the avatar, and that one good firebender, lee

fire, part eight

with a pitying smile, azula sighs. "you're in no position to make demands." then, a laugh, and she looks at the prince, joking another jab. "remember that, zuko?"

and, just like that, all eyes lock on him. katara, seething, growls, "what?"

"what's 'what' ?" azula stands from her chair. with a shrug, she says, "i just asked if zuko here remembers that whole inside joke i made when i was taking him to the fire nation. what's so wrong about that?"

" you're prince zuko?" katara grits through her teeth, no longer struggling against the firebenders that cuff her. zuko nods, staring down at the hardwood floor. he told himself he'd grace the faults perfectly, but, with the weight of their stares, he breaks. katara pushes out the words, barely managing to contain her voice, "you liar."

sokka yells a muffled shout through the cloth. suki summons a hardened gaze, one of near-disappointment, and toph stays silent, biding her time. azula, walking towards her brother, offers another laugh. "liar? what's this about, zuzu? you didn't tell him you're a prince?" zuko stays silent. azula, in front of him, kicks lightly at his knees. "hm, i honestly don't know what reasoning made you do that."

"the same reasoning that made mai and ty lee turn on you?" zuko suggests. he doesn't bother looking up, but azula, staring down at him, loses her smile, dipping down into a grimace, and, summoning all her strength, she swings her foot up, hard. she hits him in the chin, and as zuko falls back, she digs her foot into his chest.

"killing you will be the greatest pleasure of my life," she mutters.

"the only pleasure i feel is knowing that my lies got me friends and your honestly left you with none," zuko chokes out, his chin already bruising. on his chest, he feels her foot grow warm, testing his skin. he looks at katara, her teary, tired face, and sokka, his anger looking in on himself. he bites back the rest of his retorts, staring up at his sister with the demand, "you have me, now let them go."

she raises her foot, returning to her chair with laughter. "no, you've got it all wrong, zuko." as she takes her seat, the firebenders drag katara and zuko closer, before pushing them back down on their knees. "i was just waiting for you. we're all going back home."

"what?"

she smirks wildly. "father has named me fire lord." zuko's breath hitches, and she revels in the sight of his pale face. "and you're all invited to my coronation. not the avatar, though, my father has plans for him. but you'll enjoy it, i promise. and if not, i will, when i have you executed, one by one, as my first order as fire lord."

katara picks up the struggle against her chains, sokka tries another yell, and zuko, through it all, meets azula's eyes with his promised steel. "don't worry, brother, we'll have our duel." a blue light blazing on her fingertips, she mocks burning her own neck. "but i'll tell you, it won't be much of one."

"i know zuko has been gone for longer," kook says, still waiting on the upper deck with an eye on the horizon. "but something about that girl's face just worries me." turning to jang, equally anxious, she asks, "right? or is it just me?"

"of course not," feng calls from the main deck, watching the waters from his own post by the bow. "if it was just you then why are we all here?" he gestures to the rest of the crew--haku, by the stern; mara, opposite from feng; and daito, jee, and iroh in the bridge. they all pay once last scour from horizon to horizon for any sign of the prince's return.

the white lotus comes out on deck, dressed and ready. iroh meets them. piandao asks, "has your nephew come back yet?"

iroh shakes his head. "we have no choice but to believe that he's alright, and he's safe with the avatar." turning to the rest of the crew, as the harbour nears in sight, he says, "let's free ba sing se."