After the war

The search begins

"I'm going to look for her"

Azula looked up at her brother and shifted in her straight jacket. "I'm guessing you dreamed about mother too" she assumed. Zuko nodded and smiled sadly.

"I'm going to bring her back!" He locked eyes with her.

"Good luck Zuzu" Azula watched her brother leave her cell and even though the thought of her mother had driven her to madness, she couldn't help but hope that her brother was successful in his search.

After Zuko had bid his uncle farewell and packed some small keepsakes to take with him on his journey, he said goodbye to his home once again as he set out on his mission. He was just about to climb aboard Appa with the others when one of his generals approached the group.

"Firelord Zuko. Something has come from the Earth Kingdom colonies that you need to see before you go" the General said kneeling before the Firelord.

"Rise General, what is it?" Zuko asked the man. The General stood and presented Zuko with a box with holes cut in the lid. He took the box and lifted the lid. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw inside.

"We found him in the Earth Kingdom Firelord Zuko. He was hiding in a cave. What will you have done with him?"

"I see... I will hold onto him for the time being and then work out what is to be done with him, Firelord Sozin had one, I suppose it's befitting for me to have one."

"Very good my Lord" The general bowed and walked away.

Sokka was curious as to what was taking Zuko so long, so he walked over and peeped over his friend's shoulder. "Hey Zuk- oh Spirits! Where did that come from?!" He yelled. Sokka came round to face Zuko as his friend looked down at the contents of the box. He watched as Katara, Aang and Suki gaped in shock at the contents of the box. Toph came over and felt inside the box and recoiled her hand in shock as she felt what was in there. "Are you gonna keep it?" Asked Suki looking at Zuko. "Yes I am. He's coming with us." Zuko smiled down at the contents of the box and Sokka's heart did a little jump inside hi chest as he watched his friend smile. He elected to ignore his heart doing cartweels in his chest and followed the other to Appa.

"What are you gonna name him?" Katara asked Zuko when he picked the tiny dragon out of the box.

"I haven't decided yet. He kinda looks like Sokka when he's mad, so for now we'll call him Sokka junior" Zuko grinned impishly at Sokka. He watched his friend roll his eyes at him and then looked back to his dragon, which had curled up and fallen asleep on the Firelord's shoulder. His little nose smoked slightly as he breathed out while sleeping and Zuko couldn't help but think he looked extremely cute.

"So Zuko, where are we going to start looking for your mother?" Aang asked looking back at his friend.

"we'll start in her hometown, she may have gone back there. However, Aang, I want you to ask around the spirit world in case any spirits native to the Water Tribes or Earth Kingdom have seen her" Aang switched places with Zuko so that the Firelord was steering and Aang could enter the spirit world while sitting in the saddle. "I say we have about three hours before we reach Hira'a" Zuko told Aang.

Aang sat cross legged on the saddle and closed his eyes. He focused and when he opened his eyes, he saw the spirit world. Aang wandered the spirit world for a while asking every spirit he saw about Ursa. A small spirit in the form of a bird informed him that she had last been seen with the mother of faces, and assumedly changed her name. "Thank you, Spirit. I don't suppose you could tell me where to find the mother of faces?" The Avatar asked the spirit. "I think she's in Hira'a" the small spirit informed Aang. He thanked the spirit and said goodbye as he left the Spirit World and returned to his body. "Zuko, you're not gonna like this" Aang sighed as he prepared his friend for the upsetting news.

"I see..." Zuko trailed off and removed his dragon from his shoulder and held him in his hands. He felt Sokka's hand on his shoulder. "Did the spirit tell you why she went to the mother of faces?" He asked Aang.

"The spirit didn't tell me why, but she's in Hira'a, as is the mother of faces" The Avatar looked at Zuko.

Zuko stroked his chin, "then we find the mother of faces, and then we find my mother" he stated turning back around and facing their destination.

Katara walked over to Appa's head and laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "How about we take your mind off our current task and think of a name for your dragon?" She looked at Zuko as he smiled down at his dragon. "Okay" he sighed.

A little while later they were getting somewhere with the dragon's name.

"How about Li?"

"Or Imak?"

"What about Shuri? Or Shio?"

"I've got it!" Zuko shouted excitedly. He held up his dragon to his face. "I'm going to name you Ra" he told the dragon.

"Hello Ra" Katara cooed at the dragon while Sokka stroked his head. The waterbender noticed how happy Zuko looked while looking fondly at his new friend. She guided Toph's hand to Ra's chin so she could give him chin scratches. "I think he likes getting all this attention. I'll miss this little guy when we eventually leave the Fire Nation" Katara remarked. Zuko looked offended. "Won't you miss me?" He asked her with a playful tone of annoyance to his voice. "Yeah, but we'll miss Ra more" Sokka smiled at him. Katara grinned as she looked around her rag tag group of friends and couldn't help but think how lucky she was to have found such amazing people.

"We're arriving in Hira'a now" Zuko said flatly, all traces of humour and joy left his face and he sat stock still atop Appa. He was dreading what he'd find when they landed. The Firelord steered the bison into what seemed to be a town square and dismounted. He helped Toph dismount and the group stood together in Hira'a.

Their search had commenced.

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I updated! What did you guys think? Don't worry more homoerotic subtext is coming.

As always please comment on the chapters and vote for them so the website gives my story more attention and shows it to more people.