Chapter Fifteen

When Zuko and Sokka reached Noren's house, the sun had set, leaving the world around them dark. A yellow light shine from within the small house, Zuko moved to look through it.

    "It's so quiet..." Sokka commented softly.

    "Too quiet." Zuko added.

    "What's going on in there? Are they safe?" Sokka demanded when Zuko's expression filled with confusion.

    "They're fine... They're eating dinner." Zuko responded.

    "Whew! I thought your sister had done something!" Sokka sighed.

    "Looks like we got here first, good thing the shortcut worked..."

    "So that's your mom, huh?" Sokka nodded towards Noriko.

    "That's her," Zuko started walking around to the front. "I'm going to go inside, keep your eye out for Azula?"

    "Anything you need." Sokka grinned.

    "Thank you," Zuko put a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "Be careful."

    "You should tell that to Azula." Sokka boasted, giving him a cockt grin.

    Zuko rolled his eyes playfully, laughing a bit before turning around to walk again.

    "Zuko," Sokka called softly, grabbing his shoulder and turning him around. "You too."

    He gave him a small peck on the cheek, Zuko smiled and then disappeared around the corner.

    He knocked on the front door, glancing around for any movement in his surroundings. The door opened, startling him a bit. He met eyes with Noren.

    "Noren," He breathed. "I know it's late, but I-"

    "I had a feeling you'd come back." Noren interrupted softly.

    "What do you mean?" Zuko looked up.

    "Yiii~!" Noren sang, looking back.

    Kiyi ran out of the other room, her expression lighting at the sight of Zuko.

    "You came back! You came back because we're best friends!" Kiyi sang, hugging Zuko's waist.

    "Good to see you Kiyi." Zuko chuckled.

    "Come eat dinner with us!" Kiyi exclaimed, pulling Zuko along to follow her.

    "I don't know if-" Zuko looked back to Noren.

    "No, please join us." He nodded, closing the front door.

    They moved into the room Zuko had previously looked in at. He glanced at the window. The smallest flick of brown hair peeked up from the sill. He smiled softly.

    Sitting down at the table, Noriko greeted him. He sat across from her, in front of a freshly poured bowl of stew. Kiyi plopped down to his left and began eating her dinner enthusiastically. Zuko smiled at her, it reminded him of Sokka.

    Noren sat down and sparked up a small conversation between him and Noriko about play rehearsal. Zuko stared at her. There really wasn't a sign of his mother in her appearance. But she did have the same air about her. Or as Ty Lee would put it, their auras were the same.

    "You haven't touched your food yet," Noriko spoke up, looking at Zuko. "Is something wrong?"

    "Do you do this every night?" Zuko asked softly.

    "What? Eat dinner? Doesn't everybody eat dinner every night?" Kiyi asked.

    "No, I mean... Eat together." Zuko smiled softly at the girl before looking to Noriko again.

    "Of course! That's why we're eating so late. We had to wait for Noren to come home." Noriko replied, nodding to her husband.

    "Thank you for that dear... Rehearsal ran late tonight." Noren commented, smiling.

    Zuko looked down at his hands.

    "So what brings you back this way? Are you looking for more information on the Hira'a acting troupe?" Noriko asked.

    "No... I came to find-" Zuko cut himself off, looking back up at Noriko. "Tell me, Noriko, are you happy?"

    "What an odd thing to ask!" Noriko raised her eyebrows.

    "Please... Just answer me." Zuko uttered.

    "Yes of course! I'm where I belong." She smiled, gesturing to her husband and Kiyi.

    Zuko smiled. He sighed softly before standing up. "Well, I've bothered you folks enough. Have a good evening."

    "No. Stop." Noren shook his head, looking over to his wife, he took her hand. "Noriko, I knew this moment would come sooner or later."

    "What's going on?" She frowned in confusion.

    "Go ahead young man, tell her what you came to do." Noren looked at Zuko.

    The Firelord paused, looking at the floor. What was he going to do? How would she react? She showed no signs of recognizing him. But she was his mother and he wanted to know the truth.

    "My name is Zuko. I am Lord of the Fire Nation," He turned to look at Noriko. "And I am your son."

    Noriko looked back to her husband, her expression confused. She silently asked for clearance.

    "When I saw you in the crowd, I recognized you because of your scar... I studied everything about Ursa's life in the palace. I knew it would come back to haunt us someday," Noren explained to Zuko. "Forgive me for not telling you earlier, I wanted to help you, but I also wanted to keep our lives here protected."

    "Ursa...?" Noriko echoed.

    "That was your old name, my love, from your old life. You once lived in the Fire Nation and had two children, one of whom became the Fire Lord."  Noriko told her.

    "Mommy what's daddy talking about?" Kiyi asked softly.

    "You don't remember because a powerful spirit altered your memories." Noren sighed, he turned back to Zuko. "I also have an old name... I used to be Ikem."

    "Ikem!" Zuko gasped, he sat down again. "Maybe this is where I belong then! With my mother... And my sister... And my father."

    "No, that's not possible," Noriko shook his head. "Ursa and I, we never-"

    A loud crash from outside stopped the conversation. Everyone turned to look at the door. Zuko got up immediately, rushing towards the entrance.

    "Fire Lord, what's going on?!" Noren demanded.

    "I'll find out, stay here." Zuko responded quickly, his mind focused immediately on ensuring Sokka's safety.

    Loud thumping noises were heard from the roof, leading Zuko to a halt.

    "Sounds like someone's fighting on our roof." Noren commented.

    "Sokka!" Zuko breathed.

    The thumping stopped and a sharp him filled the room. It turned into a crackle and Zuko froze.

     "Oh no."

    Azula crashed through the roof, Sokka right next to her. She landed on the ground and immediately sent a flaming kick into Zuko's stomach.

    He let out a strangled noise, falling to the floor.

    "You! Finally!" Azula sneered down at Noriko. "I can't tell you how long I've dreamed of this moment!"

    "Mommy!" Kiyi called, reaching her arms towards her mother.

    Azula glanced at Kiyi, Noren instinctively hiding her with his own body.

    "Tell me mother, did you have to have a new daughter because your last one turned out to be such a monster?!" Azula shrieked, conjuring lightning in each of her hands.

    "Stay back, Azula!" Sokka demanded, drawing her attention.

    "Ha ha! Back for more snow peasant? Where's your little toy?" Azula queried, her lightning diminishing.

    "Right there." Sokka pointed.

    Before she could turn around again, the boomerang whacked her over the head and flung itself back into Sokka's hand.

    "Everybody scatter!" He ordered.

    "I need to help my wife!" Noren urged, looking to Noriko who'd gotten up to run.

    "Let's make sure Kiyi's safe first." Sokka ushered him through the door.

    He turned back to Zuko who was still paralysed from Azula's kick. Running over, he took the Firelord into his arms and turned his gaze to Azula.

    "No more distractions!" Azula rubbed her head, focusing her gaze on Noriko. "You're not going anywhere!"

    She pushed Noriko against the wall, igniting a blue flame in her other hand. Noriko winced.

    "IT ENDS RIGHT NOW." Azula growled.

    "I don't know what you're talking about!" Noriko uttered.

    "Oh really mother?! So I've imagined all of this?! You haven't been plotting my demise since the day I was born?!" Azula demanded.

    "Azula! Let her go!" Zuko got up from the floor.

    "Stay back, Zuzu! I'm warning you!" Azula hissed, not taking her eyes off Noriko.

    "If what you say is true," Noriko started softly, reaching up to touch Azula's cheek. "If I really am your mother... Then I'm sorry I didn't love you enough."

    Azula's angered expression broke, her eyes welling up with tears. Her fire diminished.

    Zuko stepped in between them, pushing Azula off Noriko, the firebender's expression turned angry again.

    "No!" She growled.

    "Get away from her!" Zuko urged.

    Azula shot a blast at him. He dodged and set out a kick, she flipped backwards, landing and firing another blast. He moved out of the way again, a vase behind him blowing up with the impact. She tried kicking him and he dodged once again, causing her to break a cupboard, setting it on fire.

    "Oh for crying out loud! Stop moving!" Azula shouted, preparing to shoot lightning at him.

    "Don't bother Azula, you know I can just redirect it." Zuko frowned, forming the position in his hand.

    Azula glared at him. She breathed out a staggered breath and then shot the lighting with a scream. Zuko took the electricity in and shot it back at her, causing her to fall back into the burning rubble behind her. She caught her breath, looking up at Zuko her expression had turned to soft and begging.

    "Don't you get it, Zuzu?! We'll finally be free! You'll be rid of the throne you never wanted and I'll finally get rid of the nagging in my head!" Azula cried.

    "No. You're wrong." Zuko responded sternly.

    "Oh stop kidding yourself!" Azula pulled the letter out of her boot. "The other morning when you dangled me over that cliff, you could've just let me go and gotten rid of the letter with me..." She smiled crazily. "It would have been so easy! But you need me to be free, admit it!"

    Zuko paused. His soft expression never changed. He took out the Firelord headpiece from his back pocket and looked at it.

    "I've always known that the throne was my destiny," He put it on and looked to his sister, his eyes glazed over with determination. "That morning on the cliff.... Our relationship is so messed up Azula. It's been the same since we were kids. And maybe it'll be that way for the rest of our lives," He sighed. "But one thing will always stay the same. No matter what, you're still my sister."

    There was silence. The only sounds were the crackle of the fire and the soft whisper of the wind from the window. Azula's eyes welled up with tears though her expression stayed angry. She gritted her teeth, fighting back the tears she shot a blast of fire at her brother.

    "Shut up!" She yelled, getting to her feet and running out of the house.

    "Azula!" Zuko called after her. "Come back!"

    He chased after her, Noriko following along behind him. Azula ran towards the forest.

    "Azula please! I can help you! I want to help you!" Zuko pleaded.

    She looked back at him, tears streaming down her face. "Same as always, Zuzu. Even when you're strong... You're weak."

    With one last call to her, she was gone.