Lightning is normally known as a peaceful fun loving fight induced Nation. But damnit were these statesmen giving Minato a headache.
"I say we torture the girl get information on how she learned it then send our spies in to kill the source." Said one shadow.
"Are you out of your mind and cause an international cluster-fuck" Another shouted.
One particular shadow had enough and slammed his fist on the table charging up at the same time "SHUT UP" Minato Namikaze the Shikokage, the Supreme Shadow, Emperor of the Lightning Empire now had a migraine "We are not going to kill or torture the girl. What we are going to do though is monitor and watch her. The fire-nation knows how to redirect our bending, no doubt the work of their Fire-lord." He then folded his arms "Old bastard"
"I still say we force the information out the child" This one came from Ei.
"And cause a pointless war, use your head more than your muscles," said Mei "But it does bring up another issue. The Imperial graduation, exams have been put off long enough, I say we start them immediately" The whole room thought about it.
"Why not allow her to participate. Let her see the military power of the younger generation. Strike fear in her heart." Tsunade said as many nodded at her point.
"Plus what are even worried about, in no way shape or form would the fire nation attack. What we should be worried about is if the water tribes will act after the attempt on the lives of the Avatar's group." Rasa the Kazekage spoke but he was caught off by the new great Shadow Kizashi.
"I wouldn't be worried about that the Mizukage has everything handled in the North, What I'm worried about is the Avatar himself. He tried to make a direct attempt on the Imperial family's life. Even if he is just a boy he could bring the world to heel and attack us. I say we place a bounty on his head"
I agree
As do I
Minato looked at the big six then to the lesser cities to see they also agreed. "Fine a bounty shall be placed on the Avatar's head wanted dead, for crimes against the Lightning Empire" Before another subject could be brought up the Emperor quickly raised placing his hat on the table exited the chambers.
(Later that day with Naruto)
The prince of the Lightning Empire was walking the Imperial grounds following the sounds of fire. Yes Naruto was looking for Princess Azula. And the scene he came upon made him sweat-drop. Azula was punching and kicking a straw doll made to look like Ami, and from the burning piles of ash. He would guess this wasn't her first one. Where did she even get these?
"Eh hem" Azula gasped that someone snuck up on her. Turning around she saw another annoyance in her life. So giving the prince a glare she turned back to what she was doing. Opening her palm a blaze of fire incinerated the straw dummy. Naruto looked dumbfounded until she turned on him.
"Well, what do you want? As you can see I was kind of busy" She moved past him, walking in no particular destination. She just wanted to get away from him. But instead the damn prince was following her.
"Well I was just looking for you, wanted to see if you were ok. And-"
"I'm fine" She sped up her walking this time. But he maneuvered in front of her cutting off her path.
"And... I was wondering if you wanted to get something to eat." Azula stared at his wide grin. A cute grin but a grin that made her angry at the same time.
"For what so you can pry me for information on how I know how to redirect Lightning." She got in his face now and kept going. "Or maybe it's because you want to get secrets on my homeland. Or maybe"
Naruto was leaning back as the teenage girl continued to rant on and on. So he did the one thing his grandmother, father and even his father did when he got this way…. He flicked her forehead.
Azula stopped talking at that moment, a red mark in the middle of her forehead. The prince just stared at her with a simple smile. "Or maybe, we can just get something to eat. Come on I know a great place" The princess without even realizing it followed the prince. The forehead flick it was the same thing her mother used to do whenever she got worked up.
(Ichiraku Ramen Restaurant, Konoha, Lightning Empire)
Princess Azula watched on in disgust as the prince slurped up the food. She had seen him do this before but she would never understand how such a young teenager of only 14 years of age can eat 10 FREAKING BOWLS OF RAMEN. Wait, WAS HE ORDERING ANOTHER ONE.
"Where does it all go" She whispered. The young woman working their table answered for her.
"Nobody knows, he really puts it away doesn't he." Azula looked at her and she just smiled. "Hi I'm Ayame you must be Princess Azula right".
Azula just nodded her head, then, went back to her own food. All she wanted was one bowl she didn't eat a lot in the first place. She noticed Naruto staring at her and being curious asked.
"What do you want Whiskers?"
Naruto groaned at the nickname before he scratched the back of his head sheepishly "Just wanted to tell you, that my father told me, that the graduation tournament will occur tomorrow, Its going to be intense and a little dangerous. So I want you to stay safe ok."
The princess just stared at the heir before sighing. "Thanks you too. Do you know anything about the tournament"?
"Yeah I've been to a few. Basically they are going to split us into teams of three where we are put into a test against other teams. Then we go to the second part where it's the actual tournament. It's where everyone faces each other, the winner brings prestige, and power t his home village." He explained.
Azula then had a puzzling look to her face. "I've been meaning to ask about that, why are they called villages when they are actually cities. Like the capitol here it's called village hidden in the leaves. Why not city hidden in the leaves."
"He he, I honestly don't know it's just something the founders came up with." Azula rolled her eyes at his idiocy. How can this guy be the heir?
"Ok how is the Empire government set up then." Maybe she could figure out something.
"Oh that's easy ok listen carefully, the Empire is split into 6 regions, and each region has a number of Villages but one major Village. It's kind of set up like the earth kingdom to be honest, like here you got Konoha the capitol, but in Konoha's district there are 4 smaller cities under its control. But we also have one neutral zone called Iron it's a fortress located in the center of the Empire."
Azula just looked at him, "So what's the hierarchy of the nation?"
Naruto took up a thinking pose on this one "OK if memory serves me right there are 25 cities. 6 of which are ruled by the shadows. Hokage, Kazekage, Tsuchikage, Raikage, Mizukage, and Namikage. They have the regions and are charged as governors of the realm. But above all is the Emperor, or the Shikokage."
Azula nodded man that was a lot of information to take in but she paid attention to every word. From what she understood, the Lightning Empire was just like the Earth Kingdom, which isn't really a surprise considering history.
"Hey Azula lets go back to the Palace." Before Azula could even object Naruto grabbed her hand and dragged her away.
(City of Goaling, Earth Kingdom)
Avatar Aang was practicing earth bending stances trying his best to do it. He still couldn't shake what he learned the other day. How could the Empire cause such cruelty, even though it was nearly 300 years ago?
"You'll never lift a pebble with a sloppy stance like that" Aang looked around for the voice finding only the blind daughter of Lao Beifong, Toph was her name right. But wait she was blind how would she know.
"Hey how are you able to tell if my stance is bad or not. You're not even an Earth bender."His statement was then proven false when she moved her foot. HER FOOT and he slid in front of her with her finger poking his chest.
"I may be blind but I am the best air bender you'll ever meet. And this Earth bender wants to go with you." Aang looked at her with wide eyes.
"What do you mean come with me; I'm staying here for a month to train. And how are you able to earth bend." A million questions were running through his head at once trying his best to figure out everything.
Toph started walking with Aang as she told him her story, how badger moles taught bending, how she could see with the vibrations of the earth.
"So why do you want to come with me? You never told me." They were talking for hours but she never went back to the subject. Aang was almost fearful when the ground shook violently. Toph then rounded on Aang
"Because the Lightning Empire, The fire nation, Air nomads, Water tribes, even the Earth Kingdom, They all are bleeding the world dry. This war, the wars to come, the balance of nations need to end. You as the Avatar should rule as supreme leader of the world." Aang took a step away from the girl. But then his face hardened.
"I will not unite the world. I will stop the fire nation's war and if the Lightning Empire becomes a threat then I will do something."
"But they are a threat, as are the rest of the nation." Toph retorted.
"I will bring peace to the world not wage war." Aang said.
"You're lying! You know as well as I do the only way to stop this war is to launch your own. My family is one of the richest in the Earth Kingdoms Only the King of Omashu and Ba Sing Se has more money than us. We are backing you. You need an Army not one of Earth benders An Elemental Army. Every Nation needs to be under your Banner." Aang was looking at her in Silence. Who was he to decide what the world should do. But as if reading his mind Toph spoke Once again.
"You are the Avatar; you've been gone for too long Aang"
"I only know how to bend two elements I don't have fire and obviously I don't have earth, I tried to get Lightning, but that didn't go the way I wanted it too." Aang looked downcast at the memory. He was ashamed for what he did.
"Katara told me about that, and you know what, that only furthers my point. The world needs to be one." Toph turned around and started to walk away "Give it some thought ok" she kept walking but stopped once more speaking over her shoulder. "Oh and by the way, I'm your Earth bending teacher from now on."
Aang finally left alone sighed, "I really need your advice Monk Gyatso, What am I to do." Avatar Aang followed after the girl to the house, he really needed some sleep.
(Royal Palace, Capitol City, Fire Nation)
Prince Zuko was watching the Ambassador of the Lightning Empire Obito was his name, walk around the pond. He was circling the pond as if looking for something. Finally finding something he sat down and it looked like he was meditating. But Zuko didn't care; to be honest he was bored. His sister gone, Lu-ten doing Raava knows what. SO he was interested in their guest. He was a strange character, on their way back home he didn't speak. In fact he did everything to avoid speaking unless it was Iroh who directly spoke to him.
Zuko took it upon himself to approach the man. Obito was in front of the palace He wanted to get some information from him. "Hey Obito, how are you this morning?"
"I'm doing fine Prince Zuko"
Zuko looked surprised he honestly expected him to ignore him. "Wow that's the first time I heard you speak".
"Hn"
"Oh back to this again?"
(Academy, Konoha, Lighting Empire)
Azula could honestly say she was nervous and pissed off all at the same time, Nervous because she was to be lead to something called the forest of Death. And angry because she had found out whom her team consisted of. The girl Ryuuzetsu, She looked strong and somebody she could work well with. It was the second person who brought a bad taste to Azula's mouth. A girl she truly hated. A girl who tried to kill her just a day earlier.
Ami
If Azula could have the choice she would butcher her without a second thought. But instead she and 100s of other kids from across the Empire were walking towards a death forest. She wondered where the prince was.
"Hey Azula!" Speak of the devil.
"Whiskers" Her response was a flick to her forehead much to her annoyance. "Stop doing that!"
"Stop calling me Whiskers then, but listen to what I have to say." For the first time since she met him Azula has never seen Naruto serious, if she was honest it unnerved her. "There are teams I want you to avoid at all cost, because if you meet them you will not make it"
"So who are these teams" When she looked around she took notice how many teams were looking at her already, or was it Naruto they were looking at. She couldn't tell.
"The one with the gourd on his back Dangerous, That's Gaara from Suna, him and his siblings are the children of the Kazekage."
"The team from Kumo with the red haired girl, the whole team is proficient with swords.
The pale guy with the two dots on his forehead with the guy that looks like a girl."
"That's a guy?" Azula asked in shock over seeing Haku.
"Yeah I know I made the mistake before as well when I visited Kiri. But back on subject. The red haired team with all girls, they are my cousins Avoid them. Any Team from Iwa, And last but not least" His eyes got a gleam in them. "My team"
Azula looked at the prince in shock "What?"
"Out of all these teams my team is the most dangerous. That's all I have to say, Good luck Azula"
Now that Azula looked around she saw many were still looking at her, Damnit she was a target now. She tried thinking up different things to past the time by but then the proctor started speaking when they came to a large Gate.
"Alright listen up Brats, I am Anko Mitirashi and I will only say this once so listen well. There will be absolutely no killing in this exam knockouts or surrender only. Your objective is to take the scroll opposing your own. For those of the slower minded. If you have the heaven, then you need the earth scroll, and vice versa.
You will have five days to reach the end goal. By the end of this exam you all will be cut in half. So get your scroll and go to your respective gate. And may the odds be forever in your favor"
Azula with Ami and Ryuuzetsu got a Heaven scroll and were given gate 32. The team was in relative Silence as they waited at the gate. Azula and Ami kept shooting glares at one another. But Ryuuzetsu broke the tense Silence. "Ok look I know that you two don't like each other, but to be honest I don't care. The key to success in these exams is team work. And I for one will not be held back because of you two."
"I'm sorry…"
Both girls rounded on Ami as if they hadn't heard right. But they heard it she was looking down at the ground avoiding their gaze. "I want to pass, to make my family proud, and to make my country proud. So I'm sorry Azula."
Both girls stared at her in Silence "I accept, for now. We need to focus on passing this." The three girls had a look of determination as a buzzer rung out and the Gates were thrown open.
Team Azula not wasting any time rushed into the forest as fast as they could. Those like Team Naruto, Team Suna, and teams from all over were doing the same. The graduation tournament has begun.
(Tower in the forest of Death)
"So who will be the first to make it to the tower first" Minato dressed in his ceremonial robes addressed his subjects.
"I believe my Son will be the first" Rasa who was also dressed in his robes followed.
"Oh please my granddaughter is the one who will win this whole thing" Onoki spoke with confidence.
"Kumo has won two years straight. We will win this one"
"Nami isn't entering but I believe my daughter will be victorious here." Kizashi retorted.
"I disagree Kizashi; I believe Kiri has this one." Mei spoke.
"Care to make a wager then fellow Kage. I'm putting up 100,000 on any Konoha team making it first" The Hokage Tsunade. When she brought money into it the others started bickering like children at the prospect.
Minato could only chuckle at his subjects once more. Man it was great to be Shikokage.
Short building chapter I'm sorry it's been so long but college is something else. I know what I'm going to do with the story finally. Fear not, I didn't abandon this story. But this story will be like no other. Characters will change events will happen. Just wait on it. Remember Please Review.