Disclaimer: See chapter 1.
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Avatar: Destiny
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Chapter 5: Shaping Destiny
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"Well, that wasn't so bad." Aang said happily whorling around the others on an airball as they walked back home.
"Yeah, I guess." Katara half-heartedly agreed. "The people seemed really enthusiastic to see you."
Sokka shook his head. "Yeah, but you saw how Long Feng steered discussion away from the war. Time is running short. The eclipse is going to happen soon and if we don't take advantage of it we could miss our only chance at defeating the Fire Nation before the comet comes."
"He did say he was discussing 'options' with the military council." Toph pointed out.
"Do you really believe that?" Sokka countered.
"Well… no, not really." Toph admitted.
"With only a month before the eclipse, we need to take action. If the Earth Kingdom is going to invade the Fire Nation, it's going to take time to coordinate and execute. An invasion this size takes careful planning. If Long Feng hasn't informed the Earth King and his generals yet, it may already be too late."
Aang hopped off the airball to stand next to Katara. "You're right. We need to take action now."
"Why don't we ask Joo Dee?" Katara said.
"Fine but how do we find her?" Aang responded.
Katara pointed toward the front door of their house. "She's right there."
"Oh, well, that was easy." Aang smiled.
As the foursome walked up the steps to the house, Joo Dee stepped forward and bowed. "Hello Aang, and Katara, and Sokka, and Toph. The Cultural Minister asked me to extend his thanks and humblest gratitude for your appearance in the Lower Ring today. It was a great success. The people were very encouraged by your visit."
"Hmm, you're welcome?" Aang didn't really know how he should respond after all they had talked about on the way home.
"It went so well, in fact, that he asks if you would be willing to make another official appearance later this week in the City Square of the Upper Ring. It would be a big boost to our economy." Joo Dee smiled broadly.
"Well…" Aang searched for the right thing to say, but Sokka answered for him.
"You tell Long Feng that the Avatar will be happy to make an appearance in the Upper Ring. In fact, an appearance by the Avatar with the Earth King and his ministers and generals would go a long way to boosting political and economic confidence in the city."
A hint of nervousness crept in Joo Dee's smile. "Well, yes, I suppose."
"And right after the appearance, we want an audience with the King and his generals to discuss a possible invasion of the Fire Nation." Sokka added.
"Well, I do not think that is possible." Joo Dee quickly countered. "The Earth King is very busy.
"And the Avatar isn't!?" Sokka stomped his foot and leaned in, invading Joo Dee's personal space. "Look, the Earth King only has to run one city. The Avatar has to bring balance to the whole world. Now you tell me, who's more busy?"
"Umm…" A drop of nervous perspiration rolled down Joo Dee's temple.
"That's right! The Avatar!" Sokka answered his own question. "Now go and tell Long Feng to make the necessary arrangments if he expects Aang to continue to play his propaganda game."
Joo Dee looked apprehensively at each of their faces then quickly bowed and ran off.
"Nice going Sokka." Aang nodded with a smile.
"No kidding. I'm impressed, big brother." Sokka smiled proudly at his sister.
"That's telling her!" Toph punched older the boy in the arm, sending hard into the door.
"Thanks." He squeeked as he slid to the floor.
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Zuko stopped sweeping long enough to look out over the empty tables.
"Something wrong, Zuko?" His uncle asked while looking up from tallying the day's receipts.
"I was just thinking…"
"Yes?" Iroh jotted down some figures and continued counting.
"Well, to tell you the truth, I know we've only been open about a week, but we're doing better than I ever thought we would be." Zuko said.
"Hmm, much better than expected." The elderly man agreed. "At this rate, we will need to get a bigger place very soon."
"I suppose we'll be able to make enough to live comfortably here." Zuko rested his chin on the top of the broomstick.
His uncle smiled. "To tell you the truth, three or four people could live comfortably off what we're making."
Zuko looked over. "Really?"
"Really." Iroh smiled. "Have you seen Jin today?"
"As a matter of fact, no, I haven't." The young prince went back to sweeping.
"I can finish up here. Why don't you drop in on your girlfriend? I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."
Zuko set the broom aside. "Thank you, Uncle." Then he untied his apron, laid it on the counter and headed out the door.
Iroh smiled. "To be young and in love." He sighed then went back to work.
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Zuko rapped lightly on the door. A few moments later, Jin's mother slid the door open a crack. "Hello? Oh, Li." She smiled.
The young prince bowed. "Hello Ma'am. Is Jin available?"
"Oh, well… yes, she is, but… it's kind of late." The woman hesitated.
"Yes, I'm sorry for dropping by so late. My uncle and I just closed the tea shop for the day. I was just hoping to see Jin for a minute."
From inside the house, a voice echoed. "Who is it mother!? Is it Li!?"
Zuko smiled to himself as he heard footsteps running towards the door. A second later, Jin slid the door all the way open. "Hi Li." She smiled, then quickly slipped on her shoes. "We'll be back in a minute mother." And she rushed out the door, grabbed Zuko's hand and pulled him down the street.
After running a few blocks, Jin stopped and turned suddenly, wrapping her boyfriend in a tight embrace. "I missed you." She whispered into his chest.
"I'm sorry." Zuko enveloped her in his arms. "We've been really busy. Busier than I thought we'd be." He pressed his cheek to the top of her head. "I've missed you too."
Jin lifted her head and smiled up at the boy she knew as Li. "Father says your teashop is a big success."
Zuko nodded. "Uncle says we'll need a bigger shop sooner than he thought. People are already forming lines outside the store just to drink his tea."
"I'm so happy for you." Jin leaned in and gave her boyfriend a light kiss. Zuko responded by kissing her back more deeply. Jin smiled happily when they separated then took his arm and lead him further down the street towards the park.
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Sitting on the grass next to the small man-made pond in the middle of the park, Jin smiled and laughed at the small fish that splashed at the surface, thinking the flickering lights of the lamps reflecting off the water were food. Zuko looked over at the girl and smiled. Never, in his wildest imagination had he ever thought he could feel so at home, so tranquil with anyone who wasn't Fire Nation, but this girl, who was loud, and aggressive, and assertive, and opinionated, and funny and full of joy and light, filled him in ways no other person ever had. Not since before his mother disappeared had he felt so at peace, so happy with anyone. He watched her closely. Jin was no great beauty. She was rather plain actually with unruly hair, but she had a smile that lit up her entire face, an infectious smile that made everyone around her want to join in with her and smile too.
Before he knew what he was doing, Zuko blurted out, "Jin, I love you."
The girl gasped and turned toward him, her eyes instantly welling up with tears.
Seeing her shocked expression, Zuko panicked. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I mean…. I'm sorry." He lept to his feet but before he could escape, Jin reached out, grabbed his hand and gently pulled him back down next to her.
"No, it's all right. Really." She wiped her eyes and smiled. "I'm not crying because I'm upset. I'm crying because I'm happy." Zuko looked even more confused. "This is the first time you've told me you loved me. I always hoped you did, I tried to convince myself you did, but hearing you say it." She started crying again, then threw her arms around his neck. "I love you Li. I love you so much."
Zuko hugged her back, but hearing her call him Li, made his heart sink. "Jin, there's something I have to tell you."
She looked up at him and smiled. "I told you before Li, you don't have to tell me about your past. It's who you are now that matters to me."
"I understand that." He reached behind his neck and gently pulled her arms away from him. "But this has to do with who I am… who I really am."
Jin's heart began to race, matched by her breath, but she nodded and listened intently.
"I love you Jin. I don't think I realized just how much I loved you until now. I want us to be together always. I want us to be a family… to make a family, you and I."
Jin smiled as fresh tears sprang from her eyes.
"And because of that, I think it's important for you to know who I am, who I really am." Zuko felt his heart begin to race.
Jin took her boyfriend's hand into her's. "There's nothing you can tell me Li that could possible change how I feel about you."
Zuko drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I hope you're right, but I'll understand if you're not." He drew in another deep breath and began. "First of all, my name is not Li… it's Zuko, and I wan't a circus performer, I… I'm a prince of the Fire Nation." He went on and explained everything; how his mother died, how he got his scare, how he was banished from his kingdom, how he had spent the last three years of his life searching for the avatar, how he and his uncle were labeled as traitors and were wanted by both the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, how they took on different identities and came to Ba Sing Se as refugees.
Jin stared at her boyfriend in disbelief. "I don't know whether to believe you or not. If I believe you, that means you're the enemy of everything and everyone I love, but if I don't believe you, then that means you're making all this up just to make it easier for you to break up with me, which means you don't really love me." She stood up and walked to the water's edge.
Zuko gave her a minute before getting up and walking up next to her. "I can prove to you I am who I say I am but in doing so I risk exposing myself." He looked over at her. "But if this is what it takes for you to believe me." He closed his eyes, and put his hands together, then took a stance and thrusted forward with his fingers extended sending a small ball of fire into the pond. It struck the water and hissed, sending up a small pillar of steam.
Jin gasped and took a step back. Zuko turned to face her. "I'm sorry Jin. I never wanted to lie to you. I didn't mean to fall in love with you, but I did."
Tears began to fall from the girls eyes. "So now what? Are you going to kill me? Are you going to try and kill the Earth King?" She wrapped her arms around herself, in a useless attempt to stop her trembling.
"No." Zuko stepped forward and grabbed the girl's arms. "I love you Jin. I would never hurt you." He pulled her into his arms. "And the last thing I want is to upset the peaceful life I've found here." He ran his hand up and down her back. "The man I was is dead. I'm Li of the Earth Kingdom." He hesitated a moment. "And if you'll marry me, I promise never to firebend ever again."
Jin looked up through her tear filled eyes and gazed into Zuko's eyes. "Marry you?" Her lips trembled. "You want me to marry you?"
Zuko smiled. "Nothing would make me happier."
"Oh Li!" She hugged him tightly as tears of joy sprang from her eyes.
"Is that a yes, you'll marry me?" He smirked.
"Yes, yes, yes." She leaned up and kissed him deeply. "Yes, yes, I'll marry you."
For the first time in his life, Zuko felt totally and completely at peace. He could see a bright future for himself with his uncle, wife and children by his side. He would live as a citizen of the Earth Kingdom and never again firebend. For years he saw his destiny leading him down a different path; one filled with suffering and hardship but ultimately leading him back to the Fire Nation and the throne of his fathers. But now, he saw a different destiny, a destiny without pain and hardship, a destiny filled with love and joy. A destiny of a humble teashop owner and his Earth Kingdom wife.
"I promise." He kissed her. "I promise, I'll make your life happy." He kissed her again.
"Being with you makes me happy." She kissed him back, then hugged his, pressing her cheek up against his collarbone. "I love you Li. I'll always love you."
"I'll always love you Jin." Zuko turned and with one arm still around her, slowly guided Jin out of the park.
After a few minutes of silence, Jin giggled. "You know, I should have guessed a long time ago."
"Guessed what?"
"That you weren't who you said you were." She answered. "I mean, you couldn't juggle, you don't know even the most basic customs and the way you lit all those lamps so fast on our first date. I guess, I just didn't want to believe it."
"Does it bother you?" Zuko glanced over. "Knowing who I really am now?"
"It did when you first told me, but to be honest, I have no memory of the war. My parents moved to Ba Sing Se when I was just a baby, and the government frowns on people who talk about the war. Even at home, my parents never talked about it. It's like, I know it's real but not real at the same time." She rested her head on his arm. "If all firebenders are like you, the Earth Kingdom should have surrendered a long time ago and welcomed the Fire Nation with open arms."
"Well, unfortunately, most firebenders aren't like me… I don't think." Zuko tightened his hold on his girlfriend. After a few more minutes of silence, he whispered. "It would be best if you didn't mention anything I told you to anyone, even your parents."
Jin stopped and gave Zuko a hurt look. "You mean I can't tell anyone you asked me to marry you and I said yes?" Then she smirked.
"Well, you can tell them that, just not the other think I told you."
Jin laughed. "Oh Li, you just don't get sarcasm, do you?"
The young prince scratched the back of his head. "No, I guess I don't."
Jin stopped and turned in front of him, and placed her hand upon his cheek. "I'll never tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me. I promise." She leaned forward and kissed him. "As far as I'm concerned, you're Li, the young and handsome teashop owner in Ba Sing Se."
Zuko smiled and kissed her. "Thank you Jin. I knew I could trust you." He kissed her again, then reached up and took her hand. "I need to get you home. I'm sure your mother's worried." She nodded, and they continued walking.
In front of her house, they kissed once more and before he left, Zuko whispered. "Don't tell your parents I asked you to marry me, not yet."
"Why?" Jin frowned sadly.
"Because, I want to ask them properly for your hand. I'll come by in a couple of hours after supper tomorrow, if you think that's a good time," he explained.
"That's a perfect time. Father will be done going over his ledgers by then and should be settling in for the evening, and mother will be done cleaning up. I'll be sure to help her so she's won't be busy when you come." Jin could hardly contain herself. "Mmm, Li, I'm so happy." She hugged him tightly.
"I'm happy to Jin, and after tomorrow we'll be able to share our happiness with everyone." He held her close. After they shared one last kiss, the Earth Kingdom girl slowly slipped out of the young prince's arms and retreated into her home, watching him with loving eyes the entire time.
Zuko smiled to himself and walked home feeling happier then he ever remembered feeling.
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(To Be Coninued)
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AN: This is the first chapter that wasn't first posted on Please let me know what you think of it? I'd really like to know.
A. Amishi