A.N. Hello all. Time for the next chapter. Stat Chart:
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UnitedLuck (I forgot to mention you in Chap 6. My apologies. First reviewer of the story! You get chocolate chip cookie.)
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Who can guess what song I use in this chapter? I altered the lyrics slightly, but of course I claim no ownership. Whoever guesses the song gets a cookie. Chocolate chip of course. Let's see who's at the door.
Lee looked at the man dressed in Navy Attire and fixed him with a confused look.
"Are you lost young man?" Lee asks.
"I'm here to see Jun." Ruon-Jian states.
Lee narrows his eyes.
"I'm afraid you must be mistaken. No one by that name lives here."
"Of course. Just tell her I'm shipping out. I'll be out of her hair for good, and she'll be out of mine."
Lee shuts the door in his face before turning to Jun.
"He's leaving the Fire Nation. Looks like you're safe." Lee says, a friendly smile on his face.
"I was already safe a year after my...parents called off the marriage arrangement." Jun responds, an annoyed look on her face.
"I need to thank Ming for keeping me informed."
Another knock on the door causes Lee to open it once more.
"Hello, sir. I don't suppose you remember me?"
Lee adopts a thinking pose, bringing his hand to his chin. He takes in the man, when it suddenly hits him.
"Kensho, welcome back." Lee says, reaching out his hand to shake it. Kensho gladly accepts the outstretched hand with a smile.
"I came here looking for Jun. I heard a brief explanation of the past events."
Lee opens the door completely, letting Kensho enter.
Jun hadn't noticed yet, with her focus on a difficult piece of yarn. Hena on the other hand stands up and gives Kensho a welcoming hug.
"Welcome home." Hena greets.
"Thank you. It's good to be back."
Hearing Kensho's voice, Jun looks up quickly and places the dress to the side. She then stands up and walks over to Kensho.
"Kensho. You found me." Jun says, wrapping him in a hug, which he eagerly responds.
"Well, it isn't that hard. I'm surprised mother and father never found you."
"They never looked. Well, they told people they were searching for me. They drug that lie a couple months before 'ending' the search."
"Well, I'm glad you're safe."
Kensho looks to Lee and Hena saying, "Thank you both, so much, for looking after her for me. I'm in your debt."
"It was no problem at all. We're glad to have Jun staying with us. If I'm being honest I like to think of her as family too." Hena states, getting a smile from Jun.
"Why don't we go to my room and catch up." Jun suggests, already pulling him.
Once the two enter Jun's Room she closes the door and plops down on her bed. She pats down on a spot next to her and Kensho takes a seat.
Kensho had to laugh a little bit at the situation and gladly took a seat, removing his boots first.
"So, you've been living with Lee and Hena for two years?" Kensho asks.
"Yeah. They've been very supportive. Hena even taught me how to sew, which has been really fun. I was finishing work on a dress when you arrived."
"I'm glad you're happy. I'm only sorry mother and father kicked you out of the house."
"Kensho...that's not the entire story. What do you know?"
"I know that they put you in a marriage contract. You ran away. That's about it."
Jun stands up and walks to her dressing table.
"The truth is that...well, it's nothing."
Kensho walks over to her, standing to her side.
"Jun, did something happen?" Kensho asks, obviously knowing something happened, but wanted to ask the question anyway.
Jun feels a chill up her spine as she thickly swallows.
"Before I was put into the contract, my betrothed took me."
"Took you? You mean he..."
Jun looks at him with sad eyes.
"He left me with my purity intact only where it matters." Jun states, rubbing her arm.
Kensho wraps Jun in a hug, which she leans into.
"If I ever see him I'll burn him to ash."
Jun turns her body so she's facing Kensho and nuzzles into the front of his armor. After a few seconds she pulls away and starts untying the string that held the armor in place. Kensho stops her and does it himself, finally removing the armor. He felt much lighter after that and placed it at the foot of the bed.
Jun led Kensho to the bed and the two laid down. She looked out of the small window and saw the sky was turning red.
"If you've been missing for two years, does that mean you haven't been going to the academy?" Kensho asks.
"Yeah. Don't worry though. Hena bought me some educational scrolls in many subjects."
"At least it's something."
After a few minutes Jun noticed Kensho had fallen asleep.
"He's finally back. I can't wait to spend time with him."
Jun carefully leaned her head closer and gave Kensho the smallest of pecks on the cheek. Afterwards she carefully got out of her bed and softly closed the door behind her after leaving the room.
In the living/dining room Hena and Lee set out four plates.
"Kensho's sleeping right now."
Hena nods, putting one of the dishes away.
"He seems troubled." Lee comments, as everyone takes a seat.
"What do you mean?" Jun asks as Hena serves everyone.
"A young man like him, being sent off to the war? I'd be surprised if he was fine. Especially after the tragedy of the six-hundred-day siege."
"Honey, maybe we shouldn't discuss such subjects." Hena comments, nudging her head to a sad Jun.
"Oh, I'm sorry Jun. I didn't mean to bring down the mood."
"It's fine. I'm sure all he needs is time and rest."
Lee nods his head with a smile. The three start eating, and talk about small things. Hena and Jun specifically talked about new dress orders and military fatigues.
After dinner ended Jun entered her room to see Kensho sitting at her desk reading a scroll with a red ribbon tied to it. Realizing what he was reading Jun quickly snatched it away.
"You can't read that." Jun says, rolling up the scroll.
"You sing now?"
Jun hides her blush behind the scroll as she nods.
"Whenever I have free time I practice. Hena says I have a nice voice."
"I'd like to hear you some time."
Jun nods and looks at her bed.
"You could spend the night here. I'm sure our parents wouldn't miss you."
"Yes. Be that as it may, it would be rude not to show up." Kensho says, giving Jun a pat on the head.
She swats his hand away with a smirk.
"Of course. I'll see you tomorrow?"
Kensho gives a confident nod.
The two embrace once more and Kensho gives Jun a pat on the head before leaving, putting his armor back on first. After closing the bedroom door Jun lays down on her bed and feels something poking into her back. She sits up and grabs the item bugging her. It was the stone, shaped into the fire nation symbol, that she gave to Kensho before he left.
"He's home."
Instead of going home, Kensho walks into a bar and orders some Shochu.
"To think, I'm back home and in a bar before Zen. On second thought, he's probably already been to one."
He starts taking drink after drink for the next hour before starting to feel the affects. After getting his fill Kensho starts towards home, bumping into a few walls before blacking out.
"Alright, I visited family, met some friends, time to hit the bar." Zen thinks.
Zen was walking around the somewhat empty street and notices a soldier passed out near the bar. After getting closer he realizes it's Kensho.
"Oh shit. What did you do."
Zen discreetly gathers his friend and lifts him up.
"Come on Kensho, you're a heavy one. Don't make me carry you on my own."
Kensho's body responds by flopping down, making him slightly more heavier.
"Thanks bud."
A few feet away from the two Lee walks by on his way to work when he notices the two.
"Excuse me, do you need some help with your friend?"
"Oh that would be great. Thank you."
Lee stepped forwards and realized who it was.
"Kensho?"
"You know him too?"
"Yeah. Why don't I take him off your hands. I can bring him back to my home. I work as a guard so he'll be fine."
Zen nods his head and shifts the weight to Lee.
"Take good care of him." Zen says, walking towards the bar.
Lee nods and starts dragging Kensho back home.
"I thought this may happen. Hopefully I won't have to intervene."
Lee opens the door quietly. Only Hena was awake, reading a book. Once Lee opened the door she immediately took notice of Kensho.
"Oh Angi. Is he ok?" Hena asks, putting the book down.
"Yes, just passed out. He's heavier than he looks."
"I'll grab the spare blankets and pillow. We can let him sleep on the couch." Hena says.
Lee drops Kensho's body on the ground to take off the armor before putting him on the couch. Hena places a pillow under his head and drapes a blanket over him.
"L-Lu Ten...I'm sorry." Kensho mutters.
Lee told Hena how he found Kensho before leaving to get to work. Meanwhile Hena sat in a stool nearby Kensho, continuing to read and watching over him.
In the morning Kensho jolted up and fell off the couch, waking up Hena who quickly rushed out.
"Oh, Kensho. You're awake. Are you feeling better?" Hena asks, helping him up to his feet.
"I-I don't know. Where am I? Who are you?"
"It's Hena. Remember?"
"Yeah. Yes. What happened?"
"Lee brought you back home passed out drunk. Are you ok?"
"I don't know," Kensho says, falling onto the couch, "I feel paranoid, sad, and angry."
"You came back from war. It's understandable." Hena responds, fetching a cool towel for him.
"Maybe you can surprise your sister and wake her up."
Kensho nods his head and gratefully takes the towel before lumbering to her door. He starts to enter but suddenly stops.
"She sleeps clothed, yes?"
Hena chuckled a bit and nods her head.
Kensho enters the dark room and sits on the edge. Wrapping the towel around his head, he observed her mouth was slightly open as she breathed peacefully.
Jun shifted around a bit and hugged her pillow closer. Not wanting to wake her, Kensho opted to lay down on the floor to take a quick nap.
After an hour Jun woke up and let out a cute little yawn. Unfortunately for Kensho she stepped out of her bed, and onto his leg.
"YA! Jun!" Kensho says.
"AH! Kensho! What're you doing here?" Jun asks, being scared out of her groggy state, not bothering to cover herself more with the bed robe.
"I thought I'd drop by early. You seemed so peaceful sleeping I didn't want to wake you."
"Oh, well...why were you on the floor? And why do you have a cloth wrapped around you head?"
"I decided to take a small nap, and as for the cloth I have a bit of a headache so Hena gave me one."
"Ah. Well, give me a minute to change then you can come back in."
Kensho leaves the room as requested, and after a minute Jun tells him he can enter once more. Once inside he saw she was wearing some basic Fire Nation clothes colored in red and gold. Her hair was also in her basic half-top-knot.
"So, we have a whole day to catch up. What shall we do?" Jun asks.
"I don't know."
"Well, why don't I start by asking, why do you have alcohol on your breath?"
"Shit. I was hoping she wouldn't notice."
"Well?" Jun asks.
"I might have gone out drinking."
"Uh huh. Might have?"
"Ok I did go out drinking. I had a couple of shots of Shochu."
"Kensho. That's strong alcohol. Why did you, of all people, drink so much?"
Kensho sat down on the bed, with Jun following immediately after.
"I just needed something to dull...everything."
Jun started feeling sorry for how she acted.
"The wall was...rough. I had to do things I'm not proud of."
"I know," Jun responds in a softer tone, "I read the letters. I'm sorry I didn't respond, but being in hiding doesn't allow me to send letters."
"Of course. I don't blame you, knowing all the information now. Oh shit, I forgot to let Zuko and Azula know I found you."
"You asked the Royal family help to find me?"
"No, only Zuko and Azula."
Jun let out a sigh of relief. She did not need an entire garrison of troops looking for her.
"I should do that now." Kensho says, standing up only to find his legs too weak an sits down.
"You're in no condition to leave. Stay put and rest."
"Alright, I'll listen to you this time."
"Smart."
Jun lays Kensho down on the bed and positions herself right next to him.
"Get some more sleep, then you can talk to the Royal Siblings."
Kensho closes his eyes and nods as Jun starts humming. Soon, she starts singing.
A man came across an old tower one day
It was straight like a book he once read
He lifted his head up and saw a young lady
And here's what the lady said:
"Moi je m'appelle dame Jun.
Et comme vous pouvez le voir.
Je ne souris, ni ris, ni vis."
Et c'est tout ce qu'elle a dit~
The man was so scared he could only run away.
He ran to his parents and then said:
"I just saw a lady with the longest dark hair
And I think she's a living dead!"
The family, so scared, took their bows and their swords
They ran to the tower and then
They saw the pale lady and felt a great fear
When they heard how she said it again:
"Moi je m'appelle dame Jun.
Et comme vous pouvez le voir.
Je ne souris, ni ris, ni vis."
Et c'est tout ce qu'elle a dit~
The family they knew what this all was about:
She was clearly a demon from hell
They decided to set her long hair on fire
In the end it would burn her as well
But the lady was no demon she was a lonely soul
Just like in the book they once read
Still waiting for her love while her hair was on fire
The one last time she said:
"Moi je m'appelle dame Jun.
Et comme vous pouvez le voir.
Je ne souris, ni ris, ni vis."
Et c'est tout ce qu'elle a dit.
A.N. And there we go. Reunion and some late night drinking. I will eventually be breaking into main story line, but until then enjoy the siblings more. Also, don't question how they would know French...just...I don't even know lol
Reviews would be appreciated
Anyways stay awesome guys and gals of the world, and I'll see you next chapter
