Phoenix Fire (Avatar: The Last Airbender) #Wattys2016

||Chapter 40 - End of a Journey||

Lea's POV

"Come on hurry up you four, we are going to be late~!" I yelled to the three boys and girl who groaned, showing clearly that they were tired from the long voyage from the fire nation to the newly rebuilt Ba Sing Se. With a bundle of energy, I skipped towards the gates that led into the major earth kingdom city. It's been about two weeks since the coronation, 5 days since Ba Sing Se was finished from repairs, the process becoming faster once Aang and Toph decided to travel over here to help out the earth benders in rebuilding the city from ruins. Shinya was supposed to go with them to help out but Toph knocked him out then her and Aang where off, Katara, Suki, Sokka joining them. That was about a week ago and I'm more than excited to see how Ba Sing Se looks now inside the walls. I turned around on my heel to look back at the boys to see Uncle leaning on Zuko for support, breathing deeply

"You alright old man?" Shinya asked him playfully with a smirk

"I'm not as young as I used to be. But it will all be worth it in the end when my eyes set on my tea shop again!" Uncle stated and I smiled warmly at him. Zuko rolled his eyes at our uncle but had a hint of a smile gracing his face

"Excuse me miss, but are you Phoenix Princess Lea that Avatar Aang has told us that will be arriving today?" I turned around to see an Earth Kingdom Guard. I nodded

"Yes. I am." He bowed quickly before looking up at two earth benders on the top of the walls

"They are here! Open the gate!" By the time the boys reached me, the gate was already opened by earth bending. I gasped at the marvelous sight of Ba Sing Se, the streets of it buzzing about with people of all kind

"Wow, I have never seen so many diversity of people before!" I stated in astonishment

"At request of Avatar Aang, we decided to not split up the districts like before, instead everyone from all backgrounds and earnings will live together. Even some fire nation has come to live within these walls." The guard explained to me and I nodded, looking up at Zuko who was smiling down at me

"You didn't tell me that!"

"I wanted it to be a surprise. It's our first movement in regaining peace and balance between all the nations." Zuko explained to me calmly and I huffed, childishly crossing my arms with a pout. Shinya chuckled from behind me and I sent him a quick glare, silencing him into sticking out his tongue at me. I stuck my tongue out at him in response, Uncle eyeing our small exchange with a snort

We followed the guard through the crowds of Ba Sing Se, others recognizing us and stopping us whenever the guard wasn't looking, delaying us further from our destination. Zuko quickly became annoyed, not used to all of the attention of being the new Fire Lord. Mai, who has been quiet mostly the whole trip, let out a small sly smirk at Zuko's irritant able state, finding humor at his red face

"Can you please tell us of how you-" Someone from the street yelled to us, being caught off by the other yelling of other bystanders, the loud voices drowning one another out into nonsense. I held my hands behind my back looking up at the blue sky, noting that in about an hour the sun was going to set. It's still her to believe to many the war the raged on for 100 years was finally over, that we shall rebuild everything up from the ashes. I remember the days when me and Shinya stole for a living, when we were back at the orphanage, when I was living happily as an 'oblivious' princess before I ran away. I hold all of those memories, there has been many ups and downs, but we have always came out victorious in the end. I heard someone start walking beside me, ignoring the sound of crunched of gravel underneath their boots as they walked

"What are you thinking about?" Shinya asked me quietly so only I could hear

"Different things, like how cabbages taste like-"