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~The Beach (Part 1)~

Ryuu POV

"Welcome to Ember Island, kids."

Li and Lo, Azula's advisers and Firebending teachers, welcomed us. They were identical twins wearing identical clothes - and I was supposed to adress them by thier names and titles. This was going to be tough going. Even more tough going given a curtain Azula had probably added weights into her case - just to spit me.

Thier place was set back from the peir. Smaller than the more modern beach houses and it was evident that it had only been used sparingly. The 'Rich Kids' - as I overheard one sailor call the friends - paraded ahead as the elderly twins led us, me straggling behind.

Mai's bag was the lightest of all four - hand luggage which probably only contained one change of clothes and other necessities. Ty Lee's was, again, only hand luggage, but deceptively heavy. Very heavy. Zuko had a case with not much inside (I purposely packed light knowing I would carry it). As you can guess, Azula's rock garden won the heaviest bag compilation by a long shot.

"It smells like old lady in here," Zuko hissed in complaint. Mai sarcastically shot an answer. I giggled at the exchange but was soon silenced with a quick look from Mai. She could be absolutely terrifying.

Ty Lee hand-walked over to a portrait of two beautiful young women. Asking curiously who they were, she would regret it. Li and Lo adopted the pose in the portrait - I wanted to vomit as old lady and suggestive dancing position don't mix. Not in the slightest bit.

The ladies led us upwards, I lugged the four bags behind the others - grunting and groaning. Azula's rock collection was about to rip my arm off when Zuko sighed, took a step backwards and put his hand on the bag strap. Thankful for the assistance, I grinned - all I could manage really.

"Oh, I love the seashell bedspread!"

Ty Lee ran her hands over the patterned pillow cover. With Zuko's help, I lugged every bag to thier respective bed. Zuko's room was down the hall from the girls - his case light but he insisted on helping me. We got into the room which had much to same decor as the girls bedroom.

"Thanks," I went to leave, but Zuko stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. I stared indifferently at him. He had a pleading look in his eyes that I'd only seen when he had been cleaning my wounds when we first met.

"Sir, should I unpa-"

"I'm so sorry, Ryuu. For everything I've done to hurt you."

Staring ahead blankly, I tried not to convey any emotion. But it twisted and wrenched at my heart. Zuko stepped closer and tried to get me to look him in the eyes. I couldn't. But he tried until he had his finger hooked under my chin. My blank expression turned into a snarl. Zuko dropped his arms to his sides and clenched his fists:

"What's wrong?!"

No answer.

"Is it me?!"

Nada. Not answering.

"Are you jealous ?!"

Oh, I wasn't going to give him the joy of gloating about how jealous I must be of Mai. 'If you hadn't caught with Uncle ' He'd say, 'Then we could've been together'. Ha! No chance, Ozai would allow that - My being Earth Kingdom and a wanted criminal.

"I'm so, so sorry. I'm a jerk," Zuko took a step closer, "I miss you. "

With that, he left me alone. I screwed my eyes up - trying not to cry. Dammit, I still loved him despite his mistakes. His poor Uncle. All alone. Must be so cold. Thinking about it, I'd come off pretty lightly compared to Iroh - That's what Rangi meant. I tightened my jaw and clasped my hands behind my back; then I went to join the others.

...

Li and Lo were chanting something about the beach being magical. That it could sooth us and help calm the most jagged edges. I rolled my eyes. How could a beach do that? It's just a beach.

"And it can help you understand yourselves and each other," The twins chanted. One grabbed a smooth pebble off of the side and ran it against her face, saying something about smoothing edges. The other joined in by yanking the pebble from her sisters hands.

After that weird display, the grinned at each other before returning thier gaze at the group of us, "Time to hit the beach!"

I was almost sick. The ladies wore bathing suits that didn't quite cover all sins. One hand over my mouth, the other over my eyes - I tried to purge the image from my mind, to no avail. Shuddering, the others made a quick slap dash cover story which meant we could go alone. The twins shrugged and spoke simultaneously:

"Suit yourselves. "

Mercifully, they covered up and trundled away. My hands fell from my face and the others began organizing themselves. Zuko fled to his room to change, whereas the girls already had thier swim suits underneath thier clothing. To avoid being awkward, I went to go and stand in the hallway. Ty Lee had other ideas.

"Oh, Ryuu!" She chimed in a sing-song fashion, "I got'ya swimsuit. "

Azula spat a single tone of laughter as I shuddered and ran my hands around my neck.

"Do I have to-?"

Ty Lee giggled, "Trust me, you'll look so cuuuuuute!"

Inside I sobbed - I didn't want to look cuuuuute. I wanted to look like myself; But no other option appeared to greet me. Ty Lee shot a bikini at me from across the room, both planting themselves on my face. Azuka chuckled as she left me. Mai showed no emotion and Ty Lee cartwheeled away.

The bikini was horrible - to say the least. Red and black with a miniskirt. Grumbling, I slipped out of my palace uniform and into what was essentially another uniform. It required me to take off my bindings. Yep, definitely didn't want to do that. It looked weird but I didn't care. I was not going to remove my bindings - even if they were a bit sweaty.

...

The beach was reasonably deserted. But Azula had to choose a spot where two kids were building a sand pagoda. The screamed and fled the Fire Princess. Ty Lee put on an innocent face as a muscular guy goggled at her-

"Hey, you need some help unpacking?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

She handed him her bag and watched him fall over. I giggled but was shut up when he glared at me though sand laden eyes. Zuko gestured for me to lay out a blanket for him and Mai. He scanned the area at his feet - to avoid my gaze. Then, he picked up a beautiful shell and crouched down next his his girlfriend. I propped the umbrella up over them. Zuko stretched the shell towards Mai.

"Here. For you."

Mai scowled, "Why would I want that?"

"I saw it, and I thought it was pretty. Don't girls like stuff like this?" Zuko snapped. Mai scoffed.

"Mabye stupid girls."

Zuko through the shell away and huffed to himself. The shell was beautiful. I scowled and knelt down in the sand. The sea air brushed against my skin. It was beautiful. Beaches weren't normally my thing. Loose earth and all...

"Hey, Wench!" Azula snapped, "No resting! You're a servant - you don't get to relax. Now, go get me a raspberry sorbet cone."

Shifting to my feet, I caught the two copper pieces at me to pay for the cone. As I made my way to the stand at the other side of the beach, I heard someone jogging up behind me. The vibrations in the sand told me it was someone about my weight.

"Hey, Ryuu."

Dammit. Zuko again. I kept on walking. He licked his lips and strolled alongside me. To break the awkwardness, Zuko attempted small talk.

"Hot day, isn't it?"

I nodded. Zuko grunted and kicked the sand. I bit my lip.

"So - uh, how are you?"

I shrugged and sighed. At this, Zuko grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him - he was clenching his jaw. I struggled as he tightened his grip on my hand. He shuddered in anger.

"Stop being childish. I know you enough to see that despite your- your stubbornness, you have emotions. Tell me how you feel!"

Pulling my wrist from his grip, I raised my fists, "Scared... of you!"

Then I ran ahead - leaving Zuko shuffling in the sand. It hurt my heart but this was a lesson Zuko desperately needed to learn.

...

"Ty Lee, get over here, now!" Azula yelled at her friend - who was being tended two by a group of fan-boys. She rolled her eyes as Ty Lee walked on her hands over to the group of friends. I was made to sit on the sidelines of the Kuai ball court.

Zuko got up and ripped off his shirt as doves flew behind him. His hair flew in the breeze and a group of girls sighed dreamily. I touched my forehead and muttered 'give me strength '. The girls were blushing and one had a sudden nosebleed. I got up and shuffled away from them.

They decimated the other team - even going as far as to make ball and net catch on fire. Azula stood before the burning net and laughed evilly.

"Yes! We defeated you for all time! You will never rise from the ashes of your shame and humiliation!" She turned calmly to her friends, "Well. That was fun."

Two of Ty Lee's admirers stepped foward and grinned at her. Zuko offered me his hand to get up. I got up by myself without assistance. Zuko growled and went back to Mai's side. The two boys were now standing either side of Ty Lee. The pointed at Mai and I.

"Your friends can come, too."

Azula threw her hands up, "Uh ... What about me and my brother? Aren't you going to invite us?You don't know who we are, do you?"

The two boys glanced at each other over Ty Lee, "Don't you know who we are? We're Chan and Ruon-Jian."

The other boy peeped up agreeing to this statement. Zuko went to go and beat the two guys but Azula stopped him. Chan and Roun sighed in sync.

"But, fine, you're invited. Just so you know, though, some of the most important teenagers in the Fire Nation are gonna be at this party, so try and act normal."

I clapped both hands over my mouth and laughed under them. The others stared at me. Azula tried to smile but ended up all sinister - it scared the two boys. I laughed further, my shoulders shuddering as I attempted to hide that fact.

"We'll do our best."