ATLA Book 4: Threads (Taang)

CH 8: Blood connects us

Zuko POV

I stared from my window admiring the purple, wine tinted sky. The cool wind blowing past my hair. "Zuko". Iroh calls my name as he walks towards me. "Hi Uncle" I respond. "Have you seen the Avatar and his friends"? Iroh asked me. "Katara & Aang should be here by now. Im pretty sure they were on a date" I say. "Well thats lovely. Im glad they are doing that now. It may be the last time for a while". Iroh says. "It wont. This civil war threat wont have the chance to start". I say. "How about Toph, where is she"? Iroh asked.

"Wait she's gone"? I ask suprised. "Yes, did you not check up with your friends today? How rude". Iroh says teasing me. "Well its getting late, everyone but Sokka should be coming soon". I say. "I hope Sokka brings something. I know that the fire nation cant handle another war, let alone a civil war". I say looking down. Iroh puts his hand on my shoulder. "Dont worry Zuko, Im certain everything will be fine. And even if it doesnt its the avatars duty to keep balance". Iroh reassures me.

"Your right. I hope Sokka keeps his mission a secret. We need too silence those who promote my fathers ideology. And must be silenced... by any means nessasary. I know Sokka can do that. But Aang would reject my method". I tell Iroh. "You can kill a man, but never an idea". Iroh rebutled. "You plan on solving violence with more violence. Like fighting fire with fire. It wont stop or cancel it out, it just spreads". Iroh warns me.

"Then what Im doing is a controlled fire". I argue. Iroh frowns slightly at my comment. . "Zuko, silecing others is what your father did. Silencing those who oposed him. I dont want you stepping into those waters". Iroh tells me as he walks off. "I wont". I say as I look back towards the window. Taking a deep breath, I look back at the palace gates and my eyes light up when I look down and see Toph holding the palace gate open for Aang & Katara. I smile as I leave my room.

I walk down the marble stairs and walk out the palace and head towards Aang, Katara, and Toph. "How was the date"? I ask Aang and Katara with a smile on my face. "It was a date". Katara said awkwerdly. "Yheah, some lady tried to attack us. But she was way in over her head" Aang tells me scratching his head.

I turn too face Toph. "Where have you been? Iroh was looking for you". I ask. "At the arena. Not much" Toph says swiftly as she walked right past me. "Im tired. See ya. Night"! Toph says to everyone as she walks off. I turn back too Aang and Katara and tone down my smile. "You guys tired too"? I ask. "Yup" they respond. "Yheah today has been a long day. Lets get some rest". I say as I put my hands on my hips, take a deep breath and shut my eyes briefly. "We only have so many days until we get those Ozai supporters. Rest while you can guys. We got a busy week ahead of us". I say.

"You said it" Aang says as he stretchs his back and we leave and enter the palace. We branched off as I began walking into my room. I walk in and turn off the light. I walk towards my window and stare at the beutiful city in progress. "Goodnight mother" I say as I get into my bed.

I shut my eyes and my thoughts slowly dwindiling until I drift too sleep.

"Suffering will be your teacher". Was all that was echoed, followed by the sound of crackling flames, the vision of red. Burning the left side of my face. The agony. I look up towards my mirror. And I stare at myself. My face lacking my scar. My face looking like the spliting image of my father. Just younger. I tear up slightly as I look down.

"Whats the matter"? My reflection spoke. I stare at it. My eyes widen as I touch the left side of my face. The feeling of the dried skin of my scar remaining. Yet my reflection lacking it. "Whats going on Zuzu"? My reflection asked me. "Nothing". I respond staring at it. My relflection moved to the left maintaining eye contact with me. "I know that look in your eyes. Come on champ, you cant hide it for me". He says. His smile widening.

"Think deep within you. Your first thought come on and say it" he tells me. "No, there is nothin-" I get cut off by my reflection screeming "SAY IT". His voice sounding just like my father. "I dont want to be like my father" I blurt out in fear of the sound of his voice.

My reflection chuckles as he wags his finger at me. "Ha, I knew you would cowor at that" he says. His voice monotone. "After everything you done, your still just a scared little kid who yerns for his papa too love him. Love a man who betrayed his own people" he taunted. "Shut up" I say.

"You cant help but to be your father. No matter what you do. Can you". He tells me, his smile fading into one of disapointment. "No, I will carve my own path. My destiny WONT  be set astray too subjigate ppeople too such hanous carnage my father has brought onto the people of this world" I tell him. "No, No, No, NO. Do what you wish Zuko. All paths you can take WILL lead to the same destination. No matter what you do. The question is will you exept that path"? he asks.

I turn myself away and face a door. "I will sooner let myself die, then be my father. Im my own man who will chose my own destiny, my own river. Even if I have to carve a mew path too the ocean". I say as I walk through the mysterious door the last words he tells me is "You will find that too be imposible. You may not have the same ideas as him. But you will find that you will have the same mwthods too mame your ideas into reality". His cold voice being echoed by Ozai's as I walk out.

I feel my eyes snap towards the mirror as I walk up to it. "IM NOT EVER GONNA BE LIKE MY FATHER"! I scream before punching the mirror with all my strength. Shattering it. I look at my hand and see that no shards of glass was in it. I sigh as I turn around.

I look and see my reflecrion standing before me. "Why do you hide from your true self"? He asked walking up to me. His movements draged on slowly. Jis upper body limp. His arms swinging with out aim. His head not looking towards me.

His eyes force up looking directly at my eyes. "Why" he asked again. "Dont test my reslove" I tell this imitation. "I know why. Your weak. Look at you. Your so tiny, small. Pathetic" he says looking me up and down walking closer to me. "You should have been thrown in a fire pit as fuel. Atleast that way you could serve some purpose" he tells me, a smile on his face.

"No-" I try to rebutal. Beofre I feel two people grab me. Both were me without my scar. They held me down. "Suffering will be your teacher" my reflection said as he lit his hand on fire. I felt fear take over. I couldnt move. I clise my eyes shut as hard as I could.

But...

My eyes and body jolted as I nearly jumped out of my bed. I shake my head. My body coated in a cold sweat frkm my nightmare. The feeling of thirst. I look around my room in fear. I see what looks like a light fog of purple smoke. I rub my eyes and see it gone. I look towards my windiw thats slightly agaped. It looked too be 3AM.

I sigh as I push myself back to bed.

"I wont be my father" I think tok myself as I close my eyes. The feeling of unease rushing through my blood.