"I never thought I would return to the place I had my worst fall and greatest defeat," the words of the old Dragon of the West reflected nostalgia for arriving at one of the places that brought him the most bad memories, memories of loss and pain, "And how tourist!"
Although in a 180° turn, a smile split his face, as he put on a hat, which he had recently bought from a vendor.
And not just a hat.
"Uncle, you have two seconds to take this hat off of me" one of Azula's eyebrows trembled uncontrollably, her temper was tested when her uncle placed a red hat with yellow flowers on her head.
He had no idea when he had put it on, but what he wanted most was to just burn it, but that wasn't an option among so many people.
They were lining up to finally enter the fortress called Ba sing se, they were just a few steps away from a new life.
"Flowers don't suit you sister."
"..." Azula rolled her eyes as her older brother took off her hat and tossed it aside into the trash can, internally the girl was grateful for that.
"Don't you think it's a waste of a nice hat?"
Both princes turned around to look at the person who was apparently talking to them.
He was a boy their age, maybe a little older than Zuko, with armor that was quite dented and damaged, but still useful, he was a little taller than them and with characteristics that could be related to someone from the water tribe, brown hair and dark skin.
Perhaps the most important thing to see were the curious twin curved-tipped swords sheathed on his back.
"I'm Jet and these two are my friends" the boy introduced himself and his two companions, who shared similar clothes to him, only one was a girl armed with daggers and the other with a bow and arrows.
Obviously neither of the two princes were interested in answering the greeting, but the old dragon of the west had no problem doing it for them.
"Good morning my young friends, allow me to introduce myself, I am Roih and these two grumpy people are Lee and Zu" he introduces himself and his two nephews, I take them by the shoulders, to push them closer to the other boys.
It would be good for them to be more social, and what better way to start than with other kids their age?
"Read?" Zuko didn't remember agreeing to be given a name like that.
"Who do you call grumpy old man?" Azula wouldn't accept jokes even from her uncle.
"You should smile more, pretty girls look better with a smile" he said with a playful smile. Jet approached the girl, and placed the hat he had taken out of the trash can on her.
"And boys like you would look better with their mouths closed."
Azula took the hat and tore it in half to throw it in the trash again, the attempt to conquer this guy made her want to rip his throat out with her nails.
"Heh, tough girl, I think we'll get along."
What could I say? Jet liked challenges, and the fact that the girl was pretty was a plus.
"I wouldn't get along with a buffoon, who thinks he's a gallant, so get lost" the coldness behind those words made those who heard it feel like they were at the North Pole.
"Wow..." but for Jet, it made him just look at the girl with more sympathy and interest, "Don't you like flirting games cutie?"
"I like playing with fire... Do you want to play with me?" He asked in a low, dangerous tone of voice, pointing the fingers of his right hand at the armed teen's face.
Jet's smile faded instantly, and he gave a piercing look at Azula, who returned his gaze coldly.
"That's enough." The look between both teenagers was cut when Zuko pushed his younger sister back and sent her a warning look; they were drawing too much attention.
"Following!" Fortunately, it was the turn of the small banished family to step forward and start with the immigration bureaucracy.
"Good morning, miss. Isn't it a nice day?"
Zuko and Azula thought that their uncle would need some good glasses; the woman behind the desk was a very wrinkled old woman with an unfriendly face.
"Leave aside the flattery, fat man, I need to see his papers."
"Of course." Taking out everything necessary, after having asked for some favors from a friend of the White Lotus, obtaining all the necessary paper to pose as refugees from the Earth Kingdom.
They were of sufficient quality to go unnoticed, as long as they were not examined in detail by someone who was an expert in the art of forgery.
Nor would it prevent them from being recognized by other soldiers who had met them on the battlefield before, although being Ba Sing Se, it was unlikely.
Unfortunately for them, the old woman behind the desk very meticulously reviewed the papers, and her suspicion grew upon reading a detail.
"It says here that these two brats are his children, it doesn't seem like it."
"I told you it was a better idea to pretend to be our grandfather!" the prince growled quietly in the ear of his uncle, who looked offended.
"Hey, I'm old, but not old enough to pass myself off as a grandfather," he defended himself against that detail, he wasn't ready to be called grandfather yet, his spirit was still young, although his flesh matured.
"You're a fool, man." Azula could already see the doubt in the eyes of the old bureaucrat, who was discreetly glancing at the guards, who stood with their spears in their hands.
This wouldn't end well.
But Iroh always had a plan, or liked to improvise, and now was his time.
"Children, let me show the charm of the man who was once known as the most desired man in the Fire Nation."
Zuko and Azula could only feel sorry for the smile of the old Dragon of the West, who, adjusting his belt, returned to the bureaucrat.
"I know I may look a little old to be the father of these two, but you can't blame me for having had a very active old age, if you know what I mean."
Both princes hit their foreheads with their hands, hearing their uncle's laughter and the way he moved his eyebrows; all of this was drawing too much attention from other people.
"How do I know what you mean?" the old woman growled under her breath, who was about to call the guards to throw these clowns out into the street.
"Oh please don't be modest, a woman of your beauty could afford to be conceited."
"Oh yeah?"
Apparently, he had hit the nail on the head; Iroh continued smiling without stopping.
"Of course! Even my son was attracted by your immense beauty; he hasn't stopped looking at you all this time."
"That?" Zuko felt his stomach turn when that old woman's gaze fell on his.
"You'll have to make the sacrifice for the brother team," Azula murmured into her older brother's ears, and he had to stop himself from laughing because of the green color Zuko's face had acquired.
This was her revenge, Zuzu.
"Hmmmf! What a daring boy, but I like him, I will see you within the walls of Ba Sing Se." Loudly tapping his seal counting the papers, the banished family had been officially welcomed to the fortress of Ba Sing Se.
"Thank you! And believe me, he will." Smiling, Iroh went to where the speeders were, which would take them to their new home.
Behind him, a smiling and amused Azula couldn't contain herself any longer and had to laugh when she saw how the old woman gave her older brother a wink and a seductive smile.
That I urgently need a trash can to vomit in.
[ If you want to read advance Chapters then go to Pat reon and support me there.
PAT REON I'D:- Alzero ]