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Remaining in Exile	By : penpaninu Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > General Views: 3418 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Remaining in Exile
- 1
My apologies for reposting, but here is my story.
My first stab at an Avatar, consider it a one-shot. I have always identified myself with Zuko about his life’s goals and redemption, and find it easy to understand him. So after season finale on Friday night, I found myself content that I was correct to some of his thought processes. So I had to write this today ^_^
Basis of plot is not my idea at all, but the nineteenth and twentieth Avatar episodes. I hope the next season will come soon.

Disclaimer: Penpaninu does not claim to own Avatar: the last Airbender. Claims to be a fire bender though. Nor is Penpaninu making any profit off of this POV piece.

“Remaining in Exile”
by penpaninu

I have always tried to do the right thing. In the wake of dismissal from my lord father, I strived to do what he wanted and what seemed right. “Find the Avatar,” he said. “Only then can you return to claim your honor.”
As I held my damaged eye and bled tears from the other untouched one, I vowed I would do so. It was what was laid before me to reclaim my life with my family. Many laughed as I was escorted to leave, for the Avatar hadn’t been seen in a hundred years. I was sent on a fool’s mission, I would be searching until I died, they whispered. I knew it was foolhardy to fathom if my lord father wanted me back at all, I, his heir to the Fire Nation Throne. But I was resolved to do what he wanted, what was right.
It was what was laid before me.

For two years I trained, and searched. I was rather fortunate my uncle chose to take me under his wing and use his ship. I rather hate to admit but if it weren’t for the old general, I would have been lost and the ship’s mates would have committed mutiny long ago. They tolerated my sharp commands and casual tongue only due to Uncle Iroh’s deep aura of calm. He balanced my temper and taught me patience in due time. In the course of finding the boy monk and following him and his ragtag followers across the world, I had a lot to learn.

My last venture to capture the Avatar to end my personal life’s quest ended at the North Pole, the edge of the world itself. Uncle Iroh feared this would be the end of our journey and dared embrace me farewell. I could only squint through bruised and damaged eyes and promise solemnly that I would return. The hope I had in my life following the boy bender could only end this night. I would return home. But then my hope would be gone, put into chains and handed to my father. Was that what I really wanted?
That night was a very long one. Being a bender of fire, I almost froze to death diving through water-filled passages beneath the Water Palace. The flame was all but snuffed from me and the Breath of Fire only saved me from unconsciousness. Uncle Iroh’s wisdom once more. I only happened upon that sacred hall by mere chance, my prize sitting still poised in supplication, lost in utter concentration and oblivious to his surroundings.

The Water girl, Katara battled me bravely and I dared underestimate her. She froze me solid and watched me until sunrise when my fire powers surged in awakening with the sun’s rays. I was able to bring her down before reinforcements arrived and snatched up the Avatar. I must have been getting soft at the age of sixteen, but I was cold, wet, exhausted and he weighed down my back like a sack of potatoes. I had never seen a bender spirit walk before, so surprised was I when I jarred his legs and scraped them along the plains of ice I staggered along. He did not utter a word nor did the light escape his vacant eyes. I was resolved to keep going, before the storm became worse.
As thought before, I had never seen a bender spirit walk before. I tied up my prey and watched him warily throughout the night, unsure of when he would snap out of his meditation-induced coma.

I found myself talking to him. Much like the time I woke on my back in the forest and the boy…Aang was speaking to me. He had wanted to understand me, put this unwanted rivalry behind us. My reaction was to lash out at him with a fist of fire and send him flying away. Now, I found myself in his position. I told his unhearing body that he was helping me, that I would regain my life and my honor, and regain a father who had always found me lacking.
Aang woke much like I had, and sprang back with a full exhale of air bended skillfully. I dashed to follow him but the cursed flying bison was overhead with his companions in tow. Why must they always get in the way??

Katara dashed to reach her friend and I held my hands ready, voicing a rematch between us. She slammed me into the ice and unconsciousness. I lay bare to the snow and an element that hated the fire in my blood and knew not what possessed the ragtag people to take me with them to safety. I can only secretly…. be grateful.

I heard later, begrudgingly from the girl Katara, that Iroh had called down Jiao as he held the koi fish that held the Moon Spirit. My uncle was truly a formidable sight, raining fire down upon the Admiral and his soldiers. Age and wisdom did indeed make one stronger for he took them down easily and quickly. The cowardly Admiral fled as Uncle picked up the dead fish and the ragtag followers wept.

The Avatar was nowhere in sight as I came to and followed Jiao outside of the holy passage. Stopping him from his flight, I was merely only mildly pleased as he gawked taking in my tall and vengeful form. He professed disbelief I still lived. I professed rage at his trying to take my life.
His next words struck me deeply, but not in anger. “You are the Blue Spirit. An Enemy of the Fire Nation. You freed the Avatar.” And I realized, what I wanted to do and had always known it through my actions.

“I had no choice,” I said easily, playing off my apparent treason. Jiao removed his cloak and raised his fists in duel preparation.
“You should have accepted your failure. Your disgrace. Then at least you would have lived.” No, it was not failure. If the Avatar was not Jiao’s, he was mine to pursue. How could Jiao not see that?

In the moments I was gone and doing battle, Iroh had allied with the Avatar and his friends to save the Moon Spirit. It was only due to his wisdom and guidance, like so many times with myself, that he knew what to do and guided the North Water tribe princess to give back what was bestowed upon her. I had never seen the girl at all or known of her sacrifice until much later after the fact, but she must have made quite an impression. Uncle’s eyes grew soft and he dared cry silently when he informed me how they had returned the Moon to the sky.
I was outside fighting Jiao in the gray of the night and knew not how the Moon had returned itself. I had my own sights to tell, of a literal avatar of the Ocean Spirit walking through the town and destroying my nations’ troops. The boy, Aang, was channeling the Ocean, and this may be why although I kept fire in my veins, he did not strike me down. He took Jiao from me and destroyed him.
I had reached for the fool Admiral, intent on doing what was right. I would do the right thing, even if I despised him. Jiao held his hands to his chest and glared hatred at me. I could only watch in awe as Aang-Ocean Spirit took him from the land of the living. I did not prostrate myself before the channeled Ocean Spirit, but neither did I lift a hand to attack.

When it was over, there was the matter of what we would all do. The boy Sokka had wanted to keep me in ropes. Katara was torn between the satisfaction of that, or forgiving me. I doubt she would forgive me the stark fear I gave her on snatching her boyfriend from her. Uncle had helped the Avatar’s friends and was let go with ready ease. They were grateful to his insight that had saved the Moon, but took a Princess. I was surprised Aang was most adamant at allowing us to fade away onto the ocean. Uncle and I took a small boat and left quietly. He tried to venture to my actions when the Avatar and his friends walked before us without fights erupting. I had chosen for us in a way.

Princes in chosen exile. We would not stay with the Avatar but neither would we hunt him.
I may not have wanted to be exiled from my home. But if handing the Avatar over would help men like Jiao, men like my father…. Well, I will have to remain away from the land that sheltered me before I became the man I am today. The Avatar remains my hope. But I will close my eyes instead of capturing him in chains. This time I will choose my life’s path.

And I just want to sleep. I am tired.

End
~~
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Penpaninu 12/04/05
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Remaining in Exile