CHAPTER 6-RETURN HOME
A weird thought had entered Iroh's head when he arrived on Fire Nation shores-Home. Iroh had been away for one year, and so much has changed since then. He was apprehensive about going back to the palace. He walked out on his father, how was the Firelord going to respond?
He walked towards the palace when he stumbled across his old friends, Hayato and Daisuke. Well, stumbled would not be an appropriate term. Hayato and Daisuke were up to the usual antics. Iroh quickly got involved, and broke up the harassment going on.
"What do you think you are doing?" Iroh asked his two friends.
The two men turned around, and in shock. "You? You're back?!" exclaimed Daisuke.
"Where did you go?" asked Hayato.
"I left because I needed to, and I am back because I needed to." Iroh added. "It is nice to see that you two have not changed while I was gone."
"And I see you have," said Hayato with a sense of sarcasm.
"A year being gone does cause a person to change. I wish you could see the places I have been," Iroh stated.
With that the men exchanged awkward glances, and Iroh turned around and walked towards the palace.
When Iroh reached the palace, he had found that his brother, Ozai, had ascended to their father's right hand side. It seemed as if the palace completely forgot about Iroh while he was gone for that year.
"Brother it is nice to see you," Iroh outreached his arms prepared to embrace his younger brother, but was rejected.
"Nice to see me? Since when have you ever cared about me?" Ozai sneered. "Probably since you realized that by you leaving, you have lost your position of Dad's favorite."
"Father's favoritism towards you has no effect on me, brother. I have not seen you in a year, can I not be happy just to see you?"
Ozai ignored his brother's comments and went back to practicing his firebending forms. It was at this point, Iroh was summoned to speak to his father.
"Prince Iroh, it is nice to see that you have found your way home once again," Firelord Azulon said with a bite in his voice. "May I ask you where you have been?"
"Father, I have traveled the world, training to be a firebending master so I can accept my destiny as Firelord." Iroh hesitated for a moment, not sure if he should divulge the following information, but continued, "I even slayed the last dragon in existence."
"What?! What did you say?" Firelord Azulon said in shock.
"I killed that last dragon in existence," Iroh articulated.
"I am impressed, however, I want proof that you have indeed become a firebending master. I want you to duel your brother."
Unsure of what to say, Iroh bowed to his father and escorted himself out. He went into his room and meditated until he was taken to the courtyard.
Ozai was there, waiting for his brother. The grin on Ozai's face was intense, like a lion ready to pounce. Iroh remained cool and collected as his father took a seat to watch his two sons duel.
Ozai threw the first punch, which Iroh easily evaded, allowing him to take advantage of Ozai's unprotected core & land a fireblast right on his chest. The fight went on for another 30 minutes, with this being consistent. Ozai was aggressive; Iroh would wait and listen, use more defensive moves than offensive, and use Ozai's flow against him-all things he had learned from the other elements. Up to this point, Ozai was unable to land a single attack on his brother, while Iroh was able to land many. Feeling very frustrated and exhausted, Ozai felt like he had only one option left-to produce lightning. This was a technique he had been working on, and was ready to see what it could do.
Lightning began to fly from Ozai's finger tips. The hair on the back of Iroh's neck stood on end as he readied himself to redirect the lightning. Ozai launched his lightning at Iroh. Iroh took in the lightning, and redirected it at a nearby tree. When the air cleared and Ozai saw his brother standing, and unharmed he was shocked. The brothers heard clapping from the distance.
"I thought Ozai was going to win. I am very impressed at the skills you have learned on your journey Prince Iroh. You will make a fine Firelord," Firelord Azulon said as he left the garden and the men in peace.
Ozai, upset at his defeat, left filled with anger. Iroh, impressed at how far he had come, went back to his quarters to meditate.
A couple months had passed and Iroh became a favorite amongst the palace servants. The prince, who was once rude and selfish, would now tell them stories of his travels, and be kind to them. The Firelord remained impressed with his eldest son's ability to firebend, while Ozai became a shadow in the eyes of his father.
Iroh would leave the palace more and more frequent, he would play Pai Sho with local shopkeepers and passing through merchants. He had even begun to learn how to play the tsungi horn.
One afternoon Iroh was in a local park, just admiring the view and his tea when something caught his eye. It was a young lady, with unprecedented beauty, while she still walked with a chip on her shoulder, Iroh was still very much attracted to her.
As he walked over to her, he picked up a flower from a nearby garden & presented it to her. "You may not remember me but," Iroh was cut-off.
"Oh I remember you," she said. Unlike the last time, she stopped walking and looked at him. She paused for a moment before she continued. "I heard you left the Fire Nation; no one expected you to come back."
"I was not quite sure myself, but after a year from being away, I knew it was time for me to come home," Iroh told her with a sense of calmness and wisdom in his voice.
"Something changed while you were away. I guess I don't know you."
"Well, miss" he hands her the flower "would you like to get to know me?"
She nods her head. "Would you mind escorting me home?"
"I would be honored" Iroh extended his arm to the young lady which she accepted.
The two walked home together and chit chatted, by the end Iroh was able to get the young lady to crack a smile.
"Thank you for the escort," the young lady said.
"It was my pleasure," Iroh responded. "Would you like to do dinner sometime this week?"
"Yes, how about in two nights from now?"
"I will pick you up here."
The young lady was about to walk through the door when she turned around and said "by the way, my name is Hana."
"It was nice to finally meet you Hana, I am Prince Iroh."
She stood in shock at his identity as he turned around and walked back to the palace.
