Waahhh I'm so sorry for making you wait and thus giving you a ridiculously short and bleh chapter! D:
I've been at this for over a month. :P So yeah please accept my apologies for having writer's block/being lazy/giving you a not up to par chapter. I just wanted to post something somewhat presentable so this thing wouldn't die slowly. :P
Ok I'm done ranting now. Enjoy, read, review and eat your vegetables.
EDIT: OMG! I'm so stupid! xD Thanks to Things24 for pointing out my stupidity and reminding me of Hakoda's invasion of the capital. Only a line was changed so theres no drastic difference. I'M SO SORRY! D: *wanders to the Pole Of Misery*
Zuko stared in shock at the pseudo Fire Nation soldier seated in front of him. "Hakoda?" He asked again.
The Water Tribe warrior motioned for Zuko to lower his voice incase someone could hear him. Hakoda looked at Zuko and said nothing. They sat in silence for what seemed an eternity. Suddenly feelings of guilt rushed over Zuko as the memories of Sokka and Katara came back. Zuko tried to dismiss the thoughts from his mind but the effort was futile. He just sighed, hoping that Hakoda didn't hear him.
"Long time no see." Hakoda broke the awkward silence with an attempt to start up a casual conversation. "What brings you here?" Hakoda asked half jokingly.
"I should ask you the same thing along with why are you wearing a soldier's uniform." Zuko said in reply. He smiled slightly.
"I asked you first. What brings you here?" Hakoda asked with a casual smile.
"Aren't you mad?" Zuko blurted out. He cursed inwardly at himself for bringing up the past.
Hakoda raised an eyebrow and waited for the question to set in. Suddenly the meaning behind the obscure and unrelated question sank in. "It wasn't your fault, so why would I be mad at you?" He asked back.
Zuko looked at Hakoda in shock then looked at the ground. He sat quietly for a few moments before he spoke. "Because I survived and they didn't…" He answered sadly.
Hakoda looked at Zuko and mulled over what to say next. "It isn't your fault so don't beat yourself up for it. You tried your best and that's all I can ask of you or anyone else." He smiled and put a reassuring hand on Zuko's shoulder. Zuko looked up to him and gave a slight smile. "So…" Hakoda said suddenly to change the topic. "What brings you here?"
Relieved that the awkward conversation was behind them Zuko started to speak. "Well I kind of wandered into a village, and I ended up staying there…" He paused. "Well for one I'm known as Lee."
Hakoda laughed. "Good thing I didn't choose Lee for a name then."
Zuko smiled. He started to speak when he was interrupted by a loud banging noise from the balcony area of the inn. Shin ran to the edge and started to call his name while running and tripping down the stairs.
"Lee! We have a situation – hey what's with the soldier guy?" Shin screeched to a stop in front of Zuko and Hakoda.
"Well there's a funny story really." Zuko started off. Shin grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him away from Hakoda.
"What's with the Fire Nation soldier guy? Not a good idea to talk to them when we're not Fire Nation…" He whispered loudly.
"I can hear you." Hakoda stated.
"No you can't!" Shin retorted nervously.
"He isn't Fire Nation either, calm down and listen." Zuko whispered back.
Shin stood up quickly and tried to act casual. Zuko rolled his eyes as he mouthed an apology to Hakoda. Hakoda smiled and nodded back.
"Anyways, Lee we have a situation! Sen is going crazy and I'm starting to feel really bad for jerk-wad Xiang." Shin said while waving his arms around to emphasize his point.
"You are telling me this because…"
"Chang sent me out here!"
"He wants me to know this because…"
"It's getting serious! Why don't you get your friend to help?"
Zuko looked over to Hakoda who shrugged and motioned for him to lead the way. Shin grabbed Zuko who accidently grabbed Hakoda for balance. Soon the awkward convoy made its way up to the balcony and into the room.
Sen was grabbing Xiang by the collar who in turn was trying to grab for Chang who was out of reach. Shin walked in followed by Zuko who was followed by Hakoda. Everything seemed to stop once Hakoda entered the room and closed the door. Sen's face was in a state of determination and confusion. Chang looked as if he swallowed something sour and was trying to spit it out. Xiang's entire figure slumped and had a comical confused expression on his face. The three of them stared at Hakoda, then to Zuko, then to Shin.
Xiang was the first to speak. His voice was of suspicion and relief to be out of Sen's death grip. "Who is he?" Xiang spat, pointing to Hakoda.
"Why did you bring him here?" Chang asked accusingly.
"Yeah, and since when were we friends with Fire Nation soldiers!" Sen asked.
"Sen!" Chang and Xiang said in unison.
"Whoops…" Sen said guiltily.
Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose in anticipation. He sighed. "You really need to work on keeping our group a secret. I guess we're lucky that Hakoda isn't really Fire Nation…" Zuko sighed again.
"Wow if that aint luck then I don't know what is…" Chang said quietly. "So where are you from Mr. Hakoda?" He asked.
"I'm from the Sothern Water Tribe. I got stuck in the Fire Nation so I had to make do and it brought me here." Hakoda answered. Everyone looked at each other and agreed to believe him.
"So can you waterbend?" Xiang asked. "If so then I'd like to hire you to be my second in command for my platoon." He motioned to the group.
Zuko rolled his eyes while Sen covered Chang and Shin's mouth. Hakoda looked over at Zuko who rolled his eyes again. He looked over to the others who were trying to convey their message however they could without saying it.
"If you're going back to the Fire Nation, please take me with you…" Zuko sighed in annoyance.
Hakoda laughed at Zuko's remark. "Well I just happen to be going there tomorrow. Maybe it would be a good idea if you came."
"What!" Xiang exclaimed. "We can't go there! It's full of fire and the Phoenix King and the Fire Lord!"
"The crazy Fire Lord." Zuko added.
"Whatever!" Xiang retorted. "Why should we go there?" He demanded.
"Because it'd be safer and they wouldn't be expecting us to be foreigners?" Chang asked.
"Exactly." Hakoda stated. Everyone looked to one another for an answer or an opinion.
"Well as commander of this platoon…" Xiang was interrupted.
"This platoon that really isn't a platoon that you almost got killed…" Zuko corrected.
Xiang glared at Zuko. "Well who's fault was it that a crazy woman was stalking you earlier of today?"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Zuko asked.
"Exactly my point." Xiang retorted.
"Well I vote Fire Nation because then we can kick some Phoenix King butt!" Sen said enthusiastically. Shin and Chang excitedly agreed. Xiang began to argue with them that the idea was a bad one while Zuko stood with Hakoda off to the side.
Hakoda put his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Well doesn't this sound familiar?" He whispered into Zuko's ear. Zuko looked to Hakoda questioningly. "Don't worry at least now you'll have a place to stay and someone to vouch for you."
"Well Lee?" Sen asked.
Zuko looked at Sen confused. "Well what?"
"Three votes for going and one for staying, pick one."
Zuko looked to the ground and began to organize the thoughts in his head. If he stayed then he would be at higher risk of being found out. If he went then he would have the chance to get back at Ozai and Azula, plus the others wouldn't last a day alone in the Fire Nation.
"I'll go." He stated. "But we are going to have to learn how to keep our identities as secret. If they find out whom we really are, Hakoda included, they will probably take us to the Phoenix King and I'm pretty sure we all know what he's capable of."
"Yeah! Fire Nation here we come baby!" Sen said excitedly.
"As commander of this platoon…" Xiang was interrupted.
"Who votes Lee and Hakoda as co-commanders of our group?" Shin said.
"Hey!" Xiang yelled.
An argument broke out between Shin and Xiang, which Sen joined in and dragged Chang into it as well. Zuko let out an annoyed sigh as Hakoda shook is head. Suddenly there was a heavy knock at the door and everyone froze and tried to act natural. There was a pause and the knocking came again. Hakoda took a deep breath as he opened the door. Standing there was another soldier who began to survey the room. Hakoda did a quick bow and moved aside so the visitor could walk in.
"Well you'd think someone died when you walk in here because of the quiet." The soldier inquired.
"Nope nobody died today!" Sen said. Xiang and Chang both covered her mouth.
The soldier raised an eyebrow and began to look at the others in turn. He then turned to Hakoda.
"I assume you know these people?" He questioned.
"Yes." Hakoda paused. "Lee here is a family friend and these are his friends who just happen to be here. I was going to ask if they could come back with us to the Fire Nation."
The soldier paused and looked around at everyone again. "Well you expect me to easily believe you then?"
"I wouldn't lie about that. Foreigners would be stupid to try and sneak into the country anyways." Hakoda retorted.
"True, true, well get your friends and bring them to the ship so we don't have to stay in this dump any longer. These people and this place smell like Earth Kingdom, disgusting really." The soldier turned on his heel and left the room.
"How can someone smell like Earth Kingdom? Well he's just jealous of our unknown scent." Xiang said half proudly.
Everyone looked at each other out of confusion to Xiang's statement. Sen grabbed a part of her shirt and sniffed it and gave a repulsive look to the air in front of her.
"Yuck, we do smell funny. We haven't had a decent bath since we started on this adventure and now look. That ship better have a decent bath."
"That's just the smell of manliness that you smell here." Chang exclaimed proudly.
Zuko rolled his eyes at the antics of the siblings. He mulled over whether it was a good idea or not to go to the Fire Nation. If it was only Hakoda and him, he would feel more comfortable. Zuko looked to the group of people who were arguing over funny Fire Nation water and baths. He began to think again, because of his new friends they would have an easier chance at being caught, but it was done before.
"If we do go, we are going to have to learn to keep our identities a secret." Zuko began.
"Yeah and if they find out, blah blah blah… You've said this before Lee, we get it." Shin said. "What makes you so sure that we're gonna screw it all up? I mean hey, we're in a Fire Nation town and they haven't found us."
"Yeah but here we can always escape to somewhere safe." Zuko said in response.
"Lee has a point. Once we go, there's no turning back. You're going to have to finish whatever plans you have because there may not be a second time around." Hakoda added. The room got quiet and everyone exchanged glances.
"So…" Sen paused. "What is the plan anyway? Lee said he wanted to go with Hakoda and I get that, being family friends and all. So what about us? Why are we going?"
"For the reason you said earlier." Chang answered. Sen gave him a questioning look.
"To defeat the Fire Lord and the Phoenix King." Xiang added. "We're going to end this war even if it kills us, at least I will, that's for sure." Zuko nodded and smiled in agreement.
"So what's the plan then?" Zuko asked.
"I guess we wing it. We don't exactly have enough time to make an elaborate plan." Chang said.
"Usually winging it doesn't exactly comply with military standards, but I guess that's what we will have to do." Xiang agreed.
"You guys are going to have to find work and blend in with the locals before any of you get near the capital. They could spot a foreigner a mile away, at least that's what I've heard." Hakoda said. "I've only been there once for a short time."
There was a loud knock on the door. Hakoda opened it to see that the soldier from before was waiting for them. The soldier motioned for them to follow him to the ship of which they would be staying on for a week or so to get to the Fire Nation. He escorted them out of the inn and led them to the ship that was on the docks ahead and on the other side of a large patch of trees. The rain was pouring even harder now, making it hard to see in front of them. They could see a silhouette of a giant hull of an even larger ship. The ramp was opened and they were led inside.