Later that day, Iroh summoned Zuko and told him they were going to visit an old friend of his, an admiral of the Fire Nation, one of the best the Fire Nation military had.
Zuko's eyes lit up. "Really? An admiral?"
He straightened his posture, trying to look more presentable, excitement filling his eyes. Soldiers and war heroes were figures he looked up to, and the chance to meet a high ranking hero who led their soldiers to victories was a rare opportunity to him.
The two of them made their way to Admiral Lung's estate, a large but modest home that reflected dignity rather than extravagance. When they arrived, a servant opened the front gate. Her eyes widened the moment she saw the crown prince standing before her.
"Your Highness!" she said, quickly stepping aside and bowing deeply. "Please, come in. I will fetch the master of the house at once!"
Zuko stepped inside, eyes scanning every detail, while Iroh nodded politely and followed her lead. They were guided to the guest room, where the two sat on finely crafted chairs. Zuko looked around curiously at the decorations, the paintings of dragons and ships adorning the walls. Meanwhile Iroh simply waited with a serene expression.
A moment later, footsteps echoed through the hall, and a tall, broad-shouldered man entered with a beaming smile on his face.
"What an honor to have the crown prince in my home!"
Iroh stood and returned the smile warmly. "Shulian, my friend. It's been a while."
The two men bowed briefly in the traditional Fire Nation greeting clasp.
"I've been impressed by the war reports I've received," Iroh continued. "Your leadership was remarkable."
Shulian Lung grinned. "Coming from the Dragon of the West, that means a great deal."
Zuko watched them quietly, admiration already growing in his eyes.
The two great warriors sat side by side, catching up as old friends do. They reminisced over past campaigns, shared thoughts on current military strategies, and exchanged news of old comrades. After a moment, Iroh leaned back and chuckled.
"I must say, I was surprised to hear your son has joined the Royal Academy."
Shulian nodded with a smile that brimmed with pride. "Yes, he has. The boy is growing fast. I didn't truly realize how fast until I came back from my last assignment. He's not the little boy I remember."
Iroh returned the smile, amused and curious. "Where is your son now?"
Shulian gestured toward the back of the house. "He's in the backyard, training. Let me go bring him to greet you properly."
But Iroh raised his hand gently. "No need. I wouldn't want to interrupt his lesson."
"It's fine," Shulian said with a wave of his hand. "Tai is training alone. There's no lesson to interrupt."
Iroh lifted a brow. "You don't have a tutor for him?"
"We did," Shulian replied calmly. "But with the school, it's not necessary anymore. Besides, Tai is already over six years old. He knows how he should train."
Iroh blinked at his old friend absurd statement and thought to himself [Six years old is too young to be training alone]
He wanted to say something, but then stopped himself. The look on Shulian's face was filled with unwavering pride. Iroh chose to remain silent on the matter and instead said, "Then I'd like to see the boy training, if you don't mind. I admit I'm curious."
Shulian nodded at once. "Of course."
He led the two royals through the house. Zuko followed closely, his curiosity growing with every step. He hadn't realized this was Tai Lung's home or that Admiral Lung was his father. Hearing the name and knowing Tai Lung was out back training piqued his interest deeply. Tai Lung was always ahead of him in class. No matter how hard Zuko tried, Tai Lung always stood out, always shone brighter. Now, finally, he would see what Tai Lungi did outside school.
When they reached the courtyard, they found the boy standing alone, punching and kicking at the air with repeating movements. Each strike released a small, controlled burst of flame that dissipated shortly after forming.
Zuko blinked at the sight. The movements were sharp and impressive, but the fireballs seemed too small to him.
[I could make bigger flames than that] he thought. Zuko felt a sense of self satisfaction at that thought.
But Iroh's eyes narrowed as he observed. He noticed immediately what Zuko could not, each flame was exactly the same. Same shape. Same size. Same intensity. Each move released the same amount of power and control. That kind of consistency was something most of the adults couldn't pull off, it was something only true firebending masters achieved after years of disciplined training. And here it was, executed perfectly by a boy the same age as Zuko.
Shulian spoke softly, his voice calm but filled with restrained emotion. "Tai's been training like this before he even turned four. His dedication to firebending is astonishing. But..." He paused for a heartbeat. "I admit it concerns me sometimes."
Despite the concern in his words, Iroh could hear the unmistakable pride underneath. He looked at Shulian, then at the boy. Iroh thought. [Any father would be proud to have a son like that.]
It was no wonder Zuko was being outperformed. Iroh couldn't think of a single bender in his memory who reached that level of control at six years old. He glanced at Zuko, who stood there oblivious to the gap. Iroh had brought Zuko here hoping they could become friends and rivals, equals who could learn from each other. But now, it was clear to him, if anything, Zuko would be the one doing the learning.
Tai Lung stopped and turned, his eyes noticing the three visitors. He caught sight of Zuko, then the man beside him. Shulian raised his hand and called, "Tai, come greet our guests."
Tai Lung walked toward them with calm steps and bowed slightly. "Welcome, Prince Zuko. Welcome, Crown Prince Iroh."
Iroh smiled and hummed. "How did you know I was the Crown Prince and not prince Ozai or anyone else?"
Tai Lung replied evenly, "You are accompanying Prince Zuko and Father told me stories about the Dragon of the West. The description matches yours."
Iroh let out a short, warm laugh. "Clever. And your performance just now, that was quite the surprise."
He looked at Zuko, who stood a bit straighter under his uncle's gaze. "His dedication to learning is impressive, don't you think, nephew?"
Zuko was caught off guard by the sudden question, but quickly recovered and nodded. "Yes, very impressive."
Iroh smiled and turned back to Tai Lung. "Why don't you two play together while your father and I talk about boring things only grown up men enjoy?"
Zuko nodded obediently. Tai Lung, on the other hand, glanced at his father with a pleading look in his eyes, silently begging to be spared. But Admiral Lung only smiled and said, "Tai, show Prince Zuko around, and do your best to be a good host."
With that, Iroh and Shulian turned and walked off, their voices fading into conversation.
Now alone, Zuko and Tai Lung stood in the courtyard. Zuko hesitated for a moment, then asked, "So, Tai Lung… what do you do for fun?"
Tai Lung replied simply, "I train."
___________
Iroh sat down, his gaze thoughtful as he looked at his old friend. "How did you manage to raise your son like that? I have never seen someone his age reach such an advanced level. And what do you feed him? He looked a year or two older my nephew "
Shulian gave a calm shrug. "I did nothing special. When Tai was younger, I showed him firebending. Since then, he's been training non-stop. If he's not sleeping, eating, or reading, he's outside training. I never pushed him to do any of it. What you saw today is the result of his dedication."
Iroh nodded lightly, still visibly impressed. "This is the first time I've heard of a child doing that on his own."
Shulian gave a small sigh, part pride and part concern. "He's smart, talented, and his mind is focused on a singular goal. All he wants to do is train and learn. He even wanted to drop out of the Royal Academy, saying he could learn and train better on his own. In truth, that's been a source of worry for me and his mother. He's obsessed with firebending. He doesn't like to play or meet people."
Iroh stroked his beard, a thoughtful look settling on his face. "Then perhaps it's a good thing that my nephew and your son become close friends. Tai Lung can push the little prince to grow stronger... and Zuko can be a friend Tai Lung clearly needs."
Shulian considered it for a moment, then nodded with a small smile. "That would be good for both of them, I think."
Their conversation shifted naturally to more pressing matters. Iroh leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "I'm planning to move against Ba Sing Se. The Earth Kingdom's great city"
Shulian's eyes narrowed. "You're planning a siege?"
Iroh nodded. "I want the support of the other generals and admirals. We'll need approval to mobilize and help with logistics. It's going to be a major operation."
Shulian crossed his arms. "That's going to be a costly siege. A difficult one."
"I have a plan," Iroh said with conviction. "And I believe it will work. I can break through."
Shulian fell quiet for a moment, eyes distant. Then he gave a solemn nod. "We've been friends for decades, Iroh. If you're going, whether you succeed or fail... I will always have your back."
Iroh smiled at that, a genuine warmth in his expression. "Thank you, friend."
They spoke a while longer about the war, the generals, and the weight of strategy. Eventually, Iroh stood up. "I've taken too much of your time. I need to meet with my father, the Fire Lord."
Shulian stood as well. "Of course. Let's fetch Prince Zuko."
They walked back toward the courtyard.
When they arrived, they found Zuko lying on the ground, panting heavily, dirt smeared across his clothes and face. Not far from him, Tai Lung was still practicing, the same as before.
"What happened here?" Shulian asked, puzzled.
Zuko didn't respond, still catching his breath.
Tai Lung stopped his movements and turned. "The prince wanted to train with me... but he got tired."
Iroh stepped forward, kneeling slightly beside his nephew. After a quick look to ensure he was unharmed, he asked, "Nephew, can you stand?"
Zuko nodded and pushed himself up, wobbling on shaky legs. Iroh chuckled softly. "Let's go back to the palace so you can rest properly."
Shulian and Tai Lung walked them to the outer gate. Once Iroh and Zuko had departed, Shulian looked at his son.
"You didn't beat the prince, did you?"
Tai Lung looked up at his father. "He trained a little and dropped, as you saw. I don't think the prince would survive a beating. He is too soft."
Shulian sighed. "He is royalty, Tai. Be nice to him."