Chapter Five

Having left New Ozai, Azula being carried in her Royal Palanquin why'll Mai, Ty Lee, and Naruto followed on foot. They started to make their way back to Azula's ship.

"So Azula, I was wondering now that were hunting this Avatar guy, what's the next plan of attack they could be anywhere thanks to that flying fur ball." Said Naruto as he moved a bit closer to her Royal palanquin. Mai and Ty Lee had also been wondering this same thing and were glad that Naruto had said something about it incases Azula lost her temper.

"First, he must retune to the Fire nation to resupply, as for finding the Avatar and his flying bison don't you worry Naruto the fire nation has a large spy network. We'll have the Avatar's location in no time at all." Said Azula in a cold and calculating voice. As so Naruto fell back in step with Mai and Ty Lee, about an hour or so they had finally reached Azula's ship. once on board and out of her Royal Palanquin Azula ordered for the ship to depart immediately.

"So how long will be on this tin can." Asked Mai flatly looking around the ship.

"Don't worry, Mai where be in the fire nation in no time at all." Said Ty Lee happily as she started to stretch her arms out, as a light yawn escaped her mouth. As the ship started to move out to see Naruto stood by the edge, leaning on the railings wonder what the fire nation would be like.

"Naruto everyone is heading down now." Said Azula and looking around Naruto saw they were the only once left of the ships deck.

"On my way." said Naruto as he walked over and followed the her down in to the ship. saying good night to Azula Naruto went in to his room. Tossing off his fire nation gear Naruto spotted the tray of food that had been brought in to his room, and stuffing his mouth full of food he cleared off his plate and headed in to his rest room and took a shower. The same moment Azula was in her room looking over some reports that had been placed on her desk. It seemed that if she was going to track her brother, uncle, and the Avatar she would need to have a much stronger team.

"That's it." she thought as she got up from her desk and left her room moving thought the ships corridor till she reached the room she was looking form.

"Naruto get up I need to speak with…" but what Azula was about to say next was cut short when she spotted the blond teen. Naruto had just exited the shower and only had a towel rapped around the lower half of his body, exposing to Azula his well-toned upper half. They both stared at each other till Azula felling embarrassed for the first time in her life turned around refusing to look at the blond any longer.

"Naruto, what are you doing." She asked felling her face start to heat up.

"Oh, hey Azula I was just taking shower." Naruto said not really understanding why the fire nation princess was acting funny.

"I can see that, look put some cloths on and meet me on the deck of the ship." she said walking away without another word. Just shrugging his shoulders Naruto and started to get some clothes to wear. As Azula reached the deck of the ship, took a few calming breaths trying not to think about what she had just seen.

"Well at least he's easy on the eyes." Azula thought to herself, smirking slightly as she remembered the way Naruto looked shirtless as well as wild hair and whiskers. She was brought out of her thoughts when the ships hatch door opened behind her. Stepping on to the deck Naruto saw Azula was already waiting for him.

"What's going one Azula." Naruto asked as he walked over to her.

"It's about time Naruto I, going to train you to lightning bend." Azula simply said. This new information caused Naruto to starting shaking with excitement.

"Right now, pay attention. Lightning is a pure form of fire bending, without aggression. It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other fire bending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire. It is precise and deadly, like myself. To perform the technique requires peace of mind. There is energy all around us. The energy is both yin and yang. Positive energy and negative energy. Only a select few fire benders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance, and in a moment the positive and negative energy come crashing back together, you provide release and guidance, creating lightning." Azula finished explaining as she motioned for Naruto to step back, and once he had done so Azula began to move her hands around her body in circular motions. Around her finger tips Naruto could see electricity starting to take form till she shoots a massive lightning bolt away from the ship and in to the night sky.

"Wow that was amazing Azula." Said Naruto once she had finished her demonstration.

"Of course, it was, Now I want you to try." Azula said smugly as she notices not a single hair on her head was out of place this time.

"Alright, I'm ready to try it." said Naruto. Closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths Naruto tried to clear his mind and feel the energy he was supposed be separating. Opening his eyes, he followed the same circular motion that as Azula had done and when he moved his hand forward his face dead pinned as a spark of lightning less than an inch long shot out of his fingertips. Azula brought her hand up to her face and rubbed her temple in frustration.

"that was pathetic Naruto, how am I supposed to accomplish my mission if you aren't at your best, I expect nothing but the best." Azula said disappointed at this feeble display. At her sharp words Naruto couldn't help but be reminded of Sasuke. This thought caused him to grow determined to make her eat them.

"Azula How long will this ship take to reached the fire nation." Naruto asked not looking at her

"two days maybe three, why." She asked wondering what the bond was talking about now.

"Alright then give me three days and I will show you that I can bend lightning." Naruto said turning around to face the girl.

"that face, is this the same Naruto." thought Azula who was started by his tone of voice and the look in his eyes. this was nothing like the goofy boy she had come to know. However, this only caused her to smirk

"I'll hold you to that, I want the best Naruto, I need the best." Said Azula as she started to walk away from the blond. once she was going Naruto started to go through the movements once again as he is remembering what Azula had told him. and so that were he stayed for the remainder of the night and till early the next morning. Naruto sent every waking moment trying to bend lighting. The next day once Azula had finished eating and getting dressed she was joined my Mai and Ty Lee who had also freshened up for the day as well.

"So Azula, where's Naruto." Asked Ty Lee as she sat cross legged on the edge of Azula's bed.

"I haven't the slightest idea." Said Azula as she looked over some papers on her desk

"He's on the deck of the ship training, I heard some of the soldiers talking." Said Mai in a bored town of voice.

"Perfect." Thought Azula. Back on the deck Naruto was still in the same spot as last night training, only without the metal armor pieces of his uniform. The more and more he tried to lightning bend it felt like his energy was draining faster and faster.

"man, the last time I trained this hard I made that beat with baa-chan." Thought Naruto has he closed his eyes and took some deep breaths trying to get a feel of his energy before going thought the movements once again. And this as the scan on the deck of the ship for the remainder of the day Naruto would train and train, stopping only to eat and go to the bathroom all the why'll being watch by the three fire nation girls.

"He really what's to lighting bend." Said Mai from her spot under a large red umbrella in the opposite side of the deck as she started to her lunch.

"I don't think Naruto really cares about bending lighting, I think he's more concerned with what a certain princess think." Ty Lee said as she and Mai started to giggle lightly at the, look of indignations on Azula's face made funnier by her blush. In all the time, they had known the fire nation princess they hand never seen her act so girly. Azula just closed her eyes and started to mutter about nonsense.

"Hey, you guy, is it lunch time already." Said Naruto as he walked over to them. all three girls stopped what they were doing they looked up from their seats to look at Naruto. He was standing in front of them panting slightly form from his training, his upper body exposed due to the fact he had removed his shirt. Mai and Ty Lee both looked away blushing slightly finding it hard to make eye contact. Azula have had some time was able to keep a better composure and stood up.

"Naruto, put a shirt on your embarrassing Mai and Ty Lee." Azula said chuckling slightly at the two girls.

"Oh, right sorry, is just starting to get hot." Naruto said tossing his shirt back on. And sitting down he started to eat his lunch alongside Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee. After finishing his food Naruto stood back up and got back to work with his lightning bending. There he stayed for the rest of the day and long in to the night. The next morning Azula was up and out of bed earlier than normal she got dressed and headed out of her room moving thought the ship heading for the deck. Once she reached the deck Azula was greeted by the sight of a sleeping Naruto laying with his back to the deck. Silently walking up to him Azula kneeled down and took a look at the blond teen he was sleeping peacefully. Looking around the deck, her sharp golden eyes making sure they were the only ones there she brought her hand and started to lightly cross press her fingers across his whiskers marks. She stopped for a moment when the sleeping boy started to make sound.

"is he, purring." Azula said to herself chuckling slightly as she continued to stroke his whiskers. She had to stop this however once Naruto started to move around and standing up Azula waited for him to open his eyes.

"Hey Azula." Naruto said once he opened his eyes, sitting up he saw the fire nation princess standing over him.

"You'll catch your death from a cold if you sleep out here all night." Said Azula as she watched Naruto state to stand up, stretching and letting out a long yawn.

"Don't worry I use to fall asleep outside all the time when I was training an I've never caught a cold before. Anyway, I'm glad that you're here I wanted to show to something." Naruto said as he has Azula step back. And closing his eyes Naruto closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths suddenly his hand busted in to black fire as eh started to move through the circular motion. As Azula watched she was wondering what he was doing, and that's when she noticed that the flames around his hands were starting to grow smaller and smaller.

"He's focusing the flames to his fingertips." Azula thought, and suddenly Naruto moved his and forward as a massive purple lightning bolt shot out of his fingertips.

"Told you I could do it." said Naruto, turning to look at her a huge goody smile spreading across his face. Azula was amazed the he had been able to find a way to lightning bend.

"Perfect I know you could do it." Azula said satisfied that Naruto was been able to achieve the final form of lightning bending.