76 Shift in Fate

The sun was slowly setting on the horizon and the few buildings that were tall enough were casting a shadow over, what seemed to be, a ghost town in the middle of an arid environment in the central part of the great Earth Kingdom.

Two people in cloaks could be seen walking through the entrance, and they both couldn't help but look left and right, searching for a single living soul and not finding any.

"Are you sure this town has supplies, uncle?"

"That's what they told me in the last village I went to… but it seems something or someone arrived before us" said a serious Iroh while narrowing his eyes.

"What are you talking abo-" Zuko was interrupted by what looked like a blue fireball aiming upwards, towards the sky, from somewhere in the town.

"That's…" The banished Prince narrowed his eyes and dashed towards the general direction.

"Zuko! Wait..!" Iroh tried to stop him but it was in vain.

Running through the deserted streets, jumping through obstacles with the help of his acrobatic skills, Zuko finally arrived at what seemed to be a house in flames.

He wouldn't have tried to enter it if he didn't see the silhouette of a very distinct individual that he met not long ago, although for him it already felt like years had passed.

Lowering his body just like his teacher taught him, he nimbly dashed forward, doing his utmost best to not make loud noises, for he knew his target was not so easily deceived;

The closer he got, the harder it would be to continue stealthily, so when he deemed himself close enough, Zuko jumped while doing a spin kick. Intense flames igniting under his heels as a semi-circular wave of fire managed to strike his opponent, sending her towards the brittle walls that offered no resistance and broke due to the impact.

The one person trapped under the debris of what looked like a collapsed roof couldn't help but exclaim;

"Zuko?!" 

Staring at the boy in front of him, with the familiar blue arrow tattoo on his bald head, filled Zuko with many urges. Urges to strike him, urges to continue on the path he has been on for years… but today… Today was different, his target wasn't the Avatar.

Not waiting a single second, Zuko jumped to the side. He was fast enough to dodge a nasty well aimed blue fireball that came out of his sister, his target's, two fingers.

"Ah… Zuzu, I was wondering where you've been…" said a slightly disheveled Azula, Zuko's sneak attack was actually effective and if she didn't sense an intense heat coming from the doorway, she would've been way worse. The back of her robes now sported a burnt, scorched mark that made her incredibly furious… not that she would display it…

"Zuzu?" Aang asked while holding back his laugh, he knew this was a serious situation but even that wasn't enough to tone down his easy going, lighthearted self.

"Now you know." Said Zuko as he ignited two flame daggers in a reverse grip and rushed towards Azula.

The fire Princess, seeing her brother's move, did the same, igniting two blue flame daggers as she also rushed forward.

On the deserted streets of the ghost town, two people faced one another. Striking fiercely and with precision, trying their best to defeat their opponent.

"It seems you did improve, just a little bit..." Said Azula while kicking her brother's ribs after a parry with her flame daggers.

"Urgh…" Zuko groaned as he staggered a bit, but then he stomped the floor sending a small wave towards Azula's path, forcing her to jump sideways and interrupting her advantage.

Azula was about to strike again, but she saw not only the Avatar coming, but his team mates, Sokka and Katara as well.

Lowering her stance, she was about to run away but the earth under her feet shifted abruptly and she was forced prone on the ground.

"I thought you guys could use a little help" said a snarky blind girl with long loose black hair.

"Thanks," Katara said with a smirk as the team and Zuko joined hands to push Azula back.

Knowing that she was in a disadvantageous situation, Azula slowly moved back until she was close enough to rush through one of the back alleys, her goal was to separate her enemies and catch them one by one.

Unfortunately, her path was blocked by Iroh, who bumped into her and forced her to stop in her tracks.

Being surrounded by everyone, Azula was finally backed into a corner. This was tougher than she expected… Honestly Zuko's skills had shocked her, she was not expecting him to be this good, she gave up on her armor to travel light and it seemed as if that was a misjudgment of hers.

Raising her hand she took a deep breath and a few extra bangs fell in front of her eyes, as her tunic and hair were not so perfect anymore;

"Well… Look at this, enemies and traitors… all working together" She said while scanning everyone, she then raised her arms in surrender. "I'm done, I know when I am beaten… You've gotten me… a Princess surrenders with honor..."

Zuko and Iroh were also shocked to see their newest acquaintance, the blind girl, so soon and in such circumstances, but they knew they had more pressing matters right now and focused on… unfortunately that was enough of a distraction for Azula to use as an advantage.

She did a spin while lowering her stance, aiming two fingers towards her target. Even in such a small window, she had decided whom she wanted to strike… Although her brother was becoming annoying, it was her uncle that was the serious threat here… Zuko would be destroyed without Iroh and she knew it, so with a single smirk she launched a very concentrated, precise and deadly jet of blue flames ignited from her fingertips towards the old General, hitting him in the side of his chest.

"Arrrgh" The old man expressed his pain as he fell on the floor.

Zuko's eyes went wide for a second and with determination and anger he used all his power and aimed the strongest fire blast he could towards his sister. This was the first time he actually attacked her with the aim of killing.

Toph, Aang, Katara and Sokka also joined in the attack, but Azula created a barrier of blue flames around her that exploded once all their attacks joined, sending everyone backwards and creating a cover of thick blackened smoke that aided Azula's retreat.

As everyone recovered and the smoke dispersed, Azula was long gone, and Zuko could be seen kneeling in front of his heavily injured uncle. Anger, resentment, fear and regret all merged into one single expression on his face.

"Get away from us!" He said while turning his face towards the team Avatar, but when he spotted Toph he stopped for a bit, closing his eyes and clenching his teeth hard.

Toph looked distressed, not only did she recognize Zuko's voice, but she also recognized their presence through her earth senses.

"Zuko, I can help!" said Katara as she approached, she had her fair share of complaints about Zuko but today they were on the same side, she wasn't that petty, she knew Iroh was a good man.

"I….. I…." Zuko didn't know how to react, his thought was to shout at them, telling them to leave them alone… but then he looked at Toph, he didn't know anymore, a mixture of emotions was destroying his rationale from within.

"Let her help, Zuko" Said Toph, stepping forward and trying her best as well.

Staying there in silence for a couple seconds, many different emotions shifted across Zuko's face, and then he did the only thing he could at the moment, he nodded with his head low.

Katara nodded back and took the water from her canteen and crouched on the other side of Iroh and started using her waterbending to heal the old General.

Aang and Sokka decided to not interfere, they noticed that the situation was incredibly unstable and anything could ignite the beginning of a new fight.

"He will be fine," said a tired Katara as she kept healing Iroh. "He wasn't hit in any vital area; it was between the chest and the shoulder." 

Zuko simply nodded again, his eyes refusing to leave his unconscious uncle.

After what seemed like hours, but in reality, were only a few minutes, Katara retrieved her water and stood up with beads of sweat forming on her forehead as her vision started getting blurry.

Sokka approached and held her firmly, and Aang also decided to help.

Zuko simply stood there, ignoring the Avatar that was so close, tired and basically offering himself for capture, the Prince could see their situation, they were hungry, exhausted, sleepy… far from the optimal situation to escape him, the bout with Azula made them even worse…

But today…

"You should leave, we will be fine on our own now" Zuko said while staring at his uncle.

Sokka and Aang exchanged gobsmacked glances, Katara gave an exhausted smile and Toph nodded, approached him and gave a light punch on the back of his shoulder.

"The old man will be fine, Katara is good with that stuff" The blind girl said, surprising team Avatar with how close she seemed to the nephew-uncle pair, but also surprising Zuko with the certainty in the blind girl's voice.

He nodded, stood up and offered them one of the bags he and his uncle were carrying.

Aang looked confused, Sokka was suspicious and Katara was too tired to even react;

"Take it, there's enough food for a day…" he said.

"Why are you helping us?" Aang couldn't help but ask.

"You have been chasing us since the beginning..." Sokka added, his eyes narrowed.

Zuko simply stared at them and said;

"You healed my uncle, without him…." He couldn't even express it with words, but taking a deep breath and staring at Toph he added "…I was taught to return favors and I refuse to receive any help for free… beyond that….I…I'm trying to blast through a wall."

The group was confused, but Toph grinned at Zuko and even gave him a thumbs up, Katara also seemed very relieved and even happy with this turn of events

Team Avatar didn't stay for long, they grabbed the bag that Zuko offered and ran away, Aang couldn't help but look back towards the banished Prince as they sprinted through the arid plains.

Once they were almost out of sight, a bit of the confusion that the Avatar still had, was cleared and he smiled.

The day slowly passed; the sun was once again setting on the horizon as Iroh finally managed to open his eyes;

"Uncle!" Said a concerned Zuko. "You were unconscious, Azula did this to you…. It was a surprise attack…"

Slowly moving himself to rest his back against a half-destroyed wall of the house they were using as temporary shelter, Iroh commented with a bit of humor "Somehow, that's not so surprising…"

 Offering a teacup to his uncle, Zuko continued to speak in a soft tone "I hope I made it the way you like..."

Taking a sip, Iroh took a pause…

…

..

.

"… yeah… that was…. Good, it's very… Bracing... "Said Iroh with a forced smile before throwing the rest of it away once he saw Zuko shifting his focus to filling his own cup.

"I've been thinking… It's only a matter of time before I meet Azula again…" said Zuko while staring at Iroh's eyes "I will need to know more advanced firebending if I want to stand a chance against her… even with my physical prowess I can't fully cover the gap… I hate to admit it, but Azula… she is…."

"A prodigy." Said Iroh with a calm and serene voice, but that term struck a nerve in Zuko, he even frowned and grinded his teeth.

"You need to acknowledge things how they are; you can't escape from reality and if you wish to grow strong, you cannot be shackled by illusions." Iroh said, in which Zuko could only nod;

"I know, she is better than me… but that only means that I have to work twice as hard," said the banished Prince with determination.

Iroh was half satisfied and half disappointed, satisfied because Zuko finally admitted something that years ago he would never have done, not out loud… disappointed because Zuko tunnel visioned on Azula and didn't notice that his advice was not limited to Azula alone.

"Very well… It is time for you to resume your training."