Chapter 4

The Gaang stopped in one last town before they would have to take a big leap over the ocean to the north pole. They found posters advertising the search for the prince.
"Oh this is rich!" Sokka exclaimed
"how is that sokka?" Katara said
"the fire lord lost his son-" Sokka laughed his weird exaggerated laugh
"I don't find that funny" Aang said

"But it is! The guy has everything-but he is even torn up because of war."

"How do you know it had anything to do with war?" Katara questioned.

"Just a guess."

"But it still isn't funny" Aang said

"Why not? You should think its funny-you're gonna have to bring this guy down-atleast his son isn't gonna be in the way." Sokka answered.

"I wish he had ended the war-"aang was interrupted

"Yah-but he didn't, thats what wrong-that family is screwed up and has to be stopped. His grandfather killed all your people!"

"Yes-but not all the people in the firenation did that-he did, not his father or his son. He did." aang said.

"Their continuing it!"

"Yes-but it only needs one person to end it-"

"Yah-you, us." Sokka 'finished'

"Maybe," aang looked back at the poster.

"Don't even say it aang." Sokka said

"Say what?"

"That the prince could end it."

"Im not saying that exactly, Im just saying that maybe the prince could be good and then take over as fire lord and we can work together and everything!" aang said

"Oh you positive avatar you." sokka said "I don't think thats gonna happen, the prince is probably dead or evil-but if you say so." he couldn't crush aang's spirit.

Life for kozu went back to normal ..for a few days. Then he had to leave for the fire nation capital, to be "evaluated." Dread filled his mind as he woke up to the morning sun on the horizon. He bid farewell to his mother that gave him a very heart filled looked. He knew and accepted the very very very distant possibility that he was the fire lord son. It was just hard to swallow the idea. He had a more logical possibility of being the prince then others. "Others" who had no problem spouting that they were the prince. Please, many of these men looked like their fathers, had their mother's eyes, their grandfathers nose. Why argue your heritage, when its obvious. There is quite of few orphans that could very be the prince. OR, the prince could be in the earth kingdom, or agni forbid-he could be dead. Those were more logical options then kozu being the prince and certainly more logical then many of the men's claims. No, boys.
Kozu knew many of these boys that wanted to use this "lost prince" scenario to raise to power and none of them were even close to qualifying(in kozu's opinion). One of these men, was an ex-solider of his. Now, his in the navy under commander/admiral(whatever) Zhao. He was happy to get rid of an incompetent, self-righteous, ill mannered...prick, to another incompetent, self-righteous, ill mannered prick.
Zhao had to pull back his search for the avatar for the time being and bring back his soldiers that are within age range to be the prince back to the capital. Great, Kozu would have to see his ex-soilder, Osamu soon.

As Kozu stood in line as the capital building(right next to the palace), he suddenly wished he had brown eyes. Brown eyes were common, he saw boy after boy rejected at being the "lost prince." The prince had gold eyes, many of the examiners/judges/Ozai's henchmen argued over the possibility of the eyes dulling as he grew older-they could be hazel by now. This only led to more candidates for prince.

'Why don't I have brown eyes!, this is pointless waiting in the line' for something he had no desire to claim- blood lineage with the fire lord.

Many others thought they weren't the prince either, however we're still forced to go through with this procedure. Wait in line, see an examiner(who would ask questions, ask to see firebending talent), and usually get rejected-or move to the second round.

"Ha-I made it to second round guys, I told you Im the prince."

Oh no-its Osamu.

"Well isn't it kozu, you probably think you're gonna get in good with the examiner, but you can't use your captain's title to help you. I know your not the prince-ha."
What is with him kozu wondered. If Osamu did turn out to be the prince-the fire nation will go to hell-surely.

"And you think you could be the prince? No-you don't even know how to talk coherently or respect a superior." Kozu answered

"Soon I'll be your superior, remember that." was Osamu's rebuttal as he left.

A few other soldiers heard their exchange, and warned kozu(who they liked and admired) that if Fire Lord Ozai believes Osamu is his son-Kozu will likely be hurt, banished, something.

But kozu couldn't find any reason to worry. Even if their words were logical. Fire Lord Ozai would know his son. He just would. And it wasn't Osamu.

A/N: Review!