lord, it would be tantamount to treason,” he says. “Or an attempted coup. It would create a conflict over succession—because Uncle and I are both candidates for the throne, even though Uncle renounced the crown years ago. But there are people who support him. If we officially stand against the Fire Lord, we risk causing internal conflict within the Fire Nation. And I know the Fire Nation has been doing wrong for years, but these are my people, Aang. I am their Prince, I am obligated to protect them, just as I am obligated to protect the Southern Water Tribe. I cannot stand against the Fire Nation, and I cannot stand against the Southern Water Tribe. I simply cannot. It would be treason, and I am not a traitor.”

“So we have to convince the Fire Lord to stop fighting,” Aang suggests. “But how can we do that?”

“I don't know. I have no idea. But we can start thinking about it. Wait. I'll find some paper.”

Zuko gets up and starts looking for paper and writing implements. Aang takes this opportunity to change his sitting position. It's really uncomfortable, why was Zuko able to sit in seiza (did Aang remember the name of this position correctly?) for so long and now acts as if nothing happened?

The Fire Nation is strange.

Zuko sits down in front of him and hands him the paper.

“Please,” he says. “If you have any ideas, write them down. We'll try to find arguments to convince the Fire Lord. Our speech has to be perfect. Imagine you're Azula.”

“Who is Azula?”

“My sister.”

“I thought Katara was your sister.”

“Katara is my Water Sister, Azula is my Fire Sister. I'll explain it to you later. Now let's focus on this speech.”

Shortly after Aang begins living on the ship, Zuko and Sokka swap bodies.

Aang knew about the swap—of course he did, Sokka and Zuko told him about it practically as soon as they met—but knowing and seeing are two completely different things.

It's all incredibly strange.

Aang hasn't known Sokka and Zuko for long. He's known Sokka a little longer—the few hours they spent together in the Southern Water Tribe—but it's still only a few days.

And then, one day, Aang wakes up. When he heads for breakfast, he finds a very unhappy Sokka there. He's picking at his food, clearly not knowing what to do with himself. Katara isn't there yet. The cook has disappeared somewhere in the back of the kitchen.

“Hey, Sokka,” Aang approaches him, smiling at him warmly. “Good morning!”

“Aang,” Sokka looks at him and oh.

This isn't Sokka. This is Zuko.

It's Sokka's face, Sokka's clothes, Sokka's weapons, but Zuko's expression. Gloomy, moderately satisfied with life. When he sees Aang, he seems to smile for a moment, but the smile quickly disappears.

Aang sits down opposite him.

He glances to the side, toward the absent cook.

“Zuko?” he says, a little uncertainly.

“Call me Sokka now. It'll help avoid misunderstandings,” Zuko replies, and oh, right, that makes sense.

Aang looks around.

“Do they know?” he lowers his voice. “You know, the rest of the crew?”

Zuko follows his gaze.

“I don't know,” he says, also lowering his voice. “Maybe. But it's better if they don't know.”

Further proof that the connection between Sokka and Zuko should be severed. Aang has to bite his tongue to keep from saying it out loud. If Sokka and Zuko want to keep this connection, Aang should respect that. He should be nice to them.

“Where's Katara?” Aang asks after a moment, when too much time has passed and neither of them has spoken.

“She's still sleeping. She's not a Firebender. She doesn't like waking up at dawn.”

“Firebenders wake up at dawn?”

“Not all of us, but many of us – them do. It depends on how strong your connection to Agni is,” Zuko continues to pick at his plate.

Aang looks at his plate with envy. He would like something to eat too. But until now, he has always eaten in the presence of Zuko-Zuko or General Iroh, and now only Zuko-Sokka (Sokka-Zuko?) is with him. Would it be appropriate for him to go and ask for food?

“Don't look at me like I stole your food,” Zuko says. “Go to the cooks. They're here to cook for us. I'm sure they'll have something vegetarian.”

Aang hesitates, then smiles broadly.

Zuko is right, as it turns out.

The cooks have something vegetarian for him.

Sokka-looking-like-Zuko is just as strange a sight as Zuko-looking-like-Sokka. Mainly because he is much more open to everyone.

And he smiles broadly as soon as he sees Aang.

“Hey, Aang!” he says cheerfully.

“I'll never get used to this,” one of the soldiers mutters under his breath. “It gets weirder the more time passes.”

“He's always been weird, so you better get used to it,” another woman replies. “Besides, you saw who he brought with him.”

Their eyes turn toward Aang, then quickly look away, as if they don't want Aang to know they're talking about him.

Well, it's a little too late for that.

Aang decides not to worry about it and approaches Sokka, who smiles at him warmly.

For a moment, they talk about unimportant things. Sokka maneuvers him away from the rest of the crew.

“Aang,” he says after a moment, when he is sure that no one can overhear them.

“Yes?”

“If anyone is giving you any trouble, don't hesitate to tell me, okay?” Sokka lowers his voice a little. “Me or... Sokka. Okay?”

It's strange to hear Sokka talking about Sokka in the third person, but it makes sense considering that Sokka is now Zuko, so Aang nods.

He knows that his position here is rather... strange. He is an Airbender, on a ship full of Firebenders. The Fire Nation has been fighting against Airbenders for years. Besides, Aang is the Avatar, who is officially pursuing the Avatar.

A lot of things could go wrong. Aang knows that his presence is a huge threat to everyone here, especially Sokka, Zuko, Katara, and General Iroh.

But Sokka and Zuko say that it's not officially a crime to be an Airbender, so Aang wants to trust them.

On Kyoshi Island, they are joined by Suki.

Suki, who is apparently Sokka's girlfriend.

Sokka, who sometimes becomes Zuko.

Suki is not Zuko's girlfriend and is not interested in him. That doesn't mean she's not interested in Sokka when he's Zuko.

Huh.

Aang is the Avatar, but it must remain a secret.

Aang is the Avatar and is officially searching for the Avatar—which theoretically protects him from the Fire Nation and gives him the right to be interested in everything related to the Avatar.

The problem is that Aang doesn't know what he's supposed to do as the Avatar—how he can defeat the Fire Lord. And he has to be pretty careful about the “let's defeat the Fire Lord” part, because sometimes when someone mentions it, Zuko makes a weird face, as if he's about to hit someone.

So. Well. Aang tries not to think about it—after all, part of their mission is to defeat (?) the father of one (two?) of his friends. And the younger brother of General Iroh, who always smiles at him and always tries to help him when Aang doesn't know what to do next.

After several discussions, they decide to go to the Fire Nation – to one of the temples, so that Aang can consult with one of his past lives – Avatar Roku.

For obvious reasons, this causes a lot of protests.

“This is Fire Nation territory,” Zuko points out. “We can't just go there.”

“Theoretically, Prince Zuko can't,” Sokka replies. “But the rest of his team can. If we say we need to find a new lead because the Avatar may try to contact one of his past incarnations—to be honest, I'm starting to think I'm a genius. The idea to officially search for the Avatar was one of the best I've ever had. No one will even think about the Avatar returning.”

He smiles broadly. Aang tries to smile too, but he's not very good at it.

Sometimes he feels like he's hiding. Like he's running away from responsibility again. He lets the world think that the Avatar is dead, that he never returned.

At the same time, Sokka assures him that this is their best chance of winning. That this way they will deceive the whole world—and that the Fire Lord will not expect them coming. And that will work to their advantage.

Aang would like to believe it.

Avatar Roku says that they must defeat the Fire Lord before summer arrives—before Sozin's Comet arrives. That if they don't, everything will be lost.

Aang feels himself panicking.

He panics because this means he has even less time than he thought, because he has to master the four elements in a matter of months – no one else has ever done that. Previous Avatars had years – Aang has months.

It won't work.

As if to complicate matters, Zhao shows up in the area, deciding to capture them, saying something about Aang being an Airbender, working against the Fire Nation, trying to deceive Prince Zuko, and that he shouldn't be on Fire Nation territory.

Avatar Roku takes over his body and frees Aang, Sokka, and Katara (Suki and General Iroh stayed on the ship with the mission of making sure Zuko didn't follow them).

The good news is that only Sokka and Katara see Aang enter the Avatar State.

The bad news is that Aang enters the Avatar State—which means that everyone now knows that the Avatar has returned. And that he was strangely close to where Aang was.

Considering all this, it should come as no surprise that Zhao catches him and imprisons him, claiming that Aang is the Avatar—and even if he isn't, he is his airbending teacher.

Suki and Zuko rescue him.

Aang promises himself that he will stay away from Zhao.

Some time later, Sokka triumphantly shows him a letter from his other sister, Azula, whom Aang has not yet met but has heard a little about.

“Azula has confirmed that you are not the Avatar,” says Sokka. “Since no one has seen you use the other elements, you have officially sworn allegiance to Zuko and the Fire Nation—don't worry, we'll release you from that oath as soon as the world knows you are the Avatar—and you have only used airbending. So, we'll tell Zhao that we entered Crescent Island because we suspected the Avatar would be there — and that it was Zhao's actions that caused the Avatar to enter the Avatar State. So, we'll just blame everything on Zhao.”

Sokka smiles confidently.

Aang really, really wants to believe him. 

The North Pole does not welcome them warmly. Many people look at them with concern—or hostile anger. Aang tries to smile at everyone, but he can't help but notice the whispers — their reputation precedes them, and many people know that a group of teenagers from different countries — three different benders — are traveling the world in search of the Avatar or artifacts related to him. 

For the first time in a long time, Aang reveals who he really is. He does so in the presence of three new people: Chief Arnook, Master Pakku (General Iroh assured him that he could be trusted), and Princess Yue.

It feels strange, but everything is fine. At least, Aang hopes everything is fine. The Northern Water Tribe is their ally, right?

Princess Yue remains silent for most of the meeting. She just watches them all, quietly, silently, but attentively.

No, Princess Yue isn't watching them all. It's different. She's only watching one person — Aang.

No, it's different again. It takes Aang several minutes to realize that the princess's eyes are not directed at him.

No, Princess Yue is constantly glancing at Zuko, then at Sokka.

Aang wonders how much Princess Yue knows.

Late in the evening, when the questioning ends and Chief Arnook (temporarily) decides that they are (theoretically) not a threat and (for now) gives them (temporary) permission to stay in his city (under constant supervision), Aang realizes that Zuko has disappeared somewhere in all this.

It shouldn't really surprise him. Zuko is now Sokka, who is not officially a bender, so he was probably not considered such a big threat (which probably didn't make him happy). But it also meant that Zuko-as-Sokka at least didn't have to go through such lengthy questioning as the rest (who are either not Water Tribe or are benders).

Which doesn't change the fact that Aang would like to find him.

He needs a few minutes to find him.

He finds him deep in the city, behind the ice bridge, on the other side of the river.

Yue stands opposite him, her face calm as always. They talk. Or rather, Yue talks, saying something to Zuko; something that makes Zuko frown. He doesn't say anything, but his face is a little softer than usual. Aang rarely sees him like this, even when he's Sokka.

Aang, who was about to run up to them, slows down a little. For some reason, he feels he shouldn't disturb them — which doesn't make sense, because they only met today, and Aang is their friend.

It starts to snow. Yue says something that Aang can't hear. Zuko smiles slightly, then reaches out to her, brushing her hair away — or perhaps pulling something out of it, Aang can't quite see.

For a moment, they freeze, not moving. Has something happened to them?

Then Yue bursts out laughing, quietly and gently.

For some reason, Aang can't take his eyes off them.

Zuko looks down, his cheeks turning slightly red—it's probably the cold, it's really cold in the North. Then a slightly uncertain, shy smile appears on his lips, which makes Yue smile too. She says something to him—this time Zuko responds, but quietly enough that Aang can't hear it.

Aang begins to wonder if he should really call out to them.

The decision is made for him when he takes a step—not quite sure whether to approach them or leave them alone—and slips on the ice. He falls to the ground, hitting his butt painfully.

When he lifts his face, embarrassed by what has happened, he realizes that Yue and Zuko are looking at him, both with a mixture of amusement and concern.

Aang quickly jumps to his feet.

“I just wanted to tell you that dinner is ready!” he says, though he has no idea whether that's true or not.

Then he turns and quickly runs away, as far away from them as possible.

When he turns his head to glance at them a moment later, just before he disappears around the corner of a nearby building, he realizes that Zuko and Yue are still standing by the bridge, staring at each other and standing a little closer than friends should.

But that's probably just because of the cold, Aang concludes.

And then, the training begins.

In truth, no one knew how long they would stay here. But days turn into weeks, and Aang realizes that he still has a lot to learn. He still has so much to learn, so much to do. They study with Katara all the time, but it's still not enough, the Water still doesn't respond to his call as well as it should.

Katara is frustrated. She fights against Master Pakku all the time, unhappy that he agreed to teach her because it is supposed to be a cover for teaching the Avatar and because Katara is the granddaughter of Kanna, the woman Pakku was (is?) in love with. Katara believes that Pakku should want to teach Katara because of Katara, not for other people's sake.

Aang also thinks that would be nice, but he figures he shouldn't complain right now. Rather, he should be happy that Pakku wants to teach them. Even if he has his reasons.

Besides, it gives him a chance to talk to Katara. And to be in her presence.

And Katara is really nice.

And being in her presence is really nice.

So Aang goes to class, happy that Katara is nearby. Several times he notices Sokka and Zuko exchanging glances—they do this almost all the time—but they don't say anything.

This happens several times until Sokka comes up to him, crossing his arms over his chest. Today, he looks like Zuko, which makes Aang catch himself being a little more cautious. Sokka and Zuko are nice, but when they're Zuko (okay, that sentence sounded better in his head), they can be scary.

Fortunately, Zuko isn't here. Which Aang isn't sure is a good sign, when he thinks about it.

“We need to talk, Aang,” Sokka says in a voice that doesn't bode well.

Aang's shoulders slump. He senses that he is not going to like this conversation.

Sokka leads him aside, outside. Aang looks at him with envy. He is not wearing a parka, only light clothing. He is a Firebender and can warm himself up.

“So,” Sokka begins. “You and Katara.”

“Me and Katara?” Aang doesn't understand.

“You and Katara.”

“We're friends?”

“Good,” Sokka nods. “Let's keep it that way.”

“Okay?” Aang tilts his head to the side.

“We don't need broken hearts here,” Sokka says. “We'll have enough problems with Zuko and Yue as it is.”

“Zuko and Yue?” Aang still doesn't understand.

Sokka sighs heavily.

“Just look at them, Aang, and you'll understand.”

So, Aang starts watching them.

And after about a week, he understands what Sokka was trying to tell him.

Zuko and Yue always look for each other when they think the other isn't looking. They look for opportunities to talk to each other, preferably alone. They are never alone, there are always guards around them and they keep a proper distance, but sometimes Yue leans a little closer to him than she should. Sometimes Zuko's face softens in a strange way that Aang has never seen before. Sometimes they just spend time together without talking, but when Aang looks at them, he gets the impression that everything is fine.

Huh.

One day, Aang almost loses his life.

It's not really a deliberate attempt on his life. It's more of an accident. They are all sitting together—Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Zuko, even Yue and General Iroh. And there is a guard watching over Yue, who knows that Aang is the Avatar and that Sokka and Zuko sometimes switch bodies, and who has sworn not to tell anyone.

They drink tea together, talking about what they will do in the future and how their training is going. Sokka—who is in Zuko's body that day—talks enthusiastically about how he managed to master some difficult kata.

Suki smiles at him as she passes him to get something from the other side of the room. Almost mechanically, she puts her hand on his shoulder.

“I'm proud of you,” she says.

There must be something specific in her tone of voice, because Sokka smiles at her. Suki leans in slightly, and Sokka closes the distance between them, kissing her on the lips.

Aang chokes on the tea he was drinking.

He can't catch his breath for a long time — he's seen Sokka and Suki kiss before, but it was always Sokka, not Sokka looking like Zuko. It's just weird.

Katara runs to him, patting him on the back. Zuko, that damned traitor (oops, Aang used the bad word), bursts out laughing.

And Yue stares at Suki, smiling at her, but in a strange way that makes Aang feel like she's planning her death.

Girls are scary.

After this... incident, Aang decides to stay away from any romantic entanglements. Especially those involving Zuko or Sokka.

Unfortunately, this means he has to keep his distance from Katara—but then again, Aang should first make sure how Katara feels about him, right? So he can do that later. Someday.

When girls stop being so scary.

Everything is nice and fun, until it isn't.

Black snow begins to fall from the sky, bringing death.

The Fire Nation attacks when Aang is unable to defend himself—when he is meditating in the Oasis, trying to figure out what Zhao is up to.

When he opens his eyes, he realizes it's too late — because Zhao is with them, and Aang is the only bender — Zuko is currently Sokka, Yue can't bend, and she falls to the ground with a groan as Zhao pulls out the Moon Spirit.

Zuko embraces Yue, his face pale, paler than ever before. Terror and rage merge into one.

Zhao smiles broadly.

For a moment, time stands still.

And then—and then Suki suddenly appears—where did she come from?—which is a great blessing, because there are more of them now—and with Suki come other warriors.

Zhao tries to kill the Moon Spirit – and fails, because Sokka's boomerang flies towards him and hits him in the head. Zuko makes a rather silly face, as if he can't believe that it worked – everyone knows that the boomerang is Sokka's weapon, and Zuko has been trying to learn how to fight with it, but to no avail.

And then everything is one big mess.

“This,” Sokka announces some time later, now back in his own body, “is one big joke. What was Zhao thinking? He tried to destroy his own country!”

Zuko blinks. Sokka nudges him with his elbow, as if to say agree with me.

“Yes,” he says. “The Fire Nation is on islands. So, um. Destroying the moon would be bad. For the Fire Nation. Which is on islands.”

Sokka looks like he wishes he were Zuko right now — because then he would be able to say everything in a better way, more specifically.

“Exactly,” Sokka says. “So Zhao was working against the Fire Nation—especially considering that Prince Zuko was in the middle of negotiations with the Northern Water Tribe—which means he's a traitor and has no right to continue commanding the fleet–”

“That would be difficult to do while Zhao is in prison,” Katara murmurs quietly.

“–so someone more experienced should take control. Fortunately, we have the Dragon of the West with us, don't we?”

General Iroh shifts uneasily, as if unhappy that attention has been drawn to him.

“We can stop the attack,” says Sokka, looking Chief Arnook straight in the eye.

At this moment, Sokka does not look like a young boy from the South. He stands tall and confident—Aang sees a prince in him. He wonders briefly who Sokka is trying to imitate. It is certainly not Zuko or General Iroh—so perhaps Sokka wants to behave like someone else (the Fire Lord?).

Aang sees a prince in Sokka. He wonders what others see in him at the moment, looking at him.

“I will speak on behalf of Prince Zuko,” says Sokka. “We are able to stop the attack on the Northern Water Tribe.”

“At the moment, Admiral Zhao is being held captive by the Tribe, but probably few people will be interested in exchanging prisoners,” Zuko interjects. “Many generals believe that those who were taken prisoner were weak, so we should not rescue them. However, considering that Zhao is a traitor to the Fire Nation... We have no reason to want to free him. And that means we have no reason to want to call off the attack on the Northern Water Tribe.”

“Theoretically,” Sokka smiles broadly. “But we can try to convince the people of the Fire Nation that we have no other choice. That we have to do this.”

Chief Arnook sighs.

Aang already knows that this will be a long conversation.

Ultimately, no official agreements are made that day. However, Aang notices Chief Arnook inviting General Iroh and Zuko aside—whatever he discusses with them ultimately leads him to allow them both to go to the Fire Nation army and try to convince them to turn back without attacking the Northern Water Tribe.

“Well,” says Sokka, glancing at Aang out of the corner of his eye. “To be honest, it's only a temporary solution. I'm sure Fire Lord Ozai won't be happy about it, even if the attack was only meant to be a distraction.”

“A distraction?” Aang doesn't understand.

In response, Sokka raises the letter he received a moment ago.

“I'm afraid that while we were searching for the Avatar in the North, Azula started playing a cities conqueror.”

In the evening, Sokka takes Zuko aside and whispers something to him. Zuko looks at him with rage, as if he were already planning to get rid of him and burn his body, but ultimately does not resort to violence. He gives him a sharp look and then disappears somewhere.

He returns some time later, and when Sokka or Katara try to say something to him, he dodges their outstretched hands, looks at them with irritation, and loudly says that they must leave as soon as possible, otherwise Chief Arnook will imprison them all and their luck will quickly come to an end.

Unofficially, from what Aang later learns, just before everyone leaves the Northern Water Tribe, Zuko and General Iroh make a deal with Chief Arnook. Under the terms of the deal, if Zuko becomes Fire Lord, he must agree to marry a woman from the Northern Water Tribe.

No one says out loud that it is to be Yue, even though Aang can see that Yue and Zuko would not mind. But at the same time, it wouldn't be surprising if it wasn't Yue — she is, after all, Chief Arnook's beloved daughter, and he simply doesn't trust Zuko enough to give her to him — even though Zuko is actually making sure that the Fire Nation fleet retreats to the mainland.

Meanwhile, Aang can't stop wondering what to do next.

He has to go to Omashu — that much he is sure of.

When he mentions this to his friends, they exchange glances.

“Well,” says Sokka. “The chances are pretty good that the Fire Lord will declare us traitors to the Fire Nation anyway. Azula might support us—but she has her limits, so... Who's interested in a trip to Omashu?”

Bumi, it turns out, does not want to be freed.

He is waiting for the right moment.

And that means Aang needs another teacher.

It takes Toph a few days to realize that something is wrong with both Sokka and Zuko.

Of course, she senses the lies they are telling—she knows immediately that neither of them is looking for the Avatar. Similarly, when the young boy, Aang, says that he is only an Airbender, Toph senses a half-truth.

Officially, they all came to her house because they wanted to find out if the Avatar had come to them looking for an earthbending teacher. But the lies pile up, and Toph quickly realizes that they don't need to find the Avatar — because the Avatar is among them.

They seem like nice people, and the Avatar—Twinkletoes, as Toph quickly names him in her mind—is sometimes charming and so easy to tease, so Toph decides to go with them without hesitation.

Even if her parents probably think she's been kidnapped.

Well.

If they knew her a little better, they would know that no one kidnaps Toph Beifong.

So.

From what Toph understands, her new friends are not very well liked by the world. Mainly because one of them is Prince Zuko, who ordered the Fire Nation fleet to retreat and not attack the Northern Water Tribe (in the middle of winter, wasn't that a bit stupid?). And although Prince Zuko is not officially considered a traitor—Sokka (Snoozles) mentioned something about him managing to strike a pretty good deal with the Water Tribe and actually saving the lives of thousands of soldiers who could just as easily have died in the North and are now able to fight against the Earth Kingdom (ewww, thanks, Sparky) — he still shouldn't be allowed in the Fire Nation. And the Earth Kingdom has every right to hate him.

Next, there's Sokka and Katara.

Sokka, who likes to joke around, but at the same time has spoken out on behalf of the Fire Nation many times, so again – the Earth Kingdom doesn't like him. And Katara, who is a Waterbender, but fights alongside the Fire Prince.

Oh, and then there's Suki and Aang. Suki, who is supposed to be neutral (but isn't). And Aang, who is the Avatar and whom Toph intends to train.

And General Iroh — who suggests that they could theoretically go to Ba Sing Se and hide there for a while.

Ewww, no. Toph may be blind, but even she knows that's a bad idea.

Half of their group is wanted by the Earth Kingdom.

The other half is one step away from being wanted by the Fire Nation.

Their relationship with the Water Tribes is strange, to say the least.

So, it's no surprise that General Iroh's proposal is quickly rejected.

So, the truth is, no one really knows what to do now.

Toph feels like laughing out loud as soon as she realizes this.

Aang still hopes that he will be able to simply talk to Fire Lord Ozai and convince him to end the war. Zuko says similar words out loud, but the more time passes, the more uncertain these words become, and soon he no longer believes in them himself.

Sokka, Katara, and Suki have no such illusions. Their goal is to kill Fire Lord Ozai, and that's it. They also have no illusions that Aang would be able to kill him — Aang has said many times that he doesn't kill people, that he is an Air Nomad, that he wants peace, that every life is precious. But even though Sokka, Katara, and Suki know this, it doesn't mean they're going to hide in a corner and cry.

All three of them have a more or less specific goal – they will go to the Fire Nation. Aang will fight Fire Lord Ozai. When he defeats him/Ozai will be almost defeated, everyone else will react and simply kill him.

It's a pretty far-fetched plan—won't publicly killing the Fire Lord make them all traitors and murderers, and won't it reduce their chances of a coup?—but it's better than let's run around the Earth Kingdom with no plan and hope no one kills us. So. It's better than nothing.

Uncle Iroh... Toph isn't quite sure what he thinks. He's an incredibly kind man who cares for her, always makes her tea, and lets her talk when she needs to. He listens to her and advises her when he feels she needs it, but at the same time, he doesn't treat her like an invalid because she's blind. At the same time, Iroh is Ozai's older brother and the Dragon of the West. And that means he can't be underestimated. Toph wonders what his plans are.

So. To sum up.

No one still knows what to do with themselves or where to go.

Toph just knew which group to join, right?

“We could,” Aang suggests one day, “go to the Earth King.”

“Haven't we already talked about why we're not going to Ba Sing Se, like, five times?” Sokka pipes up.

“Yes, we've talked about it, but we're all being hunted by the Fire Nation now–”

“Thanks, Zuko,” Sokka mutters under his breath.

“Hey!” Zuko protests. “You were the one who thought that the plan to ‘call off the armada that Fire Lord Ozai sent to the North, surely nothing bad will happen’ would be the perfect plan and definitely not make us traitors to the Fire Nation.”

“I didn't say that last part,” Sokka objects. “I just thought we could try to prevent the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes from killing each other.”

“Yeah, so don't blame me for that now.”

“I blame you more for knowing that we could have tried to do it some other way, so that we wouldn't all be immediately considered traitors–”

“You know very well that Fire Lord Ozai would have found some evidence that we were traitors anyway and would have tried to get rid of us... it was already strange that he didn't declare us traitors the moment we found Aang–”

“You know, it's not like we didn't try to keep it quiet, and we tried very hard to prevent people from thinking that Aang was the Avatar. Uncle probably helped too–”

“Which doesn't change the fact that it didn't work in the end, because the Fire Nation still considers us traitors–”

“But no one knows yet that Aang is the Avatar–”

“Yeah, say it louder, Sokka! I'm sure Ba Sing Se hasn't heard us yet! Let's announce it to the whole world! It'll be the perfect opportunity to resolve this situation.”

Toph feels like sighing heavily. Or hitting someone. She thinks she should hit someone. Seriously.

Why is everyone starting to argue? And why is this about something Toph hasn't been fully informed about? Hello, someone joined a few days ago and hasn't heard all the previous stories.

Do they even need her?

Toph clenches her hands around the cup of tea Uncle Iroh has given her. She won't cry over such a silly reason, but at times like this, she really feels like she's not wanted here. She knows she joined them last, that she has no right to be angry about something like this—but it wouldn't hurt them to explain everything that happened to her, right?

And the information that wanted posters had appeared for them and that everyone here was already being hunted by the Fire Nation would be nice.

Toph closes her eyes—something she doesn't need to do, since she can't see anything anyway—and listens to the others' conversation. During the moment she stopped listening, the conversation shifted from being hunted by the Fire Nation to being hunted by the Earth Kingdom.

How many people might want the heads of her new friends?

Suki approaches her a little later, sitting down next to her.

“Hey,” she says.

“What's up, Powder Puff?”

“What?” Suki seems surprised by the new nickname for a moment. “Never mind. I just wanted to say that this is normal.”

“What?”

“Sokka and Zuko,” Suki says. “Sometimes it's like I blink and suddenly they're having a completely different conversation or they're completely ignoring everyone else. Or sometimes it's like, I don't know, they're talking to each other telepathically or something. It's weird, but you get used to it.”

“Are you saying that Snoozles is your boyfriend and you feel obligated to protect him?”

“If Sokka wasn't able to protect himself, I wouldn't be interested in him. I'm not interested in weak boys.”

“So you prefer pretty boys?”

“The first time I met Sokka, he had that awful ponytail and a scar across half his face. He wasn't particularly pretty.”

Toph frowns.

“Snoozles has a scar on his face? I thought it was just Zuko.”

“Usually not. But sometimes he does.”

“That doesn't make sense.”

“It will tomorrow.”

Toph realizes what's wrong with Sokka and Zuko the moment they exchange words.

It only takes her a few seconds to realize that something is wrong.

Their footsteps are strange. They walk a little differently—which is very, very different from what Toph remembers.

Toph turns toward the first person she senses—the one who is already awake—toward Zuko.

“What's wrong with you, Sparky?” she asks.

“Ah,” he says, his voice betraying his understanding. “Not today.”

“Not today?”

“Not today,” Zuko confirms. “Now I'm Sokka. I mean, I'm still Zuko, but more... Sokka. If you know what I mean.”

Toph has no idea. But Zuko—Sokka?—isn't lying.

“Explain everything,” Toph orders.

After Sokka explains everything to her – how strange it is to hear Zuko's voice speaking in Sokka's tone, choosing words that Sokka would usually use! – Toph concludes that Sokka must be telling the truth.

The second option is that Sokka is lying – but Toph doesn't sense any lies in his words.

So.

Apparently, her friends swap bodies from time to time.

“Tell me,” Toph leans slightly toward him. “How do you take advantage of the fact that you're in Sparky's body and can get away with more things?”

She can't see Sokka's face, but she knows her friend is grinning.

“Oh, you don't know everything yet, Toph.”

Hearing Sokka's voice speaking in Zuko's tone is even stranger.

Even stranger is the realization that their local Firebender is no longer a Firebender, and their local Boomerang Master is now capable of summoning flames.

Well.

The world is truly strange.

Toph decides not to worry about it and focuses on training the Avatar.

“We should come up with a plan,” Sokka says one day as they sit in an inn in a small town that is part of the Earth Kingdom. “We can't just go around in circles.”

Everyone's eyes turn to him.

“We should do something,” Sokka says.

“Great,” Katara says, “but what?”

Zuko raises his hand.

“Prove that we're not traitors?” he suggests.

“And how are you going to do that, huh?” Sokka asks.

Aang glances at one, then the other. Sokka and Zuko look at each other with irritation.

“I don't know,” Zuko says irritably. “What do you want me to do? Rob a bank? Find some secret knowledge that no one else has?”

A man sitting at a nearby table glances at them, then at Aang. He thinks for a moment.

After a moment, he approaches them. His gaze returns to Aang.

“You are an Airbender,” he says.

Everyone glances at him.

The man smiles at them.

“My name is Zei,” he says. “If I understand correctly, you need information. Have you ever heard of the Wan Shi Tong Library?”

None of them have.

“Where is it?” Toph asks, bored.

“In the Wan Shi Tong Desert.”

Aang glances at Sokka, who shrugs. They have no other destination, so they might as well go to the desert.

What could go wrong?

“No way,” Toph says. “I'm not going into that library. I'd rather stay outside with Appa.”

She has no intention of going into the library. She is completely uninterested in it.

“All right,” Uncle Iroh says gently. “In that case, let me stay with you.”

Toph smiles slightly.

She can stay in such company, especially since Uncle Iroh is always nice to her.

“Um,” says Zuko, who is Sokka today, uncertainly. “Perhaps it would be better if I stayed with you too?”

“With all due respect,” Katara says, “Spirits didn't have fond memories of Firebenders. He told us that at the very beginning, remember? So my suggestion is that our Firebenders stay outside. The rest of us go in.”

Sokka, who is Zuko today, slumps his shoulders.

“Too bad,” he says. “I was hoping we'd learn something interesting. Suki, can you find it for me?”

Suki responds by kissing him on the cheek, ignoring Professor Zei, whose heart skips a beat. Probably because he doesn't know about the Sokka-Zuko swap yet.

“With great pleasure, my love,” she says.

“What exactly are we looking for, Zuko?” Aang asks curiously.

“Ideally?” Zuko lowers his voice. “Something that would help you if you had to fight Fire Lord Ozai. Or some way we could depose him without killing him. Maybe some old law we could use?”

“Hmm,” Aang says thoughtfully. “Do you think we'll find something?”

“I don't know,” Zuko admits. “But we can look.”

Sokka's face—the face of Sokka, who is Zuko today—pales rapidly. Aang guesses that he probably looks the same.

“Energybending,” Aang whispers. “That could be the solution!”

“It's... it's worse than death, Aang,” Zuko whispers, still incredibly pale. “To do such a thing is to defy the natural order of the world. For a Firebender to lose his inner flame... Aang, it's worse than death.”

Aang tries to imagine life without the ability to feel Air. He shudders at the thought.

“But at least that way I wouldn't have to kill him,” he whispers. “I wouldn't have to take a life.”

Zuko shakes his head, clenching his fingers around the scroll they found.

“You can't do something like that, Aang. It's wrong. It's cruel.”

“But I can't kill him either, Zuko!”

“I know! I know that, Aang. But we'll find another way. Something better than this. Please.”

“But this is the solution, Zuko!” Aang points out. “One where we don't have to kill or hurt anyone! So we can finish the war, and actually win it!”

Somewhere behind them, wings flap.

Wan Shi Tong looks at them.

Zuko and Aang exchange glances.

“You haaaad to say that out loud,” Zuko says slowly.

Aang looks at him apologetically.

Then he glances at Spirit.

“If I say it's not what it looks like, will you believe us?” he asks.

Wan Shi Tong flaps his wings.

He clearly doesn't believe them.

Toph comes to the conclusion that she hates the desert.

And sandbenders.

And the desert.

Did she mention that she hates the desert?

And sand?

If not, she'll mention it again.

Especially when the tower where her friends are begins to shake.

“Take care of the tower, Toph!” Sokka shouts, summoning flames. “Uncle and I will take care of the sandbenders! Uncle, don't let them get close to Appa!”

When they manage—somehow—to get out of the library and everyone is in one piece, they encounter a very tired Toph, Sokka, and Uncle. And also Appa, who raises his head when he sees Aang.

“What happened here?” Aang asks, confused.

“Toph saved all your lives,” Sokka says. “Oh, and Uncle protected Appa from being kidnapped. Please, can we finally leave this desert? And not go to Ba Sing Se?”

“So,” Sokka says one day, when the desert is far behind them. “Our greatest advantage is the eclipse.”

“The eclipse?” Suki raises an eyebrow.

“The eclipse,” Sokka confirms. “The day when the Firebenders will lose their abilities. We still have some time—a few months—but we have to use that time wisely. Which means, Aang, you have to master all the elements.”

Sokka and Zuko exchange glances.

“You want us to teach him firebending,” Zuko realizes after a moment. “Because you think there's a risk he won't be able to defeat Fire Lord Ozai in eight minutes.”

And once again, they do that strange thing—they look at each other as if they were one, as if they could communicate without words. Aang looks at Sokka, then at Zuko.

“You know,” Sokka begins. “We're the only ones who would be willing to do this right now.”

“What about Uncle Iroh?”

Sokka glances at the man, who is currently busy drinking tea with Toph.

“Well...”

“I think,” says Aang, “that you should be my firebending teachers. I feel like that's how it should be.”

“Feel,” repeats Zuko skeptically.

Aang looks at him pleadingly.

“Please?” he asks.

“Fire is not a toy,” Zuko says sharply. “If you make a mistake–”

“It'll be fine,” Aang says. “I think you and Sokka will be good teachers.”

Zuko doesn't look convinced.

“It'll be fine,” Aang repeats. “I trust you.”

Aang smiles at him.

He is the Avatar, he knows that his task is to save this world — but at the same time, he trusts his friends to lead him in the right direction.

“We need hideout,” Katara says one day.

“I know,” Suki agrees.

“Theoretically, we should be chasing the Avatar,” Zuko remarks.

“We don't really have the means to do that anymore,” Sokka points out. “You know, we only have Appa.”

Which is, in fact, their only means of transportation. Toph knows they used to have a ship, but they lost it sometime after leaving the Northern Water Tribe.

And now, pretty much the whole world is after them — yes, Toph knew how to pick her friends. But hey, at least her life isn't boring.

“But we need a place to hide for a while,” says Katara. “We decided not to go to Ba Sing Se — which makes sense, because we can't just tell the Earth King about our plans, not when half of us are being hunted by the Earth Kingdom.”

“Hmm,” Sokka muses.

“Maybe we could hide in one of the Air Temples?” Aang suggests. “The Western Air Temple, for example? It's quite far from civilization, so we should be able to use it for a while.”

“As long as I have a place to throw rocks at you, Twinkletoes, I'm in,” Toph says.

She is an Earthbending Master, one of the best—if not the best—earthbenders in the world.

And she trusts her friends to find a way to make her life interesting.

Chapter Text

Katara's brother is weird.

Katara knows it's not his fault—that's just the way he is. It's been that way since she was born.

At first—when Katara and Sokka are still children—she accepts his words as truth, as reality. She never questions it when Sokka tells her that he has another family—a family that Katara can't see because it's far, far away across the ocean. And when Sokka tells her that sometimes he's Zuko, Katara believes him.

Katara believes his words.

And then Katara grows up and begins to understand that this is not normal.

She begins to understand that this is not good—that it shouldn't be this way. But at the same time, Katara loves her brother (brothers?), who is always there for her, who always helps her.

Sometimes they argue – but that's completely normal when it comes to siblings. Sometimes Katara gets fed up with him. Sometimes she yells at him to finally become normal – but ultimately she likes her brother.

And then her mother dies in front of her eyes and Sokka stops mentioning in her presence that he sometimes visits the Fire Nation.

Katara wants to be angry with him. After her mother's death—when the apathy passes and Katara stops crying—Katara feels rage. She feels anger. Hatred. It's as if her mother's death has awakened something in her—something that wants to destroy, something that lies dormant in Katara.

It is anger, growing with each passing day. Anger turning into hatred—and oh, Katara knows that this is wrong, that she shouldn't hate everyone, that there is good in everyone (well, maybe not everyone, but in most people). But Katara is angry, she is so angry...

And her brother is sometimes not her brother—no, not that. Sokka is not always Sokka. Sometimes he is Zuko, and Zuko no longer talks about the Fire Nation, not in Katara's presence, but then weeks and months pass.

And Katara no longer knows what to think of them.

Part of her forgets Sokka's stories. She wants to forget that Sokka and Zuko once mentioned that they were in the Fire Nation — that they have a second family in the Fire Nation.

Sometimes, Katara catches Sokka looking at her. It's as if he regrets who and what he is — and then Katara realizes a terrifying truth: if his other family is real, then Sokka has another mother.

Did Sokka or Zuko ever love Kya?

Do either of them love their family?

Katara doesn't want to think about it—because it would be so easy to start hating her brother (brothers?). And Katara lost her mother, she lost so much – and she needs her family. She needs her dad, she needs Gran-Gran. And she needs Sokka and Zuko.

So Katara tries not to think about it.

Years pass, Katara grows up.

Sokka still becomes Zuko from time to time.

The older they get, the more visible the differences become. The more visible the gap in their memory becomes – because Sokka never remembers the days when he is Zuko; just as Zuko never remembers the days when he is Sokka. They are both aware of each other's existence, but they never have the opportunity to meet.

As the years pass, Katara begins to view them with suspicion. She knows what people say about them—that Sokka is crazy, that he has memory problems—but Katara quickly realizes that this is not the case. She knows her brothers—and she sees that sometimes Zuko knows things he shouldn't know. Her older brother (Katara doesn't know which one is older—Zuko or Sokka) sometimes shows her things he shouldn't know. His handwriting is much better than Sokka's, and sometimes, when Katara asks him nicely, he is able to draw something for her—and what a difference it is compared to Sokka's drawings! Zuko knows foreign recipes, knows stories from distant countries, and his table manners are different from Sokka's.

Katara begins to understand that her brothers never lied—that the switch actually happened and that sometimes Sokka lives the life of another boy. And since neither of them mentions the Fire Nation anymore, Katara allows herself to believe that Zuko is someone from the Earth Kingdom or the Northern Water Tribe.

Even though she knows it's not true.

Azula's brother is different.

In the Fire Nation, being different is dangerous. Especially if you are a member of the royal family.

Azula watches her brother—and she knows very well that Zuko is sometimes not Zuko. And while most people would consider him crazy, Azula quickly realizes that this is not the case.

Azula grows up watching Zuko and Sokka, learning to distinguish between the two.

Just as quickly, Azula learns that this must remain a secret between the two of them. Their father must not find out.

Azula sometimes considers telling Ozai about this, but ultimately decides not to. Mainly because knowing his secret gives her an advantage over him. Besides, when Sokka shows up, he's really nice—and when Zuko returns, her brother smiles at her in a strange way that Azula can't quite understand.

Her brother is weak, has trouble bending, isn't particularly smart, but he's always there for her.

Azula knows that Ozai sees her only as a weapon. Ursa is afraid of her. Iroh sees her as a threat. Lu Ten tries to pretend to be her friend. Mai and Ty Lee are only by her side because they were chosen to accompany her.

Zuzu, her weak, pathetic brother, is with her for some reason. And whether it's Zuko or Sokka, he always tries to be close to her, always listens to her, and talks. Sokka can talk an incredible amount, and often these are pathetic stories about his other (easier) life at the South Pole.

At the same time, for some reason, her brother wants to protect her.

Azula is not stupid. She sees the protectiveness that both Zuko and Sokka sometimes show her. Azula mocks it many times, but often receives only a slightly sad smile and the words “you are my younger sister. As your older brother, I have to take care of you” in response.

Azula thinks this is stupid.

She doesn't need her brother's protection.

It is Zuko who is weak. It is Zuko who has problems with firebending, it is Zuko who is never good enough.

Azula is a prodigy. Everyone knows she is perfect. She must be perfect.

 Azula does not need her brother's protection — but she gets it anyway. And that is incredibly annoying, but Azula quickly learns that she can use it to her advantage.

Her father constantly praises her firebending. Her mother tries not to look at her, afraid of her. Even Mai and Ty Lee sometimes distance themselves, as if they are afraid of her.

But Zuko and Sokka are never afraid of her. Her brothers are incredibly loyal—so stupid, so naive.

Zuko and Sokka see her.

They don't look at her as Princess Azula, the future of the Fire Nation. They don't see only her firebending skills, they don't see only her power. They see that Azula is ultimately only human and that sometimes she is wrong, she makes mistakes.

And they are loyal to her.

Azula likes loyalty. She likes those she can use.

So, since Zuzu is loyal to her—how naive, how foolish—Azula will protect those who are hers. Her naive, honorable, and somewhat idealistic brother is on her side (okay, Azula isn't entirely sure about that part, but so far she hasn't noticed him even thinking about betraying her). So that means Zuzu is hers. Azula takes care of what is hers.

Their mother disappears one day, and their father becomes Fire Lord.

Azula is not surprised by this.

She doesn't know if Ursa is still alive or if she decided to run away after killing Fire Lord Azulon (really, if anyone hasn't figured out that his death was the result of Ursa and Ozai's actions, they are incredibly stupid—even Sokka is aware of this!). And to be honest, she doesn't really care what the truth is.

Ursa never cared about her. Ursa never loved her.

Azula has no illusions. She knows she is a child whose parents don't really see her. Ozai sees her as a weapon, not a human being; Ursa has always been afraid of her.

But Sokka and Zuko care about her.

And for now, that will suffice. 

Everything becomes true when news of the Fire Nation reaches them—that Fire Lord Azulon is dead and his younger son, Ozai, is his heir.

Katara doesn't think too much about it—of course, it's important information, but it probably won't change much in terms of the war (after all, officially, there are no more Waterbenders at the South Pole—Katara is the last one, the very last one).

But then – completely by accident – she overhears a conversation between her father and Sokka.

“You're not crazy,” her father tells him. “You never were.”

Katara stops. Neither Hakoda nor Sokka can see her – they are on the other side of the igloo, and Katara ended up here completely by accident.

But something in her father's tone of voice makes Katara unable to move. She knows she's doing the wrong thing — that she's eavesdropping on a conversation that should be private. She knows it perfectly well — but Katara still doesn't move.

Somewhere in front of her, Hakoda hugs Sokka and says a few words that bring a strange smile to his lips.

Katara feels like snorting. It should be obvious that Sokka isn't crazy. Katara has known this for years! Yes, Sokka is strange, sometimes really strange—but her brother isn't crazy. Neither of her brothers is.

Katara can't believe it took her father so long to figure it out! Really, what was her father thinking?

“Forgive me,” says Hakoda. “It's just that when I tried to comprehend it...”

“It's okay, Dad, it's completely understandable,” Sokka laughs quietly, but it's a strange laugh, as if he's not in the mood for jokes. “I guess if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't believe you either? You know, your child tells you that they regularly visit another family, and that family is in the Fire Nation? I'd probably either be incredibly worried about them or think they were crazy — no, I'd hope they were crazy.”

Katara freezes.

Fire Nation.

Katara closes her eyes. She tried so hard to forget about it. She tried so hard to convince herself that Sokka and Zuko weren't from the Fire Nation — but at the same time, it wasn't their fault. Neither Sokka nor Zuko chose their fate. Neither of them wanted Katara's mother to die.

“But you're not,” Hakoda says gently. “Because everything you see there—everything you experience there—is real. You knew about the Fire Lord's death weeks before you found out about it, just as you knew who would take the throne, you knew that Lady Ursa had disappeared...”

“Because this is my life, Dad,” Sokka says solemnly. “This is my life. My family.”

“And now Zuko is the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation.”

“Yup,” Sokka confirms. “Not that he or I can do anything about it. My father, Ozai, doesn't listen to me. And I don't think he'll listen to me. Once you talk to Zuko, he'll probably tell you something different, but honestly? Zuko is incredibly blind when it comes to this. I'm not surprised, though, since he spends most of his life there, so...”

Katara doesn't hear the rest of what Sokka says.

She doesn't hear it because she turns away and runs away as fast as she can, her heart beating incredibly fast.

She doesn't know what to think about it.

Her brother—her brothers—are her enemies. They are part of the Fire Nation—worse, part of the Fire Nation royal family, the same people who killed her mother, who gave the order to destroy her Tribe...

Katara should hate them.

Katara wants to hate them.

Why didn't Sokka or Zuko tell her about this? Did they think Katara was too weak to handle the truth? Or did they not trust her enough? Or were they never on her side, or–

Sokka and Zuko knew Katara was a Waterbender.

Sokka and Zuko knew it from the very beginning—for so long.

And the Fire Nation came to their Tribe in search of a Waterbender.

Katara falls to her knees, feeling hatred mingling with despair.

She doesn't want to believe it — she doesn't want to believe that Sokka and Zuko would do such a thing — but the terrible suspicion “what if?” pops into her head.

What if Sokka and Zuko told their other family about it?

What if Sokka and Zuko betrayed her?

Katara feels sick.

She doesn't want to think about it — but she does anyway.

When Katara sees Sokka, her hatred reignites.

She pulls her brother aside. For a moment, Katara doesn't know what to say — part of her doesn't want to be angry with him, she knows it's wrong, he's her brother — but then she looks at him and remembers everything she heard.

“Did you tell them?” Katara asks.

“What?” Sokka blinks, surprised.

“Was it you,” Katara says slowly, letting her brother see the hatred in her eyes, “who pointed out our village to the Fire Nation?”

Was it you who killed our mother? Katara doesn't say this out loud.

But the question is perfectly audible.

Sokka's eyes widen suddenly.

“No!” he says quickly. “I would never do such a thing!”

“But you're one of them! You're part of the Fire Nation!”

“Yes, but—No, not like that!” Sokka protests. “Katara, I would never do such a thing.”

“Then it's not you, it's Zuko! Zuko, who is more Fire Nation than you will ever be!”

Katara screams. She doesn't even notice the tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Katara!” Suddenly, Sokka is next to her, hugging her tightly.

Katara tries to break free from his embrace. She doesn't need her brother — she doesn't need this traitor, not when Sokka never cared about her, when he actually wanted to abandon her, when he killed their mother–

“Katara!” Sokka says her name again, holding her tightly, not letting her escape his embrace. Why won't he let her go, why won't he leave her alone, why won't he show his true colors, why?

Katara hates him so much, almost as much as she hates herself, when she should be attacking him — when she should be furious with him — but instead, Katara is still in his arms, crying like a little girl.

“I would never do such a thing!” Sokka still won't let her go. “Katara, you're my family, Dad and Mom are my family... I would never do such a thing. I love you all. I would never betray you.”

“Why is Mom dead? Someone told the Fire Nation that there was a Waterbender in the South–”

“If it were me or Zuko, you'd be dead by now,” Sokka interrupts her. “Katara, if one of us had betrayed you, the Fire Nation soldiers would have been looking for a child, not an adult woman. But that didn't happen — they didn't know who the last Waterbender from the South was.”

“How dare you–!”

“I didn't betray you, Katara,” Sokka says emphatically. “You're my sister. You're my sister — I want to protect you, I would do anything to keep you safe — I love you, Katara.”

Katara can't believe his words. She wants to scream that it's not true, that it's a lie — but Sokka is there, holding her tight, and Sokka has always been there for her since their mother died...

Katara's knees buckle beneath her.

They both fall to the ground, onto the cold snow — and then they both cry, unable to hold back the emotions that are overwhelming them.

Katara doesn't know how long they spend like this. She only knows that they are both crying — and all this time, Sokka is with her, holding her tightly, stroking her hair, holding on to her as if she were his salvation.

“I hate you,” Katara says after a while, sniffling. “I hate you.”

“I know,” Sokka pulls her closer. “I love you, Katara.”

Katara wants to scream. She wants to be angry at him.

Instead, she hides in his arms, letting him protect her from the rest of the world.

Azula's brother is a naive fool.

Azula watches him defy their father.

She sees him agree to the Agni Kai.

She sees the determination in his eyes—that he is sure he will win.

“You are a fool,” Azula informs him.

“I am doing what I must,” Zuko replies.

“And that's why you're a fool.”

“Don't exaggerate, Lala,” Zuko smiles at her slightly, then tugs her hair, as if she were a child and he were an adult.

Azula snorts under her breath. She should burn him for that.

When Zuko can't see it, Azula smiles.

Her brother isn't fighting.

And he's burning.

Azula watches, unable to move. She feels as if she can't move her body.

Azula doesn't know if she's happy or, on the contrary, feels like she's about to vomit. She only knows that she can't take her eyes off her brother burning before her eyes.

Uncle Iroh looks away.

But Azula watches.

She watches and watches, absorbing the sight of the flames.

Father has hurt someone who is mine, Azula suddenly realizes. Somewhere below, in the arena, Zuko is still screaming. Her stupid, naive, reckless older brother is not even trying to protect himself, wanting to believe in their father until the very end.

And Azula watches.

Then, her brother is gone.

Azula is left alone in the palace. Mai and Ty Lee are by her side, but it's not enough — Azula understands perfectly well that they will never be her real family.

Everyone abandons Azula.

Her mother. Zuzu. Sokka. Uncle Iroh.

And it's all her father's fault.

It was her father who killed their mother. It was her father who hurt and banished Zuzu and Sokka. It was her father who forced Uncle Iroh to leave the capital. To leave Azula.

Azula is alone—but Azula is not weak.

She knows perfectly well that there are days when one should fight, and days when one should not. Azula is not Zuko, she is not Sokka, she is not naive. She knows her place and she knows what is expected of her.

Azula knows this perfectly well – so she plays her role. She follows her father step by step, obeying his orders. She bows when necessary. She does everything that is required of her.

Azula is not like her brothers. She is different, better, stronger—and Azula looks out for herself.

Her father, Ozai, took something that belonged to her.

Azula will not forgive him for that.

Something happened, but neither Zuko nor Sokka will say exactly what it was.

Katara doesn't think it's because their father left them—no, it's something else, something that makes Zuko stop smiling (he tries, oh, he tries so hard to act like everything is fine, but Katara isn't naive. She can see that those smiles are fake). Something has made Sokka stick close to her, train harder than ever before, sometimes staring into space pensively.

Sokka and Zuko don't tell her anything — but Katara will find out.

It's only a matter of time.

Her brothers send her letters.

Azula receives them regularly. She burns each of them, not wanting them to reach their father.

Sometimes she replies. Sometimes she doesn't.

Sometimes the messages miss each other. Zuko or Sokka answer questions she asked them weeks earlier—and no wonder, her brothers are always on the move. Azula wouldn't be surprised if the letters simply got lost in the mail.

But.

Her brothers write to her.

And every time Azula looks at the signature, every time she looks at the contents of the letter, a memory of flames and the voice mine, mine, mine echoes into her head.

Azula is patient.

She burns the letters. She fulfills her father's will. She smiles when she has to.

And she waits.

There are moments when Katara notices that something is wrong.

She notices that Zuko doesn't like anyone getting close to him — that he doesn't want anyone to touch him. It's only a few weeks later that Zuko is the one who approaches Katara — a little cautiously, as if he's afraid something might happen. He braids her hair, just like he used to do long ago, and cuddles up to her on cold evenings when it's just the three of them — the two of them and Gran-Gran.

Katara notices that Zuko doesn't want to be near fire for a long time. That he — a firebender — prefers to stay away from it.

It is Sokka who explains everything, almost three years after their father left them.

“I talked to Zuko recently,” says Sokka. He grimaces, then corrects himself. “That is, I wrote to him. And he's coming here.”

“He's coming,” Katara repeats hollowly. “What do you mean?”

“That we'll see him soon,” Sokka smiles broadly. “He's coming to us.”

Katara knows that Zuko has not been in the Fire Nation for some time — that he has been traveling the world for some time, though Katara does not know why.

“That... That would be wonderful!” she smiles.

Long ago, she came to terms with the fact that Zuko and Sokka were not responsible for her mother's death. Long ago, she understood that they were both her brothers — that they were her allies.

That doesn't mean everything is fine. That Katara has to like the Fire Nation.

Because Katara hates the Fire Nation. Sokka and Zuko are both Fire and Water, and they clearly value both countries, but Katara isn't like that. She can't bring herself to like the Fire Nation, she still hates it, and she'd probably smile if the country fell.

But Sokka and Zuko are part of the Fire Nation. Because of her brothers, when Zuko arrives here, Katara may try to pretend that everything is fine. She may try to tolerate the Fire Nation.

“Yes,” Sokka also can't stop smiling. After a moment, however, the smile disappears from his face. “But before you meet him, I have to tell you something. There's something you need to know.”

“Go ahead,” Katara leans toward him.

If it were a normal day, Sokka would smile or gently flick her forehead to push her away.

But Sokka doesn't smile.

“Katara,” he says. “Zuko asked me to tell you this, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't ask him about it later, okay? Unless he wants to talk about it.”

“Okay,” Katara frowns. “What is it?”

“Zuko... Zuko has a scar.”

“A scar?” Katara repeats. “So what?”

“Ugh...” Sokka hesitates a little. “A rather large scar. And a very noticeable one. It takes up half his face.”

“Ouch.”

“And it's a burn scar,” Sokka adds. “It's healed now, but... Katara, it's kind of serious. Zuko can barely see or hear on one side. So I just... wanted you to know. Be prepared.”

Katara nods.

Scars are a sign of warriors — a sign that someone has fought.

Katara always knew that her brothers were warriors.

“Wait,” Katara says. “A burn scar? But Zuko is a Firebender, right? I thought Firebenders didn't burn easily. So... Was it some kind of accident?”

“No,” Sokka says, looking at her intently. “It wasn't an accident.”

Katara feels terror rising within her. The last few years make sense now — how Zuko withdrew, how he feared fire, how he avoided contact with others...

“Who?” Katara whispers. “Who hurt him?”

Who hurt her brother?

Sokka hesitates for a moment, as if unsure of what to say.

“You have to understand,” he begins slowly, “that not every family is... nice. And my other family—the royal family of the Fire Nation—can be very... harsh. Especially when it comes to my– my father. The current Fire Lord, Ozai.”

Katara shudders against her will. She knows who Zuko is and who his family is, but it's still strange to hear something like this.

“So, when someone goes against the Fire Lord's will, the consequences can be... serious.”

“It was him,” Katara realizes with horror. “Zuko's father hurt him.”

Sokka nods solemnly.

“Why?” Katara doesn't understand.

“Because he's a big jerk,” Sokka replies. “And because Zuko defied him — and I'm not surprised, Zuko wanted to save people! And then Ozai ordered him to fight in the Agni Kai — that's a firebending duel — but forgot to tell him who he was fighting, so...”

Sokka gestures toward his face.

Katara feels like she's about to get sick.

“Zuko didn't fight,” Sokka says quietly. “You know, I can't quite understand it, but Zuko... I think he loves him. Or used to. Because he's his father — Zuko is more Fire Nation than I am, it's his main life, so... I guess he just couldn't fight him. So he surrendered—and Ozai burned him and banished him from the Fire Nation in return. I told him and Uncle that they could come here, but Zuko didn't want to — I guess he didn't want you to see him, and I don't blame him, his ponytail was awful — but anyway, I finally convinced him to come here.”

“Good!” says Katara. “Zuko doesn't need that other family! And he definitely doesn't need to go back to the Fire Nation!”

“Hey, hey,” Sokka raises his hands. “Azula and Uncle Iroh are nice. Besides, someone will have to take over the Fire Nation throne after Ozai—because we have to get rid of him.”

“Okay,” Katara agrees. “All right.”

She thinks for a moment. She nods to her own thoughts.

“We'll talk about what happens and what we're going to do when we meet Zuko,” Katara decides. “But we're going to defeat Ozai, right?”

“Definitely,” Sokka grins widely. “No one hurts my siblings.”

The boy is in the iceberg.

The boy is in the iceberg, and nothing makes sense anymore.

On the same day that Aang appears in her life, Zuko arrives.

Katara doesn't know if it's fate or not, but one thing she is sure of: she recognizes him as soon as she sees him.

“You're Zuko,” she realizes, looking at him.

At her brother.

Her brother is different from Sokka. He has black hair, half his face is marked by an ugly scar — Katara hates Ozai so much — he is taller than Katara. He looks at her uncertainly, but there is recognition in his eyes. 

“Yeah...” Zuko says. “Katara.”

His voice breaks a little at the end.

Katara does the only thing she can do—she hugs him.

Her family is almost complete.

So, Aang turns out to be the Avatar.

And Zuko has a mission to capture the Avatar.

Fortunately, Sokka thinks quickly and comes up with an incredibly stupid idea—to send Aang on a mission to capture the Avatar—and Zuko is stupid enough to agree to it.

“Hey,” Katara says in the evening, nudging Sokka with her elbow.

“Hm?”

“You're not going to let Zuko take Aang to the Fire Lord, are you?”

“Of course not,” says Sokka. “I'm going to train Aang — I'll teach him firebending, even if I have to do it most of the time without being a Firebender myself. I'm not going to let Aang suffer the same fate as Zuko.”

“Does Zuko know about this?”

“Not yet,” Sokka admits. “But you know, we still have a few months to change his mind.”

Katara had known about the swap for a long time.

She was used to seeing Zuko in Sokka's body.

It was something else entirely to see Sokka looking like Zuko.

“Huh,” Zuko says, looking at Sokka, who is currently talking about something with Aang. And it's strange, wrong, and yet so right at the same time.

Because it's Sokka, but he looks like Zuko. Katara has already gotten used to Zuko being a little more serious than Sokka. She's gotten used to the fact that you rarely see a smile on his face. Meanwhile, Sokka-looking-like-Zuko is smiling broadly as he talks to Aang. In the same way that Sokka smiled at Katara yesterday.

“So that's how it is,” says Zuko.

“What?”

“Us,” Zuko replies. “I've been thinking about it. How it looks in your eyes.”

“Our eyes?” Katara glances at him out of the corner of her eye, then back at Sokka. Yes. Zuko-who-is-now-Sokka looks strange with that smile. Being so open to others.

“Yours,” Zuko confirms. “Theirs. Everyone around us.”

Katara realizes that this is the first time he has seen himself from this perspective.

“And what do you think?” she asks.

“I don't know,” Zuko shrugs. “It's weird.”

“Weird,” Katara repeats. “Well, welcome to my life.”

“It's not like either of us decided we were going to switch bodies, Katara.”

“Would you rather it wasn't?” Katara asks, suddenly feeling an irrational fear that maybe Zuko doesn't want this. That he has a better family. That their Tribe, so small compared to the Fire Nation, means nothing to him.

“Of course not,” Zuko replies. “It's strange, looking at Sokka like this, like everyone else, seeing myself the way you see him, but... even if it's strange, it's okay. It would be stranger if we suddenly stopped switching bodies.”

Katara is silent for a moment.

“Have you ever thought about it?” she asks quietly. “What if one of you was taken? If...?”

If one of you died, Katara should say, but she can't.

“Of course I've thought about it,” Zuko replies, a shadow lurking in his gaze. “But I have a feeling I won't know until the very end. However, if I had to guess, I'd say...”

He doesn't finish.

“Never mind,” he says. “Come on, Katara. I'm hungry.”

“What, are you Sokka?”

“This is Sokka's body,” Zuko looks at her with slight amusement. “Of course I'm hungry. Do you think we can convince the cooks to serve seal jerky sometime?”

Sokka has found the Airbender.

Sokka has found the Airbender and forced him to work with Zuko to search for the Avatar together.

Azula laughs when she receives a letter from her brother.

Sokka asks her for support.

Azula continues to laugh as she sends her reply.

Let Zhao know that Azula supports her brothers' actions.

At the North Pole, Katara becomes a Waterbending Master.

Her brother is, in a way, engaged.

Katara wonders if Azula knows about it.

Toph is quite... peculiar.

But she's quite nice. Except for the fact that they end up kind of kidnapping her, but... um. Better not to think about that.

Aang begins his training. Katara, Toph, Zuko, and Sokka take turns teaching him. General Iroh—Uncle Iroh, as he asks to be called—is also a Firebender and sometimes helps out a little with firebending, but one day he announces that they must part ways. He says something about needing to visit some friends and having something important to do, and that it might be better if he wasn't seen with them right now, especially after what happened in the North.

He says that the Avatar must learn to control the four elements. And that Iroh will be able to pretend that Zuko is somewhere else, looking for the Avatar.

They split up—Katara still thinks it's a stupid idea—and go to the Western Air Temple.

They spend several weeks there training.

Katara feels as if her family has grown. She has two older brothers, one younger sister, one older sister, and Aang—who is kind of her brother, but kind of not. That part is a little weird.

Time passes. Aang gets a little better at bending, but it's still not enough.

And then Azula shows up.

Azula doesn't find her siblings by accident.

After conquering Omashu, Azula is looking for a way to conquer Ba Sing Se as well—it's her duty, and besides, that way she would be able to show the world that she is better, stronger, more powerful than the rest of her family.

In Ba Sing Se, Azula meets her uncle.

Azula stares at him for a while.

She has no idea what Iroh is doing here—of all places in Ba Sing Se, in a city he should hate—in a city that hates him.

Iroh stares at her for a long time.

“Would you like some tea, niece?” he finally asks, smiling at her.

Azula doesn't.

Despite this, she accepts his invitation.

She sits down across from her uncle, trying to understand what he is doing here. Azula tries to keep up with what her brothers are up to—plural for the past few months, since Sokka and Zuko found each other and are staying together—but neither of them mentioned that their uncle was in Ba Sing Se.

Iroh pours her some tea.

Azula watches him closely.

For a long, long time, neither of them speaks. Azula looks at her uncle—who left her, who abandoned her, who protected those who are hers.

“Where are they?” Azula asks.

“Who?”

“My brothers.”

Something changes in Iroh's expression. Her uncle takes a sip of tea. He puts the cup aside.

“This,” he says, “is a very interesting story.”

It takes Azula almost two weeks to get her uncle to tell her where her brothers are. When she finds out, Azula spends a week thinking about her next moves.

Zuko and Sokka are together at the Western Air Temple. They have been accompanied for some time by an Airbender, a Waterbender, and an Earthbender. Officially, they are all searching for the Avatar together, but...

The Fire Sages have confirmed the Avatar's awakening. Everyone knows that the Avatar has returned, but no one knows where he is now. Almost immediately after receiving this information, Zuko and Sokka went to the Northern Water Tribe in search of the Avatar, as there is a risk that the new Avatar could be reborn there. Somewhere along the way, Zuko gained a fiancée, and Zhao betrayed the Fire Nation. 

Azula drums her fingers on the tabletop where she is sitting.

Her thoughts wander to the people her brothers are traveling with.

Suki, from the “neutral” Kyoshi Island.

Zuko and Sokka. Firebenders.

Katara, Sokka's sister. Waterbender.

Toph Beifong. Earthbender.

And Aang. The Last Airbender.

The Last Airbender... or someone more than an Airbender.

Or perhaps a team created specifically to find and train the Avatar.

Azula stands up.

It's time for a family visit.

Azula has to admit one thing—when she meets them all at the Western Air Temple, none of them reveal themselves as the Avatar.

Azula scans them all, her gaze focusing on two people—her brother, Zuko (Azula had seen the scar on the wanted posters, but she hadn't expected it to still be red). And a darker-skinned boy, whose face breaks into a familiar smile.

Sokka.

Azula is silent for a moment.

“What,” she says, “are you all doing here?”

Everyone—except for one blind girl—looks at each other.

“Um,” Zuko says eloquently. “We're trying to catch the Avatar?”

Azula's gaze turns to the young boy. Airbender.

“You,” she says, “are you capable of defeating my father?”

“Um...” Airbender—Avatar—Aang—does not answer immediately.

“Pathetic,” Azula says. “I'm taking over your training right now.”

No one touches what belongs to her.

The time has come for Azula to get the revenge she has been waiting for for three years.

Katara doesn't trust Azula.

Azula appears suddenly—too suddenly—and almost immediately starts trying to kill Aang—ahem, train him. Zuko was demanding, but Azula? Azula is on a whole other level.

And Sokka seems to adore her.

Both Sokka and Zuko like Azula. Katara doesn't know what to think about it.

In just a few days, Azula finds her place among them. She trains with Aang, Sokka, Zuko, and Toph.

Aang likes her right away. He accepts her without any problems as soon as he hears that Azula is Sokka and Zuko's sister—and, according to Aang, Katara's sister too (okay, that part is a little weird). Katara can't stop watching their training sessions with concern.

Zuko and Azula get along fine. At the very beginning, they spend quite a lot of time together—sometimes the three of them, when Sokka joins them—talking about what happened when they weren't seeing each other. Sometimes Azula makes a snide comment to Zuko, but he doesn't care at all, just smiles slightly at her.

Sokka and Azula plot together. Katara sometimes sees them talking about something in hushed tones. A few times, their heads turn toward them—toward Zuko, toward Aang—and then they return to their conversation. Looking at them, Katara sometimes feels out of place, as if Azula were stealing her brother—her brothers.

Toph and Azula challenge each other. After their first duel—which ends in defeat for Toph—Toph is the one who loses—Toph doesn't give up. She challenges her again—and this time Toph wins. And then their duels become a normal part of the day.

When they're not fighting, Toph and Azula still find a way to find something to argue about. After a while, Katara really gets fed up with the two of them.

Suki and Azula respect each other. Katara didn't think Azula was capable of respecting anyone, but for some reason Azula starts to respect Suki — after making sure she's the right person to be her brother's girlfriend, of course.

Katara watches as Azula insinuates herself into their team, and she definitely doesn't like it.

“You don't have to be so stressed, Water Tribe,” Azula says one evening, sitting down next to her and nonchalantly crossing her legs.

“I'm not stressed,” Katara objects. “I just don't trust you. You're a threat.”

“Finally, someone who realizes that,” Azula smiles at her instead of getting angry. “Dum-dum can be incredibly naive, can't he?”

“Dum-dum?”

“Zuko,” Azula explains with slight irritation. “He's always been naive. He's always wanted to see the best in people.”

“Oh, really?” Katara secretly makes sure she has her water skin with her. “What do you want, Azula? Why are you here, why are you helping us?”

Katara knows that Azula has everything—she has her title of Crown Princess. She should want to get rid of Aang.

Azula looks at her intently.

“Because Ozai took what is mine,” she says simply. “And I protect what is mine. And if that means I have to bring my father to his knees, then so be it.”

Katara is silent for a moment.

Azula isn't fighting for the good of the world like Katara, Aang, Suki, and Sokka are. Azula isn't fighting to taste freedom for a while like Toph is.

Azula, like Zuko, wants her family back.

“All right,” Katara says. “Tell me how I can help you.”

If there's one thing Azula loves about being sent on a mission to capture the Avatar (because apparently her brother isn't capable of doing it), it's the fact that Azula doesn't have to go home.

So she doesn't.

Azula has more important things to do.

One day, Katara loses her patience.

“We can't trust her!” she protests, hissing at Zuko.

Zuko, that damned idiot, of course doesn't respond in kind. He just stares at her for a while, then replies:

“Why? It's Azula.”

“That's why! She hasn't given us any reason to trust her! She's part of the Fire Nation!”

“Sokka and I are part of the Fire Nation,” Zuko reminds her.

“That's completely different. Azula can control lightning—she's dangerous, how can you forget that? And she conquered Omashu!”

“She's my sister, Katara,” Zuko says gently.

“So what, you're going to choose her side after all? Decide that Azula is more important to you than me?”

“I don't want to choose anyone, Agni, Katara! Azula came here to help us!”

"And she knows that Aang is the Avatar. We can't trust her — anyway, why am I even telling you this? You're part of the Fire Nation. It's because of you that my mother died.

Something changes on Zuko's face.

“No,” he says, his words barely louder than a whisper. “Katara, she was my mother too.”

“But in the end, you choose the Fire Nation over the Tribe!” Katara raises her voice. “How can you do that?!”

She turns away, not wanting to talk to him anymore, feeling anger rising inside her.

She knows she shouldn't be angry with him, that Zuko was young at the time, that he almost certainly didn't tell the Fire Nation royal family about it — but if he accidentally gave himself away...

Katara doesn't want to think about it.

Zuko appears before her early in the morning.

“I know who killed our mother,” he says simply. “Shall we go?”

They go.

Katara doesn't kill him, even though part of her wants to.

Ultimately, she realizes that it makes no sense. That by doing so, she would only continue the cycle of violence, death, and bloodshed.

She is better than Yon Rha.

“When you become Fire Lord, I want him to be punished,” Katara says quietly as they return to camp.

“If I become Fire Lord,” Zuko corrects her. “But that's fine. I'm not going to forgive him either.”

Katara glances at him out of the corner of her eye.

“You wanted to kill him,” she says quietly.

“I still do,” Zuko says simply. “But ultimately, it's your decision. You saw it all. You deserve to decide his fate.”

Some time later, when Azula (of all people, Azula!) decides that Aang is ready (or, in her words: you'll never be ready, but if we wait until you are, we'll never get there), the Fire Princess leaves them.

Azula leaves first, saying something about catching traitors, Ba Sing Se, and old friends.

Katara watches her go with uncertainty.

“Are you sure it's a good idea to send her alone?” she asks.

“I think so,” Sokka shrugs. “Azula should return to the Fire Nation first, so that if anything happens, it won't look like she's working with us.”

Katara isn't entirely convinced that this is a good idea and whether they can really trust Azula, but the rest of her friends have no problem with it.

Sokka smiles slightly.

“Either way,” he says. “Is there anyone here who wants to invade the Fire Nation?”

They don't invade the Fire Nation.

Instead, some time after the eclipse, when everyone in the Fire Nation thinks the greatest threat has passed, they enter the Fire Nation, taking Aang with them — who is technically their prisoner.

They stand before Fire Lord Ozai, whose face shows a strange mixture of emotions—as if he didn't expect his son to actually be able to capture the Avatar.

“He's been lying to me for months,” growls Sokka, in Zuko's body that day. “He pretended he wanted to find the Avatar, when in fact he is the Avatar himself.”

Ozai blinks.

There are people all around them—people who can confirm that yes, Prince Zuko brought the Avatar before his father, and in doing so, fulfilled the terms of his exile.

Of course, that's aside from the fact that Ozai theoretically accused them all of treason and the failed Siege of the North.

Either way, they are all here together, standing in front of Ozai.

Katara glances at her friends.

Suki nods.

Toph stamps her foot – and then the chains binding Aang are destroyed by stones.

Ozai summons his flames, shouting something about treason.

Katara doesn't care.

She takes a step forward.

The Fire Nation took her mother, hurt her brothers.

Now it's time for her revenge.

Aang does not kill the Fire Lord.

He hesitates at the last moment—but he does not kill him.

Somehow—Azula still does not know how it happened—he managed to take away his bending. Which is strange and a little suspicious, but well—it worked.

The truth is as follows: the Avatar stood against the Fire Lord and won. And since the Avatar has the right to remove the head of state, no one can protest that Ozai has lost his position.

Azula definitely has no intention of protesting.

For some time after her father's fall, the Fire Nation is in a state of panic.

For a while, everyone wants to catch the members of Team Avatar (even Zuko (currently: Sokka), who theoretically did nothing but fulfill his task of bringing the Avatar to the Fire Lord). No one can arrest the Avatar — because, theoretically, he acted within the law.

But then Azula and Zuko (currently: still Sokka) decide to magnanimously forgive them, because although they acted against Ozai, they were in a way acting in accordance with the will of the Avatar, who acted in accordance with the law, so...

Well. This is a matter that will drag on for several more months. The new Fire Lord will take care of it, just as the new Fire Lord will have to take care of ending the war.

But first, someone has to become the new Fire Lord.

Azula glances at her brothers.

It's still a little strange to have them both next to her and to be aware that they are really two people who have exchanged bodies.

According to the right of succession, Zuko should be the Fire Lord. But Zuko hasn't been here for the last few years and doesn't really know what's going on in the country. Besides, what has he been doing in exile? Training the Avatar? Is that really something that would make him worthy of the throne?

Meanwhile, for the past three years, it was Azula who stood by her father's side, smiling when necessary and doing his bidding.

Azula knows that she deserves it — that she is stronger than her brothers, that for the past three years she has been the strongest candidate for the throne.

Part of Azula wants the throne. It is something she is entitled to—something she deserves.

But then Azula thinks of Ozai. The man she hates more than anyone else in the world. The man who hurt what is hers; who took something that is hers.

“What now?” asks Sokka (currently still looking like Zuko). “Someone has to take the throne. We can't talk to other countries without a new Fire Lord.”

“We should kill Father,” suggests Azula. “To get rid of the problem he poses.”

“We can't do that right away,” objects Zuko (now: Sokka), and wow, her Dum-Dum is capable of thinking. “Besides, it doesn't change our situation. Uncle–”

“If you say you want to put him on the throne, I swear I'll attack you with lightning,” says Azula. “Uncle Fatso gave up the throne years ago, not to mention that if you want to fulfill your pathetic dream of peace–”

“Azula, you know very well that we are both part of the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe, we cannot continue this war,” Sokka interjects. “And Toph would be furious if we forgot about the Earth Kingdom. So we have to try to make peace with them somehow.”

“–then you can't put him on the throne, and don't interrupt me, Sokka,” Azula glares at him. Sokka doesn't look scared (unfortunately). “Uncle Fatso is the Dragon of the West, the Earth Kingdom hates him, etc., besides, I don't trust him. He had many chances to claim the throne, but he didn't.”

Sokka and Zuko exchange glances.

“We could ask him to come back here,” Zuko says. “Uncle is somewhere in the Earth Kingdom now–”

Azula snorts. She's willing to bet that Iroh had something to do with Omashu being liberated not so long ago.

“–but if we asked him for help, he would come back. I think. But Uncle knows politics. And he was with us during the negotiations with Dad—that is, with Chief Hakoda.”

Azula snorts. Since when does Zuzu have a second father?

...can Azula take him too, if he's better than Ozai?

“If Uncle wanted to, he would have taken the throne long ago,” Azula remarks. “He had his chance, but he didn't take it.”

Sokka and Zuko exchange glances.

“You're right,” Sokka admits. “And it's true that many people probably see him as, well...”

“A war criminal?” suggests Azula.

“Not according to Fire Nation regulations, but yes, basically,” Zuko admits reluctantly. “But I'm sure Uncle would help.”

“I don't care,” Azula looks at him, then at Sokka. “Say one more time that you want to put him on the throne, and I swear I'll make good on my threat and you'll die here.”

It would be a bit of a shame, but well, it would only prove that Azula is the one who deserves the throne.

But the question is, does she really need it?

If she were to be honest, she's not interested in peace. She's not interested in arguing over borders, talking about war reparations — ugh, who needs that anyway? After all, it's not like the Fire Nation lost, right? It's just that her brothers staged a coup.

But Zuzu and Sokka can be incredibly naive and weak at times. They won't want to continue this war, Azula already knows that. Mainly because they are both Water and Fire, which only proves how weak they are, because a true dragon should not be Water.

And that means that if Azula became Fire Lord, she would have to at least pretend to want to end this war. Which would be incredibly boring. She would much rather firebend all the day.

Besides, wouldn't it be better to take power later, when the Avatar isn't lurking nearby, threatening to take away her bending?

Azula knows she is capable of defeating him. She would be able to do it and is ready to kill him. But the problem is that in the unlikely event that she loses—which won't happen—Azula would not lose her life, but something much more precious.

So yes, it's better to lay low for now. Pretend to cooperate. Attack later, if necessary. Or persuade her naive brothers to give her the throne.

“Okey. Then it’s decided,” Azula says. “You have all your connections with the Water Tribes, both South and North, not to mention that Sokka will be our spy in the South. Zuzu, you will be the next Fire Lord.”

“But–”

“Imagine our father's face when he finds out that a mere Water Tribe Peasant will take the throne,” Azula grins at the thought. “When someone Ozai never wanted to see on the throne takes it.”

This is her revenge—on their father, who deserves it. He doesn't deserve anything more.

Ruling during peace? Meh. Boring No war to win, no enemies to crush. Azula will not chain herself to Caldera, or waste her life tending to a nation she does not care for. Ending the war? That was never her goal.

Azula has spent too much time listening to the orders of others.

The time has come for her to start thinking for herself.

The time will come to kill her father—in time, when he becomes a shadow of his former self, when he lives in a world that has become his nightmare. Azula will take great pleasure in telling him who really took the throne. She will tell him how the throne was won and who sometimes looks at them with her brother's face.

But that is for the future.

For now, she will savor the hope draining from his eyes.

Azula smiles.

Her father took her mother, hurt her brothers.

She has waited years to take her revenge.

As they say, revenge is a dish best served cold.