"Water... Earth... Fire... Air..." Katara voices over as the benders demonstrate as she talks. "My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace when the Avatar kept the balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked." It journeys into the map showing the world and closes in on a bender displaying all the elements. "Only the Avatar mastered all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless firebenders. But when the world needed him most, he vanished." He disappears from sight. "A hundred years have passed and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe." It shows the Water Tribe men on their boats and Katara hugging her older brother Sokka holding up a lantern. "Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle is broken, but I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow the Avatar will return to save the world."
Lonely But Never Alone
The sun shines down in an Earth Kingdom village by a bridge over one of the nearby streams as people bearing backpacks and other loads walk back and forth over the bridge, either entering or departing the village.
Iroh, Zuko and Rin sit on straw mats, their ostrich horse behind them, Iroh holds out his hat in his hand and a cart festooned with masks for sale passes briefly in front of them. Two of the masks are the Blue and Purple Spirit masks, as the cart passes, another pedestrian walks in front of Iroh, he holds out his hat to the pedestrian and speaks to him. "Spare coins for weary travellers?" Iroh asks the pedestrian, the man throws a few copper coins into his hat, Zuko turns in anger.
"This is humiliating! We're royalty and of high rank. These people should be giving us whatever we want." Zuko protests getting frustrated with their situation.
"They will - if you ask nicely," Iroh tells him, looking at Rin who holds Zuko back by his shoulder as several more pedestrians pass, a well dressed young woman walks past them next. "Spare change for a hungry old man?" He asks in a fake weak voice.
"Aww." She gushes producing a coin from her sleeve and puts it in his hat. "Here you go." She says.
"The coin is appreciated, but not as much as your smile." Iroh complements her, this causes Zuko to slap his forehead in frustration, the girl giggles and walks away. A man carrying a pair of broadswords on his back wanders by them in the opposite direction as the girl, he stops and addresses them.
"How about some entertainment in exchange..." The man asks them smiling cruelly as he holds out a gold coin. "A gold piece."
"We're not performers." Zuko snaps but Iroh smiles putting his hat on the ground.
"Not professional, anyway." Iroh corrects and stands up clasping his hands together, then begins to sing. "It's a long, long way to-" He begins to sing and shifts from one foot to another as he rocks back and forth.
"Come on! We're talking a gold piece." The man argues seeming displeased and whips out one of his broadswords then the other. "Let's see some action from the girl!" He says looking at Rin with hunger. Zuko's eyes burn with rage at the look the man is giving Rin. "Dance!" He orders pointing the sword at Rin, she looks at him and gets up to her feet. She walks over to the man with an emotionless expression before squaring him off and a flirtatious smile breaks out on her lips, he seems entranced by her eyes as he tries to lean in closer to her, she takes one of the broadswords from him. The man snaps out of it looking in shock at her then it turns to anger as she raises it to his throat.
"How was that?" She taunts him, he looks at her then tosses the coin towards Iroh and walks away after Rin gives him back his sword but not his dignity. She walks back to the men and sits behind the enraged Prince calming him down. Iroh look at Rin seeing her calm his brash nephew and thankful that they had found one another as he did every day that they were happy.
"Such a kind man!" Iroh jests smiling at the young couple.
"I think he was, he gave me an idea," Rin says and smirks as she gets back up away from Zuko, who looks lost.
"And what idea is that?" Zuko asks her not understanding and looks to his uncle who too looks lost.
"Well to fight of course." She answers, turning to face them. "We find a fighting club or something else, betting for a poor defenceless girl against strong men, who do you bet on?" She asks them, the men look at each other and too smile in understanding.
It was night now in the Earth Kingdom village, the man with the broadswords from earlier walks down a street alone. He hears something behind him, he turns around drawing his blades in fear of whatever caused the noise but there is nothing there. "Who's there?" He asks in darkness but there is no reply, hands grab at his disarming him and throwing the swords against some nearby boxes, his swords on the ground useless. His attacker approaches the swords and picks them up, it is the Blue Spirit, the man runs away but doesn't get too far when another attacker approaches him pushing him to the ground, he turns his head to see it's the Purple Spirit, she raises her foot that holds him down. He looks at the Purple Spirit, in confusion but doesn't question her and runs away as the Blue Spirit joins her side.
In an arena a man takes a swing but just punches the air as his opponent moves out of the way, they turn around to kick at the man to see that it's Rin, all around them are men and women shouting at them throwing money around as the two fight in the arena. "Come on," Rin taunts the large man. He runs towards her but she jumps into the air kicking out at him making a hit to his face, he takes the hit but not before she lands a punch to his face, he falls down to the floor with a loud thud. The crowd all shout out to her as she walks out walking over to one man with his hand out to her giving her money. "Cheers." She smiles and walks away out of the underground fighting ring she had found and makes her way to the cave they were staying in.
Somewhere in the town, a man and woman walk down a deserted street, the man carries two baskets suspended by a pole across his back. A shadow passes by, then the Blue Spirit appears in front of the couple, his swords drawn, he cuts the baskets away from the terrified man, scooping them up and running away.
The Blue Spirit climbs over a log with his baskets of loot, Zuko back to being clad in green places the mask inside the hollow of a tree and makes his way to the cave.
Iroh sits cross-legged waiting for the two teens within the cave when Zuko throws the baskets of loot in front of him. "Where did you get these?" Iroh questions his nephew worried for him,
"What does it matter where they came from?" Zuko responds walking away not wanting to answer his questions. But Iroh just looks at him then hums to himself before eating the food and smiles at it as pink goo drips from his mouth and again he hums but in delight of the food. "Where is Rin?" Zuko asks worried for her.
"She should be back by now." Iroh replies and just as he finishes that a large bag of coins lands between them, they turn their heads to see Rin walking into the cave.
"That was exhausting." She groans and walks over to Zuko hugging him around his waist with a sigh of contempt.
An armoured wagon with a small trailer pulled by a horse ostrich travels through the forest, inside the armoured wagon, a plump merchant looks at an open cash box with glee. He plays with the coins when suddenly, the carriage jolts as it comes to a sudden stop, the merchant's hat falls off and he grabs his cash box protectively. He looks around in alarm of his surrounded then closes and locks the cash box as if it would save his life as he begins to sweat.
After a few moments of nothing, he breathes a sigh of relief, then a broadsword blade slices through the roof, it slices back and forth. Then a fist appears as it smashes a hole through the damaged roof, through the hole the Blue Spirit can be seen atop the carriage. The merchant offers the box with his eyes closed to the Blue Spirit and he grabs it from his hands when he takes a look the Blue Spirit is gone and the driver is knocked out beside the carriage and the horse ostrich is gone.
In the cave, Zuko sits by the crackling fire as Rin lays her head in his lap but not sleeping with Iroh watching them where he stands. " Looks like you did some serious shopping," Iroh comments as he walks around the fire and sits down, inspecting a golden teapot in front of him. "But where did you get the money?" He asks his nephew.
"Do you like your new teapot?" Zuko asks him evading the question.
"To be honest with you, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup," Iroh replies and walks over to Zuko and Rin who lies with his back to the opposite wall of the cave. "I know we've had some difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by." He puts his hand on Zuko's shoulder in a gesture of comfort for him to know they all felt the same. "But it's nothing to be ashamed of. There is a simple honour in poverty." He tells him.
"There's no honour for me without the Avatar." Zuko protests trying to keep his calm around Rin as she was trying to sleep to keep her strength.
"Zuko..." Iroh sighs. "Even if you did capture the Avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems. Not now." He warns him trying to keep him safe even if it was from himself.
"Then there is no hope at all," Zuko replies abruptly startling Rin, his face changes to one of sorrow and shock, she had heard him and he regretted his words immediately. She bows her head not being able to see her face and gets to her feet and leaves the cave quickly, Zuko follows suit wanting to correct things with her.
"No, Zuko! You must never give into despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength." Iroh gives him some advice quickly before he runs off to find Rin and he looks back at his uncle for a moment, then get up to leave and walks out of the cave to find her.
Rin walks in the forest as she collects her thoughts on what Zuko had said earlier, she hears the sound of dead leaves crunching on the ground, she knew it was Zuko he always seems to make an entrance. "I love you." She hears him whisper, she hadn't expected that from him, she snaps around to face him shock evident on her face.
"What did you say?" She questions him looking at him, he was serious, she knew that but it still shocked her.
"I love you, when I said there was no hope at all, I regretted the minute it left my mouth. I do have hope. I have you, Rin Yuu in my life that is enough hope, but I want to go home with you and uncle." Zuko explains herself, she looks at him and in her own girly moment, she rushes into his arms crying into his shoulder.
"I love you too," She cries into him, she gets muffled by the fabric of his shirt as he wraps his arms around her waist. "I know you want to find the Avatar, and I'll help you to get your honour back anyway, I promise." She tells him drying her eyes, he puts his hand to cheek wiping her tears with his thumb. "I hate crying, I look weak." She mumbles, she was a soldier her whole life, she had never been seen as weak before and hated it more being seen weak.
"I don't see you as weak, I promise you. My hope." He tells her and pulls her into his chest.
In the cave, Zuko stands behind Iroh. "Uncle, I thought a lot about what you said," Zuko tells him making himself known, and Iroh turns his head towards him seeing Rin holding onto him for what seemed like her lifeline.
"You did? Good, good." Iroh replies seemingly pleased with this.
"It's helped me realise something. We no longer have anything to gain by travelling together. We need to find our own way." He tells his uncle without malice in his voice, but does not hesitate in telling him, he looks down slumping slightly in sadness as his nephew and Rin pick up their packs and begin to walk away.
"Wait!" Irho calls out to them and leads over their horse ostrich and places the reigns in his nephew's hands. Zuko looks back at his uncle once more, before they leave Rin hugs the old man and whispers her thanks and promises to look out for Zuko and that he will do the same. They get onto the horse ostrich with Zuko taking the reigns and Rin on the back hugging his waist then they gallop away out of sight to find the Avatar.
Zuko and Rin ride on their horse ostrich under a cloudy sky, Zuko looks sullen as does Rin as they ride off.
They ride the horse ostrich over a rope suspension bridge but it puts a food through one of the planks and almost loses its balance, Rin acts quickly to right the animal as it was her turn to ride to Zuko some rest and they continue crossing the bridge.
Sometime later, they stop and Zuko helps Rin down from the ostrich but stops as she feels are only a few inches from the ground as he smells something. He looks to see two people in Earth Kingdom clothing around a campfire, he sees the food they are cooking and looking to Rin to see her clutching her stomach in hunger. They had been riding for what seemed like days and had no time to stop, he moves his hand to the hilt of his two broadswords, a man approaches his pregnant wife who reclines against a tree, the man rubs her belly and smiles at her.
Seeing this Zuko releases his grip on his sword and lowers his eyes in resignation and moves back to Rin to see her arms open for him. He picks her up mounting her back onto the ostrich and gets on himself worried if she will last much longer.
Zuko and Rin ride across a field almost falling asleep in the saddle and Rin takes a drink from the waterskin and gives some to him there is now none left. They continue to ride into the horizon, the landscape is a grassy field strewn with huge, circular shaped stones with squares cut from the middle and nay are embedded in the earth.
Zuko's eyes have grown heavy as he fights back sleep while Rin rests her eyes, he sees blurriness but fights back sleep, jerking himself awake a few times. He has a momentary vision of a beautiful woman with dark hair wearing visible Fire Nation clothing, but he wakes with a start, he turns his head to see Rin still sleeping and prays for their safety.
Zuko on his mount looks at a village with busy streets in the distance, Rin opens her eyes half way so weak for food, this worried Zuko that she would not make it and was scared for her not for himself because if he lost her he would lose himself. She was his hope.
They enter the village still on their mount, they ride up to a stall near some soldiers, the soldier stands up; his eyes follow the sound of the arriving horse ostrich and he turns slightly towards the newcomers. Zuko offers a merchant in the stall a few coins, as he looks at Rin in worry for her health as she was growing paler. "Could I get some water, a bag of feed, and something hot to eat?" Zuko asks not caring if he got food, he knew Rin was so come first.
"Not enough for a hot meal. I can get you two bags of feed." The Merchant says not looking at them but looks up to them, his eyes snap over to Rin to see a strand of her blond hair fall out of her hood. "Sorry, I miss counted. Enough for water, a bag of feed and two hot meals." He says and comes back with them. "Take good care of Vitae." He adds Zuko looks at him in confusion not knowing the name he had given Rin but nodded his head.
Zuko watches Rin eat the food, he turns to look at the gambling soldiers looking back at him, the soldiers turn back to their game as Zuko looks to the side of the stall they stand in front of. He hears the sound of children laughing and a few kids peek from around the corner of the stall, at the side one of the kids hands his friend an egg, who throws it at one of the gambling soldiers. It hits a soldier on the head and the kids run off, the soldier, the soldiers get up and look over seeing Zuko and Rin's back to them and the street otherwise empty. "Hey1" The soldier shouts as him and his friends approach them from behind. "You throwing eggs at us, strangers?" He asks not very nicely.
"No." Zuko answers.
"You see who did throw it?" He asks them rudely.
"No," Rin answers them as they turn around and Zuko puts his hand on his sword hilt.
"That's your favourite word, no?" Another soldier asks them.
"Egg had to come from somewhere." The First soldier accuses them.
"Maybe a chicken flew over." Zuko remarks turning back to the merchant. One of the soldiers starts laughing, but a look from the first soldier silences him, the merchant appears and drops a bag of feed onto the counter and the first soldier grabs it throwing it to one of his men.
"Thanks for your contribution. The army appreciates your support. You better leave town. The penalty for staying is a lot steeper than you can afford, strangers." The first soldier taunts them, as he taps the war hammer hanging from his belt. "Trust me." He and his men walk away leaving the two teen and the merchant standing behind them at his stall.
"Those soldiers are supposed to protect us from the Fire Nation, but they're just a bunch of thugs." The merchant comments.
"It will get better one day," Rin tells him giving him their bowls back and they walk back over to their mount. A bright-eyed boy appears on the other side of the horse ostrich as they are about to hop up.
"Thanks for not ratting me out." The boy thanks them, Rin gets on taking the reigns and Zuko gets on back and they start riding away. The boy looks surprised, then a smile on his face and he follows them, they ride off with the boy holding the horse ostrich's bridle. "I'll take you to my house and feed your horse ostrich for you. Come on, I owe you." The Boy tells them and he leads them away.
The road leading up to a farm, with a variety of pigs oinking and making noise all around them and the noise, picks up as they pass the animals. "No one can ever sneak up on us." The boy boasts.
"No kidding," Zuko replies as the boy leads the ostrich and the teens look to their right, a rooster sheep atop a fence pole to his left and it crows at them, a man enters their eyesight but only his back is visible at first.
"You a friend of Lee's?" The man asks the boy named Lee, at this question Lee runs out of the barn near them and addresses the man in an excited tone.
"They just stood up to the soldiers! By the end, they practically had them running away." He praises the strangers, a woman walks over, she is dressed in simple green, as are her husband and son.
"Do they have a name?" The woman asks them in a friendly manner.
"I'm, uh..." Zuko tries to answer her.
"They don't have to say who they are if they don't want to, Sela. Anyone who can hold his own against those bully 'soldiers' is welcome here." The father says, with his arm around his wife and son. "Those men should be ashamed to wear Kingdom uniform."
"The real soldiers are off fighting the war, like Lee's big brother Sen Su. Supper's going to be ready soon. Would you like to stay?" Sela asks them.
"We can't. We should be moving on." Rin answers.
"Gansu could use some help on the barn. Why don't you two work for a while, and I could use some help around the house, then we'll eat." Sela suggests the two teens nod at her suggestion.
Zuko and Gansu are atop of the barn, they nail the roof shingles to frame, near them Lee stands at the top of the ladder using to access the barn's roof. He watches his father and the nameless stranger working, Zuko is on his knees using both hands to hammer in a nail, Lee's upper body visible behind him poking up over the edge of the roof. "You don't seem like you're from around here." Lee comments and Zuko replies not so sure of how to reply, he wasn't good at lying, unlike Rin. "Where are you from then?" He asks.
"Far away," Zuko answers vaguely as he couldn't lie or anything.
"Lee, give it a rest. Stop asking the man personal questions, got it?" Gansu tells his son not wanting any distractions from their work.
"Yes." Lee sighs dejectedly then brighten up. "So, how did you get that scar?" He asks Zuko causing him to slam the hammer into his thumb at the question and stifles a cry of pain through gritted teeth.
"It's not nice to bother people able things they might not want to talk about. A man's past is his business." Gansu warns his son as Zuko looks up, lost in a memory and begins to hammer once again with a look of fierce determination on his face, as he drops the hammer for the third time a memory flash into his head. At first, it's hazy and somewhat washed out and the scenery looks slightly faded as he begins to come into focus.
The memory begins with a pool of water when a hand with long fingernails touches the surface of the pool. A Fire Nation red robe adorns the arm to which it is attached, the person pulls her hand out of the water and opens her palm to reveal some small bits of food. A baby turtle duck swims over and squawks, it is fuzzy except where it is covered by its shell and eats the offered food.
In the garden in which the pool is located, it is a sheltered compound and very beautiful two figures sit by the pool, though their features are difficult to see at this distance, a woman and the other a little boy perhaps eight or ten.
The young boy is Prince Zuko and his mother Fire Lady Ursa, in front of them in the pond hovers our baby turtle ducks, hoping for more food and Zuko holds a stone in his hand. "Hey mom, want to see how Azula feeds turtle ducks?" He asks his mother and he throws the rock at one of the baby turtle ducks, which disappears beneath the surface of the pool.
"Zuko!" Ursa exclaims in shock. "Why would you do that?" She asks him as the baby turtle duck bobs back up to the surface unhurt; his shell seems to have protected him from the rock. The baby blinks and shakes his head as the mother swims over making sure that the baby is okay, once she was sure, she swerves then attacks Zuko loudly. She jumps out of the pond and bites Zuko's food, the young Prince yells out in pain and Ursa removes the angry mother turtle duck and drops her back into the pond. The mother turtle duck swims away with one final squawk of protest, with her babies in tow.
"Stupid turtle-duck, why'd she do that?" Zuko asks hugging his knees looking sullen as his mother sits next to him.
"Zuko, that's what mums are like," Ursa tells him putting her arms around her son. "If you mess with their babies, they'll bite you back." She says making a biting sound of effect and she hugs him while he laughs.
In the courtyard in the palace, with a younger Azula and Ty Lee, Azula sets up for a cartwheel, she makes several successful flips but falls at the end but when Ty Lee executes the move flawlessly and with incredible grace. She lands on her feet, but in jealousy Azula knocks her over and laugh at her, pointing at the fallen girl at her feet. "Azula!" Ty Lee cries out as a younger Mai sits with her back to a tree, she looks to her left to see Zuko and his mother walking down the path across the courtyard passing two old soldiers and a young girl with blond high ponytails but they never made eye contact or even looked at each other as they pass. She looks away from the young Prince, her cheeks blushing red and a small smile stealing across her face and unfortunate for her Azula notices this.
"Watch this," Azula whispers to Ty Lee and she runs over to catch her mother and brother as Ty Lee laughs quietly. Mum, can you make Zuko play with us? We need equal teams to play a game." She asks her mother.
"I am not cartwheeling," Zuko replies not wanting to play with his evil sister.
"You won't have to. Cartwheeling's not a game." Azula argues looking at him as if he were stupid "Dumb, dumb." She says under her breath.
"I don't care. I don't want to play with you." Zuko retorts not wanting to play or be made to play.
"We are brother and sister," Azula replies her voice becoming sickly sweet. "It's important for us to spend time together. Don't you think so, mum?" She asks.
"Yes darling, I think it's a good idea to play with your sister. Go on now," She fluffs his head a few time. "Just for a little while," Ursa tells him and walks off, leaving Zuko behind as Azula picks an apple hanging from a tree in the courtyard as she begins to speak.
"Here's the way it goes," Azula announces to the others and places the apple onto Mai's head. "Now what you do is try to knock the apple off the other person's head. Like this." She says with Mai with an apple atop her head looks at her friends with an unhappy look on her face as usual. Azula then fires a blast at an apple, whose stem catches on fire, Mai looks at her surprised as Zuko instantly springs to action to save the girl he thinks is in danger and Azula looks on smugly.
Zuko stampedes over to Mai who he thinks is in danger and jumps her, knocking the burning apple off of her head, but also knocks them both into the pool behind them, "See, I told you it would work." Azula says to Ty Lee.
"Aw, they're so cute together." Ty Lee swoons.
"You two are such...ugh!" Mai groans in frustrations at her friends getting up from the pool as Zuko walks off. Ursa comes out of one of the buildings as Zuko walks over dripping water as she begins to speak.
"I was just coming to get you. Uncle Iroh sent us a letter from the waterfront." Ursa says. "You're soaking wet." She states looking down at her down.
"Girls are crazy!" Zuko exclaims with a gesture of frustration.
The memory changes to Ursa holding a letter scroll spread open in the foreground, with Zuko and Azula on either side as she reads. "'If the city is as magnificent as its wall, Ba-Sing-Se must be something to behold. I hope you all may see it someday if we don't burn it to the ground first.'" They laugh at the comment from Iroh. "'Until then, enjoy these gifts. For Zuko,'" At the mention of his name he runs over picking up a dagger offered by a servant on a tray. "'A pearl dagger from the General who surrendered when we broke through the outer wall. Note the inscription.'" Zuko unsheathes the dagger looking at it. "'And the superior craftsmanship.'"
"'Never give up without a fight.'" Zuko reads the inscription as Azula stands in front of another servant with a tray and offers her something on it.
"'And for Azula, a new friend. She wears the latest fashion for Earth Kingdom girls.'" Ursa reads the letter, as she speaks, Azula picks up the doll wearing Earth Kingdom green and she makes a face of disgust.
"If Uncle doesn't make it back from the war, then dad would be in line to be Fire Lord wouldn't he?" Azula asks as Zuko runs around practising with his new dagger.
"Azula, we don't speak that way. It would be awful if Uncle Iroh didn't return. And besides, Fire Lord Azulon is a picture of health." Ursa says to her daughter disappointed in her.
"How would you like it if cousin Lu Ten wanted dad to die?" Zuko asks her.
"I still think our dad would make a much better Fire Lord than his royal tea loving kookiness," Azula says looking at the doll in her hand with disdain and holds out the door making its head burst into flames making his come out of memory lane.
It now nighttime, Zuko sleeps with Rin on some hay in the barn, the door opens with Lee entering sneaking in trying to be quiet and takes his broadswords but Zuko detects this and awakens. He turns to see next to him Rin fast asleep her blond hair fanned over the pillow she'd made of hay, he moves a strand of hair from her face before taking off to get his broadsword back.
He finds Lee practising with the swords in a field nearby, the boy falls backwards and get surprised when Zuko speaks. "You're holding them all wrong," Zuko tells him, Lee gets up, a sunflower decorating his head and looks ashamed offering the swords back to Zuko but instead of taking them, he puts his hands over the boys. "Keep in mind, these are dual swords," Zuko tells him taking the swords and begins to demonstrate moves for the boy. "Two halves of a single weapon. Don't think of them as separate, because they're not. They're just two different parts of the same whole." He gives the swords back to Lee and the boy practices a bit, then looks back at Zuko, his arms folded and he has an uncharacteristic smile on his face and the boy laughs.
They walk down a path, with a full moon hanging over their heads. "I think you'd like my brother Sen Su. He used to show me stuff like this all the time." Lee tells Zuko, as they continue walking and separate Zuko goes into the barn to see Rin still fast asleep.
It was daytime at the farm and some of the animals make their usual noises, Zuko gets onto his and Rin's mount which she already was on and the family is there to see them off and Sela offers them a package. "Here. this ought to get you through a few meals." She tells them, a sound can be heard in the distance, they look up to see dust rising down the road, Gow and his men riding hard towards them.
"What do you think they want?" Gansu asks around.
"Trouble." Rin responds as they look ahead as Gow and his men ride hard, the sheep pigs begin to make noise as they approach, they stop just in front of the teens and the family.
"What do you want, Gow?" Gansu asks the so-called soldier.
"Just thought someone ought to tell you, your son's battalion got captured." At this news, Gansu's expression turns to horror for his son. "You boys hear what the Fire Nation did with their last group of Earth Kingdom prisoners?" Gow asks his men.
"Dressed them up in Fire Nation uniforms and put them on the frontline unarmed, way I heard it." The Soldier says and spits. "Then they just watched." This angers Gansu and he points at them with his wife and son behind him.
"You watch your mouth!" Gansu warns them and Gow moves his horse ostrich forward, but RIn rides forward blocking his path.
"Why bother rooting around in the mud with these pigs?" Gow asks them, then he and his men turn around then leave making dust swirl around from their departure as a memory comes to Zuko's mind.
The memory starts with a garden in the Fire Nation palace once again with Zuko and Azula running by laughing as a servant approaches their mother as she sits by the pond. The servant gives her a scroll, she opens it and stands up as tear rolls down her face, with this Zuko approaches her worried for his mother. "Iroh has lost his son. Your cousin Lu Ten did not survive the battle." Ursa informs him and the memory ends as he knew the feeling of losing someone so close to you, he knew Rin was the same.
Zuko looks to where Gow and his men had retreated, Gansu and Sela hug one another to console each other in the background as Lee stands next to his parents. "What's going to happen to my brother?" Lee asks his father.
"I'm going to the front. I'm going to find Sen Su and bring him back." Gansu tells his wife and they walk back to their house. Lee begins to cry in sorrow for his older brother and runs to find comfort, it seems that was Rin as he runs towards her.
"When my Dad goes, will you stay?" Lee asks the two strangers.
"No. we need to move on. Here." Zuko offers him his dagger given to him by his uncle. "I want you to have this. Read this inscription." He tells him, he takes the dagger and unsheathes the dagger reading it.
"'Made in the Earth Kingdom.'" Lee reads out.
"The other one." Zuko tells him.
"'Never give up without a fight.'" Lee reads and the sound of heavy footsteps can be heard and Rin puts their horse ostrich into a gallop as they recede into the distance. Lee runs after them for a few steps, with a pig in tow but they are too fast.
"You did the right thing," Rin tells him smiling at him trying to give him some comfort.
"I know." He answers and they continue to ride as yet another memory gives in to his thoughts.
The memory fades into him in a room in the palace as he wields the knife he uncle had given him, he fakes his dead falling over with Azula behind him sitting on a chair. "You waste all your time playing with knives. You're not even good." Azula taunts her older brother, he gets up his cheeks flaming.
"Put an apple on your head and we'll find out how good I am!" Zuko raises his voice in annoyance at her constant taunting of him.
"By the way, Uncle's coming home." She tells him getting up from her seat and walks over to him.
"Does that mean we won the war?" He asks her.
"No. It mean's Uncle's a quitter and a loser." She tells him.
"What are you talking about? Uncle's not a quitter." He argues defending his beloved Uncle.
"Oh yes, he is. He found out his son died ad he just fell apart." She leans against a nearby pillar. "A real General would stay and burn Ba Sing Se to the ground, not lose the battle and come home crying. There are rumours of a General Rin, she could do it." She tells him, she had heard the rumours of a General Rin going around the palace for some time now and she had to say she was curious who this woman was.
"How do you know what he should do?" He asks her angrily then looks down sadly. "He's probably just sad his only kid is gone... forever." He feels so sad himself at the loss of his cousin as a shadow approaches the entrance to the chamber they were playing in, it is their mother.
"You father has requested an audience with Fire Lord Azulon. Best clothes, hurry up." Ursa informs her children.
"Fire Lord Azulon. Can't you just call him 'Grandfather'? He's not exactly the powerful Fire Lord he used to be. Someone will probably end up taking his place soon." Azula mockingly says.
"Young lady! Not, another, word." Ursa warns her crossly and Azula runs past her. "What is wrong with that child?" She asks herself.
In the Fire Lord's throne room, the chamber is filled with dark, ornate pillars holding up the roof, the centre aisle leading up to the dias is clear. The Fire Lord sits on his throne up the dais, which is separated from the rest of the hall by a trench of fire.
Zuko, Azula and Ursa sit on the floor, Ursa and Zuko sit between Ozai in front of the stairs to the throne. "And how was it Great Grandfather Sozin managed to win the battle of Han Tui?" Ozai asks his son.
"Great Grandfather won, because..." Zuko tries answering but struggles.
"Because even though his army was outnumbered, he cleverly calculated his advantages. The enemy was downwind and there was a drought. Their defence burned to a crisp in minutes." Azula answers showing off as always.
"Correct my dear. Now, won't you show Grandfather the new moves you demonstrated to me?" Ozai tells his daughter, she stands up and performs a series of Firebending movies as Ozai face shows a stony expression it turns to a slight smile at his daughter's performance. Zuko looks on at this with an uncertain expression on his face at the look he sees from his father. "She's a true prodigy. Just like her Grandfather for whom she's named." He sucks up as Azula sits down next to Zuko.
"You'll never catch up." She whispers to her brother, stung by her comment, Zuko gets up from his spot and addresses the Fire Lord.
"I'd like to demonstrate what I've been learning." He announces to his grandfather. Ozai frowns at this as Zuko tries to run through some of the same moves as Azula but with evidently less skill than her, a few moments, he chokes on the routine and falls on his backside. He recovers and finishes the routine as Ursa looks on in concern, Azula looks on at her brother's failure with glee and Ursa rushes over to him. "I failed." He says dejectedly.
"No, I loved watching you. That's who you are Zuko. Someone who keeps fighting even though it's hard." Ursa tells her son as he looks at her with wide eyes. The Fire Lord Azulon looks out over his son and his family from high up on his throne.
"Prince Ozai, why are you wasting my time with this pomp? Just tell me what you want." Azulon demands his son frustrated and angry and dismisses everyone else with a wave of his hand. "Everyone else go." As they are about to exit the chamber, Azula grabs Zuko by the hand taking him behind some curtains.
"What are you...?" Zuko begins to ask her but she just quiets him as they run behind the curtains then peak out near where Ozai now addresses his father.
"Father, you must have realised, as I have, that with Lu Ten gone Iroh's bloodline has ended. After his son's death, my brother abandoned the siege at Ba Sing Se, and who knows when he will return home? But I am here, father, and my children are alive." Ozai informs his father trying to reason with him.
"Say what it is you want." Azulon remarks as he was growing annoyed at his son for walking around the subject he really wanted to talk about.
"Father, revoke Iroh's birthright. I am your humble servant, here to serve you and our nation. Use me." Ozai pleads with him as he desires power, this statement causes Azulon to lean forward in his throne and points a finger at Ozai as he kneels before him.
"You dare suggest I betray Iroh? My firstborn?" Azulon questions his second son as the fire in the trenches rises up mirroring the Fire Lord's anger. "Directly after the demise of his only beloved son? I think Iroh has suffered enough. But you, your punishment has scarcely begun!" He rages at his son, as the kid's spy from behind the curtain, scared, Zuko breaks out and runs away while Azula turns back to the spectacle, a cruel smile on her face.
In Zuko's room, he lies on his bed asleep when the door opens and Zuko wakes up as Azula leans against the doorway. "Dad's going to kill you," Azula says in a sing-song voice. "Really, he is." She adds in her normal voice and turns to look at him with a leer.
"Ha-ha, Azula. Nice try." Zuko replies sarcastically as he did not believe her as she has lied to him in the past.
"Fine, don't believe me, but I heard everything. Grandfather said dad's punishment should fit his crime. 'You must know the pain of losing a firstborn son, by sacrificing your own!'" She imitates their Grandfather.
"Liar!" He yells out at him.
"I'm only telling you for your own good. I know, maybe you could find a nice Earth Kingdom family to adopt you." She says as she walks over and sits on his bed.
"Stop it, you're lying!" He holds his blanket for security. "Dad would never do that to me." He argues.
"Your father would never do what to you?" Ursa asks her son as she enters the room. "What is going on here?" She asks her children.
"I don't know," Azula answers faking innocence.
"It's time for a talk." She says grabbing a hold of Azula and leads her out of the room.
"Azula always lies... Azula always lies...." Zuko chants to himself and the memory begins to fade away.
As the memory fades away more like a dream now, he sleeps on the ground with his arm around RIn's sleeping form, but chants along with his younger self, this wakes RIn up as she turns to face him. "Azula always lies..." He chants in his sleep, she moves her hand to trace his scar while he sleeps and he wakes up as the sound of a wagon, it seems to be approaching them, it's Sela and she seems distraught.
"You have to help. It's Lee." Sela tells the two strangers as she gets off of the wagon and approaches them. "The thugs from two came back as soon as Gansu left. When they ordered us to give them food, Lee pulled a knife on them. I don't even know where he got a knife! Then they took him away. They told me if he's old enough to fight, he's old enough to join the army. I know we barely know you, but..." She cries out and they stand up facing her.
"We'll get your son back," Zuko tells her.
They ride into the village, the sun setting casting a golden hue over them as they ride under a tall paifang gate that looks like it could be straight from a western. Lee is tied to a post, his head snaps up at the sound of Zuko and Rin's approach and he smiles. "Hey! There they are! I told you they'd come." Lee cries out, Gow and his men emerge from the shadows like the creatures they are as Zuko and Rin dismount and he takes off his hat and they face off, the latter backed up by his men.
"Let the kid go," Zuko orders them in a threatening tone.
"Who do you think you are? Telling us what to do?" Gow asks him, laughing than in an equally threatening tone. Zuko, Rin and their mount cast a long shadow due to the angle of the sun.
"It doesn't matter who we are, but I know who you are. You're not soldiers. You're bullies. Freeloaders, abusing your power. Mostly over women and kids. You don't want Lee in your army. You're sick cowards messing with a family who's already lost one son to the war." Rin states looking at them in disgust as she thought about her past at being a soldier.
"Are you going to let these strangers stand there and insult you like this?" Gow asks his men after a pause at what Rin has said. The soldier to Gow's left brandishes his spear and walks towards the teens, Zuko pulls back and Rin stands tall as the soldier lunges for her, then Rin steps aside as Zuko draws the handle of his sword right into the stomach of the charging thug. The soldier gets knocked backwards, he gets back up and runs off away from the fight.
Another one of the soldiers runs at Rin with his spear, but she blocks the attack then brings him to the ground with a firm punch to the face, this thug gets up like the last one and runs away to Gow.
The last soldier charges at the two teens with his spear, but Zuko breaks it in half with one blow, the thug drops the remaining pieces and runs away. Lee laughs at the sight in delight as the crowd gathers, Sela among them looks amazed at what she's seen.
Gow, made of sterner stuff than his men apparently, draws his two warhammers and adopts a bending stance. Zuko, in turn, draws his broadswords as Gow slams the ground with one hammer, a rock rises up and he hits it with the other hammer. The rock flies towards Zuko, but he shatters it with his blades, Gow repeats the move two more times in a rapid succession. Rin destroys one rock, but Zuko is hit in the stomach by the other, he luckily recovers from the hit and runs at Gow with his swords.
"Give him a left! A left!" An old man from the crowd shouts out to them.
"It's not a fistfight." An old woman argues with the old man.
"He's got a left sword, don't he? And the girls using her fists." The old man argues back to her as Zuko continues rushing their opponents. He chops several more rocks while Rin swipes her hands to the side knocking the rocks away from her, but he gets thrown backwards again by one of the rocks that get through, he staggers at the impact.
"Look out!" The old man shouts out to the teens.
"Behind you!" Lee shouts out to them as Zuko and Rin are being steadily back by Gow, the thug leader alternates hammers as he smacks the ground, each time raising rocks and hurling them at the two teens. With a mighty blow to the ground, Gow raises up a shock wave of earth and rock that travels along the ground between him and his opponents. A huge rock erupts from the ground as the shock wave nears Zuko and Rin, striking the Prince as Rin dodges out of the way throwing him to the ground. The crowd gasps as Zuko falls in the dust, an expression of pain on his face, Rin snaps her head towards Gow, with fire in her eyes. She advances towards him with a dark look as Zuko watches her walk away it reminded him of something.
It was when he was younger back in the Fire Nation he was asleep in his bed, he soon awakes sleepily from his interrupted sleep. "Mom?" He asks in a sleepy tone as he sits up in his bed, his mother's silhouette in the dark near him.
"Zuko, please, my love, listen to me. Everything I've done," She hugs him close to her for what was unknown to him at the time for the last time. "I've done to protect you. Remember this, Zuko. No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are." She tells him and finally lets him go and walks down the dark hall out of his room.
The memory fades away from his mind as he still lays out flat on the ground with the dust from his fall still settling down. Rin approaches the thug leader, Lee still tied up, she makes it to him and throws a punch towards the thug leader, he dodges to the side as Rin was using half her strength so not to show who she really was. "Get up," Lee whispers to Zuko desperately.
Zuko opens his eyes and screams out in fury, this stops Rin and Gow as they turn to look at the Prince as he spins around as he gets up from the ground, Firebending a circle around him. Gow draws back, dropping his hammers to the ground. "Could have said, we could Firebend." Rin grunts as she lights up her hands with her usual purple fire making the thug leader quake in fear as he heard stories of the Purple Reaper. Zuko fires a blast of fire at Gow that hits him full in the stomach, the thug leader shoots back and falls to the ground.
Zuko finishes getting up, he wreathed in fire and his expression is filled with angry and Lee looks in surprise.
Gow recovers getting back up from the ground, he assumes another bending stance, Zuko charges at him, sending many bolts of fire from his blade in Gow's direction. One hits the thug throwing his back into the wall of a nearby building and part of it collapses on him after the impact. "Who, who are you?" Gow asks the two teens looking up at them.
"My name is Zuko. Son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai." Zuko states with such confidence as he sheathed his swords. "Prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne."
"My name is Rin. Daughter of Sai and General Jou. General of the Fire Nation." Rin states and looks ahead with a vacant look in her eyes as the crowd begin to chatter about this revelation, Lee looks shocked at this too.
"Liar! I heard of you. You're not a Prince or a General, you're outcasts" His own father burned and disowned him." The Old man declares pointing at them. Zuko turns away from the old man, ignoring the comment, instead, he walks over to Gow, who cowers at the Prince's approach. He bends down taking the dagger back that the thug had apparently taken from Lee, he walks over to where Sela is untying Lee after that is done, she moves in front of Lee to protect him as Zuko approaches, shielding him from the banished Prince.
"Not a step closer," Sela warns him and he kneels down offering the dagger to Lee, who looks out from behind his mother as Zuko speaks.
"It's yours. You should have it." Zuko tells the young boy with RIn walking over to him.
"No, I hate you!" Lee shouts at him, he turns around and walks away with his Mother, Zuko kneels behind them, silhouetted by the sun as the crowd stand still behind him with Rin next to him.
He fades into another memory of when he was younger and gets up out of his bed and runs down the hall as he calls for his mother. "Mum? Mum, Mum!" Zuko calls out for her as Azula leans against a pillar somewhere in the palace, playing with Zuko's knife, she steps out from behind the pillar as he passes her. "Where's mum?" Zuko asks her in a slightly panicked voice.
"No one knows. Oh, and last night, Grandpa passed away." Azula answers him being almost vague.
"Not funny, Azula. You're sick. And I want my knife back, now." Zuko demands as he tries to grab the knife, but she dodges and holds the knife out in front of him, taunting him.
"Who's going to make me? Mum?" Azula taunts him and he grabs the knife and runs out of the room, he runs into the garden where Ozai looks out over the pond. "Where is she?" Zuko asks his father but he does not reply to his question regarding his mother, and Zuko looks down at this in despair.
A ceremonial plaza somewhere in the palace, it is packed with people, as the Fire Sage speaks. On the dais stands the gold sarcophagus and the Fire Sage presiding over the ceremony, around it stand members of the royal family, including Ozai, Azula and Zuko all dressed in white."Azulon, Fire Lord to our nation for 23 years. You were our fearless leader in the battle of Gar Sai. Our matchless conqueror of the Hu Sin provinces. You were father of Iroh. Father of Ozai. Husband of Ila, now passed. Grandfather of Lu Ten, now passed. Grandfather of Zuko and Azula." The Fire Sage announces then turns around and approaches the sarcophagus, he reaches in taking the Fire Lord's diadem, in the foreground Ozai walks forward. "We lay you to rest." The Fire Sage recites and holds the diadem above his head as two Firebenders on the left and right light fire to the sarcophagus, with the fire of the funeral pyre burning behind him, the Fire Sage crowns the new Fire Lord. "As was your dying wish, you are now succeeded by your second son." The Fire Sage recites as he puts the diadem on Ozai's head. "Hail Fire Lord Ozai!" He shouts as the audience below stand and as Ozai stands up from being crowned, the audience all bow to him. Ozai looks out over the enormous field below, filled with his subjects as Azula and Zuko wear white, bowing too to their father. Azula with her customary cruel grin and Zuko looks over at his younger sister in fear, then looks ahead.
Zuko goes out of his memory, and they ride away from the village on their horse ostrich, Zuko has his round hat back on his head. They ride out of the village with either side of the street lined with villagers, an Earth Kingdom flag flies in the breeze on the left as they all look upon them with a mix of dull hatred and warmth. These feelings were so different but they weren't for the same person, they dull hatred was for Zuko, though unwarranted and the warmth was for Rin even if at this point she did not know why they were looking at her like that or the name they gave her.
Zuko and Rin ride into the sunset, she hugs him close to her giving him her feelings in this hug to show how loved he really is. "I love you." She tells him and he looks back at her and sees the truth in her eyes and smiles at her.
"I love you too." He replies and they continue riding.
This is DeadGirlEternal here, so sorry it took so long for the chapter to come out as I had writer's block but here it is and I know that Rin isn't in this much but I felt that this was more Zuko based than anything so let me know how you like the chapter and my last chapter still stands, see ya at the next chapter.