Disclaimer – all original Avatar: The Last Airbender characters in this fanfic (excluding my OC's) are the property of Bryana Konietzko and Michaela Dante DiMartino.
Chapter 31. New Friends.
Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Weng's Residence.
Huo didn't believe that anyone would be crazy enough to enter Hari Bulkan by force. The only switchback road, designed by Fire Lord Sozin himself that led to a large gate, was heavily fortified with watchtowers and battlements every hundred yards, making it one of the most secured roads in the world. Additionally, the slope allowed the domestic forces to retreat to higher ground from where they had a more desirable vantage point to rain fire and projectiles on approaching adversaries.
The guards at the gate gave the commander no trouble, and she was allowed to enter Hari Bulkan with Huo. Located in the crater of a dormant volcano, Hari Bulkan was home to many of the Fire Nation's wealthiest and most important nobles, and many who did not reside in the capital full-time still maintained households here. Firebending academies and Capital City Prison, the most-well protected prison in the nation, were located in Hari Bulkan. The area also housed the Fire Nation Royal Palace as well as the High Temple, the Coronation Temple, and Plaza.
Due to limited space, many of the residences in Hari Bulkan were smaller than those in other parts of the Fire Nation. Many nobles who kept a residence in the city often had more spacious estates elsewhere. As a result, many of the mansions in Hari Bulkan reflected considerably more vertical architectures in an attempt to maximize floor space. Furthermore, competition to own property in the district promoted the development of residences further up the spiky peaks lining the crater.
Located across the Fire Nation Royal Palace, Weng's residence was a sight to behold. Since it was built a very long time ago, it had the luxury of being spacious. It clearly proved Weng's wealth and prestige in the Fire Nation.
The two-story residence was immersed in a lovely garden covered in green, full of trees, plants, and flowers climbing on hexagonal-shaped gazebos. In the middle of the garden, there was a small pond with a statue of a burning phoenix, which made Huo chuckle inside. "Phoenixes seem to follow me everywhere I go," he thought to himself.
Rustic exterior walls of the residence made of red-painted stones, which were brightened by several candle lantern posts, made the place look like a refined oasis of pleasure but of great taste and elegance.
When Hen Shei approached the hand-forged front door with Huo, she knocked a few times. After a few moments, the door was opened by an adult man, which Huo guessed was one of the servants. "Commander Hen Shei? What brings you here so late?" he asked, respectfully bowing his head.
"I need to speak with Weng, it's really urgent," the woman replied.
"Oh, then please do come in," he moved to the side and gestured with his hand, allowing Hen Shei and Huo to enter the residence. "I'll notify master Weng right away."
The light from the wall-mounted candle lanterns allowed Huo to see how big and fancy this place was. The foyer alone was just as big as his father's cottage. Many expensive paintings hung on the walls, and the floor was covered with a red-gold carpet with Fire Nation insignia. A small wooden table with a vase filled with fire lilies stood beside a large staircase.
While the servant headed upstairs, Huo noticed three other doorways which led to the other parts of the residence. A young girl entered the foley and bowed her head towards Hen Shei and Huo. Without a word, she remained still and waited dutifully for Weng to come down.
After a few moments, Huo noticed Weng coming down the stairs with the male servant walking right behind him. The nobleman was putting on the upper part of his sleepwear. "What's going on, Hen Shei?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. "I know you're on leave, but I hope you didn't come to take me out for a drink in the middle of the night."
"Far from it," Hen Shei replied with a serious expression and walked behind Huo, placing her hands on the boy's shoulders. "A bounty hunter found this boy in the Earth Kingdom territory along with a wanted poster. His name is Huo, and he's Li Un's son... your son."
Weng stooped at the bottom of the staircase, and his eyes widened for a moment. Stunned, he looked at Huo, and after a few seconds, he sighed, closing his eyes. "My son didn't have orange-colored eyes," he stated. "Yes, we named him Huo, but the name is just a coincidence."
"But the necklace isn't," the commander replied. "He has Li Un's necklace and he knows about my dagger with a dragon-shaped hilt, which she gave me after I've been promoted. "
Huo showed the necklace, and Weng approached the boy, narrowing his eyes. He took the piece of jewelry from Huo's hands and took a good look at it. "How... where did you find it?" the nobleman asked.
"It was my mom's and she gave it to me," Huo replied calmly. "My dad gave it to her as a wedding gift, telling her that his love for her will never go out like a fire of a phoenix."
Weng opened his mouth and stood silently like a statue. He said those exact words when he gave Li Un that necklace. "But... your eyes... why are they...?" he muttered, and Huo shrugged. "I'm not really sure, but I think they changed when a phoenix spirit touched me during one night. I only noticed them a long time after when I looked at my reflection in the water."
Hen Shei looked at Weng. "If that's not destiny, then I don't know what is," she stated.
"W-Where's your mother?" Weng asked the boy with a trembling voice and looked at Hen Shei. "Where's Li Un? Is she okay?"
The commander closed her eyes and shook her head. "She... she was killed by the Earth Kingdom soldiers," she said. "I'm sorry."
Weng didn't respond immediately as if processing her words. He placed a hand on his forehead and backed away. He leaned against the small table and looked at the necklace in his hand as tears began to form in his eyes. "Ghaahh!" he suddenly turned around with a scream and slammed his fists against the table, knocking over the vase with fire lilies.
"Good acting," Huo noted, knowing it was all a spectacle for the commander.
"Weng!" Hen Shei moved towards the nobleman and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Li Un's death is not your fault. You did all you could and thanks to the wanted poster, your son is back home."
The nobleman turned his head to look at the commander and then at the boy. He turned around and walked towards Huo. He crouched, reached out, and hugged the boy, who hesitantly hugged him back.
Hen Shei smiled gently and exhaled, happy that at least Li Un's son had returned to his father. "Where's the bounty hunter?" Weng asked, pulling away from Huo and looking at the woman. "He needs to get paid."
"Oh, he already got paid handsomely," Hen Shei replied. "Don't worry about it."
"O-Okay," Weng nodded.
"I'll leave you guys alone," Hen Shei said. "You have a lot to catch up."
"Thank you," Weng replied and stood up.
"I wasn't able to help you back then, so it's the least I could do," Hen Shei replied. She looked at Huo, smiled, and made a Fire Nation hand gesture. "Take care, and see you later."
Huo smiled and bowed his head while making the same gesture. He liked the commander since she was a nice person and wished he didn't need to lie to her. The male servant opened the door for her, and the commander left the residence.
Weng wiped the tears and looked at the young girl. "Prepare a room and a bath for Huo," he instructed and turned to look at the male servant. "I want him cleaned up and changed into sleeping robes. Let him sleep as long as he wants and also prepare a new, clean set of clothes for him. Use my old clothes for now. Oh, and pour me a glass of something strong."
"Right away, master Weng," the male servant bowed his head and beckoned Huo to follow him. "This way, young master."
"Welcome home, son," Weng said to Huo, placing a hand on his shoulder. Huo nodded, forcing himself to smile, and reluctantly followed the servant.
The next day – Fire Nation Capital, Hari Bulkan, Weng's Residence, Huo's Room.
Huo had to admit the large bed was very comfy, but he somehow had trouble sleeping. Maybe because of being in an unfamiliar place or simply because of the whole becoming a noble situation. Still, he managed to fall asleep somehow and woke up around noon.
The boy sat up and stretched, feeling well-rested. Since it was the middle of the day, he finally had a chance to look around his room, which, of course, was spacious like every other room in the residence. The floor was covered with a red-colored carpet. A desk with some books, blank pieces of paper, ink, brushes, and a chair stood close to the bed. In the corner was a large fireplace, while a fancy table with two chairs stood in the middle of the room.
A small part of the room was separated by a folding screen made from bamboo with hand-painted art featuring a lush meadow with fire lilies. Behind the folding screen stood two wardrobes and a full-length mirror.
Huo got out of bed and exhaled. "Well, I guess I better put on some new clothes," he said and walked behind the folding screen. It was a new thing for him since, even at the inn, guests couldn't change when someone was in the same room. It worked like a thin wall and gave a decent amount of privacy.
The boy opened one of the wardrobes and looked inside. "Huh... that's quite a wide choice," he commented, noticing all sorts of expensive clothes and accessories he didn't even know existed.
When he started to get changed, he heard the door to his room opening. Huo guessed it was Weng since only he would enter his room without knocking. "Morning boy, how was your first night?" Weng asked, approaching and sitting on one of the chairs at the table.
"Had trouble sleeping, but it was okay I guess," Huo replied from behind the folding screen. "So what now? What's our next move?"
"Commander Hen Shei will surely spread the word, so we can expect many people coming over to offer their condolences," Weng replied. "A funeral would be most appropriate but since there is no body to cremate, a memorial and a consolation feast need to suffice. It will take a few days to organize everything so for now, get used to being a noble. Feel free to explore the residence. It's your home too after all. My servants and staff are at your service, but be careful what you say to them or near them. They're not involved in my plan."
"Okay," Huo replied. "Is there a place where I can train firebending?"
"Li Un always trained in the back garden regardless of the weather," Weng replied. "She even had her own training dummies, which were constantly replaced until I ordered to make much sturdier ones."
"Nice, oh, by the way, that guy, who pretended to be the bounty hunter has probably a broken nose or jaw... or both," Huo informed. "The commander slammed his head against the counter pretty hard. I like her though."
"Heh, I figured it would end that way," Weng smirked. "She doesn't hold back when she's tipsy."
Huo walked from behind the folding screen, showing Weng his new attire. His hair was tied into a top knot adorned by a red-colored headpiece in the shape of a feather. The rest of his attire consisted of a red-colored long-sleeved silken shirt with gold trimmings and dark silken pants with scarlet detailing. While he didn't put them on, Huo chose red-colored shoes with raised curved tips.
"Well look at you," Weng smiled approvingly. "My old clothes fit you well and you look like a real noble now."
"Hmmm... I guess," Huo shrugged. "I'm not a fan of such fancy clothes, but I do like the feather-shaped headpiece."
"My family was always distinguished by that headpiece," Weng stated with a smirk. "Wear it with pride."
"What should I do about my tattoo?" Huo asked, pointing at his forehead. "Do you have a bandana or something else that can cover it."
"Don't cover it," Weng replied, shaking his head. "People need to see that you're strong and that you're not to be trifled with. Besides, you're not in the Earth Kingdom anymore so you don't need to hide it."
"Heh, of course," Huo smirked.
"Now come on, it's time for dinner," Weng said.
It was no surprise that the food, which nobles ate, was delicious since it was made from the most expensive ingredients. Huo enjoyed the meal, and when they finished, he began exploring the massive residence. With many rooms, it was easy for someone to actually get lost in it. Luckily for Huo, the servants always showed him the correct way. Weng had over twenty servants working in residence, which was a big number for Huo or any common person, but the royal family had over a hundred servants in the palace, so that was nothing in comparison.
Huo visited the back garden and was impressed by what he saw. Surrounded by a white stone wall covered in vines, the garden was full of colorful flowers, and just like Weng said, there were three training dummies for him to use. Shaped like a human holding a shield and a sword, each of the training dummies had marked places one could aim for. Huo could train here whenever he wanted.
However, Huo wanted to see the city, so he decided to take a walk. At first, the servants suggested a ride in a palanquin, which Huo didn't even know what it was at first. When he learned that it was a mode of transportation used by royalty and nobility, he was interested in trying it at least once. However, when it turned out that people, palanquin carriers to be exact, carried it, Huo refused straight out. It was too strange for him, and he could walk alone.
All the people he saw were dressed in fancy, expensive clothes, which contrasted with what he saw in Harbor City. Not only the people but the whole city was well-maintained and 'fancier.' Huo noticed more guards patrolling the streets or standing guard, especially near the palace wall. As the boy walked, he noticed that many people gave him surprised and stunned looks. He couldn't tell if it was because of the feather-shaped headpiece or the tattoo on his forehead.
Hari Bulkan didn't lack shops, but the goods were far more luxurious and, therefore, expensive. The nobles usually didn't sell their stuff on their own, and most had their servants behind the counters.
As he wandered the city, Huo stumbled upon a large park where he noticed many noble families sitting on blankets and having picnics. Children played with each other, elderly couples sat in the shade under the trees, and everyone had a great time. It was like war wasn't even a thing, and the world was at peace.
Huo looked at the clouds in the sky and pondered. Everything here would cease to exist if Yuan'Shi succeeded in restoring her true body, and that was something he couldn't allow.
The boy was so immersed in his own thoughts that he didn't notice a girl backflipping in his direction. "Ty Lee, watch out!" a female voice exclaimed. "Huh?" Huo turned his head only to be hit in the forehead and knocked to the ground.
"Uggh!" Huo touched his forehead and blinked a few times, staring at the sky. The boy sat up and noticed a girl lying beside him. "Ouchie!" she massaged the back of her head and sat up as well. She had light skin, brown-colored hair tied into a braided ponytail with pink ribbons, and grey-colored eyes.
The girl wore a detachable triangular pale-red cloud shoulder collar over a pink puffy shirt, and her forearms were covered by dark oversleeves. Her pale-red skirt was held by a wide, dark pink belt and worn over pink baggy pants. On her feet, just like Huo, she wore a pair of red shoes with raised curved tips.
Huo got up and helped the girl to her feet. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes... I'm- woahh!" the girl replied, and when she looked at Huo's face, her grey-colored eyes widened. She never saw a boy with such eyes, a scar, and a tattoo on the forehead. "Why do you have that?" she asked, pointing at Huo's forehead.
"What? Emm... I-I use it for firebending," Huo answered, slightly caught off guard.
Six identical girls ran up to them, along with an adult woman who crouched in front of the girl. "Ty Lee, I told you to be careful with your acrobatics," the woman, which Huo guessed was her mother, scolded the young girl while brushing off some dirt and a few grass blades from her clothes. She then looked at Huo, slightly narrowing her eyes. Huo didn't know if she was looking at his scar, forehead, or feather-shaped headpiece. Maybe all at once.
"Are you alright, young man?" she asked.
"Umm... that depends; do you also see seven girls here with us?" Huo asked. "If not, I'm going to start worrying."
"Yes, these are my daughters, all seven of them," the woman replied with a slight smile and looked expectantly at Ty Lee. "Now, what do you say, Ty Lee?" she spoke to the girl, who regained her composure and bowed her head toward Huo. "I'm very sorry for hitting you," Ty Lee apologized.
"Don't mention it," Huo shook his head. "My head was in the clouds, and I didn't pay attention to my surroundings, so I'm not without fault myself. Besides you look like a nice girl, so I'm sure you wouldn't do it on purpose."
Ty Lee smiled widely and blushed. She already liked Huo, and that didn't go unnoticed by her sisters. "I think Ty Lee did it on purpose to get your attention!" one of the girls teased.
"I did not!" Ty Lee immediately frowned at her sister. "It was an accident!"
"How come she always finds the cute ones!" complained another. "That's not fair!"
"Alright, that's enough, all of you!" their mother stated decisively, giving the girls a harsh stare. When the girls quieted down, the woman stood up and looked back at Huo. "I'm sure I never saw you before in Hari Bulkan," she stated. "But by that headpiece, I assume you're related to Weng's family."
"Yes," Huo nodded. "My name is Huo, and Weng is my father."
The woman's eyes widened. "Wait... his son and wife were kidnapped many years ago," she pointed out. "You're his son?"
"That's right," Huo confirmed, playing his role. "My mother was killed two years ago in the Earth Kingdom, but a bounty hunter found me and brought me back home last night. It's my first time here, so I'm exploring the city, trying to adjust."
"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss," the woman replied, touching her chest. Ty Lee and her sisters looked at Huo sympathetically. "I can show him around," Ty Lee suggested, looking at her mother. "I wanted to visit Mai, and we planned to play so Huo could come play with us. I'm sure Mai will like him."
"Only when we finish our picnic first," the mother replied decisively.
"Maybe Huo can join us?" Ty Lee asked quickly. "After we finish, then we can go to see Mai."
"Yes, Huo should join us," Ty Lee's sisters seconded.
This time, the woman pondered for a moment. "Only if Huo wants to," she replied. "We don't want to force him."
Ty Lee looked back at Huo with wide-open, almost pleading eyes. She seemed like a kind and outgoing girl, so Huo had no problems spending more time with them, and he was interested in meeting her friend. "I would love to," he replied with a smile.
Huo had never felt so many eyes on himself before, nor did anyone listen to him so carefully. As they all sat down on the blanket, Ty Lee picked a spot right next to Huo, and, along with her sisters, they began to ask him all possible things while their mother made sure that the questions weren't becoming too personal. It was a good thing Huo was prepared to answer all the questions from his 'past.'
The boy told them about his life in the Earth Kingdom and his adventures. "Can you show us how you firebend with your forehead?" Ty Lee asked when the topic changed to bending.
"I'd rather not, that's a very dangerous type of firebending," Huo replied. "Blowing things up is never a safe thing."
"A very responsible approach," the woman praised, placing a piece of komodo chicken on a plate and handing it to one of her daughters. Seeing that Ty Lee was slightly bummed out, Huo raised his hand. "I can show you this, though," he said, conjuring blue flames from his fingertips.
"Wooahh! It's blue" Ty Lee's eyes widened in amazement. Her sisters were also left astounded. "Why is it blue?"
"Blue flames are the sign of prodigious skill in firebending and great potential," Huo answered, sounding proud. He knew from Wei'Rai when his flames turned from orange to blue, but he decided to skip over that detail.
The rest of the picnic passed in pleasant conversations and Huo doing safe tricks with his firebending. The boy initially had doubts when he remembered what his father told him about the Fire Nation's nobility, but he genuinely liked Ty Lee and her family.
If all her friends were like her, Huo would enjoy spending time with his new friends.
Please R&R ;)