Hey guys! Another new story from me, and what's better this is a crack-pot combo-I know. However I've been an avid fan of both and decided... couldn't I just write a crossover for my dearest loves? Of course I could, which is why this story is here!
On with the show!
Gwyn's body fell to the floor like a lumbering giant, shimmering stars tearing his form apart as he became transparent just before meeting the ground. Within minutes the spot that once held the Lord of Cinder felt cold once more. Now, a choice stood before him. Either light the bonfire and sacrifice his soul, or walk out the door and embrace the age of man - or as the Primordial Serpent likes to say, the age of dark.
Stammering slightly to himself he fiddled with his face, scratching the Mask of the Child as he eyed the bonfire longingly. His visit into the past had shown what would happen if man were to meet dark, and it wasn't pretty. Human's turned to monster's not even cognitive of their own actions, and even worse than hollows which were no more than fabled zombies.
He made his choice.
Picking his Uchigatana up and wielding it handsomely in both his hands, his grass crest shield strapped on his back, Roan trudged to the center of the black gritty cave the bonfire at the center. He watched from behind his mask the cinders pop and crackle as if hungering for more food. Wiping himself, he prepared for his sacrifice, setting his weapon back in its holster strapped to his side, he kneeled down and lowered his head. Holding his arms out, he let the fire lick his gloves, to bring life back and hold off the darkness for a little while longer.
Burning sensations fluttered around his glove inching its way down his forearm. Compared to everything else... this is nothing. Gripping his fingers and gritting his teeth he bore the fiery throbbing and shredding feeling as it engulfed his form. Fire ripped at his clothes as he looked up... yellow and orange light flooded the room in a bright incandescence.
Roan closed his eyes. This was it. Letting everything go, he turned his head to nod at his comrade standing solemnly behind him, ready to face the end alongside him.
Then... his vision turned black.
He felt... airy, as if he were floating by some form of miracle or sorcery. So peaceful. Then...
"Who is that, Zuko?"
Who was that? Who was Zuko? A sharp poke to his mask and he felt... he felt. That wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to feel, he was supposed to be dead. A mass of fire crawling around one's body typically meant death; there was no way he was alive. Roan shook his head attempting to sit up as he felt the stick jam itself down at his throat gagging him slightly. He looked up in a daze. A garden, full of flowers, children staring at him, and the sun. The beautiful rays of sunlight behind the young girl and her friends felt so warm, unlike the fake rays of light cast by Gwyndolin. Where was he?
"I don't know, Mai. His mask is strange. I don't recognize it," his eyes traveled to the weapons tossed to the side, "nor weapons similar."
Perhaps it was best to play dead for the moment.
"Did any of you see him enter?" one of the girls questioned, sternly.
Roan's eyes traveled to meet several of the children's. Their expressions were of total confusion as they locked onto his prone body. An icy feeling crept slowly down his spine. One of the girl's stare sent him into shivers, thankfully not seen by the children. Feeling around him, Roan felt the grass through his dusty black gloves whilst fumbling for his weapon. Don't get him wrong. He wasn't fine with hurting children, the very thought sent him into droves, though if said children were hostile and were capable of hurting him, then he felt better if he had something in his hands to at least fend them off.
Shaking their heads, the children made a scene of questioning just how his presence came to be, waving their hands high into the air as ideas bloomed excitedly into each of their heads.
"He couldn't have come here by climbing the walls. That's insane!"
"Who said it wasn't impossible though?"
"Could he be another assassin?"
Inching his hand over to his Uchigatana, Roan listened to their conversation. No, he certainly did not climb a big wall. Stretching his arm slightly, trying to make sure he was not seen, Roan made an effort and lunged back at his sword to successfully clutch it in his hands. Although not managing to stand up, he did stay on one knee.
"Well, since he seems to be up and about, let's ask him, shall we?" the scary one stated.
Roan tipped his head to the side in confusion. This was a first. In all his time fighting hollows and wandering the world he had never met a child reckless enough to feel no fear whatsoever at the encounter of a blade longer than herself. He took a closer look at the girl. Her hair fell down into two long black bangs framing the sides of her face while in the back a slight head-dress held her hair up. Her eyes... indescribable hurt and calculative judgment.
"How did you get here?"
Silence…. His answer would never come. Long ago his ability to perform speech had been taken from him at the branding of the Dark-sign upon him—so he shrugged his shoulders. That only seemed to make the girl angry, of course.
"Who do you take me for?!" the girl snapped. All the children behind her merely furrowed their brows and took a few steps forward.
Looking around, Roan assessed his options. Find a way out, perhaps run around the pond with weird ducks with turtle shells on their backs, or he could potentially run straight behind him into the palace—was it a palace? Pillars lined the stoned path with the garden centering it all. Hallways seemed to connect to even larger buildings, no doubt filled to the brim with guards. And why guards? The fabric the children in front of him looked refined and of high worth, at least by his standards. Then again... the place was huge so there wasn't much thought needed.
He tipped his head as an answer.
"Ty-Lee, could you alert the guards and Zuko's mother?" the girl named Mai said.
He watched the girl run off as the wind played with her braid. Interesting. Turning his attention back to the one named Zuko he stood to his full height. His stance a towering giant compared to them. Then, in his defense, he bowed... properly.
I've little to gain from confrontation, neither from running.
"Where did you come from?" A girl with black curled hair said as her face set in a monotonic stare.
And if only these kids could ask me questions for yes and no...
This isn't what I really want to do as it is necessary, he told himself. So he gestured using his hands, he curled his fingers and brought his hands close before making a motion that looked like something burst or popped. Oh, he hoped that they got it.
"What are you doing, you fool?"
Nope...
After repeating the same process over and over again, the children's patience waned as they looked visibly agitated and the guards, so called, took longer than they expected. Roan paid no mind anymore... he couldn't communicate and it wasn't like he could simply write a letter... that was it!
Holding his hand out, Roan flicked his fingers motioning for them to give him something before realizing his stupidity. Gently, he kneeled down and drew something in the dirt, an answer.
"I am Roan."
Blinking at that the kids knelt down in front of him, Zuko leaned down and read his text on the ground, a smile slowly coming out of him as he regarded Roan.
"Finally. Now, where did you come from?" Zuko questioned kindly.
Moving his hand quickly, he hoped they knew.
"Kiln of the First Flame"
Judging by the way the children reacted he guessed he was no longer in a familiar place. Out of the world probably, but then not a lot of people knew of that place in his world. His finger moved quickly as to cut off any other question.
"Have you heard of Anor Londo, or have you heard of the prophecy?"
All the kids looked at him as if he were stupid, meaning his impending headache. Gritting his teeth, Roan cursed himself silently while the girl named Mai merely placed a decisive hand on her chin despite the others dumbfounded looks. Unsurprisingly she was the first to answer. She pointed her finger slowly and methodically at him and then her gaze transferring to her friends.
"Kiln of the first flame... so you're from the past," she paused looking at him, "and no, I've never heard of a prophecy."
"Thou who art Undead, art chosen... In thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lords... When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the Undead thou shalt know..."
Footsteps galloped in his eardrums as guards filled the garden like wasps on an intruder. All of them wore strange red and black armor with odd looking head-sets, their armor slimming down like a river. If he was to compare effectiveness he would have to say his. But then why wouldn't he? His preferred style was quick and nimble while just guessing on how quickly these people ran he would say they were somewhere in the middle of slow and fast. Basically, easy prey if he so chose.
"Princess Azula, Prince Zuko, Mai, Ty-Lee, come over here quickly!" one of the guards yelled.
As long pikes were readied and propped towards him, Roan nimbly picked up his shield, staggering to his feet in a defensive form and observed his opponents. He watched their fresh expressions. The way each took practiced steps in his direction. He sipped at the children, who he just named... Roan sighed.
The girl named Azula kept her eyes entranced with the markings he left idle on the ground. What caught his attention though was the way her eyes and mouth kept marching with the words. Saying it in rhythm like how Oscar once said in his dying moments. He watched her eyes become unsettled and noticed something... about everyone.
People here all had skin, fresh skin—his eyes widened.
Thinking quickly, he chose his opportunity. Perhaps a shock would allow for a quick escape? After all, a slip into the unknown brings a bounty of fruitful surprises—for the one who gives. Dropping his Uchigatana, Roan slipped his hand quickly underneath his mask before ripping it off and setting frightful gasps riveting through the growing crowd. He allowed them to gaze at his torn and meaty face all changing degrees of shock radiating the crowd. Then, writing in the soil as quickly as the guards would allow he said.
"Different world."
Taking one last look at the children, or rather high nobility as he deduced, Roan picked up his weapon and made a dash once again. Once again supported by the abilities of The Mask of the Child, belonging once to the naïve child, aka Pinwheel, which slightly raised his stamina recovery. That along with the Grass Crest Shield which did the same, and what's better, he reconciled, they stack in ability. All of which meant he could run for long periods and keep running after.
Hiding behind a pillar in the hallways, Roan tipped his head as he breathed. He looked in and out of cover and waited for the guards to either give up or give him an opportunity to escape. With the activity now - marching guards, running children, and frightened staff - he figured nothing would let him leave cleanly.
Ok, ok Roan, he breathed... We can do this. It's not like this is the first time we've been in a pickle. Turning the corner again, his eyes landed on the Princess named Azula. That wouldn't have bothered him, per say, but the fact that her eyes remained locked on him gave his bones a chill like no other. What does she want?
"I know you're there," Azula stated plainly.
Hitting his head on the wall, Roan leaned out again to see her five feet away. She was smirking?
"You know," she crossed her arms, "I can help you."
She didn't allow him to continue, choosing instead to cut him off as he was about to hide. "I can use my title as Princess to save you. I'm intrigued with what you wrote back there, and I was hoping you would find it in your heart to indulge me."
Indulge her in what? The prophecy?
Deep thunderous clanks of metal stormed down the red-carpeted hallway, small ticks and tonks clashing against the vanilla painted walls. Fine, fine, fine! If this was his only option than he would have to take his chances with her. Even if she did try something, he was certainly powerful enough to get away unharmed, after all. Running away is an option. Besides, if she didn't try anything than that meant he would have an ally as he knew nothing of this world. Slamming his hand against the wall, he turned the corner to face her. Kneeling down at a slow methodical pace he bowed his head to her in acknowledgment.
Never thought he would end up at the disposal of a princess. Well, scratch that if someone counts an illusion as a princess.
Azula smirked cockily to herself at her find as she mentally patted herself on the back.
"Follow me, I'll tell the guards to leave you be. You're with me now."
Flipping her bang out of her eye, she turned around and gestured for him to follow. Minutes passed and Roan truly felt captured now that at least a dozen guards surrounded him and Azula. Her friends were nowhere in sight. More than likely opting to stay away due to his looks, Roan surmised. Back in his world the people were scorned and corralled to the north and forced to stay locked away in an undead asylum, to await the end of the world. That was his fate, he chuckled, or it was.
"Leave us," he heard Azula say to the guards.
Flicking his eyes, swiftly ricocheting off the guards, Roan followed the girl into a large room. In it were banners with what he presumed were fire emblems and just the amount of pure crimson red and hued orange almost hurt his eyes; explained the way the children dressed at least. He certainly did not intend to wear red like everyone else here. What they were doing was... obsessive.
"I'll have my father speak with you later about your arrival, for now though you will indulge me as I have saved you. Now."
She handed him a notebook and a quill.
Roan nodded. This was for the best.
"Are you wondering about the prophecy?" he wrote.
Azula gestured for him to sit down beside her on her bed, looking onto his notepad as he wrote.
"That would be one thing I'm wondering."
"The prophecy talks of an undead, such as myself, being lead to the asylum where all undead are taken—it's name is literally the Undead Asylum."
"Can you get to the point?"
"Patience."
Azula merely rolled her eyes before nodding in resolve.
"Good. Here is the prophecy once more: Thou who art Undead, art chosen... In thine exodus from the Undead Asylum, maketh pilgrimage to the land of Ancient Lords... When thou ringeth the Bell of Awakening, the fate of the Undead thou shalt know.."
Ringing her hands together, Azula played with the thoughts in her head. Exodus? Leaving, maybe? Pilgrimage means to travel while learning. Ancient Lords.. What is that?
"What does it mean by the land of Ancient Lords?"
Roan leaned back, settling his hands lightly down in his lap. Truthfully, he himself had only picked a semblance of the true meaning behind everything, and yet what he had found may not have even been real so everything was a long shot in the dark - he would write what he knew.
"First you will need to know the history behind the prophecy. What I have learned from my mother long ago, I shall teach you now...
In the Age of Ancients the world was unformed, shrouded by fog. A land of gray crags, Arch trees and Everlasting Dragons. But then there was Fire and with fire came disparity. Heat and cold, life and death, and of course, light and dark. Then from the dark, They came, and found the Souls of Lords within the flame. Nito, the First of the Dead, The Witch of Izalith and her Daughters of Chaos, Gwyn, the Lord of Sunlight, and his faithful knights. And the Furtive Pygmy, so easily forgotten.
With the strength of Lords, they challenged the Dragons. Gwyn's mighty bolts peeled apart their stone scales. The Witches weaved great firestorms. Nito unleashed a miasma of death and disease. And Seath the Scaleless betrayed his own, and the Dragons were no more.
Thus began the Age of Fire. But soon the flames will fade and only Dark will remain. Even now there are only embers, and man sees not light, but only endless nights. And amongst the living are seen, carriers of the accursed Darksign."
Roan took a breath. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back slightly in silent respect towards his past travesties and victories. Shaking his head slightly, he awaited her response. Not all of them needed to die. If only he could cry—his tears had stopped coming long ago.
"So the land of Ancient Lords… is that where you went?" Azula placed a single finger on his pad, pointing to her subject, "So they all lived there?" she spoke concisely.
He nodded.
"What about this Dark-sign? Do you have it? I mean, you are undead!" Azula pointed out.
Roan merely nodded again.
"It is how I was able to live in the Asylum. Those who are marked are needless of hunger and thirst, and are exempt from dying as long as your sanity stays intact, for without goal or object the path of sanity blurs."
"Is there a way to reverse it?"
"Yes, though I don't think your world has the sprite named Humanity, and even then I've died when I reversed mine and I was met with my undying."
Surprisingly, Azula seemed to contemplate what he said, choosing instead to move to another topic. Quite tactful. Bravo.
"So, then, what does the bell of awakening mean?"
Oh no, that's a subject he personally had never figured out. Why exactly had they decided to put those stupid bells he would never know—it proved to be the most counterproductive thing in the world!
Whatever.
"The Bells of Awakening merely opened a pathway to a very important place by the name of Lordran."
"And the last part?" she eyed him curiously, almost pleadingly so.
Roan shrugged. He had met both of the primordial serpents before siding with Frampt, the kingseeker, and he personally never really cared for riddles since they were both pretty much using him for an agenda of their own. Cracking a smile at her frustrated face, he waved a hand to gently draw her attention as he drew quickly and furiously the last thing he remembered.
Azula gasped.
He had drawn himself, on fire, hovering his arm over the bonfire with a body disappearing in the back-round. Eyeing the drawing carefully, he judged how quickly it took him to draw it, and his answer was more or less fast.
I'm not usually one to compliment myself or anything, but this looks good for a picture I only started five minutes ago.
"That was my choice. To ignite the fire and keep light going for a little longer, for without light, a fire, there is no life."
"Interesting." Azula seemed to muse over his words, going so far as to lie back in her bed and dramatically flop her feet high in the air before resting loosely over the bedside.
Roan wrote more. Personal this time. Holding the notepad over where, he assumed, she was looking, which with her head lying one way her eyes could be in another—if one knew what he meant.
"How old are you?"
"Eight. Let me think," she commanded.
Picking a right word to describe the girl next to him was unsavory. Before even when she was giving him the coldest stare in the world, and now startling enough would be hard to pinpoint what exactly to call her. Spoiled maybe? A riddle of the ages if he ever did see one. Letting his mind wander, Roan picked through his pocket, holding all of his equipment miraculously in a never ending pouch, he fiddled through the items, poking and prodding for something to explain his world in further amounts when an idea struck him at the feeling of his pyromancy flame's silky texture.
Commandeering the small pit of fire, he hovered it above his hands as the girl gasped, astonished. What came next was a surprise as he was bound by Azula, a blade of fire perpendicular to his jugular.
"And what do you think you're doing?'
Yup, scary it is.
Neatly nestling the little bundle of flame back into his pocket, eliciting a small curious look from Azula, Roan took the quill once more jotting a few simple words in place.
"You know Pyromancy?"
True, he wasn't afraid of her feeble attempt at intimidation. Rather his own fear came from her indomitable stare arching and thundering down on his own. In all actuality though he was more intrigued to find out about this new development and what it could mean.
Stumbling for words, Azula neatly let go of him as she eyed his pocket like everything else on him. Was he that much of an anomaly? He mentally smacked himself.
"Do you mean fire-bending?"
Roan shrugged-they may be the same thing?
This time Azula nodded at his bewilderment. Not much could say about the similarities as she was also just as lost as him. A smile breached her face after a time of sitting under the oppressing weight of contemplation.
"Come," she stated standing up. "We're heading to the training room. In there we can see just what your pyromancy is and you can see just what fire-bending is."
Walking to the door behind the short girl, Roan briefly checked himself at the sight of something... shiny? Whatever was behind there was awfully clumsy. In between the tight slit in the door Roan could faintly see the etchings of a knife. Squinting while he moved, Roan grasped Azula's shoulder, forcing her behind him as he wielded his Uchigatana with both hands once again. Stepping forward he lunged, kicking the door open as a man covered in black cloths attempted to get by him, meeting instead the butt of his blade and the tip of his knee before crashing to the ground like a bird without wings.
Facing Azula, Roan tilted his head at her. Whoever this was caused her to become angry, frightfully so, because within a second of seeing the man's face Azula yelled calmly out to the guards, "Guards! An assassin has broken in, again!"
"Come," she said, walking by.
Forcing huge red doors open, Azula looked around the room, no dojo as if looking for someone. Blasts of fire heated the air and suddenly Roan was greeted with the sight of Azula's friends again and who he presumed was her brother, Prince Zuko. Overall the room was large extending pillars all along the sides dipped in a crimson red as of the theme he'd seen so far. All of the children's eyes wandered to their entrance and their premeditated actions stopped in a sudden fluidity, except for Zuko's surprisingly.
"Azula! It's you! I'm so glad you're here!" Ty-Lee sprinted over to them before stopping abruptly before him. She bowed.
"I hope your wounds get better!" She said, smiling.
Great, now the girl had him smiling. Nodding to her, Roan observed her choice of dress, finding he needed a grain of salt at the midriff being gone and the obvious revealing quality it had on the young girl. At her perplexed look he kneeled down smiling behind his mask, grasping her shoulders all the while pulling her into a hug, finding himself a tad awkward in his perception. She was a child that needed attention if she wore that kind of clothing. Peaking over at Azula he saw a glimpse of jealousy peak into her eyes and his smile grew gentler at each of the children coming towards him. All of them needed a little attention, huh? Seeing the response he was getting, he wrapped Azula in a hug as well. Her body clenched at the contact.
Stitching his eyebrows together, he stood up and regarded the rest of the children, announcing his presence under a softer light. Holding out his arm to the center of the room, he plucked the flame from his pocket. Azula nodded.
"What are you two doing?" Zuko asked.
"Isn't it obvious Zuko? They're going to dual," Mai stated, bored.
Shaking his head he pointed to the spot next to him as he positioned himself. And like a dragon, Roan held his flame letting the fiery ball grow to a searing heat, it's volume growing as the seconds went by, then after two seconds went by he released, the small crack of an ember floated quickly fifteen feet away. Azula and the kids seemed un-impressed, one even going so far as to scoff at his work—Mai was it? At least, that was until the orb met the ground before it exploded like an inferno raging a fiery hell not even the Witch of Izalith could match in such a controlled environment.
He didn't need to look at the kids as he knew they were looking at him mouths ajar, completely enamored at his performance. Pocketing his flame he looked at Azula and then Zuko, Ty-Lee, and Mai, silently asking them to join her in their little comparison. Holding out his hand he made a writing motion as Azula begrudgingly handed him the pad and quill, in it he wrote.
"Here, lets let your brother and your friends show as well. This will make things more fun as I'm sure you would love to show him how it's done."
It didn't take him two seconds to figure Azula out after watching her reaction to his message; Azula was a jealous girl. No surprise the way she acts, always so quick and detailed. She tries to make herself seem more and more perfect by acting what she defines as perfect, or better yet what some adults see as perfect. Fixable, he would be willing to admit, especially at this age. She can be saved. All this one needs is some love from a family member... If that's how it works here.
"Mai, Ty-Lee, Zuzu! Come over here! We're going to show... What was your name again?"
"Roan," Zuko and Mai answered. Both looked at each-other blushing all the same.
Roan would've laughed if he could have. Stepping back he took hold of his shield holding it out in front on him, the metal rings cold to the touch, slight scratches splintering this way and that with one large gash cutting all the way across the split design of leaves varying in different colors of light green to a dank one.
"You know," Azula suddenly mentioned, "I was going to have one of the guards help in your demonstration. I'm glad I didn't now."
"We will need guards for ours Azula," Zuko said.
"Well then why don't you fetch mother so she can watch and on your way there you can summon a few of the guards?"
Zuko nodded to Azula as he walked to a light run.
"This will be a little bit of a wait, so Mai, Ty-Lee why not introduce yourselves to Roan?" Azula said tossing her thumb in his direction.
"Didn't you just introduce us?" Mai chimed in, crossing her arms.
Azula rolled her eyes. "Remember the prophecy on the ground?"
Roan had been standing thoughtfully to himself when the loud-mouth had to bring up the prophecy. Wasn't it good enough to just know? C'mon, coming up with answers on the spot last time was difficult enough... He was an idiot. Tapping Azula on the shoulder he handed the notepad back over identifying the eagerness crossing her face as it was covered up masterfully within just a single second of release.
Minutes passed and Zuko arrived on a scene he had not seen in a long time. Azula was laughing, not at someone's pain, but at the note-pad Ty-Lee was holding in her hand. Roan stood bored leaning relaxed against the pillar closest to him and the entrance.
"Is this the man who has the?" the guard motioned to his face waving his hand silently over.
Zuko nodded.
"Excuse us Zuko, the guards were given orders to capture this man for questioning," one guard bravely stated.
"Well that's too bad. I've already been questioning him, just so you know," Azula piped in. Roan analyzed all their reactions. In their hands were long spears that were quickly set aside, red helmets sat on their heads with a headdress of three points and a single hole in the middle for the mouth-piece, and for the armor, well, red like everything else on them.
Each of the guards nodded at Azula and at Zuko. Walking in the guards each set themselves up against one of the children with a handsome amount resting against the wall for safeties sake, up above in a balcony, unbeknownst to the children Ursa, the Fire-Lord's wife, was sitting up with the fire-bending mentor the entire time watching Zuko and his friends play as Roan walked in.
"Where is Mother, Zuko?"
Zuko shrugged. "I couldn't find her. She might be in her quarters so let's leave her alone."
Ursa grinned warmly down at Zuko, applauding his thoughtfulness.
"Children, I am up here," Ursa waved.
Azula responded first, "Good. Watch, Mother, how we've come along!"
The other children saw it best to just wave as Zuko waved a happy carefree hand.
Roan looked up at the woman, before in the corner of his eye he noticed a fire-bender guard marching towards him holding a blade of his own. Surprise, surprise he wouldn't be receiving any breaks quite yet now would he? Breaking the silence, Roan summoned his Uchigatana from its sheath, charging forward under the guise of slashing down on his opponent. Roan belittled his opponent, keeping on him savagely. Every strike of two blades met a peaceful serene echo like two birds battling for their loved one's meal.
Reaping his sword down beside the man, Roan flipped beside him with the Dark Wood Grain Ring, allowing his body to become much more versatile, much more nimble and on his feet. Kicking the man against the wall, he watched his retaliation, swinging his sword elegantly slow, which ultimately gave Roan enough time to take hold of his shield, parry the man, and then drop his Uchigatana before punching his opponent firmly in the gut. Checking the man's pulse, Roan determined that he wasn't dead, thank goodness.
If he remembered correctly, than he would have to say that he had killed a few hollows in the exact same fashion—ok, maybe with a little more force, but it was still better to be safe than sorry.
Turning around, Roan was met with looks of astonishment when Zuko chimed in, his voice full of surprise, "You just defeated our Mentor."
"Impressive," Azula said.
It was true. While the children were saying hello to Ursa, the mentor had snuck down and grasped his own sword in what Roan could only guess was a dual to see who was better. Flicking the ideas out of his head, he tapped one foot before going to lean on one of the many pillars in the room. Waving an arm out in front of him as if saying, "You're turn," he nodded his head all the same. Roan could practically hear the children's exasperated cries at his feeble attempts of mockery, though he nearly fell when all he got was a lackluster eye-rolling from them, except Zuko and Ty-Lee.
But before that.
Azula tossed up a glance to Ursa. Pressing a finger to her opponent the man fell in a heap—his heart went out to the poor guy.
"Mother, I want Roan to teach me how to use a blade!"
Shit, he scratched the back of his head, well, better to be on their good side, he supposed.
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