After dinner Lee's parents insisted that you stay the night, they gave you the barn so you'd have a bit of privacy.
Zuko laid back into the hay, you took out one of your dual swords.
"Want to resume training?" you asked, its been awhile since either of you have practiced.
Zuko sat up and stretched a bit "sure, it's been a while" he said as he stood up.
The two of you walked out of hearing range of Lee's house, you stopped in an open field. You drew your swords, as did Zuko.
"Your swords are an extension of your arms," you stated as you swung at a rock. Zuko followed your motions but he focused too much on strength. "Don't focus on strength, use swift and precise movements" you told him.
Zuko took a deep breath and did the same movements using the advice you gave him.
You were about to show Zuko how to do another move when you noticed a small figure in the shadows.
"Whose there?" Zuko questioned defensively.
The figure didn't move.
"Lee you can come out" you said and sure enough, Lee came out of the shadows. Zuko gave you a how-did-you-know look but you ignored his look. "Lee is there something wrong?" you asked.
"Not at all" he replied then he walked over to Zuko "Can you teach me how to fight?" Lee asked.
Zuko looked at you, so you gave him a go-for-it look. So you sat on the sidelines as Zuko showed Lee a few very basic defensive moves.
"That was so cool!" Lee said as he finished the last move Zuko showed him.
Zuko nodded and took the knife he got from Iroh and gave it to Lee. You were surprised, that knife meant a lot to him. "Here, I want you to have this, read the inscription"
Lee's eyes widened with joy as he took the knife and read, "made in the earth kingdom"
"The other one" Zuko said, you giggled.
"Never give up without a fight" Lee read smiled brightly then ran back to his house.
You walked over to Zuko. "That was cute, Lee really seems to look up to you" you commented
Zuko smiled slightly and put an arm around your waist.
"Lets train another night" Zuko suggested.
You yawned "sounds good to me" you agreed
Sleeping in the hay in the barn made you really miss sleeping on the ship. The fact that you actually missed that horrid ship was a marvel in itself. The next morning you woke fairly tired but you knew Zuko wanted to leave today. After you kicked Zuko out of the barn so you could get dressed. You walked outside, then you and Zuko walked over to your ostrich horse when you noticed the thugs from yesterday talking to Lee's parents. You and Zuko walked over.
"Please leave our family alone" Lee's mom said
"Oh we'll leave, we just thought you might want to know that your son's platoon has been captured" the lead thug said evilly then the thugs rode off.
"I'll go to the front lines and bring him back" Lee's dad said as he held his wife.
You and Zuko stood in slight shock. Lee walked over to you and Zuko. "When he goes will you stay?" Lee asked Zuko.
"No" he replied as he looked away.
Lee ran inside, he looked like he was crying. You could tell Zuko felt awful so you hugged him.
"Sorry about Lee, he gets attached to people since his brother left." Lee's mother informed you.
You and Zuko soon left. To get your minds off the scene you witnessed this morning Zuko was teasing you.
"You were so scared of the rhinos but are you sure you're ok with the ostrich horse" Zuko said jokingly.
You stuck your tongue out at him " oh sure make fun of me. I still think we should name him," you said referring to the ostrich horse.
"Do you have any names in mind" Zuko asked.
"Um, how about chocobo" you suggested.
"What the hell is a chocobo" Zuko asked.
"I don't know" you said simply.
Zuko kissed you as you giggled.
Suddenly you spotted Lee's mom trying to catch up. "I'm sorry to bother you but those thugs came back after you left, Lee pulled a knife on them and they took him" you could see tears in her eyes " they said if he's old enough to have a knife he's old enough to fight. I don't even know where lee got a knife." she said in confusion.
You knew zuko felt guilty
"Let's go help Lee," you said softly.
Almost instantly Zuko turned chocobo around and you were on your way back to the village. Once you got there you freed Lee while Zuko drew his dual swords ready to fight. You took on some of the thugs while Zuko fought a few others.
"Give him a left! A left!" a villager yelled
"It's not a fist fight!"
"He's got a left sword doesn't he?"
Suddenly Zuko started to lose the fight. He was getting desperate. You dodged a thug and knocked out another.
You were about to help Zuko when he started to firebend.
'If he can, so can I' you thought, you used your bending to take out the rest of the thugs.
After Zuko defeated the leader he stuttered. "who..who are y..you?"
"My name is Zuko, son of Ursa and Firelord Ozai, Prince of the Fire Nation" Zuko said proudly. You were so proud of him. For the first time in a while Zuko seemed really confident.
"Wait his own father banished him"
"He's nothing"
"A disgrace"
"A failure"
Zuko's confidence quickly faded away. Zuko picked up the knife from Iroh and tried to give it back to Lee.
"I hate you!" Lee yelled and ran to his mom.
You walked over to Zuko
"And who are you more firenation scum?" a village questioned you.
"I'm Kana, daughter of Naoto of the Water Tribe and Saika of the Earth Kingdom, and I am a firebender" you said with confidence. "I'm looking for my brothers Kaito a waterbender and Daisuke an earthbender."
"She's lying"
"Fire nation scum"
"Leave here" another village, yelled, a roar of people joined him.
The two you got onto chocobo and left the village, you in sadness and zuko in shame