Chapter 41.3- And so the Dragons Danced

“Yes. Had to do some complicated calculations and measurements to get it in place, but the artisans of Ba Sing Se do love a challenge” I said idly, even as I kept part of my attention on my internal flame, trying to do anything to stoke it into being if possible. I had given up on fighting the eclipse’s power, but I still wanted to be able to react the second the eclipse went down. Ozai had been able to send lightning right at Zuko at the end of the eclipse, and I’d need that kind of speed if I wanted to get the better of these two.

Besides, if I distracted them with the hourglass and left them focused on it, then all the better for me. The hourglass hadn’t been flipped until a few seconds after the Eclipse itself had begun so it was going to be a precious few seconds late.

“I must ask, General Iroh, what has brought in the company of a traitor such as him” I said, not even bothering to spare my former Master a look. The man had had everything at his fingers, the Nation for his taking, and he just turned his back on it all. He would surely be Grand-Admiral at this point already, if he had had the common sense and foresight to stay.

“Well, Jeong-Jeog is an old friend of mine”

“So was my father” I could no longer hold in the outburst that had been building on the tip of my tongue since I saw him walk in here like nothing had happened between us. Like we could be mistaken for friends by any fucking means.

“Your father- I spoke up for your father, Natsu-“

“General” I cut in.

“General” He conceded, before continuing. “I spoke up on your father’s behalf when the time came and what ended up happening to him is one of my greatest regrets. I am sorry for your loss, but I did save his life”

“At the cost of his hands. There was no life for him after that. You and your father might not have pushed him off the ledge, but you sure as hell tied the noose and gave him a nice stool to stand atop. I hate the both of you for that” I said, feeling a weight leave my chest as I finally got to say my piece on the matter. My father’s death was something that I had never dwelt on. I’d told myself that it didn’t matter- Grandfather had been the father I needed, after all, but since our falling out it had gotten harder and harder to pretend that the promise of a father had not meant anything to me- the promise of what he could have been, to be honest.

“I see. Then would you forgive me if I asked for it. We are sons of Agni, alike in all the ways that matter. I did try my best but my father would not listen, too taken by rage at the perceived insult” He said.

“My hatred of you doesn’t come from your failure to contain Azulon. It comes from your failure to lead to my father’s actions in the first place. You failed to take this city.” At the end, I was snarling, and he flinched back like he had been struck and I could not deny the vicious satisfaction that flowed through me at that even as Jeong-Jeong watched the confrontation, unmoving.

“I had-I lost my son” He said, and his voice sounded so weak for it.

“And so? You were a General. You had the Fire Nation on your back. How many sons and daughters had been lost in the siege already. Retreating due to your grief, meant every death, even your son’s meant nothing. You are weak, Iroh. A stronger man, a true son of Agni, would have taken Ba Sing Se in his son’s name- Would have made the streets of Ba Sing Se run red with blood for the afront” My words poked a nerve, I could see before I was even finished but it was too late to go back, not that I was so inclined.

“You failed. You failed my father. You failed your army. You failed the Fire Nation. You failed Lu Ten” And that was the straw that broke the back, he roared with rage, and his fire roared with him. I felt my own fire rise in response as he dove right at me.