My thoroughly bleak sense of humor, let me show you it!
~*~
Zuko watched the Fire Nation forces retreating from the broken down drill, and his sister and her companions slipping away from the army. “Where’s the memorial for the Fire Nation troops who died in the siege?”
The Earth Kingdom general twisted around to him, startled. “The one the Fire Nation soldiers built?”
Zuko nodded, not looking at him.
“We, we demolished it as soon as they left!” the general exclaimed, and then glanced at him suspiciously. “Why? Did you want to visit it? Such a dutiful son of the Fire Nation.”
Whirling around on his heel, Zuko leveled him with a black look. “I had something for it.”
“His uncle’s the Dragon of the West.” Toph grinned, tapping her foot and making the stones all along the top of the wall tremble.
The general swallowed. “What did you bring?”
“My uncle’s ashes,” he responded flatly.
“The Dragon of the West is dead?” the general gaped.
Zuko looked away.
~*~
“I can’t believe I never knew.” the Earth King breathed. As the rest of the Avatar’s companions clustered near him, gazing down at the drill, Zuko found himself apart, at the very inner edge of the wall, staring back down at the city.
Zuko shifted, careful of the wall’s edge as Long Feng arrived, his hands in fists, waiting. “I can explain this, Your Majesty,” he smiled, moving closer to the king, gesturing down. “This is nothing more than… a construction project.”
“Really?” Katara jeered. “Then perhaps you can explain why there’s a Fire Nation insignia on your construction project.” She waved her hand down at it, smugly.
“Well, it’s imported of course. You know you can’t trust domestic machinery.” His obsequious little smile faltered. “Surely you don’t believe these children, instead of your most loyal attendant!” he whined. His king looked to the Avatar and his companions, staring earnestly back at him, and then to his chief adviser, thoughts hidden. When no one glanced his way, Zuko did everything he could not to sigh with relief. He wasn’t supposed to be relieved.
“Dai Li, arrest Long Feng.” The Earth King sounded decisive in their presence for the first time since they had barged in on him. “I want him to stand trial for crimes against the Earth Kingdom.”
At his words, the pair of agents exchanged a significant look before rushing forward and shackling the head of the Dai Li’s wrists behind his back. From his perch on the edge of the wall, Zuko eyed them dubiously, and one of them paused to shrug at him.
As they dragged him away, Long Feng wouldn’t shut up. “You can’t arrest me. You all need me more than you know!”
“Looks like Long Feng is long gone!” Sokka taunted, flicking a tear out of his eye. “Ha… Oh, yeah, I’ve been waiting to use that one.”
“Wait,” the Earth King glanced at Zuko, his expression inscrutable. “If the Earth Kingdom is at war with the Fire Nation, what are you doing here?”
Zuko rolled his eyes. “I hate this city.”
~*~
Aang lay unconscious in Katara’s arms and the Earth King sat morosely in the back of the saddle. Zuko shifted, unable to sleep as they flew over the wall. Blinking sleepily, Toph sat up next to him, and grimaced. His hand reached into his pack and pulled out the saddlebag he had stored the ashes in. His fingers tangled in the laces, pulling loose the knots until they came free and the bag opened. The ashes spilled out onto the wind, sparkling in the starlight.
Further Continuation: The Gaang in Ba Sing Se
~*~
Zuko watched the Fire Nation forces retreating from the broken down drill, and his sister and her companions slipping away from the army. “Where’s the memorial for the Fire Nation troops who died in the siege?”
The Earth Kingdom general twisted around to him, startled. “The one the Fire Nation soldiers built?”
Zuko nodded, not looking at him.
“We, we demolished it as soon as they left!” the general exclaimed, and then glanced at him suspiciously. “Why? Did you want to visit it? Such a dutiful son of the Fire Nation.”
Whirling around on his heel, Zuko leveled him with a black look. “I had something for it.”
“His uncle’s the Dragon of the West.” Toph grinned, tapping her foot and making the stones all along the top of the wall tremble.
The general swallowed. “What did you bring?”
“My uncle’s ashes,” he responded flatly.
“The Dragon of the West is dead?” the general gaped.
Zuko looked away.
~*~
“I can’t believe I never knew.” the Earth King breathed. As the rest of the Avatar’s companions clustered near him, gazing down at the drill, Zuko found himself apart, at the very inner edge of the wall, staring back down at the city.
Zuko shifted, careful of the wall’s edge as Long Feng arrived, his hands in fists, waiting. “I can explain this, Your Majesty,” he smiled, moving closer to the king, gesturing down. “This is nothing more than… a construction project.”
“Really?” Katara jeered. “Then perhaps you can explain why there’s a Fire Nation insignia on your construction project.” She waved her hand down at it, smugly.
“Well, it’s imported of course. You know you can’t trust domestic machinery.” His obsequious little smile faltered. “Surely you don’t believe these children, instead of your most loyal attendant!” he whined. His king looked to the Avatar and his companions, staring earnestly back at him, and then to his chief adviser, thoughts hidden. When no one glanced his way, Zuko did everything he could not to sigh with relief. He wasn’t supposed to be relieved.
“Dai Li, arrest Long Feng.” The Earth King sounded decisive in their presence for the first time since they had barged in on him. “I want him to stand trial for crimes against the Earth Kingdom.”
At his words, the pair of agents exchanged a significant look before rushing forward and shackling the head of the Dai Li’s wrists behind his back. From his perch on the edge of the wall, Zuko eyed them dubiously, and one of them paused to shrug at him.
As they dragged him away, Long Feng wouldn’t shut up. “You can’t arrest me. You all need me more than you know!”
“Looks like Long Feng is long gone!” Sokka taunted, flicking a tear out of his eye. “Ha… Oh, yeah, I’ve been waiting to use that one.”
“Wait,” the Earth King glanced at Zuko, his expression inscrutable. “If the Earth Kingdom is at war with the Fire Nation, what are you doing here?”
Zuko rolled his eyes. “I hate this city.”
~*~
Aang lay unconscious in Katara’s arms and the Earth King sat morosely in the back of the saddle. Zuko shifted, unable to sleep as they flew over the wall. Blinking sleepily, Toph sat up next to him, and grimaced. His hand reached into his pack and pulled out the saddlebag he had stored the ashes in. His fingers tangled in the laces, pulling loose the knots until they came free and the bag opened. The ashes spilled out onto the wind, sparkling in the starlight.
“Saying goodbye?” Toph asked, eyes fluttering closed.
“I wanted to wait until we’d gotten outside the wall,” he whispered, watching them blow away. “I don’t... I don’t think he would’ve liked it there.”
“They wouldn’t have liked him much there either.” She punched him in the leg.
“Yeah.” He let his arm wrap around her.