Dancing On Air
Chapter 1
It had been a long time since the Royal Family had gone on an outing together, not since before Zuko's grandfather died and his mother disappeared. Before outings had been semi-regular, his mother insisting they go see the Ember Island Players every year and the occasional other play that made its way to the capital.
This time it was Zuko's Uncle Iroh that managed to get Zuko's father, Fire Lord Ozai, to agree to the outing. Iroh's reasoning seemed to be that Ozai spent too much time being Fire Lord and not enough time being a father, Ozai hardly ever even in the same room as his children. Most of the time even dinner comprised of Zuko, Azula, their cousin Lu Ten, when he wasn't off being a General, and Iroh.
No one seemed to know why Zuko's Grandfather Azulon overlooked Iroh, and thus Lu Ten, for the throne and gave it to Ozai on his deathbed. Both Iroh and Lu Ten excelled in the military and were great generals and many thought they would have been great leaders. Some believed it was because at the time of Azulon's death, it was believed that Lu Ten had died in a scouting expedition and wanting Ozai, who had living heirs, to take over instead so there would be no question of lineage. Others whispered Azulon's death had been suspicious and Ozai had somehow forced his father into forfeiting the throne to Ozai before killing him but no one would dare say these things loud enough to be questioned for treason.
Still after Ozai became Fire Lord, Iroh had left for many years, exploring the world and eventually finding his son and returning home. Neither seemed bitter about their places in the family hierarchy, Iroh becoming an advisor to his brother while Lu Ten returned to service.
Tonight, on the rare occasion that Lu Ten was home, Iroh all but pulled Ozai from the throne room to have this family outing. Instead of a play they were going to a circus of all things.
Admittedly Zuko could not remember if he had ever been to a circus, though he somehow doubted it, he thought they were all a bit old for such things. Still he didn't object to the outing when Ozai relented to the outing, unlike Azula who was making no attempts at hiding her muttering at being dragged out.
Either not hearing or, more than likely, ignoring Azula, Iroh and Lu Ten talked excitedly about the acts they were about to see as they made their way to their seats, above the rest of the crowd. There was going to be acts from all over the world, including Water and Earth benders. Apparently there were even rumors of a surprise performer the circus saved for their finale that they kept closely under wraps.
For the most part Azula glanced up on occasion from examining her nails, only really paying attention during the acrobats, while Ozai sat still and stared outward as if listening to a council meeting. At first Zuko tried to do the same but after the animals, clown and various other acts were over the benders came in.
First it was the Waterbender, a girl who couldn't be much younger than Zuko, possibly the same age as Azula. She wore exaggerated Water Tribe clothing to be eye catching like the rest of the circus performers, though Zuko didn't think she really needed it with how beautiful she was with her long flowing brown hair and piercing ocean blue eyes. From the water barrels placed around her she bended the water so it swirled around her, flowing and freezing; gentle as a dance and as quick and sharp as a thrown dagger.
Next was the Earthbender, another girl obviously much younger, even younger than Azula by a couple of years. This girl, possibly due to her age, did not wear anything flashy even any stage make-up. At first she was still and then she held out a blind fold which she covered her eyes with, which Iroh scoffed at even though Zuko wasn't sure as to why. More Earthbenders came out to attack the girl but she defended against each one with ease before sending each opponent away and continuing her display with was more about strength and power than the performance that the previous act had been.
Just when Zuko thought it was over the Ring Leader came out and announced there was one more act to go; the circus' most prized treasure: the Airbender.
"Airbenders don't typically leave their temples outside of pilgrimages or trade," Iroh frowned but looked around for him.
The spotlights lead their gaze to him, up above the top wire, toward the top of the tent. This bender was a young boy, about the Earthbender's age. As Iroh had once told him, the boy was bald, shaven to be that way, and even from the distance Zuko could see the boy's vivid blue arrow tattoos. His clothes were shining yellow and youthful orange, in what Zuko imagined was an exaggerated take on Air Nomad monk clothing with how much yellow embroidery highlighted the orange shawl like piece as well as charms and ribbons that were throughout the clothing.
Suddenly the Airbender dropped down, plummeting to the ground without the net anywhere to be scene. Zuko almost shouted, almost looked away, but just above where the net would have been the Airbender swooped upward again. The boy had some sort of glider the whole time, using it and his bending to circle around the audience as they cheered, coming so close to their booth Zuko almost could have reached out and touched him.
After making a couple of rounds the Airbender flew up above the center ring and releases his glider, letting it glide back to the ground without him. He stayed up in the air, creating wind like a ball around him to keep him upwards, allowing to move downward at his own pace, twirling downward much like an acrobat on the trapeze without wanting or needing the swing bar to latch onto.
When the Airbender reached the ground, he still did not touch it. Instead he created a new, smaller ball of air below him that kept him levitated off the ground as he made another, speedy round closer to the audience below Zuko.
Letting the ball dissipate, the Airbenders feet finally touched the ground but he was not done yet. Four different barrels had been placed around the ring and he used his bending to grab something from each barrel and swirl it around him much like the Waterbender had done with water earlier, keeping the contents from each barrel separate with a different air current. It took Zuko a moment to realize that within the air currents was different colored sand that sparkled when the light hit it just right. There was red, blue, green and orange all dancing around the Airbender but never quite touching each other.
At the climax of the band's music, the Airbender tossed the currents, thus the sand upward, creating a burst of color much like a firework before it drifted back down and covered the boy as he did his bow and waved good bye to the audience. With his wide smile, the Airbender shined like the sun.
"Zuko," Lu Ten calling his name reminded Zuko that he had to breathe, "Are you alright? I've never seen you so," he stared at Zuko's face a moment, "intense."
"More like mesmerized," Iroh chuckled. "Airbenders truly are amazing, aren't they Prince Zuko?"
"Yes," Zuko agreed without thinking, still watching the Airbender do his waves before walking off stage, Zuko standing so he could watch him until he was out of sight, internally cursing when the Ring Leader blocked his view. "I have to meet him."
"Not likely," Azula scoffed, "You heard Uncle, Zuzu, Airbenders don't normally leave their temples. After somehow managing to get this one I bet the circus keeps him under lock and key between performances."
"I'm a prince, they will let me met him," Zuko reasoned.
"That's the first time I've ever heard you speak that way," Ozai spoke for the first time since they left the palace, looking at Zuko in the first time in what felt like years.
It was a struggle not to squirm, not to apologize even though Zuko wasn't sure if he had even done anything wrong. With his father's constantly accusing or condescending tones it was hard to tell when he was actually angry at anything.
Ozai regarded Zuko for a moment before looking back at the crowd below which was beginning to disperse.
"Send another carriage for me, I shall remain here a while longer," Ozai stated, essentially dismissing the lot of them.
Ushering them out, Iroh sent word to the palace for a new carriage to be sent, making them wait until the new carriage arrived before allowing them to leave and making most of the soldiers that came with them to stay behind and wait for Ozai to be finished. He ignored Azula's comments that their father could more than handle himself as they rode their carriage back home.
"I wonder what the Fire Lord wanted to stay at the circus longer for," said Lu Ten.
"Probably going to have the lot executed for trying to bore us to death," said Azula.
"I thought you would have at least liked the benders," said Zuko, thinking it was safer then to comment to her paying attention during the acrobats.
"Oh please," Azula waved her hand dismissively, "The other elements are a poor man's parlor trick compared to the real bending of fire."
"You should show more respect to your fellow benders, Princess Azula, all elements have their own strengths," Iroh lightly scolded her.
"If you say so Uncle," Azula rolled her eyes to Zuko once Iroh was no longer looking.
Once home, Zuko went to meditate but could not find the ability to concentrate. All he could think of was the Airbender, shining and smiling as he danced in the air, soaring with the freedom of a bird. In particular he would picture the moment he could almost reach out and touch the Airbender, imagining their eyes met for a moment.
Failing to meditate, Zuko went to join the others for dinner, Lu Ten and Iroh still speaking of the acts they enjoyed at the circus.
"It was my first time seeing an Airbender," Lu Ten admitted. "I've seen many Earth and Waterbenders while traveling with the navy but never an Airbender."
"Air Nomads used to travel more but since your great Grandfather Sozin almost started a war with the comet and went after the Air Nomads with it, they've become all the more secluded," Iroh told them. "That young performer is probably the first Air Nomad to step foot on Fire Nation soil in a hundred years."
"That's because they know if that traitor Roku hadn't survived the volcano that they'd be extinct right now," Azula said it so casually you'd think she was talking about the chance of rain.
"Avatar Roku stopped the Fire Nation from making a huge mistake; we should all be thankful war was avoided," Iroh gave her a hard look.
"I'm thankful no one has seen Roku in over a decade which means the new Avatar is a weakling Air Nomad right now," Azula smiled in response.
"Again Princess Azula, you need to learn the strengths of the other elements and their cultures, it's dangerous and a shame to think so little of them," Iroh tried to reason with her.
Whatever Azula may have said in reply was lost when Ozai entered the dining hall. The group stood out of respect for him, sitting again once he joined them.
"It's very nice to have dinner with you brother," Iroh smiled warmly at Ozai, "Was the matter you attended to at the circus taken care of?"
Ozai nod and though he didn't look at Zuko, Zuko could tell that his father was speaking to him, "After dinner there is a gift for you in your room."
Just barley Zuko managed not to stare at his father with his mouth hanging open and stammer a quick thank you. He was pretty sure it was not his birthday and his father had not acknowledged it for the last five years. What reason could there be for his father to give him something?
"A gift," Azula questioned, "For Zuzu? What's the occasion?"
"I do what I see fit; I don't need a reason," Ozai reminded her and she became silent.
After dinner Azula followed Zuko to his room, insisting that she see what the gift was.
"Maybe he got you that Airbender's autograph?" Azula jested.
"I'm sure it's nothing big," Zuko reasoned, still surprised at the idea of there being a surprise, from his father of all people, waiting in his room.
"Hopefully it's not too small for us to find," Azula smirked.
Zuko opened his door and lost his breath. Sitting cross-legged with his feet tucked under him on the chair by Zuko's desk was the Airbender, now dressed in more casual, flowing yellow robes with an orange sash. It looked like he had been reading a random book Zuko had left there before they came in but looked up and smiled as Zuko stared.
As the Airbender stood, Zuko realized that the boy was bare foot and the robes actually looked like one you would wear to bed rather than to the palace. The boy walked up to them, smiling as brightly as ever, and raised up his hands. He straightened his right hand and closed his left before putting the hands together and bowing to them.
"It's an honor to meet you Prince Zuko and Princess Azua," said the Airbender before looking up again and letting his arms rest back at his sides, "My name is Aang," he turned to Zuko, "Your father said you wished to meet me?"
When Zuko said nothing, still staring, Azula spoke, "Well, that's slightly bigger than an autograph."