Author's Note: I apologize for being so late to update this Raiden collection. I thought I'd scribe something for this, considering part three of my Azula Trilogy has hit quite a bump and I'm trying to weave my way out –expect an extremely long wait before you see that published… I said it once, and I will say it again: these Raiden stories derive from a trilogy. Azula is purposely out of character. I always like to get that off my chest in case a fool decides to criticize me.

………

I was watching an episode of AFV (that funny home video show on TV) and saw something where this little girl waved and talked to her shadow. So, I thought to myself, why couldn't Raiden do something cute like that? Because of creative liberties, Raiden can do whatever I want him to!

So, in this instance, I'd guess little Raiden here is about, say, barely two, walking and talking and interacting with his shadow.

Because her support is so valuable to me in ways I can't even begin to describe, I happily dedicate this entire collection to my wonderful friend, Pulchra-16. I really hope you like that! Love ya, Dixie! You are totally awesome, and so is 'The Dragon's Lament!'

…And to those who have not read that piece of hers, I'd suggest you all go run off and do so!

The Terrible Tag-Along

The floorboards of the dining hall were almost a solid sheet of purified glass, perfectly mopped and scrubbed to eliminate even the slightest traces of dirtiness. They gleamed like a prize trophy as the fire-lit chandelier floated from the ceiling and offered illumination, with dangling orb-like chimes that resonated and vibrated when their bodies flicked each other. Plink, plink, was the glassy, mellow tune, sweet as song.

Princess Azula gently pulled out her son's elevated chair from the dining table and carefully helped him down from his seat. The motion seemed feathery; light was his landing against the glistening floor. Raiden's wandering eyes absorbed every little thing his mind could store and he caught the faintest glimpse of something adjacent to the very tips of his bare toes. It was something that had been there since he could last recall it, or even longer, depending on what angle you looked at it.

The tot was curious.

"Mommy," he called, tugging at the skirt of his mother's red silk dress and pointing down to the floor beneath him, "what's that?"

Azula bent over and wiped his messy face with a soaked rag a servant had handed to her just moments before. She caressed the protrusions in his cheeks with the cloth, almost tickling his skin.

Finally, after setting the rag on the table for the servant to dispose of, she replied, "What's what, sweetie?"

Raiden offered her a curious look and a cock to his head. He inched closer to her legs like a punished pup. "That," he answered tersely, extending his index finger.

Azula playfully rolled her tawny eyes. "Oh, Raiden, you mean to tell me you've never seen your shadow before?"

"No."

The corners of her shapely lips curved upward. "Well, that's all it is, honey, just your shadow."

Raiden seemed unconvinced.

"It won't go away, Mommy."

The princess ran a hand through her son's fawn hair, just as she often did when he was a tiny, helpless baby. "It isn't supposed to go away."

Her elongated fingers continued to tease Raiden's furry head.

"Why?"

Her hand froze and locked in place. How could a mother possibly explain this to satisfy the immaturity of a child's mind?

"Because," she started, but hesitated briefly, "the shadow's your friend. It does everything you do, sort of like a copycat."

"Copycat?" he questioned, pronouncing the word incorrectly. He raised his thin brow, hoping to add effect to his inquisitiveness.

"A mime, a mimic. It follows your every move."

"Really?" Raiden answered, hopping off and trying to stomp his shade to some form of oblivion. He scampered ahead of his mother, waddling in the way those little baby feet usually did. He eyed his shadow like a hawk on the hunt.

Then suddenly, he stared back at the motherly princess, those intense golden irises tracing his doubt like a drunker nervously fingering the voluptuous curves of his wine glass.

Azula caught this look, knowing all too well that something was troubling her son. Something simple, probably.

"I don't like my shadow, Mommy," Raiden stated, almost fiercely, really.

Mothers never quite understood the ways their children's opinions changed so easily…

With speedy, but fine strides, she managed to reach her son's side. His glare focused upward, eyes directly pointing at hers.

She smiled lovingly down on him, "And why don't you like your shadow, Raiden?"

Raiden shrugged his bony shoulders and rested his head against her leg. His nose scrunched into her flesh.

"Raiden, sweetie, you don't need to be afraid of your shadow." the princess cajoled, crouching herself down to his height. Her digits caressed his spine as she pushed him to her. Once he cuddled in her embrace, the child dug his cheek into her shoulder exhaled with a grunt-like huff.

"Your shadow won't hurt you, honey. See, look, watch what you can do."

So, Azula rotated Raiden so his back was against her breasts. She had him look to his feet.

"The shadow's your friend. You can say 'hi' to it and it'll wave right back. Try it: say 'hi' to your shadow, Raiden."

He adorably cocked his head; his shade followed suit. At his mother's command his lifted his tiny hand and waved.

"Hi, shadow," he mumbled weakly, without much enthusiasm.

Azula picked up on his edginess. "You don't need to be nervous, Raiden. Did you see how it waved back at you? Did you like that?"

"No."

She sighed. "Now, why not, sweetie? Tell Mommy why."

The two-year-old fidgeted a bit, a tad too panicky to reveal any truth to his quick conclusion.

"It's scary."

"Oh," Azula teased, "no it's not. Here, why don't you do that again? Say 'hi' to your shadow."

"Hi, shadow." Raiden's fingers danced like spider legs on the flat floor.

"See? There you go," his mother said with approval dripping from her tongue. "You want to do it again?"

The anxious frown that was plastered on the boy's face was now a small, weak, 'u'-shaped smile. He nodded and Azula repeated the simple command to him like teaching a catdog a trick.

Another wave. "Hi, shadow." His voice certainly perked up a bit…

"Now, wasn't that fun, sweetie?"

Sweet little Raiden finally giggled. "I like my shadow, Mommy."

Azula was not surprised. Sooner or later, Raiden usually warmed up to just about anything.

"How about we go show it to Daddy? He'd love to meet your shadow."

"Okay."

With that, Azula folded her son's tiny hand into the palm of her own…

Alone like an abandoned knick-knack, the chandelier stood in seclusion. It danced as a soloist, with rays like the laced skirt of a beautiful woman. It was the sun, the massive, revolving sun lit by a flittering flame.