(Author's Note: this chapter is a bit early due to the fact that I am going on vacation. Like I said before, normal Wednesday updates will start on August 13th. Enjoy the next chapter!)

II.

"Oroh, I've tried, it's impossible. There's only one person who knows where she is, and I haven't talked to him in about twenty years"

"Who?"

"Your grandfather. But it's a lost cause. He won't talk to any of us."

"Please, dad. I'm bored here. I've learned all I can in my lessons and I really want to do this. I'll talk to him."

My dad looked into my eyes. I stared right back. Our identical eyes looked deeper into each other. He broke his gaze and looked down. He looked back up at me.

"If you can get information out of your grandfather, you have my permission to go," he told me. I smiled. He continued, "But Oroh,"

"Yeah?"

"Don't get your hopes up. Your grandfather is an impossible man to get information out of. He is cruel and hates our family."

I nodded, bowed, and walked out of his throne room. I went into my room and went to sleep. I would need rest for tomorrow's expedition.

When I woke up, I ate breakfast quickly while listening to Zuni chatter about her dream last night. I hid a few pastries in my pockets for my grandfather.

After breakfast, I went to leave when my mom grabbed me and combed out my hair. I pulled away from her. I liked my hair messy and loose, not like my father, who kept his hair in a tight bun. I ran out the door until I got to the edge of the palace. From there I walked over to the second to top prison in the firenation. It came right after the Boiling Rock, which had been locked due to cruelty to the prisoners.

I bowed to the guards and told them that I had permission to be in the prison. They let me pass and I roamed around, looking for the cell that my grandfather was in.

I finally got to the door that led to my grandfather's cell. I pushed it open. I looked at him. It took me a moment to recooperate. He looked exactly like my dad, only older. And he had no scar over his left eye.

"Gr-grandpa?" I started. He drove so much fear into me. His glare was deathly and his attitude towards me startled me.

"I brought you something," I stuttered, as I pulled the pastries out of my pockets. He raised his head and looked at the food I had in my hand. I inched closer to the cell he was in and I put it just out of arms' reach.

"I can't reach it," he told me.

"I know," I said bluntly, "I need something from you first."

He turned away from me, obviously outraged. He shouted at me, "You're just like your father. Always asking for something. Ungrateful child!"

"Please. Its just a little bit of information. A little information in exchange for a bunch of pastries. When was the last time you had one of these, Grandpa Ozai?"

"Don't call me that!" he snapped, "I do not want any relation to any of your family of traitors."

"Fine. I need some information that only you have and you want some pastries that you aren't going to get unless you take these right now."

"Agreed," he grunted.

"I need to know where my grandmother is."

"Disagreed," he grunted and turned all the way around.

"Okay, okay," I told him, letting up a bit. I sat down in the opposite corner and stared at him. "I'll wait until I get the information. But I have to warn you, if I get hungry (which is often due to the fact that I'm still growing) I will eat the pastries. Leaving less and less for you."

He grunted, but ignored me. I took one pastry out of my pocket and began to sniff it.

"Mmmm! This smells so good. I bet it tastes so much better." I spoke to myself aloud.

"Enough. I'll speak," he snapped, "but it doesn't matter. You'll never find her."

"Thank you," I added sarcastically.

"A few weeks after she left, and the anger went away, I realized that I still loved her. I would send people out to try and find her. The only information that I could get back was that she was on some Earth Kingdom island. Happy?"

"Yes, thank you," I replied. I made a fist and bowed to him. I tossed the pastries through one of the bars. "Goodbye Grandpa."

And I left before he could yell at me for calling him "Grandpa".

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"He spoke to me!" I yelled as I pushed open the doors to my dad's large throne room and ran up to his throne.

My dad cleared his throat and I rolled my eyes, but made a fist and bowed to him. I looked back up at him and noticed he had stood up and gotten closer to me. I smiled to him and he embraced me in a big hug. I hugged him back.

"You have my permission. Let's go talk to you mom," he told me.

We walked through the corridors and found my mom in the kitchen talking to the chef. She turned around to look at us. She must have noticed the seriousness on my father's face because her expression turned from happy to concerned.

"What's going on?" she asked us.

"Oroh, care to explain to your mother?" my dad asked me.

"Mom, I'd like your permission to take a journey away from the palace for a little while. It might be a few weeks, months, or even years. I'm not sure."

"Where are you going and with who?" she asked me. The normal Mom questions.

"I'm going to find my grandmother. By myself," I informed her.

"He has my permission to take Destiny on his journey," my dad added.

"Alone? I don't like that," my mom told me, concerned, "There are people out there, Oroh, who will hurt you because you are the Fire Nation prince."

"What if I got a few of my friends to join me? I'll go up to the Northern Water Tribe. I know there's a few things that Dad wants to give Avatar Aang. I'll deliver them and then take Kya with me. Please, Mom?"

She looked at me, then at my dad. She shrugged, "Why not?"

My dad and I gave her a big hug.

"But," she started, causing Dad and I to let go a bit, "you have to promise me that you will be safe, use your firebending when necessary, and say goodbye to your little sister when she gets home tomorrow night from Poa's house."

I smiled. "Deal."

We resumed our hug.

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That night, I packed a small bag of clothing and necessary supplies. I grabbed a few medical supplies, some food, and a knife or two. I tied up my bag and went out to the royal stables.

I saw my dad stroking Destiny's neck. Next to him was my mom, holding his other hand and leaning on him. I could tell it would be hard to my mom to let go of me. But she knew it was the right thing to do.

I approached the three of them, walking slowly. I pet Destiny's large head and she rubbed up against my arm. I looked up at my parents.

"I got the saddle all ready for you, Oroh," my dad informed me. I nodded at him and gave them both a big hug.

The three of us walked outside to the courtyard, where Zuni was playing with a few of her friends. My dad and I put the finishing touches on the saddle and my belongings and he hugged me as my mom got Zuni. I gave her a big hug and she started crying.

I kissed my mom on the cheek and she started to cry as well. We had one final family hug. My mom kissed me and stuck some extra food in my pockets.

I hopped up onto Destiny's scaley, purple back and got ready to take off. I said a final goodbye to my family.

"Oroh," my mom called, "please write to me as soon as you get to the Northern Water Tribe!"

"I will," I assured her. "And dad?"

"Yes, son?"

"I will not fail."

I took off into the sky, headed towards the Northern Water Tribe.