Story [Avatar:TLA] Peace and Honor - Updated 04/17

Title: Peace and Honor
Author: Miana Kenobi
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Mystery, Angst, action, slight romance
Summary: Zuko and Team Avatar set out to bring peace and order to the world. Yet Zuko's first priority is elsewhere; to finally find his mother.
Other: Mike and Bryan rule, as does Nickelodeon.

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Prologue


The walk to the prison was silent. Boots crunching on dirt and rock was the only sound that echoed along the path. The pace was steady; determined, yet not hurried. The lone figure on the road stared straight ahead, his amber eyes locked onto his target ahead.

Beneath his skin, he could feel his heart beginning to beat rapidly in anticipation. He was anxious; the outcome of his visit would hopefully supply him with a question he had waited years to answer. However, it could also confirm his worst fear.

Fire Lord Zuko inhaled deeply to calm his nerves. It had taken him several days to secure the courage to face his father. Even when Aang had returned with the defeated Phoenix King, Zuko did not face him. He let Iroh carry out the orders and have his father imprisoned. He was not yet ready to look upon the man who had cast him out.

Now, just hours after his coronation as Fire Lord, he was ready.

The prison grew steadily closer as Zuko walked along the road. He had turned down a carriage or any means of transportation. Aang had even offered Appa to take him to the prison, yet Zuko had refused. He wanted to walk. He needed the time to himself to think.

The road remained quiet. A breeze began to pick up, swirling small eddies of dirt along the path. It had always been quiet, but this was different. It was a quiet of peace.

Restoring peace to the world was not going to be easy. After one hundred years of war, Zuko knew that he did not have an easy task ahead of him. While the fighting would stop, he knew that bitterness and hatred would not so easily be undone. There would always be mistrust and suspicion. No matter what he did, there would be those whose hatred of the Fire Nation would live on for decades.

As much as he wished for peace, Zuko could not blame them.

The road continued to wind up the side of the extinct volcano. Zuko?s steady pace did not falter, each step causing his anxiety to rise. Each step was one closer to his answer.

The lip of the volcano came into view. Guards at the entrance stood ready then at attention as Zuko passed. The warden approached with his head bowed.

?I am here to see Ozai,? Zuko said crisply. The Warden bowed, then turned and led the way into the stone prison. Zuko mutely thanked the man for his silence. His anxiety was at a peek; he did not need a distraction.

The Warden stopped and pointed at a door, giving Zuko his space. Zuko nodded his head in thanks then continued on, his heart in his throat as his footsteps echoed down the stone hallway. He paused in front of the door, squared his shoulders, then pushed it open.

A row of thick bars separated the room into two halves. Behind them in a dark corner, a figure in rags sat slumped against the wall. Zuko squared his jaw as he looked upon his father.

Ozai was far less intimidating than Zuko had ever seen him. The once tall and proud man looked helpless and disheveled. Beneath a mat of grimy hair, Zuko saw the still keen eyes of his father glare at him, then turn away.

?I should count myself lucky,? Ozai bit out harshly. ?The new Fire Lord has graced me with his presence in my lowly prison cell.?

Keeping his temper in check, Zuko took a step closer.

?You should count yourself lucky that the Avatar spared your life.?

Ozai continued to avoid his son?s gaze. He snorted in disapproval, yet Zuko could tell that his father was thinking the same thing. Raising his head once more, Zuko continued.

?Banishing me was the best thing you could have done for my life. It put me on the right path.?

A brief moment of silence fell between them. Zuko had expected his father to yel

 

I eagerly look forward to this story!

 

*bounces around with insane glee*

Zuko!!! The one part of the show that I felt was left unanswered...I mean, I assumed it went on where Zuko found his mother and everything, but I'm so excited to read about the journey to that--especially with you writing it.

I liked that Zuko was aware that some people would still hate the Fire Nation, no matter what he did. He's going to run into all sorts of trouble as Fire Lord, and that can't be easy to deal with, but the fact that he understand and doesn't blame people for this just shows how fantabulous he is. If anyone can handle it, he can.

Yea! Zuko's going to maybe find his mother...

Looking forward to this.

 

Zuzu!

This is the only part of the finale I was sad about, and I can't wait to "see" how you decide to have it happen.

 

I love Avatar!!

This is awesome I didn't watch the last season, but I heard about it, and this is an awesome direction to take the story in. I love Zuko's wish for his father to change and his realistic knowledge about the Fire Nation.

If you've got a PM list, please add me

 

Excellent beginning. If you have a PM list, I'd like to be on it.

Oh, mind checking out my Naruto/Avatar: The Last Airbender crossover? I got the second chapter up.

 

Thanks for reading!

And Nat, you didn't watch Season 3? FAIL!

SuperSaiya, I know absolutely nothing about Naruto, I'm sorry to say.

 

Hmm...So you're following the end of the series canon?

Interesting, I didn't like how they just showed him asking Ozai then cut off to some happy scene.

Please continue. And are you running a PM list? If so, Beasty should be at the top of said list.

-B-

 

Mike and Bryan told us at Comic Con that they actually had the Zuko/Ursa reunion scene in the finale, but decided to be mean and cut it out.

And will do on the PM list.

 

This looks cool! Can you add me to the PM list?

It is so cool to ask for a PM list for a non- Star Wars story!

 

oh a continuation of the story? sweet! can you PM me when you update?

 

Thank you all for reading!!

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[b]Chapter 1: Capitol City[/b]


Zuko held his breath as he waited for his father to speak. His heart continued to race, thumping inside of his chest so hard that it was the only sound Zuko could hear. His eyes narrowed more in the silence. He watched his father as a snake hawk watches the ground for its prey.

Ozai laughed. His greasy mane of hair came to life as his entire body shook, swaying like clumped dead vines across his face.

Zuko took a step back; his mouth tightened into a frown as he let out his held breath in annoyance. His father?s laughter bounced off the stone walls and rang in his ears. He clenched his fist as he waited, holding his patience.

Ozai turned to face his son for the first time, resting his back against the wall and sprawling out his legs as he continued to chuckle. He caught his breath and looked up in amusement at his son. ?You think I actually know??

?You banished her; you should have some idea of where she would go to.?

Ozai?s face settled into a smirk. He studied his son for a moment, chuckling lightly to himself with satisfaction. ?You always were her favorite. Even when you failed miserably or embarrassed the family, she would always defend you. Parents aren?t supposed to pick favorites, you know. It causes rivalry between the children.? His smile twisted as he continued. ?I always assumed she picked you because I had long before picked Azula.?

?Mother taught me to be honest and good, to love and be fair. You only taught Azula hatred and fear. Look where that got you both.?

Ozai?s smile left him, returning to a stony frown. ?Wicked as you may think I am, my son, I love Azula very much.?

Zuko?s eye narrowed. ?But never me,? he said quietly.

Ozai barely flinched. ?No. Not you. At least, not once I saw what a prodigy your sister was. I always knew I could not have two worthless children.?

Zuko turned his eyes away from his father, realization filling him. ?Azula told the truth,? he half-whispered.

?What??

?That night, before mother left. Azula told me that you were going to kill me.? His eyes narrowed. ?You were.?

Ozai?s voice returned in a heartless tone. ?Yes.?

Zuko closed his eyes tightly. Rage billowed up inside of him, yet he did his best to let it go. His own father had planned to kill him. Somehow, this made his scar and banishment seem frivolously light. Zuko had always fought for his acceptance; he had wanted nothing more for than his father to praise or love him. His father, the man who would have killed him as a mere child.

Zuko lowered his head. ?Where is she??

?I don?t know.? Ozai?s smug voice dropped slightly. ?I tried to find her once, after the coronation, but she knew too well how to hide herself.?

Zuko?s eyes snapped open. ?That?s it? That?s all you ever did? You were lord of the Fire Nation; you could have found anyone! If you had loved her at all, you would have-?

Ozai leapt to his feet, shedding his crumpled and helpless visage and instead standing tall and fierce, his stance poised and ready as if to attack his son. ?How [i]dare[/i] you say that I did not love her! I loved her enough to take pity when she begged for your to live, to listen as she unfolded a plan that would tear her from me forever just so you would not have to die. Loved her as I watched her murder my own father!?

Zuko sucked in a breath and let his eyes widen. His father had hinted at it during the eclipse, yet Zuko had not believe it until now. Even as his father told him of her banishment, he had not fathomed what it was she actually did.

Ozai frowned deeply upon seeing his son?s shock. ?That?s right. She killed Azulon. She could not live in her shame, and so she begged me to banish her, to send her away for her deeds.? Ozai?s brow furrowed. ?All for you.?

Zuko lowered his eyes to the ground. ?You blame me for Azulon. And for her.?

?Yes.?

?And all I ever wanted was for you to love me.?

Silence lapsed bet

 

I typed a reply, but it didn't go through I'll try again.



Great job!!

It's nice to see an Avatar story in this format. I love this site! It is so much easier to read! Plus, I can use these


Great story!!! It nice to see a little bit about Ozai, other than the big bad guy "Fire Lord/ Pheonix King."

 

Interesting. Excellent job on the Zuko/Ozai back and forth.

I can imagine Hamill laughing at Zuko.

Keep me posted.

-B-

 

Fabulous, I love Ozai's reaction to Zuko's "If you had loved her at all..." It's interesting to know that Ozai did love her, and I love the idea that he would be hurt, so to speak that Ursa would choose Zuko over him. MWAHAHA. I love it!

Also love that Ozai has no idea where Ursa is. Part of me wonders when she hears that Ozai is defeated and Zuko is in charge if she'll come back of her own will... that would definitely cut down on the whole "chasing people across Avatar-land" thing that Zuko has going on.

Mai's personality is excellent. I love her, truly. She is so awesome and quiet and sarcastic and ironic and kick-booty. I loved that she knew exactly where to find Zuko and that she still thinks seeing Aang & co. around is weird. Because it is. And Ty Lee's excitement compared to her calmness is very well done.

Sokka is dead on.

Aang is cute when worried.

Very excited for chapter 2!

 

great update! I enjoyed reading it. Funny even when he's not as mean as he once was Ozai still seems extremely mean to me. He's just evil with that planning to kill Zuko deal.

Aang's just cute worrying about his friends. That'd so be what I would be like if I were him.

That was a sweet scene between Zuko and Mai.

 

Awesome chapter! Keeping it Maiko and Kataang right?

 

Even though I'm really a Zutara shipper, yeah, I'm keeping it canon.

Thanks for reading guys!

 

You know Mi, this: Dyslexics of the world, UNTIE! now makes me see "Untie" where ever I see the word "Unite"

Damn you! *shakes fist*

 

Most impressive!

 

Awww, poor Zuko!! The conersation between him and Ozai is awesome, and Mai is sweet I love the Sokka bits

 

LOL at the Sokka love; he's there for like 2 seconds!

Though thanks for reading, guys!

 

Wow! An Avatar book! Could you put me on the PM list please?