Prince of the Fire Nation and Shadows
This is the chapter everyone has been patiently waiting for and I really hope it meets everyone's expectations. In this chapter Osamu starts to learn firebending alongside his siblings and possibly shadowbending! I really appreciate the positive reviews I have been receiving, especially the ideas suggested to help speed things along. I plan to get Osamu on the War Council, but that will be for a later date. Thank you for your support and I grant permission for other writers who want to borrow this idea under the condition that they let me know so I can read it.
Chapter 5: Fire and Shadows
Osamu was experiencing a nightmare he couldn't escape or hide from: Sibling rivalry.
Zuko and Azula were slowly growing apart as they got older. Osamu feared that if they continued to drift away they would probably end up killing each other. The whole mess was started by their parents who each had a favorite they would shower with attention, while ignoring or pointing out the faults of the other one. Their father, Ozai, taught and focused all his attention on his gifted daughter, Azula, and would sometimes spend time with his genius son, Osamu. They always exceeded beyond the expectations set by their tutors and were both naturals at firebending, especially Azula and she did not have past memories to help her like Osamu did. Azula was greatly favored by their father, Ozai because of her cruelty and willingness to inflict pain on others. Ozai had a soft spot for Osamu who he was able to have adult conversations with and it was a bonus that Osamu had a close relationship with his grandfather, Azulon. (A story for another time.) As firebending prodigies, everyone adored the two, which is why Osamu did not mind that their mother, Ursa, babied the neglected Zuko. This was when a rift began to form between the siblings and Osamu could only watch as it grew. Zuko was their mother's beloved child and she made it no secret she favored him over Azula, who was becoming more like Ozai each day. This of course hurt Azula more than their mother realized because no child should be feared by their own mother. This caused Azula to lash out at Zuko in jealously and frustration. Osamu once had to step in once when she took it too far.
Flashback
It was a sunny morning without a cloud in the sky, to the disappointment of Osamu, and Azula was playing with her two friends Mai and Ty Lee from the Royal Fire Academy for Girls. The three girls were doing cartwheels and walking on their hands pretending to be performers with Osamu as their unwilling audience. Ty Lee was pretty good and giggled out," Look at me! Look at me! Aren't I great Osamu!" Azula, not liking being second best, shoved Ty Lee to the ground after being outdone by her friend in acrobatics.
"Was that really necessary?," Osamu asked with an unimpressed look aimed at his little sister. Before Azula could reply Zuko and their mother passed by smiling and talking to each other. It was a warm and happy scene that left a murderous expression on Azula's face until it was replaced with a bright smile that sent shivers up Osamu's spine. Things always got dangerous when Azula smiled like that.
'Why is it that the women in my life are so frightening that I would rather face-off against an army?', thought Osamu with a sigh.
Osamu was cut-off from his thoughts when he noticed what had caused Azula to beam with malice joy. Mai kept peeking over in Zuko's direction and then turning away shyly with a bright red face.
To sum it all up, Azula decided to seize the day and humiliate Mai and Zuko together at once. She ordered poor Mai to balance an apple on her head which Azula set on fire. She then attempted to goad Zuko into knocking the apple off the frightened Mai's head, but Osamu chose that exact moment to step in and put an end to Azula's twisted game.
"Azula! That is enough!", he bellowed and quickly put out the burning apple. "Everyone go inside for a minute. Me and Azula need to talk..." The three children quickly cleared out and left the two siblings alone.
"What's the big idea Osamu?", asked Azula with a sickly, sweet voice. "I was only playing a game. No one was going to get hurt. I was only messing with Mai and Zuzu".
"Azula, you need to stop taking your anger out on Zuko. He is your brother and even though I understand where you are coming from, you can't blame Zuko for getting extra attention from mother. Mother knows he needs it more than us and you know it as well. You know how father treats him and how hurt he is by it."
"He's not the only one that's hurt", Azula growled out with a voice laced with venom. "My own mother thinks I am a monster! I can see it in the way she looks at me! She never looks at you that way or anyone else and she only likes spending time with her sweet Zuko!" Azula was trembling with fury and her eyes glassy from tears threatening to fall. "I am perfect! I am the one who does everything right, but all I see is fear and disgust in her eyes where there should be pride! All I want is for mother to love me like she loves you and Zuko!"
Azula finally allowed tears to pour from her eyes and began to sob hysterically. Osamu was as still as a statue for a few seconds because this was the first time Azula ever cried or told him how she truly felt. After a moment of hesitation, he finally moved forward to awkwardly hug his sister and comfort her the best he could.
End of Flashback
Both of his parents were acting poorly and his siblings were suffering for it. He still remembered the pain he felt in his chest when Azula cried her heart out, a feeling that he also felt whenever Zuko was mistreated by their father.
'This cannot be allowed to go on... Things need to change and I know exactly where to start'. He first needed to continue with his secrete project of manipulating shadows. Osamu was able to send his own shadow out as if it was a clone, but it never made it too far from him. He had two things he that needed to be done.
Story Idea: Danny has a twin brother who is cool and popular, but a total mama's boy. He gets ghost powers like Danny and helps capture ghosts that escaped from the Ghost Zone. Join Danny and Dmitri as they discover more about their ghost powers and each other. [Dmitri will look like Danny, except with spiky hair, purple eyes, and slightly more muscled from learning self-defense against ghosts from their mother. He dreams of becoming a writer and ghost hunter. He is popular because he is smart like Jazz, weird (monologues his day and does a little jig when he is happy)yet charming and is sweet without trying to be.]
