Hello everyone! Welcome to this chapter which will be the last chapter in this story. I have loved writing this and I hope you all have enjoyed reading this and thank you for all of your reviews and even for those of you who read but didn't review. I hope that you will all take a look at my other stories to see if they interest you Oh! And thank you to all those who favorite this story and me as an author =) I give you Holiday Surprise cookies fresh out of the oven as thanks … maybe I'll send them mentally instead they smell to good to resist lol. Oh sorry getting off there are any questions you may have please send them to me and I will try to answer (I'm not very good at answering questions usually I just read the reviews) anyway ENJOY! P.S. The song is Pippins song from Lord of the Rings I created and added the lyrics that start after the /. Again this is set to my time-line.
WARNING!WARNING! THIS CHAPTER IS RATED T+ ACCORDING TO THE RULES OF FAN-FICTION MEANING THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 13 SHOULD NOT READ THIS AS IT HAS A SITUATION IN IT THAT ALTHOUGH IS NOT MENTIONED IN GREAT DETAIL (I DON'T DO SEX SCENES) IT DOES HAVE INNUENDO IN IT! IF YOU ARE YOUNGER THEN 13 PLEASE DO NOT READ THE PARTS THAT ARE SECTIONED OFF WITH % THANK YOU!
RECAP:
The girl must have hollered for Zuko because within seconds Zuko was at the door and staring with surprise at his mother. After giving them several minutes to reunite Cobra walked over holding Rama and Adenah's hands to make sure they didn't trip, before helping them up the steps where they met their big brother for the first time.
CHAPTER 20
Cobra stayed in the background as Luna introduced Rama and Adeanah to their big brother who had only given Cobra a quick once over before turning his attention back to his mother and his little siblings. Having nothing else to do and feeling slightly un-easy Cobra decided to go outside and make sure the surroundings were safe. As Cobra checked out the surroundings she began to think about her future and she realized that in all honesty she might not have one. That realization stung and at first Cobra didn't want to accept that as a fact which is what it was however it slowly sunk it's way in. Her dad had died at seventeen and she was nineteen, she already had had to give up air bending and earth bending because her body couldn't handle the strain, her more animalistic side had been chained into the very back recess of her mind so the strength and energy that she had once gotten from it had disappeared and although she was stronger and faster and had better senses then normal humans they were not what they had been, and that worried her.
Especially since she knew her mother was still out there somewhere as were the ten elders of the Four Clans, although they could be dead by now if her mother had anything to do with it. After all taking the blood of another bender and blood-bending it to mix with one's own blood was how the members of the Four Clan stayed looking young and kept or switched their bending skills. Cobra was brought out of her inner mussing when she heard two men whispering to each other, they were close by Cobra's position so she stilled and listened to them. Her eyes widened these men were mercenary's she had met them when she was June, they were apparently sent by Azula to kill Zuko. Cobra felt her temper flare and she killed them swiftly and silently, knowing that they were by themselves since they hated sharing their money. Cobra checked around and found that she had gotten there before they had sent any news to Azula thankfully, however to keep Azula off of Zuko trail and therefore keeping the Avatar Gang and Zuko, Luna and the twins safe as well Cobra wrote a message saying that the gang was being tracked but that they seemed to be heading to a small village in the Earth Kingdom in secret and that they (the guys she had killed) would contact Azula whenever they arrived at the village.
After Cobra rolled up the message and tucked it into the messenger birds holder she let the bird go and while it was flying away she incinerated the bodies then buried the bones deep into the ground before continuing around the house and widening her perimeter to make sure there were no others lurking around. There was no one else and Cobra slightly reluctantly headed back to the house, knowing she didn't have a reason to stay away anymore and Luna would probably be trying to get her and Zuko back on good terms. "Not that it matters anyway seeing as how I could drop dead at any second." Cobra bitterly muttered to herself as she headed up the porch steps. She hesitated for a second unsure of if she should knock or just walk in, the twins took care of that for her when they flung open the door and eagerly pulled her inside and Cobra only had time to kick the door shut before the twins dragged her off their voices bouncing off of the walls and blending together, only Cobra's great patience and several years of practice allowed her to make out most of what they were saying.
The twins pulled her into a large sitting room that had a small fire going, two young girls and two young boys a flying monkey was eating a piece of fruit sitting on the mantel of the fireplace, Cobra stared in surprise at the animal she had never seen one alive before although she had read about it, there sitting next to the fire place on a couch was Luna and beside her was Zuko. The twins continued to tug her over until she was within five feet of Zuko and Luna before they let go of her arms, knowing what they wanted Cobra swiftly sat down keeping her legs folded underneath her, the twins climbed onto her lap and snuggled up against her. Although they were now nine they were small for their ages and looked only about six which is why they got away with so much. "Sing?" Rama and Adenah asked with big pleading eyes and pouting faces, Cobra sighed she never could resist those pouting face. "Okay and old one or a new one?" She asked the twins ignoring the questioning looks on everyone but Luna's face in favor of looking at the twins. After a quick glance at each other they voiced in unison, "Home." Cobra raised a mock surprised eyebrow but then nodded and took a deep breath mentally preparing herself as she had never sung in hearing distance of Zuko before, then she began to sing,
" Home is behind
the world ahead
and there are many paths to tread
through shadow
to the edge of night
until the stars are all alight,
mist and shadow
cloud and shade
all shall fade
all shall fade
/
The world looks on
as I move ahead
through the paths
where no others dare tread
like the shadow throughout the day
I move around but always stay
I press onward and fight my fights
thru the night there comes a golden ray
this ray of light I wish it to forever stay
its guiding me through the dark
it lights my path towards my home
keeping me from staying in the night
sending me a reason to fight
a reasons to live
a reason for life
a home
where I wish to be
a home
where I will be free
a home
a place I will be loved
a home
that's the place I want to be
a home where I live with thee
the one who accepted me as me
I am home.
Cobra finished the song although she had felt the twins nodding off halfway through, she adjusted her grip on the twins before standing up swiftly and easily with several years of practice Luna stood up and motioned for Cobra to follow her to the room where the twins would be staying. Cobra did so and after putting them into their beds and covering them up Cobra reluctantly left and followed Luna back down to the sitting room. It was quite at first when Cobra entered the room but then one of the girls spoke up, "Hello, my name is Katara I'm a Water bender, this is Toph, she is an Earth bender, that's Aang he's the Avatar, and that's Sokka my older brother and the flying monkey is Momo. What's your name?" Katara asked. Cobra sat down again but this time she sat with her crossed underneath her (Indian style) she gazed at the girl who had introduced herself as Katara. "My name is Cobra." She said giving all four a once over out of habit to try and figure out their strengths and weaknesses.
"Your name is Cobra? That's a very unusual name what does it mean?...If you don't mind my asking." Katara said her voice filled with curiosity.
The whole group turned to listen to Cobra's reply, even Zuko for he had never thought of her name as unusual since she had been with him for so many years, however Luna was extremely curious as well and only her manners had kept her from asking Cobra that same question. Cobra turned her strange eyes towards the fire as she answered, "My name…is not my name it is simply the name I chose. My parents gave me five names one for each of the five things necessary for life which are fire, water, air, earth and spirit. That was the way of my family, my five names were chosen by my parents each name has a meaning that they wanted me to fulfill.
C = Chinatsu meaning a thousand summers, they wanted me to live a long life.
O = Osamu my grandfathers name, meaning chronicler, disciplined, logical, obtainer, to reign and ruler the meanings speak for themselves.
B = Bunko meaning literary child, they wanted me to be smarter than anyone else.
R = Rin meaning cold, dignified and severe, the meaning speaks for itself.
A = Akane meaning brilliant red, they wanted me to paint the world with the blood of my enemies.
When my mother took me from my home and then we separated I chose the name COBRA to keep my past but create a new future." Cobra answered her voice emotionless and mono-toned as she answered the water-bender's question. The room was silent as everyone was taken aback by Cobra's answer Cobra didn't like the heavy silence and chose to stand, "I will check the surroundings to make sure we have remained un-discovered." She said before she left the room and headed down the hallway intent on getting down the stairs and out the door before anyone tried to give her pitying glances, one thing she hated was people pitying her.
However Cobra never made it to the stairs as a warm hand grabbed her left wrist and spun her around to face the person. Cobra had instinctively crouched as she was spun however she hadn't pulled a dagger knowing there was no on in the house who was a threat she stood up straight a split second later as she found her gaze met with Zuko's smoldering molten lava gaze and she found herself being pulled along behind Zuko. Cobra was surprised at this development but followed behind Zuko nonetheless as he led her up to the attic before he pulled up the attic ladder and shut the attic door. Cobra was unsure of what to do as she was at war with herself, she loved him but she didn't want him hurt and they had no future together since she herself had no future so maybe she should continue to let him be angry at her. While Cobra was musing over her thoughts she missed three important details, one, Zuko had tied the ladder so it wouldn't drop down even if someone opened the door, two, the temperature in the attic had increased, three, Zuko was a teenager with raging hormones. That last important detail made itself known when Zuko whirled around and ripped off Cobra's mask his lips slamming into hers with a force and passion that immediately stopped Cobra's thought process and she returned the kiss with equal force and passion.
% The next day Cobra awoke to several voices calling for her and Zuko, not wanting to get up but not wanting them to worry Cobra got dressed and opened the attic door to see Luna coming up the hallway towards her, "We are fine can you please keep the noise down were trying to sleep." Cobra said, she didn't think anything about it until Luna stopped and stared at her that's when Cobra realized that she had put on Zuko's shirt and she had forgotten her face mask. "Oh." Was all Cobra could say surprised and a little embarrassed at herself however Luna began to smile her eyes dancing with laughter, "I see. I'll tell the kids you two are 'talking some things over' for today… how long should I wait before I start planning the wedding?" Luna asked. Cobra smirked, "That you will have to ask your son." She replied before she closed the attic door and turned back towards Zuko who was awake and sitting up watching her with a predatory like smirk and a very pleased expression on his face. Cobra rolled her eyes and silenced anything he was going to say by kissing him. %
Cobra told Zuko everything about her past and herself, she knew that he had every right to know and although it did surprise him he accepted her past as her past and told her that no-one knew how long they had to live which is why they should live every-say as if it's their last. Afterwards they went downstairs and after Cobra swiftly ate she went out to check the perimeter while the group decided on what their best course of action would be, Luna was there with them but she had decided that she and the twins would stay at the house when the group went to face King Ozi and Azula.
I'm not good at writing the fight scenes so everything that happened in the anime happened here except that it was Cobra that was with Zuko not Katara. Although Cobra scolded Zuko about being an idiot when he knew she could redirect the lighting just as well as he could, to which he sheepishly smiled and said he just hadn't wanted her to get hurt which led to her kissing him before remembering that he needed her to heal him. Cobra had just got done healing him during the middle of her healing he had fallen unconscious when her mother appeared half-crazed covered in blood and self-inflicted cuts her skin wrinkled and her hair graying. She was dying and only Cobra's blood would make her young and healthy again. In the end Cobra had won however she had to kill her mother and even though she hadn't been a real mother for many years Cobra still felt horrible. When Zuko woke up he found Cobra sitting beside him holding his hand while looking at a strange ornamental fan, tears silently streaming down her now mask-less face. Her clothes torn and small cuts were all over her body. It was two hours later when Cobra finally told him what had happened.
Cobra looked at the multi-layered red and gold colored wedding dresses that she was suppose to choose from before turning to face Luna who was standing next to her eyeing the dresses as well. "Would it at all be possible to get married in the clothes that my Clan had the brides wear?" Cobra asked a little hesitantly. Luna was surprised even after Cobra had told Luna about her past she had never brought it back up before so Luna had never thought to ask about the wedding customs that Cobra would have been taught. "I'm sure that would be fine." Luna said with a smile, tears in her eyes as she hugged her soon to be daughter-in-law. Cobra smiled back, after a second's hesitation, she wasn't use to showing emotion to anyone but Zuko although she had started to be more open with Luna and the twins, with everyone else she still was un-emotional. Although she had stopped wearing her face mask the mask she had been trained from a young age to put over her emotions was a lot harder to take off. "Do you need material or anything?" Luna asked. Cobra smiled and shook her head, "No I can get everything I need." Cobra turned and began to head towards the door before she stopped and suddenly ran back towards Luna and gave her a hug, "Thank you for everything." Cobra said before she turned and ran out the door passing Iroh on her way out. Cobra smiled to herself as she ran to get the needed things, Iroh and Luna had become close friends and they seemed to be plotting together to match-make some of the people around the palace. Cobra couldn't help but giggle when she noticed that Rama and Adenah were playing hide and seek in the garden with Zuko, they were really creative about their hiding places, Rama was behind one of the guards and Adenah was up a tree. Cobra continued on unconsciously humming the song she had sung for Rama and Adenah at the old Fire Nation family house two years ago,
"I press onward and fight my fights
thru the night there comes a golden ray
this ray of light I wish it to forever stay
its guiding me through the dark
it lights my path towards my home
keeping me from staying in the night
sending me a reason to fight
a reasons to live
a reason for life
a home
where I wish to be
a home
where I will be free
a home
a place I will be loved
a home
that's the place I want to be
a home where I live with thee
the one who accepted me as me
I am home."
COBRA'S DRESS ALTHOUGH INSTEAD OF THE WHITE DETAILS IT WOULD BE IN GOLD
search?q=white+dress+with+gold+and+crimson&espv=2&biw=1024&bih=677&tbm=isch&imgil=Jk_JLsyaFY83dM%253A%253BKaOlwGZy-9kQyM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F% .com%25252Fpopular% &source=iu&pf=m&fir=Jk_JLsyaFY83dM%253A%252CKaOlwGZy-9kQyM%252C_&usg=_TOMkfpXfO1gGgFKlaNnjt2vVGSk%3D&ved=0CCsQyjdqFQoTCP_E1rXQqscCFYoWPgodMbYFqw&ei=sfLOVb-oIYqt-AGx7JbYCg#imgrc=Jk_JLsyaFY83dM%3A&usg=_TOMkfpXfO1gGgFKlaNnjt2vVGSk%3D
Cobra died at the age of eighty five leaving twelve children, twenty grand-children thirty-four great-grandchildren and seven great-great grand-children to look after her husband who died at the age of ninety-eight. They had been loved by all and their adventures (for they had many just because they were King and Queen does not mean they lived a boring life) as well as their past's were written down so that all could read how ones past does not define their future. And so they are still remembered in legends and myths and sometimes people can swear that they see a young couple sitting on-top of the Fire Nation's Palace Roof right where the young King and Queen loved to sit and watch the sun-set and rise.
THE END.