To Lose or to Gain: Iroh's Child (AtlA Fanfic)

Lesson's in Creativity

"Your calligraphy..."

Zuko found himself pausing, his eyes looking up at the man who was now his main instructor, and if one really thought about it, his main caregiver. In the back of his mind, he wasn't sure how he felt regarding the fact his uncle left him in the care of his man. Looking at the man, he didn't think to voice the fact he felt abandoned would win him points, particularly when they'd not yet started in on the sword training. "Yes?"

"It's already at this level despite you being at such a young age?"

Zuko glanced away, unsure of how he should feel regarding the praise. "Well, yes."

"You seem ashamed of such a skill."

"F..." Zuko almost called Ozai his father. The word – it started feeling wrong as if he were starting to feel disconnected from the man, yet he wondered – given how the man favored Azula if he ever really felt connected to the man like he did his uncle and Lu Ten, but now also his grandfather. He let out a sigh, placing his hands on his lap. "Prince Ozai always told me it was a useless skill."

"A useless skill, huh." Piandao sat there. "Communication – it is a necessary skill, but we don't just communicate through the words we say. We say it through the words we write as well, but the presentation and how we use those words is important. Say the wrong thing, use the wrong word, and things may not work out the way you want. It is important for the heir to the crown prince to have good communication skills."

"Being able to write the word isn't the same as being able to use the word, though, is it?"

"That is a good question. I think the way we write each word conveys just as much meaning as the way we use words." The man looked down at the paper. "This level of calligraphy skill, I must admit it isn't something I was expecting of someone your age, but then you're a member of the royal family. I'm curious regarding what kind of Fire Lord they're trying to shape you into being."

"I don't quite understand that myself. Uncle and grandfather both say that when I become Fire Lord, the war will be over, so things will need to be different."

"I think that is a good thing. War – war is honestly a disheartening affair."

"Yet you're a sword master, right?"

"Yes. And I have fought in the war. The sword isn't just about killing though. That's why I'm attempting to push you creatively first, so you see the sword as an extension of yourself rather than just a tool for killing, though it's a lot more complex than that." One of Piandao's eyebrows went up. "Something puzzles you?"

"Can Firebending also be used as an extension of myself rather than just a tool for killing?" Zuko watched his teacher's facial features carefully, noting how the man seemed pleased with his answer.

"I'm actually pleased to hear you say that. It might do you good to think of your Firebending in that manner, that you can let it be what you want it to be, rather than letting it be what you think others want it to be."

Zuko pondered what the man said, tilting his head slightly. Mentally, he didn't feel the words were probable, given how there was one way and only one way of Firebending. Everyone in the Fire Nation knew this, yet the idea of making Firebending his own – there was something which appealed to him.

He continued with the man's lessons, which included calligraphy, but landscape painting and dance. His hands didn't touch a sword at first, reminding him of how his uncle held off on teaching him any Firebending skills; he didn't ask Piandao when he would finally pick a sword up in his hand.

Every morning for a week or two he kept up with the lessons, starting his mornings early with his breathing exercises before taking on the lessons in creativity Piando tasked him with. He enjoyed the lessons even though he wasn't sure how being creative would help him in life.

"Today, we start the sword training. You will spar with my assistant, but you will listen to him carefully, but I want you to think – but not overthink – how the lessons apply to what you are learning. It may not come right away, but you simply need to be patient with yourself."

"Patience..." Zuko looked towards the ground. In the back of his mind, he knew Azula took little to no time in learning the things she learned, yet he found himself taking longer to learn everything. "Being patient doesn't mean I'll catch up to Azula though."

"Being impatient will definitely mean you'll never catch up as you'll find impatience will simply cause you to make more mistakes – mistakes you wouldn't make if you were, in fact, being patient to yourself." They were drinking tea, another activity they did every day, but a habit the man definitely shared with his uncle and his grandfather. He didn't understand the habit, possibly because he wasn't an adult. "Do you think your sister is a patient person?"

"Is Azula patient?" Zuko pondered the question carefully. Azula always got her way when she wanted her way, nor did she ever wait. He looked at the man. "I don't think she is. I mean, she's never had to wait for something, not to mention if she doesn't get her way..." Zuko let out a shudder, remembering how his sister always used her fire to get her way, if not cruel words. "I'd rather not talk about what she does when she doesn't get her way."

"Well, I think her lack of patience will potentially get her in trouble one day."

"One day..." Zuko looked at his hands. That one day remained a long way off, just like the one day where he might Firebend with proficiency remained a long way off, as would be the day he became Fire Lord.

"You are now going to place a sword into those hands of yours, but you're going to get a feel of how the sword feels in your hands. That is where you start your sword training."