Disclaimer: I don't own. Don't now and never will.
Author's note: Well what was your reaction to the end of the chapter? Probably shocked you a lot. I didn't even plan to introduce him yet not until they got into ba sing se but it popped in my head and I couldn't resist. With azula I had something similar planned to what I have but lets just say this was the nice way. Yes Zuko and Tara got separated from the group.
Moonwillow: Thanks, I hope you like this chapter.
ComicCartoonFreak13: Yup like I said above I was planning on adding Lu Ten in ba sing se but here he is! Azula is going to have a change in heart sooooooooooonnnnnn… She hates her father right now, -goes back to scene where she gets sick- see _(-.-)_ Lol.. Yes you are review 45 but I said lets try to get near Lol so it doesn't have to be exactly 50 reviews. Anywho thanks for the review! :)
QuietShadowz: Its perfectly fine with the criticism. Also Im kinda trying to slow down (im not the best writer but Hey! At least I try) I explained it a little bit with the Sokka Iroh exchange. Not much but its something. Oh and for updates I couldn't update last week because I had exams and I had to study my ass off for those to try and pass.. And its alright for not reviewing lol im not mad cause you're not the only one with finals either.. You are not a flamer a consider a flamer a person who outright just like uhm… lets say they don't like it because its not like the real story.. Lol… And they really like bitched at it you could say.. In a review. Also sorry for any of my bad 'French' if you get what I mean.
"Why can't you come with us though?" Katara blurted out. He looked at her and sighed.
"I mean you can help training and he would be delighted to see you. Mother would be too," Zuko spoke quietly, a thoughtful expression on his face. The young man sighed.
"Fine, but you owe me. Bigtime." The young man said. Zuko nodded his head and looked at the man.
"Alright Lu Ten. It's good to have you back," Zuko smiled and hugged his cousin once more, a content smile on his face. Katara, who felt excluded, joined the hug. She felt Lu Ten wrap his arms around both of them and hug them tightly.
"Come on, let's get your stuff to your room. We need to catch up." Lu Ten smiled warmly at his cousins, leading them to their room to put their small amount of belongings up. After they put their things up, they followed him back downstairs and outside to their ostrich horse, leading it to the stables. Lu Ten raised an eyebrow at their transportation, and tried not to smirk in amusement.
"So, how long have you been working here Lu?" Katara asked, wondering how long her cousin has been working at this small town inn.
"I've kinda always worked here since I was rescued, that old lady in the Inn, well she and her family rescued me. I work for them, and I get free room and board. I guess it's pretty decent but it was a really big change from the palace though." Lu Ten explained. Katara nodded her head, going through that change herself when she couldn't go to the palace after her mom disappeared.
"Well at least the family is really nice though, right?" Lu Ten started chuckling quietly.
"That's a huge understatement." Lu Ten muttered under his breath. Katara heard him and busted into a fit of laughter.
"Wait, do they know who you are? Like your past I mean?" Zuko spoke up. Lu Ten and Katara's antics quieted down some, and Lu Ten shook his head.
"She doesn't know. I don't think that she would like if she knew I was the Fire Nation Crown Prince. This town, it lives in harmony you could say. A town of fire benders and earth benders; many have started families even though they are from different nations, but they don't seem to care. They do hate the royal family for what they caused, so I never told anyone I was the prince."
"At least there are some places that can have harmony, amongst this war going on," Katara thought aloud. Zuko nodded his head at watched as his cousin mounted the ostrich horse, and fed it.
"Yea… I wish it were like that all around. If only….." Lu Ten trailed off.
"Why can't we go after her?" Sokka yelled, his finger in front of Iroh's face, glaring at him.
"If she is with Zuko, she will be fine. They have each other. Also I told them if we get separated from the group to meet at a rendezvous point in case something like this happens." Iroh explained. Sokka was breathing heavily from yelling at Iroh, and he didn't lose his stance quite yet.
"And where exactly is this, rendezvous point, Oh Wise One?" Sokka yelled, only caring about getting his little sister back.
"Ba Sing Se," Sokka relaxed from his stance and looked at Iroh wearily. Sokka huffed and sat down dejectedly.
"Fine. On to Ba sing Se." Sokka exclaimed, with fake enthusiasm. Iroh looked down at the young man.
"Sokka, I know you miss her but you won't be separated for too long. We will eventually join forces again, and meet in Ba Sing Se or even earlier if possible." Sokka glared at the old fire bender and sighed again. The day before, after not seeing them or hearing them, he went down to the riverbed that they were at to see if they were there. They were not there, and he rushed back to the campsite to tell the rest if the group. They decided that if they didn't return by nightfall that they are officially missing. When they neared the river, it was still flooding and they assumed that they got washed down the river a couple of miles.
"I know…. I just miss her…. I always took it hard whenever she would go to the Fire Nation. I wouldn't talk to anyone or do anything for days. It's always hard on me when we're separated for a long period of time." Iroh nodded his head, understanding his predicament. Kya looked over at her son, frowning at his sadness. She walked over to the two men, and sat down. Iroh took this as his cue and left the mother and son.
"Sokka…." Kya trailed off.
"She's in safe hands. Zuko was a good boy, and an honorable boy. He would do anything for her, and wouldn't allow her to get hurt. Sokka, just thinks that's she with her father again. I know this is hard on you, but believe me we will see her again soon." Kya smiled sadly at her son, knowing the feeling he is going through. Sokka was shaken out of his trance when he felt a small earthquake from a hundred yards away. He stood up and looked around.
"Toph!" Aang whined loudly, everyone in their small group hearing it from across the campsite.
"I said face it head on like an earth bender, don't try it at different angles. THAT WON'T WORK!" Toph yelled in frustration.
"I'M TRYING!" Aang shouted loudly, annoying their small group. The older members of the group sent glares their way. While Aang was distracted, Toph stomped away throwing her hands up in the air in frustration.
"Has father ever gotten over my death?" Zuko shook his head silently, and wrapped his arms around his knees, hugging them to his chest, his chin sitting on top of his knees. Katara fell asleep a few hours earlier, and was leaning against Zuko's side in a deep sleep. Lu Ten dismissed the closeness between the two, and planned on questioning Zuko after Katara had fallen asleep.
"Now, here's an important question. What with you and Katara?" Zuko flushed bright red.
"Lu Ten!" Zuko managed to sputter, eyes wide. Lu Ten laughed at his cousin's antics, and faced him with amusement in his eyes.
"Well?"
"Ugh, just go downstairs. I won't tell you. Now leave," Zuko glared at his older cousin. Lu Ten looked at him with a knowing look in his eyes.
"I'll get it out eventually. Trust me Little Cousin." Lu Ten laughed at his reaction to his old name, before going back downstairs to continue with his job. Zuko woke up the next morning without Katara there and decided to go downstairs for breakfast. He noticed Katara and Lu Ten enjoying their breakfast in silence.
"Hey lazy bones," Zuko glared at his cousin, before grabbing a plate for himself.
"What?" Zuko muttered as he started to place food on his plate, annoyed with his cousin.
"Well what are we going to do? I mean you said that you were staying for only a day."
"Well we are. We're leaving today, at dusk. We're on our way to Ba Sing Sa." Zuko spoke quietly knowing how hard it is for him to go back to Ba Sing Se. Lu Ten sighed quietly.
"I should tell the family that I'm leaving. They deserve at least that much. Allow me to get my things and my ostrich-horse." Zuko nodded to his cousin as he walked off and continued to eat his breakfast silently.
"Maili, can you send a hawk to Mai and Ty Lee telling them I will be there tomorrow? I need to get a few things before I head off." Maili nodded her head and left Azula's chambers. Azula sighed and sat down on her bed.
"Why do I have to be in a stupid arranged marriage for?" Azula muttered. "Why couldn't it be dear Zu-Zu and Tara and then this stupid war would end." Azula narrowed her eyes at the thought.
"Huh, well that seems a good opportunity. I can pay my dear brother a visit so we can get father off the throne. Then if he marries Katara, I wouldn't have to deal with all of this Fire Lord crap, and being cast aside. I mean seriously. I never wanted to be the heir to the throne, but no father just had to choose me." Azula mumbled to herself. Maili walked back into the room.
"Princess are you ready to leave now?" Azula nodded her head and continued out the chambers to the docks. Everyone stared at her because she has rarely left the palace not being in a palanquin since she was a young child when her mother was still around. She looked around city, and sneered in disgust at how her father let it fall apart from its nature beauty. She remembers as a small child, the city being very lively. She noticed a pregnant woman trying to lift a bucket of water, but saw her having a hard time picking it up.
"Kanji help that pregnant woman with the water. Carry it to her home please." The solider walked towards the woman and picked it up leaving her to sigh in relief. Azula continued to walk to the air-ship that she was using to get to Gaoling, to meet up with Mai and Ty Lee. Maili noticed a change in the young princess since the last meeting with her father a few days ago. The Princess has begun to go under a small metamorphis, so to speak. She knew this only went on during a fire bending prodigy's teen year when something good or bad happens to drastically change their emotion or ways. Maili believed that this metamorphis will cause Azula to have a change in heart when the time comes to it.
"Maili," Maili was brought out of her musings by Azula's soft tone.
"Yes Princess?" Maili spoke softly looking at the pale princess with concern.
"Please tell me when we arrive in Gaoling. I wish to go to sleep." Maili nodded her head and Azula went to her bed and curled herself in a ball, willing herself to go to sleep despite what is planned for her when she returns to the Fire Nation.
Lu Ten walked into the front lobby of the small Inn he has worked at for the past years. He walked to the old woman at the front desk and smiled sadly.
"Mari, I know you took care of me for years and allowed me to stay here and regain my health, but I fear this may be the last time. You know the couple that came in late last night that you told me to help?" Mari nodded her head slowly.
"Well they were my cousins. I have know them sense they were children and I taught them fire bending. It's time that I take my leave and find my Father and Aunt once again. Thank you for my kindness." Lu Ten bowed his head down silently waiting for a response from the old woman. When he looked up he saw her smiling sadly. Lu Ten rushed forward and hugged her tightly.
"Thank You so much. If it weren't for you, who would have known what happened to me." Mari hugged him tightly and let him go.
"Go with your family, I know they miss you." Lu Ten nodded his head and caught up with Zuko and Katara who were packing for their trip.
Omg I'm so so so so so sorry that it's like a week late. Also Yes Lu Ten has returned! Lol And Azula discusses to Mai and Ty Lee what her father has prepared for you. Also I might not get a chapter out next week, or maybe it's the week after next because I will be leaving town for 5 days and no electronic devices are usable. Just a heads up on that. Also we got half way with the reviews, which I can understand. Can y'all try to get to 50 this time for me? :) If you do It would make me So freaking happy and Ill try again to get a decent length chapter out again. This one isn't the shortest, and its not the longest so yea.
Patty Cake Rocks