"Why are we here, Uncle?" a boy asked, his voice hoarse and angry as he followed an older, rotund man up a steep, rocky hill, growling quietly as he stumbled on a loose stone he couldn't see, due to the thick white bandages wrapped around his head. "We must begin our search for the Avatar."

"You are not yet recovered, Prince Zuko," Uncle replied softly, watching with sad, weary eyes as the teenager nearly slipped. "Please, let me guide you-"

"I don't need your pity, Uncle!" The prince snapped, brushing passed the older man and his outstretched hand with barely a glance. He crested the hill, coarse grass waving in the wind, his visible eye scanning the area with a sneer on his lips. "You still haven't answered my question, Uncle. Why. Are we. Here?"

"Fresh air and exercise is good for the humors," Uncle answered, chuckling softly as he came to stand next to his nephew. "But that is not why I brought you here." His hand came up to point at a small stone temple, half covered in moss and partially crumbling. "That is why."

Zuko sighed deeply, reaching up to pinch his nose in frustration. "An ancient temple…" He grumbled, a golden eye examining the stone structure. "I suppose, since we're searching for an ancient Avatar, this could be a good place to start…"

"Er, yes. That's a good point as well…Ah, that is to say!" Uncle shrugged, folding his hands into his sleeve as he sat on a low, flat rock. "Would you like to hear of how I found this place?"

The prince grunted, glancing at his uncle briefly. "You'll just tell me anyway, so why not?"

"That's the spirit," chuckled the older man, "Well, one day a few years ago, I felt the urge to take an afternoon hike, and I found this temple here."

Zuko looked at him flatly. "…And?" He growled.

"Oh, no," Uncle said cheerfully, "That's the story. Although…when I tried to enter, I found that the door was sealed tight. And though I cannot enter this temple, I still come to visit it when I desire time to reflect on my life and troubles."

"So this was waste of time," the prince scowled, spinning on his heel. "When you're done reflecting, Uncle, I'll be on the ship, waiting on you-"

"Zuko," the older man spoke sharply, garnering his nephew's attention. "Ever since…that day, every night I've dreamed about this temple, dreamed of bringing you here. I believe that you were meant to enter the temple, Zuko, to do what I could not."

The teenager resisted the urge to touch the bandages swathing his face, clenching his hand into a fist at his side instead. "Dreams won't restore my honor, Uncle," he hissed, a furious scowl twisting his lips. "The only temples I'm interested in are the Air Temples! Everything else is a distraction, and I will not-!"

…Come…

The firebenders froze, slowly turning as one to face the crumbling temple. "Did you hear that, Zuko?" Uncle asked softly.

…Come inside…

"…Yes, I did," Zuko murmured, his skin paling drastically. "There are spirits here, Uncle."

"Then it wouldn't do to make them angry by refusing their invitation, would it?" The older man offered, arching a grey eyebrow at the boy, his gaze level and serious.

The prince licked his lips nervously, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "No. It wouldn't," he muttered, a notable tremor in his voice. Breathing deeply, he marched up to the temple, ascending the three stone steps with nothing but the sound of his feet and the breeze to accompany him, his uncle's concerned gaze on his back. He reached out to open the door, but before his fingers even brushed the half-rotted surface, it swung open soundlessly, revealing nothing but pitch blackness beyond.

Steeling his nerves, Zuko stepped inside, the door closing silently to plunge him into darkness. Breathing slowly, he summoned a handful of flickering flames to light the way, descending down a set of short stone steps. Before him, the unadorned rock walls stretched out to encapsulate him in a smooth cube, a small stone plinth being the only thing in the entire temple.

Atop the plinth sat a metal cube, the surface covered in intricate, alien designs beyond the skill of any craftsman in the Fire Nation. The banished Prince flexed his fingers as the urge to touch the cube struck like lightning, unconsciously taking a step forward and reaching out to it.

The pads of his fingers shakily hovered before the metal cube, his breath coming in short gasps as tune, low and soundless echoed in his head. With nervous gulp, he leaned forward and brushed the surface, finding it to be oddly warm. Under his fingers, the cube began to glow.

Light, blue and white in equal measures, traced the complicated patterns until the glow drowned out the light from his flames. The light flowed through the cube, congregating at the top in a blinding flash that made Zuko stumble away with an arm thrown over his eyes.

Blinking away the bright spots clouding his vision, the prince felt his jaw fall open as he took in the sight before him.

Standing on the air above the cube…was his father. Clothed in dark robes, imperious golden eyes peered down at him, piercing through the veil of surprise and muted horror mixed with elation to drive Zuko to his knees. "Do you know…" his father hissed through gritted teeth, "How long I have been waiting? Do you have any idea how boring this is?!"

Zuko's mouth worked soundlessly, trying to give voice to apologies he couldn't find the breath for. "I-I-I-!"

"And NOW you come before me!" His father thundered, his voice shaking the stone walls. "With the gall to look upon me without bowing first! HOW DARE YOU?!" He snarled, towering over Zuko with a hand stretched out towards him. "You will learn respect! And suffering will be your teacher!"

The Prince was no longer in the temple. He kneeled on a stone platform, the roar of the crowd ringing in his ears, the sun, once so comforting on his skin, felt like ice as he realized his opponent would not be the general he'd spoken out against…but his father. He remembered the tears as he pressed his head against the stone, yielding to the Fire Lord, feeling a small sense of hope as the footsteps came closer…and then, those words echoed in his head. You will learn respect…and suffering will be your teacher…

Then came the pain, not just from the burning fist pressed against his face, but from the realization that he would find no mercy from his father.

Zuko started as cool, insubstantial fingers brushed his cheek, finding himself back inside the dank stone temple, panting and sweating profusely. "Kid? You alright?" He jumped again as he realized the fingers belonged to the father that had somehow come out of box. "You know I was just joking, right? Just a little joke, no need to cower in fear."

Up close, the prince realized that while the man in front of him resembled his father, they were not the same. The man had black hair and golden eyes, but his cheekbones were not quite as high or sharp, with lines at the corners of his mouth. Not to mention the fact that he was glowing. "Who…" Zuko began with a cough, "Who are you?"

"Ah, that's the question, isn't it?" The strange glowing man said, a mischievous smirk on his lips. "To put it bluntly…I am your ancestor. The very first of your line."

"…How?" The prince rasped, disbelief clear in his tone.

"Well, when a man and a woman love each other very much…Do I need to continue?" The man chuckled, folding his hands inside the sleeves of his robes. "If you're asking how I'm here, specifically, well that's not something I'll tell you right now. I will simply tell you that I know for certain that you are one of my descendants. You wouldn't have been able to open the doors if you weren't."

Zuko frowned but asked, "Then why am I here? And what are you?"

"You are here because you were called, called by this," the robed man replied, circling the younger man to pat the cube. "As I had intended when I created it. To bring me the strongest of my line, so that I may judge them. As for what I am…once, I was a Jedi, then a Sith. Now, I am neither."

"Those words mean nothing," the prince scowled.

The man chuckled deeply. "I suppose not," he murmured, standing in front of Zuko to peer into his eyes. "I wonder, Prince Zuko, are you worthy? Worthy to wield a power beyond imagination?"

Zuko's breath caught in his throat. "Wha-"

"Shh," the man said, hands reaching out to grab the younger man by the cheeks. "I will judge you…open your mind to me, child…and try not to think of pink turtle-ducks."

He immediately began to think of pink turtle-ducks as a cold, sharp presence slipped into his mind, all of his thoughts and memories laid before the man who called himself Zuko's ancestor. Visions flashed in his eyes; the hugs he shared with his mother as she read to him, the giggles he shared with his sister as they played in the sand, a proud pat on his head from his father as he showed off his calligraphy…then the loss when his mother disappeared, the hurt as his sister overtook him in everything, the shame as his father scowled at his weakness, the despair as he woke to find himself in his uncle's care.

Zuko gasped as the presence withdrew and he stumbled on legs like jelly. "Wha-what was that?" He breathed, blinking harshly as his eye watered.

"Hmm," the man hummed thoughtfully, stroking his beard as he gazed down at Zuko. "Quite the exciting life you've led, eh? Well, you have problems, that's for certain."

The young prince felt his cheeks burn as he looked away.

"You are a raw material," the man continued, "Your impurities must be burned away, your metal tempered and your edge sharpened…but there is the potential for greatness within you."

Zuko looked up, meeting the eyes of the glowing man. "There is?" He asked softly, vulnerability showing on his face.

"Yes," His ancestor nodded, a small smile curling his lips. "I will teach you, Zuko. I will show you the ways of the Force, untainted by the Jedi or the Sith. Know that I will be your Master, and you…my Apprentice. Know my name…"

"I am Solace. Darth Solace. The Wise."

…

Years Later, The North Pole…

A figure, nearly invisible against the glacial walls in his light blue clothing, hit the ground softly, taking a moment to run his fingers through the grass. Pulling away the mask and hood covering his face, Zuko breathed in the warm air of the Spirit Oasis, wincing slightly as the cuts and bruises decorating his face stretched uncomfortably. Although the incongruity of a warm spring in the center of a glacier raised a few questions, the banished prince ignored them in favor of savoring the heat, having just been swimming in polar seawater not ten minutes before.

His eyes were drawn to the columns of smoke rising into the air as the largest Fire Nation Navy waited outside the Northern Water Tribe's home, staying their hand until the sun had risen and they were at their strongest. Zuko shook his head, emerging from the bushes to hear a Water Tribe girl with white hair ask another if the boy they were watching, his arrow tattoos glowing, needed extra protection from the invaders.

He chuckled to himself as the other girl, her brown hair held in a bun with two loops, shook her head and declare that she was enough to protect Aang. "That's an invitation if I've ever heard one," he said aloud, stepping into view before the two girls. "Who would I be to deny it?"

"Zuko," the girl muttered, her hand rising to the waterskin at her side. The white-haired girl dashed away, neither of the two benders watching as she left to get help. "Now really isn't the time for this. If you can't tell, there's an invasion going on."

"On the contrary, Katara," he rasped, a small smirk on his lips as he faced her down. "Now is the perfect time. Will your desperation be your strength…or your downfall? Let's find out!" With a punch he sent a blast of fire at Katara, who uncapped her waterskin and bent a shield of ice in front of her in one smooth motion.

Through the steam of fire meeting ice, the waterbender lashed out with a water whip that cracked over his head, spinning out of the way of the follow-up trio of Ice Daggers that would've sunk into his shoulder. As he spun, Zuko jumped and kicked, releasing a scythe of flames at her shoulders, spinning as he hit the ground to send another at her feet. Katara's whip cut through both attacks, reaching out to wrap around his ankle and pull him into the air.

Zuko lashed out with his other foot, the flames slicing through the water as he flipped and landed in a crouch, his brows furrowing into a frown when he felt cold water soak into his gloves…and then he was encapsulated in a ball of ice. He huffed out a quiet chuckle as he shook his head, leaning against the curved wall as he pressed a hand to his side. "You've gotten stronger," he said aloud, his voice echoing around him. Looking up, he found a patch of ice that was clear enough to see through, meeting Katara's blue eyes. "You've come very far in these past months, Katara."

The waterbender frowned at him, crossing her arms as she peered through the ice. "Why do you keep doing that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

He straightened up and barked, "I must capture the Avatar to regain my Honor…and my Throne!"

"No, not that," Katara waved it away, pointing at the ground. "This, this thing you do where you constantly chase us all over the world, then when we actually fight you keep complimenting me!" The waterbender tugged on a hair-loopy in frustration. "I just…I don't understand you, Zuko, at all. Are you trying to catch Aang, or are you trying to be our friend?"

Zuko hummed and shrugged. "It's complicated," he answered simply, dropping to his knees and sighing. "Believe me, I'd rather keep it simple, but…there's nothing I can do right now. Someday, I'll tell you. Until then, you're just gonna have to keep getting stronger."

Katara grunted, sitting in front of the orb of ice with a scowl. "I'm strong enough to capture you this time," she grumbled, eyeing him curiously. "Are…are you alright?"

The banished prince sucked his teeth. "Not really, no. My ship blew up while I was on it, and I still haven't recovered yet." He sighed again, a hand coming up to rub his side. "…I loved that ship…"

"What?! Why?!" The waterbender gasped.

"Well, when you live on a ship long enough, it starts to feel like home," he shrugged, rolling his shoulder. "At first I hated it because it was cramped-"

"No, I mean why did it explode?!" Katara asked incredulously.

"Oh," Zuko smiled wryly. "I'm pretty sure Zhao tried to have me killed. He's had it out for me ever since our Agni Kai."

"…That's stupid," she grouched, crossing her arms again. "Though…I'm kinda glad you're alright…"

"I appreciate that," he said softly, breathing deeply as the chill of the ice began to pervade his body. "So, I assume you've found a Waterbending Master here? Possibly even Master Pakku?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Katara asked suspiciously.

He shrugged. "All old people know each other," he said simply, "Having a Master has definitely been good for you. It's almost hard to believe that it was only months ago you froze your brother to the deck of my ship."

The waterbender laughed sheepishly "Yeah…and now here I am, catching you," she murmured, her gaze sharpening on the banished prince. "How is it…that you've chased us across the oceans, but I can't…I can't bring myself to hate you, Zuko? I-I want to help you, somehow, but I can't because you're the enemy…Why does it have to be like this?"

Zuko gave her a nonplussed look, shaking his head and chuckling. "And there's your biggest strength and weakness Katara; your empathy and willingness to help others, even if it causes problems for you. I have to admit, I admire that about you."

Katara flushed, pouting as she crossed her arms. "Stop trying to distract me with compliments, you didn't answer my question!"

"And I still can't tell you," he replied dryly, "Someday, hopefully soon, I'll be able to. I just hope that, when that day comes, we can still try to be friends."

She huffed, turning away to watch the still Avatar. "Maybe if you stopped being so frustrating and mysterious…"

"And what, lose all my charm?" He asked with a smile, settling in the ice cage with a quiet sigh. "There's only so far scars can take me."

The two opposing benders fell into an oddly companionable silence, each lost in their thoughts as the moon began to dip and the sky lightened. Katara began to wiggle her ankle restlessly, her eyes flicking between Aang and the columns of smoke rising into the sky. "Come on, Aang, what's taking so long?" She muttered, pausing to look at the wooden bridge leading from the Spirit Oasis. "And where's Yue? She went for help like, twenty minutes ago…"

Zuko sighed in relief as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the ice cage, filling him renewed energy. "Katara," he began softly, drawing her attention, "You defeated me with two distinct advantages: I am still injured, and the moon was both up and full. Tell me, can you do it again…"

"…With only one?"

That was her only warning before the orb of ice exploded, sending her staggering back as she uncapped her waterskin and brought a shield up in front of her. A burning line crashed down on her from the sky, making her grit her teeth from the heat and back up further. Growling, she drew on the water around the grass-bearing island, bringing it up over her head and throwing it forward in one crushing, continuous stream directed at the firebender.

A swirling vortex of fire erupted in front of her, clashing against the water with a loud hiss. Katara's bending faltered slightly as she saw the multitude of colors in the fire, ranging from a deep blue that matched her eyes, to pink and green and gold, all dancing together in an enthralling, awe-inspiring dance. "It's…beautiful," she murmured, trying to refocus when Zuko burst from within, her stream piercing the fiery vortex as he leaped out of the way, a whip burning to life in his hand.

With a flick of his wrist, the whip snapped against her hands, drawing a yelp of pain as she drew back, the water losing cohesion to splash on the ground. Gathering the whip into the palm of his hand, the banished prince threw it at Katara's feet, her desperate attempt to gather a shield in front of her failing as it exploded, hurling her back into a wooden bridge support. The waterbender felt the back of her head slamming against the wood with a crack, her eyes rolling up as she collapsed to her knees.

The last thing she felt was a pair of strong arms wrapping around her, then the tickle of grass on her skin. "I guess not," she barely heard Zuko mutter, her consciousness fading fast. "Remember, Katara; Waterbenders rise with the Moon…Firebenders rise with the Sun."

…

Zuko made sure that Katara was as comfortable as possible on the grass before he rose and walked over to the still Aang. With a gentle poke from his boot, the young Avatar tipped over onto the grass with barely a sound. "Still gone. What a great help you've been during the invasion, Avatar," he muttered, pulling the rope he wore like a sash off, tying the unconscious boy up and hefting him onto his shoulder. "At least you won't struggle."

Glancing down, he found the white and black koi fish still endlessly circling each other, uncaring of anything happening around them. "Sorry for the violence, for what that's worth," Zuko said quietly, sniffing as he pulled his mask and hood up, making sure Aang was secure before he began to scale the glacier wall. "If Aang was an Earthbender, this would be so much harder."

He huffed as he climbed to the top, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he set out across the top of the glacier, the snow crunching loudly under his boots, the wind howling as the sky darkened. "And now there's a blizzard incoming. Great. Just perfect." A deep, echoing creak rang throughout the air, the solid ice shifting under his feet.

A warning trilled in his head and Zuko jumped just as the surface collapsed, dropping into an expanding abyss. Dashing across the ice, the firebender skipped over cracks before they appeared, shifting position before the ground gave away, moving faster than any non-airbender had any right to as he ran from the collapse. Eventually, the shuddering and creaking stopped, leaving a panting Zuko at the edge of an icy chasm with the unconscious Avatar still slung over his shoulder.

Peering around, he saw the opening of a cave nearby and stomped towards, muttering under his breath. "Stupid invasion, stupid ice, stupid Avatar, stupid me for carrying him…" He sighed as he ducked inside, the driving wind fading as he moved deeper. "Stupid cold."

Setting the Avatar down, he withdrew emergency fuel from his pouch and piled it in a wide section of the cave, lighting it with a quick breath. As heat filled the space, Zuko pulled his mask and hood down, wiping the sweat from his face with his sleeve. Reaching up, he broke an icicle off in his hand, cradling it in his palms as he carefully melted it and drank. "Stupid Zhao, blowing up my ship…and my tea set…and my Pai Sho set…and my horn!" he growled under his breath, biting into a length of tough jerky, "What I wouldn't give for some jasmine tea right now…"

Chasing the jerky with a few more handfuls of water, the banished prince sighed as he knelt in the cave, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of Aang's chest as he slept. "Looks like we're gonna be here awhile, Avatar," he groaned, rubbing his side. "I'm going to meditate, saying nothing if you're fine with that."

There was silence except for the howling wind. "Thought so."

Closing his eyes, Zuko sank into the Force, his cold, injured body fading away, relaxing as the force that penetrates and binds everything together flowed through. In the distance, a beacon of warmth and love pulsed gently in acknowledgement and Zuko felt the presence reach out and touch him gently, wordless worry reaching his mind. I'm fine, he sent back, his fingers twitching as he felt a smooth, feminine hand touch his. One day, I'll come find you, I promise. But not yet.

He felt ressurance and a touch of humor before they fell 'silent,' simply enjoying the other's presence in the Force. Aware of the time passing but not the amount, the presence eventually pulsed sadly and with the brushing of ethereal lips against his cheek, vanished. Zuko sighed and ended his meditation just as Aang inhaled sharply, his large grey eyes snapping open. "You've good timing, if nothing else," the banished prince said aloud.

"Uh, hey…Zuko," the Avatar greeted awkwardly. "Been awhile."

They stared at each other for a few silent seconds. Then Aang bent the air around him, firing himself out of the cave like a missile while also slamming Zuko against the wall. Recovering quickly, the firebender dashed out of the cave and into the snow, quickly catching up to the still-bound Avatar.

"What was the next step in your master plan, Avatar?" he asked with a frown, watching the smaller boy wriggle about in the snow like a beached fish. A bass call echoed around them as a large, six-legged animal covered in shaggy white fur landed in front of them, Katara, her brother Sokka and Yue leaping down from the saddle to face him. "You don't get credit for that."

"You didn't get far," the waterbender noted, uncapping her waterskin.

"Blizzard," Zuko replied with a shrug, taking up his stance. "How's your head?"

"Still a little sore," she answered tartly, her eyes narrowing on him. "Thanks for putting me on the grass."

"I didn't want to leave you in the dirt," he said, rolling his shoulders. "So, ready for a-" His eyes widened as his head snapped in the direction of the Spirit Oasis as the Force rang in his head. "Shit!"

A pillar of snow slammed into his chest, carrying up into the air before dissipating, leaving him to drop onto the ice with a loud thud. Clutching his further-injured ribs, Zuko gasped soundlessly for breath that would not come, his golden eyes bulging as he writhed on the snow. He felt a pair of hands rolling him onto his back, looking up to meet a pair of alarmed blue eyes. With a disturbing wheeze he inhaled roughly, coughing up flecks of blood.

"Nice…shot…" he gasped before going limp. His hand, hidden by the other, glowed subtly and his breathing eased, but he did not wake.

"Help me get him into the saddle!" Katara barked, grabbing one of Zuko's arms and slowly pulling him up. Sokka joined her on the other side as Aang slipped out of the ropes, the siblings hauling the unconscious prince into Appa's saddle with a little difficulty.

"You really knocked the Bending out of him," Sokka commented, tying Zuko up with his own rope. "Hey, this is some quality rope."

"Yip-yip!" Aang called, cracking the reins as Appa took to the sky, heading back towards the Spirit Oasis. "Sorry for the wait, guys! You'll never believe what I had to do to find out where the Ocean and Moon Spirits are! And guess what, the koi in the Oasis? Those are the Spirits!"

"What?" Katara gasped, her eyes going wide. "That means…"

"…We left them completely unguarded," Yue finished, paling drastically. "Oh no."

Zuko groaned quietly, but remained unconscious. "Aang, we got hurry!" Sokka called, "Who knows what might…happen…"

He trailed off as the moon pulsed weakly, a film of sickening red rising to cover it, casting the snow in shades of blood. "The Moon," Yue murmured faintly, pressing a hand to her chest. "I…I feel…"

"Me too," the Avatar said worriedly, biting his lips as he cracked the reins. "C'mon, buddy, we gotta hurry!"

"Yue…" Sokka reached out for the Water Tribe Princess, grasping her shoulder gently. "Are you alright?"

"When I was born," she began softly, taking a strand of her pure white hair in her hand, "I was silent. My parents feared that I would die, so they took me to the Spirit Oasis and beseeched the Spirits to save me. And when they dipped me in the water, my hair turned white and I began to cry. The Moon Spirit, Tui, saved my life…and that's why I was named 'Yue."' She turned to Sokka clutching his hand tightly. "We, Tui and I, we're connected. We can't let it die!"

"We won't," the Water Tribe warrior said firmly, determination written on his features.

Zuko stirred silently.

As the sky-bison flew over the glacier and into the Spirit Oasis, they heard a voice, triumphant and more than a little insane, echo out. "-They'll call me 'Zhao The Spirit-Slayer!' 'Zhao the Invincible!' 'Zhao the Conqueror!'" They saw him standing above the Oasis, holding a wriggling bag aloft with wide grin on his face.

"Stop, please!" Aang cried, leaping down to face the Firebender and his retinue. "You don't know what will happen! Everyone will suffer, not just the Water Tribe! You can't do this!"

"Oh?" Zhao asked mockingly. "And what-"

"He's right, Zhao," Uncle said roughly, appearing amidst the firebenders with a hand leveled to the Admiral's back.

Admiral Zhao growled. "Somehow, your betrayal doesn't surprise me, Iroh."

Iroh remained stoic. "Put the Spirit back, or all will suffer for your hubris. Whatever you do to that Spirit, Zhao, I will unleash upon you ten-fold! Put. It. Back!"

The mutton-chopped firebender gritted his teeth painfully, his arms shaking as he slowly tipped the bag, the white koi fish sliding out into the water as the moon regained its white luster.

His fist became wreathed in flame as he suddenly drew it back, striking out with a roar at the innocent Spirit below…

…When he went still. Zhao shook in place, the flames guttering out as his eyes went wide. Standing across from him, his hand held out, stood Zuko, his golden eyes narrowed in a fierce scowl. "W-what? What is this?!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

"You always were a sore loser, Zhao," Zuko growled, a subsonic whirr ringing out as he held the Admiral in place with the Force. "But this is a new low, even for you."

Iroh lashed out with plumes of fire, taking down the group of four elite firebenders in less than three seconds. "Nephew," he greeted with a calm smile. "Your sense of timing is impeccable."

"You know me, Uncle," the banished prince smiled, a bead of sweat sliding down his cheek.

Uncle frowned as he took in the hunched posture and bleeding cuts decorating his nephew's face. "You reopened your wounds," he shook a finger at the younger man, looking all for the world like a disapproving parent. "I told you to take it easy, Zuko!"

Zuko shrugged, wincing painfully. "You know me, Uncle."

"Traitors, both of you!" Zhao howled, straining against the force holding him in place. "I'll see you dead for this!"

"Can someone bind him?" the banished prince wheezed, "I can't hold him much longer."

Quickly, Katara froze the spitting firebender in a pillar of ice, leaving only his mouth uncovered. "How did you that?" She asked, her eyes on Zuko as he panted, clutching his ribs.

"It's called 'The Force,'" Zuko replied painfully, squinting an eye shut. "I'll tell you more when I can…actually breathe…"

"Will the Fire Nation retreat, now that we've captured Zhao?" Aang asked Iroh as the old firebender bustled over to his nephew, but he was answered by the Admiral.

"No!" he shouted, straining futilely against the ice, "Unlike those traitors, they'll fight! They'll fight until you savages are wiped from the world!"

The Avatar shook his head sadly. "That's what I was afraid of," he murmured, falling to his knees by the Spirit Oasis, where the Ocean and Moon Spirits once again circled each other. "Tui, La, please hear me: We need your help to stop the Fire Nation from destroying your home! Please, help me end the fighting!"

Silence fell as the koi fish ceased their circling to look up at Aang, their wet eyes glistening in the moonlight. Then, Aang's arrow tattoos began to glow and he stood, descending into the Oasis without a word, the light fading into the water. Above them, the moon shone like a second silver sun, empowering the Waterbenders even as a giant humanoid koi formed of luminescent water erupted out of the city's canals.

Assisted by the merged from of Aang and La and the shining moon, the Northern Water Tribe swept the invading Fire Nation back out to sea, the Ocean Spirit summoning a titanic wave that crashed into the amassed Navy, sending them out across the horizon.

The Invasion was over. The Water Tribe had won.

"NOOOOO!" Zhao screamed, watching helplessly as his grand ambition crumbled before his eyes. "Damn you! Agni damn you all!"

Iroh sighed, his arm supporting Zuko. "I must confess, Nephew, that I feel we haven't paid the good Admiral back for his attempt on your life," he said lowly, meeting the banished prince's eyes. "I believe it is finally time to lay all our tiles on the table."

Zuko nodded slowly, reaching down to draw an exquisitely-made knife from his boot. "Yes, Uncle," he replied quietly. "I believe so." With shaking hands, he reached up and gripped the phoenix tail on his head; and in one smooth motion, cut his hair.

Handing the knife to his Uncle, the older firebender did the same to his grey topknot. Together, they raised the bundled hair and dropped them in front of Zhao, the Admiral's eyes nearly bulging out of his head. "…You know, I always thought the hair looked kinda stupid," Sokka cut in, ending the gravitas of the moment like it had never existed, "but does someone want to explain what that means?"

"It-it means," Zhao choked, before bursting out into peals of high-pitched laughter, "t-they've cut all ties to the Fire Nation! What-whatever protection they had is worthless, now! They'll be killed on sight!"

All eyes turned to former Fire Nation Royalty. "It would've been a lesser insult to spit in the Fire Lord's face," he shrugged, a sardonic smile tugging at his lips. "Though much more lethal."

"You'll be hunted across every corner of the world!" The Admiral howled with laughter, "The Fire Nation won't stop until you're brought before the Fire Lord…and he sears the FLESH FROM YOUR BONES!"

As Zhao laughed, Katara approached the firebenders, her blue eyes wide. "…Zuko…why? Not that I'm not relieved," she added quickly, "But why do this?"

The former prince shook his head, looking rather odd without his trademark phoenix tail. "There are only so many terrible things you can party to, before you realize that you can't do it any longer," he said softly, "The Fire Nation cannot remain this way. It needs to be brought back into balance with the rest of the world."

Conversation halted as glowing hand emerged from the Spirit Oasis, crushing through the ice to grasp Zhao tightly. He screamed as it began to drag him towards the water, scrabbling at the grass but finding no purchase there. "For all you've done, and all you've tried, Zhao," Iroh intoned solemnly, watching the scene with hard eyes. "The Spirits take you."

The Admiral loosed one last, echoing scream before he vanished into the water, never to be seen again.

A second later, Aang stepped out of the Oasis, his tattoos losing their glow before he flopped to the ground, snoring loudly. Zuko snorted. "I don't know whether to be horrified or amused," he said aloud, stiffening as a squad Tribesmen charged into the Oasis and leveled their spears at the firebenders.

"On your knees, now!" the Chieftain, Arnook, barked as he stood in front of Yue.

"Take it easy on an old man and his injured nephew, please," Iroh said softly, the two of them dropping to their knees and putting their hands on their head. The tribesmen stepped forward and bound their hands tightly, pushing them to ground.

"Wait, father please!" Yue cried, running around the chief to stand protectively in front of the firebenders. "They helped us! They saved the Moon Spirit, you can't treat them this way!"

Arnook gazed at his daughter, stumbling slightly as he shakily reached out to touch her shoulders. "Truly?" he murmured, looking to Katara and Sokka.

"Yes," the waterbender replied firmly, stepping up to Yue's side. "If they hadn't been here, Zhao would've killed Tui. We owe them." Sokka nodded as he joined them, presenting a united front.

"Well," the Chieftain hummed, gazing down at the bound benders. "Take them prisoner," he raised a hand to cut off the teens' protests, "And treat them well. If what my daughter is saying is correct, we owe them a debt that can never be repaid…but they are still Fire Nation, and the invasion only just ended."

"We understand, Chief Arnook," Iroh spoke up, his voice slightly muffled. "And we are grateful for your mercy."

"My ribs aren't," Zuko grunted, blood spattering the ground as he coughed. "That's not good."

Arnook signalled the tribesmen to carry the firebenders away, separate from the four Iroh had knocked out. "Katara, follow them and make sure the young one doesn't die," he ordered, wrapping a strong arm around Yue. "Sokka, come with me and bring the Avatar. We must count the dead."

…

Two Days Later…

It was group of mixed feelings who walked down the halls of the Water Tribe's icy prison. On one hand, many had died in the defense of their home, but less than expected.

On the other hand, one of the dead was Hahn, Yue's husband-to-be.

The elation of victory was tempered with the death rituals of the fallen, sending their souls to the Spirit World where they could be at peace. Aang himself was dealing with guilt of his own, his nights wracked with nightmares of the time he'd spend merged with La, when they'd slaughtered hundreds, possibly thousands of Fire Nation men and women. For a pacifistic Airbender, there could be no greater crime.

But as the Avatar, it had been his duty.

Aang patted the chattering winged-lemur on his shoulder as he walked, Katara slightly behind him with Sokka and Yue, the two now holding hands and smiling. Rounding a corner, they heard laughter emit from the firebender's cell. Inside, they found Zuko and Iroh relaxing around a low table, plates of food and pots of tea weighing it down, comfortable furs lining the floors and walls.

"Come in, come in!" Iroh called genially, a friendly smile wrinkling his face. "Please, join us for lunch. I insist."

"This place is nicer than where we're staying," Sokka whispered to himself, his eyes falling on the spread before him. He made to dash for the table but stopped, offering his arm to Yue. "M'lady."

The princess giggled gently as she took a seat at the table next to the warrior, with Aang and Katara joining them. "How're your ribs, Zuko?" Katara asked gently, resisting the urge to go over and check on him.

"I'm in top condition, thanks to you," he replied with a toast of his tea cup. "I appreciate the healing."

The waterbender shrugged, blushing slightly. "Considering I'm the one who put you in that condition, it was the least I could do," she said, busying herself by filling a plate.

Quiet, comfortable conversation filled the air for a few warm moments before Iroh spoke up, his features sorrowful. "Princess Yue," he said solemnly. "I heard that your intended was among the casualties during the invasion. You have my deepest apologies for your loss."

Yue nodded quietly, trying and failing to hide a smile. "I thank you for your apology, General Iroh."

"Yes," Sokka chimed in stiffly, an odd look on his face "It is sad. Very sad."

As Aang turned a pout on them, Zuko and Iroh sent Katara confused looks. "We didn't like Hahn," she whispered behind her hand, "He kinda stepped in-between Yue and Sokka after they fell in love, it was an arranged marriage." She stiffened as the Avatar turned his offended face on her. "Ahem, I mean, oh yes, it is very sad. We are all lesser for his passing."

"Yes, lesser," the princess added, biting her lip.

"…Alright," the firebenders said at the same time, deciding to ignore that strangeness. "I assume you're here with questions?" Zuko asked, sipping from his cup of tea.

"Yeah!" Aang perked up, Momo chattering noisily as he was dislodged from his perch. "I have a lot of questions; like what was that thing you did, was it Airbending?! And why did you cut your hair? Not that I think it looks bad or anything, I was wondering-"

Iroh cut in politely. "Yes, well, that is partially why I asked for such a spread," he said, waving his arm at the table. "That, and Water Tribe food is delicious." Sokka gave an agreeing hum, slightly muffled by the food stuffing his cheeks. "Really, it is Zuko's story to tell."

"Thanks, Uncle," the former prince muttered, sitting up in his low chair. "It all began a week after I'd been banished; Uncle brought me to a tiny, ancient stone temple in the hills of-"

"How'd you get banished?" Katara interrupted, flushing at the looks everyone turned on her. "Sorry, I just…as long as we've known you, we've always heard of you as 'The Banished Prince,' but no one ever said what you were banished for. I just…wanted to know."

Zuko hummed stoically, Iroh's face tightening as his knuckles went white around his tea cup. "It's not a pleasant story," he warned, leveling a serious gaze at them. "I was thirteen, and I'd just been invited to sit in on a strategy meeting for the ongoing war in the Earth Kingdom. I was so proud to finally be included…"

He sighed, sipping his tea. "The General in charge had a strategy in mind for dealing with a particularly capable Earth Kingdom army, what they'd call 'feeding the turtle-duck chicks to the badgermoles to open them to the komodo-rhinos.'" Upon seeing their confused looks, Zuko explained. "They wanted to send fresh recruits barely out of training against a powerful enemy, so the veteran forces could circle around for a pincer attack. While it might've succeeded, the recruits would be slaughtered to a man."

Aang gaped at the firebenders, his expression aghast. "That…that's horrible!" he gasped, his eyes wide.

"Indeed," the former prince murmured, "That's why I spoke up against it. But in doing so, I'd spoken out of turn and disrespected the General. And for my crime, I was to duel the offended party in an Agni Kai, only…I thought I had disrespected the General, but as he serves the Fire Lord, and the meeting was in his throne room, I had disrespected him."

He looked up, meeting the horrified gazes of the people at the table, his Uncle staring into his steaming cup of tea with a deep frown. "…You dueled your father?" Sokka asked faintly, trying to imagine doing such a thing with his own father.

"Ha!" Zuko barked out a bitter laugh, startling them. "Duel my father…no. As soon as I saw who I would be facing, I fell to my knees and yielded. I begged for forgiveness…'I am your loyal son,' I said, pleading with him to forgive the slight. And for a moment, I thought he would."

Unconsciously, he reached up and brushed a finger against his scar, the puckered pink flesh rough against his skin. "Then he said my yielding had dishonored him even further, a worse disrespect. 'You will learn respect,' he said, 'and suffering will be your teacher.' That's when he gave me this," he muttered, tapping his scar.

Iroh's tea roiled angrily, splashing boiling water onto the table with a hiss. "Excuse me," he whispered roughly, folding his hands into his sleeves and deliberately not meeting anyone's eyes. Around the table, there was but silence as the story sank in.

"S-so," Sokka began, the princess at his side clasping her hands over mouth as sympathetic tears rolled down her cheeks. "You wanted to save lives, and for that…your father scarred you and banished you…"

"That's a decent summary, yes," Zuko nodded, popping a small cookie into his mouth. "Except that the return condition of my banishment was finding and capturing the Avatar, something both my great-grandfather and my grandfather after failed to do." He looked up, his brow furrowing at the sorrow on their faces. "What are you crying about? This was three, almost four years ago. I like to think I've become a better person since then." Another cookie crunched in his teeth. "These are really good."

Katara scrubbed her face with her arm, sniffing quietly. "Before I interrupted, you were saying…?" She asked, desperately wishing she hadn't brought the subject of his banishment up.

"Right, a week after my banishment, Uncle took me to a small stone temple that he'd never been able to enter. I was called inside by a voice, and within I found a cube of metal, the artistry too fine for anything the Fire Nation could create currently. When I touched it, it lit up and out of the cube came a man, the spirit of a man." He paused to take a gulp of his tea and refill his cup. "That man was my ancestor, the very first of our line who lived before the Fire Nation was called such. He had kept the temple sealed until one who was worthy, in this case me, would come and be judged, to see if they could wield 'True Power.'"

"And that's this 'force' thing you said during the invasion?" Yue asked, shifting a bowl of soup on the table in front of her.

Zuko nodded. "Yeah, The Force. He told me that the Force is an energy field that penetrates us, binds us all together, the very threads that make our world what it is. There are some people, like me and Uncle, who can exert our will on the Force, to make it do what we ask. In doing so, it gives us abilities beyond anything known, or at least before he learned of Bending."

"Zuko," Aang started, looking between his traveling companions, "That…sounds kinda…"

"Fantastical," Sokka finished politely.

"Then how did I hold Zhao in place a few days ago?" He offered, arching a thin eyebrow at them.

"Airbending!" The Avatar chirped, his eyes going starry as he looked hopefully at Zuko.

Zuko laughed dryly, holding his hand up and summoning a tongue of flame. "I'm a firebender, Aang; and since you're here, that means I'm not the Avatar. Do you want more tea, Katara?"

Blinking at the sudden shift, the waterbender nodded. "Uh, sure," she said slowly, only to gasp as the teapot rose from table and hovered over in front of her, slowly pouring a cup of steaming tea for her.

The former prince twitched his fingers, the pot moving smoothly through the air back to its' place. "Moving things with the mind, that's one of the abilities," he said simply, giving them a flat look. "Another is the ability to sense or see emotions, or to cloud the minds of the weak-willed. Or to project the voice into the ears of others," he added, his mouth closing as the words echoed in their heads. "Let me show you something."

Zuko held his hand out flat, bringing another flame forth that coalesced together in the shape of a man. Though he was made of fire, they could see that he wore a robe and a hood. "That's your ancestor?" Sokka asked curiously, leaning over the table to peer at the figure perched in his palm.

"His name was Darth Solace the Wise," he told them, closing his eyes. "He can tell you more."

"Zuko, that's a little fire man," Katara pointed out carefully. "He's not an actual person."

"I know, I'm trying to project my memory of his lesson into your minds, please be quiet," Zuko muttered, a bead of sweat sliding down his brow. "It's harder than I thought it'd be."

"Listen to me, Zuko," a voice sounded in their heads, making them jump in surprise, partially because of how nice it sounded. It was the vocal equivalent of warm honey mixed with smooth, dark chocolate that made them all feel slightly embarrassed for some reason. "Some say the Force can only be used for a few things. The Jedi say you must use it responsibly and only in defense, to push enemies away or end violence with a Mind-Trick. The Sith say it is a toy to serve your whims, whether that is to choke an insolent slave or electrocute an underling. But I know the truth. The Force…is. It can be a tool or a toy, an instrument of death or the hand of healing, but it is. Allowing it to be defined by restrictions is how the Sith and the Jedi are stuck in their ways, believing that their way is the only way."

"And what do you believe?" A younger Zuko's voice asked, sounding quite bit less raspy than the present one.

"I just told you, kid," the man replied incredulously. "It is. I've used it for everything, from pulling the feet out from under a stiff, self-righteous Master to choking the life out of an assassin. I've used it to take lives, and to save lives…and even reheat my soup, a few times. To get me a glass of water or a book when I've just settled into a really comfy chair. It is only when you say, 'I can't use the Force to do that,' that is when you restrict yourself. Never do that, Zuko. Or Imma haunt you."

The voice faded and the others looked to the firebender incredulously. "Those names he said, Jedi and Sith," Sokka started, tapping his chin, "What were they? Also, that was totally weird."

"They were sects of other Force-users who lived out beyond the stars," Zuko replied, waving a hand at the window in their cell. "He said the Jedi were self-righteous…droids, which are like, moving statues, I think, and that the Sith were rage-fueled maniacs. Even if they're still around, they can't come here, it's far beyond their reach."

"That's amazing…" Katara murmured, "People who live in the stars…it's also kinda terrifying."

The former prince hummed agreeably and continued. "While I was learning under Solace, at first I was obsessed with completing my mission, using the Force to track the Avatar down and capture him, to regain my honor and my throne…" He paused, looking faintly disgusted with himself.

"What changed?" Aang asked carefully. "Because you've been trying to capture me for months now."

Zuko sighed. "Solace took my mind back to that day, to the Agni Kai, and showed me what the Fire Lord was feeling at the time. And what I found…" He shook his head. "My Father hadn't been angry at my disrespect, he'd been waiting for it. He wanted me to give him an excuse to demand an Agni Kai…so that he could kill me legally. But when I yielded immediately, he couldn't do that, either. So he scarred and banished me on a hopeless errand, hoping my desperation to return would either end with me dying in shame, or breaking the banishment and allowing him to kill me with no dishonor."

Iroh sighed loudly, emptying his tea cup and pouring another. "My brother has fallen so low, I cannot believe that we are related," he murmured sorrowfully, "I can only hope that we, as his family, can atone for what he has done."

There was a moment of contemplative silence before Katara broke it. "If you stopped wanting to chase Aang to revoke your banishment…then why have you been chasing Aang?" She asked confusedly. "What was the point?"

"Ah," the older firebender said as Zuko clicked his tongue. "I am afraid, my friends, that we have been deceiving you from the beginning."

The others stiffened in alarm, wondering if they'd made a huge mistake in getting close to the two firebenders. "How so?" Aang asked cautiously.

A shirtless Zuko knelt on the deck of his ship, a pair of candles in front of him with flames that rose and fell with every breath. His mind was cast deep into the Force, following the eddies and tides as he gently searched for the Avatar. He gasped sharply as a vision of white flashed in his head, a large orb of ice rising out of the water, a blue beam of light lancing the sky, a village of tents and igloos on an ice shelf.

Drawing himself out, the banished prince rose with a smile on his face, turning to his Uncle sitting at a Pai Sho table with a cup of tea. "Uncle, I've found him!" He enthused, nearly skipping over to the table with excitement. "I know where the Avatar is!"

"That is wonderful news, Nephew!" Iroh returned with a beatific smile. "Where has he been hiding this entire time?"

"The South Pole," Zuko answered, chuckling in relief as he poured himself some tea. "I can't believe we've finally found him, after all this time…" His smile fell as a thought occurred. "Uncle…what if…what if the Avatar hates us? We, the Fire Nation…destroyed his people. What if he refuses to work with us, or worse…?"

The older firebender sighed deeply. "That is a very real possibility," he sighed, playing with a White Lotus tile. "If that is indeed the case…we shall have to convince him of our sincerity."

"I hope it doesn't come to that," Zuko murmured, sipping his tea carefully.

Zuko was once again meditating, this time in his cabin, wearing a crimson robe with his hair loose. Candles and incense burned in front of him, the fragrant smoke drifting into his nostrils as he breathed deeply.

Then, he was drowning beneath salty, ice-cold waves. He struggled beneath the waves, the cold sapping his strength as he desperately clawed for the surface, his fingers sinking into a wall of ice he couldn't see in the darkness. Pulling himself through it, Zuko found himself in a bubble in the iceberg, lit by a soft blue glow.

A boy sat before him in a meditative pose, knuckles pressed against one another as his eyes and arrow tattoos shone with unnatural light. He had but seconds to take in the features of the boy before him, the youthful baby fat in his cheeks and his thin, lanky form, before he was back on his ship, panting for breath.

The candles had been burned into low stubs and the incense had been long gone, but Zuko jumped to his feet and dashed through his door, knocking loudly against his Uncle's door. "Uncle! Uncle, wake up!" When he heard a tired groan, Zuko threw the door open and ran inside, stopping before the older firebender with wild hair and eyes.

"What is it, Zuko?" Iroh groaned, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "It is much too early for our sunrise training, and my old bones need as much rest as possible."

"I saw him, Uncle," Zuko said simply, his chest still heaving. "I saw the Avatar."

Uncle sat up, peering at him with clearing eyes. "You saw him not a week ago, Nephew," he pointed out cautiously. "What has you so riled up? Is he in danger?"

"Yes…no," the banished prince growled, a hand coming up to grip his hair in frustration. "I saw the Avatar, but he was beneath the South Pole. He's in some kind of stasis, Uncle, frozen in time…and I think he's been there for a century."

"The entire century?" Iroh wondered aloud, before he paled. "But that would mean…"

"The Avatar is a child," Zuko confirmed shakily, running a hand over his scar. "He can't be more than twelve. He…the world has changed so much, Uncle…he won't be ready for it."

"No, he won't," the older bender sighed, brushing his grey hair away from his face. "I might have idea…but you won't like it, Zuko."

"I already don't like this," the banished prince said bluntly.

Uncle took a deep breath and began slowly. "The Avatar will face many enemies. Unfortunately, most of them will be Fire Nation. He will need to learn how to face firebenders, slowly, so that he can grow to meet the challenge until he's ready to face the worst." At Zuko's confused look, he elaborated. "He needs a foe, a Fire Nation enemy, to challenge him constantly, to temper his abilities and help him grow as the Avatar."

"…Uncle," Zuko growled warningly. "We're trying to help the Avatar. How in the Force would hounding him across the world do anything but make him less willing to help us?"

"Because we want to help him, Zuko," Iroh said gently. "As long as we are firm but not violent, he will be willing to hear us out when the time comes to reveal ourselves."

The banished prince scowled. "You're right, I didn't like that at all," he muttered, palming his face with a growl. "But…I also don't see any other way. We'll do what you want, Uncle. But!" He pointed at the older bender with a threatening finger. "If this plan of yours fails and the Avatar hates us, you'll have to give up tea."

Uncle paled drastically. "Now-now hold on, Prince Zuko-"

"And Pai Sho." He added, glaring. "For a year."

"Alright," the older man nodded slowly. "I sincerely hope the Avatar is the understanding type."

There was silence for a few moments. "Wait a minute," Sokka spoke up, "you're saying that you-that this whole time-you've been helping us?!"

"Yeah," Zuko said simply, sipping his tea. "Believe me, if I had truly wanted to capture Aang, I would've."

"But wait!" The Avatar cut in, his large grey eyes shining with confusion. "You did capture me, remember? At the South Pole!"

"Yes," the former prince nodded slowly. "Do you remember how you were chained up at Pohuai Stronghold? You were bound in such a way that you couldn't use your bending at all." At their questioning looks, he continued, "You never found it odd that a ship and a crew with the express intent of capturing the Avatar, who everyone knows is an Airbender, would only tie your wrists? With rope?"

Aang, Katara and Sokka traded incredulous looks, a realization slowly dawning on them. "So…it could've been a lot worse?" The waterbender offered weakly. "I can't really see how."

"Remember our first meeting?" Zuko asked.

"Kinda hard to forget," Sokka grumbled.

The black metal prow carved through the ice and snow, stopping just shy of sailing straight into Sokka and knocking his 'mighty wall' over. The Water Tribe warrior stood on the newly-made hill of snow with a spear in hand, flinching slightly as the prow hissed open and dropped into a ramp. Zuko and four other firebenders marched down, their boots echoing off of the metal.

"For the Water Tribe!" Sokka shouted and charged up the snow to meet them.

Zuko dodged the stab, grabbing the spear and using it as a lever to toss Sokka into the snow, burying him up to his waist in the powder. Sighing, he casually tossed the spear aside and stepped down to face the tribals huddled in front of him. "I'm looking for the Avatar!" He shouted. "He's old! Really old, like-" He pointed at Gran-gran, before shrugging. "Actually, way older than her. And the Master of all the Elements!"

"There are no Airbenders here," Gran-gran said gruffly, "There are no Airbenders anywhere since your people killed them."

The banished prince sighed. "I know he's here! Bring him before me, and no one gets hurt!" The tribals huddled together even more, refusing to speak. "Fine, threats it is. If you don't bring the Avatar before me, I will leave!" The Water Tribe traded confused looks. "And then I will come back, just to break down that wall all over again!"

Sokka's legs kicked frantically.

"And I will have my men run parade formations on the deck of my ship at all hours! In full armor! You will never get another full night of sleep again!" He growled to himself when no one spoke up. "And I will run my ship at full blast, so that all your snow becomes gray! Your aesthetic will be ruined forever! Also," he rolled his eyes and threw a crescent of fire that dispersed harmlessly a foot away from him, but still drew gasps and screams of fright. "I am a big evil Firebender. Fear me. Rar."

Yue broke out into loud giggles, clutching a hand to her mouth as the soup she had just eaten threatened to come out of her nose. "You-you really said that?!" she gasped, her cheeks red with delight. "A-and you guys…you believed that?!" At their slightly ashamed nods, the Princess laughed aloud and fell back from the table, clutching her stomach as she rolled around in mirth.

"Yeah, that probably should've been a warning sign," Sokka admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "We just thought…we thought Firebenders were like that…"

"What about Kiyoshi Island?" Zuko offered, a smile on his face as he watched the very formal Northern Water Tribe Princess laugh like a loon.

Zuko and a contingent of troops rode up the main thoroughfare of the town, the people hiding within their homes in fear. "People of Kiyoshi!" He called, adjusting the bag on his shoulder. "I know the Avatar is hiding within your village! Surrender him to me, and no one gets hurt!"

When no one stepped forward, he sighed and withdrew a small orb from within his satchel and held it aloft. "This is your last warning! Bring the Avatar out, or you will face the consequences!" As silence reigned, Zuko drew his arm back and let fly, the orb sailing through the air to impact the statue of Avatar Kiyoshi directly on the face. It burst with a loud pop, splattering the top third of the statue in almost violently yellow paint. "I will drown your village in this paint! You'll look like a village of clowns and it takes days to get rid of it!"

"You'd know all about that, Prince Zuko," a masked firebender to his right chuckled, only to freeze as the banished prince turned a fiery glare on him.

Sokka raised a hand, the other rubbing Yue's back as she gasped for breath. "Okay, I can see where that could've been worse, but I gotta ask; why did you have so many paint bombs?"

Uncle chuckled deeply as Zuko scowled, hiding his burning cheeks behind his tea cup. "My Nephew asked me to teach him how to dodge," he began, coughing slightly, "I did not want to shoot fireballs at him, so I had the crew make them up from several barrels of paint I'd accidentally ordered and take turns throwing them at him. He learned rather quickly, I'm proud to say."

"'Accidentally ordered' my ass," the former prince muttered into his cup.

As the laughter trailed off, Katara reached up and touched the necklace around her throat. "That time with the pirates…" she started, flushing slightly as she recalled their meeting.

"Wait, pirates?" the Princess asked, her voice rough. "How did you come into conflict with pirates?"

"Katara stole a waterbending scroll from them!" Aang chimed in cheerfully. "The captain even had a pet iguana-parrot!"

"Yeah yeah," the Water Tribe warrior waved it off, focusing on his sister. "What happened with the pirates?"

"Well, Zuko was tying me to a tree-"

"-Ow!" Katara grunted as the rope tightened around her stomach, pushing her spine against the thin wood of the tree.

"Sorry," Zuko murmured, the rope loosening slightly. "I have a feeling we're going to be here for a while, so I'll try to make this as comfortable as possible."

"I'd be a lot more comfortable if I wasn't tied to a tree!" She snarled, pulling against her bonds.

The banished prince hummed thoughtfully as he circled around to face her, his golden eyes meeting her blue. "I don't doubt that, but you're a waterbender, we're by a river. I'm not taking any chances."He tapped his chin and pursed his lips curiously. "Why don't we work together, waterbender? You show me where the Avatar is, and you'll be set free."

Katara scowled fiercely, turning her nose up at his offer. "No. I'll never give Aang up to the Fire Nation, you jerk."

"Really?" Zuko asked, a subtle note of humor in his voice. "Not even…for this?" He dangled her choker in front of her eyes, the carved jewel glinting in the light.

She gasped aloud and tried to reach out for it, straining against the ropes. "Give that back!" Katara shouted, gritting her teeth as she pulled against the tree. "That was my mother's!"

The banished prince blanched, examining the necklace in his hand. "Ah," he whispered, his eyes flickering up to meet hers. "I see. I'm sorry, but I can't give it back to you just yet."

She frowned at him, wondering what the Fire Nation royal was planning. "What does that mean?" She asked lowly. "Just give it back."

"All of this trouble came from a simple waterbending scroll," Zuko replied, leaning in to whisper to the bound bender. "What do you think these pirates would do for an authentic, beautiful piece of Water Tribe jewelry? No, I'll hold onto it for now." With a few deft flicks of his fingers, he tied the necklace to his left wrist. "If there's any sort of chaos later, remember where this is."

Katara gaped incredulously at him, her eyelid twitching. "You are so confusing!" she shouted, trying to free a foot and kick him in the shin.

Aang and Sokka sent accusing looks at the waterbender. "You never told us about that!" Her brother complained, waving a hand at Zuko. "We thought he just stole it off you 'cause he's a jerk!" He found the former prince giving him a deadpan glare. "Sorry, I mean 'were' a jerk."

Zuko grunted carelessly. "Since you never took it back, I had to track you down and give it back. It was lucky June came into our lives at that point."

"Indeed," Iroh concurred with a slightly devious smile. "Almost as if it were…Forced." The firebending pair shared a chuckle while the others looked on in confusion.

Yue raised a hand in question. "Who is June?" She asked, before holding out her tea cup. "Also, can I have some more tea, please? This blend is delicious."

"It's a white jasmine and lavender blend," Zuko answered, using the Force to pour her another cup. "My favorite. June is a Bounty Hunter, one of the best in the world partially because of her mount, a shirshu. Shirshu are blind but have an incredible sense of smell, as well as a long, barbed tongue that they use to paralyze. She came upon my ship while we were in port and tore a chunk out of the deck to get at a stowaway below. Once we heard of her capabilities, I thought it'd be the perfect chance to return Katara's necklace and test you at the same time."

The Water Tribe siblings felt a sharp sting on their skin before they fell in the dirt, everything from the neck down going completely numb within a second. They heard the crunch of boots meeting earth, saw the shadow cover them and were helpless as they were rolled over to face the sky. Zuko loomed over them, his hair blowing in the breeze. "Quite the coincidence, meeting you here," he said dryly, "Where's the Avatar?"

"Aang's not here!" Sokka replied, his face going red from his attempts to move. "We went our separate ways!"

"…Uh-huh," the banished prince snorted in disbelief. "If that's the case, why don't you tell me where he is? I could offer you a ride back home if you cooperate."

"We aren't telling you anything! Right, Katara?" He managed to look at his sister, but found her staring up the firebender with narrowed eyes. Something damp, slightly cold and wriggly touched the back of his neck and he shrieked, his eyes bulging.

"Nyla's got something," a smoky feminine voice declared, and Zuko rifled through Sokka's pack to find a crumpled piece of parchment. Holding it up to the shirshu, her pink star nose twitched and she snuffled, her snout pointing up the road. "She's got the scent."

"Looks like I don't need your cooperation," the banished prince muttered, giving the giant mole creature a pat on the snout before he heaved Sokka up on his shoulders.

"Watch the hands!" The Water Tribe warrior growled as Zuko set him on Nyla's back, then crouched next to Katara. "Don't you touch my sister, ya jerk!"

"Then how am I supposed to pick her up, idiot?" Zuko snapped back. "Or would you prefer it if I left her in the middle of the road?" He turned away from Sokka's impotent grumbling to find Katara gazing up at him, her deep blue eyes focused intensely on his golden ones. He held up his arm, the jewel of her necklace dangling from the cord. "I held onto it, just like I said I would. Here," he unclasped the choker and made to put it back.

The waterbender blushed at the sensation of his long, warm fingers against the skin of her neck, but her gaze remained locked on him. "I really don't get you," she murmured, frowning slightly.

"Hold on, sorry," he muttered, struggling slightly to get the clasp in place without accidentally choking her. "There we go. Back where it belongs." He adjusted the band slightly so that it rested comfortably against her throat.

"Come on, Prince Grumpy!" June called from atop her mount. "Stop whispering to your girlfriend and let's get a move on!"

Zuko grunted under his breath, slidin and arm under Katara's legs and back, picking her up bridal-style. "You ever like someone and hate someone at the same time?" He grumbled, lifting her onto Nyla's back.

"All the damn time," she muttered, a peaceful sigh escaping her lips as she felt her mother's betrothal necklace back in place.

"And then you escaped after dumping perfume on us," Zuko concluded with a scowl. "It took me a week of baths to stop smelling like a flower garden. That was clever, really, but I still kind of hate you for that. Especially since you nearly scared the life out of Nyla."

"Oh yes, we're really sorry about scaring a giant snarly tongue-monster that paralyzed us," Sokka said sarcastically, stuffing a meat bun into his mouth.

Uncle cleared his throat meaningfully. "I hope you understand, now, what we were attempting to do by pursuing you for so long." He poured himself another cup of tea. "But now that we have laid all our tiles on the table, it is your move, Avatar."

Aang chewed his lip thoughtfully, absently petting Momo as he stared at the table. "Hmm," he hummed loudly, tapping his chin. "Hmmmm…" He perked up, pointing triumphantly at Zuko. "Does this mean we can be friends?!"

The former prince chuckled and smiled warmly. "It does, Aang, just like I said months ago. If you'll have me."

"Alright!" The Avatar cheered, nearly jumping out of his seat in joy before composing himself with a cough. "I mean, before I make a decision, I'd like to hear more about your teacher, that…Sal guy."

"Ah," Zuko tented his fingers, peering over them at the group with his eyes glinting strangely. "Tell me, have you ever heard…The Tragedy of Darth Solace The Wise?"

…

…

…

…

A/N: Well wouldya look at that, another story that just popped out of nowhere. That's never happened before…

Alright, so here's what's going on: I've been reading a lot of A:TLA stories, and pretty much all of them were Zuko and Katara pairings. But that's not the important part (right now), what is, is that reminded me of a certain scene in the third season, where Zuko's approaching the prison where Uncle's being held, and I remembered that in the commentary, they said it was based on the scene of Anakin Skywalker marching on the Jedi Temple during Order 66.

And then I thought, huh. I could see that. I mean, they've got yellow eyes, anger issues, are driven by their passions and ambitions and then it struck me: The Fire Nation is a nation of Sith. An expansionist Empire, with the officers being reliant on their personal power, ambition and being the biggest jerk around, outclassed entirely by the massive jerk at the top.

And that got me thinking of a Star Wars crossover where Zuko's a Sith, but when I went looking, I couldn't find any and I was rather disappointed. So I was like, fuck it, this is a kick-ass idea, Imma do it myself.

That got me thinking about Sith and I came up with Darth Solace. Now, unlike SOME PEOPLE, I actually understand Sith naming conventions, so I initially tried to think of something more violent, but it got me thinking. What kind of Sith would get the name 'Darth Solace?' That be, like, a massive insult in Sith culture, and that eventually led to the character as you see him now, someone who left both the Jedi and Sith behind to make his own path.

More of his backstory will be revealed in the next chapter, coming soon.

Also, there won't be much crossover into the Star Wars besides the Force and some other things; that is to say, don't expect them to leave the planet.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this monster of a chapter, with big thanks to NorthSouthGorem, Dariegh and AJR3333, but not Kurogane7, he wasn't here. Probably off being a productive member of society…

…LIKE A BITCH.

Anyway, give them all a look and a shoutout from me!

Stay Awesome.

~Soleneus

P.S.: And no, this doesn't mean I'm not working on Guardian of the Avatar, I was actually working on that before I was struck by inspiration. I don't know how long it'll last, but I'm still working on my other stories.

Side note, Voltron. It's good.

…That's it.

You can go away now.

Stay Awesome Some More.

~still Soleneus

I'm serious, leave me alone.

Stop scrolling down, you're not gonna find anything else.

Stop it.

Stoooopppp.

Go 'way!

…

…Zutara forever, though.