4 The Council and Lightning Redirection

{A/N}

The end of the first chapter was just a showcase of Xiao's relationship with Iroh. I wanted to give a few reminders before you continue reading.

-He has been training under Iroh for five years. Iroh is a very powerful fire bender and is very connected with the spirit world.

-He is best freinds with Zuko.

-This chapter is going to be a slight showcase of his abilities as of this point, as well as the true start of the story.

-Enjoy :p

Xiao is currently laying down under a large Boulder, using his arms and legs to press it up before bringing it back down. He is in the middle of the training ground of the Royal Palace's west wing.

Sweat flowed from his body as the hot noon sun beat down on his tanned skin. 'And one hundred!' He thought as he lifted the Boulder and let it slide and fall to his right.

As he got up, Xiao heard someone approaching. He turned to see Zuko walking towards him with a smile. "Xiao! My father is finally accepting me! He has decided to let me sit in on a war council today!" He said, his voice prideful as he beamed like a kid who just got his first bike.

"Good! It's about time that asshole did something!" Xiao said, laughing at Zuko as his face twitched. "If you said even one of those words when we were in public, you'd be immediately executed." Zuko said in a helpless tone.

"So? We aren't in public are we?" Xiao said with an 'innocent' smile. Zuko just shook his head before looking up and smiling again. "So, do I look presentable?" Zuko asked.

"Why are you asking me? In my opinion, you always look like shit." Xiao replied as he went over to a weapon rack and picked up two wooden practice swords. He passed them both to Zuko, who is a duel-wielder, before grabbing a much nicer looking wooden sword sitting behind the weapon rack. It was fashioned like a katana.

"You're the only one that can say stuff like that to me without getting executed immediately…" Zuko said, sighing.

"You're right. Now stop going on about me getting my head chopped off. That's twice now in a few minutes!" Xiao said, laughing.

He turned around and started sparring and chatting with Zuko. "So, why are you so excited that you get to meet a bunch of senile old men to talk about war tactics?" Xiao asked with a smirk as he slammed Zuko's right sword to the side and brought his own sword to the young prince's neck, stopping just short of hitting him.

They resumed fighting. "Well, it means that father is preparing me for the position of Fire Lord." Zuko said as he batted Xiao's sword to the side and attempted to follow through with a second strike only for Xiao to duck under it and elbow him in the gut.

Zuko fell to the ground clutching his stomach.

Xiao walked over and offered him a hand. Zuko took it and threw the swords to the side. "Anyways, I need to get going. Can't be late. See you tomorrow!" Zuko said as he dusted himself off jogged away. Xiao shook his head and went to clean up.

Meanwhile, Xiao looked at the sword and remembered what Iroh had told him the night before.

'Little Xiao, I have taught you everything I could as of this point. Now you must come up with your own style. A truly great fire bender must forge his own path, for only with struggle can one become truly great. You cannot simply follow the path of another, as that is too easy and once you reach the end of that person's path, you will be unable to continue, and instead will get stuck.'

Xiao looked at the sword he held in his hands, as well as the hands themselves.

His eyes suddenly brightened. Xiao had an idea. 'That may work…' he thought to himself, running and grabbing his actual sword. It was a katana-like blade with a dark violet sheath, lined with gold. The sword itself had a pure black blade made of a special material found at the site of a fallen star, the hilt was made of the same material, with a violet cloth being used for the grip.

"Master, I think I have come up with a new style!" Xiao yelled, running into the room where Iroh sat. He did not join war councils any more because he was retired.

"Great! Show me when you have completed it! I'm very curious!" Iroh said with a smile. Xiao nodded excitedly. "I will!" Xiao said.

—Later That Day—

"Xiao! Sorry to interrupt you but you must come!" Xiao heard Iroh's voice resound through the training ground. 'Shit he sounds serious this time…' he thought, rushing over to Iroh as he pondered what may have happened.

"What happened, Master?" Xiao asked once he reached Iroh, standing at attention with his sword on his side.

"Zuko messed up during the war council and insulted a powerful general. Now he must have an Agni Kai." Iroh said sadly. "With the general? This is bad…" I muttered.

"No, not with the general but with his Ozai." Iroh said, to which Xiao looked incredulous. "What?! Why is the Fire Lord fighting his own son?" he asked. Iroh looked solemn as he said "to defend his honor."

Xiao looked somber as well as he asked the real question. "What are the terms?" He asked. "If Zuko wins the General will forget this offense and things will carry out as normal, however if my brother wins then he must be banished." Iroh admitted.

Xiao looked at him, startled. 'The terms are ridiculous!' He thought. "And I will go with him to protect and train him when he is banished. I can't lose my nephew." Iroh then said.

At this Xiao was silent. "I am coming too then." He mumbled. Iroh shook his head. "No. This is where I leave. We shall no longer be master and apprentice. I gave you the rank of an Elite Fire Nation soldier using the power of my title as a General. This should protect you from being executed. None of the nobles here like you. But with that rank they can't really do anything. Zuko and I will still be leaving in around ten days. So we have some time. The Agni Kai is tomorrow." Iroh said as he looked at Xiao, who was staring at the ground with tears in his eyes, completely ignoring the fact that he got such a major promotion. Elite Fire Nation soldiers are some of the best Fire-benders in the whole Fire Nation, on par with some Admirals and sometimes even Generals. They are the bodyguards of the royal family and usually lead important secret or personal missions for important nobles.

"Then how can I repay my debt?!" Xiao finally asked loudly. Iroh smiled softly. "How many times must I say it? You already have. I cannot even say how much it means to me that I had the chance to teach you as a master does his apprentice, but also as a father does his son.

My son died in a battle many years ago, and I was heartbroken. I traveled for many months after that, unlocking my spirituality among other things. But then I found you. At first I took you in out of pity, then I did it because you were talented. However during these five years, at some point I started living you as I did my son. Once I leave with Zuko, we will be apart from the Fire Nation with no backing. We will be sitting ducks, used as scapegoats for the other two nations to vent their anger. It is too dangerous for you. I cannot lose another son." Iroh said, hugging Xiao and tearing up as well.

Xiao was silent and still. Staring with wide eyes at Iroh. "You think of me as a… s-son?" He muttered, disbelieving. "Yes." Iroh replied.

Xiao hugged Iroh back. "Thank you…" he whispered. Xiao's family was gone, he had no one but Iroh and Zuko. Zuko was like a brother to Xiao, while Iroh had become a father figure for the boy as the man guided him in his training.

"Now before I leave, I must teach you one last thing. I hope it will help you when creating your style." Iroh said. Xiao nodded sadly.

"Yes." He said.

Iroh nodded. "I shall show you how to do it tonight, but from then on you are on your own." Iroh said.

"Now follow me." Iroh walked onto the training ground and stood apart from Xiao. "Bend lightning at me." Iroh said. Xiao seemed hesitant but still did it anyways. Iroh taught him about the sprit world for gods sake, and even though he hasn't succeeded in the meditation yet, Xiao believes it is there.

Xiao made short movement with his fingers as lightning danced between them. He raised his right hand back and shot it forward, a stream of lightning coming from it.

Once he did that, he watched intently to see what Iroh would do.

Iroh took a sideways stance and extended his right hand towards the lightning, his left facing the other way.

Xiao watched in shock as the lightning hit Iroh's fingers and instead of burning them, traveled up his arm and to his torso, and then down his left arm and out his left hand, shooting into the Boulder Xiao had been using as a weight before and completely obliterating it.

"This is called redirecting lightning…" Iroh started.