Avatar the Last Airbender - Book 4: Air (The Master of the Lion Turtles)

Chapter One: Back Together

ZUKO POV

Zuko stared out at the crowd in front of him; a sea of red, blue and green. The remaining nations, together at last. He supposed that, if he counted the small boy by his side, all four nations were actually present at his coronation. How long ago had this last happened? Had this ever happened before? As he scanned the cheering faces below him he smiled, knowing he and his friends had set and example for years to come. He tried to memorize every face, every smile, every laugh, imprinting it in his mind to remember when times got hard, as he knew they would. 

"Zuko? Are you alright?" He snapped out of his trance to face the Avatar. He nodded, still not used to the new weight of the crown that rested in his hair. Aang grinned, the same childish grin he'd always had. Despite everything he had been through, he could still smile at Zuko, the leader of the nation that killed his own, with nothing but trust and love. 

"We are going to create a new world Aang. A better world, for everyone. Not just for the rich and powerful. Not just for benders. For everyone," he said wistfully. 

"Can we stop for a break first? I would love to be surrounded by all my friends and have a nice cup of tea right about now!" exclaimed Aang. Zuko laughed. A genuine, happy laugh that hadn't been produced by a Fire Lord in many generations. 

"Friends and tea sounds perfect. I know a great place," he promised whilst winking at the young Avatar. 

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Zuko sat alone in his conference room. 

He thought back to the room's original use as a war room. Back to the fires that stood between the throne and the generals. Back to the dark shadows that covered the walls. Back to the fear that had hung in the air. 

He'd spent so long convincing his staff he was different from his predecessors. Every time someone broke a glass, made a mistake in his dinner or missed a spot when cleaning he had to convince them they weren't going to loose their job, or life. He made an effort to get to know everyone and break down the walls between them, literally and figuratively.

He removed the throne in the room. He removed the fire cutting him off from his generals. He replaced lights, colour schemes and uniforms. He wanted to made everyone feel equal, prove that he was different. Behind all this though, he was lonely. His friends worked in all corners of the globe. He no longer had Mai. His uncle now lived in Ba Sing Se. His mother preferred to spend as little time as possible at the place, and he didn't blame her. He felt cut off from his own home. So he broke down the walls and now, finally, laughter had returned to the palace. His generals treated him as equals, despite being four times his age, and his staff told him stories and laughed at his jokes, but not because they had to!

Still, he sat in his conference room alone. He stared at the blueprints and maps for the new Republic City that Aang and Sokka had sent him. The private letters than came with them were already tucked in his robes. He pulled his crown out of his hair and it fell around his face. God he missed his friends. It felt like a lifetime ago he had been crowned with the very relic lying in front of him, and had sat drinking tea with the most important people in the world to him. How did 5 years pass so quickly and so slowly at the same time?

"Lord Zuko," announced an officer. Zuko looked up and squinted at him, trying to figure out who it was behind their helmet. The officer looked embarrassed to have caught Zuko in what must have looked like a private moment. 

"Officer Osuh! Please, come in!" said Zuko, pushing hair out of his face. Osuh coughed nervously but stepped forward anyway.

"A messenger hawk from the Republic City build sir," he said, holding out a rolled up note. Zuko practically jumped on it, sending Osuh stumbling slightly backwards. 

"Sorry! Yes! Thank you! Sorry!" spluttered Zuko, fumbling with the letter. Osuh nodded and slowly backed out of the room. Zuko cursed himself quietly. He couldn't help still acting like a teenager at times; laughing in meetings, cursing old generals when they acted stupid, pranking staff members on his days off. His mother claimed this was a good thing though!

He unrolled the note, skipping all the formalities that workers insisted on using. His eyes tore over the page. 

Building...going well...new plans...suspected bandits...four elements...more bathroom facilities...WAIT. His eyes rushed backwards. 

Workers began to notice the disappearance of small amounts of material and food supplies and suspected bandits were to blame. Following regular procedures we formed a crew who guarded the loose supplies. They did not come into contact with anyone for a number of days so we assumed there had been a mistake when counting stock. However, once the group was reduced to a skeleton crew they were ambushed by a group of four bandits that used a variety of all four elements to disarm and silence them and escape with the supplies. 

Zuko ignored the bit about bathrooms after, though made a mental note to come back to it. He couldn't believe it! Bandits! At the Republic City site! He swiped the nearest map off the low table and onto the floor. He grabbed and flattened multiple sheets of paper and grabbed a pen whilst calling for four messenger hawks and the Kyoshi Warriors. He was so excited by the prospect of his friends being back together that his mind glossed over the finer details of the letter;

All four elements.