Bumi visited on the daily, he had gotten a reward and so did Zaya, yet.
In the courtroom he stood in front of the representatives, all of them glaring at him in some form. The savior of Republic city was standing trial for. "insubordination, endangerment of one's self and others and loss of military hardware!" The old earth nation woman yelled out the offenses while the admiralty and commanders glared at the council. "What do you have to say for yourself?!" She yelled clothed in green and gold, she was a career politician and this was her first taste of large scale power.
Bumi took one breath in. "I don't regret what I did, nor would have Zaya if she could appear here today. Not only were we able to cause mass scale damage to the Wokou pirates without their captain, we killed the pirate empress." The council still berated him, none of them were military, they were all civilian Career politicians.
The admiral jumped up annoyed at disrespect. "This man was crucial in our defeat of the pirate empress! With her death the fleet has been fighting amongst each other rather than raiding our coasts! He deserves your respect, as does Zaya!" The rest of the military staff joined in his argument.
"Yet you show us no respect." The northern water tribe representative spoke. "You had not informed us of the pirate fleet heading toward the city or of your plans." The Admiral scrowled anger growing. "Because the plan was made by the captain Zaya, she will be removed from her position, Bumi will be demoted. As of now the military is no longer allowed to take on mass operations independently. All agree?" He raised his hand so did the southern and earth nation representatives causing the entire courtroom to burst into yells.
Bumi sat in his room laying his head on the desk just done with all of it, the admirals believed he needed the rest after the council basically defanged the entire United forces of autonomy. "How are you holding Captain Bumi?" Kya joked, yet Bumi didn't show any kind enthusiasm.
Kya walked out of the room. "Son, are you alright?" Bumi looked at his father and his father.
"How do you do it?" He asked desperately, annoyed, frustrated. "I mean I'm a big fat hero now, all I get is a stupid metal and a demotion!" He yelled, panting. "And my girlfriend got scared and is stuck in a Coma." The last with venom even tearing up.
Aang looked at his oldest son at the bottom. "I can't say I know what you're feeling, but I know how it is to be on rock bottom." Bumi turned to him for guidance. "You have to remember, it's never going to be easy but you have a destination and that's only up son. You're doing great, no matter what the first step is going to be." He said calmly and Bumi smiled at him wiping away the tears, grabbed something out of the draw and left his room. Then Aang remembered what Bumi said a few minutes ago. "Wait did he say girlfriend?" He then ran to Katara
Bumi went to his aunt. "Auntie Toph!" The Police chief on her only day of vacation, glared at the Young man, not because he came in while she in her underwear, not because it was her vacation.
"I told you Bumi one more time with that Auntie Toph crap and I would bury you alive!" She said drinking from a mug, launching a metal marble at his head.
He rubbed his head, he ignored the mess around the apartment. "I need a favor." Opened a tiny bag and poured out a thin diamond shaped Ruby, a crescent shaped amber gem, sapphire marble and a snowflake obsidian carved to fit the other gems and glass container that held obsidian's dust. "Could you fuse the dust and gems together?" She floated the gemstones in the air studying them.
"Won't be easy, why are you making this?" She asked, pressing her face into her fist as she placed the gems into their place and started adding powderized obsidian.
"It's going to be a betrothal necklace." She smirked at him.
"Aww little Bumi is getting married, Katara must be proud." She said holding the gem and adding pressure to it till the powder hardened into shape. She threw the completed piece to him and fell out of the chair to catch it.
He looked at it, from the blue sphere, the crescent Amber on top of it and the last thin Ruby forming a fire with three end ends. "Thanks." Bumi ran out of the Appartement, while Toph cleaned her ear.
Bumi came to the hospital, just to see Zaya's room with two police officers standing at the door. Both officers looked sternly at Bumi, while someone was inside of her room. "Who's in there?" They simply stood stoically.
POV shift Zuko.
I looked at her spitting image of Azula, though her nose was sharper, Azula looked worried. The last time she looked like this was after her defeat during the comet, I sighed placing my hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry." I attempted my best.
Azula in her usual Fashion Face a cutting remark. "Your child is a spoiled brat, even if she's adorable." It was always the same way, first an insult which was defused with a complement, only with him. To others she either spoke normally or didn't entertain their existence. She would spar with Izumu and have tea with mother. But me and Iroh were either completely mocking or acting like we didn't exist.
Still it couldn't be easy Azula was tearing up. "Please wake up." Zaya started stirring, her eyes opened and the first words she told me was.
"Did I end up in the burn ward? Or did a plastic surgeon go on a rampage?" That proof enough that she was Azula's daughter, nothing less than time traveling could prove it otherwise. Of Course Azula Burst out laughing before Zaya saw her speak a single word. "Mom?" Azula hugged her tightly.
Pov shift
She looked so peaceful, she was so innocent. I couldn't believe how much I missed, everyday we could have spent. "I'm sorry." Zuko said as if he could understand.
"Your child is a spoiled brat, even if she's adorable." I just focused on Zaya, she still had my nose, thank whatever spirit she didn't get anything from her father. That scar was disgusting, yet I couldn't say it was a marker of a well fought battle. "Please wake up." Zaya started stirring. I held her hand tightly, just to make sure that greedy bastard death doesn't dare take her from me.
She opened his eyes and the first thing she said. "Did I end up in the burn ward? Or did a plastic surgeon go on a rampage?" I burst out laughing as she was looking at Zuko in the eyes as she said that to his face. Spirits I loved my daughter so much!
When she saw me she froze, she tried to sit up but was forced back as her body was too weak. "Mom?." I hugged her as she cried into my shoulder.