Chapter 8: Up in Smoke, or, Something Completely Different
As General Iroh walked through the palace garden on a splendid summer day, humming a jaunty tune entitle 'Fire Nation Girls are Mighty Hot' to himself and feeling generally fine, he suddenly heard a noise.
"Aw man! I'll never get it right!" cried a voice he instantly recognized.
Iroh made his way through the garden toward the sound and the voice, and came upon his 11 year old son, lying flat on his back by the turtleduck pond.
"Watching the clouds, my son?" said Iroh with a grin.
Lu Ten sat up. "No," he said sullenly. "I'm trying to practice Firebending, but it keep knocking me backwards! I can't do it!" The boy buried his face in his hands.
"You give up too easily, Lu Ten," said Iroh. Crouching down, he took hold of the boy's wrists and moved his hands away from his face. "If you fall off the komodo rhino six times, you get back on seven." He grasped his son's hand and helped the boy to his feet. "All you need is a few pointers in the right direction. Now, watch me."
Iroh planted his feet where he stood and breathed deeply. Easing expertly into the appropriate stance, the general drew back a fist and then brought it forward, punching the air and sending a fireball flying across the garden.
"Now you try," he said to Lu Ten.
The boy planted his feet and breathed, trying to exactly mimic his father's actions. He brought his fist forward, sending forth what was, though considerably smaller than the one Iroh had produced, unmistakably a fireball.
"I did it!" the boy exclaimed, jumping up and down.
"Very good," said Iroh with a twinkle in his eye. "Now," said he as he stroked his beard, "perhaps we should work on the spinning kick?"
Lu Ten groaned, his spirit sinking as quickly as it had raised.
"But I've never even been able to make fire with that move!" he protested.
"As the proverb says, my son, you can never succeed if you never attempt. Let's just give it a try."
Reluctantly, Lu Ten again took his place by his father's side. Iroh demonstrated the spinning kick, sending an arc of flame flying forth. Lu Ten, preparing himself for his imminent humiliation, copied the move, and he was very surprised to see his own arc of fire flying forward.
"I did it!" he cried. "I really did it!"
Iroh coughed.
Lu Ten turned to see his father's singed beard and soot-blackened face. He was missing an eyebrow.
"You did it, alright," said Iroh. "But I think you need more practice."
Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since the last update. Anyhow, I wanted to do something short and funny where we got to see some more of Iroh and Lu Ten (honestly, I wish the show would've gone into it a bit more) and see the side of Iroh we all recognize and know and love. I had fun writing it. I hope you have fun reading it. Next chapter returns to the main plot. Thanks to everyone who has been reading, subscribing, favoriting, reviewing, etc. Be excellent to each other.
