Disclaimer: No, I do not own the world of Avatar, or anyone or anything in it. I wrote the story, and that's it. I own nothing.

Note: I have always been a big fan of Uncle Iroh, and of Lu Ten, right from when I first started watching the series, and I was recently inspired to write this.

Dedication: I would like to dedicate this story to Mako, who voice Uncle Iroh in seasons one and two.

Water

Earth

Fire

Air

Long ago, the four nations lived in peace and harmony, but all that changed when the fire nation attacked. Only the avatar, master of all four elements could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new avatar, an air bender named Aang, and although his air bending skills were great, he had a long way to go before he was ready to save anyone. But I believed in him right up to the day Aang saved the world.

Previously, on Avatar:

Admiral Zhao and General Iroh stood on the ship, discussing important business. "Yes, I've heard of your little foray into the spirit world."

"Ever since I lost my son…" Iroh turned away from his nephew, tears coming to his eyes.

"Uncle, you don't have to say it."

"I think of you as my own."

Uncle Iroh stared proudly up at his nephew on the eel-hound, then smiled. "After we reconquer Ba Sing Se," he said, "I'm going to reconquer my tea shop, and play Pai Sho every day."

"Leaves from the vine, falling so slow." Sang Iroh, tears streaming down his cheeks. The tree was tall and strong, and the sketch of his son still looked as though it had been drawn a mere day ago. It was a beautiful day. "Happy birthday, son." said Iroh.

Book 3, Fire.

Chapter 22, Lu Ten

In the red half light of dusk, little Lu Ten chased his father around in a complicated game of tag. "I got you dad!" The young fire prince laughed playfully as Iroh pretended to be struck by fire. The two play wrestled for a few minutes on the ground, before relaxing in the cool breeze, enjoying one another's company.

"Why is the breeze so pleasant?" asked Lu Ten. "I never thought anything cold could feel so…nice."

Iroh smiled and did not open his eyes. "My boy, in time you will learn that pleasure does not arise only from fire, nor is good found in it alone. Each of the four elements is worthy of attention, for each can give both good and evil. The cool air on a hot day can be a life saver. Believe me." he wiggled his bare toes in appreciation, causing his son to laugh.

Iroh sat up in bed. It was morning, the jasmine dragon was set to open for the day in less than half an hour, and no matter how many times he dreamed of his son, Lu Ten was still dead.

He sighed, and got out of bed. He dressed himself and descended the stairs to ready the shop.

He had just finished when he heard a knock at the door. He opened it, prepared to welcome his early guest.

In swooped an old friend of the fire bending tea master on a glider, followed by a flying lemur. Outside he could hear the heavy breathing of the world's last sky bison.

"Hello Aang, I'm glad to see you again. You don't come to see me often enough."

"Sorry." the monk landed on the back of a chair and balanced there perfectly, perched in a crouching position. "I would have come last night, but it was cloudy. By the time I got to the city, it was so late I figured you'd be in bed."

"I probably was. I retired early last night. But not to worry, an old friend is welcome whenever he arrives, regardless of how often he does so. It is one of the ways we know who means the most to us."

"Does Zuko come to see you often enough?"

"As often as he can, but I still find myself missing him very much. When winter comes again, I think I will see about spending some time in the fire nation. Give the other tea shops in the city time to prosper." the old man turned to polish a tea pot. "To be honest, I miss him more now than I have in a long time."

"How so?" the boy leaned forward expectantly, then realized what he had done and shouted "Whoa!" as he redistributed his weight to land on his feet and catch the chair he had been sitting on as it fell.

Iroh smiled. "Not to worry, unlike people, a chair's legs are easily replaced." his face became more serious. "I miss my nephew so much, because…well, in his absence I've been having frequent dreams about my son." tears came to his eyes and threatened to fall.

"Oh." Aang's expression turned somber, and he bowed his head. "I'm sorry. I never knew your son. He must have been a great man."

"So great. And so eager to please. He always wanted what was best for his nation. And he was never afraid to get his butt kicked at Pai Sho one more time."

Aang stepped closer and put a comforting hand on Iroh's shoulder. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"I am long past the time in life when parents usually brag about their children. And telling you about him would not do anything for anyone now. Before he…" a sob escaped the old man's lips, and he stopped momentarily. "before I lost him, I was just like any other fire nation prince. I barely knew or cared about right and wrong. I only wanted victory. To be a hero. And that was what I taught my son, and he learned. And he succeeded. But it took…what happened to turn my life around. I have never felt anything but great grief for his death, but I rejoice that it resulted in this simpler world, and all the wonderful friends I have made. Especially Zuko. I have tried to make this life one that my son would be proud to have sparked."

"So he was a great guy. I wonder if there's anything I could learn from him."

"You just want a good story, don't you?"

"A good story from a good friend. And, I think you might benefit from getting it off your chest."

"Very well." Iroh sat down. "Do you mind if we play Pai Sho while I tell it? It will take my mind off of things, and pass the time till customers start arriving."

Aang obliged. The game held a soft spot in his heart. It reminded him of monk Gyatso.

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Lu Ten stared out at the fleet of fire nation ships waiting to depart. They would leave in a few days. The last stages of planning were being conducted in the war room of Fire Lord Azulon. He had decided not to attend.

The captain felt a tug at his armor, and looked down to find little eight year old Zuko staring up at him. "What's up Zuko?" he asked, and reached down to pull the boy up to his shoulder. "Wow, soon you'll be too big for me to do this, and then it'll be time for you to go off to war."

The boy's expression saddened. "Do you have to go?" he asked.

"More or less. I think I'd rather stay here with you and Mai and Ty Lee, and even Azula to some…self destructive extent. But you can't be a war hero if you just stay at home all the time." Lu Ten bent over and put Zuko down. "You my friend are very very big. I'm sure that soon you'll be bending with the best of them. I hope I get to see your first Agni Kai. I bet you'll burn the face off your dishonorable opponent."

"Yea right." Zuko found firm footing and stared up at his cousin again. "I'll try, if you promise to be there."

"And if I'm not then you won't?"

"Nope."

"Then I promise."

Later that evening, Lu Ten met his father in the palace for a small respite from the battle preparations. "Father," he said, uncertainty lacing his voice.

"Yes son?"

"I'm not sure I want to go to Ba Sing Se."

"What? But I thought it was your dream to take it. We were going to do it together."

"I know, but I've been thinking. I know I want to win the city for the fire nation, but what if we lose? I couldn't bare to live with myself if you died. Spirits alive, I'd be next in line for the throne. How would I handle that kind of responsibility?"

"Oh, so you don't want me to go either do you? Well, I'm sorry my son, but I'm going. I know I will conquer it. And as for politics…you know well enough how to use a sword. Believe me, the political world is just like a two edged sword. Swing it in the wrong direction and it will bite you harder than the one you meant to cut. But learn its ways, and you will have a tremendous advantage over anyone else you come up against."

"This isn't very encouraging. I met Zuko today. I think he's scared for us."

"As well he should be. He is too young to understand the complexities of war, and yet he knows that wherever there is war, someone has to lose. But, we will surprise him and be back in time for his birthday in a few months."

The captain looked at the floor. "I just wish something could take my mind off of things. I'm so tense. I've fought Agni Kais before, and I've even seen battle and killed men. But this isn't some little fringe village to be marched into and sacked in the name of simplicity. This is Ba Sing Se, the hub of the earth kingdom civilization. The number of troops you've amassed is amazing, but I'm afraid it will take many months to conquer it. I'm afraid we may even miss more than one of Zuko's birthdays over this. It's the biggest thing anyone's ever gone after. And plenty have gone after it, but they've all died. I need to do something for my nerves."

Iroh listened closely to his son's concerns. "Hmm, you know what would make you feel better?" he asked. "A good game of Pai Sho and some jasmine tea."

The captain smirked. He had long since given up trying to beat his father at the game, but he never minded playing. And Jasmine was his favorite flavor of tea. "I suppose if nothing else will work."

As Iroh set up the board he began to hum a familiar tune. Lu Ten recognized it and, smiling, started singing just as his father did.

"Leaves from the vine," they sang, "falling so slow, like fragile and tiny shells, drifting in the foam. Little soldier boy, come marching home. Brave soldier boy, comes marching home."

On the deck of the general's ship, Lu Ten cranked out his katas one by one, increasing their intensity as he went along. He had heard of the Dai Lee, and he would be ready for them. Fire streamed from his finger tips, and shot out from his fists. Arcs flew from his feet as he executed perfect crescent kicks. His invisible opponent was losing.

General Iroh watched from the ship's helm as his son practiced. He's got much too much anger going on in there. Or maybe it's just fury. Aren't they the same thing? He rubbed his beard thoughtfully. Anyway, it's too emotional. Too wild. To unleash the cold hearted fire, he needs to let go of all this. His desire to be the perfect hero. Even his desire to make me proud. He must be calmer than the sea on a windless day.

"Dragon!"

Iroh's eyes snapped open to see who had spoken. It was the helmsman, pointing to port. Sure enough, flying low over the earth kingdom hills about a mile inland from shore was a gigantic, majestic blue dragon.

The cry rang out again. "Dragon!"

Iroh patted the man on the shoulder. "Yes, I see it is a dragon. That's something very useful to know. We'll be sure and return here on the way home. If I fail in my siege of Ba Sing Se, he will make a decent face saver for my career. I thought dragons were extinct till now."

"Shall we land and let you have a closer look?"

"No, Ba Sing Se is calling my name. I want to live out my dream."

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Aang looked at his tea cup sadly. "I'd heard about the dragon." he said. "Zuko told me that you lied saying you had killed the last dragon in order to stop people from hunting them. But I'd never heard all that stuff about Lu Ten." The avatar looked around at the many people now crowding the Jasmine Dragon. "I was born a hundred years ago, before the war started. I used to visit my friend Kuzon in the fire nation. We got in and out of a lot of trouble together. I once asked Zuko if he thought we could have been friends if he'd lived back then. At that time he seemed to disagree, though things have obviously changed since. But I think your son sounds like someone I could have been friends with even if I had gotten out of the ice burg just in time to meet him. I wish I could have."

"You have no idea how much it means for me to hear you say that." The Dragon of the West sipped his tea.

The young captain practiced his katas every day, as his father watched on. He always improved in form and strength, but his fire never burned any more intensely for it. Iroh even began to tire of it.

"Son." he said one day after the captain had finished. "Relax a little. Ba Sing Se is made of stone, and we have enough fire benders to melt a whole right through it. There is no reason to fear defeat."

The captain only smiled. "It is the one who does not fear defeat who has the most reason to."

That was Iroh's own wisdom shot back at him from an earlier occasion. The general laughed. "Very well, keep practicing. But be sure you don't wear yourself out. No reason to spoil your appetite for fire bending."

"When my appetite for fire bending wears thin, I'll practice with my sword. And when I no longer hunger after that, I'll see if I can't get the cook to bring us some roast duck-goose."

"Ah, you know how much I love roast duck."

The fire nation army disembarked when the time came, and marched overland to Ba Sing Se. The city was ready for them, standing with its high walls practically begging to be taken, but with thousands of earth kingdom soldiers standing on top of it. The spears sticking up from the wall looked like a vast forest in the distance.

For months they laid siege to it, their magnificent force fully surrounding it. As Lu Ten had predicted, Zuko's birthday came and went. He sent his cousin a terra cotta toy soldier with enough time for it to reach home before the special occasion, and sent letters to that whole branch of the family.

Dear Aunt Ursa,

I can't begin to explain how much I miss palace cooking already. The occasional roast duck is all that remains of the higher cuisine. It is as though these army cooks don't know how to properly nourish a young soldier, and I feel sorry for all the boys out here who don't even have the benefit of being the general's son. Father and his royal guard, and I and mine eat better every night that any other soldier out here, and even that isn't very helpful. Father has even lost some weight.

How is palace life? I imagine Uncle is doing well, though I wouldn't ask him personally. I hope he gets to lighten up and actually enjoy himself once in a while. This is no less than what I wish for all of you there at home, but I think I want it for him most of all. Is Grandfather doing well? And your children, how are they? I remember Zuko saying he didn't want me to go. You may feel free to assure him I'll be back safe and sound. Father even joked about being back before his birthday, but with the way the earth kingdom has been fighting back lately…I don't think we'll have even broken the outer wall by then.

Always with love, Lu Ten.

Dear Uncle,

Why do you never write? It may seem a little odd for you to read this coming from me, but I have actually really missed you. I remember you teaching me and Zuko how to fire bend, and I've actually been using the technique you taught me a lot lately. The one I was able to learn that is. Father is still trying to teach me to bend lighting, but I still can't. I guess I care too much, but is that really a bad thing?

P.S.

Please ease up the pressure on Zuko a little. How can he clear his mind of emotion when you create the perfect environment for frustration and fear to grow. I'm sure he'd get it eventually if you would only believe in him.

With love, Lu Ten.

Hail, Fire Lord Azulon, and honored grandfather.

The siege goes well, in that it has yet to fail. Every other fire nation force that has ever tried to breach the walls of Ba Sing Se has failed miserably, but at this point, even if we do fail it will be with honor. Father is optimistic. I look forward to seeing you when victory is yours.

With all the respect of a thousand subjects, the young captain, your grandson.

To my dearly beloved cousin Azula,

Hey, guess what you adorable little monster. Your uncle and I are winning the siege easily, but I bet that if you were here we'd already be through the walls. Rumor has it your flames recently turned blue. That's my girl.

Father keeps reverting to his old idea of sending you a doll for your birthday, and I keep reminding him how much you hate them. But oh well, even if you don't get anything really cool for your birthday, I know you'll have fun burning it.

Love you, Lu Ten.

To the brave young soldier,

Hey there little buddy. Enclosed in this parcel is your birthday gift. Let me know how you like it.

Keep practicing your fire bending. I have kept up, and I think I'm getting better. Father says so, and so do many other soldiers here.

Father joked before we left that maybe we'd be done at Ba Sing Se before your birthday, but obviously it didn't happen. Sorry kiddo. Much as I miss you, I have to stay here at the front. There's no way to be a hero without fighting.

Unfortunately, it looks like the war will take a long time. Much longer than we had thought. But take heart. The worst thing that could happen is that we'll still be here by the time you're ready to go to war, and then we can fight side by side and I'll be there for your first Agni Kai, just like I promised.

I love you, little soldier. Lu Ten.