Truth and Lies

What Plan?

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN IT! I don't really own the plot either, but hey! BITE ME!

A/N: Kinda-post Season 2 finale. Going along the "Zuko isn't THAT stupid" path, which I have built a shakey platform on. Read on fellow Zutarians!

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Patience was never one of his redeeming qualities. How he had managed this long to make sure the hall and surrounding halls and rooms were completely cleared, he didn't know. But finally, after what seemed like years of waiting, but had been only an hour or so, the masked figure jumped down from his hiding place. Walking softly along the hallway, in case there were any Dai Lee left, he approached the door he was looking for. Every nerve on super-ultra-very high alert, he knocked on the door, eyes looking through the small, barred window at the figure within.

The figure stirred, then turned to look at the door. A small smile crossed the old man's face. "Nephew, I thought you'd given up masks."

"Very funny, uncle." The masked man said in a voice that was anything but amused. "Are you all right?"

Sighing, the old man nodded. "As well as one who is a prisoner can be."

"This was a stupid idea, I should never ha-"

"Prince Zuko," the old man inturrupted. "Calm down. I've been in worse conditions thans these. And besides, if all goes as I expect, I'll be out in no time."

"I still don't see why they're going to spring you out of here." Zuko muttered.

Iroh leaned back, smile growing. "The young Avatar has yet to find a Firebending teacher. A friend in the Order said that they had gone to Jeong Jeong, but he's gone underground now. And they have very little time to actually track him, so why not go to the easiest sorce?"

"You." Zuko said, knowing the answer.

"Yes. Then, I can get them to come back for you later." Iroh concluded with a nod.

Sighing, Zuko leaned against the wall next to the door. "They hate me, why would they come back?"

"Nephew, they do not hate you."

"I attacked them. I hurt them. I hunted them from one end of the world to the other. I stood by and let Azula possibly kill the Avatar." Zuko had turned to glare into the window. "Give me one reason they would trust, or even look, at me!"

"Because, I will tell them the truth." Iroh looked his nephew in the eye.

"Oh, sure. I only attacked them to get Azula to think I was on her side, so I can take her down later." Zuko snorted smoke out his nose. "Not even the idiot would believe that."

"You give them too little credit. They are children, same as you, who have been thrown head first into this mess, just like you. Who knows, if none of this had ever happened, you all might have been friends." Iroh commented, unknowingly restating something the Avatar had once asked Zuko. "I can assure you, this is not the worst any of us has gone through. But, just as always, we will get through."

Zuko couldn't say anything. He just stood, watching his uncle, the man who had been with him since the start and had been more like a father then Zuko's father. Finally, he said, "I still don't see why they'd come." He was going to say more, but the sound of a door opening a few halls away made him jump. "Goodbye uncle." He whispered before vanishing into the shadows.

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A week and a day later, Iroh's plan was put into motion. Sometime during the night, the little Earthbender girl had come, along with the Waterbender, and created a tunnel directly under and into his cell. After they rescued him, they'd sealed the enterance and several feet after them. They had closed different parts off, and made pathways that led to nothing, so that when the Dai Lee serched it they got lost a number of times.

Azula was furious. After the fifth time they hit a dead end, she had sent them into the middle of the tunnel before shooting her lightning at the entrance, sealing them in. A few days later, she told another group to go in and get rid of the bodies and kill the survivors. Then they were ordered to demolish the cell.

Zuko rolled his eyes at the back of his sisters head as she launched into another rant about how this was 'her city' and all that garbage. Before she turned back around, he'd composed his face and nodded at the end. He'd tuned out after the first twenty minutes.

"And so," Azula was finishing. "I want the walls broken down. All but the outermost wall. If anyone, and I mean anyone, tries to get in or out...you know what to do." A few of the soldiers smirked, while others looked a little uncomfortable. "A squadron of Fire Nation troops will be on hand in case anything goes wrong. Any questions? Good. Leave." The Dai Lee all but fled from the room. "Zuko, you stay."

Zuko stopped at the door and rolled his eyes. Composing his face, he turned to his sister. "Yes?"

"You agree, of course, the inner walls must be destroied to achieve, not only equality, but to insure our success, correct?" She didn't pause enough for him to answer. "Fine. Now, I am taking Mai with me to check on the rest of the prisoners. You have the throne until I return." With that, the Fire Princess walked out, the dark girl following in her step.

Zuko looked back at where Ty Lee was shadow-boxing and sighed. "Oh joy."

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"Azula, you don't really trust him, do you." It wasn't a question.

"No, Mai. But I believe he isn't so foolish to try and attack me or Ty Lee while surrounded by these bumbling Dai Lee, and with the reinforcments coming..." She grinned, eyes flashing in the half-light in the prison hold. "This city is mine. To think, it took us a day to do what that dim-witted uncle of mine couldn't do in a month." Beside her, Mai nodded, but she didn't notice, or care. "So much for the grand capital of the Earth Kingdom."

"Now what?" Mai asked.

Azula stopped and turned to her friend, "Now? We wait. Soon those troops will be here, and the rest of the Earth Kingdom will crumble into dust." She grinned coldly, eyes glittering. "And after that, we shall leave for home. The single-handed collapse of these peasent fools, along with the capture of my uncle and brother will have the rest of the Fire Nation trembling at my feet."

"Your father will be proud." Mai noted.

"That oaf? I can't wait till he's off the throne. With Zuzu still in exile, I'm the only one in line for ruler." Smirking, Azula resumed walking. "With me as Fire Lady, the world will learn the true power of our great nation."

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A/N: Is it just me, or does Azula have the potential to scare the CRAP outta people? Oh, and if you think Zuko really IS that stupid, read my other story, "Connect". REVEIW!