This is my version of the talk between Iroh and Zuko during "Lak Lagoai", don't worry, I'm not afraid of FLAMES.

"Aargh!" shouted Zuko as he dropped his whimsical blue spirit mask and broadswords on to the ground. He gritted his teeth together, he set his jaw, and stared ahead with a grim determination.

"Nephew, you have to decide who you are, make your own destiny." said Iroh gently, but he still wore his hard expression on his face, it was masking the fear he held on the inside. Zuko's chest heaved in and out, as he tried to decide what he was going to do.. This one decision would seal his fate.

His jaw quivered when he tried to speak, but his breath caught in his throat. He shut his golden eyes and tried to think. He could feel sweat forming on his brow. A wave of nausea swept over him as he tried to speak, once more. From a pipe above the room, a shout could be heard.. No, not a shout.. A scream of pain.. Agony, even. Little did the firebender know, that very scream, was the sealing of a life. Then, silence ensued.

An image of Princess Ursa, Zuko's mother flooded into his mind. She wore her red clothing that she had worn, the last day the Prince had seen her. Her golden eyes pierced his very soul.

His eyelids fluttered open.

"What would mother want me to do?" asked Zuko silently, mainly to himself. His hands fell to his sides, they were clenched into fists.

"What would mother want me to do?" said Zuko, a bit louder this time, he was thinking out loud. He bit his lower lip to hold back tears that had not been shed, for many years.

Men don't cry.. That's just the way it works.. Only boys do. thought Zuko as he tried to force the hot tears, pricking at the backs of his eyes away.

"Only you would know that, Prince Zuko." said Iroh solemnly. His pale hands thoughtfully stroked his gray beard. Zuko gave his Uncle a look, an unidentifiable look, over his shoulder. Iroh could not tell if the look was a glance, a glare, or even if it was angry looking. He just knew what his Nephew was going to do.

"Melancholy? Bitter-Sweet? Sad? Whimsical." said Iroh as Zuko bent down to retrieve his broadswords. He was attempting to place the look into a category, but it didn't seem to fit anywhere.

"Whimsical." stated Iroh as he walked through the room and to where his nephew was crouched on the ground. Iroh squatted next to him and he put a hand on his shoulder.

"Come, on Uncle.. I'm going to need some help." sighed Zuko as he pulled himself into a standing position. Iroh looked up, a small, barely noticeable smile on his face.

"You're doing the right thing, Nephew." said Iroh as he accepted the young firebender's outstretched arm.

"Alright.. Do you think you can calm him?" said Zuko as the two family members studied the growling flying bison.

"Do we have any tea handy?"

"What do you think?"

"I think I can do it." said Iroh as he slowly walked towards the creature. He put a nervous hand on the beasts head, he patted the arrow. Zuko stepped out of Appa's view. He swung his unsheathed broadswords, and in a few swift movements, the bison was free. Iroh slowly pulled away from Appa, who growled at Zuko as he walked by. Appa took a tentative step back, the two men before him staring expectantly. Appa's brown eyes, or at least what could be seen of them through his shaggy hair, widened when he realized he was no longer chained up. He roared in recognition as he flew upward, nearly hitting Zuko with his tail.

Appa flew into a large pipe on the wall, dissapearing out of sight.

"How about I go make you some calming Jasmine Tea?" said Iroh cheerfully.

"Uncle!" groaned Zuko as he ran his fingers through his dark shaggy hair.

"What?" protested Iroh, an evil grin on his face.