The carriage passed quietly over the road leading into the National Republic. The afternoon sun was high in the sky when Zuko looked out as a city drew near. His sister, Azula, sat in front of him, dressed in Regal Fire Nation attire, delicately fussing over her nails. She always had to be so perfect. To his left, their mother Ursa, sat neatly with her hands in her cloak sleeves, a smile playing on her beautiful features. In front of her and to Azula's right, Zuko's uncle Iroh sat in the green and tan hues of the Earth Kingdom that housed his Tea Shoppe, the "Jasmine Dragon", nurturing a small cup of tea, trying vainly to sip at it as the carriage ran over a few bumps in the road. The driver made a hasty apology, but Iroh waved him off.
"No need to apologize. There are bound to be bumps and turns in the road, and regardless of how much we try to avoid them, there will always be more. We can only just accept and learn from them." He smiled warmly when he finally finished his cup.
Zuko acknowled his uncle's positivity with a nod, he had come to learn much from the old General's musings.
"We're getting close now. Fire Lady Ursa, Prince Zuko, Princess Azula, National Republic is a fine little city that I am sure you will come to cherish as I have. The Four Nations coming together as one in harmony. This Integration that you two will be participating in will be a huge step forward, not only for the Fire Nation, but for the other nations as well," Iroh closed his eyes appreciatively as the sounds of the growing city slowly became audible beyond the walls.
The National Republic was still developing, the first official stepping stones of harmony since Avatar Roku had brought balance to a world on the edges of War. Fire Lord Sozin had tried to throw the nations into chaos years ago, but the Avatar had seen the glint of strife in the megalomaniac's eye, and snuffed the spark before it caught flame. It was a devastating blow, as once upon a time, Roku's friendship with Sozin had been as strong as brothers. But he had seen the change overtaking the Fire Lord, he knew his old friend was gone. And after Sozin had initiated the first move, the Avatar had struck him down in a fury. Fire Prince Azulon stepped forward to assume the throne. But Avatar Roku warned him, that if he carried a like-mind as his late Father, he would have no choice but to strike him down the same way. It was the Avatar's Duty to keep balance to the world.
Fire Lord Azulon was wise to heed the Avatar's warning, despite the death of Roku and the sudden disappearance of the new Avatar. But he remained loyal to the laws and tradition's of the Fire Nation, upholding a strict rule of Aristocracy, Hierarchy and Wealth of Power in firm control. However, when the heir to the throne, the aging Prince Iroh, lost his only son and heir in a tragic accident, he was forced to withhold tradition for bloodline, and grant his younger son, Prince Ozai, the Heir Apparent. 28th his two young children heirs to the throne, and Fire Lord Azulon succumbing to old age, Prince Ozai stepped forward to claim the throne. Though he was as strict as his father had been, he began to see the wisdom in his brother's constant dealings and meandering in and out of the other nations. And when his strategically gifted daughter, young Princess Azula, whispered into his ear the benefits of international trade, the light of power began to shine brighter in his eyes. As Azula, a clear fire bending prodigy at a very tender young age, explained to him, he could uphold the Avatar's warning and keep balance in the world, but gain power at the same time through beneficial trade in and out of the country. The other nations could become dependant on the Fire Nation through goods only developed in there, and earn powerful favours that could keep the family on the throne without fear of government overthrows or assassinations to place new blood in power. He smiled with pride at the genius of Princess Azula. Instead of burning everything to the ground like his foolish grandfather tried to elect, he could build up the other nations and control them like puppets with high favours, eventually over taking them with trust. Azula was truly a Prodigy.
But though she was strategic by birth, her birth was not strategic. Princess Azula was not Heir Apparent to the throne. She was the younger child of Fire Lord Ozai and Fire Lady Ursa. Prince Zuko was the elder child, and thus, heir. This bothered him, for Zuko was not as cunning, conniving and determined as his sister, and he was certainly no prodigy. Fire Lords were powerful, and held a responsibility and reputation high from birth. They didn't have to just "act" like royalty, they had to BE royalty. Ozai blamed his wife for Zuko's weak, almost pathetic, nature. She nurtured him too much. She needed to be strict and not praise him for just trying. Actions spoke loud, but failed attempts screamed at the nationals. But Princess Azula had already thought it through. She already commanded everyone who she encountered, Fire Lord or not. Why be run ragged with the hassles and burdens of the throne when she could easily rule over Zuko's shoulder. She could speak in his ear and lead the Nation while sitting comfortably as Zuko's Second in Command, without being encumbered by the constant nagging that came with ruling a country. Fire Lord Ozai obviously agreed. His daughter was Perfection incarnate.
Prince Iroh decided to become a teacher at the academy in National Republic, having observed and learned much from the other Nations and Elements of Air, Water and Earth respectively. He wanted to contribute as much as he could to the harmonious mingling of the Nations. He understood and respected their individual traditions and, after conversing with his brother, the Fire Lord, found the approval of taking his Nephew and Niece to learn Integration in the City. He wanted Prince Zuko to know the importance of balance in the world, and balance with the other elements, as he, like Iroh, was a powerful fire bender, though not as acclaimed as his sister, who could bend an intense blue flame.
So now was Prince Zuko and his family, arriving into National Republic. They would be staying at the Royal suite situated just outside of the southern part of the city. Once they reached the ornately large house and settled their things, Fire Lady Ursa urged her children to go into the city and become acquainted with the denizens. They would start at the academy in a couple of days, and she wanted them to feel comfortable with the other students. She smiled approvingly at her son and daughter.
"Here, children, we are not seen as royalty or commoners, but as equals. I want you to keep that in mind at all times. Your father wishes you to represent the Fire Nation in all it's glory and respect, but to do so," here she emphasized the importance of her words to Azula by gently squeezing her shoulder, "you must learn to respect and understand the other nations as equals."
She knew her daughter's stubborn nature and drive to win by any means necessary. Ursa was one of the few who were wise to Azula's soft words.
Currently the fifteen year old princess was tugging the sleeve of her seventeen year old brother's gold and crimson robes. "Come Zuko, if we want to be equal as mum says, then we have to ditch our royal attire for some common garb. Let's go mingle with the peasants of the city."
"Azula!"
Zuko raised an eyebrow, a slightly concerned look gracing his flawless features. His golden gaze drifted from his sister to his mother, who had replaced her smile with a look of stern displeasure. Azula raised a hand up in mock disgrace, "I was only joking, Mother. Just trying to lighten the mood. Come on, Zuzu." Zuko grimaced at the use of the nickname. She had been calling him that since they were little. He hoped vainly she would refrain from using it while they attended the academy together, but he knew the chances of that happening were slim to nothing.
After changing from his regal wear to a gold-edged, black short-sleeved outfit with a gold belt tied around his middle and black pants with matching knee-length boots, he met Azula outside by the carriage. She was wearing a burgundy and gold top that cut off in the middle, baring her lean stomach and toned abs, a knee-length matching sarong with darker pants underneath, and black shoes. She was toying with a gold dragon arm band. Her hair was twirled up and held in place with a marbled hair stick, strands fanning out behind her head.
"That's all you are going to represent the Fire Nation with Zuzu? Black and Gold? Well, at least you wear it well, I'll just tell everyone we meet that you are mourning a dead girlfriend or something equally depressing."
He narrowed his bright gold eyes in a glare at his sister and climbed in the cart after her. Azula crossed her left leg over her right with air of annoyance, bringing her left hand up to inspect her nails again.
"This integration better be worth our time and not just some silly year-long camping trip uncle tricked us into. It's bad enough we can't appear exactly as we are, Fire Nation Royalty!"
Zuko knew she was playing coy. She had agreed to this without much prompting. He smirked,
"C'mon Azula, it will should be interesting for you. You get to boss around all-new people, and they won't even know who you are, or why they're listening to you. It will be just like when we vacationed on Ember Island last summer."
Azula titled her hand and looked at him, a grin appearing on her face. "Well, it was amusing destroying that governor's house. His son deserved it anyway. I mean, who doesn't invite US to their party?!"
Zuko smirked again, reeling his sister in, "I hear the earth benders around here have a pretty bad attitude. Should be a nice challenge for you. Might also be an interesting experience to fight in a match against a water bender..."
A devious glint appeared in the princess' eye as she knit her eyebrows close together. "Do they now...well, we'll just have to see about that."
A group of teenagers sat next to a large decorative fountain in the middle of a rest area. A tanned-skinned boy sitting reclined back on the edge of the fountain, dressed in blue clothes and hair pulled back in a pony tail, was conversing with a young bald monk with enormous grey eyes and blue arrow tattoos on his head and hands. Next to them sat a long haired boy in green Earth Kingdom clothes similar to Uncle Iroh's. He was concentrating, chin in hand, fingers tracing a silly looking mustache on his upper lip and right arm wrapped around his middle. He leaned on a stone marble game with another young Earth Kingdom clad youth, a dark-haired girl with bare feet. She was laying down on the bench of the fountain, facing away from the boy, left leg crossed over her right, chewing on the fingernails of her right hand. When the boy flicked a pebble from his hand down to the marbles of the game, it shot one of the stone marbles off the bench. But before it got far, the girl slammed her hand onto the stone fountain and a random rock flew off the ground, blasting the marble into the sky. The boy's hand went from his chin in a disbelieving sign.
A few feet away from the fountain, a boy in a straight legged wheelchair was showing off some tricks to a girl dressed in a pink top and baggy pink pants. She had a long braided brunette pony tail, and seemed possessed with an exaggerated personality. She was clapping her hands exultingly then, when she suddenly bent down and started walking on her hands. She walked all the way to the bench were the others were talking, climbed up and then rested down on her chest, her legs coming up behind her like a scorpion tail. She looked interested in the game the earth youths were playing, then shrugged as her feet came to rest down on her shoulders.
Zuko took in the sight as the cart slowed and stopped near the rest area. He and his sister climbed out and waved the driver away. They'd call for a city carriage when they needed one. Azula crossed her arms and eyed the teenagers before turning to walk away, "If these are the challenges you were talking about, I'm not interested. I'm going to see if there is a decent market around here, but Agni know's there likely isn't. I'll meet you back here at sun down."
Zuko made a quick glance to see which direction Azula was headed and started walking up to the teens. His hair was short but his bangs were long enough to sweep into his eyes from time to time. He didn't quite know how to approach them, but was relieved when the boy with the pony tail looked up at him and waved his hand, thumb, ring and middle fingers extended.
"Hey. You attending the Integration Academy here in Republic? I could tell. Young, bored, no idea what to make of it and just trying to find something to pass the time away. Join the club, not much of a choice anyway."
Zuko put his hands in his pockets. Yeah, that pretty much summed it up. He raised an eyebrow in agreement and raised his left hand in a questioning gesture, but the boy began speaking again.
"What, us? We did exactly what you're doing. A cab dropped us off and we just kind of sat here. We don't really know each other, but a few of us have met a couple days earlier. My name is Sokka. I'm from the Southern Water Tribe. My comrade here is Aang, he's an Airbender from the Eastern Air Temple...or was it Southern...or both? Well anyways, he's Aang."
The monk stood up and bowed respectfully to him. He pulled his hands up in a Fire Nation flame greeting and bowed. Sokka leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and gestured a thumb to the two Earth Kingdom kids.
"Over there with the hair and moustache is Haru. I forgot which city it is he is from...hey where are you from again?" Haru looked back smiling, "I'm from..." Sokka cut him off quickly, waving his hand half heartedly, "yes yes, anyways."
Haru frowned, his thin mustache outlining his unhappy mouth. The green bandana seemed to highlight his brow together, making him look like a very unhappy panda-cat. Sokka pulled a face and continued,
"Ah-dunno wha' that was 'bout...let's carry on. The girl picking her nose and flicking it is Toph Bei Fong. She's from Gaoling City. She's this crazy powerful Earth Bender." Sokka suddenly leaned forward with his hand shielding his mouth away from her and mimed the words "she's blind" and then pulled his lips in a upside down U and bugging his eyes, thrusting a thumb in her direction. He nodded to assure Zuko, but a large rock flew out of no where and struck the water tribesman in the head. He yelped and cupped his ear.
Toph shouted up from her seat, "I can still see you, fool!" Sokka shrugged, scrunched his and shook his head,
"I dunno how she does it. But over there in the wheels is Teo and the girl staring you down...in a creepy sort'a way...is Ty Lee." Zuko had not noticed the girl had moved from the fountain and suddenly appeared at his right shoulder.
He jumped a little as two big grey eyes rivaling those of the monk stared deeply into his face, "Wow, you are GORGEOUS!" she was leaning up at him, coming closer to his face. He blushed and shifted uncomfortably, feeling quite awkward as the girl scrutinized him. "You have THE PRETTIEST gold eyes I have EVER seen!"
Zuko took a step away from her and cleared his throat. He waved slowly, "..er...Hey. My name is Zuko. I'm from the Fire Nation." Sokka suddenly stood up hands shooting one to his side and the other to his chin, a suspicious and accusing look on his face.
"You're from the Fire Nation?"
"..yes?"
Sokka's eyes narrowed and eyed Zuko up and down. "hmmm..." Zuko suddenly realized he was holding his breath. He was the Prince of the FIRE NATION and heir to the throne! Why should he care that this guy was eyeballing him. Why did his impending judgement have to matter to a Prince like Him?!
Sokka suddenly smiled broadly, realization dawning on his face, "You're a fire bender, aren't you!" Zuko's eyebrow raised slowly, "yeaa..."
Sokka shouted excitedly, pumping a fist in the air! Even Aang jumped up in surprise, sending him fifteen feet up. "You HAVE to show us some moves! C'mon! Shoot some fireballs and some flamethrowers!" He started punching the air and kicking out. As Aang landed, he ducked, barely missing Sokka's boot to the face. Zuko smiled and shook his head.