Prelude

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So much has happened in a blur. Azula drove us out of the Western Air Temple. We've been split up from the rest, again. Katara found closure thanks to Zuko... and the comet is drawing closer and closer. What was once a plan to take out Ozai before the comet came has gone south. We can't wait until after, so it'll be during. 

Sokka had a brilliant idea, like he always does. He's done it again. We're in the middle of a play that depicts our story. Yeah, Aang's story, Katara's, mine, Zuko's, you name it. Only, it's done horribly wrong. I'm indecisive about whether I should cry or laugh from how bad it is!

One interlude has already happened. Right now we're in the part of the story of when we were in Ba Sing Se.

For starters, they got Zuko's scar wrong, and every detail about our journey with Iroh wrong. Ugh, where do I even begin with the details?! For crying out loud, I'm played by a boy. Aang and I are freaking gender-bent. The boy who plays me is a boy who swings a sword around (that isn't even a scimitar) and cries frequently and throws tantrums to the play's Zuko, who's a plain jerk. 

I mean, I know that history is written by the winners, but come on!

I'm not looking forward to how the showdown at Ba Sing Se is going to be portrayed, since Azula is obviously depicted as the powerful ruler and savior of the war. The upcoming scene is supposedly when Zuko turned on me and Iroh. I glance over to Zuko just to check if he's doing alright. It wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't want to watch or even hear it.

"News flash," the actress that plays Azula says, "you're an Avatar!"

"OOOOH, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Fake-me yells.

"OH, YES!" Fake-Azula yells out and turns to Fake-Zuko. "So you see, brother, you now have the option of your dreams! Do you whimp out like the weakling Father knew you were, or do you stab your uncle and your girlfriend in the back?"

"I choose treason!" Fake-Zuko yells. "Screw them, I want my honor!"

The audience breaks out with laughter, but right after the actor says that, Zuko gets up and leaves the theater. Looks like I was right about this being too much for him, and I don't want him to face this alone. I get up too and follow after Zuko, oblivious of whether or not the others are paying attention to us.I find Zuko sitting on the ground with his back against the wall. He looks at me and, though he says nothing, I can see the regret in his eyes. 

"It's just a play, Zuko," I tell him. 

"Yet they managed to get all of my mistakes right," he replies. "They're just throwing them all in my face now." 

"Don't take it that seriously," I tell him. "It's all a big joke to them. I'm played by a guy! Aang is a girl! The production and effects are laughable, did you see the strings on the girl that plays Aang?"

My attempt to make Zuko smile failed miserably.

I sigh. Maybe it's best to address the issue as it is. I go ahead and sit down next to him. "Maybe you did do all those things. Do you accept them?" 

"Yes," he replies. 

"Well, congratulations," I say as I grab his hand and pull him up to stand in front of me, "that's your first step." 

"For what?" He asks. 

"For not being the jerk depicted in there," I reply. "You stopped that a long time ago."

He sighs, that distinctive sigh you let out when you know the other person is right, that what they're saying makes sense, but you still don't find it in you to accept it completely. 

 "Zuko," I cup his cheek gently with my right hand. "You've come so far. Despite everything, despite how hard things have been for you time and again, you're no longer the crazed, obsessed teenager you were when we met. You managed to apologize and make up for so many things, including this," I show him the burn scar on my right arm from when we fought. "That's one of the many reasons I fell in love with you." 

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