Kima was always a bit of a rebel. She was the crown princess of the Fire Nation, the younger sister to General Iroh- who was fifteen years older than her. She never really liked being cooped up in the palace, usually finding ways to escape the palace grounds and go hang out with her grandfather- learning more about firebending from both he and his dragon companion, Druk. She didn't like politics and would much rather not have anything to do with being a princess if she had her way if she were to be honest. But she went along with what her mother wanted of her to keep the peace, to a degree.
The week of her twenty-seventh birthday, her brother came home to visit and celebrate with his family. While he was staying with them and at the behest of his little sister, he spoke with their mother about Kima leaving the palace to see the world- suggesting they start her off with Republic City to give her a chance to get a glimpse of what the other nations were like. Firelord Izumi agreed that it would be good for Kima, even as reluctant as she was, so she made arrangements to have her stay in the presidential suite of the local hotel and informed Kima of the plan. She was to leave at the end of the week with her brother and stay in Republic City for the foreseeable future. Kima hated the idea of being stuck in the city- even more so knowing that she would have to be assigned a bodyguard- but she went along with it because it meant leaving the palace . She was curious, though, to see the city and interact with people from the other nations after reading so much about them- having never left the Fire Nation before.
When it came time to leave, Kima packed very little- just enough to fill a single bag- and boarded her brother's ship. At his assurances, Kima found that she was actually looking forward to the trip. And thankfully her brother was willing to train with her during the trip, help her practice her firebending- something of which she wasn't the greatest at in her opinion even with the training she would do with their grandfather. Despite her brother's compliments and encouragements about her firebending, Kima thought she was terrible and she was a bit ashamed about the color of her flames. They were a lavender purple- different than the usual fire wielding by firebenders- and though they were a different color than Azula's blue flames, Kima worried she'd turn into the same kind of person as her great-aunt and she rarely firebended as a result, sticking instead to the chi-blocking hand to hand style fighting that Ty Lee had taught the Kyoshi Warriors in her youth.
It didn't take long for them to reach the shores of Republic City and when they did, Kima was amazed at how different and modern it was compared to traditional her home was. She wasn't sure how to feel about it exactly, but she would be staying in Republic City for the foreseeable future so only time would tell. She was a bit distracted by the new city that she didn't see Iroh had already left the ship and reached the docks and thanked the soldier who told her for letting her know. She grabbed her things and hurried after her brother.
"Welcome back to Republic City, General."
"It's good to be back, Chief." General Iroh said when he shook Chief of Police Lin Bei Fong's hand and smiled, then looked to her best detective, Mako. "Hello, Mako. I trust all is well?"
"Yes, sir. Thank you for asking." Mako bowed to the general. "What brings you to Republic City?"
"I'm just here to see that my sister is settled in for her stay."
"Your sister?" Mako wondered aloud, his attention being drawn to a young woman around his age coming down the ship ramp onto the dock.
"Mako, this is my younger sister, Princess Kima." Iroh said, introducing her. "Kima, this is Mako."
Mako offered Kima a bow. "Welcome to Republic City, Your Highness."
Kima looked him over, cocking a hip to the side as she shouldered her bag. "Is this my new babysitter?"
"Kima..."
"What, call it what you will, Iroh, but we both know that Mom wants someone to babysit me."
"Chief?"
"You've been assigned as the princess' escort and bodyguard for the duration of her stay in Republic City." Lin looked at him, brow raised. "Will that be a problem?"
Mako sighed, really not liking Kima so far. "No, ma'am." He looked to the princess. "If you would follow me to the car, Your Highness?" He glanced at Iroh and Lin as Kima rolled her eyes and walked passed him, giving them a small bow before hurrying after Kima reluctantly.
"Still a rebel with an attitude, huh?" Lin asked.
Iroh sighed. "Yes. It was the only way I could convince Mother to let her leave the palace." He walked with Lin as they followed after Mako and Sai. "I just hope she doesn't give Mako too much trouble."
Lin chuckled. "I'm sure he'll be just fine."
Kima sat in silence as she and Mako were driven to the hotel, her brother and Lin just behind them. Mako sat next to her, silent as well as he tried to figure her out.
'She look so excited, but she seems like such a brat.'
He looked her over, noting the family resemblance to the general. She wore a royal purple kimono with golden trim instead of the typical red and gold Fire Nation garb, her long black hair bouncing ever so slightly as they drove, her pale yellow eyes glowing in the daylight, her nails painted to match her dress, at her ears dangled earrings with purple gemstones, at her wrist a gold cuff bracelet with a delicate chain that connected to a ring set on her pinkie finger, and a simple necklace of gold with purple gemstones like her earrings hung about her neck.
He knew that Iroh had a sister, but he didn't realize how much younger she was.
'There's too much shit going on with the triads, I don't have time to be babysitting another royal.' he thought, cringing a little at the memories.
When they reached the hotel, Mako got out and made to hold the door open for Kima only to have her hop out and shoulder her bag- nearly smacking him in the face in the process. "You're welcome..." he muttered under his breath as Kima headed into the hotel. He followed after her as she checked in before waiting for Iroh and Lin to join them.
"So how do you like Republic City so far, Your Highness?" Mako asked, looking down at her.
"It's fine, I suppose." Kima shrugged. She wasn't about to get friendly with the guy babysitting her. 'Stupid, Mom...'
"You'll need to be careful, the city is still in a state of unrest with the triads fighting over territory." He looked over at the hotel entrance. "Look, your brother and the Chief are here."
Kima looked up as Iroh and Lin entered the hotel. They quickly joined her and Mako and they went up to the presidential suite together. When they reached the suite, Kima was relieved to see a bit of home- or at least the feel of it- and knew she would be just fine staying at the hotel.
"Do you like it?" Iroh asked, looking to his little sister.
"It's just like the rooms in the palace back home." Kima replied, trying to sound thrilled for her brother and offered him a smile.
"Good." Iroh returned her smile. "Now, how about some dinner?"
Dinner with her brother was nice, even if Mako had to join them. After their meal, Iroh and Kima went for a nightly stroll around the block- Mako just behind them- and he asked if she would be OK on her own in the city.
"I'll be fine. You know I can defend myself when I have to."
"That may be true, but the city is still uneasy after the spirit portal opened two years ago. I just want to make sure that you'll be safe." He hesitated for a moment or two before asking, "Why are you still reluctant to use your firebending?"
Kima made sure Mako was out of ear shot before she replied. "My flames are so different than yours, brother... what if I turn out just like she did..?"
Iroh knew she spoke of their great-aunt Azula. She was the only one in their family to have ever had a different colored flame, until Kima. Even outside of the royal family, they were the only two to ever have a unique flame. Azula ended up going insane at the end of the Hundred Year War, being defeated by Katara of the Southern Water Tribe and their grandfather, Zuko.
"Kima, you're nothing like her." Iroh said, trying to reassure her just as he had many times before. "Remember the stories Grandfather used to tell us? About the differently colored flames he and Avatar Aang had seen when they learned from Ran and Shaw?"
Kima nodded. "They saw blue and red, orange and yellow, purple and green, pink and orange. Even white."
"Azula's flames weren't the cause of her insanity. She drove herself to that through her own actions and by inheriting her ruthlessness from her father." Iroh placed a gentle hand on his sister's shoulder. "We were lucky enough to have inherited our great-grandmother's kindness, just as Grandfather was. And remember, Avatar Roku is our great-great grandfather, too. So cheer up?"
Kima smiled at that and nodded. "Thanks, Iroh." She looked out over the water as they stopped at a nearby overlook. "You're leaving tomorrow, aren't you?"
"We've received our new orders. We leave first thing in the morning."
Kima sighed. "I wish we had more time. It's been too long since we could hang out together."
"I know and I'm sorry I can't stay longer." Iroh looked around. "It's not too late yet, so let's enjoy the rest of the night while we can. Care to enjoy a night out on the town?"
Kima smiled and nodded. "Of course, dear brother. I'd like nothing more." She looked behind them. "Coming, Mako?"
Mako nodded, falling into step with them after giving them some space to talk, and for the remainder of the evening they walked the streets of Republic City. They visited different shops where they perused the wares, then stopped at a local festival and partook in the various food stands- enjoying mostly desserts and other sweets after dinner. They watched the performers as they danced and played their instruments. Iroh looked down at his sister, smiling when he saw that she was genuinely having fun. It was nice to see her more open and free side.'This will be good for her.'
After a fun night out with her brother, Kima had gone back to the hotel with Mako- finding out that he had a room adjoining hers, which of course she didn't approve of. She woke the next morning bright and early, found Mako already waiting outside in the hall for her, and went to the docks to see Iroh off. It was nice to spend time with him when she could and she hoped she'd be able to again soon.
As she stood at the docks, waving to her brother as his ship pulled out of port, she realized that she was grateful that her brother had brought her to Republic City. It would be good for her to get out of the palace and see more of what the world's cultures had to offer, and it would be so different than the visitors she'd get at the palace like the time Ty Lee- an old friend of her grandfather's- came to visit Zuko from Kyoshi Island and teach Kima her chi clocking techniques or the times that Avatar Aang, Katara, and Sokka would stop by to visit when she was a toddler.
Once she could no longer see her brother on deck, she turned towards the city and took a deep breath. 'Here we go.'