A Family Reunion

Lu was walking in the new built library with a statue of Akio towering in the middle as tall as most of the bookshelves filled with book from around the world. He walked past the statue lightly touching it to keep his balance and then continued. He walked past books all different sizes and colors that graced the shelves. He continued for some way until he got to a nice looking chair in a corner made by two bookcases. He let out a soft sigh and then sat down on the green colored cushion. He put his head back and closed his eyes. Breathing in and out soft breaths. He opened his eyes and saw the walls of the library the builders were not able to really fix all of the burn marks. That is the scar that the library will hold that horrible day which happened many years ago. He used all his strength to stand up and walk over to a table that has books, quills and inks, maps, and blank papers on it. Lu took his seat and starred at the stack of papers with words written on it. Lu was writing his life story, his accomplishments, his failures. He took the quill in his hand and started to fill the page with the events from his life.

Onoki wadled into the library, grumbling with every step. Akatsuchi, his youngest son as well as his heir and advisor walked closely behind him. Akatsuchi looked at all the books "Looks like bro's done well for himself.." he said almost quietly, but not quietly enough to escape the ears of his father. Onoki gruffed "Ha!" he said "Hardly! Look at all these books, what kind of man has a library this big? huh?! Take a lesson Akatsuchi, this is what NOT to do when you become royalty." Onoki stopped and pointed to the bookshelf "Books dont' win wars!" he said "And they sure as hell don't earn you respect from the people! You gain respect by doing great things, by winning wars, and being a hero. Take a lesson from me Akatsuchi and don't listen to your brother. Besides he's the type of man who hates anything manly...he probably banned hunting and fishing in Ba Sing Se."

Lu was writing until voices made his hand stop the elegant strokes and he placed the quill down and he looked up and starred even though books were in the way of his view he knew who was here. He pushed his chair back and stood up. Lu looked to his right and left, turned and walked to his left and said as he walked to the statue of Akio, "You know dad," he stopped and looked at a book that was out of place he grabbed it and put it in the correct spot and continued, "I, with the help of books, brought the Earth Kingdom out of chaos caused by Li. The books written by Akio, which were few, and the many written by Lu I helped me become the great King I am today. People all around the Nation speak of what I did they have built statues to my honor father." He continued to move gracefully in the library where he spent most of his days now. He stopped at the statue of Akio and faced the door where the two entered from. "I am a hero and my name will go down in the hearts of the people. Oh and it is good to see you both." A small smile went across his face when he finished speaking.

"Well then Mr.Hero" said his father mockingly "Would it hurt you to come home more often?! Are you so big and mighty now that you can't at least write a letter?! Couldn't you get one of your servants to do it for you at least?!" Akatsuchi sighed and stepped infront of his father "Sorry about dad...he's actually in a better mood than usual" he said looking back at his father "Believe it or not. So Lu, how've you been?" Onoki, still grumpy and now fuming from being interupted by his son, jumped up and smacked Akatsuchi over the back of the head "Don't interupt your father!" he said "I taught you to have more respect than that!!"

Lu starred at his father, "If I want to keep my title as hero then I can't just stop doing what I am doing." Lu stopped rubbed out a mark on the statue and continued, "I have sent letters father to you and the entire family. I have sent invites to my son's wedding and other parties. It is just no one ever replies or even shows up." He then was to cut off by his brother and nodded and laughed a bit. "I am good, how about you?" He was waiting for his father to hit Akatsuchi and then he did. Lu laughed agian and said, "Calm father, let us sit and talk. I bet we all have much to talk about. Do you two want anything to eat or drink?" He looked around and then clapped his hands and heard running from down the hall. Soon at the library doors was a young servant boy waiting for the orders.

Onoki followed Lu deeper into the library, mumbling agrily as he did "Sit and talk" he said "As if, do you think soldiers SIT and TALK to each other...no they don't, they kill each other. You think Sasuno'o ever sat down at talked out his feelings with the rest of the world? You think Fire Lord Rekka ever sat down and talked with the Water Bendere before he destroyed them and had them hunted?" Akatsuchi sighed from behind his father "Have you ever realized that all those people are dead?" he asked his father, he got no reply except for an anger growl.

Lu sighed and muttered, "Not the talk I wanted but ok I will play along." He stopped fixed a couple of books and faced his father. "So you want us to kill each other?" Lu asked his father, "That is a little strange request even from you." He laughed to himself and then continued to walk through the library until he got to some chairs nestled in an open area. They were a dark green with patterns depicting scenery. "Those men were harsh father, I am not like either of them and I will never be." He took a seat and motioned for the two to sit also and looked at his father. "I don't see why you come to my home and say these things to me but a while ago you scold me for not visiting. Why do you think I never visit? You fuss about every little thing I do."

Onoki glared at Lu "I'm your father it's what I do" he said "And while you're up go get your father a drink....find the three strongest alcohols you have and mix 'em together...and find me a smoke while I'm you're at...I could use one." Onoki jumped up from the ground into a chair. He struggled to get in at first but when he managed to sit down he laid back and relax, his feet dangling over the edge. Akatsuchi tried to hold back a smile as he saw his father sitting there look like a 4 year old boy trying to sit in a large arm chair "What the hell are you looking at?!" he roared at Akatsuchi.

Lu sighed and said, "Father I am not standing and I don't allow smoking in the palace including the library." His eyes moved up to the burn marks still visible on the walls of the library. "We do have alcohol though." He clapped once and a young servant boy walked up with a small smile on his face. "Yes your Highness?" Lu looked at his father than the boy, "Get me some tea please and my father here some alcohol but ask an older servant to bring it here I don't want you to give in to temptation." The boy walked off and he looked at his brother and father. "So what do you think?" He asked, it was a question about all this. his life, his kingdom, everything.

"I think you need to stop being so damn strict!" he said "Let the kid drink if he wants, better a young alcoholic servant than an old one, he hasn't had the time to develop a tolerance to it. Besides the boys never gonna learn unless he experiences it...if you tell someone not to do something it makes them want to do it more." Onoki jumped from his chair onto a nearby chess table "Have my years of fathering taught you nothing?!" he said red in the face, Akatsuchi opened his mouth to say something but was silence immediately "Shut it Akatsuchi! Lucky for me I brought my own pipe, and I'll smoke wherever the hell I want, thank you very much!" Onoki pulled out a pipe and lit it, he puffed some smoke as he sat back down "Where's the alcohol I asked for?!" he roared to the servants.