Chapter 2

The years passed and Anali was well into her Fire Bending training, Zuko took the time to teach her the way that he had learned from the Dragons. Mai was looking forward to her future retirement that she could spend the rest of her life with Zuko, she couldn't think of a better way to spend her life. As usual Zuko and Anali were training together, Mai was getting her daily spa treatment and the palace was completely quiet with no one wanting or needing the Fire Lord for anything.

Anali had grown to be a beautiful young girl, her hair, when not pulled up, hung just above her butt with bangs that framed her face. She reminded Zuko of May when they were little but she didn't have Mai's sarcastic attitude, Zuko figured that the attitude would follow the older Anali got but he would have to wait and see. Anali favored her throwing knives like her mother did but with her own twist, she covered the blades in flames as they left her hand which made her even more special to Zuko.

The next day, Aang came to talk to Zuko about the Republic City plan, he couldn't believe how grown up Anali had become over the years. She was almost a teenager and would soon continue Zuko's goal for peace and the healing of the scars the Fire Nation created on the other Nations.

"Avatar Aang" Anali chimed in breaking Aang from his thoughts; she bowed to him receiving one in return from the Avatar. "Father is in the training room, would you like to join us?" She smiled and tipped her head.

"That sounds like a good idea, I need to brush up on my Fire Bending." Aang places a soft hand on the young girls shoulder and smiles at her. Anali squeals and runs back to the training room.

"He's coming!" Anali's voice rang through the halls of the palace as she alerted Zuko of their guest.

"Anali! Inside Voice!" Mai's head poked out of a room to scold her daughter but there was no one around except the Avatar. "Oh, hello Aang." She smiled one of her rare smiles before disappearing into the room once again. She was a strange woman but Zuko loved her and Aang didn't think she was all that bad of a person on the inside. He walked down the hall towards the flashing light from the Fire Bending, Aang didn't think that it would be that hard to find two Fire Benders but what he was most concerned with was burning the room down. Maybe Zuko had the room fire proofed? He poked his head into the room to see the young Fire Bender pinning the Fire Lord to the ground.

"Looks like she got ya, sensei." Aang laughed as Zuko tried to look over his daughter and to the Avatar.

"Don't think I can't get you too Aang" Zuko sent a fire ball towards Aang

"Hey watch it!" Aang sent a fire ball back at the Fire Lord only to have Anali deflect it and send a stronger one back at him. He quickly used water to extinguish the flames. "She's stronger than you are Zuko"

"Na, I just go easy on her. She only thinks she is stronger." Zuko laughed at the evil look he received from his daughter, he pulled her into his lap and held her close causing her to giggle and share the love back.

"You really are a good father Zuko, I had my doubts but" Zuko sent a flame his way causing the Avatar to jump out of the way.

"I have doubts about your fathering skills Avatar; your children run a muck with no control." Aang noticed that Zuko picked up Mai's sarcastic comebacks rather quickly.

"You two sound like brothers. It scares me, Anali its time to eat dear." Mai shook her head at the two boys while she and Anali headed to the dining area to eat the lunch they were prepared.

"Talk over lunch?" Zuko stood and gestured towards the door.

"Sounds good, I'm starved." Aang rubbed his stomach and laughed.

"It's a good thing the cooks know you are here and don't mind catering to your 'anti-meat' diet." Zuko laughed and gave Aang a gentle hit on the back as they exited the training room.

"Only you have a problem with my diet"

"Sokka is a meat guy, Katara use to eat meat, Suki eats meat but rarely, all Fire Benders are meat eaters" Zuko laughed as he listed off people that they knew that ate meat.

"Okay, ass, you made your point." Aang rolled his eyes as he sat at the table close to the end where Zuko resided. The girls hadn't begun eating since they were waiting for the boys to come and join them. The servants set the food down in front of everyone and then left, the girls ate in silence as the boys talked about the future arrangements to start building Republic City.

Anali listened closely to everything that was being discussed since one day she was going to have to deal with these types of conversations; Zuko often let her sit in on meetings with the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes as long as she didn't speak unless the room was quiet so she could add her two cents. Anali never had much to say about the matters that were going on as she was just learning about them and everything that has happened in the past 100 years.

"So when are we going to have another reunion?" Zuko asked while he walked Aang out to Appa who was being fed by the Children of the Fire Nation.

"OH Who is that!?" Anali ran over to the flying bison

"That's Appa, my flying bison" Aang and Zuko walked down to Appa who was enjoying the attention that he was receiving, as if he didn't get enough from home.

"Oh! Daddy can I please have a ride?" Anali gave Zuko that puppy dog look which usually was only needed when she wanted something really bad.

"Don't look at me, ask Aang." Zuko chuckled at his daughter who started giving Aang the puppy dog look.

"Aang, can I please have a ride on Appa?" Aang had to admit she was absolutely adorable when she wanted to be, he wasn't sure which side of the family she got this from.

"Yeah, just a quick one then I have to be on my way back home so that I can take care of my own kids." Aang gave Anali a boost onto Appa's saddle and joined her shortly after.

"Don't kill my only Heir Aang, or I will kill your Air Bending children" Zuko thought that a warning would be a good idea since Mai had just walked out to give Aang her farewell.

"Zuko, are you going to let him take our daughter on a ride?" Mai wrapped her arms around his and waved to her excited daughter.

"Hi mommy!" Anali held tight to the saddle so she wouldn't fall off.

"She begged and I told Aang if he hurt her I would hurt his kids" Zuko smiled at Mai

"That would be a good thing Zuko." Mai rolled her eyes at her love

"Appa yip yip!" Appa lifted off the ground receiving a squeal from Anali. Zuko shook his head, he never really enjoyed the many hours he had to spend on the bison's back. Most of the time it was with out his saddle, Zuko shivered at the thought of all the places Appa's hair had ventured into. Mai gave Zuko a questionable look wanting him to explain his shiver.

"Awful memory" Mai was still questioning his answer but shrugged it off and walked back into the palace with her love close beside her. They could still see Aang who wasn't traveling very far away from the palace, and would soon be landing with their daughter.