"Okay! Okay Kai! I'm almost done!" I laughed as Kai continually yipped at me to hurry up while I brushed my long brown hair. Instead of braiding my hair, I put it in a high ponytail and left my bangs hanging out. Satisfied with my hair, I inspected myself in the mirror as I twirled around in my new orange dress. As I twist and turned, I couldn't help but smile at how perfectly the dress fitted me and how the dress showed off my tattoos so clearly.

If I had gotten this dress a few weeks ago, and didn't have Iroh to give me some confidence, I wouldn't be wearing this dress at all. Or I would, but with knee high boots, long sleeves or gloves and with a shoulder scarf to hide my tattoos. I still have some days were I feel like I have to hide my tattoos, because people aren't allowed to see them. But other days, I don't hide them and wear them proudly, because the monks aren't here.

Satisfied on how I look in the dress, I took my teardrop starfish necklace and put it on before I walked over to Kai and let him jump on to my shoulder before leaving my room. Shortly after, I and Kai entered the dinning room and walked over to the table that already had the retired general and prince sitting at it. Hearing my foot steps, both Iroh and Zuko looked up and spotted me. Zuko's mouth fell open as he stared at me in awe while Iroh looked at me with a warm, proud, fatherly smile. "You look beautiful Asami!" Iroh said as he picked up Kai after he jumped off my shoulder and run over to Iroh.

I smiled at him with a blush and did a small twirl for them. "Thank you Uncle Iroh!" I said as stopped my twirl and walked over to my chair. "For both the compliment and the dress!" I added with a big knowing smile as I sat down. But Iroh just frowned at my comment before he started to speak. "But I didn- OUCH!" Iroh suddenly cried out in pain and glared at Zuko, but his nephew just ignored him as he looked down at his tea. I frowned at the two royals in front of me, but they spare no mind to me. Zuko looked at his uncle for a split second before looking back at his tea and took a sip.

Iroh glared one more time at Zuko before looking back at me with a smile. My frowned deepened in confusion as my eyes flickered from the one firebender to the other. "You okay uncle?" I asked slowly as my eyes flicker over to Zuko for a split second before looking back to Iroh. But Iroh just smiled as he waved his hand before picking up a cup and poured some tea. "No worries dear Asami!" He said as he poured the tea. "I just accidently stomped my toe against the table!" He added with a giggle and handed the cup of tea to me.

I looked at him with a 'not convinced' expression, but the retired general just continued smiling at me. Seeing that nothing else to the matter, I shrugged it off and started drinking my tea. Noticing the tea, Kai yipped from Iroh's shoulders and looked at the kind man with pleading eyes. Iroh chuckled at the fire ferret's eyes and then poured some tea into a smaller cup for him. "Here you go my little friend!" He said after pouring the tea and held his arm straight towards the table for Kai to climb down on. Kai quickly climbed down to the table on Iroh's arm, and yipped his thanks before he started drinking his tea as well.

The four of us peacefully continued drinking our tea in silence until one of the crew members came in and handed Zuko a scroll. Zuko opened the scroll and read it with a blank face until his eyes widen. "Omashu?!?" He exclaimed as he looked up at the crew member who nodded before leaving the room. "What about Omashu?" I asked as both Iroh and I frowned at the scar prince in confusion. "The Avatar." Zuko answered as he handed the scroll to Iroh to read. "He's in Omashu." Hearing his statement, I couldn't help but groan as I mentally rolled my eyes at my brother.

"Of coarse he is." I muttered as I shook my head. "Let me guess... They found him riding on Omashu's delivery system." Both Iroh and Zuko looked at me in surprise but I just stared back blankly. "How did you know?" Zuko asked while Iroh scratched his head in confusion. "Because this isn't the first time he's done it." I answered as I crossed my arms, shaking my head as I thought of my brother and his crazy- Wait, sorry! Mad genius friend! "He and his friend did it every single time when we visited Omashu." I said, smiling a small smile as a flashback formed in my head.

Flashback...

"Aang! Bumi!" I called out as I run around in Omashu, looking for my little troublemaker brother, along with his friend. But everywhere I looked, I was left with nothing! "You guys better not be riding the mail chute!" I exclaimed as I continued running around in search of them. "Seriously guys! Where are you?" I called out again to them in frustration.

Not long after I called, I quickly turned around when I heard Aang and Bumi laughing full heartedly in excitement. And guess what? They're sliding down the delivery system! "Are you kidding me!?!" I exclaimed as grabbed my hair in frustration and started running after them. "Aang! Bumi!" I called out to them as I run after them. Both Aang and Bumi looked over their shoulders and smiled at me with huge grins even though I'm glaring at them. "Hi Asami!" They both yelled to me before looking forward again and laughing again.

I growled to myself in anger as my glare deepened at the boys, but my eyes soon turned wide when I saw them getting closer to a uphill slide. "Not again!" I exclaimed as I mentally cursed at the universe for giving me karma today. "Aang! Bumi! Get out of there!" I called out, but either they didn't hear me or they ignored me, which won't surprise me! Both Aang and Bumi just continued cheering as they rode down the mail system, going faster and faster.

Seeing how they're going so fast down the slide, my eyes widen in shock before rolling them in frustration when I realized they're both using airbending and earthbending to go faster again. You know want? I'm seriously gonna kill them this time when I get my hands on them! I thought to myself as I mentally groaned annoyed. Not a moment later, their ride flew up in the air. Instead of screaming like last time, they both just continued cheering before using their bending to get back on the slide.

I groaned again, only this time in anger and started using my airbending help me run faster. As I got close to them again, I noticed them using their bending again. I was about to call out to them, but stopped when they suddenly lost control and flew off the slide. "Aang! Bumi!" I cried out in worry and started running even faster after them. I was about to airbend an air bubble around them and help them to the ground safely like I did last time, but before I could, they landed on a roof.

I tried again to stop them with airbending, but they slide off the roof and landed on a shopping stand that sold cabbages. "My cabbages!" The shopkeeper cried as he stared at his crashed cabbages in heartbreak. "Are you guys okay?" I asked as I stopped next to them, looking at them both with worried eyes. Neither Aang or Bumi answered me because they both were dizzy. After a moment, they both sat back up with wide eyes, before each one of them got a huge grin on their faces. "That was awesome!" Aang exclaimed while his friend nodded in agreement. "Let's do that again!" Bumi exclaimed as he and Aang high fived..

I closed my eyes and shook my head as I took a deep breath through my nose, before slowly releasing it with a sigh. I opened my eyes and looked at Aang and Bumi for a moment before looking over to the shopkeeper who was glaring at them. "I'm going to ask you two again..." I said slowly as I looked at them with seriousness. "Are you two okay?" "Sure are!" Aang exclaimed as both he and Bumi nodded. "Good..." I said slowly before I started snapping at them with a glare.

"Because I'm going to kill the both of you before this shopkeeper does!" I snapped as I pointed to the glaring shopkeeper. Both Aang's and Bumi's eyes widen at my sudden snap, but I just ignored them like they did to me, and wave my hands towards the crash. "Look what you two did!" I snapped as I pointed at the crashed shopping stand and cabbages. Aang and Bumi looked down and around them at the crash before looking at me nervously. "Whoops..." Aang said as Bumi rubbed his neck.

I sighed again at them as I slowly shook my head before turning back to the shopkeeper. "I'm terrible sorry for what these two did with your shopping stand and your cabbages!" I said to him, but the man just huffed at me as his glare deepened with his crossed arms. "I should be cutting off their heads for what they did to my cabbages!" The man snapped, making the three of us flinch at both his glare and his raised voice. "Don't worry!" I quickly said as I grabbed both of the boys arms and started pulling them with me. "They won't ever get near your cabbages again!"

"What am I going to do with you two?" I asked after shaking my head at them again as I pulled them with me. "Out of all the places you guys could crash, you just had to crash onto a cabbage stand!" I exclaimed as I continued walking. "You know how cabbage shopkeepers feel about their cabbages! For them, those cabbages are their babies! And you two just killed them all!" I exclaimed after stopping as I let them go and turned around to face them.

"You know, just because I asked you two to never stop being mad geniuses, it didn't mean to go sliding down the mail chutes again!" I exclaimed as put my hands on my hips. "But it's so much fun!" Both Aang and Bumi exclaimed as they pouted at me. "Then next time, you two go sliding where there's no cabbages!" I snapped with a glare. But the second I noticed their smiles, I realized what I just said. "Wait! That's not what I meant! Argh!" I groaned while they laughed.

I took a deep breath and looked back at the two troublemakers. "Okay... you two can go sliding again." I said, making them cheer. "But!" I added with a raised finger, quieting them. "You guys tell me when you go sliding, and no more using your bending to go faster! Got it?" I finished with a 'no exceptions' expression. Both Aang and Bumi looked at each for a moment before looking back at me with a nod. "Deal!" They both said in sync with bright smiles. I just laughed at their silliness before giving them both a side hug as we continued to walk.

End of Flashback...

"Those two drove me crazy!" I chuckled as I thought of that memory. "Wait, Bumi?" Zuko asked me in confusion before turning to his uncle with a frown. "As in King Bumi? That crazy king of Omashu?" He asked his uncle, who was sitting in deep thought. "Wait, what?" I asked when I heard Zuko's words. But the prince and his uncle didn't seem to hear me as they looked at each in thought. "He can't be that old!" Zuko exclaimed as if it's a fact, before frowning in doubt. "Can he?" Instead of answering his nephew, Iroh just slowly nodded as he played with his beard.

"King Bumi is actually quite old." Iroh spoke as he stopped playing with his beard. "If I remember correctly, King Bumi was 10 to 12 years old when the war started. King Bumi could be the same Bumi, Asami was talking about." Both Zuko and I frowned at Iroh's response, not able to believe that the King of Omashu is that old. Before anything else, Zuko's previous words came to mind and made me think of something. "Wait, you said crazy." I said as I looked at the scar prince who turned to face me. "Describe crazy." I asked as waited to hear if it's real crazy or mad genius crazy.

"Besides that crazy look in his eyes, he's always laughing crazily!" Zuko said while his uncle nodded. "So he looks and laughs crazy?" I asked as I raised my eyebrow at them. "A lot of people look and laugh crazy, but are not crazy!" I stated, but Zuko just shook his and continued speaking. "No, this guy is really crazy! Like for example, when he catches criminals, he'll throw them a feast before throwing them in the dungeons! And the dungeons really aren't dungeons! They're actually rooms fit for royalty! They just don't have doors or windows!"

"Sounds for me like a vacation." I muttered as I thought of the crazy king's way of ruling. The two firebender royals nodded at my comment before Iroh started talking. "For a long time, everyone thought King Bumi was an old fragile man, but turns out... he was only acting like an old fragile man. He's really very strong healthy man, and one of the greatest, most powerful earthbender there is!" "Wow... that's actually kinda smart!" I said as I thought about it. "Acting fragile makes the enemy let their guard down, then striking them!" I said, impressed. "Genius actually!"

"Well he does call himself a mad genius." Zuko said as he went to pick his cup up again. "Wait, what?" I said as I looked back to the scar prince with wide eyes. "What does he call himself?" Iroh and Zuko blinked at me in confusion before answering. "A mad genius." I started laughing after he answered, as I realized that the crazy King of Omashu, is in fact my brother's crazy, mad genius friend. "They're the same Bumi!" I said through the laughter. "Bumi and Aang always called themselves mad geniuses!" Iroh smiled when he heard my response while Zuko stared at me with wide, shock eyes.

"Well then!" Iroh exclaimed as he refilled his cup with tea. "It's good to know that you and your brother still have some friends left from your past!" He said with a big smile. "You never know... King Bumi might not be the only one." I highly doubt that, but I didn't say it to the retired general. I just nodded back and continued drinking my tea in peace.

***

It was around noon and I was standing outside, staring at the ocean as the ship sailed. It was so peaceful out here, and I help but start thinking about Zian. He always wanted a home close the to sea. After our honeymoon, Zian and I would have moved to an island close to Fire Nation and Air Temple. So that we both were home and close to our people. It was our dream plan! Of course... now it is only just that. A dream.

After watching the sea for a while, I took our photo out and stared at it in longing with a sad and loving smile. Zian was my everything and I miss him so much, that it hurts! Each and everyday that passes, I pray and hope to see him again. But, unfortunately, the odds of seeing him is not in my favor. And that's what hurts the most, to know that I will never see him again. I just want to cry everyday because of this knowledge, but I keep myself from doing it. Zian would want me to be happy, and I can't be weak right now. I need to be strong for both Aang and myself until the war ends.

If the war ever ends that is...

I quickly shook that thought away and scolded myself for ever thinking it. I looked back at my picture of Zian and I, and softly traced Zian's face with my finger as I stared with longing, sadness and love. After a few minutes, I looked up when I heard foot steps and saw Iroh walking over to me, with Kai on his shoulder. He smiled to kindly as he stood next to me and looked over to the ocean. Iroh watched for a few moments until he looked down and noticed my photo in my hand. "I'm guessing he's the fiancé..." I nodded with a small sad and loving smile.

"Zian." I said as I handed the photo to him. "He's the best thing that ever happened to me." I said as I crossed my arms and looked back at the sea, before looking back when Kai yipped at me, displeased at my words. "Besides Kai, of coarse!" I quickly added with a laugh, which Iroh returned. Kai huffed at us, which made the both of us laugh again, before he laid back down on Iroh's shoulder. Iroh chuckled again at Kai, before petting him softly and looked down at my photo in his hand. "He looks like a kind man." Iroh said as he looked up from the picture to me with small smile. "He was." I said with a smile as I started thinking about Zian's kind and gentle heart.

"Especially with me and Kai... and Emiko." I added as I thought of the komodo-rhino who brought Zian and I together. "Was Emiko his little sister, or...?" Iroh asked curiously, which made me laugh at the thought. "No, she was his komodo-rhino!" Iroh chuckled softly when he heard my answer and shook his head at himself. "My mistake!" He said with a chuckle, but I just shook my head with a smile. "It's okay, you didn't know." I said as I took my photo back after Iroh handed it back to me. "She's actually the reason why we met." I said after putting the photo back in my pocket. "Really?" Iroh asked in wonder, humming in impress after I nodded 'yes' to him.

"You both must be grateful for her for getting you two together." I smiled at the retired general's words, and slowly nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we are." I said as I thought of that day when we met for the first time. I will always be thankful to her. If it wasn't for her charging at me that day, Zian and I would probable never had met each other. Yes, I do realize that she would have most defiantly have killed me that day if Zian have jumped in. But to be fare! If I haven't tripped over her broken tail and caused her even more pain that day, she would have leaved me alone. Yet, if I haven't tripped over tail and made her charge at me, Zian wouldn't have jumped in to save me.

"Emiko...?" Iroh said after a moment of silence. I turned to face him and noticed that Iroh standing deep in thought, as well as frowning. "Why does that name sound so familiar?" He mutter, more to himself than to me. I frowned in confusion at retired general and was about to question him, but was interrupted when Iroh suddenly put Kai in my arms. "I'll be right back!" Iroh exclaimed over his shoulder as he run back inside. Both Kai and I stared at the running firebender in confusion before looking at each other. "What's with him?" I asked, but Kai just shrugged at me before climbing up my arm and laid down on my shoulder.

I shrugged it off as well and turned back to face the sea. "I'm sorry." I sighed slightly when I heard his voice behind me and wrapped my arms around myself as I ignored him. "I truly am sorry." Zuko continued talking as he walked over and stood next to me, but I just ignored him again. He huffed slightly in annoyance as his grip on the ship's railings tighten. "Are you going to say anything?" Zuko snapped at me, but like previously, I just ignored him. "I'm sorry, okay!?!" Zuko snapped at me as he released his grip from the railings and turned to me. "I didn't mean to upset you or lock you in my room!" "Then why did you?!" I finally snapped back as I turned to face him.

"Why did you take my freedom away just like the monks did!?!"

Kai yipped worriedly down at me from my shoulder while Zuko stared at me with shocked, yet confused eyes. I sighed softly and petted Kai, silently telling him that I'm okay. "That's the second time you said something like that." Zuko said, but I just turned away to avoid eye contact. "Third if you count the room." My eyes widen slightly in surprise, but I refused to face him. "You said I was no better than the monks." Zuko continued talking, but I just kept facing the ocean as my arms wrapped tighter around. "And it's the second time you said that they took away your freedom." He added as he took a step closer to me.

Not wanting to talk about it, I took Kai from my shoulder and started walking back in side. Zuko suddenly took my right hand in his and pulled me back close to him. I gasped from the sudden pull and accidently dropped Kai. Luckily, he landed on his feet safely and didn't get hurt. I opened my mouth and was about to snap at him, but quickly closed it when Zuko's eyes stared right into mine. Zuko looked down at my right arm and started tracing the tattoo word 'freedom' on my arm. Goosebumps formed on my skin as he traced each line of the tattoo word on my right arm. As he traced it, I couldn't help but to blush and took deep breaths through my nose to calm my rapid beating heart.

"Every time you talk about the monks or airbenders, you look down at your right arm." Zuko said softly as he continued tracing the tattoo. "When you talk about your brother or Guardian monk, you look at it as well. But you only look at either the Air symbol or at the word 'peace.'" He said gently as he continued tracing my 'freedom' tattoo. "You only look at freedom when we talk about monks." Zuko said as he stopped tracing the tattoo, 'freedom' and looked up to me, right in the eyes. I held my breath when his golden eyes connected with my grey eyes, before slowly releasing it when Zuko wrapped his fingers with mine.

"But you don't look at it in pride like when you talk about the Air Nomads or airbending. You look at it in sadness and heartbreak." Zuko said as he laid his forehead against mine. My eyes darted down to our feet to avoid his eyes, but I looked up when he gently squeezed my hand that was joined with his. "What did the monks do?" He asked softly as he gave my hand another gentle squeeze. I took a deep breath through my nose as I bit my lip to stop myself from crying when the memories of what the monks did played in my mind.

Flashback...

After saying what I wanted to say to the monks for wanting to send Aang and I away from Monk Gyatso, I went straight to my room and started packing. My wedding is in a few days, and I need to be at Whale Tail Island to prepare everything for the wedding. But as I was busy packing with my back turned to the door, I didn't see the monk closing and locking my door before it was too late. "No!" I screamed after hearing and seeing my locked door. I quickly run over to it and started banging at the door. "Let me out!" I cried out as I continued banging my door. Kai was in his bed and was yipping worriedly at me, but I was to busy banging the door.

"You brought this to yourself!" The Dour Monk said through the door. I repeatedly shook my head at slammed my hand against the door. "No! No, no, no!" I shouted as the tears started rolling down my cheeks. "Please let me out! Please!" I cried out in plead, but from the sound of it, the Monk was already walking away. "You can't do this!" I shouted in both anger, sadness and fear. But the Dour Monk simply ignored me, like he and the other monks always did when I begged for more freedom and to live my life my way. "No! Let me out! Let me out please!" I continued crying as I banged to the door. But nobody was there.

After what felt like hours went by, and I was still busy screaming and begging for anyone to let me out, but nobody heard me. My screams slowly stopped as I started crying in heartbreak, as I slowly realized that my last bit of freedom left, was taken away, like always. They took my freedom by locking me up in my room. And as the realization slowly sank in, another thing hit me... I'm going to miss my wedding... "No..." I muttered through my tears as it hit me. I sunk down to my knees and started crying more in heartbreak. Kai slowly walked over to me and climbed onto my lap. He softly licked my cheek and nuzzled into my neck as he tried to cheer me up.

I softly petted him before wrapping my arms around him and bringing him close to my chest. His comfort helped for a moment before I burst into tears again. Kai repeatedly chirp in worry to me, but I just kept crying into his red fur. I continued crying for a while, before my sadness and heartbreak slowly turned into anger and rage. I put Kai back in his bed and walked back over to the door and started banging it again. "You monks don't deserve to be airbenders!" I exclaimed as I started cursing at the monks. "What kind of airbenders takes away another's freedom and happiness away!" I yelled out as I slammed my hand against the door. "You monks are cowards! Cruel cowards who takes other peoples freedom and happiness away!"

End of Flashback...

Zuko stared at me with wide eyes after I told my story. "They locked you in your room just so you can't go to your own wedding?" I nodded to him and pulled away from him. I wrapped my arms around myself and turned my back to him. Zuko scoffed softly in disbelieve before turning me back to face him and stared into my eyes with sadness. "Where was your brother and fiancé when this happened?" He asked with a small frown. My eyes flickered to the ground for a second before looking back up. "Aang was busy packing his things, he was going to take me to Whale Tail Island." I answered as I looked back down. "And your fiancé?"

"Zian was back home getting ready to leave as well. We were suppose to meet each other at Whale Tail Island before the wedding." I answered without looking up. "You and your fiancé weren't from the same Air Temple?" Zuko asked with a small frown, his words also making me chuckle softy. "No, we weren't from the same temple." I said with a smile. "In fact, Zian wasn't an airbender." Zuko's eyes widen in surprise as his mouth fell open in shock. "You were engaged with someone outside your nation?" Instead of answering to him, I simply just nodded to him. "Which nation was he in?" Zuko asked curiously.

Without helping it, I looked down to my left arm and started tracing my Fire Nation symbol tattoo on my hand. Zuko's eyes flickered down to my hand and widen when he saw which symbol I was tracing. "He was Fire Nation!" He stated more than asked, but I still nodded 'yes' to him and crossed my arms again. Zuko continued staring at me in shock until he huffed softly as he crossed his arms as well. "Was he a firebender?" He asked curiously as he looked back at me. "Yeah, he was a firebender." I answered after taking a deep breath. "He actually became a Master and got his Master Firebender Belt four days before his 16th birthday."

Zuko hummed and nodded in impress. A thought suddenly occurred to him as he looked back up to me with wide eyes. "Is that why they tried to stop from marrying him? Because he was he was from Fire Nation and a firebender?" Zuko asked with wide disbelief eyes. "No, back then it didn't matter if people from different nations married. There was peace back then remember?" I said as I looked up to him. "But, Zian being Fire Nation wasn't the reason why they tried to stop the wedding. Even if Zian was an Air Nomad, they would have still tried and stop the wedding." I said as I huffed in annoyance when I thought about the monks.

"Why?" Zuko asked with a confused frown. "Because I'm the Avatar's Protector." I said before shaking my head in irritation. "Being the Protector meant living the Protector's way." I continued as I walked back over to the ship's railing. "The Protector's way meant that the Avatar always comes first... for everything." I said as I looked out to the ocean. "And by everything, you mean..." Zuko said as he came over stood next to me. "Everything." I said without looking away from the big blue sea. "When I started my training as the Protector, the monks made sure everything that could distract me was gone." I said before a half laugh. "Well... almost everything because they couldn't take away Aang."

"Monk Gyatso, my and Aang's Guardian Monk always argued strongly to the monks when they forbid me from doing things like playing with the other kids." I said with a scoff as I shook my head. "They claimed that playing was a distraction from my training!" Zuko shook his head in disbelief and in annoyance as he listened to me. "Monk Gyatso kept trying to remind them that I was just a kid, that I needed freedom and fun." I continued before laughing when I remember what my Guardian Monk said to the monks once. "He actually said to them that the rules of being the Protector was unfair and stupid!"

I smiled as I thought of the person who was the closest thing to a father to Aang and I. "But it was always the same answer..." I said as my smile slowly disappeared. "The Avatar comes first." Zuko stared at me for a moment before looking at the ocean as well. We stood there in silence and just stared at the vast open seas. "You never said how you got out off the room." Zuko said, breaking the silence. "In both your room at the Air Temple and my room here on the ship." I smiled softly and looked to him. "Aang came and unlocked my door and got me out before the monks could stop him." I answered as I mentally smiled gratefully to my little brother. "And my room?"

I smirked up to him before picking up Kai who was laying down next to my feet. I put him on my shoulder and looked back to Zuko. "Now that's a story for another time." I said with a smirk and walked back into the ship. Zuko chuckled with a huff as he watched me leave before turning back to the ocean. "Looking forward for it." He muttered softly to himself, but I still heard him. I couldn't help but smile at his comment, and for some reason, I blushed as well.