Bear with me. I’ve never written an Avatar based Fanfic and I’m not that great of a writer, so I don’t know how this is going to be. I hope it’s good. But anyway, none of the characters from the avatar show belong to me… only made up characters and the story plot.

Avatar: the Last Airbender

Lead me Not into Temptation

Chapter 1: Fire Lord Zuko

As he stared in the mirror, he could see nothing, but his father staring back at him. His eyes were filled with hatred and coldness. Why was he so cold? What had the rest of the world done to him to make him hate them so much? It was like he was born with hatred in his heart. Zuko had felt that way before. He could still feel the hate running through his veins from time to time, but he always did his best to make sure that it didn’t take over him… because he never wanted to feel that way again.

Mai, who had left him to be with someone slightly less attractive and… tolerable, was nowhere to be found. Who would leave the fire lord? Zuko thought as he walked over to his bed and slouched down on it. The war was over, but that meant the beginning of whole new problems. Zuko was trapped in the middle. What should he do? He thought about the new benders that were being discovered.

The water benders had recently found out that there were benders living under water. Zuko thought that it was like dealing with a whole new species. They were clueless and didn’t know the way of the world, but why should he care right? They were the water bender’s problems now. Zuko sighed at his negative thinking. Of course it was important to care; earth benders, water benders, air benders- and fire benders were all untied as one now. But they were such a secret people, Zuko thought. What did they bend? Air? Was it air like the Avatar?

It was so confusing to think about. He would have to go and talk to Katara, the leader of the southern water tribes, which had completely expanded since the last time Zuko had seen it. The new discovered benders were there in refugee camps until the Avatar decided what he was going to do with them. There Zuko was again, thinking of people like they were nothing, but scraps of meat. Before he went anywhere, he had to find a way to get his evil thoughts and emotions under control. He was slipping back into the old Zuko and he definitely didn’t want that. Not after everything that he had been through.

He stood up, unable to sit still and walked back over to his mirror. His hair, which was wildly all over his head, needed to be brushed. His clothes looked like he was a peasant and his scarred eye almost seemed like it was getting larger. He hated the sight of himself. It made him feel low and worthless, but he didn’t think about it too much. What he was thinking about was- his mother. He knew where to find her, but he had been so afraid that he didn’t even try to go after her when the war was over. Now, years had passed and she probably wasn’t even there anymore. What he really wanted was to go to bed and forget everything that he had thought about that day. Maybe the next morning would be better. He would travel to the Southern Water Tribes and talk to Katara, who was probably still with Aang anyway. No, he wouldn’t allow himself to think anything else negative.

Zuko went over to his bed and lay down. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but the only thing he could think about was his father and everything else in his life that had gone wrong. It led him into a nightmare that was beyond his control.

“Zuko, my son.” His father was standing in front of his with his fists up in flames, as if he was ready to stroke. His eyes were a bright red color and he was dressed in all black clothes like he had just walked right up from hell and decided to confront his son. “How, could you betray me so?”

Zuko shook his head. “I'm sorry.” He said. “I didn’t mean to,”

“How could you join the avatar’s side against me? How dare you betray your own father?!”

“I'm sorry.” Zuko repeated. “Please, forgive me! I never meant to betray your trust.”

“Do not speak!”

“Zuko!” Another familiar voice shot up and Zuko looked to his right to see his beautiful other standing in front of him, dressed in light purple clothes. Her hair was now shoulder length and her eyes were as bright as the fire that burned around Zuko. “My son, do not look into your father’s eyes for he is the very thing that has torn down our nation. He is the very thing that turned all benders against one another and therefore, he is not worthy of your trust. Keep your eyes on me, son and I promise that you will prosper.”

“Mother.” Zuko started towards her, but was interrupted by his father’s angry voice.

“Zuko!” his father said, loudly and angrily. “You will not override my authority! Come to me, my son and we shall live in victory forever.”

“No, Zuko!” his mother said, stopping him again. “He only wants to use you for his evil deeds. You must trust in your own heart! Zuko!”

“Stop!” Zuko yelled aloud, jerking up from his sleep in a hit sweat. It took him a while to realize that it had only been a horrible dream and he took a deep breath and let it out. He needed to do something with his life. If he just sat there, he was going to become exactly like his father. That couldn’t happen. He didn’t want anymore wars. He had t get up and travel. He had to do something.

He climbed out of bed, packed himself a quick bag and was headed out of the fire kingdom when he was stopped by someone that he new as Ou. Ou, someone that he had taken in a few years ago when the war had ended, ran over to him. Ou was only ten years old and didn’t know much about fire bending or any bending. She wasn’t a bender… just a normal girl that had no place to go.

“Fire lord Zuko!” Ou ran over to Zuko, who was headed out. “Where are you going?”

“To the Southern,”

“Water Tribes! Ooh, can I go please… Zuko?!”

“No.” Zuko said, calmly continuing to walk and ignoring the fact that Ou was still following behind him. “What’re you doing?” stopped and turned around to Ou.

“Who’s going to watch over the fire kingdom while you’re gone?” Ou asked.

“My most trustworthy,”

“He won’t be able to do it!” Ou shouted, cutting him off.

“I'm not staying! And you're not going!”

“But who’s going to watch your back?” Ou asked, poking out her bottom lip and making a puppy dog face. “I'm the only one who can care for you better than anybody else in the world.” Her bottom lip started to quiver like she was about to cry.

“God.” Zuko shook his head. Such a drama queen, he thought. “Ou, stop it right this instant.”

“What happens if you die and ‘Mr. Frodo’- the crazy hair monster- has to become the fire lord? What happens then?”

“I won’t die, Ou!” Zuko told her, crossing his arms and shaking his head. She was making him more upset by the second.

“And what happens when we have to listen to someone whose hair is slicker than a freshly waxed floor and his daughter’s name is… Zambezi?!” she lifted her head up and started to cry at the top of her lungs. Tears flowed wildly down her cheeks and she was jumping from side to side like a mad woman.

“Enough!” Zuko shouted and sighed. “Fine, Ou. Get in the balloon.”

“Really?” Ou asked happily. She wiped her eyes. “Well, since you're going to keep prying. I might as well.” She smiled deeply as she climbed up into the air balloon, which was controlled by fire. Zuko tossed his bag up to her and then climbed in. In a matter of seconds, they were both off.

“It was so nice of you to invite me, Fire lord Zuko. Ooh, we should stop in Ba Sing Se to see your father’s teashop. That would be fun!”

“No stops, Ou.” Zuko said, calmly looking out into the dark sky.

“Geesh, no need to be rude about it.”

“I wasn’t being rude!” Zuko said angrily.

“Someone skipped dinner again, didn’t he?”

“What have I gotten myself into?” Zuko asked rubbing his hands down his face, tiredly. “You're worse than that brat, Toph.”

“Ooh, who was Toph? Your girlfriend? Was she cute?”

“She wasn’t my girlfriend!!”

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Katara is your girlfriend, isn’t she?”

Zuko grunted and collapsed to the floor. “I'm going to bed. You should too.”

“Na, I'm just going to watch the stars for a minute. And sing to them.”

“You're weird and I want nothing to do with it. Good night, Ou.”

“Good night, Zuko.”

Zuko wondered whether or not he was actually going to be able to sleep. He kept having the reoccurring dream and he didn’t like to wake up in a panic all the time. If he didn’t get sleep tonight, he surely did hope that he would get it soon.