All Roads Lead To Shukumei
Foxflame: Hello dear readers! I have been reading a ton of Zutara fan fiction and I have been inspired to try out a little story of my own. With the winter season coming and all, I expect to spend a little more time inside- so what better way to pass the time!
P.S- Shukumei in Japanese means destiny or predestination
Ok as you well know, this story is Zuko x Katara pairing! Just a heads up for people who get confused because I know I get very angry at authors who don't specify the pairings- half way through reading a story just to discover I hate the pairing! Life's to short to waste so much time!
Disclaimer: Who specified we had to write these things anyway? Oh well- I do not own any of the creations from Avatar: The Last Air bender. However my story lien is my own
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Prologue: The end of one war, the beginning of the next
"Whenever evil befalls us, we ought to ask ourselves, after the first suffering, how we can turn it into good. So shall we take occasion, from one bitter root, to raise perhaps many flowers."
Leigh Hunt (1784 - 1859)
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The woman slowly lifted the porcelain cup of hot tea to her lips, taking in the sweet smell before taking the plunge and sipping it ever so slightly. The liquid did well to warm the old woman during the cold night hours.
She was the only one left in the small tea shop in the middle of Ba Seng Se, and the staff was running around making the preparations for tomorrow's hopeful customers.
"Would you like anything else mam?" asked the middle aged waitress whose eyes held the lack of luster of one who has been through to much in life.
"Did you see the headlines of today's newspaper?" questioned the old woman back. "The war has finally come to an end! The blessed Avatar has succeeded in saving us all from the dreadful fire nation"
"Why of course; its all anyone has talked about. My husband and I took the afternoon off to go celebrating in the streets with the rest of Ba Seng Se. Did you attend the festival?"
The waitress eyed the paper the woman was holding, noting the free hand drawn picture of the young Avatar and his team in the Fire Nation's tower. The old woman sipped her tea once more before responding.
"Sadly, no. My old bones were not up for the dancing! And besides, one as old as me knows that there is not much to celebrate"
"Are you serious! We won the war! The war that ripped apart so many families, killed so many people, caused so much chaos!" cried the waitress a little too passionately. Was this old woman crazy?
She smiled at the young lady, a smile only a professional grandma could have after years of smiling for an infant child's naïve ways.
"Now what? We won the war, but does this mean the killings will stop?"
The waitress thought for a moment, hesitantly answering "Why…yes…the Fire Nation isn't going to…"
"But who says it will be the Fire Nation to continue the killings?"
The older woman looked at the woman with a smirk on her face, knowing she had made the impact she hoped for. "Now for the first time in a very long time the Fire Nation is at our mercy. Do you honestly believe there will be those who do not abuse that fact? The killings will continue; oh yes. Now a whole new war has begun."
"But the new Fire Nation Lord is looking for peace I am sure he is…he is such a sensible boy…and he helped the Avatar to defeat his own father"
"Ah my dear have you not heard? Prince Zuko has renounced his desire to rule his kingdom. He has run away; fleed his birth right"
"Then who is ruling in his place?" Automatically the waitress feared the worst- that Azula , the evil daughter of the Fire Lord assumed the throne.
"His Uncle Iroh, which I am glad about. He is a true man with virtues and understanding. But he cannot rule for long; this situation needs the control of a young, strong, sensible warrior- not an old, wise one. Soon enough Iroh's time will come to an end…and then what, if Zuko is no where to be found?"
"I…. still don't understand. The war is over! Who would want to continue to fight? I just cant see…" and before she could finish her sentence, a loud noise outside the tea shop caught both their attention.
A few teenage Earth benders were running around with their tribal flags, continuing an obvious celebration, when a fire nation woman and child passed them in the street.
One of the boys spit on the woman, who shielded her child and cried out "Please, we do not mean any injustice here!"
"Is that so? Well did your husband mean any injustice when he murdered my family! You stupid whore, you will see what will happen to any Fire Nation who dare cross my path!" The poor woman ran away with her child, as the boys laughed and screamed and threw bottles at the woman's back.
"It has already begun, just like I figured" sighed the old woman, slowly standing and grabbing her money purse. "Please take care. This is no time to let your guard down"
The waitress slowly nodded, trying to absorb all she just saw. Her happiness moments ago seemed so juvenile! This world is not cleansed, she thought, there is still so much more to go though before my child can be raised in peace.
"Those boys are just an example. People all around the world, who now feel empowered because the Fire Nation is weak, will take this opportunity to avenge loose ends."
The old wise woman made her way to the door, and before she left she said over her shoulder "It's the end the war, but the beginning of the next!"
The bell chimes rang out through the silent tea house, leaving the waitress to wander in the recesses of her own mind.
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Ok ladys and gentz, that was the prologue! Its jus a way of filling you in about what the world is like now the war is over; you weren't expecting rainbows and butterflies I hope!
Next chapter we will begin our little tale of lllurrrrrrrrrrveee!
Stay tuned mon aimes!