Heart of the Dragon General

Chapters

Cousins
Journey
Teaching and Learning
A New Friend
Mad Genius
Balance
A Storm Brews
Hearts Ablaze
The True Shame
The Long Sail
Bad Girl
The Quarry
Logic
Reevaluation
Solstice Struggles 1
Solstice Struggles 2
Storm of Trouble
Trailing Logic
The Disaster of the North
Treachery
Deception
Treason
Determination
Traveling Hurdles
Survival
Loneliness
Friends and Enemies
New Path
Family Secrets
To Ba Sing Se
Settling In
Cadence' Tale of Ba Sing Se
In Too Deep
Of Kings and Countries
Of Lovers and Friends
Of Enemies and Allies
The Crossroads of Destiny
First Steps on Unknown Ground
Forged Bonds
A Balanced Heart
The Battle Plan
Recruitment
Family Discussion
Night of Two Moons
Peace Summit
Bendy Races
I Saw the Sun, part 1
I Saw the Sun, part 2
The Comet, Part 1
The Comet, Part 2
The Comet, Part 3
The Perfect Day
A New World
Family Reunited
Old Friends
Shared Pains
Old, New, Borrowed, Blue
Epilogue: Chaos and Harmony
The Hole in His Heart
The Flower of Knowledge
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
Path of Safety
Day of Black Sun
Lessons Taught and Learned

Cousins

Iroh calmly carried Cadence back towards the main part of the Palace once she had accustomed herself to being carried. She seemed fascinated by everything around her, which confirmed Iroh's suspicions that she was a creature from another world. The way nature seemed to react to her presence - he'd seen flower blossoms open at her approach so she could sniff, only to once more close once she'd moved on - seemed to confirm a strong connection to the Spirit Realm. Concluding she was a Spirit creature of some sort seemed more and more viable as he watched her. And the more he tended her, the more he would swear he could see her growing.

Still, he couldn't help but feel nervous about introducing Cadence to the rest of his family...especially since he had accepted the directive that he stand as her father. He wasn't entirely sure how many of them would respond to that. Then again, it had also been a while since he'd seen Ozai, Azula, or Zuko. He had no idea how much the three of them had changed...or been changed by recent events.

Thankfully, the first member of his family he encountered was Zuko, who was sitting outside by a fountain, plainly lost in thought. Iroh could understand. To lose his cousin, his grandfather, and then his mother in such quick succession...it was no wonder he would seek solitude as Iroh had. "Zuko!" Iroh called out softly.

Zuko's head snapped up, and a nervous smile managed to force itself onto his face. "Uncle!" he called back, standing up to walk towards him. As he approached, he paused, plainly struggling to figure out the appropriate thing to say.

Iroh smiled softly, deciding to step over the formalities and awkwardness. "There's someone I'd like you to meet, Zuko," he replied, kneeling slightly so that the filly in his arms was at eye level with his nephew. She looked over at Zuko with interest.

Zuko's eyes widened. "Uncle? What is she?"

Iroh chuckled softly at Zuko's immediate identification of the pony's gender. "She is a Spirit creature," he explained. "She came to me earlier today when, like you now, I sought solitude. Her name is Cadence, and she has decided - whether by her own choice or Spirit directive - that I am to act as her father."

Zuko looked up in shock. "But...after you just lo-" He stalled his words, looking down in shame. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't speak so freely of it-"

"If we do not speak, the poison of grief cannot bleed from the wound," Iroh interrupted, his compassion for his nephew helping him to push back his own grief for a time. "And...I think that may be part of why she has come. Perhaps...to help me move past what has happened. To help me...love again."

"I...I see," Zuko replied, plainly confused. Iroh smiled, knowing his nephew was not the most learned of children.

Cadence, for her part, seemed absolutely fascinated by Zuko. She stretched her neck towards him, sniffing at him. Zuko, for his part, seemed equally fascinated. Reaching his hand up, he gently stroked her mane. This caused her to giggle happily, wriggle out of Iroh's arms, and leap at Zuko, who barely managed to catch her as she proceeded to nuzzle him under his chin.

Laughter bubbled its own way out of Iroh. "It seems she likes you!" he pointed out. "You have a way with the ladies, young warrior. I expect you'll be quite the heartbreaker when you are older. I hope Mai doesn't get jealous."

Predictably, Zuko's cheeks colored. "I-I don't know what you're talking about, Uncle," he replied, looking away. Cadence, for her part, gasped happily, her forehooves coming together as her eyes lit up.

"Brother! Where are you?" a voice called out. "Father wants to see us!"

Iroh was confused by Zuko's wince, but he didn't show it as Azula approached. Of course, the first one Azula caught sight of was Iroh. "Oh, Uncle," she replied with a soft smile. She lowered her head, placing her hands together. "You have my sorrow and sympathy for the pain of your loss. May their spirits rest easy, and may your grief pass swiftly, to once more bring glory to our people in their name."

Iroh did his best to suppress the bile that welled up in his throat as he heard those words. Azula had always been a...strange, determined child. Almost single minded at times. However, when she spoke the formal words, it was more than them being in bad taste or feeling empty, presumably the reason Zuko had hesitated to speak them. When Azula spoke, her voice was...empty. There was no true sympathy to the words. It was less an offer of comfort - however badly phrased by ritual for the Royal Family - and more a recitation, necessary but without care. "I thank you for your offer of comfort, Azula," he replied.

Azula's smile in response was empty, her eyes calculating. Iroh supposed this might be her own means of dealing with grief, to shut down her heart, but it was unpleasant to witness. And it rubbed him raw when she turned that gaze on Cadence. "What a lovely creature," she stated, reaching towards her. "I want-"

Her words were cut off as Cadence hissed, her neck reaching out to snap her teeth at Azula. Had the young girl's reflexes not been so good, she likely would have lost a finger, if the hard clack of Cadence's teeth snapping together were anything to go by.

"It would appear she does not care what you want, Azula," Iroh stated, gently lifting Cadence out of Zuko's arms. "It is unwise to anger a creature of the Spirit World. They do not tend towards forgiveness."

Cadence continued to glower towards Azula, hissing spitefully but quietly now that she wasn't so close. Azula, for her part, frowned at Cadence, on the verge of a sneer. "She's obviously a bit spoiled already," she stated petulantly.

"You would know," Zuko murmured under his breath, causing Cadence to let out a giggle.

"What was that?" Azula demanded, rounding on Zuko.

"Nothing," Zuko replied, not meeting his sister's gaze.

Azula glared at him for a time, then turned away with a huff. "At any rate, Father wants to see us." She glanced back over her shoulder at Iroh. "He wishes to see you as well, Uncle, whenever you are ready."

Iroh watched the two children go for a time. "That went about as well as could be expected," he murmured. He looked down at the filly in his arms. "You seemed rather fond of Zuko rather quickly."

Cadence smiled, touched her nose with one hoof, then put that hoof to Iroh's chest, over his heart.

"He smelled like me?" Iroh asked. Cadence shook her head, drawing a shape in the air. "His heart?" Cadence nodded. "His heart smelled like mine?" Cadence nodded eagerly, making Iroh chuckle. "You are surely tied to the Love Spirit, to perceive things thusly. Though what was it you perceived in Azula?"

Cadence's ears went flat against her skull and she whimpered.

Iroh wasn't sure what caused that reaction, but he could tell Cadence was distressed. He gently stroked her mane. "Hush, little spirit," he comforted. "Don't think about it now. Just relax." He waited as Cadence calmed down. "After all...meeting with my brother is likely to be far worse."

Journey

Iroh calmly walked into the chambers of the Fire Lord, Cadence at his side looking somewhat nervous. It had been years since he'd last seen Ozai, save his presence at the funeral and at the coronation, and he had no idea how much had changed between them. After all, Iroh never would have believed his father would disinherit him in favor of Ozai, especially so soon after his own son's death.

The one thing that stuck out in his memory regarding Ozai was his ambition, an ambition bordering on zeal. He truly believed to the depths of his soul in the ambition set in motion for the Fire Nation by Sozen. Iroh himself had merely pursued it as a means to an end, towards rebuilding the world as the Order of the White Lotus taught was the true path. Perhaps, towards the end, their father had seen that of the two of them, and chosen Ozai to guide the Fire Nation for that reason.

As he entered the chambers, guards lined the walls behind the fire pots, as Ozai himself knelt, in the arraignment of the Fire Lord, at the top of the dais. Iroh knelt before the steps, Cadence beside him. The little pony stared up nervously at the Fire Lord.

"Leave us," Ozai ordered the guards, and they promptly vacated the room.

Once the guards were gone, Iroh bowed low in obeisance to the Fire Lord. Cadence, beside him, glanced up at him before mirroring his movements.

"None of that, Iroh," Ozai said firmly, rising to his feet and descending the stairs. "Not just between us, and especially not now..." As Iroh stood in surprise, Ozai pulled him into a fierce embrace. "I can't begin to understand your pain or loss, brother," Ozai whispered, emotion thick in his voice. "All I ask is that you let me be here for you in any way I can."

Iroh smiled sadly as he returned the embrace. At least nothing between them had changed. "Thank you, Ozai," he whispered back.

Cadence let out a happy squeak, climbing up Iroh's robes to nuzzle Ozai's cheek. The Fire Lord pulled back in shock. "Iroh, what is this adorable creature?" he asked gaily, breaking the embrace to open his arms to her. A look of ineffable joy crossed his face as she leapt into his arms to nuzzle him.

"Her name is Cadence," Iroh replied, pleased to see that Cadence and Ozai were able to get along. It had seemed at first that Cadence would have rejected Ozai as she had Azula. "I believe her to be a Spirit Creature, one of the Love Spirit's."

"She certainly seems to respond to love," Ozai agreed, tickling Cadence's tummy with one hand, making her wriggle happily. "Was that why she was so nervous when I was up on the dais? Because I was keeping my emotions hidden?"

"Perhaps," Iroh allowed, accepting the explanation. "I am pleased that she has become so fond of you. It would not be good for her to dislike her Uncle." At Ozai's shocked expression, Iroh smiled goofily. "She has chosen me to be her Father."

The amazement on Ozai's face made him look almost boyish again. "Truly, you are beloved of the Spirit World, brother," he breathed. "So soon after your time of grief, they send you one to love and be loved by...a great destiny must surely await you."

"I hope it won't wait too long," Iroh joked. "I am not as young as I once was."

His brother chuckled in amusement. "I am sure that you will have time enough to see to both your destiny and your new ward," he assured. Stepping back, he returned to the dais, and all three of them resumed their former positions. Cadence was smiling up at Ozai now, rather than looking nervous. Having seen his true heart, his outward coldness no longer confused her. "So tell me, brother," Ozai continued, now once more in the tone of the Fire Lord, "is there anything I can do to ease your grief? To help you recover?"

Iroh thought about this for a time, his eyes trailing frequently to Cadence. "...can you release me from my duties as a General for a year or two?" he asked. "I feel it would be appropriate if I were to journey for a time, to understand what the Spirits have planned for me...and what they have planned for Cadence."

"Of course," Ozai replied. "Take all the time you need. As much as your counsel and expertise will be missed - not to mention your presence - it is for the benefit of the Fire Nation that you be whole in mind and heart when you return to duty." His smile was soft, though his eyes sad. "I will miss having you here...but it is for the best that you do what you feel you must in this regard."

Iroh smiled as he bowed, though not as low as before. "Thank you, Fire Lord Ozai...my brother." Cadence mirrored his movements, smiling.

"Are you really leaving, Uncle?"

Iroh looked up from his packing. He had discarded his robes as a Fire Nation General and had dressed plainly in Earth Nation colors. While he had all his paperwork to certify his identity should he encounter any officials, he felt it best that he not parade that fact before civilians, especially when not surrounded by an army to protect him. He was under no illusions of how the common people felt about the Fire Nation's conquest. "Yes, Zuko," he stated calmly. "I am. I need some time and solitude to come to terms with my grief, and understand my future."

"I could come with you," Zuko offered.

"No, Zuko," Iroh chided gently, shaking his head. "You have a duty here, as a Prince. You must remain and continue your studies, and your training. Fire Lord Ozai needs you by his side, you and your sister."

Cadence made a very rude noise as she popped up out of the luggage, her face screwed up like she'd eaten something sour. This set both Iroh and Zuko to laughing.

"And you needn't worry about the weight of grief crushing me in my loneliness," Iroh reassured his nephew. He scooped Cadence up into his arms. "This little one won't let that happen."

Zuko nodded. "You take good care of my Uncle," Zuko told Cadence. "Alright?"

Smiling, Cadence nodded. With an air of solemnity, she drew an X on her chest with one hoof, fluttered her wings, and then put the same hoof over her eye, all the while babbling nonsense baby sounds.

"...what?" Zuko asked in confusion.

"I believe she was swearing a special promise," Iroh translated. "Childish words carrying great seriousness to a child."

"What, like..." Zuko began performing the motions. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a teacake in my eye?"

Cadence tilted her head for a moment, then squeaked, clapping her hooves.

"Something like that, apparently," Iroh translated good-naturedly.

Zuko managed a smile, before hugging Iroh around the middle. "I'll miss you, Uncle."

Iroh returned the embrace. "And I will miss you too, my nephew."

From her place clinging to Iroh's arm, Cadence gave Zuko a kiss on his forehead.

Author's Note

Some of you may be wondering about how I characterized Ozai here.

The thing is, all of his actions in the show can be interpreted in one of two ways.

One, he's a sociopath like Azula.
Two, he's a true believer. A zealot. Everything he says in the show to justify his actions...he genuinely believes it.

There are two reasons I choose the secondary option. The first is plot related, and will unfold over the course of the story. The second...
Ozai exiled his wife after his father was dead. If he were a sociopath, the logical course of action would have been eliminating her quietly because she was dangerous to his ambitions as long as she lived.

Teaching and Learning

Iroh was amazed at how quickly Cadence was developing. She was plainly an expressive child from the moment he'd met her, but she'd started talking before his boat ever reached the Earth Kingdom's shore. Her first word had been 'Daddy!' calling out to him as she pointed to the fish leaping from the waves, demanding he tell her what they were. Iroh had happily spent the remainder of the voyage telling her all he knew about the sea, its creatures, and its moods. By the time they'd made landfall, Iroh had moved on to talking about the land and the sky, and Cadence was speaking in broken sentences.

It was not long after their landfall as they shared an ostrich horse mount that Cadence began asking questions about the various things Iroh had brought with him. While her questions were broken, their meaning was easy to decipher, especially as she was somehow able to levitate the various objects she had questions about. Iroh happily explained each item, its purpose and significance, as they progressed.

It was as they stopped to camp for the night that Cadence pulled out something to question that put a wide smile on Iroh's face. "Daddy," she asked, pulling out two boxes full of circular tiles and a large rolled parchment, "what's this?"

Smiling widely, Iroh unrolled the parchment, weighing the corners down with stones. "This, Cadence, is Pai Sho," he explained. "An ancient game that holds many secrets. While frequently played to gamble or merely to while away the hours, it holds much more significance for those who dedicate themselves to what can be learned from it."

"A game?" Cadence asked eagerly. "Something we can play together?" She eagerly thrust one of the boxes of tiles at Iroh. "Teach me Daddy? Please?" She turned her most adorable pleading look his way.

Iroh couldn't help but chuckle. "Of course, Cadence," he replied. "I would be happy to teach you, and share this game's secrets with you." Opening the boxes, he proceeded to explain the various intricacies of the game, showing the ways it could be played.

A few weeks into their journey together, Cadence started trying to take over some of the chores as they traveled. Despite having the option of staying at any inn along the way - Ozai had sent them with plenty of money, both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom currency - Iroh felt that attempting to commune with the Spirits worked better in the wilderness than in a village inn. Not to say he never stopped at the inns, though. Not only did Cadence desire a warm bath and soft bed every so often, but occasionally Iroh desired some pleasant company beyond just Cadence...although Cadence seemed especially good at drawing that sort of company for him. After one particular stay at an inn, when six ladies of varying ages converged on him and Cadence - cooing over her and sending him gazes of varying degrees of surprisingly pleasant intensities - Iroh began watching Cadence's horn whenever they entered an inn. Not that he assumed she was using her Spirit Magic to draw such company, but he also wouldn't put it past her, considering how overjoyed she was with the good mood he had after such encounters.

Given Cadence's current size, the only chore she was really able to do at this point when on the trail was the cooking, and she went to it with a will. She had yet to master brewing a good cup of tea, so Iroh still took care of that while she learned. He had to admit, though, watching her stir the pot while occasionally bending down to blow on the flames beneath was adorable.

It was during one such time, however, that Iroh discovered something surprising. As he stirred the tea, he heard a woosh of flame behind him, followed by Cadence's startled squeak.

"Daddy!" she called out. "Daddy, I think I burned my tongue!"

Setting the tea aside, he quickly spun to check on her. Holding the filly up, he examined her tongue and mouth. "I do not see a burn," he murmured.

"Bu I bea faia!" Cadence pointed out as he held her mouth open.

"You did what?" he asked, releasing her mouth.

"I breathed fire!" she replied, looking somewhat freaked out, not that he could blame her.

"How?"

She pointed to the fire under the dinner pot. "I was just stoking the fire the way I've seen you do," she pointed out. "Then fire came out of my mouth all woosh!" She waved her forehooves, tracing an imaginary path of flames in front of her mouth.

Iroh frowned, raising an eyebrow. "Did it hurt?"

Cadence blinked. "Umm...only when I fell on my butt in shock," she admitted.

"I'm sorry I missed that," Iroh joked. "Can you show me?"

"But my butt still hurts!" Cadence whimpered.

"Not the fall," Iroh corrected, petting her head. "What you did that led to you breathing fire."

Nodding, Cadence braced herself in front of the pot, leaning her head down to be staring into the flames. She took a deep breath, then exhaled, sending her breath into the flames. She repeated this action several times.

Iroh, for his part, stared in wonder. Each time she inhaled, the flames shrank. Each time she exhaled, they flared up. If this visual demonstration wasn't enough, he could feel the way she was shaping the energies all unawares. Somehow by watching him, she had mastered the most basic fundamental of Fire Bending: the breath of flames.

When one particularly deep breath caused the flames under the pot to reduce almost to embers, the massive exhale rode a sheet of flames, though Cadence yelped again in the middle, falling backwards in shock. She then looked up at Iroh in confusion as he began to applaud.

"Well done, young one!" he said happily. "Well done! You have quite the talent for fire bending. I never would have thought a Spirit Creature would bend as humans do."

Cadence tilted her head. "But...but I saw the soldiers bending fire when they sailed us over the sea," she pointed out. "None of them breathed fire..."

Iroh grinned widely. "That particular technique is one very few fire benders have mastered," he explained.

"How few?" she asked eagerly.

Iroh took a deep breath, put his clenched hands to his chest close to his chin, and opened his mouth wide. A roar of flames leapt from his mouth, which he swept back and forth before him for a time. When the flames stopped, he smiled down at Cadence. "If you learn to control it so it happens when you want it to instead of on its own...two. This technique is one of the reasons I am called the Dragon of the West!"

Cadence stared up at Iroh, her eyes shining. "Please teach me?" she pleaded.

Iroh chuckled. "It would be a pleasure. After dinner."

Gasping, Cadence quickly rushed to the pot, checking on the contents. To her relief, it had suffered no harm due to the surges of flame.

After dinner, Iroh began the lessons. "The power of fire begins with the breath of life..."

Cadence's lessons in fire bending progressed rapidly. Iroh was constantly astounded at how easily the concepts behind fire bending were absorbed into her mind...and even more pleased at how readily she took the lessons of controlling it to heart. Every other night on the road, they would continue lessons, Cadence eagerly gobbling up everything he could teach her. On those nights they didn't study, they would play Pai Sho together.

During their journey, Iroh had noticed that Cadence would frequently seem to know things about what they encountered with no logical explanation. The best she could say sometimes was that the object in question 'remembered'. She generally gained this insight when holding an object in her Spirit Aura, the pale blue light that extended from her horn.

One night, however, the true extent of what she could learn this way caught Iroh completely off guard. As they sat down to play Pai Sho, he noticed that she had accidentally taken a different tile box than usual...specifically, the one he used when greeting other members of the Order, with the White Lotus piece right on top. As Iroh ruminated a bit on that and prepared his pieces, Cadence stared at the tile for a time. Her eyes seemed to unfocus for a bit...and then she took the tile in question and placed it right in the center of the makeshift board.

Iroh's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he saw this. He knew he hadn't taught her this. "I see you favor the White Lotus gambit," he found himself saying without even thinking about it. "Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

As he wondered what had made him give the ritual response to identify a member of the Order, Cadence stared up at him. Her mouth worked for a time as though she were trying to remember something. "Those who do can always find a friend," she said at last.

Iroh's eyebrows tried to climb into his thinning hair. "Then let us play," he replied, deciding to see just how much of this ritual Cadence somehow knew.

As Iroh placed his pieces, Cadence quickly placed hers in response, though she looked almost confused as she did so, as though she weren't entirely certain why she was doing it. However, if her eyes were uncertain, her movements weren't. Before long, the pieces were all in place, and he pulled his hand back as Cadence withdrew her hoof. A lotus pattern covered the board. "Welcome, sister," Iroh intoned ritualistically. "The White Lotus opens wide to those who know its secrets."

Cadence stared up at him, her confusion now much more apparent. "Daddy...what is this? What does that mean? What is this pattern? Why...why do the tiles remember you doing it? And those words?"

Iroh smiled softly. Cadence showed an eagerness to learn about the world around her, and she was born of the Spirit World. Plainly, for her to guide him, he would first have to guide her. He would not refuse the guidance of the Spirits, that they give her the keys to his secrets. "Cadence, let me tell you about the Order of the White Lotus..."

A New Friend

Iroh smiled softly as they approached a large town. "This is the city of Gaoling," he told Cadence. "While not a very large settlement, it is the home of a rather wealthy merchant family. Due to its out of the way location, it is untouched by the war. We are unlikely to find anyone with an issue taking Fire Nation money." He noticed Cadence staring around in awe, and chuckled. "We can explore later," he told her firmly. "After we've found a shop to restock our supplies."

Cadence pouted, whimpering. "But...but I want to explore now!" she whined. "I've never seen a town this size before! Look at all the big buildings!" She hopped down from the ostrich horse and gestured around. "And all the plants and animals I've never seen before! Can't I explore while you shop, Daddy? Please?"

Iroh stared at her begging, pleading look. He couldn't deny how adorable it was, or how hard it was to refuse her. However, he decided to stand firm if he could. "Cadence, even as removed as this town is, we can't simply claim to be Fire Nation royalty. There are still those who are either unscrupulous or hate-filled, who would seek us harm. And there are also those who might see you as a rare creature, one that would fetch a high price. I would hate to lose you to poachers."

Rolling her eyes, Cadence ignited her horn. Iroh levitated into the air, much to his surprise as he was surrounded by her aura. The cart with their things levitated into the air, disconnecting from the ostrich horse. The ostrich horse levitated into the air as well, so used to having her practice this with it that it didn't even bat an eye. "I can take care of myself," she pointed out. "Even without fire bending. And I promise to be careful. Please Daddy?" She turned her cute, begging, pleading eyes on him once again as she carefully set everything back down exactly how it had been.

Glancing back into the cart, Iroh noticed that not a single thing had shifted. He sighed ruefully. "Alright," he replied finally. "But meet me at the inn before sundown!"

Squealing happily, Cadence leapt up and hugged him around the neck. "Thank you, Daddy!" she cried out, kissing him on the cheek before racing off to explore.

Iroh could only shake his head in wonder. "So young, and already so skilled at getting her own way...I fear what she will be like as a teenager." Chuckling at that thought, he headed for the inn.

Cadence raced around town eagerly, looking at the unique architecture, the different plants scattered around, the animals, the people...it was all so fascinating. Obviously the people who saw her also found her fascinating, as they frequently turned to stare when she ran up and examined their clothes. However, her childish curiosity about the world around her meant she never stayed in one spot long enough for anyone to get a close examination of her.

Approaching some high hedges, she spread her wings. Having watched many winged animals taking flight during their journey, Cadence had already mastered propelling herself in short bursts of flight. Iroh's teachings of preserving and sharing knowledge had left her without the concept of 'private property' in terms of property lines. These two things made it perfectly understandable as to how and why she chose to fly over a hedge meant to keep people out.

Once in the yard contained therein, she hovered for a bit, surprised by what she saw. A young girl wrapped in pale green and off white robes had her back to Cadence. She was bent over, playing with stones, only her black hair visible. While the girl's appearance wasn't all that surprising, Cadence was confused that she hadn't turned to see her. The flapping of her wings hadn't been that quiet.

The moment her first hoof touched the ground, however, the girl shot up. "Well," she said simply, "you're certainly a strange looking bird." She then turned around and walked up to Cadence. "Never heard of a bird-pony...or are you a bird goat?" The girl knelt in front of Cadence.

Cadence stared in shock at the girl's pale blue eyes. Most would shrug off the paleness as normal color, but this close Cadence couldn't ignore the almost filmy texture covering the entire eye. Lifting her hoof, she waved it in front of the girl's face.

"Geeze," the girl grumbled. "Even animals do that?"

"I'm not an animal," Cadence complained.

The girl froze. "You talked."

"So did you," Cadence replied sourly.

The girl chuckled. "I like your style," she stated happily, punching Cadence on her right shoulder. While it didn't injure Cadence, there was plainly a lot of force behind the punch. "Name's Toph. What's yours?"

Grinning, Cadence returned the punch on Toph's shoulder. "Cadence," she replied happily. "How'd you see me when you're blind?"

Toph burst into hearty laughter. "Well you certainly don't waste any time with pleasantries."

"Are you going to answer my question or not?"

Toph laughed again. "Earthbending," she explained, lifting up her handful of pebbles. Wriggling her fingers, the pebbles danced in the air over her hand. "I learned most of it from the badger moles in the caves in the mountains." Letting the pebbles drop, she lifted her skirts to show her bare feet. "The badger moles are blind like me, so they see through the vibrations in the ground. I do too, using my feet."

"So that's why you only noticed me when my hoof touched the ground!" Cadence gasped in awe. "Teach me, please?"

Toph chuckled. "How can I teach you when I'm only 7?" she asked.

"Years or months?" Cadence countered. "I'm the latter."

Rolling her eyes, Toph shrugged her shoulders. "I guess we can see if you even can Earthbend. First, take a strong horse stance." Cadence raised an eyebrow, making Toph burst into laughter. "It's just the name of the stance!" Toph demonstrated the position.

Cadence struggled to achieve the same position, but the widespread stance of her hind legs made it difficult for her to stay upright, even with her wings spread.

"Hmm..." Toph murmured, feeling Cadence's imbalance. "Try it on all fours instead, and use your wings as arms."

Nodding, Cadence did as instructed.

"Now close your eyes, and try to feel the Earth," Toph instructed.

Closing her eyes, Cadence focused, trying to expand her awareness. Feeling the Earth around her was easy. Not being overwhelmed by the strength of the Earth Spirit was a bit more difficult. She opened her eyes, waving her wings forward strongly as though trying to disperse the vision.

The pebbles Toph had dropped earlier flew forward like missiles, punching through the nearby hedge. Someone outside yelped. Toph applauded. "Nice start!" she complimented. "But you'd better get going now. The guards are on their way."

Cadence blinked and nodded. "Can we meet up again?" she asked eagerly. "I want to learn more!"

"Sure!" Toph replied. "Meet me by the caves in the mountains west of town a few hours after sunset."

"I'll be there!" Cadence promised, leaping over the hedge again with wing aid. Noticing the sun moving towards the horizon, she raced for the inn to meet up with Iroh.

After dinner, Cadence waited until she heard Iroh snoring, then silently slipped out the window of the inn to go meet up with Toph at the caves.

As Iroh noticed that Cadence had trouble waking up the following morning, he concluded that the long time spent travelling had been a bit rough on her, and so decided to spend an extra week in Gaoling to let her recuperate. Cadence was quite happy with this arrangement, as it gave her plenty of time to hang out with Toph, both studying Earthbending and whatever else they decided to do at any given time. Cadence knew she couldn't pick up too much of Earthbending in just a week, so once she understood the basic principles - from no less than the badgermoles themselves - she focused instead on building up her friendship with Toph.

On the last night of the week - the night before the day Iroh had decided they would continue their journey - Toph and Cadence lay back on the mountainside, apparently staring at the stars. Neither of them was actually looking at the stars, however, as they were instead focusing on feeling the Earth beneath them...and feeling each other through the Earth.

"I'm gonna miss you," Toph said finally. "I've...never had a friend before."

"It's a first for me, too," Cadence replied. "I hope we meet again."

"Me too," Toph replied. "Even if you are Fire Nation."

Cadence's eyes popped open. "How did you know that? I never mentioned it!"

"Followed you back to the inn one night," Toph replied. "Felt you bribe the help to not tell your Dad about you sneaking out...with high denomination Fire Nation money. It's pretty distinct. The only time it ever crosses my Father's desk is when he's dealing with someone high up in the Fire Nation hierarchy."

Cadence sighed. She figured she'd have to tell Toph about this sooner or later. "The Fire Lord's my uncle," she stated simply.

"And I'm the Earth Queen," Toph retorted sarcastically.

Getting to her hooves, Cadence gave an exaggerated bow with a sweep of her wing. "Forgive my rudeness, Your Majesty," she teased.

The two laughed together for a bit, and then Toph raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," Cadence replied.

"Wow."

They were both silent for a time, though neither was thinking about the revelation. Toph was the next to speak up. "We need a secret handshake," she stated firmly.

Cadence lifted one hoof with a quirked eyebrow.

"You know what I mean," Toph countered. "Something just for us, as a way of greeting each other."

Cadence thought for a time, and something rose in her mind. She leapt to her hooves. "Follow my lead," she stated.

Curious, Toph got to her feet and began to mimic Cadence's movements. "Sunshine, sunshine," she chanted with her as she ran in place for four steps. "Ladybug's awake!" She covered her eyes with her hooves before exposing them.

Cadence continued the chant. "Clap your hooves-"

"I don't have hooves," Toph pointed out.

"Just make a fist."

Grinning, Toph did so, bumping her clenched fists against Cadence's hooves. "Clap your hooves, and do a little shake!" they chanted together, Toph performing the last part by throwing her hands into the air and shaking her hips.

The pair fell to the ground laughing. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard or done!" Toph pointed out.

"Said the blind girl who saw to the talking pony," Cadence pointed out.

Toph's grin split her face. "You're right. It's perfect."

As the moon set, they shared one last bump of fist to hoof, before going their separate ways, both looking forward to when they could meet again.

Mad Genius

It was one night after they had left Gaoling that Cadence decided to show Iroh what she'd learned. After all, she needed to practice her Earthbending anyway, and she didn't like him not knowing. However, an impish notion of mischief - learned from Toph - made her want to catch him off guard with it, to see if she could leave him stupefied, as she had when she first breathed fire. "Daddy?" she asked as they began setting up camp. "Can I dig the fire pit tonight?"

Iroh chuckled in response. "Alright," he said indulgently. Using a staff he'd taken to carrying, he drew a circle on the ground. "This should be a good spot. Let me get the shovel." He started to turn away.

Before he was completely facing away, Cadence took a strong stance, reared back, and stomped both forehooves into the center of the circle. Using the drawn circle as a guide, she shaped a circle of solid earth to drive it into the ground a few inches, remaining perfectly circular. Stepping back, she then made several thrusts with her wings, rolling nearby rocks into place on the outer ring of the fire pit. "How's that?" she asked.

Much to her great pleasure, Iroh was well and truly stupefied, his jaw hanging slightly as he stared. However, he didn't stay stupefied for long. Shortly after she spoke up, he regained control of himself. "Where did you learn to Earthbend?" he asked.

"Made a friend in Gaoling," she replied happily, taking a drink from her canteen. "She taught me a lot." She then promptly belched, just like Toph had taught her.

Iroh struggled not to laugh. "When did you have time to meet up with this friend without me knowing?"

"Met her first when I went exploring when we first got there," Cadence replied, not quite meeting Iroh's eyes.

His eyes narrowed. "And sneaking out to spend time with her at night after I fell asleep?" he asked insightfully. "Which is why you were so sleepy in the morning?"

Cadence whistled innocently.

Shaking his head, Iroh sat down, laying wood in the fire pit. "And how much did your friend teach you in that week?" he asked.

"I can move small rocks," Cadence replied, "and move small earth discs like that." She sat down herself.

The ground under her rump cracked, drawing a zig zag line backwards from her tail.

"...but that sometimes happens..." Cadence murmured. "My control once I start's not so good..."

Iroh frowned, stroking his beard. "Then perhaps what you need is someone more skilled than your friend, to teach you control." As he lit the dinner fire, he took a look at the map. "Hmm...well, that is convenient. We are not far from Omashu. I know someone there who can assist you in that."

Cadence smiled widely. "Another Lotus?" she asked eagerly.

"Do not speak so lightly of it," Iroh chided gently. "...but yes."

Cadence stared up in awe as she and Iroh crossed the narrow, winding stone bridge to the city of Omashu. To Cadence's eyes, it looked like four pyramids of varying sizes inside massive walls, suspended atop a pillar of earth that stretched deep into the abyss of a wide pit. Truly, a well fortified city, and a testament to the power of Earthbending, the only force that could have shaped the city like this.

As they approached, one of the three guards levitated a boulder above Iroh's head. "State your business!" he proclaimed firmly.

"We're just visiting an old friend," Iroh replied.

"Oh?" the guard asked with a raised eyebrow. "Who?"

"Am I to assume you know the names of every citizen in the city?" Iroh asked. "Or that it is within your purview to pry into the private business of visitors?"

"Just tell me your name," the guard grunted.

"Iroh," Iroh replied easily.

The guard's eyes widened. "The Fire Nation General?" he asked in shock.

Iroh chuckled. "Do I look like a general to you?" he asked playfully, patting his stomach. The easy pace of the journey had started to give him a bit of a paunch. While useful here, he made a mental note to start working on keeping himself in shape, if only to keep up with Cadence.

The guard exhaled a sigh of relief. "You're right. You must be some other Iroh. Go on-" He froze as he stared at Cadence. "And what is this?" he demanded.

"Hi!" Cadence said happily, waving her forehoof. "I'm Cadence! Iroh's my Daddy!"

The guard promptly fainted. His partners decided to let Iroh and Cadence into the city.

Inside the city walls, Omashu was even more impressive, leaving Cadence completely stupefied as she stared at the bustling citizenry and soaring buildings peaked in towers. She also saw several stone baskets zipping back and forth on long slopes through the city.

Noticing her focus, Iroh smiled. "That is the mail delivery system," he explained. "The stone baskets move up and down the slopes through Earthbending, delivering messages, stock, and other things around the city."

"And people?" Cadence asked, her hoof touching the side of one of the sloping delivery tracks as her aura emitted from her horn.

Iroh frowned. "...no. Never people. That's against regulations."

"But the tracks remember people," she pointed out. "Two young boys...one bald, one with really spiky hair and a missing tooth...riding down the slopes, screaming happily..." Her eyes widened. "It looks like so much fun! Can we?" She turned eagerly to Iroh. "Please Daddy? Can we try, please?"

Iroh thought for a time. Well...I do need to get his attention...and it does sound...interesting...

Once at the top of the slope, however, Iroh was reconsidering as he sat in the stone basket behind Cadence. "Mayhaps this was a bad i-"

Cadence leaned forward, the earth just under the basket pushing upward, tipping it over and into the slide.

"-deeeAAAAAA!" Iroh screamed out as they sped downward.

Cadence threw her hooves up in delight, screaming happily as they sped down the slope. As they sped down, things seemed to be going well...until they came to part of the slope that was missing, and apparently scheduled for repairs.

Dropping out of the slope, the pair sped through the city streets in the stone basket. Cadence had the brief sight of some sort of cart filled with vegetative matter before they crashed through it. She spat out the bad tasting mouthful as she heard someone in the distance behind them shout out, "My cabbages!"

For some reason, she felt certain that the next decade or so of that man's life would not be pleasant.

Not long after that, they crashed into a building, coming to a screeching halt. Guards instantly surrounded them. "Oops," Cadence murmured, though Iroh only smiled.

Iroh and Cadence were brought into a large chamber lit with green light. At the opposite end, an ancient man with mismatched eyes and scraggly hair stared at them, seeming interested in Iroh.

One of the guards stepped forward. "These two are under arrest for misuse of the mail system, sending a delivery basket down an out-of-use slope, malicious damage to vegetables, and damage to the foundation of a building. Your Majesty, what is your judgement?"

Majesty? Cadence swallowed as she realized this was a King. She found herself suddenly very nervous, hoping he wouldn't be so bad.

The King stared at them both for a time. "Throw them...a party."

Cadence tilted her head in confusion.

Iroh did his best to maintain his composure in the face of King Bumi's...eccentricities. However, that was a little hard to do while wearing a blue chiffon gown with matching oversized hat, sitting on his knees around a table set for high tea...especially with King Bumi himself in a pink tutu, and Cadence in a little black tux. He tried not to think of what it meant that Bumi'd had the tux ready for the tea party.

Cadence, for her part, was perfectly happy to pour tea and eat cookies, chattering away nonsensically with King Bumi, who responded just as readily...even if Cadence was calling him, 'Lady Fuzzy Face'. Oddly, he seemed to enjoy the name.

Finally, Iroh decided to come around to business. "Cadence, perhaps you would show Bumi what you are capable of?"

Smiling, Cadence stomped her hoof, bringing a chunk of stone up before waving it aside with a wing, sending it flying. She also breathed fire onto her tea to warm it up.

Bumi's eyes widened. "Impressive...but so what?"

"While I am able to teach her to control her fire," Iroh explained, "I have no idea how to instruct her in controlling earth...and she needs to learn control. She is a Spirit Creature, and sometimes her bending gets away from her."

"So you want the King of Omashu to take time out of his busy schedule to teach a Spirit Creature how to control herself?" Bumi asked. "...I'll do it."

"You will?" Cadence asked eagerly.

"If!" Bumi countered quickly. "If you can pass three deadly trials." Iroh face palmed.

"I'll...I'll do it," Cadence agreed.

"Good! You can start tomorrow. For now, the guards will show you to your room."

The next day, Bumi led Cadence to a massive chamber filled with stalactites and stalagmites, with a massive waterfall pouring down the center. A key was visible hanging from a chain in the center of the waterfall.

"It seems I've misplaced my lunch box key and I'm hungry!" Bumi called out.

Before he could continue, Cadence seized the key in her aura and floated it up to him out of the water, breaking the chain in the process. "Is this it?" she asked.

Bumi took the key, a bemused expression on his face. "You didn't tell me she could do that," he accused Iroh.

"You didn't ask," Iroh replied with a wide grin, his hands folded in his sleeves.

The next place Bumi led Cadence to was a large open area with trees, rocks, and high walls. "I seem to have lost my pet Flopsie-" he began.

Cadence had promptly squeed and leapt over the walls, racing to a large creature that looked like a cross between a bull, a rabbit, and a gorilla, completely ignoring the tiny bunny-like creature in the middle. Leaping to the beast's head, she promptly began scratching him behind one ear. "Who's a good little bun-bun?" she cooed. "Yes you is! Yes you is!"

Flopsie, for his part, promptly rolled onto his back, his tongue hanging out as he grinned widely.

Bumi blinked. "How did you know?"

"I could feel how much he loves you!" she called back as Flopsie leapt up to the platform and proceeded to lick Bumi.

Bumi glanced over at Iroh again. "You didn't tell me she could do that either." He held up a hand. "I know, I know...I didn't ask. Is there anything else amongst her abilities I should know about?"

"Only that she can read the memories of inanimate objects with her spirit aura," Iroh explained.

"Well isn't that interesting..."

The last place Bumi led Cadence and Iroh to was a massive stone arena. "Your last test is a duel. And since you've done so well on the others, you may choose your opponent-"

"I choose you, Your Majesty," Cadence replied quickly.

Bumi blinked. "But...but you haven't even seen the other options."

"True," Cadence agreed, "but you're supposed to be my teacher. This will be a good way to judge my capabilities. Also, I can sense how strong your friendship is with Daddy, so I know you'll be careful not to break me." She smiled up at him.

Bumi chuckled happily. "Good thinking...but you have no idea just how hard an opponent you've chosen!" Shrugging off his robes, he revealed a surprisingly ripped if hunched body.

Cadence's eyes popped open. As Bumi leapt forward, all she could see was a rippling mass of skin, muscle, and bone. Every wrinkle now looked like another fold of muscle. And his abs... "Great Spirits, you could grind meat on those," she found herself saying as she stared.

"Huh," Bumi commented, looking down at his abs. "I'll have to try that sometime." He looked back at Cadence. "As thanks for the compliment, and because you're so young...say, just how old are you?"

"11 months," Cadence replied softly.

"Almost one year old?" Bumi asked in surprise. "Well, you can have the first move."

Cadence's ears went flat against her skull. Her eyes widened and began to water. She lifted one hoof upward against her chest, turning her most adorable pleading expression on Bumi she could muster. Her horn ignited, causing music to play from nowhere.

Bumi stared, waiting until the music ended. "...that is without a doubt the most adorable thing I have ever seen," he said finally. He then cackled madly, snorting a couple of times. "Too bad for you this isn't a beauty contest!" He promptly stomped with one foot, catapulting Cadence away with a pillar of stone.

Cadence quickly spread her wings to keep from slamming bodily into walls or ceiling, coming in for a landing before turning the skills Toph had taught her to use. Rather than watching Bumi's body movements, she focused on the vibrations she felt through the Earth. While she wasn't good enough to feel people's movements through it, she could feel the force of the Earth being bent. Leaping quickly back and forth, she was able to avoid several of Bumi's attacks, countering with several of her own.

Bumi, however, was able to flick aside each of her attacks like it was nothing. "Let's see something real, pretty pony!" he shouted out, hurling a large stone block straight at her, too large for her to evade.

Thrusting her wings forward, she froze the block in the air. Flexing her wings, she shattered the block, leaving numerous feathers of stone, all razor sharp. These she flung at Bumi at varying velocities for a continuous barrage.

Bumi countered easily, catching every feather blade of stone between two fingers, neutralizing their momentum as he bound them together in a sharp edged ball which he promptly rolled towards Cadence, as though trying to knock her over like ninepins.

Thinking quickly, Cadence used her horn to mimic the movements of Bumi's fingers, stopping the rotation of the ball as she brought the tip of her horn up against the blade.

Bumi cackled in response. "Good, good! Show me what you've got!"

Spinning, Cadence bucked the ball at him with both hind legs, but he only crushed it to powder between his hands. As he lunged forward on a wave of earth, she realized there was no way for her to win with Earthbending. As he approached, she inhaled, and exhaled a wave of flame.

"Yipe!" Bumi yelped, drawing a pillar of earth up to shield himself, the flames blowing to either side. "Almost got a hot foot!"

Glowering, Cadence swung her wings inward. Her flame breath curved around the earth pillar, aiming for Bumi's feet. The Earth King immediately leapt into the air to avoid burning his feet...and Cadence released the flames in order to leap upward, the King's own Earth pillar rising up with her hoof.

Cadence was barely able to see what happened next, and had no chance to react. Using the earth pillar for leverage, Bumi flipped himself upside down before clenching his stomach. In response to the clench, a pillar of earth shot down from the ceiling, bracing his feet. His open hand came forward as the pillar slammed him downward, trapping her neck between his hand and the earth she was now pinned against.

"Not a bad tactic, young bender," Bumi stated as he held himself there. "Trying to separate me from the Earth...against a lesser Earth Bender, it might even have worked. However, you're about 100 years too early to match me, my little pony."

Cadence glanced around, looking to see if she could turn this around...but went limp as she realized she couldn't.

"However," Bumi stated as he released her, standing upright, "I might still be convinced to train you...if you can do something for me."

"Yes?" Cadence asked eagerly.

"It's been decades since I last got kissed by a pretty young girl," Bumi pointed out idly, cackling and snorting.

Giggling, Cadence hopped up and kissed him right on the cheek.

"To training!" Bumi proclaimed with a wide grin.

Balance

After several months of training with Bumi - sometimes with the entire city of Omashu watching, to ensure she wouldn't have a problem with the attention her unique appearance would draw - Cadence had finally gained complete control of her Earth Bending. This was not to say she was a master. Bumi was quite insistent that she was far from a Master. However, she knew enough that she could develop further from self study, and he could guarantee it wouldn't get away from her.

However, during her last training session with Bumi, something else had happened that set a new course for Iroh and his other-worldly daughter.

"That's it, Cadence," Bumi instructed. "Bring me my tea. You can do it."

Cadence, for her part, was doing her best not to scream in frustration. She was carefully bending a stone disc with her on it towards Bumi, while balancing a tray with a ceramic cup filled with hot tea on her horn. This - balancing the bending motions and her own body weight to not spill the tea - would have been hard enough, but several of Bumi's Earthbending guards lined the path, and randomly hurled stone discs her way that she had to dodge, and Bumi had ensured that the pattern of thrown discs would never repeat. Also, she was blindfolded, because Bumi felt she needed even more of a challenge.

Just as, for the first time since she was given this training, she nearly reached Bumi, a stone disc knocked the tray off her horn, sending the cup flipping through the air, the tea cascading outward. "No!" Cadence screamed out in frustration as she pinwheeled off her own stone disc as it fell, her movements both strong and fluid as she fell.

What wasn't a surprise was when the ceramic cup slammed into Bumi's hand. What was a surprise was when the spilled tea swirled up into the air before it hit the ground, spiraled around Bumi's head, and deposited itself in the cup.

As everyone stared in surprise, Cadence pushed her stone disc off and lifted her blindfold. Seeing Bumi holding the full cup, she gasped happily. "Did I do it?" she asked desperately.

"That you did," Bumi agreed. "And not at all how I expected you to."

Cadence raised an eyebrow. "So...how did I fail to think outside the box this time?" she asked in resignation.

Smirking, Bumi lifted the disc he was standing on into the air. Taking the cup, he emptied its contents into his mouth before placing it on his head. He then blindfolded himself and bent his disc up and around himself into a sphere of stone before floating around the course, the thrown discs deflecting off the sphere. When he landed, he unwrapped himself, took the cup off his head, and spat the tea back into the cup. "Ta dah!"

Both Cadence and Iroh were making disgusted expressions. "W...why would I do that to good tea?" Cadence demanded in revulsion. "Who would want to drink tea that had been in my mouth? I was supposed to serve the tea to you!"

Bumi tilted his head in thought. "Hmm...now why in the world would I want an indirect tongue kiss from a cute young girl with my tea, hmm?" He then proceeded to cackle and snort.

Cadence scooted away nervously. "You're...weirding me out..."

"Then I'm doing my job!" Bumi proclaimed proudly. "After all, I'm the fun but creepy Uncle who always leaves you feeling a little unsure what's deliberate and what's crazy, and is tons of fun in small doses!" He cackled madly again, snorting a couple times.

Cadence couldn't stop the giggles that followed that pronouncement. Unable to hold herself back, she had hugged Bumi around the neck and kissed his eyebrows.

"Hey!" he proclaimed angrily, pointing accusingly at his eyebrows. "Stop stealing all the smooches!"

After that, Iroh and Bumi had discussed the revelation of Cadence's apparent ability to bend Water, in addition to Fire and Earth. While it was no real surprise that a spirit creature would not be bound to the same rules regarding bending as humans - after all, it was the Light Spirit being bound to the Avatar that allowed him or her to bend all four Elements in the first place - one thing was certain. If she could bend three Elements, she would have to be able to bend all four, or her spirit and life force would be out of balance with itself. She had also learned to control her Fire and Earth, and Water had awoken in her. She would need to learn control Water as soon as possible, and then some way would have to be found to teach her Air.

It was for this reason that Iroh had made for the northern coast as soon as they'd left Omashu. Bumi had already made arrangements via albatross messenger with another member of the order to have a ship waiting to transport them to the North Pole, where Cadence could learn Waterbending. However, Bumi had warned Iroh that it would be up to the two of them to convince that member - who was of quite high standing - to actually teach Cadence. In Bumi's words, "He's an old stick in the mud with the stick of 'culture' so far up his ass he can taste it." Of course, Bumi didn't say that around Cadence, merely describing this 'Master Pakku' as a stubborn old fool where she could hear, along with instructions not to tell Pakku he'd said that.

Iroh was quite surprised that the boat waiting for them - hidden from all prying eyes - was crewed entirely by Northern Water Benders. He idly wondered what sort of favors Bumi had offered or called in to get this level of cooperation. Cadence, however, was quickly enthralled by the actual bending the crew of the longboat was doing to speed them across the waves towards the north, and began mimicking their movements, attempting to bend the water as well. Most of the crew either smiled indulgently or stared incredulously, although a couple took the time to either pay her compliments for her efforts or offer a pointer or two.

By the time they actually reached the Northern Water Tribe a week later, Cadence was contributing effectively to speeding the boat along, and was informed she could probably propel herself and Iroh back to the Earth Kingdom under her own power when she left, though it would take longer.

While they were both given a quiet welcome to the Northern Water Tribe, their reception by Master Pakku was...less than ideal.

"No," Pakku replied firmly when Iroh broached the subject. "We do not train women to water bend here in the Northern Water Tribe. It is our way, our customs. Women are not trained to fight."

"I'm not asking you to teach her to fight," Iroh replied calmly, despite Cadence's hurt look. "I'm asking you to teach her control."

"Then she can learn healing with the other women," Pakku replied firmly.

"She has not demonstrated talent for healing," Iroh pointed out. "Even amongst those who can waterbend, that ability is not exactly common. She has, however, demonstrated the ability to manipulate water. If she does not learn control, there is no telling what could happen."

"Then you should take her back with you," Pakku stated bluntly, "and make sure that it happens far away from this country."

"But-"

"There is nothing you can say to change my mind," Pakku interrupted firmly.

"Please?" Cadence begged, arranging her features into her cutest, most heart wrenching begging face.

"No," Pakku replied firmly without even looking. "Nothing you can say will make me change my mind either."

Cadence frowned, glaring up at Master Pakku. "Nothing I say...what if it's something I do?"

Pakku raised an eyebrow. "Explain."

"I propose a game between us," Cadence suggested. "I win, you make an exception and teach me Waterbending, since - despite being female - I am technically not a woman. You win, we leave, and seek my teaching elsewhere."

Pakku frowned deeply. "And why should I even accept this proposal?"

"Because if you don't, I'll go to the spirit spring and tell the Moon and Ocean spirits that you're being a big, mean, stubborn, poopyhead," she replied easily. "I can sense them from here. They want me to come play with them."

Iroh did his best not to burst into laughter, both at Cadence's threat and at Pakku's face in response. He couldn't tell if Pakku was horified or amused. "Fine then," Pakku replied at last. "I shall accept your terms, if you swear to abide by them absolutely. Should I win, you both leave immediately."

"Fair enough," Cadence agreed, reaching into Iroh's bags.

"So what game shall we play?" Pakku asked, his frown once more firmly on his face.

"Pai Sho," Cadence replied, pulling out the tile sets. "I've grown quite fond of the game." She reached for the portable board.

Pakku promptly threw his arms up, causing a Pai Sho table to take shape and rise up out of the ice between them. "You should have chosen a different game," Pakku pointed out. "I am undefeated in my tribe."

"Then perhaps you can see your way to giving me the first move as a handicap?" Cadence asked innocently. Iroh's eyes widened as he began to see where she was going with this.

Pakku shrugged his shoulders. "Very well," he allowed, pulling out his own set of tiles. "I see no way you can be skilled enough to win either way."

Smirking, Cadence placed her White Lotus tile smack dab in the center of the table.

Pakku stared in open mouthed shock for a time, then spoke almost as though unaware of his words. "I see you favor the White Lotus Gambit," he stated ritualistically. "Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

Cadence smiled softly. "But those who do can always find...a friend."

Pakku nodded. "Then let us play..."

Pakku began placing out the tiles in the ritual pattern, Cadence keeping up every step of the way, until the lotus pattern was shaped on the table with the last two tiles. Pakku stared at the pattern for a long time before finally speaking up. "Welcome, sister. The White Lotus opens wide to those who know its secrets."

Cadence smiled widely. "Have you reconsidered teaching me?" she asked softly.

"I must," Pakku replied ruefully. "As a Master of the White Lotus, I am honor bound to share my knowledge with other members who have need of it...and you have need of my knowledge of Waterbending." He turned to glower at Iroh. "You could have mentioned you had inducted her into the Order so I didn't make myself look like a fool!"

Iroh shrugged his shoulders. "You did not exactly give me a chance."

Pakku sighed. "Fair enough. Training starts tomorrow night after sundown. Meet me outside the Spirit Spring."

Cadence smiled happily, and bowed low. "Thank you for agreeing to teach me, Master Pakku," she said sincerely.

"Don't push your luck," Pakku countered grumpily, though he was inwardly pleased she didn't rub it in.

A Storm Brews

As the Moon rose each night for the next few months, Iroh and Cadence made their way to the cave of the Spirit Spring to meet with Master Pakku, who taught Cadence water bending. Learning the movements was easy enough for her. Mastering them was more difficult, as was getting the water to actually follow her. Pakku was...less than encouraging to Cadence, merely telling her to try again each time she failed, until she collapsed from exhaustion each night.

At the end of the first night, Iroh had tried to talk to Pakku about it. "Pakku, don't you think you are being a little harsh with her?" he had asked worriedly. "She's not even two years old..."

Pakku had sniffed in response. "If she doesn't like my teaching method, she is welcome to seek instruction elsewhere in the world," he had replied, and that was the last word said on the matter.

Cadence, unfortunately, proved to be just as stubborn when Iroh had asked her about it. "Master Pakku agreed to teach me," she'd replied firmly. "I'm certain he knows what he's doing. I just have to get better."

Admittedly, after the first night, Pakku had been careful not to push Cadence to the point she collapsed. Iroh had carried her into the spirit spring after that, and the two koi swimming in it - one black, one white - had immediately swum over to pull her into the spring. They had then glared accusingly at Pakku. Iroh had no idea why that had caused a change, but he had his suspicions. Cadence had ended each night since playing with the koi in the spring, much to Iroh's amusement. He wasn't sure how Pakku felt about watching it, as he refused to say anything.

As he watched Pakku demonstrate the movements to Cadence and put her through her paces, Iroh began practicing the movements himself. True, he couldn't bend water, but there was no telling when the knowledge might come in handy. Besides, he had decided he needed to stay in shape to keep up with Cadence. As he went through the movements, he let himself think on how they could be applied to fire bending.

Eventually, Cadence began to learn the techniques, and to control her Waterbending. Ice no longer broke and water no longer surged when she lost her temper, which did happen on occasion. She grew exhausted less often at night, and her rest in the spirit spring became easier, letting her spend more time playing with the koi and less recovering from the training.

One day as the sun began to set, Pakku looked up at gathering clouds. "There's going to be a storm tonight," he stated bluntly. "Sleet, hail, and possibly lightning. A rather fierce polar storm."

"So...does that mean no training tonight?" Cadence asked worriedly.

"Nonsense!" Pakku countered. "It is a perfect opportunity to test your abilities by redirecting the sleet and shattering the hail stones. The storm will start one hour after sunset. We will be there 30 minutes before then to prepare."

Iroh swallowed nervously, an unknowable fear gripping his gut at Cadence's eager response.

Iroh stood under the cave entrance to the Spirit Spring, staring as Pakku and Cadence fought the storm. Things were going well so far, as redirecting the sleet proved surprisingly easy for Cadence, especially when she used her wings to guide it. Only two hailstones had found their mark, and those against her barrel where she was only slightly bruised. Oddly enough, it seemed that she was more effective at water bending when countering the weather than when trying to manipulate inert water, ice, or snow in her environment. He made a note of that in a scroll he'd been preparing, detailing with words and illustrations Cadence's growth and development.

A sudden panic struck him, a fear with no explanation. Looking up towards the sky, he saw a few lightning bolts dancing between the clouds, and his throat clenched. Something was about to happen, something bad.

He saw the first sparks starting to form, and he ran out into the storm, trying to outrun the lightning he felt coming. He barely heard Pakku's shouted directive to back off or Cadence's shout of confusion. Placing himself over Cadence, he thrust two fingers of his right hand straight up just in time to catch the bolt of lightning that had come from the storm straight towards her.

As the lightning entered his hand, his thoughts raced, trying to outrun the lightning much as he had. Okay, I've caught the lightning, now what do I do with it? I can't hold it in my arm, it's already racing into me.

I can't let it hit my heart, that will kill me. But it's going down...

My stomach. The sea of chi. I can hold it there.

His left arm came up, rapidly dragging two fingers down his right arm and into his stomach in the flowing motions of Waterbending. To his amazement, he felt the lightning follow, diving into his stomach.

It worked...now what? His thoughts continued to race as he felt the lightning fighting his control. I can't keep it in my stomach for long...I need to get rid of it...where can I send it? Can't send it into the ground, it's following my left hand. If I bend that far, I'll lose control of it.

My left hand...if I can't send it down, can I send it back up?

Acting on the thoughts, he dragged his left arm upward from his stomach, the lightning racing along his left arm and leaping out his two fingers, launching back up into the sky.

As the lightning left his body and he was finally able to breathe again, he noticed Pakku and Cadence staring up at him in awe. He blinked twice. "Let's not do that again..." he managed to say before he fell over backwards, his world going dark.

When Iroh opened his eyes, he found several young women surrounding him, water glowing around their hands as they pressed their hands to his arms, his chest, and his stomach. Master Pakku was standing over him, a smirk on his face. "An excellent sentiment, Iroh," he stated simply. "Don't do that again...at least not until you perfect that technique. And stick to man made lightning from other fire benders. I doubt you'll be so lucky next time you try to catch nature's wrath."

Iroh managed a few coughing breaths. "Cadence?" he asked worriedly.

Smiling, one of the women shifted to the side so he could see beyond her. They were in the cave of the Spirit Spring, and Cadence sat in the spring herself, the white koi on her right, the black on her left, all three peeking over the edge of the spring to watch him worriedly. When he managed a reassuring smile, Cadence breathed a sigh of relief, her piscine companions returning to their interrupted swim.

"Daddy," Cadence breathed in awe, "what did you do?"

Iroh coughed a few more times, his breathing getting easier. "I...redirected the lightning."

"How?"

Smiling, Iroh pushed himself into a sitting position as the women pulled back. "Why don't I teach you?" he offered, causing Cadence's eyes to light up in eagerness.

As the women left, Pakku handed Iroh his Pai Sho set. "We should play sometime," he stated simply.

Iroh stared at the tile sitting on top. It was the White Lotus tile...but it had more notches around the outer edge than it had previously. "How long...was I unconscious?" he asked.

"Three days," Pakku replied. "Cadence has not moved from the spring since. Her vigil interrupted her training."

Seeing several albatrosses wheeling overhead just outside the cave, Iroh smiled softly, lifting the White Lotus tile. Only a member of the Order would know what those notches would mean.

Hearts Ablaze

With Wan Shi Tong's active participation, Cadence was able to control her Airbending rather rapidly, and the Knowledge Spirit had provided several pointers on further study for each of her bending abilities. With that knowledge under her wings, she and Iroh decided it was time to make their way back to the Fire Nation. They had been gone nearly two years, and they both felt it was time to go home.

With Wan Shi Tong's assistance, they transferred their boat back out to the desert and made their way to the Earth Kingdom's eastern shore, seeking passage from one of the colonies back to the Fire Nation.

Once there, they both went their separate ways ever so briefly. Iroh went to report to Ozai, to inform the Fire Lord that their journey was finished, and to privately discuss Cadence's capabilities...though he did not go into details as far as where Cadence learned to control her abilities, seeing fit to imply that she was merely naturally talented, aided by a few scrolls found in a library. It wasn't that Iroh wanted to deceive his brother in this regard. However, what Wan Shi Tong had said about one of his countrymen arriving a few months prior to them made him cautious of what knowledge of the Spirits he spread. Beyond that, he wasn't about to mention anything about the Order of the White Lotus. Once he was finished reporting to Ozai, Iroh sought out Master Piandao to discuss his visit to Wan Shi Tong's library.

Cadence, however, went to look for Zuko. She had liked him when they were here last, and she wanted to see how he'd grown in these past two years, and to show off what she'd learned.

She found Zuko sitting on a fountain, head hanging in sorrow. She decided to cheer him up the only way that she could think of. "Hi Zuko!" she called out, tackling him into the fountain.

Zuko let out a brief yelp before flailing around, then looking down at her. "Hey Cadence," he grumbled, trying to push himself out of the water. "That's sure to wash right out..."

Smiling, Cadence waved her wings, yanking the water out of her coat, Zuko's clothes and hair, and parting the water around them so they could climb out of the fountain dry. "Geeze, when did you become such a grumpy guss?" she asked playfully.

Zuko stared at the parted pool. "You...you can Waterbend?"

"And Firebend, and Earthbend, and Airbend!" Cadence proclaimed proudly as the got back out of the fountain. Letting the water resume its normal configuration, she used a bit of flame and a blast of air to dry them both off the rest of the way.

"That's amazing!" Zuko breathed happily. "Think you could teach me a few tricks?"

"Hmm...maybe," she allowed. "If you'll tell me why you were such a gloomy guss."

Zuko's face fell as he sighed. "Mai won't talk to me anymore," he said at last.

"Eh?" Cadence asked, confused. "Why not?"

"She's upset about our engagement," Zuko replied.

Cadence scratched her head. "I...I don't get it..."

"She's never liked that her life gets decided for her-"

"Oh!" Cadence gasped out. "An assignation..."

Zuko nodded. "Yup. And...I like her, I really do...but with things like this..."

Cadence frowned, wishing she could do something to help. She blinked in shock as she felt her horn glowing, and saw a half heart floating over Zuko's head, pulsing rhythmically. Glancing elsewhere, she found her vision swooping over the imperial compound until she saw Mai, sitting in a corner by herself, the other half of the heart pulsing in magic light over her head. As her magic faded, Cadence gasped happily, a plan in her mind. "So...the reason she isn't happy with you is the choice was taken away?" she asked.

"Pretty much," Zuko agreed.

"Then give her the choice back," Cadence instructed.

"I don't exactly have the-"

"Not like that," Cadence interrupted. "Propose."

"W-what?" Zuko gasped out, shocked.

"Give her a formal proposal," Cadence explained. "Make her a ring - or maybe a bracelet, since she'd outgrow a ring sized to her now - get her to meet you somewhere romantic where it's just the two of you - maybe with me acting as chaperone - and give her a formal proposal. Trust me, she'll love it."

Zuko scratched his chin. "Well...I suppose I have enough to pay the jeweler-"

"No, not buy. Make." Cadence smiled. "I'll get you the materials. We can swing by Master Piandao's and borrow his forge. I'll get the raw materials. Come on!" Seizing Zuko in her magic, she dragged him off, protesting mildly in confusion.

Two nights later, Mai was standing by the fountain as the anonymous letter had asked of her, wondering what it was all about.

"Oh, Mai!" Cadence called out as she and Zuko approached. "Fancy meeting you here. So good to see you."

"H-hey," Zuko greeted nervously.

"Your Highness," Mai greeted coldly, making Zuko wince.

Cadence smiled as she hopped up to the top of the fountain. "I was just going to practice some music," she stated, summoning up the water from the fountain, freezing some of it in intricate shapes as she then affixed crystals throughout it. "I hope you enjoy." Placing her hooves against the ice and crystal, she produced some rather lovely notes...ones that were recognizable far too quickly as a love song, making Mai raise an eyebrow.

Zuko swallowed, remembering Cadence's coaching - though why he was trusting the advice of a two year old pony, he wasn't sure - as he turned to face the girl beside him. "Mai...I know you're upset about the...assignation."

"Upset?" she asked coldly. "Why would I be upset? I've known for years my husband would be chosen for me. It's hardly news."

Zuko winced, having known something like that was coming. He rallied gamely. "I didn't want that choice taken from you...especially for us. So...as best I can...I'd like to give it back to you."

Mai raised an eyebrow, but remained silent.

Turning to face her, Zuko went down on one knee, holding out a black box, which he opened to reveal a somewhat misshapen gold bracelet with three diamonds embedded in the metal. "Mai...will you marry me?"

For a long time, the only sound was Cadence's music. After a time, Mai leaned over and examined the bracelet closely. "Not very good quality work," she muttered.

"I'm not so good with tools," Zuko admitted, shamefacedly.

Mai raised an eyebrow as she noticed the burn marks on Zuko's fingertips. "You made it yourself?"

"Just like I would have if we weren't the Prince and the daughter of a governor," Zuko replied. "If we were just...Zuko and Mai...and our choices were our own."

Mai stared at him for a while in silence, Cadence's song rising to a crescendo in the still moonlit air.

"So...will you marry me?" Zuko asked.

As the music reached its peak, Mai reached out and closed the box. "No," she replied firmly.

There was a crash as Cadence fell forward atop her ice and crystal instrument and into the fountain. "N-no?" Zuko asked in shock, feeling crushed.

Taking the box, Mai slipped it into her sleeve. "No," she replied. She waited just long enough for Zuko to sink into complete dejection before continuing, "But I might reconsider someday." She then walked off, though Cadence was able to notice that she had a soft smile on her face, and was blushing slightly in pleasure.

Behind a window of the Fire Palace, Ozai twitched the curtain shut, having seen enough. "It seems Zuko has a bit more steel in him than I had thought," he murmured. "Cadence seems to bring out a bit more spine in him than he normally has. I believe, as Iroh asked, it is indeed time to start initiating my eldest son in the ways of government."

The True Shame

Nearly a year passed in the Fire Nation without incident. The war continued unabated. Soldiers continued to march into battle. Generals continued to give orders, leading to victory or death. The Fire Lord watched over it all, ensuring that all was to his satisfaction, for the good of the Fire Nation...which, to his mind, was for the good of the world. And Zuko continued his studies in Firebending, tactics, strategy, and statescraft under his tutors, and under his Uncle and cousin. He worked to shape himself into the Prince the Nation needed, one the Fire Lord - and Mai - could be proud of.

However, his passion and empathy for the people of his nation was both his greatest strength, and his greatest weakness. Thus, when he was allowed to attend a war meeting in the Fire Lord's war room, he spoke out of turn against a plan that was foolhardy, wasteful of life, and doomed to failure...as it relied on the enemy being too stupid to see through an obvious trap. This, unfortunately, led to a confrontation that - in more ways than one - was fated, both now and in the future.

As Zuko stood up and turned to face his opponent for the Agni Kai, he felt his confidence and certainty drain out of him. It was not the general whose plans he had denounced that stood across from him. It was his father, the Fire Lord, standing tall and proud, ready to face off against him.

"Are you prepared to face the consequences of your actions, Prince Zuko?" Ozai demanded calmly, taking his stance. "The price for your disrespect?"

Zuko swallowed, trying to clear the dryness from his throat. "I-I am, Fire Lord," he stammered, struggling just to remain standing in his stance.

Ozai nodded with a firm grin. "Good. Then I will allow you the first strike. Attack when ready. I will make this quick."

Zuko stared up at his father, his mind racing as he considered all possibilities. As he struggled to remember every detail of his teachings in fire bending - as well as those techniques Cadence and Iroh had mentioned, which were derived from the other styles of bending - his mind instead jumped to his lessons in statescraft...in tactics and strategy. After a time, realization washed over him. He knew the only option available to him. "I yield, Fire Lord."

The crowd gasped in shock, and Ozai scowled. "What?" he demanded angrily. "What do you mean you yield?"

Zuko went down to one knee, bowing his head. "There is no point to fighting a battle that cannot be won."

Ozai's face curled into an enraged snarl. "You will learn both courage and respect," he growled out, gathering his fire. "And suffering will be your teacher."

Zuko lifted his head, his eyes closed. "...I accept the consequences of my choices," he managed to say, his voice quavering.

The flames struck across his face, and everything went white.

Three days later, Ozai was surprised as Iroh entered his throne room. "I humbly request a private audience with the Fire Lord," he spoke calmly.

Ozai raised an eyebrow, but waved his attendants out. As they left, Ozai stepped out from his circle of flames to once more speak at Iroh's level. "What is it, brother?" he asked.

"I have just come from Zuko's side," Iroh explained as they walked to the window together. "He is recovering...but he will carry the scar of what you did to him all his days."

Inside, Ozai winced, but he didn't let it show on his face. "Do you feel I acted too harshly?" he asked calmly.

Iroh shrugged. "I believe you acted as you had to, given the situation. However, I feel I must present Zuko's case, as he struggled through the pain of his wounding to present it to me."

Ozai schooled his features to listen. "Continue."

"Zuko knows he spoke out of turn in the meeting, and knew when he did so," Iroh explained. "However, he believed it was important enough to speak, for the sake of the people of the Fire Nation, and was ready to accept the consequences. Had it been an Agni Kai against the General, he would have battled with all his might, win or lose, and accepted."

"Then why hesitate against me?" Ozai demanded. "Because I am his father?"

"No," Iroh replied. "Because you are Fire Lord, and he is the Prince."

"I do not understand the distinction. Enlighten me."

Iroh held up three fingers. "From what Zuko has managed to tell me, he saw three possible outcomes should he fight you in the Agni Kai. The first and most likely was that you trounced him utterly, leaving him humiliated and shamed...a shame he would never recover from, meaning he could never be Fire Lord. When you eventually died, the throne would pass to Azula."

Ozai couldn't suppress a shudder. "That would be a disaster for the Nation and the world," he stated bluntly. "Azula lacks the capacity for empathy. She cannot sympathize with the pain of others. I...have had to work to forge her into a weapon - carefully wielded - to prevent her from becoming a monster. She would not do well as a leader, nor would the nation."

Iroh raised his eyebrow in surprise, not having expected such a forthright answer, nor such a dispassionate analysis of Azula. However, he decided to move on. "The second possibility would be if he performed well against you, managing to push you back or even injure you," Iroh elaborated. "That would be interpreted one of two ways. The first is that you went easy on him because he was your son, implying you didn't think he could hold his own."

"That would be the same result as if I'd bested him soundly," Ozai interpreted.

Iroh nodded in confirmation. "And if the people didn't believe that, then your image as our invincible Fire Lord would be shattered, since you were hard pressed by a 13 year old. The people's faith in you would waver, and the nation would become unstable."

Ozai paused in his walking. "And...the third possibility?"

"That he somehow won," Iroh concluded. "The only politically sound result of that would be you immediately passing the crown, as he would have triumphed over you."

"The nation would collapse under a child ruler," Ozai murmured. "The war effort would crumble. And then there's Azula."

"Indeed," Iroh agreed. "From the moment you became Zuko's opponent in the Agni Kai, there was no way he could fight you without bringing disaster - whether eventual or immediate - to the Nation and the people he has been raised and taught to put first in his thoughts. So he did the only thing he could...nothing." Neutral Jing, he thought silently. Bumi would be proud of how well you absorbed his lessons through Cadence, my nephew.

Ozai stood in silence for a time. "What can I do, then?" he asked finally. "How can I make things right with Zuko...without weakening myself?"

Iroh shrugged. "Perhaps you can give him a task that takes him out into the world...something he can do to prove himself, to make a man of him."

Ozai stared into the flames for a time. "...I believe I have just the task. And I can send you and Cadence with him, ostensibly to guide him, but also to ensure he comes home in one piece."

Iroh nodded. "And if you see him off in person, he will know...that you understand why he did what he did."

Ozai smiled softly. "You were always the wiser of us, brother," he murmured. "I am glad I can count on your wisdom."

Two weeks after his wounding, Zuko stood at the ramp of a ship, looking up into the Fire Lord's eyes. Aboard the ship was a crew, his Uncle Iroh, and his cousin Cadence. Ozai stared down at him firmly. "Prince Zuko, you have shown you do not presently have in you what it takes to be the Prince our nation needs. However, in your heart is the fire that can forge you into that Prince...and I give you that chance to achieve it. You have at your disposal our nation's fastest battleship, and a hand picked crew. With your Uncle's guidance, you will accomplish your mission, and return with glory to your name, and honor to your people."

Zuko nodded. "And what is my mission?"

"To complete the mission Sozin tried and failed to accomplish 100 years ago," Ozai explained. "Find the Avatar...and bring him back to be locked away, as an enemy of the Fire Nation."

Zuko nodded. "Understood." Bowing low, he turned and boarded the ship, ready to face his destiny.

The Long Sail

Cadence sat back to relax in the sun as the ship knifed its way through the waters. Ozai hadn't been kidding when he said it was the fastest warship in the fleet. While they weren't pushing either the ship or the crew at this point, she could still feel her mane waving in the sea breeze and could hear the surge of their wake around them. She had to admit, she was impressed.

She'd overseen the packing of the supplies personally, ostensibly wanting to be sure that they had everything they would need for the trip. In actuality, however, she'd used overseeing the packing to hide in the storage the things she'd gathered during her journey with Iroh: the water tribe boat, her Earth kingdom training garb, her Earth Kingdom passport which would grant her free entrance to even the outer rings of Ba Sing Se, and the books Wan Shi Tong had let her borrow from his library to study from. She hoped their journey would take them back there at some point, so she could return them.

She couldn't help but smile as she watched Zuko racing about the deck, using a telescope here, asking questions about the controls there, watching the sea over there. He was plainly still in pain from his scar, as he hadn't fully gotten used to it yet, but he also wasn't letting it keep him down. She was glad to see that.

However, she noticed that the crew seemed uneasy around him. Noticing a gathering of some of the crew, she decided to find out why. Getting to her hooves, she stretched herself out, flexing her wings before folding them to her sides. Turning, she approached the crew. "Excuse me," she spoke up.

The gathered crew immediately turned to her. "Yes, Cadence?" the first asked. While she didn't actually have any official rank aboard the ship or within the Fire Nation hierarchy, the crew still paid her a good deal of respect as Iroh's daughter.

"I noticed that some of you act...a trifle odd around my cousin," she commented. "I was wondering why. It's not about him being the Prince, is it? I'm pretty sure he'd rather you treat him as any other commander on this journey."

"It's not that," a second crew member contradicted her. "Definitely not that."

Cadence tilted her head in confusion. "Then what is it?"

"It's..." The third crew member finally managed to get his words out. "Well, we were all told about how he got that scar and what it means, but...well, we've seen some things that make us think...it might have damaged his brain."

Cadence frowned in worry. She didn't know enough about anatomy - or the workings of the mind - to know if that were possible, and if it did happen it was very concerning. "W-what makes you think that?" she asked in concern.

"He keeps burning things for no reason!" one of the men pointed out. "Like a flower, or bits of paper..."

"I saw him spend hours working on a beautifully penned poem, perfect calligraphy," another indicated. "Soon as he finished, he dropped it in fire before anyone could read it."

"He did the same to that portrait he asked me to paint of the three of you!" yet another crewman proclaimed. "It just doesn't make..."

The agitation of the crew gave way to confusion as they saw Cadence's reaction...was laughter. "Did he use the fire in the pouch around his neck?" she gasped out as she calmed down.

"Uh...yeah..." one of the crew admitted.

Cadence started to open her mouth to explain, then smiled as she felt a quiver in the elements. She turned to Zuko. "Watch," she instructed.

As the crew turned, Zuko noticed the pouch around his neck quivering. Opening it up, a gout of pink flame shot upward briefly, an envelope sealed in wax appearing out of the smoke as the flames subsided.

Cadence smiled at the amazed expressions on the crew's faces. "In the Cave of Two Lovers north of Omashu, there is a particular type of crystal that grows only in the central chamber. It has a peculiar property, in that if a naturally formed crystal is broken exactly in twain, the two halves will resonate with each other. Striking one half will cause the other to vibrate, no matter how far apart they are. The colloquial name for this crystal is Heart Stone." She gestured to Zuko's pouch. "While journeying with Father, we passed through the caverns, reaching the central chamber. I brought one of these crystals with me when we left. After doing some research, I infused the crystal with flames before breaking it in twain. The crystal still holds the flames...and anything burned in the flames of one crystal will take shape in the flames of the other."

She turned up to the crew with a smile for their stupefied expressions. "Mai holds the other half of the crystal. They've been using it to stay in contact, writing sweet nothings to each other, and sending other things back and forth."

Cadence decided not to mention that Zuko's letters tended to be on the flowery side, talking of things he'd seen and how much he missed home and Mai...whereas Mai's letters back tended to be short and blunt. Still, "Don't get yourself killed" was oddly sweet and compassionate from Mai.

She turned back to Zuko to see what this latest letter from home might contain, only to notice him blushing brightly before clutching one of the pieces of parchment to him and running to his quarters. Curious, she caught the other piece in her magic and decided to examine it.

Ty Lee drew this picture of me for you. She's surprisingly good.
If anyone else sees it, your testicles will sit in a jar on my mantel when I find out.
Enjoy.
Mai

Confused, Cadence sought out her father, who was also staring after Zuko in confusion. When she showed him the letter from Mai, however, he burst into belly laughs, clutching the ship rail to keep his balance.

Bad Girl

Zuko stared at the sight before him, uncertain what to make of it. He'd left Iroh in charge of the ship for a few days when he'd come down with a head cold that made it painful to be out in the open air, keeping himself in his room. At his request, Cadence hadn't been allowed in to prevent her from getting sick as well. When he came out, however, the first sight that greeted him was Cadence, bound to the wall in the brig.

Her wings were bound tight to her sides with leather wrapped chains, preventing her from spreading them. Braces had been riveted to the wall and locked around all four of her hooves, affixing her spread eagled against the metal behind her. Even her tail had been locked down so it couldn't be moved. And a full helmet covered every inch of her head, shaped around her horn and muzzle, with only her eyes visible, glaring at him pugnaciously.

"Is...is this some kind of joke?" Zuko asked in confusion.

"No joke, Zuko," Iroh stated as he approached. "Cadence is grounded."

Zuko's eyes popped. "All this for grounded? Why not just lock her in her room?"

"She broke out five times," Iroh replied. "I believe she was...upset about not being allowed to tend to you in your illness."

"Just what did she do?" Zuko demanded.

Iroh sighed. "She slipped some herbs in the food, giving the entire crew explosive bowel movements," he began, counting off Cadence's crimes. "She reversed the flow of flame through the engine pipes, causing the ship to go backwards. She hid the maps we've been using to maneuver, replacing them with inverted ones so we went the wrong direction. She switched labels on the food stores, so we couldn't tell which was which. She slipped fish into the deck crew's pockets so sea birds would go after them. And ignored her grounding in her room three times before we started putting her in the brig, which she escaped twice."

Zuko's jaw had slowly lowered as he heard the list of Cadence's crimes. "All that...because she wasn't allowed to nurse me back to health?"

"We assume so," Iroh allowed. "She's refused to explain herself."

"And why such strong restraint?"

Iroh managed a chuckle. "The first time she broke out of the brig, she used her bending. So we sealed off any methods by which she could use her bending."

Zuko nodded. "I see...and the metal diaper?" he asked, pointing to the most curious of Cadence's restraints. He sniffed the air. "Also, what's that smell?" He held his nose, glad that it was still stuffed from his head cold.

Iroh nodded, glad he'd dabbed some sweet smelling oil under his own nose. "Her second escape from the brig."

Cadence's giggle was distorted through her mask. "I invented fart bending!" she called out happily.

"So that's why she's affixed to the wall instead of chained to it," Zuko murmured. "But where did you get such an idea?"

"The sailors call it 'breaking wind' for a reason, after all," Cadence pointed out logically.

Zuko couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeesh, so much effort to lock someone up when they can bend all four Elements." He blinked for a moment, and then his eyes widened. "If it's this much trouble to lock up a child with these abilities..."

"...how much more difficult will it be to contain an adult with such abilities, having mastered them over the course of a century?" Iroh finished the question, his mind having reached the same conclusion his nephew's had.

Cadence let out another giggle. "Okay, you can let me down now," she said happily. "I'm done being a bad girl."

"Wait, what?" Zuko demanded in shock.

"You mean your misbehavior wasn't about not being able to nurse Zuko back to health?" Iroh asked in shock.

"Well, the herbs in the soup were," Cadence explained. "Then while I was locked in my room, I was feeling rather petulant, and grumbling about not being allowed out of my room or to tend to Zuko, and I found myself grumbling that the crew was lucky I was so well behaved, and that I could bust out of my room at any time if I really wanted to, adding that four elements gave me all sorts of possibilities for mischief. When I said that, I realized that the Avatar also can bend all four Elements, and likely far more efficiently than I can, since he's probably mastered them all.

"And if you can't keep me contained, what hope do we have of containing the Avatar?"

Zuko nodded as he took this all in. "A valid point. I'll get the crew to make up another cell like this, with restraints sized to an adult human. That way we'll have somewhere to lock the Avatar up once we have him." He paused as he started to walk away. "Or her. The Avatar has been female in the past. We only know for a fact that the Avatar was born to the Air Nomads."

"The Fire Sages did inform us that the Avatar was male, Zuko," Iroh corrected him.

"Are we sure they'd know?" Zuko asked.

"Why not just look for anyone old with arrow tattoos?" Cadence asked. "That's pretty distinctive."

Nodding, Zuko continued his march out to get the crew's assistance in refurbishing one of the cells in the brig.

Iroh turned back to Cadence. "Why didn't you tell me about this thought?"

"Because you weren't talking to me until my grounding was up," Cadence pointed out logically.

Iroh lowered his head. "That is true-"

"Besides, I'm the only one who could test if these bindings would actually work as designed," she added. "Would you have bound me so tight unless you were genuinely trying to keep me contained?"

Iroh couldn't help but chuckle. "Also true."

"So does this mean I can get down now?" she asked eagerly.

Iroh scratched his chin for a time. "...no," he said at last, turning to leave. "You still have eight more hours of grounding to sit through."

Cadence stared after Iroh in disbelief as he walked away, then hung her head. "This stinks..." she grumbled into the helm.

The Quarry

One day, as Zuko's ship was sailing amidst the ice floes of the far southern waters, he was startled out of a pleasant reverie by the sight of a bright blue beam of light shooting from the ground into the heavens. He reacted much as anyone would when they saw something they couldn't explain. "What in the world was that?" he demanded.

Right at that moment, he heard a pained cry. "Cadence?" He spun around, rushing to his cousin's side, getting there just as Iroh did.

Cadence was rubbing her forehead as her horn glowed and sputtered. "I'm...I'm alright..." she hastened to assure both of them. "I just...there was an energy surge in the spiritual plane...as though it felt the weight of a powerful spirit..."

"The Avatar!" the two men shouted at once, Zuko as a proclamation, Iroh as a question.

"Maybe," Cadence admitted. "If...if the Avatar were in the Avatar state...based on what I read, that might cause something like this..." She sighed in relief as the light beam faded from the sky, the discomforting weight on her spirit senses fading with it.

"Set course for that light!" Zuko ordered immediately, his crew leaping to follow the instructions.

The helmsman had run some calculations. "It will take us a few days to reach the source of the light," he declared.

"Are there any settlements of any sort around here?" Zuko inquired. "Close to the source of the light?"

"The only settlement of any sort in the area is the Southern Water Tribe, at the South Pole," the navigator explained. "Not much of a detour."

"How long to the South Pole?"

"About the same amount of time," the helmsman clarified.

Zuko thought about that for a few moments. "I'll be in my quarters," he stated. "I'm not to be disturbed unless some other significant event occurs, or we're in sight of the South Pole." Turning, he marched off.

Curious, Cadence followed him, wanting to see what he was up to. She found him sitting in a Lotus position, hands resting on his knees. "Zuko?" she asked.

Zuko smiled softly at her. "I'm going to need a clear mind and a calm heart when talking with the people in the village if we're going to get any cooperation," he explained. "So I intend to use the afternoon to meditate, get a good night's sleep, and spend the morning relaxing with you and Uncle over some tea. I'm going to need to keep myself calm for the next few days, after all."

Cadence couldn't help but smile. "Just make sure you eat something," she pointed out. "Even Uncle doesn't live on just tea."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mother," he replied sarcastically.

"And don't forget to brush your teeth!" Cadence called back as she dashed off.

Late afternoon on the second day, a Fire Nation signal flare was sighted from the direction of the South Pole settlement. The derelict ship it was launched from was visible through a spyglass...as were the two individuals leaping from it.

"The last Airbender," Zuko muttered as he watched the figures descend. "Quite agile for being over a century old." He frowned as he stared more closely. "...but why is he so tiny?"

"He?" Iroh asked curiously.

"There are two figures, one male and one female. The male was carrying the female, and leaping ten feet in the air at a time." Zuko pulled back from the spyglass. "And he's wearing Air Nomad garb, based on the drawings Cadence showed me from the books."

"Maybe the lady's his wife?" Cadence suggested hopefully.

"If she is, she's a leverage point we can use to force his cooperation," Zuko pointed out. Seeing Cadence's frown, he held out his hands. "What do you want me to do? We're dealing with someone who's had over a century to master the four elements. You've said yourself that you're only a novice bender in each Element, and I'm nowhere near a Fire Master. Even all of us together wouldn't stand a chance against him in a fight, especially if he draws on the Avatar State." Zuko had read avidly through the books Cadence had about the Avatar in preparation for this mission. "The only pressure we can apply to him is through those he cares about. That may be monstrous...but he's an enemy of the Fire Nation. We can't just let him go."

Sighing, Cadence nodded. "I know. I'll help how I can. But that doesn't mean I'm going to like it."

Zuko turned away. "...you aren't the only one," he muttered under his breath.

As Zuko prepared for the encounter with the small village, he decided that it would be imprudent to go unarmored. After all, there was always the chance the Avatar - or the villagers - might strike first. However, if he went fully armored, he might come across as hostile. As a compromise, he carried his helmet under his arm, and did his best to keep his expression neutral. There was only so much he could do as far as appearing friendly, considering the war and his scar, but diplomacy was a safer tact when dealing with someone as strong as the Avatar.

He also chose to leave his twin short swords behind. While he knew how to wield them, against the Avatar his fire would be more useful. He also firmly instructed Iroh and Cadence to stay on board the ship. As effective as each of them might have been in capturing the Avatar, he didn't want this capture to be the result of a Pai Sho wager...or the Avatar being too busy "coochie-coo"ing to defend himself. That would just be embarrassing.

As per his instructions, the boat stopped and anchored before actually touching the ice shelf, and the ramp was lowered carefully. At the sight of how ramshackle the settlement was - and how few of the buildings were actually made of ice or snow - Zuko relaxed. This indicated that there weren't that many Water Benders in the settlement, so they were unlikely to have to deal with anyone threatening besides the Avatar himself.

Once the ramp was lowered, Zuko and his armored guards marched around the village to where the snow wall had an opening for people to come in and out. Based on his Uncle's lessons, courtesy never hurt. As he entered, he saw that the village was populated almost entirely by old women, young women, and children. There was only one young man with warrior paint ready to face him, but he looked to be younger than Zuko himself...not to mention his knees were shaking.

"YAAAAAAAH!" the young man shouted, charging at Zuko with a weapon of some sort raised.

There were a number of ways Zuko could handle this situation. In the end, he decided to simply catch the weapon by the ball at the tip with one hand. "I do not come to make war on your people this day," he stated bluntly. "There is a certain individual I am seeking, not one of your tribe. If you and your people do not interfere, we will do you no harm this day."

"And what about all the harm you've done up till now?" the young man demanded. "Is that going to go away just because you're being nice, you damn Fire Nation flunky!?"

"Probably not," Zuko admitted. "But your cooperation will mean that we won't have to hurt anyone." Remembering something Mai's friend Ty Lee taught him, he brought his other hand up and jabbed the young man on the wrist with two fingers, causing his hand to reflexively open. Taking the weapon, Zuko examined it for a time, then reversed it and held it out to him. "Now, may I speak with the leader of your tribe? I'd prefer to keep this civil, if not civilized."

An old woman stepped forward. "What is it you want here?" she demanded.

"We are here in pursuit of the Avatar," Zuko stated bluntly. "He'd be about your age, with arrow tattoos."

"We have seen no one by that description," the old woman replied. "No one as you describe has ever lived here."

Zuko stared at her for a time, trying to determine the truth of her words. His ears suddenly twitched as he heard something approaching from behind him. Leaping into the air, he spun as he shot flames from his hands, giving him a burst of extra height as Iroh had taught him, using the trick he and Cadence had developed, applying Air Bending teachings to Fire Bending.

As the figure passed beneath him, he was glad he'd chosen not to wear his helmet into the village. With his ears covered, he'd have never heard their approach as they were riding a penguin. When he landed, Zuko saw the figure...a young boy of maybe 12 in Air Nomad attire with arrow tattoos.

"Looking for me?" the young boy demanded as he leapt to his feet, spinning a curious staff.

"You?" Zuko demanded. "You're that Avatar?"

"Aang?" he heard one of the young women - about the same age as the lone warrior - whisper.

"No way," the warrior added.

He saw the Avatar - Aang, presumably - assume a combat stance. Zuko raised his hand. "I have no intention of fighting you, Avatar. However, I will insist that you come with us."

"And if I refuse?" Aang demanded.

"Then you'll leave us with no choice but to destroy this village and kill everyone in it," Zuko replied bluntly, doing his best to keep his voice neutral as he spelled out such an atrocity. "Starting with the children."

Aang shivered, then nodded. "Alright. I'll go with you."

Nodding, Zuko gestured to his guards. They quickly moved up beside the Avatar, taking his staff as they guided him onto the ship.

On board the ship, Aang was quickly led down to the brig, wondering what his captor had meant about the 'special cell'. Noticing there were only two guards with him, he spoke up. "So...I'm guessing you've never fought an Air Bender before?"

"We have," the first guard replied.

"Wait, what?" Aang asked in confusion.

"Get the metal diaper," the second guard instructed. "We don't want any more Fart Bending."

"Fart Bending?" Aang asked, shocked. He then burst into laughter. "That sounds hilarious!"

"Not when you're smelling it," the first guard stated, locking something around Aang's waist...only for it to fall to the floor. "Uh...it's too big."

"Well, it is sized to an old man," the second indicated. "We weren't expecting a child."

As the two guards started arguing, Aang decided it was time to make his move. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled forcefully, blasting the two guards away from him before racing away, leaping upward to get his bound hands in front of him.

A blast of air slammed into him, knocking him against the wall. "And just where do you think you're going?" a female voice demanded.

Aang stared at the figure approaching him. "Oh my gosh, a talking goat-bird!" he gasped out. He dashed over to her. "So adorable!" he then began petting the multi-colored mane.

"Not a goat-bird," the filly complained. "But...that feels nice. I'm Cadence. What's your name?"

"I'm Aang. It's nice to meet you Cadence-"

Cadence spun and kicked him in the gut with both hind legs, knocking him back into the stairs. "And you're under arrest," she stated bluntly. "Don't run away now."

"Actually, I think that's just what I'll do!" Aang shouted, pulling his hands free. He'd caught the ropes on the tip of Cadence's horn, and her spinning kick had shredded them.

As Cadence watched Aang race around the ship, she frowned. "Oh, ponyfeathers," she spat, then paused to wonder why she used that word.

As Zuko watched the sky bison fly off with the Avatar, he made a mental note that putting the Avatar in mortal danger was a bad idea. Even as a child, the Avatar State was nothing to sneeze at. He was quite glad that Cadence had managed to duck under the watery assault and catch him with her magic, so he didn't end up in the freezing water.

"Well...that could have gone better," Cadence admitted sheepishly.

"At least a sky bison will be easier to track," Zuko grumbled. "Follow that bison!" Noticing his crew was mostly locked in ice, he sighed. "Just...as soon as you're all thawed out."

Logic

As Zuko's ship pulled into the Fire Nation Harbor, Zuko turned to Iroh and Cadence. "We need to get these repairs done as soon as possible, and as quietly as possible," Zuko stated firmly. "I don't want to lose his trail, or let word of his existence spread."

"You mean the A-"

"You mean Aang?" Cadence interrupted her father. "Why do we need his trail?"

Zuko and Iroh both turned to Cadence. "We need to catch him before anyone else is aware of his existence," Zuko explained.

"But we know where he's going," Cadence pointed out. "That girl he's with is the only Southern Water Bender, and she knows less about Water Bending than he does. And by the cycle, he has to learn Water Bending next, and there's only one place in the world where he can find a Water Bender...the North Pole. Why not just patrol the Northern Waters and shoot his bison down when he's spotted? After all, he's going to be avoiding drawing attention to himself - even if he knows nothing about tactics, that boy he's with is bound to advise caution - so word of his return is unlikely to spread."

Iroh and Zuko both stared at her for a time. "That's...not a bad point," Zuko murmured. He rounded on Iroh. "Why hadn't you come up with it yet?"

"Nobody asked me," Iroh pointed out logically.

"Daddy taught me well!" Cadence proclaimed proudly as the ship docked.

As they stepped out onto the dock, they were greeted by a middle aged man dressed in the Fire Nation's uniform. "Greetings, Prince Zuko," he stated calmly through a pleased smirk.

"Captain Zhao," Zuko greeted.

"It's Commander now," Zhao corrected. He gave a minor bow of respect to Iroh. "And General Iroh, great hero of our nation."

Iroh smiled softly as he returned the bow. While he didn't have the same duties of the other Generals, the rank had never actually been removed, as he'd never been officially retired. He privately felt he had Cadence to thank for that...both for helping his relationship with his brother stay strong, and for leading Ozai to believe the Spirits had plans for him.

"The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcome guests any time," Zhao stated firmly.

"What about me?" Cadence demanded, pouting as she stepped forward.

A strained smile graced Zhao's features. "And of course, the Fire Lord's niece," he replied. "What brings you all to my harbor?"

"Our ship is in need of repairs," Zuko replied mildly, doing his best to keep his face neutral.

"That's quite a bit of damage," Zhao muttered as he gazed on the ship. "What happened?"

Before either Iroh or Zuko could speak up, Cadence responded, "It's our helmsman's fault. He accidentally ran over an Antarctic sea serpent, and the serpent took exception to it, collapsing part of an iceberg on the ship. We also need a new helmsman."

"You do?" Zhao asked, shocked.

"Yes. Our previous helmsman is currently in the brig for being drunk on duty." Feeling a tickle at the back of her throat, she let out a cough.

"Are you well?" Zhao asked courteously.

"Just a little chilled," Cadence replied.

"It seems you've had quite an adventure since you left the shores of the Fire Nation," Zhao indicated. "I'd love to hear all the thrilling details. Join me for a drink?"

"It would be an honor," Zuko replied, "but I need to tend to my cousin. As you can see, she is ill, and tends to not know her own limits."

"Look who's talking," Cadence grumbled, coughing again.

Zhao nodded. "Very well. Iroh?"

"I would be delighted," Iroh replied, walking away with him.

Once they were gone, Zuko leaned down to Cadence's level. "So what was with the fake coughing?" he asked quietly.

"I need to make sure the crew knows the cover story," Cadence whispered back. "And someone with actual authority needs to be on board to refute any soldier trying to interrogate them. I don't trust Zhao."

"Me neither," Zuko agreed as the pair went back aboard the ship.

As Cadence had predicted, Zhao's men did attempt to board the ship under the Commander's orders to interrogate the men. However, one of the books Cadence had brought was a book of Fire Nation law, and between that and two writs that Ozai had left in Iroh's care - the first allowing Zuko to demand assistance from any Fire Nation Soldiers he encountered should he find evidence of the Avatar, and the second putting Ozai's authority behind Zuko's mission - Cadence was able to prove to Zhao that, short of an Agni Kai, Commander Zhao was not in his authority to demand anything from Zuko or his ship unless he was an Admiral or had written approval from the Fire Lord.

Much to Cadence's amusement, this led to Zhao challenging Zuko to an Agni Kai for authority over his ship and crew, as he felt he had reason to dispute their account of events.

During the actual fight, Zuko kept his calm and remembered all that he had discussed about bending in general with Cadence. Knowing just how much Bending - aside from Air Bending - required a firm stance, he allowed Zhao to make the assault, and focused all his attacks at Zhao's feet, breaking his stance. Since Zhao hadn't expected such a skilled assault - no one had ever actually seen Zuko duel - he found himself unable to counter it accurately.

After the fight ended, however, with Zuko the victor, a bright light from the top of a relatively nearby mountain drew all attention. Cadence's mind quickly raced through her memory of the maps they'd been sailing by. "Isn't that the Southern Air Tem-AAH!" She clutched her forehead as her horn flared, pulsing with the blue of air.

As Iroh and Zuko carried her back to their ship, Iroh chuckled. "So much for his trail being hard to follow."

As Aang and the others left the Southern Air Temple, Katara noticed that Aang was deep in thought. "What's wrong, Aang?" she asked worriedly, still remembering what had happened at the Temple.

"...I can't be the only Air Bender left," he replied softly. "Some of the monks have to have escaped somehow."

Katara sighed. "Aang, I know you want to have hope, but-"

"Because I've met another Air Bender since I woke up," Aang explained.

"What?" Sokka demanded in shock. Momo the flying lemur, having taken a seat on Sokka's head so he could swipe food, mirrored his shock.

"On the Fire Nation ship," Aang explained. "There was this little creature I mistook for a goat bird, but she said she was a pony-"

"Wait, you can talk to animals?" Sokka interrupted. "Is that another Avatar power?"

"Not as far as I know," Aang replied. "But she was the one who was talking, though I'd never heard of a pony before. But she had a horn and wings."

"Sounds more like a kirin," Katara added. "One of those mythical dragon/unicorn hybrids."

"Feathers, not membrane," Aang pointed out. "But she smacked me with a wall of air as I was escaping, and I saw her bending movements. She's an Air Bender. Someone has to have taught her, which means that somewhere in the world is another Air Bender!"

"Unless she learned from scrolls," Sokka pointed out, only to receive an elbow from Katara. "Ow!"

"Well, you'll just have to talk to her about where she learned next time you see her," Katara pointed out. "Preferably without fighting again."

"Yeah," Aang agreed. "It'd be great if we could be friends..."

Reevaluation

Cadence followed her father in as he went to give Zuko the news about what they'd been able to track about the Avatar's movements based on the sightings. Zuko was a tad upset about how little was known despite multiple sightings, but he managed to keep himself under control as he looked at the map that plotted the course he'd presumably taken. "How could a child like that be such a master of evasion?" Zuko found himself asking in amazement.

Cadence flew up to Zuko's shoulder and glanced at the map. "Hmm...it kinda looks like what our trip together before you learned I could Earthbend, Daddy," she pointed out.

"Eh?" Zuko and Iroh both asked in confusion.

Smiling, Cadence pulled out another map and unrolled it. "This was our trip," she explained, tracing a similarly wandering trail, though on a much smaller scale. "It's like the Avatar thinks he's on vacation or something!"

"Of course!" Zuko crowed as he slammed the map down on the table. "We've been so focused on the fact that he's the Avatar that we've been ignoring the fact he's a child. We're trying to interpret his movements based on an enemy mindset. Evasion's the last thing on his mind right now. If he was at the Southern Air Temple, then he's probably only just come to grips with how much time has passed, or is still doing so. The reality of the 100 Year War...that's more than he could handle intellectually." He rubbed his chin. "Uncle, I need a list of all the best vacation spots from 100 years ago. Unique landmarks, unusual flora or fauna, or anything else that would be of particular interest to a child reared in isolation on his first adventure."

"Reared in isolation?" Iroh clarified.

"Yes. He was raised in one of the Air Temples, and he knows only Air Bending. That means he never started his journey to master the Elements. That means this is his first time leaving home." Zuko smacked his fist into his palm. "And that's why his first stop after he woke up was the Southern Air Temple! That must have been his home!"

"A home we destroyed," Cadence pointed out with a frown.

Zuko nodded. "Yes. After that, he has every reason to hate, distrust, and try to destroy us. Our only hope at not dying at our next encounter with him is that he lives by the Air Nomad teachings of not doing harm."

"If he has never left home before, that's likely the case," Iroh indicated.

"Uncle, the list," Zuko chided.

"Right away, Your Highness," Iroh replied with a bow and a slight teasing tone to his voice.

As Iroh left to look through his books, Zuko turned to Cadence. "He's an Airbender, so he's used to looking at things from the air. So once we have that list, I'm going to need you to mark which ones you find the most interesting." He glanced at the map of Aang's progress. "He still seems to be going in a generally northerly direction, so his overall goal of finding a Waterbending Master to teach him remains...so we'll rate his probable movements based on the appeal of the various locations selected as his path takes him north."

"Yes, Zuko," Cadence replied with a smile. "I'll do my best."

A few days later, Zuko, Iroh, and Cadence were sitting down to dinner as they discussed their findings. "Alright," Zuko concluded calmly. "Based on Cadence's choices, the basic plan of the map, and an analysis of the places Aang has gone...we've come to the conclusion that his most likely present destination is Kyoshi Island, to ride the Elephant Koi."

"It sure sounds like fun to me!" Cadence happily proclaimed.

"It would explain his travel path," Iroh agreed. "So far, he's been heading primarily for inlets and bays. It's likely he doesn't know exactly where he is going."

"If we can get there before he does, we can set up an ambush," Zuko mused as the door opened, and the ship's cook brought in the baked fish he'd made for their entree. "Still, it would be nice to have some confirmation..."

"Prince Zuko," the chef stated as he set the fish down. "You wanted any news of the Avatar's location, yes? Well, market gossip has him on Kyoshi Island."

"Set a course," Zuko instructed. "And ready the Rhinos. I'm not facing the Avatar on foot again." Calmly, he lifted a portion of the fish with his chopsticks.

As the chef went to do as he was bid, Iroh raised his eyebrow. "You are not going to oversee it personally?"

"It will still take an hour at least to finish loading the supplies and weigh anchor," Zuko replied. "Plenty of time to finish a family dinner."

Cadence's grin at his words was rather infectious.

As they arrived on Kyoshi Island, Zuko glanced around carefully as he rode the lead rhino. "I want the Avatar alive," he instructed firmly. "Unless and until battle is engaged with the Avatar, do your best to avoid damaging any settlements. Records show this island is currently neutral. Do your best to respect that."

Zuko led his unit carefully into the settlement. Noticing fresh paint on the statue of Avatar Kyoshi, he nodded. "That's confirmation. If the Avatar isn't here, he was quite recently...and he wasn't exactly secret about his presence." Seeing that the villagers were hiding from him and his men, he sighed. "No point in forcing a confrontation," he grunted. "Look for him, but remember, avoid doing damage."

As they moved into town, however, several young women in warrior garb patterned after that worn by Avatar Kyoshi attacked them. Zuko and his men were forced to defend themselves, and before long Zuko found himself face to face with Aang.

"Avatar Aang," Zuko called calmly as he assumed a passive combat stance. "I don't desire conflict with you, or the people of this settlement, but I'm under orders from my father, the Fire Lord, to capture you as an enemy of the Fire Nation. Surrender now, and we can end this peacefully."

"I can't do that," Aang replied. "Too many people are counting on me. There's too much I have to do."

"You can't run forever," Zuko pointed out. "We'll pursue you to the ends of the earth and beyond if need be."

"Then I'll just keep running," Aang replied. "Until I'm ready to turn and fight."

Zuko sighed. "It's a pity it had to come to this, Avatar." He shifted to an active stance. "I'll convey your sentiments to my cousin."

"Your cousin?"

"Cadence," Zuko replied. "She was looking forward to meeting you again."

Aang's eyes widened. Before Zuko could initiate an assault, he had fled.

Though damage to the village was minimal, quite a bit was on fire. On his way out, Aang made use of a large sea serpent to extinguish the flames. As he left, Zuko ordered the ship to once more make pursuit.

Solstice Struggles 1

Zuko and his crew were still on the trail of the Avatar, though it had been several days since their last contact with him, and they were certainly trailing behind. Zuko was out looking for his Uncle and cousin, who had gone off to explore when the ship had stopped. He would have gone with, but it was approaching the Winter Solstice. As such, he'd stayed on the ship and penned a letter to Mai.

Mai had sent a letter back. Zuko had been eager to read it, though he hadn't expected too much in the way of emotional content. Even in her writing, Mai wasn't very expressive usually, unless something was seriously bothering her. Still, he always put a lot of effort into conveying his emotions.

Her letter, however, had caught him off guard. The first line was, "I had a dream about you last night." She had then gone on to describe the dream to him. In detail. Far too much detail, in his opinion.

He had told the crew he was looking for his Uncle and cousin...but he was actually looking for the springs he'd seen on the map of the local area, letter still clutched in his hand. Much to his chagrin, he found all three at once.

"Hi Zuko!" Cadence called out as she caught sight of him, waving from where she floated in one of the smaller, higher springs. "Come to enjoy the springs, too?"

"Yes, nephew!" Iroh agreed. "Come enjoy the hot springs. Soak and let your troubles ease. They're the perfect temperature. I heated them myself." To prove his point, Iroh exhaled hot steam from his nose into the spring, increasing the temperature.

Zuko glanced away. "I was hoping for cold springs," he muttered under his breath.

"Why would you want a cold spring?" Cadence called out in confusion, making Zuko flinch. He had forgotten how good her sense of hearing was. She then gasped, her eyes locked on his hand. "Ooh! Is that a new letter from Mai? What does she have to say?"

"Nothing!" Zuko countered quickly, hiding the letter behind his back. "J-Just get back to the ship quickly! We're heading out!" Spinning around on his heel, he raced back to the ship, his cheeks burning.

As soon as he was out of sight, Iroh let the laughter he'd been holding in out. "She's going to break that poor boy if she keeps that up," he managed to gasp out as he lay back in the water.

"How is Mai going to break Zuko? Cadence asked in confusion. "And why would she? I thought she liked him!"

"Oh, she does," Iroh hasted to reassure his equine daughter. "That's how she's going to break him."

Cadence tilted her head, clearly still perplexed. "I...I don't get it."

Iroh started to open his mouth to explain, but then remembered that Cadence, despite her somewhat adolescent appearance, was only five years old. "I'll explain when you're older," he promised.

Cadence turned away with a pout. "Always that..." she grumbled.

Chuckling, Iroh lay back in the spring as his eyes slowly closed. Yawning, Cadence followed his example.

Cadence was startled awake as she felt the earth moving under command. Struggling out of the water, she spun around, trying to see the threat. Seeing Iroh trapped in his spring - now drained - by spires of rock and surrounded by Earthbending soldiers, she did the first thing that came to mind and exhaled a blast of fire at them, letting her anger at them hurting her Father add intensity to her flame.

Unfortunately, she had missed the fact that they were surrounded. Her flames were cut off by a yelp of surprise as her spring closed around her, trapping her in a sphere of stone that was too tight to move in, and only left her with a thin slot through which to breathe.

"We surrender!" Iroh said quickly. "We surrender! Just don't hurt her!"

Cadence could hear other words being said, but she didn't quite catch them. Trapped in the stone, she found herself hyperventilating, staring around, desperate for a source of light, a cross breeze, anything...

When neither Iroh nor Cadence returned well after sunset, Zuko brought several of his troops with him as he went to search for them. When they found the damaged springs, one of the troops started to suggest a landslide.

"You've seen Cadence Earthbend," Zuko interrupted firmly. "You know the signs." He stared down at the two damaged springs, and he could feel his anger growing.

"Do you think they've been captured, sir?" another troop asked.

Zuko nearly rounded on the soldier, feeling an enraged, insult filled remonstrance coming. Desperately, he caged his rage once more. I need a cool head right now, he told himself. He's not the one I'm angry with. Plenty of time for anger when I find Uncle and Cadence...and plenty of anger if either of them are hurt. "Likely," he replied calmly. "Spread out and search for any sign. Some trail is bound to have been left-"

"Sir! Look!" One of the soldiers pointed to part of the forest.

Zuko looked. "I don't see-"

"All the plant life in that direction is wilted," the soldier pointed out. "It's subtle, but it's more than any other plant life around...and it's in a more or less straight line! That's not natural!"

"Say, doesn't plant life bloom when Cadence is near?" another soldier asked. "Do you think maybe the plant life wilted in response to her distress?"

Once more, Zuko could feel his anger growing. Back before he'd left on this journey, Azula had made her hostility towards Cadence quite plain, at least to him. As a result, he'd grown rather protective of his young cousin. The idea that someone had made her experience such distress... "Follow that trail!" he barked out, mentally chiding himself for letting his soldiers see his anger.

Although the weakened vegetation trail lasted for quite some time, it ran out as the trail led to a wide path. Apparently, the foliage was too far apart at that point to be affected by Cadence's mental state. However, he did find one of Iroh's sandals, which carried his distinct fragrance. Nearby were a great many ostrich-horse tracks. Zuko immediately set his rhino to race down the path.

Following the trail, his attention was drawn by a noise he recognized, despite never having heard it before. It was Cadence screaming in terror. Turning towards the sound, he led his rhino charging straight into the Earthbenders who were about to crush Iroh. Leaping off the rhino as it flattened three of them, Zuko brought his heel down to shatter the chain keeping Iroh trapped.

The rest of his troops swarmed down into the pit, surrounding the Earthbenders. One of them held up a small sphere of stone...a sphere that was screaming. "Stay back, or I'll-"

He didn't get another word out. Blasting his flames from his feet, Zuko launched himself at the Earthbender faster than he could react. An act of supreme self control kept his flames from his fist as he delivered a solid right cross to the Earthbender's chin. The force of the punch sent him flying into the side of the stone pit, dropping the sphere.

Several of Zuko's soldiers rushed forward with hammer and chisel, working quickly but carefully to free Cadence, who hadn't stopped screaming the entire time. As the stone sphere crumbled, Cadence gasped out, "Air!" Lunging forward, she flew up into the sky, clinging in a panic to the closest tree branch.

Carefully, Zuko climbed the tree to the branch, gently scooping Cadence into his arms, his concern for her pushing his rage down anew. Climbing down, he turned to face his Uncle...only to freeze, staring.

Iroh's face held an expression no one had ever seen before. His eyes were hard and flinty. His mouth was turned in a fierce scowl. Bursts of flame leapt from his nose and between his bared teeth with every breath as he stared down at the one who'd held Cadence captive. His hands clenched and unclenched reflexively. The family resemblance to his brother had never been more prominent.

With a sudden scream of anger, Iroh slammed his fist into the stone wall. The stone around his fist turned red and started to melt. After a time, he got himself under control, pulling his fist back and staring at it. "...I need tea," he finally muttered, turning back to join Zuko. Cadence immediately leapt into his arms. Other troops rushed forward with blankets and a tea set.

"Are you alright, Uncle?" Zuko asked in concern. "I've...never seen you so angry."

"I've never been so angry before," he murmured softly. "I begin to understand your frustration with my lessons on controlling your anger." He held up his hand before Zuko could speak again. "I know where we need to go next, and we must hurry. The Avatar seeks the Temple of the Fire Sages. I saw him heading there atop the spirit of Avatar Roku's dragon."

Zuko nodded. "We'll get back to the ship immediately and set a course."

Solstice Struggles 2

As soon as everyone was aboard the ship, Zuko set sail for Crescent Island, the location of the Fire Sages Temple, where Avatar Roku was enshrined. According to Iroh, if Aang was seeking to commune with Roku, that was the only location with a strong enough spiritual connection to Roku to allow such communication, and only when the jewel embedded in Roku's statue was illuminated by the light of the Winter Solstice sun. Zuko ordered all speed, and with luck he felt they would reach the island either before Aang, or shortly after.

As he caught sight of the sky bison - a good distance away from Fire Nation territorial waters - he swallowed convulsively. He couldn't call on Iroh or Cadence's advice at this point. The former was below, comforting the latter who was still recovering from her hostage experience. He'd have to handle this on his own, and hope he made the right decisions.

"The Avatar is in range!" Lieutenant Jong - the recently promoted troop who'd spotted the wilted vegetation when Cadence had been captured - called out. He was currently manning the telescope as lookout.

Lieutenant Zhin - Jong's recently promoted partner who'd remembered Cadence's effect on plant life - moved to the catapult controls. "Should we open fire, sir?"

Zuko stared up at the speck that the Sky Bison appeared to be to his unaided vision, weighing his options. Finally, he spoke up. "No," he stated finally. "With only the one catapult, there's no way we'll be able to hit him. That Bison moves too fast in the air, and he'll have more than enough time to dodge every shot. Don't waste the ammo."

Feeling a heat from around his neck, he opened the pouch in time for the pink flame to release another scroll. Opening it, he smiled. "Besides, we'll have more than enough ships before too long. My Father's been informed that the Avatar is heading for Crescent Island, and he's put the blockade of our territorial waters under my command."

"I thought Commander Zhao was in charge of the defensive fleet?" another of the troops asked.

Zuko couldn't suppress his smirk. "He is," he replied. "And today, he takes his orders directly from me." He did his best to pretend to ignore his troops' laughter at that.

Seeing the approaching blockade, Zuko went to the catapult. "We're launching a signal flare," he ordered. "Pass the order on to the blockade to use non-explosive ammunition. Since there are ways to learn Airbending without Airbenders, the death of the Avatar will not end his threat. He is to be captured alive, no exceptions."

Lieutenant Zhin nodded as he loaded the appropriate flare signal into the catapult and launched it. Lieutenant Jong was able to confirm that the ships of the blockade - with the exception of Zhao's own ship - were obeying the order and loading nets, grappling hooks, and other such weaponry into their catapults, tied to the ships to draw the captured Avatar back in once the Bison was caught.

Zuko watched as Aang maneuvered his Sky Bison to evade the weapons fire. I was right, he thought to himself. He and his Bison have a very strong bond. In the air, they're all but untouchable. Our best bet to capture him will be on the ground. "Ignore the Avatar," Zuko ordered. "Set course straight for Crescent Island, full speed. Signal five ships to join us as we pass through the blockade. If we manage to get to the island ahead of the Avatar, we can set up an ambush. If not, we'll have enough men to swarm him under if necessary."

As the ship passed through the blockade, Zuko was curious though unsurprised to see that Zhao's ship was one of the ones that turned to join his, even as the Avatar successfully evaded the capture weaponry and make it past the blockade.

While Zuko's plan for capturing the Avatar at Crescent Island was sound, the sheer number of troops he was trying to move through the Temple proved in error. Aang was able to make it into the chamber where Roku's statue was hidden during the confusion, although his two friends, his flying lemur, and his Bison were caught. Since the chamber sealed itself off so it couldn't be opened, Zuko ordered Zhao to arrange the troops around the only entrance, in order to capture Aang when he came out.

Meanwhile, Zuko led his own troops to another part of the temple bordering the chamber, and consulted the Fire Sages who remained loyal to the Fire Lord about the temple's construction, planning a means by which the chamber could be broken open from another wall.

Before he was ready to actually attempt this, however, the doors opened, a blaze of blue light behind them. Zhao gave the order to attack...and Zuko returned with his men just in time to see that Avatar Roku had somehow infused Aang to return to the physical world for a time.

Zuko immediately gave the order to withdraw. He knew they didn't have the manpower to face a fully realized Avatar, and trying to engage now would only waste lives. He had considered using the hostages he'd taken to stop Roku, but his first counterattack freed them. His second unleashed the fury of the volcano the Temple was built on.

As he'd suspected, the manifestation of Roku didn't last long, and the Avatar was exhausted afterwards. Unfortunately, there was no way to take advantage of the situation with how the volcano's eruption was affecting the land and seas, and so he was forced to follow along behind him again.

There was some good news for Zuko, however. Apparently, Avatar Roku had appeared in Iroh's chambers during the sunset specifically to help calm and comfort Cadence. She seemed to be back to her old self now...save for bedding down in the crow's nest.

Storm of Trouble

As Zuko's ship traveled northward - having no new leads on Aang's path beyond his eventual goal of reaching the North Pole - Zuko used his telescope to scout for any sign of the Avatar's bison. Unfortunately, in the wide open sea, all he saw was cloudless skies and birds flying south. He sighed to himself as he lowered his telescope. "What about you two?" he asked hopefully, turning to face his Uncle and cousin.

Iroh paused in his observations as he sniffed into the breeze from the north. "There is a storm coming," he stated ominously. "A big one."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he asked, glancing around. "But...there isn't a cloud in the sky! Are you certain, Uncle?"

"I feel it, too!" Cadence confirmed, shivering. "It's...it's like a tingling in my feathers, like lightning in my wings. I...I'm afraid to take to the air...I want to head south...now..."

Zuko paused, comparing what Cadence was saying with the activities of the birds. The only explanation for Cadence's reactions was avian instincts, responding like the birds were to the approach of a bad storm. Between that and Iroh's assessment, Zuko was ready to believe a bad storm was coming.

"I suggest we alter our course and head Southwest," Iroh offered. "It would be best for all of us, ship and crew alike."

Zuko stared to the north as he rubbed his chin. "...no," he said at last. "The Avatar might use the storm as cover to fly North without being seen. We'll head straight West, altering our course Southward as needed should the storm appear especially dangerous. In the meantime, prep the safety lines for any crewman who has to be on deck, and when the storm is in sight, get everyone below deck."

Iroh nodded, accepting the compromise.

When the storm arrived, the intensity forced them to turn more and more southward. While skirting the edge, they spotted the Avatar flying straight into the storm. Despite several members of the crew being ready to pursue, Zuko ordered to patrol the edge of the storm. He knew this was neither the time nor the place for recklessness.

A few days after the storm, Zuko received a message from Mai that concerned him, and he brought it to Iroh and Cadence. "It looks like Zhao's been covering himself in glory with the war effort," he stated. "He's been promoted to Admiral."

"If he's been doing a good job, I don't see the problem," Iroh pointed out reasonably. "If he has the skills, then surely it is for the good of the nation that he is promoted."

Cadence frowned as she sipped at her tea. "But he's also after the Avatar," she pointed out. "If he captures him before us...it may go badly for Zuko."

"And as Admiral, he has the authority to commandeer our ship for any large scale operations," Zuko added. "And he has a personal vendetta against me from beating him in that Agni Kai. And...according to Mai, he's spent a good amount of time in the company of my sister."

Iroh's face fell. "You will forgive me, I'm certain, for stating that your sister is not exactly emotionally stable."

"That's a polite way of saying she's a vicious witch with more ambition than sense, and an absence of compassion," Zuko replied acidly.

"Zhao is also ambitious," Cadence pointed out. "And unlike you, Azula does not have an assignation arranged."

Iroh and Zuko both turned to stare at her. Iroh scratched his chin. "Zhao captures the Avatar before us, leading to Zuko being shamed..."

"Azula twists that into getting me removed from succession, making her next in line to be Fire Lord..." Zuko continues.

"And she professes a fondness for Zhao, and his glory in battle makes him important enough to brush aside any objections..." Iroh mused.

"Leaving the two of them with all the power in the Fire Nation between them, should anything happen to Father!" Zuko concluded.

Iroh's eyes widened. "You don't really think Azula or Zhao would do that, do you? It would be treason!"

"Would you put it past either of them?" Zuko demanded.

As Iroh sat back in thought, Cadence frowned. "It sounds like the good Admiral is getting too big for his britches..."

Iroh's eyes swiveled to his equine daughter. "Cadence...what are you planning?"

Cadence smiled widely. "Let's just say there's more than one way to achieve an end...and that I'm about to earn that attribution of Spirit Beast." She turned to Zuko. "You focus on catching Aang, cousin. That's your job. Leave Zhao to me."

Zuko's frown deepened in concern. "Are you sure you won't be in any danger?"

Cadence giggled wickedly, for a moment resembling her other cousin strongly enough that Zuko and Iroh both warded themselves with their arms. "He won't even see me," she promised, getting up and heading out, ghosting into the air on silent wings.

Iroh stared out after Cadence. "...I am suddenly feeling very sorry for Admiral Zhao...or anyone else who crosses her."

"Just what have you been teaching her, Uncle?"

"Not that!"

Cadence frowned to herself as she witnessed Zhao's use of the Yuyan Archers to capture Aang. While certainly good for the war effort, if Iroh and Zuko's conclusions about Zhao and Azula's motives and goals were correct, then it was bad for the Fire Nation and the world. She would need to break Aang free of the Fortress. On the plus side, if she succeeded, Aang would be kindly disposed to herself and Zuko.

Glancing over the fortress, she looked over her resources. The Fortress was built on dirt, and the floors were dirt as well. She knew that Aang's cell would be at the center of the Fortress on the ground floor, making it the most difficult chamber for the Airbender to escape from, and putting the most possible obstacles between him and freedom should he manage to escape. The floor of that chamber might also be metal, but it would only be a thin layer. The storm he'd been captured in had also just ended, leaving a great deal of moisture in the air.

As she watched and planned, a family of Owlbears gathered around her, seeming interested in her and what she was doing. A wide grin crossed her face.

As Aang struggled against the chains holding him, he was startled by the sounds of absolute bedlam in the Fortress at large. While at first he was confused, he was distracted as the frozen frogs he'd grabbed to treat Sokka and Katara's sickness climbing out of his shirt as they started to thaw. "Don't leave, frogs!" he called out. "My friends are sick and they need you! Please go back to being frozen!"

As he said those last words, a burst of ice cold air erupted from the edges of the metal square the frogs were on, freezing them. As Aang stared, the square glowed blue, and the thin sheet lifted into the air. Dense fog flooded out from underneath the sheet as it was set aside, the glow fading. His manacles then glowed blue, and with an audible snap they popped open.

Aang quickly dove for the frogs as a voice scolded him. "Come on! We don't have that much time!"

Aang's head shot up. He recognized that voice. "Ca-"

"Ssh!" Cadence hissed. "No noise, just come!"

Deciding to listen, Aang followed Cadence into the tunnel entrance through which the fog was flowing. Cadence waited until the cell was full of fog, then covered the hole with the sheet again. "A friend will fill in the tunnel after we're gone," she told Aang. "No one will ever know how you got out."

"But what's with all the noise?" Aang asked. "And the fog?"

"A distraction to make the superstitious jumpy," Cadence explained as they crawled. "A mix of Air and Water Bending to turn the moist air post storm into a dense fog bank, a mix of Air and Fire Bending to conjure several Will-o-the-Wisps to wander the fort, a bit of lightning to race along the metal of the fort for an eerie glow, and a family of owlbears hooting and hollering to make the people think they're under attack by spirits."

There was suddenly a loud, piercing, human scream. "And that?" Aang gasped frighteningly.

"In exchange for digging and hiding the tunnel, I told a honey badgermole he could raid the fort for their rations without the Avatar getting mad at him," Cadence replied. "From the sound of that scream, one of the Archers had some snacks in his pocket."

Reaching the end of the tunnel, Cadence led Aang out of sight of the fortress. "I think I can leave you to make your way back to your friends on your own," she commented.

"You're...not going to capture me?" Aang asked, surprised.

"That's Zuko's job, not mine," Cadence replied. She turned to go.

"Wait!" Aang called. "I have so many questions for you! How did you learn Air Bending? Who taught you? How can you bend all four Elements? Where-"

Cadence cut him off with a feather on his lips. "You know where and how to find me if you want those answers," she teased. Deciding she liked Zuko's words, she decided to echo them. "Run fast, heal your friends. We'll probably capture you in the morning." Spreading her wings, she ghosted into the fog, vanishing in moments.

Aang shivered. "She's good..." Remembering the frozen frogs, he turned and raced for the others.

Cadence, for her part, did her best to stifle her own laughter. Terrifying all those troops like that was just so much fun! The touch of her magic to the Will-o-the-Wisps to make them move independently had been a nice touch. And the owlbears had been directed to her by Wan Shi Tong, apparently...and that honey badgermole had just loved her belly rubs...

Trailing Logic

Iroh, Cadence, and Zuko calmly walked into the small mountain village together, wearing Earth kingdom colors with the hoods up so Zuko and Iroh could hide their topknots. "So...why are we here again?" Iroh asked, having only the faintest idea behind the reasons for Zuko's decision to change course. Ever since Zuko had led the mission to the Fire Temple alone, he'd begun to be more independent of Iroh and Cadence's advice, happy to divide the decision making progress. While Iroh was happy Zuko was showing such independence, it did leave him in the dark quite a bit. Zuko seemed to take a perverse pleasure in giving Iroh directives that only made sense in hindsight. ...he couldn't be more proud of his nephew.

"See the mountain?" Zuko indicated. "It erupted less than a week ago, but the village is still here. Short of powerful Earth Benders with a great deal of foresight, that means the Avatar was here when it erupted."

Looking up, Iroh noticed a very unusual rock formation around the edge of the village towards the volcano. Volcanic rock rose upward in a dome shape, ending in claw like protrusions. "I wonder what could have caused that?" Iroh inquired.

"It looks a bit like surf frozen just as it breaks against a rock," Cadence pointed out.

"Or magma cooled against a dome of air?" Zuko suggested.

Iroh stroked his chin thoughtfully as Cadence gasped in surprise. "And...we left our soldiers well outside the village, why?"

"Because we're here as investigators, not invaders," Zuko explained.

"And that's why we're in Earth colors!" Cadence proclaimed with quiet pride. "Because they're more likely to talk to strangers than enemies."

"Exactly," Zuko agreed as he led them past a large house.

The door opened practically in his face, and a young girl in a pink kimono, her brown hair done in pigtails and missing a front tooth, smiled up at them. "Prince Zuko, General Iroh, Aunt Wu's been expecting you." She gestured inside.

"So much for that," Iroh muttered as Zuko, resigned, led them inside.

As they sat down on cushions, the young girl brought them some tea and bean curd. After a time, an old woman with graying hair and wearing an unusual symbol on her forehead stepped out from the inner chamber. "General, if you would enter now?"

Seeing Zuko nod, Iroh stood and entered the inner chamber. After a time, he came back out. "Well?" Zuko asked.

"She is a fortune teller," Iroh replied. "And she gives...very unusual predictions. She did confirm that Aang and his friends were here, though."

"Unusual predictions?" Cadence inquired.

Iroh nodded, rubbing his chin as he pondered. "She said I would find true love again...in my second life."

"Your Highness?" Aunt Wu called out.

Frustrated, Zuko followed her into the inner chamber. "Which way did Aang go when he left?" he demanded intently.

"Up," Aunt Wu replied easily. "Patience, young Prince. You've been doing so well so far." She gestured to a bowl filled with bones. "Choose one," she instructed.

Zuko rolled his eyes. He didn't believe in fortune telling, but if humoring the old woman would get him more answers, he wasn't going to turn up his nose at it. Seeing a bone that caught his interest for some reason, he pulled it from the bowl.

"Now, throw it into the fire, and its cracks will tell me your future."

Sitting down, Zuko tossed the bone into the flames. To his surprise, a large crack split the bone almost immediately, and it exploded in a burst of black smoke not long after.

Aunt Wu stared into the smoke and fragments. "You need not worry overmuch about finding the Avatar," she stated calmly at last. "Your path is intertwined with his. A crossroads is coming, and the decision you make will determine the fate of the entire world."

Zuko blinked, shivering as he shook off the spell. "I don't suppose it gave you any details as far as when?"

"Your decision will be made by the last day of Spring," she replied. "And the world's fate set in stone before Summer's end."

Zuko shook off the gravity of that proclamation with difficulty. "Are you sure that's my fortune?" he asked finally. "And not my Uncle's?"

"No, that's definitely your fortune," Aunt Wu replied. "Though I admit the General's was equally surprising in its own way."

"But Uncle's the one who was sent the Spirit Creature to care for," Zuko pointed out. "He's the one with destiny on his-"

"Spirit Creature?" Aunt Wu demanded. "I saw no such being!"

Zuko stared at her for a time, then relaxed completely. "That's going to make it hard to read her fortune," he replied, the awe and fear the performance had inspired pushed aside by what Aunt Wu hadn't predicted.

At that moment, Cadence stuck her head in. "Is it my turn now?" she asked eagerly.

Aunt Wu stared at Cadence, her jaw working soundlessly.

Zuko chuckled. "If you really want to. Just throw a bone into the fire, and she'll read the cracks." He slowly stood up.

Smiling widely, Cadence seized one of the bones in her magic and tossed it into the fire. What she didn't realize was that her own magic was still clinging to the bone as it entered the fire.

The citizens of the village were startled as Aunt Wu's house was blown 50 feet into the air on a massive plume of smoke before landing back on its own foundations. However, most of them went about their business, assuming that if it was important, Aunt Wu would tell them.

The only exception was a particular produce merchant bewailing the fate of his cart and product. Aunt Wu had predicted this would be a very bad year for him, and as a fragment of bone had knocked part of the volcanic rock onto his cart, it seemed she was right.

Aunt Wu stared at Cadence as the smoke cleared. "You are not of this world," she stated bluntly. "Your presence warps the weft of the Loom of Fate, and what once was impossible is now inevitable, and what once was inevitable is now impossible. And you bring bad luck to cabbages."

Cadence tilted her head in confusion at the very oddly specific declaration after such an explosive reading. "So...what about my future love life?"

A fragment of bone spun down and stuck in the wall next to Aunt Wu's ear. Turning, she examined it. "...you haven't already found your soulmate yet," she stated after a time.

"What?" Zuko demanded in confusion.

"That's the best I've got," Aunt Wu replied. "My art's meant for humans of this world. She's neither. It's stretched to its limits as is."

Groaning, Zuko headed back to his troops and ship, writing the trip off as a waste of time.

The Disaster of the North

As the end of Winter approached, Zuko found himself getting a bit antsy. He'd been in hot pursuit of the Avatar for nearly three months, but he was still no closer to capturing him than their first encounter. The careful balance he was struggling to maintain between aggressive and diplomatic wasn't showing the progress he'd been hoping for. Not only that, after what had happened with Cadence' fortune teller reading, he'd been forced to lend at least some credence to what Aunt Wu had said about him, and the approach of Spring felt significant. He couldn't shake the feeling that something big was going to happen.

As a result, he'd passed on participating in the 'music night' Iroh had organized on deck, and was instead struggling to meditate in his own quarters. The ship was in position to sail to the North on a moment's notice, in pursuit of the Avatar. However, there was the minor problem of the Northern Water Tribe. It wouldn't exactly be easy to charge in to confront Aang in the middle of that many skilled Water Benders.

Cadence had come up with a plan, however. She had a Water Tribe boat that she could control with her Waterbending, to guide herself, Iroh, and Zuko to the North Pole. The plan was to anchor the ship a good distance away from the Arctic Circle where the Northern Tribe defended its borders, and then have the three of them go in on their own. Then, Cadence would contact her Waterbending teacher within the settlement to arrange a diplomatic meeting between Zuko and Aang. With luck, talk in a place of peace - especially where Aang had so many allies, a clear advantage - would pave the way for peacefully escorting him back to the Fire Nation. If Zuko could deliver a willing Avatar to Ozai for a civil discussion of the war, perhaps a new solution could be found...and if nothing else, it would certainly block any and all plans Zhao and Azula had come up with.

Zuko's thoughts were disturbed as Iroh opened the door to his quarters. "My answer's still no, Uncle," Zuko replied gently. "I don't feel like music tonight."

"It's not about that," Iroh replied warily. "It's about our plans. There's a bit of a problem..."

As Zuko turned to see what Iroh was talking about, Zhao stepped into the room. "Prince Zuko," he stated calmly, though his eyes made it plain he was all but spitting the name, "you and your crew are...invited to assist me in an expedition of vital importance to the Fire Nation, and the War Effort."

Zuko's fist clenched as he ground his teeth. Zhao had phrased his statement well. If he'd tried to commandeer ship or crew, Zuko would have grounds to refuse, contesting his Royal Mandate mission against the Military one. Out here, that meant who could get a message to and from Ozai the fastest, and Mai still lived in the capitol. If the need was urgent, she could get in to see Ozai with a message from Zuko by noon the next day, while the fastest messenger bird at Zhao's disposal wouldn't get there for a week. But by phrasing it as an invitation, Zuko's refusal would be grounds to investigate his dedication to the Fire Nation and the Cause. He had no choice but to cooperate, but he wouldn't do so blind. Calming himself, he stood up. "What manner of mission?" he asked calmly.

"As I'm certain you're aware," Zhao replied, gesturing to Zuko's own maps, "the Avatar has been sighted heading for the North Pole."

Zuko snorted dismissively. "You still have clearance to pursue the Avatar?" he asked, feigning shock. "How did your last encounter with him go again? Failed to capture him, but you did succeed in destroying...three of your own river boats?" Seeing Zhao's temper rising, Zuko suppressed his smirk. Zhao was dangerous when calm, but predictable when enraged. If Zuko was to keep any control of the situation, he would have to keep Zhao angry.

Unfortunately, Zhao had apparently learned a lesson about controlling his temper, as he calmed himself rather quickly. "No, this isn't about capturing the Avatar," he replied. "This is about preventing him from mastering Waterbending. I've gathered together a massive fleet...with the specific purpose of the destruction of the North."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "That's a rather ambitious endeavor," he replied. "I assume you have a plan?"

"I do," Zhao replied. "One I will share with my ship commanders."

"Then I look forward to hearing it." Zuko did let his grin show as Zhao flinched. Zhao had expected him to throw a tissy fit over being slighted, which would give Zhao grounds in this mission to remove Zuko from command of his ship. By staying calm and letting Zhao have his way, he pulled Zhao's teeth, forcing him to leave Zuko in command. And as long as Zuko commanded his own ship, he had a chance to steal the glory of this mission right out from under Zhao.

"Then prepare to sail for the north!" Zhao snapped out, spinning and storming out of the room.

Zuko let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Keeping himself under control around Zhao had been harder than he had anticipated. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he looked up.

Iroh rested a hand on his nephew's shoulder, smiling proudly. No words were needed. Zuko returned the smile, accepting his Uncle's silent praise.

As the ships approached the Arctic Circle in a massive fleet - Zuko's ship positioned at the back at Zhao's orders, officially to protect the Prince - Zuko staggered into his quarters, stunned beyond belief as he fell into his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Zuko?" Cadence called out worriedly. She had followed him after he'd returned from the conference of Captains to discuss the plan of action against the Northern Water Tribe. Seeing him staggering about as though his strings had been cut, she followed him into his quarters, only to see him collapse. Climbing up onto the bed beside him, she nudged him with her muzzle. "What's wrong?"

"Zhao's plan..." Zuko began, his voice barely above a whisper. "He doesn't plan to attack the Water Tribe directly. This entire assault...it's a diversion..."

"Then what is his plan?" Cadence asked worriedly. "Is it all to get Aang?"

"No," Zuko replied. "He plans to change the very shape of the world, and become a living legend. It's his intention to capture - or kill - the physical embodiment of the Moon Spirit, making it impossible to Waterbend."

Cadence gasped. "He's going to hurt Tui?" she whimpered, stunned and horrified beyond belief.

"And I don't have a political leg to stand on in countering the plan," Zuko concluded. "I know in my heart...this is the worst mistake anyone could make...but there's nothing I can do about it..." Rolling over, he faced the wall, staring into nothing.

Cadence stared at Zuko for a time, seeing how broken he looked...and a deep frown crossed her face. "Nothing you can do, maybe," she whispered, turning to head for her own quarters. Once there, she entered deep meditation, trying to stretch her magical connection to the Spirits. After all, Zhao couldn't capture or kill Tui if she wasn't there...

As the ships entered the range to begin the assault on the North Pole, Zuko was startled at his post as he saw Cadence charge out of her quarters onto the deck. "Turn this ship around!" she shouted at the top of her voice, panic and terror filling her words.

"Now hang on!" one of the crew objected. "You don't-"

"I didn't say talk!" Cadence snapped, spinning and launching a burst of flame at the poor sailor, who barely managed to duck. "I said turn this ship around! South! South as fast as we can!"

Zuko rushed to his cousin's side, grabbing hold of her. "Cadence, what's gotten into you?" he demanded.

Cadence spun to stare at him. Her face was pale, the color seeming to even have drained somewhat out of her fur coat. Her eyes were wide with terror, her mane frazzled, and she was practically hyperventilating. Zuko wasn't certain what was going on, but one thing was certain. If Cadence was this scared - scared enough to attack her friends - then immediate action was needed.

"You heard her!" Zuko shouted. "Turn this ship around! That's an order!"

"Yes sir!" the crew replied. While the ship had been recruited for Zhao's mission, the crew was loyal to Zuko, first and only.

As soon as the ship was turned around heading South, Cadence began to calm down, but she continued to stare Northward. "Now do you think you can tell us why we're committing treason?" Zuko asked, his words harsh but his tone concerned.

"I...I made contact with Tui and La," Cadence replied. "I thought...if they weren't there when Zhao made his assault, then he couldn't hurt either of them. But they can't leave their pool."

"Then why are we running?" Zuko inquired, now more confused than concerned.

"Because La had his own plan for handling Zhao," Cadence explained, shivering convulsively. "He called in...backup." Cadence looked to be on the verge of throwing up. "Since I was still in contact with him...I felt the mind he contacted..." At this point, she rushed to the side of the boat to give La a less than polite offering.

Zuko and Iroh were both at her side immediately. "Who did La call in that has left you like this?" Iroh asked, stunned and afraid.

"One older than La himself," Cadence replied. "One who watched the land and seas form from his home in the depths. One of a few who, with cruel wisdom, do their part to maintain the balance for their own reasons. One...who is rising to defend the moon."

The seas around the North Pole began to bubble, froth, and swell. Iroh stared at the sea in terror. "A...Deep One?" he gasped out.

Terror swamped the crew, and those tending the engines pushed them as hard as they could go to be out of range of what was about to happen.

"Yes," Cadence replied, staring at the fleet. "Or...as the scrolls of Wan Shi Tong call them..."

A massive black tentacle erupted from the sea, wrapping around one of Zhao's ships and crushing the metal like tissue paper. Another tentacle followed, and then another, until the fleet was hemmed in by a black forest atop the sea...and a massive head, the face of nightmares, rose to open a gaping maw, unleashing an unearthly screech.

"...a Kraken."

Treachery

Fire Lord Ozai was rather unsurprised when the latest intelligence report regarding the Northern Assault was delivered by his daughter. All of Zhao's reports had been delivered from Azula lately. It was part of the reason Ozai looked on Zhao with such favor. The pair of them seemed to have a genuine attachment to each other, and Ozai privately hoped that this might have a humanizing effect on his cold daughter. While he greatly respected her talent, determination, and guile, a leader needed more than that. A leader needed to care. If Zhao was able to teach Azula to care, that alone was worth the promotion to Admiral.

What Ozai was surprised to see was how...downtrodden Azula seemed. He knew she never showed emotion without reason. Her control of her emotions was near absolute. If she was allowing herself to show sorrow, then she had sorrowful news indeed. "What news do you bring from the North?" he asked calmly.

"I bring disheartening news, Father," Azula responded from her place kneeling before the dais. "The entirety of the assault fleet is no more."

"What?" Ozai demanded angrily. "How can this be?"

"Before a single shot was fired...a Deep One rose from the depths of the northern ocean to devour the fleet. Admiral Zhao...and all under his command...are no more."

Had Ozai been less distracted by the news itself, he might have caught how artful the pause was after she spoke the Admiral's name. Just long enough to indicate pain struggling to be controlled. Were he in a more suspicious mindset, he would have questioned that. "Then...there are no survivors?" he asked sorrowfully. To lose such a good commander and so many troops was one thing, but his son and brother were in that fleet. Had not Cadence's protection been on them?

"My brother's ship was unharmed," Azula continued, a hint of steel in her voice. "According to the reports...it turned and fled south without explanation before any sign of the Deep One could be seen. It sounds as though he - or someone aboard the ship - somehow knew it was going to attack...and chose not to warn anyone."

Ozai kept his relief from becoming visible, maintaining his stoic facade. "There is certain to be a reasonable explanation for such actions," he stated firmly.

"His course does not appear to take him anywhere near any of our outposts," Azula replied. "He doesn't seem interested in giving such an explanation."

"Then an opportunity should be given," Ozai replied. "Take a ship and bring them home, Azula. I must debrief them personally."

Azula bowed. "Understood."

Ozai nodded dismissal, and Azula turned and left. He could see how eager she was to pin the blame for this event on Zuko, whether over grief for Zhao or her own ambition was uncertain. Either way, if he gave her too much freedom in this mission, she was likely to take precipitous action of her own. Perhaps it would be best to send a reliable commander along with...to keep her in check.

Zuko groaned as he sat up on the rocky shore. The trip from the North had been...unpleasant, to say the least. So great was the terror the Kraken had inspired in the career seafarers that they had powered the ship as fast as it could go day and night. Some of those not on engine crew had even strapped themselves to the back of the ship and used Firebending to try and speed the ship along even faster. The journey had come to an uncomfortable end when the ship had driven itself full length onto the shore, so great was its speed. It had held there for a few seconds before tilting over and falling to its side, sending everyone tumbling.

"Is everyone alright?" he called out, getting to his feet. A chorus of groans mixed with positive responses greeted him, and he sighed in relief. From the number of voices, he knew no one was dead or in agonized pain. No one had been crushed. Pushing himself to his feet, he glanced around. "Lieutenants!" he called out. "What's the status on our supplies?"

Lieutenants Jong and Zhin reported to his side quickly. "A good portion of our equipment is badly damaged," Jong replied. "We've lost a good amount of our weapons as well. Our food supplies are alright, though."

"The crew's not doing as well," Zhin added. "A lot of them are convinced we aren't far enough south to escape the Kraken. Some are saying we should keep running, now that we can't sail." He paused, a nervous look on his face.

"And you aren't certain they're wrong?" Zuko inferred. At the nod, he turned to Jong. "How steep is the beach?"

"Not very," Jong admitted. "It's a very gentle incline for at least 100 yards out."

"Then we're far enough from the depths to be out of the Kraken's reach," Zuko replied firmly. "Even if it did want to come this far after one little ship, there isn't enough ocean to support his mass if he did come. Cadence did tell us that the Kraken is cruelly wise, so it won't be stupid. Besides..." He turned his face away. "I'm pretty sure it's already eaten its fill..."

Silence reigned over the beach. Up until that point, everyone had either been riding the terror of escaping the Kraken, or the hysterical relief of successful escape. Now, however, everyone was left thinking about how many had died. It was one thing to be glad about the fall of Zhao, with all the bad feeling there had been between him and the Prince. But each ship had a talented commander and a loyal crew...and an entire armada was gone now, drowned or digested. A massive blow to the Fire Nation...in a single night.

Leaving the crew to assemble whatever could be scavenged, Zuko sought out Iroh and Cadence. He found his Uncle comforting the young filly, who was in tears. "Cadence?" Zuko asked in concern.

"It's...it's my fault," she whimpered. "If...If I hadn't contacted La and Tui, the Kraken wouldn't have come. The Avatar was there, he would have done something to protect Tui, that's his job! But I had to stick my hoof in...and now they're all dead..." She buried her face in Iroh's chest.

"Cadence..." Zuko began, but stopped. Any words at this point would be hollow. He couldn't shift the blame for her. He looked to Iroh for help.

"Cadence, every living being can do no more or less than what they think is right," Iroh said calmly. "Whatever we decide to do...the consequences will always come home to roost, and we have to face them. You did what you thought was right, and bad things happened as a result. We cannot turn back time and try again. All you can do in the future is try harder, and consider all possibilities." He shrugged. "I admit, there was no way to foresee La calling on a Kraken to protect Tui. Sometimes, there is no way to tell what outcome our actions will have. We just have to keep moving. It is all we can do."

Cadence continued to cry, but her sobs were less hysterical, more simple grief. "Uncle," Zuko asked, "is there somewhere around here we can all relax? The troops need it...and so do we."

Iroh carefully unrolled the map. "Let me see..."

Deception

Thankfully for the crew, Iroh's map included the location of a neutral retreat, where soldiers of any nation could rest and relax on the condition they did not bring the war with them. Those who worked at the retreat were somewhat shocked at the size of the group that arrived - they were used to tending individual generals, or at most a lone patrol, at a time - but they quickly rallied. The troops themselves, given permission to relax, quickly enjoyed their shore leave, making sport in the surf and sand and heading to the nearby town - out of uniform - to find some fun at the local bars.

Iroh and Zuko mostly remained within the retreat itself, keeping an eye on Cadence and helping her recover. Admittedly, Iroh did avail himself of the massage service, and convinced Zuko to make use of similar services as well. Cadence attempted to as well, but none of the attendants knew enough about equine physiology to give her a proper massage. The first attempt had resulted in...a rather shocking experience for the masseuse, to say the least. After that, Cadence settled for the relaxing baths and hot rock massages.

"So," Iroh asked Zuko at one point, "how long do you intend to let the men relax?"

"Until they get restless," Zuko replied easily, laying back in a hammock, a large hat over his eyes. "Until then, they're still trying to forget what happened up North. Once they get restless, I know they'll be ready for action again."

Iroh nodded. "And...if Cadence isn't ready to continue at that point?"

"Then we'll go slow," Zuko explained. "Take our time. Walk back to the western shores to get a ship back to the Fire Nation. That's our eventual goal, anyway. We'll have to report to Father in person about what happened. And we'll need to be careful, anyway. We're deep in enemy territory."

"Then we will be careful," Iroh agreed. "With luck, upon our return, my brother will have different tasks for us both. I do not think I am cut out for racing about the world anymore."

Zuko frowned thoughtfully. "I still haven't captured the Avatar," he pointed out. "Father said I had to do that, to prove myself. I still need to bring Aang back to the Fire Nation."

"Let's not think about that just now," Iroh offered. "We faced down a Deep One attacking our fleet, and you kept your head! Surely, if nothing else, that proves what a capable man and leader you are." He chuckled. "I am not ashamed to admit that the first thing I needed after we made landfall was fresh trousers."

"...that thing still haunts my nightmares," Zuko admitted, shame tinging his voice.

"While I am not surprised, had you not admitted it I would never have known," Iroh praised. "The measure of a man and leader is not how little he fears, but how he handles those fears he has. And you, nephew...you have shown to handle your fears exceptionally well."

Zuko managed a smile, pleased at his uncle's praise. They lay back in silence as Cadence stirred in her own hammock.

"So...how long until something happens to throw our plans straight out the window?" Iroh asked idly.

"I'd give it a week, two tops," Zuko replied calmly.

A week and a half later, Zuko was unsurprised to find Iroh coming back from taking Cadence to the beach. "Look at these magnificent shells Cadence found!" Iroh proclaimed happily, pouring out a satchel of seashells in all sorts of shapes and sizes. "We will cherish these keepsakes for years to come."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "And who's going to carry them?" he asked. "We don't have a ship anymore, or any beasts of burden, and we'll be weighed down with supplies as is."

Iroh scratched his chin. "Umm..."

Cadence couldn't help but giggle at his expression, but the giggle cut off as she felt something in the air, and spun to face a shadowed corner of the room.

"I'm sure there will be room in my ship's cargo hold for your...knickknacks," Azula said calmly as she leaned forward. "Hello, Brother...Uncle...Cousin."

Zuko stiffened as he saw his sister, dressed in a military uniform. "Sister," he greeted calmly, keeping himself under control. "What brings you here?"

Azula frowned slightly before standing. "Father sent me to give you and your men a lift home," she replied calmly. "He's heard about what happened to Admiral Zhao's fleet...but all he has are rumors and second hand accounts. He was overjoyed to learn that you and your crew escaped, but he needs your first hand account of what happened...and he wants to hear it with his own ears."

Zuko closed his eyes, mulling the news over. While it was expected, the fact that it was Azula delivering the news made him naturally suspicious. However, beyond his own suspicion of Azula, he had no reason to doubt the news. Still... "Our men are currently on leave, recuperating from the events," he explained calmly. "It will take all of today to gather them, as well as our supplies. We'll meet you at the docks tomorrow."

Azula smiled. "It will be good to have you home again, Zuzu."

Zuko flinched visibly as she left, gritting his teeth as he got himself under control. He hated that nickname.

Once Azula was down the road a ways, Cadence couldn't help but giggle. "Zuzu?" she gasped out, her eyes delighted as she looked up at her cousin.

Zuko couldn't stop the smirk that came to his face. Maybe he just hated when Azula called him that.

"Do you think she's telling the truth?" Iroh asked.

"About Father's intentions? Yes," Zuko confirmed. "Do I trust her to not try to stab us in the back? Not for a minute."

Treason

It hadn't taken long to gather the troops back in preparation for the following morning. The news that they would be heading home soon was greeted with cheers and applause...right up until the moment Azula was mentioned. After that, everyone was quiet and thoughtful, and there was more than one muttering about the Princess being untrustworthy. One soldier even went so far as to speak up, "We'd be safer heading home if we got her and hers off the ship and sailed off without 'em."

The notion had so amused Zuko that he'd jokingly replied, "Possibly." Much to his surprise, he then had to spend the next hour talking quickly to discourage the crew from planning a way to pull it off. His efforts in this regard were not helped by Iroh and Cadence laughing themselves sick in the background.

When his argument about it being treason was countered with, "Not if you order it, sir. Then it's just sibling rivalry," he began to realize something that stunned him. He wasn't surprised to discover his troops were loyal to him over Azula. But suggesting they'd risk charges of treason from her to help him...that implied their loyalty was to him before his father, the Fire Lord. After that realization, he'd given a flat order to not steal Azula's ship unless he'd ordered it, then gone off to a corner to think.

Finally, Iroh restored order by insisting everyone needed to be well rested the following morning. As everyone bedded down for the night, Iroh watched Zuko worriedly. He hoped everything would work out.

The amassed group made their way carefully down the cliffs to the dock the following morning. Seeing the Royal Vessel waiting for them, Iroh began to relax. He recognized the man standing at the top of the ramp. General Cho was one of Ozai's top Generals, steadfastly loyal to the Fire Lord. If he was involved, there was unlikely to be any double crossing. As he relaxed, he noticed Zuko, Cadence, and the troops relaxing around him.

Azula smiled as they approached, and nodded as she stepped past General Cho. As Zuko stepped onto the ramp up to the ship, General Cho barked out, "Form up around the prisoners!"

Iroh knew he wasn't the only one to stiffen in shock...but Cadence was the first to act. Before any of Azula's troops could move to obey Cho's orders, she had called up a large wave that nearly capsized the ship and washed several of those troops off the pier. Zuko's troops had all taken Waterbending stances the moment the wave started to form, and maintained their balance and footing as it passed before rounding on the - now enemy - troops still standing. Iroh and Zuko, meanwhile, rushed up to confront Azula and Cho respectively. "Watch my back!" Zuko barked out to Lieutenants Jong and Zhin, who quickly moved to defend him.

General Cho was a master Firebender, as were all of Ozai's Generals. However, like with most Firebenders, it was driven by rage. Iroh, however, drew from the original source of Firebending, and knew exactly how to handle someone driven by rage. However, he also knew the fight would take time. He hoped Zuko could handle himself against Azula.

"What's the meaning of this?" Zuko was demanding as he faced down against Azula, using his double swords rather than Firebending. "You said you were here to bring us home for debriefing!"

"I lied," Azula countered easily as she evaded. "You know how good I am at that. Do you really think Father hasn't figured out what you're up to by now?"

"What are you talking about?" Zuko demanded, once more striking with his blades, trying to cut off her footwork.

"Zhao knew you planned to meet with the Avatar at the North Pole," she replied. "One of his agents overheard the plan being made before he invited your vessel to join the assault. And it wouldn't have been the first time you met up with the Avatar. Uncle Iroh's known to have connections in the other nations...and I've uncovered the evidence to prove he's joined with a terrorist group dedicated to aid the Avatar in overthrowing the Fire Lord!"

Iroh felt his anger stirring at hearing such slander...especially with how easily it could be passed for truth, even if that wasn't even close to what the Order of the White Lotus was about.

"And your ship fled the North before any sign of the Deep One was visible!" Azula continued. "There were also rumors of Cadence's bending abilities...and she could only have learned Waterbending at the level I just saw from one place...the Northern Water Tribe! She contacted the Moon and Ocean spirits, leading to them summoning up the Deep One to sic on the fleet...which you escaped because you were behind it!" Ducking under one sweep of the sword, she unleashed a blast of blue flames at Zuko...only to be shocked when he deflected it by spinning his other sword, traces of red flames surrounding the blade.

"Lies!" Zuko roared as he swung one blade upward, flames leaping from the sword tip in an arc to race at Azula.

She sidestepped it easily. "Perhaps," she replied. "But the truth doesn't matter, Zuzu. What matters is what Father believes!" With a confident smirk, she began to draw out lightning, determined to finish it.

As she started to fling the lightning, Iroh rushed forward. Catching hold of her hand, he unleashed the lightning from his other hand, striking the cliff side. "We are leaving!" he barked out.

"Form up around the Prince!" Lieutenant Jong shouted. The troops immediately responded to his command, and the group was away while their enemies were still recovering.

Azula moved to help General Cho to his feet, staring out at the retreating group...and smirked.

Ozai stared down at the message he had received from General Cho, not wanting to believe what he was reading. However, Cho was one of his most trusted Generals, and had no reason to lie to him. But the idea of what was written here left him filled with disbelief...and rage.

My Fire Lord,

We have just attempted to make contact with Prince Zuko, General Iroh, Cadence, and their troops. We hailed under flag of truce when we spotted them onshore...and they immediately attacked us without warning.

While I have no wish to bear bad news...it becomes apparent that Prince Zuko and General Iroh have allied themselves with the Avatar and are in active rebellion against the Fire Nation. They are traitors.

Your Humble Servant,

General Cho.

As he felt his rage build inside him, he crushed the report in his hand. With a shout of fury, the flames of the throne room erupted violently, nearly scorching the room to ash. When he was close to being coherent again, he made a mental note to redecorate in a fire proof motif.

Aboard the Royal Ship, Azula had ordered all the troops to seek medical attention. She had solicitously volunteered to see to General Cho's injuries personally. She was now in his quarters as he lay on his stomach, his uniform in one corner. "It's all working out perfectly," she purred softly, trailing her sharp nails up and down Cho's back.

"Y-y-yes, My Princess," Cho gasped out, his wizened features wreathed in pleasure.

"Father will see things my way, and you'll be suitably rewarded for your assistance," she promised. "I am ever so grateful..." She let her hot breath tickle his ear as her nails moved to the base of his spine.

"Princess...please..." he begged.

Smirking, she dug her nails into his back near the base of his spine. His back arched, his expression twisted. After a time, he fell limp, breathing heavily. Azula withdrew her hand and carefully stepped to the door. "Rest, General," she instructed calmly. "We have work to do."

As she headed for her own quarters, she smirked. Old fool, she thought to herself. He was almost too easy to manipulate. At least Zhao was interesting. I might have actually gone through with his proposal if we pulled it off. But that's no matter. My backup plan's now in motion. The order to hunt down Zuzu and the Avatar will come before long...and I know just the team to assemble to help me...

Determination

Zuko and his crew made their escape to the crash site of their ship, under the assumption that it was so obvious and stuck out like a sore thumb it would be the last place the conniving Azula would think to look for them, since it was the first place logic would dictate to check, and Azula was too smart to think Zuko was that dumb. Once there, some of the troops went back into the ship for supplies they'd left behind.

Zuko, meanwhile, stood up to address the troops. "I'm certain you're all aware of what just happened," he called out. "Azula's conniving has worked against Uncle Iroh and I. We are now classified as traitors to the Fire Nation. Whether it was Father's will or a trick on her part, we are all now on the run."

"Where do we go then, Prince Zuko?" one of the troops called out. "What are your orders?"

Seeing the murmurs of agreement, Zuko realized the entire crew intended to follow him into treason, and the fierce expressions on their faces indicated they'd fight the whole Fire Nation to protect him. He was rather touched by the show of loyalty...loyalty he felt he needed to dispel, or at least redirect. "I'm a traitor," he explained, "not a Prince. Not anymore, anyway. I don't have the authority to give you orders anymore." Seeing the pugnacious glares, he relented. "I can only offer suggestions."

Once all were listening, he continued. "All of you have two choices now. Risk the Earth Kingdoms, or the Fire Nation soldiers."

"If we're captured by Earth Nation, we'll face certain death!" one of the soldiers called out.

"If we're captured by Fire Nation, we'll face Azula," Lieutenant Jong countered.

Dead silence greeted that statement. "Earth Nation it is, then," the vocal troop replied meekly, a chorus of agreement meeting his words.

Zuko did his best not to show his amusement at that response. Before he could speak again, however, Lieutenant Zhin exited the ship with several of the troops, carrying large bundles of drab brown cloth. "They came out okay!" he called out as the cloth was distributed.

"What's all this?" Zuko asked.

"Zhin noticed your preference for discreet investigations," Jong explained. "Last Earth Kingdom port, he bought up Earth Kingdom outfits in peasant colors for the entire crew, in case we wanted to sneak in. He got them tailored well, so they'd look uncomfortable - like the only thing available to throw on - but actually be quite comfortable when worn. He even got an all-covering cloak for Cadence."

"That was good thinking," Zuko replied. "And rather fortuitous." He turned back to the crew. "Since we're going to be trying to avoid the Fire Nation, we'd best split up into groups of no more than five. Each group should head their separate ways. If you want to be extra safe, try to make your way to Ba Sing Se. With these clothes, it will be easy to disguise as war refugees."

"And you, sir?" the talkative troop called out as many began changing their outfits for disguise purposes.

"It's likely the only place I'll be safe from Azula," Zuko replied evasively.

It wasn't long before everyone had changed outfits, stowed everything Fire Nation related in the crashed ship, and parted ways. Zuko then turned to Iroh and Cadence. "You two should get going too," he replied. "Ba Sing Se's probably a good destination for you as well."

"What about you?" Cadence asked worriedly.

Zuko shrugged. "Azula's primary focus is me. If I end up dead, she's the only one who can become Fire Lord after Father. While anything you might tell Father could be problematic for her, it will be a minor thing if she's able to finish me off. So I'm going to make sure she's on my trail, and my trail alone. I'm going to set off alone. After all, even if I do this..." Reaching up with a knife, Zuko severed his topknot. "There's not much I can do to hide this." Lowering his hand, he pointed to his scar. "So I'll just make certain I'm the one who's followed." He bowed. "Uncle, Cadence, thank you both for all your help. I hope we meet again someday. But if not...know that my love and concern go with you both." Turning, he shouldered a pack of supplies and headed out into the wilderness.

Iroh and Cadence watched him go for a time. "So, Cadence, what should we do?" Iroh asked softly.

"Didn't Uncle Ozai ask us to look after Zuko before we left on this journey?" Cadence inquired.

"Indeed he did," Iroh agreed.

"Well, Father...has he told us anything to the contrary yet?"

Iroh grinned widely. "No, Cadence, he has not."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Grinning widely, Iroh shouldered his pack, picked up Cadence, and headed off after Zuko, making sure to stay just far enough behind that Zuko wouldn't notice them, but close enough to keep track of his trail.

Zuko had walked as far as he could before the sun began to set. Once it was nearly fully down, he'd set up camp and curled up to sleep. He was awakened the following morning to the scent of cooked food. Sitting up quickly, he saw two more bedrolls laid out, and Lieutenant Jong cooking breakfast.

"Good morning, Zuko," Jong greeted blandly. "Hungry?"

Zuko frowned, knowing Zhin couldn't be far behind. "What do you two think you're doing?"

"Just following orders," Jong replied blandly.

"But I told everyone to make their separate ways to Ba Sing Se!" Zuko snapped out.

"That wasn't an order," Zhin countered as he returned to the camp from his watch. "You said yourself that you didn't have the authority to give orders anymore, and it was all suggestions and advice."

"Then whose orders are you following?" Zuko demanded angrily, struggling to hold his temper back. He'd been trying to protect these idiots!

"Yours," Jong replied. "The last orders that, by your own words, you had the authority to give us."

"Huh?"

Zhin smirked at Zuko's confusion. "You told us to watch your back."

Zuko stared at them both for a long time. "...nothing I say is going to change your minds, is it?"

"Nope," Jong confirmed. "And don't think of trying to run away from us. The troops are still close enough for a signal if we need more to keep you safe."

"After all, we still have authority to give orders," Zhin added with a joking grin.

Groaning, Zuko buried his face in his bedroll. Still, he was also hiding a smile. Them being so devoted to him like that felt...nice.

Traveling Hurdles

Cadence made her way back to where she and her Father were supposed to meet up after foraging for supplies. "I think I've hit on a problem with following Zuko so close," she commented as she spotted Iroh. "He, Jong, and Zhin have already foraged everything edible from the path."

"But they didn't take this," Iroh whispered as he stared at a brightly colored flower, a brillinat mix of red, white, and yellow. "You're looking at the rare white dragon bush. It's leaves make a tea so delicious, it's heartbreaking!"

Cadence stared at the flower, thinking back to what she'd read. "It might also be the white jade bush, which is deadly poisonous," she countered. "There's no real way to tell."

"Except by brewing it," Iroh indicated.

Cadence turned to stare at him flat eyed. "No."

"But-"

"Did you forget we're trying to keep track of Zuko? Even if it is what you think, we don't have time to brew tea."

Iroh sighed. "You are right. How was the fishing?"

"Not too well," Cadence replied. "We should probably step up our journey to the next village and hope we can get food there."

Zuko groaned as the young lady healer worked to apply the medicine. "You must not be from around here," she said, her voice gently chiding. "Most of us know not to touch the white jade."

"I just had to try and make tea like Uncle..." he groaned, the rash across his body unpleasant. He managed to glare over at Jong and Zhin, who were snickering at him.

"So where are you three from?" she asked softly.

"It's been so long, I don't remember the name," Jong supplied.

"The three of us are wanderers," Zhin added.

"Oh?" the healer spoke up excitedly. "What are your names?"

"I am Jong," Jong spoke up. "This is my brother Zhin. Your patient is Zuzu, our slow witted cousin."

"Hate you so much," Zuko growled under his breath, much to Jong and Zhin's amusement. When the healer reached for his scar, he stopped her. "That's...not from the tea..."

"Oh, sorry," she added softly. "My name is San. You three look hungry. Perhaps you could stay for dinner?"

"We'd be delighted," Jong replied quickly, wanting to conserve supplies.

"If it wouldn't be too much of an imposition," Zhin added.

"Quite alright," San replied. "My Mom always makes too much roast duck."

It was as she said this that Zuko realized that she was actually younger than he was, though not by much. He decided that it would be best if they didn't stick around too long...and he was going to keep his mouth shut. He could always blame his silence on discomfort, and Jong and Zhin seemed to have the situation under control.

As the trio left later that night once Zuko was fully recovered, Zuko himself was lost in thought. Hearing San's story about what happened to them, of how the Fire Nation had destroyed their town and lives, seeing the scars on her leg...

"You alright, Zuko?" Jong asked.

"Yeah," Zuko replied. "Just...thinking."

"Good on you," Zhin complimented. "You're the brains of this outfit."

"You two seemed to have things under control back there," he countered.

"Just because you weren't up to speaking," Jong replied. "Do you still hate me?"

"Of course not," Zuko replied, walking ahead of them both. "I'm sure the herbs in your canteen are there by coincidence and have nothing to do with you calling me your slow witted cousin."

Jong paused, staring at his canteen. "...herbs?"

"They're harmless...mostly," Zuko replied. In truth, the herbs were harmless, doing nothing but adding a bit of flavor, but Jong's face right at that moment was more than enough petty revenge as far as Zuko was concerned. Besides, it made the point that, even if they weren't going to listen about letting him go alone, he was still in charge.

Zhin, at least, seemed to appreciate that, if his laughter was anything to judge by.

Mai sat at her desk, quill in hand, as she looked down at her scroll. It had been a while since she'd heard from Zuko, though she was pretty certain she knew why. However, she felt she needed to write to him now, and a bit more than she normally did. Dipping the quill in the ink, she began to write.

Zuko,

You haven't sent me anything in a long time. I'm pretty sure it's because you've been declared traitor, and it probably has something to do with Azula. I know you would never actually betray the Fire Nation. You're too dedicated to your duty. So you probably didn't write to me because you were afraid Azula would get me branded a collaborator.

You needn't bother at any rate. I haven't been back in the Fire Nation since Omashu was captured. Father was made governor of Omashu, which means I'm stuck here now. It's boring.

Admittedly, last night was pretty interesting. The Earthbending rebels tried to kill me, but someone else saved me. Based on how you've described them, I think it might have been the Avatar and his friends. I'm not going to say anything, though. I don't have any interest there, beyond it being less boring here.

However, I've received word that the Royal Procession is approaching. That means Azula's going to be here soon. Don't write me back, the less she knows about this the better. Even my parents don't know we can communicate like this. Ty Lee's the only one who knows, and I've sworn her to secrecy on pain of what Azula would classify as mercy.

I don't know why Azula's coming here, but there's a chance she might want my help hunting you down. She'll probably phrase it as 'proving my loyalty'. If that's the case, I'll get Ty Lee's help feeding you whatever information I can this way. Don't worry, I won't put myself at risk.

If you get yourself killed, I won't forgive you.
Mai.

Giving the scroll a spritz of her favorite perfume - the only kind she wore, since it was a gift from Zuko and selected by Cadence - she rolled it up and slipped it into the Heartfire pouch, as she called the message delivery system. As she closed it and hid it back under her clothes, she heard the alarm bells. Stepping outside, she heard from a soldier that the city was apparently infested with 'the pentapox'. She hid her own amusement.

Perhaps life would be interesting soon after all.

Survival

As Zuko, Jong, and Zhin approached the next town, they paused outside to confer regarding the situation. "We're a bit short on money and supplies," Jong pointed out. "We need to find a way to resupply."

"Well, begging's out," Zhin replied. "We don't look pathetic enough. We all look well fed, even with our clothes looking ragged we look well kept, and our muscle definition is plain."

"How do travelers normally get money when they're short?" Zuko asked.

Jong shrugged. "Haven't met any travelers of that sort before. Though I'd guess they'd work for it."

"Odd jobs and the like?" Zuko clarified.

"Yeah," Zhin confirmed. "Of course, those odd jobs are generally dirty. They're the jobs the local townsfolk are either unwilling or unable to do themselves."

"Then we'll just have to do that, then," Zuko stated. "It's the only option we have available."

"It would be best if we each tried to get our own 'odd job' in town," Jong indicated. "Three people all together wouldn't be hired for the smaller jobs, and there's going to be more small jobs than big ones."

"That means each of us is going to have to be humble, begging for work," Zhin added with a smirk. "Can you be humble, Highness?"

Zuko glowered at him until all three burst into laughter.

By the end of the day, the trio had gone through town, getting whatever work and payment they could. Once they were done, they met up on the other end of town.

"Alright," Zuko began, looking somewhat downtrodden. "What'd you two manage to get?"

Jong jangled his purse. "Quite a few of the roofs had leaks, especially on the homes of the elderly. No one was rushing since we're past the rainy season, but they were appreciative of the effort."

Zhin set down a bag full of meat cuts. "The local butcher's assistant had slipped and broken his leg. I did all the carrying he needed for the next few days, and he paid me with all the meat cuts he couldn't sell, along with a few good cuts. The good cuts will make good meals tonight, and we should be able to smoke the rest for travel rations rather easily."

"How'd you do, Zuko?" Jong asked. He then waved his hand in front of his face. "And...what's that smell?"

Zuko frowned, glancing away. "I mucked out the ostrich-horse stables," he grunted unhappily. "I was paid in rice and cabbages, and I need a bath." He turned back to glower at the other two as they chuckled.

"There's a pool nearby, spillover from the river," Jong mentioned after a quick look at the map. "We'll carry all the new supplies until you get cleaned up. If you're careful, you can even heat the pool a little."

The pool wasn't far, and Zuko eagerly used the cold water to cleanse himself of the stench of the stables. Meanwhile, Jong worked on smoking the meat after cutting away the excess fat and a few of the spots that had started to go bad. Zhin noticed the one part of Zuko's belongings that wasn't stinking of ostrich-horse droppings. "Any new messages from Mai?" he asked, nudging the pouch gently.

"Not since she confirmed that Azula had recruited her and Ty Lee to hunt down Uncle, Cadence, myself, and the Avatar," Zuko replied, getting out of the pool. He bent his fire inward to generate enough heat to quick-dry himself and his clothes. Taking the pouch, he hung it back around his neck. "She said she'll try to keep me informed...but I honestly hope she doesn't. I'd rather be sure she's safe than having her risk Azula's wrath to protect me."

"I wonder how Iroh and Cadence are doing?" Jong spoke up, packing up the smoked meat.

Zuko stared into the campfire, where the meal for the night was cooking. "I've been trying not to think about it..."

As Iroh and Cadence entered the small village together, they sat down by the side of a major thoroughfare. Iroh laid his hat upside down in his lap, content to beg for the odd coin. Cadence, for her part, curled in his lap and looked up pleadingly at anyone who paused long enough to consider adding a coin or two. She was very good at it, and to preserve the image of 'desperate beggars', Iroh had been forced to empty his hat into a bag behind him several times.

At first, Iroh felt guilty about asking for more money when they'd already been given so much. Then he thought about how quickly they'd gone through the money they'd brought from the ship, just to keep them both fed. Despite her size, Cadence ate quite a bit, and fresh produce was both expensive and difficult to come by during a war. In point of fact, the only one that was relatively easy to acquire was cabbages. Unfortunately for Cadence and the cabbage merchant, Cadence proved to be allergic to the vegetable, resulting in explosively sneezing if she tried to eat any.

At one point, a younger man with a confident swagger approached. "How about some entertainment in exchange for...a gold piece?" He held out the gold coin like a taunt.

Iroh started to stand up, ready to sing for the coin, since gold would get them much farther than the silver and copper they'd been getting. Before he could, however, he found his pipa in his hands, Cadence's head lifted towards the air. Taking the cue, he began to play as Cadence sang.

She didn't sing any words, leaving the impression that she was an animal, a pet...but her voice was pure, sweet, and clear, and before the song had ended the entire village had gathered to listen. As she ended her song, Cadence turned and nuzzled Iroh's side...only to be startled at the thunderous applause and shower of coins. The confident man who'd offered a single gold piece was in tears, and tossed them a full pouch.

That evening, Iroh and Cadence left town on a new ostrich-horse that Iroh had bought, to save the wear on his feet and Cadence's hooves, as well as keep up with Zuko a bit better. "I hope Zuko is doing as well as we are," Iroh murmured.

"I'm sure he is," Cadence replied, tucked in amongst the supplies. "He wouldn't have gone off alone if he couldn't handle himself."

Loneliness

Zuko, Jong, and Zhin traveled on, doing their best to be stingy with their supplies. However, the gap between towns and villages plainly indicated that having an ostrich-horse to ride would make the journey much easier. Still, Zhin - who always took second night watch - seemed to be especially good at 'night time foraging', as whenever Zuko took third night watch - the before dawn shift - empty food bags would be filled. Given that Zuko had spotted ostrich-horse tracks on three separate occasions near the camp, he privately suspected that someone who was doing exceptionally better than they were leaving supplies for them during Zhin's watch. The prevalence of tea leaves in those supplies made Zuko suspicious about who was doing the leaving. Discovering a pink feather ground into one of those ostrich-horse tracks confirmed his suspicions, though he decided not to say anything about it.

When they finally reached the next settlement, they saw it was rather run down. Some Earth Kingdom troops were gambling nearby, and looked a sight better than the civilians or buildings. They moved to a nearby stand to buy some fresh supplies, but they didn't have enough for a hot meal. All they could afford was to refill their water and some basic supplies.

While the salesman was fetching the supplies, a pair of children hurled eggs at the soldiers, hitting their balding leader in the back of the head. Giggling, the children ran off. The soldiers approached Zuko and his men. "Hey!" he snapped at Zuko. "You throwing eggs at us, stranger?"

"No," Zuko replied calmly.

"You see who did throw them?" he demanded again.

"No."

"That all you can say? No?" another soldier asked.

"Yes," Zuko replied, making a couple of the other soldiers chuckle, much to the leader's frustration.

"The eggs had to come from somewhere," he insisted.

"Chickens, last I checked," Jong spoke up, getting more laughter until the leader glared it into silence.

As the salesman returned with the supplies, the leader started to lunge for them, but found his way blocked by Zhin and Zuko. Since the latter was armed visibly with his double short swords and the former had three visible daggers in addition to his bow and full quiver, the soldier backed up to his men as Jong took the supplies. "You better leave town," the man insisted. "The penalty for staying's a lot steeper than you can afford."

"You can count that high?" Zuko asked with a raised eyebrow. "Astounding." More laughter filled the air, though not from the soldier's men this time.

The soldier's hand strayed to the silvery sledgehammer hanging from his hip, then turned and stormed off with his men.

Once the soldiers were gone, the salesman spoke up. "Those soldiers are supposed to protect us from the Fire Nation," he explained, "but they're just a bunch of thugs."

As the trio turned to leave, the child from before popped out of a nearby alley between buildings. "Thanks for not ratting me out!" he said happily.

"Next time use rotten eggs if you can find them," Zuko suggested. "Much worse for the soldiers, and food during wartime is rather precious."

The child wasn't the only one to laugh at that. "Come on! I owe you, so come to my house for a hot meal!" Turning, he led the way.

Zuko turned to his men, who both shrugged. Seeing as the child hadn't given him a chance to argue, they were forced to accept the offer.

The young boy - Lee, it turned out his name was - introduced the group to his parents. Zuko learned that Lee's big brother was off fighting the war, while the soldiers in town - the supposed home defense - bullied everyone. He could see from Zhin and Jong's reactions that he wasn't the only one disgusted by the idea.

Zuko had, once again, been stuck with the pseudonym 'Zuzu', which vastly entertained Lee. While Zhin and Jong helped do some work around the farmstead, he found himself keeping an eye on Lee to keep him out of trouble. Since the family was kind enough to let them stay the night as well, Zuko was able to sleep on some hay rather than flat stone and dirt as had been the case for quite some time.

Unfortunately, his sleep wasn't restful, as he found himself dreaming of...unpleasant memories from the time before Cadence arrived. Remembering how Azula had tormented him, and gloated over horrible things...

Waking in the middle of the night, he found Lee outside trying to fight with his twin swords. Rather than scold him as Lee expected, he found himself teaching him the proper way to wield the weapons. It was...strangely relaxing, and Lee seemed to appreciate it.

The following morning, as the trio prepared to leave, the soldiers from before came to taunt the family about Lee's older brother's platoon being captured by the Fire Nation, and talking about what the Fire Nation did with prisoners. However, the sight of Zhin calmly stringing his bow - which unstrung was taller than he was - silenced them and made them withdraw.

When Lee's father talked about going up to the front to find Lee's brother, Sen Zhu, Jong spoke up. "You won't find him," he stated calmly. "The Fire Nation Army has specific protocols for war prisoners. If your son's an Earth Bender, he'll be transferred in a metal carrier to a metal island off the coast where he will have no earth to bend well before you make it to the front lines. If he isn't an Earth Bender, prisoners of war go to the Boiling Rock."

Lee's father stared at Jong for a time. "How do you know this?" he asked quietly.

Jong turned to him. "It's also where the Fire Nation sends traitors," he replied cryptically. While his explanation went over Lee's head, the father plainly understood it.

As the trio left, Zuko knelt down beside Lee, who begged him to stay. Deciding to give him some encouragement, Zuko gave him a knife that Iroh had given him long ago, one that had encouraged him to keep fighting...though he cautioned Lee to choose his battles.

The trio hadn't even made it back to town when they discovered Lee hadn't heeded the advice, and had pulled the knife on the soldiers, who took him to 'enlist' in the army. Before Zuko could say a word to Lee's mother - who'd come to beg their help - Zhin stood up. "I'll get him back," he said simply.

"You need some help?" Zuko asked worriedly. "It's four against one."

Jong laughed as Zhin grinned widely. "They won't even see me," he replied jovially.

Half an hour later, Zhin had returned with Lee, who was now eager to take up archery. The 'soldiers', meanwhile, were fleeing town, their weapons in pieces and clothes in ribbons flapping in the breeze behind them as they desperately tried to cover themselves.

"How...how did you do that?" Zuko asked as they left town.

Jong laughed. "We were all hand picked for your crew, Zuko," he explained. "And save for a few, not for our sailing skills. Didn't you wonder why Fire Lord Ozai sent along a non-Firebender?"

Zhin smirked. "I washed out of the Yuyan archers before being shunted into the regular army," he explained. "Not for lack of skill though. It was because I couldn't stay quiet."

Zuko shook his head in wonder, turning with a smile as he heard Lee cursing at his first failed attempt to make a bow broke apart on him. With luck, by the time he had bow and arrows to use, he'd have the discipline to know when not to use them.

A silhouetted figure of a man on an ostrich-horse in the distance made him smile. He'd intended to head out on his own to spare those he cared about...but he realized now that, as long as he was loved...

...he was never truly alone.

Friends and Enemies

As Zuko, Jong, and Zhin continued their journey, they nearly got run over by a large fire nation vehicle. Managing to hide before they were seen, they were able to witness that it was a high-speed pursuit craft, designed for chasing fugitives. Six metal cars were linked tightly together. The front one had the powerful engine and a metal wedge to knock aside anything in the path. The four in the middle were armored carriers, designed to hold anything from soldiers to pursuit animals to weapons and armor. The rear car was the heavily armored supply car, carrying food and extra fuel for the engine.

After it zoomed by, Zuko raised his head. "Who do you think they're chasing?" he asked.

Zhin lifted up his bow and stared down the length of his arm, as though aiming a particularly long shot. "...a sky bison," he said simply.

"That means the Avatar," Jong concluded.

"Which means that's Azula," Zuko added. "She wants to catch him personally. We need to pursue. She won't hesitate to kill the Avatar, and that won't solve the problem. He needs to be captured alive."

"And how exactly do you expect us to keep up with that?" Jong asked. "I mean, Zhin's training with the Yuyang will let him run that fast, and he's in shape enough to run for days, but what about us? We don't exactly have mounts."

Zuko furrowed his brow. "I think I have an idea about that," he said carefully, taking a strange stance. "Our fire can give us a boost in speed."

"Won't that give away our position to everyone for miles?" Zhin asked.

"Not if we take a page out of the Avatar's book," Zuko stated calmly. "I watched closely whenever he made that sphere of air he rides, and..." Releasing just a little bit of his fire, he spun his arms rapidly.

Two small spheres of fire sat over his hands. The two spheres were spinning too quickly for any fire to escape, and the constant rolling movement gave a feeling of speed.

He carefully handed the spheres over to Jong. "Can you maintain them?"

Jong nodded. "Until I learn to make them myself," he agreed. "But what do we do with them?"

Making another set of his own, Zuko hopped into the air. Reaching down, he placed each sphere under one of his feet. When he landed, he pushed forward. The flames kept him above the ground, allowing all the thrust to push him forwards as though he were skating on ice. Getting the idea, Jong quickly mirrored his actions, while Zhin took off on his own two feet, matching their speeds.

Toph continued her slow march away from the group of jerks she'd left behind. To think, she thought she'd found more friends, and was even thinking of telling them about Cadence. Huh, fat chance of that now! Not that she was heading back home. She still wanted to see the world her own way, and she'd see more walking on her own two feet than she would on the back of that flying hairball.

Admittedly, she wasn't entirely happy with leaving. Travelling alone didn't seem like such a fun idea. Not because she couldn't take care of herself, mind, but because so many people would assume she couldn't.

She froze as she felt the presence of someone nearby. She turned towards a large boulder, getting a sense of the figures beyond. An ostrich-horse, an old man, and...

She let out an audible gasp at the shape of the last figure as it brushed the ground with hooves. Only one person could have that distinct shape. Hearing another familiar gasp as she raced towards the boulder, she knew she was recognized, too.

Iroh was startled from setting up the tea for himself and his daughter when said daughter turned to leap around a large boulder. Curious, he stood and followed her.

Seeing Cadence running up to a young girl dressed in green and yellow - and wearing what he recognized as the Championship Belt from Earth Rumble 6 - he wondered if perhaps this was Cadence's first Earthbending teacher, the friend she'd mentioned from Gaoling. As they reached each other, they both began to dance and chant.

"Sunshine, sunshine,
Ladybugs awake!
Clap your hooves
And do a little shake!"

While most of it Iroh was able to accept as adorable, the fact that they turned their backs to him during 'do a little shake' made him a little uncomfortable. After all, the girl wasn't that much below what was considered marriageable age in some parts of the Earth Kingdoms.

"Toph!" Cadence shouted happily, leaping into the girls arms.

"Cadence!" the girl shouted back, catching the pony and swinging her around. "I was just thinking about you!"

"Won't you invite your friend to join us for tea, Cadence?" Iroh suggested calmly.

"Right!" Cadence agreed. "Won't you join Dad and I for tea?"

"Sure," Toph agreed. "Just as long as he didn't bring a retinue."

"No retinue," Cadence assured the girl. "We're fugitives!"

Toph grinned widely. "That...is so cool!"

Iroh shrugged as he sat down to make the tea, deciding to let the two girls catch up. If Cadence was sharing so much with Toph, he was certain she had good reason. Besides, it was nice hearing them chat away like that.

"-and she was just constantly trying to tell me what to do!" Toph snapped out over her third cup of tea. "Like none of us could take care of ourselves and someone had put her in charge! Can you believe that, Cadence?"

Cadence tilted her head in thought. "Huh. I'd always wondered about that..."

"About what?" Toph demanded.

"About what it's like to have a Mom."

Toph blew her bangs from in front of her eyes. "Well, I guess. She was certainly trying to control me like mine always was. Don't do this, don't do that-"

"Work together, take care of everyone," Iroh added.

Toph blinked. "No, my mom never did anything like that. To her, I was a 'precious flower' to be protected, same as to my dad."

"But this Katara asked you to help the group, involving you in group tasks," Iroh countered. "That does not sound so bad."

Toph paused, her cup halfway to her mouth. "I...I never thought about it like that..."

"So are you going to go back to them?" Cadence asked. "If not, you could travel with us. I've learned a lot more Earthbending, and I'd love to see how I stack up against you now!"

Toph smirked, but set her cup down. "No...I think I'm going to go back. If I let one big argument stay between us, I'd be no better than my parents. I...think we can work through it-"

A massive explosion from a nearby abandoned town drew all their attention. Spinning, they saw that the explosion was a mix of blue and red fire.

"Zuko's fighting Azula!" Cadence gasped out.

"Zuko?" Toph asked. "Isn't that the guy Aang and the others said was chasing them?"

"They're my cousins," Cadence explained. "Zuko's nice enough once you get to know him, but Azula's...empty inside."

"Then we should go help him," Iroh offered. "If they are fighting, then the Avatar is likely to be there. Can I offer you a lift, young lady?"

Grinning, Toph slung herself up onto the back of the ostrich-horse.

Azula found herself cursing internally as the fight went on. Had it been just the Avatar and her brother, she was certain she'd have been able to take them on her own. Even the other Firebender wouldn't have been a problem, just an extra challenge.

But that archer! Every time she sent an attack Zuko's way, one or more arrows sought her. Even burning them out of the air didn't work, since they had metal slivers embedded in their shafts. The metal would either not melt in her flames and embed their sharp points in her flesh painfully, or they would melt in her flames and she'd be spattered by bits of molten metal. She was lucky most of that had hit her clothes so far, but she had decided to instead dodge the arrows incoming. Having an obstacle that she had to dodge instead of block or counter threw off her fighting style a bit.

And then to top it off, the Waterbender had shown up, throwing her off even further. She'd been forced to go on the defensive! Her! Even the damn boomerang kid had managed to get in one unblocked strike. Even if it was only one, the nerve of him!

And then she found herself pulled off her feet without warning. The Earthbender had shown up as well!

Glancing around, she found herself surrounded. The Avatar, his three compatriots, Iroh, Zuko, Zuko's two men...and Cadence! That blasted pony had arranged all this, she was certain! Of course that lovey-dovey traitor could make friends of enemies! Having been forced to run from the group, she'd found herself cornered! Where were Mai and Ty Lee? Why weren't they backing her up?

Oh, right, she'd sent them after the sky bison. They probably got themselves beaten. Definitely a good idea to not split up in the future, if they were going to face this sort of united front. Still, she decided to do something about that unity. "Well, look at this," she commented calmly. "Enemies and traitors all working together." She raised her hands. "I'm done. I know when I'm beaten."

Inwardly, she smirked. She knew how Zuko thought. With her 'surrender', he'd start thinking about capturing the Avatar again, making an opening in their united front for her to strike. She just had to watch carefully.

And there it was. Cadence took a brief glance towards Zuko, checking on him. With a sudden move, Azula launched a streak of fire straight at her...and Iroh leapt into the path of the blast, taking the hit for her.

Everyone spun to see it, before spinning back towards Azula herself. Seeing how quickly they reacted, Azula knew her only chance was escape. She surrounded herself with a sphere of blue fire to deflect the incoming attacks.

Feeling a sudden searing pain in her shoulder, she glanced at it as she raced away. The archer! He'd slipped a capsule of some sort into that last arrow, and the liquid had passed through the thin sphere of flame that was protecting her unaffected. It burned against the skin of her shoulder as that part of her clothes dissolved. Thankfully, very little actually made contact...but she'd have to plan much more carefully if she was going to deal with him helping Zuko again.

As the mixed energies exploded, she fled in the smoke.

Zuko could feel his rage, barely controlled, bubbling up inside of him as he sat over his injured Uncle. He didn't know if Iroh was even still alive, and Cadence was wilted alongside him, plainly blaming herself for his injury. As he heard the Avatar and his group approaching, he shouted out, "Get away from us!" The last thing he wanted to do now was let his rage out.

"Zuko, I can help," Katara began, stepping forward.

Zuko started to round on her, only to find himself held fast by a blue aura. "...how?" Cadence asked, her voice broken.

"I can heal," she explained, pulling water from her pouch to surround her hands. Her hands started to glow blue.

Cadence nodded, letting her approach. Zuko relaxed. He knew when he was overruled. It may have been his Uncle lying there, but it was her Father.

Katara placed her hands against the wound, and Zuko watched as it slowly began to close. It wasn't completely healed - he could see Katara didn't have the energy for that - but it was a sight better than it had been.

As Zuko and Cadence knelt around Iroh, Aang and his group took their leave, Toph and Aang helping Katara along, as she'd exhausted herself. Jong and Zhin moved into place, watching over their charges, ready to attack any who approached.

New Path

Iroh awoke slowly to find himself in a ruined house, the sun shining in through the broken roof. Zuko and Cadence were leaning over him worriedly, and both breathed a sigh of relief as his eyes opened. "You're awake," Cadence whimpered, cuddling up to him.

Smiling softly, Iroh stroked Cadence's mane. "How badly...was I hit?"

"Pretty bad," Zuko replied, offering him a cup of tea. "Katara did what she could to heal you, but she was exhausted herself. Still, without her work...you might not have survived. The strike was close to your heart."

"I was trying to block with my belly," Iroh admitted. He patted his stomach. "It used to be a bigger target..." Taking the mug of tea, he tasted it. It was far from perfectly brewed, but definitely palatable.

"I hope I made it the way you like it," Zuko spoke up hopefully.

Before Iroh could speak up, Cadence took a sip from her own cup. "Not bad for a first attempt with actual tea leaves," she complimented. "Drinkable, which is more than most first timers could say." When Zuko started to complain, she interrupted, "And no, accidentally poisoning yourself with White Jade tea doesn't count."

Iroh chuckled. "Mistook it for a white dragon bush?" he asked. Zuko looked away, grumbling under his breath.

Jong stepped in. "It's good you're awake, sir," he stated, kneeling down beside them and picking up his own cup. "Have we decided what we're doing next?"

"What about that Katara girl?" Iroh asked. "Is she up to healing me the rest of the way?"

"She left with the Avatar and his group," Jong explained. "That Sokka kid has a good grasp of military strategy and tactics. He said that since Azula's after all of us, it's better if we travel separately, so she has to divide her resources. Also, there's the fact that Zuko still intends to take Aang back to the Fire Nation."

"So it doesn't make sense for us to travel with them, even if flying on a sky bison was a good idea for someone injured," Zuko explained. "For now, the plan is to let you fully recuperate, and then decide where to go from there."

Iroh nodded. "In the meantime...it's time to instruct both of you in more advanced Firebending. Azula has already mastered it, and if we are going to be confronting her...both of you need to be Masters as well. I will teach as much as I can."

Iroh started by explaining the nature of lightning bending, both how it involved no passion or emotion, and how it involved separating positing and negative charge of energy in the air. Once he was certain they both understood the concept as best they were able, he decided it was time to demonstrate.

Moving to a nearby cliff, Iroh first demonstrated lightning bending for both of them, drawing out the imbalanced energy before guiding the bolt of lightning out across the plains where it would harm nothing before the energy dissipated.

Under Iroh's guidance, Zuko made an attempt to control lightning. However, his own hesitation, fear, and uncertainty weighed heavy on his mind as he made the attempt, and the energy would not break for him. A burst of flame was all that came, knocking him backwards.

"Very few Firebenders can successfully bend lightning, Zuko," Iroh explained. "Do not be discouraged."

Zuko nodded, but inside he was afraid. The power of the lightning scared him. He knew how destructive it could be, how dangerous...and he wasn't certain he could control it.

Cadence stepped up to attempt. She tried shaping it with her hooves, and the energy divided. However, she was unable perform the proper movements in their entirety, and she fell over, the lightning discharging around her and into the ground. Iroh attempted to rush to her side, but he found himself stumbling, not yet fully recovered. Zuko was immediately at his side, holding him up.

"I had it!" Cadence pouted. "I'm certain I had it there...but I couldn't do the motions!"

Iroh frowned as he sat down beside her. "You had the right mindset, and could control the energy. But if you can't complete the motions..."

"What if you used your wings?" Zuko offered. "Using your wingtips to guide the energy of the lightning."

Cadence tilted her head. "Well...maybe...but I can't thrust with my wings..."

"What if you guided the energy to the tip of your horn?" Jong suggested. "You can use the energy you generate there to influence bending. What if you held the lightning in that energy, and thrust it in the direction you want it to go?"

Iroh thought about all that had been suggested and all he knew of Cadence's abilities. "It could be dangerous," he pointed out. "If you can't hold the lightning there, it could arc back down your horn and into your brain. You could die instantly."

Cadence frowned thoughtfully. "I...I don't think that will happen," she stated calmly. "I...want to try." Moving a distance away, she spread her wings wide.

Bringing one wing up, she brought it down in a wide curve, the energy splitting before her. Her other wing came up, guiding the other arc. Bringing the two arcs together, she guided the energy to her horn, where it gathered and held. Taking aim with her horn, she willed the lightning to leap.

The peal of thunder knocked Iroh off his feet as the lightning flashed across the sky. "Well..." he admitted, staring at Cadence, whose horn wasn't even smoking as his own hand did when he released lightning, "that worked very-"

Another bolt of lightning leapt from Cadence's horn, this one smaller but more controlled, and not even involving the separation of the energies. Her eyes were closed as she fired off two more. "My...my magic..." she began. "It...it followed the shape of the lightning..."

Jong stared. "Correct me if I'm wrong," he began, "but does this mean she can fire a certain number of smaller, more controllable lightning bolts instantly?"

"Sure seems that way," Zuko admitted.

"Then what do you need us for?" Zhin asked, his voice a little strained.

"Your rapier wits and sparkling personalities?" Iroh offered a bit hesitantly himself.

While Zuko attempted to generate his own lightning a few more times, Iroh went over what he'd recorded about Cadence's abilities. The ability to generate lightning like that was certainly new, and he wanted to have an explanation before he taught Zuko how to redirect lightning. After all, Cadence's smaller lightning bolts would be perfect for him to attempt it with - especially as she could make them as small as she wanted - but only if they actually could be redirected.

Over the course of her bending lessons, Cadence had - on occasion - found ways to create a bending result without bending. This happened most frequently when she attempted to use the energies from her horn in her bending, and finding ways to duplicate that feat with the energy alone. Wan Shi Tong had referred to her energy as 'magic', and those 'magic' techniques as 'spells'. From the looks of things, Cadence had learned from bending lightning how to cast a 'lightning spell'.

All his past records indicated that the 'spells', once cast, were indistinguishable from bending as far as the energy of the world was concerned. In theory, the same should hold true for the new 'lightning spell'. However, lightning was incredibly dangerous. Even the smaller bolts could cause serious harm. Still, Zuko would want to be sure he could actually do the technique. Iroh would have to test if the 'lightning spell' could be redirected himself.

Coming to this conclusion, he stepped out to where Zuko was practicing just in time to see Cadence hurl a small lightning spell at Zuko, only for him to catch it on his right hand. He then used his left hand in the proper motions to guide the lightning down to his stomach and out his other hand, up into the air.

"Wonderful!" Cadence praised. "And do you understand why I made you practice the motions so many times, and only used the smallest lightning bolt to test it with?"

Zuko nodded, swallowing a bit nervously. "Yeah...that was..." His voice trailed off, plainly at a loss for words.

Or Cadence could teach him the technique and have determined the spell could be redirected herself, Iroh thought ruefully, having forgotten Cadence was there when he developed the technique.

Family Secrets

Zuko, Iroh, Cadence, Jong, and Zhin had been journeying for a few days after Iroh was deemed well enough to travel. Cadence and Iroh shared their ostrich-horse, whom Iroh had selected for a gentle ride over speed. Zhin raced on foot, often leaping between trees as he kept watch. Cadence and Iroh both marveled, however, at Zuko's "fire skates" as he'd dubbed the technique.

One night after making camp, Cadence stayed up with Iroh while Jong and Zhin were on watch and Zuko had sought his bed. "Father," she began softly. "There's...something we need to discuss. I think it's important."

"Oh?" Iroh asked cautiously. "What is it?" He started to lift his cup to his mouth, but stopped.

Cadence tilted her head. "Not thirsty?" she asked innocently.

"Oh, I certainly am," he replied chidingly. "Which is why I'd rather this cup not end up all over you or Zuko after you spring whatever shocking topic you have in store on me." Seeing her giggle wickedly, he knew he'd found her out. Setting his tea cup down, he composed himself. "I am ready."

"I think Zuko's ready to be an Initiate," Cadence stated as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Iroh stared at her for a time, then took a sip of his tea. "I was mistaken," he admitted softly.

"You weren't ready?" she asked worriedly.

"No," Iroh countered. "That would have been well worth the loss of one cup of tea. It certainly deserved it." He steadied himself a bit. "You do realize what you are suggesting, don't you?"

"Well, our eventual goal is for Zuko to eventually become Fire Lord, however we manage it, right?" she clarified.

"Precisely-"

"And we're hoping he'll have a balanced outlook regarding the world?" Cadence continued. "So that he can find a way to end this war without bloodshed?"

"Even so-"

Again, Cadence interrupted her father. "He already is beginning to grasp the principles on instinct, based on what we've taught him. He wants to learn, to improve himself. And he doesn't keep that knowledge to himself. He taught Jong how to reproduce the Fire Skates he created, and will teach you as soon as you're well enough as well."

Iroh frowned. "You raise good points all," he stated chidingly. "But there's more to it than just whether or not he is worthy to be an Initiate, or ready to be one. Secrets are kept for a reason. Do you think he is able to grasp why?"

Cadence nodded softly. "I understand your concern, Father," she replied. "But my own feelings on the matter are firm. I think he's ready...and I think he's earned that recognition."

"It is not a matter of what is earned," Iroh scolded. "It is about what is wise."

"Precisely," Cadence replied. "And as a Sister of the White Lotus, I present my cousin to you, Grand Master. Do you feel he has the heart and mind of an initiate?"

Iroh's frown turned into a full fledged glower. "...you know what my answer's going to be," he grumbled. "But do you really think it wise to take this course, with the plans we've laid out? Zuko might someday be Fire Lord."

"Bumi," Cadence replied softly. "Pakku. You."

Iroh sighed softly. "Your point is well made, Sister," he replied. "As Grand Master...I recognize Zuko as having the makings of an initiate." He took another sip of his tea. "And I pray this doesn't come back to bite us somewhere painful."

The following morning, Zuko was surprised when he awoke to discover no trace of Jong or Zhin. "Uncle? Cadence?" he called out, seeing them sitting around a raised stone circle shaped into a table, obviously through Cadence's Earthbending. "Where are Jong and Zhin?"

"They are out on patrol," Iroh explained. "Ensuring we are not disturbed for the next several hours. Come, sit with us."

A bit confused by the formality, Zuko took a seat at the table. "Why do we need the privacy?" he asked curiously. Noticing the boxes, he raised his eyebrow. "Are we going to be playing Pai Sho?"

"In a manner of speaking," Cadence replied. "However...not exactly playing."

"I'm sure you've noticed I've placed high value on this piece in all games, despite it being one of the hardest to use successfully?" Iroh began, holding up his White Lotus tile, its edges marked with notches all around. "Have you ever wondered why?"

"A couple of times," Zuko replied cautiously. "Why bring it up now?"

"Because, Zuko," Iroh replied, "today, I'm going to explain it to you...amongst other things..."

Several hours later, Zuko sat back, wide-eyed in amazement. He'd had no idea just what Iroh had been involved in for so long. An Order of scholars dedicated to the preservation and distribution of knowledge? Members in all the nations? A game he'd thought was just about gambling used as a recognition signal between members?

And then there was the meaning behind the signal itself. The positioning of the pieces wasn't just about creating the Lotus pattern on the board. Each tile represented some aspect of the world, placed opposite its own opposite by the other player, and even the ones placed at nearly the same time had reasons behind it.

"Are you alright, Zuko?" Cadence asked worriedly. "I know it's a lot to take in."

"It is," Zuko replied. "But...I think I can wrap my head around most of it...except for one thing." He turned from one smiling face to the other. "Why tell me all this now?"

Smiling, Cadence lifted up a stone box that showed signs of having been recently carved. "Because," she explained, floating it over to him in her telekinesis, "those who cling to the old ways...can always find a friend."

Zuko took the box, his eyes wide. Opening it, he found a complete set of Pai Sho tiles. "W...how did you get these?" he asked, shocked.

"I made them myself with Earthbending," Cadence explained. "I even shaped different colors of stone to create the right patterns on the tiles with a thin layer of embedded crystal."

Zuko clutched the box of tiles tight to his chest, them suddenly becoming far more precious in his eyes. "I'm honored," he stated finally. "I...I'll do my best to live up to your expectations."

Iroh smiled expansively. "You already have," he stated happily. Hearing noise, he turned. "Ah, Jong, Zhin...how was your patrol?"

"We ran into the Rough Rhinos," Zhin replied, giggling a little. "They were after us to take us captive."

"Oh?" Iroh replied with a smile. "I know them. How are they?"

Zhin stared at his partner. Jong finally rolled his eyes with a groan. "They're...a little tied up," he growled out, making Zhin burst into laughter.

Half a mile away, five rhinos charged in a circle, strong ropes hooked to their saddles by arrows, linked in the middle so they couldn't break the circle, with each rhino continuing to chase the one in front of it, believing there to be something important further ahead that they were charging to.

Clinging to the rhinos' saddles under their bellies were their former riders, stuck by arrows to their flipped saddles, unable to fix things until the rhinos eventually grew tired of circling. In the middle of the circle were their weapons, stuck to the ground with arrows.

Several glowers were directed in the direction of Vachir, the former Yuyan archer, however. He himself burned with embarrasment over being bested by a washout.

To Ba Sing Se

With passports in hand, the group of five managed to get aboard a ferry to Ba Sing Se at Full Moon Bay. Iroh was feeling rather nostalgic, for some reason. "Who would have thought after all these years...I would return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace..." Deciding to change the tone of his speech, he pulled out a flowery hat. "As a tourist!"

Cadence tried to giggle, but barely managed a chuckle. "Really funny, Dad," she managed to say, only to look down at her bowl with disgust. "Is...is this really all they have for refugees? I mean, I know there's a lot of people, but...this stuff's barely edible. I'm feeling sick just trying to swallow it..."

"Ba Sing Se's a huge city," Zuko commented idly. "Even at its most generous, there's only so much money to go around, only so much food and bedding. It's...expected that those at the bottom of the ladder get what's left over...and that's the refugees." He glanced away in disgust. "I suppose we should be grateful for what little they give us, especially if it means safety...but is this really all they have? Rotten food and bare floors for sleep? It's sickening!"

"Isn't it, though?" a voice nearby asked.

Turning, Zuko saw a boy about his age with a piece of wheat held in his teeth, dressed comfortably in clothes that looked almost armored. "My name's Jet," the boy greeted as he stepped forward, gesturing two other youngsters in the same age group. "And these are my Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot."

"Hey," the girl introduced as Smellerbee added, nodding her head. Longshot nodded silently.

Before responding, Zuko glanced briefly over the strangers' shoulders at where Jong and Zhin were standing, watching the strangers. Jong gave a slight nod, while Zhin kept his eyes on the young man introduced as Longshot. Seeing the quiver of arrows on the boy's back, Zuko understood why. "Hey," he replied in response.

"Here's the deal," Jet began. "I hear the Captain's eating like a King while us refugees have to feed off his scraps-"

"There's better food on board?" Cadence asked, shocked. "Where?"

"In the kitchen," Jet replied. "Fat chance of any of us getting-" He paused as Cadence ran off. "Where's she going?"

"To tug heartstrings," Iroh offered, chuckling. "She is surprisingly good at it."

"Do you really think that's all it's going to take to-"

Cadence came back shortly. "I talked with the cook and the quartermaster," she spoke up. "A 'minor discrepancy' on the manifest will explain the absence of the Captain's supper, and the cook will bring everyone a small but good meal after sundown. They're such nice men."

Smellerbee stared, her jaw hanging. "Is...is she a Spirit Beast?" she gasped, shocked.

"No," Iroh corrected with a laugh, "but well do I understand your confusion."

"How did you even pull that off?" Jet demanded. "And how do you know they won't spill the beans to the Captain?"

Cadence gave a soft smile...and then demonstrated her technique. Looking up soulfully at Smellerbee, she lowered her ears as her eyes went dewy as her horn glowed softly. She softly rubbed her belly with a quiet whimper, and then reached up to gently press her hoof to Smellerbee's nose.

Jet stared, completely stupefied, as Smellerbee started cuddling Cadence, brushing her mane and cooing to her. It took five minutes for Smellerbee to realize what she was doing and get control of herself. Blushing furiously, she stood back up, glaring at Jet and Longshot as if daring them to comment.

"And the cook and quartermaster aren't even professional soldiers," Cadence replied. "And they both happened to have little girls my age."

"This is, officially, the boat to be on now," Jong commented with a chuckle.

That evening, just as Cadence had proclaimed, the cook and quartermaster slipped out amongst the refugees, delivering the lion's share of the good food to everyone, starting with the young, the elderly, and the feeble. Zuko was rather unsurprised to see that Cadence got a carefully crafted portion catering exactly to her dietary preferences. He did try to contain his laughter at Jet's expression at how easy it was for Cadence to wrap people around her hooves...especially when she solidified her hold by asking worriedly if the cook or quartermaster would get in trouble.

The quartermaster brushed it off by showing the requisition sheet for the ferry's cargo - in the Captain's handwriting - with one character carefully erased with no trace, reducing the amount of good food on board according to the paperwork by a factor of ten, more than enough to give every refugee a filling meal.

Reaching the 'customs' gate at the end of the ferry ride, Iroh, Zuko, Cadence, Jong, and Zhin waited in line to be allowed entrance into the city. The lady handling entrants was...less than impressed. "So...Mr. Lee, Mr. Mushy, Mrs. Armor, Mr. Black, and Mr. Green?" she asked.

"Actually, it's Mu-shi," Iroh corrected.

"And A-mo-reh," Cadence added. "Also, Miss." She couldn't help but frown, however. Something about being called 'Mrs. Armor'...

"You telling me how to do my job?" the lady demanded angrily.

As Cadence backed up, Iroh stepped up, managing to smooth things over with flowery flirting...which was returned in kind, especially when the lady identified Iroh as a 'single father'.

As they waited for the tram into the city, everything seemed to be going normally. Cadence and Zuko were both so used to Iroh's casual method of keeping his tea hot, they didn't think anything of him warming up a cold cup the same way.

...but Jet did.

Settling In

Zuko, Jong, and Zhin walked carefully through the streets of the poor quarters of Ba Sing Se, making their way towards the house they were assigned. Zuko glanced to the side as Iroh caught up to them, Cadence on his shoulder and a vase of flowers in his arms. When Zuko glanced at the flowers, Iroh shrugged. "I just want our new place to look nice in case someone brings home a lady friend."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I thought match making was her job," he grumbled, jerking a thumb at Cadence.

"Whose idea did you think it was?" Cadence teased. "Besides, who says I was talking about you bringing home a lady friend, cousin?"

Confused, Zuko glanced towards Jong and Zhin.

"Oh, I don't have to do anything with either of them," Cadence replied easily. "They're already taken care of."

Iroh blinked and blushed. "I think I'm a little too old to be looking for a lady friend," he murmured.

"The fortune teller said you'd find love in your second life," Cadence countered. "And you did say that we can think of being here as 'starting a new life'."

Iroh frowned, stroking his beard as he thought about that. He then shrugged the thoughts aside for the moment. "I found us some new jobs, and we start this afternoon."

"We're being followed," Jong pointed out calmly. "Jet and his crew."

"Jet mentioned something about Firebending and 'hot tea'," Zhin added.

Iroh blinked. "...oops."

"I'll think of something," Cadence promised. "Just try not to think too much about them, and don't do any bending."

Before long, the group reached the tea shop Iroh had gotten them jobs at. Jong and Zhin decided to stay roaming, rather than working just yet. Iroh, Zuko, and Cadence went in to get ready for the job.

While the owner of the shop went into the back to try and figure out how to get an apron sized to Cadence, Iroh tasted the tea the shop served. "...this tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!" he spat.

Cadence shuddered as she tasted her own cup. "Even Zuko can make better tea than this, and he's an amateur!"

"How very flattering of you to say," Zuko murmured, his voice flat.

"Hey, tea is serious business!" Cadence countered. "And you are an amateur."

"We need to make some changes around here," Iroh grumbled, taking the pot of 'tea' and tossing it out the window.

The work through the rest of the day went rather well, a bit better than even Iroh had hoped. Then again, Cadence being her adorable self had numerous customers coming in, and the much better quality tea Iroh brewed had them staying happily. The owner was certainly overjoyed with the increased business, though no mention of raises was made. At the end of the day, Iroh, Cadence, and Zuko met up with Jong and Zhin at the small apartment they now shared.

"Would anyone care for some tea?" Iroh asked as he prepared to brew a pot.

"...I think I've had enough of tea for today," Zuko groaned. "Cadence, could we play Pai Sho to take my mind off of tea?"

Cadence chuckled indulgently, ignoring Jong and Zhin's snickers. "Sure thing."

"...has anyone seen our spark rocks?" Iroh asked. "I can't seem to find them."

Cadence paused. "...can I try something?" she asked, fluttering over to the counter.

"...alright," Iroh replied, stepping back to watch.

Lifting the lid, Cadence beckoned upwards with her hooves and wingtips. The water floated out of the pot, much to the confusion of those in the apartment. "I haven't done this before, so..." She focused on the water and began moving her hooves and wingtips in circles. The water flowed continuously, mirroring her movements, slowly moving faster and faster. After a time, the water began to bubble and steam, and she deposited the boiling water back into the pot.

"How?" Zuko asked, confused.

"What?" Cadence asked. "Is it really so surprising? You know Waterbending can turn steam into water, water into ice, and ice into water. Is it that big of a stretch to believe it can turn water back into steam...only stopping halfway and get boiling water?"

Iroh's eyes widened. Smiling - and making sure he wasn't in view of the windows - he turned to Zuko and put a finger to his lips. "Amazing to intuit this technique I developed by studying Firebending," he proclaimed a little louder than necessary. "Zuko, I'll teach it to you tomorrow. But remember, don't let anyone else know what we can do. We just want to live peaceful lives now, without being dragged into the war."

Cadence smiled as her ears twitched. After a time, she spoke up. "He's gone," she stated, surprising Jong and Zhin.

"Do you think he bought it?" Iroh asked.

"Of course," Cadence replied. "I was Waterbending in plain view of the window...and everyone knows that only the Avatar can bend more than one Element."

"And what you said about us just wanting to be left alone means he'll back off, since he'll feel guilty for stalking us?" Zuko asked. "Clever. Did you plan this all out?"

"Nope," Cadence replied. "I just snatched an opportunity when it presented itself."

"And I rolled with it," Iroh proclaimed, laying on his side. "I'm very good at rolling." In a fit of humor, he demonstrated.

Zuko chuckled and rolled his eyes as he set up the board for a game of Pai Sho with Cadence.

"I call winner!" Iroh called out as he returned to making tea.

Cadence' Tale of Ba Sing Se

Cadence slowly sorted through their packs, trying to find something to do with herself that day. Iroh was off wandering town for the 'right place', and she knew what that meant. Today was the anniversary of Lu Ten's death, and Iroh always needed to spend that day alone. It gave him an odd sort of Catharsis, to wander on that day, listening to other people's problems and doing what he could to help them, before ending the day at sunset alone, lighting incense for Lu Ten.

Zhin had offered to shadow Iroh invisibly, in order to make sure he stayed safe. Jong was going to do the same for Zuko, who was going to be working in the shop that day. Zuko had actually requested that extra protection because he felt that one of the customers in the shop was on to them...a young girl Cadence recognized, named Jin, another refugee. Cadence had seen Zuko trying - and failing - to write a letter to Mai asking her to forget about him for her sake, convinced that he would never be able to overcome Azula's machinations. As such, Cadence had given rather specific instructions to Jong. If Jin made the first move, Jong was to act as a facilitator, to ensure they spent time together. If nothing else, it would do Zuko good to finally have a friend of his own.

Of course, this left Cadence having to promise to stay in the home for the day, much to her frustration. She understood the reasons, and she wasn't about to break her promise...but she was so bored! In desperation, she turned to the books she'd been allowed to borrow from Wan Shi Tong's library. Unfortunately, she'd read most of them several times already. The only one she hadn't read was one that Iroh had added, possibly as a joke. "The Art of Grass Growing". Wan Shi Tong had jokingly suggested it would be good for when she was truly bored. Sighing, she opened that last book...and a letter fell out, addressed to her.

Raising her eyebrows, she opened it...only to recognize Wan Shi Tong's calligraphy.

Cadence,

If you've opened this book, then you must be bored, and likely promised to stay put for the day, leaving you with no way to entertain yourself. You're likely somewhere new as well, as otherwise you'd have already found or acquired some other means of entertainment.

Foreseeing this possibility, I saw fit to provide you with this...loophole. But be careful. Your magical and spiritual signature is much stronger that most mortals, and someone with great ability - or great need - might still perceive you.
Wan Shi Tong, he who now knows 10,001 things.

Next to his signature was a lovingly drawn picture of the lotus she had made him.

Smiling softly, she opened the other parchment contained, and gasped at the title.

Astral Projection: How To

Studying the page intently, she prepared herself for the magic.

Phasing through the wall, Cadence giggled quietly to herself. This was incredible! Now she could explore wherever she wanted, and no one would be the wiser. Her body remained safe and sound, tucked away under the bed where she wouldn't be discovered until she returned - as long as she made certain she got back before anyone else did - and she was free to explore the entire city. She idly wondered what she would look at first.

As she was wondering about that, she spotted someone familiar down below. Floating down, she stopped and stared. She'd never expected to see Toph wearing make up. If she was honest with herself, it didn't really look good on the blind girl. She really didn't need it. Cadence made a promise to herself to give Toph a proper makeover once everything regarding the whole War was resolved.

She also noticed Iroh on his way through the city, and decided that he was one of those most likely to perceive her. Not wanting to intrude, she glided to another part of the city...where she saw Aang struggling to keep numerous animals under control as they ran amok through the city. She stayed long enough to see him guide them out into the fields outside the Lower Ring, where he made new enclosures for them. Realizing he was helping a zoo keeper, she went looking for something else to see.

Finding her way towards the very center of the city, she found a young human playing with a creature unlike any she had ever seen before in the middle of a very fancy looking garden, surrounded by other animals. The creature looked like a platypus bear, but the head and paws were wrong. Gasping, she realized it must be one of the mythical creatures she'd read about in the library, one from which the names of the modern animals were derived from...a bear! She had to take a closer look.

Diving down, she got a better look at both figures. The bear was wearing an odd blanket over its shoulders and a green fez, along with a monocle of all things. The human was a young man, maybe 20 or 30 Cadence could never judge human ages well, and wearing all yellow and green and some fancy jewelry, along with glasses. She watched the pair playing for a time, smiling softly at just how gentle the bear was with the human. "He really loves you," she said aloud, feeling safe that she couldn't be seen.

Both the bear and human froze, spinning towards her. The human leaned in close, gasping. "Has...has a Spirit Creature chosen me for a visit?" he whispered. "I am truly honored."

Cadence found herself giggling, despite her shock at being perceived. "More like a Creature Spirit," she replied teasingly. "I'm Astral Projecting. It's-"

"Sending the spirit out from the body! I've read about it!" The man smiled widely. "What is your name, little talking creature spirit of great beauty?"

Reaching out, she gently booped the man's nose with her ethereal hoof. "You really should give your name before asking a lady's," she chided.

The man looked shocked, then confused...and then overjoyed. "My name is Kuei," he introduced himself happily. "This is my friend, Bosco," he added, gesturing to the bear, who let out a happy growl.

"He's a very good friend to you," Cadence replied, brushing her insubstantial hoof over the bear's head. "He absolutely adores you. My name's Cadence."

"How is it you speak with such certainty of his emotions, Cadence?" Kuei asked with interest.

"Cause I can see them in his aura," she explained. "Even stronger now than I can when I'm in my body. It's why I know now how you're able to see me. Wan Shi Tong said in his letter that those with great ability or need would be able to perceive me-"

"Wan Shi Tong? The Knowledge Spirit?" Kuei asked, shocked. "You...you must have so many stories to tell. I'd love to hear them all."

Cadence smiled softly. "Great need indeed," she replied. "I'd be happy to swing by every so often to tell you stories. It'd be a relief from always running from the Fire Nation."

Kuei turned his head, confused. "...why would you be running from the Fire Nation?" he asked.

"Because we've been branded war criminals," she admitted sadly.

Kuei looked even more confused. "In...what war?"

Cadence' eyes widened in shock. "...no wonder you're so lonely, if you've been sheltered so much." She glanced around. "I can't stay too long today, friend Kuei, but if you tell me when I can come again-"

"I'm here every day from two hours before midday to two hours after," Kuei supplied eagerly. "Can you make it, dear friend? I'll be sure Bosco and I are awaiting you alone."

"I can't make it every day," Cadence replied. "The Lower Ring's expensive on our budget, and sometimes I have to take the lunch shift at the tea shop. But I'll come whenever I can." Floating forward, she gave Kuei an ethereal hug, which he eagerly returned. "But...be wary of the man over there with the mustache and goatee. His aura...it is filled with deception."

Kuei blinked, confused. "But...Long Feng has tended to me since I was a child...but projected spirits cannot lie, the tome I read about Astral Projection in was quite clear on that..."

"Don't take my word alone," Cadence hastened to add. "Just...keep your eyes and ears open, and make your own judgments."

Kuei nodded slowly. "I can do that..."

Cadence smiled softly as she floated back. "I need to get going now," she whispered. "My father's likely home by now...and he's probably worried about me not waking up." With a happy wave, she flowed away.

Flowing back towards home, she found Iroh working on Zuko's hair and clothes, plainly getting him ready for a date. She also saw her own body, curled up on her bed under blankets, the Astral Projection paper tucked in a roll beside her.

"Now try not to make a fool of yourself tonight," Iroh gently chided Zuko. "You won't have Cadence looking over your shoulder."

"No," Zuko grumbled noncommittally. "Just Jong."

Cadence couldn't help but giggle, though she stifled them. Iroh wanted her to watch Zuko on his date and give him the details.

"Have fun, Lee," Zhin teased, much to Jong's amusement and Zuko's frustration.

As Cadence watched the 'date', she couldn't help but shake her head in frustration. No wonder he'd needed her help to woo Mai so long ago. Zuko was clueless how to act around women. It was plain he liked her at least somewhat by the way he was acting around her, and how willing he was to humiliate himself for her amusement. Seriously, juggling? Cadence thought as she watched. I thought your coordination was better than that.

Still, he wasn't entirely bad. It was rather a surprise to discover - after he'd said he liked to play Pai Sho for fun - that Jin had seen the game played and always wanted to learn. That was something they could do on future meetings that Cadence would work to set up.

Thankfully, Jong waylaid the waiter before he could ask Zuko about him and his 'girlfriend', murmuring about "first date jitters". The waiter was very understanding, and thus asked Zuko if he and his date would care for some dessert.

Not long after the meal, Jin took Zuko to one of her favorite places, a fountain surrounded by lanterns. She was obviously disappointed that the lanterns weren't lit. Cadence was stunned by what Zuko did next, risking discovery by using his Firebending to quickly light all the lanterns. It was beyond obvious now that he really liked her.

And then she kissed him.

Cadence started to squeal, but then froze. Over Jin's head was the half heart she'd once seen over Zuko and Mai's head. But over Zuko's head, it was as if the center portion of a heart had been cut out, and that section cut in half. One section was beating in tandem with the one over Jin's head, but the other half still beat to the rhythm she knew matched Mai's.

"...I'm sorry," Zuko said softly.

"What's wrong?" Jin asked worriedly. "Was...was I too forward? I just..."

"I like you," Zuko continued. "I really do. But...before I started travelling, started running...there was someone special. She and I..." He glanced away.

"...and you aren't ready to let her go?" Jin asked quietly.

"...I thought I was...for her sake. But..." He turned back to her. "I'm...not ready after all..."

"It's okay," Jin replied understandingly. "We...we all have our past ghosts. I can be patient. And...we can still be friends."

Zuko managed a smile. "I'd like that."

Cadence grinned widely. She is good, she thought quietly. Looking forward to meeting her in person.

"Maybe when I use that coupon your Uncle gave me, you could teach me a bit about Pai Sho?" Jin asked.

"I'll make the time," Zuko promised.

Cadence slowly awoke as she returned to her body, just as Iroh spoke up. "So how was your evening, Zuko?"

Zuko looked out at the night sky. "It was...confusing...but nice..."

In Too Deep

Zuko watched, idly interested, as the businessman from the Upper Ring entered negotiations to get Iroh to work for him instead. He wasn't surprised that the offer - an Upper Ring apartment, his own tea shop, total creative freedom - was winning Iroh over so easily. What did surprise Zuko was Iroh's one moment of hesitation...and his spared glances towards Cadence and Zuko.

Then Iroh spoke up. "I must say, your offer is astounding, and I would love to accept, but..."

"But?" the businessman asked, surprised.

"Well, you see, while tea has always been a high class affair, in my travels I've discovered that tea can have unexpected pleasures when drunk on the road," Iroh explained. "I've been working on finding a way to recreate that sensation in a tea shop, to let my customers experience an adventure in every cup."

The businessman grinned widely. "Now that is an interesting idea," he practically purred. "What's the problem?"

"Well, obviously tea on the road is not drunk in bone china," Iroh joked. "So I would need a fine ceramic...but I only know one potter who can craft such cups that are both fine quality and carry the essence of journey and adventure...and he lives here in the Lower Ring. And however carefully they are packed, they would lose some of that essence being brought between the Rings."

The businessman thought for a time. "Hmm...if this potter is as good as you say, I'll give him an apartment and shop in the Upper Ring as well, right across the road from yours."

"Deal!" Iroh agreed eagerly. He then turned to a table in the corner. "Jin, would you be so good as to guide this man to your father's shop?"

As the businessman followed Jin, and his men followed Zuko, Iroh, and Cadence to their apartment to help gather their belongings, Zuko leaned in to Iroh's side. "Uncle, what was that about?" he asked. "I thought you'd jump at the chance of your own tea shop. Why the added negotiation?"

"I wouldn't want your friendship with Jin to be upset by a sudden onset of prestige," Iroh replied with a wide smile. "She's been good for you."

Zuko rolled his eyes, looking away, most definitely not blushing. As he walked, however, he spotted something unexpected. A flier looking for a missing Sky Bison. Walking over, he saw that, indeed, the Avatar was searching for Appa...and was in Ba Sing Se.

Suddenly things were a lot more serious.

Zuko had decided not to tell Iroh, Cadence, Jong, or Zhin what his plan was. He was pretty sure Iroh and Cadence would not approve, and Jong and Zhin would insist on going with to keep him out of trouble. But he knew...he had to do this alone. He didn't know why he felt so compelled, but deep down, he knew if anyone came with him, something would go terribly wrong.

He'd put on the blue oni mask he'd brought from the Fire Nation, the one he'd originally made for Mai back before everything started to change. He knew Mai had the red oni mask she'd made for him, though he didn't know if she'd brought it with her. He was wearing the blue mask now, both to hide his identity and to get some semblance of Mai's cool, calm deliberation to cool his angry heart.

Seeing that the Dai Li were actively watching Aang and his group, Zuko had come to the conclusion that they knew something about Appa's disappearance. Managing to waylay one of the Dai Li agents, Zuko discovered he was correct...and also learned where Appa was being kept...in an underwater facility under Lake Laogai.

Learning that the facility could only be accessed via Earthbending didn't dissuade Zuko too much. Once he'd made sure the agent wouldn't be reporting to anyone for a while, he camped out at the Lake until a Dai Li arrived to enter the facility. Once the tunnel was open, it was child's play to catch the agent off guard and knock him out. After that, it was only a matter of careful exploration and staying out of sight...easy for Zuko after all the tumbling lessons Ty Lee had given him.

When he found Appa, he saw how angry and afraid he was. Zuko didn't blame him. He entered the cell in silence, approaching the massive creature. Drawing his twin swords...he fell into his mind as he tried to decide what he was supposed to do.

He was a Prince of the Fire Nation. From the cradle, he'd been taught that the war was to unite the world under one banner...that it was for the good of the world that the Fire Nation rule all. As long as he'd lived in the Fire Nation, he'd believed that. The good of the Fire Nation and the good of the world had always been the same thing in his mind. That's why he was able to pursue the war - his mission - with such conviction.

But ever since he'd started travelling incognito, hiding from Azula, he'd seen the other side. The healer's burned legs...Lee's lost brother...Jin's lost home... The pain and suffering people dealt with, whether because of the war or those who sought to profit from it...

He no longer believed that the good of the Fire Nation and the good of the world were the same thing. And now he was confronted with a choice: the Fire Nation, or the world.

If he killed Appa here, Aang would likely never learn of it. He'd never know that Appa was dead, and would spend the rest of his life trying to find him. In one strike, Zuko would completely eliminate the threat Aang posed to the Fire Nation, without creating a new threat by creating a new Avatar. This was what his duty as a Prince of the Fire Nation demanded of him.

If, on the other hand, he set Appa free, Appa would seek out Aang. They would be reunited. The Avatar would once again be the symbol of hope for so many people, uniting the world against the Fire Nation. The war would likely come to a swift end as Aang gathered the whole rest of the world under his banner. The suffering caused by the war would be stopped...it would end.

Just turning around and leaving wasn't an option. If he left Appa imprisoned, it was the path of a Prince, but being too weak to act. Same if he alerted Aang to where Appa was, being weak and choosing the path of the world. He had only two choices here.

He brought his hand to his mask, remembering. Mai had always hated how she wasn't allowed to do anything she wasn't supposed to, how she had to be the perfect daughter at all times. The masks had been his idea. As the cool and collected one, he'd made the blue oni mask for her, wearing the red one she made to represent his more impulsive side. Wearing the masks and nondescript clothes, they would race about the town at night, sometimes playing pranks, sometimes watching things they weren't supposed to see...but mostly just having fun together without the rules hanging over their shoulders.

If he took the path of the world, it would mean truly becoming the traitor Azula had painted him as. It would mean forever turning his back on Mai. But if he took the path of the Prince...would he ever be able to look himself in the eye in the mirror again?

Rising slowly out of his minds, he raised his blades...and swung.

As he heard the chains break, he fell to his side. He had made his choice, for good or for ill...and in doing so turned his back on everything his life had ever stood for. His body felt hot, cold, sweaty, chilled...

He hardly noticed Appa picking him up and carrying him out. He barely heard the angry shouts of Dai Li agents. He barely felt the whistling of wind as they flew through the air.

The first thing he was truly aware of was Cadence curled up beside him, and Iroh's words.

"Rest now, Zuko...we will take care of you..."

Of Kings and Countries

As Kuei entered his throne room, he did his best to calm his beating heart. Ever since Bosco's birthday party, something had come to his attention that he knew he had to deal with. However, a bit of logic applied had shown him that doing so would involve a direct confrontation with Long Feng, who had practically raised him. He hadn't been sure he would be able to do it. However, a few days of practice with and reassurance from Cadence the creature spirit left him with a plan that should work. The key would be gentle persuasion and 'innocent' inquiry.

As Long Feng entered to present the day's business, Kuei spoke up. "Long Feng...the Avatar was at Bosco's birthday party, wasn't he?"

Long Feng blinked, surprised. "Your Majesty?"

"The boy who bent Air and Water, the one with the Airbending tattoos," Kuei explained. "I heard everyone call him the Avatar. Why wasn't I made aware he'd come to visit our glorious city?"

Long Feng smiled. "You've been very busy, Your Majesty," Long Feng explained. "I'm sure the Avatar understands the weight of responsibility."

"Likely," Kuei agreed, deliberately giving ground in the argument. "Though I'm surprised he hasn't made an appointment to see me, if only for the courtesy."

Long Feng was caught off guard, but he rallied gamely. "Well, he is a child," he allowed. "His understanding of politics and proper social behavior is obviously not that of an adult."

"Then perhaps we can spare an hour today to indulge this child?" Kuei suggested, doing his best not to visibly sweat. "I think I can forgo my time in the garden today to learn what brings the Avatar to our fair city. Surely, it must be of great importance." Seeing Long Feng preparing a counter argument, he knew this was the moment Cadence had mentioned, when he'd have to exert the authority that was actually his. Steeling himself, he spoke before Long Feng could. "Do see to it the Avatar and his friends arrive timely today, Long Feng," he stated firmly. "If nothing else, I would like to ask about his Sky Bison. I saw it just this morning flying over the city. Quite a lovely creature, wouldn't you say?"

Long Feng looked completely off guard, but he eventually bowed respectfully. "By your command, my liege." With that, he turned and left the throne room.

Kuei sighed in relief as Long Feng left, slumping back in his throne. As Bosco nuzzled him, he managed a smile. "She was right," he murmured, petting the bear's head. "As...terrifying as that was...it felt good."

Aang was beginning to get very suspicious of events. While he knew he should be overjoyed about Appa returning under his own power, and the reveal that their appointment with the Earth King had been moved up...he couldn't help but feel something was off. Especially since Long Feng was conspicuously absent.

"You're worrying too much, Twinkletoes," Toph stated bluntly, punching him lightly on the arm.

"Up until recently, you were against everything here in Ba Sing Se," Sokka pointed out defensively. "Why the sudden change?"

"Let's just say I recognize a certain someone's touch on events, alright?" Toph offered. "As long as we don't mess anything up, we've got this in the bag."

"So Sokka shouldn't talk then?" Katara joked.

"Hey!" Sokka complained as the whole group - even Momo and Appa - snickered.

Kuei sat up straight on his throne as the Avatar and his group explained their mission. It was, to say the least, hard to swallow. While this was the second mention of the war he'd heard, the idea that it had been going on for 100 years and all mention of it had been kept from him was difficult to believe. "You are the Avatar," Kuei stated softly. "My training as a King says I should heed your words. My chief adviser, however, gives me reason to doubt your words. Not only that, you claim he is the head of some sort of conspiracy deliberately preventing me from learning of the war. ...were it my father on the throne, he would likely have you all thrown in jail just for suggesting such a thing."

Seeing the group getting nervous, Kuei sat back. "However, Bosco likes you, which gives me reason to pause. So here is what we'll do. I will give you one chance to prove to me both that the war is real, and that it is an immediate and real threat to this city. You may take me anywhere within the city limits to do so, accompanied at all times by Long Feng, Bosco, and three Dai Lee agents. I will look at whatever you direct, or talk to whoever you introduce me to. You have one hour to do this. If, at the end of the hour, I am convinced of your words, I will hear all you have to say. If not, you will all take up residence in the dungeons." He looked down at the group. "Or you can leave without attempting, and I will forget that any issue was raised. It's your choice."

The Avatar huddled with his friends in discussion, and then turned back to Kuei, swallowing convulsively. "We'll take our chances, Your Earthiness."

Kuei smiled at the misspoken title. "Alright. Where to first?"

"The outer wall!" the member of the group who wasn't a Bender proclaimed.

"How do you expect to get the Earth King there in under an hour?" Long Feng demanded.

"We can ride Appa!" the Avatar offered, much to Kuei's delighted pleasure.

Cadence and Iroh watched over Zuko carefully as the illness wracked his body. Jin had already been over several times to find out if his condition had improved at all. While Iroh gave glowing endorsements of Zuko's steady improvement, Cadence knew better. All she had to do to see the nature of Zuko's ailment was astral project.

Within his body, his spirit was at war with itself. Whatever he had done that had led Appa to deliver him safely to them, it had broken something deep within him, and as a result his very soul was a storm of destruction. His psyche made war upon itself as his soul continued to spiral out of control. And the worst part as far as Cadence could tell...she had power that could do something.

She could act, try to help him through this, and it might save him. But she had no idea how to use that power, and could just as easily destroy him. And if she didn't act, he might destroy himself.

As she curled up beside him, she could only pray he would recover.

As the morning sun rose, Cadence found Zuko laying across his writing desk. He looked to be doing better, but a quick projection showed her that the conflict inside him had only subsided, not ended. The conflict could only be resolved by his choices from this day forth...and one had been made.

Climbing up onto the desk, she saw several crumpled pieces of parchment, an empty inkwell...and the Heartfire pouch sitting open. She sighed sadly, nuzzling him.

He'd sent a letter.

Of Lovers and Friends

Cadence paced worriedly around the apartment. Today was Zuko's first day back on his feet, and he was once more serving tea in the shop. He seemed more at peace with himself now, though still not completely recovered. However, he was insistent that she not hover over him like a mother hen with a lone chick. Iroh agreed with that assessment, and Cadence was left to her own devices. The one time she'd projected over to look in on him, she'd found it amusing that he didn't seem to mind Jin hovering over him worriedly. She was glad to see his heart opening up that way.

As she wandered over to the desk, however, she noticed something that both surprised and concerned her. The heartfire pouch had been left on his desk, and it had ejected a letter. Confused, she picked it up, becoming more confused to discover it was Zuko's letter to Mai.

I'm sorry.

I truly am the traitor now that Azula named me, and the refugee I have pretended to be. I had a chance to choose...to be a good Prince, or to be a good person, and I made the choice I could live with, though it tears me apart to have done so. Prince Zuko is no more.

As things are, I can never return to the Fire Nation...or to you. So I do the only thing I can. Say goodbye.

I won't ask you to forgive me for this. I can't even forgive myself for how this will hurt you. And part of me hopes you don't. Better to die by your enraged hands then to fall into Azula's.

Goodbye, Mai.

Zuko.

Cadence sighed softly. "Oh, Zuko..." she murmured, shaking her head. Turning the letter over, she found a different message scored on the back, the calligraphy showing barely contained fury in the writing.

I will find you.
If I have to tear Ba Sing Se apart stone by stone, I will find you.
And you will regret this if you don't take this back the moment you see this.

Rolling her eyes, Cadence realized it was time to do damage control. "Boys," she muttered, rolling her eyes at Zuko's stupid attempt to be noble. Taking another parchment, she penned a message.

Meet me at the restaurant three doors down from The Jasmine Dragon.
C

With that written, she slipped it into the pouch, watching as the smoke flowed towards the palace. "Hmm...interesting." Turning, she made her way towards the restaurant.

Cadence wasn't surprised that she didn't have to wait long for Mai to show up. She was a bit surprised at the disguise, however. "A Kyoshi Warrior?" she murmured curiously. "You might want to be careful with that disguise. The Avatar's group knows them personally."

"I'm aware," Mai replied, taking a seat. "But why did you want to meet with me? And why here?"

"Several reasons," Cadence replied. "For one, Zuko hasn't seen your return message...and he isn't going to."

Mai's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You better have a good explanation for that," she muttered, hands slipping into her sleeves.

"Don't threaten, Mai," Cadence chided. "You have no idea how strong I've gotten since we last met face to face. Not only that, an archer that puts the Yuyan Archers to shame has an arrow trained on your heart. If you actually attack me, you'll be dead before you can make it three paces...and that's if he has to deal with you." Once Mai had relaxed, Cadence smiled. "But there's no need for such hostility. I called you here to talk."

Mai let her hands fall out of her sleeves. "Then talk," she stated.

Cadence turned towards the tea shop. "Look over there," she said softly.

As Mai looked, she saw Zuko step out to serve tea to a girl Zuko's age Mai didn't recognize...but who was obviously familiar to Zuko, if the way they chatted - and she flirted - was any sign. "Who's that?" Mai asked coldly.

"That's Jin," Cadence replied easily. "A friend of Zuko's. And if he's truly embracing this new life now, she may be more than that sometime in the future." She chuckled. "Maybe a lot sooner, if he can handle it." She frowned as she heard Mai shifting. "None of that," she chided, her horn igniting.

Mai found herself affixed to the bench by a powder blue aura. Glowering, she turned back to Cadence. "I thought you were on my side," she murmured.

To Mai's surprise, Cadence laughed in her face. "My dear girl, wherever did you get that idea?"

Mai stared. "But...the proposal-"

"I helped Zuko make things right with the girl he was smitten with," Cadence explained. "And I crafted the pouches because he was so distraught about leaving you for so long." She sat back, steepling her hooves. "And here? I gently nudged things so Zuko could make a friend of his own." She then leaned forward. "And now, I have a question for you...one I want you to ponder and decide for your own later.

"Do you love Zuko? Or do you just love being loved by him?"

"...what?" Mai asked flatly.

"It's a very simple question," Cadence replied. "It's all about what's best for him, when you get down to basics. You see...recently he underwent a serious spiritual illness. A choice he made tore his spirit apart, and it's still piecing itself back together. I won't allow anything that will run the risk of those spiritual wounds tearing open again. If I think there's anything that might risk that...I intend to deal with it most harshly..."

As she spoke, a piece of metal on Mai's outfit warped and twisted under nothing but the sheer force Cadence was bringing to bear on it with her magical aura.

"The question is...are you one of the things I have to deal with?" she murmured. "Or...are you something that will help him become whole again?" Releasing Mai, she stood up. "I have enjoyed our chat, dear. We really should do it more often." Turning, she headed back to the apartment.

Mai stayed at the table for a time, before she eventually stood up and headed back towards the palace. She was rather startled when Jin came up to walk beside her. "So you're the one Lee's still holding a torch for," she stated bluntly with a happy smile.

Seeing no reason to be less than honest - as far as it went - Mai shrugged and replied, "I was."

"Wow," Jin replied. "I figured he was important before he came here, but I didn't think he was betrothed to a noble."

Mai turned to stare at her. "What makes you think I'm a noble?" she asked calmly.

"I used to live on the outskirts of one of the larger Earth Kingdom cities," Jin answered easily. "Saw enough noble's daughters acting aloof to recognize it when I see it."

Mai said nothing in response for a time. "...Lee...seems happy," she said at last.

"He's getting there," Jin replied. "A weight seems to be lifted. I hope he's all the way better soon."

"...me too." Mai watched Jin's face for a time. "You know he's more than just a tea server."

"I know," Jin replied. "I don't need to see his scar to recognize he's marked by destiny." She sighed sadly. "Sometimes...he acts like the whole world's resting on his shoulders. He doesn't seem to know how to handle it."

"That destiny might call him back," Mai pointed out. "What will you do then?"

"Go with him," Jin replied without hesitation.

"...really?" Mai asked. "You'd leave behind everything you know, the whole life you've lived here...to go into the unknown with him?"

"If he'd let me," Jin confirmed. "I get the feeling he might not like the idea of me doing so. He'd worry I'd regret it."

Mai was silent for a time, thinking this all over. "...on an unrelated matter, what do you think of the war?" she asked.

Jin hesitated. "We're...not supposed to talk about that," she muttered, looking away.

"No one's watching us, and I won't tell anyone," Mai reassured her.

Jin was silent for a time. "...I hate the Fire Lords for starting the war," she replied softly. "And I hate the Earth Kings and the leaders of the Water Tribes for not acting in concert to stop the Fire Nation sooner, and the Avatar for vanishing for a century..." She shrugged. "But...the soldiers? The generals? They're just doing their jobs, following orders, trying to serve their countries the best way they can." She smiled softly. "Though I still have to wonder about the Prince..."

"The Prince?" Mai asked quickly.

"The Fire Prince," Jin replied. "Before the war destroyed my home, he came through once with his crew, looking for the Avatar. I only saw him from a distance...but he looked sad. I found myself wondering what he had to be sad about."

Mai was silent. "We're almost to the palace," she pointed out. "...Lee...might just want you to come with him when and if the time comes."

"Maybe you'll be there, too," Jin replied. Giving Mai an unexpectedly familiar pat, she turned and headed back towards the tea shop.

Mai was very glad that the Kyoshi Warrior makeup was so thick. It gave her plenty of time to control her blush before someone noticed.

Author's Note

While this particular issue was important to raise for the overall story...
The actual resolution is one that won't heavily impact the plot of the story, as long as it is resolved.

Each outcome will have different effects on that part of the story...but it won't really change all that much in the long run. Of course, I know everyone will have their own opinion on how it should turn out.

I've also discovered that I've truly enjoyed involving my readers in the writing process for little things like this. I want to know all your opinions.

As such...

Vote.

Of Enemies and Allies

Cadence walked nervously alongside Iroh and Zuko as they approached the palace. While she was happy for her father getting this opportunity, she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. She was especially wary as the invitation came so soon after Katara recognized them in the shop. Since the Avatar's group now had Kuei's ear, word of their real identities was bound to have reached him. She had fully expected officials to come and arrest them, or politely request their cooperation in visiting the palace. But all that arrived was a request to serve the Emperor tea.

It felt to her more like a ploy to lower their guard. She just hoped that it wasn't working on the others. She'd lost sight of Jong and Zhin on the way there, and she felt uncomfortably exposed without them watching over the group. She could see that Zuko was also nervous, but she couldn't tell if it was battlefield caution or stage jitters.

Seeing how happy Iroh was, Cadence did her best to control her fears. Surely she was just overthinking it. Perhaps Katara had raced to the group's apartment, rather than to the palace. Maybe Toph had vouched to them on behalf of herself and Iroh. Maybe they'd decided as a group not to mention it, and Iroh's tea was really that good that they received the invitation to serve tea to the King on merit.

Maybe Bosco had communicated a desire for 'adventure tea' to Kuei. One never knew with bears...

As Iroh began preparing the tea in the throne room, Cadence could see she wasn't the only one beginning to get suspicious. Zuko had started to glance around worriedly. "What's taking so long?" he murmured under his breath.

"Maybe the Earth King overslept?" Iroh offered hopefully, though nerves were creeping into his voice.

"Maybe Bosco did?" Cadence offered as well.

As they spoke, they looked up to see they were surrounded by Dai Li agents. Cadence immediately braced herself. Something was definitely wrong, and she could tell she wasn't the only one to see it.

And then Azula walked into the room, dressed as a Dai Li. "It's tea time," she greeted, plainly feeling good about herself.

"Azula!" Zuko snapped, shooting to his feet.

"Have you met the Dai Li?" Azula asked. "They're Earth Benders, but they have a killer instinct that's so Fire Bender. I just love it!"

Cadence at first was terrified, but then she saw Iroh calmly standing as he picked up his tea. "Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname, 'the Dragon of the West'?" he asked sweetly.

"I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle," Azula chided.

"It's more of a demonstration, really!" Iroh countered cheerily, sipping his tea. Zuko and Cadence both smirked, then ducked.

As Iroh's flame breath forced the Dai Li to duck, Zuko and Cadence blasted a path out of the room for them. The Dai Li pursued as the trio ran, but Cadence was able to turn a bit of her own Earth against them to give themselves more breathing room. After blasting a path out of the palace with fire and lightning, Cadence helped Iroh to the ground, using her magic and Air Bending to cushion his landing. "Come on!" Iroh called back up to Zuko. "You'll be fine!"

"I'll catch you!" Cadence added.

"No!" Zuko shouted back. "Someone has to stop what Azula's trying to do! And I'm the only one she'll insist on fighting personally!" Turning, he headed back into the palace.

Iroh sighed as he got to his feet. "That boy's going to get himself killed one of these days..." he muttered.

"No he won't," Cadence disagreed. "He knows what he's doing. He's got a plan."

"Here's hoping it doesn't backfire like his lightning," Iroh joked, turning tail to run.

Cadence followed him quickly, knowing she'd be a distraction Zuko couldn't afford in confronting Azula. Not only that...she's seen his spirit. The decision to confront Azula directly had helped mend the division inside him. Slowly and surely, he was becoming whole...possibly for the first time in his life. She couldn't interfere in that.

Zuko stood calmly as he faced Azula and the Dai Li. "You're so dramatic," Azula chided. "What, are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?"

"No," Zuko countered back. "That requires at least one competitor to have honor."

Azula's face twitched briefly. "Said the traitor!" she barked out.

"Said the brat," Zuko taunted back.

"You think you can take us all?" Azula derided.

"Nope," Zuko countered. He raised his hands. "I'm surrendering."

Shrugging, Azula directed the Dai Li agents to imprison Zuko...but inside, she was tormented by a most frustrating question.

Why is he smirking?

As Zuko was thrown into the underground prison, he did his best to tuck and roll down the stone tunnel so he could land with some sense of balance. He was rather surprised to see Katara there. "Zuko?" she gasped out, before glaring at him somewhat angrily.

Zuko managed a smile. "Fancy meeting you here..."

Iroh and Cadence made their way to the only help they could think of...the Avatar's apartment. The only ally they had left was Toph, and they could only hope that she'd be able to help.

When Toph opened the door, Cadence smiled up at her, and they immediately began their greeting.

"Sunshine, Sunshine,
Ladybugs awake!
Clap your hooves
And do a little shake!"

As Cadence and Toph both giggled, Aang and Sokka were somewhat slackjawed...and after a moment, Toph blushed a bit. "Cadence," Iroh asked quietly, "why did you 'do a little shake' in the boys' direction?"

"Because there are some areas where Toph's self-confidence needs all the help it can get," Cadence replied with a wink.

Aang finally got himself under control. "You two know each other?" he gasped out.

Cadence giggled. "Who do you think taught me the fundamentals of Earth Bending?"

"And you're Zuko's cousin with the fwooshy-fwoosh," Sokka groaned. "What next? You learned Water Bending from Master Pakku?"

Cadence' jaw dropped. "How did you know?"

As Sokka made rather amusing strangling noises, Aang raced up to her. "Please...you've got to tell me who taught you Air Bending! Where did you meet another Air Bender?"

"Wan Shi Tong's not an Air Bender," Cadence countered, "though he is very wise." She blinked. "Toph, why does Sokka look more guilty than normal?"

"Don't you think we have more important things to discuss right now?" Sokka asked quickly.

"Agreed," Iroh added. "Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se."

"She must have Katara!" Aang gasped out quickly.

"And Zuko!" Cadence confirmed.

"Then we'll work together to fight her and save them both," Aang decided.

"Whoa there!" Sokka spoke up. "You lost me at 'both'. We really want to help Zuko?"

"You're helping Katara," Cadence countered. "We just happen to be going in the same direction, so we might as well coordinate our efforts."

Sokka rubbed his chin for a time. "Okay, I can accept that."

"We interrogated a Dai Li agent on the way here," Iroh added. "Apparently, the prisoners are being held in the Crystal Catacombs of old Ba Sing Se deep beneath the palace, while Azula and Long Feng plot a coup."

"But my senses aren't strong enough to find them," Cadence admitted sadly. "It's why we came looking for you, Toph."

"Then let's go!" Aang proclaimed, and the group rushed out.

"Why did they throw you in here?" Katara demanded angrily of Zuko.

"Because they're working for my sister and she hates me," he replied easily, leaning against a wall and gently tapping a crystal.

"You expect me to buy that?" Katara snapped.

"No, not really." Zuko continued his gentle tapping. "I'm actually surprised you haven't tried to kill me already."

"If Ty Lee hadn't blocked my bending and taken away my water, I would be!" she growled.

"I'd honestly rather you didn't," Zuko commented blandly. "I fully expect my ex-girlfriend to try to, and I hope that will give her closure."

"Are you insane?" Katara screamed out. "Where do you get off joking at a time like this?" She threw her hands in the air in frustration. "I shouldn't be surprised, really. You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood!"

Zuko said nothing, deciding to let her vent, listening calmly.

"Do you have any idea the damage the war has caused? What it's cost people? Me, personally?"

Zuko opened his eyes when he heard her voice change from angry to sorrowful.

"...the Fire Nation took my mother away..."

"...that's something we have in common," Zuko said softly, seeing her tears.

Neither of them spoke for a while. Eventually, Katara looked up. "I'm...sorry for yelling at you like that..."

"Don't be," Zuko offered. "I have brought the war across the world, dogged your every step...nothing you said was a lie."

"That doesn't mean I was right to yell at you."

"But I needed to hear it," Zuko replied. "Not long ago...I made a decision that forced me to question my entire life. Now...if I'm going to be whole again, and make the right choices in the future...I need to face all the mistakes of my past."

They were both silent a while longer. "Would you stop that tapping?" Katara finally asked. "It's getting annoying."

"Not until I know the signal's not going through."

"Signal?"

"There are three Earth Benders up there looking for us that know how to listen to the Earth," Zuko explained. "I'm giving them something to listen to." He couldn't help but smirk as part of the wall broke in, revealing Aang, Iroh, and Cadence.

The Crossroads of Destiny

As Zuko rose to his feet, he wasn't surprised that Iroh rushed up to hug him, or that Katara rushed to hug Aang. He probably shouldn't have been surprised that Cadence rushed up to smack him upside the head. "Idiot!" she snapped. "I thought you had a plan!"

"I do," Zuko replied. "So far, it's working."

"...you planned to get captured?" Iroh asked, shocked.

"I planned to make sure Azula has no idea how I'm going to jump next," Zuko replied. "Her greatest strength comes from her ability to plan things out to take everything she can expect into account. The best way to put her off her game is to be completely stupid while acting like I know what I'm doing."

"Be a bit more careful next time," Iroh scolded through his chuckles.

With the warm reunions at an end, Zuko found himself face to face with the Avatar once again. Both stared at each other, uncertain what to do.

"Go help your other friends," Iroh instructed Aang and Katara. "We'll catch up."

As they left, Zuko turned to Iroh. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing," Iroh replied. "But you're right about one thing, Zuko. It has come down to you and Azula. All Cadence and I can do now is step back, and let you choose your future."

"And support you every step of the way, whatever you choose," Cadence added. Turning, she flared outward with her wings strongly, causing the wall of crystals the two Dai Li agents accompanying Azula into the chamber tried to imprison them with to part around them.

"Iroh's right about one thing, Zuko," Azula commented softly. "He's doing nothing at all. That's all he's ever done since the death of his son." Iroh tensed at that, but took no action. "But there's more to you than that, isn't there, Zuko? Prince Zuko?"

Zuko raised an eyebrow, deciding to hear what all Azula had to say.

"You're right about one thing, Zuko," she continued. "I have planned out everything this day. That is one of my greatest strengths, the shaping of events with careful consideration. And I have looked over these events, and know every way in which they can end. And there's one other thing I know: it's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself as Prince of the Fire Nation...as my brother."

Zuko let his stance relax, letting Azula think she was swaying his opinion as he gave her words careful consideration.

"Events are coming to a climax," Azula continued. "Whatever happens, today is the day Ba Sing Se falls to the Fire Nation...but without you there by my side, it won't be a true victory. Will you truly turn your back on your whole life? On Father? On Mai?"

Cadence couldn't help but admire Azula's tactics. Had Zuko not had his great conflict after freeing Appa, these were the buttons to push that would tear him apart and make him question everything. Even now, with his spirit still reassembling itself, the effect would be intense. She wondered what choice he would make.

Zuko stared at Azula for a time...and then smirked. "My choice has already been made," he replied softly, shifting into a Fire Bending stance. "Now it's your turn to make a choice. Surrender or fall."

"What?" Azula demanded angrily.

"You said it yourself, if I'm not with you, you have no true victory today," Zuko stated softly. "You may take the city, but you won't keep it. You've overplayed your hand. I stand against you, Azula...with the Avatar. Father is wrong about what the world needs, and so are you. I will bring this war to its end...starting with you. But you're still my sister...and as my last act as your brother, I offer you the chance to yield, to change sides."

Snarling in fury, Azula unleashed a wave of blue fire at Zuko, which he casually parted. "You think you can beat me?" she roared out. "You're pathetic! You can't even stand up for yourself without falling back on others! You're nothing compared to me, nothing!" She continued launching her flames at him from fists and feet.

Zuko calmly deflected each and every blast, feeling his spirit starting to come together, feeling himself grow more and more complete. "And yet here I stand against you," he replied, no true emotion in his voice.

"Mai will never forgive you for this!" she roared, drawing out lightning and hurling it at him.

Zuko shifted into a strong horse stance. Catching the lightning in one arm, he sent it down his stomach and leg, grounding it out in the earth, leaving Iroh and Cadence gasping in shock. "Then when I'm through with you, she can kill me if she wants," Zuko replied, his voice still mellow.

"You think you're better than me?!" Azula shrieked, charging forward to attack physically, only for Zuko to block or evade each strike as he shifted to a Water Bending stance. "After how hard you've had to work just to survive, to learn any technique, you think you can best me? I was born lucky! You? You were lucky to be born!"

Spinning, Zuko focused his fire into his arm, superheating the air around it as he swung the limb like a blade. Azula leapt back, stunned as her clothes and skin split from the strike. "I'm not the only one who was lucky that I was born," Zuko replied softly. "The whole world was lucky...because I'm going to bring the peace the world needs." Once more he shifted into a Fire Bending stance. "I'm done with you Azula. It's over between us."

As his spirit found peace, he raised his right arm, two fingers extended...and traced the arc of lightning.

Azula shot to her feet, trying to bend her own lightning to counter, but the slash to her shoulder prevented her from completing the arc. She could only watch as Zuko completed the circle, drawing the lightning into his two hands.

Zuko thrust forward, sending the lightning straight at Azula. But as it moved, he came to an unexpected realization. As much as he had hated her for so long, as much grief as she had brought him...he didn't want her dead. He didn't want her blood on his hands.

Iroh had told him that once the lightning was summoned, it could only be guided. Desperately, he sought one last guide, giving his hand a twist.

The lightning parted, blasting through Azula in five small points instead of one large one, knocking her onto her back as she struggled to breathe, her eyes wide and unseeing. The Dai Li agents moved forward, but were knocked aside as Cadence brought two large chunks of crystal hard against their skulls.

Iroh rushed up to Azula's side, checking on her. "How is she?" Zuko asked.

"She will live," Iroh replied. "But the lightning penetrated her Earth, Water, and Fire Chakras, as well as both upper arms. I do not know how much she will recover...but I doubt if her inner energy will ever be repaired enough to Fire Bend."

Zuko nodded. "Then we need to-"

"Go," Cadence instructed. "Help the Avatar. You've made your choice, now carry it out. I'll look after her."

Zuko nodded, leaning down to stroke her mane. "Thank you," he whispered softly. Turning, he raced off after Aang, Iroh close behind him.

Cadence sat calmly, keeping an eye on the cousin who hated her. She wasn't certain she agreed with Zuko's decision to not kill Azula. She couldn't help but feel that this would somehow turn into a huge mess someday. At the same time, she knew it was the right decision for Zuko to make.

As Zuko made his way up to the palace after Aang and the others, he was rather surprised to see Jong and Zhin fall in beside him. "Where have you two been?" he demanded angrily.

"Cadence let me know that Azula and the other two were in the city," Zhin replied. "After a little thing Cadence needed me for, we decided it would be best if we got you some backup."

"What sort of-"

Before Zuko could continue speaking, Jong pointed behind him...where all of Zuko's troops were gathered, fully armed but still dressed in their Earth Kingdom clothes, marching double time to keep up. "Oh," Zuko replied. "How'd you get them all past the Dai Li?"

"Private Grin," Jong replied. "...well, that's what everyone calls him anyway."

"Private Chin," Zhin clarified. "The one with the huge chin and the giant smile that never leaves his face? He...apparently has a way with animals."

"He got the Dai Li's attention when he cleared us a path to the Upper Ring," Jong explained.

At the Inner Wall separating the Upper Ring from the Lower, Earth Kingdom Soldiers stared, making sure not to get too close to the scene.

Huge numbers of Dai Li agents were being bounced around like toys by a massive Giant Honey-Badgermole, which roared and salivated as it devoured part of the wall. Sitting atop the beast's back was a grinning middle-aged man. He was skinny as a rail, his chin seemed to stick out too far, and his grin was physics defyingly wide. His hair had obviously once been crimson, but long hours in the sun had lightened it.

Between that, the blue eyes, and the grin...the soldiers weren't sure which was more terrifying: the beast or its rider.

First Steps on Unknown Ground

Kuei sat nervously upon his throne, Bosco to one side of him, Avatar Aang and his friends to the other. His nervousness was threefold. On one side, he had just barely pulled through an attempted coup and takeover attempt by the Fire Nation and his own protectors. On another side, part of the force that thwarted it was Fire Nation soldiers, led by two apparently prominent Fire Nation figures who he was about to meet with. But even with all that, he couldn't shake the feeling that in a matter of hours the entire world had turned on its head, and there was no way of knowing what would happen next. After all, there was the matter of the giant honey-badger-mole napping on his metaphorical front lawn. Most would see that as reason enough for nerves, right?

At least the palace functionaries who weren't Dai Li puppets certainly seemed to share his nerves. "P-prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, G-General Iroh of the Fire Nation, and...other to see you, Your Majesty," the scribe announced, filling in for the one who usually announced guests. He was apparently so flustered he couldn't even properly identify the third guest.

Kuei desperately hoped it wasn't the giant honey-badger-mole. "Send them in," he proclaimed, doing his best to at least appear calm.

He looked over the group as they entered. He was rather surprised that he recognized the two humans in the group by their uniforms. He'd spotted 'The Jasmine Dragon' when riding Appa to the Outer Wall with Aang and his group, and had privately decided to stop there for tea on the way back if Aang's revelation hadn't played out. "How did a Prince of the Fire Nation and one of its most famous generals end up running a tea shop in the Upper Ring of my own city?" he asked curiously.

A familiar giggle drew his attention. "Daddy's tea's just that good!" Cadence replied happily as she stepped up.

"Oh!" Kuei gasped out, shocked. "It's my little creature spirit friend. So nice to meet you in the flesh." He blinked as he processed what she said. "I didn't know you were General Iroh's daughter," he murmured as Bosco walked up to say his own hellos.

"Well, I didn't know you were the Earth King," Cadence countered before bursting into giggles as Bosco said his hellos. "Or that Bosco was such a kisser!"

Kuei chuckled, managing to relax a bit. "So tell me, Your Highness," he began, turning to Zuko...after Iroh pointed him to the right face, much to Kuei's embarrassment. "Have you come to demand my surrender?"

Zuko blinked in surprise. "What makes you think I'd be demanding that?" he asked, confused.

"Well, your force is currently the strongest armed force in the city, and surrounding the palace," Kuei pointed out.

"It's only 100 troops-"

"And a giant honey-badger-mole," Kuei reminded him. "In a city made almost entirely of stone."

"Oh, right," Zuko muttered. "Forgot about Chin's friend for a bit there..."

"So you aren't demanding surrender," Aang brought up, trying to keep the discussion on point.

"That's right," Zuko replied. "I understand you are planning an invasion of the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun. I want to help."

Kuei frowned. "That seems...a very odd offer from you."

"This war has torn the world apart, and threatens to destroy it," Zuko explained. "It has to be stopped. The driving force behind the war is my father, Fire Lord Ozai. He has to be stopped. But even though this is true...I'm still a Prince of the Fire Nation. My first concern in all my training was the well being of my Nation, of my people. And if I take no action here, my people will suffer greatly from your invasion...and the aftermath."

Kuei crossed his hands under his chin. "And what, exactly, are you offering?"

"I will lead the actual invasion of the Fire Nation capitol," Zuko replied. "I know where the palace is, and where my father would likely withdraw to if an invasion pushed too far or was too dangerous to face head on. We will isolate my father...and when the eclipse ends, I will challenge him to an Agni Kai, for the throne of the Fire Nation."

"At which point it is your intention to work towards stabilizing a peace between the nations?" Kuei clarified.

"That's correct," Zuko promised.

Kuei sat back, lost in thought. The offer was good...almost too good to be true. And after the Kyoshi Warriors had turned out to be Fire Nation spies, he was a bit suspicious of such things. He wished he had some way of knowing if Zuko's word could be trusted.

"He's telling the truth," Toph spoke up suddenly.

Kuei blinked, turning to the blind girl. "He spoke of this to you before?" he asked, surprised.

"No, but he's standing on stone," Toph explained. I can tell through the vibrations when someone's lying. But he's completely calm, not a hint of deception in him."

Kuei turned to the others of the group. "You've seen this ability in action?" he asked.

All three nodded. "If Toph says he's not lying, then he's not," Sokka admitted grudgingly.

Kuei sighed, then nodded. "Very well, Prince Zuko. I accept your terms."

Zuko nodded. "My Uncle is more of a tactician on the grand scale than I," he offered. "His advice would be most useful in planning the assault."

"I am happy to assist my nephew in whatever way he deems necessary," Iroh added, bowing.

"Then I'll introduce you to the Council of Five," Kuei agreed, standing up. As he turned, he paused. "...just as soon as we get their locations out of the Dai Li..."

Forged Bonds

Zuko left the palace quietly, focusing his thoughts as he made his way towards the Upper Ring. A meeting was coming, one he would lay money wouldn't be entirely pleasant for him. He could already hear the whispering, from court official to rich merchant to servant to customer, about what had happened that day. The attempted takeover of Ba Sing Se by the Fire Nation, the betrayal of the Dai Li...and how the day was saved. His real name was racing through the city, and it wouldn't be long before one person in particular put the details together. And he was going to meet that person now. Privately, he wished Cadence hadn't insisted that Jong and Zhin accompany him to watch his back, since he didn't really need it...and the pair were still using his 'last legal order' as carte blanche to ignore any orders of his they didn't particularly like, such as to leave him alone.

It wasn't long after he entered the Upper Ring that he saw her racing to approach him. She looked pleased to see him, but also thoughtful. He sighed sadly as she approached him. "Hey Jin," he greeted softly.

"Hey Lee!" she greeted happily. "Or...it's not Lee anymore, is it?"

Zuko glanced away sadly. "It...never really was." He lowered his gaze to the ground, feeling ashamed. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Jin replied softly. "It was pretty obvious from the start you were a lot more than just a tea server. You had a...larger name, for a larger destiny." She managed a soft smile. "Besides...with Lee, I got to know the real you, and I wouldn't trade that for anything."

Zuko sighed in relief as he felt his own smile returning. "I'm glad, too," he agreed. "It was...nice, making a friend where there weren't any expectations of either of us...where no matter where we were, we could just be us. I've never really had that before, and I'll never forget it."

Jin turned to him, her gaze and tone now worried. "Why does it sound like...you're saying goodbye?"

Zuko turned his eyes skyward. "...the larger destiny you mentioned is at hand," he explained. "Before long, the forces of the world will move towards a clash that will bring about an end to the Hundred Year War. The outcome of that clash will reshape the world, and...no matter the outcome, my role in it all will consume the rest of my days. I...probably won't ever be able to return to Ba Sing Se when it's over. And...even if I can, it...won't be like this. This part of my life, as a simple, happy tea server...that's over."

He turned to glance towards Jin, only to look away. There was something he wanted to say...but he was afraid. Afraid she'd say no. Afraid she would say yes, but for the wrong reasons. And even more afraid she'd say yes, only for it to end in tragedy. As all this raced through his mind, he knew the regret and wonder of not asking would haunt him, and he had to speak up. "Jin...there's something I want to ask you."

She gave him a piercing look, a soft smile taking any fierceness from it. "Is it Zuko asking...or Lee?"

Zuko managed to return the smile, glad one of his worries was unfounded. "It's...Lee asking through Zuko," he explained, hoping he was presenting it correctly.

Jin chuckled a bit. "Go ahead and ask," she encouraged softly.

"Will...will you come with me?" he asked nervously. "Help me...change the world?"

Jin looked him right in the eyes, turning his question over in her mind. She knew how she wanted to answer, but since he had been that worried about asking, she couldn't be that eager. "If I do...will I be able to see my parents again?"

Zuko shrugged. "If everything works out...we'll likely be coming back every now and then officially. There will be time then."

Jin nodded. "And what about the other girl?" she asked. "The one you were still holding a torch for?"

Zuko looked away, not looking forward to this topic. "It's...complicated..."

"Do you still have feelings for her?"

Zuko closed his eyes, pretty certain where the conversation was going. "...yes."

Jin raised an eyebrow. "And you're asking me to go with you...and not her?"

"I'm pretty sure she wants to kill me," Zuko admitted. "I...kinda broke up with her via letter to protect her from my treason..."

Jin couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Can't say I blame her," she replied jokingly. "But if she weren't going to try and kill you...would you be asking her instead of me?"

Zuko fell silent, giving the question serious thought. "...I don't know," he admitted at last. "I...I would want to ask her...but I'd want to ask you, too. I..." He shook his head, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know what to say..."

Jin's soft smile returned. "What's her name?" she asked.

"Mai," Zuko replied readily.

"Known her for a long time?"

Zuko nodded. "Since we were kids. She was my sister's friend, but...we grew close as well. And then...when the assignation was arranged, we started to drift apart, but Cadence helped me patch things up with her. And...when I left to hunt the Avatar, Cadence provided us with a way to stay in contact. It...it was hard to break things off with her...but I had to. For her sake."

Jin smiled softly to herself. A plan was beginning to form in her mind, a plan to help the boy she liked to be the man the world needed him to be. "Where is she now?" she asked innocently.

"In the cells up in the palace," Zuko replied. "Why?"

"No particular reason," Jin answered sweetly. Reaching out, she laid her hand on his shoulder. "Can I get back to you on that?"

"S-sure," Zuko stammered, cursing himself for losing control.

Jin smiled winsomely in a way that reminded Zuko briefly of Ty Lee at her most mischievous. Humming softly, she turned and walked off. Zuko couldn't figure out for the life of him at that moment why she was heading for the palace.

A Balanced Heart

Jin made her way up to the palace carefully, hoping she could get to where she was trying to go with the minimum of fuss. Given the mess the palace was in as the last of the Dai Li's corrupted influence was purged and the Generals were located, she didn't expect to be confronted by too many guards, and those that did confront her she hoped she could bluff. Given the way Zuko had talked about certain things - both as Zuko and before, as Lee - Jin was pretty certain she had one claim she could lay down that would get her where she needed to go, as long as she was careful about who she said it to.

Unfortunately for her, however, the shambles the palace was in worked against her as well. She'd never been inside before, and thus had no idea where to go. On top of that, the paranoia of a past King of Ba Sing Se - presumably before the Dai Li started controlling everything - had resulted in remodeling the interior of the palace into a maze. If you didn't live inside and didn't have a guide, you could get permanently lost in the halls short of Earth Bending your way out...and for all of Jin's confidence, compassion, and other sterling qualities, she wasn't an Earth Bender.

"Jin!" a familiar voice called out to her. Turning, she saw the one problem she hadn't anticipated approaching her, one of Zuko's party who knew her personally. "What are you doing here?"

Jin looked up at the one she'd pegged as one of 'Lee's secret bodyguards, this being the one without the bow and arrows. "Mr. Black, right?" she asked pleasantly.

"Jong, actually," he corrected. "We were all operating under aliases. But what are you doing here?"

Jin hoped against hope that her plan would work on Jong, and was glad her hearing was as good as it always had been. "Cadence said it would be a good idea if I talked to Mai," she offered hopefully. "Can you help me find her?"

She had been expecting a lot of reactions. Jong calling her bluff, shrugging her off, maybe giving her directions. She certainly hadn't expected him to burst into laughter. "Oh she is wicked!" he gasped out. "She's this way. Just be glad we took all her knives away from her before locking her up. Or more specifically, Cadence and Toph took her knives away." He shuddered a bit as he turned to lead the way. "Some of the places she hid knives and the like...well, no gentleman would have found them."

"Except Zuko, maybe?" Jin offered slyly, startling even more laughter from Jong.

Eventually, Jong led Jin to a cell deep inside the palace. "You can talk to them through the bars," Jong instructed, stepping back. "I'll stand over here so you can have some privacy. I'll still be in sight, though. Also, don't get too close to the bars. The other girl with her - Ty Lee - is still incredibly dangerous even unarmed and behind bars."

"I'll be careful," Jin promised as Jong stepped back. She then turned to see the pair of girls inside, still dressed in their disguises minus the makeup. "Hello," she greeted. "Remember me, Mai?"

"A little too well," Mai replied, looking bored. "What do you want?"

"Who's that?" Ty Lee asked eagerly. "Friend of yours, Mai?"

"A friend of Zuko's," Mai explained bluntly, her tone just a little too cold.

"Ohhh..." Ty Lee murmured in understanding.

Jin sat in front of the gate. "In answer to your question, Mai...I want to talk. About Zuko."

"Spare me the details," Mai groaned. "The last thing I want to hear about right now is whatever you get up to with Zuko."

"Even if it has to do with the end of the war?" Jin asked carefully.

Mai raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" she asked cautiously.

"Zuko's going to confront his father," Jin explained. "He's asked me to go with him when he does."

Mai let out a quiet sigh. "Good for you," she grumbled. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I haven't said yes yet," Jin explained. "And he said the only reason he hadn't asked you is because he thinks you want to kill him."

Mai raised an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked, a slight hint of interest in her tone. "Well, you can tell him I'm not planning on killing him any time soon. Cadence talked me out of it."

"How'd she manage that?" Ty Lee asked eagerly. "Heartfelt discussion? An appeal to your better nature? A reminder of your true feelings for Zuko?"

"Or did she sick Mr. Green on you?" Jin jokes.

"...Mr. Green?" Mai asked, the tilt of her head the only sign of her confusion.

"Zuko's archer bodyguard," Jin explained.

"Oh, Zhin," Mai corrected. "And you're both right."

Jin frowned. "Huh. Didn't expect that from Cadence. She seemed so...nice."

"She was raised in the Fire Nation royal family," Mai counters. "Iron fist in a velvet glove is how the whole family works. Even Zuko has his own steel inside of him when he needs it."

"Huh," Ty Lee replied with a tilt of her head. "Hadn't really thought about it that way. Then again, wasn't she rather fond of Fire Lord Ozai when she was in the capitol, too?"

"Did you want anything else?" Mai demanded of Jin, laying back.

"Just this," Jin replied firmly, getting to the point. "If Zuko did ask you to go with him when he confronted his father, would you say yes?"

Mai thought about that for a time, unsure what to say.

"I would!" Ty Lee offered eagerly.

"Really?" Mai asked in surprise. Jin was rather shocked as well.

"What's to think about?" Ty Lee countered. "Azula's no longer a factor, so it's a choice between Ozai and Zuko. Zuko'd be getting the throne now eventually anyway...so why not help him get it if he's going for it now?" She proceeded to walk around the cell on her hands for no apparent reason. "It's a choice between the Fire Nation, or the Fire Nation and our friend. What's to choose? After all, Zuko's already got Cadence and the Avatar on his side. It's not like he'll lose."

Jin suppressed a chuckle. "I guess I see your point." She turned back to Mai. "What about you?"

Mai leaned back in thought for a time, thinking everything over. "...if Zuko asks me himself, I'll go," she said finally.

Jin smiled widely. "I can get him here to do that," she confirmed. "Now...what about the rest of it? You going to...stay the course?"

Mai looked at Jin for a time...only to smirk. "Zuko's going to have his hands full keeping the world in one piece. He could use all the help he can get for the long run. Last thing he needs is being fought over."

Jin grinned back. "I couldn't agree more," she agreed. "But while I'm here...Ty Lee, could you teach me a few of your acrobatic tricks?"

Ty Lee blinked, surprised. "Sure, but why?"

"Well, just because we've agreed not to fight over him doesn't mean we aren't going to be competing a bit," Jin replied with a wicked smirk. "And if I don't want to get stuck being the co-wife...I need to be a bit more...flexible." She quirked her eyebrows suggestively as she brought that up.

Both Mai and Ty Lee's eyes went wide as she said that. "Wow," Ty Lee finally replied. "Only the people at the circus ever talked like that to me before."

Jin shrugged. "Guess that's what comes from having a much more down to earth upbringing," she joked.

Mai groaned as Ty Lee giggled. "Really?" she demanded, plainly annoyed. "You're really going to be throwing jokes like that around?"

"What?" Jin teased. "You didn't really think you'd get away without facing any punishment, did you?"

"I've changed my mind," Mai groaned as Ty Lee laughed. "Keep him."

Jin laughed along with Ty Lee, knowing Mai didn't really mean it.

The Battle Plan

Iroh sat back in his chair around the table, listening as the Council of Five planned out their attack on the Fire Nation. He found he was having mixed feelings about this situation. On the one hand, his presence here boded well for making peace between the nations after the war was over. On the other, here he was helping plan an invasion of his own homeland. While he agreed with Zuko's plan to depose Ozai and place him on the throne, he couldn't escape the divided loyalties in his own heart. He was being forced to choose between his brother and his nephew, and while he knew his choice was the right one, it wasn't any less unpleasant.

Sitting directly across from him was the young Water Tribesman, Sokka. He was paying rather close attention to everything the Council was discussing, but he seemed to grow more and more put out with the direction of the discussion. At the same time, he seemed too intimidated by the Council to speak up. Iroh couldn't blame the boy: he was just barely on the verge of manhood, thrown into all of this before he was ready.

Remembering how Zuko was when he first started learning politics and tactics, Iroh decided to speak up on the boy's behalf. "Did you have something to add to the discussion, Sokka?" he asked. "Considering how well your plans have done in thwarting Azula in the past, who was certainly one of the Fire Nation's greatest modern tacticians, I am certain your input would be of great value."

Iroh did his best not to laugh aloud at the look of absolute terror on the boy's face as all eyes turned to him. To his credit, Sokka didn't back down. Swallowing convulsively, he stood up and began to speak, even if his voice was uncertain. "Well, it's just...all these plans of a full scale invasion...I mean, it just doesn't..."

Taking pity on the boy, Iroh leaned forward. "Explain your idea to me, Sokka," he instructed softly. "I'm sure Toph's told you I'm always happy to listen."

Nodding, Sokka focused his attention on Iroh, his voice becoming a bit more certain as Iroh's expression showed no sinecure or judgement, only support...and slowly growing admiration as Sokka went on. "Well, I don't think a full scale invasion of the Fire Nation is such a good idea," Sokka explained. "Our goal here isn't conquest, but a coup. Since our end goal is to use the Day of Black Sun to get Zuko inside Fire Nation borders so he can challenge Ozai to the Agni Kai once the Eclipse ends, our efforts should be focused on getting the Fire Nation's forces out of the way, rather than eradicating them. A full scale invasion would take too long, and we won't have enough time in the eclipse for the infiltration. All this current plan would accomplish is annihilation...and I'm pretty sure that's not our goal here.

"Our first task should be to mount major assaults on several points of tactical significance to the Fire Nation," Sokka continued, growing more confident as even the Generals began to listen with less judgement and more interest. "But we won't be trying to take those points. The goal is to make the Fire Nation think our attack is serious enough that they send out their fleets and reserve forces to counter us...at which point a specially selected force led by Zuko will slip past the weakened defenses to target the Royal Compound, and Ozai specifically."

"Specially selected force?" General Sung asked, locking his beady eyes on Sokka. "Why such a special force?"

"Because whatever defenses will be left will be built around conventional ideas of warfare and conventional assaults," Sokka countered. "So if we want to make it past them without too many casualties, the assault force needs to be unconventional." He grinned widely as he leaned back. "I've already got a plan of just who to send in, and the time the diversionary assaults will take to set up and initiate will be plenty of time to gather them."

"Not a bad plan," General How confirmed, stroking his strong chin as he looked Sokka over. "I assume you also have ideas of what particular places we should attack?"

Sokka swallowed nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "Well...I don't actually know much about the overall Fire Nation war strategy to guess what points would be good targets..." Seeing Iroh's supportive smile, he grinned widely. "But we do happen to have someone here who does!"

Iroh chuckled as all eyes turned to him. "Indeed I do know of several such locations that would bring immediate reinforcements should we attack," he stated firmly. "And, if what I see of current force placement for both sides is accurate, those locations are open to assault." He began marking the points on the map, placing flags at each location he was discussing. "Although we shouldn't actually try to take those locations. The cost in time, resources, and lives would be prohibitive. We should engage in a siege postion until reinforcements are sighted, then pull back. With one exception."

Iroh carefully placed the last few flags. "These are prisons run by the Fire Nation. Here they keep prisoners of war, traitors, and other criminal elements. If we can take these locations, we can swell our forces by a great deal, and many we liberate there can be added to the special assault force. One place in particular, where we know from Mai and Ty Lee the Kyoshi Warriors were sent."

"Their particular skills would be most useful in infiltrating the Fire Nation capitol," General How agreed. "Where would they be?"

"Here," Iroh proclaimed, pointing to the location in question. "The Boiling Rock."

Recruitment

Zuko stared around in amazement at the 'special squad' Sokka had gathered for the assault of the Fire Nation capital to take down Fire Lord Ozai. It was certainly an...eclectic group, to say the least, and not all of the meetings were entirely happy.

The first group Zuko wound up meeting - the closest one that Sokka recruited for the mission - was Jet himself, along with his entire 'Freedom Fighter' brigade. That encounter was...tense.

"So you are a Firebender after all," Jet stated bluntly as they sized each other up.

"That's right," Zuko replied as he stood firm, trying to ready himself for whichever way the conversation would go.

"And not just any Firebender," Jet continued. "The Prince, if I'm not mistaken." He idly moved the bit of wheat clenched in his teeth around his mouth. "Which makes that old guy General Iroh? Talk about big fish I missed."

"Wouldn't have done you much good to report us," Zuko replied. "We wouldn't have given you any proof, and without proof the Dai Li would have dragged you off as the threat to the city's stability."

"What makes you think I wouldn't have gotten proof?" Jet challenged.

"Jong and Zhin," Zuko replied. "Between them and Cadence, we always knew exactly where you were while you were stalking us."

Jet shrugged, still managing to look impudent. "Maybe, maybe not." He waited for a time, then continued. "Still, in the long run, seems like it's a good thing I didn't." He shrugged. "Can't say I like or trust you yet...but I suppose I can give you a chance."

Zuko chuckled softly. "Quite the stellar endorsement," he offered jokingly. "Does that mean I won't be finding your blades in my back?"

"At least not until you've dealt with your old man," Jet promised, smirking.

Rolling his eyes, Zuko nodded to those members of Jet's group he didn't recognize - amongst them a rather large young man named Pipsqueak and a much smaller boy named 'The Duke' - before moving on to the next group.

He was unsurprised to see that the entirety of this group was dressed in the garb of Earth Kingdom peasantry, both in coloration and make of the fabric. What startled him most, however, was to see that the apparent leader of the group was a young boy his own age...bound in a wheelchair.

"So you're Prince Zuko?" the boy asked, rolling himself up. "I'm Teo. A pleasure to meet you." He offered his hand cordially to shake.

Managing a smile, Zuko accepted the offered handshake. "Nice to meet you, too." He glanced over the group. "So...are you all Earthbenders?"

"Nope!" Teo replied eagerly. "We're backup for Aang in the air." He gestured to a nearby glider, plainly designed to be attached to his wheelchair. "With that, I'm all but unstoppable as long as I've got wind to fly on. My Dad designed it for me."

Zuko didn't know much about mechanics, but he knew what was expected. Kneeling down, he examined the glider. "Very nice," he praised, even though he didn't know much about it. "Your father's pretty good with machines, then?"

"He's a brilliant inventor," Teo confirmed. He looked aside somewhat guiltily. "Unfortunately...most of the Fire Nations newer weapons are his designs. He was...supplying them with weapon designs in exchange for them not wiping out our settlement at the Northern Air Temple."

Zuko stroked his chin as he vaguely remembered reading a report regarding a battle there while he was pursuing Aang. "I take it Aang put a stop to that?" he asked confidently.

"Yup!" Teo confirmed. "Between our aerial assault from our gliders and the war balloon Sokka helped my Dad perfect, we were able to drive the whole attacking force off." He smiled widely. "That's where my Dad is now. He's up at the palace with Sokka, working out plans for special assault craft for the attack plan. Heard them saying something about some sort of underwater transport craft to slip right past the defensive fleet."

Zuko couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. "How is that even supposed to work?" he asked, completely stumped.

Teo shrugged. "Dunno. But apparently it involves Water Bending." He gestured to another group of individuals dressed in...leaves and swamp muck. "That's why they're here."

"Who are they?" Zeko demanded, confused.

"Swamp Benders, apparently," Teo offered. "Not sure what that even means."

"I'll go ask," Zuko decided, turning to go. "Looking forward to seeing you in the air."

"Looking forward to seeing you on the throne!" Teo called back before spinning to go seek out other acquaintances.

As he approached the Swamp Benders, he spotted three individuals who immediately caught his attention. The first was a fat, grey haired man with amusement sparkling in his ancient, wise eyes. The second was a younger fat man clutching his stomach in pain. The third was a skinnier man, clutching himself in pain somewhat lower. On top of that, all three were dressed - if you could call it that - in grass and swamp muck skirts and leaf hats.

"Now what have we learned?" the older one asked, his voice containing qualities that reminded Zuko of Iroh in 'teacher mode'.

"Ponies are not good eatin'," the pair of younger men groaned back, whimpering.

Chuckling, Zuko decided to leave well enough alone for now. Between this group and whatever else Sokka called in, 'unconventional' was a definite given.

Family Discussion

Zuko eventually returned to the Jasmine Dragon, sitting at an empty table in the silence of the after hours. It wasn't long before Iroh and Cadence came out of the kitchen with cups and a pot of tea. Zuko was actually grateful, thinking a cup of tea might actually help him rest and focus for what he expected would be the hardest confrontation of his preparations for the upcoming end of the war. Before he could enjoy his tea, however, he noticed that Cadence was looking a bit put out. He glanced at Iroh curiously.

Iroh chuckled indulgently. "She went out to meet the special squad, too," Iroh explained. "She had an...unpleasant encounter with two of the Swamp Benders."

Zuko couldn't help but smirk. "I saw the aftermath," he pointed out. "How'd that happen, anyway?"

"I'd had fun meeting everyone," Cadence explained. "Especially Teo's group. But two of the Swamp Benders tried to eat me!" She snorted in frustration. "One said he thought I'd taste like 'possum-chicken'. Do I look like a chicken to you?" She kicked out at the back of her chair in frustration before flaring her wings. "These are eagle or albatross, not chicken!"

"So you kicked them both and stormed off?" Zuko asked, struggling not to let his amusement at her antics show.

"The fat one got a headbutt," she admitted. "They were coming at me from in front and behind."

Zuko winced, unsure if a horned headbutt to the stomach or a hoof kick to lower down was the worse injury. Taking a sip of his tea, he decided to change the subject. "There's...one more meeting I have to get through before I'll be ready for the assault," he admitted. "And...it's not one I'm looking forward to-"

"Wait on talking with Mai until after you fight your father," Cadence suggested, causing both Zuko and Iroh to turn to her.

"Really?" Iroh asked, shocked. "That...doesn't seem to be the best of plans as far as their relationship..."

"I have to agree," Zuko confirmed. "Wouldn't it be better to get everything resolved before going into battle?"

"There are only three outcomes of meeting with Mai," Cadence explained. "Possibility one, she loves you enough to forgive you, and then you have a love triangle on your hands between her and Jin, which is the last thing you need going into a major battle against your father to decide the fate of the world...not to mention creating a confusion of motives. You're doing this for the world, after all, not your own personal happily-ever-after." She carefully took a sip of her tea. "Second possibility, she doesn't love you anymore, and you go into battle with half your heart broken. Not a good possibility, since you need all your strength - physical and emotional - to face Uncle Ozai."

She leaned back in her chair, specially designed for her shape to be more comfortable when doing so. "The final possibility is that she doesn't know how she feels about you anymore, leaving you both confused for the confrontation. She might be able to handle it, but you can't afford it. Your mind needs to be clear." She gave a shrug of her wings. "She's already signed up alongside Ty Lee to be part of the assault, so you know she's on our side. Anything else can, and should, wait until after you know if you'll be talking with her from the throne, the prison, or the grave."

"Your confidence in our chances is so refreshing," Zuko groaned, his face falling to his hand.

"See? You've got enough to worry about," Cadence explained. "Last thing you need is more worries."

"Speaking of," Iroh spoke up, "I will not be joining you in the assault."

"You won't?" Zuko and Cadence both asked shocked.

"This upcoming battle isn't just about saving the world," Iroh explained. "It's about setting the scene for the future. How history remembers your confrontation with my brother is just as important as the confrontation itself. If I am present with you, history might to easily twist things to say that you were a pawn in a power struggle between brothers...but this battle must be father and son. As such, I can not be a part of any aspect of this endeavor beyond planning."

"I...I see," Zuko admitted worriedly. He could see the logic there, but knowing he wouldn't have his Uncle at his side suddenly made the whole endeavor seem much more reckless, and the shadow of failure seemed to loom much larger.

"Does that apply to me, too?" Cadence asked worriedly.

Smiling, Iroh shook his head. "You never had any official place in the Royal Succession," Iroh explained. "As such, historically you have no stake in the outcome in that regard."

"Good!" Cadence proclaimed as Zuko visibly relaxed. "I'm not about to be left out of this!"

"Speaking of this," Zuko began, deciding to change the subject, "when's the first assault?"

"Already underway," Iroh replied. "A force of Earth Benders is already prepared to crack the Boiling Rock. That will convince my brother that the remaining assaults are serious, and not just distractions, meaning he'll be forced to commit his reserves."

"How can Earth Benders alone break the Boiling Rock?" Zuko demanded.

"Sokka's plan," Iroh explained. "He called it...the Brick and Break..."

The platoon of Earth Bending soldiers arranged themselves carefully on the outside of the caldera. Directly opposite was the boiling lake, and in the center was the prison itself. It was long thought to be impossible to breach...but with enough Earth Benders, Sokka had come up with a way to do it.

The Earth Benders at the top of the Caldera broke the stone directly in front of them into blocks, thrusting it forward before stepping into the space left behind. The ones below them then did the same to the stone they were standing on, while those above held the stone they were controlling in front of them, pushing it forward. This pattern continued until the stones held by the Benders at the top were directly over the top of the prison's metal walls, the signal went back and the blocks were brought down, fusing them together into a ramp the exact width of the prison walls. As the first wave of Earth Benders moved forward to battle with the prison guards, the second wave of Earth Benders called the stone from the bottom of the lake to brace the bridge and maintain it.

Once inside, the Earth Benders had the major advantage. While the walls were all steel...the ground was stone.

Author's Note

If such things existed in the Avatar world, the plan would have been called "LEGO-Mania". My Mom's suggestion.

Night of Two Moons

Zuko paced worriedly back and forth in the throne room of the Fire Lord. What he'd thought of as the hard part - the invasion - was over now, and rather anticlimactically. Ozai had abandoned his throne, and tomorrow he would be crowned Fire Lord. Then would come the really hard part, trying to work with other leaders to ratify some sort of peace treaty, all the while glancing over his shoulder for when Ozai would make his move with the army he had with him, since a rather large number of Fire Benders were unaccounted for, along with the new War Balloons. Until that was nailed down, negotiations for peace were unlikely to progress well.

And as of right now, all of that was the least of his worries. Jin and Mai had asked to meet with him tonight, at the same time, in the royal quarters, with insistence that what they had to discuss had to be tonight, before he was officially crowned. They'd set a specific time for him to be there, and that time was slowly approaching. And despite everything, the one thought his mind kept returning to was, That's where grandfather died.

At long last, the time was upon him, and he made his way to the Royal Quarters, hoping he'd come out of this alive and more or less in one piece, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

When he arrived, he found them both sitting relaxed on the bed, Jin sending a smirk Mai's way and Mai seeming somehow flustered. When he entered, they both smiled at him, Jin more widely than Mai, even though Mai's smile was a bit wider than normal anyway. "Hey Zuko!" Jin greeted happily. "Come sit with us!" She patted the bed between the two of them.

Zuko's sense of personal danger shot up several notches, but he did as requested. "So...you two had something you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked nervously.

"More or less," Mai replied. "We certainly have a good amount to discuss."

Zuko nodded, swallowing. "Mai...I'm sorry I hurt you..."

"But not for what you did?"

Zuko winced, but he continued on. "...no. I did what I felt I had to do for your sake, to stay true to myself and protect you from what I saw myself having become. I won't apologize for that, only for the pain it caused you...and for that, I can only hope I can earn your forgiveness."

Mai stared at him for a time, then rolled her eyes. "You say that like I didn't already know you were a chivalrous idiot," she said at last. "Apology accepted." Leaning in, she placed her lips against his, catching him completely off guard. Just as he started to relax into the kiss and return it, she pulled back. Locking her eyes on his, she poked him in the chest to emphasize her words. "But don't you ever. Break up with me. Again."

Grinning wide in his nervousness, Zuko nodded readily.

Jin couldn't prevent her giggles. "You two are so cute together!" she squealed. "No wonder Cadence put so much effort into the two of you."

Zuko gulped as he turned towards her. "Jin...I..." Unsure what to say or do, he glanced back and forth between the two girls.

"We've been talking," Jin explained. "About how we feel about you."

"And we came to a rather surprising discovery," Mai continued. "Both of us would step aside and let the other be with you instead...if that's what would make you happy."

"Which just leaves us in a different quandary," Jin added as she saw the confusion on Zuko's face. "Because we know you care about us both...and after talking to you back before we left Ba Sing Se, I know you don't have it in you to hurt either of us by choosing the other."

"Jin had...a rather unique solution," Mai admitted. "She invited me to participate in an...experiment." She lowered her gaze, her cheeks coloring.

"It went surprisingly well for both of us," Jin pointed out as Zuko became more and more confused. "Which left us with a...rather equitable solution as a possibility."

"Which is why we're all here, now," Mai offered. "Before the coronation and all the official stuff goes through. While you and I are still technically vagabond traitors, and not saddled with the burdens of politics and society." She smiled softly. "It's not Prince Zuko or a Governor's daughter here."

"It's just Zuko...and just Mai...and just Jin," Jin concluded. "Here to see if you can handle both of us."

Zuko backed up on the bed, caught completely off guard, only to see the two of them turn to crawl towards him, wicked mischief in their eyes. He struggled to figure out what to do...only to recall obscure words of wisdom Iroh had given him when he'd asked him why girls were so strange.

"Zuko, there will be times in your life where you will be caught up in the flow of events, with no escape or resistance possible. At those times, all you can do is embrace it, and ride it out until you can once more guide your life and things make sense again." A soft chuckle. "That is the nature of men and women...at least from our perspective."

Finally getting a glimmering of the meaning of Iroh's strange advice, Zuko took the only option available to him...and embraced the flow of events before him, and the two who embodied that change.

Several hours later, Zuko sat out on the balcony, staring up at the moon. Taking in a deep breath, he exhaled a stream of smoke. He wasn't sure why his Fire Bending was causing him to exhale smoke just now...but it somehow seemed appropriate with how...disheveled yet refreshed he felt.

Much to his surprise, Cadence approached on near silent wings, circling around his smoke rings. "So...how'd your talk with Mai and Jin go?" she asked softly.

Zuko stared at her for a time, but the only response he could find energy to give was a goofy grin. Confused, Cadence glanced into the bedroom...and saw only discarded clothing and a very rumpled bed from which snoring could be heard.

Zuko struggled not to laugh at the bright blush on Cadence's cheeks. He didn't do a very good job.

Peace Summit

The reign of Fire Lord Zuko was marked by great changes to the world even as it began. Zuko's first announcement after his official coronation was that he was bringing an end to the Hundred Years War, with the intent of working to usher in an era of peace. In the same breath, he proclaimed bringing about the fulfillment of Sozin's dream. To say that those listening were confused was an understatement. There was also some grumbling about the fact that Fire Lord Zuko had already arranged to take a second wife before even going through with wedding the one he'd been engaged to for years, with some comments about 'a horny teenager' 'taking advantage' of 'sacred tradition'. However, with how rumors had spread about why Ozai had fled rather than face Zuko, the opinionated members of the populace did their grumbling very quietly.

Then came the actual planning of the peace summit. The first major issue that arose was choosing the location that the leaders of all factions could meet up in. While Ba Sing Se was Zuko's first choice, it was quickly discarded as it was a point of Earth Kingdom strength, one place that never fell during the war, and it wouldn't do for the leader initiating such a summit to be doing so from a position of perceived weakness. Unfortunately, the only positions of strength for the Water Benders were the two poles, which were inappropriate for venues due to only the Water Tribes being comfortable there. And any city in Fire Nation territory or currently occupied was out because none of the leaders of the Earth Kingdom or Water Tribes would agree to meet there. At first Aang had suggested one of the Air Temples as a neutral ground, but of them, one was a graveyard, one was occupied by the Fire Nation, one was inaccessible to anyone who couldn't fly, and the last no longer contained the traditional Air Nomad architecture that would properly encourage the peaceful discussions.

At long last, however, a location was selected. As it turned out, King Bumi had retaken Omashu single-handed during the Eclipse, and was more than happy to host a Peace Summit...as long as everyone obeyed his rules regarding such things. With Aang's endorsement of Bumi as 'a mad genius, but good hearted' and similar encouragement from Cadence and Iroh, Zuko had readily agreed. Once Zuko had agreed, King Kuei had to agree as an Earth Kingdom city was still a position of strength, and refusal would be seen as cowardice. The other leaders of Earth Kingdom factions agreed for much the same reasons. Once the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdoms had agreed, the Water Tribes had no choice but to accept it as well, or be seen as deliberately obstructing attempts at peace.

Then Bumi actually started drafting the 'Rules of Peace Summit Etiquette in Omashu', and everyone else began having second thoughts.

Zuko sighed in relief as he laid back against the stone wall of his guest quarters in Omashu, staring out at the city as he got a breath of fresh air. The first stage of the 'traditional ceremonies' for the Peace Talks had been finally concluded for the day, and the rest would likely take the rest of the week, if not longer, before they actually got down to any talking. The day's 'performance' had taken a good deal out of him already, and he could well understand why everyone who knew him referred to Bumi as 'mad', though the genius part escaped him for the moment. It would have to be someone mad who would decide to start a peace conference by having the political leaders and their entourage perform a musical ballet representing the history of the war and the events of its resolution. He was never going to get the mental image of Bumi in that tutu out of his mind.

It wasn't all bad, he reminded himself, focusing on the fact that Jin and Mai both participated as part of his entourage. Mai was against it at first, until Jin encouraged her by pointing out the effect of the pair of them in tutus would have on Zuko's 'performance'. They were enjoying tormenting him far too much in his opinion. And I don't want to know how Bumi had a tutu in my sizes ready.

Though if Zuko was being honest with himself, he still was having a hard time believing Bumi managed to convince everyone to actually go along with it. Then again, by presenting it as a test of the various diplomats personal dedication to making peace had shut a lot of complaining and offended mouths. Truthfully, Zuko was just glad it was finally over...and wished the performance hadn't been written by the Ember Island Players. The way they had characterized everyone had been somewhere between humiliating and ludicrous.

Pushing it all out of his mind for the moment, he looked around the city, surprised to spot Aang not far from his window, staring down at the city as well. "Something on your mind?" he called out to the Avatar.

"Just having trouble wrapping my mind around the whole peace conference," Aang replied. "It's...hard to wrap my head around it all finally being over."

"And peace resting on Bumi's whims?" Zuko asked ruefully, quirking his eyebrow up.

"Bumi's not actually that crazy," Aang countered. "Don't underestimate him."

"I won't," Zuko agreed. "But some of these things..." He shook his head. "What's tomorrow's 'diplomatic event' again?"

"A demonstration of bending talents," Aang replied, grinning. "Any faction leader with bending abilities will be using them to race down the Omashu mail chutes. I'll be representing the Air Nomads, Bumi the Earth Kingdoms, and Master Pakku the Water Tribes. So you'll be racing against us with your fire." He laughed gaily. "Last time I raced a Fire Bender down these chutes, I was trying to save Bumi from your sister."

"Only to discover he didn't need saving?" Zuko countered, quirking an eyebrow. "Don't think I'll be as easy to outrun than she was."

Aang grinned widely. "I'll keep that in mind."

The next day, the four 'faction leaders' were arranged at the top of the mail system. Bumi rested in one of the mail baskets, ready to speed himself along. Pakku had gathered water around himself to send an ice platform shooting down. Aang had prepared his vacuum sphere to ride. Grinning, Zuko prepared his fire skates, which caused Aang to gasp in amazement.

"That's amazing!" Aang gasped out. "How'd you come up with that?"

"I based it off that technique," Zuko explained, pointing at the sphere Aang was riding.

"When the conference is over, you have got to teach me!" Aang insisted.

"On your mark!" Cadence proclaimed, hovering before the group, bringing attention back to the race at hand. "Get Set! ...GO!"

The race was on.

Bendy Races

As the race began, Pakku took an early lead as gravity aided his liquid descent, allowing him to pull a good distance ahead of everyone else...until he saw what Bumi had done to the mail system for this event. The channels no longer went straight down the mountain interconnecting and dividing as they went. Instead, they now performed occasional loop-de-loops, crisscrossed all over the city, and only came together at the very bottom of the city where the finish line was. They were as much a maze as a race track, and Bumi was the only one who knew the proper courses.

After that, it looked like Bumi would take the lead, but he wound up being spilled out of his own track as Aang and Zuko leapt tracks, quickly taking the lead as the spinning of their Bending rides allowed them to take the loops without slowing down...although it was somewhat amusing for Aang as he passed Zuko in a loop to hear him mumbling, "Don't look up, don't look up, don't look up..."

"Actually, that's down," Aang pointed out as he zipped by.

"Not helping!" Zuko snapped as he struggled to keep up.

Past the loops, the trio still in the race began to strike out at each other in order to gain more of a lead. A major difference between Zuko's Fire Skates and Aang's Vacuum Sphere/Air Scooter quickly became apparent as they began the attempts at damaging each others' tracks. While the Air Scooter required much less physical energy to use and maintain, it required a great deal more focus and balance. Trying to lash out with Bending while riding could easily cause Aang to overbalance, resulting in spilling himself from the sphere. While Zuko's Fire Skates were much more physically taxing as he had to constantly race forward, his arms were free to attack while he moved, making them more versatile.

Throughout the city, groups of spectators cheered for their preferred competitor, and excitement ran rampant as the three raced down the mountain, leaping from channel to channel to gain more momentum towards the finish line.

Up near the top, Bumi frowned as he got up from his crash. "They think they can beat me in a race through my own city on a course I designed? I'll show them!" Leaping up, he set his mail trolley on its side and leapt onto it, rolling it forward with his feet and gathering more earth to it as it rolled down the mountainside. "Na...na na nah na na nah!" he sang out for no apparent reason as an entire side of his city became rolled up in the giant ball of earth.

It wasn't long after that when Bumi crossed the finish line. "I am victorious!" he proclaimed proudly, only to glance around. "Where are the other competitors? And the spectators?"

Swooping down, Momo started chittering at him angrily.

"Oh, there you are, Momo!" Bumi replied happily. "Impressive victory, wasn't-what do you mean it's a draw?!" Following Momo's angry gestures, he unrolled the ball of earth slowly, revealing where the vast majority of the competitors and spectators had been trapped - immobilized but otherwise unhurt - within the massive sphere. "Oopsies?" Bumi offered apologetically.

"...are you sure he's not just mad?" Zuko grunted at Aang.

"...I used to be?" Aang offered worriedly.

After the race fiasco, it was decided that direct physical competitions were not a good idea for diplomatic events. Instead, Bumi instituted an endless series of parties...and party games, which were arguably more strenuous than the race had been.

At one point, Zuko, Aang, Kuei, Pakku, and Cadence were all collapsed together between one game and the next, struggling to catch their breaths. "I swear that maniac's going to work us to death," Pakku groaned as he struggled to breathe.

"I can't remember...the last time...I exerted myself so much!" Kuei gasped out. "I'd feel so alive...if I didn't feel like I was about to die..."

"At this rate...nobody's going to have any energy...for the diplomacy when it comes up..." Aang managed between lungfuls of air.

"Then let's see...what we can cover...while we can still breathe..." Zuko suggested. "What are...the big sticking points...to peace?"

"C...colonies..." Kuei managed as he took a drink of water Pakku offered him. "Thanks. The Colonies can't stay Fire Nation territory."

"Wouldn't be fair to the governors and colonists who've lived there for three or more generations to kick them out," Cadence pointed out as she fanned herself and the others with her wings.

"Then give them to Aang as new Air Nomad settlements," Pakku suggested facetiously. "Nobody wins, but nobody loses."

"Maybe we should ask them before making arbitrary decisions about them?" Aang suggested. "Before anyone starts revolting or something?"

"That works," Zuko grunted as he pushed himself to his feet. "What else?"

"I...heard something about Sozin's dream?" Kuei asked nervously as he got to his feet.

"That's a long story," Zuko replied. "Long story short, Fire Nation metalwork and technological advancement plus Earth Kingdom resources equals technological revolution improving the lives of everyone on the planet."

"...I can get behind that," Kuei agreed.

"No arguments here," Pakku added.

"I'd like to hear more," Aang confirmed.

"What are you all doing lazing about?" Bumi called out as he bounced over. "The day's not even half over and you've yet to pin the crown on the king!" He then laughed madly, snorted, and dashed off.

"...move to hogtie King Bumi so we can settle the rest of the Peace Conference in a relaxed setting?" Kuei brought up.

"Seconded," Pakku agreed rapidly.

"Make it unanimous?" Zuko asked Aang.

"Motion carried," Aang confirmed.

Bumi hung upside down from the top of his city, a mask completely covering his face with only just enough room to breathe, and his entire body wrapped up to the point that he couldn't move, let alone bend. Oddly enough, he was happy about this, as it meant that the various leaders of this peace delegation had joined together as comrades to accomplish something, and that energy would be the driving force of settling the actual peace treaty since his other activities had already drained them of all other energy so that they were too pooped to fight over inconsequential matters.

Success! Bumi cackled happily to himself as he swung back and forth. A thought then occurred to him. "...I have to go to the bathroom..." he called out through the mask.

But nobody came.

"...I think I may have overlooked a couple of details..." he muttered to himself.

Author's Note

Sorry the music's so much shorter than the race segment. I couldn't find a longer one.

I Saw the Sun, part 1

Zuko lay back against Omashu's stone walls, relaxing after a long and tiring meeting. Although the Peace Conference was no longer physically taxing as it had been when Bumi was in charge, they were still mentally draining for the young Fire Lord, along with all other participants. It still amazed Zuko that platitudes and old sayings had more effect on the older delegates than reasoning and forethought. He'd lost count of the number of times he'd recited Sozen's favorite old saying, and the source of his dream: "Stagnant waters breed only decay."

After several days, however, the Peace Accords were tentatively completed. It would take some time to set them in motion, and there was still the concern of what Ozai might be up to, but it looked like a lasting peace would at long last come to pass, and all the peoples of the world could work together towards a brighter future. Zuko desperately hoped that when it was over, he'd have a chance for a vacation. He was exhausted.

Unfortunately, more things that needed doing seemed to pile up from all over. On the off chance Ozai did intend some form of militaristic action against the world, it was decided that Aang needed to learn Firebending so as to have a chance against him when the time came. Unfortunately, the only two Firebenders that Aang had any sort of connection to for studies were Iroh and Zuko...and Iroh had insisted that teaching was the final stage of Zuko's education as a Firebender. As such, it was up to the young Fire Lord to teach the Avatar. It had...not been going well.

While Aang was eager to learn, he seemed to fear his fire far more than was healthy, to the point he couldn't even bring it out. Despite all of Zuko's patience and encouragement, it had been five days since the teachings had started, and he still hadn't managed to even conjure smoke. Zuko tried to pass on the lessons Iroh had taught him about fire being something to be respected but not feared, but Zuko didn't fully understand the lessons himself.

As Aang approached nervously, Zuko decided to try a different tact. "I think perhaps we should try a different approach," Zuko stated as he pushed himself up. "During my lessons under Iroh, he spoke of...a pilgrimage I might make when I felt I was ready, to fully understand and embrace the true meaning of Firebending. I think it's time I do so...and it should be a good way to help you get past your hurdles, as well."

"A field trip?" Aang asked eagerly. "Cool! Where are we going?"

"The ruins of the Sun Warriors, the first Firebenders," Zuko explained. "You'll need to call Appa for this trip."

Aang glanced nervously towards the Conference Chamber. "Are you sure we won't be missed?" he asked ruefully, plainly as eager as Zuko for a break from the tedium.

"I made a deal with my Uncle," Zuko explained. "He'll fill in for us today...if we take Cadence with us."

"What's the problem there?" Aang asked, surprised. "That sounds like a-"

"And she's in charge of the expedition."

Aang's face fell. "Oh..."

To say that the pair felt a bit overloaded by the time they reached the ancient 'Ruins' of the Sun Warriors - similar in design structure to the Temple of the Fire Sages - was an understatement. Cadence apparently believed in being prepared for everything, which meant having something with you to deal with every possible situation. Each pack of gear weighed more than the person carrying it, making it very difficult to move...although Cadence seemed to enjoy nudging them playfully onward.

Finally, Zuko had enough and dropped his pack back onto Appa's saddle. "Enough of this!" he grumbled. "We're three of the most powerful Benders in the world right now. I seriously doubt anything's going to come up that the three of us can't handle with our own abilities...and failing that, Cadence pouting! Put your pack down, Aang."

Unsure what else to do, Aang obeyed.

Cadence, for her part, smiled widely. "And here I thought I'd have to start poking you with a stick to get you to remember your authority," she teased. "Lead the way." With that said, she settled on Zuko's shoulder.

Zuko simply stared at her, plainly irritated, which only made her and Aang giggle. Harrumphing to himself, Zuko quickly led the way into the 'ruins'.

Reaching the top of the pyramid-like structure, the group took the time to peruse the murals, depicting dragons surrounding the first Firebenders with flames. "Doesn't look like a very pleasant teaching method," Zuko muttered.

"Look again," Cadence countered, pointing to the face of the human in the mural. "That's not an expression of pain or fear."

Aang took a close look. "It almost seems...awed..."

Continuing further, they found a Celestial Calendar as the lock on the massive doors, a Sunstone designed to only trigger the door to open on the Solstice. Cadence watched as Aang complained about the frustration of it, and Zuko used his swords to reflect the sunlight, triggering the lock with thought and patience.

Inside the chamber, Cadence watched as Aang and Zuko came to an understanding of 'The Dancing Dragon', an ancient Firebending form represented by statues surrounding the interior chamber. When doing so caused a pedestal with a glowing crystalline egg to rise out of the ground, the whole group had the sense to not touch it.

Having no real idea what else to do, the trio searched around for further clues. "So...what now?" Zuko asked finally. "Iroh implied we'd learn something here...but I can't figure out what to do next."

"You could stay right there and not move," an authoritative voice ordered from the entrance, causing the group to spin to face it.

I Saw the Sun, part 2

Blocking the entrance to the pyramid structure was a large group of people dressed in simple garb, their faces elaborately painted and their hair tied in a simple ponytail trailing down after tight bindings, making their hair stick up a good distance before it trailed down. The one who spoke stood in front of the entire group, and was also wearing a ceremonial cape and headdress, the feathers giving him the appearance of a dragon's mane.

"Who are you?" he demanded firmly. "And what are you doing in our temple?"

"You're thieves, aren't you?" a wiry man in the group demanded. "Come to steal our sunstone!" He gestured to the crystalline egg on the pedestal.

"I thought you said the Sun Warriors died out a long time ago!" Cadence demanded of Zuko quietly.

"Tales of our demise were deliberately exaggerated," the larger man in the cape and headdress - plainly the leader - proclaimed, his face stern. "Now...identify yourselves!"

Deciding it would be best to be completely honest, Zuko stepped forward. "I am Fire Lord Zuko," he stated calmly, curious but unsurprised that his title drew instant hostility. "With the Hundred Years War coming to an end at the peace conference in Omashu, the priority was placed on teaching the Avatar Firebending." He gestured to Aang. "As we'd developed a bond of trust and friendship, I was selected to be his teacher. However, a previous experience with Firebending has left him afraid of his own power, and unable to conjure his flames." Seeing no response forthcoming, Zuko continued. "While teaching me the more advanced forms of Firebending, my Uncle Iroh told me that, when I felt I was ready, I might journey to this place to understand the true origins of Firebending. It was my thought that such a lesson might help Aang overcome the hobble on his spirit."

"And this?" the leader demanded, glancing at Cadence.

"My cousin, Cadence," Zuko explained. "Uncle Iroh's adopted daughter." He knew he shouldn't be, but he was surprised that hostility towards Cadence at least greatly reduced at that point.

The leader turned to face Cadence. "Are you a Firebender?" he demanded calmly.

"Among other things," Cadence replied. "Daddy taught me everything I know about Fire."

A frown greeted this glib statement. "And what did you learn elsewhere?"

Cadence shrugged. "I learned about Earth from my friend Toph and King Bumi, I learned about Water from Master Pakku, and I learned about Air from Wan Shi Tong." Noticing the way the Sun Warrior Chief pointedly did not react to the names, she glanced around. "...is there a Pai Sho table somewhere around here? I brought my set..."

Even Aang noticed a few of the Sun Warriors concealing amusement as the Chief spoke up. "That is not what you are here for," he stated simply. "If you wish to learn the true nature of Firebending, it is not up to us. The Masters, Ran and Shao, will decide if you are worthy to learn the ways of the Sun. When you face them, they will read your hearts, your souls, and your ancestry. Know, however, that if they decide you are not worthy...then you will die. Choose, then, if you will go to meet them."

Cadence, Zuko, and Aang glanced at each other nervously. While it was important that Aang learn to master his Firebending just in case he had to face off against Ozai after all...but to risk certain death to learn it?

Aang was the first to speak up. "I'll go," he said firmly. "I...I need to get past this. I'll just do my best to convince Ran and Shao to not kill me?" Though he tried to be firm, it was plain that he was nervous.

Sighing, Zuko nodded. "I'm here as your teacher, Aang. I can't let you walk into danger without me."

"I'll go, too," Cadence agreed. "I'm not about to risk losing you, cousin. Not after all the effort I put into getting you a happily ever after." She blushed brightly. "Even if it did turn out happier than I anticipated..." Shaking that off before Zuko could laugh too much at her discomfiture, she managed a smile. "If all else fails with Ran and Shao, maybe I can be adorable?"

With the trio in agreement, the Chief led them away.

At the peak of the Pyramid, the trio were brought to a chamber filled with a bright flame that reeked of ancient, mystical power. Identifying it as the Eternal Flame, the very first flame given to man by the dragons, and told they would each carry a piece of it with them to where they would meet Ran and Shao.

As the Chief gave each of them a piece of the Eternal Flame, he explained the significance of the ritual. "This represents the essence of Sun Warrior philosophy. You must keep the flame at a constant heat. Too small, and it will go out. Too big, and you might lose control and be consumed."

As Aang nervously took the flame into his aura, balanced over his hands, he stared in wonder. "It's...like a little heartbeat," he murmured.

"Fire is life," the Chief and Zuko spoke up together. "Not just destruction." Realizing they'd spoken together, each turned to stare at the other. Eventually, the Chief smiled. "Iroh has taught you well, young Fire Lord. Perhaps Ran and Shao will see that in you, and balance it against the sins of your father's bloodline."

Cadence balanced her flame over the tip of her horn. "So...where are the Masters?"

The Chief gestured to a tall, twin peaked mountain. "The Cave of the Masters is beneath that rock."

Cadence felt a niggle in the back of her mind. Something about the shape of the mountain was familiar...something she'd read... Unable to pin the thought down, she joined with Zuko and Aang as they made their way up the rocky slope.

The journey took most of the day for the trio, and was mildly difficult. The slope was thankfully shallow, allowing for relatively easy climbing. Cadence was forced to walk along with the others, as she had to use her wings to protect her flame from stray breezes.

At the end of the walk, as the sun was starting to set, they found themselves at the foot of a massive altar, with stairs leading up to the top, where a bridge stretched across the altar from one cave opening to the other in each of the twin peaks. The Chief then explained to Zuko and Aang the special dangers they'd face, as Zuko's bloodline and Aang each bore responsibility for the disappearance of the dragons.

"Well..." Cadence began.

"You too face danger," the Chief continued. "You are a creature not of this world, or of our spirit world. Your very presence disrupts the balance of the world, for better or worse. Ran and Shao may decide the world would be better off without such a disruption, whatever the consequences."

Cadence swallowed convulsively, her shock at being so firmly declared 'not of this world' briefly pushed aside at the idea that Ran and Shao might decide the world would be better off without her. However, despite the fear it brought up in all three, none were willing to turn back at this point.

The Chief began the ritual, taking flame from the ones the trio had brought up to let the other gathered Sun Warriors shape circles of flame surrounding the altar. When directed by the Chief, the group climbed up the stairs to the altar, offering their flames towards the caves. As they climbed, Cadence noticed the almost worshipful behavior of the Sun Warriors...and the suspicion from earlier began to return.

A crash within the caverns startled Aang into losing his grip on his flame. When he tried to borrow some from Zuko, the resulting tussle caused all three to fall over on the altar, all the flames going out. Just as that happened, roars echoed from within the caverns, and dragons left each, one blue and one red.

Cadence felt fear grip her soul. Against dragons, she knew she didn't stand a chance. She wasn't part of this world, and they had no reason to find her adorable. What could she possibly offer them to convince them she was worthy to even survive this encounter?

After a time of the dragons' circling, Aang put it together that 'The Dancing Dragon' form was based off of dragons in flight, and Ran and Shao were waiting for them to demonstrate that understanding. All three began the form, Aang and Zuko dancing in a circle around Cadence as she desperately tried to adapt the form to her four legged gait, using the motions of the dragons around them for desperate inspiration.

As the dance reached its conclusion, the two dragons stared at the group from either side...only to lower themselves to the sides of the altar, exhaling their fire upward so it blended together as it surrounded the trio without touching them. The blending of the fires created a burning rainbow that was truly indescribable.

As they ended their flames, leaving the trio basking in awe, the dragons soared upward before diving back into their caverns...the blue dragon seizing a startled Cadence as it passed, to drag her into the caverns with them despite her startled screams.

"Cadence!" Zuko screamed out in shock, turning to run after her.

Much to his surprise, the Chief leapt to his side, blocking his path. "Do not trespass on the Masters caverns!" he ordered firmly.

"I'm not going to let them-"

"If they meant her harm, she would have died on the altar!" the Chief barked out. "Whatever their purpose in doing this, all we can do is wait for her return. Know that she will return."

Several hours later, well after full dark, the Chief's words proved true. Cadence made her way out of the caverns, her eyes full of wonder as she staggered out.

"Cadence!" Zuko called out, rushing up to her. "Are you alright?"

"They didn't hurt you, did they?" Aang demanded.

Cadence shrugged. "Sprained my wing grabbing me like that, but they apologized." She shook her head in amazement. "They wanted my help with something they couldn't figure out on their own."

"And what was that?" the Chief asked curiously.

"Why their eggs weren't hatching right," Cadence replied. "Dragons normally nest in active volcanoes, and they couldn't figure out how to provide the proper heat for incubation here. I was able to teach them how to surround their nest with coal, tinder, and volcanic rock to hold their fire for the right heat when they were away from the nest."

The Chief stared as many present gasped in amazement. "You mean..." the Chief stammered out. "Ran and Shao are..."

"A mated pair," Cadence replied. "The last one, apparently. And our timing was really lucky, since Ran just finished clutching."

The entire gathered tribe of Sun Warriors fainted en masse.

The Comet, Part 1

With an understanding of the true origins and meaning of Firebending, Aang was able to progress in his studies under Zuko. In addition, the lesson Zuko had learned had aided him as well. Despite his elevation to Fire Lord, it had not yet hit him that he was the ruler of an entire nation now. He had been so used to looking to Iroh or Cadence or others for advice and direction for so long, it hadn't really sunk in that nearly the entire world was now looking to him in much the same way, whether in hope or fear. Taking that lesson to heart, he became a bit more firm in negotiations at the Peace Conference, and discussion moved smoothly. A lasting peace and a bright future for the world were in the making.

However, a shadow hung over his mind, a silhouette of a familiar figure against a blazing light that would soon be upon the world. With how close it was coming, he knew he could not hide from it anymore, and the issue it represented had to be addressed. So he called those who had to be involved to discuss exactly what to do about it.

"Sozin's Comet will return within the week," Zuko told the gathered group bluntly. "When it skirts the world, its power will amplify the strength of all Firebenders to a phenomenal level. Texts describe it as akin to having a thousand suns inside of you. If my father is going to make a move with the forces he has under his command, it will be with the arrival of the comet, on the last day of summer." He looked around at those gathered. "The question is...how do we prepare? Will he strike? If so, where? What will he be trying to accomplish?" He sat back, steepling his fingers. "Anyone have any ideas?"

The group was silent for some time. Eventually, Sokka stood up. "What we need to figure out is what his motivations were when he ran away," he mused, beginning to pace. "Nobody expected that of him, so if we can figure out why, we might be able to determine his next move." Scratching his chin, he turned. "Cadence?"

Cadence let out a surprised meep, nearly leaping out of her chair. "Y-yes?"

"Iroh would have the best insight into why Ozai would act the way he did, but even he's stumped," Sokka explained. "But you seem to have insight a lot of us would miss. What's your take on it?"

Cadence frowned, struggling to get herself under control. "W-well, maybe he decided confronting Zuko was a bad idea?" she offered nervously.

"That doesn't exactly make sense," Zuko countered. "He's never backed down from a challenge before. And it's not like he hadn't faced me before. It's not like the outcome would worry him, since he had no way of knowing how skilled I'd become..."

"But before we began our hunt for Aang, I explained to him your reasoning for refusing to fight him," Iroh spoke up suddenly, his eyes awed. "What you meant about battles that could not be won. Perhaps he found a parallel in the upcoming confrontation with you? That no matter the outcome of the fight, somehow he lost?"

Toph nodded firmly. "Politics," she confirmed. "If he beat you, he's left with no heirs, since Azula's out of the picture. The Fire Nation - and whatever empire he managed to make - dies when he does, and falls into civil war."

"The world tears itself apart," Aang murmured, lowering his eyes.

"But then why wouldn't he stand and fight, and lose with honor?" Zuko asked, confused. "That seems more like him."

"For your strength," Iroh explained. "The only way your victory over him would be believed as being of your full strength is if the fight was to the death...and even if you could bring yourself to kill your own father, what would it do to your mind and heart to live with it? For all you've grown in strength, skill, and determination...you've never killed anyone. If your first blood was your father, my brother..." His voice trailed off as silence reigned.

"If that's the case," Sokka began again, "then why would he be coming back? What's he hope to gain? If he chose to leave the field of battle, there's no rational reason to return."

"Unless he isn't rational," Katara began, rubbing her chin. "Iroh, Ozai practices the rage fueled Firebending, right?"

"He does," Iroh confirmed. "That style consumes the wielder as surely as the flames generated consumes the world around them."

"And anger feeds on itself, spiraling out of control," Katara continued. "So Ozai's just given up his kingdom and the dreams he's fought to achieve since birth. Probably the strongest emotions he's feeling right then are confusion, regret, and self-loathing. Then the eclipse ends, and his Firebending comes back. The self-loathing feeds the fire, and it starts to spiral in him. He pushes the blame away, pinning it on anyone else. The more he gives into his anger to bring back his fire, the less rational he becomes. He had the world in his grasp, only to throw it away." She looked up, her eyes hard. "If he comes back for an attack while the Comet is passing, then his goal will be to claim the world or destroy it. He'll have reached the mindset that if he can't have the world, no one can."

"Then he won't target the Fire Nation," Zuko murmured, going to the map. "He'll want to make me submit to him."

"And it won't be the North or South Pole," Sokka confirmed. "If he were to get to either of those, he'd have to have set course there almost immediately after leaving the Fire Nation, and that fleet of War Balloons would have been spotted by now." His eyes narrowed, and he jabbed the map. "He's going to strike at the Earth Kingdoms. And he's not going to fight a war. This is about making the world realize we can't fight him."

"He'll burn everything..." Iroh murmured, awed terror in his voice. "He'll scorch the land, so nothing can live there anymore..."

Cadence's ears went flat against her skull as she hunkered down. She was the one who'd talked Ozai into running away. If he did this, then the abomination thus wrought would be her fault...

"Even if he's lost all rationality, he'll want to be methodical," Sokka managed to say, swallowing convulsively. "So he'll want to sweep from one end of the continent to the other, leaving a dead swath in his wake. He would have been spotted making his way around the continent if he was by now...so if he's going to strike, it will be here...from the ocean."

"And we'll be there to stop him," Aang murmured.

As the plans were made, none noticed that Cadence had fled the chamber, and the realization of the consequences of her well meaning actions.

The Comet, Part 2

Cadence raced away from Omashu, unsure where she was going, only knowing that she had to get away from what was coming. Before long, everyone she knew and cared about would be embroiled in a massive conflict that could tear the world apart, and one or more of those she cared for most would die because of it. And no matter how far she ran, she couldn't escape that it was all her fault.

Maybe if she'd kept her mouth shut, or done what she was supposed to and captured her Uncle for the Agni Kai, it wouldn't have ended in death. Zuko was a very skilled bender, and his new skills might have been enough to tip the scales. If he demonstrated enough of them in the fight, especially in response to Ozai's lightning, maybe the battle could have ended without death or doubts of Zuko's abilities.

Maybe, maybe, maybe...that word raced through her mind, showing every possibility of what could have been, what might have been, what should have been. And each time she raced through these thoughts, her mind returned to what the Sun Warrior Chief had said. She was not of this world. She did not belong here.

She come to a halt somewhere between Omashu and Ba Sing Se. Looking around, she found herself in the middle of a field of red clay, red as blood. Staring out at it, her mind's eye filled it with bodies of those who would likely die this day...because of her. The clay was red with the blood of those who fell because of the war...and would fall because she had let the war continue because she didn't want to risk losing those she cared for.

She could feel the approach of the comet. It would begin its passage soon, and already the fire stirred inside her at its approach, its burning power seeping into her magic and through her magic into the water, earth, and air of her spirit. She could feel the power pulling her apart, and she desperately clenched down on the power so she didn't lose control. Seeing yet more evidence that this world had no natural place for her, she sank to her belly and burst into tears.

Deep in the prison of Ba Sing Se, a certain prisoner felt the approach of the Comet. As the flames power began to fill her, her broken chakras overflowed, spilling out of the proper pathways and into every cell of her body, filling her with power and agony beyond anything anyone had ever known. Unlike what most would have done in such a situation...she embraced both pain and power, as mad laughter filled the prison...

...just before it exploded.

Aang stared down at the rocky pinnacles that marked the western shore of the continent, the closest land point between the Earth Kingdoms and the Fire Nation. This would be where Ozai would make his move if he did so, where the fate of the world would be decided.

Sokka had come up with a clever plan to deal with the assault. If Ozai came, then it would be timed to the start of the Comet's passage, when he would have the maximum amount of time to scorch the land. As such, atop each and every rock pillar was a Firebender to counter the fires of Ozai's men, along with an Earthbender to keep them stabilized. Waterbenders were positioned near the shore, to keep flames from spreading too far. Sokka, Suki, Toph, and Katara were aboard a War Balloon controlled by the Mechanist, ready to attack the incoming fleet from the air.

Aang himself stood on Appa's back, high above the battlefield. He had one single objective in this battle. While everyone else would do all they could to prevent Ozai's fleet from making its way inland. Aang, however, was to take down Ozai hard as fast as possible. Once Ozai was out of the fight - especially if it was very visible when it happened - his troops would surrender. Aang was told in no uncertain terms that he would have to set aside his distaste at the idea and - if necessary - take Ozai down permanently.

It had been rather hard for Aang to face even the idea of setting out to kill someone. It went against everything he'd ever been taught, both as an Air Nomad and as the Avatar. He was supposed to protect and respect life, not destroy it. But after some soul searching, he'd taken a look at the Accords of Omashu, the peace treaty signed to end the Hundred Year War.

While the exact articles were somewhat convoluted as far as exactly how it would all happen, the message was clear. The Four Nations - or what was left of them, at any rate - would bond together, combining skills and resources with the express purpose of creating a brighter future for everyone. Developing new technologies for a healthier world civilization, where even distance would not separate anyone anymore...

As he read through the Accords, he could see in his mind's eye the glorious future of which they spoke. A future of peace, prosperity, and joy...this was what he was here to protect. As the Avatar, as an Air Nomad, as a human being...he had to do whatever it took to protect that bright future, and bring everyone together in love and peace. And if the sacrifice required to make that world a reality was his own innocence...then so be it.

The Comet approached. The fleet was in sight, with Ozai right at the front, madness in his eyes as his fire raged in his veins. Aang locked eyes with his opponent despite the distance, and knew the time was now. If he was to protect everyone he cared about, he could hold nothing back.

Closing his eyes, he let go of his attachments, let go of his fears and worries...let go of his own sense of self and right and wrong. He embraced the knowledge of what he had to do, and the certainty that he was capable of it.

The Avatar opened his glowing eyes and leapt from the back of his Animal Companion, diving down to the battle that would determine the fate of the world, the Elements swarming to his call.

As the Comet became visible in the sky, Cadence looked up from her tears to stare at the blazing sign. "All I've done...did it just make everything worse?" she whimpered. "Would the world have been better off...without me?"

"Well I certainly think so."

Cadence gasped, knowing that voice all too well. She spun to face the one person she never expected to see again. "Azula?"

The Comet, Part 3

Cadence could only stare at what Azula had become. The power of the comet had not been kind to her. Where her Chakras had been damaged glowing circles of light burned brightly as fire poured out of them. The flames had long since consumed her clothes, criss-crossing her body with burns. Cracks ran across her flesh like badly baked clay, and from within the cracks glowing light shone through, as though her body were merely a husk to contain an unfathomable amount of energy.

"Azula..." Cadence whimpered, staring at her cousin. "What...what happened to you?"

Azula laughed wickedly as her hair waved in a non existent breeze, flames burning at the tips. "Little Zuzu happened, silly pony!" she spoke out, a mad grin covering her face. "With my Chakras damaged, I can't control my fire...but the comet still fills me with power!" She staggered forward, like a puppet on damaged strings. "But I don't need to control it...when all I have to do is unleash it!" She thrust a hand forward, and a wave of flame in all colors erupted, hungrily devouring all in its path as Cadence barely managed to dodge to the side.

"Azula, stop!" Cadence screamed out. "If you keep unleashing that fire, it'll damage the very makeup of your body beyond repair!"

"Isn't it great?" Azula screamed out. "The fire builds and builds and builds inside me...and when the Comet passes, the fire will erupt and tear me apart!"

"But the blast will destroy the entire continent!" Cadence gasped, her face pale.

"Just as Father plans!" Azula screamed. "He always talked of a way to break the spirits of the Earth Kingdom so they would have no choice to surrender...I will scorch the Earth to a barren wasteland, and Father will always remember me with love for making his dreams a reality! I don't need Mother, or Zuzu, or Uncle, and especially not you...because Father will love me when I'm gone!" She laughed madly as she unleashed blast after blast of flame, not bothering to aim, but succeeding in melting the clay on which they stood, turning it molten.

Cadence winced as she felt the boiling clay spatter over her legs, but she pushed past the pain, using her magic to strengthen her body. "It doesn't have to be that way!" she screamed out. "I can help you hold together...and when the Comet passes, I can bleed the energy out of you safely! You've been through enough! We can help you heal! Uncle Ozai faces a fully realized Avatar, he's not going to win! You can stand with Zuko-"

"Oh, so I can sit around, smiling and nodding and eating cake while Zuzu destroys everything I, Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather ever sought to build, and what I should have inherited?" Azula snarled. "You think that's something that appeals to me?"

"Well...it's either that or death," Cadence mumbled. "Cake or death seems like an easy choice to me."

"It is for me as well," Azula replied. "I choose death! Yours!" She lunged forward, a wave of fire cascading with her to consume all in her path.

Cadence desperately took to the air, trying to dodge around the uncontrolled flames while using her Airbending to keep it at bay.

"Look at it!" Azula screamed out. "My power dwarfs yours now! I am destruction incarnate! I will destroy this land and make way for the reign of the Pheonix King! This will be Zuzu's final downfall, and Father will claim the world! Under the comet...compared to you, I am a demigod!"

Seeing how lost to the madness and power Azula had become, Cadence realized she had no choice. She only hoped she would survive what she was about to do. Bringing herself firmly to the ground, she spread her wings wide. The flames parted like a sea, leaving her in an island of cold. "Azula...my power comes from my magic. Through my magic, all my elemental powers are connected." As Azula stared, Cadence closed her eyes as the elements swirled around her. "The Comet flows into my fire, and through my fire to my magic, and through my magic to all my Elements! My air, my earth, my water, my ether...all are as strengthened as your fire is now. I've struggled to hold it back, as you should have. But you leave me no choice. So, Miss Demigod..."

Her wings flared. Her mane and tail leapt into the air as they lost physical form, taking on an ethereal state and waving like the pennants of a sunset. When she opened her eyes, they glowed white as her power condensed around her horn. "...let me show you the power of a Goddess!" she cried out, her voice echoing as white light poured out from within her mouth, along with her words.

Her blue magic erupted from her horn, joined by four other colors of energy. The white air, the red fire, the yellow earth, the green water...all swirled upward in a crazed spiral before it reached the heavens to seize the comet.

The comet stopped.

Azula stared, stupefied, as the impossible was made real before her very eyes. Her flames flickered in fear.

Cadence was nearly as stunned as Azula. I didn't think that would actually work! Why'd I even try it in the first place? Seeing how stunned Azula was, Cadence pressed her advantage, steeling her will. "You see the difference between us, Azula? You can draw power from the Comet...but I can control it. I see the fear in your eyes...because you're imagining just what I could do. I could change the comet's orbit so it never returns to this world. I could set it in permanent close orbit around the planet, so I will always have the power of a Goddess. Or I could bring it down to Earth, and crush you beneath it." She slowly walked forward as the land melted beneath her hooves from the sheer force of magic and elements being brought to bear.

Azula staggered backwards, terror in her eyes. "K...keep away from me! Y...you're a monster!" she shrieked.

"Perhaps I am..." Cadence replied, her voice still echoing. "But it takes one to know one, Miss Demigod. But what's wrong, you were so confident before? Show me the power of destruction incarnate!" She lunged forward, sending Azula staggering backward until she was backed up against a tall stone tower. "Fight me! Burn me! Beat me!"

As her magic spoke deep inside her, Cadence lunged up close to Azula, millimeters away from her face. "Give me a hug," she found herself whispering, an offer of mercy.

Completely broken physically and emotionally, Azula threw her arms desperately around Cadence, holding her tight against her.

The magic of love surged forth. Deep inside Azula's brain, a crossed synapse in development had made her incapable of feeling the emotion of love. Unable to love, she was never able to grasp when she was being offered love...and she desired that feeling, being loved, more than anything. The magic of love found that synapse...and uncrossed it.

Azula's eyes shot open as her memories flowed through her, every moment in her life when she had been close to someone, when they had offered her love, affection, closeness...and now she could feel it. And she saw how she had tarnished and destroyed each and every moment because she couldn't understand what was being given so freely. Tears of fire poured down her cheeks, and a broken sob escaped from her throat.

Seeing the memories with her, Cadence found tears pouring from her own eyes, and a lance of pain shot into her heart as she saw how much it had hurt Azula when she - a creature of Love - had rejected her, as though Love itself had rejected Azula.

"I'm so sorry," they whispered together, clinging to each other as the flames swirled around them, gently waving in their own breeze as Azula's fire blended with Cadence' ethereal mane.

Azula flinched, a lance of pain shooting over her face as the fire inside her once more struggled to escape her body. In her mind's eye, she could see every life that would be snuffed out if the fire escaped as it desired. With love inside her now, her empathy awoke, and she felt the pain of every soul she would destroy. "C-Cadence..." Azula stammered. "H...help me..."

"Control it, Azula," Cadence whispered encouragingly. "It's your fire, you can bring it back, put it out..."

Azula closed her eyes, struggling to bring the flames under control...and a new hole erupted on her back as flames poured out, one of her chakras bursting from the pressure. A scream of agony cut the air. "I can't!" Azula gasped out. "It hurts...it hurts too much!"

Cadence stared up at Azula, her magic showing her only one solution. "Azula..." she began, choking on her own words. She pressed her hooves against two of the burning holes, feeling the flames lick at her flesh but ignoring it. "I...I can stop the pain..." She slowly gathered her magic.

Azula met Cadence's eyes. Seeing the pain in them, she knew what was coming, and nodded silently. As the tears of fire poured down her face, she barely managed to whisper, "I...I don't want to go..."

Tears all but blinding her, Cadence sent her magic forward with a sweep of her wings.

The first to dissolve were the tears of flame, blowing away on the wind in sparkles of light. Azula's body slowly, painlessly dissolved from her feet up, sparkles blowing away on the breeze with each flap of Cadence' wings. Last to fade were the crying eyes...and then there was nothing but sparkles of light floating into the sky.

Cadence' magic faded as she collapsed, and the Spirit Realm flexed, correcting the imbalance by thrusting the comet back into its proper position in its orbit. Cadence wept as she stared at her forelegs, her coat burned away leaving scars climbing her flesh, red as blood. She could feel that her coat would grow back someday, when the physical pain faded...but those scars would always be there, the mark of the blood of kin she had shed for the world. The innocent victim of her own biology, who Cadence could have saved if that day of their first meeting Cadence had acted the dutiful Princess she was as Iroh's adopted child...instead of a spoiled child.

Sinking to the ground, not caring if anyone would ever find her, she wept, the flame scoured land around her an echo of the agony in her heart.

The Perfect Day

Cadence slowly opened her eyes, wincing against the light of the sun in her eyes as it shone through the window, the curtains not pulled shut. She lifted a foreleg to cover her eyes, only to wince again as the entire limb twinged. Glancing down, she saw the bandages wrapped around the burned area, protecting the burned portion from further damage. The pain was a lot less than she thought it should have been.

After a moment, she realized that she wasn't in the field of blood red clay she remembered crying herself to sleep in. Sitting up somewhat in the bed, she glanced around...taking in the Upper Ring apartment she had shared with Iroh and Zuko when they'd lived in Ba Sing Se. Glancing out the window, she saw the city of Ba Sing Se. "...how did I get here?"

"Well, when a boy pony and a girl pony love each other very much...well, at least I assume that's how it works. For all I know, you spore."

Cadence slowly turned to the source of the voice. "Toph?" she asked, surprised to see her blind friend, though she had difficulty gathering the energy and enthusiasm to show it. "What are you doing here?"

Toph's smirk wavered a bit at Cadence' unenthused response. "Here to check up on you," Toph replied, coming to sit beside her. "You've been asleep for a week. Everyone's been worried about you."

Cadence lay back in her bed. "How...how did it go? The fight with...Uncle Ozai?"

"Probably not as interesting as your fight, whoever you were fighting!" Feeling Cadence flinch, Toph decided to be a bit less flippant regarding that. "Well, don't worry! I can give you a first hand eye-witness account of our fight!" This close, Toph could feel the shape of Cadence' facial expressions, and her lips didn't so much as quiver. "...wow, you really aren't in the mood, huh? Ozai said you looked like you were having nightmares when it was his turn to check on you-"

"Uncle Ozai's alive?" Cadence gasped desperately. "B...but how?"

"Well, that's kinda complicated," Toph explained, glad to see any sign of Cadence showing emotion other than emptiness or despair. "We were doing pretty good at holding the War Balloons back, despite the force they were throwing. The Firebenders on the ground were able to keep the fire back, and my Metalbending sent several of the balloons crashing into each other...but then Aang jumped into the fray in Avatar state. From what Sokka told me, one of the first things he did was split a War Balloon down the middle with a blade of air!" Toph chuckled happily. "He squealed over that quite a bit. After that, most of what I can tell you is from Suki's perspective."

Cadence nodded. "Alright...what then?"

"Well, Aang and Ozai fought each other, but it was apparently pretty one-sided," Toph continued. "Then again, considering I could feel the weight of Aang's power in the Earth, I'm not surprised. Anyway, Ozai was cornered and I heard Aang getting ready to deliver the final blow - he had a bit of a speech and everything, not that I remember much-"

"Why don't you remember much?" Cadence asked, confused.

"Because I was too busy feeling the entire planet lurch," Toph explained. "According to Suki, the Comet stopped in its passage through the sky, held in a glowing light." Feeling Cadence shift uncomfortably, Toph gasped. "Cadence...you stopped the Comet?"

Cadence glanced away. "...yeah..."

"That is so...awesome!" Toph squealed. "Especially with the effect it had on everyone! I mean, I'm pretty sure the other Earthbenders felt the same as I did with the way the Earth reacted, and Katara nearly fainted...but the Firebenders sank to their knees and genuflected, hiding their faces like they were in the presence of a God or something. Then again, we could all feel the pressure from the Spirit Realm from what happened, so I'm not all that surprised. Ozai slumped over at the sight of it, though."

"He...he did?" Cadence whimpered.

"Yup!" Toph confirmed. "He's just fine now, though. Pakku says his healers determined that Ozai suffered a 'brainstorm'. Apparently, whatever happened killed the part of his brain that triggered his Firebending. He's still got a connection to Fire in his spirit, and everything else works just fine...but no fire comes out."

"I...I guess that's...good?" Cadence offered.

"Zuko sure seems to think so," Toph offered. "He's going to work at the Jasmine Dragon for a while until he's learned to let go of his anger completely, then Zuko's going to call him back to the Fire Nation as his adviser, and to sit as a respected former leader of the Nation. So...everything's going to work out just fine." She turned to face Cadence, hair hanging over her eyes. "So...what about you? How come your spirit fought the Northern Healers trying to remove the scars on your forelegs? They were even using water from the Spirit Spring, whatever that means."

Cadence lowered her head, tears forming in her eyes. "I...I killed Azula..."

Part of Toph wanted to brush this off, talk about how Azula was totally psycho and killing her probably fixed a lot of problems. The larger part saw her oldest friend in pain, and decided comfort was required. Reaching over, Toph gently scooped Cadence into her lap and held her close.

Cadence burst into tears. "All...all she wanted was to be loved..." she sobbed, burying her face in Toph's chest. "But...but her brain didn't work right...and my magic...could have fixed it...but I rejected her..."

Toph gently rubbed Cadence' back, letting her cry herself out. She listened as Cadence related everything that had happened in her fight with Azula - and what had happened to Azula to cause the fight - between choked sobs. She didn't pretend to fully understand everything Cadence was saying. She barely understood when Cadence talked about her magic when she wasn't in a state of emotional turmoil. Even so, she could be there for Cadence, and let her work through it.

Eventually, Cadence stopped crying, and rubbed the tears from her eyes. "...thanks for listening, Toph. I just...I just don't know what to do..."

Toph sat back, letting Cadence curl back up on her bed. She scratched her chin. "Well, the way I see it...you've got two choices. You can stay here moping and let the world roll right over you, or you can punch it really hard."

"...punch the world?" Cadence asked, confused.

"Yeah!" Toph insisted. "The world's handed you a really shitty deal. You've been buried under lemons, so you can bemoan them being sour, or-"

"Or find some way to make them explode before chucking them back?" Cadence offered.

"I was gonna say 'drink lemonade', but I like your way better!" Toph proclaimed happily. "Let's go blow up some lemons!"

"Experience tells me cabbages are more readily combustible..." Cadence pointed out, a smile starting to take shape on her features.

"That's the spirit!" Toph agreed. "Find something to get really fired up about!"

Cadence tilted her head back thoughtfully as she scanned the world around her for a project, something she could accomplish that would make her feel good about herself. Eventually, her eyes fell on her friend. "Toph...how come you never look straight at someone?"

"Other than the obvious?" Toph joked.

"Yes, other than that," Cadence confirmed. "You're always looking down, letting your hair hide half of your face."

Toph winced. "Forgot how blunt you could be," she grumbled. Cadence remained silent, waiting for an answer. Sighing, Toph lowered her gaze. "I know I'm not much to look at," she admitted finally. "Don't need to see to know that. I don't look at anyone, they don't look at me. It's all about what I can do. I...like it better that way."

"...Toph, you taught me how to read lies with Earthbending," Cadence pointed out adroitly.

"If you weren't already wrapped up in bandages, I'd punch you right now," Toph grumbled. "So what? Gonna drag me off to the spa to give me a makeover? Katara already tried that-"

"I saw," Cadence interrupted. "And she obviously had no idea what she was doing. She tried to make you over into a beautiful lady. Beautiful you are, but you and I both know you're no lady." Seeing that got the chuckle she wanted, Cadence managed a grin. "I'm going to commandeer the spa to turn you into a beautiful you." She started to stand, only to wince as she tried to put weight on her legs. "Umm...you're going to have to carry me."

Rolling her eyes, Toph picked Cadence up and set her on her shoulders. "So...the spa?" she groaned.

"First we need to pick up some green silk and gold thread," Cadence countered. "I'm feeling...inspired."

Cadence' approach to Toph's 'beauty treatment' proved a bit more effective than Katara's had been. Using magic to work the dirt from Toph's skin and the calluses from her feet worked much smoother than pumice, and before long the 'cleansing' was finished. Cadence had also used the green fabric and gold thread to make a new style of dress for Toph, one that both emphasized her feminine beauty and strength. The top buttoned over her entire torso along her right side with jade buttons, and hanging silk trailed down to just above her ankles, slit up either side to give her legs total freedom. A giant badger-mole was stitched in gold over her left breast, and the snug fit of the fabric emphasized that aspect of her feminine beauty. Toph's hair had been cleaned and combed, and braided into a long rope that hung down over her right shoulder. To finish the look off, Cadence had pulled gemstones out of the earth, reshaping two solid emeralds into low heeled slippers, the Bending having made them sturdy enough to function as shoes and let Toph both bend and see through them. Cadence hadn't bothered with makeup, save for a colorless lip gloss she'd mixed up with her Waterbending.

"I'm not so sure about this..." Toph murmured at the exit to the spa.

"Don't worry, Toph," Cadence reassured her, her wings gently flapping. "I'll be directly above you the whole way. Just walk straight down the road with a smile on your face and your head held high. The Jasmine Dragon's not far from here."

"A...alright..." Toph murmured, stepping out. At first, she did her best to hide her nervousness...but her Earthbending showed her every single person that stopped to stare at her, and every case of whiplash that a double take caused. She hadn't even made it a quarter of the way to the Jasmine Dragon before 20 different people had walked into things. One such crash resulted in a particularly noisy reaction.

"My cabbages! Rrr...that's it! I'm switching to Brussels Sprouts!"(1)

As laughter bubbled out of her over that, Toph walked down the road with a great deal more confidence, the eyes on her now making her feel like a queen. Despite her confidence, a bit of nervousness entered her as she felt two familiar figures approach.

"Hey pretty lady," Pipsqueak grunted from well above her. "Looking for fun?"

"How'd you like to spend the day with a couple of war heroes?" The Duke asked from Pipsqueak's shoulder.

Realizing they didn't even recognize her, Toph burst into laughter. "Well, Twinkletoes is busy, so I can settle for you two."

"T-Toph?" The Duke sputtered, completely stunned.

Smirking, Toph punched each of them on the arm. "Teach you two to trust your eyes!"

"...you clean up nice," Pipsqueak managed to grunt out, making Toph blush.

"Come on!" Toph countered. "I'm heading to the Jasmine Dragon. Escort me." She couldn't help but chuckle at how they leapt to obey. She began to think she could get used to being 'pretty'.

As they opened the doors for her, she heard a snatch of conversation. "...we can't trust him yet!" Sokka was insisting.

"What can he do?" Aang countered. "It's not like he can bend anymore."

"That's just what he wants you to think!" Sokka snapped back.

"...you know I'm right here," Ozai pointed out as he poured tea for Sokka.

"Nobody asked you!" Sokka snarled. He then took a sip of tea. "Thanks, though." Next to him, Suki's palm met her face with a resounding smack. Sokka then let out a whistle. "Duke, Pip, where'd you meet that cutie?" Suki promptly elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow!"

"Still giving yourself athlete's tongue, Sokka?" Toph asked, wishing she could better hide the blush she got from him calling her cutie. She then quickly stepped behind Pipsqueak as tea sprayed everywhere.

"Nice one!" Cadence praised, levitating herself with her magic long enough to meet Toph's high five with her wing before settling into Iroh's arms.

As Katara, Suki, Jin, Mai, and Ty Lee surrounded Toph to marvel at how wonderful she looked and talk about her daring outfit, Cadence turned to Sokka. "Now...what were you saying about my Uncle?" she asked softly.

Sokka rolled his eyes. "Look, I know he's family and you want to give him a second chance, but he was pushing the whole war and world conquest thing for his entire life. That's not the sort of thing that just goes away overnight!" He leaned forward, waving his arms. "I'm telling you, we need to keep an eye on him! He may act like he's all at peace and whatnot without his bending, but you can just bet he's biding his time, waiting until his bending returns and then-"

"Ooga booga booga!" Ozai shouted out, leaping up behind Sokka and holding a flame in front of Sokka's face.

Sokka let out a high pitched scream of terror as he leapt back. "See?! See?!"

Ozai laughed uproariously as he set down a metal box with gears and levers on the top, the flame coming from the box before it extinguished. Cadence giggled as Iroh let out a belly laugh.

"I made that for him!" the Mechanist called out from a nearby table. "He said he felt incomplete without fire he could generate, so I made him a fire he could safely carry around in his pocket. I call it a Zippo...because the gears make a zipping sound when used, and 'zipper' was already taken."

As Sokka began arguing with the Mechanist over not telling him and the possibilities of the device, Iroh smiled widely, tears of joy in his eyes. "This is...such a perfect day," he murmured.

"What do you mean?" Cadence asked softly.

"I'm surrounded by family and friends in my own tea shop, my daughter is once more awake and happy, my brother laughs joyfully for the first time in years, my nephew will soon be happily wed...and the world is at peace, building towards a bright future." Iroh wiped away his tears. "Truly a perfect day...which I will remember for the rest of my life."

Cadence stared out at the happy, laughing assemblage...and knew that she would, too.

(1) I asked Mom which vegetable was the most logical for the cabbage guy to switch to. This is what she said.

A New World

Iroh stirred slowly, feeling hard ground under his back. Odd, he thought to himself. I'm pretty sure I fell asleep in my bed... Not yet opening his eyes, he began using his other senses to get a feel for the world around him. Hmm...the ground is somewhat hard, not much grass. There's not a single scent of soot in the air...or anything else I'm used to for that matter. A cooking fire nearby...and my favorite tea brewing? My fire... His eyes shot open as he felt his fire flowing through his body a great deal stronger than normal, though not as strong as it had been under the Comet. "What in blazes?"

"You noticed it too?" a familiar and yet unfamiliar voice spoke up with a giggle.

Confused, Iroh turned to the source of the voice. Sitting by a flame that burned without wood, Cadence was carefully pouring a pot of boiling water into two teacups...but she wasn't as he remembered her being when he fell asleep. The pony that had curled up to him the previous night was, at most, an adolescent. The one before him now was plainly an adult, her mane and tail both long and luxurious, her legs delicate but strong...and her horn was longer and wings bigger than before. "C...Cadence?" Iroh asked, confused. "You look...different from last night."

Cadence smiled softly up at Iroh as she handed him a cup of tea. "'Last night' was nearly thirty years ago."

The cup paused halfway to Iroh's lips. "One moment." He took a sip of the tea, enjoying the flavor and aroma, much stronger and somehow purer than he'd ever had it before. Noticing Cadence' mortar and pestle, he nodded, setting down the cup. "Wherever we are, the tea leaves are much more flavorful than home."

"This is home, Father," Cadence explained. "Well...mine anyway. This is the world I came from."

"I had a feeling it would be something like that," Iroh replied with a smile. "That's why I asked you to wait until after I'd drunk some tea before explaining. But I will take the full explanation now."

Cadence nodded. "After you died in bed of old age, surrounded by friends and family-"

"The best way to go," Iroh agreed.

Chuckling to herself, Cadence continued her story. "Well, after that, I entered the Spirit World, hoping to find you there, since all of my work in the physical world was complete...and I'd stopped aging around the time I reached physical maturity. I did find you there, but many spirits had gathered. Apparently, some sort of wager was involved regarding what I'd do when you died."

Iroh chuckled softly. "I'm not surprised that your life was of interest to the Spirit World."

Cadence smiled warmly. "Well, since I chose to stay with you rather than everyone else, I was shown the path to my world...and you were given a choice of permanent residency in the Spirit World as a Spirit of Wisdom, or giving up a portion of your life experiences in order to join me in my world." Leaning in, she nuzzled against her father. "I'm sure it's obvious what you chose."

"I wouldn't even need to think about it," Iroh replied, stroking her mane.

Nodding, Cadence went on. "Then the rules were explained to me. Your personal timeline would be turned back to the point of my choosing, to give you back a portion of your life to live in my world, which had a much stronger connection to the Spirit World due to its strong magical fields. So I was asked to choose what would be your last day in your world, before you joined me in mine." She lowered her gaze coquettishly. "I choose the day you always called perfect, which I never forgot."

Iroh smiled as he ruffled her mane. "A good choice, I assume," Iroh replied. "So...can you tell me of things that happened that I don't remember?"

Cadence grinned widely. "Well, Mai and Jin each gave Zuko children on the same day-"

Iroh burst into laughter. "Do they let the poor boy get any rest?"

"The children or their mothers?" Cadence asked playfully. "Jin's son was named Rokku, and Mai's daughter is named Azula, since she looks just like her...but seems to love everything she comes across."

Iroh nodded in understanding. "And my brother?"

"Takes obscurely perverse pleasure in the fact that his physical presence causes Aang emotional turmoil," Cadence replied. "Apparently, it played a number on Aang's conscience that he had dedicated himself to delivering the killing blow, even if he didn't have to, and that came up every time he and Uncle Ozai met." Cadence giggled again. "Perhaps that's why he spent so much time travelling...and why he and Katara had five kids."

Iroh chuckled, seeing where Cadence' focus was for the retelling. "So how many kids did Sokka and Suki have?" he asked, raising his tea to his lips.

"Nine."

A spray of flame erupted from Iroh's mouth, followed by a few coughs. "Seriously?"

Cadence nodded, covering her own mouth to stifle her giggles.

"And did Toph ever find someone special?" Iroh asked, deciding not to think about Sokka trying to keep nine kids in check.

"She never got married," Cadence replied. "But she did have two daughters. At my suggestion, she found some young men she liked to be their father figures, since she didn't bother keeping track of who their fathers were."

"Which did she choose?" Iroh asked curiously.

"Haru and Jet," Cadence explained with a smile. "The girls seem rather attached to them."

"Anyone else have children I need to know about?" Iroh asked teasingly.

Cadence put her hooves to her lips to stifle another wave of giggles.

"What?" Iroh asked. "I can take it."

Cadence burst into laughter. "Kuei and Ty Lee!" she shrieked, falling onto her back.

"...you are serious?" Iroh finally managed to ask as he smirked. "How did that happen?"

"At a party to celebrate the founding of the Central Kingdom, the culmination of the Peace Movement," Cadence explained. "They both got drunk, and Bosco put them in bed together after they conked out as a prank. Kuei insisted on doing 'the honorable thing', and by the time Bosco came clean they'd become genuinely attached to each other."

Iroh couldn't hold it in any longer. A deep belly laugh echoed across the dusty lands that surrounded them and into the few nearby clumps of trees. "Did you scold Bosco for encroaching on your territory?" he gasped out between laughs.

"Nope!" Cadence giggled. "I apprenticed him!"

They continued to share their laughter for quite some time. It stopped suddenly as Cadence tensed up. "Cadence, what-"

Spinning, Cadence slammed her hooves to the ground. Massive crystal formations shot up out of the ground between the pair and the nearest clump of trees. Lightning lanced from her horn to dance between the crystals even as her wings flung daggers of ice. Rearing back, she spun one hoof in the air to create a vacuum disc which she hurled forward. It sheared through the crystal formations and the trees beyond as it arced upwards into the air before dissipating.

"...Cadence?" Iroh asked worriedly.

"I...felt something malevolent in that direction," Cadence explained.

"Do you not think that perhaps you overdid it?" Iroh suggested.

"This is the world I come from," Cadence countered. "Which, according to Wan Shi Tong's books, means that my capabilities are an adaption to this world. Meaning it's likely anything malevolent is something I'm adapted to combat."

Iroh thought about that for a time. Something malevolent that required Cadence's level of power to combat... "Next time don't hold back," he instructed, having noticed from how she had held herself that she hadn't struck with her full force.

In what was left of the clump of trees, the Queen of the Changelings slowly backed away from what she'd just witnessed. After careful thought, she decided that maybe this wedding wasn't the one to try and conquer during. Another royal wedding was sure to come up eventually. After all, she'd had reports of how the blue princess looked at that red stud. He'd be much easier to impersonate accurately. After all, he barely spoke!

"Your Highness!"

Cadence and Iroh both blinked, turning to the sound of that voice. Several white pony stallions in gold armor came charging up. Some had horns, some had wings, and some had neither. They all came to a halt a few feet away from Cadence before bowing. The one in the lead spoke up. "Are you alright, Your Highness?"

Cadence blinked. Highness? she thought, confused. Deciding to run with it, she nodded. "Other than a little disoriented, I'm fine," she explained. "Can you...refresh my memory a bit? What brought us out here?"

The obvious guardspony nodded. "We stopped here on our way back from a diplomatic meeting with the Zebras," he explained. "You detected a massive magical imbalance in this region, and instructed us to wait while you investigated. When we detected you unleashing high levels of defensive magic, we came to your aid."

Cadence nodded, memories of those events returning as she was told of them. Noticing the stares directed Iroh's way, she decided to introduce him. "This is my father, Iroh."

Most of the guards nodded, though the one in the lead blinked. "Forgive me, Your Highness, but it was my understanding your father was...dead."

"He got better," Cadence replied firmly, much to Iroh's amusement. The guard acquiesced. "Now, we should probably be getting back."

"Agreed," the guard replied. "Captain Shining Armor is likely eager to see you."

Cadence gasped as more memories returned. "Oh yes! We really should hurry!" Quickly cleaning up the campsite, she grabbed Iroh by his wrist in her magic and began towing him along, following the guards to where her zeppelin awaited them. "Father, there's so much to tell you! You see..."

As the large vehicle lifted from the ground, Iroh smiled indulgently as he listened to his daughter remember her old life, keeping note of all the things he would need to know...and making a mental note to take the measure of this Captain.

Family Reunited

Iroh watched in mild amusement as Cadence got more and more excited as the massive balloon vehicle - the 'zeppelin', as the ponies called it - approached a castle town that rose up out of the side of a tall mountain. From his own perspective, it looked like the place was built by masters of Earthbending, to reshape the very land to defy gravity. But the delicate spires rising into the sky was more Airbender architecture, the flowing lines of structures more Waterbender style, though Waterbenders didn't work in stone. But the way the place was illuminated and the overall brightness felt like home to him. It was like a city that had been built by all the peoples of his world.

As they approached, Iroh began working on control of his elemental energies. The 'magical' fields of this world made his Bending far stronger than normal, as he'd discovered when he'd tried to light a fire for tea and wound up torching his room. This was especially frustrating as, unlike when under the power of the Comet, the fire inside him didn't feel any stronger. The fire also behaved somewhat differently, as he found he could pull a string of fire from his hand, and practice control by wrapping it around his fingers or toes without burning himself. One of the unicorn guardstallions had suggested a technique young unicorns used to practice the fine control of their magic, called "cat's cradle". While unicorns used string, Iroh made good use of his own fire around his fingers to make the various patterns, twining the strings of flames together.

Iroh continued his fine control practice even as the zeppelin docked at the castle at the peak of the city. As the ramp lowered, he made his way down alongside Cadence, keeping one eye on where he was going and the other on the intricate pattern of flames he was shaping. With what the guards had talked about with making pictures in string, Iroh had focused on a simple sunburst pattern, feeling such would be familiar. Despite his best efforts, however, the sun's rays in the pattern kept curving back and forth as he pulled the flame strings taught. While not the traditional Fire Nation art style, it was still recognizable as a sunburst pattern, and the exercise was more about fine control than the picture itself.

As they reached the bottom of the ramp, Iroh noticed a particular pony waiting for them. Unlike the others he'd seen before, this one also had wings and horn like Cadence, but was much larger, easily as tall as himself, and the first pony he met eye to eye. Her coat was pure white, and her mane and tail waved in the breeze, like a piece of an aurora cut from the sky. Pale purple eyes met his own, before glancing down at his burning cat's cradle in amusement. It was at that point he caught sight of the mark on her flank, the one Cadence had told was a 'Cutie Mark', and somehow of great personal significance to each individual pony (the actual mystical mechanics thereof had been a bit more than he could wrap his head around at the time, with everything else he was learning and putting more emphasis on memorizing things of personal and social significance to Cadence' life here). The sunburst he'd crafted in the flames exactly matched this mare's Cutie Mark.

"Cadence," the mare greeted warmly, her voice soft and wise, "won't you introduce me?"

"Of course, Aunt Celestia!" Cadence replied quickly. "This is my father, Iroh. Father, this is Princess Celestia, Diarch of Equestria."

Collapsing his fire weaving for the moment, Iroh put his hands together before his chest and bowed. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness," he greeted formally.

"And you as well," Celestia replied, inclining her head politely. "From what I can tell, my niece has been through a great deal more than just the diplomatic mission I sent her on since I last saw her. Thank you for looking after her so well."

Iroh smiled warmly. "It was a pleasure, I assure you," he replied. "She enriched my life far more than you could imagine."

"You might be surprised," Celestia replied. "But we can discuss that later...perhaps over a cup of Neighponese Jasmine?"

Iroh grinned widely. "I will enjoy that," he promised, once more shaping his flames around his fingers.

"For now, I think there are two ponies in particular who are eager to see you again, Cadence," Celestia murmured. "And I think you should meet them as well, Iroh."

Nodding, Iroh walked with Cadence as they made their way towards a pair of towers. "I find myself surprised that she was so sanguine about my appearance," he muttered to his equine daughter. "She wasn't even surprised at my appearance, and just welcomed me as family so easily."

"Aunt Celestia has always been rather welcoming," Cadence admitted, "and has her ways of knowing things she really shouldn't. I've been trying to figure it out for years." She blinked for a moment. "Er...at any rate, I had been before this all happened...or after...I think? Having been gone 35 years in 5 minutes makes tense really confusing!"

Iroh burst into laughter, both at Cadence' statement and her irritated expression as she dealt with the conundrum of language and time manipulation. "I do understand the difficulty," Iroh admitted. "Let us put it from our minds from now and meet these two, shall we?"

Nodding, Cadence led the way up to the top of the tower, where a bridge crossed to the next tower. Two ponies and an owl awaited them. Iroh decided to hold back and let Cadence have whatever reunion was appropriate before he stepped out to meet them.

The first pony to spot Cadence was the lavender unicorn mare with the starburst Cutie Mark. "Cadence!" she shouted out, rushing forward.

"Twilight!" Cadence called just as eagerly, letting Iroh know this was the Twilight Sparkle that Cadence had told him about, the filly she used to sit for.

As they got close to each other, the pair broke into a song and dance Iroh found quite familiar.

"Sunshine, Sunshine,
Ladybugs awake!
Clap your hooves and
Do a little shake!"

As the pair finished, they laughed and embraced eagerly. "Oh it's so good to see you again, Cadence!" Twilight gushed. "And you're marrying my brother! We're going to be sisters! That's so great!"

"Yes it is, Twilight," Cadence replied as she nuzzled Twilight. Then she caught sight of the white unicorn stallion with the blue mane, who had stepped back and let Cadence and Twilight reunite. "Shiney!" Throwing herself at the stallion, she clung tightly to him with forelegs and wings as she peppered him with kisses, he eagerly returning Cadence' affections.

"They certainly seem happy together," Iroh murmured as he stepped into the light.

Twilight yelped, spinning to see who spoke, only to gasp. "A human!" she squealed. "I thought humans were a myth? Who are you? Where did you come from?"

Iroh chuckled. "I am Iroh, Cadence' father-"

"Cadence!" Twilight squealed angrily. "Why didn't you ever tell me your father was human! I had that huge debate with Lyra Heartstrings about whether or not humans even existed back in debate class! You could have resolved the whole thing!"

"He was dead at the time," Cadence replied, "and he wasn't human until he got better."

Twilight tilted her head, confused. "Umm...transfiguration in the resurrection spell?"

"I get the feeling it's a bit more complicated than that," the stallion offered, stepping forward. "Iroh, I'm Shining Armor. It's a pleasure to meet you." While he tried to keep his eyes on Iroh's face, they kept being drawn to the pattern of fire between his fingers, which had somehow come to picture a sword between the strings of flame.

"Ah, so you are the fiance Cadence has told me so much about," Iroh replied warmly. "From how she greeted you, I assumed so, but it is good to get confirmation." Noticing the line of Shining's sight, he chuckled. "My Fire Weaving interests you? I find that my fire is far stronger than I'm used to, so I am practicing my fine control. It would be a shame if I lost my temper with somepony and, all unmeaning to, accidentally roasted them." He shook his head softly. "Such a terrible shame."

Cadence lifted a hoof to stifle her giggles as Shining Armor went visibly pale despite his white coat. "Sir, I promise you that no matter what happens I would never willingly hurt your daughter, whom I love more than life itself!" he stated quickly, terror in his eyes and voice.

"Oh, don't be like that!" Iroh chided. "I am not the vengeful type. Trust me, young knight, that should you ever end up hurting Cadence in such a way that it would call for retribution, I will do nothing to whatever Cadence leaves behind once she's finished with you."

Cadence was no longer able to stifle her laughter as Shining somehow went even paler. "That's hardly comforting," he whimpered softly.

"Who."

As the owl finally spoke up, Iroh turned towards him, seeing what appeared to be an ordinary brown owl staring at him with wise eyes.

"Oh, this is Owlowiscius," Twilight introduced. "When I told him about the wedding, he insisted on coming along for some reason. Even prettied himself up." At that last, she giggled, pointing to the White Lotus blossom the owl wore behind one ear...a blossom that Iroh and Cadence both immediately recognized.

As Cadence's eyes widened, Iroh cleared his throat. "A pleasure to meet you, Wise One," he greeted the owl pleasantly, dispelling his Fire Weaving to bow.

"Who," the owl replied, nodding his head.

"I think, for now, I should leave you to catch up with your fiance and soon-to-be sister-in-law, Cadence," Iroh suggested. "Myself, I think I will accept Princess Celestia's invitation to tea. Where might she be at this time?"

"Probably the throne room," Cadence offered.

"Who." The owl promptly took to the air, flying along the bridge.

"It appears I have a guide," Iroh chuckled, following along.

"But...but I've never brought Owlowiscius to Canterlot before," Twilight murmured, confused. "How does he know where the throne room is?"

Iroh smiled knowingly as he followed the owl along. He was rather unsurprised to find Celestia waiting for him, a table for three set up with two chairs and a perch. "I thought you'd take me up on my offer," she said mysteriously as she poured the tea. She nodded to the owl, who returned the greeting in a gesture of equals.

Iroh smiled as he took the prepared seat. "I must say, this world and its people hold many surprises for me."

"And more yet to come," Celestia replied mysteriously. She gestured to carvings on the tabletop. "Perhaps a game will help settle your nerves?"

Iroh glanced down at the table, and his eyes widened. "This world has Pai Sho as well?" he gasped, surprised. He eagerly pulled his own tile set out of his sleeve. "I feel more at home already."

"Would you do me the favor of letting me have the first move?" Celestia asked archly, setting her own tiles down to the side of the table.

"It would be an honor," Iroh agreed readily.

Smiling, Celestia levitated an intricately carved tile from her box - the edges practically a living painting with the interweaving designs - and set it in the exact center of the playing field.

Iroh stared in amazement. Even if the style of the pieces was different, the basic design was similar enough that he couldn't mistake what that tile was if he tried. "I see you favor the White Lotus Gambit," he stated in wonder. "Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

Celestia smiled mysteriously. "Those who do...can always find a friend."

Iroh's eyes widened, a great many questions answered only to spawn dozens more. "Then let us play," he replied, raising his tiles one by one, shaping the pattern with the Princess before him as the Wise Owl watched.

As the pattern completed, Celestia smiled warmly. "Welcome home, Grandmaster," she greeted. "The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets."

Iroh sat back in his chair, sipping his tea. "I have so many questions...a lifetime of them, I believe."

Celestia chuckled as she lifted her own tea to her lips. "I have many questions of my own...and it is the duty of a member of the White Lotus to share knowledge with their fellows."

"It will surely take a long time for us to answer all of each others' questions," Iroh cautioned.

"A most pleasant way to spend said time," Celestia replied easily, returning the tiles to their boxes for another game.

Sighing happily, Iroh settled himself in for what was sure to be the beginning of a wonderful friendship...and, as he remembered the words of Aunt Wu, perhaps something more.

Old Friends

Twilight glanced around nervously as she followed Cadence through a twisting corridor she could have sworn wasn't a part of the Castle layout the last time she was in Canterlot, desperately seeking some sign of normalcy in what looked like a Discordian construction of sound and fury turned matter and light. "C-C-Cadence?" she asked worriedly. "Are you sure we're...going the right way?"

"There's nothing to worry about, Twilight," Cadence replied easily, walking calmly forward with a glowing stone levitating before her of its own accord. "Just stay in my hoofsteps, and you'll be just fine. I have safe passage here, and as long as you're with me, nothing will trifle with you." She chuckled softly. "I have many friends here, and the one we're going to see would be most upset if any of the other residents interfered with us."

"O-okay," Twilight stammered, making sure to place her hooves in the glowing prints Cadence left behind as she walked, being as exact as equinely possible...which was pretty exact, considering the two of them had different size hooves. "But this doesn't look like part of the castle I remember..."

"It's not," Cadence replied readily. "We're in the Spirit World."

"What?" Twilight gasped out, stunned. "But...but the Spirit World is incredibly dangerous! Ponies who try to explore it often become lost, or blinded by the beauty, or driven mad by the dangers, or lose their faces and are devoured by darkness!"

"That's because most ponies who come here are unaware of - and thus don't obey - the rules of conduct," Cadence explained firmly. "This is my third visit to the Spirit World, Twilight, and I've come back safe every single time." She indicated the glowing stone. "Besides, I have a direct pass to exactly where we're trying to go."

"What is that stone, anyway?" Twilight asked curiously, trying not to think about all the dangers inherent in Spirit Walking that she'd read about the first time she asked Princess Celestia to teach her Astral Projection. She still had nightmares about some of the things that could happen, which was why she'd never experimented with it.

"I guess you could call it..." Cadence' voice trailed off as the mad swirls of colors and dangers solidified into soaring columns, delicate busts, arching portcullises, and shelves upon shelves upon shelves of books, scrolls, and sheaves of sheets. "...a library card," Cadence finished, smiling widely as she caught sight of Twilight's awed gaze.

"This place is amazing!" Twilight gasped out, racing from shelf to shelf as she examined the things on them, careful not to touch anything. "There's...there's just so much here! I could spend a lifetime just cataloging it all, let alone reading it!"

"Careful saying things like that around here," a good natured masculine voice called out from down the aisle. A fox slowly walked towards them, its figure blurring into that of an elderly man as he approached. "I said something similar when I first arrived...and was offered the choice to never leave. While a good life for one such as I, I feel you have too much holding you home...especially if Cadence brought you here."

Cadence blinked, tilting her head. "I...don't believe I know you," she murmured softly.

"Ah, where are my manners?" the man replied. "I am Professor Zei, former head of Anthropology at Ba Sing Se University-"

"Oh!" Cadence gasped out. "Aang and Sokka mentioned you! You're the one who told them about this place!" She paused, frowning somewhat. "I'm not sure if I should be happy to see you or not."

"I well understand," Zei replied. "My new employer felt much the same...but he found value in my dedication to scholarly pursuits...so he offered me a choice. Remain in the library for the remainder of my natural lifespan and only just scratch the surface of its contents...or become one of his Knowledge Seekers, with the duty of organizing and cataloging everything the others bring in, and thus have all of time to learn all contained herein." He shrugged. "The choice was quite easy for me."

Cadence chuckled. "And I take it the fact that all the other Knowledge Seekers were vixens had nothing to do with your decision?"

Zei had the decency to turn bright red. "While I didn't take it into consideration, it has made my stay far more enjoyable than I anticipated..."

Twilight glanced back and forth between the giggling pair worriedly. "So...I guess I should go meet the head librarian and apply for my own, uh, 'library card' then?"

"Probably," Cadence agreed. Reaching into her saddlebag, she pulled out a magically preserved fragment of parchment. "You'll need this though."

Confused, Twilight levitated it to her face. Unable to make out the writing, she worked a quick translation spell. "...the Darkest Day in Fire Nation History?" she asked, confused. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"He'll know," Cadence promised, nudging Twilight along. "Just don't get so distracted by everything here you don't make it back in time to be Shining's Best Mare!"

"Right!" Twilight agreed, quickly taking the indicated directions to find the Head Librarian...only to skid to a halt as she found herself face to talon with the biggest barn owl she had ever seen, his white face staring down at her from far too high above her. "...umm...I'm looking for the...head librarian?" she offered hopefully.

"That would be me," the owl replied. "I am Wan Shi Tong, He Who Knows Ten Thousand Things, and this is my library. How did you come to be here, Twilight Sparkle?"

Twilight blinked, stunned. "Y...You know my name?"

"I know many things," Wan Shi Tong replied. "You did not answer my question."

"Oh, right!" Twilight chuckled nervously. "C-Cadence brought me here-"

"I might have known," Wan Shi Tong grumbled. "As much of a scholar as you are, she should know her pass extends only to her kin. I made an exception regarding it being for as long as my library was in the world where the pass was issued, since she left that world as well, but you are not her kin until she is wed." He sighed. "She probably intended to try and guilt me into making a special exception for you, but I well know how important sticking to the rules is for you."

Twilight nodded. "Yes. I want to earn my right to be here!"

Wan Shi Tong nodded. "Admirable. Have you brought a contribution to my collection, then? To prove your dedication to knowledge for knowledge's sake?"

"Umm...Cadence gave me this?" She levitated up the parchment fragment.

"Ahh. So she finally got Sokka to return the things he 'checked out' without permission." Wan Shi Tong clicked his tongue. "I wonder what he provided in the way of 'late fees'." He looked from the parchment to Twilight for a time. "...ah, so that is her intent. Come with me." Turning, Wan Shi Tong began to walk towards a particular section of the library.

Confused, Twilight did her best to follow...only to gasp at what she saw. An entire segment of the library had been torched, scorched black with fire. "Who would do such a thing?!" she wailed in despair. "Those poor books..."

"One who sought to use my knowledge to harm others saw to it that my knowledge could not be used by anyone else against him and his own," Wan Shi Tong growled. "I understand you know a spell to restore fire damaged books."

"Well, yeah!" Twilight replied quickly. "I live in a library with a baby dragon. I'd be an idiot not to. But it needs-"

"The only piece removed from this section is the fragment you hold," Wan Shi Tong explained. "Every speck of soot and ash that was once the books and scrolls held here remains here. If your magic is enough to restore them, I shall consider it your contribution. After all, preserving knowledge is just as important for one such as I as increasing it."

Nodding, Twilight turned her attention to the section, focusing on her magic and calling it forth.

As Wan Shi Tong watched carefully, three layers of magical focus built up over Twilight's horn, just as it had when she'd dealt with the Ursa Minor rampaging in Ponyville. While not the same type of effort as that task had been, this was plainly just as strenuous a working for the young unicorn. Much to his pleasant surprise, it was only a matter of minutes before the first book began to reform out of the ashes. As the first was completed, the momentum of the magic began to build, and the rest of the books swiftly took shape, returning to their places on the shelves as the wood restored itself and the scrolls rolled themselves back up, whole once more.

As the magic finished and Twilight slumped back, Wan Shi Tong examined the results. Eventually, he spoke up. "You could have left the sorting and cataloging to me," he pointed out mildly.

"Force of habit," Twilight gasped out as she caught her breath.

"Still, a most pleasing contribution," Wan Shi Tong confirmed, setting a small stone to hover in the air in front of Twilight. "This is your key to my library. It will respond only to you. You have permission to bring guests, but they must bring their own contributions if they wish to explore my library."

"Yes sir!" Twilight replied breathlessly, gazing at the glowing stone in awe.

"For now, you should probably get home and get some rest," he instructed. "It's a big day tomorrow, isn't it?"

"Right! The wedding!" Spinning, Twilight raced away, following her 'library card' back to Canterlot.

It would be more than a week before she wondered how Wan Shi Tong knew so much about her, though she came to the conclusion Owlowiscius had told him about her. The owl didn't deny it, so she considered the matter settled, no matter how much that amused her #2 assistant.

Shared Pains

Cadence stared into Azula's eyes, her awakened empathy filling her with the pain of everyone she'd ever hurt, everyone she would hurt, and the flames that roared through her being, ready to erupt with the passing of the Comet. Desperately, Cadence reached out to offer her comfort, to hold her close and tell her everything would be alright, that she would fix it...but she could not fix it. Azula called out for help...but Cadence' hoof brought only death.

As she touched the young woman before her, the desperate hand of a young girl seeking love was knocked away, her desperate yearning spurned by what she saw as the embodiment of love. Young eyes filled with betrayal stared up at Cadence, tears of fire pouring from her eyes. "I don't want to go..." she whimpered desperately.

The child before her dissolved in light, the swirling winds of possibility tearing at Cadence' wings, showing her everything that might have been that now could never be, the changes that might have happened had only she swallowed her distaste at the sense of wrongness deep inside Azula and offered her the love she so desperately craved. Once more, Cadence screamed in agony, as the flames began to consume her, licking up her forelegs to devour her soul in the agony of her crime.

"You did this to me," the blue dragon hissed in her ear in Azula's voice as it swirled around her. "You destroyed me, left me to become a monster!" Beneath the blue dragon's wings, the Kraken rose, devouring the fleet. "The sons and daughters of fire fell, because of you!"

Desperately, Cadence turned to the red dragon, but it stared down at her impassively. "There are no punishments for mistakes," it whispered in Iroh's voice. "Only consequences."

"And now it's time to face yours!" the blue dragon snarled, lunging forward. "Join me in the death you chose for me!" Its jaws opened wide, and Cadence lost herself in terror.

The blue dragon dispersed as a ray of purest light pierced it, wrapping around Cadence as the red dragon faded into the ether. The crimson flames withdrew, held back by soothing blue light that gently cradled Cadence, lifting her out of the agonizing vision that had tormented her for so long. Lifting up from the scorched lands of the Earth Kingdoms, she found herself resting upon a cloud over Canterlot, the stars drifting through the night sky like ducks upon a river. Beside her upon the cloud, a familiar blue figure rested, wrapping a comforting wing around her as the soothing blue light released her. "Oh my dear sweet niece," the soft voice murmured in her ear, as a warm muzzle nuzzled into her neck comfortingly. "What horrors have you lived through, to leave such scars upon your mind and soul, and when could they have possibly come to pass?"

Cadence glanced around quickly in confusion, eventually managing to take in the figure beside her. "L-Luna?" she gasped out. "B-but..."

"Shh," Luna gently hushed her. "You are in the realm of dreams, Cadence. The pain and torment of your nightmare was so great that it pulled me in, and I did what I could to aid you. Normally, I would seek to aid you in addressing the cause of your nightmare, but well do I recognize the terror visions born of past memories. Still, this is hardly the dreams you should be having the night before your wedding."

"Dream..." Cadence murmured softly, managing to get herself to calm down somewhat. "Yes...a very familiar dream...one I've had many times since...that day."

Luna watched her silently for a time, letting her get herself back under control. When that was done, she spoke up. "Within the dream realm, time passes - or not - at the rate of thought. If you wish, I can take the time to hear the whole story, to perhaps better aid you with this pain."

Cadence smiled softly. "I appreciate the offer, Luna, I really do...but it's an old pain. I've been dealing with it for thirty years-"

"But you are only 32," Luna pointed out. "And I saw in the dream that you were older than two when that happened."

Cadence chuckled softly. "Physically, yes. But...well, let's just say that things were quite complicated."

"Indeed?" Luna replied with a chuckle. "How so?"

"I lived thirty years in another world, and only five minutes passed in this one," Cadence explained.

"I thought you said it was complicated," Luna countered. "Sounds simple enough to me."

"Reverse aged into an infant that, for some reason, aged to adolescence in three years and then only aged another ten in the remaining 27," Cadence continued.

"Yes, being an alicorn does have unusual effects on the aging process at times," Luna confirmed.

Cadence stared at Luna for a time, trying to detect any hint that she was being teased. "Well...I suppose we could talk for a bit..."

"...and then I sat, waiting for my father to wake up and live again," Cadence finished, sipping the tea she had conjured for the both of them. "It's been...an adjustment, coming back after having been gone years in seconds."

"I can well imagine," Luna replied, chuckling.

"Truly?" Cadence inquired.

"If you thought trying to unlearn thirty years of habits in seconds was difficult, try embracing a millennium in change in perceived seconds."

Cadence struggled not to chuckle. "Goodness. I guess you did have a great deal to adjust to after coming back from the moon."

"Indeed," Luna confirmed, sighing sadly. "I...have a lot to make up for. Much like you, there are crimes upon my soul that, despite forgiveness offered, I cannot let myself forget. I must always remember what I've done, so I do not make the same mistakes again..."

Cadence frowned, something about how Luna put that bothering her. "Luna...how exactly are you ensuring you never forget?"

Luna glanced away, biting her lip. She plainly didn't want to speak of it...but eventually, she relented. "Perhaps you may understand after all," she allowed. "I have created a dream creature, one that will ensure I never forget that horrible crime I have committed...by making me relive it in my nightmares."

"That's not healthy," Cadence stated bluntly.

"It is not so different from these nightmares you cannot escape," Luna countered.

"Isn't it?" Cadence demanded. "You said it yourself, these are scars upon my mind and soul. There is nothing wrong with keeping your scars." Lifting her hoof, she manipulated her dream to make her coat recede, revealing the burn scars. "They remind you of your mistakes, and help you remember to learn to do better. But to deliberately inflict the same injury on yourself over and over...that is no scar. That is tearing the wound open repeatedly, guaranteeing that it will never heal."

"Do I not deserve it for what I've done?" Luna demanded defensively.

"I told you what Azula did," Cadence countered. "I told you what she would have done. Do you think she deserved anything that happened to her? Whether by my hoof or her brother's hand?"

Luna stared into Cadence's eyes for a time, then glanced away.

"I understand not being able to forgive yourself," Cadence continued. "It's something I deal with as well. But you made a mistake, that's all. There are no punishments for that, only consequences." She lowered her gaze. "Father taught me that. It...helped me get past my guilt regarding my involvement with...what happened in the Northern Sea." She raised her head, gazing into Luna's eyes. "But it still haunts me...and I accept that as one of the consequences for my mistake. But I don't punish myself for that mistake beyond these nightmares my mind creates on its own...the pain of those scars flaring. Is what you did so much worse than my own mistakes?"

"And every decision Celestia made on her own for the kingdom, shaped by her grief and desire to somehow save me...is that not my fault as well?" Luna demanded.

"Merely more consequences," Cadence continued. "But will you face them...or hide from them?"

"Hide?!" Luna demanded angrily. "I will not hide from the consequences of my actions!"

"And yet you feel you have to create your own punishment?" Cadence countered, firmly meeting Luna's angry gaze.

Luna fell silent, letting her niece's words turn over and over in her mind. Eventually, she lowered her gaze. "It...it is not so easy to let it go..."

"That's why you have a loving family," Cadence replied softly. "We'll all be here for you, to help you through it...if you'll just open up and let us."

Much to Cadence' surprise, Luna chuckled softly. "How often have I given that self same advice to a child whose nightmares I have helped them face?" she murmured. "I was summoned to your nightmare to help you with your pain...but it seems it is you who have helped me, somewhat, with my own."

Cadence smiled softly, extending her wing to embrace her aunt. "Just addressing the issue doesn't fix it," Cadence offered comfortingly. "But it is the first step."

Luna leaned into the comforting embrace, relaxing. After a time, she spoke up again. "Your father sounds...interesting," she mused idly.

"Pretty sure Aunt Tia's already called dibs," Cadence replied impishly.

"Ponyfeather."

Cadence couldn't help but laugh.

Old, New, Borrowed, Blue

The past few days had been hectic for Cadence, though made easier by the presence of Twilight's wonderful friends. Rarity had taken her in hoof, creating a beautiful wedding gown for her that incorporated both the traditional designs of Equestria and those that Cadence had told her about from the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdoms. While the requests had caught Rarity off guard, she'd absolutely adored them and had gone on and on about how it would be a brand new trend in Equestrian fashion, which had left Cadence rather amused.

Pinkie Pie had helped plan out the reception after the wedding, and all the games and pastries and music that would be available. Cadence had been rather surprised that Pinkie already had recipes for several Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom dishes, as well as arranging for the music for the Fire Nation traditional wedding dance. In response to how she had all this already, Pinkie had offered one of three explanations, telling Cadence to believe whichever she was most comfortable with. ...Cadence chose to believe Pinkie Pie spoke owl, as the first explanation gave her a headache to even contemplate, and the third didn't actually explain anything.

Applejack was overseeing the baking, and the home-cooked feel she gave to every dish she put her hoof to was a welcome touch for Cadence, and the rediscovery of apples - she wasn't certain if there had actually been any in the other world, and if there were they hadn't been this good - had been an embarrassing pleasure. She was grateful that Applejack had been so understanding about the mess Cadence had made of the kitchen with her 'tasting'...and of having to get a lot of her ingredients - including all the apples - redelivered.

Fluttershy had taken care of the music, teaching all of Celestia's songbirds to carry the wedding march beautifully. Her gentle nature had also eased some of Cadence's own worries about her upcoming nuptials, what with how much she'd obviously changed from that 'five minute' jaunt through a dimensional rift. It was a relief to hear that, for all her differences, Shining was still obviously head over hooves in love with her. She hoped the differences didn't ever come between them.

And now here she was, hearing the songbirds sing her down the aisle, the lovely dress hanging from her body, the train laid out behind her as three adorable fillies threw flowers in front of her. Iroh was at her side, walking her down the aisle to where Shining Armor awaited her, splendid in his best dress uniform and his favorite Uncle's insignia on his chest. He smiled widely as she approached, nervousness only barely visible. Celestia stood behind the altar, smiling warmly as she watched Cadence as she approached.

Cadence looked downward, her eyes on her white clad hooves and the red carpet she walked upon. Ever so briefly, the music faded out of her mind, and she saw the carpet as clay, the red crawling up her hooves as flames.

A touch on her shoulder snapped her out of it. Looking up, she saw Iroh smiling down at her. Nodding, she continued her walk forward until she was at the altar.

She stood there, her eyes locked on Shining Armor before her, not really hearing the speech Celestia was giving about the beauty of marriage and love, and about how wonderful it was that they'd finally come together. It didn't look like Shining was really hearing it either as they gazed into each other's eyes. As silence briefly fell over the cathedral, they both found themselves whispering the two words they'd come to say. "I do."

Startled murmurs raced through the hall, until Celestia's amused chuckle cut through it. "Feeling a bit jumpy, aren't you?" she asked teasingly.

As Iroh started laughing, Cadence and Shining simultaneously realized the silence had been Celestia asking if anyone had any objections. While both were mortified at first, Cadence soon found herself laughing, and Shining quickly joined in.

More familiar laughter caught her attention, and Cadence turned her eyes upward. Wan Shi Tong in the guise of Twilight's #2 assistant, perched atop a window. Through the window, Cadence saw not the outside of the castle, but many familiar faces. Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Zuko, Mai, Jin, their children...even King Bumi, who was still live and kicking after all this time (he claimed the Death Spirit had tried to take him three times, only to find him too tough).

Wan Shi Tong smiled and winked at her, his wings spread over the top of the window, letting all those she knew from the other world witness her wedding. Turning back, she saw Shining smiling at her, and Celestia and Iroh smiling down at her.

The rest was a joyful blur, and the next thing Cadence knew, the ring was on her horn and Celestia was telling her to kiss Shining. She needed no second bidding.

The reception was a wild bash, and Cadence wasn't entirely sure she'd remember all of it. However, as she climbed into the carriage to ride off with her new husband, she knew that it would always be a special memory, a day that didn't start out perfect, but truly made itself perfect by the end.

She smiled as the carriage began the long journey for their honeymoon, leaning against Shining with a happy sigh. "That was amazing..." she whispered happily.

"Yeah," Shining agreed. "Quite the day." He leaned his head against hers.

"It's not over quite yet, Shining," Cadence breathed teasingly, making him blush. "So I heard Spike was planning your bachelor party. How'd that go?"

Shining blushed even brighter. "Well...apparently your father heard about it and...after deciding Spike wasn't old enough to understand, took over the planning. Teamed up with my father, Big Macintosh - Applejack's brother - and Prince Blueblood for a real blowout."

"Sounds like quite the party," Cadence replied warmly. "But why are you so embarrassed?"

"Well, Iroh assigned Big Macintosh to procure...entertainment," Shining replied. "He somehow convinced a friend of his - a zebra shaman named Zecora - to jump out of a cake." He swallowed convulsively. "Among other things..."

Cadence did her best to stifle her giggles. "So...take anything away from that?"

"Umm..." Shining swallowed convulsively. He then grinned nervously. "Can we...buy you some fans?"

Unable to hold herself back, Cadence burst into laughter, hugging her husband tightly. "Only if you get Zecora to give me lessons," she teased, nuzzling into him.

It wasn't happily ever after. It was only a new beginning.

Epilogue: Chaos and Harmony

After careful review of Twilight's life and achievements, Celestia had gone down her 'Friendship Checklist' to see what lessons Twilight still actually needed to learn...and with Iroh's help, had determined only one last lesson she felt she still needed to pass on to her before taking the next step. Laying that groundwork for the next step, she contacted Twilight regarding one more mission she had for her.

She then sent several of her guards to the statue garden. She hoped this would work as well as she hoped.

Twilight stared up at the statue before her, surrounded by her friends, remembering her last encounter with the entity so entombed. "Princess Celestia...are you sure about this?" she asked worriedly. "I mean...it's Discord we're talking about here! The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony..." Her defensiveness and worry drained out of her as she heard her own words, to be replaced with curiosity.

"I'm well aware of the problems you had with him in the past, Twilight," Celestia replied softly. "However, I feel that if you all work together, you can find the good in him and reform him. However, I feel that in this case, you should follow Fluttershy's lead. I believe her best suited to reaching him, with all of your assistance."

"Yeah...I suppose," Twilight murmured, not quite hearing the voices of her friends around her as they expressed their own views on the matter. She rubbed her chin with her hoof, her mind plainly elsewhere.

Celestia stared down at her student, somewhat concerned for her distracted state. She had expected a great many possible reactions, but not this. "I have cast a spell on the Elements so he can't steal them from you," she continued, opening the chest to distribute them. Despite the glee of the others, Twilight seemed to barely notice the tiara on her head, only nodding distractedly and mumbling 'Yes, Princess'. Celestia frowned at that. "...Luna wishes to know when you might be free to go out on the town for a night of drunken debauchery," she offered, trying to get a reaction out of Twilight.

"I think Thursday's open," Twilight muttered, plainly not having heard what was said.

Celestia sighed as Rainbow laughed. "And you've become so lost in your thoughts you aren't even listening," she murmured, trying to decide whether to be pleased Twilight could act this way around her or feel disrespected by it.

"Excuse me everypony," Twilight suddenly spoke up, "but there's someone I need to ask something of before we get started." With that, she pulled a small glowing stone out of her saddlebags and vanished.

Celestia groaned, putting one hoof to her forehead. "Why did Cadence have to introduce them in his Library?" she muttered, before turning to head back to Canterlot, hoping she hadn't made a terrible mistake.

After a time, Twilight reappeared, looking somehow heartbroken. "Let's...let's let him out," she stammered out.

"Twi? You okay?" Applejack asked worriedly as everyone stared at her.

"No," Twilight replied. "But we need to do this."

"O...okay..." Rainbow muttered, moving into position.

"Where'd you go, anyway?" Pinkie asked curiously. "Huh? Huh?"

"Before judging someone, one should walk a mile in their shoes," Twilight murmured. "It's an old saying. I...had to talk to someone who knew Discord's foot size..."

While Rarity, Rainbow, Applejack, and Fluttershy all looked confused, Pinkie nodded in understanding. "So what's his size, huh? Six? 12? 274?"

"...one," Twilight replied.

As everyone else continued to look confused, Pinkie's jaw dropped. "Oh...oh wow..." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "No wonder he didn't know to provide whipped cream with the chocolate milk."

"Uhh...?" Spike began, totally confused.

Follwoing Twilight's lead, the others turned the power of their Elements to freeing Discord. As the statue shattered, Discord fell on his back laughing. "I can't believe you actually said that, Twilight!" he gasped out. "Really, free Thursday for dru-"

He was cut off as Twilight and Pinkie both glomped onto him, holding him close in a comforting embrace.

"Umm...while hugs do help show good feeling, I'm not sure if that's how we should start..." Fluttershy began. "But if it works, that's okay..."

Discord blinked, staring down at Twilight and Pinkie. "Twilight, you're leaking on me," he chided, pointing to the tears pouring from her eyes. "I don't think I like it."

"...I'm sorry..." she whispered back.

Discord blinked. "Well, I suppose if you move your face-"

"For judging you just for being chaos," Twilight continued. "Just like...the other spirits did..."

Discord stared at her as the other ponies glanced back and forth in confusion. "...uh..."

"I asked Wan Shi Tong about you," Twilight explained, causing Spike to let out an 'Ah!' of understanding.

"Oh, that stuffed shirtless!" Discord grumbled, rolling his eyes. "The less I hear about him, the better. If he wasn't so stuffy-"

"Then the other spirits might have been more tolerant of your chaotic nature, and you wouldn't have been ostracized from the only other entities in existence during your formative years that would live for more than the relative blink of an eye?" Twilight clarified.

This brought gasps from everyone listening. Moments later, Fluttershy was glomped onto Discord, stroking his head. "Oh...you poor dear..."

Spike glomped onto Discord's leg. "I...I feel your pain, bro..." he murmured, sobbing.

Discord could only stare, stunned, as Applejack, Rainbow, and Rarity joined the spontaneous group hug. "I absolutely do not need this!" Discord complained as the hugs got tighter and more comforting. "This is not filling a void in my heart that certainly doesn't exist in the first place!" He struggled as the hugs got tighter. "Hey, I still need to breathe, you know!" As this brought giggles instead of tighter hugs, he considered that progress.

Wan Shi Tong was surprised, somewhat unpleasantly so, when Twilight once more returned to his Library, this time with all her friends in tow. While he knew all of them from his time in another form in Twilight's world, there was one in particular he did not like seeing. "Twilight," he scolded, "I thought I made my feelings plain regarding that spirit and my library."

"You did," Twilight replied. "But Celestia asked us to reform him, and once we were able to get through to him-"

"I still dispute that!" Discord interrupted, leading to Twilight blowing a raspberry at him, which he returned in kind.

"-I thought the best way to really help him would be to resolve the longstanding conflict between you two," Twilight concluded as though she hadn't interrupted her own words to stick her tongue out. "After all, if the two of you can get along, then he's certainly reformed, wouldn't you say?"

Wan Shi Tong scowled. "And why should I believe he's capable of restraining himself long enough to not earn my ire by disorganizing my library for fun?" he demanded.

"Well, first is because Twilight convinced him to reorganize the card catalog to match if he does that again!" Pinkie offered. "And second, maybe he just needs a flower of his own?" She gave Wan Shi Tong a huge smile.

Wan Shi Tong glowered at Pinkie. "I don't know if I should be more irritated that you used knowledge you should not possibly have to make that point, or that it is a valid one." He sighed. "Very well. If each of you brought a contribution to my collection to prove your dedication to knowledge for knowledge's sake, I suppose I can hear you out as far as Discord is concerned."

"Did I mention you're my favorite?" Discord whispered to Pinkie, who giggled in response.

Rarity was the first to step up, offering a catalog of all her original fashion creations.

"Hmm...quite intriguing designs," Wan Shi Tong murmured as he accepted it. "Certainly unique as far as my collection is concerned."

Fluttershy timidly offered a collection of stories of the lives of her animal friends.

"Quite the dedicated caretaker you are," Wan Shi Tong murmured in response, gently taking the book.

Applejack stepped up with a large book. "This here's a history o' Ponyville from the day Granny Smith and her folks founded it until today, written in her own hoof."

"A personal account of such length should be quite the unique addition to my collection," Wan Shi Tong replied. He then turned to Pinkie and Rainbow.

Pinkie grinned as she handed over a book that appeared to be in the process of writing itself. Curious, Wan Shi Tong opened to the last page with writing on it, his eyes trailing down to the last line as he read about himself reading about himself reading-

He snapped the book shut, glowering at Pinkie, who was in the midst of exchanging a hoof bump with Discord. "Hilarious," he stated bluntly, adding the book to his collection. He then turned to Rainbow Dash.

Grinning smugly, she handed over a book titled 'Tricktionary'. "Done every last one of them!" she proclaimed smugly.

Wan Shi Tong sighed as he took the book. "I suppose every heroic group has to have its Sokka," he mumbled under his breath, making Discord cackle. "And what about you?" he asked, turning on the Spirit of Chaos.

Reaching under his lion paw with his eagle talon, Discord pulled out an ancient tome wrapped in a bow with an "I'm sorry!" note attached. "I...found the one that went missing," he explained.

Wan Shi Tong stared at Discord for a time...and smiled. "Apology accepted," he stated firmly, taking the book. He then pulled out another book. "Twilight, Celestia left this with me, to give to you next time you came here after reforming Discord. It's Starswirl's last spell journal."

Twilight gasped in surprise. "Really?" she squealed excitedly.

"There's even an unfinished spell in the back," Wan Shi Tong explained. "It has several evocative elements, so don't read it aloud unless you're ready to cast. Also, it has something to do with the Elements of Harmony."

"Then it's a good thing we have them with us, isn't it darling?" Rarity gushed, stroking her necklace.

"I'll have my Knowledge Seekers prepare a spot for you to study," Wan Shi Tong stated as a few of the spirit vixens approached. "In the meantime...I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything if Discord and I...caught up."

"Just like that?" Discord asked, surprised as the ponies followed the foxes. "You really think it'll be that easy to bury eons of enmity?"

"We have common ground now," Wan Shi Tong replied, staring after the ponies as they raced off. "We share friends...whom we must both one day watch whither and fade, taken by Time."

Discord stared after the group. "I...suppose you have a point..."

Discord and Wan Shi Tong sat in silence, sharing a pot of tea and Sokka's joke book, when there was an explosion in the distance. "What was that?" Discord demanded, stunned. "And why does it feel like fan rage?"

"That came from where Twilight and the others are!" Wan Shi Tong gasped out, racing forward, Discord close behind them.

As they arrived, they were blinded by returning light. As the light faded, both were able to clearly see Twilight and the others...but there were far more horns and wings than there should have been.

Discord stared at this, then burst into laughter. Wan Shi Tong turned and walked back into the library. "Nope!" he stated firmly as he grabbed Pinkie's submission. "Who this insanity!" Flipping to the last page, he took a quill and added

The Hole in His Heart

Iroh walked softly, sorrowfully around the Palace Grounds, seeking silence, peace, and refuge. As little as a month ago, his world had been perfect. Hailed by his people. Respected by his soldiers. Loved by his son. Honored by his family. Each new day looked to be better than the last. And then, bit by bit, his world had fallen apart.

In the midst of his siege of Ba Sing Se, he had received word. His son had died in the war. The force of the grief had stalled his mind, so he could not think how next to attack the great city of the Earth Kingdom. After a time, he came to the conclusion that he would have to work through his grief before he could return to the war.

But when he had gotten home, even greater tragedy awaited him. His father was dead, and had disinherited him in favor of his younger brother Ozai, who was now Fire Lord. Tragedy and loss poured down on him, leaving his will broken.

The funeral for his son had to wait until after the state funeral for Fire Lord Azulan, which had waited for Iroh's return to occur. During that state funeral - and the coronation of Ozai which followed - Iroh had been required to present a stoic, passive face. As brother to the new Fire Lord, he could not show grief, despair, or any other negative emotion. He had to be strong for his family and country, no matter how much he hated it.

It wasn't that he cared about being Fire Lord. He had never wanted the position for himself, or personal glory. Even if he'd gotten the position, it would have taken years - if not decades - to work towards repairing the damage to the world and restoring the Balance as the Order of the White Lotus sought to do. Iroh was a member in good standing within the Order, and dedicated to its goals.

It had been during his son's funeral - where he'd also been forced to maintain his stoic expression - when Master Piandao, another member of the Order, had approached him. He had offered his personal comfort for his loss, and with a palming of a white lotus Pai Sho piece, the sympathy of the Order as a whole. That support had been welcome, but he was still left with grief he could not purge. Unable to cry, he felt the weight of it on his heart, boring in until it would break him.

And now he sought privacy within the royal compound. Somewhere peaceful and unseen, where he could allow his grief to show. Where he could shed tears for the son he'd loved more than his own life, and for the father who had betrayed him.

At last, he found a place within the gardens. Shaded and hidden, filled with bonsai trees and a water display which would hide the sound of his tears, he could express his grief here without concern for observation. Sitting in the garden, he settled his pipa in his lap and began to pluck the strings, playing his son's favorite song, one he'd written for Lu Ten stanza by stanza as he'd grown. Struggling to hold back his grief, he began to sing.

"Leaves from the vine
Falling so slow
Like fragile tiny shells
Drifting in the foam
Little soldier boy
Come marching home
Brave soldier boy
Comes marching home"

His tears began to fall as he plucked the strings. He heard the sounds of a small creature coming towards him, drawn by his music. He smiled softly, glad of the company that wouldn't judge him. When the noises ceased in the bushes close to him, he began to sing again.

"Those leaves did grow
From branches overgrown
Drifting slowly down
Resting on the loam
Little soldier boy
Taken from home
Forced to fight a war
That's not his own"

That verse he'd written when Lu Ten had joined the army, to make him proud. He had welcomed his desire to prove himself, though had not been entirely happy with his choice to become a soldier. Still, he had shown his support, and had prayed he would come home safe.

But he hadn't. And much to his sorrow, Iroh had been forced to add the last verse to the song.

"Leaves from the vine
Falling so slow
Like fragile tiny shells
Drifting in the foam"

As he sang, he heard a tiny, high pitched voice singing along with him. There were no words, but it carried the tune beautifully, like a tiny flute blending with the plucks of his pipa. Surprisingly enough, it came from the bushes to his side, where he'd heard the creature before. Had it perhaps been a child?

As he sang the second half of the verse, he shifted slowly to move the bushes to one side, hoping to see the singer without disturbing them.

"Little soldier boy says
"Carry me home"
Sleeping soldier boy
Is carried home"

The singing continued with him as he pushed the bushes to one side. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the singer. As best he could tell, it was a tiny pony of some sort, about the size of a cat. He knew of ponies from seeing a poodle-pony, but he had never seen an actual one. They were quite rare, as were their larger counterparts, horses. It was why ostrich horses were the more common land mounts used. However, this pony was unlike any he'd ever seen, even in art. For one thing, it was bright pink, with a pink, purple, and yellow mane and tail. On each side of its rump was a mark of a heart made of blue crystal on an unrolled yellow scroll. It also had a horn spiraling from its forehead, and wings folded to its sides. Its face was also, somehow, distinctly feminine, leading him to the conclusion the pony was female.

She was also sitting on her hindquarters - an unusual pose for any equine type creature - with her head tilted back, eyes closed, and an expression of intense focus and joy on her face as she sang along to the tune of his pipa.

As he stopped playing, she opened pale purple eyes to look up at him. She frowned worriedly when she saw him staring, starting to back away.

"It's alright," he said gently, setting his instrument aside. "You don't have to be frightened. I won't hurt you. Are you a spirit creature?" When she continued to back away, he reached into the basket he'd brought with him, drawing out the roll he'd brought to snack on. When her eyes perked up at the sight of the bread, he smiled, breaking off a small piece and gently tossing it to in front of her. She eagerly seized it, nibbling on it until she'd devoured it.

When she looked up again, Iroh had already dropped the next piece a little closer to himself. She pounced on the piece...then paused, looking up at him before eating it. She glanced from the small piece of bread clutched in her forehooves - an amazing feat to Iroh's eyes, in and of itself - to the loaf, to Iroh himself. She tilted her head in thought...then surprised Iroh further by clambering into his lap before eating the piece in her hooves, nudging his empty hand with her forehead to solicit a caress.

Iroh found himself laughing as he stroked her mane. "Quite an intelligent and forward little creature as well," he laughed, pausing in the caress only to break off another piece to let her eat out of his hand. "And such a beautiful singing voice as well. You showed strong cadence."

On the last word, the little creature suddenly spun to look him in the eyes, a beaming smile on her face.

Iroh stared at her for a time, thinking things through. Highly intelligent and affectionate, capable of singing...perhaps... "Is that your name?" he asked softly. "Cadence?"

The little filly squeaked happily, her horn lighting up with a pale blue aura.

Iroh suddenly felt an overwhelming surge of love and affection erupt within his heart, filling his whole being. Had his mind or heart been weaker of will, it would have completely claimed him, and he would have assumed it was his own emotions for this tiny creature. However, he was a bit more aware of the ways of spirits than the average man, and so he reached up and placed his finger at the tip of the filly's horn.

She squeaked in surprise, the aura fading away, along with the surge of emotion inside him. She looked at him in confusion.

He smiled down at her. "That's quite a lot of power you have for one so small," he pointed out. "You must be careful. I am certain you wanted to just show how happy you were that I knew your name, but were I a lesser man, that surge of emotion would have overwhelmed me, binding me in love and enslaving me to your will." Her eyes widened in fear. "I can tell you are too kind a creature to desire such a thing...but with power as great as yours, you must learn control."

Cadence let out a pathetic sounding squeak, her wings unfolding to hide her face. Iroh felt pity for the poor creature. "Perhaps I can teach you control?" he offered.

She once more smiled happily up at him, trying to hug him with forelegs and wings, nuzzling his chest with her face.

Iroh couldn't help but return the smile. "But where did you come from?" he mused. "And what brought you here?"

Looking up at him sadly, Cadence touched her nose to his chest, right over his heart.

Iroh's eyes widened. "You...felt my sorrow?" She nodded. "And wanted to comfort me?" She nodded again. Smiling, he embraced the tiny filly gently. "What a caring creature you are," he praised. "Are you one of the Love Spirit's creatures?"

She looked up at him in confusion.

Iroh stroked his beard as he thought about how to phrase his questions. "Hmm...can you tell me who your mother is?"

Cadence thought for a time, then shook her head sadly.

Iroh stroked her mane in sympathy. "Hmm...what of your father? Do you know who he is?"

Cadence thought for a time again, then squeaked happily. She stuck her hoof out, pointing at his heart again.

The Dragon of the West blinked in surprise. "I?" he asked. "I am your father?"

Cadence squeaked happily and hugged him again.

Chuckling, Iroh returned the embrace. "Tis a foolish man who ignores the will of the spirits," he murmured softly. "I have been foolish enough in my life. Perhaps the spirits have a purpose for me...and have sent you to guide me in that purpose. And...perhaps even to help me heal..."

He remained where he was for a time, hugging the spirit creature that sought to patch, but not fill, the hole in his heart.

The Flower of Knowledge

Not long after the storm, Pakku declared that Cadence's control of water was as good as she was likely to get it under him, stating that she would learn better at this point through practice and self study. Thanking Pakku for his assistance, Iroh and Cadence made their way across the ocean towards the Earth Nation.

"I must say, your Waterbending control is most impressive now," Iroh stated calmly as their little boat zoomed across the sea faster than most birds could fly. "I can only hope we can find some way to teach you to control your air. Unfortunately, we are unlikely to find an Air Bender in this day and age..."

"Don't worry about it, Father!" Cadence cried happily, flapping her wings steadily to speed the boat along atop the water. "Tui and La gave me directions to someone who should be able to help me learn Airbending, as long as I approach him correctly!"

"You don't say?" Iroh called back, clutching his hat to his head as the boat sped up. "And where can we find this mysterious teacher?"

"The door to his home is in the Great Southern Desert!" Cadence shouted. "I'll have to practice sand bending a bit - shouldn't be too difficult, since flowing sand's a lot like flowing water - but I should get us there rather easily and quickly!"

"That will be interesting to see!" Iroh yelled, lowering his head. "As long as we have a proper shield against stray sand! What is the name of this mysterious teacher, anyway? And where does he live?"

"His name's Wan Shi Tong!" Cadence shouted back, her voice returning to normal as they reached the shore. "And he lives in a library! Doesn't that sound exciting?"

Iroh did his best to suppress the sudden surge of terror inside him. He knew the name of Wan Shi Tong...and of his library. It was rather large in the story of Sozen and Rokku. "Yes...quite exciting..."

Cadence had insisted on bringing the boat the Northern Water Benders had gifted them with all the way to the desert. At first, Iroh had assumed it was a sentimentality point, that she didn't like leaving behind a gift. However, her words about bending sand being like bending water in earth proved to be quite true, as she was able to curl the sand around the boat in twin miniature dust devils - one to either side - pushing the boat along over the surface of the desert quite rapidly.

Iroh smiled as he relaxed in the boat. "Quite an efficient mode of transit, I must say," he admitted. "Though are you certain you know where you're going?"

"I'm certain," Cadence confirmed, her horn glowing as she controlled the sand with wings and forelegs. "Tui and La gave me...a sense of the library's spiritual signature. I'm following that sense to find it."

After a time, the boat came to a halt. "I don't see any library," Iroh pointed out, looking around. "Just a fox...with a scroll in its mouth?"

Cadence smiled, beckoning the fox over. "That's one of Wan Shi Tong's Knowledge Seekers. They gather books, scrolls, and other knowledge for him." The fox approached carefully. "If I give you a lift back to the library, will you guide me there?" she asked kindly.

The fox tilted its head in thought, then nodded, hopping into the front of the boat. It then pointed its nose forward, guiding Cadence as she once more sent the boat to moving. As the fox pointed them to a high tower, Cadence shaped the sand into a ramp to the top, lowering them all slowly into the building below.

Shortly after they settled down and the Knowledge Seeker had run off, while Iroh and Cadence were marveling at the architecture and sheer size of the library, a massive black owl with a white face walked up behind them. "Human," he stated bluntly, "you should leave immediately the way you came. Humans are no longer welcome in my study."

Iroh swallowed convulsively as he and Cadence turned to face the creature. Cadence spoke up first, however. "You are Wan Shi Tong?" she asked. "Keeper of the Library of Knowledge, he who knows 10,000 things?"

Wan Shi Tong blinked in surprise. "I am he. You are well versed in my identity, especially for one who is not of the world up above."

Cadence smiled as Iroh stared in surprise. "I am Cadence," she replied, bowing respectfully. "Tui and La suggested you might be able to provide to me the means to learn to control my suspected Airbending ability, before the power controlled me, so I would hurt no others."

"I am aware of all the forms of Airbending," Wan Shi Tong replied. "And your claimed motives are more noble than that of most humans. I brought my library to the human world so they could better themselves...but with rare exception, humans only use knowledge to get an edge on each other. As such, I have banned their presence in my library unless they can prove themselves true scholars...with a contribution."

Iroh smiled, stepping forward. "I am Iroh, of the Order of the White Lotus," he said with a gentle bow.

"Ah, the Order," Wan Shi Tong replied, his voice...mildly more pleasant. "Their ideals are in tune with the proper use of knowledge...though that's no guarantee that every member will live up to the ideals. What have you to contribute?"

Iroh took some scrolls from his bag. "As you said, Cadence is not a creature of the human world. I have never seen the like of her before. In raising her, I have kept a record of her growth and abilities." He unrolled the scrolls to show the detailed writings and illustrations.

"Ah!" Wan Shi Tong breathed happily. "A true artist's hand in those images, and flawless calligraphy in the writing. Truly a scholar's touch. And you wrote these yourself?" Not waiting for an answer, he collected the scrolls with a wave of his wing. "It will be a pleasure to have a scholar of your caliber perusing my shelves. Perhaps while Cadence seeks her own lessons, we can discuss a few things."

Iroh bowed with a smile. "It would be no greater pleasure for me than to while away what hours I will have discussing with you, Wan Shi Tong," he replied with relief.

"I know the reason for your nervousness," Wan Shi Tong stated bluntly. "I don't hold the actions of your ancestor or your countryman who visited not long ago against you personally. I hold it against all of humanity in general." He then turned to Cadence. "So tell me, young other worlder...what have you to contribute to my stores of knowledge?"

Cadence stared up at Wan Shi Tong for a time...then smiled. Focusing her magic, she gathered matter in the air before her from the very dust upon the shelves, weaving it together until it took shape as a white lotus in full bloom.

"Interesting," the Knowledge Spirit replied. "A most unique form of creation."

"That isn't the knowledge I offer," Cadence pointed out, levitating the flower to him. "This flower holds a secret...one that cannot be taught, only learned."

Wan Shi Tong smirked. "You propose a challenge for me, then? Very well, then I propose my challenge in return. You have until I discover the secret of which you speak to study here, in timeless time. After which, you must leave."

"Agreed," Cadence replied.

"In the meantime, my assistants will provide an area in which you can practice the skills you seek," Wan Shi Tong stated. "I'll stop by from time to time with pointers."

"My thanks, noble spirit," Cadence replied happily.

The Knowledge Seekers provided a wide open area for Cadence to practice her bending in, as well as bringing the Airbending scrolls for her and Iroh to study. Iroh watched Cadence's progress carefully, studying the movements both to help her learn and to see how the various forms of bending could further interact. After all, he'd discovered how to redirect lightning by studying Waterbending. Who knew what Airbending would teach him?

At the end of each day while they were in the library, Wan Shi Tong would return from his studies of the blossom that Cadence had created for him, and speak of what he'd divined from his study of the flower. Cadence was surprised that he discovered that she'd crafted it immune to the ravages of time on the first night, but was quick to inform him that it wasn't the secret. At the end of each recital of learning, she would always respond the same. "Is that all?"

Iroh was somewhat concerned that she was pushing Wan Shi Tong more than she should, but he always accepted it with good grace. While Cadence rested, the spirit took the time to talk about her with Iroh, as well as adding anything new from his observations to the scrolls he had donated.

During one such night, Iroh asked a question that had been bothering him. "You referred to Cadence as 'other worlder'," he pointed out. "I was under the impression she was a spirit creature."

Wan Shi Tong shook his head. "No. She is not born of the spirit realm, nor tied to any of the spirits. Her ability to manipulate all four Elements should have told you that. Even the Spirits cannot command all of nature, and the Avatar's ability to do so is both unique and unstable. Had Wan and Raava not merged to create the Avatar Spirit, even the Avatar would not be able to do so...and that power can be easily broken if one knows how. However, Cadence is not of your world. Her life energy has a natural connection to the power of the Elements that has nothing to do with how human spirits and life forces have been shaped for bending. What she does is not true bending in terms of how the energy interacts."

"I see..." Iroh stroked his beard in thought. "I will have to edit the scrolls, then..."

"Already taken care of," Wan Shi Tong replied.

Towards the end of the second week of study, Cadence and Iroh were surprised as Wan Shi Tong turned up towards the end of the day. Unlike before, when he'd merely carried the flower in a wing or left it behind, it was set gently in a small basin of water, balanced on a cushion carried by four Knowledge Seekers. Iroh was confused by this, but Cadence seemed to be smiling.

"I have spent the past day in 100 years of timeless time, studying this flower," Wan Shi Tong proclaimed. "There is no secret. You have lied to me."

"Perhaps you merely haven't studied it in the right way?" Cadence suggested. "Why don't I burn it and let you study the ashes?" She gathered flames at the tip of her right wing.

Wan Shi Tong lunged forward, placing himself between Cadence and the flower, wings spread wide and aggressively, neck extended as he shrieked his defiance in her face. "You will not harm that flower!" he roared.

Iroh stared in shock, his heart beating rapidly in fear. However, Cadence stared Wan Shi Tong down. "Tsk, tsk," she scolded. "So much fuss over a simple flower? It's just a blossom."

"It is not just a blossom!" Wan Shi Tong shrieked. "It is dear to me!"

"Dear?" Cadence asked curiously.

"I love the flower!" Wan Shi Tong raved. "I will not allow its destruction!"

The tableau sat in silence for a time, until Wan Shi Tong noticed Cadence's soft smile. "Did it truly take you a century to admit your affection for this gentle, fragile thing?" she asked softly, chidingly as she levitated the flower before the owl's eyes. "Tell me...when was the last time you admitted affection for a living thing?"

Wan Shi Tong stared as he slowly withdrew into himself. "...quite some time," he admitted finally. "I had...forgotten what it felt like...to care for something other than knowledge. I had...forgotten I could..."

"I could see that spark of compassion inside you still, though," Cadence pointed out. She set the flower behind Wan Shi Tong's left ear, braced there by his own flesh and feathers. "I couldn't bear to see your heart die."

Wan Shi Tong was silent for a time, reaching a wing feather up to gently stroke the flower. "So the knowledge you contribute to my collection...is knowledge of myself?"

Cadence smiled softly. "Is that acceptable?"

More silence greeted her query, but he eventually nodded. "It is a gift of knowledge...that is beyond price." He turned away. "I have changed my mind. So long as my rules are obeyed, you and your kindred may utilize my library to learn, so long as it remains in the physical world."

Cadence bowed her thanks.

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything

Zuko was hard at work, practicing his Firebending in a battle with several of his troops on the deck of the ship. He had been working on incorporating the styles of the other three Elements into his flame so as to be more versatile, and was doing his best to push himself by facing multiple opponents at once. He was moving into a new technique he'd been developing - creating a wave of fire that would erupt from the ground, flow at the opponent, and then leap upward over them - when the ship suddenly changed course. Because he'd shifted into a Waterbending stance for the new maneuver, he had an easier time regaining his footing than his opponents. He made a mental note of the usefulness of that as he made his way to the helm.

"Helmsman," he demanded calmly. "Why have we changed course? Who gave that order?"

"Umm...no one gave an order, per say, Your Highness..." the helmsman replied nervously.

"Then why have we changed course?" Zuko demanded.

"We're all out of oats!"

Blinking, Zuko turned to the whimpering voice, finding Cadence looking up at him. Her eyes were wide, her ears were flat against her skull, her wings hung limp, her lower lip trembled, and her eyes were somewhat dewy.

Zuko shuddered as he shifted his gaze. "If Firebending could be powered by cute, you'd burn the whole world," he muttered.

"Cadence informed me that we had a shortage of produce in the food stores," the helmsman explained.(1) "I...saw no harm in changing course to resupply."

Zuko nodded. "I don't suppose there is. Though a warning of course correction would be appreciated in the future. Some of my opponents nearly went overboard." He rubbed his chin. "Uncle!" he called out as he left the helm. "Teach our soldiers what you know of Waterbending stances so they can stabilize themselves better while sailing! I don't want anyone going overboard in the middle of a storm or anything like that if we can help it!"

Cadence smiled proudly as she watched him go. His heart was open.

Zuko carefully walked around the trading post, his two trusted Lieutenants flanking him as a dozen of his troops towed the supply wagon. "Let's see," he murmured as he looked over the list of foodstuffs that Cadence had asked for. "We've got oats, we've got carrots, we've got some lettuce...do we need anything else?"

"My cabbages!" someone shouted out from nearby.

Zuko blinked, and turned to Lieutenant Jong. "Does Cadence like cabbage?" he asked curiously.

"Sir, I believe there is a scuffle of some sort going on on the other side of those buildings," Jong replied, pointing in the direction the shout had come from. "Sounds like somebody giving chase."

"Not our problem," Zuko replied. "We'll just keep out of the way until we finish restocking."

Although Zuko began to get curious as he heard the sounds of splashing and loud crashes from that direction, he stayed the course. He didn't have time to investigate every disturbance he came across. He needed to catch up to the Avatar before he made it to the North Pole, or found some other way to learn Waterbending.

After a time more of shopping, he was rather unsurprised to see that Iroh had gathered a vast number of nick-nacks as souvenirs, including a musical instrument. "Uncle, where's Cadence?"

Iroh blinked. "She was right behind me," he began, turning to look around.

"Hands off, creep!"

That shout in Cadence's voice was followed by a heavy sound of hooves striking flesh, a flash of flame, and a pirate flying backwards and slamming into a produce stand.

"My other cabbages!" a little old man shouted out in despair. "This really is worse than Omashu!"

The pirate groaned. "And I thought chasing that bald monk with the lemur was painful..."

Zuko quickly rounded on the pirate. "This monk...did he have an arrow tattoo?"

The pirate looked up belligerently. "Who wants to kno-"

In a quick move, Zuko had his twin swords out of their sheaths and at the pirate's throat. "The one who won't think twice about killing a parasite like you."

"Arrow tattoos on his forehead and wrists!" he babbled quickly. "Traveled with two water tribe folk, one girl one boy! Had a flying lemur! Stole a Waterbending scroll from us and flew away when we cornered them! Don't kill me!"

Zuko cursed under his breath. "Let me guess...that was that disturbance we heard earlier when that guy shouted about his cabbages?"

The pirate nodded dumbly. "He waved his staff and sent the wagon flying at us."

Growling, he sheathed his swords. "Back to the ship! Our quarry's been sighted!" Grumbling under his breath, he led the way back to the ship along with everything that had been purchased.

It didn't take long to man the riverboat and get it into the water. Zuko was certain that, with a Waterbending scroll, the Avatar and his group would be near the water. However, no sign of them was found until after dark, when they spotted Katara practicing the scroll techniques at the water's edge. Through the telescope, Zuko could see she was getting frustrated.

"Well, Zuko?" Iroh asked. "We've identified one of the fugitives. How are we to handle this?"

Zuko stroked his chin. "...Zhin, do you still have that Water Tribe choker we found at that Earthbender prison the Avatar wrecked?"

Nodding, Lieutenant Zhin pulled out the necklace in question. "According to the books, it's a Water Tribe promise necklace, made for assignations in the Northern Water Tribe, worn by females."

"Likely to belong to that girl, yes?" Zuko asked. "Probably an heirloom, since it looks to have been crafted decades ago." He took the necklace and held it in his hand. He thought for a time. "Cadence...go give her pointers on her technique."

"Eh?" Cadence asked in shock. Iroh and the troops were equally shocked.

"I can tell you're itching to do so," Zuko replied. "I'll be along shortly."

Confused but eager, Cadence took wing.

As Katara once more failed at the water whip, she was surprised at the sound of a high pitched, chiding voice. "No, not like that!"

Katara let out a startled shout as she lost control of the water she was bending, nearly splashing the scroll. "Who's there?" she demanded, spinning around to look.

"Down here."

Looking down, Katara blinked as she caught sight of the figure before her. "Umm...are you..."

"I'm Cadence!" the small pony greeted happily. "You're doing that technique wrong."

Katara growled. "It's bad enough having Aang master every single technique with ease when it took me months! I don't need a talking uni-pony-bird-thing telling me how much I suck!"

"I'm a pony," Cadence stated bluntly. "Also, the problem is you're trying to force it when you're upset. Water has to flow naturally, and that means your spirit has to be flowing as well. Right now it's all spiky like ice. Take a few calming breaths, let your heart warm up, then try again."

Katara glowered at Cadence for a time, but Cadence simply glared right back at her with a firm 'disapproving teacher' expression. Eventually, Katara lost the staring contest. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and let it out. After calming herself down, she tried again. While she didn't manage it perfectly, it was much smoother than before.

"That's much more the thing!" Cadence praised. "Once more. Just let it flow."

Under Cadence's guidance, Katara continued to practice the move. An hour later, she'd mastered it. "I did it!" she cheered.

"Very well done!" Cadence praised.

Katara blinked for a moment. "Say, how do you know so much about Waterbending? Aren't you the Airbender Aang encountered on that Fire Nation ship?"

Cadence smiled. "Not exactly..." Turning, she made a beckoning motion with her hoof. A small stream of water came at her directive, and she guided it around herself with forelegs and wings before letting it slip back into the water. "I am the Bender he encountered, yes."

Katara could only stare in shock.

"Cadence!" Zuko called out as he approached. "Where are you? It's getting late!" He walked up the shore as though he were out on a night time stroll. "Oh, there you are," he said happily as he approached them. "I've been looking all over for you." Kneeling down, he scooped Cadence up before seeming to just notice Katara. "Oh! You're the one travelling with the Avatar."

"That's right!" Katara snapped, getting into a battle stance. "And if you think I'm going to let you-"

"I'm not after him tonight," he stated bluntly. "I was just looking for my cousin." He turned to go. "By the way...I think I found something of yours."

"Huh?" Katara asked, only to gasp in shock as he pulled his hand out of his pocket. "Gran-Gran's necklace! But how?"

"It was found in that prison you wrecked," Zuko replied. "Since the Avatar was sighted there, it was forwarded to me to aid in the hunt."

Katara swallowed. "And what? You think I'm going to make some sort of deal just to get my grandmother's necklace back?"

"No," Zuko countered. "Since you're here, I just thought I'd return it to you." Setting the necklace down on the scroll, he turned. "Have a nice night. Sleep well. I'll probably capture you in the morning." With that, he turned and walked off.

Katara stared after him in confusion until he was out of sight. After that, she grabbed the scroll and necklace and ran into the forest.

Cadence smiled happily. "That was so nice of you, Zuko! But...how is that a strategy for getting the Avatar?"

"Aang sees us as the enemy because Katara and her brother see us that way," Zuko explained. "The more my actions make it seem like I'm just doing a job, the more likely Aang is to want to try to meet us peacefully. If I can get her to see things that way, maybe the Avatar can be brought around to our side, and balance can be restored in the modern day with the Fire Nation winning the war."

Cadence stared at Zuko. "Okay, I know I'm the one who's usually all sunshine and rainbows, but even I find that unaccountably optimistic."

"And if not, her getting her necklace back like that will be suspicious," Zuko continued. "Either she doesn't say anything and we can use it against her to sow distrust between her and the others next time we meet, or she does tell them, leaving all three of them questioning my motives, making them more hesitant when they fight me. Win-win-win."

Cadence's eyes widened. "And after receiving training from me and seeing I can bend more than one Element, she's going to question the entire story around the Avatar, and wonder about my connection to him!"

"Precisely," Zuko replied with a wide grin.

(1) In the show, the detour was for Iroh to replace his White Lotus tile for his Pai Sho set. However, since in this timeline, that tile is used for a member of the Order to show their rank, that's hardly going to happen, so I needed another reason for the ship to change course.
Thank you pony diets.

Path of Safety

Cadence stared askance at the barely there 'ice fountain' in the middle of the oasis town Iroh had guided the group to. It was a far cry from what records had described it as ages ago, and Cadence couldn't help but feel sorrowful as she saw what was left of what had once been a natural wonder of the world. Is this, too, a scar of the war? she found herself thinking.

As she stared, she overheard two men - one looking youngish and strong, the other older and business like, both dressed in well-to-do Earth Kingdom colors - speaking with a local. "Yeah," the local was saying. "A little barefoot blind girl and her friends passed through here a few days ago."

Toph? Cadence thought in shock. Toph was here? Why in the world would she and her group be here? It's not exactly a vacation spot... She glanced towards the ice spring. Not in its current condition.

"They were asking around about new maps or something," the local continued.

Of course, Cadence thought silently, doing her best not to laugh. Aang's map is so out of date.

The older Earth Kingdom gentleman - the one with a long goatee and mustache - spoke up. "Did they give you any indication of where they were headed?"

The local glanced slyly at them. "Maybe you could give me a little...incentive?" he asked, holding out his hand and rubbing his fingers together, an obvious request for a bribe.

"You suggesting I break your fingers?" the muscle bound fellow beside him demanded.

"They went into the desert," the local replied quickly. "Too bad there's almost no chance they survived."

At first Cadence froze in fear, but then shook herself off. They have Appa, she told herself. They'll be fine. But...maybe I should try and contact Wan Shi Tong to keep an eye out for them...if only to be sure Toph survives.

"That's okay," the muscle-bound man replied, crossing his arms. "She's wanted dead or alive."

Cadence's eyes narrowed to slits. We'll just see about that...

"No she's not!" the gentleman countered. "I'm certain her father wants her alive!"

Cadence grit her teeth. Toph had complained a great deal about her father during their short talk over tea a few days back. There was no way Cadence was going to let him drag her back because of these idiots. She could at least sow a little misdirection via Iroh's contact here. Turning, she followed Iroh and Zuko into the tavern while Jong and Zhin began patrolling, pretending to wander around town.

Once inside, Cadence watched, unsurprised, as Iroh moved to play Pai Sho with an old man sitting alone at a table. She saw Zuko watching carefully as Iroh performed the ritualistic greeting, shaping the lotus pattern on the table. "Welcome brother," the stranger old man greeted as the 'game' ended. "The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets."

As they were preparing to follow the old man out, the two strangers from before tried to apprehend them...only for the old man to make the entire tavern aware of the 'gold' value of the bounty, leading to a total free for all. Cadence chuckled as they slipped out in the confusion.

Jong and Zhin seemed almost to materialize out of the night as the group left the tavern. "Earthbenders trying to collect the bounty on us," Zuko told them softly.

"I'm prepared," Zhin replied, shifting his quiver so certain arrows were in easy reach. These were fletched to spin rapidly in flight, and the arrowhead was replaced with a small metal drill. While not very accurate at long range, at close range it would drill right through a wall of earth to hit the one behind it. Zhin had designed these arrows specifically to deal with Earthbenders, who would think a thin wall of earth could deflect arrows.

"Do you have arrows for everything?" Zuko asked, impressed.

"Yup," Zhin replied. "Even ones for non-lethal takedowns."(1)

Zuko shook his head in amazement. "Remind me not to cross you..."

The White Lotus member led the trio into the back room of a flower shop, once he was informed that Zuko was a new initiate. Jong and Zhin stayed outside of the back room, keeping watch. There were several other members of the White Lotus in the back room, and it was quite an intense meeting. One thing that surprised both Cadence and Zuko was one particular member, an old man who kept himself almost completely concealed in ropes and wrappings, and spoke only by whispering to a young companion who shared what his 'Master' had to say. While that was strange enough to Cadence and Zuko, what was even stranger was how everyone - even Iroh - paid great deference to the old man, even more than the Generals did before the Fire Lord.

Cadence came to the conclusion that he was either the head of the Order, or someone of great importance. He asked several questions about the Avatar, but otherwise said little, only occasionally nodding or shaking his head.

Eventually, the decision was reached to arrange for clean Earth Kingdom passports for the party. Cadence spoke up that they only needed to arrange it for Zuko, Jong, and Zhin, as she still had the ones Bumi had provided herself and Iroh back during their journey years back. Bringing them out, it was confirmed they were still valid.

At Cadence's request, anyone asking about 'a barefooted blind girl and her friends' in town would be informed that they were seen heading due south. With luck, this would throw those after Toph off her trail.

As everyone left and the flower seller made preparation to sneak them all out of town, Iroh turned to Zuko and Cadence. "Do you have any questions?" he asked.

"Who...who is he?" Zuko asked, glancing towards the old man as he left.

Iroh quickly pulled Zuko's head back. "Do not watch him, Zuko. If possible, forget you saw him. He and his...are the greatest secret the Order has kept for over a century, and neither of you are advanced enough in the Order to know why. If you can, forget you saw him."

Cadence's eyes widened as she saw something that made her realize just what was so important about the secret. The old man had rested his hand on his young companion's shoulders, and the wrappings on his hand had briefly become unwrapped.

A blue arrow was tattooed on the wizened flesh.

(1) I didn't mean to do this to Zhin, but I feel compelled to say here...no, his non-lethal takedown arrows aren't boxing glove tipped.

Day of Black Sun

At long last, the day had come. The invasion of the Fire Nation was about to begin. The timing had been carefully planned, the Fire Nation's defenses analyzed, and any unexpected alterations accounted for. The forces had been gathered, and the plan was set.

The invasion was divided into three parts. The first was the last portion of the Earth Kingdom Fleet, backed up by Water Benders from the Northern Water Tribe, led by Master Pakku. Their objective was to visibly approach the bay before breaking through the Gates of Azulan, and then break through before attacking the defenses of the bay itself, drawing the attention of the defensive force with the conventional assault.

The second group included a good portion of the special squad: Earth Benders, Swamp Benders, most of the Kyoshi Warriors, warriors from the Southern Water Tribe, and Fire Bending prisoners freed from the Boiling Rock who'd been willing to work for them. They would ride in specially designed submarines, created by Sokka and Teo's father, under the Gates of Azulan to attack the beach directly, taking out the defenses further in.

The third group included Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko, Cadence, Suki, Toph, Mai, Ty Lee, and Jin. When the problem of air supply came up for the submarines, one of the prisoners from the Boiling Rock had suggested using pumps to put the air under pressure. By combining that idea with Aang and Cadence's Air Bending, numerous air tanks were built, tested, and stowed on the submarines, allowing them to carry enough air to make it all the way to the beaches from the Gates without surfacing. A bit of cleverness with valves on Teo's father's part and some cleverness with fabric on Sokka's part had produced breathing masks for the group and even Appa, allowing the group to fly much higher than Appa normally could. They were to come down on the capital city itself while all attention was engaged with the attacks at the bay, doing a steep dive so they wouldn't be detected on approach until it was too late for any defenses left to counterattack.

As the invasion began, the first two stages went off without a hitch. When the fleet approached the gates, they were raised and ignited, at which point the Northern Water Benders moved forward to extinguish the flames and freeze the gates solid. The Earth Nation ships then extended drills - their designs the same as the one Teo's father unwittingly built for the attack on Ba Sing Se's walls, but on a smaller scale - to break through, while the Water Benders held off the smaller boarding boats sent out to counter attack. Meanwhile, the subs went under the Gates, making their way to the beaches.

When the subs breached at the shore, the Earth Tanks began the assault, even as Hue - the eldest Swamp Bender - gathered enough seaweed to shape his plant based battle body. With that force in place, the majority of the troops began a march through the worst of the defenses while the Kyoshi Warriors focused on taking down battlements, and the Swamp and Fire Benders remained to protect the subs, in case an emergency retreat proved necessary.

When it became plain that the defensive forces were fully engaged, Appa began his dive. With all attention on the attack from the sea, none saw the armored Sky Bison's silent descent, and the group was able to attack the Royal Palace unopposed. Unfortunately, that part of the plan did not go as smoothly.

"The palace is empty!" Aang called out as he finished his search. "There's no one in sight!"

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Sokka shouted angrily. "Where would they go? Why would they go?"

"The return of Sozen's Comet is well known in the Fire Nation," Mai spoke up. "The Royal Astronomers have been tracking the heavens since the start of the year to determine the exact day ahead of time. Maybe they knew the eclipse was coming."

"And when Father saw all his reserves being drawn away, he realized another attack was coming!" Zuko growled. "He'll have withdrawn to the emergency bunker until the eclipse passes! I know the way in, but there are several places within he could be holed up. It's a full maze of tunnels inside the volcano behind the city."

As the eclipse had already begun, the group had to split up to search the entire compound for the Fire Lord, though at one point Cadence was forced to leave the group she'd been sent with behind to cross a wide river of lava.

As a result, she was alone when she found the Fire Lord and his guards.

"Cadence?" he asked, shocked to see her. "What are you doing here?"

Cadence swallowed convulsively. "Hello, Uncle..."

When the eclipse ended, Zuko's forces had complete control of the Fire Nation capitol...but Ozai had not been found. As Zuko and the others began trying to come up with a plan to solve it, Cadence returned...with the Crown of the Fire Lord. Off in the distance, a small group of upgraded War Balloons - metal plated and crewed by a hundred Fire Benders each - was seen withdrawing from Fire Nation territory. "He...ran away?" Zuko gaped, stunned.

"All I found...was the crown," Cadence explained. "He left it behind."

"He...abandoned his country?" Zuko marveled, falling back. "I...can hardly believe it..."

"Does...this mean we won?" Sokka asked hopefully.

"...for now," Zuko allowed. "But my father still has a strong force under his command. There's no telling what he's up to. As long as he's still at large...the world can't truly be at peace. The Fire Nation is no longer an enemy of the world...but the war is not yet over..."

Cadence glanced away as everyone turned to plan the next move, biting her lip.

"It's been a long time," Cadence said calmly. "Things have...changed."

Ozai frowned. "I take it it's not a coincidence you arrive as we're being invaded during a solar eclipse?" he asked softly, coldly.

"I'm afraid not," Cadence replied. "Zuko has seen what the war has done to the world, and seeks to end it. Today is the day the Fire Nation loses the war...but he seeks to keep the nation intact. That's why...he's leading this invasion. He intends to challenge you to an Agni Kai to claim the throne." She paused as she saw the look of shock on Ozai's face. "Will you face him?"

Ozai frowned thoughtfully. "...I cannot," he admitted at long last. "If I defeat him in the Agni Kai, those with him will bring me down after I have been weakened. If he doesn't kill me to win, there will always be the doubt that I let him win, and the people will not follow him wholeheartedly. And if he does...a rule begun in blood will not last long, whether because it destroys him or self destructs." He closed his eyes. "Like he once told me before I gave him his scar, this is a battle that cannot be won." He turned to Cadence. "What other option is there, Spirit Creature? You were sent to my brother. You obviously have some idea about what the future holds for my kingdom, what it must hold. What do you advise? How can this battle end without destruction?"

Cadence hesitated. With what had been said, there was one solution...and one she personally found favorable. But it would go so far against Ozai's nature, she didn't know if he could do it. "...run away," she offered finally.

"What?" Ozai demanded angrily, his eyes narrowed. "You expect me to flee from my own son? Abandon my country?"

"If you want the Fire Nation to survive beyond this day, it's the only option," Cadence replied. "And if you leave your crown behind, I can claim I only found it, and no one will pursue you further. The goal of this invasion is to place Zuko as the new Fire Lord. It doesn't have to be done through you."

Ozai frowned thoughtfully as the seconds ticked by towards the end of the eclipse.

Ozai stared back at his former kingdom as the war balloons withdrew from the invasion force. As Cadence told him, no one was in pursuit. Even so, now that his fire had returned, he had begun to question his decision. To flee? To abandon the throne? What had he been thinking?

As the balloons continued their flight, he knew it was too late to reverse the decision. But as the rage - against himself, against his son, against his brother, against Cadence, and against the Avatar - inside him built, he knew: the war was far from over.

With the comet's return, he would destroy his enemies...and take his kingdom back. ...all of it.

Lessons Taught and Learned

Cadence sat happily on her new throne in the Crystal Empire, sipping her tea. She found an odd sort of pleasure that her two aunts seats were two steps down from her on the dais, though she chose not to indulge in that too much. Suddenly finding herself with her own kingdom was unsettling enough on its own without accidentally slipping into a megalomaniacal state, just because it was tradition in the Crystal Empire that visiting monarchs be seated two steps down from the Empire's ruler. After all, they were still family.

Celestia was the first to speak up. "So, Cadence, it seems you've had an...interesting honeymoon," she offered cautiously.

"Verily!" Luna agreed. "A kingdom of your own! However did that come to pass?"

Cadence chuckled. "Accidentally," she admitted. "Shining and I came up here for our honeymoon, and I'd used my Waterbending to shape us a comfortable igloo for a wintry wonderland...only for the frozen ground to split, our igloo get swallowed up into an abyss, and this city rise up out of the ground to rest amidst the snow." She pursed her lips in a pout. "A real mood killer, I must say. And we'd just gotten comfortable when the rumbling started."

Celestia calmly lowered her cup, schooling her features to resist showing her reaction to her niece's bluntness. Luna was not so reserved, having first expectorated her tea in a burst of laughter before offering a consoling glance. "If I may ask, why didn't you inform me when this happened?" she asked, trying to guide the conversation.

"Well, considering how unusual it was, I thought I should discover the whole story before writing you," Cadence explained. "Besides, it's been decades since my last adventure, and it popped up during my honeymoon!"

Celestia sighed softly. "Of course," she replied warmly. "Continue."

"Anyway, all the ponies here seemed to be under some sort of curse," Cadence continued the tale. "Those few I was able to speak to mentioned a wicked unicorn King named Sombra, and weren't able to give me any details beyond that. So, once I noticed a distinct absence of pegasi, I told Shining to investigate the interior of the castle from the bottom up, while I made my way to the top of the tallest tower to work my way down."

"Why would you start there?" Celestia asked, confused.

"Because unicorns love towers," Cadence replied. "Twilight lives at the top of her tree, and used to live at the top of the observatory tower. Rarity lives in the mini-turret above her boutique. The dormitories in your school are on the top floor. Even Starswirl lived at the top of a tower, according to your stories. So once I knew there were no pegasi, I figured an evil unicorn King would put anything of great importance at the top of his tallest tower, where he would be most comfortable and where it would be most easily defensible against the ponies here."

"Now why didn't we think of that?" Luna complained, sending an arch look her sister's way.

Celestia rolled her eyes, blowing air through her pursed lips in frustration. "I notice that tower seems to be in need of repair," she offered.

"Well, it did contain a heart shaped crystal that held a great deal of magic, but when I approached it, the circular platform it was on glowed, sounding an alert and trapping me in crystals that blocked magic. Since I could tell it was sounding to someone dangerous, I used my Earthbending to shatter the entire top of the tower before taking the crystal to ground level. Shining met me there...as did the entire population of the Empire, who started cheering about the return of the Crystal Heart and Crystal Princess. They also started glowing, of all things." She shrugged to herself. "When I put the Heart in its present position, energy flowed between it and all the ponies, and that dome surrounding the city went up. After that, they proclaimed me the new ruler."

"Rather efficient," Luna praised as Celestia frowned. "Pray, did you learn the identity of the one who was signaled?"

"I did," Cadence replied. "One of the ponies here, a young unicorn mare named Radiant Hope, told me about Sombra once the curse on everyone's memory was broken by the lighting of the Crystal Heart. She spoke of how he was an Umbrum - a shadow pony - placed as a foal in the Empire to eventually become a sleeper agent, twisted in his desires by the fact that the energized Heart caused him agony. Thre were a few other details, but I could tell by how she spoke of him that she loved him, and was desperate to save him from the Umbrum who only wanted to use him."

"So...what did you do?" Celestia inquired.

Cadence sipped her tea with a mischievous smile. "I used my bending to trap Sombra when he breached the shield in pony form, applied high level magic suppressors to both Sombra and Radiant Hope, and then locked them in one of the castle's guest rooms." She took another sip. "I locked them in at lunch. By dinner, Sombra was ready to listen to reason with a clear mind...especially since, with his magic blocked by a crystal I bent for the purpose, the Heart's energies didn't harm him. After attending the Crystal Fair together, I sent them to Twilight and Wan Shi Tong to resolve the rest of the problems they spoke of, since it seemed to be a matter of resolving specific magic rather than an emotional or friendship problem."

Celestia pasted a warm smile on her face. "Well, Cadence, I must say your handling of this situation was quite ingenious, and you've resolved an ages old quandary with wonderful results-"

"But you're disappointed you weren't able to send Twilight in to resolve it to test her growth?" Cadence inferred sharply.

Celestia pulled back, stunned. "Now, I never said-"

"I know about the alicorn gift of visions," Cadence interrupted. "Wan Shi Tong explained it to me. You just happen to suggest honeymooning in the far frozen north as someplace quiet where we'll spend a great deal of time snuggling, with a possible chance of a minor adventure or two...but tell me to write you if anything unusual happens? You had a vision of the Empire's return and hoped to pit Twilight and her friends against Sombra as part of your 'Emotional Development' checklist, didn't you?"

Celestia glanced away. "...it's a 'Friendship Lesson' checklist..." she grumbled under her breath.

"She planned to tell Twilight she had to do it on her own, to see if she was willing to disobey the orders and fail the 'test' for the sake of saving the Empire," Luna spoke up. "She felt she had to so she could check off 'Altruism' and 'Self-Sacrifice'."

"Luna!" Celestia snapped, rounding on her sister.

"I already told you my views on the subject matter," Luna countered. "And from the sound of it, Cadence agrees with me."

"You're right about that," Cadence replied. "I didn't know about this plan before the events unfolded...but I'd have done exactly the same thing if I had."

"What?" Celestia demanded, stunned. "But-"

"You know about the world I was in," Cadence interrupted. "You know what things were like there. I also wouldn't be surprised if Wan Shi Tong or Iroh informed you of the war, and how it ended. Though I doubt they told you of the consequences of my decisions there, the consequences I've had to live with ever since."

As Celestia stared, Luna extended a wing. "Cadence, you don't need to-"

"No, I think Aunt Tia needs to hear this," Cadence interrupted. "There were several times where I decided to gamble the outcome of a major event in that war in the hopes of getting an outcome that was somehow better than acting immediately, each time choosing not to take immediate action in the hopes someone else would - or had - resolve the situation to the greatest effect. Three major decisions came back to haunt me, even to this day. The first was when I contacted the Spirits to resolve a threat to the Moon Spirit, rather than act on that threat myself. The end result was a Kraken devouring a fleet of my own people, whose only crime was following a power hungry Admiral on orders from their ruler. Another time, I let that ruler escape rather than face his son - my cousin - in battle, for fear that battle would break one or both of them. This nearly lead to the entire Earth continent being scorched to ruins.

"But the worst is with my own cousin," Cadence continued, tears pouring down her face. "She was twisted up and broken inside, and driving herself in a mad quest...and her brother stopped her. I could have acted then, to try and help and heal her...but I decided to wait until after the war was resolved, because I felt that was more important. By the time I did help her, she was being consumed by her own fire, turning her into a walking bomb that would devastate the world." She glared up into Celestia's stunned eyes. "And I discovered just how easy it would have been for me to heal her, to save her...but by that point, I had no choice but to kill her. She died in my arms, begging me to save her...and all I could do was make it painless! I will never again risk those who look to me for protection on the chance of a 'better' outcome!"

Celestia stared at her niece as Luna moved to her side, wrapping a comforting wing around her. "Cadence...I..."

Cadence sighed, struggling to bring her emotions under control. "There's a reason I hadn't talked about this before, outside when Aunt Luna came to my dreams..." She shook herself off. "But you can understand why I can't allow my subjects to be used in such a plan. And I do understand your reasoning for checking how Twilight has grown." She took a calming sip of tea.

Celestia sat back, nodding in understanding. "Perhaps I need to reevaluate my own methods," she admitted. "It seems I have missed quite a bit, if I did not see the pain you have been going through. ...I wonder what I've missed with Twilight..."

"Just get over here and hug her already," Luna snapped.

Blinking, Celestia chuckled as she walked up to her fellow alicorns. "It's good to have you back to keep me in line, sister," she teased, joining the group wing-hug.

"Then maybe you should listen to her more," Cadence teased, earning a blown raspberry from her solar aunt.