Book Two: Lightning

Chapter Four: The Fire Prince: Part 2

It was quiet. Not the peaceful kind of silence either. There was more of an eeriness to it. Iroh, lying on his bed, could feel that this silence was the silence before the storm. He felt a huge storm coming, too. He only knew of the dangers that could come from his experiences from the day before, but not when they would happen. All he knew was that he wasn't going to wait around for them to happen. He was going to take action, even if that action meant the loss of a family member. He wanted to be the one to restore balance to the world. Since the Avatar's death, no one was around to keep that balance, so Iroh felt it was his responsibility as a royal son of the Fire Nation.

"Hey Prince, get up," said the exhausted Captain. "Hey kid, wake up!"

The Prince shot up from his wake. "Is it morning?" he asked.

"Yeah," the Captain responded.

Iroh could hear the sound of light waves crashing into the sides of the submarine, which meant that they were above water.

"This is the place we have to leave you at, kid," the Captain said.

"What? You guys are leaving me?" his eyes widened.

"Hey I have orders and my orders were to escort you to the island and go."

"Island? What island?" Iroh left his bed and headed for the ladder of the submarine. Once he climbed it he turned a valve and opened the door to find himself outside. He looked around and only saw water, but when he turned north he saw an island covered in palm trees and a huge castle in the center at the top of a large hill.

"Hey kid get back here!" he heard Admiral Chan yelling from below while he managed the controls.

"Amazing!" Iroh had no other words. The island was beautiful. It was as if he was going on vacation to a tropical island where all his worries would go away. He climbed down the ladder and dashed toward Captain Ruon-Jian. "Why are we going there?"

"You're going there to train from the masters," said Admiral Chan.

"Train? Masters?" Iroh was staggered.

"Yeah, the Grand Masters of the Order of The White Lotus," said Ruon-Jian.

"I don't wanna train with any masters," Iroh said furiously.

"You don't have a choice kid," said Chan.

"Well I'll just take off on my own then." Iroh turned his head with his arms folded.

"Oh yeah, genius? Where to?" asked Chan.

"Um?" Iroh looked around remembering he was in a submarine surrounded by water.

"Didn't think so, kid," said Ruan-Jian.

Upon arriving at the island Iroh began to think back to what he said to himself earlier. He would be the one restore balance to the world, with or without a world with an Avatar. As the submarine docked, Iroh made his way to the exit. When the doors opened up he charged out onto the sandy shore.

"Hey kid, wait up!" shouted Ruan-Jian.

Iroh ran out on his own only to bump into an old man dressed in a white and purple robe. Iroh looked up at the six-foot tall man with white hair and a long beard.

"Who are you?" asked Iroh.

"I am Grand Master Kaji, head of Firebending." The old man hunched over looking into the thirteen year old boy's eyes as Iroh arched backward. "You must be the boy?"

"I guess I must be," Iroh said, going along with the old master.

"Well come then, let's get you settled in." The old master placed his hand on Iroh's shoulder, looking back at the two fire nation soldiers behind him. "Well are you two coming in, or not?" he asked.

"No, we're good," said Chan bowing to his superior.

Ruon-Jian came standing next to Chan. "We actually have an assignment to warn the other nations of recent events."

"Hey Prince," called Chan. Iroh looked back at the two soldiers.

"We'll meet again, I promise," Chan winked at the young prince and the two soldiers returned to the submarine and began their task.

After Iroh was settled in to his new room, he couldn't help but wonder about his parents and his sister. He had to know if they were all right.

"Hey kid." A whisper came from outside his door.

Iroh crept over to the closed door. He placed his ear on the door to listen.

"Who's this?" he asked.

"Are you the Fire Nation Prince?" the voice of a girl asked.

"Yeah? Who are you?"

"I'm from a family in the Water Tribe."

"Do you want to come in? It will be easier to talk to you," Iroh suggested.

"I guess so," said the girl.

Iroh opened the door to see a tall dark skinned girl with long braided hair and light blue eyes. She was older than he thought. She said she was from the Water Tribe yet she was wearing the clothing of a Kyoshi warrior. Iroh had met an elderly Kyoshi warrior in his younger days. She had the same eyes as this one except she had a lighter skin tone.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Iroh," he said. The name seemed to shock her, but she quickly got over it.

"I'm Hilina." Iroh gave her a confused look. He had never heard of such a strange name. He thought to himself it must have sounded strange because it was foreign to his nation.

"So, what kind of training are you here for?" she asked.

"I don't know? What kind is there?" he asked.

"What kind is there? What kind isn't there?" she responded. "I'm here to master the Katana, but so far I've got a long way to go."

"Well, I'm supposed to be a firebender, but I stink at it," he said dropping his head.

"Supposed to be? Only you can decide what you're supposed to be," she said.

"You don't understand. My sister is an amazing firebender and my brother is even better, but I'm a failure."

"I don't understand? Hey I've got a younger brother and sister who are waterbenders and they are great at it. My sister is a bit of a goof off, but is still a natural at it, and look at me. I don't bend at all, but it doesn't mean you can't be a great warrior." Hilina placed her hand on his shoulder as he looked up at her eyes. "Never limit yourself to the expectations of others. Follow your own path even if it takes a few others to get there."

Iroh smiled at her while he thought about what his grandfather would tell him. He could be what he wanted.

The next day Iroh woke up and headed for breakfast. He sat in a huge room with dozens of students. They all sat in a huge circle and in the center of them were a huge pot of rice.

"Excuse me," he said touching another kid's shoulder. The boy looked back at him with a curious look on his face.

"What do you want kid?" asked the boy in green and brown clothing.

"If the Order of The White Lotus is such a secret, why are so many people here?" Iroh asked.

"We are all the descendents of the previous order. Only we are granted the opportunity of being trained by a Grand Master. It's been that way since the last Sozin's Comet. Grand Master Iroh was the one who came up with that rule. He thought it would be best for children to be raised with the philosophies of a White Lotus. This was his idea to help keep the peace Avatar Aang restored."

"Grand Master Iroh?" asked Iroh astonished. "My name is Iroh."

"Really?" asked the other boy. "You don't look like a Grand Master."

"No, he was the uncle to my grandfather," Iroh said ecstatically.

"No way, Fire Lord Zuko is your Grandfather?"

Suddenly Iroh's joy hit a pause. He felt awful. "Was."

The other kid got the hint from his expression. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"No problem," said Iroh. It was Iroh's turn to get a bowl of rice. He held his bowl out as a middle aged waterbender served him a huge spoon full of food. Iroh looked at his bowl of rice with disappointment. He took a bite of the food with the pair of chopsticks he was handed. The food wasn't bad, but it was bearable. He went over to a table where a Fire Nation member was serving ginseng tea. The tea reminded him of his grandfather Zuko. His grandfather loved tea. It always helped him calm his mind while he was meditating. Maybe this is what Iroh needed? Maybe he needed to calm his mind?

Iroh took the tea and rice to his room and sat in the center of the floor. The room had one open window so Iroh could hear the wind blowing. He heard the waves crashing onto the shore of the island. The tree leaves rubbed together as the tropical winds blew at them. Iroh sipped his tea and sat with his back straight up. He relaxed his muscles and began taking calming breaths. He then closed his eyes and could hear a swift whistle, as if something was cutting through the air. He looked from his window to see a Yu Yan archer shooting arrows at a target strapped to a palm tree. The archer was on the lower part of the island on the beach. This was it. When the master came to him, he was going to tell him he did not want to master firebending. He wanted to become a Yu Yan archer.

About an hour into the day and it was time for training to begin. Iroh rushed out to where students were prepared for training. The waterbenders were on the beach. The earthbenders were on the hills. The warriors trained in the woods and finally the firebenders trained in the school courtyard. Iroh approached Grand Master Kaji.

"Are you ready for training Iroh?" asked the master.

"Actually no," he said.

"What do you mean?" The master gave the thirteen year old a puzzled look.

"Well, I was hoping to become an archer." This was it. Iroh wanted to leave his training as a firebending prince and become a Yu Yan archer.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" asked the master.

"Yes it is," Iroh said looking the master in his eyes.

"Very well, part of being a White Lotus is knowing who you are and if you feel you're an archer then I believe this is what you should be doing."

"Thanks for understanding," Iroh bowed to the master who bowed back.

Both Master Kaji and Iroh headed over to the only Yu Yan archer on the island. She was the last archer left. No one knows exactly how their teachings died out, but this archer's family did not let her go without learning their ways.

"Master Liatsu." The tall woman turned to face the two firebenders.

"What can I do for you?" she asked, with a dull look on her face.

"This is Iroh. He would like to step forward as your apprentice," said Kaji placing his hand on Iroh's shoulder.

"What? You're joking, right?" she looked down at the boy.

"I really do wish to learn Yu Yan archery," he said bowing to her.

"Well you would be my first student," she responded.

"Then I'll make sure to do my best, in case I'm your last."

"You really want to do this, kid?" she asked.

"More than anything," said Iroh.

"Fine, let's get started." She turned to a palm tree and grabbed an axe stuck within the wood. She then handed it to him as he looked at it with bewilderment.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" he asked.

"Cut down your own wood. You're going need it to make your own bow and arrows." She turned back, facing the palm tree. Liatsu pulled back the string of her bow and launched an arrow directly in the center of the target strapped to the tree.

Iroh was standing in the center of the beach waiting for his first lesson. "Why are we just standing here?" he asked.

"Wait for it." The woman was standing in an archery stance pointing her bow and arrow out toward the ocean. Suddenly a fish leapt out of the water and right then and there and arrow pierced the small sea creature. Iroh watched in amazement as the fish hit the water and came washing up on shore with the tide.

"How do you aim so well?" he asked with eagerness.

"Simple. You must learn patience and accuracy," she said as she walked over to the dead fish.

"Are you going to eat that?" he asked disgusted.

"No, but I do need it." She pulled out a knife and cut out the tiny eye of the fish.

"What did you do that for?" he said with a sickened face. Liatsu carefully took a needle and pulled a string through the eye and tied a knot, so that the eye would hang from the string. She then tied the string to a tree and let it hang there. "None of this is making sense," he complained.

"Did I not just tell you of patience?" she asked rhetorically.

"Yeah, yeah, I got that." Iroh rolled his eyes and folded his arms.

"Okay come with me now." Iroh followed the archer to the woods.

"Here's a good one." Liatsu was rubbing a tree she had spotted.

"What now?" asked Iroh.

"Chop it down," she said bluntly.

"Okay?" Iroh began hacking at the tree with his axe. It took a few minutes, but the tree finally came down.

"Okay do I make my bow now?" he asked, pulling the log of the small tree.

"No. Now you find rocks," she said picking one up from the ground. "Kind of like this one."

"What does a rock have to do with this?" Iroh asked rolling his eyes again. As Iroh went to turn to pick up rocks, Liatsu tossed the one she was holding at his head. "Ouch!" he cried. "What was that for?" he asked rubbing his head.

"That's your first rock," she said with a smirk on her face.

Iroh spent an hour searching for rocks he thought would be acceptable no matter what she had planned with them.

"Okay I have the rocks. Now what?" Iroh asked, dumping them on the ground in front of her. Liatsu looked down at them and bent over to pick some up. After she picked up about half of them she turned to the ocean and tossed them into the sea. "Hey, It took me forever to find good rocks like those," he whined.

"Those were too tiny," she responded. "These are too big." She grabbed another hand full and tossed them as well. "These will have to do." Iroh had about ten rocks left.

"What am I gonna do with these?" he asked.

"Sit down," She ordered. Iroh sat down, as did she. Liatsu took two rocks and began rubbing them together.

"What is that going to accomplish?" he asked.

"This." Iroh could see that she was beginning to form the tip of an arrow.

"You're making arrowheads!" he said excitedly. "Let me try!" he took two other rocks and began mimicking her motions.

"All right, next you begin to carve your own arrows." She handed him a knife. Iroh began carving his arrows into smooth straight sticks, but was making them too short. "Try making them this length," she suggested, holding her hand out to the suggested measurement.

Iroh continued carving while sweat dripped down his forehead.

"Now that you have you arrowheads and your arrows, began wrapping them together like so." Liatsu demonstrated the technique to him as he patiently watched.

"So, when do I make my bow?" he asked as he wrapped the two pieces together with twine.

"Just do as I say," she responded as she walked away.

"I'm finished with these. Now what?" he asked while yawning.

Liatsu inspected the full arrows and was impressed. "Now you make your bow," she said giving him a different knife.

"Why did you give me another knife? I already have one," Iroh held both knives up.

"Because this one is new and sharper. It will be better for making a new bow."

Iroh began carving the bow as he wiped his sweat away.

"I'm finished. No more wood work," Iroh begged. "I think I have a couple of splinters."

Liatsu walked over to him after finishing her tea. "This looks pretty good," she said examining it with her hands.

"So, now what?" Iroh asked plopped on the floor with his arms stretched out.

"Now, you must make your bowstring." She handed him twine and sat down next to him. He grabbed some as she demonstrated the pattern in which to make the string decent. Iroh began to follow her hand movements, but began to get tangled.

"Ugh! I keep messing up," he grumbled.

"Just have patience and take your time," she began showing him the pattern over again. Iroh continued the pattern, just starting over if he messed up rather than whining about it.

From afar, another Master was watching him. Master Kaji was impressed on how far he had come within a short time.

"Yeah! I'm done. Can I shoot something now?" he said eagerly.

"No," she said, shutting down his excitement.

"What? I've worked hard all day. I've been doing everything you told me and I have a full bow and arrows. When will you teach me to shoot something?" Iroh had his fists clutched and teeth gritted, staring down at the Master as she sat with her legs folded, sipping her tea.

"It's late. Now you rest and we continue tomorrow." She sipped her tea and stood up from the sand. "Goodnight Pupil Iroh." Iroh, confused, went along with her and bowed.

"Goodnight, Master Liatsu." Iroh headed off to bed unsatisfied.

The next morning after breakfast, Iroh headed to train with his master, but something distracted him. There was a fly buzzing around his room. Iroh tried whacking at it but it was too fast. Suddenly his master came into his room.

"Why are you not yet in my class?" she asked.

"Oh nothing, just this fly. I have to get it out before it lays eggs or something in my room." The fly landed on Iroh's face as he whacked at it again, only to smack his own face.

"Quickly close your window," she said while shutting his door.

"What? Why?" he asked closing the window doors.

"This is part of today's training."

"I don't get it," said Iroh scratching his forehead.

"Grab your bow," said master Liatsu.

"Okay, now what?" he asked preparing his bow and arrow.

"I want you to shoot that fly," she said pointing at it.

"Are you serious?" Iroh asked confounded.

"That thing is too small, I can't hit that small a target."

"Are you doubting me?" she asked.

"Uh, no master." Iroh pulled back his bowstring and launched his arrow at the fly. As the arrow came whizzing toward the insect, it swiftly dodged it and flew to the other side of the room. Iroh whacked at it with his hands again out of frustration. Liatsu grabbed his hands.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm trying to kill it," he said.

"I said shoot it," she said letting his hands go.

"But?" Iroh muttered. "Fine."

"Now if you will excuse me, I have things to do." Liatsu walked from the room and headed down the halls. Iroh quickly shut the door so that the fly wouldn't escape.

"You're not getting away from me." Iroh pulled out another arrow and shot at the fly near the door. He missed again and shouted at the fly. "Stay still, you!"

After many attempts at the seemingly precognitive insect he decided to give up. He barged from his room and slammed the door behind him. Searching for his teacher, he stomped down the halls, pushing and shoving other students out of his way.

Finally finding her he pointed his finger at her. "You're just messing with my head aren't you!" he shouted aggressively.

"How is that young pupil?" she asked calmly as if oblivious to his anger.

"You know I can't really shoot a fly with an arrow! You know they are too fast and too small!" Iroh had his fist clutched. "You've been hardly teaching me anything at all, except arts and craft! I don't wanna learn how to make bows and arrows. I want to know how to shoot something from far away!"

His master took a deep breath and pulled out an arrow from her back. She aimed her bow and shot in his direction. Iroh froze as the arrows flew past his ear.

"What was that for?" he asked still afraid to move. Liatsu walked over the arrow pinned to the wall behind him.

"There is a reason I have been teaching you the things I have been pupil Iroh." She pulled the arrow from the wall to reveal an insect at the tip of the arrowhead. She removed the insect from the tip and dropped it in his hand.

"What? It's still alive," he said in amazement.

"Of course it is. Being an archer is not about shooting things for kill. I had no reason to kill the fly, so I did not. I simply had a goal to pin it so I did. In order to understand archery you must have patience, accuracy, and be crafty. You are not always going to be able to hit something from far away, so you have to be handy. Over time bows and arrows lose their durability, so knowing how to make another is necessary. I would never teach anything that would not come to use for you. As you should trust your bow, you need to learn to trust me and trust that what I am teaching you is you will need to survive." Iroh dropped to his knees.

"I'm sorry master," he said bowing. "Forgive me and I promise to do as you say from now on."

"Very well, but right now I must finish my tea." She sat with her legs crossed at a table and began sipping her tea.

Iroh headed back to his room and quickly shut the door. "Okay buddy, this time you're mine." Iroh pulled out his bow and arrow and stretched back the bowstring. Aiming at the distracted fly he launched the arrow at the tiny insect. The arrow pierced the bug and Iroh jumped up in excitement. "Yes!"

Even though he had killed it, it was a start. Now he had a new goal, to pin one.

Three months from present day…

"Well, well Iroh. You have come far," said the Master archer.

"Thank you," said the eighteen-year old student. "I couldn't have gotten this far without you."

"If I am never to have another student, I'm glad to have had you," she said bowing to him.

"I'm glad to have had you as my master," he said bowing in return.

So, what now?" she asked.

"Now, it's time to go and take care of business." Iroh picked up his bag and weapon.

"Wait," said the master stopping him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"You have a small mistake there." She rubbed off enough red ink from his face to even out with the other side. Iroh rolled his eyes and blushed.

"I really have to go." He rushed out toward a submarine, waiting for him at the beach. As the doors opened two Fire Nation soldiers were standing from inside.

"Missed us, kid?" asked Chan.

"Chan! Ruon Jian!" Iroh rushed toward to two.

"Of course he didn't miss you, Chan. I'm the fun one," said Ruon Jian.

"Shut up," said Chan.

"Whoa there, no longer a kid anymore, are ya?" asked Ruon Jian.

"Nope, I'm a new man," said Iroh.

"Well then, a new man needs a new name," said Ruon Jian.

"What do you mean?" asked Iroh.

"Well we can't have people knowing who you are," said Chan.

"Right then," Iroh agreed.

"Just call me… Shasyu," said Iroh.

"What kind of name is that?" asked Ruon Jian. Ignoring him, Shasyu ran on board of the submarine and the soldiers followed after.

"Ready for this, kid?" asked Chan, taking his seat as Admiral.

"Let's do this," said Shasyu.

"Okay! Destination Earth Kingdom, here we come!" shouted Captain Ruon Jian.

"The Avatar should be in the Earth Kingdom looking for a master by the time I get there. I have to find him," Shasyu thought to himself as the submarine submerged.

Hey everyone. Sorry about taking so long, I've been busy and actually this chapter was almost done for a long time jus never got around to finishing the last part of it. Well I hope you enjoy this chapter, because next chapter Keana, Luna, and newcommer Atlantica return as they make their first steps into the fire nation. =D