Before we begin this chapter, I'd like to point out one thing that I forgot to mention. Each fic in the series includes a brief synopsis of the most recent chapter in the summary section. Not only does it potentially confuse prospective readers or spoil the plot for them (although the author doesn't put much value on keeping the plot twists secret here), but the summary is out of date- NSFLZ has the review for Chapter 24 in the summary.
The Gaang celebrates Toph and Poppy getting along better, which results in stuff getting broken, and Zuko arranges to meet Katara in the park. Zuko is late enough that Katara has to wonder whether he stood her up, but he eventually shows up and tells her why. Zuko had walked Toph home, during which time Toph had bombarded him with questions about why he's walking.
Eventually, Poppy suggests that Toph take up walking with Zuko, since it isn't "proper" for ladies to walk alone (although as far as I know, conservative people like that disapprove more when it's with a man who isn't married to or a relative of the woman). Luckily, Zuko, with his uncle's help, describes what he's doing as a kind of walk that can only be done alone. Unfortunately, Iroh then tries to guilt trip Zuko into spending more time with him. Katara suspects Iroh learned that tactic from Hakoda, and realizes that this is why their friendship is a bad thing. Unfortunately, guilt is an effective tactic on Zuko, who feels legitimate guilt for wronging his uncle in the past (which is why Iroh forgiving him is a Crowning Monent O Heartwarming), so Zuko has to give in.
Katara talks with Zuko about her day, but she's hesitant the worst part- the possibility that Ursa, the mother that he's missed for so long, is a Joo Dee who no longer remembers him, and the same goes for many others. She eventually does mention it, and Zuko refuses to believe it, suggesting that his mother would have been recognized by the Earth Kingdom's immigration services (In The Search, Ursa no longer has her face or her memories, so she meets her son without them recognizig each other).
Zuko also seems to suggest that there are implications for the peace process, given that if he knew about his mother becoming a Joo Dee, he'd blame Kuei and the Dowager for letting it happen. Disregarding that some of the damage has already been done, it seems a bit odd that he's trying to pre-empt his own emotional reactions. He also worries that he'd become obsessed with searching for his mother, which vaguely comes off as a Take That! against The Search.
Katara regrets upsetting him with her attempts to help, so that he can have a happy reunion with his mother like the one Toph had with hers. He understands, but suggests that since he left how to deal with her mother's killer up to her, she should let him deal with his mother himself. Katara agrees to it, and they make up with a kiss.
At work, Katara has a better day. Yugoda has her work on the "short term" Joo Dees, noting that it's not a suggestion. Katara takes it personally at first, until she realizes Yugoda isn't harping on her failures, but trying to raise her spirits. Katara makes good progress with the first two, and then turns to one named Chun, who introduces her to a spicy plant and gives her an idea to try on Zuko, especially since her father and brother helped her see the value of the Through His Stomach approach.
Katara takes her lunch at the same time as when the peace meetings are on lunch, at which point she goes up to Zuko and gets him to make a lame excuse and come over to her. He isn't quite sure how to take it at first, since Katara has made it clear how little she thinks of spicy food like fireflakes, but he ends up liking it, especially since he exhausted his supply of fireflakes.
Katara asks about the peace meetings, to which Zuko responds that progress is going well, and he can't wait to leave the "awful city" of Ba Sing Se and return to the Fire Nation. Katara's worried, though, noting that it will be harder to keep their relationship secret in the Fire Nation, so she wants to know how they can make it work. Zuko, however, is confident that they can make it work, and that the Dowager is wrong about secret relationships. This is a nice bit of progress on the secrecy issue, but unfortunately, it would be better if it weren't a mere three chapters from the end of the series.
Toph then shows up and confronts them about... eating custard buns in secret, particularly when Zuko is supposedly on a diet and having gastric problems. She doesn't really believe Katara's excuse of having to look for a runaway Joo Dee, either, but goes along with it and shares the custard buns.
The author says that she came up with the "Ursa is a Joo Dee" theory because she wanted to come up with a way to have Ursa be alive, but not locked in a secret Ozai-run prison. It's a decent theory, since the canon explanation depends on the mystical aspects of the setting, although this one is based on what the author wants to be true.
What I liked
- Some progress, albeit slight, on the secrecy of the relationship.
What I didn't like
- Zuko's reasons for being reluctant to search for his mother, while meant to showcase his Character Development, felt forced.
- Sluggish development near the end.
