Ch.73: A life of scars

Lost in the screams of pain is a chapter story,
All the stories are about fragments out of Zuko's and Iroh's lives.

This story happens after [Book 3, ep.16: The Southern Raiders].

Zuko invites his new friends in his beach house, they see a different side of the Royal Family. Aang becomes more emotional now he sees Ozai as a person.


Zuko is sixteen,
Sokka is fifteen,
Suki is fifteen,
Katara is fourteen,
Toph is twelve,
Aang is twelve.


Lost in the screams of pain,
Chapter 73: A life of scars.


The sun was high above the horizon, it created a very nice atmosphere around the beach but still the young Avatar couldn't forget Zuko's words from earlier this day. <Do not spare him because of the fact he's my father.>

Aang closed his eyes and sighed, he couldn't do it. He couldn't kill Ozai; he was and will always be Zuko father. Aang didn't want to be a murderer, and certainly not the murderer of his friend's father.

"Hey, Zuko! You're back, so? Can we now enter your house?" Sokka asked hesitated, he wanted to see it. The beach house seemed amazing on the outside and it was probably huge in the inside.

Zuko frowned. "Why did you wait? You could take a look without me."

"That wouldn't be polite, Zuko. I mean it's a Royal house…" Suki grabbed Sokka by his arm and smiled. She and Sokka had already plans, this felt like a vacation. A luxury beach house far away from the city, with a private beach. This sounds like a dream.

"Yes, but I warn you it's a bit expired. It has been empty for several years." The young boy whispered as he walked towards the beach house, his friends followed him.

Katara glared over the huge building and crossed her arms. "Isn't it weird that we're hiding for the Fire Lord in the Fire Lords own house?"

"My Father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy and that was a long time ago. This is the last place anyone would think to look for us." Zuko opened the huge door and nodded. "Welcome in my previous home."

"Thanks!" Toph replied enthusiast and felt some interesting spots. "You've a huge courtyard with a fountain… A lot of beach but we already knew that… a lot of rooms… I like it here."

"I'm happy you like it, … Hey what are you guys waiting for? Come inside and take a look, this house is yours now." Zuko replied with a laugh, he walked further into the hall and this felt truly good. He was happy to share something with his friends, finally he could do that. This is the first time in his life he had friends of his own.

His friends entered his house and looked around, Katara stopped at a low dark brown table that was located nearby the stairs. She grabbed a large picture and blew the dust away; Aang stopped next to her and tried to have a look.

She glared over an old large family picture. Her eyes immediately fell on the young woman who sat on the floor and held a young boy in her arms. Katara smiled wide, she was sure this was Zuko and his mother.

"Zuko? Is this you and your mother?"

Zuko looked over Katara's shoulder and nodded. "Yeah, that's she."

"She's beautiful!" Aang replied honestly. "Is that your father?"

"Yes, that's him with my little sister; my uncle stands next to him."

"Who's that?" Katara asked as she pointed at the young man with the widest smile. He reminded her a bit of Sokka.

"My cousin, Lu Ten."

Aang looked towards Zuko with a frown. "Your uncle has a son? I thought he had no children."

Zuko inhaled deep before he answered. "Lu Ten died during the siege of Ba-Sing-Se, a lot changed since that day. My uncle couldn't handle the situation, he truly became ill."

Sokka who had heard the conversation became interested, he took a look of the picture and frowned. "Your uncle seems older than your father. Why is that?"

"My father had claimed the throne since Lu Ten passed away, Fire Lord Azulon admitted it but my father had to give some offers… A lot changed, uncle was the only family I had in that time."

Katara looked up and understood, Zuko had told her yesterday that his mother had saved him from Ozai and now she knew why. Ozai would do everything for power and his throne.

"So this is my family, or was…" The young boy placed the picture back and took some steps backwards. "Fancy a tour?"

Sokka didn't hear Zuko; he glared over the young boy without that scar and it felt weird inside. It was strange to see Zuko as an innocent child without a scar. Sokka grabbed the picture and couldn't believe that all these persons were seen in this world as monsters but they seemed so normal on this picture. The boy sighed deep and couldn't believe how a happy family could split like this one.

The young boy walked further and glared over the huge rooms. "This is quite different than our igloos."

Katara smiled back and shrugged. "It's huge and warm."


An hour later.

The young teenagers sat outside and enjoyed their first meal together in the courtyard of the beach house. The kids loved this place; there was a very nice atmosphere.

"I'm going to teach you how to bend sand, tomorrow." Toph spoke out while she was eating her noodles.

Aang looked up and smiled wide. "Great! Training will go smoothly here in such beautiful area."

"Yeah, it's a nice beach house you have." Sokka replied as he lowered his bowl. "But it's still weird to see pictures of you without your scar."

Toph raised her head; the noodles fell out of her mouth and landed back in her brown bowl. "Zuko has a what?"

Katara peeked next to her and noticed Zuko's unpleased expression. She knew he was ashamed about his scar and she knew how cruel Toph could be. "Well, he has a scar Toph. We thought you knew…"

"Were do you have a scar?" The girl asks curious.

The boy glared down, he started to feel a bit awkward. He didn't liked to talk about it and hoped that others could just accept his scar; it's a part of him. "On my face…"

Toph placed her bowl on the floor and sniffed. "Serious? How did you got it?" Aang bit his lip; he didn't knew how Zuko would handle this. He hoped Toph would stop asking right now, they all wanted to know what happened but it's Zuko's decision if he tells them the story or not.

Zuko scratched his scar and felt watched, he hated this. "It's complicated."

"Yeah, but we're a group. So, WHY shouldn't you just tell us?" The girl replied harsh.

"Because it's personal!" The boy snarled back.

Toph waved her hands around and shook her head. "Wow, calm down. It isn't such big deal… I just wanted to know where you get it from."

Zuko sighed deep and knew she wouldn't stop; the boy stood up and apologized. "I'm tired, I go to bed. Good night."

Katara moved closer towards Toph and made sure Zuko couldn't hear it. "Be careful with that subject, we heard rumors about how he got it and it's serious."

"It is his decision if he wants to tell it us, Toph." Aang whispered.

That night, when all the kids were asleep. The young banished Prince had one of his terrible nights again, he hadn't had any nightmare since he had joined this group but this night, he had. The culprit was probably the beach or the house who gave him the memories.

Zuko turned around in his parent's old bed, he sweated heavily. He tried to escape but he couldn't move, he was stuck in one of his terrible dreams. "NO, FATHER!"

Ozai shook his head and didn't spoke a word; he was in an Agni Kai. Zuko sat in the tribune, alone. His mother was the opponent, poor Ursa who would be banished later that day. She didn't want to fight and Ozai loved to see her pain.

The young Prince wanted to help but he couldn't, he's stuck in the tribune. His father burned his mother, the lady screamed from pain. "MOM? STOP IT!"

Toph woke up with a shock; she knew something bad had happened. She rushed to the corridors and made her way to Aang's room but the boy was already awake. He was wandering through the dark and hoped to find out what this was. "Twinkle toes?"

"Toph, you've heard that too?" The boy whispered, he didn't want to wake the others.

"Yeah, who was that?" The girl replied silently and shocked as she heard a new scream. "PLEASE, … DON'T!"

Aang glared up and knew from where it came, he rushed to the second door and opened it slowly. Toph followed Aang inside the room, they found a hyperventilating Zuko. He seemed to have a nightmare about his own father.

The young avatar had lit a candle before he sat down near the bed and listened carefully; he glared to Toph and noticed the concern on her face. They both realized that his dreams seemed more like a part of memory. Aang lowered his head and whispered. "This remains among us, Toph."

"Sure, I won't tell anyone." The girl whispered as she left Aang alone, he had something to do. Aang moved closer and rubbed Zuko's shoulder, it was time to free him. Zuko shocked up and breathed heavily, he stared with shame in Aang's eyes. The young avatar sat back down and sighed. "Nightmares are terrible, I also have them often. Katara is the one who wakes me."

"You… you do?" The boy asked quietly.

"Yes, I dream about those who are gone, my friends and family. I often dream about my mistakes, about your father and the Fire Nation." Aang lowered his head. "My master and friend Gyatso told me that, we get nightmares about the things we have not processed."

"My uncle told the same." Zuko replied as he sat up. "I guess it will take a long time…"

Aang nodded seriously. "If you need someone to talk about some of your problems, I'm there for you."

The young Fire boy looked up and nodded back. "Thanks, I'm… also open for a talk if you need someone."


The next day.

Sokka ran over the veranda, he threw his blue shirt and pants on the floor and yelled enthusiast. "Good morning, sea!" He loved the water and swimming, he had missed this. The young boy rushed over the beach and embraced the first wave of the day.

"Wait for me Sokka!" Aang screamed as he followed the eager water boy. Zuko observed the two enthusiast boy's with a tiny grin and he was in for a nice swim. The fire boy opened his shirt and placed his clothes nearby the edge.

Zuko walked over the small port and inhaled deep; he enjoyed the first morning sunshine's on his pale skin and jumped into the fresh water.

Sokka smiled wide as he noticed his two friends nearby, he had a great idea for a new game. "Hey, guys. What do you think about some dives?"

"Yeah, those who make the biggest dives wins!" Aang swam back to the port and prepared to make an impressive dive. Zuko came out of the water and sat down next to Aang, the young avatar gasped as he glared over his friends battered back. There were so many old scars.

"What are you looking at?" Zuko snarled as he noticed Aang's strange expression.

Sokka sat down; he didn't want to play anymore. Zuko was his friend and it was time for the truth. "You've so many scars."

"Yeah, I was a soldier…" The boy lied.

Aang lowered his head and knew Zuko dodged the question. "You remember last night? I think it's time for you to talk about your problems with us."

"My father, … most of the scars are from trainings with my father. Some of them are accidents since the time I was banished." Zuko replied honest as he moved his long legs through the water, he didn't looked up as he spoke.

"And your burn mark?" Sokka asked soft.

Zuko closed his eyes and inhaled deep, he couldn't lie to them. "An Agni Kai."

Sokka looked up at Aang with wide eyes. "So the rumors were right?"

"Yes, Sokka. I was challenged for an Agni Kai by the Fire Lord. I couldn't fight my dad, I lost my honor that day."

Aang sighed deep and shrugged. "You were like, thirteen… I mean who could you fight your own father?"

"It's certainly nothing to be ashamed of, Zuko." Sokka replied soft. "I would also not be able to fight my dad."

Zuko raised his head and stared at Aang. "Since that day, three years ago. I've been banished and forced to find you and to capture you."

"I know… but luckily that's over now. I mean, you're here and we're friends." Aang replied with a smile. "Each of us has scars that need to be healed but some have more than others."