"Don't listen to him, he's an idiot Water Tribe peasant who can't read!"
In a world without the Avatar, the people desperately craved a savior, someone to end the tyranny of the Fire Nation. This saviour had to be the Guardian, the one who could wie...
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"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." -Confucius ᠃⚘᠂⚘ ˚ ⚘᠂⚘᠃
Red paint was slathered on Akemi's skin, painting her pale body blazing red. Akemi's face was mostly spared, but eventually, they started powdering it excessively and then painted details with red and orange on the young girl's face.
The young girl was dressed in a fine kimono that was the finest she had ever worn. The gold threading throughout the garment made it heavy on Akemi's shoulders. Servants helped the princess into a breathtaking hakama that matched the red of her kimono. The hakama, however, did not have dragons embroidered upon it.
Akemi's dark hair was pinned up into a topknot, for once her bangs were also dragged back and puffed out around her hairline. Instead of her regular flame headpiece, a sun headpiece was placed at the base of her topknot. Some more flowers and beaded threads were added to the hairstyle before the girl was ready for the ceremony.
The door opened to Akemi's room and in waltzed Lu Ten, barely a teenager but with an air of authority. He dismissed the servants and strode to Akemi, who was seated by her vanity. A smile pulled on Lu Ten's lips and he looked her over. "You look beautiful."
Akemi glanced up at her cousin and then back down at her red hands. "Today is an important day for our nation," Lu Ten said. "You are the hope we have been waiting for, for years."
"It's strange," Akemi muttered. "I don't feel different." She frowned at a little porcelain bowl of water with some paint mixed into it.
"You will," Lu Ten assured. "We will win the war, together." The brunet extended his hand to Akemi.
Without hesitation, Akemi shook Lu Ten's hand. "Together."
Moments later the two were paraded for all to see. The courtyard was filled with Fire Nation citizens, and more had gathered behind the walls of the palace. They cheered loudly for the two sons of the Fire Lord.
Azulon spoke to his people and then he called for Akemi and the girl was presented as the Guardian. The one who would help them end the war.
As she stood there, before her people, little Akemi looked at her uncle. The war would be won during his reign at the latest, she would make sure of that. Then the girl's gaze drifted over to her father, and for the first time, Ozai smiled at her.
Akemi smiled at her people and as practised, she summoned a flame to dance in her hand. She threw it at Lu Ten who caught it and almost danced with the fire before sending it off into the sky. The fire exploded in the sky and coloured blue in celebration.
