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It wasn't the easiest time to be Zuko. In fact it was probably the roughest patch he was going through since the destruction of his village all those years ago...he didn't like being brought back to that.

The matches weren't getting any easier for him. He lost a couple that he really felt like he should have won, even if only narrowly. He won a couple that he felt he should have won more convincingly. Even the ones he did win convincingly only reminded him what was up against - they were against others who didn't do the whole tech thing, just highlighting that tech was killing his performance and making his life all the rougher. And he still couldn't help but feel that there wasn't any way forward that didn't include more of it, pushing him closer to going through with the idea of retirement - even if anyone who asked about it got a snippy response that he wasn't talking about it now.

It was to the point where the training sessions felt more like refuge than chore. He'd resumed training with Fuero, and just as he'd promised, the purple 'Zard was doing it all natural, even though he was clearly having a rough go of it as a result. And Zuko was keeping up his own commitment to that...but the words that Fuero had laid into him that day hadn't ever left his mind. Mingling with Bryson's, as well...being a trainer was a commitment, one he hadn't really made much honest effort at, and both Bryson and Fuero had said or implied that he didn't care about Fuero, which meant he was failing. And if it hadn't meant anything to Zuko, he wouldn't have cared...but he DID care, which meant it meant something. He wanted to do this...he wasn't quite sure when he'd come to that point, didn't know why when he knew he was probably going to be left behind anyway, but none of that changed the desire. And it really shouldn't have been that hard to do it right...how hard could it really be to train someone who WANTED to be trained? Even if Zuko didn't know what he was doing, he knew one thing: he could be doing better.

The problem was, he didn't know HOW. And that was eating at him as he watched Fuero work himself on the training course, another exhausting run that Zuko watched over, wondering if it was really doing anything for him. Stamina training was important, sure, but...Fuero could get stamina training anywhere. Could get it easier. What did he really have to offer? Being run into the ground by a greasy old gasbag was something that could be accomplished with less effort than Fuero was putting in. So what else could he do? How did someone train someone? What did they do that would help them later on?

It was a question he'd asked himself a few times now over the recent sessions, feeling dissatisfied with his lack of answers. But today, an idea occurred to him...Fuero had come to him, asking him to train him. Surely he had an idea what he wanted to get out of it. Maybe if he wanted to know what he could do for Fuero, he could just...ask him. It seemed almost too simple an answer, but asking wasn't something Zuko did - he did just fine with most things on his own, and Bryson took care of the gaps. It rarely ever occurred to him to ask others their opinion...in most of his life, their opinions didn't have any relevance to him, a lot of yapping about subjects that he paid no attention to. But now he was finding himself in that unfamiliar territory...

No sense in putting it off, though. "Oy, whelp! Cut it and get over here." Fuero looked a bit startled to hear that, but hardly averse to the break; he was panting hard, sweat dripping down those scales, steaming in the air and giving a little glow to that sexy body...Zuko clenched his jaw, trying to push that thought out of his head, though it was about as stubborn as the whelp was. And had been especially so since Fuero's accidental confession...which made Zuko feel like he needed to keep such thoughts out of mind even more than before, while that part of him was even less in agreement with that.

The best way to deal with unwanted thoughts was having to deal with something else, though, so he used the situation to his advantage. "Right, so...I was thinking we should try something different."

"Something...different?"

"Yeah. Uh..." Zuko paused, wondering how to even ask the question. Wouldn't he seem like a bad trainer to ask the person he was training for what he should train him on? That was giving him pause...until he remembered that, as far as Fuero was concerned, Zuko already WAS a bad trainer, it wasn't like it could get much worse. "Right. I think you've figured out these courses by now...you've been on them enough, you ought to know them front and back. So...what else do you want to learn that you feel like you could use?"

Fuero blinked at Zuko, his expression blank. "You...uh...you...want to know...what I want to be trained on?"

"...Well...yes. Why not?"

The stunned silence was almost a little annoying to Zuko - it wasn't THAT outrageous, was it? He bit back the urge to make a snappy follow-up, though, since he'd probably gotten Fuero pissed enough at him for a variety of reasons. After a bit, Fuero snapped out of it, shaking his head a bit. "Uh...yeah, I, uh...well, I mean...technique. I've been wanting to learn more technique for a while...I mean, I know you said I wasn't ready, but...they didn't really teach a lot of that in the junior leagues, said it didn't help."

Technique...of course, Fuero HAD asked about that before. And Zuko had blown him off...why had he? He didn't even have a good answer for that. Maybe just because he had wanted to do everything his way...well, that hadn't worked out so well. Would it hurt to teach a little technique? Fuero would want to be, NEED to be a well-rounded fighter, technique was part of that. No, he'd been fixated on getting the whelp into shape, but it didn't make sense, Fuero was self-motivated enough for that, instructing on technique was something quite different, something you couldn't just DO, you had to learn from someone, unless you wanted flashy and ineffective moves.

"Right, then. Let's study some technique. Right, there's a pretty good starter move, the Counter Strike. It's basic but takes some practice to learn. Not just anyone can pull it off, though, you have to have focus and timing and the strength to actually make it work, and there won't be many windows to use it - not any if the battle's being fought from a distance. But for those who like to get up close and personal, if you get an opening it can really make a difference."

Fuero nodded. "I've seen you do it before...it's incredible how you can throw people so off-kilter like that! But it's hard to get an idea of how it works, you can't just slow tape down and see everything clearly."

"Well, now you're gonna get to know it better. Stand here, you're going to see and feel the motions, at least...somewhat. It doesn't have the same impact slowed down." Fuero stood in front of Zuko, eyes still locked on him; he still seemed a bit in awe that this was actually happening. Zuko intended to make sure that was gone in a hurry. "Now, make like you're throwing a punch at me. Actually, just throw one at me."

"Are you...never mind." Fuero did as instructed, punching out with his right, and instantly Zuko grabbed his arm with his right hand, holding it in place. Of course Zuko wasn't going to let himself be hit by an obviously telegraphed move.

"First part of the move - the grab. Best done when they're out of focus and going on automatic, because if they see you bracing yourself they're going to pull their punch and you're not gonna get the opening. Second part - now you pull them in-" Zuko demonstrated, pulling Fuero towards him, though not with his full force. "-and ram your shoulder into them as they get close. Direct strike or not, it should have them a bit off balance and spin them a bit. Then, you release, letting them turn away from you-" Again demonstrated, Fuero rotating a bit from the pull so that his back was to Zuko, and then he felt a palm strike his back, firmly but not forcefully. "-And then you have a few moments to hit hard and, if done right, you'll knock them to the ground. Which is key, because once they're on the ground, you have a moment to reset."

Fuero nodded; opponent on the ground was always a good situation. By the rules, one couldn't attack a downed opponent, but they had to get all the way upright before they could legally engage again, so it meant a chance to get your bearings again and ready your next move. "Can they get out of it?"

"Of course. If they use their own momentum to throw YOU off-balance, then you can be punished hard for it. If they don't get off-balance, they can block your shoulder bash or the follow-up. That's why it's best to use this technique on an opponent who isn't fully focused. The windows for that are small at the top, but it's still possible to catch them now and then. In the lower levels, with less refined fighters, a good Counter Strike can get you far. But there's a trick most won't tell you about...most won't try to catch with their off hand, because you can't get in a solid shoulder strike that way. But, if they try to come down with their arm instead - usually a good way to keep you from catching crosswise - catch it with your off hand, pull in, give an elbow strike instead, and you'll be able to put them in pretty comparable position."

"Wait, that's actually a thing?" Fuero exclaimed. "I think I saw that like once or twice, I thought they'd just screwed up!"

"They might have, but if you're quick-thinking you can react whichever way seems more effective. But when you're starting out, best to try to stick to one. Give it a shot, try to work it out. But be ready to react, because I'm NOT pulling the punch here, you need to know how hard it is to actually stop that blow."

Fuero nodded, steeling himself for Zuko. It wasn't as hard as it would be in a match still, Fuero was prepared and Zuko wasn't trying to avoid it, but this was about the technique itself. The punch was as telegraphed as it could be, and Fuero just barely managed to hold it back enough - but attempting to follow up with the shoulder bash, he was off-balance and only got a glancing blow, throwing him out of position for any follow-up. He nearly fell as he tried to recover, losing his grip on Zuko. "Yow! Dammit!"

"Easy, whelp. No one gets it first time."

"Mmph. Can we try that again?"

"Sure. Maybe this time you'll be ready for a real punch."

Fuero snorted a bit, but he couldn't really deny that Zuko was right - the force from the start had thrown him off. Attempt #2 started with him being more ready for the intensity, and he was more prepared as he caught Zuko's swing, and threw himself into the shoulder change again. His launch was still too strong, though, and he found himself in a similar position - the shoulder bash connected better, but he still wasn't in position to take advantage and didn't turn Zuko nearly enough. A mite of frustration crept in, this didn't seem like it should be that difficult...but he tamped it down, this was what he wanted to learn, he just had to get better at it.

They ran through it a half-dozen times, Fuero never getting a fully clean execution off, but he was at least clearly getting the idea - it was more a matter of cleaning up the execution than anything. He was panting a bit as he rubbed his shoulder, having hid Zuko a bit too solidly on the last attempt. "Jeez...this doesn't seem that complicated, but it feels like I can't get it..."

"Simple doesn't mean easy," admonished Zuko. "Counter Strike isn't seen that often for a reason. It's a good tool to pull out when the opportunity arises, but those opportunities aren't going to come often, and you get a very short window to pull it off right. Work on figuring out how to set yourself up and how much to put into the strike. We'll see if you get the hang of it."

"Yeah...I'll try to practice that a lot before next time. Thanks, Zuko." It was a pretty genuine sentiment, more than the somewhat grudging appreciation from many of their lessons before...Zuko felt a bit of warmth in him, it was hard to tell whether he'd done the right thing or not but there was at least a little feeling in him that maybe he had.

But he tamped it down before it could get too far. One right thing did not turn everything around, and it didn't change the fact that he'd not only been a less than capable trainer thus far, but it probably wouldn't even matter in the end - sooner or later, Fuero would have to see that he wasn't the right one to train him. Technique could get him further, but he wasn't about to pretend that it was enough of an edge to overcome the other 'tech' out there...Zuko didn't want that day to come, but he wasn't sure how much more hope could stave off reality.

---

If Zuko thought it was only a matter of time before Fuero gave up on him, he was about as off as could be. On the contrary, Fuero suddenly had a new mission: prove to Zuko that he was still the master badass and that his no-tech approach wasn't a detriment at all. And just like before, he got more wrapped up in it than he probably should have, maybe even more than last time.

His motivation was simple: he felt partly responsible for the sudden swerve in Zuko's confidence. It hadn't been his intention at all to make him think he was washed up - he just wanted the red 'Zard to not treat all tech, particularly the basic training tech, like it was diseased or something. It definitely hadn't gone well, and that was partly his fault - he knew he'd tried to bring it up at the worst time, when they were both hot, and of course Zuko hadn't been receptive to it when he was already pissed off. But his last charge had hurt Zuko...even if he'd felt it was entirely true in the moment, he hadn't meant for it to have the effect it had. Even though the training had resumed and Zuko hadn't brought it up again, he could tell Zuko still seemed more sullen than normal. And he wanted to fix that...he liked Zuko's swagger, it was a part of him and losing that wasn't promising.

Early on, it was hard to get motivated to do anything, though, with as run-down as he felt after the sessions. Even with his vow to only go as hard as he felt he could, he might not have been dialing it back as much as he should have...maybe part of that was an inner effort to convince Zuko how serious he was about all this, maybe to convince him that he wasn't as bad a trainer as Fuero had accused him of being to help salve that wound. He wasn't sure if it was working or not, Zuko was already infamously hard to read and he seemed to be more guarded than ever now...but after a bit, there had been some shifts, Zuko was starting to not drive him as hard, and changing up what he was learning - even starting to give him insights into technique like he'd wanted, and asking him more about what he felt he needed to learn. It was a surprising turn to Fuero, enough that he wondered if Bryson had given Zuko a talking-to or something, but he wasn't about to ask - he was just glad it gave him some energy to do his own thing between training days.

And that meant doing his personal training sessions, looking into more natural recovery methods, and doing his research into tech performance. Because while he wanted to respect Zuko's preferences and wanted to show him that he was also serious about wanting to have non-tech options for keeping himself in shape - especially if he wanted to survive the punishment while also in the middle of a combat season - he also wanted to show Zuko that he was wrong that tech was a shortcut that was essentially pay-to-win. He knew showing the papers from the ACL researchers would be a dead end, so he dove into the matches themselves.

And he was thorough. He pulled recordings from everywhere, the ACL's official site, fighter profile pages, online video repositories, everywhere he could think of. Hundreds of them, thousands of them. Digging into the action, making note of what tech was used, tallying results and what performance metrics he could come up with. Dozens of matches reviewed and catalogued per day, all to try to convince Zuko that he was missing something, that his perception of himself was warped, that his belief that he couldn't keep up with the tech was just a mistake.

Except, he was running into a serious problem: the grouchy old 'Zard was RIGHT.

It wasn't just Zuko, he'd done the same thing for matches with plenty of other non-tech users, and no matter how he looked at it, he was finding the same thing. Win rates against tech plunged. Performance metrics took a nose dive. Margin of victory in wins shriveled. Some weathered it better than others but there wasn't a single 'natural' fighter that didn't have a drop-off. And all told, techies had a 71% win rate against naturals - far higher than Fuero ever would have expected. Zuko seemed to be one of the hardest hit, though perhaps that was just a consequence of his astonishing win rate against other naturals...he barely broke even against tech, and it far more often than not came down to the wire when he did.

That left a bleary-eyed Fuero staring at everything, trying to figure out what it was he was missing in all this...until at the latest of hours, he was forced to accept that he hadn't missed anything except the truth. The competitive advantage was undeniable. All the statements by the ACL that tech wasn't providing a competitive edge 'on balance' were complete bollocks. Did they know? Fuero had no idea, it seemed like something they couldn't possibly NOT know, but some people just didn't bother paying attention to these sorts of things, especially when the truth could be inconvenient. Proclaiming ignorance was easier when you actually had it. But some people DID know, and he could see a bunch of fansites where this debate had gotten ugly. And now he could understand why...it had never seemed like that in the junior leagues, especially not when he'd gone undefeated against everyone, techie or not. But...junior leagues restricted what tech could be used to a far tighter degree. The pro leagues were far looser, particularly outside the ACL, but even the ACL was relatively open.

All this had the purple 'Zard struggling with how to deal with it all. He couldn't very well take this to Zuko and prove everything he said right - it would only reinforce the idea that the red wasn't able to stick with it anymore. But it didn't seem fair that he had to suffer a disadvantage in battle just because he chose not to enhance himself, he clearly was the better competitor and it almost seemed like cheat-to-win was the way people were starting to approach him. True, it wasn't technically cheating, but Fuero was starting to see Zuko's point, it felt like not using what you were meant to use to succeed in this sort of setting. Worse, it felt like the tides were going against that sort of thing...Zuko might just be pushed out whether he wanted to be or not, as others seemed to have been, because the march of technology was taking over, you either needed to adapt or withdraw, and if things kept going as they were, there wouldn't be any naturals left.

What could be done, though? People aren't gonna want to give up their tools now that they have them. They made a huge stink about it for years to get the ACL to cave. Some people want this sort of thing, no matter what it means for the spirit of the competition...they don't care that it's reducing the matches to who has the better tools, maybe that's what they think it SHOULD be all about. No matter what, someone's gonna end up being disappointed...

Fuero spent day after day looking over things again and again, trying to think of something he missed, something he could use to try to convince Zuko to stick with it, something he could use to argue to anyone, himself included, that there was a way for both to coexist fairly...night upon night ending with him exhausted and frustrated. Until one night when his fatigued mind glanced upon an online post on a combat league forum, something that got the gears clicking once more...an idea that was so simple in theory he couldn't believe it hadn't occurred to him, yet so enormously complicated in reality that it was small wonder no one took the idea seriously. Making it happen would require so much to happen, there was no way one person could ever dream to pull it off.

On certain days, Fuero really came to appreciate just how many connections he had.

---

Week 31 of Fuero's training. Zuko wasn't sure how it had lasted this long, but he was starting to be glad for every week that could add to that tally. At least, he was happier about it than about his performances in actual matches...even if he was winning most of them, he didn't feel like he was doing as well as he should have. And they mattered more than ever now, because the Master Class Champion's Tournament was coming up soon...Zuko had been pushing himself as much as he could, even if he was having doubts about himself, because he absolutely did not want to go out with a pathetic whimper - win or lose, he would at least keep fighting to the end of the season. He could hear the whispers, questioning whether he was going to be out of the top seedings this time...it didn't really matter that much, but Zuko liked seeing the 1 next to his name, it validated the effort he put in. But that was up to the scorers, and he doubted they were as impressed this year as they had been in previous.

That, however, he was trying to keep to himself. Training Fuero meant focusing on Fuero, and he'd spent enough of their time together thinking of himself. He tried to shift his thoughts to what Fuero might want to learn this time while watching the purple 'Zard make some moves on one of the courses...technique seemed to be important for the effectiveness of their training, and Fuero was getting the hang of the Counter Strike, as well as the Feint Rush, a technique that was good for opening up matches by baiting the opponent into an apparent quick counter only to change up at the last moment. Zuko wondered if it was too early to work in the Flying Drop...Fuero would likely want to know that one, because not everyone could take advantage of it and Zuko had learned a few tricks that were specifically good for their kind. But that was complex and harder to practice, maybe he needed a few more basic ones that were more effective at the lower levels...

Fuero let out a loud grunt as he landed a drop, stumbling a bit, and Zuko noticed a grimace of pain on his face. His thoughts immediately scattered as he picked up on that. "Hold up! Did you hurt yourself?"

"Ah...I...uh..." Fuero hesitated a bit as Zuko walked over, feeling suddenly a bit anxious. "It's...I don't think it's anything big..."

"Didn't look like nothing, you clearly weren't right. What happened?"

"Nnh, I just...I caught a step badly this morning, turned my ankle a bit. It didn't really, uh, hurt, just felt a little tight...uh, until I was on the course, and it was, uh, feeling a little tighter. I thought it might go away, but it's not, really."

Zuko mused on that for a moment. "Right, we're shutting down the agility training today. Come with me to get it wrapped, and we'll rest it up for now. We'll go to mental training instead."

Fuero hesitated a bit; Zuko hadn't been so quick to put off anything, and he wondered if maybe he was going to upset the red 'Zard with this. He couldn't really say no, not after reading him the riot act over not caring...he really HAD thought it wasn't that bad, it hadn't really hurt and he'd moved it around without much trouble when testing it after the misstep. But if Zuko was going to take it seriously, he wasn't going to say no...

He followed Zuko over to a spot where the red 'Zard had a small satchel with some basic supplies. Zuko had never had any serious injury trouble, but even he was familiar with tweaks and such; for him, a good wrap meant that he could keep going without breaking stride. Now that he was aware that that was NOT the standard...well, for himself he was still doing it that way, but he made a point of making sure he could address Fuero's injuries and then gauge what he could do afterwards. But since he'd already been working on the bum ankle, it felt like a bad idea to continue today.

It was a bit awkward wrapping someone else's ankle - Zuko was used to his own, but trying to do it from the opposite perspective made for some fits and starts as he moved things the wrong way, and he wasn't sure how tight was too tight for Fuero. The purple 'Zard wasn't complaining, though, so he kept at it until he had it all wrapped up. "How's it feeling?"

"About the same...but I think this'll help." Fuero tested it, moving his ankle around gingerly and testing putting his weight on it as he leaned back against a tree. "Sorry...I should've said something at the start, I just really was thinking it wouldn't be a problem..."

He probably should have...but, of course, given how Zuko had reacted earlier, why would he? Fuero was clearly pushing himself, not complaining about Zuko's training where he had been before the blow-up, even if he'd been doing it...why would he say anything when Zuko had been hostile to him doing so? And even pushing himself to the point where he was taking that chance, even if a smaller one, with being less than ideal health...it came out almost without him even thinking about it. "I'm sorry."

"...Huh?" Fuero looked over at Zuko blankly. "Sorry for what? This? I did it to myself, no one to blame but me."

"Not...for that. For making you feel like you couldn't tell me about it. You should be able to tell me when you're not in your best shape. I need to be able to adjust when that happens, so that we can keep things up without putting you in more risk. I want you to be able to talk to me, and I haven't done a good job of that...you should tell me if you've got any issues, and if I gripe about it, you should call me out on it."

Fuero was struggling to process this a bit - this was definitely NOT the way Zuko typically was with him. Not that he didn't appreciate it, he just didn't expect it. "I...uh. I, um, I appreciate that, Zuko...it means a lot to me. I'll, uh, I'll make sure I'm more, er, forthcoming about that, then."

"Of course. And...well, you're good at being forthcoming, I guess, so don't be afraid to push back at me on anything else, either."

Something definitely felt up, Fuero couldn't remember Zuko being like this before. Then again, he had seemed to be less...pushy lately. Maybe it was one of those things where the change was so gradual that one didn't notice it until it was pointed out. "I, uh, yeah, sure...I mean, you've been...I think you've been doing a good job, lately. I feel like I'm learning a lot and getting better at things."

"...Not like when it started, right?"

"...Er...well, I mean...I wasn't gonna say that..."

"Wouldn't have been wrong if you had." Zuko closed his eyes, letting out another sigh. "And...I'm sorry about that, too. I did a shit job of trying to train you back then. And I wasn't fair to you. Not just about how I treated you, but about how I approached everything."

"Uh...I, uh, can't really deny that..." Fuero said a bit awkwardly.

"You know...I've been thinking about things a lot lately. And I...well, it hasn't told me a lot about me that I would have wanted to hear. I hear the whispers, even if I try to ignore them. Washed up. Past his prime. Stuck in the old ways. And...I guess, it gets to me. Because I don't feel like it's true...because I don't want it to be true. But not because I think that I have to be the best forever...everyone has to hang it up sometime, and I'm not gonna be any exception to that. It's just...the way it's happening. Feeling like it's a whole new style that doesn't reward what it was meant to reward. It feels like it's just...cheap wins. But even if they are cheap wins, it just makes those whispers sound louder in my ear, because it's harder not to believe it."

"I'm gonna say what I always say - you're still better than all of them."

Zuko's brow furrowed. "I don't know that that's even true anymore. Maybe on natural talent, sure, but...if this is the way the world's going, then maybe that's not the answer anymore. And if it's not, then that means I'm not better. And...I think that was what got to me most. I didn't want to accept that. Because it meant that my refusing to go along with it was...just foolishness, rather than wanting to preserve some kind of integrity or something. When Bryson approached me about training you, he wanted me to get something from it...but...that wasn't what I wanted to do. I wanted to prove that I was still right. I wanted...basically, a mirror image of me, following my same path, proving that they were better and that I was better. So I tried to do to you what I did to myself. Push you in ways that I pushed myself...without really taking into consideration that you weren't me."

"...That was why you flipped out when you saw that bio-stabilizer ring, wasn't it?" realized Fuero.

Zuko nodded. "It was...stupid. Like this dumb moment of panic that flung it back in my face that I was wrong. And...I reacted badly to it. And you knew that, you...were right to call me out on everything. I spent a lot of time whining about you forcing something on me that I didn't want, but really, I was the one trying to force something on you that you didn't want. Trying to make you do everything exactly the way I did it. But you forced me to realize that I didn't even KNOW how I did it...it was just a bunch of simple and low-effort thoughts, because I just...never thought about it when I didn't have to. Even trying to teach you my way, I did a piss-poor job of it...no wonder it never worked well."

"And if you couldn't teach me, then you couldn't prove anything you wanted to."

"Almost the opposite, really. It wasn't until I started thinking about retirement that I actually...well, thought about any of this. Couldn't have accepted I wasn't some purist of the art but just a stubborn grump being left in the dust until I allowed myself to think it really might be time...I guess that was what I was afraid of, though. That I'd have to accept what I didn't want to. And maybe that's just how it has to be for me, but it wasn't fair to force that on you. I'm sorry for how I treated you, Fuero. And I'm going to try to make it up to you, by trying to be...well, at least a mildly competent trainer, at least."

Fuero was quiet for a moment. "I...appreciate the apology, Zuko. I really do. Even if I was willing to look past it, it means a lot. And...for what it's worth, I should apologize, too. Because I didn't react that well, either."

"You had every reason to call me out."

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean I couldn't have been more mature about it. The more I thought about it, the more I was reminded of how I was my first year...and that's not something I like to remember about myself, because it was definitely NOT my best, well, me. It's not just you, either, I know that the brat slips through the cracks sometimes, and I've always had to work on locking it back up. But I think it was finding a different way to sneak out...I was just, uh, convinced that all I needed to do was just...prove it to you and that would be that. I wasn't really doing a good job of actually thinking about your feelings, just...trying to be right. My dad likes to say, it doesn't matter how right you are if no one likes you. I should've put more effort into understanding how you were thinking rather than just thinking I could change it...at least we could've gotten to understanding each other rather than clashing, even if nothing else changed."

Zuko contemplated that for a bit. "Mm...I guess that's true. But I didn't make it easy for you, either...it's easy to get frustrated when it doesn't even seem like someone's bothering to listen. I guess I need to at least do that...it's helped our training sessions a lot, I guess, so maybe it'll help in other ways, too. And...try not to treat everything that isn't 'my way' as an attack, I guess. That's going to take some getting used to."

"I'm sure you can do it." Fuero put his hand on Zuko's. "If a whiny rich brat like me can learn to listen to people and accept it, a champion like you definitely can."

"...Thanks, Fuero. I hope you're right." Zuko felt a bit of heat creep into his face from the touch, it was unusual for him to get that kind of contact. He pushed that away as he helped Fuero up. "We should get to the pond then. Try to work on clearing our minds and controlling ourselves. I could probably use that, I've got a techie that's been a pain in my tail for a while now..."

"Yeah...I could use a bit of time to focus and clear my head, too," agreed Fuero.

"Hmph, are you sure you're not just going to spend time imagining me in steamy situations?"

"Fun as that is, I really DO have things I'm working on, and I need a lot of focus for that."

Zuko raised an eye ridge. "Something other than this? You're gonna run yourself ragged, whelp. What kind of big things are you working on?"

"Uh...just, you know, pet projects. Things that are all very secret, under the radar." Fuero's expression was a bit nervous, which had Zuko even more curious. It was unusual for a fairly straight-shooter like the purple 'Zard to be this evasive. But, well, maybe that was his way of saying it wasn't his business without being aggressive about it...though, still, Fuero could have just SAID that... "Anyway, it's not anything you need to be thinking about right now. You're in the last stretch of the season, and I don't want to distract you, even if it's something small, right?"

Zuko wasn't sure he wouldn't be thinking about it NOW...but maybe his curiosity could wait for a bit. "Right...well, make sure you're ACTUALLY clearing your head, then."

"Hey, I do that! I swear I have VERY good focus when I'm doing this training!"

"Cute way of putting it, whelp. I'm sure you're VERY fixated on staring at your mental image of my body."

"Exactly! You can't get more focused than that! And with a fantastic subject, too!" Zuko snorted, but it was a little more lighthearted than usual. It was hard to tell how serious Fuero was being, but maybe it wouldn't hurt him to loosen up a touch on some things...and maybe he wasn't THAT averse to having Fuero like the idea of looking at him. Even if perhaps he should have been...but if it was just looking, then it wasn't that big a deal...

---

The last few weeks of the season almost seemed to fly by for Zuko. The training sessions felt like they were getting better, and even despite his lingering doubts about how long it could keep going, he was looking forward to every one of them. And it was invigorating him in the other parts of his life as well, he was putting more into his own training and his matches as well...enough that the last half-dozen matches of the season were torrid, seeing him come out swinging and take out his foes in classic fashion. Even a couple of tech-heavy foes, usually his bane, went down hard under his efforts...though, Zuko wasn't as surprised about those, he'd noticed that the techies tended to struggle more later in the season. Whether because their gimmicks were more figured out or because they just weren't as good at conditioning themselves, he didn't know, but he was going to take what he could get, and it felt good to be able to crush them in particular.

The one thing that he didn't know what to make of was the way Fuero and Bryson were acting lately. The purple 'Zard clearly had something on his mind that he wasn't talking about, even though he wasn't talking about it, Zuko could see him getting lost in thought now and then. It wasn't affecting his training performance, though, so he couldn't really say much about it. And then there was Bryson...the Alakazam seemed to be talking to more people than ever, constantly in contact with others about this or that, Zuko couldn't ever make out what it had to do with but it was much more engaged in other things than the red 'Zard had ever seen him. He couldn't help but wonder if there was some kind of scheme going on to get him to rethink his retirement question...which, if it was, might not have been necessary, as Zuko himself was wavering on it. True, he hadn't been completely committed to it from the start, but it was harder to contemplate that when he felt that fire in him lately. Then again, a big loss to a techie in the tournament would probably reignite those feelings, so maybe Bryson wanted a backup plan.

Zuko didn't try to pry too actively, but he couldn't help but be a bit curious as to what had everyone so occupied. He considered pushing to make Fuero tell him what was up, but held back, thinking he'd been pushy enough already and it hadn't worked out very well. When he finally did find out, though, he was enormously glad that he hadn't managed to get Fuero to spill, because the moment wouldn't have been nearly as sweet.

The Master Class Champion's Tournament kickoff event was always one of the biggest hooplas in the ACL. A huge shindig with music, crowds, and lots of blather than Zuko couldn't have cared less about. What mattered to Zuko was the seedings, which were officially set and announced there, and that was what compelled him to be there...well, that and he was mandated to be, but at least he had ONE reason to attend that wasn't forced on him. It was good to know who he would be up against and who he might be up against in the tournament, giving him time to prepare his strategies against each of them. Where he would be seeded was important, too...it was likely to be high, he knew where he was in the points standings and it was near the top of the leaderboard, but the seeding commission took more than that into account and he wasn't truly convinced that his late run would count for as much against the struggles he had earlier in the season.

The crowds were, as usual, making him uncomfortable, and he was keeping withdrawn, to himself, avoiding too much contact and wading through the throngs as he made his way towards the presentation stage. He was used to that, though, it was his norm during these events...what wasn't the norm was that he was kind of wishing Fuero was there. The purple whelp felt almost like a bit of a comfort zone to him, but the counterpoint to that was that he'd started to realize how alone he was when he was alone...and that didn't bother him so much when he was alone on his own, but alone on a crowd was when he started to feel it. Though, maybe there was another reason...maybe he wanted Fuero to be proud of his placement. He'd been trying to push that out, it was a vanity that he shouldn't be seeking out, but perhaps he was hoping that his success would be motivating to the whelp...or maybe he just felt like Fuero's genuine admiration was helping keep his mood up lately. Or maybe he just wanted SOME distraction from the noise and calmer around him...especially from the music playing on the stage, with heavy rumbling guitars and drums that make his ears and head hurt. Guh, why do they always have to have the noisiest bands at these things? Is there something wrong with a little proper music?

Finally, the 'music' died down, and the ACL commissioner, Rictor Alvarez, a well-built Ursaring who looked like he'd been a fighter at one point in his own life, stepped onto the stage. As usual, there was a smattering of boos, which no one paid any mind - Rictor was a convenient scapegoat for discontent, deserved or not, but it hardly mattered since he was decidedly not appointed by public sentiment. Zuko didn't really have any feelings towards him one way or the other, but he supposed that was probably a good thing - Rictor hadn't given him a good reason to dislike him, at least.

"Thank you all for being here tonight." The Ursaring's voice was sonorous enough without the help of the mics, with them it sounded almost imperious. "Tonight is the night you've all been waiting for - the night when everything has been tallied, reviewed, revised, and committed. Tonight, we reveal the Master Class Champion's Tournament seedings. Perhaps there will be a surprise name in the brackets. Perhaps there's a surprise name OUT of the brackets. Perhaps there's a surprise favorite! The only thing I can guarantee is that there will be a surprise...including one I can guarantee none of you will have seen coming."

Zuko's attention perked up at that last statement. He'd gotten used to the Ursaring's filler blather, which really just served as build-up more than anything, but that last remark had something else behind it...it had the air of something meaningful to it.

"And so, before we get to the seedings...allow me make a statement. I don't think I express often enough how much I appreciate the enthusiasm we get from all you fans and the tremendous efforts from the fighters and their support teams. You are what makes the ACL what it is, and while we've always done outreach and appreciation events, I don't think those ever truly convey just how much you mean to us." Zuko's attention had been captured; this was unlike anything he'd ever heard out of Rictor before, the Ursaring was always big on the spectacle and rarely got even this level of...almost personal. The rest of the crowd seemed equally perplexed, a few whispers here and there trying to figure out what was up. "And sometimes we're accused of taking things for granted...and perhaps, at times, we do indeed fall into that trap. It can be all too easy to follow the same path, blindly, not paying attention to where it leads...but I'm one who thinks having your eyes open is the only way to go, even when it shows you something you didn't expect. Ladies and gentlemen...allow me to show you the new path, one that will change the Arena Combat League forever."

The area went dark, the lights fading out as the screen behind the commissioner was the only thing that was still visibly active. It too was dark, at least at first...and then, as Zuko and all others watched, something came into view.

_[The screen flashes a brief image of a generated fighter - an image of a Lucario, not matching any known fighter. The Lucario is shown dashing forward to strike at another generated fighter, a Greninja with a heavy tech armament visible on their person. The two are attacking each other, trading blows, some of which land and some of which are narrowly dodged. There is no clear indication of who is winning or losing, as both fighters are showing off some impressive displays.

Suddenly, the battle stops as the arena rumbles. The ACL logo on the wall is showing sparks and bolts as it shudders and shakes in the screen. A bright flash, and suddenly things cut to the arena, where the two halves are falling away into the void, the fighters split apart onto their respective halves. Things go dark once again._

A light picks up, and the Lucario stands up again, rubbing their head and looking around. There's darkness all around, but a generated image of a Lucario's Aura Sense lights up multiple figures all around them. A Machoke steps into the light, bereft of anything except their person, and the Lucario rushes to engage them. The two trade a couple of moves before a Blaziken jumps in, and the Lucario's focus switches to fighting against them. Several different engagements are shown in sequence, with a Kommo-o, a Feraligatr, and a Garchomp all trying to take the Lucario down without success, before the Lucario punches towards a Hitmonchan's fist before the screen cuts away.

The Greninja is now the focus, and they spy an Infernape decked out in their own combat gear. The two engage, sending physical and technical attacks flying at each other briefly, but much like the Lucario's half, the Greninja finds themself facing several other geared-up opponents in succession, including a Serperior, an Inteleon, and an Excadrill, before coming face to face with a Rhyperior's charging hand cannon. There is a large blast, and then-

In quick succession, the Lucario and Greninja are seen flying backwards, towards a barrier that may or may not be real between them. There is no indication that they are aware of each other as they stand back up, eyes forward to engage the masses of unknown enemies. The camera shifts to look at them from above rather than to the side, and both are standing on indistinct versions of the ACL logo, except they look somehow off, each one similar to yet distinct from the familiar logo and from each other. As the two shoot forward again, the camera remains on the logos while everything around them goes dark. The logos are lit up by flashy effects drawing over them with an electric outline, the ACL letters showing up - and then in the body, the center of the left one flashes with the word "NATURAL" while the right flashes with "CYBER". Underneath the logos, the phrase "A new era of combat begins" with the launch date of the next season underneath.]

The stunned silence lasted only a second after the logo reveals, and then all calamity broke loose. Zuko was hardly even aware of it - he wasn't even aware of how his jaw had dropped. Nothing had been spoken, but the implication was impossible to miss - the 'natural' and 'cyber' terms, the fact that the non-tech and tech fighters were shown separately, and the logo changes, there was only one possible conclusion.

Holy shit. They're splitting the league.

"That's right!" Rictor's voice was coming back in, and even as much of a presence as it was it still fought to be heard over the crowd. "Beginning next season, the ACL will officially be a bifurcated league! The Natural League will forbid all in-match combat tech - this does not affect training, but in matches you have nothing but your own power to rely on! And our Cyber League will allow far lower restrictions on battle gear so those who wish can duke it out with their strongest weaponry! And for those who want to see the two clash, exhibition matches between the leagues, independent of official standings, will be happening on a regular basis! This has been an idea bubbling for a while now, and we've finally had enough of a push to make it happen! I hope all of you will be able to enjoy both new leagues with all-new opportunities for more combatants than ever!"

It all felt like a dream to Zuko, too good to be true. He'd never heard a word breathed about anything like this, never would have imagined it possible for a second...and yet here it was, for the whole world to see. For the first time in quite a while, a rare real smile passed over his snout...not even hearing that he was going to be pitted against one of his old tech bugbears in the first match, or the fact that he'd been placed as a #1 seed after all, meant as much as this. This was one tournament, but the league was a brand new lease on life, and it had been years since anything had stoked his fires so fiercely. Any thoughts of hanging it up vanished in an instant - he was back, and ready to take on the world.