Don't attack me with little pebbles! Please I beg mercy from you! I know I am a terrible person and I haven't written to you in 8 months but you must understand! School has been hard and vacations have been without internet and computer! My sister has been annoying and has taken the computer away with her grubby hands! I ashamed to be here in your marvelous presence because I am unworthy! But I will get on with it anyway! Sorry once again…
"Fire Lord Zuko! Fire Lord Zuko! Please forgive, please forgive! My interuptince of your time in vacation! May I speak?" A Fire Nation massage boy exclaimed from the forest.
Zuko was startled and didn't speak for a moment; the message boy abruptly fell to his knees begging for mercy. Zuko raised his hand, palm up, and said "Rise, and speak your message" with a gentleness no one in the Avatar group and the message boy had ever heard before.
"Thank you Fire Lord Zuko, The Fire Nation Advisors has sent a message saying that the rebuilding of the palace as not been commenced yet and that you should stay for at least a month, along with Iroh, also they have sent word to the advisors of Aang and Sokka saying that they will keep you company until the palace is complete. Message is complete Sire." The Message boy looked frightened at repeating the message, the same look he had given the advisors when he first heard the message.
"Thank you, be sure to tell my advisors that the extended vacation is greatly appreciated and to next time instead of wasting resources be sure to send a messenger hawk, you are free to go at any time." Zuko smiled at the messenger boy, and bowed a fire nation bow. Left hand straight and right hand in fist pressing against each other. The messenger boy returned the bow and scampered of back into the forest.
The Gaang was astonished, everyone greatly appreciated the extra vacation time but was also amazed at Zuko's gentleness and passion towards one measly commoner, they would have expected him to yell and frighten the already scared boy but instead came a more sensible Fire Lord. Katara was especially shocked for she did not expect a kind side of Zuko and that was one of the reasons she had turned him down, he had not shown her he could be kind. Though he might have shown it and she has not realized it. He was kind to Iroh and Toph adored him, even though he pretended that he couldn't stand her. He always gave her piggyback rides and was hugging her, and helping her even though she said she didn't need his help. Maybe she just needed help realizing he could be kind and gentle.
"What are you all staring at? Haven't you ever seen a messenger boy before?" Zuko looked at them like they were crazy.
"You just talked to a commener like he was a regular person, with a type of voice that was like you were trying to calm a child." Toph was always the blunt one, so she was the one that answered his question.
"He was a frightened child, what was I supposed to do, scream at him? Frightened children should never be shushed and never be startled." Zuko said as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.
"How would you know this, Sparky?" Toph asked the unasked question.
"In my travels as a nomad, by myself, I came across a village in the Earth Kingdom; I came across a frightened child, about the age of 5. He was alone no family, no friends, and no place to call home. I took him with me for quite a few years-"
"But you never had a child when you came across us and you were only alone for 6 months!" Exclaimed Sokka.
"This was after we defeated my father and Azula. Remember I left for quite a few years? I was doing a tour of the world, alone. Well I kept him and he told me his name was Roku Lee. I looked at him and I saw the Great Roku in his spirit and I knew that he could carry that name with honor and pride. He is now 8 and working on his Fire Bending, for even though he was in the Earth Kingdom his heritage is Fire Nation. I need to send him a messasge, if I am going to be here longer than expected. He worries." Zuko started to pace thinking of how he was going to send a message to Roku, the boy worries when Zuko is away, thinking he will never return or that he will get hurt, Roku likes to be with Zuko at all times and Zuko does not mind because he thinks of Roku as his son.
"You can use my messenger hawk Zuko! I don't mind." Sokka exclaimed.
"Thank you Sokka, that would be quite a generous thing to do I appreciate it." Sokka blushed and Zuko smiled.
"Hey, instead just telling Roku that you are staying longer why don't you just have him come here with us, we have enough supplies." Katara suggested and there was a chorus of yes' to go along with it.
"Ok you have convinced me I will send for Roku, he shall me delighted, he was quite upset when I left." Zuko said and he left for the cart in another clearing, for it had the messenger hawk and the supplies to send for his little boy.
Once Zuko was out of sight and hearing range. The Gaang started talking about this little fact. Of course Iroh already knew so he just sat back and watched the show, with a cup of tea, of course.
"Can you believe Zuko actually would be compassionate enough to take on a kid?" Exclaimed Sokka, the most untactful out the group.
"I believe it, he always had a soft side and Roku I guess just took it out of him" Toph was always one to defend her hero. Aang, Toph's boyfriend (he had gotten over Katara, she was too nice for his tastes, he realized, after he got over that she was his first crush) was always slightly jealous of Toph's defensiveness of Zuko but he also knew she would do the same, probably more, for him if he ever was found the topic of discussion.
"All I know is that I am excited to meet this kid, I hope he loves up to what Zuko has said about him." Aang always the mediator said, and with that the topic of discussion was over.
Zuko came back and said that he hadn't sent the message but instead asked Aang if he could borrow Appa, or if Aang wanted, Aang could come with to the Fore Nation and pick up Roku because he thought that, that would be a nice surprise. Aang decided that Zuko and Roku should have some alone time together and that Zuko could take Appa alone, he trusts Zuko.
1 Day later
Zuko arrived at the palace that still hadn't been worked on, for it had been destroyed right after his father set out to destroy the world. Roku and his advisors were living in a hotel right across the from the brunt building. Roku seeing Appa from his room rushed out of the hotel with all Zuko's advisors following him, trying to get him back inside. Zuko was off Appa and waiting with open arms for Roku to jump in them. Zuko told Roku his plan and also shared it with his advisors. They were off back to camp before they knew it, Roku has no limitations on Appa, he bounced around and he even sat in Zuko's lap and drove for a while, he acted like an 8 year old should, unlike Zuko had acted at that age and when Zuko thought that he smiled because he did not want Roku to act as he did because he was not happy then but he was happy now with Roku. All he needed was for Katara to return his love and his heart would be complete.
Ok I know it's a sucky ending and all but I had to stop. Please no more pebbles! I know I know! I made it extra-long just for you! I know their isn't a lot of Katara X Zuko but theirs was hints. I know Roku is a new but he is part of Zuko (well in my story at least)
I love you my fans, haters, reviewers! I love everyone! And I am Sorry everyone! I know I am a disappointment! *cry's for months* I salute everyone! * Salutes you*
TaTa for now UFO-Has-Arrived
