Click. Clack. Click. Clack.
Hiro straightens himself in his chair as the sound of shoes clacking against tile reaches his ears. He looks up, a smile on his face, ready to greet whoever had decided to stop by the Fire Nation jail.
"Hello, how may I help-" Hiro freezes and stops mid-sentence as his eyes lock onto the person before him.
Because Fire Lord Ozai is right there.
"M-my lord, I-"
"Am I correct to assume that you are the one who fought off the assassin?" The Fire Lord asks, his voice like oil in Hiro's ears. Hiro looks up in confusion, caught off guard by the question.
"Uh, yes! Yes, that was me. My name is Hiro, my armadillo-dog and I fended off the assassin with the help of Koji, who the assassin killed."
Fire Lord Ozai nods, his expression inscrutable. "The Fire Nation commends you for your service. I read your record, and you were placed in the mines for three years, correct?"
"Yes, sir. I was young and unruly, and the coal mines sorted me out." Hiro lies through his teeth, but the Fire Lord seems pleased with his response.
"Good, you have learned respect through harsh discipline. That is good, admirable even. Now, where is my brother? I was told the assassin was here for him, and I think it is time that we had a talk."
Hiro's brain short-circuits. "G-General Iroh? You, uh, you can't see him!"
There is silence for a moment in the office.
What is wrong with me?! Hiro mentally berates himself, trying to wrest control of his tongue back from whatever had possessed him.
"Oh?" The Fire Lord places both hands on the desk and leans in, staring directly into Hiro's eyes with a suspicious gaze. "And pray tell, why can I not see my brother?"
"He's… he's insane! He won't speak, he eats like an animal, and he acts deranged!" Hiro lies, finally getting control of himself back.
Fire Lord Ozai leans back in thought. "Prison and betrayal seem to have finally broken my brother's indomitable will. I will have to see for myself, of course. Take me there at once."
Hiro stands from his chair. "Of course, my lord!" Gears turning in his head, Hiro hefts his spear up and begins to march along the path to Iroh's cell, the Fire Lord and his entourage following closely behind.
The walk is not long, and Hiro is before the sturdy steel door in no time. With one hand he wrenches the door open, holding it open for the Fire Lord to pass through.
At the same time he shouts, "See for yourself! General Iroh is insane, he's like an animal!" The small crowd of guards shuffle into the room with the Fire Lord, and Hiro follows suit once everyone has entered.
In the cell sits Iroh, but he seems so much smaller. Curled in a corner, the once-great Fire Nation general looks gaunt, his rag clothes hanging loosely from his skinny frame. His eyes, dull and sparkless, dart wildly across the room at the empty air of his cell, but at what the guards can only guess.
Hiro quietly gives a sigh of relief, for the general must have heard his shout and acted. He grits his teeth before speaking, for to truly sell the act, more must be said.
"He doesn't even respond to taunts. Look; imagine how everyone who knew you and loved you must feel now, seeing you broken like this," Hiro jeers, and though Iroh doesn't react, a stab of pain hits his heart as the words leave his mouth.
"Hm." Is all the Fire Lord says, walking back and forth across the room to inspect Iroh and the cell. "Guard, what is the cell made of?"
Hiro snaps to attention, coughing to hide his surprise. "Sozium, sir. It absorbs heat over time and makes it harder for firebenders to focus on a flame; it's standard procedure for firebender cells."
"This is satisfactory." Fire Lord Ozai turns to face Hiro once more, his golden eyes glittering with malice. "Inform the workers here that any change in his behavior will require a report directly to me."
Hiro nods. "I will do that, sir."
"One more thing." Hiro freezes, halfway out the doorway.
"Yes, Fire Lord?"
"My son and daughter require a guard during their stay at Ember Island while I host an important meeting. You will report to the Caldera docks at sunrise to escort Prince Zuko and Princess Azula. Refusal to comply will result in termination of your job here. Am I clear?"
Hiro's mind reels. "Crystal, my lord," he manages to rasp out, and bows quickly before leaving the room and the man with fire in his eyes far behind. He hauls himself back to his desk, dumbstruck, where Chika waits patiently for him.
"Chika? I think we just got sent on vacation," he whispers into her scruff as he pulls her close into his lap.
Hiro did not expect this to happen when he walked into work that evening.
…
He is at the dock long before the others arrive, when the sun just begins to stretch its orange fingers across the horizon.
With him he carries a small bag, a traditional swimming suit, towel, and basic beach supplies within. It also holds a set of civilian clothes, as wearing a full guard kit in the hot sun would become problematic. A new spear, freshly sharpened, stands to attention in his grip, and a thick-bladed dagger sits strapped to his side.
After the fight with the assassin, Hiro can't be too cautious anymore, not even on vacation.
Chika sits dutifully at his side, and he gives her an idle scratch on the head. He would feel safer with her there, and any assassins would have to face the wrath of an angry armadillo-dog before getting near any of his charges.
Let them come, he thinks, and we'll see how they like losing a few fingers.
He waits in the slowly wakening world, listening to the gentle rasp of waves along the shore. Here in Caldera the air is ever so noticeably thick with smog, a result of the rapidly industrialization required to keep the Fire Nation on top of the war. All of the big inventions start here; tanks, the infamous Drill, even prosthetic limbs for the wealthy. Although he'd heard that the new airships had been developed in an Air Temple of all places, so his knowledge might be faulty.
The air in Caldera doesn't help his chest; at the end of the days he finds himself struggling to breathe more and hacking up more phlegm. Hopefully the beach will help him breathe again, he reasons hopefully.
It's not long before the first of his charges shows up; a bouncy, bright-eyed girl that he's never seen before.
"Hello! Who are you?" She calls out as she does a cartwheel- expertly so, Hiro notes- onto the docks and next to him. Hiro gives her a small smile.
"My name is Hiro, I've been assigned to make sure that you all stay safe on your trip. And who are you?"
"Oh! I'm Ty Lee, it's nice to meet you!" She bats half-lidded eyes at him, but Hiro only turns to face their ship.
"Well, Ty Lee, feel free to put your things on the boat and get settled in. I'm sure your friends will be here soon." He shuffles to scan the docks again, looking for any new figures, but Ty Lee pipes up again.
"Could you help me get my stuff on the boat? I'd really appreciate it!" She wheedles, but Hiro shakes his head.
"I'm sorry, but I have to keep watch for the rest of the group. I'm sure they won't mind helping once they show up, though," he offers, and something that looks strangely like surprise flashes across the ponytailed girl's face.
"Oh. Okay!" A smile shines back on, like someone flicked a switch on again, and she flounces off onto the boat.
Zuko sure keeps strange company, he thinks to himself as he focuses again at the task on hand. Though that includes me too, so I shouldn't be talking.
The dock isn't quiet for long; soon enough, the Fire Princess herself strides onto the dock from the morning mist, and Hiro straightens himself formally, for every guard knows of the Fire Princess and her cruelty.
"Hm." Is all she says, and Hiro is instantly reminded of the Fire Lord in the curl of her lip. "I was not informed that there I, one of the most powerful firebenders in the Fire Nation, would require an escort."
Hiro gives her a tight smile. "My orders come directly from the Fire Lord. I'm afraid you're stuck with me, for the time being."
The Princess snorts, and Hiro sees the contempt in her eyes. "Very well. We will leave as soon as my brother and Mai arrive, I do not wish to dawdle." And with a wrinkle of her nose as she glances at Chika, the Fire Princess steps onto the boat, the world seeming so much warmer once she leaves.
Hiro shivers, for many a guard's career had not survived the wrath of the Fire Princess. Luckily, she had not dared to disobey her father, so Hiro is safe. For now, at least.
Lastly, Zuko and the other girl- Mai, the Princess had called her?- arrive, Zuko's arm slung over her shoulders. Hiro bows his head as they approach, and he sees surprise flicker in Zuko's eyes.
"Good morning, Prince Zuko. I have been assigned by the Fire Lord to escort you on your vacation to Ember Island." Hiro gives a brief wink at Zuko, and smiles politely at Mai.
"Oh… I-I mean, of course! This is… acceptable." Zuko stammers out, and Mai gives him a confused glance. No wonder; from what Hiro's heard and seen, ever since Zuko returned from banishment he's been a bit of a jerk.
Hiro's had the fortune to see beyond that, to see Zuko instead of The Prince, to see those gentle moments at the turtleduck pond and at the tea shop.
Of course, he's also seen the angry side of the prince after meetings with Iroh, and he knew that deep down, Zuko was figuring what to do with himself.
Hiro had felt it too; after being released from the mines, it took him a couple of months to decide what he actually wanted to do with his life. For so long it had been just 'get to the next day', but then his horizons broadened and he had had no idea what to do.
"Whatever, let's just get going." Mai sighs, and drags Zuko onto the ship with her. Hiro follows behind them, signaling to the ship's captain to begin the journey.
The ship is rather spacious; they have space to move about and gaze off into the water, and their bags lie in a heap on one corner of the deck. Hiro adds his bag, noting the size difference between Ty Lee's bright pink beach bag and his soft grey utility bag. Maybe he'd just underpacked?
Then he notices Zuko's bag, about the same size as his. Nope, girls just overpack.
They're unlikely to be attacked on a ship in Fire Nation waters, so Hiro just sits on a stool and watches the shores of Caldera fade into the distance. He locks eyes with Zuko briefly, but the prince shakes his head. The message is clear; not right now.
The cheerful girl, Ty Lee, walks on her hands over to him, plopping down onto a stool beside him. Chika eagerly snuffles at her palms as she walks on them, and the girl giggles.
"I like your armadillo-dog," she remarks, and Hiro grins.
"Her name is Chika, she's my guard dog. She'll be making sure that you all stay safe, along with me of course." Hiro tosses her a strip of meat from his pouch, and she snaps it up out of the air.
"That's so cool!" Ty Lee exclaims, leaning down to pat Chika's head with one hand. "I love animals. Haven't seen any since I left the circus, though."
"You were in the circus? That's pretty cool, I haven't been to any but they seem interesting enough." Hiro is pleased by the idle conversation; while Ember Island isn't far from the mainland, staring at the water for twenty minutes would get boring quickly.
They chat until the beaches of Ember Island come into view, and Hiro stands and stretches, almost sending Ty Lee tumbling to the floor. For some reason she'd kept scooching closer to him until she nearly sat in his lap, and while Hiro doesn't mind the human contact, he didn't really know her… at all.
Hiro stands on the prow of the ship and breathes. He'd taken breathing for granted so many years ago, but here in the fresh ocean air it's like the tightness in his chest vanishes for a moment.
"Welcome to Ember Island, kids." A few old ladies, whom Hiro recognizes as advisors to the Fire Princess, beckon to them as the ship pulls into the docks.
Hiro gets his first look at where they would be staying for the night, and it's certainly… quaint? Yeah, quaint.
"I should go first, and inspect the dwelling." Hiro moves, briskly crossing the plank connecting the dock and boat, and begins the trek to the house. Behind him he can hear the others following, at a slower pace.
The inside of the cottage is as flattering as the outside; that's to say, not flattering at all. Everything is pink and vaguely beach-themed, from the seashell bedspreads to the smooth stones and shells on the table. The others crowd in behind him once he's finished the preliminary sweep, and there's only one problem…
"There's only five beds," Zuko deadpans. It's a miracle that five beds even fit in the small space in the first place, and seven would definitely not fit.
"Dibs!" The three girls call at the same time, and Hiro rolls his eyes at Zuko.
Girls.
"I wouldn't want to make our hosts sleep outside, so Prince Zuko and I can sleep by the fire with my armadillo-dog," Hiro offers. "I've slept in worse places."
Zuko huffs. "Fine." He says in a short, clipped tone, but the two old ladies bow in thanks.
"Such a gentleman," they say at the same time.
Hiro laughs, but it ends up turning into a coughing fit halfway through, and the Fire Princess eyes him with distaste.
It seemed that no matter where he went, there was no escaping the tightness in his chest.
…
The beach is warm, warmer than anywhere in Caldera. Even though he's meant to be on duty, Hiro finds himself relaxing into the blissful summer heat as he sits cross-legged on a hill of sand.
He's ditched the full-body armor for just a pair of black swimming trunks and a dark red Fire Nation tank top, a wise move in the sweltering sun.
He keeps the long knife strapped to his side, though; he wouldn't be caught off guard, for if anything happened to his charges, the Fire Lord would have his head on a spike. Literally.
"Hey Hiro, could you help fan me? It's getting so hot out…" Ty Lee calls sweetly to him, and Hiro glances over to where a small gathering of guys have crowded around her, fanning her with large leaves and fetching her drinks.
"Sorry Ty Lee, but I have to keep an eye out for trouble. If I was fanning you and something happened, I wouldn't be able to get there quick enough." Hiro declines the offer, and Ty Lee's face falls for a moment.
"Oh. Okay, that's fine!" The smile flashes back on, just like before, but Hiro can't help but think that he hurt her feelings in some way.
He turns his gaze to Zuko and Mai, where they sit together under the shade of an umbrella. Hiro is happy that Zuko found someone that likes him for who he is, but at the same time, he feels…
Hiro squashes that thought. That kind of thinking would only complicate his job right now, and he can obviously see that Zuko's in a very delicate stage of his life right now. The way things were, he would only make things worse.
Although, in the future…
"Hey, beach bums! We're playing next," the Fire Princess calls out to them, gesturing at the kuai ball net. Hiro stands and stretches, as the rest of their group stands and walks over to a huddle. Hiro joins them, and Ty Lee and Zuko make room for him. Chika trots over to sit at their feet, in the center of the huddle.
"Alright, so here's the plan. See that girl with the silly pigtails? When she runs toward the ball, there's the slightest hesitation on her left foot, most likely a childhood injury. Keep serving to her left side, and we'll crush her and her team!" The team nods, and Hiro looks at the Fire Princess with newfound respect. To learn that about someone by just looking at them… that kind of perception is both terrifying and admirable.
They split up into the standard five person kuai ball positions, with the server in the back and the other four forming a square closer to the net. The other team eyes them warily, and Hiro grins at them competitively.
The game begins, and Hiro learns just how talented his charges are.
Ty Lee does flips and lands perfectly on the net like it's child's play; she's by far the most dexterous person Hiro knows. The way she moves is almost like her body is rubber or boneless, as if she doesn't even obey the laws of physics.
The Fire Princess expends no more energy than she needs; every move is perfectly calculated to provide the maximum force with the minimum effort. One spike flows easily into a kick, and Hiro marvels at her insane reaction time.
Mai smacks the ball exactly on the edge of the court every time she hits it; her aim is impeccable, and the way the ball slams into the sand is proof enough of her strength. Hiro begins to see why Zuko likes her so much.
And Zuko… Zuko is power and ferocity, with every strike sending the ball soaring across the court at speeds hard to track with the human eye. He is uncontrolled and dangerous, sure, but the way he moves is like fire itself.
Hiro fares rather well, too. He uses his rather toned arms strength to spike the ball into dangerous arcs, and more than once the other team's players have to throw themselves to the ground in order to avoid being struck by what would feel like a cannonball.
In no time the match is finished; assisted by Zuko, the Fire Princess spikes the ball so hard that the ball literally implodes, leaving a smoldering crater in the ground and setting the net ablaze.
"Yes! We have defeated you for all eternity! You will never rise from the ashes of your shame!" The Princess cackles, and the onlookers gape at her.
Hiro scratches his neck. "It's just a game, but okay. Whatever makes you happy."
Three teenagers walk over to them, looking impressed. "We're having a party tonight, you should come by," one of the boys says to Ty Lee and Mai. Hiro steps forward.
"Nobody's going anywhere without me, so I'm afraid I'll have to tag along too." He stares down the boy, but one of the others speaks up.
"Sure man, of course! You looked pretty sick doing all those moves. I'm Yu Shan, nice to meet you." The guy holds out his hand, and Hiro shakes it good-naturedly.
"I'm Hiro, nice to meet you too!"
Yu Shan is the epitome of a 'beach boy'; shaggy hair, tan, an unagi tooth necklace on his neck. He smiles at Hiro with a brilliant flash of white teeth and golden eyes, and Hiro can't help but grin back.
"Actually, you all can come! Just don't be rowdy; some of the most important teenagers in the Fire Nation will be there." Yu Shan says, and the first boy, Chan, just shrugs.
Does he not know who he's talking to? "Actually-" Hiro starts.
"We'll do our best." The Fire Princess smirks, and Hiro looks at her askance. The trio walks off, and the crowd around them begins to disperse. Once the area has cleared, the Princess turns on Hiro.
"I don't remember asking you to come," she snarks, and Hiro huffs.
"My orders are to make sure that you all are safe, and I can't do that if I'm not with you. Now, I don't see any harm in going to a party, but anything could happen."
The Princess mulls it over, then whirls around to leave. "Fine. But don't stay too close to us during the party, or else I'll report you to Father."
Hiro laughs. "Yes, ma'am." He goes to sit down and calm the inevitable discomfort in his lungs from the strenuous exercise, but for some reason it never comes.
Maybe Ember Island was magical, after all?
I know this chapter came a little later than usual, but I originally wanted to make it and the next chapter into one, but I decided that it would be too long and decided to break it up. I have the next chapter fleshed out, I just need to actually write it. Not a lot of Hiro-Zuko interaction this chapter, but next chapter is where it really gets interesting :)
As always, please let me know what you think! I really enjoy every review, and I'd like to know if there's any improvements I could make in my writing. Thanks for reading :)