Turning, looking at his family, waving to him, the young teen smiled, and waved, a duffel bag over his shoulder. He was roughly five nine, and while he was defined, he wasn't muscular. He carried the bag, and soon was on the boat. As it departed, the teenager looked at the flying banners of the Earth Kingdom with sorrow. "I'll miss everyone. But I guess I had to go home some time." He looked at the flying banners of the Fire Nation, and sighed. "Imperial Academy ahoy… Yay…" His broken voice belied a less than enthusiastic form. He sat down, leaning on the railing. It would be a long voyage, but he hoped his uncle would be there. He wasn't one for being in strange places. "Twelve years… Twelve years since I was in the Fire Nation. I have spent more time among the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom…" He shook his head. "Things will go fine." He walked towards his cabin, and dropped his clothing, before opening a book, and laying back.
---
Admiral Zhao sighed, but smiled when he saw his Nephew coming off the boat. While his brother was a peace-loving failure, his Nephew and Soshi got along swimmingly, and would make fine Sailors one day. Soshi smiled, and rushed towards his cousin. "Pfen!" Pfen smiled, catching his cousin. "Soshi, it's wonderful to see you. But I guess I never told you guys, in the Earth Kingdom, there were some troubles, so if you ever want to, Peter works just as well now." "Peter, sounds exotic." Peter smiled, and bowed to the Commander approaching. "Uncle. It is a blessing to see you and Soshi again." "It is good to see you as well. I didn't think you would have grown so much." "I got into a couple of scrapes early on while I was in the Earth Kingdom. I took to Self-Defence training." "And how well did it work out?" "I broke a couple noses when they didn't bend at me." "Well, we'll see if we can't help you get over that little obstacle."
Peter practically glowed. Soshi and Uncle Zhao were always wonderful to be with. "Thing's are a bit different in the Fire Nation, but you should do fine here." Nodding, Peter followed the two of them to the waiting carriage, and soon, Peter was looking at the warm architecture, and landscape. Then, Zhao quickly stopped, the inertia forcing Peter and Soshi forward. "What was that?" "DeMint, the procession is blocking the way." "Procession?" "The Fire Lord. He is heading to the Barge he and his two kids take to Ember Island. I had been hoping to beat it." Peter nodded. "Who…" Peter's eyes, Green, a rarity in the Fire Nation, but a marker of his heritage, his mother's father being Earth Kingdom, focused. "There's a girl, flanking an older man, with a Boy about two years older than myself."
"Princess Azula and Prince Zuko, with Fire Lord Ozai. That's amazing you can make them out." "I developed good eyesight in the Water Tribes. I decided against walking into the wrong buildings constantly." Peter shrugged, as the Procession finished passing by, and soon they were on their way again. Once they were through the streets of the Capital, Peter looked around, but was stunned to see a Hawk waiting for him. "Umm, Uncle…" "It's a Hawk from Lord Ozai. What In the… Oh great. Soshi, Peter, pack up…We're going to ember Island. Apparently, with my promotion has now come a request for my presence at a war meeting."
Peter nodded, and shouldered his bag. Soshi dashed off, and Peter looked over at Zhao. "Is it as bad as it sounds?" "Worse. There's a post script. Lord Ozai specifically asked for you and Soshi to be there as well." "Meaning?" "He doesn't trust your father Pfen." Peter frowned. "He may be asking you about him." "My father is a diplomat. What could he have possibly done?" "I have no Idea Pfen."
Peter sighed, but went along with it. It would be a long day it seemed. "So I remember you said that I would be learning Firebending?" "Yes." "How about we start on the boat." "A Fascinating Idea." As Soshi got everything together, his red tee-shirt and black pants reflecting the pure black Peter wore, and the gold, reds and blacks of Zhou, the three headed calmly for the docks, and Zhou sighed, seeing several people waiting. "Obviously he really wants us there." Shaking his head, the Admiral ushered the two children onto a boat, watched carefully by several members of the Fire Lord's retinue.
Peter stretched out in his cabin while his uncle took care of everything. Soshi was bounding around deck looking around. The green eyed teen looked at his bag, and found what he searching for. Pulling a novel out, he thumbed through it, only to here a knock at his door. "It's open!" He was across the room, and when it opened, he peered over to see a young woman with a long brown braid looking confused. "Umm… I think there's been a mix-up miss." "This IS cabin 2-f?" "Aye, and I was assigned it."
Peter shut his novel, and looked to see the young woman approaching him. "The mix up is that I was asked to find you and your cousin. The Fire Lord has a skiff waiting for you two and your uncle." Peter sighed quietly, and got up, putting his novel in his bag. Grabbing the few things he had unpacked, he shouldered it, and silently followed behind the girl. "I'm Ty Lee by the way." She smiled, her large grey eyes taking in the teen behind her as she looked over her shoulder. "That's nice." He pushed past her, seeing Soshi and his uncle being led by a woman with a bun and two long strands of hair, and two older women. "The Fire Lord requests you come immediately." "I understand implicitly Ladies Li and Lo."
Peter walked down the stairs with an implicit frown, and soon sat on the skiff, covering his bag with a spare shirt. "I'll be damned if I lose my books to the surf." "Lighten up Pfen! It's not like you're going to fight a dragon, we're just going to ember island." "I know Soshi, but I'm just hoping to unpack some time soon."
Ty Lee looked over, slightly perplexed. "WHat do you mean?" "I've been living out of a bag for nearly my entire life. I move around a lot." Zhou hid his face behind his hand, looking at the expression on Ty Lee's face. "His father's a diplomat." Ty Lee nodded, and sighed. "I can understand, though I liked living with the circus."
Peter rolled his eyes, and soon was led sullenly up to a cabin on Ember Island. Soon, he waited about a minute in his room, eyes closed, and heard the door open. "I'm going to the meeting, they will likely summon you in about an hour and a half, so you have time to unpack. Take it easy Pfen." "I'll try."
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Peter closed his eyes, and inhaled gently. Exhaling, he looked at his hand. He sighed, chuckling. A small flame was there. "If my family knew… They'd be so ashamed." He shook his head, closing his hand, the flame dissipating. Then he heard another knock, and answered the door easily.
"Can I help you." "I've been sent to collect you." Peter nodded to the Woman, likely in her thirties. He followed behind her easily, keeping his mind clear. He didn't want to let his mind be clouded by anything right now. As he entered the large house, and was led into the Living room, He looked at Fire Lord Ozai with a stunned expression. "My Lord." Peter snapped his fist against his chest. He then knelt before Lord Ozai. "You summoned for me, my lord."
"I did. I have noticed a terrible trend in my daughter. I find she hungers for power. You have been long separated from our homeland, I was wondering if you might have an idea." "…" Peter stared into the burning fireplace. He closed his eyes. "In the earth kingdom, I learned about something called Jing. There are three kinds. Positive for Progression, Negative for Withdrawl, and Neutral for a stagnancy. She likely is focused completely on Positive Jing, trying to make a grab for power… Why not give her something to make her content. Something that will distract her." Peter shrugged. "It is all I can think of. I wish I could help you more my lord." "You can." Peter turned, looking at Ozai with surprise. "How?" "Pfen Zhou, I am happy to announce that my daughter now is betrothed." Peter clenched his fist. "You don't seriously?" "You cannot say you would ill make a fire lord. Zuko will take my place." Peter was stunned. "Woo my daughter. As you said, refocus her Jing." Peter felt himself go weak, the blood draining from his face. "I… I am honoured, My Lord." Bastard!
---
Peter flopped on his bed, and closed his eyes. "I can't BELIEVE this!" He exhaled with a fierce disappointment of how the day had gone. "How does he expect me to woo HER of all people. I haven't even kissed a girl!" He paced his room. Soshi leaned on a wall, and chuckled. "Oh come on, she is the Fire Nation Princess, how bad can it be?" "She set her brother on fire while I was there." "Oh… Well, your boned. Sorry to ditch you, but I got introduced to her absolutely gorgeous friend Ty Lee, and She asked me to meet her on the beach."
"I hate you so much right now Soshi." "Sorry mate." He scuttled off, and Peter threw a Pillow at his retreating form, missing, and hitting the door jam. "By Kiyoshi, what the hell am I going to do."
