“Mommy?” A six year old Zuko asked his mother quietly.
“Yes Honey? What is it baby?” Mimi walked over to Zuko’s bedside and sat next to him.
“Why does Daddy keep the war going? Shouldn’t he bring it to peace?” the young prince asked curiously.
“Well…..You see, Daddy thirsts for power. He doesn’t understand what getting along means. He is no longer the man I married.” The queen told her son.
“Hey Mommy? Can you tell me the story of how you met daddy? I like that story.” Zuko gave his mother puppy dog eyes.
“Sure sweetie. It was a long time ago that it all started. I was thirteen and homeless. I stole from the stores to survive. One day, I got caught. The fire guards took me to the castle and I was to be sentenced to death. Your father saw me as I entered and…….” She looked down at Zuko Snoring lightly.
Sighing, she tucked him under the covers. “Goodnight my baby boy.” She kissed his cheek and left the room.
“What the hell were you doing?” Mimi looked up to see the king’s face.
“I was tucking Zuko in dear.” She walked past him silently. ‘God, when did he become such a bastard?’
Mimi turned around in time to see her husband enter Zuko’s room. She tiptoed up to the door and peeked in.
“Zuko, even if you can’t hear me right now, you’re going to take my place one day and you’re going to be ruthless just like me.” His father looked coldly at his son before coming towards the door.
Mimi saw this and ran as fast as an airbender could fly. She made it to her room before she got caught. ‘I sure as hell hope my baby won’t end up like him. Zuko is so much better than that.’
Zuko woke up in the middle of the night. “Mommy?” Nobody answered. Zuko got out of his bed to explore the castle in order to find his mother.
He slipped on his tiny slippers and walked into the kitchen. “Mommy?”
His mother turned around. “Yes baby? What’s wrong?”
“I had a bad dream again. Daddy killed everyone. The people were all bloody and it smelled really bad.” Zuko cried running into his mother’s arms.
His mother embraced him tightly. “It’s ok baby. It’s allright. Let’s go back to your bed. Ok?”
“Ok mommy. Can you carry me there? Please.” The little prince begged his mom.
“All right,” she whispered, picking him up. “What story do you want to hear this time?”
“Oh oh oh! I want to hear about the girl that could do all four elements and the rarest one too!” Zuko had stars shining in his eyes.
“You admire that girl, don’t you baby?” Mimi asked him while setting him on his bed.
“Oh yes mommy! Tell me the story! Tell me the story!” Zuko was jumping up and down.
“Fine. Fine. Fine. But stop jumping.” As he stopped, she started,
“Even though we can’t find the avatar, his cousin still helps us in our journey to peace. Her name is still unknown. She has mastered five elements. Water, Earth, Fire, Air, and Clouds. Rumor has it that she hides in the clouds. She is one of 13 cloudbenders left. She is six years old just like you. She has helped millions of people in her travels. Maybe one day, if you’re lucky, you’ll run into her.”
Mimi patted Zuko on the head. “Now get some sleep my little one. You need it.”
She tucked him in yet again and left the room. Right when she walked out the door, a knife stabbed her in the heart. The worst part was, Zuko saw it. But before he could do anything, a shadow scooped his mother up and ran away.
“Mommy……” he whispered, tears trailing down his cheeks. He knew that his mother was gone for good. He’d never see her again.
The little boy changed after that. He became more like his father. He thirsted for the power that his father had. He became convinced that the avatars cousin did all of this.
‘I need to get the revenge for my mother. She was the only person that understood me.’ A fifteen year old Zuko thought as he trained harder than he ever had. ‘And now I need the avatar to be allowed back home.’ He kicked the target as hard as he could. ‘So that I can take the place that I deserve.’
“Zuko, there’s a woman in the water. She horsing around and not respecting the fire nation.” One of the guards told him shortly after he finished training.
“This will only take a second.” He told the guard before walking to the edge of the rail. “Get out of the water now woman!”
She sighed and airbended her way up to the side of the ship. “What do you want?” She asked glaring at the prince.
“Did you know that you’re trespassing fire nation property? And that anyone that does so shall be executed?” He glared right into the girl’s face.
“Now this isn’t anyone’s property. Also, I can only be executed if you can catch me.” She looked up for a second. “Oh good. The clouds have come.” She smirked then dragged the clouds down to surround the ship.
“I’ll take my leave now.” She sat on one of the clouds. Little did she know, Zuko was right behind her.
He followed her all the way to her village.
“Hiya Mizu!” The cousin made her way over to an old woman. Zuko followed silently.
He noticed that they were on a mountain taller than any airbender lived. It was also too high for a flying bison. Yet, it had plants, waterfalls, ice crystals, a lot of sun, and cats everywhere. He had to admit, it was prettier than his nation.
“Hi Bit. Mimi is doing fine. After you brought her here from that commander that tried to murder her, I thought she’d never survive.” Mizu said knowing. “we have a visiter. Go get him tiger.”
Bit turned around suspiciously. “Come out firebender. Show yourself.”
Zuko didn’t listen. Instead, he hid further in the bushes. When he looked, he saw the girl’s face.
“Now why are you hiding? Am I that scary?” Bit smirked at his actions.
“You killed my mother! I shall kill you in no time. I’m not scared of a wimpy girl!” He glared at her hard and prepared to fight.
“I think not.” She bended the vines on the ground around him. “Now, what’s your name? Mine is Bit. I am the cousin of the avatar.”
“I am Zuko!” He burned the vines in a second. “Prepare to die.”
As he started to charge at her, he noticed that she didn’t even move. He ended up pummeling her into the ground.
“Bit honey!” A voice called through the bushes.
“Yes Mimi?” the girl called back urging Zuko to be quiet.
“It’s time for dinner!” the older woman called out.
“I’ll be there in a second.” Bit yawned out sleepily holding Zuko to herself tightly in order to keep him from doing anything.
“All right. It’s soup.” The woman’s voice faded away.
Zuko yanked himself away from the girl. He heard her say to keep quiet as she dragged him to a waterfall. He started to take off his clothing.
“What the hell are you doing?” he yelled as he put burn marks on her back to stop her. She ignored the pain and pushed his naked body into the water.
“You need a bath.” She replied softly. “I’ll be back in fifteen minutes.” She left him there alone.
‘I hate the smell of burning flesh, yet I’m the cause of it.’ He looked at his hand before washing the dirt and grim out of his body.
When he emerged from swimming under the water, he saw the girl. She had a towel, a robe, and she was wearing loose clothing. She turned away as he dressed himself.
“I’m down now.” She turned around. “I’m also sorry that I hurt you, but you need to die.” He tried to have another go at her.
She stopped him. “Your mom is alive. She’s told me much about you PRINCE Zuko.”